These are some things that caught my attention this week!

YouTube: The Very Creepy Issue Surrounding Millie Bobbie Brown

D’Angelo Wallace is gaining followers for his in-depth and incredibly well researched videos on Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson, but I find in this older short video, he is able to effectively and clearly articulate so many important issues around body image, hyper- sexualization of girls, and inappropriate media image created for child actors – specifically, in this case, Wallace hones in on the media surrounding Millie Bobbie Brown. Wallace points the blame where it needs to be, specifically, the adults who are making these bad decisions.

Podcast: We Need to Talk about How We Talk about Kanye West

It’s easy enough to make a joke about Kanye’s unexpected behaviour – but this episode of The Big Story paints a humanizing portrait of a man and his family, but also others who live with this mental illness that is so often misrepresented. Most importantly though, the hosts help us understand how to talk about Kanye and his actions without letting him off the hook – because without a doubt, his actions affect others.

Article: Inside Baltimore’s human trafficking industry

Al Jazeera’s harrowing portraits of trafficking survivors and the economics of the city they live in stands in for a larger picture of the world that has created more people living in slavery than any other time in history. Baltimore may be the focus of this article, but the trends of systemic racism, opioid addiction, and financial coercion can be seen in many other major North American cities.

Article: Poland’s president sworn in for second term amid silent protests

I didn’t know about Duda’s regressive LGBT policies until very recently, and was disappointed, disheartened, and angry that yet another government was choosing to implement policies to harass LGBT people.

It is promising to see opposition members standing up to show their support by wearing dresses to form a rainbow flag.

Now the hard work comes – it’s not just about symbolic actions. It is about fighting a second term leader and his government as they strip rights and make their country an even more hostile place form members of the LGBT community.

Article: The US Declared War on TikTok Because it Can’t Handle the Truth

This article is far reaching and ambitious in the thesis it is trying to cover in such a short space. From a historical perspective to a technical one to modern politics, this article encompasses a lot.

Covering why we need to engage with, as well as learn about, the unpleasant parts of history both past and present, it’s an interesting read that is not perfect, but well worth your time.

Comic: The Tree who Set Healthy Boundaries

As a child, I struggled with the Giving Tree. Not just because the black and white photo of Shel Silverstein on the back cover was unintentionally menacing, but because the tree gave up everything for the boy. (My brain does remember the tree being gendered as she, whatever that says about me if I remembered that wrong). The tree gives up everything for the boy, her apples, her branches, her trunk – everything that makes her who she is, and the boy gives practically nothing back. How heartbreaking to sacrifice everything for someone who takes without giving!

Topher Payne’s retelling cleverly reminds us that setting boundaries is love – love for ourselves and love for others so we don’t burn out and become husks of our former selves.

Podcast: Bodily Harm is Coming

Unprecedented’s first season is not new, but somehow I missed this episode entirely when it first came out.

The strength of this podcast is how we as the audience are asked to consider our assumptions and piece apart our feelings around the first amendment – and this episode is, in my opinion, the strongest example in the season. This entire series, but this episode in particular, forces us to sit in the uncomfortable realty of the outermost limits of the first amendment. It made me uncomfortable, and I think wherever you fall, it probably makes you uncomfortable too.

(Well, all that was all a bit heavy… let’s round up on a few lighter items!)

Nail Polish – ORLY’s Black Cherry

This is such a fun fuchsia colour for the warmer months, but I suspect it’ll do well even in the fall. It’s much brighter than in the promo shots- not a neon but very fun and bright! The rounded flat brush and rubberized lid that come with all ORLY polishes is really an awesome selling feature.

Bonus: ORLY has a sale what feels like every few days. If you don’t need it today, you can wait a bit and get it at least 20% off (wait for their $5 polish parties too!)

Music: Terra Lightfoot – Paper Thin Walls

Lightfoot’s new single is bold and sassy and belt-it-out-into-your-hairbrush – her music is almost pop-y in the way it pulls you in, but is decidedly her own style and her vocals are way more robust than even the best top of the pop star could ever attempt.

This fun and funny number is the first single on her upcoming album due in October, and I for one, am beyond excited.

I love, LOVE Lightfoot’s music, so I may be a bit biased, but tell me you won’t be humming that chorus for the next few days.

That’s all for this week folks!