AUDACIOUS BOOKCLUB HAPPENINGS
Our September selection is The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter. We will be in conversation with Regina on September 25th and registration is open. Please do join our bookclub discussions when the threads are posted. We have great conversations and all are welcome.
THE NEWSLETTER WEEKS IN REVIEW
PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL NEWS
For the New Yorker I wrote about America’s history of xenophobia toward Haitians. (Guys… this was my first time in the New Yorker. I am kvelling!) I wish it was about something less… horrible.
On September 28th, I will appear with RGB author Oliver Radclyffe to discuss his memoir Frighten the Horses at Skylight Books in Los Angeles. Here is the book reviewed in Autostraddle.
October 1st, I will be in conversation with Edwidge Danticat at Rutgers at 7 pm in the Ruth Dill Johnson Crockett Building, First Floor Conference Room. GPS address is 162 Ryders Lane. The first 50 attendees will receive a free copy of Danticat’s new essay collection, We’re Alone.
Also in October, find me at the Circa Queer Histories festival in Los Angeles. I will be part of the closing plenary, “The Future of Queer History: LGBTQ+ Writers on the Election,” on Sunday, October 27, 2024, 7-8:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre. I will be joining Eric Cervini, Justin Torres, Tre’vell Anderson and George M. Johnson in conversation.
Debbie Millman has a new book, Love Letter to a Garden, and it will be published on April 15th, 2025. Also included in the book are 10 recipes by me—a mini cookbook if you will. Pre-orders are open!
Megan Pillow and I wrote a book called Do the Work. The Tenth Anniversary edition of Bad Feminist is available. The Portable Feminist Reader is coming out on February 18th, 2025. Pre-orders are now open and it is always a huge help when you pre-order.
Details about our new writing contest and the winner and runners-up of the inaugural contest are up!
WEEKLY READING
Gaza’s health ministry has published a list of the people who have been murdered during the Hamas war with Israel. It’s all maddening but the names of the babies are particularly painful to see, knowing they never had a chance to live and become who they were meant to be. As American doctors return from Gaza, they all say the same thing—the brutality is beyond imagining.
Israel committed an act of terrorism, somehow making Hezbollah members’ pagers and walkie talkies explode. Many have died including a 9-year-old girl, thousands have been injured, and now, in Lebanon, people are living in fear.
Yes, people in other places, including Israel, are also living in fear. The point is that no one should live in fear and acts of terrorism are bad no matter who commits them.
Columbia put a lot of energy into surveilling their students who were exercising their right to protest.
Vice-President Kamala Harris has added policies to her official website. She also did the WIRED autocomplete interview.
Harris debated Donald Trump, trounced him, and he remained a flagrant liar, racist, and xenophobe. He lost so badly, he’s too scared to debate her again. Oh and there was maybe another attempt on his life but no one cares. The secret service hates him, right?
Speaking of, JD Vance has been propagating the lie that Haitians in Springfield, OH, who are in the U.S. legally, are eating household pets. Chaos has since ensued. Haitians in Springfield are afraid to send their kids to school. Various public buildings have been evacuated because of threats. White supremacists are infesting the town. Events are being cancelled. It has all been so egregious that the Miami Heat made a statement in support of Haitians. Vance admitted he was lying about it all but also said it’s fine to lie to bring attention to the suffering of (white) Americans. Adam Serwer notes that racists would rather see everyone suffer than allow minorities and immigrants to thrive. And they think they are above the law. If they are reelected, they will be. Still, there are good people, everywhere. And this all started when a woman shared on Facebook something she heard about a friend of a neighbor or something equally ridiculous. And again, it’s a lie.
Taylor Swift endorsed Harris and so did Billie Eilish. Scientific American endorsed Harris which they have only done once before. And, uh, George Will endorsed her???
P. Diddy was indicted, arrested, and denied bail. The indictment is truly an accounting of horrific behavior, sexual violence, enabling, trafficking, and more. Also, 1,000 bottles of baby oil were found in his house which begs so many questions I hardly know where to begin. He was ordered to pay $100 million to one of his many victims. Also, 50 Cent continues to thrive while hating Diddy and reveling in pettiness.
The women feeding Manhattan’s construction workers.
In St. Louis, a judge refused to free Marcellus Williams (on death row) who, evidence shows, is innocent.
Fewer people are dying from drug overdoses. This is what happens when leaders recognize the importance of harm reduction.
From Christina Sharpe, an essay on the unbearable reality of witnessing atrocity.
A profile of artist Yvonne Wells for Cultured.
I really enjoyed this deep dive into people who work for the government, not the politicians and middle-managers, but the people who do the day-to-day work that keeps this country functioning.
Sarah Smarsh on prairie preservation and restoration.
Something is going on with J Lo and B’affleck being seen kissing and holding hands in public and I don’t know what that’s about.
On men finding community in spin class.
A profile of Garth Greenwell. A profile of Bowen Yang. A profile of Chapelle Roan. An interview with Sally Rooney. A conversation with Beyoncé. A profile of Jewish Currents. A profile of Tony Tulathimutte.
Dijimon Hounsou speaks on the inequalities in Hollywood pay.
The CMAs snubbed Beyoncé, which was expected but is still ridiculous. Cowboy Carter is a magnificent album conceptually and in execution. I will fight you.
An essay on what the ongoing discourse about diversity in publishing is missing. (The answer is, among other things, NUANCE.)
The National Book Award longlists have been announced.
RIP James Earl Jones, amazing actor with an amazing voice, such screen presence, Darth Vader, but had some not great ideas about Black women.
Searching for Maggie Cheung.
The first five episodes of SNL have been announced. A curious lineup…
If you’re an oenophile, here are some excellent Black-owned wineries.
Senate Republicans, supposedly in favor of families and people having babies, blocked a bill to federally protect IVF. Meanwhile, yes, women are dying because of the abortion restrictions in so many states.
Dave Grohl has a bonus baby that he did not have with his wife to whom he is presently married.
An interesting, longform essay on the state of the NYTBR. Many of the critiques are absolutely valid.
The governor of Kentucky has signed a bill banning conversion therapy for minors. Now, let’s do this federally!
The healthcare situation in the U.S. is one of many American disgraces.
A nonsense idea about a problem that demands serious solutions.
Portland is getting a WNBA franchise. Its your time to thrive Flannel Lesbians! ESPN has the ugliest website. It’s shocking. And Caitlin Clark is having a decent season.
NYPD shot and killed someone for not paying subway fare ($2.90) and three others, including a fellow cop. They were the only ones shooting guns. Then there were some evidence shenanigans. I won’t even get into all the mess Eric Adams, who is messy, is dealing with. But, mess.
Not only is Elon Musk trash, he is dangerous trash, with security clearance, and billions of dollars in federal contracts, who casually makes misogynistic threats on his social media platform that he single-handedly ruined.
That Boar’s Head facility killing people is extra, extra disgusting.
Instagram will now automatically keep youths Instas private. It only took like… a decade or so! Move fast, break things I guess.
Behind the NYC’s Maricón parties.
What it’s like to be a prison librarian.
A haunting essay about the secrets unearthed by the tapes a father made while bugging his family.
Shannon Sharpe “accidentally” went on Insta Live while fornicating. There was growling involved, I hear.
Yes, Industry is a perfect television show. I will not be taking questions at this time. Also Rebel Ridge, on Netflix, is actually good! Not just Netflix Good Enough, but legit good!
There is nothing that isn’t affected by racism. Black women are given C-sections at higher rates than white women.
What are fashion brands even trying to sell these days?
It is the end of an era. Silver fox Jorge Ramos is leaving Univision.
Not gonna lie… I’m in deep with the Mormon Housewives show and MomTok drama. It’s fascinating. And they are super into plastic surgery and soda. Can we agree that Zac is a walking red flag?
Good news! You can renew your passport online. This is the future we were promised.
Another (flawless) design choice.
“Cowboy Carter is a magnificent album conceptually and in execution.” YES
Received “Frighten the Horses” in the mail after pre-ordering. Could not initially remember where I heard to pre-order and then remembered it was Roxane Gay. Cannot wait to start it!