Chadwick Boseman made about 8 films while dying of cancer, and also not disclosing. You may think this is brave. And I suppose it is. But it is also a condemnation of our society. Why did he not disclose? Because how ablism manifests in Hollywood means that insurers would balk.

He had to not disclose so that he could keep getting work. Why did he have to keep working? In the US, health insurance comes through your employer. Actors are freelancers. So...no health insurance. SAG/AFTRA can provide health insurance. But it isn't that easy.

First off you need to be a member of SAG/AFTRA. And lots of working actors are not members of SAG/AFTRA. You have to get a number of SAG/AFTRA qualified jobs before you are qualified to join SAG/AFTRA and those jobs go to people already in the union first.

And let's say you get the qualifying gigs. But then? You need to pay for membership...which is over $1000 dollars. I got the qualified gigs through AFTRA back in the day, but couldn't afford the membership fee. So many actors aren't in the union that might get them insurance.

Now clearly our Chadwick Boseman was a member of SAG/AFTRA, so that wouldn't be a problem for him. But, just because you are in SAG/AFTRA doesn't mean you qualify for their health insurance. You must work at least 100 days in the year or make more than $30k.

There are a lot of actors who don't make the numbers of days or the minimum pay. And they don't get health insurance. And that qualification must happen every year. So if you qualify one year...but you don't get jobs the next year, you lose your health insurance for that year.

Surely Chadwick Boseman made those minimums...he did. Because he kept working. While going through chemo and surgeries and dying from Cancer. Because if he stopped working he would lose his health insurance.

I was reading an interview with a trans woman who is a Hollywood actor who was noting that she has gotten lots of guest spots on TV shows...but that isn't enough to meet the minimum for health insurance. Lots of people you assume must be rich and famous can't afford the doctor.

Another thing actors, like other freelancers, don't have? Retirement. Chadwick Boseman worked like he did so he could provide for his family after he died. Funerals are expensive...and we don't tend to take care of people well in the US as a society. We are mercenary.

So, I want to note that Chadwick Boseman is famous and successful, and he had to not disclose his condition, even with the ADA, if he wanted to keep working. That's ableism. And he had to keep working for health care. Which exposes the cruelty of our healthcare system.

Anyway. That is what I keep thinking about when I think about the loss of someone just a few years younger than I am. And I think about the way the health care system also has a history of disbelieving and mistreating POC and people of marginalized genders.

And I'll note...there are a lot of other freelancers. Who are in this position and maybe even worse. Most of the people I interact with here on Twitter are in the content creator realm. RPG designers, Twitch streamers, and musicians and artists and Youtubers. All freelance work.

Ponder those creators who are full time...or who hold part time jobs while they do this. Ponder that they probably don't have health insurance, and probably can't go to the doctor...or dentist...or afford mental health care. Ponder their lack of retirement and general precarity.

These tweets aren't really a call to action--because that angers some of my radical leftist pals who insist on their right to not participate in the system. Though I don't know if that's possible when one is paying taxing and utilizing public goods like roads...but I digress.

But I'm not the boss of anyone. And people can do what they will. This is more a call to inspire a bit of reflection. These health care debates may not seem that big of a deal if you are on your parents' insurance or you have a job that provides good insurance. But if you aren't?

There are people who have to go back to work 2-3 days after giving birth. Who have to work through cancer. Who have to work until they literally die because they can't afford not to work. And some of those people might be internet famous and seem like they have it all.

Heck, some of them, like musicians, might be literally rock star famous and make less that minimum wage after the record company does its math. So. Don't believe the mythology, look for the humanity. People are making money...but it is often not the worker, you know?

Anyway, I'd like to ask you to consider participating in the struggles if you can. How? That I leave to you. That might mean voting, or volunteering, or protesting, or running for office, or educating, or writing letters, or any number of things really. But do something. Or not.