If you have black friends then

WHY 👏🏻 AREN’T 👏🏼 YOU 👏🏽 FUCKING 👏🏾 WORRIED 👏🏿 ABOUT 👏🏿 YOUR 👏🏾 FRIENDS 👏🏽

I live in fear for my black friends.

I worry that my black Jewish friends will be stopped by the cops guarding our synagogues because they don’t “look Jewish” enough

I worry that two of my friends who are both black men in interracial marriages with biracial sons will be suspected of kidnapping their own children because their little boys have fairer complexions

I worry that my friends in STEM will be stopped by campus police on suspicion of breaking into the labs in which they are PhD students and lab managers

I worry that my friend who is an AD for various films and TV shows will get pulled over when she’s on a location shoot somewhere rural and get assaulted

I worry that the black librarians I work with won’t make it home if they run an evening program or work a late shift on the desk one night

A better video of what it’s like to own a pet fox, made by fellow fox owner Anda (Miko’s owner), and featuring pet foxes from all over the community, including Koda!

If you love Scottish fold cats, I’m going to tell you something you don’t want to hear. Please, please read on anyway. If you are considering adopting a Scottish fold, PLEASE continue reading. This information needs to be more widely known.

In 2008, the Journal of Small Animal practice released a short report on disorders associated with breeds of cats. In this report, the authors mentioned the Scottish fold:

People who own them may be “charmed” by their round faces and open expression (and they may not realise that the reason the cats do not move around too much is because they are variably crippled with arthritis).1

The gene that causes the cute fold in the Scottish fold’s ear also leads to the development of a degenerative disorder called osteochondrodysplasia. ALL Scottish folds have this disorder, whether they show symptoms or not- the fold in their ears is caused by a cartilage deformity that also affects their joints.

Osteochondrodysplasia leads to crippling osteoarthritis, which affects Scottish folds at much younger ages than other breeds of cats. In cats heterozygous for the gene, the disease’s progression can be seen in cats as young as six months. In homozygous cats, it can be seen as early as seven weeks old.

Affected cats may be grossly deformed, with short wide limbs and a short, inflexible tail. They show lameness, swollen wrist (carpal) and ankle (tarsal) joints, have an abnormal gait, and are reluctant to move and jump. Severely affected individuals become crippled and unable to walk.

…Many affected cats are euthanased earlier in life due to the profound effects of this disease.2

The breed is often described as “placid” and “calm.” This is due to the fact that they are constantly in pain due to this disorder. Even in mild, ‘asymptomatic’ cases which can occur in heterozygous cats, they may still be experiencing pain due to cats’ tendency to hide their suffering.

Many breeders of Scottish folds claim that not all heterozygous cats have the disorder, because the studies that examined the cats (which were all, heterozygous or not, shown to have it) had small sample sizes.

In 2003, Lorraine Shelton, a specialist in genetic diseases, offered to pay for 300 x-rays of healthy adult Scottish folds to prove that the disorder was not present in some heterozygous cats.

…She has asked a list of 300 Scottish Fold breeders from around the world to go to their vet to get X-rays done. She had offered to pay for these X-rays but not a single breeder had taken up that offer. You could not know whether this problem existed unless an X-ray was taken. If somebody would send her an X-ray of a healthy hind leg of a folded eared cat, she would be grateful as she wanted to see the very first one.3

To date, no one has taken her up on the offer. The breeders’ unwillingness to have their cats examined speaks volumes. The authors of all studies on these cats agree: it ethically wrong to continue breeding these cats.

It disturbs me that any breeder would knowingly continue to create animals that will be in pain throughout their lives. As a cat lover myself, I am begging you, please do not buy Scottish folds. Do not support these unethical breeding practices, or the concept that it is acceptable to intentionally breed unhealthy animals for the sake of how they look.

Citations

1 Breed-related disorders of cats (discusses issues with other breeds as well)

2 Genetic welfare problems of companion animals: osteochondrodysplasia (a thorough description of the disease and its prevalence)

3 FIFe meeting notes (leading to a decision not to recognize Scottish folds as an offical breed due to the disorder)

There was also a follow-up email about Shelton’s offer which can be read here.

Studies on osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Folds

Osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Fold cats

Incomplete dominant osteochondrodysplasia in heterozygous Scottish Fold cats (this is the source of the above x-ray pictures)

Not in the job description: protecting native wildlife from Pokemon Trainers carrying Rana virus.

My husband was grocery shopping today and witnessed this incident, and it made me concerned.

An adult man was walking around the store trying to catch Pokemon, and he saw a kid who was doing the same. As he had just caught a really good Pokemon in the parking lot, he asked the kid if he could show him where it was. The kid agreed, and followed this stranger out of the store.

The adult realized that he had essentially just lured a kid away from his parents in a public place, and immediately told the kid to go back inside to his parents.

This guy clearly had no bad intentions toward the kid, but how easily could someone have done the same thing intentionally in order to abduct or harm a child? After all, people have already used Pokemon Go to commit armed robbery.

So I want to warn both adult (over 18) Pokemon Go players and parents of children who play the game.

Parents: If possible, go with your children when they go out to play the game. If that isn’t possible, be sure to have a conversation with them about strangers, even strangers who are playing the same game. It might be appropriate to point out the real cases of crimes committed using Pokemon Go so the kid understands that the threat is real.

Adult Pokemon Go players: Remember that minors are still minors, even if you’re both playing the same game. Don’t ask minors to follow you or join you in hunting Pokemon. Don’t meet up with minors for Pokemon hunting without parental consent.

​Watch: Dove features genderqueer model Rain Dove in its latest #MyBeautyMySay campaign

This white woman’s shocking account of police brutality reveals the importance of the #BlackLivesMatter movement

Do I have a mental illness?

There are several reasons that I cannot and will not accept or accommodate self-diagnosis.

I believe a professional could identify many symptoms of mental illness in me. What they are and diagnoses they would indicate would likely surprise me. 

Self-diagnosis is fallible, unreliable, inexcusable, insulting, dangerous and inconsequential.

Fallible because diagnosis requires an informed, holistic understanding of both the subjective mental state of the patient and educated knowledge of mental illnesses themselves. Educated, conclusive identification of the symptoms an individual patient presents with is imperative to identifying specifically which illness or illnesses (if any) they suffer from and which course of treatment should be pursued in order for the patient to function constructively. To do this a mental health professional is required to speak with a patient at length and detract the most minute hints the patient relays. These are hints of information the patient almost certainly could not identify, even if they themselves were among the most highly-regarded of mental health experts.

Unreliable because illnesses have to be identifiable, however the nature of mental illness means there is no objective, non-human test which conclusively proves the presence of illness in a person; x-rays, MRI’s, blood testing, etc. Objectivity is among the most valued principles of science and, therefore, of medicine. In the case of mental illnesses the lack of conclusively determining diagnostic tools is substituted for the best possible alternative, medical health professionals who, even with extensive training, are vulnerable to human error. If even the most capable and knowledgeable expert could be mistaken it is simply ridiculous to assume that an untrained and uneducated individual could diagnose with any value the presence of an illness. They could not do so subjectively, and most importantly they could not do so objectively.

Inexcusable because it places more importance in the illness than being healthy, it makes a mockery of mental illness and it undermines the entire mental health industry. By diagnosing oneself there is an undeniable emphasis on being sick, not getting well. Self-diagnosis is often accompanied by self-pity and more often than not promotes an image of victim-hood, weakness and incapability. It spits in the face of the people who have dedicated their lives to deconstructing this exact stereotype. Trivialisation of mental illness is the most detrimental influence on mental health any person could perpetuate. For struggling teens who may be nervous about seeking professional help, the idea that a self-diagnosis is an adequate substitute is appealing. People in need of support and treatment may not receive it or may suffer unnecessarily because both the importance and the value of professional help has been disregarded by uninformed, reckless self-diagnoses.

Insulting because the people who are actually qualified to diagnose mental illness go through a long and grueling process to earn the right to do so. Formally speaking, Psychologists undertake a Bachelor degree (3+ years), followed by an Honours degree (1 year), followed by 1-3 years training to become qualified. Psychiatrists must pass either a test or interview to qualify to study. If they qualify they must complete a Bachelor degree (3+ years), then pass another test or interview in order to study a medical degree (3-6 years), then they complete an internship consisting of a full hospital rotation (1 year), then complete a medical residency (1+ years), then they still must complete vocational training (5 years). Informally speaking, they spend a fuck-tonne of time learning how to diagnose you properly and more importantly, how to treat you effectively. It is blatantly disrespectful and arrogant to assume that a Google search sufficiently supplements the 5 or 13 years minimum  professionals have spent learning what some skim-read and claim expertise in.

Dangerous if we consider the theory of Dynamic Nominalism, a concept concerned with the nature of assigning labels. The author proposes the idea that when a human is labelled as one thing or another that person often adopts the definition of their label and may alter their behaviour to match it. The theory is that they attempt - consciously or sub-consciously - to behave the way the label states that they ‘should’. In misdiagnosing oneself as ‘depressed’, one may find that they actually make themselves depressed by believing incorrectly that they are depressed and adopting characteristics a depressed person supposedly ‘must’ have. It is dangerous because almost every symptom of mental illness is also a symptom of a physical illness. Even for those who do not have the resources or the inclination to seek professional help for a mental illness consulting a medical professional is imperative to rule out physical illness. Mental illnesses share symptoms with physical illnesses and ailments ranging from chemical intolerance to brain tumour. Self-diagnosis - from what I have seen - does not include a self administered blood test or physical examination, please correct me if I am wrong.

Inconsequential because it should be of no relevance if there is a name for the troubles you face. If a person is struggling mentally and are conscious of the fact that they are unable to function to their full potential then they have many options. For those who are lucky enough to be able to seek medical help a diagnosis is required; doctors need a diagnosis to treat a patient. People who are unable or unwilling to access this option do not need a diagnosis. If you can identify that you are struggling mentally and how it affects you then you have the option to develop ways of coping, even recovering, if you have the willpower. You don’t need a diagnosis to retrain your brain. You don’t need a generalised descriptor to guide you in determining the more subjective aspects of your mental state. For instance, panic attacks are a symptom of any number of mental illnesses, an expert would identify as many other symptoms as possible to diagnose a patient presenting with panic attacks with anxiety or major depression or PTSD or another disorder. This gives them a condition for which they are provided treatment advice by governing bodies. Someone who does not seek medical advice can still educate themselves on coping with these panic attacks, diagnosis is not required because they need not adhere to regulated medical guidelines they must only learn to cope whichever way they find works for them. The difference between self-diagnosis and self-help the difference between Googling the phrase “Panic Attacks” as opposed to the phrase “Panic Attacks Coping Mechanisms”. The first returns a list of websites with information about Panic Disorder, the second returns a list of websites with information about how individuals can deal with panic attacks. One gives you a diagnosis and strategies for coping, the other gives you strategies for coping. Spoiler Alert: the strategies for coping are no different, however the first also associates panic attacks with illness and all the baggage which comes with it. Baggage you then carry despite the fact you cannot be sure you are even ill. .

I do not have a mental illness.

I am not saying that I would not be diagnosed with one were I to consult a doctor.

It was a brief halt, the organizers came out, agreed to the demands, and then the parade went on. Primarily the demands were that the organizers should hire more Black lgbt individuals. Which is a relevant and understandable demand to make. 

The idea that every movement against an oppressive construct has to be flawless in execution to be taken seriously is laughable. Not every individual member represents the whole. Every legit criticism I can find on BLM as a whole (rather than individual assholes making the movement look bad) seems to point that their brand of protesting is unpalatable. Which is you know. How protesting fucking works. Someone is always going to find what your saying to be unimportant or not worth getting mad over, etc. Which is why you disrupt the status quo (filling a city block, shutting down an areas work flow) so that you cant be ignored. 

As far as I can tell BLM’s core concerns are backed by statistics, legitimate, and unresolved. Whether they are doing a flawless execution is irrelevant to the fact that the issue they are bringing up needs to be addressed. The idea that every civil rights movement has to adhere to some false ideal from outsiders is ridiculous. 

Now, 

This isn’t a safe binder:

It uses clasps and not compression.

This is a c2b binder; made by trans people for trans people:

These binders have no clasps but uses spandex to compress you safety. 

Measure your chest before ordering to make sure you don’t get one too small or too large.

UPDATE (06/12)

I wanted to add more information on where you can buy binders and info in general about binders

You can buy binders from these sites

@gc2b-apparel​ (OPs #1 Recommendation)

@shapeshiftersinc​

http://www.f2mbinders.com/ (AKA underworks)

http://www.t-kingdom.com/

http://www.lesloveboat.com/shop/index.php?language=en

http://www.danae.info/en/?___from_store=nl

http://showcase.designveronique.com/designveronique/shop/postsurgical/men-1.html

http://en.nabeshirt.com/shop/

Used Binders

If you can’t afford a binder, don’t despair! Used binders are often passed on by post-op trans men or those whose binders may no longer fit. There are a few programs available that help distribute donated second-hand binders:

In A Bind – Started in 2012, to date In a Bind has provided safe compression garments to over 1500 youth in need. Trans* masculine and genderqueer youth living anywhere in the USA can apply to receive a free binder. In a Bind depends on donations. Recently had top surgery? Go up or down a size? Find a style that works better for you? Donate those binders you’re no longer using!

Black Trans Advocacy FTM Binder Grant

MORF Binder Exchange – Since February 2011, MORF has been providing free binders to trans* masculine people in the UK and around the world. The free scheme (all you pay is the postage) has so far redistributed hundreds of binders. In 2014 alone, over 280 binders were sent out.

FTME Free Youth Binder Program – Age 24 and under only; USA only.

Replace the Ace – USA only

Big Brothers Used Binder Program – Donation required

Mazzoni Center’s Binder Recycling Program – Only for youth enrolled in P.A.C.T.S., Philadelphia.

Point 5cc Tshirt Company – Free binder with purchase of t-shirt

Come As You Are’s Binder Bucks Recycling Program – Canada only

Qmunity Binder Exchange – BC, Canada only.

Trans Fellas

Northern Ireland Binder Scheme –  Age 25 and under, N. Ireland only.

You can also try asking around for an inexpensive hand-me-down binder on one of themailing lists for trans guys or check out LiveJournal’s FTM Garage Sale and the FtM Sales, Swap, and Support group on Facebook.

How to Choose a Chest Binder

If you still remember your old bra size, you can find out your binder size by using theBra to Chest Size Converter Tool. If you don’t know your old bra size, you can measure yourself the old-fashioned way:

Take a snug measurement of the fullest part of your chest using a tape measure (best if measured while clothed) and write that number down onto a sheet of paper.

Measure underneath your chest where the crease is and write that number down as well.

Add those numbers together and divide the sum by 2. This number will differentiate your size not only from brand to brand but from binder to binder as well.

Selecting a binder brand and style can be difficult: there are so many options that it can be overwhelming! Plus, there aren’t very many reviews of binders other than those about Underworks’ and T-Kingdom’s more popular models. After buying your binder, help make the experience easier for guys in the future by contributing your review to one of the review sites listed below.

Essentially, there are two types of binders: short ones and long ones. The short ones end right at your waist. The down side of these is that if you carry some extra weight, short binders tend to roll up and act more like a bra. The long ones can be pulled down past your waist by several inches, however it’s inevitable that it will still roll up. To reduce the chances of this, wear a belt. Choosing between a short and long binder has more to do with your body type, specifically your abdomen, and not your chest size.

Lastly, consider the location of the company you’re buying from. Buying from a company that’s closer to you can save you a significant amount of money on shipping costs.

How to Put On a Chest Binder

It might seem silly, but you’re probably going to need some help figuring out how to put on your new binder, particularly if you purchased one of the longer styles.

Put your binder inside out and upside down.

Step into your binder and pull the bottom of it up, ideally to your belt line. The binder should still be inside out and upside down.

Use the sleeves as handles to pull the top of the binder (the end closer to your feet) up to your shoulders.

Put your arms through the sleeve holes and adjust your chest to your needs. You may need to pull the bottom of the binder out from underneath itself if you don’t want it folded under. For others, leaving it folded under may help stop the binder from rolling up.

Don’t be disappointed if you look in the mirror and it looks like you have one big boob in the middle of your chest. You just need to adjust your chest. Reach in from the neck hole and push your chesticles down and out. You’re basically pushing your nipple toward your armpit to achieve the flattest looking chest possible.

FTM Chest Binding Tips

Very important: When binding, you should not by any means feel as though you can’t breathe or like you’re going to pass out from a lack of oxygen.

Binders aren’t the most comfortable things in the world. To make binding more comfortable, and to reduce the possibility of the binder moving around a bit, some guys wear a light shirt underneath.

Depending on the size of your chest, you may need to layer clothing on top of the binder to get optimal chest flattening. You’ll find that some of the shirts in your closet require you to layer more than shirts in your wardrobe.

You can swim in your binder. Just wear a sleeveless or sleeved T-shirt over it. Don’t worry if your binder seems less effective after a swim, this isn’t permanent. Simply wash it and it will go back to normal.

Your chest will look bigger than it really is when you look down at it. Check in the mirror for a more accurate side view.

Not all binders breathe well, and the reality is that you’re probably going to get hot. If you’ve already started testosterone, you’re definitely going to sweat. The build up of sweat can irritate your skin causing rashes and sores. Wearing a thin cotton shirt that breathes well underneath your binder may help prevent this. If you find this uncomfortable, try applying corn starch to your body before putting on your binder to help keep it from holding in moisture. If you’ve already experienced skin irritation of some sort, take care of it the same way you would an open wound. Washing the irritated area with anti-bacterial soap will keep it clean and help it heal faster.

Conclusion

Chest binding, as cumbersome as it may seem, can be very freeing for transgender men. There’s a plethora of quality FTM chest binding products available for body types of all shapes and sizes. Regardless of what you use for binding, please remember to put your health first. Now that you’re armed with all the information you need to find the right binder for you, go forth and feel more comfortable in your skin!

FTM Chest Binder Reviews

Chest Binder Reviews Site: Written reviews of various chest binding products. Binders are rated for effectiveness, comfort, and discreetness.

Binder Reviews’ YouTube Collab Channel: This is a collab channel dedicated to providing reviews of a wide variety of chest binders on different sizes and shapes of people.

(Note: These sites are no longer updated.)

More FTM Chest Binding Resources

Binding Safely for Your Body: Tips for All Body Types and Sizes

The 6 Best Tips for Binding in the Summer

Hudson’s Guide to FTM Binding: Includes a complete list of other products you can use for chest binding, such as compression garments and sports bras.

FYI Binding Tips: The Butchelor has some useful tips on how to put on a binder, how to keep it from rolling up, and how to wash a binder.

Do you have any tips about binding? Want to share your experience with a particular binder brand or model? Do you know of other binder manufacturers, particularly those outside of Asia and the US? Please leave your comments below.

Someone being an asshole online and/or drawing “problematic” shit DOES NOT MEAN THEY DESERVE TO BE OUTED IRL.

Especially if they live in a homophobic/transphobic country.

No amount of online asshattery warrants putting someone’s fucking life in danger.

I don’t care if they draw guro toddlercon beastiality noncon. I don’t even care if they sent 100 suicide baiting messages on a daily basis. I do not care if they’re a massively cringeworthy little shitstain. I. Do. Not. Care. YOU STILL DO NOT FUCKING OUT SOMEONE IRL.

You have NO FUCKING CLUE of what can happen to someone as a consequence to being outed, especially in certain countries. There are places where being LGBT is ILLEGAL. There are places where you can be ARRESTED or KILLED. 

Even in places where it’s not illegal to be LGBT, there can be prejudice which means you can get fired, kicked out of your home, beaten up, sent to “conversion camps”, and in general have your life made into hell for not being cis or straight.

If your reaction to someone being outed is “well but they were a dick online so they had it coming uwu”, you seriously need to get fucking back in touch with reality. I’m not even fucking kidding. You got serious problems. 

Seriously, I can’t believe this is something that has to be said.