I wonder what the public discussion over “safe spaces” would look like if we first all attempted to agree on exactly what a “safe space” is. Because I feel like this issue is an excuse for people to free associate on what it sounds like to them and argue over the feelings it inspires, instead of, like, concrete…

We need more representation of people who are comfortable being estranged from their families. TV characters are always like, my parent was an abusive drunk but the worst thing they ever did was abandon me, I’m tortured because I secretly deeply want to reconnect! Obviously there are some people who feel that way, but…

Those people are lying to themselves and not just to you. I had as close to idyllic a childhood as anyone can have and it makes me more likely to advise people with shitty parents to kick them to the curb as soon as possible.

“But family is the most important thing in the world! They love you! You gotta forgive them!” people somehow seem to love saying to people who were abused by family.

You went through that shit too? Fuck. :/

Ugh. I’m so sorry you went through that. No one should.

It is so weird to be looking at this from an outsider’s perspective for once. Ariel is extremely lucky to have everyone who helped get her emancipated.

I wish I’d known there was such a thing as emancipation from one’s parents as a child. Because that was my life 24/7.

“LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!” while the child’s broken and bleeding on the ground.

“I have been physically abused, and I believe all of this is emotional abuse. Ariel should ask herself, ‘has Ariel ever raised a hand to her mother? Has Ariel ever done anything she’s ashamed of to her mother?’”

This is me, except that I have a strong preference for Bernie over Hillary. However, if Hillary wins the primary (and surely she will), I am absolutely casting my ballot for her. I’m not saying that Hillary is a rabid porcupine, but I am saying that I would vote for a rabid porcupine with glee before I would opt out…

#notallrapes

This sent me down a rabbit hole reading about the Sovereign Citizen Movement. Which is probably my classic avoidance tactic when confronted with these brutal heartbreaking stories.

So the reeeeeaaaaalllly squicky part about this is that it on N. Williams, which for people unfamiliar with the area used to be one of Portland’s thriving black neighborhoods. A free way was built through the area, and then it has been gentrified all to hell and all the black owned businesses have been forced out for…