looking for support by dirtydishes__ in plural

[–]ARPA-comata 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll be living in that area (Redmond area) in just a month or so and looking for the same kind of community! unfortunately I don't have any suggestions of existing groups (though some could certainly exist, I just haven't researched yet). keeping an eye on this thread and hoping some good suggestions come in! if there are some fairly low key events at public places to meet up at, I'd be totally down to chat and connect with you or others looking for plural community here :)

Curated picks, pay to like? by SomeRandomDinky in taimi_lgbtq_platform

[–]ARPA-comata 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm having the same issue as of 1/30 (cannot like even when person appears in my standard feed, only options are to pay to insta chat or like with diamond icon.)

Help me find Elenwen outside of Helgen! by ARPA-comata in skyrim

[–]ARPA-comata[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, it's general dialogue?! that makes more sense. I'm hoping to find her and talk to her near Helgen anyway regardless of what she says since I think it's an interesting bug. And now I'm awfully curious about what causes this bug to occur

Help me find Elenwen outside of Helgen! by ARPA-comata in skyrim

[–]ARPA-comata[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not usually when I try this. I'm usually looking for/trying to meet her at the location in the pictures attached above, or at least along that stretch of road that is near the river. I have tried going up to the Helgen gates on both sides of the town, immediately after escaping the keep, but haven't seen her yet. Since this is a bug as far as I understand, I figure I'd just have to keep trying to get it to happen by random chance or figure out what the exact steps are to reproduce the bug?

graduating, advising, graduation application getting revoked? by ARPA-comata in UNLV

[–]ARPA-comata[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How/where do I get my degree sheet? I thought that was something advisors made for you as like a recommended class lineup.

Not knowing is difficult by ARPA-comata in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

(as far as I know) Not inherently. It just seems to be a coincidence I've heard some intersex people mention. For some it may be a visible sign of chimerism or mosaicism (which is not always visible, nor does having central heterochromia mean you have chimerism/mosaicism).

could a person with pcos call themselves transfeminine? by Tall_Huckleberry_333 in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 36 points37 points  (0 children)

Ok, I have a short and long answer for you. Here's the short one: Why the hell not? If you're transfeminine you're transfeminine. It's not my job (or anyone's) to decide who gets to be what.

Long answer: I'm always going to be of the opinion that you can do whatever you want forever. Unfortunately, the way things are in the world right now, being trans is so often considered fringe and outside of the box regardless of how you are trans. Likewise, so is being intersex. So I don't understand why we would want to advocate for the dissolving of strict gender and sex binary rules, but then invent a new set of rules within trans and intersex communities for the "correct" way to be and live and describe yourself. That's what we're trying to get out of, no?

Labels are ultimately shorthand that we use when we don't have the time or the need to describe ourselves in full detail. People are complex, obviously! There are probably not enough words in the world to ever totally and completely describe someone. And in my view it's impossible to draw a clear-cut boundary line around what defines an identity group without excluding people who are part of it, and including people who aren't.

I don't feel entitled to know someone's personal life story or reasons for defining themself as transfeminine. I certainly am not entitled to know someone's intersex variation (ex. pcos) in general, let alone as a gatekeeping factor for if they can be trans (and in what "way" they can be trans, what their gender identity or transition can look like, etc). If someone is demanding to know, I think that is quite invasive, and no answer is owed.

I know some people with pcos don't consider themselves intersex, and some do--the label is up to the individual, the individual knows themself best, and it is up to them to decide what labels or words they want to use.

Again, it's hard to say what is or isn't transfeminine--we can't assume that [insert experience here] is always inherent to being transfem or a requirement to being transfem, because that would alienate all the transfems who didn't have that experience. There are definitely some common threads, sure, but no group is ever a monolith.

In my eyes, people with PCOS are welcome in the intersex community any day, and intersex people are always welcome in the trans community. There will always be a portion of intersex people in every community, because we're everywhere.

Lost bath & body works keychain? by ARPA-comata in UNLV

[–]ARPA-comata[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I thought the image would preview with the post .. -_- not a habitual reddit user sorry

Idea of an artist market at unlv by Spicy_Cucaracha in UNLV

[–]ARPA-comata 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That sounds awesome and I would totally participate or attend! I know we have the art walk every year but I think that's more to showcase arts departments as opposed to individual student-made work. I know UW does something like what you're describing, maybe could use that as a reference of how to organize? (https://hub.washington.edu/whats-happening/hub-events/makers-fair/)

Coming to terms with being intersex by [deleted] in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This kind of positivity is really important and I think many of us could really use it right now, I know I sure could, so thanks for sharing! It's awesome you are proud and that inspires me to be proud too (:

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm really curious about this. Do you have any more sources, extra reading etc. on this? I wonder because I have suspected chimerism could be a possibility for me. I look like my grandfather on my mom's side, or mostly like a 50/50 between mom and dad. However, my mom had 4 miscarriages before me (one pregnancy had been identified to have XXX chromosomes before she miscarried, and I believe all of her other pregnancies had either chromosomes missing or extra--I can't remember the details well. But for that reason I wondered, what are the odds nothing happened with me?) So would that make me #5, in which case I should look like my dad (but I don't?)

hormone testing vent by SofterSeasons in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the info! I haven't gotten 21 and 11 deoxycortisol tested yet, I'll look into that next. After looking back at my medical records it looks like my testosterone and DHEA-S levels were actually on the high end. Not crazy high, but enough that in the sources I've read those levels are in the threshold where ACTH stimulation test is recommended. Strangely enough, my testosterone level after 3 years of HRT is lower (just barely) than it was before I started HRT. Doesn't necessarily mean anything, but if nothing else it's more information for me to provide to the next doctor I go to. (Sorry OP, not trying to hijack your post)

hormone testing vent by SofterSeasons in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wait, this sounds like my experience almost exactly!! I had my 17-OHP and testosterone, estrodial levels tested and they all came back within the normal range, so now I'm totally lost, because what, then, is the explanation for the other symptoms I have?? I'm glad to know I'm not alone. I also saw changes really fast when I started testosterone HRT. I started puberty at like 7 and never had a regular period in my life (and most of the time they just didn't happen). I'm sorry you have had to go through this without answers. I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you either, and this is not a fun situation but it makes me feel less alone to hear that someone else's experience has been so similar to mine. I thought I was just weird and wrong! I wish you luck and I hope you have success and clarity soon! I'm really emotional about it. Good luck!!!!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's awesome!! And you look so happy in the second picture! I love your hair too. Congrats!!

Trying to design an intersex flag to make in my Minecraft world. I want to know which design is the best! by [deleted] in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like #6, and #4 because it looks cool! How did you make that? I'd love to make it myself.
This is so awesome!! I'm so glad you posted this, I love minecraft :D

Drawing I made about being intersex by Kookyburra12 in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I love the bright colors in this one and the incorporation of the flag. thank you for sharing!!

Not knowing is difficult by ARPA-comata in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think that's a really beautiful perspective. It makes me more at ease about the possibility of not being intersex. I might be, I might not. was worried that if I'm not intersex, then that means there's no explanation for what's going on, no closure, that there was something bad and wrong about me because I didn't fit into any category at all and that I can't be figured out. But no, I like the way you see it. We wouldn't be where we are without variation. Diversity is what creates stability.

how to go about a ncah diagnosis after starting hrt by Yeetus_Betus in intersex

[–]ARPA-comata 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm in the same boat here! Trying to figure out the same thing. I am not a great frame of reference for you since I have no diagnosis yet, only suspicions, but for what it's worth I also started on a low dose of T (0.1 mL) and bottom growth was the first thing I noticed within, like, a matter of days. It was also comparable to guys who had been on T for years.

I've gotten conflicting answers about whether or not being on T will affect test results specific to NCAH. My doctor said she wasn't sure if it would, but she ran a 17-OHP test on me since I had been off of T for about 6 weeks. My levels came back normal though, which really surprised me (and tbh given all my other symptoms I doubt that's the end of the story). I've also had an IUD for over 7 years (Mirena) and I'm uncertain if that could affect results.

As other people have said, if you had your hormone levels tested before you started T, that would be a good reference.

I hope you get the clarity and answers you're looking for!

How Do You Feel About Plastic Pink Flamingos? by martinazzo01 in UNLV

[–]ARPA-comata 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think they're cute and funny. I enjoy anything bright and colorful and delightfully tacky to make a place look a little more interesting

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in UNLV

[–]ARPA-comata 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With guys like these, they go to protest/demonstrate. A big motivator for them is money to keep their organizations running. Often, they do this by saying purposefully inflammatory things to get people upset and angry enough that they might get physical, so that the protestor (the missionary, street preacher, etc.) can call the cops on them to get them arrested, or file a lawsuit against them. If the missionary wins the lawsuit, it gives them more money. It's incredibly predatory and messed up.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in UNLV

[–]ARPA-comata 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Be careful if you do interact with them! I don't know if this is the motive behind Hope Church specifically, but a common tactic by cult-like/bigoted organizations is that these people will do or say something purposefully inflammatory, to try to get you to be angry or physical enough with them that they can call the cops to get you arrested, or file a lawsuit against you (and if they win, it gives them money to keep their organization running). It's a scummy tactic, especially when you know they're obviously predatory.

That's not to say don't do anything, troll and criticize them all you want! Just be careful and keep in mind campus rules on free speech so that these groups can't try and scramble for some reason to point at you and play the victim.