On Purity Tests and Problematic Heroes

When I think about the people who have made my life liveable, I see a gallery of complicated pictures. It's in family, beloved for their care but critiqued for their callousness. It’s in celebrity, with what statement is or isn't made, and when it's made, and who it's made to. And it’s in icons, with how much of me they have uplifted, and at whose expense. Reading about the long life of Jesse Jackson Sr. is a complicated picture, one that shows us that our lives will be filled with mistakes and foolishness, mixed in with our great works and kindnesses. The same man who lied about cradling his mentor Martin Luther King Jr. in his final moments (which is WILD) also coalition-built with LGBTQ+ Americans, Arab Americans, and Black and Latinx communities in a way that set a standard for that work for decades to come. He paved the way for Barack Obama's win in 2008, and like Shirley Chisholm, exists as a shining beacon of Black political excellence. He was messier than I knew growing up (seriously, read his obit, it's wild), but he's also the man who went on Sesame Street and told a bunch of poor Black and Brown kids across the country that, no matter what anyone of authority or otherwise said, they are somebody. So how do you square the chaos with the creation?

As we enter another election season, we will be fed a lot of lines about not "purity testing" candidates. The term “purity test” has been used like a cudgel to stifle dissent for years! The argument is always: “You are never going to have your perfect candidate, so you have to be realistic!" The thing is, oftentimes their reality is not yours. They gripe at all the people who didn't vote in the last election because of former Vice President Kamala Harris' choice to not take a hard stance against the genocide in Palestine. But what have they done to support the Arab American community? When was the last time they showed care for them, their issues, their struggles, in a country only worsened by the heightened surveillance of Arab Americans since 9/11? What do the folks who insist on pushing forward Gavin Newsom as the only choice for the 2028 election care for the homeless, those who have been caught in the sweeps he so eagerly supports as Governor of California, and those who watch these actions from afar with fear for what his presidency could be?

Audre Lorde has this great quote that comes to mind every election season: "There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” Caring about a politician's ideas around Palestine does not make you a single issue voter, because it informs every other action they make. When these politicians throw queer people or Black people or immigrants under the bus in the hope for votes, you are not purity testing them; you are being critical and honest about your feelings. This is not a football game, and our main focus shouldn't be backing the home team. I'm not the person to tell you what the most strategic choice is, because I don't always make the most strategic choice. But the people who will insist on objectivity are the ones who often have had the world crafted to their lens, so I implore you to take some time to decide where your values truly lie. Make your decisions based on that, rather than out of fear or obligation. 

News to Know

• ChatGPT promised to help her find her soulmate. Then it betrayed her (NPR): This is such a sad story about someone tricked by ChatGPT when she wasn't even seeking out anything more than AI as a work tool. These chatbots prey on the vulnerable, and then lead them into further despair. Any of us can be vulnerable to this, due to life changes and trauma and new hardships. For all the folks with benign interactions, there are stories just like this of regular folks who fall for these AI hallucinations and lose days to those stories. 
• Leaked Email Suggests Ring Plans to Expand ‘Search Party’ Surveillance Beyond Dogs (404 Media): Y'all, we cannot give in to surveillance capitalism! They will try to make it cute and fun like they did with this 'Search Party' feature to find dogs, but it's just a lead-in for them to surveil Americans wherever we are. We can't give in to the idea that we must give up our privacy for safety, when we know all too well that safety comes from the community and the individuals, not the people who are so eager to surveil. 
• This App Warns You if Someone Is Wearing Smart Glasses Nearby (404 Media): Speaking of surveillance capitalism, check out this app! I've already heard one story of a person in Urbana trying to record folks with smart glasses without consent, so please know that these things are already in our community! Protect yourself and your community, and be on the lookout for these smart glasses. 
• Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and Chicago icon, dead at 84 (Chicago Sun-Times): A devastating blow for a Black history month that has honestly been so hard. Reading this obituary taught me a lot about Rev. Jackson (like how am I just now learning he went to UIUC for two years in undergrad???), both good and bad, but it paints a picture of a full and flawed life of one of Illinois' greatest activists. His coalition building, across so many different marginalized groups often left to the wayside in politics, can not be understated. He will be missed. 
• Jesse Jackson Made It Possible for Democrats to Speak About Palestine (Zeteo): It's wild seeing the same problems emerge over and over again, but it's amazing to see the long lineage of advocates working to support the Palestinians being subjugated under Israeli rule. Reading this and seeing the work on Jackson's coalition to uplift Arab Americans is inspiring as we continue to support Arab agency in this country as well as Palestinian liberation. 

Lavender Vibes

• "Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left" by Eoin Higgins: Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi were once seen as left-leaning voices, but today, they are aligned with many right-wing tech leaders. This book explores the erosion of hard-hitting journalism about technology and national security in a very readable fashion, tracing Glenn Greenwald’s trajectory to far-right talking points. Published Feb. 4, 2025, this is a must-read to understand how technology’s business interests influence journalism and politics, at both the national and international level. Author Eoin Higgins works as a journalist for the IT Brew newsletter, part of the Morning Brew newsletter family, followed by tech and D.C. industry-types. Through detailed reporting, Higgins unearths some important parts of the technology industry that often go underreported, like In-Q-Tel’s investment in Silicon Valley, and the Defense Department connections to so much of the tech industry in the U.S. - Sam Ehlinger, Lavender Columnist
• "Pageboy" by Elliot Page: Pageboy is quintessential trans literature, and I enjoyed it immensely despite struggling to get through it. I didn't struggle because of the book itself (I thought the stream of consciousness was a powerful storytelling method), but because of how close it hit to home. Even if you are not trans or transmasc, it’s a great read. This look into Elliot's journey of discovering that he is queer, and then later, discovering he is trans, was quite powerful. Reading books like these helps me feel that I am not alone in this journey. There are so many of us out here in the world with similar struggles, and we all can draw strength from sharing our experiences together! - Fern, Lavender Team Member
• My Gun and Me (Slate): As a queer person who is currently exploring their shooting journey, finding this piece felt like kismet. I've been wanting to learn how to shoot since I was a teen, but the state of the world has finally pushed me to take steps to learn. Though it is interesting how the person in this story, who has had a gun for a while and was deemed overreactive by her friends (who are now getting guns), is Black.... sometimes it takes non-Black folks a few more years to catch on, I guess. - Jada Fulcher, Lavender EIC

Thanks for reading The Lavender Newsletter! If you like what you see, consider supporting your local queer publication <3

You received this because you are subscribed to The Lavender Newsletter. If a friend forwarded this to you, sign up here to get more Lavender!

HOW ARE WE DOING?

We’re always trying to get better and would love your feedback on how The Lavender Newsletter could serve you better. Email your thoughts, suggestions, or complaints to: thelavendernewsletter@gmail.com.