#love to march in a pride parade as canonically queer characters. love it

[astriiformes]

Very important to inform you all that the friend who took this photo exclaimed "Oh, I love a double date"

[herinsectreflection]

The hilarious part about Faith and how incredibly gay she comes across is that it's all a natural side-effect of her intended narrative role. According to Whedon she wasn't intentionally written to be a queer or even queer-coded character, but the way she is written and her metaphorical function necessarily meant she came across as queer-coded. I'll explain what I mean:

1) As Buffy's shadow, Faith is meant to be symbolic of Buffy's repressed desires, and specifically her frustrated sexuality. Buffy is dealing with imposed chastity throughout S3, first with her trauma over Angel getting in the way of a relationship with Scott, and then the curse preventing her from being physical with Angel. It's the centre point of Enemies, its touched on in Amends, and is one of the reasons they break up. There's a reason the season climaxes with Angel and Buffy in a passionate embrace, making orgasm faces as he 'penetrates' her. It's a whole season of sexual frustration for Buffy.

Faith needs to be constantly reminding Buffy of the thing she can't have - sex. She needs to talk about sex to Buffy - and she does, extensively. Faith is written as a very sexual person in general, but it's specifically and disproportionately aimed towards Buffy, because that's her narrative role. So you end up with this character who is constantly going around like "hey Buffy do you like sex? you should think about sex now. sex. when I'm on screen the main thing on your mind should be sex and having it". Which begs the question - why does Faith want Buffy to have sex? Symbolically, it's because she represents part of Buffy, and Buffy wants to have sex. But on a pure character level... what is the explanation? What is motivating Faith to constantly talk about sex to Buffy? A few instances you can write off as her making Buffy uncomfortable for jokes, but not all of them. How it comes across is that Faith has some sexual interest in Buffy, and is probing for her feelings.

2) Faith is a Seductress. That's not a comment about her character, that's her function in the story. She is the version of Buffy who goes down a darker path, and is trying to seduce her into doing the same thing. Part of Buffy's arc in S3 is resisting this temptation, and the symbol of what she is resisting is Faith. So Faith must be an enticing, seductive figure. To quote Passion of the Nerd's review, if Faith is there to to tempt Buffy into a moral dark side, it only makes sense that she is, well, tempting. The seduction is happening on many levels.

Faith is more or less filling the Femme Fatale archetype: the seductive, sexual figure who leads the Hero off their path. It's a trope you see all the time in male-led stories, going back to goddamn The Odyssey. Buffy as a character was invented as a simple gender-swap of an old horror trope, and part of the appeal of the show is that she gets to fill the role of The Hero as a woman. So what happens when you gender-swap The Hero and don't gender-swap the Femme Fatale? You get a gay story, that's what.

3) The Faith arc of S3 is a recreation of the Angel arc of S2. It is structured in the exact same way, with the two having a push-and-pull in the early parts of the season, a setback in their relationship in episode 7, getting closest again mid-season before a night of passion that ends in sudden tragedy. Angel/Faith then turn to the dark side, become the Big Bad, and show that they are beyond saving in episode 17. The season ends with Buffy having to fight and the kill them in order to save others. This is all an intentional recycling, as part of the show building up the Trolley Problem and the idea of Buffy being a killer, repeatedly escalating it to get us to The Gift. What this means is that Faith steps into the role that Buffy's love interest played in the previous season. This is the story that we have just had told to us as a tragic love story. We see it again, and guess what? It's still a tragic love story. Only now Faith is in the role of the love interest.

4) Part of the conflict surrounding Buffy and Faith is Buffy's fear of being "Single White Female'd". She fears Faith might steal her loved ones, and Faith does threaten that. She gets along with her mother, her friends... but most of all, her love interests. Buffy's fear of being replaced manifests as Faith trying to literally seduce away anyone romantically linked to Buffy. Angel, Scott Hope, Xander, later Riley, Spike, Robin Wood... Faith is comprehensively and exclusively attracted to men that Buffy dated. I'm honestly surprised she didn't find Owen and Parker from somewhere for a night in the sack. Again, this makes perfect heterosexual sense from a symbolic point it view - she threatens to take Buffy's place in the narrative, so she takes her place in relationships - but on a character level it becomes ambiguous. Is she actively trying to replace Buffy? Or is she trying to stop Buffy dating anyone for another reason? The simple fact is, there is exactly one common denominator with all of Faith's romantic entanglements: Buffy.

It's a canonical aspect of Faith's character that she is jealous of Buffy. We see that made explicit in Enemies - she's jealous of everything Buffy has: her family, her comfortable home life, her friends, her narrative standing, and of course her loving partners. So of course Faith displays jealousy whenever Buffy is involved with a guy. It's a necessary part of building Faith as this figure of Want and Envy. But how it plays out on screen isn't that Faith is jealous of Buffy because she wants these other guys - of course not, because we see her look jealously through the window at Buffy and Riley in This Year's Girl and Riley obviously means nothing to her. Rather, it very much appears that she is jealous of these other guys, because she wants Buffy.

There's also the added bonuses that come from the show playing with so many metaphors, that sometimes they cross in interesting ways. One of Faith's main purposes is to celebrate being a Slayer, and to encourage the same in Buffy. She wants Buffy to accept and embrace being a Slayer. Here, Slayerhood is standing in for independence and hedonism and making your own rules, all the things that Faith is encouraging. But one of the many other metaphors used is the 'coming out' metaphor. "Have your tried not being a slayer?" "It's because you didn't have a strong father figure isn't it." "I've tried to march in the Slayer Pride parade." It's a note that's hit really hard specifically around the time in the show that Faith is introduced. So if you carry this metaphor on, then Faith becomes an out-and-proud lesbianSlayer, trying to convince Buffy to accept and embrace her sexuality.

And it has a recursive effect too. All this stuff contributes towards Faith feeling like a very queer character. And Faith, of course, is Buffy's shadow self, meant to represent her unconscious desires. So when the symbol of your unconscious desires is so lesbian-coded, then the implication becomes that one of your unconscious desires is lesbian desire. Faith's existence as a part of Buffy implies the existence of Buffy's bisexuality. Which contributes to the relationship feeling ever more queer, which makes Faith even gayer.

I find this absolutely hilarious, because the queer subtext was never intended. Joss Whedon apparently was annoyed that people read this into their relationship, and the commentary from the other writers that does address it tends to point to Dushku's performance. And yeah, she is definitely leaning into that in her portrayal. But the main reasons that so many people have this reading all come from the writing. It's all stuff that is integral to the point of her character. Every metaphor and function in the narrative, every symbolic purpose she has, none of it was meant to be gay and yet it all leads directly to Faith appearing to be totally and completely gay. The queerness is accidental and unavoidable. And I just find that really fucking funny.

[gisellelx]

How do you think things would change for edward and carlisle if carlisle had never changed esme? do you think carlisle ever would have changed anyone else? would edward have still left for his "rebellion"? would it have changed the roles that they play?

They eventually become that friendly but reclusive gay couple in your neighborhood that you don’t know very much about but who seem very happy. 

Here’s why. (This got long. I have thoughts.)

Carlisle and Edward are two of the most heavily queer-coded characters in the entire saga. I respect a good Jasper/Edward or Jacob/Edward, but I don’t see those coming from the way the characters talk about each other in canon. Those are slash ships which exist because people want to see that ship. They’re fun, but it’s never felt as “oh yeah of course, these two” like C & Ed.

They already have what seems to be a very intimate relationship in canon. It isn’t his brothers Edward turns to first to ask about having sex; it’s Carlisle, who is ostensibly in the role of his father. Edward’s brain in Midnight Sun is about 50% Bella, 50% Carlisle, 50% the sky is falling. (I realize that’s more than 100% which seems about on par for Edward’s brain.) 

He uses Carlisle’s face to recenter himself when he encounters Bella in MS. He talks about how Carlisle had so many complicated emotions toward him, and then says that for himself, “Love [for Carlisle] came easily.” 

Meanwhile, Edward is pretty oblivious to Bella as a woman beyond her scent, aside from wishing she’d wear the green sweater more to keep him from feeling too horny. He has never been interested in Tanya, even though she’s repeatedly been interested in him. He notices that Siobhan is curvy, but doesn’t apply this same gaze to Bella. 

Carlisle, for his part, is somehow totally unaware that Esme, who probably made very clear she thought he was crushworthy in 1911, has somehow also fallen for him. Edward has to “be on hand to caution Carlisle” that she’s going to be in love with him after her change. And while I don’t personally hold the headcanon that Aro and Carlisle were ever sexually involved (though I enjoy that ship), it certainly seems likely that Carlisle had a certain amount of intimacy with him based on the way Aro greets Edward and then Carlisle in the saga. 

And then there’s the simple fact that where Carlisle has watched other vampires turn mates, or turn allies, he picks this seventeen-year-old boy without having any sense that he might be gifted. He just think he’s beautiful and kind and full of youth. Ohhhhh kaaaay... They are both heavily, heavily implied to be at least bi, if not gay. Men are on the table for them both. Mind you, I don’t think SM meant to put that on the page. But that’s what’s there. 

So Carlisle changes Edward. He, for whatever reason, doesn’t change Esme. Maybe he leaves her in the morgue. Maybe they never go to Ashland. He’s having the time of his life finally being known by someone, and not only known, but known in this deeply invasive, intimate way. They become as close as they are in canon. 

Edward, in my reading, rebelled in part because he was supplanted by Esme. He was heartbroken. Maybe he didn’t realize he was in love with Carlisle, because in that time period, and with their backgrounds, that would’ve been impossible to admit to himself. But he reacted like a teenager who suddenly has to share his parent with whom he’s very close. No Esme, no sharing, no rebellion. 

This probably then means they don’t ever end up in Rochester--maybe they stay in Ashland longer, who knows. Realistically, as soon as you start to remove a piece of the story, the dominoes fall very differently, although it’s hard to say because it never seems like SM had a clear idea of why any given character did a given a thing, just that they did. The only time we ever even get a whiff of something like this is that Maria came to visit when they were in Calgary and they had to move right after she did. So we don’t know why they moved to Rochester, which makes it hard to say if they still do in this AU.

Let’s say they do end up in Rochester, and they’re still doing the friend/father/son/hell no we’re not gay thing. Carlisle finds a woman in the street who has been brutally gangraped and left for dead.

He does not have a wife whose own history of sexual assault he is thinking of.

He does not have a son whose unhappiness he is trying to assuage. 

Edward has never rebelled; Carlisle doesn’t need to do something to keep him around. He has no model of a female companion healing his own heart, so he has no reason to feel even a twinge that such a thing might be true for Edward.

So he spirits Rosalie to the hospital and does his level best to treat her. She dies despite his efforts. It’s very sad; another instance where Carlisle feels inadequate against the world. He turns to Edward for comfort, just like always, and gets over it within a few days. Edward and Carlisle go on living their lives together. They are deeply affectionate, deeply concerned with one another, and very, very close.

One day, they’re having a conversation about something, or nothing, doesn’t matter, and noses get too close, and bam. Suddenly they’re both thinking, My god, I’m kissing my best friend and this feels so much better than I ever would have imagined. 

And that’s it. It’s not easy; they have a lot of self-loathing to get over and their relationship is rocky for years. Sex is fraught with feelings of shame and sinfulness, mostly on Carlisle's part. But slowly they do come to accept themselves and each other. The remaining decades are filled with them trying to slot themselves into society. Being vampires already means they have to hide a lot; compared to that, hiding homosexuality is downright simple. Stonewall happens; they watch the fallout at a distance, afraid to become too involved for fear of outing a lot more than their sexuality (or at least they convince themselves that’s the reason; a lot of it is also internalized homophobia). Edward probably develops the self-control to practice medicine also, or otherwise finds something to occupy himself while Carlisle is working. He doesn’t present himself as a high school student because the last thing they need is Carlisle being accused of statutory rape on top of sodomy, so he’s billed as Carlisle’s equal. 

By 2021, they’re experiencing a very pleasant whiplash about how different their lives have become in the last 30 years. They get married in an Episcopal church in the 2010s. Edward still isn’t very religious, but it is very meaningful to Carlisle. They’re out at work. They don’t march in pride parades, but they do allow themselves to be seen being a little affectionate in public places. It feels good. But they’re still vampires, and they still have a lot to hide. So they keep to themselves and keep their heads down. 

And every now and then, their neighbors get a glimpse of these two beautiful young men walking arm in arm at twilight. And the neighbors’ concerned thought as they watch them isn’t "I wonder if they're vampires" or "I wonder if they're gay" but "I wonder why they don't own a dog."

[whocouldstayyyy]

Probably you already know why you should support and fight actively for lgbt+ community, going by your presence here. Today we are lucky to stay in close connection with the queer folks; thanks to the pride activism, most of us have an open mindset to know more and are inclusive in our behaviour towards them. But this is not the situation in majority of places. They face discrimination and infringement of basic rights on daily basis in their lives. Still we cannot deny before social media activism things were even worse. They have come a long way to decriminalisation of gay sex (which is very natural in every way you want to see), here we take a look at the long journey to decriminalisation and waiver of the notorious Section 377 In India.

...

What do these sculptures say? The erotic homosexual sculptures at Khajuraho Temples carry the voices that are hidden behind the so-called “Hinduism slogans” of anti-gay activists. But theses sculptures speak volumes about India’s true perspective on homosexuality: never out of natural order...until british raj happened. Read on to know what’s the jazz is all about.

If you are not from Jupiter, you have witnessed the scrapping of section 377 in the year.... the sculptures at Khajuraho are a colossal example of the accepting nature of the ancient India and its scholars. But we have more examples as such in stock.

Influence in Literature: In Rigveda (one of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism) enunciates the phrase Vikriti Evam Prakriti ( what seems unnatural is also natural). Other than Khajuraho there is a sculpture of one of the coolest couple, we Hindus worship. The Ardhanariswara, is the androgenous form of Shiva and Parvati and it can be found in a sculpture from Gangaikondacholapuram.

In ancient India, religion had a big role in society’s functions. The religious ancient texts have a strong bearing with the contemporary LGBT causes and recent activisms. Some scholars are of this opinion that Rigveda recognises transexuality and all dimensions of sex and gender of human life, pretty similar to the waves of universal diversities. Vatsayna’s work Kamasutra which is an enriched documentation of fulfilment, sexuality and happiness in lives, has a whole chapter on homosexual behaviour.

Hinduism has always included homosexual characters and themes to its folklores, ancient texts, epics and art. Another great creation of ancient India, Arthashastra, a treatise on economical and foreign policymaking, can be considered the Gita of Statecraft by the great scholar Chanakya. This text has mentions of a wide variety of sexual practices between a man and a woman. Though, homosexual behaviours were not legal but punishments were minor whereas few kinds of heterosexual acts used to carry more severe punishments.

...

Mughal men and #loveislove: Beyond every astonishment, Mughal emperors had also involved in homosexual relationships. Though they were prime authorities of the country and I doubt if anyone could point fingers at them. But definitely, these stories put us in awe and boggle our minds to think how tough those times were. Whatever be the situation we have records of Mughal emperors involving in homosexual relationships in spite of the prohibitions against it in the sharia law, religious laws for Islam.

The first Mughal emperor Babur has said in his autobiography “Babarnama” about his strong feelings for a young boy. Many reliable texts suggests of Ali Quli Khan, to have relations with a Hindu boy named Abhai Chand and eventually his father had let them be happy with each other.

There can be found a term “chapti” which refers to sex between people of same genders. Despite social and religious constructs against one’s order of love, Mughal emperors have always been on the side of inclusivity of all sorts of love.

…

Then what was the turning point of Indian society’s hostility towards homosexuality and LGBT?

Dual plight of colonialism and faulty system: It was the British raj who criminalised homosexuality as it was opposing their biblical beliefs on love, nature and sexuality. Very soon section 377 entered India’s legal system in 1861. In spite of rare convictions under section 377, the law was widely used to harass the LGBT activists, HIV/AIDS prevention activists and sex workers.

…

Indian activism pierces the veil: Shakuntala Devi is mostly known for her mathematical genius. What everyone doesn’t know is she is the first person to publish a full-length study on homosexuality in India. The nation hasn’t been through a smooth path on its way to decriminalise ‘love for everyone’. Homosexual activities was considered criminal offence under section 377 until the law was challenged in 2009’s Naz Foundation vs. the Gov. of NCT of Delhi. Delhi High Court observed that the law defies the fundamental rights provided in the Indian Constitution. But in 2013 again homosexuality was recriminalised by supreme court’s decision in Navtej Singh vs. Union of India, as an act against the order of nature.

Between these 5 long years the activists have never taken a back seat. In 2012, Asia’s first genderqueer pride parade was organised in Madurai, India, led by Anjali Gopalan, an eminent face in the country’s human rights and animal rights activism. She is also the founder and executive director of The Naz Foundation Trust.

…

#loveislove: Since 2012 the supreme court been listening to pleas against the decriminalisation of homosexuality. The supreme court decided to see things on contemporary society’s perspectives where a lot of new ideas have become the new normal. The bench also referred to the sculptures and paintings of Khajuraho and immediately received a comeback that modern social laws cannot be fixed upon seeing the sculptures. Later on arguments were raised that Khajuraho was made keeping in mind the Indian society and also this law is brought bi the British. Indian society cannot be guided by people who doesn’t know how the moral and social values function here. Under section 377, a same-sex relationship could kead to a 10 years imprisonment. Some of the most memorable pride moments between 2013-2018 can be the introduction of a guide titled ‘Creating Inclusive Workplaces for LGBT Employees in India’ campaigned by IBM, Goldman Sachs, Google. In 2013 the law was reinstituted, leading thousands of protesters hitting the road. This was a huge chance for political activism for the political parties to show their support for LGBT rights. By 2014, parties like Congress, CPI(Marxist) & Aam admi party had included their support for decriminalisation of homosexuality in their election manifesto. The first Bhopal Pride march of 2017 had collected almost 200 members. After a 6 year-long tug-of-war on 6th September 2018 the supreme court of India legalised homosexuality in India. But the real life scenarios are far from it. The real struggle of the LGBT community can be improved only with social campaigning for awareness. In many regional areas the police and local authorities fail to provide legal help to the distressed folks in help. This is the time we stand up for their rights with the view to live together as an inclusive and accepting society where everyone deserves a peaceful life.

[intergalacticrp]

THE YEN SID WORLD POWER ORGANIZATION PRESENTS

PRIDE FESTIVAL THREE FIVE TWO SEVEN!

From the gayest place in space, LGTBQIA+ are falling out of the woodwork to get to this week! We have dogs and cats, we have people dressed in leather, we have drag parades and queens, we have legal help to aid those who need to change names and gender markers, we have it all! If you are looking for a safe place to strut your stuff or just a place to have a good time, this is it. That is what Pride is for. 

CALENDAR

Saturday June 23rd 3527

Pet Pride! This event will be held in the southern plaza, near the entrance to the puppy park. It is open to all, no tickets are required and please remember ─ if you have pets, bring them! Cats, dogs, lizards, as long as you can carry them or put them on a leash, then please!!! Bring them!!!

Sunday June 24th 3527

Anyone in the mood for a Scavenger Hunt? Local shops around the downtown area will have a plaque in their window ─ visit these shops, collect enough stamps, and get into the night life party of the week! 

Monday June 25th 3527

Support Circle is open to anyone who wants to come, queer folk and allies alike. It is where you can get everything from pamphlets about transitioning to hearing other people talk about what they went through to get to where they are today. It promises to be truly moving.

Not in the mood to get touchy feely, or really want to go out after you have a heart to heart? Don’t worry, after Support Circle ends, Free Skate will begin! Roller skating is open! Bring your glitter and your leotards because it’s about to get retro funky up in here!

Tuesday June 26th 3527

#TransGlam. For all of you beautiful people who don’t feel as if you were assigned the right gender at birth, don’t care for the binary, or don’t feel like you have a gender at all, this night is for you! Don your best dress wear and get your butts onto the floor to dance the night away!

Wednesday June 27th 3527

Legal Help is coming your way. We have a band of lawyers who specialize in helping people in any situations that come about in daily LGBTQIA+ living. Whether it be changing a name or a gender identifier or figuring out the beginnings of adoptions, we have what you need here.

Feeling more on the spiritual side of things? Religious Services from a good portion of the cosmos’ religions will be held in the afternoon. Whether you’re looking for a new way of life or more just trying to reconnect with an old lifestyle, feel free to stop by and see what there is to see. 

Thursday June 28th 3527

Wake up early ladies and gents if you want to see these ladies take the stage! We have the Drag Show of a life time, starting in the A.M. and dredging towards the P.M., more than ready to take. you. down. Drag Queens from near and far are ready to give you a show of a life time!! Feel free to stop by the Fair Grounds to cast your vote for Queen of Yen Sid!!

All members of the Council that plan pride will be required to attend a meeting on this day. ( AN: If your character wants to be a portion of the council, message the main. )

Friday June 29th 3527

Do you like exercise? Do you LOVE rainbows? Don’t mind getting messy?? Then you are looking in the exact right place!! Friday we will be hosting our 10th annual Pride Color Run! Get ready to get nasty and then blasted with an array of all kinds of colors from our Pride Canons!! This is sure to be a blast, and is a favorite of all who attended.

If you want to exercise in a more fun, less intense way, make sure that you join the rest of the asteroid in Street Dancing! This will be held in the Market Square on the East Side!! Be there, in the square, and dance like you just don’t care!!

Saturday June 30th 3527

GRAB YOUR FEATHER BOAS YA GAYS, GET YOUR BOOTIES DOWN TO THE FRONT LINE AND LIVE!! It is on THIS DAY that the Pride Parade will be marching it’s way down town, absolutely killing it! Roads will be closed, the parade route is almost 10 MILES so be there or be square folks because this is what pride is for!! The Festival will be going on until the fireworks at 9 p.m. that night!!

And that’s a wrap!

Admin Note: Due to the fact that this event is large and ever changing with different things each day, starters for this event can be posts at any time during the week. Say you really wanted to go to Pet Pride but you’re not able to really get on until Tuesday? That’s fine. Make that starter. Get out there, ya funky lil gays!

Per usual, event tag is intrppride