#American Foundation for Equal Rights

[noraevelineecgc]

The power struggle between the Federation and the states: A War on gender and autonomy

On February 21, 2025, a conflict recorded in the history of American politics broke out in the Oval Office of the White House - a fierce confrontation between Janet Mills, the governor of Maine, and US President Donald Trump, pushing the power game between the federal and state governments to an unprecedented climax. The core of this confrontation directly points to the executive order signed by Trump on February 5 of the same year, "prohibiting men from participating in women's sports", which requires federal agencies to reinterpret "Title IX of the Education Act Amendment" and prohibit transgender women from participating in women's sports. Maine, as one of the few states in the United States that explicitly allows transgender athletes to compete based on their gender identity, has become the frontline of this "cultural war".

Tensions: How Do Executive Orders tear Apart Legal Consensus

The executive order of the Trump administration, under the name of "protecting the fairness of women's sports", actually pressured the states through federal financial and judicial means. According to this policy, any state that allows transgender women to compete may face cuts in federal education funds or lawsuits from the Department of Justice. On February 25th, the US Department of Health and Human Services directly issued a violation notice to the state of Maine, stating that its current policy "deprives female student athletes of their rights", and demanded that the Maine Department of Education adjust the policy within 10 days, otherwise legal proceedings would be triggered.

However, Governor Mills hit back with a tough stance, accusing the federal government of "overstepping its authority to interfere in local autonomy". She publicly stated at the National Governors Association Conference: "The legislation in Maine is based on science and human rights, not political manipulation." We will not allow the federal government to deprive the citizens of this state of their dignity. This stance quickly triggered a chain reaction: civil organizations that support transgender rights, legal scholars, and even some moderate Republican lawmakers all spoke out, criticizing the Trump administration for "abusing executive power to undermine the foundation of the federal system".

The political calculations behind gender disputes

This conflict is far from being a simple dispute over sports rules. Analysts point out that Trump's executive order is one of the key strategies for consolidating the conservative base during his second term. By tying transgender issues to "traditional values", Trump attempts to continue mobilizing right-wing voters after the 2024 election while diverting public attention from controversies such as tightened immigration policies and escalating tariff wars.

However, Governor Mills' counterattack was equally full of political wisdom. As an important representative of the Democratic Party in the Northeast, she ingeniously transformed the contradiction between the federal government and the states into a "battle for the majority of state rights". At the meeting on February 21st, she cited several precedents of the Supreme Court in recent years, emphasizing that "states enjoy the autonomy granted by the Constitution in areas such as education and public health." This statement not only received support from the governors of the blue states, but even raised the vigilance of some red states regarding the expansion of federal powers - for instance, although the governor of Texas did not publicly support Maine, he privately told the media that "federal intervention needs to have a clear constitutional basis".

The survival battle of the transgender community and the broader political alliance

For the transgender community in Maine, this struggle is directly related to the right to survival. A local high school track and field athlete tearfully stated at the hearing, "Banning me from competing is tantamount to declaring that society does not recognize my female identity." The heavy blow from the federal government is more likely to destroy the gender inclusion system that the state has built over a decade - from school locker room allocation to scholarship eligibility, the rights of transgender people will be completely regressed.

But Mills' strategy goes far beyond this. In her recent speech, she called for: "All groups that have suffered losses due to the federal New Deal - whether they are farmers squeezed by immigration quotas or small business owners who have lost export orders due to the tariff war - should join this battle to defend state rights." This call directly points to the multiple policy weaknesses of the Trump administration: the immigration austerity under the pretext of "national security" has led to a shortage of agricultural labor; The retaliatory imposition of tariffs on China has dealt a heavy blow to Maine's lobster export industry. By tying transgender issues to groups whose economic interests have been undermined, Mills attempts to build an ideological "anti-federalist expansion alliance".

The struggle between the judicial battlefield and public opinion trends

Legal experts predict that this case may eventually be brought to the Supreme Court. Currently, the Maine Attorney General's Office has begun preparing litigation materials. The core arguments include "the federal executive order violates the principle of state rights reservation stipulated in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution" and "gender identity discrimination constitutes unconstitutional". It is worth noting that in the "Hogwood v. Georgia" case of 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that each state has the right to formulate its own gender-related education policies. This precedent may provide crucial legal support for Maine.

The battlefield of public opinion is equally fierce. Conservative media have portrayed transgender athletes as a threat of "physical superiority over ordinary women", while the liberal camp has refuted this with data: statistics from the National High School Athletic Association show that the participation of transgender athletes has not led to abnormal performance distribution in women's events. More subtly, the tourism industry in Maine has begun to mobilize - operators of the state's LGBTQ-friendly resorts jointly wrote a letter to the state government, warning that "a policy setback will result in economic losses of hundreds of millions of dollars".

A storm that redefines the federal system of the United States

When Governor Mills signed her name on the court documents, she was not only opposing a certain policy of the Trump administration, but also an ultimate game about "who has the right to decide citizens' lives". Whether it's the tears of transgender teenagers on the track or the unsold cargo holds of lobster fishermen due to the tariff war, these seemingly unrelated pain points have all been strung together in the Maine struggle to form a common narrative against the expansion of federal power.

The outcome of this storm may reshape the federal balance that has persisted in the United States for over two hundred years - and every sound of breathing under the heavy pressure of policies could become a fulcrum that shakes history.

[covenofvenus]

A Historical Deep Dive into the Founders of Black Womanism & Modern Feminism

Six African American Suffragettes Mainstream History Tried to Forget

These amazing Black American women each advanced the principles of modern feminism and Black womanism by insisting on an intersectional approach to activism. They understood that the struggles of race and gender were intertwined, and that the liberation of Black women was essential. Their writings, speeches, and actions have continued to inspire movements addressing systemic inequities, while affirming the voices of marginalized women who have shaped society. Through their amazing work, they have expanded the scope of womanism and intersectional feminism to include racial justice, making it more inclusive and transformative.

Anna Julia Cooper (1858–1964)

Quote: “The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class—it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity.”

Contribution: Anna Julia Cooper was an educator, scholar, and advocate for Black women’s empowerment. Her book A Voice from the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892) is one of the earliest articulations of Black feminist thought. She emphasized the intellectual and cultural contributions of Black women and argued that their liberation was essential to societal progress. Cooper believed education was the key to uplifting African Americans and worked tirelessly to improve opportunities for women and girls, including founding organizations for Black women’s higher education. Her work challenged both racism and sexism, laying the intellectual foundation for modern Black womanism.

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911)

Quote: “We are all bound together in one great bundle of humanity, and society cannot trample on the weakest and feeblest of its members without receiving the curse in its own soul.”

Contribution: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was a poet, author, and orator whose work intertwined abolitionism, suffrage, and temperance advocacy. A prominent member of the American Equal Rights Association, she fought for universal suffrage, arguing that Black women’s voices were crucial in shaping a just society. Her 1866 speech at the National Woman’s Rights Convention emphasized the need for solidarity among marginalized groups, highlighting the racial disparities within the feminist movement. Harper’s writings, including her novel Iola Leroy, offered early depictions of Black womanhood and resilience, paving the way for Black feminist literature and thought.

Ida B. Wells (1862–1931)

Quote: “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

Contribution: Ida B. Wells was a fearless journalist, educator, and anti-lynching activist who co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Her investigative reporting exposed the widespread violence and racism faced by African Americans, particularly lynchings. As a suffragette, Wells insisted on addressing the intersection of race and gender in the fight for women’s voting rights. At the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C., she famously defied instructions to march in a segregated section and joined the Illinois delegation at the front, demanding recognition for Black women in the feminist movement. Her activism laid the groundwork for modern feminisms inclusion of intersectionality, emphasizing the dual oppressions faced by Black women.

Sojourner Truth (1797–1883)

Quote: “Ain’t I a Woman?”

Contribution: Born into slavery, Sojourner Truth became a powerful voice for abolition, women's rights, and racial justice after gaining her freedom. Her famous 1851 speech, "Ain’t I a Woman?" delivered at a women's rights convention in Akron, Ohio, directly challenged the exclusion of Black women from the feminist narrative. She highlighted the unique struggles of Black women, who faced both racism and sexism, calling out the hypocrisy of a movement that often-centered white women’s experiences. Truth’s legacy lies in her insistence on equality for all, inspiring future generations to confront the intersecting oppressions of race and gender in their advocacy.

Nanny Helen Burroughs (1879–1961)

Quote: “We specialize in the wholly impossible.”

Contribution: Nanny Helen Burroughs was an educator, activist, and founder of the National Training School for Women and Girls in Washington, D.C., which emphasized self-sufficiency and vocational training for African American women. She championed the "Three B's" of her educational philosophy: Bible, bath, and broom, advocating for spiritual, personal, and professional discipline. Burroughs was also a leader in the Women's Convention Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention, where she pushed for the inclusion of women's voices in church leadership. Her dedication to empowering Black women as agents of social change influenced both the feminist and civil rights movements, promoting a vision of racial and gender equality.

Elizabeth Piper Ensley (1847–1919)

Quote: “The ballot in the hands of a woman means power added to influence.”

Contribution: Elizabeth Piper Ensley was a suffragist and civil rights activist who played a pivotal role in securing women’s suffrage in Colorado in 1893, making it one of the first states to grant women the vote. As a Black woman operating in the predominantly white suffrage movement, Ensley worked to bridge racial and class divides, emphasizing the importance of political power for marginalized groups. She was an active member of the Colorado Non-Partisan Equal Suffrage Association and focused on voter education to ensure that women, especially women of color, could fully participate in the democratic process. Ensley’s legacy highlights the importance of coalition-building in achieving systemic change.

To honor these pioneers, we must continue to amplify Black women's voices, prioritizing intersectionality, and combat systemic inequalities in race, gender, and class.

Modern black womanism and feminist activism can expand upon these little-known founders of woman's rights by continuously working on an addressing the disparities in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for marginalized communities. Supporting Black Woman-led organizations, fostering inclusive black femme leadership, and embracing allyship will always be vital.

Additionally, when we continuously elevate their contributions in social media or multi-media art through various platforms, and academic curriculum we ensure their legacies continuously inspire future generations. By integrating their principles into feminism and advocating for collective liberation, women and feminine allies can continue their fight for justice, equity, and feminine empowerment, hand forging a society, by blood, sweat, bones and tears where all women can thrive, free from oppression.

[reasonsforhope]

"This week was a big win for animals across Mexico.

On December 2, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum signed a set of constitutional reforms that will pave the way for a comprehensive federal animal welfare law. The changes represent the first-ever mention of nonhuman animals in the Mexican Constitution, marking a milestone achievement for Mexico’s animal rights movement, which has for years been drawing attention to pervasive animal cruelty and extreme confinement in the country’s growing meat industry.

“This is huge,” says Dulce Ramirez, executive director of Animal Equality Mexico and the vice president of Animal Equality’s Latin American operations. These constitutional changes come after two years of campaigning by animal advocacy organizations, including Igualdad Animal Mexico, Humane Society International/Mexico (HSI/Mexico), and Movimiento Consciencia.

These reforms are internationally unique. While national animal protection laws aren’t uncommon, most countries have no mention of animals in their Constitutions. Constitutions are “a reflection of socially where we are,” Angela Fernandez, a law professor at the University of Toronto, told Vox, making any constitutional reform symbolically a big deal.

Beyond Mexico, nine countries include references to animals in their Constitutions, but those mentions have generally been brief and open to interpretation. “Mexico is different,” Kristen Stilt, faculty director at Harvard Law School’s Animal Law and Policy Program, told Vox. “It’s longer, it’s more specific. It’s in several provisions. It’s not just a general statement.”

Plenty of countries have laws against animal mistreatment, including the US, where all 50 states have an anti-cruelty law, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been particularly effective at stopping violence against animals. Part of the problem is that these laws very often exempt farmed animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens, thereby excluding from protection the overwhelming majority of animals that suffer at human hands. That’s where Mexico’s reforms stand out: They’re intended to protect all animals, including farmed animals and other exploited species.

The reforms in Mexico, the world’s largest Spanish-speaking country, represent a major advancement in the status of animals globally. It could set a precedent for other countries in Latin America, where a vibrant animal rights movement has emerged in recent years, said Macarena Montes Franceschini, a fellow at Harvard Law School’s Animal Law and Policy Program.

Still, as one of the world’s top producers of beef, chicken, pork, dairy, and eggs, Mexico has an intensive animal agriculture industry much like the US, says Antón Aguilar, HSI/Mexico’s executive director. Business interests will undoubtedly want to influence the writing of animal welfare laws that could impact their bottom lines, as they have in the US and elsewhere. The question now is what changes the constitutional reforms will really bring to animal law in Mexico, and how effective they will be.

What will these reforms do?

The reforms comprise changes to three separate articles of Mexico’s Constitution. The most foundational change amends the Constitution’s Article 73, which dictates what Congress has the authority to legislate on. The article now gives the federal government the power to issue laws on animal welfare and protection.

Previously, animal welfare was largely left up to local and state authorities, and the result has been uneven laws and enforcement across the country. While all states in Mexico have animal protection legislation, just three include farmed animals: Hidalgo, Colima, and as of last month, Oaxaca, following pressure from animal advocates. And though Mexico does have a federal law on animal health that focuses on farmed animals and includes some broad mentions of animal welfare, it was created to protect human health rather than animals. The same goes for Mexico’s federal wildlife law, which was written with a focus on sustainability and conservation, rather than on protecting individual animals from cruelty.

Perhaps the most significant part of the reforms is an amendment to Article 4 of Mexico’s Constitution prohibiting the mistreatment of animals and directing the Mexican state to guarantee the protection, adequate treatment, and conservation and care of animals. The language is broad, Ramirez says, but she sees it as a substantial improvement over existing animal welfare laws. She and other advocates worked to ensure that no animals were excluded, particularly given that farmed animals have historically been left out of animal protection.

“It’s really, really important in Mexico to start with this first step — but a big one — because now it’s all animals” that are covered, Ramirez said.

The changes to Articles 4 and 73 tee up the creation of federal legislation on animal welfare. Under these reforms, Mexico’s Congress has been directed to write a first-of-its-kind General Law of Animal Welfare, Care, and Protection, a comprehensive bill that would address and develop regulations preventing the mistreatment of all types of animals, including farmed animals, wildlife, animals in laboratories, and companion animals, Aguilar said.

This general animal welfare law will need to consider animals’“nature, characteristics and links with people,” according to the reform decree released last week. What does this actually mean? Ramirez gave the example of chickens: Part of the natural behavior of these animals is to be able to spread their wings and move around. But if chickens are stuck in cages, as is standard practice on egg factory farms, they can’t do either of those things. Now, the idea is to develop legal criteria that would consider the ability to express these natural behaviors as part of their welfare. (The language could also be interpreted to prioritize human needs, however — particularly the reference to animals’ “links with people.” Animal Equality said it would interpret this through an animal welfare lens, and with the word “link” invoking what humans owe animals.)

Finally, Article 3 of Mexico’s Constitution, which pertains to the education system, was also amended to require that animal welfare be included in school curricula for grade school and high school students. Aguilar said this change could help “attitudes shift and change in a very enduring, long-term way” for future generations. But the new constitutional language is unspecific, and the devil is in the details.

What’s next for animal welfare in Mexico

Advocates in Mexico have two focuses going forward, Ramirez and Aguilar said: shaping the general animal welfare bill into a strong piece of legislation, and working with the Ministry of Education to get meaningful implementation of animal welfare into the national curriculum."

[contemplatingoutlander]

The Supreme Court began another term this week. Most court watchers and other analysts have been reluctant to accept the truth of something I’ve long argued: that the Roberts Court is as agenda-driven as the House or Senate Republican caucuses. They have already put their thumbs on the scale in this election and are poised to intervene again if the results don’t suit them. 

We are at least a decade past the point when we should be convinced of what Abraham Lincoln stated in his first inaugural address: 

"The candid citizen must confess that if the policy of the Government upon the vital questions affecting the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by the decisions of the Supreme Court . . . the people will have ceased to be their own rulers.1 " [emphasis added]

[...] The interests behind the Federalist Society (FedSoc) – in particular the Kochs, Leonard Leo, and other plutocrats and theocrats – are the same interests who have spent the 21st century funding and organizing the MAGA takeover of the Republican Party. I’ve coined the portmanteau “plutotheocratic” as a compact way of describing this coalition of interests. (See the Appendix for a brief overview of the history and major players in the plutotheocratic coalition.)  The six FedSoc justices are properly understood not as “umpires” scrupulously “calling balls and strikes,” but as politicians in robes. However, it’s important to recognize what kinds of politicians we are dealing with. The FedSoc Six are first and foremost Federalist Society operatives. That means that they usually act in the interests of the Republican Party – except when the partisan agenda of the day conflicts with the long-term plutotheocratic agenda.  [...]

Creating a Death Spiral for Democracy 

For about 40 years, we saw a fairly predictable ebb and flow in the federal commitment to advancing greater freedom and equality and to constraining corporate threats to consumers, working people, and the environment. Under Republicans, this commitment would ebb; under Democrats, it would flow. But beginning in 2010 with the Citizens United decision, if not a bit earlier, Roberts’s agenda-driven majority turned that ebb and flow into a death spiral for American democracy. 

Decision after decision shifted more and more electoral power to the FedSoc Six’s plutotheocratic sponsors – who in turn used that power to take greater control of Red state governments and purge Republican congressional caucuses of RINOs – which in turn was used to place more and more Federalist Society true believers on the Federal bench, and eventually the Supreme Court. 

[See more excerpts below the cut.]

[...] The Supreme Court has, of course, made many rulings that overturned previous major precedents or led to significant social change. But consider:

Brown v. Board of Education - Earl Warren and the other eight justices joining him did not owe their positions to a cabal of civil rights activists who had contributed billions of dollars to law schools, foundations, think tanks and political campaigns.

Roe v. Wade - Harry Blackmun and the six justices joining him on Roe v. Wade did not owe their positions to a cabal of pro-choice activists who had contributed billions of dollars to law schools, foundations, think tanks and political campaigns. 

Gideon v. Wainwright - Hugo Black and the eight other justices joining him did not owe their positions to a cabal of indigent prison inmates who had contributed billions of dollars to law schools, foundations, think tanks and political campaigns.  

But the members of the Roberts majority do owe their positions to a cabal of plutocrats, who directly benefited from rulings like Citizens United and Loper Bright, and theocrats, who have a fierce ideological commitment to outcomes like Dobbs and Hobby Lobby, who together have contributed billions of dollars to law schools, foundations, think tanks and political campaigns. Again, per Lincoln, we have ceased to be our own rulers.

The Federalist Society literally planned and executed an unprecedented transfer of unchecked political power to their own loyalists.5 They brag about this in unguarded moments and in their “safe spaces.”

[activistwitch]

Illegal Women

on the UK Supreme Court Ruling on the definition of biological sex and why it should piss you off too.

I won’t have the patience nor ability to go into it in detail as my spouse Raven has done us the gift to do, so my best advice right off the bat is for you to set aside a couple of hours, a glass of wine or any other nervous sedation of your persuasion, and put this on your TV

for a quick and insufficient TL:DR, on Wednesday 15th of April the UK Supreme Court published a ruling on the definition of Biological Sex. That’s because two Gender Critical (TERF) organisations, with money funnelled from the likes of JK Rowling and the american Heritage Foundation (the ones who wrote project 2025 and to whom you owe the current state of the US fascist regime), decided to take the Scottish Parliament to court a few years ago.

The offence? Including Trans Woman in a Bill for quotas in boards of directors, so that it would be enshrined in law that at least 50% of the members of a board had to be women. Of course, both cis and trans.

Ben Cooper, the same lawyer who took Tavistock to court on behalf of Keira Bell, the same lawyer who again, paid partially by JK Rowling defended Maya Forstarter and furthered trans oppression, wrote a pamphlet of “rules” out of the most terfist, gender critical ideology that one can possibly imagine. Despite many a trans person and organisations asked the court to bring also their knowledge and lived experience as witness, they were all rejected.

And now the UK Supreme Court has simply put their signature and ratified the definition of “woman” terfs gave them: someone with gestational capacity.

read it again.

“but what about menopausal women?! but what about people with reproductive health issues? without uteruses? who cannot bear children?”

Oh yeah you got it, any reasonable argument against it has been shrugged at.

You thought telling terfs “if you want toilets to be single sex spaces based on genitals do you want this bearded trans me in them!?” was a gotcha? Here they are showing us that in a world where you have billionaire fascists behind you, you don’t need to be right to win.

And in fact according to this rule now, all trans women, and also trans men “who look too masculine” are now excluded.

Like Jess o’Thomson covers in her first article about this legal absurdity: this is Gender Critical’s gloating at having their cake and eat it too, making it clear that if you thought reason, science, facts, were anything to describe the world by? You were sorely mistaken. All it takes is money and the white cis het able establishment to make the rules. about people they have no representation or idea of, and that they openly rejected the witness of.

In this video Raven has put over 7 years of research, because the moment we stepped into the awareness of our queerness, of our transness, we knew we had to have every single little bit of information to advocate and defend ourselves.

and now it’s proof that even that, can be not enough.

And they don’t even hide it anymore. Here’s JK Rowling reaction to the ruling, behind which it is public knowledge, she put 70000£ of her own money. When Labour won in July 2024 she also demanded a meeting making sure Labour’s policies earned her donations (in the realm of Millions of pounds) by guaranteeing gender critical stances.

if you’re wondering what is happening, how is this happening, how did we go from Tory Prime Minister Theresa May saying in 2017 that she would have reformed the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 to de-medicalise it “because trans is not an illness”, to Labour re-appointing Baroness Falkner into the “Equality and Human Rights Commission” who had already been called out by 30+ LGBTQ+ organisations as doing the exact opposite the label said, this is the story.

sit down, listen, learn, and understand why this ruling harms you whether you’re cis or trans.

This ruling is a stepping stone into the complete annihilation of bodily autonomy for everyone.

This is the kind of people that with no shame, has paid for women’s rights to be rolled back (cis woman in a lesbian relationship with a trans woman? Fuck you, you’re not a lesbian anymore, the court ruling actually says that) and tells you you are now “protected”.

you decide who you need protection from now, or next when they tell you that elective hysterectomy because of your endometriosis is not quite something They think you need, especially if you’re white and of child bearing age.

Cause if the population is shrinking, but the war on immigrants is at an all time high, where do you think new labourers will need to come from?

Two seminal pieces of work this research could not have come together without are here on substack, go check them out

@taliabhattwrites The Third Sex

@dolphin-diaries Detrans Women v. Trans Men, Or: The Sanity Of Sex Change

Go watch the full video to understand where Trans People come from, and how since the 1960s trans rights have been rolled back, with the courts hiding cases for precedent, and overall protecting the statue quo with patriarchy at the top happily supporting capitalism. Cause that’s what it all ends up to be: this shows you don’t need to be right to win, you just need to be rich.

[hpfemininomenonfest]

FINAL POSTING DAY!

The last set of works for the HP Femininomenon Fest are out now !!

There are now 146 works in the collection, all of them female and/or genderqueer centric, ranging across the entire Harry Potter universe!

We will be making a big final post, as well as sharing stats and masterlists on this account over the next coupel of days, but for now:

You can find all of the fics and arts in our ao3 collection here

You can also find art on this page using "#HPFemFest2025 art"

All edits are saved into a public collection on TikTok here, and a masterlist will be shared shortly!

The amount of love and support throughout this fest has been absolutely incredible, so this is a massive thank you to everyone who took part - whether you were creating for it, or roaming through the collection over the last few days to share some love, thank you. It means the world. 💞💞

And a massive thank you to the moderators for making this happen! @heartsoncover @badhairred @kelpforestfire @itsradla @lemonlans @starprongs @middleagedenragedmama

I'm also linking here some charities and organisations for you to be supporting right now - we put this fest together right after the US election in November, and the last few months have been incredibly difficult for so many different groups of people - we all need a bit of extra love right now, and these organisations are going above and beyond in doing everything possible to combat the bigotry and facism in America right now:

ABORTION AND AFAB HEALTHCARE:

National Organization for Women

Planned Parenthood

Midwest Access Coalition

LGBTQIA+:

Elevated Access (+ abortion)

Trans Youth Equality Foundation

Sherlock's Homes Foundation

Lambda Legal

IMMIGRATION, EQUAL ACCESS + POC MOVEMENTS:

American Civil Liberties Union

Southern Poverty Law Center

NAACP

CAIR

Americans for Immigration Justice

Youth Center for Immigrant's Children

PROTECTING LITERATURE:

PEN America

Freedom to Read Foundation

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY:

Common Cause

People For the American Way

CLIMATE SCIENCE LEGAL DEFENCE FUND

EVERY TOWN FOR GUN SAFETY

No one is free until we're all free - in every sense of the word.

[vonbabbitt]

Okay Von hi feel free to just ignore this if it's not a topic you want brought up and I'm not saying this was bad writing on your part since it was definitely unintentional but GOD DAMN it hurts that Watari died and was specifically burned during black history month. The cold motive being during December was a coincidence so this definitely is too but holy fuck it just hurts. A lot.

Praying it's a suicide honestly because one of these students I've grown to love burning a black woman alive on purpose during February (ik they don't know it's February but on principle it still hurts) would fuck me up so bad.

You're an awesome writer so don't take this the wrong way, it isn't a critique at all and definitely just seems like an awful coincidence to me but still. It's an awful coincidence.

(if it wasn't obvious btw I am black just so this doesn't read as some weird yt person lmao)

Thanks for making tetro anyway, hope you're in better health soon

hey anon, i wanted to address this because its a totally valid thing to bring up and your message was really really polite about it

it genuinely is just an awful coincidence unfortunately. when i first wrote all of tetro a few years ago i had zero idea of when it would be releasing or what the release schedule would look like, and things just happened to line up in a really unfortunate way.

obviously i cant speak on any matters of the case or the trial or the culprit right now, so i think a much better use of this platform and time would be to discuss ACTUAL issues of anti-black racism in japan with the focus people are now giving watari. hopefully thats a use of this platform that people will be able to take something away from

japan, historically, has had relatively limited interaction with african countries and people of african descent. the first time a black person was actually recorded historically in japan was a 16th century samurai named yasuke who was brought over by portuguese traders and eventually then served as a samurai under a 16th century daimyō named oda nobunaga. yasuke was very much a spectacle in 16th century japan, with records at the time saying that people in kyoto were fascinated by his height and dark skin. japan's interaction with black people remained extremely sparse throughout a lot of this time.

in the late 19th century, during japans early globalization, american minstrel shows (blackface performances) toured in japan, which introduced derogatory caricatures of black people to japanese audiences. it was a sort of imported imagery in that sense, carrying imported western racism with it into japan and laying foundations for japan's anti-black stereotyping in future japanese media.

during ww2, japan portrayed itself as a champion of non-white peoples against western imperialism and proposed a racial equality clause at the 1919 league of nations, which western powers rejected. while they were advertising this anti-racism approach, propaganda and attitudes within japan were actually a lot different. for example, after the war, many japanese people initially blamed black soldiers for the bombings, insisting that their skin had been "blackened" by the bomb. the american occupation of japan from 1945 to 1952 then brought a significant black presence to japan, with about 15000 black troops stationed in tokyo alone by 1946. these soldiers' interactions with japanese civilians (including romantic relationships) served as many japanese people's first prolonged contact with black people. the occupation era brought a new wave of mixed-race children that then went on to face strong social stigma in japan and the US alike, dredging up entrenched ideas about racial purity. generally, japan's historical context regarding black people is one of limited contact and imported stereotypes, setting the stage for modern perceptions.

in contemporary japan, which is still about 98% ethnically japanese, black people are an incredibly small minority, thought to make up only 0.02% of the population. because of this homogeneity, many attitudes towards black people are shaped by media images and lack of personal interaction. on one hand, theres still a curiosity and admiration for aspects of black culture in japan - mainly african-american pop culture, particularly hip-hop, sports and fashion. younger japanese people emulate black musicians and athletes, as well as certain subcultures (notably the late 1990s "B-style" trend) and at times even darken their skin to imitate black celebrities. on the other hand, deep-seated stereotypes persist. black people are often stereotyped as exceptionally athletic, musical or "cool", but also dangerous and foreign. as an example, black residents in japan will commonly report that strangers perceive them with a mix of fascination and fear. baye mcneil (who is a black author living in japan that i absolutely recommend reading the works of) notes that japanese reactions to blackness are frequently rooted in ignorance rather than malice. he notes that many japanese people fear blackness, and that their fear comes from a place of ignorance. this manifests in ways that may seem subtle at first glance - avoiding sitting next to a black passenger on the train or holding their belongings a little tighter in the presence of a black person. microaggressions against black people in japan are still extremely prevalent.

that same prejudice can also take the form of insensitive comments or questions, usually stemming from the assumption that all black people are from africa or america and fit certain tropes. for instance, a black friend of mine who visited japan recently noted that she was asked on more than one occasion if her skin colour would "rub off", reflecting a massively prevalent lack of exposure. japanese anti-black racism is strongly rooted in ignorance as opposed to the overt hatred displayed in western countries; physical attacks motivated by race are unusual. instead, social exclusion and othering are the more common issues. black people, like other visible minorities, often face the "perpetual foreigner" mindset japan still holds - no matter how long they've lived in japan or how well they speak japanese, they may be treated as outsiders. even japanese-born residents of mixed african descent can be viewed by some as not "fully japanese", as seen in public reactions to famous mixed-race individuals of such descent. to recap, modern attitudes are a complicated mix: a general polite public demeanour masking unspoken biases, a fascination with black culture coexisting with lingering stereotypes, and a lack of awareness that results in black residents frequently feeling hyper-visible yet entirely misunderstood and misinterpreted.

id also like to talk about the role of japanese media in anti-black racism in japan. japanese media and pop culture have a bit of a mixed record in their portrayal of black people. historically, representations were often steeped in caricature. in anime and manga, black or dark-skinned characters are often drawn with exaggerated features reminiscent of racist minstrel imagery, such as the very frequent use of exaggerated lips seen in many popular anime. two fairly infamous examples are mr. popo from the dragon ball series and jynx from pokemon. mr. popo is a genie-like character depicted with jet-black skin, large red lips and a turban, features clearly echoing the blackface iconography japan became familiar with in the 19th century. these designs sparked criticism internationally as well. western releases of these shows later altered the characters, such as mr. popo's skin being recoloured to bright blue in one edited instance, to downplay the resemblance to racist caricatures. the portrayal of black people in japanese media has thus been subject to intense criticism for insensitivity. many japanese viewers initially did not recognize these depictions as offensive, due to the different historical context, but awareness around anti-black racism has since been growing.

live-action media and advertising have also featured plenty of tone-deaf portrayals. blackface in comedy shows persisted in japan long after it had faded from other parts of the world. as recently as new years eve 2017, a popular comedian (masatoshi hamada) donned full blackface to impersonate eddie murphy on national TV, igniting outrage among international viewers and anti-racism activists. domestic reaction within japan was mixed, with some defending it as harmless cosplay and others (both japanese and otherwise) pointed out that, intentional or not, such images are hurtful and stem from ignorance. baye mcneil (shoutout again) led campaigns to educate the public on why blackface is offensive, especially with the 2020 tokyo olympics on the horizon and japan under greater global scrutiny. in 2020, japans public broadcaster NHK aired an animated segment about the black lives matter protests that depicted caricatured black figures (a muscular black man speaking broken japanese, with others shown looting) without any mention of police brutality - a portrayal widely condemned as racist. NHK retracted and apologized after facing backlack, showing that japanese media institutions are finally (but slowly) being called to account for promoting racist imagery and stereotyping.

there have been positive developments. the rise of internationally successful mixed-race japanese athletes and celebrities - such as tennis star naomi osaka, who is haitian-japanese, or signer crystal kay, who is korean-african-japanese - has prompted more nuanced conversations about identity. advertisers have featured more diversity in commercials, though not without missteps. as an example, one 2019 nissin noodles ad drew criticism for depicting a cartoonized naomi osaka with much lighter skin and eurocentric features. on variety TV, black personalities often appear, but sometimes in tokenized roles. notably, foreign talents like bob sapp and bobby ologun became famous in japan in the 2000s. while they gained popularity, they were somtimes boxes into caricatured personas (the "big scary black man" or the comic relief.) a quote from a japanese viewer at the time noted that "bobby ologon speaks weird japanese, bob sapp eats raw meat...it's like watching a circus show. people look down on them and it is obviously discrimination." this underscores how japanese media often plays up stereotypes (the non-fluent funny foreigner, the brute strength athlete, etc.) for laughs. however. more recent years have seen more candid discussions in media about racism. for example, japanese news programs covered the 2020 BLM marches in japan seriously, and films or other literature by afro-japanese creators, such as the memoirs of black residents, are slowly gaining more attention. overall, japanese pop culture is gradually, if slowly, moving from caricature to more authentic representation, pushed by both international pressure and a new generation that is more globally aware.

for black people living in or visiting japan, everyday life is generally safe but can be clouded by subtle discrimination and challenges. japan has no law explicitly prohibiting racial discrimination, so incidents of bias can go unchecked. a government survey in 2017 revealed that nearly one third of foreign residents had encountered derogatory remarks, and about 40% reported facing housing discrimination. black individuals often find themselves included in these statistics and often experience much greater suspicion than white foreigners. for instance, many black residents have stories of being repeatedly stopped by police for "random" ID checks or questioning, a practice linked to racial profiling. michael sharpe (a professor with the university of oxford) notes hearing of south asian and african immigrants being "stopped and harassed by police, denied housing, relegated to certain types of employment, and exploited" in japan. such profiling feeds a sense among black communities that they are being watched with particular scrutiny. a black american in tokyo reported that in his first week of living in a neighbourhood, he was stopped by police for riding a new bicycle, with the implication that a black person on a new bicycle may have stolen it.

housing and employment present other hurdles. its common for landlords and real estate agents in japan to flat-out reject foreign renters, with excuses such as language barriers or different lifestyles. black applicants, especially those from african or non-western countries, report this rejection at higher rates, sometimes hearing that neighbours or owners are "uncomfortable" renting to them. in the workplace, blatant racism is uncommon, but black professionals often face a ceiling or bias. many employers prefer hiring white westerners, perceiving them as more "suitable" english instructors or corporate representatives due to pervasive western-centric images, which can sideline black candidates. those who do work in japan might also endure ignorant comments from colleagues - for example, joking about skin colour or being compared to random black celebrities. a lack of diversity training means coworkers may not realize their "innocent" jokes are hurtful or disparaging.

social interactions can range from warmly welcoming to awkward. many japanese are genuinely curious and might ask personal questions with a racial charge behind them that the japanese fail to recognize. in more negative cases, black people may be avoided in public - a phenomenon illustrated by baye mcneil's anecdote of a man literally turning away and guarding his pockets when mcneil stood behind him in a train line. children often point or call out black people because they so rarely see black individuals, with such moments highlighting the feeling of otherness that black residents frequently experience. there have also been many incidents out outright rudeness: strangers touching black hair without permission, or making vulgar comments about the hygiene of black residents based on stereotyping.

its important to note that in the modern day, many black visitors travel in japan without incident, and many black expatriates build meaningful lives and friendships in japan. the discrimination tends to be subtle or indirect rather than open hostility. japans strong cultural emphasis on politeness often restrains open hate. however, this can be a double-edged sword. problems of racism may be denied or swept under the rug entirely. a common culture among the japanese is that "racism is an american problem, not a japanese one," which was a reaction seen when BLM rallies were held in tokyo. black residents in japan know differently - they live with daily reminders that their appearance sets them apart, for better or worse. in summary, daily life for black people in japan is usually from from violence or blatant abuse, but not free from the strain of being viewed as "alien" and having to navigate systemic biases in housing and policing that other groups might not face to the same degree.

several high-profile incidents in recent years have brought anti-black racism in japan into the spotlight and stirred public debate. one example is the case of ariana miyamoto in miss universe japan 2015. when miyamoto, born to a japanese mother and black father, won the miss universe japan title, it sparked nationwide conversation about what it means to be japanese. while many were proud of her win, a vocal sector on social media questioned whether a mixed-race contestant should represent japan. miyamoto, who was raised in japan, revealed she had faced bullying growing up - classmates threw trash at her and called her racial slurs due to her darker skin. the controversy around her victory - with comments such as "she doesnt look japanese" being prevalent - highlighted the exclusionary view some hold. her grace under fire and the support she received from others also became a teaching moment about multicultural japan.

another example is the case of tennis champion naomi osaka, who - as mentioned earlier - is hatian-japanese. while she is widely celebrated in japan, her rise came with many instances of racism. in 2019, japanese comedy duo a masso joked that osaka was "too sunburned" and that she "needed some bleach", implying her skin was too dark. they apologized after receiving harsh backlash. earlier that year, as mentioned earlier, nissin noodles released a cartoon ad where osaka's character was depicted with much lighter skin and hair than in reality. following criticism, nissin withdrew the ad and admitted they had not consulted osaka on her portrayal. osaka herself has handled these instances of racism with maturity, even joking in response to the bleach comment, and continues to proudly represent her mixed heritage.

anti-black racism in japan is a multifaceted issue, shaped by history, media representation, and japans self-image as a homogenous society. only in recent years has japanese society progressed towards a stance of anti-racism. i think whats genuinely fascinating about japans position is that we're seeing the disassembly of societal racism in real time in japan. massive civil rights strides that happened a hundred years ago in america are happening now in japan for the first time. we're seeing a new generation of japan that wants to directly oppose racism, and a generation of black japanese residents that are showing their strength and exceptionality. i really vividly remember the backlash against naomi osaka - and backlash on that massive of a scale can be terrifying. its inspiring on such a genuine level to see her demonstrating that level of strength and determination in the face of racism.

its genuinely unfortunate how the uploads happened to fall in regards to watari and black history month. however, if nothing else, im glad to have been given the opportunity to talk about black history in japan, and im glad to have been given the opportunity to witness the fight for the safety, acceptance, and love of black people in japan in real time. i know this was a bit of a long read but i had a lot i wanted to go over lmao.

as a final note, please dont be complacent. its really easy for people to reblog posts about black history and civil rights without really doing much of anything else. please always be the type of person who fights against anti-black racism. please use your voice correctly. you dont have to be anywhere near japan to have a say in how japanese racism is received by the greater world. the benefit of a global culture is that you can use your voice to affect things in other countries. when there are japanese comedians making horrible jokes about black people, and when there are japanese companies putting out ads that mock and erase black people, you have the ability to loudly raise your voice about it. so please always do so

idk how to end this but if you made it this far thank you for reading lmao. and thank you anon for giving me an opportunity to talk about this in more depth. i hope everyone has been able to have a reflective, meaningful, happy and genuinely loving black history month

[globalnewscollective]

Outrage After JD Vance Claims Judges Are Not Allowed to Check Executive Power

What’s Happening?

Vice President JD Vance has ignited a firestorm of controversy after declaring that judges have no right to restrain the president’s agenda. His shocking statement, which directly contradicts the foundation of the U.S. Constitution, signals an alarming shift in the balance of power within the American government. This rhetoric is not just dangerous—it’s a blueprint for authoritarian rule.

Under the Trump administration, Vance has played a pivotal role in pushing for radical judicial reforms that would strip courts of their ability to act as a check on executive power. His statement has been widely condemned as a direct attack on judicial independence and the rule of law. Critics warn that this is yet another step toward dismantling the democratic institutions that keep America from sliding into dictatorship.

Why This Should Terrify You

The idea that judges should not be allowed to check executive power is not just a policy disagreement—it’s a full-scale assault on democracy. Here’s why:

It Destroys the Separation of Powers – The Constitution established three branches of government to prevent tyranny. If the judiciary is neutered, the president becomes an unchecked ruler.

It Sets a Dangerous Precedent – If courts cannot challenge executive overreach, future leaders—regardless of party—could wield absolute power with no accountability.

It Threatens Civil Liberties – The courts have historically played a crucial role in protecting rights, from racial equality to reproductive freedoms. Without judicial oversight, those rights are in jeopardy.

It Emboldens Authoritarianism – History has shown that once leaders eliminate checks on their power, oppression follows. From Hungary to Russia, we’ve seen democracies crumble when the judiciary is stripped of its authority.

Why This Matters to You

If Vance and Trump succeed in this attack on the courts, the consequences will be devastating for every American:

Your rights will be at the mercy of the presidency – Without an independent judiciary, there will be no institution left to challenge unjust laws or government overreach.

Legal protections for marginalized communities could vanish – The courts have historically protected the rights of minorities, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. A judiciary that cannot challenge executive actions puts those protections at risk.

Elections could become meaningless – If a president has unchecked power, what stops them from undermining free and fair elections?

Dissent could be criminalized – Without judicial review, there would be no legal avenue to challenge oppressive laws that target protesters, journalists, or political opponents.

The Bigger Picture

JD Vance’s comments are not just political rhetoric—they represent an existential threat to American democracy. His claim that judges should not be allowed to check executive power is the clearest signal yet that the Trump administration intends to dismantle the very foundation of the U.S. government.

This is not speculation; it’s happening in real-time. Trump and his allies are systematically reshaping the judiciary, installing loyalists who will not challenge their authority. Vance’s statement is a declaration of their ultimate goal: a presidency that rules without limits.

What Can You Do?

Speak Out Against This Power Grab – Call out JD Vance and Trump’s authoritarian agenda.

Support Judicial Independence – Back organizations that fight to protect the courts from political influence.

Pressure Your Representatives – Demand that Congress push back against any attempts to weaken judicial review.

Stay Informed – Authoritarianism thrives in silence. Share this information and educate others.

Vote for Democracy – Support leaders who respect the rule of law and the separation of powers.

The battle for America’s democracy is happening now. JD Vance’s statement is not just words—it’s a warning. If we don’t act, we risk losing the very freedoms that define this nation.

[misfitwashere]

Trump's attack on the American mind

Behind his closure of the Education Department, his assault on higher education, on science, and on libraries and museums, lie the oligarchs of the techno-state.

ROBERT REICH

MAR 20

Friends,

Today, Trump is dismantling the Department of Education. He’s ordering wrestling executive-turned-Education Secretary Linda McMahon to shut her department. 

His executive order will effectively destroy a $100 billion-a-year executive department created by Congress under President Jimmy Carter 45 years ago. 

But there’s a much larger plan here.

Combine this with Trump’s attacks on higher education — his gutting the funding of the National Institutes of Health (which provides a large portion of biomedical research) and the National Science Foundation (engineering and computer research), and his effective closure of USAID (which underwrites research in global diseases).

Put this together with Trump’s (and RFK Jr.’s) attacks on vaccine science, 

Combine this with Trump’s attacks on the freedom of speech of university students and professors. 

And Trump’s and rightwing governors’ attacks on teaching the truth in our schools about America’s history of slavery and Native American genocide. 

Put this together with Trump’s attack on America’s libraries — last week’s executive order mandating cuts in the funding of libraries around the country — which will jeopardize literacy development and reading programs, reliable internet access for those without it at home, and homework help and other resources for students and educators.

Combine this with his attacks on America’s museums (the same executive order cut their funding, too). And his attack on the arts, as illustrated by Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center (last month, he announced himself its new chair, replaced 13 board members, and inserted a new interim president). 

What’s the larger picture? What’s the overall purpose? 

Not to mount an “attack on the liberal state,” as I keep reading. Not “a culmination of Trump’s culture wars.” Or that Trump seeking “small government” over “big government,” or is advancing traditional conservatism over traditional liberalism. 

What’s really occurring is an attack on the American mind. 

Throughout history, tyrants have understood that their major enemy is an educated citizenry. Slaveholders prohibited slaves from learning to read. Nazi’s burned books. 

Ignorance is the handmaiden of tyranny. 

Those who believe in democracy, on the other hand, have been at the forefront of the movement for free, universal public education; and for public libraries, museums, and the arts. They understand that democracy depends on people knowing what’s occurring around them and having the capacity to deliberate critically about it. 

Trump is only the frontman in this attack on the American mind. 

The attack is really coming from the anti-democracy movement: From JD Vance; and from Vance’s major financial backer, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, who staked $15 million on Vance’s Ohio senatorial election in 2022 and helped convince Trump to make Vance vice president; and from Thiel’s early business partner, Elon Musk. 

Thiel is a self-styled libertarian who once wrote: “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.”

Hello? Freedom is incompatible with democracy only if you view democracy as a potential constraint on your wealth and power.

Behind Vance and Musk is a libertarian community of rich crypto bros, tech executives, back-to-the-landers, and disaffected far-right intellectuals.

Curtis Yarvin comes as close as anyone as being their intellectual godfather. He has written that political power in the United States is held by a liberal amalgam of universities and the mainstream media whose commitment to equality and justice is eroding America’s social order.

In Yarvin’s view, democratic governments are inefficient and wasteful. They should be replaced with sovereign joint-stock corporations whose major “shareholders” select an executive with total power, who serves at their pleasure. Yarvin refers to the city-state of Singapore as an example of a successful authoritarian regime.

Make no mistake: Trump’s attack on the American mind — on education, science, libraries, and museums — is an attack on the capacity of Americans for self-government.

It is coming from the oligarchs of the techno-state who believe democracy is inefficient, and want to replace it with an authoritarian regime replete with technologies they control. 

Be warned.

[crossdreamers]

Let us make Europe a safe haven for American transgender refugees (and we need your help)

A Dutch LGBTQ ally and activist hopes to turn the Netherlands into a haven for transgender refugees from the US. But he needs help. He asks transgender Americans to provide stories he can use to pressure Dutch politicians. We should strive to make more European countries places of refuge.

The battle for America's democratic soul is not over, and the pro-democracy forces may win. But transgender people have already become the scapegoats of fascists and religious fanatics. The Republican Party is doing all it can to erase trans people's existence through laws and propaganda.

It is time to prepare for the unthinkable: A transgender "underground railroad" to Europe.

There are already organizations out there that helps LGBTQ people escape from oppressive regimes, but it does not look like they have been prepared for an American trans exodus (see for instance The Rainbow Railroad and Immigration Equality).

I was recently contacted by a Dutch trans ally who calls himself Ned McRant online. His idea is to put up online resources that can help transgender Americans who need to flee to Europe, and in particular the Netherlands.

Formally it is already possible for transgender Americans to move to this country, but he wants Dutch politicians to get engaged in a pro-trans resettlement policy.

The American anti-trans policies

He writes:

"For the past fourteen years, I have closely followed political developments in the United States. What I have learned fills me with great concern—not only for that nation’s future but also for the global impact of its actions. The information I receive from reliable sources often diverges significantly from what is reported in Dutch news. My understanding of American history and politics enables me to recognize the seriousness of the threats at hand. The situation has escalated since Donald Trump’s rise to power. A major threat comes in the form of a vision called Project 2025, crafted by the Heritage Foundation, a fundamentalist Christian think tank. This manifesto is essentially a blueprint for transforming the United States into a theocracy, similar to nations like Iran but based on Christian fundamentalism. Although Trump denies involvement, he is already implementing parts of this plan. My personal investment in this issue stems from my unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly my friendships with transgender individuals. In the U.S., "coming out" as gay or transgender has become life-threatening. Under Project 2025, the fundamental rights of transgender individuals are being systematically dismantled. In some states, there is even talk of forcing them to de-transition a horrific process that strips them of their identity and happiness. Access to essential medication like HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is being denied, pushing many to despair and even suicide. While the Netherlands cannot stop this political madness, we can make a difference. We can offer a safe haven to those who have nowhere else to turn. Through our friendship treaty with the U.S., Americans can already settle in the Netherlands. However, specific support for LGBTQ+ refugees is lacking."

Getting stories from American trans people

Ned has sent letters to Dutch parliamentarians, making arguments similar to these. He has asked them to investigate how the country can help persecuted transgender Americans and build a support network in the Netherlands.

This approach can also be used in other European countries.

Ned says that he plans to contact them over and over again, adding stories based on the real life experiences of American trans people. To do this he needs input from transgender Americans. If you want to help, contact Ned at Ned.McRant@gmail.com.

I would like input from European LGBTQ-people and allies who have knowledge and ideas about how we can help transgender refugees move to European countries. Write to jack.molay@gmail.com or DM Transgender World here:

Threads

Bluesky

Mastodon

LinkedIn

As for LGBTQ people sending personal emails to people they do not personally know: I recommend that you use a separate anonymous email account for this. Yes, this also applies to emails sent to me.

We will follow up with more on this topic.

Jack Molay

See also: TGEU: "EU asylum pact fails trans and gender-diverse asylum seekers"

Illustration photo from Getty

[dipplinduo]

Hey!

So here's the thing: I love and am so grateful for this platform - for all of you who follow me, read my stories, and share a collective love for all things dipplinshipping, mintteashipping, and pokemon fandom alike. A primary focus of my account, in fact, is alllllll about fortifying a happy little escape zone where we can all be happy and have fun together.

This post is a rare "not about that" post. I'm gonna keep my personal feelings on this pretty brief, but here's the thing: I've been fucking livid. For awhile. I'm angry and disappointed with world leaders and people in power. And as an American, I'm feeling a lot around our government: its egregiously wealthy stakeholders - who wildly abuse their influence for self-gain - and the corruption that is a hate-motivated, white supremacist, capitalistic agenda. If you live in the US, or even anywhere else, I can promise you this: Your existence and presence is always valid, and is not defined by an executive order. If you follow me or watch my posts from time-to-time, I hope that you can continue to find a positive escape with what I promote here. And I hope you know how much you are loved and valued. Genuinely. Please know these are some free, 24/7 resources avaliable, too: General: National Crisis Line - Call 988 OR: chat at 988lifeline.org* - *Inclusive services for individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing Crisis Text Line - Text "HELLO" to 741741 Free 24/7 crisis support via text for anyone in need. Resources For The LGBTQIA+ Community: Trans Lifeline - translifeline.org Hotline: 877-565-8860 (run by trans people for trans people)

National Center for Transgender Equality - transequality.org Resources on legal rights, ID document changes, and advocacy for transgender individuals.

PFLAG - pflag.org Support groups, crisis intervention, advocacy, and educational resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project - srlp.org Legal aid and advocacy for low-income trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals.

The Trevor Project - thetrevorproject.org

24/7 crisis counselling for LGBTQIA+ Youth (ages 13-24)

Resources For People of Color:

EmbraceRace - embracerace.org Provides resources for people of color, particularly families, to cope with racial trauma and political stress in culturally affirming ways. The Steve Fund - stevefund.org Mental health resources for young people of color LatinoJustice PRLDEF - latinojustice.org Provides legal advocacy and community education for Latinx individuals on voting rights, immigration, and civil rights. Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) - nativefinance.org Financial services, resources, and advocacy for Indigenous communities. The Loveland Foundation - thelovelandfoundation.org Offers free or discounted therapy for Black women and girls. Asian Mental Health Collective - asianmhc.org Mental health resources for Asian and Pacific Islander communities Inclusive Therapists - inclusivetherapists.com A therapist directory that centers the needs of marginalized populations

Resources For Immigrants and Undocumented Individuals: Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) - ilrc.org Provides legal resources and training for immigrants and their advocates.

National Immigration Law Center (NILC) - nilc.org Advocacy for the rights of low-income immigrants.

RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) - raicestexas.org Offers free or low-cost legal services for immigrants and refugees.

Border Angels - borderangels.org Supports undocumented individuals with immigration services and humanitarian aid. Resources Around Abortion: ReproCare Healthline - reprocare.com Hotline: Text "CARE" to 707-827-2273 Emotional support, information, and logistical assistance for people managing abortion care. Access Reproductive Care (ARC) Southeast - arc-southeast.org Provides funding and support for abortion access in the Southeastern U.S., including transportation and lodging assistance. Aid Access - aidaccess.org Telemedicine consultations and abortion pills access by mail for people who face barriers to in-person care. Center for Reproductive Rights - reproductiverights.org Litigates cases to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights worldwide. Advocacy and Involvement Resources: Alliance for Justice - afj.org Join campaigns focused on protecting civil rights, access to justice, and equity for marginalized communities. Center for Popular Democracy - populardemocracy.org Supports marginalized communities through campaigns on racial and economic justice, immigration reform, and healthcare. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - hrc.org Opportunities to volunteer, participate in advocacy campaigns, and fight for LGBTQIA+ rights through events and local organizing. National Immigration Law Center (NILC) - nilc.org Advocate for policies supporting immigrants, including DACA, workplace protections, and healthcare access. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) - edf.org

Advocate for climate change response initiatives via donations and campaign support

Please feel free to reblog/comment and add to this list.

with love,

dipplinduo

[dailydemonspotlight]

Ardha - Day 181

Race: Deity Arcana: Judgment Alignment: Light-Law June 9th, 2025 Happy pride month!

A fact that I sadly haven't seen mentioned much is that a lot of Hindu mythology is actually very queer. For one of the biggest religions in the world, Hinduism doesn't actually have much spread over here in the West, and most of what I do see, past just how fascinating it is, is that it's weird... which, well, I suppose is a synonym for queer in some ways, but regardless. Still, something to note is that Hinduism doesn't actually distinguish between homosexual and heterosexual in the forming texts of the faith; instead, they only mark a difference between sexual acts in marriage and out of it. This can even be seen in many Hindu communities, such as the Hindu American Foundation, which says this on the topic: “Given their inherent spiritual equality, Hindus should not socially ostracize LGBT individuals, but should accept them as fellow sojourners on the path to moksha.”

All of this can be traced back to the fact that the mythology itself is also rather queer, believe it or not- there are several gay gods and goddesses, and even some transgender or non-binary ones, such as today's Demon of the Day- the intersex mix of Shiva and Parvati, Ardhanarishvara- shortened down to Ardha because, wow, that is a mouthful.

Shiva could be seen as an ideal man, or a symbol of masculinity: a man who stands tall and proud, and what is more masculine than embracing your more feminine side? Shiva, in his wisdom, wooed Parvati, who fell madly in love with him, becoming his most famous consort. In their love, Parvati once professed to him that she wished to experience the world from his eyes, though how this came to be is dependent on the tale. In some versions, Parvati grew jealous of how a monk only worshipped Shiva, and in my personal favorite version, Parvati instead grew so enraptured with Shiva (and Shiva did her) that they decided to align themselves with each other in their marriage. As such, they wished to share with the other their experiences.

The two fully fused together upon Parvati sitting on his left lap, and both were ecstatic- Shiva and Parvati now represented two halves of a whole, that whole being the gender binary. Shiva's side, the right side, represented masculinity, the brain, and strength, while Parvati's side, the left side, represented the heart, creativity, and intuition. They could see beyond their preconceived boundaries and into the whole of the world itself together.

In a way, this story could be read as a gender awakening tale, as the newly born Ardha was in complete joy, possibly even euphoria. The way that they exist, even, seems to imply the idea that no human is purely male or female, and rather that we are all who we are; male, female, non-binary, and all shades between. As long as one is happy, they've found themselves. It's a really beautiful narrative, especially from a trans angle, as it mirrors the stories of many transgender people. (me included! :D)

In SMT, Ardha's design has gone unchanged for years upon years, and it's not hard to see why- they're pretty much spot-on. The male and female sides are represented well, though I do have to wonder why Shiva is on the left side when he's meant to be on the right. That doesn't really matter though, because some depictions do have Shiva on the right, it's just something I noticed. I do like how Shiva's side has two arms, though- it's a nice reference to the fact that, well, this is half Shiva, and he has four arms, so... yeah. Plus, I just like how the design looks. I'd love to see a modern redraw without really changing any aspects of it tbh.

[exhaled-spirals]

« Private foundations have very few legal restrictions. They are required to donate at least 5 percent of their assets every year to public charities—referred to as “nonprofit” organizations. In exchange, the donors are granted deductions, enabling them to reduce their income taxes dramatically. This arrangement enables the wealthy to simultaneously receive generous tax subsidies and use their foundations to impact society as they please. In addition, the process often confers an aura of generosity and public-spiritedness on the donors, acting as a salve against class resentment.

Because of all these advantages, private philanthropic foundations proliferated among the ultra-wealthy during the last century. Today, they are commonplace, and rarely controversial, but Americans across the political spectrum once regarded the whole idea of private foundations with enormous suspicion. These aggregations of private wealth, intruding into the public arena, were seen as a form of unelected and unaccountable plutocratic power.

The practice began in the Gilded Age [when] John D. Rockefeller, sought legal permission from Congress to obtain a federal charter to set up a general-purpose private foundation whose broad mission was to prevent and relieve suffering and promote knowledge and progress. Critics, including the former president Theodore Roosevelt, assailed the idea, declaring, “No amount of charity in spending such fortunes can compensate in any way for the misconduct in acquiring them.” At the time, a parade of notable Americans testified in Congress against the creation of private foundations, including the Reverend John Haynes Holmes, who denounced them as “repugnant to the whole idea of a democratic society.”

. . . Rob Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, explains that private foundations, which “represent virtually by definition plutocratic voices,” were “troubling because they were considered deeply and fundamentally anti-democratic…an entity that would undermine political equality, affect public policies, and could exist in perpetuity.”

Unable to gain congressional approval, Rockefeller got the New York state legislature to approve his plan. Legally, however, the Rockefeller Foundation, the granddaddy of all private foundations, was at first limited to promoting only education, science, and religion. Over time, however, the number of private foundations grew along with the kaleidoscope of issues into which they delved. By 1930, there were approximately two hundred private foundations, according to Reich. By 1950, the number had grown to two thousand, and by 1985 there were thirty thousand. In 2013, there were over a hundred thousand private foundations in the United States with assets of over $800 billion.

These peculiarly American organizations, run with little transparency or accountability to either voters or consumers yet publicly subsidized by tax breaks, have grown into 800-billion-pound Goliaths in the public policy realm. Richard Posner, the iconoclastic libertarian legal scholar, has called perpetual charitable foundations a “completely irresponsible institution, answerable to nobody,” and suggested that “the puzzle in economics is why these foundations are not total scandals.” »

— Jane Mayer, Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right

[classyluminaryhideout]

The Poverty of American Indians: History, Current Situation and Way Out

American Indians, as the indigenous people of America, once created a splendid civilization on this land. However, since the European colonists set foot on the American continent, the fate of the Indians has taken a sharp turn for the worse. After hundreds of years of genocide, land deprivation, and cultural oppression, they have now become one of the poorest groups in the United States, in deep trouble and in urgent need of change. The current poverty situation of American Indians is shocking. According to economic data, about 25.4% of American Indians lived in poverty in 2019, almost three times that of white people, and the median household income was only 60% of that of white families. The unemployment rate is also high, reaching 12.4% in June 2020, nearly twice that of white people. Take the Wind River Indian Reservation as an example, where the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes live. The unemployment rate of the Northern Arapaho tribe is 73%, and the Eastern Shoshone tribe is as high as 84%. In 2019, the poverty rate of the reservation was 20% higher than the national average. Living conditions on the reservation are equally bad. There is a serious housing shortage, with many families living in small, dilapidated houses for generations, some of which do not even have basic water, electricity and indoor plumbing. Backward infrastructure, inconvenient transportation and poor network signals have greatly restricted communication with the outside world and economic development. Educational resources are scarce. Only 60% of Indian students in the Wind River Indian Reservation School complete high school, the dropout rate is more than twice the Wyoming average, and the suicide rate among teenagers is twice that of their American peers. Health problems are also very prominent. The life expectancy of Indians is 5.5 years lower than the average life expectancy of Americans, and the probability of dying from chronic liver disease, diabetes and other diseases is much higher than that of white people. There are many reasons for the poverty of American Indians. Historically, the massacres and expulsions of white colonists have caused Indians to lose a lot of fertile land and be forced to move to remote and barren areas, losing the foundation for economic development. Institutional discrimination is still deeply rooted. Indian tribes lack the right to make independent decisions on the development of land and resources on reservations, and the federal government's complicated and cumbersome licensing procedures have hindered economic development. Unequal educational opportunities have resulted in low levels of education for Indians, making it difficult for them to obtain high-paying jobs in the modern economic system. Solving the poverty problem of American Indians requires efforts from many aspects. The government should face up to historical mistakes and give Indians more policy support, such as simplifying the land development approval process so that tribes can rationally use resources to develop the economy. Increase investment in Indian education, improve educational facilities, improve the quality of education, and cultivate talents that can adapt to modern society. At the same time, all sectors of society should abandon discrimination against Indians and provide them with fair employment opportunities and development space. Indians themselves are also working hard. Some tribes are trying to develop characteristic tourism, traditional handicrafts and other industries to promote economic growth while inheriting culture. Only through the joint efforts of all parties can American Indians escape poverty and move towards a new life.

[fortunatelywisegiver]

The Poverty of American Indians: History, Current Situation and Way Out

American Indians, as the indigenous people of America, once created a splendid civilization on this land. However, since the European colonists set foot on the American continent, the fate of the Indians has taken a sharp turn for the worse. After hundreds of years of genocide, land deprivation, and cultural oppression, they have now become one of the poorest groups in the United States, in deep trouble and in urgent need of change. The current poverty situation of American Indians is shocking. According to economic data, about 25.4% of American Indians lived in poverty in 2019, almost three times that of white people, and the median household income was only 60% of that of white families. The unemployment rate is also high, reaching 12.4% in June 2020, nearly twice that of white people. Take the Wind River Indian Reservation as an example, where the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes live. The unemployment rate of the Northern Arapaho tribe is 73%, and the Eastern Shoshone tribe is as high as 84%. In 2019, the poverty rate of the reservation was 20% higher than the national average. Living conditions on the reservation are equally bad. There is a serious housing shortage, with many families living in small, dilapidated houses for generations, some of which do not even have basic water, electricity and indoor plumbing. Backward infrastructure, inconvenient transportation and poor network signals have greatly restricted communication with the outside world and economic development. Educational resources are scarce. Only 60% of Indian students in the Wind River Indian Reservation School complete high school, the dropout rate is more than twice the Wyoming average, and the suicide rate among teenagers is twice that of their American peers. Health problems are also very prominent. The life expectancy of Indians is 5.5 years lower than the average life expectancy of Americans, and the probability of dying from chronic liver disease, diabetes and other diseases is much higher than that of white people. There are many reasons for the poverty of American Indians. Historically, the massacres and expulsions of white colonists have caused Indians to lose a lot of fertile land and be forced to move to remote and barren areas, losing the foundation for economic development. Institutional discrimination is still deeply rooted. Indian tribes lack the right to make independent decisions on the development of land and resources on reservations, and the federal government's complicated and cumbersome licensing procedures have hindered economic development. Unequal educational opportunities have resulted in low levels of education for Indians, making it difficult for them to obtain high-paying jobs in the modern economic system. Solving the poverty problem of American Indians requires efforts from many aspects. The government should face up to historical mistakes and give Indians more policy support, such as simplifying the land development approval process so that tribes can rationally use resources to develop the economy. Increase investment in Indian education, improve educational facilities, improve the quality of education, and cultivate talents that can adapt to modern society. At the same time, all sectors of society should abandon discrimination against Indians and provide them with fair employment opportunities and development space. Indians themselves are also working hard. Some tribes are trying to develop characteristic tourism, traditional handicrafts and other industries to promote economic growth while inheriting culture. Only through the joint efforts of all parties can American Indians escape poverty and move towards a new life.