I would love to see these lists. Absolutely. I have been informally collecting my own - the cozy sci-fi and fantasy stuff. Because yeah, way too much dystopia out there hitting way too close to home when I'm not the audience for the wake up call such books are calling for.
10000% agree!! Ok, some of my links were broken, but here's what I think are the best of the crop. Note: Some of the books on these lists are very not cozy, but it's pretty easy to tell which ones are.
"But paralyzing fear is actively harmful when it keeps us from exercising any of the freedoms that we still have."
I have been thinking SO much about this recently.
When the US government began abusively changing the sex markers on passports for trans people, I told a close friend of mine that I am in danger. I decided I would take what international trips I could afford before my passport expires in the near-ish future as I was not sure I would be willing to attempt to renew my passport with the expectation it would be unlikely I would have the appropriate marker, which could put me in great danger internationally. But I also know that's part of the abuse, the control over who can and cannot leave the country.
At the time we planned for an international trip together for later this year, not knowing what the spring would hold. Now all of our travel discussions have revolved around our (but primarily my) safety for, of all things, reentering the country. And so many of these conversations have revolved around the duality of "it's my right to travel and intimidating me into not doing so is letting them win" and "what happens if you are detained and/or deported upon arrival?". Deported! From the country I was born in. The only country I have lived and worked and held citizenship in. How is the risk non-zero?! (The whole point is the abuse.)
This trip is months out and there is already so much that has evolved in the past few weeks alone. It's difficult to want to invest money and time into planning travel. It's difficult to even be excited about it. Not going means the abuse is working. But the risk is non-zero and the danger that lies ahead is not just inconvenience, it's possibly life-threatening.
"How is the risk non-zero?!" 100% that. It is mind boggling how far we've slid so quickly. You shouldn't have to run risk analysis scenarios to go on vacation--no one should. I hate so much that you have to. I'm hugely proud of you both for your bravery and strength to push through the difficulties and not let fear run your lives while also not assuming everything will just work out. It is a really scary situation.
The whole point, as you say, is abuse. And maybe it will ultimately be too dangerous to go this year. I feel like there's an art to separating feeling fear and being brave anyway and listening to our instincts, and it's an art we all need to somehow master right now. But either way, you aren't giving up until it's time to give up, and that's resistance.
It's completely insane how the thought of you and your partner having a wonderful time on vacation makes Them so angry and miserable. You have so much power over their feelings just by living your best lives that They had to take over the whole damn government to not feel so weak.
I would love to see these lists. Absolutely. I have been informally collecting my own - the cozy sci-fi and fantasy stuff. Because yeah, way too much dystopia out there hitting way too close to home when I'm not the audience for the wake up call such books are calling for.
10000% agree!! Ok, some of my links were broken, but here's what I think are the best of the crop. Note: Some of the books on these lists are very not cozy, but it's pretty easy to tell which ones are.
Solarpunk: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/89580.Solarpunk
This list has all the books that came up on all the other lists.
Afrofuturism:
I like this list for novels: https://best-sci-fi-books.com/17-best-afrofuturism-books/
And this one for short fiction: https://reactormag.com/in-search-of-afro-solarpunk-part-2-social-justice-is-survival-technology//
Indigenous Futurism: https://bookriot.com/sff-books-by-indigenous-authors/
A good mix of books across genres
Hopepunk book lists are very thin indeed, but this one looks good: https://www.carnegielibrary.org/staff-picks/genre-guide-hopepunk/
Happy reading! 😊
"But paralyzing fear is actively harmful when it keeps us from exercising any of the freedoms that we still have."
I have been thinking SO much about this recently.
When the US government began abusively changing the sex markers on passports for trans people, I told a close friend of mine that I am in danger. I decided I would take what international trips I could afford before my passport expires in the near-ish future as I was not sure I would be willing to attempt to renew my passport with the expectation it would be unlikely I would have the appropriate marker, which could put me in great danger internationally. But I also know that's part of the abuse, the control over who can and cannot leave the country.
At the time we planned for an international trip together for later this year, not knowing what the spring would hold. Now all of our travel discussions have revolved around our (but primarily my) safety for, of all things, reentering the country. And so many of these conversations have revolved around the duality of "it's my right to travel and intimidating me into not doing so is letting them win" and "what happens if you are detained and/or deported upon arrival?". Deported! From the country I was born in. The only country I have lived and worked and held citizenship in. How is the risk non-zero?! (The whole point is the abuse.)
This trip is months out and there is already so much that has evolved in the past few weeks alone. It's difficult to want to invest money and time into planning travel. It's difficult to even be excited about it. Not going means the abuse is working. But the risk is non-zero and the danger that lies ahead is not just inconvenience, it's possibly life-threatening.
"How is the risk non-zero?!" 100% that. It is mind boggling how far we've slid so quickly. You shouldn't have to run risk analysis scenarios to go on vacation--no one should. I hate so much that you have to. I'm hugely proud of you both for your bravery and strength to push through the difficulties and not let fear run your lives while also not assuming everything will just work out. It is a really scary situation.
The whole point, as you say, is abuse. And maybe it will ultimately be too dangerous to go this year. I feel like there's an art to separating feeling fear and being brave anyway and listening to our instincts, and it's an art we all need to somehow master right now. But either way, you aren't giving up until it's time to give up, and that's resistance.
It's completely insane how the thought of you and your partner having a wonderful time on vacation makes Them so angry and miserable. You have so much power over their feelings just by living your best lives that They had to take over the whole damn government to not feel so weak.