Hello again, it’s good to see you. Jump right in.
In this week’s feature (page 13), a number of Muslim women share their stories with us. Their narratives of self-empowerment, presented as an alternative to the overbearing homogeneity of white colonial feminism, demand to be heard. Here, we attempt to grant their voices the attention and respect rarely afforded them in mainstream Western media. We hope it’s a step in the right direction.
On page 11, Naaman Zhou gives us a smackdown of the racist construct that is ‘oriental’-flavoured instant noodles. Give it a spin, it’s hilarious—because sometimes racism is hilarious and fatuous and banal. Sometimes power is laughing at the things that should hurt us.
We also hear from Lord Michael Dobbs, the creator of House of Cards (page 10); I guess occasionally old white men have interesting things to say, too.
You probably didn’t know that plants might be sentient (page 9), or that your university pays people to harass the widows of deceased alumni for donations (page 7). I hope there’s something in these pages that makes you feel uncomfortable. That disturbs you. That makes you glance away from the detritus of your life to see the people at the edges. They’re waiting. Be kind, and listen.