Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
@nicomaramckay.com
Historian in Tkaronto (Toronto). Likes bats, monsters, sincereposting, alt text, and DEIA. Genderqueer. Trans. Autistic. 40s. 👬 🧛 nicomaramckay.com
There will be typos.
Ephemeral Record of queer and trans histories: patreon.com/ephemeralrecord
There will be typos.
Ephemeral Record of queer and trans histories: patreon.com/ephemeralrecord
Pinned
tl;dr: Bluesky began with genuine promise: a new social media platform where users could feel safer, but inconsistent moderation quickly eroded trust.
When systemically marginalized users pushed back, Bluesky’s leadership minimized concerns and began to target them for bans.
When systemically marginalized users pushed back, Bluesky’s leadership minimized concerns and began to target them for bans.
Bluesky’s CEO meltdown: How leadership continues to fail its most marginalized users
tl;dr: Bluesky began with genuine promise: a new social media platform where systemically marginalized users could feel safer, but…
plutopsyche.medium.com
Unban Link.
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Are you comfortable or are you sitting in a cold house after years of emotional scarring from touching the thermostat without permission?
November 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Are you comfortable or are you sitting in a cold house after years of emotional scarring from touching the thermostat without permission?
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
every trans person i see post about the OU suspension knows that the suspended target is trans & a grad student, & has an innate awareness that this is about purging trans employees. every cis person i see thinks the target is a rando professor & that this is about giving conservatives good grades
December 1, 2025 at 12:04 AM
every trans person i see post about the OU suspension knows that the suspended target is trans & a grad student, & has an innate awareness that this is about purging trans employees. every cis person i see thinks the target is a rando professor & that this is about giving conservatives good grades
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
I was diagnosed with #HIV in 1998, when I was 30.
Many of my friends had died of AIDS. I did not expect to live to 50.
I’m 58 now.
HIV treatment works.
Treatment also makes it impossible for me to pass HIV on during sex.
Ensure HIV treatment for all.
End HIV stigma.
#WorldAIDSDay
Many of my friends had died of AIDS. I did not expect to live to 50.
I’m 58 now.
HIV treatment works.
Treatment also makes it impossible for me to pass HIV on during sex.
Ensure HIV treatment for all.
End HIV stigma.
#WorldAIDSDay
December 1, 2025 at 8:46 AM
I was diagnosed with #HIV in 1998, when I was 30.
Many of my friends had died of AIDS. I did not expect to live to 50.
I’m 58 now.
HIV treatment works.
Treatment also makes it impossible for me to pass HIV on during sex.
Ensure HIV treatment for all.
End HIV stigma.
#WorldAIDSDay
Many of my friends had died of AIDS. I did not expect to live to 50.
I’m 58 now.
HIV treatment works.
Treatment also makes it impossible for me to pass HIV on during sex.
Ensure HIV treatment for all.
End HIV stigma.
#WorldAIDSDay
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
a lot of people debating the merits of that dogshit essay meanwhile the girl’s mom is retweeting demands to ban all trans people from teaching at any level. it’s forest for the trees shit
December 1, 2025 at 4:42 AM
a lot of people debating the merits of that dogshit essay meanwhile the girl’s mom is retweeting demands to ban all trans people from teaching at any level. it’s forest for the trees shit
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Here's a whole list of Native folks you SHOULD be following. They are brilliant, funny, smart and full of heart. The epitome of what community should and could be.
go.bsky.app/MEaiVa9
go.bsky.app/MEaiVa9
November 30, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Here's a whole list of Native folks you SHOULD be following. They are brilliant, funny, smart and full of heart. The epitome of what community should and could be.
go.bsky.app/MEaiVa9
go.bsky.app/MEaiVa9
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
As someone who worked in higher education for a decade, this doesn't surprise me in 2025 but it wouldn't have surprised me in 2012 either.
As a TA, a student once called a professor a "feminazi bitch" in a paper and she asked me not to fail him because she wanted to avoid administrative fallout.
As a TA, a student once called a professor a "feminazi bitch" in a paper and she asked me not to fail him because she wanted to avoid administrative fallout.
OU has put the professor here on administrative leave:
November 30, 2025 at 9:13 PM
As someone who worked in higher education for a decade, this doesn't surprise me in 2025 but it wouldn't have surprised me in 2012 either.
As a TA, a student once called a professor a "feminazi bitch" in a paper and she asked me not to fail him because she wanted to avoid administrative fallout.
As a TA, a student once called a professor a "feminazi bitch" in a paper and she asked me not to fail him because she wanted to avoid administrative fallout.
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
I have low vision and I rely on alt text and image descriptions to provide context about images on platforms like BlueSky. If you don’t know how to write #AltText yet, I have several guides on my website that can show you how— take the #AltTextChallenge! veroniiiica.com/how-to-write... (1/10)
How To Write Alt Text And Image Descriptions
The ultimate guide on how to write alt text and image descriptions for the visually impaired, written by someone with low vision who uses alt text
veroniiiica.com
November 19, 2024 at 7:41 PM
I have low vision and I rely on alt text and image descriptions to provide context about images on platforms like BlueSky. If you don’t know how to write #AltText yet, I have several guides on my website that can show you how— take the #AltTextChallenge! veroniiiica.com/how-to-write... (1/10)
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Another challenge I frequently encounter on social media is not being able to zoom in enough to read text, which can be challenging for reading things like comics. Alt text for comics makes it easier to read and follow along with panels. veroniiiica.com/how-to-write... (6/10)
How To Write Alt Text For Digital Comics | Veroniiiica
Hey, comic creators! Learn how to write alt text for digital comics and include audience members with blindness and low vision that use screen readers
veroniiiica.com
November 19, 2024 at 7:41 PM
Another challenge I frequently encounter on social media is not being able to zoom in enough to read text, which can be challenging for reading things like comics. Alt text for comics makes it easier to read and follow along with panels. veroniiiica.com/how-to-write... (6/10)
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
i can't find it but there's a tumblr post about a fandom where everyone is talking about how good the toast is at a new restaurant and then it turns out they were all bringing their own jam to the restaurant and putting it on the toast. that's how i feel about gay stuff in dnd
November 30, 2025 at 6:20 PM
i can't find it but there's a tumblr post about a fandom where everyone is talking about how good the toast is at a new restaurant and then it turns out they were all bringing their own jam to the restaurant and putting it on the toast. that's how i feel about gay stuff in dnd
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
flying to Scotland specifically to visit the Treenis Wood
November 30, 2025 at 5:45 PM
flying to Scotland specifically to visit the Treenis Wood
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
somebody once said to me "this culture does not create untraumatized autistic people" and I think about that every day
November 30, 2025 at 6:48 PM
somebody once said to me "this culture does not create untraumatized autistic people" and I think about that every day
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
One hard part of the literacy problem in the United States is there are a lot of people -- some of them with college degrees and beyond -- who don't realize that they are bad at reading
I don't know how to reach those people
I don't know how to reach those people
November 30, 2025 at 6:17 PM
One hard part of the literacy problem in the United States is there are a lot of people -- some of them with college degrees and beyond -- who don't realize that they are bad at reading
I don't know how to reach those people
I don't know how to reach those people
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Today is the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Not only did the law literally open doors to countless students with disabilities (myself included), it also had the unintended consequence of creating the moral panic around an autism "epidemic." 🧵 1/
November 30, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Today is the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Not only did the law literally open doors to countless students with disabilities (myself included), it also had the unintended consequence of creating the moral panic around an autism "epidemic." 🧵 1/
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Unfortunately, in US journalism it is considered neutral to spread a lie, but it is considered "biased" to call out a lie. So, there is a structural asymmetry that rewards colorful lies with virality.
November 30, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Unfortunately, in US journalism it is considered neutral to spread a lie, but it is considered "biased" to call out a lie. So, there is a structural asymmetry that rewards colorful lies with virality.
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
I think the corollary that a lot of people miss about "write what you know" is that *you have the power to know more things.* Research and talking to people are a central part of writing!
“write only what you know” is bullshit because a man wrote silent hill f and this shit rocks!!!! its feminist core resonates SO strongly if you’re a woman!!!!
November 30, 2025 at 1:57 AM
I think the corollary that a lot of people miss about "write what you know" is that *you have the power to know more things.* Research and talking to people are a central part of writing!
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Does anyone want a survivorship bias shortbread
November 29, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Does anyone want a survivorship bias shortbread
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Cracking open a cold one with the boys
fighting for my life against the persistent and insistent intrusive thought
November 30, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Cracking open a cold one with the boys
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
Some are suggesting you deliberately write inaccurate or confusing alt text, because they say this confuses AI scrapers that are analyzing images.
The purpose of alt text is to help people who cannot see the image. Deliberately misrepresenting the image is a gross misuse of alt text. Don't do it.
The purpose of alt text is to help people who cannot see the image. Deliberately misrepresenting the image is a gross misuse of alt text. Don't do it.
November 26, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Some are suggesting you deliberately write inaccurate or confusing alt text, because they say this confuses AI scrapers that are analyzing images.
The purpose of alt text is to help people who cannot see the image. Deliberately misrepresenting the image is a gross misuse of alt text. Don't do it.
The purpose of alt text is to help people who cannot see the image. Deliberately misrepresenting the image is a gross misuse of alt text. Don't do it.
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
But it requires not only a willingness to flunk students, but also a willingness to construct your course—and your pedagogy, and your professional persona—around an overt, articulated, emphatic set of ethical commitments.
November 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM
But it requires not only a willingness to flunk students, but also a willingness to construct your course—and your pedagogy, and your professional persona—around an overt, articulated, emphatic set of ethical commitments.
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
I am allowed to fail students for AI use, and I do, and I say I will, repeatedly and emphatically. As a result, I wind up having to fail very few students for AI use.
I read the thread and know why they're not failing the students. They gotta let colleges fail the students for the sake of the curriculum and other students
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 29, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I am allowed to fail students for AI use, and I do, and I say I will, repeatedly and emphatically. As a result, I wind up having to fail very few students for AI use.
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
If you’ve been thinking about applying for the EHRC Commissioner roles, please, please do!
Falkner and Reindorf will soon be out and there is a real desire for representatives of our 🏳️⚧️ community on the Board.
Be quick though — the deadline is midday on Monday 1st December
Falkner and Reindorf will soon be out and there is a real desire for representatives of our 🏳️⚧️ community on the Board.
Be quick though — the deadline is midday on Monday 1st December
It’s not too late, and there is a real desire for people from the trans community to apply
archive.ph/UQia8
Application details here:
apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9026?b...
archive.ph/UQia8
Application details here:
apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9026?b...
November 29, 2025 at 5:58 PM
If you’ve been thinking about applying for the EHRC Commissioner roles, please, please do!
Falkner and Reindorf will soon be out and there is a real desire for representatives of our 🏳️⚧️ community on the Board.
Be quick though — the deadline is midday on Monday 1st December
Falkner and Reindorf will soon be out and there is a real desire for representatives of our 🏳️⚧️ community on the Board.
Be quick though — the deadline is midday on Monday 1st December
introduce yourself with five animals you've seen in the wild
raccoon
beaver
loon
moose
squirrel
raccoon
beaver
loon
moose
squirrel
introduce yourself with five animals you've seen in the wild
moose
whale
mouse
rat
snakes
moose
whale
mouse
rat
snakes
introduce yourself with five animals you've seen in the wild
- bald eagles
- a MOOSE
- mama black bear and cubs
- LOONS
- whales just off the coast, not sure but maybe humpbacks
- bald eagles
- a MOOSE
- mama black bear and cubs
- LOONS
- whales just off the coast, not sure but maybe humpbacks
November 29, 2025 at 4:32 AM
introduce yourself with five animals you've seen in the wild
raccoon
beaver
loon
moose
squirrel
raccoon
beaver
loon
moose
squirrel
Reposted by Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel)
LRT: This is an unpopular opinion rn, but until NT society makes even a minimal effort to understand & accept #autistic communication styles, I refuse to spend my time policing “rude” autistic people, or handing out NT etiquette advice.
July 11, 2025 at 9:01 PM
LRT: This is an unpopular opinion rn, but until NT society makes even a minimal effort to understand & accept #autistic communication styles, I refuse to spend my time policing “rude” autistic people, or handing out NT etiquette advice.