Author | Lightnews

Karen Tongson

@inlandemperor.bsky.social

1.9K followers 420 following 580 posts

Author of NORMPORN, WHY KAREN CARPENTER MATTERS, and RELOCATIONS. Food motivated. Expert Homosexual. Prof by day. Cohost of The Art of Grief and The Gaymazing Race podcasts, formerly of Waiting to X-Hale. #Gaylor curious. ACFC ⚽️ & Dodgers ⚾️

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · 12h

In college I took out an emergency student loan to see Barbra’s 1995 farewell concert at the Pond in Anaheim (I paid it back! And Barbra had a few more farewell shows after that.) Needless to say, becoming the Barbra Streisand Professor in Contemporary Gender Studies is kind of a dream come true.

A collage of Yentl hovering over a dish at dinner and a letter informing Karen Tongson she will be the Barbra Streisand Professor of Contemporary Gender Studies on January 6, 2026.

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Reposted by Karen Tongson

Oliver Willis @owillis.bsky.social · 14h

people seriously underplay the strength of elected leaders, influential people and the like just saying a thing.

just... like... say a thing and repeat it. its the core of politics and communications. you say a thing and say it over and over and it becomes the story. it works.

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Reposted by Karen Tongson

Pam Thurschwell @pamthur.bsky.social · 13h

What are they going to do, rename the West Wing "The Wing"? On the plus side, we all have a front row seat for primitive accumulation and destruction in action. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Trump Administration Live Updates: White House Changes Course and Will Demolish Entire East Wing

www.nytimes.com

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · 5d

469.

Jay Jaffe @jayjaffe.bsky.social · 5d

holy fuck, the pitcher's second home run of the night was 116.9 mph and 469 feet

Reposted by Karen Tongson

Dr. SkySkull @drskyskull.bsky.social · 16d

Got yelled at by my university for posting on LinkedIn that I'm open to jobs abroad because things are looking bleak in the US. Somehow this was interpreted as a bad look for the university? I'm just saying what everyone recognizes as reality.

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Coach Finstock @coachfinstock.bsky.social · 16d

Dodgers bullpen and dodger fans trying to enjoy the game

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Crash Outstein @cdgoldstein.baseballprospectus.com · 18d

Cubs best chance here is to get the Dodgers bullpen involved somehow

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · 15d

And this is the conundrum for all Dodgers fans this postseason…nay for YEARS.

Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social · 16d

I want the Dodgers to win but I want Treinen to get shellacked.

Reposted by Karen Tongson

Nancy Levine Stearns 🌎 @nancylevinestearns.bsky.social · 18d

Stephen Miller-founded legal group filed a federal complaint against the Los Angeles Dodgers in July over their commitments to DEI. Filed just days after the Dodgers expelled ICE agents from their parking lot.

The Dodgers maintain their stated commitment to DEI.

#MLB #Dodgers

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Reposted by Karen Tongson

Boycott Citizens Bank @boycottcitizens.bsky.social · 16d

Because whenever the Phillies are trending, I know Citizens Bank is getting loads of free advertising.

The Phillie Phanatic is my favorite mascot in baseball, and I'm pretty sure he would never condone Citizens Bank's financing of ICE detention facilities.

Boycott Citizens Bank @boycottcitizens.bsky.social · Jul 20

Learn about Citizens Bank's ties to GEO Group and CoreCivic at boycottcitizens.org

A graphic featuring a photo of the Phillie Phanatic mascot looking dismayed, wearing a red Phillies cap and pinstriped jersey. The large bold headline text reads: "WHEN YOU REALIZE YOUR BALLPARK IS NAMED AFTER A BANK THAT FINANCES GEO GROUP & CORECIVIC." Below, smaller text says: "GEO Group and CoreCivic are private prison operators with a long history of human rights abuses, and they’re two of the companies set to profit most from the mass detention of our neighbors. Though many banks have pledged to stop financing them, Citizens Bank has deepened its ties to the industry in recent years. For more information and to join in urging Citizens Bank to help build communities instead of cages, visit boycottcitizens.org."

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · 15d

You can just tell from all his Goebells-esque pump up the Gestapo speeches that St*phen Mill*r thinks he looks like a tough, badass MFer. Fortunately for us, and perhaps the fate of this entire country, he looks like a ridiculous dweeb with ZERO RIZZ who absolutely no one would follow to the death.

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Reposted by Karen Tongson

nerdydodger @nerdydodger.bsky.social · 25d

Kiké is like Gilmore Girls, something for fall

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Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · Sep 20

What’s more astonishing: 1) that the president clearly believes, and repeatedly suggests, that asylum seekers are people from mental asylums, or 2) that no journalist has ever challenged him on this and no mainstream media outlets have done any deep dives on this story?

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Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · Sep 13

"…and Magda Goebbels made a great strudel.”

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Sep 7

The face of a man whose bullpen shat the bed after he gave nothing but beauty and brilliance.

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Sep 7

That felt almost as bad as game 7 in 2017.

Reposted by Karen Tongson

nerdydodger @nerdydodger.bsky.social · Sep 7

im mad at tanner. yes. but blaqe is now a war criminal

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 28

www.cleveland.com/news/2025/08...

VP JD Vance reveals personal side: Magic cards, Mazzy Star, memes and ice cream

Vice President JD Vance, appearing on a podcast, revealed rare glimpses into his personal life, sharing everything from his scientific approach to evaluating ice cream brands to his embarrassment over...

www.cleveland.com

Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 28

There’s a new interview with him where he talks in a mansplainy way about how “Fade Into You” is the best song of the 90s

Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 28

I was at the game tonight and an infant began wailing wildly when Conforto was up. I was like, “same, little one. Same.”

Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 28

I can’t believe JD Vance also ruined Mazzy Star for everyone.

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 26

Relax, people! I’m just having a little Gaylorific fun. Congratulations to the newly betrothed. (Plus, I always knew Tay wanted to be an English teacher.)

Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 26

NGL: there’s something about this that evokes that flashback scene from Hunting Wives where Sophie agrees to go to (her future husband) Graham’s party after a Sapphic snog w/ her roomie sent her into a homo-panic. #GaylorTruther

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Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 26

I guess it’s been 18 days since I last posted. Anyway, here’s proof of life, taken at the end of the first day of my 20th year professing at USC, and my 6th year of chairing my department. The expression says it all.

An exhausted professor sits in her office with a window and books blurred in the background, and a tattoo of the best cats to have ever lived on her forearm.

Karen Tongson @inlandemperor.bsky.social · Aug 8

Apropos of nothing: sometimes I like to watch TV on my iPad in the kitchen while I’m cooking, which makes me feel like I’m one of those 80s moms w/ a little TV in the kitchen.