#indian ethnic wear in US

[startupicons32]

Indian Ethnic Wear

RANCS SEARCH presents a list of vendors/suppliers that deal in the sales and distribution of Indian ethnic wear. If you long to realize your trending aspiration for designer enriched ethnic wear, you have to place the order, and wait for the custom product to be delivered. Now browse the list of ethnic wear suppliers at our web portal and mobile app, and place your order.

Visit our website to know more: https://rancssearch.com/categories/best-sellers-in-new-york-city-indian-ethnic-wear-rancssearch

[bitchfitch]

normally i have a pretty easy time with first drafts of Characters. but i fucking hate Gier's now that I'm not exhausted and a Teensy bit off my shits, and I'm not even going to post the first draft of Maalik's bc they came out so bad.

I'm going to give them both another shot tonight tho and i might just ditch full body designs and figure out their faces first.

[its-poojagupta-shree]

When it comes to ethnic fashion, much emphasis is often placed on the beauty of the top or the kurti. But a well-rounded ethnic ensemble isn't complete without the right bottom wear. The right choice of bottoms can enhance the overall look, add flair, and ensure comfort. In this guide, we explore the diverse world of bottom wear in ethnic attires, from traditional classics to contemporary trends.

[greenunoreversecard]

Kai general and Romantic headcanons

A/N:sorry if I got any of the characters wrong, I was using a combo of wiki/Google translate as I don't speak any of the languages mentioned. Pls let me know if I got any info wrong, i will gladly go in and change it to make it right.

General:

Half Indian and half Chinese.

His and nya's last name is 鄭 (Zheng), but he says it's Smith bc when they where younger he got in the habit of lying about his name so he Didnt have to deal with CPS.

His ma is from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, and was a practicing Hindu. Ray is from the 云南 (yunnan) province, and was a practicing theravida Buddhist. Ray is ethnically from the 傣族 (dai people, also spelt Tai in english)

Before his parents dissapearances, they both brought him to their hometowns, and actively taught him both cultures and religions, which he continued to learn about and even teach Nya about after their dissapearances.

When he was 14 he bought a small boat and him and Nya rode it across the costal line, and he promised Nya one day when he was older he'd bring the both of them to their parents hometowns.

He's a Buddhist.

He speaks so many languages.

Like so many

He's fluent in Thai, mandarin and cantonese chinese, telugu, urdu, hindi, Punjabi, arabic and ninjago-ian(idk whatever language ninjago speaks)

Also trying to learn Indonesian.

He also knows yunnan dialect bc his dad would speak in it more often than not

Absorbes info like a sponge

He likes to quilt

He always wears a golden bracelet He got from his moms jewelry box after she left.

Likes to draw but is bad at it, so he colors coloring books

Introvert

He may act all confident, but he really isn't. super insecure

Soooo good with hair

Like, has all the stops. 10 step hair care routine

rivals Zanes cooking skills.

When working out focuses on building rather than lean muscle.

Mother friend

has dragged all of his friends into the water splashing festival.

Fatal flaw is loyalty and kind of hubris (it's conflicting, ik with the insecure and extreme pride, but like- it makes sense in my head. Inferiority/maybe superiority complex.)(it makes sense bc this is such me behavior. Imagine hating yourself but thinking ur the baddest bitch alive)

Likes to stare at fire

If he can't sleep he'll make a small bonfire to stare at and think

insomnia

Chronic cigarette smoker

Romantic:

Hes more show than tell

Def acts of service (me frfr)

Although, he is very cuddly.

Not in public, though. Maybe infront of the other ninja if it was a rough day

Loves to rock you gently from side to side when yall are hug

loves to give you temple kisses

He's very gentle with you, treats you like glass

You wil prolly say ily first, and he'll go;"🧍‍♂️...cool?"

He has mommy and daddy issues, but HEAVY on the mommy issues. Have fun with this hyper-independant fuck who can't accept help without feeling like a failure even though they need it (I'm not projecting you are)

Goes all out for holidays and anniversaries.

Doberman/German Shepard vibes tbh

When it's just you two he doesn't feel the need to fill the air with meaningless chatter, so if he feels safe enough to just share air without talking feel honoured and cherish it bc that means he actually trusts you.

A little rough around the edges, but will remember that thing you said 5years ago on ur first date

Most dates are chill inside and take a nap

But sometimes if he can he takes you on the town or someplace fancy

Also likes to show you his favorite childhood spots

[esotericpluto]

where is your future spouse from

from left to right; intuitively choose the pile you feel more connected to. To make it easier, you can take a deep breathe, close your eyes and ask for guidance to your deities or guides. These are all general messages, so just take what resonates and leave what doesn't. This reading is timeless. If it resonates, feedback is always appreciated and motivates to keep doing pick a card readings. You can donate here.

dividers: @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

pile 1

I feel like for most of you who picked this pile this person is of Asian descent. Keep in mind that Asia is a big country with many countries and ethnic groups, so I will try to break it down more.

I do feel like for some of you who chose this pile, your future spouse might be of korean origin, but I feel like they will be half white and/or live in the west, like Europe or North America. This message seems to be more true for those of you who have strong scorpio, aquarius and possibly aries influences in your chart. If your name starts with C, E or P or has a more vintage vibe to it, it can still be for you.

For another group who chose this pile, I'm sensing someone of indian origin, I'm getting they could be kashmir and, for some of you, even telugu as well. This feels especially true for those of you that have a strong sagittarius or leo influence in your charts or if your name starts by A, L or U.

I am getting for a minority of people who chose this pile, your fs might be of levantine origin, mainly lebanese and/or palestinian, living most likely in Lebanon, for some of you, or in Southern Europe as of now. I feel like this message is especially true for those of you with strong scorpio, taurus or libra placements. Especially those who get M, S or V as first names.

pile 2

For this pile, I'm specifically getting southeast asian, most likely indonesian and/or malay. I feel like they might be living in Singapore right now. If you are a capricorn, a virgo or a cancer or have strong influences from these signs, this might be the ethnicity of your fs.

I'm getting potentially someone is of sub-saharian african descent mixed with european for some people who picked this pile. I'm getting this person might have ancestors from different parts of Africa and Europe and I'm getting difficulty pinpointing some exact places. I feel like for some of you, they might be west african and partially british. For others, this person could be afrolatino from the caribbean. Signs for this one I'm only getting scorpio and pisces, but I'm also gettingthe initials C, M and D.

There is a smaller group of you that could have a fs from a eastern african country too, potentially Ethiopia or Somalia. I'm getting this is likely true for you especially if you always enjoyed cultures and foods from different african countries, if you like the color red or if your name starts by J, F or E. Potentially if you like orange or are a capricorn rising/sun/moon.

pile 3

I'm getting a strong european influence here. I feel like this person might be italian and, for some of you, of a similar background like iberian, balkan or greek. You will meet them while on a trip to their country or city, if you are from the same country. This might resonate the most with those of you who like the color green, to wear t-shirts or whose name starts with B. If you are a cancer, leo, libra or taurus, this might also be true for you.

For others of you, I'm getting this person might be mexican, likely of a mestizo background. I feel like they might be in the US living right now, although for some it could even be Canada. This might resonate more with you if you like green vegetables like spinach or broccoli, if you like coke, if you like the colors red and pink, if you like mermaids or are of strong aquarius, aries or gemini.

For some of you, although a larger minority, your fs might also be argentinian or brazillian. This can be true especially if you like soccer (I think this one are my guides joking), cinema, romance movies/books, the color white and pink, lana del rey. Alternatively, if your name starts by N, A or Z and your signs are leo, virgo or cancer.

[hobiebrownismygod]

Let's talk about Desi representation again!!

I don't talk about this stuff often but when I do, I have some strong ass opinions

and yes I'm gonna be talking about none other than Pavitr Prabhakar at the end cuz he's just special to me <3

Hollywood is lagging behind on Desi representation

You'd think one of the biggest film industries in the world would be able to represent us properly, considering the fact that we make up the largest group of South-Asian Americans and the second largest group of Asian-Americans in the US, but instead-

Western Television forces Indians to conform to harmful stereotypes

Some of the most popular Desi characters on screen are Raj Koothrappali from the Big Bang Theory, Devi Vishwakumar from Never Have I Ever and Kelly Kapoor from the Office.

Indian men are almost always portrayed as robotics engineers and computer whizzes, but with terrible social intellect, making them seem like awkward nerds.

Indian women are almost always portrayed as "whitewashed", or wanting to appear more western, with zero understanding of their own culture or language along with an unrelenting need for attention from white friends/colleagues.

These are both based on stereotypes that Indian culture is "toxic" and "too traditional" and that Indians are only interested in studies.

Most Desi characters in western media have stories that are solely based around their ethnicity and/or racial stereotypes.

British television actually showcases a lot more representation than Hollywood does

I was watching Polite Society, a movie starring two Pakistani characters as the main leads, and there was a dance scene where both the leads are wearing traditional desi attire. My mom turned over, looked at me, and asked, "Is this Hollywood? It can't be."

And she was right. It's a British movie with British-Pakistani actors.

The reason she didn't believe that it could've been Hollywood was because the dresses the two leads were wearing were traditional and beautiful and the song playing in the background was authentic Hindi music, not some random westernized DJ version of it.

A Hollywood movie would've never dressed up their Desi actors in actually flattering attire (*cough cough the Patel twins from Harry Potter) or have used real, popular Desi music in the background.

You see my point?

It is so uncommon to see well-thought-out Desi representation in TV nowadays, where to see real diversity we have to watch movies made by the same country that colonized us.

Ironic.

British movies/shows with desi leads have far better South Asian representation than anything I've seen in Hollywood recently.

The Hollywood movies starring Indian leads, like Slumdog Millionaire or Bend it like Beckham were filmed in the UK, and because they were filmed in the UK, they had fantastic South Asian representation.

Not only does Hollywood refuse to create shows and movies about real problems that South Asians face, but they also don't cast South Asian actors in good roles.

When's the last time you saw a South Asian actor playing a character that wasn't a walking stereotype? When's the last time you saw a South Asian actor playing a character that was a genuine part of the story rather than just comedic relief or a random smart kid in the classroom?

Not often, right?

Me, personally, I didn't grow up with a lot of South Asian characters or actors in shows/movies that I watched. In fact, every time someone even close to my skin color showed up on TV, I was on the edge of my seat because it was just so rare to see it.

This is why representation matters.

You've heard about all the young girls with braids being so excited when the new little mermaid with Halle Bailey came out. Well, us desi kids wanted that too.

I wanted to see a Telugu speaking girl with wavy hair and dark skin who would wear traditional clothing to Desi get-togethers and parties, go to the temple with her family, eat vegetarian Indian meals, etc...

I wanted to see a character who was a representation of me and my experiences as an Indian-American. I wanted to see a character that was at least a representation of Indians or just South Asians in general.

Instead, we were given characters that ridiculed their own culture, were extreme stereotypes and furthered the existence of casual racism in western society today. So many Desi kids experience small acts of racism on a daily basis because people have been so desensitized to the existence of these stereotypes.

Telling South Asians that their culture is a joke and feeding non-asian children media which pokes fun at other cultures is harmful, not only to us South Asians but also communities that could end up being targeted next.

Pavitr Prabhakar; Representation Matters

If you've been following me or if we're mutuals, you probably know I have a tiny obsession with Pavitr Prabhakar. But why?

Because of all the reasons I just listed.

There are few South Asian characters us Desis can look up to these days, and Pavitr Prabhakar is one of the maybe two or three characters who have great writing, magnificent representation, and overall a fun vibe.

He's likable, funny, smart and best of all, unapologetically Desi.

He's just like all the other side characters, with a little bit of his own culture mixed in. He's not being shoved down our throats to further an agenda about fake diversity, he's not a walking stereotype and best of all, he was designed by Indian creators.

He's refreshing and exciting to follow in a world full of a demand for half-hearted representations and the people who created him were obviously putting their hearts and souls into it.

He's awoken a love for Indian culture amongst, not only Desi children themselves but also among westerners who, prior to this, had thought of India as a "3rd world" country, because that's the agenda that Hollywood pushes onto many South Asian countries today.

WE LOVE PAVITR PRABHAKAR!!

This was kinda all over the place but I just had to get this off my chest <3

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/10/discrimination-against-indian-americans-happens-more-than-you-might-think/

[desertdollranch]

Opening and reviewing my first Australian Girl doll

She spent more than a month in a box, making her way halfway across the world to her new home, and now here she is! I'm so relieved that she arrived safely. It was the longest I've ever had to wait for a doll, and through much of her journey I didn't know where she was or when she would be here.

I don't want to drop too big of a spoiler, but listen to this........ she was so worth the wait, and the money. This doll instantly won my heart with how exquisite she is in every way.

Australian Girl dolls were specially made for Australian children, by Helen Schofield, a grandmother who loved dolls. She created the brand when she couldn't find an age appropriate doll that was locally available or good quality. So she created these dolls to help children feel pride in Australian culture, while teaching them about friendship and empathy. There are five girls to befriend--Amy, Jasmine, Emily, Bronte, and Matilda, each representing a different region of the country, ethnicity, and lifestyle.

The company itself has quite high standards. They strive to reduce waste in their product packaging, and they use a factory in China that treats its workers humanely and does not use child labor.

If you've been around my blog for a while, you know how much I love collecting diverse brands and types of play dolls, especially international dolls. Also, this one will be extra special because I actually have an Australian grandmother--she's also a doll collector, and I'm looking forward to showing her my new doll the next time I see her.

After the cut, I'll show you who she is, and talk about why I chose her. I'll compare her with similar-sized dolls as well, and have her do some dressing up.

Before we get to the unboxing, let's check out the little goodies included with my doll.

First is a little pamphlet explaining why the dolls are special, but also represent real girls growing up in Australia.

There's another pamphlet about how to care for your doll.

All of the dolls come with a fun freebie: this cute pair of thongs.

Another freebie (a $30 AUD value) is this very sturdy doll carrier with pockets for accessories.

I also bought a pair of sneakers for my new girl. I figured her feet would be a bit larger than my other dolls, and these are cute, so she now has three pairs of shoes to wear.

Anyway. Enough of the small stuff. Let's let her out of the box.

It's Amy from Adelaide!

I chose Amy after three entire years of being indecisive and going back and forth on exactly which Australian Girl I wanted. They're all equally adorable, so I picked Amy because her personality seems very sweet, and I love that she has mixed heritage. According to the Austrlaian Girl dolls website, Amy's family tree is a mix of Aboriginal and Dutch on her mother's side, and English and Indian/Fijian on her father's side. Very representative of modern Australia!

I have no regrets. She is perfect!!! Just the most charming little angel. I am officially WOWED.

I'm seriously impressed at the superior quality of her construction. I understand why she was priced a bit higher than similar dolls. She is, from head to toe, beautifully made, with so many sweet details. Her dress and shoes are also impeccably made and feel very durable.

Her hair is flawless. It's a Kanekalon wig with loose curls, in a gorgeous shade of brown. Her eyes open and close. She has both painted and attached eyelashes.

She has a gap between her big toe and the next toe, so she can wear her sandals and thongs.

Her elbows are dimpled and she has subtle blush color on parts of her skin, including elbows and hands.

She has a crease across her palm.

She has articulation at her shoulders, hips, and neck. Her limbs, head, and shoulders are vinyl, and she has a huggable soft tummy. I don't really have a strong preference for either cloth torsos, vinyl torsos, or half and half like Amy. They all have pros and cons. This specific construction is nice in that she can wear low-neckline clothes without showing a cloth body, but it does make her harder to repair in case she has to be fixed.

I have a pretty good idea of what she'll be wearing when she's ready to change out of her pink party dress.

The first photo shows her in a dress I made. The second is a Maplelea dress and hat. The rest are all American Girl brand clothing, except for the shoes. Amy can comfortably wear most stretchy clothes by AG and similar brands like Our Generation, but her feet absolutely will not fit AG, OG, or Maplelea shoes.

The exception to the clothes is some of the tighter pieces. This AG shirt did not fit well. Amy's shoulders are a bit more broad than smaller dolls, and so without some extra give this is too tight.

Amy is 20 inches/51 centimeters tall. Here she is next to my Our Generation doll Jordana. I'm using an OG doll because they're actually available locally in Australia. Whereas American Girl dolls, which I usually use when I compare brands, have to make an overseas journey. So it's only fair that I consider any Australians reading this now who are wondering how Amy compares.

Amy is tall, but not the tallest doll in the family! Here she is next to Fernanda, my Karito Kids doll, who is about an inch taller although slimmer. Karito Kids dolls are in fact just slightly skinnier than American Girl dolls, so they have a much easier time sharing clothes.

In conclusion, I highly highly recommend this doll. She's absolutely sublime! I'm so thrilled to have her here, and I'm looking forward to having lots of adventures with her.

Obviously I'm far from Australia, but my Amy will still live her life as if she were in a suburb outside of the city of Adelaide. I've been looking at pictures of the geography of the state of South Australia, and there are some places in the mountainous parts that look pretty similar to the desert southwest where I live. So Amy will have no idea she's actually in the USA. Don't tell her the truth!

[valentine-cafe]

. ˚◞♡ 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒓𝒂 209 — mutant-monster mad scientist◞ ₊˚

⊹ ۪ ࣪ ᥫ᭡ “ eyes on me, mi cielo. . . those pretty eyes are just for me, huh? all mine. even when you have long since passed, I shall hold your heart within my hands ” ꒱

. ˚◞꒰verse꒱ 209

. ˚◞꒰face claim refs꒱ ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x )

. ˚◞꒰species꒱ spider, mantis and moth mutate 

. ˚◞꒰ethnicity꒱ mexican-indian ( awadhi-tamil )

. ˚◞꒰age꒱ 38

. ˚◞꒰gender꒱ typically genderfluid but male-presenting ( sometimes works on the way people perceive him on different days )

. ˚◞꒰mbti꒱ istj

. ˚◞꒰aliases꒱ red widow ( heroes ), the mad scientist ( the resistance ), the lunatic ( the resistance ), the scarlet plague ( mutants/resistance )

. ˚◞꒰appearance꒱

𖹭. maroon eyes, with slitted pupils ( wears contacts to hide his pupils ). typically uses winged eyeliner and sometimes red eyeshadow. he can have multiple pairs of eyes if his mutation is showing; his sclera and pupils might disappear completely in this case

𖹭. mid-length, layered, fluffy and slightly curly very dark brown hair that trickles down his shoulders

𖹭. very androgynous face, with sharp and soft features combined. has a bronze skin tone

𖹭. slender physique, stands at the height of 6’2” ( 187cm ). can appear a bit feminine

𖹭. typically dresses in reds and blacks. ranging from a classy style that can bleed into vintage. very genderfluid in his way of dressing

𖹭. beauty spots: scattered on the right side of his face with one at the left corner of his lips

𖹭. lips usually painted shades of red depending on his mood

𖹭. retractable fangs with venom and claws

𖹭. elongated tongue

𖹭. fingers/hands covered with rings and chains, with long, red painted fingernails

𖹭. ear piercings: a pair of standard lobe and industrial piercings — his right ear dons a transverse lobe, rook, orbital and snug piercing while his left ear holds a daith, stacked helix and forward helix piercing.

𖹭. piercings: venom tongue piercings, septum piercing and nose ring, nipple piercings, navel piercing

𖹭. can extend strong, flexible, scarlet and black tendrils from his back and arms

𖹭. four spider legs that tear out of his back but he can retract

𖹭. overall, if his mutation is having a bad day or he is going feral, he may display spider features such as multiple eyes, pincers, mouth glands that can secrete acid and so on

. ˚◞꒰personality꒱

𖹭. oh so deceptive, in his smile, his voice and overall appearance. charming, sickeningly sweet with a faux amiability

𖹭. even when he is hands-deep into an experiment, he keeps false kindness and friendly façade. gives off an eerie vibe to those with a good intuition

𖹭. morally evil with a chilling lack of ethics. extremely cunning and two-faced

𖹭. silver-tongued and charismatic

𖹭. so effortless on everything that he does, exuding a cool confidence

𖹭. intelligent and quick-witted. loves playing mind games on people and getting into their psyche

𖹭. certain that whatever he is doing is for the betterment of humanity, beyond self-righteous

𖹭. quite stubborn and makes sure to see his projects through, as a result has a tendency of overworking

𖹭. may appear serene but is quite temperamental, displays his anger and bitterness in a scarily calm way with a charming smile and smooth words in spite of his horrific actions

𖹭. yandere esque

. ˚◞꒰with a lover꒱

𖹭. that charming personality does not fade with a lover, rishen is often quite flirty and all sorts of teasing with his beloved.

𖹭. loves flustering you — it is a part of his favorite pass-times. fluster you and then grab you by the waist, only to tease you further.

𖹭. affection is mainly displayed in a physical manner. he will touch anything and everything on you that you allow him to touch and kiss, all so that he can worship you and make you feel good.

𖹭. another form of his affection is through gifts. he adores spoiling you with a wide variety of whatever it is you either need or want.

𖹭. very verbal in his love for you and shameless in every way; his tongue holds no filter.

𖹭. late night dances in his office, bringing you coffees or teas through the day, and finding you in the middle of the day simply to pour his affection out on you.

𖹭. he is a very passionate and dedicated lover — however, there is a darker side to it. rishen grows obsessive and quite possessive, his nature that of a yandere.

𖹭. and yes he takes it to the extremes. . .

𖹭. should someone merely look at you in a way he deems wrong, it is their funeral.

𖹭. do not fight him on this, he’ll lock you away for his eyes only.

. ˚◞꒰strengths꒱

𖹭. intelligence: highly intelligent from a young age, resulting in advanced, prodigal level of skill in science and technological fields.

𖹭. increased bodily function: advanced strength, speed, agility and durability.

𖹭. heightened senses: advanced sight, smell, hearing, taste and awareness of surroundings.

𖹭. healing factor: an average healing factor that heals his injuries far quicker than an average human

𖹭. tendrils: strong, resilient, red and black tendril-like appendages that can be produced from his back and extend from his hands

𖹭. spider legs: large spider legs that tear through his back at times, it is extremely painful for him but are very useful in combat.

𖹭. fangs & claws: retractable fangs that secrete paralyzing venom at will along with retractable claws from the pads of his fingers that can tear through a variety of materials.

. ˚◞꒰weaknesses꒱

𖹭. mutation: his mutation as a whole, while it does grant him a wide variety of abilities is also his greatest weakness.

𖹭. metabolism: has an extremely fast metabolism that requires him eating a lot through the day.

𖹭. abandonment issues: he suffers from horrible abandonment issues, which can cause him to get erratic and panicked whenever someone he loves does leave him on purpose after arguments, tiffs, etc.

𖹭. heart condition: suffers from a heart condition that requires him taking medication in order to make sure his heart stays stable.

𖹭. stabilisers: in order to control his mutation, he is required to inject himself with stabilisers on an alternating daily basis.

. ˚◞꒰relationships꒱

𖹭. jìngyí herrera: husband, best friend, business partner

𖹭. javier herrera: father, deceased

𖹭. rishima singhania: mother, deceased

𖹭. alessio agresta arias: best friend, deceased

𖹭. wèi lìxuě: enemey

𖹭. liú tàishī: enemy

𖹭. zhào haitāo: enemy

𖹭. lorenzo agresta arias: enemy

𖹭. park tae-hyun: enemy

. ˚◞꒰story꒱

after undergoing experimentation, rishen emerges with a spider mutation and a hatred for his fellow enigma. inheriting the mega science company, valence, after his father’s sudden death, he aims to lead the world with knowledge and science. while also working his way to top as a seemingly benevolent businessman and world renowned scientist.

behind the scenes is where the mask falls. rishen has no issue with the mass experimentation on the enigma. being a driving factor of the enigma genocide across his world.

alongside his mad doctor partner in crime and husband, jingyi herrera, the two become an unstoppable and dangerous couple. committing atrocities and puppetting world order behind the scenes. deeming the control of enigma necessary in their self-righteous mission.

. ˚◞꒰extra꒱

𖹭. he is the ceo of valence and practically runs the city of nueva york

𖹭. speaks spanish ( latin american ), speaks mandarin, speaks hindi, speaks tamil.

𖹭. he knows asl.

𖹭. has a cat named beauregard. ( his and his husband’s “son” )

𖹭. he has four dobbermen: cupcake, cinnamon bun, horchata, strawberry

𖹭. he sometimes smokes

[buddhistmusings]

Thinking about how the concept of cultural appropriation is sometimes misused by people to reinforce cultural conformity.

Cultural appropriation is real, involves elements of exploitation and lack of acknowledgment, but there really is a lot of disagreement about what constitutes cultural appropriation. A lot of people basically mis-define it as "x cultural group doing *something* that is normally associated with y cultural group."

Trouble is, this approach is often based on racial, ethnic, and cultural stereotypes, demands conformity, and fails to acknowledge the dynamic nature of culture. I've had people unironically say, "I want to convert to Buddhism but don't want to culturally appropriate." Using this understanding of cultural appropriation actually seriously harms the source cultures Buddhism is rooted in, who genuinely do want to have people of all races and cultures engage with Buddhism. Another example might be when people are told not to wear certain kinds of clothing or eat certain kinds of food. Unless the clothing or food has a particular symbolic significance, it's likely totally ok to use, so long as you're not doing it with the intention of mimicry or mockery. When people avoid engaging with these kinds of things for fear of cultural appropriation, it can harm the livelihoods of members of the source culture, who directly benefit from authentic engagement with their culture.

There are times when adopting cultural practices might actually be more appropriate than not doing so. A convert to a new religion probably should intimately engage with the source cultures that practice their new religion. A Muslim convert might pick up some Arabic, perhaps they should adopt some Middle-Eastern styles of dress if they believe that they should start wearing Hijab (though of course many Muslim converts might not choose to wear a Hijab). A Buddhist might adopt certain artistic practices associated with Asia, start cooking certain dishes due to dietary practices, learn a language to better communicate with their coreligionists, or decorate their home according to new conventions, as legitimate outgrowths of their new faith. Here, converts can act as culturally in-between because taking on the new culture of a religion can involve adopting practices from the cultures in which that religion is rooted. Refusing to engage for fear of cultural appropriation could actually be disrespectful, as is the case with some Western Buddhist movements who disregard traditional conventions associated with people from Asia.

There are also cases where converts become fully integrated into the source culture. Somebody who converts to Judaism becomes fully Jewish, for example.

These are just some of the reasons I think that when we present the concept of cultural appropriation, we should highlight the aspects of self-benefit, failure to acknowledge the source culture, exploiting people in the source culture, or the use of culturally reverent practices in inappropriate contexts. When we make accusations of cultural appropriation without understanding the whole situation, we are doing actual harm to both the individual we're accusing (who might be engaging in an appropriate and authentic way) and the source culture (who we might actually be isolating or demeaning). I think one really good indicator might be how they acquired a particular object or where they learned a particular skill or practice, though even that's not foolproof.

Are you learning to do yoga from somebody who knows enough about Indian culture to be qualified to teach it, or better yet, somebody who has been immersed in Indian culture? Did you buy that Native American jewelry from a Native American artist? Etc...

You genuinely need a lot of information to understand whether cultural appropriation is happening, and I see SO many people using the concept as a way of policing other people's lives, and doing so in a way that really does not promote a healthy crossculturally engaged society.

[oxpogues4lifexo]

You could’ve had any life.

Childhood best friends, met best friend in your 20’s, friends to lovers, enemies to friends, love at first sight, never dated anyone, dated everyone wherever whenever, an astronaut, a doctor, a millionaire, in poverty, 100 years in the past, 100 years in the future, different parents, different siblings, different gender, different ethnicity, different universe, different lifetime, a teacher, a blogger, an actor, a musician, a singer, a factory worker, Japanese, American, English, Australian, Russian, Indian, brown hair, blonde hair, ginger hair, green eyes, blue eyes, brown eyes, freckles, dimples, skinny, curvy, dresses, tracksuits, heels, sneakers, nail biter, jewellery fidgeter, foot tapper, skin picker, anxiety, healthy, vegetarian, lactose intolerant, introverted, extroverted, short, tall, big feet, small feet, piercings, no piercings, loads of friends, one friend, secure family, don’t talk to your family, big dreams, no dreams, nightmares, trouble sleeping, disabilities, tattoos, never touched your skin, money saver, money spender, big house, little house, kids, no kids, cat person, dog person, loves insects, can’t look at one, draws, paints, plays an instrument, writes a book, has imaginary friends, can’t even create one, talks to themselves, finds it cringe, scrolls on TikTok, enjoys nature, loves sunsets, loves sunrises, loves the beach, loves the indoors, loves the ocean, loves the forest, prefers the cold, prefers the hot, watches movies, reads books, stays up late, gets up early, loves school, loves work, loves home, goes on runs, works out, eats lots, eats little, wears makeup, never touched it, 20 step skincare routine, just uses water, loves pink, loves blue, loves black, loves white, crooked nose, pointy nose, straight nose, curvy nose, wide smile, sideways smile, teeth smile, lip smile, cracked teeth, yellow teeth, white teeth, braces, uneven brows, perfect brows, moles, spots, bumps, scratches, bruises, birthmarks, thin hair, thick hair, people pleaser, girls girl, boys boy, mean girl, sweet girl, mean boy, sweet boy, shy girl, shy boy, outgoing girl, outgoing boy, gay, straight, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, history, geography, college, university, graduate, gap year, posts daily, 0 posts, 20 hour screen time, 1 hour screen time, horror, romance, fanfics, thrillers, pop, rap, YouTube, Netflix, tumblr, wattpad, vacations, Disney kid, marvel kid, dinosaurs, spaceships, cars, dolls, ken, Barbie, Toy Story, scooby doo, lord of the rings, Harry Potter, titanic, scream, Batman, Robin, vampires, witches, winter, summer, Halloween, Christmas, birthdays, valentines, taken, single, good, bad, happy, sad.

Except you were chosen to live this one. Only you. Why would you live your life being jealous of what you don’t have when there’s someone out there wishing for what you did.

Enjoy living, enjoy yourself, look at the beauty in life. Don’t let others define you, and be yourself. Everyone’s different and that’s how life is meant to be.

Let it.

[aahanna]

The Story of Solah Shringar

The Indian bride is the epitome of grace, elegance, and beauty. Her attire and traditional Indian bridal jewelry catch every eye and leave a lasting impression on everyone. While her wedding outfit accentuates her best features, her Indian bridal jewelry adds a subtle shine and a touch of sophistication to her entire look.

As per tradition, the Indian bride embellishes herself with 16 adornments on her wedding day. These adornments are called Solah Shringar. This ritual has been practiced since ancient times and is an integral part of bridal preparations.

The story behind the Solah Shringar features Rati, the wife of Kamdev, the Hindu god of love. Rati engaged in severe penance to appease Goddess Lakshmi. She was then blessed with the 16 adornments from Lakshmi and wore them to impress and marry Kamdev.

16 adornments (16 sringar)are

1. Sindoor

The first adornment is Sindoor, also known as kumkum or vermillion. Sindoor holds a special place as it marks the beginning of a woman’s new journey as a bride. Sindoor is applied by the groom on the forehead between the hair partition of the bride. The bride then continues to wear sindoor throughout her married life.

2. Hair care (Kesh Sringar):

We now focus on the ‘Kesh’, or hair. The Indian bride embellishes her hair using fragrant flowers and glittering headpieces. Traditionally, the bride made three braids that represented three holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, and the trinity of the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. The fragrance of flowers keeps the bride fresh throughout the day and her Indian bridal jewelry embellishes her hairdo, adding another layer of elegance and beauty to her overall look.

3. Maangtika

The part of the forehead where the maangtika rests is believed to be the home of Ajna Chakra or the third eye. When the bride wears the piece of Indian bridal jewelry on her special day, she is believed to be connected with her third eye and has the ability to control her emotions and activate her knowledge, wisdom, courage, and willpower.

4. Bindi

The bindi also takes us to the third eye. Bindi comes from the Sanskrit word bindu, which means ‘point’ or ‘dot’. The bindi is closely associated with improving concentration and retaining energy. It is one of the most popular adornments worn by the Indian bride and is known internationally.

5.Kohl or Kajal

From the forehead, we move to the eyes. Kohl, kajal, surma, kanmashi, kaadige, kaatuka, and kan mai are some names for one of the oldest natural beauty products in the world. Kajal accentuates the eyes of the bride and is believed to ward off the evil eye in various cultures. The darkening around the eyes also protects the wearer from the harsh rays of the sun.

Kajal is an essential element of the solah shringar and makes the eyes look more prominent. It is undoubtedly a beautiful way to enhance the natural beauty of the bride.

6 .Karn Phool or Earrings

A wedding day look cannot be completed without a set of dangling earrings. Karn Phool is a Sanskrit term that translates to ‘flower of the ears’ and is an essential part of the solah shringar.

7 .Nath(nose ring)

The nose ring is another beautiful element of the Indian bride’s attire and is a symbol of valor, fertility, and spirituality. The large nose rings hooked onto the hair with a chain take the bride a step closer to creating her ideal look. It is one of the most ethnic elements of Indian bridal jewelry and a wedding day look is surely incomplete without it.

8 .Haar or Necklace

The one thing that brings the whole look together is the necklace. Necklaces are said to represent safety and abundance and are believed to help the wearer control their emotions better. Some necklaces feature specific motifs or gemstones that are believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.

9 .Bajuband

This element of traditional Indian bridal jewelry is worn on the upper arm. The bajuband is believed to keep evil spirits away and protects the wearer. The Indian bride can embellish her wedding outfit with all sorts of armbands that are encrusted with diamonds and other colorful gemstones.

10 .Bangles, Bracelets, Choodiyan

Bangles and the Indian bride are inseparable. They’re a part of traditional Indian bridal jewelry that a woman always wears. It is believed that bangles and bracelets bring health, luck, and prosperity to the wearer and are more than a jewelry item or accessory for the traditional Indian woman. There are various wedding ceremonies related to bangles and bracelets across cultures that show us their significance in Indian culture.

11 .Hathphool and Aarsi

The hathphool is a clever mix of a bangle and a ring. Bringing the best of both together, this element of traditional Indian bridal jewelry embellishes the hand and wrist of the bride. The interesting crossover of the two pieces surely adds more flavor to the wedding day look.

A thumb ring known as Aarsi is also worn by some brides. Aarsi contains a small mirror. This mirror allows the bride to catch a glimpse of the groom since she is covered in a veil and cannot see the groom’s face.

12 . Mehndi

Henna, commonly known as mehndi, is undoubtedly one of the most amusing parts of a traditional Indian wedding. It is believed that mehndi brings good luck and joy to the bride. The darkness of the mehndi represents the strength of the bond between the bride and the groom. The solah shringar of the bride is incomplete without her hands and feet embellished with beautiful mehndi designs that add to her overall wedding day look.

13 . Kamarband (waist band)

The use of the kamarband, or waistband, is scarce in North Indian weddings but it is an important part of a South Indian bride’s trousseau. The piece of Indian bridal jewelry is adorned with gemstones and is used to accentuate the female’s body and keep her bridal saree in place.

14 . Anklets and Toe Rings

Commonly known as payal and bichhu, these elements of traditional Indian bridal jewelry embellish the feet of the bride. Payals can be recognized by the beautiful chime sounds they make whenever the bride walks. Toe rings are seen as a sign of marriage and a bride wears them until the death of her husband.

15 . Itar

Itar is the perfume that a bride applies to freshen her aura and stay fragrant throughout her special day.

16. Wedding Outfit

Finally, the one thing that clubs every element together and brings the bride’s imagination to life is the wedding outfit. The traditional Indian bride wore the classic red wedding outfit but with the evolution of Indian weddings, other colors have started to take center stage as well.

Source

[its-poojagupta-shree]

In the world of fashion, traditional ethnic wear holds a timeless appeal. From stunning sarees to elegant kurtas, each piece tells a story of cultural heritage and craftsmanship. When it comes to completing an ethnic ensemble, the significance of bottom wear cannot be undermined. Ethnic bottom wear, such as palazzos, dhoti pants, churidars, and lehenga skirts, play a vital role in enhancing the overall look and adding a touch of grace and elegance. In this blog, we will delve into the charm of ethnic bottom wear and explore how these traditional styles have evolved to incorporate modern elements, making them a must-have in every fashion-conscious individual's wardrobe.

[findlilac]

Get to know Sri

Stage Name: Sri

Birth Name: Srihari Venkat

Nationality: Australian

Ethnicity: Indian

Position: Rapper, Dancer, Producer

Birthday: July 9 1988

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Height: 170 cm (5'7")

Blood type: O+

MBTI: INTP

Representative animal: 🐱(I don't really remember if it is used to represent Lee Know as well, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong)

Unit: DanceRacha, 3Racha(Don't really think it'd be 3 anymore tho-)

Facts about Sri

He was born in Brisbane, Australia

Has a younger sister who's 5 years younger than him

Came to Korea to train when he was 18

He had very little training in dance (the training being the dance classes he had joined when he was 7/8 years old for a few months) before he was recruited

Although He had been learning Carnatic music ever since he was 3, he stopped learning at the age of 14 (so about 11 years of experience)

He auditioned to be an idol out of spite for his dad

He had been doing his bachelor's degree and masters in architecture while being an idol as he 'wanted to have a back-up plan just in case'

He has a mole on his right cheekbone

He was a trainee for about 2 years

Nicknames given by STAY: Chan's wife, Nicknames given by the members: Eomma, Venki

He treats English as his first language. He can speak Japanese fluently, Tamil (his mother tongue), and Hindi to a decent extent. He can also speak French and Mandarin but no one really knows that he can speak those two languages

He can draw and paint quite well when given a reference but he says he lacks the creative skills to just visualise something and draw it

As per the members, he has quite a laid-back personality and is a comfort figure to all of them. They also say that he's quite good at giving advice even if he hadn't been in the situation himself

As per Chan, Sri struggles to express his emotions as he fears that he'd be burdening others by telling them about his struggles. And even if Sri does express his emotions, he struggles to frame and tell others about how exactly he feels about something

He has double-jointed thumbs and elbows

He has a driver's license and enjoys going on long drives with his members

When he isn't driving, you can always spot him wearing his headphones and gazing out the window

His favourite season is Spring and he loves rainy and stormy weather

He actually is a vegetarian and does not eat any type of meat

He is extremely introverted when it comes to social interactions with people he doesn't know quite well but is also one of the most upbeat when around the members, kinda like another member Han

He has very strong opinions and will not hesitate to express them. This trait of his has gotten him into quite a few scandals

His favourite colour is purple

He doesn't really have a favourite food, he will enjoy anything that is mentioned to be spicy but he actively avoids most fruit, his least favourite being strawberries and any kind of melon except watermelon

He prefers producing songs rather than songwriting

He has a pet dog named Cosmo back in Australia and also owns two cats in Korea, named Blossom and Buttercup, Blossom is a ginger cat and Buttercup is a black cat

As per the members and STAY, Sri is a caring person, prepared for almost any situation that comes his way. He seems to always put the members before his own needs. In the first one Kid's Room, he said that if given a choice to protect either himself or his loved ones, he'd always pick to protect his loved ones as he'd rather not live than imagine living a life without his loved ones

He is the typical 'mom friend', always having something or the other in his bag for any situation, earning his nickname 'Eomma'. You're hungry? Sri has a snack bar in his backpack. You got hurt? He's got a first-aid kit somewhere in his bag, You need anything ranging from a charger to a makeup product? Sri's always got something in his bag

He loves dad jokes and puns

He lives true to his MBTI, trying to see logic even when it isn't required.

He shares his dorm with Chan and I.N

He is SKZ's handyman being able to fix most things that the others break. That being said, he is the one who ends up breaking most things due to his clumsy ass

He tends to seem quite calm under pressure although he most probably is panicking internally

He is a major perfectionist and will redo his autograph multiple times during fan meetings and signings, just so that it's 'perfect'

Although Sri would much rather cook and bake alone as doing it alone gets him in his 'zone', he enjoys baking and cooking with Felix and Minho as well

He often tricks the other members into eating vegetarian food and then just lets them guess the 'meat' that was in the dish when in reality it's either cauliflower or some form of soy. He does this just to prove a point to them as most of them have this general notion that vegetarian food is bland

He often goes to the gym alongside Chan and Changbin

He usually helps Chan with leading the members on days when Chan is too exhausted to do it himself

He is friends with Hongjoong, San, and Mingi from ATEEZ

He is often seen hanging out with Yeji and Ryujin from ITZY

[legend-the-dumb-jock]

Hello my names Manny I’m a full time barista and I was wondering if you could turn me into a huge bodybuilder?

Sure I can. All that coffee you work with gave me the idea to give your skin that permanent coffee color. Perfect for a man who is going to be bulking daily and working out hours on end in the sun. Working out is going to be your life. If you’re not working out you’re going to be eating to make yourself hulk bigger than you were before. You muscle are going to practically inflate over night. And with that you’ll have to get used your muscle aching all the time. Always hurting unless you’re not working out. This will be the only time your muscles are going to have that sweet relief from growing pains which means you’re going to be quickly conditioned to work out even more than ever ! Your feet grow large but that’s ok because you no longer wear shoes. You’ll wear sandals now because you need to have the feeling of freedom. Your hair is going to grow jet black while you turn Indian. Taking on your new ethnicity while your hair follicles kick into over drive. Without daily shaving your whole body would be coated in thick black hair that is impossible to maintain. And you’re going to have issues with protein darts and belching non stop. Enjoy the varicose veins that are beginning to form on your body. The next step of your body building journey is going to leave you juicing daily. Sure at first you thought it was your choice. But now everytime you are around your trainer he doses you without you even knowing it. How big will you actually get ? Why was a defined set of and I had give. Are starting to soften. You feel the pressure building on the inside of your stomach. Soon you’re going to be a massive body building freak. With a massive Roided stomach to go along with it.

[k4tisblog]

10 MEDIA DIARY: MLP:FiM & YAKYAKISTAN.

Hello! Hi! This post may be a bit of a ramble. I have watched all 9 seasons of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It’s a comfort show, and has been very dear to me since I was a kid. While I love it to death, I want to point out its portrayal of race.

From the "Buffalo tribe" being analogous to Indigenous Americans (S1), to Rarity gentrifying an Indian Pony restaurant (S6), one could probably write an entire thesis about it. However, for everyone's sake, I'll focus on the episode "She's all Yak." (Season 9 Episode 7). Spoilers ahead, of course.

Introducing MLP:FiM A quick summary of the show thus far- Twilight Sparkle was a unicorn who earned the title of Princess of Friendship (and also wings). She couldn't have done it without her friends Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and last but not least, Rarity! The Mane 6 (that's a pun) have a reputation for saving the world (too many times to keep track). At the premiere of season 8, Twilight starts the very first School of Friendship! The point: to invite everypony everycreature to come and learn friendship. (There are implications here- but that's another discussion in and of itself.) The school's credibility is questionable, but they get through the trials and tribulations of the education system with the power of friendship!

Yakyakistan Let's just say things can go a bit off the rails when you invite different species into the My Little Pony cinematic universe. It didn't have to be bad. It really didn't.

Alas, the Yaks. They're from Yakyakistan. Speak "broken" English when no other species does. Being destructive is "crucial to their culture". Need I say more? It is not necessary to create this association to real-world regions using the suffix "-stan", for them to have "caveman-like” speech, for their "traditions" to be destructive tendencies. They are prideful and nationalistic to an unrational extent as well. Refusing cooperation with others, instead choosing to eat and sleep on snow comes to mind.

"However, despite Pinkie and the yaks' efforts, there is too much snow for them to dig through, and their forceful digging only causes more snow to fall from the mountain. Pinkie Pie offers to return to Ponyville and get help from her friends, but the proud Rutherford and his subjects refuse to accept help from ponies. Rutherford suggests simply waiting for the snow to melt, and he and his subjects resort to eating and sleeping on snow to survive. " (S7 Ep 11, MLP:FiM Wiki)

YONA: SHE'S ALL YAK As much as the Yaks were in poor taste (AT BEST), it was easy to avoid; they typically only existed in their own standalone episodes. Unfortunately, they keep appearing; Yona is chosen by Yakyakistan's Prince Rutherford to attend the School of Friendship. The main thing with the Yaks as characters is that their main "problems" in their episodes are the clash of their “savage” cultural norms vs. the “civilised” ponies.

Considering once again a clear association to real-life ethnic groups and these "cultural norms" enforcing real-world prejudice… Yeah, I do flinch every time a Yak plot is introduced. "She's All Yak" is an episode that I watched all the way through. I have things to say. Yona is asked by her (pony) friend Sandbar to join the Amity Ball and partake in the Pony Pals contest with him. Since the dance is traditionally pony-centric, she responds "But Yona yak. Yona not pony." Sandbar assures her that that doesn't matter and she accepts.

Now filled with a want to be the best Pony Pal, Yona sees Rarity stressing about Ball dresses and feels she has a lot to learn before the event. She turns to Rarity for guidance on what to wear, and how to act.

Rarity teaches Yona how to talk - shoving Brussels sprouts in her mouth to help annunciation.

Rarity: [elocuting] The weather is quite agreeable today. Yona: [muffled] The weather is quite agreeable today. [chews, gulps, belches loudly] Yona like Brussels sprouts! Rarity: Let's move on.

While Rarity looks through different dress options, Yona tells her she likes brown. Rarity expresses disgust at "earth tones," sticking her tongue out and calling them "earthy." She says not to worry; she'll find a dress to make Yona stand out! Yona says she doesn't want to stand out, but rather to fit in… Cue the musical number. "Once you learn the pony way you'll start to fit right in." Rarity sings while Yona gets transformation montage.

Yona's struggle in integrating into pony norms is turned comedic. It's exaggerated to the point of being downright unflattering. She's highlighted as dirty, clumsy, unfashionable, and, of course, destructive.

After a long while of Yona getting everything wrong, she manages to get things right! (She dances without causing earthquakes and speaks like a posh pony now.)

Yona’s ready to rumble.

THE AMITY BALL

Gallus: I'm just glad I'm here with you guys. Least I'm not the only non-pony in the crowd. Sandbar: You're not still worried about that, are you? Like Headmare Twilight said, this is a dance for everycreature. There's no pony pressure.

Yona's friends giggle at the contrast between Sandbars' statement and the sight of ridiculously-overponified-Yona.

They are all taken aback, and Sandbar looks concerned. He plays along with it; she did all this for him after all. The dances begin! Yona is excited, inviting Sandbar to dance. She dances well until she trips on her dress and takes a tumble. Regaining her composure, they move on to the Pony Prance. Yona’s wig temporarily obscures her vision and she freaks out. Stampeding through the Ball, she ends up hurting everyone and destroying everything in her path. Inconsolable, Yona runs off in tears.

"Yona disappoint Sandbar. Yona not make very good pony." Sandbar finds Yona and they have a heart to heart.

Yona: Yona just want to do all the right pony things and fit in at dance! Then maybe Sandbar and Yona win best pony pals contest. Instead, Yona win worst pony ever.[crunch] Sandbar: That's not true. (...) Sandbar: Yona, it doesn't really matter if you're a great pony or a horrible pony. You're the best Yona I know. That's why I asked you to the dance.

I don't have an issue with the message this episode is trying to convey. It's an obvious trajectory towards being yourself; you don't have to change for anyone - I appreciate the representation of this in Sandbar and Yona's relationship.

We get a sincere apology from the Mane 6, admitting that it was no fault of Yona's but rather their fault for unknowingly forcing her to be something she was not. Yona and Sandbar are given the winning trophy for the Pony Pal competition!

Spike then exclaims that "everypony wants to learn that crazy dance [Yona] did." She teaches them all the "Yakyakistan Stomp." They all start to dance as the camera shakes and the credits roll.

How do you feel about the use of the word “crazy”? CONCLUSIONS As much as I understand the intent, I can't ignore the root of Yona's character. From her personality traits to her place of origin... There are too many implications. I've scavenged for online articles, forums, etc. for opinions on My Little Pony’s Yaks, but it's proving to be a bit of a niche topic. Only in conversation have I heard of people who share my concerns or even acknowledge them. A friend of my girlfriend's posted about this on Reddit once, as I have come to learn, but was shot down by negative responses and disagreements. I suspect the difference in the main fanbases for MLP are a factor.

(I might go into this more in a future blog post - let’s just say that humanified fanart now is more diverse compared to a decade ago.) These comments I found while scrolling through the MLP:FiM wiki piqued my interest. While a fine assessment of the episode at large - the descriptions of Yak culture further prove my point. Just choosing to describe Yakyakistan culture with the word "simple" says a lot.

User Angel Emfrbl's "not that bad" feels like we're settling for "it could be worse. It all makes sense with the current characterizations." I want more people to want to dig deeper into what it all represents. There is a lack of acknowledgment of the root of the Yaks’ existence - their designs, plots, and worldviews.

The unflattering portrayal of Yaks being destructive and completely un-ponylike feels dehumanizing (deponifying?). There ARE ponies that are portrayed as Indian and East Asian. Even the Kirin species closely resemble ponies (just sporting different manes, horns, and tails.) If I'd even go out on a limb and hypothetically say the Dragons are implied to be Europeans (since they based on traditional European dragons), who could be hurt by being compared to a dragon? It certainly gets complicated to explore not only racial implications between ponies, but entire different species. Nonetheless, there is a heavy responsibility to check in with those who experience real-world discrimination before using it as plot points. At the end of the day - Personal biases must be checked, especially when writing for children's media. Hm. Thoughts?

Comments? Concerns?

Otherwise, have a good evening!

[valentine-cafe]

. ˚◞♡ 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒓𝒂 781 — the hybrid hero◞ ₊˚

⊹ ۪ ࣪ ᥫ᭡ “ you feel this heart? it beats for you. I promise you that I will always return. I'll always be there to feel those lips against mine and kiss away any tears ” ꒱

. ˚◞꒰verse꒱ 781

. ˚◞꒰face claim refs꒱ ( x ) ( x ) ( x ) ( x )

. ˚◞꒰species꒱ spider, moth, praying mantis aetheer

. ˚◞꒰ethnicity꒱ mexican-indian ( awadhi-tamil )

. ˚◞꒰age꒱ 25

. ˚◞꒰gender꒱ genderfluid ( typically goes by what people perceive him )

. ˚◞꒰mbti꒱ isfj

. ˚◞꒰aliases꒱ scarlet solstice, scarlet lights, scarlet ( hero alias ), pretty boy/girl/baby, bug boy / bug girlie / buggie ( villains ), spiderling ( villains, some civilians ), webs ( the reaper ), pequeño héroe ( auntie ), scarly ( by viper ), moth-boy / moth-girl / mothie ( villains, some civilians ).

. ˚◞꒰appearance꒱

𖹭. maroon eyes, his pupils constrict into slits when he is experiencing intense emotions. they can also go completely red. wears eyeliner, either soft red or blacks. when he is having moth moments his eyes get bigger and become a solid, static deep red

𖹭. medium-length, fluffy and curly dark brown hair that extend halfway down his neck

𖹭. bronze skin, has a bunch of beauty spots on the left side of his face and along his forearms

𖹭. a very androgynous face that leans more towards feminine features

𖹭. stands at a height of 5'8” with an fit body

𖹭. a two pairs of upper fangs on his canines that he can retract ( the inners being a bit larger and the outers being a bit smaller )

𖹭. silk slits all over his arms and hands, around his waist, all over his back and on his ankles. he also has one at the back of his throat. they are invisible for the most part but they can reveal themselves in agitated or touches excessively. they are quite sensitive

𖹭. elongated tongue that can thin out quite a bit ( he can hide this, however )

𖹭. claw-like extension that extends from his outer wrists and outer ankles. they are retracted

𖹭. a set of moth wings on his back that can disappear and reappear as according to a moth life cycle. between these wings are thin wings of a mantis

𖹭. moth antenna that can sprout at times

𖹭. if his powers are having hectic days he may develop mandibles

𖹭. switches a lot with gendered clothing, can wear lots of sweaters and turtlenecks, a soft boy aesthetic — but can quickly switch to a preppy girly aesthetic. very much red and blacks, sometimes whites

𖹭. typically uses red lip glosses or balms, has a beauty spot at the left corner of his lips

𖹭. sometimes paints his long nails red

𖹭. sometimes wears glasses

𖹭. wears black and red beaded bracelets

𖹭. standard lobe and upper helix piercings

𖹭. midline tongue piercing and a gold septum piercing

𖹭. nipple and frenum piercing

. ˚◞꒰personality꒱

𖹭. very kind -hearted and compassionate, always appears quite serene and happy. sunshine boy

𖹭. polite and seemingly quite patient. exudes a certain effortless charm and glow that draws people to him at times. he can appear quite approachable especially with the smile he typically carries

𖹭. hopeful and always trying to look at the positive side of things

𖹭. can look a little lost at times and even quite oblivious

𖹭. however, he is very intelligent, having had a knack for it from a young age, often excels in academics

𖹭. sometimes deals with levels of anxiety, both internal and social. he might not always know how to interact because of his lack of exposure in his learning years

𖹭. has a deep yearning to escape his former life and the expectations held onto him. wishes to escape the narrative that he feels his fellow heroes put up against him. to prove those, especially his parents, wrong about his ‘incapabilities’

𖹭. don’t underestimate his soft personality, he can quickly go into a leadership roll and take control of a situation when needed

𖹭. is incredibly dutiful and selfless, can be very self sacrificing which may lead into him being quite reckless

𖹭. heroic, feels like he needs to protect as many people as he possibly can when he is out on the field. tries to save everyone which can be incredibly damaging both physically and mentally to him

𖹭. prides himself on the betterment of others and himself, can often overwork as a result of this

𖹭. can be quite stubborn, especially towards those that tell him he can’t do certain things

𖹭. don’t let his soft aura fool you. he can suffer from dark thoughts that stem from a biological temper as a result of his animal powers of an aetheer that he was born with. rather than earning them in his later years like his fellow atheers

𖹭. he is actually easily irked — although, he tends to mask this well. his method of dealing with this storm of emotions is by bottling up any negative feelings, which of course does not work out in his favour. this makes the young medic prone to snapping should these emotions pile up to drastic degrees.

. ˚◞꒰with a lover꒱

𖹭. even bigger softie and adores showering his significant other in bouts of affection — it does not matter whether it is through physical affection or verbal.

𖹭. another of his love languages is gift giving as he enjoys spoiling his lover — something that he may unintentionally go overboard with at times. he can’t help it! he has this forever burning desire to take care of you.

𖹭. he watches over you quite a lot in regards to your physical and emotional well-being. as a medic, he is always prepared for when times such as sickness strike and he can even at times fuss at you to take better care of yourself.

𖹭. as you probably would have guessed by now, rishen is a very empathetic, kindhearted and affectionate lover, who truly wants the best for you. when he sees you struggle, he will run to you as fast as possible and help you back up on top as best as he can. one call from you and he is right by your side.

𖹭. calls you an array of endearments in his mother-tongues, such as ‘sundari’, ‘querida/querido’ and ‘amor.’ as he feels it gives much more depth and value to the endearments.

𖹭. say goodbye to struggles with studying, with rishen’s love for academics, he is always eager to help you figure out what is in your homework — anything to help take the weight off of your shoulders !! as long as it isn’t literature. . . he might sit you down with talisen instead.

𖹭. his favourite dates include watching the city lights from buildings he can swing the two of you up to, going on small coffee dates or reading in silence.

𖹭. be prepared for some teasing here and there. rishen is the kind to act innocent yet catch you off guard when you least expect it and make you a flustered mess.

𖹭. and when you confront him on the teasing? what do you mean? him — tease you? noooo, never. is what he will say while pressing a quick kiss to your cheek and smiling happily at you.

𖹭. hugs from behind as greetings, throat kisses when he leaves and hand holding whenever has the chance are an absolute must!!

. ˚◞꒰strengths꒱

𖹭. intelligence: highly intelligent from a young age, resulting in advanced, prodigal level of skill in science and technological fields.

𖹭. increased bodily function: advanced strength, speed, durability.

𖹭. heightened senses: advanced sight, smell, hearing, taste and awareness of surroundings.

𖹭. healing factor: a dull healing factor that heals his injuries far quicker than an average human

𖹭. magical silk: red magic silk that shoot from from his all over his arms, hands, back, waist, ankles and even even from his mouth

𖹭. wall-crawling: the ability to stick to surfaces at will.

𖹭. fangs: retractable fangs that secrete venoms at will ( the venoms are chosen by a magic apparition with pincers that creates a different kind of bites when he is about to bite )

𖹭. magic spider eyes: has spider-eyes that appear at times — predicting future events that may or may not happen, but in vague ways that only leave rishen on his guard but never truly prepared.

𖹭. seismic sense: able to feel vibrations in a seismic way whenever his limbs touch surfaces. he can feel these from quite awhile ago

𖹭. wall-crawling: the ability to crawl walls.

𖹭. pheromone generation: the ability to physically produce pheromones.

𖹭. enhanced stealth: due to rishen’s spider, mantis and moth traits, he operates quietly and moves silently, moving along shadows and crowds extremely quietly and fitting in when he needs to.

𖹭. enhanced agility: an attribute he has from his mantis traits — rishen is extremely agile and flexible, able to bend and twist in many different ways to avoid attacks from the enemy. as such his combative technique is swift and like that of a mantis

𖹭. moth wings: at times, rishen may grow moth wings and have them for a while, before they eventually fade off and take a while to come back.

𖹭. mantis wings: these wings are extremely vulnerable and he does not wish for anyone to touch them, not even the people he trusts the most, as it could easily damage the wings.

𖹭. raptorial limbs: retractable claw-like extensions from his outer wrists and outer ankles that he can use in combat

𖹭. enhanced leap: able to leap quite lengthy distances

. ˚◞꒰weaknesses꒱

𖹭. senses: heightened senses can result in migraines and overstimulation, has to regularly take injectable stabilisers.

𖹭. increased metabolism: has to keep himself fed constantly or he will grow weak, faint or go into a hibernative state

𖹭. mania: biological temper that comes with being born with his aetheer powers rather than being bestowed them later on. can result in him having severe snapping episodes if he does not take stabilisers

𖹭. heart: has a rare heart condition that he was born with, subjecting him to heart attacks throughout his life. it is vital to keep him calm to avoid cardiac arrests.

𖹭. abandonment issues: has severe abandonment issues that can result in spurts of panic should they come about and he is not comforted

𖹭. temperature regulation: can’t handle extreme colds and extreme heats, especially if he does not take his stabilisers. will grow quite overwhelmed if not

𖹭. insecticides: while they might not kill him, they will make him feel extremely nauseous

𖹭. light: if his moth traits are more prominent, he can be attracted and distracted by light

𖹭. mantis wings: like mentioned previously, due to the vulnerability of these wings, one cut, shot or blunt force damage dealt to them, will cause him immense pain that can leave him almost immobilized at him.

𖹭. mandibles: when his mantis traits are more prominent and his mandible extend from his mouth, they can be quite painful for him and result in constant headaches

𖹭. cocoon: at times, during extreme periods of overwhelm, he might cocoon himself and stay in previously mentioned hibernative states for a long time — which is not healthy for him at all.

𖹭. acidic saliva: if his spider traits are more prominent, his glands release acidic saliva which certain parts of his mouth are not entirely immune to — thus putting him through a lot of pain

𖹭. moth antenna: while they can aid him in some instances, they can clash with his other senses and create disorientation. due to some of his moth abilities working in a cycle, they can pop up at inconvenient times ( effects are still applicable even when he is keeping them concealed )

. ˚◞꒰relationships꒱

𖹭. javier hererra: father

𖹭. rishima singhania (herrera): mother

𖹭. lucia hererra: younger sister

𖹭. gael herrera: uncle, different universe ( verse 9948e )

𖹭. neva ramona: auntie, different universe ( verse 9785n )

𖹭. lisse herrera: auntie, different universe ( verse 1311 )

𖹭. zhào talisen: best friend, boyfriend

𖹭. alessio arias: boyfriend

𖹭. shalika vaiysha: close friend

𖹭. shimada takara: close friend

𖹭. yuè yizé: close friend

𖹭. the artisan: enemy

𖹭. zhào hàoyú: bully, friend, different universe ( verse 9948e )

𖹭. zhào yizé: close friend, different universe ( verse 9948e )

𖹭. zhào haitāo: friend, different universe ( verse 9948e )

𖹭. yuè mèng yáo: motherly figure, different universe ( verse 9948e )

. ˚◞꒰story꒱

born to a family of superheroes, rishen has always been a special case. mysteriously born with the animal powers of an aetheer, emanating that the frightful combination of spider, moth and mantis attributes, the young boy was severely different from those around him and thus lead to a life quite different from his peers. that of which did not hinder his development in mind nor his curiosity, let alone his ambition to be just like the heroes around him.

with his selfless yet stubborn attitude, rishen sets on a journey of herohood despite his father’s ( and the rest of his fellow aetheer’s ) wishes. determined to prove them wrong about the supposed ‘curse’.

along with his boyfriends, alessio and talisen, he sets out to make the city elritea a better place. extending kindness where he should not at times, and putting his life on the line, in an effort to protect those around him. though, he forgets himself in his recklessness in sacrifice of protecting those he loves —

in the end, it should all be worth it, should it not? that’s what his mentor says,

it’s what his heart says.

. ˚◞꒰extra꒱

𖹭. he is a biochemistry and health sciences university student who takes literature as a minor ( he struggles with the latter )

𖹭. he is a medic at the order of aetheers

𖹭. speaks spanish ( latin american ), hindi and tamil

𖹭. if he grows too overwhelmed or anxious, his powers can weaken or disappear altogether

𖹭. he has a heart condition so it is vital to keep him calm

𖹭. has a huge sweet tooth

𖹭. he drives a motorbike and has said to be quite the show off once he’s on

𖹭. his fashion often flips around between red sweaters and turtlenecks to a more feminine fashion, he is unafraid to cross-dress