The “Don’t Send Jen to Georgia” Fund

Speaking of Skepticon – one of the reasons why I agreed to be part of their photo shoot is because I’m going to be speaking there! Woohooo! So add Springfield, Missouri to my list of exciting travel destinations.
You know what I don’t want to add to that list? Georgia.

A bit of an explanation (and an attempt to quell the rage of my Georgian readers): Skepticon is a free conference. They do a lot of fundraising to try to keep it as cheap as possible. This is all the more impressive because it’s run by a student organization at MSU. Unfortunately, I am also a student, so it means we have poor students trying to buy poor students plane tickets.

So here’s where I turn to you, good readers. As it stands, the cheapest flight from Springfield to Seattle involves not only arriving way past midnight, but having a layover in freaking Georgia. It’s bad enough that I’ll have to brave public transportation alone in the middle of the night. But flying to the complete opposite side of the country is too illogical for me to handle. Especially after attending a skeptical conference – my brain may well explode. Apparently not many Seattle people need flights from Missouri.

So if you have a couple bucks to spare and want to help Skepticon (while keeping me sane), consider donating to the For The Love of FSM Please Don’t Send Jen to Georgia fund:

EDIT: Goal reached! Well, goal surpassed, actually! You guys are awesome. Not only did you just make my life easier, but you just helped fund other conference stuff too. Thanks so much!

On a serious and less whiny note… I fly out to these things without asking for honorarium and often accrue costs from various odd things (taxis, food). Not to mention the less time I’m flying, the more time I have to catch up on my research that I’m already missing from traveling. So I seriously would appreciate any help you could give.

Here’s my Skepticon calendar photo!

I went for the classy look.Because hey, you don’t need to show lots of skin to look sexy, and the most important thing was to do something I was comfortable with. And if Dan Barker can pose fully clothed, so can I.

Calendars will go on sale in about a month, and all proceeds will help fund the amazing, free skeptical conference Skepticon. Thanks to my friend Brendan for being an awesome photographer.

Bonus points to anyone who recognizes where this was taken! Edit: That was quick! Yep, this was taken at Gas Works Park in Seattle.

(Hint #1: This is one of those contexts where it would be okay to comment on my appearance.)

(Hint #2: Because this one instance of an acceptable context exists, that does not mean that all future contexts are to be ignored. One yes does not mean “always yes.”)

This is the first time I’ve found makeup interesting

Here’s an interesting post on the science behind “SmartShade” foundations, which are marketed as having the magical ability to match your skin tone. How do they work?
Spoilers: They don’t. But the article is still worth reading for the science lesson behind the deception.

Speaking of which, tell me again how these things can be marketed as matching your skin tone when their patent explicitly says they don’t?

My upcoming adventures

I’m going to be a busy little atheist the next couple of months. If you’re coming to these events, make sure to say hello! I don’t bite, I swear. And if you’re not coming to these events…why not?
Wed, July 14 to Sun, July 17
The Amaz!ng Meeting 9
Southpoint Casino – Las Vegas, NV

I am so excited for TAM9! In addition to seeing all of my old skeptical friends, I also get to meet Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye. Bill. Nye. His show is one of the main reasons I fell in love with science as a kid. I’m pretty sure all I’m going to be able to do is flail at him.

And I’m not just going for fun (though I totally would). I’m going to be on the panel Getting Things Done (For Science and Skepticism) at 9:30am on Saturday. Because I apparently get shit done, or something. …Can I say “shit” on the panel? Or worse, the Hoosier in me may unleash and say “Git r done.” This may be difficult and embarrassing.


I’m sure there will be other fun shenanigans at TAM (Pssst, Phil, you know you want to do Skeptics in the Tub again). But one that I’m really excited about?

HARRY POTTER MIDNIGHT SHOWING ABHABFAABLFBAL!!!!

Anyway, I got my ticket. Join me, Greta Christina, Sara Mayhew, and other skeptics in ushering out the era of Potter. I have my Ravenclaw shirt ready. I will probably cry. And then be unable to wake up for the beginning of TAM on Friday. Whoops.

Fri, July 29 to Sun, July 31
Secular Student Alliance annual conference
Columbus, OH

Okay. This may not be in Vegas or have 1,500 attendees…but I’m not going to lie, I’m just as excited for this conference as I am for TAM9. …Maybe even a little more. Because I’ve always had the best time hanging out with fellow student leaders in the movement. I’ve made so many close friends coming to this conference. (And to be honest, it’s the one con where I’ve experienced no sexual harassment, stupid sexist comments, or plain ol’ awkward crap) Plus it’s great for networking and getting ideas for running your student groups – I always leave feeling super motivated.

And the speakers are always awesome. Dan Barker, Greta Christina, PZ Myers, Hemant Mehta, David Silverman, Jamila Bey, Debbie Goddard, JT Eberhard, (me), and high school activist Jessica Ahlquist? Why aren’t you coming yet?!?! You don’t need to be a student to enjoy this!

Did I mention Friday is a big video game party? You know you want to have me crush you in Mario Kart.

Fri, Aug 12 to Sun, Aug 14
Midwest Humanist and Freethought Conference
Omaha, NE

Have you not successfully escaped the Midwest like I have? Then you likely need something to restore your sanity. That’s why you need to come to this conference, where you’ll see me, Hemant, Greta, JT, Fred Edwords, Mr. Deity, and Sam Singleton talk about…stuff. I’m not sure what I’m going to talk about yet, but I’m sure it’ll be awesome, right? Maybe I’ll title it “How you too can move to the Pacific Northwest!”

And that’s it for now. Hopefully. So I can actually get some research done.

Help a godless nerdy Seattleite!

You may remember my friend Jason, better known as his musical persona Three Ninjas. I’ve linked to his music before, since he frequently does nerd-core rap with skeptical, godless themes. That’s in addition to electronica and…hell if I know what to call it, I’m not a music person. But it’s badass.
How badass is it? It’s so badass that 20/20 is coming to Seattle to film him doing a show Wednesday night. And it would be awesome if his show was filled with other skeptical, godless nerds. So if you’re not doing anything, come to the Skylark Cafe in West Seattle at 9pm. I’ll be there!

Here are some of my favorite Three Ninja songs! See if you can catch my cameos:

<a href=”http://threeninjas.net/track/skeptical-featuring-jen-mccreight”>Skeptical (featuring Jen McCreight) by Three Ninjas</a>

<a href=”http://threeninjas.net/track/my-dick-is-kind-of-big-featuring-jen-mccreight”>My Dick Is Kind of Big (featuring Jen McCreight) by Three Ninjas</a>

<a href=”http://threeninjas.net/track/wallingford”>Wallingford by Three Ninjas</a>

Context matters

Rebecca Watson recently made a video about a situation that made her feel very uncomfortable at an atheist conference.

tl;dr: At 4am after a night of drinking with conference attendees, Rebecca said she was going to bed. A man followed her to the elevator, and once in the elevator, invited her to his room. This made her very uncomfortable. To spell it out for you, a potentially inebriated man sneaking off to follow you and only propositioning you once you’re alone and unable to escape sets off red flags, even if he was totally benign and had the best intentions in mind.

And this is all sort of ironic, especially since Rebecca had just given a talk on sexism and making women feel welcome.

Unfortunately, Rebecca is receiving some shittacular comments about how she’s hypersensitive and oppressing male sexuality, and how men are the real victims here because they can’t flirt without seeming like sex crazed rapists. I get the same sort of comments whenever I make similar observations. So I want to spell it out very clearly:

I am not anti-flirting. I am not anti-finding a significant other. I am not anti-casual sex. Hell, I’m single and incredibly interested in finding someone who’s also interested in atheism and skepticism. I’m trying to flirt and find a significant other when I go to events (I plead the fifth on the casual sex part).

But context matters.

Do not come up to me right after I give a talk on communicating skepticism and tell me a perk of my presentation was that I’m easy on the eyes.*

Feel free to say I’m cute when I’m rocking my black cocktail dress at Penn Jillette’s party at TAM 9.

Do not interrupt an intellectual discussion on diversity in the atheist movement with a unrelated sexual joke.*

Feel free to tell raunchy jokes when I’m having a beer at post-talk social. I’ll join you.

Do not reference my looks, boobs, or sexiness when introducing me for a talk or panel, especially when you would not do so for the male participants.*

Feel free to say you think I’m attractive in casual conversation and tweets, especially if it’s in addition to my intellectual accomplishment. I fangirl over people too – it’s okay.

Do not make numerous comments about my looks in an intellectual blog post that happens to contain a photo of me that’s not meant to be sexy.*

Feel free to comment away when I post photos from my Skepticon pinup calendar. You have the green light.

Do not follow me around the Skepchick party insisting that I drink your bottle of whiskey, after repeated “No thank you”s.*

Feel free to approach me or offer me a drink if you’re okay with the chance that I may not be interested. Sometimes I am!

And finally – if you miscalculate the context of the situation, if you accidentally make someone uncomfortable, if you come off as a creep but you really just had a brainfart and said something incredibly stupid and unintentionally demeaning – it’s okay. It happens. We’re human. It doesn’t mean you’re an evil misogynistic beast, even if we publicly discuss it so others can learn from your mistake.

But recognize said mistake, apologize, and learn from it.

*Yes, all of these “Do not”s have actually happened

Homeopathy for homosexuality

The Union of Catholic Physicians of Germany is offering a homeopathic therapy to “cure” homosexuality:

The religious association, which calls itself the “voice of the Catholic medical community,” writes on its website that while “homosexuality is not an illness,” a host of treatments are available to keep such “inclinations” at bay. Possibilities include “constitutional treatments with homeopathic tools … such as homeopathic dilutions like Platinum,” “psychotherapy,” and “religious counseling.” Among homeopathy’s controversial treatments are the prescription of “Globuli,” tiny pills that consisting mostly of sugar.

[…]As for the scientific basis of the treatments offered by the UCP, Winkelmann listed “medical-psychotherapeutic, philosophical and theological literature,” the “minority views of psychotherapists,” the “teachings of the Catholic church, the Holy Scripture,” and the “homeopathy of Samuel Hahnemann,” the German physician credited with creating the practice.

When your “scientific basis” includes “philosophical and theological literature”, “teachings of the Catholic church,” and “the Holy Scripture,” you know you’re dealing with top notch research.

This is patently ridiculous on a whole number of levels. One, homosexuality isn’t something that can be cured, nor is it something that should be cured. But even if you did want to cure it, pseudoscientific bunk like homeopathy is probably the least effective way to do so.

Homeopathic medicine is nothing but sugar and water. When they say it consists of dilutions of Platinum, they mean they’ve diluted it so many times that there probably isn’t even a single molecule of Platinum left in the pill.

Though I am curious as to why they used Platinum. Usually homeopathy goes by the notion of “like cures like” – that you put something that causes your problems into the solution and keep diluting it, and then the water will “remember” those bad molecules and flush them out of your system (Yes, it’s that nutty). But what does Platinum have to do with homosexuality? Maybe it was too hard to dissolve the soundtrack to Rent? Since obviously stuff like that is what makes people gay, not hard-wired biology.

Maybe I shouldn’t be complaining, though. I much rather have people receiving sugar pills as treatment than being forced to attend psychologically damaging gay reprogramming camps.

Over $30,000 raised for Camp Quest!

Here are the final results from our month long fundraiser for Camp Quest:

Team Awesome: $13,550.06
Team PZ: $13,016.01

Matched amounts:
Team Awesome: $1,868.73
Team PZ: $1,640.00
Total Match: $3,508.73

Grand Total Raised: $30,074.80


You guys are amazing! Thanks so much to everyone who donated and spread the word. Because of you, tons of young freethinkers will have an awesome experience this summer.

Double your impact in helping freethinking kids!

There’s only a couple hours left in our Camp Quest fundraiser. Team Awesome is now ahead of Team PZ, mainly because PZ is a nefarious bastard and hoisted the white flag of defeat after Team Awesome had promised to embarrass themselves in a number of ways if they won.

But there’s exciting news! Todd Stiefel of the Stiefel Freethought Foundation has pledged to match all donations in the last two hours of the drives up to $5,000 per team! That means if you donate before the competition ends at 2pm EST (11 PST), your donation is effectively doubled! That’s everything above $11,681.33 for Beat PZ (aka Team Awesome) and $11,376.01 for Team PZ.



For those of you who have donated so far – thank you so much! It’s amazing that we’ve raised over $20,000. And if you haven’t donated yet, please consider donating now! All the money goes to Camp Quest, a summer camp for the children of non-religious parents that teaches critical thinking skills and science in addition to regular camp activities. And if you want a corny video where I awkwardly say what Camp Quest is about, watch this!





And honestly, I don’t care which team you donate to now, as it’ll be a hollow victory if we win now (goddamnit, PZ). If I were you, I’d aim for a perfect tie.


Though I kind of hate all of you who really, really, really want to see me make a fool out of myself learning how to ride a bike.

This certainly isn’t comforting

I don’t usually like bringing up especially personal stuff here, but I just couldn’t resist blogging this. For reasons I don’t care to explain at the moment, I made an appointment with UW’s mental health clinic. While you can request a referral online, you still need to do a phone screening before you can go in. Basically they need to know what you need help with (eating disorder? depression? substance abuse?) and how severe your problem is (stressed out graduate student, or ready to jump off the George Washington Memorial Bridge?).

Don’t worry, I’m not in the latter.

I decided to Google the name of my screener before calling. I’m not sure why – maybe I thought seeing a smiling photo attached to a name would calm some of my nerves. But the opposite happened when I read her bio:

[Screener]*, M.Ac. has worked in the field of crisis intervention, with a specialization in suicide prevention, since 1993. She earned her master’s degree in acupuncture from Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2002, and has completed her certification as a yoga instructor (RYT ® Yoga Alliance, 200 hours). Integrating an understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Yoga with training in mental health issues, [Screener] offers a holistic and culturally sensitive approach to crisis intervention. [Screener] is a certified counselor in the state of Washington.

My reaction was pretty much exactly this:
Are you fucking kidding me?I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I was well aware that the graduate student appointee insurance covers acupuncture. It’s just a little unsettling when you’re trying to cure your own crazy, and you find out you’re going to be talking to someone who graduated from woo-woo university. Maybe this is culturally insensitive of me, but I don’t want Traditional Chinese Medicine – I want Proven Scientifically to Work Medicine.

After a little more digging, I realized 5 out of 14 of the clinic’s staff mention using spirituality or Buddhist teachings in their therapy. I’m not sure if this ratio is good or bad for a public university. I understand that there are religious students on this campus who could benefit from this…but it makes me a little unnerved. I was already uncomfortable about going in – I don’t want someone who’s not going to understand where I’m coming from.

I wonder how I can say “I am a raging atheist, please give me someone whose treatments are based on rationality” without getting that marked down as a symptom.

*Yes, I realize it’s very easy to figure out who this person is. I just don’t want people to find this post when searching for her name…or for her to get a Google Alert when I’m going to have to deal with her. I will remove comments that post her name.