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Book Sample: Psychosexual Martyrdom

This post samples from Volume Two, specifically the first half of its opening "Concerning Martyrs, from Demons to the Undead: Learning from the Monstrous Past; or, a Humanities Primer to Humanize Reclaimed Monsters with." Volume Two is the upcoming Humanities primer/monster volume for my book project, Sex Positivity (2023); its opening asks the reader to humanize the oppressed through reclaimed monsters by learning from the monstrous past as something to recreate ourselves: (artist: Harmony Corrupted ) About my book: My name is Persephone van der Waard and I am currently writing and illustrating a non-profit book series on sex positivity and the Gothic. Made in collaboration with other sex workers, the project is a four-volume set called Sex Positivity versus Sex Coercion, or Gothic Communism: Liberating Sex Workers under Capitalism through Iconoclastic Art . As of 2/14/2024, my thesis volume and manifesto volume are available online (the other volumes shall release over the
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A Note About Canonical Essentialism

This short piece was written today to provide my book with an important summary of how canon is sexually dimorphic in relation to Cartesian thought; i.e., heteronormativity and maps as they routinely manifest under Capitalist Realism: power fantasies whose assorted, us-versus-them refrains (especially videogames) divide, then fetishize, alienize and ultimately rape nature (and workers) in order to serve profit. I'll be including it in the latest editions of my book volumes, which I'll be updating today. About my book: My name is Persephone van der Waard and I am currently writing and illustrating a non-profit book series on sex positivity and the Gothic. Made in collaboration with other sex workers, the project is a four-volume set called Sex Positivity versus Sex Coercion, or Gothic Communism: Liberating Sex Workers under Capitalism through Iconoclastic Art . As of 2/14/2024, my thesis volume and manifesto volume are available online (the other volumes shall release over the r

Judas Priest: Invincible Shield and Zionism

This piece considers the Zionist potential of the new Judas Priest album, Invincible Shield  (2024); i.e., from a postcolonial lens. Being a fan of their music since high school (for over twenty years now), a part of me takes no joy in doing so; but all the same, part of me does. I'll gladly sacrifice the sacred image of my childhood heroes if it means liberating Palestinians (and by extension all oppressed groups). I may not succeed, but I want to try because it's worth trying . Certainly I can enjoy Priest while criticizing their pernicious aspects; and, as Anita Sarkeesian put it, doing so is "both possible and necessary." Otherwise, what are we doing? Edit: If anyone wants to know my opinion about the music itself—i.e., merely as a product, divorced from geopolitics—I'd say it's fairly "mid," overall. While tracks like "Panic Attack," "Invincible Shield" and "Gates of Hell" absolutely catch fire, the album fizzles ou