Shell S.

“The choice of who we take seriously and who we ignore is deeply rooted in class disparity, with implications reaching far beyond someone's aesthetic choices or social media tattles. Our world views are crafted by those whose opportunities are fast-tracked due to wealth, and as a consequence, our perception of 'good' and 'bad' taste runs far deeper than the clothes we wear, and alters our perception of everything from feminism, well-being, and disability, to beauty and gender. Because of the way in which society idolises the rich while berating the poor, we invalidate working-class people's experiences.”
― Ione Gamble, Poor Little Sick Girls: A Love Letter to Unacceptable Women

“Men think that misogyny is a women's issue; women's to endure and women's to fix. White people think that racism is a pet issue for people of color; not like the pure, economic grievances of the working class. Rape is a rape victim's problem: What was she wearing? Where was she walking? Had she had sex before?”
― Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming

“Thanks for letting me be weird...Sorry I'm so messed up about this.'
'You don't have to be sorry; you can be weird for as long as you want...I do it all the time.'
'Yeah, but you're, like, fun-weird. I'm being...sad-weird.'
'It's not always a fun-weird world.”
― Jessica Conwell, Ghost Flower

“Unlike being nice, kindness is not about what you're portraying, but what you're doing...applying actual love to make the world a better place. Sure, you may smile nicely at the old woman on the bus, but kindness is what makes you give up your seat for her.... Niceness is a mask many folks can wear because that is simply a part of being in a society. ... The pretend politeness of niceness can get in the way of tactful honesty and constructive critique that can be essential to advancing people and projects to a higher plane. As I've gotten older, I've learned that being 'nice' about something can save you conflict, but often, being real about it can save you time. You just gotta learn when, where, and how to apply your realness. Nonetheless kindness always has a place in the game, even if it's just being kind to yourself. ... All you can do is try your best to be yourself and make a practice of being kind.”
― Amanda Seales, Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use