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u/steffie-punk

r/50501 r/PoliticalOptimism
▲ 134 r/PoliticalOptimism

Supreme Court Recap: The State of LGBTQ+ Rights

Hey all. It’s been a minute since I’ve been online here. I had a severe mental health collapse back in February and took a bit of a hiatus. I’m going to slowly comeback online but it won’t be immediate. As many of you know I am a trans woman, I also have a trans child. Today’s Supreme Court decision is devastating and so I am actively working to move out of the reddish state I’m in to one with more protections. I know how hurt many of you feel. So I’m sharing a link to GladLaw’s LGBTQ state of the union. You’ll be able to hear allies speak and ways to move forward and how we can keep fighting for a better future for trans rights. Please take care of yourselves today.

gladlaw.org
u/steffie-punk — 6 days ago
▲ 110 r/PoliticalOptimism

This Is For the Trans People Who Feel Like the Entire World Is Against Them

Sharing this in response to someone looking for resources regarding hope for trans people, but thought it would be best as its own post.

Also, hi, if you all don’t know who I am, I’m one of the mods here and an out trans woman. I’ve been taking a long needed break but hope to be back on the subreddit more regularly again soon.

open.substack.com
u/steffie-punk — 2 months ago
▲ 66 r/PoliticalOptimism

Star Wars is a fascinating franchise. What started with a movie that took inspiration from sci-fi serials, samurai movies, World War Two films, and westerns has grown to be one of the most well known franchises and fandoms in the modern world. The movies and shows range from love letters to story telling, to political critiques that feel extremely relevant to today. It is these critiques that have had me returning to Star Wars quite regularly since the 2024 election.

It often feels like we are living through the rise of the empire at the end of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. The ICE raids in Minneapolis looked like scenes out of Andor. We watch as the shadow of hate and fascism take a strangle hold on the country that we live in. It’s heartbreaking. There is a quote made by Obi-Wan Kenobi was everywhere online after the 2024 election,

>"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic, have fallen with a dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi. Trust in The Force. Do not return to the Temple... that time has past. And our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged. Our trust. Our faith. Our friendships. But we must persevere. And in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you, always."

These words rang true to many, but also feel hollow. When faced with the idea that we would be fighting an empire of unlimited power, holding to hope feels worthless.

In Star Wars, there is about twenty-three years between the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Empire, and the Empire’s fall. That’s a long time. That’s the timeline I imagined we’d have to carry. Twenty years of growing right wing power and the loss of our freedoms to fascist control. I was wrong. 2025 showed that people are ready to fight. That this isn’t a time where people are lying down. We’ve had wins, we’ve had losses; but the fight continues. I think about Minneapolis. The Rebel Loon symbol that became a standard flown and worn by those who saw this moment for what it is. Our time to fight.

Stories don’t map cleanly onto real life. I wish they did. It would make life easier to understand. But, stories do give us reference points. They give us something to hold to. They give us hope; and rebellions are built on hope (Jyn Erso, Rogue One).

May the force be with you all as we continue to stand and fight for a better future and a better world.

reddit.com
u/steffie-punk — 2 months ago
▲ 238 r/PoliticalOptimism

Recent generic polls are showing democrats with a strong lead in the generic ballot. This does put house seats in play across the country, even with gerrymandering

u/steffie-punk — 2 months ago
▲ 66 r/PoliticalOptimism

The title stings a bit after the events of Wednesday, but please remember, sometimes they get things right. Also if you aren’t already following KB Brookins Substack for queer news that doesn’t suck I definitely recommend it. He does great work putting these together each week.

u/steffie-punk — 2 months ago
▲ 229 r/PoliticalOptimism

Gerrymandering won’t stop shifts elsewhere. Keep an eye on all the races, because things aren’t as permanent as they feel

u/steffie-punk — 2 months ago
▲ 197 r/PoliticalOptimism

Here are some responses by advocacy groups regarding the SCOTUS ruling today. We are all devastated but the fight does continue. We made it out of the Jim Crow era, we made it out of slavery. We will make it through this too.

NAACP response

>"Today's decision is a devastating blow to what remains of the Voting Rights Act, and a license for corrupt politicians who want to rig the system by silencing entire communities. The Supreme Court betrayed Black voters, they betrayed America, and they betrayed our democracy. This ruling is a major setback for our nation and threatens to erode the hard-won victories we've fought, bled, and died for. But the people still can fight back. Our best defense and offense is the ballot box, and we're going to turn out voters for the midterm elections to make sure we can elect representatives who look out for us. Our democracy is crying for help."

ACLU of Louisiana

>"Today’s decision is a significant setback for our multiracial democracy. By gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Court has undermined one of the last remaining tools that protected voters from racial discrimination in redistricting,” said Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. “This cruel decision is a devastating blow to Black and brown Louisiana voters, who have fought for decades to see their voices fairly represented. By stripping away Section 2 protections, the court leaves communities here vulnerable to maps that dilute their political power and undermine the hard-won promise of a multiracial democracy. But on the ground in Louisiana, we remain committed to protecting every voter’s right to participate and ensuring that our communities are not silenced."

Human Rights Campaign

>“Today’s Supreme Court ruling allows extremists to continue undercutting critical, hard-fought protections like the Voting Rights Act and threatens the fundamental promise at the heart of our democracy: that every voter deserves an equal voice in electing their government. Any attempt to silence the vote of even one American hurts all 300 million of us. 

>“Of course, none of this is new. Thankfully, neither is the fight to shape a more perfect union. For generations, communities have navigated attempts to silence their electoral power, and civil rights leaders have never stopped pushing our country closer to its ideals. As we approach the midterm elections, HRC is committed to mobilizing across the country, showing up for pro-equality candidates, and fighting for the kind of democracy we all deserve.”

From Martin Luther King JR [T]he world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some strange way, are responding.

u/steffie-punk — 2 months ago