Clarence

To share another perspective, Matias De Stefano posted this: « The Pope is called the Supreme Pontiff, which means ‘Great Bridge,’ since the concept is that the Pope (heir to Simon Peter’s throne) acts as a bridge between Heaven and Earth. The central symbolism of the Vatican is the Keys and a Pinecone. The pineal gland of the system is the bridge between mind and heart; that’s why the election of a Pope, in the collective unconscious, represents a reprogramming of the pineal gland of history. It’s not a matter of religion but of psychological symbolism, since this place has controlled our way of relating to time and space, to ideas and feelings, conditioning our way of being and modifying our Rainbow Bridge. » This sounds a bit far-fetched from our point of view, but the essence resonates with me. I can see how the election of a Pope can play a significant role in the collective subconscious, one that is not about religion. We can simply notice how the whole world felt involved and connected to this election, regardless of religion. I think the Pope has a very unique role to play, and I can understand how he acts as a bridge — in people's minds, consciously or not, but also for diplomacy around the world. I'm not saying to believe everything the text says; that’s not my point at all. It's just about sharing a perspective in which the Pope is not only seen as the head of Christianity. And… his name is Leone anyway, both in Latin and Italian. I truly don’t understand the thing about changing the name across different languages, especially when the actual name is relatively easy to pronounce for everyone. And honestly, for a Pope, Leone is more fitting than Leo

Well, in Italian, his name is Leone XIV, and in French or Spanish, it's Léon XIV. So for many people, there's still only one Leo 😎

Leo… that's a great name

Thanks for your understanding. I didn't know there were people asking for tampon dispensers in men's bathrooms. That's a huge vibe problem, indeed. What's even worse is that trans men don't even want to be associated with such things, and certainly don't want to see them in men's bathrooms. Plus, periods stop shortly after starting hormonal therapy, and most trans men get a hysterectomy anyway. So, on top of being a bad idea in politics, it makes no sense. Perhaps, but the majority of people are at a low level of development and don’t think things through. That obviously bothers me, but that’s the state of the world. When you use those terms yourself, it’s quite different. From my perspective, it doesn’t necessarily serve your point, and it can be hurtful, misunderstood, and also send out bad vibes.

Hey @Leo Gura, I understand the point you're making in politics, and I agree with you — it's actually common sense to me also. But why use terms that are derogatory to trans people? I feel like you're not respecting the integrity of trans individuals when speaking this way, and that can be harmful, especially since you lead a group and it signals that showing a lack of respect towards trans people is okay. I believe that is not your intent (at least, I hope so), but to me, that's how it can come across. Neither the Left nor the trans community should advocate for unrealistic, utopian ideas, and they should be much more balanced and grounded in reality. But trans people still deserve respect (not being called 'chicks with dicks' or 'men having periods', even if your aim is to emphasize the Right's point of view and the excesses coming from the Left). Many trans people can understand this and don't try to push such ideas forward. I never did either. So I think it's important to keep a respectful tone. Using terms that are inflammatory or dismissive of people's integrity can cause a lot of damage, both to individuals and to the broader context. I hope you understand the point I'm trying to make and will consider it. As you're the prime example here, if you show the forum that it is okay to speak this way about trans people, it implicitly gives everyone the license to do the same freely, which I don't believe is right. Those terms are too demeaning to be used lightly.

That's the main use for scooters though — at least in Belgium. It's very convenient to move around in cities with them (as a student, for example). I've never had one, but it's common here, and they can only be ridden on roads or bike lanes.

Where are you going to ride the scooter? Could you ride it on the Strip? It sounds impossible, but that would be cool. Don't you like riding a bike? That's also a great reason to go outdoors

You should give 5-MeO-MiPT a try if you haven't already.

@hyruga Lol

Exactly. I thought the opposite experiment would be easier to envision, but the idea is the same in both Just to clarify, the term dysmorphia is not correct in this context. It refers to an aesthetic feature of one's body that someone might obsess over. The term that applies to the trans experience is dysphoria. It directly refers to that feeling of misalignment between body and gender identity. My pleasure, it was a very nice exchange. Feel free to ask if you have any new questions anytime.

@Yimpa I feel fortunate to be Belgian. Since January 2025, there is actually the possibility of requesting no gender marker. When I changed my papers, that wasn't possible. I likely would have done that (I could now), but an M is quite good too. Both options are much better for me than an F coupled with a female name. It was too uncomfortable to have those on my papers while looking male, so I’m glad I could change them. I obviously can imagine the struggle of people who can't do that. You're also lucky it doesn't affect you anymore.

@martins name No, I'm not okay with my body in private — it's actually what's worst for me. I never cared that much about being gendered female, since I knew that would easily change with testosterone and updated identity papers. But my body, I knew I could never fully change it. It’s the first thing that bugged me as a young child: that I couldn’t pee standing up and that something was missing. I’m in a phase where I don’t think about it as much, but it’s been heavy and constantly weighing on my mind. I can't have an orgasm or enjoy sex freely either. It's something I have to learn entirely. It's very difficult because, in my mind, my body is not meant to be this way. So there's nothing natural or right about it for me. I'm not rejecting it as much as I used to, but it's still very challenging. I understand what you mean by gross and subtle body. I don’t really use this phrasing, but there is indeed a mismatch. That’s why I insisted on imagining keeping your male identity/your male subtle body when picturing yourself as female, to understand what it feels like. I can also picture myself as a woman with a female subtle body, just like you did, but that's not what I'm experiencing… If the two were aligned, I wouldn’t have changed my identity. Physical dysphoria has always been the major thing for me. It’s my desire — or rather my need — for a male body that made me want to be male. So it's a physical thing more than a social one. I never cared that much about how I was perceived, but it's truly difficult to accept my body and make it feel like mine. I just want it so strongly to be male that I've had a really hard time letting go of that desire.

How deeply do you desire to Awaken? It all depends on how much you desire it. If you truly need it, you likely won't be able to let it go — and could consider less convenient options to reach your goal, such as traveling. You need to get clear on the strength and depth of your desire. You could also let it all go for a while if you're unsure, to see what happens and how you feel. If it's very important to you, it will surface again. I don't think there are easy ways to do this work, which is why the sincerity of your desire matters so much.

I'm not into that. I desire a relationship where the dynamic is as equal as possible (intellectually, spiritually, and sexually). I feel too much frustration when there is a significant gap. From my experience in dating, I've found that this is what I need and desire most. You can simply picture yourself, as the man you are, in a female body. The pain and discomfort that arise is what it feels like to be trans. It’s not about picturing yourself wanting to be a girl, but about picturing yourself in a girl’s body while still being yourself — a man. You’d just want to be back to normal. That’s why trans people desire to transition so badly.

@xeontor You're the one not being specific. What about you picking one of the arguments you agree with and elaborating on it — expressing your own understanding and opinion about it? You're not doing any serious work here, only asking AI and other members of the forum to do it for you.