Cody McDevitt
@codymcdevitt.bsky.social
Abortion rights scholar who runs a pro-choice newsletter called Repro Rights Now, which is at reprorights.substack.com
Also the author of a forthcoming comprehensive history of the reproductive rights movement.
Screenwriter/playwright. Love music.
Also the author of a forthcoming comprehensive history of the reproductive rights movement.
Screenwriter/playwright. Love music.
Pinned
Cody McDevitt
@codymcdevitt.bsky.social
· Jul 22
Rosedale Banishment Education Fund - Nonprofit Partners
To support the costs associated with staging, filming, and distributing a play about the Rosedale Banishment. The Rosedale Banishment was a racial expulsion that erased the presence and voices of Blac...
www.nonprofit-partners.org
Over the past year, I’ve worked with leaders to adapt my book into a play. Proceeds will go to the Ron Fisher Fund, which supports Black education. We need help covering costs to stage, film, and share it with students via YouTube. Please donate.
🔗 www.nonprofit-partners.org/partner/rose...
🔗 www.nonprofit-partners.org/partner/rose...
Everyone should be careful out there in the burgh. Unpredicted freezing rain. Don’t drive.
January 22, 2026 at 2:05 AM
Everyone should be careful out there in the burgh. Unpredicted freezing rain. Don’t drive.
Maybe this is refreshing. Maybe it isn’t. But I’m gonna hang with people who are fascinating whether they’re canceled or not.
January 19, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Maybe this is refreshing. Maybe it isn’t. But I’m gonna hang with people who are fascinating whether they’re canceled or not.
Not racist. Fans did it to Chuck Noll too.
January 18, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Not racist. Fans did it to Chuck Noll too.
In 1911, New York passed the Sullivan Act—not as a constitutional showdown, but as routine governance. Licensing public carry, regulating dealers, enforced quietly, and upheld by courts. Even gun-owner groups accepted it.
Gun law was ordinary.
📜 codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/the-sulliv...
Gun law was ordinary.
📜 codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/the-sulliv...
The Sullivan Act and the Last Time Gun Law Was Ordinary
How a statewide licensing law once governed public carry without constitutional panic.
codymcdevitt.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 10:24 PM
In 1911, New York passed the Sullivan Act—not as a constitutional showdown, but as routine governance. Licensing public carry, regulating dealers, enforced quietly, and upheld by courts. Even gun-owner groups accepted it.
Gun law was ordinary.
📜 codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/the-sulliv...
Gun law was ordinary.
📜 codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/the-sulliv...
This didn’t happen overnight.
Virginia’s reproductive freedom amendment took years of organizing, close races, odd-year elections, and a constitutional process designed to test whether change can endure. Now the question is finally with voters.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/the-long-r...
Virginia’s reproductive freedom amendment took years of organizing, close races, odd-year elections, and a constitutional process designed to test whether change can endure. Now the question is finally with voters.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/the-long-r...
The Long Road to the Ballot: Virginia’s Reckoning on Reproductive Freedom
After years of organizing, close elections, and procedural hurdles, Virginians will decide in 2026 whether abortion rights belong in the state constitution—or remain vulnerable to political shifts.
reprorights.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 6:02 PM
This didn’t happen overnight.
Virginia’s reproductive freedom amendment took years of organizing, close races, odd-year elections, and a constitutional process designed to test whether change can endure. Now the question is finally with voters.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/the-long-r...
Virginia’s reproductive freedom amendment took years of organizing, close races, odd-year elections, and a constitutional process designed to test whether change can endure. Now the question is finally with voters.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/the-long-r...
Pittsburgh should hire the next coach solely on the consideration of merit. That’s it. Only factor in our decision-making. Whoever is the most intelligent and promising coach. There’s shouldn’t be other considerations in selecting who we have to lead the team, and we shouldn’t feel pressured.
January 17, 2026 at 6:22 AM
Pittsburgh should hire the next coach solely on the consideration of merit. That’s it. Only factor in our decision-making. Whoever is the most intelligent and promising coach. There’s shouldn’t be other considerations in selecting who we have to lead the team, and we shouldn’t feel pressured.
When people say this or that politician in Pittsburgh or from here were great leaders, it just doesn’t square away with what I see on the streets every day. I’m in McKeesport, Braddock and every other neighborhood nightly for eight hours. I saw the state of things with my own eyes.
January 17, 2026 at 5:47 AM
When people say this or that politician in Pittsburgh or from here were great leaders, it just doesn’t square away with what I see on the streets every day. I’m in McKeesport, Braddock and every other neighborhood nightly for eight hours. I saw the state of things with my own eyes.
After the Civil War, Americans didn’t abandon gun regulation — they refined it.
Courts and cities focused on public carry, licensing, and self-defense standards, while even the early NRA accepted regulation as compatible with lawful ownership.
📜 Read: codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/after-the-...
Courts and cities focused on public carry, licensing, and self-defense standards, while even the early NRA accepted regulation as compatible with lawful ownership.
📜 Read: codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/after-the-...
After the War, the Guns Did Not Vanish — They Were Governed
How Americans after the Civil War chose regulation over erasure—governing weapons in public spaces long before gun rights became ideology.
codymcdevitt.substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:48 PM
After the Civil War, Americans didn’t abandon gun regulation — they refined it.
Courts and cities focused on public carry, licensing, and self-defense standards, while even the early NRA accepted regulation as compatible with lawful ownership.
📜 Read: codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/after-the-...
Courts and cities focused on public carry, licensing, and self-defense standards, while even the early NRA accepted regulation as compatible with lawful ownership.
📜 Read: codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/after-the-...
I intend to have my abortion book out by late March. I’ve made significant improvements and am waiting for an index, which will give it greater value and make it more accessible. After that? I plan on continuing my newsletter and then publish a book arguing for gun control.
January 16, 2026 at 8:26 PM
I intend to have my abortion book out by late March. I’ve made significant improvements and am waiting for an index, which will give it greater value and make it more accessible. After that? I plan on continuing my newsletter and then publish a book arguing for gun control.
The only coach who was ever an assistant under Tomlin and went on to be a head coach elsewhere was Bruce Arians, who was hired by Cowher and fired by the Steelers before becoming an assistant coach and then a head coach. He hired former failed head coaches. But never mentored new ones.
January 16, 2026 at 6:26 PM
The only coach who was ever an assistant under Tomlin and went on to be a head coach elsewhere was Bruce Arians, who was hired by Cowher and fired by the Steelers before becoming an assistant coach and then a head coach. He hired former failed head coaches. But never mentored new ones.
Whoever the new Steelers coach is, he's not going to inherit a good team or staff as Tomlin did. The franchise is in disarray, and the culture has disappeared. The expectation changed from championships to winning seasons. There's no quarterback. Poor drafting. Aging team. It'll take years to fix.
January 16, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Whoever the new Steelers coach is, he's not going to inherit a good team or staff as Tomlin did. The franchise is in disarray, and the culture has disappeared. The expectation changed from championships to winning seasons. There's no quarterback. Poor drafting. Aging team. It'll take years to fix.
I’m not part of polite society and most real writers aren’t because we tell the truth, which people can think is impolite if it’s inconvenient. If you do this shit for real, you’re gonna be kicked out of those circles. Stephen King made that point.
January 16, 2026 at 7:21 AM
I’m not part of polite society and most real writers aren’t because we tell the truth, which people can think is impolite if it’s inconvenient. If you do this shit for real, you’re gonna be kicked out of those circles. Stephen King made that point.
Well-regulated” in the Second Amendment didn’t mean optional or decorative.
In the 18th century, it meant disciplined, organized, supervised, and under law.
📜 Read more:
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/why-well-r...
In the 18th century, it meant disciplined, organized, supervised, and under law.
📜 Read more:
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/why-well-r...
Why “Well-Regulated” Meant Order, Not License
Armed citizens, absent discipline—and the lesson the Constitution tried to preserve.
codymcdevitt.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Well-regulated” in the Second Amendment didn’t mean optional or decorative.
In the 18th century, it meant disciplined, organized, supervised, and under law.
📜 Read more:
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/why-well-r...
In the 18th century, it meant disciplined, organized, supervised, and under law.
📜 Read more:
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/why-well-r...
California Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected Louisiana’s request to extradite a California physician over abortion care that is legal in California, escalating an interstate conflict over abortion enforcement in the post-Dobbs era.
Full report: reprorights.substack.com/p/california...
Full report: reprorights.substack.com/p/california...
California Rejects Louisiana’s Extradition Bid, Drawing a Line on Abortion Enforcement
Newsom’s refusal to cooperate marks the first direct rejection of Louisiana’s effort to extend its abortion ban across state lines.
reprorights.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:28 PM
California Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected Louisiana’s request to extradite a California physician over abortion care that is legal in California, escalating an interstate conflict over abortion enforcement in the post-Dobbs era.
Full report: reprorights.substack.com/p/california...
Full report: reprorights.substack.com/p/california...
The Senate hearing on abortion pills wasn’t about safety — it was about ideology. One side relied on fear and anecdote, another on moral absolutes, while evidence-based medicine was forced to defend itself. When science is on trial, patients pay the price.
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-evide...
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-evide...
When Evidence Meets Ideology: Inside the Senate’s Latest Abortion Hearing
As state officials, physicians, and federal regulators clash over abortion pills, a Senate hearing reveals how ideology—not evidence—is driving the next phase of the post-Dobbs era.
reprorights.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 12:33 AM
The Senate hearing on abortion pills wasn’t about safety — it was about ideology. One side relied on fear and anecdote, another on moral absolutes, while evidence-based medicine was forced to defend itself. When science is on trial, patients pay the price.
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-evide...
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-evide...
In a single week, Louisiana’s attorney general sought the extradition of a California abortion provider and testified before Congress—pushing abortion enforcement beyond state borders and onto the national stage.
This is what escalation looks like.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/a-week-of-...
This is what escalation looks like.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/a-week-of-...
A Week of Escalation: How Louisiana’s Attorney General Is Pushing Abortion Enforcement Beyond State Lines
From a California extradition request to testimony before Congress, Louisiana’s attorney general is advancing a strategy that treats medication abortion as a criminal enterprise.
reprorights.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 8:34 PM
In a single week, Louisiana’s attorney general sought the extradition of a California abortion provider and testified before Congress—pushing abortion enforcement beyond state borders and onto the national stage.
This is what escalation looks like.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/a-week-of-...
This is what escalation looks like.
🔗 reprorights.substack.com/p/a-week-of-...
They’ve chosen more popes in my lifetime than Steelers coaches.
January 14, 2026 at 1:15 AM
They’ve chosen more popes in my lifetime than Steelers coaches.
The best term I can give Pittsburgh the last half decade is "stuck."
We were stuck in the middle, in sports, in civics, in employment, in place. Hopefully, with the new leadership we have coming in, we can start moving toward our dreams again. Part of being lucky means having bold leaders.
We were stuck in the middle, in sports, in civics, in employment, in place. Hopefully, with the new leadership we have coming in, we can start moving toward our dreams again. Part of being lucky means having bold leaders.
January 14, 2026 at 12:11 AM
The best term I can give Pittsburgh the last half decade is "stuck."
We were stuck in the middle, in sports, in civics, in employment, in place. Hopefully, with the new leadership we have coming in, we can start moving toward our dreams again. Part of being lucky means having bold leaders.
We were stuck in the middle, in sports, in civics, in employment, in place. Hopefully, with the new leadership we have coming in, we can start moving toward our dreams again. Part of being lucky means having bold leaders.
A gas-station sign in South Dakota asked a simple question.
State officials responded with threats, investigations, and demands to stop speaking. Now a federal lawsuit asks whether a state can censor lawful health information it doesn’t like.
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-speec...
State officials responded with threats, investigations, and demands to stop speaking. Now a federal lawsuit asks whether a state can censor lawful health information it doesn’t like.
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-speec...
When Speech Becomes the Battleground
How a gas-station ad campaign turned into a federal court fight over speech, jurisdiction, and abortion information
reprorights.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 4:12 PM
A gas-station sign in South Dakota asked a simple question.
State officials responded with threats, investigations, and demands to stop speaking. Now a federal lawsuit asks whether a state can censor lawful health information it doesn’t like.
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-speec...
State officials responded with threats, investigations, and demands to stop speaking. Now a federal lawsuit asks whether a state can censor lawful health information it doesn’t like.
reprorights.substack.com/p/when-speec...
Party leaders say VP picks must be “managed” for unity. Voters hear: decided without you. Legitimacy comes from participation. Let primary voters help choose the vice president—and decide for themselves what matters. #politics #election2026 #midterms
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/who-choose...
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/who-choose...
Who Chooses the Second Name on the Ticket?
The case for returning the vice-presidential pick to voters—and restoring trust in the ticket
codymcdevitt.substack.com
January 11, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Party leaders say VP picks must be “managed” for unity. Voters hear: decided without you. Legitimacy comes from participation. Let primary voters help choose the vice president—and decide for themselves what matters. #politics #election2026 #midterms
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/who-choose...
codymcdevitt.substack.com/p/who-choose...
When I first said to keep your head down, which later became popular, I meant that you should work humbly and not brag about results. It shouldn’t be construed to mean work, stay in your lane and don’t talk about issues of public concern that involve middle eastern diplomacy. I never meant that.
January 7, 2026 at 12:21 AM
When I first said to keep your head down, which later became popular, I meant that you should work humbly and not brag about results. It shouldn’t be construed to mean work, stay in your lane and don’t talk about issues of public concern that involve middle eastern diplomacy. I never meant that.
It does a disservice to the debate about Israel-Palestine to describe one or the other side as a bunch of kooks, as John Fetterman said. It also dismisses that reluctance of the country to get into a war when he's so blase about sending troops into Venezuela. #politics #trump #fetterman
January 7, 2026 at 12:10 AM
It does a disservice to the debate about Israel-Palestine to describe one or the other side as a bunch of kooks, as John Fetterman said. It also dismisses that reluctance of the country to get into a war when he's so blase about sending troops into Venezuela. #politics #trump #fetterman
Wyoming’s Supreme Court just did something rare in the post-Dobbs era: it enforced the constitution as written.
The court held that abortion is health care—and that lawmakers can’t erase a constitutional right by redefining it out of existence.
Read more: reprorights.substack.com/p/the-wyomin...
The court held that abortion is health care—and that lawmakers can’t erase a constitutional right by redefining it out of existence.
Read more: reprorights.substack.com/p/the-wyomin...
The Wyoming Supreme Court Just Affirmed a Constitutional Truth
The court ruled that abortion is health care—and that the Wyoming Constitution does not allow lawmakers to override personal medical decision-making.
reprorights.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:55 PM
Wyoming’s Supreme Court just did something rare in the post-Dobbs era: it enforced the constitution as written.
The court held that abortion is health care—and that lawmakers can’t erase a constitutional right by redefining it out of existence.
Read more: reprorights.substack.com/p/the-wyomin...
The court held that abortion is health care—and that lawmakers can’t erase a constitutional right by redefining it out of existence.
Read more: reprorights.substack.com/p/the-wyomin...
There were other things too. I tried to take hard-hitting and revelatory stuff about UPMC that really raised eyebrows to City Paper, and I wouldn't even get a response email.
January 1, 2026 at 12:36 AM
There were other things too. I tried to take hard-hitting and revelatory stuff about UPMC that really raised eyebrows to City Paper, and I wouldn't even get a response email.