R Chapman

NHS closed Tavistock over care complaints – there were only eight An eye-opening FOI report has revealed that just eight people complained about the Tavistock gender clinic's care provision in 10 years.

a clinic that provided services to 12,000 people being closed on the basis of 8 complaints perfectly captures the nature of the uk 'trans-debate'

www.thepinknews.com/2026/02/11/n...

Xfinity's scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could. They didn't stop to think if they should.

Does anybody actually think numerous old white English men would have committed acts of violence (firebombings, riots, etc.) against migrants had the British papers not spent decades fear mongering about migrants supposedly not integrating into society?

going to hold on to this & listen to it again the next time my spirits flag, & the next time after that, & after that again, &&&

"How many people does it take before it becomes wrong?
A thousand?
Fifty thousand?
A million?
How many people does it take, admiral?"

- Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Insurrection

This is an excellent analogy, because my recollection from grade school is that the pen on the right looks fun and exciting, and then you play with it for a few minutes and realize it's not actually useful for anything and in fact makes some tasks more cumbersome, and never think about it again.

a woman dancing in front of a sign that says " no mercy " Alt: Ria in Polite Society dancing to distract her enemies; text overlaid says " no mercy "

Polite Society is on Film4, Wednesday night at 9pm and I'd hugely recommend it: teenage would-be stuntwoman plots to stop her older sister's wedding, having decided the bridegroom is secretly evil.
Enormous fun - this was my NYE film a couple of years ago.

Shaxs from Star Trek Lower Decks is pictured. He's a cartoon, because Lower Decks, besides being the best effing show ever, is a cartoon. Shaxs is a big burly man wearing his gold Star fleet uniform and also an apron over the front like he's doing some sort of art project or baking a nice sourdough. In each hand he's holding a broken bottle like that thing you do where you take a bottle and break off the bottom and then use it as a weapon. His eyeballs are bulging large, his brow is furrowed, and he looks absolutely unhinged with rage and fury. Closed caption reads, "Fighting fascism is a full time job!"

This looks like the bad guy in an early Cronenberg movie telling America they gotta start eating bugs

These Stories Teach Us How to Fight - Uncanny Magazine Chicago, October 2025. I need you to know we tried. I bought whistles and saline eyewash for my friends, students. The theatre bought 150 whistles. They were gone in days. A neighbor 3D-printed hundre...

My latest essay for @uncannymagazine.bsky.social is live!!

My editor: "I've never published a more important essay." 🥹

how to join the maquis

So his response to the criticism of his app generating sexual deep fakes of children is... to try to monetise it as a feature

The Times rarely calls for resignations in its leading articles. But the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans on the grounds of fake "intelligence" is a scandal for which Craig Guildford, chief of West Midlands police, should take full responsibility.

Again: If I was anyone in any position of mild authority, I’d look at the out of control wingnut cranks at this newspaper running a two-month hate and terror campaign against *the police* as being pro-Islamist radicals, and I would conclude that they can do this to pretty much anyone they want now.

Imagine being the person brave enough to leak this in the hopes that media attention could stop it and then the media just……buries it.

Happy New Year, start it off smiling with this golden oldie

A forlorn landscape of layered rocks in the foreground, with hills fading into the background haze. At upper top right, a small crescent moon, and a bright star.

Open up this picture fully.

Then look at the surface of Mars.

Then look up to the top right.

Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.

Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.

That's Earth.

This is dystopian horror. Innocent people literally got a stamp on a card at random to let them know if they would live or if they would starve to death.

Not because the world lacks resources—but because its stricken with greed. All this blood is on the hands of Trump, Musk, & feckless Republicans.

When 97% is 'no clear consensus', and 52% is 'the will of the people', it's time to face facts that Governments do what Governments want to do regardless of what their people actually want.

This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

He’s laundered a genocide. He demonises desperate people seeking asylum. He panders to Reform at the expense of people of colour. He’s implementing transphobic policies. He cuts benefits for disabled people. “Inoffensive”? He’s deeply offensive if you are affected by any of this (Lewis isn’t)

Girlguiding leaders refuse to enforce 'horrific' trans ban Girlguiding leaders have told PinkNews they refuse to enforce a new policy banning trans girls from their groups.

EXCLUSIVE - Girlguiding leaders refuse to enforce 'horrific' trans ban https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/12/05/girlguiding-leaders-trans-ban/?utm_content=1765263600&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky

Good morning 🌞

Polling basics is you don’t let your cohort self select like this. More appalling bullshit journalism laundering government bullshit form the BBC

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Absolute fucking cowards. Nothing in the Supreme Court ruling comprehensively established that it is unlawful to ever include us. You could fight that case and win if you were willing to take a risk for us.

Women's Institute have also folded.

They're a private organisation who can decide exactly who their members are and aren't. The SC only affects provisions of the Equality Act, none of which apply to this.

They've chosen to protect themselves from legal challenges at the expense of trans people.

Okay, here we go.

Health & care staff are no longer allowed a Covid booster, but they're still expected to look after COVID+ patients.

NHS/govt is reneging on its duty of care. Staff will become unwell, and patients too will suffer.

You know what to do
👇✍️
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...

Today is International Men’s Day. So here’s to refugee men fleeing abuse, trans men denied healthcare, queer men bullied for being different, Black men racially profiled, disabled men excluded from work, and all the other men who fail at being “real men.” May we continue to cultivate our humanity.

Dear Politician,

If fascists are endorsing your immigration policies, it’s because your immigration policies are racist.

Just saying.