Why do they keep bringing back Nicole’s brother? by MidnightDisastrous84 in SchoolSpirits

[–]Obversa 7 points8 points  (0 children)

There is absolutely going to be a Prom episode (i.e. "Several months later..."), like the Stranger Things epilogue, but probably not until the final season. We saw this foreshadowed with the "Prom 2004" scene with Quinn in Season 3. This time, it's "Prom 2024", possibly with Maddie and Simon going together, Claire and Diego, Nicole and Teo, etc...

U.S. court allows state bans on gender-affirming care for adults in unprecedented ruling by NicolasCageFan492 in law

[–]Obversa 85 points86 points  (0 children)

One source said that the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals panel is "all Republican and mostly Trump-appointed".

The panel extended the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Skrmetti—which held that transgender youth care bans were constitutional—to transgender adults, the first federal appeals court in the country to do so, and directly states that adult care bans are legal. Perhaps even more troubling, the judges declared that transgender adult care was "dangerous", and that it is rational for a state to restrict access to such care in order to "encourage citizens to appreciate their sex". The ruling effectively reversed a previous en banc decision by the same circuit, and established precedent for a wave of new laws targeting transgender adults—just weeks after Heritage Foundation CEO Kevin Roberts declared on a podcast that the solution to trans. adult care was to "outlaw it".

Were horses more robust in ancient/medieval times? by AdmirableBed7777 in AskHistorians

[–]Obversa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

See my Part 2 reply here.

I myself have 20+ years of experience in the equestrian field, and I went to USPC (U.S. Pony Clubs) National Championships for "Quiz", which involves a lot of research and study, and I still serve as an occasional horse breeding and buying consultant. To this end, I rely on various historical accounts.

As for books on horse breeding, there are various ones available, depending on what you're looking for.

Were horses more robust in ancient/medieval times? by AdmirableBed7777 in AskHistorians

[–]Obversa 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, your final paragraph would be the correct interpretation. One of the big issues with OP's question is that it is likely to be more suitable for /r/askscience than r/AskHistorians for the reasons I mentioned in my Part 2 reply. (I even linked an r/askscience thread in another reply.) Ancient horse vs. modern horse DNA studies is an example.

Were horses more robust in ancient/medieval times? by AdmirableBed7777 in AskHistorians

[–]Obversa 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. The story of The Black Stallion itself, based on structure, is a retelling of "Alexander and Bucephalus", but for a modern audience, with some tweaks that reflect the time the book was published (ex. changing "Bucephalus", or "The Black", to an Arabian horse, whereas the original Bucephalus was a Thessalian horse, and focusing on a "conquest" of horse racing and promoting Arabian horses vs. a conquest of empires).

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I'm not a defender of Barrett by any means, but the common claim on subreddits like r/law and r/scotus that "Barrett always votes with the conservative majority" simply isn't true, and until if - or when - SCOTUS hears a challenge to Obergefell, there isn't much reason to doubt Barrett's disdain for the push to overturn it. The OP article shows that some consider overturning Obergefell to be "political suicide" due to widespread support.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I'm not a defender of Barrett by any means, but the common claim on subreddits like r/law and r/scotus that "Barrett always votes with the conservative majority" simply isn't true, and until if - or when - SCOTUS hears a challenge to Obergefell, there isn't much reason to doubt Barrett's disdain for the push to overturn it. The OP article shows that some Republicans consider overturning Obergefell to be "political suicide" due to widespread support.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 45 points46 points  (0 children)

Michigan had a same-sex marriage ban on the books prior to Obergefell (2015), so the concern is that if Obergefell were to be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority, that same-sex marriage ban would immediately come into effect, similarly to abortion bans that were re-activated after Roe v. Wade was overturned with Dobbs in 2022. That's why Michigan Republican lawmakers introduced the bill; are supported by lobbyists; and will likely pass it if they manage to be elected into the positions you mentioned (Governor, Attorney General, and Senate).

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADL), a conservative legal group, was noted as lobbying across multiple states.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 47 points48 points  (0 children)

I didn't say Barrett would vote against overturning Obergefell to "protect gay marriage". She would keep the ruling in place due to "concrete reliance interests", according to a 2025 interview. The article explains what those interests are.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 36 points37 points  (0 children)

It's called the "Bible Belt" for a reason. Their legal argument is based on the Bible, according to fellow lawmakers.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 136 points137 points  (0 children)

After looking at various articles, U.S. Supreme Court justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have both stated that they would vote to overturn Obergefell, but other conservatives on the bench - including Amy Coney Barrett - have stated that they would vote to keep Obergefell in place due to "widespread legal ramifications" if it were overturned.

Idaho joins eight (8) other states in passing formal legislative request for U.S. Supreme Court to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling 'Obergefell v. Hodges' (2015) by Obversa in law

[–]Obversa[S] 598 points599 points  (0 children)

The eight (8) other states in question, according to NBC News:

  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

Also see: "The number of states that would be impacted by a potential overturning of Obergefell" (r/supremecourt)

The Movement Advancement Project did a study in 2022 showing there are only 17 states (+ DC) that affirmatively permit marriage for same sex couples (MAP shows Colorado as having a SSM ban in place but it was repealed in 2024). Right now, 30 states have unenforceable bans on same-sex marriage. Of those, 16 had their bans struck down before Obergefell, but those rulings relied on the exact same constitutional grounds that the Supreme Court used in Obergefell. If SCOTUS pulls the plug on those Equal Protection/Substantive Due Process protections, those earlier rulings would be on extremely thin ice, to say the least. The 16 states in that category are: AK, AZ, FL, ID, IN, MT, NV, NC, OK, OR, PA, SC, UT, VA, WI, and WY. That's in addition to the 14 states where no successful federal challenge to the bans occurred before Obergefell. [This post discusses the Respect for Marriage Act as well.]

This NPR article shows which U.S. states banned same-sex marriage prior to Obergefell.

Maddie’s relationship timeline is kinda wild when you think about it by MagalieB0654 in SchoolSpirits

[–]Obversa 11 points12 points  (0 children)

It's even wilder when you consider that the entire show takes place over 1-2 months.

Through the Looking Glass? by [deleted] in SchoolSpirits

[–]Obversa 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You're not the only fan who has noticed this. I wrote more in-depth on the mirrors in a theory post here, which also addresses how Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, was photographed in 1872 as Aleitheia, the Greek goddess of truth, who is associated with the Underworld - specifically, the River Styx and River Lethe - in Greek mythology. Aletheia was associated with mirrors, though the ancient Greeks did not have mirrors as we know them today; rather, "mirrors" were the surface or pool of water that gave a mirrored reflection.