Journalist – Historian – Speaker
I am basically opposed to puzzle narratives/metaphor when it comes to disability. I think it suggests that things are broken or disordered, and that it’s possible to snap everything into shape and make it nice and neurotypical. On the other hand, the new research into Schizophrenia is pretty interesting. Summary here. Original here behind paywall. …
This was by far the most interesting thing I read yesterday: Menstruation as a Hack by science-writer Suzanne Sadedin. She goes through the whole process by which human fetuses operate as parasites on their mothers (as opposed to in other mammals where the mother’s control the process), thanks to the “ravenous hemochorial placenta.” Therefore, she …
How we talk about disability matters. For example, I have often criticized Autism Speaks and anti-vax groups (not the same – AS is not AntiVax, they have other problems) for the way they talk about autism as a disease needing a cure. I assure you, my autistic friends are not diseased. Moreover, it’s absolutely clear …
A few weeks ago, I wrote a well-read blog post about girls and science. Apparently, we’re still debating whether it’s nuture or nature that drives women to choose professions other than science. Two recent pieces in the national media provide more evidence for the ways that women get driven out of the scientific profession, as …
So Verizon and Makers teamed up to make a great new video about the insidious ways that we push girls away from science. I am always suspicious of corporations getting involved in social causes, as they tend to be followers rather than leaders. Still, Makers is pretty great and I think the video highlights some typical …