by Jenn Fang

This story was originally published at Prism.

Texas’ abortion ban, known as State Bill 8, is by far the harshest in the nation and has already all but eliminated abortion access in Texas. With an estimated nearly 250,000 Asian American adults who identify as female residing in the state, the ban is certain to disproportionately impact their communities. While the ban now faces a legal challenge from the U.S.

Dave Rubin is a political commentator and talk show host who appears on YouTube and BlazeTV, a conservative network that also hosts famed Algonquin Diaper-Changing Station members Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, and, erm, one of those Duck Dynasty dudes. You know, the one with the shitty beard. No, not the shitty Rip Van Winkle beard. The other one. The one that looks like a rent-by-the-hour motel for boisterously horny sea otters. You know, that  guy.

Around 2,000 health care workers at South Buffalo Mercy Hospital are on strike after weeks of negotiations left them without a deal. The workers’ own health care costs are at issue, as are staffing ratios to ensure the best care of patients. There’s an important point made in the tweets below:

My wife gets the travel nurse notices for these kinds of gigs. The pay is insane to scab.

Hello Friday people! This week, like the last week, and the one before that, and the one before that has been filled with the disappointing scent of eau de Manchinema. The consequences of having had four years of an administration hell-bent on raiding the coffers and obliterating the public trust in our democracy are hurdles we must continue to overcome on the march toward progress.

While Texas having an official state book may seem a little like Wisconsin naming an official nonalcoholic beer and vegan goat cheese, at least the state is trying to encourage reading. Officials should probably ease into it, though. Maybe start with an official “back of a Cocoa Pebbles box” or an official misspelled, ungrammatical neck tattoo?

That’s not to say everyone in Texas is less than well-read, of course.

In a rare joint statement issued this week, four United Nations (U.N.) agencies appealed on “countries in the Americas” to “uphold the fundamental human rights of Haitians” and urged nations to “refrain” from deporting vulnerable people “without proper assessment of their individual protection needs.” 

“The U.N.

On Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, former President Jimmy Carter turned 97. The oldest living American president spent the day at home. President Joe Biden offered up this salutation: “Happy 97th Birthday to my dear friend, President Jimmy Carter. A humble servant of God. A beacon of light and moral clarity. A leader of extraordinary character, honor, and integrity. @FLOTUS and I send our love to you and Rosalynn on this special day.

One of the simplest and most fundamental ways to respect a trans person in your life—whether they’re family, friends, coworkers, or someone you’re just meeting for the first time—is to use the correct name and pronouns. Using the correct name and pronouns is just as important as, say, pronouncing or spelling someone’s name correctly. It’s not a matter of “opinion” or “comfort” but of being accurate, respectful, and frankly, correct.