Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Robin Young 🌈♾️

Sian Berry MP @sianberry.bsky.social · Sep 27

I have come to the conclusion the EHRC guidance on single sex spaces should not even come to Parliament. It is misleading and has caused distress for my trans constituents.

I urge @bphillipsonMP to reject it on grounds of practicality and human rights.

sianberry.org.uk/publications/l…

An image of Sian's letter to the Minister for Women and Equalities.

You can read the full text of her letter at:

https://www.sianberry.org.uk/publications/letter-regarding-statutory-guidance-from-the-equality-human-rights-commission/

82 470 1.5K

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Sep 27

Only one sock came out of the washing machine. That’s odd?

3

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Sep 27

I’m autistic and ADHD. It’s not a disease, its not a condition, it’s not a privilege, it’s not a curse. It is an identity in itself and it is who I am. It cannot be caused or cured with paracetamol anymore than any other human identity. I am only disabled when I am discriminated against.

2

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Sep 27

I’m autistic and ADHD. It’s not a disease, its not a condition, it’s not a privilege, it’s not a curse. It is an identity in itself and it is who I am. It cannot be caused or cured with paracetamol anymore than any other human identity. I am only disabled when I am discriminated against.

3

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Sep 27

6k this morning!

1 1

Reposted by Robin Young 🌈♾️

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · Sep 26

“Let’s call it for what it is: bullshit. The truth is, politicians have talked about little else but immigration for decades and in the most dehumanising ways.

Polanski added: “Stop the boats’ is all we hear. Well, today I'm saying ‘stop the bullshit’.”

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

UK faces ‘battle for the soul’ of the country, says Starmer amid Reform threat

In a rallying cry to progressives around the world, the Prime Minister said allies must stop the ‘politics of predatory grievance’.

www.independent.co.uk

93 850 2.8K

Reposted by Robin Young 🌈♾️

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Jul 30

Big day for the matriarchy! 🥳 Huge congrats to the awesome Prof. Doughtery, lead on the Jupiter-bound ESA JUICE mission & STFC Exec Chair.

If anyone's confused on the astro royal hierarchy: Michele and I are the astro equivalents of 🇬🇧Westminster and 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Holyrood 🤗

ℹ️: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 👩‍🔬🔭🧪

UK gets first female Astronomer Royal in 350 years

Prof Michele Dougherty is the first woman to be appointed to the influential post.

www.bbc.co.uk

17 160 640

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 24

Ok

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 24

Why would you call it that?

1

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 23

Extended certificate. I think I’m teaching 1.5 hours a week and my department head the same, so only 6 hours a fortnight. I still haven’t got my head around my timetable though. New school after 18 years! Good to change.

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 23

Pearson. Y13 are doing the old spec and we’re bringing the new one in with Y12. We don’t have enough teaching hours to sit all three exams by May 2026 for Y12, do we’re thinking of doing course work first. This could be a very good or a very bad idea. I wish I knew which.

1

Reposted by Robin Young 🌈♾️

Richard Murphy @richardjmurphy.bsky.social · Jul 23

Renewable energy is by far the cheapest way to meet global energy needs now. It's time to celebrate this, and demand that politicians require all investment be directed its way now. Nothing else makes any sense at all. www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/07...

It’s time to bury fossil fuels and nuclear power for good

There are moments when we need good news. The Guardian has one with this report this morning: The world is on the brink of a breakthrough in the climate fight and fossil fuels are running out of road...

www.taxresearch.org.uk

7 100 210

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 20

… haven’t worked my head around Btec level 3 yet. Any tips about whether to start with content first or coursework first on the new spec?

1

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 20

KS4 biology, chemistry, physics, A Level physics, Btec Applied Science

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jul 20

Congratulations Kate! I’m starting to teach this course next year and your post came up in my search.

1 1

Reposted by Robin Young 🌈♾️

Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · Jun 24

Keir Starmer’s disability cuts will have a “devastating” impact on women’s health and dignity and could breach equality law, the government has been warned

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Labour’s benefit cuts will have ‘devastating’ impact on disabled women, say charities

Organisations say planned four-point rule will not properly take into account menstruation and other hygiene needs

www.theguardian.com

2 70 230

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

Still looking … I’ll be back shortly

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

But I am referring specifically to the ‘social model of disability’ rather than the social context. Recommended: www.amazon.co.uk/Autism-Not-D...

Autism Is Not A Disease: The Politics of Neurodiversity

Autism Is Not A Disease: The Politics of Neurodiversity eBook : Hare, Jodie: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

www.amazon.co.uk

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

Dyslexia, Dyscalcula: Give them technology that really works (overlays only if needed). Etc etc. What it all boils down to is politics and how much we value equality in our society. This government want to take it away and that means less equality of access. It’s not neuroscience it’s politics.

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

Autism: We are really wired differently, but it’s not a disease, it’s human diversity, it is who we are. It’s really not a problem (aside from other comorbidities). But we are not mind readers, so just say what you really mean otherwise we start to become disabled by ableism.

1

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

You give the example of ADHD. Severely undiagnosed. Having all those busy thoughts in your head constantly and for some the urge to physically move, is constant from waking up to burnout and bed time. If medication works, let us have medication if it gives us some bloody peace of mind (literally). 4

1

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

When you apply the social model, we stop focusing on the impairments of an individual as the problem but rather on how the environment is stopping that person accessing the same opportunities as a person without those impairments. #3

1 1

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

Disabled learners are disabled by their environments, not their impairments. So all the stuff about differentiation and adaptive teaching are sticking plasters to the real issues, that classrooms are not designed to suit all learners, and disabled learners often do not access learning equally. #2

1 2

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 24

Thanks for your article Ben. From my perspective, I don’t see two opposing paradigms: neuroscience vs denial. More the social model of disability vs medical model (and denial/neglect). What happens in the classroom or in the world outside is steered by politics. #1

denial.social

2 1

Robin Young 🌈♾️ @robinyoung.bsky.social · Jun 10

According to research, apparently yes. From personal experience, hard to say what works these days other than teaching seems so much harder to get the same results, the curriculum is really boring, everyone is stressed … so no, it’s not working really.

1 1