T. Strange's Blog, page 132
August 12, 2013
High school refuses to use transgender student's correct name at graduation
A transgender teen in Pennsylvania learned recently that school administrators would not be reading his correct name at his high school graduation ceremony.
Officials at Red Lion Area School District told Issak Wolfe that they would be reading the female name he was given at birth rather than his correct name. He’s fighting the district back with the help of the ACLU, but this isn’t the first time the school has discriminated against him on the basis of his gender identity.
Wolfe will be allowed to wear a black cap and gown, which is designated for the boys in his school, while girls must wear a yellow cap and gown.
Wolfe previously fought with administrators when he attempted to run for Prom King. Instead, his principal placed his female birth name in the column for prom queen, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
“I am really disappointed that the school district doesn’t want to do anything to protect transgender students,” Wolfe said in a statement. “I want to make sure that future transgender students are not humiliated and disrespected the way I was.”
Ridiculous.
August 11, 2013
"If there is a God, He will have to beg my forgiveness."
- A phrase that was carved on the walls of a concentration camp cell during WWII by a Jewish prisoner (via milktree)
A child outside just sounded exactly like the first half of a peacock’s…call? Scream?...
A child outside just sounded exactly like the first half of a peacock’s…call? Scream? Unholy sound?
tentakewl:
when your family makes fun of something you’re passionate about and then claim they were...
when your family makes fun of something you’re passionate about and then claim they were ‘just teasing’
impala-drama:
Today, I found a kitten sized chair and, luckily,...
Today, I found a kitten sized chair and, luckily, I had a kitten to put in it.
Yay for having a kitten to go with the chair! I wish I had known my tuxedo as a kitten, but this is very close to how he would have looked.
strawberrykimono:
Wagashi (和菓子) is a traditional...
Wagashi (和菓子) is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea. Wagashi are considered more healthful because they are made entirely from plant-based ingredient. They are extremely suited to artistic manipulation, and to visual representation of a variety of symbolic elements. (x) (x)
SERIOUSLY!
The only thing that could have made Sharknado better was a VoiceOver at the end, something along the...
The only thing that could have made Sharknado better was a VoiceOver at the end, something along the lines of:
"After the sharks came, it was a struggle to rebuild, a struggle to go back to our old lives. But we had each other."
designboom:
drawing on a technique they pioneered for +81...
Oh man. I forgot to mention the SUPERFUCKINGSMOKINGHAWWWWWT head animal trainer at the show that had...
Oh man. I forgot to mention the SUPERFUCKINGSMOKINGHAWWWWWT head animal trainer at the show that had the camel that I didn’t ride.
Ideas are beginning to crystalize for a story I’ve had lumping around for a little while.
Anyway, he was not white, which only matters because they did this bit where they brought out “The Arabian stallion!” and the trainer came out and pranced around.
I think my wife and I were the only people who laughed…which was sort of a feature of the show. No one else seemed to…get it.
The ringmaster was not bad, either, and he looked the part—suspenders (oh god he had them hanging down before the show and that isn’t fair it’s one of my fetishes), a shabby tailcoat and a striped shirt.
And they did an acrobatic routine together and it was HAWT and I was losing my little mind and constantly asking my wife, “Did you get a picture of that?!”
…the show itself was amazing. The actual arabian stallion was stunning, and it was really great to see the horse acts. They only had each animal out for a few minutes, which I also thought was great, and the show is from a zoo, not a circus, so the animals have permanent homes and people who know how to care for them. Which is why I didn’t get my camel ride, but I’m so glad that they value their animals more than money.
Oh man. I had (for the most part) the best weekend. This got quite long, so I’ll add a read more so...
Oh man. I had (for the most part) the best weekend. This got quite long, so I’ll add a read more so it doesn’t fill your dashboards.
One of my life goals is, inexplicably, to ride a camel, so when I found out that my local carnival was going to have camel rides, I was so there. We went on Friday, and spent way more money than we probably should have (and, actually, didn’t get to ride the camel because he wasn’t feeling well. But it was ok, because we had a totally awesome time anyway) on greasy fried foods and a rainbow squid hat (because—needed!) and games (that’s right. I got to live the dream and had my ‘man’ win a stuffed animal for me. It’s a Tuxedo Sam. At first we won a puppy, but then we traded up.
Then we went to the centennial celebration of my union’s local, where I actually mingled and socialized and was extremely proud of myself, because normally I’m really awkward at parties and feel like I’m attaching myself to pre-existing conversations rather than joining them. I actually had a great time, and it was really amazing to feel a part of something, an organization that spanned a hundred years. Which is a long time in my part of the world! (Not to me—I’ve been to Germany. Twice). I’m not used to feeling that sense of belonging, or, indeed, of wanting to. I also got a pin, which I was supposed to get several years ago, but there was…much bigger shit going on than li’l ol’ me. The mayor came and spoke and gave an unintentionally creepy speech that made it sound like our city was built of literal hearts and souls…and my wife sat next to my union’s international president, and I’m really glad that we switched places and it wasn’t me or I probably would have peed or something. I’m also glad that I didn’t know who these people were when I shook hands with them.
It occurs to me now (having woken up in the middle of the night [when my wife goes to work] with a stuffed up nose and a sore throat) that I hope I didn’t get any of them sick. Or maybe one of them gave it to me? It was weird—I usually have at least some indication that I’m coming down with something, but Friday I was great, and Saturday I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. That’s what I get for running out of multivitamins!
I had to go to work Saturday, because I couldn’t be replaced, but I called in and told them I needed someone to cover for me Sunday because I was going to be much less than helpful. And I’m really glad I did, because I feel really crappy today.
One of my local movie theatres had a midnight showing of Sharknado, which I’ve been dying to see ever since I heard about it. I was going no matter what, even though it would have meant that, if I hadn’t gotten sick, I would have to work the next morning, and I do not do well without sleep. Because I was sick, I could go and enjoy myself (aside from nose blowing and not being able to eat much popcorn). We even dressed up, making it a reverse of the previous evening at the centennial, when we were among the most underdressed people. Because we’re awesome at judging clothing expectations, apparently. (Us being underdressed was really not a big deal, though, and there was no indication of what to wear. It’s summer, so we wore t-shirts and shorts).
It. Was. Awesome.
I love watching creature features. I love watching bad creature features. My wife and I watch them together all the time, and we laugh until we cry at the effects, the acting, the dialogue, the whole wonderful cheesy enchilada.
And then…there was a theatre full of twisted, depraved people like us, who laughed at all the same things, and added their own commentary that had us laughing, and everyone clapped at certain parts, and we won a copy of Sharktopus (unfortunately on BluRay, which we do not have), and for the previews they showed Twister and Jaws and it was brilliant. They also showed previews for Mega Shark VS Giant Octopus which needs to get on Netflix now so I can watch it. Because I was sick and a little out of it, MSVSGO and Sharktopus blended into one movie for me, and I thought that somehow the Mega Shark and Giant Octopus combined for some reason to become Sharktopus. And it’s not like I could hear, because we were all laughing so hard.
I’m so glad I went. I had a blast. Then we went home and watched ghost movies all night until about 9:30 when we went for a nap. I’m up now because I’m too gross to sleep for very long.
So, yeah. Aside from being really gross and sick, my weekend was awesome.
