So my mom is insanely talented and was sobbing when she found out about Leelah’s passing and her (and many others’) unsupportive and transphobic parents. She desperately wants to give every trans youth a hug and tell them that they’ll be alright but she can’t reach out to everyone. So she made these.
“I don’t need eyes to see the real you, or a mouth to tell you who you should be. Just ears for listening, and paws for hugging. You are perfect to me.”
Each bear is made with 100% eco-friendly materials (including hemp stuffing!) They are very durable and extremely high quality. AND! 50% of all proceeds goes directly to the National Center for Transgender Equality!
[picture of a Siamese cat’s head against a triangle-sectioned background with many shades of blue. Top line of text reads: Person: *Is distant* || Bottom line of text reads: Me: *Terrified that the inconvenience of my friendship has begun to outweigh the benefits*]
Regarding this
post from earlier, here’s my loooooong post!!
Please reblog for applicable followers (even if you’re not on a disability spectrum), but please do not signal boost!
[Image descriptions: (Three different images of the same object at different angles) A close up of a person’s hand fidgeting with a jewelry / Stim toy composed of a large lobster clasp with two strands of jewelry beads (One 5 ¼ in length and the other 4 ½ in length) attached with metal alloys and plastic string. The beads are several sizes and shapes and have varying visual / physical textures.]
I became interested in the Greek worry beads
that my friend 413boonbucks received as a gift a few years ago from
a mutual friend.
I thought they were really neat and
secretly wanted some for myself, though at the time I didn’t realize
how much use I’d get out of something like them. (I understand the cultural significance of these beads, therefore am not calling what I am making here ‘Worry beads’)
Fast forward to late last year when,
after four years of research ( + joining the #actuallyautistic
community on tumlbr <3) and after disclosing to a few close and
thankfully supportive friends, I started identifying as autistic,
slowly, but surely.
At that time I was working on
finding healthy coping methods for my depression and anxiety, but
soon realized I needed something more, because although I finally
roped in my depression a considerable amount (of course it still
fluctuates a lot), I was still having issues with anxiety that was
greatly affecting my health in ways others with sensory sensitivities
can understand.
I learned that my residual anxiety /
energy depletion was from invasive but unavoidable input from my day
to day environment: Noises on the train. Crowded stores. A plethora
of inevitable stimulation that constantly affects and impairs my
ability to function in day-to-day life, a (typically) invisible
struggle I know many understand all too well.
So,
Ear plugs: check.
Experimenting with fidget toys: check.
Residual anxiety: As in check as much
as possible. Still a work in progress as is anything else.
I had an epiphany early this year
regarding my studies.
I have been studying game design in college
since January 2013 as I had a knack for visual art in high school
and wished to continue. However, I realized that my interest in
concept art alone wasn’t fulfilling long-term.
I decided that I wanted to combine my
love for education with my passion for art and ever-present but then
rapidly-developing interest in autism-related research, developmental
cognitive science and psychology in hopes of creating educational
games geared towards people on neuro-developmental disability
spectrums. (More on that in the coming months, it’s all still brand
new, bear with me.)
In the mean time, I wanted to help disabled people like myself in any way I could.
I like shiny, pretty, glassy stimmy things. I
know a looooot of people who also appreciate them as well. ;)
Maybe people might like them enough to
donate money and / or unwanted but suitable materials that would go
exclusively into making more stim jewelry for others?
I made one piece for my English
Professor’s young son, who is autistic, to experiment with and that was about it.
His son really liked it (as I was told
on many occasions :) ) but I fell into a slump and all of the
materials and beads I bought have been put away in my art room (as
well as the ideas, away in my head) since.
——————–
So this past Friday, my grandfather
passed and there was an incident (regarding him) that jump-started
this whole thing all over again.
At the hospital last week, I saw one of my
aunts crumpling up a napkin and holding onto it as she sat next to my
dying grandfather, her dad.
So I offered her one of my regular
bracelets I use for stimming and fidgeting with along with one of the two
crayon wax fidget toys I always carry around with me for comfort.
I figured the bracelet wouldn’t last
long, so I started brainstorming, (she has several small grand children) and
I secretly discovered that it hadn’t survived even a few days. (Yesterday I found a
lone bead from the bracelet sitting on a counter at her house :O)
It turned out so well that I would like
to restart making them for others once I’ve made them durable enough
to pass my own rigorous and experimental testing / ergonomic and texture sensitivity preference and of course
accessible by suggestion from others in the (non-exhaustive list of)
autistic
adhd
ocd
sensory-processing disorder
and
all-around fidgety and anxiety-prone
communities here on tumblr.
I am pro self-diagnosis.
I would like to make these on an as-needed / ~$3 monetarydonation optional basis.
(You pay for shipping (not considered a part of the donation), but please let me know if you are unable to, I will accommodate you to the best of my ability.) (I need to research how to do paypal invoicing, etc. but if anyone with experience can help me I would greatly appreciate it.)
Any donations received would go directly into funding for more material and higher-quality beads so I can continue making these for others if there is enough interest.
——————–
Whatever your disability, if you feel
that something like this would be helpful to you, I would be more
than happy to work with you to make a custom piece.
As of right now, I would like for this design to be the standard template, though types of beads and colors will of course vary, but with the same concerns mentioned above in mind. I would be happy to discuss any specific customization otherwise regarding ergonomics, color, texture sensitivities, religious beads such as crosses, prayer beads etc.
I am open to sending samples of beads before the product is put together if need be.
I will not make these for merely decorative purposes.
Due to small parts, I am not qualified to make these for / do not advocate letting small children use these. I am still experimenting with different metals and will be using nickel-free metal alloys in combination with sterling silver findings if necessary.
Under any circumstances, these are not like the silicon food-grade chewable stim toys that can be purchased by sellers such as stimtastic.
If you have a tendency to chew on stim toys and do not already have a chewy, please order from someone else such as stimtastic who can give you something safe to use for your oral sensory needs.
Regarding the beads, I am keeping in mind that many fashion jewelry beads are painted and may chip, and will be will be on the lookout for equally colorful and visually appealing suitable beads that are made of glass, colored durable plastic, stone, smooth wood and metal alloys.
——————–
If anyone is interested in a custom
design or has suggestions please inbox / send an ask to me off anon and I can put you on a waiting list.
You may also ask for my email if needed.
I will not be taking specific orders until I have completed this design to its fullest durability I can make and have made arrangements regarding mailing, paypal etc.
I will be making a follow-up post when that happens.
You must be comfortable giving me your mailing address and if you’re under 18 have the permission of your guardian(s) to have a piece sent to you.
You can also have it sent to a friend’s house if need be but I will require that the order recipient and person using it to make the order together.
You may just say it is a key chain / jewelry / a toy, etc. if you don’t feel comfortable disclosing what you will be using it for.
——————–
Concerning accessibility and specific
aesthetic design I am only taking general suggestions from the applicable
communities / spectrums listed above as well as from anyone on any motor-coordination related disability spectrums.
I would also like suggestions for
materials / designs etc from anyone on any disability spectrum with
experience in accessible jewelry crafting.
Concerning general aesthetic design i.e. general places I can find durable materials / beads like specific sellers on etsy, ebay etc I
will consider suggestions from people not on a disability spectrum. Of course, if you’re on a spectrum feel free to share as well.
Please let me know if any of the
language I used in this post needs to be corrected and edited.
Please add tags I have missed regarding disability communities that may be interested.
