June Wrap-up: WHO SIGNED OFF ON THE TEARGAS?

June was…a month.

It’s normally my favorite month, what with all the Pride celebrations.

This month felt different.

Washington state is slowly opening back up. Despite an ordinance from Governor Inslee, some citizens refuse to wear masks.

Black Lives Matter protests are ongoing around the country. Seattle protestors took over a six-block area on Capitol Hill that they named the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP.) Police cleared the area at the very end of June after much dithering by Mayor Jenny Durkan.If you

Durkan claims allegiance with the Black Lives Matter movement while allowing police to teargas, pepper spray, and violently arrest protestors. (One video taken during the clearing of CHOP showed cops using the same neck restraint maneuver that killed George Floyd. Of all the times to lack self-awareness and restraint…)

(This all happened, by the way, after a federal judge ordered Seattle police to stop using tear gas and other “crowd control” weapons.)

If you have a free moment, shoot Mayor Durkan an email or a phone call letting her know how disappointed you are in her inability to address any of the protestors’ demands (aside from very general talk about “police reform.”) While you’re at it, bring up the tear gas. Her contact info is:

• Phone: (206) 684 – 4000
• Email: jenny.durkan@seattle.gov

Continue donating to local bail funds, putting pressure on your local government, and speaking out.

Stay safe, friends.

All that said, while June wasn’t the giant Pride party I’ve gotten used to, it did promote Stonewall’s revolutionary spirit.

Through it all, I went to work and read some books.

June Stats

In June, I completed 14 books and DNFed 1 book.

Of the books I read,

• 40% were fiction
• 27% were non-fiction
• 33% were graphic novels
• 67% were new books
• 33% were comics/graphic novels
• 40% were Young Adult
• 60% were Adult

My average rating for the month was 4.72.

If that seems wildly positive, know that there were some books this month (among them Say Say Say, Ship It, and This Coven Won’t Break) that I didn’t know how to rate.

For my rating breakdown;

• 4-star reads: 3 books
• 5-star reads: 7 books
• Unrated reads: 4 books

…huh.

That is wildly positive.

Welp…here’s the genre breakdown.

Once again, I read as many literary books as I could stand (one), read more of my favorite genre (memoir), and picked up some comics that made me feel better about life.

Also, rereads. So many rereads.

Notable Books

This section is going to be a bit dry this month.

Living through June sapped all of my strength!

I barely have the energy to remember what books I even read!

To simplify things, I’m going to talk about books that made me feel good and save my complicated feelings for another post.

 

I Don’t Want to Die Poor by Michael Arceneaux

Absolved me of student loan guilt

I have $12,000 of student loan debt and often feel ashamed about how this reflects on me. (Surely a mature person would be both rich and debt-free by now.)

Arceneaux’s memoir helped me see things another way.

I’m still a tad antsy about financial questions on dating apps.

I’m working on it.

 

The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson

Prompted me to start dating again

I loved this book so much, I read it twice.

This book is the reason I’m back on dating apps after swearing off them forever.

I want a life like Molly and Noelle’s, one where my partner and I bake bread and make art and read books together. I’m basically a hobbit seeking another hobbit to settle in a hobbit hole and spend time with friends over second breakfast.

Off I go in pursuit of the dream.

 

Would You Rather?: A Memoir of Growing Up and Coming Out by Katie Heaney

Assured me that I’m on the right track

I reread this book whenever I’m experiencing anxiety about change.

In the last eight months, I’ve moved, ended therapy, made new friends, changed my diet, and started working from home.

Upon reflection, I feel like I’m making healthy changes and have a better idea of the life I want to pursue and the partner I want to share it with.

 

Slay by Brittney Morris

Redefined what contemporary YA can do

This book was SO GOOD in every possible way.

The food descriptions? Killer.

The immersive video game world? Astonishing.

The relationship dynamics? Important.

The emotional moments? Got me every time.

I loved this book’s structure and the possibly low-key bi protagonist???

Imagine Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, only good.

EVERYONE READ THIS.

 

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G. and J.R. Zuckerberg

Reminded me that the queer community is bigger and more inclusive than people let on

During Pride month, I saw anti-trans, anti-ace, and anti-bi/pan dialogues that bummed me out.

A month of celebration and remembrance turned into weeks of gatekeeping, defining terms, and reliving rude “You can’t sit with us!” moments from middle school.

On a particularly bad day, I picked up this cute comic as a much-needed reminder that people are who they are who they are who they are who they are who they are.

Identity is fluid and labels are tools. No one has the right to define another individual’s queerness.

I’m still a bit salty toward certain people and communities, but I feel more secure after rereading this book.

Whew.

June felt almost as long as April.

July is going well so far.

We’ll see if I post next month’s wrap-up on time.

Hope y’all are doing okay.