Howdy!
I come to you on the last day of March in a month that was busy enough that it left no room for writing outside of school. We are 6 weeks out from graduation, I just accepted a dream internship, and if I miss a single March Madness game - men not included - I may cry.
But still… gotta share a wrap up.
Reading
In March, I read 6 books and 5 of them were audiobooks. Libro.fm, my library, and the occasional Spotify listen are keeping my reading afloat this year. I’m carrying 2 reads into April:
Stag Dance by Torrey Peters: I am loving! Written by the author of Detransition, Baby, this is much darker in tone but equally as unafraid in its bold, fresh story. I am curious how the structure works for me in the end, as it’s a collection of long stories, but so far no complaints.
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai: This has been a slow read for me, but I am enjoying it. Set mostly in Chicago, it appeals to my soft Midwestern heart, and I have an inkling it will break said soft heart, which is always a perk.
I finished:
Pretty by KB Brookins: BRILLIANT. This is one of the month’s standout reads, and I would like for everyone to read it. KB Brookins, a Black nonbinary author, writes intimately and acutely about masculinity and queerness. It is personal, vulnerable, and honest. It’s rare that a book feels as honest as this one.
I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams by Jordan Chiles: I started crying at the beginning and stayed teary eyed through to the end. Jordan shares everything that has brought her to the national stage: an abusive childhood coach, the racism and economic inaccessibility of gymnastics, and the agony of being stripped of her rightfully earned Bronze medal. She’s a star, and I’ll be cheering for her even harder after reading this.
How to Live Free in a Dangerous World by Shayla Lawson: Travel memoirs are not my thing, but this isn’t a typical travel memoir. Through the places they’ve lived and visited, Lawson explores race, gender, romance, disability, and pleasure. A memoir truly unlike any other I’ve read, and I definitely recommend.
They Bloom at Night by Trang Thank Tran: This was the only completed fiction I enjoyed this month! This young adult novel follows Noon, a Vietnamese American teen, as they explore their gender and changing body in the wake of a traumatic event. This exploration takes place in Mercy, Louisiana, where Noon and their mother must hunt for a monster after a hurricane left the area under water and abandoned by the government. Perfect for fans of apocalyptic lit, queer coming of self stories, and The Last of Us.
They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl’s Fight for Freedom by Ahed Tamimi: Reading this book made me confident that it’s vital to not only read Palestinian histories but to read Palestinian memoirs. Ahed Tamimi is best known for slapping an Israeli soldier as a teenager, resulting in her imprisonment. In this memoir, she writes about this experience, her family and their town’s long history of resistance, and the apartheid state that Palestinians have been forced to live in for a horrifyingly long time. Read this book. Advocate loudly for a free Palestine.
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland: I thoroughly disliked this book! It was just not for me. Truthfully, I should have put it down rather than finishing it. It’s a sapphic fantasy/ historical fiction that’s light on fantasy, light on romance, light on plot, and light on substance. Pretty writing with a pretty setting, but not my cup of tea. Forgettable, if not for remembering how much I disliked it.
Watching
Running Point: there is nothing surprising about me loving a comedy about a woman running a basketball team. Bonus points for so many great suits. Perfect for fans of Ted Lasso and streaming on Netflix!
March Madness: I am pulling for a Paige Bueckers-led UConn win, but really I’m just delighted to watch these women ball out. (Except for Sedona Prince, whose downfall I am eagerly awaiting.)
Listening
I’m having a SIX renaissance, and I am very content to listen to it on repeat while scream singing and cleaning the house. It is also a perfectly paced album for a 5k run.
“The Giver” by Chappell Roan: this song was MADE! FOR! ME! and I will not shut up about it. For so long I shied away from country - the genre I grew up on - and it feels so good to have this homecoming. She’s the Midwest Princess for a reason.
Attending
At the beginning of the month, I was fortunate enough to go to the Wisconsin Business School’s inaugural Sports Business Conference! Though I made up a million excuses not to go, it ended up being a really invaluable experience. Mostly, though, I keep coming back to a conversation that was had about women’s sports.
When asked about the key to continuing the exponential growth of the industry, panelists highlighted the importance of building rivalries. This, in itself, isn’t a problem. Rivalries are good business. They increase viewership, engagement, and fervor. They fuel the lore behind teams, and they accelerate both adoration and hatred. Unfortunately, the example given was Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, the most tired play in the book.
Last April, I wrote “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports: Examining the Caitlin Clark Effect.” The newsletter was inspired by discussions surrounding Iowa’s March Madness run and the 2024 WNBA draft. Much has changed since writing that piece. I’ve now become an avid fan of the league, I learned its history, and I attended my first WNBA game (go Lynx!) What hasn’t changed, however, are my thoughts on rivalries, and in particular, this rivalry.
In the 2023 NCAA championship, Iowa lost to LSU, and the internet went collectively feral over the competition between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. This rivalry was primed to happen. Clark was already well on her way to being a household name, and Reese was easily vilified by fans and media alike. A young, ridiculously talented Black woman on her way to winning a national championship and defeating a Midwest golden child at the same time? People loved, and continue to love, to hate her. During that game, Reese waved her hand in front of her face and pointed to her ring finger, signaling to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa team that the championship was hers for the taking. Those who chose to use the moment to critique Reese for being unsportsmanlike clearly had forgotten - or simply never cared enough to notice - that Caitlin had used the same gesture in previous games. In the post-game press conference, Caitlin defended Angel, reminding the press that “Men have always had trash talk… You should be able to play with that emotion… That’s how every girl should continue to play.” During her time playing collegiate ball, Angel’s trash talk, confidence, and refusal to perform meekness was consistently ridiculed with more fervor than other players, likely due to her success as a Black woman, as a Southern player nicknamed the Bayou Barbie.
I wrote that before this ‘rivalry’ entered the WNBA, before Caitlin Clark fans sent death threats to Dijonai Carrington, another feminine Black woman who is great at defense. Fans, creators, writers, and people working in sports business need to do better than to play into the tired, racist narratives that built and continue to fuel this farcical rivalry.
Self Caring
I devoted a Saturday afternoon to deep cleaning my space and quickly remembered how much better this makes me feel.
This year, I’m on a journey to drink less alcohol and more water. I’ve replaced most of my game time IPAs with a handful of NA beers, and I’ve really enjoyed trying them. So far, my favorites are from the brand Untitled Art.
I scheduled a dentist appointment after avoiding doing so for - genuinely - years. It took fifteen minutes to schedule, and it’s something I wish I had done much earlier. If there’s an appointment you’re resisting scheduling, put it on your calendar/ to do list, set an alarm, and tell a buddy to hold you accountable. I believe on you, and the weight off your shoulders will be worth it!
I’ll see you in April! Take care of yourself and your community. I’m glad you’re here.