#like these should not be radical statements

[chiarrara]

can people get radicalized into electoralism? bc I'm starting to feel how centrists claim to feel like "I'm sitting over here with a rational balanced take and people are screaming at me to stop thinking and do what they say based on surface level mantras and logical fallacies" but I'm farther left than the ppl screaming at me.

like when i was growing up the most important lesson i learned about electoral politics was that no one could tell you how to vote, it was your choice and yours alone. but i guess that tenet of democracy doesn't apply anymore.

[ineffable-gallimaufry]

i think that potentially if you want to make a point about transmisogyny it might not be necessary to also include a violently transphobic stereotype of a trans man. i mean. i get the impulse but why do i have to see so many posts like this

[quaranmine]

back to politics posting but i read this press release from EPA and it literally makes me want to throw up. i'm so ashamed and shocked by this country. this is not was EPA has been or should be.

this is! AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE. oh my god

[amystarrstuff]

Re: Caffeine Intolerance; Have you tried Water.

anon i'm sure you didn't mean any harm but this is a very silly thing to say to someone.

that post was just me saying "i want to treat myself but don't know what's safe/unsafe for my diet, and wish there were better systems in place to make that clear"

[lukewarmwoodpecker]

My biggest gripe with green lanterns is that none of these people should want to be cops yet every one of them is entirely uncritical over the fact that they’re cops.

The solution (in my eyes) is to stop modeling the glc like a police force and to start modeling them like a volunteer fire department dealing with metaphorical fires (sometimes literal)* that work with local officials to ensure peace and safety and only push past that in times of necessity (and they’re also able to root out corruption since nothing is ever really that nice — but not in a ‘completely overhaul the government’ way but in a ‘support the local people and movements to allow for change’ way which still won’t magically fix shit but c’mon. These people are still in an intergalactic peace keeping force, they can’t just abuse their power like that. Side note though, god damn GLs could be used to examine so much shit in a really interesting way but nooo we have to dick ride cops….)

I don’t really mean this in a retcon way. There is a ton of potential for exploring the ethics and actual effectiveness of GLs as cops (and can allow for really good personal story lines). I just want shit to happen and to be talked about instead of people being completely passive to something they should not be passive about.

Oh and this helps the gripe bc now the GLs are just a group of people doing extreme volunteer work to help people (which is kinda like what every superhero is if you simplify it down). All of them would have a much easier time living with that I think.

*I know there’s a better term than “volunteer fire department that deals with metaphorical fires” but I can think of it right now. Whatever. “Volunteer organization focused on helping people get through shit and recover.” It’s on the tip of my fucking tongue and it’s killing me. I’m too tired to think. Someone who knows sound off. I’m actually a little pissed at myself for this.

[paranormeow7]

liberal hunger games posting is so funny because like. the hunger games are sold as books for teenagers. these are generally basic political statements about war and capitalism and exploitation meant to be understood by teenagers. these are not radical stances. we should have all learned these things by now. but one thing I have noticed is that the American public just simply do not know a lot of things about the world that other people already know, and even more embarrassingly, they end up needing to learn these things from children’s media. It’s not a good look to realize that you need to be kind to others because you watched a Bluey episode about it at the age of 25.

if you are seeing this post donate to @mosabsdr

[caintooth]

All I have to say regarding Bob Bryar’s death:

Bob Bryar’s rightwing spiraling was likely due to the fact that he needed psychiatric help and did not receive any. It’s kinda fucked up that he was dead close to a month and nobody noticed. He contributed greatly to meaningful, life-changing works of art, and will always be remembered for this.

However, his racism and other -phobic statements hurt a lot of vulnerable people, and neither his mental health struggles nor his work with My Chemical Romance excuse any of his bigotry. His words were especially heinous given that he was part of a subculture which claims to value diversity and the protection of marginalized groups.

We can/should acknowledge it is sad Bob Bryar did not receive the help he clearly needed, especially within a community which centers itself around mental health activism, but also can/should acknowledge that it was not this community’s responsibility to de-radicalize, and especially not to forgive, Bob Bryar. It is perfectly reasonable for people to both think there is a degree of sadness to his loss, and simultaneously condemn him for his actions.

[electricpurrs]

i think that post expresses well what ive been trying to voice about how i advocate for sex positivity and kink but get annoyed at ''proshippers'' getting in the discussion is that it feels like when you say "sex and fetish/kink arent inherently immoral and you shouldnt hate something just because its sexual" some people seem to take it on the radical opposite statement of "sex and fetish/kink are NEVER immoral and its wrong to discuss the subject because thats equal to puritanism/censorship" and thats just not the same thing. i think sexual material is worth of being taken seriously and analysed and discussed and that does include discussing when its harmful or spreads harmful ideas or behaviors. i dont think sex between consenting adults should really ever be outlawed but that doesnt mean you are exempt from judgement. fetishes like inflation and feet and pooltoys or w/e are things i fully advocate to be socially acceptable because theyre genuinely not harmful in any way to anybody and are only ostracized for being "weird/gross". pedophilia or incest or raceplay fetishes arent ostracized just for being Weird but for including very harmful ideas that cause harm in the real world. sure, im not sending you to jail or whatever, but i still think you suck and i dont wanna be near you. and thats pretty understandable honestly

[vampiricvenus]

As non-Black global south leftists we cannot keep acting like Black liberation anywhere, heavily including the US, is some secondary aim and much less is it either ethical OR useful to us (since too few of us give a damn about being ethical towards Black people) to treat the subjects of Black liberation with as much contempt as I keep seeing from you all as my peers.

I can't find certain proof that J. Edgar Hoover, FBI director during the Black civil rights movement, truly said that Black liberation movements are the biggest threat to the US.

However, a biographer of his does agree that whether he ever made a public statement of that belief or not, the statement is fully in line with his views and political interests, and most importantly and concretely, the American state FOR SURE put its money into action in a way that aligns with that view.

The resources, time, effort and strategy the US state forces put into dismantling radical Black liberation efforts should speak for themselves as both affirming Black Americans as an internal colony, with all the centuries of brutal mass violence that entails, and as a legitimate key threat to US hegemony, imperialism and stability.

Lots of you insist on claiming that those who place Black liberation within any high point of priority are engaging in liberal identity politics, but what's more liberal, what's least material, than pretending the US has for centuries subjected Black people within its territories to BRUTAL violence just because a nebulous spirit of the USA doesn't like their vibes, rather than because there's material interest in their subjugation, because it's key in order to uphold the American empire?

Yes, I do get frustrated with Black American liberals as any of you do and should. Same as I get frustrated with Indigenous liberals, Latine liberals, and so on. But it's very clear a lot of you are under the impression that Black oppression is just an added oopsie to the violence of American imperialism. It's not.

Follow the money. Follow the weapons. Follow the eugenics. The US treats Black liberation as a threat. Believe them.

[etz-ashashiyot]

All trolling and drive-by harassment aside, I do want to elaborate on the statement that the people harassing random Jews over Israel (and for that matter, the right-wingers harassing random Palestinians or Arabs over Hamas) absolutely do have a part in making this war worse and do need to take responsibility for it. (Will they? No. But those of us on the side of rationality, humanity, and peace need to hold them accountable.)

Here's the thing: when you pump out misinformation, disinformation, harass people who are not at the levers of control, deny proven atrocities, leverage people's cultural trauma against them, and/or gaslight them about any such behavior, you are actively participating in polarizing these communities against each other, when really we have a lot more in common than anyone seems to want to recognize.

Any legitimate peace process is going to be messy, requires nuance, a lot of grace, and overall is going to hinge on a lot of deeply traumatized and radicalized people letting go of and forgiving things no one should ever be asked to forgive. The more you polarize our communities, the more hatred you sow, the more you encourage and inflame outlandish maximalist ideas that are likely impossible and would require mass atrocities to accomplish in any event, the harder you make an already extremely difficult and delicate conversation.

And while I can't speak for anyone else, sowing hatred of Jews throughout the diaspora absolutely leads to people attacking us. Multiple people have already died because of this rampant, unchecked antisemitism. It is literally killing us.

So yes, if you engage in these behaviors, you do have blood on your hands.

[mullermilkshake]

Meet the family

Part 11 <- Part 12 -> Part 13

It's that important time, you're nervous and Jinwoo can't wait to share the news.

At 14 weeks, the twins are around the size of lemons.

Yandere!Jinwoo Sung x Fem Hunter!reader Tags- Pregnant reader, slight manipulation, arguing.

<<< For more Dark/Yandere content, click this link to go back to the Masterlist! >>>

<<< Or back to this fic's Master list. >>>

I drew this baby bootie divider and I think IT'S CUTE AS FUCK, I'm no artist but I'm pretty proud.

EDIT - I have only watched the anime and haven't gotten round to reading the manhwa yet. Please refrain from spoilers.

At fourteen weeks, you agreed to try again and visit Jinwoo’s mom and sister.

Anxiously standing there, you fiddled with your sweater and tried your best to keep your baby bump hidden before the public announcement. Jinwoo had managed to convince the Chairman to hold off on it until he could inform those close to him.

He wanted to tell his mom and Jinah immediately when he found out you were pregnant, but you were able to change his mind and wait just a little while longer.

Your oversized sweater was more of a tool than a fashion statement when leaving the apartment, just until the public announcement. Many people who recognised you and Jinwoo were none the wiser. Some made eyes at your radical clothing change, their gaze shifting down to your stomach with nothing more than a suspicious gaze.

There was only so much time before others would notice you carrying twins and not attending gate raids anymore. Time was running out. Jinwoo was growing impatient. Your moods were all over the place.

Organised chaos.

“Don’t worry.”

“Hm?” You met his gaze, chewing on your bottom lip.

“I said, don’t worry. They’ll love you, especially my mom. And Jinah will be great, I practically raised her while my mom was unwell.”

“It’s not that, I just… you’re taking me to meet her with the add on of ‘oh, by the way, the girl I’m seeing is also pregnant with twins’. It doesn’t make for a good impression, Jinwoo...”

You saw yourself as the girl he was seeing? Talk about making progress. Jinwoo wanted to smile, to kiss you right there on the doorstep.

But you sunk down with a slouch, clearly with more things on your mind. "You're closer with your sister then if you cared for her like that... We never really talked much about our families- What if she doesn't like me? That can happen- they could both take one look at me and decide not to like me."

God, you were adorable.

“To be honest, I think my mom will be really pleased. I’m twenty five and my sister’s always harping on at me about bringing a girl home so, it’ll go better than you think.”

It should have settled you, yet Jinwoo saw the way the distance between your eyebrows closed ever so slightly. You did this cute little thing with your face when you were conflicted, a worried stare that Jinwoo saw as adorable.

“Just stay close, okay?” Jinwoo took your hand and laced his fingers in between yours, a happy smile playing in his face as he knocked the door. “I’ll always be here.”

The door opened quicker than Jinwoo expected, like his mom was waiting for his visit.

“Jinwoo, I’m so glad you’re here- and this must be your girlfriend.” She smiled softly and placed a hand to her cheek. “Aren’t you pretty. Oh, Jinwoo, come on in and settle down, Jinah will be home soon.”

He took you through to the living area whilst his mom hurried through to the kitchen.

“Girlfriend?” You whispered, it shouldn’t have stung as much as it did.

Jinwoo shrugged reluctantly and played it off as best as he could. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure what to tell her.” 

He wanted you as his girlfriend, more than a girlfriend. You were to be the mother of his children and the only way to make everything right in the world was calling you his wife. Eventually, he’d ask you and you’d say yes when you were most vulnerable and understood that you could only rely on him.

Probably after the twins were born.

“So, tell me all about how you two met.” Jinwoo’s mom tiptoed in with a tray of tea, carefully placing it down on the table with one extra cup for Jinah.

It was surprising just how easily a lie dipped from Jinwoo’s lips, explaining some random story to him mom about how you and he met. It had nothing to do with the Hunter’s association. 

And then came the kicker.

“So… about us, mom.” He took your hand again. “There’s something else that I wanted to talk to you about-“

“Hey, I’m home!” It was Jinwoo’s sister.

“In here, Jinah! Jinwoo’s here with his girlfriend!” It sounded pretty nice to hear his mom say your name.

I guess now’s a better time than any. 

Jinah came into the living area beaming, grinning right at you. “Hey! So my brother finally brought a girl home, huh? Hey, I recognise you from the television, you’re a hunter too- you’re so pretty-“

“Woah, Jinah.” He practically pushed her away, taking note of how well you were enduring the overwhelming presence of his baby sister. “Give her some space, there’ll be plenty of time to get to know each other. There’s something important we wanted to talk to you both about before it’s made public, so would you listen?”

“Sorry! I can get carried away sometimes.”

Jinwoo’s mom smiled and put her hand on his knee. “Go ahead. Tell us all about what you want to say. We’re listening.”

“Uh…” The colour drained from your face, looking to Jinwoo for an answer.

“Mom, Jinah…” He looked at you with such adoration when he said your name. “She’s pregnant.”

“Oh my god…”

“Really? Oh, that’s wonderful news!” The reactions Jinwoo expected, but they were expecting one baby. Not two.

“That’s not all.” He said, pulling up your sweater to show your little baby bump. “We’re having twins.”

That’s when the shock really sank in. “Twins?”

“You’re going to have two of you running around, Jinwoo?” Jinah was ever the one to put it eloquently.

“Yeah.”

“Jinwoo, is that apartment big enough for two babies? Do you need me to come and help when they’re born?”

“Well…” You cut in, looking everywhere except the three people in the room. “The Chairman has offered support from the hunter’s association to help us, there’s a facility that has resources to help us… so…”

Your voice trailed off when you saw Jinwoo’s involuntary expression. He didn’t mean to look at you the way he did, but it sounded a lot like you were thinking of giving his babies away to the association’s facility.

Swallowing hard, you smiled at his mom and sister. “But we haven’t decided on the later stuff just yet…”

Jinwoo halted himself in the silent room, trying to stop is hands from shaking. “Mom, I think we better go now, I promise we’ll come over soon.” He stood abruptly and made his way straight to the door without you, knowing you'd follow.

“Now? You’ve only just got here.”

“Sorry, it’s been a long day. I just remembered that I forgot to do something… y’know, errands.”

Like hell you were going to give the babies to the care of the association. He wanted to get to the bottom of this and quickly, his compulsion to protect his children stung heavier than ever right in his gut to ensure their safety. He just never thought that he’d be protecting them from you.

The next ten minutes were a blur, he said goodbye and sat in the car with you for longer before he had the courage to speak with you and not say something he’d deeply regret.

You just needed to see that having a family with Jinwoo was the best thing for you, and for his babies. You still had time before they arrived to see that the only place they belonged was in your and Jinwoo’s arms.

“Jinwoo, will you say something?” You were close to crying by the time he pulled over in a random street away from Headquarters.

“Why do you want to give our babies away?”

“N-no, not give them away. Don’t make me sound so cruel. You're taking words out of my mouth. But we’ll need some sort of support when they get here… I’m terrified, Jinwoo.” He listened for the clicking of your seatbelt as you turned. “What can we give them that can ensure they’re raised right- we can’t do that our own.”

What were you even saying? Jinwoo was the strongest hunter to come out of modern times, he fought Beru for goodness sake, there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do.

“Yes we can. We can give them everything- please don’t do this.”

“How? How can we give them everything- Jinwoo, we aren’t ready to take care of one regular baby, and we have two with S-Rank mana, one tantrum and whatever abilities they might have, they could destroy half the city. How are we equipped to deal with that? What if both of them inherit something from us and it gets out of control? People could want to exploit that and we can’t be there all the time.”

“We’ll find a way to suppress it until they’re old enough, we can do something. We can stop it somehow, but we can’t give up on them and let them fall into the Chairman’s hands. You of all people should understand that-“

“I do understand it! That's the issue!” You were crying now, wiping your eyes as you talked faster, louder. More desperate. “I know we can't trust the association with them, but what other choice do we have? I can’t think of any viable options- I didn’t ask for this, I didn’t want to do any of this and now I’m pregnant with twins and it all changes for me, you get that, right?!”

He did, he really did. Even so, he would not have you raising any children on your own, it was his duty as the father to help raise his children. He’d be there like his dad should have been through his teen years, helping you and loving you to raise two beautiful children.

Still, he let you finish. “You get that the world keeps on turning for you, for Jong-in. But it stops for me, and for Hae-in. She’s being sent to this facility on her own so Jong-in can get someone else pregnant- they wanted me to go in her place. You can come and go as you please and I… I won’t be able to go on raids again- I still want to be a hunter, I can’t do it if I’m all on my own.”

Jinwoo shook his head vigorously, hoping the action alone would seek it to you. “You won’t be on your own. I’m here, I’m not leaving… Please don’t let the Chairman get his hands on our babies.”

“Jinwoo, you’re not getting my point-“

“I do get it.”

Should I tell her? Was it too soon to tell you how much he adored you, loved you and wanted to spend the rest of his life with you?

“I care about you, deeply. More than you know, and I want us all to be a family.”

You sat and watched him with wide eyes. He took the opportunity to continue. “I know you didn’t ask for this, and in another life, I would have asked you out and taken things slowly if you said yes. But we’re here, and we should make the most of this… we have the chance to have two healthy and beautiful babies that will no doubt look like you.” He chucked, taking your hand you gave him with no issue. “They’ll have your temperament, the cute thing you do with your nose when you smile and I’m sure they’ll have your taste in music too.”

You rubbed your belly, watching him with a look he hadn’t seen before. Total and utter fear. “Jinwoo… how are we going to take care of two babies, work and keep ourselves afloat all the time? The Chairman will want us to have more children if these two come out as strong as he thinks they will. He’s clearly taken an interest and I don’t think he’ll just move on to the next baby that has a mana reading like this.”

If you felt that way, why did you want to hand them over to the association? Jinwoo put it down to your changing hormones, lack of sleep and just wanting the best for your children. Your maternal side was late in showing, and even then it was inconsistent. In fact, your baby bump showed faster than your capability to adapt to motherhood.

Despite that, it was showing, little by little each day. When the babies were born, Jinwoo knew that from the moment you saw them wrapped up in their little blankets and woolly hats, you’d fall in love with them. Just as he would at the sight of the two little bundles in your arms after giving your all and making two wonderful little people.

On that thought, his frustrations melted away. “The Chairman won’t be a problem… I promise you.”

Jinwoo took both of your hands and held them tight, close. “He won’t demand us, not anymore. And money isn’t an issue, just let me worry about that. I’ll never leave you, you won’t ever be on your own. Ever.” 

“Promise?”

“Yes. I promise. I swear on my life.”

Part 11 <- Part 12 -> Part 13

If you would like to be tagged, please let me know! Thanks so much for all the support on this likes, reblog and comments appreciated! ❤️

Tag list - @bubera974 @snowy-violet @sky2lar @starrynights23x @minh907

@yessirr7 @aussie-boys-wife @yihona-san06 @mashiromochi @daiyanomochi

@justatimidcreator @alia-17 @otomegamesforlife @m00n-estelle @towomatos

@stormnightingale @johnnysactualgf @solarisstarrsolomonsbeloved @johnnysactualgf @notleclerc

@minkuro @misakicchi @lovingyeet @soft-dots @gina239

@sabrina-senpai @tsukimoon-chan @afkmylajah @livelaughlovekuni @keiva1000

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@chahaezii @athanasia10 @crutoyu @thetruepair @lostpsycho13

@dragoonsuki @sashagaming1012 

DISCLAIMER - Crossposted from my AO3 - I do not own any of the characters or anything from the anime or manhwa. This is a work of fan fiction and is absolutely not representative of the views or intentions of the original creator(s).

Also please don’t post any of my work without permission thank you!

[humirapilled]

"no terfs allowed"

then define what a terf is! explain the tenets of radical feminism, even!

because the truth is, terfs aren't inherently transphobic; they're just a subset of radical feminists who primarily focus on sex-based oppression and gender abolitionism.

most "terfs" who are transphobic lack the actual 'rf' part (by relying heavily on gender roles). i know this can seem like a "no trues scotsman" thing, but if a terf espouses misogyny in their feminism...i'd hardly call them a feminist, let alone a radfem.

terfs do criticize trans people. not because they're trans, but because of how they uphold gender roles.

for example, there was this one tweet about how this trans women took estrogen and suddenly started crying more. the terfs critiquing her were just pointing out how directly equating estrogen (the female sex hormone) to crying is misogynistic; it implies women are biologically more labile, more quick to cry.

or even just pointing out how saying "Heh...all lesbians love a woman's cock" is reductive, inadvertently promoting heteronormativity and patriarchal in nature.

it's not transphobic to say a lot of lesbians don't like cock, whether its from a woman or man. and it's not transphobic to suggest that lesbians should like anyone's dick is misogynistic.

but the truth is: the people who shout "Terf!" as a perjorative aren't actually criticizing terfism...they're attacking a strawman of a terf.

what's a terf? a terf's a transphobe. terfs are like jk rowling. terfs want to take away trans peoples rights!

even someone who's not a terf, but has meaningfully engaged with terfs, would know that these statements are patently dumb.

but it's easier to fight the imaginary transphobic, jk rowling-esque "terf" than actually talk to terfs. it's easier to take a dunk against those gosh-damn evil terfs who just want to slaughter trans people!

terf is just another way to shut up women people don't like. i've seen someone on twit get cancelled before for being a terf (??).

there is no ideological disagreement, there's only a disagreement with a strawman. "terf" has become a faulty metonym for transphobe in the common discourse.

so, if you're going to hate terfs, hate them over their actual ideology. hate transphobes for being transphobic, hate terfs for being terfs (not transphobes).

(all this said, i'm not a terf. i'm a terf or tirf depending on the day. live laugh love)

[wheelie-sick]

cripple punk does not pander to the able bodied

-Tyler, the principles of cripplepunk

I feel like far too many people have caused the cripplepunk movement to stray from its original principles. people have begun to treat the hashtag as if it's a general disability tag and not a movement full of people who are united in a cause.

people have forgotten its roots

where the community was once based around radical ideas of disability now even the slightest dusting of radical ideology is smothered by dozens of people dogpiling in an effort to remove the voices of radical disabled people. you cannot express distaste for the actions of ablebodied people without a swarm of so called cripplepunks racing to justify their actions.

"the accessible stall is only for people who need it"

"well, what if an ablebodied person just feels more comfortable there?"

and

"we can't make a stall exclusive!"

as if I am not more than uncomfortable in an inaccessible stall (I can't get in) and as if ablebodied people haven't made every single other stall in the bathroom exclusive to them.

it's pandering to the ablebodied at its finest. this is a wide spread and growing problem in the community. statements that put physically disabled people first are instantly shut down. it's a violation of the core principles driving the community and the movement.

and this hasn't been without consequences. radical cripplepunks are being driven away from the movement and community by the constant onslaught of harassment by so called cripplepunks. this only furthers the problem as people who cater to the ablebodied become a larger and larger percentage of the community.

and I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the constant justification of ableism happening against me, the use of theoreticals to shut down my real problems. I'm tired of watching the same thing happen to my friends and mutuals who are constantly bombarded with hate for daring to say "ableism is bad"

I'm not leaving. but if you're doing this, you should. you don't belong in a movement you can't follow the principles of. you don't belong in the tags you can't follow the principles of. this was a movement created based on the core idea that physically disabled people come first. by putting ablebodied people above us you say that we are lesser. either follow the principles or get out.

[utilitycaster]

So I am someone who hasnt been on Tumblr very much since C2 ended. I followed a group of story analyzers who were more or less very fond of C2, and of the critiques they had; most were minor or “matter of opinion differences”. This changed a lot with C3, where many of that same group have issues relating to the themes, character and worldbuilding of C3 in terms of Divinity, Empathy, Power Dynamics, “The Status Quo”, and Responsibility. Where the conclusions the story draws clash with a previous understanding of the world and its themes in a way that appears incoherent to many of these Analyzers.

Personally I found most of these analyzers to be very intelligent, so when most all of them view the bells hells and their actions, as them being a selfish and destructive, even possibly evil, force on the world. But the cast and matt frame it as “they are the heroes” how is there such a disconnect that doesn’t lead to “wow if only matt and the cast were smarter” type conclusions.

Matt and crew nailed a lot of C1/C2, and these same analyzers praised both campaigns, so why is this campaign, the one where so many fans here and the cast view the world, characters and the themes so tremendously radically different? What possible reasons exist to explain these divergences? And are these things that could rear their head again in C4?

(I kept this non-anon to show good-faith)

I can only speak for myself, and I suspect a desire to avoid a barrage of anon hate and accusations of arrogance is why no one has said this in so many words but as someone who doesn’t give a fuck if people think I’m arrogant, because I am and it’s justified, actually yeah I do think the cast should have been smarter, or at least more thoughtful, in this specific work. In discussing this with mutuals who are also meta writers, one of them pointed out that the structural critique is, ultimately, us saying to the cast "you should have been smarter about crafting this aspect of the plot/themes/narrative." It’s not phrased as such, but it’s the obvious implication.

As for what’s different: it is a campaign that has a much more narrowly focused plot, which required a stronger DM hand on the reins than in Campaign 1 and 2 (and did not have that). It is much more centered around one specific PC leading the entire time, which is different than Campaign 1 and 2, which had more balance and I think led to bolder decisions. It’s that Campaign 1 was crafted around the characters the cast made, and campaign 2 was a dialogue between characters made for the intended plot and setting and said plot, and campaign 3 had a vast disconnect that was never addressed due to poor planning in the earliest stages. And as for the lack of consequences, I honestly cannot tell, but I think it’s that it’s a combination of the characters being so reluctant to make choices that you sort of had to shuffle them forward without consequence in order to actually make any plot happen; and that was the big wrap up of a trilogy and Matt is, to put it tactfully, a rather more sentimental person than I am and his desire to grant everyone a happy ending won over a desire to tell a good story. I really do understand that actual play as story involves a unique and difficult dimension of people feeling very attached to their PCs, but if a DM and players are dedicated to a happy ending that fails to feel earned by the narrative, that will be a detriment to the quality of that narrative. And if you are someone who analyzes, it will fail to hold up to analysis and feel very empty and unsatisfying. This serves as perhaps an alternate interpretation for those who find it hard to stomach the statement of "the cast should have been smarter," namely "the cast should have been more willing to make risky choices and kill their darlings."

As for a Campaign 4: a narrative with similar problems could very well emerge. I think the general informal consensus among meta writers is that it feels like Matt is (understandably, but again, to the detriment of storytelling) overly precious at this point with Exandria, at least with the “modern” era and the C1-C3 characters, but a fresh start far in the future or in a new setting feels like it would mitigate the problem. But yeah it’s 100% possible this could be a problem in the future. I’m hoping this was just a “it’s our tenth anniversary and the last longform campaign of my imagined trilogy, let’s give everyone a happy ending” problem that won’t carry over to future works, but it could be a turn towards general self-indulgent fluff. Wouldn’t be the first time someone started out strong and ultimately became a coward who sanded off all the edges, for various reasons. But because of the strength of, frankly, everything but campaign 3 CR has put out, including concurrent works, my attitude is that I’m still here for a hypothetical campaign 4. It is however undeniably true that the vast stores of goodwill I had at the end of C2 are much smaller now, having been drawn on extensively to carry me through C3, and I’ll be less patient with any potential flaws in a hypothetical C4, particularly if they follow a similar pattern.

I guess to end this: if you are someone who follows me or other meta writers or people you consider smart, first off thanks, second off you are allowed to enjoy a story that I think is not very good. I think defending this story as structurally and thematically sound is a bad idea and I have yet to see a coherent argument in that vein, but there is no counterargument, no matter how intelligent or insightful the writer, to someone else’s “well I liked it.” You can like and dislike what you want, and that’s the end of it, and honestly my issue with so many of Campaign 3’s loudest advocates is that they demonstrated a bizarre incapacity to understand the difference between media analysis and personal opinion, and took all criticism of something they loved as personal attack whether or not it was. Speaking only for myself, if you look at my meta and your response is “well I had a good time,” I respect that (and most of us even agree, even if the good time was had more in the analysis than the watching). But if your response is to say “no, you’re wrong, this is narratively well-crafted,” well then you best come correct.

[tcoaal]

i'll never get over how badly people who want to come up with ideas of how tcoaal can be "better" or "fixed" miss the points of anything.

like the other day on twitter i see this thing like. "THIS INCEST SHIT SUUUCKS IT SHOULD JUST BE ABOUT TWO SIBLINGS WHO JUST EAT ALL THE PEOPLE THEY DON'T LIKE" and it's like. oooh who’s an edgy boy yes you are oooh what a hot take your statements are so controversial what an edgy boy

and the other day like, some of my friends show me this tcoaal rewrite that involves a big sister Ashley (i only saw this post once and don't remember it well). different mom that's an entirely different shade of abusive and a whole different kind of trauma put into Ashley who wants to be a boxer now in defiance of how she was raised and i'm like... why does this have to be a tcoaal rewrite? you've created a genuinely really interesting concept... just tweak it to remove tcoaal from it's DNA entirely and you have this super solid original story idea. and i'm just here like... it's just so annoying. you have this fantastic idea for something original, why do you need to bill it as what makes canon better?

like, it's fine. it's fine to not like the incest. as much asi like to make fun of antis, there ARE genuine fans of this game that aren't really big on coffincest but like everything else- but at least THEY still acknowledge the incest is an important part of the story's DNA and it's themes, so even if they're not in it to ship it they're still here to enjoy the story.

it's always so boggling to me. granted, i've always hated fix fics- i'm totally fine with radical AUs and rewrites, but maybe it's just my personal gripes of "haha i FIXED canon it's better now >:)" like... i can appreciate a fix fic like "oh this character didn't die bc i think it's dumb" but then these are people who fundamentally don't understand what they're trying to "fix."

and like i know. antis are antis. antis always do this. but it's like... man. why can't people just say they don't like a thing bc it's not their cup of tea instead of wanting to "fix" it in a way that ruins it???

[hadesoftheladies]

‘Sex strikes’ aren’t the feminist win they appear to be. Here’s how to get really radical | Finn Mackay | The Guardian

So just read this entire article, and while there's worthwhile information on the history of separatism, 4B and political lesbianism, there's several statements Finn Mackay makes that grind my gears.

The main problem with the idea of a women’s sex strike is that rape exists. Much of the commentary in response to women’s videos and content openly makes this point, as young men reply that women don’t always have a choice. The slogan “your body, my choice”, which has circulated online since Trump’s victory, bleakly summarises this stance.

Rape is, obviously, never done with a woman's consent. But one must really ask, why are so many young women seeing celibacy as a legitimate solution? I recall a scene in Bottoms (2023) when the highschool girls gathered in a cirlce in the gym and the protagonist asked them how many of them had been raped. None of them raised their hands. When the protagonist asked, "Okay, what if we allow for grey areas?" all the girls raised their hands.

Rape is largely seen as something that is done to women walking home alone at night, outside on the street. It must be overt, obvious and completely unavoidable for it to be legit to the public mind. But many teenage girls and women experience rape in romantic relationships with men. SO MANY experience sexual abuse in initially consensual relationships. A LOT OF RAPE occurs during an initially consensual sex act and in initially consensual marriages. We've heard the stories of girls being choked in the middle of making out (without consenting), or being brutalized and disregarded when asking their romantic partner to stop. The normalization of rape in marriage is also proof of its prevalence.

THAT is why so many girls and women are willing to do away with it altogether. Even if it is not likely to change the hearts of men (and here I agree with Mackay), it is WISDOM and COMMON SENSE to close the bedroom door on a man or boy hyped up on violent pornography and indoctrinated by male supremacist notions.

Celibacy is not going to keep out every rapist, but it will reduce the odds of rape endemic to the culture of heterosexual dating/marriage. And even if it wasn't very effective in doing so, the solution certainly wouldn't be, "Hey, I know 60-80% of boys and men are literally primed to sexually brutalize you, but just follow your heart and take a chance anyways and maybe you'll find a good one despite your dogshit odds." Why are we sending girls to the lions' den because the lions will prowl anyway??? Hello?

It is also debatable whether the idea of a sex strike is inherently a feminist act. A problem with seeing a sex ban alone as somehow revolutionary is that it plays into the very problems that arguably created the need for activism in the first place. In this framing, sex is labour – work that women do for men, and can then limit, manipulate or withhold alongside demands for improved conditions. That is not radical. Sex has long been defined under patriarchy as something men want and women should do. Such understandings of sex are why it took so long for rape in marriage to be recognised as a crime, for example – because how could a husband take from his wife what was rightfully his by the law of marriage? Framing sex as women’s labour for men results in sex being commodified and objectified, and the problem is that what can be bartered, exchanged or sold can also be taken. This is not an empowering position from which to call for revolution between the sexes.

Except on a SOCIOECONOMIC SCALE, sex for women is very much already commodified, already labour and already exploited. Prostitution, surrogacy, etc are thriving industries at the moment, so sex (in addition to marriage and motherhood) can very much be defined as a kind of labour in modern society. Even if calling sex labour is also patriarchal rhetoric, it is also an economic fact. Marriages and reproductive labour are invaluable to a patriarchal economy.

SECONDLY, 4B rightfully recognizes sex as the domain men use to exercise their power over women. Patriarchy is fundamentally sexual and deeply intertwined with the heterosexual dynamic. In fact, for the most part, however unfortunate, it defines it. The question isn't whether sex is labour we can use to get men to give us our rights, but whether it is a reclaiming of power and the female identity by refusing men access, by refusing to acquiesce to the fundamental domain of patriarchal power.

The sexual exploitation of women is the gist of patriarchy. That's like it's main thing. By opting out whenever and wherever possible, the woman redefines herself in patriarchal society as explicitly the opposite of what Mackay and many Western liberals suggest she is doing by "sex striking." She is defining herself outside the heteropatriarchal framework and declaring herself an individual independent of the patriarchal state. Men would not be so enraged by this loss of sexual access if this meant nothing to patriarchal power.

It is a little funny to me that Mackay insists that 4B women are agreeing to patriarchal rhetoric by literally refusing to give men what they want and expect of women. These women know sex is expected of them, which is why they're saying no. But Mackay sees it as them adopting the patriarchal narrative themselves. Just . . . fascinating.

Additionally, sexual relationships with men, with or without abuse, are often the gateway to domestic and maternal exploitation. Part of 4B is refusing to marry men and mother children from or with them, both legitimate modes of socioeconomic patriarchal power. Women get pregnant and married purely in relation to sex with men. So sex with men is either the gateway to such exploitation or the justification for it.

The mainstream take on 4B frames it as a sex strike by young, marketable, heterosexual women. An alternative would be to reject such sexist constructs of sex and sexuality, and to imagine, and work towards, an egalitarian future where men and women are not divided up into predator and prey. Rather than a sex strike, there is another tried and tested form of activism, utilised by women and men the world over: a workers strike, the withdrawal of our wage labour that fuels the systems of capital that dare to govern us. Ban patriarchy, not sex.

This is one of her more mistifying statements. I agree with the first sentence entirely. But it goes downhill quickly from there. Imagining a world where men and women are equal does not erase the fact that for a huge chunk of history to the present, women are prey and men predators. That's just the reality. Imagining will not make it go away, and it isn't wrong for women to use language that highlights this reality, no matter how crude.

The second half is even more vague. To me, it's the equivalent of a shoulder shrug. Mackay has spent so much of the article discussing the pitfalls of 4B and separatist thought, and when pressed for an alternative, she just says "capitalism bad."

This is what I mean when I say the zeitgeist is severely divorced from women's experiences. Of course, class struggle is important, but women and men do not experience class struggle the same. We have had all sorts of revolutions over the course of history and a diversity of governmental structures to bat. Yet, communism, monarchy, capitalism and socialism have all failed to eradicate patriarchy. The nuclear family, the home, remains a stronghold in post-revolution societies. So the home, this cell of society, must be the primary battlefield on which human progress--women's liberation--is fought and won.

Like, this article is so shallow in its conclusions its tasteless. How will women "ban" patriarchy exactly? How will they do it on a governmental level if they can't even do it in their homes? How will they find the time and energy to fight for their own rights if they first have to fight for every other cause and then use the rest of that energy on their boyfriends/husbands/children?

The biggest flaw in anti separatist/celibacy/4B posts is that they all consisntently ignore the primary modes of women's socieconomic exploitation at the hands of men: sex, marriage and reproductive labor. AND LET'S BE CLEAR: all these aspects of women's sexuality and sex have been commodified LONG BEFORE our modern age. Girls and women were bought and sold into marriage in order to bear children for men's estate. Critics also frequently ignore the fact that female-only spaces consistently bolster feminist thought and activism. Female solidarity is a huge threat to patriarchy.

So if we as women aren't striking against the very spheres that men use to dominate us, then how on earth can we claim to be advocating for our own cause? How can we combat patriarchy and ignore it's primary functions? If we aren't getting rid of patriarchal institutions and reclaiming power from domains male supremacists have invaded (e.g. our sex lives) then how on earth could we possibly measure the progress of our own liberation?

We cannot keep "let them eat cake"-ing our way to women's liberation. Radical feminists more than ever need to embrace being anti gender, anti marriage, anti religion, anti cosmetics, etc. Or we're fighting for everyone and everything but ourselves.