Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice, Vol 4, Res 15: Help for Maui and How Gatekeeping Womanhood Hurts Everyone
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Hi friends! Our sofa finally arrived and it is absolutely magical. The green is incredibly obnoxious and I am totally in love. It has been a bright spot in a year that has repeatedly screwed me in ways I did not consent to. I also got a hot tip from a colleague at my day job about the Pottery Barn Outlet in Alameda and Nicole and I scored a gorgeous console for us to put our plants on. Our tiny living room is on its way to being a lovely oasis.
It’s resource week so let’s get to it!
Resource #1: Please Help the Maui Community
My mother lived in Lahaina from November 2014 until she moved back to the SF Bay Area in November 2022. Lahaina was everything to her and it was the place that she left everyone for. I have many beautiful memories of Lahaina and my mother’s connection to it makes it a special place for me as well. The recent fires have razed Old Lahaina to the ground and I have been sobbing for hours. It feels like losing my mother all over again. My heart has burst wide open and my grief is heavy.
The KITV News roundup of how to help the folks on Maui is the best one I have found, specifically because it does not include the Salvation Army, which is infamous for turning away LGBTQ+ folks who are in need. My particular choice for sending assistance is the Maui Strong Fund from the Hawai’i Community Foundation.
I also want to share this Tweet and this Instagram post by Kaniela Ing, reminding people that Lahaina wasn’t just some “tourist spot,” but the original capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He goes on to share some other worthwhile information.
Halloween in Lahaina was known as “The Mardi Gras of the Pacific,” and being there on Halloween is definitely in my Top 8 Halloweens I’ve ever had.
Resource #2: Why Gatekeeping Womanhood Oppresses Women by Dominique Stewart via ARD
Oh my fucking god can people all agree to just stop shitting on transgender folks? The existence of trans people hurts no one! Just let people live their lives. I promise, no one is less of whatever they are just because someone else exists. There's enough gender to go around for everyone who wants it. Honestly, I think there is a bit too much gender going around but it is what it is.
That’s it for this week! You can shop any books I’ve mentioned in this newsletter at my affiliate shop, The Infophile’s Bookshop, and support independent bookstores. If you want to send me some snail mail, you can find me at P.O. Box 21481, Oakland, CA 94620-1481. If you are a subscriber and would like for me to send you some happy mail, feel free to give me your address.
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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.
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