This week, the second Trump Presidency began in the United States of America. In my own place of residence in Ontario, Canada, we face provincial and federal elections this year that are currently indicating four years of right-wing populism being given complete control of our legislative and executive branches. As such, I have compiled this list (to which I will update periodically of resources for resistance.
Read
90s Bitch: Media, Culture, and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality by Allison Yarrow
An excellent introduction to gendered media analysis, focusing on the decade of the 1990s.
Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelism by Molly Worthen
An excellent primer on how the unholy alliance between the right-wing politicians and certain Christian denominations came to be.
Beyond Shame: Creating A Healthy Sex Life on Your Own Terms by Matthias Roberts
An excellent guide to discerning one’s own values and creating a sexual ethic in alignment with them.
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
An exploration of the stress cycle and the importance of embodiment in processing stress and avoiding burnout.
Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Public Health Threat by Julian Walker, Matthew Remski and Derek Beres
Examines the intersection of pseudoscience, alternative health and New Age movements with right-wing politics.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
Explores linguistic styles and tricks used by “bad faith” actors to manipulate and dominate others.
Down, Girl: The Logic of Misogyny by Kate Manne
Analyzes some of the thinking and language behind the actions of those who enforce patriarchal structures of power – to their own detriment.
Embodied Activism: Engaging the Body to Cultivate Liberation, Justice and Authentic Connection by Rae Johnson
An excellent book on the importance of expanding somatic vocabulary and physical literacy to enable people working for social change to avoid burnout and to interact with other bodies in affirming ways. Includes practical exercises and activites.
Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women by Kate Manne
A sequel to Down, Girl.
For the Love of Men: From Toxic to a More Mindful Masculinity by Liz Planck
Explores what drives toxic masculinity and proposes some alternative paths.
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister
Examines the way that women’s emotional expression is harshly punished; but also how women’s righteous anger has been the driving force behind many change movements.
How to be Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
An excellent introduction to anti-racism.
Intersectional Theology: An Introductory Guide by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan M. Shaw
An extremely helpful book for anyone wishing to contribute to the work of developing an intersectional and affirming theology to challenge the theologies of oppression and fear that undergird the right-wing populist movement.
Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Similar to Apostles of Reason by Molly Worthen above, but more accessible and more recently published.
Men Who Hate Women: From Incels to Pickup Artists: The Truth About Misogyny and How it Affects Us All by Laura Bates
Explores the way digital platforms have amplified misogyny.
Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present by Robyn Maynard
Examines the history of policing in Canada and its inextricable ties to racism.
Sex, God, and the Conservative Church: Erasing Shame from Sexual Intimacy by Tina Schermer Sellers
Examines the impacts of purity culture and sexual shame, and provides resources for healing.
Talking Across The Divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree with and Maybe Even Change the World by Justin Lee
Explores how to communicate with others in ways that avoid cognitive biases and conversational blocks.
The Sleeping Giant Awakens: Genocide, Indian Residential Schools, and the Challenge of Conciliation by David B. MacDonald
Analyzes the history of indigenous-settler interactions in Canada/Turtle Island, and challenges settlers to do better.
The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living by Hillary L. McBride
Explores the need and potential for embodiment, and provides exercises and resources for further exploration.
When God Became White: Dismantling Whiteness for a More Just Christianity by Grace Ji-Sun Kim
An excellent book that insists on the need to expand the image of God beyond a white man.
When Religion Hurts You: Healing From Religious Trauma and the Impact of High-Control Religion by Laura E. Anderson
An eye-opening book that explores high-control religion and adverse religious experiences, providing some strategies for identifying and addressing religious trauma.
Your Body Is a Revolution: Healing Our Relationships with Our Bodies, Each Other, and the Earth by Tara Teng
Similar concept to The Wisdom of Your Body.
Watch
Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and the Rise of Skywalker)
Addresses the rise of right-wing populism in the Star Wars galaxy, the importance of fighting for something not just against it, and the role of hope and love.
Star Trek: Picard
Three seasons dealing with how to regain hope, how to resist fear and isolationism, how to make peace with the demons of the past and present.
Listen
The Bible For Normal People (podcast)
Conspirituality (podcast)
Faith and Feminism (podcast)
Poetry Unbound (podcast)
Follow
The Dreamers' Corner 