Friday, May 30, 2014

Autum Asphodel explains bullies and bullying

This is something and someone I have wanted to share with you for awhile, but, I was reluctant to do so. Because Autumn is someone I'd like to protect, even though I don't really know her. I've been a fan of hers for a long time and the more I learn about her, the more interesting she seems to be. And also, the more I learn. HERE Autumn talks about bullies and bullying. I had Alissa watch it and she understood it. We had to talk about some things here, some difficult things, and this helped. I also explained to her what Autumn meant when she said bullies pick on people they perceive as weak and how sometimes you have to stand up for yourself when things go too far.

I found Autumn by accident. I was looking at different fashions actually and Autumn popped up. I thought she was cute and Goth and went about my way. Later, I was learning about transgender people and again, Autumn popped up. So, Autumn was born in a male body, but, she is now a woman. Interesting. She talks freely about her surgeries and her journey and even video blogged through it all. What she went through was horrendous. I don't know if I could have endured it. But, she's happier now. Learning all that was something else, but, again, I went on my way.

Later, much later, I was learning all I could about certain mental illnesses and who should pop up again? Autumn. Oh, my. Now, I learned that not only is Autumn transgender, but, she is also a schizophrenic with disassociative disorder. Which means, she has created multiple personalities. She is currently in treatment and is doing well. She is also studying psychology and she's very, very smart and well spoken. She is not afraid to show you her alters. In fact, I've been watching her for so long now that I can tell when a vid is made by Autumn or Iris or another personality. Lissa knows all of this, but, she hasn't seen the more graphic or disturbing videos. She does love Autumn though and loves to do her makeup like Autumn. I think she learns good things from Autumn. She's learned to be open minded and not to make fun of people who are different, because they might just turn out to be pretty cool.  Autumn is an interesting person, that's for sure.

HERE, she introduces us to several of her many alters. Is this real? You tell me. I've been on her channel awhile and I accept it. It's real to her. But, she's also very clever. Keep that in mind. If you click her name and look around, you will find the vids describing her sexual reassignment surgeries. It blew my mind how much she went through to become a woman. She also talks about her abusive childhood in some vids and describes how that affected her. Autumn herself put it out there, so I guess it's okay if I share it. Some of it is hard to take though, I warn you. Some of it is a little scary. It makes me wonder if I'd be so accepting if I met her in person. I'd like to think I would. I'd like to think that. But, you can never know for sure, can you?

By the way, if you're curious and really brave, you can watch the actual surgery of a male to female transgender HERE. It's graphic though, but, very interesting. Female to male surgery is HERE.

10 comments:

Beth said...

I look forward to learning about her Autum and watching the videos. I became friends with someone with dissociative personality disorder this year, so I do believe.

It's interesting, my friend doesn't identify with a gender right now, but was born a woman. My friend is incredibly intelligent and has an artistic gift she uses to express her pain and recovery--it's magical. (I'm being intentionally vague.)

I'm ashamed to admit when I first saw her appearance, and the shock waves it set off in the community, I wasn't sure we would be friends--thank goodness I got to know her because I would have missed out knowing one of the greatest people ever. And I thought I was so enlightened...there can always be someone that will be outside your experience, or realm, and I'm glad I'm smart enough to give everyone a chance. I'm richer for knowing her.

Beth

Dirty Disher said...

I'm attracted to people who are different. I guess because I am, though I don't think my appearance is different. Maybe a little. But, anyway, yeah, I think your friend sounds interesting and I do want to know more. Like what kind of art? But, you don't have to tell me, or not on here unless you want. Gender non identity doesn't bother me at all. I feel no need to label people. It just doesn't matter to me. Sometimes I relate, since I have no female organs now and I take fake hormones.

I feel that Autumn has at least one personality that scares me though and I don't know how I'd deal with that one. It's hard to say. Does your friend have alters? Have you met them?

Jane said...

My biggest fear with someone who is different, is I'm afraid to say something that will hurt or embarrass them. If they can get past my ignorance and allow me to learn about them, then I am fine. I taught a blind boy for a couple of years and at first I was very uncomfortable about saying the wrong thing. But his good nature taught me that I could talk to him just like the other kids. Once we were playing duck, duck, goose (2nd grade) and he had a running partner. We were all yelling for him to run and I yelled out for him to watch where he was going. He stopped dry. Put his hands on his hips and said, "Well, where am I going?". I started to laugh and he was rolling. He knew he had made a joke and I was the butt of it.

I know there is a big differance between the topic and my story. I guess what I'm saying is you can't make assumptions about people. You have to try to get to know them and give them a chance. If you make a faus pas, tell them you're sorry and move on. I think they would prefer that you not make a big deal of it.

Unknown said...

I've been totally Into trans gender issues since Eurovision. I really fell for the bearded lady! What a brave person! And who would have thought, in a million years, that a bearded lady could win? But on a more local level I've caught up with a womon who I used to do note taking for (hearing disabled) and she has a trans gender boyfriend. And I was thinking, when I invite him/her to our next party it will be somewhat similar to the 69's and 70's ie. 'Guess Whos coming to Dinner?' or 'To Sir With Love' cause it really is a bit like that now, isn't it?

Dirty Disher said...

Jane, I got you. Sometimes in accepting, we put our foot right in it, don't we? Maybe that's part of the fear that goes along with approaching someone who's 'different'.

Lia, yes, it is. That was a great movie, by the way. But, I know you will make him feel totally comfortable. Is he fully a he now? What do you call him, him? He? Etc. I know I'd want to know, so I could get it right. I was going to say, 'get it straight' but, umm, no. LOL.

Dirty Disher said...

ps, for some reason this reminded me of when my daughter and I are in the car and one of us will point out a turn. She always yells, 'never straight'. It's a gay joke because her dad and his husband are. But, then I think or say, deosil for right and widdershins for left because I practice magic. Gawd, it's a wonder she turned out normal with us as parents.

Unknown said...

Well, this post led me to several journal videos on youtube. I spend quite a bit on a couple of FtM videojournals. The contrast of emotions pre and post transition is pretty obvious. There were some that just made me sad, because of the clear misery they were going through pre, and how much happier they are post. I found the one teenage transgender couple (now broken up), MtF and FtM, Katie and Arin. You see them and you wouldn't even know where they came from. To me that proves that you love the person, the soul, not the physical body, regardless of what you look like and what reproductive organs you have.

Dirty Disher said...

Yeah, that's true, Meissa, but, I wonder about like, say, the wives who's husband changes gender and they still stay with them. That's a story I'd like to see. I mean, you love someone, marry them, build a life and then boom, they change genders?? You'd have to be very open minded or love them very much. I don't think I could work like that, but, I don't know.

Unknown said...

That would be tough, true. I don't know of anyone who has gone through that.

I have been spending a lot of time in a circle where there are performers who are all colors of the rainbow. How they prefer to be addressed, him, her, hir or their. I don't ask, doesn't seem polite to ask how they identify. I wish it didn't feel that way. Would prevent a lot of misunderstandings from assuming.

Dirty Disher said...

I think I'd try and listen and figure it out, but, if that didn't work...at this point in my life, I'd just ask. When we were alone, of course. I had a cross dressing friend I worked with once and he said he was glad I asked and he explained his thing to me. When he was in women's clothes, he was a she. In men's clothes, he. Fine with me. He was a gas, he won a Ru Paul look alike contest and I was with him. I had a blast.