You Don’t Know Jack

You Don’t Know Jack Jack Turnwald (They/Them) writes about NC issues, LGBTQIA+ topics, education, and mental health

This weekend I graduated from UNC with my MSW; I’m officially a social worker. A second Master’s degree after 19 years a...
05/11/2026

This weekend I graduated from UNC with my MSW; I’m officially a social worker.

A second Master’s degree after 19 years as a public school teacher.

My life has been a journey of helping others with the goal of becoming the adult I needed when I was growing up.

And it was possibly one of the most euphoric moments of my life to hear my chosen and now legal name read to receive my degree, “Jack Rustin Turnwald.”

The nature of the life I’ve led feels horribly juxtaposed to the information I got the day after graduation. The U.S. government published a document, signed by the President, naming being pro-transgender as a classification for people to be hunted and k!lled.

But I will not hide under a rock, namely because my trans identity doesn’t make me a criminal. Supporting the well-being of other trans people doesn’t make me a criminal. And it doesn’t make you one either.

What would be criminal is for the government to be permitted to murd*r trans people because our existence makes folx uncomfortable.

I’m going to continue to be loud and visible. I hope you work on your discomfort.

Image Description: Jack, a trans non-binary (pro-transgender), human smiles in their graduation regalia.

Welp, hope everybody is making sure they have their KN95s and hand sanitizer ready. I think I’ll get a bidet this time a...
05/07/2026

Welp, hope everybody is making sure they have their KN95s and hand sanitizer ready. I think I’ll get a bidet this time around. 🍑 💧

Remembering when we were told we were going to be out of school for two weeks and my principal laughed at me when I said, “See you in a year to 18 months,” as I walked out the door with ALL my stuff.

And then when we returned in person and everyone kept talking about getting back to normal and I said, “Normal’s never coming back; normal now is just the lull until the next pandemic.”

And I don’t say this s**t because I want to be a downer. I say it because my pattern recognition has a pretty reliable track record. And all I’ve ever wanted is for people to learn to care for each other in ways that we might survive, mitigate harm, and maybe even experience some joy together.

Also, I’m gonna go on ahead and sound like a wild conspiracy theorist…

…this is probably how they cancel the midterms.

…I am an elder millennial about to accomplish a life milestone (graduating with my second Master’s), so probably due for another apocalyptic world changing event. 🫠

04/23/2026

SB49 speaks to classroom instruction, not library books for student independent reading on topics of their choice. This is wiiiiiiild.

Currently at the NCGA, where a McCarthy style hearing is happening about Chapel Hill Carrboro District’s compliance with...
04/23/2026

Currently at the NCGA, where a McCarthy style hearing is happening about Chapel Hill Carrboro District’s compliance with the “Parent’s Bill of Rights”.

Rep Brenden Jones is leading an interrogation of Superintendent Dr. Trice and head of CHCCS Media Services Al MacArthur.

In the room are M4L, NC Values Coalition, Zionists, Pavement Education Project, John Amanchukwu, and others.

This is wild to bear witness to in 2026.


Trans 🏳️‍⚧️ youth are living in some of the most uncertain times.But we can build communities to help them feel supporte...
04/04/2026

Trans 🏳️‍⚧️ youth are living in some of the most uncertain times.

But we can build communities to help them feel supported.

Today, They4Them Consulting is tabling for the Trans Youth Emergency Project.

Finding so much joy in seeing my community come out for trans youth!

If you would like to donate to the Trans Youth Emergency Project you can find the link in the comments.

I don’t ever want to hear another word about avocado toast.My parents’ generation has spent the last twenty years gaslig...
03/26/2026

I don’t ever want to hear another word about avocado toast.

My parents’ generation has spent the last twenty years gaslighting us about the fact that they set the wheels in motion to burn it all to the ground once they reaped the benefits available.

We aren’t struggling for a lack of understanding personal finance, irresponsible spending, an aversion to hard work, or bougie eating habits.

We’re struggling because wealth has been transferred to a small number of people who use our labor and don’t fairly compensate us.

We’re struggling because the social contract has been shattered. The safety net has been set aflame by people who got to land in it and roll out unscathed.

We’re struggling because our government is more invested in power and death than in life.

This is the reality we face. So please, don’t be telling me anything about avocado toast.

Image Description: A headline from Fortune reads, “The treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it.”


Today I’m in full recovery mode. So grateful for access to gender affirming care, people with moral courage, and friends...
03/20/2026

Today I’m in full recovery mode. So grateful for access to gender affirming care, people with moral courage, and friends who have provided transportation, good company, brownies, and other forms of care.

I continue to admonish the people and organizations which have pulled back on or entirely cancelled youth gender affirming care (GAC) Executive orders aren’t law and withdrawing care from those who have been receiving it feels like patient abandonment.

There are no small children receiving surgical procedures (with the exception of those forced upon intersex infants without their consent) AND cisgender youth continue to receive various forms of gender affirming care (blockers for precocious puberty, breast tissue reduction, etc.)

Further, the population that continues to receive the most gender affirming care is cisgender adults (hair plugs, vi**ra, hormones for menopause, lip fillers, Botox, breast augmentation, etc.)

Care that has been withdrawn from youth, does so against the advice of every major medical organization in America which have resoundingly and repeatedly confirmed their sound scientific support for youth GAC.

We all know they are coming for adult care next. Continuing to hope that people and organizations will have the moral courage to do the right thing.

Image description: Jack, a trans Non-binary AuDHD human, wears a navy zippered hoodie compression vest, and yellow glasses as they recover from their top surgery revision.

It’s Saturday February 28th and the last day to vote in the NC primary election in Durham. You have until 3pm (at any ea...
02/28/2026

It’s Saturday February 28th and the last day to vote in the NC primary election in Durham. You have until 3pm (at any early voting site) to make it happen or vote at your assigned location on primary Election Day, March 3rd!

It’s Saturday February 28th and the last day to vote in the NC primary election in Durham. You have until 3pm (at any early voting site) to make it happen or vote at your assigned location on primary Election Day, March 3rd!

(And don’t forget that voting, while important, isn’t likely going to be what takes this regime down.)

Be careful not to grow complacent because the administration demoted Bovino. Giving the appearance of pulling back and t...
01/27/2026

Be careful not to grow complacent because the administration demoted Bovino.

Giving the appearance of pulling back and then returning to the same behavior with revised tactics is what these folx have been doing for the last 50 years.

It’s literally how they got liberals spouting their anti-trans talking points.

But do note that empire and white supremacy will dispose of you when it decides you have nothing left from which they can benefit.

They haven’t given up and they definitely aren’t done. They’re placating while they recalculate. Stay vigilant.

01/26/2026

In between organizing and processing and keeping up with daily living tasks keep in mind:

Trauma has similar effects on the brain as ADHD. Give people some grace if their executive functioning is not at its peak.

Two things can be true. Grief and joy are not mutually exclusive. Cry and keep sending your text group Instagram reels of tiny dogs in winter jackets. And vote for Mudge if sassy corgi’s make you smile: https://americasfavpet.com/2026/mudge-ad99/

Funnel anger towards action.
Who is your community?
What skills do they have?
What skills can you offer?
How will you communicate if not electronically?
What is your role?
What is your safety plan?
Are you operating the way you need to within this new reality?
Who is checking on people who aren’t mobile or able to be boots on the ground?
Have you come to terms with the fact that risking nothing is acceptance?

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Holly Springs, NC
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