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samantha riedel

@samanthawrites.net

1.3K followers 460 following 800 posts

very tired word girl @them.us | member, @transjournalists.org pic by @phobia.bsky.social | banner by @jukeboxcomix.bsky.social Signal (for confidential tips): sriedel.90

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · Apr 10

hi freaks! I'm Samantha Riedel. I write about transgender politics, art, & culture, mostly for @them.us. after a decade I think I almost have the hang of it...!

my website: samanthawrites.net
irregular newsletter: samanthaistyping.beehiiv.com/subscribe
latest Them work: www.them.us/contributor/...

samantha riedel is typing...

The online home of journalist and essayist Samantha Riedel. If you're reading this, it's already too late.

samanthawrites.net

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WillaWisp @theghostofdeadfutures.neocities.org · 7h

Rolling Stone publishing a story about how Long Covid is real while ending remote work is definitely something

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Preeti Chhibber @runwithskizzers.bsky.social · 2h

do the journalists who were being shitty about masking the other day want to comment or

Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 14h

Long Covid Is Real — And It’s Changing an Entire Generation

Hundreds of thousands of kids in America are struggling with an illness that many doctors and schools refuse to recognize.e

Feature: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...

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libby watson @libbycwatson.com · 6h

digital media is dying not because it’s a bad way to cover the news or people don’t care about the news but because the people who now own these sites are increasingly 1) uninterested in covering the news as opposed to turning a profit 2) ignorant of what covering the news requires

Tim Dickinson @timdickinson.bsky.social · 9h

2. Rolling Stone is owned by a large media conglomerate, which is ending remote work across its brands.

My home is Portland, Oregon, ~1,000 miles from the nearest office, so this marks the end of the line for me at RS.

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 6h

hi grant, the aliens from the fifth dimension here, we promise we aren't living inside the machine that turns water into misinformation and you don't need to pray to it

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 6h

“I was married, but I’m not married anymore. Women don’t like the vehicle.”

panel from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #130 (Gerry Conway, Ross Andru, Frank Giacoia, Petra Goldberg, Art Simek). In a workshop, Human Torch and Spider-Man look at the completed Spider-Mobile, a four-wheeler with Spider-Man's costume.

Torch: "...And take a long look at...the SPIDER-MOBILE!"
Spidey: "Now's that's what I call a fiasco."

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 10h

in the interest of owning one's mistakes, I made a small one in this piece -- James Esses is a fellow at the Center, not a faculty member proper!

Kaufmann still sucks tho

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 1d

breaking: "anti woke" academia fails at basic data analysis; matt walsh is a dope

www.them.us/story/eric-k...

Right-Wingers Celebrate Flawed Study Claiming a "Decline" in Trans Identity

One data scientist called the report “dead on arrival” over its inaccuracies.

www.them.us

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Orion Rummler @oriion.bsky.social · 12h

The fight against female genital mutilation is being co-opted by anti-trans activists, hindering urgent laws from being passed.

And as the White House and Republicans falsely conflate FGM with gender-affirming care, it’s only getting worse.

New reporting from @jazzmyth.bsky.social and myself

Anti-trans policies aren't preventing genital mutilation — they're disrupting efforts to stop it

The bipartisan movement against female genital mutilation and cutting is being co-opted by anti-trans activists, hindering urgent laws from being passed.

19thnews.org

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Melissa Gira Grant @melissagiragrant.com · 1d

may be more relevant as a vibe shift than as policy shift—because decrim requires changes to state laws, and also because there will be no meaningful decrim in NYC with the NYPD we have. I would be asking a lot more re: how he'd get the NYPD to abide *any* policy change he wants to make

Peter Sterne @petersterne.com · 1d

In the past, Zohran Mamdani has supported full decriminalization of sex work (which is undoubtedly the leftist position). But he's been harshly criticized by social conservatives for that position, and now his campaign suggests he may be open to the Nordic model. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/n...

“Criminalizing clients, friends, family and allies of sex workers makes it extraordinarily difficult for them to meaningfully participate in public life, including paying rent, earning a living or even walking down the street,” he wrote in a questionnaire when running for re-election in 2022.

He also said in the survey that he opposed the “Nordic model,” legislation that would prohibit arresting prostitutes themselves while allowing clients to be detained and charged.

Asked if Mr. Mamdani still opposes that approach, Dora Pekec, his campaign spokeswoman, said the campaign was still weighing the advice of policy experts and advocates.

Mr. Mamdani cosponsors several bills to decriminalize prostitution, none of which have advanced out of committee. One would have repealed “statutes that criminalize sex work between consenting adults, but keep laws relating to minors or trafficking.”

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 1d

PHOBES HOLY SHIT

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 1d

there are a lot of reasons why eric kaufmann's study is abject nonsense, as many others have pointed out already, but imo it's hard to beat "the weighted data directly contradicts this report's conclusion"

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 1d

breaking: "anti woke" academia fails at basic data analysis; matt walsh is a dope

www.them.us/story/eric-k...

Right-Wingers Celebrate Flawed Study Claiming a "Decline" in Trans Identity

One data scientist called the report “dead on arrival” over its inaccuracies.

www.them.us

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Dorothy @catandgirl.bsky.social · 1d

Cat and Girl vs the Merfolk

Cat and Girl walk down a bust street. Splash! Girl wades into the water. "How long have we been wet?" Cat asks. "Always-", replies Girl, "you weren't paying attention." "I guess I just got used to it" says Cat. "Is it getting deeper? Should we worry"? They wade further in. "It's OK," says Girl, "class is fluid." "I should have brought galoshes," Cat says. "Personal responsibility can only go so far" replies Girl. "It's all we can do to keep our own heads above water." "What's below the water," Cat wonders. "I should have brought my scuba gear" Girl says. "Personal responsibility can only go so far" says Cat. BUB BUB BUB, he sticks his head in the water. "Eventually the layers of sediment," Girl says, "hardens into caste." "WOW you don't want to be in there" says Cat. The water arounds them hardens, and they are stick in place. They look at the wasteland around them. A hand with a coffee cup peeks out of the newly hardened ground. A hat sits on a mound. "Looks OK up here" Girl says. Cat looks over - "Ooooh free hat!"

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More Carta @morecarta.bsky.social · 4d

I am fundraising for an anonymous friend, who is a trans sex worker and POC. They are at risk of losing custody of their children. Please, please donate. This is a situation that is painful and scary beyond description.

PLEASE SHARE GRAPHICS WIDELY

🫂 www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-... 🫂

URGENT NEED! HELP KEEP FAMILY TOGETHER, DONATE NOW!

We are raising funds for a pillar of our community: a trans sex worker of color who is at risk of losing custody of their children. While their lawyers are confident they can win this discriminatory case, funds are needed by February 2026. We believe they should no longer have to face this on their own, which is why we are asking for your support.

Goal: $50,000

https://www.gofundme.com/help-keep-family-together-urgent

Venmo: carta-monir
Cashapp: $cartamonir

Send donations with a red heart emoji to ensure funds are redirected to this SWER

We are raising funds for a beloved community member; a trans sex worker of color who is at risk of losing custody of their children. For their safety and privacy they must remain anonymous, but this is a pillar of our community, loved and verified by those of us running this fundraiser.

Our friend is facing a trial in February regarding the custody of their young children. The case against them is based on the fact that their primary form of income is sex work. Notably, the judge of the initial custody arrangement ruled that their job was not reason enough to restrict their parenting time years ago. Because of this precedent, their lawyer feels very confident they will win their upcoming case.

To defend their rights to parent their own children, our friend needs to raise $75,000 by February 2026. This staggering amount of money is required by the court to cover the costs associated with a two day trial (lawyers fees, expert witnesses, the court reporter, depositions, creation of trial binders, the list goes on). If they cannot secure these funds by the February deadline, they will be forced to settle, resulting in severely reduced interaction with their children. We obviously do not want this to happen.

Our friend has provided for themself and their children for years, fighting their custody battle in private while continuing to be an incredible parent, friend, and educator. They can no longer face this by themselves, which is why we are asking for your support.

In our current political climate, we know that our friend's situation is especially precarious. This is a crucial moment to show solidarity with a community member who needs it more than ever.

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 2d

In fairness, we don't know that this wasn't the eventual plan for later games since things were kept so vague for sequel bait purposes

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 3d

This is a much better angle than "kett bad"

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 3d

well I romanced jaal and I'm here to say
I agree with Nikki in a major way

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Gillian Branstetter @gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 3d

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy passed away today according to the House of GG. She was a veteran of the Stonewall rebellion and a lifelong organizer for the safety and dignity of trans people, sex workers, and the incarcerated. She came from the same generation and milieu as Marsha and Sylvia. She was 78.

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 5d

both teams can resummon their starting pitcher from GY by tributing two infielders

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 7d

big galerider energy

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 7d

sliver hive rise up :3

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Melissa Gira Grant @melissagiragrant.com · 8d

the rule of law is a system meant to maintain white innocence

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Corinne Green @ket.bsky.social · 9d

horrific whiplash in PR, which just several years ago was explicitly affirming our care had to be covered. but already this year PR enacted a criminal ban up to age 21 w/ a 15yr prison sentence, and now this. here's the donation page if you're able to pitch in:
www.trueselffoundation.org/donar/

BOUTHERN EQUALITY

kytranshealth and 3 others

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SUPPORT TRANS PUERTO RICANS

We learned a few days ago that on 10/6, Medicaid in Puerto Rico will stop covering all medications used for gender-affirming care.

True Self Foundation has established an emergency fund to cover the cost of GAC for trans Puerto Ricans, but they need more funding to meet the vast need.

The link to donate is in the KHJN Trans Health page bio.

Trans people in Puerto Rico are facing an unprecedented crisis. This Medicaid announcement comes just months after a ban on gender-affirming care for anyone under 21 was signed into law.

True Self Foundation is assisting trans youth + their families as well as trans adults. Donate to provide direct support to trans people in Puerto Rico.

The link to donate is in the KHJN Trans Health page bio.

kytranshealth: We learned a few days ago that on 10/6, Medicaid in Puerto Rico will stop covering all medications used for gender-affirming care.

True Self Foundation has established an emergency fund to cover the cost of GAC for trans Puerto Ricans, but they need more funding to meet the vast need.

Trans people in Puerto Rico are facing an unprecedented crisis. This Medicaid announcement comes just months after a ban on gender-affirming care for anyone under 21 was signed into law.

True Self Foundation is assisting trans youth + their families as well as trans adults. Donate to provide direct support to trans people in Puerto Rico.

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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 10d

what the FUCK

samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 11d

It's late afternoon in America, which means it's time for us all to share a cold one

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ACLU @aclu.org · 14d

BREAKING: Our client Mario Guevara, an Emmy-winning journalist detained by ICE in retaliation for livestreaming law enforcement activity, will be deported tomorrow to El Salvador.

Mario and his family are being punished for his reporting. This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press.

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