'What's It Like To Be A System?'

'What's it like to be a system?'

Me:

ID: Discord screenshot where my name and profile picture is scribbled out in red. The words 'Damn imposter syndrome got hands' are seen. End ID

congratulations!

The casual exlusionism within the AroAce community really affected how I view myself, because I'm in my mid-20s and I'm only just realizing that I might be Grey Aromantic too because I really enjoy romance in fiction, romance is one of my favorite genres.

the idea of having someone who understands you and will be there for you no matter what, who you want to spend the rest of your life with is a very appealing idea to me, especially with the trauma I've been through.

I'm not a fan of "happily ever after" romance, but realistic romance where we see couples still struggling with their own problems, but still have each other.

But I only just realized I've felt genuine romantic attraction so little, and most other times I have were hyperromantic trauma responses.

I have multiple partners across two DID systems, and I love them very much, but my romantic attraction is exclusively within those two systems. People outside of those systems, I haven't had any romantic attraction to since I was 13. There were a few hyperromantic crushes out of want or need for attention (as I'm a trauma survivor), but even those were sparse.

Even my break ups with some people only bothered me because of how they broke up with me, not that they broke up with me. Not that they severed a year (or more) long romantic relationship with me.

Aromanticism is more complicated than I initially thought, and the exclusionist behavior that is so common from inside and out only muddies the water and makes it difficult for AroAce people to accept themselves.

We need to learn to spread acceptance and that just because someone doesn't fit a perfect box, that doesn't mean they're not one of us.

AroAce is not a box, and it shouldn't be treated that way.

Yoinking that butch flag 👹

alternate butch, futch, and femme.

[Image description: Three flags, each with seven equally-sized horizontal stripes. On the first flag, the top three stripes form a gradient from deep violet to dark blue, and the bottom four stripes form a gradient from pastel yellow to light blue. On the second flag, the top three stripes form a gradient from blue to pale green, the middle stripe is off-white, and the bottom three stripes form a gradient from pale pink to pink. On the third flag, the top four stripes form a gradient from red-pink to pale orange, and the bottom three stripes form a gradient from warm purple to deep blue. End description.]

left: butch. middle: futch. right: femme.

the butch and femme flags are edits of the butch and femme flags by disasterbisexual, and the futch flag is inspired by the futch flags by neopronouns. also check out the alternate chemme flags by neopronouns, as those were what inspired us to make these edits!

as with the flags they're edits of/inspired by, these flags are explicitly inclusive of all butches, futches, and femmes.

tagging: @radiomogai, @neopronouns

HELP THIS IS SO REAL

My mom would catch me talking to seemingly nobody when I was younger lmfao. Doctors thought I was schizophrenic 💀

system doubt is so funny. i figured this out over a year ago. my family knows. apparently i talked to "voices in my head" as a child. i have had near death experiences and still could not imagine the body as anything except the current fronter. but what if too many fictive??? system fake because im all fictive????? i cant Enjoy Media and have Disorder, brain too Stupid.

Deer kin lesboy moment

DEER LESBOY

[PT: deer lesboy]

— deer themed lesboy flag! for lesboys who like deers, deergender lesboys, deerkin lesboys, etc.

[ID: a rectangular flag with six equal-width horizontal stripes; (top-to-bottom) brownish-red, orange-red, orange, light yellow, light purple, and dull purple. END ID]