04.09.2023 - accounts that make tiktok worth it
people i follow that talk about a fun variety of social topics, ranging from mutual aid to pleasure
first off, sorry for all the listicles i don't mean to make it like fucking buzzfeed up in here but i think at this point in my life i just have a lot less i want to make public from my personal journals. idk if i ever mentioned it but i did start a job that has me regularly engaging with youths and that's making me want to be a little more private about my online presence. but also like, half my kiddos don't understand using the computer so i'm probably fine. anyways, yeah idk i worry about the longevity of this particular post, given that the U.S. wants to ban tiktok (and not so secretly pass a whole bunch of fucked up surveillance laws with it), but i choose to believe we will all collectively work together to stop the RESTRICT act so that this post doesn't end up having a bunch of dead links.
Ismatu GwendolynIsmatu is an "essayist, therapist, and thinker in praxis" and I really like watching their videos because I learn a lot while still having fun. In particular, their video series on the romance of friendships is incredibly fun while still making a case for why we should reconsider how we treat our friends (given that friendships are one of the types of social relations that capitalism hasn't taken from us). They also talk at length about reproductive justice and how it can intersect with poverty - explaining very clearly why arguments for 'poor people having less kids' is based in eugenics and is a shitty politic to have. They have more than just a tiktok account, so I put down their linktree instead.
Amy ChenAmy's content right now is focused on a lot of well-worded, interesting takes on unpacking Anti-Blackness, specifically in the context of furthering As.Am and Black Am. solidarity. She's got two major series, one on the model minority myth and the other on anti-Blackness. If you watch her stuff, you'll get a lot of historical context and honestly, a ridiculous amount of dunking on dumbasses online. Not my most favorite method of learning new stuff, but I imagine it's worse being the recipient of stupid comments.
Danisha CarterI feel like I don't have to explain why Danisha is on my page. I feel like I can't watch a video without seeing her in the comments. Her account revolves around a very luxurious, straightforward presentation of opinions and current news. She's also really funny? The champion of telling people to mind their own business and not be weird about shit online.
Dr. Candise LinCandise is a cross-cultural commentator that makes some of Chinese pop culture a little more accessible to an English speaking audience. She's a tutor as well, but her tiktoks are mostly very fun and silly pop culture things that you might have never known about since it's hard to connect with Chinese netizens. It's mostly cdrama and actor videos, but I think cultural perspective is important to educate yourself on if you want to see a culture as living, and not thru racist lens? DO NOT. and I repeat. DO NOT. come to me talking out of ur ass on some sinophobic bullshit btw.
Jack (he/they)Jack is a white guy who makes videos unpacking the current state of Western masculinity. It's def from a white guy's perspective, but he makes really helpful videos on how to address men on problematic behavior and unlearning toxicity.
Will update as I go!