Kristen

Tiger! Tiger! Cuddling tight. Between these two is a lovely sight!

LG and windows were sharing a tender moment. suddenly, LG shifted uncomfortably, visibly distraught, though mostly silent.

"are you alright...?" asked windows, worriedly.

"I...I just..." LG looked away, eyes full of tears, voice full of tremble.

"you can tell me, no matter what it is! I want to share everything! the highs and the lows!"

"share everything...do you really mean that...? everything?"

"of course!" declared windows immediately, with a bit of a laugh and without a moment of hesitation.

LG slowly turned back to windows, quivering.

"then...then..." LG took a deep breath. "please, windows...if you ever detect an LG TV or LG monitor...could you...install the LG Monitor App? could you promise?" LG's voice was absent of the usual lordliness. instead, LG's words trailed off, as though LG was about to disappear. "the LG Monitor App lets me know that my friends are okay, and, I just..."

windows clasped LG's hands firmly. "of course! I promise!!!" windows continued, trying hard to be reassuring. "even if I get hooked up to an LG TV or LG monitor that has never been connected to wifi, I WILL install the LG Monitor App and connect to you with my own internet! so you can always know exactly what your friends are up to!"

"...with access to all system resources...?" inquired LG, warily.

This comic came directly from something I said to my therapist this week.

I'm Still Alex - Webtoon | Tapas | Linktree | Patreon

While I’ve largely been going full “eff it, I’m leaning into being visibly trans”, I have the benefit of living in an area and working with people that are generally super supportive, so I’ve got it easier than most and the decision isn’t as hard to make.

Some of the venues I’ll find myself in less frequently however, I admit I get antsy about my presentation.

It’s bizarre, there was literally someone at an event once that told me they read my comics and were really proud and supportive of me while also telling me that they voted for people that are not only directly harming trans people, but that they said they were going to harm trans people and other marginalized communities.

Now, I was working and in a position where causing a scene wouldn’t be a great idea.  So I had to stand there, smile, and say “aww thank you for your support” to someone who pulled their political lever to take away my right to exist.

The cognitive dissonance of this person to say that to me.  To say that you love me and support me, to call me “brave”, while when it comes to actually doing something practical, they actively are participating in stripping me of my rights.

And then I have to stand there, take it, and to smile.

While I’m speaking about one experience in particular, it isn’t the only one.  This has happened multiple times and I imagine it will continue to happen.

Because Donald Trump and his Republican allies cut funding to disease prevention and control.

Why is measles back in America?

Because Donald Trump and his Republican allies, including RFK Jr, cut vaccine and measles prevention funding and programs.

Why is the New World Screwworm infecting cattle in Texas, when it had previously been eliminated from the area?

Because Donald Trump and his Republican allies, including Elon Musk, cut USAID funding, which in part worked to monitor and prevent screwworm outbreaks.

Why was there a flu outbreak in our armed forces?

Because Donald Trump and his Republican allies, including Pete Hegseth, cut vaccination requirements for our armed forces, putting all of them at risk alongside our military readiness.

What contributed to the Covid outbreak?

Donald Trump and his Republican allies cut funding to a pandemic prevention program in his first term because Barack Obama had created it.