🌈 Authenticity Is Our Purest Freedom Authenticity is our purest freedom. Stimpunks combines “stimming” + “punks” to evoke open and proud stimming, resistance to normalization, and the DIY culture of punk, disabled, and neurodivergent…

Our website has 1,522 pages. It's a knowledge garden — openly licensed free cultural works built for and by the neurodivergent community. Everything there is yours to use. stimpunks.org

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Long Covid is not a "thing of the past". Millions of people have it. SARS-CoV-2 is still spreading and causing illness.
It is highly irresponsible to minimize the ongoing burden of the Covid pandemic. People deserve access to prevention, testing, treatment and care

Amanda is severely immunosuppressed. Vaccines don’t protect her.

The antibodies that could? - Never funded

So while the world “moved on,” she’s still living in isolation.

This is what “Living with Covid” still means in 2026.

1/ “I’m still strictly shielding.”

Last week, the Inquiry published its fourth report : ‘Vaccines and Therapeutics’ (Module 4).

It’d be really freaking great if our healthy allies would participate, too.

Thank you❤️

#MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #pwME

Voting is just the start - but it’s a powerful one.

Today, April 20, is the deadline to register to vote for the upcoming local and Senedd elections. Don’t miss your chance - get registered now and make your voice heard.

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: Back to Basics - and new insights ONLINE or IN PERSON at the Royal College of GPs - Join us for an engaging and educational day aimed at clinicians with an interest in PoTS.

Of interest to clinicians re #PoTS #LongCvid #ME

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/postural-t...

Iris Long, Scientific Mentor to AIDS Activists, Dies at 92

"She tutored the activists on immunology and virology and schooled them in the intricacies of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process and pharmaceutical research protocols."

[Gift article]

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/h...

So sorry 🫂
This shit's just relentless...

Two men embracing; message: people on HIV treatment cannot pass HIV during sex (Terrence Higgins Trust).

People living with HIV who are on treatment can’t pass it on during sex.

Just 23% of people in the UK know this simple fact and this lack of knowledge creates stigma.

That's why it's so important to pass on the facts.

tht.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/our-...

Did you know that ~70% of first-year medical students use Anki flashcards to study for their medical exams?

We created an Anki flashcard deck for infection-associated chronic illnesses, including #MECFS, #LongCOVID, #POTS, #MCAS, #hEDS, & more.

Great convo & links! - www.reddit.com/r/medicalsch...

International Society for Mast Cell Activation Syndromes (ISMCAS) ISMCAS is a global, multidisciplinary professional society committed to advancing care, research, and education for mast cell activation syndromes and related disorders.

🚨MCAS: EXCITING NEWS & SURVEY OPPORTUNITY🚨

Dr Larry Afrin & MANY others have been working behind the scenes for years trying to improve the mast cell activation syndrome situation. The work has paid off & we now have an International Society for MCAS: ismcas.org 🧵

A presentation slide titled “Long COVID & ME/CFS: Not only deconditioning.” The slide explains that people with Long COVID and ME/CFS have reduced exercise capacity (VO₂ max). While this can look similar to deconditioning from bed rest, the underlying mechanisms are different. It notes that muscles do not show generalised atrophy but instead have mitochondrial and fibre-type changes, and there are signs of impaired oxygen utilisation and circulation. It also highlights that post-exertional malaise (PEM) is central to the condition and warns to be cautious about increasing exercise without personalised supervision. At the bottom, a takeaway message reads: “Do not treat as ‘simple deconditioning.’” On the right side, there is a small inset image of a speaker presenting at a podium.

Long COVID & ME/CFS are NOT deconditioning.
Let’s be very clear about that.

#LongCovid #PwME #MECFS #PEM #SafeRehab #TeamClots

In Pursuit of Understanding the Crash What Post-Exertional Physiology Tells Us About ME/CFS

Excellent post on PEM from @sunsopeningband.bsky.social

substack.com/@sunsopening...

1️⃣
BBC Radio 4 is framing Suzanne O’Sullivan’s perspective as “radical.”

It isn’t.

It’s a familiar move: when medicine doesn’t yet have answers, the problem is relocated from the body to the mind.

BBCR4Feedback is covering the response to Amol Rajan TODAY at 3.30
🧵

Migrants are making false domestic abuse allegations to stay in the UK, BBC investigation finds In the third part of an undercover investigation, the BBC reveals how rules aimed at protecting abuse victims are being exploited.

It’s genuinely staggering how little substance there is to today’s instalment of the BBC’s attempt to create a national crisis out of a few unproven allegations of immigration fraud 1/

Blue slogan: Everything we build, we build for you. Bateman Horne Center logo and tagline at lower-left on pale background.

You shouldn't have to figure this out alone. 💙 We're spotlighting free resources for pw ME/CFS, Long COVID & complex chronic illness - clinically grounded tools to help you navigate, communicate, and advocate. Stay tuned. We're just getting started.

Browse resources: https://bit.ly/4dJIQ6t

Orban’s defeat shows that when we stand together against the politics of hate and division, hope wins and the far right friends of Farage can be defeated.

Anil’s film will be part of our upcoming online exhibition, ‘Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Kills’, which will be launched on May 12th! Check out his trailer!

Today is the last day to submit your artworks to us.

www.aquietstorm.me/open-call-me...

"This lack of overexertion has made me more mobile"

*This* is the thing that many (especially many medical professionals, unfortunately) cannot grasp about pacing. Instead of leading to deconditioning/reduced capacity, it can *increase* function.

It's INCREDIBLY hard to do, though.

#SuperSeabirdSunday
Folkestone, on a rare trip out for me earlier in the week.

Every question about sexual assault & harassment that starts with “Why didn’t she…?” Hey, the answer is YOU. You & everyone else with these fucking asinine questions.THAT’S WHY.

Photo of Natalie Hilliard Natalie Hilliard on Physiotherapy for ME Natalie is a physiotherapist and one of the co-founders of the UK-based organisation Physios for ME. This small organisation has punched above it its weight since it was founded, leading education and research programmes as well as publishing a guidebook. She works in private practice, specialising in supporting people with M.E. In her first article (part two will follow) she shares insights from physiotherapy that will be of particular use to therapists and counsellors. This includes an understanding of post-exertional malaise, the challenges of trying to pace properly, and the impact of emotional exertion on people with M.E. Read more here>>

Natalie Hilliard on Physiotherapy for ME

chroniclivingtherapy.com/natalie-hill...

Image is from the AMMES April 2026 newsletter

#MEcfs #PwME @chronicliving123.bsky.social @physiosforme.bsky.social

Surviving Long Term Covid Doesnt Mean Recovery GIF ALT: Surviving Long Term Covid Doesnt Mean Recovery GIF

Long COVID bas #NoCure atm.

And so many ppwLC are surviving 😥, others have died.

The 7th year for those sick since March 2020.

When "biopsychosocial" researchers say people with ME/CFS and "persistent physical symptoms" etc "recover" from their interventions, it seems like something of a bait-and-switch:
virology.ws/2026/04/08/t...

Starmer should immediately & unequivocally ban access to British airspace to US warplanes. The UK should not be accomplice to a US President who is threatening more war crimes. Period.

The UK must immediately and unequivocally suspend support for the US military.

The Government have tried to appease him, then they tried to say they're standing up to him.

Words aren't enough - it's time for action.

UK has detained 76 ‘age-disputed’ children under one in, one out scheme Concerns raised over minors placed in adult detention centres since removals began under scheme in September

While working at the anti-child trafficking charity Love146, we demonstrated how flawed age assessments are, especially Home Office ones. Far more children are misaged as adults than the other way round. This is a child protection issue which Labour is failing on.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

The image says, "PRISON SENTENCE FOR ISRAELIS, DEATH SENTENCE FOR PALESTINIANS." It also says, "Israel's death penalty bill is a reminder: this is illegal occupation, functioning as intended," with the OXFAM logo below.

Make some noise. Share this post. 🚨

The Israeli government has granted itself another means to dehumanise, suppress, and kill Palestinians. Israel is violating international law.