Punk Yoga 2016-04-22

[Just Old Al]

We are here because we enjoy it- and each other's company.

Paul, thank you for this wonderful playground.

Word. Word, and word.

Sarge and I don't match up on a lot of places along the scale, but on this and on his stand on folks - 110%.

Of course, we DO argue...constantly.

Alan

[Sgt. Howard]

Whoa, I'm not vilifying those who are part of the LGBT community, or even calling what they do as wrong in any capacity. (Though I still don't understand how a person could have any confusion over their gender if they have properly formed organs, but it isn't really an issue to me, since nobody is being hurt.)

It's just, other webcomics I read seem to try to capitalize on one or more central characters being gay or whatever, and the writer/artist isn't. It makes it seem a bit forced to me.

As for Wapsi Square and the lesbian relationships in it... The fact that both people involved in it are female barely registers. I'm not sure exactly why that is, or what other webcomics aren't doing that makes their work seem a bit... Hollow, I guess?

For example, I read Spinnerette, and liked it so much I bought the books. But they made a huge deal about a central character being a lesbian, and then the main character winds up with her, like they wanted to draw attention to it with a bullhorn. But with Wapsi Square, it actually feels normal. There's more fanfare to the fact that someone got into a relationship than which sex the other person is.

I am only concerned about the 'gender confusion' issue when it comes to public bathrooms- there are no urinals in the ladies' room- if you have a penis, use the men's room. If you don't, use the ladies'- most second graders understand this, but apparently there are those in elected office that cannot grasp the concept. Frankly, I always figured myself for a lesbian trapped in a man's body- but I still stand to pee. That's my privilege. Girls and women do not need their privacy violated because some guy feels like wearing lipstick today- and although I've not heard of it happening, the reverse is equally true.

This is not being hateful or bigoted- this is common decency... which is becoming less and less common every day.

Regarding Atsali and Nadette- We're all getting more out of Atsali's cluelessness than the gay aspect of their relationship. THAT's why it doesn't seem forced or artificial- kudos Paul, well done!

[Warrl]

(Though I still don't understand how a person could have any confusion over their gender if they have properly formed organs, but it isn't really an issue to me, since nobody is being hurt.)

Properly formed organs? There are at least three areas of the brain where men tend to be subtly but systematically different from women. Except that some people with male genitalia have brains typical of females in one or more of these areas, and vice versa.

I am only concerned about the 'gender confusion' issue when it comes to public bathrooms- there are no urinals in the ladies' room- if you have a penis, use the men's room. If you don't, use the ladies'- most second graders understand this, but apparently there are those in elected office that cannot grasp the concept.

I don't see an issue with public bathrooms - if you're presenting as male, use the men's room, if female, use the ladies' room, and if you can't maintain that presentation throughout the process then CLOSE THE STALL DOOR. Which is what people have been doing for decades. We aren't going to have inspectors verifying that every person entering a public restroom has the appropriate plumbing for that restroom, which in the overwhelming majority of instances of a trans person using the "wrong" restroom is the only way the act would be detected.

I do see an issue with public locker rooms in gyms, communal shower facilities, etc.

[Alkarii]

The concern isn't so much the people who are actually transitioning, as it is an attempt to make it more difficult for someone to exploit that. There have been instances of individuals dressing as women to enter the women's rest room to spy on them or commit sexual assault.

I say, if you're trans, wait until you can pass as whichever you're transitioning to before going in the other room.

Also, from what I heard on the radio, 0.3% of the population identifies as trans. So... We're making a huge fuss out of whether or not three people out of a thousand can use a particular TOILET?! Really?!

Also, what about people who are born with both? It does happen, albeit rarely. What would they do? Flip a coin?

[Dave]

Also, what about people who are born with both? It does happen, albeit rarely. What would they do? Flip a coin?

Similarly, there are those who are born physically female, but are genetically male (androgen insensitivity syndrome). There are those who are born male, but with an XX (female) chromosome pair.

Which restroom "should" they use, according to the rules that some states are passing?

Gender (physical and psychological) is much less of an either/or matter than some people choose to believe.

[Deuce]

Transitioning is expensive as hell, and not everyone is healthy enough to undergo it. Honestly, we had mixed gender bathrooms at summer camp when I was a kid, so I don't see why this is an issue. Close the stall door. Simple. With locker rooms/communal showers I could maybe see an issue, but the average joe doesn't get his jollies from seeing ya poo.

[illiad]

Also, what about people who are born with both? It does happen, albeit rarely. What would they do? Flip a coin?

Physically, aside from pure fantasy, it is biologically impossible to have both... (you did study human biology, I hope??? )
( I am guessing you mean, a penis and a vagina ? please correct me... )

Up to the 2nd month of pregnancy, there is no physical evidence of 'gender' - it is the presence or not of testosterone that causes them to form..
due to various problems, the gender 'dividing line' has no clear definition made... I had a link talking plainly about intersex problems, but cannot find it now... :/

click here for full medical report, if you are not shocked enough yet!!!

or skip to the 'not that??' NSFW pic here..
DO note how the prenatal clitoris will change to a penis, dependant on testosterone...

If your clitoris is huge, BUT there is not a 'hole in the middle' to pee with, it is NOT a penis!! there are a lot of skilled artists in latex out there!!

DO note the that prenatal 'hole' eventually forms the 'tunnel' between the uterus and the outside.. and PLEASE.. the *proper* word for that whole area is 'Vulva' - the above link has pictures..

Of course, in wapsiverse, there may be *totally* different type of genders and propagation...

[Alkarii]

In some causes, twins will fuse in the womb, resulting in a chimera (named after the mythical creature made of several different animals). I'm not talking about conjoined twins, where they partially split. It's unknown how often this actually happens, as it tends to be hard to detect. It's easiest to detect if the twins which fused are fraternal.

Well... Actually, that might be the only time it is, now that I think about it. Detection involves genetic testing of multiple areas of the body, probably different tissues as well. Sometimes the two would have had different skin tones, so you wind up with a child who has patchy skin. I can't really recall if the tv documentary showed a picture of this or not.

However, there are instances where fraternal twins who are not of the same sex fuse, and wind up as one person with both sets. This is probably the rarest outcome, though.

Though there are some folks who don't really identify as either gender.

Hmmm... Though it'd be expensive to do, why not just have a single large room with a row of floor to ceiling stalls, with a separate area for urinals, and everyone uses the same sinks?

Also, at the moment, I'm wondering if the risk of sexual assault isn't as high as people think. People do tend to escort their kids into the public restrooms, anyway. As for adults, why don't they carry, at the very least, pepper spray, or a stun gun, or any of the myriad things designed for personal defense?

[jwhouk]

Just as a note: this discussion would have been nuked a few posts ago over on the QC forums.

Let's not go there.

[illiad]

Also, at the moment, I'm wondering if the risk of sexual assault isn't as high as people think. People do tend to escort their kids into the public restrooms, anyway. As for adults, why don't they carry, at the very least, pepper spray, or a stun gun, or any of the myriad things designed for personal defense?

the main point is to get your kids educated *early* about self defence (no ned for sprays, a pinch or poke in the right area can be painful! so they can make any attacker feel justified pain!), and *simple* mom and dad stuff...
My friend has a very simple way to explain to his kid about 'strange noises' - he says 'that is mummy and daddy loving each other' <3
and instead he calls them 'jellies' - think about it!!

http://www.simpleselfdefenseforwomen.com/

https://www.fatherly.com/how-to-train-y ... 87453.html

[illiad]

Just as a note: this discussion would have been nuked a few posts ago over on the QC forums.

Let's not go there.

you need to be more specific... if you have young children you are worried about, you NEED to go there - people need help, to figure out what is happening to them.. realistic, straight talk, will stop them worrying about what falsehoods media produces, just to get shock value..

[AnotherFairportfan]

* sigh *

People. Could we have a separate thread, say in the Main Pub Room, for this?

[lake_wrangler]

Just as a note: this discussion would have been nuked a few posts ago over on the QC forums.

Let's not go there.

Meanwhile, in the old CRFH!!! forums, this conversation would go on for another 3 to 5 pages minimum, and would also end up involving religion, as well as creationism vs evolution...

And no thread was safe, nor any sub-forum. It just happened wherever and whenever it happened...

[illiad]

FPF: hey, it's the weekend, nothing much else to talk about.... few more hours till Monday, and *hopefully* more story to talk about...

Its 10 PM in UK, what time is it for other posters??

Hey the CRFH looks great, pity it only seems to update every 2 or 3 months!! ??? a linky to the forum would be nice, unless.. :/

[Alkarii]

Its 10 PM in UK, what time is it for other posters??

AAAAAAAAADVENTURE TIME!

[Hansontoons]

FPF: hey, it's the weekend, nothing much else to talk about.... few more hours till Monday, and *hopefully* more story to talk about...

Its 10 PM in UK, what time is it for other posters??

4PM Houston time, according to time stamp on your post. It's now 5:40PM, or 1740 hours for former military types. And raining.

[lake_wrangler]

Hey the CRFH looks great, pity it only seems to update every 2 or 3 months!! ??? a linky to the forum would be nice, unless.. :/

I think it updates even less than that...
(I just looked, and it's rather slow and erratic...)
Maritza Campos is still involved with the comic Power Nap, but is not so much involved in her own comic anymore.

As for the forum, it's been down for over a year, at least...

The forums were FUBAR. Some virus deleted all the databases, because, of course, I was using a very outdated forums system. I'm not sure yet if I'll have forums in the future, they kind of fell in disuse with the years. We'll see.

That's really too bad, because we had had some good times, over there, and now all those conversations are lost.

[Hansontoons]

Its 10 PM in UK, what time is it for other posters??

AAAAAAAAADVENTURE TIME!

I am treated to that each time I venture out on the road to and from work... not all Houston drivers must have received the memo that I alone am allowed in the left-hand land to drive unimpeded and as fast as I please.

[AnotherFairportfan]

FPF: hey, it's the weekend, nothing much else to talk about.... few more hours till Monday, and *hopefully* more story to talk about...

Its 10 PM in UK, what time is it for other posters??

4PM Houston time, according to time stamp on your post. It's now 5:40PM, or 1740 hours for former military types. And raining.

1656 EDT, in Atlanta, it was.

I was at the store, buying Ingredients for the Huge Batch of spicy rice that's cooking - which may not be as spicy as usual, because i forgot to buy a couple of habaneros to mince for the pot. I'm having to do with a bunch of chopped dried chiles japones.

[Opus the Poet]

The concern isn't so much the people who are actually transitioning, as it is an attempt to make it more difficult for someone to exploit that. There have been instances of individuals dressing as women to enter the women's rest room to spy on them or commit sexual assault.

you know I keep hearing this trope, but nobody has a link to where this has happened. I do have links to a Speaker of the House getting arrested and convicted of sexual assault.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exclusiv ... d=31530828
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/14/politics/ ... llegation/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/05/politics/ ... reinboldt/
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nationa ... -1.2594124

Ball is in your court now.