Beirne Roose-Snyder
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beirners.bsky.social
Beirne Roose-Snyder
@beirners.bsky.social
1.3K followers 340 following 200 posts
Sports fan. Bemused parent. Many thoughts on LGBTQI rights, abortion, HIV, SRHR & the law. She/her
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beirners.bsky.social
Next nasty anti-gay/anti-repro push is anti-surrogacy. This month there was a UN Side Event on “Surrogacy as a Form of Violence Against Women and Girls: Need for Global Action". Hosted by rogues' gallery of Italy, the anti-trans Special Rapporteur on VAWG, Not All Gays Ireland, & the ADF. 🫠
First page of a concept note with logos: UNGA80 HIGH-LEVEL SIDE EVENT “SURROGACY AS A FORM OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS: NEED FOR GLOBAL ACTION” 8 October, 1:15-2:30 PM Conference Room 6 United Nations Headquarters in New York CONCEPT NOTE BACKGROUND The Government of Italy, along with the Italian Permanent Mission to the United Nations and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, is pleased to host a high-level side event on the margins of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) on “Surrogacy as a Form of Violence against Women and Girls – Need for Global Action”. The side event will provide the opportunity to engage in dialogue on the multi-faceted aspects of surrogacy, their link with violence and exploitation of women and children including girls, and the impact of such practice on gender equality. The event will also be aimed at sharing information on the existing national and international legal responses, including Italy’s 2024 law criminalizing surrogacy as a crime even when committed by Italian citizens abroad, and promote an exchange of views on the development of an international legally binding instrument banning surrogacy in all its forms, as well as other actions and measures to protect the rights and wellbeing of both mothers and children already affected by surrogacy. Indeed, the practice of surrogacy is expanding globally, with the commercial surrogacy market projected to grow significantly in the coming decade. While often framed as an act of altruism or a pathway to parenthood, surrogacy is indeed a form of exploitation and violence against women and girls. Surrogacy commodifies the female body, reinforces sexist stereotypes, and exposes women and children to severe human rights violations. The recent report of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls highlights how surrogacy arrangements usually entail economic, physical, and psychological harm for surrogate Second page of concept note: mothers, who are often recruited from vulnerable backgrounds and placed in unequal power relationships with commissioning parents, clinics, and agencies. Children born through surrogacy may experience immediate separation trauma, legal uncertainty regarding parentage and nationality, and risks of abandonment or trafficking. FORMAT AND PARTICIPANTS The event will take place on 8 October from 13:15 to 14:30 in CR6 at the United Nations Headquarters, will be opened by the Italian Minister of Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities, Ms. Eugenia Roccella, and the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Ms. Reem Alsalem, and will feature a panel of experts on this topic. EXPECTED OUTCOMES The side event is expected to generate greater awareness of surrogacy as a form of exploitation and violence against women and girls, while at the same time strengthening support for international action towards its abolition. In addition, the event will underline the importance of reflecting on, and working towards, the adoption of an international legally binding instrument that explicitly prohibits all forms of surrogacy. AGENDA • Ms. Eugenia Roccella, Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities of Italy • Ms. Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls • Mr. Giorgio Mazzoli, Representative of Alliance Defending Freedom International – ADF • Ms. Taina Bien-Aimé, Representative of CATW from the Coalition Internationale pour l'Abolition de la Maternité de Substitution – CIAMS • Ms. Annaig Birdy, Representative of Not All Gays Ireland Moderator: Dr. Ewa Rejman – George Mason University
October 20, 2025 at 7:25 PM
beirners.bsky.social
I know not everyone likes nonfiction as a “summer read” but I just finished this & adore it. So timely and compassionate and infuriating. bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
Cover of a book titled “The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports” by Michael Waters with the title written in a red banner along the top and yellow block along the left side. Over this is a black and white photo of a leaping athlete with incredible leg muscles and no real performance of gender.
May 25, 2025 at 3:05 PM
beirners.bsky.social
The face of “African Family Values”.
While they demonize LGBTQI+ Africans and abortion rights defenders as being western imports, this is who is being platformed in Nairobi next week.
A very busy green and white poster for the “Pan-African Conference on Family Values” in Nairobi Kenya from May 12th-17th at the BOMA Hotel. There is a line of organizational logos across the bottom including C-Fam, Political Network for Values, and Citizen Go. The center of the poster is 8 photos of speakers, which their names and titles. All 8 are white people from the United States or Europe, and 7 of them are white men. They suck too much for me to detail each of them, but they include Austin Ruse from C-Fam, and Bettina Roska from Alliance Defending Freedom International’s UN Office, who is mischaracterized as being a Legal Officer for the UN.
May 9, 2025 at 4:20 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Feels like an Establishment Clause nerd’s time to shine.
Screen shot of a State Department press release reading: “On the Occasions of Holy Week and Easter PRESS STATEMENT MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 18, 2025 As worshippers around the world observe Holy Week and celebrate Easter, the United States extends warm greetings to Christians everywhere. Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who has been given supreme authority over all nations. With Christians across the world, Jeanette and I celebrate that Christ is risen and that Christ is King. We are united in prayer for the many Christians who cannot celebrate Holy Week and Easter without fear of persecution. May God protect and preserve His people, and may all nations respect the right of Christians to worship Jesus Christ.”
April 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM
beirners.bsky.social
He definitely wasn’t.
Black and white AP photo of Jesse Owens, a Black man, wearing a dark USA sweatshirt and sweatpants on the top of the podium at the Berlin Olympics while saluting. In front of him is a Japanese athlete with their hands at their sides. Behind him is a white athlete wearing white clothes and doing the Nazi salute.
March 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Among other things, showing up to visibly oppose the illegal takeover of USAID today!
Red, white, and blue flyer for a protest of the halting of foreign aid assistance at Upper Senate Park (Washington DC) on Wednesday, February 5 at 11:30am. Organized by Friends of Foreign Assistance, it’s titled “Keep America Safe”.
February 5, 2025 at 2:03 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Grateful to have been together with some of the greatest movement friends today for World AIDS Day. “Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living.” -Mother Jones
Photograph of dozens of rectangular AIDS quilt pieces, with lots of different colors and styles including visible red AIDS ribbons and rainbows. The quilt panels stretch across the south lawn of the White House, with the Washington monument in the background and people walking in small groups among the panels.
December 1, 2024 at 10:37 PM
beirners.bsky.social
We’ve already talked about this right? Bournemouth inspo. #LIVBOU #LFC
September 21, 2024 at 3:09 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Happy Birthday! Antonin Scalia is dead. You, and the Constitution, are not!
(This was my absolute favorite line from The Originalism Trap. Might get it as a tattoo.)
September 18, 2024 at 11:33 PM
beirners.bsky.social
D.C. has an adorable corgi commuter.
Cheerful orange and white corgi sits in a backpack on the back of a dude wearing a green shirt and jeans who is walking up the correct, right, side of a D.C. metro escalator.
April 10, 2024 at 2:51 AM
beirners.bsky.social
The Ugandan Constitutional Court, in their press release, cite to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson.

The Ugandan court cited people losing the right to abortion in the U.S. as precedent for people losing the right to exist in Uganda.
First page of the press release from the Judiciary. Second page of the press release from the Judiciary. Third and final page from the press release and includes number 5: "The recent developments in the human rights jurisprudence including the decision of the US Supreme Court in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organisation, No. 19-1392, 597 U.S. 215 (2022), where the Court considered the nation’s history and traditions, as well as the dictates of democracy and rule of law, to over-rule the broader right to individual autonomy."
April 3, 2024 at 10:02 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Deeply dispiriting and nonsensical decision from the Constitutional Court of Uganda today upholding the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023.

You can read the statement from Ugandan civil society Convening for Equality here: drive.google.com/file/d/1wFzU...
Logo for the Convening for Equality with a rainbow infinity symbol and the words "stronger together" under Convening for Equality
April 3, 2024 at 9:50 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Completely depends on the fabric and roll technique. This classic Nalgene water bottle is a liter, so if it’s a thin cotton or linen (depending on sleeves) maybe one. But more likely a midi is going to run 1.5-2 liters.
Photo of a worn opaque Nalgene water bottle with a blue lid.
March 5, 2024 at 5:37 PM
beirners.bsky.social
So glad to hear from UNFPA head Natalia Kamen at the Global Aging conference today. Aging is an SRHR and LGBTQI issue, and highly gendered.
UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem and AARP’s Debra Whitman sit in arm chairs facing each other talking on a low stage.
October 25, 2023 at 1:36 PM
beirners.bsky.social
He also just met with the President of Hungary, an anti-gender nightmare, who welcomed him to the pronatalist movement. A billionaire connecting with world leaders on their shared white supremacist, anti-LGBTQ, anti-abortion alliance.
Screenshot of a Tweet by Hungarian President Novák where she says “The international pro-family #alliance continues to grow- meeting with @elonmusk.” With a still of a video of Elon Musk and President Novák in a conference room appearing to be preparing to watch a film.
October 18, 2023 at 4:58 PM
beirners.bsky.social
Seriously bad news to have the anti-rights & anti-democracy President of Hungary buddying up with a billionaire with a platform to talk about white nationalist priorities like “demographics”.
September 26, 2023 at 1:46 PM