Joanna Hausmann is a comedian and popular Youtuber. Among other things, she covers topics and unravels myths about Latinos. She is Venezuelan and white which is something I can relate to. I love her videos so much, they are seriously hilarious. However, this video is not funny. She talks about the turmoil going on in her home country and points about things people seem to be getting wrong. This is not about the politics, it's about the effect this atrocity is having on the people. Worth the watch.
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If you’ve ever had a conversation with me -or read my blog- you might know that I’m not subtle. So many people and movies and news stories in my life have told me to be quiet. Or urged me not to “make a scene” or upset too many people because I still have to deal with them after the fact. Yeah, it didn’t stick. I cannot walk through life with an armor made of lies. I’m not going to pretend that I’m okay with someone being homophobic or bullying or throwing our slurs they don’t understand. I have to call it out when I see it. It makes days tough sometimes, but ignoring the truth doesn’t make it go away.
Note: it is not always safe for people to say everything they want to, and I want to nod my head to you guys. The other day I realized something that shook me. It’s that there is nothing that anyone can say to me that will break me. They will never come up with anything worse than what I am already telling myself every day. I will not break because of hate. So, I don’t censor myself, but do I have to keep an eye on people’s reaction. I’ll mention a girl being cute and I have to watch their eyes. I roll my eyes at something in politics and I hold my breath. Half of my identity, just who I am, is a political statement. I’m gay. I’m disabled. I’m loud. My dad is an immigrant. I have mental illnesses. I didn’t choose this things and I wouldn’t trade them out. I am who I am and I am finally learning to like me. Hate me because of what I do, not who I am. If I’m mean to you, I’m sorry, but feel free to never want to see me again. Those are reasons I have power over, and you don’t owe my anything. But, don’t decide you hate me before you meet me. The people telling me to not be controversial were right. People will go pretty far when they don’t understand who I am. I can be friends with people who have different views with me, but not people who devalue other human beings because of the color or their skin or gender. I started thinking about this last night. I got the chance to meet Zyahna Bryant, teenage activist who sparked change in VA, before she gave a speech and it was amazing. She said something in her that I can’t stop thinking about. She challenged us to “do what sets your soul on fire.” My friend is starting a Students Demand Action group in the area (based off of Mom's Demand Action) and asked me to write a letter to my state delegate and state senator about gun reform. This is what I wrote. State Delegate: Nicholas J. Freitas, district 30 (R) State Senator: Emmett W. Hanger Jr., district 24 (R) Dear ---
When I sat down to write this letter, I thought I would have a lot to say. And I do. I have so much to say that I don’t know how to say it. The arguments have all been said. There are smart people talking about gun control. I don’t think that I have anything to add that you haven’t already heard. It’s time for you to start listening. Why are we so afraid to talk about guns? We know they are the cause of millions of deaths. We know there are solutions. And yet, we refuse to even try to fix this very fatal problem. Don’t give my teacher a gun. It’s your job to protect your community. I am a student and I haven’t ever felt safe in school. My first lockdown was in kindergarten, and it was not a drill. I have little cousins. I don’t want them to grow up in a world where they aren’t safe in school. Because that is the truth about today. When I sat down to write this letter, I thought I would have a lot to say. And I do. I have so much to say that I don’t know how to say it. Problem #1(out of a few million) is that, in TV and movies, adults are playing teenagers. That leaves a lot of room for inaccuracy and influence to leave various levels of insecurity in actual teens.
This post is actually about problem #2. I want to talk about something that lays across choices of multiple people. It comes from writers, directors, producers, costume designers, and probably more. In a show or movie, you can always find the HIPSTER and THE goth in a movie. Note: I know that exaggeration is key in it all, etc. I’ve found that most people, in real life, aren’t ONLY one of those stereotypes (ie. jocks, nerds, savvy). The other thing is, even when they are, they usually don’t have enough time, dedication, or money to have that specific a wardrobe and persona. Most people just wear a t-shirt and jeans, like, everyday. It is funny to watch characters and think, “Nah, I've never heard of anyone thinking like that." There are two words I tag onto Christmas shopping: wonderful and stressful. Guess which one comes first?
I went shopping along the main street on the next street over because it is 70% antique/"artisan" places. It’s great for quirky gifts, so I go every year. This Christmas, I went alone, stopping in on a few different shops. I got something from one place for a friend, but overall I’d have to give a mix rating of them all. There was the intense expensive ornaments store with the owner who was on the phone when I walked in (with what what sounded like family) and did not say a thing. I’m not sure if she was giving me a suspicious look or just assuming I wouldn’t buy anything (she was right, I didn’t). A few minutes later, an older couple walked in and she quickly put down the phone, stood up, and said hello. It was weird, so I left and she seemed relieved. I guess I don’t have much to comment on this one. Then, I walked into ANOTHER overly priced thrift store and it wasn’t impressive. It was cute and I had my eye on one piece until I realized where I was. The store was owned by an older couple and adjunct to their ice cream shop. You see, I had a friend who worked at the ice cream part over the summer. She was miserable and said her boss was awful. And that it was a pretty easy job because no one ever showed up, but also that it was one of the worst jobs she’d ever had. The owner was mean and very rude. I went to see her one day, the place was empty, I bought an ice cream, and he came in to stand behind her and glare at me until I left. She told me he made a kid who came into the store cry. Who runs a kindergartner out of an ice cream shop? Lastly, there was the scariest one. It was a second hand clothing store for kids. When I first walked in, I couldn’t figure out who worked there, but I found a cute book. It was a big book of coloring of Disney villains! The woman was busy, so I sat down (the only place that I found all day!) and looked around. There were only two other customers, one with a stroller. In a moment, a young girl (college age?) ran in with a laundry basket full of stuffed animals. She was in a hurry, but really wanted to give the toys to a good place. The owner’s response? Horrifying. To break it down: the store doesn’t really except stuffed animals, only ones that are characters (from a movie, etc.). Ok, fine. She had this roundabout way of saying it and managed to be rude over children’s toys. It was obvious the girl was just looking for a) yes, we will take the toys or b) no, sorry. The worst part, for me, was when the girl left, the three women (owner + customers) sh*t talked her. “Well, English was obviously her second language.” *smug laugh and insinuating she’s stupid.* I felt dirty. I wanted to chase her down and make sure she was okay. Also, all of their surplus (or whatever) goes to a Pregnancy Center, which is a whole other issue. Anyway, I left. All of that was fun, I guess. This post turned negative, but I didn’t mean it to be. There is no grand moral of the story. I walked two blocks and in and out of stores. That was huge and I rewarded myself with a hot chocolate at the end of the day. Hope everyone had a happy holidays and feel off to a good start to the new year. "Oh, wait, it's only the 2nd? God, this is gonna be a slooowwww year." - Me, a little while ago today
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Who Am I?Hi there! I'm Whit, my pronouns are they/them, and I write a lot.
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Painting by Whit Acrylics on masonite April 20th, 2019 Words are a Quaker saying. George Fox? |