Shani
@andustar.bsky.social
Reposted by Shani
For a long time containment was the dominant strategy of British state institutions (the GIC system, the GRA '05), containment failed with the trans tipping point and what we're seeing in the aftermath is a mix of institutions either switching to elimination or trying to re-establish containment.
January 15, 2026 at 12:13 PM
For a long time containment was the dominant strategy of British state institutions (the GIC system, the GRA '05), containment failed with the trans tipping point and what we're seeing in the aftermath is a mix of institutions either switching to elimination or trying to re-establish containment.
Reposted by Shani
I've thought for a while that there are two strategies that transphobic institutions persue that exist in tension with each other (often within the same institution). There's elimination and containtment.
You can't have a Gov. policy of caring about the well-being of trans children, while having a policy of persecuting trans adults. It is too obviously incompatible.
They want a policy of persecuting trans adults. So they have to have a policy of querying & controlling the existence of trans kids.
They want a policy of persecuting trans adults. So they have to have a policy of querying & controlling the existence of trans kids.
January 15, 2026 at 12:09 PM
I've thought for a while that there are two strategies that transphobic institutions persue that exist in tension with each other (often within the same institution). There's elimination and containtment.
Reposted by Shani
it's deeply funny that the "Free Speech Union" sued to stop someone from publishing their donor list.
none of these fuckos believe in free speech
none of these fuckos believe in free speech
January 11, 2026 at 12:58 PM
it's deeply funny that the "Free Speech Union" sued to stop someone from publishing their donor list.
none of these fuckos believe in free speech
none of these fuckos believe in free speech
Reposted by Shani
one of the issues has some poems and riddles etc sent in by authors instead of children (some of them with notes from their kids) and there’s one by Diana Wayne Jones!
January 10, 2026 at 5:20 PM
one of the issues has some poems and riddles etc sent in by authors instead of children (some of them with notes from their kids) and there’s one by Diana Wayne Jones!
Reposted by Shani
Like, to be clear I think these companies are by and large straight up evil. Sam Altman releasing 4o is like. Practically criminal. Musk actively removing safety guardrails as a selling point, deploying it on a platform that's already a misinformation vector to generate racism and child exploitation
January 6, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Like, to be clear I think these companies are by and large straight up evil. Sam Altman releasing 4o is like. Practically criminal. Musk actively removing safety guardrails as a selling point, deploying it on a platform that's already a misinformation vector to generate racism and child exploitation
Reposted by Shani
In a strange position where I think there are massive, massive social harms to the proliferation of AI (misinfo, deepfakes, predatory 'companions', surveillance, labour rights) but also feel the mainstream arguments against it range from unconvincing (water) to actively harmful (copyright; "soul")
January 6, 2026 at 7:52 PM
In a strange position where I think there are massive, massive social harms to the proliferation of AI (misinfo, deepfakes, predatory 'companions', surveillance, labour rights) but also feel the mainstream arguments against it range from unconvincing (water) to actively harmful (copyright; "soul")
Reposted by Shani
Anna’s Archive (“the largest truly open library in human history”) is backing up the entirety of Spotify. “We have archived around 86 million songs from Spotify. While this only represents 37% of songs, it represents around 99.6% of listens.” [annas-archive.li]
Backing up Spotify
We backed up Spotify (metadata and music files). It’s distributed in bulk torrents (~300TB). It’s the world’s first “preservation archive” for music which is fully open (meaning it can easily be mirrored by anyone with enough disk space), with 86 million music files, representing around 99.6% of lis
annas-archive.li
January 6, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Anna’s Archive (“the largest truly open library in human history”) is backing up the entirety of Spotify. “We have archived around 86 million songs from Spotify. While this only represents 37% of songs, it represents around 99.6% of listens.” [annas-archive.li]
Reposted by Shani
Reposted by Shani
Reposted by Shani
Palestine protesters supporting the hunger strikers have also turned up to protest at the DHSC
SOLIDARITY 🇵🇸
SOLIDARITY 🇵🇸
December 17, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Palestine protesters supporting the hunger strikers have also turned up to protest at the DHSC
SOLIDARITY 🇵🇸
SOLIDARITY 🇵🇸
Reposted by Shani
"Hospitality, in Syria, is a language older than fear.
I took my guests through Aleppo the way someone introduces a lover."
Another incredible, chilling post; I hope I'll see a book from this same friend. This is one newsletter you should subscribe to. xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-hospi...
I took my guests through Aleppo the way someone introduces a lover."
Another incredible, chilling post; I hope I'll see a book from this same friend. This is one newsletter you should subscribe to. xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-hospi...
When Hospitality Became a Security Matter: Couchsurfing Under Assad
A threat to national security.
xenowrites.substack.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:39 AM
"Hospitality, in Syria, is a language older than fear.
I took my guests through Aleppo the way someone introduces a lover."
Another incredible, chilling post; I hope I'll see a book from this same friend. This is one newsletter you should subscribe to. xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-hospi...
I took my guests through Aleppo the way someone introduces a lover."
Another incredible, chilling post; I hope I'll see a book from this same friend. This is one newsletter you should subscribe to. xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-hospi...
Reposted by Shani
oh my god Book of the New Sun had Amano covers in Japan and they're fucking crazy
December 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
oh my god Book of the New Sun had Amano covers in Japan and they're fucking crazy
Reposted by Shani
“Because in those rooms, you learn quickly: the people with power are allowed to be tired. The people without it cannot.”
A refugee friend describes their experience at UNHCR: xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-waiti...
A refugee friend describes their experience at UNHCR: xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-waiti...
When Waiting Becomes Survival: Inside a UNHCR Centre
One day I walked into UNHCR Center with my life story and the room swallowed me like it had been expecting me.
xenowrites.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:56 PM
“Because in those rooms, you learn quickly: the people with power are allowed to be tired. The people without it cannot.”
A refugee friend describes their experience at UNHCR: xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-waiti...
A refugee friend describes their experience at UNHCR: xenowrites.substack.com/p/when-waiti...
Reposted by Shani
Who is Wes Streeting, and why is he like that?
I joined Sam Kelly and Jonas Martin on the @medicinered.bsky.social podcast to discuss the Health Secretary's political background, and what this might mean for health policy in the UK.
I joined Sam Kelly and Jonas Martin on the @medicinered.bsky.social podcast to discuss the Health Secretary's political background, and what this might mean for health policy in the UK.
Red Medicine - Who Is Wes Streeting and Why Is He Like That? w/ Ruth Pearce and Jonas Marvin
Listen to Red Medicine - Who Is Wes Streeting and Why Is He Like That? w/ Ruth Pearce and Jonas Marvin by Red Medicine on Podcast Addict. We talk about Wes Streeting. Who is he, what are his politics,...
podcastaddict.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Who is Wes Streeting, and why is he like that?
I joined Sam Kelly and Jonas Martin on the @medicinered.bsky.social podcast to discuss the Health Secretary's political background, and what this might mean for health policy in the UK.
I joined Sam Kelly and Jonas Martin on the @medicinered.bsky.social podcast to discuss the Health Secretary's political background, and what this might mean for health policy in the UK.
Reposted by Shani
Reposted by Shani
It's just like a few years ago when the GCs went after all the local councils to get their trans inclusive guidance for schools withdrawn. They all backed off and "waited for guidance" from central government which gave the GCs the ability to focus their lobbying and corruption.
December 3, 2025 at 9:13 AM
It's just like a few years ago when the GCs went after all the local councils to get their trans inclusive guidance for schools withdrawn. They all backed off and "waited for guidance" from central government which gave the GCs the ability to focus their lobbying and corruption.
When my former employer capitulated to GC pressure/lawyers I initially thought I could stop them. HAH!!! Goals rapidly shifted to 'how can I make it as publicly embarrassing and expensive as possible' and help others doing the same. It was weirdly harder and scarier
So one of the tasks of trans organising now is to raise the cost of capitulating to GC threats. To raise the cost of choosing to discriminate against trans people. We have no money. We have no political influence. We do have numbers and time. Figure out what that means.
December 3, 2025 at 9:38 AM
When my former employer capitulated to GC pressure/lawyers I initially thought I could stop them. HAH!!! Goals rapidly shifted to 'how can I make it as publicly embarrassing and expensive as possible' and help others doing the same. It was weirdly harder and scarier
Reposted by Shani
If your choice is between an existential risk to your organisation, vs being a fascist collaborator, and you make the difficult choice to be a collaborator...
...then you are still a collaborator.
...then you are still a collaborator.
Like, I'm sorry the fascists are giving you difficult choices. But that's what fascists fucking do. The only legit answer is "fuck you make me". The only answer that shows you have actual fucking principles not preferences is "fuck you make me". And that sucks. But here we are.
December 3, 2025 at 8:55 AM
If your choice is between an existential risk to your organisation, vs being a fascist collaborator, and you make the difficult choice to be a collaborator...
...then you are still a collaborator.
...then you are still a collaborator.
Reposted by Shani
Like, I'm sorry the fascists are giving you difficult choices. But that's what fascists fucking do. The only legit answer is "fuck you make me". The only answer that shows you have actual fucking principles not preferences is "fuck you make me". And that sucks. But here we are.
December 3, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Like, I'm sorry the fascists are giving you difficult choices. But that's what fascists fucking do. The only legit answer is "fuck you make me". The only answer that shows you have actual fucking principles not preferences is "fuck you make me". And that sucks. But here we are.
Reposted by Shani
New blog post: Activist pasts and imagined futures.
What kinds of unexpected impact can we have with our activism? I reflect on some of the things I learned at the 20th anniversary celebrations for Warwick Anti-Sexism Society.
What kinds of unexpected impact can we have with our activism? I reflect on some of the things I learned at the 20th anniversary celebrations for Warwick Anti-Sexism Society.
Activist pasts and imagined futures
Back in October I caught the train down to Coventry to visit my old stomping grounds at the University of Warwick. The occasion was the 20th Anniversary of Warwick Anti-Sexism Society (WASS), a stu…
ruthpearce.net
December 2, 2025 at 2:31 PM
New blog post: Activist pasts and imagined futures.
What kinds of unexpected impact can we have with our activism? I reflect on some of the things I learned at the 20th anniversary celebrations for Warwick Anti-Sexism Society.
What kinds of unexpected impact can we have with our activism? I reflect on some of the things I learned at the 20th anniversary celebrations for Warwick Anti-Sexism Society.
Reposted by Shani
A 30-year old Oxford resident, imprisoned for taking part in the Palestine Action paint attack at RAF Brize Norton, is entering the fifth week of their hunger strike. Amu Gib is protesting against “the victimisation faced by prisoners accused of taking direct action” for the Palestinian cause.
December 2, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A 30-year old Oxford resident, imprisoned for taking part in the Palestine Action paint attack at RAF Brize Norton, is entering the fifth week of their hunger strike. Amu Gib is protesting against “the victimisation faced by prisoners accused of taking direct action” for the Palestinian cause.
Reposted by Shani
(Not whoever this was originally referring to, and she isn't trans, but)
This is what it sounds like when you're a grown up professional who allowed literal Toby Young's 'Free Speech Union' to bully you into publishing a piece of anti trans propaganda and you did it rather than quit :)))
This is what it sounds like when you're a grown up professional who allowed literal Toby Young's 'Free Speech Union' to bully you into publishing a piece of anti trans propaganda and you did it rather than quit :)))
November 29, 2025 at 12:42 PM
(Not whoever this was originally referring to, and she isn't trans, but)
This is what it sounds like when you're a grown up professional who allowed literal Toby Young's 'Free Speech Union' to bully you into publishing a piece of anti trans propaganda and you did it rather than quit :)))
This is what it sounds like when you're a grown up professional who allowed literal Toby Young's 'Free Speech Union' to bully you into publishing a piece of anti trans propaganda and you did it rather than quit :)))
Reposted by Shani
If there's one lesson I think we can draw from stuff like this it's that "optics" are a lie. Power will spin fascist cranks as just normal academics who've been unfairly persecuted and peace activists as terrorists if it suits its purposes.
I know we're all focusing on the chat gpt thing but this is an absolutely insane way for the observer and also glinner to refer to an ecofacsist who believes that trans people were invented by jews to eliminate humanity and that mass bombing campaigns should happen for the enviroment.
November 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
If there's one lesson I think we can draw from stuff like this it's that "optics" are a lie. Power will spin fascist cranks as just normal academics who've been unfairly persecuted and peace activists as terrorists if it suits its purposes.
Long shot but do I know anyone who knows anyone doing reproductive rights work/activism in 🇫🇷 France?
(For an abortion funding project).
Boosts appreciated!
(For an abortion funding project).
Boosts appreciated!
November 27, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Long shot but do I know anyone who knows anyone doing reproductive rights work/activism in 🇫🇷 France?
(For an abortion funding project).
Boosts appreciated!
(For an abortion funding project).
Boosts appreciated!