Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

@mwyarbrough.bsky.social

5.6K followers 2.5K following 2.5K posts

JD/PhD. Interdisciplinary sociologist, law & society, transnational gender & sexuality. I research marriage, esp in S Africa. And I organize with colleagues to defend higher ed. Opinions mine not employer's. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2802-3365

orcid.org

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Michael Yarbrough (he/him) @mwyarbrough.bsky.social · Feb 26

TBH sometimes it's hilarious to me that they think they can erase LGBTQ+ people. Girl don't you know what we've ALREADY SURVIVED?

5 13 120

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 5d

In case you missed it: 🎁link to Erwin Chemerinsky's outstanding article on the Trump Administration's pernicious proposed "compact" with universities.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

www.nytimes.com

2 21 45

Michael Yarbrough (he/him) @mwyarbrough.bsky.social · 7d

The Trumpist higher ed agenda is to shut down most institutions and control the rest.

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 7d

Some schools will be starved of resources. Other schools will be offered bribes. The end goal is the same. To make the universities an extension of the Trump administration. Shame on any of these institutions willing to take the bribes.

Letters on Wednesday were going out to solicit agreement and feedback from Vanderbilt University, Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University and the University of Virginia, according to an administration official.

3 7

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Maurice Nagington @nagingtonuom.bsky.social · 7d

Absolutely terrible, the Manchester Jewish community have been rightly worried about increasing anti-Semitism for several years. It's terrible we are seeing this in a city which acted as a sanctuary for Jews 100 years previously.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 7d

Police shoot suspect after car and knife attack at Manchester synagogue

Police shoot suspect after stabbing at synagogue in Manchester

Four people hurt as witness says car was driven towards members of the public and one man was stabbed

www.theguardian.com

1 7

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Sathnam Sanghera @sathnam.bsky.social · 7d

Horrific. Thoughts with Jewish friends.

1 21 120

Michael Yarbrough (he/him) @mwyarbrough.bsky.social · 7d

The Trumpist higher ed agenda is to shut down most institutions and control the rest.

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 7d

This is extortion. Faculty, students, staff, alumni across the country need to get to their Presidents & Trustees today. Just say no. This blackmail only works if most everyone folds. Capitulation now means the end of American higher education for a generation. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...

Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Sign ‘Compact’ to Get Funding Preference

www.nytimes.com

1 7

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 8d

Jane Goodall, ethologist and conservationist, has died. She was 91

1.3K 7.7K 29K

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 8d

@apnews.com: A Student ‘Womb Service’ Works Covertly to Deliver Contraception at a Catholic College

DePaul, a Catholic school in Chicago, prohibits distribution of any kind of birth control on its campus.

... a student group runs a covert contraceptive delivery network called “the womb service.”

A student 'womb service' works covertly to deliver contraception at a Catholic college

At DePaul University, a Catholic school in Chicago, students have created a covert contraceptive delivery network called “the womb service.”

apnews.com

1 16 46

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · 8d

And I don’t think I’ve posted my book here so: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/708739...

On Critical Race Theory by Victor Ray: 9780593446461 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

What exactly is critical race theory? This concise and accessible exploration demystifies a crucial framework for understanding and fighting racial injustice in the United States. “A clear-eyed,...

www.penguinrandomhouse.com

2 29 69

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Brandon D. Wilson @geniusbastard.bsky.social · 8d

So many good teachers are leaving the profession right now. Sad. And it's not because of the kids.

2 9

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 8d

It's important to note that this year's NDAA is filled with anti-trans provisions on the House side. They are horrific.

And we will watch those throughout the appropriations fight along with all of the other provisions in the House R approps bills.

bsky.app/profile/erin...

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 29d

Multiple Amendments from Nancy Mace targeting trans people have been added to the NDAA.

14- Tricare ban
15- Military sports ban
16- Gender marker on forms ban
17- Bathroom ban

A handful of dems flipped on some of these, with the most flipping in sports.

1 57 320

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 8d

Last December, Senate Dems had no anti trans provisions in their NDAA and the house did. Many thought the Senate Dems would stop those provisions.

They didn’t. Last minute, 37 Dems voted for it.

We must take no chances with the appropriations fight.

My story from last December.

37 Democratic Senators Voted To Pass Anti-Trans NDAA. Here Are Their Names.

The vote came after most of the same Democrats refused to allow an amendment on the floor to remove the anti-trans provision in the military spending bill.

www.erininthemorning.com

10 260 870

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Hunter College @huntercollege.bsky.social · 8d

Wishing everyone who celebrates a meaningful holiday and an easy fast during Yom Kippur. Shanah tovah!

2 2

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Miriam Posner @miriamposner.com · 8d

Once again, it is *faculty*—not administrators—who brought this case and won. Including UC Faculty Association chapters of the AAUP.

Court Rules in AAUP v Rubio: Trump Admin Violated First Amendment

The AAUP and partners sued to block the Trump administration from carrying out large-scale arrests, detentions, and deportations of noncitizen students and faculty members for ideological reasons.

www.aaup.org

4 270 880

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Dean Obeidallah @deanobeidallah.bsky.social · 8d

If the first ever Jewish Democratic nominee for Mayor of NYC was being rejected by leading members of the Dem party we would have no qualms calling out the anti-Semitism at play. But when it's a Muslim in Zohran Mamdani people refuse to call out the anti-Muslim hate right beneath the surface.

40 200 810

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

AAUP-CSU @aaupcsu.bsky.social · 8d

Again and again over the past six months, the AAUP has shown that the key to fighting back against injustice and executive overreach is ... fighting back!
There has never been a better time to join AAUP and help protect free speech at all US Universities. When we unite and fight, we win.

AAUP @aaup.org · 9d

BREAKING: WE WON!!!
💥 💥 💥

Federal Judge William G. Young ruled today in our lawsuit against the Trump administration that the policy of arresting, detaining, & deporting noncitizen students & faculty members for their pro-Palestinian advocacy violates the 1st Amendment.

Full ruling here:

Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law – #261 in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio (D. Mass., 1:25-cv-10685) – CourtListener.com

Judge William G. Young: ORDER entered. FINDINGS OF FACT AND RULINGS OF LAW, PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 52(A)(Sonnenberg, Elizabeth) (Additional attachment(s) added on 9/30/2025: # 1 Main Document) (J...

www.courtlistener.com

11 32

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 8d

Mamdani’s innovation is showing how to emphasize cost-of-living *without* retreating from the defense of immigrants and *without* shirking the mission of centralizing Trump’s authoritarian lawlessness.

He attacks all forms of power, economic *and* authoritarian.

newrepublic.com/article/2011...

15 280 1.3K

Michael Yarbrough (he/him) @mwyarbrough.bsky.social · 8d

I teach at CUNY where our students are overwhelmingly working class, and they are *very* motivated by these concerns. Our class discussions around related issues this semester have been vibrant and deep.

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 8d

A top Mamdani adviser tells me internal data shows taking on Trump's authoritarian abuses resonates. It appeals to working class voters across all demographics, countering the frequent claim that this is a "distraction" from issues working people "really" care about.

newrepublic.com/article/2011...

2 9

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Saul Staniforth @saulstaniforth.bsky.social · 8d

Billy Bragg on banning Israel from Eurovision: "Russia was banned.. after the invasion of Ukraine & I think if we have one rule for the Ukrainians and another rule for the Palestinians, it starts to look like we only care about white skinned people and not brown skinned people"

1 32 100

Michael Yarbrough (he/him) @mwyarbrough.bsky.social · 8d

The Trumpist agenda on higher ed is to shut down most institutions and control the rest. So far, it's working.

Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 8d

After increasing spending to $134,000 per student (!!!) and facing retention problems, the New College of Florida is apparently having discussions about privatization or closure after DeSantis leaves office.

Spending Soars, Rankings Fall at New College of Florida

Student outcomes and rankings are slipping at the liberal arts college while spending is up. Critics believe the college is at risk of implosion, and some are calling for privatization.

www.insidehighered.com

4 9

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 8d

Just gonna keep tapping the sign*

*𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

83 2.3K 8.1K

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Ruha Benjamin @ruha9.bsky.social · 10d

So, at the very least, we all need to be joining or starting an AAUP chapter:

www.aaup.org/chapters/fin...

Find a Chapter

A list of AAUP chapters, both unionized and nonunionized. (You can also see a list of just union chapters.)

www.aaup.org

2 23 77

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

John McGrath @johnmcgrath.bsky.social · 9d

Queer communities did not make a lurch to the right, unlike so many other demographics. www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-...

LGBT voters, a larger share of the electorate than ever, shift away from Trump

Vice President Kamala Harris led President-elect Donald Trump 86% to 12% among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters, according to the NBC News Exit Poll Desk.

www.nbcnews.com

1 3 15

Michael Yarbrough (he/him) @mwyarbrough.bsky.social · 9d

My unofficial drag name for the past ten years has been Cassandra ToldYouSo.

Because Cassandra did what? She told! you! so!

Not ONE thing this year has surprised me. Morally shocked me? Sure. But not one bit of surprise.

Including the elite collaboration. Polite people have always abandoned us.

RogueArtistJen @rogueartistjen.bsky.social · 9d

THIS. THIS. THIS. THIS. Add queer communities. We ALL told you.

1 7

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Sarah Fackrell @design-law.bsky.social · 9d

*taps the sign*

Sarah Fackrell @design-law.bsky.social · Aug 26

I am so over doomerism. You're helping the Baddies. Just stop.

5 5 59

Reposted by Michael Yarbrough (he/him)

Melinda Magpie 🏳️‍⚧️ 🇵🇸 Free Link, free Palestine @melindamagpie.bsky.social · 9d

Miss Major, one of the mothers of the trans liberation movement, has been in the hospital for 10 days with sepsis and a blood clot. She has looked out for us for generations, now it’s time to look out for her. Donate if you can: fundly.com/missmajor

An older Black femme, laying in a hospital bed. She's smiling and holding a pink, lavender and yellow dragon stuffie.

5 3.3K 3.5K