There is a pervasive ideological construction that someone either deserves autonomy or support, but that these are mutually exclusive.
This artificial construction is extremely present when it comes to discourses about age and ability. People will discuss taking away choices or censoring information as “protecting” young and disabled people, and will discuss taking away material support as a necessary exchange for decision making (e.g. “if you live under my roof, you live under my rules”–a threat that asserting autonomy comes at the cost of homelessness). This dynamic is so foundational to the oppression of children that even when applied to adult groups we use words like paternalism and infantilization to communicate that a group of adults is being treated “like children.”
Whenever you demand autonomy, people use this as justification to withdraw resources and care. Whenever you express your need for resources and care, people use this as justification to withdraw bodily autonomy. In reality, all people deserve bodily autonomy and care. And in reality, oppressed people are routinely denied both.
In 2023, I did a survey of military contractors trying to target policymakers with ads on WMATA, Washington DC’s public transit system. Since then, WMATA actually changed their rules to make it easier for military contractors to advertise. This has led to an absurd double standard: WMATA recently denied an ad from anti-war group World Beyond War on spurious grounds even while accepting massive numbers of pro-war ads from for-profit contractors.
Under the old rules, military contractor ads were in apparent violation of Guideline 14’s straightforward ban on ads “intended to influence public policy.” But under the new rules, government contractors are now exempt from Guideline 14 via a carveout for advertisers that are “offering goods and/or services to the government.” No such exemption was made for peace groups like World Beyond War, who typically take the opposite position of military contractors in debates over Pentagon policy.
WMATA’s new rules gave military contractors other exemptions as well. Guideline 9 — the legally questionable rule that [World Beyond War] was accused of violating — now explicitly prohibits advertisers from taking a position on any “governmental action or inaction, other than offering goods and/or services to the government” [emphasis added]. In other words, for-profit advertisers with money at stake are now one of the only groups allowed to share their opinions on political issues surrounding military spending and acquisitions.
The ACLU seems to regard WMATA’s “internal procedures” with skepticism, requesting a discovery process into [their] “development and meaning.” It’s easy to see why: if upheld, these new rules would effectively legalize for-profit advertising in favor of militarism while banning most non-profit advertising critical of militarism.
There is also another reason to be skeptical of the new rules: WMATA does not seriously enforce them. In the year since its “internal procedures” document was released, WMATA has accepted multiple ad campaigns that are in clear violation of Guidelines 9 and 14.
by the way guys, this deployment of ice to minnesota is largest ever. more agents than chicago. we are a much less dense state. we are being inundated.
It is the largest Department of Homeland Security operation in history. And yet Minnesota’s Somali population (this operation’s primary target) is upwards of 90% naturalized American citizens. It’s even more of a manufactured crisis than most DHS operations. Genuinely living in Minnesota now feels like we’re a small country on the brink of invasion.
Looking at what national news outlets are up to right now, one might not realize a whole major US metropolitan area is, you know, sort of under attack by paramilitary forces. Wild.
im sorry the What is being What now???
While it’s not going unreported entirely, what’s been happening in Minnesota and in Minneapolis–Saint Paul in particular since Renee Good was murdered is not getting the attention it should be.
There are already 2000 gangsters from DHS deployed, and “hundreds” or “1000” more are on the way, depending on which Trumpland person you ask. As a point of reference, the Twin Cities’ actual police total just under 1200 (600 in Minneapolis and 590 in Saint Paul according to the depts’ sites).
The feds there are more or less attacking people at random. They’ve gone door-to-door for “citizenship checks” (completely illegal). They’ve knocked doors down when residents haven’t complied (obviously also completely illegal). In addition to abducting and brutalizing the immigrants they come across during their rampages, they’ve done the same to US citizens of color and are also harassing, stalking and physically attacking observers.
Below are some videos from observers. I’m linking to Bluesky because that’s where I saw them, though many are originally from/also available elsewhere. I apologize for the rancid formatting below but it was the best I could do quickly-ish. The images are previews; click the links in the timestamps to watch.
Dumb Meg (@dmbmeg.bsky.social) Jan 11, 2026 at 6:10 PM(You need to be logged in to see this—while it’s unclear what happened to the victim in this one, there’s no reported death so far; CW for heightened violence)
Dom Ervolina (@dominicervolina.com) Jan 11, 2026 at 8:42 PM(You need to be logged in to see this)
Discussions of trans women in sports often focus on elite/professional sports which honestly I find it hard to care about but the more common scenario of “we’re going to legally ban a high school girl from playing sports with her friends because she’s trans” is just profoundly evil
i remember when utah’s (republican) governor ended up vetoing a law banning transgender students from playing high school sports when he looked at the numbers, and there were only four trans students in the state playing sports at all. he released a clumsily worded but surprisingly compassionate statement about the decision.
I must admit, I am not an expert on transgenderism. I struggle to understand so much of it, and the science is conflicting. When in doubt, however, I always try to err on the side of kindness, mercy, and compassion. I also try to get proximate, and I am learning so much from our transgender community. They are great kids who face enormous struggles. Here are the numbers that have most impacted my decision: 75,000, 4, 1, 86 and 56.
75,000 high school kids participating in high school sports in Utah.
4 transgender kids playing high school sports in Utah.
1 transgender student playing girls sports.
86% of trans youth reporting suicidality.
56% of trans youth having attempted suicide.
Four kids and only one of them playing girls sports. That’s what all of this is about. Four kids who aren’t dominating or winning trophies or taking scholarships. Four kids who are just trying to find some friends and feel like they are a part of something. Four kids trying to get through each day. Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few. I don’t understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live.
of course, it didn’t amount to much. they overrode his veto. it’s just so cartoonishly evil. an entire state’s political body so desperate to terrorize this one little trans girl.
could you imagine if tinder was like this. instead of unicorn hunters and weed plugs
This post gives me the perfect excuse to post my favorite ad ever
ID: wanted ads reading:
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STOP! READ THIS AD
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Finally, added in the reblog:
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