Reminder that in addition to the obvious respiratory issues, which are also very serious, teargas is an abortifacient and there is minimal research on the subject and the effects these chemical weapons have on our bodies.

Teargas periods can look like many different things for different people. I know people who weren’t supposed to be getting periods due to hormones/birth control etc who started getting them again. I’ve spoken to people who started getting them twice monthly and had it last like that years after regular exposure. I’ve also spoken with folks who stopped getting one altogether. For the majority of people I’ve spoken to (and it’s been a lot over the years about this topic specifically)… teargas periods usually start from 2 hours after exposure to 3 days after. It tends to be much darker than usual, and all PMS and period symptoms exasperated, with many people getting symptoms that they didn’t typically deal with prior to exposure. Something else that is really common too is ovarian cysts that tend to flare up for the duration of the period, as well as during PMS leading up to periods once the body begins to regulate at this new baseline for what often becomes normal.

I’ve spoken with people who said their periods went back to normal after a certain period of time with no more exposure. And I’ve spoken to people who, like me, 5 years later after repeated exposure still struggle with all the above.

I know of at least 3 people firsthand who can no longer have children after repeated exposure, people who don’t all share the same reproductive organs. People with chronic serious respiratory issues. People who started having heart issues.

There’s just so much we don’t know. And who knows what all of the long term effects are.

And not that using chemical weapons is ever excusable, but it’s important to remember that this impacts entire communities. A city bus drove through the teargas last night along with multiple civilian cars. They gassed the elementary school right by ICE yet again. That street is filled with residential apartments.

Protect yourselves, wear PPE, and share your symptoms. There is no shame and absolutely nothing embarrassing about it. No matter what it is. People need to know what the United States government is doing to our bodies. And unfortunately, directly sharing our experiences is currently one of our only options to learning more about what this is doing to us.

DID YOU KNOW the queer community adopted the symbol of the rainbow because of the acronym:
Resbian
Ay
Isexual
Nransgender
Bueer
Ontersex
Wasexual

(The only one my phone didn't autocorrect to the actual term was the last one, which was changed to "wasteful" and that is honestly acephobic.)

As an ADHDer, I have a “busy” mind, and I always have a “to do/buy/project” list, in my mind &/or written down. And on a good day, I can get a lot done, leaving me feeling very accomplished.

As an ADHDer, I can be easily distracted, resulting in lots of unfinished or not even started tasks, resulting in a sense of failure & sometimes, panic. I can put things down and forget where I left them, leaving a trail of clutter in my wake.

As an ADHDer, I like change. I have had a variety of jobs and studied a range of courses. I like dealing with people, getting to know different types of people from a range of backgrounds & life experiences. And I love travel. I’ve studied people all of my life, formally & informally, not just in an attempt to work myself out and try to fit in, but because I find people fascinating.

As an autistic person, I like to know what’s going on, so that I can be prepared and organised. I don’t mind surprises if they don’t result in sudden, significant, unanticipated and highly disruptive changes in plans.

I also find clutter difficult to process and sometimes overwhelming. (Think all those fluoro pricing tickets in Chemist Warehouse.) I like my house to look lived in, comfortable, not like a hotel room, but not wholly cluttered.

Crowds, certain types of noise & loud noises, bright & or flashing lights and chemical smells can be unpleasant, overwhelming and even distressing. “Participating” in a crowd, such as in an audience or a protest march is different, because I know the “rules”, and we all have the same purpose. I feel like I belong, to some extent.

Being both ADHD & autistic can be …interesting. Sometimes one will balance out the worst aspects of the other. Sometimes the best aspects of both work brilliantly together. Sometimes they clash confusingly in ways that leave ourselves & others wondering wtf.

@actuallyautistic
#actuallyautistic
#ADHD
#AuADHD