Category Archives: Culture

Why Julia, Sesame Street’s New Autistic Muppet, Is Valuable

Julia, Sesame Street's autistic Muppet

Julia, Sesame Street’s autistic Muppet

Sesame Street has just introduced a new autistic Muppet character named Julia.

There are a number of reasons why this new character is valuable. For one, it will better enlighten non-autistics on how to share the world with autistic persons. Likely more important, though, it will give autistic persons a valuable reference tool to help them navigate the world.

Using television characters as guides to navigating the real world can be an uneven pursuit.

Sarah explained why in her debut post for Vox’s “First Person” section.

To read the full story go here.

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Filed under Culture, Health, Relationships, Shameless Promotion, Television

Attacking Mothers With Autistic Children Is Wrong

Apparently one of the great joys in life for cruel people is to harshly judge mothers of various stripes.

This is particularly the case for mothers of children with autism.

Sarah wrote about why this is tremendously uncool in a piece for The Establishment.

To read it go here.

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Filed under Culture, Health, Shameless Promotion

YouTube Playlists: Shark Attacks, Faceplants, Billy Corgan

Shark bites diving cage

Shark bites diving cage

Ditch TV, the website I curated a bajillion video playlists for, is now RIP and apparently an impassable “insecure connection,” according to my web browser.

That’s ok, though. The work I did for them lives on.

Here are some of the playlists I did for them back in the day:

Remembering Lollapalooza 2010

Brilliant Rap Songs From 2010

Scary Ass Shark Attacks

The Painful Art Of The Faceplant

This Is Billy Corgan’s America

New Pornographers’ Still Bruisin’

15 Great Tiny Desk Concerts

The Unique Style Of 80s CanRock

Last Shadow Puppets Got Style

 

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Filed under Comedy, Culture, Jock Stuff, Music, Shameless Promotion

Sima Azimi, Afghanistan’s First Female Wushu Instructor

Sima Azimi

Sima Azimi

Shaolin Wushu Club of Afghanistan might be among the bravest, boldest martial arts clubs in the world right now.

That’s because the group, led by Sima Azimi, is bringing martial artist training to women in a conservative society where female improvement of this sort is frowned upon.

Sarah wrote about this for Asian World Of Martial Arts.

To read the story click here.

 

 

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Filed under Culture, Politics, Shameless Promotion

Fighting Is Political

Ali... political

Ali… political

There’s a segment of sports fans (generally middle class and higher, always white) that gets incredulous about the notion of athletes being “political.”

These, of course, are probably the same sort of people who’ve never had to experience any of the persecutions and injustices that have made these athletes speak to power.

Sarah explained why the combat arts are political in a story for Fightland.

To read it click here.

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Filed under Culture, Jock Stuff, Politics, Shameless Promotion