Melissa
@melissabreen.bsky.social
writer | screenwriter | editor | Irish | tiocfaidh ar lá | saoirse don Phalaistíne | sí/í
Reposted by Melissa
British journalists are always like "I only had 4 annual european holidays growing up, because my father, the Baron, was a bit of a cheapskate, so really I am working class" then 5 minutes later decree an actual working class person a faker because they drink coffee
February 15, 2026 at 2:56 PM
British journalists are always like "I only had 4 annual european holidays growing up, because my father, the Baron, was a bit of a cheapskate, so really I am working class" then 5 minutes later decree an actual working class person a faker because they drink coffee
Reposted by Melissa
Readers shouldn't be tasked with this. Reporters being flip about these lines also makes life harder for all literary nonfiction features writers who do follow the rules.
If you clocked that this was entirely fictional, good for you! I think the confusion for some people shows that it was not marked or explained clearly enough. Even the existing note makes it seem like it was based on composite but real stories, not a "hypothetical."
February 15, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Readers shouldn't be tasked with this. Reporters being flip about these lines also makes life harder for all literary nonfiction features writers who do follow the rules.
The replies to this are proof of how unpopular anti-trans bullshit is over here. No ones buying it. The government and media try to make the numbers seem bigger so they have an excuse to be conservative. Also worth noting our gov still get their ideas about everyday people from twitter, a CSAM site
The expert who led the review into children's gender healthcare in the UK has said young people have been "weaponised" and misled about the realities of transitioning by social media.
Children 'weaponised', says author of UK gender report
The expert who led the review into children's gender healthcare in the UK has said young people have been "weaponised" and misled about the realities of transitioning by social media.
www.rte.ie
February 15, 2026 at 3:18 PM
The replies to this are proof of how unpopular anti-trans bullshit is over here. No ones buying it. The government and media try to make the numbers seem bigger so they have an excuse to be conservative. Also worth noting our gov still get their ideas about everyday people from twitter, a CSAM site
Reposted by Melissa
She's not an expert. She was chosen to perform the review because they couldn't find anyone with actual expertise in the area who would have produced the desired outcome of providing an official rationale for government measures to remove trans people from society altogether
February 15, 2026 at 1:39 PM
She's not an expert. She was chosen to perform the review because they couldn't find anyone with actual expertise in the area who would have produced the desired outcome of providing an official rationale for government measures to remove trans people from society altogether
Reposted by Melissa
RTE complaints process can be found at: about.rte.ie/contact/comp...
Complaints / Gearáin – Contact RTÉ
about.rte.ie
February 15, 2026 at 12:02 PM
RTE complaints process can be found at: about.rte.ie/contact/comp...
Reposted by Melissa
I'm aware that a lot of people find it fun to attack minorities @news.rte.ie. But we're talking about children here.
Kids are dead because of Hilary Cass, her transphobia, and her decision to lie about medical research. Please have some decency and remove this article from publication.
Kids are dead because of Hilary Cass, her transphobia, and her decision to lie about medical research. Please have some decency and remove this article from publication.
February 15, 2026 at 11:23 AM
I'm aware that a lot of people find it fun to attack minorities @news.rte.ie. But we're talking about children here.
Kids are dead because of Hilary Cass, her transphobia, and her decision to lie about medical research. Please have some decency and remove this article from publication.
Kids are dead because of Hilary Cass, her transphobia, and her decision to lie about medical research. Please have some decency and remove this article from publication.
Reposted by Melissa
hilary cass has no expertise in any field relevant to gender affirming care or the endocrine system or psychology or psychiatry.
she's literally just a transphobe hand picked by kemi badenoch to rubbish decades of fully peer-reviewed medical science.
it's a massive scandal and the dam will break.
she's literally just a transphobe hand picked by kemi badenoch to rubbish decades of fully peer-reviewed medical science.
it's a massive scandal and the dam will break.
February 15, 2026 at 10:22 AM
hilary cass has no expertise in any field relevant to gender affirming care or the endocrine system or psychology or psychiatry.
she's literally just a transphobe hand picked by kemi badenoch to rubbish decades of fully peer-reviewed medical science.
it's a massive scandal and the dam will break.
she's literally just a transphobe hand picked by kemi badenoch to rubbish decades of fully peer-reviewed medical science.
it's a massive scandal and the dam will break.
Reposted by Melissa
Join Limerick @ipsc.bsky.social Wednesday 25th February, 7pm, Absolute Hotel. Palestinian citizens of Israel face an escalating campaign of repression, criminalisation and state-backed efforts to erase not only their Palestinian identity, but their very presence in their homeland #FreePalestine
February 15, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Join Limerick @ipsc.bsky.social Wednesday 25th February, 7pm, Absolute Hotel. Palestinian citizens of Israel face an escalating campaign of repression, criminalisation and state-backed efforts to erase not only their Palestinian identity, but their very presence in their homeland #FreePalestine
Reposted by Melissa
Simon Harris on the radio trying to muddy the waters around the Occupied Territories Bill. The one side only ceasefire in Gaza is irrelevant. Israel is still robbing Palestinian land and installing settlers against International Law. They shouldn't be allowed to profit from it.
#SpéirGorm
#BDS
#SpéirGorm
#BDS
February 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Simon Harris on the radio trying to muddy the waters around the Occupied Territories Bill. The one side only ceasefire in Gaza is irrelevant. Israel is still robbing Palestinian land and installing settlers against International Law. They shouldn't be allowed to profit from it.
#SpéirGorm
#BDS
#SpéirGorm
#BDS
There are thousands of songs about love but only one song about the atypical tetracyclic antidepressant, Mirtazapine
youtu.be/dMrh5CW6IhI?...
youtu.be/dMrh5CW6IhI?...
Hayley Williams - Mirtazapine (Official Visualizer)
YouTube video by HayleyWilliamsVEVO
youtu.be
February 15, 2026 at 1:48 PM
There are thousands of songs about love but only one song about the atypical tetracyclic antidepressant, Mirtazapine
youtu.be/dMrh5CW6IhI?...
youtu.be/dMrh5CW6IhI?...
What they mean by the term is "white people stuff"
What the heck is “Western civilization” anyway?
Because the loudest self-proclaimed advocates disdain most Western philosophy, art, culture, institutions, and people. The only parts of Western civilization they seem to actually like are gothic architecture, ancient statues, and Camp of the Saints.
Because the loudest self-proclaimed advocates disdain most Western philosophy, art, culture, institutions, and people. The only parts of Western civilization they seem to actually like are gothic architecture, ancient statues, and Camp of the Saints.
February 15, 2026 at 1:46 PM
What they mean by the term is "white people stuff"
Reposted by Melissa
it’s hot if you alt text your art
February 15, 2026 at 12:48 PM
it’s hot if you alt text your art
Reposted by Melissa
there should be an oscar for bluesky story arc and @notalawyer.bsky.social should win
February 15, 2026 at 6:57 AM
there should be an oscar for bluesky story arc and @notalawyer.bsky.social should win
Reposted by Melissa
No mention of the increased rate in suicides amongst trans kids since care changed after the report came out.
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
New data shows surge in trans kids’ suicides following healthcare rollbacks | Good Law Project
A freedom of information request by Good Law Project has found that deaths by suicide of trans young people under 18 surged following the withdrawal of gender-affirming healthcare
goodlawproject.org
February 15, 2026 at 9:11 AM
No mention of the increased rate in suicides amongst trans kids since care changed after the report came out.
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
goodlawproject.org/new-data-sho...
Reposted by Melissa
I was at a party and few years ago when this discussion came up. The only opponents of UBI in the room were the people who said they themselves would "abuse" it.
They assumed the rest of us are as lazy as they are so they'd prefer that nobody has it. It's nonsense.
They assumed the rest of us are as lazy as they are so they'd prefer that nobody has it. It's nonsense.
"Not only don't people work less when they are guaranteed an income, they might actually put in more effort at work. And the fact that they have more money to spend leads to the creation of more jobs."
Nobel Prize–winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Nobel Prize–winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
February 15, 2026 at 10:05 AM
I was at a party and few years ago when this discussion came up. The only opponents of UBI in the room were the people who said they themselves would "abuse" it.
They assumed the rest of us are as lazy as they are so they'd prefer that nobody has it. It's nonsense.
They assumed the rest of us are as lazy as they are so they'd prefer that nobody has it. It's nonsense.
Reposted by Melissa
Interesting that there's no name attributed to this piece which speaks uncritically about the Cass review, a biased & unscientific piece of propaganda that resulted in the death of dozens of children.
What's the play here RTE? Stoke up a bit of transphobia in Ireland?
What's the play here RTE? Stoke up a bit of transphobia in Ireland?
The expert who led the review into children's gender healthcare in the UK has said young people have been "weaponised" and misled about the realities of transitioning by social media.
Children 'weaponised', says author of UK gender report
The expert who led the review into children's gender healthcare in the UK has said young people have been "weaponised" and misled about the realities of transitioning by social media.
www.rte.ie
February 15, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Interesting that there's no name attributed to this piece which speaks uncritically about the Cass review, a biased & unscientific piece of propaganda that resulted in the death of dozens of children.
What's the play here RTE? Stoke up a bit of transphobia in Ireland?
What's the play here RTE? Stoke up a bit of transphobia in Ireland?
Reposted by Melissa
If you want to fight fascism, you must practice disability justice.
If you’re claiming to be on the left but believe disabled people are “expendable”, you’re aligning with fascists.
If you are against tyranny but refer to people like me as “a drain”, you’re carrying water for the Nazis.
If you’re claiming to be on the left but believe disabled people are “expendable”, you’re aligning with fascists.
If you are against tyranny but refer to people like me as “a drain”, you’re carrying water for the Nazis.
February 15, 2026 at 4:34 AM
If you want to fight fascism, you must practice disability justice.
If you’re claiming to be on the left but believe disabled people are “expendable”, you’re aligning with fascists.
If you are against tyranny but refer to people like me as “a drain”, you’re carrying water for the Nazis.
If you’re claiming to be on the left but believe disabled people are “expendable”, you’re aligning with fascists.
If you are against tyranny but refer to people like me as “a drain”, you’re carrying water for the Nazis.
Reposted by Melissa
Quite right and if the FAI insists on going ahead, the players should refuse.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called on the FAI not to participate in the UEFA Nations League matches against Israel and added "Israel should be given the red card".
McDonald calls on FAI not to fulfil games against Israel
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called on the FAI not to participate in the UEFA Nations League matches against Israel and added "Israel should be given the red card".
www.rte.ie
February 14, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Quite right and if the FAI insists on going ahead, the players should refuse.
A few people have said, is it not better to play and beat them than boycott? And the answer is no. Playing them legitimises their place in civil society. If the FAI don't step up, the players need to come together and refuse to play
my.uplift.ie/petitions/fa...
my.uplift.ie/petitions/fa...
FAI Boycott Israel Games!
Ireland should not play UEFA games against Israel. We should demand Israel are banned from the competition. Sign and share the petition if you agree
my.uplift.ie
February 15, 2026 at 9:23 AM
A few people have said, is it not better to play and beat them than boycott? And the answer is no. Playing them legitimises their place in civil society. If the FAI don't step up, the players need to come together and refuse to play
my.uplift.ie/petitions/fa...
my.uplift.ie/petitions/fa...
Reposted by Melissa
"Not only don't people work less when they are guaranteed an income, they might actually put in more effort at work. And the fact that they have more money to spend leads to the creation of more jobs."
Nobel Prize–winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Nobel Prize–winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
January 29, 2026 at 5:55 PM
"Not only don't people work less when they are guaranteed an income, they might actually put in more effort at work. And the fact that they have more money to spend leads to the creation of more jobs."
Nobel Prize–winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Nobel Prize–winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo
It sadly tracks that someone who can afford to pay rent on a 4 million dollar property in America couldn't afford to pay their healthcare
pagesix.com/2026/02/14/c...
pagesix.com/2026/02/14/c...
James Van Der Beek bought $4.8M ranch with help from friends 1 month before death
The beloved actor died on Feb. 11 following a years-long battle with colorectal cancer.
pagesix.com
February 15, 2026 at 9:06 AM
It sadly tracks that someone who can afford to pay rent on a 4 million dollar property in America couldn't afford to pay their healthcare
pagesix.com/2026/02/14/c...
pagesix.com/2026/02/14/c...
Reposted by Melissa
Allow me to present you the Green Mountain Snail
February 6, 2026 at 6:56 AM
Allow me to present you the Green Mountain Snail
I hate this
The 'Moon economy' is about to boom. Deutsche Bank thinks this one space stock will benefit
The 'Moon economy' is about to boom. Deutsche Bank thinks this one space stock will benefit
This stock is a play on lunar infrastructure and connectivity, the firm said.
cnb.cx
February 14, 2026 at 8:40 PM
I hate this
There's no such thing as non-political art!!! It's the whole entire point of art!!! If you try to claim your art doesn't mean anything, that in itself is a meaning. Staying apolitical is a political choice and a political statement. If it's not political it's not art, it's just a piece of paper
February 14, 2026 at 12:49 PM
There's no such thing as non-political art!!! It's the whole entire point of art!!! If you try to claim your art doesn't mean anything, that in itself is a meaning. Staying apolitical is a political choice and a political statement. If it's not political it's not art, it's just a piece of paper
Reposted by Melissa
🚨 In a remarkable twist, one of Europe’s most pro-Palestine nations may face off against the world’s most anti-Palestine thugs — boycott NOW!
www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
"Boycott Israel" — Irish football team rally against Zionist sport-washing
In a remarkable twist, one of Europe’s most pro-Palestine nations may face off against the world’s most anti-Palestine thugs — boycott now!
www.thecanary.co
February 14, 2026 at 10:31 AM
🚨 In a remarkable twist, one of Europe’s most pro-Palestine nations may face off against the world’s most anti-Palestine thugs — boycott NOW!
www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...