Episode #6×21: Why JKR’s Tweets Were Transphobic and Dangerous, Feel-Good Protests, Dating During COVID

Dr. Sarah Steelman, Ph.D. is a licensed marriage and family therapist, who specializes in LGBTQ+ affirmative practices. She joins us at the top of the show to discuss J.K. Rowling’s latest tweets and why they are dangerous and damaging to trans people. Check out her professional page here.

  • Sarah discusses with us the importance of affirmative language, why J.K. Rowling’s opinions are rooted in pseudoscience, and whether or not she can redeem herself.
  • Following up on last week’s discussion about George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and nationwide protests, we’ve got some tangible progress to point to for those naysaying the need for protests.
  • For more perspective on the hundreds of years of systemic racism that brought us where we are today, we recommend watching this video by Kimberly Latrice Jones.
  • In this week’s Confessional, a listener writes that they feel guilt about not wanting to cut off their racist family, and we respond.
  • K-pop stans took their protest digital, and flooded hateful Twitter trends like #whitelivesmatter and #bluelivesmatter with pictures, memes, and fancams of their favorite groups in an effort to drown out the hate – and they succeeded.
  • When the Dallas Police Department asked people to send in photos and videos of protestors participating in “illegal activities” to their app, K-pop stans flooded them with submissions, ultimately causing the app to crash.
  • To inject some much-needed love during these troubled times, we discuss love in the time of corona.
  • Listeners in new relationships around or after the start of the pandemic submit their stories, and we bask in the excitement of their new love.
  • This week’s recommendations are sure to help broaden some perspectives: Fulton Street Books and Coffee (Laura), HBO’s ‘We’re Here’ docuseries (Andrew), and Netflix’s ‘The Half of It’ (Pam).
  • This week’s episode is sponsored by StoryWorth (https://www.storyworth.com/mill for $10 off your first purchase and the perfect gift for Dad!) and RayCon (https://www.buyraycon.com/mill for 15% off Raycon wireless earbuds). Support #Millennial by supporting our sponsors!

And in this week’s installment of After Dark:

  • How are we moving forward as Harry Potter fans in light of J.K. Rowling’s harmful rhetoric towards our trans family?
  • What changes do we plan on making to our consumption of new Wizarding World content?
  • Shifting towards a mentality of supporting fan-created merchandise over official merchandise.
  • We discuss how the fandom continues to hold its space, and make sure that space is welcoming for all.

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