thecottageinthedark

[thecottageinthedark]

the shape of his front and back legs together are really giving deviantart artist that can't draw horses but is trying their best

[thecottageinthedark]

What gets me about the "it's bad that Deltarune made Undyne a cop" stuff is that, like, she is very much a cop in Undertale, too. That's basically the whole context of your initial confrontation with her. The Deltarune version just hasn't had her "what the fuck am I doing?" moment yet because she's never been called on to do anything more forceful than writing parking tickets.

[thecottageinthedark]

✨🏳️‍⚧️A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO TERF DOGWHISTLES🏳️‍⚧️✨

I’ve already posted something similar to this in a reblog, but I figured that for the sake of our safety, I’d rewrite it in a post of its own (with some additions and elaboration). Please consider reblogging this; we need to educate our community on warning signs that hide in plain sight, and once you know what calling cards TERFs use, you’ll be seeing them everywhere.

(Also please note that dogwhistles function in plausible deniability. While some of these points may sound innocuous or incriminating, always check for context clues first before blocking or exposing a potential TERF. Content warning for discussion of transphobic, misogynistic, racist, and anti-SW terminology/ideology under the cut. Please continue at your own discretion.)

• TIM/TIF: “trans-identifying male/female.”

• “Dysphoric female,” used to describe trans men.

• “Gender traitor,” used to shame post-transition men.

• “(Male) invader,” used to describe trans women existing in women’s spaces.

• “Gender-critical” or “gender abolitionist.”

• Weaponization of detransitioners in order to bolster the claim that trans identity is a “phase” or something a person can be manipulated, forced, or “deluded” into.

• Discussion of “irreversible side effects” or “regret rate.”

• “42%” or the number 42, in reference to suicide rates among transgender individuals.

• “Womyn,” “wombyn,” “gyn,” or other omissions of the -man suffix.

• “Adult human female,” used as a mockery against the term “cisgender.”

• “Female homosexual” in the place of “lesbian,” especially if paired with the statement “female homosexuals don’t date men” to invalidate attraction toward trans women.

• “Libfem”: derogatory term for trans-inclusive liberal feminists.

• The 🍒 (referring to Joanna Cherry) and 🏁 (referring to the cis gender binary) emojis.

• TRA: “trans rights activist,” used in a derogatory manner. (Note that this acronym can also mean “transracial adoption,” which has nothing to do with bigoted rhetoric.)

• “Peak trans (moment),” used to describe a TERF’s moment of radicalization.

• Any discussion of “rapid-onset gender dysphoria”. It’s transphobic psuedoscience and does not exist.

• Transmedicalism: the idea that you’re not “actually trans” unless you have a desire to medically transition. TERFS will use this to invalidate and demonize trans individuals who don’t “pass.”

• Use of the term DSD (“disorder of sexual development”) instead of intersex, and/or advocating for the “medical correction” of intersex bodies.

• Invalidation of, exclusion of, or aggressions against intersex people.

• Exclusion or invalidation of aspec identities (asexual, aromantic, aroace, etc).

• Exclusion or invalidation of mspec attraction (pansexuality, bisexuality, etc), usually on the basis of one being a “traitor” if they like men and women.

• “TMA” (transmisogyny-affected) and “TME” (transmisogyny-exempt). These terms continue to enforce a binary on gender-nonconforming individuals and encourage transandrophobic beliefs (namely that transmascs “have it easier” and “aren’t as oppressed”).

• Disownment of the term “queer,” normally rooted in assimilationist ideals.

• Discussion of autogynophilia or autoandrophilia, implying that trans identity is a “sexual fetish.”

• “Fetishist” being used as an insult, specifically against trans women or sexually autonomous trans individuals.

• Anti-kink puritanism and the treatment of (particularly female) sexual liberation as a shame or taboo.

• Applying the “male gaze” argument to real-life women who are open about and comfortable in their sexuality.

• “What about the children?!” rhetoric, specifically manifesting in claims that children are being groomed, indoctrinated, or forced into “dangerous” medical procedures.

• Language such as “transgenderism,” “gender ideology,” “genderist,” “gender cult,” or other terms that pathologize trans identity.

• Denial of intersectionality’s effect on systems of oppression and the belief that the patriarchy is solely to blame for all of women’s problems.

• The false equivalency fallacy: comparing bigoted ideologies to the struggles of marginalized groups to garner sympathy (ex. “TERF is a slur” or “POC feel safer in their own spaces, why are bathroom bans any different?”)

• Self-proclaimed “radfems.” (Keep in mind this is a VERY tricky one, simply because many people don’t fully understand what radfem ideology entails.)

• An open hatred toward all men.

• Denial of the fact that men can be oppressed or harmed, manifesting in accusing people of being “MRAs” if they advocate for trans, queer, disabled, POC, or otherwise marginalized men.

• Insinuation that women cannot be oppressive, abusive, or predatory, and that these traits are only exhibited by men.

• Strong aversion to being called cis or claiming the word is a slur.

• “LGB community” or “LGB, drop the T.” Any exclusion of a letter from the acronym could be a warning sign for bigotry or exclusionism.

• The Hydra symbol, used to portray trans individuals as an ever-expanding threat.

• “Did you just assume my gender?!” or “I identify as a ___” being used as mocking comments.

• Excessive use of biological terminology (“basic biology,” “female/male biology,” “biological markers,” “biological sex,” etc.)

• Transvestigating: intense scrutiny of one’s appearance and anatomy, especially around stereotypically gendered traits (body hair, eyelashes, muscles, height, facial structure, hips, waist, chest, etc.)

• Phrenology: a form of pseudoscience claiming that one’s character can be determined by their facial shape and proportion. Phrenology holds extremely racist/antisemitic implications and heavily favors femme Eurocentric beauty standards, leading to women with non-European features being “transvestigated” or viewed as masculine and therefore “brutish” or “threatening.”

• Conflation of feminine expression or aesthetics with purity or goodness (oftentimes overlapping with phrenology).

• Noticeable disgust or bitterness toward masculine/butch gender expression.

• Erasure of nonbinary identity or categorization of nonbinary people into their AGAB.

• Gender purism: any belief that there’s a “right” and “wrong” way to be a woman.

• Gender essentialism: belief that all men are born as violent oppressors and all women are inherently fragile and vulnerable.

• Belief that testosterone directly causes violent impulses and aggression.

• Separatism: enforced separation of men and women, specifically manifesting in “women only” spaces and the belief that trans women are “male invaders” trying to enact violence on other women.

• Defining the “female experience” exclusively by suffering, physically or mentally.

• Discussion of the “divine feminine,” female energy,” or co-opting of spiritual terminology to advocate gender essentialism.

• “Woman-born woman,” “AFAB woman,” “biological woman,” or “natal woman” as an avoidance of the word “cisgender.”

• Defining womanhood as the possession of a womb and the ability to menstruate and give birth, usually paired with the statement “men can’t have babies/periods.”

If you stuck around for this long, thank you for taking the time to look through this. If you know of any other potential dogwhistles, I invite you to reblog this post or comment with your additions so I can add them into this list.

TERFS will be blocked on sight. You are not fucking welcome here. Trans people will always exist, are valid as fuck, and deserve the right to life and happiness.

[thecottageinthedark]

*puts a disk in u*

[thecottageinthedark]

It honestly scares me that so many people (even supposed leftists!) think the "solution to mental illness" is more psych wards, more surveillance of the mentally ill and more forced/coerced treatment as if the goal is to somehow punish and train the mental illness out of us instead of improving our circumstances and rights in any real way

[thecottageinthedark]

Forcibly locking people up in psych wards isn't the progressive alternative to the prison system it's often made out to be. Losing your basic rights and autonomy isn't less traumatizing when we refer to it as "treatment". If the alternative to locking people up in a bigoted, capitalist, abusive prison system becomes forced treatment in a bigoted, capitalist, abusive psych ward then that's not a real alternative at all, that's just two ends of the same beast.

[thecottageinthedark]

"I love you but you're doing wrong in a way I cannot condone" and "I hate you but you're being wronged in a way I cannot stomach" are top tier and I need more of them.

[thecottageinthedark]

"george w bush helped"

do you think the current rise of right-wing thought could have been because of political and economical factors in the world's hegemonic superpower or was it cartoons

[thecottageinthedark]

I think we should talk about how one of the core aspects of transandrophobia is ableism. They do not think transmascs are confused girls, they think transmascs are disabled girls. The rhetoric of ROGD and similar revolves around the concept of young autistic and mentally ill “girls” transitioning instead of dealing with their disorders. They lack many friends due to their disabilities, so they easily are “preyed upon” by older transmascs (because the theory is not that trans women make girls trans, it is that other trans men convince them. This is the entire basis of the “social contagion” of transgender identity amongst people AFAB).

The stance that transmascs are “just” treated as “confused” refuses to acknowledge the actual goal of refusing autonomy to what they perceive as girls who are too disabled to know who they are or what they want. It is not nearly as trivial as people make it out to be.

[thecottageinthedark]

i feel like it should be fairly obvious to anyone who's seen a lot of transphobic rhetoric that trans people across the board are insulted and demonized for their perceived adjacency to femininity, masculinity, and androgyny. what gendered aspect the transphobe targets changes depending on what's most convenient to them. when trans men express frustration at people who say that they are rewarded for their masculinity, this is what is being talked about. an out and/or visibly trans person cannot escape from being punished for any performance of gender (or from no performance at all) because the goalpost is constantly moving

[thecottageinthedark]

statements like "It's wrong to masturbate about a person without their consent" and "It's wrong to do something that quietly arouses you while you are in public even if no one can see it" show that a person's understanding of morality basically involves magical thinking. like I wrote this post on the toilet. That's not the same thing as me literally shitting on you

[thecottageinthedark]

[thecottageinthedark]

No but it is crazy how dementia will sometimes cause complete personality shifts. Kind level-headed people becoming vitriolic and violent and evil ass people becoming docile and amiable. “Why is nobody visiting this sweet little old lady at this memory unit?” idk. Maybe when she could still form thoughts they were all hateful as fuck.

It’s horrendous to watch a love one who was so kind to you slowly become more and more aggressive and lose themself but it is so bizarre to watch an abusive troublesome loved one become a sweet well-behaved grandpa. Part of you holding onto that hate and part of you seeing the sick old man who is just confused and quiet and polite.

[thecottageinthedark]

playing erdtree with my pal we get invaded by someone named "Drip Inspector" and im like "waitwaitwait. ok lets just pose leaning back to back and wait for them to show up maybe our outfits will be so good they wont kill us"

so we wait until they show up and then they get reaaaal close to us . and then pull out their telescope and start circling around us and zooming in for a good 30 seconds. then they clap, use the "wonderful" and "youre beautiful" prattling pates, and jump off a cliff. invader vanquished

[thecottageinthedark]

[thecottageinthedark]

hey guys just here to say that the new online safety act in the uk has blocked the suicide hotline

this is extremely problematic for very obvious reasons and i have no idea what the fuck this country is fucking coming to

childline has also been restricted

if you're a uk citizen and still haven't signed the petition please do so

even if you're not a uk citizen please reblog to spread the word !!!!!

this isn't safety, it's censorship

[thecottageinthedark]

Those snakes aren’t cuddling. They’re not a social species.

While working with Dr. Thomas Guensburg (currently a researcher at the Field Museum of Natural History) on imagery of crinoid evolutionary chains for peer review, he revealed that he was worried how it would be received. His work was solid, clearly explained, and very clear- at the time I was confused how other researchers could reject it. It was then I learned how sometimes the truth doesn't always matter, especially when people's careers were staked on false information they based their own research on; many would fight tooth and nail to suppress evidence that things might not be true as they were invested in the former incorrect belief. It is my understanding this sort of suppression happened quite often, unfortunately.

While some of his peers did this deliberately, even with common folks it's much easier to get them to believe something false than to question their belief and change it to something true even with evidence. So far as Hognose Snakes go, from my understanding the last in depth research on these animals in the wild was done in the 1980's - which is incredibly dated. Even in recent years we've found so much of what we "knew" about reptiles was entirely wrong. Back then we "knew" reptiles couldn't see red light so it was commonly used for heating. Back then we "knew" rattlesnakes and leopard geckos were solitary animals. We now know this information is incorrect.

Reptiles can see red light, and a constant red light negatively affects their sleep cycles, health, and behavior. Leopard geckos actually live in colonies - yet some people will still argue they are solitary animals in the wild. As for rattlesnakes, Project Rattlecam livestreams and documents the lives of rattlesnakes. Do they look like solitary animals to you?

So back to Hognose Snakes. When I first got my girls I'd read up everything on them, how they were solitary, and deaf, and not that bright, and unable to feel emotion (let alone love) due to missing the part of the brain that is capable of processing that. All of those things my girls have shown me to be untrue. Snakes are not deaf, in fact my girls regularly respond to my voice. They're not stupid (at least not any more than the average human child tbh) and can be target trained as well as taught to point at things they want. As far as feeling emotion, their brains are structured like birds, not humans, so they have a different brain structure and chemical but do indeed feel happiness, emotion, and affection- I have videos on my blog of Scoria using a gesture to request being pet she learned from mimicking me petting her.

As far as being solitary- the evidence I've seen that can be repeated points to that information being untrue. Think about it, why would a solitary species dedicate one of their few words to say, "I'm friendly! Let's be nice to each other." The "twitch" is also seen in the (very much not solitary) rattlesnake to communicate with other individuals they are friendly. Contrary to popular belief this is NOT strictly to signal mating but used far more often to display friendliness- Project Rattlecam has quite a few examples between babies and adults.

Hognoses also are known to brumate together over winter in the same dens. That doesn't sound like solitary animal behavior, especially considering they tend to brumate with individuals they know. Honestly? This sounds more like loose colony behavior. A researcher very well could have seen that a hognose went to a den by themselves and thought, "Hmm, these aren't like garter snakes who cram themselves into a den like a clown car. They are solitary."

My girls don't either. Usually each will sleep in her own den- unless she's worried about the other. I've seen a few times, including when Sakura was in shed, Scoria didn't leave her sister's side. But normally they'll go to one of their favorite dens (they seem to have decided amongst themselves what belongs to who) and while they'll sometimes borrow each other's dens, like a sister staying in her sister's room, they tend to stay in their own beds for the most part. During the day, they'll seek each other out, Sakura will greet Scoria with a twitch, and they'll either play with today's enrichment activity or snuggle up together and wait for me. They didn't start out together, and the decision to house them together was NOT one I took lightly. I actually have two identical enclosures I bought for each of them, but the other never got set up because they get very upset when I separate them. After quarantining Sakura, I left one of the rocks she'd had in her enclosure on a table Scoria was playing on. Her response was dramatic, she KNEW the scent was another snake, and from that second on she was determined to find this other hognose. I was afraid of introducing them, Scoria actually found Sakura's enclosure and tried to free her by digging through the side (there's a video of this in one of my older posts.) I VERY cautiously introduced them, and after some tongue flicks and twitches, Sakura immediately started treating Scoria like her mother.

Sakura was an absolute wreck when I got her, terrified of humans- I think her breeder mishandled her as she had trauma responses and would blind panic and flail when I tried to hold her. But if Scoria was with her and I picked them both up at the same time? She'd have no hesitation. Take Scoria away and Sakura was immediately back to hiding, panicking, and flailing. If they can see each other and Sakura gets scared, such as if there's a loud sound, she immediately races over to her sister and hides her head under her chin. I've seen them both be protective of each other too, even earlier this week I startled Sakura and she hissed- Scoria came racing from where she was to check Sakura where she was then go back to whatever she was doing. And when I take one out and not the other- if one can't find their sister while we are out I will come back to her very concerned hoggie, who will check her sister over completely when I put her back to ensure she is okay before she'll relax. They BOTH do this. And so many other things. So yes, I am aware of what people say about hognoses. And I am aware of the behavior I've witnessed and repeatedly seen proven to be true with my own girls. I've had other hognose keepers echo similar things when they let their snakes play together during free time as well. The entire world might not be open to hearing what is commonly believed might not be true- let's face it, an absurd amount of reptile keepers are still using red lights and refuse to change. But regardless, I know my girls, have studied their behavior, and am doing what they've shown me is best for their health and well being. <3