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queer is a slur, grow up

‘Queer’ was reclaimed as an umbrella term for people identifying as not-heterosexual and/or not-cisgender in the early 1980s, but being queer is more than just being non-straight/non-cis; it’s a political and ideological statement, a label asserting an identity distinct from gay and/or traditional gender identities.People identifying as queer are typically not cis gays or cis lesbians, but bi, pan, ace, trans, nonbinary, intersex, etc.: we’re the silent/ced letters. We’re the marginalised majority within the LGBTQIA+ community, and‘queer’ is our rallying cry.

And that’s equally pissing off and terrifying terfs and cis LGs.

There’s absolutely no historical or sociolinguistic reason why ‘queer’ should be a worse slur than ‘gay.’ Remember how we had all those campaigns to make people stop using ‘gay’ as a synonym for ‘bad’?

Yet nobody is suggesting we should abolish ‘gay’ as a label. We accept that even though ‘gay’ sometimes is and historically frequently was used in a derogatory manner, mlm individuals have the right to use that word. We have ad campaigns, twitter hashtags, and viral Facebook posts defending ‘gay’ as an identity label and asking people to stop using it as a slur.

Whereas ‘queer’ is treated exactly opposite: a small but vocal group of people within feminist and LGBTQIA+ circles insists that it’s a slur and demands that others to stop using it as a personal, self-chosen identity label.

Why?

Because “queer is a slur” was invented by terfs specifically to exclude trans, nonbinary, and intersex people from feminist and non-heterosexual discourse, and was subsequently adopted by cis gays and cis lesbians to exclude bi/pan and ace people.

It’s classic divide-and-conquer tactics: when our umbrella term is redefined as a slur and we’re harassed into silence for using it, we no longer have a word for what we are allowing us to organise for social/political/economic support; we are denied the opportunity to influence or shape the spaces we inhabit; we can’t challenge existing community power structures; we’re erased from our own history.

I’m not kidding. Cis LGs have literally taken historical evidence of queer people’s involvement in the LGBT rights struggle and photoshopped it to erase us:

Pro tip: when you alter historical evidence to deny a marginalised group empowerment, you’re one of the bad guys.

“Queer is a slur” is used by terfs and cis gays/lesbians to silence the voices of trans/nonbinary/intersex/bi/pan/ace people in society and even within our own communities, to isolate us and shame us for existing.

“Queer is a slur” is saying “I am offended by people who do not conform to traditional gender or sexual identities because they are not sexually available to me or validate my personal identity.”

“Queer is a slur” is defending heteronormativity.

“Queer is a slur” is frankly embarrassing. It’s an admission of ignorance and prejudice. It’s an insidious discriminatory discourse parroted uncritically in support of a divisive us-vs-them mentality targeting the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQIA+ community for lack of courage to confront the white cis straight men who pose an actual danger to us as individuals and as a community.

Tl;dr:

I’m here, I’m queer, and I’m too old for this shit.

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Planet Correspondences

Below are a list of the sun, the moon, and the planets along with their ruling signs, their traits, and what items you can use to manifest their energies. Sun: (Leo) Associated with: confidence, friendship, vitality, success, success, creativity, self-expression, energy, pride, leadership, growth, health, optimism (Colors: yellow, orange, gold / Crystals: amber, tiger’s eye, sunstone, citrine, goldstone, yellow aventurine / Days: Sunday / Others Associations: the heart, sunflowers, lions, phoenix, the father, gold, warmth and heat) Moon: (Cancer) Associated with: physical health, astral travel, clairvoyance, emotional well-being, protection, sleep, safety, self-love and self-care, family affairs, fertility, motherhood, dreams(Colors: white, silver, cream, blue / Crystals: selenite, opal, clear quartz, moonstone, pearl / Days: Monday / Other Associations: the mother, the stomach, the breasts, rain, owl, cat, spirits, crab, bodies of water) Mercury: (Virgo, Gemini) memory, thinking, intelligence, knowledge, good luck, traveling, business and work affairs, divination, remembering dreams and past events (Colors: green, brown, yellow, indigo, grey, purple / Crystals: jasper, chalcedony, agate, aventurine, amethyst, hematite, blue goldstone / Days: Wednesday / Other Associations: the mind, vehicles, books, the twins, money, travel) Venus: (Taurus, Libra) harmony, love, peace, lust, physical beauty, femininity, good luck, fertility, justice, legal and social affairs, luxury, self-care, the arts, cooperation, relationships (Colors: pink, green, white, red / Crystals: jade, rose quartz, rhodochrosite, rhodonite, aventurine, emerald / Days: Friday / Other Associations: dove, the neck and throat, swan, make-up, perfume, fruit, the heart, money) Mars: (Aries, Scorpio) war or fights, lust, destruction, masculinity, strength, energy, conflict, enemies, surgery, wounds and pain, triumph and victory, sexuality, assertion (Colors: red, black / Crystals: bloodstone, red jasper, garnet, ruby, carnelian, pyrite / Days: Tuesday / Other Associations: weapons, metal, blood, fire, the head and face, wolf, horse Jupiter: (Sagittarius, Pisces) religion, spirituality, spirit guides and mentors, peace, higher knowledge, abundance, compromising with enemies, authority, career, affairs abundance, blessings, health (Colors: yellow, brown, blue, purple, orange / Crystals: amethyst, sandstone, malachite, clear quartz, lapis lazuli, carnelian / Days: Thursday / Other Associations: eagle, the liver, religious/spiritual places, gods/goddesses) Saturn: (Capricorn) discipline, karma, business and career affairs, public reputation, debt and financial affairs, maturity, obstacles and limitations, power, authority, intellect, sadness, pain (Colors: black, grey / Crystals: onyx, jet, black obsidian, green aventurine, apache tears / Days: Saturday / Other Associations: the skin and bones, cypress tree, landscapes, stone, money, goat) Uranus: (Aquarius) change, awakenings, social progress, humanitarian affairs, technology, eccentricity, caution and awareness, friendships, science, abrupt or sudden news/events, rebellion, unpredictability (Colors: blue, purple, green / Crystals: clear quartz, labradorite, amethyst, diamond, blue topaz, blue goldstone / Days: Thursday / Other Associations: thunderstorms, electricity, politics, the nervous system, ice, dragonflies) Neptune: (Pisces) dreams, psychic abilities, premonitions, religion, spirituality, astrology, divination, imagination, hidden things, clarity, illusions, mental health, artistic expression and creativity, serving/healing self and others (Colors: blue, purple, white / Crystals: larimar, blue goldstone, amethyst, lapis lazuli, aquamarine, coral / Days: Thursday / Other Associations: bodies of water, lotus, jasmine, fashion, music, art, religious/spiritual items, rain, water, metaphysics, prisons, hospitals, fish, sea animals) Pluto: (Scorpio) transformation, destruction, psychology, rebirth, death, inheritances, spirituality, paranormal realms, obsession, astral travel or projection, occult practices, sexuality, the subconscious mind, extreme change, fate, mediumship, secrets (Colors: black, red, white / Crystals: black obsidian, snowflake obsidian, red jasper, howlite, jet, onyx, clear quartz / Days: Tuesday / Other Associations: snake, scorpion, earthquakes, pomegranate, basil)

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I left this important business accessory in a Staples.

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Talismans are items that help to ground you, by helping you focus on the present, through a psychological process called Mindfulness.

A talisman can be anything, but items that utilize your senses are especially helpful

When you need to ground yourself, interact with your talisman using as many of your senses as possible. How does it feel in your hand? Is it heavy, cold, textured? If there are parts that move, follow it intently with your eyes. Slow, repetitive and rhythmic movement is best to calm you.

If you suffer from night terrors or nightmares, having a talisman that is always in the same place and readily visible from your bed can help. Make a habit of looking for your talisman each time you wake up. Seeing it will help to confirm you are in a safe place. If you need to use lighting, consider non-blue-based lights so as to not disrupt your sleep.

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I’m not sure if this graphic would be helpful to any other beginner witches, but personally I wanted to make it to clear up some things to myself. NOTE: This is how /I/ understand the topic. For more witchy art, go here.

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I don't want to cause controversy bc this is a delicate matter for many people. I've seen this argument many times. Cultural appropriation is important and while I understand tumblr is a USA/western oriented site, people have to understand that the world is much wider than that. Spirit Animals are found in folklore and mythology of many many cultures, from Norse and Celts, to Japanese and Egyptian. As an History and Mythology lover this always bothers me bc hey, not everything is about America.

A quick search brought up a few links that are worth reading/listening to on the subject:

https://www.worldreligionnews.com/opinion/spirit-animal-not-joke-oppressionhttp://www.spiralnature.com/spirituality/spirit-animal-cultural-appropriation/https://iistrawberrychanii.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/psa-yes-spirit-animals-are-cultural-appropriation-that-means-you/ (see sofriel’s explanation)https://www.politicallyreactive.com/ (scroll down/search for the audio titled “Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl on Rad American Women” from 2017 - between 4:16-14:05 the hosts talk to Dr. Adrienne Keene about the origins and use of the term)

I mean, the fact that it is a recognisably delicate topic should be an indication that it is an issue and yeah, many non-indigenous people will undoubtedly continue to use it regardless, either because they don’t know/understand why it’s offensive (and this is why learning to recognise and pushing back against the normalisation of subtler forms of racism is important) and/or they just don’t care that it is. But I’m sure there are many who aren’t aware and are willing to acknowledge concerns expressed by actual native people who have spoken out about the problem, and for them the previous anon already helpfully presented some perfectly usable alternatives.

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A digital billboard crashed during a foggy night in Odessa, Ukraine and displayed a floating error warning in the night sky.

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From Gerd Ziegler’s Tarot: Mirror of the Soul

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What would you do? You choose what path your character takes in Episode – download the app now! 

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A tarot forecast for everyone, and for no one. 🌑♉️ April 16-22, 2018 ♋️🌓 • How do you keep at it (whatever it is) when it’s difficult to do so? • This question is especially pertinent for the passions that don’t pay our bills: activist work, raising a family, exploring and embracing complicated a identity, forging relationships, honouring your spirituality, community organizing, writing a book, learning an instrument, developing a workshop, ETC. Look at the fire energy represented by these cards - this spread is about the projects and activities that you are driven to by the most fiery parts of your being.

The word “validation” keeps coming through. Where do you get a sense of validation? Does it come from within? Do you look to external gauges - like the words and reactions of the people around you? How do your beliefs and expectations about validation shape your beliefs about your own accomplishments?

The lesson this week is the value of rest. Honour your need for rejuvenation; embrace the specific form(s) that takes for you. What activities help you to feel genuinely well-rested?

The guidance asks us to have some fun! To celebrate ourselves and our communities. Even if goals and aspirations are ongoing, there is value in appreciating the many forms of progress that you’ve made so far. If things are feeling stuck, or dreary, lighthearted shenanigans can be more productive than another meeting or work session.

Does your will-power suffer when you lack meaningful time for yourself? What roles do rest and celebration play in your life at present? Have you discovered how to give yourself permission to relax? • TL;DR: Nothing happens in a vacuum; none of our actions and interactions exist in isolation. The ways that we decide to care for ourselves inevitably impact our capacity to care for others. The time that we make for rest, serenity, and celebration have significant influence on our ability to stay motivated and involved for the long haul. • Energy of the present: 6 of Wands rx. Primary challenge/obstacle: 7 of Wands rx. Lesson: 4 of Swords. Guidance: 4 of Wands rx. Shadow card: 8 Strength. • What’s important to convey: Novice of Wands. 9 of Wands. Shadow card: 2 High Priestess. • Decks used: Prisma Visions; Mesquite Tarot.

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A tarot forecast for everyone, and for no one. 🌘 April 9-15, 2018 🌑 • How do you feel about working with others? • Not just the work we’ve been socialized to think of when asked, “what do you do?” This energy is of the hours spent learning a skill, embracing a hobby, and working towards our goals. It’s the long-haul efforts of building and caring for families, collectives, projects, businesses, and communities.

The ideology of individuality is fucking intense. It constructs a hierarchy of achievement and places “independence” and “self” at the top. It serves to distract from the beauty and strength that can blossom from processes of collaboration. Working with other people can be tense, difficult, and exhausting. It often seems easier sink into our deeply engrained beliefs about individualism, and isolate ourselves.

Whether co-parenting, co-founding, or otherwise collaborating - working with others creates opportunities for us to grow in so many ways. We get to share our knowledge and worldview with others, and learn from their own. We develop social networks to celebrate with during moments of joy, and to draw support from when confronted with difficulties.

The guidance for this week is rooted in the conflict of group work: It’s deciding when to speak up, and when to bite your tongue; It’s building functional working relationships with people you don’t personally like; It’s discovering and honouring differences in communication style, strengths, weaknesses, histories, traumas, and values.

The lesson is doing all of these things in potentially tense or emotionally volatile situations. It’s sticking it out through inevitable moments of discomfort. It’s making the time to genuinely tend to conflict. It’s turning disputes into opportunities to learn, grow, and adapt.

Keep the reasons - your motivation - in mind: Why are these causes important? What may these projects and processes lead to? How can the work of today help people in the future? What shared values initially brought these people together? • Energy of the present: Ace of Swords rx. Primary challenge/obstacle: 3 of Pentacles. Lesson: 12 The Hanged Man rx. Guidance: 5 of Swords. Shadow card: Ace of Pentacles. • What’s important to convey: (Question) Queen of Cups Novice of Cups rx. Leader of Cups rx. Shadow card: 18 The Moon rx. • Decks used: Anima Mundi Tarot; Mesquite Tarot.

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hi it’s the anon with the love/career requests! here’s some clarification: for the love reading i’d love to know why my love life is inexistent (lmao) bc somehow despite not having a love life, i have so many problems relating to romance, if that makes sense. id also like to know about my soulmate (if i even have one) as for career, im really curious about my success i also rlly want to know about my past lives but i don’t want to be pushy ^ i think that’s about it! thank you xx

hello sweet anon - i didn’t forget abt you, life just got chaotic (as it would). ima sit down with a deck or two tomorrow on my day off and ask about your romantic life and career success - feel free to give me any updated inquiries from the eons that have passed since you first messaged. regardless, ill tag the post as “answered” and “anon” love and rage,nicole

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This is my “Grow Like a Vine” Spread

If you’re like me, you want to learn everything and have all skills and try to pursue all things at once. I made this spread to help focus in on just one skill or trait to develop at a time. The idea is that when you have a baby plant, it requires more care and attention to survive and grows very quickly when it is well cared for. Once it’s fairly strong, then it’s time to let it grow at its own steady pace along with all the other things you’re working on and move on to the next until your garden of skills is happily and peacefully growing.

1. What skill/trait should you focus on? This is your seedling.

2. How should you approach this? Do I plant from seed? Do I take a cutting and propagate? Is there a class I can take? Should I make a schedule and work on this for ten minutes a day? Is it a more passive trait that I need to work on through metacognition all day?

3. What do you need to set yourself up for success? Plants need to be set up in the right conditions to thrive. They need to be placed where they get the right amount of sunlight and the right humidity. They need the right soil. What conditions do you need to set for yourself to thrive?

4. What is the outcome/what will this help you reach? I won’t call this the “end result” because your vine should keep growing and reach further and further. What does this skill/trait help you reach if you nurture it?

storenvy | instagram | ko-fi

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When you become the music.

via stuartrutherford on twitter

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BILL WATTERSON - “A Cartoonist’s Advice”

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