Pam’s Comments (group member since Dec 29, 2016)

Pam’s comments from the Our Shared Shelf group.

“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” This quote really stuck out at me while reading as it's so powerful and beautifully rendered across all of Morrison's characters.

All of Morrison's characters were imprisoned at one point in time.

- How do you think they escaped?
- Were they able to claim ownership of themselves - how did they do it or how did they not do it?

Nothing against Mrs. Parks, but let's not forget that she was not the only one to have refused to give up her seat.

https://www.npr.org/2009/03/15/101719...

"When asked why she is little known and why everyone thinks only of Rosa Parks, Colvin says the NAACP and all the other black organizations felt Parks would be a good icon because "she was an adult. They didn't think teenagers would be reliable."

She also says Parks had the right hair and the right look. "Her skin texture was the kind that people associate with the middle class," says Colvin. "She fit that profile."

Remember this while we move forward with our own icons for todays movements. Appearances or optics matter for causes; especially if they are women pushing forward. For every Greta, there are Autumn Peltier's; for every Susan B Anthony there are Ida B Wells, etc. Change doesn't happen by one solitary figure alone

1970's Star Wars flipped the script on the whole concept of women.

-the Damsel in Distress : Leia gives Tarkin more sass than and disdain than anyone. Even talks back to Vader which we saw later he doesn't allow anyone to do safely.

Then the damsel is fed up with her "two rescuers* and gives them crap for botching it.

- the leader is the resistance was a woman: mon mothma

In later episodes we see Leia actively give orders and directions to soliders and they listen to her.

I think for the time that Star Wars was first created... That was pretty great. Can we use tests that were created in the 80's like Bechdel or other metrics to look back and say... There still wasn't parity in numbers of characters nor their screen time? Absolutely.

But I still adore Leia for being a top notch feminist icon.

Melissa wrote: "Lawli wrote: "This will be my first book of hers (and first book as a new club member).
Me too!"

Ooh! Welcome welcome ladies!

Emma wrote: "Are you actually interested in discussions in this thread? Because it seems like all you want to do is monologue..."


I know I don't read it. Sorry. :(

But by the prolific posting we can see that Evgeny puts in a lot of work to write this all out.

So if it makes them happy and since it's on their own thread. And they're not attacking anyone. Whelp... I'm not a moderator. So have fun

I love that. It really gives you reason to pause before yelling at the driver in front of you or the annoying coworker. We tend to be more considerate or kind to people we know. This brings home that idea of being kind to everyone, everywhere. No exception. Because they really are just you.

This will be first time reading Solnit, but she has been on my list for some time.

Emma wrote: ". If you have never been part of a majority that has been silent for thousands of years, this act [of apeaking up] might not register as revelatory, but to the women who have suffered, that is indeed what it was and is.

Goosebumps.

Thank you for such an inspiring introduction. I look forward to reading the selections. (This was well worth the wait, my thanks for finding the time in your tremendous schedule as well as to the moderators for their continued efforts)

I'm game if you want to lead Seema.

We can post which books we read that fit the two themes?

Thank you

Evgeny wrote:

Hi Evgeny, This thread isn't the place for long winded thought discussions. This is more a place where people can link articles or art that show how feminism is being discussed today and right now in the media.

Perhaps you could move your posts somewhere else?

Natasha wrote: No Man Is An Island by Adele Dumont (an account of working in a remote detention centre for refugees in Australia..."

Ooh. I heard that's pretty bad. People waiting for years in a refugee holding facility without word if they can leave or if they could come into to Australia. Thanks for the recommendation!

Not yet.

The November December book tends to be a big darn deal as it's the last of the year. So either the OSS team is trying to get a write up from the author(s) or Emma will be posting the announcement. (And with Little Women coming out she is also doing the press tour.)

Hold tight!

Thanks for the clarification Peter!

I think that most of the above posters were responding to why they think Beloved relates to feminism. Not necessarily discussing the themes or motifs that are found within the text.

Peter wrote: "I agree with what people have been saying about the book: it's a vivid portrait of the horror of slavery; the writing is beautiful; and it's also sometimes hard to understand.

But, ultimately, fo..."

So just to clarify, the fact that a major theme is on love means that it is or isn't feminist?

Goodread's doesn't have thumbs up or a like button. Please note that I would spam each of those. Your reflection was illuminating

There have been some who are worried over the unseen hand who controls Greta. I.e. who has been sponsoring or paying for her trips and actions. Who has been pushing her to the forefront etc.

Well... it's not this Nordic Award committee who would have given her about $52,000 or €46,800 in addition to the gilded paperweight.

Awesome. Good luck! Tack!

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/16/fishe...

A billionaire investment banker, Ken Fisher, was finally told "you can't do that."

Fischer, in a CEO retreat, started makeing extremely crass statements regarding women, sex, non-profits, slavery, etc. A fellow CEO, Alex Chalekian, sent out a viral tweet informing everyone about this. As this was not the first time Fischer has expounded his personal feelings and has to apologize, people took Chalekian's claims seriously before hearing confirmations from others in attendance.

Fischer not only will not be invited back to the conference next year, but as the days go on he has begun to loose business from the fall out. Companies and large cities have begun to remove their business to the tune of $1Billion!