Ari Drennen

2 weeks ago | aridrennen.substack.com | Ari Drennen

There’s a story we’ve grown used to seeing in media portrayals of trans people. It’s the story of escape. A mysterious woman (or more often, an aging man) with a past that’s tragic, unspoken, or locked behind the eyes. Secrets, lies, fear. Gender transition, whether pursued or just fantasized about in these stories, is a kind of self-erasure. A magic trick. I understand the appeal. There’s something cinematic about it. Transition makes for a great metaphor if you aren’t fussy about the particulars.

3 weeks ago | aridrennen.substack.com | Ari Drennen

We all know the feeling: you open up Instagram or TikTok just to delay getting out of bed or putting your phone down for the night. Just five more minutes. A little scroll. And then—an hour is gone. You don’t even remember what you watched. You just feel... foggy. Every time you open your phone without a clear purpose, you are volunteering to be distracted. You’re not choosing where your attention goes.

4 weeks ago | aridrennen.substack.com | Ari Drennen

Yesterday, I sent a post about how leftists might enjoy broader electoral success if they could accept that many people find getting yelled at on the internet to be a negative experience. The post was borne out of frustration with people coming into my replies or my DMs and throwing out a lot of nasty language and then making me feel like it was my fault that I didn’t like being spoken to like that, a pattern with which I am unfortunately quite familiar from my childhood.

1 month ago | aridrennen.substack.com | Ari Drennen

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1 month ago | aridrennen.substack.com | Ari Drennen

There’s a certain kind of person who uses the word copium like a weapon. You know the type. They lurk in comment sections and group chats, waiting to pounce on anyone who dares to express a sliver of hope, a moment of optimism, a breath of belief that something—anything—might get better. To them, coping is cringe. It’s weak. It’s delusional. But let’s be honest: nobody gets through this life without a little delusion. I grew up in a small town in Western New York where it wasn’t safe to be myself.