#some of the earlier books are iffy (for various reasons) but it gets better

[drmopp1966]

anyway i started reading tintin

[mageofseven]

The Brothers’ Reaction to MC smuggling in a pet from the Human World

Depressed MC asking the brothers to let her back into the human world to “grab something important” but won’t say what it is. Once back from the human world, they reveal that the item of importance is actually her pet. Let the battle to keep it commence!

Lucifer:

Being the observant guy he is, Luce notices MC’s change in mood rather quickly

Thinking maybe you were just having an off day, he didn’t say anything about it

But then the end of the week came and you still seemed out of it, lacking your usual enthusiasm 

When finally approached about it, you wouldn’t meet his eyes

“There’s...something I need to get from home. Back in the human world...”

A moment of silent passes.

“Would you care to elaborate on what that may be?”

Avoided answering like the plague. Instead, a day of constant begging ensues.

This man is usually pretty resistant to such a thing, thanks to his brothers (especially Mammon).

Still, your their low mood mixed with his mild curiosity led him to give in.

Next day, he agreed to let you go, under the condition that you show him whatever items you took as soon as you’re back.

He never expected that the “something important” was going to be a small, chubby dog. 

Cue the frustration

“MC, you are well aware that no animals are allowed in the dorm--”

“BUT YOU HAVE CERBERUS!”

“Cerberus doesn’t live in the dorm with us and actually serves a purpose--”

Angry Dog Mom™️ activated

For once, Lucifer is the one on the receiving end of the lecture as you list all of your dog’s important qualities and why you need your furbaby with you.

Man is stressed out just wants to be down with the conversation; time to choose his battles. Spoiler: he doesn’t choose this one.

Negotiation ensues. Outcome? Two weeks. MC gets a trial run for two weeks. If they can take care of the dog by themselves for two weeks without any major issues caused by the dog while also taking up the grocery shopping for the next month, the dog can stay.

This man does not have high hopes for the dog, but will humor MC for the time being.

Mammon:

Of course he’d know when his human was feeling down. Who do you think he is?

In truth, it took him about a day and half to realize that they were feeling sad and not just too busy to hang out.

To his credit, he didn’t wait around for MC to perk up on their own.

“Yo, what’s the big idea? If you’re sad, just say so!”

Don’t bother denying it; the poor boy is already worried.

“Mammon... I kinda need a favor...”

Boy wouldn’t admit it, but he was eager to do what ever he could to cheer you up

Until you say you need to get to the human world to grab something

He already knows he’ll be hanging from the ceiling when Lucifer finds out, but this boy just can’t say no to you.

Makes a few deals with some witches and has you out there the next day

Is confused as hell when you bring back a cage

“What even is that thing??”

“It’s my chinchilla, Kiwi.”

This boy is dead when Lucifer finds out, by hey, at least the little rodent is kinda cute?

Leviathan:

This boy was too absorbed in the anime to really notice anything wrong with you at first.

He was a big fan of the manga series the anime was based off so when he heard they made the anime for, Levi needed you to watch it with him.

When he had paused it to rant about an inconsistency between the manga and the anime however, he noticed you were spaced out

Poor boy is instantly insecure.

“Of course you’d ignore a waste-of-space otaku like me...”

“No, no! I’m sorry! It’s just...”

It takes a moment to explain why you zoned out.

“Levi...can you please help me get home? Just long enough to get what I need!”

Boy is lowkey worried that you actually plan to leave and not come back. After spending time reassuring him that you really do just mean a quick trip to grab something important from your home, he’s a little more comfortable with helping.

Luckily, your goals seem to align with his.

He recently found out that his favorite mangaka  is doing a book signing in the human world, but Lucifer had already refused his request because he didn’t trust Levi to go alone.

So guess whose making this trip a reality? You!

The two of you go to Lucifer right away to beg him to let you to go to the human world just for a day.

Though still a bit iffy about his decision, he did eventually agree since he knew if Levi were to fall out of line for some reason and do something he shouldn’t, MC could use the power of their pact to bring his actions to a halt.

Mission one success!

Two days later, the two of you are on the way to the human world.

You had to spend the first couple hours of it in line at the manga shop so Levi could get his book signed.

Not as boring as you may think. You got to talk to Levi for a while and it was really cute seeing him all excited.

Once the boy got his book signed though, he was too absorbed in the fact that his favorite manga artist wrote on his book cover that he forget his end of the deal. This dude was totally ready to head home till you reminded him about why you’re here.

Right, onward to MC’s house.

Awkward boy is awkward. He waited outside as you rushed into your house so he didn’t have to deal with uncomfortable conversation with your family.

You eventually come out with a backpack full of who-knows-what and a fish bowl with a tiny, almost translucent fish.

“Okay, I got her! Let’s go home!”

“Wait, you have a fish too??”

You two would get in trouble if Lucifer found out you made an unapproved stop at home, so you decided to pretend that the fish is Levi’s for now.

He’s actually glad to know you both have another thing in common.

Satan:

It was just a normal Sunday afternoon. You were relaxing with Satan as you both read your individual books.

However, he looked up from his book to find your eyes staring out the window instead of on your book.

Satan knew since he saw you at breakfast earlier that morning that you were upset about something, but decided to wait and see if you’d to come to him first.

So far, that hasn’t happened yet. He sighed and lowered his book.

“Okay. So what is the problem?”

Denying it just receives an eyebrow raise from the blonde. Try again.

“Look...there something from home that I miss. Like, a lot.”

Even after asking a series of question about this ‘something’, all he got in return was a sad shrug.

“Do you think...is there any way I could go home and get it?”

Satan questions if the item is truly that important, but of course you say yes.

Only Diavolo and Lucifer can activate the teleport magic in the student council room because of a series of issues that took play like 50 years (three of them were Mammon’s while one was Levi’s) so now all of the brothers are locked out without explicit permission. Satan was never particularly interested in going to the human world before, but once Lucifer decided he wasn’t allowed to anymore, Satan started searching for a way to do so.

And he succeeded. Lucky you.

It took three days for the perfect opening. Lucifer had to handle some legal matters with Diavolo further to the west of the Devildom. He let everyone know at breakfast that he wouldn’t be back till later that evening.

The two got to MC’s house without any problems (well, except for Beel, but a promise to get him something from Madam Screams when they got back helped him to ‘forget’ the comment MC made about their trip before they left)

Your family was out when you got there so the two of you entered the house without distraction.

As soon as you entered, you started searching under the couches, behind the TV, in your room under your bed, various different spots.

Satan raised an eyebrow at your actions, curious about what you were searching for, but didn’t ask. After all, you already decided not to tell him earlier. He just had to be patient and see for himself.

While you did that, Satan wandered into the kitchen to see more of the house. That’s when he spied an orange ball of fluff on top of the fridge.

He smiled at the cat as it jumped down to counter to meet with him. Reaching out to pet the orange tabby, it purred against his hand.

“CHEESE!”

MC raced into the kitchen to embrace the cat.

“Cheese?”

“Yeah, her name’s Cheese.”

So this was what you were looking for. Hmm. That explains the secrecy, he supposed.

Not sure how you both are gonna hide the cat from Lucifer back at House of Lamentation, but hey, Satan’s all for cats.

Asmodeus: 

Asmo was actually pretty observant when it came to your mood change.

He didn’t really ask about it though. Instead, he launched into just comforting and cheering up.

As soon as he saw the mood shift, it was officially a spa day; he had you take a nice relaxing bubble bath, lit scented candles, and even gave you a makeover. Picked out an outfit that he had been practically dying to see you in and did your hair and make up too. 

Honestly, you did feel a lot better. All the attention Asmo was giving you really did help you cheer up and you even felt extra beautiful by the end of the night.

It was while he was doing your nails and you both were talking about anything and everything when you finally confessed to why you were so sad today.

“It just hurts, ya know? I know I really didn’t have a chance to bring it with me, but still...”

Before you even a chance to say what ‘it’ is, this boy already saying you should just go get it. As if it’s that easy.

Or is it?

The next day, he talks Lucifer into letting you both go grab a few things from your home in the human world.

Honestly, things should not have worked out as well as they did, but no complaints here.

When you get there, this boy is exploring every little corner of your house and isn’t even being subtle about.

Oh well, you start packing up different items from your room as he judges the brand of shampoo and skincare products in your bathroom.

Wasn’t as surprised you might think to find a ball python snake in your tub.

Boy has obviously dealt with bigger snakes in the past.

Decides to the charm the little boop noodle and comes into your bedroom with the snake on his shoulders.

“MC, look at this! Isn't this the cutest little thing I could find?”

“Oh nice! You found Lyla!” You smile. “She always finds away out of her tank, but I was worried about how far she made it.”

Asmo wasn’t particularly interested in helping you carrying the tank back so you had to call Beel to come help you.

You two are basically in trouble the moment you walk in to the door and Lucifer sees the snake.

You have to do the dishes for the next two weeks and Asmo has to pick up more days to cook dinner, but you somehow manage to keep the snake here with you.

Beelzebub:

Another brother who notices your sad mood fairly quickly

But he doesn’t really know what to do about or what to say

So he basically just tries to spend more time with you when he can so you aren’t stuck being sad and alone.

Starts walking you to class and doing homework with you more. He even skips his workouts some days so he can take you out some where and keep you away from your room.

He takes you out to eat a lot over the next week and you have to admit, it really does cheer you up when you see him happily munching on his favorite meal.

Beel’s presence is a mostly quiet one, but very comforting.

Still, you can’t help but to miss a certain piece of your home.

When the weekend comes, you finally confess to Beel about what has you down.

“Can’t I just...just real quick? I just want to stop at home to get something.”

He tries to ask about what it is specifically that you need, but you just get all fidgety and deflect from his question.

Poor boy is worried that he just upset you more by asking so he drops it.

Helps you get permission from Lucifer, who relents that it wouldn’t hurt for you to have more personal items here with you during your stay in the Devildom.

In the human world, you hadn’t even put your key in the lock before barking was heard from inside. As soon as the door opened, an excited husky jumped you.

You give out a big laugh as the dog puts its front paws on your shoulders and licks your face.

“Chaos, down! Down boy!” You say between laughs. I takes a minute for the good boy to settle down and put all his paws on the ground.

Beel’s original surprise melted away to a sweet smile.

The three of you went inside. As you went to grab a bag and gather different items, Beel sat on the couch (after his offer to help was rejected and he was told to relax).

The slightest movement made by the demon made the fluffy boy jump and let out small barks; he wants to play!

Beel finds a ball on the other side of the room and starts throwing it for the husky. The good boy duo plays fetch!

Eventually, MC comes back in the room, beaming at the sight.

“Aww you’re such good friends now!” You say before picking up a leash and calling Chaos to you. “Come on, boy; you get to come back with me.”

“...What?”

You explain to him that you came all this way for Chaos because you missed your big fluffy furbaby so much.

Sweet boy doesn’t have the heart to tell you no, that Chaos can’t come back with you.

Lucifer, on the other hand, had no issue telling you such when you got back

And, in fairness, its kinda hard to sell the idea that a dog named Chaos won’t cause any trouble in the dorm.

Beel steps up and says he’ll help you take care of the dog.

Lucifer let’s the dog stay

...for now

But if the dog does anything at all wrong, both of you are expected to take responsibly (and punishment) for it.

Belphie:

This boy noticed you started sleeping more, which was the telltale sign that you were feeling sad to him.

Believe me, this boy gets it

And honestly, seeing you turn down spending time with his brothers just hide away in your room to sleep, it hurt to much to see and really hit close to home

Like, only he is allowed to be that depressed. You’re suppose to be cheerfully buzzing around the house like always.

At first, he just kinda inserted himself in your nap times

I mean, he always felt a little better when you or Beel joined him, so it was a good place to start.

He was honestly kinda hurt when you rejected his offer and said you just wanted to be alone for a while.

It only made Sleepy Boy a bit grumpy though. He still laid right beside ya and wrapped an arm around you.

Sleepy Boy wasn’t accepting a no from you

Belphie wasn’t going to leave you alone because he knew all too well that just because you said it, doesn’t mean you actually want it.

“Watching you be like this is just making me sick. I’m not leaving you.”

So yeah, cuddle time is non-negotiable.

One day, you laid there, but couldn't really sleep.

Your problem was just spinning through your head. You wonder if you told Belphie... would help you? Could he help you?

"Hey, Belphie?"

Opens an eye just slightly to look at you.

"Is...is there anyway I could go home? A way that doesn't....doesn't involve Lucifer knowing?"

That got his attention and the boy wasn't too pleased. Opens both of his eyes.

"You've only been back for like a month and you already want to leave us?"

"No! Just...look."

You explain to him the situation and how you just want to grab something from home, but you know Lucifer wouldn't allow you to bring back what you need.

A chance to go behind Lucifer's back and piss him off? Well, why didn't you say so?

Gets help from the other member of the F.A.L.L. (Former Anti-Lucifer League), aka Satan.

Basically gets you home the same way you did in the Satan scenario, but with Belphie tagging along instead.

When you get to your house, you raced inside with Belphie just trailing behind.

Doesn't make it passed your living room, just kinda lays on your couch till you're done grabbing things from your room.

Has to be woken up from his nap when you're ready to leave.

You decide to wake him up in a cute way.

Sleepy boy wakes up to find a fluffy long-earred creature on his stomach.

"What the hell am I looking at?" He yawns.

"Its my bunny, Bella." You grin. "She says 'hi'."

He reaches out to pet the bun's soft fur.

Doesn't really ask anything about it.

I mean, if all it takes is a rabbit to make you happy then it's nothing to question.

Not sure how you'll be able to KEEP the rabbit with you in the Devildom, but hey, that's your problem when you both get back.

~

Masterlist

[kariachi]

Y’all may remember I wrote Kevin getting some therapy a while back? Well there’s a Levinstar edition now.

Hooking up with an old enemy is not necessarily honey and roses, even at the best of times.

~~

“Just, he’s going to drive me right back around the bend.”

Dr Cohen nodded in his normal, calm and comforting way. Kevin had been seeing him for a little over a year now, working through his various issues and the trials and tribulations that came with his, well, life. Plus, for the last several months, everything that came with his new relationship with Michael ‘welcome to parole’ Morningstar- free, more or less, ever since one of his cousins threw money at the problem until he was handed over to her, under orders to go to therapy himself, check in with his parole officer once a week, and a litany of other rules he had to follow lest he go back to prison. Kevin’d found himself checking on him several times a week, out of an awkward combination of wariness and pity- after all, Mike wasn’t the only recovering addict around- that over the months had led to them becoming reasonable acquaintances (even now Kevin hesitated to say friends) and eventually Mike inviting him out to dinner.

Actual dinner.

And things had just, continued from there.

“Why,” Dr Cohen asked, tone gentle, “are you dating him? If you’re uncomfortable, unhappy, why are you seeing him?” Kevin took a deep breath and considered the question. This wasn’t unusual in their sessions. He was still working on understanding his own emotions and thoughts, managing them in a healthy way. Things were more helpful, if the psychologist asked questions for Kevin consider and answer in the safety and support of the office rather than just say what he thought, like prior therapists had.

“Because I’m not unhappy,” he started, then shook his head and went again. “I’m unhappy, but it’s not-” He heaved a sigh. “He’s not doing anything wrong, I just- After everything I don’t trust him.”

“Then why are you dating him? A relationship with someone you can’t trust is a recipe for disaster.” It was another few long moments before Kevin could answer, rolling the whys and the words over in his head.

“I accepted the first date,” he said, even though they’d gone over it when it’d happened, “because I was curious, and suspicious. I wanted to know what he was up to, what his big plan was. ‘cause he had to have one, he always has one. And I accepted the next one for the same reason. But- But he hasn’t done anything! Nothing suspicious, nothing iffy, everything’s been normal! We talk about books, and movies, and recovery, and therapy, and he goes out of his way to not even risk biting me, and it’s been four months and I’ve never seen him take this long on a plan! I’ve been waiting for him to do something, trying to stay on top of it, but at this point it’s like he doesn’t even have one!”

“It’s driving me mad,” he continued. “Is that the plan? He’s just, fucking with my head? He’s smart enough to do it. But Monett’s not the type to go along with that shit and she likes me! So does he just not actually care about what she thinks about the matter as much as he seems to?” They always seemed close but- “Or is he just playing a longer con than normal? I mean he’s done longer than his usual before, but not this long so-”

“Kevin.” Dr Cohen’s voice broke him out of his little spiral just as his lips started twisting into a snarl. “Breathe for me? In.” One, two, three. “Hold.” One, two, three. “Out.” One, two, three. “Better?” Kevin nodded, some of the tension releasing from his shoulders.

“Now,” the doctor said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, “there’s a lot of directions we could take this, but let’s start with the most obvious, hm? Either Mike has some nasty plot- in which case the two of you dating seems to be a key aspect of it- or, and you do have to consider, he doesn’t-” The possibility that had Kevin’s intestines in a knot and his head running in circles, yes. “-in which case the relationship still isn’t healthy because you don’t trust him.” Another deep breath and Kevin grabbed one of the Rubix’s cubes on hand and began fiddling with it blindly.

“Mike always has a plan,” he said, though his voice wasn’t nearly so confident as he would like. “At least, he’s always had a plan before.”

“He could not this time. What was the explanation you said he gave you? That you were ‘handsome enough’ and he needed to get out of the house? It could be true.” And there was the twisting again. It must have shown on Kevin’s face. “And if you don’t think that’s likely, then shouldn’t the logical answer be to end the relationship?”

“He hasn’t done anything.”

“He doesn’t have to have.” Dr Cohen was, as always, calm and comforting in tone and impression. “You’re allowed to end any relationship at any time, for any reason, including ‘I think you’re using me as part of a plot’.”

“Yeah, but-” Groaning, Kevin heaved another sigh, collapsing in his chair. He hated this. He hated therapy, he hated himself, he wished it was as easy as hating Mike anymore. “I don’t want to? I don’t know.”

“Alright,” Dr Cohen simply said, nodding again, “then let’s look into that. You said earlier that Mike wasn’t making you unhappy, reverse that. What about dating Mike makes you want to keep doing it?”

That, wasn’t as easy a question as he though it should’ve been. Not for a lack of options, but for his own struggles with these things, and for finding the best way to explain them. Dr Cohen sat silent for the several minutes he sat there, eyes closed and thinking. This was why he kept with him, also why he always booked double slots.

“He’s trying,” he started, “or at least he seems like he is. If he’s not he’s faking the beats really well and he is an actor but-” Deep breath. “I don’t feel pressured to live up to some standard-” the Tennysons never meant to but- “and when I relax than things are, nice. I haven’t had a relationship be so quiet before, and when we’re arguing it’s still not- I don’t have the words there.”

“That’s fine.”

“It’s not as bad as it’s been before, how’s that? We keep dragging each other to try different shit. He’s too damn charming for my own good. The look on his face when he’s making sure he won’t laugh at one of my stupid jokes? It’s just, so good. And, we were watching a movie and he paused it before asking if I wanted to shut it off when he noticed I was uncomfortable, which doesn’t sound like a lot but it is.” Kevin chuckled, quietly. “He’s like a cat, he’ll just show up suddenly with a book and be there it’s, it’s nice. Never thought myself much of a cat person but, between him and G apparently that’s my type. Besides, from who the fuck else am I gonna get lines like ‘I’ll practice autocannibalism if I damn well please’ delivered with a straight face?” Dr Cohen took a moment.

“Autocannibalism?” Kevin shrugged.

“The theatre was more crowded than we expected, he was hungry, I wouldn’t have even noticed if I hadn’t looked over and seen him gnawing on himself.” He still hadn’t seen the end of that movie. First order of business when it came out. With a sigh Kevin was half sure meant ‘well that one’s not my problem’, the doctor nodded.

“So, you’re happy?” Kevin took a moment, and a breath.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “Aside from the ongoing worry that he may or may not be up to something-” and wasn’t that ‘may’ sixty-percent of the problem “-I am. I think.”

“You think.”

“I’m still getting used to not being a mass of depression and self-loathing, let me be.” Dr Cohen chuckled himself.

“Alright. Well, whichever way this is headed- if you want to continue this relationship in a healthy manner then we’re going to have to do something about your worried about his intentions.” He leaned back in his seat contemplatively. “I doubt talking to him would do much to ease your worries, given the circumstances, but have you considered asking his cousin what she thinks? Is she more trustworthy, do you think?”

“I think so?” He’d been all ready to label her complicit at the start, but she’d been apologizing for Mike’s behavior within minutes of their meeting and he’d seen her hand deliver him to his shrink and parole officer. “I never thought about it.”

“Maybe you should give it a shot. She may not know if he has anything planned, but you said they’ve been living together since Mike got out? She probably has a better read on what’s going on with him than you do, might have some information, for good or ill.” Slowly, Kevin nodded. What was the worst that could happen? She lied and he was still at square one? She told Mike and things went to shit? He was expecting things to go to shit, it’d be a relief to have it done.

“Sure, I’ll see about sitting down and talking with her. Maybe when Mike’s got an appointment, we can grab lunch or something.”

“It sounds like a plan to me,” the doctor said with a smile. “If you want, we’ve got plenty of time to play out some possible scenarios-”

[qqueenofhades]

Women and “medieval cruelty and ignorance”

Okay. So. We could probably have guessed that this tweet was like waving a red flag in front of a bull, but here we are anyway.

(Tagging @artielu​ because I know she enjoys my history smackdowns and this is right in her wheelhouse of interest.)

First: nobody denies that the Alabama bill and similar efforts are absolutely heinous, are designed to be test cases to get Roe v. Wade overturned, and are deliberately gratuitous in their constitutional overreach and general horrible Handmaid’s Tale nature. But for well-meaning liberals, such as above, calling them representative of “medieval cruelty and ignorance” is a) not accurate and b) counterproductive. If we insist on using “the medieval” as a conceptual category inferior to “the modern,” these recent bills bear a complicated, at best, resemblance to medieval canon law and social practice. And there was never, I promise you, any law that prescribed a 99-year jail term for abortionists. So if we want to point out how the modern Republican party is actually much worse than their medieval counterparts, we can do that, but also: trust me, this is thoroughly modern cruelty and ignorance, and we should insist on that distinction.

First, obviously, women’s bodies have always been subject to a social discourse of power, control, gendered anxiety, and attendant responses. This was certainly the case in the medieval era, but our modern interpretations of that discourse can be... iffy, at best. In discussing the feminization of witchcraft in the late 15th century, M.D. Bailey critiques how scholars have tended to take the Malleus Maleficarum, the famous witch-hunting handbook, as representative of a self-evident and endemic medieval and clerical misogyny. In fact, the Malleus was the equivalent of the extreme right wing today, was relatively quickly condemned even by the church itself, and was largely reworked from earlier ecclesiastical anti-sodomy polemics, because the idea of “disordered gender” was certainly one that occupied medieval moralists and theorists. I have discussed the Malleus in other posts, but while it certainly is virulently and systematically misogynist, it also was a work of rhetoric rather than a reflection of historical reality. Medieval misogyny absolutely and obviously existed, and it impacted women’s lives, but we also really need to get rid of The Medieval Era Was Bad For Women, (tm), Therefore Everything Was Worse Back Then.

The possibility of magic being used to cause impotence/loss of fertility was another concern, and one of the main anxieties about the practice of witchcraft was that it would bring “sterility” and irregular sexual activity (usually with the devil). However, an extensive corpus of contraceptive and abortifacient knowledge has existed since antiquity, and in tracing the representation of unborn children in medieval theological thought, Danuta Shanzer notes:

My findings suggest that it is overstatement to claim that from the start Christianity considered the fetus a living being from conception. Augustine is a major agonized and agnostic counter-example.

Hence, contrary to right-wing claims that the church has “always” thought that life began at conception (spoiler alert: the church has never once “always” thought the same thing on anything), it was almost never the case in medieval legal or theoretical practice. Thomas Aquinas and other medieval theologians argued that “ensoulment” or the separation of the fetus into a living being happened at quickening, when the baby could move on its own (which medieval medical treatises had various standards for measuring, but it would be the equivalent of about 20 weeks of pregnancy). Monica Green, a leading medieval medical and gender historian, has examined a vast corpus of obstetric and gynecological Middle English texts, and in “Making Motherhood,” argues:

Texts on women’s medicine might also be concerned to “unmake” or prevent motherhood, either by preventing conception in the first place or expelling a dead foetus that would not emerge spontaneously. Abortion per se was almost never mentioned.

In other words: abortion was not paid attention to in nearly the same way we do today, and while canon law, in theory, prescribed penalties for contraception and abortion, historians have consistently (surprise!) discovered a disconnect between this and secular law and everyday practice. And while some twelfth-century (male) jurists did attempt to equate miscarriage with homicide, and to install it in canon law, these laws were almost never practically used or prosecuted. In Divisions of Labor: Gender, Power, and Later Medieval Childbirth, c. 1200-1500, Rebecca Wynne Jones surveys the extant literature and notes:

In his 2012 book The Criminalization of Abortion in the West, Wolfgang Müller documents how 12th‐century jurists' increasing tendency to equate violence resulting in miscarriage with homicide was institutionalized in canon law. Though this development led to the widespread criminalization of abortion in ecclesiastical jurisdictions, Müller has little to say about gender relations on the ground. Rather, by highlighting local communities' reluctance to prosecute, he presents laws that might once have been seen as proof of a medieval “war on women” as legislative enactments whose practical power remained limited.

Once again: medieval ecclesiastical proscriptions against abortion were, at best, sporadically enforced, communities were reluctant to actually prosecute women or to criminalize early-term pregnancy loss, and church law was not identical with secular law, which was the standard ordinary people used and were subject to. This concords with what Fiona Harris-Stoertz has found in her survey of pregnancy and childbirth in twelfth and thirteenth-century French and English law:

It is striking that in these thirteenth-century English texts, no penalty was assigned for the loss of less developed fetuses. This absence flew in the face of high medieval church legislation, which, in theory at least, took all contraception and abortion seriously. John Riddle finds that the idea that early-term abortion is less serious than late-term abortion occurred in the work of Aristotle and appeared occasionally throughout the early Middle Ages, particularly in church penitentials, although it also appeared in the early medieval Visigothic code.

While late-term abortion of potentially viable fetuses was still a crime, secular law still essentially held to quickening as the moment at which a pregnancy could not be terminated. Before that, however -- anywhere in the first 4-5 months of pregnancy -- it could often be dealt with, if desired, without any penalty. Anne L. McClanan has investigated the material culture of abortion and contraception in the early Byzantine period. And Ireland, which as recently as last year remained one of the last European countries to outlaw abortion, had a medieval hagiography that actively canonized abortionist saints:

Medieval hagiographers told of Irish Catholics par excellence, the saints themselves, performing abortions as well as of “bastards” becoming bishops and saints. In hagiography and the penitentials, virginal status depended more on a woman’s relationship with the church than with a man. To my knowledge, no other country in Christendom, medieval or modern, produced abortionist saints or restored virgins, apart from the nun of Watton. Why Ireland is among the few European countries to maintain severely restrictive policies on reproduction remains an unanswered question, but it clearly cannot be attributed to its medieval Catholicism.

Last part bolded because important. Modern bans on abortion don’t relate to how these notions were conceptualized or used in the past, and they are not holdovers from The Medieval Era (tm). They don’t represent medieval concerns or medieval ideas of gender, or at least certainly not in a direct genealogy. Even as late as the seventeenth century, when ideas of childbirth, marriage, and reproduction were more strictly controlled, the period prior to quickening, or the movement of the baby, was still generally not penalized or subject to legal control or coercion. So in sum: while religious moralists and canonical lawyers absolutely did object to abortion (aka right-wing men, the same ones who object to it today, funnily enough), in secular law and daily practice, a pregnancy that was terminated prior to quickening was not subject to practical prosecution or legal punishment, and medieval women had access to a vast corpus of gynecological texts, medical practices, herbal recipes, rituals, and charms intended to accomplish a wide range of fertility goals: conception, contraception, abortion, a healthy pregnancy and delivery, and so forth. I also answered an ask a while ago that discussed all this in detail.

Also: abortion was explicitly mobilized as a wedge issue in the 1970s and 1980s with the rise of the religious right in American politics, and that happened not because of abortion, but in resistance to the IRS penalizing them for refusing to racially integrate evangelical schools and colleges. Randall Balmer has written about the history of the “abortion myth”; do yourself a favor and read it. The Southern Baptist Convention campaigned in 1971 for the liberalization of American abortion laws, and hailed the 1973 Roe decision as a win for the rights of the mother. (Oh how the mighty have fallen?) The right wing came together as a political force to resist racial integration, exemplified by their loss in the 1983 Supreme Court case Bob Jones University v. United States. But since it was not a winning political strategy (yet, at least) to fly the flag of “let us be racist in peace,” they, as Balmer discusses, created the “abortion myth” to make themselves look better and to present a narrative of holy/moral concern for the lives of the unborn. The reason abortion is as huge as it is in the present American political landscape owes to modern religious conservatism and extremism, resistance to racial equality, ideological control over women, and other bigotry, and (again) not to medievalism or medieval practices.

So, yes. Let us call the Alabama bill and other heinousness exactly what it is: a modern effort by a lot of terrible modern people to do terrible things to modern women. We don’t need to qualify it by fallacious equivalences to so-called “medieval cruelty” -- especially, again, when medieval practice and perspective on these issues was nowhere near the stereotype, and certainly nowhere near this “99 years in prison for performing an abortion” dystopian nightmare. If we want to shame the GOP, by all means, do so. But we should not resort to distorting and simplifying history to do it, and using the imagined “bad medieval” as a straw man to club them with. There’s plenty on its own. The modern world needs to take responsibility for its own misogyny, and stop trying to frame it as a historical issue that only existed in the past, and that any manifestations of it must be medieval in nature. Because it’s not.

[draqtherogue]

Deceit Name Theory

I’ve seen various theories about Deceit’s true name on instagram, all with various pieces of evidence, and they all make sense. I, of course, am hopping on this bandwagon to post my thoughts, and I have a few. I’m gonna adress the two theories I’ve seen, describing them, and then put my theories in. So be prepared, trust in me, and let’s get started.

First of all, I assume this name theory came long before any other; Ethan. As most of us know, when creating Patton and Logan’s name, they took inspiration from the Rhetorics. Rhetorics, from my understanding, are just three core elements in persuasiob. I just learned this one in class today, and there are three. Patton comes from Pathos, aka emotion. Pathos could be either be sad or happy, depending on the advertisement.

For example, my teacher showed us an Animal Adoption ad that featured various sad looking puppies, monochrome color pallette, and the song, In the Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan. Another example could be when you see people having energy and positive vibes when around the product being sold, as it makes your mind associate the product with positivity and energy.

Moving on, one of the other rhetorics is Logos. Logos is representative of, you guessed it, Logic. It’s facts and data that you learn to understand that the product being sold is scientifically better. It’s meant to appeal to one’s intellect rather than their emotions or trust. So, they turned Logos into Logan.

Examples of this is when you see one of those, “1 of every 3 people in America are diagnosed with diabetes,” which may not be true but sounds like it should.

Finally, the last rhetoric is Ethos. This lead people to believe Deceit’s name is Ethan, as it matches both Patton’s and Logan’s name origin. Ethos itself is meant to be one of credibility and trust that someone is using their integrity to give you this information about a product, that hopefully isn’t a lie... yeah. This one sounds off, but if you think about it, Deceit knows his stuff. He’s referenced philosophers even Logan didn’t know, and he’s a part of Thomas’ self preservation and selfishness. This one’s a bit iffy, but remember that.

Now there’s another theory floating around, and I first noticed it by octobersanders here on tumblr. What they said was that in SvS, Patton dressed as Atticus Finch like from, To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee. Thomas responds that they were correct, and they went on to examine what that could mean in terms of Deceit’s name.

Supposedly in the book (I haven’t read it yet), there is a prosecuting attorney named Horace Gilmer. They go on to then check some of the other themes, such as is it a Roman name? Is it the name of a Poet? Both of those were correct. They found one Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyrical Poet who often would sing about love, friendships, poetry, and wait for it: Philosophy.

However, it’s faults seem to line up with the Ethan theory. Both of these concepts stem from things Deceit is not about; Friendships, Love, Truth, and integrity. Now, I think it can go one of two ways. He has both names or neither names.

Flashback to that one time Deceit jokingly teased the others, “Bad Deceit- Oh sorry Deceit!” What if it wasn’t a lie? Deceit is both literally and figuratively two faces, so would it not make sense if he were almost psychologically two faced as well? I don’t mean to say like some sort of DID exactly, but I would like point out that it may be similar. Deceit always says he’s able to not lie. Do we know this to be true? Yes. Deceit is seemingly unable to lie when in the Courtroom and directly after for a short period of time. He swore to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and was therefor forced to reveal his reasoning for making such a big deal over the Wedding/Callback issue. He’s also able to go for a short time after without lieing, or perhaps Thomas is letting himself be true.

Either way, I believe his truth could be Ethan. It would mstch up since Ethos is Integrity. His lying could be Horus, the more philosophical and morality function of Deceit. I think it kind of makes sense, but at the same time it doesn’t, so I have a better theory.

Deceit has no “real name.” There’s so many thing to support this. He lies nearly all the time, and as mentioned earlier he can’t be truthful unless he’s been in the Court Room. So, unless we go back to the Court Room, there’s unlikely any chance of getting a straight answer out of him... unless he says, “My name is /not/ ____.” There’s also the potential that he’ll be overcome before the reveal, and then basically hardly relevant or used since Thomas will be at peace with him. Like, Remus will probably make a comeback eventually. He’s a part of Thomas’ creativity and nothing can make him go away. However, lying is something that can be stopped, but as Logan said, “No one can be a completely honest person.” Thomas could make peace with Deceit and no longer need to talk to him, causing him to just be ignored.

Back in Sanders Sides Christmas, Roman wrote down, “5 name reveals!” When questioned, Roman replied that, “Technically Thomas revealed his name in the first episode,” but we all know that’s not true. Nearly anyone who found his youtube channel will recognize him as the, “Storytime Guy,” as all the sides said in the Disney Show episode. However, there was still 5 name reveals in the series. Remus.

I don’t know where I heard it from, but I heard Virgil was a throwaway character. However, after a lot of positive audience responses they decided to keep him, and eventually integrated him into the main sides. This means that there is a point in which the series started forshadowing any and all future events. This can be shown with things such as Naked Aunt Patty slipping through Roman’s lips and showing up in DWIT, or the, “Dark Sides,” at the end of Accepting Anxiety, with Deceit and Remus showing up. So, 5 name reveals: Logan, Roman, Patton, Virgil, Remus. No Deceit.

Still, I like to think maybe his name will be Simon, as the game Simon Says exists. However, through a quick google search, there are no Roman Simons, at least not any famous ones. There is a Simon poet and a Simon philosopher, but that doesn’t exactly fit. Either way, I feel it’s an all or nothing situation.

To wrap this up, my wrist is tired, I have homework, and I love you all no romo, goodnight.

[patentanwalt-reinert]

When it comes to boating, I’m still new to the world of cruises, or at least I was. A few months back, a fancy ad showed up on my Instagram feed: “Nomad Cruise 6, a 10 day cruise on the Mediterranean Sea, designed for remote workers.” Although I have yet to become a remote worker with my Woogency–team, I live and love me some co-working, whether that be at STARTPLATZ in Cologne or in places like Jakarta, Jogja or Bali. With this in mind, and because I’ve always been interested in the trends of the digital world, I booked a ticket for the cruise. On the 14th of April, 2018, in Málaga, I boarded the “Sovereign”, one of the crown ships of the Spanish shipping company, Pullmantur. Outfitted with a wristband and badges that marked me as a participant of the Nomand Cruise, I went and found my cabin among the 12 decks. Was this single room a good choice? In retrospect, it’s a definite yes for me! However, those who want to maximize networking and contacts should go for the better value shared cabins. The whole purpose of the Nomad Cruise (NC) is to meet up, connect, work together on MVPs and share knowledge as well as skills. Johannes Voelkner, the administrator of the largest German digital nomads Facebook group, had made this unique format a reality for the sixth time. The previous cruises found themselves on the Atlantic, but with the shorter route from Spain to Greece, NC 6 proved to be more intensive. It offered a plethora of inspirational speeches, skill-sharing workshops, tailored excursions and activities that could all be savoured individually. Buddies on board That first night, before diving into the full program offered over the next ten days, I enjoyed countless mojitos at the bar on Deck 11 with the Spanish sun kissing my face. After sharing a cheers with the beautiful women next to me, I slowly began to forget the e-commerce & SEO consulting stress that https://felix-bauer.de/ brings with it. My first contact, the wonderful Ayesha Williams, turned out to be a real partner in crime over the last days, weeks and months. It was clear that we were on the same wavelength after the second mojito! Besides all the conversations, the kick-off night also offered plenty of chances to satisfy all curiosity and meet the other travellers. Included among them were over 250 entrepreneurs, freelancers, shop owners, bloggers, remote workers and many more from various countries in the form of singles, couples and even a family with kids. There were ages ranging from 20 to 60 years old from 45 different countries. It seemed like there was a bit of everything with transnational trendsetters who are culturally, mentally and geographically mobile. All are connected online and offline. There were even non-conformists searching for new boundaries and solutions. The ship’s other passengers were classic vacationers. They were very interested in us and what we do, but we rarely came into contact with them because there was so much space offered exclusively for us. The atmosphere was hard to beat with experienced NC nomads as well as beginners extremely excited about what the next days had in store in the form of inspiration and connection. The wonderful cuisine and drinks also fuelled our excitement. Good food makes anyone happy and it doesn’t get any better when it’s all-inclusive! Organizer Johannes describes it best: “…It is the best way to live because we don’t have to worry about anything except being productive.” (Johannes Voelkner from Nomad Cruise) Tip: If not a native speaker, freshen up your English Everything that happens on the NC is communicated in English. For those who don’t just want to talk with the approximately 60 (!) Germans on the trip like me (especially for workshops, speeches and other meetups), you should make sure your English is up to par. Mine was a bit rusty when I arrived, but everything was well-oiled once more after the first night, due to the many conversations and the help of a few mojitos. For some people, the NC is a unique party on the Mediterranean. Others use it purely as a networking event. And some see it as a vacation. However, even though it means something else to each individual, everyone is interested in finding new companions. I mean this in the sense that the life of a digital nomad can be lonely. Family and friends are usually rooted in their respective places and it helps to find people who share the same nomadic lifestyle to be able to connect and share new experiences with them. Tip: Bring your stickers (for Nomads) or fancy business cards We are used to sharing our contacts via Facebook or LinkedIn, but high-speed WiFi can be a little iffy out at sea. That’s why I suggest you bring stickers or business cards – and plenty of them. It may sound old school, but the handful I always carry with me were gone by the second night… Full to the brim Usually, a day at sea means pure relaxation in the form of doing nothing. However, the NC is different. The daily schedule is super ambitious for the three -day cruise. Every day there are six introductory speeches before lunch alone. After lunch, various workshops are held, and dinner is full of speed networking sessions, meet-ups as well as 30-second pitches. No one is required to take part in all these things, but they’re the whole reason for the NC! Topics of discussion is everything from the psychology of productivity, over health and investment to brand management. Many speakers, like Ayesah Williams, offered ideas, for example on how to optimize business independently of location. The mix has plenty to offer like SEO basics, personal productivity, crypto currency, branding, growth hacking, design thinking, virtual team building (one of my favourites with Lars Müller from solidmind.de) and many more. All of these are given in riveting talks like “Rowing the Pacific. The Power of Choice and Connection” (tba on Netflix) by Nathalia Cohen who brought both light to are eyes and tears to our cheeks. The goal is to offer an inspirational and emotional atmosphere for shared learning and personal development. And it’s there. The NC program is not only inspirational, but provides hands-on know-how for practical use as well. Tip: Stay focused Due to the sheer amount of options offered on the NC, knowing yourself and your personal boundaries is a must. The organizers mention this often and I took their words to heart. The danger of impression overload is real. Even those not looking to overdo it can get caught up in all the growth and development potential offered. Just Keep the schedule in mind and take breaks when needed, and remember to take your time! Magic Moments We landed in Menorca on day three. I’m familiar with the bigger island Mallorca and wanted to see more of its smaller sister, but needed to make a few calls to my e-commerce & SEO consulting accounts. So I popped into a local library – and promptly got locked in during siesta! I ended up having to ‘sneak’ my way out from the second floor to get back to the cruise ship before it departed… It’s late in the afternoon and I am high. No, not some literary high from the Biblioteca, nor was it a drug-induced high, but instead it was the kind of high you get when you’re just floating on the ocean with your feet in the pool drinking a mojito with Julia from https://wifitribe.co/ as you talk about her “Passion for the Tribe”. The Tribe is what she lovingly calls her international community which is quite similar to NC, with a different goal in mind. The members of WiFi Tribe live and work together in a new city and a different country every month. The best part is that they decide where to go each time. This is a fast growing community that Julia built from scratch with her colleague Diego. One of the most enticing parts of being a Digital Nomad is having the chance to see unique destinations all around the world while earning money. The NC 6 offered five days with excursions. The first stop was Menorca, followed by the islands of Malta and Crete, the beautiful cites of Katakolo, Nafplio and our final destination, Athens. Like on every cruise, many of the passengers go on land whenever the ship docks. Thanks to the wonderfully organized excursions, it is easy to learn more about the people and the country. You can also discover the cities on your own, check out co-working spaces or head into nature to work on and plan ideas with other Nomads. Tip: Find the best WiFi in town To satisfy my soft-spot for co-working spaces, I used an app Julia recommended, called Work Hard Anywhere, which helps you find the best WiFi connections in every city. Dinner time is at 9:30 pm, and starting at 6:00 pm there is time for meet-ups, a workout, a visit to the sauna (get naked!), a jump in the pool or yet another cold drink as the sun sets. The unbelievable sunset brings the beauty of the hypnotized faces of your fellow passengers to light as the colours mix. Dinner is served as a three course meal; top-level buffets are only found during breakfast and lunch. Both vegan and vegetarian options are available and there are plenty of snacks to be found throughout the day. During dinner, everyone has a seating assignment to either continue conversations from earlier or to meet new people. While I am searching for Julia, I notice that the entire dining area is decked out with decorations and pineapples are everywhere. Someone even walks by me in a Hawaii button-down. Did I miss something? Oh yes, the themed dinner! Tip: Be prepared It makes sense to check all documents you received from the travel agency, especially if you’re new to cruises. People who, like me, only check for the important stuff a few days before departure will miss important things. Though NC doesn’t have a dress code, the ship does have a ‘Tropical Night’, ‘70s-party’ and a ‘Captain’s Dinner’. Of course, I didn’t have the proper attire for any of these events. #fail Simply Wicked Before booking, my first question was “Will I have WiFi?” The answer: it depends. To keep up with business on the Mediterranean, the WiFi is ‘ok’. It works great in port and with Julia’s app , finding the necessary cafes and co-working spaces worked out great. The NC organizers are very open about the status of the WiFi: don’t expect anything – appreciate everything! Those who need to stay connected throughout the day can book an additional package to be connected via satellite, but it is not the cheapest. For 12 € a day, you can be connected no matter where the boat is. Many found it best to just do a little digital detox and enjoyed the fact that it was part of the trip. I myself needed to get my fix, so on the third day I booked the online flat. I would recommend it for those who need to still get some serious business done while on board. Tip: No ticket, can’t wash it The price of the NC includes everything you need: room and board, conference program, taxes, fees, many of the excursions, and drinks. Not included are upgrades like the spa, exclusive drinks or the casino. When it comes to doing laundry, the most water used on board is for washing, which means the service is especially expensive. Either make sure to pack a little extra, or take advantage of the discount day toward the end of the cruise. Bitter sweet We were still underway, but the end was drawing near. With melancholy thoughts on having to leave, it was time to get down and party! The stage was set and we all met up for the closing ceremony in our NC-shirts for the group picture. Everyone was there because over the last nine days we had all become one large community. Then came the last dinner with a charity at the forefront. Giving money to a worthy cause is a tradition on the NC. This year, the organization Bye Bye Plasticbags was the reason to give – and a good one considering how much plastic lands in our oceans. We all happily supported the call to action “Come with open hearts and a full wallet to give back to the ocean that has given us so much”. Tip: Wining and dining An important part of a celebratory dinner is a good glass of wine. As I looked at the menu, I realized I made a mistake in not doing so earlier. Wine lovers will be in awe of the wonderful selection: the Rioja and Pinot are definitely worth a recommendation. With a heavy heart everyone had to accept that the club closes at 3:00 am. We only had a few hours before departing the ship in Athens. While non-Nomads headed home, we all left to continue our vacations either with sailing, a stay in the city or another destination altogether. A quick ‘see you’ was shouted before leaving with every intention of coming back. With the earth under my feet again, I met up with my Greek friend Thomas, who runs a wonderful villa on Lefkada, https://lovekada.com/. He welcomed me like a true friend “Felix, you look great, what happened? Tell me everything…!” Final tip: Cool down A format like the Nomad Cruise is awesome, but there is a ton of things to take in. I would recommend taking some time afterwards to reflect on everything that happened. Just make sure not to run straight back to the office or the Digital Nomad lifestyle. You’ll need time to sort through all your notes, documents and plans you’ve made with the other NC participants. Intoxicating I became part of a community that travels, works, is productive and has a ton of fun doing it. Who could ask for more? To be a Digital Nomad is more than a trend with a future, i.e. New Work. The Nomad Cruise is a platform to bring people with similar perspectives and lifestyles together, or for some to be spontaneous and soak it all in. Nomad Cruise is also great for non-mobile professionals to widen their horizons and take part in insightful workshops and conversations. This way, they too can become masterminds of every topic under the sun. More information on Nomad Cruises can be found here, https://ift.tt/2oA1Dc2. All Images used in this article are from “Format Fröhlich Filmproduktion”, so special thanks go out to the videograph Stephan Fröhlich from https://ift.tt/2f8D4dr as well as Drew from https://ift.tt/2dv461K and Pia Newman from https://pianewman.com/ for the professional translation About the author Felix Bauer has worked in the e-commerce field for over 15 years. At the moment he runs the e-commerce network warenkorb.com, located in the Cologne MediaPark. He also teaches at the Hochschule Fresenius in the “Electronic Commerce” department as well as consulting online shops as a freelancer for SEO and conversion optimization, and founded the WooCommerce startup woogency in 2017. Startup-Jobs: Auf der Suche nach einer neuen Herausforderung? In der unserer Jobbörse findet Ihr Stellenanzeigen von Startups und Unternehmen.