Anise K. Strong
@anisekstrong.bsky.social
Roman historian at W. Mich U. specializing in gender, sexuality, & their reception in tv, music videos, games, & film. she/hers/ista Mom of 3. Avid baker & traveler. Antifascist. Always learning from unusual niche subject experts. Opinions are my own.
Deep breath in "how many courses have you taken & texts have you read on Roman Demography, sir?" Surely any alleged Roman pop collapse had nothing to do with a global pandemic disproportionately killing 30%, mostly young & healthy people, or mass famines caused by temp shifts. Gays or lead, amirite?
November 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Deep breath in "how many courses have you taken & texts have you read on Roman Demography, sir?" Surely any alleged Roman pop collapse had nothing to do with a global pandemic disproportionately killing 30%, mostly young & healthy people, or mass famines caused by temp shifts. Gays or lead, amirite?
What kind of neighbor-hating person would ever, ever get one of these as a toy? Because what one really wants from a leafblower is one that makes all the sounds and lights of a real leafblower except for not actually blowing leaves, that can be operated by a toddler.... #WorstPresentEver
November 16, 2025 at 8:42 PM
What kind of neighbor-hating person would ever, ever get one of these as a toy? Because what one really wants from a leafblower is one that makes all the sounds and lights of a real leafblower except for not actually blowing leaves, that can be operated by a toddler.... #WorstPresentEver
Hooray! Michigan's new sex education guidelines, despite controversy, passed successfully. While they aren't perfect (comprehensive long-term contraception ed is > focusing on abstinence), there's some important new bits normalizing same-sex relationships, gender expression, & affirmative consent.
![Sex Education [8.6.SH]
Sexual relationship topics fall under sex education in these standards guidelines and must
follow state laws on sex education instruction.
1. Demonstrate ways to show courtesy and respect for others
when aspects of their sexuality or gender are different from
one’s own.
2. Practice skills to intervene if teasing or bullying based on
sexuality is occurring and how to support those affected.
3. Encourage others to refrain from teasing or bullying others
based on their sexuality (e.g., sexual activity [including
abstinence], sexual orientation) or gender (e.g., gender
expression, gender identity).
4. Identify behaviors, policies, and practices in the school
community that promote or hinder dignity and respect for all
individuals.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rdj7xoo55h6aouvcxfy35wps/bafkreifyft6geirubduse2ep52tqbmtexepyvnqfnj6wozrbwwbttcyvvy@jpeg)
![For 9th-12th graders: Sex Education [12.4.SH]
Sexual relationship topics fall under sex education in these standards guidelines and must
follow state laws on sex education instruction.
1. Discuss reasons why it is harmful and illegal to trick, threaten,
or coerce another person into sexual activity.
2. Analyze factors that contribute to behaviors that increase the risk
of pregnancy, HIV, and other STIs.
3. Explain the importance of STI (including HIV) testing
and treatment, where to get tested, and why it is
essential to communicate with a partner about STI
status.
4. Identify situations, signs, and symptoms that might indicate a
need to seek medical consultation.
5. Evaluate readiness, options, and their respective outcomes
regarding decisions about whether to engage in sexual
activity, including abstaining, postponing sexual intercourse,
engaging in risk reduction practices (e.g., using condoms and
other barriers, using birth control).
6. Demonstrate the ability to apply a thoughtful decision-making
process in situations related to sexual activity and sexual
health.
7. Explain age of consent laws and examine the various
components of consent (e.g., consent must be asked for and
verbally given, consent cannot be given if under the influence,
consent can be taken away at any time).
Practice 5: Self-Management and Goal Setting
Set goals, engage in health-promoting behaviors, and avoid risky behaviors.
Sex Education [12.5.SH]
Sexual relationship topics fall under sex education in these standards guidelines and
must follow state laws on sex education instruction.
1. Evaluate personal responsibility and the consequences related
to pressuring someone for sexually explicit pictures, sending,
or posting sexually explicit pictures or messages](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:rdj7xoo55h6aouvcxfy35wps/bafkreigqxga2kpfztryh3xtlf37l3pphn3j3ci6aehclqsfzjfermtxgwi@jpeg)
November 15, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Hooray! Michigan's new sex education guidelines, despite controversy, passed successfully. While they aren't perfect (comprehensive long-term contraception ed is > focusing on abstinence), there's some important new bits normalizing same-sex relationships, gender expression, & affirmative consent.
This also seems like a great approach. You will appreciate our familial conversation just now:
"Is this stuffed llama for your classes?"
"No, that's for Cosmo the puppy. The small llama pinatas were for my classes for ritual sacrifices, but this one just has rope toys, not candy & omens inside."
"Is this stuffed llama for your classes?"
"No, that's for Cosmo the puppy. The small llama pinatas were for my classes for ritual sacrifices, but this one just has rope toys, not candy & omens inside."
November 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
This also seems like a great approach. You will appreciate our familial conversation just now:
"Is this stuffed llama for your classes?"
"No, that's for Cosmo the puppy. The small llama pinatas were for my classes for ritual sacrifices, but this one just has rope toys, not candy & omens inside."
"Is this stuffed llama for your classes?"
"No, that's for Cosmo the puppy. The small llama pinatas were for my classes for ritual sacrifices, but this one just has rope toys, not candy & omens inside."
I shall trade happily!
November 14, 2025 at 5:43 AM
I shall trade happily!
Also, Shutterstock still has up the image which I have always mentally captioned "Making Archivists Cry" but which they call "Girl Historian Reads a Rare Book." #Skystorians
November 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Also, Shutterstock still has up the image which I have always mentally captioned "Making Archivists Cry" but which they call "Girl Historian Reads a Rare Book." #Skystorians
Whenever teaching @jmb1951.bsky.social (Judith Bennett)'s _History Matters_, I check to see whether the image search results for "history professor" have become more diverse in the last few years. The good news is that they have! The bad news is that the most common feature by far is still a beard.
November 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Whenever teaching @jmb1951.bsky.social (Judith Bennett)'s _History Matters_, I check to see whether the image search results for "history professor" have become more diverse in the last few years. The good news is that they have! The bad news is that the most common feature by far is still a beard.
I'm pretty sure I was promised flying cars, not snow tornadoes.
November 10, 2025 at 3:58 AM
I'm pretty sure I was promised flying cars, not snow tornadoes.
My puppies over the years encountering snow for the very first time: 12/9/05, 10/24/2013, 11/9/25.
November 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
My puppies over the years encountering snow for the very first time: 12/9/05, 10/24/2013, 11/9/25.
Yes, sorry, it's been a crazy week. Here's the two images, both from Kalamazoo's Mountain Home cemetery.
November 8, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Yes, sorry, it's been a crazy week. Here's the two images, both from Kalamazoo's Mountain Home cemetery.
All I ask is that every Roman citizen take a loyalty oath praying to the divine cult of the Roman Emperors, & everybody who takes it will be fine. And everybody who doesn't take it, well, that'll be a problem...and the criteria for deciding whether or not someone is a Christian will be objective.
November 6, 2025 at 5:51 PM
All I ask is that every Roman citizen take a loyalty oath praying to the divine cult of the Roman Emperors, & everybody who takes it will be fine. And everybody who doesn't take it, well, that'll be a problem...and the criteria for deciding whether or not someone is a Christian will be objective.
It's good to know that "liberal feminism" can be seen as a reasonable synonym for "women".
Perhaps start paying attention to the fact that women under 45 are in fact increasingly liberal feminists?
Perhaps start paying attention to the fact that women under 45 are in fact increasingly liberal feminists?
November 6, 2025 at 2:49 PM
It's good to know that "liberal feminism" can be seen as a reasonable synonym for "women".
Perhaps start paying attention to the fact that women under 45 are in fact increasingly liberal feminists?
Perhaps start paying attention to the fact that women under 45 are in fact increasingly liberal feminists?
The headline and photo here are an amazing juxtaposition, as if the dog is demanding to know just how Communist Mamdani is, or alternately, suggesting that nobody who loves a Good Dog could be a problematic person.
November 4, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The headline and photo here are an amazing juxtaposition, as if the dog is demanding to know just how Communist Mamdani is, or alternately, suggesting that nobody who loves a Good Dog could be a problematic person.
My student during our historical cemetery project found two connected gravestones with somewhat mysterious second inscriptions, and I'm a bit stumped - any ideas? Orthodox church symbology?
November 3, 2025 at 9:06 PM
My student during our historical cemetery project found two connected gravestones with somewhat mysterious second inscriptions, and I'm a bit stumped - any ideas? Orthodox church symbology?
So, here's a question I faced this week - in the Oof-Yikes Spectrum of ethical non-citation or Red-Flag citation, how does one reference M.A.R. Barker?
November 2, 2025 at 5:38 PM
So, here's a question I faced this week - in the Oof-Yikes Spectrum of ethical non-citation or Red-Flag citation, how does one reference M.A.R. Barker?
Today I feel guilty for forgetting that 5 month old puppies have absolutely no concept of daylight savings time.
November 2, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Today I feel guilty for forgetting that 5 month old puppies have absolutely no concept of daylight savings time.
My fav '25 Halloween moment was when the middle-aged woman who'd herself created an incredible Derpy the Tiger costume from #KPopDemonHunters & giant Derpy decoration for her house gave my daughter, dressed as Rumi, her own 3-D printed Derpy. It reminded my daughter fandom wasn't just for kids.
November 1, 2025 at 3:14 PM
My fav '25 Halloween moment was when the middle-aged woman who'd herself created an incredible Derpy the Tiger costume from #KPopDemonHunters & giant Derpy decoration for her house gave my daughter, dressed as Rumi, her own 3-D printed Derpy. It reminded my daughter fandom wasn't just for kids.
It's also about complimenting neighbors for their volunteer acts of creativity and generosity in decoration! Favorite pumpkin of the evening:
November 1, 2025 at 3:09 AM
It's also about complimenting neighbors for their volunteer acts of creativity and generosity in decoration! Favorite pumpkin of the evening:
Here is the poem from which the phrase "Song in a Weary Throat" comes, by Rev Dr. Pauli Murray:
October 31, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Here is the poem from which the phrase "Song in a Weary Throat" comes, by Rev Dr. Pauli Murray:
Today is a good day because I received a Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray quarter as change. I choose to believe this is a good sign for being able to welcome an excellent future colleague into our department. (Not that I am holding up random scholars of African-American History to Pauli Murray's standards.)
October 31, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Today is a good day because I received a Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray quarter as change. I choose to believe this is a good sign for being able to welcome an excellent future colleague into our department. (Not that I am holding up random scholars of African-American History to Pauli Murray's standards.)
ICivics has a lot of great stuff, though they haven't updated their games in a long time. But the creators of that site worked really hard to present a nuanced version of U.S. history, although their policy recommendations, are, um, somewhat didactic.
October 26, 2025 at 1:26 PM
ICivics has a lot of great stuff, though they haven't updated their games in a long time. But the creators of that site worked really hard to present a nuanced version of U.S. history, although their policy recommendations, are, um, somewhat didactic.
It could be worse, Bret. Trump could be proposing to build his ball room as a Ballsroom in the giant shape of his own genitals.
October 25, 2025 at 10:00 PM
It could be worse, Bret. Trump could be proposing to build his ball room as a Ballsroom in the giant shape of his own genitals.
I don't have the accumulated resources available to @adapalmer.bsky.social at Chicago for this Conclave: just 90 minutes & a creative arts classroom. But honestly, even the red caps and black art smocks, plus chocolate coins for individual bribe bags & weathered vote paper, do a lot for immersion.
October 24, 2025 at 3:11 AM
I don't have the accumulated resources available to @adapalmer.bsky.social at Chicago for this Conclave: just 90 minutes & a creative arts classroom. But honestly, even the red caps and black art smocks, plus chocolate coins for individual bribe bags & weathered vote paper, do a lot for immersion.
I ran a modified version of @reactingtothepast.bsky.social William Keene Thompson's 1492 Papal Conclave today for my History Through Games class. While losing 2 students at the last second made #s tricky, using my grant from #WMU to buy red skullcaps and a miter really got students excited fast.
October 24, 2025 at 3:08 AM
I ran a modified version of @reactingtothepast.bsky.social William Keene Thompson's 1492 Papal Conclave today for my History Through Games class. While losing 2 students at the last second made #s tricky, using my grant from #WMU to buy red skullcaps and a miter really got students excited fast.
I used to love this shirt....and now he's literally destroyed the most traditionally acceptable place for women to be in the White House.
October 24, 2025 at 2:10 AM
I used to love this shirt....and now he's literally destroyed the most traditionally acceptable place for women to be in the White House.