My pinned tweet on my Twitter timeline gets favourited every so often, which is always a good reminder that I, as a white male in the United States, am VASTLY over-represented and over-sampled in the culture at large. The "default" audience for nearly everything including videogames, TV shows, movies, even food and petrol are all aimed squarely at me: the white guy with spare cash. So, as my tweet reminds me:
One of the ways I work to make sure that that's happening is my twitter feed. Not too long ago I was challenged to retweet ten things from women in one day, and I found it easier than some others, but WAY too hard for my own preferences. So I ruthlessly cleared out my twitter following list -- if you were a white dude, and I didn't personally know you, then off you went. I started following people of colour, especially black men who were doing significant reporting on the ground from protests and movements against police brutality. I tried to make sure that the voices in my Twitter feed looked as different from me as I thought was possible.
It's still pretty tech-heavy, because a large number of people I follow are people I know or have at least met, but still, it felt pretty good when Jen Foehner Wells (@Jenthulhu) retweeted @KerithBurke's query, "Who's a woman you follow on twitter who rocks your world with good links and thoughts and sense? I want to follow more rad ladies.", I was able to basically inundate her with So. Many. Handles.
I also realized I missed some. So, for the record, here's a pretty good list from my "Following" stream. This doesn't include any of the men I follow, nor does it include the amazing Jiz Lee (because they identify as non-binary) among others. But here's a bunch of women that you should follow, because their voices should be heard. And it is the job of we white men to listen.
Go and follow these women:
@KerithBurke, @kejames, @SnowHydro, @highlyanne, @cbahlai, @CEamer, @terngirl, @sigje, @jorietappa, @hechanova, @Alysonkjy, @ArielSpear, @kayayarai, @ellaguro, @TaraReed_, @favomancer, @lunaraven13, @marijane, @dtrapezoid, @lehudgins, @konahart, @spine_cone, @wiredferret, @lynncyrin, @GeorgiaReh, @britl, @poeks, @kategodart, @bethpdx, @PDXyogini, @kronda, @christi3k, @meli_lewis, @mizsma, @EvaLohse, @sarahoconnor_, @fangirlJeanne, @BreeNewsome, @HAIL_9000, @beerops, @ltvargus, @AnasuyaIam, @asymbina, @Teelabird, @jwrothchild, @pizzaops, @MaryRobinette, @ann_leckie, @Jenthulhu, @GrandmaHenri, @bergopolis, @GeekyLyndsay, @DynamicWebPaige, @leighalexander, @KnittyNerd, @brookshelley, @twoscooters, @Annaleen, @charliejane, @FeyNudibranch, @NobleRorick, @GWillowWilson, @srhbutts, @Quinnae_Moon, @ashleycomeau, @RachelShadoan, @TheQuinnspiracy, @Spacekatgal, @randileeharper, @MollyOstertag, @kleenestar, @strumpet101, @Faebelina, @bellhooks, @ProfBanks, @leftoblique, @mariafi, @wundergeek, @intensyty, @pkafei, @KameronHurley, @corinnepw, @DiscGrace, @Lilulicious, @Library_Mary, @wholemilk, @UrsulaV, @zeethriller, @angelacraft, @ComicsLawyer, @zerena_hoofs, @nkjemisin, @TheBabeRunner, @soetzufit, @applecidermage, @dymphna_saith, @thesaragates, @racerxmachina, @briecs, @tweetsofrogue, @C_Fracture, @filamena, @AmyTFalcone, @mipsytipsy, @bripruett, @ChelseaCain, @shadipetosky, @sweetpavement, @backthatelfup, @SarahDarkmagic, @nicolaz, @ErikaMoen, @angelamwebber, @Molly23, @TheSarahShay, @matociquala, @IsBriana, @zenithsun, @amber_benson, @AubreyCello, @pronouncedLAHra, @snarke, @StephanieEco, @mariancall, @jeanbees, @novaren, @berkanna3, @cmpriest, @pooblemoo, @carriepadian, @leanoir, @JessWardman, @emoontx, @Chemily77, @shfitch, @whipartist, @coyotedancer, @oleta, @aleta, @Jessica_Paul, @riayn, @gemmy1, @esmeraldus, @pdxreda, @wrdinglanguage, @weltschmerz
But as a white male feminist, my single greatest job is to LISTEN. I must must MUST remember that. I MUST LISTEN.
One of the ways I work to make sure that that's happening is my twitter feed. Not too long ago I was challenged to retweet ten things from women in one day, and I found it easier than some others, but WAY too hard for my own preferences. So I ruthlessly cleared out my twitter following list -- if you were a white dude, and I didn't personally know you, then off you went. I started following people of colour, especially black men who were doing significant reporting on the ground from protests and movements against police brutality. I tried to make sure that the voices in my Twitter feed looked as different from me as I thought was possible.
It's still pretty tech-heavy, because a large number of people I follow are people I know or have at least met, but still, it felt pretty good when Jen Foehner Wells (@Jenthulhu) retweeted @KerithBurke's query, "Who's a woman you follow on twitter who rocks your world with good links and thoughts and sense? I want to follow more rad ladies.", I was able to basically inundate her with So. Many. Handles.
I also realized I missed some. So, for the record, here's a pretty good list from my "Following" stream. This doesn't include any of the men I follow, nor does it include the amazing Jiz Lee (because they identify as non-binary) among others. But here's a bunch of women that you should follow, because their voices should be heard. And it is the job of we white men to listen.
Go and follow these women:
@KerithBurke, @kejames, @SnowHydro, @highlyanne, @cbahlai, @CEamer, @terngirl, @sigje, @jorietappa, @hechanova, @Alysonkjy, @ArielSpear, @kayayarai, @ellaguro, @TaraReed_, @favomancer, @lunaraven13, @marijane, @dtrapezoid, @lehudgins, @konahart, @spine_cone, @wiredferret, @lynncyrin, @GeorgiaReh, @britl, @poeks, @kategodart, @bethpdx, @PDXyogini, @kronda, @christi3k, @meli_lewis, @mizsma, @EvaLohse, @sarahoconnor_, @fangirlJeanne, @BreeNewsome, @HAIL_9000, @beerops, @ltvargus, @AnasuyaIam, @asymbina, @Teelabird, @jwrothchild, @pizzaops, @MaryRobinette, @ann_leckie, @Jenthulhu, @GrandmaHenri, @bergopolis, @GeekyLyndsay, @DynamicWebPaige, @leighalexander, @KnittyNerd, @brookshelley, @twoscooters, @Annaleen, @charliejane, @FeyNudibranch, @NobleRorick, @GWillowWilson, @srhbutts, @Quinnae_Moon, @ashleycomeau, @RachelShadoan, @TheQuinnspiracy, @Spacekatgal, @randileeharper, @MollyOstertag, @kleenestar, @strumpet101, @Faebelina, @bellhooks, @ProfBanks, @leftoblique, @mariafi, @wundergeek, @intensyty, @pkafei, @KameronHurley, @corinnepw, @DiscGrace, @Lilulicious, @Library_Mary, @wholemilk, @UrsulaV, @zeethriller, @angelacraft, @ComicsLawyer, @zerena_hoofs, @nkjemisin, @TheBabeRunner, @soetzufit, @applecidermage, @dymphna_saith, @thesaragates, @racerxmachina, @briecs, @tweetsofrogue, @C_Fracture, @filamena, @AmyTFalcone, @mipsytipsy, @bripruett, @ChelseaCain, @shadipetosky, @sweetpavement, @backthatelfup, @SarahDarkmagic, @nicolaz, @ErikaMoen, @angelamwebber, @Molly23, @TheSarahShay, @matociquala, @IsBriana, @zenithsun, @amber_benson, @AubreyCello, @pronouncedLAHra, @snarke, @StephanieEco, @mariancall, @jeanbees, @novaren, @berkanna3, @cmpriest, @pooblemoo, @carriepadian, @leanoir, @JessWardman, @emoontx, @Chemily77, @shfitch, @whipartist, @coyotedancer, @oleta, @aleta, @Jessica_Paul, @riayn, @gemmy1, @esmeraldus, @pdxreda, @wrdinglanguage, @weltschmerz
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