#if it came out in like 2019 instead of 2013

[rondoel]

People who enjoyed Outer Wilds, I think you’d also like The Swapper.

It’s another indie space game with stunning visuals, beautiful music, fun puzzles and amazing existential narrative.

I remember the ending leaving longest lasting impression on me of any game I’ve ever played. Seriously shook me to my core.

Here’s my absolutely favourite piece of soundtrack as an incentive:

[jimhines]

2022 Writing Income

It’s that time again – for fifteen years now I’ve been writing an annual blog post about my income as a writer. Money tends to be an uncomfortable, even taboo topic, but I think it’s important to help counter the myths that we’re all multimillionaires living in Glass Onion-style mansions. (Side note: If anyone wants to pay millions of dollars for my book, I’ll happily update this blog post from my private island mansion.)

Remember, every writer’s career is different, and I’m only one data point.

Prior Years: Here are the annual write-ups going back to 2007: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021.

In 2016, instead of a personal income write-up, I did a survey of almost 400 novelists about their income.

My Background: I’m a primarily “traditionally published,” U.S.-based SF/F author with 15 books in print from major New York publishers. The first of those books came out from DAW in 2006. I have an agent, and have been with them since about 2004.

I’ve self-published a middle grade fantasy and a few short collections. I’ve also sold about 50 short stories to different magazines and anthologies.

I’ve never hit the NYT or USA Today bestseller lists.

I’m currently the sole parent of a teenager (at home) and a 22-year-old (at college). I have a day job that’s just over half-time, both for the paycheck and the benefits.

2022 in Summary: There’s no gentle way to say this. The last several years have kind of sucked. Losing my wife to cancer in 2019 completely derailed my writing. I was hoping 2022 would be a comeback year, but life had other plans…

I did write and sell two new short stories and one nonfiction piece, which was nice. I’ve got a finished middle grade book that’s been on submission for a while. I finished a standalone fantasy that’s been sitting with my publisher for a while.

Normally, my editor is pretty quick about responding, but last year wasn’t normal for DAW, either. DAW was acquired by Astra House. A lot of their time and energy went into that deal. I’m hoping for the best, but things still haven’t settled into the new “normal.”

Last year did see the release — finally — of Terminal Peace, the third book in the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse series. I’m thrilled and relieved to see that book in print, but it came out right in the middle of the Astra House acquisition, which may have impacted things like promotion and publicity.

I also finished the first draft and started revising a new standalone middle grade fantasy with series potential.

2022 Income: The biggest check was the publication payment for Terminal Peace. All total, before taxes and various expenses, the writing brought in $13,957.16. While that’s absolutely nothing to sneer at, and I’m grateful for the success, it’s also a dropoff from the past couple of years. To be blunt, if you look at the cumulative graph, things have been slumping a bit.

Income Breakdown:

Patreon has been a small but steady and helpful source of income. My thanks to everyone for that!

As usual, my U.S. novels are the biggest piece of the pie. The short fiction category is a bit higher this year, thanks to those two new stories. I didn’t self-publish anything new in 2022, but if that middle grade book doesn’t sell, I’d like to publish that one later this year.

Novels (U.S. editions): $8,542.83

Novels (Non-U.S. editions): $473.25

Self-Published: $1158.24

Short fiction: $892.86

Audio: $521.04

Patreon: $1668.94

Other: $700

I mentioned earlier that things have been in a bit of a slump, and I need to focus on breaking out of that. Some things I can’t currently control. Tomorrow I could wake up to an offer from DAW on the book they’ve got, and maybe an email from my agent that the middle grade title he’s been shopping around went to auction and got a six-figure advance. But I can’t make these things happen.

Priority #1 is to keep writing. If I’m not doing that, other goals are pretty much moot.

Priority #2 is to figure out some alternate options. It may be time to put more time and effort into self-publishing as a complement to my traditionally published work.

The biggest thing making me anxious is that I’m pretty much out of contract. The paperback of Terminal Peace comes out this year, but for the first time in about 15 years, I don’t have the security, the luxury, or the deadlines of a signed contract. In some ways, this is freeing: I can write whatever I want. But there’s no guarantee as to when things will see print. Submitting to the traditional publishers is a long, slow process…

From talking to other writers who’ve been doing this a while, I’ve learned that pretty much every career has its ups and downs. Personal, pandemic, and publisher issues have been a bit of a perfect storm for me these past few years, but I’m not going anywhere. After 27 years as a writer, I’m excited to see what comes next.

Wrap Up:

I hope this has been helpful. As always, feel free to share the post and/or ask questions.

[aelfgyvaa]

Period Drama Costuming - a (ranty) review

I love period dramas. I watch them like my life depends on it, and as a result, I have Thoughts. Period dramas are arguably where costuming becomes most important - here, costume isn't solely a storytelling device, it's a reflection of the specific place and time in which the narrative is taking place. Sometimes it's done well. Sometimes it really - really - isn't.

It's reductive to try and make any sweeping, general rules about how costumes in period dramas should be done. Every show has its own tone and style, and this is important to consider. However, some productions can take this in... interesting directions. We can really only judge each attempt at historical costuming on an individual basis, which - spoiler alert - is exactly what I'm about to do. Below the cut, I've had a look at some bad costumes, some good costumes, and some that don't really seem to fit in either category.

DISCLAIMER!! - This is simply an opportunity for me to rant about something I have a lot of (subjective) Feelings™ about, and is in no way supposed to comment on the overall quality of any of the pieces discussed. I'm also NOT claiming to be an expert on this topic. There are lots of people on here who undoubtedly know more about this than me, and if you're one of them, I'd really love to hear your thoughts!!

The Bad

Reign (The CW, 2013-17)

I've just gotta get this one out of the way. I made it through an almost-entire season of Reign before the atrocity that is its costuming got the better of me. If you'd shown me photos from this show without telling me it's about Mary Queen of Scots, I couldn't have guessed what period this might be set in. Reign's costume designer has stated "I wanted gowns that kept some kind of Elizabethan element, whether it was a nipped waist and extreme silhouette, or if it had a bit of a medieval feel" and uh. Yeah. By and large, that didn't happen. From what I can tell, a somewhat historical silhouette does begin to appear in the show's final season, but at what cost?

Perhaps Reign wouldn't have been as bad if the dresses were at least nice to look at. Instead, they're generally reminiscent of prom dresses - the fabric looks cheap, and the details look so tacky that I can't even endorse the costuming for this show from an aesthetic standpoint. Sorry to any Reign fans out there, but this is almost certainly going to be my most scathing review of the lot.

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The Musketeers (BBC, 2014-16)

I love The Musketeers. I really do. But what the costume department was thinking - especially when it came to the women's costumes - I really have no idea. I mean, a Peter Pan collar?? On the Queen of France??? IN THE 1620S???? Truly something. Constance always looks like she only half-finished getting dressed that morning (why is her hair down. she's married.), and Anne sports some of the most outlandishly ridiculous collars I've ever seen. I don't even want to get into what Marie de' Medici is wearing. It's belts - as a necklace apparently! She also appears to be hiding some kind of gourd under her hair, but alas.

Yes, the men wear pleather. Yes, it does upset me.

The Musketeers' costumes perhaps wouldn't sting so badly if they didn't dress numerous background extras in significantly more accurate clothing. I've spent too much time watching this show and sighing in despair because Noblewoman Number 3 has a more accurate 1620s dress than the literal Queen.

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The Spanish Princess (Starz, 2019-20)

I haven't properly sat down to watch The Spanish Princess through to its conclusion yet, but I do intend to - when she's not fawning over Richard III, Philippa Gregory adaptations can still be good fun, despite having about as much historical authenticity as the Fiji mermaid.

Nevertheless, no one in this show seems aware of what time period they're in, with dress styles spanning from early 14th-century surcoats to some fairly Elizabethan-looking silhouettes. The fabric choices are all over the place, and similarly - although not quite as egregiously - to Reign, often don't even manage to look good. Even from a modern standpoint, this show is colour- and pattern-clash galore. There is also practically no layering whatsoever, with the dresses going on as single pieces without a panel in sight. Admittedly probably easier from a production standpoint, but still.

Don't even get me started on the headdresses. Weird, pudding-cap-esque padded crowns and tiny scraps of fabric like the ones seen on Mary Tudor (an attempt at a French hood? I shudder) are fairly constant, although I have spotted a few passable attempts at a Gable hood.

They do get points for giving Arthur Tudor a fuck ass bob. Thanks.

────────────

The Buccaneers (Apple TV+, 2023-)

When I first started The Buccaneers and saw what its costuming had to offer, I audibly sighed. If you're a fan of visible back-lacing, cheap quality fabrics, and poorly fitting bodices, this is the show for you. The 1870s look is not a difficult one to emulate, and yet The Buccaneers fails rather miserably with its main characters, half of whom appear to be walking around in their underwear, with untied hair and single-layer dresses. Poor Nan only seems to own about two outfits that aren't visibly too big for her.

But by far the greatest crime committed by The Buccaneers' costume department comes in the decision to have multiple instances in which characters appear to be wearing corsets as tops. Yeah. I had a rough time with that one too. Mabel seems a particular victim of this - in both of the images above she looks as if she's been rushed out of the house before she got the chance to even button up her dress. A State of Affairs indeed.

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The Good

Becoming Elizabeth (Starz, 2022)

Although I was slightly underwhelmed with the execution of Becoming Elizabeth's story, this was absolutely overshadowed by its costuming, which is probably one of the most historically accurate depictions of Tudor clothing I've ever seen. With the same costume designer as Shardlake (which is also very well done - a big day for fans of Anthony Boyle's codpiece), it's remarkably clear how much research went into the pieces worn on this show, with some directly recreated from portraits, and others visibly inspired by surviving clothing from the period.

I won't pretend that Becoming Elizabeth's costuming is without flaws - I'm not a fan of Elizabeth's hunting/riding clothes, and she wears her hair down far too often (Catherine Parr appeared at times to have access to a Dyson Airwrap). However, the positives definitely outweigh any gripes I have. We have dressing scenes in which we see the separate layers and panels that comprised Tudor dresses, and the French hoods actually have hoods, as opposed to simply being the semi-circular headbands we see far too often. The royal women wear ermine fur on their sleeves, and I was also a fan of the jewellery.

The care that went into the costumes for Becoming Elizabeth is so clear - I truly wish I'd enjoyed the plot more, if just so that I could spend more time staring at those dresses.

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Emma. (Autumn de Wilde, 2020)

I adore Emma, and its costuming is honestly perhaps the biggest part of that love. The waistlines! The hairstyles! The bonnets! Emma's costumes are proof that you don't have to sacrifice historical accuracy for the sake of stylization - it's by far the most zany and colourful of any direct Austen adaptation, and yet its visuals remain strikingly faithful to the Regency period.

Like Becoming Elizabeth, many of the pieces worn in Emma bear a striking resemblance to surviving pieces and fashion plates from the era. The only problem I've noticed in this was the alarmingly strange detachable ruff-thing Emma is shown wearing in one scene, but frankly, it still manages to fit the tone of the piece.

I'm usually not a huge fan of the Regency fashion depicted on television - I find it rather dull - but the costumes in this movie are gorgeously distracting in every scene. Turns out historical accuracy actually can make things better - who knew!

Is this enough to make me forgive Alexandra Byrne for the costumes in Mary Queen of Scots (2018)?

No.

(I do not forgive ANYONE who worked on Mary Queen of Scots for making Mary Queen of Scots.)

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Firebrand (Karim Aïnouz, 2023)

Firebrand hasn't even been released outside of Cannes yet, and already I am so, so down with everything it's giving. This movie could end up being the dullest two hours of my life, but I'll still sing its praises for one very simple reason - CHIN. STRAPS.

THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS!! The French hoods FINALLY have chin straps!!!! It's only been in virtually every well-known painting of them ever, no big deal.

Although we only have one trailer and a few promo photos to go off of, the costumes in Firebrand look fantastic, with enough layers, fur, embroidery, and hoop skirts to keep me happy for perhaps the rest of my life. We'll see how the movie itself turns out, but it already has a lot going for it in my eyes.

Also shoutout to Henry VIII's absolutely manky leg ulcers in the trailer. That's what I like to see.

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The Outliers

Right. Here is where the hypocrite accusations are about to come flying. But frankly, I said it myself at the start that every period piece deserves to be judged on an individual basis, and the tone and intention of each piece is important in how its costumes are perceived.

That being said, if you think any of the 'bad' costumes deserve to be in this section - maybe they should've tried not being ugly, idk.

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Bridgerton (Netflix, 2020-)

Bridgerton's excuse for its inaccuracy comes not from its lack of effort, but rather from its deliberate rejection of the historical narrative in any form whatsoever. We have two Real People™ in Queen Charlotte and King George III, but even their spin-off opens with a disclaimer that their story will be utterly fictional. Bridgerton does not present an issue like some of the other pieces on this list because it is actively opposed to being historically accurate to a degree that few other period pieces have arguably ever achieved.

Literally nothing about Bridgerton is consistent with history, so it does not disappoint when its costumes aren't either. The clothing does take visible inspiration from the Regency silhouette, but even then it is not consistent, with Queen Charlotte's costumes still firmly Georgian-esque (and honestly, marvellous wigs aside, they're not... bad?). Bridgerton is a historical fantasy before it's a historical drama, and as such it's easy to just sit back and enjoy the costumes for what they are - even when what they are is garish.

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The Great (Hulu, 2020-23)

The Great is first and foremost a dark comedy, not a historical piece. Yes, Catherine the Great and Peter III were real people, and yes, much like in the show, Catherine did overthrow her husband in real life, too. But the similarities end here, as none of the characters in The Great have any intention of resembling their real-life counterparts.

Set roughly in the 1740s, the costumes in The Great are clearly far from reality, but they still resemble the silhouettes we know and recognise as 18th Century. The show is a satirical means of poking fun at the opulent aristocracy, and as such every costume conveys a distinct appearance of luxury. Every single item of clothing worn by the nobility looks absurdly expensive, and the exaggerated ridiculousness of many of the looks we see onscreen are an intentional way of conveying how utterly disconnected the people at court are from reality. From Peter's leopard skin jacket to ladies wearing powdered wigs as hats, The Great's costuming is purposefully elevated from its historical source material, and that is precisely what makes it so good.

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The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018)

Sandy Powell's work on The Favourite is perhaps one of my all-time favourite pieces of costuming. Similarly to The Great, The Favourite utilises clearly recognisable aspects of 18th-century fashion - with ermine fur trim, half-length sleeves, and periwigs - but stylised so that everything conforms to a solidly black and white colour palate.

The Favourite's costumes are gorgeous and evocative of their time period - with well-portrayed mantuas, riding habits, fontanges etc. - all while conforming to Lanthimos' characteristically off-beat style. The shared colour palate really puts the three leads on equal footing in a visual sense, which is key in exploring the relationships that Abigail and Sarah are able to manipulate Queen Anne into developing. Had the colours and fabrics been historically accurate, I believe the movie would have risked making Anne too visibly above the rest of her court, but the striking congruence among the cast successfully solidifies their ability to exploit one another, regardless of status.

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I don't know if there are any conclusions to be drawn from this, I just love talking. If you've made it this far - thank you for reading! I hope you found at least some of this interesting.

I'm always open and eager to discuss this topic, so please do let me know your thoughts - What are your favourite period drama costumes? What piece of costuming made you go OH JESUS WHAT IS THAT???

Anyway, thank you for going down this little rabbit hole with me - my asks are always open! <3

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Tessa Stuart at Rolling Stone:

KRISTA HARDING’S DAUGHTER was eight weeks old when that police cruiser pulled behind her on the interstate and hit the lights in September 2019. She called her boss at the Little Caesars in Pinson, Alabama, where she’d just been promoted to manager: I’m going to be a little late, but I’m coming in! Don’t panic. Harding’s registration tag was expired. She figured the officer would write her a ticket and she’d be on her way, but when he came back after running her driver’s license, he had handcuffs out. There was a felony warrant out for her arrest, he said: “Chemical endangerment of a child.” Harding used her most patient customer-service tone to ask the officer if he’d please check again. But there was no mistake, the cop confirmed: He was taking her to the Etowah County Detention Center, almost an hour’s drive away. “I’m in the back of the cop car just bawling my eyes out, like, ugly-face-snot-bubbles crying,” Harding remembers. She was worried about being away from her newborn, and she was confused: Chemical endangerment of a child? “I think of somebody cooking meth with a baby on their hip,” she says. 

She’s right to think that: The Alabama law, passed in 2006, was intended to target those who expose children to toxic chemicals, or worse, explosions, while manufacturing methamphetamine in ad-hoc home labs.  Harding says it took at least eight hours to be booked into a cell that night, and it was more than a week before she was finally allowed to see a judge. She was still leaking breast milk, and desperately missing her two daughters. Her family wasn’t allowed to bring her clean underwear, so every day she washed her one pair, saturated with menstrual blood, in the cell sink, then hung them to dry.

Harding says she eventually learned the warrant for her arrest had been issued because of a urine test taken at a doctor’s visit early in her pregnancy. Sitting alone in her cell, she conjured a vague memory of her OB-GYN warning her local authorities had begun to crack down on weed. The comment had struck her as odd at the time: Nine years earlier, when she was pregnant with her first child, the same doctor at the same hospital had told Harding, who’d smoked both pot and cigarettes before she was pregnant, that she’d rather Harding kick the nicotine than the weed. (Studies are unequivocal about the fact that cigarettes contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes, but the research on weed is less conclusive, with some doctors arguing it at least has therapeutic benefits, like helping with morning sickness.)

But in the years between her first child and her second, something had changed in certain parts of Alabama. In Etowah County, in 2013, the sheriff, the district attorney, and the head of the local child-welfare agency held a press conference to announce they intended to aggressively enforce that 2006 law. Instead of going after the manufacturers of meth, though, they planned to target pregnant women who used virtually any substance they deemed harmful to a developing fetus.

“If a baby is born with a controlled-substance dependency, the mother is going to jail,” then-Sheriff Todd Entrekin said at the time. Police weren’t required to establish that a child was born with a chemical dependency, though — or even that a fetus experienced any harm — a drug test, a confession, or just an accusation of substance use during pregnancy was enough to arrest women for a first offense that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. One public defender would later call these “unwinnable cases.” Over the following decade, Etowah County imprisoned hundreds of mothers — some of whom were detained, before trial, for the rest of their pregnancies, inside one of the most brutal and inhumane prisons in the country, denied access to prenatal care and adequate nutrition, they say — in the name of protecting their children from harm. 

[...]

In the past two decades, Alabama has become the undisputed champion of arresting pregnant women for actions that wouldn’t be considered crimes if they weren’t pregnant: 649 arrests between 2006 and 2022, almost as many arrests as documented in all other states combined, according to advocacy group Pregnancy Justice, which collected the statistics. Across the U.S., the vast majority of women arrested on these charges were too poor to afford a lawyer, and a quarter of cases were based on the use of a legal substance, like prescription medication.

Today, Marshall is the attorney general of Alabama, and just a few months ago, the state’s Supreme Court used the same logic — that life begins at conception, therefore an embryo is legally indistinguishable from a living child — in a decision that was responsible for shutting down IVF clinics across the state. The ruling was a triumph for the fetal-personhood movement, a nationwide crusade to endow fertilized eggs, embryos, and fetuses with constitutional rights. Personhood has been the Holy Grail for the anti-abortion movement since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, but outlawing abortion — at any stage of pregnancy, for any reason — is just the start of what legal recognition of embryos’ rights could mean for anyone who can get pregnant. Experts have long warned that elevating an embryo’s legal status effectively strips the person whose body that embryo occupies of her own rights the moment she becomes pregnant.

Across the country, this theory has led to situations like in Texas, where a hospital kept a brain-dead woman alive for almost two months — against her own advanced directive and the wishes of her family — in deference to a state law that prevents doctors from removing a pregnant person from life support. (The hospital only relented after the woman’s husband sued for “cruel and obscene mutilation of a corpse.”) Or in New Hampshire, where a court allowed a woman who was hit by a car while seven months pregnant to be sued by her future child for negligence because she failed to use “a designated crosswalk.” Or in Washington, D.C., where a terminally ill cancer patient, 26 weeks pregnant, requested palliative care, but was instead subjected to court-ordered cesarean section. Her baby survived for just two hours; she died two days later.

Or in Alabama, where, in 2019, Marshae Jones walked into the Pleasant Grove Police Department with her six-year-old daughter expecting to be interviewed for a police investigation. Months earlier, Jones, four and a half months pregnant at the time, had been shot by her co-worker during a dispute. In the hospital after the shooting, Jones underwent an emergency C-section; her baby, whom she’d named Malaysia, did not survive. Rather than indicting the shooter, though, a grand jury indicted Jones, who they decided “intentionally” caused the death of her “unborn baby” because she allegedly picked a fight “knowing she was five months pregnant.” The charges were ultimately dismissed, but Jones’ lawyer says her record still shows the arrest, and Jones, who lost her job after the incident, struggled to find work after her case attracted national attention.

The threat this ideology poses to American women is not contained to Alabama: Recognition of fetal personhood is an explicit policy goal of the national Republican Party, and it has been since the 1980s. The GOP platform calls for amending the U.S. Constitution to recognize the rights of embryos, and representatives in Congress have introduced legislation that would recognize life begins at conception hundreds of times — as recently as this current session, when the Life at Conception Act attracted the co-sponsorship of 127 sitting Republican members of Congress.

[...]

Taking inspiration from Black Americans’ fight for equal rights, the anti-abortion movement began thinking of its own crusade as a fight for equality. “The argument that the unborn was the ultimate victim of discrimination in America was really resonant with a lot of white Americans, a lot of socially conservative Americans — and it was vague enough that people who disagreed about stuff like feminism, the welfare state, children born outside of marriage, the Civil Rights Movement” could find common ground, Ziegler says.  By the time the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade in 1973, the idea that a fetus was entitled to constitutional protections was mainstream enough to be a central piece of Texas’ argument that “Jane Roe” did not have a right to get an abortion.  

The justices rejected that idea. “The word ‘person,’ as used in the Fourteenth Amendment, does not include the unborn,” Justice Harry Blackmun wrote. But he gave the movement a cause to rally behind for the next half-century by adding: “If this suggestion of personhood is established, [Roe’s] case, of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment.”  Making that happen became the anti-abortion movement’s primary focus from that moment on. One week after Roe was decided, a U.S. congressman first proposed amending the Constitution to guarantee “the right to life to the unborn, the ill, the aged, or the incapacitated.” It was called the Human Life Amendment, and though it failed to make it to a floor vote that session, it would be reproposed more than 300 times in the following decades.  By 1980, the idea had been fully embraced by the Republican Party: Ronald Reagan’s GOP adopted it into the party platform — where it remains to this day — and in 1983, the Republican-majority Congress voted, for the first and only time, on the idea of adding a personhood amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That vote failed. 

After their 1983 defeat, activists turned their attention away from the U.S. Capitol and toward the states, where they sought to insert the idea of fetal personhood into as many state laws as possible: everything from legislation creating tax deductions for fetuses or declaring them people for census-taking purposes, to expanding child-endangerment and -neglect laws.  Activists pursued this agenda everywhere, but they were most successful at advancing it in states that share certain qualities. “You could draw a Venn diagram of American slavery and see that what’s happening today is in common in those states,” says Michele Goodwin, a Georgetown University law professor and author of the book Policing the Womb. “Some would say, ‘Well, OK, how is that relevant?’ Slavery itself was explicitly about denying personal autonomy, denying the humanity of Black people. Now, clearly, these laws affect women of all ethnicities. But the point is: If you’re in a constitutional democracy and you found a way to avoid recognizing the constitutional humanity of a particular group of people, it’s something that’s not lost in the muscle memory of those who legislate and of the courts in that state.”

Rolling Stone has a solid in-depth report on the war on women and reproductive health in Alabama, going into detail the fetal personhood movement.

[musette22]

Sorry Minnie but I wanted to rant for a second about this post I saw about Stucky being dead and my rant turned into a Stucky history lesson 😅

So Tumblr's 2022 Year In Review came out and Stucky is still one of the most popular ships on Tumblr (#30). In 2014 Tumblr added ships to their Year In Review and Stucky came in at #17. Stucky was in the top 10 in 2015, 2016, and 2018. It was in the top 20 in 2019, 2020, and 2021. It was actually #11 in 2021. With the exception of 2017 Stucky has been on the list every time. Although in 2017 instead of listing the top 100 ships they only went up to #30 so Stucky was more than likely still in the top 100.

According to the Year In Review as well, despite Endgame and no new content this year, Stucky was the most popular MCU ship by a wide margin. With the exception of last year it has always been the most popular MCU ship on the list.

Also the guys from Buzzfeed Unsolved did this Top 5 show series on Tumblr. One episode was about ships and according to the list of most popular Tumblr ships the only ship that is more popular than Stucky is Destiel.

And then there's Ao3. In 2013 someone started compiling ship stats. Every year since then they release a top 100 list of the most written for ships for that year. Stucky has been on the list every year. It was actually #76 in 2013 which is kind of amazing considering Cap 2 hadn't come out yet and that's the movie that caused such a huge boom in the Stucky fandom. Then starting in 2015 the author started releasing a list of the overall most written for ships. In 2015 Stucky came in at #7. From 2016-2018 it came in at #5 and from 2019 til now Stucky has been the 4th overall most written for ship on Ao3.

Stucky is the second most popular ship on Tumblr and the 4th most popular ship on Ao3. So while it's annoying I also kinda have to laugh when someone tries to say Stucky is dead because the facts prove otherwise.

Sorry this got so long and I know I'm a weirdo for it but I got really into my research and had to share it with someone lol.

Ummm... oh my god?? This is incredible? 😯

You really did your research, nonnie, and I, and I'm sure many others, are very grateful for it!! You're not a weirdo at all, this is very cool imo! This is such a wonderful breakdown with some really amazing numbers to back up your claim that Stucky is alive and kicking 🙌🏼 Antis and such looove to claim Stucky is dead, but they're full of shit and your research proves it (if the fact that we can see first hand every day that the Stucky fandom is going strong here on tumblr didn't disprove their claim sufficiently already). Ignore the haters, darling! 💗 Stucky is one of the most powerful and enduring ships out there, and there's nothing anyone can do about it 🤷🏻‍♀️

[josiebelladonna]

Fanfic is a labor of love for the thing that you are a fan of. It’s presumed that if you write a fanfic, it’s because you’re a fan.

You’re literally writing for yourself just on principle. You make the world come to you this way.

So when you’re writing it for “readers” or other people, and if you’re like any of these scores of accounts who hop through fandoms like how people change their socks, it quickly stops feeling like fanfic and starts feeling like a commercial for the thing instead.

At first, I just didn’t like how prevalent this whole “reader insert” trend is. Second person perspective has been a thing as long as first- and third-person perspectives have existed, so it’s not so much that that bothered me. But when I started writing my own back in 2019, it was because they were still kind of rare: think trying a new trope, because I’m an artist with the brain of a scientist. I like trying new things.

But then somewhere along the way I started noticing different types of “reader”, and I don’t mean just by gender, either, even though that was my first question; like, why split hairs like that? When I did mine, it was just “you” in general and the female gender just came naturally because there’s been longtime trope that fanfic writers and readers are primarily female. But now it’s like… reader is a black disabled female. Reader is a serial killer. Reader is their girlfriend hiding their sexuality. Reader is male and partially dead. Reader is nonbinary male. So on so forth.

It starts to feel businesslike after a time. Fake, even. Rather than write for yourself because you’re a fan, you’re writing for the fans of the thing regardless of whether you yourself are a fan or not. You’re targeting other people, like you’re trying to sell something. There’s no money involved, but as I said, there may as well be: in fact, there’s plenty of people who do get commissions for writing fic, be it on patreon or ko-fi or here on tumblr or something. It’s something that I’ve even considered doing. I never went through with it because I started looking into the legalities of it and I talked myself out of it and realized there are better ways.

I don’t consider myself an old timer in fandom (old timers, to me, are those people who have been writing fic since fanfic.net was hot shit or they go as far back as the original x-files in the 90s: I’ve been writing stories since I was a child but I never brought them online until about 2013/2014 when I was 20, and I’ve had my ao3 account since 2019), but this sort of thing makes me uncomfortable, because I just think of all the shit fanfic writers used to go through before us. The hoops they had to jump through. The legal bullshit they went through like with authors like Anne Rice or Marion Zimmer Bradley. Hell, the people who started ao3 and the shit they went through to put up all the money and get the place off the ground in the wake of livejournal’s censorship nonsense so we could all be free to express our love of the book, show, movie, band, person, whatever without the censorship watchdogs coming after us.

It gets really insulting after some thought—and you know, thanks for making a trope that was actually really cool in those old “choose your own adventure” books completely radioactive, too. It’s insulting and insufferable, too. It’s insulting to og fanwriters, actual fans, the author of the book, the people behind the movie or the show, the guy or the girl, (in the case of kinktober or any kind of r-rated fic event) people who write about sexuality, and inadvertently even to its own audience. And to make matters even worse, I don’t know anything about people who write reader inserts. That’s the thing with someone like me. You can tell that I write because I like writing, I have lots of stories to tell, I have so much of my mind and my inner world to explore, and I like the boys I do. In five years, I went through phases and different crushes. I catch hell for my crushes, which… I don’t think i’ll ever understand for as long as I live. I also stand out like a sore thumb: I can’t tell any of these people apart. It all starts to look identical to itself, this big 1000 monster that screams “YOU!” and I start to wonder where my slingshot is.

People who pen reader inserts trend hop with fandom, kind of like what business owners do. They latch onto the latest meme or trend or whatever and market it back to you via a commercial. These people latch onto the latest show or what have you and then market it back to you. They take requests for kinktober when kink is about what you yourself like (like my main list and the list I made for alex’s birthday is 100% all me). I hate that I know nothing about these people other than they’re probably antisemitic. It’s all about aesthetic, too. All aesthetic and no soul. “Lights are on but nobody’s home,” as my grandpa would say.

Another thing I can’t stand about these people? their attitude. “People who hate on reader inserts will not survive the winter :)” said one post. Oh, yes we will. We will because we’re writing because we are the real fans and we aren’t fucking snotty about it. “I’m having a ball reading reader inserts!” said another post. Promise if it was coming at you via a big corporation, you wouldn’t be saying this, knowing how gosh darn ~anti capitalist~ you all are.

[denimbex1986]

'...23. Sherlock – Series 2, “The Reichenbach Fall” (2012)

The triumphant conclusion (which, as it turned out, wasn’t really a conclusion) to Steven Moffat’s initial Sherlock run was a tour de force in TV suspense, pitting Benedict Cumberbatch’s eponymous super-detective against his greatest frenemy, genius villain Moriarty (Andrew Scott). All anyone could talk about for the next two years — until the third season finally arrived in 2014 — was that devilish cliffhanger when, right at the end of “The Reichenbach Fall”, Sherlock and Moriarty meet for the final time atop St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Moriarty offers his nemesis-slash-wannabe-boyfriend a choice: dive from the roof to his death, or allow his closest friends and loved ones – among them, Una Stubbs’ Mrs Hudson, Rupert Graves’ Lestrade and Martin Freeman’s Dr Watson — to be murdered instead. He then pulled his cruellest trick of all, putting a bullet into the roof of his mouth, forcing Sherlock’s hand. The result, Sherlock apparently falling to his death, fuelled rampant fan speculation for months. Until he turned up spick and span in the next season, that is...

20. Broadchurch – Series 1, “Episode 8” (2013)

Murder mysteries are a game of cat and mouse for both the characters on screen and the audience at home, as both try to beat each other to nail down the killer. Bad ones make it too easy, good ones pull the wool over our eyes and great ones change the rules entirely. After seven hours of Broadchurch hunting down the possible killer of 11-year-old Danny Latimer, we knew we’d leave hour eight with an answer, expecting a final-minute reveal born from some intense action sequence that would mask the tragedy in adrenaline.

Instead, halfway through the episode, the killer, Joe, our lead detective Ellie Miller’s (Olivia Colman) husband, gives himself up, sick of being consumed by guilt and shame. It knocked the classic whodunnit structure on its head, changing the focus from the murderer to the fallout of his crimes. There’s Danny’s parents’ grief, which is finally felt in all its horrendous weight now that there are no longer question marks over the case, the town’s reckoning with the aftershock of such a harrowing crime, and Ellie’s life imploding before her eyes. Even though many viewers had worked out that Joe was the murderer, the real shock came from the horror of what it meant to be right...

16. Fleabag – Series 2, “Episode 4” (2019)

Throughout its two seasons, Fleabag became a beacon of rare relatability. It was a show about a woman actively not trying her best, self-sabotaging to bury emotion and hoping that none of it ever found its way to the surface. In its fourth episode of season two, it finally did. The episode is a bait and switch of sorts, as Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s titular Fleabag takes rejection from her hot priest crush (Andrew Scott) as a challenge, aiming to get him to relent on his spiritual allegiances and give into some good, old-fashioned carnal sin. For so long, it seems as if it’s not working, despite the pair dancing around the kind of sexual tension that feels like lightning in a bottle. But then she finds herself alone with him in the church late at night. He has had a few drinks. What starts as Fleabag in control ends with her walls breaking, the vulnerability she feels with the first person she’s connected with since the death of her best friend Boo corroding the armour that’s kept her feelings of guilt and shame and sadness locked away. He commands her to “kneel” and, well… you know the rest...

11. Fleabag – Series 2, “Episode 6” (2019)

Bringing back Fleabag didn’t seem like a good idea. Its beautifully constructed first season felt like the classic case of a one-and-done, particularly because of its gut-punch ending (the reveal that Fleabag had slept with her best friend Boo’s boyfriend shortly before she had died by suicide). And we’ve seen worse shows tarnish their legacies with ill-thought-out second runs. But, as evidenced by its dominance on this list, Fleabag series two went on to eclipse that first outing by every metric. This finale is a devastating conclusion to Waller-Bridge’s tragic romcom, with Andrew Scott’s sexy priest ultimately choosing God over love. Before that, we get to enjoy her father’s wedding to her ridiculous stepmother (Olivia Colman), her sister Claire (Sian Clifford) finding love with her Finnish namesake and a deeply moving and funny sermon from the hot priest (“Love is awful. It’s awful”). And, boy, that ending. The grim, bus-stop bench, the CGI fox, the priest’s devastating reply to her “I fucking love you”: “It’ll pass.” I defy you to see a fox at night on the streets of London and not think of it. But somewhere in here there’s a glimmer of hope, a sense that we’re leaving Fleabag better off than we found her...

9. Doctor Who – Series 3, “Blink” (2007)

Every episode of Doctor Who leans on existential wonder, conjuring concepts of the far reaches of time and space as the Time Lord navigates existence. “Blink” is a fascinating non-linear episode that introduces arguably the most terrifying monster yet – The Weeping Angels, lightning-fast creatures that can send someone through time with a single touch.

The perspective is switched from the usual Doctor and companion to place you in the shoes of Sally Sparrow, a normal girl roped into the world of the Doctor. She is tasked with deciphering the Doctor’s cryptic messages as he warns of the Weeping Angels. However, they turn into stone statues if they are laid eyes upon by a living creature – hence the iconic phrase “Don’t Blink”.

This anxiety-inducing episode prompts you to think at every moment what would I do? Every little action could prove to have deadly and unchangeable consequences. The prospect of being whisked away into another time is an unbearable thought. It is one of the best episodes of the show as it exemplifies everything wonderful about Doctor Who; evoking horror, mystifying time and space, as well as drawing upon emotion as the results of these life-changing stakes steadily come to fruition...

3. Fleabag – Series 2, “Episode 1” (2019)

“This is a love story,” says Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) from the floor of a restaurant bathroom, dabbing at her bloody nose. So begins the opening episode of Fleabag’s triumphant second season, which turns a family dinner into a tense negotiation, punctuated with cigarette breaks for gasps of air and set to the operatic thrum of classical music.

Arguably the great achievement of the episode is managing a seamless recap of the previous season, reintroducing all of the faultlines within the family while adding a new face to the table in the Priest (Andrew Scott). The tension ratchets up as an annoying waitress hovers in the wings, Fleabag resists the temptation to bite over and over again, and her sister Claire (Sian Clifford) looks as though a vein in her temple might blow like a pipeline from the effort of holding her emotions in. Andrew Scott’s performance throughout the season is astonishing, but the charm he brings to his introduction is irresistible. Among a table of family members who don’t get her, here, finally, is an equal to tempt Fleabag into opening her heart fully. You can see it in her face as she shrugs him off during one of those cigarette breaks, and he says, in that sing-song voice: “Well, fuck you then.”...'

[crowdvscritic]

round up // JUNE 24

This post is late 'cause I'm a writer, Though Austin Butler's cute in The Bikeriders, Who didn’t have time for post creation Before my big summer vacation. And it marks the 12th year Of this little blog now. With a 283rd post, I’ve know I got it down. Too bad anxiety don't do it for ya, John Wayne, he dream came trued it for ya, Bad Boys rebooted up for ya. Now I’m singin' Sabrina all night, oh, Is it that sweet? I guess so. Type it up, down, left, right, oh, Switch it up like Nintendo. Crowd vs. Critic, I know That's that me espresso

June Crowd-Pleasers

1. Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

The fourth Bad Boys is functioning on three levels: 

It reminds us just how fun buddy cop comedies can be.

It’s a soft reboot of the franchise. 

It’s testing the waters for Will Smith’s future.

Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10

2. “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter (2024)

It may be technically too early to call the race for Song of the Summer, but it’s going to take a major earworm to dethrone Sabrina Carpenter’s caffeinated pop hit for me. I’ve started playing it on repeat and daydreaming dance routines while driving—is it that sweet? I guess so.

3. Inside Out 2 (2024)

This sequel works because t’s a logical next step for Riley’s growth, but also because of its precision in identifying the competing emotions of middle school. That’s a lovely subversion of the neat endings in most family entertainment, and like most every Pixar entry, it did make me cry. Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (2019)

The narrator—a cousin of Arrested Development's—informs us this is a story about a bank robbery gone wrong. It’s also a story about realtors, falling in love, rabbits, therapy sessions, bedroom closets, police work, bridges, and strange coincidences. It’s a laugh-out-loud ensemble (with some scenes so non sequitur I could imagine them in the best Adam McKay movies) and a sentimental rom-com (with some scenes reminiscent of Nora Ephron’s tone). 

5. Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

This action movie based on a true story more than lives up to its title. When Owen Wilson’s cocky Navy pilot gets caught, yes, behind enemy lines, he then, yes, has to go through a Top Gun-inspired arc. But neither Wilson nor Gene Hackman are phoning in what could’ve been a paint-by-numbers war film, which makes it both thrilling and poignant. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

MORE JUNE CROWD-PLEASERS // House Rules by Myquillyn Smith (2023) isn’t the restricting guide the title suggests but a collection of 100 decorating inspirations // Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) make me miss Adam McKay’s true comedy days, when his political views made his jokes more poignant instead of overwhelming the intent of his script // Poms (2019) is a fun entry in the recent trend of Older Screen Lady Legends Doing It For Themselves subgenre (See also: 80 for Brady) // I.S.S. (2023) is more thoughtful than a junkie space thriller needs to be // In the Land of Saint and Sinners (2023) is a classic Western that just happens to be set in Ireland // Snack Shack (2024) is more crass than I prefer, but what works has American Graffiti vibes

June Critic Picks

1. The Bikeriders (2024)

It’s like Austin Butler overheard Robert Redford say, “Paul Newman and I are the handsomest white men who have ever been on screen,” and he said, “Hold my comb.” Butler knows he’s beautiful, and so does writer/director Jeff Nichols, who based The Bikeriders on a book of photography. Nichols also knows how cool guys in leather jackets look while smoking and riding motorcycles (even if we consciously know all of those things are dangerous clichés) and that it takes someone as gorgeous as Butler to make us believe a skeptical woman like Jodie Comer’s Kathy would sell her soul to have him. It’s one of best films of the year so far, and you can hear more thoughts in my review on KTRS's Carney Show. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 9.5/10

2. Double Feature - ‘40s Rom-Coms With With Political Twists: Without Reservations (1946) + State of the Union (1948)

In Frank Capra’s State of the Union (Crowd: 7.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10), Spencer Tracy is considering running for President of the United States with the help of lover Angela Lansbury and to the chagrin of wife Katharine Hepburn. In Mervyn LeRoy’s Without Reservations (8/10 // 8.5/10), famous author Claudette Colbert is road-tripping incognito (much like she did in It Happened One Night) after falling hard for returning soldier John Wayne. In both romances, politics are the force driving apart the couples we’re rooting for, and in Reservations, you also get a perfect rom-com BFF in Don DeFore. 

3. The Cross of Lorraine (1943)

About the same time Casablanca came out, Peter Lorre played a supporting role in another World War II adventure filmed as people were escaping the Nazis in real life. This French POW drama (also co-starring Gene Kelly) walked so that Steve McQueen could jump that motorcycle in The Great Escape. Crowd: 7.5/10 // Critic: 8/10

4. Broadcast News (1987)

What’s a girl to do when she has no time to write a valedictorian speech? And what’s a girl to do when she has to choose between two terrible love interests while working in the world of TV journalism? In ep. 140 of SO IT’S A SHOW?, Kayla and I are digging into the ‘80s romantic dramedy Broadcast News and trying to figure out what the hey it has to do with Rory’s graduation in Gilmore Girls. Why is Lorelai comparing Rory to Holly Hunter? What ethical controversy (if you can even call it that) could make Holly Hunter break up with a dreamy news anchor? And how much do we love The Incredibles? Listen in for a special report on all of these stories.

5. Fancy Dance (2023)

Part mystery, part character drama, all Lily Gladstone star power. Fancy Dance overlaps in plot and theme with Killers of the Flower Moon, but Gladstone has created a completely different character stuck in a world of crime and custody battles. Watch my full review on KMOV. Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

Also in June…

I reviewed Janet Planet for ZekeFilm, which was the opposite of Snack Shack: On paper it's a film I should've loved, but I didn't care for the execution.

Photo credits: Anxious People. All others IMDb.com.

[davekat-sucks]

https://www.tumblr.com/davekat-sucks/708789316518838272/what-does-nu-fandom-mean this post is so fucking retarded i cant even

Sexual puritanism is very old, it has always been part of civilized society until very recently

in the early 2010's, many homestuck fans and fandom in general were accepting of lgbt people

you cannot be puritan and progressive at the same time, im talking about real puritanism, not the kind anime watching basement dwellers made up

being gay was fully legalized in the United States in 2002, long before homestuck came out

I thought it was in 2015 that gay marriage was legalized in United States. Maybe in 2002, it was legalized in some states, but it wasn't ALL of them until Obama made it official. That's why people praised Steven Universe, a show that aired in the years 2013-2019. They were airing in a time when the fight for it and success had come. They had pushed LGBT themes in the show or at least, try to hide it but then became vocal as time went on. Yes Homestuck fans were accepting of LGBT, but you also forget the same fandom also lived in a time edgey humor was a thing that not even people of LGBT minded. They can casually use the word faggot to describe someone being an idiot, not as a slur to actual gay people. Do I need to bring up Karkat again?

True real puritanism is mostly based from religion such as Christianity. Like how people thought entertainment was a sin that they had to destroy all music and paintings in order for everyone to focus on God. It can be like this even today. I should know, my family is Jehovah Witnesses. My aunt has never ever ever seen a Disney movie, read any other fiction book, watched a show, or listened to other various music genres. But if we were to be fair, we might as well call this whole movement then MODERN puritanism. Instead of religion, it's more based on things like trying to appear as morally good person. Part of it is trying to over-correct or erase the past mistakes. It all for the sake of boosting one's ego or greed while trying to paint themselves as the righteous person.

[the-rewatch-rewind]

New episode! Script below the break

Hello and welcome back to the Rewatch Rewind, where I talk about the top 40 movies I watched the most in 20 years. My name is Jane, and today I will be discussing number 39 on my list, Disney’s 2000 animated comedy The Emperor’s New Groove, directed by Mark Dindal, story by Chris Williams and Mark Dindal and screenplay by David Reynolds, featuring the voice talents of David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, and Patrick Warburton.

I find this movie highly entertaining even though – or perhaps because – it has one of the strangest premises ever. It tells the story of the selfish and spoiled Emperor Kuzco (David Spade), whose spiteful and power-hungry advisor Yzma (Eartha Kitt)’s assassination attempt goes awry when her bumbling assistant Kronk (Patrick Warburton) accidentally turns Kuzco into a llama instead of poisoning him. Kronk is meant to finish the job, but loses track of the llama, who ends up on the cart of peasant Pacha (John Goodman), whose village Kuzco intends to destroy in order to make room for a summer palace. Despite this, Pacha sets off to help Kuzco turn back into a human, and to prove that there is some selfless good in the emperor.

I know I saw Emperor’s New Groove in theaters when it came out, but I don’t remember that experience particularly well, other than the scene at the end when they’re climbing on the side of the palace making me very nervous – I’ve always been scared of heights. Then we got it on vhs in one of those big puffy cases – remember those? – so I had definitely seen it multiple times before I started keeping track. Then I watched it once in 2003, twice in 2004, once in 2005, twice in 2006, once in 2008, once in 2009, once in 2011, twice in 2013, once in 2017, and once in each year from 2019 through 2021. For those who weren’t counting, that’s 15 times total.

First of all, this needs to be said: Yzma and Kronk are the best villain team in Disney history, perhaps even in movie history. They are hilarious yet unmistakably dangerous. Of course, most of the humor comes from Kronk’s ineptitude, but let’s not forget Yzma’s ridiculously convoluted original plan to turn Kuzco into a flea – a harmless little flea, and then put that flea in a box, and then put that box inside of another box, and then mail that box to herself, and when it arrives, smash it with a hammer! – it’s brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, I tell you! Yzma and Kronk don’t exactly work well together, but they understand each other, and it’s so fun to watch their dynamic. Kronk is too kind-hearted to be a very effective villain, but he is devoted to helping Yzma as best he can, until she turns on him and insults his spinach puffs. So if I had to point to one reason why I’ve watched this movie so many times, it’s gotta be the villain team. Eartha Kitt and Patrick Warburton are both fabulous and perfectly cast here. And really, the entire voice cast is excellent. David Spade is great at sounding like a whiny spoiled brat, and John Goodman’s voice is perfect for Pacha. There’s also a fun cameo from John Fiedler, whose voice I immediately recognized as the voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh, among many other things. However, I do think, since they went to the trouble of at least sort of setting the film in South America, that it would have been great if they’d cast even one South American voice actor. But if they were determined to have such blatant and frankly inexcusable lack of appropriate representation, at least they got the best possible non-South American voice cast.

Partly because of the excellent voicework and partly because of the writing, this movie is just, very funny. There are so many silly little touches that work together to make it an entertaining watch, from the random extra lever to Kronk being able to speak squirrel – and then there’s all the self-referential humor. Most of the story is narrated by Kuzco, so the 4th wall is kind of shaky from the beginning, and it’s completely broken by the time Kronk pulls out a map illustrating the biggest plot hole. And possibly my favorite moment in the whole movie is in the middle of the climax when it cuts to a palace guard saying, “For the last time, we did not order a giant trampoline!” and the trampoline guy replying with, “You know, pal, you could have told me that before I set it up” and then it just so happens that there needed to be a trampoline right there at that moment. For some reason that kind of humor really tickles me. I wonder if a lot of these jokes arose out of necessity because the story went through so many changes – apparently originally it was supposed to be a musical Incan re-telling of The Prince and the Pauper, with songs by Sting? I truly cannot even begin to picture what that would have been like. The movie we ended up with was sort of cobbled together at the last minute after it was clear the story had to be changed and a co-director quit when Disney wouldn’t postpone the release date. This is just speculation on my part, I haven’t seen anyone confirming this, but it kind of feels like instead of pretending they had a fully-formed story they just leaned into the parts that didn’t make sense and turned them into jokes, and somehow made it work way better than it had any right to. Or maybe they just realized it would be funny to intentionally write plot holes into the story. Either way, I love it.

Another thing that sets this movie apart for me is that it has no romance – well, almost. Pacha and his wife – who is voiced by Wendie Malick and whose name is apparently Chicha although they never say it in the movie – clearly love each other very romantically, and I’m actually glad their relationship is portrayed this way. It’s a refreshing departure from the tired trope of married couples who are sick of each other. This is promoting a healthy marriage and we love to see it. But the main storyline has nothing to do with falling in love. Most of the characters in this movie can easily be interpreted as aroace, which maybe isn’t the best representation because most of the characters are also objectively horrible people, especially at the beginning. Nevertheless I think this story successfully avoids perpetuating negative aroace stereotypes. Towards the beginning of the movie, there’s a brief scene where Kuzco is supposed to choose a bride from a line of women, and he’s not interested in any of them. In any other Disney movie, finding someone for Kuzco to marry would have then become an important part of the story – think about Aladdin or Cinderella – but in Emperor’s New Groove it is never mentioned again, and Kuzco goes through the entire rest of the movie without anyone even implying that he should be looking for love. So often in movies, when a jerk is against marriage at the beginning, part of their transformation into a better person is finding a spouse, indicating that not wanting to get married was part of what was wrong with them. Emperor’s New Groove allows Kuzco to become a better, more caring human being without forcing him into a romance. At the end of the movie, Kuzco has become friends with Pacha and his family, but he doesn’t have a partner, and there’s no hint that anyone thinks he needs one, which leads to the conclusion that his aversion to marriage was not part of what needed to change. I’m sure I didn’t consciously notice this as a child, but I think it was important for me to see. Most children’s films end with the protagonist getting married, or about to get married. The fact that this goofy talking llama movie almost feels revolutionary simply for allowing its main character to remain happily single speaks to just how pervasive the assumption that everyone wants and needs a long-term monogamous romantic relationship, an assumption known as amatonormativity, has become in our society. For people like me whose brains are not wired to experience that kind of attraction or to seek that kind of relationship, it’s incredibly confusing and alienating to see that portrayed not just as the default, but as the universal human experience. So every story that portrays not ending up in a romantic relationship as something other than a punishment is noteworthy. Even for people who do want that kind of relationship, it’s important to emphasize that becoming a good person is not synonymous with gaining a partner, despite what so many other films indicate. Don’t be a nice guy just so someone will date you; be a nice guy because that will make you and everyone around you happier.

I would like to point out that while Pacha is ultimately successful in his attempts to bring out the good in Kuzco, the message is not that people should pursue and put up with unhealthy friendships in the hope that toxic people will change. Kuzco is a sheltered 18-year-old, and this is really his coming of age story, which makes it even more noteworthy that it doesn’t include falling in love, since that’s usually portrayed as perhaps the most important milestone toward becoming an adult (in G-rated movies, at least). Pacha is really more of a mentor than a friend, especially at first, and he does leave Kuzco at one point, and only teams up with him again when Kuzco admits that he was wrong – a sign of maturity that I would argue is more important and universal than the ability to feel romantic attraction. Their friendship at the end feels satisfying and earned, and I think the fact that this aspect of the story is so solid is really what allows the movie to get away with the “we don’t know how to resolve this so we’ll turn it into a joke” parts I mentioned earlier. Zany as they are, the characters and their relationships and journeys feel surprisingly grounded and real, so it doesn’t really matter that there’s no way Yzma and Kronk could have gotten to the secret lab before Kuzco and Pacha. This movie takes a few important things very seriously and laughs at the rest, and I think that’s a big part of why I love it so much.

Looking back, the viewing of Emperor’s New Groove that stands out to me the most is the one from 2008 when I was a senior in high school. My two best friends and I were going to a school dance, and we met at my house to hang out beforehand to eat fondue and watch a movie. I don’t remember why but for some reason we decided on Emperor’s New Groove, and soon after we started watching, one of my friends turned to me and asked, completely seriously, if this was based on a true story. Now, granted, we weren’t very far into it at that point, but from the very beginning, the movie makes it clear that it’s about a person who is turned into a llama. So of course we had to make fun of him for asking if it was based on a true story, and of course I still remember that every time I watch or think about this movie.

The other anecdote Emperor’s New Groove always makes me think of is when my family was on a road trip and we got into a discussion about this movie, specifically the scene when Kuzco and Yzma almost run into each other at a restaurant. Kronk ends up taking over for the chef, and both Kuzco and Yzma are trying to order from him at the same time, and they both want potatoes but one wants cheese and the other doesn’t, and it’s confusing everyone, until finally both of them say, “On second thought, make my potatoes a salad.” We spent way too long debating about whether that meant they wanted a green salad instead of potatoes or they wanted potato salad. I had always assumed potato salad, but I think everyone else had always assumed just a regular salad, which is probably definitely the way it makes more sense. Although sometimes green salads have cheese on them and potato salads usually don’t, so I think it’s perfectly logical to assume that potato salad would resolve the cheese argument, even if “make my potatoes a salad” is a weird way of asking for potato salad.

When my brother and I went through all the Disney animated features in 2020, after watching a movie we each separately put it in one of 5 tiers, with 1 being the best and 5 being the worst. Then we decided what tier it belonged in on the combined list by taking the average of our two tiers. I put Emperor’s New Groove in Tier 1 and he put it in Tier 2 (although he asked me to emphasize that he does love this movie dearly), so it ended up tied in Tier 1.5 with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which he put in 1 and I put in 2. Those two movies are incredibly different, but somehow it felt right to have them at the same level, since they’re both unusual Disney movies that are surprisingly well done. I’ve only seen Hunchback 5 times since I started keeping track, so it makes sense that Emperor’s New Groove was the one of those I ranked higher. The other Disney animated films that I’ll be talking about on this podcast were all put in Tier 1 by both of us, so stay tuned for even better Disney movies in the future. But don’t worry, there will also be plenty of non-Disney films on here, so there will probably be something for you if Disney isn’t your jam.

Thank you for listening to me chat about another of my most rewatched movies, and thank you for your positive responses to this podcast so far. Remember to rate and if you want, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Emperor’s New Groove is very short – it clocks in at a mere 78 minutes – which is why I ranked it the lowest of the six movies I watched 15 times. The next movie I’ll be talking about is 18 minutes longer and is neither animated nor produced by Disney, so be sure to subscribe or follow on your podcast platform of choice if you want to hear something a bit different. As always, I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.”

[lynne-monstr]

One line any fic! Rules: pick ten of your fics, scroll to somewhere midpoint, pick a line chunk and share it, and then tag ten people.

I was tagged a while back by @glorious-spoon. Thanks!! I feel like I’ve talked about my 2022 fic a lot so I’m going to make an effort to include some much older fic too!

1.  Solicited Noods (Leverage, 2017)

Beneath her, Quinn was opening the suitcase and showing its contents to the gang leader. Even from this high up Parker recognized the stack of papers as being identical to the labels on Peggy’s contraband jams. She was begrudgingly impressed. Drugs hidden in the adhesive. Easy to transport. Easy to hide in plain sight.

Peggy’s voice broke into her reverie. “I know, but at least yesterday I could pretend he wasn’t working with the people who tried to kill me. My cats and I are going to die single and alone,” she lamented.

2. your name whispered on the wind (The King’s Avatar, 2020)

Huang Shaotian gives up on the notebooks and stands. He’s paler than usual, a smudge of dark circles bruising the thin skin under his eyes. Or perhaps it’s just the overhead light, projecting Yu Wenzhou’s concerns onto the canvas of his face. Even his shirt is muted, a dark blue instead of his usual bright yellows and greens.

3. The Man in That One Suit (Person of Interest/What Not To Wear, 2013)

“Now he, on the other hand.” The co-host, Stacy, chimed in, walking over to Finch and appraising him from head to toe.

“A study in perfection,” Clinton agreed, a finger lightly tapping his lip in appreciation.

4. the shifting shapes of clouds (Shadowhunters, 2020)

Lorenzo’s gasp is poorly hidden and Magnus amuses himself in the growing silence by imagining the scandalized look that must be scrawled across Lorenzo’s face. He keeps his back turned and his magic ready. It’s both a test and a challenge.

Surprisingly enough, Lorenzo passes on both counts. “It’s probably for the best that I did not know that about you when I first came to New York.” Try as he might, Lorenzo can’t entirely hide the shake in his voice.

5. #work hard nap hard (The King’s Avatar, 2021)

Jokes aside, the napping pics have been heating up and we’re here to round up what’s fact and what’s fiction about Blue Rain’s afternoon delights.

Fact: The team really does keep a collection of “napping blankets” on hand. Their blanket cherry was popped by their very own Zheng Xuan. Bonus fact: Team Captain Yu Wenzhou is most frequently seen napping with the very same blue blanket that took his team’s innocence.

Yeah, we all wish we were that blanket

Fiction: Blue Rain team orgies. Sorry tanks, healers, and DPS dealers, but that rumor is Busted! Our correspondent onsite confirms only good wholesome fun is to be found with these boys.

6. strange partnership (Shadowhunters, 2019)

“I suppose it wouldn’t be fair to keep you here, but I can’t take you back either.” A sense of dread settles over Alec. If this man takes him captive, there’s not much he can do. Hodge had taken Alec’s cutlass and his pistol before pushing him overboard. He doesn’t even have the set of thin metal rods that have gotten him out locked rooms before.

He swallows around the tentacle in his mouth, his throat suddenly dry.

7. flicker (The King’s Avatar, 2022)

Yu Wenzhou tries not to think about how many versions of himself have fallen to this creature. “I can say no.” He’s figured this much out already. If he has to guess, he’d say it needs his permission to cross over into his stream. “You waited too long. You’ll die if I do.”

The lights flicker, faster this time. Yu Wenzhou doubles over, the taste of blood in his mouth.

‘I’ll take you with me.’ The voice sears into his head, splitting his brain apart.

8. Condiment War (Hetalia/Highlander, 2013)

Eyes narrowing in suspicion, Prussia cocked his head in thought. Back in the days when he led armies into battle, he would have traded entire divisions for a mind like Pierson's. "You're damn good at this, for a linguistics nerd."

Pierson gave an abashed smile. "A lot of the documents saved for posterity are old military correspondence. Guess I picked up a few additional talents in the translation process. Oh, also receipts. I can discuss archaic trading practices at length, if you'd prefer." His brow furrowed in mock contemplation. "There were a suspicious amount of goats changing hands."

9. Means of Transportation (The King’s Avatar, 2021-2022)

“I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be fine. It’s Wenzhou who has the problem, not me. Nothing bad happened to me, which you would have known if you came to our conference.” The phone suddenly feels red hot in his hand and he’s tempted to end the call.

“You’ve always been a shitty liar.”

“Your face is shitty.”

“You’ll be lucky to look this good when you’re my age.”

The laugh dies in Huang Shaotian’s throat, leaving behind a tight ache. “I miss him.” The words slip out in a whisper. What did he do wrong that all his captains keep leaving him?

10. This is not a ghost story (The King’s Avatar, 2022)

"Have you ever heard of a kid named Huang Shaotian?"

Wei Chen’s face, normally etched in a perpetual scowl, falls. He pivots in his chair to give Yu Wenzhou his full attention. "Where'd you hear that name?"

tagging: @faejilly, @shadaras, @forerussake, @saxifactumterritum, @prince-of-elsinore, @gingersnapwolves, @geniuskaktus, @humanformdragon, @carmenlire, @bytheangell

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hi BPP! I’ve been thinking a lot about BTS’ career moves these past years and what Tae said in their Burn the Stage docu about reaching heights faster if they wanted, but they wanted to do things their own way. I feel like they could have become more mainstream or at least bigger (if that was even possible lmao) if they had decided to, just to name a few

1. Officially sign with a US label, not just the distribution one they had with Columbia

2. Released a full english album back in 2018 and releasing English singles every year after

3. Did payola to get the BB100 number #1s faster

4. They could’ve just toured the past few years (if covid didn’t exist or if they had… different sensibilities) and earned billions of money. And ARMY would’ve celebrated too, I don’t think the fandom would’ve care if we had no new music since a BTS live show is something we’re always hungry for

5. Capitalized on Dynamite and Butter even more, instead of releasing BE and Proof

Basically, do whatever USA artists are doing now.

In fact, they deliberately seemed to choose to do stuff that made things harder for them. I think this concept of fairness and doing things the right way has been simultaneously been a boon and a curse for them. A boon because they would’ve been absolutely crushed if it came out that they had underhanded tactics but because they’re squeaky clean, the most people have had to say is that ARMYs are bots LMAO. A curse because they truly could’ve achieved even more if they had done things the way most artists do it.

I think it’s really interesting that BTS has always been careful to not slip up for both the optics, but also because I think it’s just part of their creed as a band, and a part of their personalities as individual people. I will never forget about Jin’s speech back in 2019 where he gently reminded everyone that it’s better to do music honestly instead of doing sajaegi, which is doubly more poignant considering the amount of shit they got for unfounded sajaegi accusations.

Idk, I just have a lot of respect for them for sticking to their guns. I feel like Hybe would be open to a lot of the business tactics above but I think BTS themselves are the ones who put their foot down. It’s impossible for me to think otherwise especially because of Namjoon’s statement from FESTA this year: I wish we could continue to perform sincerely and talk like this without thinking about the rules of the world. It was heart wrenching. It just makes sense considering the statements he’s made over the years.

**

Hi Anon,

I agree 100%.

These boys have been accused of Epstein-level crimes since they popped on the scene in 2013. Some years back I used to find it amusing how people seemed so eager to catch them in some kind of slip up, how k-pop stans would be in forums tallying up their music core points to prove fraud...

It was lame, of course. But that's just the sort of thing k-pop stans of Big 3 groups, groups that were constantly bouncing from one drug scandal to another fraud investigation to Lord knows what else every few months, would do to smaller 'squeaky clean' groups. K-pop Twitter wasn't a thing back then so that's how people passed the time. BTS was often a target and each time, k-pop stans would come up with nothing. Even after escalating their accusations to the Korean president's office.

It's been interesting seeing the theories they've come up with to explain the lack of dirt on BTS including, (1) Hybe owning Dispatch, (2) Hybe owning Mnet, (3) Hybe buying up MAMA, (4) ARMYs blackmailing journalists, (5) Hybe buying Harvard shares (lol), (6) BTS dating chaebols, (7) ARMYs being a well-networked cult that buries everything bad about BTS, (8) BTS members funding album purchases, (9) BTS all being asexual, and so on and so forth.

Ngl I enjoy reading the theories.

But on a more serious note, and to tie in to your ask, BTS are not stupid. They, more than anyone, know that even though 90% of the industry uses payola tactics and media-play to get ahead, the minute BTS lean too heavily on those methods they'll be made an example of. It's the model minority conundrum within a k-pop context writ large. It's why despite ARMYs not doing anything other fandoms aren't doing, ARMYs in fact choosing not to employ tactics in fandoms such as Bad Bunny's, TSwift's, and BP's, ARMYs are still the most heavily scrutinized. Lol.

One thing that makes me chuckle when I see k-pop commentators waxing lyrical about BTS's rise to the top and why they dominated in ways no one else has, is that none of these people seem to realize that in addition to the barriers put on BTS, the group deliberately handicapped themselves in many ways.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the guys to just say fuck it. I'd like to see what it looks like for HYBE to deliver all the tools at their disposal for ARMYs to use, let's see what happens when 10+ versions of whatever American artist is in the running with 10+ versions of a BTS release, with the same playlisting/radio considerations et al.

I expect that over the next two years with the members' solo roll-outs and with other groups under their manangement, HYBE will be doing a lot of experimenting. Seeing what's tolerated and what works.

In 2026 the world will be a very different place, but somehow I think it will be the perfect time to see what a no fucks given BTS looks like.

[upismediacenter]

FEATURE: The Struggles of Female Students

“Women are born with pain built-in,” Kristin Scott Thomas said once in the show Fleabag, pertaining to how, from a very young age, women are exposed to pain and hardships that will remain constant until they grow old. These struggles aren’t all biological like period pain and menopause, which are just nature running its course. While menstruation can indeed be an excruciating form of torture, it holds no candle to other sources of pain and struggle that women face every day. Outside factors like how society expects so much yet looks down on a girl’s capabilities, the never-ending objectification of women, and so much more contribute heavily to these struggles they face. But let’s take a look at a chapter in their lives that makes or breaks them; the challenges they encounter and are forced to overcome in their school years.

According to a survey conducted by Plan International, women encounter two main issues when it came to studying: internet connectivity and household chores. While internet problems are more universal, female students are usually expected to do more household work than boys. This is due to the perceived notion of gender roles. As a result, they become an integral part of running the household and are also expected to prioritize it above everything else. This is an incentive for parents to keep their daughters at home, especially those who put a degrading value on female education. Consequently, girls are also at a higher risk of dropping out of school to take the place of their family’s caregivers when they become unavailable due to illness, Covid-19-related work, or death.

This issue only worsened during the height of online classes, when schooling became much more inaccessible to students from the lower class. This is thanks to a new kind of school requirement: gadgets. Although students do not need high-end ones to attend classes and do their assigned tasks and projects, it is hard to find an up-to-par gadget that is worth P10,000 or below. For a lower-class family, it is much more reasonable for the student to stop schooling when that kind of money could be allocated to their basic needs instead. Female students especially are considered to be more valued around the household than in school —one of the main reasons why the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded last 2017 that 68.9% of out-of-school youth are females aged 6-24. But it does not end there, as gender expectations, educational expenses, and the risk of dropping out are just a fraction of what young female students concern themselves with when in school.

Another issue girls face in school is gender-based bullying. The Program for International Student Assessment reported that 65% of Filipino students are bullied, with 70.5% of those students being female. In the hopes of reducing bullying incidents in the country, Republic Act 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, was enacted but unfortunately, incidents only sky-rocketed from 1,309 cases in 2013 to a whopping 11,637 cases in 2019-2020. The sad part about this is that the number wasn’t even final as last February 13, 2023, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education, said that 11,000 reported cases did not make sense as this number is nowhere near 40-60% of the population of students. This expected figure set by “large-scale examinations” should have translated to 10 million - 12 million students, the discrepancy confirming the underreporting of bullying cases. Nonetheless, out of the 71,928 bullying cases tallied from 2013-2020, over 4,250 cases were reported to be gender-based in nature.

Even in the absence of in-person classes, female students still aren’t safe from harm. When the country converted to online learning back in 2020, it was reported that 68% or almost 7 out of 10 female students experienced online harassment according to a survey and interview by Plan International. Additionally, 8 of 10 girls have experienced sexual harassment through social media, with 68% of them falling victing to their own peers.

These instances of bullying, and other forms of discrimination are known to cause and worsen mental health problems. In a 2018 study by Jesus Alfonso D. Datu, it’s stated that discrimination can be linked to negative emotions and inhibited academic achievement. This is worsened by the stigma surrounding mental health; young girls are often described as “OA” and too sensitive, and are frequently asked the tiring question, “meron ka ngayon ‘no?” implying that the trauma these girls face is somehow connected to them being on their period. These comments do not only come from their peers; the majority of it comes from the older generations. The mindset that “trauma makes you stronger and it builds character” is one that has been popularized over the years but in fact, being tormented and invalidated do not make girls stronger, it just leaves them traumatized.

It’s sad to think that female students have to go through all these, just to be educated —a basic human right, and that giving up can feel like the easier option than fighting to learn. In spite of this, their struggle is one that cannot be neglected. After all, their successes not only benefit them individually, but the whole of society. Girls have a lot to offer, if only given the right opportunities and resources that they need to thrive. //by Cilque Casis and Daniella Garces

Sources:

Acosta, A. M. (2020, October 2). COVID-19 and Girls' Education: What We Know So Far and What We Expect. Center for Global Development. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.cgdev.org/blog/covid-19-and-girls-education-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-we-expect-happen

Ballesteros, K., Almeda, A. (2021, November 20). Safety First: discrimination at Philippine schools and work places — MentalHealthPH. MentalHealthPH. https://mentalhealthph.org/11-20/

Datu, Jesus Alfonso. (2018). Everyday discrimination, negative emotions, and academic achievement in Filipino secondary school students: Cross-sectional and cross-lagged panel investigations. Journal of School Psychology. 68. 10.1016/j.jsp.2018.04.001

De Guzman, P., Tomeo, A., Jaca, G. (2020, October). Plan International GYW Report CC 2017. plan-international.org. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://plan-international.org/uploads/sites/25/2022/02/through_her_lens_15oct2020.pdf

de la Fuente, J. K. (n.d.). Bullying and School-Related Gender-Based Violence in the Philippines. https://www.teacherph.com/bullying-school-related-gender-based-violence-philippines/?fbclid=IwAR33LS1-AuXZH4EJsaasIRmAFr_WTNosAVMtPBpflSjEA47wyVy2PBHlAUs

Gendered effects of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic (By J. E Mueller D. G Nathan). (2020, June 12). thelancet.com. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(20)31377-5.pdf

Harrison, E. (2019, March 19). Fleabag: Fans loved Kristin Scott Thomas' epic speech on womanhood. Radio Times. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/women-are-born-with-pain-built-in-kristin-scott-thomass-epic-speech-on-fleabag/

Macasero, R. (2023, February 13). Bullying in schools underreported, says chair of Senate education panel. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/bullying-schools-underreported-senate-hearing-february-13-2023/

Maderazo, J. J. (2023, February 14). School bullies: Unbearable scourge to Filipino families. Inquirer Opinion. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://opinion.inquirer.net/161057/school-bullies-unbearable-scourge-to-filipino-families

Philippine Statistics Authority. (2017, June 13). Republic of the Philippines. Philippine Statistics Authority | Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://psa.gov.ph/press-releases/id/119882

[ask-directorsada-and-friends]

What is one way you've improved at creative pursuits through askblogging?

(So, I've been here on tumblr for a LONGGGGGGG time. Like, beginning of Tumblr long.

My first blog was actually a Legend of Korra oc blog, and it was through role-playing that I actually started writing. I started to actually develop characters and backstories more, instead of either placing myself into these worlds (name included) or coming up with really over powered or almost Mary Sue-ish characters(granted I've always managed to avoid having a character referred to as such, but still)

I'd say around 2013-2014ish when the Rhythm Thief Fandom was still bustling and not dead (someday we'll get a sequel!) Is when I started getting better at it, but I took a several year long hiatus from tumblr for the most part while I sorted my life out- I was dealing with college, some personal stuff, mental health, all that jam- but never really stopped writing. Not to the extent I had, but just a bit.

Around when the game Mystic Messenger came out, I created another sideblog for imagines, headcanons, and roleplay- @mc-and-elise (only sideblog of mine besides this one that I will reveal lol). This blog is where I think I truly began to improve. I became more descriptive- something I have always struggled with- and better with dialogue. I also created one of my most popular (at the time) aus, the Fire Emblem Fates AU (MM but in fates).

Late 2019-2020, I started playing a game I had bought for like $7 along with the full series for a totally of $11 during a Steam sale earlier that year, Dragon Age Inquisition. This game is what kicked my fanfiction writing ass back into gear. Throughout the pandemonium of 2020, I used all that free time to write like never before, and published my ongoing, longest fic, "The Lion and the Halla", a Cullavellan fic. From that spawned my other ongoing fic "Amber Eyes, Red Haze" which is a role swap AU of what would happen if Cullen and Samson swapped spots and a red lyrium infected Cullen was captured by the Inquisition during a major event in the game.

If not for askblogging, I don't think I would've ever developed a love for writing or have ever developed my OCs. Sorry if this is kinda long, I started rambling and I'm on mobile.)

[pg-17]

So about that new Hogwarts Legacy game…

It was a warm summer afternoon in 2013 when I got my first personal computer, at the age of 8. The very first video game I played on this computer was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Even as an 8 year old idiot who’d only played 3 other games before on his cousin’s console, I could tell that Half-Blood Prince wasn’t exactly the cream of the crop when it came to games. But being the huge “Potterhead” I was, I couldn’t care less. It was a fun time.

Since then I have continued to play and enjoy many more games. My favorite video games tend to be RPGs and in 2019, I randomly got a strong urge to see an RPG set in the world of the Harry Potter books. Fast forward to 2023, and as it would appear, my wishes have been granted. Hogwarts Legacy, developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. should be exactly what I was hoping for, but as we all know, it isn’t. Due to the actions and beliefs of its author, JK Rowling, since 2020, the Harry Potter IP has been tainted.

For those unaware, JK Rowling is a vitriolic transphobe who may refer to herself as a feminist but we all know that isn’t actually true. Since then she has rightfully received well-deserved criticism from many trans folks who grew up reading her books, identifying with the metaphor of Harry getting to escape the closet under the stairs. She is a disappointment and a pathetic hateful woman and there is no defending her. Many trans people are advocating to boycott her and I am fully in support of it.

Which brings us to the issue at hand: leading up to the release of Hogwarts Legacy, trans people on Twitter and Reddit (r/GCJ primarily) have attempted a disorganized boycott of the game by urging people around them and in their internet communities to not buy it. Unfortunately, as the mind-melting sales of the game show, this boycott has demonstrably been a failure. In fact, even if this may be upsetting to hear to some people, the boycott has provably made more people buy the game than not. Reactionary right-wingers who have no history with the series are buying the game just to, in their words, “own the libs”.

But I say instead of feeling powerless in this situation we should try to learn from our mistakes and be better. Why did this attempt fail? Well there are 3 reasons I see, all of them super depressing:

The average Joe is incredibly bigoted towards trans people and would never do an act of solidarity towards them.

The boycott was incredibly disorganized and mostly just consisted of trans people on Twitter calling anyone interested in the game transphobic which is obviously never gonna change anyone’s mind.

Trans people, especially trans women, have no political influence at all. This movement did barely anything other than serving as content for reactionary youtubers.

Here’s what we have to understand, anyone who wasn’t gonna buy this game had already made up their mind even before the game came out. I knew the moment I learned about Rowling’s beliefs that I would in no way financially support her ever. But the people who know about her and still don’t care cannot be persuaded unless there is a larger cultural shift in the discourse surrounding trans rights, and that is what we should be focusing on. Arguing with no-life chuds on social media is doing nothing but wasting our own time. We need to take a page out of 4chan’s book and learn to better organize our movements. Unified we may be able to create actual change instead of just inviting debate perverts who want to dehumanize LGBT people.

Also to the people wanting to play the game but not support JK Rowling, simply pirate it. That’s more ethical than giving money to corporations like WB and evil hags like Joanne.

#TransLiberationNow

That’s about all I had to say, buh-bye now!

[kevinabel]

🍭 Lollipop Machete 🗡

In honor of Lollipop Chainsaw RePop releasing a month from now, I have decided to draw my oc Elena Rivera as Juliet Starling.

In the drawing, instead of having the pink lollipop and chainsaw that Juliet has, I gave Elena a Puerto Rican lollipop and a (fake) machete since she is Puerto Rican herself. Elena (as a superhero) has a magical machete as a weapon and her alias is even "La Machetera", so I think a machete made more sense for her than a chainsaw.

Elena cosplaying as a video game character is canon/lore accurate, by the way! This drawing takes place in the Halloween of 2019, where Elena is 19 years old (about 2 years before she becomes a superhero in the summer of 2022). For Halloween that year, she dressed up as Juliet since she liked the character when the game first released in 2012 (She played it in early 2013 after begging her parents for it). In this drawing, Elena is posing and looking at the camera because her and the friends she had in high school were having a fun Halloween photoshoot when they were hanging out together! This was the last time Elena celebrated Halloween. Ever since, she has not dressed up for Halloween, but she plans on maybe doing it again some time and having fun with her new superhero friends.

Another Elena lore fact: Her hair in here looks pretty similar to her "trademark" hairstyle because 2019 was the year she really started to experiment with her hair and try out new styles! There's a short backstory of why she wanted to have this type of hairstyle. When Elena was 14 years old, she began to listen to more of Iris Chacón's music (a Puerto Rican artist). She actually knew who Chacón was since she was younger, but she didn't really listen to any of her songs. The only ones she knew were "Caramelo y Chocolate" and "Tu Boquita." But then in 2014 she knew more of her songs and she liked them too! One time on the internet, she stumbled upon and old picture of Iris Chacón with a unique hairstyle she never saw before. (The picture below)

She thought this hairstyle was very interesting and she wanted to try it out herself! She has already been wanting to try out new things with her hair at 14, but her mom wouldn't really let her. So she had to try her best to style her hair in a similar way with only a brush, some hair ties and hair clips. Obviously it could've looked better, but she tried her best and liked how it came out! So she sometimes would wear it to school and to public spaces. (⬇️ 14-year-old Elena)

Well, I guess that's all I have to say for now! It was really fun sharing some oc art as well as some more information on my character! I really love giving my ocs small and "insignificant" pieces of lore, backstory, context and information. Why? Because it gives them more personality and humanizes them more!

Also I know that this drawing I shared could've been a bit better in some ways (like the hand holding the machete, for example), and that shading isn't really my thing, but I'm still learning and practicing! 💖 (⬇️un-shaded version)