@GMB @piersmorgan A bunch of people will hear "gay roles for gay actors" and say it's stupid or hypocrisy. But there are a few areas to consider:
(1) Do gay actors get roles?
(2) Can straight actors accurately portray gay people?
(3) Can gay actors accurately portray straight people?

@piersmorgan The first one is I think pretty clear - while it has become considerably easier for gay actors to get ahead in Hollywood, they still don't generally have access to the most common or most popular roles and it can be an impediment to their careers.

@piersmorgan The same is true in the UK. It is often the case that actors who are out and well-known as gay simply don't get given straight roles in movies or TV. They're considered 'not believable'. Whereas when a straight actor plays an LGBT role, they're (now) considered 'brave'

@piersmorgan To me that's a clear ethical argument right there - there aren't very many LGBT roles on TV or film. Until out LGBT actors are more able to act in straight roles (and lets be clear, there are a number who do so who are not out) then at least they should be able to play gay roles

@piersmorgan The second question is whether or not straight actors are able to 'play gay'. The truth is in theory absolutely yes, but in practice often no. Even in the 21st Century gay and lesbian kids still grow up feeling different, they have particular experiences with their families...

It's Friday afternoon, it's dark outside and school is over for the week. Let me tell you some truths about markets in 2021

The consensus view this year is all pervasive. Everything I see and read is based upon it. Parts of it may eventually come true, but it's not going to be sunshine and rainbows

To summarise, the mechanical recovery taking place will become self-sustaining as vaccines and "pent-up demand" combine to lead to an orgy of consumerism

Of course this is a very American fantasy because elsewhere, no one expects anything of the sort to happen, not least Europe or Japan, where we'll continue to be frugal

To add to this we have the Fed "backstopping" the market and a new Democratic administration stuffing cash into the hands of people who already have money

1. Sometimes, God calls us to leave where we are because we have forgotten that we are on a journey to the promised land. When we arrive at Horeb, we somehow forget the real aim and become lost in the temporary. @NDBCVI @olaballo @Eromski @sola_ff @YouthsLagos #makeitworkin2021

2. But, we will not settle for the ephemeral. We are pushing forward to reach the promised land. We refuse to be satisfied with yesterday's happenings. If God told Israel to leave Horeb, why can't we leave too? #makeitwork @dejitula @afolake26 @matchmakers_re @fiyin4God @NDBCVI

3. Israel camped at Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai or the Mountain of God. It was a unique place. There, Moses led Israel to covenant with God. There Moses received the Ten Commandments. Mount Horeb was a special place. But God told them to break camp and advance. Why? @NDBCVI

4. Sometimes, a place of significance can become a barrier. It can become the reason for not growing and pushing forward. Horeb represents a place of significance. Why should you pay attention to Horeb? #livetogrow

5. First, Horeb represents the place of ENCOUNTER. All of us should cherish our place of encounter. It is the point of joy, the place of pleasure, or the location of delight. Horeb was an exciting place for the Israelites and Moses. @NDBCVI

When Leah talked before a grand jury in 2012 many of her immediate friends leaped to her defense. Thankfully it was rather easy to box largely apolitical kids only passing through the punk scene out of anarchism forever. I worry the coming wave of repression will be far messier.

Today many folks see social media spaces like twitter *as* the movement or scene. And many folks less committed AFK can be louder on here, which means the housemates and buds of a snitch might create giant flamewars online, also making it harder for onlookers to discern norms.

Further, the next wave of state repression is probably going to look more like the 00s Green Scare than the 2012 Grand Jury, that is to say, *many* trials simultaneously. And *a fuck ton* of people snitched in the Green Scare.

I chalk the mass snitching in the Green Scare up to 1) many of the targets and their circles being only loosely ideological / firmly in the scene, and 2) the sheer scale of the repression, which sometimes let snitches bond together.

In contrast situations where Grand Juries failed usually involved highly ideological, highly committed people, with intense binds to the anarchist AFK scene. Folks for whom "I guess we're just going underground / serving time" was not a surprise development.

REAL TALK ALERT:
I’ve recently finished my 1st round of CBT (therapy) & waiting for my 2nd more in-depth CBT (god bless the NHS). My diagnosis & cause, which I don’t need to speak of here, are linked to my lower socio-economic upbringing, which is linked to a lot of past trauma

Which in turn affects my anxiety levels, my worth, my body image, my confidence & of course very low moods.
I tweet this not for any sympathy but
I want to normalise the idea that we can talk and reach out to people or in fact the services that are available

It’s insanely important and necessary for all. So please reach out. It is incredibly hard to have mental health issues in normal circumstances, but under a pandemic. Like literally fuck off, that’s something else. And I salute and feel all of you going through that.

But also here is a call to men. Some of you may well know this. But you need to talk and ask for help. It’s not a weakness. No one thinks less of you. You can’t ignore it and it’ll go away. Asking for help, talking about your feelings, seeking guidance doesn’t make you lesser

Lots of people may well look at me and think he’s doing ok in theatre, he’s got his shit together, he’s a big guy. But any success doesn’t make you feel any better if your mind is determined to belittle it, I may be 6ft1 but that doesn’t stop me feeling about an inch tall

The first reaction to the Mother and Baby Homes report from the Coalition of Survivors is: "Cop out“.
"What occurred was but an aspect of the newly established State which was profoundly anti women both in its laws and culture and out of which emerged the Mother and Baby Homes."

Here is an overview of the 3,000 word report. Thousands of children died, in some years at a rate of 40%, with no concern from state or society. It details graphic and sustained mental and physical abuse of children and pregnant women.

Resident F (14) was pregnant and taken to Castlepollard: "I was beaten by the nuns with a stick.
"You got beaten by sticks or by their hands, across your face, your head, arms, legs or torso." She said that nuns made her unblock toilets with her bare hands.

Resident (A) was raped by her boyfriend and became pregnant at 18, she told the commission she saw "about ten" deceased babies being sent for burial in what appeared to be shoeboxes.

I'm not going to keep pasting the testimony as it's upsetting for people who might choose not to read it for whatever reason. It's harrowing. I had to get up and walk away twice when reading it.

I wish everybody a Happy New Year 🎆. 2020 was a year like no other. The pandemic put normal life on pause. 🇲🇻tourism collapsed, thousands lost jobs and incomes, children missed schooling, some of us lost loved ones. Few of us will miss 2020. Thread (1/9)

The new year brings hope: of the speedy roll-out of the vaccine, and the eventual end to this horrible virus. I urge all Maldivians to take the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it becomes available. 💉👊🏾🦠(2/9)

worked well this year -- passing many important bills. No longer a corrupt, rubber stamp, Majlis now holds Government to account, upholds Constitution, debates important issues and passes legislation crucial to our country’s success. 🇲🇻🇲🇻🇲🇻 (3/9)

I'm very pleased @mvpeoplesmajlis helped ensure the international border reopened in July. Re-opening quickly was a good decision, and led to mini-boom in tourism we see today. We would have been in a much worse position if we kept the border closed. 🛬=💰 (4/9)

I hope 2021 sees 🇲🇻unite behind a peaceful and more tolerant vision for the future, without the bigotry and hatred we have sometimes seen in past months. We must learn to listen to the other side, and forge compromise where possible. (5/9)

Christmas has been & gone, we are in a new year but it is all sounding & feeling very similar to where we were. This time we are ready. We are hurt, we are saddened but we are standing up for what matters and we are united with one aim to see our loved ones #rightsforresidents

Over the last week there has been a lot of anger & frustration building up. Will our loved ones get a vaccine, many still haven’t, goal posts get moved, &the gap widens between 1st/2nd vaccine, will it change the visiting guidance, will we ever see them again,no one will answer!

We hear that Covid+patients are to be discharged into care homes,again.There is a plan,does anyone know it? Where are these designated homes,how will they be managed, will staff be completely separate&where are they coming from?will our loved ones be safe? Can this happen again?

Rights for residents is just that, a campaign to stand up for the #Rightsforresidents in care homes, our loved ones - young adults, children and older people - ignored and forgotten, but not by us

These rights include vaccines, hospital visits/discharges but our primary campaign was & is visits rights. For too long we have been separated from our loved ones, families torn apart & plastic screen put between us - at best

Republicans celebrating MLK Day with inspirational tweets who also joined a Supreme Court brief in support of the Texas AG's attempt to nullify millions of Black votes: a thread

Rep. Rick Allen

Rep. Jim Banks

Rep. Dan Bishop

Rep. Ken Buck

1. Thanks @glenmpani for your support when my mother passed on. You raised an interesting point on democracy that we should discuss further

2. Forms of democracy have existed in many societies at different times . Even prominent writers, such as Held (1996), suggest that democracy has evolved among societies and different cultures.

3. Both the form and practice of democracy are often contested and as aptly submitted by Street (2011: 305) “There are, of course, as many definitions of democracy as there are democratic theorists.” @glenmpani

4. While democracy is generally taken as the ideal form of rule, it is hotly disputed in other cultures.

5. Held,(1996: 7) believed that the most discernible and attractive form of democracy is one in which citizens in principle can extend their participation in decision-making to a wide array of spheres such as political, social and economic.

Feeling a bit of outrage fatigue. I know UCP likes to make digs about ‘the angry left’ (ie everyone who doesn’t support them or believe their lies), and maybe they’re trying to bombard us with their screw-ups until we’re numb to it all, but it’s ALL justified. 1/11

While we’ve been watching Kenney immolate what’s left of his credibility as a ‘leader’ over this Keystone XL debacle, it’s easy to forget that it’s only 10 days since we found out about the veto AIMCo will have over ATRF’s direction on how to invest hijacked pension funds. 2/11

It’s only 3 weeks since Kenney first tried to absolve his MLAs of blame in their hypocritical Christmas vacations, and less than that since he kicked a minister out of cabinet and another MLA out of caucus. 9 of them travelled. 5/11

It was only last week that teachers and students went back into the classroom, and amid all the rest of this, it has barely made a ripple in the news that there are *hundreds* of new covid cases in schools, and *dozens* of those caught covid AT school. In 9 days back. 4/11

The media has also largely ignored that the government decided to wipe the school outbreak map clean for a ‘fresh start’ in January, and raise the reporting threshold for outbreaks. When Dr. Hinshaw says ‘outbreak’ now, it means 5+ cases in a school, but it used to mean 2+ 5/11

BeLonG To Youth Services is a national organisation supporting LGBT young people in Ireland between the ages of 14-23.
This week they promoted a film called Under the Skin.
I want to learn more so I decided to watch it. 1/8

The first thing I noticed was the rating of 15+ and pointed it out to BelongTo in a tweet that was added to the hidden section...

I was just trying to help... perhaps I could have worded it better but I'm cant hide my annoyance at their reckless approach to safeguarding 🙄

The short film follows the lives of 3 transgender teens over a period of 2 years. The film "Explores the challenges faced by these teens, and the strength and courage it takes to be themselves."
Those featured are named Logan, Soän and Effie.

I was particularly moved by the parents testimony. Soan's father took some time to come to terms with the facts and worried about the possibility of regrets in the future. Logan's Mother described the transition like someone killing and replacing her daughter with a son. 😔

9 mins in Logan was filmed having shots of testosterone injected. A short time after Effie is seen having breast implant surgery.
The whole film basically just follows these teens' medical path to transition.
Worryingly it has become very trendy to take "Vitamin T" 😖