#kazy

[surqrised]

Eye contact is way more intimate than words will ever be.

Faraaz Kazi

[perfectquote]

Eye contact is way more intimate than words will ever be.

Faraaz Kazi

[thoughtkick]

Eye contact is way more intimate than words will ever be.

Faraaz Kazi

[forgotten-daydreamer]

I love how inclusivity is handled in The Dragon Prince, here's why.

In most shows, as much as it bothers me to admit so, some people are right, inclusivity does feel forced sometimes. But it's not the characters' fault, it's not because of them being part of the lgbtq+ community, or being disabled, or being POC, or being strong women who do not conform to patriarchal standards.

It's not that.

It's that the show they are part of is a straight, white, abled parade - and notice, most of said shows won't even pass the Bechdel test.

So yes, in a show written by and aimed to straight, white, abled people, even I, a gay, non-binary, chronically ill person feel weird seeing charcters that are there just for the sake of inclusivity, albeit 'inorganic'.

In a show with the premise of "straight, white, abled men are the indiscussed MCs", seeing that one side-character that stands out and is often ridiculed and/or reduced to a single trait of their 'personality', such as 'the gay one', 'the asian one', 'the disabled one' (etc) is upsetting and feels uncomfortable as hell.

But TDP is different.

They immediately introduced powerful women, people of color, characters that are openly part of the lgbtq+ community, disabled characters etc. And not one of them per 'category', no. For the lgbtq+ community we have Amaya, Janai, Runaan, Ethari, Terry, Kazi. For the disabled community, we have Amaya again, Villads, and even a disabled wolf Ava. For the POC community, we have literally half of the cast, starting from King Harrow, then Ezran, every sunfire elf, Terry as well, etc. Same goes for women, who take up on roles that are rarely considered 'for women', like Opeli being the main member of the High Council, Amaya being the General, Rayla being the main Dragon Guard, Claudia being one of the main antagonists, etc.

Both main and side-characters are part of the communities, everything is so much more organic, enjoyable, thrilling.

We do not come in 'minor quantity'.

We are everywhere, among others, living our lives, doing our best, existing, thriving, proud. It's not just one or two of us among thousands. Surprise, 'categories' can mix! Just like I, a real human being, can be gay, enby as well as chronically ill, we can have characters like that as well! Amaya being lesbian and disabled, Terry being black and trans, Janai being black and lesbian, etc. And, another surprise, 'categories' don't define us. We don't 'shove it' in anyone's face like they say we do, we're just being us and cishets are upset because we don't conform to their sick standards.

Inclusivity is organic in TDP because nobody in that universe questions anyone else's color, gender, orientation, etc. And it's organic because we didn't have to wait half a season to see a black character, or a disabled character, or a gay character.

The key to inclusivity is to realise that we aren't just 'bonuses'. Fill shows and comics with lgbtq+, POC, disabled, and female characters. Not just one every 15, 20 characters. Everywhere.

We are everywhere! We are proud! We deserve to be seen! We deserve to be depicted as the normal people we are, without diminishing our traits but without making them our whole personality either. Treat us like human beings, be considerate like you should be with everyone on the planet of course, but treat us like humans.

Antagonising people who are 'different' (in the mind of straight, white, abled people) will not suppress us. We will keep insisting until you hear us. It's literally one of the main messages, one of the main teachings of TDP and it's so damn important.

Every single person on Earth should watch it. Every single kid should be introduced to TDP at an early age. Every old bigot should watch it, as well. Everybody. Even if it's considered a y7 (y10 for s4 and s5 apparently) show, everyone, no matter their age, should give it a try and watch it thoroughly.

Lots of love to the creators and everyone, literelly everyone involved in the production of one the best, most entertaining, most exciting, most formative shows ever. Please, keep it up! And thank you so much!

[random-brushstrokes]

Kazys Šimonis - The city of fairy tales (1920)

[a-certain-elf]

Our favorite nonbinary sunfire bookworm and interpreter is actually quite tall

Taller than Amaya too, and she`s wearing her armor.

Even without the horns.

[sersi]

Hawkeye (2021) dirs. Rhys Thomas and Bert & Bertie Echo (2024) dirs. Sydney Freeland and Catriona McKenzie

[tempelbeast]

Renders of the Voya Nui Matoran Resistance, with the bonus Matoran Makuta render:

Sparckle black-copper is the the only thing that looked rust.

[infantisimo]

every now and then it takes hold of me. the title of a poem. i speak it with a snarl a cockiness a defiance almost like an amen. we sons of bitches are doing fine. i know it's miya poetry i know it's a translation i know it's got cultural historical political colours. i respect that. but it transcends all of that because ultimately it's a poem and a good one and you can give it a beat and sing it too. it's about everything. it's not shrunk and squared into a keyword a theme a motif a classification a hierarchy a theory a tea time talking point a section of a syllabus a dsm 5 entry. who wants to live life like that, come on. we sons of bitches are doing fine. by kazi neel. what a title, catches me by the collar. it thumbs its nose, cocks a snook, taunts with tongue, flips the bird. we sons of bitches are doing fine.

[quotemadness]

Seeing her cry still made me feel the same way it did earlier.

Faraaz Kazi

[andyacklesspn]

« And she... is strong »

[nerd-with-a-cause]

Given that Kazi is a nonbinary linguist, I bet they have some detailed thoughts on gendered language:

Kazi: Technically, I don't "use" they/them pronouns because I rarely talk about myself in the third person, so it's more accurate to say, I use I/me as my pronouns and other people use they/them pronouns for me. I used to use he/him because there is linguistic precedent for "he" as a non-gendered pronoun, but then I worried that it would be confusing, so I switched to they/them, which, by the way, has been in use as a singular pronoun for over four centuries! I briefly used "ze" but then I realized that "ze" and "she" look similar for people who rely on lipreading, because the difference between Z and S is really just a difference in voiced versus unvoiced oral sibilants, and if I'm serious about working as an interpreter, I want to make sure my pronouns are clear to the people I'm working with. So I usually just tell people to use they/them. Anyways, what are your pronouns?

Amaya: [points at herself]

Kazi, nodding seriously: That makes sense.

Janai: What the fuck are you two talking about?

[kazimakuwabara]

"Ice Skating" @sanusoweek

***

It was supposed to be a romantic gesture. A day alone a winter island, with a warm meal, a bundle of blankets, and a chance for Sanji to show off his skills on a frozen-over pond. And then he would also, cleverly offer to skate with Usopp, so he could keep the sniper close... and surely one thing would lead to another, and Sanji could kiss his beloved in the snow.

Tre Magnifique.

There was one thing he hadn't factored in.

Usopp was abysmal at ice skating.

"Ooof!"

"Usopp!"

Sanji glided to a stop in front of Usopp who was lying flat on his back, his expression annoyed and cold. He sighed as Sanji peered down at him with worry, and grumped, "Roll me into the snow so that I can stand again. Please!"

Sanji winced, and standing bow-legged, helped Usopp back on his shakey legs. Usopp clung to him, and Sanji embraced the sniper, wincing at Usopp's irritated, and exhausted expression.

"I'm so sorry Usopp... I didn't realize you couldn't ice skate. You can roller skate so I thought..."

"That those skills would transfer?" Usopp asked, smiling weakly at Sanji's apologetic expression. "No. Wheels, are different than a single blade!"

Sanji smiled apologetically, "I can see that..."

He kept his arms around Usopp, the latter struggling hard to stand upright. The more Usopp struggled, the worse Sanji felt.

"I am so sorry, Usopp!"

Usopp shot Sanji a look, and his expression melted into something fond.

"Sanji... you were trying to gift me a romantic day. Don't apologize. You can deposit me on the picnic blanket, I'll sip coco, and watch you skate. Seeing how hot you look skating, is plenty enough for me!" Usopp tutted.

Sanji smiled a little, and nuzzled into Usopp's face, "You think me skating is ho-"

But moving against Usopp had thrown the sniper's tenuous balance off. With a yelp, Usopp fell, and Sanji fell with him.

"Oh!"

"Owch!"

The two men groaned and shifted, and Sanji got on his hands and knees as he looked down at his frustrated boyfriend on the ice.

Usopp sighed, "You've very hot. But the colder I get, the less attractive you're becoming!"

Sanji laughed, and pressed a kiss to Usopp's face, "I'm sorry Mon Cœur... Let's get you to the blankets and with that coco."

Sanji tried to move, but Usopp had him by his scarf. With a playful look in his eye, Usopp tutted, "Wait a minute now... there is something you could do here to warm me up."

Sanji blinked down with confusion.

Usopp rolled his eyes, and flushed, before whining, "Sanji... kiss me!"

Sanji grinned, and gasped, "Oh! Oh... but of course!"

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Usopp's waiting mouth, sighing as Usopp melted against his lips.

The day hadn't been perfect... but it was still looking to go pretty well.

[raayllum]

Trans and nonbinary characters in The Dragon Prince / The Mystery of Aaravos!

Terry (he/him), an Earthblood elf and main character from S4 onwards who is transgender. He has a coming out scene and is dating another main character, Claudia (she/her). He has a sunny and easygoing disposition but can sometimes be a bit too supportive/accepting of people's darker sides than he should be.

Kazi (they/them), a Sunfire sign language interpreter with a passion for research and linguistics. They work for the royal family and sub in as an interpreter for Amaya when her personal attendant isn't there.

The Merciful One (they/them), a mysterious figure with an unknown but seemingly sympathetic connection to Aaravos, at least on their end. They are the only other Startouch elf we know of at this point, as their kind are incredibly rare and not much is known about them.

[dailycanonlgbtq]

day 31: kazi from the dragon prince is canonically nonbinary

[thehopefulquotes]

Seeing her cry still made me feel the same way it did earlier.

Faraaz Kazi