End on End

It’s time to get uncomfortable, folks. Doing the same things we have always done because they are the path of least resistance is not going to cut it anymore. The times of ignoring the bad for the little comfort benefits are over.

→ Source: Comfortable

We are in… my family are taking part in the boycott tomorrow. We’re cutting off Amazon as best we can going forward. We’ll hopefully prioritize local businesses, but at the very least I’d imagine shopping direct from businesses online, with a priority to businesses that support our causes.

Personally, I’ve been off Instagram and Threads for all of February… and TikTok since January 1… and it’s been a really nice change. Facebook has been read only since February 1, as I run a youth hockey site and need information off that in the short term. Come April, that will go dark as well.

As the other Jason said in the article linked above… Fuck them.

Geez this year is going to be hard, isn’t it?

It’s only January and we have an openly Nazi billionaire (and richest person in the world) with major influence in our new government. Seriously? Fuck Elon and fuck Nazis. Fuck billionaires.

And while we are at it, fuck Snopes for advancing the whole “my heart goes out to you” narrative. How you can watch the first time he did that salute and logically think, “now that’s just him sharing his appreciation with the crowd!” with a straight face. His face was straight determination and borderline anger. There was nothing loving or appreciative about that gesture. That was pent up frustration and relief that he finally has the power to be who he is…

Beyond that bullshit, we’ve had the predictable slew of executive orders targeting the marginalized – trans people, immigrants – as well as the shuttering of many safeguard agencies involved with cybersecurity, consumer protections, ethics, and health. I’m sure none of that will cause any issues in the future at all. Rolling eyes emoji.

For me and my family, the most concerning are the orders targeting trans folks, as I’ve mentioned previously…

Thankfully we spent a good deal of time over the last two or three years preparing for this potential outcome, getting legal documents (passport, IDs, birth certificates, school records) in order as best we could… though we are now at a point where our son is heading off to college next Fall and most likely away from the safety of our house and local community. We’ve been blessed to have friends and family that are accepting and loving and kind, so that unknown is terrifying, honestly.

So with that said, please support trans and other LGBTQ+ folks during this time. Support their work, their livelihood, their humanity. It’s not a time to let things slide and be silent, as the people in charge are working very hard to make sure trans people don’t exist. And it’s only a matter of time before the next marginalized group is targeted for extinction.

I know for some it may be a challenge – whether it’s feeling like you don’t understand or just the limited life experience of knowing only CIS heterosexuality. I get it. Until a few years ago, I was closer to that end of the spectrum than where I am now. And I’m no where near being done with learning and growing.

One of the most freeing discoveries I’ve made for myself has been simply realizing you don’t need to fully understand everything. Because, simply put, not everything is FOR YOU. This is especially true for things that don’t directly impact your life.

You don’t necessarily need to understand why someone is trans or gay or non-binary or choose certain pronouns, for example. It’s their life and they should be able to expect, at the very least, the neutral decency afforded to them as a human being. If you are close to them and they choose to share their story in detail, fine (and lucky you to have such a good, trusting relationship), but otherwise all you need to do is trust the details of the story they ARE sharing with you. (The principle is the same for people of color, other marginalized folks, and victims of bigotry and violence. Just believe them. Just give them their humanity, as they are.)

That’s it… that’s the bare minimum, though I’d argue everyone should be treated with a basic level of empathy too. Once you realize and then assume that everyone is carrying some burden or difficulty in their life and because of that, default to treating them with grace, you’ll live a less stressful and angry and scared life.

Because no one, literally no one, in the LGBTQ+ community is trying to turn you gay or trans or hanging out in bathrooms to prey on CIS people, or “turning trans” to win a race or a fight. Those immigrants you are scared of, the one you’ve been told eat cats, murder white people, and rape women? Those are all stories that are exaggerated and amplified to generate fear and solicit votes.

Fear won in 2024, but I’m going to do my best to make sure it has a hell of time going forward. Please do the same.