Sunday Summary is our chance to wrap up the week, get back to stories that need small updates, and make sure that folks who missed something have a chance to catch up.
Personal Update!
This week seemed light on stories and heavy on health struggles. While typical weeks always include an OP, some do not. This is a natural consequence of my disabilities. I still average a new post every 3-7 days, but some weeks are more productive than others. In addition, this week my BFF was very sick and I had to put a little extra time and effort into helping her out. That said, there were still some things that people felt were valuable, over on Wonkette and also on PJ in the Notes. Let’s take a look.
Anti-trans Laws Have Consequences OUTSIDE of Bathrooms!
Over on Wonkette, Crip Dyke reported on a new study using tracking study data from fabulous non-profit The Trevor Project showing that suicide attempts increase when legislators pass laws targeting trans health care, bathroom use, and participation in sports. We make the point there that the large sample and methodological controls can make us very certain that these laws do increase suicide attempts, but because of the self-selecting nature of the sample, we shouldn’t put too much trust in the exact percentage values of those increases. Read more at Wonkette!
Aunt Bea!
Many, many — oh so many! — years ago, I had a regular babysitter and friend named Bea. She was not my bio-aunt, but a good family friend that I remember fondly to this day. As sometimes happens here at PJ, I will put some thought and effort into telling the stories of the everyday interactions that made your Crip Dyke what she is today, and Aunt Bea was a great 1970s model for what I would someday become. I mention this because many of you loved this story, over 200 of you in fact!
It began like this:
Apropos of nothing, but when I was young (ages 2-4) and living in Maryland, my parents were friends with a semi-retired nurse who was SUPER old. Like, she was so old her hair had turned grey. We're talking OLD.
Despite her absolutely ancient age, she babysat for me sometimes, and she liked Three Musketeers candy bars, which happened to also be my favourite. We bonded over the rare but deeply held belief that chocolate candy tastes good, actually.
And if you haven’t read it, why not take a minute to find out what made this Note so popular.
Yellow Cake.
Halfway through the week I shared D. Earl Stephens’ critique of the New York Times that I don’t mind sharing again. Stephens’ thesis is that the editorial that finally — FINALLY! — drags Donald Trump in the manner he has so fully earned cannot be true without indicting the news division of the paper for utterly failing to understand the magnitude of Trump’s flaws, failings, and felonies, and to cover them appropriately. In my first Note recommending Stephens’ work, I said
[T]o read the NYT for the past 2.5 years would give most reasonable persons the impression that 6th grade trans swimmers and 10th grade trans volleyball players are by far the greater threat to our civilization when compared to Trump. […]
But of course that's just the anodized aluminum frosting on the yellowcake of NYT journalism.
Every once in a while I tickle myself with my own turn of phrase, and that last one tickled many of you as well.
Coming up!
I did watch Will & Harper this week but my thoughts on it are complex, and the review got delayed when I wasn’t feeling well and my BFF was feeling worse. Expect a post on this movie in the next couple days!
Well! That’s your summary of an exhausting, painful and vomit-filled week. Aren’t you glad you didn’t have my week? Stick around, next week is bound to be better.
Crip Dyke also writes for the delightfully cussmouthed Wonkette!
EVERY SUNDAY SUMMARY IS AN OPEN THREAD!
Sound off as you like, and make sure to add corrections or story ideas if you have them.