Now, don’t get me wrong. Approximately 129 people in my life emailed, linked, or suggested that I visit the boomilicious blog, “Stuff White People Like.” It has been the skyrocketing Grey’s Anatomy of the blogging world, second only to Post Secret. Most, not all, but most of their writing is downright hilarious.
I particularly appreciate their pointing out what white folks love – #92 – Book Deals. And what irony I found today, the day where I needed a good laugh – the day when Brownfemipower ceased her internet presence after years of blogging about media justice, womyn at the border, transformative feminist theory, advocacy for Brown womyn, and safe space – is the same day that I find that the authors of Stuff White People Like has a new book through Random House and Jessica Valenti has a new upcoming book on sexuality. And Post Secret is probably going on Book #5 with Harper Collins sometime next Sunday.
Don’t misread me. Those books are going to be hot tamales and I’ll probably still visit SWPL every now and again with Adonis when we’re brushing our teeth in the morning. And whenever I go to Border’s and see Frank Warren’s latest and greatest, I stop and read the newest secrets bared to the world. A laugh or tear escapes, too.
But, does anyone else see just a smidge of irony here? We need all kinds of voices out there, yes, but what does it say when a voice like Brownfemipower calls it quits while others continue to roll in the wonderful Book Deals that white folks love so much, according to SWPL?
No se, maybe irony isn’t strong enough of a word, especially in light of the absence of commentary on any of it ( be it the WAM incident , Seal Press, or this latest).
I’d hate to say it but I bet many are pleased that they won’t have to deal with BFP, it makes their life so much easier. They can publish without guilt, with one less voice ready to call them out on their shit (at least in one medium because I do not believe for a second that BFP is stopping her blog)
That was me by the way – logged in to the wrong account again!
Brownfemipower’s gone? I’m gutted.
Actually, my co-blogger Winter and I were discussing a while back how Jessica Valenti and Amanda Marcotte both wrote for Alternet but women of colour feminists were conspicuously absent – Brownfemipower came up in that discussion, because to be honest she’s got a lot more to offer than just articles about how anti-feminist women are so bad or religious people are stupid.
I hate the fact that by being part of the feminist movement, I feel like a cog in a bunch of people’s book deals. Even off the internet, I feel constantly talked down to by really posh people who are basically in it for themselves, to get their name out there for their book deal / political career / media career.
And it is incredibly striking that someone like Brownfemipower ends up leaving the internet, whereas rich, white feminists are getting intellectual kudos for writing what are essentially self-help books.
Oh yeah and an ex-City businesswoman turned stand-up comic and regular BBC radio panellist told me this yesterday (I’m a legal secretary):
And yes I have advertising on my blog. Sorry I need the money. I’d love to be a purist about these things – please set up a direct debit into my account every month and I’ll start…
I had to spread the laughter, you know.