#obviously not medical advice* just opinion

[worstlovesong]

Hey CJ, should 👻 get covid vaccination? It would be the 4 shot, I got the first 2 in 2021, 3rd in mid 2022. I think vaccination is still free here. I hope so at least

If you’re able to get it and your immune system can handle it then staying up to date on the vaccines is super helpful! Especially with new variants and stuff going around, I don’t know what the exact recommendations are where you live but booster shots are usually recommended every 6 months or so to keep your immune response up

[catboybiologist]

Hi! I’m CatboyBiologist.

Formerly a femboy, now a trans woman just starting HRT, and a PhD student in molecular biology. I started using this online persona as a fun, shitposty way to explore gender a few years ago. I post selfies (generally sfw, but somewhat sexy, so minors and ppl who don’t like that have been warned), rambles about science, tutorials and advice from the stuff I’ve learned by being a femboy in the past, nature pictures, stuff about the ocean, my adorable grumpy little tortoise, and unsolicited opinions on random nerdy topics. Any pronouns are fine. I don’t plan to socially transition for a while, and still present as a man most of the time, so I’m used to whatever you wanna use for me (for now, I’ll update this if that changes). Please send me pictures of your pets or other cute animals in your life!

As a scientist, I’m also documenting my transition! This google sheet will be updated at least monthly. I also have additional metrics I’m keeping to myself, and pictures that go with this, but I’m not sharing them publicly yet. Keep in mind that this is just one person’s experience with HRT, and may not represent universal trends!

Adding a little something here, bc I think it was an interesting bit a writing: if you want to see me respond to a transphobe about what "biologically female" means, here's a thing I wrote about it. CW for transphobia and discussion, obviously.

Also, if any of my measurements look weird, its entirely possible I fucked up. Let me know if anything looks off!

Here’s some of my favorite pre-HRT pictures:

If you want to see more of my pre-HRT selfies, browse the “femboy” tag on my blog!

And as of this writing, I’m only 2 days after the start of HRT, so here’s a picture with my tortoise that’s technically post-HRT (but with 0 time for actual changes):

If you want to see my future post-HRT selfies, browse the “trans selfie” tag on my blog!

Also here's another really cute picture and fanart of my tortoise by @whalesharkcat:

I have affectionately given my tortoise the title of The Grumpus.

I also wrote a couple of tutorials and general vibes about being a femboy before I started HRT:

Sometimes I make shitposts of myself, I don’t take myself too seriously:

This includes the way I came out on tumblr:

And here’s an overly serious, long ramble about trans thoughts and things that I wrote shortly afterwards:

Later addition: Someone asked how I take selfies, so I wrote a quick and dirty guide with some tips on how I do so in response to their ask:

Oh yeah and apparently I was a 196 microcelebrity? I never to thought I was popular enough for that but apparently some people do 🤷‍♀️. So uh, hi 196 tags, I'm abusing you for my pinned post LOL

As for terminology, I personally do think of myself as a “man who is becoming a woman” as opposed to having always been a woman. If that doesn’t resonate with your experience, I totally get that! But that’s why I freely call pre-HRT me a femboy, while still calling post-HRT me a trans woman. I’m also keeping the blog name as CatboyBiologist for the forseeable future, because at this point, Catboy just seems like a gender neutral term to me.

I’m also trying to put together a script for a podcast regarding how studying biology influenced my perspective on sex and gender- lmk if there’s any interest in that! It’s probably gonna be way too long and indulgent but oh well.

So uh. Yeah. I don’t end these types of things well. Byeeeeee

[cripplecharacters]

sort of urgent

(i'd really like to get to writing/posting but want to make sure it's not offensive)

do you have any suggestions on where to go for guides on how to write burn survivors? or even if burn victims is like a Not Good term?

or do you answer them?

for other things i've looked into, I've been watching Stephanie Coral Browitt's stuff, and read this:

https://allwritealright.com/how-to-describe-burns-in-writing/

and this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/1bh2xan/how_would_you_write_and_describe_a_character/

but i'm not sure how accurate they are. also was considering looking at this but the way it requires downloads I wasn't sure?

https://resources.phoenix-society.org/tips-for-writing-characters-burn-scars

also i've obviously looked at some medical pages for it, but I want to make sure i'm not being offensive so who can/should I go to? do you take specific asks on this?

Hello,

generally speaking, the fastest way to get your questions answered is to look through the blog. In our pinned post we have a “navigation” section, which leads to posts such as this with lists of posts with very descriptive names, or tags such as this, which is a tag specifically for questions about burns and burn survivors. Either way, by searching the blog you can find a general post about writing burn survivors. Please read through our already existing guides before sending an ask.

As for the resources you linked here; the first one is about the initial injury, not healed burns. The medical side of it seems fine. However, the actual writing advice certainly made me wince. “Iconic scars with symbolism” is how you get a Zuko situation with burns that look like body paint because I promise you that how burns and burn survivors actually look like isn't, and has never been, a favorite type of anything in the writing community. Post about this here.

And this particular fragment:

A severe injury should only be included if it helps develop the plot

is godawful “advice”, full stop. Disabled characters don't need to have plot relevancy to exist. People just are disabled, people get sick, injured, have accidents, all the time for no deep reasons. We have a post about this as well here (it's also linked in our navigation section).

Niki Averton's guide has been previously shared on this blog and is very good in my opinion. One of the many links above will lead you to it.

If your character has a burn on their face, please look through the facial differences tag.

Post on basics of writing characters with facial differences.

This post has a lot of not-writing specific resources. Mandatory reading if your character has a facial difference.

Please read this one a well.

The disfiguremisia tag will probably be helpful as well.

mod Sasza

[leighcest]

listen to 'this night has opened my eyes' by the smiths while reading!

adam's medical analysis from a teenager who has no idea what he's doing but has internet access >_<.

why does no one talk about adam's injuries after the bathroom trap?

obviously his shoulders messed up, yeah, but what else? well in this hypothetical we'll assume that instead of amanda coming to kill adam it's larry coming to save him. it's estimated that this was three(?) days after the bathroom trap. 

realistically he would be incredibly malnourished and would die from dehydration unless he drank the water from the bathtub/toilet (let's say he did in this au) which would cause him diseases such as sepsis, cholera, e. coli, the such. and if any one of you goes “well! he could have eaten zepp!” i’m not even entertaining that. obviously, sure, he could have, but for my own sake let's say he didn’t. sorry guys i’m not that committed

another reason i don’t think he would eat zepp is because he was barely alive when mandy killed him. his fight or flight kicked in and thats why he went so hard. this motherfucker got electrocuted several times after he was shot. he almost immediately gave up on moving unless necessary. 

his ankle would probably be rubbed raw and sprained. i couldn't find a lot of information about ankle shackling and what it does… so… i’m just guessing at this point. not to mention the fact they’re both barefoot? adam probably stepped on the glass he threw several times​​​. you can hear glass crunching under mandy’s boot in saw three. that's how loud it is.

he would probably need physical therapy. not as much for his leg as larry, but definitely some.

back to his shoulder: assuming he didnt die of shock. adam still has his overshirt from the beginning of the movie. he could have taken advice from lawrence and put that onto his shoulder and stopped his bleeding. but since he didn’t, let’s assume the best solution is losing mobility in his right shoulder/arm. 

adam’s immune system would also be incredibly shit after this. he’d probably be feverish, delusional, etc. when we saw mandy killing adam he looked like he was having delusions.

when adam is killed by mandy he starts coughing up blood (given this was after he hit his head) but we can also argue that this is another side effect? of what, you may be wondering. idfk some problems. maybe electrocution! 

again with the malnourishment i feel like it would be hard for him to eat after this because like.. he’d get sick a lot… i guess…

tldr: adam would be malnourished and unable to eat for a while, his ankle would be sprained and rubbed raw, defo has an infection, no immune system, little to no function in right arm, feet would also get very cut up.

---

now, his canon death. let's talk about it, shall we? he got his head bashed in and suffocated. the man threw up his own blood. three things that definitely cause death! i think this is the order it happened since no one can decide. concussion, throws up own blood, chokes on it, since he can’t breath to begin with, he dies from asphyxiation. if we follow matpat’s theory that he faked his death, we can argue back that even if he somehow survived that he would almost 100% die from his concussion or choking on his own sick. 

tldr: adam is dead :(

---

also adam wears combat boots. this isn’t important by any means. i just wanted to point it out. and his boxers look hella cool. They’re just polka dots but i like them lots.

anyways guys like and follow for a part two feel free to tell me to add things in reblogs/comments and i will share my opinion. Remember i am not a doctor i’m just a teenager with webmd and a dad who said it was pretty accurate! if ur shot go to the hospital trust. umm yeah:3

[southeofficeworker]

General Blu/Red Scout headcanons

I have a feeling that Blu Scout is slightly more mature than Red. While Red is a hyperball, Blu can surely just sit and stare at people if he gets disturbed while he 'reads' his comics.

Though, i believe they both are too uneducated to be able to read. So I wouldn't be surprised if they hold their books upside down at times, unless corrected.(especially if it involves Heavys books)

I have a feeling his first love was in school, but it was short lived(few months) and lead to a heartbreak. But he most likely forgot about it with his new crush on Miss Pauling.

He considers himself a ladies man, which Spy laughs at till Scout gives questionable dating advices to everyone else.

Surely, behind his cocky attitude and all, he's a soft boy with insecurities. He is a mama's boy and has daddy issues, not in a hot way though. Maybe Scout subtly(not really) tries to impress Spy while containing his prideful mask towards his dad. Though Spy can see through it, obviously, and doesn't show any emotion on it. But I'd say it happens that Scout gets too determined to outclass him that well, Medic gets visits a lot.

About his family, he loves his mother dearly and sends her gifts or/and money every time he gets . He has rivalry with his brothers, but I'd not say it's too bad. On family gatherings they van stare eachother down till one gives up.

Maybe he looks up to someone from the team as well? I can't decide. Maybe it's Soldier because he's so manly and confident in himself? Maybe it's engineer because he's like a father he never had?

He has a nickname for everyone, and gives zero shit about their opinion on it. (Spy, Miss Pailing and Medic get the most annoying nicknames)

Outside of the battles he rescues animals. And on multiple occasions he brought them on the base, it continued till Administrator didn't ban him from doing so.

Also he collects different souvenirs from his missions, be it a rock or a stick, he just does.

I bet he also spends hours on his hair routine, he has a badass hairstyle to contain.(let's forget he wears a baseball cap). Wouldn't be surprised if he uses too much of cologne as well.(unreal)

[atinystraykid]

I’m resorting to asking strangers for advice: I’m autistic and have higher support needs, in the sense that I get panic attacks and meltdowns so frequently that it leaves me unable to hold down a job. My meltdowns are highly visible: I get so agitated that I throw up, I’m crying uncontrollably and I’m unable to speak or understand verbal instructions during these moments. These meltdowns happen by overwhelm, and I’m easily overwhelmed by any social interactions (especially groups/crowds but really any human interaction). 

However, I do not struggle with basic taking care of myself (such as dressing, washing or feeding myself) and I am doing fairly well at home, where it doesn’t matter that I can not mask and I do not need to be around people outside of my family. I am an adult living with his mom and probably would struggle with living completely on my own, but with my current living arrangements I can do many everyday tasks independently, such as buying groceries or doing laundry or filling out paperwork. 

Now the issue: as my doctor has confirmed that I’ll be permanently disabled and unable to work (but I obviously still need money to survive), I applied to what’s essentially “early retirement for medical reasons”. It feels a little weird to apply for retirement at 30 years old, but both me and my doctor considered that the best option, just based on the fact that I’ll have a higher quality of life if I experience meltdowns less frequently.  

However, my therapist has been really pushing for another option: an assisted daytime living facility. You are part of a group of 15 disabled adults, there are 5 caregivers around, you are given daily tasks (they operate a little store, but it’s not comparable to a regular job as the tasks are really, really simple - my task would be breaking wax for candles into smaller pieces) and you’re being taken care of for four hours a day. I see why this would be great for some people but I do not really consider that suitable for me: I went there for a consultation and it’s really heavily geared towards people who need daily assistance with basic taking care of themselves. I’m sure it’s a lovely place for people who need assistance with bathroom visits, meals etc. but that’s not where my support needs lay. 

I told my therapist that I don’t think it’s a good fit, but he got very insistent and honestly made me feel as if my life will be ruined if I don’t do it, and also made me feel guilty towards my mom (in the sense of “these facilities exist so parents can get a break from taking care of their disabled adult children”). That got to me and I agreed to apply for a two-week trial period there. That’d start next week��� but the closer it gets, the more terrified I am. 15 people (20 people in total with the caregivers!) is a large group to me, and I already know I don’t fare well in groups. 

For the last few days, I have been getting panic attacks just thinking about being there. My mom is really worried about that and thinks I should cancel the trial because it’ll just make things worse, and I’m inclined to agree. If I already feel this bad before the trial, how will I manage actually working there? - but on the other hand, there’s my therapist who will be really upset if I cancel. Plus, I worry it’s rude to cancel so late. And I do not know yet if the government will approve my application for early retirement due to medical reasons, so maybe I should keep my options open? 

I’m really torn and do not know what to do, so I’m asking strangers for neutral advice. Any opinions or thoughts?

[soaps-mohawk]

also i can’t remember if you’ve touched on this before, but if omega was depressed for an extended period of time (like WAY longer than a few weeks, more like multiple months) how would they get her out of it? because the boys would def go about it a different way than a traditional pack like omega’s family or like an institute would.

i imagine the institutes would probably favor some sort of scruffing and sedation type thing instead of like ,, mental healing but who knows! curious on your thoughts ab that

So, speaking generally, a lot of it kind of depends on what's causing the depression situationally or if it's just caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. If the depression is being caused by a situation, then they'd probably do their best to accommodate or solve what's causing the depression. If it's a splitting of the pack, then they'd likely try sending the omega to the satellite pack to see if they can adjust better there. If there's unrest in the pack that's enough to be affecting omegas that way, then they'll look at things like conflict resolution.

Anti-depressants (and other mental health medications) do exist in the world of CRCB, so regardless of the cause of the depression, if it's lasting longer than a couple weeks and fixing the situational issues isn't working, then the pack will likely seek medical advice and consider things like anti-depressants.

Of course, all of it depends on the pack and how decent they are towards omegas. If the reader had gotten depressed in her family pack, I don't think she would have gotten help, honestly. Her father likely would have pulled the "you're fine, stop being dramatic" type of bs. Of course, it is possible (like in our world) for the depression to worsen if nothing is done and of course, can lead to a tragic ending.

Institutes...it depends on the institute. FIOT wouldn't want the reputation of not caring for their omegas health and having omegas die while enrolled, so they'd put effort into helping their omegas. You can almost guarantee omegas go into depressions at institutes, especially early on after being separated from their family pack. Less...decent institutes might not help depressed omegas either because they don't care or because they don't have the resources to help.

In the case of the reader and the 141, of course things are different. Depending on the situation, like what happened in chapter 23, there's not a lot that can be done sometimes. They obviously can't send the reader out into the field to be around her pack, and they can't just call back whoever is gone if they're in the middle of an important assignment or a deployment.

Obviously they're going to try and help the reader as much as they can, but also they'll go to Dr. Keller and get a professional opinion. Like the queen she is, Dr. Keller can help figure out the best course of action depending on the situation that's making the reader depressed for that long. I can almost guarantee she'd recommend anti-depressants, even just for the short term to help stabilize the reader until the situation improves, or for the long term if it's needed. The guys would be down for it. They trust Dr. Keller, and they want the best for their omega. While they can help to a degree, sometimes it's not enough. That can be hard on betas since the well-being and support of the pack members is part of their natural instincts, and if that's failing, the betas can kind of place blame on themselves, even if they know it's not really their fault. Of course, there's help for that too.

So yeah, that's how that works. I'm half out of it so if this makes zero sense, let me know and I'll come back to it tomorrow.

[nutzgunray-lvt]

How Horikoshi Fails To Portray The Underdog Narrative

(All of this is just my opinion, don't take it at face value as I'm obviously not a writer)

I read an interesting article today, and it made me think of our green haired boi and some of the problems that's been noticed in his characterization:

Izuku is supposed to be the classic underdog that we see rise above all odds and become the number one hero, and I'm not saying that the road there is supposed to be perfect and conflict free. I don't want Izuku to be a Gary Stu that gets a good life handed to him on a silver platter (there's already one in the story).

The problem actually comes from two places; the first one being that Horikoshi has gone on record admitting to liking other characters (the abformentioned Gary Stu) more than Izuku, his MAIN CHARACTER. The second one, I believe comes from a beautiful ask that @theloganator101 submitted to @doodlegirl1998 that said something along the lines of: "I have never seen an author portray their main character as such a loser as Izuku is portrayed in the narrative."

There's a difference between giving your character natural conflict to overcome (i.e. an ACTUAL underdog narrative) and making him a flatout buttmonkey and slapping the 'underdog' label on it. Other animes have done a much better job at this; such as Naruto gradually winning over Konoha with his perseverance and Luffy going from someone on a little row boat to captain of one of the most notorious pirate crews in the world.

The article says that there's seven steps to making an underdog narrative, and I will say that Horikoshi did do a good job at step one: make a character the audience will root for. Izuku is incredibly kind and selfless and also happened to be born Quirkless. He faced relentless bullying for +10 years due to this and wants to become a hero so no one else will suffer like he did growing up.

Step two: portraying the disempowerment, is where things fall apart.

I actually don't mind that Izuku was given One For All by All Might, but I do mind how his past Quirklessness is never properly addressed after this. We don't see him wondering if his new friends would actually be his friends if he were still Quirkless. We don't see him aknowledging that despite receiving a Quirk, the bullying he's gone through hasn't stopped. We don't even see him wondering if he still would have been bullied had he always had a Quirk. We don't see his low self-esteem and imposter syndrome properly addressed. We don't see him noticing that even the teachers at UA are letting him be bullied despite having a Quirk now.

This also leads into the opposite problem: we see TOO MUCH disempowerment.

Izuku is struggling to properly use One For All, as it maims him every time he tries to use it. Instead of receiving any proper help for him, he gets criticized for hurting himself, is singled out and has expulsion hanging over his head on the first day of school, and even has the threat of being barred from medical treatment unless he learns how to master One For All without hurting himself. Not once do ANY of these people try giving him any advice or comfort (the only one who does is criticized in narrative for this), but it takes him being on a week long internship to finally learn how to do it.

Does he get any form of acknowledgment for this by those who criticized him and supposedly have his best interests at heart? No. Do they continue to criticize him ever time he slips up? Yes.

The third step: showing the underlying strength of the character, is another one that Horikoshi does a good job at. It's a joke that Izuku's determination should be a Quirk in and itself, and he repeatedly goes the extra mile to make sure that those around him are safe. He tries saving Bakugou from the Sludge Villain. He saves Kota's life from Muscular, helps Ida and Todoroki protect Native from Stain, and makes sure that Eri has a memorable and fun experience at the School Festival.

However, this leads into the problem with how step two is portrayed: this effort is seldom ever praised and only criticized. The Pro-Heroes berate him for trying to save Bakugou (despite them sitting back and doing nothing). He gets in trouble with Hosu's police, despite the fact that Native and Ida would have died had he and Todoroki not intervened. He's threatened with explusion and called a problem child for going to save Bakugou despite the fact that a) the mission was a success and they didn't engage in combat, and b) the mission wasn't even Izuku's idea to begin with. He gets in trouble for fighting Gentle Criminal and La Brava, and his classmates criticize him for "causing trouble" when he abruptly runs off to get candy apple ingredients for Eri (the fourth light novel). No one ever properly sits him down and tells him "you don't have to go the extra mile at your expense. Your kindness is enough." In fact, the only character who praises him for this level of kindness is criticized in and out of universe for it. Any time this red-flag is brought up in universe, it's either ignored, played for laughs, or the blame is unfairly shoved onto someone (usually, the one person in Izuku's corner).

There really is no step four: design a series of challenges and try/fail cycles, because even when Izuku has a 'win', he still gets some sort of set back in order to keep him "humble". There's those I mentioned above, but there's also his Provisional Hero License exam. He passes, but gets suspended from school the VERY SAME DAY because of his fight with Bakugou.

I guess step five: the turning point, would be Izuku learning Full Cowling and Shoot Style, and it does lead him to pass his Provisional License Exam (as well as his attitude). Mastering Black Whip would also be another one.

Step six is the worst one of the bunch in my opinion: show the darkest moment. Izuku leaving UA to protect his classmates and loved ones from All For One and Shigaraki had the potential to be an amazing arc... but it all falls incredibly flat. It tries and fails to properly address Izuku's deteriorating mental and physical state as these Pro-Heroes let him try and draw out All For One and Shigaraki, only to go all Surprised Pikachu Face when he starts pushing himself too hard (All Might at least tried keeping him regularly fed and tried intervening when Izuku struck out away from them).

Class 1A vs Izuku is where this darkest moment makes no sense for me.

Izuku tells them that All For One and Shigaraki are targeting him due to his Quirk. He doesn't want to leave, but he has to for their own protection. All For One now has Ragdoll's Quirk, meaning that he has eyes on Izuku 24/7 now. What's their solution to this? Sending some other teacher or Pro-Hero to try and talk him down? Send his closest friends to try and convince him to come back?

Nope, the entire class rallies behind his bully and literally beats him into submission. They sit by as his bully accuses him of arrogantly trying to be an 'All Might wannabe' (that same bully also tries shoving the blame for Izuku's self sacrificing tendancies onto ALL MIGHT), try guilting him into coming back, and don't once take his point of view into consideration (Ida does have a nice moment with him). On top of all of this, Izuku is later proven RIGHT that they can't keep up with him in this fight. Bakugou's dead, Uraraka is seriously wounded, Tokoyami is seriously wounded, and Jirou has one of her ears cut off. Then everything is solved by an incredibly manipulative "apology" from his bully and a bath! For that matter, the "apology" doesn't even stick!

There's also many minor incidents as well that I couldn't really fit anywhere else: his Quirk Analysis notebooks and mumbling are seen as "creepy" in universe (Endeavor's the only one who takes it seriously), not having any sort of talent or other hobbies outside of being an All Might fanboy.

The story isn't finished, so step seven has yet to be seen, but TL;DR is that Izuku is way more of a punching bag than an underdog, and many of his fans are fed up. Izuku deserves so much more than what he's been given.

[wokedogschenkopf]

Warning: generalization of a website and social forum that has millions of users with differing thoughts and opinions as well as vastly different communities

Reddit has a reputation for being a helpful website when you have a question that google refuses to properly answer because of bloated search results that are filled with gibberish and filler, but I cannot stress how much you should never actually look to Reddit for advice outside of like tech tips. Because the people on there are some of the most insane people I have ever seen, despite their reputation for being the “normie” website, they’re all out of their minds in the “the more normal the more weird you are” way.

I was going through a really rough patch in my life, feeling completely lost and aimless and even though I had appointments set up with a physician and a psychiatrist and a therapist and all that, I still had to wait for those appointments to come and the wait itself was driving me crazy. So I decided to go on Reddit just to see if anyone had any problems similar to mine and what they did (mistake number 1). What you quickly find out is that people who are actually happy and have solved their problems are not posting advice on Reddit. What you also find out is that they have gaslit themselves into thinking that they have achieved happiness and peace by acting like no real human being does.

Example 1: Trying to stave off depression. I was still in denial that I was experiencing clinical depression that would not be cured by exercise and vitamins that needed medical intervention, despite knowing deep down that’s what it was, and so I would end up on subreddits like r/productivity because my goal was “how do I enjoy things again/How do I force myself to do things.” The most common answer people gave out for finding purpose in a boring and lonely life is hobbies. Which on its own, ignoring any and all other possible disclaimers and caveats, is fairly true, anyone without hobbies is probably bound to end up feeling at least a bit aimless. But then comes the question: what hobbies should I have? What should I do? And this is where people started to unravel a bit. Because then that’s when people start categorizing “acceptable” hobbies vs “wasteful” hobbies, acceptable hobbies being ones that they see as maximizing all your possible stats and performance and wasteful hobbies being ones that contribute nothing and are just time sinks. To no one’s surprise, “acceptable” hobbies were basically all sports or physical exercise, sometimes maybe something like gardening, while wasteful hobbies where watching movies or tv shows, playing video games, reading books (unless you were reading epic sigma grind set books that are all named something like Unfuck Yourself), drawing, etc. I do physical activities like hiking and walking and what not because I know it’s good for me in the long run, and I do like looking at nature, but I wouldn’t consider it my hobby. And to sideline my actual hobbies (video games, drawing, etc) for hiking all the time I would probably be miserable. But according to the Reddit secret anti depression formula this is what I should be doing.

Which leads to Point 2: Diet. Obviously diet comes up a lot in these discussions, it undeniably can have an affect on your mood and emotional aspects as much as it can have an effect on your physical body. The problem is that all of these people have basically given themselves eating disorders trying to minmax the perfect diet to make them Mentally Sound. I’m sure I don’t really need to write it out in detail and you can imagine the kind of things they write about how if you enjoy any sugar ever you’re a dopamine addict and you’re ruining your life.

Then point 3: Mental wellness journaling/meditation. Where a lot of these people swear by the fact that journaling and meditation saved them. I’m not going to argue that they’re useless, I journal sometimes and it can help, but then you read in between the lines and find out these people spend hours of their day meditating or journaling and don’t seem to actually make any progress. As if just the act of doing it has convinced them that they’re doing the “correct” thing and they don’t need to do anything else, and that they can afford to spend half their day doing this. Which if you can and genuinely want to, be my guest, but personally the thought of having to sit in silence with myself for hours just to get through the day is not something I want for my life. At all. And would probably make me more miserable.

Which leads me to the final point of all this. Combining the obsession over the correct hobbies that fulfill you with the most enlightenment, the perfect diet that will give you the perfect body and brain, and over obsession with proper mental wellness loops back around and creates uniquely miserable people who are so obsessed with finding the life hack or formula to happiness and success that they just end up dragging themselves back down. I realized multiple times that it would probably just be easier and make me happier to eat candy sometimes than stress about how any amount of excess sugar could give me depression, and that I would be less stressed just sitting down to watch TV sometimes than worrying about how I could spend that time maximizing my time and happiness by picking the best and most productive hobby. Sure eating nothing but sugar all day and never watching anything other than reality TV is bad for you, but so is everything in excess. It kind of defeats the point of living if you don’t let yourself enjoy anything because of made up metrics. Also, every person is completely different and unique and nothing that makes one person happy will make the other person happy. There are baselines sure, like seeing the sun is good for you, but you can never truly pinpoint every single trick and hack to leading a fulfilling life because it depends on who you are. This is also why it’s impossible to cover every possible disclaimer and caveat in this post, because I would have to account for the unique circumstances of billions of people.

I don’t really know how to end this post so I’ll bring up how I saw someone on a quitting weed subreddit say you should do ketamine instead of weed and that’s healthier for you. Remember that people love lying online. Also a subreddit I found about how the internet regardless of what website or use is innately evil and causes mental health problems in everyone no matter what and so everyone should be quitting it, despite the fact that everyone on there was posting from the internet on a website.

[forcemasculinisation]

Hey I don’t know if this is really a big issue among trans guys but I constantly find myself questioning my identity due to the fact I can’t find any clothing or looks on men that I like. This with the fact I’m a poc makes it like weird to look for clothing styles I enjoy. Like I keep going “am I really a man if I prefer feminine clothing? Am I just lying? Should I stay feminine?” So long story short I was wondering if theirs any like styles that look good really on men or tips for when your not feeling masculine? Or just tips on feeling more masculine pre transition in general?

Thank you for your ask, anon.

I myself am pre-transition, medically speaking. I don't necessarily do much in the means of "passing" for reasons I don't feel the need to share. My opinion may not be as valid to some of you because of this, but I'll share things that my male friends do that I've observed.

My major piece of advice in terms of clothing is don't go rushing to the men's section of a store and pick up all the large, body-covering garments you can find. Playing to your body type is important, and you should probably aim to go for a size down of what you initially assume you want in men's sizes.

Brands I usually go for are general sports brands like Nike, Adidas, Reebok etc, as well as second-hand SuperDry and H&M. (Also, if you buy something and it's too big, throw it in the wash and dryer several times.)

Dark tones are traditionally masculine as well if you want to stay safe, however there are a lot of men who wear light tones, it just depends on the style.

Layering also works in my case, but it's only helpful in winter. I find when I wear a coat over a hoodie over a t-shirt, I tend to pass a lot better. (Puffer jackets are really good for emulating this, especially North Face or similar dupes.)

Also, if you wear glasses, order some more boxy-looking prescription glasses with darker or more muted frames. These generally appear more masculine at first glance, but you can ask an optician or your friend for an opinion of what looks more masc on your face. Spend a lot of tine on this, because you obviously wear your glasses more often than certain outfits.

I'd also say that it depends on the "type" of guy you're looking to present as. I have a lanky build with longer legs, so I wear straight-legged jeans to only discreetly hide curves.

Overall, it just takes a bit of experimentation. This post may not be that helpful to everyone, because I'm using my own life as an anecdote, so I apologise in advance. There is no right way to pass, and a few people warp the meaning of passing to looking more western-centric, however I've learned that this is poor advice.

As for feeling more masculine, you could:

Buy male deodorant, shower gel or aftershave and shave with a razor marketed towards men

Buy male underwear and pajamas

Try skin-tone coloured transtape (if you can find it, it's a horror to find dark brown trans tape)

Work out every day (don't rush into this, and consistency is key)

Experiment with masculine hairstyles.

If any of you would like a separate post with specific resources for any of these, or my own personal recommendations for products and clothing, I'd be happy to share.

Sidenote: passing ≠ feeling masculine. You're doing this for yourself, not for others.

[fairycosmos]

hi !! i'm so sorry for bothering you but i really need some advice and an honest opinion

i got three cats three months ago. it was so stupid and i knew it but i was too spineless to say no. i love them, take care of them but i constantly think about maaaaybe giving them away,,,,, i know that it means that i'm irresponsible and can't be trusted and ppl will probably hate me for doing it. but i'm 19 and i live alone. my mom always tells me that i'm stupid and i don't blame her. i just feel like i got pregnant at 16 and my life stopped at that

please don't hate me, i'm not a bad person

hey! i don't think this makes you stupid, i think this makes you young and impulsive and there's a big lesson to learn from it. committing to getting three cats and giving them the care and support they need is a big deal - a very long commitment that you have to take seriously before going forward with it. idk if this is an unpopular opinion but honestly if you do not feel you can give these cats the love, care and nurturing they deserve then i don't think you're like, morally in the wrong for seeking a better household for them. as long as you do some serious vetting over who you end up giving them to, and provide all the necessary medical/background information to the new owners. obviously this is not ideal, and i'm not saying it's at all as simple as that - this will inevitably be very hard on the cats and it's a very difficult situation. but ultimately, their wellbeing comes first, and it's important to prioritise that above all else, though i understand how painful and hard that is. i don't think you're a bad person at all, i just think it's important to learn from this and reflect on what is the right thing to do for all involved. either fully committing to the care of these cats or seeking someone who can. x

[compassionatereminders]

I hope it is okay to ask for advice for this, if not, feel free to ignore and delete

There's this person I know who is mentally ill (and work development and learning disabilities), and the mental health help they can get is clearly not enough

They don't really like taking their meds, but when they don't do it, they become severely irritable and angry, they get violent and start breaking things. Nothing life threatening to others, mostly mental draining to deal with it every other week

I feel kind of wrong to force them to take the pills that they don't like, their family has suggested to make them take stronger meds that would basically... Sedate them?

They're an adult and need some support in their daily life, but not completely depends on others

Would it be wrong to force them to take the pills? I am thinking about body autonomy and suck, but at the same time, I'm not sure that their family deserves to put up with their anger crisis's all the time just because they don't like the pills....

I don't know, I hope I can get others opinions, specially from people who are in similar situations as them, if possible ..

I don't think it's valid to force people to take medication. Some more respectful boundaries could be "I will leave if you start breaking stuff" or "you have to clean that up yourself". Obviously you can discuss medication as an option, but it should be their decision

[cryptidsurveys]

Wednesday, September 11th, 2024.

Which fictional character can you not stand? There aren't any that I can't stand. I can't even think of a character that just really annoys me. I mean, some can be annoying (or snooty, manipulative, backstabbing, or whatever), but in the context of the story, it's fine.

What was the one subject in school that frustrated you because you just couldn’t process it? Math. I was okay at Algebra and Geometry, but once I reached Algebra II/Trig, my understanding of core concepts wasn't strong enough to carry me any further.

What’s the weirdest compliment you’ve ever gotten? I don't think I've ever received an especially weird compliment.

What is an occupation that you would like to do just for one day if you had the chance? I wouldn't want to actually do the job, but I think it would be interesting to shadow someone in nursing. I've just heard so many horror stories that it's become like a morbid fascination.

What do you think people have an unnecessary stick up their ass about? Anything and everything. Pretty much whatever subject you look into, there will be someone there with a stick up their ass about something.

What common advice do you think never works? Idk but lately I've felt stuck between "just ignore it" and "speak up." Neither option has produced satisfactory results so far, so maybe it's time to break out of the binary and try something completely chaotic and unexpected. ;D

What’s the best movie without a happy ending? I'm not sure.

What is something you think is actually better about today’s generation? This obviously isn't true everywhere, but overall living conditions, medical and technological advancements, transportation, access to information and communication, etc. Some of those things can be a double-edged sword or have certain pitfalls, but you know. Probably better than being a peasant in the Dark Ages. But if we're talking about people specifically, then…hmm. People are people wherever you go.

What movie has a worse love story than Twilight? I'm not much of a movie watcher, but I'm sure there are far worse love stories than Twilight.

What seems obvious to you that doesn’t seem to be for other people? That "the government" isn't hiding any aliens.

If your partner in the zombie apocalypse was the main character of the last movie you watched, would you survive? The last movie I watched was Inside Out 2, so unless the little emotion avatars in that teen girl's head can pull some seriously lucky levers, we're fvcked.

What’s the worst episode of your favorite TV show? I don't have a favorite TV show.

You can pick two artists to do a song together, dead or alive, but they have to be from different genres. Who do you pick and why? I can't think of any particular artists, but as far as genres go, maybe some heavenly and numinous choir music merged with some dark and gritty rap/hip-hop. It has potential okay!!!

What is something you would never buy again, even if you were rich? A house (or cabin or apartment or whatever) with carpet. If I could live somewhere with exclusively wood or tiled flooring, I would be so happy. Carpets are just gross.

What do you do regularly despite it being considered very unhealthy or unsafe? Smoke cigarettes.

What is something that most people find attractive in a person that you find unattractive? I can't think of anything that I find unattractive, but there are common beauty standards that are just like…eh. They don't do it for me.

Do you ever use facial masks or scrubs? I've used facial masks a few times. I don't think I've ever used a scrub, though.

What do you think of the recent trend of adult coloring books? I don't have an opinion regarding the trend as a whole. They're nice as a concept and I do own a couple of them, but I just don't have the patience.

Which fictional character do you think you’d be great friends with? I have no idea.

What would you do if you found out your toys came to life similar to Toy Story? Probably go through something like the 5 Stages of Grief, but with way more emotions. Fear, horror, sadness, guilt, embarrassment, confusion…

Do you own any cook books? We have quite a few. But do I ever use them? No.

Is there anything that you’d like to eat right now? I'm not all that hungry, but cashew chicken, fried rice, and cream cheese wontons sounds good.

What book are you currently reading? A Short History Of The World by H. G. Wells.

What is something that you believe in, but aren’t very outspoken about? I'm not very outspoken about any of my beliefs. I'm just not an openly opinionated person. I like to feel people out before getting into any kind of discussion because I'm not someone who enjoys confrontation or debate.

do you think weird it’s for someone to have never tried soda? I guess it would depend on where they lived. If they were in the US, then I would think it was…if not weird, then highly uncommon.

is there any foreign film you recommend? Naw.

do you have the same religious beliefs as your parents? There are definitely some overlaps. My dad is Jewish and my mom is what I would call casually spiritual. If you made a Venn Diagram of their truest beliefs, then I would probably fall somewhere in the middle. Then there are my own interpretations and understandings which expand into territory beyond either one of them. Overall, though, I think I have more in common with my dad because he's a deep diver within his own religion, and religion and spirituality are topics that interest me. We can have some really great discussions on the matter.

which floor of your house/building are you on now? I'm on the second floor.

are there any maps hanging in your room? No.

are you often a third wheel? or is someone a third wheel to you? I felt like that for the longest time at the animal shelter. I knew people generally liked and appreciated me, but I wasn't really fitting in. However, I don't feel that way as much now, not with the new batch of workers back in cattery. I'm still kind of third-wheely (because I'm shy/socially awkward and also a good deal older than they are), but not to the same drastic extent. I feel much more included, relevant, and free to be my silly and sarcastic self. I had it in my head that the problem might be me (and admittedly, some of it probably was and I do still have some work to do), but now it's like…oh. I was likeable the whole time?!?!

what’s the last dvd you bought? I'm not sure.

tell me about your favorite pair of jeans. I don't have a favorite pair of jeans. I basically don't even wear them anymore.

would you ride a motorcycle if given the chance? (or have you?) I've been on the back of one a few times, but I don't think I would like to ride one myself. Driving a car is enough responsibility for me.

is your hair healthy? Ehhh.

if a hotel offered free breakfast in bed, what would you order? I'd go all out. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, biscuits, maybe some fruit, coffee…

how often do you take a train? Aside from the kiddie train at the city park, I don't think I've ever been on a train. I might have gone on the one at the Royal Gorge, but I can't be certain that's a real memory and not some false recollection I settled on after the fact.

what’s your favorite led zeppelin song? Kashmir.

does your home have a balcony/deck/porch? We have a back deck and a front porch.

what does your closet/wardrobe say about you? That I spend a lot of time at an animal shelter. Probably half of my shit is animal shelter shit.

do you enjoy theatre? I don't not enjoy it. It's just not really my thing. I wouldn't want to be in a play, but I would probably go see one with someone if they wanted me to.

how would you feel about traveling abroad alone? Scared, unprepared, inexperienced, lonely, bored…like I had so much to share and no one to share it with. I'd much rather travel with someone.

who would you call a lyrical genius? Idk.

how do you treat yourself? It's time to make dinner, so I'm going to pause this here (9.10.24) and resume it sometime tomorrow… Okay. I just arrived home from a trip to the Mountain Park - which is one of the ways I plan on treating myself this autumn. I feel like I've spread myself too thin with volunteering, so I'm going to take a step back, take an extra day off here and there, and spend more time in the mountains with my dad. Other ways I treat myself include eating fun/favorite foods (so excited for holiday treats!), making time for art, and curling up in bed with my kitties and some YouTube.

do you have an interesting passport? I don't have a passport.

are you going to pursue a career according to what you enjoy? Yeah.

what’s your favorite frozen treat? Ice cream. You know what else I've been enjoying lately? Otter Pops. They're not typically something I would think to eat, but they're great for hot afternoons at the shelter when I need a quick chill out/sugar rush combo.

who supports you financially? Social security and my dad. We share our incomes.

if you wanted to go to the movie cinema, how would you get there? I would drive (or be driven).

how many pillows are on your bed? Two regular pillows, three body pillows, and two decorative pillows.

would you pay more for organic food? I might if I preferred the taste of a certain brand, but otherwise it's not something I pay much attention to.

do you prefer being awake after everyone goes to bed or before they get up? I don't really have a preference.

do you know much about feng shui? (do you use it?) I know very little, and no, I don't use it.

how would you make friends in a quiet class? Make meaningful eye contact? Lmao heck if I know. I'm quiet myself, so if other people are quiet, then it's just gonna be quiet.

are you generally a quick learner? Yeah.

what’s your favorite spot to read? At my computer desk.

did you know that buddha is not considered a god to buddhists? I was aware of that.

do you save tickets from movies, etc.? Not really.

without looking him up, who was jim morrison? The vocalist for The Doors.

when’s the last time your bedroom was painted/wallpapered? Gosh, idk. As far as painting goes, that would have been years and years ago. It wasn't even finished. As for the wallpaper, that was put up before we moved in.

teach me something in another language. Naw.

what type of music do you like and why? I've developed a fondness for classical over the past couple of years.

if you randomly want to eat something in the house, do you eat it or wait? It depends on what it is, what I've already eaten, how close it is to meal/snack time, etc.

who knows the most about you (besides yourself)? My dad.

do you have a nervous habit? (e.g. biting nails, tapping feet, smoking) Picking at my nails.

how’s your favorite pro sports team doing lately? I don't follow any sports teams.

would you be/are you a good role model to a younger sibling? No.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I love your insights cause you seem like you have the wisdom of an 90 year old. Do you have any advice for a 30 something yo woman that struggles with deep anxiety and sadness even in *happy* times? (I was depressed when I started dating, than I was scared when I got engaged, I was so anxious to do a wedding that I didn't do anything me and my partner skipped right to planning a honeymoon trip, the next stage is having kids and i'm so scared). I don't want to go through life being sad over things that i want and should bring joy (because I do want them. It's just every little change for some reason gives me panic and nobody around me seem to get why even my husband..I have no clue why i'm so sensitive to changes and decision making) and the circle seem to be never ending..I did therapy and talked a lot with a therapist and i'm better, but the emotions and inner sadness still there. Sorry if it's too much info..I guess i'm hoping other women/girls/guys reading this might feel similar in life and have ways of coping? I feel like i'm the only person on the planet feeling like this and i'm scared admitting it to others (I share with them..but they don't really *see* the heavy-crying-vomit-feeling every second of the day so in the end it's just me)

***

Hi Anon 💜

What I can say to you is limited by how personal your ask is, how little I know about you and the subject (I really wouldn’t call myself wise), and how public my forum is. There’s undoubtedly a lot more you’re not saying (understandably), but I’ll try not to ramble in telling you what I think.

The fact you’re asking me this here despite already seeing someone far more qualified to give you advice (your therapist), tells me this is something that’s constantly on your mind, something that weighs on you so much you’d consider a random blogger’s opinion and that of her followers.

So I guess the first question is:

Why are you afraid?

Because that’s what anxiety essentially is. In my layman, unqualified BPP language, anxiety is being in a state of fear. And there's two reasons people could be afraid:

A good reason.

A not good reason.

And you get to decide which is which for you. Personally, the events you're describing sound like life-changing events, things with pretty profound implications not just for you but for people around you. And rather than see your fear about it as a malaise, I see it as perhaps a mild overreaction to recognizing the enormity of the implications.

But there could be more to it...

A - Sometimes, people experience something that legitimately warranted that state of fear in them, a traumatic or abusive event where fear was the only right response, an event (or series of events) that left an imprint on them. And their bodies and minds are subconsciously stuck in that state, and this could be for a whole host of reasons. This is also something that can lead to a lot of behaviours, like being afraid of change, constantly seeking comfort in what’s known and familiar, and fearing the unknown. In cases like this, psychotropic medication can help; as can therapy; journaling can help your mind work through your thoughts, help you remain present and not dissociate; improving your physical health to help your body recalibrate, etc.

B - Other times, this state is triggered by a purely physiological response and this can be due to an imbalance in your baseline. Meaning, (I’m sure the medical debate is still out on this one but) I think most people have a sort of physiological baseline for things like hormone levels (dopamine mostly), that’s oftentimes tied to several factors but including, notably, genetics. As an example, it’s been observed that people from tropical countries (or with recent ancestry including people from tropical countries) have a higher chance of suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder in winter months (so obviously after moving from tropical climates) than the general population. Meaning their genetic composition has a baseline that expects higher vitamin D levels, more natural sunlight etc, than the general population, and in the absence of these things, their bodies (and mental states) struggle to adjust without supplemental help. Supplemental help can look like vitamins, adjusting your diet to gain more of those nutrients/vitamins, nature lamps, spending more time outdoors. and in more drastic cases reconfiguring your work life to be more in-line with natural sunlight cycles.

It’s one reason frequent physical exercise helps the mental states so much for most people. How picking up a sport (like running or yoga) or spending time in the gym consistently improves mental health, helps them feel more confident and assured. Aside from the beneficial facts we all know, the reality is the sedentary lifestyle most people enjoy in the 21st century is an anomaly. Our bodies have evolved over millions of years in a way that required physical endurance, strength training, and constant movement to do very basic things: from eating, to hygiene, to even sleeping in a safe environment. I mean, the very act of washing your clothes required far more physical exertion until the invention of the washing machine in the 19th century. Cooking was a far more arduous exercise than putting something in the microwave, building heights were limited by how much people could walk and climb until we had escalators and elevators in the last century doing the work for us. Most of us are living in bodies that have a collective memory of doing far more work just to survive everyday life, that’s our physiological baseline, and yet we’re living in the most sedentary societies ever. That causes a physiological imbalance, and some people are more sensitive to that imbalance than others. The anxiety could be a signal that your body and mind recognize something is wrong or out of whack. One solution here is ratcheting up your physical movement, endurance, and strength, and typically that will help your body regulate the rest so long as you’re consistent.

C - Yet another reason some people remain in a state of fear, is that rather than a physiological imbalance being the culprit, it’s an imbalance in their sense of self. This is a bit more sensitive for me to get into, given I really don’t know you and I don’t want to hurt you unduly, but you’ve listed all these things you have going on for you in your life… are they things you actually want? What is it about your current state that terrifies you? Is there something about what you tell yourself internally or privately that you struggle to live out loud? Do you feel like you should be somewhere else, doing something else, being someone else? Do you feel like you’ve actively chosen the life you have or do you feel like a passenger in your own life watching things happen to you?

Is there any consistency between your inner beliefs, values, and desires vs your outward actions and reality? Or is there dissonance? Because what dissonance can do, is trigger the signal that something is wrong and leave you paralyzed in a state of fear if you believe you have no tools to reverse course or power through. If any of these are true for you, there’s no shortcut to reaching a solution. You have to ask yourself why you feel this way. Is there another life or another person you’re comparing to? Are there societal expectations on you that are restrictive? You'll have to decide for yourself what living with personal integrity means for you, finding a way that aligns your inner beliefs (assuming its not rooted in trauma - see A) with your outward reality.

*

Like I said above, there's two reasons one could be afraid. For good reasons, it's best to honour that fear and do what is right and safe for you. And for not good reasons, the only solution is to power through that fear, over and over again. The more afraid you feel, the more you do it. You can choose to throw yourself into it, or seek support for ways to do that safely.

If perhaps you don't feel ready to have a baby you want because you feel inexperienced, lack the resources to fully care for the child, have misgivings about your partner etc, I’m going to go out on a limb here, and be prescriptive. I’m sorry in advance if this is pushing it. But I'd say these are good reasons to be afraid. I'd suggest you communicate these reasons to someone you trust (a therapist and perhaps someone you know), spend a bit more time in preparing financially because kids aren't cheap, invest in building your social support circle (this could include relatives and friends), start actively planning for your life with a new person in it, and this can include finding people who can support you even if your partner isn't in the picture for whatever reason.

If the reason you're hesitating to have a baby you want is because you fear the unknown, I'd again go out on a limb to say I don't believe this is a good reason. In this case, what you choose to do is up to you, but I suggest you embrace the adventure (after preparing as much as you can).

Recognize your fear, assess if it's for the right reasons and if so honour it, and adjust accordingly. If it's not for the right reasons, power through it to do what you actually want.

I rambled again but I wish you all the luck, Anon. 💜

[ghost-of-a-system]

hllo i am here to bother you (for help if ur not busy(

i used to think i had osdd, went on reddit, convinced myself i was faking, came here to tell people that sometimes u r wronf ab ur diagnosis then i listed all the "fake" symptoms i had and everyone was doggin on me n told me 2 do research. i DID but am still confused so i thought i would come to someone who looks like they kno what theyre talking about. cus i dont 'feel' like a diff person really in the moment evr i jus look back n go 'yeah that was not me'. but my opinions n sexuality never change anyways help.

hello! for starters, the only way someone is faking anything is if they are purposefully and consciously telling themselves or others that they are experiencing xyz without actually being truthful. but mistakes do happen and you are correct in saying that there is always the possibility people are wrong about their suspicions/self-diagnoses, obviously.

of course, we are no medical professionals or experts; we're just a couple of gals and pals yapping about our experiences! i will still offer the advice i can, but take it with a grain of salt compared to any actual medical professionals.

a while ago we made this response to being asked for pointers on identifying if one is a system. i think you might find it helpful if seeking advice like this from us. i will be referencing content from this post here!

OSDD1 is a little tricky due to its frequently used sub-categories, OSDD-1a and OSDD-1b. from what we know and have researched, it is not required that you fall under one or the other, and that those are just the two most commonly seen "types". on the surface of what you have described, i think that you would benefit from researching into OSDD-1a. individuals with OSDD-1a generally meet DID criteria however lack the presence of distinct alters. i find this page incredibly helpful when it comes to understanding OSDD-1a (third paragraph), although we do not have it and cannot entirely verify its accuracy. i have seen it mostly implied that individuals with OSDD-1a do experience amnesia and memory blackouts, which you did not mention experiencing in your ask. however, again, this is just a sub-category of OSDD1 and i believe it is not required to perfectly fit it. i just think that researching into OSDD-1a may find you the best results for some of the things you describe! of course, this is NOT me telling you that you for sure have it.

we say this in our original post we linked about questioning being a system, but it is very very so very important to also research into other disorders that have overlapping symptoms with OSDD1. a few of these are listed in the link i shared about OSDD-1a, in the fourth paragraph, but i suggest you also do separate research into what has overlapping symptoms, and then individually look into those results.

these are just our thoughts. if you would like to reach out further with any more context or questions, feel free to shoot us another ask or message. /nf

[sapphsorrows]

What do you think about the fat liberation/body positivity movement? Sorry for all the anons I just really like hearing your opinions

This kind of complicated and I'm not sure if I'm qualified to speak on it. I've always been relatively thin so I've only ever encountered the fat positivity group on tumblr and sometimes on tiktok.

Sometimes I think their advice is dangerous and anti science. From what I understand, some fat activists have actually died from obesity-related health conditions, but a lot of their followers still parrot the "obesity isn't a disease/obesity isn't unhealthy/"health" is just a scam" talking points.

I do think the diet industry is misogynistic and terrible and promotes eating disorder-like behavior... but I feel like they're throwing out the baby with the bathwater when they claim that the idea of health is a scam and it's a conspiracy against fat people. Like obviously you shouldn't starve yourself into being thin. You should be active and you should eat good. If you do all these things and happen to be bigger, then that's just your body I guess. But you can't deny that being over 400 pounds isn't good for you. You can't deny that something's up, that you either have a health issue thing going on or your diet is very messed up. No one is naturally over 400 pounds. If you keep denying reality... well. See you on the other side, I guess.

They also, like the trans movement, will hide behind the black civil rights movement by saying that anti-fatness (whatever that means) is racist and a product of colonization ???? I never quite got that one. And nearly all the women claiming this are white.

I think I heard that the fat liberation movement was started in the 60s by fetishists - basically men who were into bigger women and wanted to expand their dating pool and also destigmatize their, uh, interest. Not sure if that's true, though.

I WILL say they're right when they say that doctors will often brush away fat women's health concerns and tell them to just lose weight. I've known several friends and family members who have told me a story like this, where they went to the doctor and the doctor told them to just lose weight, no matter what their problem was. But I don't think that's more of a medical misogyny thing than a fat thing. I think we ALL know women - or are women ourselves - who have been told by a doctor, regardless of weight, that our health concern was all in our heads or that we were being overly dramatic. Medical gaslighting is real.