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hermit_dragon wrote

I'm really sad about everything, always - but my catte is here trying to cuddle me

I wish more people in more places understood why a lot of us need 'safer' places, and would be more willing to consider how words shape thoughts, ideas, and culture

The first time I ever felt supported and accepted as a person who experienced lifelong repeated trauma, was the first time I saw a Trigger Warning on a post online. I was nearly 30. People had to explain to me what it meant. When I understood, I cried. Just started sobbing.

"you mean, people actually care about helping me navigate the world more safely for me, and are going out of their way, of their own free will, to do that?"

I could hardly believe it. My experience of the world was always of being told to get over it, toughen up, 'take a joke' - to handle all the trauma all alone, to never show I was effected, to always perform 'normal' so no-one else had to know. To silently leave when something caused flashbacks, dizziness, and collapse. To not ask for 'favors' because of my vulnerability. To negotiate daily hazards without any consideration that I could negotiate them better with some warning signs about what's up ahead.

It was transformative. I felt like people cared about people like me, for once. Same with communities starting to care about the language they use and avoid bigotry and the perpetuation of violent cultures (rape culture, etc). I had lived 30 years un-cared about and invisible, and suddenly I was seen, and mattered.

Idk. I feel so sad about things all the time. But there is a cat here to hug me, and there are people trying to make spaces safer for people like me, and that's important. It's hard and contentious and there's pushback everywhere - but hope it doesn't stop.

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