Ash Sarkar is tricky, in the sense that she's bought into the Novara ethos of mass-movement building by reaching out to conservative audiences, which in turn means sacrificing 'divisive' issues like trans people's humanity. But on macro issues, including the media, her analysis is outstanding imo.

Strike Day 11 at the University of Edinburgh: Scenes from the Picket Lines! The Scottish Green Party are here in numbers ...

Day 11 of the UCU workers' strike at the University of Edinburgh, over deteriorating conditions for staff and a resulting deterioration of educational conditions for students. All of this, while senior management awards itself with ever bigger pay increases. This is a scandal.

Yes, the GC movement has established the template. If an anti-abortion position hasn't been awarded 'protected belief', then it's only a matter of time before it is. And as the GCs have shown, the shift from belief to expression/manifestation - with the support of the UK media - will move quickly.

The book you mention, involving Chomsky's concept of manufactured consent, is also a good one, and worth reading. His main point remains relevant. For a truly contemporary analysis of the media's structural flaws in the social media age, I also recommend Ash Sarkar's Minority Rule.

Zizek develops Marx's take on ideology - ‘they do not know it, but they are doing it’ - to describe modern culture (1989). We see it in the media's ideological bias: the commentariat protect a world that works for them. The result, perhaps, is what you describe, 'conformity without conspiracy.'

Helena's position is tough, she's trying to avoid being the 'token trans' and wants to be taken seriously as an all-round journalist. But it's only with Helena that trans issues are addressed (twice in the past year?), because their 'big 3' won't touch trans issues anymore. I feel for her.

I've noticed it's the same with Novara Media now and even Owen Jones. Their recent respective coverage of the Labour Party conference made no mention of Labour's rolling back of trans rights. In failing to mention it, I feel like they're complicit in the normalization of the situation.

Day 9 of the UCU Edinburgh workers strike against cuts and worsening conditions. Let slip the dogs of war ...

Day 8 of the workers' strike at the University of Edinburgh, where a dozen disconnected corporate figures make the crucial decisions about how we run our higher education. This model, like the rest of Thatcherism, does not work and must be changed. Leadership should be democratic, not corporate.

Our strike continues at the University of Edinburgh for a second week. Conditions worsen for staff, but we remain resilient, and yesterday our principal announced he's stepping down. Solidarity with all who feel helpless in the face of powerful people taking what they want.

Your album is ridiculously good. X

China has been cracking down on its LGBTQI+ population for a while. My understanding is they have local networks of young people who protect (and even rescue) each other from oppressive institutions and practices. Perhaps this 'localized' organizing and care is more realistic, rather than migration.

My book launch is coming up, at Lighthouse Books, on 13 October. For those in the vicinity, please join us as I discuss with my colleague and Chair of Queer Law at the UoE, Sharon Cowan, the anti-trans movement, but also transfeminism, trans culture, and the value of struggle for a better future.

An academic and family leave the UK so their trans daughter can have a decent quality of life. I have watched the indifference of former media allies on Novara Media and Owen Jones at the oppression we face. We are disappearing. No one cares. Please read Cal Horton's blog. It's heartbreaking.