#you don't need context. my brain didn't give me any when it dropped this image in my conscious mind

[xenonsdoodles]

I still think about those cropped boomer memes from like 2020 sometimes

[sophieinwonderland]

Reminder That System Medicalism is a Religion: Exhibit A, @theinfernalcollective

This is pretty typical sysmed rhetoric.

And in typical sysmed fashion, has no sources to back it up whatsoever! As always, sysmeds rely on an argument by assertion. Facts just aren't on their side.

Never have been, never will be.

So they give a couple sources.

First is the DSM which doesn't say trauma is needed in all cases of DID, only that it's associated with trauma. It makes no such claim for OSDD-1 being associated with trauma at all. And on top of that, doesn't even mention the word system. Which is pretty big since most endogenic systems don't have a dissociative disorder and don't claim to.

Basically, it's a nothing source that doesn't back up what they claim it does.

As for Dr Candy Fox...

There's no evidence she actually said this.

And she has yet to respond to the message I sent her website. (Because yes, I did send her a message on her site to see if she actually agreed with this.)

But based on the context, it seems pretty obvious she would have been talking about dissociative identity disorder, not "being a system."

Now, before going any further into this conversation, let's take a step back and remember The Infernal Collective asking the anon to name a single psychiatrist, obviously expecting they wouldn't be able to.

How did THAT go?

Oh right, it's how it always goes when you meet a sysmeds' goalposts!

Did you expect anything different?

"This psychiatrist saying you can be plural without trauma doesn't count because he's talking about transgender people."

"And also the screenshots of his peer-reviewed book that was published by the American Psychiatric Association are posted on a site I don't like."

So when linked to an email from a dissociative expert, someone with 40 years of experience treating dissociative identity disorder, they again retreat to just... not liking the website the image is posted on?

And again, their source for Dr. Candy Fox was just something they allegedly heard in person during evaluationMeanwhile this is an actual email, with one of the foremost DID experts in the world!

Also, for the love of the gods, Transgender Mental Health does NOT say "transgender make plurality." Actually read the thing!!!

But hey, now that I'm done with that particular conversation and got what I need to make my point, I'll confess! All these anons were me!

Reminder, again, their source was "my doctor said it, trust me bro!"

And while I only named a couple doctors over the course of that conversation, I could have dropped so many more!

The fact is, it's not hard to look at a link and read the screenshots therein. Here, I'll even post the pics!

And in case you're thinking that they just trust Dr. Candy Fox's opinion so much and hold her in such high regard...

Nope.

But then...

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU BASING YOUR BELIEFS ON?

Because it's not psychiatry. You can't cite a single doctor anywhere who has said you can't be a system without trauma!

System Medicalism is a Religion!

Sysmeds, like transmeds, do not base their bigotry in science or rationality. They do not follow the opinions of experts.

It's a religion to them! The Church of the Holy Trauma believes that Trauma and only Trauma has the might to bestow plurality upon the few chosen. And their faith is so unshakable because they've been told this by random uneducated nobodies on the internet, and it just feels true.

And because their FAITH in this idea is so strong, no amount of studies will change their mind. No amount of doctors coming forward to support endogenic systems. No amount of literal brain scans will convince them endogenic systems are real. As the saying goes, you can't reason someone outs of a position they didn't reason themselves into in the first place.

In the end, sysmeds continue to be an anti-science hate group with a religious devotion to their ideology of hate.

And this whole disaster is just another example of that.

[ladyimperatcr]

// I just needed to share this. This basically is a snippet of an rp I did with @otiumanima a long while ago about Kels and Copia's first date and it just...so sweet. And thus it's become canon. If ya wanna know what his and Kels' dynamic are, here it is: dorks who are very soft. This is slightly edited to fit the context //

It was a shock to hear that he of all people felt the same way towards her. *Her? Of all people?*

It took every ounce of strength Kelsey had not to have her mouth drop to the floor as he expressed his feelings. Cardinal Copia thought she was beautiful.

The poor dear was in disbelief. She had struggled with her self image for years, crying herself to sleep most nights because of having her chubby figure. She wished she was skinny, she wished she got out more, she wished she wasn't hard on herself, she wished...

How could this man who was on top of the world, had everything going for him....How could he think she was breathtaking?

She didn't know what to say for the longest time. Noises came out, but no words.

"I...Y-You think I'm..."

She couldn't find any other beautiful word to describe her body so she simply repeated "b-breathtaking? *Me?*"

Then she probably broke his heart when she quietly said it.

"*Why?*"

Copia arched an eyebrow as Kelsey fell into silence, and then his face shifted into that of concern.

Copia leaned over the table and took her hands into his own once more, gripping onto them he brought them up and placed a kiss on her knuckles before he spoke.

Seeing the way her face changed, and no doubt the way her brain was trying to make it all sound as if she didn't deserve it made his heart break.

He knew that look. he had seen it on his face all too much.

"Why? There are many reasons why! Just from this time with you I can tell you are a very genuine person, you have lived thinking otherwise but I see in you a beauty that shines through in your kindness, and personality."

"You have a ..excuse me for being forward but an *amazing* figure. I admit ...with a bit of shame, that i look at you with much joy. You have such an authentic personality and I yearn to get ot know more about you, and ...Goodness you just...I want to know everything and more about you. Really."

The drinks came, then the pie with ice cream beside it. Although the two didn't touch what was brought to them when the conversation kept them distracted.

She tried to hide her breath becoming shaky, trying to gulp down her tears as Copia kissed her hands and said such sweet things to her. Her emotional response was both trying to let those beautiful words remain true in her head while at the same time pushing them away. Family and friends had told her similar things but that never penetrated her mind. Her mind wouldn't let it. But the man who sang to her through her stereo speakers at ten at night and the one who held her hand to sing directly into her soul, made her mind finally let her mind accept those compliments.

"Y-You do?" she sniffled, "I've...I've never had anyone say so many nice things to me. Ever."

She gulped down as much of the crying as she wanted to spill out, "Nobody's ever wanted to ask me out, either- if this is an actual date, like a real date. Never had one."

With her tears started to go back down into the rear ducts of her eyes and her lungs slowly recovering from the burning sensation of keeping her crying internal, the young woman took off her glasses to wipe the rest of the waterworks away.

"I'm so sorry. Seeing me like this. I'm all tears and probably will get my sleeve in melting ice cream if I keep this up."

Copia pushed her pie closer, and moved his hand to wipe any tears that may have escaped. He gives her a warm, gentle smile as his thumb stroked over the hand he still help with his right hand.

"Don't cry, caro mio, I am playing no trick on you." Copia reassured her. "I mean every word that I said and more. Do not apologise for emotions."

"They are human and they are beautiful." Copia had a goofy smile on his face as he looked into her eyes.

"Yes, I would..I would confidently call this a date, a ..real date. I've never been on one of these before, you know?" Copia laughed to ease his own awkwardness. "I..I don't get out much when it comes to dating. I'm always in the library pouring over..latin books." He shrugged, "Not very interesting I imagine."

"Come come, we should eat this before it goes cold." He pushed her plate forward a little more. he laughed a little not once letting go of her right hand. "I hope you wont need this one." he said, giving her right hand a squeeze.

The gentle gestures mixed with his voice soothed her from feeling embarrassed, making her heartbeat start to slow, as well as her smile returning instinctively.

"A-Alright. Then I won't. I won't."

And when he smiled all goofy and silly, the tension from the tears made her laugh even more sweeter. "You've never either? With all these people swooning for you at every turn? *Never?* Honestly that's kind of hard to believe coming from someone that becomes a heartthrob every performance. But I get it. I'm that way too. I'm asexual and absorbed in my interests more. And my interests never included looking for someone. Not to say anything bad about right now, this is...this is wonderful. But I just never thought I'd be on one with someone that actually would...I don't know...*care.*"

Her left hand, the one that wasn't being rubbed by Copia's gloved one, picked up her spoon and took a bit of pie and then a bit of ice cream. A finger or the from her right hand even massaged back gently, comfortingly, giving back the gesture.

Then, Kelsey ate and hummed, "Now *that* is how I like it. Tell me it's not one of the best things you've ever had. Baked fresh. Gosh that's amazing." Looking over at Copia, she smiled, hoping that he'd think the same thing.

Copia laughed and shook his head,

"Really, never. I suppose i...well I never had a reason to go dating. I have wanted to of course but..my *upbringing* wouldn't allow me much tie for, eh, dating." Copia began to eat at his own food, humming with his first bite.

"This *is* good, wow. I have to admit, I'm very impressed! Flakey, and very delicious!"

He took a drink of his coffee before he continued speaking.

"I myself am, eh, active, I think. Not that I get much time for those sort of thigns now a day. Always too busy with tour things, or work at the church. Not to say the church isn't ripe for the sin of lust, its a bit over ripe with it. But still, I find ...I'm simply too *busy*. Many have tried and non have succeeded haha."

He chuckled as she stuttered over her words,

"Don't worry, I will ensure you receive plenty of care. I have..much to give. I have often described myself as a bit of a hopeless romantic."

"Mhm. Honestly if balance of food wasn't a thing, I'd have a bit of pie for breakfast any chance I could."

Taking a sip of her warm hot cocoa, relishing in the warm feeling it gave her, she listened to what he had to say. He was extremely busy, she understood completely. Not only was he raised with his work cut out for him, now he had to prove himself a worthy candidate for becoming Papa someday.

"Yeah, I understand that. With me, being ace mixed with keeping to myself kinda kept me out of any dating. Also the fact that seeing kids in school having dates or partners, I had a destain for them. Like yeah it's sweet, but since I was alone, I guess I kind of got jealous. But my friends were the best of me then. Also being in a relationship shouldn't mean that it should make you whole. A relationship should be supplementary. *Says the girl who's never been in a relationship*..."

A small laugh escaped her as she finished her ice cream first because it was melting fast, "Well I guess you could maybe say I succeeded."

And when he mentioned that she would be cared for? Her heart fluttered.

"Thank you, Copia. I appreciate that. Even though I've only known you personally for such a short time, I know that you're not only a hard worker that busts his ass, but...you're extremely sweet. Again, I never thought I'd ever be in this position. But it feels nice. I can't say I'm a hopeless romantic, but...I'm *something*."

Copia smiled fondly, face flushed a bright read. It went down his neck and painted the tips of his ..pointed eats red. He took another few bites of his pie and finished off his coffee, it was a pretty small cup and only took a couple drinks before it was done.

"I didn't have many friends in school." He took another bite of pie, finishing it before he continued to speak.

"A loner myself, I found friends in books. Mostly old holy texts and well, ironically enough, the bible."

He chuckled, shaking his head, "I used to be a rather fierce believer you know? I went to great lengths for that book, and for the church, before I left it."

He hummed in thought, before he shooed it off with a wave of his hand and a twist of his face.

"Such times are long past me now. I have moved on from the influence of the Catholic Church many many years ago."

He looked.. angry. He muttered a short, "After they left me to *rot*", under his breath before finished off his pie.

"I ..I can't wait to find out what kind of romantic you are, haha. A journey for us both, si? I'm ..I'm very excited to try out dating. And...none other has been as sweet at you. I think we will do well.." He kissed the back of Kelsey's hand once more, offering her a small, sincere smile.