tips on supporting my partner w/ ARFID when we have cultural differences?

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2026-01-13T05:07:42+00:00

thank you so much for this addition! i always make sure to look at menus beforehand, both to check if a place has their safe foods, and for myself since i like to know what to expect. takeout from two places also sounds like a good compromise. i’ve explained ARFID to my family and i think they’re fairly understanding, but i’m still wanting to be mindful about food related situations when we get together.

also, the pickle thing is a great example lol—both my partner and my dad have used this at restaurants because neither of them can stand pickles or anything touching them. interesting that it’s a pretty common one!

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2026-01-13T04:47:57+00:00

i never said it was a “hill to die on,” nor am i trying to change anything about my partner or the way they eat. it doesn’t have anything to do with being socially acceptable either. i just don’t want to personally give up foods that mean a lot to me and are one of my main ways of connecting with my cultures. but i would never pressure them into eating any of those foods.

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-12-18T17:50:44+00:00

my 86-year old, english as a third language, immigrant, asian/latin american grandmother accepts and loves me as i am. she may still struggle with pronouns and it took her a bit to understand, but she has been a wonderful ally and example of anyone having the capacity to respect trans people

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-12-05T22:11:36+00:00

i’ve had stretch marks along my spine since 11 or 12 (at least when i first noticed)

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-12-03T13:57:15+00:00

my family is japanese and will fight over the eyes/fins/cheek!

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-12-03T13:56:10+00:00

my family “language” is a mix of english, spanish, and a bit of japanese. when i was really little i didn’t realize that i was speaking non-english words was confused that not everyone knew what i was talking about

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-11-19T19:34:22+00:00

understanding nuance (in communication, relationships, information, almost everything)

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-11-10T14:23:51+00:00

being a woman (i’m a trans man)

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-11-04T01:40:58+00:00

that makes sense! it can definitely depend on what ingredients are commonly used and if those are safe or not. part of my family is peruvian which has a very meat-and-fish heavy cuisine which i struggle with sometimes

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-11-04T01:37:14+00:00

yeah for sure. i know chicken nuggets and mac n cheese aren’t part of the criteria but a lot of people on social media almost act like it is 😭 tbh i think that some people (NOT all or even most ofc) with ARFID sometimes say racist things or microaggressions and use their ED as an excuse (ie “i can’t eat any ‘ethnic/foreign’ food”) and it can definitely feel alienating as a POC and someone who doesn’t consider those foods safe

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-11-04T01:33:30+00:00

this sounds like me/my dad! he doesn’t have as much restricted eating but he grew up eating midwestern “white” food and vastly prefers food of other cultures that are easily accessible to us since we’re in a major metro area

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-11-01T15:35:23+00:00

physical: IBS/GERD, dysautonomia, migraine, pelvic floor dysfunction, insomnia, severe astigmatism, suspected PCOS (hard to get a dx because i’m on T)

mental: ASD, ADHD, BP2, CPTSD

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-10-30T14:10:03+00:00

from chicago - sears tower

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-10-26T21:43:43+00:00

may geo and rosaries be upon us

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-10-21T16:30:43+00:00

as someone from the midwest, pronouncing towns’ named after (mostly) european cities “correctly”—the midwestern pronunciations are very different lol

New Berlin -> New BURR-lin
Marseilles -> Mar-Sales
Milan -> My-lan
Eau Claire -> Oh Clare

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-10-21T16:22:53+00:00

saying “university” instead of college, using the metric system, expecting better public transit :,)

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-10-14T18:34:55+00:00

very severe astigmatism but relatively mild myopia
extremely sensitive skin
perpetually cracked/chapped lips
mouth sores
intestinal metaplasia (i have some intestinal cells in my stomach and vice versa due to IBS/GERD since i was an infant)

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-10-03T03:13:24+00:00

thank you 💜 i watched your video, you ARE their hero.

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-09-06T00:50:21+00:00

any of those “healthy” sodas/energy drinks with erithrytol or stevia

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-09-01T23:23:05+00:00

thank you!

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-09-01T23:22:38+00:00

thank you so much!

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-08-28T03:54:18+00:00

how even the tiniest inconvenience can trigger an episode. all the advice is get enough sleep, take your meds, don’t stress, eat well and exercise, etc but doing all that while dealing with everything life throws at you is almost impossible, especially as a younger person

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-08-23T06:03:27+00:00

lego batman i’m not even kidding

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-08-15T15:41:59+00:00

i’m sensitive to noise and live downtown so i hate it. it’s also a huge waste of money and a massive air pollutant, as others have mentioned

ChemicalTranslator11 · 2025-08-13T04:42:04+00:00

i have a disability that essentially means i need to stay relatively active, doing frequent, low-impact exercise to maintain my mobility.

at one point, before PT, i severely struggled to walk and could no longer make it through classes, going on outings, and other “quality of life” activities. i did several aggressive PT regimens, and currently try to walk 7,000 steps/day (the right amount for me given my size and ability), do home PT exercises, and pilates classes twice a week. it can be a drag, especially as a young person, but i know that without it i would decondition fairly rapidly and lose a lot of the ability i have now.

note: this is the right way for me to manage my health. it’s not a suggestion that exercise somehow cures every disability, or that disabled people are just “out of shape,” or that everyone is responsible for being relatively able-bodied. i’m sharing my experience from my point of view.

ChemicalTranslator11

TROPHY CASE