From the Feminist Killjoy Headquarters | February 15, 2024: Being Accused of Writing "Feminist Propaganda" is Glorious

I can't remember the first time someone told me in an accusatory tone that my writing is "feminist propaganda" (because the times have been too many), but I can tell you that I always wondered, "What, like it's a bad thing?"

If you've never written something and been accused of writing "feminist propaganda" I highly recommend it because it always reminded me of not just the power of writing, but also *my* power.

It's glorious to be accused of writing "feminist propaganda."

Because the first time I was sneered at, dismissed, criticized, or lambasted by mostly (but not limited to) cis, white men for writing "feminist propaganda" in the outdoor industry I realized my writing was a reclamation of my voice that this society had tried to stamp out of me from a young age. I'm sure that many of you reading this can relate to being conditioned to be "good," and by that I mean "quiet," "agreeable," "compliant," "acquiescent," "accommodating."

But the way that my insides ate at me every time I felt forced to silence my truth, it grew ever more difficult to resist the untwisting of my tongue. Risking some kind of punishment for breaking an inane social taboo was better to endure than the deadening of my authentic self.

It became unbearable to play the game. Play the role. It's almost as if I came out of the womb incapable of falling in line with this kind of make-believe.

The make-believe I'm speaking of is, of course, imperialist-white supremacist-capitalist-patriarchy, as bell hooks called it (may she rest in power).

In this make-believe if you hold a marginalized identity you are made to think that your voice, your opinion, what you *know* to be true, hell, even your gut instincts (because our guts carry deep unfathomable wisdom) is irrelevant...that you don't know what you're talking about, that lived-experience is not scientifically proven and therefore illegitimate, that we need to defer to those experts on the news, or those experts in the books that they haven't banned at school that tell an incomplete (read: white) version of history.

We're taught to believe that knowledge is static, definitive, fixed, unbiased, nonpartisan. If that was the case why are they banning Critical Race Theory from being included in curriculums? Why do they tell college professors,"You can teach whatever you want, but advocate nothing," as Dr. Joy James reveals in this potent and incisive conversation with Ericka Hart and Ebony Donnley on their award-deserving podcast Hoodrat to Headwrap.

I love being accused of "feminist propaganda" because that means what I'm writing is threatening to the foundations of white, cisheteropatriarchy and that's always the goal. When I stop being accused of writing "propaganda" I'll start to worry and wonder if I've lost my touch or if I'm doing something wrong.

I don't care to be seen as a "legitimate" source in the eyes of cis, white men who have a track record for not taking the confessions of women seriously (see: Anita Hill and Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford).

I wear the word "propaganda" like a badge of honor because I know that those who use that word against me are indoctrinated into the most deadly kind of propaganda -- the kind of propaganda that is allowed in this country and published in the New York Times, or aired on live television during the Super Bowl to convince the masses that Israel is innocently defending itself when in reality they're committing a full-blown genocide that's being documented in high-definition on our social media feeds.

When I'm writing I prioritize these three things (among many others):

1. That I'm writing from my soul
2. That I'm writing from my integrity
3. That someone who has been made to feel "crazy" doesn't anymore after reading what I wrote

If you've ever been made to feel like your voice, your truth, your writing is not "legitimate" enough I want you to reconsider. Who told you that? Is that person someone you would take advice from? Do they wash their ass with a washcloth? Yeah, I didn't think so...

There are people in my life who I trust will tell me when I need to edit, revise, or think twice before hitting publish.

But I'm telling you, it's not the pissy cis, white men in my DMs crying because I criticized their beloved Alex Honnold here and here, or John Muir.

Writing "feminist propaganda" is my gift and offering to the world, and it's also healing me in the process.

The reality is that we all have unique talents, skills, and gifts that we take for granted every day. And YOU (yes, you!) have unique talents, skills, and gifts that you need to release into the world because it's not doing anyone any good being locked inside.

You don't have to do it all at once! Take baby steps! Titrate your comfort with being seen! For me, writing has been a practice that I've been working on my whole life and I'm STILL practicing today.

Today's feminist killjoy agenda: interrupt the white, cishheteropatriarchal propaganda that you're not worthy and reclaim a gift, talent, and/or skill that you were made to believe is no good.

How can you use this gift, talent, and/or skill to heal yourself?

How can you use this gift, talent, and/or skill for collective liberation?

I can't wait to see what you create, write, make, begin, return to! And if you feel like sharing I'd love to hear about it - just hit reply!

I'll be sharing more about the concept of "propaganda" over the coming weeks.

We'll be discussing the propaganda in the news/media specifically addressing the genocide against Palestinians.

We'll be discussing the propaganda of the outdoor industry and unsung environmental heroes like bell hooks.

We'll be discussing psychoanalysis and how the U.S. government used it to fuel white supremacy, as well as a twerp named Edward Bernays who invented "Public Relations," and how this shapes the way we consume information and spend our money today.

With more unabashed, feminist propaganda to come,

Erin Monahan
she/her/hers
Co-Founder, Terra Incognita Media

From the Adalah Justice Project:

Here’s what you can do to demand an end to this genocidal madness:

1. If you have a U.S. address, head over to the action toolkit here to write to your representative in Congress. The Senate is expected to vote on sending another $14 billion to Israel this week. Demand they stop funding this genocide and demand a ceasefire now.
 

2. Post about Rafah on social media and ask your networks to keep paying attention and to post as well.
 

3. Find a protest near you to attend this week. You can follow @protectpalestineorg or reference @uscpr 's action toolkit on locating your nearest action.
 

4. If there isn’t a protest near you, plan one. USCPR's toolkit is a good resource to start with if you are planning your own.