#Benefits of Educational Interpreter

[metausa23]

Introduction

Educational interpreter services are instrumental in bridging communication gaps between students who are Deaf or hard of hearing and their peers, teachers, and other school staff. These services ensure that all students have equal opportunities to participate in classroom activities, engage with instructional materials, and fully benefit from their educational experiences.

What Are Educational Interpreter Services?

Educational interpreter services involve the provision of skilled professionals who facilitate communication between individuals who use sign language and those who do not. These services are utilized in various educational settings, including primary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities.

Benefits of Educational Interpreter Services

Improved Communication

One of the primary benefits of educational interpreter services is the facilitation of clear and accurate communication. By having a trained interpreter present, students who are Deaf or hard of hearing can fully understand classroom discussions, lectures, and instructions.

Enhanced Learning Experience

Educational interpreters contribute to a more inclusive learning environment by ensuring that students who are Deaf or hard of hearing have access to the same information as their hearing peers. This inclusivity promotes diversity and enriches the educational experience for all students.

Access to Education for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students

Educational interpreter services are essential for ensuring that students who are Deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to education. By providing interpretation services, educational institutions can accommodate the diverse needs of all students and foster an environment of equity and inclusion.

Facilitation of Inclusive Environments

Educational interpreter services promote inclusivity by breaking down barriers to communication and fostering a sense of belonging for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing. This inclusivity extends beyond the classroom and contributes to the overall culture of the educational institution.

How Educational Interpreter Services Work

Educational interpreters undergo specialized training to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively facilitate communication in educational settings. They are proficient in sign language and have a deep understanding of the subject matter being interpreted.

Challenges and Solutions

While educational interpreter services offer numerous benefits, they also present challenges, such as addressing language barriers and ensuring cultural competency. However, these challenges can be overcome through ongoing training and professional development for interpreters.

Impact on Student Success

Research has shown that access to educational interpreter services positively impacts student success, both academically and socially. Students who receive appropriate support through interpretation services are more likely to achieve their academic goals and develop strong social and emotional skills.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Educational interpreter services are governed by laws and regulations, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which mandates that students with disabilities, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, receive appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access to education.

Cost-Effectiveness of Educational Interpreter Services

While there are costs associated with providing educational interpreter services, the long-term benefits far outweigh the initial investment. By investing in these services, educational institutions can promote student success, foster inclusivity, and comply with legal requirements.

Future Trends

As technology continues to advance, the field of educational interpreting is evolving to incorporate new tools and techniques. Additionally, there is growing recognition of the importance of these services, leading to increased demand and support for educational interpreters.

Conclusion

Educational interpreter services play a vital role in ensuring that students who are Deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to education. By facilitating clear communication and fostering inclusive environments, these services contribute to student success and promote diversity within educational institutions.

[chronicbitchsyndrome]

i have been in community with profoundly developmentally disabled peers and peers with brain damage my whole life, bc i had a childhood diagnosis. i have also been leftist my whole life; my mother was a marxist and raised me that way, and while their politics were absolute dogshit, they were lefty dogshit.

my entire life, i have seen leftist educators throw mentally disabled people away as "lost causes" because they couldn't engage with the material the way it was being presented. leftist outreach and education does, genuinely, have a massive lack of accessible material. to be blunt, people are not interested in retrofitting their leftist outreach to be accessible to people who learn best through episodes of sesame street.

as in, i have repeatedly faced outright laughter and cruelty over the idea that this could be a priority. or even something that we consider doing at all.

"people who are that mentally disabled don't need to know about these things," the kindest interpretation goes. ("people who are that mentally disabled don't interact with the world, anyway, they're all in institutions or monitored 24/7 by their parents," the uncharitable underlying assumptions go. "they wouldn't be a worker who needs a union. or a library attendee. or a member of the community garden. or a volunteer at the food bank. or or or")

the people i have seen this hurt the worst, over and over again, are profoundly mentally disabled people of color whose lack of access to accessible antiracist education is causing real danger in their lives. institutionalized disabled people of color who have learned racist ideology and behaviors from white authority, whether they were adopted by white families or incarcerated in care institutions run by white staff. who are treated lower than garbage by leftist educators, who view them as "lost causes," as unworthy of time and effort and attention, as deserving of their abuses because they... what... internalized the abuses that make up every aspect of their lives since birth?

i see people saying things in this conversation like "disability isn't an excuse for racism or transphobia or whatever, people have the obligation to improve themselves." oh, believe me, i have seen again and again how many privileged disabled people utilize their disabilities to punch down on others, try to escape accountability for their punching down by citing disability. but individual weaponization of identity is just that: weaponization of identity.

the power structures at play are what they are. it is a noble and admirable goal to want leftist outreach and education to be more accessible to all. if that is truly your goal, you must eventually reckon with the existence of people who do, actually, really need it presented in a picture book. or an episode of bluey. or a conversation where you only use examples of people they know in real life, using things that happened to them personally. the existence of people who cannot grasp forms of abstract reasoning, who need information presented as rules, or as guidelines, or as categories. the idea that yes, fully grown adults who need daniel tiger to explain racism to them are human beings who not only deserve access to that very thing, but who also deserve to be a part of leftist spaces and benefit from leftist organizing. are people for whom it might be INTEGRAL they get to be a part of leftism. are victims of racism themselves and suffering without access to antiracist spaces and community and support.

and you will need to reckon with the abject cruelty of your peers who laugh and mock the very idea of this. you need to reckon with the fact that a lot of people you respect, a lot of leftists doing genuinely good work, will respond to this by making fun of the people you're serving, even outright telling you their violent fantasies about these people. that is the experience of organizing in leftist spaces for profoundly disabled people. that is why so many of us burn out so fast. there IS a structural problem with mentally disabled people being seen as disposable and not a part of community. and it is EXTREMELY present in leftist organizing and outreach efforts.

[myfictionaldreams]

Today's Lesson: Don't Catch Feelings // James Potter x Fem!Reader

PART 1 (Dry Hump) // PART 3

Summary: It was meant to be a one-time moment. A friend helping another friend who'd never been kissed before. So now, when your best friend finally gets the girl he's wanted to impress, why are you filled with such jealousy.

Tags: 18+ readers only, smut, angst, jealousy, friends w/benefits, can be interpreted as cheating but there's no official relationship, kinda love triangle, sex education, fingering, mutual pining, arguing, regret, kissing, drinking, fake orgasm (w/ other m character), dry humping, voyeurism, loss of virginity (James), praise kink, creampie, riding, cliff hanger! -- sorry if I've forgotten any tags

Words: 6.4k

Tags list: @bellathethirstybitch, @kenqkii, @ghostlycrystobalove, @anehkael, @1-800-ididurmum, @imdoingbetternow ~ Y'all asked to be tagged in the comments. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write a part 2! Thanks for your support.

my masterlist 📚 AO3 Link

"Move your thumb to the right. Yes, that's it! Right there - fuck James, don't stop! Yes! Yes! Oh-!" Even with the silencing charm around the room, you were sure the entirety of Hogwarts could hear you cumming hard around James' fingers curling inside your cunt as his thumb - now in the right place - circled your throbbing clit.

The tips of your fingers ached with how firmly you were digging them into his muscularly toned shoulders, probably bruising him, but he never commented on this. The messy-haired man just continued to listen to your instructions, putting more enthusiasm into these moments than in any lesson here at Hogwarts.

Even as your walls clenched tightly around his digits, he didn't stop. However, you were now quietened as he sloppily made out with you, swallowing your cries of euphoria until there was nothing left to give, and your moans turned into a laugh.

James groaned as you pulled away from his swollen lips, gently tugging on his wrist to ease his fingers out of you. "Woah there, Tiger, that was plenty good enough. Any more and I'll probably collapse", laughing as he pouted with his lower lip, his hazel eyes half-lidded and pupils blown in a clear display of arousal.

"So it was good?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, not moving his face away from hovering over yours.

"It was more than good, Potter. You're very good at listening to instructions, and your skills are improving with each orgasm, that's for sure", you praise whilst pushing his glasses up his nose as he smirks handsomely in response. James turned to kiss the tip of your fingers as you couldn't help but giggle once more at the action, your feet hooking around the backs of his knees as you tried to pull him closer to the edge of the desk.

But, like everything perfect in your life, you became your own worst enemy as you couldn't help as the words slipped out, "You'll have Lily orgasming before her underwear's off". It was meant to be a joke, but it only reminded you why you were even in this situation.

The smile faltered for a split second on James' face as he dipped his head to look at the floor, his hair now curtaining your view of him. "That's the plan", he chuckles as he begins to casually suck on his still-soaked fingers as your jaw drops at the sight.

"James!" you exclaim as he returns his gaze to you. His look of innocence for the act only added to the desiring pulse in your core.

"What? Sirius said that there's nothing more tasty than a pretty girl. Seems he was right", he casually remarked with a shrug of his shoulders. All air seemed to rush from your lungs at the compliment that quickened your heart's beat and warmed your cheeks' skin.

You were once more captivated by his eyes as he inched closer, and the hardness still contained in his trousers poked your inner thigh. "Need some help?" you asked curiously, teasingly, reaching between your bodies to palm him.

James' eyes lowered to focus on your lips as he licked his own, wetting them, and all you wanted to do was taste him, but then he took a step back, your legs and hand stopping away from his warmth.

"Nah, I'll sort it later, don't worry", he explains whilst beginning to smooth the uncontrollable mop of black hair on his head.

A heavy sinking feeling settled in your chest as you realised you'd probably overstepped the thin line between what the two of you had been doing for the last couple of weeks.

James Potter, your best friend, had been since the first year at Hogwarts. Both were thick as thieves and when he'd previously admitted to never having kissed someone before and had finally convinced his long-time crush to date, he needed the practice as the fear of Lily turning him away for any bad kissing skills. As the good friend that you were, you offered to teach him how to kiss, which promptly ended with you both dry-humping to orgasms.

After, James had been on his date and returned, particularly thanking you on his knees as his kiss with Lily had been everything he had ever wanted. However, after this, it was like a drug you both couldn't get enough of. One lesson turned into another and another. How to touch a girl with and without clothes, t the right way to touch and kiss breasts, and now how to use his fingers.

Nothing penetrative yet, and it had all been about teaching him about pleasing girls, so you'd yet to touch him because that would mean you were both hooking up for satisfaction rather than education.

You were unsure where the lines were becoming blurred in your heart and mind. James had always just been your goofy best friend. Mr Popular at Hogwarts would go above and beyond to make you laugh or protect those he cares for, and he continued to be like this for you. However, the rooms felt too small when you were both in them. You spent way too much time fantasising about the feel of his hands or the taste of his lips that you'd yet to look at any other man since that first kiss in the Shrieking Shack.

Then, there came the added complication of Lily. Lily was also a close friend, and even though James and her were not officially boyfriend or girlfriend yet, the way he pined for her and the more dates they went on, the more you were filled with dread. It felt as if you were betraying her with your want for James. Even with the lessons, you knew if ever caught; it was almost impossible to explain that it was all for Lily's benefit in a fucked up sort of way.

You were essentially teaching the man you were falling in love with how to pleasure your friend for their future. All the while, you were becoming more emotionally involved than you'd ever meant to be. I mean, you had casually slept with numerous people during the last year at Hogwarts; sex and feelings were two things you were able to separate.

So now, you were unsure what had changed for you to fall for the man who was so evidently in love with someone else.

"Are you coming?"

His deep voice drew you out of your spiralling thoughts as you blinked at him in confusion. "Coming?"

"Yeah, to class?" he asked, picking up his bag and pulling the strap over his shoulder.

"Oh, yes, I just need a minute. You go without me anyway; we haven't got the same class next", you say whilst standing and trying not to wince at the dampness between your legs that had spread your thighs.

"You sure? I don't mind walking you", James ensured as he pulled on the tight area of his trousers around his crotch, but then gave up and covered his erection with his bag.

"I'm sure we're on opposite ends of Hogwarts anyway. I'll catch you later, Potter", you confirm whilst straightening your tie and shirt.

"Alright then, Sweetheart, catch you later".

With one more beautiful grin', he's off. Then you're by yourself and left to slump back onto the desk and rethink your life. However, you couldn't dwell on it as the clock tower bell began to ring, indicating the start of lessons. As you cursed to yourself, picking up your wand from your bag and waving it over your body, your clothes instantly corrected yourself, and the wet mess between your legs vanished.

You were utterly breathless by the time you'd arrived at potions, and it took a great deal of effort to ignore the lingering ache in your pussy as you attempted to sneak into the room.

"Ah, at last. Welcome miss! Please take a seat; we haven't started without you, dear," Professor Slughorn declared as he held his hand out toward your usual classroom seat as everyone stared at you.

Trying to ignore everyone's eyes, you rush to your seat beside Lily, that heavy, unwelcomed feeling returned to your stomach as she smiles at you, leaning close to whisper, "I told him you were in the bathroom, so he said he'd wait for you before starting the lesson".

You return her smile, however forced as you thanked her and turned your gaze back to the professor. Before long, Lily's sweet perfume drifted into your senses as she leaned in closer once more to ask, "Who's the lucky guy?"

A sharp pain shot through your neck with the speed with which you looked at her, "I don't know what you mean; I was actually using the bathroom".

She tilts her head to the side with an all-knowing look. "Mmm hmm, sure, sure. So why is your lipstick smudged then, huh?"

Your fingers quickly moved to the corner of your lips, frantically wiping away any residual lipstick when it dawned on you that you'd not put any make-up on this morning and had fallen for her trick.

Glaring at her, Lily gave you a brilliant smile whilst moving some of her luscious red hair behind her shoulder, declaring, "I can read you like a book; don't forget that".

Rolling your eyes, you playfully nudge your shoulder against hers, deciding to ignore the previous question. For some reason, unbeknown to yourself, you couldn't help but ask, "So how's it going with Potter?"

Internally, you were criticising yourself for even asking and showing interest in it, already knowing that the answer was something you honestly didn't wish to know.

Lily's grin softened until her lips pursed, and she began to write down the instructions from Professor Slughorn in the book on her desk. "It's going ok; I mean, he's definitely more of a gentleman than I thought he was ever capable of. I also think the exams are getting to him a little; he seems distracted at the moment".

This piqued your interest as you began arranging your ingredients before you, chopping whatever was closest to you without the slightest attention as you asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, we were on head boy and girl duty two nights ago, and he always used to joke that he wanted a quiet corner away with me in a classroom or something, but now that you know, I'm more open to that. He seems distracted. He still holds my hands and gives me compliments and a kiss or two that makes me want more, but by the end of the duty, he will either find his friends or go to bed".

You swallow thickly, asking, "Oh really? So you guys haven't - I mean, you haven't done anything other than kissing?"

Lily's cheek blossomed with colour as she continued her prep for the potion before her. "No, not yet; I mean, I want to; he's a great kiss, but nothing so far. It still feels strange not to be cursing at him to get out of my sight, like I never pictured myself to be in this position, and maybe it's also taking him some time to get used to".

You were only half listening to what your friend was saying as your thoughts screamed at the fact he was only a good kisser because he'd practised with you. Also, the tiny part of you that was cheering her heart out at the fact that you were the only girl he'd touched intimately, for now.

"Psst. Oi! Goldie! Pea! Turn around. I know you can hear me", came the annoying whisper as you and Lily both glanced over your shoulders to Sirius, who was leaning across his desk, grinning from ear to ear, his shoulder-length hair tied at the nape of his neck.

You huffed, glaring at Sirius as you reminded him, "I've told you a thousand times not to call me that!"

The Marauder sarcastically sticks out his bottom lip, "But it's an endearing name, Pea!"

"No, it's not! It's bullying!" you remind him, turning further towards where he and Remus sat, the latter politely declining the conversation to continue with his work.

"It's not my fault you vomited peas in second year", Sirius pointed out with a cocky smirk.

Thankfully, Lily cut off your retort as she snapped, "Stop reminding her of that. I've told you that my hair is red and not gold!"

"Meh, semantics", he shrugs and appears eager again. "What are you both doing after this? We were thinking of getting a group of us together and heading down to Hogsmeade. Do you both wanna join? I'm sure James would want you there".

That nauseous sensation returned as you knew he wasn't referring to you as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively towards Lily. One part of you desperately begged not to go, not wishing to see Lily and James acting all lovey-dovey in public, and another part of you knew it would look suspicious if you weren't to attend. Who else were you expected to hang out with on a Friday evening other than your best friend, James?

Lily answered for you as she wrapped an arm around your shoulders, "Of course, we'll both be there, but not to hang out with you; we don't need boys to have a good time".

You smile at her, forgetting all of your woes for a moment, watching as she adds a sprig of Rosemary into your potion and watching it change from the awful shade of red to a soft caramel colour to match hers.

"What would I do without you?" you say with admiration.

"I don't know, crash and burn?" she jokes, pulling a genuine smile from yourself.

Later in the evening, the two of you were true to Lily's word as you made your way there, joined with Marlene, and, not wanting to go with the boys, gave yourself some time to dress in something other than school clothes, opting for jeans and a warm jumper.

The three of you wandered through Hogsmeade, stopping in Honeydukes for a sweet treat before deciding to rest in the Three Broomsticks; however, you found what seemed to be the rest of your school year in the same place. There was hardly a free seat as the three of you pushed through the crowd to the bar.

"Evans! Over here!" James' voice shouted above the noise of everyone else from the corner of the room. Lily giggled as she waved over at him, and you tried not to wince with jealousy as you pushed her and Marlene in his direction.

"Go over there, I'll get the drinks". Thankfully, they didn't need much convincing before making their way over to the other Gryffindor. "Three butterbeers, please. Oh, and a large fire whiskey as well", you say, slipping the barmaid Rosmerta an extra galleon so she wouldn't question your age. You were old enough to drink, but there was a swift ban on students at Hogwarts being sold alcohol, but an extra galleon here and there, and no questions were asked.

As you waited for your drinks to be poured, you observed your surroundings and noticed a certain Ravenclaw watching you over the rim of his glass, a smirk flirting on his lips. You smiled back, holding his eye contact briefly before looking away from Quirinus. He was in Ravenclaw and relatively bright, if not a bit of a nervous nelly if he didn't have any alcohol in his system, which, by the looks of things, he was a few drinks deep and clearly in a flirtatious mood.

You were ready to make bad decisions when a hand on your lower back snapped your attention. The touch burned through your clothes to your skin as James appeared by your side. His face lowered so that he whispered into your ear as he questioned, "Is it bad that I can still smell you on my fingers?"

You swallow harshly, fighting to keep your face neutral as you couldn't help but quip back, "I'm sure your girlfriend would love to hear you say that".

James leans away to study your face, a frown adorning his expression, "She's not my girlfriend".

"Yeah, sure", you retort, turning away from him to nod at Rosmerta as she placed the drinks in front of you at the bar.

"Well, if she were my girlfriend, my fingers definitely wouldn't be smelling of you now, would they?"

The fire of jealousy that was being stoked in your heart was only being fueled further by his words. "I'm sure she could teach you a thing or two, Potter. You don't need me to taint your fingers".

"Maybe I do", he quickly responds but then corrects himself, "I mean, I don't think she has much experience. Anyway, you didn't mind it earlier when you were begging for more".

You turn to him with a glare that had him relaxing his stance as he realised he was on the threshold of overstepping. "Don't be so sure of yourself, James, and with the lack of experience you both have, wouldn't it be better for you both to be inexperienced together?"

Picking up the fire whiskey, you began to take heaving glugs of it, savouring the painful burn as it slipped down your throat. James eyed the drink as he leaned closer once more, his body half crowding around yours as he harshly whispered, "Where the fuck is this all coming from? I thought you were ok with what we were doing. It's nothing serious, just one single friend teaching another single friend, right?"

Yes, you answer in your thoughts, having not taken the fire whiskey away from your mouth, but then he's grabbing the glass and trying to take it away from you as he demands, "Hey, slow down, alright? You'll be pissed with the hour".

Giving him a shove with your shoulder, you spitefully say, "You aren't my boyfriend, Potter; stop telling me what to do. I want to drink, so get lost".

The concern in his hazel eyes drops as he looks at the two butterbeer, asking, "Are these McKenna and Evans? I'll take them and leave you to calm down".

"Thank fucking Merlin", you exclaimed with one final glare before he stormed off with the two drinks in hand.

You blew a long breath through your mouth, trying to ignore the overwhelming urge to scream, cry, or storm out. However, a brush of an arm against yours stole your attention as Quirinus now stood next to you at the bar, his Ravenclaw-coloured jumper vibrant in the candlelight.

"Fancy another firewhiskey?" he asked, and you nodded, not trusting yourself to be able to talk without crying.

The drinks came at a steady pace, and before long, you were feeling the effects, the anxiety that had hit you like the Hogwarts Express train from your argument with James had fizzled into anger. It only made matters worse when you would glance over the Ravenclaw's shoulder to see James wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulder, the two of them whispering to one another without a care.

A lump formed in your throat as the world tilted for a second. Quirinus noticed your glare as he, too, looked over his shoulder and assumed you'd prefer to sit with your friends as he offhandedly mentioned, "If you'd rather go and sit with them, I wouldn't be offended, you know".

"What?" you say, snapping out of your staring contest as you realise James is now staring right back at you with just as deep a frown behind his glasses. Giving your attention back to the man at your side, you quickly grabbed his arm, not wishing to be left alone, "Sorry, Quirrel, I really do want to stay with you. In fact, why don't we find somewhere a bit more quiet?"

The alcohol was definitely speaking on your behalf as his eyes lit up, his teeth nipping at his lower lip as he stood to his full height. "Ye-Yeah, I want to do that", he stammers enthusiastically as you grab his arm and head towards the back of the pub and climb the stairs, ensuring no one is following.

Sneaking past the bathrooms, you ascended even further into the depths of the pub until you found a spare living room with a sofa in front of the fire as you claimed, "This will do perfectly".

Turning around and before you could ponder any further on the man you really wished was here and deciding you needed to have some fun of your own, you grabbed the collar of Quirrel jumper and pulled him in for an eager kiss. However, the door barges open as you both spring apart.

You release a nervous laugh as you see no one is there, quickly rushing over to it and shutting the door, locking it properly with a wave of your wand. "Oops, must not have locked it".

Turning back towards Quirrel, he eagerly eyed you up and down. Not giving yourself time to regret the decision, you ran over to him, your arms moving around his neck as you pulled him into a quick snog. It was sloppy and distracting as he kissed you back with just as much eagerness.

It seemed Quirrell wasn't in the mood to wait as he soon fumbled with the button to your jeans. You silently have to give him some credit if he was going straight to the good without even touching your tits or kissing your neck. You wanted a distraction, and the fingers slipping into your underwear were definitely a distraction.

Especially as he began to vigorously rub your left labia rather than your clit. Attempting to shift your hips in your favour, he kept his fingers in the same dry spot, assuming your hip movements were a sign that he was doing a good job.

Great, you thought. Your love life was now just as dry and useless as your friend's life. Just fantastic.

Deciding there was still some hope left, your fingers moved into your jeans, your hand cupping the back of his fingers and moving them to finally circle your clit. However, the dryness and eagerness that he was moving made you feel overstimulated and ready for it to be over as fake moans began to spill from your lips.

"Fuck, you're so pretty", Quirinus moaned against your lips as he suddenly pulled back, but only so he could turn you on the spot and lean you awkwardly against the back of the sofa. Two things then started. One, his fingers shifted again back to the poor labia and away from your clit and two, he began to hump into your arse like a dog in heat.

Your eyes closed as you continued to fake the moans as his lips found the side of your neck as he nuzzled into you and continued with his pleasurable humps. You knew you could push him aside at any time, but for now, he was distracting you, even if you weren't finding any pleasure in it.

"Fuck you're so wet. Do you like that?" he asked, biting your neck like a vampire as you refrained from rolling your eyes.

Instead, you faked your seductive voice as you moaned, "Mmm yes, feels so good", even though you were pretty sure the wetness he was feeling was just sweat, as there was no way you were wet for this guy.

Matching the eagerness of his moans, you pretended to be close to orgasm just as his thrusts increased in speed, and your thighs began to ache as he pushed you harder and harder into the back of the sofa.

"Fuck!!" he cursed loudly into your ear as he came, and you two pretended to also orgasm, breathing heavily whilst bending over slightly to put some room between the two of you. As his fingers removed from your underwear, he proclaimed, "That was so good, wow. Hey, do you want to go on a date or something-".

His abrupt stop in the sentence has you turning with a questioning gaze but stopping short, seeing his face turn a pasty shade of green.

"Are you ok- Shit!" you quickly move out of his way as his hand covers his mouth, eyes bulge in panic, and he runs towards the door, wordlessly waving his wand and dashing out of the door with the promise of going to vomit.

You're unsure whether to be worried for his well-being and sudden turn or offended that he had suddenly become so unwell. Either way, you were well and truly finished with the day. Buttoning up your jeans, you began to move towards the open door and back down to the loud mass of students downstairs, but the door slamming in your face and audibly locking had you halting.

"What the fuck?" you question under your breath, rushing towards the door and twisting the handle, but it was thoroughly locked. "Alohamora" with a wave of your wand, you'd expected the door to unlock, but even this didn't work as panic slowly began to set in as you started to wonder if this was some trap in the room for people who sneak in. "Shit! Please open, please, please, please!" you repeat with more urgency as you continue to try and spell the door open, but then a low behind you in the empty room has you screaming and turning until your back is pressed against the door.

"He didn't make you cum”, James stated with venom laced in his words as he revealed himself from underneath his invisibility cloak.

"James?! What the fuck- have you been there the entire time?!" you hissed in rage, your body becoming hot all over as realisation dawned on you.

"Why did you fake an orgasm with him?" he asked, repeating the same subject as before as he stepped closer to you from where he was leaning against the desk at the opposite end of the room.

"You can't just follow me around, James! That's so fucking creepy, and wait - did you hex Quirrell? Is that why he was sick?"

"He fucking deserved it for not making you cum”, he declares as his body trembles with the restrained anger flowing through his veins, the vein in his throat bulging as he takes a step towards you.

Shaking your head in disbelief, you begin to pace in front of the fire, rubbing your hands over your face as you go through about every emotion humanly possible. "I don't understand you whatsoever! Who are you to judge who and how I spend my time? You never cared before, so why now?" Turning to face him, you see the anger that seems to have disappeared from his body as he slowly steps towards you, his eyes unblinking as they bore into yours, full of rich emotion that you were too frightened to name.

You felt breathless as he stepped into your personal space. The fire crackled to your side and illuminated half of his handsome face, reflecting off the glasses already beginning to slide down his nose as he peered down at you, and you had to clench your fist to stop yourself from pushing them back up again.

James was still wearing his school uniform, you noticed, giving yourself the slightest distraction from the anger and confusion pulsing through your body.

Your mouth suddenly felt dry as you asked quietly, "How did you know I was faking it?"

James breathed in through his nose as his eyes scoured your face. "There were a few obvious signs". You became utterly captivated with every word he had to say as he lifted his fingers, gently held your chin, and began to tilt your face further up to his as he lowered his own so there was only a breath width between the tips of your noses.

"One, you always hold your breath just as you're tipping over the edge. Two, your eyes were open; you usually close them as you become lost in the moment", he numbered off whilst gently kissing the corner of your lips and like every other time recently, your body reacted instantly to the touches, pulsing and begging for more but then he listed the final sign. You truly became wholly lost to James Potter. "And third, the reason I know you didn't orgasm was because you weren't saying my name".

A soft moan escaped your parted lips as he had you hypnotised and, blaming it once more entirely on the alcohol, closed the gap between both of your mouths.

The kiss was everything you could have ever wanted for a first romantic kiss with someone you had a crush on. However, it meant so much more. Barriers were being broken, friendships snapped for potentially a lifetime, and yet it was what you needed—more than the air in your lungs, than the heat blazing from the fire. You needed James, and he evidently needed you.

The gentle and tentative touch of your lips lasted for a single breath, and then all restraint keeping you back was released as both of you gripped each other fiercely. Your fingers wove through his soft hair, pulling him down firmly as his arms wrapped around your waist, tugging you until both of your chests were pushed together.

Where you'd once been overheating with rage, now you were ablaze with lust. The clothes were too tight and claustrophobic against your skin as you needed to touch his. Thankfully James had the same idea, as both of your faces tilted, the kiss deepening with longing strokes of tongues and swapping of saliva, just like you'd taught him those weeks ago, his hands began to move beneath your clothes frantically.

Before long, your jumper was carelessly dropped to the floor, the same with his tie and shirt. Your fingers explored his toned chest and stomach, enjoying the little hitches of breath that he moaned. However, it was your turn as he moved your bra straps off your shoulders as his nimble fingers unhooked the band at the back with a simple flick, another trick you had taught him last week.

Before you could compliment him, his lips were trailing down your neck, sucking and licking on the sensitive areas until you were mewling with need. However, he didn't stop lowering his face until his lips were wrapped around your nipple, pulling the sensitive bud into his mouth and pressing the flat of his tongue against it.

"James!" you keened, rising to the tips of your toes to press your chest harder into his face, and he loved it from the deep groan he released, his fingers flexing on your lower back.

The Marauder moved from one breast to the next, teasing and nibbling until you were a desperate mess. Gripping onto his hair, you tugged on it, forcing his face away from your tits so that you could go back to kissing him deeply whilst also pulling on his shoulders towards the direction of the sofa.

Catching onto the direction he was being pulled in, James took over the lead as he sat down and pulled you into his lap, where you straddled his thighs. You couldn't help but contemplate how the position mirrored the one that started this entire situation, except now you weren't teaching. He was more leading and dominating the situation.

The hand on your lower back pressed more pressure until your crotch was flush against his. It felt somewhat wrong to have your chests both naked and pressed together, but the rest was still covered with jeans and trousers. However, it didn't stop the moans from escaping either of you as his hands moved your hips so you were grinding on his cock.

"Sweetheart, I need these off. Right fucking now before I combust", James pleaded as he undid the button of your jeans.

"You two then, Potter, off!". Once more, the clothes were off of your body within the blink of an eye until you were both only in underwear. Returning to finding your pussy against his cock, now you could genuinely find some real pleasure as the fabric of your underwear and the shape of his erection pressed against your clit, causing your insides to clench with the need to be filled.

James began to chuckle as his lips wandered down your throat, causing you to sit back and ask, "What's so funny?"

Moving his face closer to yours, he confidently stated, "I can feel how wet you are, even through my boxers". The two of you looked down to see a wet patch had formed over the grey material of his underwear where you'd been rubbing yourself as you realised you'd soaked through your lace material. The smile soon drained from your face as you both looked at one another.

"I need you", you dared to whisper as your hands moved from his shoulders to cup his cheeks, skimming the edge of the metal frames of his glasses.

The Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he repeated the words with just as much passion, "I need you too".

It was almost like an out-of-body experience, your lust and arousal dictating your movements as you both held eye contact as you raised on your knees, pulling aside your underwear as James pushed the waistband of his underwear down to the mid-thigh.

Nothing separated the two of you now, and you could have cried as you positioned the head of his cock at your entrance. His arms moved around your body, hugging you close as he rested his forehead against yours.

"Oh Sweetheart, you feel - holy shit - you feel so good", James gasped as you lowered yourself to his length.

You were shaking with the overwhelming sensations pouring through your body, making just as pleading praises to the man currently stretching your cunt. For once, it wasn't about teaching him anything but just following instincts and responding to each other's bodies. You both took a second to adjust to the new sensations and then you couldn't wait another moment before rolling your hips, easing your body up and down.

The room echoed with the fire crackling and the sound of your drenched cunt being filled with James' cock over and over as he began to find more confidence, meeting your hips midway with his own thrust.

"Yes! Just like that!" you praise, tipping your head back and allowing him to move with his vigour as he fucked into you desperately.

"I- I feel like we're made for each other", he grunts as he looks down at where your bodies meet.

"Me too! James, please don't stop!" You could feel it, that tightening in your core that gave you such pleasure. You felt as if it was too much as it continued to build in the moment, as all you could do was cling to the man beneath you.

"That's it, Sweetheart, I want you to cum for me, say my name and cum”, he demanded as he fucked you as hard as he could, holding onto your shoulder to keep you in position. All air escaped your lungs as your eyes closed, and the tightness in your pleasure exploded in a flurry of clenches as you squeezed his cock through your orgasm, screaming his name like it was the only thing that mattered.

Through your overwhelming pleasure, you were half aware of the shivers and grunts coming from James as he couldn't contain himself any further and came with his shaft buried entirely within you. The thick seed spilt into you, mixing with your own juices and pooling into his lap as it began to slip out as his cock softened.

Heavy breaths and the stink of sex suffocated the small room as you both clung to the tendrils of hope that had bloomed from giving in to temptation.

But like most things, the happiness had to end as his grip loosened on you and the reality of the situation dawned on the both of you.

No more kisses were shared, no more longing looks as you clambered off of his lap, and the two of you began to dress, ignoring the fact that both of your underwear were now coated in bodily fluids.

Just as you pulled your jumper above your head and turned towards the door, James' hand circled yours. "Please don't shut me out, you're my best friend, I can't lose you". You don't say anything, and the emotions that had been threatening to spill all day finally surfaced as tears lined your eyes and your nose became stuffy. James looked devastated by your reaction as he stepped closer, his hands cupping either side of your face. "Did I hurt you? Please tell me you don't regret this".

"I should regret this", you begin to explain, letting the tears slip free, but James' thumb was there to swipe them all away. "But I don't, never with you. The only thing I regret is that this was your first time in this shitty little room and-. And your virginity wasn't meant for me".

James frowns at your words as he kisses your temple for a long second, "I'm pretty sure it's my virginity, and I can do whatever the fuck I want with it and give it to whoever I like. Also, side note, speaking about my virginity like this makes me sound like some virgin sacrifice".

You laugh tearily, leaning into his touch for a moment before stepping out of his grip and moving towards the door, turning the handle but finding it still locked. You couldn't turn around to face him, knowing it would break you to see the sadness in his eyes.

"Please don't go", James pleaded.

"Let me go, James", you whispered, meaning the sentence in more ways than one.

"I can't, Sweetheart", he admits, sounding almost broken.

"You have to. I don't want to be your bit on the side".

"You aren't my bit on the side; I mean, I can't do that to Lily; that's why I haven't asked her to be my girlfriend yet because of what we were doing".

Your heart sank at his words even though you knew he wasn't necessarily saying it to be cruel. "You can't do that to Lily, but you could do that to me? Please, James, please just let me go".

You were greeted with pure silence, and just as you're about to turn around and ask again, the door unlocks, and you're out the door in less than a second, rushing down the staircase and away from what you'd done but not before you're out of earshot as James screams the word "Fuck!" like a broken man.

[sphinxpriestess78]

Vedic Astrology Nakshatras

Pt.3

Characteristics Associated with

Gemini 20° to Cancer 30°

Punarvasu /Pushya/Aslesha

Nakshatras

CHECK Big 3 Sun Moon and Rising (Sidereal/Vedic chart) for traits

Punarvasu : Good Again

Symbol: An arrow or arrows in a quiver

Presiding Deity: Aditi (mother of the 12 Adityas, forms of the Sun)

Location: Gemini 20º to Cancer 3º 20’

Dasa-Ruling Planet: Jupiter (16 years)

Color:lead

Animal:female cat

Favorable: Friendly, good-natured; simple life; lives in the moment;generous, sharing what little they may have with others; lives a spiritual life; interested in spiritual writings and philosophies; can be good writer and inspiring speaker; imaginative; strives to rid their life of any impurities or encumbrances that could slow their spiritual progress

Unfavorable: Their simple approach to life might be interpreted as a lack of mental capacity. Being oriented to an inward life, they may be disinterested and lack some of the drive and focus needed to earn a proper living. Lack of foresight gets them into complications—frequent moving,unstable relationships, multiple jobs careers

Recommended Activities: Good for “starting over”: perhaps with self improvement and expanding health; beginning a fast; starting agriculture (anew garden, landscaping, etc.); making new forms of transportation; taking your car (or any vehicle) in for repair; taking remedial action against an unfavorable situation or condition; traveling; making or obtaining new jewelry (ornaments); laying in the foundation of a building or starting the search for a new home; signing up for a new class; getting married. It is said that marriage during this time results in good children and happiness.

Pushya: Nourishing, some say a flower

Symbol: Circle, wheel, or cow’s udder

Presiding Deity: Brihaspati (Guru of Gods)

Location: Cancer 3º20’ to Cancer 16º40’

Dasa-Ruling Planet: Saturn (19 years)

Color: blackish red

Animal: male goat

Favorable: Intelligent, spiritual, nourishes or helps others, independentand self-sufficient, interested in education and humanitarian activities,socially adept, make good counselors and public servants, make people feel wanted, want to learn all they can about life—makes them knowledgeablein many areas, earn a good living, respected, moderate in desire, passionate about what they believe in, will come strongly to the defense of something or someone they believe in

Unfavorable: Zealot, too talkative, interested in so many things that they don’t become great in any one thing, overly sensitive or emotional, their devotion can turn to submission leaving them open to being a martyr or victim; get defrauded by believing in the wrong people

Recommended Activities: Considered by some as the best nakshatra.Generally good for all “nourishing” activities except for marriage.Traditionally, herbs for Ayurvedic remedies are picked during this time.Activities meant to lift the spirits and to enliven the health do well, such as parties, celebrations, health improvement processes, and remedial measures; it is a favorable time to learn dancing and to study music; interms of Vastu, it is good for laying the foundation stones and starting construction. This is a recommended time for travel. Any “assaults” from enemies will be weak at this time

Aslesha: The Entwiner

Symbol: A coiled snake, circle, or a wheel

Presiding Deity: Sarpas (Celestial Snakes)

Location: Cancer 16º40’ to Cancer 30º

Dasa-Ruling Planet: Mercury (17 years)

Color: Blackish red

Animal:Male cat

Favorable: Versatile, clever; makes their living in a number of ways;leader; can accomplish things when motivated and gain good wealth; puts great energy into things that interest them; can transform their lives and benefit from spiritual work

Unfavorable: Unscrupulous; dismissive attitude; impolite, tactless,unpopular, lacks social skills; doesn’t like rules; hoarding mentality;secretive; talkative; lack of gratitude; fragmented and ineffective; reckless,disconnected, introspective, depressed, and isolated; lacks grace

Recommended Activities: This is a time for being “fierce”; for “tying”people up in court; using poisons and fire (inoculations, getting rid of pests,“burning bridges,” etc.); entering a competition; opening a new business venture; cutting loose old and unnecessary items (and people) in your life;taking a stand for yourself in personal and public matters. Things related to snakes are recommended . This is a time for hard work and for taking some chances (gambling)

🪷Thx for reading blessing upon blessing to you＼(^^)／🪷

Pt 4 Leo to Virgo nakshatras coming soon

[unbidden-yidden-deactivated20240]

And just to follow up on that previous reblog without derailing it: a lot of the really weird relationships and discourse that exist out there in the neo-pagan, Satanist, and atheist communities are in fact echoes of the weird relationship that Xtianity has with Judaism.

Xtianity has a weird, tumultuous relationship with Judaism because they must simultaneously validate the Tanakh and the Jews who created it or else their own religion is devoid of context and built on a house of cards. But! If they validate Judaism, then they have to grapple with the fact that the Jews did not accept their interpretation of the Tanakh, that we still, against all odds, exist, and that because we still exist, we are still around to point out the ways in which the New Testament does not fit with the Tanakh and that the Tanakh does not inherently or naturally point to Jesus. And that's to say nothing of the bloody history of Xtianity towards Judaism. Our continued existence is a sore point and a weakness in the Xtian narrative that has been a constant source of irritation, frustration, and violence since the dawn of Xtianity. And, at the same time, there is a certain fascination with Judaism related to things that have been appropriated by Xtians or understood as particularly useful in spreading supercessionist ideas. So what you wind up with is a toxic mix of antisemitism and philosemitism (effectively fetishization and orientalism) that drives too many Xtians to "love" us by attacking our beliefs and way of life, and stealing whatever they think will be most helpful in their mission (especially as it pertains to Jews) in order to try and convert us.**

Many people who have also been hurt from inside of Xtianity or by the broader Xtian culture they live in seek to deconstruct those ideas by creating an inverse of Xtianity in one way or another. Those who turn to Satanism typically do this by worshipping the opposite force of the Xtian god. Those who turn to neo-paganism typically do this by embracing an unambiguously polytheistic religion and/or by turning to the cultural historical enemies of Xtianity. Those who turn to atheism typically do this by rejecting "God," "faith," and "organized religion" (as these concepts are understood by Xtian norms.)

And honestly? That's fine. If it helps, if it brings you meaning and joy, knock yourselves out. I have no problem with people turning to these beliefs for reasons of healing as well as simply being drawn to it. And for what it's worth, I did a similar thing by turning to Judaism. Obviously I had many other reasons for becoming a Jew as well, and I assume that's true for the aforementioned folks, too. Judaism healed a lot of Xtianity-shaped wounds for me, and if your paganism, Satanism, and/or atheism helps you in the same way as well as bringing you meaning, I sincerely wish you the best.

However, the problem is that many times, unless you turn to Judaism and learn our side of the story, it's very difficult to deconstruct the antisemitism of your past entanglement with Xtianity. Xtian antisemitism has permeated western society so thoroughly for so long that it is real *work* to identify and unlearn it. Those converting to Judaism have the benefit of the Jewish community and extensive educational resources to help. Other folks do not.

Here's the problem: if you simply invert Xtian ideas, you are still treating Xtianity as the baseline reality from which your other assumptions and beliefs flow. If you just choose the opposite at every chance, you divorce yourself from Xtianity, but not its prejudices.

Now you might fairly ask, "hey Avital, if we are making the opposite choice at every turn, wouldn't that invert the antisemitism to being at least neutral if not positive towards Judaism?" And that would be perfectly logical! But unfortunately deeply and (for us) dangerously incorrect.

The reason is because (1) antisemitism has never been rational but reactionary instead, (2) philosemitism is also bad, and (3) it is structured in a way that it's pretty much always "heads I win, tails you lose." Have you ever noticed that according to antisemites, Jews are both ultra-white and also dirty foreign middle eastern invaders? That we are supposedly very powerful and run the world, but are also weak and degenerate? That both the Right and the Left have extensive antisemitism problems? Etc.? There's a reason - it's because antisemitism is designed to other us no matter what. So oftentimes I see folks inverting Xtian philosemitism to being "those awful fundamentalist Old Testamenters" or inverting Xtian antisemitism to valorizing Judaism, but only to the extent that they can meme-ify our religion down to fighting God and/or being un-pious godless liberals.

But like other groups, we are a diverse and complicated group with a very long history and a lot of trauma to boot.

If you're trying to unpack your Xtian conditioning, please also unpack your antisemitism and philosemitism. If not for our sake and for it being the right thing to do, at least do it for yourselves, because unless you deconstruct that as well, you will still be operating within a really ugly aspect of a Xtian mindset.

(**Please note that this isn't literally all Xtians everywhere, but it is a lot of Xtians in most places and throughout most of history. There are absolutely Xtians who are good allies to Jews, but they are much smaller in number and are swimming upstream in their relationship to both Jews and Xtianity.)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Arcana Interpretations

symbolism for your next poem/story (pt. 2)

12. The Hanged Man

Self-sacrifice, approved sacrifice, lunar-Venus influence

Good: Disinterest, unselfish, devotion, submission to duty, patriotism, generosity, apostolate, philanthropic, gifted; dispersal of ideas

Bad: Good ideas not executed, projects not realized, good plans remain as theory; promises not kept, love not shared, exploitation of good feelings; powerless achievement; losses

13. Death

Inescapable fate, necessary end, disenchantment, active Saturnian influence.

Good: Profound, intellectual penetration, metaphysics, disillusionment, severe discretion, disillusioned wisdom, detachment, resignation, stoicism

Bad: Inevitable failure; discouragement, pessimism, absolute change, starting again in a diametrically opposed fashion

14. Temperance

Serenity, coldness, adaptation, Mercurial-lunar influence

Good: Accommodating character, practical philosophy, happy, carelessness, accepting the inevitable, bending to circumstance, sociability, educability, adaptive transformation

Bad: Indifference, lack of personality, passive change, changing moods; tendency to change with the environment, submission to fashion; results do not come up to aspirations, inability to influence the flow of life

15. The Devil

Disorder, passion, sexual excitement, conjunction of Mars & Venus

Good: Sexual attraction, passionate desires, magical action, magnetism, occult power, practising mystical influence; active protection against bewitchment; protection against sorcerers

Bad: Trouble, over-excitement, amorous, lust, complication, stupidity, intrigue, use of illicit means, bewitchment, fascination, enslavement of the senses, weakness resulting in an awkward situation, selfishness

16. The Tower

Explosion, destruction, fall, lunar-Mars influence

Good: Delivery, salutary crisis, defiance, fear resulting from reckless enterprises; benefit from other people's errors; good sense, detention, genuine timidity; attachment to the observance of piety, religious materialism

Bad: Illness, punishment, catastrophe provoked by imprudence, clandestine childbirth, scandal, discovered hypocrisy; excess, abuse, monopolizing, presumption, pride; fanciful enterprises, misleading alchemy

17. The Star

Practical idealism, hope, beauty, solar-Venus influence

Good: Candour, abandonment to sensible influences, naturism, confidence in destiny, aesthetics, poetical sensibility, presentiment; kindness, compassion

Bad: Wild, prudence, frivolity, lack of spontaneity, unhealthy artificial constraint; romanticism, on who turns away from the practical life

18. The Moon

Imagination, appearances, illusions, active lunar influence

Good: Objectivity, the sensitive world, experimentation, work, the difficult conquest of reality; instruction by pain, imposed task, fastidious labour which is necessary; a passive view, lucidity; navigation

Bad: Errors of sense, false suppositions, ambushes, traps, deceptions, deceptive theories, fantastic knowledge, visionaryism, flattery, menaces, blackmail, loss, journey, whim, lunacy

19. The Sun

Light, reason, harmony, solar influence

Good: Limpid discernment, clarity of judgment and expression, literary or artistic talent; pacification, harmony, good relationship, conjugal felicity; fraternity, reign of the intelligence and good sentiments; reputation, glory, celebrity

Bad: Glaring, vanity, poseur, show-off, pride, susceptibility; misunderstood artist; hidden misery, bluff, false appearance, assimilated facade, prestigious decor

20. Judgement

Inspiration, redemptive blow, a lunar-Mercurial influence

Good: Enthusiasm, exultation, spirituality; prophecy, sanctity, theurgy, miraculous medicine; past resurrection, renovation, birth; propaganda, apostolate

Bad: Spiritual and mental intoxication illumination; reclaim, noise, agitation for no reason

21. The World

Completion, recompense, deification, Jupiter-solar influence

Good: Major fortune, complete success, completion, achievement; decisive intervention; very favourable circumstances, propitious atmosphere; absolute integrity; contemplative absorption; ecstasy

Bad: Tremendous obstacle, hostile atmosphere, self pity; distraction, lack of attention and concentration; large setback of fortune, ruin, social disregard

0. The Fool

Impulsive, alienation, passive lunar influence

Good: Passive, absolute abandon, renouncement of all resistance, carelessness, innocence, irresponsibility; instinctiveness; abstention

Bad: Nullity, incapable of reason; abandonment to blind impulse, unconsciously unruly; extravagance, punishment, foolish acts, vain remorse, annihilation

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ On Tarot ⚜ Part 1

[girlactionfigure]

ANTISEMITIC BIAS 

Many antisemites don’t consciously dislike Jews. They might even think highly of Jews. For example, they might believe “positive” stereotypes of Jews, such as that Jews are good at business or good with money. They might have Jewish friends. They might like “some” Jews. But they still cause tremendous damage to the Jewish community. 

“Biases” can be defined as “an inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group.”

Unconscious biases are known as implicit biases. We all have implicit biases (whether negative or positive) in the way that we interpret the world around us. Conscious biases (such as, for example, the Nazis outwardly believing that Jews were “the inferior race”) are known as explicit biases.

Because antisemitism is everywhere in our world — in our cultures, our languages, our folklore, our literature, our entertainment, our media, and more — it’s impossible for us not to internalize at least some antisemitic biases. These biases, however, exist on a spectrum: from unconsciously assuming that most Jews are wealthy (implicit bias) to believing the white supremacist conspiracy theory that Jews are enacting a “white genocide” (explicit bias) to everything in between.

Because antisemitism is so old and so deeply embedded into our society and institutions (e.g. religion, language, literature, education, and more), that means that there is a lot of antisemitic bias in our world, most of which you might not even be able to see. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. 

ANTISEMITISM IS A CONSPIRACY ABOUT THE JEWS

Antisemitism can be tricky to spot because it works very differently than every other form of bigotry. While other bigotries see their victims as “inferior,” antisemitism sees Jews as both “inferior” but also “superior” or all-powerful, capable of causing every calamity from wars to natural disasters to diseases to controlling the weather. 

Societies project whatever they dislike most onto the Jews. In the Middle Ages, Jews were Christ-killers. In Nazi Germany and McCarthyist America, Jews were communists. In the Soviet Union, Jews were capitalists. In Nazi Germany and during the rise of the scientific racism period, Jews were the inferior race. To white supremacists, Jews are not white. To left-wing anti-Zionists, Jews are white. For centuries in Europe, Jews were untrustworthy foreigners from Palestine. But today among anti-Zionists, Jews are Europeans colonizing Palestine. We are whatever makes us the perfect scapegoat at any given time. 

It’s no coincidence, then, that antisemitism tends to surge most when societies are in upheaval. After all, the leaders need someone to blame. Examples of this include the Germans’ blaming Jews for Germany’s suffering post-World War I, as well as the rise of the “Deadly Exchange” conspiracy which blames Israel for police brutality in the United States, following George Floyd’s murder. 

Antisemitism moves through conspiracy theories. Most notably, since to the antisemite, Jews are all-powerful, the most prevalent and deeply ingrained antisemitic conspiracies have to do with Jews and wealth and power. In the Middle Ages, for example, Europeans believed that Jews aimed to subvert Christendom. Since the 1920s, antisemitic leaders in the Arab world have rallied their followers behind the conspiracy that Jews intend to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and usurp Islamic lands. White supremacists — and far left anti-Zionists — today believe the “Zionist Occupied Government” conspiracy, which accuses Jews of controlling and manipulating the American government for their benefit. 

Given the pervasiveness of conspiracies regarding Jews and power, antisemitism is nearly impossible to address without triggering more antisemitism. If an antisemite faces consequences for their actions, antisemites will use this as “proof” that it’s the all-powerful Jews that have imposed these consequences. This makes antisemitism a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

BIGOTRY WON'T ALWAYS BE OBVIOUS TO YOU

Most of us want to do the right thing. The problem is that bigotry — whether antisemitism or something else — doesn’t come with a flashing neon sign that says “this is bigoted! Call it out!” Instead, bigotry persists because entire societies convince themselves that their bigoted worldview is somehow justified. This is especially true of antisemitism. Antisemites throughout history have long persecuted Jews under the guise of seeking justice. 

For instance, since the Middle Ages, Jews have been periodically persecuted on the accusation that they killed a Christian or Muslim child for ritual purposes. In other words, antisemites were seeking “justice” for these children that the Jews allegedly killed. This antisemitic trope is called “blood libel” and has led to the deaths of millions of Jews. It’s safe to say that these murderous antisemites fully believed that they were doing the “right thing.” Some examples of historic blood libels that have resulted in violence against Jews include the William of Norwich blood libel (1144), the Damascus Affair (1840), and the Kielce Pogrom (1946). 

During the Bubonic Plague, Jews were persecuted under the false accusation that they were “poisoning the wells” and sickening the gentile population of Europe. Once again, the persecution of Jews was seen as just.

During the Nuremberg Trials, high-ranking Nazi officers testified that they believed that Jews were a danger to the safety of the German people and the German nation. In other words, they justified their mass extermination of Jew under the guise of “protecting” the people of Germany. 

The list goes on and on. Is it possible that today you too have been made to believe that violence against Jews — Zionists, Israelis — is a just cause? 

THE NAZI FALLACY

A few years ago, the notorious antisemite Shaun King argued with a Holocaust survivor on Twitter. When accused of antisemitism, he retorted, “I can’t be an antisemite. I fight Nazis every day!” But anyone even remotely familiar with antisemitism or Jewish history will know that Nazis were far from the Jews’ only historic oppressors. You don’t have to be a Nazi to be an antisemite. In fact, most antisemites are not Nazis.Not even close. 

Nazism is just one manifestation of antisemitism. It’s a deadly one, certainly, but it’s also far from the only deadly manifestation of antisemitism. Jews have been killed by the thousands — sometimes by the millions — by a multitude of other oppressors. Some, like the Nazis, the KKK, and other white supremacists, are far-right. Others, like the Soviet Union, are far-left. Others are somewhere in the middle, and others oppressed us so long ago that their ideologies long predate the left-right political spectrum as we know it today.

The horrific images of Nazism and the death camps are seared in the world’s collective memory. It’s easy to think that if it doesn’t look like Nazism, if it doesn’t look like Auschwitz, then it’s not actually antisemitism, or perhaps it could be antisemitism, but it’s not serious antisemitism. In reality, though, antisemitism doesn’t go from zero to Auschwitz. Instead, antisemitic tropes, conspiracies, and stereotypes fester and proliferate, operating under new euphemisms and adapting to whatever society they’re in. Many of the same antisemitic conspiracies that drove the Nazis nearly 100 years ago are the exact same conspiracies that are driving “protestors” to violently harass Jews in the streets of New York City today. 

For many years before the gas chambers, antisemitism in Germany, which once was home to the most assimilated, well-integrated Jewish community in the Diaspora, proliferated in university lecture halls, justified and explained away in academic language. It wasn’t deadly yet, but it soon would be. When you dismiss any sort of antisemitic rhetoric because it doesn’t mirror the deadliest days of the Nazi regime, what you are actually doing is that you are contributing to the sort of hostile, conspiratorial environment that eventually made the Holocaust possible in the first place. 

THE GASLIGHTING

Antisemitism and the gaslighting of Jews go hand in hand. If an antisemite faces consequences for their antisemitism, it simply reinforces their antisemitic beliefs. Because antisemitism always places Jews in the role of oppressor, it’s nearly impossible for Jews to seek accountability or justice without being accused of exaggerating, crying wolf, playing the victim, or otherwise having nefarious intentions. 

After the Holocaust, for example, the second in command at the Red Cross, Carl Jacob Burckhardt, decried the Nuremberg Trials, calling them “Jewish revenge.” Others, like the Palestinian newspaper Falastin, did so as well. 

Antisemitic bias oftentimes makes it impossible for some people to see Jews as victims. If an antisemite loses their job for espousing antisemitism, they will then blame the “powerful” Jews — or Zionists, or another euphemism — for taking their job. In that way, they turn the victim into the victimizer. This is a classic gaslighting tactic, which creates a catch-22 and is one of the reasons antisemitism can be so hard to combat. 

For example, in the lead up to the Holocaust, American isolationists of various political persuasions accused Jews sounding the alarm on the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany of trying to instigate a war with the Germans. 

Sometimes we are even accused of provoking or exaggerating antisemitism for our own benefit. There are a number of conspiracies, for example, that the Zionists worked with the Nazis to instigate the Holocaust to justify the creation of a Jewish state. 

An example of the accusation that Jews play the victim is when we are told that we talk about the Holocaust “too much” — contrary to the statistics that demonstrate people are woefully misinformed about the Holocaust — or that we should move on because we “got reparations” (not exactly true, but that’s a different topic). 

Then there are the accusations that we brought antisemitism or antisemitic violence onto ourselves — something that we’ve seen on a grand scale following the Hamas massacre on October 7. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

(1) Listen to Jews. I don’t mean just listen to your Jewish friends, or to the Jews you personally agree with. I mean listen to the Jewish community as a whole. Jews don’t often agree on much, but at the end of the day, we are a community, and only the Jewish community can fully describe our own experience. 

Don’t listen just to the Jews who validate your views. Listen to the Jews that challenge you. Don’t shut yourself off from learning because it might contradict whatever ideology you follow. Learning is a lifelong process. I promise you you don’t know everything there is to know about antisemitism (I don’t either! I’m always learning). But it’s your responsibility to open yourself up to new information so that you can do better. 

(2) if Jews are telling you something is antisemitic, then your first instinct should never be to distrust us.Can Jews weaponize accusations of antisemitism? Sure. Anyone can weaponize anything. Is it likely that that’s what’s happening? No. Antisemitism worldwide has skyrocketed to the highest levels since the end of the Holocaust. It’s a very real threat taking lives. You should take accusations of antisemitism just as seriously as you take accusations of other bigotries…even if initially you don’t see it. 

(3) I can’t stress this enough: do your best to educate yourself about antisemitic conspiracies, stereotypes, and tropes throughout history. The euphemisms may change — sometimes we’re “globalists,” other times we’re “Zionists” — but the formula remains the same. To be able to spot antisemitism, you have to learn to spot it. I recommend reading my post “The World’s Oldest Hatred” for more. 

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[obsidian-pages777]

Asteroid Industria and Asteroid Varuna in your Astrology Chart

Asteroid Industria is about your ability to be diligent and industrious, therefore represents a significant part of your career, while Asteroid Varuna represents in your birth chart the pathway that represents where you will receive justice and fairness. Both these Asteroids along with their separate interpretations are often used to see as to where your life trajectory including your career are leading you towards.

================================================================================================

In astrology, the asteroid Industria (Asteroid 389) represents themes related to hard work, industriousness, ambition, and diligence. Its position in the houses of your natal chart indicates the areas of life where you focus your efforts and work ethic. Here's an interpretation of Industria in the different houses:

1st House: You are seen as a hardworking individual with a strong personal drive. Industriousness becomes a central part of your identity and how others perceive you.

2nd House: You may work hard to attain material security and financial stability. You're likely to place a lot of effort into building personal wealth or resources.

3rd House: You are diligent in communication, learning, and perhaps neighborhood or sibling relations. You put effort into writing, speaking, or developing skills in areas of education.

4th House: You apply your energy toward family, home life, and creating a strong emotional foundation. You might be focused on real estate, property matters, or improving your living space.

5th House: Your industriousness is channeled into creative pursuits, hobbies, romance, or activities involving children. You might approach pleasure or self-expression with a serious work ethic.

6th House: This is one of the most natural placements for Industria, emphasizing diligence in daily work, health routines, and service to others. You might be highly organized or disciplined in your job or personal health.

7th House: In partnerships and relationships, you apply effort into maintaining balance, cooperation, and mutual benefit. You may work hard to form strong partnerships, both personal and professional.

8th House: You might work hard in matters of shared resources, transformation, or dealing with crises. This placement often signifies intense effort in areas like finances, taxes, inheritances, or psychological work.

9th House: You may apply your energy into higher learning, travel, or spiritual/philosophical pursuits. You might be hardworking in educational endeavors, publishing, or expanding your worldview.

10th House: Industria in the 10th House points to career ambitions and public reputation. You may be seen as hardworking, disciplined, and industrious in your professional life.

11th House: You apply your energy into social causes, group activities, or friendships. This placement suggests hard work in achieving long-term goals and in collaborating with others for the greater good.

12th House: Your industriousness may be focused on behind-the-scenes work, spiritual growth, or serving others in a more hidden capacity. There could be a tendency to work in solitude or on issues related to mental health, healing, or the subconscious.

================================================================================================

Asteroid Varuna (20000 Varuna) in astrology is linked to themes of cosmic law, justice, fairness, and overarching principles that govern life and the universe. Named after the Hindu god of the oceans and the guardian of cosmic order, Varuna's presence in an astrological chart often reflects one's relationship to larger principles, truth, and integrity. Here's how Varuna might manifest in the houses of a natal chart:

Varuna in the Houses

1st House: Varuna here may influence your personality and how you present yourself. You may be someone who naturally stands for fairness, cosmic justice, or a higher truth. There’s a tendency to carry a sense of personal integrity, often seen as someone with a strong moral compass.

2nd House: In this house, Varuna affects your values and approach to material possessions. You may have a deep sense of fairness regarding wealth and resources, with a focus on acquiring things in an ethical and balanced manner. There could be a drive toward working in fields that uphold justice or universal laws.

3rd House: You express Varuna’s energy through communication, learning, and interacting with your immediate environment. You may be concerned with truth in communication, desiring clarity and fairness in all conversations, possibly advocating for justice through writing or teaching.

4th House: Varuna influences your home, family, and emotional foundation. There may be a strong sense of moral principles within the family or an emphasis on fairness and justice in your home life. You might seek to create a nurturing environment based on universal laws and fairness.

5th House: In this house, Varuna’s energy is expressed through creativity, romance, and self-expression. You may infuse a sense of justice into your creative works or feel compelled to use your talents to address larger issues of fairness. Romantic relationships might also be influenced by ideals of truth and ethical behavior.

6th House: Varuna in the 6th House suggests that your daily work, health routines, and service to others are guided by a sense of cosmic justice. You may be drawn to work environments where fairness and integrity are key values, or you may approach health and wellness through a holistic lens that respects universal laws.

7th House: Varuna influences your partnerships and relationships. In this house, fairness and justice become central to your interactions with others, particularly in personal or business relationships. You may be drawn to partners who share a similar ethical stance or work in areas related to law or justice.

8th House: Varuna in the 8th House can bring a focus on justice and integrity in matters related to shared resources, transformation, and deeper psychological issues. You may explore intense themes of power, control, and fairness in joint ventures, inheritances, or spiritual transformation.

9th House: Here, Varuna amplifies themes of higher learning, travel, philosophy, and religion. You may be deeply concerned with exploring truth and justice on a global scale, possibly engaging in studies or travels that challenge your sense of universal laws and cosmic order.

10th House: Varuna in the 10th House suggests that your career and public reputation are linked to themes of justice, integrity, and universal principles. You may be seen as a figure who upholds high moral standards or works in a profession where justice and fairness are paramount, such as law, governance, or education.

11th House: Varuna here affects your involvement in social groups, friendships, and long-term goals. You may be drawn to social causes that focus on justice, fairness, and the betterment of society. Varuna can inspire you to work within communities that are committed to ethical and fair practices.

12th House: In this deeply spiritual and hidden house, Varuna may influence your subconscious mind, dreams, and connection to the mystical or unseen realms. You may have a strong inner sense of cosmic justice and be drawn to work behind the scenes to support fairness, or you may grapple with themes of integrity and truth on a deeply personal and introspective level.

================================================================================================

Conjuction, Square, Sextile between Varuna and Industria

1.Conjunction

When Varuna and Industria are conjunct, their energies blend and work together. This aspect suggests that your sense of hard work and industriousness (Industria) is deeply aligned with cosmic justice, integrity, or higher truth (Varuna).

You may approach work and effort with a strong sense of moral duty or feel that your career or daily tasks should reflect universal principles of fairness and justice. You could be driven to work in areas that promote ethical values, social justice, or larger causes. This aspect might also make you feel a profound responsibility to maintain balance and integrity in your professional or personal efforts.

If you are in a leadership role or public service, you may work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served or that ethical standards are maintained. Your industrious nature is deeply tied to what you perceive as universal truths or laws.

2. Square

A square between Varuna and Industria creates tension between your drive for hard work and diligence (Industria) and your ideals of cosmic justice or truth (Varuna). This tension can manifest as internal or external conflict, but it also creates opportunities for growth.

You might experience situations where you have to balance between working hard and staying true to ethical or moral principles. There could be a struggle between what you must do in your day-to-day life or career versus what you feel is morally or cosmically correct. Alternatively, you may face challenges that force you to choose between practical hard work and higher ideals.

You might be in a job or situation where your industriousness is at odds with your ethical values. Perhaps you are expected to compromise your integrity to achieve professional success, and this creates stress or a feeling of being morally "out of balance."

3. Sextile

A sextile between Varuna and Industria is a harmonious aspect that facilitates easy flow between your work ethic and your moral or ethical principles. This is a positive aspect where both energies support each other, offering opportunities for growth and achievement.

You are likely to find it easier to align your work efforts with higher ethical standards. This aspect suggests that your industriousness complements your sense of cosmic justice, and you may find opportunities to work in areas that reflect your moral values. You can effortlessly apply hard work in fields that promote fairness, integrity, and truth.

You may be in a role or profession where you feel a natural alignment between your sense of responsibility and your ideals of fairness and justice. Opportunities may come your way that allow you to work hard while promoting social causes or acting with high ethical standards.

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[explorastro]

THE THIRD DECAN

The passage of a planet, angle, asteroid, house or other in the third decan of a sign will bring the individual to encounter all the greatest difficulties and facilities of the sign's archetype. A bit like Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld, it's a journey of initiation for the hero as he enters his final phase of fulfillment. The ins and outs of planet, angle, asteroid in correlation with the sign will be very important in the life of the native/subject.

Some interpretations possible for each planets and the ascendant in the third decan :

Sun in the third decan :

- being seen/recognized a lot by your peers, fans, audience

- accomplishing something impactful personally in the life multiple times

- learning more quickly than others

- can being a visionary by how you accumulated experiences

- being yourself freely

Moon in the third decan :

- might having a family who supports/educate you very well

- emotions are a big lessons theme of the native/subject

- your relation with the crowd makes you special

- can achieving inner journeys in the occult knowledge

Mercury in the third decan :

- reaching high level of intelligence

- using your hands very well because of talent or hard work

- might developing new technologies

- being very inquisitive and curious even when you regret it

- can learning a lot of books in their life

Venus in the third decan :

- can having a lot of resources, money at a young age

- might being in relationships often

- developing high ethics and values

- can being surrounded by beautiful/cute people as you

- having a connection with nature that you cherish

Mars in the third decan :

- being the warrior in every room you enter

- having to deal with a lot of accidents and fails

- but also being an achiever by how you invest in your projects

- shaping your mind and body can leading you so far

Jupiter in the third decan :

- being socially enthusiastic that leads you to have wisdoms

- expansion of the qualities of the sign

- benefits of the signs maximized

- exploring the possibilities of the world and universe

- teaching your philosophical insights

Saturn in the third decan :

- having to deal with a lot of karmic lessons

- but can reaching all the summits by discipline and hard work

- might being an important figure of the society

- isolation can affecting your mental health more than others

Uranus in the third decan :

- brain electricity being vivid

- shocking revelations coming out of nowhere constantly

- knowing things that the majority don’t know

- being rebellious since an young age and for all the life

- growing in an innovative environment

Neptune in the third decan :

- being the center of attention in a spiritual sphere

- being creative artistically at a point that others are fascinated by you

- handling heavy karmic endings

- mastering the gifts that universe gives you

- finalizing something faster than others

Pluto in the third decan :

- living moments of intense fear that you fight then

- can being more wealthy than others

- might live a period of death and rebirth cyclically

- using the influence to breaking the limits of what was possible

Ascendant in the third decan :

- this incarnation is a main character for your soul

- your body can be important to your well being

- self care and love is crucial to advancing in this cruel world

- can being an stereotype of the sign’s archetype

[srbachchan]

DAY 6005

Jalsa, Mumbai July 27, 2024/July 28 Sat/Sun 2:37 am

.. the body moves .. not quite as before .. but moves .. movements are an integral part of our living .. we are brought here in this Universe to move .. move out move above move about and around , but move ..

I sought the pt's of movement for us likes and are given the directions that pertain to the fact of how movement is the crucible of necessity ..

"For an 82-year-old male, maintaining movement is crucial for overall health and well-being. Gentle activities like walking, swimming, or tai chi can help enhance mobility, strength, and balance. Stretching exercises improve flexibility, reducing the risk of injury. Light resistance training can preserve muscle mass and bone density. It's essential to include regular breaks and avoid overexertion. Social activities like dancing or group exercises provide both physical and mental benefits. Consulting with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen is important to ensure safety and to tailor the activities to the individual's health status and physical capabilities."

.. and so I move ..

but enough of the 'i' .. it's time to bring in the 'they' .. 'they' are the necessity of the movement living .. for the simple reason that what 'they' induce you with , becomes the movement legacy .. 'they' may never feel so , but the fact is just that .. MOVE ..

blessed are we that are the face of public appearance .. and the 'they' comes in with immense intensity to justify our beliefs and aforementioned detail ..

when 'they' burst we explode .. when 'they' explode we hold on to their tails and travel where 'they' do or go .. 'they' go to destinations known to them but 'they' carry our destinations as well .. without them we have no destination .. our final peak is theirs .. and that is how we be ..

In a few hours from now .. well .. quite a few hours from now at the GOJ .. there shall be meets and greets and shares and givings and reciprocation .. that is life , reciprocation .. get one give two ..

and the interpretation be theirs as well .. we learn from them .. 'they' are the spirit that educates .. 'they' teach professionally .. we follow in the lead given ..

the mention of the 95% and 98% is ever adorned with great appreciation .. but 'they' teach us that there are those that achieve from the 50% to the 60% also..

are their achievements any less ..

they deserve the lead as well , to swell the encouragement to keep the growth ..

and growth is movement ..

SO ..

MOVE ..

MY LOVE CARE and my affection for them that strain .. strain to move forward .. a step or two may be and NOT a gallop .. but a step all the same ..

'take the strain .... HEAVE ' !!!!

Amitabh Bachchan

[socialjusticeinamerica]

“At a White House event with a bipartisan group of governors Friday, President Donald Trump briefly sparred with Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills after threatening to withhold federal funds from her state over the issue of transgender athletes.

The back-and-forth came as Trump discussed his executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports.

"Are you not going to comply with that?" Trump asked Mills directly.

She responded that she would comply with state and federal laws.

"Well, I'm -- we are the federal law," Trump said, adding, "Well, you better do it. You better do it because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't."

Mills responded: "See you in court."

"Good," Trump replied. "I'll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be an easy one. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don't think you'll be in elected politics," Trump said.

After Friday's White House gathering, Mills released a statement about Trump's threat to withhold federal funding.

President Donald Trump speaks at the Governors Working Session at the White House in Washington, Feb. 21, 2025.

"If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding, my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides. The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President's threats."

Also on Friday, the Department of Education sent a letter to a Maine education official announcing a "directed investigation" of the Maine Department of Education "amid allegations that it continues to allow male athletes to compete in girls' interscholastic athletics," the department said in a news release.

The department cited a Maine high school which it said is "continuing to allow at least one male student to compete in girls' categories."

Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order earlier this month, which directs federal agencies to interpret federal Title IX rules as prohibiting the participation of transgender girls and women in female sports categories.”

🖕🍊🐷

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Erin Reed at Erin In The Morning:

On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order drastically limiting public service workers’ ability to obtain student loan forgiveness. Under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, workers at government agencies and 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible for loan forgiveness after 10 years of service. But Trump's order threatens to strip that benefit—specifically targeting employees at organizations that support transgender rights or diversity initiatives. If enforced, the order could have sweeping consequences, cutting off loan relief for workers at countless nonprofits, civil rights organizations, hospitals, and schools across the country.

[...]

Both of these are common administration euphemisms for supporting transgender people and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. When viewed alongside other executive orders, the implications become even more sweeping. For example, Trump's ban on “chemical and surgical castration” could extend to organizations that provide, support, or defend the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy. His education-focused executive order goes even further—under its broad language, a teacher using a transgender student’s name and pronouns could be accused of “practicing medicine without a license.”

[...

The most immediate targets are LGBTQ+ organizations operating as 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Many health centers and clinics explicitly serve LGBTQ+ populations, offering gender-affirming care for both youth and adults. These organizations are already under pressure—just recently, Whitman-Walker in Washington, D.C., removed references to transgender people and gender identity from its website in response to mounting threats, only to restore them after public backlash. Under Trump's executive order, such centers could face even greater risk, with their funding and operations directly threatened for providing essential care.

Legal organizations are also likely to face threats. If the ACLU or Lambda Legal’s defense of transgender rights is interpreted as materially aiding transgender youth in accessing care, their employees could see their PSLF eligibility revoked under the administration’s justification that they are "harming our national security and American values." While this may seem extreme, the administration has already shown a willingness to retaliate against legal opposition. It recently targeted the law firm Perkins Coie for challenging its policies, barring its attorneys from federal buildings through an executive order written explicitly against them. Now, nonprofits dedicated to challenging the administration’s actions on LGBTQ+ rights could find themselves in the crosshairs. Hospitals and schools are also at risk. Any hospital providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth would clearly fall under the administration’s prohibition, potentially jeopardizing PSLF eligibility for its employees. Teachers at schools that support transgender students could face similar consequences. The earlier-mentioned education executive order defines socially supporting transgender youth as “practicing medicine without a license,” echoing a common conservative argument that social affirmation "places them on a pathway" to medical transition. Under this broad interpretation, educators who simply acknowledge a transgender student’s identity could be targeted.

Tyrant 47’s war on trans people and their existence marches on, as the latest anti-trans move is to make trans people and their allies suffer by making them ineligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

[transmutationisms]

The popularity of drugs and the eagerness of conservative politicians to cut state hospital budgets explains the quick pace of deinstitutionalization in California.86 From 1970 to 1974, California reduced the number of state hospitals within its system from ten to seven and converted or limited services in the remaining hospitals to specialized types of care. This physical shrinkage translated into an eighty-three percent reduction in the state hospital population, from 36,000 patients in 1955 to less than 6,000 patients in 1977.87 When taking into account the number of patients who passed either through the doors of a state hospital or county ward for treatment, California also reduced the number of patients it institutionalized for any given amount of time by fifty-three percent (558,922 to 193,436) from 1957-1977.88 Under the LPS law, this new system reflected the belief that mental illness existed on a continuum between “normal” and “violent” states by only temporally holding the mentally ill when they were considered dangerous and releasing them into society when their florid states subsided.

West sought to advance racially liberal psychiatry by conjoining psychotherapeutic concerns around child development with the fields of biological psychiatry and psychopharmacology. In an era of growing alarm about the availability of public funds, he believed the future of community mental health required money be diverted away from “non-medical” anti-poverty programs and towards resource- and capital- intensive lab-based psychiatric research and medical education. Although he began the mid-1960s using interpretive frames of culture, race, and class to explain violence, he increasingly became interested in unlocking an underlying biologic basis for violence that rendered such frames less meaningful. His attempts to find a universal color- and class- blind basis for violence, however, ended up strengthening policing of poor people of color by reinforcing their spatial segregation from society in prisons, state hospitals, and segregated neighborhoods with new ideas about the social transmission of violence.

Comments West made after the 1965 riots/uprisings demonstrate he initially agreed with most race-based community mental health proponents that normal black personalities existed among black populations where strict cultural adherence to normative ideas about gender and sexuality was exhibited. On a panel titled “Prevention of Racial Violence in the Urban Ghetto,” for example, West suggested psychiatrists study the Nation of Islam’s program of black nationalism and its strict moral codes for working class black communities because, unlike the psychiatric community and the black middle class, they seemed to be the “only ones who have made significant progress with the prostitutes, alcoholics, addicts and recidivistic criminals who prey on their fellows in the ghettos.”89 His comments suggest he sympathized with Cannon’s belief that separate black cultural spheres had therapeutic effects.

By 1969, however, West was convinced violent behavior had nothing to do with race and/or class, but had everything to do with childhood development. He crafted new arguments about the etiology of violence after closely observing the social relationships of the Tarahumara Indians of Northern Mexico.90 Despite contact with dominant Mexican society, West believed the Tarahumara’s reverence for children and their collective protection of childhood accounted for the perceived absence of violence and its strong commitment to peaceful conflict resolution. In spite of their minority and impoverished status in dominant Mexican culture, he hypothesized the Tarahumara’s limited exposure to violence and dysfunction during childhood created biologic benefits that prevented violent behavior in them as adults.

His hypothesis captured the imagination of UCLA’s search committee and was prioritized as a guiding research agenda for UCLA after he was appointed as Chair of Psychiatry and Director of the NPI in 1969. In a series of joint psychiatric studies conducted by the University of Southern California and UCLA, West and his research team analyzed the case histories of violent offenders “from all walks of life” who, as a group, could not be “distinguished by belonging to any particular groups.”91 His findings suggested that a significant percentage of the study’s violent offender subjects tended to share the same history of being “victims of violence in childhood themselves.”92 His observations produced a new color- and class-blind psychiatric theory he eventually termed epidemiology of violence theory, a concept which proposed dysfunction witnessed as a child created a psychobiologic basis for violent behavior as an adult. In other words, he argued that childhood trauma altered brain functioning enough to make violent behavior a predisposed inevitability in adulthood.

West was convinced his theory had enormous potential for renewing community mental health’s moral discourses of prevention and hygiene and for generating a whole host of research investigations for psychopharmacological-based rehabilitation programs for a group he termed “violent people,” individuals biologically disposed to violence because of childhood exposure to dysfunction. For race-based mental health professionals, his research sustained focus on the importance of childhood development and the place of positive role models in producing well-adjusted personalities. For mental health researchers accustomed to research in biologic psychiatry, particularly in the fields of electroshock therapy, electroencephalography, psychosurgery, neuroscience, and psychopharmacology, West’s hypothesis offered a useful bridge to the popularity of social science and psychotherapeutic study that defined psychiatry since the 1920s.

Nic John Ramos, Pathologizing the Crisis: Psychiatry, Policing, and Racial Liberalism in the Long Community Mental Health Movement. Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Volume 74, Issue 1, January 2019, 57–84

[goooofy-goooober1121]

TWST Overblot Boys from a Development Perspective - Riddle Rosehearts

Currently in uni studying human development from a psychological/neurological/cognitive standpoint and lowkey I want to analyze TWST's overblot boys (and Kalim) using my super cool Education™

(Also my ask box is open so pls send me asks! My guidelines are on my page)

So let's get into it!

When we look at Riddle's character, we need to first consider the environment he has grown up in, his identity development, and neurology-- and what that means for his psychological and cognitive processes.

Part 1: His Environment

As observed during his Overblot, Riddle grew up in an authoritarian household. His Groom-for-a-Day/Suitor Suit lines also imply that his parents do not get along. Both can have extensive psychological and cognitive impacts on his development.

It would be easiest to begin with his early-to-mid childhood experiences. Mrs. Rosehearts was obviously an authoritarian mother: strict rules, very punitive, a "because I said so" attitude while putting extensive pressure on work and effort. This parenting style is heavily associated with socially incompetent behavior; children raised on this parenting style are likely to perpetuate this cycle and become perpetrators of bullying. This can pretty obviously be reflected in Riddle's behavior over the course of Book 1; he is strict, punitive, and controlling, often acting like a bully when someone violates the rules. Additionally, children from dysfunctional families may also develop poor emotional regulation skills (outbursts and withdrawing from others) along with insecure attachment styles and low self-image (perhaps evidenced by his seemingly overzealous insecurity over his own height, for instance).

But why does he mimic his mother's behavior when it made him feel so awful in the first place?

There's a theory in child psychology that comes from a guy named Albert Bandura. This social learning theory states that individuals learn their behaviors by watching and imitating others, especially when those behaviors are perceived as beneficial. Riddle's mother was a doctor, so he must have interpreted her actions as the key to success and prestige, even if, in the moment, it hurt him.

His mother taught him that strictness and harshness is the proper way to show care and concern; this is therefore the idea he carries with him about what love (platonic or romantic) should be.

He may have also been conditioned by his mother through punishment. Positive punishment occurs when the punishment is added, like how his mother would make him study for extra time if he didn't achieve as much as she wanted him to that day. She also utilized negative punishment by taking away Riddle's ability to go out and play with Trey and Chen'ya.

Punishment, of course, is not necessarily wrong; parents objectively need to punish their kids to discipline and raise them. However, the issue arises mainly when said punishment becomes too extreme.

This leads me to my next point: lack of play. Play is so, so important in a child's path to developing into a healthy person. Play has several benefits to a child's cognition, contributing largely to the development of perspective taking, empathy, flexibility, and emotional regulation. Being completely and totally restricted from playing with his friends as a child contributed to Riddle's current-day personality. His isolation and lack of interaction with his peers resulted in his hot-headed, inflexible, and socially inept (taking things too seriously, being obsessed with rules) behavior evidenced throughout Book 1.

Because of his mother's actions, Riddle is cognitively stunted and was led down an unhealthy path of psychological and cognitive development.

And don't even get me STARTED on how she must have impacted his relationship with food by hyperanalyzing every meal she gave him lol.

Part 2: Identity Development

Riddle is regarded in-game as 17 years old; that places him right at the end of middle adolescence (14-17 years old). Lots of crazy things happen during middle adolescence, particularly in terms of identity and brain development.

According to Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, Riddle would be in the Identity vs. Role Confusion stage of life. This is the "who am I ?" stage, spanning from about 13-21 years old. Adolescents spend this time attempting to find out who they are; when resolved successfully, individuals come out with a strong sense of self, but when resolved unsuccessfully, individuals can feel lost, lacking self-definition and direction.

Additionally, James Marcia introduced the four stages of identity development:

Foreclosure - commitment without exploration

Diffusion - no commitment, no exploration

Moratorium - no commitment, but with exploration

Achievement - commitments and explorations have been achieved

So when we look at Riddle, we can draw from both theories. Riddle arguably doesn't know who he is for himself. His entire life has centered on what his mother wants for him; prior to his Overblot, he was stuck in the stage of Identity Foreclosure, in which he was committed to being an authoritarian, well-achieved leader (as influenced by his mother) but had no time to explore his options for himself. Combined with his insecure attachment and his stunted cognitive development due to his childhood experiences, deviation from this script is, predictably, distressful for him; this contributes to his outbursts whenever his authority was questioned. Post-Overblot, however, we can see that he's easing up and accepting that his mother maybe isn't the best person to be around (wow who would've thought). He's moving into Identity Moratorium; he's beginning to explore his options while letting go of his previous commitment (which is ultimately better for him in the long run).

Part 3: Neurology

I think it's important to also point out his neurological processes, too. Not in a "I think he's neurodivergent" way but in a "what are his brain structures" way.

See, when we grow into teenagers, our prefrontal cortex (PFC) actually is still developing. It's the brain structure associated with reasoning, decision making, and self-control. Several clinical studies such as this one also note that the PFC is heavily involved in emotional regulation.

And when your limbic system, specifically your amygdala, which is responsible for the processing of emotion, matures BEFORE the part of the brain meant for emotional regulation does, it leads to a lot of emotional behaviors such as Riddle's proneness to anger, along with impulsive actions such as Riddle's immediate response always being to collar someone rather than stop and think about their reasons for breaking a rule. It's like sending out a level 100 Regirock (limbic system) out against a level 2 Caterpie (PFC) lol.

This will probably be a common thread in all the OB boys but I think it's important to note how Riddle's neurological development affects his behavior.

IN CONCLUSION

Riddle's mom sucks

Riddle most likely has an insecure attachment style

Riddle is likely going through an identity crisis

He's a teenage boy going through teenage boy things (exacerbated by an unhealthy/emotionally abusive childhood)

[miguel-manbemel]

CW angst

The other day, I was making a photocomic, and one of the images I used, was this one.

It is an image from the latest Asides episode from last Christmas, it's the moment right after Patton finally opens Janus' Christmas present, and right before that, Roman was scolding Janus for not giving Patton a proper gift and the endless loop of boxes, etc. Roman had given Janus the b*tch slap and all.

Roman was trying once again to do what was right, to defend his friends against the rudeness of Janus during all the Secret Santa session... and then that happens and Patton is so happy and thankful to Janus... and we see this face from Roman, devastated, sad, broken... it only lasts a moment but it truly shows his inner mood like a mirror, as I interpret it.

Once again, Roman is thinking of himself as a failure, and he's thinking again that all the others, but especially Patton, see Janus as a hero and him as a villain, and that still breaks him like nothing else, because in that face, you can see he's asking to himself: "If I'm not the hero, then who am I? What can I do if what I'm educated to do is no longer valid for them? Does that mean that I'm not valid anymore for them? Am I really the evil twin after all?" This all happens in a couple of seconds in the video, and then he puts himself together, raises up his facade of acting and puts a "show must go on" act.

You can only commend Thomas' acting, as always, cause he has been able to convey all of these emotions in this subtle and short emotional gesture. We can only hope that Roman can find his healing soon and that all his questions can find a satisfactory answer for him and for c!Thomas' benefit.

[obsidian-pages777]

Makemake in Astrology: Sign & House Interpretations

Introduction

Makemake (136472) is a dwarf planet associated with creation, leadership, environmental consciousness, resourcefulness, and survival. It represents how we innovate, protect what is valuable, and establish new systems, often in response to crisis or injustice.

Makemake in the Signs

Aries: A trailblazer who creates new paths with fearless leadership. Passionate about independence, action, and survival instincts.

Taurus: Focuses on material stability, sustainability, and the preservation of nature or traditions. Values beauty and patience in creation.

Gemini: Innovates through communication, writing, and intellectual exploration. Skilled at adapting and spreading new ideas.

Cancer: Protects home, family, and emotional well-being. May be a nurturer or defender of traditions and heritage.

Leo: A charismatic leader with a talent for inspiring others through creativity, performance, or personal expression.

Virgo: Seeks perfection in systems, health, and daily routines. Resourceful in problem-solving and making things efficient.

Libra: Creates harmony and justice in relationships and society. Drawn to diplomacy, art, and balance in leadership.

Scorpio: A powerful force for transformation, uncovering hidden truths and reshaping systems of power. Resourceful and intense.

Sagittarius: Expands minds through philosophy, teaching, and travel. A natural explorer and seeker of new frontiers.

Capricorn: Creates and sustains long-term structures. A disciplined leader who builds legacies and works within authority.

Aquarius: A revolutionary and visionary, pushing for societal changes, technology, and progress. Thinks outside the norm.

Pisces: A deeply intuitive creator, bringing dreams and spirituality into reality. Compassionate and often drawn to mystical paths.

Makemake in the Houses

1st House: A natural leader who makes an impact through personal presence and actions. Shapes their own destiny.

2nd House: Creates stability through resourcefulness. May redefine personal values, wealth, and material success.

3rd House: Innovates through communication, education, and media. A storyteller and connector of ideas.

4th House: Protects family, traditions, and home life. May build something lasting for future generations.

5th House: Expresses creativity in bold, dramatic ways. Often involved in the arts, romance, or entertainment.

6th House: Shapes work and health systems. May revolutionize their field through service, healing, or organization.

7th House: Brings transformation in partnerships, relationships, and diplomacy. A leader in fairness and collaboration.

8th House: Deeply resourceful and drawn to hidden knowledge, power, and transformation. May navigate crisis with skill.

9th House: Expands minds through travel, philosophy, and exploration. A natural teacher and seeker of wisdom.

10th House: Public leadership and career success. Builds lasting structures that benefit society.

11th House: A visionary for the future, focused on innovation, technology, and humanitarian causes.

12th House: Drawn to mystical, spiritual, or hidden realms. May bring visionary ideas from dreams or intuition.