Lorraine Wilson

A worthy use of time if you enjoy it so much! 😌

I had an absolutely amazing time going to see Linkin Park, supported by JPEGMAFIA and Spiritbox, at Wembley yesterday evening. A whole afternoon of great music, so many good new memories ☺️

One of the best strategy games currently on the market! (If I do say so myself...)

I cannot state this strongly enough: If you are upset about the way this government is treating trans people and immigrants, and you have a Labour MP, for God sake write to them.

And just so we're extra clear, yes, this court case was backed and partially funded by JK.

Next time, buy a Terry Pratchett book.

So, yeah.

Maybe actually talk to some trans people about the reality of the situation before lobbying the courts and governments to remove our protections without actually doing anything to fix yours next time. You never know, we might actually have some good advice for you. ✌️

Rosie Duffield, in her infinite wisdom, believes that trans women will not be affected by this at all because it is about women's rights to single-sex spaces.

The reality is this ruling is way more likely to negatively affect trans women than it is to positively affect cis women. 7/x

institutions to enforce that ban, meaning public rest rooms, changing rooms, sports and fitness facilities, domestic abuse shelters and hospital wards where in reality women and trans women actually coexist quite harmoniously most of the time. 6/x

What this ruling *will* do is encourage activists who believe that trans women should be barred from single sex spaces because they are not women (which regardless of your views on biological sex shows a distinct lack of understanding of the nuance around trans issues) to lobby businesses and 5/x

But here is the thing.

It has never been particularly difficult for predatory people (those the groups think they are targeting) to access women's safe spaces to be predatory. And this ruling does not make it any more difficult because the law hasn't been changed, just clarified. 4/x

"not be classified as a victory for either side of the debate", it is being heralded as such by the women's rights groups involved and their supporters (including good ol' JK and the aformentioned Rosie Duffield) as it strengthens their protections. In theory. 3/x

and the barring of trans activist groups to balance the evidence. It was done under the banner of protecting women's single-sex spaces from anyone not classified as a woman (including trans women holding a Gender Recognition Certificate). Despite the court specifically stating that this should 2/x

I feel the need to put my last post in some context.

Today the Supreme Court in the UK ruled that according to the Equalities Act, trans women are not legally classified as women, which is determined by biological sex. This was after extensive lobbying by women's rights groups 1/x

Rosie Duffield once again completely misunderstanding the assignment...

Why I worry this Supreme Court ruling will be used to delegitimise trans people And why Parliament ducked its responsibilities

Parliament, not the Supreme Court should have decided today. I've written about why that's so problematic and why I fear today's judgment will be used to further delegitimise trans people, even though that is not what the Court intends.
goodallandgoodluck.substack.com/p/why-i-worr...

Split Fiction is a masterpiece.

With one last check that everyone is ready, I lead from the front and open the door for the flaming duchess, allowing the chauffer to do their thing. We will ask questions later.

I am not the best shot, so I pass the better weapons to the valet and the head maid, making sure to tell them we do not have much time. Anyone they are to meet is to make their way to the cellar door immediately. For myself, I take a weapon I do not have to fire and head back with them in tow.

I'm hesitant to leave the room, but there just isn't a suitable instrument in here. As I burst through the door I urgently call for aid, "Fire! Alcohol! Someone, quickly!" as I march to our gun room. It's only a moment later that I realise most of the staff have probably already retired for the day.

I jab at the vine with the rod to see what happens. It has probably cooled a little too much with my indecision, but I hope that the heat might still have some effect. Whatever the case, I close the door, race over to the fire and jam the poker deep into the flames to find a better weapon about.

I take a step back but continue watching the vine for a few moments to see if I can gauge whether it's actually moving or just listing in the water, thinking about experts I might be able to call out to the house to investigate the source of the flooding.

Judging the poker to be hot enough, I grip it tightly and walk to the cellar door. Anxiety begins to creep in and I'm slow to put my free hand on the door knob, adjusting the poker to be ready in my other hand. Then, with a deep breath, I find bravery and rip the door open, striking quickly.

I down the rest of the brandy in one swig, put my book down on the chair and grab a poker from next to the fire, heating it in the embers as I keep an eye on the door to see if anything bursts in the room. Bellephines are always prepared.

I pause for a couple of moments, ear cocked towards the cellar door, to see if I can identify what the source might be.

‘International law? Screw it.’

‘International institutions? Screw it.’

‘Multilateral agreements? Screw it.’

@lewisgoodall.com thinks Donald Trump is the first post-war president to misunderstand what US power is for and warns, ‘we can’t trust this guy.’

I truly hope you rest in peace, Wayne. Thank you for your work, your passion and the inspiration you bestowed upon me.

I will never forget.

"Welcome home, such as it is."
"Go with grace into the great beyond."
"They must be made to see that their monstrous god is mortal."
"What is it then, that gazes back so intently from the abyss?"

Brilliantly written, of that there is no doubt, but the way they were spoken elevated them all.

Noooo. That's fucking heart breaking.

Wayne June burned himself into my memory forever with the iconic voiceover provided to Darkest Dungeon and DDII. I would not have picked the first game up if it was not for his execution on the writing.

This is just... so sad.

Dear Meta, The recent changes to Meta’s content moderation policies put at least 9% of adults around the world at risk. We are Out Making Games (“OMG”), a network of hundreds of LGBTQ+ games professionals, representing millions of LGBTQ+ gamers and individuals around the world. We are writing to express serious concerns about the recent changes to Meta’s content moderation policies and their potential implications for online safety and inclusion for millions around the world. A global survey in 2023 found nearly 1 in 10 adults across 30 countries identify as LGBTQ+. Many will be customers of Meta via Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or the Oculus VR gaming platform and will be put at risk by Meta’s decision to reduce certain automated content filtering mechanisms. Social media platforms serve as crucial spaces for connection, support, and identity expression for many LGBTQ+ individuals, especially those in areas with limited in-person community resources. While potentially aimed at promoting broader dialogue, the changes risk creating an environment where harmful speech can proliferate more easily, and compromising these vital digital spaces.

Reduced automated filtering will allow subtle forms of harassment to slip through more frequently. While explicit hate speech might still be caught, coded language and implicit bias often require more nuanced detection systems. The LGBTQ+ community has historically been targeted through such subtle messaging tactics and according to numerous studies, increased exposure to anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric online correlates with higher rates of mental health challenges and decreased feelings of safety in LGBTQ+ communities.The changes will also likely lead LGBTQ+ users to self-censor or withdraw from platforms entirely due to increased exposure to hostile content. This would effectively silence valuable voices and perspectives in our online discourse - and considerably reduce your user base. We urge Meta to consider: Conducting a thorough impact assessment of these moderation changes, specifically examining effects on marginalized communities. Consulting with LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations and safety experts before implementing further policy changes. Implementing better transparent reporting mechanisms to track and respond to increases in targeted harassment. Maintaining robust appeals processes for both removed content and missed violations

Your platforms have the power to shape public discourse and influence social attitudes. With this power comes the responsibility to ensure all users can participate safely in online spaces. While content moderation involves complex tradeoffs between freedom of expression and user safety, history shows that undermoderation often disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities. We look forward to hearing your response and learning about concrete steps Meta will take to protect LGBTQ+ users while maintaining open dialogue on your platforms. Best regards, Out Making Games

An Open Letter to Meta

www.outmaking.games/meta-open-le...

It really changes how you manage your characters and resources compared to the base game mode, in a fresh way.

Thematically it is still cosmic horror and I don't think I know of another game that does it the same way except Darkest Dungeon. Whether that's fun for you depends on taste, I guess.