#it was a modern decision made by modern people. disgusting.

[redaynia]

ANOTHER COUNTRY: THE 1980s AND GAY CINEMA

by Alex Davidson

My Beautiful Laundrette, with its positive representation of a gay relationship, came at a radical time for LGBT rights in the UK and stands in the tradition of queer cinema flourishing in times of homophobic oppression. Victim (1961), Basil Dearden's drama about a lawyer (Dirk Bogarde) who realises his own homosexuality while investigating blackmail attempts against gay men, was made when homosexuality was still completely illegal in the UK. The sympathetic portrayal may have helped pave the way for a partial decriminalisation following the Sexual Offences act in 1967.

Gay Liberation flourished in the late 1970s and gay men on British cinema screens, who conventionally ended up miserable or dead by the end credits, started having fun. While Derek Jarman's Sebastiane (1967), an erotically charged take on the life and execution of St Sebastian, ended in tragedy, there was no doubting the film's gleeful celebration of gay sex. Nighthawks (1978) took British audiences into the gay clubs of Lindon and divided gay audiences, some of whom felt the main character -- sensitively played by Ken Robertson -- was an unappealing and downbeat figure. The film remains, however, an invaluable time capsule of 1970s gay nightlife. Television was more problematic, with TV schedules plagued by tired stereotypes typified by John Inman in Are You Being Served? (1973-1985) and Larry Grayson -- both, however, familiar, beloved faces on the small screen. The Naked Civil Servant (1975) was more provocative, with a Bafta-winning performance by John Hurt as the unashamedly flamboyant Quentin Crisp making a genuinely subversive statement.

With Margaret Thatcher's ascent to power in 1979 came a lurch to the right and a darkening of attitudes towards LGBT people in the 1980s. As the Aids epidemic spread, tabloids became bolder in their homophobia, with The Sun under the editorship of Kelvin MacKenzie calling Aids a 'gay plague'. Groups such as OutRage! and Act Up protested at the government's slow response to tackling the virus, noting how homophobia informed political decision-making. However, some progress was made. During the 1970s, Labour MP Maureen Colquhoun had been deselected after being as outed as gay by the press, and when Peter Tatchell stood as a Labour candidate for Bermondsey in 1983 he face a notoriously homophobic campaign from his Liberal opponents (the seat was won by the Liberals' Simon Hughes, who later came out as bisexual). Yet in 1984, Labour MP Chris Smith was the first minister to come out while in office. More LGBT people became politically active, such as Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), who inspired the award-winning film Pride (2014).

The most famous instance of the Thatcher administration's homophobic policy-making arrived in 1988, when Section 28 of the Local Government Act was passed. This legislation banned local authorities from publishing 'material with the intention of promoting homosexuality' as well as 'the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.' The law directly affected The Two of Us (1988), a mild BBC drama about two gay boys who must decide whether to leave their homophobic home town or stay and resort to conformity. The original had the boys continue their relationship but the broadcast version was changed: one headed back to heterosexuality, while the other is left alone. British filmmakers were quick to react to the wave of hostility that dominated the decade. Derek Jarman made unashamedly celebratory films about gay male lives in The Angelic Conversation (1985) -- a queer reading of Shakespeare sonnets addressed to a young man -- and Caravaggio (1986), a queered portrait of the renaissance painter. His 1989 experimental film The Last of England (1989) is a dark, poetic vision of a country in crisis and one of his most explicitly anti-Thatcherite films.

Production company Merchant Ivory has a (misleading) reputation for safe period dramas but its adaptation of EM Forster's Maurice (1987) was daring -- not because it was politically confrontational but because it had that rarest thing in 1980s gay cinema: a happy ending for its lovers. A further key British feature of the era is Another Country (1984), based on the early life of Cambridge spy Guy Burgess and starring Rupert Everett as a gay public schoolboy disgusted by his repressive environment. In both Maurice and Another Country, the protagnists are rich, white and male -- acceptable traits for audiences who had already embraced homoeroticism in the BBC's 1981 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. All three works were comfortably set in the past, as was Stephen Frears' follow-up to My Beautiful Laundrette, his admirably bawdy Joe Orton biopic Prick Up Your Ears (1987). This fondness for telling gay stories through the distancing lens of period drama makes the contemporary love story of My Beautiful Laundrette all the more urgent.

Gay British films with interracial relationships were scant. A heavy hint of homosexual attraction followed the titular black and white characters in Two Gentlemen Sharing (1969), while the silly but lovable Girl Stroke Boy (1971) gave audiences a couple, played by Clive Francis and Peter Straker, where the gender of one half of the relation was supposedly ambiguous, but gay love stories featuring black and Asian characters appeared less frequently in the early 1980s. The political significance of an interracial gay relationship in a London blighted by the National Front adds fire to My Beautiful Laundrette and, despite the mildness of the scenes of passion, the film sparked controversy; when it was shown in New York, the Pakistan Action Committee demonstrated against it as 'the product of a vile and perverted mind'. Kureishi explored race and homosexuality again in his TV adaptation of his own novel The Buddha of Suburbia (1993) and interracial love informed some of the most interesting queer stories of the 1990s, in Isaac Julien's Young Soul Rebels (1991) and Neil Jordan's The Crying Game (1992).

While Queer as Folk (1999) may be the most famous LGBT British TV series of past years, a handful of gay non-fiction series from the 1980s paved the way for its success. Gay Life (1980-1981) explored queerness in various contexts, while the delightfully right-on Six of Hearts (1986) offered docudrama profiles of gay men and women, most notable Andy the Furniture Maker, an unlikely star of the art underworld. Channel 4's magazine show Out on Tuesday (1989) gave voices to marginalised queer people -- a highlight was Khush (1991), which celebrated South Asian lesbians and gay men living in Britain, North America and India, and was directed by Pratibha Parmar.

Plenty of documentaries about lesbian lives were made in the 1980s but British fiction films about gay women were few. A rare example is Mai Zetterling's Scrubbers (1982), set in a female borstal, while towards the end of the Thatcher era Oranges are Not the Only Fruit (1990), based on Jeanette Winterson's novel, was a huge hit. More elusive still in 1980s British cinema are depictions of trans lives. While the US has led in interesting depictions of trans people, gentle sitcom Boy Meets Girl (2015-2016) is a rare example of a British take on a transgender protagonist. Throughout British cinema and TV history, lesbian and trans viewers have had to be content with one-off episodes of TV anthology series or supporting roles in heterosexual-focused stories.

The activism of the 1980s, supported by British filmmakers, paved the way for the repeal of Section 28 in 2003 and the passing of the Civil Partnership Act a year later. Same-sex marriage followed in 2013 but writing today the situation for LGBT people is murkier. Following the referendum on Britain's EU membership in 2016, the most divisive recent political event, homophobic attacks rose by 147 per cent, while the 2017 general election resulted in the sitting government opting to rely on an openly homophobic party to achieve a Parliamentary majority and remain in power. At the time of this release, how an uncertain political climate will affect LGBT people remains to be seen but, with equipment and online platforms widely accessible, filmmakers have more opportunity than ever to confront homophobia through their art.

Alex Davidson is the film programmer at JW3 and a former curator at the BFI National Archive. He regularly writes for Sight & Sound and the BFI website. His specialty is LGBT cinema and television.

Article sourced from the booklet included in the BFI's dual format edition of My Beautiful Laundrette (2017).

[steves-strapcollection]

here i have found some peace of mind [WIP snippet]

So bc I'm waiting until I have more of the fic actually COMPLETED before I start posting, I'm gonna... keep sharing snippets that I rly like and am really excited for y'all to see. a lot of these scenes will likely change and get longer, and some scenes i share might get axed, who knows? ANYWAY here's some Eddie POV from my modern rockstar!Eddie/housing coordinator!Steve AU!!!

“Dude, is that Chrissy’s phone?”

Eddie jumped and looked up at Jeff with wide eyes. Jeff was standing in the doorway of the “bedroom” of the tour bus. For a moment, Eddie was struck with the idea to eat the phone to hide it which he put a stop to immediately.

“Maybe,” Eddie said elusively, rolling so he was laying more on his side rather than on his stomach.

“You know she’s literally about to have an aneurysm out there trying to find that, right?” Jeff asked with a snort before he climbed up into his bunk across the small hall between bunks.

“At this point, if she hasn’t figured out that I have her phone one hundred percent of the time she can’t find it, that's on her,” Eddie said haughtily, going back to the game of Sudoku he was struggling with before Steve called.

“Maybe you should stop losing your phones, yeah?” Jeff suggested tiredly, throwing his arm over his eyes.

Eddie pouted at the puzzle. “I didn’t lose my phone,” he grumbled, and Jeff snorted.

“Okay, fine, maybe you should stop completely destroying your phones, plural,” he said, and Eddie felt his ears heat up.

It wasn’t his fault that they made phones more and more fragile while also making them too big to fit in his pockets. It’s also not his fault that he was prone to jumping up onto surfaces he shouldn’t be climbing around on and horsing around. He had a diagnosis for that and a prescription and everything, he was honestly doing his best.

Maybe goofing off on the half-wall overlooking the Grand Canyon while wearing his tightest pair of jeans with the least effective pockets last week wasn’t the best decision, but it wasn’t his fault.

The time before that, he was just trying to get a signal while they drove through the boonies. It wasn’t his fault that the bus driver hit a pothole the second Eddie held his phone close to the open window. It truly actually wasn’t.

And before that, he actually just lost his phone. Eddie was positive he had it in his bag, and then when they got to the next venue, it wasn’t there. That happens to the best of people all the time, right?

According to his band mates, no, that didn’t happen to people all the time, but he was pretty sure they were all just conspiring to make him look like a weirdo.

“Whatever, the point is Chrissy knows I always have her phone when she can’t find it. Her freaking out is just silly,” Eddie said with a sniff, glaring down at the Sudoku puzzle he was making zero progress with.

“Edward Munson!”

Jeff peered over the edge of his bunk to smirk at Eddie’s wide-eyed stare. “Uh oh,” he teased as Chrissy stormed into the room.

“You!” she practically shrieked, pointing at him as he shoved the phone between his body and the mattress as if she hadn’t already seen it in his hands.

“What?” he asked innocently, and he screamed as she dove into his bunk to wrestle the phone out from under him.

They tussled for a while, Chrissy yelling all sorts of expletives at him that were honestly still a shock coming from her sweet face. She was also a dirty fighter.

“Ow, shit! Did you just bite me?” Eddie hissed, grabbing Chrissy’s whole face and pushing her away as he looked at the distinctly teeth-shaped indents on his arm. They were deep, just barely not breaking skin and would definitely bruise.

Then Chrissy licked his palm like an animal, and he recoiled enough that he rolled off of her phone.

“What the fuck, Cunningham, that’s disgusting,” Eddie said with a glower, wiping his hand off on his shirt as Chrissy checked for new messages. When she didn’t respond, he added suggestively, “you have no idea where my hand has been.”

“I’ve had worse than whatever you’ve got going on in my mouth,” Chrissy muttered. 

Eddie grimaced. “Now I’m thinking about Jason’s dick, thanks for that, Chris,” he groaned, and Chrissy just snorted.

“I was actually talking about that pizza we were subjected to by the venue last week, but okay, bring my ex’s dick into this,” Chrissy said before smacking Eddie’s chest.

“Ow, my nipples,” Eddie pouted, and she just smacked him again, trying not to laugh.

“Stop stealing my phone!” Chrissy bit out through her teeth, trying to intimidate but honestly channeling the energy of a chihuahua puppy.

“I didn’t steal it! I was just using it! Secretly! While you were looking for it!” Eddie said, barely containing his laugh.

“You’re an asshole, you know that? We’re getting you a new phone as soon as we have time,” Chrissy huffed, tossing her phone back onto Eddie’s bed, which he immediately snatched it back up. “Don’t hide it from me.”

“Did you fucking delete all the answers I figured out on this stupid puzzle?” Eddie gasped, looking at Chrissy with wide eyes.

“Maybe I did,” she said huffily, puffing up her chest as she crossed her arms.

“You monster,” Eddie wailed, flopping back and laying the back of his hand over his forehead dramatically.

“Well, maybe you’ll think before you destroy your next phone, huh?” Chrissy said, reaching over to quickly and viciously pinch one of Eddie’s nipples through his shirt. As Eddie yelled, she quickly dove off the bunk with a shrieking giggle and fled the room.

For a moment Eddie tried to chase her, but with all the wrestling they had managed to get his blankets tangled around his legs. Did Eddie only stop trying to chase Chrissy when he ended up in an undignified heap on the floor of the bus? Perhaps, but only Jeff and him would know that for sure.

“You good, Eddie?”

When Eddie looked up to see Jeff’s phone out and clearly recording if the way he was stifling his laughter was anything to go by, Eddie groaned and dropped his forehead to the floor with a loud thump. Of course, Jeff would be recording this whole mess, just like Gareth had recorded the exact moment he realized his phone had fallen into a literal canyon last week. Naturally, all these moments would be edited together for their next “tour diary” on their YouTube channel.

And yes, the incident with Eddie’s phone falling out the window of the moving bus was also caught on video, and the fans had lost it. So yeah, now their tour diaries included an entire section dubbed “Cringefail Eddie” and it was all good fun.

Crawling back into his bunk, Eddie picked up Chrissy’s phone and started the Sudoku puzzle over again with a bright smile on his face. Yeah, stardom was kind of lonely, but he still had his best friends along for the ride with him.

Please consider reblogging if u like it!! And let me know if u want to be added to the taglist for when it goes live. If u wanna be tagged in WIP snippets too!! TAGLIST (of the ppl who seem to like to read my writing even if it's not finished yet pls just let me know if u don't wanna be tagged in all my snippets)!! @patchworkgargoyle, @scarcrossdlvrs, @indigohightide, @steddieas-shegoes, @indigohightide, @amerikanskaya-krassavitsa, @mylilplanet, @afewproblems

[genshrineimpact]

◇ characters ◇ zhongli, xiao, itto

◇ tags ◇ comfort, modern!au, not lovers, dub-con (-ish?) setting (not with the character)

◇ a/n ◇ fully self-indulgent definitely not bc i'm trying to cope haha no. remember to set your boundaries and be firm about giving consent out there, yall. also changing my format a bit bc this looks prettier don't mind me

'i want to be loved'

like many others, you try so hard to find the one - maybe a little too hard sometimes. you push down your fear of strangers and put up a smile upon meeting new people, register on all the dating apps you could get your hands on, and make an effort to keep in touch with others.

and yet failure seems hellbent on following you everywhere.

today is such a day. after pushing yourself to meet someone you just met on an obscure app, you return back home with disappointment and a heavy weight in your chest.

you can still feel their hands around you, far too close to your liking and on the areas that are bordering scandalous. though you've tried to set some boundaries, hand holdings turned into hugs (you can feel something press against your crotch but you shoved the thought into the back of your mind - it's just your imagination, right?), hugs turned into cuddling (you tried - really tried to fulfill his request to straddle him, but you just couldn't), and staring into each other's eyes (and the whole time your brain kept repeating how wrong and uncomfortable this felt, so you finally relented and pulled away).

somehow disgusted with yourself, you decided to step into the shower and stayed there for a whole thirty minutes, before finally heading off to your best friend's house, intent on venting about the disastrous date to hopefully get it off your mind.

zhongli lets you catch your breath after getting everything off your chest before serving the tea into your cup and his. with a practiced motion, he takes an elegant sip from the delicate glassware, prompting you to follow his motion. you inhale across the steaming cup, savoring the aroma before taking a small sip of the hot liquid, letting the taste spread across your tastebuds. it goes down smoothly and you give your friend across the table a thankful smile, upon realizing that he had served you one of your favorites.

"i do not agree with this person's courting methods either. such… intimate touches should preferably occur between lovers, in my opinion. i'm sorry that happened to you - but please know that it isn't your fault that the date went south."

"mmm," you lean back on your seat and sigh, "… you know, maybe i should just give up. meeting all these new people just sucks all of my energy and in the end, it's just going nowhere."

"if that is truly what you need at the moment, then i will fully support your decision."

there's a twinkle in zhongli's amber eyes, and you thought you had imagined it, but the next few words coming off his lips felt as if a meteor had just crashed on earth right in front of your eyes.

"forgive me for being pretentious, however - if you are open for just one more date, i would be more than delighted to show you how you deserve to be courted."

"what's he look like? i'm gonna give him a good punch for-"

"no, no, no one is punching anyone!" you laughed, "it just didn't work out. i tried to push my boundaries and it made me uncomfortable, so it's not anyone's fault…. well, maybe it's my fault."

"what, no! no no no no," itto looked downright scandalized, "listen, yeah? you tried something new and didn't like it, that's normal!"

"yeah… i guess……. thanks, itto. talking about it really helps," with a groan, you slump onto the surprisingly plush sofa of his abode, tucking your legs into yourself, "i think i should take a break from all these… dating stuff."

"y-you think? i mean yeah, totally, you should!!" you're unprepared for the sudden burst of excitement that itto is suddenly displaying, but the way his eyes are literally sparkling coupled with that bright grin makes you smile in tow, "so does this mean you're free this weekend?!"

"oh. yeah, i guess so."

just as the words leave your lips, you're hauled up into the air momentarily by your friend's strong arms before being enveloped into a bear-crushing hug, itto's happy voice ringing right by your ears, "aww yeah!! let's go visit that ramen stall nearby? we haven't gone there in sooo long!!"

you can't help but compare the hug you're currently in versus the one you were given this afternoon. they're both far too tight, teetering the point of suffocation, really, and yet…

… huh. for some reason, hugging itto didn't feel wrong….

"that's a stupid behavior on your part," xiao's voice is cold, and it's like he's doused you with ice-cold water, "what would you've done if he hadn't bothered to ask before putting his hands on you? you met with this guy just yesterday on the app, agreed to have him drive you to a secluded place you don't know, and you just let him-"

"i know i'm stupid! it's just-" you sigh, wrapping your arms around you and wilting under the cold glare, "-i just thought i'd be okay with it. o-or get comfortable enough to do it after some time…. i dunno…"

"…. you want to have a boyfriend that badly?"

you restrain the urge to nod feverishly and blurt out 'yes, and preferably you', and decide to settle with a meek 'yeah' instead.

"hmph. how stupid."

shoulders slumped, you mumble dissatisfactions under your breath, completely missing the way xiao gazing at you with a certain tenderness in his eyes.

"maybe you should look harder then."

"i am looking! you know i've been going to countless dates these past months!"

"i meant to say," he looked away pointedly, "you should look closer, or something."

thank archons for his hoodie and long side bangs - otherwise, you would've seen his completely red ears.

© genshrineimpact | 2022 ◆ no repost. reblogs much appreciated - it's the least you could do as a reader on tumblr. remember, likes do nothing on this website! feel free to reach out to submit suggestions, feedback, comments, or if you just want to talk!

[creme-meme]

people talking about how Miguel’s world looks too clean and polished and it doesn’t look dystopian at all so okay just listen to me, this

with the fucking Hyundai brand placement in the background alone is dystopian for the modern viewer

but more to the point, dystopian doesn’t mean something has to look grimy and disgusting, and since this entire movie has no throw away lines I’m compelled to find meaning in every artistic decision, so to me this world looks like a solar punk utopia on the surface but is probably fucking miserable to live in

a lot of it is uniform, the buildings barely have any colour, even their designs feel sterile, and so much of the open space is taken up by motorways instead of something functional/ enriching

when you compare it to Miles’ world, like take his portrait of uncle Aaron graffiti that’s on a brick wall

nothing in Miguel’s universe is made out of anything other than concrete, and then the cityscape of Miles’ Brooklyn

look at all the colours, and look at how close all the buildings are and how many people live there, how busy this city is, how much stuff happens there, how much variety and diversity exists there, and you can even make out a little patch of green on the bottom left, a sports court of some kind

the small piece of Miguel’s world doesn’t even look like all that many people live there, the buildings are so far away from each other - what happened? is this just the “best” face of his New York? is there an underbelly? (of course there is)

what little we see of New York on Earth-928 looks like a fucking airport, it looks like a spread from a nightmarish minimalist magazine you find on rich people’s coffee tables

so when people say that Miguel’s world doesn’t look dystopian, I just-

[distort-opia]

Hi!

I love your meta posts and I was curious about your opinions on the killing joke’s adaptions, I’m talking mainly about the movie and the novel.

Something that really bugs me is the way the story is considered, rightfully, misogynistic in its treatment of Barbara but every sigle time someone tries to “fix” it they are only capable of making it even worse.

I read the novel version recently and it was so bad 😭 not only they added an incel type character that Joker recruits (he straight up says “nice guys like us”, which is just cringe but at least he was being manipulative here) and made him witness Barbara’s torture (btw she forgives him at the end of the story…), they also strongly implied that she was raped and generally made the whole thing even more humiliating by setting up a camera that live shared a video of her, while naked and bleeding to death, all over Gotham ( coupled with disgusting comments on how the footage looks at first like a porn). These exemples are just the tip of the iceberg! The book is filled with sexualised female characters, sexist remarks and the decision to add Harley just to paint her as a dumb horny woman surrounded by incompetent people that ignore the fact that she is clearly having sex with her patient.

At the end, the authors have the nerve to dedicate the novel to women…

I feel like this is the same thing that happened with modern versions of Jarley, they just write Joker more and more abusive and Harley without any kind of agency (ex. the new origin story with the bleached skin…ugh) to make her story more feminist. At this point It’s not even funny to read a comic that feature both of them :(

Sorry for sending you such a negative ask 🥲

To conclude on a more positive note, I love your fics and I can’t wait to read more! 💞

To be honest I don't have much to add, I entirely agree! You've written great commentary. I also did not even read the novel adaptation of TKJ precisely for the reasons you outlined; I was told how shitty it was. But fucking hell, I did not know the full extent of it. As you said, they keep trying to "fix" Barbara's treatment in TKJ but they just keep making it so much worse... And a similar thing is happening with Harley, because DC wants her to be a hero now-- so her previously darker traits must be either erased or completely attributed to Joker's Evil, Abusive influence. It's indeed pretty infuriating, both for Harley fans and Joker fans.

(And thank you, glad you like my writing!)

[possamble]

Question to a fanfic writer: do you think that, in Marcille’s research ways *And* her love for romance novels… would result in her writing some in-universe fanfics of her own? Like, maybe she hypes herself up on something and get disappointed, or maybe she finds some character decision isn’t as ideal as she thinks it could be? Or it’s as simple as she wants to play around with the characters and see what happens?

I can’t help but imagine a scenario where she’s struggling with some romantic trouble irl and she’s struggling with deciding on what to do, but then the answer slaps itself upside her head when she rediscovers her fanfics and how she LITERALLY made a character or two do the exact romantic decision she needs to do? It would so silly but yet I can’t help but find it so charming. Hell, just the imagery of her writing romance fanfics of her own At All is just… delightful to me hehehe.

you know I've been rotating this in my head since I saw it this morning and. I went through a wild journey of opinions before I realized... Marcille wouldn't think about fanfiction like we think about it. In the modern age, yeah, she'd be a complete tumblrina -- but we're talking about a 17th century-ish fantasy setting.

Writing before the digital age was a physical commitment to investing ink and paper into your thoughts -- and this is even before mass production can make pens and notebooks kind of whatever to buy and use on a regular basis. I'm sure the situation wasn't dire, but I really can't see Marcille, perfect honor student, using her allotted supply of stationery at the academy on super frivolous things.

Fanfiction has been normalized incredibly fast in the past few decades. Think about now normal and popular D&D is nowadays compared to how much people looked down on it 20-30 years ago. Fanfiction was a freakass nerd thing to do until relatively recent history, something that was even considered offensive to the original creators.

Remember, we've already seen Marcille react to adaptations with disgust. She's kind of a hater and an elitist fan. She also considers herself a Reputable Academic. In a setting where a digitized culture hasn't reframed fanfiction as an act of appreciation and creativity, she would absoluuuuuuuutely think that fanfiction was complete loser shit.

If she did write anything about her favourite books... She'd. She'd be one of those assholes who writes huge scathing reviews of Dal Clan translations into Common. She'd be the fantasy equivalent of those Weebs/Japanese elitists on twitter tearing through every single localization choice in anime and JRPGs and being so so annoying about it.

If we're being charitable, we could say she'd be able to appreciate non-faithful translation choices that still do a good job of carrying over the original spirit of what was said. But I think we also have to acknowledge the possibility that, at her worst, she'd really really be like those guys who were malding about the Unicorn Overlord localizations so hard the (correction: Final Fantasy Tactics Creator, not the Unicorn Overlord devs) had to step forward and ratio them. (The silver lining is that she'd never get published in the arts review newspapers/journals that she submits her essays to. those poor editors just have to deal with her being persistent.)

[margridarnauds]

Hi,

So I finished the novel Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Freemantle and am now extremely angry need to decompress and filter out her garbage I'm shocked that Penguin House published this book and that it is getting made into a movie. To portray young Princess Elizabeth as willingly seeking Seymour out and seducing him is vile. Parr's bitchy handmaid Dot finds them in bed together. What on Earth? No evidence for that. Then Catherine Parr gets angry, blames Elizabeth and they don't reconcile after she leaves. Heartbreaking. Plus, the portrayal of Catherine Parr is horrid there is no evidence she or her stepdaughter Meg were raped during the Pilgrimage of Grace, a devout woman like Catherine wouldn't be contemplating killing either of her husbands, or rejoicing in the prospect of being damned to hell as she puts it after Henry VIII dies. (Maybe with Henry she would think about it but not actually go through with it). I got the impression that this author had an anti-Christian as well as anti-Elizabeth attitude. Tried Sisters of Treason another book of hers but it was also bad. I want to send her an angry letter now calling out her disgusting portrayal of young Elizabeth. Did you send in a review or a note to the author after you read it?

Don't forget Dot's final monologue about Why Elizabeth Is Such A Bitch -- It's Almost Understandable That She's Such a Bitch-Slut.

It's common with historical fiction, really, to not understand the way that religion historically worked. It's very easy to put our feelings on religion, whatever they might be, onto historical figures in an attempt to make them More Like Us, but the simple reality is that they were living in a totally different cultural context. Characters are either religious fanatics so extreme that they make Frollo think "Hm, maybe they're overdoing it a tiny bit", they're Secretly Atheists, or religion just doesn't cross their mind ever (unless, in Tudor media, it's to establish them as a Cool Modern Protestant.)

As for what I did...honestly, put the book aside and thought about every single decision in my life that had led to me both reading and finishing it. As you can see by the fact that I still remember it in vivid detail, it holds a special place in my Hall of Shame. (And it isn't even batshit insane enough to be FUNNY, unfortunately.)

But, my piece of totally unsolicited advice that you are perfectly free to discard at your earliest convenience? ...when you do medieval Irish stuff. Or medieval Celtic stuff in general. You will NEVER see your field faithfully or even sensitively portrayed on page. Every single depiction you get will be based on old stereotypes, colonialist tropes, and outdated information. I've read things about my faves, in particular, that would make most people's hair stand up on end. Things that are truly, deeply vile, that are on par with the depiction of Elizabeth here, or even worse. And it is easy to be angry, it's understandable to be angry, and God knows that my friends have heard me ranting in the DMs. And when I was younger, I was, regularly. And then I got exhausted, because anger is exhausting, especially when it's you and your anger versus a tidal wave of misinformation. I didn't stop getting angry, no. But I started to use it as a tool, not as an explosive -- I let it fuel me, I used it for my scholarship, putting all these different pieces of pop culture about my field in conversation with one another and noting common trends, as well as making comparisons to trends in other areas to figure out what, in our contemporary cultural landscape, is causing us, as a general group, at this point in time, to portray these things in a certain way, as well as how we have portrayed them over time. I have built my career, at least in part, on defending the undefendable, on studying the ink blotches of historiography to see where the historical or literary records meet the popular image, specifically looking at figures who are frequently portrayed as villainous and monstrous. I don't deal in happy endings, I can't when I step in after their final death scenes, after the point where even the possibility of their deaths meaning *something* is gone, because they don't even get the satisfaction of being well remembered. I never expect to see my faves well portrayed -- sometimes, I'm surprised, but it is truly, deeply, RARE.

You send a note to an author, no matter how well-intentioned, and it's easy to write off. The author submitted that work for publication, it's done. They're still getting royalties off of them, whatever that means in the current hellacious publishing landscape, in this case, she even has a movie. They might care, but honestly? They probably won't. They can dismiss you as a crazed, unhinged fan, regardless of how much thought and effort you've put into the critique. You've wasted all that high quality, undiluted anger for something that won't have any tangible effect. My advice, instead? Feel your anger, let the hate flow through you, especially when it reflects biases like sexism, racism, and homophobia, sharpen it, and then use it -- it doesn't have to be in conference presentations or journal articles or any of the trappings of academia, but use it.

Write reviews, absolutely, put it into conversations with other pieces of Tudor and Elizabethan fiction, especially about young Elizabeth (Hell, compare it to, say, Elizabeth R, Becoming Elizabeth, Young Bess, or Lady Bess (Toho 2014/2018), just for examples of the young Elizabeth's life off the top of my head that dramatize the life of Elizabeth), see what other people have said, in journal articles, sure, but also in blog articles or GoodReads reviews online, without necessarily even talking to them, but just to get a survey of what they think and why they think it, and see what you can do. Why do we want to portray Elizabeth this way? Is it a desire to "knock her off her throne?" Portray her as a nymphomaniac bitch slut to contrast with the "Gloriana" image? Is it that we're uncomfortable with the topic of CSA? Or we don't like to think of it as something that historically occurred? (Especially when you compare it to the ongoing bimboification of Katherine Howard, even in allegedly sympathetic biographies.) Is it that we still don't want to believe that it could have happened? That we're willing to give more sympathy to a man than to a child? Some combination of all of them? And are we seeing progressively more nuanced portrayals, or are we seeing more of the same across the board? (I feel like Seymour, at least, has gone from being a romantic hero in Young Bess to being portrayed as genuinely manipulative, even if the execution is still lacking.) On the reverse side, are people more willing to defend, say, Elizabeth I and Catherine Howard than other historical women, specifically because of what they represent and because of their high profile status? Is there a double-edged sword here? Let your anger fuel you.

[sadsongsandwaltzes]

Healthy living is a noble pursuit, and one we should be pursuing. Especially as Christians, as we understand that we ought to be good stewards and caretakers of what God has given us — which includes our bodies and the earth.

The problem with a certain brand of Instagram Crunchy Folk is that they forget a couple things

Hyper focusing on any one aspect of a healthy lifestyle will actually create an obsessive and unhealthy lifestyle. Hyper focus on diet or zero waste or fitness or whatever creates, well *vague gestures at Instagram wellness pages*

Risk assessment is allowed! You can know the risks of doing something and decide the risk may be worth it. We do this with everything in life: health is no exception. If you’re well informed about the American diet and consumption, generally try to eat healthy, but decide take out from Taco Bell on a Friday with a friend is an okay exception to your diet then that’s okay! !! My focus is more informed decision making rather than actually controlling the decision making of others. You can eat the cleanest diet in the world, but sometimes you just need that comfort food.

We can only do what we can with the information and resources available to us. This includes money, time, local market, and land available to us. Most people don’t have the money to over haul their kitchen and cleaning products over night. Most people can’t only buy Crunchi make up at $50 a bottle. Most people don’t have land or time to grow all their own food, and most grocery stores don’t carry the healthiest food. We can only do what we can with what we have. Thats the simple fact of life.

“Natural living” does not exclude nature or sacrifice supplementary support when needed. A lot of “natural living” folks idea of nature is taking a brisk walk in your suburban park. If you tell them to go camping or work with livestock they become disgusted because “toxins.” That’s not healthy. Part of living natural means actually being with nature. And nature can heal most of our societal, physical, and mental ailments. So this matters. HOWEVER, on the flip side, we live in a fallen, broken world. Sometimes things happen that we can’t control, no matter how healthy we eat or how sustainable we try to live. The response to the abuses of modern medicine isn’t to ditch modern medicine altogether: it’s to inform ourselves and use it only as we need it. And sometimes we do need it. And it is a gift from God what we can heal now.

Complete self sufficiency is not the goal. That’s a little jarring to conservative ears. But the individual is not the basis for society — the family is. Community is. The church is. We were made for fellowship. We need each other. It’s good to learn skills and employ them — to serve both yourself and your neighbor. No one person can do absolutely everything alone. So don’t expect to. If goal is complete self sufficiency, you’re always going to be overwhelmed at how short you fall, if you’re being honest with yourself. Try to learn some useful skills that you take well to and build a community of likeminded folk.

We should encourage people to live and pursue a healthier lifestyle. It matters. Don’t let the crazies make you disregard truth (uhhhh most modern food really is toxic, guys) but don’t let it overwhelm you or think you have to be perfect. Health is not a competition. It’s a mindset and a continual pursuit. Make the better decisions when you can. Make do when you can’t. And don’t let this conversation cause either Fear nor Apathy in you (which seems to be the two ends of the spectrum).

[kajaono]

Why are you so obsessed with making Sophie trans or Benedict bi? And please do not say representation as your reason. The show already has Brimsley (much beloved) and Granville.

It is clear within their world that you could be put to death for it. That’s why Granville had to hide his sexual identity while being in a lavender marriage or Brimsley and Reynolds kept it behind close doors in the palace. Benedict is the kind of person who will shout his love so loud for the people in the back to hear. He won’t be able to do that without facing some sort of legal consequences.

It is more than likely Sophie is a WOC than making him bi. And if that’s the decision the show creators are going with, you should at least respect that instead of calling everyone who disagrees with you as bigots and homophobes.

Hey nonny,

Thank you for this really interesting ask. I try to answer it step by step.

First at all, it was the Bridgerton marketing team who put the idea of bi Benedict in my head in the first place. Remember the very first trailer, that framed it in a way that Benedict has sex with a dude? I saw that and said: „wow, amazing! A show set in regency times with poc and queer main hero’s?! I HAVE to watch that!“ and then it was a side character and not Benedict. Then all my hopes were on season 2, but this time: nothing! Not even queer side characters.

I was so disappointed. Because this idea of bi Benedict already lived - at this point - rent free in my head.

My first idea: gender swap Sophie. I still love the idea but as a next step I started wondering how they can make Benedict and Sophie fall in love without gender swap Sophie, but still give it a queer sub-tone. My idea: trans Sophie.

I love the idea because Benedict falling in love with a servant/bastard is… yes nice. This would also mean his social death back then btw. Giving this a modern twist… Using the opportunity to discuss modern problems… hello, that’s so awesome!

Further: Brimsleys story was awesome but I am tierd of sad historical gay love stories. I want gay love stories with a Happy End. Featured in a major Netflix show, aimed at straight people! you know how awesome that be? Yes, I will use the forbidden word: „representation“.

Also it is fiction: the explanation why Benedict was able to marry Sophie eventually (in the book) was bad, come on. The whole book was a disaster and I love Benedict!

It is fiction. They have a black queen, and a black Duke, which was possible because „love fixed it all“. If they can find an in universe explanation why all skin colors are represented without discrimination I am sure they can find an explanation why queer love can have a Happy End as well.

Also why does it has to be addressed that Sophie is trans? Just let her be played by a trans actress, a trans actress in a cis role? We love that!

You probably don’t know but the second thing I am petitioning for is making Sophie Asian (because I am not dumb. I know how highly unlikely it is that we will get trans Sophie) but the thought of a blond, white, cis Sophie… yawn! How boring! Aschenputtel 2.0.

If they decide to make Sophie a WOC I will absolutely respect that! And I really think it is not unlikely, because season 3 has an all white main cast. But so far no decision has been made, no Sophie is casted (as far as we know), Benedict is straight… and as long Sophie isn’t casted I can have every head canon I want to.

I don’t Call everyone a homophobe who is against bi Benedict or trans Sophie… just those people who have no further arguments against it then: „Ewwwwwww! Gay people! Disgusting!“

Give me a valid argument and I am all ears.

Thanks for the attention, I hope I answered it.

[wellfell]

 whenever karube daikichi gets drunk , akina thinks she should simply stop drinking for the night . not because he makes a fine example of how badly drunk people make decisions and start fights out of nowhere , but because they both remember what happened the last time they both drank a few too many shots of tequila . police sirens and a dark room in an outlaw friend's house — messy clothes on the floor , an empty bed in the morning . akina thinks karube often does her a favor when he leaves so early in the morning when they've made it clear that emi wasn't wrong in her accusations .

 & they're not back there , are they ? and what they drink isn't expired because shota told them . kuina was the one who drank alongside the chronic drunks , karube and akina , as if to accompany them .

 but they've disappeared into the mall again . ghost stores that sell nothing useful anymore , with no one to tell them not to step on the grass . the grass that's grown in the heart of the mall they were hiding from the king of spades . and while she giggles at his determination , while her eyelids fall upon feeling his warm breath on her black locks , akina thinks they'd be the funniest couple the spades king has killed if he was to find them . her smaller hands grip onto his shirt , keep him close while they sway to the rhythm of a song that doesn't exist . there were some pigeons that flapped their wings from time to time , and sometimes she could hear a crow scream outside as the sun set . arisu told them they could spend the night here , kuina went to look at the car gallery with tata and akina made bets with arisu that she could definitely find some alcohol in this place . [ @mythvoiced ]

 nature invaded the modern world , it's almost poetic . she lets her pale arms snake around his thin neck , as she gazes up at him with a tilted head . any woman who's with a younger man had probably done it by accident , they don't usually go out seeking ones like karube if they're her age . five / four years is a lot — but karube has some kind of tragic maturity to his boyish confusion . had seen the disgusting side of the world at such a tender age , and nothing could surprise him anymore . that has drawn akina in , she keeps telling herself he makes up for his young age by being mature but she also knows he has every right to act his age when he refuses to . ❛ hmm . . . mmm no . what if he walks in on us ? the spades guy . i wonder if he ever had a girlfriend . ❜  a foolish thought to wander about , she lets her mouth tug in a crooked grin as she lets her upper half fall forward toward him . almost hanging from around his neck , even if the action makes the wound on her arm throb in warning . ❛ daikichiii . . . carry me back to arisu and usagi . i don't want to walk . ❜

  📝   ─  *

[thetantiger]

Character Insight #6: Ashley

Full Name: Ashley Cindra Scorchmane Gender: Female (she/her) Race: Worgen Class: Mage Specialization: Fire Orientation: Straight (ally!) Relatives: No Known Relatives Age: 39 Height: 6'11 (5'7 Human form) Voice reference: Loona - Helluva Boss Theme: Choke - I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

[BACKSTORY] (TWs for implied queerphobia and racism happening in this character's backstory)

Ashley grew up in Tirisfal Glades surrounded by the Scarlet Crusade. As a toddler, her parents were slain by rogue undead, and thus the organization took her in. Their goal with her was to raise her to be an Inquisitor of the Crusade, and so they assigned her to one Samuel Price in order to teach her their arts of interrogation. However, their methods were.. less than humane, with Inquisitor Price teaching Ashley to set alight the flesh of any the Crusade had deemed heretics until they either gave in to their ideals or died of the torture. If she protested or questioned him, she was often abused herself, and as a result, Ashley's outlook on any that disagreed with the teachings of the Crusade turned sinister quickly. She was indoctrinated to believe that those that opposed the Crusade or any of its teachings were not to be trusted, and sometimes that spread to some people's mere existences as their race or sexuality or gender orientation. After all, she was taught that they were heretics, and any accused of such that the Crusade would bring to her, once she had taken up the role of Inquisitor and grown into her own, would burn before her magic.

Except.. something went wrong. In her own perfect world of delusion existed the outside world of Tirisfal, full of monsters and harsh realities she would soon face. A wild, feral Worgen found her in the woods and sank its teeth into her. Before she could even begin to wonder how to stop the bleeding her mind and body were taken over by the Worgen curse. Her mentor, Inquisitor Price, took enough mercy on her to administer the cure to her so she could be of sound mind again. However, he also outcast her from the Crusade, and swore she would be killed on sight if she were to ever return simply for her state as a Worgen.

Ashley did the only thing she could do. She fled, running into the hills of Tirisfal, her mind still plagued by the Scarlet Crusade's indoctrination. She lived alone in the woods, surviving on her magics and only delving further into insanity.. until she met the Shadows of the Faithful.

The most notable member of the group to her was one Derek Montend, a Gilnean priest that had also previously been a sort of.. harsh person. An overabundance of Light magic crazed him and caused him to attack the Shadows of the Faithful, later returning as an ally to fix the wounds he had left behind. He saw himself in Ashley quite blatantly, and chose to help her leave her old mindset behind instead of fighting fire with fire.. literally. So, he took her in. She had to be caged at first in order to restrain her insatiable need for violence against the members of the Faithful--many of them she found disgusting and worthy of incinerating--yet slowly but surely, she began to warm up (see what I did there) to both Derek and the rest of the Faithful. She conversed with them, and found that they were simply people just like herself, and, over time, she noticed herself growing fond of quite a few of them. So, one day, when discussing the fact she still wore a Scarlet Crusade tabard, she silently made a decision.

The Scarlet Crusade had been long wiped out for a while now. Their remaining settlements were few and dwindling. Lady Whitemane was a Horseman of the Ebon Blade. Renault Mograine had been slain long ago. The Dreadlord in their midst had ruined them, and their ideologies were simply outdated in modern society. But the ruins of their hatred remained in the northern lands of the Eastern Kingdoms. Ashley journeyed into the Eastern Plaguelands, towards their old settlement on the coast near Light's Hope Chapel and Acherus's former residence. She did not enact her horrors here, but it fit well enough. She had dawned a new tabard, one still reminiscent of her firey magics and even kept a blazing symbol as a small reminder to her origins, but was orange and yellow instead, bearing new colors to represent a new era of Ashley Scorchmane. She raised her old tabard--the red and white one bearing the mark of the Crusade as well as faded bloodstains--to the podium where a preacher may have once stood, and set the tabard alight. She ripped demonizing texts from their pages and set those alight, too, keeping them locked in a permanent state of incinerations with a little arcane touch, and wrapped them around herself. The very teachings that had taught her so ruthlessly to burn those unlike her would, themselves, burn. Satisfied, she stepped back outside, and for the first time in her life-- felt the true, warm and pure embrace of the Light.

She would serve the Shadows of the Faithful as retribution for her past actions and philosophies--just as Derek Montend had done.

[THOUGHTS]

WHEW, personally I fucking love this girl's development! She only had her redemption moment recently and I would argue there's still a long way for her to go to truly balance out everything she's done, but I absolutely adore this spoicy little ball of hatred that evolved into a warmer, happier and friendlier gal. She even knitted a little pride mug warmer for Rachel qwq

Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed! I sure enjoy writing these, so :D

[kazxmp]

How to Trust a Goth With Your Bathroom in 21 Days

Continued from here for the appreciation of artistic talent and beauty, both traditional and modern alike; for @mpyanluo

Throughout his life Kaz felt like he had seen at least a little bit of everything, so when Yanluo had first walked into the doors of Marimo Ink, dressed in the glory that was his traditional attire, Kaz wasn't phased in the slightest. Instead it had done exactly as intended and somewhat prepared Kaz for not only the interaction but for what the God might have been wanting. Of course, Kaz could have looked at that attire and drawn something similar but it was important to the goth that his clients or soon to be clients, understood that his style has no bounds. Kaz showed that in many more ways by inviting Yanluo here even though he knew the God wasn't looking for a tattoo. All around the shop is versions of his art and not just in the traditional tattoo sense. Other than his portfolio, there's moss creations on the walls, spray painted accent walls, and potted plants that Kaz made all the pots for. Every part of this Shop that he lovingly calls his own, has his art in it. Though the moment Yanluo started speaking of his desires in that smooth tone he has, Kaz knew just what to show him. "If you're up for a walk, I can show you one that's not far." Without even waiting for the proper response though he is already up and grabbing his cigs and his coat from the chair. The goth can not always be a man of many words but he was more than excited for a piece like this. He loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooves a mural. And more than that he loves a bathroom mural. Because- "You know, bathrooms are the most under thought of rooms in public places. Sure sometimes people keep the shit clean but it isn't always about just that. it's about going into a place and every inch of it looks and feels like the rest. AND Seeing beauty in a place society has deemed so unnatural and disgusting only ends up bringing peace to the disturbed. And that's my favorite kind of art." Well, a man of many words when he's passionate he guesses. As he leads the way down the block to a more secluded area, on the side of a building where no one rents, he keeps speaking. "All of that to say, I'd love to do the piece. And if you like what I'm about to show you, I'd be more than happy to do it, and am confident it's well within my skillset." He says so very confidently because he knows just how to get that exact brush method onto walls that are normally unfit to do so. As his brain already flips through ideas as if the ripples in the flesh up there are pages of a catalog, he rounds a corner, popping a cig in his mouth and backing up only to let the wall in front of them do the talking. A few months into being here on the island, Kaz had asked one of the building owners if he could paint the outside of this unused one. He had so much muse at the time because for once he was starting to feel comfortable somewhere. For once, the landscape in front of him looked promising. So on the wall, the edges of it are painted as if it's see through, and at the right angle the building starts to disappear until it is nothing but the false landscape of the building. From the center of it, instead of looking like behind the building truly would, it opens up to a scape of city buildings with flowers growing out of windows and cracks in the brick; a blue sky with sun rays that wash over the whole painting so surreal like it's almost criminal that it's too cold out to feel it. The entire thing took him ages. But the amount of detail in it is insane, and says wonders to his ability to do things he has and hasn't done before. Puffing on his cigarette he watches the ethereal God take in his work. "I can create a mock up for the specific style you want in a few days and you can make your decision then if you are still unsure."

[musing-and-music]

Ao3 First Lines Tag Game

Thanks @klainelynch for the tag!

Rules: Share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

She's not a diamond, ASOIAF, Jaime/Brienne, Regency AU (on going), Rating T

“Lady Brienne of Tarth, daughter of Lord Selwyn Tarth!”

Brienne had barely put a foot in the throne room when whispers arose around her. She’d expected that, since she had never caused anything else than astonishment when she entered a room. She was seventeen, but she towered most of the assemblies she was invited to. Her height attracted eyes, but she knew her face only caused disgust to people who didn’t know her. This time would be no exception.

A king's decision, ASOIAF, early canon-divergence, Aegon V Targaryen, Rating T (on going)

From his seat dominating the feast table, Aegon gazed at his children as he entwined his fingers with his wife’s. He felt Betha’s eyes on him, open and filled with a question, but still took his time contemplating his progeny before talking.

a dream team's shenanigans, FMA, Team Mustang, Royai, Modern AU, Rating T (on going)

When Lieutenant-Colonel Mustang had met Second-lieutenant Breda who was fresh from the academy after the end of the Ishvalan War, the first thing that interested him was his bright intellect. Despite his average results in physical tests - however his endurance was quite good - he got first place in all classes concerning strategy, field approach, and knowledge of the enemy's strengths and weaknesses.

there ain't no way, baby (to get me out this house), ASOIAF, Jaime/Brienne, Post ADWD, Rating E

Jaime checked the lists of equipment that would be charged on the carts on the morrow one last time, before ensuring with Lord Royce that the men were ready to accompany him to King’s Landing.

We're a long term project, ASOIAF, Jaime/Brienne, Modern AU, Rating T

Brienne reads the resume once more and frowns as she meets the sharp gaze on the photo. This man is the best candidate Catelyn has found for now, after one month, but she can’t help the unease gripping her gut. Jaime Lannister is well-known, not for his skills -they look impressive, though-, but for his name and his bad reputation.

Is it the place or the people? (that warms my cold bones), FMA, Havolina, Royai, Team Mustang, High-school AU, Rating T

“Dammit! Shitty weather!” Jean complained as he removed his anorak still covered with snow and hung it on the coat rack covered with his colleagues’ coats. His hand was still numb from the shock against the wall that had stopped his fall, and his whole body was freezing because of the last hour spent outside, overlooking the installation of winter decorations around the building.

Royai : a OS Compilation, FMA, Royai, Rating T

The night was dark, the room was silent. Laying on his hospital bed, unable to sleep, Roy Mustang kept his blind eyes focused on the ceiling. All he could see was black. With or without light, he didn’t see anything. He was blind since Pride and Wrath forced him to open the Gate. He saw the Truth, and his sight had been taken.

Regular news, FMA, Winry Rockbell, Riza Hawkeye, Rating T

Since the brothers’ departure from Resembool to serve in the military, Winry had received news from them only a handful of times, and seen them even less often. It was one of the most frustrating things for the young girl. Her childhood friends, with whom she’d lived for years, with whom she’d been through the worst hardships – their mother’s death, her parents’ – now showed up only when Ed’s automail had an urgent need to be maintained.

A few nights in Westeros, ASOIAF/GOT, Jaime/Brienne, Rating T, OS collection

When Jaime opened his eyes, he saw blue. Not any blue. A deep blue, more beautiful than the sky’s, brighter than the sea’s, more precious than all sapphires’. Blue that made him forget about the green he’d dived in for years.

Pain grasped him again and he fell unconscious, before he could say something or look around him.

The sight descending toward me took my breath away, FMA, Royai, Regency AU, Rating T

“Riza, I’m home!” Roy shouted as he gave his hat and gloves to Madeline, who took them away with a smile.

He began to climb the stairs, impatient to see his wife again. They’d seen each other this morning, she’d been in his thoughts all day, but he couldn’t bear to be parted from her for too long - he cursed the times Grumman had sent him away on business when he and Riza weren’t even betrothed.

And I'll tag @nightofnyx8 , @niconiconina , @vayalda , @iammistressofmyfate , @greenmtwoman , @fullmetalscullyy , @aquietwritingcorner , @it-may-be-dull-but-im-determined , @wirettewirette , @beryllium--astatine if you want!

[ladymelisande]

Yes yes and another yes to your post about Ninicent being bitchy about Rhaenyra and Daemon.

That was one of the most stupid decisions related to characters motivation in this show.

Even if we keep in mind to "not judge HoTD by modern standards", as in yes maybe devout character like Alicent could've been wounded by Rhaenyra's out of wedlock fling... BUT ONLY if Alicent would've remained an unmarried, perfectly pious maiden herself at the time!!!

Which she already wasn't! Alicent de facto made a widower fall for her enough to make him marry her, no matter how much she personally intended that to happen, she still had gone to him in private multiple times. Which is absolutely not an example of high pure morals on her part, AND said man was her friend's father!

So Alicent not only accusing Rhaenyra of being wanton (while still pretending to be her caring friend), but also her being offended by this??? As if she herself hadn't done worse?? Getting mad to the point of full-on declaring against her friend? BECAUSE HER FRIEND DIDN'T TELL HER WHO SHE presumably SHAGGED???

Not the (assumed) danger to her children, not the disgust for her marriage, nono, THIS shit pushes Alicent to opposition???

It is such a stupid and insignificant reason to be that starting point of Alicent being the "Green Queen", that I think CW had written better motivation for their characters.

And just to think how much actual juicy political drama could've been explored if writers had actually used the source material instead!.. still makes me salty af.

I am sorry I did not answer this question before, but it never really appeared on mobile.

Yeah, I mean, Ninicent's 'motivation' is so stupid that it can only be good if you are doing a parody. Not even the most spiteful bitch stepmother in a fairy tale has this level of stupid motivation. And what makes me sad is seeing people trying to come up with explanations for it instead of admitting the trash, illogical writing of this show.

[phlve]

Psychosophy Descriptions — VEFL

A person with a mental type of "Tolstoy" is a born leader and fulfills the decisions made by 100%. He is ambitious, dreams of fame, a successful career, his party or organization, school or club. To achieve the goal, he goes ahead, he can handle the career of a leader with a dictatorial management style.

Internal setting: claim to primacy and power, dominance and total control, prophecy (often religious-mystical). The material and spiritual world is not perfect and needs endless transformation, and I know how to make it perfect; something is wrong with my health; the health of the family and children are the main values.

Character traits of a person who is a bearer of the “Tolstoy” mental type: self-confidence, activity, jealousy, ingratitude, ambition, selfishness, stubbornness, aggressiveness, disdain for other people, high self-esteem, arrogant behavior, deviation from social norms, hypocrisy, suspiciousness, cleanliness and disgust , super-concern for loved ones, love for children.

In ordinary communication, a person with a “Tolstoy” mental type is an energetic interlocutor, quite emotional and pleasant. The speech is assertive and somewhat theatrical. "Tolstoy" has a subtle sense of humor, an original sense of beauty. He is artistic, emotionally relaxed, his emotions are free and adequate to the moment of communication, and he always knows how to say what is needed. Interested in other people's opinions and trusts other views on a variety of issues. Sometimes sadness visits him due to the periodic feeling of his ordinary human weakness in front of the objective difficulties generated by the surrounding material world (which is part of his plans to change), and also due to the feeling of being a “black sheep” among people.

He subtly feels the physical condition of friends and relatives, selflessly takes care of them. He has problems with his health, but he constantly takes care of it and tends to a healthy lifestyle. He carefully hides his external physiological defects. He feels a split and uncertainty in relations with the world of material things - everything that relates to the body, appearance, fashion, nutrition, carnal pleasures. He fears more than other physical violence and beatings, but is prone to particular cruelty in a difficult situation. He equips his permanent and even temporary home with joy and special meaning. Money is very important to him. If they are not enough, he tends to a minimum (if only he was guaranteed), but still he is not content with small things, dreaming of earning a quality life for his family. Ready to work to the point of exhaustion, not knowing the measure, if there is a motivation for fame or a good financial reward.

The “Tolstoy” has a difficult sex life, because he is lascivious, selective and cowardly, unpredictable in sensations, clean and squeamish at the same time, and at the same time risks changing sexual partners and preferences. He positions himself as a touchy, hypocrite.

A person with “Tolstoy” mental type is interested in various fields of knowledge and philosophical problems, demonstrates interest in complex and unusual art, for example, modern art, folklore, bardic art, oriental dances, some spiritual practices.

People who are carriers of the "Tolstoy" type are always socially oriented. By vocation, they are directors, conductors, film actors, realtors, heads of foundations, organizations, teachers, politicians with prophetic intonations, teachers, priests, etc.

Source: The16Types

[em-writes-stuff-sometimes]

Just wondering - why did you decide to make Babey underage when the story began? Was it an artistic choice to further highlight the inherently problematic nature of Babey and Daemon’s relationship? Was it to increase the taboo/squicky vibes even more (like, not only is this an incestuous relationship with a 10+ year age gap, it’s also between someone who is well into adulthood and an underage teenager)? Or something else? I know that customs were different in Medieval times and they did not have the same definition of what made someone an adult, but I’m interested to know why you leaned further into the dynamic as opposed to just making Babey 18 the whole time.

Hey, anon! This is an interesting question!

I quite like the way you've phrased it: "an artistic choice to further highlight the inherently problematic nature of Babey and Daemon's relationship". I reckon your first two questions really do hit the nail on the head when it comes to my decision-making process here. I definitely wanted to bring in an element of squick without reinforcing some really disgusting medieval norms (i.e. the whole "gettin' married at THIRTEEN" thing), which is part of the reason I decided to age her just under the acceptably-perceived milestone of adulthood in modern contexts. I knew from the get-go that I wanted to create a dynamic that would confuse and perhaps disorient readers, leave them unsure if it were sweet/hot or downright wrong; Daemon himself is a guy that epitomises that, and I felt it was important to try and stay true to that aspect of his character. I'm sure it makes for an uncomfortable read for many people, even if they do ultimately decide to stick around and enjoy the content - that's what I'm going for, haha! Dynastic intermarriages (read: incest) between an adult uncle and his underage niece do NOT a healthy relationship make.

Part of the reason I leaned further into the dynamic is to really enforce the issues with perceiving this relationship as 'normal'; I tend to see a lot of domesticating narratives surrounding Daemyra, and I do kinda take issue with it because it's not a relationship that could ever exist as one we can apply our conventional norms to. It's inherently unequal, and at the very LEAST subliminally toxic, if not outright so. So, here, I've really tried to hit home with the whole "um, what?" vibes. Another reason is because Daemon is canonically referenced as someone who preferred 'innocent' sexual partners, or 'maidens' if you will - this kinda heavily implies he prefers underage women, though I take pause at the notion that it's any more deviant than the direct statement above. That is, I don't think he's a paedophile, but rather he just prefers a certain behavioural quality in his bed-partners that happens to coincide with most women before they reach full adulthood.

All that being said, it's a great way to really experiment with the boundaries of what people think makes a functional relationship. It's hard to categorise: do we hate the guy who manipulated, screwed and regularly ignores the boundaries of his underage niece? Do we like the guy who comforted, supported and regularly ensures his wife's every happiness? Who knows? You can do both.

I hope this at least answers some of your questions, anon! Thank you so much!