#it’s Black solidarity i love my kids

[spid3r-trans]

we as a society don’t talk enough about margo’s hesitation at the go home machine

[trans-axolotl]

"The medical establishment tries to divide and conquer intersex and trans organizing. They try to make us think that trans and intersex people are completely distinct and that joining together will just muddy each other’s fights. This has been beneficial to the medical establishment. The opposite is true. Intersex and trans justice, when you boil it down to its basest form, is about bodily autonomy and self-determination. It’s about the inherent human right to experience love in all its forms, emotional and physical, in a body unhampered by social constructs of what a man or woman should look like. This stirs up a lot of vitriol from the rightwing white supremacists. These bills that will subject kids to genital examinations in order to play sports are horrendous. Sports was my life, but it was never like, “You have to spread your legs to play a sport.” This is legislation in 2021, post Trump, when Democrats have control.

There are still cops killing Black and Brown people and children. They are locking people up, splitting up families at the border, throwing them in cages, which is born of slave catching. These antitrans bills are working to codify into law what a man is and what a woman is. There is a connection between our pushback on surgeries on intersex kids and the state incarcerating Black and Brown people. It is all tied into white supremacy as the definition of what it means to be human. White supremacy is thrashing around and trying to be relevant, and I hope we all live to see the aftermath. I think it’s necessary for intersex and trans activism to work in solidarity. This is the future wave that we need to ride."

-Pidgeon Pagonis, interviewed by David A Rubin, Michelle Wolff, and Amanda Lock Swarr in Creating Intersex Justice, 2021.

[punkeropercyjackson]

An aspect of Hobie as an afropunk character that isn't talked about and appreciated enough(or ever really)is how humanized he is.So often punk male characters are stuckup white boys with consent issues and no real street cred due to whitewashing of punk culture as an inherently black scene per our history but Hobie's afropunk and he ain't no oreo.He's darkskin,his nose and lips are so big,his eyes are far apart,his brow is strong,he has wicks which are one of the most frowned upon hairstyles on black folks despite how nice they are,he's 6'5,he's ACTUALLY tall dark and handsome and they went nuts with him and i'm eternally impressed with how beautiful he is not 'inspite' of his blackness like is often potrayed but because of his blackness

Hobie is so open and softhearted and fun and he plays it into his beliefs and actions,not contradicting them as a sort of gag,he's multifaced and his personality traits overlap and contrast all at once.That's what people are like in real life but very rarely is that nuanse allowed to exist in black people as we aren't seen as,well,people.Hobie isn't demonized or made it to need to be put on a leash for hating authority and beating up bigots and even killing a cop.He's light as a role model for it.He's cringe sometimes,he does underaged drinking,he makes ridicilous facial expressions nonstop,he's got a big ego even if it's justified,he's a dad friend,he's an adultified black kids allegory,his personal(official)playlist is all actual punk songs,not Avril or Fob or P!atd,he loves the sea enough as a jamaican-english kid he choose a houseboat as his residense back when he was homeless,a concept art had him have a cat charm on his Watch,he plays guitar and uses it as a weapon,he's trans unlabeled and a black femme,he's definitely ptsd and audhd and never learned how to mask as so many black autistics people don't

And this is gonna be controversial but the implied romance with Gwen was a wonderful addition to his character.Gwen is punk too,she's canonically pastel punk and a trans girl and as trauma induced mentally ill and no masking game audhd-coded as Hobie is and their dynamic is symbolism for the intertwienment between blackness and transfeminism in punk history and a show of solidarity between different yet fundamentally similar aspects of punk and they get to bond over being troubled but good kids and punks and Gwen is so enamored with Hobie she can't help but yap about him to Miles and steal his clothes in a classic girlfriend move and flirt back when he initiates it despite how flustered she gets and the non-sexual intimacy of her living with him part time just the two of them and we know it's the non-sexual kind since them hooking up is what society expects of teenagers in love but punks don't care about conforming for normies and Hobie went out of his way to make reverse racism real on Gwen's abusive dad's ass and even forced him to leave her his love note.They're so important to eachother and the only thing stopping Ghostpunk from being the absolute perfect ship is the Spiderverse crew dropping the ball by not making Gwen a half white afrolatina(she is to me though.imma do my own thing)

Hobie Browns exists all over our existense and always have.He's the black punk kids from the 1970s,he's the black punk kids of today,he's the black punk kids i'm friends with and have pseudo-adopted as my younger siblings/kids as an older afrosolarpunk and them lacking positive adult figures in their lives so i do my best to give them what they need and want,he's ME when i was 17 and we're still so alike.I don't give two shits if i sound like a fucking geek,he genuinely means so much to me and i love him with my entire heart and soul and he would've changed my life as a lonely anarchistic afro-caribbean kid who felt like the bad guy no matter what i did or how hard i tried to be good and i'm so happy i can be what i didn't get to have to my honorary younger siblings/kids and help strangers and do all i can to fight to change the system,that i can be like Hobie and that Hobie is like Hobie instead of palpable to nonblacks

[girlactionfigure]

THE HOLOCAUST WAS IN COLOUR

I woke up today in Jerusalem to the sound of a siren marking Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day. The fucking Holocaust. This thing that's there. This thing that every Jewish kid has to learn about far too young. There’s no good age to learn about it. It takes away an innocence whatever age you learn.

It's a lesson of: actually - the worst shit can happen.

Actually - the worst shit did happen.

Actually the worst shit could happen again.

There is no objective proof of God - but Auschwitz did happen. It’s difficult to remain idealistic about human beings after that. If tales of individual acts of heroism that emerged from the Holocaust are supposed to give us solace and an after-taste of hope, the bigger question is what is it that makes these tales such anomalies?? What is it that prevented every person from being a hero? And why did it happen in the first place?

Visiting Auschwitz ruined part of me. It really did. Even before visiting, all that bullshit ruined part of me. I remember seeing images on TV as a kid and that ain't healthy. To see ghouls hanging on barbed wire. Piles of skeleton and flesh. I don't see how it can't ruin anyone if that's you and your kind they were gunning for. The idea that people murdered you because you were born you. The idea that your fellow countrymen turned round and said: actually you're not one of us. Or turned a blind eye, buttoned up their lips, gazed down in silence and left you to deal with it on your own. It's not like this puts joy in your heart. It puts something in your heart that I can't explain. It puts in your heart the sensation that some people don't want your heart to beat. And that's a confusing feeling for any heart: a nexus of emotions. A paralytic, existential moment. The loneliest heart, scarred by barbed wire and frost.

The fact that I can only trace my family tree back a few generations has always gnawed at me. I can only go back so far and then there's nothing. Just a black hole. Part of my connection with planet earth has been blotted out for good. I've been disinherited of my roots - from knowing the specifics of who I am and where I come from.

A few years back I visited Auschwitz - this massive shithole in Poland. And it's not like this death factory could have been a secret. There's no way. People knew. It's huge. It just goes on and on. And there's something weird about it. And you can't quite figure it out. And then you realise - it's all in colour. It's not in black and white. The images we're used to seeing of Auschwitz are black and white. And as horrific as those images are they provide a safe, historical distance. It appears a bygone world far removed from us. But it's here in colour and it's the same world we inhabit. The same air, the same trees, the same rain falling. And the human beings would have been in colour too, with red blood cells and capillaries and hearts beating like ours. They weren’t creatures from yester-year, they were modern human beings with the same body parts and feelings. And they were murdered by modern human beings who also had the same body parts and who probably loved their children and kissed their partners goodnight.

There's more I could write. I could write about mountains of shoes. I could write about piles of hair. I could write about buttons and cutlery and possessions that emerge from the mud in the rain. I remember having a stupid back and forth in my mind over some buttons I found which I put back into the mud. I had this stupid thought that maybe I should have "liberated" the buttons rather than leave them in that shithole - but then thinking that would be stealing? But would it be stealing if they'd been stolen by scum and were now being "taken back" in a spirit of love and solidarity by someone on their side? “Liberating buttons.” Stupid stuff. Ridiculous thoughts that you can somehow do something correct to rectify what happened here and bring some kind of harmony. In the end I left them. The buttons were stolen and they don't belong to Auschwitz - but they belong to the memory of what happened there - so they can at least continue to speak from the mud to anyone who sees them.

If I'm honest, part of me wishes I hadn't visited the place. I came away angry and it killed any absolute faith I have in human beings. As I say, individual tales of heroism and defiance aren’t enough to justify true optimism. They're a plaster to cover up the deeper sickness of who and what we are as a species. There's something worrying about human beings and our capacity for cruelty. A species whose children pick the wings off flies, combined with a propensity to herd mentality, is dangerous. It should trouble all of us. I don't know how we overcome it, keep it restrained, or collectively channel it toward a universally agreed direction that’s aimed at goodness.

If I have one reflection on whatever nonsense it is I'm writing it's this: I think there's a violence in human beings. There is violence in the human soul. There is violence and there is cruelty. But more than that there is fear. Despite our songs and poems, I'm not sure love is the most powerful force on earth. There’s a strong argument to suggest fear is the primary driving force behind the actions of the animal we call a human being. It's fear of freezing to death that causes us to build shelters. It's fear of going hungry that causes us to stock food. It's fear of being ostracised that causes us to ostracise others. It's fear of ridicule that breeds conformity. It's fear that causes people to keep their heads down. And when the moment of danger comes? When the tyrants enter? When the bullies arrive? It's fear that causes people to not speak up. To turn a blind eye. To let someone else take the bullet. People can bombastically jump on the bandwagon and say "never again" but it’s tough to find your voice when face to face with a bully. People can say never again but it’s tough to square up if someone has raised their fist and shown they will use it. It’s tough to be brave when the moment comes and there's so many thoughts going through your mind and your brain and adrenalin decides it's best to shut down and stay quiet for the sake of self-preservation. It’s tough to do good things in this world because the bad things are loud and scary and intimidating. It’s tough for people to rise above fear. There’s a reason why heroes are called lone heroes. They’re uncommon.

That's why it's good to be writing this from Israel where Jews are once again in their ancestral home, the place they forged an indigenous civilisation many thousands of years ago before the Babylonians and Romans forced them into exile. A place where they can ensure that "Never Again" is not left in the hands of a species that pulls the wings off flies. Google the Evian Conference - visit Auschwitz yourself - survival is not a game to be left in the hands of others or based on the strength of promises. Because there's always a chance that when the chips are against you and you call out to friends or others for help, you could be left hanging around wondering when they'll arrive?

And the answer might be:

Never. Again.

So. Anyway. It's 5pm. I need a piss. Then I'll probably eat some bread. A siren went off this morning. Just one final thought before I have a wee. I say that any absolute faith I have in human beings is lost. And that's true. Yet every day I experience such joy at existing. I love walking about, talking to people and connecting with souls cut from the same cloth. I like nature and I like looking at things and if I didn't love science so much I'd probably be a new age nut hugging trees and trying to kiss ants. Being alive is the most beautiful thing I've experienced to date.

And as embarrassed as I am to say it would you look at me trying to finish on a positive note?

Maybe there is something stronger than fear?

The persistant impulse to seek blessings in a world full of curses. The sheer chutzpah of life. The defiance. Not to vanquish the darkness, but to live in spite of the darkness. I can handle a world where Auschwitz took place if I also get to live in a world where there are people I love. I can handle a world where there’s horror if I also get to laugh now and then. And the fact that love, laughter and happiness can blossom in a world where the worst can happen - and has - must count for something. Deep down the impulse to go in search of life’s blessings is within all of us. It’s part of who we are. It’s why we get up each morning. We have to have faith that all will be well even when logic, history and common sense says otherwise. Actually it’s not even a question of faith. We have no choice. I think hope is hardwired into all of us. Deeper than fear. We are a creature that hopes. And sometimes, with the right wind behind us, at the right tide, we make those hopes come true. Sometimes, if you will it, it is no dream.

Lee Kern

This was written in Jerusalem in 2015 on Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day

[call-me-strega]

How to Become a Step-Dad in 5 Easy Steps: part 2 (chapter 1/?)

Here is part 1, lore

Edit: ao3 link now here

They do go to a library in this chapter so there are a lot of references to books in this chapter. I've read some but not all of them so I can say anything about their quality more than as things that I thought sounded interesting in theory. A lot of the stuff at the library was inspired by my own experiences with public libraries.

~~~

Step 2: Get to know them

Within the next 4 months Jason ran into Danny several more times. Each time becoming more and more enamored with the young man. It was hard not to when he saw how kind and hard-working he was.

~

The first time he ran into Danny after their first meeting he actually ran into Ellie first. Well, technically she ran into him but that's beside the point. But if you were gonna get technical about it he heard her little giggles before he saw her.

He had been at the library during some of his downtime to peruse some books and relax. The life of a vigilante crime lord isn't a very peaceful one, go figure. That's why Jason liked taking some time to himself every once in a while whether it was to have tea with Alfred, hang with one of his friends or siblings, or in this case visit Gotham Public Library.

Sure he could've gone to the Manor Library or gotten something online but the Manor was pretty far from the Alley and preferred having physical copies of his books rather than a computer or tablet. Electronics just didn't have that nostalgic book smell or the soft touch of a well-loved page.

Going to the library also came with its own perks. For one, he got to visit Barbie at work. It was always nice to see her as they had this unspoken solidarity between them. The atmosphere was also a plus. There was just something special about being able to be completely solitary yet still have this special connection to the other patrons. Seeing the old man enjoying a novel with his wife, the book club that met on Sundays, the haggard office worker winding down on the weekend with a graphic novel, the young woman teaching herself sign language, the teens goofing off while they were supposed to be studying, a mom reading The Kissing Hand to her kids, all of the various people here for various reasons; all of it made Jason feel like he was a part of something bigger.

He was currently browsing a display of LGBT+ books for young adults that the library had put up for Pride Month. '"Cemetery Boys", "Aristotle and Dante", "You Should See Me in a Crown", "Six of Crows", "Boyfriend Material", "Red, White, and Royal Blue", "Carry On", Oh- "The Song of Achilles" that sounds interesting?'

That’s when he felt a small chill pass behind him. He initially dismissed it as a draft from the air conditioner, but soon after he heard the sound of excited giggles nearby. He didn't think too much of it assuming it was another kid on their way out of the children's section. However, something niggled in the back of his head that this particular giggle was one he was familiar with.

That's when he felt something collide with his leg. He looked down to see a small child with a head of glossy black hair in a red beanie glomping his leg. Suddenly, the child looked up and beamed at him. Jason's eyes lit up with recognition and he laughed.

" Hey there munchkin, how are you?"

Ellie continued to smile, releasing her hold on his leg.

" I'm doing really good Mr. Jason! Daddy told me he didn't have any work today and he said we could go anywhere we wanted! First, we went to the bodega a got these really big breakfast sandwiches! Like really really big! Like the size of my face and we shared! And then Daddy took me to the park and it was really fun! I saw a squirrel there but it ran away before I could pet it! And then we came here and Daddy said we'd make me a library card so I could get whichever books I wanted. He read Oh The Places You Will Go and Where the Wild Things Are to me and then they were gonna have story time and Daddy looked tired from the park so I told him to read one of his space books and rest while I went to story time like a big girl! When story time was over I looked around and saw you so I came over to say hi and thank you for the cookies and food because daddy says we should always say thank you when people give us gifts!"

Damn, the girl sure had one hell of a motor mouth on her. It seemed she and Danny were in the middle of a father-daughter day. It brought a smile to his face to see that she was well taken care of, but based on her very informative rambles, it seemed they were taking care of each other.

" Why don't we go say hi to your dad, huh Elle?"

The young girl gasped, "That's a great idea! Then Daddy can say thank you too! And then you can read with us and come to our house for dinner! Daddy kept saying how he wanted to make something for you too since you made us the-, the- uuh... luz-on-ya and cookies!"

" Whoa there munchkin, how about we just start with hi?"

Ellie nodded with a determined look on her face, she wrapped her little hand around his pointer finger and pulled him along to the semi-secluded corner of the children's section. Sitting there in an armchair next to a small pile of books was Danny, who seemed to be out cold, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy slipping from his fingers.

'Aah he must be tired from moving in and probably from working too' Jason thought to himself. A smaller voice in the back of his chimed in with its own two cents. ' He still made time for her. He took her out and is spending the whole day with her even though he's tired. He's a good dad.' That's when he made up his mind not to disrupt Danny's nap and let him get some rest before he had to tackle the rest of his father-daughter day with his hyperactive six-year-old. He placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder, stopping her as she was about to shake Danny awake, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

" It looks like you were right about your dad being tired. How about we let him rest for now and I'll say hi another time? Besides I wouldn't want to interrupt your daddy-daughter day now would I?" He started to guide her to a different portion of the library quickly forming a plan, "Hows' bout we do something I think you'll like? Did you know sometimes they bring puppies and kitties into the library?"

The young girl gasped, " REALLY!"

" Yeah, sometimes puppies and kitties can help people who are feeling sad or nervous feel better. They also help teach kids how to act nicely and quietly so that they don't scare animals by letting them read to a puppy or kitty. I can help you sign up to read to a puppy or kitty today if you want? Then afterward, you can go tell your dad and he'll be really proud of you."

The young girl seemed so excited by the prospect that Jason worried for a second that she might explode.

" That's a great idea Mr. Jason! He'll be so proud of me and he'll bring me again! And I'll get so good at not scaring animals that the squirrels in the park will let me pet them! Then, Daddy will be so impressed that he'll let us get our own puppy and Cujo can come live with us!"

Jason winced, perhaps his plan had been a tad too effective. Single parents had a hard enough time keep themselves afloat while looking after their kids, a pet was extra expenses and another commitment to devote time and effort to. Pets were usually out of budget and out of question for anyone living in or near the Alley.

Well, he'd cross that bridge if he ever got to it. For now, he focused on getting Ellie signed up to read to Charlie, the old St. Bernard that was at the library this today. He and the trainer, he squinted reading her name tag, Amanda, supervised the session. Jason would be lying if he wasn't endeared by the sight of a young girl reading Dragons Love Tacos very enthusiastically to a dog nearly twice her size.

" It's nice to see a young father spending time with his daughter."

'I agree' Jason thought before realizing Amanda thought he was Ellie's dad.

" Oh- ah no I'm her -," Jason quickly made up his mind on the least creepy excuse he could find, " -babysitter. Although, her father does make a lot of effort spend time with her."

The dog trainer flushed and apologized for her mistake but Jason waved her off saying it was no big deal. Silently, he wondered how often Danny got time to himself. When he realized what he was thinking he raised an eyebrow at himself before dismissing it as worry for a young parent and wondering how he divided his time to be able to take such good care of his daughter.

Ellie was saying her final goodbyes to Charlie when he got a text from Alfred reminding him he had promised to meet him for tea and some chitchat. Once Ellie returned to his side he let her know that he had had fun seeing her today but that he had to go spend some time with his granddad and that he'd have to say hi to her dad another time. She accepted this with a surprising amount of maturity for a 6-year-old but made him pinky-promise that he'd definitely spend some time with the both of them next time they saw each other. Jason happily accepted and sent her back off to her dad before heading over to the tea shop he and Alfred liked to meet at.

" It is so nice to see you again Master Jason. I'm happy to see arrive in one piece. Usually when you are delayed it is due to some rather -ah, unfortunate hold-ups," Alfred greeted him. He returned the smile, sinking into his seat across from Alfred, ready to unload.

" Not this time Alfie, though it is a bit of a story."

" One I'm sure you'll be pleased to tell me all about," he challenged, raising an eyebrow. Jason just shook his head and chuckled.

" Sure thing Alfie."

~

The next time he ran into Danny and Ellie he was at the grocery store.

Jason had been examining a piece of zucchini when he felt a light, cool breeze quickly followed by the sensation of someone walking past him. A lean figure came and stood nearby inspecting the squash. Jason glanced up, having registered a new presence, before doing a double take. A small grin graced his lips as he spoke,

" Well hey there neighbor, didn't expect to see you today."

Danny looked up, slightly startled before he saw that it was Jason. He smiled back and returned his greeting in a warm tone.

" Hey neighbor, I didn't expect to see you either. Honestly, I was hoping we wouldn't meet till I had made a batch of my family's signature fudge to give you as a thank you when we returned your dishes for the food and for looking after Ellie that day in the library."

" Ah~ the little munchkin told you bout that did she?"

" She was pleased to inform me about how she was learning not to scare animals and how Mr. Jason was sooo nice and even pinky promised to spend some more time with her." he teased.

Jason flushed slightly, his hand coming up to the back of his neck,

" Oh yeah, I hope I didn't overstep my bounds there. She just seemed so excited."

" Yeah, that sounds like my little spitfire!" he chuckled fondly. He took a deep breath and continued. " Well if you don't have anything else going on tonight I'd love to have you over. Ellie has really been looking forward to seeing you again and I can whip up some fudge that you can take home with you if you stay for dinner?" Danny seemed to flush at his own forwardness before rushing to continue, " I mean- not that you have to, especially if you're busy! I just- thought it might be nice to get to know my neighbor, especially since Ellie seems to like you so much! But-"

Jason, who had just finished processing the dinner invite, interrupted before Danny spiraled deeper into his nervous rambles. He place a hand on Danny's shoulder to get his attention and spoke,

" Sure. I'd love to come over Danny." He smiled, puffing up his chest, “ Besides, I have a pinky promise to fulfill.”

Danny returned his smile with a laugh, giving Jason's shoulder an embarrassed shove. Jason grinned at having successfully made the other laugh. The two stared at each other for a beat, coming down from their high of making each other laugh, before flushing and looking away. A look of realization passed over Danny's face and he turned to speak to Jason again.

" You probably have your own groceries to finish and put away. How about you come over around 7:30? I can have the fudge cooling in the fridge while we eat, oh which reminds me, you’re not allergic to anything are you?"

Jason smiled back. "7:30 sounds great Danny and no, no allergies as far as I’m aware, though I’m not particularly fond of most shellfish."

“Well alrighty then I’ll see you at 7:30,” Danny confirmed with a smile and rushed off to continue his own shopping.

And that’s how Jason found himself standing outside the Nightingale residence in a casual maroon 3/4 sleeve tee, a dark denim jacket, and some of his nicer trousers with a bouquet of flowers he put a frankly embarrassing amount of thought into. He figured bringing more food wouldn’t be appropriate since he was a dinner guest, dessert wouldn’t fly either as Danny had claimed he’d be making fudge, and wine didn’t seem appropriate with a 6-year-old also in attendance.

‘Come on Jason, it’s just a casual dinner with your neighbors! Normal human interaction, nothing to be nervous about! You can do this!’

Jason took a breath and knocked on the door. He heard a pitched squee followed by a “it’s him daddy!” come from behind the door. Unconsciously, Jason smiled as he heard the door unlocking. As it opened he was met with a cool breeze from within the apartment and the sight of his two neighbors. Danny was in a pale, moss green apron, smudged with what appeared to be powdered sugar, over a pale blue button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and cuffed jeans. Ellie was dressed in an interesting combo of pink crocs, neon green leggings, a sparkly, powder blue tutu, a white shirt with glittery black script declaring her “Daddy’s little princess”, a denim jacket embroidered with flowers and vines on the back and sleeves, and a plastic tiara with a big purple gem in the middle fixed atop her signature red beanie.

“Hi,” Danny greeted a bit breathlessly. His young daughter stood in front of him beaming up at Jason.

“ Mr. Jason you came!” She bounced excitedly on her heels before launching forward to hug his leg. She tugged at his jacket before pointing to her own, “Look! We match!”

With a smile, Jason got down on one knee and offered the flowers to her, “ And what an honor it is to match with such a beautiful princess! Please, accept these flowers as a token of my goodwill m’lady!”

“Thank you!” The girl giggled, accepting the bouquet and scurrying back into the apartment. Jason watched her go with a smile. He then turned his gaze to look up at Danny who watched the whole interaction with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. He met Jason’s gaze and smiled.

“Why don’t you come in too my good sir,” he teased, holding out his hand to help Jason up. Jason smirked at the opportunity Danny had unknowingly presented him. He took Danny’s hand but made no move to get up. Instead, he ran his thumb over the other man’s knuckles and slowly brought the hand closer to his face. He glanced up once more, teal eyes connecting to icy blue ones.

“Of course my dear king,” he whispered. His breath dancing over Danny’s hand, his lips ghosting over his knuckles. Maintaining eye contact, the kneeling man placed a gentle kiss on his knuckles, watching a beautiful red flush bloom upon the young man’s face.

‘His hand is cold. His fingers have the beginnings of callouses on them. It feels like his hand was made to fit in mine. This feels right’

Jason is snapped out of his reverie when Danny clears his throat. He coughs into his other hand while trying to hide his blush, averting his eyes in embarrassment. He doesn't withdraw his hand however, allowing Jason to continue to hold it. Jason took that as his sign to get up before this got too awkward.

He rose from the ground still not letting go of the other's hand. The pair stood there for a moment with their hands intertwined, as if a message was being passed through their tingling palms. A charge filled the air with an exhilarating tension. The kind you feel before trying something unfamiliar and new that, unbeknownst to you, will become your favorite.

“So, uh, let’s head in then?” Danny said, slowly withdrawing his hand from Jason’s, almost as if he was reluctant to do so.

“Let’s,” Jason replied and the two turned into the apartment.

Danny had Ellie show Jason to the bathroom so he could wash up as he set the table. He had made grilled squash, a macaroni and beef hotdish, and some Greek salad on the side. The three of them sat at the table making some small talk ( how are they liking it in Gotham, how did the rest of daddy-daughter day go, does Jason have restaurant/activity recommendations, would he like to see Ellie’s favorite model airplane, etc.) and laughing with each other over horrible dad jokes and Ellie’s antics.

Jason could feel his chest fill with an almost unbearable warmth. He would’ve sworn it’d have melted him from the inside out if it hadn’t been accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of joy and desire. The traitorous little whisper in his head returned to comment on how much he’d love to be a part of the Nightingale’s family.

Soon enough it was time for Ellie to head to bed and Jason to head out, lest he be late for patrol.

“Here, I can clear off the table while you put her to bed.”

Danny rushed to stop him despite the young child koala wrapped over his torso. “Oh, you really don’t have to do that. I can-”

“Relax your highness, let me take care of this while you put the princess to bed.” He gave Danny a kind look, hefting up the dirty dishes. Danny returned it with a grateful look and turned to go put his daughter to bed. Over his shoulder, Ellie looked up sleepily and weakly waved one last time saying “Goodnight Mr.Jason” in a small voice.

Jason smiled gently at her and replied, “Goodnight princess.”

He then turned back to his task of clearing the table. Moving the dirty dishes to the sink and the serving dishes to the counter. He figured he’d get started on the dishes while he waited for Danny to return. He let his mind wander as he covered a plate with soapy suds. Danny and Ellie seemed like a good pair of neighbors. He doubted they’d cause him any trouble and if they ever unintentionally did, Jason found himself thinking he’d find it rather easy to forgive them. The two were both so welcoming and full of life. They made Jason feel so happy and peaceful tonight. They welcomed him into their home and made him feel as if they enjoyed his company and wanted him around for more than just a cursory “return the favor” dinner. ‘As If he belongs there. With them.’ The little voice returned, prompting Jason to reel in his thoughts. He’s only known them for what? Two weeks? These weren’t the type of thoughts he should be having at this point. He tried to rationalize it telling himself he just missed the domesticity of family dinners like he had when Catherine was in a good stretch or like he had with Bruce, Dick, and Alfred as kid when they were all getting along. He made up his mind to attend one of the bi-weekly family dinners at the manor coming up. It’d be nice to see the little demon brat, big bird, and nerd bird again now that they were getting along like actual brothers.

“Oh! Jason you didn’t have to do that!” His train of thought broken by Danny rushing over to protest him doing dishes. “You’re a guest! You really didn’t have to-”

“It’s okay Danny, I wanted to,” he reassured the fussing young man who pulled him away from the sink. The young man responded by pushing him out of the kitchen and telling him to grab his jacket before turning back to grab something from the fridge.

And there he stood in the doorway, 20 minutes after he had intended to leave, still saying goodbye. Danny pushed a familiar Tupperware container into his hands, which recognized as the one he had given them lasagna in, now full of dark squares of fudge sprinkled with a bit of white and green on top.

Danny smiled as he handed him the sweets. “A family recipe with my own little twist on it,” he winked. Jason gratefully accepted, wishing the young man well and agreeing that he hoped to see the other again soon. And with that, Jason rushed off hoping that he wouldn’t be late for patrol.

~ Later that night Jason returned to his apartment, exhausted. He chucked his helmet off onto the bed and stumbled to his kitchen. He pulled open the fridge in search of something to eat when his eyes landed on the fudge his neighbor had given him. He pulled it out and grabbed a square, giving it a sniff before biting in. His eyes widened at the taste.

The fudge was, well fudgy, but not overly sweet. It had a richness of dark chocolate and a sweeter note from the white chocolate chips mixed in. There were also candied orange peels mixed into it which gave the fudge a bit of chew and acidity to break up the richness. The fudge was topped with pistachios adding a nutty, earthy flavor to the experience. He’s sure that if Martian Manhunter ever tried these he’d accuse Jason of giving him hard drugs. But what Jason liked most of all was the quality only homemade food and family recipes passed down over generations have. He could practically taste the amount of love and thought that went into this fudge.

Jason smiled to himself finishing off his square and decided the save the rest for later. He headed off to bed with a peaceful smile on his face and a warm, full, feeling in his chest.

~~~

I tried very hard to balance out the dialogue and description as well as to not make it too long winded and keep the story moving so please let me know what you guys think. I love receiving feedback so if there is anything you want to see more or less of let me know. I’m also open to suggestions of where Jason should run into our father-daughter pair next.

If anyone's interested here is what the bouquet was comprised of: apple blossom- preference, basil- good wishes, white camellia- you're adorable, goldenrod- encouragement/good fortune, violets- watchfulness/modesty/faithfulness

I actually looked up a real fudge recipe so that I'd have and easier time describing it. You can find it here: https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/candy/creamy-rich-pistachio-tangerine-fudge

[izzyshandz]

I swear if i see one more mf say izzy has been 'redeemed' or needed a 'redemption arc' im literally going to scream into my pillow until i lose my voice.

redeem is such a black and white way of looking at his entire character and dismisses everything hes gone through and yall (izzy haters and others) are just so fucking snob nosed and ignorant to sit there and think hes a villain because of how he acted. theyre fucking pirates. theyre not perfect, none of them are. eds a villain, stedes a villain, if youre doing it like that. ed has killed so many people, stede literally left his wife and kids and also had a hand in killing people; it may be easier for them to change because of the perspective the show gives them and they had love but izzy did not. everyone hated him, ed, his own crew, stedes crew.

normalizing peoples reactions to things as something other than villainy and heroism is so god damn important in a show that's trying to accurately involve our perspectives in this day and age. its a tale as old as time, making someone 'completely in the wrong' because their perspective isnt the one you aligned with as much.

like the rest of the crew izzy had his own bad things hes done, he didnt need this 'redemption' everyones blabbering on about. he needed to be fucking heard, to be seen, and acknowledged-- not thrown aside and abandoned because of a whim. you all can ride up blackbeards ass because oh hes so hot, hes so pretty omg wow; but that wont ever change the fact his character is a fucked up person... youre allowed to love him anyways, why not izzy? we didnt see blackbeard before screen but how hes mentioned it shows he was a shit awful person, the only reason no one cares is because on hes fuckin gay for stede or whatever so the main characters get a free ride. ( i agree they all get a free ride, im just tired of this izzy isolation man )

why does he need to be redeemed in your eyes? just because youve seen what hes done? he was literally a product of his environment in season one he was a product of blackbeard's leadership. only with the loyalty and solidarity of the crew did he really begin to find himself, thats fucking hard to do that late in life. instead of calling it some bullshit black and white redemption arc, lets just celebrate izzy being himself and being fucking loved for once in his god damn life.

hes also way more fucking mature and put together than people give him credit for. love you izzy.

edit: thank you all for the reblogs and insights in every single one, i read them i promise i do. im just so mf heartbroken we have to tag things as discourse when its really just about people not being compassionate. (as a couple people have pointed out) i will said id reblog and comment on every single tag but this is my side </3 EVERYONE PLEASE READ THE REBLOGGED TAGS TOO / / theyre so real ! ive also opened up that ask box thingy i havent been on tumblr in yrs and have 0 clue how any of that works if anyone wants my perspective on anything izzy related. *or otherwise ofmd related

[creatingblackcharacters]

I wanna recommend Kat Elliot from Wendell and Wild! She's the protagonist of the movie, played by Lyric Ross, and she's literal PROOF you can do a Tim Burton-esque movie with people of colour. After losing her parents in a tragic "accident" when she was really young, she started to lash out at the world and ended up in juvie. The movie starts out with her being sent to an all girls Catholic boarding school in her old home town, and with some supernatural assistance she solves the mystery of what happened that day.

The movie is so underrated, but it's the top of my Halloween rotation now - it's incredibly well animated, it's the first movie Henry Selick has directed since Coraline, and also stars Key and Peele as funky little demon brothers! It's weird, but so clearly full of love and really fun characters, with an amazing soundtrack. And look how amazing these concept illustrations of her when she was younger, and her best friend Raul, a teenager who attends the school and recently came out as a trans man. I'm obsessed!

Oh most definitely. Tim Burton could add Black people, he just doesn't "see" them in his vision. That's what many white fans believe, whether they want to admit it or not. Black people break the illusion, the relationship. As though my existence is unrealistic in something you'd want to watch and relate to.

I adored her and Raul's relationship. And ik you didn't mention her, but the blonde Black girl, I'm forgetting her name- the one whose parents are the villains- I loved that while she's clearly been indoctrinated into this school under her parents, she's kind to Kat. It wasn't a "I'm the big queen bee mean bitch and you're new here", she was actually really nice to her. That solidarity between the kids of color was so real and I loved that.

[happypotato48]

Century of Love EP 3-4 Unhinged Tangent Thoughts

Ok ok ok we're going fast baby! need to catch up so i can start doing this weekly.

Kanom krok! if any of ya'll ever coming to Thailand you better get this dessert. imo it's the best Thai street food. i'm not fond with the ones that has corn in them, but for real the green onions ones are heavenly.

Best advice in bl ever grandma. yeah fuck them hoes whose only judged you for your past mistakes and social status.

Tit-bit about thai nickname trend. people who only has two kids usually named their two kids to rhyme and/or in similar theme. for an example Nammon (holy water) Namhom (scented water.)

This is a BL alright :)

the three (generations) stooges. god i loved this family so much.

This is the sexiest scene in all of the recent Thai BLs. fight me, this man brush work got me more work up than butt naked sex scenes. anyways i'm calling dibs on this man he's my future husband and non of you bitches can have him!

Yeah as much it is ashamed for me to admit this but i can only count to ten in mandarin.

Gramp you already had sex dreams about this boy. also the heaven don't give no shit about two men getting married. it's the dinosaurs that you have to be worry about.

The OG Y girl Nu Wa striked agian.

One bad choice and your life is ruined. i related to that.

One class solidarity flashback and this man is ready down to clown, respect.

I know this scene is suppose to be funny but like i'm trash so... berate me more Daddy!

Dashing! so since the marriage equality bill passed i've been start thinking about my own hopefully one day will happen wedding. and yeahhhh i'm a basic bitch i probably going to wear black but after seeing this maybe red is not a bad choice. still need to find a man first tho.

What did i said! our girl Nu Wa is the OG!

Another bad choice to be make, that's life i guess.

And now to EP 4!

I wish i have the audacity of this boy. it's very inspiring to be this shameless.

Ok i love this homophobic grandpa. idk why but i don't feel bothered by a homophobic lead in this show contrast to other older Thai BLs.

Noooo you hurts my baby old man! although bloody noise Tao is kinda turn me on.

Food!!!

I don't care i support this boy very bad choice in saving his grandma. this baby and his grandma deserved the world.

My heart! ahhhhhhh!!!!

*incoherent noise* Gay love is indeed magical.

I will kill you motherfucker. classist pig.

+1 Point for show up for the wedding - 1 point for not beliving your friends outlandish BL nonsense.

Hell yeah, this shit alway bothered me in vempire show.

Danm this boy is jacked! i support (as long as they're not straving themselves) twink death for all BL actors.

This show is bonker lol i loved it.

Hi uncle Suchat.

Yesss finally some good god danm Thai BL. these two EPs is so good, i loved the silly bickering between our leads but also how the emotional stuff are very much not overshadowed by all of the sillyness. i'm very much invested in Wee's quest to save his grandma and the genuine budding romance that started to bubbly up cause of the mutual cares and empathy that the leads has for each other. i'm having a great time with this show and i can't wait for this week EPs.

[honeypiehotchner]

man after midnight (Hotch x Fem!Reader) -- one shot

Happy New Year! I had this idea on NYE when I remembered I’ve never had a New Year’s kiss lol. Here’s to Hotch giving us a New Year’s kiss instead 🥰

Summary: The team goes out for a New Year’s Eve party and it ends in the best way possible.

Warnings: mostly none, besides alcohol consumption (be responsible!), otherwise pure fluff to start out the new year right :))

WC: ~1.9k

All you did was mention once that you have never gone to a New Year’s Eve party, and look where you’ve ended up.

At a karaoke bar on December 31st with your entire team from the BAU — even Hotch.

It’s different having Hotch here too. You’ve gone out with Derek, Emily, JJ, Penelope, and sometimes Spencer and Rossi before, but never Hotch. You’ve always been grateful for Hotch not partaking in the team outings because he does not need to see you drunk. You start talking too freely and spilling secrets.

It’s how the girls found out about your crush on Hotch. Thank god Derek was in the restroom when you said it. He’d tease you relentlessly. The girls do, but not in front of Hotch, like you know Derek would.

Needless to say, you’re watching your alcohol intake — and the table of profilers is noticing.

“Are you feeling alright, momma?” Derek asks with a nudge to your arm.

“Hm? What? Yeah, why?” You try to cover your nerves with a grin, but it doesn’t work.

Hotch is across the table from you, talking with Rossi, directly in your line of sight, and it’s unnerving. Hotch just had to wear his black button up tonight, the one you love to see him in. You practically drooled the first time he wore it. That was embarrassing when Emily caught you staring.

“Something’s bothering you,” Derek says. He gestures to your glass of wine. “You’ve been nursing that for an hour.”

He’s right, and you’ve barely had half the glass. You desperately don’t want to make a fool of yourself, not in front of Hotch. You’re already doing karaoke later. That’s enough, right?

Apparently it isn’t, because Emily comes back to the table with the bartender in tow. “We’re doing shots!” she announces. “Everyone — even you two!” She points to Rossi and Hotch with a stern look.

Hotch tries to fight her on it, but the bartender still pours him a shot. You reluctantly take yours. It’s a slippery slope once you start doing shots, but if everyone is doing them, you might as well.

“On three, we clink,” Penelope says, grinning. “Ready?”

You can’t help but watch Hotch standing across from you. He smiles warily at you and tips his shot glass in a tiny salute of solidarity. He has looked nervous this whole night, too, but he never goes out. He’s so far out of his comfort zone.

“One, two, three!” Everyone toasts and taps the shot on the table before tossing it back.

It’s far too smooth going down. Warm, barely there, and you’re useless when it comes to resisting a second. And third.

“Okay, we should slow down,” Spencer says. You’re surprised he did all three. “If we want to maximize our—”

“Kid, kid,” Derek cuts him off with a laugh. “Quit doing statistics. Let loose.”

“I am loose. I just had three shots!”

They bicker back and forth for a few moments and you watch on with a smile, floating from the quick succession of shots. Thank god you weren’t tipsy before doing those.

You catch Hotch’s eyes across the table and widen your smile, almost involuntarily. He smiles back, and moves to come over to you.

Shit shit shit. The shots were fun, you feel slightly less anxious, but you can’t talk to him like this. You’ll say something ridiculous! Like how handsome he looks tonight, how sexy he looked taking those shots, how—

“How are you?” Hotch asks, whiskey glass in hand. He ordered a double and has been taking his time with it.

“Good,” you reply, blinking too quickly. He’s closer than you thought. Or maybe that’s just the alcohol. “How are you doing? You don’t normally come out for these things.”

He laughs a little. “Definitely not my usual Saturday night,” he says.

“Wait ‘til we start singing,” you blurt. “Then it really gets crazy.” You remember the one time Derek started essentially stripping onstage before Penelope drug him off. And the time Spencer sang “My Heart Will Go On” in the most screeching voice ever, just to make Derek lose his mind.

“I bet,” Hotch smiles. “Will you be singing?”

“Me?” you buffer, letting out a weak laugh. “Oh, I don’t— I mean, maybe, I’d need a song. I don’t have a go-to like everyone else.”

He shrugs. “I’m sure you’ll find something.” He takes a sip of his whiskey, smirking around the glass.

“You little shit!” you blurt. “You just want to see me look ridiculous!”

“Me? No, never.”

“Unbelievable,” you scoff playfully, picking up your wine glass. You’re this far gone, might as well go all in with everyone else. “Are you gonna sing?”

Ha! Gotcha! you think as his cheeks redden. “No,” he stammers, laughing. “I don’t sing.”

“Karaoke isn’t about being a good singer.”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts,” you shake your head. “Pick a song, Hotchner. You’re singing.”

Emily eyes you two curiously and moves closer to JJ and Spencer. Conveniently, everyone has split into little groups, leaving you alone with Hotch. And you can’t help yourself.

It doesn’t help that he’s drinking just as much alcohol. His cheeks are beginning to have a permanent red tint. His smile is wider. He leans toward you when he talks. You’re a goner when he orders more whiskey for himself and another wine for you, knowing the exact kind you’re drinking despite not being here yet when you first ordered.

“Is this your first New Year’s Eve party?” you ask him, speaking over the current karaoke singer.

“First in a longgg time,” he says. “You?”

“First ever.”

“No. Really?”

“Really really.”

“Not even in college?”

“I wasn’t exactly popular enough in college to get invited out,” you laugh. “I bet you went to all of them.”

“No,” he shakes his head, but you know he’s fibbing. “Just some. I mean, my friends made me—”

“You so were popular in college!” you lean into him and shove his shoulder. “My god. Aaron Hotchner, the popular kid. Were you in a fraternity? Please say no. I don’t wanna know. No, right?”

He grins. “I wasn’t.”

You deflate from relief. “Thank god.”

“Have you picked a song yet?”

“Have you?”

“No, I’ve been busy,” he says with a shrug. “What’s your excuse?”

“I’ve also been busy.”

“With what?”

“I dunno. Ask the guy who’s been flirting with me for the past hour.”

He raises his eyebrows and you sober up for exactly one moment, scolding yourself. You did not just accuse your boss of flirting with you. Absolutely not. You’re a ridiculous mess of a fool.

Instead of telling you you’ve got it all wrong and apologizing for the mixed signals, Hotch only moves closer. “I’ll have a word with him, don’t worry.”

Oh god. You’re going to melt into the floor. He’s practically touching you and god you want him to.

As soon as the two of you have been staring into each other’s eyes for too long to be deemed friendly, the rest of the group reappears to discuss karaoke songs.

Somehow, you’re shoved onstage with Emily, JJ, and Penelope to sing “Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!” by ABBA. You’re not even aware of what you’ve agreed to until the music starts, and the girls have mischievous grins on their faces.

You mainly focus on the girls to keep your nerves down while you sing, but soon you get the courage to look out into the audience. And Hotch is already looking at you.

As the chorus comes up, you decide to keep his gaze, hoping some switch will flip. It’s obvious both of you want a move to be made. Who will make it is still to be seen.

Once your song finishes, Derek drags Spencer onstage for one. You return to your spot by Hotch, right up against him, and he welcomes your presence, wrapping an arm loosely around your shoulders. If he wasn’t there for you to lean against, you would’ve melted into the floor.

“He’s really good,” you whisper, but you know it comes out louder than it should. You’re far too tipsy to whisper.

“Not as good as you were up there,” Aaron whispers back, leaning his head down so his lips are by your ear. It sends a shiver down your spine.

“Are you gonna get up there?”

He laughs, shaking his head, and he pulls you closer. “No, no I’m not.”

“Asshole,” you laugh, smacking his chest. “Well, I’m glad you came. Tonight. It’s been nice having you here.” You lean your head on his chest where you smacked him. His heart beats fast. “Why don’t you ever come out?”

You feel him shrug. “I didn’t know if I was welcome.”

You tilt your head upwards. “Really?” He nods. “Come on, Hotch, you’re always welcome.”

He looks down at you and smiles. He doesn’t say anything, but he pulls you closer, as if he can, leaving you to wrap your arms around his waist.

A few more songs are done before it’s five minutes to midnight, and the countdown is on the TV. Penelope finds her way into Morgan’s arms, of course, and the others are readying their shots.

“You know,” you start, glancing up at him. “I’ve never had a New Year’s kiss.”

Hotch chuckles, looking down at you. “Well, we’ll have to fix that.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm,” he nods, shifting to wrap his arms around you better, resting his hands on your hips. “If you want to.”

“Of course I want to,” you blurt, maybe a little too quickly. “Sorry, yes. Yes, I’d like to.”

“Don’t apologize,” he grins.

You rest your hands on his arms, taking him in. Thank god for the alcohol, otherwise you’d be too aware of the team standing not that far from you. You’ll both hear about this tomorrow, definitely, but right now you’re not worried about that.

The countdown draws closer, 30 seconds more. 30 seconds of staring at each other, wondering if this will actually happen.

And it does, because he’s been wanting to do this for months, but never had the right time -- or the courage. Or the hint that you felt the same way. You’re far better at composing yourself than he is. He has no idea how you haven’t seen him blushing and fumbling his words.

“Now or never,” you joke, as it gets down to 10 seconds. “If you want to.”

“Of course I do,” Aaron echoes you from earlier. “Come here.”

The clock strikes midnight and your hands fall into place on either side of Aaron’s face. You both sigh into the kiss, a long time coming, and perfect now that it’s here. Cheers for the new year erupt all around the two of you as you stay in each other’s embrace, stealing kiss after kiss, not wanting the moment to end.

Derek Morgan’s infamous whistle breaks through the noise, leaving you and Hotch in a mess of laughter.

“Took you long enough, boss man!” Morgan yells, despite Penelope playfully swatting at him to stop.

“I agree,” you tease, tilting your gaze back up at Aaron. “Took you long enough.”

He laughs, and steals another kiss through your grin.

[horizon-verizon]

Netty’s erasure is being justified by some with the excuse that it would be problematic to depict a young Black girl in a relationship with an older white man and then be used to create conflict between two white characters. But there was an easy and obvious solution to that problem which has been provided by the author himself in F&B: The theory of Daemon having a paternal relationship with Nettles, be it as her biological father or father figure. They could have shown her as a child from an affair he had long ago with whom he tries to connect. Or, had they been more creative, he could have been a mentor to her and grown to care for her because of her loyalty and because she reminded him of his own children with whom he had no conflict whatsoever in canon. Given how they lose Luke, Viserys, and Jace in quick succession, it would make sense for him to be protective of her. But Condal and Hess would never opt for those routes simply because it would amount to admitting that Daemon - for whom they harbour hatred so visceral as if he stole their girlfriends, left them penniless on the streets, and kicked their dogs – is a human being capable of emotion and reason. It would wound their ego. There was absolutely no need to make up drama between him and his daughters just to force a ‘redemption arc’ when he never needed one.

But it is rather concerning to see how they would rather mess with the canonical characterizations of more than one female character, sideline them and outright erase them, how they would rather subject them to gratuitous violence than accept that this one male character they’re unhealthily obsessed with vilifying, is not this one dimensional monster they have made him up to be in their minds. The little girls who played Baela and Rhaena as kids had their scenes deleted and the actress who played Rhaena had to make a post about it on Instagram. Baela had one significant scene and dialogue in S1 with Rhaenys which gave a glimpse to her character that was deleted. What all scenes had in common was that they portrayed a softer side to Daemon and proved that he cared for his daughters and was involved in their lives. Other deleted scenes include Daemon proposing a toast for Viserys because it was decided that one improvised scene where Daemon expressed his love for his brother by crowning him would be more than enough and the one where he mourns Visenya which got edited out. The pattern is evident. Most female characters in the story are disposable and interchangeable for C&H and not worth putting any effort or thought. They are treated as plot devices meant to be used to further the arcs of the male characters the writers love or to prove a point against the male characters they hate. They are seldom prioritized. Maybe that’s why Black Aly was robbed off her moment in the Battle Of the Burning Mill which happens offscreen. Her presence would have made the Blackwoods appear like the badasses they are in canon and defeated C&H’s plans to demonize them. Also because they can’t possibly have a woman have agency and engage in warfare out of her own freewill because wars are for men to wage while women need to preach peace :/

Now, if my predictions are correct, then Jeyne Arryn and the Vale subplot will be made all about Daemon too because of the made-up canon-defying murder of Rhea Royce that was birthed by Condal’s galaxy brain. What a way to miss the point of that subplot from the book. The Vale alliance was never about Daemon but about Rhaenyra and the empathy Jeyne had for her cousin as a fellow woman whose inheritance was threatened by her male relatives. Her dislike for Daemon was overshadowed by her feelings of solidarity for Rhaenyra.

This show is such a droll tragedy that at times I wish they just stop pretending and accept it for what it is: The Adventures Of Historian and Philosopher Almond ft. Hugh the Greatest Family Man to have ever Family Manned in Westeros Hammer.

The pattern is evident. Most female characters in the story are disposable and interchangeable for C&H and not worth putting any effort or thought. They are treated as plot devices meant to be used to further the arcs of the male characters the writers love or to prove a point against the male characters they hate. They are seldom prioritized.

@deus-sema

Reminds me--and it is definitely connected to & fueled by the same principle of male centeredness--when SA and rape against women is used more to define a male character than to elucidate anyone on why men rape in fiction. It's either to signify a man who rescues said woman as "good"; the man who does it as "bad". And that's it. How does the woman feel and develop into the future with this incident, how does the community deal or not deal with the event and not just the rapist/would be rapist, what does anyone do to try to prevent it, etc., nothing.

Which underplays rape and gender violence as "a thing that happens" as if innate to human nature and not malleable behavior for the sake of creating character for males.

They are treated as plot devices meant to be used to further the arcs of the male characters the writers love or to prove a point against the male characters they hate.

In a recent reaction post to Epi 5, I said that the writers trying to make their version of Rhaenyra seem suppressed by her own council by making the "monarchs can't go into battle" thing an excuse to not deal with a woman make war instead of a pretty valid reason that had real life male monarchs not actually go to war themselves MOST of the time (the one who is meant to be the opposite of the fiery and proud Rhaenyra GRRM described but also a Rhaenyra who is trying her damdnest to be taking seriously or approved by the men around her as if that was who bk!rhaenyra was).

@thevelaryons said this in their post about how HotD writes Rhaenys and Corlys' relationship:

Yet despite all that, their relationship onscreen is still a loving one. Like I said, it’s a writing issue. Corlys and Rhaenys are clearly meant to be viewed as a loving couple but the central theme of HOTD is apparently that women are always victims of the men in their lives. Corlys as a man must fall into this in some way. But like always, the writers go overboard in their heavy-handed attempts to depict misogyny onscreen. So Corlys’ actions towards Rhaenys are such that there is a lack of respect but somehow there is love.

And they are coming from how HotD rewrote Rhaenys to be way too accepting of the Hull boys in her awareness when book!Corlys actually kept them away from anywhere Rhaenys herself might go to see them or discover them...bc she too didn't take what she and most noblewomen would see as insults to them of their husband's not only cheating but bringing their bastards around in the same spaces as their wives. Rhaenys was a Targ princess and very proud to be one.

Though Marilda is impressive as a human being (leading her own trad eboats later on), in the social context of these people I don't think noblemen would not take exception to not only their wives cheat on them but also cheat on them with any lower classed man or a stable boy and male readers not identify & recognize that as bringing shame to that man. Yes, men are socially graced to cheat, but noblewomen in Westeros still are expected to not have to raise his by-blows or have those bastards "sully" their own status by having them around. that's just the way things go, as those men love to say.

Then there is Daemon-at-Harrenhal trying to display his great leadership that he wants to prove to both Viserys and Rhaenyra that he was as capable of being a monarch/leader as he thinks they don't think he should be. Based on incompetence. Which is compounded by his bungling the Blackwoods and Brackens thing and thus endangering Rhaenyra's ability to get more soldiers...when bookwise, he doesn't perform any such stupidity and never tried to prove anything about his being able to be a competent king/independent agent to anyone. In fact he, like Jace, manages to collect many supporters from Rhaenyra with little problem. not only that, bk!Rhaenyra had an almost a ubiquitous and eager base in the Riverlands. These are CRITICAL changes made for shallow & logically inconsistent drama. Inconsistent bc we see Daemon and Rhaenyra have more or less a pretty settled marriage where Rhaenyra shows she had trusted Daemon to at least not betray her...which is why her later despair at his death and "betrayal" with Nettles was as intense as it was.

It reveals a pattern HotD makes of trying to poke fingers at misogyny while still being very sexist in how they do it by simplifying their men like Daemon and Corlys, try to overpunish and vilify Daemon, as well as how they pacified their female characters. It's all a distorted, very overly literal and unnuanced rewrite of the original story. But what else is new?

This is the story people want, right?

[masterqwertster]

Because it's been rolling around in my head for a while thanks to the Indigo Disk DLC release...

Bells Hells Pokémon Teams!

These are all vibe based, limited to the six Pokémon teams, and everyone gets at least one Legendary and Shiny. Some will be evolutionary lines because I could see them coming into the campaign unevolved.

Chetney

Stoutland- received as a Lillipup when Chet was a kid, this majestic old dog is his oldest companion. I think Stoutland speaks nicely to Chetney having a pretty normal life before he became a werewolf. Aslo, Chet can ride his Stoutland around, which is fun

Phantump- met as Chet trained in the Bramblewood, this spirit of a child in a tree stump/wood fell in love with Chetney's toy carving. Chet loves the joy this Pokémon feels with every project

Snover/Abamasnow- this tree Pokémon was caught during the Icelost years that Chet was present for in Tal'Dorei

Banette- Chetney is worried about his toycraft becoming obsolete, and this Pokémon is an abandoned toy. Also Chet talked about letting his grudges stew before werewolfdom

Lycanroc (Midnight Form, Shiny)- it's a Pokémon with something like the classical wolfman-werewolf shape, so werewolf vibes, baby! Caught after Chet got lycanthropy, shiny because it matches Chet's original color scheme

Zacian- look, it's a wolf that's set to shank a bitch. Tell me that doesn't vibe with Chetney

Orym

Sirfetch'd- Flying-type with a sword and shield, obviously meant for Mr Sword and Shield of the Air Ashari

Honedge/Doublade/Aegislash- Orym's memento of his husband that always travels with him is Will's sword, so the ghost sword(and later sword/shield combo) makes sense for Oym

Comfey- friendly cute flowers for Mr Druidcraft gifts

Pidgey/Pidgeotto/Pidgeot- the normal-est bird for the normal-est guy. Yet capable and more striking the further down the line they get

Appletun (Shiny)- got it in Byroden as a reminder to enjoy life and pie. Also, little guy solidarity. Shiny because green apple for Orym who wears green

Shaymin- more friendly flowers for Orym, and the Sky Form is a little fighter like him

Fearne

Darumaka- Fearne needs a fire monkey to mirror Little Mister and this is the round fire monkey shaped like the Little Mister plush

Braixen/Delphox- fire Pokémon with a bit of a witch aesthetic for the fire girl of the Witchy Bitches

Impidimp- a Fairy-type with a mischievous streak for our mischievous fey

Skiddo/Gogoat- for the goat-ness of being a faun and a little druidic Grass-type

Gloom/Vileplume (Shiny)- for Fearne's love of poisonous flowers. And shiny because it's green and orange, which are Fearne's colors

Moltres- a burning phoenix Pokémon that Fearne worries will take on the Galarian Form that her Bad Future Self had

Imogen

Mudsdale- workhorse for the farmgirl who loves horses

Ponyta (Galarian)- cute unicorn pony with Psychic typing (not Galarian Rapidash because I think it's ugly)

Blitzle/Zebstrika (Shiny)- the Electric-type "horse" (zebras are close, okay?) Pokémon for our storming electrical Horse Girl. And shiny because Zebstrika is purple when shiny

Hattrem/Hatterene- Imogen's witch Pokémon. It's Psychic-type and sensitive to emotions, making it sort of like her mindreading

Elgyem/Beheeyem- Psychic-type and kind of alien-ish and said to mess with people's heads, this Pokémon showed up to Imogen after her Exaltant powers awakened

Spectrier- Legendary horse that comes in Imogen's two colors: purple and red

Laudna

Rattata (Alolan)- to mirror Pâté. Potentially shiny as the deep red and black are Laudna's colors

Mimikyu (Shiny)- a broken doll-like Pokémon for a person who feels like a broken doll. And shiny makes it a pale black and white like Laudna

Mismagius- Laudna's witch Pokémon, and ghostly of course (Also collar gems like Delilah?)

Leavanny- a bit of a crafter Pokémon and protective of kids

Meowth (Galarian)- the Alolan Meowth and Kantonian Persian are the kind of Pokémon I could see noble ladies having, so Laudna decided to catch her own Meowth... and ended up with a scrungly Galarian one. But she loves them anyways

Marshadow- it's shadow theme matches Laudna's Shadow Sorcerery. And Laudna does spend time trying to copy the Ladies of Whitestone...

FCG

Togepi/Togetic/Togekiss- Pokémon that are about bestowing happiness, because that's all FCG wants for their friends. Possibly not enthused by Togekiss being so bird-like, while Togetic is definitely on the edge of comfortable

Happiny/Chansey/Blissey- classic Pokémon Center helper and healers line for the cleric

Porygon/Porygon 2/Porygon-Z- artificial Pokémon for the artificially made person. The bird-ish shape might weird FCG out a bit

Fidough/Dachsbund- obtained after they got their oven installed, this Pokémon helps FCG with his baking endeavors

Iron Thorns- secret Aeorian rage-mode Pokémon since Future Paradox Pokémon look like robots and Tyranitar, which Iron Thorns is based off of, is known for raging around (also reflects Ashton having a Tyranitar a bit)

Magearna- a man-made clockwork Legendary for the Aeormaton

Ashton

Golett/Golurk (Shiny)- a rock person Pokémon for an actual rock person. And they're also powered by mysterious energies. Probably Ashton's original Pokémon. Shiny for green glow lines

Tyranitar- acquired as a Larvitar in Bassuras and a point of pride to have fully evolved given the reputation of such a Pokémon in that city

Tinkaton- also caught in Bassuras as a Tinkatink. It's a Pokémon with a big hammer and the evolutionary line would probably be semi-common in the scrap heaps of Bassuras (Also the Corviknight hunting as a get rid of birds that FCG fears/hates)

Growlithe/Arcanine(Hisuian)- for Ashton's strong loyalties. Possibly acquired after attempting to absorb the Spark of Rau'shan for the Fire/Rock typing, or just had since a kid from Hishari

Cosmog- suddenly appeared after Ashton got galaxy-brained because it's a little galaxy guy from another (higher?) dimension. It's Ashton's innocent baby who doesn't know how to stay in the damn pokéball and not reveal his soft side

Regigigas- this is the big titan Pokémon, hauling continents and shit. Not to mention that the Slow Start ability reflects how Ashton had a titan shard for twenty years before they really got it to do anything spectacular

[majorbaby]

i was going to make a video compilation but actually i think that would give MASH too much credit or make it seem like I really think this show did generally well by race and racism, plus I can't go back and edit a video if I change my mind at any point. so here's my text-based list of race moments that actually land for me, whether intentional or based on my personal interpretation.

s01e05 The Moose - which is mostly a white saviour episode but actually does do a few things right:

this moment of solidarity between Oliver and Young-Hi

in response to the Swamp Rats' indignation that anyone would sell their child into servitude, Ho-Jon explains very frankly "Well some of the locals sell their kids for money Hawkeye, they have no other means." - not to say that it's right that Young-Hi's parents did that to her, but like, they didn't sell her to get rich, they did it because they're likely living in poverty and they have other younger children to support

Young-Hi cheekily explaining in her letter to Hawkeye "heehee the nuns have no idea I'm Buddhist" she's taking them for a ride, it's great

and Young-Hi's "I am also very beautiful!"

s02e15 Officers Only

Hawkeye introducing a black enlisted man as his brother-in-law - soooo very recently, like I argued this at the mic at my last convention, we've started to rethink the use of"brother" and "sister" to refer to your union comrades has start. if your boss caught you organizing with a friend after work, you would say "oh that's just my brother/sister". arguments against this are gaining traction now because of growing awareness of non-binary people but tbh it should have never been a thing it only protects white people who can reasonably pass as siblings, if you're black or brown you're SOL (as you usually were anyway). so anyway. this is a long ass paragraph just to say that Hawkeye saying " brother-in-law" in the union episode of MASH makes me feel ways. someone was thinking about intersectionality way back then.

s02e19 The Chosen People

Sam Pak in OR at the beginning of the episode, thanking America for saving Korea "from the bottom of our bomb craters." and also just generally making jokes that actually land about the Korean language because he's the one making them, "Pish-posh? That's my mother's family name"

tbh Sam walking around like he owns the base is pretty great in general

s05e08 Dear Sigmund

Klinger: Smaha! Smaha! Potter: [to Private Habib] What'd he say? Habib: He said "Smaha! Smaha!"

If it is Arabic it's funny because Potter assumes Habib will translate and he just repeats the words in Arabic because that is what Klinger literally said. If it is gibberish it's funny because Potter assumes its Arabic and Habib gives him the gibberish. This is one of my favourite gags in the whole show and fun fact also the moment I realized Jamie Farr must be a native speaker because his accent is so natural. It's pretty cool he got to flex that.

s05e11 Hawk's Nightmare

this is just me, but I love that Hawkeye describes the people of Crabapple Cove as never changing colour, always the same "off-white" - this was a time you almost never heard white people acknowledge their whiteness, except when speaking about racism. really struck me the first time i heard it. probably my favourite thing from Hawkeye re: race and it's not intentional. I definitely prefer it to his white saviourism

s06e08 In Love and War

the exchange between Kyungsoon and Hawkeye where the extent of his naiveté is put on display, "You're being awfully practical about this" "I thought you liked that about me [list of things she had to do for survival that Hawkeye initially admired in her but is now throwing in her face]"

episode ends in Hawkeye having to accept that sometimes love is irrelevant, the circumstances are what they are (the love was there and it didn't matter, but it was there) - this imo is the only episode of MASH that even begins to touch on the realities of being a Korean civilian in the war

s08e03 Guerilla My Dreams

the gang fails to save a woman from being taken away and she will likely die, as would've probably happened irl. sometimes being on a sitcom isn't enough to save you from your fate as a prisoner of war and it was good to be reminded of that for once. it's the white saviour trope averted.

s08e08 Private Finance

I can at least appreciate that this time when someone is explaining how all sides of the war are to blame for the scourge of war, it's a young Korean girl in her own words. rest of the episode is questionable but normally such a line would go to Hawkeye.

s08e15 Yessir that's Our Baby

the Korean official biting back when Hawkeye tries to accuse him (on behalf of the country) for not recognizing mixed-race babies as Korean, stating that neither does America recognize mixed-race babies with American fathers as Americans, unlike France and the UK

s11e01 Hey Look Me Over

this episode is textually about the very specific and not uncommon experience of being desexualized as a fat, Asian-American woman - it deserves a proper episode recap/analysis with that lens and I'm planning on take a stab at it if/when I ever get around to that ep in my rewatch. these stories were not being told in mainstream media until like, five years ago. there are some the hypersexualized or fetishized Asian woman in media and usually the movie/show/comic is doing that as a selling point rather than commentary. it's unfortunate we haven't progressed much since that moment 40 years ago.

[citation needed, cannot remember the name of the episode]

while admitted a Korean doctor tells Hawkeye he wishes things were different and that he could work alongside Hawkeye and BJ and Hawkeye asks with perfect American ignorance (paraphrase), "You'd want to do that?" and he responds, "You treat the enemy, why can't I?"

And finally, Soon-Lee and Klinger in GFA, a little bit in As Time Goes By. I started writing an essay on Klinger as the romantic lead of GFA but I think I'm going to try to make it a video essay so I can include clips from the show without having to make a bunch of gifs.

But in a nutshell, Klinger gets to do stuff in GFA that the often emasculated brown man still doesn't get to do much on television. As MASH progressed we did occasionally get to see Klinger take on a more serious role, Alan Alda has spoken on trying to do that for the character rather than rehash dramatic plotlines for Hawkeye or BJ who got plenty of their own.

Having Klinger represented that way gives audiences a chance to see him more three-dimensionally. As someone who is capable of romantic love, attraction, courage and someone who might be sexually desirable to others - in a less direct way than Kellye demands of Hawkeye in Hey Look Me Over. I think the lack of subtlety in Hey Look Me Over is great because there can be no question about what that episode is supposed to do and also because it drives home that Hawkeye is so blinded by his preconceived notions of what a "desirable woman" looks and sounds like that Kellye has to scream it in his face before he realizes what he's been doing. But it's also nice to have an example that's woven into the writing and cinematography.

Normally I don't like to add these kinds of disclaimers because I value open conversation but if you're rb'ing, please be mindful of your tags. I intentionally excluded a lot of the moments where I know I'm supposed to give this show an A+ for its progressivism when it has a white person demonstrating basic human decency. That bar is just too low for me.

[girlactionfigure]

THE HOLOCAUST WAS IN COLOUR

I woke up today in Jerusalem to the sound of a siren marking Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day. The fucking Holocaust. This thing that's there. This thing that every Jewish kid has to learn about far too young. There’s no good age to learn about it. It takes away an innocence whatever age you learn.

It's a lesson of: actually - the worst shit can happen.

Actually - the worst shit did happen.

Actually the worst shit could happen again.

There is no objective proof of God - but Auschwitz did happen. It’s difficult to remain idealistic about human beings after that. If tales of individual acts of heroism that emerged from the Holocaust are supposed to give us solace and an after-taste of hope, the bigger question is what is it that makes these tales such anomalies?? What is it that prevented every person from being a hero? And why did it happen in the first place?

Visiting Auschwitz ruined part of me. It really did. Even before visiting, all that bullshit ruined part of me. I remember seeing images on TV as a kid and that ain't healthy. To see ghouls hanging on barbed wire. Piles of skeleton and flesh. I don't see how it can't ruin anyone if that's you and your kind they were gunning for. The idea that people murdered you because you were born you. The idea that your fellow countrymen turned round and said: actually you're not one of us. Or turned a blind eye, buttoned up their lips, gazed down in silence and left you to deal with it on your own. It's not like this puts joy in your heart. It puts something in your heart that I can't explain. It puts in your heart the sensation that some people don't want your heart to beat. And that's a confusing feeling for any heart: a nexus of emotions. A paralytic, existential moment. The loneliest heart, scarred by barbed wire and frost.

The fact that I can only trace my family tree back a few generations has always gnawed at me. I can only go back so far and then there's nothing. Just a black hole. Part of my connection with planet earth has been blotted out for good. I've been disinherited of my roots - from knowing the specifics of who I am and where I come from.

A few years back I visited Auschwitz - this massive shithole in Poland. And it's not like this death factory could have been a secret. There's no way. People knew. It's huge. It just goes on and on. And there's something weird about it. And you can't quite figure it out. And then you realise - it's all in colour. It's not in black and white. The images we're used to seeing of Auschwitz are black and white. And as horrific as those images are they provide a safe, historical distance. It appears a bygone world far removed from us. But it's here in colour and it's the same world we inhabit. The same air, the same trees, the same rain falling. And the human beings would have been in colour too, with red blood cells and capillaries and hearts beating like ours. They weren’t creatures from yester-year, they were modern human beings with the same body parts and feelings. And they were murdered by modern human beings who also had the same body parts and who probably loved their children and kissed their partners goodnight.

There's more I could write. I could write about mountains of shoes. I could write about piles of hair. I could write about buttons and cutlery and possessions that emerge from the mud in the rain. I remember having a stupid back and forth in my mind over some buttons I found which I put back into the mud. I had this stupid thought that maybe I should have "liberated" the buttons rather than leave them in that shithole - but then thinking that would be stealing? But would it be stealing if they'd been stolen by scum and were now being "taken back" in a spirit of love and solidarity by someone on their side? “Liberating buttons.” Stupid stuff. Ridiculous thoughts that you can somehow do something correct to rectify what happened here and bring some kind of harmony. In the end I left them. The buttons were stolen and they don't belong to Auschwitz - but they belong to the memory of what happened there - so they can at least continue to speak from the mud to anyone who sees them.

If I'm honest, part of me wishes I hadn't visited the place. I came away angry and it killed any absolute faith I have in human beings. As I say, individual tales of heroism and defiance aren’t enough to justify true optimism. They're a plaster to cover up the deeper sickness of who and what we are as a species. There's something worrying about human beings and our capacity for cruelty. A species whose children pick the wings off flies, combined with a propensity to herd mentality, is dangerous. It should trouble all of us. I don't know how we overcome it, keep it restrained, or collectively channel it toward a universally agreed direction that’s aimed at goodness.

If I have one reflection on whatever nonsense it is I'm writing it's this: I think there's a violence in human beings. There is violence in the human soul. There is violence and there is cruelty. But more than that there is fear. Despite our songs and poems, I'm not sure love is the most powerful force on earth. There’s a strong argument to suggest fear is the primary driving force behind the actions of the animal we call a human being. It's fear of freezing to death that causes us to build shelters. It's fear of going hungry that causes us to stock food. It's fear of being ostracised that causes us to ostracise others. It's fear of ridicule that breeds conformity. It's fear that causes people to keep their heads down. And when the moment of danger comes? When the tyrants enter? When the bullies arrive? It's fear that causes people to not speak up. To turn a blind eye. To let someone else take the bullet. People can bombastically jump on the bandwagon and say "never again" but it’s tough to find your voice when face to face with a bully. People can say never again but it’s tough to square up if someone has raised their fist and shown they will use it. It’s tough to be brave when the moment comes and there's so many thoughts going through your mind and your brain and adrenalin decides it's best to shut down and stay quiet for the sake of self-preservation. It’s tough to do good things in this world because the bad things are loud and scary and intimidating. It’s tough for people to rise above fear. There’s a reason why heroes are called lone heroes. They’re uncommon.

That's why it's good to be writing this from Israel where Jews are once again in their ancestral home, the place they forged an indigenous civilisation many thousands of years ago before the Babylonians and Romans forced them into exile. A place where they can ensure that "Never Again" is not left in the hands of a species that pulls the wings off flies. Google the Evian Conference - visit Auschwitz yourself - survival is not a game to be left in the hands of others or based on the strength of promises. Because there's always a chance that when the chips are against you and you call out to friends or others for help, you could be left hanging around wondering when they'll arrive?

And the answer might be:

Never. Again.

So. Anyway. It's 5pm. I need a piss. Then I'll probably eat some bread. A siren went off this morning. Just one final thought before I have a wee. I say that any absolute faith I have in human beings is lost. And that's true. Yet every day I experience such joy at existing. I love walking about, talking to people and connecting with souls cut from the same cloth. I like nature and I like looking at things and if I didn't love science so much I'd probably be a new age nut hugging trees and trying to kiss ants. Being alive is the most beautiful thing I've experienced to date.

And as embarrassed as I am to say it would you look at me trying to finish on a positive note?

Maybe there is something stronger than fear?

The persistant impulse to seek blessings in a world full of curses. The sheer chutzpah of life. The defiance. Not to vanquish the darkness, but to live in spite of the darkness. I can handle a world where Auschwitz took place if I also get to live in a world where there are people I love. I can handle a world where there’s horror if I also get to laugh now and then. And the fact that love, laughter and happiness can blossom in a world where the worst can happen - and has - must count for something. Deep down the impulse to go in search of life’s blessings is within all of us. It’s part of who we are. It’s why we get up each morning. We have to have faith that all will be well even when logic, history and common sense says otherwise. Actually it’s not even a question of faith. We have no choice. I think hope is hardwired into all of us. Deeper than fear. We are a creature that hopes. And sometimes, with the right wind behind us, at the right tide, we make those hopes come true. Sometimes, if you will it, it is no dream.

Lee Kern

This was written in Jerusalem in 2015 on Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day

[uzumaki-rebellion]

The World-building of Wakanda: Black Panther and Afrofuturism

I've been revisiting the Wakanda Syllabus that an educator associate of mine Dr. Walter Greason put together when the first Black Panther movie came out, and also reviewing old discussions about the significance of that era as a cultural moment and movement at the same time.

The fact that I still write Black Panther fanfics is a testement to the love I have for that fandom and its importance to Afrofuturism and Black Diaspora Futurism. I'm always happy when I see other Black writers out here still churning out plots and series fics because it is a digital archive for how we perceive a fictional future where as Killmonger once annouced "We're on top."

These works are important and specifically center the Black experience. And we don't have to fit our characters inside of white story spaces where we are usually the sidekick or fetish characters. I had an interesting talk with a friend of a friend and she wanted to argue that Black characters in the MCU who were not in the Black Panther/Wakanda Forever films should be included in the discussions of Afrofuturism, and I said they didn't belong in it fully because those characters are not centering Black people's futures. They center the non-Black white leads and their American/American adjacent interests (I'm talking about War Machine, Nick Fury, Sam Wilson, Valkyrie etc). It was a good back and forth because I am always questioning how Black people can build Black solidarity/communities by always working in white spaces in the service of white global agendas.

Writing Killmonger's journey (and his parents) for over six years (Lawd six years!!!!) with numerous books has taught me a lot about my role in preserving our fandom legacy as Black fanfiction writers and as readers. Afrofuturism has allowed me to explore not only Black Liberation, but Black Queerness, ATR's (African Traditional Religions), Black Matriarchy and Black Patriarchy. I've written about things I love and participate in, and also got to play pretend like I'm a kid again playing with my Barbie dolls and action figures. Black sex. Black music. Black art. Black philosophy. Blackety Black and unapologetic.

All this to say that I hope others out there like me keep writing and reading and reblogging these free little digital seeds we are planting that will truly blossom in the future when others discover our work. I know many Black writers lament that we don't get the same traction or BNF notoriety that white writers do. However, there is joy and divine calling when one simply sits and writes a Black Panther tale to give to other Black people for free all over the world. It still boggles my mind that there are people who have read my stories for years and they live on the other side of the world. People I will probably never meet, but they read and sometimes leave sweet comments that feed me to keep going.

Keep writing y'all. Keep reading and sharing and creating. You are making Afrofuturism fanfiction that is a time capsule for Black folks who aren't even here yet. Academics are secretly reading your stuff and using it to formulate academic studies on a fictional world ! Your Black Panther creations are beautiful no matter where you live on the planet!

Pat yourself on the back and keep worldbuilding and reading.

Here is a link if you want to check out some Wakanda Syllabus stuff that has been collected for the public to use.

[punkeropercyjackson]

hi mate just came here to drop this here but AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I HATE THE OVERSEXUALIZATION OF ARAB WORDS IN FRENCH AND THE FACT THAT THEYRE ASSOCIATED WITH LOW IQ. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE AS A KID I CALLED MY PARENTS YEMMA AND BABA CUZ THATS NORMAL THATS WHO THEY ARE BUT THEN I STARTED SEEING THEM WHITE KIDS APPROPRIATING IT IN WEIRD CONTEXTS (sexual i just didn't get it) AND I JUST STOPPED AND STARTED CALLING THEM PAPA AND MAMAN WHEN NO THEYRE YEMMA AND BABA. OR JUST ARAB WORDS BEING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATED BY FRENCH FRAT BOYS WHO JUST USE THEM IN THE WRONG CONTEXT AND LOOK NOT ITS ONLY SAID BY STUPID PEOPLE AND GANGSTERS. FOR EXAMPLE HENDEK WHICH MEANS BEWARE AND IS GENERALLY USED BY YOUR MOM WHEN IS ABOUT TO WHOOP YOUR ASS IF YOU DONT SHUT IT RN THEM WHITE BOYS TURNED IT INTO A SLANG FOR COPS. DUDE WTF ? AND ALL OF OUR CULTURE BEING APPROPRIATED BY FRENCH BOHOS AND HIPPIES FOR THE AESTHETIC ASPECTS CUZ WE CANT HAVE PRETTY STUFFS THATS GOTTA BE COMMODIFIED AND WHITE WASHED ! AND THE REST MEH GIVE IT TO THOSE FRAT BOYS WHO DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT US. OH AND WHATEVER IS LEFT MAKE IT SEXUAL ! FOR EG HABIBI WHICH MEANS LOVER BOY AND IS OFTEN USED PLATONICALLY ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG KIDDOS WELL I SAW A WHITE ALT RIGHT ACTIVIST GIRL CALLING HER EQUALLY BIGOTED BF HABIBI AND GIRLS ON TIKTOK MAKING IT SO SEXUAL. GUYS THATS SOMETHING I SAY TO MY 9YO BROTHER WTF IS WRONG WITH YALL ? WERE EITHER SEXUALIZED CRIMINALIZED OR COMMODIFIED ! CANT WE JUST EXIST ? NAH BUT WITH ALL OF THOSE TERRORIST ALLEGATIONS ON TOP OF THAT AND THE GROWING HATRED OF MAGHREBIS IN FRANCE ! IM JUST SO FUCKEN DONE ! WE CANT EXIST ! AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON ARAB FISHING TO COMFORT TO THE BEURETTE STEREOTYPE ! And anyway time for a maghrebi arab and black solidarity moment from what I read on your blog you guys also have this kind of experience and just reading it made me feel seen even though we're not from the same community. Keep up with the good work you're so cool and good at putting into words feelings I had about a lot of stuffs ! you slay beyond mortal comprehension love takow ps : drink water

1.YESSSSSSSSSSSS GET THEY ASS,DESTROY THOSE FREAKS!!!

2.White people when something isn't about sex:Hmmm sounds innacurate

3.True true true!!!!As a black person i love arab people so much and how much we can share♡

4.Ahhhh tysm,i'm so happy i could!!My posts are often made with the intention of that so i'm glad i could :'>

5.I will and i will also be eating soup with lemon juice for dinner :]]]

[wrathofrats]

this isnt so much Writing based but just, general fandom vibes I get from you but I thought of this bcus of some of the responses I read lol

you give the vibe of that one cousin at the family get together who is like, only a year or 2/3 older and, whether you know them well or not you can go hang with them cus theyre really chill. also if you came out to them they're just like "nice" and high five you. and gives really good advice, not in a harsh way per se but a tough love "you need to hear this rn, its not fun, but its necessary" type of way

(this is in terms of like, vibes within the fandom, Im not saying this is how you actually are/are outside of fandom etc)

Lmao I know you see a lot of me so yeah HAHAHA.

The funny thing is is that this isn’t super far off from real life?

Idk life rambles under cut bc I doubt most people care but I enjoy yapping

I am the oldest cousin by like 7 years (besides some on my moms side but that’s a different story lmao, do love them dearly) but I have many many younger cousins and have been the black sheep since I was probably 9-10.

And ya know what? There’s embarrassment about it sure, there’s an awful feeling of having to be the black sheep but I hope that because I had to do it that means none of my other cousins will have to. I’m not out to any of my family besides my dad on this side of the family but like … I’m not hiding it. I have rainbow keychains and dress like an idiot and am openly very left.

And I hope so deeply that if any kids in my family turn out like I did and realize they were kinda odd and strange by the time they’re 12 or 13, I hope they know that I support them even if they’re scared no one else will. That they have someone to confide in if they’re queer or did drugs or are generally just rebellious or have failed at something. Idk I hope they find trust and solidarity in knowing I am too. And they don’t have to be the first, they don’t have to navigate being kinda odd alone they don’t have to be a failure like it’s ok I did it first, you can’t mess up much more than me kid! /lh