I’ve been absent the last few Queer Blog Wednesdays because I’m adjusting to my new schedule where I have to be in the lab around 730 AM and leave around 5 and I’m too wasted to think afterward (Maybe I should start these on Tuesday). Not to mention the giant ball of depression that is sitting on the lot of us so I decided to make that the focus this time and hopefully never mention it again.

You might notice I don’t talk politics on my social media much. It isn’t that I don’t care (someone had suggested that about those who are quiet and I do NOT want anyone thinking I don’t care because I do) or that I’m with that orange jizztrumpet (because god, no!) Politics make me anxious. Chest-pain, heart palpitating, sweating and outright panicking anxious and that has been since LONG before Dumpster fire. It started nearly 25 years ago when I used to have to deal with lobbyists for patient and doctor rights.

I avoid it with a passion, all of it. Right now social media is enough to make me give up all hope and believe me, it doesn’t take me much to drop into suicidal thoughts. I’ve been dealing with those even longer than I have politics.

While it’s true, I am not in the QUILTBAG at all, I still see it as my fight (Hell, I’m a woman scientist with tons of health issues, I have plenty of reasons to join the Resistance). The one thing history has taught me is you can’t just rely on the group directly involved. Are they at more risk than me? Inarguably. But every rights movement (women’s, race, gay, doesn’t matter) needs to bring in people from all walks of life rather than to turn them away with a ‘you aren’t X, you can’t understand.’ Maybe not entirely but everyone can understand basic rights and fight along side others to achieve a goal.

So for me, you’re not going to see endless political posts or outraged ranting even if I agree with you because I have my mental health to protect. My fight will be a quiet one and maybe one where my posts will be about where you can get involved to HELP. And for the activist out there self care for the activist because seriously burn out and mental issues can happen to any of us under this level of stress.

And let me share some good news like this LGBT center for SouthEast Ohio that some of my friends are heavily involved in (and I’m bringing news of this to my students).

And the fact that one of my students immediately decided to spearhead a new experiment on the water supplies in the surrounding four counties to battle the gag order on the EPA and other agencies who should be policing this, looking at lead levels among other things. Proud of her.

Hopefully next time I’ll be back with more writing related material!