#practical resistance

[our-trans-punk-experience]

How do you feel about suicide as a method of resistance?

personally I am firmly against. I mean no disrespect to any past revolutionaries who have made a difference this way, but today, what the movement needs is warm bodies to the cause, boots on the ground, hands to help, and eyes to keep a look out. a living person is part of a revolution. in death, you can no longer participate.

even if the impact your death has is huge, the impact your life could have had is infinite. death resists nothing.

if you kill yourself, those who hate you won't care, those who love you will be hurt, and the indifferent middle will remain indifferent. maybe a handful of people will be invigorated to join the resistance. maybe you could have convinced those people with your living testimony, rather than your eulogy.

if I were to make a judgement, I'd say choose to live. every time.

[our-trans-punk-experience]

PROTEST TIPS

This from the ACLU [America specific here]

Stay safe, hit the streets

[our-trans-punk-experience]

Some concrete ideas for people in the US looking to do harm reduction re:Trump of varying levels of intensity

- follow cops who are harassing homeless people (they are emboldened now, esp regarding nonwhite folks). Film then, ask for their badge #s, ask if the individual they are bothering is being charged with anything and if they’re free to go. This doesn’t require aggression but rather a calm, implacable patience. Try to give off “You have all day to make sure rights are followed. You can out wait them” vibes

-Record ICE while they are detaining folks

-distribute know your rights flyers / paste ups / graffiti. Print red cards (google them) in the language(s) common in your area and leave them in bathrooms or bus stops.

-look up if your local hospitals have stopped offering gender-affirming care to minors. If your state law still protects trans youth rights, contact local lgbt+ groups. Chances are they’re putting together a letter to that hospital(s) to say that they’re breaking state law to get federal funding. If a group doesn’t exist, you can maybe write a letter like that yourself.

-find out if your workplace or school has a “reacting to ICE raid” policy. Know it. Distribute it. If it doesn’t exist (and you’re comfortable asking - good thing for documented folks to do with their privilege) ask for one to be made.

-give calling your Senator a break and contact your state’s AG to ask them to file on behalf of one of the many unconstitutional things that are happening. Especially good if you live in a red state and are concerned about, say, Musk having access to everyone’s SSN and Treasury info or similar.

-write people’s rights on sidewalks in chalk. Teach your friends their rights. Learn the letter of the law as it actually exists regarding you and your friends

-stay alive. Outlive these bastards and their bullshit laws and fearmongering

FUCK YEAH!! this ask helpfully answers a few others i got about ways to get involved as a minor / someone new to resistance / someone with limited ability to do certain active forms of protest

daily acts of resisting tyranny for those in the US - have fun

[our-trans-punk-experience]

new line just dropped. This one’s to report trans healthcare places. Please fill with spam

https://www.hhs.gov/protect-kids/whistleblower-guidance/index.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&token=hOeWcnQgB0k9yjV_OkFRDJVmkBwiJD-GO44_p6OSdXc

spam this with bs if its all you can do, but to kick it up a notch make the fakes more realistic so they expend more time and energy investigating

[our-trans-punk-experience]

Heya, I'm an American trans punk

I don't know if you've already made a post on it or not, but could you talk a bit about ways to participate in revolution without being violence or.. getting too close to direct violence?

I'm all for the "punch nazis" thing, and I think protests are extremely important even if they turn ugly, but I'm an upsettingly non-confrontational person due to trauma, I struggle a lot with unfamiliar experiences, and I'm pretty weak physically. I have very little motivation to get stronger, partially due to depression and partially due to the fact that I like being small because it makes me fast and agile and I can fit in small spaces.

I know there are some other options that aren't as active as the classic "revolution riots," but I struggle to remember them and actually mobilize myself to get started on anything, so sometimes it can feel like I'm just being useless when I should be doing so much more.

I'd really appreciate if you could just talk a bit about how not everyone can be out there on the front lines throwing tear gas cans back at the cops, and maybe list some more down-low activities that still push the revolution forward?

Your blog has been an inspiration, thank you so much <3

-🌌⭐

I am working on a full guide to practical resistance for beginner revolutionaries [title a work in progress] that will be released all at once when ive finished, probably as a pdf rather than a tumblr post. these are all great suggestions for sections to include

if anyone wants a particular revolutionary questions answered in the guide, mention in the ask that you want it answered there :}

[our-trans-punk-experience]

HI i had my first day back at school after holidays today, and during periods 1 & 3, we had to do stuff with ai and i was thinking if it becomes a reoccurring issue, should I do something about it? Like, I was thinking I could write an essay or something about how AI is unethical ad give it to the vice principal, & if that doesnt work then start refusing to participate in lessons involving AI & if that still doesnt work I could make zines or flyers about AI and give them out to other students?? Idk todays the first time Ive seen AI be used at my school (ive been going here for a little under a year), so hopefully it wont be a reoccurring isse but like if it does.

definitely take action on this before it becomes normalised in your school. Start by just checking which teachers support the use of generative AI (very important to get the language right) and which don't. Then yes, a letter or essay would be a good idea. I'd make zines and flyers to put up before refusing to partipate given that zine distribution is allowed but refusal to do class could get you in trouble. Well done on being ready to do something. Stay punk!

[our-trans-punk-experience]

Hello, I'd just like to drop the encouragement to write a guide about direct action anarchism. Especially for folks who are new and maybe a little bit afraid 🦔

yes the guide is ongoing! given how big its getting it will likely be on a pdf and not a tumblr post. this is a longer term project so i can address as many areas and answer as many questions as possible. ppl can help by sending me specific questions they want answered in it and add [practical resistance guide] or [direct action ask] to the ask.

people can also help by suggesting a cool title.

[our-trans-punk-experience]

Do you have good ways to protest with limited income and physical disabilities? Signing petitions that just get ignored doesn’t feel like enough. I don’t exactly have money to donate to causes and can’t stand/walk for long periods but I want to make a stand. Sorry if you’ve already answered something like this

I mean my main insight would be to look for stationary protests, which many are, where you'd be able to sit and chant and hold your placard high