Henry Carnell
Masters student studying information science
Journalist on sciencey things (work in MoJo, Wash Blade, 5280, Quanta, etc.), helping out with @climatedesk.org
Thinking & posting about disinformation, science, tech, climate
🏳️⚧️🌲💻OR
- American Medical Association has concurred with statement, though they say the procedures should be "generally deferred to adulthood" not the Trump-endorsed 19-yo that the ASPS cited.
- It is notable that these statements are coming out after the first documented case of medical malpractice regarding a minor and surgery, a case not by a celebrity detransitioner but by a person with the full support of WPATH, rather than after any Trump executive orders, the HHS report, etc.
- Like always, Madison is downplaying a gargantuan reporting task she embarked on that took significant effort, poise, and the utmost dedication to the truth.
- I wanted to know the backstory of the executive order that defined "man" and "woman"—the foundation for the Trump admin's targeting of trans people. So I took a deep dive into the conservative strategy & distorted feminism behind it. And I talked to the author. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
- A really, really essential read. “The emails reveal that Epstein at least took part in introducing the international moral panic against trans people that is currently underway in multiple countries.”
- For my newsletter, I wrote about Dr. Ting's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the trans talk in the Epstein files, and how hard it is for trans people to talk about abuse. (Dr. Ting is not implicated in any malfeasance or criminal activity) www.burnsnotice.com/we-have-to-t...
- Notable news: a detransitioner has won a malpractice case about a mastectomy received while a minor. Notably, the plaintiff had the support of WPATH who said the defendants (a psychologist and surgeon without experience treating trans patients) did not adhere to medical guidelines.
- The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also put out a statement against gender-affirming surgery for trans youth before the age of 19. It does not apply to cis youth receiving similar procedures at much higher rates. The head of ASPS is a Trump donor; the decision came from a board of surgeons.
- The right and trans healthcare skeptics are framing both as wins or a turning points for trans healthcare in the US. While these changes will undeniable have effects, two key points I want to center:
- 1) Consequences for not following best medical practices are important, in any type of care, especially for minors. 2) ASPS has is offering “professional guidance” not a professional practice guideline and is ultimately leaving medical decision making up to members.
- This would be less dire if the industry invested in archives, but alas. When we are tasked with creating a public record, writing the first draft of history, and are a pillar of free democracy, we have a *moral* obligation to make that accessible--both to current and future readers.
- This sucks, and it gets even worse. I've noticed at least one site has employed a paywall process that even prevents paying subscribers from employing IA-style WARC creation from saving the site, with a script that reapplies the paywall in the WARC context. www.niemanlab.org/2026/01/news...
- Meta is sending $5 million to rehab the image of one data center outside of Des Moines Iowa. Their advertising campaign highlights all the jobs the center will add. While data centers are growing, they have been around for a while and studies show they add very few jobs to a community.
- Have you fallen in love with data centers yet? Likely not, but there is million-dollar PR campaign trying to get you there. Read about @hurwitz.bsky.social 's investigation into how big tech is trying to rehab data centers' image in light of their dropping favorability.
