Girls and boys have commented on girls’ body and facial hair where I live, and not in a casual or friendly way. I will never forget the friend of my parents with her bush of armpit hair who was convinced I was staring at it (....I wasn’t, she just happened to lift her arm up while I was looking in her direction) and felt the need to tell me she didn’t shave, as if that wasn’t obvious. It was so weird.

The terminology “trans woman” is what is used in the title of the Canadian Cancer Society web page I was referring to and linked to. I didn’t feel it was appropriate to alter their language when speaking of their own health recommendations. A biologically male body with a manufactured cervix substitute, be it created from the penis or something else from that body, contains zero cervical cells, and thus this individual does NOT need a pap smear. The manufactured body parts located where the base of the penis is in males, aka “neovaginas,” are made from the person’s colon, which also does not involve cervixes. These are simulations created out of the person’s own body parts, not donor vaginas or something magically grown in labs. And if all these individuals who have male genes suddenly actually have vaginas and cervixes, then why do biological women get referred to as “people with vaginas” or “people with cervixes” as a means of distinguishing them from others with “female identities“? Per the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (p5): we should talk about “front holes,“ except for trans women who have had “bottom surgery” — they are the ones who have a “vagina.“ At any rate, even the Canadian Cancer Society admitted it wasn’t much of an issue.....despite creating a website for it. The manager told a conservative media group “If a trans woman has had bottom surgery, then it is possible to get cancer in the tissues of their neo-vagina or neo-cervix. This is not the same cancer type as cervical cancer, but is similar to how anyone can develop cancer in any tissue in their body.”

Oops sorry about the Beechick repeat. Hirsch’s Everything your X grader needs to know, from back when conservatives liked the idea of a common national curriculum.

Ruth Beechick? Miquon math?

There are SO many adaptations of Pride and Prejudice! I would like to include my suggestion of the documentary “Pride and Prejudice: Having a Ball,” which is all about the dance aspect of the book, which was understood by readers at the time but isn’t today. I watched it on AcornTV. I also truly enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which was also made into a film.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it, but for one month, I’d stick it in the previous year.

First met a trans person when I was 7 or 8. I’ve known several casually. All but one was male-to-female and very obviously so. The sort with huge hair and flowery dresses like “Tootsie.” Not a lot of difference between cross dressers and what was then called transsexuals in appearance in those days, and I wasn’t always sure if what someone’s story was. The other was a VERY outspoken lesbian who suddenly transitioned to a gay male. I see a number where I live, for example cashiers or people on the street. I find the increasing numbers if of teen girls identifying as male to be extremely troubling.

And why would that even be the time to force children to reveal their gender nonbinariness, which is what demanding someone’s pronouns is asking for. I personally loath the idea that we’re all supposed to say person with a penis/testicles/vagina/cervix instead of male or female. It is so crass. And excludes men who’ve suffered tragic accidents (12% of battle injuries involve genitourinary trauma) and women with birth defects or the HALF of women who don’t know they have a cervix or don’t know where it is or women who’ve had hysterectomies. Not to mention the Canadian and UK health plans’ encouragement and financial support for trans women to get a Pap smear.

Here are examples of larger state systems’ programs https://www2.calstate.edu/attend/student-services/eop https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/academic-support https://www.umflint.edu/studentsuccess/ I have attended college meetings for schools with high numbers of first generation college students, and they express a willingness to, for example, have lots of academic advising and help students orient themselves to campus. These “minor” issues contribute to students not feeling comfortable on campus or not having a clear sense of academic direction, which often leads to them dropping out, and that’s aside from academic issues. I was insulted and presumed to be underprepared by several professors when I was in grad school, and I actually WAS prepared.

I’ve seen a few that mention homeschoolers who don’t have transcripts or whose experience can’t be captured by transcripts. My daughter has decided based on recent encounters that there’s a strong contingent of unschooling HS students with really….unfocused studies. ETA here that specifically refer to this https://questu.ca/admissions/how-to-apply/alternatively-schooled-students/ https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/home-schooled-students

Yes! I definitely agree this is a task for schools outside the top few, including community colleges, regional public universities, and small liberal arts colleges! I may have posted an article here somewhere about how the Cal State schools have done so much to help first generation college students. I can’t find it, though. Oh well. I did discover a ranking of colleges for first generation students, and the response from some schools, with lists of what they do is interesting. https://www.thebestcolleges.org/the-best-colleges-for-first-generation-college-students/ https://source.colostate.edu/csu-among-best-for-first-generation-students/ https://sundial.csun.edu/73881/news/eop-programs-help-first-generation-students-transition-into-college-academics/ I also ran across this article subtitled How American Universities’ Focus on Independence Undermines the Academic Performance of First-Generation College Students: https://web.stanford.edu/~hazelm/publications/2012 Stephens Fryberg Markus Johnson, & Covarrubias Unseen disadvantage.pdf And also https://eab.com/insights/daily-briefing/student-success/90-of-low-income-first-generation-college-students-dont-graduate-on-time/ But yes, I firmly believe we are letting teenagers down by not having better high schools (and elementary and middle schools). Especially since those are the ones that are free and more accessible. Many people never make it to college, so they need to be educated before then!

No, now if you like trucks, or have short hair, you are a boy. End of story.

I tend to think the tests are biased, though. Or just not that important. And I have a lot of respect for schools that take in underprepared students and help them, bring their basic scores up, give them support, so they are able to graduate.

When I was five, a weird old man followed me around a store calling me a little boy. He looked like a total predator. That’s the weird end of the spectrum. I was also asked about one of my sons when he was a baby, wearing red and blue boys clothes with a boy haircut. That’s the clueless end of the spectrum. I don’t know what end of the spectrum this is on, but I personally would be mildly annoyed too. But then I’m still recovering from the aggressive vegan millennial at a medical appointment this week. (At least that wasn’t about pronouns, but about why one can get all the protein one needs from whole grains and should eat beans constantly.)

If it’s misgendering to call someone “she” if that person wants to be a “they,” then isn’t saying “they” repeatedly also misgendering? ETA I took someone (a single someone) to get vaccinated at CVS and no one seemed to say “they.”

You can sign up for alerts from UPS (“QuantumView”) and FedEx (“Delivery Manager”). It will tell you who’s sending it and when it should arrive. I love this. I have it set to send me an email whenever someone mails me a package by any of these methods.

I have a P.o. box from the Post Office and it came with (free) a street address that looks like 123 Main St #456 and they accept deliveries from UPS or FedEx but it can take a day if they’re busy to get to my box. Mine is tiny so any packages go in the pick up box, which works easily. I never succeeded in getting Informed Delivery set up for it, but you could ask at the post office about that. I have never heard of a virtual box, but I wouldn’t want anyone opening my mail. I would just pick a convenient location so you can stop by to check your box. Or see if you can get informed delivery figured out.

You have very wise words of caution, but I am not sure if the OP wants her daughter to have an extraordinary vocabulary or one which allows her to function. This suggests that she herself perceives a problem. I think perhaps a better concern would be a child who is late to walk or talk. Yes, some are ultimately fine. But most benefit from intervention rather than waiting to see if the silent child spontaneously speaks long brilliant prose at five. And yes, this intervention should be carefully chosen.

I have been asked to show ID (repeatedly) when taking my kids to the doctor’s. At some places both my driver’s license and our insurance card is scanned in every single time. I had a relative (now deceased) who had nothing at ALL with her name on it besides her Medicare card. She no longer drove, never left the country, had no credit cards, was no longer employed, not a student, etc. As to ID, I don’t care if someone votes or drives or whatever. I think every citizen is entitled to a free photo ID. Want to drive? Get a driver’s license. Want to travel internationally? Get a passport. Want to get your government pension? They should have their number. But a way to prove one’s identity should be free. And it should be acceptable for voting, government services, and anything else someone needs to do with ID. Don’t get me started on the use of social security cards as a substitute. This is just something that’s normal in almost every country on earth.

My kids have taken FF classes, and that’s how they’ve been, but I didn’t want to over generalize.

I am really confused by UCScout. This article https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/uc-online-high-school-opens-its-doors-students-stuck-home makes it sound really fabulous but I am dubious.

I think FundaFunda has deadlines, not just a start and end date.

I think older closets are pretty small and don’t usually fit a person, so a “walk in closet” is the term for those; sounds the same as a walk in wardrobe.

Specifically, though, unlike many other countries, there is no free national identification. There is only the passport. which most Americans do not have and costs $100 to obtain. And state cards, which are either ID only or for drivers, and cost ~$25. At the same time, many states are now requiring photo ID to vote. A birth certificate is often insufficient, because it has no photo, and many people, especially women, have changed their names.

The US doesn’t have national ID cards. Because, you know, they’re a mark of the beast. You think I’m kidding? Run a search on it. I refuse to link to the websites that reinforce that. But, yeah, that’s one big reason why we don’t have a free form of national ID for all.