Plus, a look at the "divine" inspiration for Ursula
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It's Tuesday again, readers! And it's finally spring. Take a moment to stop and smell the flowers (if they've bloomed). But make sure you take your allergy medicine first so you don't destroy your sinuses in the pursuit of enjoying nature's bounty. Speaking of bounty, albeit of a different sort, this week's newsletter revolves around surveillance. It's impossible to divorce the ease of our modern digital lives from the knowledge that we're being tracked wherever we go. Thousands of datapoints about you are collected every week, often without your permission or knowledge. (Think about how many doorbell cameras are in your neighborhood, for instance.) For many of us, this collection process seems harmless or like a minor inconvenience outweighed by the numerous conveniences presented by our ever-connected world. But for some of the people featured in this week's newsletter, surveillance — in both state and religious contexts — is much more sinister than the occasional uncanny Instagram ad about shoes or a backpack. As the state or the church watches them, who is watching out for them? |
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Texas’ HB4378 would grant the ability for private citizens in the state to sue those who perform in drag wherever children are present. Under the proposed legislation, plaintiffs would have up to 10 years to sue for damages that include "psychological, emotional, economic, and physical harm." The bill's very vague description of what counts as "drag" not only endangers performers but any transgender and gender non-conforming people as well. |
The issue of data security and privacy has been top of mind for many people in the post-Roe era, but could religious leaders be using user data to discipline people who break their religious promises? Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal, the organization behind the tracking, doesn't view its investigations as a violation of privacy. "After all, data is used by all major corporations, so why not the Church?” says its president, Jayd Hendricks. |
Our guest contributor, Pamela Campos-Palma, says: "The military is a workplace in which the most marginalized, particularly working class women of color, are paying the gravest price while playing outsized roles changing the status quo in big and often unseen ways."
"Never forget it’s us, the grunts, the mothers, the sisters, the daughters, and the entire communities, who consciously decide to roll up our sleeves and compost the rot of injustice." |
The late drag queen Divine truly lived up to her name. “Filth are my politics,” she said as Babs Johnson in Pink Flamingos. “Filth is my life!” Read more about how a glamorous drag queen from Baltimore inspired the creation of Ursula and future generations of drag queens everywhere. |
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Headlines that turned my head this week
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| "Inside the Last Men's Hotel in Chicago" — It used to be a way for men to live cheaply as they saved up money for an apartment or sent money back to their home countries. In today's world, it's a buffer between its residents and homelessness. (The New Republic) "Stop Talking to Each Other and Start Buying Things" — Remember when the internet used to be fun? When it wasn't all walled gardens and billionaires' egos zapping the joy out of everything? (Welcome to Garbagetown) That's all I've got for this week. Thanks for reckoning with me, Aria |
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