Letting others speak for me

Because believe it or not, sometimes I'm speechless

Jun 07, 2022

Being speechless

I don’t need to list for you all the things that make these times so, well, what’s the word? “Unprecedented” seems inadequate but over-used at the same time. it’s not going to help anyone for me to share the list. Surely, you know.

The thought of writing my usual exploration of a particular issue or occurrence of the past two weeks has left me exhausted before I even try to start. Too much to say and no strength to say it. Or not enough faith that I will bring something necessary and new to the conversation…there are pundits who are more plugged in and more important to listen to. This happens sometimes. I don’t need bucking up, don’t worry. I just need to turn the spotlight on other voices who have said stuff to which I offer a hearty “Amen.” So this week is all about pointing you to other people’s voices. If I introduce you to someone new and brilliant, I will have done my job.

Lessons in Gun Control from California, The Daily podcast from NYTimes
I like to use the hashtag #CaliforniaLeads. And I also like to talk about how Governor Newsom has been early and correct on several issues that really matter to me, and before it was politically expedient to be so. California definitely leads when it comes to gun safety. If you hear people talking about the pure quantity of gun deaths in California, which has the nation’s strongest gun laws, as a way to say that gun laws don’t work, this podcast episode will give you every bit of ammo you need to answer back. Basically, you are many times LESS likely to die by gun violence in California than most of the nation, and it’s directly attributable to our gun laws. Excellent resource.
We can reduce gun violence in the U.S., Katelyn Jetalina, Your Local Epidemiologist
Katelyn has developed a huge following because of her insightful and incisive writing about COVID. But as she points out, gun violence is also a public health issue. This post is here to give us hope that change is possible. That we’ve changed public behavior on mutliple occasions in the past and can do it again. Don’t miss her links at the bottom of the post that will take you to other writing she has done around gun violence as public health issue.
It’s time to realize the personal is professional, Lisen Stromberg, PrismWork
Lisen is a great writer, and here she tackles why companies must pay attention to and ultimately conduct decision-making around issues that might seem pureky personal (and even poltiical) on the surface. This is a song you’ve heard me sing before both in this newsletter and on the podcast, and I just really love Lisen’s take on why leaders must lead, even when it comes to hot button issues.
Do you really need 8 hours of sleep? Jen Gunter, the Body Stuff podcast
I only recently started listening to Body Stuff, and I’m enjoying Dr.Gunter’s take so far. She focuses a lot on mythbusting and debunking conventional wisdom, and this episode is in that vein.
The Amber Heard verdict could silence a generation of women, Alison Turkos for InStyle
Alison is a lifelong advocate, focused on repro rights and survivor rights, so there’s no doubt it’s been a rough go on both counts this year. I would just like everyone to read Alison’s piece and think twice about how you are communicating about this case, no matter who you support. It’s that advice I’ve given before: When you excoriate or mock or minimize some famous person’s lived experience, they will never hear you or know about your disrespect, but it is almost guaranteed that someone who does know you, and maybe even loves you, will hear it…and they will see how you “really feel” about them. One in four women in the US will have an abortion by the time they’re 45, as one example. And the rate is even higher when it comes to women who have experienced some form of intimate partner violence. (The number isn’t that small for men either, for that matter.) The meme-ificiation and mockery connected with this trial has been incredibly disheartening. And the ramifications of a defamation verdict being handed down for one sentence that names no names? Also scary. We like to think that progress always moves us forward, but I think that rather we are seeing every day how much backlash progress generates. Don’t be a part of that if you can help it.

Do you have any great links to share? Shining a spotlight on others really feels great sometimes! Do it here:

Last week-ish

Last week being speechless meant that I did not record an episode of The Op-Ed Page podcast. It is the opposite of true to say that I had nothing to say. I had a lot to say. But taming my brain wanting to say all! the! things! wasn’t going to be happening last week. Hopefully I’ll be back in the podcast saddle next week!

I did publish one new byline on one of my evergreen topic: Why didn’t anyone tell me how hard Perimneopause is? for the Kinder Beauty blog. I talk about this a lot because I feel like it’s generally ignored and outright avoided, and yet every woman (so, you know, half the population) will go through this to some degree at some point. Enjoy! (Not sure that’s quite the rght word, admittedly.)

Coming this week-ish

I’m headed out on travel for only my third time on a plane in 2 years and 2 months. Rest assured I will keep wearing my mask and try to keep my lucky non-COVID streak alive. I’ve also got some plans to see friends I haven’t really seen in 2+ years over the next couple of weeks. Trying to be safe and sane and sanitized all at the same time 😬 I’ll let you know how it goes!

In the meantime, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on any or all of the above. This is basically my blog now! And as always I appreciate a share of this newsletter or my podcast.

This Week-ish with ElisaCP

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