That sounds very fun. Glad you got to go and had a blast!
I've always wanted to visit a Unitarian church. They seem so cool. They're somewhat rare, though.
I'm very very curious about your experience with United Church of Christ. My only experience is with the run-of-the mill Church of Christ people with their odd, repressive rules, speaking in tongues, and general bigotry. I'm assuming the two differ significantly, but how exactly?
Nex used he/him and they/them pronouns.
"Benedict, a 16-year-old Indigenous person who used both he/him and they/them pronouns according to friends and family"
Source: https://www.npr.org/2024/03/15/1238780699/nex-benedict-nonbinary-oklahoma-death-bullying
I know all too well about these kinds of situations. My first thought when this story broke out in the news was "this could have been me." I'm from a state in the deep south with similar politics, and I know how easily local politics can get corrupted. I was a baby trans in a shitty, transphobic school system too. There are good people and people who care and want to help who are from there I'm sure, but the system has been built from the ground up to enforce the status quo.
I hope that there will be justice for Nex Benedict. If not now, then someday when things change for the better. In the meantime, we have to fight to get there and hold people accountable for their actions.
^ this
Have an escape plan. Reach out to friends or relatives who you think would let you stay.
Haven't watched it but my friend's really into Umbrella Academy. In season three Elliot Page's character transitions to male and I've heard it was handled well.
Thanks, wouldn't be able to do everything without my lovely team of co-mods.
Those were some pretty brutal bills. Glad they didn't get passed. Whoever wrote those to begin with is a sick bastard.
Do your research before partaking in any drug, because all drugs have risks attached to them. It's just like with prescription drugs, you research the risks and benefits and decide which outweighs the other. You can do significant harm to yourself if you don't do your research.
Use good sources such as peer reviewed journals for your primary sources because they are backed up by science. Reddit and Lemmy are likely to give you inaccurate information, so it's wise to use them only when there's little scientific research for the drug you're researching (which is somewhat of a red flag in itself, because you don't know all of what you're getting into).
There are many risks and interactions that come with almost any drug out there that you've got to be aware of before taking anything. Supplements, genetic risk factors, and lifestyle risk factors need to be taken into consideration.
Not saying all drugs are bad, but all I'm saying is that they're drugs at the end of the day and as such they aren't to be taken lightly. There can be benefits to using them, but also significant drawbacks.
Do your research, use good judgement, listen to your body, and know your limits.
Illicit (and legal) drugs aren't a good first option if you're experiencing problems in your life. Therapy, exercise, building a support network, etc. are much more likely to be helpful long term than drugs are. They're better off being used as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted.
If you're in significant distress, Trevor Project offers free 24/7 crisis counseling for LGBTQ people.
This is so relatable. I do this especially around family because I desperately don't want to be judged and talked about (but it happens anyway).
"Transfeminine AMABs (people assigned male at birth) with testicles experience surges in testosterone in relation to attraction and desire, which can make them more dysphoric." -Biochemical dysphoria, The Gender Dysphoria Bible
What internalized transphobia does to a gal