#and the meaning of it and influences and how impactful this representation is and how raw and vulnerable it is to mix sexuality with misery | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

cy-cyborg · 1 year ago

Text

Toph Beifong doesn’t hold up as disability representation - Disability in the Media

[ID: A screenshot of Toph, a twelve-year-old girl with black hair in a loose, green and tan short-sleeve shirt and shorts, cheering in an arena. Next to text written in a rough, blocky font: "Disability in Media - Toph Beifong Doesn't hold up as disability representation" /End ID]

Avatar the Last Airbender is one of my all-time favourite TV-shows, and Toph is still easily one of my favourite members of Team Avatar. I was a few years younger than Toph when the show first started airing, and being a disabled kid who was into martial arts, constantly being dismissed by my able-bodied opponents and teachers, meant that I connected very strongly with her right from the get-go.

But upon my last couple of rewatches of the series, I began to come to the realisation that my opinions on Toph as a shining example of good disability representation were... well, pretty heavily influenced by my nostalgia for the show and that many aspects of Toph's character just don't hold up today. Which, honestly is fair, the show is nearly 19 years old (if it were a person in my country, it would be old enough to drink) and I think it's pretty ridiculous to expect every part of every character from an 19 year old show to age well. So today I wanted to talk about the things I think Avatar the original Last Airbender did right with Toph, where I think they missed the mark, and what changes I think would need to be made to Toph to make her work for a modern audience.

So let's start with why I think Toph doesn't really hold up as "good disability representation" today, and the elements of her character that just haven't aged as well.

For me, one of the biggest issues I noticed upon rewatching the show, is how often we are told (often by Toph herself) that she is blind, but how infrequently we are actually shown it's impact on her life beyond her bending or outside of jokey contexts. Outside of her bending, we only ever see her blindness impacting her ability to do things like read or write, otherwise, she functionally has full vision -so far as the audience is informed - with the only exceptions being when she's in the air or water (e.g. on Appa or in the submarines) or in loose soil (e.g. the desert). Having places and circumstances where she doesn't have access to her power that allows her to "see" was a step in the right direction, but I do think it would have been better if her seismic sense wasn't quite as accurate, even in the most ideal of circumstances.

But why? Well, I think Suki explains it really well, long before Toph is even introduced. when Sokka says "I should have seen you as a warrior instead of a girl" Suki stops him and says "I am a warrior, but I'm also a girl". Being a warrior and a woman are both important parts of Suki's character, and only recognising her as one or the other means ignoring a big part of who she is, and the same is true for Toph. Being blind is a big part of toph's character that has informed a lot of her life, but so is being a warrior and bending master. Many people see Toph as a warrior or fighter, but ignore her disability, but both are important. She's disabled, and a warrior, and those things don't cancel each other out, the same way being a warrior doesn't diminish Suki's status as a woman.

When the show was still airing though (and even still today) it was very common to see non-disabled fans of the show exclaiming that they honestly forget that Toph is even blind sometimes, with many people going so far as to say that she's not even disabled (and that this was a good thing). While I do think some of that comes from the fact they weren't used to seeing a disabled character as both disabled and an active participant in these kinds of stories, I do think this mostly happened because of the show's lack of, well, showing the impact of her blindness on her daily life and allowing her earthbending and seismic sense to erase the effects of her disability to some extent. It's much harder to forget a character is blind when it impacts their daily life in ways that are shown to the audience. This doesn't have to be in big, showy ways mind you, showing things subtly but consistently works way better than one "very special episode" type setup.

In the show as it is though, the seismic sense functionally gives Toph a perfect image of her surroundings until it's just not available anymore for *plot reasons*.

[ID: A black and white shot of Toph and how she sees the oponent she's fighting, with shockwaves radiating from him towards her to indicate how she's interpreting the scene. Her foe has jumped into the air and now has his hand dug into the ground of an arena, about to launch rocks towards her. /End ID]

In many ways, her picture of the world is better and clearer than what the non-disabled characters can see, leading to this feeling of her disability being erased. It may have been better though if the seismic sense could give her a general idea of big things in her immediate vicinity but she still missed the finer details, functioning at least a little bit more like a tactile/earthy-vibration version of the limited sight some legally-blind people have in real life. Things like a person's position, movement and overall pose would still be "visible" to her in a general sense, as well as big things in the environment (including things underground, since there are a few plot-points that require that), but smaller things like details about objects and creatures, people's facial expressions or what they're doing with parts of their body that have no direct contact with the ground (like their hands) is less clear. On top of this, she may struggle to detect smaller, lighter objects or creatures that realistically wouldn't cause much of a vibration at all. creatures as small and as light as Momo and Hawky for example might be detectable, but "fuzzy" to her, and anything smaller might make enough of a vibration to tell her it's there when it moves, but not enough for her to be able to tell what specifically it is without some other cue (such as sound). There are a few moments in the show that seem to imply this is what they were initially going for, but it's not really consistent, and is directly contradicted in her debut episode, "the blind bandit" when she explains that she can even "see" something as small as the ants off in the distance.

[ID: A shot of Aang, a twelve-year-old bald boy with an arrow tattoo on his head, dressed in a yellow and orange outfit, standing with Toph at night. In the foreground is an anthill will a trail of ants, which Aang is looking for. /End ID]

With an adjustment like what I'm suggesting though, she still serves her narrative purpose of teaching Aang the importance of being able to wait and listen - possibly even more so, as her needing to wait and collect more information in order to get a clearer image before striking, would back-up what Bumi tells Aang that he needs in an earth bending master. It would also still help to illustrate the connectedness of the world, a theme Toph continues to embody heavily in The Legend of Korra, while still showing the ways her disability impacts her more frequently.

When I talked about the "super-crip" trope a while back, I mentioned that one way to avoid the more harmful elements of the trope (where the character's disability is erased by their powers) is to use the ability in question more like a mobility or disability aid than a straight-up cure. The power should help them, but shouldn't make their disability redundant. People are creative and we would find ways to use a superpower or magic to help with our disabilities if it were available in real life, but what's the point of including a disabled character if you're just going to functionally erase their disability? For a character like Toph, I think this is the kind of approach that should be taken with her. Her seismic sense still helps her, but it's not a perfect replacement. (Ironically, I did use Toph as a "good" example of that trope, but I do think after this last rewatch, for the reasons I'm discussing here, I might have to backtrack that a bit).

I considered giving an alternative approach here, to keep the sensitivity of toph's seismic sense as it is in the show as is, but giving it draw-backs such as making her susceptible to sensory overload similar to what autistic people experience. However, while replacing one disability with another can work for some characters and stories, I don't think it's the best adjustment to make for Toph or any blind character, largely thanks to this also being a trope. The "blind (or d/Deaf) person who's other senses become super-human to make up for it" trope is very common in fantasy, sci-fi as well as older martial arts films, and while I'm not really the best person to cover it, I do know that members of both the blind and deaf communities have expressed a lot of frustration with it. Toph already falls into this trope quite a bit, and any suggestions I could make would have just dialled that element up to 11, and fixing one problem with another is never a good idea.

Another thing that actually did bug me for a while, even before my most recent rewatch of the show, is how Toph is treated on the rare occasions she does point out something won't working for her. There are a number of times where Toph advocates for herself and points out that something The Gaang is doing isn't accessible to her or sets a boundary to do with her disability, and she's either left behind, her concerns are brushed off or she's ignored entirely. The three most noticeable examples of this are in the Episodes "The Ember Island Players," "The Library," and Toph and Katara's segment of "Tales of Ba Sing Se."

In the Ember Island Players, Toph complains that the seats they have for the play are too high up and too far away, and she's unable to "see" what's happening on stage. Her friends don't really take any notice of her though except for Katara who tells her not to worry, "I'll tell your feet what's happening."

[ID: A shot of Katara, a fourteen-year-old girl with long brown hair and blue eyes, sitting with Toph, who is sitting with her arms crossed, annoying in a theatre seat. Both Toph and Katara are wearing red and gold, fire-themed outfits. Katara is looking at something off-screen. /End ID]

My problem here is that this particular kind of situation is something that is familiar to a lot of disabled people. Even the least independent disabled people I know get annoyed when their access needs or requests for accommodations, even among friends, are ignored and their pushback is brushed off with "don't worry, I'll just help you!" It's one of the first things that many disabled people tell non-disabled folks wishing to be better allies to us: you offering help instead of actually accommodating us isn't a good thing. We don't want to rely on others if we can avoid it, because honestly, non-disabled people often aren't very good at actually helping or in this case, relaying information to us without training and more often than not, it just results in us being left out. I find it very hard to believe a character as independent as Toph would accept that without any protest, especially considering that is pretty much exactly what ends up happening (even if the show didn't really acknowledge it). Katara never actually conveys anything about the play to Toph, except when she's attempting to throw Toph's words back in her face when she asks for clarification about the actor playing her - which ends up backfiring on her.

[ID: A shot from the same location as before, this time Toph has a huge smile on her face and is leaning on the balcony excitedly while Katara is leaning towards her, annoyed by her reaction. /End ID]

While it would have been better if Toph was actually listened to, it would have been…fine? if a justification was given for why they had to sit there (e.g. to avoid being recognised), if Katara had actually described the play for her. This wouldn't have been ideal, but it would have been better at least. In real life, many movies, TV shows (including this show's sequel series, The Legend of Korra) and other forms of visual media have an Audio Description track that does exactly that. If they weren't going to move for Toph to be able to see better, having Katara describe the play could have introduced kids to the fact this is an option. but instead it's brushed off, and I'll admit, it left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, even back in 2006.

The Library is a bit more forgivable in my opinion, since Toph is still new to the group, but in this episode, she states that she doesn't want to go inside the spirit library because she isn't able to read and therefor there wouldn't be anything for her to do. However, it still would have been nice to see her friends consider this at all before they actually arrived. They could have (and should have) still gone, but some acknowledgement that they at least thought about the inclusion of their disabled friend would have been nice.

[ID: A shot of Aang, Katara, Sokka and another man are talking while looking down at a map on the table. Meanwhile, Toph is sitting on the other side of the table, completely disinterested as she sips from a large ice cup with her feet up on another chair. /End ID]

Alternatively, I do feel like Wan Shi Tong, a self-proclaimed all-knowing-spirit or his assistants would have been able to point her in the direction of something to interest her, since he does imply books aren't the only form of knowledge he collects.

The reason I mention this though is two-fold. In real life, disabled people are very often left out of "fun" group activities, whether that be in formal settings or in casual ones, like hanging out with friends. If the episode had been framed as "the Gaang learns about the library and decides to track it down," I might have been less critical, but it's specifically framed as something that at least starts out as a kind of break for the team where they all take turns picking out fun things to do so they can rest, and Toph's access needs not being considered at all until they're already there hits a bit close to home, especially since they just end up leaving her outside. Secondly, there's also a stereotype that disabled people (and especially blind people) don't belong in academia and places of learning, such as in this case, libraries. This stereotype is about as old as the concept of organised institutions of learning, and definitely isn't unique to AtLA, but the assumption is often that disabled people wouldn't be interested in more formal methods of learning, so it's not worth accommodating us. With blind people in particular, when I've seen this in media, the premise is often "well I can't read anyway so why bother?" which Toph definitely falls into here with no push-back against the trope.

[ID: A close up of Toph and the rest of the group, Katara, Sokka and Aang standing in a desert. Toph shrugs, looking bored, while the others looks confused and surprised with the exception of Katara, who looks mildly annoyed, standing with her hands on her hips. /End ID]

It does make sense that she would have been resistant to going in, and I'm not saying this episode should have turned Toph into a bookwork akin to Wings of Fire's Starflight (another blind character) or anything. But there was a chance in this episode to push back against some of these assumptions, and I think it's a shame they missed it. How cool would it have been if Toph had mentioned not feeling welcomed in more formal learning spaces because of her disability, which was just reinforced by the way her old earthbending instructor and her parents treated her. She decides to go inside the library anyway as "backup" in case something goes wrong, grumbling about it the whole way down. Wan She Tong starts his introduction mostly the same way, saying humans aren't welcome and Toph makes a snarky comment about it. Wan She Tong, equally offended that this human thinks he, the all-knowing-spirit, wouldn't have considered something, shoots back with an annoyed comment about humans being so self-centred. He explains that spirits come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them have eyes, but they can still access his library. She's not the first sightless being in his study, and he-who-knows-ten-thousand-things knows this too. Once everyone is permitted entry, one of the knowledge seekers shows her to a series of slates about a lost earthbending form that she can actually read (or at least, "see" the pictures on) because it's carved. Or instead of a slate, it's a series of statues outlining the form, similar to what Aang and Zuko find in the episode "The Firebending Masters". Perhaps this form is something that helps her develop metal bending later on, and lays the groundwork for Toph becoming interested in teaching in the comics.

And finally, Toph and Katara's segment of Tales of Ba Sing Se. Katara convinces Toph to go get a makeover with her as part of a girl's day. Overall, this segment of the episode is pretty nice, and I liked that they showed that a person's gender expression (in this case, being a tom-boy) doesn't mean they can't like things outside of what we usually associate with that. Tom-boys can like girly things on occasion, and vice-versa, and I think this is an example of an episode that would seem a bit ham-fisted today, but honestly, was needed in 2006. However, there's a throw away joke where Toph says "as long as they don't touch my feet," and it immediately cuts to show spa workers filing down the calluses on her feet in a way so painful several staff are required to hold her down.

[ID: An image of Toph in a bath robe being held down in a chair by two spa workers while a third scrubs at her feet so hard that she is sweating. Meanwhile Toph is fighting against the two holding her down and has a facial expression like she is in a great deal of pain. /End ID]

this might be a minor thing in the grand scheme of the show, but it's still another example of Toph's boundaries about her disability and her access needs being disrespected by her friends, which the show just doesn't acknowledge it at all. People ignoring Toph's wishes about a part of her body she depends on in a much more direct way that others do is played off like a joke in a montage of otherwise enjoyable and goofy activities and this is a very, very common experience in disability circles.

There are a number of other, much more minor issues that show up with Toph as well, such as the fact she's the only one of the main cast who never has an on-screen (or on-page) relationship. not in the original show, not in any of the comics and not in The Legend of Korra. Again, it's not a big issue on it's own, especially because in AtLA, she's young enough where it's possible that she was just not interested yet, and she does have kids in The Legend of Korra where she mentions a relationship with a man named Kanto (Lin's father). So it is implied she does have some form of relationship eventually, but the issue is that it's never shown on screen or on the page. This feeds into a wider pattern in media of disabled characters being the only ones in their respective cast not given on-screen romantic relationships in stories, and so I still think it's worth pointing out, especially since the creators have had a lot of opportunities to correct that by now.

Toph is also portrayed, pretty much undeniably, as the best earthbener in a way that, at times, comes across almost like the creators felt like they need to compensate for her being on the team "despite" her being blind. This trope is one that I think Toph, at least partially, helped to popularise with the current generation of story tellers: The Disabled Savant. In this trope, disabled characters aren't really given the same room for growth as other characters; they aren't permitted to be average or still learning, they start good and get better. If they do progress, they often become the best, which is the case for Toph. To be fair, everyone in the The Gaang is the best at their respective skill by the end of the first series, which is why I say this is a minor point. She dose, however, have the least amount of on-screen growth in skill out of the whole team. Katara starts out barely able to lift any water at all, let alone actually bend it. Sokka is skilled with weapons from the start but does get his butt handed to him a number of times by others with more experience than him whom he learns from throughout his story arc. Zuko spends most of the early-to-middle of the show having things "blow up in his face" (to use his own words) and being belittled by his family of prodigies. While Aang is an airbending and, to a lesser extent, waterbending prodigy, he fails at pretty much everything else for a while before he starts to find his confidence - especially earth and firebending, not to mention the entire situation with locking himself out of the Avatar state. Toph is the only one who doesn't seem to fail or struggle all that much from a combat perspective. She does grow and improve in her bending (she invents metal bending after all) but she never has any moments where she really messes up or even struggles in combat all that much compared to the others.

All of these points and criticisms I've mentioned are not necessarily big in and of themselves, but when looked at together, they build up to create some issues with how Toph is depicted and how the people around her treat her disability

So that's it then? Toph is bad disability rep and Avatar should be "cancelled"?

God no. Like I said at the start, I still adore Toph and Avatar as a whole, but the show is a year away from being two decades old, it's bound to have some elements that don't hold up and I think it's worthwhile discussing them, specifically because I love the show and it's characters. Despite all the negativity I've brought up, I do think there are a lot of things AtLA did well with Toph too.

I've mentioned a few times that we rarely see how Toph's blindness impacts her life outside of her bending and combat abilities, and there's a reason I made that specification. Unsurprisingly, if you know much about the show's development, the ways in which Toph’s blindness and seismic sense impacts her bending and fighting style is one area where the show really does shine, and I still think that is worth a mention. The various types of bending are based on different styles of martial arts, specifically, different types of Kung Fu. Most earthbending in the show takes heavy inspiration specifically from Hung Ga, but Toph is different. Her bending heavily references Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, something unique to her within this world.

The reason for this (outside of simply wanting her to be visually distinct) was because the show’s creators made sure to consider what limitations Toph might have and what parts of the more common earthbending styles wouldn't work for her. Since her connection to the earth was critical in order for her seismic sense to work, they decided on a style that would keep her feet on the ground more, prioritised strong stances with minimal jumping and put more focus on attacking with her upper body. While not an intentional choice, the style they went with for Toph, according to the show's head martial arts consultant, Sifu Kisu, was supposedly developed by a blind woman in real life, at least according to legend. The creators also made further adjustments to the style with the help of martial arts consultants and just watching Toph fight is evident that a lot of love and care was put into the decisions made on that front.

I also appreciate that Toph's disability wasn't off-limits to joke about.

[ID: A picture of Toph waving her hand in front of her face with an exaggerated smile to remind the others she's blind. /End ID]

As I already mentioned, they didn't land 100% of the time, but lot of shows are afraid to use disability as a source of jokes, which would have felt weird and out of place in a show like Avatar. I see this hesitance in real-life too; people get extremely uncomfortable when I joke about my own disabilities and I've heard several people and even disabled comedians talk about the same observation. My last video on Tik Tok that got outside my usual audience was a joke about my prosthetic leg, and every single stictch and duet I received was people saying some variation of "I'm such a bad person for laughing!" "I'm going to hell!" or just straight up asking if they're aloud to laugh. If I didn't want you to laugh, I wouldn't have posted the joke! But joking about disability does make it more approachable. Despite how often Toph and the others made blind jokes though, outside of the one instance I mentioned earlier, they never felt mean-spirited or like they were punching down. Even when a very sleep-deprived Katara was intentionally trying to be.

I think it's also worth keeping in mind the context of the media landscape when Avatar The Last Airbender was airing. Today, characters like Toph are very common, so much so there's a whole trope about them (super-crips) but at the time, having a character with a major disability be a main character in an action-orientated kids show like Avatar was really rare. She wasn't the first of course, but a lot of the time, if they were included, they were almost certainly sad and depressed, wishing for a cure or they were designated to the roles of "Guy in the chair" (which is a character, usually a tech person, who helps from the background), inspiration, scary villain fake-out (or other variations of "creepy" character) or the actual villain. Having a character that was not only comfortable in her skin as a disabled person, who didn't want or need to be "fixed" or "cured" to be directly involved in the story, and who's main obstacle (at least in season 2) were how the people around her treated her, was pretty ground-breaking at the time (pun not intended) and went against the most prevalent stereotypes of it's day.

And I really want to emphasise that. For many Millennials and older Gen Zers, myself included, Toph was the first character that didn't tell us we were broken and needed to be fixed in order to be part of the group (even if they slipped up with that messaging occasionally). Prior to seeing Avatar, I honestly thought there was something deeply wrong with me for being happy with my life (a reminder, I was 10 years old when this show first started airing), because every other disabled person in the media only ever talked about how much worse their life was because of their disability, how much they hated it and how much they hated themselves. Many outright said that they wished they had died rather than become like me. Toph wasn't the first to go against those tropes, but she was the first example of a disabled character who wasn't like that many people my age saw. Did she do it perfectly? Hell no, but personally, back then, I was happy to have a character who maybe over-corrected and took things a bit too far than another sad character talking about how lives like mine weren't worth living.

I also deeply appreciated that Toph did struggle with her independence, at least initially, and where to draw the line with accepting help. Because of how much she'd been coddled and overprotected as a little kid, she saw any attempt at people being helpful and working as a team as them trying to baby her. It was very on the nose, but I liked that the show gave her an episode just dedicated to realising that it's ok to accept help. Again, this is a bit of a story telling trope today, but having the disabled character realise that it's ok to accept help, and to do it without talking down to them or saying that them wanting independence was bad, was a refreshing change compared to what was around at the time.

[ID: a zoomed out image of Toph, standing before her parents with Aang, Katara and Sokka standing behind her. /End ID]

While I think the show's creators could have benefited from consulting with disabled people and specifically blind people the same way they brought in consultants for the martial arts featured in the show, it's very clear to me that the intention behind Toph's character was good, and that actual effort was put in to make sure they depicted her well, even if some of it was a bit misplaced. It's also worth noting that the groundwork for a lot of my suggestions is already in place, they just didn't follow it all the way through. Overall, I'd say Toph was good for her time, and she's what was needed in the 2000's, even if she doesn't hold up as well today. I also think it speaks to how far we've come in terms of disability representation. When I first started engaging with the online fandom directly, almost no one, even other disabled people, argued that Toph wasn't good representation, because honestly, the bar was on the floor and we were just happy to have something different. But now there are options, and the standards are higher, and that's so, so good. It means that people, even in the media, are starting to listen and be more thoughtful about their depictions of disability than we were in 2006.

And finally, I want to really quickly mention The Netflix adaptation of Avatar. A few people have asked me now what I think they should do with Toph when they get to her, and what my predictions about the show are. I'm not going to talk about my predictions here, because this post is already way too long and that's not what this is about, but I don't think the suggestions I made today would necessarily work in this particular remake, primarily because of the tonal differences. Some adjustments definitely could, such the other characters doing a better job at listening to Toph when she points out inaccessibility and them actually considering her in the first place, but others might be harder to balance. The original show could get quite dark and serious at times, but it was primarily a light-hearted adventure story for kids. From what I've seen of the live action remake though, they're more heavily leaning into those serious elements - for better or for worse, and as such, trying to tone Toph down in the specific ways I mentioned might not balance out as well as it would in the original show. At the very least, the specifics would need to be different. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what approach they should take, that's not really the point of this post, but I did want to quickly address it to avoid confusion. My suggestions today were specifically on how to approach the cartoon version of Toph for a modern audience, and were not meant to be read as suggestions on how her live-action counterpart should be depicted.

#writing disability with cy cyborg #Wow I had a lot more to say about this than I thought (I think this is my longest post to date lol)#writing disability #disability representation #writeblr #writing #Avatar #avatar the last airbender #atla #Long Post #toph #toph beifong #the gaang #Animated Avatar #disability in media #fantasy

682 notes · View notes

cripplecharacters · 28 days ago

Note

What exactly defines a token character as a bad representation choice and not as a "background character" who happens to be disabled? And can a disabled character be the only disabled character but still good representation?

I know having relevant disabled characters is important, but when, besides the cast members who influence the plot, you have one of those scenes where a one-off character needs to be there, like when the autistic protagonist needs a ride in the middle of the road and a little person stops to help, or when the wheelchair user main character wants to talk to the magic council about a certain situation and the attendant is a blind person with a cane who checks the information of a braille book, is it safe from tokenism?

Hey!

For this post I will use "representation" to imply good/decent representation, not just the act of XYZ minority technically appearing on the page.

There's definitely a lot to discuss when it comes to tokenism, and there are a lot of different criteria that you can use to define what exactly it is.

So I'm gonna start with the main definition of what would differentiate a "token" from an unimportant character (=one that doesn't influence the actual plot) who just happens to be disabled: how you go about the fact that they are in your book(/comic/etc.).

If you put in the description of your work that it's "disability rep!" because there's this one guy in a wheelchair in one scene, that's tokenism: using a minority to simply boost/promote something as "diverse". That's the most annoying occurrence of it, there's so much media that people recommend as "XYZ rep" and when you look into it, the "rep" is a side character that shows up in two episodes and has like a line of dialogue. Sad!

To use one of your examples, tokenism would be if you claimed that your work has "dwarfism representation" in it because of that one guy who helps the main character in one scene. It's... just not that. That doesn't mean it's bad; if every single background character who wasn't a cisHet white abled Christian man (etc.) was supposed to be deep and thought-provoking then no one would be writing them, because that's not what a background character is supposed to be.

But - you could commit a tokenism with a character even if they are just a background extra who shows up once. Tokenism often goes with the fact that the token character could be swapped out for a non-minority one and nothing would change, since the key here is that the author doesn't really care: it's all just to say "hey, I got XYZ in my book!". So if you were to write a background character that you explicitly mention has disability X, but then they do something that a person with that disability wouldn't be able to do - that's probably a token (if not, it's still a badly made character). It's there to "represent" a group, but it doesn't make sense and there is no point so to speak because the author just doesn't care.

In that way, many disabled characters are just tokens - because the writer is writing an abled character, but keeps calling them disabled. When's the last time anyone has seen a character with albinism who was blind or low vision? What's up with all those deaf characters who read lips and speak orally so well that you literally forget they are even supposed to be deaf? Why is that "tragically unable to walk" character... walking for the entire duration of the book? They're just tokens done with no care nor research, it's all diversity points and quirky aesthetics. Everyone wants to be "inclusive", no one wants to actually have a disabled character who experiences disability.

Another thing with background characters is what role they serve. Most of them are fine - cashier has a skin condition, guy ordering a drink uses a speech generating device, mom of an annoying kid doesn't have a leg, cool. But sometimes it's worth to just ask "why am I making this specific character, whose disability has no impact on the story, disabled?". That is to say that if you need a prodigy piano player and your idea is to make them totally blind who always wears sunglasses, or to make the generic murderer have a big burn scar on half of their face, you're repeating a stereotype. "Role" also encompasses what happens to them. Does the one disabled guy just... die, and that's all? That's a token.

Those are the main things I'd avoid when it comes to background characters. Don't claim that they are what they aren't or represent what they don't, and if you want a disabled character - even just an extra - then either commit or just don't do it, and keep in mind where you're putting them in the first place.

Can a disabled character be the only disabled character but still good representation?

They sure can, but they just aren't, usually at least. The problem with single character representation is that it puts a big burden on this one character: to represent a whole community. That's a lot. I've found myself in this exact spot before: small cast, one character is disabled, and I try to make the whole thing better and more authentic... every single time the result was adding more disabled characters, even if their roles were smaller. It's about the potential contrast.

There are choices that you can do when you have multiple characters of X minority that you should probably avoid if there's just one of them. If I see a work that has three blind characters and one of them wears sunglasses, my reaction will be "oh, cool, they have photophobia like me". If there's one blind character, and they wear sunglasses, my assumption will be that that's what just the writer thinks all blind people wear.

(Even though, that singular character could 100% also be photophobic. My assumption here is based on my experience, because that's how it usually goes.)

In that case you can find yourself in a place where you either need to subvert a bunch of stereotypes (some of which are based in fact!) or address it in one way or another in your work. That character could say "oh, I wear sunglasses indoors because even artificial light really hurts my eyes", but in order to do that, you need to be aware that this is a writing trope in the first place. Not to mention, if you do it too much, it starts reading as some sort of disability PSA. There's a fine line to everything, and the fewer characters of a particular minority you have, the harder it is to navigate it in a way that feels natural to actually read.

Sometimes the occurrence of just a single disabled character also raises some questions. Where's everybody else at? There are some exceptions to that (e.g. stories with a very limited character count) but generally speaking, everyone knows someone who's disabled in one way or another, especially if they're disabled themself. Books tend to make disabled people seem as a rare phenomenon, but that's really not the case.

Sometimes it borders on nonsensical worldbuilding - all those disabled characters who only get their mobility aids/meds because they Know A Guy (or are that guy)... I always ask myself, "what about all those people who don't know this one specific guy? what about everyone who lived before and after this one specific guy?", and I don't think the authors ever consider that. Unless the world population count is in triple digits at most, your character won't be the only disabled person. Writing in a way that subconsciously implies that they are is to me just another form of tokenism, because they're not only the only disabled character in the story, they're also presumably the only one in that universe overall.

This is just a lot of paragraphs to say that you probably aren't ever fully safe from tokenism unless there are multiple disabled characters who have at least somewhat important roles in the story - and even then, they can still be badly written, just in different ways.

Sorry for the long post but I hope this helps,

mod Sasza

#mod sasza #anonymous #tokenism

143 notes · View notes

germanpostwarmodern · 2 months ago

Text

For way too long the modern architecture of Africa has been neglected by the Global North and only in recent years have substantial publications shed light on the fascinating architectural heritage in Africa. Late last year Birkhäuser added another comprehensive publication to the list of significant publications focusing on African modernism: "Modernism in Africa: The Architecture of Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda“, edited by docomomo international. The volume’s focus lies on educational buildings but not exclusively since also other remarkable structures are included. The reason for the dominant representation of educational buildings is their catalytic meaning for Africa as they were pivotal for the development of the continent. Following the consecutive independence and decolonization of numerous countries, schools, universities and other facilities were key components in their nation building processes. At the same time they marked a significant move away from the earlier colonial and missionary education to education that was available for all. From the early beginnings of school-building programs in the Gold Coast (i.e. Ghana) to the post-independence, internationally aided programs of the 1960s and 1970s a large number of remarkable buildings of primary and higher education were designed throughout the continent.

A significant factor influencing African architecture is the climate that naturally calls for climate-responsive designs. In her comprehensive essay Ana Tostoes addresses this aspect and based on the examples of Angola and Mozambique demonstrates how architectural programs were adapted to the local climates. As Portuguese colonies that gained independence only after the Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974, both Portugal and Brazil were reference points for architecture in Angola and Mozambique. The Ministry of Health and Education in Rio de Janeiro, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Lucio Costa and Le Corbusier, was a broadly received example for tropical modern architecture that also introduced Le Corbusier whose work had a major impact on Angolan architecture in particular.

In view of the profoundness of the book and the many stellar examples of architecture presented in Jean Molitor’s photographs I can only provide a sketch of what readers can expect form the book but it is a highly and wholeheartedly recommended read!

#architecture #africa #modern architecture #architecture book #birkhäuser #architectural history #book

71 notes · View notes

windvexer · 1 year ago

Text

Spirit Vessel Theory & Practical DIY (Traditional Witchcraft Flavored)

(Written in response to an Anon whom I think is probably involved in spirit conjure community, which is where conjurers put spirits inside of a vessel for you and ship them to you. Anon requested to know tips on how to transfer a spirit to a new vessel)

✨big heckin UPG ALERT ahead for the ENTIRE POST✨

In this post, a spirit vessel is any object, including a container filled with objects, which serves as a spirit's physical foothold into our present reality.

Three Varieties of Spirit Vessels: Telephone, Body, House

Please note the particular absence of trap or prison: there is no need for any practitioner to trap or seal a spirit inside of a vessel. This is what we do to unwanted spirits to relocate them to a second location, and it's not how we treat our friends.

My categorization of spirit vessels relates to how the spirit is intended to engage with the vessel.

Telephone Vessel: This is the kind I've most commonly seen and heard of in the conjure community. The spirit lives/exists Elsewhere, but the practitioner has given them a link of communication to this physical object.

The practitioner then works over the object to "call" the spirit and ask it to arrive in their location, or visit it Elsewhere, or just talk while they are in separate locations.

In my opinion, the "telephone" vessel is the least impactful type for the purposes of allowing spirits into our lives, but it's great at what it does: serving as a telephone line. However, as I hope this post will go on to show, it's also the easiest to make because the vessel requires the least amount of preparation and care.

Body Vessel: This is when the spirit vessel is meant to be the body of the spirit as it dwells on Earth. When a vessel is consecrated and dedicated to a spirit, it's understood to be the spirit itself. The form that the vessel takes influences the spirit's ability to work in our reality.

Body vessels may end up looking like little figurine versions of the spirit in question, but they can also be containers specially prepared with decorations and objects heavily linked to the spirit's essence.

Direct examples in witchcraft and folk magic include house and kitchen dollies that are meant to help lighten the load of chores or stop food from burning. Such dolls may be equipped with little brooms, multiple hands, and so forth, to assist with chores.

Another example of a body vessel is the Decaying River God. To create this vessel, I made a deal with the river and then embodied a spirit into this intuitively crafted form. Now, that physical object has become the sacred body of a spirit.

Just as the kitchen doll may be given a broom to assist with sweeping, a spirit's body may be equipped with tools to grant them additional influence and abilities in our world. A related example in witchcraft is to put the feet of small, scurrying Earthen animals (such as a rat or mole) into charm bags, so that the spell can scamper to its destination.

Just because the spirit has a body vessel does not mean they are permanently bound inside of that vessel. Accidentally breaking or losing the vessel isn't like harming the spirit (although obviously it's to be avoided).

Spirits which were born Elsewhere are perhaps more likely to come and go from body vessels, but even beings born with the creation of their body may still leave that physical space and return to it as desired.

House Vessel: This is the same thing as a spirit house or shrine, just a step to the left. We might equip the body vessel with objects that grant the spirit additional powers and capabilities, but in the house vessel, I tend to organize things to be a pleasant and enjoyable respite for the spirit, almost like a custom bedroom.

There may be no object or representation that's intended to be the body of the spirit at all. Nonetheless, the space is still one where the spirit may be fully invited and present, and gives them a strong foothold in our world.

The only real difference I draw between a house vessel and a shrine or spirit house is the intent. A shrine may be to venerate, and a spirit house may be a kind act of providing shelter. But the house vessel's intent is to create a space that makes it easier for a spirit to fully Show Up to our present reality.

Which Variety is Best?

This depends on your needs. For the purposes of witchcraft, spirits are often best given bodies that reflect their nature and empower them to carry out your purpose. I also hold this to be true for spells and any other variety of guy.

Spirits whom we're getting to know, but aren't quite sure of yet, may be best limited to "telephone" status.

House vessels - I haven't got a lot to say, except bringing up the point of them.

You can have multiple telephone lines and house vessels, yet intuition advises that really only one Body should do for the average spirit.

Vessels Themselves Can Suck So It's Worthwhile to Put Some Thought Into It

I believe that the more a spirit vessel is the embodiment of the spirit themselves, the easier it is for the spirit to use that vessel to interact with us and our present reality.

An extreme example can help demonstrate this point.

Imagine you've gotten to know a water spirit. A mermaid, let's say, from an ocean world of pure, opalescent waters, where coral reefs are cities and pet jellyfish are decorated with pearls.

Imagine that the vessel for this mermaid is a jar painted red and decorated with symbols of fire, then further charged with fiery energy. Within the jar is rusty nails, polluted water from the side of the highway, and a heaping spoonful of chili flakes.

I would hazard a guess that you couldn't even agree to get that mermaid to use such a vessel as a telephone line, much less use it as their physical body.

It's not that the spirit is snooty - it's that you're asking him to come into contact with things that irritate and burn him. Not only would it require a huge amount of energy to overcome these differences, but the vessel would nonetheless cause him discomfort.

Intuition may even advise that a simple bowl of water would create a vastly improved "house" vessel for this spirit.

But if it's true that a vessel can be incompatible with a spirit, then it's reasonable to assume that a vessel can be made more and more compatible with a spirit, until it is highly compatible and therefore very easy for the spirit to link to it and use it.

To really improve our mermaid vessel, we might embroider the outside of a bag with a representation of a coral reef, place jellyfish charms and imitation pearls inside of it, and often soak the entire bag in cool, pure water.

This may be the perfect vessel for our mermaid, but totally unsuitable to the pollution monster, who wants to live inside of the rusty nails jar.

This is the primary reason why I find simple unmodified single-object vessels to be not that great. (Examples of this would be, a crystal ring or antique object purchased and used without modifying it to the tastes of the spirit)

While a spirit may select such an object from a lineup and request it's use as a vessel, that doesn't mean that it's going to be an effective vessel.

Especially combined with beliefs in witchcraft about the magical impact of modifying vessels to encapsulate the power of a spell or spirit,

I believe that an unmodified object for use as a spirit vessel is like casting a candle spell with a plain candle to which no herbs or energies are added, and all you do is imprint your raw intent and light the candle.

It'll maybe work, but not nearly as well as it could.

Therefore I believe the form of the vessel matters beyond whether or not the spirit personally likes it, and extends into the realm of sorcerous technique - spirit manifestation is affected depending on if the spirit vessel is made well or made poorly, and especially how much it is physically personalized to the spirit.

Creation of a Useful Vessel

In all cases: Modify the object(s) of the vessel as much as possible to reflect the nature and known qualities of the spirit. As much as possible, work with the spirit to choose modifications, or, work with known lore or with the assistance of spirit workers or diviners.

In the case where a single object (such as a stone) must be used:

Tie the object up in a net where each knot represents a foothold for the spirit to cling on to, or, where each knot ties up a bundle of energy of the sort of thing the spirit likes. (Can be then worn as necklace)

Paint or carve the object, even in a hidden area.

Add additional decorations and embellishments to reflect either the nature of the spirit, or to represent useful tools that the spirit can use to access the object.

Carve out the middle and add bits of paper (with name and permissions written on), and stuff with relevant herbs.

Sight-unseen, I wouldn't recommend single object vessels if you can't heavily/permanently modify them.

In the case where a container vessel (such as a bag, box, or bottle) may be used:

Decorate the exterior, and if space permits the interior, of the container to best reflect an environment enjoyable to the spirit. Consider various techniques: painting, embroidery, carving, burning, and so forth.

Selectively include objects which reflect the spirit's nature, including dried plants, stones, feathers, seeds, bones, and various objects from nature; also charms, trinkets, and tokens (factory-made is fine); also prayers or poems, or drawings or artwork, all of these things symbolic of the spirit and attempting to demonstrate its nature and totality

Include a written sigil or signature of the spirit, and it's name or known names, and epithets. Often best done in fancy magical ink if any is on hand. (I use Sharpies; no need to over-think it)

Charms, amulets, plants, prepared powders or oils, or otherwise, for the purpose of facilitating spirit manifestation and ease of travel between worlds; examples may include specially prepared threads to symbolize links and roads, special spirit-calling powder, magnets to "draw towards," symbols of the Crossroads or of safe and easy travel, and so forth.

In the case where the spirit is likened to an earthly animal, bones or preserved body parts are a very good addition.

In the case where the vessel is itself in the form of a body, such as a figurine or doll:

Hand-craft or heavily modify the creation to represent the vibes as much as possible

Dress, accessorize, ornament, and decorate the figure to represent the spirit or it's known attributes and purposes.

As handicrafters known more about their trade than I do, I don't want to over-comment. Make them a little body. Yes.

Inviting the Spirit to Utilize the Vessel

Unfortunately I will decline to try and provide a specific step-by-step ritual, mostly because I work more intuitively and don't actually have one written up.

But I'll do my best to explain how you can go about it, and some things to consider.

Basically, you'll want to conceptualize four steps:

Final magical preparations

Consecration

Dedication

Invitation

I'll try to explain the reasoning behind including these things, and of course, you'll want to modify or change all of them according to your preferences and needs.

In all cases: Use your magic to make the vessel lovely and filled with spiritual virtues that resonate deeply with the nature of the spirit. This is necessarily vague; a troubleshooting primer for energy work is beyond the scope of this post.

The timing of this work is very well done on special days where the spirit-roads are open, on full moons, or on Mondays.

In cases where the spirit already has a vessel and you want to give them a new one, there is no difference in operation. Make profane and reclaim the old vessel afterwords according to your desires.

Fill the vessel with two types of energy: The first being dense caloric energies from foods, especially oil, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fatty meat. This can be done by placing a food offering next to the vessel and dedicating the food to the spirit.

The second being ethereal and subtle energies, such as produced from blessed incense or energy work. This can be done by blessing and offering incense as you normally do, or channeling your personal energy into the vessel.

Consecrate the vessel: Perform any charm or ritual in your practice which delineates an object as being sacred and separate from the everyday, and turns the object into a Spirit Vessel. (Add'l details below)

Dedicate the vessel: Perform any charm or ritual in your practice which functions to formally gift-give an object to a god or a spirit.

Sometimes, a consecration and a dedication are done in the same ritual, especially when a god is concerned. E.g., "Witchfather, by your name this wand is made holy (consecration). I give this wand to you; it is yours, and when I use it, your hand guides it (dedication)."

The most simplest format of this is something like, "by [the powers I believe allow me to make thing sacred], I make this object sacred [and perhaps I sprinkle some saltwater or whatever formula I believe is necessary to help me make things sacred]. This object is now the vessel for a spirit. Now, it is a Spirit Vessel."

The above being the idea of a consecration; the dedication then being something like,

"[Spirit Name], I invite you into my world and my life. I give you Permission to dwell in this Spirit Vessel and make it your body and your home. I give you Permission to walk in this world through the conduit of this Spirit Vessel. It belongs to you, it is you."

(The above dedication perhaps also revealing something about why "telephone lines" may be a safer bet, the dedication for those being something like, "[Spirit Name], I invite you to observe this vessel and place your fingerprint upon it, so that when I work over it I call out to you, and you can hear me easily no matter how far apart we are.")

Anyway, put some real thought into exactly how much you want this spirit to manifest in your life, because spirit experiences - even when desired and invited - can be very intense and scary, especially if up to that point your experiences with spirits has been limited.

Invite the spirit into the vessel: If not included in your dedication, also formally invite the spirit.

"[Spirit Name], I've prepared this special Vessel for you, and given it to you. I have prepared the way with earthly and aethereal energies, so you may be well-fed and have the power to move within our world. [That's the offering bit innit]. Come now at this time and here in this place, and claim this Vessel as your own."

Etc., something like that.

At this time, the ritual is over with and you can commune with the spirit as desired or close the ritual down in your normal techniques.

Again, if there is an additional/old spirit vessel you no longer want to use, try talking with the spirit about what to do with it; but you can just let it "run dry" and then carefully undo the magic on it. After that, do with it as you please.

#answered #spirit vessels #spirit work #witchblr

287 notes · View notes

olis-inkwell-symposium · 8 months ago

Text

How to Write Multidimensional LGBTQ+ Characters with Authentic Emotional Journeys & Moral Complexities

As a fellow proud member of the alphabet gang, when building LGBTQ+ characters in fantasy, it’s essential to push beyond surface-level representation and craft characters that are fully realized—characters with rich emotional arcs, intricate moral dilemmas, and personal journeys that go beyond their sexuality or gender identity. To do this, the character's identity should be one part of who they are, not the only thing that defines them. Below are some strategies for creating multidimensional LGBTQ+ characters in your fantasy stories.

1. Give Them Full Emotional Arcs

LGBTQ+ characters should have complex emotional lives that don’t just revolve around their sexuality or gender identity. It’s important to explore their hopes, fears, ambitions, and personal struggles just as you would with any other character.

Ask yourself:

What do they desire most in life?

What internal conflicts are they grappling with?

How does their identity shape their view of the world, but also, how do their experiences in this fantasy world impact their identity?

A lesbian warrior who’s conflicted about war may wrestle with the toll it takes on her spirit, her duty to protect her community, and her desire for peace—not just her love for another woman. These internal tensions create depth, making her more than a “token” character.

2. Place Their Identity in Context with the Fantasy World

How does your fantasy world view LGBTQ+ identities? Are they accepted, ignored, or misunderstood? Is there a specific cultural, political, or even magical significance to being queer in your world?

For example, in a world where shape-shifting is common, could gender be seen as fluid, or would rigid gender norms still exist? These questions not only affect how your character navigates the world but also how their identity interacts with the story’s larger themes. A gender-fluid sorcerer might find their powers misunderstood or even feared because of their shifting identity, adding layers to both their personal and external conflicts.

3. Move Beyond Stereotypes

Avoid fully focusing on tired LGBTQ+ tropes like the “tragic queer,” “gay best friend,” or “sassy queer sidekick.” Instead, allow them to occupy spaces where their queerness informs, but doesn’t limit, their roles in the story.

This means allowing LGBTQ+ characters to be:

Heroes and not just mentors or sidekicks.

Villains with moral complexities rather than simply “evil” because they are queer.

Leaders with the same flaws and virtues as any other character.

Relatable without relying on typical stereotypes.

Focus on their unique personalities, decisions, and values, allowing their identity to be one aspect of a multifaceted whole.

4. Explore Moral Complexity

One of the most compelling elements of character-building is the moral struggle. Allow your LGBTQ+ characters to face tough moral choices that aren’t just black and white. This shows that they aren’t infallible paragons of virtue or simplistic villains—they are people with the capacity for light and darkness.

For example, a gay knight may find himself torn between loyalty to his kingdom and the corrupting influence of power. His struggles are not centered on his sexuality, but on how his personal identity interacts with the external pressures of war, duty, and justice. This complexity makes him someone readers can empathize with, even as they wrestle with his choices.

5. Authentic Emotional Journeys

Many LGBTQ+ characters experience moments of personal discovery, whether coming out, finding community, or struggling with self-acceptance. However, these stories shouldn’t be reduced to a single “coming out” narrative.

If your character undergoes a journey of self-discovery, ensure it’s nuanced. Think about:

What are their internal emotional struggles?

What external pressures do they face from society or other characters?

How do their personal discoveries impact their relationships, goals, or views of the world?

6. Build Relationships Beyond Romance

Romance is often one of the main focal points when writing LGBTQ+ characters, but building meaningful, non-romantic relationships is vital. Focus on their bonds with friends, mentors, family, and enemies. These connections give them more texture and depth, allowing readers to see different aspects of their identity.

Develop these bonds to show how they shape your character’s motivations and emotional growth throughout the story.

7. Subvert Expectations

Fantasy offers the perfect space to subvert real-world biases and expectations. Maybe in your world, queerness is the norm, and being straight is the thing that raises eyebrows. Or, perhaps gender identity is fluid, and strict binary definitions are seen as old-fashioned.

This allows you to play with audience assumptions and opens the door to explore LGBTQ+ identities in new and innovative ways. By breaking the mold, you give your characters space to be fully realized individuals within a fantastical, yet meaningful, framework.

Crafting Characters with Complexity

Ultimately, the key to writing multidimensional characters lies in treating them with the same care and attention you would give any other character. Give them goals, flaws, emotional depth, and moral struggles that transcend their identity while still allowing their queerness to enrich their journey. By doing so, you create characters that readers can relate to and root for, regardless of their background.

The goal is not just to create LGBTQ+ representation but to craft complex, authentic characters that will resonate with your audience, making them unforgettable figures in your fantasy world.

#lgbtqia characters #queer writers #writerscommunity #writeblr #writer community #writerblr #writerscorner #creative writers #writers #writers on tumblr #writing advice #writing tips #writing help #how to write #writing resources #character development #character design #fantasy

62 notes · View notes

transformativeworksandcultures · 4 months ago

Text

CFP: Latin American Fandoms

Latin American fandom is a topic that rarely appears in peer-reviewed articles in English and irregularly in Spanish. Phenomena such as fan fiction (fanfic), cosplay, and online communities allow us to explore the representation (Aranda et al., 2013) and appropriation (Yucra-Quispe et al., 2022) of national content (telenovelas and narcocorridos) as well as content from other countries, whether it be movies or streaming platforms.

Despite its unifying name, Latin America is home to diverse panoramas and forms of expression. This territory contains countless sources of scholarly tradition that analyzes practices and content derived from entertainment products (books, films, games, among others), called prosumer practices, which are the result of the creativity of Internet users (Fernández Castrillo, 2014), under the approach of Digital Humanities. This space represents fertile ground for Spanish-speaking researchers to apply multidisciplinary methods and theories.

This call opens the door to studies that delve into the uncharted territory of Latin American fan practices. Fandom studies include the analysis of the impact of influencers, the modernization of heritage works, trends in the publishing industry (such as slow-burn romance novels) that function as a space for identification, allegiance or rebellion (Vargas Vargas, 2022), multilingualism in the digital world, and teaching practices that use elements of popular culture, from fairy tales to anime, to promote new literacies in the classroom.

This call for papers invites researchers, students, and fandom participants to share their analysis of fandom practices from the multidisciplinary perspective of fan studies, as well as literary criticism of transformative works written in Spanish, focusing on intersectional perspectives of race, gender, class, and nationality in the study of fandom content. The publishing language is English.

Texts will be received in English and may include, among other topics:

Fandom and Communities: analysis of prosumer entertainment practices (discussion forums, Discord, cosplay) and the different discourses that are woven into them from an appropriation perspective of mass media content.

New Techniques; Evergreen Knowledge: mono- or multidisciplinary research on the role of new technologies in the creation of meaning, communication and safeguarding of native digital content.

Literature on the Internet: reflections on how platforms, archives or transformative works expand or complement the Latin American literary tradition.

Literary Criticism of Fandom Works and Practices: critical explorations from decolonial, feminist, critical discourse analysis perspectives, etc.

Fandom in the Classroom: description of fandom practices in the development of critical thinking, multimedia and academic literacy.

Submit final papers directly to Transformative Works and Cultures by January 1, 2026.

Submission Guidelines

Transformative Works and Cultures (TWC, http://journal.transformativeworks.org/) is an international peer-reviewed online Diamond Open Access publication of the nonprofit Organization for Transformative Works, copyrighted under a Creative Commons License. TWC aims to provide a publishing outlet that welcomes fan-related topics and promotes dialogue between academic and fan communities. TWC accommodates academic articles of varying scope and other forms, such as multimedia, that embrace the technical possibilities of the internet and test the limits of the academic writing genre.

Articles: Peer review. Maximum 8,000 words.

Symposium: Editorial review. Maximum 4,000 words.

Please visit TWC's website (https://journal.transformativeworks.org/) for complete submission guidelines or email the TWC Editor ([email protected]).

Contact—Contact guest editors Yazmín Carrizales and Libertad Garzón with any questions before or after the due date at [email protected].

References

Aranda, D., Sánchez-Navarro, J. y Roig, A. (2013). Fanáticos: La cultura fan. Editorial UOC.

Fernández Castrillo, C. (2014). Prácticas transmedia en la era del prosumidor: Hacia una definición del Contenido Generado por el Usuario (CGU). Cuadernos de Información y Comunicación, 19, 53-67.

Vargas Vargas, J. (2022). Tatakae: El giro espacial del animé en el contexto de la protesta social. Contratexto, 38(038), 43-71.

Yucra-Quispe, L. M., Espinoza-Montoya, C., Núñez-Pacheco, R. y Aguaded, I. (2022). De consumidores a prosumidores: la narrativa transmedia en dos juegos móviles para adolescentes y jóvenes. Revista de Comunicación, 21(1), 433-451.

#twc #otw #fandom #fan studies #academia #fandom studies #academic journals #latin american fandom #latin america #spanish language fandoms #spanish fans #latin american fans

24 notes · View notes

cool-fancier · 2 years ago

Text

Dance of Desire

Synopsis: You and Bada got ready to perform Chris Brown's "Under the Influence" in the intense atmosphere of the JustJerk Academy rehearsal room. Your bodies showed an evident synergy while moving with sensual precision, captivating the audience. The performance drew cheers and ovation, and it rapidly went viral online, sparking admiration from viewers for your passion and connection.

The atmosphere at the JustJerk Academy rehearsal room was outstanding as you and Bada got ready to perform Chris Brown's "Under the Influence." Sensual feelings from the music filled the room, preparing everyone for a performance that would make an impact.

You and Bada moved with a seductive style that seemed almost effortless when the music started. Your bodies appearing to move in unison, demonstrating the closeness and intimacy you shared. The dance was a captivating representation of unrestrained emotion and desire.

The intimate moments in the dance were executed with precision, leaving the students in the room totally captivated. Your chemistry was real, and it showed in every sensual gesture and fiery glance you made.

A student from the academy couldn't help but gasp during your performance and shout, "They're on fire!" Cheers and laughter erupted across the room, and others joined in.

The way your bodies moved together was like a seductive dance of desire, and the students in the room were hanging onto every moment, practically holding their breath in anticipation of what would come next.

You and Bada moved in sync as the performance reached its climax, pressing your bodies together in an embrace that made it clear how passionately you both felt. It was a dance of love and longing that left everyone in the room in wonder.

The room burst into an eruption of applause and whistles as the last notes of the song faded. It was obvious that everyone who saw your performance had been profoundly affected by it.

People from all around the world hurried to see the video of your performance as soon as it was put on the official JustJerk Academy YouTube channel. There was a tornado of feelings and responses in the comments section.

@badastepdaughter:Their chemistry is off the charts! I've never seen a dance so incredibly sexy and passionate.🔥🔥🔥

@Y/Nisbada.wife:Bada and Y/Njust redefined the meaning of a sultry dance. I'm still trying to catch my breath!😳

Amidst the praise, there were playful comments too.

@bada_L:I think I need to cool down after that performance.

You and Bada could not help but encounter a sense of satisfaction as you read the comments. Along with showcasing your extraordinary talent, your dance also demonstrated how deeply you cared for each other and how strongly you were connected.

With her voice flowing with romanticism, Bada leaned in and said, "Our dance set the room on fire, love." We left them wanting more."

Knowing that this performance solidified your standing as a dynamic dancing duo, both on and off the stage, you couldn't agree more. "And they'll be talking about this for a very long time."

#bada lee x reader #bada lee #swf2 #swf2 x reader #bebe #bada lee fanfic #bada lee x oc #bada lee x y/n #street woman fighter 2 #street woman fighter x reader

198 notes · View notes

tavyliasin · 10 months ago

Text

Disability Pride Essays - Enver Gortash, Invisible Disability, and Visible Mobility Aids

Our focus this month has mostly been on our heroes (or perhaps, in some cases and paths, antiheroes, but companions nonetheless), but what about the villains? Gortash might not be the most sympathetic character, given all the morals he doesn’t have, but he’s important, popular, and altogether quite fascinating. This bonus round will take a look at a few of the more subtle details in his character, from the mobility aid to some things people have noticed in how he moves and interacts. There is a lot to be said about his traumatic backstory and how this impacted his life and decisions to where his moral compass does not point where most would prefer, but it would be a disservice to pretend that all disabled people - and indeed all disabled representation - are beyond criticism and are somehow icons of perfection. We are, I’m afraid to say, just as flawed as anyone else~ Which of course does not mean that we’re all out there making plans to dominate the world with a captured Elder Brain. That’s a little much…

What is Gortash’s Disability?

Gortash is far from the youngest of the adult characters, but he is also not of a typical age that one would expect to see mobility difficulties. And that is exactly what we have on the surface - though it is only seen in a couple of scenes, he has a rather ornate cane which is used for walking at times. There’s also an element of mental health with Gortash, and whilst we could do a deep dive into the causes I don’t feel that’s entirely necessary - the effect is in a few subtle details that some players might have missed.

How Do We See The Disability In The Game?

A lot of what we see is in Gortash’s outfit and inventory, though some have also pointed out that the way he walks and uses stairs looks very similar to how someone with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome might move (this condition is characterised by a weakening of connective tissues, leading to a higher chance of dislocation in joints and potentially differences in range of motion as tendons and ligaments are looser). This was fascinating to hear and I feel like I should absolutely go back and look at the scenes to see if I can spot those subtle shifts in motion and posture, though it is important to point out that quite simply you cannot always tell if someone is disabled or in pain just by observing them. There is the cane mentioned before, that is only in a couple of scenes but has made such an impact that it quite often makes an appearance in fan-created works, too. Another key item is his coat, which many refer to affectionately as “The Anxiety Jacket” - this might on the surface seem like a practical item to protect him from the influence of magical effects that cause conditions such as Fear, but many like to see it as a garment that also reduced anxiety and other similar symptoms. We can also see the gauntlets he wears as being a parallel to forearm and hand braces - though they’re not particularly accurate to actual support equipment, there are plenty of people who will wear specifically adapted braces in those areas. They might even have a couple of fingers uncovered as Gortash does, in order to better manipulate objects and prevent accidental scratches/injury from natural reactions like rubbing one’s eye when it’s sore/tired.

How Does This Reflect Real Life?

The cane is a very direct parallel, even in how it is not present in every scene with him. We only see it a couple of times, but it’s there enough for many of us to take note and to perhaps feel a little validation and representation from that. A lot of people who use an aid like a cane may not need it every single day, and use it only as and when required to maintain their strength but without struggling needlessly on bad days or risking making things worse. So whilst an argument could be made that “the cane he uses is only decorative” that doesn’t quite add up, as surely he would have it with him when holding the huge event to impress all the patriars - more on that later though. With the gloves, braces and even compression gloves are common accessibility aids that can support and protect joints and reduce pain. Granted, ornate golden metal is not usually the first choice, but like the cane we can see this as Enver making his mobility aids match his outfit/style. Plenty of us do seek out more stylish mobility aids, or otherwise decorate them with all sorts of things from stickers and paint to badges and keychains. It would be very interesting to see braces or supports styled like Gortash’s bracers and gauntlets. His coat could also be a parallel to how some people find a lot of comfort and anxiety relief from weighted blankets or even weighted garments that apply a level of pressure to the body in just the right way to feel soothing. This is particularly known for anxiety and neurodivergent people, though plenty of others have also found this to be helpful and calming.

Invisible Conditions and The Importance of Appearances

So in the community you might see people talk about Visible Disability and Invisible Illness (illness and disability are interchangeable here). What this refers to is whether a condition is something that people can instantly recognise, and usually won’t question. This might be a mobility aid like a wheelchair or crutches, or a white cane for visual impairments/blindness, or a service dog, or visible braces for joints. There are some borderline ones like walking canes which are a visible signal of disability but might not always be respected as such, particularly if the user looks younger and not the expected elderly person using a cane to walk. But many people who still need accessibility services and options - like disabled parking spaces or to use the lift instead of stairs - may not have any of these visible differences. It may be a heart and lung issue, or chronic pain that doesn’t require a mobility aid, a fluctuating severity condition, mental health and developmental/learning difficulties - numerous conditions can affect people in ways that are not immediately recognisable, so we call them invisible. When you look at Gortash only having his cane for a couple of scenes and not in others, and how the gauntlets specifically serve another purpose of holding the netherstone, you can argue that his conditions are mostly invisible ones. Or that he is attempting to keep them that way, at least. He holds a position of high regard and clearly to some degree cares about appearances given how ornate his clothing is and how he presents himself as a powerful and charismatic leader of his people.

Were he to walk out in front of the crowds using a cane, it would more than likely turn a few heads, or even appear to be a weakness to those who might use it against him for their own gain. To someone with as large a target on your back as he has, even with all of the power of being Bane’s chosen, it’s unwise to give anyone an opening.

Mobility Aids and The Anxiety Jacket

There are a lot of different mobility aids that people use in their daily lives, and some are even ones that are not needed every day. It isn’t unreasonable to suggest that actually Gortash’s use of the cane is like a part time mobility aid user - he doesn’t need it every day, but he does need it on a bad day when a symptom is flaring up or he has to do more than he usually would. The jacket might also, as well as acting in a similar way to a weighted blanket, be akin to how some people have favoured clothing items that give them comfort. Something like a jumper or jacket, a hoodie that is comfortable and feels safe to wear. Keeping things stylised, as mentioned earlier, is just another way that people incorporate their mobility and accessibility aids into their personal tastes. It’s similar to how people prefer to choose glasses that they feel look nice - it’s not just about the function of the item, technically any style of glasses will serve the purpose of correcting someone’s vision easily. They’re there all the time, so having them coordinate with your sense of style and taste is logical, and can make you feel more confident and positive about wearing them. It’s the same as anything really - you choose a coat not just for how it keeps the cold and/or rain out, but also for how it looks. Mobility aids aren’t always so interchangeable - it’s tough to afford or even store a whole range of wheelchairs or crutches - so choosing the right one and making it fit is important at the start. Enver’s cane is ornate, and in keeping with the themes of other things he wears all the time. As a game character, naturally he just has the one recognisable outfit, but it’s plausible to say that were he to have a more varied wardrobe it’s unlikely there would be anything that clashes with gold and black as a colour scheme.

Function and fashion, essentially, don’t need to be entirely separate, even when we’re talking about disabilities.

City Design and Accessible Buildings

Now, I might be remembering entirely incorrectly on this point, but from my memory and the screenshots I was looking at, it seems like Wyrm’s Rock Keep might actually have full step free access. There is a lift (elevator) that goes up to the upper floors for the coronation and to upper rooms, and I don’t recall seeing steps at either drawbridge entrance or in the doorways to the publicly accessible rooms either. It’s an odd point to bring up, and hardly seems relevant to the rest of the game, but I do want to invite you for a moment to think about the game map and your own local area. In the game, there are a huge amount of places only accessed by stairs, streets that are cobbled and bumpy, a complete lack of accessible routes. Of course it is a fantasy game where there is magical healing, but if you want to go into deep lore then there can still be disabilities in fantasy settings, and magical healing is very expensive. Adventurers end up with plenty of coin, but this is from selling things they find or steal, from rewards for completing tasks that carry a strong risk of death to each, from killing foes and raiding their pockets for loose change (I’m not judging you, it’s a game and they don’t exactly have a Will tucked into their back pocket telling you who to give their coin to). The average citizen, however? The amount needed to pay for high level healing spells or potions is more money than they would make in over 50 years, and that’s if they didn’t have daily living expenses to account for. So to pull that back into the real world, look at the world around you. Each business you enter, notice for a moment - does it have a stepped entrance? Anything more than an inch could prevent a disabled person from entering. Is the speech or conference you are watching being interpreted by someone using sign language? Are there braille marks on important buttons like door openings or bus stop bells? Have textured paths that white cane users need as guides for routes been blocked by anything? Is there enough space for a mobility aid user to safely navigate between aisles and displays in a shop? Sometimes it can seem like there is no need to add accessibility, because you’re not seeing disabled people around who need them. But to that I like to remind people of two key points - first, if a place isn’t accessible, we can’t even try to be there in the first place (or we don’t want to give our business to someone who has not thought of basic access needs), and secondly we are still a minority, so the percentage of us in the population whilst still significant is far lower than abled people.

What We Can Learn From Gortash’s Story

It feels strange to say “hey let’s learn about this unrepentant villain and how he can represent us” but the thing is we do need diverse representation. Just as we shouldn’t have villains be the only characters to portray disability (directly or indirectly), it would also be unfair to have disabled characters only permitted to be pure and virtuous. Disabled people, and disabled characters who represent them, are people. Whole entire people with wants and dreams, needs and desires, faults and flaws and mistakes and everything that makes us all human. We cannot - and should not - boil them down to only being their disability. Gortash can be representative of how people’s conditions may vary, how some days they may need a cane but others they might not. He might be an example of someone who hides their condition, or whose needs vary from day to day. It’s good to remember that in real life someone who is disabled might be able to do something one day, but not the next. It doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be entitled to help that they need to do that thing on the days they can’t, nor should you be assuming they always need the support if it isn’t being requested or used. He can also show us how mobility aids and supports do not need to only be functional. If someone can afford to have a gold inlaid ornately carved cane, why shouldn’t they? If someone wants to have braces or joint supports that are decorated and match their outfits, that should always be an option available to them. I would also like to invite you to take the time to look at the world around you and thing about how things may be accessible or inaccessible to someone with different needs to your own. As a wheelchair user myself, when I started using wheels to get around I was taken aback by just how needlessly difficult it can be. Businesses with steps, curbs not properly dropped to allow for road crossings, vehicles parked too far across pavements and footpaths, even accessible toilet facilities being used to store extra bins or other supplies because there’s more space in there - forgetting, of course, that wheelchair users need that extra floor space to be able to enter, turn, and navigate when inside. If you do notice that a business doesn’t have a step-free entrance, that there’s no lift or level crossing to change platforms at a train station, that a car park has no disabled spaces, please consider speaking up or notifying whoever is responsible for the area.

I’ll round this one off to remind us all that it’s ok to find parts of ourselves in a villain’s story, and even to feel a connection to a fictional villain. Love them, too, if you like - I know I often do~ You can find a whole breakdown of why I feel we like fictional villains - and how this does not make us bad people - right here.

#baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #disability pride month #disability #essayposting

33 notes · View notes

grey-sorcery · 2 years ago

Text

Title: Sigilcraft Mechanics: Metasigils, Hypersigils, & Knot Magic

Suggested Reading

Sigilcraft: How-to Conceptualization Vs. VisualizationAnchorsEnergetic ConstructsIntermediate Energy WorkIntro to GnosisVisualization: Effective PracticeCorrespondencesThreshold Theory Basics of Spellcasting Spell Design

CW: This article discusses | || || |_. iykyk

Sigilcraft, Metasigils, & Hypersigils

When first getting into sigilwork, you may stumble into the practices of meta/hyper sigils. Metasigils are things like sigil-chains and spell circles, or multiple sigils that are connected or combined in order to create a more specific purpose. Hypersigils are nebulous connections made between concepts and intent that are embedded into the media. Hypersigils operate off the exact same mechanics as regular sigils but they are carried through a different, more expansive, vehicle. Rather than using lines and symbols to carry their purpose, their purpose is programmed through imagery, theme, composition, color theory, mathematics/numerology, and/or energy work. Sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils represent intriguing aspects of contemporary occult practices, drawing upon psychological frameworks and symbol manipulation. Sigilcraft involves the creation and activation of sigils, which are abstract symbols charged with personal meaning and intention. These sigils serve as condensed representations of desired outcomes or transformative states. Rather than relying on explicit intentions, practitioners engage in a process of symbolic encoding to tap into the subconscious and evoke change.

Metasigils take sigilcraft a step further by incorporating multiple sigils into a larger, interconnected system. This system aims to capture a complex web of desires, beliefs, and archetypal influences. Metasigils serve as composite symbols that harmonize various facets of the practitioner's psyche, creating a unified expression of personal goals and aspirations. Through the interplay of multiple sigils within a Metasigil construct, practitioners seek to engage with deeper layers of their consciousness and facilitate transformative shifts.

Hypersigils push the boundaries of sigilcraft by expanding beyond static symbols into dynamic narrative frameworks. Hypersigils encompass a multidimensional approach, incorporating elements of storytelling, art, and personal mythology. They function as immersive vehicles that transport practitioners into a narrative world where their desires and intentions unfold. Hypersigils intertwine the symbolic power of sigils with immersive narratives, fostering a heightened level of engagement and identification. Through the ongoing interaction with the narrative construct, practitioners immerse themselves in a self-created reality that facilitates profound personal transformations.

The underlying psychological mechanisms behind sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils are rooted in the power of symbolism and the subconscious mind. By engaging in symbol manipulation and focusing attention on the sigils or narrative constructs, practitioners tap into the reservoir of the subconscious, which is receptive to symbolic language and imagery. This process operates on the principle that the subconscious mind is more receptive to indirect communication, bypassing conscious filters and allowing for greater potential for change and manifestation.

Within this psychological framework, sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils can be seen as tools that interface with cognitive processes, including attention, belief formation, and intentionality. The process of creating, activating, and interacting with these symbolic constructs involves a deliberate manipulation of cognitive processes to influence perceptions, motivations, and behaviors. By engaging with sigils, Metasigils, and Hypersigils, practitioners harness the power of suggestion, amplifying the psychological impact and aligning their subconscious processes towards desired outcomes.

Historical Contributions

The contributions of Paracelsus (1493-1541), Austin Osman Spare (1886-1956), Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787-886), and Zhang Guo Lao (c. 8th century) to the practice and use of sigils, talismans, and amulets were instrumental in shaping the understanding and application of these symbolic tools.

Paracelsus, a pioneering 16th century physician and alchemist, explored sigils, talismans, and amulets within his holistic approach to medicine and metaphysical philosophy. His seminal works, such as "The Book of Seven Seals" and "Philosophia Occulta," elucidated the intricate connections between the natural and spiritual realms. Paracelsus emphasized the utilization of symbols and objects to harness and channel the innate healing powers of nature, promoting the idea that the physical and spiritual aspects of existence were intimately entwined.

Austin Osman Spare, an artist and occultist, brought a unique perspective to sigils, talismans, and amulets in the early 20th century. In his influential work, "The Book of Pleasure," Spare developed a method known as "The Alphabet of Desire." This system involved the creation of personalized sigils as a means of manifesting one's desires. Spare's approach emphasized the integration of sigils into individualistic practices, wherein practitioners could tap into their subconscious and project their intentions into the symbol, without relying on external correspondences or established magical systems.

Marsilio Ficino, a 15th century Italian philosopher and astrologer, made significant contributions to the understanding and application of talismans. In his notable work, "De Vita Coelitus Comparanda," Ficino explored the concept of celestial correspondences and the use of talismans to align oneself with the cosmic forces. He believed that talismans, charged with celestial energies, could serve as conduits to bring about specific effects or virtues. Ficino's emphasis on the inherent connections between the celestial and human realms paved the way for further developments in talismanic practices.

Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi, an 8th century Persian astrologer and astronomer, explored talismans and their relationship with celestial influences. In his extensive writings, including "The Book of the Thousands" and "The Great Introduction," al-Balkhi explored the creation and application of talismans based on astrological principles. He believed that the proper alignment of planetary influences and the selection of auspicious times were crucial factors in the efficacy of talismans. His works provided a structured approach to the utilization of talismans in magical and astrological practices.

The fangshi (Occultist or Alchemist) Zhang Guo Lao, a legendary figure in Chinese Taoism during the Tang Dynasty (7th century), is associated with the creation and use of talismans. Though historical details of his life are uncertain, his role in Chinese folklore and Taoist practices is noteworthy. Zhang Guo Lao was believed to possess the ability to create and utilize magical charms and talismans. He was associated with the tradition of Taoist magical arts and was considered a master of talismanic practices.

These individuals, each with their unique perspectives and contributions, shaped the understanding and practice of sigils, talismans, and amulets. Paracelsus's holistic approach, Spare's individualistic methods, Ficino's celestial correspondences, al-Balkhi's astrological insights, and Zhang Guo Lao's mythical influence all played a significant role in the development and evolution of these symbolic tools. By exploring the interplay between natural and spiritual elements, these historical figures expanded our understanding of how sigils, talismans, and amulets can be utilized as practical and symbolic aids in various metaphysical, mystical, and magical practices.

The concept of hypersigils emerged in the field of chaos magic, and it was popularized by the occultist and writer Grant Morrison. Grant Morrison is often credited with introducing and developing the idea of hypersigils in his comic book series "The Invisibles," which was published from 1994 to 2000. Morrison expanded on this idea and proposed the concept of hypersigils, which extended the creation and activation of sigils to more complex and immersive forms of media. In "The Invisibles," Morrison incorporated his personal beliefs, desires, and intentions into the storyline, characters, and themes of the comic series. By doing so, he believed that he was effectively creating a hypersigil that would have a profound impact on his own life and the world around him. Morrison is quoted: “"The 'hypersigil' or 'supersigil' develops the sigil concept beyond the static image and incorporates elements such as characterization, drama, and plot. The hypersigil is a sigil extended through the fourth dimension. My own comic book series The Invisibles was a six-year long sigil in the form of an occult adventure story which consumed and recreated my life during the period of its composition and execution. The hypersigil is an immensely powerful and sometimes dangerous method for actually altering reality in accordance with intent. Results can be remarkable and shocking"

Uses and Applications in Witchcraft

The applications of Sigilcraft, Metasigils, and Hypersigils within the models of psychological, spiritual, energetic, and informational witchcraft encompass a diverse range of practices and techniques, each with its distinct focus and approach. Sigilcraft, the creation and utilization of sigils as symbolic tools, finds relevance and applicability in these different models.

In the psychological model of witchcraft, sigils serve as potent vehicles for self-exploration, introspection, and personal transformation. Through the process of crafting and activating sigils, practitioners engage in a form of self-directed psychological programming. Sigils become encoded representations of desires, goals, or affirmations, and their activation acts as a catalyst for subconscious shifts, empowering individuals to manifest desired psychological states or changes within their own psyche.

In the spiritual model of witchcraft, sigils hold significance as sacred symbols that establish connections between the individual and the divine or spiritual realms. Through the process of crafting and consecrating sigils, practitioners forge a connection with spiritual forces or deities, invoking their guidance, protection, or blessings. Sigils become conduits for spiritual energy and serve as focal points for devotion, meditation, or ritual practices, facilitating communion with the sacred and the cultivation of spiritual growth. May also incorporate astrology to aid in constructing this connection.

Within the energetic model of witchcraft, sigils function as energetic constructs that interact with subtle forces and channels of energy. By infusing sigils with a specific energetic signature, practitioners direct and manipulate energetic currents to influence specific outcomes or to affect the energetic balance within themselves or their environment. Sigils become energetic engrams, harnessing, transmuting, and directing the flow of subtle energies to bring about desired energetic fluctuations. Due to the pervasiveness of energy within all practices, any media or symbol can be created as, or made into, a sigil.

The informational model of witchcraft recognizes sigils as symbolic codes that communicate and transmit information beyond the conscious realm. In this model, sigils serve as gateways to accessing or altering information within the collective unconscious or the larger informational field. Practitioners employ sigils to tap into the reservoir of universal knowledge, to enhance intuition, or to encode information for purposes of communication, divination, or influencing informational flows.

Metasigils, an extension of sigilcraft, further expand the possibilities within these models of witchcraft. Metasigils operate on a meta-level, encompassing multiple sigils within a unified framework. They represent complex intentions, archetypal patterns, or overarching principles, serving as beacons for desired outcomes or as catalysts for profound shifts on various levels of existence.

Hypersigils transcend the individual sigil and encompass an entire narrative or artistic creation. Hypersigils are multifaceted expressions of intention and passion, woven into a larger creative endeavor such as a novel, artwork, or performance. Through immersion in the hypersigil's narrative or experience, practitioners engage with the intention on a deeper level, blurring the boundaries between the symbolic and the lived reality, thus manifesting desired outcomes or transformations.

Sigilwork As A Concept

The conceptual foundation of sigil magic is functionally the same as non-sigil spellwork. Both are forms of esoteric manipulation, exhibit striking similarities when examined through a purely theoretical lens. Both rely heavily on the deliberate and purposeful application of intent, passion, and gnosis, hinged on the belief that human will, when focused, can incite change in the experienced reality.

Sigil magic operates on the premise that a practitioner, through concentrated trinity of spellwork, invests a symbol, or sigil, with a specific directive or objective. This directive, often personally significant and meticulously crafted, is embedded into the sigil during its creation. This procedure leverages the potent forces of subconscious cognition, energy work, and potentially spirit work to effectuate desired outcomes. The sigil, in this case, serves as an anchor for the working of the practitioner.

On the other hand, non-sigil spell work also hinges on the utilization of the trinity, albeit sometimes without the symbolic component. Such spells, which can incorporate verbal utterances, physical actions, or the use of specific artifacts, aim to manifest a certain outcome by directly channeling the practitioner's will. In non-sigil spell work, it is the act or process of spell-casting that provides the energy which is typically anchored in a physical object or organism rather than a symbolic representation.

This dichotomy between the symbolic (sigil) and the action-oriented (non-sigil) methodologies offers an intriguing insight into the functional versatility of focused willpower in esoteric practices. While sigil magic employs symbols as the praxis for the working, non-sigil spell work instead often utilizes action or ritual which may not utilize this method of symbology. Despite these differences in methodology, both practices exhibit a common underlying principle: the harnessing of will (intention, passion, & gnosis) to effect desired changes. Energizing a sigil, akin to the preparatory stages of a non-sigil spell, involves focusing one's psychological, spiritual, and emotional energy on the emblematic object. This concentration of energy can be analogized to potential energy in the physical sciences - energy that is stored and ready to be transformed or released.

In the final stage of the sigil operation, commonly referred to as activation, the practitioner catalyzes the stored energy, analogous to the casting stage of non-sigil magic. Like a potential energy converted into kinetic energy when a physical object is set into motion, the activation process of an active sigil (see Sigil guide) transmutes the potential 'energy' concentrated in the sigil into a force aimed at manifesting the initial objective. The release of energy in this manner parallels the manner in which a spell is cast in non-sigil magic - a directional release of prepared energy to achieve a desired outcome. They also invariably utilize energy work, subconsciously or otherwise, to program the work towards a specific direction; move the work towards its target; and cause manifestation to a certain degree.

Furthermore, through the Spare method a meme, like the well-known "Loss", starts as an explicitly narrative unit. The original comic strip, that gave birth to the "Loss" meme, encapsulates a specific narrative—a poignant moment in a larger story. When this meme gets abstracted into a series of connected lines (| || || |_), it undergoes a transformative process akin to the creation of a Spare sigil, where an idea or goal is reduced to an abstract symbol.

The process of abstraction is central to this model, severing the explicit link between the signifier (the meme or sigil) and the signified (the original narrative or goal), thereby enabling the meme or sigil to be loaded with new meanings. Through the principle of intertextuality, each subsequent iteration of the meme or sigil can carry additional layers of meaning based on its relationship with other texts or cultural artifacts, further augmenting its power or ability.

When a meme is shared, engaged with, and re-contextualized by numerous individuals across the digital landscape, it can accumulate a form of energy. This propagation, engagement, and subsequent energy accumulation parallel the charging phase in sigil work.

The final aspect of this model concerns the activation of the sigil or the triggering of the meme's energy. When the meme is encountered in a context that aligns with its charged energy—whether that's humor, shock, or another emotional reaction—it discharges this energy, catalyzing a change in the perceiver's consciousness. This change is the operative goal in both meme propagation and sigil magic, making memes an intriguing tool for modern magical practitioners.

This concept is relatively mirrored by spellwork and spiritual practices found in pop-culture magic. Where a spell or being is used in real life. Pop-culture spellwork operates on similar principles to traditional spellwork, with pop culture entities taking the place of classical magical symbols or archetypes. For instance, a practitioner might call upon a character from a popular film or book, seeing in that character a symbolic representation of the qualities they wish to evoke or the changes they aspire to make. This is akin to how a sigil operates: an abstracted symbol carrying potentially accumulated meanings, invoked to initiate a desired change. Spirits conceptualized this way can become what is referred to as an egregore, or a thoughtform, which is forged in the idea of “the collective consciousness”. These entities, much like memes, are imbued with a certain collective energy derived from the shared cultural understanding and emotional investment of their audience. Intertextuality and abstraction play significant roles in both practices. In pop-culture spellwork, the entities used are intertextual, their meanings and energies derived from their relationships with other cultural artifacts. In pop-culture spiritwork, the practitioner often abstracts the entity from its original context, enabling it to carry new or additional meanings.

Applications of Sigil Conceptualization via Gnosis

The application of sigil conceptualization via gnosis demonstrates its efficacy and adaptability in various magical practices, such as knot magic, candle magic, rune magic, and kitchen magic. Gnosis, referring to a state of deep intuitive insight or focus (typically propagated through the cultivation of a conducive headspace), serves as a powerful catalyst for sigil work. The process involves the practitioner entering a heightened state, transcending ordinary awareness to connect with their intention and passion.

Knot magic, a practice found in diverse cultural traditions, involves the tying of knots to manifest desired outcomes. Through the use of knots, imbued with symbolic significance, practitioners harness the power of intention and gnosis to weave their desires into the fibers. By tying and untying knots with purposeful focus, the practitioner establishes a tangible representation of their intention through abstraction, activating the energetic potential of the work. This is nearly a 1:1 correlation to sigilwork.

Candle magic, another commonly employed practice, utilizes the element of fire as a transformative agent. The practitioner chooses a specific colored candle that corresponds with their intention, and through passion and gnosis, infuses the candle with their energy. As the flame flickers and dances, it serves as a medium for the manifestation of the spell’s purpose, releasing the intent into the universe.

Rune magic, outside of divination, is derived from ancient Germanic and Norse traditions, involves the use of runic symbols as conduits for magical workings. The practitioner, with deep gnosis, selects specific runes that resonate with their intention. By inscribing or projecting the chosen runes, they infuse them with their energy and connect with the inherent energies represented by the symbols. The runic sigils act as channels through which the practitioner channels their will and taps into the primal forces of creation.

Kitchen magic, rooted in the practical aspects of everyday life, utilizes the preparation and consumption of food as a magical act. With a focused mind and gnosis, practitioners infuse ingredients and dishes with their will. By combining culinary techniques, herbs, spices, and energetic and maybe even ritualistic preparation, they create edible hypersigils that carry their encoded purpose. As the food is consumed, it serves as a vehicle for the manifestation of the magical intent, bringing transformative energies into the practitioner's life through their physical body.

The applications of sigil conceptualization via gnosis in knot magic, candle magic, rune magic, and kitchen magic highlight the versatility and potency of this approach. By bypassing the psychological model and eschewing specific religious or ceremonial frameworks, these practices provide a pragmatic and accessible avenue for magical workings. Through the fusion of focused intention, symbolism, and intuitive insight, practitioners unlock the transformative potential of sigils and harness the universal forces at play in the world.

Ideas to Consider When Using Sigils in Spellwork

Since sigil magic can be considered a spell within itself and its core concepts permeate such a large area of magical practice, it would be wise to consider just how it is used as a component in spell work. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if your sigil would interact with your working in a hindering way:

Does my sigil’s meaning align exactly with the purpose of my spell?

Yes: Beyond using it as a correspondence, or a physical representation of the threshold you’re creating, it will not help or harm the spell itself. If you want or need such representation or reminder it may be helpful for casting.

No: Next question

Does my sigil avoid all concepts that are in my spell?

Yes: Will the sigil still work towards the purpose of the spell?

Yes: This sigil will aid the spell, as a spell itself rather than as a correspondence, but it won't necessarily help the caster.

No: Why are you using it? Perhaps omit it or find another to use.

No: Next question

Does my sigil represent my target?

Yes: This will work effectively so long as the sigil is energetically activated and/or can evoke solid memories, imagery, voices, and characteristics of the target.

No: Next question

Is my sigil used purely for correspondence?

Yes: Next question

No: Does the sigil imply some verbage or means of manifestation?

Yes: Next question

No: This sigil may potentially interact, though without more specific information it is difficult to tell.

Did I activate my sigil, or plan to?

Yes: Correspondence or manifestation?

Correspondence: If you plan to activate it, it would be wise to reconsider. If it is already activated, it would be wise to recreate an inactive version.

Manifestation: This sigil will work well for your purposes, so long as the means of manifestation are the same as the means defined by the spell.

No: This sigil will work for your purposes.