Exploring the erasure of transgender identities in the US, parallels between Jesus and the Joker, independent trans cinema, forming unions in small shops, understanding authoritarian personalities, challenges in Rojava amidst conflict and revolutionary sacrifice, and applying principles of the Kurdish freedom movement globally.
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Quick takeaways
Proactive decision-making and collaborative approach key to unionizing success in queer/leftist shop.
Compact size of the shop facilitated smooth organizing process with majority support across locations.
Unionizing efforts aligned with values of IWW and Coalition of Independent Unions, setting industry standards.
Swift and successful unionization campaign stressed power of closely knit workforce and positive change.
Community-driven approach and progressive union values aimed to pave the way for inclusive workplace reforms.
Challenging social dominators and RWAs requires diverse representation, education, dialogue, and informed discourse.
Deep dives
Organizing for Change
The shop's unique process of unionizing involved proactive decision-making among the queer and leftist employees. The employees recognized the need to address the scaling nature of the business and the collaborative approach needed to maintain a positive work environment as the business grew. By ensuring majority support across all locations and planning to retain the right to strike in their contracts, they aimed to set a powerful precedent for similar workplaces and establish a community-driven approach to negotiation.
Striving for Strong Unionization
The compact size of the shop facilitated a smooth organizing process, allowing the employees to gather easily and build palpable energy towards achieving their unionization goals. Their tactical approach involved ensuring majority approval across all locations, laying the groundwork for creating impactful precedents within the service industry realm in terms of striking rights and negotiation strategies.
Creating Industry Standards
The unionizing efforts aligned with the values of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and the Coalition of Independent Unions in the Northwest, reflecting the shared values of queer, leftist personnel within the shop and setting a new industry standard for service industry unionization. By adopting a proactive and collaborative approach, they aimed to instill the significance of negotiation rights and worker solidarity within the industry.
Effective and Efficient Campaign
The shop's unionization journey showcased a speedy and successful campaign, culminating in a united front across all locations within a five-month span. Leveraging proactive decision-making, a collective interest map, and quick resolutions, the employees efficiently navigated the unionization process, underscoring the power of a closely knit workforce in driving positive change.
Challenging Status Quo
The shop's swift and proactive unionization journey challenged traditional industry norms by advocating for striking rights, maintaining majority support across all locations, and setting a collaborative precedent for service industry unionization. By embracing a community-driven approach and aligning with progressive union values, they aimed to pave the way for impactful and inclusive workplace reforms.
Understanding the Differences Between Social Dominators and Higher RWAs
Social dominators, characterized by a desire for power and aggression, revel in authority and are willing to wield power ruthlessly. They exhibit a lack of empathy, manipulate others, and operate with a dominant and exploitative mentality. On the other hand, higher RWAs are submissive to authority, value group cohesiveness, and are driven by self-righteousness and adherence to social conventions. While social dominators are more hostile towards minorities and women, higher RWAs exhibit aggression towards LGBTQ individuals due to their religious fundamentalism.
Challenges in Dealing with Social Dominators and Higher RWAs
Convincing social dominators and higher RWAs to change their beliefs or behavior is a challenging task due to their strong convictions, lack of self-awareness, and deep-rooted notions. Social dominators prioritize control and power, while higher RWAs adhere to social norms and authority. Their resistance to change is reinforced by their insular bubbles of validation and reinforcement of their prejudices and beliefs.
Strategies for Addressing Social Dominators and Higher RWAs
To address the presence of social dominators and higher RWAs, it is crucial to increase representation of diverse perspectives and experiences in their environments. Exposure to different people and values, especially through education and diverse spaces, can challenge their existing beliefs and broaden their understanding. Encouraging dialogue, fostering movement-to-movement relationships, and advocating for informed public discourse are key strategies in influencing social change and combating the dominance of social dominators and higher RWAs in society.
Advocating for Change and Building Solidarity across Movements
Efforts like the Emergency Committee for Rojava play a pivotal role in advocating for change and building solidarity across movements. By raising awareness, engaging in advocacy, and promoting grassroots movements, organizations like ECR work towards supporting the Rojava revolution and fostering connections with social movements in the United States. Initiatives focused on public education, advocacy, and movement building contribute to challenging authoritarian tendencies and promoting a more inclusive and diverse society.
Turkey's Ongoing Assault on Kurdish Communities
Turkey's relentless assault on Kurdish communities, with over 200 bombings in Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan, poses a significant threat to local autonomy and self-governance. The Turkish state views the Kurdish revolution as a challenge to its power and ideology, resulting in continuous military invasions and strategies to create an unlivable environment through fear and uncertainty.
Resilience and Civil Society in Rojava Amidst Turkish Attacks
Despite facing ongoing attacks on infrastructure and daily life, Rojava exhibits resilience through strong civil structures and a commitment to societal development. The region actively engages in building a cooperative economy, empowering women, and fostering democratic practices, demonstrating a steadfast dedication to self-governance and community resilience amidst adversity.
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