Sunday Links, 3/15/15

Climate and Sustainability
–23 women in the climate movement who inspire us.
–50 years after Selma, a search for environmental justice.
–In 2014, for the first time in 40 years, global CO2 emissions have stalled, but…
-Bill McKibben: Climate change won’t wait for Paris: vive la resistance!
-George Monbiot on the UN climate conferences’ failure to address the production end of fossil fuels: “There is nothing random about the pattern of silence that surrounds our lives. Silences occur where powerful interests are at risk of exposure.”
-Naomi Klein: How will everything change under climate change?
–We need regenerative farming, not geoengineering.
–Jordan’s 6,000 mosques will soon all have rooftop solar.
–The USDA is helping rural farmers get their own renewable energy.
–10 myths about fossil fuel divestment put to the sword.
–“Man-made” climate change is a major women’s problem.
–There’s a local flower movement blooming.
–Why bike lanes are battle lines for justice.
–These urban farmers want to feed the whole neighborhood–for free.
-I would love to live in an urban treehouse.

Fa(t)shion
–Celebrate the style of these 8 women for International Women’s Day.
-I love Leah’s photoshoot with Jim Hawkins.
-Nancy reviews Chaffree anti-chub-rub shorts.
–Mei Smith NYC will bring indie designers to plus size customers.
–Why I love altering my shape with corseting (and it has nothing to do with looking thinner).
–9 oversized floral looks from the Spring 2015 runways.
–Lust list: the Curvy Couture Roadshow 2015.
–18 places to buy colorful lipstick.
-Harriet Parry’s dramatic floral headpieces are everything. I also love this dress made of flowers and this tulle dress adorned with flowers.

A few more reflections on the end of 2014, and the beginning of 2015

With my fellow fab fatties at the Curvy Yoga retreat

Here are a few things that didn’t make it into my 2014 Year in Review post. In 2014, I:

-Started participating in the Alternative Curves blog hop, and joined its Facebook group. It’s been great to find my niche with other plus size bloggers who enjoy punky, goth-y, costume-y, and otherwise quirky fashion. Looking for that niche was the very reason I started this blog! I’m especially excited for this upcoming month’s theme, Riot Grrl Heroines, as well as June’s (’90s Mall Witch) and August’s (Japanese Streets).

-Joined another fashion-niche FB group, the Glitterati, for people who subscribe to Crown and Glory’s monthly subscription box (which is always awesome and full of shinies). It’s fun to connect with other people who love sparkly things as much as I do. And I got Leah into C&G too, woohoo!

-Even as I joined more groups and connected more with the fatshion world, I also felt left out, as people have increasingly moved to Instagram. I don’t have a smart phone and don’t plan to get one anytime soon, so there’s a whole social network I can’t be part of, and it feel like that’s where everything’s happening these days. It’s also frustrating seeing so many lists of “top ten bloggers!” “best 20 outfits!” and knowing that I never even had a chance to make the list, because they’re all pulled from Instagram. (I know, I know, I’m not in this for the recognition–but sometimes recognition is nice.)

-Read 30 books by women of color.

-Participated in a Curvy Yoga workshop at a yoga retreat in Western Massachusetts. Anna Guest-Jelley is just as wonderfully body-positive in person as she is on her blog, and it was so powerful to do yoga with a room full of fat women, moving our bellies out of the way without shame. I hope to have more opportunities for movement with other fat people in the upcoming year.

I wish I could wake up to this view every day.

2014: A year in review

I don’t even know where to start with 2014–it had all sorts of ups, downs, and mehs, sometimes all at the same time.

When it comes to style and blogging, I’ve had a lot of fun (as you can see by my favorite outfits featured throughout this post). I’ve experimented more than ever, deepened my connections with my readers and other bloggers (you all rock!), and been influenced by a range of aesthetics I didn’t even know existed until recently, from dark mori to strega to lagenlook.

I’ve also continued to engage with my local fat community through the Facebook group I started last year, and it’s been so exciting to see it grow. Everyone is so supportive of each other, and it’s wonderful to have an online space where we can discuss anything from where to find various items of clothing to the frustrations of living in a fat-phobic world. I also like how decentralized it is–anyone can plan an event, and I am excited for the upcoming brunch planned by a new member who just moved to town!

Thank you so much to everyone who reads and comments on my blog, and everyone who is part of the fat community here in Boston and around the world.

Sunday Links, 12/18/14

One of the many houses in Somerville that go all-out with Christmas decorations.

#BlackLivesMatter
-“It is comforting to think of these acquittals and non-indictments as contrary to American values. But it is just as likely that they reflect American values.”
–“Ya’ll Ain’t Hearing Me”: white liberalism and the killing of Aura Rosser.
-“Whether or not he had a gun, nothing warranted Antonio Martin’s death, and nothing justifies leaving his body in the streets for two hours like roadkill.”
–BlackAmazon’s “Twas The Tweet’s Before Christmas.”
–13 things we re-learned about the prison industrial complex in 2014.
–The cops hate being filmed, so why are they ok with body cameras?
–Embracing “crazy” in the “land of the free.”
–The deaths of two NYPD officers are tragic, but not an indictment of the anti-brutality movement. It is also imperative to center Shaneka Thompson, whom Brinsley shot before killing the two officers–to make it clear that domestic violence is violence.
–#BlackLivesMatter protest shuts down the Mall of America on December’s biggest shopping day. Show some love for LUSH Cosmetics, which got trolled by racists for supporting its workers’ right to join the protests.
–Injustice at the intersection: how America’s suburbs are engineered against the walking poor.
–How Chicago Youth Diversion fails justice-involved girls.
–No, Mayor DiBlasio, there is never a wrong time to say that black lives matter.
-“it’s frustrating to see my righteous anger at unjust systems interpreted as hatred for individuals. but it’s more frustrating to see the oppressed suffer while those maladjusted to injustice remain silent.”

A Hanukkah bouquet at Trader Joe’s

Fa(t)shion
-The coolest thing ever: a Nobel recipient accepted her prize wearing a gown covered in the neurons she discovered.
-So excited for the Lela Rose collection for Lane Bryant!
–ModCloth’s #FashionTruth monthly spotlight: Jennae says, forget the rules!
-More fabulously edgy pictures from Skorch’s living doll editorial.
-Liz reviews a top from Smart Glamour, a new company that carries size up to 6x and also offers custom sizing.
–3 amazing dresses Rebel Wilson has worn recently, and where you can buy them. I especially love the pink one, of course.
-Wisconsin fatties, check out my friend Emma’s upcoming clothing swap!

I’m back from Paris and Iceland!

So remember when I said that comment moderation would be slow, and I wouldn’t be putting up a Sunday Links post last week? It was because I was on a weeklong vacation with Steve to France and Iceland! We just flew back to Boston yesterday.

We got a deal through Groupon Getaways for a week split between Paris and Reykjavik (except that the way the travel times worked out, we only had 2 1/2 days in each place). It was amazing. Overwhelming, exhausting, a bit whiplash-y, but so worth it.

I have a ton of pictures to post, including some outfit pictures I took while abroad. And I have lots of things to write about. I also want to weigh in on the whole #FashionTruth thing that’s been making rounds in my feeds. But right now, I’m still decompressing, de-jet-lag-ifying, and trying to catch up on all the internets I missed over the past week. So for now, here’s a brief preview:

Sunday links, 8/10/14

Fa(t)shion
–Volup2 has a new issue out, and it’s awesome as always. (Not work-safe, as there are a few nude pictures.)
-Style inspiration: the first lady of Cameroon. How amazing is that hot pink suit?
–Fashion’s place in feminism: where is it?
-Words to live by: “I want to live loudly and shamelessly in a way that makes me overjoyed every day. I want to be colourful and creative and to not care what anyone else thinks.”
–Five French plus size designers you should know.
-Colorlines interviews three fatshionistas of color on fatkinis and fat activism.
–101 body-positive bikini babes, including me!
-I love Sock Dreams’ carousel photoshoot, especially the floral + stripes + petticoat look.
–Why we love her, why we can’t: Coco Chanel.
–Sales, temptation, and the fear of missing out. I can relate to this–and the FOMO is especially bad when you wear plus sizes and have fewer options to begin with.
-I’m not particularly fond of Miley Cyrus, but I love the weird shit she’s putting in her hair.
-Recycled aluminum cans plus washi paper = gorgeous jewelry.
-If you’re in London, check out this fat-positive clothing swap.
-Shawna posts pictures from the Summer Strut 2014.

Fat Acceptance
-Dear children’s book authors: write fat kids.
–The problem with Businessweek‘s obese Coca-Cola bottle.
–Calorie miscounting: why one slice of cheesecake does not equal 4 1/2 hours of aerobics.
–What fat people have to do.

Israel/Gaza
–Living the imperative to heal the world: a Jewish woman’s thoughts on Gaza. As a fellow Jewish woman, I agree 1000%.
-A statement in solidarity with Gaza from Palestinian, indigenous, women of color, anti-racist, and Jewish feminists.
-All of these are a must-read: 6 of the most beautiful writings from and for Gaza.
–There are no “both sides.” The Israelis and Palestinians aren’t equal.
–At least my hospital isn’t being bombed.
–A question from Gaza: am I not human enough?
–There are no poems of mass destruction.
-Beautiful and hopeful: how a sixth-grader from Sderot draws the war.
–Librarians give New York subway riders a taste of Palestinian literature to protest Gaza assault.
–How will Gaza’s children carry their scars into adulthood?
–While bombs fall on Gaza: resisting militarism in Israel.
–Where you can donate to help Gaza.
-Support for genocide against Palestinians isn’t a fringe view within Israel–it’s held by many high-up figures both within and outside of the government. (Note: there is a graphic image of an injured child.)
–IDF solder: artillery fire in Gaza is like Russian roulette.
-“For most Gazans, the struggle is not about Islamism or destroying Israel, it’s about ending the blockade—no matter what it takes.”
-I so wish I could be in New York for Singing Against the Bad Times: An Evening of Jewish Radical Arts and History.
–Syria and Gaza: a false equivalency.

Sunday links, 8/3/14

Fa(t)shion
–But seriously…if you’re fat, you can still wear whatever you want.
-Help Elizabeth of CandyStrike get her clothing out to a major online retailer!
-Awesome pictures from Summer Strut, a plus-size runway show in Portland.
–Land’s End introduces adorable new science t-shirts just for girls.
-How cute is Sprinkles Bake Shop, which sells dessert-themed goodies like a birthday cake headband and macaron coin purses, as well as actual dessert-related supplies?
-Emma is putting dudes in dresses and watching chaos unfold.
–We don’t want your summer music festival fashion tips.

Fat Acceptance
–So much yes to this: I am not all about that bass: deconstructing the summer’s feel-good, body-positive hit. I wrote about “All About That Bass” a while back, but Jenny’s analysis is much more in-depth, and superbly breaks down the many different types of fail in the video. (And yes, I’m still sad that a video with such a catchy tune and such a gorgeous pastel aesthetic is full of so much race-, gender-, and size-fail.)
-Syruckus writes about why fat acceptance matters to him as a fat man.
-Ragen shares strategies for dealing with fat-phobia in the workplace.
-I love seeing pictures of two awesome fat activists meeting each other.
–Making Fat Ends Meet is a new Facebook group for poor and working-class fat people.
-Awesomeness: vandals trash plastic surgeon’s anti-muffin top billboard in Michigan.
–What they never consider when they link fatness with health problems.
-Oaklanders, checked out HAES’d and Confused, a series of events examining social justice within the context of the HAES model. There’s also a phone-in option for non-locals to participate.

Israel/Gaza
–Dear Nick Kristof, your Palestinian Gandhis are already here.
–Rays of hope in Gaza: 13 Israeli and Palestinian groups building peace.
–Jews around the world are facing attacks as the crisis escalates in Gaza. This is scary as hell, and it makes me so angry/sad/ARGH that so many people seem to think the answer to hatred and violence is more hatred and violence.
–If Israel calls to tell me they will bomb my house, what should I take with me as I run for my life?
–Life under fire in Gaza: the diary of a Palestinian.
-There are just no words for how heartbreaking this story is. No words.
–The awful decisions I’ve made to protect my Palestinian children from this war.
–Gaza myths and facts: what American Jewish leaders won’t tell you.
–Threats of sanctions worked against Israel in 1956 – and they can work again.

Guest post at Trip Logic: sustainable travel

Over at Trip Logic, I wrote a post about the need for sustainable travel.

On a related note, I hate how expensive trains are. Recently, I was planning a weekend trip to see family, and taking Amtrak would have been the easiest way to get there. But because the tickets were prohibitively expensive, I had to choose a less convenient combination of bus and car.

It’s downright ridiculous how much more expensive trains are than buses–which are slower, less comfortable, and less environmentally friendly.

To be honest, I don’t know much about transportation policy or how to make trains less expensive. But I do know it needs to happen. I know it’s ludicrous that it should cost over $150 to get from one major East Coast city to another by train.

Travel and climate change: conflicting truths

The Hamilton Pool Preserve in Texas. Photo by Dave Wilson.

I’ve been doing more reading about both travel and its impact on climate change. I don’t know how to reconcile what’s ultimately necessary for our survival with what’s good, and beautiful, and connects us.

I don’t have any scintillating synthesis. I just have quotes and pictures. And a wish that there were an easy answer.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
— Saint Augustine

“Just one return flight from London to New York produces a greater carbon footprint than a whole year’s personal allowance needed to keep the climate safe.”
— ETA, Air Travel’s Impact on Climate Change

“While we may not want to admit it, Americans lead fairly sheltered lives, and as a result, generally have a poor understanding of what is really happening in the rest of the world. ‘I think it’s really hard to fully comprehend what your own country has, both the good and the bad, without getting outside of your comfort zone on a deeper, more meaningful level,’ says Meet, Plan, Go! Austin co-host Keith Hajovsky. “Taking a gap year or a career break is a great way to accomplish this.”

Likewise, San Diego host Elaine Masters believes that there would be far less intolerance, violence, prejudice, and hatred in the world if more people got to experience the ways in which other people live in it. ‘There is really no better education available, in my opinion, than seeing the world,’ says Masters.”
— Katie Aune, Why a Gap Year Should Come to America

Lison, Portugal. Photo by Filipa Chatillon.

“And, no doubt, many of us have adopted new habits—trying to use public transportation, buying local foods, rejecting bottled water. But the “savings” from such practices are wiped out by a habit that many of us not only refuse to kick, but also increasingly embrace: flying, the single most ecologically costly act of individual consumption.”
— Joseph Nevins, Kicking the Habit: Air Travel in the Time of Climate Change

#FatshionFebruary, Day 5

No more snow…ah well.