the_itsb

I understand "red fascist political movement" as standard .world idiocy, but everything after "ran" is a mystery

what the actual fuck was this person saying?

Are you involved in an org? Why/Why not?

If you are, what's it like for you as a neurodivergent person? Do you feel like you have a niche or otherwise fit in?

autocorrect keeps wanting to make it "envy," which isn't entirely wrong

How did you figure out you were enby?

I've come to realize that my super-femme presentation is a form of masking, and I'm trying to figure out where I actually fall in the spectrum of gender.

So yeah, how did you figure out you weren't "gender" and were actually enby?

Does just thinking that maybe I'm not either mean that probably I'm not either? Is the state of being unsure and kinda in-between where you identify or what?

idk if any of you also watched the shit out of this as a kid in the 90s, but just in case ❤️

hot damn, the insane giggles this show gives me, I love it so much

highlights:

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook issued a two-week temporary restraining order on Tuesday to block House Bill 68. The legislation would prohibit Ohio’s children’s hospitals from providing treatment like hormone therapy to trans minors, and was set to take effect on April 24.

~~lowlights~~ lowlifes:

Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), the primary sponsor of H.B. 68, said on Tuesday he was “disappointed, but not surprised,” and argued “the longer this bill is in the waiting, the more harm takes place.” Click noted he knew, from the day he introduced H.B. 68, that it would be “a marathon, not a sprint,” and said he would “keep fighting for kids in Ohio.”

“We’ve seen this in other states where the lower courts will put on a stay and then it moves up to an upper court until it finally gets to the court of final authority and that’s where we win,” said Click. “The science is not there, is not a social issue, this is not a part of the culture wars, this is a medical scandal what we’re doing to our kids.”

thankfully, they at least immediately correct his bullshit:

Gender-affirming care is backed by every major medical association in the nation, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. To override medical consensus is “government overreach,” the ACLU said and promised it will “reinstate Ohio families’ right to make personal medical decisions with healthcare providers — not politicians.”

...

“Anytime we are in a situation when we are micro-managing medical professionals, I think that is incredibly damaging, let alone the fact we are literally banning medical best practices,” said Bruno. “I can not emphasize enough how ridiculous that is.”

it's not world-shaking, but it's not nothing

My expectations for my kid's rights here in Ohio are very low, and I've been trying to gently suggest Michigan etc as fun places to go to college. I don't want him to go far away, but I want him to be safe, so 🤷

But meanwhile - hey, maybe the creep of fascism can be slowed a little bit in the courts! That'd be great.

Some highlights:

The earthworks, an archipelago of eight sites sprinkled through central and southwestern Ohio, were built 1,600 and 2,000 years ago by the Hopewell tradition, a sophisticated network of Native American cultures that extended from southern Canada to Florida.

The earthworks are the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures in the world, many extending for hundreds of feet in the shape of circles, squares, or animals. Some are built in alignment with the movements of the sun and moon.

...

The eight sites include the Great Circle and Octagon Earthworks in Licking County, the Fort Ancient Earthworks in Warren County, and the Mound City Group, Hopewell Mound Group, Hopeton Earthworks, Seip Earthworks, and High Bank Works in Ross County.

...

As white settlers moved into Ohio after the Revolutionary War, many destroyed parts of the earthworks. Some plowed mounds under to plant crops; other earthworks were destroyed by railroads or canals built through them.

But others were saved by landowners, including the eight World Heritage sites.

...

The World Heritage designation didn’t come without some controversy. The Octagon Earthworks near Newark is on a country club golf course, and in 2018 the Ohio History Connection, as the state’s historical society, used its eminent-domain powers to break its lease with the country club.

The country club sued, claiming the Ohio History Connection low-balled its offer to break the lease. In 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the History Connection could break the lease, but there’s still ongoing legal action about how much money the country club should be compensated.

...

The Great Circle Earthworks today are surrounded by a residential neighborhood, as well as a sprawl of businesses along nearby State Route 79. But inside the Great Circle, it’s easy to forget about those modern distractions, said Sarah Hinkelman, the site’s manager.

“I think that’s exactly what it was intended to be,” Hinkelman said. “A sacred space, very separate from the everyday.”

❤️

I haven't been to any of the mounds in 20+ years, definitely past time for another visit!

should probably preface by saying that comedy is one of my special interests, improv and stand-up comedy being my favorite flavors

I saw a thing in the paper today about a local comedy collective offering classes.

From the snooping I've done online, it seems like it's led by a guy who did comedy elsewhere but now lives here in rural shit-hole Ohio and is trying to create a community for it. It's a PoC leading it, which instantly gives me more faith in the endeavor.

The pictures they've posted from previous improv workshops give me the impression that these are my favorite flavors of weirdos.

But - presumably like most of you? - I am a very specific flavor of strange that most people don't like, and tbqh, I'm going through an particularly difficult period in which a strong dose of negative feedback could be extremely harmful.

but I'm also desperately lonely and struggling to figure out if there's anywhere I fit in at all anywhere in the world

Engaging with this opportunity seems like a big risk - maybe I could meet some people with similar interests with whom I could get along, but maybe also I could feel terribly rejected in a way that might be horrifically harmful for me right now

I tried to bring it up with my husband in the hope that I could get him to do it with me, but before I even got that far in the conversation, he was scoffing at the very existence of the class, so I feel like a real dumbass for even being interested

is this stupid?

Their crazy songs are one of my favorite things about living in a rural area. They sound like a roving dog rave! So much yipping and screaming, so much energy, it's thrilling every time I hear them.

What crazy shit are they getting up to out there?!? Why do they sometimes sound like they're just a roving party and other times like they're the actual Wild Hunt?!

I know they want to eat my chickens, guineas, and probably also my cats, but they're just having such a good time out there that I can't be mad about it.

Hello, cis mom of trans kid here with a question about medical care.

Do any of you cross state lines to receive care in a less restrictive state? Could you speak on that at all or point me towards any resources about it?

Ohio is trying hard to ban hrt, but I will drive his ass to Michigan for every appointment before I let DeWine decide my son's fate.

I know once he's an adult next summer, he can do diy if he needs to, and I saw some links here about that while I was searching for posts and comments about crossing state lines. It doesn't seem like something I should help him with while he's a minor, though, considering the climate. I fear my bigoted family reporting us and the state making an example of us.

Thank you ❤️

Snowy sunrises are my favorite. 🤩

Wishing you all quiet moments of magic, surprised laughter, and snuggly comfort time! ❤️ Happy Snowy Friday.

Is anybody interested in an Audible gift?

[email protected] and a few others have been talking about reading this as a group, so I grabbed the ebook - [email protected] linked it in PDF & epub here - but wanted the audio version for sharing with my husband.

When I got it for him, I saw we have a few extra credits on the account, and it looks like I can use them to purchase titles to send as gifts. I thought some of you might like to have it? You'll have to DM me the email address associated with your account, but you'll get mine in return.

it is both far too loud and far too cute