Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear. There was a lack of character in that room. Nobody stepped up and said “I don’t care what she’s saying, this isn’t right, we should be better than this.” Even if there may have been consent, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
There was a car with a flat tire at the trailhead today. “That sucks” I thought and started on my run. Passed two Gen-Z chicks coming down the canyon about two miles in. The car with the flat was the only other car at the trailhead so it must be theirs. “That sucks” I thought and kept on about my run. I got back about an hour later and the two chicks are sitting in their car, doors open, all distraught.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
“Yeah… we’re fine… we’re just… it’s fine” the girl in the driver’s seat replies with wide eyes like I’m definitely a serial killer.
It was clearly not fine.
“You have a plan to get down?”
“Yeah, we’ll call someone.”
There’s no cell service for 10 miles in any direction.
“Do you have a spare?” I asked.
“Uhm, I’m not sure. It’s fine” she replies.
It’s a 2016/17-ish Honda HR-V. The spare tire is under the cargo floor.
“You do. I can put it on for you if you want.”
The two chicks stare at each other. “Uhm… no, that’s ok” the driver says to the passenger in the tone of a question.
“You sure? It will take me ten minutes” I said insistently but trying not be a creep.
The two chicks stare at each other some more. (They clearly would have chosen the bear.)
“Or I can call the ranger when I get down to Pasadena.”
The two chicks stare at each other some more. They whisper in girl code. They look me up and down. They stare back at each other. The passenger finally speaks: “uhm, so… would you mind helping us change the tire?”
“Yeah, it’s no problem.”
I have them open the cargo. They dug out enough hiking supplies to hike the PCT.
“You have enough gear to survive out here for a week” I joked.
The two chicks stared at each other. They looked at me. They looked back at each other. In girl code they agreed it’s safe to chuckle. “Hehe, yeah” one of them says.
By the time I got the car lifted, they had let their guard down a little and thanked me “seriously so so so so much.” They told me they had no idea how to change a tire. They’ve never had to change a tire before but one of them did have a dead battery once in college and had to have her dad drive over an hour to come give her a jump.
Ten minutes later, the tire was changed and they seemed genuinely surprised I didn’t kill them. They thanked me again “seriously so so so so much” and assured me that I “have no idea, omg” and then they were on their way.
It made realize how much it sucks to be a woman where every man is a threat until proven otherwise. I don’t blame them for being cautious, but I do blame them for venturing into the mountains with $1000 worth of REI products, but no clue how to change a tire.
Teach your daughters how to change a tire ffs!
I dislike having my books banned (and mischaracterized by folks who haven't read them), but what I really dislike is when hard-working and deeply committed librarians are fired for no good reason by vindictive, unprofessional culture warriors who care nothing for actual kids.
THE ALBERTA NDP OPPOSES ANTI-TRANS POLICIES INTRODUCED BY DANIELLE SMITH
The Alberta NDP strongly opposes the new policies presented by Danielle Smith and is committed to preventing their implementation as the policies are founded on misinformation and target vulnerable children.
“While we anticipated policies and guidelines similar to those in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, Danielle Smith went well beyond those initiatives, expanding her attack to include the whole 2SLGBTQ+ community as well as any child at all who benefits from sex education,” said Notley.
“The decisions being made by Danielle Smith and her government are designed to further divide those who have been subjected to misinformation and conspiracy theories generated by a wing of the UCP.”
In an online video, Danielle Smith announced a host of policy changes regarding youth privacy in schools, sex education, sports, and access to health care. Under these changes, the Alberta government will not allow for hormonal treatment, puberty blockers and gender affirming surgery for any children under 15 years of age, and will ban already limited top and bottom surgeries for those 16 and 17 years of age.
“Danielle Smith’s policy represents government interference in what should be a collaborative and private decision between parents, their child, and their doctor,” said Notley. “Current practice in Alberta is guided by the rules of the Canadian Medical Association and necessarily includes parents.
“Ironically, Danielle Smith has taken away their freedom of choice and at its core, Danielle Smith is playing dangerous politics with the lives of young people.”
Smith’s policy changes will also mean that parents must give permission before students under the age of 15 can change their name or pronouns at school, with parents being notified for students age 16 and 17. Parents will also need to give permission for their children to take part in lessons about sexual health, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Any third-party instruction materials for these lessons will now need to be approved by the Minister of Education before they reach the classroom.
“By no means should the approval of those educational materials be handled by the UCP cabinet,” said Notley. “The UCP’s failed and widely criticized attempt to politicize the social studies curriculum proved that they just are not qualified for the job.
“When it comes to education, the real crisis is that Alberta’s public education has gone from being world leading to suffering from the lowest per capita funding in the country. New Canadians are settling in communities where their kids are forced to bus hours to the closest school, because the UCP stopped building them, and once they get there, English language learning is rarely adequate.
“These are some of the UCP problems that Danielle Smith should focus on fixing, but instead Danielle Smith is using this highly sensitive issue and the misinformation surrounding it to distract from the many issues she and her government are failing on.”
Hundreds are still missing and feared dead after a boat carrying migrants sank in Greek waters last week.
Advocates say they’re frustrated the sunken migrant ship has garnered far less attention and resources than the Titan rescue efforts for 5 people. https://t.co/NYRoA3X3um
Look, I know this is a pretty minor scandal as UCP scandals go but it's sticking in my craw. Overly long 🧵 follows. So the Associate Minster for the status of women was the head judge 🧵 https://t.co/Ymxn4JtShW
@CTVCalgary "Judge Gord Wong said the sex assault on the young woman at Chad Bobrosky's Calgary apartment involved sadism and bondage, and repeated attacks were done with an intent to injure." Pretty sure Bobrosky isn't the victim in this situation.