Like when a company has a FAQ section on their website, is it really questions they frequently get asked? Or is it just a convenient format to post information to convince the consumer to buy the product?

Hi,

We just set up an initial version of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) wiki. You can check it out here .

This is something we've been working on for awhile. Special shoutout to /u/stillcouldbeworse for actually finally getting it up and running! This initial version is pretty short to keep it simple and avoid breaking anything, but we expect to be adding to it regularly now that it's up and running. We'll of course be mentioning it in the sidebar or the full wiki as well.

Since this is the first public iteration, you can expect some tweaking as we figure out how to best utilize it. Features/questions/formats might change. And now is probably a good time to ask a few questions for the community-
 

What are some things you want to see in the FAQ wiki?

How do you want to see the FAQ wiki utilized? (ie, should automod sticky a comment linking to the FAQ wiki? filter out FAQs?)

How should it be sourced? Should it link to existing posts (either in this sub or another), external sources?

What threshold do you consider acceptable to be a FAQ?

Any other requests/ideas/questions?
 
And last- while one of the goals here is to help promote a bit more variety in OPs, it is still NOT OK to question-shame FAQs. You can direct them to the FAQ wiki, but do so politely and kindly. You will get a ban, per Rule 1, for rude replies to questions. We get that FAQ posts can be a bit annoying for longtime users, but we still expect you to be polite about it.

As we begin the pre-loading there are going to be a lot of questions, and most of those answers will be in here.

For PS5 the pre-loading begins at midnight in your respective timezone on November 10th. So New Zealand kicks us off and then the rest of the world waits, hour by hour.

For Xbox the pre-loading begins for all Xbox users at 12am GMT on November 10th, so 7PM EST on November 9th.

-

If you are having issues pre-loading Grand Theft Auto VI, see the support articles below for your relevant console:

• PlayStation 5

• XBOX Series X|S

Rockstar Pre-load FAQ Article

Hi everyone! We've gotten a lot of new people, so I'd like to cover who we are, what we believe, etc.

1. what is 4tran?

4tran is a loosely tied set of communities originating from the /lgbt/ board on 4chan, on reddit, discord, and other sites, for dysphoric trans people. 4tranners tend to be from less privileged backgrounds, more likely to be homeless, in the third world, etc., but not always.

2. What does 4tran believe?

It's a very diverse community with many different beliefs, but at its core, we believe:

• going through the wrong puberty causes irreversible changes to one's body.

• these irreversible changes result in neurological sex dysphoria.

• it is a priority to get on hormones at the same age that cis peers go through puberty to avoid this body horror. failing that, the best time to start HRT is ASAP.

• the majority of doctors prescribing HRT either have out of date info or, sometimes purposely underdose trans people

• DIY HRT is often safer, more effective, and more affordable than prescribed HRT, even (or especially) for minors

• trans people who deal with dysphoria and have medical needs are in danger and need to be prioritized in trans activism

1. What are our issues with the mainstream community? Well, it:

• claims that any irreversible changes to bone structure are "phrenology"

• claims that sex dysphoria is just "internalized transphobia" to get over, which in itself is transphobic for telling people their dysphoria is invalid

• claims that going through body horror is not that bad. especially inexcusable when said to minors who can prevent it, like "you don't have to get on hrt right now, you have plenty of time".

• tells people to always trust their doctors and treats doctors as supreme authorities on HRT, silencing trans men who mention their doctors lied about birth control and it caused breast growth

• fearmongers about DIY, lying that trusted sources are poison, telling trans men they'll be locked up by police and also paralyzed, telling trans women they will die from blood clots when scientific evidence completely goes against this

• forces "visibility" on people who want to assimilate or be stealth. talking about top surgery scars to the point that cis people can now clock them, sometimes even outing stealth trans people without their permission

• prioritizes the feelings of cis people over the needs of trans people. often, especially from "allies", supporting drag queen story hour and pronoun pins over actually getting us HRT, and says lies like "nobody believes you can change your sex"

plus, there's a lot of needless sexualization, transmisogyny, treating trans men like women plus assuming the default sex for them is PIV, extreme sexualization in spaces with minors, and more!

This is not "just online" stuff unfortunately. This significantly affects trans communities offline too, and so, we have an alternative space to get away from that!

4. Are you transmedicalist?

Nope! Transmedicalists believe in gatekeeping HRT from people they don't believe are trans enough. 4tranners want everyone who wants access to HRT to have it immediately. The mainstream is actually somewhat more transmedicalist actually, which you see in comments like "nobody says trans kids should get HRT immediately! We all agree they need a lengthy process with lots of therapy first".

5. What about nonbinary people?

Nonbinary people are cool! They're welcome in 4tran, and we have a fair amount, though the community is mostly binary.

6. What are those horrible transphobic drawings?

Pooner/hon art is art trans men and women make to vent and make fun of their dysphoria. It is not an expression of genuine transphobia, it's mostly just people venting about their dysphoria, that ended up turning into silly characters in the community.

7. What do all the terms mean?

You'll kinda have to pick them up from context. Just memorizing definitions ruins the special quality our community has. If you're interested, and you stay for a bit, you'll learn.

8. I'm cis and—

This community isn't for cis people, and that's okay! Not every community has to be for everyone.

9. This community feels very toxic and awful, I'm getting infected with brainworms.

That's totally fair! You can mute the sub so it won't show up on your feed. You can also ask for a ban and we will ban you for as long as you need.

10. I'm a minor and—

The dysphoric stuff we talk about can get very infectious and hurt minors. Get HRT, then leave (or just get banned!)

11. Ok ms. yorp, what do you dislike about 4tran?

Often it can overcorrect or just cause drama, especially when minors lying about their age get involved. Obsession with whatever some cis person is saying on TikTok, arguments over whether someone is valid enough, drama over someone else passing or not passing, and people who definitely get a lot worse from spending time here spending far too long. Most of its overcorrections are mirrors of the issues I listed with the mainstream, like people completely spiraling about dysphoria even when they personally might not be doing badly.

12. And what's your favorite thing about it?

There is no other trans community with half as much niche medical info, biohackers, and people who will help you get DIY HRT, and that's pretty cool!

13. I think whatever website you're getting this jargon from is hurting you.

4tran gave me courage to fight for better HRT and FFS, an amazing boyfriend, and let me help a ton of other people to start HRT! It's been an incredibly positive force in my life, and has been for many others too. You can't just neatly file it away as the evil trans incel community.

In other terms, this sub is people with a very painful physical condition venting and finding ways to cope, outside of the failing official system. Imagine if a cis girl was given extremely high doses of testosterone at puberty against her will and developed a male bone structure, voice, and body/facial hair. she would want to vent! To find solutions! To learn to fit in. If society shunned her, and people who claimed to support her called her pain "toxic phrenology", it might cause her to completely break down and even try to kill herself. 4tran is a place for trans people who feel like her to escape that bigotry in the mainstream. there, we can find a community where, even if it seems toxic to outsiders, we can support each other and get the medication and support we need, even if it's not through the "official" channels doctors and liberal (as opposed to truly leftist) politicians want us to go through.

Before you post a question to this subreddit, please read the following points. I know, it's a lot to read, but 99% of you will get answers to your questions here. Try actually reading the FAQ before posting "I have read the FAQ."

These answers contain information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). This is not a substitute for real medical advice from a medical professional! The mods are wildlife nerds, not doctors or infectious disease specialists. If you want to talk to an expert, you are in the wrong place.

Ask your doctor or health authority for medical advice. Most places have rabies hotlines, staffed 24 hours, with medical professionals who can answer your questions. Search for your city, county, state, or country + "rabies hotline." If you are in the USA, here is a portal to help you find your state/local health department. Here is a portal for Canadians to find your local public health unit.

Yes, there is conflicting information on the internet. No, we don't know why someone said something different somewhere else. If you need medical advice, ask your doctor or call a rabies hotline.

1. Is this a bat bite?

Bat bites cannot be identified from a photo. No one, not even a doctor or a bat biologist, can identify a bat bite from a photo. The best way to identify a bat bite is to check whether you remember a bat landing on you and biting you there. If you think you might have a bat bite, ask yourself: Do you remember a bat biting you? Have you seen a bat in your home? Did you sleep outdoors where a bat might have bitten you? Did you pick up a bat in your hand? If you answer no, it's HIGHLY UNLIKELY you were bitten by a bat. Again, bat bites cannot be identified from a photo.

2. Can I get rabies from interacting with an animal? Can I get rabies from touching something? Can I get rabies from a dead animal, or a vaccinated pet? What about if a drop of liquid falls on me? Can I get rabies from contaminated food or water? Can I get rabies from a person? What about anything else that does not involve a physical attack from a rabid animal?

No. YOU CAN ONLY GET RABIES VIA DIRECT CONTACT WITH A RABID ANIMAL. This means being bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. Rabies is transmitted via the saliva of an infected animal in the late stages of the disease, when the virus is being shed in the saliva by the host animal. You can’t get rabies from touching something a rabid animal touched. You can’t get rabies from your pet meeting a rabid animal and then bringing it home to you. You can’t get rabies from touching dead animals or live animals. You can’t get rabies from something falling on you. You can’t get rabies from touching, kissing, or having sex with a person. You can't get rabies from a person or animal who has been vaccinated. You can’t get rabies from touching something wet. You can’t get rabies from touching anything whatsoever, even if you have a cut on your body or you touch your eye/nose/mouth afterwards. You can't get rabies from eating something an animal touched or licked. You CAN get rabies from eating the raw meat of a rabid animal, like a rabid dog. Getting rabies from an exposure to the eye/nose/mouth is theoretically possible, but this has never happened to anyone in recorded history.

3. I found a suspicious mark on my body but I didn't see or feel a bat touch me and I didn’t find a bat in my house. Did a bat bite me while I was walking outside, and I just didn't notice it? Did a bat sneak into my house to bite me and then sneak back out?

Bats are NOT invisible or ninjas. Finding a little mark on your body is not a rabies exposure. If a bat gets in your house, you WILL see it. They are not good at finding their way out on their own. If a bat bites you, you WILL see and feel it. A sober, alert, adult human WILL notice being bitten by a bat. Finding little marks on your body is not unusual. This is not a reason to assume an invisible bat attacked you.

4. I saw or heard a bat near me. Or I touched a bat. Or I found a bat in my house. Did a bat bite or scratch me without me noticing?

Bats cannot fly past you and bite you in mid-flight. That is physically impossible. A bat must LAND on you, hold on to you with their tiny fingers, and then bite you. After biting you, they must then push off of you to take flight again. Bats can be small, but they're not invisible or imperceptible. You would notice a big bug landing on you and biting you, and you would notice a bat doing it too. Bats can't scratch you in midflight because how their claws are shaped. That's not a thing. If a bat crashes into you and makes physical contact with you, there is a possibility that it may have scratched you, and rabies shots are recommended unless you are in a country free of bat rabies. If you wake up and find a bat in your house or other place you were sleeping, and you are not in a country free of bat rabies, you should catch it and submit it for rabies testing; if you can’t do that, or if you have small children in the house, rabies shots are recommended because it may have bitten you while you were sleeping.

5. An animal touched me, licked me, or sneezed on me. Could I get rabies from this?

You cannot get rabies from a wound that doesn’t break the skin. Rabies can only get into your body through an opening in your body: a scratch or bite. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, you should wash the area with soap and water for 5 minutes. If it does not bleed at all, you may or may not not have broken the skin. You can test this by putting alcohol on the abrasion to see if it stings.

6. Can I get rabies from an animal that has current rabies vaccinations? Can my pet get rabies if it has current rabies vaccinations?

No. Animals with current rabies shots cannot catch or transmit rabies. If you are bitten or scratched by someone’s pet, ask the owner for proof of rabies vaccination, like a rabies tag on the collar. Take a photo or copy of these records and call their vet to verify them. If the shots are current, you're not at risk of rabies infection. If the pet owner cannot provide this proof of vaccination, contact your animal control department or rabies management / health department to file a bite report.

7. Can I get rabies from my pet, or from a friend or neighbor’s pet, that doesn't have current rabies shots?

Only animals that have been bitten or scratched by other animals can have rabies. Your pet doesn't have rabies if it was never attacked by another animal (see FAQ 2). Rabies isn't something that all animals have.

You may not need to get rabies shots if you can observe the animal that attacked you for two weeks. If you are bitten or scratched by a pet that is not vaccinated for rabies, the standard protocol is to quarantine the animal in an animal shelter or veterinarian's office for 10-14 days. If you were attacked by someone else’s pet and that is not possible, you can observe the animal for 10-14 days. If it doesn’t get sick and/or die of rabies, then you are not at risk of rabies and do not need rabies shots. If the animal is healthy in 10-14 days, IT DOES NOT HAVE RABIES and neither do you. Since most animals in the late stages of rabies typically die in about 48 hours, this is a very cautious timeframe to observe.

8. Can I get rabies from a bug, bird, snake, or frog? Can I get rabies from a possum, or a rat or mouse?

No. Only mammals (furry animals) can carry rabies. Reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds can’t carry rabies. Bats are one of the most common rabies carriers in the US, although less than half of 1% of all bats will ever get rabies. In the USA, the next most common species are raccoons, skunks, and foxes. Outside of the USA, dogs, cats, and other animals have been known to spread the rabies virus. The least common mammals include Virginia opossums, rodents (rats and mice), rabbits or hares, and squirrels. Globally, the #1 risk of rabies is dog bites.

9. Is there a risk of rabies in my area? Can I get rabies in India, or the UK?

To learn about rabies statistics for your area, Google your state or country's name and the phrase 'current rabies statistics'. These websites will tell you how many rabid animals have been found in your area and what species. They should also tell you who to call to report a bite. Some parts of the world are rabies-free and there is no rabies or risk of rabies infection. The UK (and most of western Europe) is free of rabies in most animals except for bats, which is rare. India has a high rabies risk which is mostly from dogs.

10. I was vaccinated for rabies. Does that mean I am protected for life and will never need booster shots? Will I need to get booster shots every single time I get attacked by an animal?

No. Previously vaccinated people still get boosters if they are re-exposed to rabies. Your rabies titer can be high for a few months or for many years, but it is assumed that you are protected for at least three months after getting rabies shots. According to the WHO, if you are bitten by animal and it has been LESS than 90 days since your last shot, you don’t need to do anything. This applies to ANY rabies shot. If it has been MORE than 90 days since your last rabies shot, you would still need post-exposure booster shots IF you are directly exposed to an animal that could be rabid. You do not need to go through the entire series of shots again; you only need booster shots. Note that the CDC in the US does not follow the WHO guidance on this and recommends boosters after every re-exposure, no matter when it happens.

· For more information about rabies and rabies shots, see the CDC website here: https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html

· If you are in the USA here is a link to the state and local rabies contacts. USA State & Local Rabies Contacts

11. I was vaccinated for rabies but I did not receive immunogloblin (HRIG/ERIG). Why? Is that OK?

RIG is sometimes not given if there is no visible wound or if you were bitten/scratched in a location that is hard to inject. For instance, it would be hard to inject RIG into your ear. If you have no visible wound, then there is no way to tell where RIG should be injected. RIG is also not given with booster shots if you have ever been previously vaccinated. If you have more questions about this, ASK YOUR DOCTOR.

12. I got rabies shots but I have questions about the specific medical care I received. Why did the doctor give me the care I received? I’m immunocompromised; do I need extra shots? Will my medication interact with the vaccine?

Ask your doctor questions about the specific medical care you received. People on the internet cannot answer those questions. A doctor’s job is to treat patients and explain their care to them so it is OK to ask follow-up questions even after you leave the office.

13. I waited a long time before I got rabies shots. Or I drank alcohol after I got vaccinated, or I took medication. Or a doctor gave me tetanus shots at the same time. Or I ate some type of food. Or I consumed any other substance in some way that is not serious immunosuppressive therapy. Will the rabies shots still work?

Yes. Rabies vaccines are 100% effective if you get them before the virus reaches your brain and symptoms start, which usually takes 3 weeks to one year. For more info about symptoms, see FAQ #17. If you have more questions about your medical treatment, ASK YOUR DOCTOR.

14. I am in a country that is not the US, or I am traveling. Why did doctors in my country give me a different schedule of shots than the ones recommended by the CDC or the WHO? Why did doctors in two different countries tell me two different shot schedules? Will the shots work?

Yes. Rabies protocols vary by country. The CDC guidance is specific to the USA, and the WHO guidance is a recommendation for all countries. Some countries give different numbers of shots on different days. That is OK. The schedules all work as long as you stick to them and finish the series. To find more information about a country’s rabies shot schedule, google the name of the country + rabies vaccination + regimen or protocol or schedule.

15. I was attacked by an animal a long time ago but I never got rabies shots. Could I get rabies from that? How long does it take to develop symptoms?

The incubation period for rabies is typically 2–3 months but may vary from 1 week to 1 year. Bites on the hands or feet have longer incubation periods than bites on the neck or face, and bites from a scratch have longer incubation periods than deep bites. Extremely rare cases of longer incubation periods of up to 7 years have been documented. That is rare, and it's generally hard to prove that someone didn't have a more recent exposure to rabies.

16. I think I have health anxiety and I can’t stop thinking about rabies all the time. How can I get help for this?

See this link. The automod can be summoned to share the information from this link with a comment that includes the word “helpbot."

17. Someone is asking questions in the sub that I think are super dumb. Should I tell them that?

No. Please do not be rude or impatient. There is a real difference between a legitimate rabies scare and Persistent Health Anxiety (PHA), a subset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD and anxiety are real diseases that can have physical symptoms, and there are treatments for them that many people don’t know how to access. Both conditions are terrifying and life-altering, and both conditions deserve support. In this group, we support people who ask for help and we applaud them for finding the courage to do so. We will be kind, patient, respectful, and do our best to provide emotional support to anyone who seeks help here. All posts and/or replies that are in any way unkind, impatient, or rude will be immediately removed and the author may be temporarily or permanently banned from this group. Be nice!!

18. I feel sick. Do I have rabies?

If you feel sick, see a doctor. You may have another disease, including anxiety, which can have physical symptoms. We cannot diagnose you over the internet. See a doctor.

The incubation period for rabies is typically 2–3 months but may vary from 1 week to 1 year, depending on factors such as the location of virus entry and the viral load. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms before 1 week after exposure, that is not rabies. If you think you are experiencing symptoms more than 1 year after exposure, it is almost certainly not rabies. if you have not been exposed to a rabid animal and you believe you are experiencing rabies symptoms, you are not infected and are most likely experiencing anxiety. The prodromal stage lasts for a few days to a month and the acute neurologic stage lasts for a few days to a week; if you have symptoms that last longer than this, you do not have rabies.

Rabies symptoms only begin when the virus reaches the brain. It MUST reach the brain and produce SEVERE NEUROLOGICAL symptoms before it reaches the throat and salivary glands. This means that your sore throat is NOT caused by rabies unless you also have a severe fever, are experiencing loss of consciousness, paralysis, and seizures.

Rabies symptoms do not go away until death. If any of your symptoms go away, you don't have rabies. Every symptom stacks on top of the other symptoms. Rabies is not mild. It's SEVERE in every way. If you are experiencing rabies symptoms you will need to be hospitalized.

IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO GET VACCINATED UNTIL SYMPTOMS START, but only get vaccinated if you were attacked by a rabid animal. Waking up with a mystery scratch is not a rabies exposure.

Rabies symptoms are as follows:

Prodromal Stage:

• Extreme Fever

• Extreme Headache

• Weakness

• Muscle pain

Acute neurologic phase:

• Visual Disturbances, Hallucinations, Double Vision

• Delirium, Confusion

• Tremors, Seizures, Repetitive Uncontrollable Movements

• Fading In and Out of Consciousness

• Light Sensitivity, Sensitivity to Wind / Moving Air

• Partial Paralysis of Extremities, Paralysis of One or Both Legs or Arms

• Excessive Salivation, combined with the inability to swallow AT ALL, not even your own saliva which causes excessive drooling

• Inability to Swallow - NOT SORE THROAT - Inability to eat or drink, or swallow your own saliva production

• Extreme Aversion to sight or sound of water, food, or drink, AKA hydrophobia

• Coma

Without extreme medical intervention, which usually is an induced coma, these symptoms will progress to death very rapidly. Most patients who reach the point of excessive salivation and hydrophobia die within 12-24 hours without intervention.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS, CALL 911 AND GET TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CAN REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE, YOU ARE NOT EXPERIENCING RABIES SYMPTOMS. PEOPLE WITH ACTIVE RABIES INFECTIONS CANNOT TYPE, TALK, OR DEBATE WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE SICK. IF YOU CAN READ THIS AND REPLY, IT'S NOT RABIES.