#Freedom of expression

[smugpugchimera]

May I request a moment of your attention please 🙏 I'm heading home from a meetup of a civil rights org I'm participating in. Our curator attended OSCE meetup that concluded the monitoring period on the state of the rights to peaceful assembly in 4 participating countries. She got to hear a lot of first-hand accounts from volunteers and reporters working on the ground gathering the information and represent their local civil right movements. Here's the report itself, I humbly urge you to take a look because the state of freedom of speech all around the all around world is in a very dire right now!

Our curator also had some insights for a few countries outside of the list in this report, so I'll try to make a brief general summary. I'm currently in the process of reading through the report myself, so apologies if some of my recollection is faulty!

I'll start with something you may have already heard, and its the situation in Georgia. The last election has been allegedly swayed by russian interference, much to the dismay of the population. This anti-democratic injustice met heavy pushback and massive protests followed. The reports on the situation, however, have been dwindling. The thing is they're still very much ongoing, and to this day crowds gather Daily to express their unsatisfaction, and their rights to do so are constantly breached, with law enforcers using many disproportionate measures against the civilian population. Some of the things that were mentioned are throwing teargas at the crowd from the rooftops, extended use of surveillance to track and unjustly prosecute the attendees, falsifying charges, and arresting people for them. New laws have been passing (or are in the process of being passed) such as to ban face covering for the protesters. For people who want to escape the sight of the gathering because of injury or teargas there's practically only one escape route: through a "shame tunnel" formed by the law enforcement, where the escapees are beaten as they try to leave the situation. It's fucking bad! Turkey face similar challenges, as the protests of the unlawful imprisonment of the major of Istanbul are ongoing (for the opposition to the Erdogan's regieme). Their history with russia is also quite convoluted. There, the prosecution does not even bother to falsify any charges, arresting people without any excuse or justification at all. Interesting to note the legal framework in Estonia (I think?), as well as in France practically forbids children from peaceful gatherings, which goes in direct violation of the Committee on the Right of Children. France is also notorious for using many disproportionate protest breaking methods against their civilian population. Moldova is in a peculiar situation, currently battling very active russian intervention. Pro-russian segment of the parliament is also keen on passing laws that would result in further restrictions on the rights to peaceful assembly. For example a law that would require the event organizers to practically fund the facilitation of the gathering, that is supposed to be the responsibility of the local government, which would heavily discourage the practice and disenfranchise marginalized demographics from their right to protest. The most striking and downright dystopian was our curator's retelling of the accounts from a volunteer working in Kazakhstan. It should probably not have been that surprising considering the history of their relationship with russia, and the fact that their respective law enforcement organs have extensive intelligence and method exchange, but still. From my understanding, the government monitors any public mentions of possible gatherings (like in general!) tracks the organizations, and imprisons them just long enough to miss the date of gathering. It is freakishly effective. It is also worrying just how omnipresent undercover law enforcement is, the volunteer expressed intense paranoia about being spied on in day-to day interactions. I'm not super experienced in these matters so do with that what you will. I would appreciate additions by people from these countries to share their experience! Our curator said something very profound about how tyrannical tendencies tent to be eagerly shared among governments who seek to suppress their people. That is why it is crucial for us to be alert and informed on the politics of the region, not just the country we reside in! Please, seek out local initiatives, elections, make good use of your democratic apparatus, while you still have it! (if you have it!) While freedom of expression should be a human right, the truth of the matter, that in most of the world, even in "progressive" jurisdictions it is still a big privilege to have it, and are a result of battles that have been ongoing long before our time. Cherish it. Use it. Fight for it.

[ellipsus-writes]

The words they're afraid of.

(Read on our blog.)

The recently appointed Department of Defense head Pete Hegseth (formerly Fox News pundit, perpetually soused creepy uncle, and current group chat leaker of classified intel) banned images of the Enola Gay from the Pentagon’s website for the offense of “DEI” language. In keeping with the far right’s stated war on anything vaguely resembling diversity, equity and inclusion, even historical photos are up for cancellation. When a literal weapon of mass destruction is censored for being a bit fruity under the Trump administration’s war against inconvenient truths, what exactly is left untouched?

This is clown show stuff, but the stakes are far from funny. While some might be hesitant to compare the current administration to the very worst history has to offer, we can at least all agree that they are dyed-in-the-wool grammar Nazis. Policing language has been the objective of the MAGA culture war long before Project 2025’s debut—the wave of book bans orchestrated by astroturf movements like Moms for Liberty, and Florida’s 2022 Don’t Say Gay bill have already had a profound effect in the arena of free speech and freedom of expression (despite the far right’s long tradition of doublespeak performative free-speech martyrdom to the contrary). Don’t Say Gay ostensibly targeted K-3 education, but LGBT+ content at all levels of education (and beyond) was either quietly censored or entirely preempted in practice. The results were not just a war on so-called ideology, or words alone—but on reality and essential freedoms.

Now, words as innocuous and important as racism, climate change, hate speech, prejudice, mental health, and inequality are targeted as subversive. Entire concepts are being vanished from government institutions, scrubbed not only from descriptions but from metadata, search indexes, and archival frameworks.

If you don’t name a thing, does it exist?

These words are as numerous as they are generic: women, race, Black, immigrants, multicultural, gender, injustice. But what is painfully unserious is also particularly dangerous in its real-world consequences. The process of controlling words is a well-worn authoritarian tendency. Fifty-two universities are now under investigation as part of the President's effort to curb “woke” research and thought crimes. Institutions are being coerced to comply with a nebulous set of ideological demands, or face budgetary annihilation. That means cutting funding for entire departments, slashing financial aid, defunding scientific grants, and pressuring faculty to self-censor.

The possibilities for censorship extend far and wide—interfering, by extension, in everything from reproductive healthcare programs, to libraries and museums. The Trump administration’s proposed budget slashing all federal funding for libraries, including the Institute of Museum and Library Services, will effectively gut an infrastructure that supports over 100,000 libraries and museums across the country—community centers, educational lifelines, internet access points, and archives of marginalized histories (starting with the Smithsonian Institution).

When you erase access, you erase participation. And when you erase participation, you erase people, and the means by which future generations might even learn they existed. A culture that cannot remember is a culture that cannot resist.

The erasure is, yet again, unsurprisingly targeted at minorities and LGBT+ people. The National Parks Service quietly revised the Stonewall Monument’s website to remove references to transgender people—a fundamental part of the original protests. Not an oversight, not a mistake, but a deliberate excision—one point in a wider plan of erasure depicted in stark detail in Project 2025, a blueprint to dismantle civil rights, defund LGBT+-related healthcare, and rewrite history from the ground up.

Dehumanization by deletion—welcome to the reactionary resurgence of doubleplusungood governance. In Trumpland, words are weapons—but not in the way they intend. Their fear of language betrays its power; that’s why they’re trying so hard to police it.

Words hurt them.

Hurt them back.

- the Ellipsus Team

[musicofthenightphantomoftheopera]

URGENT UPDATE ON KOSA.

This is exactly how they were finally able to pass the tiktok ban after trying for 3 years. And this is exactly what I was worried about them trying as a result. Again, all info and resources for fighting KOSA are in the pinned post on my page. Plz spread the word. Even if you don't live in america, Share this with any american friends and mutuals you have. We can still fight this bill we still have a chance at stopping it just like we have in the past. The only reason it hasn't passed yet is because we keep fighting it. Don't forget that. make sure your reps and senators don't know a moment of peace

[rum-inspector]

So tumblr has now rolled lives for my account too and reading their rules..

MIDDLE FINGER IS BANNED I REPEAT DO NOT FLIP THE BIRD on live IT IS VERY VERY BAD IT IS LITERALLY SAME AS IF YOU GOT FULLY NAKED AND WOOP WOOP HANKY PANKY BOJOINK WITH AN EQUALLY NUDE PARTNER ON THE STREAM I REPEAT HIDE YOUR MIDDLE FINGERS PUT THEM AWAY PUT THEN AWAY NOW A CHILD COULD SEE AN OBSCENE FINGER ON TUNGLR DOT COM

I realized from lot of tags and comments lot of you are unaware that the underlying issue is BIGGER than just tumblr. I even skipped the part about dress code bc its the same on every app now, nothing special unfortunately, the middle FINGER was news. you just never read the ToS and the reason is US LAWS, Credit card company monopoly, advertisers wanting everything to be "family friendly" etc and things are only going to get worse if you don't start opposing and repeling the torjan horse laws. Here, let's have someone who knows better explain it:

[wegotfanfictionathome]

Well at least I get to use this meme now

[onlytiktoks]

[lancecharleson]

Just a gentle reminder

The Heritage Foundation have outright admitted they intend for """The Kids Online Safety Act""" to be weaponized against LGBTQ+/abortion information and any form of sexual expression on the internet, that is IF the drump wins the election in November.

KOSA very recently passed the "mark up" stage in the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, and now, according to the EFF, the bill is being considered in the US House this week. So now is the perfect time to call/pester your house representatives to shoot this unconstitutional bill down for good.

If you're unsure of how to contact and make your piece known to your House representatives, here's a handy resources guide, complete with call scripts written specifically for democrats and republicans!

Make no mistake, this bill will not just affect millions of people in the states, this will also affect the wider web across the world. So for international folk, you can also sign the petition here!

I believe taking these actions may end up working, because even House representatives are beginning to doubt this bill is in anyway a good thing actually. All we have to do now is pile on the pressure!

There is no sugar coating this bill, and more and more people are starting to see it for what it is; KOSA is a trojan horse for internet censorship. Call your representatives and demand they kill it once and for all.

[dark-music-culture]

The alternative scene’s belief stands in self expression.

The Nazis and the Fascists in the last century beat up, jailed, tortured and killed whoever dared be themselves.

Stand for your rights and your freedom.

[musicalislife]

Our freedom of speech is in SERIOUS danger.

We’re in serious trouble. We’re trying to use our voices, we’re actively protesting against the government. There’s an election next year, but sadly, we wouldn’t be surprised if Orbán changes the law to ban any parties he believes could defeat him. He’s already trying to smear the party that currently has the best chance of winning.

[bloodanddiscoballs]

Texas Residents!

Help us stop HB 3225 in Committee. HB 3225 to be heard by the State Affairs Committee Meeting on Monday, April 14 at 8AM

Provide In-Person Testimony (ATX) or Submit Written Comment (Online) against HB 3225

What does the bill do?

First, it forbids municipal public libraries from allowing anyone under 18 to access “sexually explicit” materials (the quotation marks are important). It also says a public library may not “curate, display, or make available for checkout any sexually explicit material in any minor ’s section of the library.”

The bill also uses an exceptionally broad definition of “sexually explicit.” It defines sexual conduct as “sexual contact, actual or simulated sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse, sexual bestiality, masturbation, sado-masochistic abuse, or lewd exhibition of the genitals, the anus, or any portion of the female breast below the top of the areola.” No, it doesn’t define what “sexual contact” means—does kissing count? Petting?

The bill defines “access” as “the ability to check out “be provided a copy” of a book in either a physical or electronic format. It’s not totally clear to me whether just browsing shelves counts as access or not. But even if not, in order to comply with the law, libraries would have to audit their entire collections for any possible book with any possible description of sexual contact and flag those books as off-limits for checkout by anyone under 18. Which would be a massive undertaking. Practically speaking, the only way a library could comply with this law is to segregate its adult and “minors” sections.

That means two things: First, that libraries would have to restrict anyone under 18 to children’s/teen/YA sections—they could not be allowed into the library’s sections for the general (adult) public, where they might encounter “sexually explicit” books. Second, it would restrict the books that can be made available in those children’s/teen/YA sections. No sex-ed books, no descriptions of “sexual contact” in YA novels meant for older teens. Art books would be at risk, as would innocent books like Eric Carle’s Draw Me a Star and Maurice Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen.

How Can You Help?

1.) Written comments (can be submitted remotely and ahead of time): Can't testify in Austin on Monday? Texas residents can submit written comments through the Texas House's Online Public Comment form HERE. Be sure to select HB 3225. State that you are against the bill, and share why. The Committee Meeting Agenda states written comments will be accepted until Monday's hearing is adjourned.

2.) In-person verbal testimony:  Witnesses are usually given 1-2 minutes to make their public comment on the bill they wish to speak about. You will need to declare your name, and whether you are speaking "for" "against" or "on" (neutral) HB 3225. Note, if you have more to say, than can fit in your given time, you can provide both in-person verbal, and online, written public comment. Be prepared to stay all day- bring food, water, chargers, electronics, books, and patience. Find out more about how to register, once you arrive at the Capitol, HERE.

For in-person verbal testimony, witnesses (you!) will need to arrive at the Texas Capitol and make your way to the John H. Reagan Building Room 120 (1400 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701) in time to sign in at a kiosk outside the meeting room before the meeting begins. Paid parking is available at the Capitol Garage found at 1201 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701.

Other Things To Keep In Mind:

The committee members may ask witnesses questions, so be prepared to answer them. It is okay to answer that you do not know and offer to get back to them with more information.

Emotion in your testimony is okay - just be respectful and speak calmly, clearly, and with purpose.

Write down and practice your testimony ahead of time. You can read from it during your turn to speak.

If you hear upsetting or inflammatory comments from other speakers, you need to maintain your composure in the room. Exit quietly if you need to excuse yourself and take a break.

Suggested Talking Points:

Speak from your heart and include short personal anecdotes.

Consider how HB3225 will impact access to books and resources for children, teens, and families in your community.

Consider how HB3225 limits your rights as a parent since there is no opt-in, opt-out requirement for you to decide what books and sections of the public library your minor child may access.

Share how unrestricted access to "adult" sections of the public library helped you grow, develop and learn as a child or teen, or how you have seen unrestricted access meet the needs of children in your life.

Share your thoughts on the government interfering with your rights as a parent to decide what books are not appropriate for your minor children and teens to read.

[reading-writing-revolution]

(via A warning - by Ann Telnaes - Open Windows)

I just heard that the McClatchy publishing company is laying off three Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonists, part of its larger strategy of eliminating daily editorial cartoons from its newspapers.

A few years ago I wrote a graphic essay for the Bertelsman Foundation and reprinted in the Washington Post, explaining why editorial cartoons are an integral part of a free press and democracies. I’m afraid the last panel now applies to my own country.

[purpurship]

Imagine if waiters stopped you from ordering stuff on the menu because the waiter doesn't like it personally

Imagine if you ordered a burger and the cook "fixes" your order by giving you a salad, and then calls you a fatass for complaining

Imagine if you got weird looks from the other people in the restaurant for ordering fries because everybody in the restaurant is afraid you'll dip them in mustard instead of ketchup

Imagine if you did dip your fries in mustard, and you get banned from the restaurant because people couldn't stop complaining and calling you a freak

It'd be terrible right? Absolutely crazy that people would be so pressed over something so unserious? Something that doesn't even involve them?

[ellipsus-writes]

(Read on our blog)

Beginning in 1933, the Nazis burned books to erase the ideas they feared—works of literature, politics, philosophy, criticism; works by Jewish and leftist authors, and research from the Institute for Sexual Science, which documented and affirmed queer and trans identities.

(Nazis collect "anti-German" books to be destroyed at a Berlin book-burning on May 10, 1933 (Source)

Stories tell truths.

These weren’t just books; they were lifelines.

Writing by, for, and about marginalized people isn’t just about representation, but survival. Writing has always been an incredibly powerful tool—perhaps the most resilient form of resistance, as fascism seeks to disconnect people from knowledge, empathy, history, and finally each other. Empathy is one of the most valuable resources we have, and in the darkest times writers armed with nothing but words have exposed injustice, changed culture, and kept their communities connected.

(A Nazi student and a member of the SA raid the Institute for Sexual Science's library in Berlin, May 6, 1933. Source)

Less than two weeks after the US presidential inauguration, the nightmare of Project 2025 is starting to unfold. What these proposals will mean for creative freedom and freedom of expression is uncertain, but the intent is clear. A chilling effect on subjects that writers engage with every day—queer narratives, racial justice, and critiques of power—is already manifest. The places where these works are published and shared may soon face increased pressure, censorship, and legal jeopardy.

And with speed-run fascism comes a rising tide of misinformation and hostility. The tech giants that facilitate writing, sharing, publishing, and communication—Google, Microsoft, Amazon, the-hellscape-formerly-known-as-Twitter, Facebook, TikTok—have folded like paper in a light breeze. OpenAI, embroiled in lawsuits for training its models on stolen works, is now positioned as the AI of choice for the administration, bolstered by a $500 billion investment. And privacy-focused companies are showing a newfound willingness to align with a polarizing administration, chilling news for writers who rely on digital privacy to protect their work and sources; even their personal safety.

Where does that leave writers?

Writing communities have always been a creative refuge, but they’re more than that now—they are a means of continuity. The information landscape is shifting rapidly, so staying informed on legal and political developments will be essential for protecting creative freedom and pushing back against censorship wherever possible. Direct your energy to the communities that need it, stay connected, check in on each other—and keep backup spaces in case platforms become unsafe.

We can’t stress this enough—support tools and platforms that prioritize creative freedom. The systems we rely on are being rewritten in real time, and the future of writing spaces depends on what we build now. We at Ellipsus will continue working to provide space for our community—one that protects and facilitates creative expression, not undermines it.

Above all—keep writing.

Keep imagining, keep documenting, keep sharing—keep connecting. Suppression thrives on silence, but words have survived every attempt at erasure.

- The Ellipsus team

[musicofthenightphantomoftheopera]

Plz watch this all the way through. We are on RED ALERT. we need to focus all our energy into making sure our house reps know we don’t want KOSA. I have links in the pinned post on my page with all the links you need

[danneroni]

⭐🌈 BE YOURSELF! 🌈⭐

Shimmer prints are back!