Hopes and dreams

chatty characters pale-faced and silent

quiet and reserved characters rambling deliriously

character who always resorts to humour clearly trying to think of a quip but coming up empty

no-nonsense character so loopy that they can’t stop giggling

a stoic character’s hands trembling in panic

an easily frightened character so far out of it that they aren’t aware of what’s happening to them, much less afraid

intelligent characters who can’t think straight

protective (self-sacrificial) characters letting someone else take the fall for them because they’re too weak to object

patient characters snapping at whoever comes near

affectionate character who wants to be alone

I means it's honestly unlikely they did x, y, and/or z. Most call out posts are just bullshit lies or so taken out of context that they're just as fraudulent as a bullshit lie.

However, if they did? A callout post is useless. It's utterly pointless.

A callout post does nothing but:

Isolate the supposed perpetrator, making it impossible for them to stay in a community that would otherwise be able to go "Hey bro/sis/sib, that was fucked, let's talk about it and fix it".

Puts a spotlight on the possible victim that prevents them from recovery or healing.

Creates drama that creates damage for all parties.

And that's if their was any truth in the post.

A callout post that's just a bunch of garbage though? That:

Isolates the victim of the slander, leaving them volunrable to attacks and harassment

Feeds into transphobia both generalized and specific to the victim of slander

Creates infighting, gatekeeping, and policement of the community

Often forces people who had nothing to do with the initial drama to take part in a now ever delevoping drama, which creates more callout posts, more slander, more harrasment, and more attacks on community members. Most often effecting the most marginalized members of out community.

Forces people to view content that is often triggering and demands that they make a moral statement about it, while trying to process or cope with the content.

Creates room for Terfs, tehms, radfems, and transphobes of all brands, to stick their ugly heads in and go "see, I was right about the trans cult, do you see what monsters they are".

4 year old me: why must we do this

Fantastic old woman in the leopard print coat: "Why yes, my tooth IS real silver! Nobody ever asks me that. Do you like cats?"

So two of the kids I watch gathered that I am a witch because A: I like bugs B: My hair is purple and C: my bones make weird sounds. They very much like me and call me the nice witch.

Part 1 here!

Over the year:

As the year goes on, take into consideration the temperature highs and lows if your dumpster diving for food. If the weather gets too hot during the day, it may be dangerous to pick food from a previous day, as the conditions can encourage bacterial growth. On the flip side, consider that consistently freezing weather practically turns your dumpster into a fridge, if you enjoy the forbidden perishables of dumpster diving like meats.

Always take rain into account and plan around it when making plans with your dumpster buddies. Rain can ruin loot, especially if dumpsters are left open.

The change of college semesters, or as some call it “hippie Christmas” are golden opportunities for all sorts of goodies that privileged college students leave behind. If there are dorms or fraternities/sororities in your neighborhood, they may be worth checking out around December and May

Time of day:

Can you dumpster dive during the day? Yes, But! you run a high chance of getting caught, since that’s when employees are most likely to be coming and going

I suggest looking up the places you want to dumpster dive at beforehand, taking note of and avoiding going within 2 hours of opening and closing, that way you give employees some time to get out there (and nobody flips their shit and calls the cops)

Here’s what to do if you run into cops anyways

Special occasions:

depending on the company, restaurants and grocery stores are sometimes required to throw out all their refrigerated foods when the power goes out, even if it was only for a moment. So next time there’s a storm or you hear about a power outage, go take a peak at your local hot spots, you may just hit a jackpot.

General dumpster diving safety guide

WHERE to dumpster dive

Forget flashlights. Get a good headlamp so both hands are free.

A long stick of some sort can be helpful. Often these are in the dumpsters themselves. 

Personally, I’m the type that will willingly jump into dumpsters (I even do this when scavenging or dealing with my work’s dumpsters) BUT this is dangerous, dirty, and yes dumpsters can tip over. Know your agility and comfort level. 

Be up to date on your tetanus shots.

Idiots are loud and slow and attract unwanted attention. Get in, get out. There’s different philosophies about ‘I belong here’ vs ‘stealth mode’ but whatever you do, lingering is NOT helpful.

If it’s locked, there’s a good possibility that there are cameras. Breaking that lock costs time, and it means that if you are caught, management is more likely to be hostile than usual and more likely to press charges. Know your local laws.

Leave the place better than you found it, or you’re likely to end up with locked and monitored dumpsters.  

You can learn when dumpsters are picked up, so you can check them right beforehand. The best divers have a regular “route” they check. Some nights you don’t get much of anything, some can be total bonanzas.

I like to double check the wishlists of local nonprofits, and keep an eye out for those items when diving/scavenging

Beware of bedbugs!!!!!! They can ruin your living situation. Beware of clothing, upholstery, furniture, etc. You can bag the items up in black garbage bags and leave them in the sun for a few weeks but honestly that shit is not worth it in my book.

Don’t forget curb picking. This can be much safer and faster than actually dealing with dumpsters. 

Plastic bags and a change of clothes can be very helpful.

It’s more fun with a friend. But make sure they have a good head on their shoulders. Do they have your back?

Some places have diving communities, in which case, it is poor form to take all the good stuff for your “team”. We’ve met other people while diving, and often you find out what the other folks are looking for while you go through stuff together. Working cooperatively means that everyone gets in, and gets out, as quickly as possible.

In case you’re wondering why the heck one would dumpster dive in the first place, it’s truly astounding the perfectly good things people will just toss into landfills, or things that just need a little repair. If you are creative or know someone who is, you can find all manner of things. It’s an interesting hobby for punk environmentalists, freegans, etc. and more than a few people have made some money from selling the stuff that they’ve found dumpster diving.

Many stores will destroy or damage things on purpose before throwing them in the dumpster. Many will not. Learn how different places operate, map out your route, and check often! Good luck and stay safe! 

*rubs my little grimy hands together* Actaully do you mind if I write a whole info post?

So you guys may have read this post I made where I talked about how a lot of holiday returns end up trashed and in a landfill rather than back on the shelf, and how it's better to just donate it if possible.

I mentioned that I dumpster dive, so I see a lot of...trash. All the time. I climb over it and in it. Absorb the trash into my heart and soul. Here's some tips:

What to wear/bring:

Gloves (work gloves made of rubber or rubber-life material preferable, protects you from glass and sharp objects and prevents any liquid/trash residue from getting on your hands.)

Closed toe shoes, preferably with hard bottoms. Don't wear crocs. You don't want something sharp sticking through your shoe and into your foot.

Depending on the weather, whatever else. I like to wear masks in the dumpsters just in case (esp during pandemic) to protect myself if there's any contamination risks, or more likely, stinky perfume spilled over in the dumpsters.

If you have lengthier hair, pull it up/cover it. You want hair out of your face to see properly. Even if it's cold, trust me.

Flashlight! Using your phone flashlight works just fine (what I do) but one of those head-lamps things or the smaller handheld battery types are also really useful.

One of these 'reach grabber' things:

Dumpster Diving ettiquite:

Do not leave a mess. Anything you take out of the dumpster, please put back in. Don't spill or break things outside of the dumpsters, employees will have to clean that up.

If you are aware that other dumpster divers might use that spot, leave what you don't need/are not able to donate easily for them. Don't be greedy.

Advice! Do not be blantant or brag about details on social media unless it's for educational and informational purposes and/or you are prepared to face backlash. There's a stigma about dumpster diving and every single one is rooted in classism and capatilistic chokeholds. Bragging about what you found from a certain dumpster might also get that specific spot padlocked if word gets around.

Legality:

A lot of people worry about legal issues when dumpster diving becasue of the concern that stores will consider it stealing. The Supreme Court did weigh in on the status of trash in 1988 but from a privacy rather than property standpoint.

In that case, the court ruled that the police can search trash bags without a warrant because it’s “common knowledge” that garbage is “readily accessible to animals, children, scavengers, snoops, and other members of the public.” And, therefore, there’s no “reasonable expectation of privacy” when it comes to discarded items.

Basically, it's not illegal to dumpster-dive. It is, however, illegal to trespass. That's how they get ya. That's why you see 'no trespassing' signs on store dumpsters sometimes. 'Trespassing' on retail property is murky.

If police ARE called, really the only thing they can say is 'hey, stop that' and ask you to leave. If an employee catches you, they can also ask you to leave. Don't argue, because that can get you into *actaul* trouble. In general, if you start to feel uncertain in any way, go ahead and go.

Now we'll talk about Items you might find in dumpsters:

Food:

Normally, the dates on food packages tell what their best sold by. Sometimes the food you find in dumpsters are past this date, but it's not actaully illegal to sell it after this date but they'll still throw it away. A lot of the time, they will throw out food that has not reached that 'expiration' date yet, sometimes by a day, or a week or even some canned food out by years. Also, some store systems are inefficent, and they'll toss out food wayyyy before it expires sometimes just because it doesn't sell.

Example: a store scans the shelves weekly, depending on the products. Let's say they scan a shelf on the 7th of the month. This means they won't scan that shelf again until the 14th, so anything that is dated up until the 14th will be thrown out. (Not all supermarkets do this.)

Stores will also toss out food that's not 'pretty.' Fruits with bruises, deformed, Single banannas, bags with a single bad fruit in it, cans that have a dent in them, a couple eggs broken they'll throw away the whole carton, ect.

So some tips:

WASH IT. I don't care if it's still in the original plastic packaging, lmao RINSE THE PLASTIC PACKAGING THEN.

Absolutly do keep up to date with food recalls. If you see a large amount of the same item in the dumpster, do a quick google search to see if there's been a recall on it.

Anything that normally needs to be COLD is up to your call on it's saftey. I've found still-frozen boxed taquitos in dumpsters before, lucky enough to get there quickly right as they were tossed. If you thinks it's been a few hours since a frozen meal item was tossed, just pass over it and move on. (the taquitos were a great snack)

If you do happen to find some food but you're not sure if perfectly good for you, make a compost system! Feed it to livestock! (within reason) Or! Just leave it. There is no shame in not being able to save what big companies waste, it's their fault.

Clothes:

More often now, people donate to thrift stores or shelters, so clothes don't show up that often as they used to, but that doesn't mean you won't find an occasional bags of items that someone decided to throw out to minimize their wardrobe...or a retail store that needs to get rid of returns and make room in storage.

Some clothes you find might be stained, which you could either leave if it's unsalvagble or you might have a chance at washing it at home yourself and seeing if it comes clean. Unfortunatly a lot of retail stores like to spray paint their products, and while I've used different methods to save them (nail polish remover, dish detergent, paint thinner, ect) it can be a really hardy process with sometimes no results. Up to you.

Household items/Furniture:

If you're looking for furniture, make sure you have a vehicle with you capable of carrying it. DO NOT try to lift heavy items by yourself. Best to leave it there than risk injury or worse.

Blankets! Sheets! Pillows! Stuffed Animals! Wash these, always. Even if they are brand new and with the original packaging, you don't know where these have been. Sometimes stores destroy these with box cutters and spray paint, be warned.

Candles! Any candles I find are usually because the glass container they were in broke. If you are wearing gloves, you can pull the actaul candle out of the container and viola! New candle. Put it on a plate or another holder before you light it.

Mirrors! Be very careful. Mirrors in the dumpster usually means it's broken. Although not all the time. Once found a really HUGE mirror unbroken in a Kirklands dumpster with only the frame slightly detatched from the glass. Some hotwood glue fixed it up.

Office supplies/School supplies. I find a ton of unused notebooks, binders, clips, pencil packs and other stuff in big box store dumpsters all the time. If you can, please donate/give away those. It would really help families who cannot afford school supplies.

Toys: I have found figet toys, Lego sets, nerf guns, sets of barbie clothing and furniture for those dream house things, hot wheel cars, ect. If the item isn't electronic and doesn't show any visible damage, snag it and donate it. Electronic items (like those little remote control cars) are a gamble because it may have been tossed out due to it not working.

Other misc items/Decor: I've found essential oil sets, a dish set that was marked as $150 worth that was tossed because it had two out of the 25 dishes broken/chipped (the rest were perfectly fine), wall shelveing, ect. It's really a mystery what you'll find.

Technology:

Most tech items thrown in the trash are because they are not usuable, but not always. I have found samsung and kindle fire tablets, essential oil deffuseors, charging cords and boxes for phones, and a $300 Roomba. ALL FUNCTIONAL.

Usually these items have tickets stuck to their boxes (if they have one) explaining why they needed to be tossed.

The roomba was a returned item because the customer didn't know they needed an app to use it. One of the tablets was tossed because the charging cord that usually came with it in the box was missing (I checked, it uses the android type charging)

All in all, it's entirely up to you whether you want to take tech items if you find one and test it at home.

Places to dumpster dive/donations:

I don't think I can be entirely helpful here because I could only say what my expereince is from whats in my area, but I give you generals: Mall dumpsters, supermarket dumpsters, Collage campus dumpsters (esp when it's season to be moving out), Apartment complex dumpsters and big box store dumpsters (that last one carefully.)

Be careful about mentioning store names when discussing the practice of dumpster diving online.

Do not dumpster dive from places like cemataries, hospitals, factories, ect. DO NOT DUMPSTER DIVE FROM T4RGET, or if you do, do it at your own risk. T4rget is notorious for trying to tack charges for trespassers/dumpster divers unlike other places that would rather just ask you to leave, or not care at all.

As for donations, thats up to you and your area. All I can say specifcally is Don't Donate to Salvation Army and to always let them know where you get the items.

One more tip!

If possible, do not go alone! Take a friend with you! Not only is it a fun as hell to raid trash with your buddies, but they can also pull you out of a low spot (literally) if you find that you have trouble pulling yourself out of the dumpster.

(I personally go alone 90% of the time, but I still do not recommend it. I'm 4'9 and not very strong, I've had to do some serious parkour shit to not be stranded in a dumpster. If the worst happens, keep your phone on you to call for someone to rescue you lol.)

If you’ll all pardon my Americentrism for a moment, the amount, visibility, and flamboyance of Pride merch available in clothing, home goods, and comestibles stores is a DIRECT reflection of how safe it is to be queer in public in the United States.

How? Simple. Out groups aren’t profitable. If you’re not “acceptable” in the current social climate, big franchise businesses will not market to you. (Prime example - Look how quickly Target dropped all their Pride merch after having been wall-to-wall rainbows every June for almost a decade prior.)

Sure, capitalism sucks and being viewed as an exploitable marketing demographic isn’t a fun concept.

HOWEVER.

The grim truth is that being normalized enough to be considered profitable by corporations IS A GOOD THING in terms of the barometer of social acceptance.

Same thing goes for smaller businesses that throw kitschy Pride events or even just put a token rainbow flag in the window or somewhere inside the shop. That’s a level of acceptance that DID NOT EXIST thirty years ago, and I can tell you because I was there.

The fact that we can scoff and bitch about being an exploitable marketing demographic nowadays means we have made GIGANTIC strides since the 1990s. It also speaks to the fact that the drive and the conversation surrounding LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance are continuing. And getting louder.

You can be cynical about it if you want. But I will take a store that puts out lip-service rainbow merch over a world that pretends we don’t exist any day of the week. Because that will always mean something.

Yet, when they start being included, they are like “well, that’s just capitalism taking advantage of us, so it doesn’t count.” Like, you can’t use your EXCLUSION from something as evidence of general societal marginalization and then claim that once you’ve started to be included, it is politically meaningless. You don’t really get to have it both ways. That’s moving the political goal posts.

I get that we shouldn’t consider Target pride merchandise as like the pinnacle of queer politics or even the pinnacle of queer inclusion. I get that inclusion in capitalist intuitions is a very ambivalent form of social progress. But the truth is, capitalism is a big part of what creates our social reality right now (unfortunately).

Capitalism makes TV shows, and movies, and books, and ads, and greeting cards, and toys, and clothing, and, and…

When every single aspect of commercial social reality excludes queerness, that DOES create a real sense of social alienation. I don’t love that capitalism is responsible for creating so much of our collective social reality. But granting that it does, I think we’re forced to accept that our inclusion in it IS politically and socially important.