Probably the most important blog post I read in the last week is the update from the long-missed Hyperbole and a Half about her depression. As ever, she slices through the hard and complicated issues with a sharp, dissecting knife, using humour and clever artwork to communicate something of deep value and significance. While I am sure that many who suffer from depression will find something powerful in this post, I think it may have particular relevance to those who never have felt the symptoms of clinical depression, and despite their best intentions have trouble understanding how it FEELS.
I have a horrible feeling that I have been, more than once, that gabbling friend trying to give helpful advice about a thing I know nothing about – and this post brought home exactly how little I know about this particular type of mental illness despite having many friends who have suffered from it in their lives. As with all great writing, this piece made me think differently about myself and the universe. Also, it’s horribly hilarious. Highly recommended, and I’m so glad to see H&aH back.
This sweet story is about a mother who decided to go beyond the ‘princess’ motif for her daughter’s fifth birthday commemorative photo, and dressed her up as a selection of feminist historical heroines.
A nice coda to the Hawkeye Initiative – how the genderflipping art project inspired an employee at a gaming company to take a stand and communicate a problem to her boss in a creative, classy way.
How Muriel Spark Saved Mary Shelley – the fascinating story of how “the canon” of literature really can be changed. Because, you know, it’s all about perception of value.
Nev Fountain, one of my favourite writers of Big Finish Audios, dissects The Doctor Who Historical as a sub-genre – what makes them great fun, and how to take apart their traditions when writing them. If you haven’t listened to his take on the Richard III mythology in The Kingmaker, you’re missing out.
Actor Gemma Arteton, whose mother sounds pretty hardcore awesome, talks about her current film projects, and particularly the female writers and directors she is currently working with. A smart lady! I love hearing stories about the women in today’s entertainment industry taking control of their careers and demanding higher standards in order to produce better, more interesting work.
Speaking of women in the entertainment industry taking control, The Hathor Legacy looks at some of the commentary surrounding Angelina Jolie’s decision to have a preventative mastectomy, and the appalling attitudes expressed by people who simply can’t comprehend the idea that a woman might be able to make an intelligent decision about her own future health, regardless of how complete strangers feel about her breasts. Jolie’s original piece, tellingly titled “My Medical Choice” is definitely worth reading in full, if only because it is so thorough and educational.
“My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.”
The Women Aren’t Funny series of posts at Bitch Magazine continue to be entertaining and interesting – the latest one is about How Women-Only Spaces Break Up The Boys Club.
The Jane Dough presents: What Alanna of Trebond taught me about my career. Ohhh, I feel a Tamora Pierce reread coming on…
The Angriest presents some very pretty statistics about Doctor Who’s viewing figures since 2005. They have been remarkably steady! Stop panicking, you guys.