Which is why it’s important to not be mean.

Their cult teaches them that the world is full of scary monster people who hate them for being so good and loved by god. If you swear at them and call them names or get in their face you’re just doing the cults work for it.

I’m not saying you have to listen to their presentation or try to debate them (and really getting into a debate without thoroughly understanding what they’re being taught will just make things worse)… I am just saying to be polite and say no thank you like if they were trying to hand you a flyer for something you don’t care about.

It’s easier for them to see the world outside their bubble as less scary if they see everyday people just going about their business and being as nice to them as you are to everyone else. This goes doubly for anyone who happens to dress modestly, not swear, and not drink or smoke because whatever you believe, they’ll see you as a “good” person who happens to strangely have no interest in their “message”, and that might be enough to get some curious about the possibility of themselves living in the real world.

It’s sometimes hard to be nice to people who seem to represent something you dislike. Just remember these “elders” are sheltered young men, some of which are getting their first real contact with people of other/no faiths.

They are not your enemy. They are victims.

They aren't being sent out to actually convert people, they are being sent out hoping that they will be harassed and treated poorly so they view those outside the cult as dangerous and evil and stick to the safety of the familiar group.

You being mean to some teenager isn't sticking it to anyone, you're doing exactly what their church elders want to happen.

PLEASE READ THIS.

Please read this.

Don't do the church's work for them.

If you're kind to enough of them, they put you on a block list.

They were such sweet kids, they'd turn up at my door with the thatch of raspberries out front and try to share their word with me, and I'm me, so, I fed them.

Then it was one of the wee 'elder's' birthday, so I made him a cake, and all the little lads came, and they asked about my books and board games and CCGs, I was just a nice frumpy middle aged Jewish lady, I was no threat, so I fed them and made them cakes and took them to the local gaming store and listened when they talked.

One loved yu-gi-oh cards, and it turns out, one of the other wee lads, we'll he loved him back, so I got them in touch with some resources so they had support and a different way to pay for college, they're still together 15 years later, they have dogs, they send me ecards on their birthday. No-one figured out I'd.helped them, I was just the nice lady who made them tea and listened when people were slamming doors.

The next one really wanted to be an artist, so I left out art books and resources, my eldest shared their coptic markers, they draw comic books now, no idea why his folks were insisting he needed to be a dentist, but, he's not a Mormon anymore, (not a Jew either before anyone makes any counter conversion claims).

The first 2 lads were the only dramatic ones, the rest went back into the network but, like Hugh of Borg, they spread the word, sometimes I'd get Mormons from other cities come and make the journey to break bread at my Sabbath table and be seen.

I still think very fondly of that time.

Many of those boys still email me now and then.

Most of them aren't Mormons anymore.

Someone higher up spotted the pattern and suddenly no more Mormons at my door.

I was blacklisted, for kindness.

So there you go, if you don't want Mormons at your door, just love those kids for a couple of years, feed them, help them, and eventually, no more will be allowed to visit

im sorry for reblogging this again but this tag has obliterated me

For anyone who’s wondering, that is a yellow spotted box fish. And they love human attention and have the personalities of small puppies. Also, if you stress them out they release a toxin that kills everything around them.

goals

Celebrate Pride With These 10 Incredible LGBTQ+ Characters

just sayin'

This should be taught in school.

Happy TDOV! 

I drew a series of four portraits for the occasion – four iconic French trans people from different time periods. Trans history is too often restricted to USAnian history, especially on here, and as a French person who has had most of my LGBT education from Tumblr, I found myself very disconnected from my own country’s history. 

Doing these portraits was an opportunity for me to learn more about French trans history, and hopefully you can learn some stuff from it as well – I put some short biographies in each portrait’s caption!

1929 c. Jensen’s Bowling Alley, 1706 Sunset Avenue, Los Angeles, California. From America in the 1920′s, FB.

you simply have to swing it. | IG

In the parlor of my dreams || IG

So… I received this anonymous message two-ish years ago. I was dealing with heartbreak and dating fatigue and posted that I wanted to find my person.

As I reflect upon the cruelty and nastiness spewed by (someone I assume to be) a complete and total stranger, I sit beside my partner of almost a year and a half, in the home we rent together. Though the vitriol did sting as I was very lonely in a pandemic, I never believed this anon. And thank the stars I didn’t, or I might not have loved myself enough to pull myself back together, treat myself to the things I love and deserve and, by happenstance, be in the right place and right time to meet my incredible person.

I hope that anon has found peace and enough self-regard not to project their feelings onto others anymore, and I hope that anyone else in a marginalized body waiting to find love knows that love is possible for us. It might take a while, you might spend decades actively searching, even. But it’s possible, and it’s beautiful.

Society heiress visits the women’s country club, but make it plus size and black. || IG

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpm93-Nt4NS/

🩰 Can you hear the sound of violins? | iridessence

it’s okay to eat. it’s okay to sate your needs, and you don’t have to compare yourself to other people and what they eat. there could be one thousands reasons someone else eats the amount of food they do. only you live in your body, and you deserve to nourish it without guilt.

menstruation is such a fucking scam like okay just stop doing that