🧵
So I left Twitter early Friday night because it's been a hellish week for me as a reporter & a lesbian & there were a bunch of folks in my mentions literally telling me #DontSayGay. It was just too much. Twitter's a big place. Exercise that option to just keep scrolling.
1/
Don't tell people in historically marginalized groups not to talk about being members of marginalized communities. We are the ones dealing with discrimination,not you. Instead you could figure out ways to be supportive and an ally. Otherwise you can always just say nothing.
🧵2/
While navigating the healthcare system for my wife's care in the midst of her health crisis the past 10days I had to come out to more than a dozen strangers who would then be responsible for her care. Try & imagine what that would be like in the current political atmosphere.
🧵3/
Folks lecturing me that I shouldn't be talking about the import of openly gay media figures apparently don't get why this matters when the GOP is literally passing anti-#LGBTQ legislation all over the country and even banning books,as I wrote here;
epgn.com/2022/02/02/gop…
🧵4/
Brittney Griner, THE best woman basketball player in the world is detained in Russia on trumped up charges sans consular access, as I reported. If she weren't a Black lesbian this'd be a global headline, as I said when interviewed about her this week.
🧵5/
epgn.com/2022/03/16/bri…
When you claim "we don't need to mention sexual orientation" you are ignoring the FACT of discrimination against LGBT+ people in every arena, codified by the current SCOTUS, as well as the disproportionate number of anti-gay hate crimes. It's a constant battle for equity.
🧵6/
So just don't. Don't be a bad faith actor on social media spewing homophobic and/or transphobic rhetoric because real people are being harmed by your language and tone and intent. It's a gut-punch and you have no right to hurt people in that way. Do better. Be better.
🧵7/
My personal history is that homophobia can kill you. It's not hyperbolic to say it almost killed me. Consider this when you choose to handwave the oppression, discrimination and outright hate and bias queer people face. This is what happened to me 👇🏻
🧵8/

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More from @VABVOX

Mar 18
Actually, the NYT editorial board has a both sides problem. Equating the left, which fights for civil liberties, with the right, which is banning books and whole groups of people, misunderstands the issue of free speech.

America Has a Free Speech Problem nytimes.com/2022/03/18/opi…
The editorial states that people should be able to express opinions "without being shamed or shunned." That is not what free speech is. It's being able to express a loathesome opinion without being imprisoned for it. You're a newspaper--you should understand the First Amendment.
I mean not to put too fine a point on this but the NYT is part of fundamental case law on free speech, so you would think they would have a better grasp of what it is and know there's a difference between being anti- (left) and banning books (right). Honestly--do better.
3/4🧵
Read 4 tweets
Mar 17
Many red states also have the highest percentages Black, Latinx and Native people who are all impacted by largely white leadership that is detrimental to their well-being and health, like MS is 40% Black & TX is 40% Latinx. Who are the poorest citizens with the worst healthcare?
Unfortunately white writers writing about red states regularly elide this very crucial demographic point, but the South and Southwest have the most Black and Latinx populations while the Plains states have the most Native populations. That photo erases the demographic reality.
No one wants to acknowledge that red states being run by white GOP leadership perpetuates white supremacy when these states have such large populations of Black, Latinx and Native people, but it's a fact.
Read 4 tweets
Mar 13
Two new peer-reviewed studies show there were THREE TIMES as many deaths globally and in the US from #COVID than previously thought. The numbers are staggering, the details gutting.

Covid pandemic’s death toll was worse than official numbers show washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/…
Here are some excerpts in case you can't access this piece. There are shocking data here, including that only 10% of deaths are recorded in some places, like Africa versus 91% in Europe. This is a global failure that suggests an overall lack of concern for some lives v others. ImageImage
Those of us who have truly "followed the science," always knew there were more deaths than recorded. HOW MANY still comes as a shock and a gut punch. That so many #COVID cases went untallied is unconscionable. That we have yet to address these failures two years in is perilous. Image
Read 4 tweets
Mar 11
The Wife is at the hospital for emergency tests (not COVID). I am trying to work, which feels impossible.
I would very much appreciate prayers from those who pray and healing energy from those who don't. (I'm religious, she's an atheist.) Thank you.
We got another test result update today from our fab primary practice. The Wife has no lung disease,which was a serious concern,as she is a recovered smoker & has had a severe lingering cough for months since she had a fall at school in late Nov.(that caused the rib fractures).
We are still waiting on another round of test results due next week on other symptomology, but knowing that The Wife does not have COPD or lung cancer is huge. Thank you again for all your support and well wishes. We are both so appreciative.
Read 4 tweets
Feb 26
🧵Last night The Wife went to pick up my prescription at CVS and even with the (lovely woman) pharmacist running all my cards and looking for viable coupons it was $2,700 for a one-month supply. This same medication--which is neither new nor experimental--used to cost $150.
🧵There are serious issues in America that impact millions and medical expense is top among them. Every day I see references to ending student loan debt (which I support). But THE most crushing debt in the US is medical debt. And the costs of drugs is literally killing people.
🧵Folks like me who can't afford the life-saving medications we need to stay alive are cutting back on meds or not taking them at all and hoping for the best. The media talks relentlessly about inflation related to gas and groceries,but never mentions Rx prices, which are way up.
Read 4 tweets
Feb 23
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has picked a new congressional map. The map slightly favors Republicans — with some important wins for Democrats. inquirer.com/politics/penns…
🧵In a 4-3 decision 2/23, the court chose a map that was drawn by a Stanford professor and proposed by Democratic plaintiffs. The court also imposed a new election calendar for the May 17 primary, leaving that election day in place.
🧵Congressional maps are redrawn every decade to reflect changes in population, and Pennsylvania has a history of partisan gerrymandering — drawing the map to unfairly favor one political party over another.
Read 9 tweets

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