LGBTAIitP #47: Weather Control Central

[Heliomance]

Hello, hello, welcome, one and all, to the forty-seventh iteration of our thread, the humble LGBTAI in the playground thread!

The AI is for All-Inclusive, because we have only so much space but everyone, regardless of orientation, direction, letter, acronym or chosen astrological symbol is welcome here!

We do, unfortunately, have a few rules. We are not an anarchical state! Or, we weren't until they voted we were? But shush.

1. We are primarily a support thread.
This means that the primary focus should be in helping people here feel better; about themselves, about their lives, about their problems. We are also an education thread, but when helping someone learn involves not supporting, we will default to support - Mostly. We are only mostly human, after all.

2. If you want answers to Trigger topics, spoiler-box or privately ask them.
This relates to the above. If you want to ask questions debate, and your responses, or a side response, or something involves not being supportive/active antagonism, spoiler it and LABEL YOUR SPOILERS CLEARLY.

Triggery topics will be listed here, when I can get them straight. (hahaha straight)

3. Avoid discussing Politics or Religion.
It doesn't matter how much these two topics intersect with our forum topic, they are verboten. Sometimes, hints are... Looked over, such as "man, in my countery being gay sucks", but detail is right out, and even that could be considered willful disregard. Be Careful. As the moderators themselves often say, if you aren't sure, Don't.

4. Do not Discuss Moral Justification.
No one here is going to discuss whether or not it's Right" or "Okay" to be LGBTAEIOUsometimesY or anything else. It's not topical, it's not relevant. We are, and we are here to cope with that and with the stresses it causes.
And no, my joking acronym doesn't constitute considering this rule less important.

5. Do Not Post Sexually Explicit Content.
It's against forum rules, it's against decorum, and it will get us shut down pretty fast. What adults do behind closed doors is cool, and allusion is fine. Anything that could involve a diagram, though? No.

6. Again, Spoiler-box [Trigger] topics.
This gets a second mention for it's more specific uses. If someone, even just that one individual person, has a problem with a topic, because it stirs demons best left in their pit, Do. Not. Bring. It. Up. Publically. Use a spoilerbox, and think carefully about whether this is the place to broach the topic at all.

This particular rule includes casual and glorified violence, corporal punishment, and in-relationship rape. Which I would hope fell under politics and sex enough they wouldn't come up anyway, but hey.


Glossary of Common Terms

And, for reference, here is a list of commonly used words and definitions by our community. Please understand that this list is currently undergoing construction right now. Any contributions to the list are appreciated.

Spoiler

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LGBT: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*

LGBTA: LGBT+Asexual

Lagerbeta: A fine brewski to be drunk by all - the name comes from the above abbreviation.

QUILTBAG:
Q - Queer and Questioning
U - Unidentified
I - Intersex
L - Lesbian
T - Transgender, Transexual
B - Bisexual
A - Asexual
G - Gay, Genderqueer

Where a word below is in italics, that means it has it's own entry on the list.

A note on labels: many of these labels are seemingly interchangeable, and for some people they are. However, please do not presume to correct or judge another person's use of a label. Bisexual and Pansexual are especially tricky in this regard, as are transgender and transsexual to a lesser degree.
Often the difference in why one person feels one label is appropriate and not another is deeply personal. If you wish to know more it is probably a topic to seek private advice on, from one of the people listed in the next section.


AFAB/AMAB: Assigned Female/Male at Birth

Agendered: Someone who lacks a gender.

Androgyne: Gender Identity with male and female aspects.

Androsexual: A person who is attracted to men.

Asexual: A person who does not feel any/some sexual attraction.

Binary, The: See: Gender Binary.

Bisexual: 1. attracted to two genders; 2. attracted to one's own gender and another gender; 3. attracted to various genders; 4. attracted to people regardless of gender; 5. ask the person who says they're bi what exactly they mean by that. See also Pansexual

Cis: See: Cisgender

Cisgender (CG): Somebody whose gender and sex align.

Demisexual: A person who is sexually attracted to someone(s) only after they have formed an intense emotional relationship with.

Dysphoria: The disassociation Trans* people feel with their own body.

Male-to-Female (MtF): Someone who was assigned male at birth, but is female. (AKA: trans woman)

Female: See: Woman

Female-to-Male (FtM): Someone who was assigned female at birth, but is male. (AKA: trans man)

FAAB: Female Assigned at Birth.

Feminine: Something generally associated by society with women.

FFS: Facial Feminization Surgery: Surgery to reduce chin/nose/cheekbones. Associated primarily with MAAB Trans people

FtM: See: Female to Male

Gay: A man who is attracted to men.

Gender Binary: The commonly held notion that there are only men and women on two extremes, with nothing in between.

Gender Expression (GE): How one expresses their Gender Identity to society.

Gender Identity (GI): How one feels inside society's idea of "man, woman, or other".

Genderfluid: Someone who fluctuates between different genders.

Genderqueer (GQ): Someone who is not of a binary gender; someone who is not male or female.

Gynosexual: A person who is attracted to women.

Heterosexual: A person who is attracted to members of the opposite gender.

Homosexual: A person who is attracted to members of their gender.

HRT: Hormone replacement therapy. MtF's tend to progestrogens, oestrogens and androgen blockers, while FtM's take testosterone almost exculsively.

Lesbian: A woman who is attracted to women.

MAAB: Male Assigned at Birth.

Male-to-Female (MtF): Someone who was assigned male at birth, but is female. (AKA: trans woman)

Man/men: A cis man or trans man. Male.

Masculine: Something generally associated by society with men.

Pansexual: A person who is attracted to people regardless of gender. See also Bisexual

Polyamorous: A person who is interested in a relationship with more than one person.

Presenting: Trans* shorthand for appearing as their preferred gender, regardless of any HRT, SRS or other changes.

Trans*: Transsexual and Transgender primarily, with the asterisk denoting that the trans- prefix could be followed by any number of appropriate words. It also includes other labels, and is a catch-all term for people who identify as something other than their biological sex at birth.

Transgender: Used in reference to a person whose sex(body) and gender(mind) are at odds or do not match. A transgender person can also identify as genderqueer, transsexual, or may use transgender as their only identity.

Transitioning: The process a Trans* person undergoes to move to their preferred gender. Often includes HRT, SRS, FFS.

Transsexual: In common terms the same as transgender above. In medical terms refers specifically to people who wish to transition from male to female or female to male, not accommodating any other options.

SRS: Sex Reassignment Surgery: Surgery to replace/transform a vagina into a penis, or vice versa. Mastectomies or plastic surgery may be used on breasts.

Sexual Orientation (SO): How one identifies who they are attracted to.

Significant Other(s) (SO): Person(s) you are in a relationship with.

Third-gendered: Someone who fits in a local society's third gender, usually male performing female tasks, occasionally vice versa. Also a person who feels they do not identify with any other gender identity.

Woman: A cis woman or trans woman. Female.

Allies: Hetereosexual-Cisgender people who support equality for sexual, gender, and romantic minorities.

Private Consultation.

We have a list of people whoa re willing and able to discuss topics that may not be thread-appropriate but are still topical. They can be reached by Personal Message (PM), thought they may not respond immediately, or may be on sabbatical.

Spoiler: Topical Consultants

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Name: Especially familiar with the topic(s) of
KenderWizard: General/basics, gender and feminism, bisexuality
Musashi: General/basics, asexuality/demisexuality, depression
noparlpf: General/basics, asexuality, greysexuality, biology, Skype
Lea Plath: Genderfluidity
Lycunadari: Genderqueer and agendered
Eldest: General/basics, bisexuality, polyamory, pansexuality will Skype(voice if needed, no video)
HMS Sophia: Trans stuff (esp hormones)
Lix Lorn: General/basics
Eirala: Trans stuff (esp emotional issues), Skype(no voice or video, however)
Absol197: Gender identity issues
Warkitty: Academic/technical discussions
Lentrax: General/basics, depression, bullying
Wormwood74: Transgender legal issues, transgender outside contacts
Astrella: GSRM rights, feminism, trans stuff, Skype
Asteron Questar: Relationships, depression
Mystic Muse: Skype-y goodness.
Socratov: Skype-ness
Chess435: Skype
Irish Musician: PM, Rants/Venting
Metditto: PM/Skype for L, T, GQ, BDSM(Off-thread or Spoiler Triggered), demisexual, feminism, therapy, depression, dissociative identities
inuyasha: Shoulder on which to cry, someone to listen
Partysan: PM/Skype, polyamory, pansexuality, BDSM(Off-thread or Spoiler Triggered), Rants/Venting
TaiLiu: General Transgender information, transphobia.
Enrico Dandolo (Caroline) : Trans stuff, mental health, feminism, asexuality, hugs. PM first, Skype chat if asked.

Some people are also willing to talk off-board, through Skype or email or other means; this is especially useful if your question involves board-forbidden topics such as religion or politics. Also, we can't (and ethically shouldn't!) give medical advice. If you need medical advice, please see a professional!

And as a parting note, I will say that even though moderators do not read PMs, they are still part of the forum and still subject to forums rules. Non-allowed topics and discussion should NOT be conducted via PM.


Previous Incarnations

Like the Glorious and Unconquered Sun, we have risen, lived, died, and risen anew, with many faces, many voices, many hearts. In this past, much can be found, both good, and bad, should one be brave or perhaps, foolish, enough to seek it.

Spoiler: Past Threads

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1. LGBT people in the playground
   
2. LGBT people in the playground - part II
   
3. LGBTitp - part III
   
4. LGBTitp 4: We are a family?
   
5. LGBTitp - Part Five
   
6. LGBTitp - Part Six
   
7. LGBTitp - Part Seven
   
8. LGBTitp - Part Eight
   
9. LGBTitp - Part Nine
   
10. LGBTAitp - Part Ten
    
11. LGBTAitp - Part Eleven
    
12. LGBTAitp - Part Twelve
    
13. LGBTAitp - Part Thirteen
    
14. LGBTAitp - Part Fourteen
    
15. LGBTAitp - Part Fifteen
    
16. LGBTAitp - Part Sixteen
    
17. LGBTAitp - Part Seventeen
    
18. LGBTAitp - Part Eighteen!
    
19. LGBTAitp - Part Nineteen
    
20. LGBTAitp - Part Twenty - Critical Hit!
    
21. LGBTAitp - Part Twenty-One - BLACKJACK!
    
22. LGBTAitP Part 22: The Best There Is
    
23. LGBTAitP Part 23: Et tu, ~Bianca?
    
24. LGBTAitP: Alphabet Soup-with 24 different Vitamins!
    
25. LGBTAitP part 25: Doing Away With Subtitles
    
26. LGBTAitP 26: No Time For Snappy Titles
    
27. LGBTAitP 27: Of Shoes, and Ships, and Sealing Wax
    
28. LGBTAitP #28: Come Taste the Rainbow!
    
29. LGBTAitP #29: The Rainbow Outreach Program
    
30. LGBTAitP 30: Free Cuddles (Enquire Within)
    
31. LGBTAitP #31: Cuddles Are On Back Order. Have Some Snuggles!
    
32. LGBTAitp #32: The Great Plushie Invasion!
    
33. LGBTAitp #33: The Thread at the End of the Rainbow!
    
34. LGTAitP #34: <3!!
    
35. LGBTAitp #35: What Midlife Crisis? :3
    
36. LGBTAitp #36: May Contain Bites!
    
37. LGBTAitP #37: Once upon a time...
    
38. LGBTAitP #38: Once More With Feeling!!
    
39. LGBTAitP #38: Making Your Way in the World Today....
    
40. LGBTAitP #40: Technicolour Partyboat
    
41. LGBTAitp #41 - Imprecise Terminology Supercenter
    
42. LGBTAitp #42: Better Than Skittles/The Meaning of Life!
    
43. LGBTAitp #43 [Insert snappy subtitle here]
    
44. LGBTAIitP #44: Quick, We Need To Vote A New Title!
    
45. LGBTAIitP #45: Rainbow Anarchy
    
46. LGBTAIitP #46: I Cast Prismatic Hugs
    

Webcomics that touch on... Well, everything related to the thread.

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Venus Envy. Long dead webcomic. The creator has chosen not to continue it and move forward in life.
Rain. A story of a MtF girl in high school.
Khaos Komix.As the creator puts it(from his site): "A complete GLBTWTFBBQ comic about gender and sexuality. (Trigger warnings for EVERYTHING and nothing is safe for work.)"
Always Raining Here. "Adrian is heartsick, Carter is horny. This is a story about their misadventures as awkward teenagers as they fumble through unrequited romances."
Tripping over you.An awkward blind date leads to better options.
Questionable Content. The LGBTA characters are well done, and not stereotypes.
What's normal anyway. "What’s Normal Anyway? is a comic that discusses the trans male experience through the story of Mel, who takes the big risk of being himself and transitioning from female to male."
Princess. A webcomic.
Twokinds. Keveak: "It generally portrays GRSM matters positively and is quite a nice tale overall."
Misfile The Rose Dragon: "Ash is a young boy who, as a result of a screw-up in Heaven, gets stuck in a girl's body in a life he doesn't recognize, and has to deal with the changes and challenges of his new body while trying to get back his old life. Supernatural hijinks and car racing are involved."
I know I missed a few webcomics, and if anyone finds more, feel free to PM them to me with a brief description, and I will add them.

The Brand New LGBTA Arts & Crafts Thread!

[Mono Vertigo]

Sorry, responding to a quote already...

I'd like to make a suggestion for the next thread - a "tax", if you like. If you want to post a link to a negative news article (and please do - it's important to raise awareness of stuff like this), you also have to post a link to a positive article as well, even the positive stuff is only on a small scale.

Awareness of LGBT problems is important but it's important to have hope as well.

I respect the intention behind that suggestion, but I feel it's not going to work out very well, first due to the somewhat limited amount of LGBT-related good news available, secondly because there are articles that, while intended as unambiguously positive by whoever post them, are going to be interpreted more negatively by some, who are therefore not going to feel more hopeful. (Non-controversial example: there are videos of cute kitties, posted in good faith, that managed to make viewers feel worse after watching for a big variety of reasons.)
Also, more personally, I'm not fond of self-censorship for the sake of hiding an unpleasant, but factual, event. Might just be me though.
Spoilering them though, that'd be great.
Just my two cents, others may agree entirely with you and that'd not be a bad thing, etc etc.

[Jormengand]

Thread!!! Yaay!

In other news, been having horrible (and pretty graphic) nightmares recently. Living at dad's house (have not told dad about genderfluidity) so can't present female and I also have limited internet access so I can't talk to people as often. Bleh.

[Asta Kask]

Looks like a nice thread you have here. Would be a shame if anything happened to it.

[Jormengand]

Looks like a nice thread you have here. Would be a shame if anything happened to it.

Indeed it would. Which is why this thread is guarded 24/7 by an assortment of dire rabbits, were-kittens and a special contingent of hedgehogs. You have been warned.

[Kajhera]

Thread!!! Yaay!

In other news, been having horrible (and pretty graphic) nightmares recently. Living at dad's house (have not told dad about genderfluidity) so can't present female and I also have limited internet access so I can't talk to people as often. Bleh.

*hugs* Shall be missed ... would it be silly to suggest phone or letter?

Nightmares are terrifying things. It's likely a good thing I don't have them very often because I wind up in a state of not wanting to sleep where I had one for a while. You and others who suffer them regularly have my sympathies.

[mistformsquirrl]

Speaking of weather control, this sounds suspiciously like my suggestion on a completely different website that we weaponize the National Weather Service by way of directed homosexuality and feminine immodesty <,<

This was brought on by the discovery that theoretically one could be a Commodore in the NWS. Also amusingly that the Surgeon General is in fact, an Admiral. I mean that's the official rank of the Surgeon General. Seriously, look it up.

[Jormengand]

*hugs* Shall be missed ... would it be silly to suggest phone or letter?

...It's likely a good thing I don't have them very often because I wind up in a state of not wanting to sleep where I had one for a while...

Uhm, well, I don't really want to spend ages on the phone to my friends, and internet access is not limited enough to make a letter more viable.

Yup. I'm always terrified of sleeping. I can't often get to sleep, which with my nigtmares seems to be a good combination of bad things.

Speaking of weather control, this sounds suspiciously like my suggestion on a completely different website that we weaponize the National Weather Service by way of directed homosexuality and feminine immodesty <,<

This in turn reminds me of my brother's plan to destroy the Daily Mail with lesbians, but I think the joke was too situational to make sense here. A pity.

[Zweisteine]

Speaking of weather control, this sounds suspiciously like my suggestion on a completely different website that we weaponize the National Weather Service by way of directed homosexuality and feminine immodesty <,<

Your suggestion? The C.I.Gay is already a thing.

[godshawk]

Misfile is still one of the most beautiful webcomics I've ever read ever. 'Nuff said.

[Mono Vertigo]

Your suggestion? The C.I.Gay is already a thing.

I should have expected that someone else would have stolen my idea before I even formulated it and led it to its logical conclusion much better than I did. It always happens.
... I'm coming to the realization this might in fact be a family curse passed from mother to daughter. Oh godammit.

[mistformsquirrl]

Your suggestion? The C.I.Gay is already a thing.

Hahahaha, awesome <_< I wish I'd seen that sooner.

[SiuiS]

Your suggestion? The C.I.Gay is already a thing.

... I had things to do today.

[Proud Tortoise]

Your suggestion? The C.I.Gay is already a thing.

*laugh*

Misfile is still one of the most beautiful webcomics I've ever read ever. 'Nuff said.

It is pretty good.

[Absol197]

Hi new thread~

I'm still busy, but I wanted to say hi!

Also, lots of hugs for Lena . Your mom was doing so good, I'm sorry she's gone back to being a terror. And bad dreams are never nice. I hope your sleep is undisturbed tonight.


~Phoenix~

[Mono Vertigo]

*hugs for Astrella*

... I had things to do today.

Appropriately, just found that.
*easily amused*

[Mina Kobold]

I'd just throw it in google translate and hear what comes out ;)
((Sounds like "St-ty'air-nuh", due in part to my lack of knowing how to represent sounds in symbolism XD))

Tried it, and it seems fairly accurate. A bit robotic, but just as goofy as most Danes do when speaking. :3

Frankly, I was always more partial to the good old piece of eight, myself.

Well, if we are including no-longer-in-use coinages as well, then certainly. I'm more partial to Drachma and Wu Zhu, but the Spanish Dollar certainly has its appeal.

Your suggestion? The C.I.Gay is already a thing.

Reminds me of a podcast I heard where they discussed that concept. However, since the disaster at the time hit everything in the city except the quarter known for being the most gay-friendly, it was concluded that there exists a magical gay forcefield. Unfortunately, the suggestion to use this discovery to prevent natural disasters did not get picked up. D:

Hi new thread~

I'm still busy, but I wanted to say hi!


~Phoenix~

Hi, Phee! ^_^

[tassaron]

Misfile is still one of the most beautiful webcomics I've ever read ever. 'Nuff said.

I genuinely think Misfile is the best transgender webcomic I've seen for cis people. You can't typically explain dysphoria to people because they think "well if I were a different sex I'd just be that sex", but Misfile dodges that really nicely by having someone wake up one sex after being another one, and having everyone else think they've always been that way (the italicized part being something other magic-trans comics seem to always omit). It's not necessarily the best trans comic for trans people but IMO it does a very good job for everyone else.

I'm not a fan of how long it's been dragged out, though. Should've ended a long time ago.

[Jaycemonde]

Y'smell that?

It smells like...New Thread Spirit.

Spoiler: Completely unrelated to the thread, but I felt like sharing.

Show

So I turned my somewhat disused alternate SecondLife account into a bonafide android, complete with an access panel and battery life and the ability for others to add behavioral rules and stuff with certain permissions and passwords i'm not that stupid gosh. I figured forcing myself to play by certain rules and be disciplined enough to sit around for a few hours at a time (if that's what's asked) and knowing when to leave a fun place to recharge would affect me in meatspace by making me less likely to blow up on people or overreact to things. So far it's more focusing, to say the least.

Anyway, what all happened in the last three or so pages of the last thread? Anything particularly exciting going on?

[Astrella]

Thanks everyone for the kind words, I'm doing a bit better, did have another nasty dream involving my mom, but I'll be okay.

[Chess435]

Could one of the trans folk here get a hold of Karen? She's having dysphoria problems right now and I'm not really qualified to lend advice.

Reposting from last thread.

[Mono Vertigo]

Anyway, what all happened in the last three or so pages of the last thread? Anything particularly exciting going on?

I set off a tangent about the weaponization of same-sex marriage, and the colonization and terraforming of Mars.
... oh, sorry, "exciting", you said? Not much.

[Astrella]

Reposting from last thread.

She unfriended me on Skype, so I can't talk with her. :/

[Miriel]

My grandmother offered to pay for some of my laser treatment

[Asta Kask]

That's great! And now you're allowed to post something horrible!

[Mono Vertigo]

That's great! And now you're allowed to post something horrible!

Rainbow cookies are delicious, but will clog your arteries and kill you slowly. Along with bacon and Nutella and most comfort food.
Done!
... oh, huh, right, you weren't replying to me, ignore that.

[godshawk]

I still say we make a chart of peoples' preffered pronouns

[Proud Tortoise]

I still say we make a chart of peoples' preffered pronouns

I agree... I've been confused about that in the past.

[Proud Tortoise]

I'm not a fan of how long it's been dragged out, though. Should've ended a long time ago.

There are a lot of boring parts =m=

[Absol197]

Reposting from last thread.

I'll reach out to her tonight when I get home from Work. Best I can do right now, sorry Chessie .

Hi, Keveak!


~Phoenix~