September 2020 Reading List! (Patreon)

Hi everyone, 

Apologies for the delay this month… had a whole wedding thing to do. But wanted to get this to you before we go off on our UK honeymoon. I use this app called Pocket so save things I’ve read/watched/listened to and then when time comes to create one of these reading lists I check my Pocket and see what’s in there. I also save stuff in there that I intend to read/watch but haven’t got round to yet… there may be things in there dating back months, maybe even years! 

But I really thought that this month I didn’t save many things but how wrong was I! I think there’s also just a lot of stuff in there left over from August that didn’t make it into that reading list.

Anyway, it’s a long one but just in case you needed reminding. This is not homework! This is just a glimpse of what I’ve been consuming lately (some serious, some fun). Maybe you’ve seen some of the same things, maybe some catch your attention! Maybe none of them do! That’s fine! 

If you would like to chat about any of them remember we have a #reading-list-discussion thread in the The Common Room discord server and we can chat away :)

Hannah x

Articles

3 of Bon Appetit’s Test Kitchen stars of color are departing the video channel after failed contract negotiations - I’d been very loosely following this story but I loved Gourmet Makes so I was interested in the business behind the scenes stuff and how that relates to diversity and inclusion. This article is a bit old now but their YouTube channel still has nothing on it since 3 months ago so… 

Videos

black and queer - Taylor from ItsRadishTime really laying out the intersection of her Black idenity and queer identity. Racism within the LGBTQ+ community. This you?

What Made The Good Place Finale So Satisfying? - okay The Good Place ended a while ago now but if you need a reminder of why that ending was SO GOOD, watch this video essay from Riley Dennis. I got emotional just watching this.

Reacting To My Les Mis Performance - it’s no secret I love Carrie Hope Fletcher’s videos and all the behind the scenes nuggets about the theatre world you learn from watching them!

Go Play! - ignore the title, John and Hank Green are currently only titling the vlogbrothers videos with lyrics from All Star by Smash Mouth. This video is about whether math(s) exists or not. 

Jeffree Star And Performative Activism - I have recently got back into Kat Blaque’s videos, took a break for a while but now I’m IN again. Also, I’ve been going down Jeffree Star/Shane Dawson/Tati Westbrook video rabbit holes… not good for the soul. But Kat Blaque is good for the soul!

You Don’t Hate Taylor Swift, You’re Just Sexist (Probably) - lol notcorry just saying it how it is. 

6 Tips to create your DREAM bedroom (before and after) - aaaah Iz Harris just coming at us again with the amazing interior content. I WISH I could be good at interiors but Iz does offer some good tips and advice! And Iz and I have very similar taste in colour palettes so I always get very envious of her interiors!

I Asked My Friend WHY She Had a Plantation Wedding / Tips on How to Have an Anti-Racist Wedding - I did not even realise this was a thing but really interesting video. Also, this woman’s channel as a lot of stuff on historical reenactment if you are into that!

Why Is It So Hard To Change Someone’s Mind?  - really interesting, slightly disheartening, doesn’t make the task of changing people’s minds any easier. Still feels like an impossible task but it’s about values not facts so that’s fun.

Reviewing All The TV SHows I Watched During Quarantine - another Evelyn of the Internets, I just love her so much! There always seems to be one of her videos on these reading lists! She has a real way of describing TV shows that’s hilarious and entertaining but also informative about the show and whether or not I would like it. I’m really tempted to watch Little Fires Everywhere after seeing this video.

Some fun music videos:

Wannabe - Spice Girls (Vintage Style Cover) - loved this!

The Schuyler Sisters Perform “For The Longest Time” - so much talent, so much love!

Podcasts

I Weight Podcast by Jameela Jamil - I’ve been admiring Jameela Jamil’s work with the I Weigh movement from afar for a while and not sure why I hadn’t taken the plunge but now I’m listening to the podcast and following shenanigans on Instagram too. Would highly recommend listening to the Matt McGorry episode for stuff on allyship and male body image/eating disorders. Stephanie Yeboah about body positivity, the fat acceptance movement and dating. And the Rachel Cargle episode I found really inspiring.

Homelessness (You’re Wrong About) - shared some other episodes from this podcast but every single one I listen to seems to resonate so much I save it to my Pocket. Once again, is there an equivalent to this podcast but that has more of a UK focus???

Mixed Up Podcast - been listening to a bunch of this podcast. Some fave episodes have been Living Our Lives in Full Colour As Transracials about Rachel Dolezal and what that means for mixed race people who don’t get to choose their identity and Every woman has a hair journey. This episode is a long one, it includes two brilliant interviews and is all about Black women, mixed race women, and hair. 

The Chosen One - Witch, Please! Podcast is back! I feel like everyone has one Harry Potter podcast they stick to and this is mine. So excited about this reboot.

Motherhood, Business and Taking Up Space - Ctrl Alt Delete episode with Candice Brathwaite. Really fascinated by her Make Motherhood Diverse campaign. Really resonated with me when I found myself looking for images online of pregnant women with stoma bags.