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Mark Rowland

@markrowland.bsky.social

Husband, Methodist minister, theologian. Music, queer theology, liturgy, ranty politics, frustrating transport and other mumblings. #LGBT #ActuallyAutistic He/him Views are my own

487 Followers  |  497 Following  |  132 Posts  |  Joined: 15.11.2024  |  2.0788

Latest posts by markrowland.bsky.social on Bluesky

Nowhere in the hysterical pile-on against the BBC in the British press has anyone mentioned that BBC News now has 77 million viewers & listeners in the US and has established itself as the second most trusted news source there.

11.11.2025 08:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3286    ๐Ÿ” 1029    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 205    ๐Ÿ“Œ 107

Will the RW media remember the driver and conductor of the Huntingdon attack, and how many lives they saved, the next time train companies try to eliminate staff and they strike, citing passenger safety?

03.11.2025 08:30 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1814    ๐Ÿ” 470    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 47    ๐Ÿ“Œ 12

BREAK ๐Ÿ”ฅ Starmer on Pochin comments via BBC: "Itโ€™s shocking racism and itโ€™s the sort of thing thatโ€™ll tear our country apart. And tells you everything about Reform. Nigel Farage either doesnโ€™t consider it racist which I think is shocking in itself or he does and shows absolutely no leadership.โ€ ~AA

27.10.2025 14:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 363    ๐Ÿ” 104    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 14    ๐Ÿ“Œ 5

Equality is a garden that needs constant tending, because the weeds never stop growing.

27.10.2025 11:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 232    ๐Ÿ” 61    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 6    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Their Senedd member, not a councillor

24.10.2025 12:40 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Farage absent. Reform candidate opts not to deliver speech after result.
New Plaid Cymru MS pays heartfelt tribute to his predecessor, speaks movingly and thrilled to be serving his nation in the Senedd.

Democracy is always best served in the hands of the decent.
Da iawn, Caerphilly.

24.10.2025 01:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 28    ๐Ÿ” 16    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Very good news to see a big turnout and Reform clearly defeated in Caerffili. Llongyfarchiadau to Lindsay Whittle on his election to the Senedd.

24.10.2025 03:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Unforgiving? The paradox of forgiveness after trauma - Oxford Brookes University Join us for the annual Multifaith Chaplaincy Lecture, presented by Dr Karen O'Donnell.

Iโ€™ll be speaking at Oxford Brookes on 12th Nov about trauma and forgiveness. All welcome - just book a free place

www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brooke...

08.10.2025 17:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I'm very sorry to hear this. Much sympathy to you.

08.10.2025 10:05 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

My experience is that there was a an absolutely huge gap between peopleโ€™s beliefs about how their immigration systems work and how they actually work, and if youโ€™ve had experience of the immigration system in the US or UK, youโ€™ll spend a lot of time with one raised eyebrow when the topic comes up!

06.10.2025 08:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 272    ๐Ÿ” 61    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 9    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

Saw a lot of progressive Christians saying, โ€œthe Rapture is a recent fundy inventionโ€ which is true

But they thought it ALSO meant โ€œthe Second Coming of Christ is a recent fundy inventionโ€

And Iโ€™m gonna need more churches (including mine) to recite the Creed more often ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ

โš“๏ธ

27.09.2025 19:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 66    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 7    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Hey a thing I really donโ€™t want to get lost here is that while Tylenol doesnโ€™t cause autism, ITโ€™S FINE TO BE AUTISTIC. Letโ€™s not grant them the premise that autism should be eradicated in our way to correct the science, okay? Okay.

22.09.2025 23:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9191    ๐Ÿ” 2974    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 75    ๐Ÿ“Œ 62

First Past the Post cannot handle this level of fragmentation. It will produce completely freak results.

We can grasp this problem now, or wait for the train to crash.

12.09.2025 08:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 691    ๐Ÿ” 237    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 33    ๐Ÿ“Œ 18

But if the progressive vote is split 3 or 4 ways (Lab, Lib, Green, Your Party) or even 5 ways in Scotland and Wales and the right/populist vote is only split 2 ways they will win most of the time

12.09.2025 13:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
The Telegraph

Rayner tax scandal - ยฃ40k tax dodge - Statement

Angela Rayner dodges ยฃ40,000 stamp duty

Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence

[Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday]

Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent

29 August 2025 8:57am BST

The Telegraph Rayner tax scandal - ยฃ40k tax dodge - Statement Angela Rayner dodges ยฃ40,000 stamp duty Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence [Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday] Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent 29 August 2025 8:57am BST

The Telegraph

Money > Property > Second homes

How to avoid tax on your second home

From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net

[Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto]

Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer

29 August 2025 1:21pm BST

The Telegraph Money > Property > Second homes How to avoid tax on your second home From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net [Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto] Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer 29 August 2025 1:21pm BST

On the same day in the Telegraph:

05.09.2025 07:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6510    ๐Ÿ” 3218    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 128    ๐Ÿ“Œ 180
Preview
Worship through the Lens of Autism - Sarum College What makes autistic (and other neurodivergent) people feel excluded from worship? What is a good theological response? Practical tips for ministers and autistic people.

"Worship through the lens of Autism" www.sarum.ac.uk/short-course... Join @sarumcollege.bsky.social online to learn with autism theologian, Dr Leon van Ommen about autistic and neurodivergent experiences of worship and becoming more inclusive and enabling. With @autismtheology.bsky.social

03.09.2025 10:23 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

Forthcoming statutory guidance could have a profound impact on trans people's lives.

I've written to the Women and Equalities Minister to urge her to reject anything that undermines trans people's rights, inclusion, privacy or safety, and for Parliament to have proper oversight.

29.08.2025 11:42 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 530    ๐Ÿ” 141    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 51    ๐Ÿ“Œ 8

*Court of Appeal

29.08.2025 14:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Official summary of the Court of Appeal decision in the Epping hotel case: www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/u...

Full judgment will not be handed down until later.

29.08.2025 14:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 59    ๐Ÿ” 25    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

I basically think we should only be using our remaining fossil reserves for:
- medically useful plastics (until we can phase them out)
- powered, human-scale tools for ecological remediation (ditto)
- building renewable energy sources

I'm fairly relaxed about the order in which these happen.

25.08.2025 08:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 36    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Editorial: That meeting was sickening. Putin loved it Sickening. Shameful. And in the end, useless. Those were the words that came to mind when we watched the Alaska Summit unfold. On our screens, a blood-soaked dictator and war criminal received a roy...

Sickening. Shameful. And in the end, useless.

Those were the words that came to mind when we watched the Alaska Summit unfold.

16.08.2025 04:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9821    ๐Ÿ” 2960    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 543    ๐Ÿ“Œ 219
โ€œWe have had the police knocking on every door,โ€ said a dog walker and resident of Dean, as a helicopter buzzed overhead. โ€œThey wanted the names of everybody living there and details of their social media. I know several people refused. We asked them if they were protecting us, or Vance. At least they were honest and said it is for him and that it will all be passed on to the American security people.โ€

โ€œWe have had the police knocking on every door,โ€ said a dog walker and resident of Dean, as a helicopter buzzed overhead. โ€œThey wanted the names of everybody living there and details of their social media. I know several people refused. We asked them if they were protecting us, or Vance. At least they were honest and said it is for him and that it will all be passed on to the American security people.โ€

Buried in The Observer yesterday was this: UK police knocking on doors demanding details of social media accounts of people, to pass to a foreign government, simply because they happen to live near where a US politician wanted to have a holiday observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

11.08.2025 06:59 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1510    ๐Ÿ” 1002    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 109    ๐Ÿ“Œ 238

Yes, on all counts!

09.08.2025 13:22 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Just a reminder that this is still very much accurate and relevant. Even when the EHRC publish the Code of Practice, which does not change the actual law.

08.08.2025 13:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 310    ๐Ÿ” 136    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 9    ๐Ÿ“Œ 5

LGB Alliance has sent surveys to its subscribers and donors (mostly heterosexual people)

They have then used this "data" as if it's an actual poll

Now they and sexmatters are reporting it as "Views of LGB people"

It's being sent to businesses

The Scottish Conservatives have just endorsed it

08.08.2025 19:42 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 187    ๐Ÿ” 58    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 13    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2

Written up (with others who've done the same) in Pink News: www.thepinknews.com/2025/08/08/m...

08.08.2025 21:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Solidarity. You shouldn't have to be used to it. It's atrocious.

06.08.2025 14:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Well exactly.

06.08.2025 14:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and an M&S customer, I was very disappointed to see your lack of support for your staff member who is the subject of media reports such as https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/08/06/jk-rowling-marks-spencer-ms-trans-complaint/. The stories report the member of staff asking the customers if they needed help. Surely this is an entirely normal action that members of your staff perform countless times every day. That this member of staff should be vilified in the press and the subject of an apology from you for simply doing their job while being LGBTQ+ (or appearing to be so) is outrageous.

So that I can decide whether to continue to be a customer, please can you confirm whether LGBTQ+ people are welcome in M&S - as customers or staff - and whether we can expect to be protected from discrimination in your stores.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and an M&S customer, I was very disappointed to see your lack of support for your staff member who is the subject of media reports such as https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/08/06/jk-rowling-marks-spencer-ms-trans-complaint/. The stories report the member of staff asking the customers if they needed help. Surely this is an entirely normal action that members of your staff perform countless times every day. That this member of staff should be vilified in the press and the subject of an apology from you for simply doing their job while being LGBTQ+ (or appearing to be so) is outrageous. So that I can decide whether to continue to be a customer, please can you confirm whether LGBTQ+ people are welcome in M&S - as customers or staff - and whether we can expect to be protected from discrimination in your stores.

Directed my outrage towards M&S customer services... storeservice@customer-support.marksandspencer.com if you want to do similarly.

06.08.2025 13:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 43    ๐Ÿ” 10    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

I think it really should be emphasised that what happened here is a tall woman approached a 14 year old to ask if she needed help, and the mother, not the girl, freaked out and is now calling for a ban on trans people being allowed to work with kids.

06.08.2025 10:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 474    ๐Ÿ” 177    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 19    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3

@markrowland is following 19 prominent accounts