Ray Buckner
raymoishe.bsky.social
Ray Buckner
@raymoishe.bsky.social
PhD Candidate in Religious Studies at Northwestern University. Queer and Trans Studies of Contemporary Buddhism. Dissertation: “Sensual Materialities: Buddhist Art and Bodily Ethics in Queer and Trans Bangkok”
Pinned
Excited to start using this page! My name is Ray & I’m a PhD Candidate in religious studies. My dissertation traces how queer & trans artists in Bangkok re-shape Buddhist practice through intimately working w Buddhist materials like flowers,robes,&rope. Looking forward to connecting w folks on here!
Reposted by Ray Buckner
Today (4/3/25) we learned that DOGE has begun terminating previously awarded NEH grants. We understand this includes operating grants to the state and jurisdictional humanities councils, scholarly societies, community orgs, & individuals.

Learn more & take action: nhalliance.org/federal-fund...
April 3, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I am so happy to share that I received a Charlotte Newcombe Dissertation Fellowship. This fellowship will support the writing of my dissertation, which investigates how queer and trans Thai Buddhist artists in Bangkok are re-shaping their relationship to Buddhism through art-making. So grateful. 🥹💞✨
April 4, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
Rodney Taylor is a beloved Georgia barber who came to the United States from Liberia with his mother when he was only two years old. He applied for citizenship but was denied. But this year, ICE arrested him, locked him up, and has scheduled him to be deported to a faraway country he's never known.
Recently engaged, beloved barber arrested by ICE | How his immigration story is questioning the system
Rodney Taylor, a Georgia barber, has been pursuing permanent residency for years. Now, he faces deportation to Liberia despite being in the U.S. since childhood.
www.11alive.com
March 23, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
“One young man sobbed when a guard pushed him to the floor. He said, ‘I’m not a gang member. I’m gay. I’m a barber.’ I believed him. *** He “began to whimper,” as his head was roughly shaved, “folding his hands in prayer as his hair fell.” He “asked for his mother & cried as he was slapped again.”
What the Venezuelans Deported to El Salvador Experienced
Exclusive photos of the arrival of Venezuelan detainees deported from the U.S.
time.com
March 22, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
“The families and lawyers of dozens of other Venezuelan & Salvadoran men who had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say their relatives and clients have similarly disappeared over the past week” www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
They were arrested during routine ICE check-ins. Then they disappeared.
Deportation proceedings are often shrouded in secrecy. But lawyers say the lack of information about the Venezuelan migrants deported under the Alien Enemies Act is nearly unprecedented.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 23, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
University presidents are "not going to go into resistance mode,” said former UNC chancellor “They have too much financial resources and people to protect to do that.”
How are they "protecting people"? "initiating hiring freezes, rescinding graduate admissions offers and pausing construction"
"Last week, Vance said foreign students at elite U.S. universities are 'not just bad for national security,' but also 'bad for the American dream, for American kids who want to go to a nice university but can’t because their spot was taken by a foreign student.'"

www.politico.com/news/2025/03...
Universities are caving to Trump with a stunning speed and scope
Some of the nation’s oldest and wealthiest institutions are swiftly bending to President Donald Trump, who is acting on longstanding conservative criticisms of universities as elitist and progressive.
www.politico.com
March 21, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
I know this is a very big question, and depends on the kind of grant, but for scholars who have been on grant committees before, what do committee members look for in "writing samples" of applicants? What kinds of qualities/skills? Would love to hear people's thoughts! 🙏🌸🌷
December 26, 2024 at 11:27 AM
I know this is a very big question, and depends on the kind of grant, but for scholars who have been on grant committees before, what do committee members look for in "writing samples" of applicants? What kinds of qualities/skills? Would love to hear people's thoughts! 🙏🌸🌷
December 26, 2024 at 11:27 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
Newly tattooed!!! I love it so much ☺️✨🏳️‍⚧️💕 🥰
December 14, 2024 at 9:46 AM
Newly tattooed!!! I love it so much ☺️✨🏳️‍⚧️💕 🥰
December 14, 2024 at 9:46 AM
Oscar Isaac is so hot send post!!!
November 30, 2024 at 2:39 PM
High and watching #Midsommar for the first time and this is INTENSE.
November 28, 2024 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
For those of us who think about the institutional life of women's/gender/sexuality studies, this is interesting (and, I think, sad) news: news.ucsc.edu/2024/11/femi...
After 50 successful years, Feminist Studies faculty vote to disestablish the formal department, making way for more wide-ranging feminist scholarship across campus
Feminist Studies faculty and staff are committed to helping current students enrolled in the department's programs earn their degrees
news.ucsc.edu
November 26, 2024 at 11:56 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
i have been a dedicated libro.fm user for over a year now and at no point do i feel that i am missing out on anything from not using audible. also! if you subscribe you can direct a part of your subscription a local book shop
Libro.fm is having a great sale if you're looking for audiobooks not affiliated with Amazon. Some of the year's best books on offer: Margo's Got Money Troubles, Beautyland, Piglet, etc. libro.fm/sale/all?utm...
All sale audiobooks
Check out the selection of Libro.fm’s on-sale audiobooks!
libro.fm
November 26, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Getting into Polish cinema for the first time in my life and this shit is GOOD!!!!
November 25, 2024 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
The doctor asked me today if I consented to him using an ai program to transcribe our appointment and I politely said absolutely not.

au.lifehacker.com/ai/111719/ne...
OpenAI's Transcriptions Make Up Things You Never Said to Your Doctor
Let's hope your physician isn't transcribing your conversations with Whisper.
au.lifehacker.com
November 25, 2024 at 5:06 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
Next up at #aarsbl24: standing room only (and just barely) to talk about US borders and borderlessness, particularly in US-Israel relations & the reification of US Christian nationalism
November 24, 2024 at 11:14 PM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
not a big shock that a serial plagiarist is impressed by two dumb guys
"Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will be in charge of DOGE, are both brilliant, and the federal government has clearly become too expansive..."
November 25, 2024 at 2:02 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
We have a GoFundMe running to help cover costs while we're homeless (because of course - it's not like actual charities work in this country) but you are absolutely NOT allowed to send money if you are in dire straits.

www.gofundme.com/f/3ts69u-fam...
Donate to Family of 5 lose everything in house fire, organized by Samantha Wade
Hi my name is Sam, I am the sister-in-law of Veronica and her beautiful family… Samantha Wade needs your support for Family of 5 lose everything in house fire
www.gofundme.com
November 13, 2024 at 10:40 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
and none of those pieces are being written by people who understand how that level of constant abuse CHANGES you

it’s not a mere tedious cleanup process, blocking today’s round of trolls just like sorting out the junk mail from the bills and birthday cards

it does not live on you that lightly
The thing that keeps getting me about all the pieces fretting about Bluesky being too insular is that the argument seems to be that those of us who are most likely to be abused by the right (BIPOC people, trans people, queer people, etc) must put up with being abused for the sake of public discourse
November 24, 2024 at 12:28 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
Hey everyone! I’m putting together a thread of different #AAR #aarsbl panels that seem interesting to me, and may interest you too! These will focus largely on studies of Gender and Sexuality and Buddhism but will include other panels too! Feel free to tag people who are part of the panels I listed!
November 23, 2024 at 12:42 AM
I don’t mean to be mean but I saw a paper abstract that was about religion, environmentalism, and protecting the (blue) ocean. And the title of the paper started with “Blue Lives Matter” ….. 😅🙃😳
a close up of a man 's face with blue eyes and a beard
Alt: a close up of a man 's face with blue eyes and a beard
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2024 at 1:48 AM
Reposted by Ray Buckner
hey everyone! look at this!! #sblaar24 #aarsbl24
We have a sensory lounge located in CC-21! You can find more information about lounges under the More > Important Information tab in our app or desktop planner: eppro01.ativ.me/appinfo.php?...
SBL & AAR 2024 Annual Meetings
eppro01.ativ.me
November 22, 2024 at 10:25 PM
Hey everyone! I’m putting together a thread of different #AAR #aarsbl panels that seem interesting to me, and may interest you too! These will focus largely on studies of Gender and Sexuality and Buddhism but will include other panels too! Feel free to tag people who are part of the panels I listed!
November 23, 2024 at 12:42 AM