tweedledeee19

[tweedledeee19]

Accommodating king for real

[tweedledeee19]

I’ve spoken about this with a fellow a-spec friend recently, & Imma say it here, but the thing that allorose people don’t understand when they try bringing up the “aroace people can still date tho!!!” is like…

Yes. Yes I can. But not Like That™️ not the allonormative way of doing things.

In fact, I would rather forsake romantic & sexual relationships entirely than to EVER engage in them Like That™️

And that’s an important thing, in MY opinion, to bring up in the topic of how aroace ppl can still engage in these types of things. Because allorose people have this very allonormative way of thinking a-spec people operate in these relationships.

[tweedledeee19]

Gender is a performance and it’s time to play the music it’s time to light the lights it’s time to meet the muppets on the muppets show tonight

[tweedledeee19]

"tumblr humor is only funny to tumblr users" NOT true. those bitches on pinterest love us.

[tweedledeee19]

never beating the gremlin allegations

[tweedledeee19]

What's that even like?

A pride month post, about how you might not know that you know exactly how to relate to people who aren’t like you.

I get that it's weird to even imagine that there can be asexual or aromantic people. Like, what the hell? You mean there are people who know what attraction is, and in some cases can even feel it on a very low level—enough to follow along with love stories or accidentally mistake a friendship for a crush, but not enough to feel what nearly everyone feels when they have that first kiss, or read that first spicy text? Even if that inability to feel a thing makes sense on some level, how the hell can everyone else possibly relate to it? How do you relate to someone else not feeling something you can feel?

Well. Ever been to a park with a dog, or been in a backyard with a cat? Nature smells nice. There's something soul-filling about the way forests and fields and lakes and rivers smell, especially after the soil has been woken up by summer rain. But you know that you've never smelled the world the way a cat or a dog will. You know that you've never sensed a tree radiating with pheromones like the tree was its own social media platform, and you've never smelled how good a snack bar really does smell, even through the wrapper. You have a sense of smell, and you can imagine that following a person's scent trail must be something like following the scent of your favourite food to the kitchen, but you know that you will never truly experience a sense of smell the way a cat or dog will.

It's like that. That’s how to relate to an asexual or aromantic person. Really, that's also how to relate to anyone who isn't as attracted to a gender that you're attracted to. "How can you see that and not find that hot?" The same way you can be on a walk with a dog and not need to stop and smell that juniper tree that's just covered in interesting pheromone gossip.

[tweedledeee19]

He wants her so bad it makes him look stupid

[tweedledeee19]

Don’t let the narrative fool you it is MAOMAO’s harem

[tweedledeee19]

MaoMao’s small smile when she thinks how Jinshi’s “childish tendencies” come out more around her and that’s part of his true personality, her noticing his nervous tic and how he’s trying to hide it, tell me she’s paying more attention to him without telling me she’s paying more attention to him ☺️

[tweedledeee19]

It’s them… About their own story..

[tweedledeee19]

i think it's funny that some people would use maomao as an example of a 'strong female lead' to put down other shojo girls who are traditionally more girlish and feminine and emotionally sensitive (or 'crybabies') as if maomao wouldn't be the first one to jump into their defense if they're in the same universe. maomao is literally the most girls' girl, empathetic, understanding girl you'll ever see and she'll hate you for putting other fmcs down to lift her up

like. how do you like maomao bcs you're supposedly a feminist but you hate like a man??

[tweedledeee19]

All About Perspective

This scene was special to me because while we could say a lot about Jinshi blushing because he’s startled or MaoMao’s purely clinical concern for his health, I think there’s also an interesting dual perspective going on here.

When MaoMao strips to keep from catching cold she says that she’ll keep her undergarments on cause even though it’s “just a set of skinny ribs” she’d like to conceal what she can. To me, even though it’s a small comment, that came across like she finds herself so unappealing and thin. Switch to when she’s checking Jinshi for fever.

He blushes and looks at her. We then get this image of her from his eyes and it’s not an impression of a young woman who’s frail with skinny ribs, to him she’s beautiful. Slight but pretty. We’re meant to know he’s taken with her. All this is about how the other perceives themselves. MaoMao sees herself as thin from being a working class girl but Jinshi perceives her as lovely. Jinshi sees his beauty as a tool but MaoMao, while acknowledging it, moves past it to the man underneath who needs her care and concern.

It’s about the person, for both of them. That’s how they bring value to one another because what they don’t see in themselves, the other sees perfectly. 💜

[tweedledeee19]

the apothecary diaries does such a great job of portraying how traumatizing it can be to be a victim of pedophilia and grooming, instead of romanticizing it like a lot of anime series do. it is disturbing, it makes audience uncomfortable and disgusted — which is how we must feel about pedophilia. you're not supposed to feel comfortable because it's 'normalized' or 'just fiction'; you're supposed to feel disgusted.

the creator didn't make anshi 'fall in love' with the previous emperor or develop a stockholm syndrome — instead, she took her revenge in the same way he hurt her and other girls, which he deserved. her anger, hatred and disgust towards him are rightly justified and realistic for a victim of pedophilia.

the older palace lady (who might or might not be a ghost) told the girls abt her story as a victim of the previous emperor at the ghost story gathering:

whether or not she was a ghost, she wanted her story to be heard, of how much the victims suffered at the hands of the previous emperor. they were imprisoned for the rest of their lives in the same place that ruined their lives. telling her story might be the only way for her to find peace within herself.

an abuser may die but the trauma he leaves on his victims will last forever. it does not go away.

it's even presented as a horror story because there's nothing more terrifying than SA.

(i may have missed a few points but im keeping this brief. thank you for reading my essay!)

[tweedledeee19]

[tweedledeee19]

Absolutely valid. go off Maomao.

[tweedledeee19]

Do you think every time someone asks Jinshi why he likes Maomao, he has to suddenly, silently confront the fact that he's a massive masochist that enjoys being seen as lesser by someone who'd rather willingly and happily ingest poison than talk to him, only to answer "she's dependable" without batting an eye

[tweedledeee19]

Maomao is so favored by people in the highest position in the country that she technically will never have to worry about getting punished by knowing who Jinshi is.

Emperor/Lady Gyokouyo/Lady Lihua: She is their supplier of cultured texts. Makes their nights spicy.

Jinshi: His favorite

Empress Dowager: Approves of Maomao for Jinshi, helped her relieve a guilt

Lakan (highest military official): her biological father, will openly throw hands for Maomao, the dude that can destroy a person's life and career if you done him wrong.

If anything, if Maomao gets punished or god forbid, die. The entire country might even collapse.

Getting Maomao kidnapped can also cause a full out war.