Not Pictured Is Key Dying Immediately After Taking This Photo

I'd like to remind everyone that when talking about a person (or character), it's "person with albinism," not "albino."

I've mentioned before how deeply traumatic that word is for many of us. It carries a stigma that exists just as strongly as it did when we were featured in circus freakshows (which I've seen billboards for in my lifetime), because that's where people know us from and there hasn't been a movement to change that. We're still portrayed in media as freaks and villains, using our appearance to shock you. You're supposed to see us as evil, abusive, manipulative, and never worthy of redemption, because they don't expect for you to see those characters as human. If you can't think of any examples, check out the TV tropes article for Albinos are freaks.

I've experienced endless bullying and harassment, adults calling me disgusting and a freak, physical violence, and had my sunglasses and hat taken on multiple occasions (both are necessary for me to be able to see outside, essentially blinding me and leaving me downtown somewhere). I've been discriminated against so many times I can no longer remember each detail. This is what albino means to me: being subhuman.

I will never see albino as a positive word, even when people mean well. Getting people to care about us is like pulling teeth; I'm not saying this is a slur and you're a bad person if you ever say it. I'm asking for some common respect, and for you to learn about us before you talk about us and make your OCs based on more than just looks.

There's a lot more I could cover but ultimately I'd really like the word albino to fade out of our lexicon. I don't really care what you call animals, although albinistic is the scientific term.

Of course i don't speak for everyone with albinism. For more on that, here's a very short article about our various feelings on the word.

Teaching kids consent is so important, even if you don’t know them

I work with kids almost every day. I like to give high fives and fist bumps. If I ask a kid for a high five and they don’t give me one? I’m not gonna force them to, even if the parent tried. I just go “eh, they’re not feeling it! That’s okay” and move on

It’s that easy

my favourite part about resetting/starting on tumblr is when the algorithm knows literally nothing about me and it just throws shit that it thinks will stick.

Wait so is raptor old or is she albino what?

Wow. I’m really fucked now aren’t I haha

CW: Politics

Oh don’t mind me just thinking about how there’s a 50/50 chance I will LOSE MY RIGHTS this November y’know no big deal

wow i wonder what piece of breaking news i missed

Things I Like Here.

So I moved from my childhood state a few years ago and I’ve been struggling with adjusting ever since, largely because of the drastic negative change in my social life. But life is beautiful, so I wanted to make a list of things I’ve seen since moving here that I couldn’t get back home! You have to appreciate the little things in life. I’m gonna periodically add more as I see them

- “The Oven Bus” which is just a bus with a brick chimney in it. I wanna know what’s going on in there so badly

- All of the sunsets here are beautiful without fail. Don’t matter what time they happen, even if it’s at 4, it’s beautiful. There’s so many colours in them

- The sign I drive past on the way to work that says “WALTZ IS FOR MURDERING THE UNBORN.” I don’t agree with it but it’s fucking hilarious to see, because it’s in the middle of nowhere

- Related, since we live out in the country now, the pro-life religious bulletins that have the most CGI looking babies on them. Like that baby is not real. Honey

- I almost got into an accident once because there are so many dogs down a 55 MPH road that I just kept looking at the dogs

- The church that has six doors outside on their lawn that say “GOD’S DOORS ARE OPEN TO ALL”

- The church that has a progress flag on its flag post and a BLM flag flying under it. I went there once and it’s full of old people. They were so kind. I want to go back there again

- The kind lady at the Chinese takeout restaurant down the road from us who stayed when the restaurant was empty so I could pick up my order. I wanted my brother to get it but he bailed last minute

- The grocery store down the street that my family has wildly different pronunciations of. It’s within walking distance. I’ve never had that before

- The man today who accidentally bought two tickets for himself. Instead of refunding one, he wanted to give away the other one for free

- The mall Santa I see around Christmas time when he’s on his break. Just walking around. High socks and shorts with a Christmas theme, he’s great

- The little girl yesterday who told me she would get a dog and a fish. When I asked her what she would name the dog, she said “Rainbow Pup”

- The parents who use they/them to refer to me. Even though I personally don’t use those pronouns and don’t like them when they’re used in reference to me, it’s a sign of progress

- The little girl whose parents I sold an annual pass to. I’ve seen her four times. She recognizes me each time and runs to give me a hug

- The toddler who tried to hand me her half-eaten cinnamon-dusted timbit when I asked her for a high five

- The kind people at KwikTrip who never look like they don’t want to be there

- My supervisor who shrieks whenever he walks by me because that’s how I greet people so he’s started greeting me like that as well. He’s an absolute truck of a man who looks like Thor

Hiiii C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)!!