#don't forget about the congo

[alwaysbewoke]

[cariboll]

Thoughts on gender, why people are people, & why I don't like the Olympics

Every time there's an Olympics I get angry. Why? It doesn't sound logical, I admit that, but there's a reason.

I used to be an athlete, but the sports I did I can no longer do because of my disabilities and a lack of accessibility.

But that's not why the Olympics makes me angry.

I am a cisgender woman. I am a cisgender, 4th generation white woman. My ancestors, until my great-grandmother was born, were brown women with Native Canadian blood and an official categorization of Anglo-Metis. But I don't look very much like my ancestors. And to some people, I don't look very much like a woman.

I have been misgendered my entire life. Read that again. I, a white woman who was born and assigned as female at birth, have been misgendered my whole life. Since I was a baby, wearing my cousins' hand-me-downs, have been called male by people who don't know me.

Maybe it's because I grew up with predominantly male playmates and learned how to "walk like a man." Or maybe it's because I don't give a flying fuck about what people think and just dress and act the way that feels most comfortable. Sometimes neurodivergence is a blessing. Who knows.

My point is that I am female. Just like Caster Semenya. Just like Imane Khelif. Just like Renée Richards and Quinn and Alana Smith (who is actually non-binary & should be identified as such) and Laurel Hubbard and Veronica Ivy (née Rachel McKinnon) and Lia Thomas and Leia Genis and every woman who has ever competed (see here for a list of what Wikipedia considers notable trans athletes). (And those who are non-binary are still non-binary and those who are male are male. It doesn't matter the identity that some doctor assigned you at birth if that is not who you are.)

I used to be an athlete just like them, too. I just don't have their talents or genetics or driving need to be great. Because it's those things that make them great. Not any perceived "deficits" that are frequently bestowed on people assigned as female or people who were born into the wrong bodies but know, deep within themselves, that they are female.

The Olympics, like most things started by men, are misogynistic. Do the male athletes have to put up with testing to make sure that they are men? No. The onus on proving your gender is always on women. The onus on proving something happened to you is always on women.

People come in all shapes and sizes and colors and romantic identities and sexualities and genders and abilities. It doesn't matter what some pissant TERF or nationalist or supremacist thinks, because those types of people don't matter even though they, and our stupidly misogynistic society, think they do. The people who actually matter are the ones who know who they are, who know that they are where they're supposed to be, and who show up and are their true, most authentic selves, in spite of the people who think otherwise.

They are so many other things that are wrong with the Olympics, especially these Olympics and the host country and the inclusion of an actively genocidal nation-state, but I don't have the wherewithal to write about them.

I know this wasn't a very well thought out post. And I don't think I've made my point across very well. But if you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

In short:

Stop misgendering women athletes.

Stop misgendering women.

Stop misgendering.

Stop.

[fleetsofsnow]

"There is also this to consider: The name Hitler does not offend a black South African because Hitler is not the worst thing a black South African can imagine. Every country thinks their history is the most important, and that's especially true in the West. But if black South Africans could go back in time and kill one person, Cecil Rhodes would come up before Hitler. If people in the Congo could go back in time and kill one person, Belgium's King Leopold would come way before Hitler. If Native Americans could go back in time and kill one person, it would probably be Christopher Colombus or Andrew Jackson.

I often meet people in the West who insist that the Holocaust was the worst atrocity in human history, without question. Yes, it was horrific. But I often wonder, with African atrocities like in the Congo, how horrific were they? The thing Africans don't have that Jewish people do have is documentation. The Nazis kept meticulous records, took pictures, made films. And that's really what it comes down to. Holocaust victims count because Hitler counted them. Six million people killed. We can all look at that number and rightly be horrified. But when you read through the history of atrocities against Africans, there are no numbers, only guesses. It's harder to be horrified by a guess. When Portugal and Belgium were plundering Angola and the Congo, they weren't counting the black people they slaughtered. How many black people died harvesting rubber in the Congo? In the gold and diamond mines of the Transvaal?

So in Europe and America, yes, Hitler is the Greatest Madman in History. In Africa he's just another strongman from the history books." - Born A Crime by Trevor Noah

[thebrownart]

Growing up I always watched movies, documentaries, tv shows and read books about atrocities committed by people in history and thought.. how did this happen and why did no one do anything? Why did governments not intervene? Why did public figures not speak out? How did they get away with it? it? Most importantly how did human treat other humans like that? Where was the compassion?

I'm ashamed to say that in 2024 I now have the answers. The government's gas lighting and complicity, the media dehumanising, ignoring and bias reporting, the huge companies funding and supporting, the public figures choosing to stay silent, the ordinary person pretending "they don't know enough" this is how we've allowed this to happen time and time again..

In the past we could forgive people for not having enough information, not having access to it, not being able to hear the stories of the horrors, to be able to see it with their own eyes..

In 2024 you can't pretend you "don't know enough" you can't pretend you don't see innocent children, men, and women being brutally killed by sadistic, genocidal leaders and their war crimes.. you can't ignore the 100's and 1000's of videos, images, stories and people who are telling you what is happening.. the sheer horror of images we are seeing.. you can't ignore the countless protests, discourse, conversations, posts, live feeds etc.. history will judge your inaction, your silence, your ignorance..

This is not a war.. this is a genocide.. this is massacre.. there are no sides..

Also please don't forget the innocent people suffering in Sudan and Congo they need our voices too!

(the linktree to donate for people in Palestine is in my bio)

[akajustmerry]

I think one element of Israeli propaganda that a lot people are unintentionally aligning themselves with is the idea of Gaza as the main target of Israeli violence. During the "truce" even, so many people talking about how it was a "pause" even though people in the West Bank, Damascus, and Lebanon were still being killed by Israeli forces because the "truce" was only negotiated for Gaza (where it was also not adhered to). But as a Lebanese person with family in Lebanon and Palestinian loved ones, I need people to remember that Gaza is not a state. Gaza isn't a country. Israel won't destroy Gaza and call it a day as if Gaza is their main goal because it's not. It's "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free" because the free Palestine movement is about ending Israeli occupation of all Palestine and surrounding countries. It's not a reform movement about getting Israel to behave. It's an anti-colonial movement that aims to give ALL of Palestine back to Palestinians. Of course, the extreme violence Israel is enacting on Palestinians in Gaza is horrific. it's also obvious Israel is relying on the horror it's caused in Gaza to distract people from holding them to account for their ongoing violence in the rest of Palestine, as well as Lebanon, Syria and the Congo. Israel divided Palestine up so the world would forget it, don't be party to that. Talk about Gaza, the West Bank, Jenin, Hebron because it's all Palestine and all of it must be free. End the occupation. End the apartheid state of Israel.

[love-3-crimes]

DON'T FORGET! Don't stop talking about them just because strike week is over!

PALESTINE

My original post is still relevant.

Keep educating yourselves, keep sending emails, and doing your daily click

Shut it down for Palestine (March 2nd). Look for a protest near you (it might help to search up "(City/State name) Palestine" to find them)

LEBANON

They are also being attacked by Israel. Here's a twitter thread of some of the petitions you can sign and where to donate

SUDAN

Tumblr thread explaining the blackout currently happening in Sudan and how to help

Keep Eyes on Sudan is a good website to get more information. They also have a section to email your representative (for US, Canada, UK, and Australia). It also gives you a template you can copy and paste.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Twitter thread of what's happening in Congo with ways to help.

One way to help is to stop buying new electronics. If you need to, buy second hand (I've heard Swappie is a good place to get refurbished phones).

Friends of the Congo website (and their instagram) also has ways you can help (more emailing!). Their insta should have a link to one of the petitions you can sign.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THEM! No one is free until they are free!

[the-amazing-boop]

Something I want to remind people as we try to get as many eyes on the Gaza, Sudan, and Congo, and many other Gofundmes.

The littlest amount helps. Some creators on tiktok like Yuval have said he's seen that even a $1, $2, $5 adds up VERY QUICKLY.

Dan and Phil on YouTube recently did another charity stream where fans were donating bits and pieces like that and they raised over $90k for the PCRF in a few hours. Don't feel like the goals we're trying to meet are out of reach because we've already done it. People have evacuated before.

Don't feel pressure to meet their goal in the moment. The rule of kindness is to give what you can and pass it on so the kindness continues through someone else. I try to do a dollar where I can to about five each week because I'm in budgeting trouble myself recently.

It is possible, though. Don't lose hope. And don't forget to say Free Palestine, Congo, Sudan, and all oppressed peoples.

[capricioussun]

Okay, I drank a some coffee and water, meltdown over, I will continue posting at least for the time being, but I will ask, if anyone reading this is willing, to submit feedback to tumblr about your feelings on this matter. Even something simple is better than nothing

And on the off chance something happens and my blog goes down, my discord is now @ capricioussuns and I'm that or that minus the last s just about anywhere else 👍

Apropos of absolutely nothing going on on this website atm, I just made a cohost and I have a bluesky and I am actually genuinely considering not posting here anymore ! Funny that

[heavensmockery]

Important.

Hello ghost Tumblr. Happy trailer day. I know we're all very excited to see the trailer today and looking forward to make theories and talk about it.

But today I want to ask you a favor, dear ghost community. It's not much.

As we speak, Rafah is under heavy attack. Over 500 000 people are right now in Rafah without a place to go to. Right now people in Sudan and Congo are suffering. In this moment people in Brazil face a climate catastrophe.

Please do not stop talking about Palestine. Don't forget about Palestine. Don't forget about Congo, About Sudan. Don't forget to spread information and donations for the people affected by weather catastrophes in Brazil. Don't forget about Ukraine.

We as a ghost community habe the responsibility to stay educated and not stay silent about injustice in our world. Let's be there for the people who need our help and speak up for them.

All eyes on Rafah. Free Palestine. Free Congo. Free Sudan. 🇸🇩🇨🇩🇵🇸

Don't forget.

[theveryattacheduser]

Free palestine.

Free Congo.

Free Sudan.

Free the uyghurs.

Free kashmir.

Free tigray.

Free all the countries who didnt deserve to be treated in such horrible ways.

Don't forget about them.

[thequeerwizardcouncil]

Transgender Visibility Day Two: Estrogenic Boobaloo

Alternatively,

Transgender Visibility Day Two: Testosteronic Dickaloo

It is now Transgender Visibility Day for the other half of the world!

Let us celebrate, but firstly before anything else. The council would like to give out a few statements.

While this is an amazing celebration of our resilience and continued resistance to transphobia, we mustn't forget

Our fallen, the many killed in hate unjustly. Nex Benedict being one of the most recent

Our fellow queer in Palestine, Sudan, the Congo, etc. We mustn't forget about their suffering whilst we celebrate here so freely. Though we should care about all of the people not just the queer and trans in those places being subjected to the most inhumane conditions by tyrants.

The many bills, laws, and legislation trying to be passed to further erase us. Especially the KOSA bill, and quite sadly in Florida recently having passed legislation to ban minors from social media as an attack on us to be put in to effect in 2025.

With all of those being said, we should all continue to fight for those causes, continue fighting censorship. Continue fighting genocide. Continue fighting slavery.

We ask you all to continue spreading the word of these causes, these evils that must be stopped. As the council is bound by metaphysical law, we may not exit this and help you in the way we wish.

Fight KOSA, and censorship

Fight for our fallen, whether it's the unjustly banned, those dead from self harm, or those murdered in cold blood

Fight for those still persisting, the ones showing a fervour of resistance to fight oppresors.

We draw our strength from solidarity, it is what has allowed us to continue. Let it be the reason we win this war.

Anyways, here is our second message to all Transgender beings out there:

You are valid, you know you best. And we mean it. We may be filled with wise wizards, but we know that only oneself knows itself best. You know your identity better than anyone. Even when it can feel like your body disagrees with your true self, or others don't see you for who you are.

Know that even with all the pain, the grief, the hate, we and many many others fight every second for you to be you. For you to be safe. For all of us to be ourselves.

And we will see that day come, and by that day we hope for all of us to have survived, to tell stories of our battles, to guide a new generation of queers.

We just ask you continue being you, and being safe, and you will see that day come we guarantee. Even if it doesn't seem like it.

This world is a dark room covered in oil, we are a small candle of hope. And when it seems too dark, our hope will light the room with a burning fervour. To free us from this room. To burn down our prison.

We love you and appreciate you for who you are, please continue as you're the only one of you.

"in the dark we endure, and in the light we fight for who you call impure"

happy transgender visibility day

- The Queer Wizard Council <3 <2

@skyethebisexualwolfwizard

@im-a-wizard-who-dont-crime

@thebutterflyoficeandwisteria

@bisexualchemistry

@sassy-piece-of-parsley

@flirtyambiguouswizard

@ballisticallytestedwensleydale

@the-moth-wizard-of-mayhem

@aroace-wizard

@serious-tabaxi

@agentldiddy

@parkyrtheelvishbard

@autistic-dinos-and-dragons-lover

@a-goose-in-a-trenchcoat

@sapphicdragons-3

@transgender-wizard

@jhomikle

@cynical-artificer

@anne-androgynous-android

@asheslab

@luminethefoxincabin13-ts

@incrediwizard

@amethyst-aster

@ash-the-tiefling

@shittest-wizard-ever

@bi-gender-sorcerer

@somecallmekay

@be-gentle-with-littluns

@ladyofspoons

@slymewitch

@alchemical-overreaction

@frogpantsthebloodgod

@yourlocalbreadenthusiast

@mango-lord-of-poison

@detectivewizzard

@the-necrobotanist

@lixorloveslicorice

@hyper-lynx

@chaos-wizard-nyehehe

@song-de-lune

@lord-devere

@waluigis-elbow

@so-um-brasileiro

[araguaneys]

I cannot believe the complete disinterest, apathy, lack of empathy and disregard of human lives of a lot of people for my country dying. The way we are talked to and talked over, disrespected and gaslighted by probably half the world, or used in THEIR silly politics games of right and left of heartless leaders they keep voting for in democracy/freedom to choose, a luxury we can't have.

So many people only mention us when they want to make a point about themselves, can't help talking about us without mentioning their countries or the us, you cannot decenter yourself you don't care that we're real people you don't know a thing about us or our culture or all we've lost and gone through. And yet all i can't help thinking and imagining ALL THE TIME is how much worse it must be for everyone else who's the same or worse, like every victim of dictatorship, genocide, conflict, poverty, etc in the world and personally everyone else less privileged than me i just want to say i am so sorry this is the world that you got and im always gonna support and defend you.

This is so telling of these people's activism and empathy and how performative it must be for them/you, i really think you dont care about Palestine or Sudan or Congo, Ukraine etc either you may have SOME empathy for them sure but you dont really think of people outside of yourselves and suffering more as truly equal doesn't matter if you're a poc or not if you still have some privilege and you're not in those situations you just fill your mouth with their names so people think you're "a good person" and you're ready to disregard anyone if you think it's "too complicated to get" or from somewhere that gets called a "leftist" government, the idea that a politician might lie and not actually be a leftist doesn't fit in your brain. WE JUST SAW YOU ALL SPENT WEEKS TALKING ABOUT HOW FAKE AMERICAN LIBERALS ARE bc they are, they pretend democrats are left leaning but they're not both republicans and democrats have the same imperialist right wing policies. THEN WHY CANT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS MIGHT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES TO A WORSE DEGREE?

Free Venezuela yesterday and today, you SHOULD all be talking about it, trying to help, speaking to venezuelans and trying to understand and stopping misinformation from non venezuelans i'm never gonna forgive or forget you if you don't.

And ofc free the entire world from their oppressors because i can at least imagine how awful it must be i can at least leave my ideologies aside and listen to someone's struggle without thinking it all must be propaganda if it doesn't align with my experiences you really can't say the same for a lot of people.

[thefirsthogokage]

It's a new year, but don't forget the genocides in Palestine, Congo, Sudan, and Tigray, and other atrocities are still going on.

Please don't stop talking about them. And if you haven't talked about any of it anywhere, please start.

[dyemelikeasunset]

The amount of Palestinians who have been brutally killed is staggering. But the remaining ones deserve to live and they deserve our continued effort. We must mourn the dead and fight for the living. Do not let the genocide succeed, do not stop caring

This genocide has been going on from before both my parents were born. Palestine's suffering is something we grew up knowing, and we have quietly fought for them for two generations. If you are new to knowing about this pain, do not give up, don't let hopelessness win. As a people, they are still alive, and we HAVE to keep fighting

The other genocides and human atrocities going on around the world also need our eyes and our compassion. Fight for all of them, don't forget Congo, Sudan, Tigray, the Uyghurs in China, Haiti, Standing Rock and many more. Don't let the media beat you into submission, don't stop caring. We are not free until all of us are free