#IVF Support Group

[dentpx]

Kim K is actually not that bad of an actress but they are saddling her with the most on the nose expository lines I actually feel bad

[cripplecharacters]

what are the top 5 things you'd like to see a disabled character do in a story?

Hey! This is a very vast question and a lot of it would depend on the character's actual disability - I have completely different wishlists for what I'd like to see intellectually disabled characters do versus what I'd like to see characters with facial differences do. Different stereotypes and tropes affect different groups of disabled people differently - to work with this fact, the below list will try to account for as large amount of disabled character as I can reasonably think of, but it won't have as much detail as you might want. If you have a specific kind of character in mind, feel free to send another ask.

Not in specific order:

Disabled characters being in love. Disabled x disabled, disabled x abled, disabled x very different kind of disabled, all these variants but including more than 2 characters (since I've yet to see a polyamorous disabled character), all of this.

And I mean in actual relationships, not the pitiful and devoid of actual chemistry thing that we usually get (think "really sad disabled man only becomes happy after an abled woman takes pity on him, but they never kiss or god forbid have sex because that's gross and the disableds surely don't do that anyway").

I want to see an interabled couple going through IVF because they want to have kids, a wife with hemiplegia getting to grow old and wrinkly with her autistic husband, a lesbian with Treacher Collins syndrome moving in with her chronically ill girlfriend after a month of knowing each other, DeafBlind men getting hands on each other in the bathroom of a shitty nightclub, a trans woman with autism asking out a trans man with Down syndrome via her AAC tablet, a neurotypical guy with an obvious crush on his classmate with cerebral palsy.

I want to actually see disabled people being shown as desirable partners, good parents and grandparents, potential crushes, going through some new feelings and going on both good and bad dates, from all walks of life, of all sexualities and genders. Just like abled people.

Disabled characters participating in their community. Especially severely and/or visibly disabled characters. This is obviously a concept as vague as it could possibly be, but a big problem with a lot of disabled characters is that they don't... do anything. Not in the sense that they aren't "active enough", but that they aren't really... characters. They're often reduced to a family member who's at home and maybe the abled character takes care of them sometimes, but that's seemingly all that happens; they have no interests, hobbies, agency, preferences, or an internal thought process. All they do is wait for an abled savior to do something to them, not even with them.

I want to see more disabled characters who have jobs (whether it's a "regular" job, a supported employment workplace, a creative job that maybe they can only do a few hours a week, or self-care as a full-time job kind of thing), participating in hobbies that are accessible and/or modified to their ability level, emailing or sending pigeon letters to their friends, trying out new stuff that they're interested in, having actual complex relationships with their caregivers. Anything to actually make them feel like characters that exist in their setting, not just cardboard cutouts that the author had no ideas for.

Disabled characters who are a part of real-world disability (and adjacent) culture. Obviously also a vast topic. Most disabled characters, regardless of setting, are completely separated from concepts that were made by disabled people for disabled people; usually the connection to disability is their actual medical condition and a sterile mobility aid. This is not incorrect or bad to represent since that describes a lot of people, but I'd like to simply see more variety.

I want to see disabled characters who do parasports, who are excited about tactile art, went to blind/Deaf/SPED schools, call themselves #a babe with a mobility aid, decorate their AAC device, learn about disabled history, experience Feelings when hearing that Neanderthals cared about their disabled children, go to disability-centric events or support groups to meet people similar to them.

Do all disabled people do these? Absolutely not, but I'd like for even 1% of fictional characters to represent those who do.

Yeah I just want more disabled characters doing sports. As in real-life sports that real-life disabled people do, apologies to all the fantasy swordfighting that's out there.

There are so many sports out there we can do, some are adapted, some have a sitting or wheelchair version, while others were made specifically for us. Team sports are such a good opportunity to have your character have a community of people like them, have interesting dynamics, yet the only anything I can think of that's about it is REAL by Takehiko Inoue (wheelchair basketball) and the art by @/gayaest / @/sproutwiki (sitting volleyball). Also some Paralympics documentaries that I can count on a single hand - there's like three of them.

I want to see characters who are starting out and really suck at their sport, ones who are decent, ones with ridiculous sports-anime-level over the top abilities. I want to see all kinds of sports done by all kinds of disabled characters; blind kids learning goalball with their blind parents, quadriplegic guys working their ass off to qualify for national murderball championships, folks using sticker-covered bright-pink ramps in their boccia games, people with POTS playing along with their abled partner on their wheelchair rugby league team, standing fencers becoming disabled and adapting to wheelchair fencing that they love just as much. More disabled people having fun, knowing other disabled people, having interests!

Also, parasports are just cool as fuck and interesting to both watch and read about.

Disabled characters getting to make bad decisions. Disability representation is often extremely black-and-white in terms of morality: the character is either an angel who always does the right thing and talks about being grateful a lot, or the character is comically evil, wanting revenge because of their disability, hating their disability, constantly in grief and anger since not a single mildly ok thing happened to them since they became disabled. Neither of these feel like real people.

Disabled characters should be able to say hurtful things, get mad, lie, and whatever else, without being demonized to hell for it the same way abled characters are. They should be allowed to consciously make a decision that they shouldn't take (also known as "dignity of risk" in context of disability). They should get the same consequences for mistakes as everyone else and need to have the opportunities to actually make them.

In a much shorter way: more complex disabled characters.

These are things that I'd enjoy seeing for disabled characters. But the main thing would probably be that I want more of them. The scope of disabled characters in media is so painfully narrow because there's so few of them + they're usually capped at one per series. More writing featuring multiple disabled people please.

Here is a list of wishes from other mods who wanted me to throw them here:

Disabled characters who act like the author did more than a 10 min google search about their disabilities. [So authors doing actual research.]

More disabled characters of color. A lot of time disabled characters are white because it's only acceptable for them to be one kind of marginalized. In real life that's not how it works. People of color are disabled too!

Characters with comorbidities, characters with physical and mental health and developmental symptoms. Disability doesn't just come with one cut and dry disorder all the time - you can even be diagnosed with some things and undiagnosed with others.

[A character can have 5 comorbidities, or 5 completely unrelated disabilities - both happen. Or, most frequently, a bit of both.]

Characters existing in all parts of their diagnostic journey. [So characters who are yet to be diagnosed, currently investigating their symptoms, ones recently diagnosed, and ones who had their diagnosis for their whole lives - and as mentioned previously, you can be on one stage with disability A, and on another with disability B.]

Characters whose whole life isn't just tragedy/struggle! See this a lot when a story with disabled character is just about how life is hard for them as disabled person. Would love disabled characters being leads in other genres and just existing as people. Not to say disability isn't a struggle, but there is more to life and person than disability.

mod Sasza

[caitified]

Do a fic for when Kate discovered that her wife was pregnant and how she told everyone of the team, you could also talk about how was the pregnancy

positive

kate martin x reader

warnings: ivf and pregnancy! going back in time a bit for those who have read my other kate family stories.

kate’s hands trembled slightly as she held the test in front of her, her wide eyes darting between the little screen and your face. you couldn’t quite tell if the tears forming in her eyes were from joy, shock, or a mixture of both.

you had been waiting for her to get home from practice all day, your nerves building with each passing hour. the positive test had been sitting in your pocket, burning a hole through the fabric as you tried to focus on anything other than the massive news you were about to share.

kate had barely walked through the door when you blurted, “i need to tell you something.”

her forehead creased in concern as she kicked off her sneakers. “what’s wrong? are you okay?”

you shook your head quickly, stepping closer and pulling the test out of your pocket. “no, nothing’s wrong. actually, everything’s perfect.”

her eyes darted down to the object in your hand, and for a moment, she froze. “is that…?”

you nodded, unable to hold back the tears that welled in your eyes. “kate, we did it. i’m pregnant.”

kate’s jaw dropped, her bag slipping from her shoulder to the floor. “oh my god,” she whispered, reaching out to take the test from you, her fingers brushing yours.

“it’s real,” you murmured, your voice shaky but full of awe.

kate let out a breathless laugh, staring at the test as though it were the most precious thing in the world. then she dropped it onto the counter and pulled you into her arms, holding you as tightly as she could. she buried her face in the crook of your neck, her body shaking with a mixture of laughter and tears.

“we’re having a baby,” she mumbled, her voice muffled against your skin.

you felt tears prick at your own eyes as you clung to her. “we’re having a baby.”

it had been months of waiting, hoping, and holding your breath, and now it was real. you were pregnant with your daughter, a miracle born from countless doctor’s appointments, late-night conversations, and unwavering support from kate every step of the way.

kate finally pulled back to look at you, her face lit with a smile so bright it made your heart ache. “you’re incredible,” she said, cupping your face in her hands. “i don’t even know how to put into words how much i love you.”

“you don’t have to,” you replied, leaning into her touch. “just love our little girl as much as you love me.”

kate laughed, brushing her thumb over your cheek. “she’s already got my whole heart, just like her mom.”

you both stood there for a moment, wrapped in each other and the overwhelming joy of what was to come. when kate finally pulled you toward the couch, settling in with you wrapped in her arms, she tilted her head thoughtfully.

“we have to tell the team,” she said, with you curled up against her.

you groaned, hiding your face in her shoulder. “do we have to tell everyone? you know they’re never going to let us hear the end of it.”

kate chuckled, stroking your hair. “babe, they’re going to be so excited. plus, it’s going to get out eventually, and i’d rather they hear it from us than from some random gossip site.”

you sighed, knowing she was right. “fine. but you’re doing most of the talking.”

“deal,” kate agreed with a grin.

🫂🫂🫂

the next day, kate gathered her las vegas aces teammates at the team facility, promising there was “big news” to share. the group was buzzing with curiosity, and you could feel your nerves mounting as everyone settled in.

“alright, everyone,” kate started, standing at the front of the room with her arm around you. “we’ve got something pretty exciting to share.”

a’ja was the first to pipe up, her grin mischievous. “you two finally getting a dog?”

“better,” kate replied, her smile widening as she glanced at you.

the room went quiet, everyone hanging on her next words. kate took your hand, squeezing it gently.

“we’re having a baby.”

for a moment, the room was completely silent. then, chaos erupted.

cheers, squeals, and excited chatter filled the air as the team surged forward, wrapping the two of you in hugs and bombarding you with questions.

“when did you find out?” “how far along are you?” “oh my god, is it a boy or a girl?”

kate fielded the questions with ease, her hand never leaving yours as she proudly shared the news.

“it’s a girl,” she said, her voice full of pride. “our little girl.”

the team melted at that, and a’ja immediately started brainstorming baby names while kelsey demanded that she would be the cool aunt.

amidst all the excitement, you caught kate’s eye, and she gave you a look that said everything she didn’t need to say out loud.

thanks for reading! requests are open and feel free to give me ideas for their family.

[lexirosewrites]

happy slick sunday! one idea two ways:

Version 1: Alpha carpenter Eddie, who learned wood working from Wayne as something to keep his hands busy, makes nesting platforms and courtship gifts per request. Custom work isn't cheap, but it turns out rich familes, rich alphas, or newly mated pairs don't care about the price tag.

Omega Steve, tired of the dating slog, has decided to give IVF and single parenting a go. He's always known he's wanted pups, and while he'd like an alpha by his side, he has a lovely pack supporting his decision.

After his 12 week scan he calls Eddie and request a custom nest platform. He wants it large enough multiple members of his nest can snuggle with him and with lots of storage to be practical.

6 months later, after many visits to see Eddie's work, choose wood stains, pick bedding, and many late night cravings, Steve gives birth to a beautiful pup with his Pack and new alpha eddie by his side.

-

Version 2: Omega Steve finds woodworking relaxing and rewarding in a way school work never did. He especially loves cabinetry and wood tooling that lets him make a house a home.

Alpha Eddie moves back in with his Uncle Wayne after his brush with LA and fame don't bring him the joy he thought it would. He works the counter at Wayne's hardware store and is utterly struck stupid over the handsome omega who comes in.

Three years later, Eddie's found a new group to jam with (Gareth, Jeff, and Les are great), Wayne takes a couple days off a week, and Eddie gets to sleep next to Steve every night.

these are both so cute🥺😭😭😭💕

[joshiji-darling]

ㅤ 🪸͟ ָ֢ ’’ 𐙚˙⋆.˚ 𝓶𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓴���𝓸𝓷 𝓼𝓾𝓲𝓷 ๋࣭ ⭑⚝

follow my tiktok for more content

kwon suin masterlist

ᯓᡣ𐭩 ࣪. basics ୭ ˚. ᵎ

birth name: kwon suin 권수인

birth date: 1995..14..02

birthplace: goyang, gyeonggi province, south korea

residence: nonhyeon-dong, gangnam-gu, seoul

occupation: celebrity, artist, singer, dancer, producer, founder&director of Darling Entertainment

nationality: korean - greek (dual- nationality)

ethnicity: korean

languages: english, korean, french, greek, italian, japanese, chinese

height: 170cm

weight: 45kg

blood type: O+

partner: doh kyungsoo (exo's D.O)

status: married

mbti: infj

debut: 2007

ᯓᡣ𐭩 ࣪. career ୭ ˚. ᵎ

history:

2007 - duo group 'darling (달링)' with shin ryeonha (신련하)

2012 - debuts as a soloist

2015 - debuts with seventeen

2016 - debuts as an actress in descendants of the sun

position in seventeen: co-leader, main vocalist, producer, lead dancer, visual,

suin's/ 'darling's fandom: dearest (디어에스트)

her emojis: 🐋🪼🪸🪷🍡🌊🪐🎀🧸🫧🖇🩰

social media: @sususuinkw.n

weverse: @sususuinnova

brand ambassador: graff,, patek philippe,, dior,, alexandar mcqueen,, hermès,, van cleef& arpels,, brunello cucinelli,, bottega veneta

ᯓᡣ𐭩 ࣪. trivia ୭ ˚. ᵎ

she is seventeen's co-leader, meaning she shares the leader position with s.coups. this was because she was elected as leader by all the members and the company, but suin felt that s.coups would make a great leader, so they comprimised by having themn both leaders

she is the oldest member in seventeen and is their senior as she debuted in 'darling' in 2007

some of her nicknames include; original visual,, blueprint,, the trend,,original ace,, nation's center,, nation's daughter,, miss korea, korea's voice,,

she is a-list celebrity in hollywood, not just in korea

she was under a company called 'whipser' when she was active in 'darling' and for her solo career, then pledis was bought into her company. but in 2019, suin left whisper and started her own company named 'darling entertainment' after her group.

meaning she is the founder and director of the company

she is the creator of aespa

seventeen, ateez, aespa, btob, day6, and taemin are now under Darling Entertainment

she produces 80% of seventeen's songs alongside woozi, but she produces 100% of her own songs

she is the most credited artist, and the youngest artist to be awarded that title. she has credit for 600+ of her own songs, not included songs she produced for others.

she is the most known and recognized name in the korean industry

"if you don't know kwon suin in korea, you are a spy"

she is the hidden ace of going seventeen, she rivals jeonghan

she bought a multi-million penthouse in korea and she has another penthouse and vacation house in greece

she created the trends in kpop (not including her fashion influence); photocards, lightsticks, fansite, fansigns, fansign calls, fancams, idol content, tiktok challenges, singing osts, random dance, having lore, ending fairy, dance breaks, highlight medley, brand ambassador, dance practice, behind the scene videos, encore, personalised in-ears and mic, western collabs,

she popularized idols appearing in variety shows by appearing on "running man" and boosting their ratings

she was the first idol to have 'pre-releases' and an intro and outro track

she has an emotional support spoon

she was an ivf baby

she was the first idol to be a "new years couple" (when dispatch reveals couples on new years ykyk)

her ears go red when shes shy

she made the name 'carats' for the fandom

she concerts usually lasts for 4-6hrs, but once she had a 9hr concert and still didnt finish her entire discography

locals: "i don't know kpop, but i know suin and bts"

she is unfortunately the female idol that has been in the most danger

her newest nickname is "idol with the most aura"

and yes, suin and kyungsoo are married, they married in 2019, kyungsoo proposed in 2018, and they announced their relationship and engagement in the mv for "only" which even included their proposal video

ㅤㅤ kwon suin masterlist

comment for requests!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Noah Berlatsky at Public Notice:

Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election last week has led, inevitably, to a miserable round of Democratic blaming, shaming, bitterness, and general panic.

Bernie Sanders (as he tends to do) claimed the loss was the fault of the Democrats having “abandoned working class people.” Nancy Pelosi blamed Joe Biden for not exiting the race early enough, and the lack of an open primary. New York Rep. Tom Suozzi and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton gracelessly embraced the bigoted talking point that the Democrats lost because of their (albeit limited) support for trans rights.

None of these analyses are very convincing. Nor are they especially helpful to vulnerable constituents who are terrified of what a Trump term means for them. A Democratic Party focused on bickering and blame — or worse looking for ways to throw various constituencies to the MAGA wolves — is not the Democratic Party we need right now.

[...]

Blue state governors won’t save us, but they can help

One of the most vocal blue state governors to promise anti-MAGA measures has been JB Pritzker of Illinois. In a combative news conference last Thursday, Pritzker warned Trump and MAGA, “To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans: I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior.” “You come for my people, you come through me,” he concluded.

Pritzker’s statement wasn’t just bluster. Illinois has taken a range of measures to shore up protections for vulnerable groups since Pritzker won the governor’s race in 2018. The state passed a law in 2023 shielding abortion recipients from civil or criminal discovery and from extradition to other states. The same law ensured that insurance in Illinois would cover abortion medication and gender-affirming care, and also strengthened protections for IVF. Pritzker also signed legislation making it easier for trans people to change the gender on their birth certificates without medical certification. And the state passed laws to provide for foster provisions and guardianship for children of immigrants arrested or deported by ICE. Now the Illinois governor is working on plans to try to limit the damage from Trump going forward. He and staffers have been studying Trump’s Project 2025 plan for the next four years. In the 2025 legislative session, Pritzker plans to pass additional legislation to protect the identity of abortion refugees and to try to safeguard access to the abortion pill mifepristone. He’s also looking into ways to shore up environmental regulations.

Perhaps most pressingly, Pritzker says he has been in touch with other Democratic governors to discuss Project 2025 plans to withhold police grants from blue states that refuse to participate in mass deportation. Pritzker said that such actions would be “illegal” and promised to oppose them in court. Pritzker’s actions are being mirrored in other blue states. Gavin Newsom in California has called a special legislative session to provide more funds for the state attorney general’s office to challenge Trump measures on abortion, the environment, gun control, union dues, and more. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York AG Letitia James said they would increase coordination between their offices to “protect New Yorkers’ fundamental freedoms from any potential threats.” Washington state AG Bob Ferguson tweeted that the state had been “working for months to prepare for another Trump term,” going through Project 2025 “line by line” to address “unconstitutional assaults on your reproductive rights, access to health care, and civil rights.”

Happy to see some Blue state governors such as Pritzker, Newsom, and Hochul protect their state’s people from MAGA fascism.

[coochiequeens]

After stories like this break I always hope it will lead to those supporting surrogacy to agree that there needs to needs to be more regulations.

IVF Centers in Delhi NCR: CBI Uncovers Child Trafficking and Fake Doctors in Fertility Clinics

CBI investigation reveals alarming illegal activities in Delhi NCR fertility clinics, including child trafficking, illegal surrogacy, and employment of unqualified practitioners. The probe exposes violations of the Surrogacy Regulation Act 2021 and links to organized crime. This shocking revelation raises urgent questions about regulation and patient safety in the fertility industry, prompting calls for immediate reform and stricter oversight.

Posted byby Ajay Gupta Political journalistAugust 3, 2024

NEW DELHI, August 3, 2024 – A recent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unveiled a disturbing network of illegal activities within In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) centers across Delhi NCR, sending shockwaves through the fertility industry and raising urgent questions about regulation and oversight.

IVF Centers in Delhi NCR Key Findings

Numerous IVF centers Delhi NCR implicated in child trafficking schemes

Surrogate mothers exploited in violation of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

Organized syndicates linked to organ trade and forced begging identified

Fake medical credentials and forged adoption documents discovered

The Investigation Unfolds IVF centers Delhi NCR

The CBI’s probe, which began as an inquiry into a single child trafficking incident, quickly ballooned into a comprehensive examination of the fertility industry in the National Capital Region. Investigators uncovered a complex web of illegal activities, with some IVF centers serving as hubs for various criminal enterprises.

“What we’ve found is deeply troubling,” said CBI spokesperson Rajesh Kumar. “These centers, which should be helping families, have instead become conduits for exploitation and trafficking.”

A Pattern of Abuse Illegal IVF centers

The investigation revealed multiple schemes operating under the guise of legitimate fertility services:

Baby Trafficking: Newborns purchased from surrogate mothers were sold to childless couples or, more alarmingly, to criminal networks.

Illegal Surrogacy: Despite the ban on commercial surrogacy, many centers continued to offer paid surrogacy services, exploiting economically vulnerable women.

Document Forgery: Staff at several clinics were found creating false adoption papers and medical records.

Unqualified Practitioners: Some centers employed individuals with fake medical degrees, putting patients at severe risk.

Legal Framework and Violations

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, explicitly prohibits commercial surrogacy in India, allowing only altruistic arrangements. However, the CBI’s findings indicate widespread disregard for these regulations.

“The law is clear,” explained Dr. Shalini Mishra, a legal expert in reproductive rights.

“Surrogacy can only be altruistic, with no financial compensation beyond medical expenses. What we’re seeing here is a blatant violation of both the letter and spirit of the law.”

The Greater Noida Gang

In April 2022, authorities arrested a gang operating out of an IVF center in Greater Noida. The group, which included two female employees of the clinic, lured prospective parents with promises of baby boys, a practice strictly forbidden under Indian law.

The Fake Doctor Incident

September 2022 saw the arrest of an IVF clinic owner following the death of a woman during a procedure. Subsequent investigation revealed the owner’s medical degree was fraudulent.

The Egg Donor Mastermind

A 2021 case involved the rescue of a two-year-old child from a trafficking ring. The operation’s leader was discovered to be an egg donor with connections to multiple hospitals in the region.

Implications IVF Centers in Delhi NCR

The scale of illegal activities uncovered by the CBI raises serious concerns about the oversight of fertility clinics in India.

Dr. Amit Banerjee, a reproductive health specialist, warns of far-reaching consequences:

“This isn’t just about illegal adoptions or surrogacy. We’re talking about potential links to organ trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of exploitation. The ramifications for public health and safety are enormous.”

As the investigation continues, calls for reform are growing louder. Experts suggest several key steps:

Enhanced Monitoring: Implement more frequent and rigorous inspections of IVF centers.

Stricter Licensing: Tighten requirements for operating fertility clinics.

Patient Education: Launch public awareness campaigns about legal surrogacy and adoption processes.

Inter-Agency Cooperation: Improve coordination between health authorities, law enforcement, and child welfare organizations.

The CBI’s investigation into illegal IVF centers in Delhi NCR has exposed a dark underbelly of the fertility industry, highlighting urgent needs for reform and vigilance. As authorities work to dismantle these criminal networks, the challenge remains to ensure that legitimate fertility services can operate safely and ethically, providing hope to families while protecting the vulnerable from exploitation.

For the latest updates on this developing story, visit the CBI’s official website or follow our continuing coverage.

[nerdygaymormon]

A lot of rhetoric in support of anti-trans legislation to restrict gender-affirming care talks about regret and detransitioning.

Some proportion of people experience regret for any medical procedure, from chemotherapy to orthopedic surgery. Nonetheless, we don’t see a plethora of opinion pieces about the awful risks of hip replacements. It’s inevitable that some percentage of people who transition will regret it; the real question is whether the medical care is beneficial on the whole—not whether the occasional person later regrets a medical choice they made when younger.

In 2021, it was found that 13.1% of transgender people participating in the U.S. Transgender Survey reported detransitioning at some point in their lives.

The authors of this study are careful to note “these experiences did not necessarily reflect regret regarding past gender affirmation.” Family and societal pressure are the driving forces that lead many people to detransition – not because people wake up and decide they're not actually trans. All those who took part in the survey still identified as trans, thus it's presumed that the detransitioning was temporary.

Transitioning and detransitioning is complex. You can stop taking hormones and still be trans. You can regret taking steps that alienate you from your family, even as you wish your family would accept you living how you want to live. You can even regret some aspects of a treatment (any kind of medical treatment) while being grateful for the knowledge you gained by trying it out.

Detransitioning doesn't equal regret. Regret doesn’t always mean that people wish they hadn’t transitioned, it just means that there are some parts of the story that they long to change.

What’s clear from this evidence is that the vast majority of people do not experience regret, however defined, after transitioning genders. The rate of regret is still better than other treatments which don’t require national debates over their use, which really begs the question of why the health decisions of this group gets so much attention, and why so many people weigh in even though they have no medical or psychological training and aren't directly involved the treatment of transgender people.

————————————————————

The study included a sample of the responses of the reasons by those who detransitioned at some point in their life. I think they are insightful.

External factors

 Caregiving reasons “I was caring for my 80+ year old mother who had severe dementia, and it was just too confusing for her.”

 Difficult to blend in as identified gender “I don't pass, even after FFS [facial feminization surgery] etc.”

 Financial reasons “Unable to afford HRT [hormone replacement therapy]”

 Lack of support “Lack of trans community at the time” “Back in 1997, virtually no one had heard of queergender people. I couldn't find a support system, and I couldn't figure out how to tell people what I was.”

 Legal reasons “Social services legal pressure regarding child custody” “Forced to by going to federal prison for two years” “Family court order—part of custody award”

 Medical reasons “Blood clotting from estrogen” “Pain in binding large chest”

 Fertility reasons “We decided to have kids so [I] went back to testosterone long enough to bank sperm so we can do IVF [in vitro fertilization].”

 Pressure from a medical health professional “Parents took me to a region with hostile doctors.” “Medical supervisor at federal facility removed regional-approved treatment because I didn't fit his idea of ‘a gay man so gay [he] wants to be a woman so it's easier to sleep with men’ after I had identified as lesbian to him.”

 Pressure from a mental health professional “Mental health professional told me I am not transgender and thought I was just crazy.” “In those days you couldn't be diagnosed trans if you were also gay or lesbian.”

 Pressure from a parent “Moved home after college. Had to conform for parents.” “I was facing being pulled out of school by my family.”

 Pressure from the community or societal stigma “With the high level of transphobia that exist[s], life gets very lonely.” “I live in a very conservative place and was afraid for my safety.”

 Pressure from my employer “There are times when my current job requires me to present [as] female.”

 I had trouble getting a job “I flip flopped genders because of needed employment.”

 Military-related reasons “Military forced me to detransition while in service.”

 Pressure from friends or roommates “Staying with people I knew would harass me”

 Pressure from unspecified or nonparent family members “Visiting conservative extended family for the holidays” “I temporarily detransition during visits with my in laws.”

 Pressure from religion or a religious counselor “Religious pressure (Mormon)” “Pressure from religion”

 Pressure from school “School staff harassed and abused me daily for my gender expression.” “Exclusion by Peers in School, No Mechanism for Getting Preferred Name on School Rosters”

 Pressure from a spouse or partner “I began to really clearly identify as transgender … but I realized it was pushing my marriage apart. At the time, I decided to try living as my assigned gender and set these feelings aside, but they kept cropping back up.”

 Wanting to find a spouse or partner “My partner of 4 years and I split up and I felt that I would always be alone as a trans person.” “Difficult to find lovers, dates”

 Sexual or physical assault “Traumatized by corrective rape so recloseted” “I have become frightened of the police since being sexually molested by an officer.”

 Sports-related reasons “Playing competitive sports”

 Travel or relocation “North Dakota is not a friendly place for anyone outside the gender binary. When I go back home, I butch up.” “I was studying abroad in a country hostile to LGBTQ* people (Russia).”

 Unable to access gender-affirming hormones “Living in rural area, couldn't get hormones” “I lost access to HRT and stopped passing.”

Internal factors

 Psychological reasons “Wasn't emotionally ready, I was scared of my identity.” “Transition had to be put on hold due to mental health issues.” “suicide attempt”

 Uncertainty or doubt around gender “Unsure of my exact gender identity” “Thought I might have been wrong/confused”

 Fluctuations in identity or desire “My gender feels complicated and changing all the time.” “I enjoy having the ability to go back and forth between genders.”

Note: internal factors can be the result of external factors (e.g., self-doubt regarding one's gender identity in response to being persistently misgendered or rejected).

[englishstrawbie]

Station 19 7x05

And just like that, we're 100 episodes in and half way through season 7. 🥺 And it was a great episode!

It was always going to centre around Andy and her captaincy, and I love that she asked Maya to put her captain's pin on her. I know that people feel that the friendship isn't always depicted in the best way, but - for me - it's always been one of the most important relationships on the show. Maya is one of her biggest supporters and I'm glad that Maya is in a place where she can celebrate her friend's success without it hurting her, knowing what she lost when her own captaincy was taken away from her.

"There is no life to be lived in the ashes" ... I love this line.

Plus, Maya in her Class As. 🔥👌🏻

I'm not mad that Maya apologised to Beckett. If you rewatch the conversation between Maya and Ben in 6x11, Maya giving Beckett the bottle and the reasons behind it (regardless of her mental health), and the consequences of it, is something that has been weighing on her. Ben says to her: you can apologise for it when you're ready. It's been something that she wants and needs to do, and now she's ready.

What I hate... so much... is the lack of accountability for Beckett's actions. 🙄 The bullying, the hazing, and everything he did that contributed to Maya's breakdown. It's not all on him, but some of it is. We've only ever seen an apology from him to the group and there have never been any consequences on him. Yes, he has an addiction, and yes he deserves some compassion for that, but he also needs to be held accountable and Maya is owed an apology from him, too.

I'm glad they gifted us Doctor DeLuca in this episode and her "I wish you could have met your Zio Andrea, you would have loved him" hit me right in the feels. I love that they acknowledged that she's missing her family as she's growing her own.

Did they forget about the lawsuit already?

As someone pointed out on Twitter, the fact that Carina - an OB - didn't check her FSH levels before they started at home inseminations makes zero sense. 🤦🏼‍♀️ And I don't understand the point of giving them this extra challenge in the IVF process when they don't have time to tell the story. But at least they haven't destroyed her dream of carrying a child completely and it was a sweet scene. Maya's "I didn't want to have a family until you showed me what a family is" made my heart melt.

Vic's downward spiral is heartbreaking to watch and Barrett Doss is killing it every episode. Vic is someone who we know has grown up not talking about her feelings, she calls her parents out about it after their restaurant burns down in season 4. She lost Ripley, she lost Pruitt, she lost Dean, she lost Theo, now she's losing Crisis One. She needs to talk about it (I'm gutted that Diane won't be back this season to help her) and someone needs to wrap that woman into a big hug and tell her everything is going to be ok. Crisis One is one of the best things they have ever done for her character and I hope they find a way to save it.

[mariacallous]

Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker, who wrote the concurring opinion in last week’s explosive Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos have the same rights as living children, recently appeared on a show hosted by self-anointed “prophet” and QAnon conspiracy theorist.

Parker was the featured guest on “Someone You Should Know,” hosted by Johnny Enlow, a Christian nationalist influencer and devoted supporter of former President Donald Trump. Over the course of an 11-minute interview, Parker articulated a theocratic worldview at odds with a functioning, pluralistic society.

“God created government,” he told Enlow, adding that it’s “heartbreaking” that “we have let it go into the possession of others.”

Media Matters, the liberal media watchdog group, was the first to report on Parker’s appearance on the program.

That a state’s chief Supreme Court justice would associate himself with Enlow is a cause for alarm. Enlow is a prolific conspiracy theorist, often weaving QAnon apocrypha with prophecies he claims to receive directly from God.

As reported by Right Wing Watch, Enlow has claimed that Trump “is on assignment” from God to work with the angels Michael and Gabriel to take down George Soros and Bill Gates, among others; he has claimed that Russian President Vladamir Putin is fighting “Luciferian pedophiles” in Ukraine, in a battle to stop them from deploying vaccines and 5G that would turn people into transhumanist semi-robots; and he has claimed that the majority of other world leaders are “satanic” pedophiles who “steal blood” and “do sacrifices.”

Enlow’s interview with Parker was uploaded to Rumble, the alt-tech video platform, on the same day the Alabama Supreme Court issued its opinion that sent shockwaves throughout the reproductive rights community. The ruling, which makes fertility clinics liable in wrongful death lawsuits for harming or destroying an embryo, has already imperiled access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the state.

“Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God,” wrote Parker, a longtime anti-abortion advocate sometimes credited with building the legal framework to overturn Roe v. Wade. “Even before birth,” Parker added, “all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory.”

Parker used similar theological language in his interview with Enlow, thanking Enlow for promoting the “Seven Mountains” on his show. As HuffPost has reported before, the “Seven Mountains Mandate” is a doctrine at the core of the New Apostolic Reformation, an evangelical movement that believes in the supernatural, including the existence of modern-day apostles and prophets, and which is characterized by a belief in Christian dominionism. The Seven Mountains Mandate is the belief that Christians must conquer the “seven mountains” of societal influence — education, media, religion, family, business, entertainment and government — and force fundamentalist Christian values onto every part of American life, in order to pave the path for Christ’s return.

“As you’ve emphasized in the past, we’ve abandoned those Seven Mountains and they’ve been occupied by the opposite side,” Parker told Enlow, suggesting the chief justice is familiar with Enlow’s show. Enlow is a big proponent of the Seven Mountains Mandate, and maintains a far-right website with his wife called “Restore Seven.”

Parker also told Enlow that God is “equipping me with something for the very specific situation that I’m facing” as the Alabama chief justice.

Enlow, as noted by Media Matters, praised Parker and appeared mindful of not dragging the judge into even more controversial topics. He told Parker that he’s “in such a key place that we don’t want to have any conversations that hurt you in any kind of way, but we appreciate who you are, who you are in the kingdom.”

[blue-the-bluest]

Welcome to Ink Machine Chronicles!

Ink Machine Chronicles is a revised Bendy and Boris; The Quest for the Ink Machine series that was made by TheGreatRouge (Who we don't support in this account), I fixed the big mistakes and questions Rouge left out, I also combined my theories and hypotheses into one whole comic!

As you can see, my art and account is still under construction due to school and house issues, but I'll happily answer your questions if you have some about the revised comic. Ask appropriate and nice questions please!

I'll add in the info for no reason in particular

Benjamin "Bendy" Drew

Age: 16

Sex: [FTM] Male

Sexuality: Bi-curious

Parents: Mother - █████ ████ | Father - Joey Drew

Personal Connections: Boris (Best Friend) - Felix (Parental Figure)

Mental Issues: Lcheu's Genesis (Ink Illness) is a condition characterized by black pure eyes and it is caused by a curse. Lcheu's Genesis is also characterized by ink spilling out of the eyes, mouth and nose. | DID disorder (Dissociative identity disorder)

Background Info:

Born as a female, Changed into a male

Lived with Boris, Alice and the butcher gang for his whole life before escaping at the age of 14

Is a master thief and parkour climber

Was born by the blood of the Devil and Joey's soul

Is Street smart

Bennett "Boris" Drew

Age: 14

Sex: Male

Sexuality: Straight Ally

Parents: Mother - █████ ████ | Father - Joey Drew

Personal Connections: Bendy (Best Friend) - Felix (Parental Figure) - Mugman (Best Friend)

Mental Issues: Separation Anxiety | Selective Mutism

Background Info:

Was born by the blood of the Devil and Joey's soul

Inseparable to Bendy

A fast runner with his legs (can run in 4's but rather not)

Has sensitive hearing and an amazing sense of smell

Left the studio when he was 12

Consider Bendy as his older brother

Is Academically smarter

Maverick "Mugman" Inkwell

Age: 14

Sex: Male

Sexuality: Straight Ally

Parents: Mother: ████████ ███████ | Father - Black Hat

Personal Connections: Cuphead (Biological Brother) - Boris (Best Friend) - Felix (Parental Figure)

Mental Issues: ADHD

Background Info:

"Experiment #1034 is a controversial case of a young boy, known as “Maverick”, who was born in a laboratory as a result of being experimented on. The experiment was conducted by a team of scientists led by Professor Black Hat, who used in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology to create the child and his sibling. This experiment was extremely controversial, as it raised ethical and moral questions about the use of technology to create life, and it sparked a great deal of public debate."

Christian "Cuphead" Inkwell

Age: 17

Sex: [FTM] Male

Sexuality: Bisexual

Parents: Mother: ████████ ███████ | Father - Black Hat

Personal Connections: Mugman (Biological Brother) - Bendy (Friend) - Felix (Parental Figure)

Mental Issues: Bi-polar

Background Info:

"The birth of Experiment #1033, "Christine" was born in a laboratory, is an intriguing and concerning development in the field of science. Though the exact details of the experiments conducted on the girl are unknown, it is clear that the scientists involved in the project have had difficulty in controlling the girl’s behavior. She is reported to be aggressive towards the scientists, yet strangely calm when in the presence of Experiment #1034."

Felix Tom Sullivan

Age: 27

Sex: Male

Sexuality: Bi-curious

Parents: Father - Pat Tom Sullivan

Personal Connections: Bendy (son figure) - Boris (son figure) - Mugman (son figure) - Cuphead (son figure) - Oswald (Best friend) - Sheba (Cousin) - Inky & Winky (Nephews)

Mental Issues: Anger Issues | Depression | paranoia

Background Info:

Lived a poor life but an amazing imagination

Explored since he was 5 (ongoing)

Famous writer and Adventurer

Is the parent of the group

Once had a crush on Oswald but it died down (knowing it wasn't correct)

Academic and Street smart

Sheet Drawings will be posted soon!!! Feel free to ask questions!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 3, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 04, 2024

The election of 2000 was back in the news this week, when Nate Cohn of the New York Times reminded readers of his newsletter, using a map by data strategist and consultant Matthew C. Isbell, that the unusual butterfly ballot design in Palm Beach County that year siphoned off at least 2,000 votes intended for Democratic candidate Al Gore to far-right candidate Pat Buchanan. 

Those 2,000 votes were enough to decide the election, “all things being equal,” Cohn wrote. But of course, they weren’t equal: in 1998 a purge of the Florida voter rolls had disproportionately disenfranchised Black voters, making them ten times more likely than white voters to have their ballots rejected.

That ballot and that purge gave Republican candidate George W. Bush the electoral votes from Florida, putting him into the White House although he had lost the popular vote by more than half a million votes.

Revisiting the 2000 election reminds us that manipulating the vote through voter suppression or the mechanics of an election in even small ways can undermine the will of the people.  

A poll out today from the Associated Press/NORC showed that the vast majority of Americans agree about the importance of the fundamental principles of our democracy. Ninety-eight percent of Americans think the right to vote is extremely important, very important, or somewhat important. Only 2% think it is “not too important.” The split was similar with regard to “the right of everyone to equal protection under the law”: 98% of those polled thought it was extremely, very, or somewhat important, while only 2% thought it was not too important. 

Recent election results suggest that voters don’t support the extremism of the current Republican Party. In local elections in the St. Louis, Missouri, area on Tuesday, voters rejected all 13 right-wing candidates for school boards, and in Enid, Oklahoma, voters recalled a city council member who participated in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and had ties to white supremacist groups. 

Seemingly aware of the growing backlash to their policies, MAGA Republicans are backing away from them, at least in public. Earlier this year, Florida governor Ron DeSantis called for making it harder to ban books after a few activists systematically challenged dozens of books in districts where they had no children in the schools—although he blamed teachers, administrators, and “the news media” for creating a “hoax.” 

Today, lawyers for the state of Texas told a federal appeals court that state legislators might have gone “too far” with their immigration law that made it a state crime to enter Texas illegally and allowed state judges to order immigrants to be deported. (Mexico had flatly refused to accept deported immigrants from other countries under this new law.) Nonetheless, Arizona legislators have passed a similar bill—that Democratic governor Katie Hobbs refuses to sign into law—and are considering another measure that would allow landowners to threaten or shoot people who cross their property to get into the U.S.

Indeed, the extremists who have taken over the Republican Party seem less inclined to moderate their stances than either to pollute popular opinion or to prevent their opponents from voting. 

While Trump is hedging about his stance on abortion—after bragging repeatedly that he was the person responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade—MAGA Republicans have made their unpopular abortion stance even stronger. 

Emily Cochrane of the New York Times reported today that the hospital at the center of the decision by the Alabama state supreme court that embryos used for in vitro fertilization have the same rights and protections as children has ended its IVF services. And on Monday, Florida’s supreme court, which Florida governor Ron DeSantis packed with extremists, upheld a ban on abortion after 15 weeks and allowed a new six-week abortion ban—before most women know they’re pregnant—to go into effect in 30 days. 

In the past, people seeking abortions had gravitated to Florida because its constitution upheld the right to privacy, which protected abortion. But now the Florida Supreme Court has decided the constitution does not protect the right to abortion. Caroline Kitchener explained in the Washington Post that in the past, more than 80,000 women a year accessed abortion services in Florida. This ban will make it nearly impossible to get an abortion in the American South. 

Anya Cook, who in 2022 nearly died after she was denied an abortion under Florida’s 15-week ban, gave Kitchener a message for Florida women experiencing pregnancy complications: “Run,” she said. “Run, because you have no help here.”

Extremist Republicans have managed to put their policies into place not by winning a majority and passing laws through Congress, but by creating cases that they then take to sympathetic judges. This system, known as “judge shopping,” has so perverted lawmaking that on March 12 the Judicial Conference, the body that makes policy for federal courts, announced a new rule that any lawsuit seeking to overturn statewide or national policies would be randomly assigned among a larger pool of judges. 

On March 29, the chief judge of the Northern District of Texas, where many such cases are filed, told Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that he would not adhere to the new rules. 

Rather than moderating their stances, extremist Republicans are doubling down on their attempt to create dirt on the president. With their impeachment effort against President Joe Biden in embarrassing ruins, House Republicans are casting around for another issue to hurt the Democrats before the 2024 election. 

Jennifer Haberkorn of Politico reported today that in the last month, House Republican Committee chairs have sent almost 50 oversight requests to a variety of departments and agencies. Haberkorn noted that there is “significant political pressure on the party to produce results after months of promising it would uncover evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors involving Biden.”

But it is Trump, not Biden, who is in the news for questionable behavior. In The Guardian today, Hugo Lowell reported that Trump’s social media company was kept afloat in 2022 “by emergency loans provided in part by a Russian-American businessman under scrutiny in a federal insider-trading and money-laundering investigation.”

There is more trouble for the social media company in the news today, as two of its investors pleaded guilty to being part of an insider-trading scheme involving the company’s stock. They admitted they had secret, inside information about the merger between Trump Media and Digital World Acquisition Corporation and had used that insider information to make profitable trades. 

Meanwhile, Trump is suing Truth Social’s founders to force them out of leadership and make them give up their shares in the company. His is a countersuit to their lawsuit accusing him of trying to dilute the company’s stock. 

Of more immediate concern for Trump, Judge Juan Merchan denied yet another attempt by Trump—his eighth, according to prosecutors—to delay his election interference trial. The trial is scheduled to begin April 15.

Finally, in an illustration of extremists aiming not to moderate their stances but to impose the will of the minority on the majority, Republicans are putting in place rules to make it easier for individuals to challenge voters, removing them from the voter rolls before the 2024 election.

Marc Elias of Democracy Docket noted today that states and local governments have regular programs to keep voter registration accurate, while right-wing activists are operating on a different agenda. In one 70,000-person town in Michigan, a single activist challenged more than a thousand voters, Elias reported, and in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, right-wing activists have already challenged 16,000 voters and intend to challenge another 10,000.

One group boasted that their system “can and will change elections in America forever.” 

Rather like the election of 2000.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[tomorrowusa]

Smack down anybody talking about RFK Jr. as a serious politician. He's a longtime anti-vaxxer who plays footsie with the fringe right. He's currently trying to attract low information voters who know his name but who are unaware of his record.

As for that Kennedy name, he has been politically disowned by the rest of the extended Kennedy family. I'm unaware of any blood relative of his who is supporting him. Most of his siblings and cousins have endorsed Joe Biden and some have appeared in ads for Biden.

RFK Jr.'s position on abortion is dubious.

An abortion-rights group is attacking Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as extreme and unfit to serve over abortion rights, as the health issue takes focus in the presidential election. Reproductive Freedom for All Freedom Fund put out an ad Monday in Michigan and Wisconsin — two battleground states — looking to portray the independent candidate as indecisive and potentially threatening to a woman’s right to choose. The ad, which is targeting young voters, is set to run in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Madison, Wis., cities in two important swing states where Kennedy is angling to compete against President Biden and former President Trump. Both cities are home to major public universities, as well.  “He doesn’t know whether he’d support a national abortion ban, and he’s picked a vice president who won’t even protect IVF from MAGA attacks,” the ad says.  The spot also criticizes Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, who has been outwardly skeptical of IVF.

Only one candidate is campaigning to restore Roe.

Biden Blames Trump for Florida's 'Nightmare' Abortion Law

[filmforager]

Joy: Review

Not quite a bundle of joy

IVF was an incredible discovery that changed the lives of millions of women, as well as the world of science. It was a moment that required strong wills, risky decisions and plenty of unconventional thinking. Joy, the film about the key figures behind this discovery, has few of these qualities. Instead, it’s just a slight and charming film about a big moment in scientific history.

From the start, Joy seeks to illuminate the work of nurse Jean Purdy (Thomasin Mckenzie), whose contributions, until recently, were consigned to the dustbin of history. In 1970s Cambridge, Jean meets gifted scientist Robert Edwards (James Norton) and no-nonsense surgeon Patrick Steptoe (an ever-brilliant Bill Nighy), who put their minds together to create a solution for infertility amongst women. But their attempts soon catch the attention of the sceptical media, who christen ‘test tube babies’ an abomination against nature.  

After a slow start where the film struggles to find its rhythm, Joy finds its feet as a tale about renegades going against the system to fight for their beliefs. As the trio experiment with groups of brave infertile women, Joy takes on the feel of a plucky underdog story, with the leads making for enjoyable company. While Norton doesn’t really have much to do, there’s a nice interplay between Mckenzie and Nighy, as Jean confides about her own inability to conceive. Jean’s journey from detached scientist to an emotionally involved supporter of women is nicely played by Mckenzie, as is the inner conflict of being shunned by both her church and her god-fearing mother (a stubborn Joanna Scanlan).

Other elements of the film are a bit less effective. From director Ben Taylor, who worked on Sex Education, you can expect plenty of hilariously blunt descriptions of sex, mostly delivered by Nighy. But there’s also too much quickly delivered exposition about fertilisation that you won’t understand, and an obvious score that seems designed to elicit different emotions at different times. As it sticks closely to a familiar formula, few of the huge breakthrough moments really feel earned.

But while it might lack narrative verve, the strength of its subject matter just about pulls it through. It is most affecting when it focusses on the stories of mothers who don’t have the option to conceive, with their heart-breaking setbacks leading to some genuinely affecting scenes. Unfortunately, predictable storytelling prevents this from being an absolute joy.

Joy is a warm and frequently moving account of a miraculous moment in history, even if it lacks the narrative fireworks to truly spark to life.

★★★

[xluxlindsayx]

he held a gay wedding at his house. melania supports abortion, and trump believes in abortion exceptions (like rp and incest) and wants ivf to be covered by insurance or government. i'm so tired of you pathetic dipshits.

he's helped lots of black communities and that's why a lot of people of color voted for him.

he literally had jewish speakers at his rally, but sure, he's HiTlEr he's a NaZi.

google something and educate yourself instead of being a sheep and blindly believing everything the leftist freakshows tell you.

like he isn't perfect, but get your facts straight and stop over exaggerating shit. there are women actually struggling in other countries. there are countries where women can't even drive or wear what they want. like be so serious. it's getting fucking old.

also: when he said he was gonna give rich people tax cuts, HE WAS JOKING, it was taken out of context.

project 2025 is not even his btw. he said he does not agree with it. if you go to the project 2025 website and scroll to the bottom, it says it's run by some heritage foundation group. he has policies on his actual website. stop believing fake shit.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Oriana González at NOTUS:

Democrats thought having abortion rights on the ballot would put Republicans on the defensive, supercharge turnout and deliver victories like the ones they saw in 2022 after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Instead, Tuesday’s election results are empowering Republicans and anti-abortion activists to lean harder into an anti-abortion platform than they ever have before. Over the course of the campaign, Republicans repeatedly attempted to change their messaging: saying abortion is a state issue, trying to make a “pro-family” message and avoid talk of bans, claiming that there shouldn’t be a united GOP message, arguing that a personhood bill is not an abortion ban, focusing all of their reproductive health messaging on IVF and even borrowing terminology from the abortion rights movement.

But advocates hope that the election results empower Republicans. If the GOP gains control of the House, they’ll have a trifecta in Washington. It’s unclear exactly what would get through Congress, given the 60-vote threshold for legislation in the Senate and a likely narrow majority in the House, but the days of Republicans shying away from talking about abortion seem over. It’s unclear whether anti-abortion legislation would move up higher under the legislative priority, Speaker Mike Johnson’s office did not return a request for comment, but for longtime allies of the anti-abortion movement in Congress, they are happy their colleagues will be able to speak out more forcefully. GOP Rep. Mike Kelly, who has introduced a bill to federally ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy multiple times, told NOTUS that it is “absolutely” time for Republicans to be louder about their anti-abortion beliefs. “I don’t believe you should let a political, what some people think is a political advantage, be that way,” Kelly, who is not in a competitive district, said. “I am always going to vote for life.”

[...]

Data shows that abortion was not top of mind for most voters. Only 25% of voters said that abortion was the most important factor to their vote, with larger shares saying their biggest issues were the border (29%), free speech (31%), inflation (40%) and the future of democracy (50%), according to a KFF analysis of an Associated Press survey that polled over 115,000 voters nationally conducted between Oct. 28 and when the polls closed on Tuesday. Those numbers were even lower with independent voters, with 21% saying it was their most important issue. Democrats had hoped that abortion rights support would rally undecided voters to their side. Trump managed to neutralize the issue during the campaign. His most consistent abortion message this cycle was that it is up to the states, and Democratic strategists previously admitted to NOTUS that the president-elect’s messaging may have worked. At the same time, Trump managed to keep the anti-abortion movement in his corner, with groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Students for Life — both want to see a federal ban enacted — saying they made unprecedented investments in voter outreach efforts to turn people away from Kamala Harris.

[...] Anti-abortion advocates saw their biggest wins in years on Tuesday. Measures to protect abortion rights — in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota — failed for the first time since the Dobbs decision. Nebraska also became the first state to have an anti-abortion measure win at the ballot box since then.

“If the playing field is evened by pro-life elected officials fighting back, life wins. Abortion activists’ lies do not prevail when Republicans devote money and messaging to the truth,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. She said Republicans should follow Gov. Ron DeSantis’ example, saying that he “did not back down” and “traveled across the state” to speak with voters about his opposition to Florida’s abortion rights initiative (although most Florida voters supported the measure). She also thanked Sen. Pete Ricketts, who backed Nebraska’s anti-abortion measure, and Rep. Dusty Johnson in South Dakota, who “ran ads and sent mailers” to voters saying the abortion rights referendum went too far.

Abortion rights measures largely passed on Tuesday Night in several states; however, Donald Trump’s win, the GOP flipping the Senate, and the House likely narrowly staying GOP has emboldened anti-abortion activists.