Something that blows my mind is how RECENTLY knitting was invented.

Knitting is probably 1000 years old. Weaving, by contrast, dates back to the neolithic era. 🧵 Although knitting is often associated with Northern Europe (Ireland, Latvia, the Scandanavian countries), knitting does not originate in Europe. Instead, the first handknit fragments appear in Northern Africa - in Egypt.

[Textile museum collection, "Sock," 1000-1200 AD]

Okay, twitter people: do you believe that voting can help halt/reverse the overturning of Roe v. Wade?

Do you want CONCRETE STEPS to increase voter turnout that are much more effective than "yelling at desperate and scared people on twitter"?

This thread is for you. 1. First and foremost, talk to your friends and family and neighbors. Are they registered? Are they sure? Do they have a plan to vote?

You are most likely to persuade people you have a relationship with. Help them register and vote.

self.com/story/how-to-a…

As a French person, I can assure everyone that "secularism" does not mean "no religion in public spaces."

It means "constant, accepted catholic presence in public spaces."

https://twitter.com/AlexandraErin/status/1540326210659655683

You know why French secularism is just christian supremacy?

Because nuns can wear veils in public. But muslim women cannot wear niqabs.

A thread on the current SFF discourse:

Since Saturday (Dec. 4th), I have been researching the allegations against SFF author Neon Yang. This thread contains what I have found. First, the background. According to hundreds of tweets/ twitter commentators, in January 2020, SFF author Neon Yang drove and/or spearheaded a harassment campaign against Isabel Fall, author of "Helicopter Story" (using Fall's current title).

There's a common myth that gymnastics is dominated by *teenagers* - an assumption that leads to journalists calling Simone Biles a "senior citizen" because she's... 24. 🧵 Both media and a lot of casual fans assume that adolescence is the perfect age for (female) gymnasts. Once a gymnast is in her 20s, she's basically like an expired cartoon of milk.

Or, per this story, anyone over 21 is "over the hill." ⛰️

Last week, Simone Biles successfully performed Yurchenko double pike, and since then, it's all people can talk about

Now you might be wondering what exactly makes this vault so groundbreaking. So, if you're interested, let's take a second to explore: A Yurchenko double pike = a roundoff back-handspring onto the vaulting table, and two and a half flips off the table in the pike position.

But what makes this vault more difficult than most of the vaults we see at the olympics?

For years, I have asked why the SFF community has embraced Elizabeth Bear post-RaceFail.
And now here we are.

https://twitter.com/_alexrowland/status/1276354329839112192

Remember how Elizabeth Bear basically *started* RaceFail, traumatized and gaslit a bunch of BIPOC fans + authors, never really apologized, and now gets to be seen as a super-progressive SFF author?

Being a white woman is a hell of a drug.

Last night, Simone Biles successfully performed a triple double, and the entire world is (correctly) freaking out.

For those interested in the background, here is a short thread explaining *why* the triple double is so difficult. First, the basics: a triple double = a double back flip with three twists.

Wow! That sounds super-hard. But if you don't know gymnastics, what does any of that really mean? Let's break it down further...

[Thread] For Pride month, I propose to you the romance between two feminist SF authors: Joanna Russ and James Tiptree Jr/ Alice B. Sheldon.

"Consider yourself well and truly propositioned... are you ready to have a mad adventure in your waning years? " 😭😭😭😭 The flirtation between Joanna Russ and James Tiptree Jr. is the perfect enemies to lovers story, and it needs to be a movie, or a miniseries.

Hollywood, call me.