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bbc: Some sweet #Silvacre content for your FYP ❤️
#silvacre#suranne jones#rose leslie#vigil#the bbc making a silvacre fan edit was a pleasant surprise :)#i saw the streaming numbers for vigil 2 were very good (understatement)#which makes an s3 at least a possibility#if they can write a story suranne and rose would sign on for#i'm counting on what suranne said that the continuation of the love story is a big part of what brought her back#the series does a good job creating dramatic tension and conflict within a happy relationship that doesn't involve cheating or one dying#if they do a 3rd season i hope that continues#i mean the series started with amy in the worst possible place emotionally and psychologically so surely they wouldn't go there again#s2 with its wlw mlm solidarity/parallel storyline and giving us more insight into amy and how far she's come since s1#on top of all the other things i liked this season (which i enjoyed quite a bit in addition to the ship)#at heart it's very critical of the british government and military/war machine and some reviews seem to have missed that part#anyway i'm pleased as punch that a prestige bbc drama has two women in love at its center and a lead as compelling as amy#and that it's pulling in the numbers even without the submarine and claustrophobia (admittedly a cool premise)#keep making the fanvids bbc social media team we appreciate you#queue
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Fuck it. I'm gonna bite the bait just to say that there were many instances where jc clearly trated wwx like a brother/friend in the BOOK, aka the canon text in case anyone was confused or have seemed to have selectively forgotten about.
From the part where jc scoffs at the prospect of wwx getting together with a servant. Laughing and proclaiming that he was treated better than he was (in reference to his own sister peeling his lotus seeds for him which she didn't do for jc).
Then there was him standing up for him on NUMEROUS occasions throughout the book. Such as before the LP Massacre. He could have let his mother beat wwx senseless, but he tried to stop her from doing so, begging and crying even for her to stop and take the punishment for him. Despite the risk it took to do so.
Not to mention the excuses he made to the rest of the cw after the war when he stood up for wwx and shrugged off his casual and overly familiar demeanour.
Then ofc there was the sacrifice he made for wwx (which he didn't have to do as the only male sect heir) whilst they were on the run from the Wens that ultimately led up to the events in the novel..
The Cloud Recesses era.. the part after jfm gave away his dogs and jc steadily welcomed wwx in his life, willing to scare away any dogs that threatened him..
These are all things a nasty, homophobic rich man would NEVER do for his servant if he only saw them as such.
If he was classist as you all seem to think he is, then he would never dream of doing all the above CANON EVENTS for wwx's sake. Js.
These were all in the book. To ignore them, that means you are ignoring mxtx's work and you clearly did not understand the complicated relationship wwx and jc had.
Because it was made clear throughout the text that jc never saw him as a servant. They shared a room, went to school together and made HUGE sacrifices for eachother. So much so, that their relationship pissed of jc's mother.
If you ignore that then you are ignoring a VERY IMPORTANT part of the text. And I have to wonder if y'all only came into the fandom for the mlm relationship between wwx and lwj and not the the story. Clearly, y'all are selectively ignoring some very IMPORTANT facts. Js. This book is MORE than just a bl........
And if that's the case, then you have no place arguing jc canon facts. Js.
#canon jiang cheng#jiang cheng#mxtx mdzs#mo dao zu shi#This tired argument.....#Why do antis willfully ignore the most important part of the text????#The part that leads up to the canon events??#And inevitably the story????#Are they threatened because lwj isn't a main part of it???#It's not our fault or problem that lwj hardly had as big of an influence to the main plot as jc did#Shrugs#Fyi I'm not ignoring the mlm aspect of the book#This was some groundbreaking work for the gay community with compelling characters that broke these stereotypes#But by boiling down the book to just the mlm aspect and focusing only on the mlm relationship is doing this work a disservice#Especially when there is so much more to this book than just romance#I feel like people only focus on that aspect of the book#And that's a bit boring imo. It is perfectly okay for you explore to other aspects of the book. It won't make you hate wngxian any less.#You can appreciate the interesting mlm relationship mxtx created whilst enjoying the non romantic aspect of the story#The other characters included#It is not that hard#Js.
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Idk what’s been in the water as of late but can’t seem to get enough of breeding and/or impreg fic.
:( whatever is going on I can’t get or find enough content to scratch this itch
#idk if I’d call it baby fever cuz I have NO desire for a child#but everything leading up to that point is very enticing rn#it’s like the dirty talk and intent of creating super hot#having created something of love together very romantic#up until the wailing crying a diapers then that’s a good stopping spot on the fictional fantasy lol#mlm nsft#trans nsft#nsft
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That viral post that's going around about how people who write "book quality" mlm fic are too "normal" to publish and have real jobs so only "weird" people publish their "shitty" fanfic is so completely out of touch with reality and I am giving a massive side eye to everyone reblogging it.
Not only is it completely, easily verifiably untrue (you cannot enter any professional writing space without tripping over a dozen grizzled scifi writers who got their start by filing off the serial numbers and publishing their Star Trek fanfic even going back decades ago??? it's a whole thing?? plus how can you look at the mlm category on Amazon right now and say with a straight face that people aren't publishing shitty Spirk and Stucky fanfic??? Oh, honey...) it's also the perfect example of this kind of sneering elitism that true artists would never sully themselves by seeking profit, they do it only for the purity of the thing that always somehow leads back to, "no one should be paid to make art, actually."
The only reason you're seeing more published fanfic right now has nothing to do with the idealistic purity of your hypothetical government employee written smut of the past vs the debased scribbles of those awful straights of today and everything to do with the fact that a) self-publishing has created a voracious readership that wants a ton of content so it's become a viable, flexible income stream for many, especially disabled people b) anyone can publish now with self-publishing tools so there are less gatekeepers and c) lockdown got a lot of people into fandom and therefore writing who never tried it before.
And if you really think there's no "shitty" published mlm and no "book-quality" m/f writing out there that started as fanfic, then you are clearly not a reader so why are you even talking about this?
#love how they manipulated people into spreading that post by making it seem like a cishet vs gay thing#when the real message is OP thinks trying to sell your writing is cringe and 'weird' and 'normal people' with jobs would never#which would of course never have flown on the fandom website#so they played into the queer shipping is purer than cishet shipping puriteen thing#and it worked!#because my god people are gullible#this is the direct pipeline that leads to AI thievery#''normal' people write for the joy of it anyway so why do you need pay? you are just greedy and 'weird'!'#'oh no this isn't about who we get to call cringe and who gets to profit from art it's about um...#(quick what's a hated m/f ship?).. oh uh 'shitty' REYLO#and not our super pure uh... (spirk is still popular right? lets throw in that avengers one too to make it seem timely) stucky!'#I'm sorry if I have no sense of humor about this but the year is 2024 and people are still way too ready to sneer#about writers trying to earn a fucking living in the shittiest timeline#and i need you to look deep into yourself and ask you why it's so important to you to tell yourself that only people writing what you like#are 'normal' with real jobs and to vilify everyone else as 'weird' and 'shitty'#for trying to make an income during a financial fucking crisis#i would say sorry for ranting about this but I'm not sorry because wtf#write whatever you want#publish whatever you want#there is no moral fucking purity in what the content is#and one thing certainly doesn't make you more 'weird' or 'normal' than the other#like there is soooo much shitty mlm that started as fanfic???#that post is 100% OP made up some guys to get mad about and called them relyos for the clicks#writing#publishing#writblr#writeblr#i wasn't going to tag this anything but you know what fuck it I'm mad#i had like 5 more tags but tumblr cut me off which is fair 😅#fan fiction
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I know you said you're not talking about it anymore but I would like to invoke my special privilege of being your most favorite mutual who has suffered for you creating sh weapon references until visions of runes replaced my very thoughts
What is it that distinguishes general shipping culture from Thai-specific shipping culture? Because you mention Thai shipping culture a lot, and while I know there is a difference I can't seem to put into words what that difference is. I don't know if I'm making any sense, but like, under the umbrella of QL in Thailand, what part of it is culture and what part of it is marketing? Like the presenting of a "ship" as a "product" part.
Listen you... (Only because it's YOU asking... but be aware: You cannot pull this 'fave moot' card for the rest of our tumblr interactions. You had one shot! And you've now used it hehe)
So let's sort of break down the Thai QL marketing strategy, as you've put it: You have the 'production' and then you have the 'fandom/engagement' side of that production.
Production Marketing Branded Pairing - the production companies are going make a QL series and then present you with the leads as an easily 'shippable' pair. In Thailand, we refer to these ships as คู่จิ้น or 'imaginary couples' (จิ้น is pronounced as "jin" like imaGINE... cute no? hehe) These pairs are the product... the draw to attract viewers/fans. It's more common for branded pairs to stay working together once they've developed a comfortable relationship with one another. However, this can lead to some stagnancy within their working relationship and the types of roles they are offered. Companies like GMMtv, in my opinion, go a little overboard in this aspect. The logos and mascots are cute, but they're firmly cementing the fact that these pairs will never star opposite someone else in a BL production once they're established as a brand. It's very limiting for the actors involved and the fans who crave varied content... because at some point it all starts to feel very same. But again, that's just my feeling. It does work very well in some instances. And as long as production companies are gaining revenue, I don't really see that changing anytime soon.
Fanservice - the pairs' job is to sell the product: attract brand deals and increase fan engagement. The best way to do that for QL is to play up the fantasy (at a level that both individuals involved are comfortable with). They're going to pretend and have fun with their fans with a little back-and-forth. At this point in the conversation it's important to note that in the early days of fanservice, and even still, there was a lot of cultural nuance involved in order for businesses and potential viewers to be more accepting of mlm relationships which were heavily featured in the series that were being promoted. There's also discussion about whether or not the proco's allow their pairs any say in the level of fanservice they must perform. For the most part, it seems that they do... but that's not always the case.
Production Engagement Shipping - the viewers and fans are the 'consumers'. They essentially buy the 'product' the companies are selling, with both financial support and through their engagement. Now... in Thailand, as fans of these pairs, we are very aware of what is being sold to us. This is what I refer to as 'Thai shipping culture'. It's part of the 'game', for lack of a better word. We tease and we joke and we partake in the shipping... but at the end of the day, we know it's not real. Our support doesn't have any strings attached and isn't based in contingencies. We support the actors because we like the content they are providing for us. It's as simple as that. It's equal parts unfortunate and heartbreaking that this culture has been lost in newer fandom (from Thailand specifically). But it's important for interfans to understand, as well, that fanservice and shipping are not forms of queerbaiting. No one is trying to trick anybody... it's all very laid out in plain sight. And if you're buying too much into the fantasy, that's a YOU problem.
I don't really know how else to end this, other than to say what I always say, which is:
Please re-evaluate what it means to be a "fan" of someone. You are no more entitled to an artist's time or attention because you paid for it. You did that because you wanted to; you wanted to SUPPORT them. This doesn't give you any right to dictate their life; you cannot claim ownership over them. They are NOT your property. So if you truly "support" them, just let them be themselves...and love them all the more for it! The only thing misplaced anger/hate accomplishes is to create an environment where artists no longer feel comfortable interacting with their fans altogether, out of fear that every little thing they do or say will be misjudged.
#that is all!!!#thai culture#thai ql media#thai bl#thai gl#the only reason i don't want to talk about this anymore#is because i've already said it#and it feels like i'm bashing my head against an unmovable wall#anyway...#i hope that clarified what you needed clarified#koda vents#sort of#talk thai to me#i'm behind on my asks... i know#i promise i'm not ignoring anyone
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Apology in Advance for the probable incoming Sulemio v Destiel Poll posts.
There are layers to why the dumb ship poll has me feeling so passionate, some are: -Sulemio more or less checked off a Bucket List Want I thought I would die before seeing it become a reality. That being: a Sapphic Anime couple where the main focus and story doesn't revolve around discovering or accepting their sexuality and showing it can be a successful story public perception wise and money wise (G Witch has some of that self discovery stuff but it's like a D or E level plot). And having it so the gay relationship can't be perceived away as besties or sisterhood or with a Bury Your Gays end. -wlw/GL ships constantly getting overshadowed by mlm ships or get played down to hype up mlm ships because "there can only be 1 lgbtqi+ ship" mentality in fandoms. -Sulemio fandom was vibing and more or less quiet until this rewoke us up here on Tumblr. We are all once again speaking and writing deep analytical lengthy posts about how deep, well written and portrayed the love between both characters were not only in subtext but throughly explicit sentences in dialogue or actions of Suletta and Miorine, and the world around them. I am very happy to join in and revisit the awesomeness that their story was since I can't truly replicate the journey that was watching their story as it developed in real time. (Shout out to my 2 het cis male acquaintances who nagged me to give G Witch a shot back when only ep 0 and 1 were out you guys freaking amazing. Bros gave me unforgettable memories.) -But a big one I see not getting talked about a lot is how this match up is giving a big and much needed reality check to western-media-live-action-only-consumers/fans that: Just because something is an animation it does not make that type of art/storytelling/show/whatever you want to call it inferior to live action. A few years back I saw so many west live action tv fans shit endlessly and mercilessly on Magical Girl Utena because of a similar ship poll where it had come down to live action fandom ship vs canon anime ship. (iykyk, I don't want to restart that shit up again since it hurt a lot to watch as someone who liked the ship that was leading but didn't watch Utena-I'm too weak for that hurt- see the show and its contribution towards actual wlw/gl representation get shit on) A lot of the criticisms and punchlines of statements were mocking people for getting attached to cartoons as "grown ass adults"; a criticism any animation enjoyer probably knows all too well. Post so many animation shows in western streaming sites get cancelled or be erased and locked behind vaults because the CEOs think there is no fanbase or value in creating animation, this sentiment more towards animated shows with depth in their stories. I think back to that poll and the ensuing shit show. To think about that back then and see a reflection of that situation with the Ship (Sulemio) that has been stated to be inspired by the ship from Utena (Utenanthy) that was shat on so much by similar media consumers back then who perceived and said animation is a lesser form of storytelling-after seeing so many animation shows I enjoyed get cancelled because of this same sentiment from people thinking no adult wants animation as entertainment- to see Sulemio beat "the greater known" ship from a western live action media show that didn't even want the gay representation associated with itself, it feels like properly bandaging a seeping wound that you were letting "dry out". This all still feels like ship war with ships and fandoms that shouldn't have reason to beef, but the catharsis of seeing such a: powerful, moving, and overall amazing story that is Gundam the Witch from Mercury (free on Youtube to watch btw) and Sulemio's love story get recognized when it still feels like animation as a storytelling device gets looked down upon and has partially been erased, is making me cautiously optimistic that maybe in a few years we can get our amazing in depth animated shows that got taken away because animated storytelling is "just for kids" or "isn't good enough".
#rambles#rants#shower thoughts#sulemio#animation#g witch#gundam the witch from mercury#sapphic thoughts#fandom wank#fandom#fandom meta#lgbtqi+#media analysis#polls#pop culture#pop culture history#hollywood desperately needs change#ao3topshipsbracket
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thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com complete "riddle" questions and answers
When I first started looking through lists of keywords for thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com, I was confused by a bunch of them which, when entered, produced questions which seem completely unrelated to their trigger phrases. I realized that all the prompts are answers to other questions, meaning it's possible to put them in order and create a complete test. I doubt I'm the first to figure this out, but I still think it's super cool, so here's all the questions and how to find their answers!
(Apologies in advance for the photo quality, they're all described in alt text).
First, you enter the code "RIDDLE" to get "WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME?" which to me is proof that Bill at least has decent taste in movies.
Next, you can either type "NO" or "YES," to get either "YOUR LOSS..." or "WHAT"S MCGUCKET'S FAVORITE SODA"
The answer to this question is "MOUNTAIN DON'T," and while I swear I remember reading this someplace, I can't find the actual source.
Once you enter it, you get the question "WHAT'S A MEDIEVAL HOMONYM?"
Which can be found in the Dark Ages pages of The Book of Bill, in the border of the illuminated manuscript:
"LYRE LIAR"
"Anti-Cipher Tonic" appears near the end of the "Anti Cipher Society" pages, complete with an ingredients list:
The twentieth of which is "Harold's Ramblings"
When you enter it you get another question to which I cannot find the source of the answer, but going off the list of phrases that've been found, I'm guessing it's "UNION MADE"
Bill's government file can be found on the page about the 1940s, and is labeled with:
A number which gets you:
Okay and I swear this is the last one I can't show my work on, but wherever you find it the answer is "Grebley Hemberdreck"
A reference to the picture of Bill celebrating the bubonic plague on the Dark Ages page.
And that funky little rodent gives you:
A reference to Thurburt Mudget Waxstaff III of the Anti-Cipher Society and his eventual fate of being institutionalized:
Once you enter his number, you get a question about tracks in the snow:
Which is answered on Ford's missing journal pages about winter in Gravity Falls:
The tinsel snake gets you "THE 6TH OPTION ON BILL'S EDITING SOFTWARE?"
Which can be found on the page where Bill designs a cover for his book:
The sixth option, "Torture Mentally," leads to:
Which is yet another reference to the Dark Ages, and Bill's adventures with the wizard Xgqrthx the Unpronounceable.
Whose name produces:
An address which is provided on the 1990s Tri Angels page, in the mail order form:
Said address takes you to:
To answer this question, you need to do a little more digging around the website. When you enter the code "NAITSUAF," you get a letter from Bill attempting to recruit you into his MLM soul-selling scheme, complete with this note from his lawyer:
And once you enter the name "MULTILEVEL MARK," you get the final question:
(For some reason I haven't figured out, "CAESAR ATBASH VIGENERE" produces the same result as "MULTILEVEL MARK," so that's one way to skip to the end I guess).
Silas Birchtree is referenced in The Book of Bill on the Cults page:
But his full story isn't revealed until you enter "STOD EHT TCENNOC" on the website.
The whole document is definitely a worthwhile read, but there's really only one aspect that's relevant to our purpose:
It was Emmaline Butternubbins who killed Silas Birchtree (again) in 1952! And when you enter her name into the computer, it tells you that you've finally earned a treat. Huzzah!
(Interestingly to me a least, "EMMALINE BUTTERNUBBINS" and "BUTTERNUBBINS" both work as codes, but "EMMALINE" does not. I guess Bill's not on a first name basis with her).
Anyways, once you enter "DISPENSE MY TREAT," a folder is downloaded onto your device which is full of text-free versions of art from The Book of Bill, which you can use for desktop wallpapers or any other nefarious purposes your mind can conceive of.
I hope you've enjoyed going on this journey with me, because I've sure spent an amount of time on it.
#if anybody knows where to find sources for those three answers that'd be rad#gravity falls#the book of bill#thisisnotawebsitedotcom#bill cipher#silas birchtree#emmaline butternubbins
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(Fine, I’ll do it my damn self: part 10 of my silly lil mlm stories <3)
luna (Chapter Two of Watercolors) — tom riddle x male! artistic! hufflepuff! reader
there’s no romantic relationship between luna and tom just fyi <33
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The next thing the wonderful watercolor boy made Tom was a lake. There was no way to tell time inside the diary—it might’ve been an hour since the Watercolor Boy painted Tom the little hut, it might’ve been a year, who’s to say?
But eventually, the color maker returned. Tom sat back against the low stone fence surrounding his hut, watching with rapt fascination as the paintbrush reappeared, moving with wide, confident sweeps as it created a small lake just at the bottom of the hill. He watched, mouth slightly agape, as the brush hesitated, before slowly painting in a wisteria tree that wept dusty lilac petals all over the ground. A petal fell onto the surface of the lake, staying stationary for a moment before sinking below the surface.
It was beautiful.
Tom laughed, loudly and genuinely, as he sprinted down the hill towards the newest treasure, barely stopping to kick off his shoes before leaping into the lake.
It was freezing. As Tom resurfaced, his teeth clacked and chattered. His robes were heavy with water (real water!) and he had to slowly drag himself out of the depths. He laid on the bank, breathing heavily and shivering.
As he looked up at the never-changing paper sky, he wondered (not for the first time) what would happen if he asked the Watercolor boy to paint him something specific.
What if he got scared off?
What if he stopped painting?
No, Tom couldn’t risk that.
So he kept silent.
~~~
The first living thing the Watercolor Boy painted in the diary was a girl. Barely reaching his shoulder in height, she had long, wavy blonde hair and a perpetually faraway look in her eyes. At first, Tom had wondered if Watercolor Boy had made a mistake while painting her to get such a dreamy look on her face, but then she’d introduced herself as a Lovegood. It all made sense then.
Luna.
Her name was Luna.
Tom thought that was the most beautiful name in the world.
Or at least he did.
“Luna?” Tom whispered, his voice cracking from decades of disuse.
“Yes, Thomas?”
They both laid on their backs underneath the wisteria tree, watching the petals fall and the stars glimmer.
(Stars. Stars! Watercolor Boy had gifted them with stars.)
“The Artist. The Creator. Who is it?”
“Who made me?”
“Yes.”
“Y/N,” Luna trailed off, her voice a comforting dreamy sound. Thick like honey, but too light to touch.
(Tom should ask Watercolor Boy to paint him honey. It would go well with the biscuits from the painted feast.)
“Y/N?”
“Oh, he’s lovely. You would quite well get along,” Luna murmured, closing her eyes and humming some unknown song.
“Y/N…” Tom mumbled under his breath.
~~~
“Thomas,” Luna sings, spinning around barefoot in the center of his hut. Her wand (that doesn’t work inside the diary, as it turns out) is tucked behind her ear, threatening to fall with every movement.
“Yes, Luna?” Tom looks up from his copy of the Quibbler. (The issue was from 1997. 1997!)
“There’s a door.”
Tom blinked. “A door?”
“Yes,” Luna murmured, her earrings swinging as she spun around again. “It’s not painted. It just appeared. Right there,” she slows her spin to point at the wall, where sure enough, there is a door. It’s not a true door, though. It looks cut, like someone took scissors to his beautiful hut and left a jagged doorway.
Tom stood. “Do we- should we go in?”
“I can’t leave, Thomas,” Luna smiles. “I already know. I can see it. I’m not real, so I can’t leave. But you’re real.”
“You- it leads to outside the diary?”
“Yes. I’m just a painting, so I am afraid I cannot accompany you. It was lovely meeting you, Thomas. I’ve much appreciated our friendship, however short lived.”
Tom touched the jagged edge of the door and gasped when the paper cut his fingertips. “I can’t just leave you, Luna. I’ll- I’ll miss you.”
“I won’t be truly gone,” she smiles again, that lovely dreamy smile. “If I never existed, then I can’t ever really be gone.”
Her words hit him hard.
“I’ll miss you anyways,” he said stubbornly, feeling a bit like a child again.
Luna stopped spinning entirely, stepping forward to grab ahold of Tom’s hand, and maneuvering it palm up in front of them.
Tom gasped.
His palm and fingers were streaked with blood from the paper cuts.
Red.
Blood.
Not ink. Blood.
Tom was alive.
#harry potter#hp#fuck jkr#hp x male reader#x male reader#tom riddle#tom riddle x male reader#tom riddle x reader#i love him#gay#these bitches gay good for them
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@evilkaeya @aaabatteryy @starrynightarchive
see my other post about this here
to tl;dr this: when it comes to fandom and content creators, ppl tend to make content of the characters they already love and thus think about most often, which leads to, at times, male characters getting genderbent into women either thru cis or trans hcs, bc they are both genderbending, thats the definition of the term bc youre changing their gender, and getting mad at people for not, in your opinion, "appreciating" the female characters enough, is not doing anything except making people feel bad for not having the "correct" feelings about a character at best, or making them actively angry and thus fueling them to create more of that thing you hate out of spite at worst (for you anyway, not for the people who like it).
this doesnt mean they dont give a shit abt the other characters who arent their faves, but to create a work of art, you need to be able to like. care enough to do it. and that requires more care than just a general enjoyment or appreciation of a character, especially if the work in question is time intensive/would be time intensive, like writing a chapter fic/thousands of words long oneshot, or making a fully rendered piece of art, etc. obvi this will depend on the skill and energy levels of the artist we're talking about but yknow, on a general scale
op of this post blocked me so i cant respond directly on it but, for context
first of all: i'm not illiterate but i'm beginning to think some people on this post might be, given this response, because it is so clearly Not what i was talking about it's a little wild, actually!
also i hate to tell yall this, but the reason you don't often see people genderbending female characters to male anymore is bc of the spread of radfem ideology thru fandom spaces like wildfire. ppl genuinely lose their shit when ppl even have transmasc or trans man headcanons for characters assumedly cis female in the source material (which is genderbending btw. them being trans doesnt mean it isnt genderbending anymore you are still changing their gender thus it is genderbending thats the definition fellas) bc they fucking hate men and the idea of men existing
sorry not sorry but if you get mad at ppl who genderbend female characters into transmascs/trans men (transmascs aren't always genderbends, bc you can be transmasc and also a woman, but i digress/for the sake of brevity...) and go "you're TAKING AWAY a GOOD FEMALE CHARACTER!" i need you to stop for a second and consider why these people - most of whom are trans men/transmascs themselves - might be doing that to a character they like.
9/10 times when i see a cis genderbend of a male character to be female, the person doing it is a cis woman. when i see genderbends, of any kind, of a female character to be male or masc? it's almost always done by a trans man and/or a transmasc. and inevitably, they are almost always dogpiled for it with disgusting levels of hate. i've seen it happen so many times i stopped attempting to count a long time ago
don't come up here saying "you NEVER see-" because actually i see all of those things happen all the time. ppl love genderbending men characters into women, or emasculating/demasculinizing/feminizing them in order to make them personally more appealing, or saying "[mlm ship] would be better if it was two girls/wlw/two fem-aligned/etc" all the fucking time. and while i realize this is often a way for the people who say this to like, try to lash out at common misogynistic/lesbiphobic/transmisogynistic/etc sentiment irl, in doing so, they are not doing it in a way that allows for a nuanced understanding of their fellow fandom-goers. they make blanket sweeping statements and then dogpile people who disagree
the moment you start treating entire demographics of people as if they are a hivemind or a single identity, the moment you decide that something "never" happens bc you personally have not seen it? youve already lost any possible chance you mightve had at making a good point
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Round 3
Propaganda Under Cut
Uraraka Ochaco
she is absolutely a victim of yaoi. let her have her crush and let her be a person BEYOND HER FEELINGS FOR ONE MAN!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS A WONDERFUL HERO! AND HAS AN INTRICATE PERSONALITY BEYOND IZUKU!
One of Midoriya “Deku” Izuku’s first friends (the first real one, to be exact), training to be a hero alongside the rest of her class. Despite her character arc and evolution of goals, which tie in strongly with the themes of the series, fans view her as an “obstacle” because of her canonical crush on Izuku. As a result, fan works pairing Izuku with a guy minimize the positive impact she’s had on his life and diminish her role, with some even demonizing her and turning her into a jealous bitch to justify Izuku not dating her. The simple possession of a crush has lead to her being overlooked and mistreated by the fandom, such as the common take she’s had no growth since the obtainment of her crush (feelings she actively pushes to the side as to not possibly create a distraction from her goals). These takes are accompanied by claims her character solely revolves around Izuku, ignoring the fact that many other guy characters have their characters revolve around him, some even more than her.
Shes literally so fucking cool and passionate and she has a genuinely interesting place in the setting and YET she is constantly sidelined by both the show and the fandom in favor of her canonical love interest/main character and i'm going to be mad about it forever. 90% of the time is should she date the MC, or just that shes "a queen" or "a girlboss". Bc who cares about her growing up in poverty or her relationship with her parents or interest in rescue work? All that matters is that shes not a threat to YOUR favorite MLM ship but dw! Its still feminist because she can punch people <3
Sakura Haruno
Her husband is gay and her author doesn't know how to write women. So many people say she's the worst but she. DESERVES. BETTER!!! Save her from this franchise.
My baby girl my bestie my best friend. She committed the crime of um being written by kishimoto who both doesn’t know how to write women and somehow writes men in the gayest way possible specifically naruto and sasuke. Like the thing is naruto and sasuke ARE gay and also she gets so much hate for the crime of kishimoto writing her one dimensionally in love with sasuke. I know her personally she is a butch lesbian to me just trust me she’s in love with Ino and has a lesbian thing going on with Karin okay just trust me. My everything. She needs to divorce the loveless lavender marriage she’s in
What is there to say, even? The OG Threat to my 90s anime brain, the only woman I've ever hated with such a passion she made me turn away from the color pink. I used to write fics with my friend where she got left behind on purpose so our OCs could join the Naruto and Sasuke team instead. I loathed this bitch until I was 16 and realized the author simply couldnt write women and decided it was time to make peace with Sakura. It is not her fault she's vaguely written and obsessive over Sasuke. She deserves better. Sasuke and Naruto still should be together and Sakura shouldnt be with Sasuke but I no longer believe this because I hate Sakura, it is because I love her. She deserves a spouse who will actually put in the time to treat her like the hero she is.
#yes those are the fortnite skins#i took those pictures myself#i've been waiting for this match up just so i could use those pictures#round 3#poll#uraraka ochacho#ochako uraraka#bnha#my hero academia#sakura haruno#naruto
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Selected Excerpts from the Paper "On Gender Anxiety Among Female BL Readers" by Cheng Yanan
before any non-chinese person reads this... this is not talking about mlm fiction written by actual gay men, but rather mlm fiction written and read by straight women
1. The Weakening of the Uke's Image: Contradiction Between the Pursuit of Equality and Self-Denigration
"The character schema of seme and uke still replicates the binary gender roles of a patriarchal society."
"BL enthusiasts are caught in the contradiction of consciously pursuing gender equality while subconsciously denigrating themselves."
"Female characters are severely marginalized in most BL texts."
"The initial intention of female readers to pursue gender-neutral personal development by breaking gender stereotypes is compromised as BL fans collectively and unconsciously construct female characters under the male gaze, reinforcing patriarchal aesthetic constraints on women."
2. Female Characters: The Inescapable Gender Gaze
(BL novels) have not created new, realistic, and free gender images, nor have they made valuable breakthroughs in reshaping rigid gender characteristics in social culture. Female readers merely vent their negative emotions—such as the helplessness and resentment of being gazed at in real society—excessively in BL novels. However, they are unable to break away from the male gaze, resulting in the portrayal of stereotypical female roles within a patriarchal culture. This dichotomy of good versus evil, one-size-fits-all construction reveals the female readers' confusion and misjudgment of their own gender under the constraints of patriarchal thinking. The unbreakable patriarchal gender imagination acts like a glass ceiling, causing women to struggle between the male gaze and gazing at men."
3. The Paradox of Homosexual Physiology and Sexual Oppression: The Difficulty of Facing Sexual Desire
"BL readers, on one hand, pursue sexual liberation, and on the other, find it difficult to confront their own sexual desires directly. They resort to oppressive erotic content in BL texts to realize sexual fantasies and obtain sexual pleasure."
"Additionally, females striving to discard feudal chastity values in reality often reinforce them in BL texts."
"BL enthusiasts have yet to escape the patriarchal conditioning of female bodily desires, unconsciously reproducing the sexual oppression women face in society within the uke characters in novels."
4. Avoiding Conflict: Cathartic Release of Anxiety
"BL novels do not actively explore homosexuality as a social existence but rather provide a means for romantic fantasy."
"In the carnival of fantasy and daydreaming, female readers’ gender anxiety is temporarily relieved in a self-deceptive manner, achieving a fleeting reconciliation between their gender 'superego' and 'id.' However, their confusion does not lead to further exploration. BL literature opts to avoid facing social taboos and real-life challenges."
"Given the grim survival conditions for women in reality, the unique cultural background, the gap with Western feminism, the academic isolation of gender studies, and the misinterpretation of feminism in the media, female readers find it hard to believe in the possibility of overthrowing the existing gender order and ultimately achieving gender equality based on the fact that inherent biological differences are a reality. Moreover, in an era of individualism, the fading sense of elite feminist responsibility has led them, to some extent, to no longer wish to struggle for the common ideal of gender equality in traditional ways. Reading BL novels, as Beauvoir mentioned in 'The Second Sex,' becomes an easier measure for releasing gender fantasies and alleviating anxiety, compared to anxiously seeking a way out. Constructing same-sex love stories free of physiological differences proves to be a more straightforward approach."
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I do not think Jegulus is inherently misogynistic but I think their existence as a popular ship perfectly showcases the larger problem of misogyny in the Marauders fandom.
This fandom is painfully male centered with an unhealthy obsession with mlm ships, no matter how nonsensical they are. Jegulus, with all due respect, is a nonsense ship. I know some people like to ignore canon and make everything up but I don’t. Jegulus can work fine in AUs but not in canon compliant fics. And whenever Jegulus shippers speak about what makes them compelling, they always bring up tropes - brother’s best friend, sunshine x grumpy (don’t even get me started on thinking James Potter is a sunshine but that’s beside the point), enemies to lovers, etc. All that is meaningless to me. Shipping based on tropes is ridiculous because none of those tropes matter when James and Regulus, from what we know of their characters, are completely incompatible as people. I won’t speak on Regulus because we have little information about it and it’s easy to treat him as a blank sheet (although I think he’s too whitewashed) but we know a lot about James, including that he despised Slytherins, Death Eaters and the dark arts. So, in order for Jegulus to work, James has to become an unrecognizable character from what he actually is in canon. You are not writing about James Potter. You are creating an OC and slapping James’ name on it. Jegulus was born out of this weird necessity the fandom has for mlm ships. Take Drarry and Wolfstar as an example. Those ships aren’t canon but they have some canon basis because those couples interacted, had a dynamic together, had interactions and lore that could be interpreted in different ways. With Jegulus, it’s all made up.
And this leads me to Lily and by extent, the other girls. Lily was the main female character in the Marauders Era and Jily was the second biggest ship. Since Jegulus gained popularity, Lily has been sidelined, her story has been co-opted, even her own child gets snatched from her and given to Regulus. The girls that before had some developed (nowhere near enough because this fandom has always been misogynistic, let’s not get it twisted), have been shoved to the side or used as tools to further mlm ships. The reason why there’s such a pushback against sapphic!Lily, per example, is because unfortunately some people (definitely not all and definitely not sapphic women in this fandom) really only use that to get her out of the way of Jegulus and that’s the case for many wlw ships in the fandom. All they get is the yearly “I love [insert wlw ship]” tweet but get no more content or develop, unlike the men.
The general treatment of the girls is terrible too. The biggest Jegulus fic, Choices, has Regulus covering up Mary’s SA and James cheating on a pregnant Lily and yet we are supposed to root for them in the end. ATYD has Mary being routinely humiliated by both Sirius and Remus and we are supposed to be okay with it because they’re just two closeted teen boys navigating the world. Pandora and Dorcas have been placed in Slytherin and made besties with Death Eaters to make horrible men more sympathetic and so they can serve as therapists and saviors to people who joined a wizard terrorist group.
I could go on. I am genuinely not trying to be rude or aggressive, just giving my opinion. As I said, Jegulus shippers are not all misogynistic but Jegulus’ popularity showcases the implicit biases against women in the fandom. Other mlm ships and I will keep using Drarry and Wolfstar as examples have also led to the erasure and mistreatment of women. But it’s harder to justify Jegulus because unlike those other two ships, Jegulus is a completely random pairing that feels like was born out of the desire to pair James with a man rather than any interesting interactions those two characters had.
Hi!
Firstly, thank you for sharing your thoughts on it! I see your perspective well and agree with a lot of your points.
(Excuse my yapping below, it helps me get my thoughts out better and to better understand your points!)
For anyone reading this, please note that there are spoilers for atyd and choices below!
This fandom is definitely male-centered and I see your point on how focused the mlm ships this fandom is on. With the ships of wolfstar, the joke-gone-serious ship of jegulus, and the babygirlification and pairing of rosekiller, etc, etc...
I understand the canon compliant vs fanon complaint argument. I think that's where the lines get blurred when it comes to people's views on ships. Canon and Fanon are two completely different ball games when is comes with things making sense and what doesn't.
I lean more towards fanon compliant fics so for me that's where Jegulus makes sense to me because like you said, it's basically OCs with their names slapped on them. It's easier to mold them to work that way, so it's easier to ship them. Also I just love the idea of Sapphic!Lily too which was a concept I thought about before I even knew about Jegulus, honestly.
For canon-compliance, I am all for Jily 100% because it's canon-compliant. You can't fight with it. Even though wolfstar isn't canon, it makes sense to have them be something where as James and Regulus wouldn't have been anything. And I agree with you, they only work in AUs or fanon concepts.
With that being said, I also recognize the misogynistic nature of the fandom. I definitely don't agree with Jegulus raising Harry, because that's literally Jily's child (if anyone does, no hate towards you It's just doesn't sit well with me personally) and it begs the question, what happened with Lily that Jegulus has Harry?
I also agree with your point about how the girls/wlw ships in the fandom don't get a lot of development. I think it's a shame, truly. However, I have, recently, seen some people have different Headcanons of how they are as people. So I'm hoping that develops into something more than just ideas floating around. I also am not sure how they are in canon-compliant fics besides atyd (which I do have my opinions on too and im only halfway through it). I haven't read choices yet so I can only take your word for it.
I do at some point want to make a full long, academic-esque essay about the misogynistic nature of the fandom, because I do have A LOT to say, ESPECIALLY with the treatment of Mary. There's definitely a lot to unpack.
I'm fairly new to the Marauders fandom, so I'm trying to learn what I can. Again, thank you for sharing your perspective! I appreciate it!
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Step By Step: It makes sense to me.
We’re taking a break from our game this week, so it’s time to get into the Step By Step discourse. Much has been said about the pacing and the writing of this show. I want to write out some of my thoughts on the gay things that are going on and how I think they play into the themes. I’ll try building off my post from last night and expanding those thoughts.
Let me say that I am writing this from the perspective as a Black gay male in the Gulf Coast of the US. I’m writing from that perspective and primarily for that perspective.
The Frustration Is Intentional
I think one of the big themes of this show is about how people are not going to be able to have happiness if they can’t live their lives honestly with each other. Almost every couple is having problems of some sort in this show, and most of them are because of their inability to be direct and honest with each other about what’s going on. Pat gained clarity with the MLM Big Tall by telling him right off. He and Put can’t be together because neither of them can talk about how much they don’t fit anymore. Beam can’t be with Ae. Ae is always fussing with Khanun. Jaab and Jane can’t be together because they can’t talk about what’s going on between them. Pat and Jeng are struggling because Jeng is struggling.
I agree that these episodes have not felt triumphant, but it doesn’t feel like that’s what the show is going for right now. They had a false honeymoon phase. It almost feels like they’re hoping that the release in a year’s worth of sexual tension will fix all the other issues. However, the world is still pressing in. Ying saw this, too, and reminded Pat that he is the one who must be strong. It feels kinda cool to me that a romantic lead who’s the more femme written such that they must take total control of their destiny. Neither of these dudes are going to solve Pat’s problems.
Jeng is Broken
Jeng broke last week when he finally admitted what’s been going on with Pat to Jaab. Something I feel very strongly about is how little care is given to boys who mask well enough to pull of heteronormativity. They are suffering quietly, but we don’t care about their pain because they seem so put together or they’re unfun. Jeng has been nursing a crush on Pat for a year, and he was confronted with the revelation that Pat has only seen him as a coworker, has thought he was straight this entire time, and has explicitly said that Jeng is making him uncomfortable.
Jeng’s breakdown says he knows how tenuous his hold has been for a long time. We all noticed that he seemed off this week. He’s barely processing Pat’s confession. He’s throwing food to the ground. He’s not taking care at work. Instead of creating appropriate professional distance from them, he’s instead planning to promote Pat past his colleagues. Jeng is not paying attention.
Beyond his interest in Pat, the only thing he showed interest in this episode was continuing to bring food to the local homeless population. We learned in the first episode that he cares a lot about food waste, and we can tell that he clearly has cultivated a positive relationship with at least one unhoused community (See @wen-kexing-apologist post for more extensive thoughts about this).
gif by @pharawee
My good sis @shortpplfedup revived her Anatomy of a Scene series to talk about the final bed scene between Pat and Jeng to highlight how out of sync they are. We also have a great observation from @grapejuicegay about the parallels between the last bed scene with Put as well. I personally also like that Jeng is making a hot mess of things because I think we need to see competent people break sometimes. I like that Jeng is messing up here because he’s older than Pat. I like that Pat is recognizing that being an adult in a relationship is going to require him to also take charge in his relationships, and we get early signs of this with Jeng placing Pat higher than him on the bed, and also a specific linguistic slip that occurred during the car scene where Pat drops honorifics for Jeng (@chicademartinica).
My man is not well. I knew he was genuinely broken when he recoiled at Pat’s suggestion that the rest of the company was relying on him. This was one of his primary motivations for returning to the company in the first place, and he’s completely lost the thread of that because he just wants to be with Pat. I think Jeng will do better if he leaves the company and focuses on his humanitarian goals, and I am excited to see how the show faces that.
I Don’t Think the Romance Is the Goal
I do think that Pat and Jeng will get together. This is BL after all. However, like with Lovely Writer, I think the narrative goals are about how the societal systems around the romance complicate the romance and make it almost impossible. In Lovely Writer, it was the structures of BL production. In this show, it’s about the way corporate culture makes that impossible within the company.
I’ve been reading the posts where people are struggling with this show or frustrated with some of the decisions on the editing floor. Both @lurkingshan and @neuroticbookworm wrote about their feelings about the lack of emotional catharsis or the confusion around the pacing of the story. I see both perspectives and do genuinely share in these frustrations. However, much of my energy has been spent on how the side plots fit into this drama and what they reveal about the main couple as our vehicle through this story.
The Role of the Hets
I was chatting with @lurkingshan last night and I posited that Beam’s role in the story is to show what happens to the people who are cowardly in romance. I also just finished Coffee Prince, where I spent the entire time complaining to Shan about the messy hets in that show. @chicademartinica already did a good breakdown of this in her earlier post about how intentional Tee is being with these beats.
With Beam, he and Ae knew about the feelings that existed between them, but Beam never said anything or did anything with it. Ae may fuss with Khanun a lot, but he’s not afraid of her. He loves her. He is happy with the life they are building and he’s the one who fathered a child with her. Jeng and Put both failed to speak with Pat properly, and now he’s been forced to run away from them. Like Beam, they have been cowards in their relationship with him.
With Jaab and Jane, both are also an example of abject failure to discuss anything about their feelings for each other. Both are pining for the other and making life choices about the other without consulting the other. They keep meeting and clearly thinking about each other, but keep creating barriers between any kind of connection.
Chot is Everything
Chot. I will be writing an In Praise of… essay for Chat like I did for Framboise. We’ve talked about how Chot is an example of who Pat could be someday (@imminentinertia). I think it’s noteworthy that Chot mentioned that he and Krit have been struggling with the closet for eight years. Chot may be out and proud at work, but he’s closeted privately because his partner cannot share his life with him fully. I think it’s notable that it’s been eight years since SOTUS first aired, and Chot is a reminder that BL has a duty to the queers whose lives are packaged for mass entertainment in these stories.
I can’t find one of the posts right now, but I also agree that I think it would be satisfying for the story for Chot to take over Jeng’s role in the company. It felt extremely intentional to me that the Forge project was helmed by and starred almost exclusively gay/bi/femme men despite the funders and decision-makers having a weak understanding of BL and queerness itself. So many organizations rely on the emotional intelligence and availability of queer people to keep themselves running.
gif by @pharawee
I also feel like Tee wanted to do right by a character for Bruce this time. Many of us felt some kind of way about what happened to his character in Lovely Writer, and I like that he gets to be the first one to signal that the needle is moving a little bit. After eight difficult years, he and his partner are going to see his partner’s parents. Chot is a reminder that none of this stuff happens quickly. It’s been a year in the show for Jeng and Pat, but it’s been decades for some of us in the struggle for queer rights.
More than anything, I am glad that Pat has a queer friend who isn’t too much older than him to give him perspective. It’s imperative that we continue to show that queer people are rarely alone in their lives as adults. They’re finding their friends and community. We also take care of each other. Chot is not going to sit idly by and let the Baby Gay in the office flounder. He takes him under his wing at the expressed concern from Jeng.
Let’s Talk About Gay Sex
They showed Ben’s happy trail!!! I can’t believe it! We’ve come so far! These two can kiss!!
gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul
I really love these two jumping into a physical relationship quickly only for it to end up not working for Pat. Chot warned him that he was looking down on Jeng’s feelings. Jeng has more feelings than just his attraction to Pat, and that’s going to be the struggle for the rest of this show. Pat needs to see the totality of Jeng, and these two need to figure out what they want for themselves.
I can’t wait to see what triumphant sex looks like for these two.
Well, that’s all I’ve got this week. I’m enjoying unpacking this and La Pluie with everyone right now. Keep posting! Keep chatting! Tag me if you write more stuff! Thank you for coming to my post.
Also tagging @waitmyturtles because I feel for you and the struggles you're having with this project coming off of Tee's earlier work.
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Catman Worldbuilding Brainstorming
I’m bored and wish to brainstorm more ideas about what a world where catmen existed alongside Homo Sapiens would look like.
Western Society known now vs a western society that was conceived alongside catmen would differ for sure.
This is an open pool of my ideas and then anyone who wishes to add on can.
If western society didn’t changed (aka: modern western society)
- I am 100% sure it would just be crazy ass speciesism. People would use the same tactics used by racists but apply it to catmen and because they *are* different species, the see that as proof of their racists explanations being true.
- 🥲all the racist Christian’s who would say shit about man being made in god’s image and “god wasn’t a cat so you are frowned upon in his eyes” or some shit.
- Not to mention how Catmen (female or male) will look like a mlm relationship to humans.- also shit about catmen being born with fangs and claws and them being “uncivilized” for having animal characteristics. They would be seen as dangerous just because of how they’re born.
- efforts to hide tails, claws, paws, ears, or other feline features would likely be done; like wearing concealing clothes or trimming fur and whiskers.
- ^ adding to this: in the efforts to conform with western binary gender, catmen may ham up nonexistent differences between their sexes. Depends on if the catmen are in a group that values the gender binary forced upon them, of if they’re in a group that intentionally disregards binary gender.
That’s a lotta really depressing shit. But let us consider what if the jointed evolution of the two resulted in a more accepting society…
Alternate Universe Western Society:
- Catmen exist /migrated anywhere humans settled and traded so there would be differences across the world, hence why I focus on western society. My history knowledge isn’t incredibly detailed, hence why this is not going into a lot of specifics
- the main visual distinguishes between Catmen and humans is the cat features and the lack of sexual dimorphism.
- A society with these normalized would result in a wider acceptance of genders, sex, and visual looks (I would hope. Historically, just because two cultures differ doesn’t mean they’ll come shake hands and become buddies).
- btw, Catmen was a term given to them by humans. I don’t have a name at the moment for what they would have referred to themselves. Considering they live around the world, I am sure they too would take up a nationality-centric identity as opposed to labels that identify them as a member in the collective species. A little like how humans don’t say “ah, well I am a human!” to other humans. They say “I am *insert nationality, ethnicity, group or etc.*”
- catmen gender in their society likely differed from being binary. They lack sexual dimorphism and had no reason to draw lines between the sexes (that is unless they wanted to make a mountain out of a mole hill in relations to which sex carried the baby). Because of his, I bet gender fluidity, genders that would be outside of the western gender binary, would be common place.
- the diversity in appearances would surely create tension between human and Catmen even in this AU west society. Look at our own society, being distinct lead to stronger in vs out grouping which snowballs.
- but to inject some hopecore into this, let’s say Catmen and human interaction led to a better understanding of accommodating people’s bodies and wishes.
- ex: kids are taught to not touch catmen ears or tails without asking. It is also frowned upon to ask a catmen stranger “can I touch your fur?”
- Another ex: there are clothes and hats made to accommodate ears, tails, and claws. Toddler clothes are durable so the kids don’t tear the fabric as they get used to their claws and retracting them.
- being gay is hopeless less frowned upon. 🥲 catmen can present themselves very androgynous so at the very least, relationships and bonds between those who don’t resemble human male and female pairings would be normalized through exposure.
Misc additions and world building:
- to tie this AU back into RDR2 (if you aren’t aware, this is world building for a rdr2 AU), catnip/catmint could be a deadeye thing. It can be interpreted as calming the hand of twitches or energizing the cat and making them quicker at firing. So… maybe humans try catnip (to no effect).
- catmen across the world would of course differ, but in the west, catmen social groups are mostly familial with a loose collection of loners that join. There is no strongly defined hierarchy, it’s a group come together to help with hunting and survival. The offspring of a family often leave to join or create new colonies.
- ^ this idea can explain why being a loner / joining a group you’re not biologically related to is more normal. Society is so stringent on in and out groups, but perhaps catmen values can make the barriers for entry or exit from a group less barbed.
I’m running out of ideas and have a headache but yeah. Feel free to add on and have a conversation with me.
#cat boy#catboy#catboy AU#Meeks rambles#cat boy lore#world building#lore#discussion#meek’s headcanons#meowcah bell#meowcah
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No, Ncuti Gatwa's Casting Isn't Regressive
Chapter 3 - Dancing Queen/Conclusion
‘I’ve experienced racism my whole life, and while I always believed in myself, always knew [racists] were stupid and uneducated, I guess it did misinform my view of how the world works. It makes you think everyone has that opinion and you’ll constantly have to fight through life – then you learn that you don’t: you can find a tribe, you can find your people.’ - Ncuti Gatwa for Elle
So with the treatment of Who’s Black men and the neglect of Black women in its representations of womanhood, consider the Fifteenth Doctor. A dark-skinned Black queer man, wearing a kilt and a bold smile, spinning to his heart’s content on the dancefloor. This is an image of Blackness, an image of queerness and an image of manhood and masculinity the show has never seen before. Gatwa is fully aware of this and has gone in depth in his interviews. He’s also addressed his Rwandan heritage and his family fleeing genocide against the Tutsi. Gatwa knows the feeling of being an outsider, heavily mirroring the revelation of the Timeless Child. Black Britishness is already a form of representation mainstream British media has only recently acknowledged and in this case, Black Scottishness is taking the forefront. Despite being a British cultural stape, Doctor Who’s been shy about representing Black Britishness specifically. We’ve had three Black companions, but little references to the culture (minus Ryan’s mention of grime music in Arachnids). We know Yaz is Pakistani. But is Ryan African? If yes, is he Nigerian, Ghanaian etc.? Is Ryan West Indian? If so, is he Trini, Bajan etc.? Is he both? What was Martha and Bill’s heritage? Many Black people in the British Isles are 2nd and 3rd gen immigrants, some of us are African, some are West Indian and some of us are both. Black British identity is complex as it is a melting pot of different African and West Indian cultures blended to create something new. Gatwa’s Black Scottishness provides this insight to Fifteen. Gatwa’s Rwandan heritage is included in Fifteen’s sonic too, with Gallifreyan symbols translating the phrase ‘the sharpness of the tongue always defeats the sharpness of the warrior’. Other Black cultural references have appeared for Fifteen too, with Gatwa noting his wardrobe is inspired by Black American HBCU fits. Even though it isn’t yet confirmed (and unlikely for series 14/season 1 seeing as there are no Black writers… yay!), Gatwa has shown interest in a Nigerian historical stating he’d love for the Doctor to meet the Orishas, goddesses of West African folklore. Again, with many different Black cultures not only is this an opportunity for representation but also new stories, new locations and new concepts the show has yet to discover. To fit in so many spaces but none at all is a perfect summary of the Black British experience and other Black experiences in Western countries.
“We choose our families. And the Doctor is a lonely wanderer, looking for their next adventure … I know many a gay man, MANY a gay man, I could describe that way!” - Ncuti Gatwa for the Guardian
Queer Black manhood and masculinity is rich and diverse and with this new era, we could see the tip of its iceberg. There have already been representations of this before in media such as Moonlight and Noah’s Arc so for a mainstream British show like Doctor Who to feature a queer Black man as the lead, we have the opportunity to show something special. With Nine and Jack’s kiss and Fourteen’s cosign of Isaac Newton already showing this potential, we could see a canon longer term mlm pairing involving the Doctor for the first time. And not only that but with a Black doctor for the first time. A queer Black man showing love and being loved is a reminder for queer Black people that universe-defying romance includes us too and that our DoctorRiver or TenRose moments can exist.
There is so much to look forward to in this new era and even more potential for the type of representation it can bring. So with that in mind, I hope the greater fandom at large can see this and that newer fans will get to experience that same joy we did when we first fell in love with this show.
‘This person survived a genocide. This person fits in everywhere and nowhere. I am the Doctor. The Doctor is me. I decided that I had to get this role’ - Ncuti Gatwa for Rolling Stone
<- Chapter 2
#fifteenth doctor#15th doctor#ncuti gatwa#doctor who#nuwho#new who#black representation#doctor who analysis#fandom analysis#doctor who fandom#fandom antiblackness#fandom racism#fandom history
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BEFORE YOU READ:
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Tippler Pigeon
Edward Nashton/The Riddler x M!It/Its!Reader
Last Edited: 09/09/22
TW: stalking, brief mention of sexual activities
Requested: No.
Word Count: 1,735
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Living by the Iceberg Lounge has very few perks. Most were cons, with all the rich filing in to get their daily drops along with sex. Who cared if their partners were at home, working hard to take care of their kids? They were busy partying, giving away valuable information to anyone attractive enough to so much as flutter their eyelashes at them. Maybe even let them feel that person up and the secrets spill from their lips faster than a pigeon can fly off in fear of being hit with a pipe by some shitty kid. There is also the constant harassment from the drunkards and those high off their tails whenever you leave your complex.
The information is a perk though; probably the only pro there is to the place. And to get any info, you have to be able to either be employed at the club, be one of the awful rich folk, or pay off one of the employees that work there. The waitresses were the ones to get the most info and the best bet. They’re there for money; half of them hated the club with their entire being but it was the only option they had left. But there was a major con. If either of you are found out, you both get killed. That’s why it is usually best to find someone trustworthy, someone who can lie as well as keep their cool. Despite all this, you weren’t one for this. The data collected from there would sell for a pretty buck but your life was more important. People would do anything to keep their secrets under wraps. That included the orchestrated murder of people.
Your neighbour did seem to like the club though. Many pictures of the lounge, as well as the mayor, Don Mitchell. There were other people, you’re sure, though you were never able to see them. Whatever information he was getting his hands on, it would lead to his death if anyone reported him. You don't know him well but the idea of him dying is unsettling. He fits into your schedule; he is part of the routine you follow, even if he doesn’t know. Seeing him at all, was just normal. Not seeing or even hearing him for an entire day made it feel like everything was wrong and it made doing things extremely hard. His presence is deeply engraved in your daily routine that, with him suddenly being gone, it comes crashing down around you. Thankfully, he hasn’t ever disappeared for long. He’s never been gone for longer than a day. The few times he does leave for an entire day is awful and takes a lot of reassurance from yourself and even some promises to go to the place you really want or get an item you’ve been saving up for; that usually helps you create a new routine, just for that day until it all goes back to the original.
For the past few weeks, you’ve felt eyes on you. Which is odd since you haven’t had anyone over except a coworker who usually comes uninvited. She couldn’t be the one though since, knowing her, you weren’t much for holding her attention. She only ever came over to force you to watch movies you absolutely hated because she needed someone to annoy while all her other pals were busy. Despite that, she’s fairly nice despite only ever needing you when her friends are all off doing something without her.
Still, she’s ruled out. She maybe visits once a week and has nothing to gain from watching you. The only other people you can think of is your neighbour and the extremely creepy lady a floor above you. She’s touchy and always trying to get people to let her inside their apartment. You didn’t doubt she had at least one harassment charge on her record. You rule her out as well, making note of how she has always said you were “too weird” or “clearly mentally unwell” from the things you do.
That only leaves your neighbour. The man that’s been gathering extremely dangerous information on people. As far as you know, however, he's never even noticed you. You barely glance at each other whenever you walk past each other. Neither of you say hello or make eye contact; you’re practically strangers. But he’s the only one that makes sense. With all the information he’s gathering, he must be wary of those on his floor or those he sees often enough. You happen to pass each other everyday. And if that’s the case, how is he watching you? There’s no cameras beside your phone and computer. Your doors all remain shut and any window is covered with curtains as well as locked tight. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s just paranoia. Hallucinations even; from lack of sleep, stress, or even depression.
No matter what it truly is, you just try to ignore it all. This leads to you working late at the gift shop job you’ve taken up in the museum. There isn’t much to it. There’s a few plushies, some knickknacks, and other miscellaneous items. Other than stocking, scanning items, and possibly helping out customers, there isn't much to it. Tonight is like any other with you stocking the shelves and organising items. Very few entered at this time. Though Gotham never seemed to sleep, it didn’t mean people are looking to go to a museum or gift shop to look around or wander about. Or, that’s what you had been thinking.
“I have a question, if you don’t mind answering,” A voice says from beside you. You face the voice, stopping your hands from placing another plushie on its rack. The person standing there is your neighbour. His eyes seem to glow green despite there being no way they could. He had never shown any signs of being inhuman or an enhanced human.
“Uhm… Sure. Ask away,” You tell him, turning away to continue placing the plushies away.
“Have you seen anyone dressed in black and clearly trying to hide their face here?” It’s an odd question but you don’t have to give it much thought.
“I’ve seen some kids, mostly. Like those alt ones. Or scene. Emo,” You tell him, straightening out the row of plush hippos. It’s odd to even see your neighbour here since you knew that, if he wanted info, it would haven’t come from asking some employee at a museum. Especially if it’s about someone’s likes or dressware; not like you cared about what those kids or even adults dressed like. So far, the nicest ones had been the ones that dressed differently and showed off their interests with the colours, outfits, odd items, pins, and bags. Not just nice, but also polite. Many seemed overjoyed to hear you compliment their styles.
“Did any of them seem very familiar? Like maybe you’ve seen them on television or in papers?” He presses on. You only shake your head, turning to him.
“Not really. As far as I know, they’ve all been polite and interested in the artefacts, history, plushies, and pins… Besides, wouldn’t you have gotten that stuff already?”
“What do you mean?” Interest suddenly peaked, he looks at you like you’ve just told him the most interesting fact he’s ever heard.
“Well… I mean… You’re my neighbour. The data I’ve seen you get usually is done by yourself. Getting your own pictures and probably hacking and stalking,” You ramble, straightening the magnets and making sure each one is placed correctly. “It kinda reminds me of a Tippler Pigeon .. I mean, you do. With how active they are. From what I've read, they can have an in-flight of about fourteen to nineteen hours; maybe even twenty-two hours… And you’re always active. Always getting data, then working, and then going out at weird times for more data; that’s just a guess though… And they’re really intelligent.” You inhale before continuing, “you have to be pretty smart to get all that info on your own and to even understand it all. Clearly you have a lot if the stacks and stacks of papers you’re constantly bringing has to say anything. And they’re also pretty. And you’re pretty but like, in your own way. Not the bird way or whatever toxic stuff they say about the weird ‘pretty’ being bad to men…”
You turn to look at your neighbour after your ramble, seeing if he’s tuned you out at all. You weren’t expecting him to be staring at you with utter adoration and large eyes behind his glasses. It seems he had been absorbing all the information you had been spouting passionately. His smile is full of glee and he’s practically buzzing with excitement. “Something wrong?” You ask as he continues to stare.
“No! No, no! Nothing! I never thought I’d hear such passion from another person… Especially about me,” He tells you, grabbing your hands in his own. You flinch in surprise but don’t pull away. You’ve never seen your neighbour so happy. “Maybe… Maybe you can help me with my research? Help me with the pollution of the city?” His breathing is laboured slightly, though you don’t put much thought into it.
“... Is there a leak somewhere? Is our water safe? The pigeons?” You ask, concerned. You haven’t heard of any pollution lately but you wouldn’t put it past the higher-ups to try and cover that up.
“Not that kind… A different kind! You’re clearly smart… Such a smart man…” He sighs that out before speaking again, letting out a high pitched, child-like laugh. “We could help the city..! Clean up and make it better.” You blink slowly, thinking of his offer. You’re not sure what pollution he’s talking about or how you’d exactly be helping the city. But you do know that, he’s been nothing but nice so far, not even being angry at your info dump or rambling. So, with the decision in mind, you give him a small smile and a nod.
“Alright. I’ll help you however I can.” With the response, he becomes more giddy with happiness and tightens his hold on your hands.
“GREAT! This is great..! We’ll make such a good pair, you and I!” He lets go of your hands, demeanour still happy before bidding you goodbye.
“... What a cute but odd guy… “ You mumble before getting back to work.
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