@mhsutton

heart.head.work.life

Category: advocacy

  • 10 Days into #LinkyBrains and this is what it's about for me.

    10 Days into #LinkyBrains and this is what it's about for me.

    10 mad days

    It has been the maddest 10 days of my life and I’ve had plenty mad.

    Time to reflect on this LinkyBrain thing – taking in all the feedback  that’s rolling in from chats, blog posts and spontaneous conversations and I’d like to share them.

    Here are my reflections, 10 days in.

    LinkyBrains has touched on something profound

    People from all kinds of backgrounds, jobs, ethnicities, genders are engaging with this. They want to share their experience, others just want to read and comment. Others still are volunteering to help – even as the plan of what needs help is emerging.

    People are organising and meeting up and connecting.

    The Core Are Committed

    Every community/movement was started somewhere by someone.

    This one started with  3 naked dancers –  Doug, Alex and Chris.
    It was joined by a follower – Mike (me) – now we are all dancing naked.

    It is what it is.

    We aren’t more important, we aren’t thought leaders, we sure as hell aren’t experts in anything remotely like this.  ‘First’ doesn’t confer any more rights and privileges than ‘last’. What matters is being in the movement – everyone earns their respect from the things they choose to help with, and the impact they create.

    We are simply naked dancers and we keep dancing and working to keep the dance growing. Join in.

    We are walking a fine line. Inclusion vs Exclusivity

    A really amazing article gave words to what many seemed to be thinking:

    Is this some kind of self-congratulating, wealthy male party?

    Is this another exclusive club for those who love talking about themselves – because we need that like a hole in the head?

    Is this LinkyBrain vs non LinkyBrain?

    No. It isn’t any of that. 

    The narratives so far seems to be dominated with stories/confessions of ‘look how great I turned out with these things that should have slowed me down’.

    If that is all you read, it would paint a picture of exclusivity. But I see this differently.

    Life is full of challenges, they are like tunnels.

    Of course it can be hard for everyone but, for people who see the world differently from society’s normal range, it can be especially hard. That is what this movement is about – making it easier and helping those people contribute to the benefit of everyone.

    Most of the confessions are from ‘Jubilant emergers’ – they’ve emerged from various tunnels and discovered ways to be happy and successful at navigating tunnels.

    We are not hearing from anyone currently in a tunnel – confused with where they fit, struggling with school / work / life, being understood or however it manifests.

    We are not hearing from those approaching a tunnel – who might not even know there are tunnels.

    We are not hearing those who might not be facing the challenges themselves, but are supporting people who are. Their voices are important too.

    Those groups aren’t often able to speak out and share their realities.
    We must do better to find way to hear them. Help us.

    We need to move beyond Jubilance to sharing ways to navigate tunnels with anyone just behind us. How did you cope with this, what did you actually do to address that fear etc.

    Some abuse will happen

    I remember seeing someone trying to sell underwear with the tag #metoo. It pissed me off.

    There will always be people trying to promote a personal agenda with any movement – however noble the cause is. That is just what it is. There’s nothing I can do about that beyond doing my best and remain committed to the bigger picture.

    The Good Will Shine Through

    We – me and the emerging LinkyBrains community – are going to keep encouraging the good, the humanity in us all, the positive. We will continue to help stories emerge, help people connect and do their best work for the benefit of everyone.

    By: John – CC BY 2.0

    I am an unwavering believer in the fundamental goodness of people and that will carry our efforts to everywhere in the world. It will quieten the negativity and amplify the goodness.

    What Now?

    You have simple decisions to make :

    Help or not.

    Join the dance or watch from the sidelines – pointing and laughing while we change the world.

    Helping is easier than you imagine – just some easy things you can do now!

     I’m still dancing. I’m in.

  • "Negotiating sex is rather difficult"

    "Negotiating sex is rather difficult"

    Even if you don’t read this post, go watch this:

    http://www.bbc.com/news/av/stories-42171536/world-hacks-the-secret-ring-helping-women-protect-themselves-from-hiv

    There is so much in the western media of sexual harassment and assault, so I want to also draw attention to this –

    I saw a recent BBC video about a secret ring that some women in Malawi are testing to protect themselves against HIV from partners who they cannot ‘negotiate sex’ with OR even negotiate them putting on a condom.

    This is shocking!

    Men who practice unprotected sex with many other women and then come back to their wives – who undoubtedly know that their husbands are sleeping with other women.

    Yet the wives cannot say ‘No’ or even require that their husbands wear protection!

    If we are angry that Harvey Weinstein manipulated and harassed actresses to have sex with him or that a UK MP put his hand on a women’s knee or Louis CK masturbated in front of women without their permission – then what should we feel about women who are facing a real risk of devastating disease and cannot say ‘No’ to unsafe sex?

    If this bothers you, please do something.

    Watch the video, write about it, donate to something, share with others and bring some attention to this.

    Please just don’t do nothing. Apathy destroys lives.

    Thank you.

  • Day 1: I am Rohingya #51Days

    Day 1: I am Rohingya #51Days

    Today as part of my #51days act of solidarity, I shall change my twitter profile to

    ‘I am Rohingya”

    The Rohingya are an ethnic group that live in Myanmar – formerly Burma – they are mostly Muslims in a country that is predominantly Buddhist.

    For a toxic mix of reasons – ranging from religious difference, land grab, ethnic hatred to simply being  – the Rohingya have been persecuted almost out of existence. First by successive military juntas and now from a democratically elected government itself led by a former political prisoner and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

    The Rohingya seem to be the favorite whipping boy of everyone with power in Myanmar and the world seems mostly deaf and mute to their persecution.

    Myanmar is signatory to multiple human right treaties and conventions  – pretty much all the ones that matter. It has obligations to protect the rights of indigenous people, women, children, the disabled and pretty much everyone in its jurisdiction.

    The Rohingya do not deserve to be murdered, their women raped, their leaders tortured and disappeared. No one does. If they have committed a crime – charge and apply the law against them. To the best of my knowledge, their only crime, as a group, is to exist.

    The violence and discrimination is both by agents of the Myanmar start under the pretense of security and by private militias with the tacit and often, active, support of the State.

    Today, I stand with the Rohingya.

    Please learn more about this here: http://www.rohingya.org/portal/

     

    Photo by AK Rockefeller