Fleppo

Fleppo

@fleppo.bsky.social

Two sharks and a fox | 27 | any pronouns | 18+ | Enjoyer of big things | Will repost weird and kinky art | Occasional aptophilia, furgonomics or multifurry musings and worldbuilding, maybe No minors | No AI

1K followers2K following5.1K posts

Fleppo reposted

Dr. MooCow, AKA Dr. Mom
@drmoocow.bsky.social

In dark time, remember to look to those who have faced these evils before. See how every marginalized community gains strength by banding together. We didn’t get this far because they were polite or one of the "good ones.“ Stay strong, stay together, stay here. That goes for me, too.

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Tarik Abou-Chadi
@tabouchadi.bsky.social

Life in the UK is increasingly structured by segregationist policies against trans and queer people in its major institutions. Queer and especially trans people are being ostracized from public life. Driven by a Labour Party that is run by transphobes and those too spineless to stand up to them.

Leicester Gazette@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

Fleppo reposted

Circ
@tinyicecat.bsky.social

This news is important because all the fucks out there actively attempting to wreck the world want you to think that the work is hopeless and just mitigating the worst case scenario. It's not. Fucking keep going.

Hope For The Planet@h4tp.bsky.social

We now have rigorous pooled data showing that even without active restoration efforts, cleared rainforest can rebound to 75% of their former species composition and 90% of species diversity within just thirty years. #goodnews

optimistdaily.comRainforest biodiversity rebounds within a single generation | The Optimist DailyA major Ecuador study finds cleared rainforests can recover 90 percent of their species diversity in just 30 years, as long as humans leave the land alone.

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Bizabizow / Ty
@bizabizow.bsky.social

Replying to @bizabizow.bsky.social

One of the biggest parts of truly becoming an adult is being able to see something you find cringe and think "ah this just isn't for me" and move on. So many people are still living in their 14 year old mindset as 20+ year olds

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Bizabizow / Ty
@bizabizow.bsky.social

It's even more angering to me when other trans people will see "cringe" trans art and say that it's "setting the community back" or "making us look bad". Actually transphobes are going to hate us no matter what, you're just miserable and want everyone else to hate themselves like you do

JenWave1995@jenwave1995.bsky.social

When trans creators are subtle, people dismiss the trans subtext as “headcanon.” When trans creators are loud and proud, people call it “obnoxious” and “cringe.” They just don’t want us to be represented in media at all. Because they don’t want us to exist at all.

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Niccy 🏳️‍⚧️
@niccymarten.bsky.social
QTori 🍣@qtori.art

I will add pressure to this by saying that any company that claims to not hold onto your personal data after verifying you? They're lying. Ive been nitro free since the first time they tried this, voice how you feel with your wallet people. Make them really feel that squeeze.

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Raquel 🌈✨
@aistear.bsky.social

Blumineck lo ha vuelto a hacer 🥹 le aplaudo hasta que se me caigan las manos, bravo. "Be masculine, be feminine, be neither, or be both. But be kind."

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Amethyst
@wintryamethyst.bsky.social

Have you heard of the critically acclaimed MMORPG... ...Oh, you have? Anyways, here is Amy dressed up in my favorite Summoner attire from FFXIV. She's all ready to fail dungeon mechanics but look hella good doing so! Art was a Christmas gift from a personal friend, who doesn't post their art.

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August the Dodecalope @ Ringoid Labs
@ringoidlabs.com

I'll color this later, but I wanted to sketch this idea out for revising August here. Swap a pair of wings for a third set of arms, change the head to be more jay-like with a tall crest (and lose the redundant ears), and this is feels more like me.

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VahnFox
@vahnfox.art

No I think we should just ban online gambling

jamelle@jamellebouie.net

i don't think anyone should run explicitly on banning online gambling but i do think that a democratic-led government should just quietly take steps to undermine the industry and create an inhospitable regulatory environment