#or the best option of many undesirable ones

[icedvanillas]

Hot take but a game about the intricacies of free will and how any one decision by any character can impact all aspects of the narrative because choices don't exist in a vacuum and will have consequences on the outcome should not have had a "best ending" where everyone survives at all.

[arceus-insanity]

So When Did Things Start Going Down Hill

I don't mean everything is shit after this, but things looking back started getting (steadily) worse starting with. Check bottom for more indept view on each option

A) at first I wasn't going to include this one as it happened before most of what I considered shit started happening, but with how much it blatantly favours this lazy-ass child abuser, how could I not include it. And of course, it shows so much evidence that he hasn't changed at all, like only even offering to teach Midoriya and Bakugo to manipulate his favourite victim Shoto

B) when it first happened I was devastated but expected this to lead to greater change to the hero system and society. But no, just a meaningless footnote to the heroes epic battle

C) literally no one questions how a top hero was just so eager to kill someone, or buy a wife, breed her, abuse & neglect his kids to the point one of them was believed dead. Only citizens whining about how Dabi is bad for them

D) here's this apparently big shot hero from the States we've never heard of before and immediately dies. If they wanted to keep Shigaraki from having too many powers they could of just chalked it up to the heroes interupting the process

E) the Todoroki family all blames themselves, this isn't to go into the complexity of abusive households, but to absolve Endeavor's responsibility and guilt. Despite the fact that as the one who created and was in control of this situation, he should be held accountable for theirs as well. The only backlash for his shit is framed as ohh poor Endeavor, he didn't mean for the child he threw away to create consequences, and now people are being mean to them

F) what was the point of this arc? Deku barely asks a villain three questions before giving up. He learns the HPSC had Lady Nagant acting as a secret assassin against any undesireables for them, covered up her arrest and got a replacement assassin (Hawks who has at least one confirmed extra jurdical murder under his belt). Witnesses an innocent woman get attacked for her appearance and was turned away from multiple shelters for said appearance. Deku: Hero Society is the Best, Nothing needs to change, because not every single apple in this basket is rotten to the core! Looking back he just looks worse for this

G) so this child, who due to his parents mistake was blackmailed under great threat & risk, into giving information to the blackmailer, deserves to be chained up and forced to take further risk by the heroes. Remember Endeavor never faces any consequences, nor does Hawks, but this child, Yuga, gets treated like this.

H) once again what was the point? How does Edgeshot know he can do this? How does he know how to do this? Why is he a top hero who has never interacted with Bakugo before this, sacrifices his appearing to be unharmed self, for a random hero student in the middle of a war? Oh and Edgeshot is revealed to be alive at the end of the manga, because Heroes have no consequences and live in magical fairytail land. Again what was the fucking point!

I) This was originally going to be two points, Oh poor Endeavor, victim blaming part 2 and the hospital battle. But I ran out of options and Endeavor doesn't need another personal option. So we got the whole Todofam blaming Dabi/Touya this time, and Endeavor being a whiney responsibility dodging coward again. Then we see the heroes knew that the villains were going to go after Kurogiri, kept him in a hospital. We see that the people aren't going after doctors or patients just trying to get to Kurogiri, get demonized for it. We have victim blamer/ pick-me Tentacole say that their kids will be attacked for this (already happening), and that it's up to them/ him to inspire the violent quirkests to not constantly attack, assualt, and otherwise discriminate against them, no need for the quirkists to be given any responsibility or consequences for their own actions. Oh and Spinner has major brain damage because how else was Tentacole supposed to win this arguement. Bonus points for Hawks calling for Toga to be murdered, doubling right back down on his previous murder

J) in this already overcrowded 3rd act lets make sure all these background characters get a scene! And despite the fact it took years for Deku to get a powersuit in the epilogue, All Might just randomly gets one, no build up or anything. AFO's backstory is left in the past so no one has to consider anything

K) I had hope going into this, but at every turn they kept on making it worse. Deku only tries punching and attacking, rather than make any attempts to actually talk unlike what Shigaraki has been doing since his introduction. Is randomly able to enter Shigaraki's head, doesn't have to see just how fucked Hero Society is as it gets cut short by moral scapegoat AFO coming in and revealing he orcastrated everything! Oh and he flat out kills Shigaraki. Living up to his name and not his goal. Deku that could my ass

Sorry if this comes off as super negative but I've been wondering this for a while, and well I'm pissed at the ending. Here's some people I want to hear the opinions of:

@moodyvoid @nagitosstolenhand @codenamesazanka @shortstrawberryshake @darkonekrisrewrite @nothingofinterest @itsnothingofinterest @villainsandvictimsalliance

Feel free to @ more people

[domini-porter]

Quick reminder for Americans: even if you don’t like either presidential candidate, there are so many more things to vote for on your ballot.

If you think president is too big and amorphous or too corrupt and rigged, what about the elections in your town? Everything starts small and local. Where you’re one of a much more tangible number than 300,000,000. Even in big cities things are broken down into smaller chunks where your vote counts with greater weight.

Also, you’re not obligated to cast a vote for everything on the ballot! Just the ones you feel like!

Okay.

I’m trying to be kind about this but it’s difficult. Voting isn’t difficult. People are asking you to choose between options and you choose the option that seems best. That’s it. People fight and die even now for your right to do this. To read a pamphlet (optional!) and fill out a form. That’s it.

The other thing is this: someone on that form will win. No matter what. One of those names will be in charge. Not because it’s rigged, but because those are the people you get to pick from, and one of them will win. That is how every election for anything works.

Anyway. This next part is for my purity-test leftists specifically, but who knows, maybe it applies to you too!

Who do you think you’re helping by sitting out a vote that could determine if I, personally—a real human person and maybe your friend or acquaintance or loved one—am branded a deviant and an undesirable and a criminal and imprisoned or worse? People in Gaza who are certainly drinking in your social media posts like a healing elixir and thinking wow, I’m so grateful Westerners are using my suffering to buff up their own moral purity, I’m really glad they’re refusing to participate in a free and democratic election, that’s so cool and helpful to me, personally?

The fucking gall of you. The privilege and heartlessness of you. The laziness and cruelty and selfishness of you. Just say you’re too invested in looking like a galaxy-brain iconoclast to give ten minutes of your time to help me not live every second of my life—which is happening next door or down the street or a neighborhood over from you, right now, every day—in fear and despair. Get just so absolutely fucked.

For everyone else: check your voter registration if you’re unsure or live in a state prone to purging its voter rolls! If you can vote early, vote as early as you can!

If you’ve never voted before but have decided this year’s the year, that’s so amazing and I’m so excited and it’s super-easy and honestly at least kind of fun; I guarantee your voter guide will have some amazing weirdos in it, because it’s America and everyone can try for it. But if you don’t vote—you, in your much-smaller voting pool than you might realize—those weirdos running to outlaw ducks have a distressingly better shot. And once they’re on the city council, maybe they run for mayor. And then state rep. And so on.

Please don’t be one of those people who claims their voice isn’t heard and decides to self-fulfill that prophecy by refusing to use their voice at all. It has real, lasting, immediate consequences for people you see every day. It has real, lasting consequences for you, too; consequences that really make spending ten minutes filling out a scantron seem a lot less difficult in retrospect.

Vote like your life depends on it. And if it doesn’t, you have my explicit permission to vote like mine does.

[evolutionsvoid]

The great seas bear many gifts, yet are home to many dangers. The tales carved upon ivory speak of the treachery of the waters and of the beasts that lurk within it. It is no wonder that the ships of wood and bone set sail with so many blades and harpoons, as they either expect to encounter these monsters or instead are seeking them. Some of the greatest blessings that can be found in these waters are pulled from the bodies and guts of these immense beasts, making for fine materials or fetching high prices back on land. Life upon the sea is dangerous, but many do find a living out there. For them, it is crucial to know the great leviathans that dwell in the depths, and know how to deter them or best them when they rise to the surface. This determines if their ship will return to port intact, or will join the horrid beasts below in the dark depths. 

Of the creatures of the ocean, there is no doubt that the Bowel Serpent is the most foul of them. A great worm that writhes through the depths, swallowing prey in a gaping toothless maw. Belching from their mouths are clouds of filth and rot, filling the waters with the taste and smell of death. Scavengers and hungry predators arrive to feed on this chum, only to be sucked into the waiting maw. Though their length is impressive and their reek terrible, Bowel Serpents are not apexes of these waters. Other leviathans see their boneless flesh as a fine meal, and seek to sink their teeth in. To ward off attackers, these serpents discharge large clouds of waste and putrid slime, blinding foes and choking their gills. This smokescreen gives time for the worm to slink away, or perhaps fight back with powerful crushing coils. At times, they flee to the surface, where their presence is known far and wide by the horrid odor they release. Spouts of noxious gas belch from their blowholes, driving away some animals while drawing in others who mistake it for a rotten carcass. For whaling ships, this wretched reek is the sign of a hunt, and they aim their ships straight for the source. Ivory harpoons and bony hooks are launched towards its soft flesh, hooking in and preventing escape. A long fight will go down, with the hopes that the many wounds will bring this leviathan down eventually. Yellowflame is kept away from these battles, in fear that it will ignite internal gases and cause the whole worm to explode, taking the entire crew with it. 

From these battles, a valuable haul of ambergris, oil, blubber and hide is won. Many parts of this rotting worm make for excellent fuel, a fine replacement of Yellow Bile when on long journeys at sea. Their skin is good for clothing and equipment, either repelling liquid or keeping it in where they want it. The meat, while plentiful, is one that will make any sailor or fisher groan. Its horrible smell and pungent taste is made only worse by the fact that it is very much edible. While most would prefer to use it as chum, it is an undesired product that few on land would purchase, thus ship captains use it as cheap food to feed the crew. Why waste the good meat that could be sold, when there are stores of useless flesh that could fill the crew's bellies? Needless to say, "worm stew" or "gut steaks" are despised by sea folk as a whole, but when the other option is starving, these meals are choked down with grumbles and swigs of potent ales. 

While Bowel Serpents are infamous for their terrible stench, land folk like to joke that these beasts are used for perfume aboard whaling ships. As they say, Bowel Serpent odor is noxious and overpowering, but it sure beats the smell that comes off the crew when they are at sea for months on end.           

-----------------------------------------------

"Bowel Serpent"

Hey, it's not my fault that there are old drawings of sea serpents that look like intestines! What was I supposed to do? Ignore them? Impossible!

[lessthansafe]

Can Two Wrongs Ever Make a Right?

Chapter One: Alpha Meets Omega (AO3 Link)

Content Warnings: Omegaverse, Dubious Consent, Animal Characteristics

Alpha meets Omega. 

It’s the age old story, romantic and beautiful and… this time it was not. 

Janus stood awkwardly in the omega shelter, unsure if he should take off his coat or if they intended this to be quick enough he wouldn’t need to. 

He’d filled out the application online, proud of his knowledge of omegas when he was given the certificate that declared him to be capable of taking in any omega up to an F-8. 

Nominally for the safety of the shelter’s omegas, though it seemed more to be sure they wouldn’t be returned or abandoned, they were classified in two categories. A-F detailed the omega’s physical desirability, with more rare fur colors, beauty, and high fertility ranking higher. 1-10 ranked the omega’s behavioral desirability, usually with more demure and timid omegas ranking higher. 

To be allowed to take an omega considered less desirable, an alpha had to prove via written test that they knew more about managing omegas and dealing with common idiosyncrasies. 

Janus had been hoping to be allowed to take a ‘less desirable’ omega. He’d tried just dating, but… it seemed no omega fine enough to run in the same circles as him was willing to look over his scars. He hoped that if he took in one from a shelter that was less likely to be taken, perhaps two undesirables would fit together. At least enough to make do. 

He’d hoped for a bit of romance. A meeting of eyes, a spark of something within them, a brief moment of a delightful scent, a shy smile. 

This was not that. 

~*~

Alpha meets Omega. 

Virgil had always known it would never happen like that. From the time he was born, and dropped off at a shelter rather than being raised as a part of a family. From the time he’d presented, and had caused people around him to gag with his scent. From the time he’d failed the fertility test with a hormonal imbalance. 

He wasn’t even pretty. He’d aged past the tiny, gangly stage that many alphas wanted to snatch up. He gained weight more easily due to his hormonal issues, and couldn’t maintain the smallness expected of omegas. His fur was a blotchy tortoiseshell, common and messy looking. 

He tried his best to at least behave well, but would startle at unexpected movements, and hiss when threatened. Virgil had nothing going for him. 

So when a staff member entered the room looking for him, saying to get ready for an alpha, he knew it couldn’t go well. 

His last assessment had set him at F-6. The only alphas willing to take him would be looking for an omega to break to their will, or one to breed. Only they’d be warned that he would struggle to bear pups. So that only left one option. 

His fears were confirmed when the staff gripped his arms tightly, and an unexpected prick on the back of his neck filled his brain with fog. It was so bad they had to drug him? He was so screwed. 

~*~

The omega swayed between two beta staff members, clearly under the influence of something. 

Janus held back the grimace. This was a truly awful first impression. And it was about to get worse. 

“We’ve had too many problems with omegas abandoned when they’ve been chosen at ranks beyond D or 6,” a staff member told Janus. “So now we have a government mandated policy that before giving them away the alpha must make a claiming bite. The sedation is to make that easier while you still don’t know each other.” 

Janus hesitated, very nearly turning and leaving altogether. But his father’s words echoed in his ears. Just get a mate. Any mate. Take an omega and fill your place in society. You’ve fucked up enough, the least you can do is not embarrass the family further. 

It was only a claiming mark. Not a mate bond. Not yet. 

Janus approached the omega. His eyes drifted over Janus, clearly not really seeing him. A sharp scent of licorice met Janus’s nostrils, surprising him. He’d never heard of an omega with a scent similar to licorice. 

The omega was wearing the uniform of the shelter, but also had on a dark, tattered hoodie. His hair was a dark brown, with faded purple bangs. His ears were flicking around, unsure of what to focus on, showing off their dark speckled color. One ear had a small light patch at the tip, catching Janus’s attention. How had an omega like this ever gotten ranked as an F? Perhaps, like Janus, there were defects hidden under his clothing. 

Janus pushed comfort through his scent, letting it fill the air between them. The omega went even more slack, the hands gripping his arms the only way he was still upright. 

Janus hid another grimace at this misstep, and leaned in to the omega’s neck, biting down over his scent gland. Sharp, bittersweet licorice filled his mouth and nose, and he dimly heard the weak hiss from the omega. He wrapped his arms around him, taking much of his weight. The omega confusedly, weakly, bit back at Janus’s shoulder, struggling slightly against the hold. 

Janus gathered the omega into his arms, murmuring an apology quiet enough that the staff wouldn’t hear. 

“I’d like to take him home now. Is there any more paperwork I need to fill out? Does he have a bag?” 

The lead staff member smiled politely. “No, you’ve done everything. Omegas in the shelter don’t own personal possessions, everything is communal.”

Janus nodded curtly. “Does he have a name?” 

“Not yet. He came to us as an infant and we don’t know his birth name. As his alpha you’re more than welcome to give him one. Just be sure to update your head of household identification with the DMV once you’ve done so.” 

Janus hid another grimace. “Thank you, you’ve been very helpful.” 

“Of course. Please feel free to return if you ever wish to expand your family!” 

Janus nodded distractedly, more focused on carrying the om— his new pa— on getting the man home. 

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 27: The Shadow in the Night

I couldn't find any Trolloc puppets so this is what we're going with I guess. It seemed better than pictures of real life fireworks accidents where I wasn't sure if maybe someone got seriously hurt or not. I'm pretty sure that no one got hurt in this episode of Star Trek; the Gorn lived. But I can't promise that about this book series, so if you don't want that kind of spoilers for Wheel of Time, or really any kind of spoilers, it's best not to click keep reading.

This chapter has the Trolloc triptych since we will be getting Trollocs in Cairhien.

The street was empty save for one of the big puppets, a goat-horned Trolloc with a sword at its belt, coming toward them with five men working the poles, but sounds of merriment drifted still from other parts of the Foregate, where the halls of entertainment and the taverns stood. Here, doors were already barred and windows shuttered.

Presumably this is the work of the undescribed man who saw Rand awhile back. I suppose that if Fain is going to defy fate, he might as well defy narrative convention as well.

Instinct brought the sword out of its sheath in a flashing arc. The Moon Rises Over the Lakes.

Honestly the motion I picture when I think of the sword form's name is a bit more complex than a flashing arc, but it gets points for being such a great name.

“Loial, we have to get back to the inn. Hurin’s alone, and they—” He grunted as he was lifted into the air by a thick arm long enough to pin both of his to his chest.

Rand's Shadowspawn Senses still don't seem to have kicked in yet.

The Power. That could do it. How, he did not know, but he knew nothing else to try. The Trolloc had its sword half unsheathed. When the curved blade was bare, it would kill Loial.

I love it when a hero is forced to use an undesirable power because the escalation of the narrative has left them with nothing else.

Driven by a distant desperation, he tried again and again. And again and again there was only the taint.

Of course, that really only makes it all the more hilarious that Rand isn't capable of channeling consistently yet.

“I’m sorry you had to do it, Loial, but it would have killed both of us, or worse.” “I know. But I cannot like it. Even a Trolloc.” Pointing toward the setting sun, the Ogier seized Rand’s arm. “There’s another of them.”

Funny how this bit of work towards Perrin's arc is here in Rand's, considering how many dead Trollocs this boy will be making even in Zen Mode.

He pulled Loial along to the next corner and turned toward the nearest sounds of laughter and music, but long before they reached it, another group of men appeared ahead of them in the otherwise empty street with a puppet that was no puppet.

Rand has something in common with that Trolloc, I suppose. There are some parallels of course - the puppeteers are far less dangerous than the "puppet"; they control it only to the degree that it's convenient for the Trolloc, everything is being done out of sight and in the shadows - but I'm sad to say that I'm at a blank for any deeper meaning.

Sometimes, here where there were no eyes to see, a Trolloc stalked alone. More than once he was sure it was one he had seen before. They were closing in, and making sure he and Loial did not leave the deserted streets with their shuttered windows.

I really like that the Trollocs are still terrifying at this point.

“I don’t have it with me,” he snapped, “and I don’t know how it could help if I did. The dead heroes are not supposed to come back to save me from Trollocs. Selene, you have to get away. Now!”

This is (very likely unintentional) irony, since the Horn isn't blown in the Last Battle until a young boy with no other options has to be saved from Trollocs.

“Seek the Oneness, and be calm. One who would be great must always be calm.”

This is also ironic, since Lanfear has the chill of a blast furnace on the surface of the sun.

Selene cut him off. “If he wants to go in, alantin, he needs a door. Such as that one.” She pointed to a dark patch a little down the wall. Even with her telling him, Rand was not certain it was a door, but when she strode to it and pulled, it opened.

If it weren't for the fact that the far side of this wall had brackets for a bar, I'd half think that Selene had some incredible forgotten weave for turning walls into doors.

At the worst, humans had to be better to deal with than Trollocs. He might be able to talk the Illuminators into letting them go; Trollocs did not listen before they killed.

Rand of course will forget this lesson much later in his dealings with the Seanchan.

The woman’s dress, worked elaborately across the breast, seemed a pale green, and her hair was done in a multitude of short braids.

Hi Aludra! Sorry about what happens to you for the next six books or so. (Also hi Tammuz I guess? Apparently you're technically a recurring character. Good luck with that; I barely remember you from this chapter and I only reread it seven hours ago.)

In any case, fireworks were too expensive for the Village Council to have allowed anybody unskilled to open one. He could well remember the time when Mat had tried to do just that; it was nearly a week before anyone but Mat’s own mother would speak to him.

I'm pretty sure we hear about this story again. I'm also pretty sure Mat will finally open a firework next book.

Rand was just breathing a sigh of relief as they approached the low wall—and the alleys and buildings behind it—when Loial brushed against another rack, standing right beside the wall. It held ten soft-looking sticks, as long as Rand’s arm, with thin streams of smoke rising from their tips. The rack made hardly a sound when it fell, the smoldering sticks sprawling across one of the fuses.

It's like the Illuminators were asking for their chapterhouse to be burned down, frankly.

“Sometimes,” Selene said quietly, “if you are very still, no one can see you at all.” She did not sound the least bit worried.

This is both a useful observational fact about life and clearly a good weave.

“I am not to blame for this, Aludra,” the man protested. “I have been sure to put everything where it belonged, and the punks, they were—”

Sorry Tammuz, I'm absolutely blaming you.

“It is said great men make their own luck,” Selene said softly.

Lanfear: Just because I'm pretending to be a helpless noblewoman doesn't mean I'm not going to expect credit for every secret thing I do to help you.

“Your greatness will make me happy.” Despite the words, Selene sounded angry. “Perhaps I should leave you to find your own way for a time. If you’ll not take greatness when it is in your grasp, perhaps you deserve to die.”

I can see why she hooked up with LTT in the first place and why the dude dumped her the second he had a chance with a slightly more chill woman.

“You let me worry about the Trollocs.” Three of them. I might do it, with the void.

Of course, Rand is finally embracing the greatness she wants anyway. Doesn't even realize it.

It tilted, started to fall over, and he caught the square wooden base; the tube pointed straight at the Trollocs.

Hence the picture above.

Blinking, Rand staggered to his feet, coughing in thick, acrid smoke, ears ringing.

Jordan should have added tinnitus to Rand's list of agonies because it is a bitch and the boy damages his ear drums way too much not to end up with it.

“An old woman, my Lord. Not a quarter of an hour gone. A servant, though she did not say from what House.” Cuale smiled as if inviting confidences.

Definitely Lanfear in disguise. She's not too vain to try and fool Rand this way as we'll know from later, and the difference in age is more than enough for Mr. Idiot here not to suspect that the Obviously Magic Woman following him around improbably might have left the letter herself.

Think of the glory. “I wish Ingtar would come.”

Rand would have been a great hornblower, since he always slides right past the glory in favor of the salvation.

[clonerightsagenda]

During this relisten I have been paying attention to potential evidence supporting this response to my character parallels post. The thoughts I have marshaled so far are,

Eiffel projects onto Hilbert. (This is relevant, bear with me.) He tells him - right after Hilbert tries to kill them and rips apart Hera's brain, no less! - that they're not so different. In Bolero, he tells Hilbert's memory that he wanted to believe even someone who had hurt so many people could change - he was clearly invested in Hilbert's improvement as a sign he could improve too, and vocalizing that makes him stop drinking, because he still has the chance to be better.

Why does this matter? Because in Desperate Measures, Eiffel tells Maxwell,

I knew it. I knew underneath all that sparkle and charm you were just as bad as Hilbert.

If he's projecting onto Hilbert, you could also read that as "I knew you were just as bad as me". Especially when he continues,

Hell, you're worse. You made Hera think you really cared, just to stab her in the back. Even Hilbert never sunk that low.

Eiffel claims he was pretty good at being a dad before things went wrong. I can easily see him being the 'fun' parent, who breezes in to bring presents or have a good time but doesn't stick around for any of the hard stuff. He made Anne think he cared. He had a responsibility to her, and then instead he was selfish and impulsive and got her and other people hurt. Even Hilbert didn't do that. But Maxwell did.

So yes, I can see Eiffel reacting badly to Maxwell because of the nature of her betrayal, just as he reacts strongly to Pryce for the same reason. But he dislikes her from the start. The response on the linked post suggests he picks up on her facade, and there could be something to that. Eiffel is aware he's putting on a show. In "Super Energy Saver Mode" when he's imitating Minkowski, he says

You are the most incompetent excuse for an enlisted man I have ever met. The only things you’ve done for the past 500 days have been sleep on the job, endanger our lives, and continually make stupid jokes just to hide the fact that you’re -

He might have been planning to say "worthless" or "filled with self-loathing" or something similar, but the point is, he's conscious that his behavior is an act to cover up characteristics he finds shameful or undesirable. Later, when Lovelace shows up, he tells Minkowski he knows a thing or two about telling lies. And, as the linked post notes, he sees through Cutter right away. Maxwell is the only other one to have such a strong negative reaction to Goddard's recruitment attempts.

Taking this all into consideration, my best guess is that after the Urania picked Eiffel up, Kepler and Jacobi sent Maxwell (the member of their team with the least god awful social skills) to play good cop and try to get some intel out of Eiffel - which, I'll note, is exactly what Minkowski had him do to Lovelace when she first showed up. However, Eiffel immediately saw through Maxwell's "sparkle and charm", picked up on her insincerity, and held on to that impression throughout her time on the station, even though her overtures to Hera probably were a lot more sincere. He saw her as someone who would put on a cheerful, funny front and pretend to give a shit but, when the chips were down, would take the selfish option and get people hurt. Like he said, from the start he knew - or suspected - that she was just as bad as him.

[the-falcon-of-the-fall]

So I was going back to my first playthrough where my Harry is primarily communist, and I was talking with Acele again where she brings up rich people in the east. Thinking it was communist, I chose, “"Let me guess, these rich people are not from around here..." and then I realized afterwards that was meant to be the fascist option and then died a bit on the inside.

But besides the shame of that, it made me realize in DE, they show how communism has similarities with fascism and also moralism. While I haven’t played primarily moralist or fascist Harry, but I was on the moralist political vision quest and have not played communist vision quest, I did read quite about fascism route and some parts of communism vision quest. 

Communism and fascism are both on the far ends of the political spectrum that recognize there’s something wrong with the system, and blame a certain group of people for the problems of society, and sometimes, they both agree it’s the elites. They both have oppressive governments that purged the “undesirables” and believers who can also hold that view that there are people beneath them that should be oppressed (Measurehead and racist lorry driver for fascism and the deserter for communism). They both have a link with nostalgia, fascism in a violent way, best seen with some of the fascist dialogue options are ones aggressively degrading “the other”, and communism in a sad way for a lost chance of a greater humanity, best seen with the Deserter. 

However, fascism has nothing of substance to it. It doesn’t solve any systemic problems, t’s just a jumble of anger, hatred for oneself and others, and nostalgia that paralyzes one to stop moving on. Harry gets no straight answer of the ideology from all the fascists he talks with, with the most unifying answer he gets is that he can’t go back to the past and dislike for modernity and/or “the other”. This hatred for “the other” is what unifies fascists in real life. Meanwhile for communism, there are solid, unifying tenets to it, the most unifying one is power for the working-class, but because it’s uncertain on how that would work, they have many different interpretations to it that it leads to inter-fighting. Having many different voices to work together to figure that out is what communism needs to succeed, and Harry can do that by encouraging the students to open up their club to more people.

While Harry can’t instantly build communism in the game, the game still shows there is hope for him to lay the the bricks of it. He can do that by helping the student club and engaging with them. It’s like moralism’s claim that incremental progress will eventually bring democracy to Revachol, however, their changes will amount to almost nothing because moralism is controlled by the interests of businesses and elites. While it is crushing for Harry to realize this, he still is laying a path for the working-class now and in the future, and the game shows that hope by letting the students’ house of cards still stand if he says at least 30 communist things. Communism may not be here now, but if people can talk about it and take small actions such as gathering together, it can one day be brought to fruition.

[listen-to-the-inner-walrus]

example #7375 of the tories wrecking the nhs

so. i have covid; ive had two positive tests and the covid monitoring centre is sending me a pulsometer so i can send daily results. theyve called me every day since i reported it.

i also have my first physiotherapy appointment with rheumatology in three days... that i cant really afford to miss.

because if i ask for a rearrangement, its registered on the system as me "refusing to attend the appointment" making it much harder for me to actually get appointments. and having various chronic illnesses (including one that can be fatal if unmonitored and untreated), i very much need regular appointments.

its taken me like four years to get this appointment and the closest rearrangement is six months away.

plus, ive already had to rearrange one this year because i was bedridden with covid last week. and even though the condition the appointment for should be monitored every three months at least to avoid blindness or death, and that one is now two months away.

which means i already have one mark against me, claiming me to be non-compliant. i cant exactly afford another rearrangement since it comes with another negative mark in the system.

so my best option, personally, is to attend the appointment even though i have covid and it is registered on the system that i have covid and covid is an infectious disease.

youd think that factor might make it so that i cannot attend automatically. that would make sense, right?

yeah no. when we called up, the nurse said "as long as you feel up to attending, youll be fine."

its insane, just fucking ludicrous.

the system under tories has literally put me into a fucking trolley problem where my options are:

attend the appointment but risk infecting who knows how many people

OR

miss the appointment and subsequently be marked as a patient who doesnt bother attending appointments and hence, be offered less appointments if any, hence risking blindness or death if im unable to get regular appointments for my neurological disorder that needs regular monitoring to avoid blindness or death

the tories' version of the nhs is literally punishing me for getting ill.

its unacceptable to miss an appointment for any reason, and uh, you know whos more likely to miss an appointment? the disabled and the poor.

the system is blatantly designed to trip up those the tories find undesirable and burdensome; they dont even bother hiding it because a lot of people either agree with them and their bigotry, or they just cant be bothered to care for the disabled and/or the poor.

im sure i could come to some coherent conclusion here, but im honestly just too fucking tired to do that.

fuck tories.

[more-than-a-princess]

"My dark queen, seeing as it is of common practice to celebrate a mortal's continued trip about the cosmos with each passing year, I...am willing to agree to the watching of a film with you, no matter which one it may be..." And no matter how much it may scare him.... //i am Late for the gorls birfday but i hand her an overlord to torture as she sees fit lmao

Sonia's Birthday Asks 2023 - No Longer Accepting!

Had she heard him right? Because for as much as Gundham Tanaka appeared foreboding as the Supreme Overlord of Ice, leading to many of their classmates either being perturbed or otherwise afraid of him, Sonia had never known him to watch a horror movie. Not even a gothic-styled movie, which many of her favorite films were if they weren't outright horror (as far as she was concerned, Crimson Peak was a gothic romance film with ghosts). Thus, her look of surprise was warranted as Gundham gave her his birthday gift: his undivided attention for a horror movie of her choosing, to the best of his ability.

"Truly?" She asked, "You wish to watch a film of my choosing with me? Any film in particular?" Perhaps it was rude to make him repeat himself, but the situation was so unprecedented that she could barely believe it. Nevertheless, a bright smile spread over her lips, paired with a certain intensity in her eyes. The sort of excitement that she brought to any conversation that turned towards her often off-putting, unnerving hobbies. "That is most kind and wonderful of you, Tanaka-san, thank you! I am quite honored and shall take great care in choosing the titles to watch!"

Plural, not singular: because horror films were like pieces of chocolate. One could never stop at just one, and Sonia, being ever so organized, did not hesitate to pull out her mobile phone and open one of its files: a constantly-updated list of every film in her collection, made available by physical media or streaming. 

"Let us see, what sort of theme shall we choose?" She grinned, glancing at him as she scrolled through the alphabetical list. "Nothing featuring animal deaths, I think: that would be most undesirable. And I suppose we could indulge in slashers, or excessive torture, or witchcraft, or- YES, that is perfect!"

A pause, as she checked off several options in her exhausting list of terrifying media. "Tanaka-san, we shall indulge in films featuring the occult and demonic possession! That will be exciting, will it not? I am thinking of the likes of Hereditary, or The Exorcist! Truly excellent films both, featuring the macabre acts of Paimon and Pazuzu! I am sure that beyond being demons, they are Supreme Overlords themselves and their darkness shall be most inspiring. Oh, I am so excited!"

After all, the only thing more comforting for Sonia Nevermind than a good demonic possession on film was a slasher film.

@the-ultimate-muses

[uncanny-tranny]

To start off this ask, I hope you're having a great day <3 Thank you for all the positivity your posts bring to my life.

This is a kind of serious ask, but I don't really have anyone in my life who is reliable enough to talk about this with. Recently, I've seen a lot of news articles about harmful trans clinics. The UK shutting down clinics for trans youth, negative effects of hormones for trans people, etc.

This website I found today is what really sparked this ask: https://www.thefp.com/p/i-thought-i-was-saving-trans-kids

I'm very confused and conflicted. I am trans-masculine. I don't know what to trust. And honestly, I'm scared. I don't know if there's something wrong with my body or mind. I once was excited for top surgery but now I'm worried about making a mistake. I'm worried about how my body will be handled by medical professionals.

My parents keep telling me these terrible stories of people who have detransitioned and have "ruined their lives," but I also know of so many trans people who live wonderful lives and are accepted and loved. I so desperately want that love and acceptance, but now I'm terrified that maybe my life will be "ruined," if I truly am just "being swayed by a cultural agenda."

I was hoping you might be willing to provide some insight.

I'll be real, I've had that same worry before, which didn't help because when I first came out, I was bombarded by stories about the same situation - notably, my dad sharing these concerns of his through stories about a trans soldier he knew personally.

I find that the whole fear surrounding "ruining bodies" and "horrid outcomes" don't place the ultimate authority on the trans people we're talking about. I've found that when people talk about "mutilated bodies", it is from the viewpoint that medical intervention is inherently going to transform a person from being natural (and the worthiness that comes with it) to being undesirable and freakish.

Transition isn't a destination, it is a journey, I think. The scaremongering about detransition is capitalizing on the fear that your body will become a sight of horror rather than a body that belongs to a person. Though detransition rates are low, and transition (including medical transition) has some of the lowest regret rates of other care (hell, knee replacement has higher regret rates), people who have detransitioned are still just as worthy as literally anybody else. Capitalizing on the exaggerated fear of transition and detransition hurts trans people and those who detransition.

There isn't anything wrong with you, anon. You have concerns, and that's completely natural. It is natural to feel the ways you are feeling, and I don't want for one minute to make you feel like you're bad for feeling the ways you do. However, I do caution you to still take into account the fact that you do deserve happiness. If medical transition is something you've looked into, you deserve that option. I can only speak from personal experience, but medical transition has been the best choice I made for myself. There is always the possibility that things turn out in your favour. There is always the possibility of happiness. No matter what you decide to do, you deserve respect and gentleness and the space to exist without expecting to be "perfect" or "right" about every last thing. I hope you can pursue the happiness, whatever that looks like

[ebeggin]

Humans are the Stepping Stone between the Sun and the Pyramids: A Quick Summary of Bataillean General Economy from the Accursed Share, Volume One

So in 1949, Georges Bataille, a French intellectual and attempted anti-fascist conspirator born at the end of the 19th century, would write The Accursed Share, a comprehensive and controversial work of political economy which posited a new theory of economics that he called “General Economy,” which centered the importance of acts of consumption and waste in economics. As the theory goes, when considering economic activity in general, causes and effects appear which would not be clearly seen in cases where economic activity in particular is studied. A proper understanding of the economic acts of production and consumption therefore must be studied as a whole in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of economics, rather than the limited understanding which comes from the study of isolated economic phenomena.

So the production and use of wealth can be understood as the human appropriation of the natural circulation of energy. In nature, a successful living organism will ordinarily receive more energy than it needs to sustain itself, which manifests as “wealth” that allows for it to grow and reproduce. When growth and reproduction are no longer possible for the organism, its excess energy must be wasted in some form instead. This can be extrapolated from the individual organism to economic systems as a whole. Contrary to the positions of modern rational economics, it is necessary to deliberately waste a vast amount of the wealth produced in the economic cycle. Classical political economy focuses on individual units in systems where resources are scarce, but the central point of General Economy is that there is actually a superabundance of wealth, aka energy, and that must be wasted in some form, and will be wasted despite the best efforts of any parties involved. The question becomes how best to waste it, and there are limited options.

Central to General Economy is the role of the Sun, which is responsible for making excess rather than scarcity the central question of economics. Solar energy is the ultimate source of life’s development, and by extension wealth in general. As Bataille puts it, “the sun gives without ever receiving:” it embodies the values of generosity and unproductive glory which many ancient civilizations associated with their sovereigns as well as the vital economic activity of waste. The sun creates a superabundance of energy around the world, but organisms can only take in so much before they are compelled to radiate it out once its utilization for growth is no longer possible. As such, the biosphere itself is the only real limit on the ability to productively utilize this solar energy.

So for biological organisms space as the primary limit on the growth of life, and life grows to occupy all available areas of possibility provided it is not cut off from the supply of energy. As life pushes up against the boundaries which contain it, the force of pressure opens up room for more growth by increasing the potential room that can be occupied. Where there was initially no free space, it has been made as a result of the growing pressure. Wherever life exerts pressure in such a way that new space is created, it will immediately fill it, as when the growth of a plant creates a crack in the concrete sidewalk and exposes the earth beneath to the light of the sun. At the same time, pressure might fail to open up more space for growth and instead result in that energy being squandered in some way, with death being the most remarkable form that this can take. When there is no direction for life to spread, pressure builds and energy is used in what Bataille calls “exuberance” instead of growth. To attempt to direct this exuberance towards productive ends is futile - it must be wasted in either a desirable or undesirable way.

There are three main forms of consumption, or exuberance, that exist in individual organisms and are vital to the possibility of future growth. One of the simplest ways in which energy is expended is through consumption, typically of one species by another. The more directly that the organism takes in the energy of the sun, the less burdensome it is to maintain - a concept that might be familiar to anyone who remembers middle school biology class lessons on the “food chain.” Incidental to eating is another major form of energy expenditure in death, which results in the creation of more room for the growth of life. Along with consumption and death, sexual reproduction appears as the third primary means of luxurious energy expenditure for individuals, even as it contributes to the growth of the whole. All three of these forms of consumption - literal eating, death, and reproduction - are all necessary for the continuation of growth in the long term.

The Accursed Share argues that human ignorance of this necessity of waste and the deliberate pursuit of growth without limits has resulted in this excess energy being expended in disastrous ways. In order to expand the “space” necessary for their continued reproduction and biological growth, human beings develop technologies that allow for the increase of both population and the accumulation of wealth. These technological developments result in the generation of surplus energy which in turn increases the rate of production, but as this rate of production increases it eventually outpaces the growth provided by development and uses up the surplus energy. Reaching this point, an intense period of squander becomes necessary that ultimately increases standards of living in the long term even as it causes mass misery in the moment.

The idea that wealth is ultimately intended for luxurious waste appears paradoxical to many who associate the concepts of “wealth” with “value.” This is why Bataille argues that its inevitable expenditure manifests either as something alien and hostile to humanity in the form of warfare, or has to be justified through the language of “justice” in the form of rising living standards. In both cases, it is not acknowledged that the true purpose of these dissipations of hoarded wealth is ultimately “waste” - at least, it isn't acknowledged in the modern world.

The avoidance of war requires that production be used towards profitless operations. These kinds of “waste” can serve religious or aesthetic purposes, such as the construction of ziggurats, pyramids, temples, and cathedrals or the commission of opulent art pieces, productions, or monuments. Alternatively, this “waste” can be manifested in reducing production, or at least its efficiency towards generating profits, by raising wages and reducing working hours. Ultimately, any society which seeks to avoid the destructive potential consequences of surplus wealth and energy must subordinate the pursuit of growth to expenditure without profit, and prioritize both large-scale non-utilitarian projects and the increase of living standards at the expense of productive efficiency. Many “wasteful” economic activities and extravagances engaged in by cultures throughout history begin to make sense when viewed through this lens of General Economy.

[abdominoplastyindelhi]

Correction Of Abnormal-Appearing Breasts In Women

Rare conditions cause the breasts to either not develop at all [Poland’s Syndrome] or to develop in an abnormal shape or proportion. Some women have large differences between their right and left sides, tubular breasts, or small droopy nodules (called “snoopy” breasts after the cartoon character). Many of these women have lived with these anomalies without realising that they can be corrected.

Tubular breasts: The breast base is narrow and the organ is more tube-shaped in this condition. Such breasts lack width and fullness, and they droop prematurely. The treatment aims to broaden the base, implant more dome-shaped volume, and relocate the nipple complex to a more natural location.

Tuberous (Snoopy) breasts: A more advanced form of tubular breasts in which the breast mound has entered the areola complex and appears to hang from a narrow stalk like a tuber. The goal of treatment is to return the breast tissue mass to the chest wall, open it up from the back like the petals of a closed flower bud, and correct the droop; an implant may also be required. More than one stage of correction may be required.

Asymmetrical Breasts: Minor asymmetry in the breasts is very common and does not require treatment. When there is a significant disparity, the smaller breast is enlarged with an implant, fat grafting, or both, while the larger one is reduced. It’s heartening to see how much of an emotional boost such a simple procedure can provide for the patient.

Breast absence at birth: Poland syndrome is characterised by the absence of one breast and the associated chest muscle. Depending on the circumstances, such cases necessitate careful planning. Combining reconstructive [muscle flaps] and aesthetic [implant/fat graft] techniques is often a good solution.

Accessory Breasts: It is often amusing to tell a woman with an axillary bulge that she has an extra breast or two. However, human beings are capable of developing breasts anywhere along the’milk-line,’ which runs from the underarm to the groin. A man or a woman may have extra breast tissue, a nipple, or both anywhere along this line as a developmental anomaly. It usually grows during pregnancy, and this is when it becomes noticeable. The treatment is simple, and they can be removed with little to no scarring. When such abnormally placed breast tissues are left alone, they are at the same or higher risk of malignancy as normal breasts.

What is breast reduction?

Breast reduction surgery, also known as reduction mammoplasty, is more than just a cosmetic procedure for women who have overly large breasts that cause shoulder, back, and neck pain, or who are unhappy or self-conscious about their large breasts. Large breasts frequently appear droopy, which may lead to decreased confidence as a result of poor physical appearance.

Each of these conditions can be treated with mammoplasty using the most appropriate technique in each case.

The surgery has the dual benefit of improving a patient’s appearance as well as relieving the physical and emotional burden of having excessively large breasts.

What is breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation, also known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure that involves the use of artificial implants or fat grafting to increase the size of the breasts. It is a surgical procedure used to create a more rounded, firmer, and larger breast. It restores a woman’s figure to a healthy balance.

Breast volume is most commonly increased by inserting soft silicone implants surrounded by membranes via various methods. Many women also prefer fat grafting for breast volume enhancement, a procedure in which fat is suctioned out of different areas of your body where fat may be undesirable and then injected into the breasts.

Consultation for breast augmentation or breast reduction:

Tell us about your issues, and we’ll recommend the best treatment option for you.

Dr. Sachin Rajpal, a Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon, is well-known in Delhi for breast augmentation and breast reduction surgeries. He executes this procedure with extreme accuracy and finesse. Only the highest quality implants and state-of-the-art technologies are used, reducing downtime and promoting healing. He provides breast implant procedures that are completely safe and reliable.

TAG- Plastic Surgeon in Delhi, Cosmetic surgeon in Delhi, Breast Reduction in Delhi

[philsmeatylegss]

Rae I’m in my first year of college and everyone around me feels so much older. Like they have fake ids and go drinking and smoke weed and drive cars and act like adults. And i go home every weekend and can’t drive. I am so anxious that I’m going to look back at this point in my life in regret.

I cannot express how much I felt the same way when I had my first year of college (last year lol). Always feel free to pm me if you want to vent more about it, but it’s not at all weird that you feel like this. I went home every weekend for most of my first semester. A lot of y’all comforted me when I was going through it because I just felt so awful and like it wasn’t going to get any better. I think the most important aspect a lot of people don’t talk about is asking are you sad because you want to be going out and party or are you sad because you think you should be doing that. Things got a lot better for me when I accepted that I’m not someone who needs friends or be social to thrive in college. Then again, it can also be you actually want that and it sucks not having it. And honestly, it’s hard to give advice. I know if I one more person tells me to “just put yourself out there” and “maybe join some clubs” or “sit down next to someone in the cafeteria and strike up a conversation,” I’ll fucking rip my head off. Coming from someone who has had an anxiety disorder all my life, i get how frustrating it is to have a solution but not being able to do it. There’s also absolutely no shame in going home on the weekends too. Even my second semester of my sophomore year, there’s been weeks that were just really shitty and I went home as a way to sort of recharge. So many people say to not go home, but I don’t think I would’ve made it if I wasn’t allowed to go home on the weekends. There’s absolutely no shame in it.

Also I know it feels like you’re the only one not partying and drinking with friends, but you’re not. It seems like you’re the only one because those who are in the same position as you aren’t advertising it. They’re also sitting in the background. Take some comfort in knowing that there’s many many many students who are experiencing the exact same emotions you are.

The best advice really I can give is try to sort out if you’re upset because you want to go out and party or because that’s what you think you should be doing. Things get a lot easier to cope with when you answer that question. Know that there’s many who are in the exact same place as you are and this doesn’t make you weak. Know it’s okay to go home often as a way to recharge and cope. A big part of this is a waiting game. Which I know is the worst thing to hear, but that really is the truth.

There also is the very real possibility that college isn’t for you or college isn’t suited for where you are right now in life. I’m taking a class right now and there is an actual grandmother in it. As in she talks about her grandchildren. My point is that you don’t have to do college right away. You can take it literally at anytime between now and your death. There’s no time limit and no shame on maybe starting later than others. A lot of people shit on community college, but doing a year or two at a community college close to home and then doing the rest at a regular college is also a good alternative. You’re still getting the credit with that social pressure being taken off. Or maybe college just isn’t for you. And that’s okay! College will always be an option the rest of your life. It’s not something you have to take right after high school or you won’t ever get a chance to take it again. It’s okay to step back or take a break if that’s what you truly need. I really only recommend doing that, though, if you truly cannot handle the pressure. You cannot find a person who will avoid conflict or avoid doing undesirable tasks more than me. And it was really tempting for me to just be like “yeah, too much, I quit.” But I knew I could try harder. So if you do take the route of taking a break or moving back, please make sure it’s for the right reason.

The movies all fucking lie. Every single portrayal of college in media is just showing up and magically finding a quirky, diverse friend group you perfectly fit in with without putting in any effort. And for some people, college is that. But for a lot of people, it’s not that and people don’t talk enough about it. As i said at the start, I felt exactly the same as you are for months. Just being so frustrated that everyone around me seemingly is thriving when I can’t. I promise it’s not as bad as you think it is. I also promise that you’re not the only one going through this. I also promise that there’s no shame in reaching out or taking a break. Sometimes you just need reassurance that everything will work out, and that’s something I definitely promise. Whether you end up staying at your college, going to community college, taking a break, or not going to college at all, it will work itself out. It’s frustrating and annoying and lonely, but it will work itself out.

[smarts0daukltd]

Alkaline Drinks UK – What Are They & Why Are They Popular?

The UK has seen a flood in the prevalence of basic beverages as of late. These beverages are turning out to be progressively famous because of their indicated medical advantages, for example, further developed absorption, expanded energy levels, and better hydration. This article will talk about the advantages of soluble beverages in the UK, as well as the potential dangers related to them.

Benefits of Alkaline Drinks

Alkaline drinks UK are turning out to be progressively famous because of their implied medical advantages. These beverages are said to assist with further developing absorption, increment energy levels, and give preferred hydration over ordinary water. Moreover, basic beverages are accepted to assist with decreasing irritation, balancing the body's pH levels, and even assisting with weight reduction. Many individuals in the UK are going to these beverages as an option in contrast to sweet soft drinks and caffeinated drinks.

One more advantage of basic beverages is that they are frequently made with normal fixings, like products of the soil. This makes them a better choice than the numerous different drinks available. Moreover, a significant number of these beverages are low in sugar and calories, going with them is an extraordinary decision for those hoping to scale back their sugar consumption.

Potential Risks of Alkaline Drinks

Although basic beverages have numerous expected advantages, there are likewise a few potential dangers associated with them. For instance, a portion of these beverages contains elevated levels of sodium, which can be perilous for those with hypertension or other heart conditions. Also, a portion of these beverages contains elevated levels of potassium, which can be risky for those with kidney issues. It is vital to peruse the markings of any basic beverage prior to polishing it off it to guarantee that it is okay for you to drink.

Also, some of these drinks have fake sugars and other substances added that may not be good for you. It is critical to read the label of any antacid beverage before consuming it to ensure that it contains no undesirable ingredients.

Office Drink Dispenser

Having drink distributors in the office is a great way to give employees a useful source of rewards. They are likewise an extraordinary method for advancing solid hydration propensities and diminishing how much waste is produced by single-utilised plastic containers. 

Benefits of Having an Office Drink Dispenser

Having an office drink dispenser can give various advantages to the two businesses and workers. For bosses, it can diminish costs related to buying individual jugs of refreshments, as well as decrease how much waste is produced by single-utilised plastic containers. For representatives, it can give a helpful wellspring of reward and advance sound hydration propensities. Furthermore, it can assist with establishing a lovely workplace by giving a wonderful climate for representatives to enjoy some time off and mingle.

Types of Drinks That Can Be Dispensed

Office drink distributors can administer a wide range of beverages, including water, pop, juice, tea, and espresso. A machine must offer the capacity to modify the kind of beverages, permitting clients to look over a wide range of choices. Additionally, machines can serve hot and cold beverages, allowing customers to enjoy their favourite beverages at any temperature.

Best Practices for Maintaining and Using the Machine

To guarantee that your office drink distributor is working appropriately and providing protected and clean beverages, following accepted procedures for upkeep and use is significant. It is critical to clean and disinfect the machine on a regular basis to prevent the growth of microorganisms and other impurities. Furthermore, it is critical to ensure that the machine is consistently restocked with new beverages to ensure that workers have access to perfect and revitalising drinks.

Conclusion

Taking everything into account, office drink gadgets can help both bosses and representatives in a number of ways. They can lessen costs related to buying individual containers of refreshments, as well as decrease how much waste is created by single-use plastic jugs. Furthermore, they can help to create a more pleasant workplace by providing employees with a wonderful environment in which to relax and socialise.

[sounmashnews]

[ad_1] Matanzas, Cuba CNN  —  The cake with collectible figurines of two brides on prime melted within the Caribbean warmth and the marriage visitors fretted aloud that certainly one of Cuba’s frequent blackouts might strike at any second however for Annery Rivera Velasco and Yennys Hernandez Molina, the day was one of many happiest of their lives. The two girls married in September, surrounded by a small group of fellow LGBTQ activists within the sea-side metropolis of Matanzas. But their union is just not acknowledged by the Cuban authorities, not less than not but. That might change as early as Sunday, when thousands and thousands of Cubans are anticipated to prove to vote for or in opposition to a major overhaul of the communist-run island’s more than four-decade-old family code, which would come with the historic step of legalizing identical intercourse marriage. “It’s a legal right and we should all be the same before the law. It’s a question of a human right,” Yennys Hernandez informed CNN moments after her wedding ceremony on the Metropolitan Community Church, a LGBTQ-friendly church that is among the few on the island to hold out same-sex marriages. Following the church service, the couple reminded assembled family and friends members to vote for the brand new household code. “I believe we are all equal in terms of rights, options, possibilities and in terms of being a citizen and expressing that citizenship. I don’t think we are less than the rest of society,” stated Annery Rivera, who stated that if the brand new household code passes, she and Hernandez would maintain a civil wedding ceremony that may imply within the eyes of the Cuban state they're legally married. According to the Cuban authorities, the 100-page household code supplies larger protections to girls, youngsters and the aged in addition to permitting LGBTQ couples to marry and undertake youngsters. Members within the LGBTQ group in Cuba have waited a long time for this second. But some additionally worry a backlash if the code passes. Following the 1959 revolution, homosexual folks have been amongst these despatched to work camps often called Military Units to Help Production together with political dissidents, clergymen and others thought of undesirables by Fidel Castro’s new authorities. Some homosexual males and lesbians even stated they carried out sham marriages to keep away from falling below suspicion. Castro later apologized for the best way homosexuals have been handled however a full accounting of how many individuals have been despatched to the compelled labor camps and who ordered their creation has by no means been revealed by the federal government. In 1979, homosexuality was legalized in Cuba though many homosexual women and men stated they nonetheless confronted open discrimination. In 1993, the Cuban movie “Strawberry and Chocolate” concerning the unlikely friendship between a younger supporter of the revolution and an older homosexual man was launched and sparked a nationwide debate concerning the therapy of LGBTQ folks on the island. For greater than a decade, Mariela Castro, the daughter of former Cuban president Raul Castro, has overtly advocated via a government-funded heart for improved rights for gays, lesbians and transgender folks. But the push for larger equality has confronted stiff opposition from each outdoors and from inside the Cuban authorities. In 2018, Cuban legislators deserted provisions that may have legalized identical intercourse marriage amid fears that a homophobic backlash would have lowered turnout for a referendum to approve a brand new structure. The following

12 months, Cuban police broke up a peaceable LGBTQ rights parade saying the marchers didn't have permission to carry the rally. Cuba’s rising evangelical group particularly has overtly advocated in opposition to approving the household code. Evangelical pastor Yoel Serrano informed CNN that whereas evangelicals have been extra outspoken about their opposition to same-sex marriage, many teams throughout Cuban society have their reservations. “I think about 95% of Christians disapprove but it’s not just Christians,” Serrano stated. “There are communists who are not in agreement, materialistic people not in agreement. A lot of people who believe in different things that don’t agree with the changes they want to make with the new family code.” Even at neighborhood “consultations” organized by the federal government throughout the island, some individuals who recognized themselves as loyal revolutionaries stated they have been not sure how they'd vote. “It would be unfortunate if the code wasn’t approved massively because of one article,” a girl named Melba stated – referring to the same-sex provision – at a neighborhood assembly in 2021 that CNN was permitted to cowl. In the weeks earlier than the referendum, the Cuban authorities has made a full court docket press in favor of the brand new household code throughout state-run media, arguing the brand new code is proof the island’s now greater than six-decades-old-revolution is able to adapting to the instances. It stays to be seen if Cubans will vote overwhelmingly to permit same-sex marriage or if they may use the referendum as a uncommon alternative to precise their anger on the authorities over wide-spread energy cuts, runaway inflation and more and more naked grocery store cabinets. At the church in Matanzas, Rev. Elaine Saralegui Caraballo, the pastor who married Yennys and Annery, stated that if the referendum passes or is rejected, the battle for full equality nonetheless must proceed. “I have faith that love will win,” she stated. “If it’s a “Yes” or “No” it’s the identical. We inform our group nobody can take away your worth, who you might be.” [ad_2] Source link