I’ve taken a few days break from posting here, though I did try to post a bit more on Instagram. By my count, I’ve missed three days – I’ve done four blog posts and three Instagram posts so far. I might try and catch up and do those three posts at some point but I’m not going to worry about it too much.
I had an arthritic ankle flare up this week (cue ice packs and NSAIDS), then on Saturday I went with my parents to have our flu and Covid-19 boosters. So I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather, and just trying to be kind to myself and not put too many expectations on my shoulders.
It’s been hard to think that much beyond worry for what the future might bring given the results of the US election. In a way, the way things have been in the UK for 13 years – a veering towards further right politics – means I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t surprised but it’s still painful given that so many marginalised people are going to further feel the pain of it, just as we have in the UK.
Yes, we currently have a Labour government but they might as well be soft Conservative (ie. soft Republican) with some right of centre leaning elements. There are some wonderful leftist MPs still part of the party, but they are frequently ignored by their peers.
The cabinet is comprised of people who have been funded by interests that mean the NHS is still in peril of being privatised further, the PM is a human rights lawyer who doesn’t ‘do’ human rights (especially when it comes to Palestine and SWANA countries), and the Foreign Secretary is determined to buddy up with Israel, currently enacting genocide.
For my part, being a disabled person, we have had to fight and fight to keep hold of life-saving benefits and the NHS, as well as public services that help us live more independent lives. That isn’t going to end, because the current Chancellor is looking at disability benefits in the spring next year.
Trans rights are constantly imperilled these days, and the current health secretary continues to strip away rights for people to seek gender affirming care. There are many parallels even if the UK government are not quite as overtly terrible or as right leaning as the incoming president of the US. At least some MPs will listen to their constituents.
Mostly I’ve been thinking about what to lean into. What would make things better, not just now, but for the future. Activism is of course something that I’ve been trying to incorporate into my everyday. I’m not able to go to protests (lack of masking, access), and many disabled people aren’t, so we look to alternative means.
There are a lot of useful organising materials on Instagram, amongst them Deepa Iyer’s Social Change Ecosystem Map (and her book Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection) and Wednesday Holmes’s organising mind-map (plus their Art for Change Handbook).
Looking closely at our values and how we can utilise them, plus putting values and skills together is what will achieve long-lasting change. We are more likely to stick to actions that come naturally to us, whether that’s art or writing focused, or working with people and community initiatives. Rooting action within local community helps everyone feel more connected and builds stronger relationships.
However, on Threads the other day someone made a very good point – your community doesn’t need to be large or encompass many to have an impact. Showing care, love, and respect to the people around you, learning together, and working on your corner of the world to make it better has farther reaching ripples than we’d think.
And it’s important to remember that this isn’t about being perfect but being willing to listen and learn, and let people who have been involved for longer guide you. Learning to listen is such an important skill. My impatient ADHD brain does struggle sometimes but the trying is important. Learning new skills is another way we can be prepared when we’re needed – from writing and making art, mending/making clothes, fixing things, cooking, knowing how to grow things, first aid, etc. It’s all important.
‘I think that love is a requirement of principled struggle, both self-love and love of others, that we must all do what we can, that it is better to do something rather than nothing, that we have to trust others as well as ourselves. I often repeat the adage that “hope is a discipline.” We must practice it daily.’ – Mariame Kaba (author of We Do This ’til We Free Us).
Cats and Chocolate 