Our little university has initiated a series of training sessions for faculty and staff on Safe Spaces. The whole gender thing has become a rabid hobby among influential segments of the academic community, and is endemic among the students. I even see it running through segments where you’d think people would know better, like STEM graduate students and faculty. Somewhat attenuated in intensity and sheer lunacy, but still.
I remember my mother and her Jewish lady cohort used to play a game called Mah Jongg that involved plastic tiles with little Chinese figures on them. Like many other games, it involved making certain combinations (melds) of tiles from ones held and drawn. Once a year, they would all get cards in the mail with this year’s melds. Yep, the rules changed yearly, and all the Jewish ladies would immediately follow the new ones. And of course discuss at length this year’s melds. “Oh, last year’s were so much better.” I made the mistake once of overhearing a conversation like that and asking my mom, “So, if last year’s were better, why not use those?” She gave me the same puzzled look a dog would give after you asking him to solve the Airy equation in two dimensions. “But… those are last year’s. This years are different.”
And so it is with vocabulary and names. It is vitally important that you keep up with not only this year’s terms, but as was explained to us, the shifting names and labels and terms adopted by each individual you come in contact with. The only difference to Mah Jongg is that it’s not clear who sends out the cards.
Let’s first start with a marvelous graphic explanation of the basic terms:
Before delving into the details of the lunacy, note that this is Version 4. This year’s melds. Are they better or worse than last year’s melds? That is a question not to be asked. Several related questions I asked were apparently uncomfortably close to things also that shouldn’t be asked, but I did keep in mind that I’d like to keep my job.
Now shifting vocabulary isn’t anything new when applied to euphemism or ethnonym; for example “colored people” became opprobrium not used in polite society, but then later returned as “people of color.” What’s novel is both the rapidity of change and the application to individuals and their shifting whims. WebDom gave me a perfect example: “When I left the shop to go home and shower, there was a girl named Charlotte working front of house. When I got back about 40 minutes later- FORTY MINUTES- I now had a nonbinary trans named Firespear. Who was getting pissed off at anyone who called her Charlotte, or calling her ‘her.'” See, “Charlotte” is her deadname, and using the name she’s had for 25 years until <40 minutes ago is akin to genocide. So deadnames are something that’s integral to this training. We were instructed to never ask anyone if their name is their birth name or their “chosen” name. And in perfect 1984 manner, referring to something someone did in the past before they adopted the new name or gender, one MUST only use the current name and gender, even if it makes no sense.
This brought up my first uncomfortable question. “There’s a local person who was a man, war hero in Special Forces, then became a woman. Then after some years, decided that was a major mistake and went back to being a man. Do we use this person’s current gender and name or the one this person was using at the time being discussed?”
“Whichever they prefer.”
“What if you don’t know this person? How would I know what’s preferred?”
“You need to ask.”
“How do I do that? It’s someone I don’t know.”
The look I got from the instructor told me to shut up while I still had a job.
My second uncomfortable question: “Who decides what the proper current terminology is?”
“The community.”
“How do I ask the community what words I need to use? Do I have to stop and take a poll any time I want to speak about someone?”
Same look. I shut up. Well, I would have sucked at mah jongg anyway.
Some other highlights of the actual training session:
Let’s start with the principal word in the title, queer. When I was a younger lad, this was a fighting word, a first-order epithet. Now… here’s the definition on the nine page glossary of terms:
Queer: An umbrella term that describes people who aren’t exclusively heterosexual. The term “queer” (the Q in LBGTQIA+) acknowledges that sexuality is a spectrum as opposed to a collection of independent and mutually exclusive categories. Use of the word opens up options beyond lesbian, gay, and bisexual to people who don’t fit neatly into these categories or prefer a category that isn’t dependent on sex and gender. While this term once had negative and derogatory connotations, queer has resurfaced as a common and socially acceptable way for LGBTQIA+ people to refer to themselves and their community. Despite its growing use, some people still have negative associations with the word and don’t want to be referred to in this way. Queer, like all terms describing sexuality, should be used sensitively and respectfully.
We were told, however, that this has shifted again. “Queer” apparently is derogatory when used to describe an individual, but is a preferred term when referring to “the community.” No, I can’t figure that out, either.
Another interesting term I hadn’t encountered before:
Demisexual: On the asexual spectrum, this sexual orientation describes people who experience sexual attraction only under specific circumstances, such as after building a romantic or emotional relationship with a person.
So apparently I’m on the asexual spectrum because I don’t fuck casually. Huh.
Anyway, no use in going through the 100+ gender terms. I can’t figure most of them out even after reading the definitions.
I still have a job, but we’ll see what happens after the next session on ethnicities and how that relates to structural racism and microaggression.
My reaction on seeing this post:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRsZI21boZ8
👍
https://youtu.be/h1dxZ8srDM4
LOL
God, such a waste. People could actually producing something useful
Not these specific people, but some people.
I figured everyone here would understand that was implied.
These people could, but they don’t have to. It just requires the proper motivation.
And by proper motivation mean something between STEVE SMITH and Stalin.
Some of them could, but one thing they surely do know is that deviation from the stated political goals will be very bad for their career, and orthodoxy win prizes and advancement. Those are not environments that generally attract the best and brightest. (With some exceptions for unusual situations such as OMWC’s). Nor do the leaders even care about ability – they want obedience – at the very least, compliance.
Humans are already complex and people thought…what could we do to make it even more complex?
“Make it stupid, mindlessly boring, and obviously with neither value, nor logic”. That’s the ticket.
You have no idea.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W7cckvTXwJ0
I think I have a DIE training in my queue at work…think its due in May. I dont know, I always go late on em.
Just ask Freedom Tunes
I like the Canadian accents. Hey, where are Rufus and BEAM?
Rufus is working.
How’s it goin’, eh?
That job must be fucking amazing to put up with that shit.
It’s a job in his field where he wants to live.
That’s not enough, imo.
I can testify that it’s a very pleasant little town. If I weren’t such a massive gun freak, I think I’d find certain parts of upstate New York to be quite livable.
I haven’t been to that specific town but I’ve been all over the area and it’s lovely. I am from that neck of the woods. Nice towns, some shabbier than others, but generally good people. But yes, the state government is a huge suck – especially up there as it is designed to feed the maw of NYC and doesn’t give a shit about small towns. Frankly it’s amazing that there are any signs of life in the region given how poorly the state treats them.
I’m getting a free education from the best minds in a field that was totally new for me. That’s worth a LOT.
👍
OFFS. “Queer” is a take-back just like nigga. Nothing more, nothing less.
Only difference is starting in the late 80s, early 90s, it became a social signal for “activists” to identify each other.
Or porch monkey.
Please get out of my head.
Queer is political. Nigga isn’t.
Not that it matters.
EVERYTHING is political.
Topical, as I watch Valley Girl
I remember being young and innocent enough to think that Who Moved My Cheese? would be the most idiotic claptrap HR departments could churn out.
Or Myers-Briggs.
I wonder if I’m still an INTJ…
You and me both brother.
I showed the genderbread person to my husband and read him the first paragraph, and I thought a vein was going to pop out of his forehead.
How do you fight this? The staff have their jobs to worry about. The kids are not alright. When does it end?
“ So apparently I’m on the asexual spectrum because I don’t fuck casually.”
So business casual? Or all the way to formal?
Morning coat and spats.
Morning coat and assless chaps.
Point of order: those are just called “chaps”
Assful chaps are called crotchless pants.
You’re supposed to wear a codpiece with those.
https://youtu.be/Ku7eOUbR5u4
I think Pornhub has a channel for that.
Jeans and a jacket, no tie.
So Network (1976) is tomorrow night?
Correct. The link to it is here:
https://archive.org/details/Network1976
It is on Internet Archive. My caveat is that Microsoft browsers take multiple clicks to make the movie actually start. Most other browsers have no issue. It would be easier for you to download a copy than from Tubi, I would think.
On Firefox: Ctrl+i, click the “Media” tab, click the “Type” column to sort descending, the first item in the column will now say “Video”, click the “Save as” radio button.
That works on most video sites that don’t use DRM or a blob player.
Is it on Tubi?
I watch all these on my “smart” TV.
No. You could, however, run it on your phone and broadcast it to a smart TV. Roku TVs excel at screen share. I tested that as well.
I apologize for the inconvenience of this. There are a number of films I wanted for this special January that just cannot be found streaming. And these films are, to me, absolutely essential to rewatch in 2023. When I rewatched Network for example, it made me slightly ill. It is now way, way too close to reality.
If you’ve got a local copy, you can stream it via FileParty. P2P, uses webtorrent.
This seems easier for most. It’s really not harder than TUBI for the average viewer. I will be doing Network, then Soylent Green, then Zardoz. Internet Archive may notice a bump in traffic. Lots of lurkers.
Oh not for this one, I was just thinking if you do run into any rarities that can’t be located on the web. FileParty tends to work better for small groups though – once the sync is started, it’s started. Join late, you join with the sync.
I can watch on my PC, no prob.
Faye Dunaway on top…………..
Seeing this at 11ish made my pants fit tight. First sex scene I remember in a movie.
We look back at folks who didn’t believe negroes were human, as being hopelessly ignorant. I wonder how people a hundred years from now will look at us …as hopelessly ignorant toward the “pick your gender” etc. community or as perceptively correct in identifying a mental illness?
I think that if it is identified as a mental illness in 100 years, this little blip of discord will have been forgotten and/or seen as trivial.
Relatedly:
Now even Peter Pan has been given a trigger warning
So you’re saying Sandy Duncan likes it in the butt?
Midweek Zoom still a thing?
er, misthread
Is it? Is it really?
Why, will Sandy Duncan be there?
Yeah its either Zoom of Pathfinder for me
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9186784082
Which Disney Sandy Duncan movie:
1) Million Dollar Duck
2) The Cat From Outer Space
Sandy does Dallas
Imagine if they had to deal with Sugarfree.
Actual triggers attached to bump stocks.
Is it wrong if I eat the genderbread person?
Nothing wrong with oral on occasion
It’s OK as you receive permission before each step.
“We’re just gonna have a brewski and watch a movie.”
“We’ll just watch some Netflix and chill”
Taste the rainbow.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B4kwXcfv7Is
Sounds queer, but I won’t judge.
The repeated facepalming could easily be mistaken for applause.
No, you can only do that a couple of times and then it is head-desk.
Watching Valley Girl for the first time (on Tubi – thanks R.J.!) – early thoughs:
– man, I forgot about this jam
– so, he just figured he’d creep in the shower for a while and hoped the girl he was after would come use the bathroom? That’s a terrible plan.
Name one teenager with a great plan.
Go!
Charles XII of Sweden?
Joan of Arc?
She did love a bonfire!
William Bonney?
Scott Pilgrim?
I didn’t know that was in a movie. Such a great song.
Huh, the guitarist was Bob Rock
Shit like this is why I’m glad to be self employed.
Yup. #Metoo
Shit like this is why I’m glad to be retired.
I need to find a “real” WFH or self-employed job to supplement my dying business. If I have to put up with shit like this I’m going to either be unemployable or dead from self inflicted GSW or aneurysm, whichever comes first.
There are BigCorps out there who aren’t playing this game – mine is one of them, thank God.
Megacorp has been talking a big game for a long time, but the last DEI related training was pretty low key.
Same. Thankfully. I got eight more years before the daughter is out of school. Then no more corporate job.
Talk to Mojo, she always has something going on.
I have never NOT had a side hustle or 3, but not enough to pay someone else. It’s up to me to pull all-nighters.
We’re serious about WFH and not too stupid with DIE stuff – hit me up at my handle at protonmail.com if you’re interested in some remote tech jobs.
Hmm, I’ll follow up with you, although I don’t think I’d probably qualify. I’ve badly pigeonholed myself plugging away at what I currently do for so long. I’m kind of screwed in terms of marketable skills.
Stahp. Give it a try.
As a low self-esteem fella, I will exhort you to realize that that lots and lots of other people suck at their jobs. As long as you suck less, you’re in!
“I don’t have to run faster than the tiger…”
“I am the least-worst candidate you will meet all day!”
Lol, that’s a good way to look at it, and I do find myself frequently baffled at the unvarnished stupidity of people in advanced positions making more in a year than I’ll earn in my lifetime (reading the depositions of upper managers in a multi-state medical group during a wrongful death lawsuit involving my dad was… illuminating). I do legitimately lack qualifications and experience though, unfortunately. I wouldn’t want to create unrealistic expectations. I will definitely contact you though, thanks.
I’m kind of in the same position. My day business is winding down. I have a clerical side gig, but even combined with day job, that’s not cutting it, either. I had to find something else to do, so I decided to get training and do something steady, stable, and without drama.
Akshully…your new gig revolves very much on other peoples’ drama. 😉
Oh, I don’t mind other people’s drama, so long as I’m just slapping labels on everything that happens.
I know what you meant. Just feeling glib. 🧐
Technically correct, best kind, etc. etc.
I’m very happy at the prospect of retirement.
Not even on my radar. Though I “can” in twelve years so maybe it should be.
I hated my previous assignment so much that I was busy figuring out how to retire at 62. That would’ve been a struggle; instead I got another job (same basic work, different program office, different employer) and it has worked out. I’ll feel better if the market starts ticking up a little.
Just a bunch or retarded bundle of sticks bullshit. I presume, likely wrongly, that said university has a faculty and administration with IQs that tend to be above average. Why the sensitive fifth grader level training materials? How in the hell are we losing to these people?
We tend to be nice, polite, respectful and they are full of deceit and manipulation. We want to operate on good faith and they are perfectly fine going on bad.
OT – I’m going back to the principal’s office tomorrow morning. Ten minute pep-talk and a scrip to see him in three month’s time. I need to clear the snow off of the truck for this? Dude, you know that I am failing. Spit it out, be a Man.
SF knocks it out of the park, yet again.
Expression is how their armpits smell?? 😕
Express Yourself
Ah, reminds me of the era of the “fat sample”. NWA and that tune. Warren G and “I Keep Forgetting”.
Legal names. That is what you always need to ask.
I grew up with this kind of happy horseshit, and you have to work it like a logic puzzle. It is mostly a power trip thing, making sure that the townies know their place.
Games Workshop finally released some hard data on Warhammer+ figures. Only 115,000 Subs and 5 million video views. That’s pathetic.
As a shareholder, I am disappointed in them.
Is there anything really worth watching on there? I know Cavill is doing something Wh40K related now.
To be honest… not really. Certainly not worth an ongoing subscription.
And the Amazon contract hasn’t actually been signed, the investor disclosure has clarified that it is a verbal agreement.
What’s really disappointing in all honesty is the fact that the three core series (Battle Report, Loremasters, Painting Masterclass) do not have a guaranteed episode each week. The amount of work per episode is very attainable on a weekly basis. I get that the animation takes a lot of time to get decent quality, but those three are easy to make.
“Sex assigned at birth”. Theys keep using that phrase, but it should be “sex assigned at conception”.
Their goal is to make people deny reality as an oath of fealty. So the phrase is perfect for the insidious purpose it was created to fill.
NHL really just does not understand how to bring the game to the masses. Pick one. Your own network, ESPN, whatever…but this randome TNT game that requires me to subscribe to cable to watch is fucking stupid.
I only watch the Rangers anymore. Every game is on cable and there are so fucking many of them that I can miss a couple dozen and who cares.
I’m a late-in-life hockey convert and I like watching the Bruins. But There. Are. Too. Many. Games.
Playoffs into June is just fucking stupid.
X1000
It’s January and we’re halfway though the season?! It should be playoffs already.
It should be wrapped up in February, max.
I’d go along with the cup being decided at the end of March. Maybe the beginning of April. But the beginning of June?! Retarded.
Fair. Still ice on some ponds in late March.
I thought your barrel of lube helped with that.
Vant break records if season is only 48 games
Is there any professional sport that couldn’t be improved by shortening the current season length? Maybe even strike off the professional and leave it as any sport.
Who doesn’t think of hockey in early summer?
#metoo and I don’t understand why there are so many games. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
💰💸🤑💲💲🤑💸💰
Yeah, stupid me. That is always the answer.
$$$$, I assume.
While not as bad as baseball, multiple 2+ hour games multiple times a week is asking a lot from a fan.
Makes no sense for a not terribly popular sport.
Does Chris Beck live near you OMWC?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=l_T9CqzIqZ4&feature=shares
WTF?
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64244007
So…is this how they usher him out the door?
Considering it’s “his aides” or “his lawyers” who keep “finding” them…
Could be.
Bloom County covered that way back in 1988.
a white van with free candy written on the side is imo totally a safe space. And you get candy for a bit of comfort.
Morning glibbies
Good morning, Pie.
So we have anatomical sex and flavors of bullshit.
Taste the rainbow?
a dog would give after you asking him to solve the Airy equation in two dimensions – how do you know all these obscure equations
Airy equations are easy for dogs.
Who is the person that assigns the sex at birth? Is it a committee? Are they hiring?
The baby’s chromosomes do it automatically. There’s no manual intervention.
It’s all a big joke to you people, but you just wait until they actually start assigning gender identities at birth to meet quotas.
We can’t have something as important as the number of queer non-binary otherkins in society left to chance and the whims of fancy of individuals.
https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/goat-snuggling-a-big-hit-at-pa-farm-show/article_58106d78-91ef-11ed-8139-6b01b4e926ca.html
Wholesome entertainment.
Wakey wakey Glibs.
I cant see that working in the country. Although baby animals are cute.
Nuh-uh.
Way too early to be awake. I have a ten hour day ahead and need to fall back asleep for a bit!
I’ve spotted a few ads, mostly out in the sticks, for Goat Yoga.
*shrug*
Well, those goats gotta stay flexible.
https://ktla.com/health/regular-fast-food-consumption-linked-to-liver-disease-study-says/
People make bad food choices. News at 11.
suh’ fam
whats goody
https://nationaltoday.com/kiss-a-ginger-day/
Where’s GT?
😘
sounds like sexual harassment
Don’t be jealous. You’re just not my type.
Assigned ginger at birth, identify as ginger, gingerqueer, …?
Ginger Tabby? Growing up we had one named Butterscotch. 😸
I had two as a child: Fleetwood and Garfield. My sister had one named Ginger but nicknamed Evil Psycho Kitty.
I was BORN ginger, and I spend a ridiculous amount of money to make sure I STAY ginger!!
Born ginger, but as too often happens, started balding before I was 20 ;-(
Then it faded from new copper penny to white, so now I just shave my head. Cheaper than haircuts 😉
White beard and mustache works okay, so they stay. (Yeah, in case there was any doubt, Shirley’s a dude – gingerqueer, actually, lol)
Good morning, Shirley! Sorry you lost your ginger, but it sounds as if you’ve found a look that works for you! 🙂
Thanks. The bald spot starting before I was 17 was pretty rude of my genes, I must admit. But yah, I’m satisfied with the current look.
I was born a towhead but changed to brunette at puberty.
What went wrong?
genetic engineering fail?
Here I am! 👩🦰
Good morning, Sean, homey, ‘bodru, Pie, Roat, Stinky, and U!
https://nypost.com/2023/01/11/honeysuckle-weeks-says-she-drove-drunk-to-avoid-having-threesome/
Huh.
I totally buy that forced threesomes are a menace and someone needs to address it
The twist is she was just seeing double.
I bet that Honeysuckle plays a lot of Strong Female characters…
https://www.fox6now.com/news/mega-millions-1-35b-jackpot-games-2nd-highest
Fine, I’ll buy some tix today.
feeling lucky?
Ooooh, I could buy those new tires for the Toyota if I won that. I think I’ll pick one up.
A Toyota?
Buy us a round if you win.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qQYpF2pCkLI
🎶🎶
Chiropractic services are a scam
why didn’t think of that
You can always offer sexual services to dockworkers if you feel like it. Nobody is stopping you.
So demi sexual just means adult human female?
I get the distinct impression that being “on the spectrum” is all the rage these days.
It is. And they’ve created so many terms that anyone can latch onto one. There’s so much vagueness and seemingly overlap in the terminology that everyone can feel like a unique little snowflake. You can still be a straight white female, but you have like a dozen terms you can use to make yourself sound unique.
nono, also means not a hoe. Getting more and more rare these days, if you listen to the like of just pearly things or somesuch.
Good grief! We’re having a thunderstorm in SW OH in January! Oh, well – beats the heck out of a blizzard.
You can have both.
here we had rain rain rain for 3 days… at least it was not snow and it was generally warm saved on heatin’ costs some
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/01/revealed-world-economic-forum-partner-behind-sudden-push-ban-gas-stoves/
The answer is always going to be WEF, isn’t it?
“Surprise, surprise!”
Again, a goal of the WEF is to create maximum political strife in the US. They want us to tear ourselves apart, because it provides an opening for them to take more control.
Ok, they always say “we just don’t say it wnough.” So let me just say it. I love you guys. I love this place. It is one of the best places on the internet.
There. I am glad I got that off my chest.
Now… to the training. You gave me flashbacks. You are a hero to someone. An anecdote:
Way back in the early 90s I was at Emory University working on a big multicenter clinical trial. They mandated sexual harassment training and the government sent an official from the EEOC or some such. She gave us a long presentation about the rules of sexual harassment and how there was classic quid pro quo harassment, but there was also hostile work environment.
So no jokes. No complements. Even “I like your new haircut” was specifically designated as harassment fhar would get you fired. Now, having lived with women, even a young Cyto knew that if a woman you see for several hours every day shows up with a new hair color and cut, you had damned well better a) notice and b) say something nice to affirm her choice. “Wow! I love the neon pink! Who did your hair!?!”
But was young and it was obviously open season on young men, so I just quietly listened.
They put us in groups and offered scenarios in video shorts for us to discuss.
Boss: if you go out with me, it will really help your career.
We easily got that one right.
Coworker: Hey Lisa! You have a great rack! I bet you are awesome in the sack!
Yup. That was easy too.
Then they played a watercooler scenario. Tom and several folks are talking about a party this weekend. Tom, who is a colleague and not a boss says “hey Lisa, do you want to come?” Lisa says “no thanks”. Tom says “It will be fun. A lot of people you know are going go be there” Lisa says “No, I have plans”. Tom says “OK, maybe next time.”
That is it.
We vote no. I mean, no means no. He took no for an answer and we are done, right?
Nope.
The government lady said this is harassment. Because once she said no, he is not allowed to ask her again. Like, ever.
This is the OM hero moment. Except mine was an old lady. She was clearly nearing retirement and had zero Fs to give. “That’s crazy” she says to the lady. The lady explains that even repeating a request once is harassment.
Old lady went off. The salient moment I remember was “If wvery guy in my life had taken no for an answer the first time, I never would have had a date.” She lectured the much younger HR team about the real world and real people for a moment. I gave her a secret mental high five.
Yeah, she was tilting at windmills…. but they were the right windmills.
I had no idea just how far the madness could go. I knew we were on a crazy path, but not saying Xe being a criminal offense was nowhere near my list of possible outcomes.
So here’s to you “Disrupt indoctrination with uncomfortable questions based in reality guy!”
My anecdote. This would have been in the mid-90s, nearly 30 years ago.
I was working in Madison and looking to get out of law firms. The UW Madison law school had an opening for a law professor in business and corporate law. Ideal for me, as I had always thought I’d like to teach. One of the law profs there worked with my firm, and I knew him. I ran into him one day and told him I was thinking about applying. His reply was “Don’t waste your time. They aren’t going to hire a white man for that. They want more minorities and women on the faculty.” I briefly considered applying as Hispanic/Latino (the Elizabeth Warren gambit), seeing as I have actual grandparents who were just that, but I took his advice. Sure enough, they hired somebody who could tick them some diversity and inclusion boxes.
30 years ago, the rot was already well established. In hindsight, its a good thing I didn’t get the job. I don’t think I would have tolerated the increasing madness of academia well.
Oof. A libertarian in academia?
Yeah, you would have been lucky to avoid being burned at the stake.