Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
@carebackpack.bsky.social
Helping people build relationships with themselves | Mental Health | Self Care | Therapist in training | they/them
https://selfcarebackpack.com/links
https://selfcarebackpack.com/links
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
September was pain awareness month. I knew I wanted to talk about this, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. As always, I started writing and eventually something fell out, but later than I wanted it to. However, it's always a good time to talk about chronic pain, so here we are.
October 1, 2026 at 8:02 PM
September was pain awareness month. I knew I wanted to talk about this, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. As always, I started writing and eventually something fell out, but later than I wanted it to. However, it's always a good time to talk about chronic pain, so here we are.
September was pain awareness month. I knew I wanted to talk about this, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. As always, I started writing and eventually something fell out, but later than I wanted it to. However, it's always a good time to talk about chronic pain, so here we are.
October 1, 2026 at 8:02 PM
September was pain awareness month. I knew I wanted to talk about this, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. As always, I started writing and eventually something fell out, but later than I wanted it to. However, it's always a good time to talk about chronic pain, so here we are.
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
I too have complicated feelings about the death penalty. I think it's heinous and barbaric and both morally and ethically indefensible. My feelings get complicated when someone I like wants to defend it because it's one of the incredibly few things I would truly and earnestly call uncivilised
October 1, 2026 at 7:54 AM
I too have complicated feelings about the death penalty. I think it's heinous and barbaric and both morally and ethically indefensible. My feelings get complicated when someone I like wants to defend it because it's one of the incredibly few things I would truly and earnestly call uncivilised
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
They quoted me in this New Yorker piece about AI today.
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
September 30, 2026 at 1:45 PM
They quoted me in this New Yorker piece about AI today.
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
Imagine looking at the media landscape—music, books, movies—and concluding that it would be better if it were all simply infinite reflections of yourself, if you never had to be exposed to another personality, another experience, another life. Just you, you, you.
Sounds fucking horrifying.
Sounds fucking horrifying.
When you have no concept of how people engage with music
September 30, 2026 at 7:19 AM
Imagine looking at the media landscape—music, books, movies—and concluding that it would be better if it were all simply infinite reflections of yourself, if you never had to be exposed to another personality, another experience, another life. Just you, you, you.
Sounds fucking horrifying.
Sounds fucking horrifying.
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
Fuck ChatGPT flyers. The future is broadsheets.
September 25, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Fuck ChatGPT flyers. The future is broadsheets.
I am a planner. I love to make a plan (sometimes that plan even gets executed!)
It’s a pattern, one I often use it as a distraction, or a way to avoid sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
Read more: buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
It’s a pattern, one I often use it as a distraction, or a way to avoid sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
Read more: buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
September 29, 2026 at 6:19 PM
I am a planner. I love to make a plan (sometimes that plan even gets executed!)
It’s a pattern, one I often use it as a distraction, or a way to avoid sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
Read more: buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
It’s a pattern, one I often use it as a distraction, or a way to avoid sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
Read more: buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
The glorification of struggle is a coping mechanism. And a terrible one at that.
September 29, 2026 at 1:08 PM
The glorification of struggle is a coping mechanism. And a terrible one at that.
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
On the whole epidemic of estranged adult children, I wonder if more people are speaking about it now. I've been estranged for almost 8 years, and while I am biased by the algo/community, there is a willingness and ability to speak openly about what can feel shameful and weird to share
September 27, 2026 at 5:59 PM
On the whole epidemic of estranged adult children, I wonder if more people are speaking about it now. I've been estranged for almost 8 years, and while I am biased by the algo/community, there is a willingness and ability to speak openly about what can feel shameful and weird to share
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
Nobody could have predicted this. It’s not as if Britain has a history of damaging its own economy in order to chase the satisfaction of a clutch of racists.
Good thing that this couldn’t have been predicted almost a year ago and the government didn’t just blithely carry on doing the same thing.
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/718...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/718...
September 28, 2026 at 7:15 AM
Nobody could have predicted this. It’s not as if Britain has a history of damaging its own economy in order to chase the satisfaction of a clutch of racists.
On the whole epidemic of estranged adult children, I wonder if more people are speaking about it now. I've been estranged for almost 8 years, and while I am biased by the algo/community, there is a willingness and ability to speak openly about what can feel shameful and weird to share
September 27, 2026 at 5:59 PM
On the whole epidemic of estranged adult children, I wonder if more people are speaking about it now. I've been estranged for almost 8 years, and while I am biased by the algo/community, there is a willingness and ability to speak openly about what can feel shameful and weird to share
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
so a total of 500-600 parents were cut off? And that is an "epidemic?"
Prove to me that this is in fact an epidemic, and not abusive selfish parents being very loud and angry about boundaries.
Prove to me why parents who...consume their children deserve to continue to have access to their children.
Prove to me that this is in fact an epidemic, and not abusive selfish parents being very loud and angry about boundaries.
Prove to me why parents who...consume their children deserve to continue to have access to their children.
Many experts believe that estrangements are becoming an epidemic, driven by shifting family norms and changing therapy practices. on.wsj.com/4rBwger
Why Are So Many Adults Cutting Off Their Parents?
Many experts believe that estrangements are becoming an epidemic, driven by shifting family norms and changing therapy practices.
on.wsj.com
September 26, 2026 at 10:26 PM
so a total of 500-600 parents were cut off? And that is an "epidemic?"
Prove to me that this is in fact an epidemic, and not abusive selfish parents being very loud and angry about boundaries.
Prove to me why parents who...consume their children deserve to continue to have access to their children.
Prove to me that this is in fact an epidemic, and not abusive selfish parents being very loud and angry about boundaries.
Prove to me why parents who...consume their children deserve to continue to have access to their children.
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
this all isnt that complicated ppl can and are choosing what they listen to at any given moment in much much greater numbers than ever before thus the monocultural Music Industry is dying, and these are its last gasps of relevancy, its final attempts to capture culture
This kind of take made a Rolling Stone writer so mad they wrote a whole piece about it.
September 27, 2026 at 3:26 PM
this all isnt that complicated ppl can and are choosing what they listen to at any given moment in much much greater numbers than ever before thus the monocultural Music Industry is dying, and these are its last gasps of relevancy, its final attempts to capture culture
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
The reason this was such a high profile case was two fold:
1) To demonstrate to trans people that even if you are utterly blameless, the gender cranks will object to you being employed
2) To demonstrate to businesses that there is a hefty cost to employing trans people, critters Will try to sue
1) To demonstrate to trans people that even if you are utterly blameless, the gender cranks will object to you being employed
2) To demonstrate to businesses that there is a hefty cost to employing trans people, critters Will try to sue
S.Peggie loses on every point apart from the administrative failures of NHS systems. GC lawyers have wasted NHS time and resources for a vanity project with net-zero result for them or Peggie. The aim is never to win legally but use the story to lobby politically through media.
September 27, 2026 at 1:02 PM
The reason this was such a high profile case was two fold:
1) To demonstrate to trans people that even if you are utterly blameless, the gender cranks will object to you being employed
2) To demonstrate to businesses that there is a hefty cost to employing trans people, critters Will try to sue
1) To demonstrate to trans people that even if you are utterly blameless, the gender cranks will object to you being employed
2) To demonstrate to businesses that there is a hefty cost to employing trans people, critters Will try to sue
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
This news is important because all the fucks out there actively attempting to wreck the world want you to think that the work is hopeless and just mitigating the worst case scenario.
It's not. Fucking keep going.
It's not. Fucking keep going.
We now have rigorous pooled data showing that even without active restoration efforts, cleared rainforest can rebound to 75% of their former species composition and 90% of species diversity within just thirty years. #goodnews
Rainforest biodiversity rebounds within a single generation | The Optimist Daily
A major Ecuador study finds cleared rainforests can recover 90 percent of their species diversity in just 30 years, as long as humans leave the land alone.
www.optimistdaily.com
September 24, 2026 at 9:07 PM
This news is important because all the fucks out there actively attempting to wreck the world want you to think that the work is hopeless and just mitigating the worst case scenario.
It's not. Fucking keep going.
It's not. Fucking keep going.
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
‘You can’t hate yourself into someone you love’
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
September 22, 2026 at 8:43 AM
‘You can’t hate yourself into someone you love’
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
over the past few weeks several AI evaluation/cybersecurity experts have explained how what's happening is a result of human incompetence rather than "AI going rogue". I'm begging the media to show a shred of journalistic integrity and stop parroting what altman or amodei say
An OpenAI system has gone rogue again – and it is the most panic-inducing yet
An OpenAI system has gone rogue again – and it is the most panic-inducing yet
‘Our models took actions we did not intend,’ ChatGPT maker admits after latest outrage
trib.al
September 24, 2026 at 8:12 PM
over the past few weeks several AI evaluation/cybersecurity experts have explained how what's happening is a result of human incompetence rather than "AI going rogue". I'm begging the media to show a shred of journalistic integrity and stop parroting what altman or amodei say
It's been a while since I've thought about self talk as a subject for content. I been thinking recently about how things like 'you can't hate yourself into someone you love' and 'if being harsh on yourself worked it would've worked by now' are great places to start, but where do you go from there?
September 24, 2026 at 8:01 PM
It's been a while since I've thought about self talk as a subject for content. I been thinking recently about how things like 'you can't hate yourself into someone you love' and 'if being harsh on yourself worked it would've worked by now' are great places to start, but where do you go from there?
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
Naming the "Ableism" list so that a screen reader pronounces it "Four bee ell three one ess em", 10/10 bit
Okay but why are you doing it in leetspeak
September 24, 2026 at 10:50 AM
Naming the "Ableism" list so that a screen reader pronounces it "Four bee ell three one ess em", 10/10 bit
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
It is demonstrably proven, via multiple studies as well as commonsense, that preventing young people explore and acknowledge their own identity has massively harmful impacts. Labour reviving Section 28 against trans young people will cause untold harm, just as the original Section 28 did.
Unlike Section 28, these rules are spread across a myriad of documents, which will make it harder for LGBTQIA+ groups to fight to overturn their harmful impacts
Read our full analysis 👇
Read our full analysis 👇
September 23, 2026 at 6:11 PM
It is demonstrably proven, via multiple studies as well as commonsense, that preventing young people explore and acknowledge their own identity has massively harmful impacts. Labour reviving Section 28 against trans young people will cause untold harm, just as the original Section 28 did.
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
Excited to reflect, absorb, and emit light EXTRA WELL today ✨💃⚡️
#BiVisibilityDay
#BiVisibilityDay
September 23, 2026 at 10:18 AM
Excited to reflect, absorb, and emit light EXTRA WELL today ✨💃⚡️
#BiVisibilityDay
#BiVisibilityDay
‘You can’t hate yourself into someone you love’
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
September 22, 2026 at 8:43 AM
‘You can’t hate yourself into someone you love’
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
‘If being hard on yourself worked it would’ve worked by now’
Both these things are true, and might give you a moment of pause if you’ve not heard them before. Maybe it gives you an insight[..]where do you go after that?
buttondown.com/SelfCareBack...
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
"i have created the machine that thinks." you fucked up a perfectly good graphics card is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
i don't care if the danged chat bots are "thinking." that's not my problem. stop putting them in my computers
September 21, 2026 at 7:11 AM
"i have created the machine that thinks." you fucked up a perfectly good graphics card is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
Reposted by Gem Hill @SelfCare Backpack
LLM chatbots on published papers without explicit opt-in from authors is so incredibly disrespectful and completely undermines the idea of a published version of record
September 21, 2026 at 7:11 AM
LLM chatbots on published papers without explicit opt-in from authors is so incredibly disrespectful and completely undermines the idea of a published version of record