Welcome to Gynergy Notebook
The Media Project
I probably won't name it "Gynergy". I just had the URL. But maybe I will?
Target Reader
I read in a book on branding that your "target customer" should be extremely specific. Most of your customers will not have all of the traits of your target customer, but they will have some of the traits.
The target reader is a college-educated Millennial woman.
She may be a liberal-leaning woman who is "peaked" or "peaking", or she may be a conservative-leaning woman who is frustrated by some aspects of conservative leadership.
She is passionate about women's rights, but troubled by certain behaviors of feminist organizations: the aggressive push for inclusion of trans-identified males, and the promotion of sex work and hookup culture. She also has reservations about conservative leadership in regard to women's rights.
She is intellectually curious, a deep thinker, and inclined to spirituality. She may have a complicated relationship with her church of origin, whether or not she is still a member of the church.
She has a nostalgia for some aspects of the past, but doesn't want to go "all the way back".
She is enthusiastic about building bridges with women who disagree with her, but might need some help.
She may have a personal history of trauma with men, which fuels her convictions about women's rights.
She considers herself a gay ally, or may be gay herself.
She cares a lot about politics, but has not yet made the leap to being active in politics. She may not have drawn the direct line yet between the changes she wants for the country and her own ability to go knock on doors. She could use a nudge, and a politically active community who gets her.
Splitter Traits
Don't spend a lot of words referring to our opponents on these things. We mostly stand on our own and make reasonable points in a friendly way. We choose fights strategically.
Strongly Gender-Critical / anti "woke"
Strongly critical of sexual harassment, coercion, manipulation, bad male behavior in general
Strongly critical of porn and hookup culture
Strongly critical of obnoxious men in anti-woke networks
Strongly anti oversimplified narratives about brain sex
Strongly pro collaboration between liberal and conservative women
Vigilant about the possibility of conservative backsliding on women's issues
Neutral on abortion
Our Network
Maintain OUR OWN center of gravity.
I don't want the people in St Pete to feel like this "came from the internet", or is Internetty. But I do need to tell them about FDS and Nina Paley.
Maintain just enough of a presence in online spaces that the women who are there can find us. Argue with them on Twitter; converse with them on Substack; be a guest on their podcast. But, maintain OUR OWN center of gravity that is elsewhere.
This is the place where Natasha and K can show up and meet people in their city. These wonderful, brilliant women feel socially isolated.
Places to maintain a presence: - Anti-woke networks - Feminist networks - Conservative women's networks - Arts and literature networks - Religious networks?
Purpose of the Project
I had several friends and authors who helped me see politics and culture in a new way, when I was making the journey from non-politically-active progressive loyalist to sort-of-politically-active nonpartisan feminist. I'd like to do a knowledge dump of all of that, plus other topics that I think will be relevant for that audience.
I love history, and would like to include a lot of content on the history of women and our political projects.
I'm also including mental health, mindfulness, and physical health as a topic, because a lot of women involved in this stuff need that.
When I write naturally, it comes out a little bit silly and very unserious, so I want to lean into that when it's appropriate (ie not on highly emotional or dark topics).
History: How Does Change Happen? What's Happening Next?
A History of Women, Gay People, and Gender-Diverse People in American Politics
Current Events
Politics: Who's Doing What, and How You Can Help Them
Civics, Institutional Power, and Social Change
Understanding Institutional Capture
Nonpartisan Feminism
Most of the ideas in here come from / were heavily inspired by Natasha Chart's book, Practical Politics for Bold Women. Buy it here! - https://chartconsulting.samcart.com/products/practical-politics-for-bold-women
What is the solution to capture of feminism by the left, and the possibility of future capture of women's organizations by the right? I think the best defense is small, fiercely independent women's organizations that know how to collaborate across ideological lines, but also are structured so that they can withdraw support, without incurring damage, when their needs are no longer being met by an old coalition.
Whatever network you are part of, they should feel like they have to be on their toes a little bit, because if they no longer hold up their end of the bargain, women's groups can walk away.
This also goes for organizing for LGB people and gender-diverse people.
Social Issues
Child Safeguarding
Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence
Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Women's Status:
In Public Spaces
In the Workplace
Financial Status
Public Leadership
Church
Compassion Topics
How Are Women And Men The Same, And How Are We Different?
Personal Strength
Mindfulness
Behavioral Health and Good Habits
THESE - Temperature, Hydration, Eating, Sleeping, Exercise
I made up this acronym during a time when I was *not* doing well, and I'm still proud of it.
Originally I used THESE BFUP, where THESE is physical stuff and BFUP is higher-level stuff. BFUP is Belonging, Fun, Unwinding, and Purpose. It's supposed to be pronounced "beef up", as in "These beef up your health and wellness!" I decided it was more memorable just as THESE.
My checklist
First, I go through the THESE checklist:
Temperature: Is it too warm or cold where I am?
Hydration: Do I need a glass of water, other beverage, or watery food?
I like water, but if you don't, you don't have to drink water. There's nothing magical about water that exists in a glass by itself. The water in diet root beer is the same water. Just watch out for sugar and caffeine.
You can also get water from eating fruit, but that's a slippery slope, because the water in the fruit is also used by your body to help digest the fruit, so you're getting less for hydration.
There is a melon that contains a lot of water. I'll leave it to you to guess which melon it is.
Eating: Have I eaten a moderate amount of healthy food today?
Sleeping: Have I slept enough?
Exercise: Have I gone on a nice walk, done some yoga, gone on a fun bike ride?
Boundaries and "Winning Therapy"
Trauma Healing
Physical Health
Healthy Skincare: Sunscreen, Makeup, Soap
Financial Health
Low-Effort Backyard Gardening in Central Florida
Social Health
How To Meet Friends Who Share Your Values
How To Navigate Friendships Across Ideological Lines
Spiritual Health
Faith and Theology
Women and the Major World Religions
Commentary on the Divine Feminine from the Major World Religions
An Atheist Lesbian Desister's Favorite Catholic Takes on Gender Ideology
ebony.clayton@yahoo.com - interview her!