Texas isn't a red state. It's a state held hostage by gerrymandering and voter suppression. Hell, earlier this week they announced they're shutting down half the voting centers in Tarrant County (that's Fort Worth, 2.2 million people) and kicked everyone out of the hearing who wanted to comment.

John DeVore@johndevore.bsky.social · 8h ago

This is a sentimental essay about politics, which I know isn't the fashion, and yet the editors at @newrepublic.com let me write something personal about the Lone Star State. Link in the replies.

his name is pastor Adam Hamilton pastor Adam Hamilton there's a million votes he hasn't got but just you wait, just you wait

Democrats@democrats.org · 20h ago

HUGE: Adam Hamilton has won the Kansas Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Onward to November!

Just a reminder that Flock is owned by a close personal friend of Epstein & that they are not only on roads, they're in parks, on college campuses, pointed directly at schools, public pools and splash pads. They're not tracking cars, they're tracking kids. It's evil. maps.deflock.org?lat=39.8283&...

If you are going to Disneyland, buy ears (check the party favors) and shirts etc at a local store and present them to your group when you arrive. Cheaper = lighter weight and more predictable fit = more comfortable.

Elizabeth Picciuto@epicciuto.bsky.social · 2d ago

What is your favorite example of when the cheap version of a product is legit better than the expensive one?

Maybelline mascara is just as good as or even better than a lot of its more expensive equivalents.

Elizabeth Picciuto@epicciuto.bsky.social · 2d ago

What is your favorite example of when the cheap version of a product is legit better than the expensive one?

yeah, it's too much for them. not only the admission of error & being wrong; that awareness & knowledge insists on women having a right of consent. & they refuse women the right to consent across the board. one day, historical perspective may purge such common behavioral traits from cultural norms

After opening prayers, listening agreements, and check ins, we listened together to a song from Audrey Assad's first album, “Breaking Through."

Breaking Through

YouTube video by Audrey Assad - Topic

youtube.com

And for our lectio divina practice, we read an excerpt from our beloved Rachel Held Evans’s recently-published book of essays, Braving the Truth. Thank you to @jennadewitt.bsky.social for choosing the song and text, creating the graphic, and reading so beautifully for us tonight. 🙏🏼❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

I'm going to alienate some people now. Abortion is a critical part of gynecological care. Full stop. Hormonal birth control is used by many individuals simply to regulate difficult menstrual cycles. Legislators who don't understand the minutiae of reproductive biology should SHUT THE FUCK UP.

That would require awareness and acceptance of the concept that women are fully human people with medical conditions and concerns that do not revolve around making babies for these men.

David Bowman@dlbowman76.com · 2d ago

I'm going to alienate some people now. Abortion is a critical part of gynecological care. Full stop. Hormonal birth control is used by many individuals simply to regulate difficult menstrual cycles. Legislators who don't understand the minutiae of reproductive biology should SHUT THE FUCK UP.

Blake Lively's Shocking Sarcasm

Alt: Blake Lively's Shocking Sarcasm

static.klipy.com

Ben Schwarz@benschwarz.bsky.social · 3d ago

Australia’s eSafety commissioner buried a report (released Friday afternoon) that shows the under 16 social media ban didn’t tangibly reduce teen social media use, and also resulted in parents tuning out of kids usage. We traded our privacy for no reason. theconversation.com/more-than-80...

Aro and ace spectrum queer Christians have made enough of an impact that now we are causing a problem… we are queering queer liberation itself. open.substack.com/pub/invisibl...

Queering queer liberation

Getting free from the Sides without re-creating the hierarchy cage.

open.substack.com

If this sounds fake or impossible, I can genuinely help. I can't make you care, but I can give you ideas of how to make yourself care.

Jarod K. Anderson@jarodkanderson.bsky.social · 2d ago

"Small talk" is only "small" if you don't actually care about the subject. It is perfectly natural to invest interest in the little details of our lives and days.

I saw yesterday that some right-wing outlets were running stories about me, which I’m used to. But this time I’m going to say something about it, because these were framed to imply that I was aligned with their own transphobia. ⬇️

So sick of people implementing ai when what they need is just a standard form Please just use a form! You ask the same questions every time! A form is easier and faster!

The last interview in my summer series is now on Substack. Get to know a-spectrum Christians: Blue Ice-Tea, ace writer, blogger, and film critic. I'll have a round-up list of the whole series for easy linking and sharing purposes soon! open.substack.com/pub/invisibl...

Get to know a-spectrum Christians: Blue Ice-Tea

"The older I get, the more I feel the need for faith in my life. I hope that, as churches become more welcoming and inclusive places, more people will feel comfortable staying in them."

open.substack.com

This essay Jenna wrote is a profoundly important bit of wisdom and analysis for everyone but especially for everyone who is interested in my proposed new taxonomy. Please give it a read.

Jenna DeWitt (she/her)@jennadewitt.bsky.social · 4d ago

@billieiswriting.bsky.social posted about a new chart that expands beyond "Side A" and "Side B", so naturally my entire Saturday became devoted to neurodivergent special interest rambling, complete with an array of imperfect metaphors and scribbles on screenshots. open.substack.com/pub/invisibl...

You probably aren't an atheist Because at least you long for a better world The men dressed in suits who flung the name of Jesus around while raping the innocent, though.... They never believed in any God but themselves.

@billieiswriting.bsky.social posted about a new chart that expands beyond "Side A" and "Side B", so naturally my entire Saturday became devoted to neurodivergent special interest rambling, complete with an array of imperfect metaphors and scribbles on screenshots. open.substack.com/pub/invisibl...

Queering queer liberation

Getting free from the Sides without re-creating the hierarchy cage.

open.substack.com

Thank you Mae! I want to make this as accurate and helpful as I can so I hope every LGBTQIA+ Christian person will consider giving it a read, taking the quiz, and maybe even providing some feedback!

They Call Me Doctor Mae@dr-maeforrest.bsky.social · 4d ago

It is time! If you are a faithful Christian who wants to take seriously what it means to understand LGBTQIA+ people and their role in faith, my friend @billieiswriting.bsky.social has devised a new spectrum/axis. Much better than Side A/B. open.substack.com/pub/billieis...

i stopped thinking about the block button as “you are a bad person and i am punishing you” and more as ”there are functionally infinite people to talk to online and you are taking up space in my consciousness that someone interesting could occupy”

Thank you for making this! In Gmail on my android phone, the workspace smart features options were under the Gmail menu dropdown (hamburger menu icon) < settings gear icon < my account name rather than the general settings if that helps anyone.

jessamyn@librarian.bsky.social · 5d ago

I work at a public library. People who want to use AI seem to have no trouble doing so. People who don't want to use AI have a harder time. I crowdsourced and then finalized this document "How to disable or avoid intrusive AI" and then gave it a short URL: notoai.org Please pass along if it's useful

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

jessamyn@librarian.bsky.social · 5d ago

I work at a public library. People who want to use AI seem to have no trouble doing so. People who don't want to use AI have a harder time. I crowdsourced and then finalized this document "How to disable or avoid intrusive AI" and then gave it a short URL: notoai.org Please pass along if it's useful

I think the thing pissing me off the most about the Hank Green AI thing is that, like, his channel is large enough to hire researchers. Baby, there are thousands of underemployed neurodivergent girls just waiting to dive into yet another rabbit hole!!!

I am convinced that the time has come for LGBTQIA+ Christians to move (with gratitude) behind the Side A, Side B, Side X taxonomy, so I am proposing a new one. Please take a look at my thought proposal and let me know what you think! open.substack.com/pub/billieis...

Moving Beyond "Sides" Language

My proposal for a new LGBTQIA+ Christian Taxonomy

open.substack.com

Get to know a-spectrum Christians: Blue Ice-Tea "The older I get, the more I feel the need for faith in my life. I hope that, as churches become more welcoming and inclusive places, more people will feel comfortable staying in them. " invisiblecakesociety.com/2026/07/31/g...

Get to know a-spectrum Christians: Blue Ice-Tea

The older I get, the more I feel the need for faith in my life. I hope that, as churches become more welcoming and inclusive places, more people will feel comfortable staying in them.

invisiblecakesociety.com

I think we actually do need to start treating obsessive LLM use as addiction. And I hope @hankgreen.bsky.social works with an addiction counselor to help. I am very serious. The parallels are striking.

the nyt and the atlantic are cited all over the heritage foundation bills. rowling is nearly single-handedly funding gc legal challenges in the uk. this isn’t “i got my feelings hurt” it’s “it’s legal to discriminate against me in very important ways”

just said this on another post but it bears repeating: the thing about continuing to give money to any jk rowling properties or the nyt is not that they’re shitty about trans people, which they are. it is that both of these entities MATERIALLY CONTRIBUTE to the legal challenges to trans rights