You probably think it’s a light-hearted comedy. — Red Dwarf is a British science-fiction comedy TV show with a cult following. It also aired in the US. It centered on Dave Lister, the last human survivor on a deep space mining ship, following a catastrophic radiation leak, and the holographic recreation of his antagonistic former supervisor, Arnold Rimmer. …

If not, perhaps she could make that clearer. — Trigger warning: This article contains thought-provoking ideas to challenge racist and sexist assumptions. You read it at your own risk. Don’t blame me if you end up less racist and less sexist than before you read it. In a recent interview with the BBC, Michelle Obama shared some thoughts on…

Try asking nicely next time. — On a recent visit to Wikipedia, I was greeted by this rather snooty pop-up message: This isn’t a paywall. We’ll cut to the chase: 98% of Wikipedia’s readers don’t give; they simply look away. All we ask is £2, or whatever seems right to you this Wednesday, before you get back…

Totally legal. Completely ethical. — Please be reassured that this is a serious article about ethics. It contains no lurid sexual descriptions and no glorification of any form of exploitation. No exploitation was involved. Everything that happened was entirely legal here in England. This article contains merely my straightforward and honest attempt to sketch the…

Maybe now we can have a more grown-up debate about trans acceptance. — Not a member yet? Sign up here to be able to read this and every other story on Medium. Readers in the US will be familiar with Saturday Night Live. For a short period back in the 1980s, we Brits had our own version, originally entitled Saturday Live, but later…

A controversial, but very reasonable opinion. — I’ve spoken out many times in support of trans rights and against the prejudice, discrimination and bigotry trans people are sometimes subjected to. It’s a controversial opinion for which I get a considerable amount of abuse, but yes, I think women’s toilets and changing facilities should be open to all…

As children, we were promised android servants. So where the heck are they? — If you’ve read short stories and novels from the golden age of science-fiction, or seen old science-fiction movies and TV shows, you’ll have some idea what people in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s expected of the future. People expected flying cars, rocket ships and holidays in space. Back down at…

May she rest in peace — I have much respect and affection for The Queen, who passed away earlier this month. But with the magnificent state funeral now over and Her Majesty interred beside her devoted husband, the time is now right to reflect on her reign as monarch and her legacy as head of state. Majestic …