the radical center

Today we began talking about how politics, culture, and tech/social media are dividing us, and wound up in a lovely spiritual exploration. Join us every Monday at 10:00am Pacific/1:00pm Eastern for the Solid Ground Live stream. Find us at Solidgroundsupport.com Twitter @jleslieelliott @dissidentdelite @deborahknox __________________________________________________________________________________ T...

Jessie Mannisto and Julia Malott joined me for a discussion about how different perspectives on the trans issue are creating divisions in the larger "gender-critical" conversation, and how we can come together to identify and pursue common goals. Jessie Mannisto is the founder of Third Factor, a magazine, podcast, and community for intellectually energetic questioners seeking the higher...

Jenny and I discuss a video presentation that was sent to me by a viewer. Here's the link if you would like to watch it: https://www.nnlm.gov/training/class/fatness-and-libraries-amplifying-voices-fat-librarians-deia-work-region-6-spotlight In this training, a "fat-liberation" activist/advocate presents responses to a survey she took of librarians who are "fat" and also sel...

Jason Littlefield is an educator passionate about personal well-being and establishing a society of individuals at peace within themselves and others. He is the Executive Director of EmpowerED Pathways, a cofounder of Free Black Thought, and the architect of Empowered Humanity Theory; Jason has also served students and families across Texas and around the world, including Taiwan, China, and Benin,...

Dr. Aaron Kindsvatter is a former professor of counselor education. Not long ago he left his tenured position to start a private practice in Burlington Vermont. He has been outspoken in sharing his experiences, insights, and analysis about the politicization of counselor education. I you wish to contact him, Dr. Kindsvatter can be reached at kindsvatter.aaron@gmail.com Suzannah Alexander was a stu...

Overcoming Wokeness at work/school: a Strategic Plan 1- Establish a non-woke reference group for the sanity check and human connection. Don't underestimate the importance of this. 2- Clarify your goals: now that you are here, what would you like to see happen, and what is realistic for you? Change jobs? Get to retirement/graduation without conflict? Protect your kids from gender ideology at sc...

Jodi Shaw and Benjamin Boyce joined Jen, Deborah, and myself to continue the discussion around the response to Phil Illy at a gender conference. So many different opinions, and so much to explore. Thanks for joining us! Jodi Shaw on Twitter: @smith_surge Benjamin Boyce on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenjaminABoyce Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wMTJ29BFsJVH6cjlFgAtq?si=Dz7AevhlTQ-OT...

I asked Phil and Shannon if they would join me for a conversation today as the online controversy over Phil's presence at the Genspect conference continues. I have not spent much time learning about autogynephilia, and this conversation was educational for me. I hope you will enjoy it and follow Phil and/or Shannon for more. Shannon Thrace is a writer, cultural critic, and IT professional who...

Michael Dewan-Herrick is a psychotherapist and a life coach in private practice in London. He earned a BA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Colorado and an MA in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University. His career in the mental health field spans over 40years and includes working in many different settings and modalities. Since moving to the UK from the US in 2008 he has a...

There is much more to say on this topic, but Pam and I work through some initial reactions- please share your thoughts in the comments! Pamela Garfield-Jaeger, LCSW is known as "The Truthful Therapist" because after she lost her job for choosing not to take the c*vid v*cc*ne, she decided to step up and publicly tell the truth about how corroded the mental health system is. With her 20+ y...

Benjamin, Jennifer, and I discuss some impressions from the Genspect conference in Denver, as well as some of Benjamin's thoughts on how the conversation about gender has been evolving. Benjamin on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenjaminABoyce Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wMTJ29BFsJVH6cjlFgAtq?si=Dz7AevhlTQ-OTcbXPdF5nw and twitter: Jen on twitter: @dissidentdelite ___________________...

"T" is a mother, a Solid Ground member, and a Canadian/American woman who was out with a group in British Colombia on Saturday protesting the inclusion of "SOGI" (Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity) curriculum in schools. She was attacked by a male counter-protester who was carrying a "no place for hate" sign. She joins us to share her experience and to discuss her own evolving perspective on the...

Wink Twyman's substack: https://twyman.substack.com/p/the-souls-of-black-folks And the book, Letters in Black and White: A New Correspondence on Race in America (co-authored with Jennifer Richmond). Letters in Black and White is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble: https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Black-White-Correspondence-America/dp/1634312368 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/letters-in-b...

We are back after a week off, and joined by Andrew Didway, a community mental health peer support specialist in Portland Oregon. Andrew describes how "housing first" policies and a "social justice" mindset that refuses to hold homeless addicts accountable for criminal and dangerous behavior are contributing to unsafe and decaying communities. A sobering conversation that offers a peek into how Por...

We are joined by Catherine Kronas, Chanel Pfahl, and Julia Malott of Ontario, Canada, to discuss the movement against woke indoctrination in Canadian schools. Catherine on Twitter @catherinekronas; https://www.lighthouseforum.ca Julia on Twitter: @alottamallotta; https://www.youtube.com/@alottamalotta Chanel on Twitter: @chanLPfa Join us every Monday at 10:00am Pacific/1:00pm Eastern for the Solid...

Carrie Edelstein Mendoza, MD, MA, FACEP has over 20 years practicing emergency medicine in rural, suburban, and urban hospitals treating snakebites to gun shot wounds to 1000s of Covid-19 patients. She is a medical technology inventor with two patents for an Emergency Department communications app. Carrie is a healthcare policy advocate and social entrepreneur with non-profit FAIR, The Foundation...

Today Jen and I were joined by Carob and Christine to fill in for David and Deborah while they are on vacation (separately, as far as we know!). We also had Tiffany Barker on to share the LDS perspective on the issue of how faith communities are getting caught in the culture wars. We discussed how values of tolerance and "being nice" have been used to get people (secular and religious) to accept c...

Christine Sefein Wolk of Critical Therapy Antidote criticaltherapyantidote.org/ and parents' rights advocate Carob Marcelle join me to talk about the "California Model" of Ethnic Studies, which is going to be launching in a number of states across the US in 2024. We take a look at some of the components of this model and why parents- and all citizens- should be concerned. Find more f...

Mike Burke is an academic from England whose research and consulting interests include education, political philosophy, and ideology. His present research focus is on Critical Social Justice (CSJ) ideology and the advantages and challenges it poses to the national security of the United Kingdom and other liberal democracies, by extension. He has also written on and maintains an interest in Islamis...

California therapist Rick McCarthy pushes back on his professional organization's promotion of "gender affirming care" for adolescents. Here is the link to the original CAMFT article Rick referenced in this conversation: https://secure.viewer.zmags.com/publication/a40eb33c#/a40eb33c/8 *note: In the video I mentioned posting Rick's correspondence with CAMFT to Substack for those of you who are inte...

How do we move beyond calling out the "woke" to making meaning? Why are people drawn toward "woke" ideology, and what does it represent? Transcendence, social scripts? Check out Jodi's video here: https://youtu.be/ebVIRg9AZwM?feature=shared Join us every Monday at 10:00am Pacific/1:00pm Eastern for the Solid Ground Live stream. Find us at Solidgroundsupport.com Twitter @jleslieelliott @dissidentde...

Compassion- when is it too much? Trauma- what is it, and has the concept expanded? Resilience- how do we encourage it? Join us every Monday at 10:00am Pacific/1:00pm Eastern for the Solid Ground Live stream. Find us at Solidgroundsupport.com Twitter @jleslieelliott @dissidentdelite @deborahknox __________________________________________________________________________________ If you appreciate thi...

In the 4th installment of our 3 Jens conversation series, Jen Friend, Jenny Holland, and I talk about jealousy, pornography, and promiscuity. These conversations are an exploration and thoughtful contemplation of sexual morality and ethics, and we welcome your thoughts and feedback. If something from this conversation jumps out at you please share in the comments. Note: Jenny had some troubles wit...

Today we were joined by Jennifer Richmond of the Institute for Liberal Values. ilvalues.org Jennifer Richmond, an International Relations Specialist, supports liberalism and universal values and believes that we are at our best when protecting individual rights and freedoms. She worked in international relations for over 20 years, focusing on global geopolitics, intelligence, and East Asian policy...

Daniel Anear is a Relationship Counselor & Personality Coach who emigrated from Australia in response to that country's authoritarian lock-down policies. We had a discussion about governmental power over-reach and social justice, and his experiences in both Australia and the US. www.danielanear.com www.convergentlyspeaking.com (podcast) _____________________________________________________...