Thank Fuck It's Friday
IDK about you, but I’m way over this week. The biggest happy thing that happened was that I got the letter to change my gender marker on my driver’s license over to male!
Me when I have time to run into the BMV:
I’m very excited.
On another note: If you enjoyed Bo Burnham’s Inside, but can’t always listen to the lyrics? First off, same. Secondly, here’s a lofi version of the album:
Ponderings
I continue to be reminded, like Elena Hung, of the difficulty of holding space for transformation amidst accountability.
“How do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?”
We’ve been watching Westworld, so I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means when we say ‘humanity,’ too. Do we mean sentience? Having a soul? To me (and many others), those are things that aren’t restricted only to humans.
In any case, I don’t think there is hope for the CDC to redeem itself, especially after deciding to no longer recommend universal contact tracing.
UGH.
Where’s Calgon when you need it?
What You Need To Know
Texas Investigates Parents Over Care for Transgender Youth, Suit Says by J. David Goodman and Amanda Morris
How the Media Set the Stage for Texas’ Anti-Trans Witch Hunt by Samantha Riedel
Why I Resigned From My South by Southwest Panel by Allison Wallis
Transgender Texas kids are terrified after governor orders that parents be investigated for child abuse by Sneha Dey and Karen Brooks Harper
In case you’re wondering, no I’m not really enthused by the Biden Administration’s reaction to Texas and Florida. I don’t see it creating anything truly helpful… but we’re also 3 years into a pandemic that they’re bumbling as Biden recently proudly claimed his allegiance to capitalism, cops, and more than harm us all.
If you’re a gamer, check out the TTRPG Bundle for Trans Rights Texas:
Events
The Equality Act: The Urgency of Now! - March 10 @ 6:30 PM Eastern
Held by the National LGBTQ Task Force
More info + registration link here
Articles You Need to Read This Week
COVID-19
CDC’s New Mask Guidelines For Covid-19 Throw Vulnerable People Under The Bus by Judy Stone
As Masks Come Off, Immunocompromised Americans Feel Left Behind by NPR
“Urgency of Normal” Rhetoric Fuels Pandemic Ableism by Charis Hill
More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries by Rob Stein
Kaine introduces bill to research and combat long covid, after suffering it himself by Meagan Flynn
TBH, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission is doing more for masking than the rest of the government:
So has the Maskalorian (who now follows me on Twitter?)
Race
‘Something is off here’: Black biotech entrepreneurs still struggle for funding as the industry pledges to diversify by Jonathan Wosen
20 years ago, a landmark report spotlighted systemic racism in medicine. Why has so little changed? by Usha Lee McFarling
Racial Imposter Syndrome Makes You Feel Like Your Identity Isn’t Yours by Anna Salhany
The ‘Justice’ System
It’s Totally Legal to Yell ‘Fuck You’ at Cops. Why Are People Getting Arrested? by Trone Dowd
Wu-Tang Clan Producer Suing NYPD After Wrongfully Spending 4 Years in Rikers by Trone Dowd
Health + Healthcare
Individuals considered physically attractive may boast stronger immune systems by Beth JoJack
Telemedicine leaves behind non-English speakers, study shows by Nicole Wetsman
STAT and MIT rooted out the weaknesses in health care algorithms. Here’s how we did it by Janice Yang, Ludvig Karstens, Casey Ross, and Adam Yala
Study: Viewing X-rays, other imaging tests can prompt healthy behavior changes by Brian P. Dunleavy
Telehealth visits now available through Amazon Alexa by Nicole Wetsman
Since we know Amazon likes to listen in on folks via Alexa, this is creepy as fuck.
$35 Insulin Cap Is Welcome, Popular, and Bipartisan. But Congress May Not Pass It Anyway. by Michael McAuliff
HIV Preventive Care Is Supposed to Be Free in the US. So, Why Are Some Patients Still Paying? by Sarah Varney
As Patients Grow Sicker, Administrative Hassles Keep Care Out of Reach by Kate Raphael
The company my day job is with, Included Health, is a merger of Grand Rounds (mentioned in the article), Doctor On Demand, and Included Health.
Politics
Justices agree to review constitutionality of Indian Child Welfare Act by Amy Howe
How the Biden administration could help millions of Americans keep their healthcare by David Perry
Ukraine
What does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean for Chernobyl? by Justine Calma
Ukrainian Sex Workers Are Rallying to Help Those Stranded in the Conflict Zone by John Buckley
State Dept: Russia Has ‘Kill Lists’ That May Include LGBTQ+ Ukrainians by Alex Cooper
You can help by boosting and/or donating to the Forcibly Displaced People Network, which focuses on LGBTQ+ folks.
The World Is Less Unified in Its Support of Ukraine Than You Might Think by Dan Spinelli
TBH, it’d also be cool if our support of Ukraine didn’t sexualize its leader, his ‘relatable’ background, or war.
Performative Social Media Activism Doesn't Help Ukraine by Stacia Datskovska
LGBTQ+
Notes for a Queer Homemaker: Welcome to the Worldmaking Series by Ari
Grief Exists in Its Own Time Zone by Rosemary Donahue
What I Wish People Knew About Eating Disorders, as a Queer Person Who Had One by Ro White
We Call It Time Travel by Vanessa
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer adults have high rates of adverse childhood experiences by Joe Gramigna
Gillian Anderson and Lily Rabe are Queer Loves Eleanor and Hick in Showtime’s “The First Lady” by Heather Hogan
A beautiful twist on the song Stacey’s Mom:
Sex & Sex Work
John Oliver tackles America's ludicrous hypocrisy surrounding sex work on Last Week Tonight by Dennis Perkins
PS you should really watch the episode. I was yelling happily at it.
These Are The First FDA-Authorized Condoms For Anal Sex And You Can Buy Them In 54 Different Sizes by Loren Cecil
The Principles of Pleasure is coming out soon on Netflix featuring Dirty Lola, one of my favorite people whom I’m lucky to call a friend. Check out the trailer here.
Disability
Who’s in Charge? Information Technology and Disability Justice in the United States by Amelia Gibson and Rua Williams
The Paralympic Paradigm: How the “Inspiring” Narrative Restricts and Fetishizes Disabled Athletes by s.e. smith
The American College of Rheumatology Releases Two Updated Guidelines for Treatment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (and I contributed!)
Emotional Wellbeing
I Finally Watched “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and Cried Over a 13-Year-Old Witch Putting Burnout Into Perspective for Me by Briana Lawrence
Thanks for reading! If you have feedback or anything you’d like to share, feel free to reach out to me on social media or email (all linked here).
Until next time,
Grayson