(no subject)

I...

Think that if you have a body of your very own, you have the right to decide what to do with that body. And by body of your own, I mean breathing air outside the confines of another body. Inability to articulate those decisions does not negate the right. Inability to conceptualize the choice does not negate the right. Being legally dependent on someone else does not negate that right.

Think that everyone has a right to access non-personally-identifiable information on any subject that they wish.

Think that being denied options (socially, professionally, medically, legally, or in any other situation) because of skin color, gender, ethnicity, religion, mental or physical ability, sexual orientation, weight/shape, profession, or anything else that they chose or cannot chose, is something that is wrong.

Think that people should be able to have sex with any consenting adult they care to, without being shamed or criminalized for it. I also think people shouldn't be stupid about it, and should make sure all parties involved are aware, and those directly participating at the time are definitely consenting, because communication is important.

Am bloody adamant that consent is only consent when it is explicitly given, and there is no implied consent. If someone is unable to give consent, there is no consent - regardless of why they are unable to give consent.

Think that all bodies are worth being proud of, no matter their shape, weight, level of activity, physical prowess or lack of, whether missing parts or having extra, or any other manner of differing from what someone thinks of as normal.

Think that children are capable individuals who have not finished developing, and while needing someone to help provide for their needs and to help them with choices they might struggle to understand because of their level of development, they have every right to decide who they are for themselves.

Do not know everything. Cannot know everything. Cannot fix, nor should attempt to fix, everything around me that I think is wrong - and may be wrong about it being wrong.

Know that my opinions are not always acceptable in the social mainstream (for me, this means the United States, and with my tendency to travel, not just one region of the U.S., either), and try very hard not to care if they are. But also try to remember that some people could get very dangerous in expressing why they think I should not have those opinions, and so I should pay attention to my audience.

Think that sometimes whatever this social mainstream is can go take a flying leap, because I'd rather believe all that I have said than accept the underlying and unspoken message that I grew up with and didn't even notice or think about for two and a half decades.

Know I still have work to do in acknowledging my own privilege, and in trying to figure out what that is, and how it effects me. And I probably always will, because some of what it means will change over time.

I am...

Female-bodied, and comfortable with it

Gender: Is not binary, and I am not female just because I have breasts and lack a penis.

Aromantic: I don't want the romantic intimacy, even when I want physical, intellectual, emotional, or spiritual intimacy.

Sex: Not often, and orgasm is unnecessary when other people are involved. If other people are involved. I'd rather not, most of the time, because sexual intimacy is also something I'm not interested in at this time, and may never be interested in again.

Pale skinned, pale eyed, and red of hair - and identify as human, not white. (Yes, this is something I have the privilege of doing, because society sees me as the default color.)

Neurodivergent in a currently not-officially-labeled manner (diagnoses cost money that I don't have). ADHD, PMDD, with behaviors that land on the autism spectrum and some other symptoms that would usually come up while discussing PTSD.

Introverted in that dealing with people takes energy, especially large groups or people I don't know.

Social in that without regular human contact in the form of people I know, I can get downright broken.

Extroverted in that I don't always know what I'm thinking until I talk about it.

Deal with skin-hunger on a regular basis (need for physical human contact that includes skin-to-skin contact).

A reader, a writer, a sometimes artist with pencils and computer, a geek about history, science, fiber, words, science fiction, fantasy, alternate worlds, baking, and cooking, just to name a few things.

Single and prefer it that way. I do like having friends and cuddle-buddies, but see the aromantic part for why single and keeping it that way.

Living on the same property as my parents and unlikely to change that so long as they are alive, for longer than a few months at a time.

In love with water, in that if I could, I'd find a way to go swimming every damned day, so long as I don't have to go alone.

Always in pain, even if you can't tell for looking, and I can't tell without taking painkillers to make it stop.

5'3" and 190lbs, but the pain's been around since I was 5' nothing and 100lbs soaking wet with my clothes on.

Pro-privacy, pro-choice, pro-public option health care, pro-internet neutrality.

Lacking a college degree or a desire to have one, but that doesn't mean I don't learn or don't want to learn.

Intelligent, if not always wise, and not always aware.

Able to pass for neuronormative for a limited length of time, pass for able-bodied for a limited length of time, able to pass for heterosexual cis female if I keep my mouth shut. Sometimes I do so, because I do not have the energy to try, once again, to explain and justify my existence otherwise.

Why am I posting this?

Because I'm reading too much or not enough, or both. Because I am tired of passing for what I'm not. Because I really don't always know what I'm thinking before I say it - aloud or in words on a screen.

Because I can. Because I need to. Because I am tired of being afraid of myself and the world and everything in between, but I have not a damned clue right now how to stop being afraid.

I shouldn't need a reason, but I always feel the need to find one. And maybe this is just another way of trying to justify my existence, but this is one I can live with right now.

(There are many other subjects that could have ended up on this list of things, but this is where my brain was at today, and what I can deal with right now without feeling overwhelmed. Particularly since I am not locking this to those on my access list.)

Comments and linking elsewhere:

Comments are open, but should remain civil. Linking is allowed, but please to tell me before linking elsewhere - PM me or comment here about doing so.