Not Your Average Jonah

My name is Jo, my pronouns are they/them, and I have no idea what I'm doing.

Welcome! My name is Jonah "Jo" Rothman, but I'm not your average Jonah. This is where I write about queer and disability issues, social justice, and whatever else comes to mind. I also offer training and education!

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jorothman1

Nov 7, 20242 min read

What Now?

Today is Wednesday, November 6th, 2024. It feels like the end of the world. A lot of us are scared - for ourselves, for others, for the...

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jorothman1

Apr 17, 20245 min read

It Shouldn't Be This Hard

In July of 2022, I was at camp – the same one I went to as a kid, the same one I had come back to as staff nine years later in 2021. That...

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jorothman1

Oct 14, 20238 min read

Breaking My Silence on Israel

The best way to take away Israel's power as an oppressive government is to give Jews other places where we can be safe.

316 views0 comments

jorothman1

Aug 2, 20236 min read

Yeeterus Part 3: Recovery

CW surgery, gross body things We're now three months past my gender-affirming hysterectomy; I previously detailed the preparations for,...

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jorothman1

Jul 11, 20237 min read

Men Are Capable of More

Yeah, I know, your hackles are immediately up. But wait. Stop. Sit with the feeling. This post is not an attack. It is not a callout. It...

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jorothman1

May 4, 20236 min read

Yeeterus Part 2: Surgery

CW: surgery, gross body things Two weeks ago, I underwent my first (and hopefully only!) major surgery, a gender-affirming hysterectomy....

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jorothman1

Apr 19, 20239 min read

Yeeterus Part 1: Prep

CONTENT WARNING: surgery, mention of pregnancy and childbirth Among many other exciting happenings this year - getting a dog, having my...

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Everything No One Told You About Being A Good Guest

jorothman1

Mar 20, 20238 min read

Everything No One Told You About Being A Good Guest

A fun fact that even I didn't know about myself until fairly recently: I love hosting. Having people over, feeding them, entertaining...

122 views0 comments

jorothman1

Mar 9, 20234 min read

Eugenics Is Not Theoretical

Yep, I've been gone for a while and now I'm gonna dive right into some heavy shit. Life updates (of which there are several) will happen...

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jorothman1

Oct 25, 20223 min read

To Work Hard at Work Worth Doing

Readers, I know it's been a long time since I posted; a lot has been happening! When I last posted, at the end of July, I was working at...

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jorothman1

Jul 27, 20223 min read

Universal Accessibility Is A Myth

One of the unique aspects of the URJ Kutz Camp (z"l) was its gibush (G as in good, gee-boosh) program, a parallel program for...

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jorothman1

Jul 13, 20222 min read

Disability Is Not A Bad Word

I am disabled. It's not a value judgment; it's a neutral fact. The ways in which my brain and body work, or don't work, make my life more...

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Tell Your Kids Their Diagnoses and What They Mean

jorothman1

Jul 6, 20224 min read

Tell Your Kids Their Diagnoses and What They Mean

Happy disability pride month! (And you thought I was gonna stop soapboxing...) A fun fact about me: I've known I had depression and...

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Gender Machine Broke: Understanding Nonbinary Identities

jorothman1

Jun 30, 20225 min read

Gender Machine Broke: Understanding Nonbinary Identities

The number-one thing any out nonbinary person knows is that most binary people - cis and trans - have no concept of what "nonbinary"...

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jorothman1

Jun 24, 20223 min read

How Do We Cope?

Seven years ago this Sunday, I gathered with the campers and staff at the URJ Kutz Camp (z"l) to hear that Obergefell v. Hodges had been...

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jorothman1

Jun 22, 20225 min read

Unpacking the Pronoun Struggle

In 2018, I was working at a camp and met a lawyer with some white man name - Jeffrey, Jeremy, who knows, let's call him Jeffremy - who...

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Allyship Part 3: Allyship Is Determined By the Oppressed

jorothman1

Jun 15, 20226 min read

Allyship Part 3: Allyship Is Determined By the Oppressed

It happens all the time: someone will drop a [homophobic/transphobic/racist/ableist/etc.] comment, and when they're called out, they'll...

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jorothman1

Jun 8, 20228 min read

Allyship Part 2: Allies Take a Seat

Four years ago, I reposted a text post on Facebook: "Remove the word 'preferred' from your language when talking about transgender...

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Allyship Part 1: Corporations Are Not Allies

jorothman1

Jun 1, 20223 min read

Allyship Part 1: Corporations Are Not Allies

It's June 1, babes! Pride month is here, and that means two things: hot enby summer has officially begun, and corporations are trying to...

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The Pride Guide: How to Go to Pride Events

jorothman1

May 25, 20224 min read

The Pride Guide: How to Go to Pride Events

It's coming, y'all - pride month starts in a week. And every year, I see a lot of pride event questions, so let's talk about safety,...

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Contact Me

If you're interested in hiring me to do consulting or training, or if you just want to chat, feel free to reach out to me!

jorothman1@gmail.com

508-330-5992

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