Long Post Incoming!!!
To start off, “trauma baiting,” as I would describe it, is: bullying someone to the point they admit their trauma and abuse even though they don’t want to, saying anyone is faking their trauma for any reason, bullying or harassing someone for “not having bad enough” trauma, in anyway making someone relive their trauma, or actively convincing someone they have repressed trauma that they’re unaware of (with the intentions of either proving them to be fake or proving their origins are actually traumagenic as opposed to any other origins).
As said in the last post, all gatekeepers want to do is look like their doing something helpful and productive when they aren’t doing any productive that only harms people. A fair number of Ex System Exclusionists have admitted that being in that community was harmful, draining, and negatively affected their mental health. Even though they fit the criteria that Sysmeds are looking for, it was harmful for them because they felt like they always had to be on their toes and put up a mask for anything another Sysmed might call them out on. Anything that might get them seen as fake or get them “cancelled.” Tldr; it’s a community full of hate and, just like the kin gatekeepers, they open up a perfect path for trolls and other people to sneak their way into the community. Really all a troll or anyone else has to do is put on a mask, watch what they do and say, then copy them. Though, I would say that Sysmeds are just a bit less trusting than kin gatekeepers. Also, while they like to say they’re helping others and what have you, most Sysmeds are pretty racist! They refuse to even hear of cultures that have had or still do have spiritual plurality woven into their daily lives and beliefs. Not to mention all of the religions and other similar beliefs they completely deny as truth. I personally took a course in college where spiritual plurality in other cultures and religions was a pretty big focus in that class! Their belief systems are taken very seriously and most of the cultures we touched on rarely allowed outsiders, even to study their culture to understand them better. However, these aren’t the only religions that hold such views. Possession is the biggest type of Spiritual Plurality in most first and second world countries. Something that even Christians and Catholics often believe in. It’s not usually to the extent of sharing a body with another soul for the rest of or most of your life and tends to be focused around Demon Possession, but it’s there. It’s still a popular belief.
As for not actually reading the DSM-5, well see for yourself.
While Sysmeds like to go around claiming that trauma is needed for DID or OSDD, that isn’t actually in the criteria for either! Both are often found with people who do have trauma, but that isn’t always the case.
"In the DSM-5, the dissociative disorders are placed next to, but are not part of, the trauma- and stressor-related disorders."
“yeah osdd is just amnesia + less differentiated alters (1a) or no amnesia + more differentiated alters (1b).”
Also, I would just like to mention that this is the DSM-5; it’s the Fifth (5th) installment or update to this criterium that Psychologists, Therapists, and Psychiatrists, are supposed to use as a guide to diagnose patients. They are no where near done with research for any of these mental illnesses or disabilities to say that this is the end all be all of criteria and symptoms (even if it did say that trauma was needed for diagnosis). DID, OSDD, Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety, etc aren’t colds. They aren’t like cancer or diabetes or anything like that. You can’t just look at someone’s throat who has a cough or their blood or other parts of their physical body and go “yep this is what you have” with one hundred (100) percent certainty. Hell, even physical science, which is normally much easier to research, still has its flaws and misdiagnosis. Added onto that, this is only a guide for professionals when it comes down to it. Even something that seems simpler to diagnose isn’t always going to be easier to diagnose in people. Just like a cold or the flu (or, hell, most other things), not everyone exhibits all of the same symptoms.
They may one day be able to prove or disprove spiritual plurality, who knows. Only time will actually tell. Having a belief in spiritual plurality doesn’t actually harm anyone. Those that believe their plurality is directly linked to spiritual (or sometimes other) things, usually aren’t searching out any sort of therapy for their plurality. Most wouldn’t even admit to a therapist or any other professional that they are plural without some very deep trust between them. Also, just because somebody believes their plural origins to be linked to neurodivergence, spiritual things, or anything besides trauma doesn’t mean they can’t have trauma. Anyone can have trauma. It also doesn’t mean that they can’t have DID or OSDD. Just let people label themselves how they want. Just because someone labes themselves as “endogenic” (or what have you), doesn’t mean their forcing anyone else to and it doesn’t give anyone the right to attack and hate on them.
(Sources for the DSM-5: here and here. Along with the actual DSM-5. Greysdawn has a good post on all of this as well).
No matter how you slice it, exclusionists are all the same. It’s just a question of “who are they hurting?” Nixe already went into the similarities of Transmeds and Sysmeds (System Exclusionists) but let us run down the line in simple terms, shall we?
Sysmeds exclude based on people’s beliefs, a person’s identity, and whether or not they’re accepting of “outsiders.” Transmeds exclude based on people’s beliefs, a person’s identity, and whether or not they’re accepting of “outsiders.” TERFs exclude based on a person’s identity and whether or not they’re accepting of “outsiders.” SWERFs exclude based on a person’s job, their beliefs (to an extent, depending on the SWERF), and whether or not they’re accepting of “outsiders.” Kin Exclusionists or Gatekeepers exclude people based on their beliefs, identity, and whether or not they’re accepting of “outsiders.” Basically the same rings true for just about any other exclusionist group. Sure specific vocabulary changes to fit the community, but it’s all the same in the end. It’s consistently about keeping out the people who “don’t belong,” making sure the ones that do belong follow strict beliefs and guidelines or be cast out. No exceptions. These groups only care about the strict goals they have in mind.
To sign off this time, I leave you all with probably one of my biggest sayings:
Humans are diverse in everything. Looks, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, personalities, and actions. We’re meant to be diverse. That’s why we have so much control over ourselves - our own free wills. We’re not monkeys or any other animal destined to always be looking for food, mating, then dying. We have passions, hobbies, complicated thoughts, complicated feelings, and best of all; complicated relationships. Not only with each other but with society as whole, objects, our own pets, other animals, and with ourselves sometimes. We decide our own morals, our own beliefs, our own ways of living life. It’s probably the best thing about being human. You never know what’s going to happen or how you’ll conquer the hardships. We plan ahead, but all we really know is the destination and not what’ll happen there.