itdissonans's recent activity

  1. Visitor visa for staying in Canada while waiting for spousal visa?

    ~life Ask (advice)
    My sister is marrying a Canadian this year and wants to move to Canada very soon for lots of reasons. Usually, US citizens don't need a visa or even an eTA to enter and stay in Canada. The...

    My sister is marrying a Canadian this year and wants to move to Canada very soon for lots of reasons. Usually, US citizens don't need a visa or even an eTA to enter and stay in Canada. The visa-free period is 6 months, but my sister is in a situation where she might need to be able to stay longer until she can get proper residence through a spousal visa, since the processing time for those currently sits at 10 months. Moving back temporarily is not an option, neither is waiting to move. As I understand it, you can apply to extend visitor visas, but that might not be the case for visa-free stays? We genuinely don't know where to get started looking.

    Has anyone here done this, or been in a similar situation? Anyone who's immigrated through marriage and have had to figure out their stay like this, especially where it's not quite gone according to plan? Any and all suggestions and stories are welcome, we're all just 20-somethings navigating tremendous life changes without guard rails.

    10 votes

  2. Comment on Pride Month at Tildes: #9 - What are you hopeful about? in ~lgbt

    itdissonans
    Link
    It doesn't feel at all dangerous to be queer in public (here at least)! People are kind, supportive, and trustworthy, and anyone who claims to speak against trans people on behalf of the public...

    It doesn't feel at all dangerous to be queer in public (here at least)! People are kind, supportive, and trustworthy, and anyone who claims to speak against trans people on behalf of the public are a vocal minority trying their damnedest to distort people's perception of reality! I'm so happy to meet new people and not only are they always super chill, I can tell that most of them are not even worked up about the deep-voiced dyke standing in front of then! It really makes me feel so safe, and so hopeful that things will be alright for a good while.

    6 votes

  3. Comment on Pride Month at Tildes: #8 - What are you worried about? in ~lgbt

    itdissonans
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    As a fellow trans woman (ish), I resonate a lot with your comment. The rapid resurgence of fascism in Europe threatens my safety and wellbeing, I need to come out to my iffy family this year, and...

    As a fellow trans woman (ish), I resonate a lot with your comment. The rapid resurgence of fascism in Europe threatens my safety and wellbeing, I need to come out to my iffy family this year, and moving anywhere - especially home - and securing hormones is so scary that we've held off for a long time. It's like you said, a big part of having your egg cracked is realizing the losses you will experience, and the conflicted feelings of whether to press forward or step back into your shell. My life has ultimately improved since coming out, but the ever-present fear of more institutional and stochastic transphobic violence has a huge impact on your mental health. It's not surprising that it ends up taking the lives of so many of us, as heartbreaking as that is.

    Last year I was at a huge queer protest, and the feeling of wearing nothing but a skirt, staring down a bunch of cops in full riot gear, ready to protect my friends was terrifying but empowering. The fact that they were so scared of us that they felt the need to suit up made us all feel like we have the power to make things better, even though it will hurt and take time. I'm going to the protest again this year, and I have the subtle feeling that the cops will be bolder this time around, but we'll be ready for them.

    It makes me really happy to hear that you're not too discouraged from being trans. It's fucking scary and bleak right now, but we have to persist and stay strong together. If hiding is easier, so be it; someone will always be there to fight for you. I'll be trans on the offensive instead of the defensive for those who need it. Being your true self is always worth fighting for 💛

    10 votes

  4. Comment on Danish King Frederik X inaugurated the first element of a future eighteen-kilometre tunnel under the Baltic Sea – Fehmarn Belt fixed link will slash travel times between Scandinavia and Central Europe in ~engineering

    itdissonans
    Link
    Really, really hoping that this is what finally gets us some kind of long distance train connection from central Europe to Norway, even if it means some infrastructure upgrades have to happen in...

    Really, really hoping that this is what finally gets us some kind of long distance train connection from central Europe to Norway, even if it means some infrastructure upgrades have to happen in Norway as well. Still, even today, it's got to be possible to run even two daily trains right? If Snälltåget can manage Berlin-Stockholm, why not e.g. Hamburg-Oslo?

    7 votes

  5. Comment on Pride Month at Tildes: #7 - How are things with your family? in ~lgbt

    itdissonans
    (edited )
    Link
    :') I might just revisit this later this year after I actually come out to them (or, less "coming out", more "showing up and acting as if nothing has changed"). I already know who will be...

    :')

    I might just revisit this later this year after I actually come out to them (or, less "coming out", more "showing up and acting as if nothing has changed").

    I already know who will be enthusiastically supportive, who will be passively accepting, and who will be distinctly transphobic, but it doesn't matter. I don't care what they think of me anymore. In the years since I moved out of the country, I've lost most of the relationship I had with my family, immediate and extended. Hiding my real self from them until I'm ready means there's a lot of recent events I can't share, which has hurt our connections. It's fine, I don't really enjoy their company anymore, and we'll probably talk more when we move back to Norway but... I wouldn't mind it if we never talked again.

    8 votes