Links round-up

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer Time

Acceptance has no exceptions: a beautiful set of poster designs doing what it says on the tin. [content note: lots of *ist tropes quoted]

There are some things I need to tell you: a list in eight parts. "It is okay to be afraid. Once you're ready -- not necessarily sure, or prepared, or confident, but ready --, you'll do what you need to do."

An Open Letter To Caitlin Moran, on the theme that any feminism that is not intersectional is bullshit.

Body Shame Hurts [content notes: body shaming, disordered eating], an essay on parenting and one way to avoid getting it drastically wrong when it comes to acceptance.

Fat People: You Don't Have To Justify Your Existence, a letter affirming that people's opinions about your body are not your responsibility, and that educating others is likewise not your responsibility.

This keynote by Andrea Zanin is the best thing Valentina's read about Fifty Shades Of Grey: it's a long one, taking in Gayle Rubin's charmed circle and the ways in which some forms of kink become acceptable at the expense of shutting out other kinds, and portraying some kinky people as 'crazy and criminal' to keep the boundaries. Essentially, it's about assimilation!

Feminist Performers reviews a Bristol womens' comedy night.

Who loves surveys? We love surveys! If any of these are relevant to you, please consider filling them in to help shape the services and resources available to your communities:
"With Consent?" is 'a survey about how sex is used, abused, and confused in LGBT communities' organised by Mankind UK.
"UK LGBT - Is It A Good Idea?" is a survey gathering opinions for a proposed UK-wide online campaigning platform for LGBTQ issues, organised by some activists of our acquaintance. It's had several hundred responses so far - please add your voice!
The follow three are for those living in and around Brighton, and are on: sexual health for women who sleep with women, improving outreach for sexual health services, and how the the City Council can improve trans equality.

English PEN has put together the collection "Catechism: Poems for Pussy Riot", including work from awesome feminist poets like Sophie Mayer, Chella Quint, Hel Gurney, and Maria Jastrzebska. You can download it for free, but any funds raised will go to Pussy Riot's legal fund or to PEN's Writers At Risk programme. Loads of poems and videos are also available on the PEN website!