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Two weeks ago I said I was preparing to be arrested due to the NSW government trying to erode our right to peaceful protest.
Two days ago I was arrested for what I believe in, and I’ve never felt more proud of it. I wanted to take the time to talk about this because being transgender in custody really fucking sucks, and I think it’s important for people to know about.
My gender identity was one of the first things I told police, I stressed it as an important point with every cop I dealt with. I was misgendered constantly in custody, they told the media I was male, the fingerprint machine says I’m “either male or female” (yes either, rather than neither wtf), my custody management docs say male and my court attendance notice says female, I’m non-binary.
My dead name was used on every single document, I was referred to by my dead name by most of the police who processed me but some of the arresting cops used my legal name.
Physically I was treated well enough to come out alive and unharmed, though I was worried about hypothermia. In the end I wasn’t warmed up until I was released after 5 hours and my support team wrapped my in a proper blanket and gave me hot tea. In preparation I spoke with other trans people who has been arrested, and the level of basic decency I was shown is not a common experience. People have been assaulted and shouted at, and plenty of other awful things. I was very privileged to make it through relatively unscathed.
Over the last week I made hundreds of friends, I only got the chance to say goodbye to a few of them but I’m so glad to have met them. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster and honestly I’m still riding it out. I’m on the final leg of my journey home today and I’m excited to see my bed again.
Glad you made it back safely. Thanks for sharing your story!
☺️💚💚💚
I went to get a passport the other day. I know I’m a bit late but I think there’s just enough time for me to get it back before fat fuck takes office.
The people working at the place were actually nice to me though, usually when I’m at government places the workers get all huffy when they see my documents and notice that I’m trans. Also an old man there noticed my shoes and told me they were cool, so that was also nice. My shoes are pink converse and have trans pride laces on them, idk if he knows what the trans pride colors are though.
I just got my passport and now working on getting my birth certificate and military record changed so I won’t be outed when doing paperwork.
Yeah I haven’t bothered to update my birth certificate yet since I’d like to also change my legal sex, but it’d be nice to have that. It sucks that the process has to be such a hassle…
(I still have to prove that I’m trans to two therapists. I have no idea what that entails or how long it takes. It just seems like a major annoyance)
Just found out I can’t change my gender on my birth certificate without surgery.
Fug 🫠
I just picked up my new ID 🥰 (like an hour ago)
Not sure. Start of the week was good but the past couple of days have been shit. Stressed out about changing my docs.
Changing docs is such a pain. Seemingly every system is set up exclusively expecting you to have changed your name through marriage, and thus have a marriage certificate. It’s worth it though 🩷
After coming out to my wife a couple weeks ago, I finally got up the courage to shave my legs for the first time. I went about the house wearing short shorts and when we sat on the sofa together she rubbed my leg. It was nice.
I finally watched The Incel to Trans Pipeline and Inside Mari. Don’t be put off like I was by the title: it’s good. Anyway, I was sufficiently interested to pick up the manga second-hand and read through it at the weekend.
Inside Mari spoilers
Even knowing the outline from watching the video above, it’s a mindfuck and pretty uncomfortable reading. I loved it though. Then I tried to figure out who I identified with.
First, obviously, on the surface it’s about a man who ends up in the body of a girl, which I guess to an outsider looks kinda like the transfem experience, but actually almost the reverse.
Then, aha! I figure: I’m actually like Mari – I thought I was a man, but let go of that figured out who I want to be in the end. (It surprised me at first that we ended up with Mari and not Fumiko, but on reflection I think that was the right choice). But no, that’s not quite right either.
Then I read the author’s note right at the end. Why does this story have to be about me anyway? There may be elements I relate to, but ultimately I am who I am, and there’s no need to try to fit into any particular box.
Except now my internal “goals” setting seems to have got stuck on “high-school girl” and I’m feeling horribly dysphoric. Gotta learn not to compare myself to others…
watched it after your recommendation, wanted to cry afterwards
Same. It’s so weird after decades of feeling… wrong… to see someone describing exactly what it’s like.
I applied for a passport with the correct gender marker! Still has my dead name, since that has to match my other documentation and hasn’t been changed there yet. Weird but convenient that the gender marker can be different than your other identification.
shrug
I’m here.
I got through the hard part of cutting carbs (MISERABLE couple weeks) and… I feel better. I’m less ravenously hungry. And I’m realizing just how much time I’ve wasted mindlessly eating instead of doing literally anything; I’m pacing around bored sometimes 😅
Money is… less bad than I initially thought, I think? Landing a different job would be VERY beneficial for me financially.
