@oconnell@federate.social
@oconnell@federate.social avatar

oconnell

@oconnell@federate.social

Former Digital Editor at the Texas Observer, looking for work. GLAAD Media Award and National Magazine Award-nominated editor and journalist. Friend to cats.

This is my serious work account. Follow my personal account https://kolektiva.social/@kitoconnell

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

oconnell, to random
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Other places to find me and ways to support my work:

ᗌ Personal Mastodon @kitoconnell
ᗌ Social Links https://kitoconnell.com/discover (like my Linktree)
ᗌ Homepage: https://kitoconnell.com/ (I'm working on it)
ᗌ Patreon (keep me writing) https://patreon.com/kitoconnell
ᗌ Paypal https://Paypal.me/kitoconnell
ᗌ Ko-fi
https://ko-fi.com/kitoconnell
ᗌ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kitoconnell/
ᗌ Join my Discord https://discord.gg/9N3tbbqBh2
ᗌ Bsky https://bsky.app/profile/kitoconnell.com
ᗌ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kitoconnell/
ᗌ Twitter/X ... Please don't

oconnell, to random
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I finally got that green check verification going here.

Green check > blue check

oconnell,
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I guess I'd say

Mastodon green check > Domain-based verification on Bluesky > blue checks anywhere else

oconnell, to Texas
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If you're a member on , I just released a bonus from my with Raemonn James, aka the queen Hermajestie the Hung, along with her codirector Emil Lozada. I spoke with them for my recent freelance article for @TexasObserver, but this is extra content which didn't make it into the article.

We talk about the philosophy of drag and how Hermajestie has fared since leaving :
https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-drag-is-100612676

+

oconnell,
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This post is locked to members only until Sunday, after which it will be open to the public to read.

If you'd like to keep me writing—and encourage me to post more bonus content like this—please consider becoming a member: https://patreon.com/kitoconnell

oconnell, to trans
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”Today, GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization condemned Meta’s negligence after the company’s failure to moderate anti- hate content across its platforms ...”

https://glaad.org/releases/glaad-decries-metas-ongoing-failure-to-moderate-anti-trans-hate-content/

oconnell, to brainfood
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“Whenever legislators are writing laws about how they think drag queens should not be around children, it completely ignores the very real fact that some queens have children.”

I visited with drag queen Hermajestie the Hung and filmmaker Emil Lozada for a brief article in @TexasObserver about a new short that screened at : https://www.texasobserver.org/queen-vs-texas-drag-swxw/

+

oconnell, to brainfood
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Just saw the new HBO The Truth vs Alex Jones. Moving and infuriating, extremely worth watching especially for the courtroom footage, even if you already follow stories/media about the conspiracy theorist. Fans of Knowledge Fight will particularly enjoy seeing Mark Bankston in action.

oconnell, to austin
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Protesters unfurled a banner and briefly chanted at the US Army booth inside of the CREATIVE Expo at the Convention Center, demanding justice for .

@palestine

oconnell,
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@barney @palestine here's a flyer explaining their objections to army sponsorship of

oconnell,
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Here is the flyer distributed just now by the protesters at .
@palestine

sxsW OFFICIALGENOCIDE SHOWCASE PRESENTS U.S.ARMY "super sponsor"ofsxsW 2024.provides lsrael with "some of the most advanccd military cquipment in the world,"has a "secrer" base in lsrael (a Major Non-NATO Ally),which cost $35.8 million in our tax dollars COLLINS AEROSPACE subsidiary of RTX (formerly Raytheon),collaborates with Elbit Israel on military tech, provides parts for fighterjets dropping bombs on Gaza CIA collaborates with Israeli spy agency,Mossad,responsible for detaining and torturing Palestinian; responsible for destabilization of popular Palestinian political leadership IBM responsible for Israel's border security database,whic allows the IOF to precisely target specific families and civilians in Gaza. This surveillance technology is a modern version of the punch-card system they developed for the Third Reich to systematize the Nazi Holocaust AMAZON joint winner(with Google) of the $1.2 billion “Project Nimbus”"contract for the Israeli government's "all-encompassing cloud solution” DELL has a S150 million contract with the Israeli Defense Ministry for services and maintenance; owns VMWare Israel, which runs the Mahat surveillance system in East Jerusalem

oconnell, to austin
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Inbox: Over 60 artists have pulled out of their official performances in protest of event sponsorship by and war profiteers.

@palestine

oconnell, to Palestine
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Sent Cease-and-Desist Letter to Organization Leading Army Sponsorship Protest for : Festival claims activists infringed on trademark rights
https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2024-03-11/sxsw-sent-cease-and-desist-letter-to-organization-leading-army-sponsorship-protest/

oconnell, to Atlanta
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Protesters just disrupted a panel with Andre Dickens, mayor of , on behalf of the movement. Dickens fled the panel, hounded by protesters, and it continued without him.

I was briefly detained by police and sxsw staff upon exiting the event.

oconnell,
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I've just filed a story about this protest with a new (to me) publication, stay tuned for more on it.

oconnell,
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“It was really funny watching Andre Dickens scramble outside, only to find more angry voices.”

For Deceleration (and my first byline there!), I covered yesterday's protest against 's mayor on behalf of the movement, which saw him fleeing his scheduled panel at 's festival. In addition to photos and video footage, I spoke to one of the activists who participated:

https://deceleration.news/2024/03/12/viva-viva-tortugita-atlanta-mayor-chased-out-of-sxsw-conference/

oconnell, to austin
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Activists are performing flyer drops from parking garages and other structures near the road closures at this week to protest the sponsorship of war profiteers.

Photos shared by a friend.

A photo of flyers cascading down from building lit with a rainbow light projection.
Another shot of the rainbow lit building with flyers raining down. One flyer is almost legible as it is caught mid-flight.

oconnell, to austin
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Up next: and the First Amendment discussion with Brigitte Bandit! In conversation with KXAN's Will Dupree.

They say their mom's stripper name was "The Bandit" hence their name.

oconnell,
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Bandit recalls crying with relief on the day the SB 12 anti bill was overturned.

"As much as it was a relief, you have to ask how did it get here. How did my community end up in the hands of one 84 year old man?" they say of the judges ruling.

oconnell,
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Ken Paxton has appealed the injunction against SB 12 to try to reinstate the anti bill. Bandit emphasizes we are in good hands with the ACLU.

Everyone cheers as they say "Fuck Ken Paxton."

oconnell,
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"It's whenever we fight together that we're strong... Just because it doesn't affect you doesn't mean it's not going to get to you."

oconnell,
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Bandit started as a Cher performer but quickly pivoted to being Dolly Parton. Bandit says they are inspired by Parton's grace under fire.

oconnell,
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Bandit has changed how they get to shows for safety, usually arriving out of costume and walking with an escort. They have a corgi named Buddy Bandit who keeps them company and helps their mental health.

oconnell,
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A first grade teacher got up to the mic and started crying because she's struggling to protect the young students under her care. Everyone applauds for her.

oconnell,
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They had a nice dialog and Bandit offers to connect the teacher to more resources to help.

"People like you are so important."

oconnell,
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Brigitte Bandit called out from stage on behalf of and against the sponsorship of war profiteers:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4bx95nN6Cx/

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