This week on Surly Voices, the Surly fems discuss the concept of male fragility, family labels, and Andrew Gillum’s indictment.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220623_100600_surly1_460.MP3
Male Fragility Around Juneteenth
As Juneteenth and Father’s Day passed on the 19th, threads of discussion saw backlash from men who refused to acknowledge the ability for the two to coincide. While Father’s Day- a “Hallmark Card” holiday by most standards- is widely celebrated, some men took issue with the concept of Juneteenth, another widely celebrated holiday.
Some men took to social media to express their discomfort and even outrage. Some claimed that Juneteenth was a made-up holiday, while others claimed it to be a cover-up of Father’s Day. In fact, Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1865, when African American slaves in Texas were emancipated. Father’s Day, however, was not celebrated until the early 1900s and wasn’t deemed a national holiday until 1972, making it a far more recent and far more commercial holiday than its history-rooted counterpart.
Family Labels
Surly host Liz brought brownies to the studio, proving wrong her family’s longstanding claims that she cannot cook. This sparked a discussion on the labels that parents and family members have placed on the children of the family, and how it affects their futures. Host Donna recalled her label to be the “cold” one, despite her continued willingness to help out those in need, specifically in the family. Host Amina was the “smart” child, who faced pressure to be the fixer of the family.
These labels can change the narrative of a family and a child, conflating their sense of self. The narrative of history, they noted, is much the same. A specific view or myth is proposed, and it’s repeated enough to the point where the masses believe it. However, the accepted truth doesn’t make it the real truth.
In all, the Surly Feminists agreed that a parent or family’s job is not to play God and try to create their child in the image that they have in mind, but rather to allow their children to find and shape their own identity, without the pressures of labels.
Andrew Gillum’s Indictment
Wednesday, former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum was indicted after an investigation, charging him with 19 counts of fraud, conspiracy, and lying to the F.B.I.
Though the news shocked the Surly hosts, Donna noted that like many politicians, Gillum presented himself to the public in a certain light that was polished, and even plastic. He worked to gain the trust of others, while simultaneously breaching it behind the scenes.
What it comes down to, the Surly Feminists argue, is real representation in government. It’s not only the representation of diversity, but of the best interests of every group, both majority and minority. Andrew Gillum, while a good politician, was not that candidate. And the goal now is to find that real representation and get them in office.
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