Jess Calarco
@jessicacalarco.com
Sociologist. Author. Professor. Roosevelt Institute Fellow. Expert on families, schools, kids, privilege, and power. Bylines in NYT, WaPo, MSNBC, Atlantic, etc.
"Other countries have social safety nets. The US has women."
www.jessicacalarco.com
"Other countries have social safety nets. The US has women."
www.jessicacalarco.com
Pinned
Jess Calarco
@jessicacalarco.com
· Jun 4
Other countries have safety nets. The US has women.
Their labor creates the illusion of a DIY society, making it seem like we don't need a net.
Writing HOLDING IT TOGETHER was a labor of love and fury and I'm so grateful to share it with you all #PubDay
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697130...
Their labor creates the illusion of a DIY society, making it seem like we don't need a net.
Writing HOLDING IT TOGETHER was a labor of love and fury and I'm so grateful to share it with you all #PubDay
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697130...
The test mainly included questions about "physical safety... privacy concerns and inappropriate topics like sexual actions."
But given what we know about algorithmic bias, I'm curious to know whether these toys perpetuate racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ stereotypes, too.
But given what we know about algorithmic bias, I'm curious to know whether these toys perpetuate racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ stereotypes, too.
New! We worked with the Public Interest Research Group to test a bunch of LLM-driven toys ahead of the Christmas. That sexual talking teddy bear wasn't a one-off; it turns out disturbing behavior is deeply built into these toys across the board.
AI toys for kids talk about sex and issue Chinese Communist Party talking points, tests show
New research from Public Interest Research Group and tests conducted by NBC News found that a wide range of AI toys have loose guardrails.
www.nbcnews.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:55 PM
The test mainly included questions about "physical safety... privacy concerns and inappropriate topics like sexual actions."
But given what we know about algorithmic bias, I'm curious to know whether these toys perpetuate racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ stereotypes, too.
But given what we know about algorithmic bias, I'm curious to know whether these toys perpetuate racist, sexist, and anti-LGBTQ+ stereotypes, too.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
New! We worked with the Public Interest Research Group to test a bunch of LLM-driven toys ahead of the Christmas. That sexual talking teddy bear wasn't a one-off; it turns out disturbing behavior is deeply built into these toys across the board.
AI toys for kids talk about sex and issue Chinese Communist Party talking points, tests show
New research from Public Interest Research Group and tests conducted by NBC News found that a wide range of AI toys have loose guardrails.
www.nbcnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
New! We worked with the Public Interest Research Group to test a bunch of LLM-driven toys ahead of the Christmas. That sexual talking teddy bear wasn't a one-off; it turns out disturbing behavior is deeply built into these toys across the board.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
This. This was the formative event of my generation & our entire politics in 🇺🇸. The structural break after which we were no longer a full democracy, when 5 Wizards In Robes decided they were a super-legislature & counting all the actual votes didn’t matter. The rest has been 25 years of commentary.
25 years ago today, SCOTUS elected George W Bush president of the United States by blocking completion of a voting canvass in Florida. A subsequent canvass by the Associated Press showed that Bush's rival, Al Gore, had won the race in Florida—and thus the contest for the presidency—by 700 votes.
December 12, 2025 at 7:50 AM
This. This was the formative event of my generation & our entire politics in 🇺🇸. The structural break after which we were no longer a full democracy, when 5 Wizards In Robes decided they were a super-legislature & counting all the actual votes didn’t matter. The rest has been 25 years of commentary.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
Very normal Friday looking at photos of sex toys as part of a government photo dump into a sex crime conspiracy involving the sitting president.
December 12, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Very normal Friday looking at photos of sex toys as part of a government photo dump into a sex crime conspiracy involving the sitting president.
TIL that, at my kid's elementary school, there's a group of boys that go around stomping the snow forts other kids build at recess. They apparently call themselves "the Russians." But I'm hoping they actually mean "the rush-ins," because that would be less troubling while still making sense.
December 12, 2025 at 6:34 PM
TIL that, at my kid's elementary school, there's a group of boys that go around stomping the snow forts other kids build at recess. They apparently call themselves "the Russians." But I'm hoping they actually mean "the rush-ins," because that would be less troubling while still making sense.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
This hopecore is actually very well supported by the data in our big report!
In the last few weeks, I’ve become increasingly convinced that Trump and his regime are totally cooked.
They can only stay in power by stealing elections—but they can only do that if enough people are willing to help them.
They’re in a downward spiral and can’t pull themselves out of it.
They can only stay in power by stealing elections—but they can only do that if enough people are willing to help them.
They’re in a downward spiral and can’t pull themselves out of it.
December 12, 2025 at 6:21 PM
This hopecore is actually very well supported by the data in our big report!
Reposted by Jess Calarco
it's just a great example of the ability to drive the political narrative--even when out of power!--instead of just responding to the latest A/B 30-second ad testing
but democrats have, instead, picked fights around *orderly process*. they have highlighted the chaos of draconian immigration enforcement, the chaos of mass deportations, and the chaos and disruption it has imposed on communities.
December 12, 2025 at 6:22 PM
it's just a great example of the ability to drive the political narrative--even when out of power!--instead of just responding to the latest A/B 30-second ad testing
Reposted by Jess Calarco
Part of the Civil Rights Movement was a dignity claim that when you are in public you have a right to be spoken to in a neutral manner. Hamilton v. Alabama. This service worker may hate to serve me Cinnabons, but it is part of her job to serve every customer in the same manner.
ah yes, all workers should have the right to hurl racial slurs at black customers
“Those of us on the left should be fighting to improve protections for workers of all races, and thereby for the betterment of people’s material conditions regardless of their views,” Arash Azizi argues:
December 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Part of the Civil Rights Movement was a dignity claim that when you are in public you have a right to be spoken to in a neutral manner. Hamilton v. Alabama. This service worker may hate to serve me Cinnabons, but it is part of her job to serve every customer in the same manner.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
We are seeing religious communities traumatized with armed state power in a manner reminiscent of the traumatic European wars of religion.
Modern liberalism is largely how Europe healed itself from that trauma, with religious freedom and prohibition of torture as two of the main elements. 1/10
Modern liberalism is largely how Europe healed itself from that trauma, with religious freedom and prohibition of torture as two of the main elements. 1/10
“Faith leaders have been beaten, arrested, even shot with “less lethal” weapons, and church attendance has fallen significantly—by more than 50% in Spanish-speaking parishes in one Catholic diocese. But now there’s a plan to target Spanish-speaking churches nationwide during the holiday season”
Trump's War On Christmas Is A War On Liberalism
After decades of make-believe, the Trump administration is promising an actual war on Christmas that would traumatize religious communities with armed state power.
www.liberalcurrents.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:44 PM
We are seeing religious communities traumatized with armed state power in a manner reminiscent of the traumatic European wars of religion.
Modern liberalism is largely how Europe healed itself from that trauma, with religious freedom and prohibition of torture as two of the main elements. 1/10
Modern liberalism is largely how Europe healed itself from that trauma, with religious freedom and prohibition of torture as two of the main elements. 1/10
Childcare is second only to construction in terms of the industries that will be hit hardest by Trump's deportation agenda, which stands to eliminate half a million US childcare jobs, both directly and by forcing centers to close.
This will be disastrous for workers, families, and communities 1/🧵
This will be disastrous for workers, families, and communities 1/🧵
I talked to a mom whose daycare teacher was grabbed by ICE. substack.com/home/post/p-...
When ICE Comes To Your Baby's Daycare
A dispatch from Chicago
substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Childcare is second only to construction in terms of the industries that will be hit hardest by Trump's deportation agenda, which stands to eliminate half a million US childcare jobs, both directly and by forcing centers to close.
This will be disastrous for workers, families, and communities 1/🧵
This will be disastrous for workers, families, and communities 1/🧵
Control Room: a new podcast where @derekgottliebphd.com and I revisit HBO's Chernobyl and unpack the lessons it offers for our current moment, on everything from lies and authoritarianism to science and qualitative research to gender, risk, and care.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
(1) We Must Prevent the Spread of Misinformation
Podcast Episode · Control Room · 12/12/2025 · 1h 4m
podcasts.apple.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Control Room: a new podcast where @derekgottliebphd.com and I revisit HBO's Chernobyl and unpack the lessons it offers for our current moment, on everything from lies and authoritarianism to science and qualitative research to gender, risk, and care.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
Reposted by Jess Calarco
It’s here! Ep1 of this new project w/ @jessicacalarco.com published this morning. New episodes weekly on Friday mornings all through winter break.
Wherever you get your podcasts, as they say.
Wherever you get your podcasts, as they say.
December 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
It’s here! Ep1 of this new project w/ @jessicacalarco.com published this morning. New episodes weekly on Friday mornings all through winter break.
Wherever you get your podcasts, as they say.
Wherever you get your podcasts, as they say.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
I made a Chrome extension that swaps Times New Roman for Calibri on every site or just .gov. It also had Open Sans and Open Dyslexic, because f**k these people.
I’m waiting for Google’s approval for it to install automatically, but you can download it and install it in 90 seconds. Instructions 👇
I’m waiting for Google’s approval for it to install automatically, but you can download it and install it in 90 seconds. Instructions 👇
ReCalibri
They always make us do everything ourselves, anyway
Dr.eamer.dev
December 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM
I made a Chrome extension that swaps Times New Roman for Calibri on every site or just .gov. It also had Open Sans and Open Dyslexic, because f**k these people.
I’m waiting for Google’s approval for it to install automatically, but you can download it and install it in 90 seconds. Instructions 👇
I’m waiting for Google’s approval for it to install automatically, but you can download it and install it in 90 seconds. Instructions 👇
Reposted by Jess Calarco
HUGE appreciation for the local Indivisible groups in Indiana who have been working for weeks and weeks on this, meeting with legislators, testifying, protesting, calling, advocating. Pressure works!!!
🎉 BREAKING: WE DID IT! 🎉
After days of intense pressure from D.C., the Indiana Senate REJECTED the mid-decade gerrymandered map!
This victory belongs to every Indivisible member, every activist, and every Hoosier who called, emailed, and showed up.
After days of intense pressure from D.C., the Indiana Senate REJECTED the mid-decade gerrymandered map!
This victory belongs to every Indivisible member, every activist, and every Hoosier who called, emailed, and showed up.
December 11, 2025 at 10:08 PM
HUGE appreciation for the local Indivisible groups in Indiana who have been working for weeks and weeks on this, meeting with legislators, testifying, protesting, calling, advocating. Pressure works!!!
My husband is currently trying to find the cheapest possible tickets for a World Cup game. The lowest price he's found so far is $214 for the worst seats at the Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde game in Houston. If people are buying these tickets to resell them, they're going to lose their shirts.
December 12, 2025 at 2:58 AM
My husband is currently trying to find the cheapest possible tickets for a World Cup game. The lowest price he's found so far is $214 for the worst seats at the Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde game in Houston. If people are buying these tickets to resell them, they're going to lose their shirts.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
Conservatives being shocked at the logical endpoint of their ideological commitments would be funny if it wasn't so costly to everyone who cares about democracy, equal rights, common decency, etc.
December 11, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Conservatives being shocked at the logical endpoint of their ideological commitments would be funny if it wasn't so costly to everyone who cares about democracy, equal rights, common decency, etc.
We don't talk enough about how these kinds of institutional failures make parents more skeptical of medicine and public health by putting more of the onus on them to keep their kids healthy and safe.
Fewer hospitals are capable of treating kids, research finds www.statnews.com/2025/12/11/h...
Fewer hospitals are capable of treating kids, research finds
And more health news from the Morning Rounds newsletter
www.statnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:46 PM
We don't talk enough about how these kinds of institutional failures make parents more skeptical of medicine and public health by putting more of the onus on them to keep their kids healthy and safe.
Every woman who's ever had to manage multiple simultaneous crises:
December 11, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Every woman who's ever had to manage multiple simultaneous crises:
Reposted by Jess Calarco
If Indiana legislators hold firm on their conscience today, it will among other things be a much-needed rejection of the idea that you can get your way on policy through bullying, intimidation, and threats.
December 11, 2025 at 7:42 PM
If Indiana legislators hold firm on their conscience today, it will among other things be a much-needed rejection of the idea that you can get your way on policy through bullying, intimidation, and threats.
Politics as pay-to-play sports.
Days after FIFA awarded Trump a fake peace prize, DOJ moves to drop charges in FIFA corruption case www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/n...
U.S. Moves to Drop Charges in International Soccer Corruption Case
www.nytimes.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Politics as pay-to-play sports.
All the problems in the world right now, and the State Department is worried about "woke" fonts.
December 11, 2025 at 12:43 PM
All the problems in the world right now, and the State Department is worried about "woke" fonts.
Instead of snow days, our kids' schools make snow part of the school day. They spend recess outside sledding (the school has a stock of sleds for the kids to use), building snow forts, and throwing snow balls. They go outside as long as it's above 0F degrees.
I'm seeing parents complain about schools closing at the chance of flurries. Meanwhile, here in Wisconsin, the roads looked like this this morning, and school still started on time.
December 11, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Instead of snow days, our kids' schools make snow part of the school day. They spend recess outside sledding (the school has a stock of sleds for the kids to use), building snow forts, and throwing snow balls. They go outside as long as it's above 0F degrees.
Reposted by Jess Calarco
A top read of 2025
Other countries have safety nets. The US has women.
Their labor creates the illusion of a DIY society, making it seem like we don't need a net.
Writing HOLDING IT TOGETHER was a labor of love and fury and I'm so grateful to share it with you all #PubDay
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697130...
Their labor creates the illusion of a DIY society, making it seem like we don't need a net.
Writing HOLDING IT TOGETHER was a labor of love and fury and I'm so grateful to share it with you all #PubDay
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697130...
December 10, 2025 at 9:17 PM
A top read of 2025
Reposted by Jess Calarco
Thank you, im quoting this on my methods research final.
Problem is: Neither our work culture nor our education culture incentivizes deep learning. Instead, we're incentivized to economize--to learn only what's needed to finish the task or get the answer right on the test.
So, people use ChatGPT, even when they know they could learn more by other means.
So, people use ChatGPT, even when they know they could learn more by other means.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
December 10, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Thank you, im quoting this on my methods research final.
I'm seeing parents complain about schools closing at the chance of flurries. Meanwhile, here in Wisconsin, the roads looked like this this morning, and school still started on time.
December 11, 2025 at 12:51 AM
I'm seeing parents complain about schools closing at the chance of flurries. Meanwhile, here in Wisconsin, the roads looked like this this morning, and school still started on time.