#y’all just share a country with a lot of people who perpetuate stereotypes that the rest of the world loves to laugh at heheh

[scaredpigeons]

Love harassing my friends with my unhinged thoughts

[eclecticwordblender]

Since @askhindumyths had us constrain our inputs, here’s my take on the Mahabharata High school AU. Sorry I’m too late to the party.

No character is related to another unless stated otherwise.

This post is gonna be a series. If you go through all of it, I love you already xoxo.

First things first: I welcome you to the world of Hastin High, the finest school in the country.

Foundation:

Shantanu:

The founding father. He made the school what it is today.

After he divorced his first wife, Ganga, he had a new found flame in his eyes. Ganga took full custody of their son, Bheeshma.

Shantanu gets all geared up, he wants to be a business tycoon while also equally wanting to shape lives too.

The school becomes the best of it’s kind soon, education and ECAs accessible to all.

Satyavati:

The first headmistress.

Timeless beauty and an unmatched charmed.

Students crushing on her since day one.

Is the young-ish English teacher that can steal your heart with her sparkling smile.

The principal is her fan too.

Introduces new rules for the better but they somehow get messed up.

Senior year students always search for excuses to go talk to her and spend time with her, oblivious to her love affair with their principal.

Obviously so many hearts broke when their marriage was announced.

History:

Years down the lane both Shantanu and Satyavati decide to retire.

Satyavati demands her kid be the next owner.

Shantanu who wanted Bheeshma to take over eventually has to give in. Bheeshma says he’ll be the principal, let his step brother be the owner.

The owner dies of lung cancer real soon, a chainsmoker. AND BHEESHMA TAKES OVER.

Present day staff:

Bheeshma:

He’s old, like REALLY old.

The year he was born in is taught about in History.

Why does the bygone generation’s boomer have to be the principal!?

Everyone is so sick of his reluctance to embrace change.

Can be very biased and annoying, is intelligent, an absolute genius tbh, yet doesn’t seem to use his own braincells.

“WHY AM I BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE!?”

Vidur:

The school counsellor.

He’s too wise for this place. Face palming, ALWAYS.

Perpetually sick of everything.

Will opt out if he smells danger.

Very approachable but also extremely diplomatic.

Is your friend, but is he, really?

“Everyone is so stupid!”

Dhritrashtra:

“I’m the owner of this place bow down y’all.”

Won’t listen to a single good advice.

Again, EXTREMELY BIASED, absolutely antagonist views as compared to Bheeshma.

Is so impossibly problematic and stubborn makes you wanna kick him out.

Nepotism level- OMG.

Extremely biased towards his son.

A rumour says that he once cancelled school for a week only because his son was sick during basketball matches. His son isn’t even that good tbh.

Kunti:

Teaches Geography.

Looks so cute you could fall in love with just the sight of her huge gorgeous eyes.

Seems to be a sweetheart, can be a total b*tch though.

Claims to be absolutely impartial but tends overly favour this one kid in class.

Is also EXTREMELY possessive and protective of him.

It is rumoured that she had quite a beef with a girl student once because she had a fiasco with her very dear student.

Some say that the school’s PTI never misses a chance to flirt with her.

“Who wants the opportunity to carry my stuff to my staff room table today xoxo?”

Gandhari:

Can’t seem to control the class.

Is too sweet. To a point where it’s faulty.

Doesn’t teach very well, however, gives the best moral lectures in the staff room.

Has suspiciously beautiful hair, TO EVERYONE’S ENVY.

Always ends up sending the wrong kids for the right causes to the principal’s office.

Shakuni:

The best maths teacher there could ever be.

Unbelievably high IQ.

Shares Vidur’s diplomatic skills, but better.

Extremely partial, doesn’t even try to hide it.

Can control kids nobody else in school can.

Has very amazing manipulation skills.

Has a v weird enimity with this one kid, Krishna. Everyone in school loves a Shakuni-Krishna verbal face off.

Enters class on the first day: “We are already way behind with the syllabus.”

Still manages to finish the course before anyone else!?

Dronacharya:

Soccer coach.

Nepotism skills, second only to Dhritrashtra’s.

Discriminates amongst his team A LOT.

Thinks too high of himself.

Has a MAJOR feud with the basketball coach.

“This kid has potential to do better than my fav, imma try to sabotage this guy’s entire career.”

Drupad:

Basketball coach.

Very arrogant lesser than Drona anyway.

Doesn’t like people.

Has a weird obsession with his basketball and whistle.

Extremely progressive mindset.

“I don’t like people. But I can tolerate you. Can’t think of a better compliment to give.”

Balram:

Is the youngest teacher in school. Joined recently.

Teenage heartthrob.

Tries to act all strict but is a total softie.

Already done with kids.

“Okay!! Which one of you bratty kids pulled this prank on me today!?”

Secretly enjoys being pranked by his students.

Is looked up to as an elder brother figure.

Kripacharya:

There isn’t much to say about him, THE MAN LITERALLY MINDS HIS OWN BUSINESS.

Won’t say a word until asked to.

Pandu:

Is only relevant because Bheeshma likes him.

We don’t even know why he’s there in school.

Obviously he takes his classes. That’s all he does in limelight though.

Dodges classes even more than the students who frequently bunk. Can be found in school’s garden. Aimlessly enjoying nature.

“I don’t feel like teaching today.”

Madri:

For validation purposes is the gossip queen (not in a bad way though).

Otherwise, Is just there.

Vyasa:

Doesn’t like limelight.

But honestly, does a lot of important work around the campus.

Is responsible for the school magazine. Marvellous writer, NO CAP.

No one knows him well enough. Yet he is the most respected person here.

Pashuram:

Cricket coach.

OG sportsman in the campus.

Even older than Bheeshma.

The man has been there since Shantanu!?!?

Practically built the school with Shantanu.

However, is absolutely irritated by how the institution functions now.

“I’ve had enough. Can I retire PLEASE!?”

Can’t get himself to quit his job though.

Shiva:

Just comes and goes.

Guest teacher.

Has a great influence over most people.

Literally just comes and goes.

Ambika:

Physics teacher.

Not very interested in the staff room gossip or gossip in general.

Cannot live without her bestf.

Ambalika:

Chemistry teacher

Ambika’s bestf.

Introvert. But can talk for HOURS to her her bestie.

Does the bare minimum.

Amba:

Hates stereotypes attached to teachers or students or anyone at all.

Too much rage in her.

Rumoured to have a thing for Bheeshma- the “Thing” remains ambiguously unknown.

Is a true feminist. For this reason, two of the students- Panchaali and Satyabhama, admire her way too much.

Sees herself in this student- Sikhandi/Sikhandini.

“If you wait for a man’s help, you will keep waiting forever” - how she begins EVERY class.

(Imma tag people in the fandom coz no one’s gonna read so much otherwise and I need attention to matter in life :/)

@bigheadedgirlwithbigdreams @soniaoutloud @lemponkoira @1nsaankahanhai-bkr @chaanv @hoeticulture @supermeh-krishnafan

Since I’m being an attention wh*re: @incorrectmahabharatquotes

[theforeverstage]

Thoughts on “Kitchen Talk”

Jen Agg is my absolute favorite voice in the industry right now, even if my living-under-a-rock self had not heard about her until May this year. Why? She is smart, blunt, dedicated, insanely hard working, imperfect and in recognition of being so, unafraid to call out anyone and anything, and truly working towards a better industry no matter what. She uses her voice for good when others around her are not and takes a stance on the topics that so many are afraid to for the sake of their reputations. Also, she wrote a great book called “I Hear She’s a Real Bitch” that y’all should read asap. Reading this was my first exposure to this powerhouse of a restaurateur and it is something that will stay with me forever. 

I read an eater article (https://www.eater.com/2018/9/6/17820644/its-not-just-kitchen-talk-its-abuse-jen-agg) written by her that got my lazy ass out of bed this morning and made me unable to think about anything else until I sat down and wrote these thoughts out. It seems like such a simple concept to recognize that words matter, but it’s one that many people don’t grasp. Industry standards are even harder for people to move away from, because it might actually involve a little bit of work on everybody’s part. Is the change impossible, like some people say it is? Far from it. But it is insanely important, as is the need to make it seen as possible and necessary. 

I’ve been in that position where I find myself awkwardly laughing at inappropriate jokes or language  because I don’t know what else to do, or I don’t feel it’s my place or a good time to say something. That is something I want to focus on changing, in and out of professional environments. My lovely Diva, whether or not you’re reading this, you’re an inspiration. You’re the same age as me and had the same experience of working in a new place coming from another country, an d you were never afraid to speak up for what is right and call out those who were in the wrong. I will always respect that and try do to the same, as well as encouraging others to speak up for themselves at all times.  

I’m part of a generation where “kitchen talk” is accepted and expected, and sometimes sadistically looked forward to, when entering the work force. Countless people I went to school with or worked with “just want to get their ass kicked for a year or two” before deciding to work somewhere they actually enjoy. This can be great to gain structure, discipline,and hopefully knowledge at an early stage, but why do people think that being treated like dirt is the only way to get there? Especially when that means working for a name or brand that sees you as a number rather than a human. While some people are capable of compartmentalization and can take the good out of that situation without the bad, many cannot and end up accepting that environment as their fate. This isn’t to say that all big names or brands are bad, but I do think it’s well beyond time to call out those that are and stop supporting them as employees and patrons. 

I’m lucky to have seen kitchens that embody every stereotype of what a kitchen is, just so know that I want to avoid that however possible, and I’m even more fortunate that the restaurants working so hard towards positive change (or ate least making baby steps) far outnumber the former. Sadly, I know that my experience of working for good people from a young age is fairly rare. 

At different points over my summer of staging there have been two types of conversations that came to me without prompting that showed me what an establishment is really like. The first involves presenting ideas that are just starting to represent and protect marginalized people (still a looong ways to go) as some sort of serious burden to those who do not face the same issues that others do. When a manager at a stage takes me to the changing area and tells me “if you need to change your pants I can show you where the bathroom is, because that’s a thing we have to do now” I somehow don’t think I would feel all that cared for if I did have an issue with changing my pants in the changing area. This is the bare minimum, probably coming from some sort of incident that came to light and now the business is trying to cover themselves. This does not equate genuine effort and care towards employees, especially when it its presented with resent for having to make even the tiniest effort. These are also the kind of places where you are likely to find staff talking about other instances of things going “too far” to respect people, which is a direct reflection of management either perpetuating this attitude themselves or failing to shut it down. 

The second type gave me much more hope for the new wave of leaders coming into positions of power. When I’m shadowing someone and asking questions or making conversation and that employee suddenly starts telling me all sorts of great things about their job or their managers, I get so excited! Whether or not it’s a place I have much interest in working, I’m happy that those people have a supportive environment to exist in and even happier that their managers/employers are going against the status quo and making the effort to set a good example and take care of those who work for them. These are the kind of places where the leaders come to me and try to convey their message and their goals for the future of the industry. One chef in Chicago was talking with me about first jobs out of college, and he pointed out that no matter what that experience is, it will stick with you for the rest of your career. So why let that be an experience that will lead to being jaded, bitter, and toxic to those around you? I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure to make sure that I make a good first choice, which can get to be stressful, but I know the journey to get to that decision will pay off. 

Mine may not exactly be the most popular mindset of people my age, but I know I’m not alone. I get so excited and worked up when I find people who also want to make a difference, or when I hear yet another story of unnecessary mistreatment. I feel like the number of people who want to make change is growing, but the “culinary rockstar” mentality and lifestyle still has a strong grip on those who are new to the industry. 

Every so often, when I am anxious about what my next step will be, an article like this one will remind me of the what I actually care about and gives me a sense of purpose again. All I know is that someday I will be part something that will give people the chance to be themselves in a safe and supportive environment, because who puts their best work and attitude forward when they are surrounded my negativity rather than positivity? 

Also, along with having the responsibility to our fellow industry workers to keep making things better, we have the unique opportunity to educate the public (you know, the people who provide the money that businesses need to stay afloat) about the culture of the industry and the dire need for change. If restaurants can pass on important messages like the need for sustainability with their food and drink menus, they can do the same for other important subjects. As Jen Agg says, words have power. As an industry that has constant contact with individuals outside of it, it is important to use that power to educate and speak out about what is right, and what will not be tolerated. Restaurants have influence, it is time use it to raise the standards of the industry and make the resulting shared experience better for everyone. 

When facing people who don’t understand the need for progress, all I can think is this: We’re all in the same beautiful, challenging, exciting, demanding, exhausting, fulfilling, fucked up, boat. Why not try to make each others lives a little easier?  

[anthonywashrosado]

Our Need for Intersectionality within the Hip Hop Movement

A couple of mornings ago I was in Florida tuning into The Breakfast Club for a semblance of home. Conversations on The Breakfast Club relay ways in which Hip Hop’s Movement and Culture relate to the individual, our community, and our world. In addition to sharing personal stories, politics of the music industry and artist development are examined and reviewed with influential innovators.

There have been golden episodes of TBC that filled me with hope. Interviews with leading revolutionaries Trevor Noah, Angela Rye, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, the cast of Insecure, DJ Khaled,Cardi B.and more have blessed millions of listeners with insight, enlightenment, inspiration, and laughs. Although I am forced to swallow my pride whenever Angela Yee is cut off by her male co-hosts, I tune into TBC in order to tap into sentiments similar to those of Johanna Valdes:

“It sucks that even though when people are highly problematic on The Breakfast Club and Power 105.1, I still have to engage because it's Black media and it's New York and it sounds like home. It just still has the parts of home that still hurt the most (usually misogyny and homophobia and classism).”

Johanna’s ventilation vibrate on a high frequency. Remy Ma was TBC’s guest this morning and I was eager to hear her speak of her creative process, as well as her journey making music. Half an hour into this episode I was packing my suitcase and heard words from Remy that brought a sharp chill down my spine, paralyzing my body to a halt.

“But I just... Me, as a female I get it when females do certain things but--”

She was responding to an earlier statement regarding men who gossip. My heart pounded as I turned my head toward Remy’s waving hands and matter of fact tone, thinking of the audience receiving this:

“--I hang around a lot of guys, so when I see guys doing certain things that the guys I grew up around and that I hang around don’t do, I just be so confused. Like, why?”

She threw her hands up, extending the “whyyyyy?”. I knew exactly where this tired rhetoric was going. I immediately felt solidarity with fellow femme identifying listeners as we all prepared ourselves for the internalized misogyny that would spur the seemingly unending perpetuation of femmephobia and attack on women and girls. Charlemagne responded,

“But you grew up around a lot of murderers and killers and shooters.” Remy attests,

“You’re right. You’re right. Absolutely, I did. I’m not going to lie to you. I didn’t have any, like, nice guys around me. They was real cool, but I tell you one thing: They was 100. They wasn’t acting like

girls. They wasn’t doing anything that was not manly; that wasn’t stand up; that you couldn’t, you know, hold your nuts on. That’s just the people that I grew up around. So when I move around today and I see a lot of the ways these guys be moving, it’s very female-ish.”

At this point Remy’s tone has transitioned from a high pitch of confusion to the somber note of a lecturing professor. Angela agrees with a “Mhm”. Charlemagne nods with focused eyes as if this information is new and righteous. Remy continues,

“Very woman-like.”

Angela, the most informed and considerately conscious host on TBC, quickly switches the topic to Love & Hip Hop. As their talk delves further into mind-numbing discourse, I felt that final blow alongside all femme identifying women, trans people, and men listening.

I expected Charlemagne to support Remy’s statements. This is a man who is obtaining cultural capital through interviews with varying sources emboldening his perspective on the “transgender lifestyle”. Charlemagne is akin to straight and straight-passing men who demonstrate their masculinity via defamation of gender non-conforming peoples. While transwomen are being killed every day, The Breakfast Club have the privilege of sittin in their studio and laughing while, you know, Lil Duval states he would kill his sexual partner if he found out they were trans. Their uproar translated to the TBC community: whether lie or not, a human being’s inability to reveal their gender identity is of more value than that human’s right to live.

Do you see how dangerous that is?

While I appreciate Angela’s proactivity to cease Remy’s misogynist and femmephobic hyperbole, her reaction mirrored my sixth grade science teacher’s decision to sweep homophobia under the rug by instructing us to open chapter four after I had been called a faggot during his lesson.

Miles from my family, I turned to facebook and posted my feelings. Responses from fellow TBC subscribers eased my mind. Candace Simpson vented,

“It hurts me when my fellow black cis sisters engage in those sorts of gender-essentialist games. We never had womanhood in this country. Ever. And even when we did, it was conditional. I wish we could really take seriously that transphobic rhetoric hurts us too. Think about how people called Serena a man. Black women get those ‘insults’ so much more than white women. As a tall woman, I’ve had my womanhood questioned. I wish we could get it together because this really does come home to bite us in the ass.”

Initially, I planned on visiting Angela at her juice spotin Brooklyn. She is able to thwart any exchange from deleterious to productive. I invariably look forward to her questions. I admire her entrepreneurship. As a Brooklyn native I felt she might want to listen to me. “Yet”, I thought to myself, “if the camera is hardly on Angela during TBC’s aired recordings and her profound questions are constantly interrupted by basic macho prose, then what power would she have to respond to the hate so boldly spewed internationally? ...And would she be targeted for speaking out against hate she and her co-hosts permitted on TBC?”

Angela’s decision to slyly swat away comments that assure continuous degradation of women within the workforce and social spheres is one that is just as venomous as instigating hate. Remy’s internalized misogyny was ignored, as well as the fact that she spat in the wind.

This spit slapped the faces of women who have struggled with stereotypical heteronormative expectations of womanhood for generations... then hit all of her femme identifying male and trans fans...

and finally landed on her L’Aveugle shades.

Although she may wipe her glasses off, the brunt of her conclusion is detrimental to the sustainability of her fan base. There are many ironic and sad parts of Remy’s foot-in-mouth moment. First and foremost...

Remy, come meet me on any day and I will humbly show you a man who is thriving for his community. I will come to you with utmost respect and kindness. I will provide for you receipts at which to prove how I have fostered my upward mobility within a society whose legislative and socially oppressive systems hinder non-white low class individuals from reaching their potential. I am a queer femme identifying Afro-Boricua housing rights activist, curator, and choreographer. My older brother is also queer and a self made entrepreneur, mother agent, and photographer who I assisted in helping raise our three younger siblings. My mom had he at 16 and me at 18. He and I are both very comfortable with our masculine and feminine energies.

My brother is 100. I am 100. I am confident many of your femme identifying male fans are 100.

We need clarity on your definitions so as not to misinterpret your words: Remy, what does it mean to act like a “girlyman”?

Doe it mean that that one is considerate; emotionally intellectual; secure in their feelings; able to express their self?

Or does it mean that one is fragile; dim-witted; easily moldable; unable to make their own decisions?

What does it mean to act “woman-like”?

Does it mean that one provides; nurtures; has agency in creating the circumstances for the life they want; preserves the human species?

Or, Remy, does it mean that one is worth less than the masculinity present within a cis-gendered man; to blame for any verbal and physical abuse they receive in these streets; wired to gossip.

If so...

Remy Remy Remy... You and TBC just dug us a bit deeper into a pit of anti-women based media, hate, crimes, and legislation...

Now I’M confused cause y’all over there laughing and got me sitting in Miami on a sunny 86 degree day tapping at the keys on my laptop, over here like... Why? Whyyyy? Why can’t y’all just have a discussion with the Gender Unicorn?

Fact:Gender performance, gender identity, the sex you were assigned at birth, sexual attraction, and emotional attraction are different. Neither one of these dictates the other.

Remy, your remarks regarding your perception of how others should perform their gender have weight. I wish they didn’t, but they do. I understand that you were alluding to men who gossip. However your proclamation was toxic because it implies that women inherently gossip and/or it is okay for women to gossip but not men. Although your words intended to illustrate your mindset on men gossiping, their effect was of severe detriment to TBC supporters. They maintain the stereotype that women are loose with their tongues. They validate aggressors who traumatize, attack, and slaughter gender non-conforming people.

Remy, I also grew up with machismos in and out of jail. I too had men in my life like those you explain. They tried their hardest to make a man of me. What they, and you, won’t realize is that my manhood and my gender performance are defined by me. Not them. Not you. Me.

True, Remy, your intention was to express your distaste for men who gossip. This implies that gossiping is a trait ingrained in women.

Remy, what is missing from your eurocentrically washed frame of mind is the herstory and history of our African and Indigenous American ancestors. Arawak Tainos across the Caribbean were amongst countless tribes who lived in matriarchal societies. All spectrums of gender identity and performance existed then, as they still do today.

Remy, in order to insure the longevity of your career you need an ardent and viable fan base that know you got their backs. No matter your intent, your actions impacted more people than you can imagine. Believe it or not, your fans include gender non conforming and/or femme identifying people.

Why do we hurt one another even though we are all being hurt by the same oppressor?

I escaped New York in part to get away from femme phobia, only to arrive to North Miami and experience femmephobia from men and women of color.

Where is the intersectionality? Why can’t I escape society motivating society to drink basic-heteronormative flavored kool aid?

Red dye #40 is not good for you.

Deductive reasoning reveals if a person is discriminatory of an identity they too claim, then they endure self-inflicted prejudice. Remy, if you loved yourself then you wouldn’t have to nonchalantly spread hate internationally. Just because people around you were laughing, does not mean it wasn’t enmity. I hope you take time to learn to love yourself more. I hope you will make time to reach out to we who secure your artistic career’s existence. We need your lucidity.

We are waiting.

Revolutionary Ru Paul preaches, “If you don’t love yourself, how in the world are you going to love somebody else?”