A community where we read, listen, and watch together.
Our goal is to create a space where we can move past our own experience as the default (and the white cisgender male experience as default) by engaging with diverse works by diverse creatives.
We are building a community that expands our understanding of intersectional feminism, making us better prepared to create a feminist future affirming of all.
BOOK CLUB BINGO
Every two months, the book club releases a 3-by-3 bingo card. The center square is the main topic of discussion. The remaining eight squares are other pieces of media such as podcasts, short articles, music, and more. Each bingo card will have a theme followed by a live event and maybe, a surprise guest or two!
Our discussions will be hosted on Discord. Contribute to the conversation on your own time and leisure, though stay tuned for exciting discussion events!
CLICK HERE to download a PDF of the January/February book bingo board (includes links to all materials!).
MORE ON OUR PICKS
Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom [Book]: The January/February book pick! A series of essays exploring different topics including body image, Black womanhood, and academia. CW: “Dying to Be Competent” includes discussions about medical racism and miscarriage/stillbirth. “Black Girlhood, Interrupted” includes discussions about R. Kelly, rape, and sexual assault.
The Weight of the World by LoraF. [Video]: A short documentary delving into the harm of seeking the idealized “perfect body.” CW: discussion of weight, disordered eating, dieting, and body image.
Heaux Talesby Jazmine Sullivan [Album]: A concept album engaging with the themes of sexuality, relationships, classism, and Black womanhood. Our favourite tracks include “Bodies (Intro)” and “The Other Side.”
Visual Stories by Bria Lauren [Photography]: A series of photos documenting the lived experiences of Black women.
Pretty Privilege by Khadija Mbowe [Video Essay]: A video essay exploring what it means to be beautiful and the cultural bias in beauty standards. In part 2, Beauty is in the eye of…The Colonizer?, Khadija unpacks their own relationship with beauty standards.
Moonchild by NIKI [Album]: An album documenting the process of self-exploration and becoming, from curiosity to self-discovery. Our favourite tracks include “Wide Open (Foreword),” “Switchblade,” and “Selene.”
“Black Love as Activism” by Nicole Jackson [Article]: A historian uses the work of Beverly Jenkins, bell hooks, and others to emphasize the importance of love in Black activism.
MISS REP’S NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 PICKS
CLICK HERE to download a PDF of the September/October book bingo board (includes links to all materials!).
MORE ON OUR PICKS
Sabrina & Corinaby Kali Fajardo-Anstine [Book]: The November/December book pick! This book is a series of short stories featuring Latinas and Indigenous women in Colorado, exploring the themes of friendship, heritage, and more. Trigger/Content Warnings: some of the short stories include depictions or mentions of sexual assault, death, suicide, and abuse.
This Land: Season 2by Crooked Media [Podcast]: The second season of this podcast series investigates a lawsuit concerning Native children and American Indian tribal land.
“Wendy Red Star: Elk Teeth and Surface Scratches”by Natalie Zelt [Photography Selection]: A selection of work from multimedia artist Wendy Red Star, who often engages in the topics of cultural identity and history within her art.
Gore by Lous and the Yakuza [Album]: An album by Congolese-Belgian artist, Lous and the Yakuza. The music delves into the themes of loneliness/lack of community, race, and sexuality.
Ni Yankwik Xinachtli by Axayacatzi K. [Video]: A short documentary exploring Indigenous generational knowledge on traditional medicine.
“If You Want To Help Others, You Must Learn to Say No” by Mia Birdsong [Article]: An excerpt from How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community about the importance of saying ‘no’ as a way to take care of oneself and one’s community.
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want PowerbyHalsey [Album]: A concept album exploring Halsey’s experience of pregnancy, childbirth, and becoming a parent.
The Lesbian Bar Project by Erica Rose and Elina Street [Video]: A short documentary about the few remaining lesbian bars in the United States and their importance as sites of history and community.
CLICK HERE to download a PDF of the September/October book bingo board (includes links to all materials!).
MORE ON OUR PICKS
Invisible Women: Data Bias In A World Designed For Men by Caroline Criado Perez[Book]: The September/October book pick! This book studies the ways that women are negatively impacted when the cis-male experience is considered the default. From urban planning to the workplace, women have always been a second thought.
Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe [Album]: In this album, Janelle Monáe (she/her and they/them) has built a musical world concerned with the liberation of “dirty computers,” people that society has deemed flawed. The hero of her story is a queer Black woman who fights against and escapes “reprogramming.” The themes of this work contend with freedom, liberation, and more.
Yhara zayd: “A Monstress Comes of Age”[Video]: A video essay examining the feminist potential of the horror genre, taking a look at some of the films that lived up to that potential.
This Is Uncomfortable: “Pretty Hurts”[Podcast]: A podcast guest talks about her journey of self-love and acceptance in her relationship with her body hair.
“Heteronormative Healthcare” by Rachel Charlene Lewis [Article]: Queer women are disserviced when seeking healthcare. In what ways are they failed? And in what ways can the healthcare industry do better?
Womb by Purity Ring [Album]: Purity Ring is a duo consisting of Corin Roddick and Megan James. Their 2020 album, Womb is a meditation on modern womanhood. This theme is further explored in articles published on The Skinny and Medium.
Man Up: “The Case of the Kitchen Dishes List” [Podcast]: This podcast investigates the gender dynamics at play in keeping a workplace kitchen clean.
“How AI bots and voice assistants reinforce gender bias” by Caitlin Chin and Mishaela Robison [Article]: Digital assistants tend to have feminine voices. What are the consequences of that? This article gives a thorough breakdown of how gender bias is reinforced in AI and voice assistant technology.
Vox: “Everything Is Designed For This Man” [Video]: A great summary of all the ways cis-men have had the world built for them. The current book pick, Invisible Women, dives deeper into many of the norms introduced in the video.
