Poeaxtry's Prism

Spell. Stone. & Sparks that Ignite Change

Category: Poeaxtry’s Open Shelf

Curated collection of spontaneous essays, creative explorations, prompt responses, political takes, minority highlights, cultural reflectons, spirituality, indie and small business shout-outs, and more.

  • When an Artist Puts Mental Illness in a Headlock and Refuses to Let Go

    When an Artist Puts Mental Illness in a Headlock and Refuses to Let Go

    Best for:

    music enthusiasts, mental health advocates, lyrical analysis lovers, indie music explorers, and anyone who has ever argued with their own reflection.

    Hi Ren – The Song:

    I was driving home from Dundee Falls. I had just finished both of the upper and the lower falls. I was in a great mood, though my legs were feeling it. My liked songs playlist on Spotify was on shuffle, as it always is. I should mention I have over 5,000 songs in my liked library. I was a Pandora loyalist for years. I was stubborn about it even, but Spotify won me over eventually.

    Anyway, the hike was great as usual I’m not hard to please. The drive home was better than it typically is, as easy as I am to please I’m also never quite ready to go home.

    I get to about the village or town of Pearl, Ohio and, that’s when “Hi Ren” came on. I heard the first few scores and was lit. I hadn’t heard it in a while. Sometimes the right song at the right moment doesn’t just stop you, it moves you you.

    Ren – The Artist Who Refuses to Be Forced into a Single Genre:

    Ren is an artists who doesn’t fit neatly into a box. His music and lyrics are known for blending folk, spoken word, rock, rap, reggae, and alternative hip hop. While also combining them in a fresh and unfiltered style unique to Ren alone.

    Ren belongs in the same list as NF, Hobo Johnson, Bazzi, and other artists who I allow to influence the way I move words.

    Artists who understand that music can be a helpful tool to let it all out , not just a beautiful distraction.

    Though, “Hi Ren” is something else entirely.

    It’s not simply a song, it’s an internal fight made external. It is a confrontation with oneself. A seven-and-a-half-minute theatrical piece where Ren essentially debates his own demons in real time.

    The production and tone shifts. His voice goes from fragile to ferocious and back again. By the end, you’re not sure whether he won, declared a truce, lost, or forfeited. That ambiguity is the thing I live for, and entire point.

    The Song That Argues Back:

    What makes “Hi Ren” extraordinary is the structure. Ren doesn’t just sing about mental illness. He gives it a voice. A literal counter-voice in the track that mocks him, challenges him, and tries to convince him that every achievement is hollow and every setback is final.

    It covers:

    • Mental health struggles – The cyclical nature of depression and anxiety, the way your own mind turns on you
    • Physical health struggles – Ren has been open about his battles with chronic illness, and the song carries that weight
    • Imposter syndrome – That persistent whisper that you haven’t earned your place, that you’re faking it, that you’ll be exposed
    • Self-doubt as a constant companion – Not something you overcome once, but something you learn to coexist with

    The most striking moment comes when Ren shifts from defending himself to offending the voice back.

    He doesn’t just endure the internal assault, he turns around and lands his own blows. It’s not toxic positivity.

    It’s not “it gets better” platitudes.

    It’s a declaration that he’ll keep creating, keep fighting, keep showing up, even if the voice never fully leaves.

    How “Hi Ren” Fits Alongside my Other Lyrical Influences:

    I don’t throw around the term “lyrical influence” lightly. There are artists who make great songs, and then there are artists who make you rethink what a song can do. Ren falls into the second category.

    Here’s a quick list of artists who occupy that same space for me:

    • NF – Master of turning internal warfare into cinematic, stadium-ready confessionals
    • Hobo Johnson – Lyrical deconstructionism that feels like slam poetry raised on punk ethos
    • Bazzi – Stripped-down vulnerability that doesn’t sacrifice melody for honesty

    Ren fits alongside them not because he sounds similar, but because he shares the same core approach: use every tool available, lyrics, delivery, production, silence… to communicate something real about the human condition.

    “Hi Ren” in particular stands out because it refuses catharsis.

    There’s no neat resolution.

    The voice doesn’t disappear.

    Ren simply decides he’s going to keep living and creating in spite of it.

    That’s a far more honest ending than most songs dare to offer.

    Why This Song Hit Different on the Drive Home:

    There’s something about being alone in a car after a long hike. Your body is tired. Your mind is quiet. And then a song comes on that you haven’t heard in months, and it lands differently because you are in a different place than you were the last time you heard it.

    Dundee Falls was beautiful.

    Both of them.

    The kind of place where you forget to check your phone because you’re too busy watching water do what water has done for thousands of years.

    But the drive home is where the reflection happens. And “Hi Ren” turned that reflection into something sharper.

    It reminded me why I gravitate toward artists who aren’t afraid to be messy.

    Who don’t polish their struggles into something radio-friendly. Who understand that sometimes the most important thing a song can do is sit with you in the hard parts instead of rushing you to the resolution.

    The Power of Unresolved Stories:

    “Hi Ren” isn’t a song that ties itself in a bow.

    It doesn’t offer closure.

    What it offers is something rarer: permission to still be in the middle of your story.

    Permission to have days where the voice in your head is loud.

    Permission to keep going even when you don’t have a tidy answer for why.

    Ren is one of my lyrical influences for exactly that reason. Alongside NF, Hobo Johnson, and Bazzi, he represents a kind of honesty that doesn’t perform recovery. It performs persistence. And sometimes that’s the more important thing to hear.

    If you haven’t listened to “Hi Ren” yet, don’t just put it on in the background. Sit with it. Let it argue with itself. And when it’s over, pay attention to what the silence feels like afterward.

    Because that’s where the real work happens.

  • The Shelf Life of Productive Individuals;

    The Shelf Life of Productive Individuals;

    Best for:

    Blue-collar workers & laborers who feel the grind, healthcare workers and nursing staff, critics of late-stage capitalism, readers of industrial horror and dystopian fiction, those who feel like a “cog in the machine,” and anyone grappling with the fear of aging and obsolescence in a productivity-obsessed world.

    The Scars of Fitting In:

    This piece is the fourth of the ten piece collection of short stories, that I am currently working on. I will continue to share these periodically across my platforms, including WordPress, Substack, Wattpad, and other publishing spaces.

    Each story in this series stands alone, but together they form a broader examination of the systems that shape us.

    These works are released intentionally over time, allowing space for reflection rather than consumption.

    This series blends literary fiction with social commentary and psychologically thrilling concepts. Here I spend time focusing on lived experience, psychological impact, and the long shadow of making decisions for others . New entries will be published as they are completed.

    Blurb:

    The story follows a factory worker who spends his time at work bottling consumer goods and monitoring “underproductive individuals” also known as humans who have replaced animals in the testing wings.

    At one point he watches a man react to some of the very chemicals he caps on the line. At last the narrator realizes he isn’t just an observer. He is a battery running out of charge, and the factory is simply waiting for his shelf life to expire.

    The Shelf Life of Productive Individuals;

    The commute to the factory is always in a grayscale hue, this is a fact that never fails to come true. The forty-minute stretch where my mind attempts to build a wall between the two separate versions of me. One version consists of a man who eats toast in a dim kitchen decorated in hues of yellow and blue; the other version signs for shipments of humans to run production safety test on using their hair and skin.

    Each and every morning, the parking lot at the testing facility feels like a graveyard for the living. It shivers through my bones as I approach the cemetery for the breathing, working bodies.

    Our shift change is something similar to a silent ritual. You walk past the outgoing crew, and there is a shared, hollow look in all of our eyes. This look is a mutual agreement not to acknowledge the screaming contradiction of our “Humane First” posters.

    The company rebranded the previous animal testing wing as the Ethical Non-Animal-Testing Zone. This rebrand brought the posters of playful pups, kittens doing cute things, rabbits, monkeys you name it all showing the bright futures an animal now can have without fear of testing.

    They stripped the cages out three years ago when the laws changed.

    Gone were the self watering bottles and the feeders on timers. Now, there are cots as well as a few mess halls. There are privacy screens that don’t actually offer much in the way of privacy and, there are personal care items for the nursing staff to use. Though I should also note we are not supposed to refer to them as nursing staff they are “test subject techs” or TST’s.

    During the first week of the transition, my internal monologue was more defensive:

    The animals are safe, the voiceless are no longer allowed to be abused.

    These underproductive individuals (as we were told to refer to them before the test subject verbiage was introduced) were at least they’re being fed.

    They are also being kept warm, and out of the elements.

    But the defense is a thin lacquer, and it’s peeling.

    By the second Tuesday, the smell of the new “Morning Moss” “Ace” body wash being tested on Wing B had become a daily migraine inducer. Walking the line, my eyes keep betraying our new protocols.

    For instance our new employee handbook told us to only look at the test subjects Application Site, and specifically not their faces. But the face of Subject 00005 is a map of a life I recognize.

    This man has the same deep creases around his mouth as I. Lines he got probably from a lifetime of frowning into the sun. He has the universal “factory slouch” the curvature of the spine that comes from decades of being a human bracket for a machine.

    In the back of my head though the corporate training video whispered the reminder, “He’s not smart or strong enough. This is a person capitalism can’t make anything from.” The thoughts loop during the drive home, rhythmic with my windshield wipers.

    Capitalism can’t make anything from him. It’s a lie. They are making plenty. They are making data points on dermal toxicity and allergic reactions. They are harvesting the only thing he has left: his physical body.

    Then the following night, standing in front of the bathroom mirror at home, my internal processing turned inward. Becoming something more sharp and clinical than ever before. My reflection is a catalog of “Under-Productivity.”

    The graying now spreads through my entire beard. The way my breath hitches after climbing a set of stairs or a steep hill. The slow, creeping onset aging of a man who spent his youth filling and lifting boxes that are now moved by a robotic arm.

    I am a surplus human, the thought lands with a sickening thud.

    The fear isn’t that I’ll lose this job; the fear is that I’ll qualify for the next one.

    That one morning, my badge won’t beep at the turnstile, and the HR manager will lead me not to an alternate exit, but to a cot.

    That Thursday’s shift was my breaking point. Its final tipping point was the sensory overlap. A test subject in Wing C, a man about fifty, wearing a faded wedding band that he refused to take off.

    Was having a reaction to a high-concentrate antiperspirant. His skin was an angry, and violent, weeping red… mess. He never uttered one complain. He just sat there with his eyes closed, breathing in the same synthetic “Cool Mountain” scent that I’ve been bottling for twenty years.

    The realization came in a cold, drenching wave.

    I am not the observer.

    I am the precursor.

    Every bottle I cap on the production line is a potential chemical burn for the individuals on the cots, and every hour I spend aging at my station brings me closer to sitting where they are.

    We are pieces of the same closed loop. The factory creates the product, the factory creates the “unproductive” worker, and the factory uses the latter to validate the former.

    The drive home on Friday morning is a silent one.

    No radio.

    No distractions.

    The sandalwood and synthetic moss cling to the fabric of the seats in my Honda, a funeral shroud of consumer goods. Pulling into the driveway, my house looks too small, almost fragile.

    I look at my hands on the steering wheel. They are steady, but they feel heavy, as if the clipboard is already being replaced by the weight of a test patch.

    My mental struggle is no longer about “them or us.”

    It’s the terrifying realization that in a world where a body must be a battery or a lab rat, I am just a battery that is running out of charge.

    Eventually we all will become the lab rat.

    I stay in the car long after the engine has cooled, watching my neighborhood’s lights flicker on.

    I begin to wonder which of my neighbors are still “productive,” and how many of us are just waiting for our shelf life to expire.

    Before you leave:

    Thank you for reading the fourth story in the “Scars of Fitting in” series. This piece explores the terrifying intersection of labor and human value.

    I hope this look into the “closed loop” of the factory gave you something to think about.

    Maybe it even echoed something within your own experience. Be looking out for more stories like this and others that I will be released periodically across WordPress, Substack, Wattpad, Quotev, Inkitt, and other platforms.

    These shorts will each explore the outside forces that work to shape us.

    Please feel free to follow along, and check back soon to continue this collection and others grow. With Poeaxtry there is always more to come.

    If you feel moved to do so please comment below and tell me what you think.

    Did you hate this? Maybe you loved it?

    Did it leave you somewhere in between?

    I’d love to know more about what you think, no hard feelings I promise.

    Tell me have you ever felt like a “surplus human” in our current system?

    How would you react if you realized your job was just a countdown to becoming the subject?

    If you wouldn’t mind consider sharing “Shelf Life of Productive Individuals” with someone who might resonate with this look at the cost of modern productivity. Or even your friend who just likes to read psychological thrillers.

    Keep an eye out for the next entry in, “The Scars of Fitting In.”

  • Court Voids Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan: A Victory for Appalachia-

    Court Voids Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan: A Victory for Appalachia-

    The Legal Dagger: Why the Court Hit the Reset Button-

    On Tuesday, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina delivered a massive blow to federal agencies, officially voiding the revised Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan. The ruling found that the U.S. Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service relied on “flawed,” “unsupported,” and “deficient” science regarding endangered species. The finding noted specifically the forest bats which call these 1.1 million acres home.

    The plan, which sought to quintuple logging across some of the most biodiverse land in the country, has been effectively halted. For those who bleed Appalachia, as I do, this isn’t just a legal win. But it’s a restoration of the balance between industry and the ancient spirit of the mountains.

    The view from frying pan tower in NC
    The view off of frying pan tower in North Carolina.

    Beyond the Paper: The View from the Frying Pan Tower-

    To understand what was at stake, you have to look past the legal briefs and into the “Land of Waterfalls.” This isn’t just about timber; it’s about the sunrise over Frying Pan Tower and the 360-degree views that define the Blue Ridge Parkway.

    For those of us who have walked these trails more recently, navigating the post-Helene rubble to reach the new Rainbow Bridge at Lake Lure or those who have been blessed to find themselves standing behind the curtain of Dry Falls… the forest is a place of healing.

    When you’ve left a piece of your heart at a memorial bridge or felt the spray of Triple Falls the iconic “Hunger Games” backdrop, you know that “management” shouldn’t mean “extraction.”

    Dry falls side view
    Dry falls in North Carolina.

    The “Land of Waterfalls” vs. The Timber Mill-

    The court’s decision specifically targets the arbitrary nature of the plan’s biological opinion. The judge noted that the agencies essentially “cut corners,” ignoring how massive clear-cuts would impact habitat connectivity.

    Placingmy mom's dogs collar on Lake Lure's new Rainbow bridge
    The new lake lure rainbow bridge.

    Checkout my FAVORITE local landmarks:

    • • Looking Glass Falls
    • Sliding Rock
    • Living Waters The Old Mill
    • The Brevard/Transylvania Corridor
    • Downtown Asheville & Henderson
    • Also basically all of Pisgah
    • And who can forget the many roadside waterfalls
    Sliding Rock Natural Waterfall in Western North Carolina
    Hello sliding rock, can I have my breath back?

    A Mountain Legacy: From West Virginia to Asheville-

    For many of us, the connection to these hills is ancestral. Whether you’ve lived in Asheville for decades or your roots go back to the rugged ridges of West Virginia, the Appalachian range is one continuous heartbeat. The court’s ruling honors the voices of the 37,000 people who spoke out against the plan. This reminding us that the “ancient” side of the forest is what makes it home.

    By voiding the plan, the court has ensured that the morning sunrises at the overlooks and the quiet creek walks in Pisgah remain as they should be: protected.

    Waterfall in New River Gorge Wv
    Gorgeous waterfall near New River Gorge in West Virginia.

    What Happens Next?

    The Forest Service must now go back to the drawing board. They are legally required to redo their analysis with accurate, science-based data that accounts for the Endangered Species Act.

    Until then, the “pause” button remains pressed.

    The waterfalls will continue to roar, the roadside mines will keep their secrets, and the soul of Appalachia remains standing.

    What do you think? Does this ruling do enough to protect the private rehab lands and the “secret” falls we all love, or is this just a temporary stay of execution for Pisgah and other National Forrest areas?

  • Holistic Medicine – Another Victim of the War on Drugs:

    Holistic Medicine – Another Victim of the War on Drugs:

    Best For:

    Advocates for drug policy reform, holistic health practitioners, historians of the war on drugs, investigative journalists, individuals in recovery.

    The War on Drugs: A Legacy of Engineered Crisis and Broken Medicine

    The Origin Point: State-Sponsored Addiction

    To understand why holistic medicine is under attack today, we have to look at the “beginning” of the modern era of prohibition. The 1980s didn’t just see a rise in drug use; it saw the strategic implementation of drug distribution to fund geopolitical wars.

    While the “Just Say No” campaign was in full swing, the CIA-linked Contra scandal proved that federal agencies were turning a blind eye to massive quantities of cocaine entering the U.S. This “state-sponsored” influx flooded marginalized communities with cheap powder, which was then “chemically broken” into crack cocaine.

    This wasn’t an accident; it was a blueprint. It allowed the government to criminalize specific demographics, fuel the private prison industry, and create a permanent underclass, all while lining the pockets of the military-industrial complex.

    The Chemical Sabotage of Holistic Medicine

    The same playbook is being used today against plants like Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa). For thousands of years, this plant existed as a holistic tool with “natural brakes.” Raw Kratom leaf contains a complex matrix of alkaloids that signal the body when it has had too much (nausea, dizziness).

    However, we have entered an era of chemical isolation and synthesis:

    • The 7-OH Pivot: 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is a naturally occurring alkaloid in Kratom, but in the leaf, it is present in minute, safe amounts.
    • Breaking the Balance: Labs are now isolating and synthesizing 7-OH into hyper-potent tablets. By removing the plant’s natural indicators, we create a “broken” version of the medicine that mimics the intensity of high-level opiates.
    • The Blame Game: When these lab-created synthetics cause issues, the headlines don’t blame the lab or the isolation process, they blame the “dangerous plant.” This gives the government the “moral” authority to ban the natural leaf, effectively handing the market over to pharmaceutical companies.

    The Marijuana Parallel: Delta-8 and Designer Drugs

    We see the exact same “breaking” process with Marijuana. Because the natural plant remains federally restricted, the market has pivoted to Delta-8, Delta-10, and other synthetic cannabinoids.

    These aren’t “natural” alternatives. They are often created by taking CBD and applying harsh chemical catalysts to change its molecular structure. Much like the K2, Spice, and “Bath Salts” of previous generations, these designer drugs are a direct result of prohibition. When you ban the natural thing, the “Iron Law of Prohibition” dictates that the market will create something more potent, more synthetic, and more dangerous to bypass the law.

    The Profit Pipeline: From Pills to Street Fentanyl

    The transition from holistic medicine to a death crisis is most visible in the opiate epidemic.

    • Commodity Medicine: Billionaire-backed pharmaceutical companies pushed “safe” synthetic opiates like OxyContin, knowing they were addictive.
    • The Pivot: When the pills were cut off, the “market” didn’t disappear, it evolved into Heroin.
    • The Synthesis: To maximize profit and minimize the need for land (poppy fields), Street Fentanyl was introduced. It is easier to smuggle, cheaper to make in a lab, and is now killing the very people who were funneled into addiction by the medical system.

    When the Profit Well Runs Dry

    The War on Drugs is not about safety; it is about control and commodification. It stops when the “dirty addicts,” the poor and marginalized, are dead, or when the profit well finally runs dry. By criminalizing the natural and forcing us into a synthetic-only landscape, the system ensures that billionaires remain the gatekeepers of our health.

    When we choose to “break” a medicine in a lab and then blame the natural plant for the resulting crisis, we are watching a systemic failure in real-time. We must stop letting the “War on Drugs” be an excuse to dismantle the holistic tools that have worked for thousands of years.

  • Trans Masculine Athletes Claim 3rd – Destroying Anti-Trans Sports Band:

    Trans Masculine Athletes Claim 3rd – Destroying Anti-Trans Sports Band:

    Best For:

    Transgender athletes, cisgender teammates, any transgender person told they can’t play a sport, parents of transgender athletes, advocates, and the one guy in every comment section with baseless claims of unfairness. 

    This post contains mature themes, not suitable for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

    Nuance; Important:

    Three trans masculine athletes just won big. Yet, nobody is calling for their medals to be revoked, thankfully so but still.

    I see not one person saying their bodies give them an unfair disadvantage, even though the same rhetoric is used against trans women. That’s the tell. The nuance behind protecting women’s sports was never consistent or fact based. It was never about science. It is a weapon to use against transgender people just as ignoring the facts about trans masculine individuals existing is as well.

    These three men winning, without a single mainstream acknowledgment proves that beyond any doubt. The old talking points are dead. They were proven wrong the second people stopped talking about transgender people in sports when they are not AMAB. Now the question is whether you’ll keep pretending, or finally admit what this was always about.

    Three Trans Masculine Athletes –

    Proved the Sports Panic Rhetoric Wrong:

    A few weekends or so ago, Saturday, March 28th, at the 2026 Athletic Brewing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside triathlon, while most of the country was arguing about transgender women existing in athletics, three trans masculine athletes quietly secured a big win. They effectively did something that should have broken the internet. In an era of obsession for trans people in what they are in our not allowed to do. These three young athletes showed everyone behind the nuance and transgender people playing sports.

    They never asked for special rules, as they were all they were all assigned female at birth, like me, and should by the logic America uses have a disadvantage to their cis male counterparts. They didn’t demand a separate category. They showed up, competed in the men’s division, and placed with a big final spot, securing 3rd place.

    Team Iron Transmasc:

    “The loudest statement we could make wasn’t a speech. It was crossing the finish line ahead of two hundred teams who thought they had every advantage.”

    — Cal Calamia, after the race.

    The team of trans masculine athletes, from what I have seen consisted of Schuyler Bailar, Chella Man, and Cal Calamia. Each one born AFAB and aligning with a gender outside of that directly. Their hard work and determination combined with mental strength helped them secure this huge athletic win for transgender athletes worldwide. This all transgender team took third place at the 2026 Athletic Brewing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside relay, beating over 200 other teams.

    If you believe the current wave of anti-trans legislation, this should not be possible. Yet, here we are.

    Who, What, Where, When, & How –

    Let’s Go Over Everything:

    The event:

    The Athletic Brewing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside is a half-Ironman triathlon that was held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Oceanside, California. The course consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56.2-mile bike ride through Camp Pendleton‘s hilly terrain, and a 13.1-mile run along the coast. Over 3,000 athletes and more than 60 professionals competed. In the relay division alone, over 200 teams entered.

    The team:

    Team Iron Transmasc, was the name the team of three trans masculine athletes chose to use when competing in the men’s relay division.

    The three athletes:

    Schuyler Bailar handled the swim portion of the event. He is the first trans man to compete on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team as a Harvard swimmer and a three-time Ivy League champion. He is also a prominent activist and author.

    Chella Man took the bike leg. They are a deaf nonbinary cyclist, artist, and activist. During the race, they competed with their cochlear implants turned off. This meaning they could not hear race instructions, traffic, or crowd noise. They relied entirely on visual cues and their own internal pacing.

    Cal Calamia anchored the run leg. They are the 2025 Outsports Nonbinary Athlete of the Year, have completed all six major marathons (aka the “Super Six”), and helped create nonbinary divisions for every single one of them.

    How they won:

    This is the part you need to picture. Calamia was running the final leg of the relay. With less than 10 meters to go (roughly the length of a large living room) they were trailing another relay runner. Calamia dug in, found something extra, and passed that runner in the final stride to secure the third-place podium spot. In their own words: “I had to close the deal. There was no part of me that would quit. And we got that spot on the men’s podium! It was amazing!”

    What they wore:

    Every piece of the gear used by these trans masculine athletes was a statement. Calamia had a trans flag sewn onto their running shorts. Bailar wore goggles striped in trans pride colors. Chella Man’s cycling suit bore the words: “bodies are not bans.”

    After the race:

    Of course they did not storm off in anger or give bitter interviews. The trans masculine athletes celebrated on the beach with cartwheels and piggyback rides. They cracked jokes about the race’s “transition zone” a standard triathlon term for the area between disciplines.

    Joy was the point. They also made clear this is just the beginning, saying they want to “scale this up and get more trans athletes doing relays like this.”

    “We kept saying ‘transition zone’ and laughing. You either find the joy or you let them take it from you. We chose joy.”

    —Chella Man, on racing while trans

    The IOC:

    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the governing body for Olympic sports worldwide. What they decide influences nearly every other sports organization: NCAA, FIFA, USA Track & Field, Ironman, you name it. When the IOC makes a rule, the rest of the sports world tends to follow.

    On March 25, 2026, just three days before this Ironman race, the IOC announced a new ban: trans women would no longer be allowed to compete in female events, regardless of hormone therapy, regardless of hormone levels, regardless of any individual evidence. The policy was absolute.

    This matters because Team Iron Transmasc made entirely of trans masculine athletes, chose to compete just days after that announcement, and they explicitly tied their victory to resisting that ban. In their Instagram post celebrating the win, they wrote that they competed “for every person disenfranchised by transphobia, white supremacy, ableism, colonialism. For Palestinians, Iranians, Sudanese, Congolese. For every human’s right to exist exactly as we are, everywhere we are.“

    Bailar gave an interview before the race where he said: “One of the reasons that the recent IOC decision is so devastating is because it sends a message that sports are going to lead through discrimination, as opposed to being on a progressive way of moving humanity forwards, which is what they should be doing.“

    The IOC matters because they set the tone for global sports policy, and that tone right now is explicitly anti-trans. Team Iron Transmasc ran their race as a direct response to that.

    What This Victory Actually Proves:

    Now let’s talk about what this means, because most coverage will miss the point entirely.

    The anti-trans sports panic rests on a single claim: that male puberty confers irreversible athletic advantages that make it unfair for trans women to compete against cis women. This claim has been used to pass over 20 state laws and influenced the IOC’s 2026 ban.

    But here is the problem that anti-trans activists cannot solve.

    If male puberty is an irreversible advantage, then trans men, who went through female puberty, should never be able to compete fairly against cis men.

    Yet Team Iron Transmasc. made up of trans masculine athletes just beat over 200 cisgender male teams. Schuyler Bailar swam competitively against cis men in the NCAA for years. Cal Calamia runs marathons alongside cis men. Chella Man biked 56 miles through a Marine Corps. Base

    You cannot have it both ways. Either puberty is not destiny, or it is. The evidence says it is not. Hormone therapy works., training matters, strategy matters, and mental toughness matters. These three trans masculine athletes just proved all of that on a very public stage.

    Why They Leave Trans Men Out of the Equation

    Anti-trans lawmakers and activists have a very deliberate strategy: they only talk about trans women. Trans women are painted as threats, as intruders, as dangers to cisgender women. Trans men are either ignored entirely or treated with patronizing pity as “confused girls” who have ruined their bodies.

    Here is why they do this. Trans masculine athletes and trans men all together shatter their entire narrative. If a trans man on testosterone can hold his own against cis men and even beat them then a trans woman on estrogen and testosterone blockers can be beaten by and have cis women hold their own against them. It is the exact same biological process in reverse. The only difference is which direction you are going.

    They leave trans men out of the equation because including us would force an honest conversation. This honest conversation would reveal that the entire panic is not about fairness at all. It is about who gets to be seen as a legitimate woman. Trans women threaten the idea that “male” is inherently superior. Trans men do not threaten that hierarchy, we are seen as “choosing” to leave womanhood, which ironically reinforces that manhood is more desirable.

    So they erase us. They write laws that only mention trans women. They fill news segments with images of trans female athletes. They never ask trans men for our opinions or our evidence.

    Yet, we are the evidence. Our bodies, training, and victories. These are the quiet proof that the whole thing is a lie.

    “They don’t talk about us because we ruin the argument. A trans man on a podium next to cis men is a question they cannot answer.”

    – Schuyler Bailar, on why trans men are ignored in sports bans

    What This Means:

    Three trans men stood on a podium. Over two hundred cis male teams finished behind them. The people who scream about fairness every time a trans woman competes? Silent.

    Not because they suddenly believe in science, no change of heart, but trans men winning breaks the script. There’s no angle, no threat to manufacture, and easy villain.

    That silence is the loudest confession.

    They were never protecting women’s sports. They were policing whose bodies get to exist in public. The second the argument doesn’t work, the second trans men win fair and square, they just look away.

    You don’t get to force bans and then attempt to look away. You can name it for what it is. A piece of misinformation that just ran out of places to hide.

    If you are an athletic trans man reading this, know that your existence is already a political argument. Every time you train, every time you compete, every time you simply show up to a race, match, or a pickup game you are disproving the lie. You do not need to win a podium spot to matter. You just need to keep showing up.

    If you are a cis person still unsure where you stand, look at the facts. Three transmasculine athletes beat over 200 cis male teams with no rule changes, accommodations, or unfair advantages. Just training, friendship, and a final 10-meter sprint that secured history.

    The only thing standing between trans athletes and fair play is fear. Team Iron Transmasc just proved that fear has no place on the starting line.

    Be seen, celebrated, and connected! All Free! Submit to Poeaxtry Spotlights today. By form or email Poeaxtry@gmail.com

  • The Viral Trend of Unattributed Art Needs to End:

    The Viral Trend of Unattributed Art Needs to End:

    Best for:

    Creative Entrepreneurs, Poetry Enthusiasts, Art History Buffs, Ethical Consumers, Writers in Grief, Process-Oriented Creators, and fans of indie creatives.

    Why I Work at Restoring Artists Identity:

    We’ve become far too comfortable with the theft of art work turned social media gimmick. We see a quote, feel a pang of resonance, and hit “like” or “share,” never stopping to ask whose hands actually typed those words. In many high-traffic poetry and art groups, posts from “top contributors” and “ anonymous group members” strip the artists of their identity, leaving behind nothing but a “vibe” and maybe the artists initials.

    The Origin of the Rescue

    While my focus is often on supporting the indie creative community; I am against all plagiarism, stolen credit, and ill-attributed works in any form. Whether an artist is indie or traditionally published, if their work moves me, I will refuse to push their stolen content through social media algorithms. I am dedicated to providing them authentic credit while offering creative advice to others.

    Upon seeing this latest example today, I finally put together the framework for a solution.

    The Change:

    Instead of just scrolling past with a sigh, I am launching a casually recurring series on the Open Shelf. I will be finding the humans behind the ill-attributed quotes, poems, and prose, and restoring their credit. If I was moved by the work of course. The posts will also go on to use their work as a jump-off point to show you how to dismantle a spark and build something entirely your own.

    We are all feeding the cycle of uncredited, low-energy sharing. In order to do more than speak of change I want to see in art, media, literature, and well the world, this is how I will begin to actually implement some of these changes. This is restoration for the art that moves me while I also work at improving the ethics of crediting a creative person accurately.

    Along side these actions to create change I will layer art and literature history where fitting. As well as taking advantage of the opportunity to show other creative individuals you how sparks can be dismantled and rebuilt into something entirely new, sometimes not even remotely relevant to the piece that sparked your creativity.

    D.K. Marie – The First Creative Restoration:

    The piece I saw circulating today is by D.K. Marie, an author that has navigated both the traditional and self-publishing worlds to become an Amazon #1 bestseller.

    This post which I screenshotted to add below, from a large poetry group on Facebook is signed with a stylized -DK. I do want to mention there is not one word in the caption. And while I understand the image is aesthetically pleasing visually for your Instagram and TikTok feeds. That doesn’t apply here in a large Facebook group and not on Instagram or TikTok.

    Which also leads us to add the fact that, captions no matter the length do not affect your personal page’s aesthetic feed view. If the work is your art and you don’t want to caption it that’s valid as heck. Go on with ya bad self. However, ethical crediting of creatives for their work where it is due is a base level thing to always do.

    The Creator:

    D.K. Marie is known for her minimalist snapshots of poetic pain, swoon-serenading romance novels, and blending love, lust, and laughter.

    She participates in and advocates for independent published authors and artists by sharing her story of publishing through traditional and indie publishers. As well as things like sustainable careers for artists, readers choosing indie bookstores, and attending author fairs. D.K. also shares knowledge on the importance of connecting with your readers and promoting independent works.

    If you are interested here is a link to D.K. Marie’s Author website, as well as her Instagram, and Facebook author page. Don’t forget to support independent creative individuals and communities.

    How you can Stop the Spread:

    When we interact with or like and share a post on any algorithm based social networking site that doesn’t credit the artist, we are inadvertently burying the creator.

    If you spend a few moments and the same amount of energy on finding the original author, you will gain so much more. You’ll have an entire library of their work and content at your fingertips. Compared to a bunch of stolen work layered together to create a viral account lacking authenticity.

    I’m asking you to simply stop liking the stolen posts and start following the creative individuals who actually bled into their work.

    A cropped screenshot of a minimalist typewriter-style poem by D.K. Marie, originally posted without full credit. The original poster's name is intentionally cropped out to highlight the "ghosting" of creators, while the empty like and comment icons at the bottom symbolize the hollow nature of uncredited viral engagement.
    Screenshot from Facebook reflecting 0 interactions for the ill-attributed work.

    The History of the Artistic Snippet – A Creative Pulse:

    Art is rarely a solo act; it is more commonly a long-form conversation across spans of time. We see this clearly when looks at art, literature, and music.

    Music:

    Let’s look first into the Music Production industry. Did you know that EDM and Hip-Hop artists take a four-second snippets of old records and layer them under a new beats? Thereby creating a completely different emotional landscape. This is “sampling” or taking the bones of the past to build the house of the future.

    This can be used as a generational connection where new artists work is used to acknowledge older generations work. While the artists reintroduce “forgotten” sounds to a contemporary audience. Homage has been paid through many art forms, even in early jazz, musicians would “sample” melodies live to show respect to their peers skill.

    Daft Punk famously took disco and funk fragments and rebuilt them into futuristic anthems like “One More Time.” Hip-hop finds its origins rooted in looping drum breaks from funk and soul records.

    Literature:

    Allusions in literature act as shorthand, like a hyperlink to another time. This allows an author to pull in the emotional weight of a past work without explaining it from scratch. For example, James Joyce’s Ulysses uses a massive “sample” of Homer‘s Odyssey. Therefore layering the grand myths of ancient Greece onto a single day in 1904 Dublin.

    Modern authors often “talk back” to the classics to challenge their perspectives. Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea is a reimagining of Jane Eyre, giving a voice to the “madwoman in the attic” and challenging the original narrative.

    Poetry:

     A poet takes an existing text maybe a Shakespearean sonnet or even a legal document. They then erase words until a new poem remains, leaving us with erasure poetry.

    Ronald Johnson’s Radi Os is a “sampling” of John Milton’s Paradise Lost; by removing letters from the title and text, he found a brand new, minimalist poem hidden inside the 17th-century epic. Effectively using hidden dialog to act as a physical conversation with the source text.

    Visual Art:

    Appropriation art in visual arts, is when artists take recognizable imagery and recontextualize it. The “readymade” Marcel Duchamp famously “sampled” a mass-produced urinal. He even signed it, and named it Fountain. Which forced a conversation about what defines “art.” Famously, Andy Warhol exactly copied the label of a Campbell’s Soup can. When he moved it from a grocery shelf to a gallery, he changed the “emotional landscape” from a simple lunch item to a commentary on consumerism.

    Historically, the “greats” did exactly what I am doing today:

    1. Response Poetry: In the 17th century, Sir Walter Raleigh famously wrote “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” as a direct, cynical rebuttal to Christopher Marlowe’s idealized love poem.

    2. The Cento: A classical poetic form composed entirely of lines borrowed from other poets. The skill wasn’t in the “theft,” but in the new meaning found through the arrangement.

    3. Modern Intertextuality: From the one-liners who gained fame by stripping poetry down to its skeletal essence (like Insta-poets Rupi Kaur, Atticus, and Nayyirah Waheed) to the layered samples in modern digital art. We all are using another’s to spark to break through or combat writer’s block. This acts as a legitimate, generational-honored exercise for your creative muscles.

    My Recreation: Knowing You Don’t

    I took the spark of “missing someone” from D.K. Marie’s work let my mind wonder. Instead of a lover the finality of life’s end drew me into reflecting on the loss of my mother. She is not “roaming the earth” physically at least; there is only the silent cold chill from the wind of what is no longer possible.

    Knowing You Don’t

    The hardest part about missing you is knowing

    you don’t walk with me

    through the trees.

    You no longer get to feel the warmth of an evening breeze

    or

    the sharp, cold snap as lake water takes your breath away momentarily in the summers heat.

    where we’d spent many of our lazy days,

    Now, I’m left watching the water ripple into nothing.

    This isn’t just another argument between child and parent;

    The door didn’t slam behind you,

    This is not a few days of heated silence between phone calls.

    The floorboards are aching to creak under the weight your angry return. When you had to just say one more thing.

    I would give up my life to hear you say any word… one more time.

    The rug is too thin to hide this.

    No matter how hard I try to sweep the truth under its surface. It will not fit.

    The hardest part is the finality in the cycle. It is knowing I can still feel your energy

    You clinging to the bark of the oaks everywhere I roam.

    Though it is but a cold winter wind that could never compare to the warm breeze of you being here.

    I’d take back every day we were not speaking… every heavy, wasted heated hour…

    for just a fraction of time in return with you,

    had I understood then what I’ve perfected now…

    The Artistic Lineage of “Knowing You Don’t”

    This poem is the descendant of a breakup quote, but the DNA mutated into a study of permanent loss. In the lineage of response poetry, I am not answering the original author’s romantic longing; I am answering the silence she described with the physical reality of a grave. Yes heartbreak sucks but if I had the chance I’d have 300 broken hearts a day if I never had to live without my mom again.

    Exercise Your Muscles: The Prompt Guide

    This post is an attempt to rectify artists ethical crediting, a look into my creative process, and a call to action to help be the change. If you want to make this a creative habit, are interested in ways to combat writers block, or if you are curious about my creative prompt collections look no further.

    I currently offer a digital creative prompt journal for $3.50! Providing you a way to keep your creative muscles moving through art, literature, and or poetry. Receive seventeen creative prompts and the information on where they are from. As well as my personal poem created from each, feel free to add to, redo, or completely make it your own from scratch .

    Amazon. Etsy. Google Play Books. Gumroad. Payhip. $3.50

    Or

    Read for free in exchange for your 100% honest review by form or emailing poeaxtry@gmail

    A Call to Creative Integrity

    Can we stop settling for the unethical ill-credited quotes from other artists work? If you see art that moves you, and it’s posted by someone other than the artist without credit… Please take the few minutes to find the person who created it.

    Start supporting the art source. You can even use that inspiration to fuel your own creative evolution. True creativity isn’t about where you start; it’s about the integrity of the journey you take from there.

  • Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026: Battle the Anti-Trans Bill

    Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026: Battle the Anti-Trans Bill

    Best for:

    Transgender individuals, gender nonconformists, intersex individuals, queer folk, advocates, socio-politically involved people, and those who want to stop HB249.

    A screenshot from the Ohio legislature website showing opposition submissions from community members, including Axton Mitchell from poeaxtry with a red square button to download their testimonies.
    Proof of my official submission on the Ohio House website; my voice is now a permanent part of the 136th General Assembly’s history.

    The Record of Our Existence –

    Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026:

    On March 14th, 2026, I sent my testimony into the House of Representatives as HB 249’s time to sink or swim was approaching.

    House bill 249 is a “model bill” designed to push the trans community, gender nonconformists, and drag artists alike out of public life. Attempting to do so by using vague “adult cabaret” language to criminalize our presence. While the House vote was 63–30 in their favor, the fight has now reset.

    HB 249 is officially in the hands of the Ohio Senate. This is where we build our firewall.

    I am sharing the original House testimony I submitted, here to show you that advocacy is a tangible, documented act. We are not just screaming into a void; we are putting our names, our businesses, and our stories on the permanent record.

    Yelling
    Free speech
    But controlling what the news say
    The Lorax called, it’s time to find a new shade
    Ru Paul’s never seen a beat that bad on drag race

    – Earth to Eve

    The Blueprint – My House Testimony Receipts:

    “You can't really know where you are going until you know where you have been,” so said the late, great Maya Angelou.

    I put my business, Poeaxtry, and my name on the official record to further prove that transgender and gender nonconforming individuals are here to stay, as we always have been. Our community cannot and will not be ignored.

    Screenshot of the New Edition to Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026. This text explains the adult cabaret portion of the bill white background black text
    The “Red Flags” in plain text; this is the language they are using to categorize us as a “performance” rather than as people. This is the actual verbiage used in Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026.

    How Allies & Family Build the Defense:

    Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026:

    In Ohio we are pivoting to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and this time, we need a broader coalition. If you are an ally, a parent, or a concerned neighbor, your role is to change the narrative.

    • 1. Break the “Common Sense” Propaganda:

    The proponents of this bill claim it is about “protecting children.” Our most useful move is to show people other actual people’s testimony.

    When you show a person the actual legal definitions, they can see the overreach for what it is. Education is the first step toward stopping the Senate from moving this bill to a floor vote.  

    • 2. The Ally Advantage:

    Advocates, allied people, and family members in support of transgender individuals and other people who don’t conform to gender norms, have a unique power to combat Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026.

    When you testify, you are telling the Committee that this bill doesn’t just “protect” some families; it threatens all families by giving the state the power to decide who is “obscene.” Your testimony proves that the trans community is supported by a network of voters that the Senate cannot afford to alienate.

    Submitting Your Senate Testimony in Opposition of Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026:

    The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Nathan Manning, is where this bill must be stopped. Here is how we flood their office with “oppositional” testimony.

    The 24-Hour Rule

    In the Senate, your testimony and the Witness Information Form must be emailed to the Chair’s office at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled hearing. This is a strict deadline; if the meeting is at 9:45 AM on a Wednesday, your email needs to be sent by Tuesday morning.

    Drafting Your Statement

    • The Salutation: “Chairman Manning, Vice Chair Reynolds, Ranking Member Hicks-Hudson, and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.”
    • The Position: Clearly state at the beginning: “I am writing as an Opponent to HB 249.”
    • The Personal Touch: Talk about your life in Ohio. If you are a parent in Newark or a shift worker in Belmont County, mention it. Senators should care about their constituents.
    • The Ask: Explicitly tell them: “I urge you to vote NO on HB 249 and keep this bill from reaching the Senate floor.”
    Testimony submitted in opposition of HB249 photo has black header white body background and black text showing Axton Mitchell’s full testimony
    Testimony I submitted to the House of Representatives to oppose HB249

    Please explain it to me
    The man in charge of the economy’s
    Got 6 bankruptcies
    Asking ChatGPT
    To define GDP
    Defunding education, when half the country can’t read
    Well now its clicking for me
    You need the people asleep
    And knowledge is the greatest threat to propaganda machines

    -Earth to Eve

    Support the Opposition of Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026:

    • Join a Lobby Day: Collective Physical Presence

    A “Lobby Day” is not just a meeting; it is a show of force. When groups like Equality Ohio or the ACLU of Ohio organize these days, they provide the training and the talking points you need to walk into a Senator’s office with confidence.

    Why it works: Legislators see hundreds of people in the same colored shirts walking the halls; it reminds them that their “yes” vote has a human cost.

    What you do: Sign up for the Equality Ohio mailing list or check their “Events” page immediately. If a formal day isn’t scheduled yet, gather some friends, drive to Columbus, and ask for a 15-minute meeting with your Senator’s aide. You don’t need an invitation to be a constituent in your own Statehouse.

    • Tag Them Constantly: Digital Accountability

    Posting your testimony is step one; making sure the Senator has to see it is step two. You need to tag their official office accounts, not just their campaign accounts.

    • The “Constituent” Signal:

    Always include your city or zip code in the post. Senators prioritize their own voters. Use a phrase like: “As a voter in [Your City], I am tagging Senator [Name] to ask why they are supporting the vague and dangerous language in HB 249.”

    • How to Tag:

    Most Ohio Senators use a standard format for their handles (e.g., @OHSenateGOP or their specific name). If you can’t find them, tag the Senate President Matt Huffman (@MattHuffmanOH) because he controls which bills actually move to a vote.

    • The Share Chain:

    When you see someone else post their testimony, share it and tag your Senator again. We create a digital wall of opposition that they cannot scroll past.

    • Inform Your Neighbors: Localized Education – Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026:

    Most people in your community probably think Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026 is “common sense” because they haven’t read the actual definitions in Slide 3, or they may be taking everything at face value and not reading the fine print.

    • Community Meetings:

    Bring printed copies of the Ohio HB 249 Senate, 2026 definitions to your local city council meeting, school board or other community related meetings.

    • The “Red Flag” Script: Tell them: “This bill isn’t about what the headlines say; it’s about giving the state the power to decide if your neighbor’s clothing or presence is ‘obscene.’ Here is the literal text.”

    • The Library/Coffee Shop Move:

    Print out a small “How to Help” flyers with a QR code leading to this guide, or any other helpful resources and leave them at local hubs.

    We Are the Firewall

    The anti transgender rhetoric relies on us getting tired, and our advocates just moving to the side and letting their bigotry slide.

    However, we are a community that knows how to survive. A lot of us thrive in these fight or flight situations. We know how layering our advocacy, from social media comments on Facebook to formal testimony in the Senate. They are making the political and social cost of this bill too high to pay.

    Transgender people, drag performing artists, and gender nonconformists alike are not a “performance” to be managed; we are the public that they serve, just the same.

    Let’s make sure they remember that when the Senate gavel falls. I am still waiting to be shown where the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or Bill of Rights says anything about a person makes them deserving of less than anyone else. The Declaration of Independence promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were written to codify and protect those very rights for every one of us.

  • Ohio HB 798: The “Erasure Act” & the Cost of Visibility

    Ohio HB 798: The “Erasure Act” & the Cost of Visibility

    Best For:

    Political science Majors, transgender and gender non-conforming people, advocates, and those who fight for equal rights.

    The GOP’s Attack on Visibility on TDOV – Coincidence? Irony?

    The irony of House Bill 798 being introduced on Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV) isn’t lost on anyone. While we spent March 31st celebrating our existence, Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) was filing paperwork designed to make that existence legally invisible.

    This isn’t just another “bathroom bill.” This is a “Map of Hell” expansion that moves the goalposts from “protecting kids” to erasing adults. After the manufactured moral panic and outrage over Target selling chest binders and gaffs, the mask has finally slipped all the way off. In case you didn’t get this already, they don’t want to “protect” kids; they want us to stop existing in public, and honestly probably in private as well.

    Ohio HB 798 The New Legal Definition

    A Trap for the Transitioned:

    Ohio’s HB 798 doesn’t just use the word “sex,” it seeks to legally define it as “biological sex,” specifically determined by “internal and external reproductive anatomy” and “genetics” at birth. If you corrected our documents whether a decade ago or three months, this is a calculated attempt to make our current legal status “erroneous.”

    By narrowing the definition to chromosomes and anatomy at birth, the state is trying to create a legal “Ground Zero” that ignores medical transition, court orders, and any amount of lived experience. It turns our IDs into a “lie” in the eyes of the state, regardless of what our passports, birth certificates or social security records say.

    “Protecting Children” to Erasing Adults Ohio’s HB 798:

    For years, the rhetoric was centered on “protecting the youth” from permanent changes. But Ohio’s HB 798 proves that was a lie, but I’m sure like me you were already aware of that. As a transgender female to male who legally has changed his name and gender marker back in 2016, this bill feels like a targeted attempt. Ohio’s GOP wants to try and reach back into my past while systematically undoing my present, the same goes for everyone else like me in Ohio.

    The bill doesn’t just stop at K-12 schools; it targets the very foundational documents of adulthood:

    • Marriage Licenses:

    It seeks to freeze sex markers, ensuring your “biological sex” is the only thing the state recognizes on your wedding day.

    • Death Certificates:

    It mandates that even in death, your true identity can be erased, forcing a “biological” marker onto your final record.

    • The “Bounty Hunter” Clause:

    It allows private citizens to sue institutions if they “perceive” someone of the opposite sex in a restroom. This isn’t about safety; it’s about state-sponsored stalking.

    They told us it was about the children until they realized we weren’t going away. Now, they’re coming for our marriages, our dignity, and our right to die with our names intact.

    – Axton N. O. Mitchell

    My Wedding:

    I am getting married in October. This bill isn’t just a headline for me; it’s a shadow over my ceremony. While I have lived my truth for over a decade, the state of Ohio is trying to build a legal cage around the word “biological.”

    They want to make being trans so uncomfortable, so litigious, and so bureaucratically exhausting that we simply stop talking. They want us to live the lie because our truth is too inconvenient for their campaign trail.

    It is a pursuit of our identity that follows us literally to the grave, attempting to erase the life we actually lived in favor of the one they wanted for us.

    – Axton N. O. Mitchell

    Why Ohio’s HB 798 is a House of Horrors:

    • Retail Panic Result: This bill is the direct descendant of the rage sparked by binders, gaffs, and pride merch. It’s the legislative version of screaming in a Target aisle.
    • The Litigation Trap: By allowing lawsuits based on “perception,” Ohio is encouraging a culture where every stranger is a self-appointed gender inspector.
    • The Permanent Record: By banning changes to birth and death certificates, they are attempting to ensure that no matter how you live your life, the state gets the “last word” on who you were.

    When Existence Became the Crime:

    I saw the change pretty clearly. First, they said it was about “protecting children” from hormones and surgery, more permanent changes. Then, the goalposts moved to puberty blockers, and we already knew something was coming.

    Finally, when the moral panic shifted to Target putting out chest binders and tuck-friendly swimsuits, the mask fell off completely.

    They realized that transgender people and other gender nonconforming individuals aren’t just in clinics. We are in the woods, the parks, and in the workforce.

    Ohio’s HB 798 is the legislative response to that realization. It’s no longer about medical “safety“; it’s about making the everyday act of buying a binder in a store or using a public restroom a legal liability.

    They are trying to make our existence so litigious that corporations and schools are “scared” to accommodate us.

    Visibility without protection is a trap. They want us to be seen only so they can find us more easily

    – Axton N. O. Mitchell

    The November Ballot-

    Voter ID & the Erasure Act

    We cannot ignore the timing. With Ohio’s strict photo ID laws, any bill that muddies the water of what constitutes a “legal” sex marker is a threat to our right to vote.

    As we fight for the Ohio Equal Rights Amendment on the November 2026 ballot, bills like Ohio’s HB 798 act as a distraction and a deterrent.

    They want us so bogged down in fixing our birth certificates and worrying about bathroom lawsuits that we lose sight of the power we have at the polls. This isn’t just a bill; it’s a hurdle placed in front of the ballot box.

    We Are Here To Stay –

    Death BEFORE Detransition!

    Ohio’s HB 798 is currently just a house bill. A “taxpayer-funded press release,” as some have called it. It hasn’t passed yet, not even close and with my wedding coming up in October, I refuse to let a desperate bid for a Congressional seat ruin the joy of my big day.

    We’ve watched this house of cards being built, from the first House bills that is on its way to the Ohio Senate. Today is April fools day one of my favorite holidays. Though, for a moment I actually tried to act like it was a sick prank.

    Yet, you and I We see the map they are drawing. As we head toward the November elections and my own walk down the aisle, remember: they can change the paperwork, but they can’t change the truth of who we are.

  • The 2026 Pivot: Navigating Ohio’s New Cannabis Landscape

    The 2026 Pivot: Navigating Ohio’s New Cannabis Landscape

    Best For:

    Ohio Locals used to make Michigan runs, people who keep their stash in their center console, individuals who don’t smoke in their house, but smoke in their car, hemp, and CBD customers, and those people who support small businesses.

    A man Smoking a rolled cigar of flower sitting in his car outside his house in a grey backwards hat and black sweater
    Sitting outside your house smoking in your car is now illegal!

    As an Ohio Local & Legal THC Advocate:

    In Ohio, the only thing that changes faster than the weather is the law. If you’re local of follow the Ohio government you know it’s true. While we all celebrated the “green wave” of 2023, the tide has officially shifted as of March 20, 2026.

    If you’re still operating under the old rules of Issue 2, you are walking into a legal minefield without a map. This isn’t just a “tweak” to the system; it’s a complete overhaul of how we buy, carry, and consume.

    Below i have broken down the breakdown of the new SB 56 landscape. Now you don’t have to hunt for the information or be ill informed. You can save and reuse this to stay informed, stay protected, and keep your peace of mind intact

    Ohio’s lawmakers – Making changes:

    For nearly two years, Ohioans operated under the framework of Issue 2. Which was the 2023 voter-approved initiative that legalized adult-use marijuana with a focus on personal freedom.

    However, as of March 20, 2026, the legal landscape underwent its most significant overhaul to date. Senate Bill 56. Which Ohio is now considering the law of this state. This bill introduced new criminal penalties and tighter restrictions. I feel every Ohio resident needs to understand it to remain completely informed.  

    Man in a multicolored hoodie, smoking a Rolex cigar in his car
    Sitting in a parked car & smoking now illegal in Ohio.

    The goal here isn’t to assist anyone in skirting the law. I aim to provide a clear, fact-based map of what the law is today. While we work at comparing the new laws to what they were yesterday. In a shifting legal environment, being informed is your only real protection.

    From Issue 2 to SB 56: What Changed?

    When Issue 2 first went into effect in December 2023, it was hailed as a relatively open system. It allowed for high-potency extracts and a flexible approach to where and how you could carry your product. SB 56, signed by Governor DeWine in late 2025, has “recriminalized” several behaviors that were previously considered safe under the original voter-passed statute.  

    Man smoking large orange bong, in shorts and green shirt, nose, lips, beard and down showing as well as exhale.
    Man smokes banning in his garage shop.

    The most jarring change is the Mandatory Local Sourcing rule. Under the original 2023 law, the source of your cannabis was less of a legal flashpoint as long as you were within possession limits. As of March 20th, 2026, it is explicitly illegal to possess any cannabis in Ohio that was purchased from another state.

    Yes. Even if you bought it legally in Michigan, or any other legal state. The moment you cross the state line into Ohio, that product is considered contraband. If it isn’t from an Ohio-licensed dispensary or a legal home-grow in Ohio, possessing it is now a criminal offense.  

    Potency Caps and the Hemp Ban:

    The Ohio lawmakers also used SB 56 to lower the “ceiling” on what can be sold in Ohio dispensaries. This affects both recreational users and medical patients who rely on high-concentration products.  

    • Extracts and Concentrates: The allowable THC limit has been slashed from 90% down to a maximum of 70%.  
    • Raw Flower: Dried plant material is now capped at a maximum of 35% THC.  
    • The Hemp Loophole: Previously, “intoxicating hemp” products like Delta-8 were sold in gas stations and smoke shops. SB 56 has effectively banned these sales outside of licensed dispensaries. Any product with more than 0.5mg of THC per serving is now legally classified as marijuana and must be regulated by the Division of Cannabis Control.  
    Man in Dunkin’ Donuts shirt, black backwards hat, and sunglasses smokes a rolled cigar in his car outside
    Smoking outside your house in your car is now illegal in Ohio.

    The Legal Blueprint for Transport:

    The most common way people find themselves in legal friction is during transport. SB 56 has introduced “Open Container” logic for cannabis, making it much easier to face a misdemeanor charge. Even for something as simply as having your product in the wrong part of your car. To remain 100% legal while driving, you must follow these specific storage protocols:  

    • The product must remain in its original, unopened packaging as dispensed by the retailer.
    • If the seal is broken or the package has been opened, the law now mandates that the product (and all associated paraphernalia like pipes or vapes) must be stored in the trunk of the vehicle.
    • If your vehicle does not have a trunk, such as a hatchback, van, or SUV, the product must be stored behind the last upright seat or in an area not normally occupied by the driver or passengers.
    • Having an open bag of gummies or a jar of flower in your glove box or center console is now a punishable offense.  

    Consumption Boundaries – Public vs. Private:

    The “where” is just as important as the “how.” Under the 2026 update, public consumption is no longer a grey area; it is a prohibited act.  

    While you can legally consume on private property provided you own the home or have explicit permission from the landlord. Meaning you also cannot consume in any public space. This includes smoking, vaping, and even the use of edibles in parks, trail systems, concerts, on sidewalks, or in parking lots.

    Additionally, being a passenger in a vehicle while consuming THC products is now a misdemeanor of the third degree. The law has also removed previous non-discrimination protections. This means that while using it is still “legal,” it can be used as a factor in certain professional licensing or child custody situations if not handled within the strict confines of the law.  

    A man in a shoulder brace, black t shirt with blue hair smokes a cigar in his car outside
    Smoking in the car, is now illegal in Ohio.

    The Death of the “Gas Station High” – Intoxicating Hemp & Beverage Bans:

    One of the most aggressive maneuvers in SB 56 is the total elimination of the “unregulated” market. For the last few years, gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops across Ohio operated in a legal gray area. That allowed the selling if intoxicating hemp derivatives like Delta-8, Delta-10, and THCa.  

    As of March 20, 2026, that era is officially over. The new law has redefined “intoxicating hemp” to include anything containing more than 0.5mg of THC per serving. This change effectively reclassifies these products as marijuana, meaning:  

    • Gas Stations and Smoke Shops are now strictly prohibited from selling vapes, gummies, or flower derived from hemp if they contain intoxicating levels of THC.  
    • The Beverage Veto: In a late-stage move, Governor DeWine used a line-item veto to strike down a provision that would have allowed bars, restaurants, and breweries to sell low-dose (5mg) THC-infused seltzers.  
    • Dispensary-Only Access: Because of that veto, THC-infused beverages (even those derived from hemp) can now only be sold inside state-licensed cannabis dispensaries. Your local brewery can no longer legally serve or sell these “mocktails” or seltzers for on-site consumption or carry-out.  

    This isn’t just a change in where you buy; it’s a change in what exists on the shelf. Thousands of Ohio businesses have had to clear their inventory this week to avoid felony possession and trafficking charges. If you see a “THC beverage” or “Delta-8 gummy” being sold at a non-licensed corner store today, that business is operating outside the law and risking immediate closure.

    Staying Compliant- Possession and Cultivation:

    Possession limits remain at 2.5 ounces of plant material or 15 grams of extract. For those who choose to grow at home, the limit of six plants per adult (and 12 per household) still stands. However, SB 56 adds a “visibility” clause: your plants must be in a secured, locked area that is not visible to the naked eye from any public space.  

    By following these updated 2026 standards, sourcing locally, transporting in the trunk, and keeping consumption strictly private, you can navigate Ohio’s new landscape with the confidence of someone who knows exactly where the line is drawn.

    Knowledge is Our Only Armor:

    The transition from Issue 2 to Senate Bill 56 represents a significant tightening of the “personal freedom” Ohio citizens originally voted for. Whether you see these changes as necessary protections or an overreach of state power, the reality remains: law enforcement now has a new set of teeth. 

    In order to stay 100% “above board” in 2026, remember the big three: Source locally, stash in the trunk, and smoke in private. As the legal landscape continues to evolve, I’ll keep tracking the shifts so you don’t have to guess where the line is. Stay safe out there, Ohio.

    Side view of a bearded pale skinned man smoking a yellow penis shaped pipe inside a home
    Smoking a penis shaped bowl inside a private residence.
  • Transgender Day of Visibility 2026 – Strength, Survival, & Being Seen:

    Transgender Day of Visibility 2026 – Strength, Survival, & Being Seen:

    Best For:

    Transgender & Gender Nonconforming People, Advocates & Allied Humans, Openminded Individuals, Those Who Are Exploring Gender, and Those Who Wish to Educate Themselves.

    What Is Transgender Day of Visibility 2026 – Why It Matters:

    Today, March 31, 2026, the digital landscape is saturated with the colors of the trans pride flag. Timelines fill, brands post statements, and visibility becomes something that can be performed in seconds and forgotten just as fast as the day ends. For many, Trans Day of Visibility is reduced to aesthetics. A selfie. A repost. A temporary alignment.

    For a binary presenting transgender man navigating the professional, medical, and social realities of 2026, visibility is not a costume. It is not seasonal. It is not always an optional choice. It is tactical, beautiful, heavy, freeing, and often dangerous.

    Leaving a lot of transgender people who do not, or cannot live stealth have taken to saying that “we are visible for those who cannot be.” That statement gets repeated every year, but rarely is it unpacked.

    Some of us simply put cannot be visible because the conditions are more hostile now than ever in my life. Transgender individuals experience safety as an uneven frame with no real filter.

    Visibility is not evenly distributed. It is carried with a heavy rhetoric and stigmatization.

    Transgender women and men a like all know that being seen still carries consequences that range from social isolation to systemic neglect to extreme abuse leading to death. The world has not evolved past that truth, if anything we have somehow become less accepting.

    Until visibility stops being a risk calculation, it is not freedom. It is risky exposure. That means one of us still choose to live our truth, regardless of the repercussions, and that is how we are visible for those who cannot be.

    The Origin of Transgender Day of Visibility –

    Why March 31 Exists:

    To understand the weight of this day, you have to understand what came before it.

    Before 2009, public recognition of transgender lives was largely confined to Transgender Day of Remembrance. Visibility was tied to death only, if you look at the bigger view. Names were read only after their lives were taken. Stories were told after it was too late for those people to tell them with their own voices.

    Rachel Crandall-Crocker created Trans Day of Visibility as a direct response to that imbalance. The intention was simple and necessary. Trans people deserved to be seen while alive. Not as statistics. Not as tragic narratives. As full, present human beings.

    March 31 was chosen to create space outside of mourning.

    Over time, the language shifted. Awareness replaced urgency. Awareness is a passive tool when used in this manner . It requires nothing put a post on your Facebook one day of the year saying you care, even if you don’t.

    2026 is not about awareness. It is about presence.

    Visibility now requires refusal to be minimized as well as an equal amount of refusal to be spoken for. It requires existing without distortion.

    We are not a monolith. We are not a campaign. We are not a symbol.

    The Brutal Cost – Remembering Sam Nordquist:

    A Life Taken far too Soon:

    Any conversation about visibility that avoids consequence is incomplete, can I understand the original want for this day to stay away from grief. When you look at the bigger picture, you’ll understand that that’s simply impossible with the way things are going on at this stage…

    Sam Nordquist was a 24-year-old biracial and transgender man. Along with being trans this beautiful young man was a group home aide. Most importantly he was a human being with a future that should have continued. We will not stop until Sam gets without justice. There is not peace without any peace. We cannot continue to have hope, realistically.

    In the beginning of 2025, Sam’s life was taken tragically in the name of “love”.

    The System that Dropped the Ball:

    His death reflects a multi-agency systemic failure. His family raised concerns. His mother asked for help. His sister asked for help. He went to adult protective services and asked for help and they sent him back there. These monsters were staying in a hotel turned into an apartment complex for homeless people. Yet no one heard them from the walls as thin as paper. Recently, Kayla and her mother Linda were in the New York area on video they were screaming from quite a distance away from Patty’s Lodge, people came out they heard them. Where were the people at that should’ve heard Sam? The complex was fully “rented” for lack of better words.

    Intervention did not come in time. At the time a police officer local to the area of New York was quoted telling Kayla Nordquist that she just watched too many true crime stories in her brother’s fine. I hope the cop eats those words daily. I forgot they are called to protect, serve, and pass judgment the fucked up ways of America’s boys in blue.

    Visibility is NOT a Magic Cloak:

    Visibility does not guarantee protection and being known does not guarantee response. Systems can and do fail even when warning signs exist. When you’re living in a system that system wants to erase this is what help looks like.

    For many trans men and women, especially those who are not white visibility increases scrutiny without increasing safety in any form.

    Visible for Those Bound by Fear and Survival-

    Transgender Day of Visibility 2026:

    When we say “visible for those who can’t be,” we are describing our layered reality.

    • The Stolen Youth:

    Trans youth facing restrictions on healthcare, education, and participation. As well as new bills being geared at adults as well.

    • The Stealth and the Scared:

    Trans men and women are forced to without disclosure for safety and survival. Forcing us to live in hiding either through stealth aligned gender or truth not living in their truth.

    • The Global Struggle:

    The global attack on transgender and gender nonconforming communities. Normalizing situations where being trans is criminalized sometimes proposing felony charges.

    The 2026 Landscape –

    Survival as a Revolutionary Acting

    The legislative pressure continues across the United States, targeting healthcare, identity, and public life. Economic disparity remains, with trans people facing higher unemployment and poverty rates.

    Mental health outcomes improve with affirming connection, making visibility a survival factor people who are already present across all areas of life.

    Evidence of Resistance – Survival Itself:

    Being a binary-identified transgender man in 2026 means reconstructing masculinity outside inherited systems. Visibility exists across multiple different layers.

    • Professional identity.
    • Creative documentation.
    • Joy outside of struggle.
    • Digital preservation of lived experience..

    We are building continuity, not a momentary presence, but lasting record of real life pressures, progress, and prosperity.

    No One is Free Until We All Are:

    Visibility without safety is incomplete.

    Trans Day of Visibility 2036 is not a celebration endpoint. It is a checkpoint in an ongoing condition.

    Some of us stand in the light because we have no choice if we expect anything to change.

    For Sam Nordquist, though and for all the other victims of unprecedented bigotry and hate. We all unwillingly navigating systems that do not respond. All of you whose risk outweighs the reward when it comes to visibility yet, we are here for you. I will do whatever I can to make a better way for all of you and those still trying to decide whether survival is possible.

    Our goal is not visibility alone, but visibility without fear. Until then, I will carry it, for you and all of the shit they throw at you.