Julia Métraux
@metraux_julia
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@MotherJones reporter covering disability • Alum @UCBSoJ • she/her • Say hello: [email protected] • Please DM instead of @-ing me on story ideas
San Francisco
Joined July 2017
Because making fun of disabled people isn't as taboo as it should be.
until the day i die i will never understand how this wasn’t the end of it
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"We have witnessed antisemitism get stripped of its meaning and used as a tool to silence legitimate criticism of these very structures and their failure to stop the killing."
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This is cool, but fewer disabled people will be able to go to this because Nassau County, where the museum will be, passed a mask ban.
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You should not have kids if you're not ready to have a disabled child.
What’s your unpopular opinion about PARENTING that will have you like this.
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If you're a professor who is difficult about disability accommodations (including complaining about too many students having them), you're actively participating in a culture that gatekeeps disabled people from academia.
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Blaming people who need to use AC to not get sick during heat waves is wild, especially considering disabled people are more likely to die in extreme weather events.
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The wild part of disabled people being painted as litigious for filing ADA lawsuits is. it's not our fault that the ADA is largely enforced through lawsuits.
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Both FDR and JFK (though less often) used mobility devices due to their disabilities. Both tried to hide their health issues due to ableism. This cover art is just ableist.
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If you're in an evacuation zone in SoCal, please check in with any disabled/aging neighbors you have to see if they need help evacuating.
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she may enact a mask ban to supposedly protect Jewish New Yorkers. But, some Jewish NYers I spoke with said this is ridiculous, in part because Covid is not over. My latest for @MotherJones
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Hello!!! In professional news, I’m being hired as a full-time reporter at @MotherJones covering disability. I’m excited to continue on this beat at a publication that has been encouraging of me pursuing these stories for over a year. (1/2).
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Minnesota, under Tim Walz, was the first state to dedicate funding for Long Covid and related conditions in its budgets. Walz becoming VP could be a hopeful step in pushing for more funding federally. New from me at @MotherJones
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The US Department of Labor introduced a rule today which, if made official, will lead to the end of companies paying disabled people less than mininimum wage on the basis that they're disabled. My latest for @MotherJones.
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@pop_mycology I think that's a fair reaction because so many grifters trying to make money off of gut health stuff.
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For @MotherJones, I interviewed @joaquinlife about his experience handing out masks to keep his community safe during LA wildfires–at a time when masks have become villainized. @MaskBlocLA
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I am truly getting so much whiplash that with more people becoming chronically ill via Long Covid, companies are becoming more and more hostile to remote work (which is how some chronically ill people remain in the workforce).
Boston Globe: '‘This sucks’: Long COVID has taken thousands out of N.H. workforce, study says'. 'Beyond the profound personal effects of long COVID, losing those workers can also have a significant impact on New Hampshire’s economy'.
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Here is a spreadsheet of mental health professionals who are offering pro bono services to folks who survived Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina.
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Hey fellow journalists, we're not supposed to do harm in communities we're parachuting into. If you're in DNC, it's a good idea to wear a mask on public transportation to limit spread of Covid to workers who may not get sick days. 😷.
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On the left too. People "jokingly" call people they don't like the r-word and also joke people must be abusing ADHD meds. Knock it off!!!.
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Happy ADA Day! When you talk about access. please remember how dropping of Covid precautions has pushed out many disabled people from participating in a lot of things.
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Did you develop Long Covid after dropping precautions bc you believed the Great Barrington Declaration that young people will be fine if they get Covid-19? Please be in touch at jmetraux@motherjones.com for a potential @MotherJones article and retweets are appreciated.
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I reported on the cruelty of the ending of a federal program to give uninsured and underinsured Americans free Covid vaccines during a surge at @MotherJones.
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Scoop: When Nassau County passed its mask ban, the police department claimed there would be training. But as an information request from @NYCLU reveals, there doesn't really appear to be any! New from me at @MotherJones.
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Wrote about Donald Trump telling his nephew that some disabled people should just die – which includes the nephew's son for @MotherJones.
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By the way, if you experience any disability discrimination at the polls tomorrow and want to get in touch w/ a reporter about it, my email is jmetraux@motherjones.com #CripTheVote.
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Hi! Are you on Medicaid and were you essentially turned away from the ER by being told that it isn't clear that you care would be covered due to Medicaid portal issues? Email me at jmetraux@motherjones.com.
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New from me at @MotherJones: Martha, a person with Long Covid, asked what Harris would do about the wait time for social security decisions. Harris responded by. talking about how medical debt effects credit scores.
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Wild to write an editorial about teachers being absent and not even mention Covid-19 being an ongoing problem that can account for these absences. "Chronic absenteeism" is also defined as more than 10 work days in an entire school year.
From the Editorial Board: 4 in 10 Chicago Public Schools teachers were ‘chronically absent’ last year from a job with a median salary of $95,000.
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Journalism tip: Disabled people's needs are just needs – they're not special. That's why us journalists should not be using the term "special needs" in articles.
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Until March of this year, the White House required anyone around Biden to test for Covid. Biden’s Covid reality is very different from many disabled, low-income and working class people. Some thoughts from me at @MotherJones.
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Before you judge people for not evacuating during an emergency. what are you personally doing to help make sure disabled, aging and other low-income folks don't get left behind in your area?.
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Exclusive: Rep. @Ilhan will introduce the Long Covid Research Moonshot Act in the House of Representatives today. This is the companion bill to what Sen. Sanders introduced last month. My latest for @MotherJones.
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I also hope this includes getting rid of submimum wage for disabled workers, who can legally be paid cents an hour in sheltered workshops in a majority of US states.
👀: VP Harris announces during a Las Vegas rally that if elected, she will work to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes for tips towards service workers.
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I need people to understand that scented stuff makes some people with chronic illnesses quite sick. The fights we have to pick over stuff like that is very, very frustrating.
“the NY Times tech staff Guild proposed a ban on scented products in break rooms, unlimited break time, and accommodations for pet bereavement, as well as mandatory trigger warnings in company meetings discussing events in the news.”
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New from me at @MotherJones: the first class action lawsuit against a mask ban was filed by @DRNY_org yesterday in federal court, against New York's Nassau County.
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I second this. This spreadsheet isn't an actual research project. It feels like a personal vendetta against people.
This doxxing spreadsheet is a huge threat to the safety of anyone who lands on it, but especially for BIPOC, queer, poor, unhoused, and anonymous accounts. It's only a matter of time before someone from that list gets targeted offline. I can't express how dangerous & vile. .
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It used to be taboo to wash hands in medical settings. Norms can change when we know better.
It’s 2025… can we start masking in hospitals again? . Can we stop insinuating that hospital acquired covid is inevitable or that those who die were going to die anyways?. Let’s call it what it is. A failure of infection control to protect those who put their lives in your hands.
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Wish there were fewer "this one person got caught lying about disability for benefits" stories and more "the wait times sucks" and "the dismal amount of disability payments keep people in poverty" stories. Because the second two are much more of an issue.
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The Harris campaign is hiring for a disability engagement director.
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Most Medicare coverage for telehealth is set to end soon unless Congress acts. I reported on how this is a bad situation for the millions of people who rely on telehealth to more easily get medical care for @MotherJones.
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The term "post-Covid" in news articles confuses me. Covid-19 is literally in many rooms with us.
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cw: assisted suicide. Comprehensive palliative care (that is free for patients) should be a required treatment step before medically assisted suicide is even mentioned as a possibility by doctors.
Tell me your most radical position that cannot be placed on the left-right political spectrum.
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Hi, I would like to start to get in touch with disability orgs about how you're preparing for a potential dismantling of the Department of Education. We can talk in December after you've thought it over some more, but please get in touch at jmetraux@motherjones.com.
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If your argument is, they can just go to cooling centers:. 1) Physically getting there can have access issues. 2) Many people at cooling centers are not wearing masks. Covid isn't over.
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Disabled people are more likely to die in climate disasters. For @MotherJones, I reported on how agencies in the US should really be working with local Centers for Independent Living to help disabled people when disaster strikes.
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Maybe if you attack a 17-year-old for being emotional about his dad. you're the weird one. Wrote about the right going after Gus Walz for @MotherJones.
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I will start my first full-time non-fellowship job created for me, where my job is to cover disability issues, officially on Aug 1. I did not think this would be the case when I graduated from grad school last year.
Hi disabled and/or chronically ill friends,. What’s a small win (no matter how small) that you would like to share?.
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VP Kamala Harris plans to fight to get rid of subminimum wage for disabled people if elected elected as President—but there are no plans to do so in prisons, where disabled people are disproportionately incarcerated. My latest for @MotherJones.
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I'm looking for tips for @MotherJones on how Florida nursing homes and groups homes are or are failing to evacuate disabled and aging folks to safety. Rts appreciated and my email to get in touch is jmetraux@motherjones.com. cc @DisabilityRtsFL @disasterstrat.
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In professional news, I'm staying at @MotherJones over the summer as a senior fellow reporting on disability.
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Defenders of subminimum wage often argue that disabled people w/ cognitive disabilities just won't be hired if they have to be paid at least minimum wage. A study published in @JAMAHealthForum today shows this isn't true. My latest for @MotherJones.
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A hedge fund/venture capitalist bought this publication.
What are the six most dangerous words in your profession?.
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Invisible disabilities are legit disabilities. Stop being weirdos about people with invisible things.
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As I reported for @MotherJones, Nassau County PD had no training for cops for them to tell if someone is wearing a mask for health reasons–yet the lawsuit was dismissed because of the health exemption claim.
A judge dismissed a federal lawsuit that claimed Nassau County’s mask ban disenfranchises people with disabilities. From @AP
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@MotherJones Getting Covid again or the first time is a safety issue for disabled/chronically ill Jewish people (and anyone can develop Long Covid). And by enact, it looks like she would try to get the NY legislature to pass it, and then she would sign it into law. But the gov's plan is tbd.
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"Some children think that their legs might grow again. This is one of the saddest things that we hear on a regular basis.”. @sophiehurwitz + I interviewed a @HI_federation/@HI_UnitedStates employee for @MotherJones.
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@Ruth_Mensch the way in which business news has been top of this bc of how long covid affects the economy. must be studied in public health classes.
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also here is a short description of the image, realize it's missing alt-text
@ZackBornstein ID: Left, Serge Kovaleski, who has a congenital joint condition. Right, Donald Trump at a rally mimicking Kovaleski's disability to mock him.
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@MotherJones @joaquinlife @MaskBlocLA In addition to wildfire smoke being bad, a lot of infectious diseases are spreading rn–including Covid, the flu and RSV. That can easily spread to people huddled at shelters.
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"I wish people were aware of how sudden it can be and how no amount of 'healthy' eating, exercising or wellness culture will spare you from becoming disabled."
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Neurodivergent diagnoses aren't "surging." People/kids are just getting access to more healthcare providers who understand conditions better.
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When you don't have a chronic illness that makes you heat sensitive.
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So, Charlie Kirk and other anti-DEI people are attacking ASL interpreters who are providing vital information to Deaf people during the Los Angeles wildfires. New from me at @MotherJones.
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Can't believe we're still waiting for the news of whether the FDA will re-ban shocking disabled kids as punishment.
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Some journalism standards, like email interviews aren't real interviews, also hurt some disabled sources. This is just one example of this.
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I wrote this in July for @MotherJones, but it unfortunately remains for relevant. If you're disabled, I'd recommend reaching out to your local independent living center to see how they can help you prep for climate emergencies before and after they happen.
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As a chronically ill person who was at @UCSF *today* for chronic illness issues, the fact that a @UCSFMedicine professor can attack a fellow person with a chronic illness who is trying to not get sicker enrages me.
Vinay Prasad of @UCSFMedicine is openly lying to mock Stevie Nicks, a 76-year-old asthmatic woman, for protecting herself from COVID-19 with effective PPE, which is widely supported by high quality evidence. This is unprofessional and misogynistic crap, calling it an "amulet."
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For Disability Employment Awareness Month, employers should not create a hassle to let people work from home.
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Waiting in long lines to vote sucks. It especially can suck if doing so makes you feel ill. I wrote about the impact waiting in long lines has on chronically ill and disabled voters for @MotherJones.
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Cops are also not supposed to interrogate you about your health.
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A year ago, I applied for a @soljourno fellowship wanting to highlight how online communities can be vital for young disabled and chronically ill people's wellbeing. I just published a guide on this topic, featuring articles as well as tips for reporting.
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There should be a way to turn off chronic pain, as a little treat.
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I’m open to tips for story ideas at jmetraux@motherjones.com – tell me about issues that you’d like to see me cover, especially if you’d be interested in sharing how something impacts you in a potential article (unable to respond to all emails but grateful for all of them). (2/2).
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RFK Jr. being in charge of public health should terrify you. For @MotherJones, I wrote about some of the vaccines he'll go after–and his tendency to use single studies to promote his conspiracy theories about vaccines.
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New: A federal investigation found that disabled people are five times more likely to experience domestic violence. And domestic violence shelters are not always set up to meet their needs. From me at @MotherJones.
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Happy last day of 2024! I'm proud of myself for getting my first non-contract full-time job in media (that I'm able to do from bed), wrapping up two part-time fellowships, and proving to myself that I can write disability stories well outside the health beat.
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30,000 people died on waiting lists for decisions in the fiscal year 2023. The wait time for an initial decision increased from 4 months in 2019 (before Long Covid was a thing) to 7 months in 2023.
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Running a reproductive fund. Creating an abortion guide. Answering questions on r/Abortion. I reported for @MotherJones on how chronically ill and disabled people fight for reproductive rights–from their rooms and even from bed.
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Non-disabled people also have needs. Disabled people having needs does not make them "special.".
When possible, avoid the terms special needs and special education. While they remain in wide use in education and law, many view them as euphemistic and offensive. Instead, aim to be specific about the needs or services in question.
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Hi! For @MotherJones, I'm looking to get in touch with a chronically ill/disabled person who will be a poll worker on election day! Retweets appreciated and my email is jmetraux@motherjones.com.
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The only thing ending the Covid emergency did was allow working-class people to take sick days and get some other resources. It didn't end the pandemic.
So much of the present moment, I sincerely believe, is the direct result of failing to memorialize the COVID dead. It allowed for inconvenience to become the narrative for many, and in so doing has bifurcated reality.
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Everyone should be able to physically rest when they get Covid to reduce chances to develop Long Covid. But policies under the Biden administration don't allow blue collar workers the ability to do this.
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I've done a really hard job trying to do good disability reporting, and I've been told it helps people.
What’s your contribution to the society?.
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Today, I learned that the car accident I was in eight years ago when I was 18 not only likely triggered my vasculitis, but ME/CFS as well. Getting a diagnosis can feel a bit weird but maybe I'll be kinder to myself with feeling I'm not being productive enough.
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Fun fact: Cuomo did not add an ASL interpreter to his Covid briefings until a judge ordered him too. Yet people praised him for those.
Not sure people who think Andrew Cuomo is the answer to this chaos were paying close enough attention in the Cuomo era.
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Suggestion: hybrid meetings and have a masking requirement.
Community organizing isn't community organizing if disabled people aren't in the room.
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Doctors who say chronically ill people's symptoms are in "their head" directly contribute to some chronically ill people then having trouble seeking mental health support.
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For @MotherJones, I reported on impending changes to New York's CDPAP program—where this home care program will turn into a monopoly. Disabled people I talked to are scared they won't be able to get the assistance they need. #CripTheVote
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Challenge for writers to not use the word "Blind"–a disability–to mean unaware.
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The North Carolina House just passed its revised mask ban bill. New from me at @MotherJones . The Dem governor could veto it, but the General Assembly could override the veto.
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For @motherjones, I'm looking to speak with a disabled/chronically ill person on their experience traveling to get an abortion due to bans for an as-told-to story. I can use an alias. Reposts appreciated and I will share my signal in DMs.
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Some things as I noted in my article that are important to keep in mind re mask bans.1) Covid isn't over .2) Wearing masks can help disabled people participate in society, which includes going to protests. 3) Mask bans lead to people wearing masks getting harassed.
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Dementia jokes just stigmatize the condition. There are many other ways to criticize politicians.
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A friendly reminder that signature matching laws suck, and disproportionately impact disabled and aging people.
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New: Project 2025 is using disability rights law Section 504 to try and attack abortion by falsely claiming that abortions disable fetuses (or smthn that's illogical). Disabled people need and want to get abortions. My latest for @MotherJones
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@MotherJones I am not judging you at all btw! I am judging the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, including someone who may be the head of the NIH.
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