Notices by Robin Riley (robin@social.riley.pub)

State Senator Scott Weiner really delivered this session, not just #SB79 but also #SB497 👏🏻

"California lawmakers passed legislation this week to prevent health providers from releasing transgender patients’ confidential medical records in investigations of gender-affirming care in states that ban treatment for minors." https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/5501349-california-transgender-medical-records-bill/

#CAPol #California #TransRights #LGBTQ

Despairing at the lack of care and urgency with which local courts are handling name and gender marker changes. I have intl travel soon, and the window for trans-affirming passports in the US could close any day.

I call every week. Only *after* 6 week waiting period did they tell me there was an issue, which I resolved within hours.

Now they say it may be another 2-6 weeks until the judge reviews it, at which point either they'll issue a judgment (good) or spot another issue (...).

Fuck.

Come tomorrow, I'll have the finalized court order recognizing my gender and chosen name 🥰

People are starting to accidentally put my chosen (not yet legal) name on docs that really need my legal name.

So, uh, I've finally got the paperwork ready. Tomorrow I submit my petition to make it real :sparkles_transgender:

Just learned about this development through Safe Streets Petaluma. California needs to follow suit!

The Washington state legislation "gives cities the legal authority to create Shared Streets, defined by two key principles:

- A speed limit of 10 mph, and
- Pedestrians have the legal right to occupy the entire street."

https://www.theurbanist.org/2025/05/19/governor-signs-washingtons-first-in-the-nation-shared-streets-law/

#WAPol #CAPol #Urbanism #SFBA #Petaluma

Oooh, a sneak peak at the Petaluma Regional Library's renovations! First major reno since opening in 1976, should be a better fit for how people use libraries these days _and_ be a better shelter during extreme heat and smoke days: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/petaluma-library-renovations-reopening/?utm_source=article_gift&utm_medium=copy-link&ac=YXJ0aWNsZS1zaGFyZQ==&ah=gz1A5xD2av8y

#Petaluma #SonomaCounty #SFBA #Libraries #GiftLink

Seeing the latest news that Meta is now asking users for permission to mine their unpublished photos, I'm re-upping on this: are you still on Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp?

I've had friends say that me leaving FB made their feeds noticeably less interesting, and they were spending less time there.

The network effect does work in reverse!

If you're still on Meta services, ask yourself: what would it take to leave? It can be incremental! https://blog.riley.pub/walking-away-from-facebook/

Thinking about the CASA ruling, it seems like being aware of the federal judicial district one lives in or is traveling through is about to become a lot more important: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_judicial_district

#SCOTUS #USPol #CivilRights

All eyes on LA. Bless those organizers and protestors.

A lovely bit of whimsy 😻

#Petaluma #SonomaCounty #SFBA

30 Random Days Throughout the Year to Be Designated ADHD Month

"Lisa Stapleton, the charity’s CEO, said they wanted to give the public an understanding of what it’s like to have ADHD, plus the other months are already taken many times over by other charities and causes, plus they wanted to give people with ADHD the best chance at remembering one of the dates, plus they couldn’t decide what season would be best because they all have their merits."

https://thesqueakywheel.org/30-random-days-picked-throughout-the-year-as-adhd-month/

#Disability #Satire

I am, unfortunately, looking to consult with a California-based lawyer about a possible defamation case in which I (and possibly a couple others) would be the plaintiff.

Anybody have recommendations? This is new territory for me...

If you're someone who thought the disability community was overreacting when we flagged the many ways eugenicist philosophy was ascendant, but are alarmed by this Administration's policies:

Welcome to our hell. What disability rights org are you donating to? Have you resumed masking in public yet?

#USPol #Disability

@matrix has gone from $0 to $561K in recurring revenue in just 2 years. But our expenses run $1.2M/yr.

We've burned through reserves and are at a crossroads.

It's the classic FOSS funding problem: use and adoption are at an all-time high, wealthy companies and countries use it, and secure decentralized comms have never been more important. And yet we can't pay our bills.

YOU have a role to play in shaping what comes next: https://matrix.org/blog/2025/02/crossroads/

#Matrix #FOSS #OpenSource #IndieWeb #Fediverse

Ok so Columbia is the coward and collaborator of academia. Paul Weiss among law firms. What other institutions -- who can afford to fight -- will feed their legacy and integrity into the wood chipper?

Accommodation isn't an option with fascists. Everyone gets screwed.

#USPol

Oh. OK. Got bigger fish to fry between now and 2028, but if Newsom runs, I won't just be voting for someone else – I'll be campaigning against him.

This craven hairdo on legs can't join the dustbin of history soon enough. California, and the nation, deserve better.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/07/newsom-trans-bills-00217527

#TransRights #LGBTQ #USPol #CAPol #GavinNewsom

Good news, my MMR vaccine is still effective! Bad news, an unrelated issue I had hoped could be resolved is one I'll deal with for the rest of my life.

Being embodied is a real mixed bag :blobcat_thumbsup:

Discord reportedly exploring an IPO. Hold onto your hat, dear user!

Great opportunity for FOSS alternatives to prepare to roll out the welcome mats. (And not to scold. We know that doesn't work.)

https://kotaku.com/discord-reddit-ipo-gaming-server-gta-6-enshitification-1851768033

Today people were out protesting at all 433 national parks and goodness knows how many Tesla dealerships, in addition to a lot of public demonstrations of support for Ukraine. And one very thorough heckling of JD Vance.

We love to see it.

#USPol

"Q. [...] Some Democratic voices say it’s time to move beyond the issue of trans rights in areas like sports, which affect very few people.

A. You could say that about the Jews, Black people or Haitians, or any very vulnerable minority. Once you decide that a single vulnerable minority can be sacrificed, you’re operating within a fascist logic, because that means there might be a second one you’re willing to sacrifice, and a third, a fourth, and then what happens?

https://english.elpais.com/culture/2024-12-15/judith-butler-philosopher-if-you-sacrifice-a-minority-like-trans-people-you-are-operating-within-a-fascist-logic.html