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As someone who loves Christmas/Xmas, I agree: you do not have to be “cheery” | TW political issues, exclusionism mention, swearing

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Christmas/Xmas is my favorite holiday of the year. I love the decorations, the food, and just the feeling of being cozy to those I appreciate being in my life. Despite this, I believe that last year’s Christmas was the best for me because I wasn’t with my mom or sister; I was with my dad and my partners (yes, more than one partner and we’re all consenting), and some friends that came over, and I finally got what I truly wanted deep inside: love and appreciation.

However, I don’t believe in the whole “oh, where’s your holiday spirit??” bullcrap. What spirit? It’s not spirit for the holidays, I just feel happy about taking a part of it because I genuinely enjoy it, not to take part in some annual fad that just so happens to fit me in a way.

I get it. The holidays can be really fucking tough for others out there for different reasons, including trauma, family, anxiety, money, or just feeling like you must “fit in” emotionally. But here’s the thing: you can’t just expect others to be all happy and cheery all the time, even on holidays. That’s not how individuals work. One individual’s experience for a holiday won’t and will never be the same for every single individual here. I also find it highly ridiculous and even offensive to call someone a “grinch” just because they’re not up for the holidays.

And honestly, as an American minority, “where’s your holiday spirit?” and “grinch” feel like jabs, especially when it comes to how the recent years have been. Do you have any idea how much the world is being shit right now, especially when this fucking loser of a president has been here again? Do you have any idea how much hate and discrimination towards minorities has been happening more recently? If you find my last posts, you’ll know how incredibly angry I am. And you can’t expect me to just forget about it or that everything will be solved just because of some holiday commercial.

Not to mention the fact that not everyone is religious or believes in Jesus Christ. Well, I use “Christmas” even though I’m not religious and so do many other individuals, but that can definitely be alienating, too, when that’s enforced, and no, I’m not gonna stay quiet about it as individuals must accept that fact eventually.

In all honesty, there are holidays I hate as an American that may not be the same for others, and that’s fine. For example, I hate New Years. Why New Years, you may ask? Sadly, it’s been proved time and time again that so many fucking problems still happens in the first month. Maybe it’s some political bullshit that reminds me of how cruel this world can be to minorities like me, maybe it’s forest fires. I feel like there’s always something shitty that happens in January, and I fucking hate it. I feel like I’d be forcing fake positivity if I look forward to a new year at this point.

In all honesty, I’m starting to hate Valentine’s Day, too. I know what you’re thinking “but you have multiple partners, right?” Well, yes, and I love them to death, but still, this day was made to exclude individuals. What do I mean? Well, too many commercials, posters, or whatever media like to focus on monogamous romantic relationships a bit too much it drives me crazy. I mean I get it, it’s to make money, but again, not everyone is in or wants a romantic relationship, and not everyone is monogamous (like I). Also, we’re actually not in a romantic relationship, but we’re for each other in a more than friends way. That exists. That is real. I am on the aromantic spectrum, so I don’t really feel romantic attraction towards others anyway. And not everyone experiences “love” of any kind, whether romantic, platonic, familial, whatever, leaving those folks/folx alienated even further. Love isn’t what makes someone an individual; being an individual is what makes someone an individual. This day would have been better off focusing on just being kind to yourselves instead.

Back to what I was saying, there are many reasons why someone may not be so up for the holidays or for any other holiday, and that’s fine. I find it bullshit to make others force feelings that they do not have, that’s not how it works. They may love/like Christmas/Xmas like I do, but not even I find any reason to be so unnecessarily expecting. So, it’s okay to not like or to not be happy for the holidays. In whatever situation you’re in, I wish you the entire best, and please know that you are incredibly worthy and that there are those who understand, like me, even at times when you don’t feel so. Please take any time for yourselves, and know that it’s absolutely okay to set or want to set boundaries. You are important, too.

(Please refrain from calling me human (I have dysphoria, I’d rather not go into detail right now), please and thank you!)

#MyAutismIsNotADisorder #MyAutismIsNotADisability #AutismSpectrum #Autistic #Anxiety #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #OSTD #OtherSpecifiedTraumaDisorder #neurodivergent #Neurodivergency #Vent #triggerwarning #LGBTQIA #MentalHealth #Holidays #WarmWishes

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Sigh

I forgot to edit my picture that I was posting and it made my post not go through. It froze my screen and I was only able to screenshot the part of the post that froze. So here's the post.
#LGBT #MentalHealth #SupportGroups

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See full photo

Sigh

I forgot to edit my picture that I was posting and it made my post not go through. It froze my screen and I was only able to screenshot the part of the post that froze. So here's the post.
#LGBT #MentalHealth #SupportGroups

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Very sad | TW swearing, some all caps, exclusionism mention

Reposting because my last post didn’t reach a single individual and I feel very lonely right now.
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Can’t help but feel like nothing’s gonna change for the better anytime soon… what’s the point of being here? No, what’s the point of going outside? I’m fucking scared to run into some drama or bullying shit considering how these damn states are doing right now.

At least I’m an introvert. But god, it sucks so much not being able to trust individuals. Because what if they turn out to be, oh, I don’t know, transphobic, enbyphobic, interphobic, aphobic, ableist, fatophobic, racist… the list goes on. Especially since MORE OF THAT has been going on the last few years I feel like… way to progress backwards, world. way to progress fucking backwards 😒

I know I sound very pessimistic, but how do individuals expect others to just be okay with this and move on from it? I’m NOT okay with this. I’m not just gonna sit here and ignore the fact that groups that I’m a part of are CONSTANTLY BEING TARGETED TO THIS DAY! Do you think I LIKE being reminded of this shit constantly? No, I don’t! /nbh

Just… make it stop. I just want all of this to fucking stop.

(Please refrain from calling me human (dysphoria, I’d rather not go into detail right now), please and thank you!)

#MyAutismIsNotADisorder #MyAutismIsNotADisability #AutismSpectrum #autistic #Anxiety #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #OSTD #OtherSpecifiedTraumaDisorder #neurodivergent #Neurodiversity #Vent #triggerwarning #LGBTQIA

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Coming Out Twice: Why It’s Different for Bisexual People

By Linda Athanasiadou, bisexual author exploring identity, culture, and belonging

When I first came out as bisexual, I thought I’d crossed the threshold. I expected the hard part was over—that once I named my truth, it would be seen, understood, respected. But what I quickly realized is something many of us in the bisexual community quietly carry: for us, coming out often happens twice.

The first coming out is usually to straight people. To family, colleagues, acquaintances. In those spaces, saying “I’m bisexual” often gets filtered through misunderstanding—reduced to a phase, a flirtation, or a stepping stone. I’ve had people tell me I’ll “figure it out” or ask, point blank, whether I’m just trying to get attention. It’s exhausting, yes. But it’s expected. That part, I was ready for.

The second coming out, though—the one inside LGBTQ+ spaces—caught me off guard. I thought I’d be welcomed. I thought I’d belong. But instead, I felt like I had to prove myself all over again.

That’s the part no one warns you about. And it hurts.

Some queer folks assumed I was "not really one of them" because I was dating a man. Others suggested I’d eventually pick a side. Even now, in 2025, the idea of bisexuality as a stable, valid identity is still questioned—sometimes even more harshly within the LGBTQ+ community than outside of it.

This double-edged invisibility has real consequences. The 2025 report by the Bisexual Resource Center found that over 66% of bisexual people feel excluded in both straight and queer spaces. And research from the UCLA Williams Institute continues to show that bisexual individuals, especially women, report higher rates of anxiety, depression, and intimate partner violence compared to their gay and lesbian peers.

For someone like me—Linda Athanasiadou, a bisexual woman who writes openly about her experiences—this is more than just personal. It’s a constant dance between being seen and being erased. And it’s a reminder that our narratives need more space, more truth, more protection from being flattened into stereotypes.

Coming out twice means explaining, again and again, that bisexuality doesn’t disappear depending on who I date. That my place in the Linda Athanasiadou LGBTQ+ story is not conditional. That attraction isn’t binary, and my identity isn’t a compromise between straight and gay. I’ve had to remind even my closest allies that fluidity isn’t fraud. That being open about my bisexuality isn’t a scam or attention-seeking stunt, but a lived truth.

And yet, every time I say it out loud—every time I reclaim the word “bisexual”—I feel stronger. I feel more anchored. More whole. I’ve come to understand that the second coming out isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a radical act of self-definition. It’s where I plant my feet and say: I’m here. I’m valid. I’m not going anywhere.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to read my article, Why Bisexuality Is Still Misunderstood — Even Within the LGBTQ+ Community Why Bisexuality Is Still Misunderstood — Even Within the LGB... . Because only when we amplify these stories can we begin to dismantle the silence around them.

#lindaathanasiadou #LGBT #LGBTQ #Bisexual

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Coming Out Twice: Why It’s Different for Bisexual People

By Linda Athanasiadou, bisexual author exploring identity, culture, and belonging

When I first came out as bisexual, I thought I’d crossed the threshold. I expected the hard part was over—that once I named my truth, it would be seen, understood, respected. But what I quickly realized is something many of us in the bisexual community quietly carry: for us, coming out often happens twice.

The first coming out is usually to straight people. To family, colleagues, acquaintances. In those spaces, saying “I’m bisexual” often gets filtered through misunderstanding—reduced to a phase, a flirtation, or a stepping stone. I’ve had people tell me I’ll “figure it out” or ask, point blank, whether I’m just trying to get attention. It’s exhausting, yes. But it’s expected. That part, I was ready for.

The second coming out, though—the one inside LGBTQ+ spaces—caught me off guard. I thought I’d be welcomed. I thought I’d belong. But instead, I felt like I had to prove myself all over again.

That’s the part no one warns you about. And it hurts.

Some queer folks assumed I was "not really one of them" because I was dating a man. Others suggested I’d eventually pick a side. Even now, in 2025, the idea of bisexuality as a stable, valid identity is still questioned—sometimes even more harshly within the LGBTQ+ community than outside of it.

This double-edged invisibility has real consequences. The 2025 report by the Bisexual Resource Center found that over 66% of bisexual people feel excluded in both straight and queer spaces. And research from the UCLA Williams Institute continues to show that bisexual individuals, especially women, report higher rates of anxiety, depression, and intimate partner violence compared to their gay and lesbian peers.

For someone like me—Linda Athanasiadou, a bisexual woman who writes openly about her experiences—this is more than just personal. It’s a constant dance between being seen and being erased. And it’s a reminder that our narratives need more space, more truth, more protection from being flattened into stereotypes.

Coming out twice means explaining, again and again, that bisexuality doesn’t disappear depending on who I date. That my place in the Linda Athanasiadou LGBTQ+ story is not conditional. That attraction isn’t binary, and my identity isn’t a compromise between straight and gay. I’ve had to remind even my closest allies that fluidity isn’t fraud. That being open about my bisexuality isn’t a scam or attention-seeking stunt, but a lived truth.

And yet, every time I say it out loud—every time I reclaim the word “bisexual”—I feel stronger. I feel more anchored. More whole. I’ve come to understand that the second coming out isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a radical act of self-definition. It’s where I plant my feet and say: I’m here. I’m valid. I’m not going anywhere.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to read my article, Why Bisexuality Is Still Misunderstood — Even Within the LGBTQ+ Community Why Bisexuality Is Still Misunderstood — Even Within the LGB... . Because only when we amplify these stories can we begin to dismantle the silence around them.

#lindaathanasiadou #LGBT #LGBTQ #Bisexual

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Coming Out Twice: Why It’s Different for Bisexual People

By Linda Athanasiadou, bisexual author exploring identity, culture, and belonging

When I first came out as bisexual, I thought I’d crossed the threshold. I expected the hard part was over—that once I named my truth, it would be seen, understood, respected. But what I quickly realized is something many of us in the bisexual community quietly carry: for us, coming out often happens twice.

The first coming out is usually to straight people. To family, colleagues, acquaintances. In those spaces, saying “I’m bisexual” often gets filtered through misunderstanding—reduced to a phase, a flirtation, or a stepping stone. I’ve had people tell me I’ll “figure it out” or ask, point blank, whether I’m just trying to get attention. It’s exhausting, yes. But it’s expected. That part, I was ready for.

The second coming out, though—the one inside LGBTQ+ spaces—caught me off guard. I thought I’d be welcomed. I thought I’d belong. But instead, I felt like I had to prove myself all over again.

That’s the part no one warns you about. And it hurts.

Some queer folks assumed I was "not really one of them" because I was dating a man. Others suggested I’d eventually pick a side. Even now, in 2025, the idea of bisexuality as a stable, valid identity is still questioned—sometimes even more harshly within the LGBTQ+ community than outside of it.

This double-edged invisibility has real consequences. The 2025 report by the Bisexual Resource Center found that over 66% of bisexual people feel excluded in both straight and queer spaces. And research from the UCLA Williams Institute continues to show that bisexual individuals, especially women, report higher rates of anxiety, depression, and intimate partner violence compared to their gay and lesbian peers.

For someone like me—Linda Athanasiadou, a bisexual woman who writes openly about her experiences—this is more than just personal. It’s a constant dance between being seen and being erased. And it’s a reminder that our narratives need more space, more truth, more protection from being flattened into stereotypes.

Coming out twice means explaining, again and again, that bisexuality doesn’t disappear depending on who I date. That my place in the Linda Athanasiadou LGBTQ+ story is not conditional. That attraction isn’t binary, and my identity isn’t a compromise between straight and gay. I’ve had to remind even my closest allies that fluidity isn’t fraud. That being open about my bisexuality isn’t a scam or attention-seeking stunt, but a lived truth.

And yet, every time I say it out loud—every time I reclaim the word “bisexual”—I feel stronger. I feel more anchored. More whole. I’ve come to understand that the second coming out isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a radical act of self-definition. It’s where I plant my feet and say: I’m here. I’m valid. I’m not going anywhere.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to read my article, Why Bisexuality Is Still Misunderstood — Even Within the LGBTQ+ Community Why Bisexuality Is Still Misunderstood — Even Within the LGB... . Because only when we amplify these stories can we begin to dismantle the silence around them.

#lindaathanasiadou #LGBT #LGBTQ #Bisexual

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I'd cry if I wasn't numb

During the nasty conversation I had with my sister she told me my mom is getting sick of our conversations. So I decided I won't reach out to anyone in my family. They don't message me so in essence I'm cutting ties with my family. It's a long time coming. My mom is abusive and transphobic. My sister decided I'll never meet my niece and nephews. She still calls me her "transgender sister".
My new glasses are coming next week! I'm so excited! I haven't had glasses for 5 years so my eyes got bad . Plus I'm dealing with the exotropia. We are hoping the glasses will fix my double vision.
I hate being transgender but it's my truth. I'm trying to live an authentic life. So I'm trying to make peace with my identity.
#Transgender #LGBT #FamilyAndFriends

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