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yourlocalsmutwriter · 6 months

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A test of faith- Lee Sa-ra x reader drabble

TW: mentions of homophobia/conversion therapy, coercion, mentions of illegal substances, generally a fucked up fic. MINORS DNI PLEASE

Serving God was not on top of your bingo card for this year. But through a long process you were here. Religion was a bit of a taboo in your family. Your grandparents were religious. Your parents, not so much. But the tables turned when they caught you sleeping with another woman. So, off to "curing" you, you were "sick". And the only place that could "help" you was the church. It took a few years, but you were "fixed". Bullshit. Conversion camp just made you a lot sneakier when it came to hooking up with girls. Sadly, it also made you miss a lot of high-school and college. So when you came out of there, you could not land a job. There was no way to explain the gap in your resume. Yeah, my parents sent me away for being too gay wasn't really a catch for employers. So you had to go back and work for the church. You could be a counselor for the camp. Fuck that. You weren't about to scare some poor teenagers straight. So the only other option was working for the church. Cleaning, organizing events, even working behind the counter and collecting the entrance fee, you'd do it all. Though unfortunately the only way you could get a job was by asking in person.

You were terrible at interviews. Generally you were a shy person and you had trouble speaking up. So when it was time to "sell yourself" to employers, you were screwed. You wiped your sweaty palms against your skirt. It wasn't going to be that hard. 30 minutes to 45, in and out, talking about redemption, devotion, just wanting to help out.

They called you in, but instead of a small room with a desk and chairs, they led you into a pretty bare room. Before you could question anything, the door behind you was slammed and locked. And on the other side of the room, you could see the same happening to someone else. Then that person stepped forward and holy shit, it was Lee Sa-ra. The famous abstract painter, who just happened to be the daughter of the church leaders. But what was she doing here? And why were you both alone in a room? Actually, you looked around and saw that there was a bulky man keeping guard at the door. Why would you escape? Just as you thought that, a voice carried over the speakers. It said your name, followed by ''I guess you are very confused, sister. You see, you came here for a job. And we admire that. But you must know that guide lost souls back to the righteous path. But have you earned redemption? Or are you still a sinner? Can you resist temptation? and then cut out. Another message began, this time for Sa-ra. ''Sa-ra, you need redemption too. Though your sin is different. You were always more like Lilith, rather than Eve. So, use that. Earn your forgiveness by condemning others. ''

Then it got quiet. You and Sa-ra looked at each other. ''So, they obviously want us to turn on each other. But I have no benefit to sabotage you. You wanna join the church and press people, giving them the fear of God? Be my fucking guest. Judging from what I heard, you've been through some messed up shit too. So if this is your calling, go ahead. I tell you what, even standing here in your presence made me holly. So, we're free to go.'' she said. Sa-ra stared straight at our guard. He just sighed, cleared his throat, and pulled a large bag of white powder from seemingly nowhere.

''Nice try. I can buy flour too, jackass.'' Sa-ra said.

The guard once again didn't say anything, just went over to you. He dragged you by the hair and forced you to sit as he grabbed his key. He spread the white powder over it and pressed your face near it. Still, you refused to inhale. He squeezed your throat until you gasped for breath and the white powder was in your nose. He did that a few more times and carried you back to Sa-ra.

''Watch her and then tell me if it's the real stuff'' he said. Sa-ra placed her hand on your pulse point and waited for some time. She could feel your heartbeat skyrocket, watching you shiver, and repeatedly bounce your leg up and down.

But what tipped her off was your nosebleed. ''Holy shit'' Sara said. ''You gave her actual coke. ''she continued in disbelief. She knew that her parents and overall the church would never be okay with this, yet here she was on holy grounds, taking care of you, a complete stranger. So that led her to believe that this was some very fucked up revenge plan or blackmail of some sort. Or was it a test of faith?

And here you were, on a job interview, being high as a kite. But the strangeness was far from over. Because the real fun was just now getting started. The voice over the speakers began again. But this time it was different. No longer cryptic and confusing. It was clear as a bell. ''Sa-ra, you want drugs. And the other one here wants a job. But only one of you can make it out of here with your wish intact. There's a certain sin that you have both committed. Timothy 1:10.''

Sa-ra stared at you for an explanation. ''We're both gay. It's one of the 6 mentions of homosexuality in the Bible. Those have been drilled into me since conversion camp.''

''So, we've both been with some women, big deal. But how does that tie in with what we have to do to get out of here?'' Sa-ra asked. Silently you wondered that too. How could you trick her to be more gay than you? How would that be measured? Your brain replayed the previous instructions to you. It had been urging her to tempt you, so did they mean seduce you. So maybe the first one to make a move would lose. Or win. It was a dangerous gamble, but you decided to try it. You leaned it and pressed your lips to Sa-ra's. And it felt good. To your surprise, she kissed back.

Maybe it was because you were under the influence. Maybe it was because she had been your celebrity crush for some time. But you could work with this. You let her deepen the kiss and even let out a soft moan. You were already getting a bit drunk on this. You hoped that this was enough. At this point, you didn't even care about losing the job. You just wanted to go home. You finally thought you were free, as you heard the voice over the speakers again. ''I see both little lambs are on the right track. But what is a mere kiss? Did Judas not kiss Jesus? We want more. And we want it now. So I'll put it plainly for you. Whoever makes the other cum wins.''

You were shocked. But then you looked around the room. The security guard was gone. And Sa-ra was stripping. She was like an angel, you thought. Then it dawned on you how fucked up this whole thing was. Why was she going along with this so easily? Were drugs so important to her that she was willing to sacrifice her dignity like this? But then you had heard the rumors. Her stunts in Paris, with reporters calling her a whore, who sleeps on the streets. Her many dating rumors. There was the scandal of her being a sugar mommy for this college girl while using the church money. You weren't one for gossip anyway.

''Throwing in the towel,'' she asked. Then she kissed you again. You knew that you would be screwed if you also didn't do anything. So you just went with it, hoping to do some damage as well. Both of you slowly went to the floor, kissing each other. There were bits where you almost wrestled. You knew if you took control of her, maybe you could win even though dominance wasn't always your thing. But apparently, you weren't the only one with that idea. And Sa-ra somehow had more experience than you. She easily pinned you down and started taking off your clothes. Your button-down was off. Your skirt was halfway down your legs. It would help if you hated this. You should use every muscle in your body to try to escape her. Or even better turn the tables and get a shot at winning this thing. But instead, you just pulled your panties to the side. Fuck it, you were losing, but at least you'd get a nut out of it. Sa-ra spread your legs and started rubbing your clit. ''You're already so wet. At least you're gonna make this easy for me,'' she said.

You noticed a camera in the corner of the room. Shit, was it even on. And was it broadcasting this online? You were completely exposed. So you decided you weren't going down without a fight, no pun intended. First, you leaned into Sa-ra's touch, making her think you were on her side. Then, you say ''Sara unnie, you know I feel so good. But I never come from fingers. They just make me feel full and satisfied, but it's never enough. Can you please lick me? ''

She probably questioned this, as she could feel how close you were, how your walls were drawing her fingers in, and how tightly your pussy was gripping her. But she said nothing, just obliged your request. Guess altruism wasn't dead. Either that or she was a really good dom top. And apparently, this wasn't the only thing she was good at. Lee Sa-ra could retire and eat pussy for a living. You were about to show her that you weren't lacking in that department either. Or should we say, eater? As she was getting more and more into it, she let down her guard more. And you decided to strike. While her face was still buried deep in your cunt, you buried yours in hers. Thank God for Sa-ra's love for dresses. You felt bad about ripping her designer clothes. But you were not walking out of this room without a fight. At least this way you wouldn't be a sore loser. You moved her underwear to the side and began eating her out. Shit, she was wet, possibly even wetter than you. Was this whole thing turning her on? You selfishly wished that this whole thing didn't happen and the two of you met in a normal way. If that were the case, mutual orgasms would be a given.

69 wasn't your favorite position. Or at least it hadn't been until now. Your bodies were pressed closely together, so with every move your tits were rubbing against Sa-ra's and hers against yours. Not only that, but every moan she let out was a vibration on your clit. Fuck, you could get used to this. You could feel yourself getting ready to cum, but Sa-ra was also close. So you kept your tongue on her clit and slipped a finger inside of her. And that was all she needed to finish. At the exact same second that you did.

At least this was over. There was no winner, no loser. Until you heard the voice on the speakers announce. ''Round 1, Draw. Please prepare for a tiebreaker.''

#the glory #the glory x reader #Lee sa-ra #sara lee #Lee Sara x reader

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former-leftist-jew · 4 months

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I really loved your post about religious extremism and I wanted to add that a lot of the people using the "peaceful, noble Palestinian" trope (like you said, the noble savage trope) would have no problem understanding that a Christian population is bigoted against gays because they were raised in that faith and ministered to by bigots -- for instance, Russian leadership using the language of Christianity to make "same sex propaganda" illegal (I literally know someone who went to jail for kissing another woman in front of Russian police) and then holding them to account when said government is removed from power, or even refusing to forgive them even when they've changed. These are totally understandable reactions to bigotry, even societal bigotry (my grandfather remains deeply homophobic due to his Christianity and even if he one day changes, I don't know that I'll be able to forgive him for supporting conversion therapy).

But when it's a non-Western population? Suddenly those people CAN'T be bigoted and CAN'T have been fed antisemitism and hatred for their entire lives because. I don't know, it's different with them! I know so many wonderful, affirming, progressive Muslims who have done the work to reinterpret and decolonize their faith, the same as I do Christians, Jews, Hindus, etc.. But I also know that in the Middle East, many don't DO that sort of reflection -- largely because they don't have the ability to due to decades of corrupt leadership and authoritarian rule. You can be a victim of religious extremism by virtue of being raised in it, but we NEED to hold these people to the same standards as we do Westerners coming out of religious extremism.

I'm not shocked Palestinians support Hamas -- it fucking sucks in Gaza, and has for a while. That's how terrorism gets its roots, same as the Taliban, the KKK, Al-Qaeda, etc; it preaches to a suffering population and promises it everything it wants, if only you'll hate XYZ group, if only you'll give us your children, etc. If we truly want to free Palestine -- which I do, I am a supporter of Palestinian self determination and ending anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia -- then we need to understand all this and help them decolonize and de-terrorize.

(I hope any of that made sense, I just sort of rambled)

Daww, thank you! I'm glad my pot struck a chord with you. ^_^

Yeah, believe it or not, I do have a lot of sympathy for the average Palestinian Muslim/Christian. It's just... like Atticus said of Mayella Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird, my sympathy doesn't extend so far as to condone anihilating Israel and massacring all Jews.

I do believe that everyone has a right to self-determination and self-government. Gay people have a right to marry who they love, trans people have a right to dress and live as the gender they identify as, Arab Muslims have a right to worship Allah with Muhammad as his last and final Prophet, Jews have a right to self-determine and self-govern, etc.

TBH, I think there's a cruel irony that an estimated 30-60% of Palestinian Arabs share ancient Canaanite/Hebrew ancestry with modern Jews (meaning, they're also descended from ancient Jews), but since the region was forcibly conquered and converted by Islamic Caliphs in the 600's, it's fair to assume their Jewish ancestors were colonized and/or forcibly converted. (Or at least passively pressured to convert over time, since non-Muslims in Sharia Law are made to pay a poll tax and live as second-class citizens to Muslim citizens--so who wouldn't want to switch to Islam under that literal two-tiered legal system?)

Part of me thinks, "Why would you WANT to stay with Islam when your ancestors were conquered and forcibly converted (or at least passive-aggressively pressured to convert) as sure as Vietnam is largely Catholic because of their French Catholic former colonisers? BUT AGAIN, I respect their right to self-determination and their desire for self-government. If the Palestinian Muslims with ancient Hebrew blood want to stay with Islam, live in an Islamic society, and be ruled by an Islamic government, that's their right.

With that said, part of me feels like the average Palestinian Muslims (and Christians) have been duped by their Islamofascist government to see Israeli Jews not as long-lost brothers and sisters who finally returned home after centuries in exile, but as "foreign invaders" trying to take what little scraps they have. Both in the early 20th century and early 21's century.

You know that leftist meme that goes like:

"A CEO, white kid, and black kid sit at a table. The CEO's plate is piled high with 10 cookies, white the kids' are empty. He then tosses a cookie to the white kid and says, 'That black kid wants to steal your cookie.'"?

That is LITERALLY Hamas is doing to the Palestinian Arabs and Jews!

Hamas notoriously hoards as much of Gaza's food, fuel, water, resources, and wealth as they can, throw their people just enough scraps to get by, and then tells them, "Those Jews wants to steal your land, your religion, and your liberty. Help us kill the Jew, and you'll be living in Paradise." When the state of the rest of the Middle East (which have little to no Jews left in them) shows otherwise.

And I'm so disgusted by how the Left West recognizes that manipulation tactic when it comes to rich white CEO's duping poor whites into blaming black "welfare queens" and brown "illegal immigrants" for their lack of the good life, but somehow CAN'T connect the dots when Islamofascist dictators who openly hoard all their country's resources for themselves and spread oppressive violence and misogyny to the rest of the population do the exact same thing to the average impoverished Muslim regarding "Jews" and "Western invaders."

The average Muslim? Believe it or not, I DO have some sympathy. Based on what I've seen and read from various ex-Muslims, it sounds like Arab Islamic culture doesn't really encourage critical thinking, self-examination, or widespread education as the norm. MANY ex-Muslims I've met and talked to IRL, and that I follow on social media, talk about how, when they were growing up

A lot of Palestinians are also pretty upfront about how "we don't question" what they've been taught about Islam and Jews.

youtube

But, you know what? As far as I'm concerned, it's time to START questioning. It's time to START thinking about it. It's time to START making room for non-Muslims to live beside and share equal rights and resources with Muslims.

And I'm so grossed out that the Western Left encourages the religious bigotry, intolerance, and "no dogs or Jews allowed here!" segregation because "It's their culture/religion." Well then, they need to change with the times like everyone else.

#antisemitism #leftist antisemitism #leftist hypocrisy #am yisrael chai #jewblr #jumblr

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bringmemyrocks · 4 months

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To Zionists, Zionism comes before Solidarity

I've been remembering the time my "progressive" or at least liberal Jewish community had a rabbi come in to tell us that BLM was dangerous because it didn't support Israel, and on no condition should we support it. He said, (paraphrased) "It's important to oppose police brutality and racism in America, but as Jews, we have to stand by Israel, and we can't let any progressives challenge its legitimacy." And everyone just nodded along. I didn't know much about BLM and wasn't much of an activist then. And so I, like the others there, treated this rabbi like a fountain of knowledge and swallowed the propaganda I was fed. I didn't join any demonstration led by BLM, because BLM was against the Jews. I didn't go to pride because pride was also against the Jews (someone had made a social media post about no Israeli flags being allowed).

This rabbi could have told us to march in solidarity with Black Americans and still be quietly zionist, and people would have done it. They would have been shitty allies, but they would have shown up at a time when that particular city was really struggling to mobilize. Jews are taught to be skeptical of progressive causes, and thus, of the people that these causes are fighting for. Astroturfing orgs like Zioness convince members that pride orgs, BLM, etc. are all out to get the Jews. And they convince these ignorant Jews to stick with these pseudo-progressive Jewish orgs that are actually anything but.

This was in 2017. I've learned to use my brain since then. I've wanted to write about this particular incident for over a year, but I don't know if I have more to say other than "this was fucked up, huh" because it's not unusual for synagogues and community centers to host speakers like this, speakers who use the language of Jewish community and Jewish trauma to make sure Jews never listen to any voices that aren't Zionist. I remember exactly where I was sitting in that room, but I doubt anyone else there has any memory of it at all. The others who attended may have been disappointed that this great rabbi did nothing more than repeat (racist) talking points they had already heard and believed.

It's a hard story to expand on because stuff like this is so commonplace in the American Jewish world. I once studied with a different "social justice rabbi" who described illegal Zionist settlements in the West Bank as "peaceful villages where we coexisted with the Arab residents." He proudly names the settlement where he was ordained on his website, describing it as being "in Israel." This was another rabbi who taught me to keep progressive causes at arm's length--best to stick with the (right kind of) other Jews. Proudly talking about his time in a settlement, all while arguing for raising the minimum wage and stopping police brutality. And now he's partnering with progressives all over the state as an educator. These people clearly don't know the racism he pushes. Or they turn a blind eye because Zionism is the one racism that (some) progressives will accept.

Don't let that be the case in your communities. Don't let Zionism go unchecked and unchallenged, even if it's from a respected religious leader.

(The American "progressive orthodox" world has really been showing its ass of late. The progressive-ish group Torat Chayim Rabbis, known for its statement against conversion therapy, has been doing PR for the occupational forces on its Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ToratChayimRabbis)

#racism #zionism #i #antizionism #anti zionism #me and religion

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iwantthatdickgrayson · 4 months

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Saw people talking about an act that went into practice in australia last year when i was scrolling through a terfs blog to see if they reblogged from any others I hadn't already blocked, but

My first two thoughts about it were "how would they enforce that?" and "I can't believe they're portraying it accurately though" and unsurprisingly after reading the article they linked and comparing it to the authorised document of the actual act, it's very different to how they're portraying it.

Firstly, the act has nothing to do with prayer specifically, it's a larger act meant to prohibit all forms of conversion therapy and similar practices. The words "prayer" and "religious practice" only appear once under a subsection of the "Meaning of change and suppression practice" section (starting page 7) as examples of what could constitute as a form of conversion therapy after laying out what is and isn't conversion therapy.

as seen in the second screenshot, there is no mention of religion, and this is the only instance in which religious practices are brought up.

Now, before anyone talks about how this doesn't cover how they're actually going to enforce things, I'll briefly cover the offences listed under the document.

As seen here, the main offence needs to involve intention, harm and negligence in avoiding harm. The other offences revolve around group conversion practices, moving someone out of state to commit conversion practices, advertising conversion practices, and another one related to documents of the advertising offence.

Unlike what the article claims here:

It is not illegal to pray for someone, especially not if you're praying privately, and it would likely only be illegal in cases where people are being forced to pray their own gay away. Additionally, these quotes aren't from the document covering the act at all, but from a page on the Victoria Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, which simplifies things into layman's terms.

And yes, this only applies to the state of Victoria in Australia, not all of Australia, unlike what the article people have been sharing implies.

TLDR: Australia as a whole isn't banning conversion therapy, and even the part that is isn't banning prayer, just religious practices that intentionally aim to stop people from being LGBTQ+ that cause harm to those people. Victoria isn't making thoughtcrime.

#debunking terf shit #conversion therapy #transphobia #tw: conversion therapy #cw: conversion therapy #tw: transphobia #cw: transphobia

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variousqueerthings · 2 years

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there's something about Big Politics discussions that outs that we (and I include myself in that, I have also done this in the past and may do so again!) can get very exclusionary when we're trying to make big changes, for example when feminism was attempting to (and in places still does attempt to) exclude lesbians and black women and working class women and immigrants and trans people, etc. that's all very well documented, I don't think it's a hot take

or trans people being excluded from LGBT-acceptance laws both in the past and today (again, well documented), although I note that LGB people really stepped up in England and the UK to point out the double-standard of parliament and the prime minister trying to make conversion therapy illegal for everyone except trans people (and excepting religious conversion therapy, which, bleurgh, I see you government)

and the simplified argument for this is "well, now you're muddying the conversation, now you're making this Big Picture Thing too niche, too minority -- feminism isn't about issues that Black women face it's about issues that all women face," for example

if we acknowledge that there are minority groups within minority groups and marginalisation within marginalisation, then the risk is (one thinks) that nobody ends up getting anything, but we pinky promise that we'll get to you eventually, we've just got to get the Big Picture sorted first

and of course that never happens. marginalised people stay marginalised. the Big Picture doesn't include them

and so I think we have to be very careful when we talk about reproductive healthcare rights to include trans people and intersex people, because I'm seeing the same arguments again -- those groups are too niche, they're too minority, they're muddying the conversation, and I know exactly where it's coming from because it's happened before many times and it was never a thing then either

trans people and intersex people need just as much access to reproductive health and have far, far less, everywhere in the world

now that a Big Picture horrifying event has just gone down in America, it's important to not be so afraid for ones own and other cis perisex women's futures so as to not extend grace to others who are also heavily affected and often not allowed to talk about it at all, including in feminist spaces and other reproductive health political spaces

extending that grace does not take away your ability to fight for your rights. it gives you another set of allies, and a broader/more inclusive set of goals for the future

some sources: eat fire: my life as a lesbian avenger (kelly cogswell), trans history (susan stryker), rebel dykes (documentary, harri shanahan and sian williams), also google lavender menace lesbian group + the east london suffragettes (which there is also a book about that I haven't read yet), and this leslie feinberg speech and this angela davies speech

#politics #abortion rights #reproductive healthcare #women's rights #trans rights #intersex rights #book recs #documentary recs #it is important to lift up the voices of the unheard even and especially when you're afraid for yourself too #also does anyone else ever get a thrill at The angela davies #(I'm sure she'd not like that and I'm sorry I'm just... it's angela flipping davies! ok it's out of my system now I'm normal about it)#i wasnt sure id post anything about this but it's really been on my mind #so it will be just this

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paradisovacui · 2 years

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Manvendra Singh Gohil- the world’s first openly LGBTQIA prince!

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India came out to his deeply religious and traditional parents in the early 2000’s. The news was not taken well; they demanded Prince Manvendra to undergo surgery or shock therapy to “cure” him. “They thought it was impossible that I could be gay because my cultural upbringing had been so rich. They had no idea that there’s no connection between someone’s sexuality and their upbringing.”, Gohil told Insider.

He met various doctors and spiritual guides who informed his parents that Prince Manvendra’s gayness was not a disorder nor illness, but something that would never change- “You can spend all the money you want on this, but nothing will change”. Despite this information, The Maharana and Maharani hid their son’s queerness from the public, and mostly as it was illegal to be gay in India at the time. But in 2006, Manvendra came out to a newspaper. While western media rushed to interview the Prince, he was met with astounding amounts of backlash from locals. He was sent death threats and his effigy burned. Even then, his parents did not stand up for him. At 41, his mother publicly announced she was disowning Prince Manvendra, threatening to sue anyone who referred to him as her son.

Despite the excessive amounts of homophobia Manvendra was forced to face, he opened his palace, Hanumanteshwar, as a LGBTQIA+ Community Centre. 15 acres of the palace was altered to help queer Indians get back on their feet. The palace was built by his great grandfather and gifted to him by his parents after the reached a compromise on the matter of his inheritance and sexuality. Gohil says “I wish to construct a new building to make a shelter home for all those who are thrown out by their families and rendered homeless. This will have eight rooms to accommodate 20 to 25 persons. People can stay here till the time they feel comfortable to live on their own.” Prince Manvendra added. Not only does he provide sanctuary for struggling queer Indians, he is working to illegalize conversion therapy everywhere in India. He notes his duty to stand up for people of the LGBT community, “It’s important for people like me who have a certain reputation in society to continue the advocacy. We can’t just stop because the country repealed Section 377.” He refers to the 2018 repeal of the law that criminalized homosexuality in India. “Now we have to fight for issues like marriage, right to inheritance, right to adoption. It’s a never-ending cycle, I have to keep fighting”.

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil is an incredible example of LGBT activism in the royal sphere. His bravery and dedication for the LGBTQIA+ community is incredibly admirable. Hopefully Manvendra Singh Gohil can achieve his goals and create a better India for queer citizens. 🏳️‍🌈❤️🇮🇳

#manvendra singh gohil #gayprince #lgbtqia #indian #india #lgbtindia #gaypride #gay #bisexual #lesbian #trans #non-binary #love is love

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sofia0219 · 1 month

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So.... My country just made illegal the conversion therapies to "change" the sexual orientation or gender identity

It's great, it's actually great

But I still feel insecure in my household and society in general about being myself

I've had a lot of dysphoria attacks in the last couple of months and I can't say/do anything because of my conservative religious family

So, even if it's illegal for them to try and change my sexual orientation (im bi) or gender identity (im trans... non binary?... well, I'm NOT cis, that's for sure) I still feel the same anxiety

#trans #transgender #lgbtq #queer #trans mtf #nonbinary #transgirl #ban conversion therapy

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qnewslgbtiqa · 1 month

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NSW Parliament passes ban on conversion practices

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/nsw-parliament-passes-ban-on-conversion-practices/

NSW Parliament passes ban on conversion practices

Survivors of harmful LGBTQ+ conversion practices have celebrated the passing of landmark legislation to ban them in NSW.

The NSW government’s bill passed 22 votes to 4 early on Friday morning after a marathon all-night sitting of parliament (pictured above).

The state’s new law criminalises conversion practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity and cause serious mental or physical harm.

It also makes it illegal to take someone out of NSW to undergo a conversion practice. Survivors of the practices are also eligible for redress under the law.

Independent MP Alex Greenwich, who pushed for the laws, said, “The sun rises today on a state that’s safer for LGBTQ people.

“I’m grateful to the Minns Labor Government for delivering a prohibition on LGBTQ conversion practices, and working with me and so many stakeholders to get the balance right on this historic legislation.

“LGBTQ people are loved and beautiful, and futile attempts to change or suppress who we are will now be illegal in NSW.”

As of 7am this morning.

Conversion practices have no place in NSW.

So we banned it. pic.twitter.com/kpCuLzuNrN

— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) March 21, 2024

Sydney-based survivor Chris Csabs (pictured below) co-founded SOGICE Survivors, a group advocating for bans on harmful conversion practices.

Chris survived conversion practices over a long period of time in NSW and was experiencing “a mix of emotions” seeing the reform.

“LGBTQ+ people deserve to live in a state that is free from this kind of discriminatory and deeply harmful practice,” he said.

“I am thrilled that my home state has finally drawn a line in the sand to say that.”

Photo: SBS

Conversion practices have cost people their lives

Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown said the “historic” passage of the bill was the first major reform for NSW’s queer community in almost a decade.

“It is a landmark moment for our state, where the trailblazing 78ers first bravely stepped out of the bars and into the streets in protest,” she said.

“NSW has finally put an end to these archaic and harmful practices. They have caused untold harm and have no place in modern Australia.

“This law will save countless people from a lifetime of pain and in some cases save lives.

“It sends a powerful message that we are whole and valid, just as we are.”

Survivor Anthony Venn-Brown, CEO of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI), said conversion practices disguised as Christian “support” had cost people their lives.

“At last sanity has prevailed and New South Wales has banned conversion ‘therapy’,” he said.

“This legislation not only signifies that we are firmly rooted in the 21st century but also sends a powerful message: telling LGBTQ individuals that they are inherently flawed and in need of change belongs to a bygone era.

“Moreover, it serves as a sobering warning to those who’ve promoted those messages that there will be consequences of the harm they have inflicted, no matter how well-intentioned it is.”

Exemptions in the conversion practices bill

The NSW government’s bill has some allowances for religious groups. For example, religous leaders can still deliver a religious sermon that declares homosexuality is wrong.

Registered psychologists and families also get exemptions, with honest conversations in those situations still legal.

The NSW Anti-Discrimination Board can also disseminate information, conduct research and hold public inquiries about conversion practices.

Victoria, the ACT and New Zealand have already passed legislation banning the debunked and dangerous practices. Queensland has also passed a ban, but only on conversion practices in health settings.

Tasmania and South Australia are also currently considering reforms.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

#Conversion Therapy #religion

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ubaid214 · 2 months

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Legitimate Loopholes: Moving Shroom Laws in the Nation's Money

Recently, Washington, D.C. has surfaced as a hotspot for the exploration of psychedelic materials, specially miraculous weeds, frequently referred to as "shrooms." Because the conversation around the therapeutic and recreational utilization of psychedelics gets energy worldwide, the Section finds it self at the lead with this national and legal shift. Here, amidst the monuments and corridors of power, a different kind of exploration is underway—one that goes to the depths of mind and particular transformation.

Appropriate Landscape:

One of the very interesting areas of the shroom scene in D.C. is their unique appropriate status. While federal law classifies psilocybin, the psychoactive element within magic weeds, as a Routine I controlled material, D.C. it self has decriminalized the possession and usage of entheogenic plants and fungi. Which means that people found with little amounts of shrooms for private use are unlikely to face criminal charges. However, it's important to notice that expansion, circulation, and large-scale possession still stay illegal below federal law.

Cultural Change:

The popularity and normalization of psychedelic materials like shrooms represent a substantial national change in D.C. and beyond. After banished to countercultural activities and subterranean circles, psychedelics are increasingly being embraced by way of a broader spectrum of society, including specialists, artists, and religious seekers. The District's varied citizenry and gradual attitudes towards drug policy have contributed to the flourishing with this subculture, with areas creating across the provided exploration of modified states of mind and personal growth.

Healing Potential:

Beyond recreational use, there's a growing fascination with the healing possible of shrooms for treating emotional wellness problems such as depression, panic, and PTSD. Study done at institutions like Johns Hopkins School and Imperial University London indicates encouraging benefits, demonstrating the capability of psilocybin to produce profound mystical activities and promote long-lasting psychological benefits. In D.C., there is a robust community of practitioners, healers, and integration specialists who are adding psychedelics to their practice, giving led periods and help for those seeking therapeutic and transformation. shrooms Dc

Neighborhood and Damage Decrease:

As interest in psychedelics is growing, so also does the need for training and harm reduction initiatives. Companies like Psychedelic Society of D.C. and DanceSafe offer sources, workshops, and fellow support sites directed at marketing secure and responsible psychedelic use. These grassroots attempts enjoy an essential role in fostering a lifestyle of respect, mindfulness, and damage reduction within the psychedelic community, ensuring that persons can investigate altered states of mind in a loyal and educated manner.

Seeking Forward:

Whilst the landscape of psychedelics in D.C. is changing rapidly, you can find still many challenges and uncertainties ahead. Legalization efforts keep on to get momentum, equally at the neighborhood and federal levels, with advocates moving for broader use of psychedelic therapy and research. However, regulatory hurdles and stigma persist, posing limitations to the widespread popularity and integration of psychedelics into popular society. None the less, the growing curiosity and enthusiasm surrounding shrooms in the Region signal a profound shift in attitudes towards consciousness, mental wellness, and the nature of reality itself.

In the center of the nation's capital, amidst the hustle and bustle of political living, a quiet innovation is underway—one that attracts us to explore the depths of our own minds and the interconnectedness of most things. As the psychedelic renaissance unfolds, D.C. stands as a beacon of wish and chance, supplying a view in to a future wherever therapeutic, transformation, and self-discovery are within reach for all who seek it.

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kriswager · 5 months

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Conversion therapy banned in Norway

This has flown under my radar, but the Norwegian parliament voted to ban conversion therapy on December 12, and the ban was approved 85-15. The ban makes it illegal to try to change someones sexual orientation or gender identity through medicine, alternative medicine, and religious methods among other things. The maximum penalty is 3 years of jail, 6 years in serious cases. Source: Forbud mot…

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#civil rights #Gay conversion therapy #LGBTQ+#Norway

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pashterlengkap · 5 months

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Mike Johnson “applauds” efforts to make gay marriage & sodomy illegal again

Anti-LGBTQ+ House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) didn’t just agree with Justice Clarence Thomas’ suggestion that the Supreme Court should revisit its 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage — he applauded it. The court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization struck down Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion in the U.S. In his concurring opinion, Thomas included a footnote asserting that by striking down the legal basis for Roe, the court had called into question every other decision using the same reasoning. Related: Mike Johnson says his pals would use trans laws to spy on naked girls He argued that trans people shouldn’t have rights because his friends were peeping Toms. Thomas went so far as to specifically name the Supreme Court’s decisions in Obergefell v. Hodges and Lawrence v. Texas, the cases that established the legal right to same-sex marriage nationally and struck down anti-sodomy laws, respectively. Get the Daily Brief The news you care about, reported on by the people who care about you: Subscribe to our Newsletter The same day that the court released its Dobbs decision in June 2022, Johnson cheered Thomas’s footnote on conservative pundit Todd Starnes’s radio show. In an audio recording resurfaced by CNN this week, Johnson touted his years of experience fighting against same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption, and same-sex marital benefits as a senior attorney for anti-LGBTQ+ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) prior to being elected to public office. “We’ve been sort of working against these activist courts for years,” Johnson said. “I was in those courts for 20 years, in federal court litigating these big cases, religious freedom, pro-life cases before I got elected to Congress in 2016.” “There’s been some really bad law made,” Johnson continued. “They’ve made a mess of our jurisprudence in this country for the last, you know, several decades, and maybe some of that needs to be cleaned up.” “What Justice Thomas is calling for is not radical,” he added. “In fact, it’s the opposite of that, you know? We finally have a majority of originalists on the court, and all that means is that they want to fairly interpret and apply the Constitution as it’s written, as the framers of the Constitution intended. That’s the basis of our whole system of government, and we have to get back to that. And that’s what he stands for, and we applaud that.” Since taking the speakership late last month after weeks of Republican infighting, Johnson’s anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs and extensive history of opposing LGBTQ+ rights have come under scrutiny alongside his key role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In addition to his work for the ADF, which included work for a now-defunct anti-LGBTQ+ Christian group that promoted so-called “conversion therapy,” he wrote several editorials in the early 2000s criticizing the Supreme Court for striking down anti-sodomy laws. His editorials also opposed same-sex marriage and argued against non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people. More recently, as a member of Congress, Johnson introduced a federal version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, falsely accused President Joe Biden of breaking federal law by displaying the Progress Pride flag outside the White House, and claimed that parents do not have the right to provide their children with access to gender-affirming healthcare. Johnson still sits on the board of a conservative Christian publishing company that says MPOX is the “appropriate penalty” for being gay. His wife, Kelly, runs a Christian counseling service that compared LGBTQ+ identities to bestiality on its website. In an October 3 call with the World Prayer Network, Johnson said that America is “dark and depraved” because there are too many LGBTQ+ people. http://dlvr.it/SzJ7G7

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ro-presents-under-the-nola-stars · 6 months

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IN DEPTH TRIGGER WARNINGS

A broken down, full list of triggers for this story. Some of the content will be explicit, many will be referenced. If anything is missed, feel free to let me know.

domestic violence (such as punching, slapping, choking, hair pulling, throwing objections, choking/strangulation, biting, forced alcohol consumption, forcible sexual assault, ignoring reversal of consent, unwanted breeding, kicking/stomping, denial of medical care, setting fire to belongings/clothing or to their person (hair), heavy manipulation, intimidation, threatening to kill partner, threatening to harm self, threats to family members, diminishing of abilities and undermining achievements, degrading/insults, mild poisoning, cutting). stalking, breaking and entering, violation of a court order, grooming of a minor, abuse of a minor, ephebophilia, illegal age gap, gang related murders (direct hits, drive by shootings etc), gun violence (random shootings over games/sports, school related shootings, etc), fighting, drug usage, underage drinking, underage drug usage, serial murders and case details (such as torture, pedophilia, drowning, person hunting, stabbing, arson, cannibalism, ennucliation, etc). hate crimes.

lust (such as thoughts, intentions). mild, public displays of sexuality or sensuality (such as provocative dancing, making out, groping. and general PDA). explicit sexual content (such as vaginal fingering, cunnilingus, fellatio to a strap on, penetrative sex via strap on, scissoring/tribbing, masturbation, squirting and clit play), kinks (breeding kink, daddy kink, praise kink, mild exhibitionism, overstimulation kink, roleplaying, marking, mild somno, slight dumbification, usage of aphrodisiacs, tantric sex)

pregnancy & child birth (incl. pregnancy complications, miscarriages, birthing complications, near death experiences), serious and/or terminal illnesses (such as cancer, dementia, heart disease, sickle cell anemia, etc.) disability (such as deafness/HoH, epilepsy, paralyisis, dyslexia, etc). mental health (anxiety, depression, postpartum depression, PTSD, bipolar disorders, etc). neurodivergence (such as autism, ADHD, ADD, etc).

profanity & crude language (such as the usage of slurs in ways not intending harm, like reclamation). racism (such as racial profiling, racial harassment incl. the usage of slurs with harmful intent, racially motivated police neglect, microagressions, harmful stereotypes, hostile environments bcus of race, racially motivated medical malpractice). queerphobia (such as lesbiphobia (both internalized and experienced), biphobia, transphobia (both internalized and experienced, misgendering, specific discrimination against nonbinary/gender conforming individuals), youth conversion therapy, slurs with harmful intent, threats), misogyny & sexism (such as slut shaming, promotion of rape culture, victim blaming, sexist language & insults, undermining achievements on account of womanhood), ableism, (discrimination against various disabilities & lack of accessible spaces), religion (such as religious blasphemy, discrimination on account of religious/spiritual practices, usage of religion to justify discrimination and hate, religious roleplay). character suicide, abandonment of a legal aged child.

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interstellarneighbourhood · 5 years

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#Fellas is it gay to catfish a gay conversion therapy centre pretending to be a concerned mom in order to get their address? 🤔#half tempted #honestly id probably have to go all in and create like a faux face book #alternatively i know a really homophobic dude sorta and i could ask him for an address lol #but idk whether that would work #if yall havent realised this is for info purposes #not anything illegal or anything #might go off and film a video of me singing abt how gay i am and internalised religious homophobia outside

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afeelgoodblog · 2 years

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Best News of Last Week

Edition #020 - ️‍🌈

1. Conversion therapy to be illegal in Canada in 30 days

The federal legislation to ban conversion therapy practices in Canada received royal assent on Wednesday, meaning the bill is now a law, but the new criminal offences won’t be in effect until early January.

Per the coming-into-force provisions of the bill, the four new Criminal Code violations will be enacted 30 days after it received royal assent, which will be Jan. 7. That means that in a month it will be illegal to subject someone of any age, consenting or not, to so-called conversion therapy.

2. Looted Gilgamesh tablet returns to Iraq in formal ceremony

A small clay tablet dating back 3,500 years and bearing a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh that was looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago and recently recovered from the United States formally returned to Iraq on Tuesday.

The $1.7 million cuneiform tablet, known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, is one of the world’s oldest surviving works of literature and one of the oldest religious texts. It was found in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet collection in the rubble of the library of Assyrian King Assur Banipal.

3. Plastic surgeon performs 37,000 free surgeries for kids born with cleft lips — they can now finally smile

Plastic surgeon Dr Subodh Kumar Singh struggled in his childhood days to become a doctor; he now offers free corrective surgeries to kids born with cleft lip/palate.

From 2002, Dr Singh began a free treatment week to mark his father’s death anniversary. He started performing corrective cleft surgeries from 2003-04, became a part of The Smile Train project (globally the largest cleft surgery-focused organisation). “We set a target of 2,500 cleft surgeries by December 2005. The Smile Train India team, while considering our target too ambitious, asked us to go for just 500 free surgeries by 2005-end. We crossed that figure by 2004-end and went beyond 2,500 by the following year end,” says Dr Subodh. “Since 2008-09, we annually perform 4,000-plus free cleft surgeries under this initiative.”

Professional Photographers of America are huge donors to this cause. You can donate to him here .

4. Henry Cavill says his dog saved his mental health

"Superman" star Henry Cavill has revealed that not all heroes wear capes -- some just have fluffy paws. "He really is (my best friend)," the 38-year-old told Kelly as he stroked Kal. "We go everywhere together. He's 8 now and he has saved my emotional, psychological bacon plenty of times."

5. California tackles food waste with largest recycling program in US

California will soon enact the largest mandatory residential food waste recycling program in the US in January, an effort designed to dramatically cut down on organic waste in landfills and reduce the state’s methane emissions.

“This is the biggest change to trash since recycling started in the 1980s,” said Rachel Wagoner, the director of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

6. Starbucks workers vote to unionize in Buffalo, New York

Starbucks workers at a store in Buffalo, New York, voted to unionize on Thursday, a first for the 50-year-old coffee retailer in the U.S. and the latest sign that the labor movement is stirring after decades of decline.

Lets go Buffalo, clap clap, clap clap clap

7. Chile legalises same-sex marriage

Chile has legalised same-sex marriage following a 21-8 vote in the Senate. Later, the House also passed the bill in an 82-20 vote. The bill was introduced in 2017 by former president Michelle Bachelet, who currently serves as Human Rights chief at the UN.

President Sebastián Piñera, a conservative billionaire, shocked many with his unexpected push in favour of the idea.

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That's it for this week. Until next week,

You can follow me on twitter . Also, I have a newsletter :)

Subscribe here to receive a collection of wholesome news every week in your inbox :D

#best news of last week

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