This post is not, strictly speaking, fully book related. But I hope you'll stick with me, because this is an important topic that is really important to me. And I will recommend some books.

***Trigger warning: This post will discuss SA and domestic violence***

A recent CNN report exposed an online network of men discussing how to drug women and commit SA, the targets often being their partners. The website that was most implicated had over 62 million views, and a majority of views were coming from IP addresses in the US.

And while this may be written off by some as an isolated issue, in the online book world, we see women, people of color, and marginalized groups treated poorly every day. I see women in the book world having to deal with male commenters accusing them of "showing off their bodies for views," while at the same time sending them suggestive material in their DMs. Every time someone tries to post a video suggesting more diverse sci fi and fantasy authors, they are met with backlash, and the inevitable "I don't care who writes the books I read." The pushback to representation and fair treatment is often, quite frankly, staggering. All the while, women are criticized for reading "smut." Women who write fantasy stories with any romance get labeled as romantasy authors, while their male counterparts are just fantasy authors. We shame women for reading sexual material, but don't bat an eye to the sexual goings on traditional fantasy because "it's gritty and realistic for the era."

I'm a dad to teenage boys. I have a wife, sisters, nieces and nephews. My boys and I talk a lot about making other people feel safe around us, treating everyone equally and with respect, and avoiding the pitfalls of the modern hoax of "masculinity." In an era where influencers are trying to convince boys to looksmax, heightmax, or take testosterone supplements in their teens (please don't do that), our young men are more and more being exposed to patriarchal, overly macho, chauvinistic ideas of what being a man means.

I'm someone who believes in facts, and data. So here are some facts (according to Take Back the Night):

• 1 in 3 women worldwide experience some form of sexual violence or intimate partner violence.

• 2 in 3 transgender people have been sexually assaulted.

• People in the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to experience sexual violence.

• Less than 50% of victims report these crimes.

As a man, it is easy to react to all of this with the "well that's some men, not all men." And much like Sciona in ML Wang's brilliant Blood Over Bright Haven, confronting your own biases, and those of our society, can be a difficult process. It can also feel frustrating and leave you with a sense of "what can I actually do?" Well, as someone engaged in bookish content, here's what you can do:

• Call out ignorance and injustice when you see it, and stand for what's right.

• Read broadly and diversely, and share those stories and authors with other readers.

• Encourage the young men in your life to read as well. Encourage them to get off their phone, encourage them to talk about their feelings, and encourage them to be safe, welcoming people.

• LISTEN to the women in your life. Seek to learn about their experiences.

• Be a safe space for women, and all marginalized groups.

• When you can, contribute to organizations that do work on behalf of those most at risk.

One of the only tangible things I can do is donating money to good causes. I have a social media platform that is fortunate to have grown to a point where I make some money from it. In full transparency, it is less than $100/month. Every month $25 of that goes back to the prizes for our monthly reading challenges, and the rest is donated to causes that are important to me. So, starting here in April and for the foreseeable future, I will be donating the balance of whatever I make through my platforms, and matching it up to $100 each month, to Take Back The Night. TBTN is a "501(c)(3) Foundation is to end sexual violence in all forms, including sexual assault, sexual abuse, trafficking, stalking, gender harassment, and relationship violence, and to support survivors in their healing journeys." In the future, I will make it public what other organizations I will be donating to.

I have a great inclusive community of folks here on Bindery and on Discord. if you would like to also support Take back the Night, you can support by becoming a member here on Bindery, buying a book here through Bindery, watching my YouTube videos, or buying books from my Bookshop.org affiliate store (which has the added bonus of supporting indie bookstores!). I also intend to more intentionally share authors and stories that represent a diverse spectrum (I'm almost done with the Wheel of Time, I promise). For starters, you can check out my "Diverse Reads" bookshelf here on Bindery.

We also have a number of women and members of underrepresented communities here amongst our ranks. If you have any suggestions, perspectives, or tips to share for those of us who are trying to learn, grow, and be better, let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, thanks for being here, and thank you for your support - know that it is going to a good cause, and as a creator I fully intend to continue to promote kindness, safety, and inclusivity. And if you want to read some of my favorite female authored books with excellent female perspectives, I've linked a few to this post.