Ash Paley

@ashpaley.bsky.social

2228 Followers 460 Following

PhD student at IMS - University of Leeds. Neuroqueering medieval mystics. Trans masc. Autistic 🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸 He/they

A call for papers for the International Medieval Congress (IMC). There is a colourful medieval style header with 5 rainbow clad people dancing to a lute player. Underneath is a Neurodiversity infinity symbol. Text reads: Despite the importance of community for human wellbeing, the neurodivergent experience of what community has meant throughout history has often differed greatly from that offered by neuronormative societies. Building on the success of our 2026 series, Neurodivergent and Neuroqueer Temporalities, we once again invite scholars working in neurodiversity studies and neuroqueer theory within medieval studies to present papers on the IMC’s 2027 theme, ‘Communities’. This series invites proposals for papers that examine aspects of medieval and medievalist communities through a neurodivergent or neuroqueer lens. This includes, but is not limited to: -Exploration of the social interactions of neurodivergent individuals in medieval communities. -Examination of the relationships between neurodivergent and neurotypical characters in medieval literature. -Discussions of the experiences of neurodivergent scholars in medieval studies. -Exploration of the formation of neurodivergent or neuroqueer communities across time with figures or concepts from the Middle Ages. Paper proposals should be under 200 words and accompanied by a bio of no more than 150 words. Proposals should be sent to D.M.Coultas@leeds.ac.uk for the attention of Dan Coultas and Ash Paley no later than Monday, 14th September 2026. Successful applicants are reminded that they remain responsible for their own conference registration and fees.
A small, brown dog (Shih Tzu) sleeping peacefully on her side on a sheepskin rug. The rug is under a bed.
Digital drawing of an hourglass with rainbow sand
A book with the title Middelnederlansch Handwoordenboek
The Government is continuing to consider the EHRC’s proposed Code of Practice. At this stage, the draft code has not yet been presented to Parliament, or to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), of which I am a member. Therefore, I have not yet had access to a copy of it so that I can fully scrutinise it in detail. I note that the Council of Europe’s Commissioner on Human Rights wrote to the JCHR and the Women and Equalities Select Committee to warn against the UK adopting “measures that could exclude transgender people from many areas of life”. I acknowledge the issues raised in the letter and aim to do what I can to resolve them as an MP and as a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. My firm belief is that any code must be compatible with the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and existing equalities law. It must not infringe upon the rights of transgender people. The Minister for Women and Equalities may present the draft code unamended to Parliament, where it must sit for 40 days. If the proposed code infringes upon the rights of transgender people, I will support a motion pressing for a Parliamentary debate and vote. I will not support a code that fails to respect and protect the human rights of transgender people. The Minister also has the option to request that the EHRC revise the draft before it is presented to Parliament, or to reject it outright.
Photo of the door of a disabled toilet with a small, round inclusive sign above the handle
Medieval nun harvesting penises from a penis tree
Star Trek the Next Generation title screen with "...And Makes It Everyone's Problem" as the title
Star Trek the Next Generation title screen with "Lwaxana Gets Horny Again..." as the title
Dodgeball gift of prophecy meme. A girl in the foreground prepares to throw a dodgeball at three girls in the background. The girl in the foreground is labelled ‘Apollo’, the ball is labelled ‘the gift of prophecy’, and the girls in the background are labelled ‘random internet users just trying to be comedic.’
The image has a title reading “Why does my mystic only eat communion wafers?” Below there is row of four blueberries being held between a finger and thumb with orange nail varnish. Above each is a descriptor “juicy, squishy, sweet, sour.” Below this is a row of four square crackers held between the thumb and forefinger with orange nail varnish. The words above the crackers read “The same every time.”
The mentioned meme. The girl is hold a chalice, wearing Jacques de Vitry’s parchment mitre and medieval vestments, and the wine bottle is labelled communion wine. The background is the interior ceilings of a medieval cathedral in Liège.
A table split into four quarters showing agnostic atheist, gnostic atheist, gnostic theist, and agnostic atheist.
“Here it comes” tornado meme with “30s” writing on the tornado
Large piece of blue material with the words “Quasi parturiens Clamabant Iura transgenorum iura humana aunt” in blue, pink, and black letters” To the left is a medieval inspired illustration of a king. To the right is a medieval inspired image of Hildegard of Bingen In the centre is an illustration of the side wound of Jesus as found in medieval manuscripts
An image showing a Craven Bank five pound note. It is dated April 25th 1834. The Craven Heifer features prominently in the centre standing in profile in front of the ruins Bolton Abbey Priory.
Tweet supporting boxer Angela Carini
Line drawing of guy from the yea meme saying yea
Picture of a short haired child in a Brownie uniform
Newspaper article reading: On Monday last was married, at Harewood church, Mr. John Craven, of King-Lane, near this town, aged 75, to Miss Lupton, of Huby aged 14. "Thus round with'ring Oak the Ive 'twines."
Newspaper clipping reading: SUDDEN DEATH.-On Tuesday, the 26th of December last, Jonathan Worsnop, who resided in Manchester Road, having occasion to go to Great Horton for the purpose of viewing some property, went for that purpose, and having returned home sat himself down in his chair, and while talking about the business he had been transacting, fell out of his chair and immediately expired. An inquest was held on his body before Mr. Dyson, coroner, yesterday week, at the house of Mr. William Galloway, the Fleece Inn, Manchester Road, when a verdict of "Died by the visitation of God" was returned.
Newspaper clipping part 2 reading: On the same day, Jonathan Worsnop, a moulder, was charged with having assaulted John Whitehead, another of Messrs. Gott's weavers. It appeared that the complainant was passing near the top of Marsh-lane, on Friday night, when some persons began to call out "baa," "black sheep," and a crowd imme- diately congregated, who began to use him very roughly. He swore that the defendant was very active in the affray, and not only assaulted him, but prevented him from going into a house for refuge. This the defendant denied, and appealed to the good character for quietness and peaceful behaviour given him by his employer, Mr. Zebulun Stirk, in refutation of the charge. The case was adjourned to Wed- nesday to procure additional testimony, and the defendant was discharged on entering into recognizances to appear. Yesterday, the parties again attended, and after hearing one or two witnesses the magistrates discharged Worsnop, saying they believed Whitehead to have been mistaken.
Newspaper clipping reading: MESSRS. GOTT'S WEAVERS.-The strike of the weavers still continues without any probability of its speedy termination. Two or three breaches of the peace have arisen out of it, and have become the subject of judicial injuiry. On Tuesday Samuel Hodgson, a weaver, was charged before the sitting Magistrates with having assaulted George Smith. The complainant, who has been nearly 30 years in Messrs. Gott's employ, stated that on Saturday night he went with two comrades to the Turk's Head Inn, Briggate, to get some ale. They had not been there long when the defendant and two others came into the room, and began to upbraid him for continuing to work at Messrs. Gott's. In the course of the debate which ensued several other weavers entered the room, and the complainant many times at- tempted to go away, but was prevented. At this time one of the men who went in with him had disappeared, and the other was only a left-handed sort of friend. When the com- plainant succeeded in reaching the door of the room, the defendant and all the others set upon him with a view to drag him down the passage into the yard. He however managed to get into the bar for a little while, but was at lenngth dragged into the yard, where his coat was torn into several pieces, and he was much kicked and bruised. The defendant denied having taken any part in the affray, but being positively sworn to, he was convicted in the penalty of 50s. and costs, or be committed for two months.
Call for papaers poster. Medieval image of Hildegard of Bingen as header. Neurodivergent infinity loop behind text. Text reads: Call for Papers: International Medieval Congress 2026 Neurodivergent and Neuroqueer Temporalities Over the past decade, critical neurodiversity studies and neuroqueer theory have come to prominence. These new paradigms seek to explore differences in mind through an understanding that there are naturally diverse ways of being rather than through pathologisation. While the paradigms are beginning to be used in other academic disciplines, they are yet to be implemented in a significant way in medieval studies. This panel seeks to change this by encouraging medievalists to see the potentials in neuroqueer and neurodivergent scholarship and prompting discussion in these areas. This panel is requesting proposals for papers which examine aspects of medieval temporalities through a neurodivergent or neuroqueer lens. This includes, but is not limited to: • Application of contemporary neuroqueer or neurodivergent theory to medieval temporal concerns. • Examination of non-normative experiences of time, e.g. in mystical ecstasy. • Exploration of neuroqueer attitudes to normative lifecycles. • Examination of the effects of time and age on the mind in medieval texts. • Neurodivergent readings of medieval material relating to temporalities. Paper proposals should be under 200 words and accompanied by a short bio. Proposals should be sent to A.T.Paley1@leeds.ac.uk for the attention of Ash Paley and Daniel Coultas by 9am on Monday 15th September 2025.
Mixed gender symbol
Please be assured that the Government remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the Act which protects everyone, including trans people, from unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation in the workplace and wider society. The Government is committed to protecting trans people, ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect. The Government is proceeding with its manifesto commitments to deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, to equalise all existing strands of hate crime, reform the Gender Recognition Act, and improve adult gender identity services, so that all trans people get the high-quality care they deserve. Yours sincerely, Correspondence Officer Public Correspondence Team
Dear Ash, Thank you for writing about the implications of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the For Women Scotland case. The Government acknowledges the deep concern and anxiety many people are feeling following the recent Supreme Court ruling and its potential implications for trans people. For many, this decision has raised serious questions about rights, safety, and belonging. The Government hears those concerns, and recognises the very real impact this moment is having on members of the trans community, their families, and allies. In its judgment, the Supreme Court announced on 16 April it had reached a unanimous decision that the terms ‘man’, ‘woman’, and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex. It ruled that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of the Act. It stated the definition of sex in the Act “makes clear that the concept of sex is binary”. It further noted that ‘although the word “biological” does not appear in this definition, the ordinary meaning of those plain and unambiguous words corresponds with the biological characteristics that make an individual a man or a woman.’ The Government welcomes this ruling, and the confidence and clarity it provides for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs. Single-sex services based on biological sex are protected in law and will always be protected by this Government. Whilst the ruling has a range of implications that the Government is considering, it will in the first instance work closely with the Equality and Human Rights Commission - Britain’s equality watchdog - as they deliver on their commitment to support providers with updated guidance.
Tweet from Graham Linehan saying “misogynistic AND antisemitic?” And a reply from Ash Paley saying “Jesus Christ, Graham, get a hobby”
A sign with blue and pink bubble lettering on a white background reading “Every TERF’s doorstep is a gender neutral toilet”
Screenshot of the University of Leeds’ Trans Equality Policy with the sentence “This policy statement is currently being reviewed in light of the ruling by the Office for Students of 26 March 2025” in bold and surrounded by a red box. There is also a sticker of an arrow pointing to the sentence.
19th century ÂŁ1 bank note issued by the Craven Bank. It features in its centre a black and white depiction of a cow standing in front of the ruins of Bolton Abbey Priory.
Anonymous 1811 painting of a brown and white cow in front of a rural background. It is a large and very rectangular shaped cow.