Welcome to the Melbourne Community Daily Discussion Thread.
So, my downvoter is obviously targetting anything I wrote with obvious transgender references. Mods, I can't report them, but its very obvious. I can't even block them. It's deliberate and designed to wear me down. People say, be resilient, but that doesn't help. People say their allies, but it's all talk and no real action. .
Also, Nath, Please take the time to read the report into trans hate. https://transjustice.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Fuelling-Hate-Anti-Trans-Abuse-Harassment-and-Vilification-WEB-SINGLES-1-1.pdf
It's pointless writing no transphobia if you don't know how to recognise it, where it comes from or what to actually do about it. Blocking and banning people does nothing, people just re-sign up and continue their beligerence in a new name. This is why I'm thinking of leaving and it means the transphobic loser wins. It's highly likely to be one of the regular posters here too.
There was a show on channel 7 last night again spreading complete lies about trans and gender diverse people and used people's photos without their consent. This is real and why I'm not in the mood much to report people here. I'll be writing complaint letters today and helping those who are now suffering because of their parents and such watched this crap and are fielding questions on where to turn for support. I do all this as a volunteer. I have a normal job too. I'm about at my capacity of dealing with the microaggressions and I'd like you to use what powers you have to stop the fucker from downvoting trans content. It seems silly and small, but no one else has been targeted.
Also remember, I now am about to catch public transport to about the only safe job I can find at the moment looking obviously trans the morning after this bullshit aired. It's not that I'll think I'll be targeted, but it's fucking anxiety inducing. Just remember, I'm not making up straw man arguments to bitch. I could a victim, THIS MORNING.
Sorry kids, have a nice day and enjoy bacon's breakfast.
I do recall seeing something that they actually aren't and instance owners are able to see who downvotes things, but that was a couple of months ago and may have been changed. I'll see if I can find the post
Edit: https://sh.itjust.works/post/742375
I remember that post. I have never loaded up the database directly to read votes. But yes, I do have that power. I will take a look tonight at what I can actually see later tonight after the kids have gone to bed. That'll be around 11pm Melbourne time. Sorry I do have a day job and can't look at this any time sooner.
Oh yeah, I wasn't saying you didn't, or accusing you of being unwilling, I was just responding to modern gods comment about vote anonymity
Also, FWIW, I think before you do look you should consider what sorts of implications this may potentially have. I absolutely think it's warranted in this case - I don't have much respect for transphobes that are too scared to actually publicly state their opinion, but since this will set a bit of a precedent, it may be worth making an announcement in the main community so that people know their votes aren't anonymous and may be checked in certain circumstances? Again, I don't really care, but it could of course be seen as somewhat of an invasion
Honestly you peeps running this are amazing. thanks Nath, you have been more than patient with my drama than I deserve or expected. Thank you so much. edit no rush and as I said to Rusty, I'd just like to know if it is indeed all the same person and if they're a regular user. If it's just me paranoid great. Hope it's not too much of a stress.
Thanks, this is kind of what I was hoping, at least mods might be able to clear it up. Could well be I'm not being targeted by just one person but it's almost always when I post stuff about being trans so it feels like it probably is.
It's not something mods have any access to, and it is not information that is generally available at all. From that post it looks like a site admin might be able to write a script to get the information from the API, but I have no idea how complicated that would actually be. You would need to contact an admin and ask if you want them to do something like that.
But doing that would open up a lot of questions about what is appropriate in regards to site management, and you would need to be clear about exactly what you are asking. Are you just asking for someone to find out if it is a single person for your own piece of mind? Are you asking admins to take some sort of action against people who downvote your posts, and if so what? I'm really not clear on what you think should be done, you've said that blocking people does no good but you have not actually said what you think would work.
I want to support you, but as a moderator I have the ability to pin posts, remove specific posts/comments and block specific people from the group. That's it.
Thanks Rusty, I really appreciate your time in writing this response. I'd like to know if it is one person, not who it is and If you can do anything about telling them to stop. It's been going on since we all first started posting here and you'd be well aware of the lack of downvoting. But, I understand it's not simple as you've pointed out and I'm sure it's not really worth someone's time in the grand scheme of admin of this forum. I just wish if all my transition updates were making someone uncomfortable they'd say so. Or if someone was transphobic they'd just go right ahead and say so. I accept that those people exist. I don't think they're entitled to an opinion on scientific facts but others see things differently. How I behave here and in the real world are different as well. We all have guidelines here we must adhere to. People questioning their gender and finding it difficult for example may find my generally very positive experiences with it challenging. I've encountered that a bit actually. Its easy to rush to the must be a transphobic loser scenario, but I'm across a lot of trans issues as well. Envy is real as well all just want to find some happiness and if others are having it seemingly better is can cause an amount of jealousy.
So look, for now, I'll bear it. It's my choice to stay if I choose and you've answered my questions, so thanks heaps! Thank heck we have good mods here.
Thanks mate. I'm not one to just sit around complaining, I do stuff, but heck, some complaints are worth making.
fucking hell. We need to start biting people.
(have you gotten in touch with Seahorse? They might be able to hook you up with some safety buddies)
who or what are seahorse? Biting? ok, I don't like being that close to many people.
Thanks heaps for that, great resource of a bunch of stuff I already knew and a bunch of stuff I don't know and can check out. I refer people to these types of places often in my volunteer work, so it's really helpful to me for a bunch of reasons... <3
I try and live in the positivity of my transition. Being trolled is bad. People being removed is bad. I avoid the places where removed are allowed to do so. And I know I'm appreciated here, but I have a lot of great things I want to live in and naturally leave shitty situations, for better or worse. Resilience i have in droves, but it's pointless trying to force shit uphill too.
I believe you. I wish people would just mind their own business rather than harassing marginalised people based on what the TV says.
It’s weird saddo fascist shit and being pushed so aggressively on trans people now that gay people are more protected/are less of a socially accepted target
Also, Nath, Please take the time to read the report into trans hate. https://transjustice.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Fuelling-Hate-Anti-Trans-Abuse-Harassment-and-Vilification-WEB-SINGLES-1-1.pdf
Have just read this. I'm not sure grim reading like this should look so colourful and bright.
Interestingly, bad-faith participants submitted 80% (32) of their responses on just three of the nine days the survey was open and often only a few minutes apart. This concentration of responses suggests that the study was circulated among anti-trans networks on social media, either publicly or privately.
Notably, these respondents tended to skip most questions on the survey, answering only the open-text questions with comments ranging from a few sentences to lengthy essays. Several included links to identical anti-trans resources, further indicating a calculated approach to taking the survey.This is pretty awful, but it's also pretty hopeful. 40 people out of 3,099 were Anti-trans. And to find that many, they spread the survey among hate groups and brigaded the responses. That actually gives me hope. It tells me that yes, there are morons out there, but even when banding together, they're a tiny minority. Take some heart that 98.71% of the population supports trans rights. Yes, you're in the trenches dealing with this every day, but you are surrounded by people who are on your side.
As to "all talk and no action", how can we help? We want to help.
Thanks Nath, I really really appreciate that, yeah they chose the colours according to their branding. I'm kinda busy this evening and maybe later tonight depending on how many emails I get, but I'll send you through some details on how to help.
The driving lesson went great, I even drove on one of the main roads. The instructor is very nice and really calm and understanding. Will definitely do another lesson with her.
Slow start to the day but I just wanna say good morning motherfuckers. I'm getting shit done and feeling confident about it!
God I absolutely despise when those executive high up gronks from companies go on the radio and and act like they understand. Fuck off, you don't understand shit, you would have no problems with like... Being afford to live
Yeah like the mega rich ones who sleep "rough" for one night to show solidarity to homeless. Build a fucking shelter arsehat.
If only there were some practical solutions they could implement immediately. Like quit avoiding your taxes. Or pay your employees properly.
Years ago my mate got a job at some sleep-rough-for-the-homeless gig at the MCG. Basically camping on the MCG field with cheap camp equipment to generate corporate goodwill. It rained. 90% of people left. Housemate came home with as many breakfast packs as he could carry. Like 50 of them. We all ate well for a few days.
Like the Qantas CEO saying things like "We've listened and so we're changing" or any of the supermarket reps. All of it's just fluff and BS
I have no desire to leave the house due to excessive Weatherness so I'm instead doing weird house things like sorting the towel cupboard and washboarding stains off cleaning cloths in between bouts of work.
I also hope to solve the eternal conudrum of where to store the clotheshorse.
I'm clearing out my plastic cupboard which also houses shit like candles, more candles and FUCKING CANDLES.
see, we put the candles with the lightbulbs. And the spare batteries. Lovely little egg basket to take out in the event of disaster striking
Set the batteries on fire while you crack lightbulbs on each others heads! Yeehaw!!!
awww yiss I got a bunch of florescents under the house from the previous owner LETS DO THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS
I've seen enough movies to know something is buried here...
*removed externally hosted image*
I loved how empty of pedestrians US streets are. Americans don't walk anywhere, except maybe in New York. They have drive-through everything. Even ATMs.
At San Diego zoo, this was a superpower. I walked between exhibits, everyone else took little shuttle busses. By moving between wavews of visitors, I had each exhibit to myself pretty much.
Drive through banks and pharmacies really blew my mind. What the fuck.
So after a few weeks of mental anguish I have applied for four jobs today.
I'm just trying to celebrate the small wins, because big ones seem so far out of reach still.
Won a grand last night and decided to grab a snack and head to bed. Woke up at 7am and decided to go downstairs to cross off one of my to-do list items: McDonald's McGriddles.. $7 each? Yikes that is STEEP! Still, crossed that off the list, won another $600 and have returned to bed.
Photo of a McGriddle in case you're unfamiliar. It's like a McMuffin but little maple syrup infused pikelets instead of muffins.
*removed externally hosted image*
that look like some kind of unnatural chimera , two delicious puffy tender pikelets and that bacon stuff🤯
and good work on the winnings 🍻
I used to LOVE the Maccas UK bagels. Not a fan of the Maccas egg, but this has like scrambled eggs in it, was really nice.
Had my first PT sesh since before lockdown today. Fuck I feel good! Ready to smash out a day of work.
Enjoy your day everyone ❤️
rolls out of bed and into floor
whines
Rolls out door and down hallway
continues whining
Giving into the urge that is largerly being fed by the windy overcast weather to sit my arse on the couch and reschedule adult things for tomorrow.
So I bumped into someone who used to live at my previous place at the shops today. It brought back so much fear and trauma I didn't even know was there. I'm not sure he recognised me, but I froze up as soon as I recognised him and basically ran out of the shops. I'm still really kind of terrified now, because he tends to fixate on things a lot, and although I'm not sure he immediately recognised me, I saw him thinking. He's also the type of person to not let things go and obsess over them until he gets extremely angry and goes on a warpath.
But now I know he visits my closest shops, not really sure what to do. I can't exactly keep going back there, but if he goes to those shops there's a moderate probability he lives around the same area I do. So that's an absolutely terrifying thought
Deep breaths. He might be a one time visitor to those shops. He may not have recognized or noticed you at all. Do you have alternative shops you can go to? This might be a good way to handle this. Even if it means travelling a bit longer or further to get there. Maybe give it a month before visiting your current shops again, then check out the area to see if he is visible before venturing into any enclosed space. You got this. Sending you confidence vibes, and a hug if you want one.
I asked around, apparently he frequents them, so I guess it is time to find a new shops. I normally only go there to buy meat from the butcher though, so I suppose it's not a great loss. He most definitely saw me, and I could just about see him thinking when he did, so I do think it's quite likely he saw me, and also quite likely he will obsess over it until he gets really angry
Thanks for the support and hugs
I’m sorry, that’s the worst. Just when you thought you were free of it all. I’m hoping he goes after the wrong person and they adjust his attitude
Yeah it's quite shit. I'm somewhat holding out hope he's sought help and isn't as violent now, but either way it brought back a whole lot of stuff I wasn't expecting to think about in the middle of shopping
The wind is making me feel very unsettled. I feel like I should be doing something, but I don't know what. I'm trying to avoid filling my time by constant eating. I did finish off my gardening asignments this morning, but am struggling to focus on the housing unit now. Maybe I should try vacuuming the house. Then the cat can join me in being unsettled too.
I really dislike the north wind. Gets me jumpy all the time. At it's worst in summer heat and you can smell the breath of the dragon and hear it roar.
Today was a rest day for me from exercises but not anything else. Work was flat out, which I don't have any issues with handling. Everything is organised and scheduled and methodical at work. I can handle every single appliance and piece of equipment running all at once with everyone conversing and the radio over the top with no problems.
It was at home later on that I started to feel a bit overwhelmed and feeling like a kind of chaotic sensory overload was happening. The hasty cooking of dinner for hungry family waiting, quickly trying to tidy the house which is always in a worse state than when I left this morning and my efforts feel futile, noise from everyone's screens, my MILs TV blaring through the wall from the next room, the drummer from the band a few doors down practising, the wind buffeting the house, the ceaseless requests for post dinner food, drinks, snacks and attention from every family member, Mr Peeler making lots of "in pain and everything is hard" noises.. it sort of all got a bit much? I went to my room and did some deep breathing/meditation and managed to calm down and block a lot of it out. Haven't had to do that for a while. Now I feel sort of muted and tired, a bit deflated or something. Just tired I guess.
That's an intense day, I thought mine was bad with the shithead drivers on the way to seek end-of-life care for our eldest kitty at the vets (great news...she's in for a few more innings yet). Can the post-dinner crowd sort themselves out?
Sorry to hear about your kitty struggling with health, but I'm glad you've got some more time with her. The post dinner demands couldprobably be sorted out by themselves but I think in asking me to do it, the kids are asking me to show them I care after not seeing me all day. It's just hard to juggle everyone's needs. Thanks for the kind words, it means a lot.
Sorry things are tough for you at home at the moment. Is Mr Peeler able to take/share any of your burdens?
Mr Peeler can't really help as he has a lot of health problems at the moment. It's just hard for me to juggle everyone's needs. Thanks for the kind thoughts, it means a lot.
It sounds like a lot. I hope you can carve out a bit of time for self-care. Good luck!
