In my newsletters you're going to hear a lot about pleasure as a revolutionary pathway towards radical living, where "pleasure" signals a state of deep contentment and rightness. Subscribe if you are looking for permission, inspiration and direction in connecting with yourself and creating a life defined by profound fulfillment, alignment, and authentic self-connection.
Community Care
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Thank you to everyone who reached out after my last email. Some of you shared your own moments of ordinary joy, and some of you reached out with leads for my family. We are holding all of it with so much gratitude. I have a bit of a miraculous update to share. While the general landscape hasn’t changed and the news is still heavy, the immediate pressure on my family has lifted in a way that I didn't think possible a few weeks ago. We found a private clinic that isn't subject to the same legislation all hospitals will soon be forced to comply with. They have committed to continuing my daughter's care regardless of what happens next, even if insurance stops covering her treatment. If you would like to support the work of clinics like this one, please consider making a donation to a gender clinic near you. They will need it. Out of an abundance of caution I'll refrain from naming our clinic here, but if you are local and would like more information please reply to this email. I am breathing much easier today. The reality is that the pressure is still on, the facts of what is happening are not different, but I've been reminded - in the most profound way - that I don't always have to fix everything myself. Sometimes, the way through is a door you never noticed. One that someone else is holding open. (There was a moment in the exam room when I realized just how much support was available and actually being offered. I felt a wave surge up through my chest and out of my eyes. I started sobbing. My daughter hates when I cry and looked on in horror. "Honey, just turn your head away if it bothers you but I'm not stopping. I'm allowed to feel my feelings!" I said, waving her off. Jokes on her: she cried as well! The extraordinary APRN waited for us patiently through all of it) It is not hopeless. Because I no longer have to be in "emergency fix-it mode," I can better feel what this moment is asking of me. Part of that answer came in loud and clear on the drive home from the clinic: it's time to make these tools more accessible. Many of you asked if I would be offering the Deactivation Tools workshop online. And honestly, my initial response was to recoil. I haven't taught online since 2023 and I didn't know how to translate this program into something I could do over Zoom without it feeling like a drain. So your girl had a little chat with her body to see if there was anything that could be done. A "no" is useful information; sometimes it means "no way, no how" and other times it means "not like this." Using the same somatic tools I used to navigate this last month, and the same ones we practice in the monthly co-regulation lab, I constructed something that my body was a clear yes about. Something I believe will be an essential service for the months ahead. I’ve had a few people ask if this is a yoga class, and the answer is a very firm no. I think of it as Survival Skills for your Autonomy: practical, embodied ways to stay resourced, self-directed and connected when things get intense. We are training our bodies to stay clear-headed and connected to our own truth, even when institutions are increasingly trying to steer us by force. It’s about breaking the habit of obeying without thinking—the kind of knee-jerk compliance we've all been taught since birth—and replacing it with actual choice. Here is exactly what the 2.5 hour, online version looks like:
Why are we doing this? In a culture of coercion, we often lose our internal indicator light. If we can’t find that signal over a silly, low-stakes request like "will you do my laundry?", we won't be able to find it when the stakes are much higher and we're in closer proximity to power and authority. Who is this for? It’s for the people who feel cornered by requests, the caretakers and activists who are running on empty, and anyone who feels the urgency of staying resourced so they can do what this moment is asking of all of us. How is this different than the in-person program? The online intensive is longer, we go much deeper and focus on entirely different practices. If you choose to attend both you will not experience any repetition. What does it cost? Teaching online takes significantly more nervous-system bandwidth from me. In order to honor my limited spoons there will be tiered pricing at $100 / $150 / $200. I trust you to select the tier that respects the exchange between us. If money is tight right now, $100 is genuinely welcome. Priority Registration (TBD Date): I’m still sitting with my calendar to find the right date for this, but if you want a spot in the first round, please add your name to the priority list. You won't pay anything yet, you’re just making sure you’re the first to know when the dates go live. Sign up for the Priority List here I believe that dismantling oppression starts in the body. Disrupt, stay grounded, and stay defiant in 2026. XOXO, Amelia p.s. If you're looking for ways to support the community of Minneapolis and are able to make a financial donation, I'm linking to an article that lists many organizations and groups that are doing the essential work of caring for their most vulnerable members. That includes offering food deliveries to neighbors who are in danger if they leave their house, and providing hot meals to anyone who needs one. Find that information here. p.p.p.s. The comment period for ending gender affirming care for minors is still open. Please consider voicing your opposition here. |
Amelia Lord
In my newsletters you're going to hear a lot about pleasure as a revolutionary pathway towards radical living, where "pleasure" signals a state of deep contentment and rightness. Subscribe if you are looking for permission, inspiration and direction in connecting with yourself and creating a life defined by profound fulfillment, alignment, and authentic self-connection.
My darling flesh-eating fish, Last night, I had the exact same dream twice. In both dreams, it was the day of my upcoming workshop—Foundations of Connection—and SO many people showed up. Like, WAY more than expected. Turns out, I wasn’t getting my online registration notifications and thought no one was coming. Instead, the room was packed—at least twice as many attendees as I’d planned for. Some faces were new (how did they even find me??), while others were people I barely knew. Which...
My darling flesh-eating fish Reader, Last night, I had the exact same dream twice. In both dreams, it was the day of my upcoming workshop—Foundations of Connection—and SO many people showed up. Like, WAY more than expected. Turns out, I wasn’t getting my online registration notifications and thought no one was coming. Instead, the room was packed—at least twice as many attendees as I’d planned for. Some faces were new (how did they even find me??), while others were people I barely knew....
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