iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

I've decided to launch a Ko-Fi where I'm gonna post chapter previews, short stories, and definitely behind-the-scenes stuff about upcoming books! To start things, I've posted the PROLOGUE to Book 3! You can go into it cold (heh), but spoilers for In the Valley, A Shadow! ko-fi.com/post/Prologu...

ko-fi.com

Prologue — Prophet

Samantha Tano added a post for members!

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Hello, if you aren't transgender I do not care about your opinion on whether Newsom was transphobic or not on that podcast. You don't get to define transphobia for those of us who are intimately aware of its forms and experience it on a near daily basis. Thanks bye.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

The pink outfit "protest" last night has me incensed. It's a hollow gesture. And if that's all they're willing to do in the face of fascism, then they might as well rip those pink outfits up and sew them into pink triangles and hand them out to my and my community

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

How many trans people has cable news had on the air to humanize us in the face of our extermination? Cause they sure are eager to platform and sympathize with the white people who voted for trump that are now getting their comeuppance

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

When cis ppl outlaw transition healthcare for everyone, what do these traitorous Tgirls think they gonna do? They won't need Breanna or Blaire anymore and they're gonna find out

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Kelly Judd @psychodynamiccoach.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

🚨 Call to action: S.9 does more than just ban trans women from sports—it sets a dangerous precedent for legally defining trans people by their assigned sex at birth. We can’t afford to lose any dems on this one. Please contact your senators

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

The trans agenda is actually wanting to look at yourself in the mirror.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

The trans agenda is self-determination.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Everybody at WaPo should walk off the job.

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Philip Eil @phileil.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Semi-regular reminder that I'm the Readers' Voices editor at @thepvdeye.bsky.social, and we're looking for essays from Providence residents about their lives in, and thoughts about, the city. 👋 More info here: pvdeye.org/voices-guide... Email voices@pvdeye.org or get in touch with me directly.

Text that reads:

FOR FIRST PERSON ESSAYS:
The Eye is dedicated to reflecting Providence in all of its diversity. To that end, we welcome first-person essays about Providence life. We seek a variety of styles and formats: an argument about a policy issue affecting the city, a personal story about life in the city, a message to share with your fellow Providence residents, an essay about some aspect of the city’s past. The possibilities are wide open. We envision this – much like a daily newspaper’s Opinion page – as a place for the city’s residents to speak to each other, share ideas, and describe their unique experience of life in this city.

We accept both fully written essays or ideas for essays you would like to discuss with an editor before writing.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Guess what! The ebook of In the Valley, A Shadow, is discounted today to $0.99 as part of a sapphic stuff your kindle event hosted by Year of Queer Lit! Also, there are over 150 other books discounted or even free from hundreds of sapphic authors!! #booksky yearofqueerlit.com/2025/02/23/s...

Image of an e-reader showing a book cover. The cover is a purple sky and landscape with a woman staring up at two moons, one eclipsing the other. The book is titled "In the Valley, A Shadow" by Samantha Tano.

There is a banner across the top left corner that reads $0.99!

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Evan Urquhart @evanurquhart.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

There's a transmasculine version of this. If someone assigned female can become a man, it means there's nothing so special or powerful about men. Each of us has the biological truth of equality between the sexes within us, as demonstrated by the ability of some to pass from one to the other.

Twitter post from @rifflexielian: "Terfs need to shut up about womanhood, my mom was raised to believe all women were less valuable than men and cried when she learned about trans women because the idea that someone would fight that hard to be a woman was radical for her and meant it was something worth being

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Globe Rhode Island @globeri.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Commentary: “I am tired of my community, my family, being spoken for but not listened to,” says @samanthatano.bsky.social who is transgender. “The time to platform trans voices is now.”

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Philip Eil @phileil.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

This is an excellent piece. Huzzah for @samanthatano.bsky.social! And good for @globeri.bsky.social for publishing it.

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Ginny O! @assignedbrave.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

And until then, they should keep us out of their damn mouths

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Gailey 🍉 @sarahgailey.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Substack discourse again so I am moved to reiterate: getting off Substack is one of THE most straightforward and effective ways to get fascist stink off your work. If you choose not to do it because it seems too hard, then I do not trust you to do literally anything in the face of fascism.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Their power is fragile. Remember that. "...she stepped confidently, her head high, and eyed each man she passed, silently marking them for death. The men around her stood confident in what they perceived as the ultimate power: they held weapons and surrounded someone unable to fight back."

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Philip Eil @phileil.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

New this morning for the @rhodeislandcurrent.com: I have benefitted from SSRIs for years. To hear RFK Jr. falsely malign them in the name of making me and others "healthy again" was infuriating. I wrote about this -- and the broader dark implications of his confirmation at HHS.

rhodeislandcurrent.com

RFK Jr. is not a doctor. But he will play one at HHS. • Rhode Island Current

The new secretary leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said things statements about antidepressants. Things that leave commentary writer Philip Eil very worried.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Give trans people your money. (Especially Black trans people.)

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

I just got a card from a 78-year-old cishet white man, who saw my letter in the Providence Journal, who said how much he supported our struggle, and didn't understand why people had to stand on the necks of the marginalized. I literally just put makeup on and am trying not to cry it all off

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

I am sorry that many people called Mark Patinkin names. Now, imagine if he had real problems, such as people labeling his existence a dangerous ideology, or if his human rights were at risk, or his life.

Screenshot of the Providence Journal website. A column headline: "Mark Patinkin was criticized for his column on boys in girls sports. Here's what he learned."

Text that reads: Many said it was a groundless comparison, since hormonal therapy takes away the physical advantages of males who transition. Apples and oranges, they said.

But their tone.

God help you if you take a conservative stand on a culturally divisive issue like transgenderism. I was labeled a moron, a disgrace and a fascist – guilty even of “journalistic malpractice.” Yikes.

Text that reads: Tano’s letter was thought-provoking, but much of the other feedback focused on name-calling – I was “ignorant” and a “transphobe” – which got me thinking about a related issue.

It helped me see one reason Trump won.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

Oh ho I was right, the columnist who is a transphobe learned absolutely nothing from my letter or email response for an interview. Fix your hearts or die.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

Seriously, I'm gonna put my psych meds in the acknowledgements of Her Blood Runs Cold lol

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Philip Eil @phileil.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

I'd say "Put This Subheadline in the Newseum" for its awfulness. But the Newseum closed. 🙃

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

The executive function is functioning so maybe we cook?

A set of file folders on a computer.

The top folder is labeled Xypha Fiction. Below and nested within that folder are three other folders labeled:

01 In the Valley, A Shadow
02 Her Blood Runs Cold
03 Untitled

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

So you're writing an op-ed about how trans people are never given the mic to speak for ourselves and how cis people deny our right to self-determination even in death, & there's yet another story of a Black trans woman found dead & the news and cops deadname her and don't even identify her as trans

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Astrid (yeehaw) 🤠🌈 ✨ @ansitru.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

📢 YES, it's okay to PUNCH NAZIS. #pixelart

A pixel illustration of a floral wreath with orange lilies, geraniums, butterfly weed and more. The text in the middle reads "punch your local nazi". Underneath the wreath is an artist signature, reading "Ansitru".

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Amanda L. Ball • Author • Poet @echoendlessmind.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

INDIE AUTHORS ✍️ SELF-PROMOTION Drop an image, blurb, and link to where we can find your book(s). Save this post to reference in the future and support more indie authors. 📚📖 #indieauthors #booksky #booklovers #selfpublished

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

American corporate-owned journalism is just a laundromat. Their purpose is to wash out the blood stains, to hand people a white shirt and claim it was never bloody to begin with. They manufacture consent, nothing more.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

I finished a draft of my op-ed. Gotta let a critique partner check it out, but yeah... Apparently I'm just back on my journo shit? Or trying to be? I donno, I just don't want my community to fuckin die

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Good morning. I want to share the email I wrote yesterday because I'm proud of it & how I advocated for myself & my community. Basically, the columnist who I wrote my letter to the editor about, emailed me & wanted to interview me for a "follow up" column. I declined. Here's why:

Text that reads: I gave this some thought and I will have to decline for several reasons. Since you reached out, I am going to make an assumption that you wish to learn from your mistake in good faith. And yes, your column was indeed a considerable mistake, given that it was in no way an informed opinion, and invites danger upon me and my community.

Given your transphobic point of view about trans women competing in women's sports, I cannot engage in a conversation with you safely. Every trans person must calculate the safety of their environment at any given time, and this includes the people with whom we interact. Due to the ongoing genocide against us, and the way I have been personally treated by transphobic people and family members, I refuse to put myself in a room with anyone who holds transphobic points of view, especially when I would be the sole recipient of those viewpoints.

Of course, you may not call me a slur, such as some members of congress are doing, on the floor, to the first transgender member of congress. But I cannot act on faith alone when a person has already demonstrated that they view myself and my community as an Other.

Text that reads: I believe your request for an interview (as opposed to a cup of coffee off the record, for instance) indicates that you may have missed the point of my letter entirely. Sure, you probably think you're giving me a platform, but that's already been done by my letter. By wanting to interview me for your column, you are offering to tell my story. That is the common theme for trans people: very few of us have the opportunities to tell our own stories on our own terms. I cannot trust you to properly tell my story, honestly, factually, given the viewpoints you have expressed.

If the Journal wants to give me column inches, as a former award-winning journalist in Tennessee (under my deadname of course), a seasoned developmental editor for the better part of a decade, and a novelist, I would certainly welcome the chance to tell my story in my own words, and on my own terms. (You are welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn or other socials.)

But I will not be a prop for saving face.

What you have asked me to do is to bear the emotional labor for your education on this issue. It is not my responsibility to educate you, or change your mind, or convince you that I and my community are human beings who should not be discriminated against. In this political moment, the vast majority of my emotional energy is consumed by trying to stay safe, stable, and alive. I do not have the energy to spare to teach you.

Text that reads: If one genuinely wished to learn and accept transgender people as just people who deserve the full rights and privileges granted to every citizen of the United States, you would educate yourself. Seek out trans voices. Read books by trans people; read books about our history, and the struggle that we have been through. Use your considerable experience and skill as a journalist to properly vet the sources of information you consume about us.

Furthermore, reconciliation requires action. Activate your privilege in your personal and daily life to fight against transphobia, both in your home, workplace, and anywhere else you find community. As a white, cisgender, heterosexual male, no one has greater privilege than you. I will judge someone's character on their actions, and by the company they keep, and only after I see they have demonstrated a firm commitment to trans rights, will I consider engaging with them personally.

Text that reads: To continue the assumption that you wish to learn in good faith, beyond the labor of writing this email, I will recommend to you a foundational scholarly work by a leading transgender historian, Susan Stryker: Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution (2nd ed). While this book still has gaps and shortcomings, it is a strong place to begin learning about us, the fact that we have existed for the entirety of human history, and how dangerous the current time is for transgender people.

You can get her book anywhere, but I recommend Heartleaf Books, the indie bookstore on Atwells that is owned by queer and trans people. They can order it for you if it is not on their shelves currently.

I hope you understand my reasoning, and will take this message, and opportunity, to heart.

With respect,

Samantha Tano
(she/her)

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Kelly Judd @psychodynamiccoach.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Are you someone who automatically says "yes" to things you actually don't want to do? Here’s how to break that pattern ⬇️

If you're someone who automatically says "yes" to things you actually don't want to do, you're not alone.

This pattern often develops early in life. Maybe you learned that saying "no" led to conflict, or that your worth depended on being helpful and accommodating.

But here's a simple practice that can help you break this pattern: Buy yourself some time.

Instead of offering an answer immediately, try one of these responses:

“Let me check my calendar and get back to you."
“I need to think about that."
“I'll let you know by [specific time]."

This gives you time and space to:

Check in with your actual physical, mental, and emotional capacity,
Notice whether you're acting solely from obligation.
Consider what you truly want.
Prepare for any potential pushback.
Craft a clear and kind (but simple) "no."

Remember, saying "no" to things that don't serve you creates space to say "yes" to things that do. Your time and energy are finite resources. You get to be selective about how you spend them.

Start small. Practice with low-stakes requests and relationships. Notice how it feels in your body when you honor your own needs and limits.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Sam Wilson is Captain America. Fit for the movie today ⭐

A selfie of Samantha, a white trans woman with shoulder length brown hair with blond highlights. She is wearing rainbow framed glasses, red lipstick and a blue v neck sweater, and a blue and red knitted cap.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

"Why have I been having an emotional meltdown for two days straight?" My vial of estradiol:

A picture of Kendrick Lamar, a Black rapper, from his Super Bowl halftime performance. He's wearing a backwards baseball cap, black T-shirt, blue leather jacket, and blue jeans. He's holding the microphone while walking, but looking into the camera with a wide grin.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

ReBoot in 1994 looked better than this trash

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

Good morning bluesky. In addition to writing good, being hot, I'm also autistic and sometimes get disregulated and cry, and get triggered by a TV show, and then my rejection sensitive dysphoria kicks in about annoying my friends who hate me and I can't sleep. So yeah sometimes we have a menty b

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Sophie Burnham @sophieburnham.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

It's officially my birthday week! (Feb 19, baybee) The best present ever would be to buy my book, which just so happens to be discounted in eBook form for the next month. (Or, if you've already read it, consider voting in the Locus or Nebula Awards!) www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/755221...

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Well, I feel bad that Bluesky missed out on my Valentine's Day outfit but now it feels like it might be a little late

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SmuttySistersBookclub @smuttysistersbc.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Nothing is more satisfying to someone who was neglected, than have our needs met with enthusiasm and love.

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

So I guess I should be on here more then? Lol it's hard for me brain to post on multiple apps

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Philip Eil @phileil.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

@samanthatano.bsky.social: "Columns like Mr. Patinkin’s make it harder for us to live safe, healthy lives like everyone else."

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Samantha Tano @samanthatano.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

They let a transsexual clap back. Tired of seeing people talk ABOUT us, instead of WITH us. In today's Providence Journal (paywall of course 🥴). www.providencejournal.com/story/opinio...

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Kelly Judd @psychodynamiccoach.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Autistic people are not “too negative.” We’re simply not interested in lying to ourselves. Or to you.

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