Vacation and Packing Advice

Take the stuffie. If you need to explain it, say something like you brought it for a small child from your past who dreamed of going to Disney World, who is often in your thoughts.

Amythyst wrote:Bring the stuffy! Is it Pinkie Pie? Bring Pinkie Pie!

-Melissa

Last September we had to spend a couple days in hospital and Melissa wanted us to bring her little Twilight Sparkle stuffy.

I didn't want us to cos I was worried it'd get lost, or it'd just be like in the way, we'd leave it in the overnight bag and it'd just be taking up room, and anyways Melissa wasn't supposed to come out at the hospital at all so why would she/we need it?

From the moment we got outta surgery and into our room, that little stuffy never left our side, and almost never left our hand lol.

I know a vacation is way different from a hospital visit. But still - strange bed, strange environment, far from home... just bring the stuffy.

V2

p.s. I think Asti's comment is right on the money too.

Yes, it IS Pinkie Pie. LOL Chloe loves that silly little pony.
She also loves Tigger- and I like the idea of getting another plushie at the Disney store when we're there, too. We'll see.

-- Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:55 am --

Una+ wrote:Take the stuffie. If you need to explain it, say something like you brought it for a small child from your past who dreamed of going to Disney World, who is often in your thoughts.

The ONLY ones it would be hard to explain it to would be the 6 and 11 year olds... the latter I could just say "when I was littler than you, someone did something bad to me and this helps me with bad dreams so I don't remember them." The 6 year old... well, whatever... BUT they won't likely be in OUR bedroom much anyway...

The 13 y/o and the adults are all old enough to understand "this is a mental health coping tool due to childhood trauma". So if it NEEDS to be explained...

I take my stuffed animal with me often. Also when children are around. No need to explain more than you want or what they need to know... I just say I still like stuffed animals.. Nothing more and have never had a child asking questions or laughing at me or anything. Sometimes they seem to like it because it makes the more grown children less ashamed for still liking stuffed animals or other "childish" things themselves.

So glad to hear you will be taking the little pony!!

Yes Zor!! You fight for your right to take that pony wherever you choose.

On another note: women wear "men's" clothes every day. I'm wearing jeans now, God forbid, how dare I wear men's attire instead of a floral dress and court shoes. If I can wear "men's" clothes then you can wear womens clothes. Tell your wife this every time she puts pants on "you're making me uncomfortable by wearing men's clothes. It's not feminine and I feel you're trying to be the man in this relationship" and then comment every time you see a woman wearing "men's" clothes which is bound to be loads in Disney because dresses are not very practical for theme park rides.

She's forcing you into hers and societies perseption of what a "man" is so giving her a taste of her own medicine might help. I think men should be able to wear what they want the way women can.

How did women achieve this? In the 1920s groups of higher class women (in the UK, I dunno about America) started to wear suits and cut their hair short. They were ridiculed a bit but because they had money and were "higher" class they got away with it. Men need to do the same if they want to achieve clothing equality, maybe one day they will. Until then you can point out the inequality in this issue whenever you feel like. Paul

Kids are generally the last people who would ask about it, and I agree with Allcoulors that just saying “I still like stuffed animals” is enough.

Sarandipity wrote:Yes Zor!! You fight for your right to take that pony wherever you choose.

On another note: women wear "men's" clothes every day. I'm wearing jeans now, God forbid, how dare I wear men's attire instead of a floral dress and court shoes. If I can wear "men's" clothes then you can wear womens clothes. Tell your wife this every time she puts pants on "you're making me uncomfortable by wearing men's clothes. It's not feminine and I feel you're trying to be the man in this relationship" and then comment every time you see a woman wearing "men's" clothes which is bound to be loads in Disney because dresses are not very practical for theme park rides.

She's forcing you into hers and societies perseption of what a "man" is so giving her a taste of her own medicine might help. I think men should be able to wear what they want the way women can.

How did women achieve this? In the 1920s groups of higher class women (in the UK, I dunno about America) started to wear suits and cut their hair short. They were ridiculed a bit but because they had money and were "higher" class they got away with it. Men need to do the same if they want to achieve clothing equality, maybe one day they will. Until then you can point out the inequality in this issue whenever you feel like. Paul

The clothing thing would be sooooo much easier if body was female. That's a societal thing- a horrible double standard that I'm surprised more women aren't insulted by... basically men are "too good" to "dress down" and look like a girl, but it's ok for THEM to dress "up" to look like a guy?! What?!

To be fair and clear- _I_ have NO DESIRE AT ALL to wear a dress, skirt, leggings, tights, whatever... OTHER PARTS, however, DO - especially the girls. I'm willing to allow a little concession on that, like leggings for around the house, long "girlish" t-shirts for pajamas, etc. A little control over what it is, and some concession to them for what THEY want, too... it's better than the alternative of it just happening or being something that's sneaking around behind the scenes with.

So that's a thing I need to sort out myself, and ourselves, first. And yes, my wife once (many months ago) said, in the T's office, that she's a "Hard no on cross dressing." Even where it's the alters... NOT me... So that's a thing to deal with, too.

Side note- a few weeks ago we were at a fast food place and b/c my wife keeps her hair so short, a teen girl approached us and asked if we were a couple, then asked (once I said yes) for advice on how to be "yourself" and "live openly"... b/c SHE IS BI. She thought we were a gay couple, two men. Ironic that she's so anti-girl that she looks passable as a guy... and THAT is ok?! But an alter wanting a skirt or leggings (they're willing to compromise to ONLY around the house and privately, and even just leggings for now) is somehow too far?! That's a fight I'd rather avoid b/c it is a convenient one to denounce and vilify things over- and knowing MY position on it, too...

And her position will NEVER soften not b/c of the clothing but b/c of her hostility to the others, until THAT is changing, this is a lost cause fight anyway... and just fuel on the fire to NOT accept them.

What your wife likes and dislikes is HER problem. Yours, is to feel good and safe and that all the others sharing your body feel good and safe too.
I do not understand why some people put their likes and dislikes above somebody else's needs and limits... (or why some people like Zami accept to see their needs and limits be trampled down because of somebody else's likes and dislikes... oh well...)

~Theia~

So I took Pinkie Pie on our trip to Kentucky back in May... With the in-laws and a family friend of mother in-law... Mom in-law saw it at one point and I told her what it was... it wasn't a big thing, no big scene or anything... I kept it in the bag that had our bullet journal and notebook journal. I intend to do the same this time.

Once we get to Orlando, it'll be in our bedroom, where ONLY my wife and I will be sleeping in, and I'll keep it in that bag in the day, after I wake up (assuming I wake up with it) and will keep it "discreet" and "out of the way" for her... not looking to pick a fight, but not looking to cause more problems that WOULD lead to more stress for me/us, or between she and I about all this.

Think thats a good idea! Hope you all will have a nice vacation!