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Madeline T. Morcelle

@reprolawyer.bsky.social

2.9K followers 610 following 810 posts

Senior Attorney @nhelp.bsky.social fighting for reproductive health via Medicaid, health care reform, & civil rights. Feat. NBC, Politico, Mother Jones, SELF, etc. Creative writer. Mutant (hEDS & co.). Opinions mine. www.madelinemorcelle.com

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · Aug 5

Eulogy for my Nana, Judy Bardach (née Leavitt) (1934–2025), read at her funeral.
www.madelinemorcelle.com/blog/eulogy-...

Eulogy for My Nana, Judy Bardach (née Leavitt) (1934–2025) — Madeline T. Morcelle

Those of us who knew Jude carry our own experiences of her, shaped by different moments in time, points of connection, and bonds. I want to share a few words about my Nana—not a full picture of who sh...

www.madelinemorcelle.com

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

Learn more on Instagram: www.instagram.com/p/DPq3D35jjT...

And on my personal blog: www.madelinemorcelle.com/blog/sunsett...

What We Name, We Can Dismantle: Sunsetting the “Health Care Desert” Imaginary — Madeline T. Morcelle

What we name, we can dismantle. It’s time to shift our language to name the structural violence in sexual and reproductive health care barriers.

www.madelinemorcelle.com

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

💭 TL;DR: Words have the power to erase, to shape how we see history and the present, shield responsible actors from accountability, and to constrain what we believe is possible for the future.

“Health care desert“ isn’t just a weak metaphor, it weakens our advocacy and serves colonialism.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

Imaginaries:
• Make injustice feel natural ⚖️
• Hide who’s responsible 🕵️
• Constrain what alternatives we imagine and think possible 🚧

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

🧜🏼‍♀️ The health care desert” is what scholars call an imaginary: a socially constructed way of seeing the world that shapes what we accept as true, normal, or inevitable.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

🌵The term is also inherently anti‑Indigenous, distorting history and reality. It reinforces colonial narratives that depict land and people as barren or broken, erasing the abundance of desert landscapes and how Indigenous communities have lived and thrived there for millennia.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

✍🏼 Professor Katy Backes Kozhimannil writes that “health care desert” obscures deliberate policy decisions: it frames communities without access as though they arise naturally and are inevitable, rather than as outcomes of policy choices.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 19m

🏜️Ahead of #IndigenousPeoplesDay, we have to talk about why it’s time to drop “health care desert” (and similar desert imaginaries) from our vocabularies. 🧵

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 20h

📝 Read the updated post, “What We Name, We Can Dismantle: Sunsetting the #HealthCareDesert Imaginary,” on my personal blog.

www.madelinemorcelle.com/blog/sunsett...

What We Name, We Can Dismantle: Sunsetting the “Health Care Desert” Imaginary — Madeline T. Morcelle

What we name, we can dismantle. It’s time to shift our language to name the structural violence in sexual and reproductive health care barriers.

www.madelinemorcelle.com

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 20h

When we name the forces that create health care injustices, we clarify who is responsible and what must be done to repair the damage. We move from naming symptoms to confronting systems.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 20h

After further conversations with colleagues, yesterday I updated the post to reflect a shift in thinking: we don’t need a pithy replacement metaphor. What matters most is using language that names a structural denial of care—and makes clear who and what are responsible for that denial.

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 20h

Earlier this year, I shared a blog post critiquing the term “health care desert” and explored “health care apartheid” as a possible alternative. I drew inspiration from the food justice movement: movement mother Karen Washington coined the term “food apartheid” to name systems of exclusion. 🧵

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Reposted by Madeline T. Morcelle

National Health Law Program @nhelp.bsky.social · 2d

NHeLP Senior Attorney Madeline Morcelle joins Micah Larsen on the Modern Hysteria podcast to discuss why being believed about our pain, no matter our sex or race isn’t just a reproductive justice issue, it’s a civil right.

By @reprolawyer.bsky.social & Micah Larsen
🔗 healthlaw.org/resource/mod...

Podcast icon in blue and text that reads "Modern Hysteria Podcast: S2E8 Dismissing Your Pain Violates Your Civil Rights x IUD Pain x Reproductive Justice with Madeline Morcelle"

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

Q: When should I apply by?

A: We are accepting applications until October 24, 2025. Applications may be reviewed on a rolling basis if received later. healthlaw.org/job/sexual-a...

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

NHeLP also offers paid time off, including holidays, sick time, paid family and medical leave for eligible employees, 150 hours (20 days) of vacation per year, and more.

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

Q: What's NHeLP's compensation package for this role?

A: The compensation range for this position is $60,910–$64,718 annually, based on years of experience. Our benefits include employer-paid medical, dental, life, & disability insurance, pre-tax savings plans, & a retirement savings opportunity.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

Q: Who are you looking for?

A: This is an excellent fit for someone early in their career with a B.A. in a relevant field (e.g., policy, public health, gender or legal studies), a strong academic record, prior admin or operations experience, and interests in SRH policy and racial equity.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

Q&A for Potential Candidates

Q: I'd like to learn more about working at NHeLP and/or how I can put forth a strong application. Can I reach out?

A: To promote an equitable hiring process, our staff cannot discuss open postings with potential candidates outside of our regular hiring process.

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

The Policy Associate will monitor and analyze state policies affecting health insurance SRH care coverage. They will also assist with organizing and implementing SRH programming, including coalitions, advocacy clinics, convenings, and other events, and with administrative and operational functions.

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 5d

I am delighted to share that @nhelp.bsky.social is hiring a full-time Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Policy Associate to provide crucial policy (30%), administrative and operations (40%), and programmatic (30%) support to our SRH dream team. This is a new, remote role with limited travel.🧵

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 8d

Multigenre, but fantasy first

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Reposted by Madeline T. Morcelle

Forbes @forbes.com · 10d

Goodall is best known for her groundbreaking research into chimpanzee behavior and customs.

Jane Goodall Institute Says Legendary Zoologist Is Dead At 91

Goodall is best known for her groundbreaking research into chimpanzee behavior and customs.

www.forbes.com

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Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 10d

This fight isn’t just about money.
It’s about whether our federal government will protect people’s health, livelihoods, and dignity—or choose blackmail and self-destruction instead.
#GovernmentShutdown #PublicHealth #ACA #Policy #PublicService
(8/8)

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 10d

6. National security is on the line
Shutting down the gov’t, gutting programs, and destabilizing federal agencies weakens us from within.
This isn’t just reckless—it’s a threat to national strength.

#NationalSecurity
(7/8)

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 10d

5. in the midst of this all,
HUD is spreading far-right #propaganda on their homepage, www.hud.gov.

It says:
“The Radical Left are going to shut down the government…”
Gov’t websites shouldn’t push disinformation, let alone outright propoganda. This erodes trust and violates norms.
(6/8)

HUD Home | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

hud.gov

Madeline T. Morcelle @reprolawyer.bsky.social · 10d

4. Far-right lawmakers want to attach a Hyde Amendment to ePTC renewal.
ACA funds already can’t be used for abortion (except in rare Hyde-allowed cases).

This move is unnecessary and cruel.
#ReproRights #HydeOut
(5/8)