Sitemap
E³ — Entertain Enlighten Empower

Putting the reader first

Member-only story

How to Keep DOGE From Doing Any More Damage

4 min readMar 17, 2025

--

Press enter or click to view image in full size
A protest against DOGE and the invasion of our right to privacy
Photo by Alfo Medeiros on Pexels

Many years ago, so long ago that it no longer matters to me whether you know this or not, I contracted chlamydia. I was poor enough to be constantly worried about how I was going to both feed my kids and pay the rent, and I had no medical insurance, so I went to the county health services department to get medical help.

The building was huge, depressingly ecru, and very intimidating. I walked down long halls and through double doors. Finally, I got to the Communicable Diseases area. A scowling woman was sitting at a desk at the entrance, and 25 or 30 people were slouched forlornly in hardback chairs off to the right. I approached timidly and whispered that I had a discharge.

The woman glared up at me and shouted, “Oh, so you think you have a venereal disease?”

It’s a joke today. But back then, as “venereal … ereal … ll” echoed off the cement walls of this governmental building, I was mortified.

So now, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) knows about my venereal disease in 1980. Not just because I’m posting this article but from having got their hacker hands on my medical records along with my immigration and travel records…

--

--

Katharine Valentino
Katharine Valentino

Written by Katharine Valentino⁠

Still trying for the words to help us do and feel good things. I write life stories and about politics and social issues.