isthisnotideal

[isthisnotideal]

Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education for the United States: "Sowwy :( The Supreme Court told us we aren't allowed to follow through on the debt relief for students that Joe Biden promised :( And also we're ending the interest payment relief period :( But don't worry :) We'll keep fighting for you!"

god i'm so so so so sick of this shit. voting does nothing when the entire system is built upon ensuring that it can do nothing even when legislators are allegedly trying to do otherwise. any instance voting blue "does something" in america is due to a massive amount of unrelated factors such as lobbying, organizing, community aid, re-enfranchisement, millions upon millions spent on advertising, "we need to give these idiots a bone so they'll think voting does something sometimes" and national+international pressure. i'm so tireeeeeed

[isthisnotideal]

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people with undiagnosed physical disabilities

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people with undiagnosed mental disabilities

Happy disabled pride month to mobility aid users

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people who are in constant pain

Happy disabled pride month to AAC users

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people with ableist family

Happy disabled pride month to fat disabled people

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people with scars

Happy disabled pride month to disabled addicts

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people who's disability is progressing

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people who love their disability

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people who hate their disability

Happy disabled pride month to disabled people with underrepresented and/or uncommonly known disabilities

Happy disabled pride month to all disabled people. I love you. /p

[isthisnotideal]

So no affirmative action, no discrimination protections for same-sex couples, AND no debt forgiveness? This sucks

[isthisnotideal]

Pride month vest project, a patch a day #30: VEST COMPLETE

[isthisnotideal]

[isthisnotideal]

i think the general public is a little confused ab stimming tbh bc they think of it as a specific set of actions instead of like. an emotional process. like an allistic person and i could do the exact same gesture and only one of us would b stimming bc. allistic don't feel the surge of . like pleasure? release of tension? that comes with stimming. like you know what i mean. w/ me, especially as a child, a big stim of mine was jumping up and down. and i would do it for literally hours. thump thump thump oh that's just my kid she's upstairs jumping. and any time i would be reading a book or watching a tv show and a "good part" came on, or a part with a lot of tension, or a big reveal, i would feel overwhelmingly compelled to jump up and down and make noises and weird faces to "get the excitement out"

and like the only reason i'm not like that now and i make less weird faces and grunting noises and big movements is bc i got it shamed out of me and now i'm so used to masking it's hard for me to stim in the comfort of my own apartment without feeling like i'm being watched. but i still stim in other ways and i think what's often overlooked is stimming has a pretty intense emotional/mental component to it.

[isthisnotideal]

I gotta ask, how do people, like, do stuff???

[isthisnotideal]

Happy pride month to everyone relegated to the + in LGBT+. Happy pride month to everyone whose letters in the alphabet soup do double or triple duty. Happy pride month to everyone who faces exclusion. Happy pride month to everyone who gets told their identity is a slur. Happy pride month to everyone who simplifies their identity when talking to others because coming out also means giving a lesson about who you are. An extra special happy pride month this year to every trans and nonbinary person for the bullshit we're facing right now

[isthisnotideal]

July is a disabled pride month

[isthisnotideal]

Steps To Take Before You Donate:

A guide from someone who works at a thrift store and has seen some things. This is generalized and not specific to the store I work at.

The first step for ALL of these sections is to look at what you have. Is it something you would give to a friend or relative? No? Then don’t donate it. (Examples of things not to donate: moldy clothes, a soiled pair of pants, sticky dishes, broken mirror)

Clothes and Linens (aka soft lines)

Look to see if your clothes are wet, moldy, or have bodily fluids on them. These types of items will end up at the landfill if you donate them. Just save employees the horror and throw away your own garbage

Don’t donate used underwear or socks, but bras are fine

If the clothes are dirty, wash them (please)

If you want to be super helpful to processors, separate halloween costumes and shoes into different bags or boxes. These items all get processed separately in stores

Donate it even if its ‘poor quality’. Clothing not sold in stores gets sent to textile recyclers

All of this applies to linens (such as blankets and sheets) as well

Electronics

If you have any large items, call the store ahead of time to make sure they are willing to take it. Not all stores have big warehouses for large items. If not, try a different store or chain

Check for any chewed on, or exposed wire. Thrift stores can’t sell these items for safety purposes

If you don’t have a wire or charger for the electronic, ensure that it will stay with the item (tape or rubber bands will work well for this) if an item can’t be tested in store to see if it works, it will not be sold in a typical retail store. It will likely be sent straight to an outlet store

If you are planning on donating a TV (small or big) call the store first, some are able to take them and some are not. Check with them first so they don’t have to turn you away after you get there

If the computer doesn’t work completely, donate it anyway, most thrift stores send them to get refurbished and their memory wiped

Books/Media

Do your books have mold on them or are the pages damp? Don’t donate them

Are the disks so scratched up that they don’t play? Don’t donate them

Stores do accept VHS tapes and cassettes!

If you are donating a bunch of loose disks without cases, keep them together in a bag or a box

If you only have a case for a game (NOT DVD), donate it! People actually buy those

Separate your books and media from other items you are donating, as these get processed separately

Shoes (usually sorted into hard lines but may vary depending on the chain)

If your shoes have bodily fluids on them, or even just some left over dog poop, either clean them or don’t donate them. No one wants to touch that

Even if your shoes have been worn to hell and back (and are not gross), donate them! Just like clothes, if they aren’t sold, most stores will recycle them

Do your best to keep pairs together! Either in a box, tie the laces together, or use a rubber band!

(We do actually love getting shoes donated in their boxes - it makes it a lot easier to sort than a giant garbage bag full of loose shoes)

If you aren’t sure what category shoes fall into at the store you are donating to, just ask! We would much rather that than find shoes in unexpected places!

Furniture

Does it require repairs? Don’t donate it, try a local yard sale site instead

Is it big? Call ahead and make sure the store has space for it

Not every store accepts mattresses/beds/bed frames. Call ahead and ask

If you have a rug, has an animal gone to the bathroom on it? Yeah? Don’t donate that

Side note: if you just bought a big piece of furniture from a thrift store, bring some buddies to help you pick it up. And a big enough vehicle. Our donation door workers are still people and can only do so much to move a giant glass table and fit it into your kia soul when you decide to pick it up 30 minutes before we close

Other Items (aka hard lines)

If a baby is meant to sit or lay in the item, we can’t sell that for safety reasons, even if its brand new

Some stores will sell helmets if they are in good condition, but not all stores. Double check before you drop them off

If you are donating dish ware or china, make sure it is washed and clean. No one wants to touch sticky mixing bowls with a mysterious substance inside

Wrap your dishes or any fragile items and place them in boxes, it helps make sure they dont break before they get processed

If its broken, don’t donate it. Think: is this something I would give a friend?

Put your jewelry together and separate from other items. That way we dont only find one earing

No already lit or used candles that are more than halfway gone, find ways to up cycle them, or see if a friend would like them instead!

No one wants your used bedroom toys. Please no. Im begging you just throw them away if you dont want them

If there are nails sticking out of it, or someone could get hurt on it, wrap it and write a note. Same goes for knives. I can’t even begin to express how many times I’ve almost cut off a finger while reaching into a box of donations

Other Tips

If its sticky, wipe it down

If its fragile, put it in a box not a bag

If its sharp, wrap it

If its multiple pieces, tape it or find a way to keep it all together before you donate it

If you aren’t sure if a store will take it, just call and ask!

[isthisnotideal]

Punk 101: A History of Battle Jackets

Battle Jackets have a long and interesting history in general, not limited only to punk. Today we see them as a reflection of the wearer, they are a form of self expression and affiliation.

Battle jackets can trace their origins back to WWII American pilots who would decorate their flight suits and bomber jackets with their squadron's insignia patches. They were jackets that allowed pilots to easily recognize each other and instilled a sense of pride and community in their owners. This is also where the term 'battle jacket' comes from.

After the war was over, pilots returned home and many found joy in the speed and excitement of motorcycles. Biker clubs were formed, and thus, biker culture as well. Pilots often used their bomber jackets while riding because of the protection they offered, though the sleeves were usually removed due to how they restricted movement. Jackets got decorated with club/gang logos to represent their wearer's affiliation, much like the insignia patches. As biker clubs grew, members without a pilot history often used leather or denim jackets to showcase their affiliations. There is a LOT more to biker jacket history, but this is what's really relevant to punk jackets.

In the 60s, two different cultures evolved in the UK. The first is The Mods, known for listening to modern jazz and riding scooters (supposedly their name comes from the modern jazz thing. I would not have been surprised if it was from 'modification' considering the seeming obsession to keep adding mirrors and lights to their scooters). The other group was The Rockers who were known for listening to 50s rock and riding motorcycles. While the groups strongly disliked each other, they both decorated their jackets in ways that influenced punk's jacket scene. The Mods often added pictures, paintings, and patches to theirs, while The Rockers were more likely to be seen sporting spikes and studs. (Not to say that those things were strictly limited to each side - just what was more common)

The following decade (the 70s), the two branches came together as various music subgenres collided and formed. Punk was among the genres formed, and the culture surrounding it was one of the first non-gang or club related groups to decorate their jackets. Taking influence from both The Mods and The Rockers, the characteristic punk look was formed, and intended to be a Fuck You to societal norms. In the earliest days, punk jackets were mostly covered in band patches, much like modern heavy metal jackets. As punk evolved into what we know it as today, with notes of anti-establishment and anarchy, it became more common to see political patches right along side the band ones.

Today's jackets are a personal statement. the bands you like, your interests, political statements. They are a symbol of individuality and rebellion against society. They are a physical representation of YOU and your history with punk culture. This is why it is so important within punk culture to make your own jacket or have someone help who can customize it to you. You are not a generic human off the rack, you have lived a life, had your own battles, have your own personality, and have your own history. A premade, mass produced jacket won't showcase any of that or really truly represent the individuality of 'you'.

[isthisnotideal]

The problem is that "pedophiles" is often code for something else. Many of these people think killing someone for something unrelated and later finding out that they're a pedophile is something to celebrate. Many of these people think being LGBT and being a pedophile are basically the same thing. Many of these people just enjoy killing people while having society's support, and would gladly kill anyone who society was okay with killing. This sign might as well say "I'll gladly kill anyone if I can find some excuse to believe that they're a pedophile".

Also, how is "pedophiles" being defined here? Does it include the middle aged adults who specifically prefer sexual partners who are barely legal 18 year olds and have the exact same patterns as pedophiles but think it's okay because it's legal?

No matter how evil someone is, killing them should not be your main goal. Taking away their power should be. Helping the victims should be. Raising awareness of exactly why their actions are evil should be. If you simply kill the ones who are unlucky enough to get caught, more will take their place.

Also, if you're willing to force children to give birth, then you believe pedophiles' victims' lives don't matter either.

[isthisnotideal]

USAmericans: This pride month, talk to the queer people who actually live in all those bad evil icky red states and find out what it's actually like, how we actually feel about it, and who here is actively fighting against it. No more telling us to "just leave" or reducing us to innocent victims who are "trapped" here. There are so many of us and we live here for so many reasons, none of which should be justified. We are resilient, we are powerful, and we are fighting against the fascist laws working to eradicate us or scare us away. Being trans in a red state right now is in and of itself an act of resistance. That being said, pay attention to the brave souls on the front lines, pushing against the laws, making good trouble, and refusing to be silenced.

I won't let myself be talked about like I'm stupid to live here.

I won't let myself be talked about like I'm a helpless victim who's trapped here.

If you can't join the fight by standing beside us, then the least you can do is empower us, amplify our voices, and pay more attention to the ones who are FIGHTING AGAINST THESE LAWS than you are to the chucklefucks trying to pass them.

[isthisnotideal]

I think we need to get serious about nuclear family abolition instead of the childfree meme culture of "we don't want your snot-nosed gremlins." I love kids. I love their joy, the insight of not yet being acclimated to capitalism and social norms. I had a certain naive wisdom as a kid, making crowns out of dandelions without knowing they were weeds. When my mom tried to explain gender reassignment surgery to me, expecting me to be repulsed, I instead blurted out "cool!".

But despite my love for children and sentimentality for my own childhood, I don't want to "have kids," as it's conventionally understood to mean, nor do most of my age peers. The expectation of children to be the property and sole responsibility of two parents (or as patriarchy would insist, one mother) is a cruel and unrealistic in any historical moment but especially the present. It is cruel, not just to people who don't want to be parents or shoehorned into heterosexual norms, but traumatic to the child. Surely we should know this better than anyone, and come up with a more mature response than just hating kids. There is a stark difference between this response and the queer legacy of mutual aid to support kids neglected by the nuclear family (the House Mothers of the ballroom community come to mind).

My issue with the childfree movement, as it exists online, is that it centers individual choice rather than a structural reevaluation of the family as we know it. We are told that queer life is purposeless and lonely, and that's without a genetic lineage we have no future. These arguments are in fact indictments of a system that has failed to produce collective visions of purpose, social fulfillment and futurity. None of us should be obligated to "have kids," nor tone down our culture or activism in their entirety to be "family friendly." But we should be driven by a desire to support those most disenfranchised by family norms instead of just hating them.

[isthisnotideal]

HONESTLY also like. part of combatting misinformation is just accepting that you'll fall victim to it sometimes. no-one can be an expert on every imaginable subject and most people don't have the time to factcheck every single piece of information that comes their way. the key thing IMO is responding appropriately when someone points misinfo ie not doubling down and being like 'no there's no way I could be wrong about this'.

[isthisnotideal]

It’s solar and wind and tidal and geothermal and hydropower.

It’s plant-based diets and regenerative livestock farming and insect protein and lab-grown meat.

It’s electric cars and reliable public transit and decreasing how far and how often we travel.

It’s growing your own vegetables and community gardens and vertical farms and supporting local producers.

It’s rewilding the countryside and greening cities.

It’s getting people active and improving disabled access.

It’s making your own clothes and buying or swapping sustainable stuff with your neighbours.

It’s the right to repair and reducing consumption in the first place.

It’s greater land rights for the commons and indigenous peoples and creating protected areas.

It’s radical, drastic change and community consensus.

It’s labour rights and less work.

It’s science and arts.

It’s theoretical academic thought and concrete practical action.

It’s signing petitions and campaigning and protesting and civil disobedience.

It’s sailboats and zeppelins.

It’s the speculative and the possible.

It’s raising living standards and curbing consumerism.

It’s global and local.

It’s me and you.

Climate solutions look different for everyone, and we all have something to offer.

[isthisnotideal]

I am once again explaining that in order for walkable cities and public transit to work for disabled people, there also need to be more public bathrooms available in and around those areas. Not just places to sit down or rest. Bathrooms. We need accessible, clean bathrooms. With sharps bins. With multiple wheelchair accessible stalls. With an area to set down supplies needed to maintain one’s body. Even if it’s not being used to get rid of bodily waste, bathrooms are one of the few spaces disabled people have to maintain some sort of privacy when they’re in the middle of a flare up or they need to take medication or what have you. Designing a public space? Include bathrooms.