You just have to look them in the eye and give them a firm handshake when you do it. It's so simple!
You just have to look them in the eye and give them a firm handshake when you do it. It's so simple!
I thought this couldn't possibly be right, and it isn't quite, but the numbers are way closer than I realized.
Canada only has around 37 million people. I always thought there were far more just because of how big Canada is. Guess I've been a standard uneducated American. US population is around 333 million. Latest estimate I can find is 7.2% queer which is roughly 24 million people.
Not all of those will need to flee, and those who do may not be financially able to flee. Others won't want to for the reasons most people don't want to leave their home. Many straight passing people will be "fine". Most trans people will want to for medical care at least, and most I know (myself included) are currently migrating to more progressive states if not to Canada yet. Trans numbers in the US are hard to nail down, but highest estimate is 1% which is only 3 million.
Those years of safety training finally paying off:
Do you know what types of fires your fire extinguisher is rated for? There are several different types. Most modern home fire extinguishers are rated for A (wood/paper), B (liquids like oil fires), and C (electrical), but you may have an older fire extinguisher or landlord who cheaped out on one that only works on some of those types.
If you have a fire that's based on metals (like fireworks) or exothermic chemical reactions, have a different fire extinguisher or call the fire department with special instructions.
Always remember the acronym PASS when using a fire extinguisher:
Went down a list of names till I found one that I liked and that felt right. Checked the meaning/roots of the name to make sure I liked it. Checked the name against the popularity of the name during my birth year so it wouldn't be too far out there. I'd skip that step now, but my goal was to go stealth early in my transition. Then I just used the name with people to see how it felt and make sure before doing the legal name change.
My middle name was easier since I took the name of a trans woman whose death was the catalyst for my transition to honor her memory/life.
As far as TV shows go, it wasn't entirely purposeful but wasn't accidental that my initials spell out a TV character I liked growing up. If it has meaning to you, don't let anyone else tell you it's wrong.
I'm not familiar with One Piece, but Eva sounds like a good name. It also reminds me of Evangelion which is one of the best and most influential animes.
Hobby board games. There are thousands of board games out there and enough variety there's something for everyone. The games I'm usually into are called Euro style board games since they originated in Europe.
Euro style games are mostly high skill games with little luck similar to chess, but have varied starting positions to make them more interesting. They typically play with up to 4 players or more which adds a good bit of complexity. They're a good way to sit around, talk, drink, and have a fun time away from computer/phone/TV screens.
I've also gotten really into mahjong specifically over the past year. I've played over a thousand games and still learning. I mostly have to play that one over an app, but it's a fun break during the work day. I'm able to play occasionally in person, but there's a pretty steep learning curve which makes it hard to convince people to play. I'm always trying to get more people into it though.
Great point! So if you have a firework that sparks some dry grass or brush, your home fire extinguisher will likely be fine as long as the fire doesn't get too big before you can grab it.
However, if you have a hoard of fireworks that catch fire, you're better off running and calling the fire department than trying to quickly put that out with your home fire extinguisher as it likely won't work.
Trump was unpredictable in 2016. He talked a big game, but we had no idea what laws he'd pass, what his policies would be, etc. Sadly many voted for him because he was seen as an "outsider" since people were tired of standard politicians.
Now we have a good idea what he'll do, January 6th happened, and Trump has been vocal about trans genocide specifically.
I know this is just a meme, but in case anyone thinks it's real, it isn't. I can't find any mention in Sappho's poems about broccoli nor any articles on queer history of lesbians giving out broccoli at any point.
Remember: if it seems ridiculous or too good to be true, it probably is and deserves some research to confirm so you aren't spreading misinformation or more malicious disinformation.
There's also this blog post on it, but it alone also isn't a reputable source. I just can't find anyone else who actually dug into this and wrote about it.
https://baringtheaegis.blogspot.com/2020/02/no-sappho-didnt-give-broccoli-to-her.html?m=1