So here’s an interesting story: The creator of the popular I Fucking Love Science Facebook page recently got a Twitter account.
Oh, I know that doesn’t sound all that interesting, but here’s the thing: When she got the Twitter account, she revealed to her Facebook fans that she was, in fact, a she.
This apparently shocked and confused a large portion of her readership. A … Woman? But … but … SCIENCE?! But there she was, with a woman’s name — Elise Andrew — and a woman’s face and everything.
Over on Hello Giggles, Julia Gazdag — also rumored to be a woman — reports on the reaction to Elise Andrew’s Big Reveal. Some chick at Reuters also did a piece on it.
(Thanks, Elizabeth, for pointing me to this story.)
Just make sure you wrap it up tight in Glad Intertube Wrap, it’ll be fine.
The tubes get filled up…with yummy food!
Yeah, that works.
“rouge apostrophe” ok I give up, tonight is not my night.
And yes, we specialize in conservative republicans, most them seem to understand how birth control works, they just think women should have to pay for it…ie the pill…oh…
Pregnancy is a woman’s problem (because these fools are entirely hetero-centric and cissexist) because women get pregnant and good women wait until marriage to have sexytimes and in marriage babies are welcomed and only whore like Fluke need the pill anyways, religions can oppose the pill!
So no, condoms aren’t a thing that wholesome people use, those are for whores who’re having pre-marital sex, good women go on the pill but pay for it themselves. Difference being that monogamous couples don’t get STIs and condoms prevent those! (Well, I think that’s the logic, honestly though, they seem entirely grossed out by the idea that other people have sexytimes)
“Difference being that monogamous couples don’t get STIs ”
Or periods! We know now that periods are STIs! 😛
1988, I was 17 and having sexy times…the condom broke…I went to the Brooke Family Planning Clinic with my then partner. We had a chat, I was clear I wanted no babies. They gave me the morning after pill and support. They didn’t tell my parents nor did they judge me. Nobody was picketing the clinic outside.
It was across the ocean and worlds apart.
In fact we were having a discussion at work today about the difference in US healthcare and welfare provision compared to Oz. Thanks to you guys, I had some stuff to add (no names were mentioned nor the website). I’ve really been blown away/saddened by what the US does to vulnerable people (was that patronising, I don’t want to be patronising). I worry that the UK is determined to head down that route…look at Cameron trying to dismantle the NHS (a long term Tory aim). It makes me sob. We had such lofty post war ideal and in the name of austerity, we are pissing them all away. I mean, Cyprus? Savers having to forfeit 40% of their savings to keep the banks afloat, whilst the banks are international and rolling in lolly in other countries. I want to puke.
/rant over
/sob
in other news, my mum sent my eldest daughter books for Easter and the first wave arrive today…Pamela dean and Diane Duane. They look very cool. Hopefully more arrive tomorrow before the town shuts down for the Easter weekend. Thanks again for suggestions, manboobzers.
hugs if you want them
🙁
thanks, Kitteh, hugs back
BigMomma — not to excuse our welfare “system” in any fucking way but I’ve never seen Planned Parenthood picketed by more than a handful of “sit in parking lot with signs” types. Pittsburgh does have one, um, very vocal, protester, but he stands no where near Planned Parenthood ranting about everything and anything (and after screaming something basically in my face about respect or something like that I snapped back about not screaming at people…dude’s obvious to anything resembling reality, anti-abortion is just a side dish)
I’m lucky enough to have always been in solidly blue areas though — PA is a purple state but Pittsburgh and Philly are why it isn’t red. I can’t imagine it isn’t horrid in serious conservative red states, but the US is weird because of the whole state laws thing. And suggest that maybe states shouldn’t get to make all their own laws and it’s communism and treason and dismantling the consitution…either my father is really out there, or I can’t translate conservative propaganda into English anymore (I lie, the answer is either case is quite simply “because there’s a [racial epithet] in office”)
Yeah ok, if I promise not to break anything running away from your spiders, will you take me as an Aussie transplant?
In totally random things, plec is suckering the side of the tank, upside down, from the bottom up. I’ve got a foot long fish wiggling his tail in the air!
Argenti, welcome to Oz (employs special spider vacuum to suck up all spiders in area).
Phew re your experience (kinda)(i.e dude shouting in your face, urgh) of PP. I’ve seen a lot of coverage of scary people picketing PP so, even though I spent some time in the US, I forget how friggin’ big and diverse it is. Oz has a similar issue re state v federal and, as a UK born but now Oz resident, I really struggle to wrap my head around the divisions and politics of it all
AA- Sympathy for crazy racist neocon parents.
A note on my parents:
My mother is (legit diagnosed) both bipolar and mildly schizophrenic. She’s also just plain fucking mean. She refuses to take her meds because she likes being manic. The fact that she’s terrifying when she’s manic and a threat to herself and everyone around her… doesn’t phase her. She’s “conservative”, but mostly racist and homophobic. She was emotionally and physically abusive to me throughout my childhood. My father also hoards and won’t take meds for his problems. I have a baby (15) sister with severe autism, she’s the only reason I haven’t cut contact- I have to check in and make sure they aren’t hurting my sister.
Anyway I wasn’t looking to whine, I just realized I said “crazy” and had stuck my foot in my mouth again. It’s a bad habit.
Valerian — thanks, hilariously, I’m the crazy one, they’re all perfectly sane. Well, diagnosis wise anyways, of course, his paranoidness thinks psychology is all a government ploy to um…liberal hippies and their feelings! In my day you had to earn your self-esteem! Idfk, something like that?
It’s Argenti though, not AA, said paranoid one is supposedly a recovering alcoholic (supposedly my ass, my mother just refuses to admit my brother and I have both caught him with booze). Yeah, in any case, I’m not Alcoholic’s Anonymous. Argenti’s fine 🙂
BigMomma — w00t! I hear you guys even have universal healthcare down there, does that mean I can get a psych who isn’t all “we can only work on goals, talk therapy isn’t a thing”? (Ok, to be fair, I haven’t met my new psych yet)
…and by my decreasing ability to type, it appears my industrial strength sleeping pill is kicking in, I’ll be off soon enough. What time is it in Oz? Jet lag might be perfect since it’s 5-fucking-30 am here and I’m just going to bed >.<
Valerian, that sounds very difficult. If you have any suspicions that your sister is being mistreated, do not hesitate to call (your local variant of child protection services). I have my concerns over them not taking their meds, based on what you say.
Valerian — omgs that sucks, dangerous while manic must make her a real joy while depressed, or at least, I’m far less pleasant to be around when depressed (of course, hypomania actually is enjoyable, if you don’t mind me getting all “it’s art project time!” In the middle of the night). But yeah, putting other people, particularly children or others in your care, at risk? Not. Fucking. Okay.
You’re new around here huh? Complaining is perfectly acceptable, and with that set of parental complaints, totally justified.
Sorry if my making sense skills are shot, my industrial strength sleeping pill is low dose seroquel and my brain is quickly turning to mush. Point of this gibberish is I’m terribly sorry you have such shitty parents, and hope for the best for you and your sister…and have a welcome package for you if you a new to these parts.
hmmmm, Argenti, re psych healthcare, (and can others correct me, please?) my impression is that, unless you have additional private health care cover, decent psych care is hard. I am in very rural area so may have a skewed information base. I know that your GP can provide you with referrals to subsidised counselling sessions and it is up to you to source a therapist who accepts the referral. I have a vague idea that the referral is for an initial 6 sessions but possibly can be extended for longer.
BigMomma’s right about calling your variant of CPS, while she’s a legal adult it’ll matter that there’s a record of your parents being unsuitable guardians (I’m assuming it’s doubtful she’ll be able to live independently, still probably better to get an official record though)
otherwise, the MH system only picks up on you at crisis point, which is utter bullshit.
Oh that’s fun, at least my “goal oriented” shit seems to be covered flat out (I have state insurance and CT’s is nearly as good as MA’s)
Also *when she’s an adult, not while. Logic, I fail it.
Ok, I’m going to bed, so I’m just going to offer this to anyone new around here, or otherwise in need of SCENTED MOTHERFUCKING CANDLES!
Here’s the complementary welcome package consisting of a misandrist hard chair, matching bath towels, SCENTED MOTHERFUCKING CANDLES and cupcakes, delivered by female (whore) penguins in spanx. Please enjoy!
G’night!
“Yeah ok, if I promise not to break anything running away from your spiders, will you take me as an Aussie transplant?”
Works for me! Just take out citizenship or whatever’s needed to get on the electoral role quicksmart, then you can vote against that unspeakable specimen Abbott and his crew of wannabe Repubs. ::barfs::
“BigMomma — w00t! I hear you guys even have universal healthcare down there, does that mean I can get a psych who isn’t all “we can only work on goals, talk therapy isn’t a thing”? (Ok, to be fair, I haven’t met my new psych yet)”
Yes! I only end up paying about $25 a session (it’s $160 up front but can be claimed) for my psych sessions. Ten a year are covered by Medicare.
Time – lessee, it’s about an hour since you wrote that, I think, so it would have been pushing 8pm here. I’m just going to do a quick thread check and then go to bed earlier than last night. I was wilting by lunchtime today.
Valerian – hugs if you want them, that’s appalling. 🙁 And ditto what Argenti said, that isn’t whining, that’s legitimate complaint.
OT I just watched a doco (with the most hyperbolic narration, ugh) on the Antarctic. Fun fact: Arctic foxes can apparently have up to 25 pups per litter. Not a job I’d want to take on! Breeding big or often seems to be the thing in that environment – not surprising, really. Lemmings breed a couple of times per winter and again in spring; they gestate for three weeks and by the time the young are a month old they’re breeding too. (Add to list of “jobs I wouldn’t want”.) The snowy owls have up to ten eggs per brood.
And Arctic fox cubs are TEH CUTEST.
Men should not spoil their natural charm by engaging in science. It’s always kind of awful when you meet one of those males who abscorned his gender’s natural affinity to drums, flags, uniforms and marching in step with his fellow males.
CPS turned up frequently while I was growing up, but my parents are well-off, it never went anywhere when I was a child and hasn’t since. I can only hope things stay okay until I get out of grad school.My husband teaches and while I love his drive and vocation, it doesn’t pay that well.
@BigMomma – I don’t know if you are still around but you might have another book to add to your list soon… I have somehow got myself into writing a children’s book.
@BigMomma
Have you seen the Percy Tresize/Dick Roughsey children’s books on Larpil/Cape York Aboriginal folk stories? Some of the illustrations in those are the best at capturing the general “feel” of Australia I’ve ever seen.
“Turramulli the Giant Quinkin” scared the shit out of me to the point where I’d demand that if we were keeping that book in the house, it’d be kept facedown on the highest shelf in the house, though. My siblings seemed unaffected, but probably best not to go with that one (although looking back at it just recently, the illustrations were beautiful and had this great sense of movement and scale).