Hmm, I would consider the price of the textbook and other required materials for the class. You can also make it optional and put a copy on reserve at the library.

What Vortex said.

Hil, it could be that people are envious of your being limber enough to get into (and, presumably, out of) that position. And you might carry a bag or something large enough to use as a footrest (I understand Senator Mikulski has someone on her staff carry a case that she stands on when she's speaking behind a podium; she's very short.)

Typo, since we just bought my daughter's books for next semester I can tell you what we just paid for supplemental texts: for her Physics class it was $21 (two small packets), Astronomy was $15 (one packet but written by the Prof)and Psych was $20 (one packet). EDTA: Oceanography was $12 for the Lab Manual written by the Prof.

Sadly, college textbook prices are CRAZY, so it would not at all surprise me to have a $22 text that was like, three pages long. That doesn't mean it's right...

As a friend of mine once said during a discussion comparing gay rights to civil rights "When you walk into a room, no one knows you're gay unless you want them to. I am always black."

Yes and no--for me, sure, people really don't know I'm gay until I tell them. For a lot of my other friends, it's pretty damn obvious even if they're just walking down the street. Now, granted, that's really more about gender presentation and so on, but still--saying "Oh, well, if you grew your hair out and wore dresses you could totally pass" isn't quite fair.

That said, a lot of the "but it's JUST THE SAME" arguments aren't true/right.

college textbook prices are CRAZY

THIS! I swear Allie's textbook costs run around $400 to $500 a semeser for USED books. It's insane!

that's really more about gender presentation and so on

There's a decent assumption that people might be making that I'm gay too, so it's different. You're not as likely to mistakenly identify someone as black or not as you are to mess up your gaydar.

That talk sounds completely @@.

There's a decent assumption that people might be making that I'm gay too, so it's different. You're not as likely to mistakenly identify someone as black or not as you are to mess up your gaydar.

Being gay and being black are not completely parallel, though they experience types of discrimination in common (career, etc). And of course, those circles overlap. There are queer black people (I know y'all know that, am just making it explicit in the discussion). Black people, unless there is a serious skin hue issue, don't tend to be rejected and ostracized by their own families for being black, as happens to many queer people. There aren't any "pray the black away" camps, AFAIK. White gay people, I would assume, experience fewer assumptions about their intelligence level and criminality. Both can get their asses kicked for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both get called nasty names.

Intersectionality! That's the word I was trying to think of.

All three onerous phone calls have actually resulted in talking to people and getting stuff done, including getting the form I need for the free trial period at the gym, which I desperately need right now. Laundry is done. Now picking up prescriptions, grabbing dinner, packing, and then beach!

I have stuff to say, but my brain doesn't work, because I am sick as a effing sick dog.

I may be grey for a few days. Or I may post stupid shit.

Was it Lennon that said "Women are the n*ggers of the world?" (Hate that word, and hesitate even to ref it in a quote -- NO OFFENSE AT ALL INTENDED. I will say fuck, et. al. all day long, but the n word and fag/dyke/kike/beaner etc make me see red.)

Can't remember. But all I know for sure is that I personally would never play the "Ooh, more marginalized than thou" game because it's zero sum. (Not saying anyone is here, BTW.) And my issues are only being a woman, and being fat. Medically termed obese at 185 lbs and 5'4".

Focus on making marginalization and -isms stop, not playing brinkmanship. Again, talking to world, not 'Ffistas.

Posting from bed. Pass out soon.