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[sagesspagesblog]

Poser Check

If there is one thing that makes the world go round, it’s music. If you are like me, you grew up listening to your parents favorite songs, and now you really know what good music sounds like. 

So I asked people what they think about music and how it defines them, here are the results. 

Q- Do you mostly listen to music on the radio or discover music from sources like Spotify or Apple Music?

Q- Do you think you judge others for what music they listen to?

Q- Why or why not?

“no. music is subjective. some people like some music that other people don’t. music is meant to unite people in my opinion, so why judge and divide people because of their taste in music.”

“If they listen to something solely due to popularity, I know that they’re not actually a music person, and are just filling the air. If they listen to only one genre, I know that they are pretty close-minded and, depending on the genre, have a reason for doing so that can be easily out thought.”

“I don’t judge people in the way where I’ll be like a gatekeeper or see someone else’s preferences as lesser, but I definitely think someone’s taste in music impacts who they are as a person and I find it interesting to try and piece that together.” 

“Music taste can tell a lot about a person: how open minded they are, how pretentious they may be, and even in some cases their sense of humor.”

“I really don’t know. On one hand I think what a person listens to can say a lot about them, but on the other hand a lot of people listen to a lot of different types of music, and I’m not really into labeling.”

Q-Do you find people judging you for the music you listen to? (Giving you a "poser check" by asking you to list albums or songs by an artist)

Q- Do you ever feel ashamed for liking a certain artist or genre?

Q-Why or why not?

“People can hate on whatever they want, but if you like it you like it. Ain’t gonna be ashamed of that.”

“If someone disagrees with me on my taste then that’s fine, we’re all different. I’ve never really cared about if people judge me on my taste of music.”

“I might be a little upset if someone thinks the song that I’m listening to is weird.”

“I listen to what I enjoy and I'm open minded to new things, but I think trashing what someone enjoys is just sad. Judge them silently. If someone wants to trash my music, that's their problem.”

“Yes because some people will judge you for some of your music taste which could have negative side effects.”

“I don’t really care what people think about my music if it makes me happy.”

Q-Has parts of your personality changed because of the music you listen to?

Q-Why or why not?

“certain songs bring out a certain side of me”

“100%. I used to be quite sheltered musically, only listening to very popular songs and Christian Rock that my parents deemed worthy. I also used to be very naive. Now? I listen to many things, all for good reason. And I’m no longer that naive kid.”

“I don’t really know. There are definitely sounds that I can always listen to, sing and dance to, and immediately put me in a good mood.”

“I mainly listen to alternative or indie and lots of songs in that genre have an underlying message or theme that can change your outlook on things.”

“I’ve absolutely become fond of different aesthetics or looks because of my shifting tastes in music, and I find when I’m more into softer songs I’ll be less abrasive as a person.”

“It hasn’t bc I don’t listen to music that often and it’s not enough to change me.”

“I feel like listening to certain music has given me more confidence.”

“Music has some crazy influence on people, for me it just reinvented my love for both listening and creating music.”

Q-Do your friends listen to the same music as you?

Q-What genre of music do you often find yourself listening to the most?

-Alternative

-Indie 

-Rap 

-Rock

(there was some more, but these are what people most listened to)

Q-Do you think that listening to a certain type of music can change your lifestyle? (EX- Wearing dark clothes and listening to emo music)

Q- Why or why not?

“it brings out a part of you and you can represent that part of you via what you wear.”

“I think if someone listens to dark music they may be more depressed or have a darker output on life versus someone who listens to more upbeat music.”

“I think that music can empower a person to be more themselves. If your personal style is wearing dark clothes, but you’re too scared to go against the norm, emo music can empower you to dress more like yourself.“

“If you’re trying to fit into a certain aesthetic, that can change who you hang out with, are treated, and perceived by those around you. I think it’s arguably inevitable that that would change who you are as a person and how you live.”

“It's not the music that changes one's lifestyle, it's the culture around the music: the community they're trying to be apart of.”

“I think that you can listen and relate to a certain type of music without conforming to what the genre’s listeners typically like.”

Final question, can you recommend me (and others) your top three, or five, or favorite songs?

“Humming - Turnover

 Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay 

Dog Bones - Racoma”

“Caution, Still Breathing, Stones Under Rushing Water, The Hardest Art, and SING”

“lovers rock by tv girl, anything by peach pit but i recommend shampoo bottles, and rn i’ve been listening to a lot of lil peep.”

“1. Mr. Brightside 2. We are Young 3. Hall of Fame 4. The Fighter 5. Don’t stop me now”

““Case for you” by early eyes, “drunk on Halloween” by wallows, and “green” by cavetown”

“Joji”

“Backwards Down The Numberline by Phish, My Ecstasy by The North 41, Circle The Drain by Soccer Mommy, New York's Not My Home by Jim Croce, and Vienna by Billy Joel. Not exactly my top 5, just 5 songs I'd recommend.”

“Godspeed- Frank Ocean 

Midnight blues- UMI 

Fool for you- Snoh Aalegra 

Hold on/issues- Teyana Taylor”

“1.Fever Dream (mxmtoon) currently the top bop 

2.Slow Dancing in the Dark (Jojo) 

3.all the kids are depressed (Jeremy Zucker) 

4. Young (Vacations)”

Thank you thank you thank you all my survey takers! You guys have great taste? As for my recommendations, here are my top three: 

1- dancefloor by Marcos G 

2- Daylight by Joji, Diplo (his newest single as of 2020)

3- Seven by Men I Trust 

[sagesspagesblog]

Working with kids.

I’m a camp counselor at this camp, I’ll call it “Camp” because, privacy. 

I thought of this a lot, but the greatest thing about working with kids is that they don’t judge you, especially on your appearance. 

I would come to camp with acne scars, bug bites on my legs because Camp was outdoors, and I rarely had kids give me looks or comment. Although some asked about the marks on my legs (marks from too scratched up bug bites) and I would change the subject. But it wasn’t harsh, it was plain curiosity.  No one is born judgemental. 

When I used to go to Camp as a camper, I used to be so judged and picked on for not being the pretty girl or the skinniest girl. It was refreshing, to say the least. I remember when I was a camper at Camp and there were maybe thirty boys and five girls, (it was an outdoors camp, many more boys come there) the boys played a game where they picked the “hottest” girl there. They picked their top three, and I wasn’t picked.

These girls hate boys. We rarely talk about them. Sometimes to interact with the girls I’ll ask about a crush but they mostly talk about other friends with a crush. And they didn’t care what the other looked like. 

-One time, I asked this very pretty little girl if she thought she was pretty, she responded with “I think I’m very pretty” 

I’m still unsure of myself, still insecure if the guy I currently like rather have  more charming, but I think throughout this year working with these unforgettable kids, I’ve learned to love my messed up legs, my scared face, and the rest of my torn through self, because I’m more than that. 

I’m that counselor who would be sarcastic and real with you, the one who would treat you like a younger sister, who told jokes, who was strict when needed, and who loved her girls, no matter what they looked like. 

[sagesspagesblog]

Beatin the Rona!

I like to think that maybe we’ve learned a thing or two during this virus, for me, it’s that I have a ton of guilt when I can’t write a blog post about a recent survey in one day (and also I procrastinate more than I should). I hate to think that it’s probably going to be a lot worse than better. 

19 people answered questions about Covid, about school and what they think so far. I’m not going to post all the questions I sent, because some might find them too personal/the answers were not as informative. 

Q-How long have you stayed in quarantine? (click the months you've stayed in quarantine)

Q-What was the worst part of online school?

“The timing of classes and how everything was laid out.”

“there was not much structure as the teachers just emailed us work to do. also, i had to do everything by myself staying in one place all day, and i didn’t have a teacher right there to help me when i needed it.”

Q-Should masks should be mandatory indoors?

Q-Did you enjoy online school?

Q-What was/is the worst part about quarantine?

“Staying inside with my family for too long.”

“Lack of social contact with people.”

“not seeing my friends. my friends provide me with certain amounts of comfort.”

“Not being able to see all my friends or go to many places.”

“Being locked in a toxic household.”

“Being alone.”

Q-Would you attend school if schools reopened in August?

Q- Would you have online classes until cases slow down and/or a vaccine is found?

Q-Would you start school late (ex, start January) instead of in August?

Q-Do you find wearing a mask for a long period of time uncomfortable?

Q-Are you looking forward to school starting again? If so, why? If not, why not?

“Yes and no, it’ll make me feel like i’m doing something again but it’d be weird to adapt to no school, physically...”

“yes and no because they will most likely be a spike if we return to normal school and if we are doing online school i don’t want to go back.”

“I don’t really know. On one hand I was looking forward to seeing all of my friends again (obviously that isn’t happening now). However I am nervous about the workload.”

“yes and no. i want to get back into my old routine and some normalcy, but i can’t do that bc actions weren’t taken soon enough to ensure that we would. but i’m excited to start a new school year but it sucks that i have to start it online.”

“Yes because I can’t wait to see my friends that live farther away.”

“Yes, I’ve always enjoyed school, and I really want to be able to have a sense of normalcy in my life. I also would love to have normal band practices and to attend football games.”

Q-What has quarantine taught you? (To clarify, what's a lesson you learned from quarantine? Ex- I learned to check on the news everyday, I learned to be more patient.) If you can, give a story how you learned this.

“I learned to open my eyes more, take in information, and have truly seen some people’s true colors.”

“be patient and not worry about the things you cannot control. for example, i have diagnosed anxiety and it got a lot worse during the first part of quarantine but then i found better ways to cope and learned to manage it better.”

“Toilet paper is under appreciated.”

“Quarantine has really helped me learn to distance myself from certain things and people that aren’t healthy for me, and has taught me who I really value.”

“I learned how to keep myself active better when bored.”

“Life is lonely and a lot of friends are fake.”

“quarantine had taught me not to take things for granted. i am so fortunate because i have a place to go during quarantine, and a safe loving family i can turn to. many people don’t have that, and they can’t risk getting the virus because they can’t afford healthcare for it or can’t afford to take off from work.”

“To be grateful for the things I have cause other people have it way worse.”

“I’ve learned to go with the flow and to just accept what you can’t change.”

“I learned that crying is okay and being upset is a natural thing that shouldn’t be apologized for.”

“i learned that it’s important to take time for myself to just relax - quarantine made me realize just how busy my schedule was.”

“Learned that weird sleep patterns are acceptable.”

“I learned that I need to stop being so dependent on my friends to make me happy, I have to find happiness myself. I was deprived of this false sense of happiness because of quarantine, and that showed me just how dependent I was. I needed to learn how to make myself happy rather than expect someone else to do so.”

“learned to be patient and respect the time.”

“It taught me how to find motivation where there is none.”

I’d like to make a note here. Normally I like to leave myself out because these are the people’s voices that I get to share, but these times are taking away lives and jobs. I am grateful to be privileged, but I want to recognize now that  Covid-19 isn’t over, and we can’t act like it is, because so many are suffering. 

Q-What things did you take for granted before quarantine and the new "normal" we have now? (Ex- I loved hanging inside my best friend's house)

“I actually realized how much I liked [local High School] it wasn’t horrible as much as I thought it was and it actually felt nice to be growing up.”

“hugging people.”

“just going out wherever whenever. i’ve only gone to the beach with a max of three other people at a time, on bike rides with my sister, and to my cousin’s house. i’m kinda tired of it.”

“fun memories and jokes with my friends at school & sports practices/staying in shape easily.”

Q-What is the most interesting thing you've done/learned/achieved since quarantine?

“Mostly donated to charities amid the chaos in the world today!” 

“learned how to paint and sew.” 

“I learned how to knit.” 

“...I’ve devoted a lot more time to the piano.” 

“i learned how to roller skate and sew.”

“i got a boy to talk to me for simply existing i didn’t do ANYTHING i’m just that good at luring boys in im THAT b*tch.” 

“I lost weight.” 

“You’re not going to be friends with everyone and that’s okay.” 

“started going on a 2-5 mi run every morning.” 

“Made a fire bacon egg n cheese” 

“Built a guitar.” 

“I’m learning to play the guitar!” 

“I’ve read at least 20 fanfics” 

So yeah. Quarantine has its ups and lows. These surveys are something I’ve learned to do over quarantine.. as well as crop all of my shirts. Thank you all my survey takers! You guys are amazing and your voices are heard! 

[sagesspagesblog]

Being a Black Teen Today.

I’m a white girl, always have been. There’s no changing who I am. And because of my whiteness, I am guaranteed to privileges I know my black friends wouldn’t have. 

In this time of educating ourselves on what we can do to end police brutality and the systemic racism still in America today, I asked my black classmates and friends what they thought. 

Not for us allies to understand, (we can do that with research and books by black authors), but so black teenagers can be heard. I’m putting the links to some studies I found during my research. 

Note that I’m not writing any of my opinions from these interviews because it’s not my place. I am just here to use this as a platform to spread the voices of black teens. I’m keeping their identities hidden because they are all minors. So here it is- sorry for the long introduction. 

Here are their stories. 

Have you gone to a predominantly white school? If so, can you share a story in which another student did something offensive to you because of your race? Were they doing it on purpose? How old were you? How did you feel? Did they get punished?

“At my middle school, most of my classmates were white. During lunch, another lunch table took my yearbook and signed a racial slur taking up half a page. A lot of my friends at that table thought it was funny, but I didn't. When I sat back at my table, my other friends were sympathizing with me and were furious with them. It really showed me who were my real friends that benefit me as a person. To this day I'm not really sure who did it.”

“I went to [name of middle school], where a few students had the perception that I could “fight” or I have guns because of my skin color so when ever a confrontation would come they expect me to do something. I don’t believe they were doing it on purpose but that’s what they were taught I guess, I was 13 when this happened, and it made me feel like I couldn’t live up to anything other than that.“

“...In middle school a bunch of boys would say racist things like Monkey and my friends got a lot of backlash being called things like slave , they were not punished , I’ve had kids at this school look at me when talked about slavery and I’ve been told I’m not pretty [because] I’m not fully white.”

Have you ever been in a situation where someone didn't know of their ignorance? What happened? (EX- a white girl asking where she can get braids)

“Yes, at swimming I asked if I could use someone's phone they said no! I asked why? They said I might steal it and they were laughing and I didn't get the joke. I asked why I would steal their phone they said because you're black.”

“A white boy asked if he sounded “ghetto””

When did you realise you're white friends/classmates had white privilege? How old were you? How did you know? What happened?

“Growing up, I was talkative in school, but sometimes I would be blamed for something I didn't do and the teacher would believe them. I didn't think to much of it at the time, but there would be days were the teacher would call on me all the time during a difficult subject and other days where I was practically invisible. I was hurt to know that they could be exempt from any punishment...”

“...It hurt me to know that I was unwanted due to my race.“

“When I was 7 me and my parents went to get school supplies for school and there was a long line to pay, so we waited and then when we got to the front the lady up front was letting white folks cut the line and pay and there were a few black folks there to and we were waiting for a while. I didn’t realize what was happening at the time but when I was like 9 I learned about white privileges and I remembered what happened and realized what was happening and what white privileges look like.”

“When I first started swimming I was 8 always the odd one out, because swimming is a predominantly white sport. I realized that what I had to go through my friends didn't have to go through. Like seeing my mom not have a meal some nights so that I could have a meal. And seeing someone getting shot in front of me, etc. I wasn't born into money my parents are immigrants that worked their asses off so that I could have a better life than they did.”

“When I was 14 I was at food trucks with my classmates and we were in an alley and a cop saw us and thought we were doing something but he only asked me and my other black friend but not the two white kids.”

When did you realise black americans are oppressed? Did an adult have to tell you things are different? If so, what did they say? How old were you? How did you feel?

“I really became aware of this around the end of elementary school when teachers find it more appropriate to discuss rather serious topics like slavery and racial or gender bias and stereotypes. My parents elaborated to explain that though we are free there are still people out there who don’t believe we should be. I almost didn’t really understand until my parents explained to me the story of the boy Trayvon Martin and Officer George Zimmerman. I didn’t understand why a cop would attack a boy who was just bringing home candy to his grandmas house. but my parents explained that different people perceive black people as danger or suspicious especially when in a hoodie or stereotypical suspicious clothing or that sort.”

“I grew up going to church, so the idea of oppression towards one race wasn't shown very early. It was only explained as a part of history in school. When I was around 9 I saw news headlines explaining the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, and the outrage surrounding it. I was starting to hear about the unfair treatment in the system from my parents, but the killing of Michael Brown really showed me what policemen were capable of.”

“My parents told me when I was 10 but one time I went to one of my brothers game when I was 8 or 9 and they didn’t let him and a few other colored players play because of their skin color and that’s when I knew something was wrong and i felt bad and sick to my stomach.”

“I was told by my mom multiple times to not be afraid because if you look suspicious then cops or other people might suspect that I am doing something wrong and that started when I was 11.”

What do you think about concerning your race that a white person wouldn't? (EX- if I say that, it will sound like I'm not "black enough")

“A lot of things concerning my race have been on my mind. About a year ago my mom showed me where I should put my paperwork if I was pulled over by a cop so that they wouldn't think I was reaching for a weapon. Another thing was the fact I had to "prove" myself for my ex girlfriend's white family so that they wouldn't have acted quick to throw a stereotype on who I am.”

How do you think a white person can have a conversation with you or someone else about BLM without sounding apathetic?

“Its important to show some sort of accountability with their approach. Having their support is a great thing mentally as well as for the movement as they can help spread the message in a possibly more effective way to reach more people.”

“Honestly, I don't know recently I feel that I've been angry at white people and their privilege and that's not right.”

“Just be respectful and here us out on what we say and our story that’s basically it.”

What do you think we as a society need to normalize? (EX- normalizing braids in the workplace)

“They should allow us to wear braids , and whatever if it goes with our religion as long as whites can wear whatever too we need to normalize tv shows and commercials with mixed kids and couples of different race more roll models for kids you know.”

“Black culture, like the way we wear our hair, it doesn’t mean ghetto, the way we speak or our accent. General things along the lines of traits of being an African American, that shouldn’t be perceived as ghetto or sketchy.”

What are you sick of as a black person in today's America? (Ex- I'm sick of having black names be stereotyped to be like "Shaquisha")

“People assuming I say acab, people assuming I think the same as everyone , people calling me ignorant, people thinking I’m stealing , people not hearing me because I’m not fully black , people saying I’m less of an African American , people saying I act one way I am human not an object and I’m not put in a box of one race I am mixed and I am proud I need people to hear me and join together not black vs whites not blacks vs cops it’s people vs people and people vs racist we need to stop segregating ourselves because it’s happening again and this time it’s our fault we need to fight but to it right.”

“I’m sick of white folks saying like here you want some watermelon or fried chicken and also like saying oh look it’s cotton it’s what your ancestors had to pick like that’s just makes me sick and it hurts me.”

“I'm tired of people staring at me... like I'm an alien!“

“I'm sick of seeing brutality against black people in police custody. I'm sick of society acting like there isn't a problem. And I'm sick of having times where I feel uncomfortable in my own skin.”

“I’m sick of people having the perception that I’m a dangerous person because of my race when I’ve never done anything on my life for people to think so.”

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Its eye-opening to hear all of these truths and stories you shared. I can’t express how admirable these people are to share their stories. These are real people, real experiences they have today. I don’t think I’ve ever been so inspired. These voices as well as countless others need to be heard. Please share these messages. They are worth so much. 

I am making one like this from teachers and what they think about black lives matter, it will be coming out soon. 

If you are a black teen who wants their voice heard, click on this link, its eye-opening to see your stories. https://forms.gle/ycEEm7r7rFu7YUkG6

[sagesspagesblog]

Its a season of love (for some of us)

Are you comfortable with talking about your sexuality? Lucky for the Gen Z generation, coming out isn’t seen as controversial in America (for most people) as it was generations ago. According to advocate.com, only two thirds of Gen Z is straight, and because of growing acceptance for all people of the LGBTQ+ communities. So what do people think about being apart of these communities, and for straight people, what impact does the LGBTQ+ community has on them?

So let’s get into it! 

Q-What is your sexuality? 

For the most part, my survee’s were all Gen Z, and I like how this sort of mimics the real life counterparts.

Q- Are you comfortable with talking about your sexuality?

Q- If you are LGBTQ+, do you find it easier to come out to people closer to you or people who you don't know as well? Why?

“People you don’t know as well you won’t encounter again so you don’t have to deal with much different treatment, however, my friend group have always been open so i’ve had no issue.”

“I find it easiest to come out when prompted. But definitely easier with closer friends than with family for example.”

“People I trust because I have proof that they will hear me out.”

“I haven't "come out" to anyone for a while so honestly I'm not sure, I guess it depends on the situation. In general people closer to me can be harder to come out to because I care more about what they think; I really don't care what Joe Schmoe from history class thinks of me, so coming out to him is easy.”

“i generally get an idea of how open-minded the person is before telling them and i only do if it’s relevant to the conversation. their closeness to me doesn’t matter as much as you might think. for me it’s like my tattoos, it’s just a part of me. it doesn’t always need to be shared, doesn’t need to be understood, but when it’s relevant i like to open up sometimes.”

Q-If you are straight, do you often find yourself worried that a LGBTQ+ person/friend might find you attractive?

Q-Do you often find yourself associating religion with sexuality? (ex- the Bible does/does not say that being gay is a sin)

Q- As a straight person, would you ever consider dating a trans woman/male? Why or why not? 

“N/a, however i definitely would.” 

“No, it’s just a preference to be honest. I’d rather date a straight woman.”

“Depends on their personality not there sexuality.”

“No. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“No, I would want children and being a trans woman that wouldn’t happen. (I wouldn’t adopt/ have a surrogate)”

“Yea because if they really look like a guy then I would have no problem dating them.”

“of course! if their pronouns are he/him (or even they/them 🤷🏽‍♀️) of course i will!”

“I don’t think I would consider it.”

Q-As a LGBTQ+ person, do you feel like there is bad stereotypes about your sexuality? (ex- gay men being too "feminine")

Q-As a LGBTQ+ person, what do you think is the worst thing a straight person could do to you in an everyday sense (ex- a straight person making it very clear on a daily basis that they are straight)

“Shutting down my love for women or non-binary people”

“Describing a LGBTQ+ person as their sexuality and not their actually personality and self. Someone’s sexuality is not a personality trait!”

“Well see if a straight person is making it clear they are straight then they might be battling some demons or something and don’t know if they truly are and are trying to keep up this image that they are straight.”

“Normalize the LGBTQ community into everyday things.“

“Pushing down others just for them being who they are.” 

“just not being open-minded is tough to encounter sometimes.” 

Q-Do you think there should be laws allowing people to not provide services to LGBTQ+ people because of their religious affiliations?

(I really like this last one, and for my LGBTQ+ restaurant owners, just refuse a straight person, just once to see the reaction. Okay, don’t do that, but it be so funny). 

Q- Do you think trans people should be allowed to serve in the United States military? (all branches) 

Q- Do you think LGBTQ+ themed books should be allowed to be taught in schools?

Q-As an LGBTQ+ person, what do you think straight people can do to educate themselves on what it's like to be an LGBTQ+ person?

“literally just ask questions in a respectful manner and be polite when they hear the response.”

“i’m not LGBTQ+ but i seriously think straight people should look more into LGBTQ+ history.”

“What it’s like to be lgbtq+ person is the same as any other human there’s nothing special.”

“Probably during like human G&D classes , teachers can devote some time to educating their students on what it means to be LGBTQ”

“Just listen without bias and hear what others have to say instead of instantly judging.”

“Listen to LGBT voices and listen closely!”

As an LGBTQ+ person, what questions do you often get asked by straight people?

“What are your thoughts on saying the same gender, and what is the mental block you face that doesn’t make you attracted to them?”

“I’m straight but the question I most ask is how would you label your sexuality.”

“How/ when did you know....”

“Do you think your opinion will change? How do you know that you're gay?“

“You do think I’m attractive?”

“mostly about the way attraction works for me. i’m usually happy to answer any respectful questions.”

Q- What do you think we can do to make a bridge for both straight and LGBTQ+ people today? (ex- how to you think there can be less stigma when it comes to LGBTQ+ people?)

“Teach from a young age that all preferences are okay.” 

“We need to better represent them in culture to normalize them and make people realize that they're also just people and they shouldn't be treated any differently than straight people.”

“Normalizing it in education even when it comes to human growth and development courses in school, also having reading material that displays all kinds of relationships.”

“I’d say making the LGBTQ community allowed more freely in church because the main reason I see that people aren’t respected is because of religion claiming that community to be wrong.” 

“Look this is gonna sound mean and rude and I’m not trying to. But it would have to be that people in lgbtq need to stop acting special or better than someone straight. You create this divide when you do that. I mean if your like I’m gay then move on don’t (ex don’t bring it up constantly or make it your personality) there’s honestly nothing special about being gay, trans or even straight because at the end of the day we’re all just human.”

“Inclusive sex ed! We need to teach EVERYONE about LGBT people and we need to make it clear that it is not a choice or lifestyle. Representation in children's and regular media is also a must.”

“Honestly they needa branch out when it comes to tv shows showing lesbians with short hair and a jacked bod and gay guys as white shirt dudes that are more petite it just makes us look like we aren’t human and we are a whole different breed because we all don’t look like that it’s putting a certain look on us.”

“Education. Conversation.”

So as a final message, thank you for those who participated, and thank you for opening up and talking about being LGBTQ+ and straight today, my next survey will be about education, and I ask for everyone to share these surveys with all of your friends, the more the merrier! I love you all and thank you once again for reading or taking the survey! 

[sagesspagesblog]

Are You Beautiful?

What makes someone attractive? How are they better than most? What do people find attractive? I wanted to know that in the survey I made about beauty. 19 people responded, and you can take the survey here https://forms.gle/b4kognLWuW4JtGUw7

Q- Do you look at influencers or friends and compare yourself to them?

Q- Do you put more effort into what you look like to be more attractive?

Q-Do you think that showing diverse models in media will better people's self esteem?

Q- How do you think we can improve people's beauty standards?

“Spreading body positivity and making it clear that you don’t have to look a certain way to “fit into society” it’s better to stand out and it’s annoying that people judge everyone else who doesn’t look or act a certain way because that’s how society made us they are turning everyone against each other.”

“I think instead of focusing on making beauty standards more inclusive, we should be aiming to make beauty a less important part of someone’s value. Everyone is going to think different people and things are beautiful - and that’s wonderful! I don’t think we should change that as long as it isn’t harming anyone. I think it’s more important to emphasize that being beautiful doesn’t define your worth than it is to emphasize that “you can be beautiful however you are””

“Showing that there shouldn’t be one specific beauty standard.”

Q- what makes someone attractive to you?

“a good personality, someone i can laugh with.”

“their character, their smile, the way they are completely themselves without having a care in the world what other people think aka confidence.”

“I’m attracted to people that go out of their way to be kind to others or make someone laugh. I think having a sense of humor while understanding where the boundary is on what should and shouldn’t be said is very attractive. Also, short kings rise up.”

“Curly hair strong sharp face and fierce appearance.” 

Next time I think I’ll put some more detail in this question because I ment looks wise, not exactly personality. 

Q- How do you make yourself attractive?

“makeup. tight clothes and crop tops. they make me feel good.”

“I don’t really try to do things to make my self attractive, if that makes sense ? I do it more because I feel good about and comfortable with myself when I do, and that includes dressing in alternative styles, doing my makeup, and wearing piercings.”

“Making people laugh.”

Q- if someone told you you were beautiful what would you say back?

“I would be surprised and most likely give them a hug and cry a lil bit.”

“I cringe at first and force out a thank you.”

“Oh my god thank you.”

“I would probably smile lol Bc I don’t rlly get compliments and I’ll say thank you and compliment them back.”

“you’re lying”

“Well I would be flustered, say “thanks, you too. And I’m really not much of a peeper but thanks anyways”

Q- Do you think movies glorify beauty standards?

Q- What do you think is the most attractive thing about yourself?

“I think it’s sexy as hell that I’m willing to have open communication instead of bottling up my emotions until I lash out at someone.”

“My personality.”

“my eyes 100%.”

“nothing I’ve found yet.”

“My bone structure.”

“Visually? My hair.”

“My biceps.”

Q- Describe your soulmate

“Someone that treats me with unconditional love and support. Someone that is patient with me and knows how to deal with me.”

“someone who is confident, makes me feel like we are the only two people on earth, makes me feel like I don’t need to be or look or feel a certain way to know that he is in love w my soul not my body.”

“My soulmate is someone that I can just be myself around. We hold similar core values about moral issues and enjoy a lot of the same media, or at least enjoy listening to each other talk about the stuff our interests don’t overlap on. They can always make me laugh and enjoy cooking with me. They are understanding of my boundaries and genuinely listen when I tell them something is wrong. They get along well with my friends and family.”

“Someone who is smart, funny, really kind and athletic like me so we can do cool stuff together.”

“Tall like me, chocolate skin, black curly hair, with highlights, an appealing face , body idc tbh”

“Funny, a cutie, has a smile that never fails to make you smile back, the type of person to make breakfast in bed one minute but then it’s a nerf gun war the next. A person who affects you to the point that you can’t imagine a world that they’re not in.”

“likes me for me and doesn’t want anything but that.”

“I’ll know them when I see them”

[sagesspagesblog]

Be a Man and Take This Survey

I like boys, and as a straight female I have the dishonor of falling for men who have “be a man” complex and less of a “be a human” complex. 

Anyway. What do people think of toxic masculinity? Lets see. 

Q-Male, Female or other

Q- Do you know what toxic masculinity is? 

Q-The Atlantic (as of 2019) defines toxic masculinity as the sexist behavior and the self entitlement of men is seen as "manly".... do you agree with this definition?

Q- Have you ever seen someone condemned because they're not "man enough"

Q- Conservatives believe that "charges of toxic masculinity are an attack on manhood itself, at a time when men already face challenges such as higher rates of drug overdose and suicide." (Salter, 2) Do you agree with this statement?

(so lets just say one-third of the people in this survey did not understand the question, so)

Explain why or why not 

This person disagreed

“because it’s not an attack on masculinity. it’s an attack on men’s entitlement and their false sense of superiority.”

This person agreed 

“Because toxic masculinity is basically saying that being manly is bad.

This person strongly disagreed

“Toxic masculinity and manhood aren’t the same - while manhood is the healthy expression of masculinity and what makes men feel powerful, it becomes toxic when it’s harmful to other people or the mental state of the man expressing it. Calling out these behaviors isn’t an attack, it’s an opportunity to better one’s self and become less harmful.”

This person strongly disagreed

“Men face these challenges distinctly BECAUSE of toxic masculinity, they feel outcasted by their own societal stereotypes. And the fact that they say ‘attack on manhood itself’ says that they define their masculinity so harshly that they themselves have created toxic masculinity.”

Q-"Many progressives, meanwhile, contend that the detoxification of masculinity is an essential pathway to gender equality. Amid this heated discourse, newspaper and magazine articles have blamed toxic masculinity for rape, murder, mass shootings, gang violence, online trolling, climate change, Brexit, and the election of Donald Trump." (Salter, 2) Do you agree with this statement?

Explain why of why not

This person Strongly agreed 

“Toxic masculinity has led men to believe that they need to dominate and “put others in their place” as a means of controlling them. How do you think every crime starts? The criminal wants to dominate or put the person in their place.”

This person disagreed 

“I don’t see how masculinity can affects things like climate change.”

This person agreed 

“I agree that it can strongly influence these events, but I still believe that the root cause of them is that the individual actively chooses to commit these acts. I would be glad if stopping toxic masculinity helped prevent them, but they can’t be blamed for the choices of someone.”

This person disagreed 

“Toxic masculinity is not why trump was elected or the reason why brexit happened, that’s the stupidest fucking shit ever. Trump was elected because both options at the time were just fucking awful. Brexit happened because Britain hated the EU and their system”

This person is neutral 

“I would stay neutral to this for the point that toxic masculinity isn't about the actions of men but the understanding that there is a gender role to be filled.”

This person strongly agreed

“Men have begun to feel a sort of superiority complex just by being a man. Since they are men, they adhere to the stereotypes and believe there are certain things that they must do, certain things that are ~manly~, even if they are not the right things to do. Toxic masculinity includes the idea that men are somehow above women when it comes to mental and physical strength, so they feel like they are able to do whatever they want to women and it just becomes this ‘boys will be boys’ type of thing that is TAUGHT and ALLOWED in our society.”

Q- Do you think there is a masculinity crisis now that the roles of men are shifting?

Q- What do you think you can do to change how we see men today?

“Educate people. Let men know that it is okay to cry and to like “feminine” things and be themselves.”

“Not sure, we’re in too deep.” (thanks for the optimistic outlook guys)

“show them that they don’t have to be societies perfect “man” to be a man. My mom changed my dad, he’s a nice, gentle person even though he’s in the military.”

“On a personal level, I always support the men around me when they come to me about sensitive subjects and am vocal about the fact that I am a safe space for them if they need somewhere to go. I also do my best to call out toxic masculinity when I see it, not in a demeaning way but to give them an opportunity to grow. It is important not to be hostile with individuals because they likely don’t know that they are in the wrong and are more likely to shut down and not take your perspective into consideration.”

“Accept them as who they really are.”

So guys, at the end of this survey I thank you all of reading and let me know what you think of dudes and guys who just wanna be guys. 

[sagesspagesblog]

Disney, can we have a talk

So I was thinking in the shower as one does and I was thinking that Disney was making a South Asian Disney Princess. I’ve very excited for that, because before this we had Moana and that was awesome and I love seeing people of color as beloved disney princesses. 

But get this- I’ve been a history buff my whole life. Why? I’m not sure but I love the past, as well as all things anthropology and what-not. So basically. Why the heck are there so many European princesses??? 

Because let's face it- Disney, you could have a Korean princess, MULTIPLE African princesses because NO ONE has talked about African Mythology and Religion, when it has the most amazing stories and legends that are super underrated.

You could have Japanese, Vietnamese, Indain, South American, and even Island princesses. I like where we’re heading, don’t get me wrong, but just imagine an African Disney Princess who fights for who she is, with the same morals many African myths have, like knowing you can become better than who you are now. 

Can we please have an Egyptian Princess?  An African Princess? And Indian Princess??

Thank you for reading, 

Signed, 

Everyone literally everywhere 

[sagesspagesblog]

Explaining Things in my Sketchbook pt 1

This is one of my main characters, Phoenix Realm. 

Basically, he was created in 2015 when I was really into minecraft roleplaying, especially Aphmau, and with my Barbie dolls I would recreate my favorite scene with my own storyline that was (veryyy) similar to the original series. 

 Phoenix was originally a Knight, a sort of edgy demon boy based off Aphmau’s Shadow Knights. 

After that phase came Phoenix as once again, an edgy boy, but the son of an evil king. 

Now, he’s half human, half alien, in a story I’m currently working on. 

The person kissing him is my other main character, Abby Goldine. 

Phoenix is Korean-American, and lives in the fictional future city of Atla, a place where Chicago and Detroit used to be located. 

Phoenix is 5″10, a virgo, loves blue and korean BBQ, as well as fighting intergalactic crime. 

I made this piece with some research on popular Korean fashion and hairstyles to make him look like a regular kid. He has a scar for reasons I will tell later. 

Then, I sketched out some hairstyles I liked, and the one is this drawing was the one I (and some of my friends) liked best. 

Then I created a bunch of different drawings with the hairstyle that are seen above with a mechanical pencil. I used lineart with my favorite Sakura brush-pens and painted with watercolor. 

I used gel pen to finish and different magazines to make the background collage. 

[sagesspagesblog]

Some art I made. 

I made with with a polaroid photo, black acrylic paint and the gelly roll white gel pen. I’ll make a process tutorial for this tomorrow! 

[sagesspagesblog]

The process is the love of my life.

I made this blog because I like so many things, have so many thoughts, but no one really cares for them. 

I love my art, my speeches, my hobbies, my opinions, and I want to share them with people who want to know. But I feel like most times I’m with people who don’t care about my process in art, how I’m feeling, and what I like. 

I have amazing friends, don’t get me wrong, but they can’t relate to the feelings I have when making art, my absolute love for my creations. People might go “wow, that’s cool” but its not what I want to hear, you know? I’d want people to ask me about the things I like, want them to see my passionate feelings about my creations. But people don’t, because they don’t see the world like I do. 

So I made this blog so maybe, just maybe, someone might want to hear me out, someone out here might understand my art, the feelings I have for it, because it’s so much more than a finished product. 

It's the same way with my dad. He loves making slides in the way I love making surveys. Like this sort of love creators have when they make something new, they love the process, the ideas, making slides, making surveys. 

On instagram, photos of myself may get 100 likes, but my art would get less than half of that, and I just get so sad from that, because when I make my mark on the world, its not going to be this clueless girl, I want it to be my art, my creations. 

I’ll post more art on here, more ideas, more stories I’ve never told before, just because if someone will read it, if someone will ask about it, I’ll be happy to do it. 

[sagesspagesblog]

*insert High School Musical 2 Soundtrack here*

Summer... Summer... Summer... 

I live in a beach area and every summer for the past five (or so) years I’ve been attending this surf camp as a camper and now as a volunteer. It’s amazing. I have some of my best stories from this camp. So since I have the “okay” from my family to let me go this year (no thanks to Ms.19) I can volunteer once again to spend all this summer on the beach! 

So I’ll probably make more stories, but this one is my favorite. 

It was while I was a camper my first year there. Basically, it was seven in the morning (my family has work and sometimes has to drop me off early) and campers started to show up. It was my older friend R’s birthday and these two other kids decided to bring him a birthday cake. 

They got there late with a giant cake from the local grocery store. The owner of the camp (who is VERY interesting might I say) thought that we should bring the cake on these awesome water trampolines that the camp had. 

It worked well. Everyone hopped on the trampoline (this was a bout thirty kids) and we sung happy birthday to R and the two kids started handing out cake slices with a plastic knife. 

The water trampoline started to make a noise. 

BAM BOOM POP POW ANY OTHER ONOMATOPOEIA YOU CAN THINK OF  The trampoline exploded just as I was getting my slice of birthday cake. 

But that’s not all. Everyone swam back to the shore and luckily no one was hurt. Except for the cake, that went under. 

And then baby turtles crawled out of the sand. We all started laughing and cheering, I still think they came out because they smelled cake trampled by the sea. It was the cutest thing I’ve seen in my life. 

And it was only nine in the morning. 

So that’s probably my favorite memory of the camp. Trust me, I have some others I will share too.  

[sagesspagesblog]

Hahaha No. Results

What is funny now? Sure, Tumblr is its own brand of hilarious, but let’s be real. Jokes, being funny, and all comedy in general is subjective, and what some people find funny others don’t. 

So I asked my friends, what’s funny to them? Here are some of my favorite answers to some questions I asked. 27 people answered, and hopefully the more I do these, more people I reach out too, more will! So here it is:

Q Do you think you're funny?

37% Yes

29.6% Maybe 

7.4% No

“My jokes are like a broken pencil, they are stupid and they have no point” (okay, someone must’ve googled that)

Q On a Scale of 1-10, how funny are you? 

Q What do you think your style of humor is? 

“Dark, sarcastic”

“Like weird but basic weird like little things like the shape of phineas’s head make me laugh cry” (they mean Phinneas from Phinneas and Ferb) 

“a darker more specialized humor, with the basis of ambiguous terms used in conversation.”

“I’ll laugh at the dumbest things but I also understand real humor, like Lele Pons humor is (the gross emoji)”

“I think my style of humor is weird. I sometimes say things that I think is funny but no one actually understands it. My dad also told me I have a dry sense of humor.”

Many people said dark humor, which I thought was super interesting, because all the people who answered are all “gen Z” and we, as a generation, are known for that sense of humor.

Q Do you make fun of others? If so, does it go well? 

“depends on how close we are,, if we are then yea it’s usually a 2 way thing where we both jokingly insult each other”

“Never over anything serious, that might be an insecurity, or that isn’t a choice they’ve made”

“Only the closer people (like I’d call you out on your socks not matching) it goes kinda well”

The thing is, I think we make fun of people too much, that’s why I asked the question, I feel like we underestimate how we make fun of people, and I’m no saint too. There were a lot of people who said, sometimes, yes, or maybe and didn’t explain why. (You can’t win em all.) But I think that’s them underestimating what they think of their humor. But lmk what you think. 

Q Do you think trauma and comedy are tied together? 

Many people said yes, but I like this one person. They said: 

“It just depends on your viewpoint” I think that’s true in regards to comedy. And in the eyes of the viewer, anything tragic can be funny, but when does it go too far? (Crap. That was an awesome question I didn’t write down. Maybe next time?)

“I thinking it’s a destructive sense of coping, because the self deprecating humor comes at your own expense and more serious issues a person has the worst it feels.”

“I think it is better to be able to laugh about something than allow it to get the better of you and traumatize you. Of course their are some things that just simply aren’t funny but if you can see the bright side of it then I think you should make it funny.”

Q Does some dark humor make you feel uncomfortable? 

(Those two were on the bottom page) 

Q If it makes you uncomfortable, explain why. If not, explain why not.

“I usually get uncomfortable when it’s someone of privilege making fun of something that didn’t affect them (white kids making racial jokes, a catholic cracking about the holocaust, gay jokes from cishets, etc.). Something about making fun of someone else’s struggle rubs me the wrong way“

“Being super duper sensitive to topics to the point where say you can’t say the word gun in front of a person or they’ll freak out and go on a whole rant of why gun control should/shouldn’t be a thing gets very irritating and isn’t the greatest way to live life”

“Sometimes if a person is using dark humor just to be edgy and not to actually make a good or relevant point, it makes me uncomfortable because they just end up being an asshole who can end up making fun of something they don’t understand for easy laughs”

“If they’re taken too far, obviously they’re not jokes any more. If they’re surface-level jokes, they’re fine and funny”

“anyone has the right to say what they want about those things”

(Thanks, guys. )

Q How do you feel about comedians making jokes about race/ethnicities?

“I feel like you shouldn’t make degrading jokes about an ethnicity/race that you aren’t a part of, but like the joke “no one will ever feel more loved than when a black grandma rubs your back and says ‘it’s okay sugar’” or something like that where it’s light hearted and in a way complimenting that race it should be fine”

“I think it’s common for everybody to make fun of their own race or in the city however it becomes a sensitive topic when they target a different race or ethnicity. it’s the sense of you don’t know so you don’t have the right to talk about it.“

Q Do you feel like there should be restrictions on what we make jokes about today?

Many many people said no to this one. I think its because they make jokes like these too. If you’ve ever seen the Marvelous Mrs. Mazel, you know it was BAD in the olden days. 

“I don’t think regulating humor is productive. People who make jokes in ill taste often do so because they don’t understand its wrong, and policing them could do more harm than good by pushing them into more extreme and hateful social circles. I’m a full supporter of civil deprogramming and explaining why something is hurtful”

“no, everyone has their sense of humor and an audience that will enjoy it just because it’s not your sense of humor does it mean you need to demean Or restrict them as long as they’re not oppressing other people.”

“I think as long as the joke is respectful and you know who you are saying it to and to what extent you say it, it is better to live in a world where we laugh than and learn than cry and learn.“

“Hmm not restrictions I just think sometimes people should have a little more respect??? Yk like not making fun of disabled people and such.”

“Yes, there are some restrictions when it comes to race and gender politics”

“Yes but very loose restrictions”

I also got some yes’s too. It’s pretty divided through and through. LMK what you think. 

And Finally. Q So, since it's about jokes, tell me something funny! Or, roast me if you so dare!!!!

“a hispanic magician tells the audience he will disappear on 3. He says “uno, dos-“ *poof* and disappears without a tres”

“My grandma found my tik tok account and sent all of my videos to her friends.” (This one KILLED ME)

“Gonna take this time to say that John Mulaney’s stand ups are on Netflix”

“Dude I’m only funny in person. Can’t help here”

“Yes”

And with that. That’s my “HAHAHA. no.” Survey. I hope you liked my answers and if you reached the end, let me know what you think, as well as other survey ideas. I love doing these so so much, and I hope you do too!

[sagesspagesblog]

The McLovin: A plot device probably made before.

I, like many other teenagers, love, and I mean love, Superbad, but what does this hilarious movie have in common with the 2K19 Joker? It’s what I like to call the McLovin.’ (I told you, I really like Superbad) 

So if you’ve watched a lot of movies in your life, there is sort of subtle formula that I’ve seen when watching movies like the Joker or Superbad. Its consistent: in the exposition, the characters talk about a party, prom, a tv show that is later shown up in the climax where shit goes down. 

Let me explain what I mean (which by the way, probably has its own name, but my shower thoughts deserve to be herd! (okay yeah that’s bad.)) the McLovin is like a Mcguffin, an object that drives the plot forward, a McLovin’ is a setting that drives the plot forward, and normally, causes a hoooollle bunch of stuff to go down. 

For example, the party in Superbad is mentioned by the love interest’s and is the reason why there is hijinx in the rising action, and at the party, the climax occurs. The reason why this is a McLovin is because a) it was talked about previously, so us as the audience knew this was going to be the place where stuff went down and b) stuff went down at that location, we knew it was going to happen, but surprise surprise, not in this way. 

And that’s what’s similar with the 2k19 Joker, because the setting was shown in a dream scene (hey that rhymes) and was the place for the climax to occur where unexpected (and with this movie, very unexpected).

Was this probably already named? Yeah, most likely, I’m not that creative. But I did a d Google Search and didn’t find a name for it, at least, not as cool as the McLovin. 

[sagesspagesblog]

Sup, I’m Sage.

So name for this blog was pretty simple. My middle name rhymes with page. Ok, so that was a bad introduction, but if there’s anything I’ve learned from years, and years, and years of schooling is that you should never write your introductions as a question, so you should be grateful I didn’t start this blog out like “wanna know meeeee?” 

So I’m here because 1. I like wayyy too much stuff and 2. People don’t care about the stuff I like. Not that I’m a bad person, I just think of things that aren’t important to people that have more on their minds, and people have so much on their minds, I would know, I’m also a person. So why not dedicate these thoughts to writing, where I can do what I want because internet. 

I plan to write at least a page whenever I can about whatever I want. Weather its movies, polls I’ve made, foods, boys, social life, art, music, sports, ect. I’m basically the highschool newspaper of blogs. So for this first part, here’s some stuff about me. 

I’m a Libra, born on the coolest day, 10.10. Its actually pretty funny, both my dad, my brother and I have the same day to the month of our birthdays. Coincidence? I like to think it makes me a little more interesting. 

I also like a lot of things. But I really like both frogs and beluga whales, and if I could have them as pets I would. I’d also like a snake, to be honest, but I don’t think I could watch it eat bugs and mice. And then I’d have to touch bugs and mice. Eugh. 

Anyway, from these few bits of information you may be thinking, wow, this girl is super unique and totally different, this is going right to her head. I don’t have the most super-tragic backstory, and I live my life pretty normally. And I’m happy with that, but my goal here is to talk about things I like and finish a story. Because there’s something else about me, I can’t finish a story. 

Let me explain: I love to write, so much, that I’m a queen when it comes to writing the beginning and middle parts of a story. But finishing one? That’s hard. Mainly because I think that for the most part, I don’t like how the story developed, I think I forgot what I was going for, and also, sometimes I can just fall out of love. So hopefully this is better. Hopefully. 

So yeah, thats me. I’m Riley, and this is Sage’s Page’s.