#he's the antithesis of Nick...

[astrito]

they're my babies

[rachalixie]

a/n: you've read you when minho gets hurt but get ready for a fun new concept of minho when you get hurt!!!!

if you thought that you turned into a mother hen when minho got hurt, the antithesis lives in the way minho would react when you were the one in pain. he’s calm and he teases but he somehow always knows exactly what to do, even before you yourself know what you want.

you weren’t particularly a clumsy person, but everyone has times where their feet refuse to work or they nick themselves in the neck with their hair straightener - or in your case now, when you take the biggest sip of your tea, forgetting that you had just made it and it was a near-boiling temperature. you have to resist the urge to spit it out, and it feels like fire working it’s way down your throat when your muscles finally cooperate enough for you to swallow the burning sip. 

you must make a noise, because minho’s attention - which was previously trained on the way your cat was licking his paw - flips to you so fast you’re surprised you didn’t hear his neck crack. his eyes flicker all over your body, from your head to your fingers and down to your legs like he was looking for blood to be gushing out of you. he must see something in your expression because he melts a bit when he meets your eyes, scooting himself closer to you and letting you lean into his body.

“what happened, mine?” he says, words curled up with fondness. 

“i burnt my tongue,” your say with a wince, the shape of the letters sending pings of pain across your tongue. you glare heatedly at the cup of steaming tea you left on the table, sitting there in it’s false innocence. you stick your tongue out at him like a petulant child, the cold air from the room soothing the ache a little bit.

“let me see,” he cups your face in his hand, pulling you closer to him so he could get a look - you’re sure your tongue is ridiculously red, and the look on your face even more so. he peers down, his eyes crossing a bit and he looks so cute that you want to bite him. he smiles a bit, leaning up to press a kiss to your tongue, a quick thing that catches you off guard. 

an unintelligible sound leaves your mouth, muffled by the way his fingers are still squeezing your cheeks and your tongue is still peeking out of your mouth. 

“did i fix it?” he looks so pleased, like he truly believed that his kiss would heal your physical wounds. you don’t have the heart to tell him that your tongue is still stinging when you put it back into your mouth, but he has healed any distress you were feeling on the inside, so you just nod and snuggle into him, tea forgotten.

it was so silly, such a simple thing, but something about it made your heart want to burst out of your chest. god, you love him, with every fiber in your being. you love him for knowing you, love him for knowing that while coddling is what he needs, a distraction was the cure that would sooth your hurt in any circumstance. 

later, you’d be pouty all day until he caved to your wide shiny eyes and went to buy you ice cream to soothe your tongue. later, he would spoon feed you and babble at you like you’re one of his kittens, later he would flutter kisses all over your face and tell you that you’re never allowed to be hurt when he’s around. 

right now, you’re content to sit in his arms with a burning tongue as long as he’s there.

—

soft hours

[hexie-mountain]

im always tired of the trope of queer kid dates bully who’s a closet case but with heartstopper its done so smartly

the emphasis that ben does not get a redemption arc is so important and that he’s capable of mending his ways and becoming a better person but thats not charlie’s responsibility to help him off load his guilt while still dealing with the pain of his actions

ben really is the antithesis of nick who called charlie his best friend instead of pretending he didn’t exist and took ‘am i gay?’ quizzes and bi panicked of pirates of the carribean all while being kind and loving to charlie who was more than willing to hold his hand through his coming out

i’ve always loved the classic fizzy graphics but the sea of rainbow flowing out towards ben from the art show doors sort of urging him to take a step in towards other people like him and begin that journey of self discovery and love and instead he just walks away from it is some top tier imagery

[justburningdaylight]

Operation Love Me

Steve Harrington x Fem Reader

Summary: Reader has been with Steve for almost two years. Recently he’s been pulling away. She believes he’s fallen out of love, so she devises a plan to gain his love back.

Warnings: angst (again, sorry besties), but also lots of fluff, happy ending, mentions of nightmares, i think there’s a curse word somewhere, a few kisses, my inner stevie nicks stan pops out, dustin overstays his welcome a couple times, let me know when you spot the all too well reference, no spoilers !

Word count: 2.2k

a/n: just a lil something i whipped up for you guys <3 i had a looot of fun with this one ! p.s. requests are open, come chat with me !

When Steve Harrington asked you to be his girlfriend, it was a transcendent experience. You were almost certain it was a dream, some empyrean reverie concocted within the confines of your mind.

In the near two years since that metamorphic experience, things had shifted poignantly.

More specifically Steve had shifted. And you knew why.

He wasn’t in love with you anymore.

He never verbalized this, but he didn’t have to. The agonizing truth lingers in the air of his presence. The veracity of the situation persists like a never-ending storm, the tenacious, violent rain showing no signs of halting, leaving no room for the possibility of basking in the warm, ethereal glow of the sun.

He may have fallen out of love with you, but you were still in love with him. Desperately, in fact. Which is what led you to the conception of your ingenious 4-step plan to win back his affections.

Step 1 : Make an effort

Steve was the antithesis of a man who judged you on your appearance. He used to vow repeatedly that a person could never look more beautiful than you did in the morning.

Your face would still be riddled with exhaustion, the evidence of your tranquil slumber tucked comfortably away in the corners of your eyes, and Steve would adamantly insist that you were a veracious vision of grace and divinity.

You can’t remember the last time he’d done that.

You didn’t intend to make any fundamental changes to your appearance; You still feel a twinge of dissatisfaction when you think about Allison Reynolds in The Breakfast Club, they extracted every physical characteristic that made her unique and tried to sell that she was better off than before. Wild horses couldn’t drag you to that point. You were, however, open to the idea of enhancing some of your own preexisting characteristics.

You styled your hair the same way you did for your first date with Steve, applying a similar ample amount of lipgloss. The new dress you’ve been saving for a deserving occasion clings faultlessly to your body as you wait anxiously for Steve to arrive. It’s almost farcical, you suppose, being nervous to see your boyfriend of nearly two years. Yet you can’t shake your concern for his impending response.

The mollifying sound of your front door opening resonates through the apartment and, while you were expecting Steve’s appearance, you were confounded by the hindering addition of Dustin.

“Hey (y/n)! You look nice. Got a hot date or somethin’?” Dustin’s playful voice sounds as he brushes past you, adolescent hands juggling a variety of VHS tapes.

“Did you have plans? I thought we were supposed to hang out tonight.” Steve asks, his magnetic caramel eyes searching your own in a delicate display of adept obliviousness.

“No. No, nothing special.” You sibilate dejectedly.

“Good ‘cause it’s move night! And Steve cheaped out on snacks, so you’re gonna want to make some popcorn.” 

“Right.” You enshroud your abasement with a counterfeit smile and venture into your kitchen to make Dustin his popcorn, the familiar notes of Eye of the Tiger resounding through your apartment as Rocky IV begins playing on the tv.

So your first attempt was met with an expeditious defeat, but perseverance can be rewarding. Right?

Step 2 : Remind him of the good times

You jolt awake from your slumber, the cold sweat clinging to your body serves as a physical reminder of the macabre scenario you just narrowly escaped in your nightmare.

In an effort to suppress the unsolicited atrocities racing incessantly through your mind, you surreptitiously make your way out of the bed you share with Steve, delicately extracting yourself from the steady grip of your unconscious boyfriend’s gangly arms.

You cautiously venture down the hall to the kitchen, momentarily detouring to the living room to clandestinely place Rumours by Fleetwood Mac on the turntable, ensuring the volume is at a near imperceptible sonority so as not to rouse your boyfriend from his tranquil sleep.

You pour yourself a glass of glacial water, condensation generously gathering along the perimeter of the cup, the dull glow of the open refrigerator acting as your light source.

“D’you have another nightmare?” Steve’s sleep-riddled voice questions gingerly as he wraps his arms tenderly around your midsection from behind.

“I just want to stop seeing it in my head.” You turn in his arms to face him, appreciating how magnificently the light of the refrigerator illuminates his divinely celestial features. 

“I know,” He begins delicately, “I’m sorry for dragging you into it. You should have never been anywhere near those things-”

“Steve, it’s not your fault, okay? I need you to know that.” You interrupt before he can incur being the responsibility of your nightmares’ source. He’s not culpable for anything that came from the Upside Down.

He gazes at you solemnly, nebulous eyes emanating with immense emotion as he hesitantly nods his head.

The gentle melody of Songbird begins, floating through the kitchen, causing a lithe smile to form on your gentle lips as you appreciate the mellifluous opulence of Stevie Nicks’ voice.

“May I have this dance?” Steve asks, donning a heavenly smile.

“I’d be honoured.” You answer as he begins swaying you adeptly in his agile arms, your modest grin blooming into a broad smile.

And so the two of you danced around the kitchen, with nothing to accompany you but the gentle glow of the refrigerator light and the seraphic sounds of Fleetwood Mac on the record player.

That night solidified Songbird as your song. Which is the rationale for why you’re standing alone in the living room at one thirty in the morning listening to Fleetwood Mac.

“(y/n)?” Steve’s fatigued and perplexed voice sounds as he advances down the hallway.

“Hey.” You’re apprehensive now, equal parts regret and hesitance swim through your bloodstream like a resolute fish headed upstream in a particularly vigorous current.

“What are you doin’? It’s like one in the morning. Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, no yeah I’m- I’m fine.”

The look he gives you is filled with concern, but there’s a glimmer of something else hiding in the shadows, regret maybe? You can’t accurately discern it, and it disappears before giving you a chance to unravel its connotation.

“Okay, well, if you’re fine, I um- I work in the morning so I’m gonna go back to bed.”

“Yeah. Go ahead, I’ll turn it down. Sorry.” That wan’t mortifying at all, you introspectively reprimand yourself, feeling a sense of dejection you’re beginning to grow painstakingly familiar with.

That could have gone better.

Step 3 : Spend some quality time together

You’re veritably hoping that there’s some authenticity to the phrase third time’s the charm.

Adorning a particularly whimsical sundress, you sit contentedly on the plush blanket you’ve laid atop the flexible sage grass in the park, ardently awaiting Steve’s arrival.

Your previous attempts to re-obtain his affections have been met with the abrupt emergence of failure, but the outcome of this experience was going to be different. What could go awry at a picnic?

“Hey. You look nice.” Steve’s symphonic voice sounds from above you, as he assuredly makes his presence known.

“Really? Thank you. So do you.”

Steve respires an exiguous chuckle at your response, taking a seat parallel to you on the thin blanket. You can’t contain the smile that accumulates on your face, outwardly displaying your pride at the small victory.

“So, how was your day?” You inquire earnestly, handing him the sandwich you prepared for him.

“Thanks. It was good. Y’know, busy. People really love their movies.” 

“How’s Robin? I know how much she-” “Steve! (y/n)! Hey!” Dustin’s voice reverberates through the air, effectively silencing your queries.

Seriously? There’s no way this is happening. Again.

“Hey! Dustin’s here! Look at that (y/n), what are the odds?” Your boyfriend’s usually endearing rambling holds a discernibly nervous undertone.

“I don’t know Steve, what are the odds?” You question, failing to cultivate eye contact as he’s currently preoccupied with looking anywhere besides your eyes.

“Gotta be one in a million! So weird,” Dustin lightheartedly interjects, “Actually, it’s a good thing that you’re here Steve, ‘cause I really need you to come help me with something.”

“What- Seriously? Now?” 

“Yes, (y/n), now! It’s very important stuff. Could be life or death.” Dustin emphasizes his point with resolute hand gestures.

From the repentant look in his sparkling eyes, you’ve already predetermined Steve’s next words.

“Go.” You preempt, dispiritedly.

Your boyfriend’s saccharine eyes are filled to the brim with a myriad of unidentifiable emotions as he scrambles onto his feet, sandwich still clasped between his lithe fingers, his smooth sorrowful voice mumbling a doubtful vow, “I’ll make it up to you, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.” You nod pessimistically.

“Do you mind if I just grab one of those sandwiches? ‘Cause they look delicious.”

You hand Dustin a sandwich, temporarily suppressing each melancholy thought running around in your mind as you give him your best attempt at a smile.

“Sweet! Thanks.”

Third time was, decidedly, not the charm.

Step 4 : If all else fails, profess your interminable love

Step four was only ever thought of as a contingency. Existing solely for emergency use only. The invocation of this step means that there was a significant lack of reception to the previous three steps. You’re feeling particularly grateful that your antecedent self had included a backup plan.

“Oh hey, I didn’t think you’d still be up.” Steve’s delicate voice holds an air of surprise as he shuts the front door behind him, swiftly removing his jacket and shoes.

“Yeah,” You start, fiddling with your fingers in an effort to calm the anxiety coursing ferociously through your veins, “I thought maybe we should talk.”

“Talk? About- About what?” 

“About um- just us, I guess.”

Steve’s stately features are shrouded in a warm cloak of confusion and uncertainty.

“Are you- Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say.” He pleads after a moment, finally shattering the suffocating silence.

“What do you think I’m going to say?” It’s as though you two have traded emotions, now it’s you who stands perplexed as your boyfriend gently paces the floor in an attempt to reduce his anxiety.

“You wanna break up, right? You don’t want to be with me anymore. Everything’s too complicated now, isn’t it? All the monsters and shit, it’s just too much. I know it is.”

It takes you a few moments to wrap your head around his words. You want to reassure him, as tenderly as possible, that his assumption couldn’t be any further from the truth. Instead you say, “Are you crazy? Did you hit your head or something?”

“Did I-? What?”

“Steve, I’m not breaking up with you! I’d never break up with you. I just spent the last week trying to get you to fall back in love with me!”

You both go still at the nuance of your sudden confession. Steve’s chestnut eyes are filled with salty unshed tears as he takes gentle, purposeful steps toward you.

“Fall back in love with you? (y/n) did you hit your head?” He places a delicate hand on your cheek, nimble thumb grazing your satin skin in a circular motion as he continues, “I love you, okay? I love you so much that I don’t even know how to think straight.”

You place your hand over his own as it traces the curvature of your face. Your heart is pulsating so immensely furiously that you’re shocked it hasn’t beaten entirely out of your chest and fallen onto the floor where you stand. 

“Then- then why have you been avoiding me? Like every time we’re supposed to hang out, Dustin magically appears out of nowhere! It feels like you never want to spend time with me anymore, especially alone.”

“Oh my god. I didn’t- That’s not what it was, okay! I just-” He sighs, moving his gaze earnestly down toward his feet before bringing it back up to your eagerly awaiting eyes, “I got worried. After all this monster stuff. I mean, you’ve been having nightmares! And I know you say it’s fine but it’s not! And I was just- I was worried that you’d realize it was my fault and you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.” He exhaled deeply, once again dropping his gaze from your own.

“Steve,” You start, benevolently tilting up his chin in order to greet his warm chestnut eyes with your own resolute ones, “I would have a million more nightmares if it weren’t for you. You saved my life, okay? In every single way. And I already told you that none of that monster stuff is your fault! So I guess I’m just going to have to keep telling you as many times as it takes for you to believe it. Because I’m not going anywhere. Ever. Sorry to break it to you but, you’re stuck with me Harrington.”

“Good. ‘Cause that’s exactly where I want to be. Always.” Steve fixes you with an angelic, rapturous smile before bringing you into the solace of his steady, comforting embrace. 

“I love you too, by the way. Just in case it wasn’t obvious by now.” You mumble into his shoulder, intent on remaining in this position as long as possible.

“I know.”

“Take it down a notch, Han Solo.”

Steve chuckles euphoniously before pulling back to give you a lingering, ardent kiss. It was filled with emotion, longing, and passion, and oh boy did it take your breath away.

“You wanna keep doing this, or did you need to go call Dustin?”

“Shut up.” He mumbles reverently, bringing you in for another godly kiss.

Your contingency plan was a resounding success.

Mission accomplished.

[drunktuesdays]

the only thing in the world that i care about right now is this podcast where they review forbidden door and discuss how nick jackson regularly plans out matches for people and is a fucking genius at it.

it's around 1hr 20 in and here's a rough transcript of my fave bit:

"You know, speaking to that whole aspect about them not telling great stories. I mean, this is peeling back the curtain a little bit, but like, I've been told on record by numerous people that work for that company that even though they aren't technically quote unquote agents, some of the greatest matches in the history of that company's promotion have been agented by the Young Bucks— specifically, Nick, more so than anybody else. Like Nick is supposed to be from what I've been told by numerous people simply one of the greatest minds when it comes to psychology and laying out a match and he's like a virtuoso at it, but he'll never get the credit for that.

But the thing is like, ok, you can see their matches and their matches are great but they understand other people's characters and what gets other people over and how other people work their matches and they've laid out some of the best matches of—you know how there's these other camps and wrestling? They've laid out matches for some of the people that are on "the other side" that people are like, "they're not like the Bucks, they're great." Well, the Bucks have many times laid out your favorite matches for the people that you like that are supposed to be the antithesis of these guys.

They're geniuses when it comes to professional wrestling and there's no ifs ands or buts about it and it's not all just flips, they understand the psychology of wrestling."

LIKE???????????????????????????????

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Cancel Culture Is Real - Andrew Doyle

"Cancel culture doesn't exist!" is a mantra we often hear from its most obstinate practitioners.

In October 2022, the comedian and BBC presenter Graeme Norton suggested that a better term for cancel culture would be "accountability." But is it really fair to harass, defame and ruin people's lives simply for expressing commonly held opinions? What exactly are they being held accountable for? A much better synonym for cancel culture was coined by the singer Nick Cave. He said it was "mercy's antithesis."

Given that the very existence of cancel culture is so often denied, I thought I'd take this opportunity to outline precisely what is meant by cancel culture, and why it matters so much for those of us who still care about liberal values.

But let's begin with that thorny question of definitions. Now, most of us understand what cancel culture means. But perhaps it might be more instructive to consider what it isn't.

If someone criticizes you for something you've said or done, that's not cancel culture, that's free speech. If someone blocks you on social media, that's not cancel culture; someone has just decided you're not worth listening to and is exercising his or her freedom to ignore you. If you've not been invited to speak at a certain event, that's not cancel culture either; no one's entitled to a platform.

No, what cancel culture actually means is a form of public shaming or harassment, often for relatively minor mistakes or unfashionable opinions. It's the difference between criticizing someone for something they've said or done, or systematically attempting to see their reputation and livelihood obliterated. Cancel culture is not criticism, it's denunciation. it's contacting employers and demanding that people are fired because you don't agree with what they've said. It's spreading lies about them online so their future work prospects are diminished. In other words it's a hugely disproportionate and vindictive form of revenge, dressed up in the guise of virtue.

Here's a way to think about it: let's say a colleague has attempted a joke via email and maybe you feel a bit offended by it. Do you have a conversation with them in private and say, "look I think that was a bit misjudged, but I know that wasn't the intention so let's just move on and go for a pint." Or do you screenshot the offending email, post it online, invite all your followers to pile on to the person who wrote it, and denounce them publicly and then demand that the employer fires them for hateful conduct?

Now if you're opting for the latter, I've got some bad news for you. You you're not the good guy here.

"But free speech has consequences," the cancel culture skeptics cry. Well look, I'm inclined to agree. If a person says something stupid or offensive, they can expect criticism, ridicule, counterarguments, even protest. But if the consequences of free speech are that someone becomes the target of a campaign of public shaming and personal ruination, or worse still, that they're arrested for so-called "hate speech," then that's surely unjustifiable.

A common misconception is that cancel culture is simply a matter of holding the powerful to account. The failure of activists to cancel JK Rowling is often cited as evidence that cancel culture is a myth. But as one of the most successful authors of all time, Rowling cannot be cancelled, much to the irritation of those who sender abuse and threats on a daily basis. The vast majority of targets are those with limited means, who don't have the public profile or financial resources to protect themselves from such attacks. This is why the Free Speech Union has been invaluable, offering support to so many people who found themselves at the center of witch hunts.

Perhaps the most sinister aspect of cancel culture is that it has successfully generated a climate of fear, in which many are afraid to express even their most cherished convictions. Once a few high-profile individuals have been cancelled, this can be sufficient to discourage others from speaking out. The relentless and cruel attacks on JK Rowling are driven not by any serious belief that she'll suddenly become impoverished and unemployable. But rather by the desire to send a message to others who share her point of view. After all, who would want to be on the receiving end of such malicious and continual harassment.

And so, the full impact of cancel culture is pretty difficult to quantify. Like "no platforming," which is the practice carried out by universities of denying platforms to individuals with controversial views, most of the targets of cancel culture are pre-emptive. Just as speakers with heterodox views will never know that they've been deprived of an opportunity to speak on campus, many of us will have been passed over for promotions, or not hired at all, simply for the opinions we've expressed in conversation or on social media. We will never know who has been cancelled, because we can only ever be aware of those handful of instances that have been publicized.

So, while the press will report on pop singer Róisín Murphy's cancelled shows, a consequence of her entirely reasonable comments about the dangers of puberty blockers, the supermarket employee who loses his job for an offensive joke on Twitter is unlikely to garner the same attention.

For all that, there have been numerous examples of cancellations that have made the national news. And the evidence of cancel culture is there for anyone who wishes to see it. And although these examples represent a fraction of the problem, they should be sufficient to disabuse those who cling to the comforting misapprehension that cancel culture is just a fabrication of right- wingers. Not least because so many of its victims have been on the left.

And so, to counter the pervasive and false narrative that cancel culture doesn't exist, I thought it might be helpful to provide an overview of just some of its victims. And now, needless to say, this list is by no means exhaustive.

So, in June 2015, the Nobel prizewinning biochemist Tim Hunt was forced to resign from his honorary position at University College London after a journalist misrepresented jokes he'd made at a conference in Seoul in South Korea.

In August 2019, school teacher Christian Webb lost his job when it emerged that he'd been performing viral comedy rap videos under the pseudonym MC Devo in the mid 2000s.

In December 2021, choreographer Rosie Kay was compelled to resign from her own dance company after investigation processes began because she expressed her gender-critical views at a gathering with dancers in her own home. And although she had cooked them a meal and invited the company to her house, some of those present took it upon themselves to report her to the board.

In December 2018, tax expert Maya Forstater lost her job for saying that women are female and human beings cannot change sex. The decision of the tribunal was initially upheld, so she was forced to take the case to the High Court, which eventually ruled that gender-critical beliefs are protected by law.

The comedy writer Graham Linehan has been unable to work in the comedy industry for six years due to his gender-critical beliefs. His musical adaptation of his hit sitcom "Father Ted" has been halted by the rights owners, Hat Trick Productions, who had offered Linehan a substantial sum of money to have his name removed from the project.

In 2018, barrister Allison Bailey, a lesbian with a long history of gay activism, raised concerns about her chamber's decision to join Stonewall's "Diversity Champions" program due to its uncritical stance on gender self-identification. For raising these concerns, she was labeled as "transphobic" by Garden Court Chambers, who publicly announced that Bailey was under investigation. Bailey later won a court case for discrimination.

In 2018, the children's author Rachel Rooney published a book called "My Body is Me," which challenged sexist stereotypes and promoted a positive self-image for children. It was branded as "transphobic" and Rooney was subjected to a campaign of harassment by figures in the publishing industry. Some bookshops capitulated to activists and stopped stalking her work, and her publisher told her to stop expressing her opinions on the subject of gender.

In June 2023, it was reported that Sibyl Ruth, an editor at Cornerstones literary consultancy, was dropped because of her gender-critical views. Following an employment tribunal she received an apology and substantial damages.

In October 2023, Newcastle United fan Lindsay Smith was banned from the football club stadium for three seasons for her belief that sex is immutable, and that men shouldn't have access to women's changing rooms or compete in women's sports. In addition to her ban, she was investigated by a secret unit at the Premier League, who created a dossier on what they described as their "target." They attempted to find a home address, they assessed photographs from her social media accounts, and they even downloaded images in which Smith could be seen walking a dog.

Dr. Neil Thin experienced what he described as a devastating couple of years when he was falsely accused of racism by student activists. Thin is a senior lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, and he had criticized a conference called "Resisting Whiteness" because it offered racially segregated spaces. He also objected to the renaming of the David Hume Tower as 40 George Square. It had been renamed on the grounds that Hume had written some passages in an essay in 1753 that would today be deemed offensive. Thin stepped back from teaching while an investigation was underway and was eventually exonerated in September 2021.

Also in 2021, the actor James Dreyfus was dropped from the audio range of Doctor Who stories for signing a letter to Stonewall calling for an open and respectful debate on the subject of gender identity ideology and its impact on the rights of women and gay people. The company not only dropped him but erased his episodes from a compilation in which he was meant to be featured.

In July 2020, the children's author Gillian Philip was dropped by her publisher for tweeting in support of JK Rowling. She's since retrained as a trucker and has written that the haulage industry is far more supportive and inclusive, and a lot less misogynistic, than the world of children's writing.

Criminology Professor Jo Phoenix was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after a campaign of harassment by colleagues after she co-founded a gender-critical research network. In early 2024, she won her constructive dismissal case against the Open University.

In November 2021, social worker Rachel Meade was sanctioned by her employer Social Work England because of gender-critical posts she had shared and liked on Facebook. This led to her being suspended on charges of gross misconduct by Westminster City Council. Meade later won her claim for discrimination against her employer and the judge ruled that the disciplinary procedure amounted to harassment.

In June 2020, Nick Buckley, the founder of charity organization Mancunian Way, was ousted for criticizing the radical politics of the Black Lives Matter movement, most notably its calls to defund the police and abolish capitalism.

In August 2020, Sasha White, an assistant at the Tobias Literary Agency in New York, was fired after a campaign by trans activists who took offense at statements posted on her Twitter account expressing her view that gender neutral pronouns were unhelpful to the feminist cause.

In January 2020, veteran television presenter Alastair Stewart was forced to resign after tweeting a quotation from Shakespeare which included the phrase, "an angry ape." This was misinterpreted as racist because he was replying to a black Twitter, user even though it was a phrase he had used previously in conversation with white people.

In April 2019, philosopher Roger Scrutin was sacked as housing adviser to the Conservative government as part of the "Building Better, Building Beautiful" commission. And this was after a journalist at the New Statesman doctored his statement in an interview in order to make them appear racist.

In June 2019, Asda Supermarket worker Brian Leech was fired after sharing a video online by the comedian Billy Connelly which mocked Islamic suicide bombers, even though the source of the offending excerpt was from a DVD sold by the company that employed him. He was later reinstated following an outcry.

In June 2019, BBC Books removed the writer Gareth Roberts from a Doctor Who short story anthology because he expressed his view that the trans activist movement reinforces outdated gender stereotypes.

In June 2021, the textile artist Jess de Wahls had her artwork removed from sale in the Royal Academy gift shop, having already been driven out of her hairdressing salon in the Soho theater. Simply for her gender-critical opinions. She was bombarded on Twitter with vitriolic messages and calls for her to commit suicide.

In June 2021, it was reported that the Reverend Dr Bernard Randall, a school chaplain at Trent College in Derbyshire had been reported to Prevent, that's the government's anti-terrorism program, and this was because he delivered a sermon on why it was reasonable to challenge ideological viewpoints. And this was in response to a training session that he'd been obliged to attend in which school staff were told to chant "smash heteronormativity."

In June 2021, the cricketer Ollie Robinson was banned from playing for eight months due to offensive tweets that he posted as a teenager. In addition to the ban from the Cricket Discipline Commission, he was fined £3,200 and was compelled to participate in anti-discrimination training.

In June 2021, it was reported that law student Lisa Keogh had been investigated by authorities at Abertay University in Scotland for saying that "women have vaginas." Although she was cleared, she described the two-month investigation as needlessly cruel given that it coincided with her final examination period.

In October 2021, the philosopher Kathleen Stock resigned from the University of Sussex following a campaign of abuse and harassment from student activists who claimed that her very presence excludes and endangers trans people.

Ann Henderson, rector of Edinburg University until February 2021, was falsely smeared by activists as "transphobic" and antisemitic and not fit to hold office simply for tweeting about a meeting at the House of Commons on proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. She experienced a vicious campaign in which the University refused to tackle her abusers.

So that's just a sample of some of the victims of cancel culture.

And if it's true that cancel culture isn't real, it's got a hell of a lot of casualties.

==

They know it's real, because they think it's good.

Until it comes for them.

[adhdbisexualramblings]

I’m likely going to regret posting this after an actual rewatch of season ten, but-

Chloe was a wonderful foil to Timmy. They should have shared fairies. They’re perfect for each other friendship-wise.

Timmy’s conflicts are mainly external - neglectful parents, abusive babysitter, sucky school life - and despite his rowdiness and forgetful nature, he’s genuinely a very sweet boy who just gets caught up in whatever rash wish he’s made. Sure, he only has two friends (excluding his godparents), but that’s because he’s unpopular.

Chloe…has the exact opposite problem. All of her problems are purely internal. She does good everywhere she goes and strives to help everyone, which makes her a good person by nature, but it’s because of that giving nature why she has no real friends. She’s elevated immediately upon going somewhere to a celebrity status - it happened in Dimmsdale, and though she didn’t seem particularly upset about it, she still hasn’t stopped getting praise for her actions even months after moving there. Her life is the antithesis of Timmy’s to a T - wonderful, caring (if not overprotective) parents, a lot of people around her all the time, and a genuine love for everything that would theoretically make her the ‘perfect godchild’.

But, she has no real friends. No one she can count on for a cry or to lean back on if she needs help. Because she’s Chloe Carmichael, perfect girl, she shouldn’t have problems when everything in her life is great. Unlike Timmy, who is seen again and again clearly needing assistance, mainly assumed by characters and not explicitly said aloud by him. Chloe doesn’t have that specific ‘normal child’ status he has (no I am not projecting my survivor’s guilt onto a fictional character be quiet) because her life looks so good from the outside.

Despite what many reviewers, angry YouTubers in 2017, and a look at the first episode may tell you, Chloe does have flaws. Sure, she does actually like doing all this good stuff, but she’s…well, not far from, but you get it. She’s not totally perfect. She’s very protective about things she values (her DVD box set (which I totally get because those things are pricey, especially in this economy)) and tends to blow up if there’s any chance they’re threatened (yelling at Timmy to never lay a hand on said box set). She can be selfish (that episode where she had to share Timmy’s birthday and tried to one-up him) and a bit of a control freak (ideas likely coming from her parents’ want for perfection). She’s overly ambitious and her desire to find good in everyone blinds her to their bad parts (Foop may be a baby, but he’s not exactly as innocent as Chloe thinks). She can be easily-impressionable, as shown when she took to a brief life of crime in one episode. And, as Timmy puts it, she’s a little nuts.

Back to Chloe having no friends because she can’t be vulnerable with people who see her as a celebrity. She has a lot of traits that people might not like (see above) and can put them off on being an actual friend. Timmy has never seen Chloe as this popular untouchable mini-goddess - he hated her from the moment he saw her. Him having to share his fairies and subsequently be around her more often allows her to show those ‘worse’ (read: naturally human) traits off, and he won’t mind because those aren’t new to him, or weird. Timmy becomes, because of this, her first actual friend.

So while Timmy is rambunctious, mischievous, and has trouble paying attention but is still a sweet child in the moments where we see it, Chloe is a kind, generous, potentially self-sacrificing, overflowing-with-love girl who can get obsessed at times and lets her kindness be her downfall (sometimes). In the end, they’re both kids who have flaws.

Chloe and Timmy prove that misery is in the eye of the beholder. What’s miserable to Chloe may just be a normal day for Timmy, and we don’t know what fairy council grounds are for distributing godparents.

Additionally, Nick ruined Chloe as a character by breaking the show, don’t tell rule (telling us why she needed fairies instead of showing it through body language or actions) and sweeping her other bad traits under the rug. I despise the bright colors and neat lines of the new Flash animation they used, I hate it immensely, and Timmy’s character was botched within the first two seconds he was onscreen, but those are all their own posts.

[rubdown]

What qualities must an adult man possess in order to be ur gorgeous beautiful bouncing "babygirl" as it were..... I'm thinking it has to be the antithesis of becoming America's next drag superstar and so he must be the direct opposite of Charisma Uniqueness Nerve and Talent... he has to be like off-putting and DEFINITELY has GOT to be terribly lonely... and he has to be unremarkable but a freak in a lot of ways that are normal... he has to be totally pathetic and sopping soaking wet... and he's gotta be a huge flop and even getting beat up and dunked on continuously. Most importantly an adult man babygirl has to be vulnerable with an open bruised tender heart and really sweaty and hard bound by a sense of duty and never ever kissed in a way that feels regular... all sorts of things can qualify a babygirl. To paraphrase a song I once heard the older sister on the tv show "The Wonder Years" sing when I watched it in reruns on Nick at Nite in the late 1990s.... how many roads must a man walk down, before u can call him a babygirl?

[invisiblegarters]

Only Friends Ranking - EP 2

Genuinely didn't think that I would be doing this this week, but well. Things have changed. A bit. And I have a ton of thoughts that might turn out to be very wrong, lol.

Favorite Characters (Most to Least Fave atm)

Sand - Look, he isn't moving. I know this, you know this. He'd have to do some extremely heinous shit or be epically boring for me to move him from my top spot, and I don't foresee either of those things happening. I adore him, your honor. He's setting himself up to get his heart broken and a part of him seems to know that and yet he's still going straight for it. He's the moth, Ray is the bug zapper, and he'll be very lucky if he gets out of this mildly singed and not burnt to a crisp.

But. Just a mild observation here. Forthright as this dude is - and he is very forthright, he says what he thinks and how he feels - anyone else noticed that he doesn't tend to get personal? We got Ray here talking about his mom, Top talking about the fire, even Nick and Boston opening up about their dreams and Nick about his curly headed past (I bet he was adorable). But two characters have notably said not a fucking thing. Sand is one of them. All we know about this dude from his own mouth is that he's poor and that he's an equal opportunity kind of lover (and I love that last thing for him, I really do). I just get the sense that there's some capital I Issues happening with him.

And I know we love his big doe eyes, but anyone else seeing something a little calculating in there or am I just reaching (I am probably reaching, but I desperately need him to be about more than his unrequited feelings for Ray going forward)?

Mew - this dude. This dude. Speaking of calculating - and speaking of people we know next to nothing about. Look I don't think he's a Machiavellian mastermind - yet. I still hold true to my opinion that he's a game player who has never had to deal with actual feelings getting involved and that once they do it's gonna be bad, both in the protect him sense and in the sense that he's going to be taking a wrecking ball to every single person in his vicinity (and hopefully doing it with glee. And I'm back to thinking he's keeping Ray on the back burner, lol. This ep made me think no but the preview made me think yes (oh don't worry I know Boston is planting jealousy seeds in Top's ears that I'm not even sure he really believes - he knows about Ray's crush but well, I'm not getting anything from Mew. But there's just a certain way Mew treats Ray that just...makes me think he likes the attention. NO judgement, honestly. Ray's feelings are his own problem).

I said already that he has different personas with everyone he talks to. For Chueam he's the flustered, almost overwhelmed naive virgin. For Boston he's this weird mix of guarded and vulnerable. For Ray he's the oblivious and appreciative BFF. And for Top he's this sassy, smart, sexy but still innocent and slightly wary almost boyfriend. All those things are very probably facets of his true self, but I'm fascinated with how he puts them on and takes them off for people.

Boston - there's just something going on here. I don't even know if he wants Top at this point, but he very definitely doesn't want Mew to have Top. I think he feels like he and Mew are in a competition - not just for Top's affection or dick or whatever, but in general. Mew represents the antithesis of everything Boston is - he's the guy who wants the commitment, who wants the trappings. Boston is not. But I think deep down Boston knows that Mew is the guy that's gonna get the intrigue. Mew is the gold standard. He's the good one that you bring home, that you settle down with. And I think that Boston feels more threatened by that than he does by Top, specifically, wanting him.

I also feel like Boston wants to prove that in the end, all anyoen cares about is getting their dick wet. I'm not seeing finer feelings here, I'm seeing resentment of the way Mew chooses to live his life, and that is SO much more interesting to me than him being in love.

If anyone is our Brian Kinney, it's Boston. And honestly, this ep made me think that Nick might actually be his Justin and that is weird af to me.

Ray - by far the biggest surprise. I thought I'd go the other way with him. Khaotung strikes again, I guess. I don't actually like him, tbh, and I am very frustrated by the woobification happening in fandom, but oh is this one interesting.

Don't think that I didn't clock that liquor next to his mom. My first thought was sue of side, but well, drinking yourself to death is a form of that, isn't it? Just a slower one. And now her son is following in her footsteps, like he inherited her issues with alcohol the same way he did her records. And I think he knows it, and that's tragic af.

He's exactly as needy as I knew he would be, too. And frankly, I'm interested in his substance abuse problem - clearly he goes in and out of it, if Mew's comment about his flask was any indication. And that small sips line? Yeeeah, that's bad. That's really bad. I knew they'd give Khaotung meat to chew on.

Top - I KNOW. I never thought he'd get above number six either. But I kind of feel for him? It's not even about the fire trauma. It's that I think that he's actually struggling against himself to be what Mew says he wants, and that fascinates me a little. He's as bad as Ray in his own way, and that's so interesting to me.

I think he's gonna cave and do the easy thing because the easy thing is familiar and because Boston's gonna drip enough poison in his ear about Mew and Ray (and he's seen enough of the way Ray and Mew are with each other) to make him doubt, plus Mew's testing him is gonna grate. But do I think that inherently makes him evil? Nah, not really. I can't abide a cheater personally so I won't be sad if Mew just wrecks him and they don't wind up getting back together or whatever, but I'm not gonna pretend I can't see why it's happening, either.

Nick - sorry but he was boring this ep. I want to see him create some havoc or be a little messier. Right now he's just kinda making me sad and I want him to be more than crushed dreams, lol.

Chueam - look Lookjun hot and Nonnie adorable but I need more out of her please. Is she really just gonna be the mom friend/cheerleader, because if so I hate that for her. Jojo let the lesbians fuck at the very least, please.

Relationships (most to least fave)

This is basically the same as last week, really. Except this week I see way more potential in BostonNick actually turning into something and way less in SandRay.

Specifically, I feel like there's potential for Nick to blindside Boston. Boston isn't harboring feelings for someone else, I don't think. He just thinks that feelings are useless, that fucking is what's important, and I think that's how Nick might actually slide in. Boston doesn't know the danger he could be in because he doesn't even think to look for it.

And as for SandRay, well...I know that Khaotung and First's chemistry is amazing, okay. I'm not blind. But when it comes to these characters...Ray sees Sand as a possession, something he can control, if not with money (which he tries first, remember), then with sex. He is very much just using Sand to fill a gap. Things are gonna get very rough when Sand goes back to reasserting his own personhood, I think. Because while I do think that Sand's gonna be an idiot, I do see a core of steel in him which makes me think he will only bend for Ray for so long, and that's when Ray's gonna turn mean.

Look, I know people like Ray. I've been people like Ray. Trust me when I say that man knows what he wants from Sand and his heart has nothing to do with it. Ray will let go of his thing for Mew only if he's forced to, he's gonna cling to it against all odds, and until he stops there's never gonna be room for anyone else. He won't let there be. Sand's gonna get his heart trampled and it's gonna hurt a lot.

I will say this: if Ray stops being so forward with Sand, that's how you'll know real feelings are creeping in. He can afford to beg him and cajole him and pester him because his feelings aren't engaged and it doesn't matter if he looks stupid or if Sand thinks he's pathetic or turns him down. He ever gets to the point where that stops happening, then I'll believe things are changing.

Besides that, that man doesn't need a lover, he needs a therapist (very probably both of them do). But if he can't or won't do that, my honest to god hope is that when he and Sand implode they actually manage to salvage a real friendship out of it. That's currently my best case scenario for those two.

Also I want Top and Sand to smash. Give it to me in the present or in flashbacks don't care how I want it now.

In Conclusion

I thought this week's ep was better than last. Didn't think that it would come for me as hard as it did but there you go. I had way too many thoughts about everything and everyone and I'm not even sure I'm halfway correct but I've haven't had the urge to study every expression and write so many thoughts down about a drama since My Beautiful Man. So make of that what you will.

I am so excited to see what people come up with this week. So many of you are so much better at this than me and it's so fun to see what everyone comes up with. :D

[ice-sculptures]

#stucky#i'm putting them here even tho i never needed them to get together#bc endgame's existence is a loss all on its own

So real and true! I could not have phrased this better myself. there are quite a few ships that I actually prefer in fanfic (for worry that the canon writers would do them dirty) but endgame... that was a travesty. *insert that Nick Fury meme about electing to ignore canon*

-TWS anon

P.S. sorry if this sends multiple times. Tumblr was being a butt so I'm not sure if this came through the first few times.

oh don’t worry, it only sent once!!

and yeah…i love steve and bucky’s friendship in canon, and i never needed it to be romantic in the source material because it’s a marvel property, for starters, so hoping for that is totally out of the question (and bc i know a million fanfic writers who could do it better, lol) but i’d genuinely hoped for the writers and directors to respect the bond that They built themselves — like, it still fucking blows my mind that TWS and endgame were created by the same people….the downgrade, lol 💀

i feel like a lot of people think stucky shippers are mad about steve ending up with a woman, but imo that’s ridiculous. if steve had married a woman at the end of endgame, but had stayed in the future, and his relationships with bucky and sam had been treated with respect? i would have been overjoyed. my problem isn’t with the steve/peggy of it all, it’s with him going back in time and a) leaving behind everyone he knows, especially his best friends and b) living in a world where he knows about all of the atrocities happening, including bucky being tortured for 70+ years, and doesn’t do jack shit to stop them. however tired he is, however strong his desire for a peaceful life is, the steve rogers i know would never stand by and just let it all happen and i hate that endgame gave me a version of steve that is the total antithesis of the character i loved for so long.

[sparkiekong]

Nickie Catzenberg - Nick Gould

-A Lesson in Vampires 4/9

They’re an ancient race, stemming from a long line that goes back as far as the biblical Eden. They do require blood. Religious icons and holy places have zero effect. Silver is an annoyance at best. Holy water is hogwash unless magically imbued, Garlic is too strong for their noses but will not stop a determined vampire and most importantly they don’t glitter in the sunlight or “love you too much”. Your average media vampire is utterly unlike any actual vampire and that is by design to keep them secret. At their core is a soulless monster who wont think twice about draining you of every drop of blood."

"The only thing the media did get right is the reflection bit. They don't reflect in mirrors....There are two main branches of the evolutionary tree that are vampiric and the older the vampire, the more resistant they can be to all these things. Sunlight is only dangerous to the thin blooded vampires, those who are more than 5 generations separated from the First of each branch, the source vampire. There is much and more to speak of, but I will limit it to the important bits."

"The only things that work are beheading and wood in the heart. The life-force the wood represents is antithesis to the dead heart that lies within their chests. They can become quite obsessive at times due to the nature of their dietary constraints and cannot reproduce in the way humans do. Death cannot bring life… in most situations. They are manipulative predators and will not hesitate to kill or maim in the act self-preservation regardless of how much love or affection they claim to have for you."

"The vampire you are interviewing, this Jure Vulpe. If he is indeed the same one on my historical database, then you are going to be speaking to a very old soul. Perhaps a second or third generation vampire from the source, the First."

The couple sits there a bit dumbstruck at all the knowledge that was just thrown at them, RT sits there a bit uncomfortable for a moment, “Perhaps I’ve revealed too much…”

Nickie shakes her head, “No, RT. It’s fine... Thank you for the information and for trusting us with it. I’m just not sure what questions I should ask now. You’ve answered most of mine. Do you know anything of Jure Vulpe?”

“Unfortunately, there are some big gaps in my information regarding him. He was a very well renowned alchemist in Cairntyp, and his name is found several times throughout the various scrolls regarding many types of herbal concoctions. If he’d been human, we would probably know his name more as most of his remedies are the basis for many medical remedies today, but he disappeared, and others took his place and his recipes. He disappears shortly after a breakthrough in fermentation, it’s unknown why he disappeared at such an important time in a new branching science.”

Dream speaks again, "The private eye, Nick, had a few questions, too." Dream tries his best, gruff noire voice mimicking Nick, "'What do you mean two branches of an evolutionary tree? Does that mean there's more of these 'things' out there and they're all different? How can they date back to biblical times and more importantly, why keep it all a secret? What is this guy's deal?' A thousand and one questions, the private eye had, but this was his angel's show... and he'd hold his questions until he was sure that he couldn't answer them himself. "

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Nick Anderson

* * * *

Moral hazards.  September 19, 2022

Robert B. Hubbell

        “Moral hazard” is an evocative phrase that recognizes the moral dimension of economic and political decisions. An easy example is Trump’s promise to pardon January 6th insurrectionists if he is elected as president in 2024. In that scenario, insurrectionists are encouraged to engage in more insurrection. Moreover, some voters are encouraged to support an aspiring dictator, which in turn encourages the aspiring dictator to take even more lawless positions. In that example of cascading hazards, Trump’s behavior seduces and corrupts people to support a dictatorial regime that is the antithesis of their native beliefs in law, order, and personal liberty.

        Trump is a moral hazard to the Republican Party. In six years, he has convinced the party faithful to support and engage in increasingly corrupt, cruel, and reckless practices that undermine their morality and ethics—while posing a danger to our republic. Ron DeSantis’s callous abuse of refugees to make a political point (and gain a few votes) is an example of the GOP’s willingness to engage in increasingly cruel and reckless behavior to regain political control.

        After the widespread condemnation of DeSantis, one would think that DeSantis would back off the offending behavior. On the contrary, DeSantis has followed Trump’s model by doubling down on the cruel behavior—because many Trump voters supported the heartless trafficking of refugees. See CBS Miami, More migrant flights likely; Gov. DeSantis: “The legislature gave me $12 million.”

        Many commentators say that “The cruelty is the point.” What does that mean? It means that extremist Republicans take perverse glee in seeing the moral indignation of decent people shocked at the sight of gratuitous cruelty. They call it “Owning the libs”—an immature game that comes at a steep cost. By applauding political stunts that treat humans as stage props, extremist Republicans are debasing their humanity, morality, and decency. As Jennifer Rubin wrote over the weekend, “Republicans are wearing cruelty as a badge of honor.” That is the moral hazard of supporting Trump, DeSantis, and their acolytes.

        The cost is particularly steep for those who—like DeSantis—somehow rationalize their cruelty in the name of Christianity. DeSantis has begun spouting the cri de guerre of Christian nationalism, i.e., “Put on the full armor of God,” and Trump has engineered a hostile takeover of large swaths of the evangelical Christian church.

        The PEW Research Center recently released a report modeling the future of religion in America. The report's primary finding is that “[i]f recent trends in religious switching continue, Christians could make up less than half of the US population within a few decades.” Christians currently comprise 64% of the US population, a decrease from 90% in 1970.

        It would be foolish to assert that the substantial decline in Christianity is caused by the increasing political activism in the church. But it would also be foolish to pretend that the increasing political activism of the Christian church is unrelated to its rapid decline in America. When “going to church” feels like “going to a political rally,” the obvious question arises: Why not just go to the political rally?

        The current hatred of immigrants by Christian nationalists hollows the soul of an institution that has welcomed and cared for immigrants since its founding, e.g., the Nativity Narrative and the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is too much to expect that Christian nationalists will recognize their hypocrisy. But it is not too much to expect that other Christians will condemn those who have perverted a founding principle of the Christian church. Until the voices of Christian charity and love drown out the hate-filled rhetoric of Christian nationalism, it is up to the media and concerned Americans to highlight the hypocrisy and cruelty of the Republican Party.  

        And as Christian nationalists follow Trump over a moral precipice, he may be leading them to a freshly minted circle of hell. Trump is now using QAnon imagery and slogans at his rallies. See APNews, Trump openly embraces, amplifies QAnon conspiracy theories. Will Christian evangelicals follow Trump as he promotes a fringe conspiracy theory with religious overtones, e.g., an apocalyptic “Storm” that will end the reign of Satan-worshipping pedophiles? They already are. See CNN, How QAnon uses religion to lure unsuspecting Christians. Such is the moral hazard of supporting and excusing Trump’s politics of hate and cruelty. After a while, nothing seems too outrageous or hateful to believe.

        Finally, DeSantis’s effort to engage in human trafficking poses a legal hazard to DeSantis. He is currently unconcerned, but when Ted Cruz says that a fellow Republican is engaged in illegal behavior, you should worry. See The Independent, Ted Cruz forced to admit trafficking migrants to Martha’s Vineyard is illegal in Sean Hannity interview. An attorney for thirty of the refugees trafficked by DeSantis is demanding a DOJ investigation. See The Independent, Migrants’ lawyers call for criminal investigation into DeSantis’ Martha’s Vineyard stunt.

        And while the political fallout may be the least important consideration, Spanish-language radio stations in Florida were harshly critical of DeSantis’s virtual kidnapping of the Venezuelan refugees. See Politico, ‘Huge mistake’: DeSantis’ migrant transports could undercut support in South Florida. As noted in Politico,

“Florida Republicans in recent years have made it a priority to court Venezuelan Americans, many of whom fled their home country in the past decade amid the political and economic turmoil under Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez. It’s a story that has parallels to Cuban Americans — a crucial bloc of support for the GOP — who left their country to escape communism.”

[herpoetryshelf]

[Blog #10] Spring 2023, Plath, Sexton and Lowell vs Olds, Flynn and Davis

Today, I am comparing and contrasting early Confessional poets -- Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus,” Anne Sexton’s “Wanting to Die” and Robert Lowell’s “Skunk Hour” -- to their Confessional contemporaries --  Sharon Olds’ “My Son the Man,” Nick Flynn’s “My Mother Contemplating Her Gun” and Olena Kalytiak Davis’ “Not This”.

For reference, confessional-style poetry or confessionalism is poetry that often incorporates first-person perspective to detail psychological struggles such as mental illness and/or childhood traumas.

Before I analyze the similarities and differences between those six poems, I would love to greet anyone who happens to stumble upon this blog post.  

This is the link to my first blog post on Ada Limon’s The Carrying (2018):

My professor assigned a poetry book collection or individual poems every other week. My main objective was to dissect a few poems that left an impression on me while using his T.R.I.F.F.I.D. method.  

Tone: the voice, mood, or attitude the reader believes the author is conveying through subject and word choice. 

Rhythm: the pattern and beat between the stressed and unstressed word syllables. 

Imagery: the details told through the five senses (touch aka physical, sound aka auditory, sight aka visual, taste aka gustatory and smell aka olfactory). 

Figure: or figure of speech, is the non-literal expression of language. Figures of speech include hyperbole, irony, metaphor, simile, anaphora, antithesis and chiasmus. 

Form: the way a poem is presented on paper or a screen. Think of how the author physically shapes the poem -- the use of dialogue, line spacing, paragraph breaks, rhythms and patterns. 

Idea Density: how the author expresses their ideas throughout their poem. Can be literal (concrete) and/or figurative (vague or hidden).  

Diction: the word choice and arrangement within a piece. 

Part I:

The most noticeable difference between early and contemporary confessional poems are their forms. For example, both Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” and Anne Sexton’s “Wanting to Die” have 3 lines per stanza, while Robert Lowell’s “Skunk Hour” has 6. 

On the other hand, Sharon Olds’ “My Son the Man” is one long stanza compose of 15 lines; Nick Flynn’s “My Mother Contemplating Her Gun” is a bit harder to deduce where a stanza starts and end, but it seems to vary between 1–3 lines per stanza. Olena Kalytiak Davis’ “Not This” starts at 2 lines, then 11, and shifts back to 2 lines for the last three stanzas. 

Part II:

I feel as though I can’t quite compare and contrast the early and contemporary poets’ idea density because they all similarly discuss mental health awareness/topics. Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” (Lazarus means a person who is resurrected from the dead) reveals the narrator’s (Plath’s) third suicide attempt by age thirty:

I have done it again.   

One year in every ten   

I manage it——

(...)

And I a smiling woman.   

I am only thirty.

And like the cat I have nine times to die.

This is Number Three.   

What a trash

To annihilate each decade. (1-3, 21-24)

Lowell’s “Skunk Hour” the narrator admits to his declining mental health -- feeling crazy, alone and depressed, so much so, he compared his state of mind to Hell:

My mind’s not right.

A car radio bleats,

“Love, O careless Love. . . .” I hear

my ill-spirit sob in each blood cell,

as if my hand were at its throat. . . .

I myself am hell;

nobody’s here— (30-36)

Sexton’s “Wanting to Die” is vaguely similar in topic to Plath as they both discuss “suicide,” though Sexton is more on the nose than Plath. In reference to the title, the narrator confesses to her desire to commit suicide:

Since you ask, most days I cannot remember.

I walk in my clothing, unmarked by that voyage.   

Then the almost unnameable lust returns.

Even then I have nothing against life.

I know well the grass blades you mention,   

the furniture you have placed under the sun.

But suicides have a special language.

Like carpenters they want to know which tools.

They never ask why build. (1-9)

Olds’ “My Son the Man” the narrator confesses that she is afraid of her son growing up and becoming his own person outside of her control/influence (maternal fears).

She compares herself to the chains strapped on Houdini, while her son is compared to Houdini himself:

Suddenly his shoulders get a lot wider,

the way Houdini would expand his body

while people were putting him in chains. It seems

no time since I would help him to put on his sleeper,

guide his calves into the gold interior,

zip him up and toss him up and

catch his weight. I cannot imagine him

no longer a child, and I know I must get ready,

get over my fear of men now my son

is going to be one. This was not

what I had in mind when he pressed up through me like a

sealed trunk through the ice of the Hudson,

snapped the padlock, unsnaked the chains,

and appeared in my arms. Now he looks at me

the way Houdini studied a box

to learn the way out, then smiled and let himself be manacled. (1-15)

Eventually, like all traps, Houdini figures them out and escapes, which is what the narrator fears her son will do to her when he matures. 

Again, Flynn’s “My Mother Contemplating Her Gun” is similar to Plath and Sexton’s poems as it deals with the topic of suicide; as the title implies, the narrator is the mother. 

Throughout the poem, the mother discusses the gun -- the act of suicide -- as insignificant or easy by down-playing the severity and adding colorful descriptions to the gun:

 I bought it

when I didn’t feel safe. The barrel

                      is oily,

          reflective, the steel

pure, pulled from a hole

                   in West Virginia. It

could have been cast into anything, nails

along the carpenter’s lip, the ladder

to balance the train. Look at this, one

                        bullet,

                        how almost nothing it is—

          saltpeter   sulphur   lead   Hell

burns sulphur, a smell like this.

                        safety & hammer, barrel & grip

             I don’t know what I believe. (9-23)

Lastly, in Davis’ “Not This,” the narrator reveals she regrets not appreciating the little moments of family time in the past since the family dynamic has change -- the children growing up and the narrator (possibly) falling out of love with their spouse:

i raised my kids, they

grew i lost two pasts–i am

not made of them and they

are through.

we forget what

we remember:

each of the five

the fevered few

days we used to

fall in love. (10-19)

What did I learn?

The most noticeable difference between early and contemporary confessional poems are their forms; early poets stuck to a rigid line count, while their successors are more free-flowing. 

Moreover, they all discuss mental health issues. Plath, Sexton and Flynn explore suicide in their poetry; Lowell, Olds and Davis wrote about varying topics: solitude, maternal fears and regret. 

Whether early or contemporary, not all poets write about the same mental issues; even if two poets wrote about the same mental illness, they have differing voices, imagery, figures of speeches, etc. 

Though, most confessional poets seem to share the same tone: melancholy, desolate, grim, mournful and pessimistic.

Spotlight Poet: Who is Sylvia Plath?

Some may only know Sylvia Plath by how she infamously died, rather than how she lived her life. I am here to correct that! Boston native Sylvia Plath specialized and was highly noted for her confessional poetry; her topics ranged from her mental struggles, self-image and familial and marital traumas. During her lifetime, Plath published two poetry collections: The Colossus and Other Poems (1960) and Ariel (1965). 

One of her most well-known and studied poems is “Lady Lazarus” and “Daddy”. In the former, as discussed earlier, Plath confesses to her third suicide attempt, whereas in the latter, she recounts her patriarchal sufferings through her father’s death and the conflicting relationship with her husband (poet Ted Hughes). 

In the end, Sylvia Plath’s poetry remained timeless and praised by her contemporaries and successors because of how relatable and descriptive her thoughts and emotions -- anguish, alienation and self-destruction -- are to the past and present literary communities.

For more information on confessionalism and poetry by Plath, Sexton, Lowell, Olds, Flynn and Davis, check out the links below:

Lastly, what are some of your favorite confession-style poems? 

Feel free to share some below!

[liladurmaz]

who : @sloaneleia​

where : outside of Tilley’s Dance Academy

The words flowed together in their script font on the sign. Lila stared at it for about 20 minutes now, after happening upon the dance studio. Her daughters nick name displayed across the building in which Sloane owned.

Sloane Kirkpatrick felt like her antithesis in ever way. The brunette often found her envying the woman’s life, even elements that felt less than perfect. Sloane’s mother gave her up, to someone who loved her dearly. Lila found herself wishing her mother did the same, instead of merely pretending she wasn’t a mother at all. She’d covet Sloane’s attributes, hearing people describe her as strong and giving and kind. Lila fell under categories like troubled and broken. Her insecurities tied to the woman as soon as Boyd introduced them. Lila tried to ignore the doubt that played in her mind, the teasing idea that the woman he really wanted was his best friend. The comments from Boyd’s mother always left her feeling like a placeholder until they all got what they wanted - Sloane and Boyd happily ever after.

Her daughter’s name adorning the dance school felt like a validation of all of her fears. She’d been replaced so easily. Boyd’s voice from the diner the other day rang through her head, she doesn’t even ask about you. Why would she when it seemed she had a mother all along? It made her want to scream. It made her angry. How could he make her feel so evil for leaving when all she was trying to do was make all of their lives easier? More than anything, Lila felt overjoyed to know her little girl grew up with people that loved her, kept her safe, cared for her.

Her eyes lowered briefly catching Sloane’s eyes. The look on the other woman’s face made it clear she hadn’t known Lila came back to town. Why hadn’t Boyd told her? A sad sort of smile mustered up onto her lips. “You named it after her.” Her voice was soft. “That’s special.”

[grizzledyoungimpact]

Pairing: Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian/Scorpio Sky Quote: He’s a tramp, but they love him. Breaks a new heart every day. Verse: Apocalypse Mentions of character harm

There had always been a promise between the three men, even after the world had fallen to pieces. The promise was that they would stick together, no matter the problems that faced them.

Christopher Daniels had thought he was going to be able to lead this promise through anything. He was one of the least likely people to have become a raider beyond The Wall. He was brilliant, with near genius-level intellect that allowed him to plan the raids he led his team of three on, but he was not ruthless nor was he violent. He could take one look at a camp and relay the information he could gather to his second in command, the love of his life, Frankie Kazarian, but he could not cause the violence himself.

Frankie Kazarian was the antithesis of Christopher. While his husband was brilliant, a strategist in every sense of the word, Frankie was a fighter. Even in the world before, Frankie had followed every order that he was given as a military man. Those skills had become the skills on which he relied to get himself and his family through The Wasteland. He still took orders, and still followed Christopher’s commands to a T, but he felt much more prepared for this world than the last.

And then there was Scorpio Sky.

Both Frankie and Christopher liked to claim that Scorpio was their son, a young soul they had always watched out for. He was the best possible blend of both men. From Christopher, Scorpio had picked up how to be uniquely cunning. He could plan missions with the best of them, and because of the training with Frankie, he could carry out those same missions. The biggest issue, then, was Scorpio’s flirtatious streak. He tended to fall with others out in The Wasteland.

It was what had gotten the trio into this situation.

The trio had been lured into the open under the promise of food. Christopher had let Scorpio take the lead on this mission. They had almost been in the clear when the two young men had shown up. Scorpio’s attention had been drawn to the two and Christopher could see why. They were well-built, strapping men. One had long brown hair with matching doe brown eyes, while the other was a blonde with soft blue eyes. Scorpio’s attention had only been drawn away for a moment, but it was all it took for the trap to be sprung. The two men’s friends had ambushed the trio.

Christopher, Frankie, and Scorpio were forced to kneel side-by-side, arms restrained behind their backs. Their attackers had stripped the trio of their weapons, of anything the men had on them of value. Christopher recognized these men as The Elite, a raiding party under the leadership of a despot calling himself The Cleaner. The two men who had been used as bait were the Jackson brothers, Matt and Nick.

“Scorp got us in a tough one, huh?” Frankie muttered to his husband, low enough that their captors couldn’t hear. 

“He’s a tramp, but we love him. Breaks a new heart every day,” Christopher gave a low chuckle, “Besides, we’ve been in tougher situations than this. Remember the Storm job?”

“This is different, Christopher. At least James and Bobby were our friends in the end,” Frankie huffed. He side-eyed Scorpio, who was still silent. “We’ll be okay, kid. Chris will get us out. I promise.”

Christopher winced, wishing Frankie hadn’t promised that. His brain searched for a way to get out of this situation, but he was struggling. The sound of a cruel chuckle made Christopher take in a sharp breath. He allowed himself to glance up, taking in the form of The Cleaner. He wasn’t as intimidating as Christopher had always imagined. In fact, he was younger. Much younger. “Good work Nick, Matt. Got us some big threats,” the golden-haired man spoke to the two men who stood behind him.

“We’ll get out of here,” Scorpio hissed, struggling hard against his bonds. 

The Cleaner tsked, using the long pole that resembled a broken broom handle underneath Scorpio’s chin to raise his head, “You should have taught him manners, Daniels. Besides, we have no intent to kill you.”

“Leave him alone, you sick fuck,” Frankie grunted, “Of course you’re gonna kill us. We don’t have anything else you want.”

Again The Cleaner paced before the three, shaking his head, blonde curls bouncing, “No, no. We don’t kill, Kazarian. We have what we need from you. We have our morals.”

“Perhaps, then, we can come to an agreement,” Christopher spoke up, no waiver to his voice despite his fear, “We could help each other out. I’ve heard that you and your Elite have a problem with Okada and-“

“Christopher,” Frankie hissed at his husband, closing his eyes for a brief moment. Judging by how The Cleaner had stopped moving, that was the wrong statement to make.

“We. Don’t. Talk. About. HIM,” came the loud shout from the otherwise composed Cleaner. He turned quickly to face Christopher, a sneer across his lips. “I’m a man of my word, Mr. Daniels. I won’t kill any of the three of you. But…well…there are fates much worse than death.”

Christopher couldn’t even react properly in his restrained state. In a second, The Cleaner had brought the end of the broken broom handle sharply into his right eye. It was as if everything was happening slower and slower like he was outside of himself. He could hear Frankie and Scorpio’s screams of anger and surprise, could feel the blood coursing over his face. The sound of footsteps made him realize that the Elite had left them there, and fled into the cover of the coming night.

But he couldn’t see.

God help him, he couldn’t see.

[motownfiction]

ugly boy

cw: discussions of western beauty standards, rigid gender binaries/stereotypes, and catholicism

Sadie’s pretty sure she would have been an ugly boy.

She hears the irony whenever she thinks about it. Pretty sure she would have been ugly. That’s what she’s always known is pretty about her: the mind, the heart, the everything you can’t see. Everything else … she doesn’t know. She’d prefer not to look.

Everyone who loves her says that she’s out of her mind; that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about; that for a girl with such kindness, she’s being awfully cruel to the person who matters most (herself, herself, herself). Mom says that she’s gorgeous: tall and strong with beautiful hair and smiling eyes. Lucy always says she wishes she could be that smooth, that slender. And Sam, God love him, says that he is exactly what she would look like if she were a boy. We’re twins, he says. That’s the way it works. Do you think I’m ugly?

No, Sadie says, and she means it. Of course not.

In fact, that’s the problem.

Sadie is fourteen now, the age where pretty and ugly matter more than all other binary oppositions: more than rich and poor, more than young or old, even more than girl or boy. When you’re fourteen at a Catholic school, you’re only worth how well you can wear your uniform. Unfortunately, since parochial uniforms are the antithesis of fashion, standards are much more subjective and strange than they could be. But the people have spoken. When it comes to the Doyle twins, Sam is the pretty one. He has a great smile – one that lights up a room, as they like to say. Sam is the pretty one, and Sadie is the ugly one.

They don’t actually use the word ugly. At least, not anymore. Nick Crosby called her the ugly twin when they were in the fifth grade; earlier this year, when he kissed Sadie at a birthday party, he took it back. Of course, he hasn’t spoken to her since. The word ugly just hangs in the air whenever they pass each other in the hall. Sadie thinks she liked it better when he and Robby Blair would say it out loud. The silence means it’s implied, and there’s no coming back from an implication. Assumptions have a way of following you around.

They don’t call Sadie ugly anymore. Maybe it’s because she’s a girl, and when you’re fourteen, that means a little something. Maybe that’s why they don’t want to hurt her feelings. They think girls cry. Hell, everybody knows Sadie Doyle cries. Earlier in the school year, when the eighth graders went on their Confirmation retreat, she cried harder than anyone when they got their letters from their parents. They don’t want to call her ugly because she’s a tender little girl, and she knows how to cry. Damn, sometimes, if she doesn’t like it, too.

If she were a boy, she thinks, it’d be game on.

But Sadie will not hide her face.

She’s not fond of letting anyone else win.

(part of @nosebleedclub december challenge -- day xii!)