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Julia Doubleday

@juliadoubleday.bsky.social

Writer of The Gauntlet, about COVID and public health. Read: thegauntlet.news Subscribe: thegauntlet.news/subscribe

13,470 Followers  |  639 Following  |  686 Posts  |  Joined: 24.05.2023  |  2.1756

Latest posts by juliadoubleday.bsky.social on Bluesky

Ottawa citizen screenshot of headline from Nov 18 - sick days increased  almost 14 per cent when public servants returned to office three days a week

Ottawa citizen screenshot of headline from Nov 18 - sick days increased almost 14 per cent when public servants returned to office three days a week

Looks like their plan to boost productivity by ushering everyone back to the office in an ongoing pandemic didn't play out as expected

ottawacitizen.com/public-servi...

20.11.2025 00:48 β€” πŸ‘ 769    πŸ” 253    πŸ’¬ 21    πŸ“Œ 29

Omg yeah exactly. Idk what is so hard for ppl to comprehend about the word β€œhomebound” but they rly don’t get it. My neuro asked me if I had plans over 4th of July this year. I was like ??? I literally have plans never. I never ever have plans. So no.

20.11.2025 00:10 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I can’t walk bc of the last (ongoing) pandemic. I’ve been homebound w long covid for over a year . But thanks!!!!!

19.11.2025 20:43 β€” πŸ‘ 206    πŸ” 49    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0

dunno how she could’ve been more explicit. and yet …

18.11.2025 21:30 β€” πŸ‘ 44    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Glad I got to become disabled in a world that already had Alice Wong @sfdirewolf.bsky.social in it. I learned so much from her incredible writing & activism. May her memory be a blessing, & may we all continue her work.
Easiest way to do it? WEAR A MASK. Protect yourself & the vulnerable around you.

15.11.2025 07:23 β€” πŸ‘ 383    πŸ” 96    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2

For those of us who became disabled as a result of the pandemic, Alice was a bright light walking us through the experience. She did so much to show many of us what it meant to see disability as a beautiful part of who we are, not something to resent.

15.11.2025 08:40 β€” πŸ‘ 86    πŸ” 23    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Steven and Alice smiling and holding each other’s books

Steven and Alice smiling and holding each other’s books

Our beloved Alice Wong has joined the ancestors. It was one of the great honors of my life to call Alice my friend, co-author & co-conspirator. She was a true genius, a force of nature the likes of which the world has never seen before. I love you, Alice, and am equal parts grateful and devastated

15.11.2025 06:08 β€” πŸ‘ 7442    πŸ” 1490    πŸ’¬ 104    πŸ“Œ 139
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Alice Wong on Instagram: "ID: Yellow background with black text "This is Alice's friend Sandy Ho, posting. Per Alice's wishes, this message is being shared at the time of her passing. Hi everyone, it ... 423 likes, 73 comments - alicatsamurai on November 14, 2025: "ID: Yellow background with black text "This is Alice's friend Sandy Ho, posting. Per Alice's wishes, this message is being shared at the t...

I don’t want to formulate words yet, but my friend Alice Wong, @sfdirewolf.bsky.social of the Disability Visibility Project, has passed.

Here are the words she left behind:
www.instagram.com/p/DREMDNBjnq...

15.11.2025 05:57 β€” πŸ‘ 3681    πŸ” 1434    πŸ’¬ 139    πŸ“Œ 280
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"Pluribus" captures the isolation of COVID-awareness in a COVID denialist world | The Gauntlet Get more from The Gauntlet on Patreon

I also publish my work on Patreon, if you’d prefer to share/ support my work there !

And thank you for your kind comments :)

www.patreon.com/posts/plurib...

15.11.2025 11:49 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I couldn’t decide on a favorite part of this essay, because every single bit of it was spot on. A must-read, even if you’re not interested in Pluribus. Maybe even *especially* if you’re not interested.

14.11.2025 19:09 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Subscribe to The Gauntlet COVID Information, Updates, and Commentary. Click to read The Gauntlet, by Julia Doubleday, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

If you're enjoying my work, don't forget to become a paid subscriber so I can continue to write and also eat food. Today especially since I'm pretty sure my healthcare costs are about to go up like crazy 🀑
Paid subscribers receive add'l personal essays!

www.thegauntlet.news/subscribe

10.11.2025 18:43 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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"Pluribus" captures the isolation of COVID-awareness in a COVID denialist world For years I've described having Long COVID as living in a horror movie. Now that horror movie (well, prestige Apple TV show) is here.

Living with Long COVID often feels like living in a horror movie. Along with your disease comes a creepy Hive Mind refusal to acknowledge the dangers of COVID infection. In Vince Gilligan's new Apple TV show Pluribus, the Hive Mind comes to life:

www.thegauntlet.news/p/pluribus-c...

10.11.2025 18:41 β€” πŸ‘ 404    πŸ” 159    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 44

« People do not believe in our illness, and not only do they not care to help us avoid reinfection, they actively work to ensure that reinfection risk is as high as it can possibly be. »

13.11.2025 01:38 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œThey said back to normal, and they meant back to normal. All of it….back to the Hive Mind. Hustle for your check. Buy yourself something nice. Immigrants are the problem. Disabled people are the problem. Trans people are the problem. Woke is dead. Now take that fucking mask off your face.

13.11.2025 00:14 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œβ€¦.I feel like I’m waiting for some fever to break, but it never does. While I lost my ability to walk down the street as a 38-year-old, no one would acknowledge anything was wrong, nor acknowledge why I might want to avoid another infection. β€œWe’re back to normal,” says the Blob, β€œthis is normal.”

12.11.2025 08:08 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

😳 Thank you so much, @anderbergskan.bsky.social. Solidarity! to all of us who #weararespirator to #ProtectChildrenFromCovid

And immense gratitude to @juliadoubleday.bsky.social 😷

12.11.2025 11:49 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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My Year of Rest and Relaxation It's been a year since I contracted COVID-19 and developed Long COVID. I've had to face my worst fears, but I'm still here.

"It’s a vicious cycle; people attend unsafe #events. They become #disabled with #LongCOVID. They’re too sick to attend events. They’re too sick to demand safety and #accessibility.": buff.ly/7hZp4Un

by @juliadoubleday.bsky.social #ChronicIllness

11.11.2025 16:30 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Devastating and poignant

11.11.2025 03:42 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

"They said back to normal, and they meant back to normal. All of it. Capitalism, racism, sexism, environmental destruction, and disease."

11.11.2025 03:13 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Just a wonderful and thoughtful essay. I’m so tired of the β€œback to normal” crowd.

11.11.2025 02:27 β€” πŸ‘ 36    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

This is a hell of an essay and I am intrigued by this Vince Gilligan show. πŸ§ͺ🩺 #MedSky #LongCovid #DisabilitySky #Spoonies

11.11.2025 00:13 β€” πŸ‘ 37    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œIf you’re COVID conscious, they want to psychologize you, stigmatize you, threaten you, until you β€œgo back to normal.”

10.11.2025 23:47 β€” πŸ‘ 43    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Nodding so damn hard at every paragraph

10.11.2025 23:47 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Whoa. This quote hit me hard: β€œAt one point in Pluribus, Carol is speaking to the Hive Mind, in the body of an authority figure. He assures her they are going to β€œfigure out what is wrong with you,” and when she asks what he means, he replies, β€œso you can join us.” β€œ

10.11.2025 23:04 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Always read The Gauntlet, but especially this time: read The Gauntlet!! (And donate if you can!)

10.11.2025 23:11 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

β€˜β€œYa gotta break a few eggs!” she shouts sarcastically to a sullenly quiet room.’

If you are #CovidCautious & need a gaslight-free zone, you need Julia’s latest πŸ‘Œ

#DutyOfCare

#CleanAir
#LongCovid #LongCovidKids
#MEcfs #pwME

10.11.2025 22:38 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

🎯
β€œa partner who is not themselves COVID safe is an incredibly difficult dynamic to navigate and ultimately leads usually to either a break-up or the COVID-safe person pushing their boundaries in order to join the β€œback to normal” world.”

#DutyOfCare
#CleanAir
#LongCovid #LongCovidKids

10.11.2025 22:41 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

β€œIn particular, parents of young children seem to avoid information about COVID-19…It’s more pleasant to be part of a group that says COVID is not dangerous - & psychologically more soothing-than it is to look more closely when people you love are on the line.”

#DutyOfCare
#LongCovid #LongCovidKids

10.11.2025 22:44 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

🎯
β€œPeople who cannot seem to fathom any middle ground between β€œ2020 lockdown” and β€œdoing literally nothing at all ever to prevent COVID spread”.”

#DutyOfCare

#CleanAir
#LongCovid #LongCovidKids

10.11.2025 22:46 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

"Each day I feel like I’m waiting for some fever to break, but it never does. While I lost my ability to walk down the street ..., no one would acknowledge anything was wrong, nor acknowledge why I might want to avoid another infection. β€œWe’re back to normal,” says the Blob, β€œthis is normal.”"

10.11.2025 21:14 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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