Random thoughts

Anise, 3 months ago

It really shouldn’t be like this and it’s incredibly unfair. If the fascists have their way, they will make this national and then no state will be safe. I don’t mean to be a downer, but it’s important that remember that this metastable condition wherein blue states are still a refuge is a fragile state; we can’t let them win any more elections.

cowboycrustation, 3 months ago

It is what it is. While that’s definitely a possibility, I still think there’s hope. If they take power and try to put that shit on us, then by God we’re fighting back like hell. There are many allies and people on our side, a lot more than the mainstream media likes to fearmonger. Even though I live in one of the worst places in the US to be trans (very red, very rural, deep south), I’ve still encountered supportive people and the majority are respectful about it and don’t make a stink. It’s the damn state government that’s the problem here, which has a very long history of being corrupt and shitty to minorities and the less privileged.

It’s also very possible that if we get a red government that it’ll become a states rights issue and blue states will protest and make a stink about it. Some blue states have already made refugee laws for trans people.

I think it’s also helpful to put it into the perspective of history. Reading about the civil rights movement and the gay liberation movement made me a lot more optimistic than I used to be.

Blahaj_Blast, 3 months ago

This is one of the difficult things in front of me atm, complicated by this being a very blue area in a very red state but being this awesome mix of big city and small town. I love it here and don’t want to leave, but very don’t want to put me and my family at risk, but my extended family absolutely will not understand and is the only, limited, support I have

https://giphy.com/gifs/hulu-seinfeld-3o7TKRwpns23QMNNiE

cowboycrustation, 3 months ago

That’s the thing too that many people who don’t live in red states don’t understand. There are pockets of blue in almost every state. My state is a lot more 50/50 than most people think, but it’s also one of the most heavily gerrymandered states in the union. Also the city you’re living in sounds like the ideal vibe, haha.

I’m sorry about your extended family :( I have some extended family members who are very supportive and understanding of me, but with the majority it’s kind of an “open secret” because 90% of the time I pass to strangers, so there’s no way they don’t know something, but the problem is I just don’t think they’ll understand it totally. Like the whole name and pronouns stuff. I feel like I can’t bring new friends to meet them because they’ll out me, even though I wish they could meet them because they are interesting people. I was raised in a culture where extended family is a very important support network and part of me wants to just cut everyone off but the other parts knows that I’ve gotta keep them around somewhat. It’s both a blessing and a curse, and I guess even if it isn’t 100% ideal a lot of Americans nowadays don’t interact/aren’t close with extended family at all. I know they’d help me if I were in a bind.

There’s also just the whole thing of most of my family being cishet white people. They don’t know what it’s like to be systemically oppressed like this and have trouble understanding where I’m coming from and think I’m paranoid or something. I got into a huge fight with my mom a couple of months ago because I didn’t want to go to Florida because of how dangerous it would be for me, and she just genuinely didn’t understand and it took a lot of explaining.

I’m kinda ranting here, but I hope you don’t have to leave your home and all this stuff will blow over, I really do. My game plan for now is to finish college in a state that’s better, visit for the holidays, and if all this shit blows over in five or so years move back and try to rebuild and make things better for the trans people still there. If not, well… different country I guess. Hang in there 💜