If you’re reading this (and TMM in general) I wanna bet you already pretty politically active and relatively socially aware of what’s going on in the World. Great! So now what? Sit back and join the marches, protests and sign petitions when they land on your doorstep? Well no…
I hold a strong belief that role of an activist is part practical grunt work (i.e. attending rallies, calling up representatives, voting, advocacy work etc.) and part personal education. In short, getting up and doing your homework on social issues.
“But Ria, am I not woke already? Can I just go on with the knowledge that I got?”
Well sure, but issues and society changes everyday. Which means you’ve got to keep topping up your knowledge bank all the time. Sound overwhelming? It can be, but here are three solid sources of factual and critical information to keep you on on top of your activist game.
Everyday Feminism
“We want to live in a world where every person (and we mean every single person) is treated with respect, directs their own lives, and reaches their full potential.”
Established in 2012, Everyday Feminism are an online magazine dedicated to educating the World on feminist issues. Whilst the organisation are US-centric, their articles do aim to be as general as possible, focusing on a huge breadth topics and issues for both novice feminists just dipping thier tow in the water of activism, to well established activists.
The one thing I really adore about EF is they aim to be as inclusive as possible through their use of language, illustrations and imagery, which often feature a range of sexualities, genders, ethnicities and abilities. Because of their inclusive nature their a fantastic resource for people just getting to grips with new and maybe uncomfortable topics. Their writers are also great at calling out all kinds of privilege whilst providing a space for people to learn and grow in their knowledge.
Favourite content:
- 4 Eye-Opening Stories From LGBTQIA Asians and Pacific Islanders
- Still Think Trans Women Have Male Privilege? These 7 Points Prove They Don’t
- 4 Problematic Trends I See on Body Positive Instagrams
- White privilege explained in one simple comic
The Establishment
“The conversation is much more interesting when everyone has a voice. Media funded and run by women; new content daily.”
Not your run of the mill website full of essays, The Establishment are a website which champions diverse journalism, creativity in all forms and fact based reporting. Funded by their community, their writers cover topics such as politics, society, relationships, the arts, psychology, and so much more. Anyone can pitch to them (and their writers get paid!), which means there’s a massive range of voices on their platform to pick and choose to read.
Whilst I especially love their knack for great investigative journalism, in this sour world of awful news their Wit & Whimsy section never fails to put a smile on my face.
Favourite content:
- 33 and never been kissed
- Progress never just happens, we must always fight for it
- If it ain’t woke, don’t fuck it: Resistance era dating test
- General Leia Organa is the hero we need right now
Bitch Media
“Bitch Media is a nonprofit, independent, feminist media organization dedicated to providing and encouraging an engaged, thoughtful feminist response to mainstream media and popular culture.”
Launched as a magazine back in 1996, today Bitch Media are an organisation dedicated to giving a frank, feminist responses to popular culture. As well as producing their quarterly magazine, Bitch also publish daily articles on their website, produce weekly podcasts, and work with students and educators through writing fellowships and programs.
Bitch are always the quickest off the mark for me when it comes to well written yet critical responses to everything from movies, tv shows, fashion, politics, podcasts, music, gaming, advertising, and a whole host more. As an organisation that is over 20 years old now, there’s plenty of archival content to delve right into, but I especially would recommend listening to their weekly Popaganda and Back Talk podcasts as a good starting point. They are also entirely community funded – I myself am a member of the B-Hive!
Favourite content:
- Backtalk: Bitch Media turns 20
- Love as political resistance: Lessons from Audre Lorde & Octavia Butler
- A love letter to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Dispatches from Standing Rock
Media Diversified
“Media Diversified is a young and growing non-profit organisation which seeks to cultivate and promote skilled writers of colour by providing advice and contacts and by promoting content online through its own platform.”
And finally, one from the UK! Media Diversified is one of my favourite resources on all things representation and issues affecting people of colour. Launched online in 2013, they’ve cultivated an impressive archive of work from all ethnicities with a main focus on UK media. The organisation champions creators of colour through several different outlets including their Experts Directory, the launch of Bare Lit Festival and Jhalak Prize, and by calling out misguided (often racist and problematic) news stories in their annual Trashies awards.
Favourite content:
- The Media Diversified library
- How to be Desi in 2017: Riz MC and Heems
- Why my son needs feminism
- Tourism, white privilege & Colonial Mentality in East Africa
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These are obviously just a handful of resources, but I’d love to find more. So leave some of your favourite places to get info as an activist!
Ria Xx
