To the Emory community,

This past academic year, the Emory community endured several student, faculty and staff deaths, including the passing of two Atlanta students from the Class of 2024 in the spring semester. During this time, the Wheel examined how we approached the death of community members in the past, and re-evaluated how we will approach campus tragedies moving forward. As a news organization, we want to be transparent with our readers about our decision-making process and ethical procedures.

In the past, the Wheel has acted in ways that sensationalized death or rushed to publish pieces in a manner that did not allow families and community members to grieve. For instance, the Wheel tweeted about the death of an Oxford student last year, including a picture of a hearse, before the University made any official comment. This prompted much warranted criticism, which we have reflected on.

Previously, the Wheel has viewed our responsibility of informing campus to extend to reporting on deaths of our community members, particularly as breaking news. After acknowledging community feedback and internal consideration, the Wheel has decided to not treat campus deaths as breaking news events as we had done in the past. Opting for a more sensitive and compassionate approach, we prioritize publishing a more humanizing tribute piece, commemorating the life of the community member we lost. This entails reaching out to the colleagues, friends and family members of the deceased, as well as receiving the family’s permission to publish a piece honoring their loved one. Out of respect for those immediately impacted by the death, the Wheel’s outreach to these individuals will not come directly after the news breaks of a person’s passing. Therefore, dedications to individuals may appear several months after their passing, but we want to prioritize giving members of our community impacted by the death a chance to grieve and share their thoughts rather than rushing publication. 

In the coming days, the Wheel will publish dedications for two second-year students who passed last semester. While these commemorations come months after the students’ passings, the news editors prioritized reaching out to many important figures in the students’ lives, and waited until loved ones felt comfortable to share their thoughts before completing the dedication. We will continue to follow this process in the future, allowing families and loved ones time to grieve. The production timeline for future tributes will be based on family responses. Given that the grieving process is different for everyone, the timeline for publishing tribute pieces will differ. 

The Wheel will continue to publish tribute pieces for losses within our community, to honor and commemorate their lives. We hope to share stories that embrace their legacy and capture the amazing people they were.

Sincerely,

Brammhi Balarajan, Editor-in-Chief 

Matthew Chupack, Executive Editor

The post Letter from the editors: The Wheel’s approach to covering community deaths appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

The Supreme Court voted on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision made in 1973 to protect the right to an abortion. The decision comes over a month after a draft of the majority opinion was leaked. 

The draft said the provision used to defend the decision, the right to privacy implied by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, can only guarantee rights not mentioned in the constitution if they are “deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and tradition.” Justice Samuel Alito argued that abortion did not fit this requirement. 

The 14th Amendment has been used to decide other landmark cases, including Loving v. Virginia which legalized interracial marriage, Obergefell v. Hodges which legalized same-sex marriage and Griswold v. Connecticut which gave married couples the right to buy and use contraception. 

Justice Clarence Thomas expressed in a solo concurring opinion that the court should “reconsider” the Griswold, Obergefell and Lawrence v. Texas (protects same-sex relationships) cases. 

With no more federal protection, the question of abortion rights has been left up to states to decide individually. Utah is one of 13 states with trigger laws in place, written to take effect in the case that Roe v. Wade is overturned. 

Utah’s trigger law, S.B. 174, was passed in the 2020 legislative session. It bans abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, or necessity due to serious health risk to the mother or severe birth abnormalities in the child. In the case of rape or incest, the incident must be reported to law enforcement. Birth abnormalities must be agreed upon in writing by two physicians. 

The law officially went into effect just after 6 p.m. on Friday after being certified by the legislature’s general counsel. It makes performing an abortion a second degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Doctors and clinics found to be in violation of the law could lose their licenses. 

With S.B. 174 in place, Utahns wanting to acquire an abortion for reasons outside of these circumstances will have to travel to a clinic in the nearest abortion-friendly state, Colorado. 

According to a recent survey, the majority of Americans support maintaining Roe v. Wade and keeping abortion legal. 

Planned Parenthood Utah said they would continue to provide abortion services until the law came into effect, after which the organization would have to stop performing abortions and refer those seeking it to facilities in other states.

Thousands Gather at Utah State Capitol to Protest the Ruling

The Supreme Court’s decision has been met with anger and celebration across the country. In Utah, thousands of people gathered at the state capitol to protest the decision. 

The rally was organized by Planned Parenthood. Another group of protestors, organized by the Utah Coalition of Leftists, met at Washington Square Park and marched up to the capitol building to join the rally. 

The crowd packed in tight, filled the steps of the Capitol and stretched back into the grass. Signs stuck out from the crowd, reading various messages including “abortion is healthcare” and “bans off our bodies.” 

Various community members delivered speeches at the event, including a church minister, representatives from local organizations like Comunidades Unidas and women with personal experiences with abortion. 

Candida Duran Taveras, director of community engagement at Planned Parenthood Utah, opened the event by acknowledging the ongoing struggle for abortion access prior to the supreme court’s decision. 

“Roe was a right by name, but access to abortion care was never guaranteed,” Taveras said. “Black, Indigenous and other communities of color, immigrant communities, people with low incomes, people with disabilities … haven’t had access to abortion in the way that they should.”

Reverend Monica Dobbins, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, spoke about her faith driving her support of abortion rights. 

“Abortion isn’t against everyone’s religion,” Dobbins said. “Unitarian Universalists, Jews, Muslims, Baha’i … also Christians. A majority of American Christians believe abortion should be legal all or most of the time.” 

In between speakers, Taveras led the crowd in chants, including “abortion is a human right” and “our bodies, our lives, our right to decide.”

One woman named Heather shared her personal abortion story, beginning and ending her speech with the words, “I have had an abortion.” 

“I never shied away from talking about my abortion because I do not think I did anything that I should be ashamed of,” Heather said. “One in four women have had an abortion, so I know I’m not alone.” 

Denise Weaver, organizer for the Party of Socialism and Liberation, spoke critically of the Supreme Court justices for their actions. 

“In this purported democracy of ours,” Weaver said, “how is it possible that five millionaires who were never elected, who serve life terms, get to decide the fate of tens of millions of women?” 

a.khatri@dailyutahchronicle.com

@a_khatri_news

The post Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade, Thousands Gather at State Capitol to Protest appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

If you’re a regular customer of Pizza Hut, then you might have ordered from them quite often. But if you are someone who orders from this restaurant only occasionally or once in a blue moon, then you should know how to track your order on the app. This article will help you learn how to track your pizza order at Pizza Hut. Reading these tips can never hurt if it’s not your first time ordering their delicious and cheesy pizzas. If you are not aware yet, the internet is packed with information about almost everything. From ordering a bucket of KFC chicken to looking up obscure facts about pandas, there are more websites than one can count that cater to our information needs. With so much online and offline information, it is easy to find anything related to cooking and eating out. Even researching about fast food chains and how to track your order on the app will be simple; all you need is this article and a little bit of research!

How To Track Your Pizza Hut Order On Their App?

• Go to the Pizza Hut App
• Tap on the menu icon at the bottom right corner of your screen
• Tap on “Order History”
• Tap on “Track Order”
• Enter your order number and tap on “Track Order.”
• You will be asked to enter your email address and password for verification, enter them, and tap on “Submit.”
• You will receive an email with a link to track your order online; click on it, and you will be taken to the Pizza Hut website, where you can see all your orders in one place! 

Why Is It Important To Track Your Order?

• You can see your order history.
• You can edit or cancel your order if need be
• If you want to complain about the quality of the pizza you received, you can do it quickly.
• You can also track the orders of employees too!
• It helps you avoid any delivery issues associated with wrong orders being delivered, missing deliveries, or waiting an extra-long time to receive your order.
• So this is it for now! This was a quick breakdown on tracking Pizza Hut orders on their app; I hope this helped, and do let me know if you have anything to add! What tips would you like to share?

 How To Find Your Tracking Information On The App?

• The first step in tracking your order is to find the order number. You can find the order number on the app when you place the order or on the receipt when you pay for the order.
• If you have placed the order through the app, it is easy to find the order number as it will be displayed on your screen. You can also find the order number on the email confirmation after you place the order.
• The order number will help you to track your order more efficiently. As soon as your order is prepared, the app will show the expected delivery time.
• You can also click on the menu button in the top left corner and click on the order number to get more details about the order.
• The app will show you the details such as the order’s date and time, the order’s status, the restaurant’s name, etc.
• You can click on the “Track Order” button to see the driver’s route and track your order on the map.

 What If You Don’t Have A Receipt?

• You can call customer service or email them the details of your order so that they can check if it was delivered to your house or not.
• You need to enter your mobile number in the app to track a prepaid order.
• When you pay for an order through the app, a message will show on your screen if you have placed an order for future delivery.
•  How much does it cost to track my meals?
• There is no additional charge for using this service, but you have to pay for the internet.
• If you are using multiple devices, for each device of yours that is registered in the app, there will be a cost of USD 5 charge per month per device. The charges will be debited from your Pizza Hut account when you place your next order through Pizza Hut mobile at any time within 14 days after placing the first order through Pizza Hut mobile. You can review all orders tracked in your account by clicking on the “Track Order” button at any time from within your last 15 tracked orders on Pizza Hut mobile site or app.

Conclusion

Keeping track of your food order is essential for various reasons. It lets you know about your order’s status and helps you set your expectations and decide when you want it to be delivered. You can easily track your order by looking up the order number on the app or the receipt. If you don’t have the receipt, you can call customer service and tell them about the order you placed. Besides, you will also be able to track your order if you don’t have a receipt. If you have read this article, you have learned how to track your order on the app. You can track your order more quickly and easily with these tips.

FAQ:

My Pizza Hut order will be delivered on October 10, and I have already paid for the order this day. Can I track my order?

Yes, you can track your food order on the app. 

Will it be free if I have paid for the order via a digital platform?

Yes, it is free to track the food you have ordered through the digital platform only if you haven’t paid for the food through cash or card payments in-store or digital platform yet.

I have placed an order for a take-out, and the app did not list my order as delivered. What should I do?

Make sure your phone has a good signal before placing your food order, and check your order on the app once it shows that your order is ready to be picked up at the store. If you cannot track your food on the app, you can contact customer service for assistance in tracking food orders.

Can someone else pick up my food if I don’t have a password?

Yes, this is possible, but only if the other person has their own Pizza Hut account and password or PIN code set up on their phone or device.

The post How To Track Pizza Hut Orders On App appeared first on Marquette Tribune.

In the world of casual dining, there are few concepts as ubiquitous as Olive Garden and its cousin chain Red Olive. These two Italian-American chains have been a mainstay in suburban America for over two decades, with most locations remaining cash-only to this day. In recent years, both brands have introduced newer and more modern offerings. Newer Olive Garden locations boast brand-new interiors with open kitchens and unique menu items like salad bowls, chicken parmigiana flatbreads, and panko-crusted goat cheese balls (which we all know aren’t real olives). On the other hand, Red Olive locations tend to look a little more dated but still serve up classic Italian dishes like meatballs, spaghetti, eggplant Parmesan sub sandwiches, and pork belly arancini. However—and this may come as a shock to you—neither chain is worth your money when it comes to one particular menu item: The Breadsticks. Before you continue reading this article, please take note that none of these statements are sponsored by another company or organization. We would not be professing these opinions without ample evidence to back them up; just so you know!

Do You Have To Pay For Breadsticks At The Olive Garden?

No, you do not have to pay for breadsticks at Olive Garden. The breadsticks are complimentary with every meal.

Why You Shouldn’t Pay For Breadsticks At Olive Garden

Breadsticks are complimentary with every meal

Even if you’re not eating at Olive Garden, you can still get free breadsticks. If you’re at a Red Olive location, just ask for them. If you’re at an Olive Garden, they will come around and ask if you want them.

Breadsticks are a filling meal

The breadsticks are a filling meal on their own—they’re not just there to fill up space between the pasta and the sauce. The breadsticks serve as a great side dish as well as a vehicle to pick up the flavors of your main dish. If they were only there to fill space between the pasta and sauce, then why on earth would they be called “breadsticks” in the first place? They would be called “noodles.” Or “pasta.” Or “fettuccine.” It’s really quite silly that we have such a habit of calling things by their most generic name possible when it is obvious that this is what they’re really for to be eaten!

Breadsticks are delicious!

If you haven’t tried them yet, then it’s time to try some! They’re delicious! They’re probably one of my favorite things about Olive Garden/Red Olive: The breadsticks are so tasty that I can eat them even when I’m not hungry (I’m weird like that). I usually try to avoid eating them because they’re so good when I’m not hungry, but I always end up eating the whole thing anyway because they’re so good!

Best Item In Olive Garden?

1. Breadsticks

I don’t care what anyone says, the breadsticks are hands down the best item in Olive Garden. Period.

2. Pasta

The pasta is always good and is never over-salted. It’s also usually very filling, so it’s a great option if you’re hungry, but not starving.

3. Chicken Alfredo Pizza

The chicken Alfredo pizza is delicious! I enjoy it most when it’s hot out of the oven, and I’m able to eat it with my hands (which I like to do). It also doesn’t hurt that they give you a lot of chicken on top of the pizza; this makes for a very filling meal!

4. Chicken Alfredo Pasta

The chicken Alfredo pasta is also very tasty, especially when it’s hot out of the oven. I like to eat it with a fork and knife (I’m weird like that). It’s also very filling, so it makes a great option if you’re hungry, but not starving!

Benefits Of Eating In Olive Garden:

1. Breadsticks are delicious!

If you haven’t tried them yet, then it’s time to try some! They’re delicious! They’re probably one of my favorite things about Olive Garden/Red Olive: The breadsticks are so tasty that I can eat them even when I’m not hungry (I’m weird like that). I usually try to avoid eating them because they’re so good when I’m not hungry, but I always end up eating the whole thing anyway because they’re so good!

2. Breadsticks are filling and a great side dish

The breadsticks are a filling meal on their own they’re not just there to fill the space between the pasta and the sauce. The breadsticks serve as a great side dish as well as a vehicle to pick up the flavors of your main dish. If they were only there to fill space between the pasta and sauce, then why on earth would they be called “breadsticks” in the first place? They would be called “noodles.” Or “pasta.” Or “fettuccine.” It’s really quite silly that we have such a habit of calling things by their most generic name possible when it is obvious that this is what they’re really for to be eaten!

3. Olive Garden is a great place to take kids

I love Olive Garden for kids because you can get a very filling meal, and it’s not too expensive. Also, the breadsticks are delicious for the little ones! It’s hard to find places that have good kid-friendly food at a reasonable price.

4. Olive Garden is family-friendly

Olive Garden is family-friendly. I think this says it all: “You’re never too old to enjoy our delicious food!” This slogan really sums up how Olive Garden feels about families and what they stand for: family-friendly food at a reasonable price! Kids eat free in Olive Garden as well as many other restaurant chains, which makes it even more affordable than many other restaurants when you’re trying to take your kids out on a special occasion or treat them to something nice.

5. It’s a great place to take people who aren’t familiar with Italian cuisine

If you’re taking someone who isn’t familiar with Italian cuisine out on an Italian date night (which I highly recommend), then they’ll probably enjoy going somewhere where they don’t have to worry about deciding what kind of pasta dish they want (as long as it doesn’t involve fish!). They also won’t have any trouble picking up the breadstick portion of their meal when you order breadsticks instead of pasta!

6. Olive Garden has great deals all year round

Olive Garden has great deals all year round.  In fact, they have their “Coupon Book” that you can get free at the Olive Garden website. This coupon book is full of coupons for both Olive Garden and sister restaurant Cucina Fresca. If you’re looking for some great deals, then this is definitely something to check out!

Final Words

The bottom line is that you should not waste your money on breadsticks at Olive Garden, whether you order them with another appetizer or as a main course. If you want warm bread with garlic butter on it, you can make it at home for a fraction of the price. If you want to taste real pasta, you can find it elsewhere for a fraction of the price. And if you want to taste a real salad dressing, you can make it at home for a fraction of the price. These are three things that most people who don’t have a lot of money can easily make for themselves at home or for much cheaper at another restaurant. So don’t waste your money on breadsticks at Olive Garden; order something else that is actually worth the money you pay for it.

The post Do You Have To Pay For Breadsticks At Olive Garden? appeared first on Marquette Tribune.

Alameda County lifts indoor mask mandate as COVID-19 cases decline

Lisi Ludwig/File

Alameda County Health Officer Nicholas Moss lifted the county’s indoor mask mandate in a health officer order effective Saturday, citing declining COVID-19 cases.

According to the order, COVID-19 cases in the county peaked June 6 at 56 new cases per 100,000 residents per day, and declined to a case rate of 40.5 June 16. Daily hospital admissions of people with COVID-19 have also stabilized, the order added.

“Masks work and are still an important tool to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, especially when rates are high,” Moss said in a press release from the Office of Emergency Services. “We strongly encourage everyone to continue masking to protect themselves and others from COVID.”

However, according to the press release, businesses and venue operators can still require masks for patrons and workers. Furthermore, the city of Berkeley never reinstated a mask mandate with the rest of the county and remains unaffected by the new order.

Effective Wednesday, the county is also aligning with California’s quarantine guidance and definition of close contact, according to the press release.

The state defines close contact as sharing indoor airspace with an infectious person for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period. According to the press release, asymptomatic people with a close contact exposure should test within three to five days of the exposure and wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must follow the state isolation requirements, which include isolating for at least five days regardless of vaccination status. Isolation can end after five days after a negative antigen test and no sign of symptoms.

“Aligning with the State’s quarantine guidance will not present a public health risk as most Alameda County residents are exempt from current County quarantine requirements due to vaccination status,” the press release reads. “Alignment with the State will provide clarity for workplaces.”

Riley Cooke is a deputy news editor. Contact her at rcooke@dailycal.org, and follow her on Twitter at @rrileycooke.

The Daily Californian

Today the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The landmark case once federally protected abortion rights and the right to privacy. In a month, 13 states are posed to ban abortion. Several more will likely implement further bans. Unless Congress acts now, states will determine an individual’s right to an abortion. These actions foretell a future with an increasingly tyrannical Supreme Court, who will not stop at forcing millions of women to bear children they can’t provide for.

Women who can’t afford or travel to states with safe abortions will turn to desperate, life-threatening methods. Mothers seeking abortions to care for their current children will struggle to provide for the families they chose to create. For queer and trans women whose rights are constantly questioned — their grim reality will only become darker. Disabled, sick and BIPOC women who become pregnant will die because of inadequate healthcare. As of 2020 in the U.S., Black infants already die at twice the rate of white infants. Restricting abortion access irrefutably targets minority and marginalized communities.

Shifting responsibility to individual states only expounds this phenomenon. According to Utah Women’s Health Review (UWHR), spatial disparities in abortion care have grown as more “abortion-restricting legislation has been enacted at the state level.” Economic affluency also acts as a main indicator of whether or not populations will maintain access or proximity to abortion care. Many wealthy areas will remain unscathed while places with the highest poverty rates will suffer the largest impacts. At the same time, abortion restrictions are associated with “adverse maternal and infant health outcomes.”

So, let’s acknowledge this decision for what it really is. Not rooted in moral or scientific foundation, but racially, oligarchically and religiously motivated. For instance, four of the five Supreme Court judges who voted to overturn Roe v Wade identify as Catholic. Texas, a Christian nationalist state, lists “[creation] in the image of God” as reason to disapprove of abortion in their 2020 GOP platform. Despite the Establishment clause of the First Amendment requiring the separation of church and state, our government respects no such thing. In the same week that they gutted abortion access, the court ruled to allow state-funded religious schools. Religious organizations have historically meddled in state affairs to secure abortion restrictions that would harm women’s suffrage, among other things. And as Justice Clarence Thomas has made abundantly clear, women’s reproductive health isn’t the only thing in danger.

The loss of Roe threatens same-sex and interracial marriage, as well as rights to contraceptives. Millions will suffer financially as pregnant women get pushed out of the workforce due to unpaid maternity leave, no affordable childcare or equal pay. Women won’t be able to choose between pursuing an education and taking care of a child as their agency is ripped away from them. And for men who think the overturning of Roe doesn’t pertain to them – think again. Whoever you impregnate may be forced to give birth to a child you can’t support.

Last time we checked, the Constitution doesn’t allow for a non-elected government entity to decide what we as individuals do with our bodies. Yet we continue to allow a group of nine people, who know nothing of our unique situations, mold modern society based on the interpretation of an outdated document. We have no choice in who they are or how long they serve. They obsess over abiding by every single line and sentiment written in the Constitution only to fail their actual constituents.

Who cares what the Founding Fathers intended when they wrote the Constitution? The world Thomas Jefferson lived in is incredibly different from the one we live in now. We should make decisions that reflect our progress rather than the past. We are leading ourselves into oblivion by following a document not meant for women or Black people, and certainly not meant for 2022. Imagine what a truly liberated country could do for its people. When are we going to live for ourselves instead of the Founding Fathers?

We’re creating a world where our lives mean less than the ones we carry, where women alive today have lived to experience both the protection and demolition of their reproductive rights in backward order. Our accomplishments and value can be cast aside for the sake of a fetus. An unborn child will have more rights than we do, unless (God forbid) it’s born a girl.

The leaders who proudly advocate for abortion rights keep telling us to fight and to vote. But at this point, what can we do? When has this so-called democracy worked in our favor? We’ve already taken to the streets and voted. We’ve already relied on a political party to protect our rights. Look where we are now. You aren’t fighting for us. You aren’t even representing us. Not anymore.

The end of Roe will result in chaos. There’s no digestible way to put it. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: What the fuck are we doing?

The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board is a group of senior opinion journalists who rely on research and debate to write staff editorials. Editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board and are written separately from the newsroom.

The post Editorial: The Loss of Roe v. Wade appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Juana Garcia/The Cougar

Massachusetts Senator and UH alumna Elizabeth Warren, spoke out against the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the possible steps that can be taken to reverse these actions.

In her initial statement, Warren cited the 50 years of precedent that have been stripped away, along with claiming that Democrats have the available tools to fight back.

“After decades of scheming, Republican politicians have finally forced their unpopular agenda on the rest of America,” Warren said. “We will not go back. Not now. Not ever.”

Speaking out in front of the Massachusetts State House with members of Planned Parenthood, Warren stated that “Roe is dead.” She continued to explain that the views displayed are causing Americans to “bend to their personal, religious, and moral views.”

Warren explained how people will still get abortions and those in minority groups will “pay the price” for the overruling of Roe v. Wade.

“We are here because we will make Roe alive again,” Warren said.

news@thedailycougar.com

—
“‘Roe is dead’: Sen. Warren releases statement on ruling” was originally posted on The Cougar

After coming out as transgender in 2019, Alex Jay Lore, who uses both he and they pronouns, started hormone replacement therapy. Then, in 2020, he had top surgery through the University of Utah’s Transgender Health Program.

Lore intentionally worked with a surgeon who specialized in non-binary care because he found even transgender healthcare to be binary. 

“Where it was like, ‘Oh, you’re either transitioning from male to female or female to male,’” Lore said. “There wasn’t really a whole lot of non-binary inclusion.”

This was Lore’s first surgery — he was anxious, but found clear communication and support through the program. 

He received some services through other programs but decided to switch his care over entirely to the U’s program because they have a patient coordinator and trans and LGBTQ+ staff members, which aren’t always offered elsewhere.

Setting the Standard

The U’s Transgender Health Program began back in 2017 when healthcare providers decided to put action behind what they viewed as a gap in the coordination of care for transgender and gender-diverse community members.

These providers were providing care for transgender patients before the 2017 start date, but it became clear that more coordinated, centralized care was needed.

In 2018, they began offering all gender-affirming surgeries which include top — chest masculinization, breast augmentation, etc. — and bottom — vaginoplasty, phalloplasty, etc. —  surgery. 

“And so since then, we’ve been offering comprehensive, coordinated care across the lifespan,” said Program Coordinator Ariel Malan, who uses she and they pronouns. “So in addition to offering gender-affirming surgery, we also offer medical services including things like gender-affirming primary care and hormone therapy.”

They also offer voice therapy, fertility services, OB-GYN care and gender-affirming hysterectomies. The program additionally partners with physical therapy and laser hair removal offered by the U.

They have an adolescent medicine clinic, where providers are trained in working with transgender youth. 

In their various support services, there are two transgender providers who answer phone calls to help patients navigate the healthcare system. Patients call in not knowing where to start — they want to know what services are available, how to access them and what their insurance will cover. 

“Those patient coordinators are a great resource to give people some of those answers and then get them to the right place to schedule those appointments,” Malan said. 

Not only does the program offer clinical services, but they also are committed to advancing knowledge and well-being for the trans and gender-diverse community through research and educational opportunities. 

Partners, allies and parents can attend patient education seminars and learn about name and gender marker changes, expectations for gender-affirming surgery and how to support those undergoing these processes.

For gender marker changes, the program can provide necessary letters for the legal changes that may come with that process.

They also have a peer support program, where patients volunteer with the program to help support other patients in their journey. This could be anything from emotional support to explaining what to pack for surgery to actually attending visits with their peer, if that interests them. 

“So it’s a really flexible relationship,” Malan said. “And then our program just matches people and then they take that relationship from there, how they want to establish that.”

The program hosts an annual conference to spread more information about how to best serve transgender and gender-diverse patients outside of the U community. Anyone who wants to learn more can also take their free online Canvas module about how to serve these communities. 

As a transgender individual and educator, Lore feels this educational component is a huge asset to not just Salt Lake City, but the state of Utah as a whole. 

“I think honestly, that’s key as we’re tackling things like anti-trans [legislation] and everything else that’s going on, like politically and socially, that can harm and victimize trans people,” Lore said. “I think education and outreach and having a program where it’s safe to ask these kinds of questions, but that’s also run by a lot of people that are part of the queer and trans community [is important to have].”

The program differs from the larger hospital because it focuses on a particular subset of the general Utah population. To guide its practices, it follows the World Professional Association for Transgender Health guidelines, which include standards of care for various areas like mental health, hormone therapy and surgery, among others.

While the program is more well versed in these best practices and clinical guidelines, they work with the broader U Health system to make sure some of these practices — such as using chosen names and pronouns, establishing trauma-informed care and informing patients of services offered by the program — are in place elsewhere too. 

“Oftentimes a transgender person may come to us for that gender-affirming care, but then they may need other services in the health system, like they may break a bone or they might be here for cancer care, or something else,” Malan said. 

Navigating Anti-Trans Legislation

With pending and enacted bills to ban gender-affirming care for youth across the nation, and the Utah legislature recently passing a bill banning transgender girls from participating in sports aligning with their gender identity, many trans Utahns are worried about the future of their care.

Malan said the legislation has impacted the program and its patients greatly. Parents and youth call in worried that their care will be taken away from them. 

“We do usually field a lot of calls and try to help patients understand that we will continue to see them and support them as best we can,” they said. “So we, as a nonprofit institution cannot get involved with the legislative process, but we can continue to support our patients. And we can continue to spread the education.”

Something the program prioritizes when providing training or educational opportunities is reminding people that “gender-affirming care is evidence-based.”

“And it is medically necessary for transgender and gender diverse people who are struggling with gender dysphoria,” Malan said. “So many times people just don’t understand that there is an evidence-based foundation for the care that we are providing in this program.”

After receiving care through the program, Lore then got involved with the patient and family advisory board, which looped him into the inner workings of making policy and more inclusive communication. 

As board members battling anti-trans legislation, they have been working on ensuring medical providers are aware of how to use chosen names without alienating or outing people. They are also working to make their services more accessible to various underserved populations in Utah such as unhoused individuals. 

“I know a lot of their intake procedures and staff training has definitely changed over the last few years where things have become much more affirming and much more inclusive in the way questions are being asked and the way patients are being surveyed, in the way they’re doing outreach,” he said. “I think it’s becoming better and better as they’re growing.” 

Doing this Work

In their undergraduate education, Malan pursued psychology and neuroscience. She eventually found healthcare administration which was a major turning point because she saw how impactful this field could be on community health. 

“I felt like going to healthcare administration would allow me to have a larger impact in general on communities,” she said. “And I’ve always had a passion for LGBTQ+ health because there is such a gap in knowledge and resources in regards to communities being able to access affirming care, so that kind of just went hand in hand for me.”

When she was undergoing her master’s education, she met someone who was in the Transgender Health Program. She ended up writing her thesis on best practices of gender health programs in the United States. 

“I love this job and I love being able to have conversations about access and better serving LGBTQ+ communities, and making sure that people have the knowledge and resources to do that, wherever they are,” they said. 

To Malan, the most important thing is that these are not specialty care services because any primary care provider can provide these services with accurate knowledge and resources. 

“That, in turn, creates better access for communities to get that care,” she said. 

Moving forward, Malan hopes the broader community can acknowledge the disparities in information surrounding this care. She said most medical schools do not have curriculum about how to serve minority populations, including LGBTQ+ patients. Instead of entering their new position with accurate knowledge of how to provide gender-affirming care, they start learning while on the job. 

“I think another thing is making sure that our representatives at the legislative level are aware of what our needs are as a community, and that means making sure that we are looking at SOGI — sexual orientation and gender identity — data as a whole,” she said. “Because if we’re not counting who is in our community, we’re not able to measure the impact.”

Malan wants people to know that this program is community-based. They prioritize representation within the program and are always open to feedback from the community on how to improve the patient experience. 

As a queer and gender-diverse individual, Malan finds it helpful when allies support them in their work so they can have a space in areas where they typically wouldn’t. 

“Having these stories and having this visibility is really important for us to keep advancing the mission of just creating more access,” they said. 

Lore has seen different providers throughout the city and state. He hopes the U’s program will expand and network with other providers to further lessen discrepancies in care. 

“As I’ve gotten involved with all of this, I’m definitely seeing that there’s just so much work still to be done,” they said. “Specifically like when it comes to inclusion and representation — like including more people of color, including more people from all kinds of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.”

k.silverstein@dailyutahchronicle.com

@chronykayleigh

The post U’s Transgender Health Program Expands Access to Necessary Care appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) plans to expand abortion care in Minnesota and remains committed to providing care. 

In a ruling Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, leaving the right to abortion up to individual states. Some of the states surrounding Minnesota already have abortion bans and restrictions in place, and physicians expect an increased demand for abortion care in Minnesota. 

Both of the Dakotas had trigger laws in place to ban abortion once Roe was overturned. North Dakota’s trigger law will go into effect within 30 days. South Dakota’s trigger law has already gone into effect, and abortion is no longer legal in the state. 

PPNCS does not operate a clinic in North Dakota and while clinic doors in South Dakota remain open, PPNCS provided its last abortion in South Dakota last week, PPNCS President Sarah Stoesz said at a press conference Friday. 

Wisconsin’s abortion law from 1849, which bans abortions, went into effect once Roe was overturned. 

“We remain committed to providing other forms of sexual and repductive health care, family planning, birth control, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, gender affirming hormone therapy and so on,” Stoesz said. 

Abortion remains legal in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. Minnesota is the only state that has constitutional protections for abortion though. 

PPNCS has been working for the past several months to increase access to abortion care in states that continue to have legal abortion access, Dr. Sarah Traxler, PPNCS chief medical officer, said at the press conference. The organization has increased capacity at telemedicine sites, hired more patient navigators and recruited new positions in Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota to meet increased demand. 

While PPNCS has not added to the number of clinics in Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, it has increased the number of days and providers at each clinic, Traxler said. The organization is looking for potential places to expand. 

“We believe we’ll have an influx of patients in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota,” Traxler said. 

Expanding clinics and hours in certain states is only half of the equation though because patients need resources to travel to another state and pay for procedures, Traxler said. 

“We imagine that folks who are living in communities that are struggling and are already marginalized will have even more difficulty accessing abortion care,” Traxler said. “We know that people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people living in rural communities will be disproportionately impacted by this ruling.” 

PPNCS will continue to provide contraceptive services at all of its clinics, but the future of contraceptives and whether they continue to be available or will be regulated remains uncertain, Stoesz said.

“We are concerned about it,” Stoesz said.

Stoesz said PPNCS is not going anywhere and will continue to provide sexual and reproductive care in the region. 

“I do want to be absolutely crystal clear that our doors remain open,” Stoesz said. “And we will be welcoming people here in Minnesota to have the health care that they need to save their lives.” 

Other organizations also released statements Friday after the Supreme Court decision. 

UnRestrict Minnesota and the Reproductive Freedom Caucus announced Minnesota Beyond Roe: The Leadership Agenda for Abortion Access. The agenda focuses on repealing restrictions on abortion care in Minnesota, protecting patients and providers from post-Roe attacks and ensuring equitable access to abortion care. 

“There is important work we must do now to rise to the challenges we now face and the opportunity inherent in this moment,” Abena Abraham, campaign director for UnRestrict Minnesota, said in the statement. 

Gender Justice also issued a statement supporting abortion rights in Minnesota. 

“Now that the Supreme Court has cleared the way for more abortion bans, we must improve our laws in Minnesota to support everyone’s right to make decisions about their own bodies,” Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice, said in the statement.

Minnesota Physicians, including the Minnesota Medical Association and the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, stated they are committed to providing safe and equitable health care. 

“The overturn of Roe represents a clear and present danger to women’s health and lives in this country,” Stoesz said. “Nothing will be the same for many, many years to come.” 

Drinking water is important. Drinking water that tastes like a salt lick, not so much. In the face of shortages and contamination, people are looking for alternatives to ordinary tap water. Natural drinking waters like artesian wells, springs, and other groundwater sources are becoming more popular as people search for healthier drinking water options. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to fresh spring water where they live. Millions of Americans rely on public water supplies for their drinking water needs. Some municipal water suppliers add minerals such as sodium or potassium chloride to improve taste and reduce corrosion in the pipes — but why do they also add salt? Here’s what you need to know about DASANI having salt.

Why Does DASANI Have Salt?‍

DASANI is a brand of bottled water that is owned by The Coca-Cola Company, and it has a very high sodium content. It is true that many people are not aware of the fact that DASANI has salt, but it does have salt. In fact, DASANI has as much sodium as two slices of white bread.

What Is Salt?

Salt is a dry crystalline mineral composed of sodium chloride. This white, odorless and nearly flavorless mineral has been used as a food preservative and also as an essential nutrient for human life for thousands of years. Salt is commonly used as a flavor enhancer for many different types of food and beverages including soups, stews, baked goods, and snacks. It is also used to make some soft drinks, mix cocktails, and in some canned vegetables.

Health Risks Associated With Chlorine And Salt

1. Chlorine is a poisonous gas and is a common ingredient in municipal drinking water. It is also used to clean swimming pools and other swimming areas.
2. Chlorine and salt are both used to disinfect water, but chlorine, when added to drinking water, turns into a toxic gas called chlorine dioxide which can be harmful to humans.
3. Chlorine dioxide can be harmful to the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. It can irritate the skin and may cause severe burns if it comes in contact with human skin or eyes. Breathing chlorine dioxide gas may cause lung irritation or even death if it comes in contact with the lungs or other parts of the respiratory system during inhalation. It can also irritate the eyes causing eye pain, blurred vision, temporary blindness, or permanent damage to your vision if you come into contact with it during inhalation or eyesight during vision exposure.
4. Chlorine dioxide reacts quickly with organic materials such as fats and proteins causing them to break down (oxidize). The resulting products include chlorinated dioxin which is highly toxic to humans and animals (see below). The breakdown products of chlorinated dioxin are more toxic than chlorine itself because they persist longer in the environment than do their parent compounds which means that they continue to remain active for longer periods of time in the environment.
5. The breakdown products of chlorinated dioxins are extremely persistent environmental pollutants that accumulate over time in the soil, water, and other natural systems.
6. The main human health effects of chlorine dioxide are irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Exposure to chlorine dioxide can cause eye pain, blurred vision, temporary blindness, or permanent damage to your vision if you come into contact with it during inhalation or eyesight during vision exposure.
7. Chlorine dioxide gas has been linked to liver cancer and is a suspected carcinogen (carcinogen). It is also linked to reproductive toxicity and developmental effects in laboratory animals including birth defects and increased rates of cancer in laboratory animals exposed in utero. It is classified as a Class 2B carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) meaning that it may possibly cause cancer in humans but there is not enough evidence at this time to show that it causes cancer in humans.
8. Chlorinated dioxins are toxic chemicals that are formed when chlorine reacts with organic materials such as fats and proteins causing them to break down (oxidize). The resulting products include chlorinated dioxins which are highly toxic compounds. They have been identified as persistent environmental pollutants because they accumulate over time in the soil, water, and other natural systems. Chlorinated dioxins can be found in many types of products including plastics, paper products such as food packaging materials, textiles such as clothing or carpets, household cleaners, paints, pesticides, herbicides, detergents, and pesticides.
9. The main human health effects of chlorinated dioxins are irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Exposure to chlorinated dioxins can cause eye pain, blurred vision, temporary blindness, or permanent damage to your vision if you come into contact with it during inhalation or eyesight during vision exposure.
10. Chlorine dioxide gas has been linked to liver cancer and is a suspected carcinogen (carcinogen). It is also linked to reproductive toxicity and developmental effects in laboratory animals including birth defects and increased rates of cancer in laboratory animals exposed in utero. It is classified as a Class 2B carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) meaning that it may possibly cause cancer in humans but there is not enough evidence at this time to show that it causes cancer in humans.

Why Doesn’t Everyone Have To Put Up With Chlorine And Salt?

• Chlorine is a toxic chemical that can cause cancer and other health problems. It can also cause skin irritation and respiratory problems.
• Chlorine is a known carcinogen and it is also known to be very corrosive to human tissue. This means that it can corrode the skin, damage the eyes, burn the lungs and even cause cancer.
• Chlorine can give people headaches, nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath when they drink water that has been contaminated with chlorine byproducts such as chloroform or trihalomethanes (THM). These byproducts are formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water such as decaying vegetation or organic material in household sewage.
• There are some people who may be more susceptible to adverse health effects from drinking chlorinated water than others because of their pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, pregnancy, or cancer patients who need to avoid exposure to chlorine at all costs if possible due to the possible dangers of exposure to these chemicals.
• The addition of chlorine destroys many essential nutrients in the water including calcium, magnesium, and other minerals found in treated water supplies which can lead to serious health problems for those who drink this type of water on a regular basis over an extended period of time.
• The smell of chlorine may make people feel sick if they are sensitive to it because certain types of bacteria produce compounds that smell like chlorine which makes them more dangerous than normal bacteria which don’t produce these compounds.
• Water that has been chlorinated may become cloudy due to the formation of byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THM), which have been shown to be a carcinogen in animal studies and is also an irritant to the skin and lungs.
• There are people who are sensitive to chlorine and who suffer from various health problems when they drink water that has been chlorinated.
• Some people may not like the taste of chlorinated water because it tastes bad or because it tastes funny due to the presence of other chemicals like THM, which makes it taste awful or smells funny.
• Chlorination can also cause scaling on metal pipes that contain chlorine, which will make them look rough or corroded when they have been exposed to chlorine in their water supply for a long period of time, so this is another reason why some people don’t like drinking chlorinated water on a regular basis.

Bottom line

The bottom line is that DASANI has salt in it because it is added to municipal water supplies as an anti-microbial agent that helps to kill microbes. In the unfortunate event that your water supply uses chlorine as a disinfectant to kill off harmful microbes, consuming water with salt in it will expose you to the risk of consuming harmful disinfection by-products. If you have access to a water treatment plant that uses an alternative to chlorine, you can avoid consuming these harmful disinfection by-products by choosing a different brand of water than DASANI.

The post Why Does Dasani Have Salt?‍ appeared first on Marquette Tribune.