Teknevra

How do I support my queer Muslim friend

I hope this alright for me to post in here, but I am currently about to enter my final year of uni and have become good mates with a guy who came out to me as gay last year.

He is from a Muslim family and is absolutely terrified of what his sexuality could mean for him and his family.

He’s opened up to me about being scared of uni being the last year he has to actually be himself before he has to go back to living a lie. I am well aware that he is really stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I have no idea what I can say to make this better.

I have made it known that my door is always open to him, even at short notice, but I don’t know what else I can say or do to help. Any thoughts would be really appreciated.

Link to Subreddit Post

Valentine’s day games to play?

TLDR: What are some games i can play for valentine’s day to lift my spirits towards love?

It’s been a few months since I broke up with my BF of 5 years and i’ve really retreated into my games.

It was mutual, but still hurts.

I've been playing a ton of Cyberpunk 2077 and Marvel Rivals when i’m not workin but id really like some other suggestions.

I’ve been getting out and being with friends but gaming has also been my safe space.

I’d really like some games that i can enjoy whether they’re indie or big AAA stuff.

I used to love valentine’s day but now im dreading todayday just being me solo playing the same stuff.

If anyone has any games that lifted their spirits towards love i’d love to hear them.

Is this sad?

The way my soul left my body when i saw this...only to find out it was Al generated.

😭😭

We need this!!!!!!!

I was reading up on male advocacy and came across instances of epistemic violence.

The term was originally created by a certain group. What I came across was how the r*pe of men by women in the US is not actually legally considered as r*pe and instead has to be worded as ''mtp'', because US law has made it such that r*pe automatically entails that the man was the perpetrator.

Pro-male advocates people say this is due to legal changes i.e. epistemic violence led by certain groups.

Men don't even know they are being abused and how they are, in many other ways, because they lack the terminology or words to even discuss what they are experiencing.

I think the concept of epistemic violence applies perfectly for LGBT muslims.

We don't even know we're being abused because the epistemology/knowledge of these things has been controlled by oppressive patriarchial heteronormative regimes that seek to meet their own agendas.

It's being framed as ''word of god'' and ''divine justice'' to gaslight and invalidate our experiences in a similar manner, though it uses the appeal to a greater authority to shut counter-arguments down.

I don't know much about epistemic violence myself yet, much less how this would apply to LGBT muslims, but I'm interested in hearing what the community thinks of this.

I'd appreciate any detailed responses on it.

Link to Subreddit Post

There are so many that it's getting hard to keep track! There are more suits than this, but I wanted to share a bunch that I took note of, as I know we could all use an uplift right now.

These lawsuits were brought by various State Attorneys General, the ACLU, Lamba Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and other LGBTQIA+ organizations.

In roughly chronological order with newest at the top

• Transgender and Nonbinary People Take Trump to Court Over Passport Restrictions

• Washington Democratic states sue Trump administration over order to halt funding for gender-affirming care

• 15 AG's declare Trump's EO on gender affirming care unlawful

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Technically not a lawsuit but a good sign state levels suits are coming against hospitals who suspended care and gives cover for those who havent.

Trump administration sued over order banning transgender healthcare for minors

Trans woman in prison sues over Trump's anti-trans "sex" definition order

There are several, at least two lawsuits | saw regarding the military ban.

WHAT CAN WE DO INDIVIDUALLY

_"How this story comes out does depend to a great degree on what we do right now"_Shannon Minter, transgender Legal Director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights. February 4, 2025.

When congress attempts to pass laws that mirror the EOs, we should be prepared to flood House Reps and Senators with emails or calls. Only 2 dems (from Texas) in the house voted for H.R. 29, the sports ban, so we have a solid chance at filibustering anti-trans bills in the senate if keep the pressure on.

Please consider building a personal resistance network of friends and family to alert to key call-to-action moments. Here is an article with a great approach for how to do it. It worked great for me and | was able to recruit 13 people. If we all do this, with however many people we can, what a massive force multiplier - we can win this!!!

Erin the Morning shared a rules document about passports that got leaked.

Erin also provided this summary -

• X markers will be a focal point

• Existing unexpired passports will remain good

• No guidance on confiscation, but it doesnt seem like they will

• Renewals less clear but it looks like they will use “a preponderance of evidence”

Snippets below from Erin in the Morning article.

_In an announcement on Wednesday, Corewell Health, the largest healthcare provider in Michigan, stated that it would resume gender-affirming care for transgender youth under the age of 19.

.....

Local LGBTQ+ organizations in Michigan were outspoken against Corewell Health's decision to pause care, including Equality Michigan.

.....

The group is now praising the hospital system for reversing its decision.

.....

Erin In The Morning has received unconfirmed reports that other hospital systems are also considering reopening gender-affirming care.

.....

Meanwhile, multiple lawsuits challenging the executive order that triggered the bans are moving forward, with the first hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

.....

A swift injunction could pave the way for hospitals to resume care—though some may still require public pressure to act.

.....

Until then, the lives of transgender youth remain in limbo, caught between political maneuvering and the urgent need for medical care._

Write, call & urge others to tell congress to stop HR 22 or the SAVE act

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8281

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/02/12/what-is-the-save-act/78386676007/

If passed it will prevent anyone who has ever changed their name from registering to vote.

That includes their last name if they were married or divorced. Or their first name for gender or any other reason.

It also bans mail in voting, online voter registration.

It criminalizes helping people register to vote & mandates massive voter purges disproportionately targeting women & people of color - so once their registration has been purged it could be impossible for hundreds millions of americans to get registered again.

It is urgent because- it is the republicans in congress top priority to get this voter suppression bill passed.

If you want to call your local representatives and they’re heavily Republican, it helps to lean into how this will affect married women and military personnel overseas.

It’s an unfortunate truth that if you call saying you’re worried about trans people or immigrants, they will not listen.

Explain how this puts a heavy burden on married women to pay for an expensive passport with their new name, and how military personnel fighting for our country will have their rights stripped from them.

Essentially, roleplay as a Republican constituent and think about what they might care about.

Even if they don’t care about women, they pretend to care about military personnel.