#way too much of it is americans talking about the american black experience

[loki-zen]

I have a sort-of new job! I’m going to a new library and it will be my library (just me! the librarian!) and this is Exciting

also a bit weird given that i’ve been with the organisation a hot minute and don’t technically have a permanent contract yet but Oh Well

also it looks like it’s all very STEMmy, which is a bit out of my comfort zone. we adapt ^-^

so anyway, i know you guys are nerds, can anyone think of any notable figures in STEMmy subjects I can highlight for black history month? preferably British, but doesn’t have to be - not American though if i can help it

edit: duh mary seacole im an idiot

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

I think a lot of what's currently informing my fellow white people curdling like milk and shitting their pants when asked to interrogate their relationship with rap is the way many people (especially well-meaning white people) still can't help but think of racism as something that you get accused of rather than something that influences the entire world in pernicious ways.

like, I think a lot of people currently posting the most cringe takes about rap right now would very much agree that Racism Is Bad and probably even acknowledge that rap has been and is still widely maligned and devalues for racist reasons.

but that last step, acknowledging that your personal tastes and interests are also influenced by systemic racism, is where a LOT of people stumble. it's very easy to assume that because you consider yourself against racism, then your tastes and interests cannot possibly be at all informed by racist. if you're a white American, that's simply extremely unlikely to be true.

speaking from personal experience, I had to Work to decenter whiteness in my media tastes. when I was like 19 I listened to a podcast where a white Jewish man talked about keeping a spreadsheet of the books he read to make sure he was reading a roughly equal number of men and women, and I started doing the same thing to track how many authors of color I was reading. at the time I took pride in my belief that I was reading diversely, but when the year ended I was shocked to discover that people of color had written barely a quarter of the books I'd read. I had been giving myself way too much credit while still unintentionally prioritizing white authors, because white authors were the ones I knew best. so I started making an extremely conscious effort to seek out books by authors of color, both fiction and nonfiction, that sounded like my kind of shit.

music was extremely similar. I grew up a little white girl in a very white city in a very white state; nobody was offering me an education in rap or r&b or soul or hip hop. as an young adult there were definitely some Black artists I liked, like Janelle Monáe, but I had to take the initiative of seeking out more artists to find out who I fuck with. you're not going to like everybody, which is fine, but are you even giving anyone a chance? are you even looking?

racism has roots everywhere, bro. it's not enough to just acknowledge it, you have to actively get digging.

[thorough-witness-enjoyer]

The Witness and Why It (and its demise) Means Everything to Me (A POC Perspective)

Hey everyone!! The Final Shape has ruined me and has brought me to levels of not only grief, but hope, that I did not think possible, so I decided to give my thoughts on the different aspects of it that moved me to a place where I can be at peace with many things in my life and look forward to paving a better future!!! I think I’ll be making many posts pertaining to the Final Shape as a way to help me express my thoughts on how important this DLC was to me, but we will see!

Please note that these are just my loose, not fully structured thoughts and I’m yapping. My opinions are subject to change and I’d love to hear the input of others! We will be talking about subjects such as slavery, religion, black experiences, and personal experiences of mine!!! It’s very long too, so I’m sorry about that and any writing errors!!

Though I do not believe what I speak of was fully Bungie’s intentions when making the character, the implications and views you can take on the Witness do relate to what I will discuss.

I wanted to start off my return to tumblr with one of the many, many reasons why I have such a deep attachment to the Witness (Precursors and Dissenters will get a different post bc they mean the world to me too!!) , because truly, this entity owns my whole life. I think of it all the time, it lingers in my thoughts, my art, my writing, all of it. It has been so deeply intertwined with my enjoyment of Destiny since it appeared and has offered so much to my perception of the world. I do not think I will truly get over it and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t draw it every chance I get. It appears in every single thought of mine, it’s bad you guys.

I love the Witness so deeply because I have never harbored such a personal level of DISGUST for a character before. As much as I joke about it being silly and the love of my life, the very existence of the Witness revolts me to the core and the tragedies it has directly or indirectly caused squeeze my heart empty. This festering rot of an egregore SICKENS me as it is the beliefs that has robbed me and many others of family, culture, and livelihoods given form. My love for the Witness comes from how it instills in me such HATRED, and truly, we were far too kind to it in game.

For context, I am Caribbean American and have a tumultuous relationship with my heritage for many reasons, but it wasn’t until the Witness and its many victims that I felt like the religious imperialism that has affected my heritage was represented in a way that crept into my spirit.

My Caribbean mother always said to me that we are of this world, not in it. That the hearts of men are wicked and sin (cruelty) was embedded in existence itself. It is only when we give ourselves to a higher purpose that we will be free in the end from all suffering. To her, this life and everything in it did not truly matter for it was a temporary challenge to overcome in order to earn an eternity of salvation. A perfect paradise was awaiting us all if we just gave into the way and left everything else behind.

These were all convictions she held to her very core as she tried to shed away all other aspects of herself to give into this “truth”, especially her Caribbean culture.

She did not always believe this way, but to her, the island she came from did not truly matter at all. Those “wayward people” she grew up with were not worth anything and would die as nobodies on that nowhere island for their lives were not saved, even if they knew of the “truth”. In her adopted views, those people believed in false gods and practices (such as Vodou and beliefs that belonged to those taken from Africa and indigenous populations), they invited in frivolous wants of the flesh such as lust (with „improper“ attire and certain dances), and committed crimes that proved to her that they could never be anything more than what they already were (though she would be blinded to the fact that these behaviors are a result of hostile environments created by the systems established for slavery and racial subjugation). If she wanted to be fit for “walking the right path”, those people had to be left behind for they were lost causes who could not be saved unless they were delivered by the “respectable” ways of life. She had to discard her black mannerisms, hair, speech, and more to have a place amongst the truly chosen.

Religious imperialism has a long history of being heavily tied to discussions of race and colonialism as those who participated in subjugation believed themselves to be more enlightened than the people they brought devastation to, giving them an entitlement that drove them to force their way of viewing religion onto populations. After all, in their minds, they were doing the greatest good for they were setting the people they subjugated on a path for eternal paradise. There was no cost too high in this finite life for infinite salvation to colonizers and all efforts to convert populations who did not see this truth would be “necessary”. People would die or be forced into servitude in mass to support the ambitions of the “enlightened” ones, whole cultures and populations being scrubbed from the face of this Earth in an attempt to “heal what is sick”, to “break broken bones again to heal them right”. I think of all the generations lost to war, slavery, colonialism, and every other act done to deliver “purpose” onto others, all the people whose names will never be known because others used the breath needed to utter it on preaching of their own virtue, and I am left in ruin.

I think of how my mother speaks of those lost to destitute lives because of the social pillaging of the island as an unfortunate side effect of guiding them to the truth and I look at how her world view has been ruined.

My mother thought she was saving me by keeping me from my culture, my people, my family. I did not get to know the language, the customs, the land, but I did get to know how much my mother thought those were distractions. She spent my whole life trying to cement the truths given to her by the same people who left her island in such as state that she felt like she had to run from it, to ensure I would not grow into a person, but a vessel of the righteous message. After all, to be a person is to be complex, nuanced, and flawed and there was no room for that in the visions given to her. The complexities and human flaws that came with our culture would only distract us from giving our whole lives to freeing ourselves from the curse of existence.

The cruelty the Witness delivers with such gentleness as it razes civilizations, its unwavering belief that it is the objective truth and other perspectives are blind to this truth, the means it will use to get that “justified” end, its gut wrenching to me and all that has been lost throughout human history to ideologies that bear the same qualities. Its zealous, static nature that relies on circular reasoning keeps me up at night and makes me mourn what could have been if the unfamiliar and hard to understand parts of human expression were allowed to flourish instead of being eradicated for diverging from someone’s vision of what makes a life worth living. I see this big eyed vessel, incapable of growth and convinced of its own righteousness and my chest feels like it is going to cave in. I see its disciples and pawns in the faces of too many people I know and recall their stories in moments that remind me how poisonous what the Witness represents is.

The Witness is an evil that has hollowed out lives, homes, land, and futures, especially for those who come from heritages that have persevered against attempts to “rectify” them. I still grieve the empty life my mother lives and the people left to suffer the consequences of daring to create their own meaning. I look at the face of the Witness and think of the “burdens lifted off my mother’s shoulders” by those who thought themselves as witnesses of a truth that could not be contested with interpretations that could not be questioned. She prides herself on being a weapon wielded to correct the sinful hearts of men, but I just wish she prided herself on being a person because those who “delivered” her robbed people of color of personhood entirely.

The Witness is not a person, but the embodiment of these deeply rooted ideologies and concepts that affect so many. It’s horror, both in game and the parallels it has in reality, is far too grand and unfathomable for me to bear its weight on my soul and not agonize. Its very existence is monstrous, despite the understandable intentions that went into its making, and my stomach churns at the mere thought of it.

How many species in the Destiny universe will we never know about because their whole galaxy was used to get closer to the Final Shape? How many star systems were left barren because of the Witness’ ambitions? How many children, spouses, artists, philosophers, siblings, neighbors, and more, people who were something, became nothing because of eons of the Witness‘ justifications? Bile boils just thinking of it.

What the Witness represents has hung over my head my whole life and its perverse touch lingers on the whole Destiny universe, tracing many of the depraved atrocities in the game back to itself. It’s death in the Final Shape, at the hands of those it had turned into victims and left to deal with the repercussions of its influence united together, moved me in ways I do not think I could ever properly articulate. To see beloved characters I had given a decade of my life to come together from different backgrounds with different reasons to defeat such a heinous entity, I felt like I could do my part to bring others together, despite our struggles and differences, to rebuild what had been taken from us.

As a person of color from a group of people many still think are undeserving of life, seeing so many characters I have related to over the years say “I matter because I decided to and you can’t take that away from me” to an entity who thought itself so refined that it got to determine everyone’s worth strengthened my entire being. Existing as a person of color is bold in and of itself, but the defeat of the Witness at the hands of people who wanted to exist so bad they risked everything for it ignited in me a flame to be audacious. My existence and culture as a poc is unsightly and heretical, but TFS encouraged me to take on the prejudices of others by saying “Here, despite generations being molded into a “perfect” image and so many lives lost in the struggle to live personal truths, ergo sum. Ergo sum and there is nothing wrong with that”.

To me, the Witness’ death showed me that the stains left behind by social structures such as religious imperialism and colonialism can be overcome by people banding together to make the future different from the past. When we embrace the subjectivity of existence, we can create spaces for different views on life to flourish and reconnect with the nuances of this world. We can better the lives of our people, no matter who they are, not by abandoning all cultural practices and ways of life that were deemed meaningless, but by rebuilding our societies to allow for fulfilling lives and self efficacy for all.

My people no longer have to let imperial powers decide our fate for us or decide that we can be nothing other than the „nature of our race“ that they believe is inferior. Instead of looking up at others who asserted themselves as more enlightened for salvation, we can look at each other and realize there is no one truth to life, especially one worth all the devastation and cruelty placed against those who lived differently. The intricacies of life often lead people to belief systems that allow for comfort and understanding, alleviating the anxiety of possibly living an improper life that will forfeit a desirable afterlife. It is up to individuals to decide what makes their life fulfilling and what beliefs will guide their actions, for no one can make your fate but you.

My mother still likes to wear the patterns of the island and keeps paintings of island scenery in her room. She talks on the phone in patois when she doesn’t feel the pressure to be “proper”. She misses her mother because she used to make dishes from home. To relate it to Destiny, she still has the coordinates to her Lubrae in her pyramid despite convincing herself abandoning it all was for the best and there was nothing there worth keeping. I once thought reconnecting with our heritage alongside her would be a frivolous endeavor, but I hope that with time and understanding, the Witness may not have power over her anymore and she won’t look back on her disassociation with relief. Time and understanding will make our island grow and flourish, free to decide what it wants to be, not held back by preconceived notions of the worth of its existence.

Despite all the Witnesses in the world, I will persist on and try to acquaint myself with my culture without shame. The Witness is everything to me because I hope one day it desecrates nothing ever again. I hope the Witness becomes nothing at all and the cultures it has corrupted make themselves something audacious.

Thank you guys so much for reading!! I hope you guys don’t mind the vague language, I chose to spare some details for my own sake and to make the message more applicable!! I’d love to hear the takes of other people about this bc I love hearing people’s perspectives!! And always remember, no one makes your fate but you!!! Go be audacious!!!!

[cod-sins]

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐊ö𝐧𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬

.ೃ࿐ Ratings: SFW

.ೃ࿐ Reader: Undisclosed

[A/N: I didn't proofread this so if you see a mistake no you did not.]

[Edit: I can't seem to add a read more option fellow mobile users I am so sorry]

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙴𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 ‣. I see König standing at a whopping 6'10 (because I say so) meaning he's a big guy. He has trouble finding clothes that fit his size (especially pants). He gets alot of his civilian clothes tailored or he just has his Oma [ :')] do it for him. I imagine he wears a size 49 in European shoes (16 for Americans) and he prefers boots and sneakers instead of sandals and loafers. His usual outfits include plain colored tees, a jacket (usually dark colors; black, navy blue, hunter green), sweatpants [show off that dickprint] and combat boots. König doesn't wear his hood out in public, so he settles for black or blue surgical masks. He doesn't want to draw anymore attention to himself so dressing casual is his way to go. He's got big meaty thighs and hard abs with a sharp prominent v-line (mwah) to tie it all together.

‣. König has a cleft lip! It's on the right side of his mouth, he hated it as a child but grew up to realize it was apart of him. He has scars on his forearm from a hostile trying to slash him. They run deep and it was a pretty painful experience for him (he hates talking about it and he tries to wear long sleeved clothes but sometimes the weather ends up winning). He also has a bullet scar on his thigh as well. He keeps his nails short except one or two just in case he needs to pick something or scratch. I imagine his hair to be a soft strawberry blonde color. Something like this, this, and this. Because of the military he keeps it very short but he likes when his s/o styles it around. It looks similar to these styles. Despite what canon says I say his eyes are deep green.

‣. König is a Libra! His birthdate is August 22, 1995! [I know Libra's aren't born in August but for the sake of fanfiction shhhh let's pretend it is!] Making König 27 years old; He's very mature for his age!

𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚈 ‣. König suffered from anxiety/social anxiety since he was 17 and still suffers till this day just not as much. He's able to turn it off in the field but once he's on leave and is around other civilians it comes crawling back. It has stopped him from making friends, hanging out with his fellow soldiers and even dating. He's still a virgin because of this (and because of work and him finding the right person but that's a later issue). However once you get past that shy exterior he's pretty cocky. He's proud of the fact that he is a colonel and he enjoys secretly flexing on his s/o. "Ja, I took down a group of terrorists and saved all the hostages by myself. No big deal (👀)." He's one of those quiet people who talks alot of shit in their head and sends side eyes instead of starting shit.

‣. König is relatively good at hiding his anger, especially since he wears that mask 24/7. He'll quietly brood in the corner--arms crossed giving off an aura that spooks the new recruits. He's very quiet not speaking unless spoken too or if he needs something. König is so sarcastic! He'll roll his eyes (secretly) or mumble smart comments under his breath––mocking whatever superior that pissed him off. If you're close to you him you'll notice when he's happy. He has a slight bounce in step and he walks with his chest puffed up proudly. It's a real cute sight honestly.

𝙿𝚁𝙴𝙵𝙴𝚁𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 ‣. König's favorite colors are earthy tones. He likes dark woodsy green, russet and navy blue. I imagine he loves the ocean and water. Especially creeks! Winter may not be his favorite season but he loves hiking through the snow in his hometown's nature trails. He enjoys hearing the sound of the snow and dead leaves crunch under his footsteps. Speaking of hometown his favorite dishes are things like beef stew or anything meaty and hearty. He really likes homemade jams and jellys. He prefers going to the farmers market and picking up his fruits and vegetables fresh.

‣.This man's house is HUGE. It would look maybe something like this. It's super spacious with a few spare rooms for guests. König showers more than he bathes. He's legs are too long to fit which makes him have to awkwardly scrunch himself up. He isn't around much because of his work so he never took to the time to properly decorate. If you're his s/o he gives you permission to decorate. Make it look really pretty for him please. He lives somewhere a little distant from the city; closer to the country but not too far. He still wants to be close to local shopping markets.

‣.I think König would prefer a fat/chubby partner over a thinner partner. He enjoys grabbing onto their body, holding them closely feeling the warmth radiate from their body. I see him liking a partner who is quiet. Not as quiet as him because he likes when your chatter fills the silence. But someone who's able to relax and enjoy the ambience of their surroundings. Someone who is able to point out the little details in things. He wouldn't mind an outgoing s/o, someone who speaks for him when he doesn't feel verbal that day.

König was once stationed by an ocean for half a year and it was the best moments of his life. It was so calming for him. Every night he could hear the waves gently crashing against each other it always soothed him. It was favorite lullaby (after the one his mom sings).

König always has his hands held behind his back or he holds them in the front. He enjoys grabbing parts of himself it helps keep him stable and grounded. He also fiddles alot. Like he constantly stretches and wiggles his fingers. Or he lightly traces his thighs up and down with his fingers.

One of his favorite genres of music is Electro Swing. His favorite band is Caravan Palace. He loves all their albums.

100% picks people up. If you're his s/o and you're in his way he's grabbing you by the waist and gently moving you over. If you're on the battlefield god knows he's treating you like a football; bro is slugging you over his shoulder if you get injured or he's tackling you down to protect you from grenades.

If he's stutters too much in a sentence he gets really mad. He doesn't find it funny when people mock his accent. Also!! There are certain English words that König just doesn't know. He's fluent in English and can write well but there are times he gets stuck on words he doesn't recognize.

Has a thing for chubby cheeks. Also really likes chubby fingers. If you have fat fingers please give him a massage, he would love it so much. It's such a nice contrast too; his rough calloused hands compared to your soft round ones.

Looves chocolate. Especially dark chocolate, he really enjoys candy bars with nuts and toffee in them. He adores American super-sized candy bars. He also really likes twizzlers and licorice.

He doesn't outwardly smoke but if you offer he won't refuse. He's makes sure not to make it a habit (his grandmother was very upset when she caught him smoking once), he'd rather die by a bullet than slowly kill himself.

I know I said he's 27 but I imagine him to be 35 in canon.

NATURE LOVER! Bro is enamored by the beauty of his home country. He loves observing the wildlife on walks. He has a journal where he keeps different leaves from different places he was stationed at.

Good friends with Horangi. Not like BFFS (they are) but they're drinking buddies. Horangi helps König with his social anxiety and König helps Horangi not fall back into gambling.

König's favorite meat ever is lamb. He fucking loves a tender lamb roast. Gets annoyed as hell when the meat get stuck between his gums but he thinks it's worth it for the delicious food.

Pretty particular about his beers, he doesn't drink anything he's a man of class! He'll go on this super long lecture about how German brewing is so much better than other countries and that non-German beer/alcohol can't compete. Him and Soap got into an argument about this.

He keeps his area as tidy as possible. He isn't a slob but isn't a complete neat freak. If he has a bunch of random items out he'll try and keep them in a organized pile.

Sometimes he leaves his guns out around his house.

Lowkey likes being needed. There are times when his fellow soldiers ask him for help carrying extra stuff or when children or the elderly ask him to reach stuff off the top shelves. Especially likes when his s/o ask him to carry them. He'll start to puff his chest out and walk around with a dumb grin under his mask.

Type of guy to see people down an asle and wait for them to move instead of saying excuse me. [Projecting fr fr]

A real crafty individual, his hood is just a tee-shirt with holes in it. His helmet is literally a bicycle helmet he modded with military gear. König knows how to sew and he can tailor a little. He prefers taking his clothes to a seamstress or tailor because his hands are very big and sewing can a take a long time and he doesn't have that much patience for it.

He LOVED arts and crafts as a child. He would make so much shit to bring him to his mom and grandma. His grandmother still has his things till this day.

His favorite English speaking bands would be The Smiths, Boâ and The Cranberries. He likes to quietly sing to himself it makes him happy. He also enjoys 70-80s music. I also think he likes the sound of nu metal/rock instrumentals.

If he had an s/o he would love to dance with them. He would/could never dance in public but behind closed doors god knows this man would shimmy with his partner. He doesn't care if you can dance well because he can't dance well, he just wants to let loose and have fun with you.

Broke a guy's ribcage once. It was during sparring and König was pretty pissed with the man because he did something cocky and stupid that caused them the life of another soldier. He didn't receive proper punishment because they successfully completed the mission but König decided he should deal his own form of justice. By putting so much pressure on his chest until he heard a satisfying crack sound.

I think he likes apple cider.

He was raised by his mother and grandmother so he has a softer spot towards woman. He enjoys being in their company.

Smells like one of those fireplace candles or something with sandlewood and cinnamon. On the battlefield thought he reeks of blood, sweat and gunpowder.

Absolutely hates when there is dirt under his nails (or anyone else's). He thinks it looks so gross it makes him wanna vomit.

His favorite animal is probably either a bear or fox. He also likes pigs, he thinks the little piglets are so cute.

König is texter not a caller. He'll send his s/o paragraphs of texts instead of small individual ones because he thinks the notifications would be annoying and the last thing he wants to be is annoying (please convince him he's not).

He always plans out conversations in his head. Before going to check-out he's going through a mental rundown of what the total is gonna be, how he's gonna pay and what the cashier is going to say. Being in the military lowkey made this worse. He's always over analyzing conversations because he's afraid of messing up and embarrassing himself.

He likes drama movies and psychological horror. Midsommar is one of his favorite horror movies.

König has stretch marks on his thighs and legs and a little on his stomach. His growth spurt was crazy as a child.

Requests: OPEN

Reblogs and feedback are greatly appreciated!

[synergysilhouette]

Everyone keeps talking about "traditional villains," but in retrospect, I wish Disney had gone in a different direction for the Revival Era. Hear me out...

King Magnifico's failed characterization and poor writing in "Wish" really bummed me out. I was looking forward to a complex villain who was kinda right. I was hoping it could usher in a new age of Disney villains who were more grey than black and white, who made the characer grow as a person because they challenged their perspective. But then I realized that the opportunity existed in earlier revival-era villains:

Dr. Facilier is a villain first and foremost, though thinking back on it, I do think he is kinda proto-Magnifico, granting people's wishes, only for them to find that what they wanted isn't what they expected. I do wish he tied a bit of truth in with his scams, mentioning (similar to Magnifico) how people's dreams are very difficult to achieve--especially in the post-WWI American South, particularly POC. Naveen is generally assumed to be a POC himself, so he could juxtapose this viewpoint as someone who's never really had to experience such hardships. Dr. Facilier could still be 100% villainous, but further emphasis on dreams, wishes, and hard work would be part of his character. However, this is the reverse of "Wish"; Tiana has already worked hard, but she's lost a lot of her innocence and light-heartedness trying to achieve it, thus causing her to reevaluate how important love is and how she may not have realized it, being more practical about her dreams. It all starts with a wish.

Mother Gothel was already right; the world can be dark and cruel, and will destroy any light it finds. However, similar to Magnifico, since she's completely evil, the protagonist she goes against doesn't really change to understand what she's saying. Rapunzel doesn't see the world as dark or dangerous anymore; it's the opposite, thanks to her experiences. Because of this, I do wish Rapunzel did have a bit more negative experiences independent of Gothel to prove Gothel's point rather than it being "hey, she's just saying that because she's the villain." Maybe Rapunzel tries healing someone and people start lusting after her hair.

Hans is DEFINITELY a missed opportunity. He was the anti-Anna; isolated and alone, and he became bitter and cruel because of it. It's mentioned that the deleted song "More than Just the Spare" was removed because it made Anna too much like Hans. I don't think that, and if anything, it furthers my point: Hans gave up on his brothers, who he felt overlooked by and pestered by (he doesn't even mention his parents). Maybe give Hans less brothers and feature them a little in the movie so we can see how they interact with Hans and how it's a "what could be" for Anna and Elsa. His evil character is exactly what Anna is trying to avoid, but she understands how he became this way rather than it simply being for shock value.

Yokai was a great villain to me, but the reveal happened too late. I'd have loved seeing a more thorough exploration of his character and parallels to Hiro (which were done great in the film; I just wish it was expanded on). Highlight how people quickly forget about the dead and don't always learn from history, how there's this cycle of loss and hatred that you have to break.

Bellweather was on a power trip, but I do wish she had a storyline similar to Judy and Nick, since--in an interesting twist--they come off as more interesting and complex than the villain. She doesn't really say what made her act like this, and comments that "fear always works." I wish we got more of that, especially to play the two sides card; Zootopia is mainly predator-phobic, and challenges to this, ie predators playing down predator-related crimes in order to get people to look past their identity (and the fact that many predators are in positions of power) may have caused Bellweather's abuse by predators to be overlooked, causing her to want them all gone.

Te Ka is interesting. Despite "Moana" being a great film, I do feel like Te Ka and Maui's storyline was underutilized. It's revealed Maui stole Te Ka's heart for humans, but from what we see, Moana lives in this ideal community where their heritage, culture, and nature is loved and respected. Maybe embrace the fact that Tala is the only one who tells the story of the ancestors and how being they became "comfortable" since they were no longer voyagers, being used to the hierarchy and their stagnant society. Highlighting some humans' selfish natures would've been nice rather than Maui just telling us about it, with Te Ka being a metaphor for the destruction and disregard for nature and love.

Namaari is such a missed opportunity. Despite caring about her community, she comes off as more villainous than an antihero since she doesn't show any sympathy or care for Raya--in fact, she seems rather smug about hurting her. By making her a villain burdened by expectations and love for Fang while slowly being redeemed would've been better to me, shifting her POV slowly, making Raya angry with Namaari but understanding her motives. Having some regret about her choices--even if she believed they were the right ones--would've gone a long way for Namaari's characterization.

Magnifico...well, you already know he could've been one of Disney's most complex villains. Horrifying backstory and powers that are the result of hardwork left him with a jaded view on wish granting. He wants to help others, but has MANY reservations about it.

This is just my POV, of course; some of you may disagree (or feel like the aforementioned villains already achieved what I ask for), but I do hope future Disney villains have that "they're kinda right, even if they're wrong" characterization. It'd be a nice new era as the successor to traditional villains and twist villains--though just like twist villains, this trope requires VERY good writing.

[bengiyo]

Hi, i'm a newish bl drama watcher from thailand that just started watching thai bls. i'm a bit ashamed to say that for a long time as a gay man living here i've been avoiding bl shows like the plague cuz of both the fandom reputation and of misconception from my yaoi era which i leave far behind. i'm just want to ask how did you got into watching thai bls and what were you preconception before you got into it.

Welcome to the Tumblr side of BL fandom. I'd actually like to also hear more of your experience with yaoi and BL as a gay person growing up in Thailand if you're willing to share.

For me, I'm a Black American from the Gulf Coast (the South). I grew up in a Catholic city and spent my entire adolescence in the closet. Despite having a sense of who I was as early as 8 years old, I kept most of that to myself. Because I didn't talk about it much with people, I found out most information about queer media and queerness from the internet.

I entered BL via queer cinema. I think the first explicitly gay character that I remember from TV was Marco from Degrassi: The Next Generation. There were probably others, and definitely more subtle expressions, but when I think about the oldest gay character I remember and connect to, it's Marco. I don't like counting things like shipping Shawn and Corey on Boy Meets World or Tai and Matt on Digimon for oldest gay characters. Sailor Moon can't even count because we got a censored version of it in America.

I got access to satellite television away from observing eyes around age 16 and started watching content on Logo back when they aired gay content regularly. I watched basically whatever I could late at night. It's how I saw movies like Get Real (1998), Beautiful Thing (1996), and Bent (1997). It's also how I saw Queer as Folk (2000-2005) Noah's Arc (2005-06).

After hitting adulthood I mostly got lost in video games and standard American TV for a while, but I did basically show up to any Gay Event in TV. I appreciate that Stef and Lena from The Fosters (2013-2018) were some of the only TV lesbians to survive the horror of 2016.

I watched a bunch of movies in this time, many of which appear on the Queer Cinema Syllabus I made for a hypothetical Westerner new to BL and queer cinema, which @wen-kexing-apologist has decided to try to complete.

I got into Thai BL in 2018 accidentally. I started seeing gifsets of Kongpob telling Arthit he'll make him his wife passing around Tumblr and was basically like, "Right, what's all this then?"

I had watched a few Thai gay films, mostly notably Love of Siam (2007), Bangkok Love Story (2007), How to Win at Checkers Every Time (2015), and The Blue Hour (2015), but this was the first time I was seeing a long series made available so easily from any Asian country.

From there I got into Make It Right (2016-17) and Love Sick the series (2014). Once I realized that yaoi had moved beyond manga and a few anime adaptations, I went looking for a lot more. I basically haven't left since I started in about 2016 with SOTUS.

There's my basic entry into the genre. I don't think I was as worried about fandom and worries at the time because so much of being a fan of queer cinema was a mostly-private experience for me for so long. I didn't realize that BL fans active in the space would predominantly be women or queers figuring themselves out. It took a while to adjust to that, and also to adjust my expectations of the kinds of queer stories BL distributors were willing to fund.

That being said, I tend to agree with @absolutebl that BL has a useful role in normalization for non-queer audiences who encounter it. I like cheering BL when it does things I think work really well, and also deriding it when I think it does things that are offensive to help nudge the genre and offer my perspective as a gay man.

I like the place we're at right now where there's way too much to watch for any person with other hobbies and responsibilities because it means that people can pick and choose what's to their tastes.

More often than not, I'm probably most-invested in something airing from Japan because of my melancholy nature, but there's so much variety these days that it's okay if you don't like everything. I certainly don't!

I'm glad you joined us on Tumblr and look forward to your thoughts!

[icyg4l]

Pick-A-Poet: How Can You Heal Your Ancestral Trauma?

Paid Readings

Hello people, thank you for your patience. In honor of Black History Month, I am dedicating a series to Black American icons. This post is dedicated to Black American poets. Below, there will be a quote that was chosen from one of their poems to go along with the reading. The deck that will be used in this series is the Hoodoo Tarot deck. Without further ado, please pick the poet that stands out to you.

***Disclaimer: Some topics may be triggering to whomever is viewing.

Left-to-Right (1-3): Maya Angelou, Countee Cullen, Reneé Watson.

“Love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls” - Maya Angelou, Touched by an Angel.

Cards Used: Three of Coins, Dr. Buzzard, Dem Bones (RX), Mother of Baskets, Ten of Coins, Strength.

Pile One: For those of you that resonated with the quote from Maya Angelou, I have a question for you. You do know that you don’t have to be anyone’s ride or die, right? You are loyal to a fault. But it’s literally within your bloodline to be that way. There could be someone in your family who was scapegoated, falsely accused of a crime or could have went to jail for something that was easily avoidable. I heard, “Make it right. Do what’s best for you.” You could be in the process of making a life changing decision right now but the air is foggy. It’s okay to be selfish, if it means you’ll be led down the right path. You don’t need to follow what everyone else is doing. Your ancestors want you to know that you don’t need to be so hard on yourself either. Compassionate TLC is what you need to give yourself. I keep seeing images of quick weave hairstyles in my head & my head got itchy while I was doing this reading. I think you need to take a break from these & let your scalp breathe. Let yourself breathe in general. For those of you that are darker skinned, there is a female ancestor (grandmother or aunt) that wants you to know it’s okay to experiment with your personal style. I’m channeling Doechii’s energy. You don’t seem to be conventional, they respect it. So don’t be scared to look different. People will always have something to say but your beauty is admired by all.

“Death cut the strings that gave me life, and handed me to sorrow” - Countee Cullen, Saturday’s Child.

Cards Used: Black Herman, Ace of Knives, Nine of Knives, Eight of Coins, Aunt Caroline, Daughter of Knives, Three of Knives, Six of Baskets.

Pile Two: You do know that you don’t have much to worry about, right? Throughout American history, we have seen the documented struggles of Black Americans. With each generation, the next would have one less thing to worry about. Your ancestors want to tell you that you are more privileged than you think you are. You tend to worry about things that are out of your control. I feel that a lot of you could have dealt with unexpected death a lot in the past couple of years, specifically dealing with the lungs/heart. Your ancestors could have a history of heart disease/lung disease. This could have been a family member that you drifted apart from & you feel guilty for it. But there’s nothing that you can do to change the past, my love! What you can do is take care of your physical body. Join the gym. Drink lemon water. Eat when you feel like it & don’t label any foods are ‘good’ or ‘bad’. I heard someone coughing; you should avoid smoking cigarettes & weed as well or really any substance intake. Eat bananas too! You can only control what goes on with I also feel that some of your ancestors could have been hypochondriacs, had OCD or suffered from religious delusions. I would considering talking to a therapist if you feel that you’re headed down that path. Make decisions that are beneficial to your freedom but remember to count your blessings.

“Our bodies, a mosaic of languages forgotten, of freedom songs and moaned prayers” - Black Girls Rising, Reneé Watson.

Cards Used: Big Mama, Miss Ida, Ace of Sticks, Mother of Sticks, Six of Knives and Three of Sticks.

Pile Three: You’ve been saying you’re going to move out of the city you’re in for too long. Get out and stop talking about your plans to relocate. Your ancestors don’t think that there is anything there for you anymore. Your family could have lived in this city for decades but it’s changed so much that you don’t even recognize it anymore. Some of you could be from the East Coast, specifically Philly or Baltimore. You need to get out before you talk yourself into circles again. Some of y’all could be in school about to finish up a degree; keep going. A grandmother spirit is so so so proud of you. Before you relocate, take some days off to visit so that you can see what this new city is like. Many of your ancestors were not able to make plans and go through with them because of unfortunate life situations. Teen/unexpected pregnancy, severe mental illness and/or murder could have been factors that prevented them from following their dreams. If teen pregnancy runs in the family, you should acknowledge this as a fear of yours so that you can make smart decisions in regard to sex rather than making costly choices. Also, practice safe sex with a partner that is equally as conscious as you. Your ancestors want you to know that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. You have bright ideas and you should share them with the world. Be confident in your spotlight. You deserve to take up space.

[pnutbutter-n-j-elyy]

When You're Afraid of Fireworks

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In honor of the 4th of July tomorrow and being American I must complete my annual duty of showing Patriotism in some way- and instead of underage drinking a can of beer in the back of a Ford F-150 at a family cookout where relatives I don't even talk to argue about politics, my older brothers and their choice of girlfriends, my seemingly incurable singleness and lack of pull, and what it's like to be an American I've decided to be Patriotic by completing this OT7 request for Enhypen 🫡 GOD BLESS AMUUUURICAAA RAHHHH 🦅🔥

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Heeseung:

The night was alive with the anticipation of fireworks, the air buzzing with excitement. The entire group had gathered on the rooftop of their hotel, a perfect vantage point to watch the city’s grand firework display. Heeseung was especially eager, his usual calm demeanor replaced by an infectious enthusiasm at being able to a fireworks display- let alone in a country that was known for such shows in an act of celebration.

You stood a bit to the side, your heart racing with a mix of dread and nervous anticipation. Fireworks had always been a source of anxiety, the loud noises and sudden bursts of light triggering a deep-seated fear. But you wanted to spend time with your boyfriend. You wanted to see his face light up at a new experience - even if the familiar experience always did the opposite for you.

As the first firework exploded in the sky, the crowd let out a collective cheer. Heeseung, standing beside his bandmates cheered super loud too. His face mimicking the emojis you sent to him so often. He glanced over at you - want to see how beautiful your face looked watching. Wanting to see the smile and look of joy he loved so much on you. Instead, he noticed your tense posture and the way you flinched with every burst of sound.

Without a second thought, he made his way over to you, his presence immediately offering a sense of calm. “Hey, you okay?” he asked softly, his voice barely audible over the noise.

You nodded, but Heeseung could see the unease in your eyes. He gently took your hand, guiding you to a quieter corner of the rooftop, nudging open the door of a storage space. “It’s alright,” he assured you. “We can watch from here. It’s not as loud. Hmm?"

You stood together, the distant explosions illuminating the sky. Heeseung kept a steady hold on your hand, his touch comforting. “You don’t have to be scared,” he said, his tone soothing. “I’m right here.”

With each passing moment, you felt their fear gradually subsiding, and slowly replaced by a sense of safety brought on by your boyfriend's calm presence. He didn’t let go of your hand, his thumb gently rubbing the back of it in a reassuring gesture.

"I'm sorry I ruined it for you Hee...I thought that I could overcome it but...I couldn't I'm sorry."

Heeseung smiled and kissed the top of your head, shaking his own. "You didn't ruin anything baby. I think you made it better because I got to hold you while watching."

You laid your head on his shoulder as you continued watching; and even if the anxiety was still eating out you- it was bearable in his arms.

As the grand finale lit up the night, Heeseung turned to you, his eyes reflecting the colorful lights. “See? It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

You managed a smile, your fear momentarily forgotten as you looked into his eyes that exuded joy. “Yeah, it is,” You murmured. "It really is."

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Jay:

The black sky was painted with streaks of vibrant colors as fireworks erupted in a dazzling display. Enhypen had gathered in a park to enjoy the annual celebration a small neighborhood participated in, even if it was for a holiday not recognized in Korea. Surrounded by fans and friends. Jay was in high spirits, his laughter ringing out as he chatted with his bandmates; excited to see something that sparked memories of his first home.

You sat a few feet away, your anxiety heightening with each thunderous crack. The flashes of light and the deafening sounds were overwhelming, making it hard to focus on anything else other than how much you hated fireworks. You wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to find some semblance of comfort.

Jay noticed your discomfort almost immediately. He had always been perceptive, especially when it came to his friends - let alone his significant other. Excusing himself from the group with a confused look from a Sunghoon, he made his way over to you, concern etched on his face.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle. “Do you want to sit with me and the guys?”

You shook their head, unable to hide their fear. “I’m just… fireworks make me really anxious. I’d rather not be here at all.” You whimpered quietly.

Jay’s expression softened. He took a step closer, offering his hand. “Come on, let’s get away from the noise for a bit.” He said pulling you up and into his arms.

He led you to a quieter spot, away from the main crowd but still with a clear view of the sky. Sitting down on a bench, he motioned for you to join him, pulling you onto his lap. “It’s a lot less intense here,” he said, his tone reassuring.

You took a deep breath, feeling a bit more at ease in the quieter setting, your back rested against his chest. Jay’s presence was calming, his steady demeanor helping to quell the evident anxiety. “Thanks, Jay. I just… I don’t handle loud noises well.”

Jay nodded understandingly. “I get it. Everyone has something they’re afraid of. But you don’t have to go through it alone.” His hand traced small circles on your knee, and you squirmed slightly as Jay moved to pull something out of his pocket.

He pulled out his phone and handed you one of his earbuds. “Here, listen to some music with me. It’ll help drown out the noise.”

You accepted the earbud, slipping it in and letting the soothing melodies wash over you. Jay’s choice of music was perfect, calming and serene. As you guys listened together, the fireworks seemed less frightening, more like a distant backdrop to this shared moment.

Jay smiled, his eyes warm and kind. “See? Not so bad, right?”

You gave a small smile in return. “Yeah, it’s better. Thank you, Jay.”

He gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze, followed by a kiss to your cheek. “Anytime, love. Just remember, I’ll always be here to help you through the tough moments.”

As the night went on, you found yourself relaxing more and more, the fear that had gripped you slowly melting away. With Jay by your side, the fireworks became a little less daunting and a lot more beautiful.

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Jake:

The festival was in full swing, and you and the members were enjoying the lively atmosphere of the American beach you guys currently were at. Laughter and music filled the air as everyone mingled with the crowd of older, assuming people. It was a night the boys felt like they could relax without being under the gaze of fans or paparazzi. The night had been going well until, Ni-ki, ever the playful one, had gotten his hands on a couple of sparklers and decided to set his sights on his hyungs partner- immediately running in your direction, your back to him and unaware of the light hearted game he intended to start.

However, when you turned around after hearing a loud guffaw from the maknae, the laugh that always followed once you heard Ni-ki's turned to a quiet panic as the sparklers crackled and sparked closer to you. The sudden realization of the fireworks and the noise brought a wave of fear crashing over you, that never really gripped you unless you were close to the pyro devices. You began to stumble back, stumbling into your unassuming boyfriend, unable to move, your eyes wide with terror.

Jake, immediately noticed the change in your demeanor and felt your shoulders tense as they rested against his chest.. His protective instincts kicked in, and he quickly stepped between Ni-ki and you, pushing you back behind him gently. “Ni-ki, stop!” he called out, his voice firm but not harsh.

Ni-ki halted, confused by Jake’s sudden intervention. “What’s wrong?”

Jake turned to you, his expression softening as he saw your distress. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m here,” he said gently, taking his hand and stroking your hair gently. “You’re safe.”

You looked at him, your fear slowly subsiding in the warmth of his reassuring gaze, and at the notice of the sparklers dimmed display. “I-I’m sorry. The sparklers… they scared me. I'm sorry Ni-Ki I- I know you didn't mean anything, I'm sorry-”

Jake gave your hands a comforting squeeze. “You don’t have to apologize. It’s alright to be scared.” He glanced back at Ni-ki, who was watching with a concerned expression. “Ni-ki didn’t know. He was just playing around. I'm sure he isn't upset for you being scared, it's a natural reaction babe.”

Ni-ki stepped forward, his usual playful demeanor replaced by genuine concern. “I’m really sorry, Y/N-ie. I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?” He shot a look to Jake, as his lips turned downards into a guilty pout at making you scared. He adored you almost as much as Jake did, and it hurt to see that he had frightened you.

You nodded, your fear ebbing away with the support of Jake's embrace and your platonic love for Ni-Ki. “It’s okay, Ni-ki. I know you didn’t mean it. If you did, we would fight.” You said in mock seriousness, causing Ni-Ki to smile.

Jake wrapped an arm around your shoulders, guiding you away from the sparklers the other members were now lighting. “How about we find a quieter spot?” he suggested. “Somewhere we can just relax and enjoy the evening without any surprises.”

You complied happily, motioning for Ni-Ki to third wheel you and Jake. As you guys walked away, Jake kept pulling close, his presence a constant source of comfort, the protective edge still evident. Ni-ki trailed slightly behind, still feeling a bit guilty but relieved that you were alright.

Finding a small grouping of large rocks, Jake sat down with you, Ni-ki joining a moment later. The noise of the celebration was distant now, replaced by the soothing sounds of the waves.

Jake looked at you, his eyes filled with care. “I love you.”

You leaned into him, your fear long melted away. “I love you more.”

He smiled, his arm around you tightening in a protective embrace. “I don't know if that's possible.”

Ni-ki nodded in agreement, his usual playful spark returning. “Y/N-ie you should hear how often Jake Hyung talks about you. The other say he sai-”

You laughed loudly as Jake gently set you to the side to go chase Ni-Ki yelling a few phrases in Korean that while you may not have understood the meaning- you understood the tone. You felt safe and sound watching the love of your life and your guys' close friend, goof off together.

"Y/N-IE! Y/N-IE SAVE ME!" The Japanese boy laughed as he hid behind your shoulders, Jake with a handful of wet sand wound up ready to throw. "SAVE ME!"

You smiled as you saw the spark of joy in both boys' eyes and knew that your eyes mimicked theres.

And when Jake looked at you with that spark of deep, romantic love you couldn't help but let your heart thump harder at that.

Because that was one spark you would never be afraid of.

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Sunghoon:

The night sky was clear, perfect for the upcoming fireworks display. The excitement was palpable as you and Sunghoon, along with the rest of Enhypen, made your way to a quiet beach. The sound of the waves provided a soothing backdrop, contrasting with the buzz of anticipation among the group.

Sunghoon had always been attentive and caring, making sure you were comfortable in any situation. Tonight was no different. He kept a close eye on you, his intuition sensing your growing unease. Especially considering you had never seen fireworks before.

As the first firework shot into the sky, your heart pounded in your chest. It wasn’t the noise that bothered you, like you thought it would- rather the sudden, blinding flashes of light. You had always been sensitive to bright lights, and the unpredictability of fireworks made it even worse. The flash of the first explosion made you flinch, and you instinctively shut your eyes, your body tensing up.

Sunghoon, standing beside you, noticed your discomfort immediately. He gently placed a hand on your back, his touch grounding you. “Baby?”

You shook your head, keeping your eyes closed. Understanding dawned on his face without another word. He took your hand, leading you a little further down the beach, away from the crowd and the direct line of sight of the fireworks. The sound of the ocean grew louder, providing a calming rhythm that helped to ease your anxiety.

Sunghoon rummaged through his bag and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his watchlist and finding the drama you guys were watching together. “Fireworks not your thing huh?"

You put one of Sunghoon's earbuds in, the drama immediately capturing your attention and distracting you from the bright flashes. “I'm sorry Sungie..."

He sat beside you, his presence comforting. “Don't apologize love. You don’t have to watch them if it’s too much. We can just sit here and watch this.” He gently brought your head to his shoulder, giving it gentle pets.

You nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. “I’m sorry for being a downer.”

He shook his head, his hand finding yours. “You’re not a downer. Everyone has their fears and sensitivities. I’m just glad you tried this out. And all it told us is that maybe fireworks aren't your thing and that's totally fine baby. Its more than fine.”

As the fireworks continued, you focused on the sound of the waves and the warmth of Sunghoon’s hand, and the unfolding romance of the MCs. Occasionally, you glanced up, the intrusive action overcoming you, the feeling of Sunghoon pressing against you making the small rushes of anxiety quell when you realized how stupid it was to continue looking. Sunghoon kept you grounded, his thumb gently rubbing the back of your hand.

After a particularly bright burst that was noticeable even with your eyes on the screen, you leaned into him, finding solace in his steady presence. “Thank you.”

He smiled, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Always. I’ll always be here.”

As the final fireworks lit up the sky, you realized that with Sunghoon by your side, even the brightest flashes couldn’t overshadow the light he brought into your life. Which was corny, yet extremely true.

The atmosphere at the beach was serene, the gentle sound of the waves creating a peaceful ambiance. You and Sunghoon had found a perfect spot away from the main crowd, where the noise of the festival was a distant hum. The occasional laughter and chatter from the group added to the festive mood, but you felt a sense of calm in this quieter corner. Happy to experience this peaceful moment with him.

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Sunoo:

The night was vibrant with excitement as you and Sunoo joined the rest of Enhypen at a lakeside festival. Lanterns hung from trees, casting a warm glow over the gathering crowd. Everyone was eagerly awaiting the fireworks display, a highlight of the evening.

You, however, couldn’t shake the anxiety building up inside. It wasn’t the noise or the bright lights that bothered you, but the smoke. The thick, suffocating smoke that lingered after each explosion, making it hard to breathe and triggering a deep-seated fear of feeling trapped and helpless.

As the first firework shot into the sky, you instinctively took a step back, your chest tightening as the smoke began to spread. Sunoo, standing beside you, noticed your discomfort immediately. His eyes widened with concern. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle and caring.

You shook your head, trying to steady your breathing. “It’s the smoke… I can’t handle it. It makes me feel like I’m suffocating.”

Understanding dawned on Sunoo’s face. Without hesitation, he took your hand and led you away from the crowd, towards a quieter part of the lake where the air was clearer, but the display was still visible. The gentle lapping of the water against the shore provided a calming soundtrack, and the breeze helped to dissipate the lingering smoke.

“Here, let’s sit down,” Sunoo suggested, guiding you to a bench under a large tree. The foliage provided some cover, making it feel like a safe haven away from the chaos. He sat down beside you, his hand still holding yours firmly.

You took a deep breath, the fresh air helping to calm your racing heart. Sunoo quickly peeled off his jacket, smelling it quickly and then placing it over your shoudlers.

You looked at him with an odd look and he scratched the back of his neck.

"I thought maybe the smell of my cologne would help with the smell of smoke..."

You felt a warmth fill you as you brought the soft fabric up to your nostrils, smiling as you inhaled. "Your not gettin gthis back, Sunny..."

He chuckles and ruffled your hair. "Wouldn't want in any other way, babe."

The two of you sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the sounds of the festival fading into the background. Sunoo’s presence was reassuring, his calm demeanor helping to ease your anxiety. As the fireworks continued in the distance, you focused on the stars reflected in the lake, finding solace in their steady, unchanging light.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sunoo asked softly, his eyes filled with concern and care, noticing that even though you had a soft smile on your face, something was still troubling you.

You nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. “It’s just… the smoke reminds me of a time when I was trapped in a fire. The feeling of being unable to breathe, the panic… it all comes rushing back when I see that thick smoke- or not even see it some cases just the smell.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened with empathy, and he gently pulled you into a hug. “I’m so sorry you went through that. It must have been terrifying.”

You leaned into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his compassion. “It was. But being here with you, away from the smoke, makes it better. Its not as hard..."

He held you a little tighter, his voice filled with sincerity. "I can stay here for as long as you need. Forever even.” You smirked at his cheesiness, a small snort exuding from your nose.

As the fireworks display came to a close, the sky returned to its natural state, dotted with twinkling stars. The blurry haze no longer hiding their beauty. You and Sunoo remained by the lake, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. The fear and anxiety had ebbed away, replaced by a sense of calm and safety.

“You know,” Sunoo said with a soft smile, “I think this is my favorite part of the night. Just being here with you, away from the noise and smoke, enjoying the quiet.”

You smiled, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and love. “Mine too. Thank you, Sunoo..”

He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. “Always. I’m here for you, no matter what. That's what you do for people you love.”

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Jungwon:

The city skyline was breathtaking, a tapestry of glowing lights and towering buildings. You and Jungwon had joined the rest of Enhypen on the rooftop of a skyscraper, an exclusive spot to watch the fireworks display. The city below buzzed with energy, the streets filled with people eagerly anticipating the show.

The rooftop offered a perfect vantage point, but you couldn't shake the growing sense of dread. It wasn’t the noise or the bright flashes that bothered you, but the sparks. The idea of fiery sparks raining down made you incredibly anxious. As the first firework shot into the sky, you felt a wave of fear wash over you. You gripped the railing tightly, your knuckles turning white. You hadn't expected it to be this bad, but you could feel the heat. You knew you weren't imagining it. You should have known that the higher you climbed to see the fireworks the closer you'd be.

Jungwon, standing beside you, noticed your discomfort immediately. His eyes filled with concern as he gently touched your arm. “Hey, are you okay?”

You shook your head, trying to steady your breathing. “It’s the sparks… I’m afraid they might fall on us.”

Understanding dawned on his face, even if he wasn't met with the same concern. Without hesitation, he took your hand and led you away from the edge, towards a sheltered corner of the rooftop where a canopy provided some cover. The city lights below were still visible, and so were the fireworks, but you felt a little more protected.

“Here, let’s sit down,” Jungwon suggested, guiding you to a spot where you could lean against the wall. He sat beside you, his hand never leaving yours.

You took a deep breath, the solid surface behind you helping to calm your racing heart. “Thank you, Jungwon. I’m sorry for ruining the evening.”

He shook his head, his expression soft and understanding. “You didn’t ruin anything. Your comfort and safety are more important than fireworks.” He squeezed your hand gently. “I had no idea the sparks affected you like this. Its good I know now.”

He leaned his head on your shoulder looking up at you. "You know, I don't even need to watch the fireworks when the prettiest sight is right in front of me."

You giggle and kiss Jungwon's forehead. "You're too cute."

As the fireworks display came to a close, you were almost kind of sad. You liked being here with Wonnie, feeling his warmth and electricity and scorching touch rather than that of the fireworks. Despite the show being over you and Jungwon remained on the rooftop, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. The fear and anxiety had ebbed away, replaced by a sense of calm and safety.

"“You know,” Jungwon said with a soft smile, “I think this is my favorite part of the night. Just being here with you, away from the noise and chaos, enjoying the quiet.

You heard the members calling for you on the other side of the roof and Jungwon sighed.

"But I wanna stay with you." He whined.

You smiled, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and love. “You have no choice but to stay with me forever...” You warn, causing a smile to show.

He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead. “Always. I’m never ever gonna leave.”

He ignored his members, and ignored the way Jake was running towards you guys like a happy little puppy - obviously wanting to tease you too - and just let himself enjoy the last few moments of peace with you, letting that warmth of your love burn in him just as it burned in you.

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

Ni-Ki:

The dance studio was bathed in the soft glow of city lights filtering through the windows. Tonight, instead of rehearsals, it served as a refuge from the explosive bursts of fireworks that illuminated the night sky outside. You had sought solace here, away from the chaotic beauty that filled the air with bursts of color and unexpected shadows.

For you, it wasn't the noise or the brightness that unsettled you, but rather the bustling crowds that had gathered to watch the fireworks display. The distant cheers and excited chatter pierced through the walls, reminding you of the overwhelming sensation of being surrounded by oceans of people who had gathered.

Ni-ki had noticed your discomfort immediately, letting you lead him to the studio without question. His usual exuberance and playful demeanor was tempered by a quiet concern as he approached you after flicking on the lights. Without a word, he held out his hand; a silent invitation to dance. You hesitated for only a moment, meeting his gaze before tentatively placing your hand in his; letting him guide you to the middle of the room.

Together, at the center of the studio, where the mirrored walls reflected fragments of the fireworks' light you listened to the ambient music from earlier rehearsals that had just needed to be un-paused before it started to play softly. It provided a gentle backdrop, a soothing contrast to the night's unexpected twist of intimacy.

Ni-ki started to dance, his movements were fluid and reassuring. He lead you with a gentle touch, guiding you through a series of steps that mirror the ebb and flow of your emotions. With each movement, he whispered silent assurances of safety and understanding and affection.

You followed his lead, your body responding to the unspoken language of dance. In Ni-ki's embrace, you feel a sense of security that overcame the bustling crowds outside. His presence was a steady anchor amidst the chaos of your fears, grounding you in the here and now.

As you dance, the distant cheers and excited chatter of the crowds continue to echo in the background. Your tension gradually began to melt away, replaced by a growing sense of connection and release in your boyfriends arms. Each step you take together became a testament to the trust you shared. The love you shared.

You and Ni-ki moved as one. With each graceful movement, you felt yourself finally reach a state of contentment.

As the last firework fades into the night sky, Ni-ki pulled you gently into his arms, your heartbeats a steady rhythm against each other. He peppered kisses all over your face. In that moment, beneath the canopy of mirrored reflections and city lights, you know that your fear has been met not with words or reassurances, but with the quiet strength of the one you loved, without even needing the exchange of words.

@abovenyx @wolfs-archive @oddracha @

@parisanmorovati @seungmincenteric

@panbish-1209 @fxiry-vtt @sseawavee @shuporanporang

@amarecerasus @softkisshyunjin @whoa-jo @meanergreener

@rikibun @ayyonoona @shinywombatcrusade

@y4yayael @skzstan12345

@mariteez @allys-reads

@jazziwritesthings @skzstannie @yongbokkiesworld

@kkkeopi @neverendingstay @moony-9

[polyamorouspunk]

Anyone who’s followed me for a while on here knows that I’m the king of not knowing when to keep my mouth shut, so I’m going to try and embrace and talk about something.

So I stepped up my anarchy game last night by, uh, removing a homophobic message, we’ll call it, and I want to use this experience and well as others to talk about some things.

Any anarchy you engage in is going to be terrifying the first time you do it. You will be petrified. You will be paranoid. You will think that the cops are going to come banging down your door or car window even if you didn’t do anything illegal. I’m sure if you’re a black American you already feel this way on a much lower and more frequent level just living day-to-day, but if you’re white and you’re trying out anarchy for the first time you’re going to be terrified because we have ALL been conditioned to think that “when anarchy happens the cops are immediately called”. That’s not true. It can be a bit of a mind-bend to convince yourself that you’re not going to be noticed or found out. There are many posts with tips and tricks to make sure this doesn’t happen, but that’s not what this is. Along that line, people who engage in anarchy are not these fearless people. They are average people like you and me. It’s easy to see people and go wow they’re so brave but there’s a good chance they’re scared shitless. They’re brave because they can override that fear but harness it when needed to complete the anarchistic goals.

If you are in trouble, cut and run, even if you aren’t done. It can be very easy to think “I’m so close! I just need a bit more time!”. Don’t. Don’t take that chance. Leave it. I didn’t finish removing all of the message I found last night, but I started noticing 2 cars circling the streets looking for me, so I wasn’t risking staying there to finish it. Because I decided not to stay and finish what I started I made it home safe. If I had, I could have been caught. In that moment I made a snap decision that said “it’s time to go now” and that was the right decision to make and I stand by it.

Even if you’re work goes unfinished or gets replaced in the line of “anarchies that send a message” it doesn’t mean it wasn’t all for nothing. You sent a message. The homophobic message I removed was replaced right after I took it down. Not sure if it even lasted the night honestly. Meaning no one saw my work except the people who spotted me when I wasn’t quick enough to hide and the people who replaced it, and if it did last the night then maybe the errant person here and there. But what I’m telling myself is that person or persons who put that message up now know someone doesn’t agree with it. Someone willing to stand up to them. To disrupt the status quo. They can no longer think that everyone is going to go along with them putting that message up, because I don’t, and I made that clear by removing it, even if it was only for the briefest of moments.

Don’t push yourself too hard if you have limitations. I pushed myself too hard last night to do this and my body is suffering both last night and all today, and probably at least all tomorrow as well. It was a good effort and I’m glad I did it even though I was freaking out, but as I alluded to in my posts last night, I did trip and fall and sustained some injuries, and also I just pushed my body too much to get the whole thing done. Was it worth it? I’m telling myself it was, because it has to be, because if I tell myself that it wasn’t then what do I have? At least I’m practicing what I preach, and that’s important to me.

Going back to #1 and #3, bigger anarchies are scary, but even if they don’t really work out like you planned, it helps to desensitize you to these kinds of extracurricular activities. The first few times I did my routinely anarchy, I was petrified. Now I hardly even blink (but I’m still careful). Become comfortable but not lax. Become relaxed but not lazy.

Don’t post about your activities directly online. I wouldn’t even recommend making a post like this but like I said I suck at keeping my mouth shut and I’m hopefully being vague enough if anything does come knocking. Take care to clean up after yourself.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Kinda sick of the racism from nonblacks (i say nonblacks because it ain't just the whites tho it's mainly them!) in the spiderverse fandom because why does black ppl centering themselves in fiction (you know cuz we never can have ANYTHING) bother them so much??

"Hobie would choose a white girl over you" "why does miles have to be with someone black" "why does he always have to have a black reader" like Ummmm DO Y'ALL NOT HEAR HOW DUMB AND IGNORANT YOU SOUND?

We gotta gatekeep the black characters in this fandom until ppl know how to act right and stop getting besides themselves

PREACH!!!!!! CAUSE LIKE -- People out here are really disturbed that they *checks notes* were reminded black people exist? black people being found specifically attractive in a way whiteness is CONSTANTLY.

Anti-Blackness, Hobie, & The Black!Reader -

[A SHORT rant about people who have an issue with Black!Readers]

I ALWAYS find it where when people beef with Black people who want to date other Black people.

Because it's 100% racism.

If you think that a Black person dating only Black people is wrong - Anti-blackness is probably the root.

Just kidding it is the root its literally the only solution and explanation hehehe

Because as a trans person - when someone says they're T4T, everyone is fine with that.

Cis people can understand that they will never understand the trans experience, and that trans people may be attracted and want relationships with people who can understand on a personal level.

But when a Black Person say they're 'Black4Black' suddenly that's wrong?? We can't do that??

It's like non-whites cannot grasp that anti-black racism is a very VERY specific experience that we deal with all our lives and we may want partners that can not only support us but relate too. Partners we don't have to explain race shit too.

No- blackness is an experience that HAS to be available to them. Black people's experiences, minds and bodies HAVE to be available for there consumption or we're in the wrong.

We are either there to be consumed (like Hobie is) or ignored (like the Black!Reader is).

All my life I've seen the default OC and default reader be a white person. Readers that don't speak AAVE, that show no attempt at culture outside the 'normal' heteronormative American family.

And suddenly we try to change that for ourselves and that's not cool.

Also - people who say that about Hobie are just outright uneducated.

Hobie is from 1978.

Racial Discrimination in the UK was outlawed in 1965. Regardless of whether you think he's 16 or 19 - Hobie Brown grew up under racial segregation from ages 3-6.

He grew up seeing it - experiencing racism. Living with and being raised by and surrounded by a community of older black people who lived under segregation.

And even after the bill - Racist attitudes would still be surrounding him realistically speaking.

HE'S NOT FROM NOW.

Acting like Hobie has no opinions on that, or experiences, or coping mechanisms or TRAUMA from that - is fucked up.

That's black trauma LOOK AT IT.

So YEAH, A guy who grew up under segregation and a police state would have trauma from it.

But they (racists) wanna sidestep that.

They'll talk all day about Hobie's police related trauma - but not the race thing......okay. Okay, no it's fine. I'm fine.

The idea that Hobie might have unsavory experiences with race makes them uncomfortable. The idea that Hobie would seek out Black Spaces to GET AWAY from white people - makes them foam at the mouth.

Not all white people are racist - but a white person can never understand anti-black racism from a personal view the way Hobie or I or you do.

That's just a fact.

But the idea that there's a special outlet we alone understand about Hobie, and connect with him through, they dislike that.

Anti-Blackness. It's everywhere.

YOINK!! I'M TAKING HOBIE BACK TO THE ANCESTORS. LETS GO.

[pumpkinsy0]

Okay I can’t explain why but The Curtis Brother’s I do read as white. (But like with every outsiders character I literally love ANY Ethnicity Hc you throw at them.) That being said I think that The Curtis brother’s have been luckier in certain areas as compared to some of the other greasers,especially given the time.But I don’t think they necessarily realize that growing up, but specifically Darrel.

Ponyboy hangs out with Curly a lot so he isn’t aloof to how Curly is treated by others. He picks up on the small micro aggressions and how he often gets off easier than Curly does, especially at school. Same goes when he’s with Johnny and Dally. It’s something he knows is there but doesn’t quite have the words to explain it. Sodapop I think understands that he has it easier because he gets that he fulfills the all American boy look. He notices this when first starting to work at the DX and how the customers react to him versus how they react to Steve. He knows exactly why they do that too. And Sodapop hates that this is the case but gets he can’t exactly change it. So he makes up for it by trying to distract Steve or making him feel better.

For Darrel..he’s not WILLFULLY ignorant it’s just that he’s had a busy life. Even before he took on his role as guardian, he was always busy with football,school, even Soc Parties. Then after his parents died, he got even more busy.I don’t think he’s quite processed what some of the other greasers go through.

I don’t think it fully clicks when he’s with Two-Bit one day. The two decided to go out shopping at the fancy grocery store, since Darry wanted to go big for Pony’s graduation party. Two-Bit is acting like usual and goofing off, in the process of trying to make Darry laugh.At one point though a nearby lady spies Two and automatically mistakes him for the help. Two-Bit being use to this simply smiles and politely tells her that he’s a customer there. Darry finds that weird at first but then things take a turn when one of the employee starts to follow Two-Bit around the store. Darrel is puzzled by all this and asks Two-Bit about it.Two-Bit shrugs and tells him it’s not a big deal because this thing always happens. It’s not until he says that does it click for Darry. When it does he also starts to get why Two-Bit acts the way he does. Why he often smiles and laughs during a tense situation, or why he doesn’t try to fight back during an argument. Because that’s his way of surviving.For Two-Bit this is just an everyday occurrence in his life, and something that he’s learned to accept long ago. It doesn’t change the fact that Darry is mad on his behalf and most definitely goes back to the same store later to chew out said employee.

((In part based off of me and my own siblings personal experience grocery shopping at one of the more ritzier places. And also because Mexican Irish Two-Bit lives in my head rent free…take with this what you will. Also sorry if it’s long…))

nono i get what u mean!!! and dont apologize for sending long ask i am very nosey and must know what ppl think all the time, i love long asks!!!!

and ur so right, i see the curtis’ as white americans, but boy oh boy am i a sucker for my black curtis bros and anons arab curtis or any curtis bros, like i said, multiverse goin on in my head here!!!

but ik what u mean!!! its not like theyre WILLFULLY ignorant, hell i dont even think theyre fully ignorant period, its just, they dont live it and nobody around them rlly talks about it much (to them at least, mostly bc they feel like they wouldnt get it, which tbh, they wouldnt) and of course its the 60s theyve heard of the racial tensions but theres only so much they can do about it in their own lives???? i hope i explained that well and yknow what i mean😭

and yknow what ALLOW ME TO TALK ABOUT (my :3) SHEPARDS A BIT HERE AS WELL☝🏽☝🏽

bc i hc my shepards to be immigrants from a pretty much fully black place, they never rlly had to deal w the racism that was going on in america, so when they moved here and they started getting attached w all these labels, plus that language barrier, it was hard for them to really understand a lot of the things, so for a couple years, the shepard family wasnt really known and were just barely scrapping by

BUT SKIPPING HOW I THINK THE SHEPARD GANG CAME TO B BC I TALKED ABOUT IT ENOUGH BEFORE

as individual ppl, i dont think ALL the shepards r actually respected, only tim is!!but even then before that he wasnt, he couldnt rlly speak english so he was also just tossed to the side at sone point, maybe even laughed at

angela is fetishized and while she can use that to her advantage, at the end of the day, she as a regular human being isnt taken seriously and respected unless she basically demands it

and w curly, part of the reason WHY hes not taken seriously is bc hes not given the light of day bc hes seen as “not smart”, part of the reason why hes seen as not smart and not given the opportunity to prove himself is bc he is black

NOW when it comes to papercut and this issue, like u said, i do think the curtis, just dont exactly grasp it, but the shepards do, mainly angela and tim, they understand that how they look impacts what they can and cant do, and curly understands it too, but to a lesser degree, he just wants to be and doesnt want to care, but he doesnt realize that he cant rlly AFFORD to do that, bc it could mean life or death for him, couple that w pony not getting it as well, and thats where i think part of the weariness about this couple comes from!!! this is also partially y i demand more tim and angela being protective of curly☝🏽🤓

but at some point, i do believe that pony would try to use the privilege he has to try and help curly from getting into some shit

i could probably explain all this WAY better and more in depth and have more ideas but then id b writing an essay so, i wont bc im LAZY, BUT ANON??? this is SO real

i hope i explained everything well lmao im not rereading this

[queer-geordie-nerd]

"A couple of months after I shot the pilot for “Babylon 5,” I got an invitation to something called “a science fiction convention.” What could that be? “I’m not quite sure,” said Diane. “What do I have to do there?” I asked. “Sign autographs and do a Q&A.” “What is a Q&A?” I asked, puzzled. “I guess the fans will ask questions and you will answer.” “The fans? Who are they?” “Yes, the fans. The fans of the show,” said Diane, probably thinking her new client was mildly challenged in the intellectual arena. “Ok, I don’t quite get it but yes, of course, I’ll do it. It seems like an easy job,” I said. “Do they pay or is it just publicity for the show?” I asked, clearly an alien who fell onto this planet without getting the necessary information about human ways. No wonder I got my green card as an “alien with extraordinary abilities.” (Or should it be “inabilities,” I sometimes wonder.) “They do pay. $5,000 for two days.” What? Really? I don’t have to learn any lines? I don’t have to descend into dark tunnels of emotion? I don’t have to “perform?” I just have to be me? And they’ll pay me for that? Oh yeah, count me in! Keep bringing it on! Maybe life doesn’t have to be such an incredible struggle all the time. Maybe one doesn’t have to bleed to death for every penny earned. Maybe even I deserve some lightness, some easiness. Or do I?

Stonybrook was the place. Michael O’Hare was the other guest. I was on stage, answering questions from “the fans” who seemed unusually kind and, for the first time in my American experience, sincerely interested in “my story.” Finally, someone was actually getting it. “The fans” struck me as sophisticated, smart, and well-educated. They seemed not to be buying the black and white picture of the war in the former Yugoslavia, the picture that the media kept serving them. Their questions were intelligent. And, what struck me most, they seemed to be peace-loving people. It seemed we were on the same side: the side of the people, the side of peace. I realized: I actually liked talking to them. I was on stage, talking about my experience of being exiled from my own city, from my profession and my life. “I lost my career, my colleagues, my family.” Then I heard a voice from the audience. “But you gained another one. Welcome to your new family. Welcome to our family.” It brought tears to my eyes then. It is bringing them now, as I’m writing this.

I’ve been a part of the science fiction family for more than twenty years now. Conventions have become an important part of my life. I’ve met interesting people, including respectable scientists, engineers, astronauts and computer wizards. I’ve traveled America, from coast to coast and in between. I’ve traveled Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Some of the people I met I will never forget. Some became my friends. Whatever resistance I may have felt throughout the years towards being pushed into the category of “science fiction actors,” is gone now. This new family has been good to me. And although I will never become a social media gal, having a deeply organic, strong aversion towards the increasingly blurry line between the private and the public, I do hope that I haven’t been too dysfunctional as a member of my new family either. This new family has proven to be much more loyal and much more reliable than the one I left behind (or that left ME behind)."

- Mira Furlan, Love Me More Than Anything In the World

[daystarvoyage]

Luz Shouldve Been Dressed By A POC (Person Of Color Or Luz Batista To Show Better Cultural & POC Reprensation)

Hello Tumblers, This is kyoko cane of daystar voyage, as a proud black person who’s genderqueer who makes content creations On Pop culture such as Cosplay & drag, I do talk on Animation & Family Entertainment So glad to get this topic cause what we see on tv can be put into reality, Now (Disclaimer)

I will not accept hate on the daystar voyage anyone who can’t handle different opinions, ship whatever (unless legal) if not walk out or off this spaceship into a asteroid belt and black hole

Don’t hate appreciate.

One more thing I do love my girl Luz pilot outfits, there goals however wish they had time to put patterns into her clothes often, like I said in my hootview

However the female cast had a better closet then her, and I did discuss that in my video, for some time they did make her dress in a shonen archetype, (which I made a post about her hair) or an spicy Latina Which of of course personality wise too, (cause she’s made to be the gender non confirming character) but excuse all that cause in a way, the staff shoulda hired someone whos Either Afro, African American Or Latin to dress this girl.

Oh boy now that im done rewatching The Owl House there’s so much in store soon anyway,

I do feel its time to start this short post, I have a fashion hootview which is the intermission so there’s still a lot to come meantime, finished my rewatch of The Owl House as an animation lover,

Lets discuss this topic at hand,

2020s animators need to take notes on costuming & style tips to make characters stand out in environments and to treat there characters better in fashion or color coordination,

yes you can have a color coded character and not rely of a main palette to be able to bring out there features & complexion,

Animators need to take notes, how to properly show kids & there audience that good clothing could be put onto a character of any occasion & not have to rely on sexuality or Stereotype (Disney Programs have a hit or miss on certain shows.)

while proper fashion can do justice, that goes into making a franchise and making a product to sell for marketability in retail & consumers.

if the character or product can be sold with a great design if executed flawless by character, design, costuming, and the app that comes within the series,

This goes to the fandom cause there might be future artistsor small indie creators reading this who probably never read, or look up fashion brands, magazines either hot couture or brand clothing and don’t have that knowledge But that shouldn’t stop you from being able to experiment with different color palettes on what goes into your art.

The fandom needs a wake up call that not only is everything’s perfect and people have the right to critic and criticize a show or any form of art.

cause fandoms today has a self righteous way of bullying others of different opinions and ostracizing others and ithas to stop,

Here’s a quick tv trope in color-coded characters, & a Toonsmag article on fashion in animation.

Marketability is a important factor, industries rely on that to make the money off of that series, be a cartoons or projects,

it impacts the character and representation that kids see when they purchase said item and teaching kids, see good representation within media can matter if done right.

Especially POCs if executed well however

DONW BELOW in some cases miraculous ladybug fumbles it hard, at one point had all the poc of color (EXAMPLE limited to alya and nino if not max be lighter tones on there merch.)

You know lighting character's skin tones like Alya and other brown or dark skin characters, on their products & merch (bad ethnic representation award goes to them).

Not to mention the whole Vas underpaid controversy, that’s been discussed countless times.

(still disappointed about there business decisions)

I appreciate the love of anyone who can view and read this article if you gotten this far,

thanks for reading make sure to check my Tumblr and YouTube vlog cause so much of this particular series I’m gonna debunk

The show had a-lot going for it however feel flat including in the fashion department along miraculous ladybug that’s another thing to be discuss OH BOY so anyway

here’s an example of the video game art of Guilty Gear showing great costume progress years later

always educate yourself cause I do want my platform to show variety on what I offer creatively and semi-education-wise to be able to let people be inspired and that you don't need to follow trends, thank you very much seeya on the next space voyage.

[olderthannetfic]

I do think a lot of the problem and the reason that more people (like the ones who seem to think that "top/bottom as myers-briggs personality types" jokes are exclusively coming from female-centric fandom spaces rather than gay male offline culture - which, btw, ignores that a whole bunch if not most female fanfic writers are themselves queer and there's a similar set of jokes and stereotypes in the lesbian community, but I digress) don't seem to understand what offline queer culture is like on here is that way too many of the people setting the tone for this in The Discourse on Tumblr are very young people who are newly out. In particular, a huge amount of the gay men on here who are telling people how very Problematic this is (when they're getting it from gay men and not circular discourse among other women in fandom who are claiming to speak on gay men's behalf) is coming from young gay men who don't have much of a community offline, and especially young gay trans men who often aren't yet presenting as male outside of the Internet. It's really hard to talk about, because it so easily risks saying those people's identities aren't valid - and like, we've seen TERFs weaponize that discourse to suggest that gay trans men involved in fandom are just straight women who identified too hard with their blorbos or something, as well as the endless use of "passing privilege" to suggest that bi people in F/M relationships are "basically straight" - but I think one thing people need to understand better is the difference between "your identity is valid, your personal experiences with homophobia/transphobia/etc. are valid" and "your judgments about the larger community that your identity makes you a member of are valid." Like, you do actually have to participate in a community to be able to be able to talk about what the consensus in it is, what the cultural norms are. You have to actually look up the history in order to know that history. If you're going to speak on behalf of All Gay Men you probably should know some beyond yourself - including ones who are not Very Online and/or aren't active in fandom - and that goes for both cis and trans gay men. (And the same is true for every subdivision of LGBTQ+, I've seen similarly bizarre takes about "lesbian culture" from 17-yro lesbians who clearly haven't talked to any outside of Tumblr and insular, dramatic Discords.)

Like, to use an analogy here to another kind of oppression: say you have a black person who was adopted by a white family very young and lived in an exclusively white neighborhood and doesn't know any other black people. Obviously, they are still black, and obviously they still experience racism (probably especially because they're an outlier in that community). Obviously, their own understanding of their identity and their experiences with racism are valid. But they aren't necessarily going to have any better of an understanding of the broader black COMMUNITY - cultural traditions, history, etc. - than a non-black person who was similarly not exposed to that community. They can only speak for themselves. And someone who isn't black but grew up near/in black communities (for instance, perhaps another transracial adoptee who was adopted by a black couple? or even just a non-black person who grew up in a heavily black neighborhood) might actually have a better sense of that broader community/culture than they do.

And this isn't a hypothetical. I've heard stuff like that about feeling like outliers in black American culture from everyone from the aforementioned transracial adoptees; to multiracial black people who were raised primarily by their non-black family; to black people who are recent immigrants from Africa rather than descendants of slaves; to black people from Europe or other parts of the Americas, who have some similarities in their culture but it's not completely 1:1. And especially from people who are some combo of the above. They have an understanding of themselves as black and of their relationship to race and racism, of course, but don't really feel like they have a particularly strong understanding of The Black Community or The Black Experience as we understand it in the USA.

I think what a lot of people don't understand is that newly-out queer people are often like that. A lot of other marginalized identities - like being a cis woman (this applies less to trans women unless they've known from early on) or being a POC - are ones where you grow up with an understanding of what that means and often a connection to a broader community that gives you some kind of consciousness of what it means to be A Woman or Black or Asian or whatever. But with queerness, it's usually not something you fully understand about yourself until adolescence or adulthood, and even when you do, you don't necessarily have access to a "community" around that until that age because you're probably being raised by cis straight people. You have to take time to discover that community and learn about it, and the culture and history that goes with, and when you start out you're going to be just as ignorant as a straight cis person who is similarly isolated from queer communities. (And frankly, a straight person with a lot of gay friends might know better than you do at first! As a lesbian with a lot of gay male friends, most of whom couldn't care less about my slash fanfic hobby if they even know about it, that's precisely why I know that these takes on Tumblr are so bizarre)

(Disability is the interesting one because it sometimes overlaps with this, sometimes doesn't - and one of the big divides in the community IME is around people who have lifelong understandings of themselves as "disabled" vs. came to it more recently, whether because the disability itself is a new thing or just their diagnosis of it. A lot of people in the second group can have very similar experiences and act in similar ways to newly-out queer people, and I know because I've lived both myself, lol.)

I think people have taken the idea of "everyone is the best expert on their own experience with oppression and their own identity" and distorted that into some weird essentialism where being gay or bi or trans or whatever gives you automatic understanding of "queer culture" or "queer history" without having to do the actual work of talking to people, participating in that community, studying history, etc. but that's just not true. Anyone can study that history and get to know those people. And yeah, as a queer or trans person you'll have a better opportunity to really deeply know and be part of that community than straight cis people with queer friends ever will, but you still have to like. Actually put yourself out there! You're not going to find it by just discoursing in a vacuum of ignorance.

--

Sadly, to all the Olds, this is very, very obvious, but there's no way to make it obvious to the people doing it. It's a matter of experience.

[terrestrialnoob]

Characters from TMNT 2003 that I personally miss (and kinda wish were in other versions)

Nano: baby robot who had a scientist mom and a criminal dad who each just wanted to use him, either just as a science experiment or to commit crimes, but all Nano wanted was a family (and he should have been adopted by the turtles, he should have been their 12!Metalhead/S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.)

Silver Sentry: Superman? The American Ideal of Truth and Justice is a Kind and Funny Black Man who is genuinely good friends with Mikey? Sign me up!

Nobody: An Ex-cop who tried to go after the corruption in his own precinct, and while he could be less of a cop, he just wanted to stop crime and make sure no one got hurt, even the gang members he went after and the billionaire that bought his old precinct and got him fired.

The Justice Force: Having a superhero team in the TMNT universe just feels right. It's a superhero universe, the Turtles are Superheros; having fellow heroes to work with and both be mentored and mentor others gives the wider world so much depth on top of the turtles having a reliable group of people to call on when things got too dangerous and out of hand.

Angel: She wasn't Casey's sister, but he treated her like a little sister and she was a good mirror character to Casey. She had all of his flaws but as a younger person he had taken responsibility for she provided a way for Casey to address those flaws in himself while helping her avoid taking a bad path.

Professor (and the knockoff Jay and Silent Bob who hung out with him): Homeless characters need to be People. Professor was a person and a fully round character and I hate it when homeless people are just props and not people.

Augustus O'Neil: April's uncle who gave her her adventurous spirit! You can really feel his influence on her personality and can tell that he encouraged her to become a scientist. (though I think it would also be fun to make him her dad. Come on! April and August? The Father-Daughter duo we deserve.)

Casey's Mom/Ma Jones: Look, sure, she was rude to April, "testing" her to see if she really cared about Casey, but that's kinda understandable given the kind of people Casey would likely hang out with (criminals and vigilantes) and she apologized immediately after. And, Ma Jones knew Splinter (the master ninja) and Leo (his best ninja student) were there and helping April pass her "girlfriend test" the whole time, but she didn't want to say anything about it to not offend her son and his friends.

The Daimyō: Even if he's not the runner of the Battle Nexus, he was Splinter's Friend. His relationship with Splinter let the audience know Splinter had a life outside of his family, that there are other people Splinter knows and can go to, who he can talk to about being a parent and just hang out with.

[shouldiusemyname]

Only Friends - The Voice of the 80's Babies

Long post

Inspired by this post by @chicademartinica and bestie @thegalwhorants's comment about the wardrobe. Also this post from @blmpff which really made me think I'm in the right direction...

Before I get into this I just wanna say that I'm posting this very hesitantly as it's a very personal view of this show (possibly within the Jojo-verse). I might be reading too much into this and projecting my own experience and the fact that Jojo is about my age, but OF feels very much a reaction of my generation. I realize that most of what I'm going to say will sound familiar and relevant to everyone (not just 80's babies) but I'll try to explain the difference between what I read as a general generational experience and a universal experience.

I said it before and after watching the first ep it has never been clearer that Only Friends is what happens when 80's babies are given a chance to settle scores.

Everything about this show screams I WAS A TEENAGER IN THE 90'S!

First of all - the clothes! EVERYTHING they're wearing is like it's taken from my high school photos 😅 I know fashion is fluid and trends will make a comeback periodically, but given what I feel they're trying to say, I believe it's intentional.

The Sex of it All

It's like a direct reaction to the way we were raised and the relationship my generation has with sex. This is very regional and cultural, but generally speaking sex was not discussed as a natural aspect of life and relationships. Sex was either shameful, dirty, reproductive, or (the worst option) over discussed without healthy boundaries. My parents' generation didn't have the tools to discuss sex with their children in a healthy way because they were also denied this conversation by their parents. So, they either hid it or overshared.

So, my generation was raised (by western media basically) believing that everyone must have sex and our social standing is directly linked to whether or not we were having sex (who said American Pie?). We weren't given the option to have different views. We were trapped by this extremely deformed view of sex and relationships.

Watching this show and the discussion around it feels like creators are calling bullshit on everything we were told about sex.

Stuck in the Middle

I'm going to generalise here, but basically people who are just slightly older than us (meaning my generation) have this very black and white attitude towards sex - there's the right time to start having sex, your partner matters (in the way that you should be in love or in a relationship), relationships are monogamous, and kink is a deviation (don't even get me started on queerness - you were either gay, straight, or a crossdresser).

On the other hand, 90's babies were born into a much wider and open world that gave them the opportunity to get a much broader picture and view about relationships and how sex plays into them. This is even as basic as just having a wider vocabulary to talk about it.

My generation was, however, stuck in the middle, left to really hindsight our way through our perception of sex and its place in relationships.

In my 20's I've witnessed so many conversations where people were analyzed over the fact that they choose not to have sex like there's something wrong with them. Why are you not having sex? What's wrong with you? You're waiting for love? - don't waste your time. You're just going to fuck whoever? - that's just wrong. There's no winning.

Furthermore, when considering what Jojo said about the discussion around queer sex in queer shows and bl - my generation was raised with the idea that being queer (which was then just being gay) was all about who you have sex with. No one ever said anything about love or gender. When I was figuring out my own sexuality, being queer was about who you wanted to sleep with, not who you loved. We still see this today when people believe that our queerness is defined by whether or not we are having queer sex, and I believe this is at least part of what @bengiyo is talking about when he talks about the internalised homophobia. This is so much of my generation carrying and passing it on because we were denied these conversations.

So Now What?

Now, creating a show that is about sex, queer sex, and how it plays into queer relationships is reclaiming the conversation about queerness as an expression of love as well as sexuality. We deserve to discuss these issues as a generation that was denied these conversations whether queer or not. And somehow, these issues are discussed more freely and openly within queerness as it has the advantage of being free of heteronormative notions.

Another reason I believe this is generational is the fact that Jojo is consistently having this discussion within his shows. I don't know how to explain it, but his shows feel like screaming liberation, like he's walking around with a baseball bat (preferably Only Friends branded) and smashing these false ideas one by one. Which is why I believe we need to look at this show as part of the Jojo-verse shows along with The Warp Effect, 3 will be free and Gay OK Bangkok. Jojo is on a mission.

Expression Within The Show

Ok, so what am I getting at after I had you read my trip to the shrink?

I believe that ALL OF THIS is expressed in the show through the group dynamics we see in our friend group. They all represent different notions and they will fight over dominance. This is the power struggle that my generation is trapped in. We need and deserve to say our peace.

This is what I meant when I said that OFTS is what happens when you're an 80's baby with shit to say.

As usual thank you for reading my ramblings. I hope you get what I'm trying to say, and clearly have issues 😅 so feel free to comment and give perspective...