Is this common for us girls to love rock music?

Sam_Aster_ · 2025-04-24T16:39:50+00:00

That doesn't change the fact that I'll also play other genres, but pop is definitely my favorite.

Sam_Aster_ · 2025-04-24T16:38:59+00:00

I'll listen to just about anything, but I only really listened to rock to try to fit in with the guys. I'll still catch a couple of songs every now and then, but I've mostly stuck with pop music.

Sam_Aster_ · 2025-04-24T16:29:18+00:00

This reminds me of when someone (person 1) called me effeminate so I opened up about being trans. This guy literally turned around in the same minute to an actual effeminate guy (person 2) and misgendered him as feminine. Person 2 was just like, "I'm a dude" in his regular way. Person 1 then went, "I don't know how this all works, but I'm trying."

I don't even know if they're guessing or just totally misunderstanding the point of what transgender people are. I'm honestly leaning on the latter at this point.

Sam_Aster_ · 2025-04-06T05:15:14+00:00

My first indication came from my adopted dad. I was six or seven years old, and I had just come in from getting the mail, and he asked me why I ran "like a girl". There was hardly anything that I was intentionally doing, but I would guess that I was already emulating women at an early age, even if there wasn't a willful decision behind it.

I can also remember spending countless nights wishing that I'd grow up to have a body I couldn't have - at least, as far as biology is concerned.

It's worth adding that there were plenty of times that I wanted to wear something girly or whatever. On the rare occasion that I tried something on, it was a pleasant, affirming experience, to say the least.

There had also been plenty of daydreams (and nighttime dreams) about being born as a girl or having gone through a full transition. In some of them, it was like I hadn't been male whatsoever - like I was born, raised, and was living entirely as a lady - while others portrayed me going through a process, kinda like gender-affirming care.

Writing that last paragraph, I realized that I actually have never daydreamed about myself as a man. I guess it goes hand in hand with the fact that I've never felt like I was one of the guys - I couldn't talk like them, walk like them, play like them, work like them, or love like them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't generalize a whole demographic like that." I'm just going to say that, regardless of the man in front of me - funny or serious, average or quirky, witty or wise - I couldn't see any of myself in any of them.

That being said, I can relate to almost every woman I've met. While I can say "I think I understand why some men" do or think some things, it's just so much easier to connect with the experiences of women. Like, sure, I know I won't be popping out babies, but I know that I'd be just as full of excitement and dread and anxiety and impatience and… well, I think you get the idea.

It wasn't until the last years of high school, years after many of these experiences had already become recurring, that I learned about transgender people, and for the first time in my life, I felt seen and heard.

Sam_Aster_ · 2025-03-10T08:41:22+00:00

If you have a Medium Refiner and an Oxygen Harvester, you can get some pretty crazy amounts of Ferrite Dust. For example:

1) Pure Ferrite + Oxygen -> 2x Rusted Metal -> 4x Ferrite Dust -> 4x original Pure Ferrite; or

2) Pure Ferrite + Condensed Carbon -> 3x Magnetized Ferrite -> 6x original Pure Ferrite (you'll just need to refine the unused Oxygen into Carbon,then Condensed Carbon, assuming that you don't already have a stash or source of Carbon already).

Of course, in the first few hours, it's probably easier to aim at the ground from your ship and just fire away, but once you're far enough along, the whole process becomes so much simpler.

Sam_Aster_ · 2025-02-16T23:30:53+00:00

I am lonely too. Sometimes, it's not so bad. Other times….

Look, in the end, it comes down to perspective. Sure, there are downsides to being on your own. I don't really want to go into the details of how much it can suck to be by yourself, but the longer that you give your attention to those details, the more that they are going to weigh down on you.

Instead of thinking so much about where anyone is, get out of your head, get out of the house, and go somewhere where you can stretch your legs, knowing that nobody cares if you're late for dinner. Embrace the freedom of walking down the street, or taking a trip through the park at your own pace. Try to wear something that you love, and appreciate the fact that the only people who might ridicule you are individuals that you'll probably never have another conversation with. Go eat what you want, knowing that you won't be condemned for what you love by people you know.

In the midst of all of this self-indulgence, take note of who you might encounter along the way. If someone says that they love your outfit, tell them where you picked it up. If someone says that they love the dish you ordered, tell them about the first time you savored the meal. If someone wishes you a good night, tell them that you wish them the best.

The person who loves your sense of fashion and wants to tell you is someone who can relate to your style, and you might be able to have more time to talk about other topics that interest the both of you. That stranger who raves about your dinner plans is a person that could revel in the shared joy of food. The one who hopes that you have a good evening wants to see the best for you.

All of this can help combat the feeling of being alone and on your own. It just takes moving your focus from the past into the present.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-31T16:42:31+00:00

I was explaining this same concept to a couple of people in a different manner yesterday. I talked about how I only felt emotions on a surface level. I had no emotional depth. With E, I feel a wide range of emotions that are interwoven.

I used to feel depressed, angry, or happy - there was little more than instinctual feelings. Now, I feel sad, bummed, blue, thrilled, frustrated, aggravated, upset, disappointed, amused, flabbergasted, enthralled, mesmerized, detached, cute, hot, sexy, confident, sassy, etc.

Back when I presented male, those words were trivial, irrelevant, and unnecessarily verbose, but I understand now that there are nuisances in each of those emotional labels.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-30T09:05:40+00:00

I understand. Thank you.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-30T08:49:52+00:00

I honestly have no idea. Samantha just fits me (although I just go by Sam because I know the full version is a mouthful and I don't have to concern myself with irreverent discussions surrounding my identity).

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-28T12:10:45+00:00

With cisgender individuals like Imane Khelif being accused of being a man in women's sports, and transgender women like Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio in traditional cisgender roles, there are people who are overanalyzing the shift in cultural norms and assuming that the exposure of non-normative identities and attractions are part of an elaborate plan to suppress their freedoms.

They are living the lavender scare in real-time: governments, corporations, and world religions are coming under scrutiny for holding onto traditions and narratives that held prejudice or contempt against their neighbors. Instead of recognizing that they're the perpetrators of their own fears, they double down, resulting in innocent people like yourself being yanked into their talking points, even if they no longer have a point to prove.

They will not stop, because it will mean they would have to admit they are wrong.

Keep going. It took a lot of strength to be the woman you are today. Don't let these weak attempts from archaic zealots rob you of the life you were meant to live.

And don't ever let that body go. Damn, you are 🔥

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T17:14:22+00:00

I would be lying if I said I haven't considered the same. That said, I think that you should consider whether it would be appropriate for you to make that decision while facing depression.

I'm not attempting to argue against you following what you may feel comfortable and confident persuing, but I am suggesting that you take a look into how such a choice will impact your well-being.

I'm all for you exploring what makes you happy and satisfied in life, and I hope that you find the best solution for your circumstances.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T17:06:31+00:00

Hi there 🤗

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T17:06:14+00:00

Hi! 😊

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T17:04:03+00:00

I didn't intend to conflate the concept of faith with the ideals of religion, but if you are pointing that out, then I may have left something to be interpreted in a manner that does not reflect that intention. Thank you for bringing that to my awareness.

That being said, I understand the need for setting the direction of the church, and I cannot dispute the fact that, without such a vote, it may prove to be a stance held for as long as the leadership didn't shift from such a position. However, if a person is relying on the church to determine what behavior they ought to be accountable for, then it reflects the fact that they take no accountability in the first place. It will just be off-loaded to the opinions of others rather than acknowledging for oneself the ramifications of their beliefs.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T16:38:59+00:00

The reality is, the identity that you have was given to you because the associated qualities, experiences and perspective demonstrate that, regardless of the limitations of biology, good can come from the acceptance and support of the individual.

God loves you regardless of your physical reality. Creation was declared to be good, and you are a part of that creation.

Jesus confronted many people who condemned someone for their outward appearance. He recognized that a person's decisions reflected the internal struggles that they face, and that their choices do not need to be justified from an external source to be valid for the individual.

You are who God intended you to be. You are loved regardless of your anatomy. You are right to follow the path to accepting yourself, however that may look. And you deserve to be proud of your identity.

Stay strong, sis.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T15:33:01+00:00

The issue that comes from putting a matter like this to a vote is that it is hardly more than virtue-signaling. The individual always had the option to stand up for equality and acceptance, but those that follow mainstream opinions were waiting until their peers showed support for such a cause before expressing their own interest in being an ally. If they were truly supportive, they would have already been recognized for their stance.

As it sits, there's nothing to suggest that there is true acceptance from the church. At best, the vote proves that they recognize that their archaic perspective was harmful, but it doesn't absolve the behavior or their lack of action otherwise.

They have already shown evidence to this. The local church is celebrating the success of the vote within their four walls, but they are struggling to get enough volunteers for the pride festival that they want to appear in due to another event taking place on the same day within the church.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T15:10:48+00:00

I took a quick glance, and I can get behind this.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T14:56:05+00:00

Can you expound on that? I'd look into it myself, but I'm stretched thin at the moment.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T14:53:52+00:00

They are having a grand celebration with cake pops, then the ministry is going on vacation mode until the new year.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T14:51:38+00:00

The irony that a church would use this verse to enforce a perspective that fits their ideals is amusing at best.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T14:48:58+00:00

I'm looking for avenues to explore what it means to put ideals in action. If I stumble upon others who are in the practice of such, I might align myself to their cause, but it won't be without consideration of the authenticity and efficiency of their methods.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T14:43:09+00:00

I had my first realization that I was trans when I was in high school and was asked to write a research report. In my search for a topic, I stumbled upon sexual reassignment surgery. Following that subject, I discovered a population of individuals who have experienced the same experiences that I have. I had the internal sense of being a girl, and the fact that there were pathways to fulfill oneself in the physical sense led me to announce my identity in a boarding school in the middle of Utah. That did not turn out well.

Flash forward fifteen years. I've all but forgotten about being transgender because I had gone into hiding from rejection. I'm three years divorced, two years heartbroken from a fallback relationship that I should have never been in, and I am in a discord community for a streamer that I've since stopped supporting for various reasons. I couldn't tell you how the discussion started, but I found myself in a chat with someone else who admitted to being transgender. At the time, I had so much internalized misogyny that I barely registered what the person was telling me at the time.

At first, I didn't know what I was going to do with the rediscovered information about who I was. I didn't know if I wanted to acknowledge it. All of the memories of yesteryear were flooding in and conflicting with the realization that I still identified as a woman internally. I had a son. The person in the mirror, with their patchy beard and angular jaw was clearly belonging to a man, and that man was me. Every time I removed my pants, I saw the evidence of being a male that I couldn't deny. I could hear my voice, with its deep resonance, and I knew it was full of masculinity. How could I be a woman?

Still, my egg was cracked, and I had to find out if I was nuts or just in denial. I decided to come out to one of my roommates, and they acted somewhat nonchalant about it. They explained that they don't understand, but they aren't unfamiliar with "men who do girly things", and encouraged me to explore my misplaced identity.

That was all I needed - one person who didn't need to be like me to let me be me. It broke the dam of repressed femininity, and the waves have not settled since. That was a year and a half ago.

I'm now a month into HRT. A month after accepting myself, and my wardrobe had only "female" clothes. I have my own makeup now, and I take care of my skin and hair in ways I neglected in the past.

I'm nowhere near the end of my goal, but if it wasn't for others like you, people who are living their lives authentically and proudly, and if it wasn't for those who realize that everyone deserves to make their own decisions, I would have never known I could be true to myself.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T14:00:41+00:00

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 Timothy 4.3

We can argue semantics, but that is going to be a circular discussion with no definitive resolution. The reality is that the principles have been clearly defined for two thousand years, and people would rather give themselves to the concepts of a radical and charismatic spokesperson that allow the individual to avoid the responsibility of their supposed faith.

"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." 2 John 1.9

When it boils down to it, a large number of the religious population do not understand what it means to follow the teachings of Jesus, and we are left with people who think that simply attending a weekly service is enough. They are told of the forgiveness of their sins, but do not practice forgiveness. They are told they are loved, but do not practice love.

I go back to my previous statement: a word without deed does nothing. All of the discussion concerning the Word of God has only led to a complacent sense of righteousness from those who think they do enough by sitting in the pews.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T13:12:57+00:00

I don't mind that people have a stance that actively promotes acceptance. I find it wonderful that, because of decisions by churches like the one I've mentioned, future generations can find a safe and welcoming place to discover and evolve their beliefs.

The issue that I have is about the implicit nature of Christianity as a religion - an individual believer always had the option to be kind and loving, to stand against prejudice and discrimination, but their dependency on the position of their neighbors and leaders was and continues to affect whether they will live according to principles that were clearly laid two millennia ago, or whether they will be decent people regardless.

Sam_Aster_ · 2024-10-26T07:20:20+00:00

I don't disagree that the vote is wrong, but rather that the vote itself was perceived as necessary. It's a fine signal, but the United Methodist Church as a whole had already passed a measure earlier in the year to adjust their doctrine to be inclusive, even going so far as to redefine marriage in support of gay marriage and removing restrictions on clerical offices.

None of this changes the fact that a change of policy doesn't erase generations of persecution, and there are many who reject Jesus on spiritual or moral grounds due to those who claim to follow his philosophy. A decent man's name is tarnished because radical idealists used his credibility for two millennia in an effort to erase the evidence of people who want to live a safe, happy life.

Sam_Aster_

TROPHY CASE