two drafts

30.01.2025 17:01 — 👍 434    🔁 132    💬 6    📌 8

Panic cleaning for 2 hours so you won’t be judged by the 16-year-old babysitter you hired (and knowing you’ve been unsuccessful) feels like a special kind of failure.

30.01.2025 17:03 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

My quilt about women’s reproductive rights has been banned from all American Quilters Society shows this year. It’s been part of a traveling show with SAQA. My artist statement is too long for here. It’s on my website: laurashaw.net/quilts#/your-mother

#quiltsky

29.01.2025 22:46 — 👍 747    🔁 261    💬 110    📌 39

Anybody who actually knows gender nonconforming kids could tell you that they are some of the most courageous people in the world.

Let’s hope the rest of us can rise to their standard.

30.01.2025 00:51 — 👍 3489    🔁 521    💬 32    📌 24

This is how a dictator acts.
 
Sending 30K migrants to Guantanamo—a place w/ repeated human rights violations—is an attempt to evade our legal system & act in the shadows hundreds of miles away.
 
REMINDER—the U.S. affords weaker due process/legal rights for people detained there.

29.01.2025 22:21 — 👍 2992    🔁 790    💬 279    📌 59

This is how Trump's executive order defines sex. (d) "Female" means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell. (e) "Male" means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell. Sounds simple, right? It's not. Let's break down the many issues with this. 1. At Conception, None of This Exists At conception, a zygote (The developing baby before the first cell division, which is around 24-30 hours after fertilization.) doesn't have sex characteristics besides sex chromosomes. People with XX, XY.. even XO, XXY, XYY, XXX, etc. go down the same development pathway until around 6-7 weeks. Reproductive cells? Eggs? Sperm? A zygote doesn't make those either. It's kind of hard when you're a zygote. So, this definition must be based on chromosomes at conception. But even that doesn't work: chromosomes alone don't determine if you'll produce eggs or sperm in the future. Donald's definition of sex would apply to federally funded organizations. That presents many problems with hospitals, IDs, documents, prisons, people on Medicare and Medicaid, and social interactions. 2. Biology Refuses to Be Boxed In Here's why: People born with chimerism have both XX and XY chromosomes, and can still produce eggs. Many people with intersex traits don't fit into these neat little boxes. For example: (Continued on the next slide ...)

Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) (46,XY) Despite having XY chromosomes, people with AIS develop externally in a typically female way, embracing their female gender identity. They have a vagina, undescended testes, and may have an underdeveloped uterus. This showcases the remarkable diversity of human biology. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) with estrogens is needed for AIS individuals to induce female puberty and development. Yes, the exact HRT that trans people require for their sex development. Trump's definition would exclude people with AIS, highlighting the importance of inclusive understanding. Regular gynecological care is necessary for people with AIS for vaginal hygiene, lubrication, and dilator use, ensuring optimal vaginal health. They also require typically female cancer screenings. Despite not having a cervix, may have a vaginal pouch that can develop cancerous cells, underscoring the need for vigilant care. Testicular Disorder of Sex Development (DSD) (46,XX) Those with this condition are have XX chromosomes and remarkably develop as males, owing to a SRY gene translocation. Most often, they possess a male gender identity. They also have testes, although usually small and undescended, and a penis. As a result, they require Hormone Replacement Therapy with testosterone during puberty. Swyer Syndrome (46,XY) This condition presents an extraordinary example of the diversity of the human body, where individuals with XY chromosomes develop female external genitalia, defying conventional expectations. They possess nonfunctional ovaries and underdeveloped gonads called 'streak gonads,' which are essentially non- functional tissue. They're eventually medically removed to prevent cancer. They can be pregnant with XY chromosomes. They need medical care for pregnancy. (Continued on the next slide ...)

Trans Gender Identity | Neurology Sex Gender identity is a deeply ingrained aspect of many people. It's not something that can be legislated away. Research consistently demonstrates that gender identity is innate and not chosen for many people, like gender attraction. It deserves to be recognized as a significant part of someone's sex. World leading biological organizations recognize there are durable biological evidence for trans and cis gender identity consistently in the sizes of brain structures, neuron numbers, molecular composition, functions, and connectivity of brain structures. Hormone Replacement Therapy alters the expression of genes. Trans women have female gene expression and vise versa for trans men. There's also surgeries that change genitalia and other sex characteristics of their body. It's also the consensus of every psychological organization around the world who has studied this that it isn't a choice and gender affirming care is life saving for many trans people. We can use language like trans female, AIS non-binary, cis male, intersex female (It covers more conditions.), intrasex male, XY female, etc. The syntax is: (sex condition) (identity) It's more accurate and it's convenient. This is the Multi-Dimensional Spectrum Model. Donald's definition just affects federally funded programs so far, but people on medicare don't have money to go spend it somewhere else. These federal bans are blocking vital care for many people. Trans people who are taking Hormone Replacement Therapy need the care of an endocrinologist, otherwise they have an increased risk of blood clots, cardiovascular problems, liver damage, or deteriorating bone health. There's so many other intersex people who also would be affected by Donald's unrealistic definition: CAH, 5-ARD, Klinefelter, True Hermaphroditism, and more. (Continued on the next slide ...)

4. This Hurts Everyone's Freedom Sex is a complex spectrum, not two rigid categories. Forcing this binary by law is like legislating that the Earth is flat, that evolution isn't true, that COVID-19 is a hoax-it doesn't make it true. This goes against the pursuit of scientific exploration and being free to discover who you truly are. Instead, this rule tries to bury reality under paperwork. Legislating biology doesn't change it-it just harms people who don't fit into its oversimplified boxes. 5. Medical Chaos Incoming This isn't just about definitions; it's about healthcare access: Intersex children could face unnecessary surgeries to "fit" these rules. Patients might avoid care due to gender dysphoria or fear of discrimination. Narrow definitions lead to incorrect diagnoses, inappropriate treatments, and worse outcomes for everyone. This rule isn't about clarity-it's about control. It denies people's lived realities, ignores neurological, medical, and psychological consensus, and creates a mess for doctors, patients, and society. We deserve better than laws that erase us and harm those who most need support. Let's keep advocating for truth, compassion, and the freedom to be who we are.

Donald's executive order is trying to smoosh sex into two unrealistic boxes, and it will vitally harm many people, not just trans people. I dive into that here and all the ways Donald gets sex wrong.
#trans #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #transgender #trump #executive

23.01.2025 16:54 — 👍 47    🔁 20    💬 4    📌 4

It’s beautiful!

30.01.2025 13:42 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Bird! A blue jay. Sitting on a bent branch of a dogwood tree, the branch mounded with snow, the dappling of late day sunlight behind. The blue jay is in the left of frame, facing right, its tuft slicked back and catching the golden light. In its mouth -- er, it's beak, is the beak its mouth, or is the mouth inside the beak okay never mind whatever -- IN THE BEAK is a peanut. A treasure. A prize. A little snack. The blue jay looks quite pleased at what it is found in the snow -- taken before a squirrel could get it. Photo by me, Chuck Wendig

ANYWAY, sorry, here's a bird. Pause and regard the bird. The bird is happy, for the bird has found a peanut. May we all find the small joy of finding a tasty snack today.

(photo by me)

29.01.2025 15:09 — 👍 14335    🔁 1025    💬 272    📌 60