I was planning on bringing this back with a redraw but everyone needs to pack it up and go home actually these are the best tags ever I haven't stopped thinking about them
i know it would never get me the reaction i'd want but a part of me does want to share all the art i've been doing/ success i've achieved with my mother, who kicked me out and disowned me at 21 for being trans. NOT as a "hey look at how well i'm doing mommy aren't you proud of me?" sort of thing, i lost any merit to her when she couldn't use my accomplishments to prop herself up, but specifically because of this one line in one of the (many) unhinged emails she sent me immediately after i was out of the house:
" I have more invested in your success and happiness than any of the sick, confused losers who want to rob you of everything you once had. Aren't you supposed to be getting your education and degree so that you could use your God given talent for His glory? Do you not think that He can take this talent away if you don't use it for Him."
At the time, i was still trying to deprogram myself from her influence so the thought that I could lose my artistic talent if i didn't stop transitioning was a very real fear, but u know what? I still did it. Being an artist has been a core part of my identity since i could conceptualize making art, and the only thing i've ever been truly good at.... and i would still trade it away if it meant getting to transition. i'd just start from square one again.
Now it's easy to look back and see that her leveraging my ability to create art was just a pathetic attempt to get me back under her control, but damn, i really just want to shove all that i've accomplished in her face like, " Did he do it yet? Did he take my talent away? Is there like, a time limit? i mean it's been like 8 years and i just seem to keep improving, whens this supposed to happen, Joan?"
I guess in the end she's winning if i'm still thinking about her and i do have a lot of pent up bitterness i know i'll never truly satisfy, but hey, i'm not the one with 6 kids and NONE of them talk to her so, u know, common denominator and all that...
unironically i think we need to bring back computer labs because APPARENTLY some people WERENT taught basic computer literacy and internet safety in school
things about computers/the internet i think kids should be formally taught in schools because theyre important to know and the amount of soon to be grown adults i know who know NOTHING about any of these is quite frankly almost all of them (and resources to learn if you dont know these things, because its never to late to get better with computers)
how to troubleshoot by yourself when you have a technical problem
what common file types are
some very basics on how to use ""developer tools"" on your computer (because i cant think of a better way to refer to them) like task manager and command prompt (and their mac equivalents, terminal and activity monitor ofc)
how to read and understand a privacy policy and what your personal data is, as well as what it being collected actually means and steps you can take to keep it private
how to understand terms of service
(hey. if you have trouble with reading legalese and worry about being able to understand these policies anyways, here's a site that gives basic summaries of privacy policies and ToS)
what a cookie actually is
internet privacy and your digital footprint!! seriously i dont know why we stopped teaching people that they shouldnt be putting their entire real identity online in a world where your online actions can ruin you irl
basic safety measures like antivirus software (and why you should use it or if the built in one on windows or mac is enough for you) and backing up your computer (also a mac guide)
common keyboard shortcuts (and on mac)
as an additional note: things i think everyone should know on computers and the internet but schools may bit hesitant to teach about for whatever moral/legal standards schools pretend to operate on
vpns and adblockers! (btw for most of these where you can pay for things im purposefully not recommending any specific software but seriously just use ublock origin for an adblocker)
how to not get a virus while pirating something
what a temporary email is and when to use one
red flags that you shouldn't trust a website (and how to quickly check the security of a site)
what javascript on a website does and how to disable it to get around paywalls
ok one last addition! if you want to take it one level higher, i think learning the very basics of at least one programming language is good for people. it makes computers less scary and it makes you feel very cool, and a lot of people get discouraged about it because it seems overly complicated and hard to learn outside a formal classroom setting, so heres some resources for learning the very basics of python (because i consider it the easiest language to learn and knowing one language will make it easier to learn others)
an online compiler so you dont need to download anything or worry about running code directly on your computer if that makes you nervous
a basic video guide to introduce you to python and walk you through beginner steps
a guide to some syntax and commands you should know (this was literally my lifeline in my first CS class)
some performance tasks to give you things to code to practice and assess yourself
"grace. grace! grace give attention. rocky perform human ritual of escape closet now. statement."
"come again?"
"i learn more from thinking machine. human gender preference. attraction to same gender, means word 'gay.' all eridian same gender." rocky stands straight up. "rocky come out to grace now. all rocky plural gay, statement."
"...wow, that's... rock, i'm not sure it makes much sense to apply human ideas of sexual orientation to a monogendered species."
Protect Internet Freedom from now until forever. It's important existentially! Americans stand with UK citizens in our struggle against government censorship
You guys have my whole heart for sharing this I had no idea will be filling this out and encourage all my fellow brits to do soo too. If youāre not from the UK please keep sharing this around we have till the 26th May to submit these in.
This whole thing was set up without our say we all need to make sure weāre heard.
A tip for filling it in - ignore section 1, sections 2 onwards are the meat and potatoes.
Beware! There is a snitch question at the start of the VPNs section, asking how 'children' are getting age stuff without using VPNs. You don't know anything, and if you do, no you don't.
I would focus on data security issues, the fact age verification doesn't work anyway to protect children - I was pushing particularly to switch to credit card verification, since it's more private, can be easily severed if compromised, and you need to be 18 to have one - it's not perfect, but I think they're more likely to give on the issue if we provide an alternative.
Push economic issues for banning/age-gating VPNs - that's the one thing that tends to get governments to back down.
Hot take: there is no valid reason that official government ID should have either a sec or gender marker on it. First name, last name, dob + up to date image will suffice. Address, if relevant.
I'm always confused by why people seem to think that there is some sort of Penis Emergency that will kill you if paramedics perform the Vagina Procedure on your fully clothed body.
Hospital spoilers btw: blood isn't sorted by sex, it's sorted by type. The sex of the blood donor doesn't factor in at all when receiving a transfusion, and you will not be harmed by receiving blood from a donor whose sex is different than yours. Saying this because it's another misconception that I've heard.
if you're unconscious at the hospital and they need to operate and insert a catheter in your urethra, don't worry! they'll figure out if you have a penis or a vagina without having to look at a laminated card in your wallet
I think this is one of those things where folks are so used to it that they just sort of assume there must be a good reason for it. But the only reason for your sex to be on your ID is if your legal rights differ based on your sex. Like, it would be important for your ID to say F or M if, for instance, one of those categories was allowed to open a bank account but the other one wasn't. But as far as I can tell, we have mostly decided that legal rights should pertain to everyone. Which means that sex documentation really is just a throwback to a time when women were not considered full legal persons and therefore their legal status had to be officially displayed on their ID in order to maintain that distinction.
Honestly, the only major thing I can think of that still strictly legally requires sex distinction is the military draft. Which, A) still doesn't require sex be recorded on your drivers license, B) could be made sex-neutral, or C) could be abolished instead.
Feeling restless so here's the prologue of my isat WIP, yes you will most likely, huh, not understand everything, but honestly who cares! (please don't care. and ask me if needed!) [ALSO I HAVEN'T FINISHED ISAT YET SO PLEASE NO SPOILERS (am at act 2)]
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, was nestled a small castle against the hills of a nameless land.
Castle so small and foreign to all that even wanderers ignored its existence before they one day stumbled at the doors anyway like it was always meant to be. The masters made sure of it; while no maps may bear the castleās name, the threshold always revealed itself for the weary and the needy. Always spurred the newcomers to step forward and meat their destination.
Small castle, for it shrunk under the nocturnal light of expectations. Under the setting sun, its short towers still stood proudly, a last remnant of its past glory, casting deep shadows, blankets just for the castleās inhabitants. The blooming stars above benevolently joined in the weaving of the nascent nightās dark cloak, basking the people of the castle in the light of their burn. The walls covered in moss never were to stop whoever wished to enter, but simply acted as the castleās foundations as much as the livingās, protectors and witnesses to the unfolding of the countless stories that circled in the air.Ā
You could hear them laugh, if you ever pricked up your ears. Laugh as the buildingās tints grew fuller, heavier. Laugh as hues returned home, after leeching the time they had true ownership onto.
The well lived-in rooms were not grand nor imposing; but warmth made its home into each one of them, fire crackling and casting darkless flashes on the bones of the castle. The palace childrenās laughter was as much of a music as the occasional bardsā ballads (always staying and never only for a night or two), or the servantsā lively chatter (often chasing the kids in the spiral staircase, with trembling laughs and eyes flashing too bright). Always joining in the youthsā mischiefs, much to the residentsā amusement.Ā
Outside, the luscious gardens were traversed by a flowing river that each day reflected the sparkling sky, the trees peacefully swinging in the morning breeze with the loveliest chirruping one could ever hear. A lullaby to comfort those who rested under the earth, and those who should be. A melody that carved its name into the smallest heart of the castle. And, mistaken by all for the sole recipient of the fragile sound, a single grave laid on the blessed land, among the fallen leaves, the sketch of a name caressed every night by the distant gaze of the celestial beings and every day by the hand who was meant to be under it. And entre chien et loupĀ¹ by the gaze of someone who existed between the two.Ā
But never by the one with the hand covered in rightful blood.
As such, the unassuming castle was more than a building. It was a palace of time lost and regained, of roses blooming in always fertile soils, of darkness and lives that came and went all the same in the land; it was the palace of a loving monarch who forgot the taste of starless skies.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a child was locked inside of a tower.Ā
Word is that their name had been the last gift of a bleeding heartĀ
before time swallowed it
Word is that the night they were born marked a new reign
blessed by the stars themselvesĀ
in all their holiness
1. literally "between dog and wolf", it is used to describe a specific time of day, just before night, when the light is so dim you can't distinguish a dog from a wolf. However, it's not all about levels of light. It also expresses that limit between the familiar, the comfortable versus the unknown and the dangerous (or between the domestic and the wild). It is an uncertain threshold between hope and fear.
How to Support People with Facial Differences - the Face Equality Week 2024 Special
[large text: How to Support People with Facial Differences - the Face Equality Week 2024 Special]
Today is the 13th of May, which means that the Face Equality Week has just started. This year's theme is āMy Face is a Masterpieceā which is probably my favorite sentence ever said about having a facial difference. Huge fan, should be used way more often in my opinion.
Because of this occasion, I would like to share some thoughts about Face Equality that I think are rather entry-level, i.e. you don't need to know much to execute these, but you can still support us.
Stop the stare.
I know it's fun to stare - or so I guess, at least - but maybe you shouldn't. Next time you see someone who has a scar or who's face does not move the same way as yours, just mind your business. We can tell when you're ādiscreetlyā looking.
Don't call us deformed.Ā
Knowing how the people you're trying to support actually call themselves should be an absolute first step, but most people still fail here. Most of us don't appreciate being called ādeformedā. I certainly don't. Say āfacial differenceā, or ādisfigurementā if you must. It's 2024. Leave ādeformedā to medical reports from the 70s.
No more āWhat happened?!ās.
If you aren't a doctor, there's a high-to-100% chance that it's none of your business. It's cool that you're curious - keep it to yourself.
Stop insinuating that we are ugly.
āSupport people who are ugly!ā isn't very supportive. I would say, not in the slightest. Say āpeople who don't fit the current beauty standardsā if that's what you mean.Ā
Or, to go with this year's theme, āpeople whose faces are masterpiecesā : )
Use critical thinking online.
Is the reaction photo actually funny, or is it just a person with a craniofacial condition? Is the meme actually a meme, or is it just making fun of a person with a facial disfigurement? Is body-shaming suddenly hilarious to you when the person shamed has strabismus?Ā
If the entire punchline is ālol they have a disability xdā, it's ableism. Plain and simple.
To go with the point above - your joke is probably not funny.
We get it! You can't help telling us how "you're going to hell for laughing" (which yeah, probably) and how we remind you of the ugliest character you have ever seen. I guarantee you that we heard it, and that you are behaving like an edgy middle schooler who hasn't "found out" yet. It's boring and annoying. Also ableist, but you're aware of that already if you're saying that you're going to hell.
Stop with the goddamn trigger warnings.Ā
We aren't ābody horrorā, we aren't āgoreā, we aren't something that you need to advise your viewers to use their discretion over. Every āgraphic footage: child with neurofibromatosisā and ā#tw burn scarā is a sign of ableism and disfiguremisia. People with facial differences deserve to be seen. Ableds can survive seeing a person without a nose.
Do a basic reading on what disfiguremisia is.
New word! And an important one. It's a brand of ableism that intersects with more or less everything, and it means discrimination and hatred of people with facial differences/disfigurements. The bullying, harassment, endless name-calling, and microaggressions are all results of disfiguremisia. The ways in which everything is harder for us isn't some unchangeable rule of how the world works, it's just an extremely prevalent type of discrimination.
Understand that we are people.
I know, revolutionary - and yet impossible for so many people to get. We can be a visual representation of evil when it's necessary, we can be a feel-good inspirational story on a morning talk-show, but not much else, it seems. In reality, we are complex, we have our own lives, we can be happy and sad and have the same exact joys and worries that you have.
Hey, artists - facial differences don't make you evil.
Title stolen from a great essay by Lise Deguire (link). When's the last time you saw a positive character with a facial difference that wasn't inspiration porn? I mean a character that's not edgy, full of angst, a murderer, or a villain. Based on what you see in the media, you'd think that having a scar renders you evil on the spot, but in reality it just makes you loathe how artists apparently think you are like. It's boring, it's overdone, it's ableism. Stop doing this, and start noticing when it's being done. Point it out if your friend is writing their new villain to be an evil burn survivor. This kind of portrayal needed to stop ages ago, but tomorrow will be a great time as well.
Before you reply with āI've never seen thisā - Darth Vader, Lion Kingās Scar (subtle name, great thing to teach kids!), Freddy Krueger, Voldemort, we could be here forever. You're just not paying attention.
Pay attention to where we are not included.
As discussed, there are some places where you see us all the time. But where do you not see us?
Advertisements (unless it's for a scar-removal cream, of course). Fashion shows. Magazine covers.Ā Romance movies where we are the main character.
We deserve to see ourselves in what's around us in the same way able-bodied people do. Trying to make it seem like we don't exist - that's deliberate.Ā
Interact with our art.
We draw, write, sing, act in movies, we do everything. Support us in the most tangible way - leave us a nice comment, read our books, listen to our songs. Watch movies where actual people with facial differences star, not pseudoinspirational stories about how ābeing disfigured is okāĀ where they shove an able-bodied actor into a full face prosthetic just to not have an actor with a disfigurement on set.
Include us.
As this year's Face Equality Week calls for, include us. In art, in movies, in books, in your life. Show us as positive people who are valuable, who are a part of your community - I guarantee that we are in every one that's out there. The world is hostile and unwelcoming to people with facial differences - be the change, wherever you are.
I know that it is different from the usual posts I make, but I hope it was somewhat educational. I just like to use every occasion that I can to force Face Equality into people's heads. To make this at least a bit about writing to keep the blog's theme, I will say that if you want to write about us, you need to care about us in real life as well. Otherwise, it's pointless and, as representation, genuinely worthless.
Below the readmore are some links/resources that you can click to educate yourself further. A lot of them lead to Face Equality International because they have just about everything you should know. If you want to be a better ally to people with facial differences, I heavily recommend them.
discoholicmusic
annaxmalina
dededos
tangentwithtanner
prguitarman
izzy806
