#What are you a cop? pride flag

[lrgcarter]

I have designed a new Pride Flag.

I believe it fills a gap in the span of flag coverage. I might be wrong, feel free to ignore if so.

This is the What Are You, A Cop? flag.

Do you want to know more?

Who is it for?

This flag represents any aspect of identity that you contain but don't want to actively broadcast, be it sexuality, gender, absence of either, disability, ethnicity, race, or anything else that I'll inevitably remember I wanted to mention the moment I hit post.

When I say you don't want to actively broadcast it, I don't mean you're keeping it secret. I mean you're just not bringing it up in conversation. And if people want to ask, it's up to you whether you tell them.

The flag encompasses people who have always been who they are, and have therefore never had a "coming out" moment and don't want to have one now.

The flag encompasses people who are happy talking about themselves to those they trust, but think everyone else should mind their own business.

The flag encompasses people who are questioning their identity and don't feel the need to show their workings so far.

The flag encompasses people who think surveys and the state don't need to know these aspects of you identity and should just regard you simply as human.

The flag encompasses people regardless of their reasons for identity privacy.

The flag does NOT encompass secret bigotries, but I imagine if they heard about it bigots would try to co-opt it. Meh, I don't believe this post will gain any traction so I don't need to worry about that.

What Does It Represent?

The design is inspired by this image from the Information Security Wikipedia page.

Central Circle - Existence of Self

The central circle represents yourself and your own identity information.

It stands as a statement that you exist.

Triangle Points - Who has Knowledge of Self

The three points of the triangle represent who has/has not got access to knowledge of your self.

One triangle for those allowed access.

One triangle for those forbidden access.

One triangle for yourself, representing your own journey of self discovery.

Rings - Controlling Access to Self

The rings represent your right to control who knows about your self.

The inner yellow ring represents your right to control knowledge of your physical being.

The black ring represents your right to control knowledge of your mental/psychological being.

The outer yellow ring represents your control knowledge of how your collected physical and mental self interacts with external systems/environments. (eg, whether an environment casts you as disabled.)

Black Field

The square of black in the background represents how designs need to sit on an appropriately shaped 'base' if they are to function as a flag.

Style Guide

The flag uses just two colours because that makes them easier to get hold of.

The colours of yellow and black were chosen because if you can get hold of any fabric or paint, these will commonly be among your options.

Also, these colours mean Back Off in nature.

The design is shoddily constructed. The edges of the circles are messy. The width of the rings is uneven. The black circle fits awkwardly on the yellow triangle.

This is because not everyone has the time, energy, skill, or other resources to make a flag that looks good. Make it all neat and smart if you like, but you don't have to.

You could even just draw it in lines; circle, triangle, two more circles.

Draw it how you like, I'm not a cop.

Though, the symbol as depicted was intentionally drawn so as to suggest a cop had shot a bullet through a triangle. You know what sort of triangle. Fuck the police.

Licensing Information

What Are You, A Cop? Pride Flag by lrgcarter is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

[helloiamacashier]

i didn't start questioning my gender until i said something to a coworker about being a woman and then felt guilty, like i had lied to him about myself.

Idk who needs to hear this but you don't need "signs" to tell you you're a girl. You don't need it to hurt in your guts either. You can just want to try it, and you should.

In retrospect, many of my memories can be analysed as a sign of being trans. But the key point here is "in retrospect". I didn't see any of that before realising I'm a girl. I didn't even feel dysphoria before realising I didn't want to be masculine.

6 months ago, I just thought I was a good ally with every sign of being cis. If you feel like this and you love trans people and think they're so cool and think being trans is really beautiful, maybe just try new pronouns and a name online. No one who matters will be mad at you for doing it.

Had I seen a post like this, I would've figured myself out 3 years earlier

@gnome-de-official

[cosmerelists]

Stormlight Characters Explain Why They're At Pride

Yup, it's the Pride month special! That I do...sometimes. Once before. Anyway, the following Stormlight characters, who are at Pride this year, are going to explain why!

[This post contains Wind and Truth Spoilers!]

1. Shallan & Adolin

Shallan: 'Cause we both bi, baby! Adolin: Yes, it's us--the straight-passing bi4bi couple that everyone fears! Shallan: [glances at Adolin, who is wearing the handmade rainbow cape he spent weeks on] Shallan: I don't think anyone will read you as straight, honey. Adolin: Yessss!

2. Kaladin

Kaladin: Me? Honestly, Adolin and Shallan just dragged me here. Kaladin: I guess I'm one of those "straight allies." Adolin: [Frantically waving off Syl, who is approaching Kaladin from behind with her arms full of aromantic- and ace-themed goodies] Adolin (mouthing at Syl): He's not ready yet!

3. Veil & Radiant

Veil: I'm hoping to find a hot woman who doesn't mind dating a system. Veil: And who rides a motorcycle. Veil: Maybe head-to-toe leather. Radiant: And I'm here to make sure that Veil does not crash too hard from disappointment. Veil: ... Radiant: I'm just saying.

4. Renarin & Rlain

Renarin: W-Well, since I have a boyfriend now, it felt like a good year to come to Pride. Rlain: This year, we seem to be brave enough to hold hands. Rlain: Next year--head-to-foot fetish gear? Renarin: T-That WAS the rhythm of amusement, right??

5. Szeth

Szeth: I am here because Nightblood wanted to "learn what gender was and get one." Szeth: We're on gender #9 and counting. Nightblood: Oooh! That table has a lot of gender colors! Go there! Szeth: Double digits beckon. Nightblood: I think I LOVE gender!

6. Jasnah

Jasnah: I hate the framing of that question. Jasnah: What, do I need to present a thesis on my identity in order to earn the right to be here? Jasnah: I am here. I won't put myself in a box to stay.

7. Hoid

Hoid: I am today playing the role of Jasnah's cringe-fail boyfriend, yes. Hoid: But also! Hoid: I HAVE to get every single pride flag. Hoid: ... Hoid: I may or may not have a problem.

8. Moash

Moash: I'm here to punch cops. Moash: What? Do I need another reason?

9. Drehy & Dru

Drehy: Honestly? Yeah, I have a husband 'n' all, but mostly I am here to embrace my destiny as Gay Mentor. Dru: His "I Hug Gay Kids" sign has produced a LOT of tears. Drehy: I just need them to know they're loved.

10. Lift

Lift: Men. Lift: Butts. Lift: Leather. Lift: Need I say more? Wyndle: I-I thought you were gonna be genderfluid or something, mistress!

11. Leshwi

Leshwi: Apparently, the fact that I am a femalen in a malen body garnered me an invitation to this event. Leshwi: And nobody else was strong enough to wear the mile-long Pride Cape. Leshwi: ... Leshwi: I think I am some sort of Pride Goddess among the humans now.

12. Dalinar

Dalinar: I am here to support my son, Renarin. Dalinar: [notices Adolin & Shallan] ...And also my other son. And my daughter-in-law. Dalinar: [notices Kaladin] ...And also my adoptive son. Dalinar: [notices Jasnah] ...And my niece. Dalinar: [notices Szeth] ...And my...former bodyguard? Dalinar: ... Dalinar: Huh.

[elumish]

2025 Progress Pride Reading Challenge

The Goal: Populate every spot on this progress pride flag with a queer book with the corresponding cover color.

The Rules:

Any genre, age range, and length is allowed. Trad published, indie published, and self published are all welcome--though fanfiction is not. (I mean, I'm not a cop. Do what you want. But the goal is to read original fiction.)

Use your own best judgment for whether a cover "counts".

You can include books you've already read--you don't need to start from scratch.

Each color needs at least one book with a female main character.

Hard mode (optional):

Don't repeat authors.

All white, pink, and light blue books must have at least one trans and/or non-binary main character.

All black and brown books must have at least one queer BIPOC main character.

For red, at least one book needs a bisexual main character.

For orange, at least one book needs a lesbian main character.

For yellow, at least one book needs an intersex main character.

For green, at least one book needs an aromantic main character.

For blue, at least one book needs a gay main character.

For purple, at least one book needs an asexual main character.

Participants: Anyone who wants to join and also can read.

The End Date: Whenever you want! I will be aiming to finish by June 30, 2025 aka the last day of Pride.

The Prize: Honor, glory, and having read some more queer books.

You can follow along with me at my Instagram, and if you want some suggestions, you can check out the pride-flag-in-book-covers post that insipired this.

If you have any suggestions, stick them in the replies (and if you're an author, feel free to suggest your own books)!

[lastoneout]

It really is wild to have been at the mall dressed butch with my trans pride pins playing Pokemon Go mentally making sure I didn't go too close to the Easter Bunny event which was swarmed with kids and their families while looking trans, having the trans flag on my body, and holding up my phone, as well as getting judged and stared at extra hard for being transmasc AND disabled in public restrooms, only to then then go online to see people claiming that it's okay to use a slur against trans people who were afab because we apparently don't have real problems. Like???

This shit ass discourse is so far removed from the reality of existing as any type of trans person that it would be funny if it wasn't so goddamn sad. A black butch lesbian got swarmed by cops in a Walmart in my city in February while using the women's restroom and not a single person in a position of political power in my so-called blue city and blue-ish state has said shit about it despite me reaching out to both my mayor and governor's offices demanding they do something to make the trans people of Arizona feel safe and protected from this sort of violence. We really do not need to be out here defending calling other trans people slurs invented on 4chan because?? You like being mean?? Idk I don't get it. Why do you want to be allowed to use a transphbic slur thought up by transphobes as a slur against trans people. What the fuck is wrong with you.

[polyamorousmood]

There’s something delightfully apt about the fact that the poly community has a multitude of pride flags. Love that for us, honestly.

Yeah, it just fits. I can have 3 partners and we can have 8 flags. What are you, a cop?

I am grateful that so many have overlap so that if I haven't seen a particular design before, I can still clock roughly it means 😂

[ohnoitstbskyen]

I heard a raw line from Guilllermo Del Toro the other day about monsters being the perfect way to express human failure:

“…monsters, I believe, are patron saints of our blissful imperfection, and they allow and embody the possibility of failing.”

And i was wondering your take on this quote in relation to things like vampire and werewolf and other semi-monster subtexts. “Monstrous” humans that are ironically allowed to act more human more often than… humans. I just find the attempt to make an outlet for imperfection while still at large criticizing it fascinating.

I mean, yeah, there's a long history of interpreting monsters through queer, anti-colonial, feminist and other Outsider lenses for exactly those reasons. The monster is the Other who is vilified by the in-group, which represents all that the in-group hates. The monster must, by its nature, fail to live up to the standards and expectations of the in-group, which is why it must be destroyed. But that also means the monster is free from the standards and expectations of the in-group, including oppressive and bigoted ones.

So, as an example, if you're queer, and rhetorically treated as inhuman and monstrous and diseased anyway, or eugenically classified as a deviant mutation or sub-derivation of "real" people, there is real appeal and a real sense of resistance in claiming monsterhood, in embracing it and glorying in it.

In part, that's what the rallying cry "we're here, we're queer, get used to it!" meant and still means. It is a reclaiming of monsterhood as a source of strength and community and pride, rather than shame. Slurs are used to Other queer people, to set them apart from "real" people and mark them out as a monstrous deviation from the virtuous norm - slurs are used to call us monsters. And thus a lot of queer people find a lot of power and freedom in reclaiming them, in turning their Othering into a flag to rally around.

And I think that's still a big part of the appeal of the monster, honestly, that freedom from being what someone else thinks you ought to be.

If you're a monster, you don't have to have the perfect body, you don't have to suppress your lust or your love. You don't have to shave your body hair or dress correctly for your assigned gender, or have a white picket fence house with a spouse and 2.3 children. You don't have to sit primly at the dinner table, you don't have to repress your emotions, you don't have to hate the foreigner or despise the gays or fear the trans agenda. You don't have to have a small, straight nose or perfect cheekbones, you don't have to wait to fuck until you're married, or pretend you want to fuck at all. You don't have to want to get rich or be a CEO, you don't have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps or be on your grindset, or cheer when the cops clear out a homeless camp.

To be a monster is to be free from the inhumanity that is forced on us by white supremacy, by fatphobia, by heteronormativity, by imperialism, and by the interests of capital. To be a monster is to be human in all the ways that are inconvenient to oppression.

... but I went off on a tangent there a little bit - vampires and werewolves, right. I have no theoretical or academic basis for any of this, so this is entirely a personal hot take, but I think vampires are perhaps a bit more about "passing" as a fantasy. Not necessarily in a gender sense, but the ability to keep your true nature undetected by the "normal" folk, while the secret things that make you different also make you dangerous and powerful. Surviving by stealing sustenance from a world that hates you, on terms that are entirely yours to dictate. "I will survive even if it kills you," that kind of vibe.

Werewolves, on the other hand, feel more like a defiant, angry embrace of the monstrous. Transforming into something vast and powerful and furious, growing out of your skin, out of your form, out of your boundaries; howling your nature to the moon and mauling any motherfucker who has a problem with it. Giving in to all the beastly unnatural urges, and diving into the horrible monstrous wants and desires that boil inside you (which, remember, include things like Not Wanting To Fuck or Wanting To Hold A Girl's Hand In A Lesbian Sort Of Way). Less the "I outfoxed your social game and drank you dry" slick vampire power fantasy and more the "call me a slur one more time and I'm going to wear your entrails like a fucking scarf" power fantasy.

Again, that's just personal hot takes, everyone's understanding of the monstrous in relation to themselves is different. I've seen a number of genderfluid and nb people use monstrousness as a way to defy occupying a shape that can be gendered for example.

[nonbinary-odo]

Captain's log, supplemental. Excitement from the newly rediscovered Earth holiday known as Pride Month has taken DS9 by storm. I only hope in all their merriment, my officers do not forget their duties.

---

"Brother! I found another one!" Rom declared.

"Let me see that," Quark snatched the PADD from his hands. "No good, it's another of those 'combo' flags."

"Annnnnd what's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with it? It means they only need to buy one of Quark's Commemorative Pride Pins! At 3 slips I'm already practically giving them away! I'm all for these hu-mon holidays so long as they don't drive a man out of business!"

---

"Sorry Odo, the rules are very clean on this one: no cops at Pride."

Odo nodded, hands squarely behind his back. "Understandable, Major. I do not see much benefit in my attendance of a Solid holiday, regardless."

Dax looked like her heart was just crushed. "But this is Odo we're talking about, can't we make an exception? Besides, I already picked up his pins from Quark."

"Lieutenant, I hardly-"

Jadzia cut him off by pinning three different pride flags to Odo's "shirt". The backgrounds had horizontal bars of color, and the foreground featured Quark's smiling face, complete with an ad for his other holiday products. Odo sighed. Kira laughed.

---

"Oh come now, Garak..." Julian paced the length of the Tailor's shop, he looked quite at home, to pull at as many items of clothing as he did. "You won't have to do anything, we'll just be walking!'

Hands close to his chest, highly offended, Garak pointed a delicate finger to the bright pins on Bashir's chest.

"And I suppose you expect me to wear those horrendous bobbles I have been seeing all across the station?"

"Garak-"

"My dear doctor, I would no sooner be caught pairing Tholian silk with Tarkalean wool. You know, I would have quite the comments for whoever came up with these bright, clashing combinations. Constable Odo of all people has seemed to pick the most sensible of them, his all share a sense of color story-"

"We don't pick them, Garak."

"And yours, I understand wearing one color day after day may make you blind to it, but doctor, not even your blues match."

"Garak, if you don't want to join me, you are welcome to stay here."

"Stay here? My dear doctor, I wouldn't dream of missing it."

---

"Captain, your station is out of control. On Terok Nor, we would never allow for such riots to spread across the station." Dukat's voice buzzed through the view screen.

"Listen to me, Dukat. What I allow on my station is my business and mine alone. What you call a riot, I call a celebration. This holiday is a joyous expression of self even your ego should be able to get behind. Now I will NOT have your internalized homophobia twist what this parade is about!"

"Captain, my wha-"

"Computer, end transmission."

[panerasbox]

Happy Pride from AvaMel!

word count: 1,652

read on ao3.

The last bell of the day rang, and Melissa was halfway through gathering her things when a suspicious blast of Beyoncé echoed down the hallway, loud enough to rattle the display of historical artifacts Janine had meticulously arranged.

She narrowed her eyes, a familiar twitch starting in her left eyelid. That could only mean one thing.

“Ava,” she muttered, stepping into the hall like a cop entering a crime scene. She braced herself, instinctively patting her pocket for her emergency Tums.

And yep. There she was. Ava Coleman, principal in title, professional chaos agent in practice, strutting down the hallway in a sequined rainbow jumpsuit that seemed to defy the laws of physics and common decency. Her heels were high enough to induce a lawsuit, and she moved with the confident swagger of someone who knew exactly how much trouble she was about to cause.

“Happy Pride, losers!” Ava shouted, tossing mini flags like Mardi Gras beads. One landed squarely on top of Gregory’s organized desk. He flinched.

“Abbott is officially queer-coded for the day. And if anyone asks, yes, I am taking applications for a queer-coded co-principal.” She winked dramatically.

Jacob squealed and chased a flag, nearly tripping over a group of bewildered first graders. Janine clapped like someone’s supportive aunt at a particularly enthusiastic talent show, her smile wide and earnest. Melissa, though, crossed her arms, her expression a perfect blend of exasperation and grudging amusement.

“Ava, what the hell is this?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the Beyoncé track.

Ava spun on a heel, the sequins catching the fluorescent lights, and pointed two finger-guns at Melissa in a dazzling, almost blinding display.

“This, Red, is visibility. A celebration. Also, I needed an excuse to write off glitter as a school expense, and frankly, the receipts were looking a little thin this quarter.”

Melissa pinched the bridge of her nose. “You used school funds for glitter and a Beyoncé sound system?”

“Love is love, Melissa,” Ava said with a shrug, like she was quoting scripture. “Even the IRS agrees. Probably. Besides, think of the positive morale boost. Look at Jacob. He’s practically levitating.”

Melissa tried to keep a straight face, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her, twitching upward in a tiny, involuntary smile.

“You got permits for this circus, or did you just strong-arm the district into looking the other way?”

“I got permission,” Ava said, sauntering up, her movements fluid and utterly self-assured. She leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice just enough for Melissa to hear over the music. “From myself. Because I’m the boss. And a bisexual icon. Which, if anyone asks, you said first.”

Melissa cocked her head, her gaze sharp and assessing. “You really gonna out yourself to the school like this, Coleman? And blame me?”

Ava’s smirk didn’t waver, only intensified.

“Baby, I came out in middle school. Made a girl cry and a boy question everything. I’m not new to this, I’m true to this. And if anyone asks, you’re just admiring my bravery. Or my jumpsuit. Either works for me.”

Melissa raised an eyebrow, a silent challenge.

“And what? You expect me to wave a flag too, like some kind of cheerleader for your… whatever this is?”

Ava stepped closer, her tone lowering just enough to hum between them, the playful energy in her eyes deepening.

“Only if you want to, Schemmenti. No pressure. Unless you’re trying to hide something.”

Her gaze lingered on Melissa’s face, a hint of genuine curiosity beneath the theatrics.

Melissa hesitated, a rare moment of uncertainty flickering across her usually unreadable expression. Then, with a sigh that was more amused than exasperated, she reached over, plucked a small, subtle rainbow pin from Ava’s overly decorated bag, and clipped it to her lapel, right next to her union pin. It was a silent, understated gesture, but it spoke volumes.

Ava blinked, her usual quick wit momentarily short-circuited. Her jaw dropped almost imperceptibly.

“What?” Melissa asked casually, turning to go, her voice deliberately flat. “I’m not ashamed. Just don’t need the whole damn parade about it. Unlike some people.” She gestured vaguely at Ava’s jumpsuit.

“Oh,” Ava said, her eyes brightening like stage lights switching on. The dazed look vanished, replaced by an even more mischievous glint. “So the rumors are true.”

Melissa turned back, slow and dangerous, a predatory glint in her own eyes.

“What rumors, Coleman? You better be careful what you’re implying.”

“That under all that South Philly sass and mafia energy,” Ava purred, stepping closer, her voice a low, teasing whisper, “you’ve got a soft spot for women in power. Especially ones who can rock a sequined jumpsuit.”

She winked.

“Careful,” Melissa warned, stepping even closer, her voice a low growl that held a surprising amount of heat. “You keep talkin’ like that, I might just make you prove it. And I don’t think you’re ready for that kind of homework, Coleman.”

A beat. The air crackled with unspoken tension. Then Ava broke into a slow, wicked grin, her eyes dancing with amusement and a hint of genuine surprise.

“Melissa Schemmenti,” she said, her voice laced with delight, “are you hitting on me at a school-sponsored Pride event? With children present?”

“Technically, you hit on me first, Coleman,” Melissa retorted, her own smirk playing on her lips. “I just hit back. And better.”

Ava looked genuinely flustered for a second, a rare, almost miraculous sight, her usual bravado faltering just enough to reveal a flicker of something raw and exposed. And Melissa, ever the opportunist, leaned in just close enough for her breath to ghost against Ava’s ear.

“Happy Pride, Ava,” she whispered, her voice a low, husky purr that sent a shiver down Ava’s spine.

And just like that, she walked away, heels clicking confidently down the hallway, leaving Ava speechless for the first time in recorded history, a faint blush creeping up her neck.

Jacob, still chasing a stray flag, passed her with a thumbs up.

“Did you just flirt with Melissa?” he asked, eyes wide with childlike wonder.

“I think…” Ava said, dazed, her gaze fixed on Melissa’s retreating form, a look of utter bewilderment and something close to awe on her face. “I think I just fell in love.”

The Next Day –

The faculty lounge was unusually quiet, save for the hum of the vending machine and the soft thud of Janine’s reusable water bottle hitting the floor again. Ava swaggered in wearing a pink faux fur coat over yesterday’s jumpsuit like some kind of hungover disco queen.

She paused.

There, on the bulletin board next to the sign about not microwaving fish, was a new flyer.

PRIDE RESOURCES + LGBTQ HISTORY SPOTLIGHT

Sponsored by: Staff Diversity & Inclusion Committee

(in tiny print: “…and Melissa S.”)

Ava blinked. She turned slowly. Melissa was sitting at the table, sipping her coffee, pretending to read the sports section. The same subtle rainbow pin was clipped next to her union one.

Ava walked over and held up the flyer like a piece of evidence.

“You did this?”

Melissa didn’t look up. “What, a girl can’t have hobbies?”

“You made a whole flyer. With resources.”

“Jacob helped. He likes fonts.”

Ava’s lips twitched.

“So what, you’re on my queer committee now?”

“I’m on whatever committee makes sure kids don’t grow up thinking who they are’s a problem.” Melissa finally looked up and met her gaze. “You wanted visibility, right? This is mine.”

Ava’s voice softened. “Thanks, Red.”

“You gonna cry or something?”

“No. But I am gonna add you to the Certified Babes of Abbott slideshow for next year’s Pride assembly.”

“You do that and I’ll shove that fur coat down the faculty room shredder.”

They stared at each other. Ava grinned. Melissa didn’t smile, but there was warmth in her eyes. Quiet. Solid.

Support.

Later That Week – After School

The school was quiet, end-of-day sun stretching through the blinds. Ava stood near a window, scrolling her phone. She looked up as Melissa walked in, two coffees in hand.

“Figured you’d be here,” Melissa said, handing one over. Ava took it without missing a beat.

“Oat milk and just the right amount of disrespect. You do love me.”

Melissa rolled her eyes. “You got a sec?”

Ava shrugged. “Always, unless this is about the glitter in the HVAC.”

Melissa glanced around and made sure the door was shut.

“I been thinking. About the other day. And that pin.”

Ava stood a little straighter. “Yeah?”

“I didn’t put it on for show. I put it on because I’m bi.” Her voice was flat, simple. “Been that way since high school, maybe before. Just never said it out loud. Not to anyone.”

“Not even your family?”

Melissa snorted. “Especially not. You met my ma. She thinks gluten is a liberal conspiracy. Can’t exactly hit her with a ‘hey Ma, I’m queer and also I vote.’”

Ava laughed, but her eyes stayed locked on Melissa. Listening.

“I always figured it didn’t matter. I dated guys, it was fine. It worked. But when you came storming down that hall like Lady Gaga on a mission from God…”

“Technically Beyoncé.”

“Shut up.” Melissa almost smiled. “Point is, I saw you being loud and proud and ridiculous, and I thought, screw it. Maybe I don’t have to keep hiding. Maybe I don’t want to.”

Ava stepped closer. “That’s a big deal, Red.”

“Yeah, well. Don’t expect a parade.”

“I mean, I already threw a parade—”

Melissa grabbed Ava’s sequined lapel and tugged her in just enough to shut her up.

“I’m not looking for a parade. Just maybe someone to walk with. Glitter optional.”

Ava’s breath hitched.

“You realize if you keep talking like that, I’m gonna fall harder than the school’s test scores last year?”

Melissa grinned. “Guess you better catch up then, Coleman.”

[lrgcarter]

Yesterday I found an In The Wild example of the WAYAC Pride Flag!

This cute little coaster can be found at the Queer Arts hangout room. That's not its official name I don't think, I'm not their PR person or anything. The room is in York on Bootham, and is open to chill out in on Saturdays from 10.30am until 3pm. They have art supplies and air conditioning. It's a chill space.

The WAYAC flag represents people's right to keep their own identity information as private and/or open as they like. Each individual has a right to total control over the presentation and dissemination of their own identity. Remember folks; if you don't intrude, you won't be told to fuck off.

[imagining-in-the-margins]

🌈CM Pride Challenge🏳️‍⚧️

The following are prompts including LGBTQA+ PRIDE! Reader, Original Character, Character/Character ships, Gen/Platonic fics are allowed!Please check out the Rules below the Keep Reading.

This event is over (Masterlist of Fics here), but you are welcome to use any of these prompts. If you would like to be added to the existing Masterlist of entries, please check out the Rules below!

** This is not a request list for me. Feel free to request these from someone, and be sure to inform them about the challenge!

General Prompts 🏳️‍🌈

Coming out is so much harder the second time

Describe Character’s first kiss with the same gender

Describe Character(s) spending a day at a Pride parade

The team realizes that A&B were more than roommates

Penelope goes a little overboard on rainbow decorations at Characters’ wedding

Character's marriage mutually comes to an end when they come out... now what?

Character comes out at the same time they announce their new relationship to the team

Character A fears it’s too late for them to live authentically, and B assures them that’s not true

Character A gifts B something colored like their pride flag because “the colors reminded me of you”

Child realizes that not every kid has two moms/two dads and they have a lot of questions about it

Queer characters have a hard time deciding what their child should call them and come up with fun ideas

Character A goes to a LGBT bar with B as a wingperson (or maybe they want them, themselves?)

Anything else you can think of!

More prompts (transgender, assorted, dialogue) below!

Transgender Prompts 🏳️‍⚧️

Character A helps B get their first tailored dress/suit

Character A helps B shave and/or put on makeup

The couple is looking for gender neutral nicknames

Character A buys B specialty gender affirming lingerie

Character is casually referred to with an appropriately gendered nickname for the first time

Characters are renewing their vows and redoing their wedding photos following a coming out

Character A walks in on B wearing a new gender-affirming outfit and surprises them with an enthusiastic compliment

The team throws Character an impromptu first birthday party following their coming out (how did they get a banner so fast?!)

Character A buys B a gender affirming but stereotypical gift (sports jersey, neon pink purse, etc.) that they would otherwise hate (but find absolutely hilarious)

Specific Prompts 💝

[Bisexual] Character gets irritated when people reduce their sexuality to their current partner

[Bisexual] Character A is in a M/F relationship with B and worries that their queer identity will become invisible dating them

[Asexual] Characters explore different forms of non-sexual intimacy

[Asexual] Characters are both asexual but too nervous to tell one another. They awkwardly attempt to have sex but end up laughing at how ridiculous they feel.

Dialogue Prompts 💐

“Are they… flirting?” “Big time.”

“I got to fall in love with you twice.”

“To be seen is to be loved." "I see you.”

“Be gay, do crimes.” “Aren’t you a cop?”

“There is no heterosexual explanation for that.”

“Life is very different once you find your people.”

“Cardinals and hydrangeas can change. Why not you?”

“You're still the person I love. Nothing will change that.”

“We both wear pants. Makes it easier to kick your ass.”

“It’s never felt like this before. I've never felt like this before.”

“I guess it makes sense now why it never worked out with my exes.”

Am I allowed to look at her like that? Could it be wrong when she's just so nice to look at? ("She" by Dodie)

“You can kiss a hundred boys in bars, shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling ... Well, good luck, babe. You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling.” ("Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappell Roan)

Rules ❤️🧡💚💙💜🖤🤎

The fic can be a Reader insert, an Original Character, a character/character ship, a platonic ship, or a Gen fic. It can feature any Criminal Minds character. AUs and crossovers are more than welcome.

Tag me in the fic, or send the link to me in a Direct Message. It can be already written, or you can write it for the challenge - I’m collecting both! You can also tag it “#mentioningmargins” which is a tag I track.

The fic can be any genre, but ONLY send me smut if your bio states you are 18+. I DO NOT WANT smut written by minors. Ever. At all. I will check.Platonic ships and pure, fluffy fics are 100% allowed.

Please include Content Warnings and a one-sentence Summary of the fic in your post.

Have fun!

🌈Happy writing! 🏳️‍⚧️

[sepublic]

I remember hearing that Dana was inspired by True Crime, amongst other things and people IRL, when writing Belos. And it seems that contrary to the notoriety of True Crime fans, she actually understood the assignment.

Because she opted to demystify the serial killer as this dark, unusual psychology that operates outside of societal borders and rules, disturbed by some secret reason, and instead literally pull off the mask to reveal he’s just some white manchild who hates women and minorities to a violent degree, because he feels threatened by them and their ability to say No in his entitlement. There’s nothing special or unique about his motives.

He’s no exception to the status quo, he is it unmasked of the veneer of civility, he’s the lynch mob and the cop (all of whom inherit the violence of white supremacy and colonialism) and fittingly a lot of serial killers were clocked by women and PoC as dangerous, but cops —largely white men— dismissed their claims because look at this dude, he seems like an upstanding citizen! And that’s really how he got away.

And because his victims were people the system was less likely to believe because they both operated on the same biases, you see why a lot of cops who commit brutality are drawn to an institution where they’re given violent power over brown and/or queer communities who are labeled as ‘suspicious’, because they enjoy easy targets they know the system doesn’t care about, and are enraged by body cams and accountability.

It doesn’t matter if they’re intentionally bigoted, their support of an inherently bigoted institution makes them the same; Internalized biases and “I don’t see race” and all that. You see how Philip wanted to be a witch hunter —the prototypical cop who is not exclusively violent towards women but still has a clear slant— or colonial savior so bad, because his violence could be legitimized by the authority of the state.

He leans into it hardcore when he feels threatened by the presence of an outside girl who challenges the Christian narrative of Gravesfield, to the point of violence; It’s a position that validates killing anyone who doesn’t agree with him in general, hence Caleb and the Grimwalkers, but of course his and society’s biases slant towards women and PoC. And while it ultimately doesn’t matter whether he’s intentionally racist/misogynistic, it’s worth addressing that he very much does have the intention due to his blatant Conservative backdrop.

And seeing how charming Philip is and the portrayal of him as a little kid playing games in his youth, a perception Caleb might’ve still had which led to his death, I can see the direct line to families who find out their sons are school shooters and are in disbelief because he was such a nice kid! While ignoring the obvious Red Flags because white men are allowed to express these without being immediately scrutinized by the community, by having it brushed off. On some level cops don’t suspect him because he’s the same type of guy as them.

Part of that denial comes from the fact that he’s not an “unfeeling sociopath” who’s wired differently. Philip can feel empathy and guilt like anyone else, but he’s still a hateful prick and these aren’t mutually exclusive; Not when people can be perfectly selective about who they extend these feelings towards, or even do things in spite of these feelings, because other ones —anger and pride and hatred— exist and they choose to prioritize those. There’s an assumption that empathy and guilt inherently make you a good person, but they don’t; That ultimately comes from what you do about it, not how you feel.

You could even say Dana and the other writers wrote him too well, because true to life, we have a similar issue but on a micro-scale via the abstraction of fiction regarding a very dedicated fan base who loves to romanticize him and his actions, attributing his issues to some secret trauma in childhood, a young man failed by society! While also scrubbing him of his racism and misogyny and reliance on the status quo, to make him ‘apolitical’ and you can see the same not just with fans but also in society.

Because society doesn’t want to acknowledge serial killers as just the truth behind their white sons and the system that absolved and encourages them, because that would require them to admit their guilt in how they’re structured. Rather, they’ll say these men reflect some dark truth inherent to humanity, and don’t exist within a certain sociopolitical framework.

And so he was a ‘loner’ whose problems can be pathologized via mental illness, his trauma can be traced back to a specific incident in his youth he just couldn’t get over. So you see how school shooters are made into victims, how serial killers are also made apolitical and even alien to distance them from the status quo.

And then you can lean into how unusual they are by writing characters like Dexter or Hannibal Lecter, you can not just defend the system but feed into it via the commodification of their violence as entertainment and consumption, and thus fuel the white supremacy train by letting their violence towards women and minorities be praised as something fascinating and interesting and conveniently clean of bigotry. This is the dichotomy of the hypothetical, romanticized Fantasy Serial Killer, and the banal IRL Serial Killer.

Thus we have the same cycle of white men’s violence being praised and validated by the system, and white men feeling entitled to this fame as a delusional fantasy. Because you’ve never heard of a black serial killer; Because black people are violent, that’s just the way they are, right? But if white men are violent, this is sensationalized as somehow unusual and fascinating and worth dedicating countless books and shows and movies towards. Obviously.

And even going back to witch hunters, sometimes I wonder about the constant consideration of, What if witches did exist? What if they were evil? Things like The VVitch or The Conjuring series, which have some framing of the Salem Witch Trials’ IRL violence towards women as legitimate in another universe, because of Satanism’s genuine predatory threat towards women, and how evil women sacrifice theirs or others’ God-given gift of a child, and now threaten another white Christian family.

And again there’s the the demystifying of the real life witch hunter too when we have a historical reenactment declare verbatim that IRL witch hunters were motivated by economics and other banal factors, not by any genuine belief in the dangers of demons; And even in a setting where the demons were real, they were not the predatory threat IRL witch hunters made them out to be, and so their very real biases and ulterior motives still apply in cumulative insincerity.

Hence, the Titan correcting Luz by explaining Belos as someone who only cares about being the hero in his own delusion; The fascist wet dream of a hidden invader here to corrupt even young white men, an outside monster to vanquish and whose destruction justifies the state, when in reality the monster IS the state, and before he was even presented as a witch (much less the human truth), his system’s destruction was called for.

Ultimately, a lot of True Crime and similar narratives are criticized for focusing more on this apparently inevitable mystique behind the perpetrators, who warrant far more attention than their victims. So when the villain is an example of True Crime, it’s worth noting how the show is so much more focused on the ‘weirdoes’ he targets, on women and/or PoC. The lives of Luz Noceda and her friends, them getting along and their psychologies, are just so much more important, and it really isn’t about that guy, who is informed as much as he needs to be.

But again, the True Crime fans dilemma; People genuinely salty at the show for not focusing on their favorite serial killer and his troubled backstory, his tragic motives and Puritan repression. The framing of his murders and motives isolated through the lens of his violence on undeserving white men, and not on the out-group he is specifically targeting and has committed much more violence on, esp if you look at the narrative’s actual framing of his impact on our protagonists, but also other victims who are witches or demons, and even his own self-professed motives; Hence, ‘Fratricide Georg’ as a joke depoliticized of his colonial violence, a violence that is not just adjacent to but fulfilling racism.

Because he hallucinated only those white men out of guilt, but that’s his biased perspective and priorities; And so you see how this is contrasted with a refusal to empathize with people like the Collector or Luz, who are put into the same situations as his white male victims via shared cinematography, yet are just as rejected. Luz is only put into this situation as convenient to Belos’ narrative, the closest replacement to a white male human he can get, but again if this girl of color says No, he tries to murder her and even does.

Yet again, people take genuine, personal insult at the creator for finding Belos to be her least favorite character to write, while ignoring that she still found him necessary to the story she was trying to tell; She just found the framing and focus should’ve been shifted to his actual victims’ deep and meaningful lives, how they matter. So people hate that S3 cares more about Luz Noceda’s relationship with her parents of color, as well as her female mentor and demonic brother, or her queer relationship with her girlfriend, etc.

And even when they get a bone of white boy Hunter, it’s still not enough; Fans inevitably gather themselves into an almost frenzied state of personal victimization, rallying into harassment of PoC who criticize their portrayal and discussion around their colonial serial killer fave, organizing dedicated trends and months to giving their white men the focus they ‘deserved’, because this is just White fandom in general.

Look at the entitlement campaigns regarding Ben Solo or Billy Hargroves deserving better, these young white men violent to women and minorities. It’s just the same thing but on a micro-scale, at least filtered via fictional characters. But Jesus you see how internalized biases bleed into everything. You’ve never heard of a black serial killer and fandom doesn’t fight for characters of color.

[converting2straight]

Straightened Out by the Cop

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

21-year-old Evan stared at the intimidating figure of the cop. A thick black moustache on his upper lip laid over a five o'clock shadow, and tough brown eyes gazed into him, as if to penetrate his being.

"Step out of the car," snapped the officer, frustrated at Evan's lack of response. Evan opened the door and clambered out, his skinny, six-foot-tall but stick-thin body wearing a tank top and shorts emblazoned with a pride flag.

"I'm gonna give you a choice," said the officer, the threatening tone in his voice backed by his muscled, broad body, which stood two inches above the twink's hairless and skinny figure. "Either I arrest you right now and you get thrown in prison for driving drunk, or..." The officer's eyes darted down to the pride flag shirt. "You take this pill," he said, holding up a small bag with a circular, pastel-blue pill, "and you can go straight home."

"The pill," Evan said instantly, in his high voice. He had taken lots of pills from strangers in clubs before, he thought, so surely this couldn't be too dangerous.

"Good choice," said the officer, handing it over. Evan took the pill and swallowed it, opening his mouth to show it was taken. "Enjoy your night," the officer smiled nastily, climbing back into his car and driving off.

Evan felt terrible when he woke the next morning. He had a pounding headache and dull pain all over his body. Stumbling into the bathroom, he saw something strange on his face. Stubble seemed to have popped up overnight, and Evan panicked at his new predicament. He didn't even have a working razor!

That issue quickly took a back seat, though, as Evan's morning wood began to make itself known. His dick was unusually insistent today, and Evan palmed it through his shorts as he went to open up some porn and settle it down.

After an hour, though, he started to get seriously frustrated. No matter what he looked at, it wasn't enough for him to finally blow. That was until a misclick took him onto a video of a big-titted blonde bimbo getting her pussy filled by a big white cock.

Normally Evan would click straight off one of those videos, but today he was transfixed. His cock quickly responded too, and he shot a huge thick load just minutes later. Evan was confused as hell, but mostly grateful that his erection had finally died down.

After he cleaned up, Evan caught another glimpse of himself in the mirror. Maybe I should start working out, he thought, and went to sign up for a gym membership.

Over the next week, things kept happening to Evan. Hair grew longer and thicker all over his body, and whenever he thought about shaving it, he'd always start forgetting. He started working out compulsively, and his strength seemed to grow too fast to be possible. Most of all, though, he was completely unable to get hard from gay porn anymore. By the end of the week, a full beard now filling his face, he had broken up with his boyfriend and replaced him with straight pornography.

It was that same Sunday he clicked on a banner ad for police recruitment in his city. By Monday, he was starting the trainee program, under the direction of a very satisfied officer with a thick black moustache.

[itsnotamatterofif]

It’s pride month losers!!!!! You know what that means? Suffer my freight yard identity headcanons

Slick - what are you, a cop? Will answer to any pronouns but generally uses she/her, lesbian. Exclusively crushes on other rolling stock that will never like her back and, if ever in a relationship, is incredibly destructive about it. Changes her main set of pronouns and name for each yard she’s sent to to try and mess up the paper trail incase anyone investigating her tries to follow - gender is a game to her and she is quite enjoying the sludge-lined bottom of the barrel in that the only thing that makes her dysphoric is if she’s ever cleaned and free of oil stains

Lumber - cis man, he/him, ace bisexual. His ideal relationship is a polyamorous one where his partners can do whatever the hell they like and then invite him in afterwards for cuddles since that’s the part he enjoys. Still a massive flirt in the yard but renowned as an absolutely terrible one who has used a shitty pickup line on maybe every member of the rolling stock to varying degrees of success, and then has no idea what to do if his offers are accepted, so every date he’s ever been on has kind of floundered unless the other party has a plan in mind.

Porter - trans man, he/him, gay. Transitioned long before anyone knew him and he never talks about it - the only person who knows is Lumber, who met him immediately after he transitioned, and knows to never bring it up. His type is entirely ‘person who would be bad for him’, so he’s been on long strings of on-and-off dates with engines that don’t respect him or components who think he’s a novelty, and is fully aware of how unhealthy that is. Gets by saying it’s less toxic than whatever Slick is doing since at least he’s upfront about it with his partners, but when he falls in love he falls hard.

Hydra - Non-binary/genderqueer (hasn’t made his mind up yet about which flag they like the colours of more), they/he, bisexual. Would like to start presenting more femininely as an experiment but only owns one (1) outfit, and the only feminine people they know are the coaches and he will NOT fit into their uniforms. Hopeless romantic who falls madly in love incredibly quickly and then falls out of it just as quickly when their feelings aren’t reciprocated long term, which means they spends a lot of time on odd dates or one night stands.

[kshahrewar-paradisaea]

Something as simple as making pride pins for my coworkers and extending that gesture to their partners, including the queer partners of my straight coworkers whether I have even met them or not, has inadvertently made me reflect on what pride is beyond a definition that can be written in a dictionary.

Did I expect making a lesboy pin out of shrinky donk paper in the shape of a shrimp to cause me to sit in such a deep state of self reflection? No. But I'm glad it did. Because it was an act of community care between queer people. It was an expression of joy and love and connection. It was an act of celebration. Rainbow capitalism can't create the same gratitude that I received by giving the people around me a crappy asexual koala pin that they'll cherish at their next parade.

Art and creativity is an integral part to queerness. The first pride flag existed for many many years before it saw the light of mass production, but that didn't stop drag queens and stone butches from flying colorful banners in spite of the government and their families. The ones brave enough to be visible made business men and house wives shield their children's eyes with the flamboyant clothes they made themselves and flaunting the needle shaped scabs on their fingers. These trailblazers made way for the blue haired teens and pierced and tatted 20 something gas station workers that would be given the privilege of marrying their future partner that they haven't met yet while two 50 something women who have lived together for 30 years can finally exchange last names on a piece of paper.

So this year, the first year Starbucks has taken away their corporate made pride playlist, make your friends and members of your community a button with supplies you got from Michaels and crayons in your room that have been collecting dust from middle school while you criticize rainbow capitalism and hold space to realize that your criticisms of it are a privilege at the same time. Fight the urge to send death threats to self identifying lesboys, dykes, and sissy boys as you point your finger of respectability politics because the government is after you next whether you have someone to bully or not. Embrace queer art and don't shame people for their expression, especially when they pour their own experiences into their art, experiences that queer people are statistically more likely to be victims of.

Pride is resistance. If you turn your nose at your fellow queer for their expression, you are no better than the cops that black drag queens would have thrown bricks at in the 60s.

[artfulacrostic]

had my second high definition viewing of atsv in the theater today and here are my favorite details that i missed due to being overwhelmed on my first viewing:

LONG AF POST:

-gwen is literally wearing a rainbow shaped trans pride pin on her jacket with her prom outfit. she's soooo so canon trans <3

-captain stacy HAS A TRANS FLAG PATCH ON HIS POLICE UNIFORM JACKET?????? when i'm telling u my eyes popped out of my head 😳 SHES SO CANON TRANS!!!

-poster outside miles's guidance counselor's office reads: "visions sciences: telling you your story".

-parallel of miles's and gwen's dad kicking things out of general exasperation towards the beginning and end of the movie respectively

-when miles as spidey is talking to his dad and giving him advice (for himself) there's a reference to miles possibly reading vonnegut? (maybe in class??) "if this isn't nice what is" is a collection of kurt vonnegut's commencement speeches. (literally subtitled "advice to the young". the writers were extremely clever for this reference. if not reading it in class, miles has been searching up life advice on his own)

-i barely caught this but i'm PRETTY sure that in miles' room near his door there's a MICHELLE OBAMA presidential race sticker??? was president obama in the earth-1610 dimension michelle obama?? iconic if so

-fedex on earth-1610 is REDEX

-gayatri seems like they took elements of both gwen (police dad) and mj (young model) for her background as i believe i caught her visible on a "zomato" ad billboard (which appears to be the earth-50101 version of ubereats)

-i spent all of hobie's scenes trying to pick up the details of his many pins; but the only one that i could really make out with the quick shot changes besides the union jack pin was the one right above it, which is a three-leaf clover. i wondered if maybe it had some kind of significance to maybe irish independence or smth but i couldn't find anything online that backed that up so not sure what it means. if u know pls drop it in the replies.

-hobie's boots are definitely NOT ladder laced. i KNOW there is concept art and poster art of him with ladder laces but in the actual movie they are 100% crossed. also unlike the poster art, both boots have blue laces, not one blue, one yellow/orange. i wanted to be all on board the ladder lace code train but i'm pretty sure they just made his laces blue so that they could contrast against the red boots and be spidey colors. they probably abandoned the ladder lace part of the visual when someone realized what blue ladder laces meant in lace code. "HAS hobie killed a cop," you ask? given his comic backstory i'd say the odds are HIGH. but i would bet they didn't want people to think that since he's gone through canon event asm-90 ("a police captain close to spider-man is killed by falling rubble during a battle with a nemesis") that there's any possibility THAT was the cop he killed and he's proud of it (since it's supposed to be all abt character development from the ✨trauma✨ of the event)

-during the whole "intervention" scene, while all the other spider-people are facing directly in towards miles and miguel from wherever they are standing in the circle, hobie is the only one whose back is turned. he watches most of the scene over his shoulder. also, during a couple shots facing miles before the entire society of spiders show up, hobie is separated in the shot from all the other main spiders (Peter B, Gwen, Jess, etc) BY MILES. he is visible over one shoulder and everybody else is visible over the other. these two details are great signals of hobie having already MORALLY turned his back on miguel's authoritarianism, as well as giving a nice inverted "devil/angel on the shoulders" nod.

-peter b asks miguel to take a picture of him and mayday since it's her first chase; miguel brushes him off but mayday understands and uses her webshooter to click the camera button on peter b's phone and take a selfie without him noticing 😂😂😂 shes everything to me

-when miguel is pinning miles to the train, after gwen and peter b have caught up, there is a very fast moment when miles calls for help ("PETER!!") and peter doesn't reply to him, but calls out to miguel to calm down (smth like that) instead 🥲 peter for the love of god step up your mentor game and look out for this kid i can't handle it anymore

-when gwen takes the watch hobie made her out of the box, the screen is briefly visible and reads "project botleg". bootleg -> bot -> "botleg"; I SEE YOU HOBIE. people think he's so cool (and he is!!) but he's also just as much of a dork as all the other spiders. what a goofball

-in miles-42's room, a speed bag/speed ball/maize ball is attached to his wall near the door. there are other substantial differences to their rooms, but i think this is clearly a reference to uncle aaron-42's large presence in miles-42's life, given the association from both movies of aaron with the punching bag and miles getting guidance from him/looking to him for support.

-in addition to all the miles-1610 vs miles-42 prowler vs spidey reflection imagery in the end credits, guess who else has several moments of flashing from spider-man colors (red and black at least) to prowler colors (purple and green)?? miguel, that's who. miguel and miles-42/uncle aaron-42 team-up in beyond the spiderverse? or just an extra parallel for the antagonists sharing goals/possibly methods?

OKAY ANYWAY if ppl want i can try and dig up images of some of these but i figured that would make this post long af so that's all for now folks!! go see across the spider verse again and marvel at how much more fine detail you find like me 🕸🕸🕸