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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

The Portico Library @porticolibrary.bsky.social · 2d

We've got another busy week ahead at The Portico...

To mark this year's #BannedBooksWeek, we'll be exploring Machiavelli, whose work was banned across various states in Europe from the 15th to the 16th Centuries, and how his works have been reimagined today...

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 3d

Mary Severn's 'Private Sketches' that depict moments in her working & home life 1859/60 made me LOL. Mary's ability to laugh at herself, her family & great artists - like G. F. Watts - & record it, is part of her immense talent. Uploaded the sketches in my blog
www.debbiechallis.com/post/private...

Private Sketches by M.S.: Moments from 1859 & 1860

One of the discoveries in the archive was 'Private Sketches' by Mary Severn. Some cartoons that made me L.O.L. Admittedly, I am a sad nerd who - in my head - lives as much in the 1850s and 1860s as th...

www.debbiechallis.com

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 4d

Being a nosey parker is my favourite pastime. But I dress it up as being a historian.

#archives #romantic

www.debbiechallis.com/post/what-s-...

What's in the Box? Rummaging in the Archives

One of my favourite pastimes is rummaging in archives, even in my own, and finding old things. I have pretensions to be a historian and writer, but really I'm just nosey.

www.debbiechallis.com

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

The Portico Library @porticolibrary.bsky.social · 5d

Drum roll, please....

We couldn't be more excited to share that historic transformation plans for The Portico Library have been submitted to Manchester City Council...

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 7d

Satisfying couple of days installing @porticolibrary.bsky.social main exhibition & a pop up for #blackhistorymonth❤️🖤💚 .

Am one of the 5 in portico with African diaspora- the one with guilt obvs - but did one section & used some of my archive too.

Display of black women & case with zebras in

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Simon Guerrier @0tralala.bsky.social · 12d

Well, bless my soul, another long, long post, this time Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders by Terrance Dicks, featuring Blackpool, Indiana Jones and Mr Toad. 0tralala.blogspot.com/2025/09/doct...

Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders, by Terrance Dicks

0tralala.blogspot.com

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Wagatwe Wanjuki @wagatwe.com · 15d

it's so nice to see what a functioning judiciary looks like

"A transgender woman in the East African nation of Kenya has won a landmark court victory in which the judge not only found in her favour, but ordered the government to pass a Transgender Protection Rights Act."

fuck yeah

Kenya transgender rights victory hailed as African first

QNews LGBTIQA+ News

qnews.com.au

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 14d

Watched this & felt like I was in Star Wars watching that message from Princess Leia.

Jimmy Kimmel @jimmykimmel.com · 15d

As I was saying…

Jimmy Kimmel is Back!

YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live

youtu.be

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

History Workshop @historyworkshop.org.uk · 15d

The summer has seen anti-trans campaigns across the UK and US, alongside a crisis in healthcare. But what use could trans history have in these time, beyond proving 'we have always been here'?

Sam Rutherford @echomikeromeo reflects on Imagining Trans Futures:
www.historyworkshop....

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 20d

This is beautifully written by @sturdyalex.bsky.social about ugly & dangerous events.

No one tells me to ‘get back where I was born, yet, I was born in Kenya. When in Kenya in August I was, the first time for me, a minority. I was regularly welcomed back to my birth home. My actual home is shaming

Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 21d

I wrote something about feeling like a guest in a country that is my home.

bestforbritain.substack.com/p/my-place-o...

My place or yours? - Flags and the far right from someone who looks different to you

By Alex Andreou

bestforbritain.substack.com

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 22d

I even have a Ulysses broach that I bought in Dublin. This is one of my favourite books - or parts of it are.

Find out more about Banned Books Week on Index for Censorship: www.indexoncensorship.org/bannedbooksw...

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 24d

2nd part of John J Johnstone’s alternate sexualities LGBTQ+ trail now online.

Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Alexander the Great & Antinous & more

#lgbtq #egypt #museum

www.debbiechallis.com/post/beyond-...

Beyond Isis and Osiris - Alternate Sexualities in Ancient Egypt, Part 2: John J. Johnstone

Alternate Sexualities in Ancient Egypt, Part 2: New Kingdom, Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt - Hatshepsut, Akhenaten, Alexander the Great and Hadrian

www.debbiechallis.com

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 25d

And this is what I went to the PV of - the nature of gothic @blackburnmuseum.bsky.social. It is stunning - urge people to visit.

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 26d

Oh, I’ve had a few tricky days & was spiralling downwards this morning. Decided to goth up to cheer up.

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 29d

First part of John J Johnstone’s Alternate Sexualities in Ancient Egypt LGBTQ+ trail: www.debbiechallis.com/post/beyond-...

Beyond Isis and Osiris - Alternate Sexualities in Ancient Egypt, Part 1: John J. Johnstone

This is a trail written by the late John J. Johnstone, based in part on a talk he gave at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in February 2008. It was the first event recorded in a museum in Lon...

www.debbiechallis.com

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · 29d

Have had a week of progress around the country (almost) to celebrate my half century. This included visiting Annie Darwin's grave. Anne, or Annie, was the eldest daughter of the scientist Charles Darwin & his wife Emma. www.debbiechallis.com/post/annie-s...

Annie's Grave

Paying a visit to the grave of Annie Darwin in Great Malvern and how the Victorians used artworks and objects to mourn.

www.debbiechallis.com

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Russ Jones @russincheshire.bsky.social · Sep 5

Angela Rayner accidentally pays less tax than she should have, resigns, and the media gives her hell.

Nigel Farage deliberately pays less tax than he should have, and the media gives him a free pass.

That, right there, is the problem.

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · Sep 4

I have never felt more strongly supportive of Angela Rayner in my life. Fuck these people.

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Manchester University Press @manchesterup.bsky.social · Sep 4

We're delighted to announce that author & activist @elierlick.bsky.social is visiting the UK to speak about her new book, 'Before Gender: Lost stories from trans history 1850-1950'.

Discover the trailblazing lives of 30 trans people who will change everything you've been told about trans history.

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · Sep 4

Woke up early thinking I’m now 50, not nearly 50. Actually 50. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Couldn’t go back to sleep. Soon after 7am brought an enormous breakfast cookie handmade by the lady & cup of tea.

Should go back to sleep but want to read my new books. This has not changed I was 5.

#old #croning #books #50years

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · Sep 3

actionnetwork.org/petitions/e8...

Sign the open letter: Women against the far right

The far right is using women's safety as a weapon to spread racism and division. They are not defenders of women—they exploit violence against women and children to push hate. Together we can stand wi...

actionnetwork.org

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Illuminations @illuminations.bsky.social · Aug 31

Absolutely delighted that Dan Briggs, son of the BBC's first official historian Asa Briggs, has written to The Observer supporting the need for on-request vetting to re-instated at the BBC Written Archives Centre (p.29; not I think online).
Letter's wording is in the .alt element.

#waccampaign

Letter text reads:

History written off

'I agree that the BBC’s decision, apparently a fait accompli, taken without prior consultation to refashion the BBC Written Archive Centre in Caversham (re Vanessa Thorpe’s article “Historians dismayed by ‘scandal’ of BBC cutting access to written archives”, News, last week), is very disappointing. It appears to run counter to the BBC‘s compact with the public, Our BBC,Our future, and arguably the broadcaster’s charter itself.
This would have deeply disturbed my father, Asa Briggs, the first official historian of the BBC who played a key role in setting up the archive. As Adam Sisman writes in his new biography, my father rescued countless papers, broadcasts and artefacts. The archive has since provided a valuable and rich seam of research material. The plan to step up the release of material in themed batches, rather than as now, respond to specific research enquiries clearly ‘dumbs down’ the value of the archive as an open and accessible resource.'

Dan Briggs
Lewes, Sussex

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(Dr) Debbie Challis @poisonchallis.bsky.social · Sep 2

The wonderful Angela Stienne jas made one of John J Johnstones’s talk / intros live & its on #drwho #doctorwho Pyramids of Mars. Perfect meeting of his who & egyptology. Please share @0tralala.bsky.social etc

www.mummystories.com/single-post/...

Excavating a Television Classic: Pyramids of Mars (1975)

The Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companion, Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) are travelling through the space-time vortex when an entity appears to enter the TARDIS, drawing the ship off course, to l...

www.mummystories.com

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

Alex Andreou's Podyssey @alexpodyssey.bsky.social · Sep 2

And here is the visual guide to the episode. Enjoy!

1. Prehistoric figures from Thessaly, believed to be early “gorgoneia”, c.6000 BCE

cc. @aalekas.bsky.social @poisonchallis.bsky.social @lindamarric.bsky.social @dr-ruthsmith.bsky.social

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Reposted by (Dr) Debbie Challis

UNISON Fife Health Branch @unisonfifehealth.bsky.social · Sep 1

📣 It's National Wellbeing Week 2025
At UNISON, we believe that your health and wellbeing matter — in and out of the workplace

This week, we’re highlighting the importance of:
✅ Mental health support
✅ Work/life balance
✅ Respectful, fair working conditions

Let’s take care of ourselves & each other

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