Notices by Mx. Kit O'Connell — Hire me! (oconnell@federate.social), page 2

I appreciate Austin Free Press’ support for my reporting about the the LGBTQIA+ community and the issues we face. Here, I documented a successful drag fundraiser organized in response to recent attacks on trans rights by Attorney General Ken Paxton. https://austinfreepress.org/identity-crisis-austin-trans-community-dresses-for-battle-with-texas-attorney-general-paxton/

#LGBTQIA+ #Austin #Texas #Transphobia #KenPaxton #politics #USpol #news #trans #drag

Using a data set created by GLAAD’s ALERT Desk, I created articles documenting the disturbing rise of hate incidents in Texas for both Austin Free Press and The Barbed Wire (see below). https://austinfreepress.org/legislating-intolerance-anti-lgbtq-legislation-tied-to-massive-rise-in-hate-incidents/

(CW: Descriptions of hate incidents incl. murder)

#homophobia #transphobia #news #politics #USpol #Texas #Austin #LGBTQIA+ #trans

I was one of the only journalists to document the arrests of pro-Palestine activists at this year’s Austin Pride march. Thanks to The Barbed Wire for helping me get this one across the finish line after months of research and interviews.
https://thebarbedwire.com/2024/10/18/you-can-fly-any-flag-at-austin-pride-except-a-palestinian-one/

#journalism #LGBTQIA+ #Palestine #BestOf2024 #Austin #Texas #Pride #Police @palestine

It was also instructive and rewarding to team up with The Barbed Wire's extremely talented Investigations Editor, Leslie Rangel, on this second story based on GLAAD's hate incident data set. https://thebarbedwire.com/2024/10/14/thereve-been-93-anti-lgbtq-hate-crimes-in-texas-since-2022-data-shows/

(CW: Descriptions of hate incidents incl. murder)

#LGBTQIA+ #homophobia #transphobia #news #Texas #CriminalJustice #journalism

Here on Mastodon, and for Deceleration, I covered the violent police response to peaceful attempts to pitch tents by pro-Palestine protesters on April 29 at UT #Austin. https://deceleration.news/texas-troopers-were-real-agitators-university-of-texas-austin/

#Palestine @palestine #police #Texas #politics #GregAbbott #news #journalism #BestOf2024

I got to spend the day at the #Texas Supreme Court to help Deceleration’s Greg Harman cover this unique religious liberty case brought in defense of some trees and birds that live in a San Antonio park. https://deceleration.news/texas-supreme-court-scrutinizes-san-antonios-bird-tree-removals-in-religious-liberty-debate/

#SanAntonio #politics #religion #COVID #animals #nature #law #USpol #news #BestOf2024 #SCOTEX

In my last major feature for @TexasObserver magazine, I got to know locals with Long #COVID and spoke with health experts to learn why we need to do more to support the victims of the ongoing pandemic. I'm honored I got to tell their stories here. https://www.texasobserver.org/long-covid-texas-clearing-the-air/

#Austin #health #science #Texas #politics #USpol #medicine #journalism #Bestof2024

Using open records, interviews with employment experts, and help from an anonymous Texas Department of Agriculture employee, I showed how their transphobic dress code (which I originally revealed in 2023 at @TexasObserver) continues to have a chilling effect on their LGBTQIA+ employees. https://www.texasobserver.org/sid-miller-transphobic-dress-code-emails/

#transphobia #workers #LGBTQIA+ #trans #agriculture #Texas #Republicans #politics #USpol #BestOf2024

Here's my favorite stuff I wrote ... and also that others wrote about me ... in 2024. Featuring stories I wrote for The Advocate, The Barbed Wire, Deceleration, @TexasObserver and more. https://kitoconnell.com/kits-best-of-2024/

(I'll probably make a thread highlighting all these over the weekend)

#journalism #news #politics #LGBTQIA+ #police #pride

I hate how, even without plug-ins installed, my personal WordPress site now asks if I want to poison my work (and the environment) with AI. Fuck no.

And I didn't ask for this. It's so inescapable and every tech product now shoves it down our throats.

"We have a right to say the birds and the trees need to be there. We just need to know that [the birds are] in the trees nesting, because that’s our reassurance that the cycles [of life] are going to continue again and again."
https://deceleration.news/texas-supreme-court-scrutinizes-san-antonios-bird-tree-removals-in-religious-liberty-debate/

#news #politics #USpol #environment #ClimateChange #animals #Indigenous #SanAntonio #SouthTexas #trees #Texas

Photo surfaces of Hulk Hogan posing with Denton, #Texas neo-nazi Anthony Joseph Hammer.
https://idavox.com/index.php/2024/11/26/hulk-hogan-flexes-his-poor-judgement-strikes-a-pose-with-neo-nazi/ via @idavox.bsky.social

#fascism #extremism #politics #USpol #media #wrestling #news #NorthTexas

Last weekend, I traveled to #Dallas to cover a mass protest against the Jewish National Fund's annual conference.

The JNF, which lost tax exempt status in Canada, is a key provider of material support to the illegal expansion of Israeli settlements, and frequently uses tree planting to greenwash their actions. Here's my latest for Deceleration: https://deceleration.news/opposing-jewish-national-fund-dallas-protesters-plant-tree-of-life-against-genocidal-greenwashing/

#politics #USpol #environment #ClimateChange #Palestine #FreePalestine #Israel @palestine #news #Texas #religion #activism

"No one came to help them," one person said about how people cheered while the women were attacked.

#Minnesota: Two #trans women beaten in train station while bystanders cheered - LGBTQ Nation
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/11/two-trans-women-beaten-in-train-station-while-bystanders-cheered/

#news #transphobia #LGBTQIA #politics #USpol

Dear publishers: It's simple... Hire transgender reporters to cover transgender stories.

"To suggest we should compromise on the rights of trans people, for instance, and all of the other critical issues we care most about, is unacceptable. It is shameful and cowardly. We cannot abandon the most vulnerable communities to assuage the most powerful." - Roxanne Gay

Opinion | Enough - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/17/opinion/america-trump-tolerance.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ak4.aB_I.YutmBmj3w59Q&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

#politics #transphobia #trans #transgender #LGBTQIA #news #USpol #Trump #Democrats

I dunno, dude in my mentions, maybe they are secret Trump supporters, but Occam's Razor tells me they're just upset about thousands of dead children 😒

A group of about 10 protesters disrupted the Kamala Harris rally in #Houston last month, demanding an end to U.S. support for Israeli genocide in #Palestine. They faced hostility, even violence from the audience.

My latest for Deceleration:
https://deceleration.news/protesters-disrupt-harris-houston-rally-to-demand-an-end-to-genocide/

#Genocide #politics #USpol #Israel #FreePalestine #KamalaHarris #election2024 #news

Fuck all these democrats that can't even stand with trans people for two seconds under pressure. All we have is each other.

This isn't getting enough attention. For at least two elections, Elon Musk has been a major funder of anti-trans propaganda.

... Seriously, why are you still using X?

Musk Donated $50M To Anti-Trans Ads In 2022; Now His Pac Is Partnering With TPUSA
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/musk-donated-50m-to-anti-trans-ads via @ErinInTheMorn

#news #politics #USpol #transphobia #LGBTQIA #trans #ElonMusk