#or 'ugh people only care about the ~aesthetics~ of my movement if you don't know shit get out of here' and like

[solarpunkani]

"Oh no, someone's attracted to the aesthetics of my -punk movement but doesn't know the praxis and history behind it like I do--"

OK. Tell them. Make it a teaching moment. Everyone who's in your movement learned the background from somewhere at some point, maybe this is that point for that person. Give them a jumping off point that they can dive into later.

"Oh but I shouldn't be responsible for teaching baby -punks about the history and the how-tos and--"

OK. Then don't tell them. You don't have to be responsible for teaching people with a budding interest in your group the ins and outs and how-tos. That's fair and valid! It can be a lot of work. Someone else will handle it

"But I'm annoyed that they would try to claim to be part of/be interested in my community without knowing all the details that I know after being in it for months/years/decades, they're dumb, they're posers, they're--"

OK. Then don't engage with them, if it's that bad. Maybe someone else will come around and tell them the history, maybe they'll pick it up on their own, maybe they'll just enjoy the fashion elements for awhile.

"But they shouldn't claim to be part of the -punk community if they don't know the--"

I feel like we have a few options here. People can either talk to them, share the history, share the values, share the praxis. Or they can just chase off anyone who even thinks about dipping a toe in their community, and then wonder why it's dying off later down the line.

I dunno, maybe I'm too naive and patient or whatever. But if people are entering your -punk spaces without knowing The Rundown of what you feel they need to know, maybe being nice about it and informing people instead of immediately assuming stupidity and malicious intent could help you make a new friend. Even the loudest voices in a space had to learn from somewhere, and not everyone has the luxury of being in the space as the History was Happening--whether it's an age thing or a not being aware of the space thing. Or maybe I just don't see what the big deal is behind people hating people who like the aesthetic of something and don't know the behind the scenes history about it yet.

Because I believe in the word 'yet.' No one comes into this world knowing everything about everything, and we're all constantly learning new things. I'm not gonna degrade someone and call them a poser for not knowing what I know. Because if it were me, interested in a scene but getting chased out and called a poser? I wouldn't hit the books and study up, I'd go 'that fuckin sucks, those people sucked' and then avoid anyone and anything having to do with it.

So chase people off and call them posers if you want. But if your community starts dwindling, don't be fucking shocked.

[socialistexan]

What's missing from the "regret rate" number is the reason people regret it. It overwhelmingly usually due to aesthetic reasons or social pressure.

It's extremely rare that a person gets some form of gender affirming surgery and then later realizes they are not transgender and fully detrans (and these people deserve all of our love and support, if anyone knows what it's like to live in the wrong gender it's us). It's even rarer that one of these detrans people go on to join a reactionary movement to try to eliminate trans people, yet they get amplified more than anyone else in society. That 1% of a 1% of a 1%? That's who is being listened to.

I really need cis people to understand how difficult it is to get gender affirming surgery in this country. It takes literal years to even be considered for it.

Cards on the table, I'm in the process right now for getting bottom surgery. I have been hormones for over 2 years. The minimum requirement is 1 year, but that rarely happens. I've had to be evaluated by two different psychiatrists and I'll need to see them again to get a letter saying they cleared me (and they're only good for 1 calendar year). On top of that, I contacted a surgeon for my first initial consultation, but isn't scheduled until October. And that's just the first visit! It takes months after that to even schedule the surgery.

You don't really go through that whole process unless you are extremely sure.

No one, especially not a child, is walking into a gender clinic and walks out same day with hormones, a hysterectomy, a membership card.

But I'll meet this Republican congressman halfway through. You can ban transition related surgery for people under 26 is you ban any and all surgery or medical care that can permanently alter someone in any way. No heart surgery. No life saving amputations. No chemo. (I would say no vaccines, but this is a MAGA Republican we're talking about). Did you know Tylenol if taken too long can cause stomach bleeding and damage you long term? So no Tylenol.

But why stop there? Shoes can give you long lasting foot or back issues, so that's gotta be banned, too. Sunscreen? You're applying a chemical your child so they'll """be healthier"""?? Yeah, right, groomer.

Ugh. I'm just so tired.