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5 Ways to Stay Educated on Social Issues

In today’s day and age, politics has started to become a topic that one can simply not avoid in everyday conversation, because so much is going on in the world politically. Being aware of what is going on is going to help you socially and broaden your understanding of the world around you. However not everybody has the time to attend a social justice course or read into great depths about the intricacies of how white supremacy is so deeply ingrained into society. Many of you reading this either have school or work to focus on, and that’s okay. But here at Affinity, we’ve got your back. Here are the 7 ways to have easy access to knowledge on topics like feminism, race and LGBTQIAA+ equality.

  1. Read, read, read!

It’s very hard to be educated on important topics without reading. The fact that you’re reading this article on our magazine is a good start. You can read intersectional feminist literature in paperback, or news articles online, as long as the sources are credible. My personal favourite books are “Feminism is for EVERYBODY – Passionate Politics” by bell hooks, “Fight Like a Girl” by Clementine Ford, and an old but gold classic that is still highly relevant today, “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions” by Gloria Steinem. As for news sources, on top of (of course) Affinity Magazine, I would highly recommend Buzzfeed News for an entertaining twist on media, Everyday Feminism for an in-depth education on intersectional feminism, also CNN for an unbiased take on current affairs.

2. Tumblr and Twitter

I know, it sounds dodgy, however the impact of social media politically in the past decade has been undeniable. Many teens including myself used social media as a gateway into political discourse after seeing tweets about the severity of the political situation with Donald Trump’s election for example. As well as following media organisations listed above on Twitter, there are some great individuals on Twitter and tumblr who have helped my understanding of social issues, including Alexis Isabel Moncada, gorgeous latina who is an inspiring intersectional feminist, “Feminism vibes”, another highly informative Twitter account with great threads for days, and finally Profeminist on tumblr, who uses a beautiful blend of memes and information.

3. Speak to minority people

Sometimes, education involves being away from the internet and in the real world. You can talk to people of minority groups and ask what their experiences have been, oppression-wise. You might find out about something that you haven’t seen in any article or book. And if you talk to a real-life human being, you can feel more in touch and personal with whatever issue the person has presented this to you. Of course, if you have social anxiety or similar, feel free to skip this step.

4. Go to protests

The frequency of protests these days have significantly gone up because of Trump’s presidency and policies. We’ve had the Woman’s March, several Black Lives Matter marches, A day without immigrants and many more. Going to these protests are so beneficial because you’re again going out into the real world to experience things firsthand, and to stand in solidarity with your minority siblings. It’s very good for you to go outside and get some fresh air, exercise and making a political statement. Many protesters make new friends at protests finding like-minded people who they get on with, which is a truly wonderful thing. If you are going to a protest, make sure you’re safe from violence and pesky reporters with the intention of trying to mock you, and once again, skip this step if you have social anxiety or similar.

5. YouTube

Just like all other websites, you have to stay in the right area of YouTube for the best videos, but it’s not so hard when you start at the right channels. The LGBTQIAA+ community on YouTube is particularly entertaining and cute, so I recommend adorable genderqueer expert Ash Hardell, gorgeous intersectional feminist from Everyday Feminism Riley Dennis and the series “Decoded” from MTV which usually focuses on race issues.

So those are our suggestions, there are countless other things one can do to become more educated on said topics, and feel free to comment if you have any more.

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