Ask me anythingJohn’s Open Letter to Students Returning to School
good stuff.
![newsweek:
cheatsheet:
Are you a member of Generation Screwed?: On other social networks we qualify this question with things like “are you riddled debt?” and “No job prospects?”, but considering we’re on Tumblr, probably all of you are members of Generation Screwed. Tell us your story. We’ll collect them and publish them on our site.
For inspiration, here’s our Newsweek story on the problem.
Photo: Parissah Lin, age: 19, occupation: College student
“My parents came to this country as immigrants and worked really hard. [But] I’m anticipating being in debt for many years.” (Spencer Heyfron for Newsweek)
Do this right now you guys. We can all sit here and just be screwed, or commiserate—and do something about it.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7bm2ikzHK1qg4lyzo1_500.jpg)
Are you a member of Generation Screwed?: On other social networks we qualify this question with things like “are you riddled debt?” and “No job prospects?”, but considering we’re on Tumblr, probably all of you are members of Generation Screwed. Tell us your story. We’ll collect them and publish them on our site.
For inspiration, here’s our Newsweek story on the problem.
Photo: Parissah Lin, age: 19, occupation: College student
“My parents came to this country as immigrants and worked really hard. [But] I’m anticipating being in debt for many years.” (Spencer Heyfron for Newsweek)
Do this right now you guys. We can all sit here and just be screwed, or commiserate—and do something about it.
![sexreeducated:
A few people have asked why I write “trans*” (with the asterisk) instead of just “trans” when referring to trans* folks on my site. Well, I’m happy to answer that!
Trans* is an umbrella term that refers to all of the identities within the gender identity spectrum. There’s a ton of diversity there, but we often group them all together (e.g., when we say “trans* issues). Trans (without the asterisk) is best applied to trans men and trans women, while the asterisk makes special note in an effort to include all non-cisgender gender identities, including transgender, transsexual, transvestite, genderqueer, genderfluid, non-binary, genderfuck, genderless, agender, non-gendered, third gender, two-spirit, bigender, and trans man and trans woman.
The origin behind the asterisk, as I understand it, is a bit computer geeky. When you add an asterisk to the end of a search term, you’re telling your computer to search for whatever you typed, plus any characters after (e.g., [search term*][extra letters], or trans*[-gender, -queer, -sexual, etc.]). The idea was to include trans and other identities related to trans, in the most technically awesome way. I <3 Geekdom.
[x]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m74vv7WonN1rrtgyjo1_500.jpg)
A few people have asked why I write “trans*” (with the asterisk) instead of just “trans” when referring to trans* folks on my site. Well, I’m happy to answer that!
Trans* is an umbrella term that refers to all of the identities within the gender identity spectrum. There’s a ton of diversity there, but we often group them all together (e.g., when we say “trans* issues). Trans (without the asterisk) is best applied to trans men and trans women, while the asterisk makes special note in an effort to include all non-cisgender gender identities, including transgender, transsexual, transvestite, genderqueer, genderfluid, non-binary, genderfuck, genderless, agender, non-gendered, third gender, two-spirit, bigender, and trans man and trans woman.
The origin behind the asterisk, as I understand it, is a bit computer geeky. When you add an asterisk to the end of a search term, you’re telling your computer to search for whatever you typed, plus any characters after (e.g., [search term*][extra letters], or trans*[-gender, -queer, -sexual, etc.]). The idea was to include trans and other identities related to trans, in the most technically awesome way. I <3 Geekdom.
[x]
Women can’t be methodical.
We were talking about personalities in Spanish - when asked whether she agreed that she was a thoughtful, reasonable, or methodical person, she responded, “no, porque soy una mujer.”
Because you’re a woman, you can’t be methodical/logical/reasonable/various other (masculine-associated) adjectives.
Are you joking?
And people wonder why, at Stanford - Stanford! - there are fewer women in STEM. Everyone - everyone - is responsible for reinforcing this bullshit.
The privileges of education
This is good.
By no means is educational background separate from other privileges. The beauty of intersectional identities is the ability to understand problems we face in terms of other issues and identities. Intersections with educational background are everywhere; some are familiar, and some are surprising. For example, you may not be shocked to hear that low-income neighborhoods have generally worse public schools, and that private schools are generally better institutions of learning than public schools. You may know from experience that students who have to work to support their families are less able to participate in after-school activities. But have you given thought to the fact that queer youth, in particular queer youth of color, are at increased risk of dropping out of high school?
The Real Reason for the Arts « Cooperative Catalyst (via adventuresinlearning)
I’m currently reading the Communist Manifesto for class. It’s quite beautiful (and intriguingly relevant, of course):
The bourgeoisie has stripped of its halo every occupation hitherto honoured and looked up to with reverent awe. It has converted the physician, the lawyer, the priest, the poet, the man of science, into its paid wage-labourers.
