Doodles
it's actually terrifying how quickly the concept of self care (originally a radical concept rooted in the black panther party's efforts to support other black ppl living through racism) became another tool of self-management which is viewed as both a moral obligation + an individual responsibility. businesses + employers + other institutions now easily wield it as a progressive way to say "if you're upset about xyz, make yourself get over it". "we are going to treat you like shit + you need to learn how to cope with that or else you're doing something wrong"
i have seen job listings where "ability to practice self care" was listed as a requirement for employment. as a case worker, we were repeatedly drilled on "self-care" as a response to unconscionably high case loads, traumatizing experiences, dead end job obligations, + poor living conditions due to subpar pay/high stress. my clients would go to appointments regarding their evictions, food insecurity, active domestic violence situations, etc + receive tips on "self care" without any tangible community, legal, or structural support to follow.
everyone absolutely deserves to care for themselves + it is useful to circulate affirmations + advice on how to do this. this should happen within communities, through a sincere concern/love for one another, as a way of helping everyone live the best life possible while we work towards total liberation. it should not be a replacement for caring for one another!!! it should be one of many ways of caring for one another!!!
my mom loves to lie and like she always swears she was NEVER homophobic or anything to me as a child “i even have a gay work friend” but a really funny memory resurfaced recently where i asked if i could use birthday money i had to buy a rainbow flag when i was like ??? 7?? because i LOVED rainbows. and she said no that means something Evil and god will hate you . so what did i do. but ask my grandmom for a rainbow sweater for christmas and proceed to only wear that sweater for three years when it got cold because i didnt like the idea that god hated colors and i wanted to challenge him
people really do equate morality to hair huh. ppl see a boy balding and say thats actually a sleazebag and creep who doesnt know personal hygiene. ppl see a man wearing a toupee or combing over his hair and make fun of him for trying to hide his true colors of being secretly an ugly balding person. ppl see a shitty person who happens to be bald or balding and say their disgusting ugly offensive hair is their divine punishment for their actions/personality. ppl see a girl whos bald, balding, or just has short hair and pity her and mourn her perceived loss of feminine beauty. ppl see a women with thin hair or receding hairline and harass her enough to make her start wearing wigs and hats or even undergo cosmetic procedures to fix herself out of fear of further harassment. can people stop being so fucking weird about the perceived morality of hair loss that literally almost everyone and their mother has. hair loss is not a bug its a goddamn feature