Land of liberty.

[C]hild marriage, which activists describe as one or both parties entering a union while under age 18, remains legal in 37 US states. There are no federal laws against it, meaning minors can marry, with parental consent, before they can vote, drink, or buy lottery tickets in the majority of the country. Some states have a minimum marriage age on the books, which ranges from 15 to 18. Four states – California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Mississippi – do not specify any minimum age at all.

So the bride is 3, so what? She has liberty too you know.

In many states, statuatory rape is not a crime within marriage, creating a legal loophole that entices

This happened:

Hey #BookTwitter. I think you hopefully all know I generally try to keep this a positive space, but I can’t really put a positive spin on how I feel right now.

My heart is broken, and I’m so disappointed in a company who won’t forgive a single mistake like this. pic.twitter.com/Bc42FlH45D

— Tilly (@TillyLovesBooks) July 8, 2024

Boohoohoo, all she did was try to bully a novelist for having Non-approved views.

Mind you, I don’t really think she should have been fired for that, at least when I think about it. The novelist in question doesn’t think so either.

But still. There is a certain schadenfreude in seeing it happen.

The novelist is Christina Dalcher.

‘Waterstones Senior

I tried to find the original of this on the Canadian Museum of History website but couldn’t (because I couldn’t figure out how to narrow the search from 4,300 hits). Secondary source will have to do for now.

How backward can you get?

Has anyone ever understood the point of feminism at all???

No, you dumbfux, finding axes in women’s graves doesn’t = anshent peeple new genner idenniny are complikated. Finding axes in women’s graves = it appears that some women used axes.

Yes it’s interesting. Yes it could mean that gender roles weren’t always strictly enforced, or were unlike our ideas of gender roles. It could mean a lot of things of that type. What it’s highly … Read the rest

The Telegraph on the Dodds issue:

Anneliese Dodds, who was appointed on Monday, has been called “nonsensical” for her beliefs on gender.

Two years ago, when she was Labour’s shadow equalities spokeswoman, Ms Dodds said in a BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour radio interview that there are “different definitions legally around what a woman actually is” and, when pressed again, said: “I think it does depend what the context is.”

JK Rowling has hit out at [criticised] Ms Dodds following her appointment.

Reposting a transcript of the interview, Rowling said: “And if you happen to be wondering how I have the transcript of that Woman’s Hour to hand, it was sent to me by Dodds’ office after I publicly

JKR reminds us of Anneliese Dodds’s chat with Emma Barnett on Woman’s Hour two years ago.

Woman's Hour, March 8, 2022

Emma Barnes: And Labour’s definition of a woman?

Annaliese Dodds: Well, I have to say that there are different definitions legally around what a woman actually is. I mean you look at the definition within the Equality Act and I think it just says… https://t.co/su448ikI2V

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 8, 2024

Emma Barnes: And Labour’s definition of a woman?

Annaliese Dodds: Well, I have to say that there are different definitions legally around what a woman actually is. I mean you look at the definition within the Equality Act and I think it just says someone

We need more research, and more and more and more and MORE to find out what we already know. It will take many generations to get at the truth, despite the fact that we already know.

Much more research is needed to determine whether it’s fair or not to allow trans women to compete in the women’s category in sporting competitions, according to a leading scientist.

In an interview with the programme’s presenter, Maxine Hughes, Dr Shane Heffernan, an expert on the physiology of elite athletes at Swansea University, says a bigger sample is needed to determine results, in current and future studies, and encourages more trans people to volunteer.

Yes because we just have no clue, and never have … Read the rest

Sigh.

Starmer “women’s rights are very important to me”

<decides what to do about the Minister for womanny things>

Starmer “Give it Anneliese as a Saturday job”

For. Actual. Fucks. Sake. pic.twitter.com/eegj6rFNWU

— Jean Hatchet (@JeanHatchet) July 8, 2024

So…it’s not just Starmer rushing through the list, it’s a calculated insult and dismissal? “Blah blah blah women, fine, here’s your minister for women; she prefers male women to the real kind also she has another more important job, kthanksbye.”

Dear @Keir_Starmer I think the minister for women & equalities appointment should have gone to the stalwart fighter for women's equality you said you've met with but appear to want to always keep in *background*. Here's a clue from April

The Guardian reported on Friday:

Keir Starmer’s cabinet will have the highest number of state-educated and female ministers in history, as Rachel Reeves became the first female chancellor ever, although ethnic representation has fallen.

That sounds nice but what does it mean? Will the “female ministers” actually be women or will some or most or all of them be men who call themselves women? We don’t know, do we. Labour is adamant that men can be women, as is the Guardian, so we can’t assume that when they say they’re appointing a lot of female ministers they actually mean the “female” part.

The Labour veteran and Britain’s first black female MP, Diane Abbott, will become mother of the house

So that’s it then.

We are so screwed.

Joe Biden’s doctor met with a leading Washington neurologist at the White House this year, it was reported on Saturday.

The report came after Biden on Friday ruled out taking an independent cognitive test and releasing its findings publicly, in an interview with ABC News arranged following his disastrous performance in last week’s presidential TV debate with Donald Trump.

According to White House visitor logs reviewed by the New York Post, Dr Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson’s disease expert at Walter Reed medical center, met with Dr Kevin O’Connor, a doctor of osteopathic medicine who has treated the president for years.

Biden refuses to take a cognitive test.

Later in the broadcast, Biden was asked

Hm. Boy says “I’m gay not queer” and all hell breaks loose.

12-year-old boy has allegedly been referred to counter-terrorism authorities after posting an online video saying “there’s no such thing as non-binary”. The child, who remains unnamed, reportedly created the video to counter bullies who had mistakenly assumed he supported transgender rights. In the footage, he reportedly declares: “[I’m] gay not queer.”

Are people required to say they’re queer now?

According to the boy’s mother, school officials informed her that the video had prompted them to report her son to Prevent, the Home Office programme aimed at thwarting potential terrorists.

Ah. Kid age 12 says he’s gay and the school concludes he’s a terrorist.

The boy’s mother

How can they do both?

The Fawcett Society July 5:

After yesterday’s election, there are more women MPs in our Parliament than ever before. It’s an historic moment, but the work has only just begun.

There is a huge opportunity for this new critical mass to work together, across party lines, to improve the lives of women across the country. 

Drawing on inspiration from the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Senedd and the Scottish Parliament, the Fawcett Society will shortly convene all women MPs to facilitate the launching of a powerful women’s caucus.

Ok, good, but…

There’s their “position on sex and gender” to consider.

In response to recent questions, the Fawcett Society’s position on sex and gender (which we

The youngest MP:

A 22-year-old elected as an MP with a razor-thin majority has said he does not want his age to be the focus as he heads to Westminster.

Labour’s Sam Carling is likely to be the “baby of the House”…

I.e. the youngest, the Beeb helpfully explains.

However, he doesn’t want his age to be a focus. “I want us to get away from this strange mindset towards younger people’s age. As far as I’m concerned we’re just the same as anyone else. I just want to get on with the job.”

Ah well there you are then, demonstrating one of the reasons there is and must be an age threshold for people in government. The younger … Read the rest

In a colder place, Sherpas are picking up garbage left on Mount Everest by climbers. There’s a lot of it.

The highest camp on the world’s tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest’s peak.

The Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year’s climbing season.

But there are maybe 40 to 50 tons left.

Since the peak was first conquered in 1953, thousands of climbers have scaled it

It’s warm over here on the west coast.

Extreme heat continues to inflict wide swaths of the U.S. This weekend, the brunt of the hot temperatures is falling on the West Coast and parts of the East Coast.

Afflict, not inflict.

In total, over 132 million people were under some form of a heat warning as of Saturday evening, according to Heat.gov. “These conditions will be extremely dangerous and potentially deadly if not taken seriously,” the National Weather Service said on Saturday.

Human-caused climate change is fueling longer and more intense heat waves, and making dangerously high temperatures more common.

And even now, after all this time to get familiar with hot weather, Seattle people don’t understand air conditioning. Grocery … Read the rest

The UK's new foreign secretary, culture secretary, transport secretary and education secretary pic.twitter.com/npocfxoneu

— ripx4nutmeg (@ripx4nutmeg) July 5, 2024

Top left David Lammy:

It’s probably the case that trans women don’t have ovaries but a cervix, I understand, is something you can have following various procedures and hormone treatments.

Top right Lisa Nandy:

Q: Should child rapist Christopher Worton be housed in a women’s jail now he identifies as a woman?

A: I think trans women are women and they should be accommodated in a prison of their choosing.

Bottom left Louise Haigh:

I fully support introducing self-declaration [when a man legally becomes a woman because he has said he is a woman.]

Bottom right Bridget Phillipson:

Q: Say I’m

But what do they mean?

After yesterday’s election, there are more women MPs in our Parliament than ever before. It’s an historic moment, but the work has only just begun.

There is a huge opportunity for this new critical mass to work together, across party lines, to improve the lives of women across the country. 

Drawing on inspiration from the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Senedd and the Scottish Parliament, the Fawcett Society will shortly convene all women MPs to facilitate the launching of a powerful women’s caucus.

Cool, but do they mean women, or women plus men who call themselves women?

It does make a difference.

Jemima Olchawski, CEO of the Fawcett Society, said:

“Thanks to the hard work of

Good news.

Now record 264 women MPs!
Chance to work cross party on women’s priorities.@fawcettsociety will convene meeting for all women MPs enabling them to embark on process of setting up powerful Women’s Caucus. *Childcare, *violence against women, *equal pay. Now is the time for change!

— Harriet Harman (@HarrietHarman) July 5, 2024

Oh but wait.

Does she actually mean women?

So many people are asking.

“Working on women’s priorities” is meaningless if one believes men can be women.

I will never, ever understand how people can stand this level of hypocrisy. It’s like the evolutionary biologist supporting hard-line creationism.

— Christina Dalcher (@CV_Dalcher) July 5, 2024

… Read the rest

Neil Gaiman accused:

Bestselling writer Neil Gaiman has strongly denied allegations of “non-consensual sex” and “sexual assault” reported in a Tortoise investigation led by Rachel Johnson.

Neither of Neil Gaiman’s UK publishers ha[s] responded to requests for comment following the reports. The allegations are explored in a four-part podcast, “Master: The Allegations against Neil Gaiman”. 

Roz Kaveney, friend of Neil Gaiman since the 1980s, and so, so proud of it, and Laurie Penny, who did a sycophantic interview with Gaiman in 2013, are both surprisingly silent on the recent (horrific) allegations of rape and sadistic violence by him against young, vulnerable…

— Julie Bindel (@bindelj) July 6, 2024

Roz Kaveney, friend of Neil Gaiman since the 1980s, and so,

The Daily Beast on the Total Immunity threat:

When the Supreme Court declared presidents immune from prosecution for their official acts Monday, one man immediately feared what it meant: Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-nemesis, Michael Cohen.

We all immediately feared what it meant. The horror of it is all too obvious.

But quibbling aside, he does have a specific point.

Cohen is the only person summarily jailed by Trump, an experience he says awaits many more people if the Republican candidate wins in November.

Cohen admitted in December 2018 that he lied to Congress and paid illegal hush money to Stormy Daniels, and began a three-year sentence in May 2019. A year later he was granted early release from prison under