Magnus Ramage

Par for the course for Their Party would now be that Corbyn issues a counter statement that they've not reconciled at all. Pissup, brewery etc.

How many more generations will be denied Black queer history before we take action? When we understand that our history is diverse, it changes our outlook. I hope that this Black History Month, we all take the time to uncover the history lessons we were denied in school

When we understand that our history is diverse, it changes our outlook. I hope that this Black History Month, we all take the time to uncover the history lessons we were denied in school

https://www.wearequeeraf.com/how-many-more-generations-will-be-denied-black-queer-history-before-we-take-action/

A truly excellent headline.

I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter

Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them

A someone who has written extensively about the eugenic roots that permeates those who claim to be building so-called artificial general intelligence, I'm here to tell you to please NOT compare criticism against corporations claiming to build a machine god, with eugenics. The audacity.

As a Quaker organization that believes in the value of every human life, we mourn the over 1,000 Israelis killed
on Oct. 7, 2023.

We mourn the more than 67,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since.

And we call for the release of all Palestinian and Israeli civilians held captive.

I stopped calling Octavia butlers work prophetic once I realized she herself literally said that her work was influenced by deeply studying history which gave have her insight into the future. I realized I was watering down how truly brilliant she was and what she was trying to get across

Speaking purely musically, I'm surprised to find that it *does* work if you do it in the style of a Bach recitativ from one of the Passions. With a little organ flourish to follow.

Am wondering if all of those suddenly deciding they’re against communities living “parallel lives” might reconsider their support of religious schools? Or indeed private ones?

"No no no, we didn't mean *those* inward-looking homogeneous communities"

Charlie XCX is Reviewer 2!

Nice!

But then we'd have to say "Richard Of York Gave Battle Vain" which makes no sense. Newton was saving us from ourselves.

🚨 NEW | Anti-trans hate group "Green Women's Declaration" have been formally barred from Green Party conference.

The group sought a stall at conference, but their bid was denied by the party. Green leader Zack Polanski recently affirmed the party's support for trans rights.

Glasman would never defect. Essentially all of “Blue Labour” is about avoiding responsibility or even actually having to do anything other than be an Interesting Dissident.

Good morning from a train going through a rather wet English Lake District.

Even though I'm a Scot and a pedant, I'd not be arguing with a Sith lord who can make flames come out of bagpipes. Probably safest to let him wear what he wants.

I genuinely don't understand why Maurice Glasman gets so much of an audience within the Labour party and leftish media. He's so clearly at odds with anything resembling progressive politics.

British Politics' Midlife Crisis Why British Parties Can't Make Peace with Their Actual Voters

On the morning of Keir Starmer's conference speech here's a new post on an odd psychopathology in British politics - our main parties don't like the people who vote for them - the dreaded Professional Managerial Class. And so they are acting out like a divorced dad seeking cooler voters. 1/n

Somehow we never made a holiday out of 30th January 1649. Strange that.

I wanted to take the opportunity to clarify my reasons for cancelling my membership of Labour Women's Network. When I joined LWN at Conference last year, I took particular care to check the constitution to ensure that trans women were accepted. As a proud trans ally, I firmly believe that trans women are women and that there is no such thing as a women's group that excludes trans women. I was pleased to see that LWN was open to all who self-define as women, and as such was happy to join the organisation. I was disappointed by the statement released in May that LWN would be identifying women as only "biological women", however I noted that this was a temporary position. I ran for a place on the Executive Committee to give those members who feel that trans women should be welcomed and supported within LWN an opportunity to speak. The cancellation of my membership is not due to my lack of success in that election, but due to the change in constitution. I cannot see any reason for this change of constitution than to actively exclude trans women from the group. I made trans inclusivity the centre of my pitch to the executive committee because I feel passionately that LWN could be truly progressive in finding a way for trans women to be included in women's spaces. Indeed, the previous wording in the constitution did this perfectly, making it clear that anyone who identifies as a woman could be a member. There is no legal challenge to this. The Supreme Court and EHRC guidance do not force any organisation to be trans-exclusionary. Transphobia remains a choice - a choice that LWN has deliberately made.

This change of constitution does not clarify the situation. If anything, it makes it more vague and down to interpretation. The very concept of "biological woman" which LWN claims will be the basis for the new constitution is spurious and I wonder how LWN is planning to monitor this. Will all members have to do DNA tests before joining? | suspect some members may be in for a shock if you did this! Should it be judged on hormone levels? Are trans men now permitted to join LWN on the basis of their birth certificate? The concept of "biological women" is anti-feminist and rooted in misogyny, and it is frankly disgraceful that a woman's organisation has chosen to use such horrifying language. My identity as a woman has nothing to do with my biology or anatomy, and I will not be a part of an organisation which thinks of women in such a degrading manner. This does not reduce the risk of legal challenge to LWN; if anything, it increases it. The EHRC guidance is only interim at this stage, and this change seems premature given pending legal challenges. Trans people still have human rights, and the Equality Act 2010 still offers them protection from discrimination. Trans women pose no threat to cisgender women within LWN. They do not possess any advantage; in reality, they face increased discrimination and need additional support to achieve fair representation within our elected bodies. It is hypocritical for LWN to claim that they "reject transphobia" while proposing and voting through an amendment that is intrinsically transphobic. This amendment has only one purpose - to exclude trans women from LWN.

One final thought. I did not feel able to speak at the AGM on this matter. Me, a cisgender woman, silenced by women. I never feel silenced in a room full of men, but I felt uncomfortable and unable to speak truth to power in that forum. That is the society that transphobic women are creating right now, one where cis women who are inclusive of our trans sisters are silenced. I'm sure the more transphobic members of LWN will be delighted to hear this, but is that really the world that LWN strives for? One where women's voices are only heard if they align with a far-right agenda? Follow the money that is currently making scapegoats of trans people, and you will see it's the same money that is making scapegoats of refugees and asylum seekers. These same people are already infringing on women's rights in the USA, and they will seek to do the same in the UK. If that is who LWN chooses to align with, that is the choice of LWN. It is a choice that does not align with Labour values, is anti-feminist and anti-equality. I will not be a part of it. Kind Regards, Felicity Pryke

I needed to think carefully about how to word this.

Labour Women’s Network used to allow anyone who identified as a woman. They have changed the wording to simply “women” and stated this means “biological women.”

Labour Women’s Network is a transphobic organisation and I will not be party of it.

UK faces ‘battle for the soul’ of the country, says Starmer amid Reform threat In a rallying cry to progressives around the world, the Prime Minister said allies must stop the ‘politics of predatory grievance’.

“Let’s call it for what it is: bullshit. The truth is, politicians have talked about little else but immigration for decades and in the most dehumanising ways.

Polanski added: “Stop the boats’ is all we hear. Well, today I'm saying ‘stop the bullshit’.”

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Ah, the famous Hamilton-Jefferson bathroom vanities debate.

Labour must grab the microphone from Reform UK and stand up for true British values | Lucy Powell If elected deputy Labour leader, I would take the fight to Nigel Farage and show him for what he really is, says Labour MP Lucy Powell

This is very, very good. Let's see Phillipson say something similar or, God help her, explain why Powell is wrong.

Quite.

Feels a lot like he's also preparing the ground to stigmatise & persecute autistic people. Appalling.

See also "biological sex". Extreme conservatives are frighteningly good at getting their loaded language into mainstream media.

A huge victory for Cambridge.

Orwell was the o.g. AntiFa.

Breakthrough Scholarship for Fantasy Writers with Low Income This scholarship will award one talented speculative writer with limited financial means a place on our new nine-week online Writing Fantasy course.

Opportunity here for a writer on a low income to get access to a nine week novel writing course taught by the great @silvanhistorian.bsky.social

www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/break...