a-really-confused-hamster - Tumblr blog

[a-really-confused-hamster]

Woah! Cool! Thanks @yel-halansu I always wanted to know where to find Shir Khar on a map! To be honest, until now I thought it was spelled Shi'khar. Interesting! 

Atlas of the planet Vulcan

     -Source: The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans, by Ross Isaacs.

[a-really-confused-hamster]

I really want to dress like this! *__*

women wear suits better than men and thats just a cold hard fact

[a-really-confused-hamster]

Wow. What a well thought-out argument! That the rank insignia are missing is simply undeniable and maybe fan artists can take their cue from it.

How one could solve the problem with the miniskirt: I think that if the female characters have to wear a miniskirt to appease the male fan base, a female fan base could demand that male officers wear tight low-rise shorts. I'm sure that if this were demanded, the uniforms of both sexes would very quickly be adjusted to a decent length. Sometimes you have to show people by their own example what they don't understand due to a lack of empathy. :)

The Reboot’s Uniforms & Why They Are Sexist

Why are you ranting about this? you ask rhetorically.

I ignore the facetiousness of your tone and tell you anyway.

Starfleet is a para-military organization. It’s structure follows a chain of command. Responsibility and authority flow from the top of the command structure down. Authority and responsibility are not invested in the people, but in the positions they hold. For example, if Dr. McCoy is relieved of duty, he would not longer be Chief Medical Officer aboard the Enterprise. The next person in the chain of command would take his place.

Now, let’s play a game with hypotheticals, shall we? Let’s say that instead of Dr. McCoy being relieved of duty, he is incapacitated while serving aboard the Enterprise. This happens during an emergency situation. People are pouring into Sickbay, and many of them are from different departments, with no idea who is in-charge in Sickbay. They need a way of quickly knowing who is in-charge so that they can be treated. Luckily for them, Starfleet has foreseen this calamity. All they need to do is look at the uniforms and the badges. They look for blue, see a medical comm-badge, and then glance at the acting CMO’s sleeve. They immediately know who is coordinating medical treatment in this crisis.

Now, let’s play another round of this game… In this version, Dr. McCoy is incapacitated during a medical emergency just like the last situation, but in this situation, the acting Chief Medical Officer is a woman. People pour into Sickbay from different departments, not knowing who is in-charge. They look around for blue shirts and medical comm-badges, but the highest ranking personnel they see is an ensign. They ask him for help, interrupting what he is doing. He directs them to the acting CMO. All of this happens over the span of a few minutes, but in the chaos of the emergency, these minutes make the difference between life and death of the people being treated.

You can see why this might begin to cause an issue.

Similarly, let’s say that Lt. Uhura commands a random ensign to do something of the utmost importance. On a ship as large as the Enterprise, this ensign does not recognize Lt. Uhura. They know who she is, but they haven’t seen her that much, spending most of their time in Engineering. They then spend the time to ask who she is before following the order. In an emergency situation, that time is precious.

Perhaps that example works even better with Lt. Marcus, who is actually a new addition to the Enterprise crew. It is highly conceivable that her new crewmates would be unaware as to her identity and rank.

There is literally no mechanism for crewmembers to immediately asses the rank of the women serving in Starfleet. For all some new crewmember knows, Uhura could be anything from an ensign to a lieutenant commander.

But, you say having listened to me drone on, women can choose to wear variations of the uniform!

Ahh! Not so fast!

You see, women in TOS could do that too. As you will note, this is a uniform cut for a woman

that has pants.

The lack of piping indicates that this woman rocking pants is of a lower rank, and is probably an ensign or is enlisted. She still has a means of displaying rank.

Even TNG flipped this standard on its head, but showing men in the background wearing the skant version of the uniform in the 1980s.

But see those pips? That’s his rank indicator.

You see, much like TOS and TNG, the Reboot has thus far relegated modified uniforms to a few select background extras. What’s the problem with that?

It’s 2013.

Only allowing a unnamed background characters to wear the variant uniform is not the same as seeing Lt. Uhura or Lt. Marcus occasionally wear it.

Additionally, the cultural context of the miniskirt has changed. While it was once seen as a symbol of liberation, it is now interpreted as one of objectification. That is not to say that the miniskirt is inherently one or the other, but that a very clear message is sent within our own cultural context today when the vast majority of the women seen onscreen are wearing it.

Within film, and also television, there is a saying, “Show, don’t tell.” Film is primarily a visual medium and secondarily an audio medium. The majority of the information in film is communicated to the audience visually. That means that seeing one or two extras wearing variant uniforms in shots that last perhaps a few seconds within the context of a feature-length film does not show us much. It has almost the same effect on the audience as a throw-away line of dialogue of Uhura saying, “I prefer the short-sleeved dress to the other options” would. That is to say, it has almost no effect at all, because that is not what the audience sees for the vast majority of the film.

Saying that women clearly have the option of wearing the variant uniform is like saying R2-D2 is a Star Trek character because he appeared as a bit of debris for a few seconds in both the Reboot films.

You see, even in the TOS Mirror-verse, women still show rank.

See that braid around the collar of Uhura’s top?

That signifies her rank.

Even the corrupt Terran Empire, with its midriff-baring uniforms, still has a means by which women can display their rank. After all, the Terran Empire might be vicious and terrible, but it also has to function properly.

So when high-ranking women officers have no way of displaying rank on a starship that routinely faces danger, it causes problems in emergency situations, and annoyance in everyday life.

It makes no sense functionally within the world of the universe.

The world of the universe is a fictional one, however, so why does this all matter?

Well, real people made the decision to not include a way for the women officers to display their rank. It probably wasn’t a decision made out of malice. The costume designer might’ve been too worried about the “large male fanbase” that “JJ wanted to appeal to”. Perhaps it just didn’t occur to Micheal Kaplan.

But then why didn’t anyone notice it? Why wasn’t it corrected before filming started?

In my opinion, the answer lies in how the women characters are treated by the script.

In short, the women aren’t scripted as officers in the same way that their colleagues who are men are.

That’s why something so small has taken on such a larger meaning. The lack of rank insignia has come to be a symbol for the problematic and sexist ways the Reboot has treated its fictional women. It so eloquently captures the attitude that many of the people in creative and executive positions have expressed toward the women characters, and fans who dare to voice such criticisms.

[a-really-confused-hamster]

I was tagged again! Thanks @cobaltmuser27​ <3

Name 3 ships in any order

Spirk (Spock/Kirk) or/and McSpirk (Spock/Bones/Kirk): The relationship between two or three people who come from completely different cultures is just so interesting because they can learn from each other and are forced to avoid cultural misunderstandings! I'm also a big fan of slow built and get together fics and through Spock's subtle flirting and the suppressed emotions, one can extend the fluff part of the fanfiction endlessly. However, I am still a bit annoyed that Spirk is not called "Kock" because I have the humor of a third grader :D Also: Spaaaaace.

Bagginshield (Thorin Oakenshild/Bilbo Baggins): I just noticed that the whole thing with the different cultural backgrounds seems to be especially important to me...A Dwarf king and a simple hobbit from the Shire. On a journey to discover their feelings for each other and to defeat a dragon. <3 Also, I like dragons...

Amarek? Samanda? (S'chn T'gai Sarek/Amanda Grayson): I don't even know exactly what they call the ship, but it's the only hetero ship that has really appealed to me. Especially when it comes to how they raise Baby Spock. <3 I don't like it when Sarek is always depicted as a monster. Amanda wouldn't have been dating him if there wasn't a soft core behind the hard shell.

Last song: Sympathy for the devil by the Rolling Stones

Last movie: Passengers

Currently reading: I don't know if that counts if it's for the university, but "Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil" by Hannah Arendt. In my private life I read mainly fanfiction, because I have to relax my brain after university and I'm not so receptive anymore when I finally have some time.

Currently consuming: Coffee. I'm practically addicted to it. I tried switching to tea once, but it didn't work.

Food I’m craving right now: Liquorice

Tag 9 people you want to know better or you want to catch up with Tagging (and feel free to ignore just in case): @mrspockseyeshadow @juliet73​ @gender-snatched​ @scratchyquill​ @thebestdisappointment​ @fandoms-of-a-random-existence  @nonbinaryvulcan​ @poetry-and-other-junk​ @vulcanssaygayrights​

I'm going to catch up with all these tag games to take my mind off stressful exams for a bit soooo

Tag 9 people you want to know better or you want to catch up with (thanks for the tag dear @softest-ioporco!)

Name 3 ships in any order

Spirk: the one I just threw myself into all over again after years, feels just like coming home to your delightful grandpas 😊😊

Ineffable Husbands: the one I was previously obsessed with, don't worry they're not going anywhere there's always space for them in my ♥

Culmets: babby ship just sailed days ago, I have to finish Discovery first and then go check out some fanfics so no spoilers, just,,, know that if they're gonna end up used for angsty plot I'm gonna yeet myself out the window

Last song: Hey Ya by Outkast

Last movie: I don't know, I think it was Ponyo, at least the last one I watched fully without zapping on the tv

Currently reading: I haven't picked up a book in MONTHS what with all the exams and studying, my only comfort are fanfics

Currently consuming: mmmh I don't know? Sunscreen? Cereal bars? I don't know if this is about food or other things

Food I'm craving right now: I hate like an hour ago so I'm not hungry, I've been having cravings for sushi since I started isolating at home tho

Tagging (and feel free to ignore just in case):

@a-really-confused-hamster @mayapleiades @shannanevern83 @czarfleet @imzadi-deanna @indispania @shedidnthaveaface @haveyoureadgoodomens @vulcansketch

[a-really-confused-hamster]

Wow! Thanks! Whew… I don’t even know if I “know” 12 people… In no particular order:

@poetry-and-other-junk​ was the third person that ever followed me. And they thought of me in this post <3

@cobaltmuser27​ was the very first person who followed me! And they didn’t even mind that I haven’t posted that much yet.

@beetlejuicesgraveyardrevue​ (= @mrspockseyeshadow​ ) didn’t just follow me, she even started a conversation with me about things that interest us both.

@juliet73​ revealed her opinion to me about a post of mine that I always wanted to discuss with others, but nobody except her really started a discussion.

@dunmertitty​ explained to me a slang word from one of his posts that I did not understand and I could not find in the dictionary.

@lejoursobre​ endured my terrible French and was very friendly when correcting it. :)

@vulcanssaygayrights​ tagged me at my first tag-game and made my day more fun

@star-trek-rebloggs​ has reblogged a post of mine that was important to me and let me know their own experiences on the topic of cultural indifference

@sporkandpringles​ because she should not always be so hard on herself and should give herself the same forgiveness that she gives to others. Okay… that’s only nine. But I really wanted to be able to say something about each person. I tried hard to choose the correct pronouns for everyone, but on some blogs it wasn’t mentioned. So excuse me if I didn’t succeed on all of them.

Send this to the 12 nicest people you know or who seem to have a good heart and if you get 5 back you must be pretty awesome. 💙💙💙

Misty, I...I love you, you are nice and awesome too! This is the first out of 3 of these asks that I’ve got and I just...what did I do to deserve them? Thank you so much @misty-120! ❤️

Again, I’ll just tag (you don’t count as one of the 12 Misty, but you are super nice!) people, got a few asks to do; @skepticalcatfrog, @taco-taco-belle, @ivysxmenobsession, @opinions-you-didnt-ask-for, @stardust-killer-queen, @blue-waffles5, @dysfunctional-noah, @lonelygodsmuse, @poetry-and-other-junk, @miniatureclodcashmoney, @potlucksandra69 & @allisonshargreeve!

[a-really-confused-hamster]

I am going to move soon and by late August I will live only two hours away from the polish border. I swear by the God in whom I stopped believing that I can accommodate polish LGBTQ+ refugees for a few days if they want to escape the unpleasant situation for a while. Stay strong <3 Nie jesteś sam! 

IF YOU WONDERED IF I WAS EXAGGERATING. I WAS NOT.

[a-really-confused-hamster]

There's a Spock bust in Vulcan, Canada. All tourism there seems to be focused on the Star Trek hype.

Even though the name of the town actually has a different origin:  “Vulcan was named by a surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway after the Roman God of Fire – Vulcan. Originally, all the streets of Vulcan were named after gods and goddesses of the classical world such as Juno, Mars, and Jupiter”

Except Shatner would find out and demand a bigger statue of himself

[a-really-confused-hamster]

Woooooaaaahhh *o* 

[a-really-confused-hamster]

Beware! I suspect this person is an account that tries to get young women to show themselves in front of the camera or some kind of bot. It's best to block right away.

[a-really-confused-hamster]

I can't get over the Mad TV Kirk and Spock Variety Hour and The Captain Kirk Show

I know, probably everyone in the fandom has seen these parodies, but there are always new fans joining, so maybe I can cheer someone up with these stupid little videos.

What I love about the Mad TV parodies

Spock portraying a little boy with a lollypop

Dancing Tribbles

"Spock it to me baby!" 

Kirk is chubby and Bones is tiny

Spock dances to Jim's "singing"

Jim's weird fighting style

You can watch it here:

MADtv - Kirk and Spock Variety Hour 1 MADtv - Kirk and Spock Variety Hour 2 MADtv - The Captain Kirk Show Mad TV

(watch the Variety Hour first. The Kirk show is not as good) ((Edit: The Kirk and Spock Variety Hour was in Episode 19, Season 03 of MadTV and originally aired in March 1998))

[a-really-confused-hamster]

An interactive comic about avoiding stereotypes

We all have some stereotypes in our heads when we think of other cultures, because we grew up with audiovisual media that left certain images in our heads. It is impossible to avoid adopting stereotypes while growing up. But you can try to avoid them in conversation by taking an interest in other cultures.

I would like to know what stereotypes exist about your culture so that I can avoid them in the future! If you are interested, save the comic, edit it however you like or fill it out and present it on your blog. I kindly ask you to at least tag me if you don't reblog the post, because I'm curious about the outcome. :)

Have fun and be nice to each other!

[a-really-confused-hamster]

The problem is very often that support hotlines are not aimed at male victims and the volunteers are not trained for this. A male member of my family is a victim of child abuse and when he called a hotline, the person on the other end behaved very unprofessionally.

Nevertheless, it is important to know where to go or call in an emergency. This "Handbook of International Centers for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Harassment" is very helpful, although I cannot promise that every place mentioned has trained personnel in it who know how to deal with male victims:  https://headington-institute.org/files/international_centers_for_survivors_of_sexual_assault_45553.pdf

Unfortunately, I only know of one German contact point for male victims of abuse, but maybe it helps someone here, who speaks german: https://www.kinderschutz.de/Angebote/Beratung-bei-sexuellem-Missbrauch/KIBS

Just an experiment. Reblog if you actually give a fuck about male victims of domestic violence and rape.

Of fucking course

What sick bastard doesn’t

[a-really-confused-hamster]

omg! I have been tagged <3 I have never been tagged by anyone! I am so happy at the moment :) thanks @vulcanssaygayrights​

I don't have many followers: I tag @cobaltmuser27​ of course. Maybe @lejoursobre​ and @kikutrashcan want to do it too? Si vous le voulez, bien sûr.  And @star-trek-rebloggs! <3 And @punkspockispunkrock :3

Thanks @nonbinaryvulcan for tagging me in the picrew tag

Made a new thread ‘cause the old one was getting long!

Here’s the link!

Tagging @poetry-and-other-junk, @its-all-ineffable, @marlinspirkhall, @okay-and-wonderful, @vulcanssaygayrights and ANYBODY ELSE who wants to participate!

However if you’re tagged and you don’t want to do it, no pressure :D

Love y’all!

[a-really-confused-hamster]

What a great collection of geographical and cultural facts. As a Central European I admit with shame that I don't know enough about Asia, because unfortunately here we learn very little about the continent in school, which is not over-generalized. We learn a lot about Russia and some things about India and China, but the continent has so much more diversity, which unfortunately is not appreciated enough. But I am always happy to learn new things. :)

This is a map of Asia. North Americans, you may notice this map is not solely comprised of Japan, Korea, China and Thailand. People in the UK, you may notice India is not  a continent. That is, if those of you who generalize entire continents can even pinpoint India on a map. Indians are Asian, gasp! And not all brown skinned people are Indian, also, gasp! There are an alarming amount of people, of all ages, from all backgrounds, who seem to be unable to process this.

I’m ethnically Asian. Since Asia is an extremely large continent, I could be from any number of countries. I am neither from India, China, Korea, Japan or Pakistan, yet not so surprisingly, I am still Asian. 

Yes, there are commonalities across regions, through the conflation of cultures, colonialism, globalization, transnationalism and movement of diasporas. Sometimes these are all the same thing. Rickshaws, rice and curry can be found across the continent. But let’s not overgeneralize. You can also find Buddhists, Catholics, Muslims and Hindus across Asia. Cantonese Speaking Chinese Muslims! English Speaking Indian Jews! 

No, we are not all the same. Orientalism? (Please look up Edward Said for basic concepts) No thank you. 

Geography, people. It’s important. 

[a-really-confused-hamster]

I think we all want at least one Kirk actor who is a decent human being. Shatner is apparently biphobic and recently I found out that the Kirk actor from Star Trek Continues (Vic Mignogna), whom I admired a long time for the series he has created, is accused in several cases of harassing minors and women.

I wish I could still consume media like a child: free of any background knowledge and with a naive love for people I have never met, but that is impossible. And I would give anything to still be able to love the star trek series/movies and James T. Kirk as a character the same way I loved them years ago, but it's hard when those people give him his face.

i need Chris Pine to make a twitter just to contradict every dumb tweet William Shatner inflicts upon us

[a-really-confused-hamster]

This is, why I am conflicted about pon farr fanfiction. It sometimes borders on non-con for one or both participants. I think the idea that it's sexy is a result of many people's interest in an exotic primitive kind of sexuality, which of course no one can be criticized for, but I think one should consider tagging pon farr fanfiction consistently as non con or at least dub con. 

for logicandprosperity, regarding our discussion that pon farr isn’t sexy and can get very non-con and brutal.

I mean come on why would you take advantage of a Vulcan in pon farr THEY’RE IN A MATE OR DIE SITUATION THEY CAN’T SAY NO REALLY

[a-really-confused-hamster]

I can’t believe stuff like this is happening all over the world right now! I want to cry 24/7 at the moment...

Hello tumblr.

I know Romania isn't well known by most of you, and I know this isn't as important as what is currently happening in America, but please take a moment to learn and spread information about the current issue faced by romanian lgbtq+ people.

As a response to attempts to introduce sexual education in schools, the senate is trying to pass a law making it illegal to mention "gender identity" in academic spaces. According to this law, schools and universities alike would be banned from discussing "gender, understood as something different from biological sex".

Not only is this a bigoted law and an attempt to bring censorship in academic spaces, but it also creates issues for universities which offer master programs based on gender studies. Through this law, university programs based on gender equality or gender studies would be banned.

Press article discussing this issue (in romanian): [link]

If you are romanian, please take a moment to sign this petition

Even if you aren't romanian, please reblog this post to spread information about this issue.