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WTF? No more WTF…but that's OK

A couple of years ago, I gave a talk to a bunch of Chicago skeptics that was co-sponsored by the Chicago Skeptics and the Women Thinking Free Foundation. At the time, I had no idea that the organization was that new, but I did know that I was very impressed by the turnout to my talk and the camaraderie demonstrated by the two groups, between which there was a lot of cross-pollination. In the interim between then and now, WTF distinguished itself in skeptical activism, but its members are probably best known for its Hug Me I’m Vaccinated campaign.

The other day, Elyse announced that Women Thinking Free is no more. Fortunately, it’s not that WTF has disbanded or something like that. Rather, it’s this:

But the Women Thinking Free is growing. And we’re growing up. We’re doing more work on a national level and putting ourselves out to organizations who are less or maybe totally un-familiar with skepticism and the skeptical community. We do great work, and we intend to keep on doing that great work. And while I loathe to take myself seriously, it is time to take my organization seriously. We have a hardworking core of board members and volunteers who work tirelessly, and they deserve to be taken seriously. And we need to tell those who don’t know us that we are an organization worth investing in and believing in. We’re not a dopey bunch of girls who don’t know what WTF means… and we’re not a group who doesn’t care how your organization will look being affiliated with “WTF”.

So we’re changing our name.

And so WTF became Women Thinking, Inc. It’s the same great group that’s been running vaccination drives and other skeptical outreach projects. So spread the word, and don’t forget to hit the “donate” button at their post announcing the name change. I hope to get a chance to hang with some of them at TAM next week.

By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

5 replies on “WTF? No more WTF…but that's OK”

Acronyms are a funny thing – glad to see they are still around & happy that they feel the name change will help. Originally a good way to get attention, probably not a great way now to generate “positive” attention from sponsors.

Awesomesauce. I hadn’t seen that Hug Me page, and I got a giggle out of the list of things that are not caused by vaccines.

This is the disease skeptics are afflicted with. Just substitute the word “engineer” for “skeptic.” This is Orac with his mother…

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