itskindofareallyniceday

[itskindofareallyniceday]

i think a lot of white queer/trans people need to hear that "breaking gender norms" isnt just wearing a dress while masc or dying your hair. its also unlearning the beauty standards that impose ideals of white beauty and attractiveness on non-white folks. yes you have a nose ring but i just heard you tell your black friend with meticulously cared for natural hair "you'd just look so nice with straight hair is all im saying..." why does your blog fetishizing i mean uh. appreciating trans women only feature skinny white women who pass. when societal gender norms are so inextricably tied to whiteness and emulating whiteness it is not enough to simply change your aesthetic. you need to defy the gender norms in your own head too.

[itskindofareallyniceday]

8.46am__

[itskindofareallyniceday]

thinkin thoughts! this one’s called “niche market”

[itskindofareallyniceday]

it’s okay to look back and realize you were in the wrong. it’s more than okay to realize you could’ve been more honest, more courageous, more empathetic. we can’t change the past or fix everything with a single apology towards ourselves or other people, but we can learn to make new choices that better suit our beliefs & values, choices that reflect our growth. keep moving forward, keep working on you. in case no one has told you today: i’m proud of your progress, proud of the person you are becoming. 

[itskindofareallyniceday]

not people thinking they can escape heartache. avoiding it at all cost is itself a form of it

[itskindofareallyniceday]

Here's a playlist featuring many different indigenous languages of North, Central, and South America (Wolastoqey, Inuktitut, Atikamekw, Cherokee, Navajo, Cree, Quechua, Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), and Tłı̨chǫ).

And here's a story told in Numu (my tribe's language) and English. This YouTube channel also uploads weekly Numu lessons (or you can join live on Zoom!)

I'm gonna reblog with some videos of people speaking various American Indian/indigenous American languages, because I think most people don't even know what they sound like. Not to be judgement of that—just, you know, I think people who want to be informed should know what they sound like!

[itskindofareallyniceday]

if you learn to love bugs with all your heart the world will feel half as hostile and a thousand times as big

[itskindofareallyniceday]

[on the verge of having a complete breakdown] i need to make some kind of list or perhaps sort things into categories

[itskindofareallyniceday]

Something new for Native American Heritage Month this year:

This playlist features indigenous musicians from North, Central, and South America. It includes a variety of genres (post-classical composers, folk punk, indie pop, pow wow punk rock (yes, that's a thing!), indie rock, etc.), as well as a variety of languages (Wolastoqey, Inuktitut, Atikamekw, Cherokee, Navajo, Cree, Quechua, Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), Tłı̨chǫ, English, French, and Spanish).

[itskindofareallyniceday]

this is your thanksgiving reminder that the chinook tribe is still fighting for federal recognition, which means they are unable to access programs and resources. please take some time today to sign their petition and donate if you’re able to. and if you live in washington or oregon please write to your elected officials.

[itskindofareallyniceday]

Update: 90 new books

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, and due to the requests I've received over the years, I've compiled a list of great books written by indigenous authors from all over the Americas.

Part 1, North America:

Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Magical Realism/Mythology/Dystopia: “Elatsoe” by Darcie Little Badger (Lipan Apache) “Moon of the Crusted Snow” by Waubgeshig Rice (Anishinaabe) "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline (Georgian Bay Métis) "Son of a Trickster" by Eden Robinson (Haisla and Heiltsuk) “The Removed” by Brandon Hobson (Cherokee)

Nonfiction/Memoir/Essays: “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi) "A History of My Brief Body" by Billy-Ray Belcourt (Driftpile Cree) “A Mind Spread Out on the Ground” by Alicia Elliott (Haudenosaunee) "An American Sunrise" by Joy Harjo (Muscogee) “Dog Flowers: A Memoir” by Danielle Geller "Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City" by Tanya Talaga (Anishinaabe) "The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth" by The Red Nation “Heart Berries” by Terese Marie Mailhot (Nlaka'pamux)

Contemporary/Fiction/Historical Fiction: “Indian Horse” and “Medicine Walk” by Richard Wagamese (Ojibwe) “Jonny Appleseed” by Joshua Whitehead (Oji-Cree, Peguis First Nation) “There There” by Tommy Orange (Cheyanne and Arapho) “The Break” by Katherena Vermette (Red River Métis) “Five Little Indians” by Michelle Good (Red Pheasant Cree Nation) “The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson (Mdewakanton Oyate, Rosebud Sioux) “Birdie” by Tracey Lindberg (Cree-Métis, As'in'i'wa'chi Ni'yaw Nation Rocky Mountain Cree)

Mystery/Thriller/Horror/Paranormal: “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones (Blackfeet) “Winter Counts” by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Sicangu Lakota) “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley (Chippewa) "Empire of Wild" by Cherie Dimaline (Georgian Bay Métis Nation)

Poetry Collections: "Islands of Decolonial Love: Stories and Songs" and "This Accident of Being Lost: Songs and Stories" by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (Mississauga Nishnaabeg) "Split Tooth" by Tanya Tagaq (Inuk) “Postcolonial Love Poem” by Natalie Díaz (Akimel O'odham) "Nature Poem" by Tommy Pico (Kumeyaay, Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians) "Disintegrate/Dissociate" by Arielle Twist (Cree, George Gordon First Nation)

Anthologies: “Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction”, contributed to by Joshua Whitehead, David Alexander Robertson, Darcie Little Badger, Nathan Adler, Gwen Benaway, Nazbah Tom, Gabriel Castilloux Calderón, and Kai Minosh Pyle "This Place: 150 Years Retold" (comic, nonfiction), contributed to by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Chelsea Vowel, Katherena Vermette, Jen Storm, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, David Alexander Robertson, Richard Van Camp, Brandon Mitchell, Sonny Assu, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, Alicia Elliott, and illustrated by G.M.B. Chomichuk, Scott B. Henderson, Tara Audibert, Natasha Donovan, Kyle Charles, Scott A. Ford, Donovan Yaciuk, Andrew Lodwick, Ryan Howe “Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection, Volume 1”, contributed to by Hope Nicholson, Michael Sheyahshe, David W. Mack, David Alexander Robertson, Haiwei Hou, Dayton Edmonds, Micah Farritor, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Menton3, Arigon Starr, David Cutler, Elizabeth LaPensée, G.M.B. Chomichuk, George Freeman, Tony Romito, Jeremy D. Mohler, Ian Ross, Lovern Kindzierski, Adam Gorham, Richard Van Camp, Nicholas Burns, Todd Houseman, Ben Shannon, Jay Odjick, Joel Odjick, Claude St. Aubin, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Andy Stanleigh

More: New books that I haven't read/heard enough about to recommend yet

Part 2: Central & South America

[itskindofareallyniceday]

i saw a quote that said “i feel like i’m constantly worrying about the next part of my life without realizing that i’m right in the middle of what i used to look forward to.” and i felt that.

[itskindofareallyniceday]

i am too sensitive to be a person i feel like they took the heart and brain of a small prey animal and stuck it inside of me i am very dumb and very scared all the time

[itskindofareallyniceday]

Trans Resources/Info Masterpost

I dedicate a lot of time to helping fellow trans men, answering their questions, etc. and I've noticed a few very common questions in every trans group I'm a member of. I want the information within these resources to become common knowledge in our community. This information has been extremely helpful to me, my friends, and/or other people in the community, and they're things that everyone should be aware of...

Changing your name and/or gender marker: -The National Center for Transgender Equality will tell you exactly how to change your name and/or gender marker in each state.

HRT: -This map shows organizations that offer HRT following the informed consent method. -Testosterone HRT changes and timelines: source 1, source 2 -Testosterone myths -Bottom growth info (CW: this resource contains illustrations of the anatomy that will grow, before and after growth)

Injections/Syringes: -Syringes and needles can be annoying to buy at the pharmacy. Before I started buying in bulk, I had to go from pharmacy to pharmacy searching for ones that were the right size (they always ran out or didn't buy enough or something). This is a problem that many people experience, so a lot of us buy our medical supplies in bulk online. It's cheaper, easier, and you never have to worry about the pharmacy running out of your syringes. Here are a few popular websites that people buy syringes from: allegromedical.com, westendmedicalsupplies.com, bulksyringes.com, healthykin.com, https://www.vitalitymedical.com, https://www.gpzmedlab.com, etc. -Trans Needle Exchange is currently on hiatus, but they provide needles/syringes to people who can't afford/access them for free. -Search relevant subreddits for more, if those websites don't meet your needs.

Surgery: -topsurgery.net has the answer to almost any top surgery question you might have (the process, finding a surgeon, insurance, before and after pictures, etc.) -There are top surgery grants that you might qualify for. -The GALAP (Gender Affirming Letter Access Project) is a group of independent medical professionals dedicated to providing free letters of support to people seeking gender affirming surgeries. Make sure these medical professionals meet the requirements of your insurance/surgeon though, since they all have different requirements. -Plume also provides letters of support for gender affirming surgeries. Letters are included for members, but they can also be provided to non-members for $150 and one appointment. (Note: they are provided by a medical professional, not a behavioral health or mental health professional. Each insurance has different requirements about who the letter needs to be written by) -The Gender Confirmation Center has a lot of information about gender affirming surgeries, how to take care of yourself before/during/after surgery, a huge gallery of before and after pictures for different incision types, etc. -T4T Caregiving is a group of "traveling trans caregivers for all of your post-op needs". I know how hard it is for some people to find someone who is willing to take care of them after surgery. The caregivers at T4T Caregiving will provide you with care 24/7, with prices on a sliding scale that ranges from $150-250 per day. -You can find information about different surgeons here (top surgery - search by location, whether they accept informed consent, insurance, etc.) and here (several different kinds of surgeries - search by procedure, location, insurance, etc.)

WPATH's Standards of Care: -It's also a good idea to be familiar with the WPATH's (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) Standards of Care! Here is the most recent version, SOC8

Other: -Refuge Restrooms is a database of gender neutral bathroom locations. You can search for, add, and rate different locations.

Unfortunately, a lot of this information is only applicable to trans men (or AFAB NB people wishing to transition) in the US. That's what I have the most experience with (and knowledge about), as I'm a trans man in the US. Feel free to add your own favorite resources (especially for trans women) if you want!

[itskindofareallyniceday]

In light of recent events, I would like to remind everyone that the correct pro choice talking point that will actually pull people to our side is NOT whether a fetus is human or not because you'll never win. The correct argument is how the state should never have the power to force you to give up physical autonomy for the sake of any other being.

[itskindofareallyniceday]

what's the matter honey? you've hardly touched your fleeting experience of time on earth

[itskindofareallyniceday]

Honestly we really need to stop being weird about older adults who are virgins.

& not even purely in a "I'm sex repulsed &/or ace &/or not into the idea of so I willingly didn't have it" but also in a "I'm 80, I would've loved to have sex, but it takes two to tango & no one wanted to have sex w/ me-" and in a "I'm 60 & I wanted to, but I had anxiety so bad I just didn't put myself in a situation where I could've" way, etc. [But yes also the people who are like "I'm a virgin because I never wanted to have sex"]

Someone made a post about having their 40th birthday & still being a virgin & someone commented about how it was heartbreaking... [The OP talked about all their other achievements they reached & how they were happy - just never had sex btw. They weren't lamenting about how they never had sex]

You don't need sex/sexual intimacy to be happy. You don't need romantic intimacy to be happy. [Obviously having those may add happiness, but like you won't live a sad depressing empty life if you're single forever &/or never have sex]