Author, podcaster, bon vivant: https://t.co/n6aeXb1wYK. Peabody nominee. Literally OCD. Also on Bluesky at @luxalptraum.com Avi: @TheCovatar she/her
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Nov 16, 2023 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
A couple words on why the way that some of you use "Zionist" just feels like "Jew (derogatory)":
1) Zionism, as I have stated repeatedly, is a complex philosophy with multiple iterations (cultural, religious, and political, just for a start), to reduce it to the most violent...
... form of political Zionism is already a problem. Many self-IDed Zionists do not support this war or Israel's current government, I personally know Zionists who are actively working towards making Israel a more tolerant, pluralistic society for both Palestinians and Jews.
Nov 13, 2023 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
I don't think anti-Zionism is antisemitism and I don't think Zionism is racism but I also don't think that either anti-Zionists or Zionists make a good faith effort to address the antisemitism/racism embedded within their movements.
I don't identify with either camp, but if you do, really ask yourself what you are doing to combat the noxious elements within it. Do you just shrug your shoulders and insist it's not your problem? Do you hold up anti-Zionist Jews and Arab Israelis as tokens?
Nov 1, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
So I am very aware that "I'm going to assault this person tangentially connected to a foreign country that is doing something I don't like" is a common phenomenon — during WW2, my Croatian great-uncle changed his German* last name to Denton to avoid harassment. 🧵
* Long story
But I find it interesting that people who likely would not blame random Russian-Americans or Asian-Americans getting assaulted on the actions of Putin or Xi Jinping somehow think it's fine to say that Bibi is the reason why Jews around the world are at elevated risk?
Oct 23, 2023 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
You are perfectly welcome to take the position that Israel is a violent settler-colonial state that cannot be reformed and must be destroyed; but I think if you choose to take that position it is worth actually thinking through what you mean by Israel's destruction.
Do you mean the replacement of Israel and its government with a Palestinian state from the river to the sea? That's a position you can hold! It is worth asking what you imagine will happen to Israelis currently living in the region, though. Will they be granted citizenship?
Oct 3, 2023 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
Something I think about a lot is the fact that few people can actually define an orgasm, and especially a "female orgasm," in anything remotely approaching concrete and measurable terms.
(And by "few people" I might actually mean "no one")
Jun 6, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
One of the most bizarre things about Buffalo is people here think they invented putting “the” in front of a highway number
This is how you know no one from Buffalo has ever been to LA
Jun 6, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Okay I think we have some disagreement about what a dirtbag is
As someone who identifies as a recovering dirtbag my own personal definition is someone who doesn’t really have their shit together and is likely kind of selfish and self destructive
Jun 6, 2023 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Okay now that I have written not one but two stories about how Lora DiCarlo was an obvious fraud and a grifter (and one who completely fucked over everyone who trusted her), I just want to say that if you are a sex industry "expert" who boosted her you owe everyone an apology.
WIRED piece revealing her as a fraud: wired.com/story/lora-dic…
Accidentally booked a ticket to Buffalo for 2 weeks from tomorrow instead of tomorrow, tried to change it on the website and somehow ended up just getting switched to a worse ticket on the same (wrong) date, spent an hour on hold with a nice customer support guy and got it fixed
Whirlwind of an evening
Jun 5, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
I'm going back to Buffalo tomorrow so get ready for a whole new round of complaints
Maybe fifteen years ago there was a whole wave of "New Yorkers are moving to Buffalo!!!" articles that positioned the city as ready for a comeback and like... let me just tell you that did not materialize, the city feels shabbier than it did in the 1990s which is... saying a lot.
Jun 5, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
I support Bisexual Hank Green but I also have complicated feelings about the way the celebrity coming out individualizes queer liberation
This is not about Hank Green in particular, he's just the latest person who came out as bi to much enthusiasm
Jun 5, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
There are a bunch of random people who follow me on Duolingo and I can only imagine it's because they think I'm hot
I only follow four accounts on Duolingo: my mom, my sister, my sister's old account that she forgot about, and someone who I *think* is my old roommate?
Jun 5, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
I have to say I find the "not getting Waystar saved Kendall" take so bizarre, like, Kendall was a lost cause no matter what, that's the whole show
I don't know how you could watch four seasons of Succession and think Armstrong thought that any of the protagonists had a chance at redemption
May 9, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Good for her! washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/05…
In a lot of ways I think civil court is a better venue for survivors, largely because a) it gives them some degree of autonomy over the proceedings in a way criminal court does not, b) if the proceedings find in their favor they can get money, which is often useful for healing
May 9, 2023 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
You should remember this when you shrug off states like Utah and Louisiana that are forcing porn sites to verify the age of their users before letting them access their content (sometimes requiring verification methods that are *literally impossible*): "porn" is subjective.
I would argue that instead of saying "these books aren't porn," we should be arguing that even porn is protected speech and that any ban on protected speech begins a slippery slope.
May 9, 2023 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
No one more sinister than a Tom Wambsgans defender
It's truly bizarre to me that people think Tom is somehow better than the Roys when he's actively worse given that a) he wasn't born into this horror show, he *actively opted into it* and b) he's as manipulative as the rest of them but totally in denial about it
May 9, 2023 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
Just saw some tweets about "is this gender presentation queer" and I would suggest that the answer is, perhaps, truly who gives a fuck
Are you a queer person? Are you doing your gender in a way that feels authentic? Congrats, your gender is queer.
May 8, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Started reading Bupkis reviews and this line is great:
"Pete’s existential ambling suggests a dumber Louie, his travails in the surreal demimonde of celebrity suggest a dumber Atlanta, and his dealings with his coterie of hangers-on suggest a slightly less-dumb Entourage."
Source: theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2…
May 8, 2023 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
Honestly who hasn't had a fight like this with a (hopefully ex) partner
I refuse to believe other people are just walking around having healthy romantic relationships and *never* entering into relationships because you're scared to be alone and see the many ways that the other person could be useful to you even if you're not sure you like them
May 8, 2023 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
I feel like if you don’t think Succession is a comedy you should know that last night’s episode was written by Will Tracy, one of the writers of The Menu who also used to write for
Wait for it
The Onion
I’m not saying comedy folks are incapable of pivoting to drama but it sure seems like the bulk of Succession’s staff are comedy people 🤔
May 8, 2023 • 16 tweets • 2 min read
I love when Shiv and Tom fight
The thing I love about Shiv is that she’s transparently transactional about her romantic relationships in a way that’s refreshing
