The Autumn Mood Around Here
plus Book Club and Podcast updates
Trigger warning: police violence, femicide.
My autumn mood is a bit angry. I’m learning to get comfortable with being set at a level of “simmering rage” most of the time. My anger stems mostly from the repetition of terrible men doing terrible things to women (trans-inclusive).
The murder of Sarah Everard in March of this year dominated the UK headlines. Sarah was kidnapped while walking home from a friend’s in the evening. The Met Police responded by advising women to stay indoors at night. An offensive and tone-deaf stance, which ignored the increase in domestic violence during the pandemic, and was met with overwhelming criticism from feminist groups such as Sisters Uncut.
Last month, it transpired that Sarah’s killer was a policeman who arrested her under false pretences (breaching Covid-19 regulations). The Met Police yet again responded in the shittiest way: if you are a young woman who finds yourself facing police arrest, either question them or run away. Then Munroe Bergdorf pointed out what happens when Black people run away from the police.
I read the impact statement by Susan Everard, Sarah’s mum. At the same time I was reading about the murder of London primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, still ongoing but thought to be pre-meditated. And there are countless more, women’s lives that are deemed not worthy enough to merit the press space.
We are at the mercy of men and I’m angry on behalf of all of us. To quote Munroe: Listen to marginalised communities. Liberation for us, is liberation for all.
Things That Have Been Helping Me To Stay Sane:
Erin launched a podcast with her friend monét! Dancing on Desks asks educators what would happen if we were teaching, learning, and living in ways that engage justice-full, liberatory, and abolitionist teaching and learning practices in our schools and beyond. Subscribe here (Some of you may know Erin from our book club sessions).
How I Get It Done by The Cut is a series that I can’t turn away from. Sometimes it can be a bit too girl-boss feminism or Goop-like for me, but I enjoyed this one with Shari Siadat.
My wood walks while listening to podcasts: recent favourites include the Wintering podcast and Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby.
Discovering Loïs Mailou Jones on Instagram and making it my mission to find out more about her. Watch this space.
Books Actually is a much-loved indie bookshop in Singapore. But how they treated their young, female staff was nothing short of abusive.
I Love Sally Rooney’s Novels But They Aren’t Written For Me: Malavika Kannan thoughtfully explores how the myth of universality keeps white women at the centre of the literary system.
Quick Update on Book Club
Next Sunday we will meet online to discuss Sisters by Daisy Johnson. You can reserve your spot for free here.
November’s book will be Black Box by Shiori Itō (TW rape):
Read the book blurb in English
Read the book blurb in French
December’s book has changed, as Cantoras was proving tricky to get hold of. We will now be reading Mrs. Death Misses Death, with author Salena Godden joining us at book club for a Q&A!
Read the book blurb in English
The Podcast
Season 4 is back with none other than Sylvia Whitman from Shakespeare and Company! It was such a delight to sit down with Sylvia in the Library, where some of us used to meet once a month, and talk about the history of the Bookshop and more. Listen here. Or here. Or here.
For the next episode, I’ll be speaking to Valentine Carter about their recent debut novel These Great Athenians. If you’re a fan of mythology, and women’s voices in particular, I think you will love this poetic collection featuring Athena, Circe, Scylla and more!
Article Image Source: The New Yorker