Shell S.

“Art didn't invent oppressive gender roles, racial strereotyping, or rape culture, but it reflects, polishes , and sells them back to us every moment of our waking lives. We make art and it makes us simultaneously. Shouldn't it follow, then, that we can change ourselves by changing what we make?”
― Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming

“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

“Being a feminist is an identity we can slip in and out of at our leisure more than ever before. Through largely consuming these ideas in online realms, not only is a sense of tangible community and solidarity lost, but it is far, far easier to focus solely on the perception of self than on the oppression of all. The personal is political in the sense that our experiences of gendered violence, inequality, workplace discrimination, healthcare bias and more can all be pinned to personal experiences to promote personal brands that lead to careers, followings, and opportunities rather than systemic change.
On a fundamental level, it's not surprising that massive corporations preach female empowerment while failing to secure the rights of their workers on every level of the supply chain and allowing men to flourish at the top of their companies. But on a more micro level, these companies twist and distort the worlds of young femmes, imploring them to aspire to the same corrupt standards but to feel good about themselves while doing it.”
― Ione Gamble, Poor Little Sick Girls: A Love Letter to Unacceptable Women

“It's a modern twist on the French poet Anatole France's quip 'The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread.' In [i]Citizens United[/i], it is more like 'The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the government from prohibiting rich and poor alike from expending billions of dollars in politics.”
― Leah Litman, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes