dice145's recent activity

  1. Comment on The World Health Organization announces it no longer classifies being transgender as a mental disorder in ~lgbt

    dice145
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    I'm really glad to see this. The number of times I've had to explain how being trans is not a mental illness only to have the WHO thrown back as a defence was frustrating. Happy to see they've...

    I'm really glad to see this. The number of times I've had to explain how being trans is not a mental illness only to have the WHO thrown back as a defence was frustrating. Happy to see they've finally updated this, especially in today's climate of alt-right pundits who look for easy bait to explain away reality and entrench their base. Last time someone tried to play a Ben Shapiro video as their argument and it took me half a fucking hour to go categorically, step by step through his bullshit.

    4 votes
  2. Comment on Does/Could Tildes make an effort to recruit minority voices? in ~tildes

    dice145
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    Just to be clear--and it seems from your comment that you understood this--I'm not suggesting cisgendered heterosexual white men are oppressed lol. Realistically, there's nothing wrong with the...

    Just to be clear--and it seems from your comment that you understood this--I'm not suggesting cisgendered heterosexual white men are oppressed lol. Realistically, there's nothing wrong with the words themselves--they just now have an image problem with those they ought to reach. I just wanted to point out that, should someone be wondering about the occasional pushback one gets in making a relatively reasonable argument as you have, that often a portion of the responses you'll encounter when using the language are reactive to the way it's been abused by some who use it as a putdown. I'm also not suggesting you avoid the terms--that would be problematic as well.

    If I feel like I'm being ignored because of my identity, I try to remember that this actually just makes me like everyone else and not particularly oppressed.

    In my case it wasn't a matter of being ignored; I prefer to listen than to interject on matters that are not mine to commandeer. Unfortunately, my case was just plain ol' harassment. But yeah, I did the same and thought: There are militant idiots in all camps. It doesn't validate their hatred, and it doesn't make them representative of a cause.

    1 vote
  3. Comment on Does/Could Tildes make an effort to recruit minority voices? in ~tildes

    dice145
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    I think what you said was perfectly fair; we're all a product of our experiences. Add into the mix that so many Redditors are young and have so much to experience in the world and of course the...

    I think what you said was perfectly fair; we're all a product of our experiences. Add into the mix that so many Redditors are young and have so much to experience in the world and of course the result is a larger number of uncritical users. Some people cringe at hearing "cis het white men" because it's often used as the proverbial punching bag by unreasonable and angry people/communities online or irl (I've been harassed by both, and I was surprised by how afflictive and longlasting that experience can be). I've used the terms a couple times as well recently, and I wish there was something that didn't sound so ridiculous. I have the same response to it as I do when the creepy dude refers to women as "females." ugh.

    7 votes
  4. Comment on Does/Could Tildes make an effort to recruit minority voices? in ~tildes

    dice145
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    I'll say this as a Redditor who was graceously invited by another Redditor: This really makes me hope there is some form of outreach that strays away from Reddit, given we are trying to create an...

    I'll say this as a Redditor who was graceously invited by another Redditor: This really makes me hope there is some form of outreach that strays away from Reddit, given we are trying to create an online culture that is distinct from the very user-base we're letting in.

    Bring in primarily Reddit users, and they're all going to maintain a portion of their mannerisms and viewpoints they formed from Reddit. On the other hand, if you recruit from other sites as well or extend invitations to irl friends, you have different backgrounds, perspectives and mannerisms to offset the Reddit culture. I joined tildes because I grew tired of Reddit's penchant to downvote opinions that strayed from its prefered position, to repeat the same inside jokes and reply to posts that are non-conforming to the demographic (white, cis, heterosexual, male, metropolitan and high school or college aged) with dismissive and half-baked putdowns. For clarity, I meet Reddit's demographic criteria to a tee, but you absolutely nailed it in pointing out how sophisticated an echo-chamber Reddit can be. It does not encourage users to try understanding different opinions by default. I want to be a part of an online culture where we re-learn how to stand at a cross-roads with others without hating them for being different.

    18 votes
  5. Comment on Gay rights pioneer James Egan celebrated in Canada's first LGBTQ2 Heritage Minute in ~lgbt

    dice145
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    For those unfamiliar with Heritage Minutes, the first one was broadcasted in 1991 and illuminate important and defining moments in Canadian history. It's an interesting way of trying to capture...

    For those unfamiliar with Heritage Minutes, the first one was broadcasted in 1991 and illuminate important and defining moments in Canadian history. It's an interesting way of trying to capture Canadian culture and the well know or little known players who are germane to the state of the nation we enjoy today.

    1 vote
  6. Comment on Why do some job adverts put women off applying? in ~life.women

    dice145
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    Absolutely! I know you aren't saying this, but I don't think placing the onus solely on employers was the intention of the research firm that presented the data. I'm frustrated with those at...

    Absolutely! I know you aren't saying this, but I don't think placing the onus solely on employers was the intention of the research firm that presented the data. I'm frustrated with those at Textio who suggest the solution here is to replace the terms instead of reinforcing the message that POC and women are welcome and encouraged to apply. Women can "build" things--they aren't restricted to just being creative. Women can be "leaders", and they should be offered the opportunity to lead. And they sure as hell can be competitive (seriously, I fear the chick on the opposing team full of guys--she's going to clean up). To suggest that we replace these words with "supportive" and "interpersonal" is an insult.

    Even the format of a job ad can make a difference.

    Textio's analysis reveals that ads with lengthy bullet points detailing the role's responsibilities will face a drop-off in women applying for the job.

    This is a real concern. To me, this harkens back to a recent study with grade-school boys and girls and their corresponding confidence in their math abilities (https://globalnews.ca/news/3909143/confidence-in-math-has-become-a-major-problem-for-girls-in-school/). Even at such young ages, "only 49 per cent of Grade 3 girls in Ontario agreed that they were good at math compared to 62 per cent of boys." To address this, I would curb the "must have the following" statement as most of the time it really is not--the company was just trying to "weed out" applicants. I'd also throw in additional language on top of encouraging statements welcoming women and POC by saying "willing to train". Plenty of companies do this, but they neglect to put it into their job postings.

    1 vote
  7. Comment on <deleted topic> in ~hobbies

    dice145
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    Thank you! And yeah, I like how in a way hobbies end up being a way of tailoring our lives to fit who we are at the time. I didn't get the chance to snap a picture, unfortunately; I caught the...

    Thank you! And yeah, I like how in a way hobbies end up being a way of tailoring our lives to fit who we are at the time. I didn't get the chance to snap a picture, unfortunately; I caught the fish in deeper water. I'll have to wait for the next one, but I do have pictures of some flies I've tied and will be making a few more soon, so I'll be sure to get a small album together so I can share.

    1 vote
  8. Comment on <deleted topic> in ~hobbies

    dice145
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    Your post made me realize that almost all of my hobbies are solitary. Reading, writing, and as of three years ago fly fishing. I don't think that's in any way a coincidence. I attribute much of...

    Your post made me realize that almost all of my hobbies are solitary. Reading, writing, and as of three years ago fly fishing. I don't think that's in any way a coincidence.

    I attribute much of this to simply trying to become at peace with my own company. Overcoming challenges and reaching new goals in my hobbies are therefore tied to milestones in a relationship with myself. If I land a big trout on a new river, there is often a lot of preparation that had lead up to that moment: tying my own flies and leaders, researching the diet of local fish, identifying water structures most likely to hold fish, not to mention the fundamentals like the different types of casts, etc.(I'm self-taught). It's also a means of escapism for me. It's a way to briefly distance myself from my relationships with others and any good or bad that is associated with those relationships. In this way, my hobbies afford me a chance at perspective outside of these relationships.

    Oddly enough, I'm a comms specialist, so reading and writing are also my career. But although I'm constantly working with people to communicate ideas, reading and writing are like little islands in the ocean of my work where I can find a little solitude from those around me and just focus.

    PS: I just caught a personal best on a new river yesterday, and I'm absolutely over the moon :)

    1 vote