This Week In our Terrible History...And I Made The Tiptree Award Longlist.

It's been a devastating week in the history of my city, country, and the world. The undercurrent of white supremacy in Aotearoa has been writ large upon our local Muslim community.

I stand with the people of my city who have had this violence and pain inflicted upon their lives, and thoroughly reject Islamophoba and racism. I have been speaking (nay, raging) about the history, ignorance, and carelessness that created the ground on which this hate flourished on other platforms and venues. Basically, everyone is getting their ear bent whether they like it or not because it's about damn time Aotearoa had a reckoning with their racist white colonialist roots and the hegemonic system they are a part of. I am in no way perfect, but I am always learning and bettering myself.

Listen to the Muslim voices on this subject, as they have long been speaking about the hate and violence, the marginalization and dehumanization they face.

I am encouraged by the swift steps the government has taken to ban various guns and accessories. The quiet, firm leadership Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has shown is a model of kindness and compassion other world leaders could learn from. I am heartened by the love and support my country has shown our fellow citizens in the Muslim community. And I'm gearing up for some hard arguments and big reckonings; from the media, to politicians and the system at large, to the everyday person, there will be accountability and change for good.

The sunshine behind the thunderstorm is something I've had on my Writing Things list. This year's Tiptree Awards winner, honours list, and long list has been announced, and "Logistics" made the long list. I am thrilled to be a part of the award that recognizes excellence in the "exploration and expansion of gender", and is named after one of my author heroes.

Congratulations to this year's winner Gabriela Damián Miravete. From the honours list, I'm stoked kiwi editor Andi Buchanan has been recognized for their work on the Diverse Pronouns issue of Capricious Magazine, and Keffy Kehrli tapped for his work on Glittership Year Two (which contains my Freddie Mercury tribute story "Granny Death And The Drag King Of London").

Yay me!

And Be Excellent To Each Other.