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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

@jesswestbrook.bsky.social

1.5K followers 3.7K following 730 posts

🦨~ postnormal social research > data-driven speculation > critical design > liberatory tech / Founder Queering Futures Research Studio + Identity Research Lab / prior Channel TWo [CH2] new media art&design / tenured prof / MFA+PHD / T1D cyborg / #Chicago

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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 18

I warmly invite you to submit a chapt proposal for The Bloomsbury Handbook of Queering Research Methods. This volume explores how every phase of the research process: design, methods, tools, analysis, communication – can be Queered.

deadline: 6/30/25
deets/submission: tinyurl.com/queeringrese...

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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Sep 1

drs2026.thedrs.org/2-2-queering

Dear everybody, here we go! The DRS2026 (DesignResearchSociety)"Queer(ing) Design Research/Practice" paper theme track has come to life !!! Glad to answer Qs. Keywords: lived experience, embodiment, reflexivity, norm-breaking/norm-making

2.2 Queer(ing)

2.2 Queer(ing) Design Research/Practice

drs2026.thedrs.org

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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Jul 8

I walked around my childhood home in Squirrel Hill and lucky me it was being totally gut rehabbed and I was able to 'get in' and see the basement stairs I fell down in 1976. So fun bumping into you at the Mattress Factory! What are the chances??? Pittsburgh 2025.

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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Jun 30

almost!!!

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Jun 26

still have about 10 deadlines before I can get back to studio mode gah

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Jun 16

taking a few days off soon. need a few nothing days.

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Jun 11

now where was i

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · Jun 10

its been a minute. peace and love USA peace and love. absurd horrifying theater.

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 31

offline May 31 – June 9 for the most part.

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 31

they look physically unhealthy. a lot of processed foods. cellular aging thing

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 31

when I was a kid I didnt overthink things, had no internal dialogue, trusted everyone

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 31

life is a strange gift

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 30

had a cool call, then oof botched a few things, delivered a project later than I wanted, lots to do still. note: I will be totally offline for about 10 days soon. detox by way of circumstances. will see what it does to my chemistry. remember 1995? that feel. slower, more mysterious, more social.

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 30

wow

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 29

he wins massive gov contracts, deregulation, and trillionaire status

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 29

mostly very busy. all good stuff. excellent call yesterday. met old friends at museum for much needed social interactions. def rec this. visit.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/... onto prepping for events. figuring. ideas and logistics. was rainy most of the day which suited the inside times. travel soon.

» Paul Pfeiffer: Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom

visit.mcachicago.org

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 27

reflecting real quick. I love when folx have themes, ideas, practices, and I literally have no idea what gender they are/use, it doesn't matter, and I dont care. it's fantastic ambiguity untangled from all the assumptions, associations, impositions.

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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 27

just walking tonight. slow. smells fantastic out here

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 27

early call tomorrow with some brilliant people. everyday im amazed by the smarties I get get to meet. blows my mind. what a time to be alive. best and worst.

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 27

my partner back later tonight from NY. could use a hug. its weird not touching any person or animal for days and days. im big on hugs. people at work DO NOT HUG.

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Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 27

did get my backup pump the other day. did get some old-timey long acting insulin in case my equipment double fails. this is how we travel. redundant systems.

Dr. Jess Parris Westbrook (they/them) 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @jesswestbrook.bsky.social · May 27

I dont know where the day went but im happy with some amount of progress. this particular project is slow going and not sure if its b/c I care or if because im genuinely fried from multitasking. steady steady. did ride. did eat. did charge transmitter and change sensor.