Steph Herold
@stephherold.bsky.social
Researcher studying abortion on TV & film. Studying Jewish texts, autism, motherhood whenever I can. Indiscriminate dog lover. She/ her. All views are mine.
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Steph Herold
@stephherold.bsky.social
· Nov 15
An abortion researchers starter pack! Let me know if you’d like to be added. go.bsky.app/SHS3EQa
Working on my analysis of abortion plotlines on TV in 2025 — whew, lots of new trends to report. Stay tuned!
November 25, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Working on my analysis of abortion plotlines on TV in 2025 — whew, lots of new trends to report. Stay tuned!
Brrief abortion storyline on #AllsFair (which seems to be just as bad, if not worse, than the reviews say it is); another plotline in which a character tries to use one someone's past abortion to shame her. Similar to (but not as dramatic as) Hunting Wives.
www.ansirh.org/research/abo...
www.ansirh.org/research/abo...
All's Fair
Cheryl hires the divorce attorney law firm at the center of this show to help her with her divorce. She shares with the lawyers, Emerald and Allura, that her marriage is ending because her husband, Ma...
www.ansirh.org
November 11, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Brrief abortion storyline on #AllsFair (which seems to be just as bad, if not worse, than the reviews say it is); another plotline in which a character tries to use one someone's past abortion to shame her. Similar to (but not as dramatic as) Hunting Wives.
www.ansirh.org/research/abo...
www.ansirh.org/research/abo...
Love to find an abortion plotline I'd never heard of before and add it to our database. TBH the stars of this soap opera with a truly unfortunate abortion plotline are the adorable kids in the kindergarten class, plus the theme song, a total bop. www.ansirh.org/research/abo...
Knots Landing
Ginger receives mysterious gifts from an unknown sender, many of which seem to be realted to children (children's books, a kids' birthday cake). She also receives strange phone calls which have a reco...
www.ansirh.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Love to find an abortion plotline I'd never heard of before and add it to our database. TBH the stars of this soap opera with a truly unfortunate abortion plotline are the adorable kids in the kindergarten class, plus the theme song, a total bop. www.ansirh.org/research/abo...
Learning about and reading Maimonides for the first time. This man is like the Jewish Alexander Hamilton. Maybe I need to write a musical??
October 30, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Learning about and reading Maimonides for the first time. This man is like the Jewish Alexander Hamilton. Maybe I need to write a musical??
“Naomi ends up being the heart of the family, and the story. Because keeping a family functioning, and intact, might require being pushy, controlling, critical, and frankly, difficult.” Thank you @sarahmseltzer.bsky.social!
lilith.org/2025/10/the-...
lilith.org/2025/10/the-...
The Jewish Moms of Netflix
Jewish mothers are all over Netflix, and their personalities are starting!
lilith.org
October 27, 2025 at 1:43 PM
“Naomi ends up being the heart of the family, and the story. Because keeping a family functioning, and intact, might require being pushy, controlling, critical, and frankly, difficult.” Thank you @sarahmseltzer.bsky.social!
lilith.org/2025/10/the-...
lilith.org/2025/10/the-...
Reposted by Steph Herold
"To improve the health of the nation’s parents, Congress should make paid family leave available nationwide through a federal law that complements states’ efforts," Wells writes in this @theprogressivemag.bsky.social op-ed.
Read Wells' full piece. ⤵️
Read Wells' full piece. ⤵️
I study paid family leave - our research shows it reduces postpartum depression & supports breastfeeding. But looking at data hadn’t really prepared me for the fact that having a baby is TOUGH. When I gave birth I suddenly became one of my own statistics. Read my op-ed here.
Paid Family Leave Can Be a Lifeline
I study how paid family leave impacts the health of parents. When I gave birth, I became one of my own statistics.
progressive.org
October 23, 2025 at 4:47 PM
"To improve the health of the nation’s parents, Congress should make paid family leave available nationwide through a federal law that complements states’ efforts," Wells writes in this @theprogressivemag.bsky.social op-ed.
Read Wells' full piece. ⤵️
Read Wells' full piece. ⤵️
"Transgender and nonbinary people faced fewer barriers to medication abortion when they get care through telehealth." rewirenewsgroup.com/2025/10/23/t...
Telehealth Improves Abortion Care Experience for Some Trans, Nonbinary Patients—New Research
Gender-expansive study participants reported avoiding common health-care pitfalls like misgendering, stigma, and discrimination.
rewirenewsgroup.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:30 PM
"Transgender and nonbinary people faced fewer barriers to medication abortion when they get care through telehealth." rewirenewsgroup.com/2025/10/23/t...
I still can’t believe the living hostages are home and am having trouble, like, functioning in daily life. Just me?
October 16, 2025 at 1:36 AM
I still can’t believe the living hostages are home and am having trouble, like, functioning in daily life. Just me?
Reposted by Steph Herold
So interesting to hear Shonda Rhimes talk about what it took to get Olivia Pope's abortion and Cristina Yang's abortion onscreen.
When I interviewd 46 tv writers/showrunners, they echoed these experiences & frustrations (more below).
www.usmagazine.com/entertainmen...
When I interviewd 46 tv writers/showrunners, they echoed these experiences & frustrations (more below).
www.usmagazine.com/entertainmen...
Shonda Rhimes Recalls Pushback for Olivia Pope's Abortion on Scandal
Shonda Rhimes revealed that she received some pushback ahead of Olivia Pope's abortion scene in 'Scandal' season 5
www.usmagazine.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
So interesting to hear Shonda Rhimes talk about what it took to get Olivia Pope's abortion and Cristina Yang's abortion onscreen.
When I interviewd 46 tv writers/showrunners, they echoed these experiences & frustrations (more below).
www.usmagazine.com/entertainmen...
When I interviewd 46 tv writers/showrunners, they echoed these experiences & frustrations (more below).
www.usmagazine.com/entertainmen...
I hesitate to say, but I am hoping against hope we can say
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
May the war really be over, may the hostages really come home, may the suffering in Gaza really end, may the healing finally finally begin. #ZmanSimchateinu
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
May the war really be over, may the hostages really come home, may the suffering in Gaza really end, may the healing finally finally begin. #ZmanSimchateinu
October 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
I hesitate to say, but I am hoping against hope we can say
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
May the war really be over, may the hostages really come home, may the suffering in Gaza really end, may the healing finally finally begin. #ZmanSimchateinu
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
May the war really be over, may the hostages really come home, may the suffering in Gaza really end, may the healing finally finally begin. #ZmanSimchateinu
Reposted by Steph Herold
After two years it is so hard to believe anything. And yet if you care about Israelis and Palestinians having any semblance of a future, there’s no choice but to hope and pray this moves forward.
BREAKING: Hamas will release all 20 living hostages this weekend, AP sources say, as Israelis will withdraw from majority of Gaza.
Israel, Hamas agree to 'first phase' of plan to end fighting, release hostages, Trump says
President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first Phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners.
bit.ly
October 9, 2025 at 12:43 AM
After two years it is so hard to believe anything. And yet if you care about Israelis and Palestinians having any semblance of a future, there’s no choice but to hope and pray this moves forward.
Zman simchateinu? Hopefully. Chag sameach 🌿🍋
October 6, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Zman simchateinu? Hopefully. Chag sameach 🌿🍋
Reposted by Steph Herold
Abortion bans hurt everyone.
Abortion bans and restrictions create cascading effects that extend far beyond reproductive health care, compromising the quality and effectiveness of medical care across reproductive and non-reproductive specialties.
Abortion bans and restrictions create cascading effects that extend far beyond reproductive health care, compromising the quality and effectiveness of medical care across reproductive and non-reproductive specialties.
Cascading Harms: How Abortion Bans Lead to Discriminatory Care Across Medical Specialties - PHR
Our research highlights how abortion bans and restrictions create cascading effects that extend far beyond reproductive health care, compromising the quality and effectiveness of medical care across…
phr.org
October 6, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Abortion bans hurt everyone.
Abortion bans and restrictions create cascading effects that extend far beyond reproductive health care, compromising the quality and effectiveness of medical care across reproductive and non-reproductive specialties.
Abortion bans and restrictions create cascading effects that extend far beyond reproductive health care, compromising the quality and effectiveness of medical care across reproductive and non-reproductive specialties.
Q1 I am really drawn to and taken with this image of God as a nursing mother. Very different from the stereotype of the fire and brimstone God. #parshachat
32:13 He had them mount on the high-places of the land,
he fed them the crops of the field;
he suckled them with honey* from a boulder,
with oil from a flinty rock;
he fed them the crops of the field;
he suckled them with honey* from a boulder,
with oil from a flinty rock;
October 4, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Q1 I am really drawn to and taken with this image of God as a nursing mother. Very different from the stereotype of the fire and brimstone God. #parshachat
Q0 Hi! I was reading the parsha last night and was very puzzled by it, looking forward to insights this week. #parshachat
Q0: Introduce yourself! Anything about you, your week, or your interest in #ParshaChat that you'd like to share.
October 4, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Q0 Hi! I was reading the parsha last night and was very puzzled by it, looking forward to insights this week. #parshachat
Reposted by Steph Herold
Baruch Dayan HaEmet. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the two people killed in a horrible antisemitic attack at Yom Kippur services in Manchester. We pray for refuah shleimah for the wounded.
We stand with the Manchester Jewish community. No one should fear violence when they gather to pray.
We stand with the Manchester Jewish community. No one should fear violence when they gather to pray.
October 3, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Baruch Dayan HaEmet. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the two people killed in a horrible antisemitic attack at Yom Kippur services in Manchester. We pray for refuah shleimah for the wounded.
We stand with the Manchester Jewish community. No one should fear violence when they gather to pray.
We stand with the Manchester Jewish community. No one should fear violence when they gather to pray.
Reposted by Steph Herold
The basic infrastructures that allow women to be participants in public life—birth control & abortion access, no fault divorce, childcare access & affordability, civil rights law in employment and public accommodations, the minimal efforts to mitigate sexual and domestic violence—are all crumbling.
September 30, 2025 at 2:29 PM
The basic infrastructures that allow women to be participants in public life—birth control & abortion access, no fault divorce, childcare access & affordability, civil rights law in employment and public accommodations, the minimal efforts to mitigate sexual and domestic violence—are all crumbling.
New research finds that state-funded anti-abortion programs called "alternatives to abortion" seem to be associated with...increased abortion rates 🤡 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Do state-funded “Alternatives to Abortion” programs reduce abortion rates? A longitudinal analysis
During the era of federal protection of abortion rights in the U.S., many majority-conservative state governments sought to oppose abortion by impleme…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:25 PM
New research finds that state-funded anti-abortion programs called "alternatives to abortion" seem to be associated with...increased abortion rates 🤡 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
“Antisemitic conspiracy theories and hate that were once fringe have been wholly normalized – amplified by X’s failure to live up to its own policies."
Thank you @amyspitalnick.bsky.social, @thejcpa.bsky.social & @counterhate.com for this important research. www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/b...
Thank you @amyspitalnick.bsky.social, @thejcpa.bsky.social & @counterhate.com for this important research. www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/b...
Musk’s X is ‘go-to platform’ for antisemitism, study finds | CNN Business
The new year-long study found that X’s content restrictions are not having much effect on antisemitic content.
www.cnn.com
September 30, 2025 at 5:06 PM
“Antisemitic conspiracy theories and hate that were once fringe have been wholly normalized – amplified by X’s failure to live up to its own policies."
Thank you @amyspitalnick.bsky.social, @thejcpa.bsky.social & @counterhate.com for this important research. www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/b...
Thank you @amyspitalnick.bsky.social, @thejcpa.bsky.social & @counterhate.com for this important research. www.cnn.com/2025/09/29/b...
Q1 Yes! I was stressed by the duality of Moshe twice saying God will not forsake us, and then God saying twice that actually God will hide God’s face from us / stay hidden. The repeated emphasis of both feels heavy/meaningful and contradictory. #parshachat
Q1: Today, we'll focus on Deuteronomy 31. Looking through the verses, what are your impressions? Does anything surprise you, raise questions, or stand out as particularly important? #ParshaChat
Deuteronomy 31:1-30, for #ParshaChat study of Vayeilech
Sefaria:
www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy....
Verses also threaded below:
Sefaria:
www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy....
Verses also threaded below:
September 27, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Q1 Yes! I was stressed by the duality of Moshe twice saying God will not forsake us, and then God saying twice that actually God will hide God’s face from us / stay hidden. The repeated emphasis of both feels heavy/meaningful and contradictory. #parshachat
Autistic parents of autistic kids say: no shit!!
Medical scholars say efforts to find a singular cause for autism has historically led to scrutinizing parents and fueling stigma.
Trump's Tylenol warning echoes past misconceptions about mothers and autism
Medical scholars say, efforts to find a singular cause for autism has historically led to scrutinizing parents and fueling stigma about autism
n.pr
September 26, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Autistic parents of autistic kids say: no shit!!
And, to say the quiet part out loud: they want us to suffer during pregnancy, and have no structural support when parenting. And whatever happens, we should carry shame, as if autism is bad, as if abortion is bad, when both are a natural part of life.
I keep having this thought that the Right is using their (enragingly successful) abortion playbook for autism now. They are:
- creating fake science that sounds believable (abortion causes breast cancer? Nope, but people believe it! Autism caused by vaccines/Tylenol? Nope. But people believe it!)
- creating fake science that sounds believable (abortion causes breast cancer? Nope, but people believe it! Autism caused by vaccines/Tylenol? Nope. But people believe it!)
September 25, 2025 at 1:28 AM
And, to say the quiet part out loud: they want us to suffer during pregnancy, and have no structural support when parenting. And whatever happens, we should carry shame, as if autism is bad, as if abortion is bad, when both are a natural part of life.
I keep having this thought that the Right is using their (enragingly successful) abortion playbook for autism now. They are:
- creating fake science that sounds believable (abortion causes breast cancer? Nope, but people believe it! Autism caused by vaccines/Tylenol? Nope. But people believe it!)
- creating fake science that sounds believable (abortion causes breast cancer? Nope, but people believe it! Autism caused by vaccines/Tylenol? Nope. But people believe it!)
September 24, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I keep having this thought that the Right is using their (enragingly successful) abortion playbook for autism now. They are:
- creating fake science that sounds believable (abortion causes breast cancer? Nope, but people believe it! Autism caused by vaccines/Tylenol? Nope. But people believe it!)
- creating fake science that sounds believable (abortion causes breast cancer? Nope, but people believe it! Autism caused by vaccines/Tylenol? Nope. But people believe it!)
"Telehealth abortion care is highly acceptable and beneficial for trans and gender expansive patients, as they benefit from an at-home experience coupled with reduced gender discrimination" www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Expansive Experiences with Telehealth Medication Abortion and Implications for Health Equity in the United States
Transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive patients need abortion care. However, little is known about trans and gender expansive patients’ experien…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 21, 2025 at 7:47 PM
"Telehealth abortion care is highly acceptable and beneficial for trans and gender expansive patients, as they benefit from an at-home experience coupled with reduced gender discrimination" www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...