EEDA Newsletter Vol 6, Res 13: Painkillers, Postcards, and Who's Afraid of Gender
This is a public issue of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice. Feel free to share it!
Hi friends! We went to see Parliament-Funkadelic on Friday and though the sound quality in the venue wasn’t great, it was still an amazing show. Chaotic. Unhinged. Every person on the stage, and there were many people on the stage, was dressed like they were performing in a group unrelated to everyone else on stage. The word that keeps coming to mind is “free.” Every performer oozed freedom—freedom to express themselves as individuals while still being part of a whole. The audience was possibly the most diverse audience I’ve ever experienced. Age, race, ethnicity, orientation, gender. I actually don’t even know if I’ve been in such a diverse crowd. There were people dressed to impress and there were people in sweatshirts and jeans. Everyone was there for the music and I loved it.
On Saturday we went to see an immersive theatre piece on the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot. The space is made out like the diner in 1966 and they actually serve you pancakes, sausage, and decaf. There are twelve actors who move around the space and they reenact the events of the evening, with a retrospective narration from one character’s older self. So many people know about the Stonewall Uprising but not enough people know of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, which was a very similar event and happened three years prior in San Francisco. Everyone did an excellent job and if you’re in the Bay Area and can handle strong language and tough content, I recommend it.
New EEDA Pod episode this week: Creating and Queering Rituals of Connection
In this episode of "Enthusiastic Encouragement and Dubious Advice," Patricia and Nicole discuss the importance of rituals of connection in building and maintaining relationships. They share examples from their own lives, highlighting how deliberate and consistent efforts can strengthen bonds with partners, friends, and colleagues. Additionally, they make a significant Patreon announcement and, as always, emphasize the value of community and genuine connection.
You can find our show, Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts. You can also support the show on Patreon, where we have some perks for paid subscribers with even more coming this year.
It’s another resource week so let’s get to it!
Resource 1: You're probably taking over-the-counter painkillers incorrectly via NPR’s Life Kit
In real life, many people do not take Advil, Tylenol, ibuprofen, Aleve, etc. as the directions say on the label. Life Kit spoke to some health care professionals who gave them 10 things they wish you knew about these drugs.
Resource 2: Action Opportunity: Write Postcards to Swing States for the November 4th Election
Help improve Democratic voter turnout in the November 4th elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Order postcards through this link. The minimum amount is 100. They tell you what to write and they give you a list of addresses. You supply the postage for the postcards. Domestic postcard postage is currently 56 cents per postcard but there will be a rate increase in July 2025 (this year). Buy your postcard stamps ASAP. The postcards don’t need to be written and sent out until October.
Resource 3: Judith Butler, the Definition of “Woman,” and That Oxford Panel by C. L. Clark
Great piece on “to debate” vs “not to debate” re: ignorant takes about trans people with talking points and resources. I cannot do it justice with a brief description, I just highly recommend reading it.
Recent & Current Reads
Inclusion of a book in this section is not necessarily a recommendation and these books won’t necessarily be added to my Bookshop. Links are affiliate links.
Recently Read:
The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin
The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin
Currently Reading:
Amplitudes: Stories of Queer and Trans Futurity edited by Lee Mandelo (out 5/27)
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown
That’s it for this week! You can shop many books I’ve mentioned in this newsletter at my affiliate shop, The Infophile’s Bookshop, and support independent bookstores. In fact, any Bookshop, Amazon, or Etsy links in this newsletter are affiliate links so if you shop through those, it helps support my work. Or you can leave me a tip on Ko-fi, Paypal, or Venmo.
If you want to send me some snail mail, you can find me at P.O. Box 21481, Oakland, CA 94620-1481.
You can find our podcast, Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts.