Alison

Alison

@alicemerray.bsky.social

Knitter, reader, swimmer & walker. Avid podcast listener (often on the walks!) But mostly layabout. Loves to sing. Atheist. Will never be persuaded that empathy is bad. She/her. 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ 🇪🇺 🇺🇦

1.3K followers1.3K following2.5K posts

Alison reposted

Hazel Southwell
@hazelsouthwell.bsky.social

the UK has the loosest gambling laws in Europe and let me tell you: this is one of the things that is killing every. thing. else. property greed is the other. but gambling is destroying high streets, areas, social cohesion; if you don't live in an area infested with slot arcades you don't get it

Mezentine@mezentine.bsky.social

I think we underestimate the appeal of antigambling politics because every problem gambler is surrounded by 3-10 people who are absolutely sick of their shit.

Alison reposted

Erin Reed
@erininthemorning.com

Replying to @erininthemorning.com

Many of you know I maintain a list of 32 Democrats who have embraced anti-trans policy or run ads against us. I am not even asking my readers to abstain from all 32. Some have improved, and some may not meet your line. But I ask my readers to draw a line and refuse to elect the worst among them.

erininthemorning.comThe Guide To Anti-Trans Democrats In The 2026 Elections, By StateThese are the Democrats that LGBTQ+ people may wish to avoid this election cycle.

Alison reposted

Erin Reed
@erininthemorning.com

The elections are on next Tuesday, and so much is at stake, including the soul of the Democratic Party when it comes to transgender people. I am asking you to leave a very small number of races blank in which a Democrat has embraced extreme anti-trans hate. I make my case here.

erininthemorning.comDon’t Vote For The Worst Anti-Trans DemocratsThe Democratic Party should, and likely will, win big in the midterms. We must not send the worst anti-trans voices to join them.

Alison reposted

Katelyn Burns
@katelynburns.com

Hannah Barnes once published a paper in the British Medical Journal with some fake scandal about trans kids and then the next day published an "exclusive" in the BBC saying that the "BMJ found a big scandal". Her source was her own report but she never disclosed that she also wrote the BMJ paper.

This post is unavailable.

Alison reposted

Mrs. Betty Bowers
@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social

The allegations against Donald Trump for sexual assault seem to have a common denominator: He is physically violent and intentionally inflicts pain on his victims. He likes to slam women and girls up against doors and walls as he roughly manhandles them. Donald Trump is a sick and twisted person.

Prem Thakker ツ@premthakker.bsky.social

NEW: "Donald Trump was an active participant in Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of young women during the mid-to-late 1990s," per new House Judiciary Dem report. Report has new allegation that Trump raped a 24-year-old and then promised the victim a visa & NYU admission, demanding she stay quiet.

Alison reposted

Alex Andreou
@sturdyalex.bsky.social

This went on for the rest of the full hour, at which point the BBC apologised for having to go to the weather and urged viewers to follow continuing live coverage on iPlayer. Forty-one minutes of unfiltered, unchallenged propaganda by a far right party with 8 MPs, now third in the polls. Discuss.

Alex Andreou@sturdyalex.bsky.social

BBC News just interrupted its coverage to go, live, to Nigel Farage - a man with no contitutional standing in our setup - responding to the budget - a document which nobody has seen yet. WHY

Alison reposted

Alex Andreou
@sturdyalex.bsky.social

BBC News just interrupted its coverage to go, live, to Nigel Farage - a man with no contitutional standing in our setup - responding to the budget - a document which nobody has seen yet. WHY

Alison reposted

Rob Ford
@robfordmancs.bsky.social

I was having conversations with journalists just a few months ago about whether democracy was doomed. Look at this year: Orban defeated. Vukic defeated. Bolsonaro Jr defeated. Trump heading to likely defeat in midterms. That’s the beauty of democracy. Voters can respond. Don’t count it out yet.

Alison reposted

Greg Pak
@gregpak.net

None of us should forget this. Meta should be subjected to corporate death penalty and permanently broken up into small pieces.

This post is unavailable.

Alison reposted

Aurelien Mondon
@aurelmondon.com

These elections really make clear the damage populist hype has done The idea that anything left of centre, mildly critical of the status quo and the capitalist elite could be equated to the far right is so ridiculous and yet this is what has been pushed in most of the media aided by many academics

Aurelien Mondon@aurelmondon.com

The news from Brazil and Serbia are great and show that you don't defeat the far right by copying it or trying to appeal to their supporters You do it by being uncompromising, showing the danger they pose and offering something different to the many crises people suffer from

Alison reposted

Aurelien Mondon
@aurelmondon.com

The news from Brazil and Serbia are great and show that you don't defeat the far right by copying it or trying to appeal to their supporters You do it by being uncompromising, showing the danger they pose and offering something different to the many crises people suffer from

Alison reposted

Bruno Dies
@brunodias.dev

Replying to @brunodias.dev

What's striking to me are the rules of engagement and the methodology of action here, which more or less is predicated on burying liberal delusions about "debate" or the "marketplace of ideas". The rules were ultimately very simple: amplify your own message and suppress your opponent's.

Alison reposted

Bruno Dies
@brunodias.dev

Genuinely I don't know that it comes across to people who haven't been here to watch how almost unbelievable this was, just people taking something that looked impossible and dragging it kicking and screaming all the way to inevitability.

Alison reposted

Adam Schwarz
@adamjschwarz.bsky.social

Lula: "We had to overcome foreign interference through digital platforms, which we will have to regulate. A crime in the digital world must be treated the same as a crime in the real world. We cannot have monstrous companies earning millions... not paying taxes... wanting to steer elections."

Alison reposted

Robert Evans (the Only Robert Evans)
@iwriteok.bsky.social

So Lula not only won, he basically doubled his margin of victory from 2022. I'm guessing he won thanks to voters who didn't love him, but were terrified to see Flavio given near-dictatorial power. It's going to be a messy next chapter for Brazil, but at least it'll be a fight, not a curb-stomping.

Alison reposted

Dorian Lynskey
@dorianlynskey.bsky.social

If you replace "Fabians" and "globalists" with "Jews" (which is kind of what they mean anyway), this is exactly the same argument as Oswald Mosley's "Peace Fascism"

David Higham@oldtrotter.bsky.social

Well you can't get much clearer than that. Restore are Putin stooges.

Alison reposted

Rose Schmits
@roseschmits.bsky.social

Yissss

Rose Schmits@roseschmits.bsky.social

I know absolutely nothing about Lula except that i saw someone share a clip on insta of him in celebration kissing a trans woman politician on the cheek and oh my god is that a radical act for a politician in 2026 so lets fucking go

Alison reposted

Alex Andreou
@sturdyalex.bsky.social

“Badenoch preaches personal responsibility, but when gov't nudges people to keep a few tins of beans, she whinges it's 'passing the buck'. The Mail idolises resilience during the blitz, yet seems to think people can achieve preparedness just by having a tea towel that says 'keep calm and carry on'.”

podcasts.apple.comSunday School: Robot Reboot – good machine v bad machinePodcast Episode · Quiet Riot · 25 October · 1hr 2min
Quiet Riot@quietriotpod.bsky.social

Sunday School: Robot reboot – good v bad machines 🤖 Has the UK found its AI niche or a tech trap? 🆘 Why is 'Be prepared' so triggering to the Right? 📺 Fantasy TV shows starring politicians 😵‍💫 🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/2bwx... 🍎 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/q...

open.spotify.comSunday School: Robot Reboot – good machine v bad machineQuiet Riot · Episode

Alison reposted

Alex Andreou
@sturdyalex.bsky.social

"Stockpiling was illegal during the war..." One of the weakest (and, for some reasone, most repeated) arguments against taking basic steps to prepare for a short disruption, like losing power for a couple of days. Keeping a wind up torch and some bottled water is not "stockpiling" ffs.

Alison reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Fascinating Jeremy, now tell us about the time you cut national insurance twice as an electoral game despite knowing we couldn't afford it.

The i Paper @theipaper.com

“Healey should remove anxiety and depression as a reason to claim benefits and offer people treatment instead. It would be better for the individuals and a fraction of the cost.” Read more: trib.al/cxsKwxw

Alison reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Again, worth analysing Burnham as if he is really good at politics: moving red lines from things EU can't accept (free movement) to things it might (euro). Changing terms of debate on an issue from negative (uncontrolled immigration) to positive (Brits can go abroad for work).

Mujtaba Rahman@mijrahman.bsky.social

I think @andyburnham.bsky.social wants to rejoin the EU. Not spin. It's incredibly bold to even raise free movement. Perhaps testing the water to see if public opinion on immigration has changed. The Europeans are paying attention

Alison
@alicemerray.bsky.social

More on the dreadful Life Surge. Pablo Torre Finds Out | Tim Tebow, Sage Steele and Cancel Culture: We Followed the Money Inside Life Surge on Podbean www.podbean.com/ea/dir-cbwc9...

podbean.comTim Tebow, Sage Steele and Cancel Culture: We Followed the Money Inside Life SurgeIts Hall-of-Fame speakers may be vanishing, but this alleged "scam" defiantly continues to pitch financial salvation for vulnerable Christians — with a former SportsCenter anchor and house-flipping HG...

Alison reposted

Toby Buckle
@polphilpod.bsky.social

every now & then someone on the anti-trans side will get cold feet about how openly ugly it's all getting—they want to keep the image of a nice, sensible centrist but it's never enough for them to get off the train

Alison reposted

elia ayoub
@ayoub.bsky.social

Seriously

Leicester Gazette@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *