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The moment pro-choice advocates have feared since the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh is coming. The Supreme Court has granted Certiorari – meaning it will hear the case – in the matter of June Medical Services v. Gee. This case challenges the constitutionality of a Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at local hospitals, an issue which already came before the court barely two years ago. But a lot has changed since then, and advocates fear this may be the beginning of the end for the court’s support of a federal, constitutional right to abortion as set out in Roe. v. Wade.

June Medical Services v. Gee is a test for a so-called TRAP (Targets Restrictions Against Abortion Providers) law. These laws on their face allege to be about patient safety, but in practice place undue restrictions on abortion providers that can ultimately force them to shut down. They require clinics to have surgical suites of providers to have admitting privileges  and other such expensive and cumbersom requirements. Admitting privileges in particular are hard to obtain because they often require that the doctor admits a certain number of patients per year – and since abortion is low complication procedure, that doesn’t often happen. If all this sounds familiar it’s because these sort of laws are a common attack on abortion rights, and a nearly identical law was challenged and considered the Supreme court in 2016 in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.

In Whole Women’s Health, Justice Stephen Breyer found that the Texas law in question constituted an undue burden on the right to abortion. Breyer was using a legal standard based on what is possibly the most important abortion rights case after Roe, Planned Parenthood v. Casey. That case held that “a statute which, while furthering [a] valid state interest, has the effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman’s choice cannot be considered a permissible means of serving its legitimate ends.”

The Louisiana law at issue in June is nearly identical to the Texas law in Whole Women’s Health, so why did the Fifth Circuit court of appeals uphold the Louisiana law an ignore court precedent? Well, the Fifth Circuit held that it was somehow easier for doctors to obtain admitting privileges in Louisiana than in Texas, and that small factual difference was enough to spare the law. But the real reason is to put the issue once again before the court, nowthat the balance of power on abortion issues has shifted.

Like many controversial cases, there was a hard division in the court in Whole Women’s Health, with only five justice voting to overturn the law. One of those men was Anthony Kennedy, long seen as the last bulwark against pro-life jurisprudence and the man who Brett Kavanaugh replaced. Now that the balance of the court has shifted, anti-abortion forces are eager to begin chipping away at women’s rights. And, unles Robert or Alito surprises us, they will very likely be successful.

The most pressing question is: will the outcome of this case be a full reversal of Roe v. Wade? No; that’s very unlikely. The legal test at issue is the one outlined in Casey – what sort of restrictions can states place on the right to abortion and if they create an undue burden; not the very right to abortion itself. However, if the court goes against precedent and overturns Whole Women’s Health – as it is likely to do – it’s still very bad news for choice.

An anti-choice victory in this case will mean that states will be free to enact more and worse TRAP laws that will have the effect of shutting down abortion providers. In June, the law in question will likely lead to the closure of two out of three of Louisiana’s abortion clinics. It’s a grim future and it won’t get better, as there are more stringent laws and bigger cases on the horizon.

The most pressing is a developing case in Georgia, around the state’s “heartbeat bill,” which would ban abortions after doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat and essential stop abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Just a few days ago, a federal judge temporarily blocked the law, but this is only a temporary victory, because it puts the law in the track to the Supremes and, if the fact they are willing to even hear and consider the June case is any indication, they could be eager to reopen the Roe can of worms.

Not to be alarmist, or tell you things you already know, but this isn’t good for the right to abortion. Not only is the court now tipped against the right, most lawyers will tell you that while the outcome was correct, the legal underpinnings of Roe are shaky at best and the opinion itself is badly written. It’s rightly decided, poorly supported case and it’s extremely vulnerable.

So, is there any hope at all? Well, yes. There’s always hope, Maybe Brett Kavanugh will get impeached for lying during his confirmation. Maybe President Pelosi will do what FDR threatened to do when the Supreme court was considering undermining the new deal and simply add more justices to the bench and re-balance the court that way. In this turvy-topsy world, anything is possible. But the most important issue will remain organizing and advocating on a state level to elect local representatives who value choice and women’s health.

(image: Rena Schild/Shutterstock.com, via: Vox)

Source: vitapix / Getty

While modern dating can sometimes feel like a race to the finish line, experts and researchers advise us to take it slow.

“Slow dating,” means how it sounds–two people decide to date with a purpose and a goal in mind, without rushing through the “getting to know you” process. Some folks are turning back to ‘slow dating,’ after finding that whirlwind romances are fun, but not sustainable.

“You intentionally focus your energy on one person for an extended period of time as you gradually get to know them over the course of longer dates and over a longer period of time,”  licensed professional counselor Crystal Bradshaw said of the practice. 

In slow dating, you probably don’t jump in the sack immediately–instead you may opt to have more creative dates to get to know one another on a deeper level. This trend is becoming increasingly popular as more singles opt for quality over quantity in a sea of options.

“Many people are preferring to receive fewer matches that are quality ones over being flooded with a mass quantity of non-viable matches on some of the dating apps,”  psychologist Dr. Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. said of the move towards “slow.”

Slow daters opt to actually “do life” together and see how it goes. They stray away from conventional dinner and drinks and actually take the time to plot out dates that help you see how someone handles different situations. It’s pretty hard to learn someone’s character if all you do is party and sex.

Bradshaw says that people who want to slow date may choose to do anything from eating at “a new restaurant to the new exhibit at the museum you’re dying to see.”

She advises people to stay away from face-to-face only dating.

“You want to be engaged in an activity, doing something new, and the conversations that you have will be about the present moment, the activity you are engaged in,” she continued.

“You’ll be surprised by the type of information you will glean from those experiences. You’ll find out things about your date that you would have never discovered doing the ‘cup of coffee’ date, drinks at a noisy bar, and sitting quietly in a movie.”

For the past several weeks, BNP Anime has been deep in the show from Ufotable: Kimetsu No Yaiba aka Demon Slayer. It is new, fresh, and oh so good. So much so it has surprised us all with how much we love it. For the first bit, we hold the spoilers in, so if you haven’t finished it, read on safely. But when you get to the spoiler tag, you’ve been warned!

Spoiler Free For Your Entertainment

Kimetsu No Yaiba aka Demon Slayer Off the Top

William: Let me start this shit off like this: I’m glad that Kimetsu No Yaiba aka Demon Slayer dropped in 2019 and not like 2009 because I would’ve had a real ass argument with my wife when she would’ve shot down my name suggestions of Nezuko or Tanjiro for our child. I would’ve been non-negotiable on that shit. I want to guard those two with my life and it’s been less than 30 episodes. Nezuko been asleep for half of those.

Mikkel: Those two are already in the top echelon of Siblings in Anime, right next to the Elric Brothers. And like FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the two precious characters are surrounded by equally endearing characters. The eventual trio of Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitu have such a well-balanced dynamic, and much like you Will: I’d protect those three dorks at any and all costs.

Omar: *maintaining composure* I can’t say what I wanna say until we get into spoiler territory. So I will just say, there ain’t a weak link in the squad. Right, Lauren?

Lauren: Not nary a one, Omar. *holds up DNA test declaring everyone That Demon Slayer*
At a time where companies churn out anime faster than you can say “based on the light novel” I cannot emphasize this enough: KNY is just gorgeous to watch, from character design to frame composition to backgrounds. I’m pretty sure you could pause anywhere in this series, frame that print, and have your home looking like you got both the time and money to patronize museum gift shops. All of the benefits of an artsy anime with none of the absolute existential despair or haunting questions the director will never answer.

Animation and Powers At Another Level

Mikkel: The animation is actually what got me to start watching the series. A friend of mine had recommended it, but since it was only available in subform, I kept putting it off because that was a time investment I didn’t think I had the energy for. But then gifs started appearing on my twitter feed, and wow…

It’s like they took that Japanese wave painting (you definitely know the one) and decided: let’s animate that. It’s a perfect representation of the superhuman power that Total Concentration Breathing lets the Demon Slayer Corps do, and every single one is iconic.

William: Total Concentration Breathing is the freshest anime power. Like, keep your jutsu and your Nen abilities for now. Just let a brotha keep his breathing constant and focused 24/7. I love it, and that’s before we learned that there’s like 15 other techniques. I love how the episodes have real ass stakes but you don’t have to wait very long for the triumph. It’s still earned, but we ain’t talking Attack on Titan or Vinland Saga levels where it beats your ass for 15 episodes before you get a sense of accomplishment. I don’t know how this show does that and still makes the triumphs feel earned, but here we are.

Omar: *holding knee while shaking with excitement to hold the spoilers in* The approach to the story in Demon Slayer feel mad earnest. While at the same time, the fighting gives the show so much weight. This may just be Rurouni Kenshin adjacent but it most def ain’t Bleach. Each fight looks different, feels different, and really has you “wiping your hands and hunched over while playing your favorite fighting game” type serious as they progress.

Ja-Quan: Omar, say less. The fight scenes in this joint are astounding. You will deadass experience a few jaw-dropping moments because the animation levels are off the scouter scale during every fight. It’s like the first time I saw Into the Spider-Verse, I knew I was witnessing some of the greatest scenes that have ever been done. The people behind this production (Ufotable, the same cats that made Fate/Zero) are coming for your top ten and are disemboweling mufuckas on this path to greatness. But can we talk that teary-eyed, filled with 2 tons of heart shit right now?! Can we talk about how Tanjiro has catapulted to the top of our most adored anime protagonist list in one season or less?

Willie: You’re all right except you’re not focusing on the real best boi: Zenitsu. Since we’re not talking spoilers, I won’t partake in spoiler jive talking. This show was the real deal since day one. No other show (except Gintama shameless plug) has made me feel the way this one did about the characters and fight scenes. This had me invest in something more than the surface level reaction of “DAMN YOU SEE THE WAY THAT ANIMATION WENT WHOOSH AND SKKRRT?” Also, what other show can put a girl in a box for damn-near most of the run time and make you care about her? The answer is NOT A DAMN ONE!

Also at Ja-Quan, again, without spoiling anything, Tanjiro has the 2 tons of heart thing and all that, but my boy Zenitsu? The boy who’ll have you dead before you can say the last three letters of the alphabet? “X Y – DEAD?” He HAS that two-ton heart down! He has gear third level heart. You can all see what I’ll be focused on in the inevitable spoiler talk, but for now I’ll leave it alone. Kimetsu No Yaiba IS THAT SHOW for now and forever!

OK SPOILERS INCOMING. If you haven’t finished Demon Slayer, finish, then come on back for the rest of this discussion. Re-live all the feels with us.

The Truth

William: I love how Zenitsu has one technique, which is, fuck yo shit up with one take. Dasit. And he’s unconscious while he does it so he don’t even have PTSD from that Demon murder. Shit is amazing. As I’ve said before, this might be the best crew in the game right now. Inosuke is basically self-taught and got multiple Beast breathing techniques? My dude got that Beifong sonar? Man, get the fuck up outta here. And we don’t even know what Nezuko is capable of yet. Folks be talkin’ about, “Imagine what I would do with a full night’s sleep.” Sheeeeit, Nezuko come out the box, six weeks of sleep in her eye and ready to dismantle some shit.

Mikkel: We’ve barely seen what Inosuke’s actually capable of given that we’ve only seen Technique 7 out of his self-taught Total Breathing. His “I want all of the smoke” personality and fighting style make him my favorite. The moment that sold me completely though was when Tanjiro told him “Don’t die until I get back” and this berserker took a beating, but took Tanjiro’s work to heart, survived, and managed to figure out human kindness in the process. And the goddamn final scene in the final episode with the train. HE WANTED TO FIGHT A TRAIN. He technically actually fought the train. That’s some old-school Princess Mononoke shit and I’m here for it.

Ja-Quan: While Inosuke’s boarish, staticky, attitude is the perfect balance to Tanjiro’s tempered, caring, yet determined flow, don’t get me started on Zenitsu. As much as I love his Sleepytime savagery, his stereotypical pervy, whiny behavior is beyond redemption (even though I know he will mature and redeem himself one day). But I’m here to talk about the technique slapping all of us across the face for sleeping on it — that Demon Blood Art nah mean!

Fam, when the last time you had the villainous horde out here with the varied skillsets and murderous moves?! And so many episodes feature a new demon with wildly stronger powers than the last. After that Jabba The Hutt lookin’ creature at “Final Selection,” I had zero clue that these more advanced and deadlier ones would be this outright appealing. From the temari-and-arrow demon tag-team champs that blew the doors off the expectations, to that trill introduction to the 12 Demon Moons, the game done changed with this one.

Omar: *Sicko mode plays in the distance* Listen let’s get to the shits, man. Tanjiro might just be the GOAT and he only got one season out. He was a contender for GOAT when he gave Forest E-Honda Hands Demon every gallon in the water breath water park, then hit the Oasis “Don’t look back in anger” sympathy. He was on the ballot when he told the J Dilla Drummer Demon that his beats knocked after knocking his block off. He was the nominee when he had the drop on demon Spider-Girl with the Breath of Water: First Form in the tuck, fade ready, then saw her repent, waiting to accept death with Creed’s third single from their debut album, AND SWITCHED THE ATTACK TO BLESS THE RAINS DOWN IN AFRICA INSTEAD?! I ain’t ever seen good boy go so earnest in the good boy harder than that. What?

Tanjiro’s nominee ticket for GOAT was ready to be put in the suggestion box then in episode 19 (three episodes later, mind you) HE TOLD EVERY ANIME CHARACTER IN THE GAME: ACTIVE, BENCHED, AND RETIRED TO SHUT THE FUCK UP. HUH? How you beat a demon’s ass by remembering how ya daddy use to buss it to the jam? Huh?! Tanjiro hit his daddy’s fire smurda dance to turn the thermostat up on the Breath of Water to the Dance of The Fire God. He Roy Mustang’d his technique FROM OUTTA NOWHERE… Goat. Da goooooooooat.

Mikkel: And let’s not forget how he managed to completely deconstruct Kaneo’s world view in about a minute. “How did you make it land on heads?” “Well, see. I didn’t. I was just gonna keep flipping till it landed on heads.” Tanjiro is my favorite type of protagonist, the one who brings out the best in others effortlessly and sincerely.

The Best Good Boy

William: I gotta go back to when Tanjiro was battling my dude with the Dance Dance revolution palms. My dude was hitting techniques, not for killing blows, but to redirect himself in mid-air. Nah, this ain’t no regular shit. After that, I became THE fan. I was in these streets posting fliers on telephone poles and shit. Then when he went up against 9th Wonder in the house? Shit was greatness. He slew my dude and walked away like, bet, I would still freestyle over your shit fam. Turn me up in the headphones when we meet in the afterlife, nahmean.

Nobody out here doing it like TJ man. I was telling Lauren earlier, Naruto would be like, I believe you’re great because we’re friends and I’m striving to be great, so I’m taking you with me. TJ be like, I believe in you. Full stop my slayer. That’s it. Send tweet.

Lauren: Look, I love a good hero. I stay putting episodes on repeat like they’re my gym track except it’s actually just bench pressing my bank account. But lemme tell you about Muzan “Family Man By Day, Killer Demon Lord By Night” Kibutsuji. My mans got every legendary Hashira they done thought of and couldn’t find a Planeteer ring for tryna assassinate him for ages. Meanwhile he’s out here casually walking the streets lookin’ like he just took his family out for a nice walk but not too late ‘cause the little one has kindergarten in the morning. I mean, the utter God-level audacity.

AND THEN he hits us with the metamorphosis that would even make Aku pause and say, “Gahdamn, but I ain’t ever did Jack like that…” Not only an entire body change, but an aura change? What kinda Fenty beauty shade finder level magic you gotta conjure to have an aura beat to the gods? And I’m sorry, did you think you were going to level up by running through every mini-boss in this game before you got to Muzan? Nah, fam, he gonna snack on his whole lower rankings like the Sunday brunch he just cooked for his family, extra juice. It’s one thing to be nice with the blades, issa whole ‘nother level when just exposure to someone’s blood can either literally blow you up or make you lose your whole damn mind.

Omar: Aye you readers can’t see this but our editing team is telling us to wrap it up cause we’re 2k words in which is the cap. Well, *Ric Flair voice* “Your ain’t gotta like it BUT YOU GOIN’ LEARN TO LOVE IT”, cause you can’t put a cap on Demon Slayer. Tanjiro showed up and told everyone in anime to shut the fuck up. Fuck your hand seals, chakra, nin, ki, transformations, summons, and final forms. We off that.

If you ain’t got a Kickball champ on your team like Nezuko? Shut the fuck up. If you ain’t got an Inosuke on ya squad rockin Boar’s Head meat with his chest meat out 24/7? Shut the fuck up. If you ain’t got the shook boy catches bodies when he catches z’s with a Cool Ranch Doritos robe to stunt on these heux like Zenitsu? Shut the fuck up. If your character ain’t bout that action while at the same time being bout that honest forgiveness and non-paint by number kindness on some Tanjiro shit?! Shut the fuck up. Everybody shut the fuck up!

Demon Slayer talking that grown shit.

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