#discourse for ts

[road-rhythm]

"Why should I have to wade through disgusting, debased, kinky shit on AO3 just to read some wholesome stories about my comfort characters??"

Because your desire to read wholesome stories about your comfort characters is not actually more important than or morally superior to other users' desire to read anything else. Hope that helps

[galedekarios]

i'm honestly so confused where the general assumption i've seen more and more comes from that gale is insecure about his looks or body.

he has grey hairs, he has fine lines, he has the odd scar--and he never once mentions or indicates that it's a thing that irks him or something he feels like he needs to hide.

on the contrary, gale seems quite comfortable in his body.

gale has a lot of insecurity in him, but this insecurity is anchored in other parts of himself that i feel like are overlooked in order to project something on his character that... isn't really there.

if you want to dig deep into gale's insecurities, i think you'd need to look into something that instead is very blatantly obvious in the game: being good enough for who he is.

i'm also a bit confused by some of the body type headcanons i have seen that i feel veer sort of into age bias territory, but i'm not sure i've organised my thoughts enough to speak about this yet with the sensitivity it requires.

i honestly feel like this a matter of people on this site needing to learn that people in their 30s/40s exist and that they don't die with shame when they leave the house.

[fadewalking]

@ anon i am not going to post that ask because you name drop literally every single person even tangentially involved in this and none of those people agreed to be directly mentioned on my blog. I have no interest in facilitating any of my followers to harass anyone involved here, so I think it's best we stop pointing the spotlight at specific people who never willingly stepped forward on my blog.

But i will respond here, and this is the last anonymous message about this im going to respond to because we all really need to move on. So if you want to continue talking about this, you can, again, say it with your whole fucking chest in dms, and not cower behind anon.

"bro, the original post about the vallaslin had you blocked for at least 2 months. he doesn't even know you personally. he did have the decency to block you when you made him uncomfortable months ago too." im not sure how this is relevant to anything being discussed tbh. Of course he doesn't know me personally. that's like... 99% of tumblr mutuals? that's how social media and the internet works. you and i are talking right now and we don't know each other personally. and yeah he had me softblocked since a while ago, im not sure what that has to do with anything. Some friends sent me the og post bc it made them uncomfortable, so I offered my opinion to them in private. Then several more indigenous folk made public comments about it, and i offered an extremely vague, broad opinion that we shouldn't try to force people into agreeing with us. that's all I did lmfao.

"what you're doing to him... and other indigenous folx in the darpc is wrong and i hope you can realize it." Omitted all those names you mentioned. Again, originally all i said was don't try to force people into agreeing with you. A stance which, not for nothing, several other indigenous people endorsed. There is no world in which saying that is doing anyone wrong. That would have been the total end of my statement on the matter btw, had gcldfang not decided it was a good idea to send me anons.

"i saw you support a post from user [name omitted] (now conveniently deleted) that said everyone could do whatever wanted with dalish characters and it would not be racist. to me? that post and your reaction comes off as weaponizing your own identities against other indigenous people to excuse your white friends and make them feel better for participating in racism." So there are two different sentiments at play here. We could say "muns who feel that vallaslin is bad and slave markings are perpetuating racism." and/or we could say "Elves in the game who feel that vallalsin is bad and slave markings are perpetuating racism." both of these statements are kinda problematic but this one is more problematic than the other. It seems like you're saying the latter thing right now, idk whether you would agree with both statements or not, but it seems like right now you're only saying the latter.

But it strikes me as really ironic that you can't see the hypocrisy in saying things like "you can't tell me how to feel about my own culture" and in the same breath saying "your elf cant feel this way about their own culture, or it's racist." there are very clearly at least two canonical perspectives of the Evanuris. One as benevolent creators, and one as tyrannical slavers. It is canon that the Evanuris enslaved people. did some of them willingly serve? Of course. But it's canon, still, that there were slaves, and that perspective is offered by more people than just Solas. It just isn't racist for Elves to feel whatever type of way they feel about learning about that aspect of their culture. It's their culture. You can't tell them how to feel about their own culture.

This has pretty much been my and everyone else's point. Saying "if you think this way, that's racist." is not a good thing to say when it blatantly dismisses both in-game character's valid feeling about their own culture, and other irl cultural perspectives from real people. It's been mentioned by multiple people that facial tattoos have been used for a variety of purposes in other real cultures that were also used to inspire the portrayal of Elves in the game. I'm going to quote someone who sent me a message about this, who has already said it: "no one disagreed that the devs using the vallaslin the way they did was a poor choice. while it's true there have been cultures in history that did use facial tattoos for slaves, it's still an insensitive decision! and NO ONE disagreed with that! but from what I saw, you and roughly 4-5 other indigenous people, as well as several other writers, some white, some white and Otherwise marginalized, and some poc of other sorts were saying: 'hey. we get what you're trying to say here, but saying that your culture's perspective is the only correct/non-racist one is not good and not okay. it silences people of other cultures who see their cultures in these characters. yes the devs were racist and careless but that doesn't mean that erasing the other cultures that contributed is ok, and doesn't mean that you get to tell people of those cultures that their interpretations are inherently Less than yours'. Because that is how that original post read."

What that person pointed out is the "railroading" that i've been talking about. It's one thing to say something like "I and my characters all feel that the evanuris were actually gods and that Vallaslin is a good thing because im upset with the bastardization/villanization of how my culture was used to inspire these things in the elves." and it's a different thing to say "And if you and your characters don't agree with my perspective then you're racist/perpetuating racism, too." because that one cultural perspective isn't the only one that exists. Other cultures have their own perspectives and experiences with facial markings, and those matter, too. And yet even still, we have only ever acknowledged and agreed that the choice for Vallaslin to be used as a symbol for enslavement in the game is racially problematic.

"It feels like you punching down on other indigenous people for protesting their mistreatment. that is why people are blocking you. you are vagueposting about a vaguepost." my criticism of other indigenous people, as an indigenous person, is not punching down. That's not what it means to punch down. Nor did I ever say that they can't or shouldn't protest their mistreatment.

"i understand you like solas. i enjoy the egg too but equating the vallaslin with slave markings is racist. speaking from experience: the stigma against indigenous facial tattooing is a product of systemic racism and colonialism. what the characters say in dragon age is sadly impacted by the writers being racist: this is a fact. also people are allowed to be uncomfortable with your fave being a vessel for developer bias." I think it's a mistake to involve Solas in this conversation, honestly. but alright. Given Solas' experiences, and his own personal perspective, he is justified to feel the way he does about his own culture. That isn't racist. Especially considering that, in canon, the Evanuris did enslave people. But that's the fiction. In real life, again, as it's been pointed out, facial tattooing has been used for a variety of different purposes across multiple different cultures. Some were positive, some weren't. I agree that in western society, as a whole, there is stigma against indigenous facial tattooing that is a product of systemic racism and colonialism.

The characters in dragon age exist within the context of the fiction of their world, which has been influenced by a multicultural mix of real world identities. There is no one correct interpretation of their facial tattoos. Neither in the game or irl, because of the fact that multiple cultures were used as inspo for the Elves. You can't insinuate that the perspective of other real world cultures is racist, which is what it seems like you're doing. The world isn't black and white. Indigenous people are not a monolith. People are allowed to be uncomfortable with vallaslin based both on what it represents within in the fictional context of the game and how facial markings have been used within their own real world cultures. Every character in the game, not just Solas, is a vessel for developer bias. That's how bias works, it's inescapable. I've never said that people aren't allowed to dislike him. But it's curious to me how it's only ever Solas who gets hounded for his perspective and not anyone else who is equally as guilty of developer bias or blatant bigotry.

"coming from a tattooed inuit: don't you dare tell me how to feel about my culture being portrayed in a bad light." I'm not. Nowhere did I ever try to say you or anyone else can't how you feel. In fact, i've only ever said the exact opposite of this. We are all allowed to feel how we feel.

"don't tell me not to be pissed off at the way bioware handled things regarding vallaslin. the discrimination the dalish receive is exactly what i deal with everyday." I'm not. I have only ever agreed that it was wrong of bioware to handle Vallaslin the way they did.

And i've said that blatantly more times than I care to count atp. You and everyone else are right to feel whatever you feel about it, and Vallaslin should never have been used as a symbol of oppression in the game. But you just can't tell other people how to feel about it. It really is simply just that.

[lesbianclaryfray]

“actually ivy is CANON BISEXUAL in main continuity” and the “source” is 2 completely different continuities, a screenrant article citing a source that does not exist, and her “relationship” with her groomer

[wri0thesley]

the end of an era 😔

TRULY... the closest i have come to this before is well before ur time following me... a long time ago ppl mass-reported my blog for 'harm to minors' bc i wrote aged up content and i got suspended and i used the blog 'pr0sciutt0' for about ten months.....

[madseance]

If you're mad I called you out for being unable to parse my historical fashion post and critically misinterpreting it as an opportunity for you to be weird and transphobic, my advice is to be less wrong about things

[actualsoyboy]

people will really see an age gap pairing where the top

is taller than the bottom

is stronger and more muscular than the bottom

has more money and/or power than the bottom

is more assertive than the bottom

is more masculine than the bottom

and still with a straight face be like "it's subverting stereotypical top/bottom dynamics!" just because the top is younger

[road-rhythm]

Pumat Sol voted for both Bushes both terms

[omgkatsudonplease]

the only thing anti discourse has normalised is sex-negative censorship and harassment of artists and writers. that’s the same mentality that irl politicians are harnessing when they pass internet censorship bills.

Fanfiction literally cannot "normalize" anything. Fanfiction is a weird little niche and fics are not something with massive cultural impact.

[galedekarios]

there are gifsets floating around here with ast*ri*n being uncomfortable with the potential foursome involving the drow twins and the dialogue option chosen -- rightfully so! -- points out that it's not right to ask this of him: someone who has experienced abuse in the past, especially after this foursome is very much a spur of the moment thing, jumped on the love interest suddenly and without proper discussion beforehand, of the expectations and consequences this would have for the relationship in the long run...

only for a handful of people to then turn around on all of that and call it "pearl-clutching" and "totally not" coercion when the decision comes up for gale. even though he expresses being uncomfortable with it as well. even though he, too, has experienced abuse (grooming, in his case, and a relationship that also held an incredible power imbalance). even though you have to make a hefty 25 persuasion check to yes, coerce him into a situation he didn't want. gale isn't even comfortable with someone he does know when the protag does take the time to talk about things properly before they are done (halsin).

i am not even going to get into the cuck jokes. this is a man who removed himself from the situation in a way he still could while also still trying to please a partner who coerced him into this in the first place.

at this point i just wonder why gale's trauma is being turned into a joke. and by 'wonder' i do mean i know exactly why, but it's Truly A Choice.

(i should clarify that this is a personal interpretation and one that i'm not comfortable arguing over.)

[fadewalking]

it's actually insane to me that That circle of people is 1. trying to say that an indigenous character is a 'maga conservative mouthpiece' for the devs, all bc he does, admittedly, have certain problematic stances and viewpoints- but so do multiple other dragon age characters and they're never treated this way by people, and those characters never attempt to move past those prejudices- while solas in DAI actively does. and they also say this to defend their headcanons of his race and culture. because his lived experience contradicts their headcanons, he's racist and blinded by his trauma. What? The fuck? 2. trying to accuse you of being maga and conservative for the viewpoint that 'hey, saying that your perspective and interpretation from your culture is the ONLY correct/non-racist perspective on a fictional culture that was derived from MANY marginalized cultures is bad, actually.' as well as 'hey, using your ethnicity to shield yourself from criticism is really fucking garbage when you ignore and block and belittle other people of that ethnicity that try to disagree'. like apparently they think 'hey using your perspective to silence other ethnicities is okay!' because that is essentially when the person arguing with you kept circling back to. 3. trying to say you're defending the dev's racism when what you were doing was trying to call out a fellow roleplayer's SILENCING of other marginalized identities, and then they claimed- what? that anyone else who sees their culture in the dalish is identifying WITH the racism of the devs??? becauses that is how that read to me. Like... no one disagreed that the devs using the vallaslin the way they did was a poor choice. while it's true there have been cultures in history that did use facial tattoos for slaves or for human sacrifice or whatever, it's still an insensitive decision! and NO ONE disagreed with that!

but from what I saw, you and roughly 4-5 other indigenous people, as well as several other writers, some white, some white and Otherwise marginalized, and some poc of other sorts were saying: 'hey. we get what you're trying to say here, but saying that your culture's perspective is the only correct/non-racist one is not good and not okay. it silences people of other cultures who see their cultures in these characters. yes the devs were racist and careless but that doesn't mean that erasing the other cultures that contributed is ok, and doesn't mean that you get to tell people of those cultures that their interpretations are inherently Less than yours'. Because that is how that original post read, and it's what the person arguing with you essentially defended. Saying that other cultural influences and interpretations are inherently wrong or less. when as far is i know, every culture that went into the making of dragon age elves was one that was a victim of colonization and white supremacy.

and you were fully right. they're making an echo room of their own, all while trying to say that white fans of the game are making echo rooms. and yet all i've seen was people who have been white stepping back to let the indigenous people say their pieces, and then listen to those pieces.

anyways i respect you for fighting as hard as you did. anyone with a brain can tell you're neither maga nor conservative, and neither is solas. i'm really sorry these people are making your fandom so hostile. i'm sorry they're saying such weird things and resorting to insults when they can't wrap their brain about what you're saying and cannot bear to understand they're wrong and in the wrong.

.

[galedekarios]

[source]

i had not seen the "durge/astarion is canon!" post until earlier today with that discord screenshot and honestly ... a writer being like "i managed to shove in all this extra content for astarion/dark urge, but then we simply ran out of time for the other characters" is not good, actually. that doesn't mean your ship is the most canon. it means that astarion kept getting extra attention and other companions kept getting neglected. that other companions simply do not have the amount of content astarion has is not a good thing, it is a bad thing.

and like i'm saying this as someone who really loves astarion/durge. it's unplatable to me and that larian writers are sitting in fan discords going "yeah we just didn't do that for other characters but somehow i found the time for this!" is kind of gross to me

[wri0thesley]

Genuinely curious: now that Class 1-A are canonically adults would you be willing to write about them for comissions or even in general? This comes with no malicious intents or anything of that nature! I'm just genuinely curious!

personally i don't think so, but that is honestly just because none of them really interest me? for commissions, perhaps, but i make a point to only accept comms i think i can do justice to and because i've never really worked on things with any of them i'm not sure i'd feel comfortable charging/accepting!

that being said, the 'students' (former students) that i actually do have some interest in personally are kirishima, shinsou and tamaki. nobody else really interests me much! i think kirishima is super cute, i think shinsou's quirk has a lot of potential for fucked up nonsense, and i think tamaki is both super cute AND has a lot of potential for fucked up nonsense.

i've mentioned before that i have no qualms with anyone who does write aged up characters; i also have no qualms about writing characters that age up during canon; i no longer write 'aged up' content because i had a very uncomfortable experience. but bnha specifically, it's just that none of them really interest me - in direct opposition to, say, jjk, where several characters DO interest me and if they canonically 'aged' i would be happy to write for them. i don't know if that makes sense but i hope it does!!!!

[theeternalghost]

people thinking DBS is Incredible is shocking to me, honestly. I watched it. It wasn't . . . good. Honestly I didn't think anything could be worse than GT, but it came pretty close.

[gemsandjunk]

sanders sides in its current state is so funny. new content is released fairly regularly but also there hasn't been an official update in nearly four years and I don't think anyone even believes the s2 finale exists. It was originally just a series of sketches about hehe what if your personality traits were people and now everyone is emotionally repressed and beefing with each other 25/8. Its made by one of the biggest ex-viners online. It is a man talking to himself in his apartment. the biggest source of fan speculation is the colour orange

[kiyomitakada]

Taylor Swift discourse but it’s about Misa Amane

oh god paging @ai-the-broccoli