Julia Métraux
@juliametraux.bsky.social
30K followers 1.3K following 5.7K posts
Disability Reporter @ Mother Jones • [email protected] • She/her • Berkeley Journalism alum • Signal: @juliametraux.49 Author page: https://www.motherjones.com/author/julia-metraux/ Free monthly newsletter: bit.ly/3Ee9lRO
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juliametraux.bsky.social
Re-introducing myself 👋

I'm @motherjones.com's disability reporter, where I cover politics as it relates to disability. I am also chronically ill/disabled myself.

You can get in contact with me at [email protected] or via Signal: juliametraux.49
juliametraux.bsky.social
As a sick person, that story truly makes me see red when I think of it. As Oliver highlights, disabled people being affected by starvation is a symptom of mass starvation, not a separate thing.
juliametraux.bsky.social
I really appreciate how John Oliver said that arguments of whether Palestinian sick kids' starvation is legit starvation is an argument people in hell would be having. This was a focus of a Free Press article.
oliviamesser.bsky.social
In which John Oliver methodically unpacks how thin it is to claim you’re all about “the truth” when you’re only running essays don’t get properly fact-checked — and don’t hold up to even basic reporting scrutiny www.youtube.com/watch?v=gieT...
Bari Weiss: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
YouTube video by LastWeekTonight
www.youtube.com
Reposted by Julia Métraux
mariannedhe.bsky.social
I'm in @newrepublic.com today, covering how Trump’s grant terminations and new ideological funding conditions are hurting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Cancelled grants include those for emergency housing and interpretation services for deaf and hard-of-hearing survivors.
Trump’s DOJ Cuts Are a Disaster for Sexual Violence Survivors
The administration has slashed funding and wants to implement ideological conditions on grants for programs that both support survivors and prevent these crimes in the first place.
newrepublic.com
juliametraux.bsky.social
One RIF-ed employee, who worked on IDEA funding and requested anonymity, told me that the layoffs of people handling money for disabled students “was a shock to everyone” and “not something we have ever discussed as a division.”
juliametraux.bsky.social
“I am concerned [that] without the staff to distribute funds, they will not get to the states and local districts, creating a shortfall that will harm students with disabilities,” said @michaelgilberg.bsky.social, a special education attorney.
juliametraux.bsky.social
“We need the adults to follow what the law requires of them,” Katy Neas of @thearcus.bsky.social said, “and we need the government to be funded in a way that it can meet its obligations to these kids and families.”
juliametraux.bsky.social
“This is absolutely a violation of federal law.”

For @motherjones.com, I reported about how reduction-in-forces in the Office of Special Education Programs will lead to disabled kids' needs not being met, as funding may not be distributed. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump's new layoffs hurt disabled kids
"This is absolutely a violation of federal law."
www.motherjones.com
juliametraux.bsky.social
Omg, over 30k of you follow me. To celebrate, I will continue being annoying and weird.
juliametraux.bsky.social
I do not have the connections locally there to do such a story justice. I hope the Texas Tribune/Barbed Wire is on it.
juliametraux.bsky.social
Though don't expect something super indepth from me this week. I am trying to be kind to myself and take a Wednesday-Friday vacation.
juliametraux.bsky.social
Disabled kid on an IEP then 504 to disabled journalist reporting for duty 🫡
ericmgarcia.bsky.social
Some disabled journalists to follow amid the gutting of OSERS:
@slooterman.bsky.social @juliametraux.bsky.social and @bethhawkins.bsky.social (among others)
Reposted by Julia Métraux
inquirer.com
Every day at noon, no matter how busy, Johny Merida Aguilar left his construction job and hurried to his 5-year-old son's school to feed him. His son has brain cancer and generally only accepts food from his father.

Merida Aguilar was arrested by ICE in September and faces deportation to Bolivia.
He was caring for his 5-year-old son with brain cancer. Then he was detained by ICE.
A court has temporarily blocked Johny Merida Aguilar's deportation to Bolivia.
www.inquirer.com
Reposted by Julia Métraux
diplomatofnight.com
Indeed. The issue is not "Jews are white and Palestinians are brown" the issue is the state of Israel, defined constitutionally as a Jewish state in its political, legal, and social character is as a result explicitly exclusionary and creates 2nd and 3rd tiers of life. It is racial, just arbitrary.
dov.bsky.social
What it means is quite literally that you can, in fact, find people of physical traits you wouldn't expect in almost every ethnic group in the world. There are Saudis who are natural blondes and Finns whose grandparents were all born there who are remarkably swarthy. It just happens.
Reposted by Julia Métraux
newrepublic.com
His slip of the tongue reveals who’s really in charge. trib.al/AoXcgAq

“Illinois governor says we’re provoking actions that are unlawful,” Miller said on CNN. “If I put federal law enforcement and National Guard into a nice sleepy Southern town, is anyone gonna riot?”
juliametraux.bsky.social
I've seen a mix of both. Even if not perfect, it's good that news reporters on in the weekend are jumping to initial coverage, which is never the most comprehensive (well, most of the time). I'm not going to promise to have comprehensive coverage either bc I'm off Wed-Fri for vacation purposes.
juliametraux.bsky.social
I think some people are frustrated there aren't more articles on this vs. other stories, but there would be more coverage on this IMO by existing reporters if this happened on a Monday. I also could be reacting the way I am due to being incredibly burned out.
juliametraux.bsky.social
I'm off Wed-Fri so it won't be the most detailed but will have something but aiming to have something out tomorrow
juliametraux.bsky.social
Anyway, some of us are truly doing our best but I also need non-work time as a chronically ill person (this is not a subpost of people who flagged the news from me, it's just a reflection of some posts I've been seeing).
juliametraux.bsky.social
I am trying to source a story on this on a Sunday for the first time when I'm not scheduled to be working. The news cycle is hard on us.
juliametraux.bsky.social
I've seen posts expressing frustration that Department of Education/disability stuff firings isn't in the news. Some places have covered it, but I encourage people to recognize that journalists are humans who can't do everything on the weekend when we need to rest.