Categories Life
I prefer people who have different political opinions to me, but who are kind and decent, than people with the same political opinions as me but who are vindictive and bullying.
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) January 11, 2021
Never thought I’d be grateful for @VP Mike Pence - but I am. He gave one of the finest speeches of any politician last night.
1/ I follow (and am followed by) people from across the political spectrum. We share a commitment to reversing the extremist agenda of the LGBT trans lobby; preserving women's sex-based rights & protecting children & vulnerable young people from puberty blockers & sterilisation. https://t.co/eMXliTbqDm
— Allison Bailey (@BluskyeAllison) November 8, 2020
2/ But most of all, despite everything that happened overnight in the US, I never thought I’d feel fear about a Democratic president, with control of both Houses of Congress - but I do.
3/ I’m a Democrat. I’m also a Black British feminist & a lesbian. I believe that sex is real & immutable. I believe passionately that gender-diverse & transgender persons must be protected from discrimination, but not at the cost of erasing ’woman’ as a sex based legal category.
4/ @biden has said that he will pass The Equality Act / HR5. If he does, women’s sex-based rights in the US will disappear & this will reverberate around the world: males able to elect to be locked up with women in prison; the end of women’s sports & scholarships...
5/ ... any mediocre male will show no shame in declaring themselves women & playing women’s sports; the end of safe spaces for women in hospitals, psychiatric units... it will mean that it will become impossible & illegal for women to organise & meet in the absence of males.
Coming from someone who lives in the States that didn't do those things & instead pursued it later, I mean it with sincerity when I congratulate you on discovering your passion & deciding to pursue it so early! I'm frustrated you are being defensive of folks not paying talent.
Starting your own publication is probably very difficult. Again: I'm super happy you're doing it at such a young age & that you have peers collaborating in a joined vision.
I started The Indiependent in 2014 when I was in sixth form, and have worked on it VOLUNTARILY ever since. I probably spend about 20 hours a week working on the site, alongside a day job which I need to do to live.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
As I'm in the States, I can tell you from experience & discussions w/ journalists at major pubs that Jschool isn't necessary in order to gain freelance clips. I wish more folks knew that. You really can do it without a
The amazing editors all give up their time to do the same, often juggling their positions alongside university/work. For them, they get the editorial experience which to someone looking to apply for a journalism course or go on to work in the media industry, is valuable.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020
Pitching to national or international publications can absolutely be intimidating no matter what level of experience or age you are. Thankfully there are several resources out there which can be found online to help folks with that vs 10+ years
Trying to pitch to national publications is depressing for an experienced freelance journalist, let alone inexperienced newcomers who i) don\u2019t have any clippings and ii) don\u2019t understand what a pitch is or how to write one.
— Beth Kirkbride (@BettyKirkers) December 7, 2020