𝕡𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕪

-𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕝𝕦𝕚𝕕.

- 𝕚 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔, 𝕥𝕧, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤

- 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕤/𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕖𝕠𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕠𝕚𝕤𝕥 𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕜𝕒𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕦𝕟𝕜𝕪𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕘𝕓𝕒𝕚𝕥

- 𝕀 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔, 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕘𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 :𝟛

-𝕞𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕪𝕡𝕖(?) 𝕀𝕤 𝕣𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕣𝕦𝕗𝕗 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕤𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕒 𝕟𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕝 𝕕𝕠𝕘/𝕡𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕪(𝕀'𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕣 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖), 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒 𝕗𝕒𝕨𝕟

- 𝕀 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕡𝕗𝕡, 𝕞𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕓𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕, 𝕓𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕖, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕞𝕡 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕤, 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕕𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕘𝕚𝕗𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕧𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕒𝕤 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀'𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕒 𝕤𝕠 𝕚𝕥 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥. 𝕄𝕪 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕣𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠 𝕟𝕤𝕗𝕨, 𝕙𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕘𝕠𝕣𝕖, 𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣, 𝕖𝕥𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕪 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕕𝕠 𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕘 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕡𝕖𝕥𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕤𝕒𝕗𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕖

-𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕔𝕘, 𝔻𝕄 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠.

-𝕕𝕞 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕪 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕪𝕡𝕖𝕤, 𝕒𝕘𝕖, 𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕘 𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖

-𝕒𝕤𝕜𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕗 𝕚𝕥𝕤 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕘(𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕒𝕘𝕖, 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕘, 𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕦𝕟𝕤𝕒𝕗𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤) 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕕. 𝔸𝕝𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 𝕚 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 (𝕞𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕝𝕪) 𝔻𝕄 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕞𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣 ^^

-ℕ𝕆 ℕ𝕊𝔽𝕎, ℙ𝕆ℝℕ 𝔹𝕃𝕆𝔾𝕊, 𝔹𝕃𝕆𝔾𝕊 𝕋ℍ𝔸𝕋 𝔽ℝ𝔼ℚ𝕌𝔼ℕ𝕋𝕃𝕐 (ℝ𝔼) ℙ𝕆𝕊𝕋 ℕ𝕊𝔽𝕎. ℍ𝕆ℝℝ𝕆ℝ, 𝔾𝕆ℝ𝔼, 𝔼𝕋ℂ 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦

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There's a subtle sort of discrimination to how a lot of plural spaces treat system kids/littles. Especially those in adult bodies, or with a particularly large gap from their body's age.

"Littles must always be supervised in online spaces or else they'll bother adults and be preyed upon." "There must be an adult in your system if you're bodily an adult- they should handle life while the kids go away to never be seen by adults again. Littles should only talk to other littles. Anything else is unsafe and sometimes pedophilic. Right?" "Littles shouldn't be in charge. They're supposed to be cared for by everyone else and kept out of sight." "You're welcome here! You just have to only ever talk in the Baby Zone that no adults ever visit to talk to you. Yeah, it's empty and no one will answer. But you want to talk, right?" "Sorry sweetie, the adults are talking and you can't be here. Even if you're capable of understanding, consenting, etc. You're not allowed to be here with us if you're not a real adult." "Littles can't take care of themselves or handle any adult responsibilities, ever!" "Is there an adult I can talk to?"

Blue, an anthro cat sitting down, looks angry at the above phrases.

What are adult-bodied systems with no "brain adults" supposed to do? Drawing of a family of stick figures, all of whom are either child-short or hunching to be shorter.

What about systems whose caretakers are their children? Systems where there is no older person to supervise? Systems finding ways to live an adult life when no one inside aligns with it? What are you supposed to do when a 5-year-old does your taxes and drives you home?

"Just grow up." Do I get a choice, or are you ripping that away from me too?

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Why is "mental age" the bar people are using to decide whether someone is worthy of autonomy and respect, anyway? Where does the concept of mental age come from in the first place, and why does it exist?

From Wilson, R. A. (2024). Eugenic Thinking and the Cognitive Sciences. In M. C. Frank & A. Majid (Eds.), Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science. MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.c9a5f080:

"Eugenic traits: Prominent among the eugenic traits found in sterilization laws were those concerning cognitive ability and mental health. These traits, ordered in terms of their frequency in U.S. state and Canadian provincial sterilization laws, included feeble-mindedness, insanity, epilepsy, criminality, imbecility, idiocy, sexual perversion (or depravity), mental unfitness (or deficiency), and moral depravity (or degeneracy). As this listing suggests, these laws especially targeted those perceived to have some kind of cognitive limitation or psychiatric condition on the grounds that they were unfit and would propagate these eugenic traits to their children; approximately 70% of all eugenic traits mentioned in sexual sterilization laws in the United States and Canada concerned cognitive ability or mental health. Given this, there was a clear role for psychologists in programs of eugenic sterilization, given their expertise in psychological testing (Rose, 1985). Such testing and subsequent sterilization were conducted through emerging forms of institutionalization, such as “training schools for the feeble-minded,” especially as eugenics gained state-level backing (Miller et al., 2015). One of the roles of psychologists was to develop ways to measure those who were cognitively or psychiatrically subnormal. Emerging intelligence tests were adapted to quantify and classify those deemed “feeble-minded”or “mentally deficient” (Thomson, 1998; Trent, 1994). Binet’s famous test of intelligence, for example, incorporated the more specific existing folk categories of “imbecile” and “idiot,” adapting these to designate developmentally delayed children with mental ages, respectively, of 3–7 and 2 years. Following the translation of Binet’s test from French into English by Henry Goddard in 1908, “moron” was coined in 1910 to pick out those in the general population with a putatively fixed mental age of 8–12 years. This resulted in a three-tiered schema of intellectual subnormality—moron, imbecile, idiot—that came to be widely used in the eugenics movement. In the hands of the psychologist Lewis Terman, what became the Stanford-Binet test initially was deployed in selecting army recruits near the end of World War I (1914–1918) before being used on the general population. The three-tiered scheme was accordingly fed into the newly minted idea of an intelligence quotient (IQ) that remains with us 100 years on, with the fixed mental ages of moron, imbecile, and idiot mapped onto standard deviations from a normalized IQ of 100. From the 1920s, these tests were widely used to identify children who were candidates for eugenic sterilization, whether they were already housed in segregated institutions or within the regular school system or general community."

From Asilverm, & Asilverm. (n.d.). What’s My Age Again: Why Mental Age Theory Hurts People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://www.disabilitywisdom.com/2018/12/21/whats-my-age-again-why-mental-age-theory-hurts-people-with-intellectual-and-developmental-disabilities/:

The concept of “mental age” was first introduced by Alfred Binet, co-creator of the first IQ tests, in the early twentieth century. Generally, “mental age” has been measured by comparing an individual’s score on a standardized IQ test with the average performance of their same-age peers. For people with IDD, “mental age” may also be estimated by comparing the person’s demonstrated physical, speech, adaptive or cognitive skills against the average for various age groups. Not surprisingly, “mental age” came about alongside the eugenics movement in the United States. Mental ages were used to classify various groups of “feebleminded” individuals by severity: Adults with a mental age of 9-12 years were classified as “morons”; those with a mental age of 6-8 years were classified as “imbeciles”; and those with a mental age of 2-5 were classified as “idiots.” Individuals from any of these groups were thought unfit to reproduce."

A drawing of Blue looks annoyed and concerned. It's labelled, "TFW it's eugenics again. :("

Oh yeah. Why is it always eugenics?

To be clear: I'm not saying anyone is ableist or practicing eugenics for having a sense of their own internal age. I am pointing out how systemic ableism affects how system kids are treated, how the concept of mental age stems from ableism in the first place, and how terribly many cultures treat children and deemed-children to begin with: how children and disabled people are often regarded as objects, burdens, or annoyances who don't know enough to have a say about their own needs. Is this really how we want to assume all system kids should be treated? How anyone should be treated?

How much of how system kids are treated ties back to some form of ableism, in the end? I wonder about this a lot and I feel like I never see people talk about it.