Lab Experiment Gone Wrong

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Some of yall may have heard some of the shit that has been going on right now. I'm gonna give a quick run down of some of the stuff that has been happening. Note, this is not all, and it may never be all as much as I will try to update this.

(I am going to try and compile and briefly explain these as much as I can. There may be misinformation. Please inform me if I got something wrong.)

(This will also be updated with additional information and new topics added.)

1) Racist Chinese Dolls.

There are these dolls in China that are being called "Natasha" baby dolls. These dolls are not only very obvious caricatures of black people, but they are being advertised as a "stress relief" in which the people who buy these abuse it in various ways.

This links to a video of a compilation of the various "uses" of the doll. There are more in the replies of the tweet. (Another link to the same tweet just incase)

2) The Mocking, Abuse, and Dehumanization of Black Children.

Apart from the aforementioned doll, there are apparently people going around mocking, abusing, and dehumanizing black children.

Some people have compared black children to the doll.

Others have been going into African countries and have found ways to mock, abuse, and dehumanize black children for clout.

(Source 1 + Full Video) (Source 2)

There are more videos surfacing.

3) Black people are going missing.

Black people, especially children and teens have recently been going missing at an alarming rate. Some of these same people are turning up dead, deaths being ruled as "suicides."

While it generally unknown why many of these people are going missing, many suspect that their disappearances, deaths, and even lack of coverage is rooted in anti-blackness.

The following is a list of black people that have been reported missing as of recently. Please note that this is not a complete list (it may never be completed due to the fact that many of these disappearances will still occur as time passes) this may contain inaccurate information. Please inform me if that is the case.

By the time you see this, some of these people may have already been found either alive or deceased. This post will be updated overtime.

It is also heavily encouraged that you reblog this with more links to recent cases of missing black people if you are aware of any that aren’t included on this list.

Alexis Shaver

Payton Diver

Nasir Tacuma

Ka’Laya Cooper

Makaila Monae Adam

Moriah Kerre Smith

Uchechi Chijindum Nkemdirim

Victeria Uriah Spear

Rilen Wade (Found. Is Safe)

Over 90% of parents of visibly intersex children opt for cosmetic surgery on their infants.

The ones that don't experience medical violence then, likely experience it as a teenager.

I didn't.

I am very rare in that I did not experience medical violence.

Why? Because I learned what intersexuality was as a young age, and I actively fought against what doctors wanted to do to me. All the way down to legal research on what medical care minors can be forced into. I remember walking into that doctor's appointment with the state law written down that proved that if I did not consent they could not do surgery.

A local paper had some great photographs, all taken by Nicole Hester:

The day before, Rep. Justin Pearson tries to attend a Senate Committee meeting and is barred access by the Sergeant at Arms.

Lawmakers and protesters link arms as the descend the capitol steps.

Once inside the chamber, Democratic representatives continued to stand together with arms linked.

They continued standing together with arms linked as votes were cast.

Democratic representatives take a group photo protesting the redistricting.

Rep. Justin Jones burns a photo of the Confederate flag with the words, We will not go back.

And stomps the ashes.

KeShaun Pearson being escorted from the building by the Staties.

KeShaun Pearson (left) being taken into custody. Rep. Justin Pearson (right) showing his support of his brother.

Additional information: State lawmakers have been gunning for Pearson and Jones nearly their entire terms. Most notably, in 2023, the House expelled them for participating in a protest at the Capitol. Their districts had to have special elections to have them reinstated.

Pearson is one of the plaintiffs of a lawsuit seeking an injunction against the redistricting.

Accessibility and mending

Which options are available highly depends on your personal situation. I can't give medical advice, only point you to some things that might prove useful.

I've compiled a few ideas that work for me or for people around me. If anyone else has suggestions, feel free to share them!

Vision aids:

My vision issues aren't severe enough to interfere with my crafting, so I have no personal experience with this situation. The following ideas are things I've seen used by fellow crafters.

Some people enjoy using a magnifying lamp. This appliance is both a magnifying glass and a lamp in one, so useful when small details are giving you trouble.

(Image source) [ID: a person doing needlework while sitting on a beige cushioned chair. A white magnifying lamp stands beside her, its magnifying glass hanging above her needle work.]

A needle threader is a useful tool if you struggle with manually threading needles.

(Image source) [ID: a metal needle threader lying on a blue background. A purple thread is looped through it, while the threader is looped through a sewing needle.]

If you're using digital patterns, a screen reader might be convenient too (if you don't have one yet). This type of software reads your screen out loud, and makes navigating without an overview of your screen easier, too.

NVDA is a decent open source screen reader. You've also got TalkBack for Android and VoiceOver for Apple products, which should come pre-installed on your device. You'll find them among the accessibility options. Some Android producers skimp on these, so if you can't find TalkBack, you can also download it from the app store.

Microsoft Office and certain PDF readers also have built-in functions to read documents out loud.

I've also found a list of sewing machines suitable for people with visual impairments and a list of low vision sewing aids, but have no personal experience with these.

(Image source) [ID: a yellow seam ripper with a magnifying glass attached to it.]

Joints:

Joint issues can be really annoying when you want to mend clothes. I'm speaking from my personal viewpoint as a person with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in this part of the post, so what works for me might not work for you if your problems have a different cause.

If you're hypermobile like me, braces can help a lot! It's always best to check with a medical professional before you start using them, if you haven't yet.

I wear silver splints to keep my finger joints in check. They help a lot when sewing or knitting and such. Splints can be pricy, but PrettySick Supply has tutorials on how to make your own finger splints if you already know what type of support you need. You could also try to 3D print splints if you happen to have a 3D printing lab in your neighbourhood (universities sometimes offer this service, e.g.).

I also use two wrist braces, depending on what I need. One's pretty flimsy, but suitable for daily wear and keeps me from overstretching my wrist. The other one stabilises my wrist. I don't use it every day, only when necessary.

[ID: a hand lying on a black surface. The thumb, index finger, and middle finger all have a silver splint supporting the centre joint. The other two fingers are held together with an 8-shaped ring to avoid overstretching. A flimsy black brace sits around the wrist.]

[ID: a hand lying on a black surface. The thumb, index finger, and middle finger all have a silver splint supporting the centre joint. The other two fingers are held together with an 8-shaped ring to avoid overstretching. A dark gray brace supports the wrist and part of the hand.]

Tools like embroidery stands, long needles, and automatic needle threaders can be helpful for motor issues, too. I've also found this Reddit discussion about cross-stitching while hypermobile and dyspraxic that might contain useful tips.

(While we're on the topic: as a dyspraxic person, I highly recommend keeping a first aid kit nearby when doing anything that involves needles, cutting, or ironing.)

(Image source) [ID: a wooden embroidery stand. White fabric has been inserted in the hoop. The fabric has been embroidered with red, green, and yellow plants.]

Take plenty of breaks, and don't forget to stretch your hands and wrists in-between sewing sprints. Don't overdo the stretches. Try to find a few exercises that work well for you, and be very mindful of your limits when doing them.

Mending without a needle:

Mending doesn't necessarily have to involve fiddly hand-sewing. Some people are more comfortable with a sewing machine instead of a manual needle. There's knitting and embroidery machines, too.

Investing in a good machine can be pricy, so it might be worth a shot asking friends if you can use theirs or checking if your local library or community centre has one that's publicly available.

1. Do not do age verification.

Oh no I dropped my link, what a horrible thing! Sure hope this doesn't get reblogged until it reaches users from the UK and Brazil!

Kruoodle collection no. 9!!