Merari

Merari

@merari.bsky.social

Merari on bluesky

433 followers107 following662 posts

Merari reposted

flyingrodent
@flyingrodent.bsky.social

I note that everywhere the right wins now, they push for some mix of wars of aggression, looting and destroying the public realm, impunity for corruption and war crimes, roasting the planet with hydrocarbons, deforestation, destroying public education, ethnic supremacy and McCarthyist crackdowns.

Merari reposted

The Midnight Society
@midnightpals.bsky.social

Ursula Vernon: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the tale of your blorbo King: MY blorbo?! Vernon: yes Vernon: YOUR blorbo King: from my stories?!? Vernon: yes Vernon: from your stories

Merari reposted

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. * * *

Merari reposted

Dan Sohege
@danielsohege.bsky.social

No doubt he has a promising career of crying from major outlets about how he is being "silenced". He chose to cause harm to a student, which misgendering is. Despite Labour's implementation of Section 28 2.0 against trans individuals this should be a firing matter. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Merari reposted

A.R. Moxon
@juliusgoat.bsky.social

If you would try to win by abandoning trans people (or any targeted group) you can save this “we need to win” talk; there is no “we.” I am about solidarity, and you have chosen anti-solidarity. You are not any “we” I recognize. You are the enemy I’m trying to defeat. Beating you is how my “we” wins.

Merari reposted

Saul Staniforth
@saulstaniforth.bsky.social

At yesterdays Hague Group meeting at the UN on defending international law, Diana Buttu listed how Israel has targeted & killed children, healthcare workers, journalists & aid workers. All war crimes.

Merari reposted

union person
@junlper.beer

trying to get people to understand that the trans women in sports debate isn’t really about sports but a meta narrative pushed by the right all about slowly getting all trans people out of public life is truly impossible

Merari reposted

Gail Simone
@gailsimone.bsky.social

One of the many reasons Shakespeare sucked is no one has a cell phone in the whole fucking play. In the 200 years since 1503, 78% of the cell phones were created in the last eight years. Also cholera happened. He could have written about these things but no it’s all about funny twins or some shit.

Merari reposted

c0nc0rdance
@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social

In watery worlds too small to see, weird little guys live in a weird little world. Eight chubby legs reach out & plod, Through thick green strings of algae sod. With heavy steps & clumsy grace, He plows across this tiny place. (📷: Sinclair Stammer/SciencePhotoLibrary)

Merari reposted

Mrs. Betty Bowers
@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social

Ron and Cassie DeSantis: These two crooks stole $10 million from a settlement with a charity, wired it to Cassie’s fake “charity,” laundered it through two puppet organizations, and then used it for political ads in an election year. They should be in jail.

Merari reposted

Chris Franklin
@errant-signal.com

"Milo got arrested!" "That's good!" "By an unaccountable secret police force" "That's bad" "He supported them, though, so there's delicious irony at play." "That's good!" "But they came for him because fascist power has reached a point where petty infighting can lead to arrests" "That's bad"

Merari reposted

Lawfare
@lawfaremedia.org

In the past year, the Trump administration has killed at least 223 people in Caribbean Sea and East Pacific boat strikes. These attacks are extrajudicial killings and should be considered murder under domestic law and crimes against humanity under international law, writes @seharrison7.bsky.social.

lawfaremedia.orgThe Boat Strikes Aren’t Part of a War. They’re Murder.By debating war powers and war crimes, Congress is missing the simpler, graver truth: The president is directing summary executions.

Merari reposted

A.R. Moxon
@juliusgoat.bsky.social

They would rather be racist than live.

Mike@mike-umbkm.bsky.social

Brennan: "Nearly all of Florida is below the 95% immunization rate for herd immunity for measles. So, is your message to Florida parents to get your kids vaccinated?" Byron Donalds: "No. My message is the reason we have seen a measles outbreak is because of rampant illegal immigration."

Merari reposted

Gift
@giftmacher.bsky.social

Replying to @giftmacher.bsky.social

I think that the worst part of our media and politics is there's zero redress for ordinary people. The malice and propaganda, the hounding, the putting their collective thumb on the scales of democracy. All of it, all beyond ordinary people to hold to account.