This is why it’s so important for parents to support their trans kids.

If I don’t reblog this, then I’m dead.

It is extremely disturbing how many posts I see claiming that Roe v. Wade was overturned on Biden's watch and blaming him and the Democratic Party for it. It's disturbing on a number of levels.

First, it was Trump and Bush-appointed justices who handed down the Dobbs decision. This is a flagrant example of blaming Democrats for things Republicans did, and not coincidentally is one of the the most widely felt differences between the two parties. As a result, it's usually the first example Democrats and their allies point to; this misappropriation suggests a deliberate attempt to undercut that fact.

Secondly, and related to the first point, it obfuscates who the real enemy is, and I am comfortable using word "enemy" to describe the Republican Party because of the policies they advocate and enact. The truth is that states controlled by the Republican Party were where the effects of Dobbs are most severely felt, while states controlled by the Democratic Party are passing laws to protect abortion. It is important to know which party opposes abortion and which party supports it. If the Republicans gain control of the House, Senate, and White House, they will pass a national abortion ban, as they have done at the state level in several places.

Thirdly, blaming Biden for Dobbs demonstrates a very concerning lack of understanding of how the government functions. The judiciary is its own branch of government; judges are appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate. It doesn't matter who is president when a decision is handed down, it matters who was president when the justices were appointed. People sometimes react to this by moving the goalposts and claiming the real issue was a failure by Democrats to "codify" Roe v. Wade. I am not sure what "codify" means in this context, and I'm not sure they are either. One thing it does not mean is that congress can pass a law saying "abortion is legal forever." Republicans could easily repeal such a law and it the federal government cannot necessarily prevent states from restricting abortion at the state level. Roe v. Wade was a ruling stating that the constitution guaranteed a right to privacy, which included the right to have an abortion. This prevented abortion restrictions in a way federal law cannot. That doesn't mean passing federal law protecting abortion is a bad idea, but it isn't a foolproof protection. It's fair to argue that the Democratic Party and the left of center generally were complacent about abortion. The form of this complacency was not taking the courts seriously, while the right spent fifty years openly filling the courts with anti-abortion judges.

The last thing that worries me is that this is popping up phrased almost the exact same way all over the place. I am afraid that it is not merely incompetence, but intentional misinformation, that is then repeated by the incompetent who believe it.

I know some will probably dismiss this post as being from a "vote harder" liberal Biden supporter, but whatever your feelings about Biden, the Democratic Party, or the democratic process in the U.S., you should care about the truth. The truth is that Roe v. Wade was overturned by Republican-appointed judges and abortion bans are being enacted by Republican elected officials, and Joe Biden opposes these things. You can do with that information whatever you wish, but you denying it is dishonest.

Also?

There is a REASON they waited until Biden was in office to do this, AND YOU’RE LOOKING AT IT.

If you’re wailing about Biden having been part of Dobbs, YOU ARE BEING A TOOL FOR REPUBLICAN FASCISM. PERIOD.

YOU SHAVED THEM?!?

Sending this post the bill for the hernia surgery I laughed myself into needing

Okay, so, to be clear.

In case anyone thinks voting doesn't matter and that both parties are the same.

In Republican dominated states? They're making it legal for CHILDREN UNDER 16 to work in unsafe conditions!

In Democrat hotbed New York? They want to make it so that if you commit Wage Theft? Your business can't operate in the state.

I just want to make it CLEAR why voting matters.

I just want to make it CLEAR why both parties are not the same.

You need to vote blue no matter who if ONLY for labor law.

Watch Tracy Chapman Start a Quiet Revolution

You guys may be too young to remember, but I remember tuning in on TV with 600 million other viewers to watch Stevie Wonder live at Wembley Stadium for Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday celebration tribute in 1988. There were technical difficulties and Stevie Wonder couldn't go on yet. The crowd was antsy, milling around, singing their own songs. The TV cameras were rolling and the show had to go on, so TOTALLY UNKNOWN ARTIST TRACY CHAPMAN GOT UP ON STAGE AND PLAYED FAST CAR ARMED WITH ONLY HER GUITAR.

The crowd fell silent. Captivated by the absolute raw honesty and talent on display. Did we know we were witnessing history? A black queer artist who would rocket to fame and win a Grammy for this song the following year? I don't remember.

What I do remember is getting to the end of the song and not caring about Stevie Wonder any more. I wanted to know who this woman was!

Watch Tracy Chapman stun a rowdy crowd into silence:

as a kid i thought i would graduate from kid problems like cleaning my room to adult problems like jobs and taxes. but instead i have a job and taxes and still have to clean my room. cleaning my room is a lifetime problem. i will never stop having to put my markers away before bedtime. this is a rude way for aging to work.

reblog if its friday and you made it

idk what's going on, I just RBed for the Atlantis gif.

lookit him doing the spock eyebrow thing.

in hysterics

Is there any more authentic bisexual experience than thinking that your personal experience of being Bi doesn't count so you have to consult a more authentic Bi person?

Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to go back to bed

watching a movie at home circa like, 2001 was like

COMING SOON TO OWN ON VIDEO AND DVD

THX

Posts you can hear

Posts you can feel in your soul 😭😭

— Single serving size // r.i.d (via inkskinned)

Well, according to the email I got today, the Affordable Connectivity Program has not had its funding renewed. For everyone on it, I advise talking to your provider as soon as you can, especially if they talked you into an upgrade because it was still free with what the program covers. In addition, they recommend applying for the Lifeline program to cover part of the remaining cost. If you didn't get the email, you can apply for the Lifeline program here. You will be allowed to keep any devices that you got as a result of the ACP, such as a free router. Your connectivity services will not be interrupted, but they will be charged for soon. They estimate that the benefits will end in April 2024, so don't plan for that bill to be covered.

God, I'm sorry.

For those unaware, the ACP program was part of the 2021 Infrastructure bill that Biden passed and was funded for ~3 years. It's dying off now because Republicans refused to continue funding it. Had Democrats held a majority in the House it would've become an automatically renewed budgetary line item.

If you like/want/need assistance plans like this, vote Democrat in November 2024.

#iconic#mary lennox: have you considered using spite as your guiding principle? (via @oldshrewsburyian)

NICK AND CHARLIE 22/? | 02.06 TRUTH/DARE DIR EUROS LYN

Okay, but I wanna see a superhero story where the guy is absolute shit about covering his identity up, and before long it’s NOT a secret to anyone… but the hero.  And like, his entire office/school/neighbourhood puts all the real work into keeping his identity secret from the world at large while simultaneously working together to make sure the hero doesn’t know they’re doing it. “Man, that guy looks just like The Masked Protector.”

“Shut it!”

“No, really, look… he’s the right height, skin tone, eye color, and he’s even got that–” “NO, REALLY, SHUT IT.”

“I’m just saying–”

“Look, Ralph has saved the planet twice, and this town like fifteen times.  He needs to be able to take off his mask and have a normal life.  If he figures out we all know, he won’t be able to relax.  So Shut.  The Fuck.  Up.”

….. “Oh, shit, it’s about to come over the radio that there’s a bank robbery.  Can someone send Ralph for coffee?”

…..

“Hey, Jolene, it’s Marsha.  Look, my house caught fire and Ralph is over here in costume putting it out while I wait for the fire department.  I know you guys had a date tonight….”

“Thanks, Marsha.  I’ll call him and tell him I’m running late so he doesn’t stress about it.”

…..

“Hey, let’s do a Masked Protector Cosplay Contest.”

“That’s a little on the nose, don’t you think?”

“Well, Ralph hasn’t updated his costume since the mid eighties.  I’ve hired a couple of designers to come up with some new designs, maybe it will give him some inspiration…”

…..

“How the hell did you manage to knock over the whole table?”

“Oh, Ralph needed a distraction so he could {finger quotes} ‘slip away unnoticed’.”

…..

“God, it was a disaster.  Me and Ralph were in the elevator when the bad guy shut off the power.  I had to fake a seizure so Ralph could get away.”

……

”Kids, you can’t play on the fire escape.  How’s Ralph going to fly out his window with you sitting RIGHT THERE?”

…..

“Jolene, what’s wrong?” “I was talking to Ralph about maybe spicing things up in the bedroom.  Maybe some role play.  I wanted to do him in the costume, just once, y’know?” “Uh-oh… did he catch on?”

“Well, no, he agreed….” <sobs>

“Jolene?” “He asked me to dress up as Statuesque!”  <WAILS>

#this is hilarious#laughed out loud#NOOO JOLENE THATS THE VILLAIN ISNT IT!!#how mortifying#ok. she gets kidnapped by him once then she Understands#it can always be fixed with polygamy

That wasn’t what I was thinking but your way is funnier.

"Biden is funding a literal genocide!"

Yeah - and so will Trump. Like, if you don't vote for Biden, Trump will win, and he will continue to send aid to Israel - in fact, he will likely send MORE aid to Israel. That's the reality of the world we live in.

And, to be honest, any US president will support Israel. Because the USA is Israel's ally. That's how foreign policy works.

So who do you prefer?

Biden, who has helped lgbtq rights, reproductive rights, infrastructure, the environment, lowered medication costs, supported unions, and done MANY good, progressive things,

Or Trump, who we already know is awful. Who we already know will destroy any human rights Biden managed to gain. Who will not help the environment. Who will not help trans people, or immigrants, or women.

Because those are your two choices. And if you think they're the same, you are dangerous to all marginalized people.

It's 11 goddamn months before the election, it's not even the primaries yet and literally the only method you have (within the system at least) of influencing the policy of politicians seeking election, weak and ineffective as it is, is to threaten to withhold your vote. You don't even have to do it, you just have to make a credible threat.

If, at this stage of the game, you're demanding "Blue No Matter Who" loyalty oaths from leftists, or swearing them yourself, it's not because you're the pragmatic grownup in the room. You might be able to make that claim in September or October. I'd still have a lot of issues with it, but it wouldn't be ridiculous on its face.

If you're doing that shit in January, though, it's because the genocide just doesn't bother you that much.

Hi I don't know if you're new to the USA, but our election cycles absolutely do begin a full year (and sometimes more) before the actual election.

Threatening to withhold your vote is not just "weak", it is completely 100% ineffective. It is not going to scare Biden. It simply isn't - especially as you are openly admitting it's an empty fucking threat. Biden does not care if you threaten to withhold your vote.

You might damage the perceptions of other voters though. You might discourage people from voting for Biden, or discourage them from voting at all - and that helps Trump.

I've actually been demanding "blue no matter who" the whole time Biden has been in office, and I will continue to do so until we adopt nation-wide ranked-choice voting because I'm not a fucking moron and I know how the electoral college fucking works.

You don't have a real choice, and I get that this sucks, but the efforts to change the system happen in the 4 fucking years you had between 2020 and 2024. They don't happen now. You don't do damage right now.

Because right now, literally our only concern is making sure Trump doesn't get reelected. You're annoyed we're talking about this 11 months before the election? Trump has been actively campaigning for reelection for months. He's already on the campaign trail. He's already rousing his supporters and the people who might be on the fence about him.

Useful Idiot Leftist: "I'm going to withhold my vote from the Left-leaning party! That'll show them!"

Republican Strategists who have spent literally decades, millions of dollars, multiple court cases, and the efforts of literal generations of dirty-trick squads, and passed hundreds of laws trying to suppress the votes of Leftists: "Yes, please! We promise that this'll show the Democrats and isn't our deepest, darkest desire and dream, and that you aren't doing our work for us! Please, please, please, withhold your vote and don't vote at all! It's not like suppressing voter turnout is the only path to victory we have!"

Friends, the method that you have of influencing policy within the system is voting in the primaries, not withholding your vote. Joe Biden’s presidency has been a lot farther left than his long career in the senate and initial platform would have predicted. Why? Because besides him, Sanders and to a lesser extent Warren were his top competitors in the primary – he knew he needed to move left to capture the people who voted for them, so he did.

And there are other means as well. You could call your senators and let them know what you think of the laws their passing. Call your state senators too! My state has done some great stuff in the last year or so, and a state implementing a change well can lead to it being picked up on a federal level eventually. Or you could get involved with their campaign – a politician is more likely to listen to the ideas of someone they know than the ideas of some rando on the internet. Or you could run for office yourself. After all, there’s no better person to implement the policies you want than yourself.

But it’s easier to yell about how you’re just not going to vote.

Absolutely vote blue no matter who in the general. Even if you think both sides are shitty, blue team is going to hurt fewer people than red team, and that’s an important difference. But don’t tell yourself that having to do that means you can’t influence policy.

Okay I reblogged this before but I gotta add commentary.

If you really want to make a change? If you're genuinely going insane over Genocide Joe &etc?

CONGRESS. CONGRESS. CONGRESS.

Voting for President is a binary choice because USA 3rd parties do not front viable presidential candidates* and the parties pour all their resources into creating a binary matchup.

But your congresscritters? That is often a whole other story, and Congress has a LOT of power. Like, a lot a lot. The reason Obama's second term accomplished jack shit? Because a Republican-controlled Congress decided that their number one mission was to oppose literally everything Obama tried to do.

A candidate for president has to appeal to every wing of their party, from the extremists to the centrists to the apathetics who mostly just need to be persuaded to lift a finger to vote at all. A candidate for Congress? They're far more local. Fewer people (and many of those older and more conservative) vote in congressional elections in any informed way, and congressional candidates are therefore a lot more responsive to your opinion as a voter in their district, because you're a much larger slice of their vote base. And in Congressional primaries you can do a TON to raise newer, younger voices into government and drag that Overton window back to the left.

*Separate post on that coming when I gather all the words for it, but don't come at me with some sniffy "well if people VOTED for them..." Cause no, that's not viability.

Think of it like this...a Biden win means there is another election in 2028. If we can survive another four years of Biden we might be able to replace him (because term limits) with someone better.

Trump? There's no guarantee we even HAVE another election in four years.