In the nightmare, I’ve been found guilty of something terrible – it was only a matter of time, I suppose – and am sentenced to an eternity of listening to this:

Teacher candidates in Ontario are receiving top-notch training. Not. pic.twitter.com/CBGPLzdJ9k

— Chanel Pfahl 🇨🇦 (@ChanLPfa) January 18, 2024

The speaker above, our bringer of deep and hidden wisdom, is Dr Andrew Campbell, an “educator, facilitator, storyteller and author,” and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto. His areas of expertise – and naturally, they are numerous – include “educational change,” “radical leadership for social change,” “diversity,” “equity,” and painting his nails.

In return for his scholarly expertise, and his heroic struggles with basic grammar, Dr Campbell is paid a mere $169,272 – excluding speaking fees, obviously. Oh, and our educator’s response to scepticism and gentle mockery, expressed via social media and immediately blocked, is pretty much what you’d imagine. From a thirteen-year-old girl.

His mission is to challenge stereotypes.

Update, via the comments:

Dr Campbell also insists, loudly and with much flailing of arms, that “representation” and “diversity” do not, ever, entail a lowering of standards. “How dare you,” says he.

At which point, I’m tempted to peer over my spectacles.

Via Jonathan Kay. Previously in Hell.

Consider this an open thread. Share ye links and bicker.

Apparently, it’s outdated and oppressive for a young woman to be walked down the aisle at her wedding by her father. And so she can insult him and embarrass him by taking away that role. But of course it’s not outdated or oppressive for that same father to be expected to pay all of the bills for the wedding at which he’s being so pointedly sidelined and insulted:

Millennial girl wants dad to pay for wedding, but refuses to walk down the aisle with him.
Also mad her dad talked to friends to solicit opinions.
Dad’s not paying, girl now realizes she can’t afford it- now soliciting opinions from tik-tok.
My kids are going to trade school. pic.twitter.com/OC6Q7FRKhF

— Jason “Storm Chaser” Nelson (@RealJasonNelson) January 14, 2024

She’s “an independent thinker,” you see.

Update, via the comments:

It’s not, I think, hard to see how being very publicly dispensed with as outmoded or embarrassing – as a symbol of oppression and wickedness – might hurt the feelings of a father you supposedly care about.

And yet the above.

Little Madam concedes – albeit as somehow “unrelated” – that her parents do not, in fact, treat her as “property” – a term she uses repeatedly – and have seemingly never done so. Yet this imagined connotation must nonetheless, in her mind, be avoided at all costs. Lest The Patriarchy be empowered. As if it would otherwise occur to everyone else present and shape how they see the wedding. Which strikes me as a little odd.

Over the years I’ve been to several weddings and at no point during any of them did I regard the proud father as someone handing over his property. As if he were reluctantly, under duress, giving away his car. That’s not an idea that popped into my head – or, so far as I can tell, the heads of anyone else present at the ceremonies.

Something precious, yes. But not property.

And so, in order to ostentatiously reject a construal that no-one at her wedding is likely to arrive at anyway, Little Madam has alienated her parents and needlessly jeopardised the wedding in question. That happy day. And now she wants strangers on the internet to back her up and pin the blame on someone else.

Also, filming yourself putting on make-up while being a vain, monstrous bitch is probably not a look to go for.

Also, open thread.

Lifted from the comments: Man thinks his purse makes him a woman:

Misgendered at Walmart~ #MentalHealthCrisis #Unhinged

Gender ideology has made clothes synonymous with gender. Apparently, feminine colors and carrying a purse now define what it means to be a woman. pic.twitter.com/vwMCrIxZIE

— L G B (@L__G__B) January 13, 2024

And so, you must accept and affirm his rejection of himself.

“Why can’t people be more sensitive?” says he, indignantly. And yet, the insensitivity – one might say rudeness – of insisting that others lie on demand and say things that they don’t for a minute believe to be true – this passes unremarked. Imposing one’s psychodrama on random shop assistants – a coerced participation – seems fairly rude to me. But apparently, as so often, the expected sensitivity only goes one way.

And note that the competitively progressive view – as mouthed by our bandana-wearing chappie – is that purses and pink are the very essence and definition of womanhood, the pivotal criteria. The stuff of which women are made. How far we’ve come.

Also, open thread. Share ye links and bicker.

No, don’t run away. She wants to tell you about herself:

These people are becoming gender-soup. 💀
pic.twitter.com/mgZRiyCAV2

— L G B (@L__G__B) January 9, 2024

And remember, competitive complication is the name of the game.

Also open thread. Share ye links and bicker.

A fox’s first snow, photographed by Tak:

As is the custom here, posting will be intermittent over the holidays and readers are advised to follow me on X / Twitter, or subscribe to the blog feed at the very bottom of the page, either of which will alert you to anything new as and when it materialises.

Thanks for another 1.5 million or so visits this year and thousands of comments, many of which prompted discussions that are much more interesting than the actual posts. Which is pretty much the idea.

And particular thanks to all those who’ve made PayPal, Ko-Fi, or SubscribeStar donations to keep this rickety barge above water. It’s much appreciated. Should you be gripped by an urge to express encouragement via currency, feel free to use the buttons in the sidebar, top right, or above the comments following this post. Just think of my little face lighting up.

Curious newcomers and those with nothing better to do are welcome to rummage through the reheated series in search of entertainment. You may, and probably will, find things you’d missed. And this, needless to say, is an open thread. Share ye links and bicker.

To you and yours, a very good one.