Melissa Wirt
@mkwirt.bsky.social
Lifelong South Dakotan. Believes in science and bodily autonomy.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
"The group brings together hundreds of grandparents nationwide who lived through diseases such as polio, tuberculosis and measles — illnesses once thought eliminated in the United States..."
www.kgw.com/article/news...
www.kgw.com/article/news...
Grandparents for Vaccines launches to share stories of life before immunizations
New volunteer group aims to educate parents about vaccine importance by sharing personal experiences with preventable diseases.
www.kgw.com
September 8, 2025 at 6:50 PM
"The group brings together hundreds of grandparents nationwide who lived through diseases such as polio, tuberculosis and measles — illnesses once thought eliminated in the United States..."
www.kgw.com/article/news...
www.kgw.com/article/news...
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Signing a bill that will kill millions of Americans on America’s birth day.
The symbolism is too loud.
The symbolism is too loud.
July 3, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Signing a bill that will kill millions of Americans on America’s birth day.
The symbolism is too loud.
The symbolism is too loud.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Produce is going to get scarce and even more expensive.
Farmers will lose their livelihood.
Farm workers are losing their freedom.
This is America.
www.reuters.com/business/imm...
Farmers will lose their livelihood.
Farm workers are losing their freedom.
This is America.
www.reuters.com/business/imm...
Immigration raids leave crops unharvested, California farms at risk
www.reuters.com
July 1, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Produce is going to get scarce and even more expensive.
Farmers will lose their livelihood.
Farm workers are losing their freedom.
This is America.
www.reuters.com/business/imm...
Farmers will lose their livelihood.
Farm workers are losing their freedom.
This is America.
www.reuters.com/business/imm...
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
I worked at Planned Parenthood.
They diagnose cancers while still treatable. They help women decide what birth control works for them. They help those working through mental health challenges.
Defunding them just harms people who already struggle to find places to get care.
They diagnose cancers while still treatable. They help women decide what birth control works for them. They help those working through mental health challenges.
Defunding them just harms people who already struggle to find places to get care.
June 30, 2025 at 9:31 PM
I worked at Planned Parenthood.
They diagnose cancers while still treatable. They help women decide what birth control works for them. They help those working through mental health challenges.
Defunding them just harms people who already struggle to find places to get care.
They diagnose cancers while still treatable. They help women decide what birth control works for them. They help those working through mental health challenges.
Defunding them just harms people who already struggle to find places to get care.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
My latest for American Scientist Magazine helps give scientists the tools to fight back against politicized charges that our research is silly or pointless- tools that will work whether you’re asked “why are we funding this” from your asshole uncle at Thanksgiving or an asshole US Senator.
🧪🌎
🧪🌎
“Why Are We Funding This?”
Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.
www.americanscientist.org
June 17, 2025 at 9:47 PM
My latest for American Scientist Magazine helps give scientists the tools to fight back against politicized charges that our research is silly or pointless- tools that will work whether you’re asked “why are we funding this” from your asshole uncle at Thanksgiving or an asshole US Senator.
🧪🌎
🧪🌎
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Six intersex people explain why they deserve unfettered access to gender-affirming care — and why trans teens do, too.
Read more here ⤵️
Read more here ⤵️
6 Intersex People on Why Gender-Affirming Care Bans Are Bad For Everyone
“My life and welfare depends on gender-affirming care.”
www.teenvogue.com
June 13, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Six intersex people explain why they deserve unfettered access to gender-affirming care — and why trans teens do, too.
Read more here ⤵️
Read more here ⤵️
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
…by March, the administration had already cut a total of $1bn in programs that supported small farms. For instance, they cut a program that helped tribal food banks provide healthy food and ended a $660m program that brought fresh local foods to school cafeterias. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
RFK Jr’s report calls farmers ‘backbone’ of US – but cuts leave workers lacking support
Small farmers face ‘two personalities’ as Trump team slashes $1bn in resources despite Kennedy’s vow to protect them
www.theguardian.com
June 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM
…by March, the administration had already cut a total of $1bn in programs that supported small farms. For instance, they cut a program that helped tribal food banks provide healthy food and ended a $660m program that brought fresh local foods to school cafeterias. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
US farmers sold $2 billion of food to USAID. Not any more.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
Gutting USAID threatens billions of dollars for U.S. farms, businesses
U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo, including American farms dealing in rice, wheat and soybeans.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
US farmers sold $2 billion of food to USAID. Not any more.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.
The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
A lot of people who have no idea what government actually does for their lives are about to apparently find out real quick.
February 5, 2025 at 7:51 PM
A lot of people who have no idea what government actually does for their lives are about to apparently find out real quick.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Trump accomplished nothing with his trade war threat. He was talked down like a petulant toddler by the cooler heads of Claudia Sheinbaum and Justin Trudeau. They prioritized averting economic catastrophe above political noise and allowed Trump to think it was his idea. That's what happened.
February 3, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Trump accomplished nothing with his trade war threat. He was talked down like a petulant toddler by the cooler heads of Claudia Sheinbaum and Justin Trudeau. They prioritized averting economic catastrophe above political noise and allowed Trump to think it was his idea. That's what happened.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
If you would like to see how much economic activity and grants and how many people are employed through NIH in your state, just use this handy website.
And then contact your Congressional Rep and tell them to prioritize NIH. www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...
And then contact your Congressional Rep and tell them to prioritize NIH. www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...
NIH In Your State - United For Medical Research
Select a state on the map to see the impact of NIH funding across America.
www.unitedformedicalresearch.org
January 23, 2025 at 7:14 PM
If you would like to see how much economic activity and grants and how many people are employed through NIH in your state, just use this handy website.
And then contact your Congressional Rep and tell them to prioritize NIH. www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...
And then contact your Congressional Rep and tell them to prioritize NIH. www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
If all undocumented workers in the food supply chain were somehow all deported, it would lead to an estimated 10% hike in prices and the “likely collapse” of our agricultural system.
How Trump's immigration raids could hurt Iowa
It's likely that Iowa, where agriculture is the largest part of our economy, where immigration accounts for the vast majority of the state's growth, and where voters once again voted for Trump, could ...
iowastartingline.com
January 23, 2025 at 3:48 PM
If all undocumented workers in the food supply chain were somehow all deported, it would lead to an estimated 10% hike in prices and the “likely collapse” of our agricultural system.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Abbott elementary starts at 8pm this week with an hour long special. Please spread the word! 🎄 🫡
December 1, 2024 at 9:18 PM
Abbott elementary starts at 8pm this week with an hour long special. Please spread the word! 🎄 🫡
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Delta’s CEO says Trump has promised to roll back a rule requiring automatic refunds on canceled flights and another requiring airlines to disclose the full cost of a ticket up front
Delta CEO says the Trump administration will reverse government 'overreach' seen under Biden
The chief executive of Delta Air Lines says the incoming Trump administration will be a “breath of fresh air” for airlines after what he called government “overreach” under President Joe Biden.
apnews.com
November 21, 2024 at 1:22 AM
Delta’s CEO says Trump has promised to roll back a rule requiring automatic refunds on canceled flights and another requiring airlines to disclose the full cost of a ticket up front
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Would love to hear from a Republican worried about food or housing costs how exactly deporting 10 million people who grow and pick our food and build our houses is going to lower food or housing costs.
November 19, 2024 at 11:27 PM
Would love to hear from a Republican worried about food or housing costs how exactly deporting 10 million people who grow and pick our food and build our houses is going to lower food or housing costs.
It will be interesting to see what the dairy farms and packing plants do when ICE shows up at their doors? They think it won’t happen to them…
incoming Trump border czar Tom Homan threatens people in blue states with prosecution if they hide migrants from ICE
November 19, 2024 at 5:20 PM
It will be interesting to see what the dairy farms and packing plants do when ICE shows up at their doors? They think it won’t happen to them…
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Teachers in the U.S. will spend an estimated $3.35 billion of their own money on classroom supplies in the 2024-25 school year.
The average teacher will spend $883.60.
The average teacher will spend $883.60.
November 18, 2024 at 4:44 PM
Teachers in the U.S. will spend an estimated $3.35 billion of their own money on classroom supplies in the 2024-25 school year.
The average teacher will spend $883.60.
The average teacher will spend $883.60.
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Naomi Beinart, 16: "We girls woke up to a country that would rather elect a man found liable for sexual abuse than a woman...Where the body I haven’t fully grown into may no longer be under my control. The boys, it seemed to me, just woke up on a Wednesday."
Opinion | I’m 16. On Nov. 5 the Girls Cried, and the Boys Played Minecraft.
On the day after the election, it seemed boys and girls woke to a new reality.
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2024 at 6:44 AM
Naomi Beinart, 16: "We girls woke up to a country that would rather elect a man found liable for sexual abuse than a woman...Where the body I haven’t fully grown into may no longer be under my control. The boys, it seemed to me, just woke up on a Wednesday."
Reposted by Melissa Wirt
Lots of talk about protecting your daughters from predatory men and not enough talk about teaching your sons not to emulate them.
November 16, 2024 at 3:08 PM
Lots of talk about protecting your daughters from predatory men and not enough talk about teaching your sons not to emulate them.