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Auberon Moderator

Hi hi finally sitting down to chime in here! :D

This is very long, so let me slide it under this collapse.



I am a bisexual aromantic enby.

The first one I've known since I was a child and had intense crushes on "other girls" that bloomed to calling myself "bi-curious" in adolescence and early adulthood until I finally accepted that I'm bisexual. Functionally, my attraction spectrum is what many would call "pansexual" today, but since bisexuality can and often does have the exact same spectrum of attraction, I've chosen to stick with this label. (Plus the colors on the flag are SO pretty!)

I came to realize that I'm aro spec in my late 20s. A lot of this revelation had to do with finally getting properly medicated for my bipolar disorder. I realized that I only feel romantic urges when I'm manic (or when I've developed a strong emotional bond), and without that mania, I just... don't really care to pursue romantic relationships. It explained why I always felt so trapped and stifled in relationships when I'd come down from mania, and I am much, much happier living a solo life.

I did have a platonic partner for about three years, and although that ended on not the best of terms, it was really great while it lasted. It's totally possible to have a deep emotional bond, mutual support and care, and tend to one another in emotionally intimate ways without any kind of romantic or sexual bond. This was really formative for me when coming to terms with the fact that my style of attraction doesn't line up with what's pushed by mainstream society at large.

The last one I only realized in the past couple of years. I was always what my family would call "a dress wearing tomboy." My interests and clothing styles were equally masc and femme, although my family often dressed me in frills and pink. When I started buying my own clothes and experimenting with style as a teen, I began to dress in largely androgynous ways, though I'd go back and forth between masc and femme presentation. (My parents thought I was a lesbian at one point because I didn't date any guys, and I just straight up Looked Queer). This even applied to my hairstyles, which would go between long and straight up "pixie cut."

I dated a man for about four years in my mid 20s who forced me to dress and present hyper femme to please him, and it was exhausting and performative. When we finally broke up, I leaned pretty androgynous, to the point where a partner I had some time later joked that I was "hilariously, confusingly futch" and gender nonconforming.

I dunno how it finally clicked, but in my early 30s, I finally realized that being totally comfortable with accepting all pronouns, plus my presentation shifting, plus this constant underlying dysphoria with assorted parts of myself that usually manifested in dreams and confusion on waking meant that... huh, maybe I wasn't cis after all. So I started calling myself a demigirl, then non-binary, and then finally I was like, "You know... I think genderfluid describes my experience best."

I came out very publicly, and the people dearest to me have largely been super supportive, even if some of my family has not. I go mostly by AJ now, though a select few can still call me my government name. I still get "she" constantly, which occasionally grates because "no!! I'm also he!!" But overall I'm just so much happier with myself knowing who I am now. My best friend called me handsome at her wedding, and I just welled up with such pride and delight.


Quite rambly, but that's my journey to who I am today. Maybe someone can relate, but it's never too late to discover who you really are. <3

Happy Pride!!
Saturninum wrote:
less drama more shitposting


WipG412.jpg

LMAO THE PIKACHU IMAGE
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Oh are we doing Queer Rage memes again? I missed it the first time.
Luscinioide

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wait i found my other favorite one

gay trauma dump time haha

im a romance and sex repulsed aro ace forced into a straight arranged marriage with no means of escape because that's how we do it in less open countries, so now im desperately trying to either ghost this poor guy into thinking i'm not worth it or convince his family i'm a low worth candidate enough to drop
ok back to your scheduled posting have a meme
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Zelphyr Topic Starter

Hexblading, I hope your plan works out well, and wish you luck in perhaps managing to get a pleasant "lavender marriage" instead (so that can be one less thing for people to keep pushing on you).
Hey everyone, and happy pride month to you all :)

As for myself, I don't label my sexuality right now, pride is mostly important to me on my side because of my own gender identity. I'm in a relationship, and have been for quite some time that I never imagined myself with someone else.

But I'm still a somewhat closeted trans guy, I'm really afraid to tell the people close to me in my real life. First of all of course my partner, who sees me as a woman, and I feel so scared of the possibility that coming out will end this relationship with the person I love dearly. But also family, close friends, room mates,...

I don't think any of those are not accepting in general or in particular of the LGBTQ+ community. And there are no obvious reasons for me to believe that they won't support me, but still there is such a deep dread inside my soul what would happen if they would not accept me, that I don't feel like I can tell them.

I'm really scared of what their reactions might be, and still working on finding enough courage and mental stability to take the steps further. I hope that at some point I'll feel confident enough.

But at the same time, most of my online friends know by now, I changed gender tags, pronouns and my name on all my regular websites. And this is a huge help, such a sweet support, a safe place I can just step into when I need it.

Turn on the computer, open the pages on my phone, it's like I can shortly just vanish into a place where I can be myself until I find the strength to deal with dysphoria and calm my anxiety down a little again.

It does not matter if you are out and proud or in the closet and proud. You are valid. Your identity is valid. Your feelings are valid. It does not matter if you have other reasons for it or no reason at all. You're valid. No matter if you plan to come out or not. No matter if you plan to take steps into transition or not. You are valid. You don't need any explanations to be yourself.

You are valid.
You are awesome.
You deserve all the best.
And I'm so proud of you!
Sanne Moderator

So much love to give to so many folks here!!!

I suppose my story is pretty straight forward (<.< shush): I'm pansexual/panromantic. I had feelings when I was just a kid, probably... I don't know, 9-10-11 years old? Then when I was 15 or so, I came out as bisexual. Had crushes on a bunch of different people, dated a girl for a while, and as I got older I got to know the term pan.

Even though bi and pan can functionally be the same, bi is more of a spectrum where 'two or more' can mean 'all', but it doesn't have to. And I really feel more comfortable with the emphasis being on 'it really doesn't matter what your gender is, if I like you, I like you', which may have something to do with how I value clear communication and struggle with social cues in general. Pan has only one possible meaning, bi could be a number of variations, so pan is easier for me.

I've been in a lot of straight passing relationships and I've also been bummed out by how much rejection comes with that from within the LGBTQIA+ community and outsiders. Fundamentally, none of my relationships are straight, because I'm not. My sexuality doesn't change just because of who I'm with, but I am often treated like I'm straight and don't belong in queer spaces. I've had people tell me in no unclear terms I'm not part of the Alphabet Mafia because I'm with a cis man. Ironically, that hasn't stopped people from telling me I don't deserve to exist and I should be eradicated from the face of the earth because I also like every gender other than men when I'm not with a man??

It's even gone so far as a person commenting that it's a good thing I'm sterilized without kids because now I can't pass on 'my homo genes' and I've removed my sins from the genepool, which... let me tell you, people have become really good at weaponizing your reproductive choices no matter what you do, and it sucks. I've also noticed a horrifying increase in trans fetishization and transphobia on social media directed at myself, a cis woman. Strangers try to talk to me and right out of the gate ask if I'm a trans woman because I'm 6'1"... and obviously that must mean I can't be AFAB. The audacity is astonishing. It doesn't touch anywhere near on what trans folks deal with, but it's a solid glimpse in how transphobia and fetishization is illogical and gross.

So besides the outright eugenics and exclusion from all sides and the gross fetishization, my supremely gay self is doing fantastic. XD I'm so grateful I get to be who I am in the spaces I call my home without being confronted by this bullcrap at every turn. And I hope that straight people can take pride month to sit down, be quiet and listen what our lives are like. This stuff I deal with is mild in comparison to what a lot of LGBTQIA+ folks deal with, because I am 'lucky' that my sexuality isn't immediately obvious and I am cis. But I can't say what I put up with is a walk in the park either.
Kim Site Admin

Just a quick reminder as I just had to remove a load of totally unrelated memes that were flashing, Zelphyr (the OP) had these asks relating to memes:
Quote:
Post fun LGBTQ+ memes! You are strongly encouraged to stick to ones relating to your own identity/experiences, just to be sure you don't end up posting something that might actually be pretty cringy (you know, in a bad way). I also encourage you to either post the link to the image or to put the image inside a collapse tag, especially if the image is flashy or could otherwise be a problem to those with visual sensitivities. And please describe images (or other visual media) for anyone who might be using a screen reader or something! Note: Please refrain from sharing images, quotes, etc. which could be taken as inciting or encouraging threats, violence, or other legally problematic activities.
(bold added by me)
I've known I was Biromantic at least since I was...12, though I didn't know the term for it. I thought I was straight up Asexual from about 16-20 when I first learned the term and had nothing else to go on, but then learned the term Demisexual, which is part of the Asexual spectrum and that fits me better. Though I've come to terms with the fact that I usually just tell people I'm Asexual because they're more likely to leave me alone than when I just say 'no'. >.>

I've always known I didn't fit into the 'I'm a woman and only a woman' gender binary my whole life, just struggled to put it into words and really understand it. Even now that I identify as a Demigirl (on the nonbinary spectrum) I sometimes am not totally sure how I feel. I know I am a woman, but I'm not a woman. Being called not a woman, and a woman, both make me feel weird depending on the day, time... It's complicated.

It's been a rough few years, but my sexuality and gender has been a few of the not too difficult things compared to everything else, so that I'm grateful for.
Cass Moderator

Quote:
I've been in a lot of straight passing relationships and I've also been bummed out by how much rejection comes with that from within the LGBTQIA+ community and outsiders. Fundamentally, none of my relationships are straight, because I'm not. My sexuality doesn't change just because of who I'm with, but I am often treated like I'm straight and don't belong in queer spaces. I've had people tell me in no unclear terms I'm not part of the Alphabet Mafia because I'm with a cis man. Ironically, that hasn't stopped people from telling me I don't deserve to exist and I should be eradicated from the face of the earth because I also like every gender other than men when I'm not with a man??

This, 10000%, this. <3 I really don't talk about my sexuality, but I relate to this so, so so much.
hexblading wrote:
gay trauma dump time haha

im a romance and sex repulsed aro ace forced into a straight arranged marriage with no means of escape because that's how we do it in less open countries, so now im desperately trying to either ghost this poor guy into thinking i'm not worth it or convince his family i'm a low worth candidate enough to drop
ok back to your scheduled posting have a meme
22b.png

That is actually dystopian af, my god...
Zelphyr Topic Starter

Rayne_Storm wrote:
Sooo, I've actually got a question about a dream that I think might be related to me being bi-
Quoted the dream too
Rayne_Storm wrote:
Okay well, in my dream (this was a few weeks ago now) there was this really pretty girl who I'll just call Harper and I'm pretty I was dating her in the dream because we shared a few kisses in it as well as she called me her girlfriend (I think she did anyway, I don't have a very good memory sometimes-), sadly, I soon woke up from it but I couldn't stop thinking about the girl for a while and that made me really think! Soo, is that kind of a sign or am I just looking too far into it?


Dreams are always going to be a tricky thing. On one hand, the things we dream depend on how our minds work and what sorts of things are on our minds, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be meaningful; they could just be wandering associations and what-ifs. It is good to go ahead and think about it! The thing to focus on, though, is how you feel about things while awake.

(The following questions are for your own consideration; you don't need to share any answers, and they may need a long time to ponder on.) While awake, do you find girls attractive in a way that differs from, say, looking at a cool piece of art or pretty flower, or differs from a respect-based admiration? If you think about dating a girl, how do you imaging wanting to interact and express affection, and how does that make you feel? Do you ever find yourself looking at a girl and thinking it would be nice to date her? And so on.

You may find it helpful to look up the Split Attraction Model, too. It goes over different types of attraction a person might experience separately; it primarily focuses on establishing that romantic attraction and sexual attraction can both be felt without the other being part of it, but it can also help to distinguish just finding something or someone nice to look at, enjoyable to have at least some types of physical contact with, or just really want to be close platonically (which should not be assumed to be "lesser" than other types). If you find yourself getting stuck having a lot of trouble discerning what to make of feelings being different and hard to figure out how, that might help you to to sort it out a little better. (Though sometimes, some feelings still won't seem to properly fit in any category.)

Anyway, main point: Do you find the idea of dating girls appealing? Does thinking about it feel like it'd be something real, or just playing pretend? (And again, it might take a long time to answer that, and your answer may change with shifting perceptions or such. That's fine, so long as you are being true to yourself to the best of your ability.)
Zelphyr Topic Starter

Have some random information!

One of the things I've learned (and have seen explained many times, probably because it seems to only be certain parts of the LGBTQ+ community who need to think about it much) is that there is a difference between "fluid" and "flux" identities. Probably the biggest thing that brought my attention to that fact was stumbling across the term "gender fluidflux" (or just "fluidflux") and finding the definition of it very relatable - even though I still rarely ever mention it because that is a ridiculously vague term that requires more context than usual to interpret. Prior to that, I had noticed "flux" being used in ace and aro communities and of course there's "genderfluid," but I'd originally mostly shrugged off the discrepancy.

Both "fluid" and "flux" identities involve an identity that changes, but they do actually have distinct implications about the nature of that change. (There are definitely cases where either one could be accurately applied.)

"Fluid" identities move around a spectrum of two or more identities. These identities may be clear, distinct points, or they may blend together.

"Flux" identities shift along a linear spectrum between "more intense" and "less intense." How that actually gets interpreted can vary a little between people. In most cases, "less intense" seems to be basically be seen as closer to being genderless, while "more intense" has a specific gender being more clearly felt and present. Some may also use their sex as the reference point for one end, and may count the other end as being either "more different" or "less alike" from their conceptual baseline. There are also those who will use "flux" instead of "fluid" if they have just two identities (any two) they move between, maintaining the linear scale even if it's not measuring intensity.

A common comparison made to help illustrate both ideas and how they differ uses lights. "Fluid" identities are likened to a light that changes through a range of colors, while "flux" identities are liked to a light that has a dimmer to adjust how bright it is.
I'm gonna be honest: pride for me hasn't ever really been.. what it's supposed to be.

I first came out to my mom as a trans-man when I was 13. Probably the worst mistake I've made - I was punished for trying to figure myself out and pretty much all of it was blamed on my autism. I've since figured out that i am infact transmac & nonbinary, but i've also shattered my relationship with both of my parents trying to be authentic. My mom has always made it clear that if I decide I'm trans once I'm 18, then she'll support me, and I guess in a way I'm grateful for that. But I've always felt extremely guilty because I know I'll never forgive her for the hell she's put me through for four years. Not letting me get my haircut, taking away my access to the internet for years at a time (not joking.) and the gaslighting.

The english healthcare hasn't made things easy, either. The NHS is wonderful. don't get me wrong- free healthcare is fantastic and I would genuinely have died back in 2020 without it.

But the fact that I can't legally change my gender here hurts. a lot. The fact that some of my friends were denied the healthcare they needed because they're not cisgender or straight. The self-identification law was turned down (2019, JK Rowling and her army of TERFs screamed loudly. They call us TERF island for a reason) and it hurt a lot of people in the process. A requirement of changing your gender here is a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Which... it's becoming increasingly more known that not all people experience such; more so present in non-binary people. I experience top/chest dysphoria, however I don't experience bottom/gential dysphoria.

Not only that, but here. your dead relative's opinion matters more than your own. There have been friends of mine that have been turned away and rejected after waiting 10 YEARS for their first HRT appointment because their dead father wouldn't have approved of their transition.

I love pride. I love it for the people who can celebrate without fear and who can enjoy the month. I hope people can continue to celebrate and be authentic. But for me, as far as I can see it, we're not making progress in England. The city I'm in doesn't even have a pride parade until AUGUST and even then children have been stabbed every year at it.

Either way, if you're going to a pride event, have fun and stay safe <3
Yo. I'm Marin and I am a... genophobic but not technically ace lesbian. And what I mean by that first bit is that I experience attraction but am largely unable to act upon it because I become irrationally uncomfortable/upset and have panic attacks past a point. Thankfully those aren't triggered by anything that is in line with the site's rules on what's appropriate for a public thread, so no need to worry about me. That being said it's not fun and I'm not proud of it. But I am proud of liking other girls~! Being able to accept that part of myself has felt great. So y'know I've got that going for me!

I've known I was open to the idea of liking girls since basically the first time I spared a thought to the idea. But I was compulsory bisexual for quite a long time. And by that I mean, I was compelled by a sense of guilt to 'give boys a chance' and failed to recognize that the lack of physical attraction meant anything for a while. It took me a long time to grow into the idea that there was nothing wrong with having a preference and understand that I was mistaking what were essentially the joys of close friendships with romantic interest. It just kinda took time for me to reflect on my feelings and get to understand them better, y'know?

It's been really fun to get a better understanding of myself, and of course with understanding comes the ability to write better stories. Knowledge is half the battle, as they say. My support goes out to anyone else trying to better understand themselves.
Happy pride!!
I have many LGBTQ+ friends and family that I love super dearly, but it was only recently that I realized I myself am actually bisexual. This isn't a super known fact, only my online friends know due to my family probably not reacting well. I am in a straight-passing marriage, but my husband and I both feel like we are both bisexual. It doesn't exactly change anything about our lives, but I feel like I know myself a little better now. It's a bit of a struggle sometimes because of knowing my family wouldn't exactly approve. I haven't brought it up to them because part of me feels like it's not worth 'rocking the boat', but another part of me kind of wants to just tell them. Idk. It's complicated.
I told a friend the other day that maybe I'd come out to my 'real life family/friends' if I "found a good enough meme", and they laughed but it was actually kind of legitimate lol. Humor helps ease tension, right? xD
Anyways, I hope everyone has a happy and safe pride <3
Hey, i have a question. Please forgive my stupidity, but what’s the difference between the terms Intersex and Hermaphrodite? Like i said, please forgive my stupidity, and don’t get mad at me, I genuinely don’t know.
The main difference between hermaphrodite and intersex is that hermaphrodite is an organism possessing both types of gonads whereas intersex is an organism possessing several sex characteristics of both male and females such as chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones or genitals.

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