#projectawesomesauce

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2017: Sherlock.

{For those of you not aware Project Awesomesauce is a campaign that was originally started to raise awareness of certain topics and issues that we feel are not taken seriously in today's society - for example, mental health & Equality And Human Rights as well as other stuff. It would be cool if you could check us out! This is our first competition and we are excited to announce it celebrates Sherlock!}

Theme:

The 31st of October 2017 will mark the 125th anniversary of the debut of Conan Doyle’s legendary character, Sherlock Holmes

The genius invention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has been amazing us with his deduction and observational skills for well over a century now. First published in The Strand, the consulting detective took the world by storm, making him the world’s most well-known fictional detective. Considered as a British cultural icon, he has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most portrayed movie character in history.

The character has had an immense effect on mystery writing and popular culture as a whole, with further works being written by people other than Conan Doyle and the original stories being adapted into stage and radio plays, televisions, films, video games and other media for over 100 years, including – but not limited to – The New Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, the Japanese anime adaption for children, Sherlock Hounds, and the modern-day BBC version, Sherlock.

Type of Competition:

A Showcase Of Creativity.

Competition brief:

We want you to create your very own case for the detective to solve:    • you can choose whether it’s modern day, original setting, or set in any other adaptation you prefer. • create a new villain and a profile for them. • write a story with your created character, no more than 5,000 words - it can be any style, but must feature Holmes, Watson and your villain. It can contain as many of the rest of the original cast as you want, whether that be Doyle’s original work or based off the plethora of adaptations. • make a trailer/poster/a radio advert/other way to advertise your work. • we will allow people working together to create their entries - however, this is limited to three people. • entries must be sent in by email to [email protected], before the deadline and all your work must be attached and sent with the following details:

- your Wattpad username {or any other social media name if you are not on Wattpad} - if it is a joint entry then the names of all the people involved should be given. - actual name {optional} - what adaptation/era your version is based off - any additional details or notes you’d wish to include.

• please make it explicit if your entry contains upsetting or “R” rated scenes.

• DEADLINE: 1st December 2017, 24:00 {GMT}

Judging/announcing winners:

• Entries will be judged by us and whittled down to five. These will then be published and the one who has the most votes within the next few weeks will have won. In the event of a tie, we will work together to choose our favourite

• The official winner will be announced around Jan/Feb 2018, when we are announcing are next competition. 

 Prizes: 

• the winner will get an official “2017 Awesomesauce Badge”. • they will be invited to talk about their entry in more detail - if they want to. • all the entrants that get published will be given shoutouts.  • the winning case will be shared on other social media.

If you have any further queries, please message us on this account!

We look forward to receiving entries! Let the awesomeness commence!

- @thefineideayoucrave and @mynameissonotholly

[projectawesomesauce-blog]

Gender Dysphoria 

Gender Dysphoria or Gender Identity Disorder {GID - the psychiatric classification of such dysphoria} is generally defined as the condition of feeling one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite to one's biological sex.

In terms of the history of psychology, gender dysphoria is a relatively new concept being observed and studied. One key perspective is the biosocial one.

The biosocial approach to gender dysphoria suggests that this condition develops because of an interaction between biological and psychological factors, a kind of diathesis-stress approach where a person is born with some biological difference {such as genes} which increases the likelihood of gender dysphoria. However, life events determine whether such a predisposition ultimately develops into dysphoria.

Such a biological predisposition might include brain differences. For example, brain-sex theory is based on the fact that male and female brains are different and perhaps transsexuals' brains do not match their genetic sex. Two Dutch studies found that the number of neurons in the BSTc {located in the thalamus} in MtF transsexuals was similar to that of females. Furthermore, the number of neurons in FtM transsexuals was found to be in the male range.

Biological predisposition might include exposure to pesticides. For example, the insecticide DDT contains oestrogens which may mean that males in the womb that are prenatally exposed to unduly high levels of female hormones may end up with a mismatch between genetic sex and hormone influences.

Psychosocial factors enhance the expression of the underlying biological factors. This might include mental illnesses - for example, Coates et al proposed that a boy {his case study} who developed Gender Identity Disorder did so as a defensive reaction to his mother's depression following an abortion. They suggested that the trauma may have led to a cross-gender fantasy as a means of resolving the ensuing anxiety.

Support for brain-sex theory comes from Rametti et al who studied the brains of FtM transsexuals before they started transgender hormone therapy. They found that these individuals had more similar white matter patterns to people who shared their genetic identity {males} than those who shared their biological sex {females}. This shows that the biology of the brain must have some significance in the development of gender dysphoria.

Further support for the biological aspect of the biosocial approach comes from Vreugdenhil et al who found that boys born to mothers who were exposed to dioxins {which promote oestrogen} displayed feminised play. This shows that exposure to chemicals may prenatally predispose certain individuals to be gender dysphoric and suggests that external biological factors may also influence the development of gender dysphoria.

However, a criticism of the biosocial approach comes from Cole et al who found that the range of psychiatric conditions displayed in 435 dysphoric individuals was no greater than a "normal" population. This shows that psychological conditions may not be important in the development of gender dysphoria and suggests that such dysphoria is generally unrelated to trauma or pathological families.

Further criticism of the biosocial approach comes from recent research carried out by neuroscientists {Tel Aviv University, 2015} who have found that there is actually no difference between a "male" and "female" brain. They looked at the differences between 1400 brain scans from people of both genders aged 13-85 and found that very few people had all of the brain features they might be expected to have based on their sex - across the sample, between 0 and 8% had "all-male" or "all-female" brains. This research shows that gender is non-binary and so decreases support for the biological part of the biosocial approach as it suggests that biology doesn't influence sex-typed behaviour as much as we traditionally thought - and perhaps gender dysphoria is just socially constructed. It's also worth noting the increase in dysphoria-related incidents for nonbinary identities, which research doesn't account for.

Furthermore, research on gender dysphoria is ethically socially sensitive because it has potential social consequences for the transsexuals represented by the research, which raises the question of whether these people would be better of without this research. For example, if a biological cause for gender dysphoria is identifies, it may lead to society becoming more accepting of transsexuals as it is "not their fault" that they are dysphoric, but this identification may also lead to people thinking that transsexualism is inevitable which has the potential to harm such people. Evidence of this comes from Congenital Adrenal Hypoplasia {CAH} cases, which prove that a simple cause and effect relationship is unlikely. This suggests that research concerning the biosocial approach has to be conducted carefully to make the implications beneficial to those who are more vulnerable to developing gender dysphoria.

It is safe to say that acceptance of transgender identities, within the binary, has indeed become more common in society, with the majority of people supporting such individuals - but there still is a long way to go. Celebrity cases such as Caitlyn Jenner warrant much-needed media attention, but some people find it hard to change or mould their beliefs, particularly from a cultural perspective. We hope to help change that.

Although this is an area that is starting to get more psychological attention, it is still massively understudied and there is lots we don't know. It's time people understood the complexity of gender and more work should be done by academic disciplines to help society do so.

Thanks for reading,

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International Women’s Day 2017

Today – Wednesday 8th of March – is International Women’s Day 2017. The day has been celebrated since the early 1900’s - in 1908, the oppression and equality women were facing motivated them to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. Thus, IWD is a day of global celebration and a call for gender equality. The first officially recorded IWD was observed in 1911.

“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights,” says Gloria Steinman {feminist, journalist and social and political activist} and so, the day revolves around unity, reflection, advocacy and action.

IWD is an official holiday in a lot countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China {for women only}, Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar {for women only}, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal {for women only}, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc. with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother’s Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

Throughout the years, the world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality and emancipation. Younger generation may feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ – after all, there are more women in boardrooms and their visibility is increasing in every aspect of life. However, many feminists and advocates still recognise the long-lasting and complex nature of patriarchy. Women are still not paid equally in regards to their male counterparts, global violence and lack of education and health services are still less available for them and in some countries/cultures, they are still considered inferior to men.

Of course, great achievements have been made and should be celebrated: we have female astronauts and prime ministers, women can both work and have a family – many women do have real choices – it is important to note that today is a day for celebrating advances and achievements as well as inspiring and motivating people to stand forward and call for change. There are many global events happening – political rallies, government activities, business conferences, as well as local women’s craft markets, theatrical performances, fashion events and much more. Every year, IWD gains a stronger status.

The theme for this year is #BeBoldForChange – to “call on the masses or call on yourself to help forge a better working world - a more gender inclusive world.” Everyone can do their bit to make a difference by acting locally, but thinking globally. We would all love a future that is bright, safe and equal for everyone.

If you would like ideas and tips on how to show your support, then there are plenty here: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme - you also have the opportunity to publicly announce events and things you are doing to show your support!

Thank you for reading, have an awesome day!

[projectawesomesauce-blog]

There is a non-binary character featuring in a children's show

There is a new children’s show on Netflix that will feature a non-binary character.

Julie’s Greenroom is about performing arts teacher Ms. Julie {Julie Andrews} and her students, who are puppets. Over the course of the first season, Ms. Julie works with the five puppets to create and produce a musical.

The five puppets are a diverse cast. One of the puppets, Riley, was described by the show’s creator as gender neutral. There is also another puppet in a wheelchair

One of the writers told the New York Times, “If pressed, we`d say that she is a girl: but maybe not forever. We wanted to be as diverse as possible.”

Andrews said Riley “loves all the technical backstage stuff.”

The first season has 13 episodes and Julie’s Greenroom is currently streaming on Netflix.

Ms. Andrews is keenly aware that her new show is entering a rapidly changing children’s television world. The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon are losing young viewers to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, which are plumping up their kids’ programming with ever more offerings. Netflix currently streams more than 40 of its own children’s shows, including “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and “Trollhunters,” while Amazon offers 15 originals, such as “Annedroids” and “Tumble Leaf.”

“When I was growing up, I watched ‘The Smurfs’ on Saturday morning,” said Rich Greenfield, an analyst at BTIG Research, referring to the NBC cartoon show from the 1980s. “That was the definition of kids’ TV. Kids today don’t even think about turning on the TV networks or cable on Saturday. They want it on demand, and that’s how they’re used to getting it.”

For the streaming services, in particular, their treasure trove of data clearly show what their viewers crave: According to Netflix, more than half of its 93 million members in nearly 200 countries, for example, regularly watch its children’s shows.

“Children’s content is important, because it’s our first opportunity to build brand love for Netflix that we hope will last a lifetime,” said Andy Yeatman, director of global kids content at Netflix – and it has some incredible reviews:

From common sense media:

Parents need to know that Julie's Greenroom stars Julie Andrews and original puppets from the Jim Henson Company in a preschool-geared educational introduction to the performing arts. Andrews plays the owner of a performing studio who teaches the kids all about putting on a stage show with the help of guest stars such as Idina Menzel and Ellie Kemper who drop in to mentor the kids in specific aspects of performing. The characters' dialogue acquaints kids with terminology such as "stage right" and "stage left," "ghost light," and, of course, "greenroom," all while maintaining an organic and kid-friendly quality. In other words, it teaches without instructing, instead letting the characters' discoveries inspire the audience's. There's a basic introduction to original music, technical components of stage production, and the nuts and bolts of costumes and props, appealing to a wide span of interests. Even better, the characters' experiences inspire valuable life lessons such as overcoming adversity, working as a team, and appreciating diversity.

Review from IMDb:

This show is simply wonderful. It put a smile on my face for the rest of my day! I am in my mid- 20's, and have been a lifelong lover of theatre and the arts as a whole, and even though I am not the most ideal audience for this particular show, I believe it has something for all ages. I have laughed out loud several times at the hijinks that Hugo the Duck gets himself involved in and some of the more sophisticated jokes that are actually very cleverly written.  Furthermore, to be able to see Julie Andrews in the limelight again is truly wonderful. I am thrilled that a younger audience will now get to experience her and her infectious passion for the arts. And these guest starts are top notch!  Arts in education is something that I have benefited from greatly, and I know that funding for the arts is always on thin ice - especially with the current powers that be. I am so thankful that this show came along and came along NOW when it seems most urgent to show how the arts are necessities that not only can bring people together but can have such a positive impact upon individuals and the world!!

This is definitely a step forward in terms of representation for genderqueer and non-binary folks – and it highlights how media content changes to reflect society. Finally, non-conforming identities are getting the recognition they deserve, and the best thing is that children are being exposed to such concepts from an early age, which will lead them to conceptualize such identities as the norm and not something to be questioned or challenged. Hopefully, the next step will be to include gender variant individuals in mainstream media.

[projectawesomesauce-blog]

What Space Exploration Means For Us On Earth.

New Discoveries:

Space is a vast, unbelievably complex stretch of infinity, and so, it’s no surprise that it took until 2017 for this ground-breaking discovery – astronomers in Belgium have discovered seven new earth-like planets that may contain liquid water – and perhaps even life.

The planets were discovered orbiting the dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, which is only the tenth of the size of the sun and is about the size of Jupiter. It is 39 years light years away from Earth.

All seven planets are quite close to TRAPPIST-1, much closer than Earth is to the sun. They are in the habitable zone, where it is neither too cold nor too hot and this allows for the existence of liquid water – and maybe life, although scientists cannot be sure. Chemical analysis should indicate life with about 99% confidence, but we cannot be entirely sure without going there.

Because the dwarf star is relatively close by cosmic standards, this allows astronomers to study the atmosphere of its seven new planets. All seven look to be solid like Earth – mostly rocky and possibly icy as well. They all appear to be tidally locked, which means the same side continually faces the star, just like the same side of our moon always faces us.

The planets are simply named TRAPPIST-1b up to 1h, although when turned to the public, they came up with amazing suggests such as Planet McPlanetFace 1, Planet McPlanet Face 2 and so on. My personal favourite: Planet FarAwayFromTrump 1 and so on – but NASA decided to go simple.

This discovery leads to a likely hope that there are many more planets like this out there. Finding the answer to the question to “are we alone?” is a pretty high scientific priority – and finding these seven planets in the habitable zone is a pretty cool step towards that.

Hidden Figures:

Another certain development in terms of space news comes from earth not space – and tells the inspirational and motivational story of three amazing women.

The film – based on the book by Margot Shetterly – tells the real-life stories of the three African-American female pioneers: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson who were part of NASA's team of “human computers."

The team was made up of mostly women – it is not known how many there were – who calculated by hand the complex equations that allowed well-known figures like Neil Armstrong to travel to space safely. Through intellect, sheer tenacity and will power, they ensured their legacy on American history – even if their story is coming to light now.

The film came out towards the end of the 2016, has received 67 nominations and 27 wins regarding certain prestigious awards.

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Scientific research has advanced in many exciting new ways, both regarding social progresses and space exploration – we have now had female astronauts and have no got the resources that mean we are capable of sending humans to Mars one day. We are discovering new things about all aspects of life all the time – and this is incredibly exciting as it has the potential to answer many interesting questions about our universe and our place in it.

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An introduction to aromanticism to kick off Arospec Awareness Week 2017. There's more to come, including puns!

[projectawesomesauce-blog]

And here`s another sticker.