#when the root of the problem is they don’t in fact feel good about themselves

[lilyimmsim]

i think there’s a divide between the way women and men can talk + feel about themselves. it’s difficult as women to say “i am beautiful” or “strong” or “hot” or “worthy”. i think it’s much more acceptable to say these things, or much more expected, when you’re a man. it’s shown in media all the time; the main character thinks she’s ugly and is so shy and can’t see it until a dude comes along and tells her she’s beautiful; it’s seen in the lyrics “you don’t know you’re beautiful - that’s what makes you beautiful”. and i get that those lyrics are from a popular, harmless song but it injects this belief into young girls that not knowing, not admitting your beauty is what makes you pretty, rather than owning the beauty + being confident of it.

[drdemonprince]

We sometimes treat avoiding Annoying Queer People as if it’s essential to the LGBTQ community’s self-preservation. We agonize over event descriptions and identity-based admittance policies, wondering how to discourage all the Annoying (and often, it’s implied, fake) Queers from attending without restricting any actual queers. (This always fails, because it turns out that actual queer people are humans, and therefore pretty annoying. And being annoying, by the way, is not a crime.) In order to fortify ourselves against Annoying Queers, we mock all their signifiers and regard them as massive social red flags: straight husbands, bolo ties, sexual inexperience, ukuleles, rainbow pins from Target, misconceptions about what hormones do, and Picrew avatars all somehow get treated with equal venom, no matter where they are coming from and why. The problem is, none of these traits tell us anything about how safe a person actually is to be around. Only observing their patterns of behavior can do that. By demonizing “cringey” and irritating attributes as the signs of a deep character flaw, we ignore the fact they tend to cluster among the closeted, questioning, or newly-out for a reason. When a socially isolated queer person in the suburbs feels that nobody sees them as they are, they might cover themselves in rainbow swag from the local big-box store to an ‘annoying’ degree. When a closeted lesbian teen hasn’t had the chance to form genuine relationships with LGBTQ people, all her reference points might come from shows like Our Flag Means Death and Heartstopper which yeah, might seem fangirlish and irritating to a more seasoned adult. When a profoundly repressed trans divorcee still believes the misinformation about hormones they’ve been fed by the press, they might repeat some downright offensive myths about pelvic floor damage or body hair being disgusting. This too, is incredibly exhausting to help someone process again and again. I don’t think any of us literally believe that the more irritating a person is, the more of a pressing political threat they are. But we behave as if we do. We devote huge amounts of time to complaining about the types of queer people that irritate us, and develop complex taxonomies for describing why they are so annoying and why defeating that annoyingness matters. This person is a tenderqueer, that one is a tucute, and in their style of dress and annoying mannerisms we can tell that they represent all that we hate most about ourselves and how we are seen. It’s easy for us to wind up directing more attention toward the queer people that annoy us than we do to our shared enemies. It’s not a good use of our time. It’s not good for our shared futures. And it’s all rooted in internalized shame.

I wrote about biphobia, acephobia, transphobia, and the troubling respectability politics of hating the "Annoying Queer Person." The full essay is free to read (or have narrated to you!) on my Substack.

[thisismeracing]

Heartdresser | LH44

― Pairing: Lewis Hamilton x braider!reader ― Warning: mentions of a brother, social media au mixed with regular writing, tooth-rotting fluff, fem!reader (she/her); - 2.8k words + social media setting. ― Summary: When Lewis finds himself just a couple days away from a racing weekend and without his usual braids he desperately searches for suggestions of available hairdressers in the area. As the saying goes, love can come from the most unexpected places, and Lewis is about to discover that this is, in fact, true. (based on this request)

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Being a Formula One Driver had its perks, from obvious and big things such as traveling everywhere to not-so-obvious and small things like having your hair stylist travel to you when you needed them. After becoming an adult and famous, it took Lewis a couple of years to come to terms with his hair, how to style it, how to take care of it, and how to embrace the texture and volume. He felt finally whole when he reached that point, one where meaningless comments on the internet wouldn’t make him rethink his path, goals, and achievements. Of course, comments hurt, but being comfortable with yourself helped, and that was something Lewis learned. 

Now, his braids were part of him. The hairstyle being associated with his image in the blink of an eye. Something that made him feel handsome, and connected with his roots. Something that seemed to help other young black boys around, who started to see themselves as stylish and handsome too.

That’s the main reason why he was so frustrated when his braider called him to tell them they couldn’t make it to Las Vegas. And the thing with braids is that it's not only a style that connects you to your roots, and makes you feel comfortable, it is also a hair protection style. Though Lewis doesn’t tell people he has superstitions and somehow it is true, part of him feels like he races better when he’s feeling himself in all senses of the word. This means having his hair in the braids he’s been looking forward to for over two weeks is something important to him.

So in the heat of the moment, he decides to look for help on Twitter.

“Hi, you must be Lewis,” you smile, extending your hands, and the man in front of you takes it in with a grin. 

“Hey, good afternoon,” his grip is still thigh yet soft on your hand. “Yeah, it’s me. Thank you for having me on such short notice.” He’s handsome and polite in all the ways one should be to be considered perfect, and you start to understand why your baby brother was drawn to admire his persona outside the tracks. 

You shake your head with a chuckle, “It was actually my day off, but I had no problem fitting you in since it meant Dee would get to meet you.”

“Oh- honesty is something I find hot,” he chuckles and adds a grin for good measure, all while looking straight into your eyes and you can’t help but laugh.

Add funny to the list of things Lewis Hamilton seems to be. 

“Who’s Dee, by the way?” 

“It’s Aiyden, my little brother. I call him Dee,” you explain before adding, “He’s finishing a Chemistry project with a few friends at school. He was tempted to skip but gave up after a pep talk on how school is important, and I would take forever doing your hair just so he could see you.” 

Lewis nods while you explain, and then he’s chuckling just like minutes ago. 

“I don’t mind waiting for him with you,” he winks.

You’re not sure if he’s being friendly, funny, or flirty, but any of these F words coming from the black guy in front of you are surely making your heart skip a beat. 

“You can sit here while I grab everything,” you point to a chair in front of a big mirror and Lewis does as said. 

“Your hair looks fire,” he comments, watching from the mirror while you go through the small saloon gathering the packs of hair and combs you would need. “Did you do it yourself?” 

“Thanks,” you stop just for a second, smiling when your eyes meet. “And yeah, I did it just last weekend.”

“You look even more stunning with this style,” and just like that he has you giggling again. “I mean it. I saw your profile picture and I was convinced you couldn’t get more beautiful, and then you opened that door with a smile and these amazing braids and I was like wow.” “You’re a funny one.”

“I’ve heard some women like their man funny, is that your case? If so, I’m ready to get into stand-up comedy.” 

You double with laughter, shaking your head and biting your lips to keep the funny noises inside.

“Same style you’ve sent me the picture?” Lewis nods. “Any addition or preference?” you ask, starting to section his hair, and he answers no while making himself comfortable on the chair.

And even though you joked about taking forever just so your brother would catch Lewis, you ended up really taking forever because the driver in front of you would joke around and give you flirty comments and you couldn’t help but stop to laugh. The style he wanted was fairly fast, and his curls weren’t that thick, but still, you two did a small snack break when he ordered from a vegan bakery downtown. He was a fun guy to talk to, you came to learn that pretty quickly, which only added to his face card, which certainly was never denied. 

It was one of the best sessions you’ve had in a long time.

You were just finishing the final touches, adding water to boil, and cutting the small strands coming off the braids, when the bell over the door rang, announcing your little brother’s arrival. He has an incredulous expression on his face watching his idol sitting on the chair of his sister’s salon. 

“Hey man, how was the chem’s project?” Lewis asks and Aiyden turns around to the door, doing a small victory dance and, probably, the most hideous expressions to conceal his eagerness and happiness. 

You and Lewis laugh.

“Omg, hi, Lewis!” He finally walks to you, shaking hands with Lewis. His eyes – big orbs gleaming with excitement. 

“Aren’t you gonna say hi to your sister, young man?” with your hands on your waist you furrow your brows in the direction of the curly-haired boy who smiles, engulfing your body in a big hug. You hug him back before tapping his back and fake complaining about how he was crushing you. 

Aiyden had just turned fifteen, but his love for sports seemed to help him defy your DNA and grow more than your family’s average size. He was almost reaching your height, and he sure was stronger than you, but he was still just your baby boy. 

“These new braids are lit, man! Told ya my sister would make it happen,” Ayiden, who still has one of his arms around your shoulders, tells Lewis with a proud smile.

The driver moves his head confidently checking his hair in the mirror, “She was a great braider, and even better company, to be honest.” 

Yn rolls her eyes playfully before going back to the water and mentioning for Ayiden to take a step back. She dips the ends of the braids into the water, waiting for a bit before taking them off and draping a towel around Lewis’ broad shoulders. 

“So, your sister mentioned a chem school project. How was it?” 

And just like that Ayiden and Lewis are talking non-stop while you tidy the salon, watching their interaction with a fond smile. The Brit was attentive to your brother, always ready to listen rather than speak, always engaging, and making Ayiden feel comfortable to share whatever he wanted to. 

He probably had no idea, but that was an easy way to get to your heart. Ayiden was your treasure, and the fact that Lewis was treating the boy as if he was his little treasure too only added to the list of things you found amazing about him.

“...right, Yn?” Dee asked and you snapped out of your daydream.

“What?”

“Lewis just invited us to the Vegas GP, I said we were going, right? Please, please, please,” he pleaded in front of you with his two hands together as if in prayer, and you bit the inside of your mouth.

“Sunday?” 

“No, the whole package, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!” he explained excitedly.

“It will be fun, c’mon,” Lewis tried.

“You have school on Friday.” You reasoned, but Ayiden was quick to explain that Friday wouldn’t be until 6 pm. “You’re the one asking Kali to get my appointments from Saturday,” pointing a finger to your brother you accepted, knowing that your friend and coworker, had a space on Saturday for a hair or two and wouldn’t mind covering so your clients wouldn’t be hanging out to dry. Still, she would probably huff and yapp before accepting. That was something that Ayiden would now deal with though, so you were all good. 

Ayiden jumped up and down the same way he did when he was ten years old asking you to get him a new pair of soccer jerseys, and you accepted. It was endearing.

You talked for a few more minutes, Ayiden got his picture, and just like that Lewis was saying his farewells. This time he didn’t shake your hands, rather hugged you and you couldn’t help but breathe in his scent and relish his warmth.

“See you on Friday, guys,” he waved, showing off his perfect set of teeth. 

“See you, man!” 

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yourinstagram had to drive the kiddo to school today or else he would stay home choosing his weekend outfits lol (traffic is a bitch btw, so if you can avoid downtown, pls do!)

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youngdee why would you expose me like that

⤷ yourinstagram I'm your older sister, ofc I'm gonna act like a mom ❤️😘

lewishamilton nice fit, ayideen!

⤷ youngdee thank you, man! 😎

⤷ fan4490 OMG KJSDKGJSKG

charleslechair she looks so cute

⤷ charleslechair scratch that I just went through her pics

⤷ charleslechair she's hot

⤷ charleslechair and super talented

wolffmickey so its confirmed, she's the braider?

schumachinho *on my knees begging* pls, do my hair too, yn, pls pls 🧎🏾‍♀️🧎🏾‍♀️

yourfriend I spent an hour on traffic today in a road that usually takes me about ten minutes 🫠

yourfriend2 bruh, ayideen is getting bigger and bigger, I feel OLD 😭

Friday rolled around quickly and you got to watch the total amount of fifteen minutes of practice 1 before all hell broke. Ayiden explained everything to you along with the whole controversy going on with the LA Gran Prix, which you were just a tad aware of. Lewis wasn’t able to spend much time with you guys that much was expected, but whenever he found a few seconds he would pass by, ask if you guys were ok, if Dee was having fun if there was something he could do, and just overall being the goofy Lewis he was during the appointment. Ayiden seemed to find the flirtatious glances and lines funny, and so did you, except this time it felt a little more real because you were sure a few people around overheard some. 

It was an amazing night, you made friends with a couple of people from the crew, and Ayiden had the time of his life meeting a few other idols, and almost started hyperventilating when Hamilton told him he would take him to meet Charles Leclerc on Sunday. 

Saturday was even more of a rush, you almost didn’t see Lewis, but he texted before and after quali. So when Sunday came you were still trying to navigate the whole paddock thing, but a bit more comfortable about it. Aiyden was still acting as if it was his own version of Disney land and it was his first day discovering the adventure world. You were loving it for him, of course. 

“Nice outfit,” Lewis whispers right beside you, catching you off guard and making you jump in surprise. You were in a corner, just texting a friend, and checking your next few appointments while Ayiden went to meet Charles and you thought Lewis would be there until he came back, but it wasn’t the case.

“You’re sneaky,” you chuckled, straightening your instance and looking into his face only to notice he was already staring at you. 

“You look cute when you’re focused,” he winks, before adding, “and when you’re scared too.” 

“You look cute when you joke like this,” throwing back at him you didn’t expect for his brows to furrow in confusion. 

“You think I’m joking?” 

“Aren’t you?” 

Lewis giggles. He giggles and you can’t help but smile with the sound and the way his lips part while his eyes squint. “I’m not.”

“You’re not?!” 

“I think you’re pretty and smart, and talented. I was genuinely flirting with you,” his explanation makes your insides turn in giddiness, and as if it wasn’t enough Lewis smiles, eyes glued on yours before he asks: “Wanna go on a date with me?” 

“A date?” You repeat trying to let the idea sink. 

“A date?” This time it’s Ayiden’s voice and you turn alarmed, expecting to see a confused and jealous brother, only to find him with the biggest grin ever.

“Yeah, a date,” Lewis smiles briefly to Ayiden, before staring back at you, waiting for your answer.

You blink still unsure. Fair enough, he was hot, educated, smart, and he checked all the boxes, but that wasn’t any guarantee of a successful relationship, or fling, or whatever he had in mind. And also, his lifestyle wasn’t something you were used to. How would dating him work when he’s often traveling around to drive?

“C’mon, don’t overthink it, Yn.” Ayiden comes to help, standing beside Lewis and the Brit chuckles. “It’s THE SIR Lewis Hamilton,” he points, and this time Lewis laughs. 

You bit your lips, not helping but letting a smile escape. 

Lewis is in front of you, hands in his pockets, big brown eyes watching you, and the smallest smile gracing the corner of his plump lips. He looked great. And as much as you wanted to deny, there was a vibe going on. 

You take a deep breath, smirking at him, “Get yourself a podium and we’ll talk about a date later.”  

Ayiden’s eyes widened. 

“Did you forget how quali went?! It’s gonna be hell to get a podium, almost impossible,” your brother tries to reason, but Lewis shakes his head, extending his hand to which you clasp in yours.

“Deal,” the driver smiles. “I’ll get you a podium.”

Lewis squeezes Ayiden’s shoulder and winks at you before disappearing into the garage to get ready for the race.

“One more reason why he’s the goat, see? If I were you I would go on a date with him even if he didn’t get a podium.” 

You laugh, “For the few things I saw, he likes the challenge. Let me indulge him.” 

“You’re crazy.”

“And he’ll get a podium.” 

“It’s very unlikely, but I won’t deny the possibility. It’s Lewis after all.” Your brother leans on the wall beside you. “And it looks like he wants this date bad.” 

“What makes you think this?” 

“C’mon, he’s been flirting with you nonstop since the hair appointment.” 

“I genuinely thought he was joking.” 

“You can be so clueless sometimes,” your brother rolls his eyes playfully and you slap the back of his head. 

“Watch it, young man, I’m still the oldest.” 

And you were still right too, because hours later Lewis impressed everyone by getting third place. He kept everyone on the edge of their seats along with Charles who did a brilliant race, and just like that your brother was grinning devilishly your way because now you had a date with no one other than Lewis Hamilton who happened to walk into the garage just as you were handling a water bottle to Dee after he ran to watch the ceremony as if his life depended on it.

Lewis was smiling brightly at you, sweat mixed with champagne, but you couldn’t help but grin right back and lace your arms around him, taking him by surprise. 

“I’m all sweaty, sorry,” he whispers, his tattooed hand flatting on your bag and bringing your body closer. 

“It’s fine. Congrats on the race.” 

“Congrats on the race, man!” Ayiden hugs him too and Lewis smiles, eyes still trapped on you. When your brother lets him go and stays rooted in place looking from you to Lewis you trap the laugh inside, and roll your eyes fakely, pointing for the young boy to give you both some privacy.

“So, looks like I scored myself a date, huh?” 

You nod, taking a small step in his direction and trying to keep your hands from tracing all the small details on his face from this up close, “You sure did.” Your eyes were now on his lips, and Lewis grinned. 

“Can I ask you something?” 

“You already have a date, what else do you wanna ask me?” You’re teasing and he knows it because this time he’s the one to take a step in your direction. The tips of your shoes are touching, and you can hear the rustling outside, but it’s just you two in the corridor, and you hope it stays like this for just a little longer even though you knew he had an interview in a few minutes. His company and attention are something you enjoyed having.

“With how many dates do you find it ok to kiss someone?” His playful tone is there, but his expression makes your knees almost buck. “Can we count practice, quali, and the race as dates?” 

And just like that he has you laughing and grabbing his neck to close the distance and smash your lips in a very much-awaited kiss. 

yourusername

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yoursername best date night ever 🤍

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────── ⋆🪩 VOICEMAIL: Hi! I hope you guys liked this piece! <3 I wanted to add a huge shout-out to C (my coffee emoji anon on Tumblr) for proofreading this (Ily, C!)

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[0nyancat0]

My take on “radical feminism” that nobody asked for

I myself consider myself leaning very into radical feminism but I see that terf ideologies seem to get mixed in more often than not (wanna make it clear I support trans rights)

1. A lot of rad fems think that all heterosexual sex is rape which is such an insane thing to do and implies that women do not have the power or capacity to consent to heterosexual sex

2. I do agree that we as woman will never find liberation through sex or sex work however rad fems do not realize that a lot of women fall into sex work and can not simply quit, I do not support the sex work industry but I support sex workers

3. To me it seems a lot of white women have overshadowed the movement and only mention woc when it’s used as an aha! moment against men and not with the intention of actually helping

4. Extreme transphobia, the main idea is that trans women rape women’s body’s and appropriating the body, my conflict with this is women are not their bodies and trans women have always felt like women since birth is the biological aspect that’s the problem

5. A lot of rad fems think a women choosing a certain lifestyle or religion is oppressive which again perpetuates the idea that women can not make a choice without a man or patriarchal idea being involved or a sense of brain washing

I think a lot of rad fems have lost sense of the movement and more times than often make themselves appear victim like and in a constant state of martyrdom, yes we women have suffered and continue to suffer and be oppressed but we can not let this weight break us down and make us point fingers at people (trans women and women who choose religion or certain life styles) who are not the root cause of our suffering

Please let me know your thoughts

Edit

⭐️Some people seem to be confused about this but i was born a woman and will always be a woman, it’s so crazy how other women will try to degrade me as if they were men for disagreeing with them or seeing things differently, i do not like liberal feminism and i never have, and i do not like to label my belief system and prefer to make a more individual standpoint than community⭐️

Another edit lol

⭐️I have never claimed to be a rad fem or that I know everything about rad feminism because I don’t, and that was the purpose of this post, it’s really crazy how people will say they want to educate and liberate women while yelling and degrading me for simply not agreeing with them and proceed to do the same things men do, you are no better than a man, I’ve come to realize that this community strayed from its original purpose and roots and has been taken over by people who want to put in their own two cents and opinion, this community or at least a good portion of it seems like a very miserable community, I have meet a lot of rad fems who have common sense and realize that hate will get them nowhere and being rude to me won’t achieve anything, on the other hand majority of rad fems I’ve meet have misconstrued the movement from what I’ve read and put feelings over facts, I won’t interact to hate and only to genuine discussions ⭐️

[trg-deltarune-quotes]

All the Lightners are smart in their own way: Noelle and Berdly

Noelle is the smartest among the group by a long shot. While her emotional intelligence is a bit low, mostly because she's not all that open about her honest feelings which leads to her being a yes man half the time.

Or sugarcoating her feelings to not come off as rude to other people.

Even when doing either of those things would help out in not miscommunicating anything.

She makes up for it with her quick wits.

She’s so smart that she comes up with a solution that quickens the pace of one of the puzzles. 

So yeah, Noelle is the smartest out of all of them. Even Berdly admits it.

Speaking of the bluebird, he’s not as dumb as he paints himself as. Yes his emotional intelligence is the lowest among the group but he does get some stuff right.

His assessment on Noelle, while a bit rude, is not unfounded.

This is what happens at the very first mouse puzzle.

He even notices that she has romantic feelings.

But the problem lies with what he says next.

By itself it’s not so bad, in fact it's really sweet of him, but he’s not talking about Susie.

He’s talking about himself.

Berdly’s not that great at identifying why they have those feelings or whos those feelings are towards. 

He thinks Noelle is shy and reserved because she has stage fright and not because of the month they had to spell at the spelling bee.

And he thinks Susie has a crush on him because she was nice to him when he opened up to her and because she's TRUE gamer as well.

Granted he has his feelings of friendship confused for love.

This is mostly stemming from his low self-esteem.

Believing himself to be worthless unless he could prove himself.

And while he might not be as emotionally intelligent as Susie or as smart as Noelle he is a great organizer and planner.

When Berdly works with the team to save Noelle, he comes up with a plan that accounts for the strength of all the team members of the fun gang. 

Kris is unpredictable, you never know how or what they're gonna do, having them distract Queen makes sense. Susie is the muscle of the group able to dish out pain like it’s nothin so having her escort Noelle also makes sense. And finally Berdly’s memory of the palace makes him a reliable source for where to go.

That’s another thing about him; he has a really good memory.

He doesn’t just remember big words, he remembers the people who created his statue and gets their help to build the giant robot.

So yeah, Berdly is a smart kid as well.

The biggest question now is why do they do dumb stuff when the situation is less goofy and a bit more serious? The answer is simple. They are EXTREMELY poor communicators. Kris doesn't want to have a serious talk, Noelle is too afraid to speak her mind, Susie was quite a nasty bully before her adventure in the dark world, and Berdly jumps to conclusions a lot. And all these issues stem from their deep rooted insecurities so of course they’re gonna make dumb decisions. They don’t want to hurt their feelings, or act like they don’t care about them, hell they even might pretend they don’t care when they really really do just to protect not only themselves but those they care about. They’re just a bunch of teenagers trying to navigate the complex web that is relationships.

Communication is a really prevalent theme in this game. One in which I feel will get explored more in the light world rather than the dark world. Because what better place to talk about your issues than in your own world? Might not be as fun as a dark world adventure but that doesn’t mean they can’t create their own fun with friends. They can use the dark world as a foundation to forge stronger bonds and help each other out. After all, just because they dreamed of it doesn't mean they can’t learn from it.

It’s just like what Susie said at the end of the ferris wheel ride.

[utilitycaster]

I feel like every time there’s an episode that highlights the ways in which Laudna’s character is hollow, we get the opposite moment from Ashton.

Like, Laudna has explicit reason to be pro-god, she was resurrected by one, her rant disregards a large chunk of what’s happened in-game and tries to make a point that fully eludes her.

On the other hand, Ashton’s anti-god/ pro-faith rant makes sense for the character. It’s also wonderful ironic, with the meta-knowledge of the Luxon being a sliver of divinity.

And then there’s the other moment, where Laudna has a conversation with Imogen in which they circle the same topics as always and end undecided about what they want for themselves.

Whereas Ashton has a conversation with FCG that highlights how far both have come as characters and how much their relationship has changed and exactly what each of them is fighting for.

I don’t know. Over and over again, I look at Laudna and Ashton and see two high-concept, aesthetic characters, and one found a way to be rooted in the world, and the other just… didn’t.

How many new NPCs does Ashton’s backstory bring to the game? A dozen? More? And Laudna has… Pate? She just feels so ungrounded and disconnected from the reality of the world.

Yeah...for what it's worth: I don't mind that Laudna doesn't have a pro-god stance. While I do think it's fair to say the gods have in fact done something for her, she spent very little time with Pike and it might not be on her mind. It's just...why would Laudna feel strongly about this at all. Why is she talking. Like, part of what was interesting about her in Hearthdell is that it's easy to see an argument for her fully siding with the villagers (after all, she also had an external force come into town and start fucking things up, was also overthrown by a mostly external group and returned to those who originally led it) but her attitude was "why are we dealing with this stupid bullshit when there's far greater things to worry about." Which was fascinating! And then she was betrayed by a member of the Vanguard! And then she comes back and she's furious and angry and upset...and then it just vanishes and she starts taking the opposite position for no apparent reason, and like, I know this is improv but she kept talking after like 2 or 3 glaringly obvious buttons on the conversation.

It would make perfect sense for Laudna to have the same position as Ashton, is the thing. "People have done harm in the name of the gods (Hearthdell) and I don't know if they've ever listened to me or intervened in my suffering, but Ludinus is doing incalculable harm on a much grander scale right, and we need to be against that, and I am open to the gods making their position more clear to me." Literally that's it.

As for the two...honestly I think the fact that Laudna...isn't high concept is the problem. Like, you can build a character on an aesthetic as a starting point. That's fine! But Ashton is not just punk in looks, but also punk in attitude. Taliesin asked the question "what would punk look like in Exandria" from a philosophical standpoint, worked with Matt to create a chaotic barbarian class, thought pretty extensively through the backstory that led them to the point where we see them at the start, has played a consistent throughline, and so when Ashton takes a stand it feels earned. With Laudna...the things that finally started to build during the Issylra arc (actually expressing unhappiness and anger, being upset with people on both sides of this argument) just vanished, and again, it increasingly seems true that almost all the work done was to support the aesthetic without then going back and weaving it into the story.

I will also add: I don't think having a ton of NPCs is important or a good metric - in fact there was a really good D&D court in which someone had a ton of NPCs in their backstory that their DM had asked them to tone down. I can think of plenty of characters who don't have a ton of NPCs in their backstory, either created by them or by Matt, who are great. Like, actually, part of the issue is again that Laudna is supposed to have this incredibly lonely, empty backstory, and we don't actually feel it. It's been so much tell and very little show.

[ironwoodprotectionsquad]

I just I’m raging at this weeks episode and I know I should be happy but I’m not I’m so pissed off.

So the girls knows what happened in Atlas but they’re bickering about if it's really as bad as it seems and if they completely failed or not which leads to this:

“What good is saving anybody if Salem just destroys the world anyway.”

“That’s how Ironwood thought, you don’t mean that.”

NO RUBY IS RIGHT YANG SHE IS RIGHT IF THE PLANET IS DESTROYED EVERYONE ON THE PLANET IS ALSO DEAD GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY UNDERSTOOD THIS WHY CAN'T YOU.

Also are we now really trying to "but the economy" the entire fucking planet? How are they deluding themselves into thinking protecting the relics shouldn't be a top priority? Why are we trying to act like Ruby is wrong for recognizing Ironwood was right when he was very concerned about Salem getting the world ending relics? It's absolutely disgusting how the show in continuing to drag James's name through the mud like I knew it would happen but fuck it's got me so annoyed.

Salem ending the world is a real problem to be worried about, handwaving it away as "something only a bad person like Ironwood" would think is just insane to me. She wants everyone and everything dead, Salem getting half the items she needs to do that should scare the shit out of everyone but as we find out later in the episode this is not the case and it is the last thing on their minds.

Yes, saving people is important, but the mains are ignoring the very real problem of no amount of people saving from disasters like Atlas will matter in a world ending scenario. Everyone will die if Salem gets the relics. And even if the gods lied about ending the planet if humanity isn't united that won't fix the fact that as of right now they have every reason to believe they will and need to be acting as if that will happen. And saying Ironwood was totally wrong and we did everything right, shows a callous disregard for the consequences if Salem unites the relics. Why is the show trying to make us root for these girls again?

Now you remember the damn cat???? The one who literally was sacrificing themselves for you? It took you this long to wonder if they're okay? Once again we find out the cat might not be so good a person this episode, but at this point the mains have been thinking they are a friend and can be trusted so once again them forgetting about the cat and the civilian is just a gross disregard for peoples lives that feels so weird right after the girls try and boost themselves up as better then James for trying to save the people.

Also Jaunes explanation on the story is so confusing because we don’t fucking know the story so we don’t know what went wrong or why. Or why their storm isn't as bad or violent and Blake and Yangs given they should be in a really bad emotional position right now with everything they have found out.

Let's also finally talk about the elephant in the room. Yes the bee's being canon is a very good thing. They said I love you and kissed so we cannot deny they are canon. This is very good and needed to happen but it happened five episodes late if I'm being generous and 3 seasons too late worst case. But even how they got together wasn't....great. A storm that forces them to tell the truth? They aren't saying it because they're ready to? They're being forced to? Okay. This is so weird and awkward.

I also have to wonder how they started mentally talking to each other and why neither thought it was weird. This whole scene feels so awkward and forced and even if it leads to a good thing we've been demanding that doesn't make the writing work. I also have to wonder, why is the bee's relationship "more important" then finding out about Salem getting the relics? Why isn't that a bigger concern for literally all of the girls? It should be that's for sure. And just do not even get me started on the damn comedy surrounding them all getting out of the damn storm just. Don't. This post is way to long as it is.

Aaaannnndddddd Jaune has Crescent Rose how boring. This is the dumbest way to get Ruby her weapon back. All of the theorizing about how her losing her weapon was a sign of her losing herself and finding it again would be tied to her finding herself again just got tossed out the window. The interesting and complex storytelling tied to that arc are just gone and I am so damn annoyed. It's been established for a long time a persons weapon is apart of themselves and we could have had a great arc about Ruby's search for Crescent Rose mirroring her search to find herself again. It could have actually been a good use of wonderlands weirdness that is once again not utilized in a meaningful way.

[goldenheartstudios]

I wanna talk about Ninjago Crystalized

  Disclaimer 1: Spoilers if you haven’t watched that season yet

  Disclaimer 2: The things that I’ll focus on may not be relevant to you personally and that’s valid

  With that out of the way, I guess I should start with the reason of making this rant

  You see, it’s no secret that many fans don't have a positive opinion on this season, and that many people criticized it already. But personally, I’m neutral with this season, having things that I enjoyed or found nice, and things that I found annoying (but are more rooted with the problems in Ninjago series’ writing as as a whole)

  And, well, I actually didn’t plan to make a post about Crystalized. But I had in mind for a while to make a rant about my problems with Ninjago and how they come in relation with Dragons Rising (which I plan on doing this after that season ends of course), and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Crystalized is a whole different topic on its own

  So I thought it’s better to put all of my feelings about this season separately, which I also noticed that are, uh, a little bit different from the majority of the reviews & rants that I read

  Starting off with the fact that I actually prefer the second part of Crystalized more than the first one

  Let me explain

  First of all, I find good things and bad things from both parts. Just because I personally like the second part more doesn’t meant that I don’t have issues with it

  But it’s a fact that my main issues are in the first part

  And I’m gonna start with the beginning

  The freaking timeskip

  In a past post about Seabound I was talking about how I wanted to see Kai grieving about Nya. Because, you know, she’s his sister, the whole reason why he became a ninja and why this show exists in the first place. And, you know, I also wanted to see how the others grieve, not just Jay, because she was part of the family, and I personally think that the show’s strongest point are the emotional moments

  So the fact that they made a timeskip of one year and focused more on Jay’s feelings about Nya than the others immediately dropped my expectations on the season to almost none

  Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Jay. And yes, they did show that all of them are hurt and coping in different ways. But the thing that irks me is how they downplayed the others’ relationship with Nya in order to show that Jay is “the only one who still cares” about her being dead

  Yes, they were lovers, it makes sense he was this miserable. And yes, it makes sense for the others to grieve in different ways

  But it unnerves me how the execution was so weak and how they painfully downgraded the relationship between Kai & Nya in consequence

  I’ll admit my bias, their sibling relationship is my favorite thing from the series. But this show literally started with the bond they have for each other, and I personally don’t like how they seemingly made romantic love more important and valuable than family love. And I don’t mean just blood family, I mean the family created in the team as well

  Family bond is something beautiful and dear to me, and it bothers me how little focus was put into it throughout the time… in favor of plots that are not that great to put it lightly

  The sibling bond between Nya & Kai is very important, and if you think about it, it doesn’t make sense for Kai to have the kind of grief shown

  I don’t mind that he wanted to do something productive and teach kids how to defend themselves (even though it would make more sense for him to go back to his unhealthy coping mechanism of fighting, similarly like in season 4), and it could have been used as a parallelism to Jay’s decision on being stuck with the feeling of loss (if the writers were competent enough for this-), but him acting with shock at first in Seabound doesn’t make sense because we saw him reacting with loss before

  When Nya died in season 6 he was immediately devastated, and when Cole fell in season 10 he reacted with anger and anguish. The first reaction is an instinctive reaction, so Kai reacting in such a quiet manner doesn’t make sense and it only took focus from him when his freaking sister died. Was it that hard to make Jay & Kai cry together to reinforce their bond for Nya and with each other??

  Honestly, Kai’s a whole different subject on its own, so I’ll refrain myself from elaborating more on this problem than I did before

  And instead, we get to another different problem: the reviving Nya plot

  God, this one was so annoying

  Listen, I get that the mayor didn’t want to release Aspheera, and I get that the ninja decided to break in instead. I don’t have an issue with this

  The issue that I have is everything that happened afterwards

  First, let’s put this into perspective. A dangerous person escapes prison with a dangerous weapon because of a group of people. But these people saved the city a number of times in the past and they did this to bring back another person who sacrificed herself for the city. Objectively, these people are less of a threat than the dangerous person who escaped, and even if their actions are bad, their motives are understandable

  So, what should you do? If your answer is to focus on the escaped prisoner and possibly send the group of people after her in order for them to fix the mistake they made and keep the city safe, then congratulations you have a working brain

  Because this show imprisoned the ninja and let Aspheera, the dangerous one, be free and do whatever she wants

  This plot idea is hilarious for how stupid it is

  Like, who thought of this? Because there comes a point when you need imagination to think of something this bad. And the mayor being insufferable didn’t help either 

  Why in the hell was the mayor this against the ninjas? Just because the neon ninjas came in (which their whole existence is an annoying trope of useless rivalry), it doesn’t change the fact that the ninja did safe the city many times before from foes that threatened world destruction, and they try their best to protect others because no one else is able to face such danger

  If the mayor had such a big gripe against the ninjas for “causing trouble”, then he should freaking build better defenses. Stop relying on vigilantes and make a better system where there wouldn’t be need of their help

  Also, I want to briefly note that the way they wrote Aspheera was disappointing. I actually really liked her in season 11 for being a villain who has a twisted way of seeing promises: you can find a way to cheat through them, but you have to respect them. And the issue that she seemed to have the most was Wu breaking the promise he intended to make and sealing her away for many years

  But here she was reduced to a one-note villain who wants revenge. Great.

  Then we see the ninjas at the prison, which it wasn’t even entertaining. Their encounter with Ronin was irritating because the way he was written was, again, one-note without the personality traits that make me like him in the first place, and the ninjas being more punished was not enjoyable

  And after the ninjas escape, there comes the police chase. Which I can’t decide if this plot idea is more stupid than the previous one

  Because why the hell is the police more competent in chasing down the ninjas than the freaking villains? And why the hell are they focusing more on capturing the ninjas, when there are other confirmed escaped prisoners who are way more dangerous than the ones who have a reputation of protecting people?

  I mean this in the most lighthearted way possible, this is one of the reasons why I struggle to say that the writers of the show are competent

  I really dislike this prison plot. The more I think about it, the less it makes sense, and it doesn’t serve any other purpose than filling out time and building a fake challenge for the ninjas. And aside from genuine nice and funny moments, the first part is filled with this annoying plot

  But the second part has less of this plot, which makes it ten times better in comparison

  Now, I think the main reason why I don’t mind the second part that much is because I was watching it with no hopes or expectations, as they were all drained from the first part. And with that, I was able to turn off my brain and not think too much about the issues in this part

  They make Zane turn into the Ice Emperor as a joke? Ok. They bring back Overlord to be the main villain once again? Sure, why not. Nya getting her powers back plot was disappointing?  Didn’t expect anything more. Lloyd’s oni arc (and his arc in general) is all over the place? It wouldn’t be the first time. They make an obvious fake-out death at the end? That’s just a normal monday

  And lost potential is a tradition for Ninjago at this point, so I wasn’t that bothered at the many cool ideas from this part that could have been something great if the writers knew how to execute them and focus only on a few of them

  Now, I think I should talk about one of the reasons why people dislike the second part so much: the way they treated Harumi

  Which… uh… it didn’t bother me personally because…

  How do I put this lightly?

  I don’t really care for Harumi

  Now now now, let me explain. I don’t dislike her, but I don’t like her either. There are times when I enjoy her, especially when the fans do their own unhinged interpretation of her, but overall I don’t feel anything for Harumi for a couple of reasons

  First reason, her age confuses me. We see her as a child at the time The Great Devourer was defeated, and she seemed to be around the same age as kid Lloyd. And then there’s season 8, where she seems to be around the same age as Lloyd, maybe a little bit younger

  But the issue is, Lloyd did not age naturally, he aged up a good number of years with the Tomorrow's Tea

  So.. it doesn’t make sense for Harumi to be around the same age as him in the present if she was around the same age as him in the past, you know? And this confusion makes me feel conflicted about her

  Unless the ninjas stopped aging at a certain point, she should either be significantly younger than them, or she should have been a teenager when The Great Devourer attacked, which it wouldn’t make sense with her appearance shown at that time

  Honestly, the whole age subject is a mess in this show in general, especially since there are only three models to show the characters’ age: average, child and baby

  Another reason why I’m neutral towards Harumi is her motivation. I do like the concept of blaming the ninjas on failing to protect her family and admiring Garmadon for defeating The Great Devourer, but the thing that I don’t like is how the show made her somewhat in the right for her motivation on hating the ninjas

  I don’t like the idea of criticizing the ninjas for failing to protect everyone because here’s the thing: they’re vigilantes. They’re not officials, and they’re basically doing voluntarily work because there are no other people capable enough to do it

  I don’t mean that they should be allowed to play with people’s life or something like that, I mean that you can’t really blame them if they make mistakes or are not enough

  It’s like having a couple of people who do all the computer work in a building by choice. If they mess up something, you can’t hold it onto them, because the head of the building is at fault for relying on such few people who do all the computer work for free

  So the city’s system should be blamed for not having proper safety precautions and for relying on a group of few people to save them every time there’s a dangerous villain around, not the ninjas

  So aside from sometimes finding enjoyment in her unhinged personality, I personally don’t find her motivation that interesting

  Also, I want to mention that I dropped season 9 after the first 2-3 episodes (as I didn’t find it that interesting personally), and I’m aware that it’s an important season for Harumi’s characterization, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there are things that I talked about Harumi that are more developed or delved upon which I’m not aware of. And if that’s the case, then cool! I would be glad that the writers actually thought about this and addressed it!

  (I didn’t watch seasons 12 & 13 as well, so if there are things that I talked about that are explained in these seasons you can let me know!)

  One thing I would say about the Harumi from Crystalized tho. I expected for her to get a rushed redemption arc, but it’s still not nice that she got it, especially since there are people who are fans of her. I genuinely wish she had gotten more respect and a more satisfying conclusion

  Now, there are things that I genuinely liked from this season. Some character interaction moments, some funny dialogue, and the epilogue. It made me smile when people went to help build up the monastery, and Garmadon’s relationship with the plant was really sweet!

  I don’t have much of an impression about the ending since I turned off my brain at that time, but I wouldn’t say this season deserves to be called the worst season of all Ninjago. It has a lot of shallow and bad moments, yeah, but Ninjago is full of writing problems that are present in every season. As such, I personally don’t believe that there’s a worst season, only stronger and weaker ones

  So yeah, these are my thoughts about Crystalized! You may have a different opinion from mine, and that’s perfectly fine, since people focus on different things when it comes to watching shows

  Hopefully my next rant about Dragons Rising would not be this big… if I get in the mood to write it-

[pinkeoni]

Click to read my long and rambly complex feelings on Rovickie below

Wanting to defend Rovickie in any capacity is a little tiring because it always has to come with the disclaimer that the ship is underwritten and Vickie herself is greatly underdeveloped, because, well, this assertion is true. Rovickie is so poorly developed that Maya Hawke herself said she would have rather Robin’s story just stick to being about friendship and the majority of the fanbase ship Robin with someone she isn’t going to be wuth, and I can’t even blame any of them because of how poorly handled her actual love interest was.

But at the same I kinda can’t help but root for them despite their mismanagement. I like the energy Amybeth McNulty brought to Vickie despite her writing, and I also like the idea of Robin’s “dream girl” that she can barely talk to being a band nerd as awkward as she is. (yes Vickie being a copy of Robin is an issue, but at the same time I like the idea of similar people gravitating toward each other 🤷🏼‍♀️)

I remember reading a post that the Duffers kinda shot themselves in the foot with Vickie. There doesn’t seem to be a way to develop her without shifting attention away from someone else, but now that she’s here, it would be bad if they didn’t give her any development at all. This show has a problem with introducing more characters than it can carry and failing to give development to some of its OGs. Robin herself being one of these characters. Is Vickie a character that can only be remedied by going back in time and remedying writing mistakes of the past? (btw I’m not saying that Robin shouldn’t be on the show, but the show needed serious structural remodeling in season 3 in order to balance all of these characters, and it’s hard to imagine if it’ll be handeled well in season 5)

Earlier in this post you might have noticed that I threw a jab at the other Robin ship, which I have expressed my feelings on before. I don’t want to spend too much time dissing them here because I do understand that sapphic ships often get unnecessary hate for sheer fact that they are sapphic.

So I’ll just be point blank: I don’t think ronance is going to happen. I don’t think Nancy is queer, I don’t think that their interactions are romantic, but hey if you wanna read it that way more power to you. If the fanbase is far more into a ship that won’t happen more than the ship that is supposed to be intended to happen then this is a pitfall of the writers. And like I said before, I understand why people prefer ronance considering that rovickie is so poorly developed. They would rather Robin’s love interest be someone that she had more development with.

But I also wouldn’t want ronance to happen because I think it would be shitty to introduce a queer character to be a love interest and then completely give her the shaft. But at the same time Vickie’s writing is already shitty because of her poor development.

Sometimes you see people (milevens) on twitter saying that byler shippers don’t care wlw ships, and this isn’t an argument even worth appealing to because they are just saying this in good faith, they are saying this just to push buttons. Sometimes when an audience doesn’t engage with a sapphic ship the responsibility is placed solely onto the audience, and not the creators who have failed the sapphic ships of the show. (I’m not saying that people who ship ronance ship it for this reason, but I am saying that I don’t want to ship a wlw ship for the purpose proving that I support wlw ships)

So I guess I actually mourn Rovickie. It’s not dead, but it’s not as good as it could have been and it probably won’t be. There’s the slightest chance of the Duff’s proving me wrong, so maybe I’ll hold on to that tiny sliver of hope.

[demonicintegrity]

Ngl when I was skimming past Barbie posts and people were saying it was profound in how it addresses Ken’s plot line of toxic masculinity and how it parallels watching a boy grow up and fall into that and what not, I got a little skeptical because I noticed the movie was only an hour and half. Cuz like, surely you’re couldn’t deconstruct both Ken and Barbie in the real world to that degree in just 90 minutes?

But they did. Like surprisingly well.

I think what struck me about Ken is that it’s a great analogy about how a boy’s support system is almost entirely dependent on their potential/girlfriend. And that’s where the root of the problems are. Ken is setting up his entire source of validation and emotional support onto Barbie. Not once do we see him confide in another Ken about being upset that Barbie always has girl’s night, or anything of that nature. It’s either trying to address that with Barbie directly (not always well) or just bottled up inside.

“Where do the Kens go?” There’s no structure in place for them. Therefore, the best they can do is attach themselves to their Barbie.

And it’s only for validation and what can she provide for him. Maybe it’s because he’s feeling that neglected (he does say theyre boyfriend-girlfriend but she never does say that so hm.) or maybe it’s because he’s only focused on what he wants. As soon as the two enter the real world, she’s explicitly stating she doesnt feel good and instead of asking what she means or even acknowledging it at all, he says he’s feeling great!

And within the real world, the first person to give him some general acknowledgement and praise is The Patriarchy. And they don’t do it because he’s Ken and he did something, they do it because he’s a man. But he doesn’t notice the difference.

And this is a real thing with a lot of boys and teens falling into pipelines. Once you’re too old to cry there’s nothing in place to be supportive for them really. Mommy’s not gonna baby you forever. But you can go compete for a girl’s attention. Little Timmy you were nice to Samantha once you must like her Hm? Go give her flowers you pick in the yard she might like you back. Oh he’s playing rough with the boys? Oh that’s just how they are.

Brotherhood isn’t encouraged, not in the same way sisterhood is. Girls are told to look out for each other, uplift each other, stick together. Boys are told what? It’s okay to hit and roughhouse and shove because boys will be boys. But if girls did that to each other they would be told to be nice.

(Brotherhood is encouraged in war, in finding woman together, for a task. Sisterhood is encouraged in community and in protection.)

Where do the boys go?

So Ken gets validation and support, and it feels like brotherhood. It feels like respect. But it’s not because it’s so superficial, it’s the patriarchy. It’s “you’re a man so you’re better and qualified.” “You’re a man so you inherently deserve these things.” “You’re a man so you have the right to push women aside for what you want.”

(And that’s what makes the Kendom so different from Barbieland. The Kendom actively pushed the Barbies aside. The Barbies just didn’t think to make a specific space for them.)

And that’s how the pipeline works. A boy just wants some acknowledgement and praise. And typically the first one to give that wholeheartedly and enthusiastically is misogynists because being a man is inherently amazing and worth praise for them. Or it’s more like how Ken discovered it, he just was looking for horses and trucks. But got horses and trucks and don’t forget!! Men are on top of the world!! And he internalized that!

(And the fact he got all this from a middle school library didn’t escape me. It’s how boys at that age fall into these things so easily when just trying to learn and/or just find things of their interests. No this isn’t me saying ban books it’s me seeing the metaphor of how easy it is to look for one thing and get Patriarchy deeply embedded into it.)

“Once I realized the patriarchy wasn’t about horses I lost interest.” Because how often do men get to have interests without it somehow reinforcing the patriarchy really? Yes trucks are cool but they’re MANLY cool and so how MANLY cool you are unlike those WOMEN cars!!! But patriarchy says you get to have these because of itself so it cannot be separated so easily. If it’s what’s giving you it, then sure I guess.

The patriarchy is the only “support” system that actively seeks out men to some degree. While women have that sisterhood they’ve been encouraged to seek out and build since they were little. The weird Barbies/kens built themselves their own little place away because they knew they had to built from scratch for weirdos like themselves. Solidarity together.

And here’s the catch: it’s because the Barbies didn’t set up anything up specific for them. And why would they? It wasn’t asked for. And the Barbie’s made everything for themselves just fine, what really was stopping the Ken’s from doing that too? Especially since we see the weird Barbies and Kens build their own place.

Because that’s how it is as a woman. You build your own support system, take the time to check in and talk to your friends. Your mother encourages it, go make friends with the other girls. You’re encouraged to make friends and learn conflict resolution and stick together despite bumps.

And when building all that up for yourself, as you’re suppose to, the boy beside you has nothing. And it’s not your responsibility to make something for him, but now feel obligated because at best he’s expecting it from you/moping around in your space despite the boundaries or at worse he’s falls into The Patriarchy and is encouraged into community with Andrew Tate stans and the like and that becomes a problem for everyone.

Idk. I just saw Ken and went “oh no” as soon as he stepped into the real world because you watched the dominos fall in real time and knew what was happening and why. Someone else here said every woman has That Ken. A childhood friend or family member or something. And I think about me, and the eldest daughters, with little brothers trying so desperately to give them a system and teachings even though it’s not our jobs because we don’t want them falling and becoming the next bad guy. We did it ourselves but by god we gotta help them because they were never taught to help themselves. Hm.

[dzthenerd490]

I have some complaints about certain things in the SCP:HMF. In your au, you explained to me that there were “foundationist” basically immortal fascists of the foundation. I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t like the “foundationists”. Like it is so strange to have the staff being immortal and being huge jerks against regular humans, it feels so out of place, it feels like they belong in a different canon of your AU. I also don't like how it is achieve so easily, yes there probably is a SCP that easily do it but I don't like how 05 just easily does it like you said they really don't care but they should because there is literally a canon where the foundation realizes that death is a necessary part of life. The cannon is called “The End of Death” if you are wondering. 

This brings me to my second problem, which is the portrayal of the global occult coalition. Like you portray the GOC as just typical genocidal maniacs that want to kill all anomalies in the world. Like the foundations are supposed to be the protagonist of the HMFverse, however because of the Foundationist thing of them wanting to recreate a SCP-5000, like how can I root for them? I support the GOC more because of those “facists”.

I don’t blame you for just portraying the GOC as “KILL ALL ANOMALIES” it's that how they were written back in the early days of the SCP wiki. Nowadays, GOC should be a professional, elite organization as the anomalous wing of the UN and essentially a global organization with the governments of world powers supporting it and should be as powerful and well equipped (if not moreso) than the Foundation. 

 The GOC are anomalous themselves (literally made up of 108 paranormal organisations, religions, and other groups), their leader is D. C. al Fine, a shapeshifter, thaumaturgist, and ontokinetic. Heck in the canon UNFOUNDED (basically a canon where the SCP Foundation doesn’t exist and the GOC are the protagonist) she is a grown up version of Sigurros.  

And to the extent of which they destroy anomalies. In most cases when said anomalies are inherently dangerous and can't be reasoned with. As a matter of fact they are pretty cool with people with powers living normally as long as they don’t use said power to hurt people.

Woah! Okay let's get to work I'm going to chop down your main points to answer them but please be aware I am in no way disregarding any of the details of your points I'm just organizing my answers.

Your Point on Foundationists - I actually forgot about the "End of Death" Scenario when I was coming up with the immortality thing. I just didn't want time to be a hinderance since I do have a timeline in SCP: HMF and figured it was stupid that the Foundation had so many ways to strengthen and rejuvenate the vitality of its employees, yet it was only ever reserved for the O5. That was mainly my own frustration in manifest.

HOWEVER, I also have other things planned for the Foundationists which is why I won't be getting rid of them or the immortality concept, sorry.

But you made a good point though, and it has got me thinking about how I should potray the Foundationist's form here on out. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks!

Your Point about the GOC - ... Okay I have a confession to make I don't like the GOC. I know you're a GOC fan, but I don't like them I actually hate them. since there with the UN I think of them as politicians and Bureaucrats that waist time, not focusing on the real issue, and often make things worse for everyone even themselves.

Yeah, I know the GOC has anomalies within it, I've made it a rule that they make exceptions for SOME anomalies (mostly more human looking ones). I've been trying to find something or think of an OC SCP that could possibly work with being allies with the GOC instead of the SCP Foundation, but I haven't got much except for some Resident Evil characters (minor spoiler, though I won't say who).

The main reason I made the SCP Foundation describe the GOC as a bunch of gun nuts is because in the Foundation's eyes they destroy opportunity. YES, the GOC doesn't destroy every anomaly the come across but for those they DO destroy the SCP Foundation feels as though it's a loss in potential anomalous science. In the eyes of the O5 even dangerous anomalies can be useful, therefore they want to contain everything anomalous. That's why the GOC calls them Egg heads that send good soldiers to die for suicidal science... or they call them SCP Fucks like everyone else.

I haven't made this clear as of late, that's my fault and your right. I'll try to make more tales in the future where the GOC and the Foundation can have actual conversations and talk about their organization's philosophy to each other rather than just insulting each other.

My overall Response - The Foundationists and the Global Occult Coalition. These are problems I actually already had planned to deal with; HOWEVER, that is not an excuse. I thank you for giving this criticism because one you have actually pointed out a few flaws I didn't consider like the immortality problem which I'll be sure to make a few more tales that will be specifically about that issue. two, now I'm sure to which tales and files to put a rush on after my break. Though I still have the queue so it will take a while... sorry.

But seriously though, thank you so much for your criticism. I know everyone wants to be told their writing is flawless and amazing which I'm guilty of that too but that's just now how it works. For creativity to thrive it must go through new experiences and criticism is quite possibly one of the best experiences as it helps it grow the strongest under criticism. Also being told what works best, that works too... actually I think both works great together. I'll be sure to use yours to make my writing better. Again, thanks!

[disneymbti]

Zed and Addison from Disney's ZOMBIES?

Hi there, sweetie! I really hope you really like this a lot!

Zed Necrodopolis' MBTI Type, Big Three and Enneagram Type

MBTI Type: ENFP [The Campaigner]

ENFP types are generally very outgoing and lively, preferring to go out rather than stay in. They love conversing with other people and generally process their thoughts externally.

They are great problem solvers and enjoy figuring out how everything is connected. They tend to focus more on the future than the present.

Campaigners like to keep the peace and avoid conflict. They care more about subjective principles than logic and fact. 

They are flexible and spontaneous, preferring to keep their options open. They dislike routines, schedules, and strict rules.

Big Three: Scorpio Sun, Leo Moon and Sagittarius Rising

Scorpio Sun: Ruled by Mars and Pluto, the Scorpio Sun is known to be intense, mysterious, and ever-evolving. 

Leo Moon: Possessing a wellspring of inner warmth, Leo Moons are beyond generous. As an act of love, they’ll shine their light onto those they care about. 

Sagittarius Rising: Sagittarius risings are jovial, optimistic, and full of energy. They sparkle with confidence, and you can't help but sparkle back when you're around them.

Enneagram Type: 7w6 [The Pathfinder]

Basic Fear: Sevens with a six wing have a deeply-rooted fear of missing out. They want to be trustworthy and honor commitments, but they also want to leave room to allow for last-minute opportunities.

Basic Desire: Their basic desire is to feel fulfilled and happy. They express this by searching for joy in every small thing that comes their way.

Pathfinders defend themselves by rationalizing away negative feelings. They unconsciously convince themselves that they are happy, even when they are not.

Addison Rosalind Wells' MBTI Type, Big Three and Enneagram Type

MBTI Type: ENFJ [The Protagonist]

ENFJs are high-energy people who dislike spending too much time alone. They take initiative and tend to talk more than they listen.

They usually trust their intuition and focus on the future. They are good at analyzing complex ideas. 

Protagonists are motivated by feelings and values. They work to avoid conflict and are very diplomatic.

They like to make lists and schedules, preferring to follow a plan. They are hard-working and responsible.

Big Three: Cancer Sun, Sagittarius Moon and Aries Rising

Cancer Sun: Ruled by the Moon, Cancers are emotionally mature, intuitive, sensitive, and artistic. They are guided by their tender, loving, and protective hearts.

Sagittarius Moon: The Moon is considered to be lucky in Sagittarius, as it brings excitement, adventure, and abundance. However, those with Sagittarius Moons can be defensive at times.

Aries Rising: Aries ascendants are known as the go-getters of the zodiac. They don’t let anything stand in their way of achieving their personal goals.

Enneagram Type: 2w3 [The Host]

Basic Fear: Enneagram type two wing threes fear being unwanted or worthless. They usually avoid this by building personal connections with others and working hard to meet the needs of the community.

Basic Desire: Their most basic desire is to be loved and accepted. They may express this by being extremely attentive and attached to other people.

Hosts tend to suppress their own negative emotions, which, when done frequently, can lead to high levels of stress or unexpected outbursts.

[p-paradoxa]

I feel like there’s a new round of scaremongering wrt “AI,” in that it has gotten so good that AI photos and videos are hard to distinguish from reality, therefore we should all delete our faces off the internet and be afraid to ever post them again.

to be clear you do not need to have a reason to not share your face. you can just not. whether it’s for your safety or anything else. do not feel pressure to do that. in fact I also agree that AI can be dangerous, with how datasets can be used to generate misleading info without regulation, and are used in policing to discriminatory effect.

but these were all problems before and regardless of AI. and I guess I’m a little confused about this particular argument because throughout the entire history of the internet, if someone wanted to manipulate your likeness, or manipulate your words, people did not require AI to do that. but I haven’t seen any recent arguments against Photoshop or any other picture/video manipulation app. hell, just putting your face online could be enough for people to harass you, like turning you into a meme template, no manipulation required. likewise, people have always been able to repost your sensitive photos—like nudes—elsewhere without your consent. and still, people have posted themselves online for decades, which is their prerogative.

I don’t care for AI generated shit but as usual people are acting like it’s a unique new problem, rather than addressing any root issue about why someone would benefit from manipulating someone’s photos. this could be a much-needed conversation about misogyny, transphobia, desirability, etc. in regards to safety. stuff like revenge porn. but in the same way people have skirted around talking about labor and intellectual property when talking about AI, they are continuing to do similarly with… posting photos.

because in the same breath I advocate being responsible with your personal data, I don’t see how this attitude helps people who post their face for work, people who have already posted their face and been attacked without the use of AI, and any vulnerable person who is already concerned for their safety because of aforementioned social issues.

hell, a trans woman was just kicked off this site again by staff. she was flagged even when she just posted her face. and it seems like she wanted to share her face because it gave her joy to. you could argue AI was involved but clearly there’s a pattern of flagging trans women on this website. AI just has the biases of the people programming it. not to “you can’t care about two things at once” but maybe go after the companies and social constructs that are the reasons why someone would be afraid to post themselves in the first place. yet many people here also refuse to engage with topics like transfeminism, but I digress. the reasons why someone could be targeted for posting photos don’t exist in some random vacuum. AI isn’t going to bring about the downfall of humanity Terminator-style or whatever. at least not any more so than countless other tools of patriarchy and capitalism.

(an example of this scaremongering with 20k likes in case someone says I’m making shit up. I fail to see how this phrasing isn’t just gonna make people unnecessarily stressed out. and yes, the video is just an AI-generated bird.)

like… a few weeks? as opposed to all the other times when someone’s life was ruined because they posted a few pics online? maybe AI is not the problem here

[zoeywades-spouse]

You make a lot of good points there.

Something like TNA has very obvious gender coding errors, most notably when Paolo talks about how he's marrying Sofia to Sam because he wants her to be a wife and mother and he thinks women shouldn't be in the business world. Yet he's marrying Sofia to a female CEO? There's no amount of mental gymnastics you can do to make that work. And to add salt to the wound are other smaller errors like f!Sam saying the kids have been "without a mother figure" or that time when the kids called f!Sam "Dad".

On the other hand, I think a good example of male-coding that's a little more implicit is Reagan in Surrender. For the most part it probably is a bit easier to suspend any disbelief with female Reagan's writing and behavior. But when you see them say shit like "When a woman agrees to be my sub, she agrees to obey" it feels weird from the female version.

Granted that line has no place in this story regardless of Reagan's gender, but it feels like something that only a misogynistic abusive guy would say. It'd be one thing if they said "when you agree to be my sub you agree to obey" or "when someone agrees to be my sub they agree to obey", but to specify woman in it (even in the possible context that Reagan is into women only regardless of gender) adds a hint of misogyny to it that... doesn't feel right coming from a sapphic woman.

Similarly with Kit from Untameable. Their behavior for the most part felt gender neutral to me, but the way Austin treats their relationship with MC feels more suited for a wlm route. I mean, it's not completely nonsensical for the others and it's honestly terribly written even for the wlm route, but why the mlw route would not accuse him of being slutshamey or the mlm and wlw routes would not accuse him of being homophobic is a bit odd.

With an LI like Kieran though I feel like it's easier to suspend any disbelief. None of Kieran's behaviors felt like they'd be rooted in misogyny, plus it is a fantasy realm setting different from modern day earth.

The extra weird thing about gender coding for LIs is that sometimes it can make the f!LI routes more preferable. I have seen some people say Reagan's behaviors felt less uncomfortable and creepy when they were coming from the female version. And as a GNC woman myself, I far preferred the mlw routes for books like ID, SW, and TCH as they felt a little more refreshing, compared to how been-there-done-that they'd have felt in the originally intended wlm routes. But even then, although stuff like LI carrying MC or MC sitting in LI's lap aren't nonsensical with non-wlm to me, I do still want some stories where it's the wlm route that feels more refreshing than the mlw, y'know. I want to be the one holding the umbrella for the LI, or bridal-carrying the LI, or having the LI sitting in my lap.

I'm noticing a lot of these problems– both the actual male coding of f!LIs and the lack of variety in romance dynamics– do boil down to essentially PB being lazy. They just play it safe and rely on a narrow stereotyped view of who their audience is (genderconforming allocishet women) and what they think they like. They rarely if ever expand their boundaries– and what makes that tragic is the fact that they have shown to be capable of doing so every now and then. But for the most part, it's playing it safe 90% of the time.

Sorry for the long ask, I just have a lot of thoughts on this.

Don’t apologize for the long ask! I love talking about gender so thank you! 😊

I agree that TNA has very obvious gender coding errors that make it clear when PB wrote Sam they wrote them as a man. And you’re spot on that there’s a difference between Sam and Regan but at the end of the day their writing still comes across as them being male-coded.

I think the biggest problem with Untameable in terms of gender coding isn’t the writing of Kit themselves but how they write the other characters’ perceptions and reactions to Kit.

Austin is definitely way too overprotective when it comes to female Kit but my biggest gripe is how in rural Oklahoma everyone is completely okay with Kit being a player who has a history of hooking up with only women. And all the women publicly fawning over her too? It’s completely unrealistic and shows that PB didn’t even consider how this would be unbelievable when Kit is a woman.

Listen I’m all for more queernorm stories but this story isn’t queernorm because outside of female Kit and MC there is not a single queer romance depicted. So having everyone in rural Oklahoma know Kit is queer and having them all be okay with it and a bunch of girls fawn over her just shows that Kit was written as a man by PB.

With Kieran I gotta say I disagree with you there. Domestic abuse and intimate partner violence is rooted in the patriarchy and when the victim is a woman rooted in misogyny. Kieran kidnapped the MC and abused her. I don’t think having that be in a fantasy setting changes the gender roles in any way, not when they’re literally being abusive. Even if Kieran is a woman in someone’s story, that abuse is still rooted in the patriarchy and misogyny.

Furthermore, the Cursed Heart is clearly inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses. This book series is ripe with misogyny, violence against women, and so forth. The love interest in that series is this dark, brooding man from the Night Court (yes PB used the same name too) who literally groomed the 19 year old main character, SA’d her, and kidnapped her. Yet his abuse is then justified by the author and he is turned into the romantic hero of the series.

So personally I think Kieran’s actions are rooted in the patriarchy and misogyny no matter if it’s in a fantasy world or not, no matter if they’re a man or a woman. Abuse is a lot more common in cishet relationships (and while it can obviously happen in queer relationships it’s not as prevalent and even then that abuse is still rooted in the patriarchy) and considering the inspiration behind the Cursed Heart as well I’d say that Kieran is male-coded.

And you’re spot on. The problem is that PB knows which people in their audience pay the most (genderconforming allocishet women) and writes stories for them. They don’t consider how the relationship dynamics are different when it’s a queer relationship compared to a cishet one.

PB has definitely shown that they’re capable of it. For example, when playing Guinevere I really at any point never picked up on the LIs being heavily gendered towards male or female. And I agree PB absolutely has the ability to write these stories and LIs with care and consideration they just choose not to. It’s all about money these days which is very disappointing

Thanks for the ask!

[w-ht-w]

MBTI & fantasies of ruling the world

In approximate order of importance... the factors that make you more likely to fantasize about world domination are:

1) Intuitive (high Ni or Ne). Driven by vision or possibilities.

2) Rational (high Ti or Te). Driven by logic or efficiency.

If you're high Si or Se (Sentinels + Explorers), your bias for upholding the status quo or enjoying the present moment make you less likely to fantasize about world domination.

Strategies = style of engaging, differs by social style (introvert/extrovert) & resistance to stress (turbulent/assertive)

Ranges from 40-50%. I.e. Strategies doesn't seem to be a significant predictor for whether a person has fantasies of omniscience / omnipotence.

Confident Individualism: Introvert, Assertive (x)

83% say they’re comfortable breaking rules they disagree with.

Only 29% say they usually mirror the behavior of other people around them.

63% describe themselves as very independent.

56% say that control over their mindset is the most important factor in determining their happiness.

Constant Improvement: Introvert, Turbulent (x)

79% of Constant Improvers say they often dwell on their regrets.

96% of Constant Improvers say they often feel misunderstood.

Constant Improvers’ longing for “something more” extends to their professional lives. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Constant Improvers are in the wrong careers for them – although they might wonder if they are. This restlessness doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, restlessness can be an incredible motivator to do great things. The trouble comes when Constant Improvers feel trapped: wanting to make a change, but suspecting they’re unable or helpless to do so. This feeling can have a number of roots, such as self-doubt or a general worry that other people don’t “get” them.

These personalities are often curious about and sensitive to others’ feelings. This can make them excellent listeners, friends, confidants, and partners.

These personality types often exemplify how sensitivity and vulnerability can be hidden strengths. Their attunement to their own struggles and insecurities can help them to bond deeply with others. It can also motivate them to act with kindness and compassion.

People Mastery: Extroverted, Assertive (x)

75% say they’re good at executing their ideas – more than any other Strategy.

Only 35% of People Masters say they often feel regret.

26% of People Masters say they’re good at attracting new partners – far more than any other Strategy.

91% of People Masters are comfortable challenging their boss’s direction if necessary.

79% of People Masters say they see problems as opportunities. These personality types trust themselves to tackle hard problems – and to gain insight and experience from the process. Ideally, this conviction becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, with People Masters taking on ever harder challenges and learning important lessons along the way.

Social Engagement: Extroverted, Turbulent. (x)

95% agree: helping others boosts self-esteem.

75% prefer love over respect

56% admire their bosses.

45% view fear as something they must overcome. This puts them on par with their Assertive counterparts.

Assertive don't feel they have something to prove (by daydreaming about world domination). Introverts probably feel they would stretch themselves thin.

I'm in my Constant Improvement era right now, striving for People Mastery (Extroverted, Assertive): a state of resting in motion, borne of conviction in my own values and place in the world.

I would say my brother is Social Engagement and Constant Improvement. He waffles between introvert and extrovert, but Turbulence is the common theme, unfortunately.

Assertive vs Turbulent (x)

Assertive personalities dwell less on regrets, feel more confident facing day-to-day difficulties, believe they have a healthy ego, less likely to feel negative emotions when comparing themselves to others. Though, they can also be overconfident/over-optimistic.

Turbulent personalities are more sensitive/focused on negatives (both past, present, and future). Focus on doing things to stave off self-doubt, fear of stagnation. Progress/change may depend on these restless/discontent individuals.

[stranger-rants]

Do you ever feel like some people take their projections onto characters too far sometimes, particularly when it comes to campaigning and activism within the fandom? I've recently had to unfollow one blog because they're posting multiple vent posts a day where their core issue about whatever they're ranting about is actually, at its base, just their own personal issues/interpretations. To the point where they're trying to stifle the voices of other queer fans by saying that their discussions are triggering them as a queer person. They've also began to take their own personal headcanons and argue about them/present them as fact in their posts, which just takes away from their points because they're presenting an argument based on something that isn't actually part of the character, and most of their points and examples aren't actually about the character but about themselves. It just feels iffy to me, and I feel like if you're at a point where you can't approach something objectively, even something like basic discussions or other people sharing their individual perspectives, then you need to take a refresher break and come back when you can stop absorbing so much of what's being said as being aimed personally. The way they post is just starting to sound like the victim antis who try to dictate that how they experienced or responded to abuse is the absolute, and how because its their experience its the experience.

Eh, I think this is an issue across fandoms. When something about a character, either canon or fanon, becomes so deeply rooted in your brain it can be hard to understand other people’s perspectives on them. I definitely have strong feelings about certain characters and how they’re interpreted, and I’ve been in the position where it’s hard to accept a different interpretation. I also have close friends who feel very strongly about certain characters and ships in a way that I simply do not and/or totally disagree with.

I think as long as this doesn’t totally destroy your relationship with them or cause frequent breakdowns in communication, then it’s really not a big deal to have these strong feelings. However, you might just need to reevaluate if it’s interfering greatly with your interactions in fandom. For example, I feel pretty strongly about Billy as an abuse survivor (canon) and as a chronically ill person (fanon) based on my experiences as both. Yet, if another chronically ill abuse survivor sees him differently then I have to accept that.

I don’t have to like other interpretations of a character, but I can understand why they exist. I don’t think liking or disliking other interpretations makes me a bad person or a good person. It’s pretty neutral to me. I also have some pretty negative thoughts and feelings about certain characters, but I know that I can’t possibly know all the reasons why someone likes them. So, I try to stay in my lane unless someone makes it my problem.

Fandom is about curating your own experiences, though, so if people insisting on a particular interpretation bothers you then it’s completely fair to avoid that person and/or content. If someone is having trouble coping with this kind of thing, it’s something they’ve got to work through and not something you need to fix. It can suck. There’s certain topics I have to avoid with friends because of it, but ultimately their issues with something or someone don’t have to be my issues.