#people need to stop centring themselves in ways that exclude the majority of us

[woman-loving]

Black British Lesbian History

Selection from “Herstoric Moments,” by Valerie Mason-John, in Talking Black: Lesbians of African and Asian Descent Speak Out, ed. Valerie Mason-John, 1995.

The movement

A separately organized Black lesbian movement is perhaps the response to our exclusion from the Black heterosexual world, the women’s liberation movement and the white lesbian and gay community. The herstory of lesbians which has been uncovered, recorded and celebrated is predominantly about white middle-class women. In fact, it is dead white lesbians who dominate the bookshelves: Radclyffe Hall, Djuna Barnes, Vita Sackville-West, Eleanor Roosevelt and Romaine Brooks are just a few of the names which we repeatedly come across when searching for lesbian herstory. The documented rise of the women’s movement during the 1970s mainly records the contribution of white women, including some white lesbians, through photography and writing. Although the 1980s have witnessed the beginning of the documentation of Black lesbian literature, it has been normally by women of African descent from the USA. Therefore, it has been important for Black lesbians living in Britain to begin documenting their own contribution to the movement before it is lost.

The herstory of the Black lesbian movement is typified by the struggle to have our gender, race and sexuality placed on the agenda. The Black political movements of the past--Garveyism, Pan-Africanism, the Black Power and civil rights movements--were all dogged by debates, splits and silence around gender and sexuality. Gender was most definitely not a priority issue, and the consideration of sexuality was completely ignored. Due to such conflict it was felt among some Black people that Black women could not afford to be separatist over certain issues and debates, because of the need to work together with Black men to overcome racism. In fact, it can be said that organizations such as Manchester Black Women’s Co-op and Southall Black Sisters, who spearheaded the ‘Stop the SUS’ (Suspect Under Suspicion) campaign; Zanus Women’s League; East London Black Women’s Organization; the Organization of Women of African and Asian Descent; and other Black lesbian groups were all a response to the years of struggling to be recognized as women in the Black political movement, as lesbians in the Black feminist movement and as Black in the women’s liberation movement and the lesbian and gay community.

Black lesbians were isolated, they had lost their allegiances among white women and with the Black heterosexual community. A whole feminist herstory had been written excluding the contribution of Black women. White women, whether lesbians, feminists or lesbian feminists were not interested in American chemical companies polluting first-nation countries, or in the illegal mining in Namibia; in fact, they were only concerned with their immediate needs.

Although there has been a separate movement, Black lesbians have always been part of the wider Black, feminist and lesbian struggles. Many were always active in the Black liberation movement and others took part in Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW), the women’s liberation movement, the Gay Liberation Front, antinuclear campaigning (Greenham Common) and Reclaim the Night marches, between the late 1960s and 1980s. Our herstory has been shaped by our oppressions. However, Black lesbians have risen above their oppressors, and achieved monumental feats, despite the odds stacked against us.

African and Asian unity

Although the Black political movement had initially brought men and women together, Black women, unhappy with their declared position in the movement, found the need to organize autonomously, and used the opportunity to forge links with other Black women they had met in the global Black struggle. As a result, the Organization of Women of Africa and African Descent (OWAAD) was founded in 1978. However, during its first year, it was argued that if OWAAD was to address issues concerning all Black women effectively, women of African and Asian descent should stop organizing separately around the issues of racist attacks, deportations, Depo-Provera and the question of forced sterilization of Black women in Britain. This shift towards forging links together was sealed in 1979 when OWAAD changed its named to the Organization of Women of African and Asian Descent. As the first documented and cohesive national network of African and Asian women, it united Black women from all over Britain, and had a profound influence on Black British women’s politics. To ensure links were maintained, a newsletter (FOWAAD) was printed. [/] However, rifts soon began to appear in the organization, and one of the major splits occurred over the issue of sexuality. Black lesbians, although they were most definitely at the forefront of the organization, found themselves to be invisible. Some remained in the closet while others were continually silenced, and those who were publicly outed caused a furore. From its outset there was a noticeable absence of debate around this issue; sexuality was perceived as being too sensitive to speak about publicly. The prevailing opinion was: ‘How could members wast time discussing lesbianism, heterosexism and bisexuality when there were so many more pressing issues?’ One of the first out and visible Black lesbians in public and the media, Femi Otitoju, remembers the conference which caused the damage, ‘A woman announced, there is no space for Black lesbians, so let’s have a workshop over here.’ She remembers some Black women being abusive and hostile, and hurling insults. She recalls: ‘Some women stood up and said we’re lesbians and we’re offended and upset. I remember thinking, shush, you damn fools.’ An ignorance of the background to the struggle and/or a hostility towards feminism from the newer members, together with the failure of the organization to take on board the differences, meant that OWAAD had a short life, and it folded in 1982. Although members of OWAAD failed to unite with each other over some issues, it was an important chapter in Black women’s herstory. It campaigned against immigration authorities and virginity tests at ports of entry, it demonstrated against state harassment, battled against expulsions in education and fought many unjust laws. OWAAD for all its faults had much of the vibrancy and energy a Black movement needed.

Positive results came out of the rise and fall of OWAAD. Black lesbians belonging to the organization came together in 1982 and formed their first group, called the Black Lesbian Group, based in London. it is claimed that Black women travelled from Scotland, Wales and all over England to attend the fortnightly meetings. A fares pool was provided by members for women who needed expenses for their travel. However, the group struggled for survival. It initially asked to meet at Brixton Black Women’s Centre, but was denied access because some of the workers were concerned that a lesbian group on the premises would add to the hostility it was already experiencing as a Black women’s centre. Black lesbians of mainly African descent and some of Asian descent eventually found space at the now-defunct centre, A Woman’s Place, based in central London.

OWAAD’s driving force

Members of Brixton Black Women’s Group (BBWG) were part of the motivating force (along with other politically active Black women around Brtiain) which founded the national organization, OWAAD. BBWG was set up in 1973, in response to redefining what the Black and feminist movements meant to them. Its members were an amalgamation of Black women from the women’s and the Black liberation movements. In its early days the group’s politics was influenced by socialism. Some women preferred not to call themselves feminists because it would link them to the women’s movement which had many racist attitudes. Others identified as feminists, but emphasized that feminism stretched beyond the narrow concepts of white middle-class women. During the early 1980s the group had a strong core of members who identified as Black socialist feminists. Although the question of lesbianism featured quite low on the agenda, many of the BBWG founding members were lesbians.

The group met at the Brixton Black Women’s Centre, which was established by the Mary Seacole Group. This group aimed to provide a meeting space, gave support and advice on housing, social security and to mothers. Skills such as sewing, dress-making and crafts were shared. Although the crafts group collapsed over an argument about their political posture, the BBWG survived, and opened up the centre’s doors to the public in 1979. This group was involved in various campaigns which affected every aspect of being a Black woman.

Black lesbians worked at the centre along with Black heterosexual women, and continued to serve all Black women until 1986, when the workers learnt they had been working in a condemned building, and suffered a cut in funding. This marked the end of an era; all that is left is a derelict building with an unfinished mural of Black women working together. ‘Groups like Brixton BWG were just one of the strands which, when woven together, helped bind the political practice of the Black community as a whole. They were in many ways simply a continuation of the Black groups which had existed ever since our arrival after the war.’[1] There were thirty or more groups like the BBWG (with a strong input from Black lesbians) scattered throughout Britain during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Renaissance Black lesbians

In 1984 a group of white lesbians set up Britain’s first lesbian archive, to preserve the contribution lesbians had made to British culture. During the 1970s Black lesbians had taken part in many campaigns which affected women and Black people, but this was not being recorded. Similarly, in setting up this archive, the contribution made by Black lesbians was overlooked. The archive reinforced the white-only image of lesbians through the books and information it collected, by the workers and volunteers it employed, and through its membership. Five years after it opened, a Black employee, Linda King, was taken on to try and redress this imbalance. She explored the relevance of the Lesbian Archive and Information Centre to the Black lesbian community, and how it could be improved. During her four-week contract, she collected interviews, transcripts and photographs of Black lesbians (some of which are only available to Black lesbians), and compiled a report. One of the points raised in the interviews was the fact that Black lesbians had contributed to the intellectual and cultural interests of all lesbians in Britain.

Making our mark in the 1980s

The 1980s was a decade in which Black lesbian activity flourished throughout Britain. After the first Black lesbian group was set up in 1982, Black lesbians took the initiative to organize groups, meetings and conferences on a grand scale. During 1983 a Chinese lesbian group was launched after three lesbians of Chinese descent met for the first time at a conference on lesbian sex and sexual practice. In 1984 the ‘We Are Here’ conference marked the first time that Black women had come out publicly as Black feminists. An organizer, Dorothea Smartt, recalled: ‘It was unashamedly a Black feminist conference where Black lesbians were welcome.’ The conference planning group was open to all Black women including Black lesbians.

From discussions at the conference several initiatives were launched: an incest survivors’ group; a Black women writers’ network; a mixed racial heritage group; ‘We Are Here’ newsletter and the Black Lesbian Support Network (BLSN). The BLSN offered advice, information and support to Black women questioning their heterosexuality. it also collated articles by and about Black lesbian lifestyles from all over the world. It was forced to close in 1986, as the exhausted volunteers moved on to do different things in the Black lesbian community. However, the collated articles are available from the Lesbian Archives in central London. The ‘We Are Here’ newsletter covered many issues, including health, incest, definitions of Black feminism, Black lesbian mothers and reports about such ongoing national and global campaigns as anti-deportation fightbacks and nuclear testings in Africa. This also folded in 1986, a year which saw the closure of many women’s, gay and lesbian, Black and left-wing groups in London. The abolition of the Greater London Council (GLC) in 1986 initiated a period of severe cutbacks in funding for many community-based groups.

However, despite the effects of a Thatcherite government, some groups did spring up and survive. During the mid-1980s a Black lesbian group was established at Waltham Forest Women’s Centre, but folded after two years; and in the London borough of Camden, a Black lesbian group which was set up next to the Camden lesbian project in 1985, still exists today. In this same year several black lesbians were involved in the establishment of the Lesbians and Policing Project (LESPOP); this project was forced to close in 1990 due to a complete cut in its funding. Black lesbians of Asian descent also launched a group, but this folded before the new decade. Funding was secured for a research project on Lesbians from Historically Immigrant Communities, which included testimonies from lesbians of African and Asian descent. Although the work was never published it can be found in the Lesbian Archives. Most of the groups which were set up for Black lesbians during the first half of the decade existed in London, but there were groups in other parts of Britain.

The impact and effect of these groups (with a donation of £11,000 from a white working-class lesbian weekend) culminated in Zami 1, the first national Black lesbian conference to be held in Britain. In October 1985 over two hundred lesbians of African and Asian descent flocked to London to attend this herstorical event. It was a natural high in itself to be in one space with so many other Black lesbians, and it was a proud moment for those Black lesbians who had been part of the struggle for visibility and recognition during the preceding decade. Delegates discussed issues of coming out in the Black community, disability, prejudices between lesbians of African and Asian descent and various other topics. As with all conferences there were differences of opinion, in this case over the question of who was and was not Black. However, such debate was not surprising when so many Black lesbians from all over Britain had come together for the first time, the political thinking of OWAAD, and of London, had not necessarily filtered its way all over the country.

Zami 1 was and still is one of the greatest achievements of Black lesbians. It paved the way for further conferences, gave confidence to those Black lesbians who were frightened of coming out, and most of all it told the general public that Black lesbians do exist, and in numbers. In the same year Black lesbians were instrumental in setting up Britain’s first lesbian centre in Camden, London, and during the latter part of the 1980s, Black lesbian groups were established in Birmingham, Manchester and Bradford, together with a group for Black lesbians over forty and a group for younger Black lesbians in London.

At the turn of the decade (April 1989), Black lesbians organized the second national conference, Zami II, in Birmingham. Unlike the first conference, Zami II was open to other Black lesbians with one or both parents from the Middle East, Latin America, the Pacific nations, to indigenous inhabitants of the Americas, Australasia and the islands of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, along with those of us who are descended from Africa, Asia and its subcontinent. Over two hundred women came together and debated the issues of sex and sexuality, sexual relationships between Black and white lesbians, motherhood and many other issues. From this conference a group of women imitated a group for lesbians and gays of mixed racial heritage (MOSAIC), which still exists today, and which held its first conference in 1993 in London. In 1991 two Black lesbian groups were set up in Nottingham and Bristol, and in 1992 a day-long event was held where Black lesbians could discuss the issue of safer sex and HIV and AIDS.

During the early 1990s the rise of Black lesbian activity reached a plateau, and is now beginning to dwindle and stagnate. Although 1992 saw another Black lesbian conference in the North, only a few groups have been founded. There have also been Zami (events of Black lesbians) days in Birmingham in 1993 and 1994.

Organizing with Black gay men

To a lesser extent Black lesbians have also organized with Black gay men. 1981 is a landmark for Black lesbians and gay men organizing together, as it was the year when the Gay Asian Group became the Black Gay Group. Although the group was initially dominated by men, women soon became a more visible presence when it renamed itself the Lesbian and Gay Black Group in 1985. This group went on to secure funding for a Black Lesbian and Gay Centre based in London. The project survived seven years of looking for sufficient funds and suitable premises, but in 1992 the centre was finally launched, and two years later it still exists as the only centre in Britain serving Black lesbians and gay men exclusively.

In 1988 Shakti, a network for South Asian lesbians, gays and bisexuals was set up in London. Since then, other Shaktis have sprung up in major cities, providing a fundamental resource for the Asian community. In 1990 Black lesbians and gay men came together to organize the sixth International Lesbian and Gay People of Colour conference in London, when over three hundred people came together from all over the world to discuss issues which concerned them. During this same year Black lesbians and gay men came together and formed Black Lesbians and Gays Against Media Homophobia (BLAGAMH), which led to one of the most successful campaigns against the Black media in Britain this century. This had centred on the ferocious attack made against lesbians and gay men by Britain’s most successful Black newspaper, The Voice. During the last three months of 1990, it carried malicious and homophobic stories, including a report on the Black British footballer Justin Fashanu, and printed Whitney Houston’s remark that she was not a ‘Lesbo’. The paper’s columnist, Tony Sewell, wrote: ‘Homosexuals are the greatest queerbashers around. No other group are so preoccupied with making their own sexuality look dirty.’ BLAGAMH, along with the support of the National Association of Local Government Officers (NALGO), initiated a successful boycott of The Voice, instructing local authorities not to advertise in the newspaper. After almost a year’s battle, BLAGAMH won a full-page right-to-reply. The Voice also promised to adopt an equal opportunities policy and ensure positive coverage of lesbian and gay issues, a commitment which the newspaper has so far upheld. BLAGAMH continues to monitor the Black community, and has challenged ragga artists like Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks over their use of misogynistic and homophobic lyrics.

That same year (1990) saw the establishment of Orientations, a group for lesbians and gay men of Chinese and South Asian descent. Groups have also been formed by Black lesbians and gays in Manchester, and, in 1991, by Black lesbians, gays and bisexuals in Bristol. All three groups exist today. The short life of Black lesbian and gay groups is typical of the whole lesbian and gay community: as soon as one group disappears, another emerges.

#lgbtq history #black history #black lgbtq history #asian history #asian lgbtq history #valerie mason john #lesbian history #britain #women of color

[holaafrica]

New Post has been published on http://holaafrica.org/queer-lockdown-essential-workers/

Queer Lockdown – Essential Workers

By Tshegofatso Senne (@mbongomuffin), Illustrated by studiostudioworkwork

LGBTQIA+ people have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a country that very rarely prioritises the needs of our community, circumstances have worsened during the pandemic, especially as the poor and working class face greater risks. LGBTQIA+ people are at the intersection of multiple vulnerable communities, with those who are immunocompromised, living with HIV/AIDS, unemployed, those who are homeless, refugees and others who are forced to live with homophobic family members. Even within non-governmental organisations, funding very rarely prioritises our community.

Regardless of this, queer people are still working tirelessly as essential workers across a range of sectors. They are working in our food stores, within public transport and media, they’re within cleaning, sanitation and security services, at our pharmacies and banks, they’re helping bury our loved ones and take care of far more within the healthcare sector. Queer people have always done care work and yet, they are often the first to be forgotten or pushed aside.

I was able to speak to three queer medical practitioners to hear about their experiences working during this time; just how it is that our community is uniquely affected within a pandemic and how they’re coping with that.

Buhle Radebe*, a nurse at a public hospital in Johannesburg is a queer woman who lives with her mother and brother, notes how fortunate she feels to be in close quarters with a family that is completely accepting of her sexual identity.

“Some people are lucky to have homes that are allow for their full expression. Unfortunately, with schools closed many have had to leave residences and are now stuck in abusive spaces,” she says. Whether we are out or not, being in a lockdown period with a family that is unaccepting or oblivious to the person you are is immensely terrifying for many.

“They can’t be themselves entirely, having to change the way they speak or dress. They’re dying for this time to end so they can remove themselves from that space and environment. They can longer seek safety at school, work or with friends, there’s no easy way to preserve themselves.”

Dr. Anastacia Tomson, a medical doctor, author and activist is a trans woman in Cape Town. She notes that housing is a huge problem that she’s seen patients and queer individuals alike facing. This is definitely not a new conversation, the effects of COVID-19 add a different element to the frustrating experiences of queer people currently; the pandemic has worsened homelessness. Having a safe place to call home and having access to loved ones that understand their identities is not always the case.

“I think as with any socio-economic phenomenon it’s always the marginalised populations who are hit the hardest and not always in ways we even understand,” shared Anastacia. “The reason it’s so difficult right now is because we didn’t really recognise or pay enough attention to how lacking these structures were before the pandemic. So now we find ourselves in a space where we need them and don’t know where to start.”

While NGOs attempt to bridge the gaps between the needs of the community and the actual service government provides, this is a systemic issue. Worse still, even the services that the government does provide often result in incredibly traumatic experiences for queer individuals who are able to access them.

“This is the dilemma as a queer person, the majority of healthcare providers we go to are not necessarily going to be part of the community, they aren’t going to have the context, they aren’t going to have the understanding,” shared Anastacia.

Accessing general healthcare comes with immense trauma and red-tape that’s used to discriminate against the community. Trans-identifying individuals cannot access specialists they need as easily now, those without updated ID documents with affirming gender markers find this even more difficult. Many are dead-named, misgendered and treated condescendingly which becomes a greater problem when such a large part of the population cannot access healthcare because they’re aware of the trauma involved in doing so.

Many queer medical practitioners are having to work as much as possible in order to allow for access to medical services, across sectors. Aware of the unique challenges the community faces, these practitioners are working extra hard to ensure that queer people have access to and feel safe to seek necessary medical care.

Dr. Melusi Dhlamini, Clinical Executive at Marie Stopes South Africa and a medical doctor, is a queer man who is determined to ensure that all who need to access sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) during the pandemic are able to. Reported (and legal) abortions for 2019 sat at 105000; one can only imagine how this number has plummeted during the pandemic, with so many having less access to services during lockdown.

“When lockdown started there was a feeling of SRHR not being essential. Every resource is being redirected for COVID. This is part of flattening the curve and I get that, but then what is deemed as essential? What is the cost once you delay an abortion? We have a limited amount of time, 20 weeks to work with. People don’t get the importance of this conversation,” he shared with me.

This time has forced doctors to be more innovative, which is exactly what Melusi did. He became the first South African doctor to complete an at-home abortion. While there was some pushback from providers who worried about safety, Melusi trained providers and did the first few himself. At the time of this interview, 28 May 2020, they had completed 257 at-home abortions and continue to receive over 20 calls a day from people who look to access this service.

“If you’re less than 9 weeks pregnant you call in and are screened to exclude anything that could put you at risk of having an ectopic pregnancy and whether you have medical conditions that would preclude you from getting an at-home abortion. Once that’s done we send you the medication or you can come collect. You are counselled on how the process will work, someone from Marie Stopes, available 24/7, is directed to you should you need guidance or questions.”

This service has allowed so many to access this service privately. It’s also reached areas that don’t have centres in them; places in the Northern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, especially.

The LGBTQIA+ community is disproportionately impacted by the various ways this pandemic has put additional strain on how the community is able to access healthcare in an already difficult system. Oftentimes we already have significantly lower health outcomes because of the discrimination we face and without medical aid this is exacerbated. Individuals within the community are encounter hyper-medicalisation as trans or intersex people, or have procedures done on them without their consent. Queer refugees cannot access medical care and face increasing risks when relocating to find safety. Additionally, many procedures that the queer community may need are deemed as non-urgent and postponed or cancelled during the pandemic.

Anastacia, whose work includes providing gender-affirming healthcare to trans patients, speaks on this overall impact. Patients are unwilling to come out to the medical rooms or clinic, and if they do travel it’s challenging due to lockdown restrictions. A lot of patients are struggling with their finances, a lot more don’t have secure housing and this makes life excruciatingly difficult.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty right now and that makes gender-affirming care more difficult to do. Many public sector clinics have had to restrict their operations because of the pandemic. We definitely know that gender-affirming healthcare is essential and scientifically it’s proven to improve life expectancy, quality of life, adverse outcomes, affects depression, anxiety, substance use, etc. You can’t make the argument that this work is not essential. There are many people who would like to use this pandemic as a reason to shut down access to queer healthcare services but I think it’s our responsibility as clinicians and activists not to let them do that.”

This has definitely been the experience of Melusi, who says that many hospitals and clinics have taken this time as a justification to stop prioritising abortions, even though the need has not subsided. He talks through the various situations he’s had to deal with since the beginning of lockdown.

“I was so upset when I called to a hospital in the Eastern Cape and found out they had only done 2 abortions in 2 months. They have 40 people on the waiting list, many who are already past 10 weeks. The head of the department had no plan. Pre-COVID this clinic would have patients lining up at 5am just to make sure they could access this service,” Melusi shared. “At Bara they only see 4 or 5 clients a day and the demand is huge. They have a working list and prioritised clients are around 20 weeks. So if you’re 12/13 weeks you’re going to wait until they have no choice but to squeeze you in. This is the reality of South African healthcare.”

This, indeed, is the reality of South African healthcare.

As a nurse, Buhle feels this reality in a completely different way than the doctors above. Nurses, as vital as they are to healthcare are often treated as unimportant. Within the public hospital where she works, nurses have seldomly been given information about procedures or what’s happening in the hospital. Her ward, paediatric medical, was changed into a COVID-19 ward with little to no information and they were simply told they would now be testing patients; this occurred with them barely having access to sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“They were dishonest about the first suspect COVID patient we had. At the time we didn’t have PPE at all, there weren’t even masks because people were stealing things. Alcohol sanitiser was being stolen, on Monday we had 20 boxes but by Friday there were only 6,” Buhle recollected. “I told them they can’t put us at risk like that. Granted, it’s our jobs to take care of patients but at the end of the day our health must come first as well. At the end of the day we go back to our families, most of my colleagues are married with kids. I live with my mother and my brother is back from school. My mother has a heart condition so I said no, I’m not going to put my mother at risk like that.”

This isn’t just in this hospital, as confirmed by Melusi. Healthcare workers all across the country are having to deal with levels of dishonesty that pose a huge risk for them.

“One of my friends working in Pretoria was simply told, ‘You’re not seeing psychiatric clients anymore, you’re doing COVID work. Thanks, bye.’ There was a lot of uproar. They received no training. People who work in psych wards don’t usually touch patients and now they’re being made to test people without training.”

There’s a high level of frustration that then affects the quality of work done as well as the morale within their jobs. These are some of the factors that can easily lead to incorrect results; how good can a specimen be when sent to the lab if there’s knowledge lacking in how to collect it.

“A friend who usually works with rape victims was told that they would be seeing less of these clients and they’d be working in roadblocks to help with testing from now on. They were also not trained, simply thrown in the deep end. You are just told, there’s no discussion, even with people with conditions and diseases that put them at risk for contracting COVID. No screening was done to ensure that they wouldn’t be putting their lives at risk.”

The strain on healthcare workers is not new, but has grown exponentially in the time of COVID-19. There’s fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

“We don’t know when things are going to get really bad, we’re not even there yet, Anastacia shared. “It’s now a lot more difficult to maintain boundaries and leave work at the office. It just hasn’t been possible. Over the past two months more than ever in recent memory my work has been slipping outside of office hours and I have to attend to patients and check on them after hours. It becomes a challenge. At the same time it’s the realisation that a lot of the coping measures that we use in our day-to-day lives have also been denied to us in this lockdown process.”

Anastacia touches on an incredibly important note here, the use of substances, tends to be higher amongst queer populations. The adversity so many of us face in our personal lives, with family or loved ones, co-workers and complete strangers, pushes many to find various coping mechanism. “Whether they’re deemed healthy or not, they become necessary for survival. Now being denied access to that can be a significant challenge.”

The impact of this pandemic on LGBTQIA+ is continuously expanding beyond what we know. Housing, food and financial security are priorities, with mental healthcare opening up more questions about accessibility. We have always created our own communities and support structures and now many are completely cut off from those, unable to interact with friends and acquaintances outside of home to feel understood and supported. The effects on mental health are numerous and we’re only going to be aware of the overall impact as time goes by. Those without access to smart phones and affordable internet are not even able to access virtual mental health services right now.

Buhle notes that more holistic support structures are necessary. Nurses working with COVID patients are not receiving proper PPE or a danger allowance (an additional sum of money given to workers in high-risk environments) and she they can’t afford medical aid to be able to go for therapy. She notes that the issue needs to be addressed systemically, “They may give you that allowance but if you do catch COVID and, god forbid, you die that allowance stops. It’s given to you for the time you’re working within the ward. So yes, give us money but we need support as well. If I die what does my family do after?”

“This is a crisis,” Melusi shares. “Workers are kept in the dark when there are cases of COVID, people are sent to do testing without training, wards and whole hospitals are closing, workers are not showing up to work because of these issues and work morale is incredibly low.”

So what exactly can be done within our own communities?

“Now is the time to build community-based resources where we figure out how to support this community and upskill our people so that we can provide ourselves with these services,” Anastacia said. “In order for someone to be able to get mental health assistance, we need the financial access, we need someone to be available to assist. That person needs some degree of training and fair compensation.”

Mutual aid is not a new solution for our communities. We’ve been denied the opportunities, education, training and development so long that we felt it was best to invest in ourselves.

Anastacia places great importance on this, “I think maybe this should really serve as the pivot for us to recognise that now is our wake up call, that we have to start building and growing and developing those resources that have within our own community so not to fall by the wayside. We also have to look after ourselves.”

These healthcare workers do phenomenal and often underappreciated work for the community and their role in ensuring accessible healthcare is undeniable. Our community is uniquely affected by this pandemic, battling access combined with prejudice; it is natural to wonder how we can create systems of mutual aid and development of shared resources for the community. I leave you with this: what do queer futures look like and what can we do where we are, with what we have to inch closer to futures where we are prioritised?

*Pseudonym used to preserve the interviewee’s anonymity

This article was commissioned by GALA as part of the Queer Lockdown project, with the support of SAIH (Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund).

#COVID #queer #Politics & Lifestyle

[lonelyboy-in-space]

Luther Hargreeves-centric Fic Rec

(pt. 1

Feel free to add your own (or even oh idk... write them..)

mostly angst

Eggshells by El_Imprestavel

He can't fail. He can't disappoint. Never. That’s what being Number One means, in the Umbrella Academy.

Self-doubt, emotional/psychological abuse.

dedication bordering on inhumane by s1357

This practice in empathy is foreign, a weird taste in his mouth, but Luther finds he actually wants to comfort.

Or, Luther reaching into his heart and giving six different pieces to six different people over the course of nineteen years.

Luther bonding with his siblings in a healthy way! Still angsty.

Every Mountain You Climb Takes You Further Away by siriuslyrose

In 1989, Sir Reginald Hargreeves adopts seven babies from around the world. By 2007 only one remained.

They all left for slightly different reasons. But for all six of them it was The Monocle that forced them out the door. Ironically, he was also the reason his Number One never follow them.

This is the story of how the Umbrella Academy went from Six (Seven) members to One.

How everyone left, and only One stayed.

00.01 by verybi_verytired

Number One - Spaceboy - Luther

a short, poem-like fic centring on self-doubt and Ben’s death.

run fast, run away (run straight into the loneliness) by ambroses

three snapshots into number one's life featuring his siblings

one of my favourites. features luther being excluded in sibling outings, his pressure of being number one, and his siblings being mean.

Pretend That We’re Safe at the End by CourtneyCourtney.

It makes Diego’s stomach turn, how easily he can picture it happening. Luther met with Reginald in private after every mission. Sure, they’d all always had some kind of meeting with dear old Dad afterwards, but Luther was the one he spent the most time on. It wasn’t like anyone kept track of how long he was in Dad’s study. No one would have thought to check in on them, to stop them, and Luther would have been too proud to tell anyone back then, even Mom.

(Written for a prompt on the umbrellakink meme: "child sexual abuse, Luther/Reginald, someone finds out about it and when they confront Luther, he breaks")

what it says on the tin.

clip my wings and look at the sky by lesbianbettycooper

The moon is lonely. His only companions had been Ben and the sporadic, at best, check-ins from home.

It took him a while to get used to. He’d never had many friends besides, if you could even count them, his siblings but at home, there was always people around. Pogo, Mom, his father, people out on the street.

When he was the last one remaining, the silence would feel suffocating, he would go days without having to speak to anyone.

or; luther like.... reflects. i guess?

The Price of Obedience by madame_faust

What was going through Luther's mind as he looked at Vanya from the top of the stairs?

Major spoilers for 'Changes.'

This Isn’t Me or You by Katydid_99

This isn't Five's body.

This isn't Luther's body, either.

Maybe they can reach a common ground...

Dealing with Five’s issues of body dysmorphia, and trying to talk some sense into Luther about his non-consensual body mutation.

Boys Don't Cry (and Other Rules) by Anon_and_on_and_on_and_onnnnnnn

Children are not machines.

Your sons are not your soldiers.

The Hargreeves boys are not okay.

Only one chapter at the moment, but the first one is Luther-centric.

Some Leader by Marmarhargreeves

Luther used to be the dream boy.

Reginald defiled him, stripped him the agency he once had over his own body. He was no longer gorgeous, no, far from it. He was a monster. He turned into this hideous, heinous creature. His body, something he took so much pride in, something that quite literally defined him, was no longer what he knew. It was something he despised.

Warning: body hatred, bulimia, body dysmorphia 

(by the ever so lovely @queerhargreeves)

Skin by GlitterBitch147

*Mentions of Self Harm* A character study based on an interview with the TUA cast/crew about Luther.

we are no heroes, my dear by Sternstunde

“Ben,” he repeats, then shakes his head, “look at Luther.”

15 minutes later Ben’s blinking. “His movements…”

Klaus remembers.

“The rave was his first time taking drugs, wasn’t it?”

-

In which Klaus decides that Luther needs some family bonding, but ends up arguing with Five and revealing some stuff.

Luther remembers how the drugs at the rave made him feel better.

the other side by punkcowboy

When Luther was on the moon, he had a lot of time to himself. Whenever he felt sad, or lonely, he would dream about having a garden

leaders don’t cry by punkcowboy

leaders don’t cry, and monsters never die

or

Luther sometimes finds himself unable to breathe

Short and poetic.

Finding Yourself by KaytiKitty

Luther needs help to figure out his sexuality.

One Is The Loneliest Number by 1The_Quiet_Samurai1

Luther was fucked up. He knew it.

Unrequited Luther/Vanya, as Luther develops feelings for Vanya after they time-travel back. as a type of coping mechanism from what he did to her before

Brother Mine by orphan_account

They weren’t identical, but they looked similar enough that it was obvious that they were twins. Technically, all seven of them considered themselves to be something of a group of septuplets, seeing as they all shared the same birthday. But Luther and Five were special, they were full siblings. Related by blood, the only link they had to who their real family was.

But then Luther dyed his hair blond.

I'm tired of being alone (and you're more than enough) by TrippinOverMyFandoms

Luther Hargreeves was eighteen years old and the last remaining member of the Umbrella Academy. He's preparing for a life time dedicated to saving the world even if that means being alone. That is until the brother he hasn't seen in five years shows up in the courtyard.

This is their life together.

Follow Luther and Five as they uncover secrets about themselves and each other as well as things Reginald has hidden from them and the struggles that come with being a dysfunctional family.

tell me when my sorrow's over by WeWalkADifferentPath

The reunion with Luther is a bit of an accident.

In the end, the decision is all but entirely made for him, because Luther sees him.

Reunion between Ben and Luther after Klaus learns how to conjure him, but Ben is still a little mad at Luther.

gimme shelter by wearealltalesintheend

Klaus skids to a stop in front of Luther’s room, nearly colliding with the wall. He didn’t really have to run all the way from the end of the hall like this, but he felt it carried the appropriate amount of urgency for the situation.

“Have you seen Diego?” He asks, panting, and leans against the doorway to catch his breath. Behind him, Ben arrives walking calmly.

Luther, who had been clearly only pretending to read and actually nodding off, looks up, closing his book and sitting up in bed. “He left with Five an hour ago, why?”

“Oh, nothing. Okay, okay, that’s fine,” Klaus drums his fingers in the wood, starts picking at the chipped paint there. “Have you seen Allison, then?

Now, Luther is frowning suspiciously. “Yes. She left with Vanya to have brunch.”

Well shit.

.

or, the one where Klaus adopts a pet, everyone is out, and Ben can't be trusted to look after a small animal on his own

based on the prompt: Klaus and Luther bonding!

It Will Rise In Perfect by Light syrupwit

Few but those who knew him might have guessed it, but Luther loved poetry.

For A Sister's Sake by GinnyBloomPotter

Number One liked to think that, at seven whole years old, he knew exactly what his role was in this world. One night, he sees something that challenges that.

Forgiveness For The First by Anonymous

In the aftermath of the apocalypse, Luther avoids any physical contact. Especially from Vanya.

My absolute fucking favourite in this entire list. Ticks all the boxes for me.

Partita No. 1 in B Minor by neneyeeee

On October 2, 1999, the seven adopted children of eccentric billionaire and entrepreneur, Reginald Hargreeves, go missing.

(Or: After Number Seven kills the last nanny, Reginald does not create Grace and the children of The Umbrella Academy are left without a mother. As the pseudo-oldest, Number One takes things into his own hands.)

((Or: Without Grace, the Hargreeves children turn to each other for comfort.))

#luther hargreeves #fic rec #fanfiction #tua #the umbrella academy #luther hargreeves defense squad #luther hargreeves protection squad #luther positivity #luther whump #luther hargreeves whump

[queenboudicaa]

The annuls of the terf part 2

TERF-blocker descends*

 Episode 1: The End of the First War. Scene 3: Cyberspace and public sphere, 2014-5

Feminists: *Educate themselves* *Become increasingly horrified* *Start writing articles nobody fucking reads*

HEY PEOPLE! This shit is mental. There are these people saying being female has nothing to do with being a woman, and that they’re women because they have magic gender essence, and this sounds pretty sexist, and they also say that sex doesn’t exist and given we’ve always thought that that’s the reason we’re oppressed we’re pretty worried this is a bad idea for women and feminism, and now these other people who say they’re feminists are telling us we have to centre people who are not female in our feminism or we’re the oppressors and are going on and on about how we shouldn’t say anything because we’re whorephobic bigots and it’s kind of nuts and people are bullying lesbians to have sex with people with penises and they’re encouraging young people to take hormones that we don’t seem to understand the effects of and we think this is all sketchy as fuck to be honest. What the hell is going on?

Trans activists and intersectional feminists:That woman talking over there is making people unsafe because she is an evil bigot and trans people are the most vulnerable people in the world and she is the oppressor and she is oppressing us by speaking and if she speaks then it is literal violence and it will make people hurt us and we will also hurt ourselves and so you have to stop her speaking and if you don’t stop her speaking then you are also an evil bigot and we are going to tell everyone what evil fucking bigots you are and you wouldn’t want that now so you better stop her speaking right fucking now.

Civic institution: Um, what now?

Trans activists: *Pickets* *Inundates with letters and emails and phone calls* *Goes on twitter and gets a massive pile of people to bombard institution*

Civic institution’s PR people: This makes us look bad.

Civic institution: Okay, we won’t let the bigot speak. I mean, she’s just a feminist, right?

Trans activists: Hurray we are safe! Ding dong the witch is dead!

Feminists: What the fuck? HEY PEOPLE! I was just trying to say something because I think there are some questions here and I think we should really talk about it. I’m not sure people are women just because they have magic woman essence and I think there might be some not good consequences of thinking this.

Trans activists and civic institutions: SHUT UP BIGOTS.

Misogynist child with column in major left-wing newspaper: SHUT UP BIGOTS. YOU’RE THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT GAY PEOPLE WERE ALL KIDDY FIDDLERS.

Feminists: Um, lots of us are lesbians actually and the rest of us were totally behind gay rights, like, we’ve always been allies, what the hell are you going on about?

Misogynist child with column in major left-wing newspaper: *Blocks all the women objecting* WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY BITCHES.

Woke bros and assorted leftie-misogynists:*Jumping up and down with excitement* WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY UPPITY BITCHES.

Trans activists and civic institutions and leftie newspapers:  REPEAT AFTER US – Trans women are women. Because trans women are women then trans women should be given all the social resources given to other women and if you don’t accept this then you are exclusionary bigots and we’re going to make damn sure everyone knows what terrible terrible people you are and how you shouldn’t be allowed to live or work or speak or write in public. Have you fucking got that???

Feminists: You’re intimidating and silencing us.

Trans activists and leftie newspapers:  No, we’re not. You trigger people by existing and asking questions and having the wrong opinions. You need to shut the fuck up so that everyone is safe. RIGHT NOW.

 Episode 2: Between the Wars. Public sphere, 2015-2017

Feminists: We’re feeling pretty demoralized here…

Trans activists: EXCELLENT. You just sit over there and keep your little lady-mouths shut. *Organise some more* *Take over Stonewall and all the LGBT+ organizations* *Start sending people into school and institutions to explain that people have magic gender essence which sometimes gets trapped in the wrong body* *Bully, harass and no platform any woman who speaks up*

Hey, government. We’ve got this great idea. You know how people think you’re a bunch of assholes who has been driving the economy into the ground and lining rich people’s pockets while you let vulnerable people starve, we’ve got just the ticket for you.

Government: *Ears prick up* Tell us more.

Trans activists: Yeah, all you have to do is change this piece of legislation so we can get our sex changed more easily. The current legislation is really burdensome, and we’re really vulnerable, and it would really help us out, and would totally make you look like you care about marginalized people while costing you fuck all.

Government: Well, that does sound like a boon. Is there a catch?

Trans activists: No, not one. It’s just streamlining an administrative process really.

Government: Okay, come and tell us all about it. Is there anyone else we need to talk to?

Trans activists: No. It doesn’t have any effect on anyone, it’s just paperwork really. JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON’T TALK TO THOSE UPPITY WOMEN OVER THER THEY’RE ALL EVIL BIGOTS WHO WANT TO KILL US.

Government: Oh yes, they do sound like terrible people, how awful for you.

Trans activists: Yes, they’re really horrific. And while we’re at it, you might want to think about removing their rights to single-sex spaces from the Equalities Act because it discriminates against us.

Government: Interesting. Okay, when can you come in?

 Episode 3: The Second War Begins. Scene 1 – Somewhere in Whitehall, 2018

Government: We think we’re going to change the law. Just a little administrative clear up to make life less burdensome for the trans population who, as we know, are terribly vulnerable.

Feminists: You’re going to do what??? Why didn’t you ask us about this?

Government: Yes well, the trans people said it didn’t affect you.

Feminists: THEY SAID WHAT??? Hang on a motherfucking minute.

 Episode 3:  The Witches Strike Back. Scene 2: Cyberspace and public sphere, 2018

Trans activists: REPEAT AFTER US: Trans women are women. Trans women should not be excluded from any spaces women have access to. Anyone who questions that is an exclusionary genocidal racist who is in league with the far right. And by the way, you’re not women anymore, you’re cis women, and we want you to stop talking about your bodies, and we’re going to change all the words in all the literature that has anything to do with you so that everyone understands that being female is not necessary to being a woman, and from now on you are ‘mentruators’ and ‘cervix havers’ and ‘pregnant people.’ Got that?

Women: WOAH. You fucking what? We’re cis-what? And we’re not women anymore, we’re menstruators. We don’t think we like this.

Trans activists: It’s inclusive.

Women: Well, it sounds dehumanising as all hell to us.

Trans activists: Shut up cis people, you are the oppressors. These are the new words for you.

Women: Don’t we get to decide which words we use for ourselves?

Trans activists: No, you are the oppressors, if you do not accept these new words you are oppressing us.

Women: We’re oppressing you by wanting to be called women??? What the hell is….

Trans activists: BIGOTS! These are your new words. You are cis women, and we are trans women. We are both just different types of women, except we’re more oppressed than you so you have to do what we say. Look, there’s nothing you can do about it, the government already agrees with us, see?

Women: The government already agrees with you? What?

Trans activists: Yes. REPEAT AFTER US: Trans women are women. The government believes this and is going to change the law so that we can be legally recognised as female if we sign a piece of paper that says we have magic woman essence…

Women: What??? This can’t be right. Surely someone would have said something about this? Where are the feminists? Feminists, is this right?

Feminists: U-huh. We were trying to….

Women: What are the implications of this???

Feminists: *montage of charts and essays* *three weeks later*

Women: Fuck this shit. We need to do something.

Feminists: YES. WE. DO.

Feminists and radicalized women and intersex people and transsexuals and concerned parents and gay men who are realizing something’s up and some straight male allies:EVERYONE HOLD HANDS AND PUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLL.

The press: The women seem to be making a shit-ton of noise about something? Why are there stickers of cocks everywhere??? What on earth is going on?

Trans activists and the left-wing press:NOTHING, THEY’RE BIGOTS.

Most of the press: Oh, okay.

A few journalists: *Digging around* What the actual fuck??????

Feminists and allies: EVERYONE KEEP PUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLING. IT’S MOVING.

Trans activists: BURN THE WITCHES BURN THE WITCHES BURN THE WITCHES.

Feminists: Ha, yeah, we’re not so scared of you and your words now are we? There’s a ton of us here. And people are starting to listen. EVERYONE. C’MON. PUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.

Trans activists: BURN THE WITCHES BURN THE WITCHES BURN THE WITCHES.

Women and allies: PUUUUULLLLLLLLL.

Feminists watching from around the world:Hell yes! PUUUUULLLLLLLLL.

Women and allies: KEEP FUCKING PUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLING.

Trans activists: BURN THE WITCHES BURN THE WITCHES BURN THE WITCHES.

Government: Lah-lah-lah.

A few journalists: Um actually, we had a little look at this thing, and we think the women might have a point.

Trans activists: NO THEY DON’T THEY’RE WITCHES BURN THEM BURN THEM.

A few journalists: Now, come on, there is a proposed change to law, and this is a democracy, and they have some arguments that seem quite compelling, and there have been some things that have happened recently that seem to suggest that maybe there’s some substance to their concerns, and it seems like we should think this through.

Trans activists: NO DEBATE. BURN THEM BURN THEM.

A few journalists: We’re not sure that’s really helping your case. We think we’re going to start covering this in more depth.

Trans activists: YOU CAN’T LISTEN TO THEM THEY’RE WITCHES. IF YOU DON’T GIVE US WHAT WE WANT WE’LL KILL OURSELVES.

Women and allies:PUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLL. IT’S MOVING IT’S MOVING!!!!!!!

Feminists watching from around the world:PUUUUULLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!

Major left-wing newspaper that has been steadfastly quiet: *ostentatiously clears throat* Um, actually we think the women might have a point.

Women and allies: *BACKFILPS*

Trans activists and allies at home and abroad:OMFG why is the British media so full of evil bigots??????

Women and allies: *Lying in a bundle panting* Whatfuckingever asshats.

#radfem #terf safe #terf #part 2 #radical feminists

[ianspirations]

A BETTER KIND OF POLITICS: Chapter 5 of Fratelli Tutti

A global community of fraternity bound by ties of social friendship is possible if we upgrade to a better kind of politics, one that is truly at the service of the common good. Sadly, politics today often goes in the opposite direction by hindering progress toward a better world.

Populism and Liberalism

Populism exploits the vulnerable for its own purposes and liberalism only serves the economic interests of the powerful.

Populism is a political approach that tries to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their voice is not heard by the majority or elite. Such a politic threatens democracy because it thrives on the differences of people and in the bargain deepens the fractures. Populists try to exploit culture by pushing an ideological agenda that serves selfish purposes. To this end they are ready to exert pressure and ‘capture’ other institutions and amend laws. Despite the existence of different kinds of people there are also communitarian aspirations. “Men and women are capable of coming up with shared goals that transcend their differences and can thus engage in a common endeavour” (FT#157). We have to beware of demagoguery within politics. Our identity as ‘people’ is a shared notion that arises from social and cultural bonds. Thus, it is not something automatic and natural but something that develops gradually over a period of time and directed to a common end.

Contrary to Populist leaders we have Popular leaders who are capable of understanding the feelings and cultural dynamics of people and society. They have the potential to lead according to an enduring vision of transformation and growth that allows everyone space to pursue the common good.

One sign of populist politics is the concern for short-term advantage. Any initiative of development is done with the view of attracting votes and not for the real good of the people. Inequality can be eliminated with the help of economic growth that taps into each region’s potential and provides equal opportunity to all. Welfare projects which meet urgent needs are important but should only be a temporary response. Providing employment is one of the best ways to uplift the poor and offer them dignity through work. “Since production systems may change, political systems must keep working to structure society in such a way that everyone has a chance to contribute his/her own talents and efforts” (FT#162). Work does more than provide economic sustenance, it allows for personal growth, building of healthy relationships, self-expression and exchange of gifts; it gives a sense of shared responsibility for the development of the world.

The concepts of people, along with their community and cultural bonds and neighbour are criticized by individualistic liberalists. Charity unites both the individual and the social. We cannot have a private life without a public order. An individual’s life depends on the security and stability assured by law; their wellbeing requires that there exist a division of labour, commercial exchange, social justice and political citizenship. Real charity is able to recognize these as necessities for an individual and is willing to offer it even to a foreigner or a neglected brother or sister. To do this, one can have recourse to various institutions that are willing to offer their services to provide these basic necessities. Even the Samaritan needed the inn to care for the hurt person. Love of neighbour is concrete and makes use of every resource to bring about historical change that benefits the poor and disadvantaged. But leftist ideologies and social doctrines can also prove ineffective if they are propelled by individualistic ambitions. Therefore, we see the need for worldwide organization to resolve the problems plaguing our world. There is no one solution.

Everything hinges on our ability to see the need for a change of heart, attitudes and lifestyles. Until then, political propaganda, the media and shapers of public opinion will continue to promote an individualistic culture that perpetuates the problem. The tendency to selfishness or what is known within Christian circles as Concupiscence is not limited to our times. It has been present since Adam and has only taken on different forms in different ages. It can be overcome with the help of God. (FT#166) Education and upbringing, concern for others, a well-integrated view of life and spiritual growth are all essential for better relations and a better society.

Some liberal approaches fail to consider the impact of concupiscence and hence envisage a world that is determined by certain laws and capable of providing its own solutions for every problem. This is clearly not true. Encouraging the rich to get richer and purporting that their excess wealth will ‘trickle’ over to help the disadvantaged just does not hold any water in reality. Such alleged ‘spillovers’ do not resolve inequality or the violence that ensues from desperation. We need an economic policy that encourages business creativity and creates jobs. A business that seeks quick profits ends up creating more havoc than good. The pandemic has shown that “not everything can be resolved by market freedom. It has also shown that, in addition to recovering sound political life that is not subject to the dictates of finance, we must put human dignity back at the centre and on that pillar build the alternative social structures we need” (FT#168).

We need an economic framework that integrates popular movements of the unemployed, temporary, informal and other kinds of workers who do not find a place in existing structures. Political and economic institutions stand to gain from allowing for the excluded to be included in the task of building up a common destiny. These movements act as ‘social poets’ who work, propose, promote and liberate; they make possible integral human development. Many might consider them troublesome and disruptive but they ensure that democracy stays alive and remains true to its nature of being a government for the people, by the people and of the people.

The response to the financial crisis of 07-08 was a lame effort at revival that did not include rethinking strategies to avoid such a crisis in the future but which rather “fostered greater individualism, less integration and increased freedom” for the wealthy to retain their wealth (FT#170). In keeping with the concept of justice, no individual or group can consider themselves to be above any other; they have no right to bypass the rights and dignity of others in serving their own interests. In order to prevent this we need a strong judicial system and an effective distribution of power among the population. What is noticeable is that politics is coming under the influence of economics such that those with economic power wield immense power within the political arena whether they enter into it directly or not. Often, this economic power is transnational, that is, it goes beyond state or national borders. Therefore, it is necessary to have “some form of world authority regulated by law” which can regulate transnational economics and impose sanctions if necessary, so as to prevent transnational economic powers from interfering and influencing local and global politics, and promoting the “global common good” and the “defence of fundamental human rights” (FT#172).

In this regard, the UN needs to evolve into something more than just an advisory and administrative body. It has to be able to set “clear legal limits to avoid power being co-opted only by a few countries and to prevent cultural impositions or a restriction of the basic freedoms of weaker nations on the basis of ideological differences” (FT#173).

In order to achieve these goals all of us have to show courage and generosity. To this end, agreements have to be honoured and controversies have to be resolved as peacefully as possible. It is fortuitous that many groups and organizations are striving to make up for the deficiencies of governments. Their work is a “concrete application of the principle of subsidiarity which justifies the participation and activity of communities and organizations on lower levels as a means of integrating and complementing the activity of the state” (FT#175).

Social and Political Charity

For many people, politics is a dirty word. This association has come through the way politics is done in many parts. But politics is essential to society and to building a better world. Recognizing all people as family and seeking social friendship is not a utopian ideal, “it demands decisive commitment to devising effective means to this end” (FT#180). This is a work of charity; politics is in fact, “a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good” (FT#180).

Putting Jesus’ command of love of neighbour into action is itself a political act. Love of neighbour does not stop with those who are close to us but extends to macro relationships which are social, economic and political. Every action inspired by the Church’s social teaching is an act of charity that seeks to build a better world. We are fully human when we form part of a society but in the collective, the individual is valuable. Therefore, growth, development and progress cannot be individual feats but have to be communitarian. Business today is focused on the individual but a healthy politics will ensure that it does not restrict itself to the individual but rather extend to the whole community.

There is a form of love that is elicited, that is, actions which flow out of a deep love for people. There is another form of love which is commanded, that is, actions which “spur people to create more sound institutions, more just regulations, more supportive structures” (FT#186). This latter form of love encourages social friendship because it cannot see others suffer, deprived or exploited.

A simple act of charity can give a hungry person something to eat but a politician through a higher form of charity can create an opportunity for that person to earn their food. Such a form of charity ought to be the spiritual heart of politics. It has a preferential love for those in greatest need. Education has a role to play in helping each person shape their own future. Politicians need to take account and act against those things which threaten the fundamental human rights. They have to be men and women of vision whose concern is not about winning elections but finding solutions to the various challenges that hinder the common good.

We are still far from a globalization of the most basic of human rights: food! Politics needs to make the elimination of hunger a top priority. The huge amounts of wasted food speak of a crime against humanity. Another shameful practice is human trafficking. Politicians would do better to waste less time on speeches and give more time to eradicating these miseries (FT#189).

Political charity is expressed in a spirit of openness. Politicians ought to foster encounter and consensus on important issues. They should be ready to listen to alternative points of view and thus make room for different voices and opinions. In a world that is rearing fundamentalism and intolerance, we can make a difference by being respectful of others, welcoming differences, giving importance to the dignity of people over ideas and projects. Disagreements can lead to conflict but they are necessary for healthy societies; uniformity only leads to stagnation.

Politicians need to beware of the modern tendency to functionalize the satisfaction of human desires. Instead of viewing people as persons with an identity and interests, they are seen as sick and in need of medical attention, struggling and in need of financial backing, homeless and in need of a home or frustrated and in need of entertainment. We have to be aware that persons are persons at the end of the day and not mere beneficiaries.

Political love is also a tender love. Tenderness means being close to someone. This is a path for the strongest and most courageous. The ability to be tender to the most needy and oppressed is challenging but necessary and fulfilling. Political life cannot only be about achieving great results that is not possible all the time. It has to be about respecting people for who they are and giving them an opportunity to fulfil their potential. One might not achieve great things in a political career but every act of love is not lost to the universe, it remains in the world as a vital force (FT#195). For this reason, it is noble to place hope in the hidden power of the seeds of goodness that we sow. This makes starting new initiatives for a better future meaningful.

When we approach politics in this way we will see it as something noble. The focus needs to shift from media posturing and marketing oneself to focusing on how much love one has shown through one’s work.

#fratelli tutti #encyclical #summary #churchteaching #social #politics #betterworld #future #friendship #socialfriendship #politicians #economics #fraternity #society

[tayla11-blog1]

Not a joke, but with all the knife crime going on especially in London, I just had to share this!

A beautiful letter written by the actor Lennie James to a boy that carry a knife:

To whom it may concern,

My name is Lennie James. I am a 42 year-old father of three. I grew up in south-west London. I was brought up by a single mother. I was orphaned at 10, lived in a kids' home until I was 15 and was then fostered. I tell you this not to claim any special knowledge of how you've grown, but to explain how I have, and from where I draw my understanding.

I want to talk to you about the knife you're carrying in your belt or pocket or shoe. The one you got from your mum's kitchen or ordered online or robbed out of the camping shop. The knife you tell yourself you carry for protection, because you never know who else has got one.

I want to talk to you about what that knife will do for you. If you carry it, the chances are you will be called on to use it. It is a deadly weapon, so if you use it the chances are you will kill with it. So after you've killed with it, after you've seen how little force it takes for sharpened steel to puncture flesh. After your mates have run away from the boy you've left bleeding. When you're looking for somewhere to dash the blade, and lighter fluid to burn your clothes. When your blood is burning in your veins and your heart is beating out of your chest to where you want to puke or cry, but can't coz you're toughing it out for your boyz. When you are bang smack in the middle of 'Did you see that!' and 'Oh, Jesus Christ!' here's who to blame...

Blame the boy you just left for dead. Blame him for not believing you when you told him you were a bigger man than him. Blame him for not backing down when you made your chest broad, bounced into him and told him about your knife and how you would use it. Blame him for calling you on and making you prove yourself. Tell yourself if he had just freed up his phone or not cut his eyes at you like he did, he wouldn't be choking on his blood and crying for his mum.

Then blame your mum. When the police are banging down her door looking for you, or she hears the whispers behind the 'wall of silence', tell her it's all her fault for being worthless. Cuss her out for having kids when she was nothing but a kid herself, or for picking some drug or some man over you again and again. Even if she only had you and devoted herself to you, even if she is a great mum, blame her anyway. Blame her for not being around more to make sure you took the chances she was out working her fingers to the bone to give you.

When you're done with her, blame the man she picked to make you with. Blame him for being less than half the man he should have been. When he comes to bail you out and starts running you down for the terrible thing you've done, tell him straight: 'I did what I did coz you didn't do what you should have done.' Even if he did right; respected your mother, worked to provide for his family financially and spiritually, taught you right from wrong and drummed it home everyday... Even if he nurtured you as best he could, blame him for the generation of men he comes from.

The one that allowed an adolescent definition of manhood to become so dominant. The one that measures a man by how many babymothers he has wrangling his offspring, or by how 'bad' his reputation is on the streets of whatever couple of square miles he chooses to call his 'ends'.

Damn them for letting you believe that respect is to be found with gun in hand or knife in pocket. Damn them and everyone who feeds the myth of these gangsters, villains, thieves and hustlers. Anyone who makes them heroes while damning hard-working, educated, honest men as weak, sell-outs or pussies.

If you are black, blame white people for the history of indignities they heaped on you and yours. For the humiliation of having to go cap-in-hand or get down on bended knee or having to burn shit down before you are afforded something so basically fundamental as equality. If you are white, blame black folk and Muslims for taking all your excuses. Failing that, blame a class system that keeps you poor and ignorant so the 'uppers' and 'middles' can feel better about themselves.

You have good reason to blame them all. I wouldn't be you growing up now for love nor money. Your generation has so little room to manoeuvre. We had more space to step around the bullshit. We weren't excluded at the rate you lot are. Teachers hadn't given up or lost their authority over us. They still tried to protect and guide us even through our most disruptive years.

The police stopped and searched us, but we fought that right out of their hands - we hoped into extinction. But they want to bring back that abusive practice. They are still hooked on punishment rather than prevention. They seem ignorant to the fact that they are feeding you acceptance of an already prevalent gang mentality. As far as you can see, the police are not protecting and serving you, they are coming at you like just another street gang trying to boss your postcode.

When I was where you are now, generations of state agencies, social services, policy-makers and politicians had not abdicated all responsibility for me. We weren't left to our own devices like you have been. Is it any wonder that you end up expressing yourself in such a violently pathetic way?

We should be ashamed. I am. You have shamed us into a desperate need to do something about ourselves. We have collectively failed you and we should take all the blame that is ours for that... but so should you.

I blame you. I blame you because as a generation you are selfish, self-centred and have little or no empathy for anyone but yourselves. You are politically stunted and socially irresponsible and... you scare us. What scares us most is that you would rather die than learn. Your only salvation may be that still most of you aren't playing it out dirty. The vast majority of young men, even with all that is stacked against them, are finding their way around the crap. The boy you will kill, should you continue to carry that knife, almost certainly had the same collective failures testing him. He probably felt no less abandoned and no less scared. He also, almost certainly, wasn't carrying a knife.

Whatever it seems like, whatever you've read, whatever you tell yourself about protection being your reason, statistics show the life you take will be that of an unarmed person. That is what that knife will do for you. It will make you escalate a situation to where it is needed. It will give you a misguided sense of confidence. It will make you the aggressor. That knife will make you use it. It will bring you nothing worth having. There is no respect there. The street may give you some passing recognition, but any name you think you might make will soon be forgotten.

Your victim will be remembered long after you. Name me one of the boys who killed Stephen Lawrence. Once you've bloodied that knife you may as well be dead because you'll be buried for 10 to 20 years. Banged up for that long, only a fool would look back and think it was worth it. You'll be nothing more than a sad, unwanted, unnecessary statistic.

If you were mine, this is what I would tell you. I would make myself a big enough man to beg. I'd get down on bended knees if I had to. I would beg you to take that knife out of your pocket and leave it at home. I would tell you that I know you are scared and lost and that I know the risks involved in what I'm asking you to do. I know that what we could step around, you have to walk through, and that there is always some fool who isn't going to make it any other way but the wrong way. I'm just begging you not to be that fool.

Be a better man than that. Let the story they tell of you be that you exceeded expectations... that you didn't drown. Don't spend your days looking to be a 'bad-man' - try to be a good one. Our biggest failure is that our actions have left you not knowing how precious you are. We have left you unaware of your worth to us. You are precious to us. Give yourself the chance to grow enough to understand why.

Be safe.

Lennie James

Tomlin's JOKE PAGE!

(On Facebook)

https://www.facebook.com/Badbreed.com1/

[beingtruetoself]

Social upliftiment by removing social evils

BRINGING SOCIAL UPLIFTMENT: INTERVENTIONS AT MACRO AND MICRO LEVEL

Y=YOUNG MIND

O=OPTIMIST

U=UNIVERSAL POWER

T=TRUTHFULNESS

H=HARDWORKING

“YOUTH” is not an age criteria, it is the capability of an individual’s mind never to get old, to think innovative and never to stop working in a progressive direction. Youth power that is the one which can change the world for the better or the worst, so let’s join our hands together to do something productive.

In the 19th century when India was under British rule, a YOUVA came up to stop the evil existed in our society ”SATI PRATHA” that person was no other than Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an ignition for women empowerment .He dedicated his life to end the evil norm and because his effort we are free of it, various other youth alike in motive came up and put an end to Child Marriage and Parda System. It’s because of them that present day status of women is far better and is progressing. But once more we need our youth to end the evils in the modern society. “BHARAT MA” needs her son’s to rise and come together as one and not as being crime doer and drug abuser but as youth, who is not indulge in drug abuse in which our YOUTH Indians have been taken away, that evil which never existed in our country but now has become a major problem, like a awed it is spreading and engulfing many life. PUNJAB, which is now known as a hub of drug abuser, was once known as the feeder of the country, providing us many soldiers but now has been defamed.

DRUGS which modifies person’s brain in such a way that the person is out of his senses, chemical confusion is what it creates which tricks our brain and make our body addicted at the same time,  whose effects is that youth is weakened for minor problem he goes in the arms of drugs which so readily consumes his body. Drugs abuse if increase in such a rate will take our country’s economy to dearth. In order to stop this we must stop the thing that promotes drug abuse. Firstly, education which is must to generate awareness regarding what drugs are and their consequences and at national level government needs to open certain rehabilitation centres joined with hospitals and proper staff so that victim not only receive a good help but also proper treatment to get them clean. When we talk about cure there is almost cure for every diseases but nothing can be better than prevention, in that part the “youth” plays a major role by themselves not getting indulge in such activities. Our society can have a local counsellor, professional guiders who would guide the individual’s and should be in-charge  to keep a check on schools and of people and places prone to these activities. If not stopped today we would loose our young minds, loose the future thus strict rules need to be made and implement on the part of the government in order to stop this never ending plague.

With the advancement of technology in our day to day life, we all are hooked to the reliability of the products that has been provided by these technologies. Whether it is E- Marketing, E- Banking  , social media, etc. Now, the break through term cyber crime is boost up leading to the failure of the securities that the developing authorities of these technologies used to claim. Not only this but also INTERNET mainly the social media is manipulating it’s users to spend more time on internet. PERSONAL LIFE IS DEAD AND SOCIAL MEDIA HOLDS THE SMOKING GUN. A research conducted showed that approximately 17% of young adults in INDIA spend 2 to 4 hours daily on social media. The research conducted in Bangalore states that almost 70% of Indians spend their time on apps like facebook and what’s app, they use their mobile phones mostly for entertainment, this is much more that people in US who visit these apps only 50% of the time they spend their time on mobile phones. The report noted that next half billion of internet users will come from all states of India. More the uses more is the crime rate. Cyber crime is one of the burning challenge to the whole world, their are many techniques working world wide to held down these threatening practices, but still the cyber crime is going on in its own pace. For combating this problem, the most crucial step is to being aware and  make others aware about the security options being provided to us while using an internet services. Secondly, keeping checks on the unrecognized activities on our social networking account is needed to be checked.

Now talking about steps that can help us to slow down the cyber crime-

By creating a national panel, authority including young minds having different background of knowledge related to internet world so that happening concerning towards the security breach issues on internet can be recorded an instantly solved by the cyber experts.

By providing an open field of discussion between the cyber experts and person of each and every category to talk directly about the solution and prevention of cyber crime.

Promoting youth towards the need and requirement of ethical hacking.

Currently women are seen as a key segment to gain wealth in the form of dowry, which is one of the main cause for all the evil origin. Dowry which is the outcome of  human greed caused by the selfish inhuman behaviour of people, even in present day world which is a shame to our society the evil has its roots so widely spread that even the youngest generation is not out of its reach. But since now the time has come for us to wipe the evil and for all, we need to work together as an active socialist. Firstly, in order to wipe this evil its needed that people willingly understand that how much harm has it already caused the major factor of  female foeticide is dowry and the one who encourages it is ‘we the society’ so in order to stop it, the mindset of the society has to be changed which can be achieved by education which is the milestone for every little action, we do need to be more rationalized and more focussed on building the mindset of people in the right direction and not just feeding up any filth which has been done now- a-days. Educating girls so that they can fight for their own rights, each and every girl whether a victim or not if subjected to such any crime ,need to speak and here comes the role of youth ,who need to encourage and support the one raising their voice against injustice ,even if it includes rising against ones own family. If we want to end this evil ,we have to go  beyond our values and ethics . Social mentality needs to be destroyed which assumes girl being a cashback and their arise CRIME . Daily a women is burn and is abused for dowry . an organisation at national level including each and every common citizen criticize this inhuman behaviour ,which must exclude all political interests and gamblers must be set apart to wipe our country clean from dowry .

Talking of an organisation working for people welfare which is supposed to be our govt. is not for the people is well known to the common citizen at the time of election bunch of unfulfilled are no new to our country . Yes it is true we are democratic but are we really democratic!!! Big question arises when we see our country in the debts of corruption ,all the money kept in Swiss bank i.e black money ,which has taken our country’s economy further down is  no other than the result of corruption. Corruption for which India is in the global highlights served by the different and diversified political parties working more for their own interest rather than for the welfare of the public, has to put an end on corruption , which is itself sufficient in the dawn of our country . India is already is considered one of the most corrupt country of the world. To stop corruption each person must contribute in some way ,this is one of the major problem that can’t be ignored and by coming together  it can be reduced to a great extent .At a local level one can induce fear among these crime doer through the social media ,by encapturing any site of such activity through the social media which is the smartest use of technology and will take this serious problem to the global level. At social level any activity as per bribery must be discouraged by the people as their duty towards nation and the constitution in concern. Only highly educated person should be apart of the administration system, we want a transparent govt. so that all the proceedings are clear to each one of us.

The caste system which has been hiped not by the people but by the govt. to secure the safer vote bank, no country other than India has such vast diversity, which has been exploited by the politicians dividing them further instead of uniting them. To stop the caste system people are needed to understand the tricks played by the politicians not by falling in their traps, since we live by our choice but are born out of choice, thus each one of us deserves equal treatment and opportunity. Thus, we the YOUTH of the nation dream to live in a country free of corruption and all of these social evils and norms existing in today’s world. Since, it is high time to bring the youth out of the clunches of drugs and to channelize the energy in right direction after all THE BLOT OF THESE EVILS NEED TO BE REMOVED TO CREATE A COUNTRY WORTH LIVING.

[tobyhobbs556094-blog]

My Very first Reading Log.

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You're probably looking for suggestions to honor this delighted affair in a big technique if therefore.

[theoptimisticpatriot]

The left must stop stereotyping the English as racist

The left has an opportunity to shape a progressive English identity. It starts with not making assumptions about Englishness. 

First posted on ‘The Staggers’ 4.8.17. by John Denham

It is 76 years since George Orwell wrote that "in left-wing circles it is always felt that there is something slightly disgraceful in being an Englishman", but parts of the left are still reluctant to talk about England. The recent successful launch of the English Labour Network still attracted shrill Twitter voices saying "Ukip-lite". Some still associate being English with the English Defence League, neo-Nazis and racism.

Englishness is not homogenous: there is much to delight, and undoubtedly aspects to dislike, but allowing liberal distaste to prevent genuine engagement would be a huge strategic mistake for the left. There’s an opportunity to shape a progressive, inclusive English identity, and the challenges can be readily overcome.

It’s not good to ignore large numbers of people. More people say they are English than any other national identity. Half the population not only identify as English but do so as intensely as possible (putting themselves 7 on a scale of 1-7). That’s either an awful lot of neo-Nazis or Englishness is an identity of choice for a very wide range of people.

The stereotyping of the English

Many of us combine several identities: place, nation, faith, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality. They don’t dictate how we behave, or what we feel, but most of us want our identities to be respected even by people who don’t agree with us. The left is used to respecting different identities even if we don’t always share their values. English people should not be subject to a different standard.

National identities can be a source of a strong collective interest, of common concern and willingness to stand up for the common good. They are not fixed but made and remade over time. Britishness was once so associated with racism and colonialism that people thought it could never be shared by ethnic minorities. Today, minority communities are more likely to identify as British than the majority. The symbols of Englishness, too, are contested and changing.

If you want to find a hard core, "whites only", anti-migrant, authoritarian, right-wing Englishness that rejects diversity and equality, you certainly can. But it’s far from the whole picture. To assume all the English share such views is wrong and offensive.

The politics of the English

A recent British Academy paper set out recent evidence on Englishness. It’s an identity shared across social classes and regions, but held most intensely amongst voters who are older, or who have spent less time in education, and feel patriotic. Most place themselves in the centre or on the left, rather than on the right, of politics. Their spread of views on the NHS, redistribution, education and crime are broadly the same (and as broadly progressive) as other voters. They are somewhat more likely to hold "authoritarian" (or socially conservative) attitudes and to support some populist political attitudes, but Englishness isn’t linked to the entrenched right-wing views in the way that many assume.

Yet English identifying voters were much more like to vote Leave than the British. In 2015, Labour came third amongst "English only" voters, recovering only partially in 2017 as some Ukip voters switched to Labour. This divergence is quite new. In Labour’s 2001 landslide there was little difference in the voting patterns of English and British identifiers.

The swing toward Leave and the right may have been driven by concern about the cultural impact of immigration, perhaps reinforced by the common view that Englishness comes with being born and brought up here.

Nearly 80 per cent of people believe that immigration is too high, but this rises to 90 per cent for the "English not British". Worries about the economic impact of migration have also hardened most strongly amongst the "English not British". The left is beginning to acknowledge these economic fears, as Jeremy Corbyn has done recently, but the most intensely English also have the strongest cultural concerns.

Four out of five believe that to be counted as English, people need to pay their taxes here, "contribute to society" and consider themselves English. Around three in four think it is important to be born here. Englishness is obviously a more conditional identity than Britishness (which can simply be a badge of legal citizenship). It is no surprise that while many black and minority ethnic voters have some English identity (and are nearly as likely to be "equally English and British" as white voters), many more are "British not English" than "English not British".

Some will see this cultural resistance to migration, and the emphasis on patrimony, as sufficient reason to reject Englishness. But this doesn’t help engage with English voters, or play any role in shaping the Englishness of the future.

A different approach will start a respect for English identity while working to tackle the more challenging issues.

An increasingly inclusive Englishness

On immigration, it seems that the real fear is of a system out of control. (The Leave vote was highest where the change has been fastest, not where the migration is highest). Labour does not need to adopt Ukip's language about migrants, but to show it can manage migration fairly. Some reject all migration, a small minority favour genuinely open borders. Most people want something between the two.

A fifth of the population think you must be white to be English (an assumption sometimes shared by ethnic minorities). That’s high enough to be uncomfortable, but it is a minority view nonetheless and one that declines sharply amongst younger people. Time will gradually resolve this issue. Still, the left can help by not reinforcing the stereotype. It is wrong to characterise all English voters as white and working class; there are plenty of non-white English whose voices must be heard.

Three quarters see a non-white person with a local accent as English, falling to 45 per cent for non-white people as a whole. This may also be uncomfortable, but listen to the accents in any school playground and you will know the problem will not be around for long. Local integration strategies that embrace an inclusive English identity can move things forward.

The symbols of Englishness can and must be fought for. At the time of Euro ‘16, two-thirds of Muslims said that they saw the St George cross as a unifying symbol. It is not the automatically toxic icon that many on the left assume, though drop our guard and the far right will try to take it back.

Progressive, patriotic and English

There’s a lot to build on. English people don’t generally hold right-wing views on many economic and social policy issues. Time and new generations will bring more diversity into Englishness. We can give history a shove by highlighting the many non-white English people and their acceptance by younger generations. Instead of excluding people who are proud to be English, we have to tell the progressive and patriotic story of England that is embedded in Labour’s hope for radical change.

Prof John Denham is a former Labour MP and Minister. He is the Director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics at Winchester University and a founding supporter of the English Labour Network.