Kate Averett
@convergecollide.bsky.social
sociologist (gender/sexuality/childhood/edu/family) at UAlbany. author of The Homeschool Choice (NYU, 2021). queer, feminist, spoonie, auntie, dog mom. she/her.
Reposted by Kate Averett
The Oklahoma House of Representatives gave that girl an award for writing a terrible essay? For getting a trans person fired? This whole thing is an op.
December 4, 2025 at 2:39 AM
The Oklahoma House of Representatives gave that girl an award for writing a terrible essay? For getting a trans person fired? This whole thing is an op.
My average “is it too early to go to bed?” time this week has been shockingly early, even for me.
December 4, 2025 at 12:26 AM
My average “is it too early to go to bed?” time this week has been shockingly early, even for me.
Reposted by Kate Averett
Having the sum of human creative output called “ai training data” is frying me
Open AI doesn't want to be transparent about what's in their datasets - this bill would force them. If you're pro AI regulation (esp if you're in Bay Area), please show up and offer your support for this bill! If you can't make it, help spread the word!
RSVP link: bit.ly/44lRMsX Details below 👇
RSVP link: bit.ly/44lRMsX Details below 👇
December 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Having the sum of human creative output called “ai training data” is frying me
Reposted by Kate Averett
Lithgow saying that a family friend with a trans kid came to him and literally said “please don’t do this” and he did it anyway really gives the game away. they don’t not know
Once again thinking about every actor trying to justify taking the money for the new HP series.
December 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Lithgow saying that a family friend with a trans kid came to him and literally said “please don’t do this” and he did it anyway really gives the game away. they don’t not know
Reposted by Kate Averett
it's wild how the positive use cases are like "save 5 minutes reading a long doc" and "write a generic email faster" and the negative use cases are "get encouraged to dive deeper in psychosis, misogyny, or suicidal thoughts" and we're still on the fence about overall value
New from 404 Media: ChatGPT told a violent stalker to continue running his misogynistic and threat-filled podcast despite the “haters,” and to visit more gyms to find women. The man stalked women in multiple states, including touching and following from work
www.404media.co/chatgpt-spot...
www.404media.co/chatgpt-spot...
ChatGPT Told a Violent Stalker to Embrace the 'Haters,' Indictment Says
A newly filed indictment claims a wannabe influencer used ChatGPT as his "therapist" and "best friend" in his pursuit of the "wife type," while harassing women so aggressively they had to miss work a...
www.404media.co
December 3, 2025 at 6:17 PM
it's wild how the positive use cases are like "save 5 minutes reading a long doc" and "write a generic email faster" and the negative use cases are "get encouraged to dive deeper in psychosis, misogyny, or suicidal thoughts" and we're still on the fence about overall value
For the first time ever, the yearly prior authorization process for a med I’ve been taking for several years actually went off without a hitch. Usually I end up spending many hours on the phone to get it to happen. (This shouldn’t have to feel as good as it does!)
December 3, 2025 at 8:13 PM
For the first time ever, the yearly prior authorization process for a med I’ve been taking for several years actually went off without a hitch. Usually I end up spending many hours on the phone to get it to happen. (This shouldn’t have to feel as good as it does!)
Reposted by Kate Averett
a load-bearing component of “the magic of Christmas” is the invisible domestic labor of moms
you are now realizing how much she was doing for you and instead of just thanking her you’ve decided it’s about the decline of civilization
you are now realizing how much she was doing for you and instead of just thanking her you’ve decided it’s about the decline of civilization
Because you're an adult you fucking muppet. You gotta pay the magic forward.
December 3, 2025 at 6:35 PM
a load-bearing component of “the magic of Christmas” is the invisible domestic labor of moms
you are now realizing how much she was doing for you and instead of just thanking her you’ve decided it’s about the decline of civilization
you are now realizing how much she was doing for you and instead of just thanking her you’ve decided it’s about the decline of civilization
Reposted by Kate Averett
A friend with a new baby asked guests to mask in order to hold her baby. A relative refused to mask & broke down in tears about her "restrictions"
As a reminder, babies <6 months have the 2nd highest hospitalization rate from Covid after adults 75+ & are too young to be vaxxed
As a reminder, babies <6 months have the 2nd highest hospitalization rate from Covid after adults 75+ & are too young to be vaxxed
December 2, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A friend with a new baby asked guests to mask in order to hold her baby. A relative refused to mask & broke down in tears about her "restrictions"
As a reminder, babies <6 months have the 2nd highest hospitalization rate from Covid after adults 75+ & are too young to be vaxxed
As a reminder, babies <6 months have the 2nd highest hospitalization rate from Covid after adults 75+ & are too young to be vaxxed
Reposted by Kate Averett
I'm not going to RT the fucking Atlantic but I do want to remind everyone that one in four U.S. adults is disabled, so one in five students accessing accommodations at their uni is among the most non-story stories ever penned.
December 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I'm not going to RT the fucking Atlantic but I do want to remind everyone that one in four U.S. adults is disabled, so one in five students accessing accommodations at their uni is among the most non-story stories ever penned.
Reposted by Kate Averett
I wrote about Oura's security and privacy practices earlier this year for this.weekinsecurity.com, and found:
• Oura rings *don't* end-to-end encrypt users' health data;
• Oura *can* access its users' data;
• Oura told me that the company *has* received U.S. government demands for users' data.
• Oura rings *don't* end-to-end encrypt users' health data;
• Oura *can* access its users' data;
• Oura told me that the company *has* received U.S. government demands for users' data.
November 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I wrote about Oura's security and privacy practices earlier this year for this.weekinsecurity.com, and found:
• Oura rings *don't* end-to-end encrypt users' health data;
• Oura *can* access its users' data;
• Oura told me that the company *has* received U.S. government demands for users' data.
• Oura rings *don't* end-to-end encrypt users' health data;
• Oura *can* access its users' data;
• Oura told me that the company *has* received U.S. government demands for users' data.
THIS.
This is just my opinion, but I don't think departments need to change their strategy for reading or grading student work.
Departments need a strategy for responding to harassment and attacks.
Departments need a strategy for responding to harassment and attacks.
December 1, 2025 at 9:03 PM
THIS.
Reposted by Kate Averett
right...it's not all necessarily planned out beforehand, but there's massive animus against trans ppl and a huge infrastructure for destroying trans ppl, knowledge of which is widely available in right wing christofascist circles. 1
It's becoming increasingly clear that many of these events are orchestrated (either a-priori or post-hoc) to target trans people and generate widespread outrage.
We all could benefit from the @onthemedia.bsky.social Breaking News Consumer handbook: www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm...
We all could benefit from the @onthemedia.bsky.social Breaking News Consumer handbook: www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm...
December 1, 2025 at 8:46 PM
right...it's not all necessarily planned out beforehand, but there's massive animus against trans ppl and a huge infrastructure for destroying trans ppl, knowledge of which is widely available in right wing christofascist circles. 1
Reposted by Kate Averett
i’m genuinely so convinced all of this has been a planned operation by the student and her mother (who is commenting on this publicly, and associated closely with the republican party), and big far right propaganda account going all in on it. this is designed to oust trans people from public life
December 1, 2025 at 6:09 PM
i’m genuinely so convinced all of this has been a planned operation by the student and her mother (who is commenting on this publicly, and associated closely with the republican party), and big far right propaganda account going all in on it. this is designed to oust trans people from public life
One thing the events of the last couple of days have made clear is that we cis professors, especially those of us with tenure, need to have some definite clarity about what, tangibly, we are willing to do when someone comes for our trans colleagues and especially our trans grad students who teach.
December 1, 2025 at 5:34 PM
One thing the events of the last couple of days have made clear is that we cis professors, especially those of us with tenure, need to have some definite clarity about what, tangibly, we are willing to do when someone comes for our trans colleagues and especially our trans grad students who teach.
Here’s a thing I definitely didn’t know about. Sharing so you can know about it to.
I don't think I've ever talked on Bluesky about why I hate the Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl.
Don't read any further unless you're prepared for uncomfortable truths about the "Nicest Guy in Rock", and his very substantial body count & subsequent cover-up.
Don't read any further unless you're prepared for uncomfortable truths about the "Nicest Guy in Rock", and his very substantial body count & subsequent cover-up.
December 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Here’s a thing I definitely didn’t know about. Sharing so you can know about it to.
Reposted by Kate Averett
the way to protect free speech in this instance is to show solidarity with the trans person being silenced. it's pretty straightforward.
December 1, 2025 at 5:26 PM
the way to protect free speech in this instance is to show solidarity with the trans person being silenced. it's pretty straightforward.
Reposted by Kate Averett
the student was trolling her instructor; her instructor tried to respond in good faith, the student enlisted the right wing hate machine and got the instructor put on leave *for being trans.*
December 1, 2025 at 5:26 PM
the student was trolling her instructor; her instructor tried to respond in good faith, the student enlisted the right wing hate machine and got the instructor put on leave *for being trans.*
Reposted by Kate Averett
the problem is that the TA appears to have been the target of a deliberate campaign to silence trans people and force them out of public life. so, it seems like that should be a factor when discussing the first amendment? 1
December 1, 2025 at 5:18 PM
the problem is that the TA appears to have been the target of a deliberate campaign to silence trans people and force them out of public life. so, it seems like that should be a factor when discussing the first amendment? 1
Reposted by Kate Averett
a lot of people debating the merits of that dogshit essay meanwhile the girl’s mom is retweeting demands to ban all trans people from teaching at any level. it’s forest for the trees shit
December 1, 2025 at 4:42 AM
a lot of people debating the merits of that dogshit essay meanwhile the girl’s mom is retweeting demands to ban all trans people from teaching at any level. it’s forest for the trees shit
Reposted by Kate Averett
"the essay sucks ass" is no doubt true, couldn't be bothered to read it, but consider that the essay may have been written to receive an F in order to instigate a campaign against the trans TA. in any case it's not a great dunk because this isn't about the essay, it's about purging trans ppl
December 1, 2025 at 12:11 AM
"the essay sucks ass" is no doubt true, couldn't be bothered to read it, but consider that the essay may have been written to receive an F in order to instigate a campaign against the trans TA. in any case it's not a great dunk because this isn't about the essay, it's about purging trans ppl
Reposted by Kate Averett
There’s just nothing left of a university’s mission if instructors can be disciplined and fired for teaching the current state of knowledge in their fields, the degrees they issue are worth precisely the value of the paper they’re printed on and not a jot more
December 1, 2025 at 12:42 AM
There’s just nothing left of a university’s mission if instructors can be disciplined and fired for teaching the current state of knowledge in their fields, the degrees they issue are worth precisely the value of the paper they’re printed on and not a jot more
Reposted by Kate Averett
Brain eating vending machine
We can't really say this enough...
> Anastasia Berg [at UCL Irvine] said that new research — and what she's hearing directly from colleagues across various industries — shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate.
www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-are...
> Anastasia Berg [at UCL Irvine] said that new research — and what she's hearing directly from colleagues across various industries — shows that employees who heavily rely on AI are losing core skills at a startling rate.
www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-are...
AI tools are 'deskilling' workers, philosophy professor says
A philosophy professor warns that AI reliance is weakening workers' judgment, creativity, and problem-solving.
www.businessinsider.com
November 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Brain eating vending machine
Reposted by Kate Averett
The Boston Globe identified the companies in Massachusetts that employ the most SNAP recipients. A key stat: "In Massachusetts, 74% of working-age recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are employed, half of them full-time."
Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
November 29, 2025 at 3:55 PM
The Boston Globe identified the companies in Massachusetts that employ the most SNAP recipients. A key stat: "In Massachusetts, 74% of working-age recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are employed, half of them full-time."
Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
Reposted by Kate Averett
We do. But no one is listening.
This is why OpenAI is selling so aggressively to education at all levels—they want to create entire generations of users incapable of reading, writing and thinking without ChatGPT to hold their hands
And teachers and professors should call this out for what it actually is
And teachers and professors should call this out for what it actually is
To bear out this rosy projection, HSBC assumes that OpenAI will become "as ubiquitous [...] as Microsoft 365" (345mm users worldwide) while bringing in 10x the number of users (3bn).
November 27, 2025 at 8:14 PM
We do. But no one is listening.
Thanksgiving Eve family tradition of watching The West Wing Thanksgiving episodes has commenced!
November 26, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Thanksgiving Eve family tradition of watching The West Wing Thanksgiving episodes has commenced!