Katelyn’s Comments (group member since Jan 07, 2016)

Katelyn’s comments from the Our Shared Shelf group.

I see lots of members (myself included!) are eager to find some more graphic novels after reading Persepolis. Anyone have any feminist graphic novel recommendations?

I just read Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic last month and loved it!

Ross wrote: "Not mean to usurped Emma (never do that) but she has been selecting great books for a while so if I may lend a hand and suggest a book for next Month

Shrill by Lindy West looks interesting and de..."

Pam wrote: "Already read this. Great book. You guys should include Fun Home by Alison Bechdel too. :) "

You can add your suggestions to the bookshelf by following the directions here: How to Suggest a Book

Additionally, you can suggest it in relevant book lists in the book suggestion folder. Those lists are based on subject matter, genre, etc. You can start your own list if you don't see one for a particular subject or genre already, but please check first, as we will remove duplicate threads.

Sandra wrote: " it was if they [Harry and Ginny] had the same vibe in their souls that called to each other"

That's my favorite part of their relationship. They did have the same vibe in their souls! They were both possessed by Voldemort for an extended period of time... who better to connect with than someone else who has had such a traumatic experience? And even though it's never spelled out that way (IIRC?), I think JKR was thinking about it this way because it seemed to come out in subtle ways as she developed their relationship.

Marie wrote: "what is up with this cis nonsense? did it become to much of a struggle to try to say and type the word straight. I guess it is a bit much being has about 5 extra letters. this politically correct n..."

If people are using trans as an umbrella term for "everything" then it probably isn't being used correctly by the people you're hearing throw it around... It's not a matter of being politically correct, it's a word that describes a specific experience. Of course there are also other identifiers within the trans experience, but like Bunny said, it's not used as an umbrella term for all LGBT identities, which is maybe what you were implying?

Lisa wrote: "It's the first time that I am reading this. I remember the Iran- Iraq war in the 80s but vaguely. Do we have a historical thread to give this book more context and further add to the experience?"

Hi Lisa,

Check the discussion board folder for this month's book! There's a thread there where people are discussing clarifications of the historical events!

Re: Luna, I think that it's made pretty clear in the text that everyone thinks she is out of touch with reality, when in reality, she's one of the more pragmatic characters! She's so attuned to social dynamics around her, even when she appears to not be paying attention. Her ability to disengage, however, is what makes me admire her the most. She isn't entirely unaffected by the treatment of her peers, but she is able to rise above and see things from that disengaged vantage point, to her great advantage.

Re: Ginny, I completely disagree! I think Ginny is a fantastically strong and admirable character. The movies didn't really do her justice (and I would attribute that more to the writing than to Bonnie Wright's performance, btw, although I know many would perhaps disagree). In the books, she's got very specific talents in charms/hexes and Quidditch, she's a young woman in touch with her sexuality, brave and loyal, short tempered, and is frank with the people around her, always telling it like it is... And she's the one that integrates Luna into the group, and in that way, she shows that she is kind and empathetic as well. To me, Ginny seems to be a very well-rounded character that we can look up to and relate to, especially given how her character evolves from a shy, star-struck girl to what I describe above.

I feel very strongly about Ginny because she seems to get a lot of flack in the fandom, which I find a bit bewildering because the text paints her as such a lively and interesting person! I will defend her to the death :)

I've read two graphic novels in the past month, having never read them before. The second was Persepolis and the first, a couple of weeks ago, was Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.

I was especially struck by how immensely different they were. And I mean aside from just the content... like, the way that the art functions structurally and narratively are so incredibly different. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was really impressed by how the panels were more than just accompanying illustrations. They seemed integral to and inseparable from the text.

Similarities between the two: both contain (more-or-less) mature content, I guess what would be called educational, while mostly also telling stories from childhood, like a comic-strip bildungsroman. In this sense, I think the graphic novel is especially useful for visual representations of childhood imaginings and perspectives.

I'll definitely be reading more graphic novels in the future. (And apologies for so much of this being about Fun Home in addition to Persepolis, but I was comparing and contrasting them as I read so I can't help it!)

Jason has been blocked from the group, but it appears he must have deleted his comments in this thread of his own volition before that. Either way, he violated group rules on a number of occasions despite multiple warnings. Carry on!

Member has been blocked from group due to repeated violation of group rules.

Locked and Archived

Jason, you are of course entitled to your opinion, but I would remind you that we are all entitled to ours. Just because you disagree with the beliefs that the majority of feminists tend to share does not mean that it is a massive conspiracy of brainwashing. I could just as easily claim that you and the person in this video are participating in groupthink.

Further, if you were to bother to read through some of the extensive discussions here on Our Shared Shelf, you would find that there are many debates and disagreements, some of which get quite heated. We do not all have the same set of beliefs and ideals, even those pertaining to feminism. Any accusation that we are all of the same mind is very clearly proven incorrect simply by checking out some of the debates we've had on this very discussion board.

It seems in general that you disagree with most of the members here on the basic ideas that brought us here in the first place. You are welcome to discuss with us, but as per group rules, we will not tolerate excessive rudeness or foul language directed at other members. On a less official level, I'd just point out that you are unlikely to change any of our minds on these issues (assuming that is your goal) by posting here, as many of us have held these beliefs for a long time after extensive reading, research, and life experience. Perhaps this isn't the ideal internet community for you.

And finally, there have been numerous discussions over the past few months regarding how feminism benefits men as well as women, how men relate to and participate in the current feminist movement, political correctness in general, etc. Because this conversation seems to be repeating many of the arguments that have been made in those threads previously, I will lock and archive this post. In the interest of organization, due to the size of this group, we do not allow duplicate topics. Please be sure to do a quick search using the bar to the right of the discussion board before posting to check if there is already a thread for that topic. It is better to add any links or discussion points to an already established conversation than to start a new thread that covers the same subject matter. Thank you!

Locked and Archived

I think it's a great idea to discuss both the positive and the negative in one place. Otherwise, it's not so much a discussion as a list, y'know?

Rose, I think your points are very astute. Generally speaking, I think Ron's character got a bit of the short end of the stick in the films, but in the books, despite the few times he was jealous/disloyal, he's a much more well-rounded character. Hermione does sacrifice a lot, and I think you're right in identifying her gender as a large part of that, but I think it also relates to having left her entire life behind (in some sense) when she left for Hogwarts. With Ron, I had never considered his gender as a part of his sometimes fickle nature, but I think it definitely plays a part. I always attributed it (as I think the books themselves tend to suggest) to his many siblings and a certain starvation for attention.

One thing I really appreciate about the books is that it fosters an acute awareness of systemic biases. I've never read another book for such a young target audience that paints such a realistic picture of those kinds of forces in the real world. That's what really makes me feel strongly about it as a moral and progressive story.

Jason wrote: "The term "heterosexuality always embarrasses me" is all I needed to read to know if I did read, it would only be to be shamed for being a straight white male. Further more, the way this conversatio..."

You're of course entitled to your opinion, but that single sentence taken our of context is hardly representative of the book as a whole. Again, these discussion boards are for members who have read the book who will understand the meaning of isolated quotes having read them in context. Jumping to conclusions based on an out-of-context quote is not relevant or worthwhile in this discussion, and it is unlikely that other members will take your input seriously when you've not made an effort to engage with the material.

Update for those following this thread, Adam has been blocked (again) and his most recent off-topic comments have been deleted. We apologize for any confusion with regards to those missing posts, and thank you for your cooperation and patience. As a reminder, we appreciate any notification of members violating group rules, as we are not always able to catch on before things get out of hand. Feel free to Contact Moderators in the case of spamming, trolling, harassment, self-promotion, or any other behavior that violates group rules or Goodreads policy. Additionally, you can block users yourself if you choose by clicking through to their profiles and scrolling down (in gray text at the bottom left).

Rose wrote: "@Bunny This is getting a little confusing for me. The rest of this thread is filled with people endorsing the message, "You can fix him." What is the alternative message? Should the movie actually ..."

Hm, I think most of us don't see it as a "you can fix him" narrative, but as a "don't judge a book by its cover" sort of story. I've said before, there are definitely parts of it that are problematic especially given the target audience. But I'm not convinced that the ultimate moral is that simple, and I still recognize Belle as a decent role model.

Jason wrote: "This seems to me a perfect example of rampant, out of control political correctness. I don't buy into the doctored propaganda that passes as "good" science that says that there's no such thing as a..."

No one here has suggested that individuals do not have the right to identify as they see fit, and no one has sought to shame you or any other "STRAIGHT, WHITE man" for his identification.

Jason, have you read the book? It might be helpful to do so if you haven't, as these discussions derive from the contents of the books each month, and you might understand a bit better what we're all talking about if you did so as well. Not sure why you're talking about political correctness, propaganda, and science... that seems to me to have very little to do with both The Argonauts and the discussion being had here. We ask that our members attempt to keep discussions on topic. You can start your own thread if you don't see one for a particular subject already, but please check first (by utilizing the search bar to the right of the discussion board), as we will remove duplicate threads.

With some space after finishing the book, I've come to realize more fully how the unusual structure is directly reflective of the content and produces that content discursively by refusing normative organization. I like how the book is cohesive on that meta-level.

Frank wrote: "I picked up this book from my local library and read it within a week. What a wonderful story and a great portrayal of other cultures, especially from the female perspective. As an American, I know..."

Hey Frank, check out the Book Suggestions folder where members recommend books based on subject matter, genre, etc. I bet you'll find something interesting to fill the time. You can also peruse our Book Suggestions bookshelf.

Kharoll-Ann wrote: "PS : Can this convo be seen by anyone who is not part of this group?"

Yes, as Our Shared Shelf is a public group, the discussion board is accessible to people who are not members of the group.

Welcome to Our Shared Shelf Vin, Shirley, Antonella, and Christine! We're so happy to have you join us :)

Martyn wrote: "I don't think the patriarchy is a conspiracy. I think it's a natural conclusion to common male and female traits. HOWEVER, I think it's something that should be challenged. If you look at groups of..."

Martyn, the type of thing you're describing is more of a reactionary pseudo-feminism. Bunny explains radical feminism quite nicely in message #26 of this topic. It simply comes from the belief that patriarchy cannot be eradicated within the constraints of our current Western societal structures.