Alex Asal
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alexinpublic.bsky.social
Alex Asal
@alexinpublic.bsky.social
30s, she/her. Museum person, writer, butch dyke, history nerd, Phillies fan.
Philadelphia has at least two of these. The Rosenbach is “back” like the body part, not “Bach” like the composer, and the Mütter is like MOOtter, not like the verb. (Tbf, umlauts are hard.)
December 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
This started when I worked at the Sophia Smith Collection archives at my alma mater—that’s Sophia as in Soph-EYE-a, not Soph-EE-a. Only one visitor ever blatantly condescended to me about it, but almost everyone would subtly emphasize the ee to correct my “mispronunciation.”
December 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I edited my first draft down from 578 words to 405. That has to be good enough. Anything more would be inhumane.
November 25, 2025 at 10:39 PM