Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

     

    Note, Admirers are not welcomed here.

Atheism and being treated as if they have leprosy or are serious derange.


StephieGurl

Recommended Posts

There 4 areas where I feel discriminated against. First and foremost, I belong to the group of people and transgender and gender non-conforming people. Two, I am a lesbian. not quite as bad as being a transgender woman but still not so good status. Third, I have a mental illness (now in remission) for bipolar 1. There is a struggle here just to see us a normal with certain illnesses like heart disease. We didn't ask for it and it is not are fault. Yes, we have the responsibility to seek the best care we can, but so does anyone else who is sick. Finally and the most controversial being an atheist. Now I am a live and let live atheist, just do not use a religious belief to hurt others. I have actually has the worse looks from coming out as atheist as any of my other conditions. It may be more popular to have religious or other spiritual belief, but it does not equate to me and other atheist being wrong. I won't argue here because most of the discussion are unproductive and lead nowhere. I just want to live a safe and appreciate life for what I do. 

 

If you wish to read a better written piece on this subject please see my blog post - https://stephiegurl.home.blog/2020/05/15/4-strikes-against-me-and-proud-of-it/ (hope it is not against policy to give links.

Link to comment
  • 1 year later...

Thanks for bringing this thread up @StephieGurl.  I love your profile picture!

 

I grew up in a atheist household.  Perhaps dad identified as being agnostic, but he didn't bring that up much and basically went along with my mom's strong atheism.

 

My problem growing up in that environment was with how my mom was so vocal about religious people being crazy.  And that carried through in our family culture to having absolutely no education about religion.  Now that I'm approaching senior citizen age, I feel I kind of flow between atheism and agnosticism.  The limited (everything is limited) religious experiences, attending and playing music in Christian churches and readings I've done have not pulled me to any religion (unless you consider my Zen practice religion).  There is certainly something magical about being alive though.

 

And I liked how you put it:

 

On 9/11/2022 at 12:03 AM, StephieGurl said:

Now I am a live and let live atheist, just do not use a religious belief to hurt others.

 

I feel like an outcast too with my Zen culture in the USA.  We've got all these sports bars everywhere.  I don't even feel right at yoga studios.  You know, what can you do?  You either give in and conform to something you don't like or you stand up and stick with your principles.  It's like with the choices I made with my computer programming career.  The Flash platform and Actionscript programming language had one foot in the coffin and all my fellow developers stopped using it and I was one of the few people who stuck with it and became what is known as a Flash Guru.  It ultimately got so bad though that I had to choose another language so I could pay my bills.  And I am so stubborn and principled that I took another stand with those Microsoft languages and made a stand for what is known as Windows Forms development.  In fact I've been coding a Windows Forms app for my non-professional business the last few days.  I did have the luxury of being a full time, mostly Windows Forms app programmer for a year and a half recently.  It wasn't easy to get that job though even though I've been coding Windows Forms apps since 2008.

Link to comment

I don't see anything wrong with atheism.  It makes as much sense as anything else.  I don't think anyone can prove (or disprove) the existence of "God."

 

I considered myself a christian for the biggest part of my life.  I no longer do.

I don't have any problem with believers either.  I do have a problem with this being a "Christian Nation" and the current trend toward Christian Nationalism though.

 

I don't consider myself an "atheist" either.  My present beliefs are a weird mix of pantheism and animism.   I live in the Bible Belt so I just don't bring this up to many people.  But there are a few of us around here.

Link to comment

I have a lot of religiosity in my family (father is a deacon, mom was a deacon's wife and director of youth faith, cousin is a priest, and most of my family are practicing Catholics). Since high school (at a Catholic/Boys/Military school), when I developed my critical thinking skills, I have been against most organized religion. I don't try to dissuade people from being religious, but I see the actual harm it causes as it propagates itself through time. This has caused quite an issue for my father, who worries about my soul, and myself for fear of ostracism from the rest of my family. So, I tend not to participate in religious or faith-based conversations with my family (nearly impossible with my father, he'll just start one!). Now they can add transness to my "crimes", since I've been living transfemme since the New Year unabashedly.

 

I read your post, I think that there are more people of trans experience than what your sources, but we are a minority and one that you can't open a news page without seeing some form of discrimination against us. It can be hard to comprehend why there's that much hate for so few, but it's the bias against people different than the "perceived norm" that causes it. It takes only a few to foment the othering into hate and it triggers cavepeople tribalistic reactions from there on.

Link to comment

That's cool @Ivy, I've really enjoyed your views on this forum.

 

I call this:

 

Just now, Ivy said:

I don't think anyone can prove (or disprove) the existence of "God."

 

the great mystery.  And in musical terms, the tension on the string.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   4 Members, 0 Anonymous, 36 Guests (See full list)

    • Lilis
    • awkward-yet-sweet
    • VickySGV
    • AmberM
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      82.4k
    • Total Posts
      787.3k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      9,126
    • Most Online
      8,356

    WendyWarren
    Newest Member
    WendyWarren
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Camie
      Camie
    2. HonorRose
      HonorRose
      (31 years old)
    3. Krystal Lynn Worth
      Krystal Lynn Worth
    4. Xidrok
      Xidrok
  • Posts

    • awkward-yet-sweet
      I certainly believe in that.  Using medical facts to dispel the "its just a choice" mentality and emphasizing common ground is a pretty good two-pronged approach.    In the USA, I'd add in the idea of consistency with the principles of liberty... that ultimately one of the biggest features of a free society is bodily autonomy.  Both major parties in the USA lack consistency in that area, and its something I find baffling.  
    • AmberM
      I've been working on a custom campaign setting for a D&D campaign that I am just now starting to run (just finished session 0) and we will kick-off at the end of March. I wanted to share what I created and would be curious what others think, but also if there are practical tips or suggestions. I've been watching a lot of Ginny V and a few other YouTubers on this subject, and I'm feeling more confident, but was curious if there were any small things people did that they enjoyed.   Eclipse of Divinity Community Page (World Anvil hosted) - https://www.worldanvil.com/w/eclipse-of-divinity-codeamber0621
    • Lilis
      So, would it be fair to frame it this way?   All the medical and scientific research seems to suggest that being transgender means I was born with a handicap.    Meanwhile, @VickySGV argues that focusing on our shared humanness is a more effective approach to advocacy in combating 'gender ideology.'   Is that right?   How about a well rounded advocacy strategy that might incorporate both?    Leveraging scientific research when necessary while prioritizing human connection and lived experiences to drive cultural acceptance.
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      Ugh.  The snow is coming back!  I thought we already went through the coldest part of the year, but apparently this storm is going to bring a nearly record-setting cold for this date.  Probably getting at least a foot of snow, and maybe lower than -5 overnight Tuesday and Wednesday.    I really, really, really want to just hide in my nest.  I'm not meant for this.  My arctic GF and her 5 little clones are probably going outside to scamper and revel in it.  I have at least been successful at convincing my GF that she should stay home from work.  Even with the new cardiac stent, she's been insisting she's able to go back, but the fatigue is noticeable.   My husband will be home for a little while tomorrow, since his company canceled most tasks for the next couple of days so people can stay home to take care of their families.  But once the snow starts falling he's probably going to be dealing with emergency stuff part of the time.  He's already got his county-issued Humvee ready to go.  My sister is planning to be on duty, and has switched her usual patrol car for a 4x4.  With so many kids at home, it probably means less time for me to nap and stay warm...
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      I both give and take.  But I often warn people that my advice may be worth what they paid for it...
    • Samantha Rose
      I hope so too, because I can REALLY use the help, LOL.  
    • Betty K
      You’re welcome. I hope TransPulse helps you as it has helped me. 
    • Samantha Rose
      It sounds like we share a lot of the same experiences and preferences.  It is nice to be in a place where I can meet more People like me.  Thank You for taking the time to share Your thoughts with a Newbie.
    • Betty K
      You’re welcome. Growing up in the 70s and 80s with a healthy dose of unrecognised, suppressed dysphoria and a severe degree of bullying and stigmatisation within my family attached to my gender nonconformism, I also am frequently amazed at how far we’ve come. Just to be able to walk down a city street in broad daylight without being harassed feels like luxury to me even now. Unfortunately I feel, when it comes to sexuality, we have an especially long way to go. As a transfemme who is exclusively attracted to men, I am painfully aware of the amount of shame most men attach to being attracted to someone like me. It takes an effort not to let that shame rub off on me, but I’m trying.
    • AllieJ
      In regards to dysphoria, I doubt many people or trans care professionals really understand it. For most of my life I suffered with dysphoria, even when nobody around me kew I was trans. When I was young I tried to understand why I had compulsions to engage in feminine things, and through puberty I realised that my internal view of myself was at odds with my birth sex. I realised then it was this incongruence which resulted in my dysphoria, but in 1967, there was no terminology for any of this. Through my teens I learned that affirming activities reduced my dysphoria, and this gave me a strategy to manage my life.   I came out at age 65 and was universally accepted and supported, but this did nothing to alleviate my dysphoria, which was very strong by then. Starting HRT and living full time made a significant difference, but when my HRT failed me (inexperienced endo), my dysphoria increased. I was surprised by how much my dysphoria was reduced after my GCS. Almost gone. I realised then that my genitals were my biggest trigger for dysphoria.   I struggled to find a descriptor much of my early life, and as I learned, it changed. Then I realised I never fit neatly into boxes, so I stopped trying. After six decades of studying myself, and others, and lots of reading  and talking to hundreds of other trans people, I have come to the conclusion that all trans people have dysphoria, but not everybody recognises it. it changed for me with life events, and at times I didn't feel it, but I realised that even while it was benign, it was still there. Not as a profound feeling, but as background 'noise' which was easily covered by other events. This 'noise' would just prevent me from enjoying other things fully, or add to other frustrations.   I also started to realise that Dysphoria is a reaction to incongruence, just as euphoria is. It is akin to pulling your hand away from a flames that are burning you, or moving closer to the flames when it is cold. A natural reaction more than a mental disorder...   Hugs,   Allie 
    • awkward-yet-sweet
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      Actually, no.  Its a good song, and sadly it always seems to remain relevant. 
    • Samantha Rose
      Thank You for explaining that.  It does make sense and I can see how this would help.  For me it was never about access to health care but about the stigmatization of anyone not following gender norms.  Today it is so. much better than when I was young.  It is easy to see that we have not come far enough, but we often forget how far we have actually come.  I still suffer from societally instilled distaste for my sexuality.  It sometimes gives me tunnel vision, that is why it is refreshing to hear new ideas suck as Yours.  Thank You again.
    • Betty K
      Hi Samantha. The way I see it, while a certain amount of dysphoria may be inevitable in some people, dysphoria could be largely avoided if trans folks were accepted, affirmed, and given access to medical treatment earlier. For eg, I know a trans child who has never known friction around her gender; the moment she told her parents she was a girl they accepted her and did not push against her. She is still very young so chances are she may experience dysphoria in puberty even with access to medication, but then again if that medication is delivered in a timely fashion she may not, or at least that dysphoria may not be extreme. The real problem arises, imo, when people are made to wait for treatment or to prove themselves worthy of it, especially by suffering a certain level of distress. For eg, in my country it is possible to access early release of superannuation on compassionate grounds to cover gender-affirming surgeries, but only if you can find a psychiatrist to testify that you are suffering. Well, why not just let people the access the money *before* they start to suffer, if at all possible, or at least before the suffering becomes critical? That, to me, is an example of the government and medical profession prioritising cure over prevention.
    • Samantha Rose
      Thank You for saying what You did.  I am almost constantly sliding up and down the scale (or spectrum).  Sometimes I feel like I am on a roller coaster NOT a spectrum.  And like the roller coaster I swing wildly from fear to excitement.  Right now my life is in one of those points where I am going up hill slowly and hearing that clack clack clack of the cogs... waiting for the drop.
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...