Gillian Branstetter
@gbbranstetter.bsky.social
Opinions are my own //
https://linktr.ee/gbbranstetter
https://linktr.ee/gbbranstetter
Pinned
On January 13, the Supreme Court is going to hear arguments over state laws targeting transgender girls in sports. This from @pablo.show and @motherjones.com is a great explainer on why the right-wing legal movement needs this issue to push trans people out of public life altogether
She only knows how to digest criticism as an attempt to silence her even when the criticism is that she's silencing others
Bari Weiss this morning on the 60 Minutes segment: "We need to be able to get the principals on the record and on camera."
Of course, most journalists know that oftentimes people who are the subject of negative reporting don't want to speak on camera or on the record.
Of course, most journalists know that oftentimes people who are the subject of negative reporting don't want to speak on camera or on the record.
December 22, 2025 at 2:56 PM
She only knows how to digest criticism as an attempt to silence her even when the criticism is that she's silencing others
This to me is the biggest issue. These men spoke at grave risks to their own safety about being beaten, raped, and tortured at the order of the President of the United States. All of Weiss's odes to free speech and "dangerous ideas" is and has always been horseshit
December 22, 2025 at 12:59 PM
This to me is the biggest issue. These men spoke at grave risks to their own safety about being beaten, raped, and tortured at the order of the President of the United States. All of Weiss's odes to free speech and "dangerous ideas" is and has always been horseshit
Half-formed idea but Heated Rivalry (and RWRB before it) strike me as proof people are nostalgic for the days when even photogenic gay guys were considered transgressive
December 22, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Half-formed idea but Heated Rivalry (and RWRB before it) strike me as proof people are nostalgic for the days when even photogenic gay guys were considered transgressive
Unfortunately for JD you do still have to apologize for being a whiny dipshit
JD Vance: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore"
December 21, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Unfortunately for JD you do still have to apologize for being a whiny dipshit
Reposted by Gillian Branstetter
Worked hard to get this into Guardian Oz & big props to @fiercemum.bsky.social for setting it up & Melissa Davey for publishing it. She will doubtless get loads of hassle from transphobes for it, but it needs to be out there.
Puberty Blocker bans harm trans kids, no-one should pretend they don’t.
Puberty Blocker bans harm trans kids, no-one should pretend they don’t.
Puberty blocker bans in Queensland and NZ risk extreme harm to trans youth, UK expert warns
Sociologist who surveyed effect of 2024 UK ban says denial of gender-affirming care has left trans and non-binary children in ‘abject misery and severe distress’
www.theguardian.com
December 21, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Worked hard to get this into Guardian Oz & big props to @fiercemum.bsky.social for setting it up & Melissa Davey for publishing it. She will doubtless get loads of hassle from transphobes for it, but it needs to be out there.
Puberty Blocker bans harm trans kids, no-one should pretend they don’t.
Puberty Blocker bans harm trans kids, no-one should pretend they don’t.
Wrote about yuribus
Freedom Falls
Pluribus and the limits of queer identity
open.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Wrote about yuribus
Reposted by Gillian Branstetter
a term being widely adopted into the mainstream like this usually means that the people dedicated to not solving problems believe it’s rhetorically useful for scamming folks
December 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
a term being widely adopted into the mainstream like this usually means that the people dedicated to not solving problems believe it’s rhetorically useful for scamming folks
Really don't think this happens without Zohran
December 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Really don't think this happens without Zohran
Wrote about the surprisingly complex things Pluribus is doing with queer identity
December 20, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Wrote about the surprisingly complex things Pluribus is doing with queer identity
Reposted by Gillian Branstetter
But wait! Aren't we overjoyed that CBS News has the first openly lesbian editor-in-chief? Barfi Weiss has achieved this important first for the news industry!
Eyes on the prize, folks!
Eyes on the prize, folks!
"Has feminism failed women brought to you by bank of america" is my MKULTRA sleeper agent activation phrase
December 19, 2025 at 4:39 PM
But wait! Aren't we overjoyed that CBS News has the first openly lesbian editor-in-chief? Barfi Weiss has achieved this important first for the news industry!
Eyes on the prize, folks!
Eyes on the prize, folks!
Not just that there would be no queerness but the Hive is explicitly using queerness to appeal to Carol (though Carol is arguably doing the same to ignite Zosia's sense of self). That's what I mean that it's potentially reactionary; it's positioning queerness and collectivity as oppositional
i’m really curious to see where they’re going because it seems to me that in the hive there would be no queerness or transness, and i’d very much like to see them address that head on. it felt like they got right up to that tonight, but then just pulled short. really wanna see the rest of the season
December 19, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Not just that there would be no queerness but the Hive is explicitly using queerness to appeal to Carol (though Carol is arguably doing the same to ignite Zosia's sense of self). That's what I mean that it's potentially reactionary; it's positioning queerness and collectivity as oppositional
"Has feminism failed women brought to you by bank of america" is my MKULTRA sleeper agent activation phrase
December 19, 2025 at 3:30 PM
"Has feminism failed women brought to you by bank of america" is my MKULTRA sleeper agent activation phrase
Gdansk, shipyards, the scars on her back, "after the country opened," mango ice cream
December 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Gdansk, shipyards, the scars on her back, "after the country opened," mango ice cream
Need to write something about what Pluribus is doing with queerness because it's both very interesting and potentially very reactionary
December 19, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Need to write something about what Pluribus is doing with queerness because it's both very interesting and potentially very reactionary
I haven't wanted to own a car in a decade and every time I see one I reconsider because omg it's so cute
VW’s newish electric minibus, the ID Buzz. First time seeing one of these. Looks fun to drive.
December 19, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I haven't wanted to own a car in a decade and every time I see one I reconsider because omg it's so cute
Reposted by Gillian Branstetter
For folks curious re the news re gender affirming care for trans youth I wrote a quick summary in the BDNH newsletter
It’s NOT a national ban.
it creates no new civil or criminal penalties, it is a proposal to wield the power of the purse to discriminatorily deny care
mailchi.mp/interrupting...
It’s NOT a national ban.
it creates no new civil or criminal penalties, it is a proposal to wield the power of the purse to discriminatorily deny care
mailchi.mp/interrupting...
Proposed Regulations on Gender Affirming Care, Reflecting on 2025, Resistance Lab Jan 12th & more!
mailchi.mp
December 19, 2025 at 12:36 AM
For folks curious re the news re gender affirming care for trans youth I wrote a quick summary in the BDNH newsletter
It’s NOT a national ban.
it creates no new civil or criminal penalties, it is a proposal to wield the power of the purse to discriminatorily deny care
mailchi.mp/interrupting...
It’s NOT a national ban.
it creates no new civil or criminal penalties, it is a proposal to wield the power of the purse to discriminatorily deny care
mailchi.mp/interrupting...
Watching Spinal Tap for the first time and I didn't realize the music was good
December 19, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Watching Spinal Tap for the first time and I didn't realize the music was good
Getting lectured to about my health care by a bunch of guys that look like a leather belt that went through the wash
The U.S. government acted to put an end to gender-related care for minors across the country on Thursday, threatening to pull federal funding from any hospital that offered such treatment. If finalized, the proposed new rules would effectively shut down hospitals that did not comply. trib.al/b3HHaQE
December 18, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Getting lectured to about my health care by a bunch of guys that look like a leather belt that went through the wash
Freedom for everybody
Autonomy for everybody
Health care for everybody
Transgender for everybody
Autonomy for everybody
Health care for everybody
Transgender for everybody
December 18, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Freedom for everybody
Autonomy for everybody
Health care for everybody
Transgender for everybody
Autonomy for everybody
Health care for everybody
Transgender for everybody
Reposted by Gillian Branstetter
To all the young people in New York and across our country who count on gender-affirming care:
I won't let this administration come for you, your doctors, or your lifesaving health care.
Your health care is still legal and protected.
I'll always fight for you.
I won't let this administration come for you, your doctors, or your lifesaving health care.
Your health care is still legal and protected.
I'll always fight for you.
December 18, 2025 at 4:22 PM
To all the young people in New York and across our country who count on gender-affirming care:
I won't let this administration come for you, your doctors, or your lifesaving health care.
Your health care is still legal and protected.
I'll always fight for you.
I won't let this administration come for you, your doctors, or your lifesaving health care.
Your health care is still legal and protected.
I'll always fight for you.
Speechless, honestly
A month ago, NYT columnist David Brooks wrote a column decrying the media and political fixation on the Epstein story.
This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.
This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Speechless, honestly
All in the name of "protecting kids" 24 hours before we learn exactly how close Donald Trump was with Jeffrey Epstein
Notice how Trump and Republicans were having the worst couple weeks in the administration's history and they decided to pivot to hardcore attacking trans people?
December 18, 2025 at 6:14 PM
All in the name of "protecting kids" 24 hours before we learn exactly how close Donald Trump was with Jeffrey Epstein
Transgender for everybody
December 18, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Transgender for everybody
Reposted by Gillian Branstetter
“…Rep. Sarah McBride has been a big and often stubborn advocate for the big tent theory. And yesterday, just after she stood on the steps of the Capitol poured her heart out with a very powerful and personal speech about her own experience as a trans person, that big tent collapsed in on her.”
For my newsletter, I wrote about how the Democratic Party "Big Tent" fell in on trans kids yesterday. www.burnsnotice.com/the-big-tent...
The Big Tent Collapses in on Us
Three Democrats crossed the aisle to join Republicans in passing a nationwide ban on gender affirming care for youth Wednesday evening
Well, it happened finally. After a vote swapping deal by Rep. Ma...
www.burnsnotice.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:03 PM
“…Rep. Sarah McBride has been a big and often stubborn advocate for the big tent theory. And yesterday, just after she stood on the steps of the Capitol poured her heart out with a very powerful and personal speech about her own experience as a trans person, that big tent collapsed in on her.”