#desist

[whimsiquix]

Hilarious tidbit of the day, that time Draupadi called Arjun the best of the Pandavas to the other Pandavas:

‘In particular, Panchali remembered the husband who was in the middle, the brave one who was absent. She told the foremost of the Pandavas, “In the absence of the two-armed Arjuna, the equal of the many-armed Arjuna and the best of the Pandavas, this forest seems cheerless to me. Wherever I look, the earth seems to be empty to me. This forest, with its many marvels and blossoming trees, no longer seems to be attractive in Savyasachi’s absence. This Kamyaka is as blue as monsoon clouds and is frequented by elephants in rut. But without Pundarikaksha, it has no charm. The twang of his bow is like the roar of the thunder. O king! I remember Savyasachi and without him, I cannot find any peace of mind.”

- BORI 376(79)

Side note: Pundarikaksha means: ‘The Lotus-Eyed-One’. 🪷 Something about Draupadi frequently describing how beautiful she finds Arjun absolutely breaks my mind actually.

[she-is-ovarit]

Detransitioner news

I have been thinking about detransitioners lately and wanted to compile articles I have been seeing. This will be a longer post and reblogged for part II as I hope to copy and paste brief portions of the articles under each headline.

Law firm for detransitioners opens in Dallas

In all of the controversy around gender transition, there is one group that is persistently marginalized by both the right and left. They are known as detransitioners — people who decide that they want to return to their birth gender, often after receiving years of interventional care, including surgery, to treat their gender dysphoria. Now, the nation’s first law firm focused solely on representing these patients — many of whom feel abused by a medical system that encouraged their treatment — has opened its doors in Dallas. It could forever change how hospitals and doctors approach what’s known as gender-affirming care.

Archive link

Fenway Community Health Center in Boston, the largest provider of transgender medicine in New England and one of the leading institutions of its kind in the United States, was named a defendant in a lawsuit filed last month. The plaintiff, a gay man who goes by the alias Shape Shifter, argues that by approving him for hormones and surgeries, Fenway Health subjected him to “gay conversion” practices, in violation of his civil rights. Carlan v. Fenway Community Health Center is the first lawsuit in the United States to argue that “gender-affirming care” can be a form of anti-gay discrimination. The case underscores an important clinical reality: gender dysphoria has multiple developmental pathways, and many who experience it will turn out to be gay. Even the Endocrine Society concedes that many of the youth who outgrow their dysphoria by adolescence later identify as gay or bisexual. Decades of research confirm as much. Gender clinicians in the U.K. used to have a “dark joke . . . that there would be no gay people left at the rate [the Gender Identity Development Service] was going,” former BBC journalist Hannah Barnes reported. Rather than help young gay people to accept their bodies and their sexuality, what if “gender-affirming” clinicians are putting them on a pathway to irreversible harm?

Due partly to Shape’s lifelong difficulty in accepting himself as gay, his lawyers are not taking the usual approach to detransition litigation. Rather than state a straightforward claim of medical malpractice or fraud, they allege that Fenway Health has violated Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which bans discrimination “on the basis of sex” in health care. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that “discrimination because of . . . sex” includes discrimination based on homosexuality. Citing this and other precedents, Shape’s lawyers argue that federal law affords distinct protections to gay men and lesbians—upon which clinics that operate with a transgender bias are trampling. Shape grew up in a Muslim country in Eastern Europe that he describes in an interview as “very traditional” and “homophobic.” His parents disapproved of his effeminate demeanor and interests as a child. They wouldn’t let him play with dolls, and his mother, he says, made him do stretches so that he would grow taller and appear more masculine. At 11, Shape had his first of several sexual encounters with older men. “I was definitely groomed,” he recounts. Shape proceeded to develop a pattern of risky sexual behavior, according to his legal complaint. He told his medical team at Fenway Health about his childhood sexual experiences, calling them “consensual.” The Fenway providers never challenged him on this interpretation, he alleges. They never suggested that he might have experienced sexual trauma or, say, explored how these events might have shaped his feelings of dissociation. (The irony is that Fenway Health describes its model of care as “trauma-informed.”)

Archive link

Ontario detransitioner who had breasts and womb removed sues doctors

An Ontario detransitioning woman who had her breasts and womb removed to change her gender to male is suing medical and health practitioners for failing to consider other treatments during her mental health crisis before ushering her on an irreversible journey she regrets. Michelle Zacchigna, 34, of Orillia, Ont., north of Toronto, names eight health professionals, including doctors, psychologists, a psychotherapist and a counsellor in a lawsuit filed in Ottawa. None of the defendants, who work or worked at various clinics and institutions in southern Ontario, responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit prior to deadline. Four of the defendants have filed notices of intent to defend against the suit in Ontario Superior Court, but no statements of defense have been filed. None of the claims have been tested in court. Zacchigna said she faces an uphill battle in her lawsuit. “I’ve been under the impression that all medical malpractice suits are challenging. Doctors win the majority of cases in Canada,” she told National Post. “It’s very much a David vs. Goliath undertaking.” In her statement of claim filed in court in November, Zacchigna says she had difficulty forming relationships with classmates in elementary school and was often bullied. By the time she was 11, she engaged in self-harming behaviour, including cutting her arm with a knife. This continued into early adulthood. When she was 20, she tried to kill herself and she was referred by her family doctor for psychotherapy, where she was treated for social anxiety and clinical depression. She remained unhappy and depressed, and her mental health decline led to her dropping out of university, according to her claim. About a year into therapy, she engaged with an online community around gender nonconformity. “Michelle came to believe that her biological sex of female did not match her true gender identity of male,” her claim says. “She further came to believe that this mismatch between her biological sex and gender identity was causing her feelings of depression, self-harming behaviour and unease in her body, a mental health condition commonly known as gender dysphoria,” her claim states. This was the first time Zacchigna felt she was born in the wrong body, and she had not previously identified as male, her claim says. “However, as a result of what she read on the internet, she became convinced that she was a transgender man, and that once she embraced this new identity, her depression would subside.” Zacchigna started attending a support group in Toronto for people considering gender transition. A counsellor there told her of opportunities to proceed through a medical transition, her claim says. Zacchigna was invited to apply for medical intervention in 2010. The counsellor wrote a recommendation letter outlining a medical history that didn’t fully match her real past, the claim says. The counsellor didn’t recommend any alternatives, or seek confirmation of Zacchigna’s own diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Her regular therapist also wrote a recommendation for transition treatment, saying Zacchigna was an “ideal candidate for hormone therapy,” even though the therapist had no previous transgender clients, according to the claim.

Part II incoming.

[anotherartboy]

Pioneer’s Pizza Comix, No. 20

[goodbysunball]

Their legacy shall die

One last gasp before the year-end roundup. All hardcore this time, in various flavors from satisfyingly straight to exhilaratingly destructive. You oughta hear what's comin' outta Budapest. Onward:::

Balta, Mindenki Mindig Minden Ellen 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Second 7" from this two-piece out of Budapest, delivering more pummeling, noisy hardcore across nine tracks. This isn't quite the blown out "noise not music" ethos of other bands; the vocals fight through the waves of distortion blasted out of the guitar's amps, and the drums are reasonably clear, if not caked in the mud being kicked up. There's even a bit of a breathing room on the heaving "Patkány Élet," but for the most part the vocals, guitars and drums are all competing to outpace the others. Makes for an exhausting, thrilling ride, because there are killer riffs and expert fills buried underneath the caustic vapor. Irreverent hardcore, setting fire to hardcore, hardcore for change.

Berosszulás, Az Öl​é​sr​ö​l 7" (Stoned to Death)

Another one from Budapest, and from what I can glean, Berosszulás have been around a while, so it's likely they've had an influence in the burgeoning hardcore scene there. The six tracks here have the structure and feel of Die Kreuzen's self-titled LP, albeit wrapped in a lo-fi recording that serves as the source of noise hovering throughout. Sounds almost like a live recording to me, but the energy is well-captured, or at least the vocal performance is strong enough to push it all over the top. The last track's my pick, the final scream of anguish sharp enough to tear flesh. Best hardcore scene of 2024.

Brain Tourniquet / Deliriant Nerve split 7" (Iron Lung)

Allegedly a challenge from one band to the other to "[strip] everything down to its most primal form," this is a healthy serving of D.C. powerviolence served two ways. The Brain Tourniquet side is my pick, the band ripping through ten short, potent bursts not unlike those found on their first two 7"s. "Unclouded by Conscious" and "Retch" do the grinding speed-into-heaving breakdown bit better than most anyone, and tracks like "Cost of Life" and "Eyes Shut Blind" rip through their sub-30 second runtimes with teeth gnashing. Deliriant Nerve has more of a thrash/death metal influence to their sound, which is done well enough. The distorted guitars and vocals drown out the drums (except the cymbals), and lacking the clarity of the Brain Tourniquet side, all the tracks tend to wash together. Still, worth it alone for the BT side, which is strong enough to be one of my favorite 7"s of the year.

Cicada, Wicked Dream 7" (Unlawful Assembly)

Killer debut 7" from Richmond's Cicada following a 3-song flexi on Total Peace, and they've apparently got a new demo cassette making the rounds now, too. Hardcore played fast, vaguely metallic, with distorted, raspy and buried vocals that ride the chopping, frenetic waves of riffage from the band. Sometimes the vocals seem unaware of the music being played, spilling out across the scorched earth the band leaves behind, which makes for a very intense, almost nerve-wracking listen. The parts when the band slow things down give off a slight whiff of black metal, but the artwork and lyrics betray a sense of humor (as does the clapping locked groove at the end), though it's anyone's guess if they're laughing along with you. Truly demented hardcore, the kind that still feels very volatile and dangerous without succumbing to gimmickry. Heavy duty, right down to the packaging; highly recommended.

Desist, Demo 2024 (625/Thrash Tapes)

Always have my ear to the ground for more west coast powerviolence, so this Desist demo was a no-brainer. Ignorant, "delinquent" (so says the label) lyrics collide with grinding tempos, knuckle-dragging riffs across these nine tracks, along with a fair amount of movie samples and substance abuse. "Greened Out" and "Opportunistic MFer" are the tracks I can recall off top, but the thing's only like six minutes so let it roll over a few times for full satisfaction. I see you, Sacramento. Rips hard, delivers the goods, leaves 'em wanting more.

Gen Gap, Hanging Out With Gen Gap 7" (MF Records)

Nabbed this without hearing a note, as it had the MF Records stamp of approval. Turns out it's not quite the furious hardcore of Delco MF's, but instead a more clean, sorta glammy 'n hammy take on the genre, easy to digest but without much flavor. I didn't find a whole lot to grab onto here; you've probably heard other bands do the same thing better.

Heaven, 4-Track EP 7" (Iron Lung)

Pretty good second 7" from this Texas D-beat unit, dutifully checking all the boxes you'd expect with a few moderate twists. I like how the riff on "S.C.U.M." sounds like it gets caught in a locked groove, and the closing track "Peace Lies" serves as a fittingly rowdy end. No real surprises here; what you see is what you get, and for some, that's good enough. Kudos for prominently including a "Free Palestine" banner on the cover.

Norms, 100% Hazaarulas 12" (11PM/Total Peace)

Yet another wild, noisy hardcore record from Budapest, and probably the best of the three featured here. Norms have been around a while, releasing a demo back in 2013, but their discordant, feverishly alive brand of 'core is new to me. The band plays with tempos that are often uncomfortably fast, the drumming unbelievably tight and right on the edge of spilling out of control, but the band's always able to pivot and set things up for another assault. No idea how they keep it all together on a track like "Valóság 9.0" or "Fogyasztó, termelóand," their many movements packed into less than two minutes, every one of 'em careening straight toward Valhalla. Feels like a meeting of Void and Masayuki Takanayagi's loudest works, and has more than whiff of Rusted Shut or Harry Pussy in the mix, too. Not a second too long, burning bright and out in about 15 minutes. Even though I want neither more nor less when it's over, 100% Hazaarulas is the most vibrant, blistering, gleefully destructive music that's passed through here in ages.

Problems, Beg For Release 7" (Adult Crash)

A welcome recommendation via @fearofgod, and one that I've not seen written about or mentioned elsewhere. Problems are from Oslo, a fact which may or may not hurt their exposure, and Beg For Release appears to be only their fourth recording in 15 years of existence, and their first in eight years. Here they've located the perfect midpoint between burly and bouncy when it comes to hardcore, every song seemingly more pit-ready than the last, bolstered by a crisp, clear recording. Almost every song opens up to a slower riff at some point, something that'd be an issue with less confident or capable musicians, but the band is airtight on this record. The yelled, intelligible vocals are the cherry on top: as angry as they need to be, all clenched teeth and lips split by mic contact, but aware of what each song calls for, always flung headfirst into the slower parts. Real hardcore heads may not like how easy the band makes this sound, but for the rest of us, it's a gift.

Suffocating Madness, Unrelenting Forced Psychosis 12" (Toxic State)

Unpopular pick for best Toxic State release this year! Really dug the slept-on first 7" from Suffocating Madness, and was stoked to see they remained an active concern with this LP released in October. Discharge is an obvious influence, but on this recording, I'm reminded over and over again of Bastard's classic Wind of Pain, from the nuanced-but-apparent thrash metal influence to the lyrical content, which meshes the sociopolitical with the personal. From the jump, the record's as advertised, a blistering assault augmented by searing solos and the occasional bone-crunching slowdown. Tracks like "Slaughter" and "Wankers" are a blitz on apathy, "Shove Yer Cross Up My Ass" is a nice upending of the usual punk rhetoric, and the call-and-response vocals on "Pressure" ramp up the intensity tenfold. Gotta shout out "Their Legacy Will Die" as an oddly comforting idea to tie things together, and like the majority of Unrelenting Forced Psychosis, the band refuses to accept the feeling of having no control in an increasingly aggressive late-capitalist society. In the end the record feels like a real on-ramp to action, a caustic cleanse with a galvanized finish.

[msudetransitionstudy]

Hello! I am the primary researcher for the Michigan State University detransition study, a study on the factors that encourage and discourage people in regards to transitioning, detransitioning, and retransitioning. We are open to anyone of any gender identity who has experience with detransitioning over the age of 18 in the US or Canada.

If you are interested or know someone who may be, please check out the QR code and link in the image.

Please see our FAQ for more information.

[papaziggy-devblog]

YABOI COMMERE I JUST WANNA TALK I SWEAR

[lesbianlenses]

nevertheless she desisted

[tiredfemininity]

I'm surprised how little I see detrans people who find comfort in religion.

I didn't detransition because of my faith, but to me, my femininity is something I couldn't find comfort in without my faith. When I had just detransitioned, I saw myself falling back into the teenage desire of oversexualising myself in my femininity.

That's when I discovered how much I love modesty.

I covered my hair, and my femininity became about autonomy and choice.

I put on a long skirt, and my femininity became about being incognito.

Nobody needs to know what my hair and body looks like.

Religious modesty saved me from oversexualising myself for the male gaze as an attempt to seek validation in my newly found role as a woman.

[nyssasorbit]

...No

[kandi-is-here]

I made a sfw detrans community for actual detrans people

[hiphopraisedmetheblog]

Wack 100 Accuses Drake Of Sending Kendrick Lamar Cease And Desist Over Super Bowl Performance

The Allegations Surrounding Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Performance In the complex world of hip-hop rivalries, few disputes have captured public attention quite like that between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. This ongoing feud reached new heights with recent allegations made by Wack 100, claiming that Drake sent Kendrick a cease and desist over his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show…

[tiredfemininity]

Oh my God, yes.

But please please please please please don't villainise and ostracise the women who do choose to be gender conforming to cope with the immense levels of dysphoria that comes with detransitioning.

detransition doesn't mean becoming gender conforming. detransitioned women don't have to buy a new wardrobe, start "acting" feminine, voice train, get breast implants or estrogen HRT, or anything else that's often expected of us. you don't have to do anything except accept your body for what it is and begin to move through life without trying to change yourself.

[daddy-davies]

Get a life bournemuff

[drdogjpeg]

like i’ve seen several different posts floating around to the effect of “tell your doctors that they’re doing things wrong! get a legal team!” wrt psychiatric abuse and it’s like. i don’t think y’all understand how fucking disenfranchised you are when people decide that you’re crazy. you lose any right to autonomy and the notion that you’d want or have it is seen as ridiculous. the only way out of it is total compliance, which is why it’s so brutal to people who get socialized through it. idk. telling people who are living at the whim of an ill informed medical staff to speak up for themselves is like. just so fucking tone deaf and unhelpful. if you’re institutionalized rn on the off chance you’re on socials i’m wishing you all of my strength and resilience. i believe you and i see you and you’ll get through it.

[tsvetayevaismymum]

Fun story I went by L from Death Note in 2015-2018 because when I came to America, I didn't want to explain that my first name is nine characters long and has a sound English speakers are incapable of producing (spoiler alert, my full name is twenty-seven characters long and is phonetically impossible for English speakers). So I went by L. That's it, that's the name.

I later transitioned into male and went by Daniel, which was already very American. Later, in college, I changed it into Daniil, which is what I went by in my native language and was closer to how the name is biblically pronounced, which was important to me as a practicing Jew.

I detransitioned almost a year ago (I'm accepting suggestions on what to do for my one year!) and got my American citizenship a few days ago (this is my first Independence Day as an American, yay!), and my American documents have my full full name, unamericanised, the same way it was when I was born.

But yea.

Immigrant and a detrans woman. So much for oppression Olympics.

the girls may not be fully peaking but at least now they accept that they're girls 🥰

[terfshadow]

When I went on HRT, I underwent a single phone interview with GenderGP to assess me. I told them I wasn't even sure what I identified as, as this was when I was starting to have my gender dysphoria ease as I realized being a woman wasn't this mark of the beast or whatever. after a 30 minute phone call, I was advised testogel. After paying, I got my testogel in two weeks. I got it delivered, and never had to see anyone face to face, or do more than 30 minutes of talking where I was pretty open about being confused about my gender.

I was told that testosterone would improve my energy, after I was open in my application about having disorders that give me chronic fatigue. I was told it would help me lose weight, very alluring as an overweight woman. I was told I would gain muscle. Asked if baldness ran in my family on the men side, I said yes, and the person I was talking with hand waved it and said I wouldn't have to worry.

Never once was I told that it'd affect my fertility. Never once was I told I would start losing hair. I was not told that I would be going through menopause as a fresh adult. I was not told about vaginal atrophy. I was not told about the liver problems, the bone problems, anything. They never assessed whether I could give full consent (I am autistic, disabled, and need caretaking to function day to day)

TRAs will say it's still my fault, that I was an adult and should have known better. I was told I was transgender since I was an ACTUAL CHILD. I was socially transitioned before I even hit puberty. When you spend over a decade like that, of course you're going to go into that as an adult.

AND TRAs will say that getting hormones is not easy. It is a fucking lie. If you have money, you can get hormones. You do not need gender dysphoria, you do not need an actual evaluation. You give them money, and they will tell you it is a miracle drug that will cure what your problems are.