Six Links to Love

1. Sterner Stuff: Why Sansa Stark is a Political Powerhouse. I'm not gonna lie - I've never been that into Sansa. I mean, when you've got fierce little Arya, Brienne of Tarth, Cersei Lannister, and, in the tv show, Olena and Margaery Tyrell to compare her to, it's hard to get that excited about her. However, this article raises a valid point. She's not stupid, she's not useless, she's just in the weakest position of any major female character in the series, and she uses the tools available to her to negotiate some harrowing circumstances. Her charm, decorum, and ability to hide her true feelings are what have kept her alive, if not unharmed. I have to wonder if Cersei wasn't wrong when she said she was a little bit like her when she was young.

Ok, but this is some epic durp face. 

2. Chronically Vintage: Miss L Fire Shoes I've been drawing so much inspiration from Jessica of Chronically Vintage lately. She has a real sense of elegance and great taste, and her website is a great source if you're looking for vintage shops or reproduction brands. I am dying for a pair of Miss L Fire shoes after she showcased these gems. The styles are fabulously vintage in style but with a modern sensibility. I think I might have to invest in this pair for the summer.

 
3. Mississippi Sex Ed Class Compares Women to Dirty Pieces of Chocolate I went to school in rural Colorado, and we also got abstinence only, sex-negative sex ed. Women who have sex are compared to toothbrushes, to gum, to pieces of chocolate, which have no value after they've been used. This is an incredibly damaging message to send to impressionable teenagers for a lot of reasons. Girls who have sex are considered worthless sluts, both by others and often by themselves, and boys become entrenched in the virgin/whore dichotomy. As Elizabeth Smart, who is quoted in the article, says, it can also make life even more difficult for girls who are raped, or undergo other traumatic sexual experiences.

4. The Color of His Presidency American politics grow ever more tense and divisive, and as much as I'd love to lay that all at the feet of the Republican party, liberals and Democrats haven't exactly been open to discourse either. Accusations of racism and totalitarianism fly from both sides of the aisle, and it's not getting us anywhere. Entrenched politicians are unwilling to act decisively for fear of losing an election, and their cowardice is a problem in its own right, but it doesn't help matters that every statement that actually says anything is going to be dissected in the most partisan way possible. Unless we start actually listening to and thinking about the ideas that the other side is putting forth, the days of America the Beautiful are over.


5.  Plasticland Killer Kraken Pillow I'm moving to a new apartment soon, and my boyfriend is in full agreement with me that a steampunk pad would be the bees knees. I'm thinking this kraken throw pillow might be a nice place to start.

6. The Kitchn: Minty Pea and Arugula Wonton Ravioli Doesn't this just scream spring? I'm determined to give it a shot this weekend, maybe with roasted chicken or tilapia.