#Writers In Performance Series

[kenneturner]

Houston Chronicle Article, October 2006

Houston Chronicle Article, October 2006

A Framed Copy of an Article in the Community Section of the Houston Chronicle, October 2006 What began as the “Reading Series” at Montgomery College in 1993 evolved to become the “Writers In Performance” seriesconducted by the Montgomery County Literary Arts Council (MCLAC). Over the years, many local poets, as well as nationalpoets, have read their poetry at Montgomery College. Since moving to…

[thebraxiatelcollection]

We're halfway through the new series of Doctor Who, and I'm really unsure of how I feel about it all.

Do I think Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson are brilliant? Absolutely.

But the actual stories?

I have so many mixed feelings. I just feel it tries too hard, and it doesn't reach it's full potential and I just have a lot of mixed feelings about the series and the 60th as a whole with the more I think about it.

[prettygirl-gabi]

All that mattered

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Rating:General Audiences

Warning: Fluff, slight (very light) angst, happy ending

Category:F/M¹³

Fandom:Seventeen (SVT) (boyband)

Relationships: !idol S.coups x f reader, !idol Jeonghan x f reader, !idol Joshua x f reader, !idol Jun x f reader,!idol Hoshi x f reader, !idol wonwoo x f reader, !idol woozi x f reader, !idol dk x f reader, !idol The8 x f reader, !idol Mingyu x f reader, !idol Seungkwan x f reader, !idol Vernon x f reader, !idol Dino x f reader.

Summary: What did you expect when you're dating all 13 members of Seventeen

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Hiiiii everyone who is reading! Welcome to the bouns installment of my new mini series called "Oi! Not this again!" They do not have to be read together or in order! I hope you all enjoy!

I'm thinking about making a version where Jeonghan goes of for military, let me know if you all would like it...

It all started as a dream I didn’t dare to believe could come true. Being with one member of Seventeen seemed unimaginable, but somehow, I had all thirteen of them. It was chaotic, beautiful, terrifying, and the most loving experience of my life.

I never meant for things to get so complicated. I hadn’t planned on falling in love with all of them. But how could I not? Each member held a special place in my heart, different and unique in their own ways. S.Coups’ protective nature, Jeonghan’s mischief, Joshua’s soft-spoken wisdom, Jun’s gentle warmth, Hoshi’s endless energy, Wonwoo’s quiet intensity, Woozi’s artistic soul, DK’s contagious laughter, Mingyu’s clumsy affection, The8’s calm confidence, Seungkwan’s fiery heart, Vernon’s understated coolness, and Dino’s earnestness. I loved them all, and, miraculously, they loved me too.

But love like this is not simple. We were walking a tightrope every day, trying to balance our love with the expectations of the world, with the fear of losing each other, and with the constant worry that this wasn’t sustainable. Polygamous relationships aren’t exactly accepted or understood, and this one—being in love with a whole group of idols—was something entirely different.

I often found myself suffocated by doubt. Was I giving enough to each of them? Was this fair to them, to me? Sometimes, in the quiet hours of the night, when we weren’t together, the anxiety would grip me, leaving me breathless and terrified that this would all come crashing down.

And then there were the fights. When you have fourteen people in a relationship, conflict is inevitable. It wasn’t always big—sometimes it was about time management or someone feeling left out. Other times, the fights cut deeper, about fears we didn’t voice, insecurities we tried to bury. And at the heart of it all was the constant question we never dared to fully ask: *Could this last?*

One night, it all came to a head. I had spent the day with Mingyu, and as usual, he had showered me with affection, his clumsy hands always trying to be gentle. We had laughed together, cooked together, and by the end of the day, I was exhausted in the best way. But when I returned to the shared apartment, the tension in the air was thick.

I barely stepped through the door before Jeonghan’s voice cut through the silence.

“Must be nice,” he said, his tone laced with bitterness. “Spending the whole day with just one of us.”

My heart dropped. “Jeonghan—”

“No, it’s fine,” he interrupted, standing up from the couch. “We all agreed to this, didn’t we? So it’s fine if some of us feel left behind.”

“Hyung, don’t do this,” Hoshi said, trying to defuse the situation. But the hurt in Jeonghan’s eyes was clear.

“I’m just tired,” Jeonghan muttered, running a hand through his hair. “We’re all giving so much, and sometimes it feels like it’s never enough.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to find the words. “I’m sorry. I’m trying—I’m really trying.”

“You shouldn’t have to try so hard,” Woozi said softly from his spot on the floor, strumming a guitar absently. “None of us should feel like this.”

The silence that followed was deafening. The guilt gnawed at me, twisting in my stomach like a knot I couldn’t untangle. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Suddenly, S.Coups stood up, his voice calm but commanding. “Enough. This isn’t helping.” He turned to me, his eyes softening. “No one is blaming you. We knew this would be hard.”

“I can’t help but feel like I’m failing all of you,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I love you all so much, but I don’t know how to make this work.”

Mingyu, who had been quiet since we arrived, reached for my hand. “You’re not failing, jagiya. We’re all learning.”

“But what if—” I couldn’t even finish the thought. What if I wasn’t enough for them? What if this wasn’t enough?

DK, always the one to break the tension, stood up with a shaky smile. “Let’s not do this tonight. We all love each other, right? That’s why we’re here. So let’s talk about this when we’re not all feeling so raw.”

Joshua nodded, his calm voice soothing. “He’s right. We’re all a little tired. Let’s take a step back and talk tomorrow.”

But the fear lingered, heavy in the room like an unwelcome guest.

---

The next day, we sat down together. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t quick, but we talked. Really talked. About the things we were scared to say before, the jealousy, the insecurity, the worry that someone was giving more or less. It hurt—God, it hurt—but it was necessary.

Jeonghan apologized for lashing out. “It’s not just you. I’ve been feeling… scared, I guess. That this won’t last.”

“I’ve felt the same,” The8 admitted quietly. “I think we all have.”

S.Coups squeezed my hand. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to keep trying.”

In that moment, something shifted. The love was still there, strong and unwavering, but so was the understanding that this wasn’t going to be easy. It never had been. But love is messy. It’s imperfect, and that’s what makes it real.

“I don’t know how to promise forever,” I said, my voice small. “But I can promise that I’ll try. Every day.”

“You don’t have to do it alone,” Vernon said, his eyes locking with mine. “We’re in this together.”

One by one, they all agreed. It wasn’t a solution, not exactly, but it was a step forward.

---

Over the following months, we found a new rhythm. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. We learned to communicate better, to listen when someone was feeling left out or overwhelmed. We learned to share our love, not just with each other, but with ourselves.

There were still moments of doubt, of course. That never fully went away. But now, we faced those moments together.

One night, after a long day, I found myself in the middle of the bed, surrounded by all thirteen of them. We didn’t say anything—words weren’t necessary. The warmth of their bodies, the steady rhythm of their breathing, the feeling of belonging—it was enough.

“I love you,” I whispered into the quiet, the words heavy with truth.

“I love you too,” came the chorus of replies, each voice layered with the same deep affection.

In that moment, I knew that no matter how difficult it might be, this was worth it. They were worth it. We were worth it.

And that was all that mattered.

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‐Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

-prettygirl-Gabi✨️🎀

[augustusaugustus]

13.112 Performance Anxiety

DEAKIN: So! I’m looking for an old boiler in a short skirt. RAWTON: Well, you’ve never failed before, Guv.

A nice Jack & Derek frenemies episode. Charles wants the station to improve their clear-up rate, so it’s CID vs Uniform, with uniform easily coming out on top and inadvertently stealing CID’s collar along the way.

[joblessquinoa]

It sucks that Chinzilla lost Hot Wave, but the message of MSP isn't that love and support will always lead to success, but that it's what gives them the strength to keep going.

The support that Gun gets from his friends, his mom, and Tinn inspires him to write and sing Let Me Tell You at Hot Wave, but more importantly, when Gun lost despite giving it his all, Tinn and his mom were right there to help him pick himself up and give him the courage to try again.

[kitkat-the-muffin]

I really hated hsmtmts season 2 (for a variety of reasons, ramble in the tags) so I never saw seasons 3 or 4

Is it worth revisiting or is it too big a mess?

[harrowscore]

wow, mockingjay was. much more violent and gory than i remembered

[mariocki]

Horror icon Ingrid Pitt guest stars as enemy agent Elayna in The Adventurer: Double Exposure (1.20, ITC, 1973)

[bogleech]

The big discourse on twitter right now is that writers going on strike or cancelling their own series are breaking an invisible “contract” they made with their fans and all creators owe their fans a satisfying conclusion to their stories. Actually if a creator says “I don’t want to perform this labor anymore,” then regardless of the cliffhanger that leaves you with, your only response should be “take care! Thank you for all your hard work!!!” :)

[yellowis4happy]

Just finished reading the recent Batgirls series. Can someone tell me why the writing was so Nothing??

[prokopetz]

I think the hardest miss I've ever bumped into in children's educational television came from a show called Ghost Writer that debuted in 1992.

The opening story arc concerned a series of thefts at the protagonists' school; when the kids tried to figure out who was behind it, their investigation eventually discovered that a bunch of other middle schoolers had independently formed some sort of bizarre pseudo-Dionysian cult where they'd perform ominous chants and greet each other with secret mottos and wear masks with faces on both the front and back, except literally all this cult was doing was stealing the lunch money out of other kids' backpacks and using it to buy tokens at the local video arcade, which was also the cult's headquarters.

It was like they couldn't decide whether they wanted to do a Satanic Panic thing or a video-games-are-making-children-violent thing, so they split the difference in what I assume was intended as a grim cautionary tale, but all that nine-year-old me took away from the viewing experience was "wow, being in a cult looks cool as hell".

[racefortheironthrone]

Hi- er, this is my first-ever writer's strike, how does one not cross a picket line in this context? I know how not to do it with things like Amazon and IRL strikes, but how does it apply to media/streaming?

Hi, this is a great question, because it allows me to write about the difference between honoring a picket line and a boycott. (This is reminding me of the labor history podcast project that's lain fallow in my drafts folder for some time now...) In its simplest formulation, the difference between a picket line and a boycott is that a picket line targets an employer at the point of production (which involves us as workers), whereas a boycott targets an employer at the point of consumption (which involves us as consumers).

So in the case of the WGA strike, this means that at any company that is being struck by the WGA - I've seen Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Warner Brothers Discovery, NBC, Paramount, and Sony mentioned, but there may be more (check the WGA website and social media for a comprehensive list) - you do not cross a picket line, whether physical or virtual. This means you do not take a meeting with them, even if its a pre-existing project, you do not take phone calls or texts or emails or Slacks from their executives, you do not pitch them on a spec script you've written, and most of all you do not answer any job application.

Because if this strike is like any strike since the dawn of time, you will see the employers put out ads for short-term contracts that will be very lucrative, generally above union scale - because what they're paying for in addition to your labor is you breaking the picket line and damaging the strike - to anyone willing to scab against their fellow workers. GIven that one of the main issues of the WGA are the proliferation of short-term "mini rooms" whereby employers are hiring teams of writers to work overtime for a very short period, to the point where they can only really do the basics (a series outline, some "broken stories," and some scripts) and then have the showrunner redo everything on their lonesome, while not paying writers long-term pay and benefits, I would imagine we're going to see a lot of scab contracts being offered for these mini rooms.

But for most of us, unless we're actively working as writers in Hollywood, most of that isn't going to be particularly relevant to our day-to-day working lives. If you're not a professional or aspiring Hollywood writer, the important thing to remember honoring the picket line doesn't mean the same thing as a boycott. WGA West hasn't called on anyone to stop going to the movies or watching tv/streaming or to cancel their streaming subscriptions or anything like that. If and when that happens, WGA will go to some lengths to publicize that ask - and you should absolutely honor it if you can - so there will be little in the way of ambiguity as to what's going on.

That being said, one of the things that has happened in the past in other strikes is that well-intentioned people get it into their heads to essentially declare wildcat (i.e, unofficial and unsanctioned) boycotts. This kind of stuff comes from a good place, someone wanting to do more to support the cause and wanting to avoid morally contaminating themselves by associating with a struck company, but it can have negative effects on the workers and their unions. Wildcat boycotts can harm workers by reducing back-end pay and benefits they get from shows if that stuff is tied to the show's performance, and wildcat boycotts can hurt unions by damaging negotiations with employers that may or may not be going on.

The important thing to remember with all of this is that the strike is about them, not us. Part of being a good ally is remembering to let the workers' voices be heard first and prioritizing being a good listener and following their lead, rather than prioritizing our feelings.

[uwmspeccoll]

Cannupa Hanska Luger, New Myth, Future Technologies, 2021

Dana Claxton, Headdress-Jeneen, 2018

Teresa Baker, Hidatsa Red, 2022

Raven Chacon, For Zitkala Sa Series, 2019

Caroline Monnet, Echoes from a near future, 2022

Marie Watt, Skywalker/Skyscraper (Calling Sky World), 2021

Anna Tsouhlarakis, The Native Guide Project, 2019

Meryl McMaster, Harbourage for a Song, 2019

Marie Watt, Companion Species (Calling Back, Calling Forward), 2021

Staff Pick of the Week

An Indigenous Present proposes that a book can be a space for community engagement through the transcultural gathering of more than sixty contemporary Indigenous and Native artists. Published by BIG NDN Press and Delmonico Books in 2023, An Indigenous Present was conceived of and edited by Mississippi Choctaw and Cherokee artist Jeffrey Gibson (b. 1972) over the course of nearly two decades. 

In Gibson’s own words, “An Indigenous Present celebrates the work of visual artists, musicians, poets, choreographers, designers, filmmakers, performance artists, architects, collectives, and writers whose work offers fresh starting lines for Native and Indigenous art. But the book does not attempt comprehensiveness. Rather, those included here are makers I admire, have collaborated with or been inspired by, and who’ve challenged my thinking. . . . These artists and what they make will guide us to Indigenous futurities authored by us in unabashedly Indigenous ways.”  

An Indigenous Present features over 400 pages of color photographs, poetry, essays, and interviews resulting in a stunning visual experience for readers and a shift towards more inclusive art systems. The front cover art shown here is by Canadian artist Caroline Monnet entitled Indigenous Represent. 

View other posts from our Native American Literature Collection.

View more posts featuring Decorative Plates.

View other Staff Picks.

– Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern 

[prettygirl-gabi]

My First Love

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Rating: General Audiences

Warning: fluff, angst, happy-sad ending

Category:F/M

Fandom: Seventeen (SVT) (boyband)

Relationships: !pre-debute Hoshi x !non-idol f reader

Summary: true love, in any form, is a gift worth cherishing.

Trope: First love

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Hiiiii everyone who is reading! Welcome to the Fifth installment of my new mini series called "Oi! Not this again!" They do not have to be read together or in order! I hope you all enjoy!

---

I never really believed in love at first until the day I met Kwon Soon-young. It was one of those typical autumn afternoons in Seoul, the leaves just beginning to fall, painting everything in shades of gold and red. I was late for class and sprinting through campus when I collided with him. Books and papers scattered everywhere, and in the midst of my hurried apologies, I looked up and met his bright, kind eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked, smiling as he bent down to help me gather my things.

“I’m fine, I’m so sorry! I was in such a rush,” I babbled, embarrassed.

“No worries. Looks like fate wanted us to meet,” he said, handing me my last notebook. And just like that, my heart was caught.

Soon-young, or Hoshi as his friends affectionately called him, was easy to fall for. He had this infectious energy, a boyish charm that made it impossible not to smile around him. We ended up sharing a class together, and over time, our paths crossed more frequently. We went from study partners to friends, and for me, it wasn’t long before I realized I was in love with him.

---

One chilly night, after weeks of hanging out, laughing, and sharing little pieces of our lives, I found myself sitting next to Soon-young at our favorite cafe. We were sipping hot chocolate, steam swirling into the air, when he turned to me, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

“Y/N, can I ask you something?” he said, his voice soft.

“Of course, what’s up?”

“Why do you always look at me like that?” he asked, eyes never leaving mine.

My heart skipped a beat. “Like what?”

“Like... I’m the only person in the world,” he replied, leaning closer.

I took a deep breath, gathering every ounce of courage. “Because, Soon-young, to me, you are.”

A slow smile spread across his face, and for a moment, I thought my heart might burst. “Y/N, I’ve been wanting to tell you this for weeks... I think I’m in love with you.”

In that second, the world seemed to stop spinning. Everything around us faded away, and all I could see was him. “I love you too, Soon-young,” I whispered back.

Our relationship blossomed from that moment. Days were spent in a whirlwind of laughter, shared secrets, and stolen kisses. Every corner of Seoul seemed filled with our memories—late-night walks by the Han River, playful dates at Lotte World, quiet afternoons in small bookstores, tracing the spines of forgotten novels with our fingertips.

---

But as with many first loves, a bitter reality eventually seeped into our fairytale. Soon-young was a dreamer, passionate about dance and determined to make it big. His resolve to join a prestigious dance company was both inspiring and daunting. As his auditions neared, his time became more consumed with practice, and though I supported him wholeheartedly, the distance between us grew.

“I’m sorry, Y/N. I promise I’ll make it up to you after this audition,” he’d say, exhausted but sincere. I’d always smile and reassure him, masking the loneliness creeping into my heart.

Then came the fateful day—his audition, the one he’d worked so tirelessly for. I stood by, cheering him on, my heart swelling with pride as he moved with such grace and power, captivating everyone in the room. When he was selected, his eyes found mine, and for a fleeting moment, I knew that all his sacrifices were worth it. But beneath my joy for him was an unbearable sadness.

---

Weeks turned into months, and Soon-young’s new world became one of grueling practice sessions and relentless schedules. Our moments together dwindled, replaced by fleeting texts and rare phone calls. One cold winter evening, after a particularly long and somber day, I found myself sitting alone on a park bench, the weight of our situation settling heavily on my shoulders.

“Y/N?” Soon-young’s voice broke the silence behind me. I turned to see him standing there, looking as worn out as I felt.

“Soon-young, what are you doing here?” I asked, trying to mask my emotions.

He sat beside me, his proximity both comforting and painful. “I’ve missed you,” he said simply.

“I’ve missed you too,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He took my hand, tracing invisible patterns on my palm. “This isn’t fair to you,” he said, his voice tinged with sorrow. “You deserve someone who can be there for you, always.”

“What are you saying?” I asked, fear gripping my heart.

“Maybe... maybe we should let each other go,” he said, tears glistening in his eyes. “I don’t want to hold you back, Y/N. I love you too much for that.”

---

Silent tears streamed down my cheeks. I knew in my heart he was right, but the pain was unbearable. “I love you, Soon-young. I always will,” I choked out.

He pulled me into his arms, and we held each other for what felt like both an eternity and a fleeting moment. “I love you too,” he whispered into my hair. “Thank you for everything.”

That night, we said our goodbyes—our hearts breaking, yet full of gratitude for the love we’d shared. Years went by, and while life took us down different paths, the memories of our first love stayed with us.

One warm spring day, as I walked through a familiar park, I saw him again. Soon-young, now a successful dancer, stood under a cherry blossom tree, its pink petals swirling around him. He looked different—older, wiser—but his eyes still held the same kind sparkle.

“Y/N?” he called out, a smile lighting up his face.

“Soon-young,” I said, my heart fluttering in my chest.

As we walked together, catching up on lost time, I realized something profound. Though we had let each other go, the love we’d shared had never really left. It had only transformed, becoming a beautiful, cherished memory—a reminder of how deeply two souls can connect, even if just for a moment in time.

And so, with a bittersweet smile, I knew I was both sad and happy. Sad for the love we’d lost, but happy for the love that had shaped my heart, reminding me that true love, in any form, is a gift worth cherishing.

---

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-Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

-prettygirl-gabi🎀✨️

[captain-joongz]

summer recap/favourite fics/fic recommendations for the first half of 2024

Professor Rapline by @joonsmagicshop

♡ professors! joon, hobi and yoongs x f!reader, professor x student relationship, the rapline takes turns on reader, namjoon centric, smut smut smut

backtrack by @mapofthesea

♡ producers!jimin and yoongs x assistant!reader, studio sex, situationship, reader gets absolutely railed and it's accidentally recorded

Masked miracles by @remedyx + Shadows we trust by remedyx + Boyfriend for hire by remedyx + Trouvaille by @spookyserenades

♡ these series' were already mentioned in my previous recommendations list, but i cannot stress this enough - go read them, they're absolutely amazing!! i will literally never shut up about these and i'll put them on every fic rec list i make until the end of time :D

Golden boy by @kpopfanfictrash

♡ pornstar!jin x f!reader, neighbours au, it's very sweet and funny, absolutely amazing smut

fast lane by @yminie

♡ racer!jin x pitcrew!reader, slowburn but so fucking worth it, kookie gets hurt but it's for character development, e2l/annoyances 2l, smut

midnight by @miniminimermaid

♡ yoongi struggling with burnout and reader helps relax him, soft sex, body worship

Sugar rush ride by @lo1k-diamonds

♡ producer! yoongs x producer!reader, coworkers au, reader is bratty and yoongi is a little shit, mutual pining, smut

A new rhythm by @sluttywoozi

♡ producers! yoongs and jihoon x yoongi's gf!reader, virgin!jihoon, soft sex, they help woozi lose his v-card, allusions to possible poly

three tangerines by @kithtaehyung

♡ brother's best friend!yoongs x f!reader, fuckboy!yoongi, reader asks him for help in the bedroom and gets everything and more, some angst

The early shift by @hobidreams

♡ barista!yoongs x barista!reader, coworkers au, e2l, angsty but gets sweet, yoongi is struggling and reader tries to help, smutty smut smut

love roulette by @whatifyoulivelikethat

♡ producer!yoongs x jin's bff!reader, a bet gone... right??, slowburn, humour and fluff, they help each other, smut, reader has a noona kink and nobody lets her breathe

noise complaints by @jkstompers

♡ producer!yoongs x bassist!reader, neighbours au, reader is in a rock band, smut

strike a chord by @snackhobi

♡ pianist!yoongs x f!reader, reader gets stood up and instead listens to bar musician yoongi, slowburn, smut

Illicit favours by @yoongiofmine

♡ producer!yoongi x writer!reader, bff2l, virgin reader needs help with writing sex scenes, shenanigans ensue, mutual pining, idiots in love

Tricks of the trade by @stutterfly

♡ shopkeeper!yoongs x f!reader, body swap au, jin is a deity of chaos, awkward flirting cause they don't know hot to talk to each other, misunderstandings, sexual tension and smut

Performance evaluation by @kookscrescent

♡ fuckboy!yoongs x f!reader, college au, one night stand?? au, reader asks yoongi to tell her whether she's bad in bed, yoongi is a little shit but what's new

Bad idea... right? by @joonsmagicshop

♡ college party au, e2l, sexual tension, tae is a little bit of a douche but hobi makes it all better, smut

a word from our sponsors by @ugh-yoongi

♡ podcast co-hosts joon and reader, they read smutty fanfic of themselves, sexual tension, f2l, humour, smut

porn director drabble by @badbtssmut

♡ director!tae x pornstar!reader, tae shows reader's co-star how it's done, public sex, dubcon in a way

Risk management by @chateautae

♡ investment banker!tae x f!reader, s2l, sexual tension (i mean, who could blame her it's tae), smut, window sex

petty by @hamsterclaw

♡ rich kid petty criminal!kookie x lawer babysitter!reader, reader is in charge of making sure kookie doesn't get in trouble, idiots in love, sexual tension but with feels, smut

Redamancy by @gimmethatagustd

♡ alpha!tae x omega!kookie, a/b/o, imprinting, scenting, older tae (*cough* daddy), s2l, love at first sight, smut

Like a river by gimmethatagustd

♡ alpha!tae x omega!yoongi x alpha!joon, a/b/o, unexpected heat, college professors coworkers au, semi-public sex

The love witch by gimmethatagustd

♡ demon!tae x romance blogger witch!yoongs, incubus tae, "how to summon a boyfriend" au, s2l, modern fantasy, smut

(actually you should go read everything jai has put out, she's incredibly talented and i love like every fic she's ever published)

My library | ATEEZ fic recs

[makingqueerhistory]

I feel reasonably certain you're the one to ask, but if not, i hope you can point me in the right direction.

A while back, you put up a quote from someone about realising their queer identity being akin to wanting to quietly change train carriages. That particular idea has stuck with me, and I wanted to find the exact quote so I could remember it properly. Do you know who it was that said it, and in what context?

I know exactly what you are talking about! The quote you're thinking of is:

"I confess that I am one of those passengers that Fate put in the wrong train. Should I have caused an alarm? I chose the second, quieter way: I applied for a rewrite of the ticket.”

Which was said by Zdeněk Koubek, who was an olympic athlete!

Here is a snippet from our article about him:

"Koubek was born December 8, 1913, in Paskov, Czechia (Now the Czech Republic). Growing up with eight siblings in a poor Catholic household, he was an active child and very fond of athletics. His family moved to Brno while Koubek was still a child, and there he became interested in track and field. With very little formal training, he managed to reach peak performance. He had a decent education and considered becoming a clerk, but chose to dedicate himself to sports. Due to his outstanding performance at 17, he moved to Prague and joined the Prague University team, also working part-time as an instructor and coach. In 1932, at the age of 19, he broke his first national record and shortly after set five more. He won two medals in the Women’s World Games in London in 1934 and set two world records. It was at this point, due to his excellent performance and his gender-non-conforming nature, that rumours started circulating. Newspapers pointed out his “masculine” behaviours. Following this, there was an anonymous request for Koubek to be examined by Olympic-sanctioned doctors to ensure he was not lying about his gender. As this happened, Koubek left competitive sports entirely. Around the same time, writer Lída Merlínová wrote a biography about Zdeněk Koubek titled Zdenin světový rekord // Zdena’s world record. Merlínová was known for her writing on queer people, publishing the first Czech book about lesbians. In Zdenin světový rekord, Koubek is written as various degrees of gender non-conforming, androgynous, and masculine, and this book also added to the controversy of Zdenek’s sportsmanship. After disappearing from sports for some time, Koubek resurfaced with The World Record Woman. Published in Prague Illustrated Newsletter, Koubek himself wrote the 20-part biographical series. In it, he spoke of how doctors had mistakenly assigned him female at birth and how this had affected his life for over two decades. He once again disappeared, this time journeying to the United States of America for six months. He held lectures and told his life story. Upon his return to Prague in 1936, he underwent gender affirmation surgery and changed his legal name. He lived the rest of his life in Prague with his wife, later joined his brother’s rugby team, and never returned to the world of competitive sports. He passed away at the age of 73."

Zdeněk Koubek