#46 Weekend reads – it’s time for the sisterhood to unite

In Australia, we are seeing mass protests because women are being raped and sexually abused by those in the highest halls of power. In the UK a young lady was murdered walking home at night, potentially by a police officer, and the British people are rising up and saying no more. In France, they’re protesting, because apparently it’s OK for firemen to rape women. And then this week, a white man kills eight spa workers in Atlanta, USA, six of them Asian women – apparently to solve his sex addiction!

If you have Asian friends on social media, especially those living and raised in the West, they are sharing their stories, and all I can say is it’s revolting what Asian women have to endure. It’s revolting what all Asian’s are experiencing at the moment, especially in America. Words matter! But the absolute disrespect towards Asian women is something that must stop. I can’t even comprehend how any man thinks this way towards another human being.

All of this makes me reflect on something I have been thinking about for a very long time, and that is, if we really want to overcome these issues and get to true equality, then women MUST unite, across all cultures, races and religions.

When we vote for men who have no respect for women, but especially when it is women who are different to us, we are not supporting our sisters. When we continue to stand with our male allies in their social or political siloes, excusing abhorrent behaviours towards our sisters, we are not supporting our female community.

Divide and conquer has worked throughout history, and ladies, we are divided. When white women turn a blind eye to oppression of their coloured sisters, we are letting down the sisterhood.

The irony is that when we do this, we allow ourselves to continue to sit in an inferior position to those men too! It’s not better for us, and for those most oppressed in our societies, well they have it much harder. We truly are letting them down, but I believe we’re also letting ourselves down.

Ladies, in a world full of Bro Culture, it’s time for us to come together and speak up for all women. It is time for us to say we do not accept any women being held back, demonized, ridiculed, abused, raped or sold into slavery. It is time for us to say no to patriarchy in all the forms it holds any of us back.

As a white woman, I have privilege in the world, and I see it as my duty to align with all women and equally, all men who understand that when we rise together, all are better off. So my sisters and brothers, are you with me?

Will you stop voting for misogynists, racists and war-mongers?

Will you stop supporting political parties, religious institutions, businesses, community organisations and more who hold all or some women back?

Will you speak up on the issues that matter and defend your sisters, wherever they are, whatever they look like?

And when we come together, let’s make sure we extend that support to all who are being held back and victimized. If women and minority groups around the world came together, we have the potential to create a new and better world – because we have the greater numbers! If we stand together, we can lead our world into a new future, and we so desperately need that. Are you in?

Friends content

Hedvig Lyche launches ‘new model’ sustainability consultancy Petrichor Planet – congrats to Hedvig on the launch! Excited to see how this business grows and if anyone can make an amazing impact, Hedvig can!

Also Unconventionally: The Life-Saving Mission of Qin Yunquan again from the talented Gina Romero. Pay attention to what she’s doing, especially if you’re looking for new ideas, insights and opportunities.

And I wrote this blog Join the #Just10Percent movement and let’s create a new future this week. A simple thing everyone can do, even children. Donating just 10 per cent of your time, money, talents or voice to making the world a better place, and right now, taking care of those in desperate need. Join me?

Charity

Before you scroll, please, if you can donate, donate, donate!!! Some suggestions World Food Program., UN Refugee Program, PowerOf , Kiva.org, Soi Dog Foundation. If you can afford to be generous, now is the time to help your fellow human.

Content to read

And here’s the content I’ve been reading this last week. Scan the headlines, read the ones that jump out at you, read or watch them all. Knowledge is power, and global knowledge is even more powerful.

Climate Crisis / 6^th Mass Extinction

Submarine Permafrost Has Been Overlooked as a Major Source of Greenhouse Gases, Scientists Warn

What I’ve Learned From the Pandemic Year

Plummeting sperm counts, shrinking penises: toxic chemicals threaten humanity

A Large PR Firm Pledged To Fight Climate Change. Then It Took Millions From A Notorious Fossil Fuel Trade Group.

Why Hollywood struggles to tell stories about climate change

Work halted on $49M-per-mile border wall through California’s Jacumba Wilderness. Now what?

Nebraska declares pro-meat day to rival Colorado’s meatless day

Long-lost Core Drilled to Prepare Ice Sheet to Hide Nuclear Missiles Holds Clues About a Different Threat

A Leadership Brief on Mitigating Climate Change tks Damian Corbet

Low-income and Latino neighborhoods endure more extreme heat in the Southwest, study shows

NASA Scientists Complete First Global Survey of Freshwater Fluctuation

People love Greta Thunberg’s subtle (but brutal) trolling of Priti Patel over the Policing Bill

New Delhi is world’s most polluted capital for third straight year: IQAir study

Can the law fight climate change? tks Richard Knight

Phuket officials warn public of crocodile spotted near Chalong pier

Is the Southern Ocean absorbing or emitting carbon dioxide?

COVID19

Statement of the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) COVID-19 subcommittee on safety signals related to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Vaccines could prevent asymptomatic infection. Here’s why that’s key to ending the pandemic. tks Bob Hooey

Covid: Rich states ‘block’ vaccine plans for developing nations

Covid: From boom to bust – why lockdown hasn’t led to more babies

Could a universal coronavirus vaccine future-proof our response? tks Francine Varner

Covid-19 disruptions killed 228,000 children in South Asia, says UN report

For Communications Pros, The Recovery Will Be Different

AstraZeneca Vaccine Fails To Protect Against The South African Variant, Says Study

Covid-19 pandemic: Trump urged to encourage supporters to get jabs

Covid childcare crisis reversing decades of women’s economic progress tks Francine Varner

Phuket COVID-19 vaccinations begin

AstraZeneca vaccine: EU regulator ‘firmly convinced’ benefits outweigh risks

‘Like being hit with a cricket bat’: A doctor’s battle with long COVID tks Francine Varner

Global politics

Supreme Court to Review Trump-Era Policies on Family-Planning Funding, Immigration

Senate votes to confirm Deb Haaland as first Native American Interior secretary

Biden plans 1st major tax hike since 1993, report says

Georgia Sheriff Spokesman Posted Racist COVID Shirts on Facebook tks Barry Graubart

FBI facing allegation that its 2018 background check of Brett Kavanaugh was ‘fake’

SBS suspends Chinese-sourced news programming after receiving human rights complaint

Paul Bongiorno: A sorry moment for the Prime Minister tks Phillipa Edwards

SAY NO TO THE REPUBLICAN RECALL

Stimulus Bill as a Political Weapon? Democrats Are Counting on It.

Police Shrugged Off the Proud Boys, Until They Attacked the Capitol

US – China conflict ‘more likely’ than five years ago, says Singapore PM.

Please listen to this. When the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, speaks, it is always a beautiful example of diplomacy. He covers the issues of our time in an honest and delicate way, but the underlying message is critical to understand

Business and Technology

Lamborghini’s profits soar during Covid

Facebook to pay News Corp for content in Australia

IBM’s First-Ever African Female Regional Executive Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh: How to Succeed While Staying True to Yourself

A fresh publishing study argues that paid digital subscriptions are the only avenue to growth

Winners, losers and fallout from Google’s plan to drop cookies

Social issues (#BlackLivesMatter) and humanity

Please check out this site – HateIsAVirus

The ex-Pfizer scientist who became an anti-vax hero

Suspect in Atlanta Spa Attacks Is Charged With 8 Counts of Murder

Elliot Page Is Ready for This Moment tks Sharryn Lydall-Smith

Leigh Sales asks why powerful who abuse trust keep getting away with it tks Graham Harvey

When depression wears a smile, even psychiatrists like me can be deceived tks Maggie Georgopolous

Mozambique insurgency: Children beheaded, aid agency reports

By breaking the silence about patriarchy, men can help end violence against women

Pastors Are Leaving the Pulpit as QAnon Radicalizes Their Flocks

Elderly Asian woman in her 70s beats up her Caucasian attacker, 39, with piece of wood found on road tks Wayne Chan

US Border: Risking everything for an American dream

REIMAGINE SAFETY A project of the Editorial Board, in conversation with outside voices tks Denise Chai

Atlanta shootings: Asian women among eight killed at three spas

‘Killing Amy wasn’t a loss of control. He had it in him before’

Women Aren’t Nags—We’re Just Fed Up tks Cheryl Tan

A woman’s life doesn’t end at 40 – so why does society make us feel that way? Tks Aysen Yilmaz

Renting Is Terrible. Owning Is Worse. By Brian Sibley

Tucker Carlson: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – tks Andrew Bryant

Passion, humour, history

Cancer cells may evade chemotherapy by going dormant

Barack and Michelle Obama Reportedly Close Deal for $11.75 Million Martha’s Vineyard Estate

Our favourite funny reactions to the Downing Street lectern’s design fail

Let me know if anything jumped out at you?

Cheers

Andrea

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