#“because the young kids are just as good” is literally false

[the-physicality]

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[woodland-gremlin]

Summoning Your Secret Boyfriend Pt. 2

Previous AU Summary

This post is dedicated @fanfics-or-dragons who wrote part of the post. I will put their part in bold. I would suggest checking them out, they write some really interesting stuff.

Previously:

The con man opened his mouth, looking like he was losing his mind, before just shutting his mouth and contemplated how his life got to this point. He was just fine conning demons, detective work for the occult, and doing the occasional good deed, but no,  he just had to get involved with the League of Goody-Two-Shoes who have no idea how to handle the supernatural. He was getting flashbacks to the time he realized that the Bats had no idea that they had a city spirit watching over them (he refuses to be the one to explain that to them). Or having to deal with the Flashes saying that magic wasn’t real. He wasn’t paid enough for the shit the League puts him through.

Constantine was always happy that there wasn't a teen version of the JLD cause he didn't want to have to chase kids around a bunch of demons, monsters, and other badies he deals with daily.

He is only now realizing that because there wasn't a teen version of the JLD that the young Justice team also dealt with the supernatural world just without any adult supervision cause none of the JLD or JL knew that they were. It was like they were trying to send him to an early grave. He blames Bats, he was the one to drag him into this crazy fest. You help a guy with something supernatural once and then suddenly you are a consultant to his Do-Gooder Club for anything involving the supernatural.

“And how and why do you know that Pariah isn’t the King anymore?” Constantine asked through grit teeth.

Supernova stills, finally realizing the danger of the line of questioning. He couldn’t lie, his crummy template would tattle on him immediately. But at the same time he couldn’t just avoid the question without people getting suspicious. So that left the last option. Being as vague as possible.

“Someone from the Infinite Realms mentioned it,” Supernova said with false casualness.

“What?”

While most of the League just looked confused, almost every member of the JLD looked like he just told them he invited Trigon to a tea party. Constantine especially looked pale, similar to how Danny looked in human form. Half-dead wasn't a good look on him.

“You’re saying that a citizen of the Infinite Realms, which is literally the glue of the multiverse, just told you that Pariah wasn’t their King anymore?!” the sad trench coat man asked desperately.

“Well, it was more like an example of how some of their rules work,” Supernova stated with no filter.

“That makes even less sense!” Constantine screeched, “Most of the citizens of that realm are beings of emotion that literally come into being knowing how things work. They don’t work by our rules and certainly don’t explain theirs. And you're telling me that they sat down and explained the rules without you losing your soul?! And that you understood what they were explaining too?! The rules that have been driving those in the occult crazy trying to figure out so they can avoid them without offending them??”

Supernova laughs nervously. “Well when you put it like that it sounds insane.”

“Because it is!” Constantine screams, “They literally say ‘hi’ by fighting each other. Not to mention even if they don’t try to purposely hurt you they often do due to how fragile we are compared to them. Even their weakest would be a challenge to our heavy hitters!”

To be continued . . .

Next

[plusvanity]

tbh if no one had ever pointed out varg and marie being frauds i would have never noticed and would have genuinely thought they had a good life. it just seems so good to me. i am not that observant though

Don't feel bad for not observing this. They actually are very good at mentaining their image as the perfect nuclear family.

I would have a lot more to say about how they make things 'work', but I have no reason (gain) for why I should explain more.

I remember her telling women that they should give birth at home while she gave birth to all of her children in the hospital. There are so many examples of them playing this 'guru' role in illuminating people with their idealistic lifestyle. This is all a lie, of course, they mirror one another's behaviour, beliefs, etc.

Another thing that I would like to point out is that many people believe that Varg truly stands for what he says (politically, socially, economically, etc), but this is all false. Narcissists have a very blurred sense of self and little to no personality (this is found in the literature, not invented by me, look it up). He doesn't have a set of rules and morals that he goes by like most people do, he doesn't belong to any category of beliefs, he just associates himself with what he thinks will make him look stronger, wiser, more intelligent, etc, because he was a raging inferiority complex.

When he was much younger, pre Burzum-era, he wanted to be punk. Why? Because anarchists were 'cool and fearless' back then. This was the trend. He never cared about anything about their movement. Then, he shifted to extreme right because it was even 'cooler' in his mind. As an insecure boy, he wanted to be perceived as tough so he created this 'Varg image' (a false self) and everything that came after just so he could feel better about himself.

People believe that he is so strongly opinionated, but there are countless times in which it shows that he's not. He's empty inside. He doesn't hold value to anything.

If tomorrow an even 'cooler' political inclination/way of living and thinking appears, he will ditch all of his previous beliefs to be perceived as an even 'stronger' person. It's just so obvious.

I remember him talking about the pandemic one time feeling sorry for a man who lost his child because of the virus. That man was married to another man and had a profile picture with them, the kid and the LGBT flag behind them. People made memes about this as if 'Varg doesn't know who's he's talking with, wtf??'. Not he's well aware of who he's talking with, but he doesn't care. He does this on purpose to stir up reactions, and this is nothing new really. He talks about himself in the third person in tags and tweets. Why? Because he believes to be a celebrity.

As long as he will be given attention, he will continue to be just the way he is.

Marie is part of his brand, of course. She represents the 'mother bear'. She literally agrees that her oldest daughter (15-16) should be given to a mature man and be married with kids at this young age. They BOTH talk obsessively about fertility in young females (children), and they talk like this about their own kids. Do people still want to swear up and down that she is a good mother?

It's so easy to fool people nowadays by pretending that your life is perfect with a few pictures in nature and a bunch of seemingly 'wise' advices.

Varg is an open book, so easy to read. Whoever thinks that he is (or was ever) mysterious and intelligent is just as intelligent as him.

[krakapi]

I'm probably not the first person to say this, but I really don't understand all the hate Genmui receives. It isn't illegal, they aren't related, nor are they toxic.

The two main reasons I hear every fucking time as to why people dislike this ship are that :

A. They're too young

B. They only ever interacted once

Addressing the first part, that being that they aren't of age to be dating. That's false. Most teenagers begin relationships (although not long lasting) as, well, teens. Additionally, Genya (16) and Muichiro (14) share the same 2 year age gap as Zenezu (Zenitsu x Nezuko), an extremely popular, canon and hetero ship in the franchise.

Zenitsu (16) and Nezuko (14), do end up together after Muzan's defeat, and have kids, who then have kids, etc. However, before marriage, Zenitsu was absolutely in love with a then demon Nezuko. That's cute and all, if we just ignore the fact that Nezuko herself was turned into a demon at 12. Demon's don't age. Meaning, even if she was physically able to age herself, mentally, she is a young girl. Which, in itself, is kinda icky if you ask me.

As for the second claim, that being that they rarely had any interactions. Although in the manga it is indeed true that we don't see them talking together often, it's important to realize that Demon Slayer was a very rushed, short series. Therefore, it was very direct, and focused mostly on the plot. Aside from that, it is known that Muichiro and Genya are good friends with Tanjiro and company. It's displayed in this cute lil' manga panel :

(Zenitsu keep your hands away oh my god...)

They probably are relatively close, so it's safe to say that "behind the scenes", they hangout. Also, and not to bring up another canon HETERO ship, but Inoaoi (Inosuke x Aoi) literally have the same amount, if not less exchanges than Genmui. Heck, most people agree that them being a couple is random, no matter the adorableness. Listen, I don't want to pull the homophobia "card", but with the past two comparisons I've used, and the fact that Genmui is a gay pairing, it's difficult to say otherwise.

With that being said, I've also seen alot of people claiming that because Demon Slayer takes place during Taisho era Japan, these characters would be 100% straight, or even... homophobic. First of all, L opinion. Just because the society of that time was more openly against queer people, does not mean that they didn't exist. Many people of the lgbtq+ community back then did not ever get the chance to come out of the closet.

Second of all, the Demon Slayer Corps is known to be accepting of all people. You can't expect to maintain a secret military-like organization if you're too picky on who's joining. The most prominent and talked about example is Mitsuri Kanroji, who was praised by Kagaya for her incredible strength, which was deemed weird by society for a woman. As a Demon Slayer, you're basically reduced to a human sacrifice, ready to give up your life on a whim. Who the fuck really cares about what gender you wanna make out with?

Anyways, to conclude, Genmui is an overhated ship <3 If you really dislike it that much, you can sit in the corner and be miserable.

[atwoodsfemalefantasy]

hey people! just a reminder that Vance quite literally said that he would willingly lie to Americans and make up a false story to feed them!

just a reminder that Trump has been convicted of actual real like rape!

just a reminder that Trump is a convicted felon!

Just a reminder that Trump dodged the draft and called vets "losers"!

Just a reminder that most of Trumps cabinet (aka the people HE CHOSE) aren't voting for him!

Just a reminder that project 2025 involves the government tracking women's pregnancies!

Just a reminder that Harris is pro ceasefire between Israel and Gaza (she can't call it a genoxide because Israel is our ally, and she can't risk upsetting them right now, but she CAN and IS calling for peace!)

Just a reminder that Trump mocked the disabled

Just a reminder that Harris came from a working class family and worked for what she has while Trump was always rich and had it handed to him!

Just a reminder that Trump sold his own modified Bibles, which is incredibly NOT GOOD CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR PEOPLE

Just a reminder that Walz and Harris are both gun owners, so they are pro-gun, but they also understand the danger of guns, so they are pro-gun regulation! Walz feels this way because he fears for his kids' lives!

Just a reminder that Trump is a rapist. just thought i'd say it again.

Just a reminder that Harris is young! Trump is old as balls!

Just a reminder that Trump said he'd sleep with his own daughter if she wasn't his kid!

Just a reminder that Trump/Vance want to take away no fault divorce! mo fault divorce basically just protects women from their abusers! (but also allows for couples to divorce without financially harming the other, and to even get remarried if they wanted!)

Just a reminder that Trump made up a blatant racist lie! and Vance admitted it was a lie, yet kept on saying it!

Just a reminder that Trump made his hotel unusable for disabled people on purpose!

Just a reminder that if you're a woman, you might be republican, but if you value your life, you better be voting blue! even if you vote red again next election. (come on yall, take a page out of my conservative grandmas book. she's a republican, but she has the common sense to know Trump will steal her human rights!)

Just a reminder that Trump will make the rich richer, while Harris has been middle class and wants to help the middle class!

Just a reminder that Trump staged an insurrection. that's about as anti-American as you can get!

Just a reminder that abortion bans are unconstitutional, as the constitution demands a separation of church and state!

Just a reminder to all you transphobic queer people- once they come for trans people, they're coming for you! so stick by your own community damn it! stonewall was started by a trans black woman

Just a reminder to transphobic women that once they restrict trans women's rights, they're coming for ALL women's rights. this is only the beginning

Just a reminder that "Tampon Tim" should be a compliment, not an insult! what is so bad about helping women not bleed everywhere people??

Just a reminder that project 2025 brings back the draft (and guess who racist Trump and Vance will draft first! go on, guess!)

Just a reminder that you might not like Kamala Harris, but Trump is much worse, so settle.

Just a reminder that i saw a real Trump commercial that said (and i quote) "Crazy Kamala is for THEY/THEM. Trump is for you". i just think it's funny

Just a reminder that if you're mad Trump got shot, there's a very simple solution! it's called gun control, and it makes sure only people who are mentally stable and will use guns safely get guns! except yall have been calling it "taking away the second amendment"

Just a reminder that there is a goddamn genocide happening in Gaza. one candidate is a racist motherfucker who hates Muslims. one is a woman who wants a cease fire. go on, make that choice (look, again, Harris is not perfect on the Israel/Gaza thing but TRUMP IS A RACIST MF. HE WILL BE W O R S E!)

Just a reminder to women that we are STILL being ridiculed and not taken seriously because we don't have children. FUCK THAT THANK YOU

Just a reminder that Trump is a little bitch baby (or to quote my man Jack Antonoff a little bitch baby bitch muffin) who used AI to make Taylor Swift support him, and then when she released (a very polite actually) statement supporting Harris he was a little whiny bitch baby who tweeted "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!". you know, the way a competent grown up man does. not a kindergartner who had his little ball taken away.

Just a reminder to fucking vote. vote vote vote vote votevotevotevotevotevotevote! especially if you live in a battleground state! if you can't vote, get an absentee ballot. this is very important, and every vote counts.

Just a reminder that one candidate is an elderly, decrepit, extremely unhealthy, rich, military-hating, racist, rapist, pedophile, pervert etc etc etc etc.... and one is a woman liberals have a few problems with.

[artemis-lynn]

NEWSIES FANFIC RECOMMENDATIONS!

Ok. So. I've been needing to make this for a while, so I'll just put down my favorites in no particular order, it's SO hard to pick...

Summer Camp AUs :3

Mountain Ridge Camp for Boys by timetogoslumming

Javey & Sprace, T, 22/22

This is a really good summer camp AU of newsies! I love how it combines canon plot with a modern AU!

Summary: David was just looking for a summer job when he applied to work at Mountain Ridge Camp for Boys. He had no idea how much would change. For the first time in his life, David is part of a brotherhood, but not everyone is on the same side.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation by studentnumber24601 (Itsy Royal)

Javid & Specs/Dutchy (Sputchy?? Idk, but I <3 this ship) & Blink x OC, T, 40/40

The prank war in this is honestly the best + the reluctant ladies man Mush is LOL, it had me guessing the ships till the very end, especially with Blink.

Summary: Modern-day newsboys at summer camp. Will wacky hijinks ensue? Gee, ya think?

Make Off Like a Band(it) by thespiritscalling

Sprace, G, 14/14

OMG. It's the funniest summer camp au I've read that sheds light on band camp (I'm an orchestra kid so this was hilarious to me). I especially love the That's Amore remix near the end lmaoo

Summary: It's the summer after graduation. Race is ready to hit the road- metaphorically, of course- but before that happens, it's time for one last stint at the Camp To End All Camps: band camp. Armed with nothing more than a French horn, two best friends, and reckless abandon, Race decides it's going to be the best final year of camp anyone's ever had. It'll be full of excitement, laughter, music, and an absurd crush on the lead trumpet player. Wait. What?

Canon Era :3

Their Mistake Is They Got Old by PenzyRome

David & Katherine, but the side ships are Newsbians and Javey, T, One Shot

You're gonna need the tissues for this one. I literally sob every time I read it, it's literally one of the best fics I've ever read. It's poetically tragic and heartbreaking and beautiful and HOLY CRAP!

Summary: Katherine Plumber, 17, had been so sure that she could stay the same, that she could stop the world, that she'd stay young forever. The world kept moving, though, no matter how hard she tried to stop it, and it forced her to move with it.

When Manhattan Met Brooklyn by warrior_sif

No ships cause they're kids, T, 4/4 (but the second one isn't finished :( )

Wow. Just wow. This one is honestly sad and I love the brother relationship between Jack, Race, and Spot and how Jack feels abandoned, like Race chose Spot over him. READ IT.

Summary: The only Manhattan newsies that Spot Conlon deals with are Jack and Race. A look back at how they met, eight years before the strike, when neither Jack nor Spot were leaders and Race just wants to sell at the racetracks.

False Rumors and The Truth Behind Them by FrogmanFae

Sprace, M, One Shot

This one is...heavy. The Refuge is such a bad place :( I love it though, the writing is beautiful.

Summary: Rumor has it that Spot Conlon and Racetrack Higgins met when Race started selling in Brooklyn because of his love for gambling. That isn't as true as the other boys in their lodging houses tend to make it seem. Though, they don't necessarily mind the false rumors. They hide the much darker truth. The truth that still causes Race to make the walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn in the middle of the night sometimes, even several years later. Or...It's pretty easy to form connections with someone you're forced into sharing a bed with while you're both being tortured.

The King & The Cowboy by goldenbiebah

Sparah <3, Spot/Sarah/Jack love triangle, T, 11/? (not completed :sob: )

I love this one, it really touches on how Jack is kinda toxic and how Sarah can have someone wayyyy better *cough* Spot *cough*

Summary: Spot Conlon and Jack Kelly are the fearless leaders of all the newsies in Brooklyn and Manhattan. They have a perfect system and hundreds of boys who respect and look up to them. But what will happen when the two leaders let selfishness and pride break up their friendship? And what happens when Spot's dark past begins to catch up with him? And where does Sarah Jacobs fit into all of this? Find out in The King & The Cowboy. Fights will break out, romances will clash, and lives will be lost in an epic struggle to salvage both new and old relationships.

Modern AUs :3

We Are Newsies by VeronicaWeasley (this is my sole ff.net one but likeeee it's too good to be ignored)

There are so many ships that I can't remember but I do know Sprace is one, T, 80/80 (I know that's a lot but it is SO worth it holy frick)

Ok. So. This one is like SO good. It's my fav high school AU because it has a really genius way of incorporating the canon plot with the perfect amount of angst, fluff, and more! :D

Summary: The same old story, the same old song. A tale in which the newsies of Lower Manhattan go on strike, and David Jacobs gets roped into it. High School AU set in 1999. Told through the eyes of multiple characters.

Captivity by Hexmari

No ships :), M, One Shot

I LOVEEE this one it's so crazy and you're in for a wild ride when (it's so cute that you think I'm letting that be an if :) ) you read it.

Summary:

“Ma– you seriously can’t do this to us!” Jack argued, “I mean it's Halloween!”

Charlie was quick to back his older brother up, “Yeah, do you want us to become hermits? Because that's what keeping us captive here all night will do!”

Medda rolled her eyes, “You will not become hermits by staying in for one night. It won’t be too bad, you can break into our Halloween candy and put on some horror movies, and Ester will be here with David soon. No kids are going out tonight, it’s just a safety precaution. Especially because of recent events.”

~🎃~

When a kid in their town goes missing, paranoid parents decide to keep their kids home on Halloween. Even after their mom forbids them from going out Jack, Race, Charlie, and their friend David sneak out, coming up with a theory that their old neighbor is behind the boy's disappearance.

The Beast of Brooklyn by ArtemisRayne

Sprace + side Javey, M, 26/26

This one is soooo worth staying up late for, it's amazing in every way and my heart aches for Spottie boy. And Race. And Jack. And David. But mainly Spot :)

Summary:

Racetrack Higgins always thought it would be his own vices that got him into trouble one day; turns out it's his Ma who does it for him. When Ma Higgins crosses the local drug lord and leaves him high and dry with a target on his back, Race's saved by a mysterious stranger who gives him a safe place to hide—a short-tempered and anti-social stranger covered in horrifying scars, with a past as dark as the marks on his body. However, the longer Race spends in the Brooklyn house, the more he comes to discover about the boy beneath the scars: a boy who is just as trapped as Race and twice as damaged. Befriending the two men who live in as hired help, and chipping away at the mysterious "boss" and his walls, Race might even manage to find a place to call home.*Beauty & the Beast/Beastly AU fusion*

Forever With You by 손 현숙 (safarikalamari)

Sprace, T, 14/14

ajlskdfjalkjdkajl this one is so sweet. The concept of it is super interesting and I just LOVE ittttttt.

Summary: In 1899, Spot Conlon is the leader of the Brooklyn newsies, writing away his thoughts and hiding them inside his desk for safekeeping. Meanwhile, in 1999, Tony Higgins receives an antique desk for his birthday and finds an old letter stuffed in one of the slots, the name, Spot, his only lead in this mystery. What becomes of that summer is a series of time-traveling letters, falling in love, and the realization that Spot and Tony know each other better than the two ever could have imagined.

Pirate AUs :3

The Truth About The Stars by ArtemisRayne

Javey + side Sprace, T, 10/10 (long chapters but it's worth it!)

OMG. This one is amazingggggggggggggggggggggggg I love the fantasy/pirate twist on the best movie/musical on the planet Earth!

Summary: The rest of the world might not think Jack Kelly is destined for much, but Jack knows better. He just needs to get away from the city, to some place where he can be more than just another nameless orphan in the chaos of New York City. So when someone offers to pay his way to Santa Fe in exchange for crossing the Wall and retrieving a fallen star, he jumps at the chance. He just wasn't expecting the star to be so, well, human. Jack makes a deal with the fallen star named David to get them both home, but the magical kingdom of Stormhold has so much more in store for them both. People are tracking David, secrets from Jack's past leave him in danger as well, and injustice is rampant in the kingdom. Throw in a climate of political upheaval, a renegade noblewoman, and a crew of fugitive sky pirates, and soon all of Stormhold will know that change is coming.

A Pirate's Life Is Never Easy by ChaosFairytale <3

Sprace + side Blush & Bumlets x Swifty, M, 9/? (it's an ongoing one shot series that has frequent updates)

OML I LOVE U SO MUCH CHAOS YOU'RE MY FAVORITE FANFIC WRITER AND I LIVE FOR YOUR WRITING TYSM FOR EXISTING!!!!! Her writing is the best and this is such a good story! (read Toss A Coin To Your Pirate first)

Summary: A Pirate's story doesn't start easy and it won't end easy, but there are many fantastic stories to tell throughout it. A series of One-Shots set in the "Toss a coin to your Pirate" universe containing different POVs, Backstory of a lot of characters and shorter stories about the relationships of the characters over the years.

Toss A Coin To Your Pirate by ChaosFairytale <333

Sprace + side Javid and Blush, M, 2/2

YUSSS CHAOS AGAIN!!!! <3 a million kudos. She writes almost exclusively about 92sies and I'm so here for it! READ THIS!!!!!!

Summary: Racetrack hadn't expected to see his hook-up ever again and had certainly not expected him to be the feared pirate Spot Conlon, but he also didn't have time to worry about that right now since his captain, Jack, desperately needed his help. He'd wonder later how he could maybe seduce the pirate captain once more. Because you'd miss every shot you didn't take, right?

Drumroll please...my all time favorite fanfiction....

FIVE by stress

Sparah + Davey/OC/Jack love triangle <3, T, 11/11

I finished reading this last night and got literal chills. The plot twist is wild and I love it so much, but you might need the tissues again! Can't spoil, but you NEEEEEEEEEEEEED to read it >:( It is the absolute best piece of reading on the Earth and I can't get over this. It's just...wild.

<3

Summary: A lot can happen in five years. Don't believe me? Ask David. Ask Spot. Ask Jack, or Racetrack. You can even ask Oscar Delancey. They know. They're the five who've been waiting for this moment. Waiting for what? They'll never tell - but this story will.

Idk if I should be doing this....but I'm gonna plug my own work and also give a fanfic update!

What Feels Like a Thousand Years by yours truly, ArtemisLynn

Sprace + mentioned Jatherine, G (?), One Shot

I'm honestly so proud of this one, it's one of the best pieces of writing I have ever done...

Summary: War has always been a foreign concept to Racetrack Higgins.. Even when America goes to war in 1941, he never gives it much thought....until it hits a little too close to home and his secret boyfriend, Spot Conlon, is drafted into the U.S Army. Will he make it home safely, or will Racetrack's one and only love be lost overseas...forever?

I also have chapter 1 of Jack Kelly's Guide to Being a Parent out, though I don't know if I'm going to complete it....

Fics I'm working on: -I have a couple chapters of this one boarding school newsies modern AU I'm doing done but not posted

-A Sparah fanfic that currently is in the early stages

-A Sparah princess bride AU in the planning process

-I'm toying with the idea of a newsies Descendants AU....thoughts?

Damn this post became long. ANYWAYS. Bye and have a great (insert timezone)!!!

<3 Artie

[justablogger234]

something my friends and I were talking about.

so the other day my close friends that I have on discord which mostly consists of @mike-haters-dni (who is definitely my discord best friend and or mileven sister 🤣) @chaotic-theatrical-weaver (my sweet little kiddo friend who is just adorable and too smart for someone younger than me) and my mileven sister @purpleangelsele. The discussion we were having was about how some people mostly b$lers, heck I'd even include some mike haters who believe that as well, they were saying that mike and elevens relationship kinda reminds them of the born se** yesterday trope (forgive me but I don't like saying that word at all even in text so I took out the letters).

And at first I didn't know what that was, i thought it was a song or even a movie cause I'd never heard of that term before and then I watched the very helpful video on this trope and let me tell you that I was shocked. Like very shocked that people would go as far to say that mike is one of those guys. How dare you morons say that mike and els relationship is based on or even reminds you of this trope. Guys. Mike was just a kid when he found el. They are both quite literally KIDS. They were both 12 years old when they found each other. It is very much implied that mike never had much or any luck with girls, I doubt he even cared about girls cause he had the boys and deep down he falsely thought that no know girl would ever like him.

Then he meets el and all changes. It's not like he was telling her that kissing is really good and healthy or that she should listen to everything he says. No, he gave her a name, a home, food and clothing. Now that I think about it, a detail I never took into consideration, I will discuss that in an immediate follow up post. Mike gave her everything she needed. But most of all, he gave her options, he gave her a choice. He never forced anything on her.

He never forced her to find will, he always asked her what she wanted or needed. Bottom line is, if you really think that mike is someone that would take advantage of El like that then you need to rewire your brain.

Because first off, you're implying that mike is some sort of disgusting pervert who would take advantage of a young mute special girl. Second, you're also implying that El would be a willing victim. We all know that we is sooo much smarter than everyone else thinks, I think deep down she'd know that this boy is trying to take advantage of her like that, she's very intuitive.

So if mike is such a weird pervert who took advantage of El or keeps on using her. Why would you want him with will? You see? That's quite a convenient argument. But seriously, the mike hate and misinterpretation needs to stop.

The mileven hate and misinterpretation also needs to stop. You guys need to stop twisting a young and special relationship just to fit your narrative. Leave these kids alone and stop making them something that they're not. If you use this argument just to support your pathetic byler arguments then you definitely need to rethink yourself.

Even will would be disgusted with you fools for thinking of pathetic arguments like this to discourage mike away from el just to get with him.

[ll-until-the-very-end-ll]

Where do you stand with Albus Dumbledore?? Do you like him or hate him? I personally dont like or hate him, I find him sorta weird especially with the whole building armies with children/late teens and his whole not trusting adults but will keep harry in the loop (or at least more than he did with the adults) I dont hate him, I just feel like he needed more friends his age and needed to let the kids live their lives and STOP DRAGGING THEM INTO WARS!!

Good question!

Do I hate Dumbledore? No. There are far worse characters worthy of my hate. Do I like him though? Also no. I think the thing with Dumbledore is that he is built up like your ideal role model, someone who looks and feels like they'd have all the right answers for everything. But that's not the reality of it, is it? You can specifically feel this sentiment for yourself if you grew up with these books. At first you look at him as a savior! Someone so strong and so powerful who took you into a magical realm that provides comfort and a false sense of safety. But as you go on with the books you'd expect him to give you more tips and tricks to figure out how to deal with the current dilemmas and concerns at hand but he never fully does that, does he? He's always vague in his words of support and guidance and this is where Harry and us the readers alike get introduced to characters like Sirius Black in POA and get easily attached towards the end of the book and in GOF because he was comforting, he was direct and he was PRESENT for Harry both physical and emotional needs, and even if we're not fully conscious about it we start coming into terms that this is what Harry actually needed since book 1, this what the adults around him should've been like, and then you form an idea at the back of your mind that MAYBE Dumbledore isn't as all-knowing as trustworthy as we made him to be in our heads (us the readers and Harry alike) but of course that's a silly notion and we don't fully commit to it because HE IS DUMBLEDORE! If we can't trust him then who can we trust??? Right?? Well, not until Harry's emotional explosion in his office, because much like Harry, we the readers are frustrated! At this point in the books we demand answers from this man! His questionable actions starts to rise to the surface and we are constantly asking ourselves WHY DIDN'T HE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?!!! WHY DIDN'T HE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?? After all, isn't he one if not the most powerful wizard at the time??? And you carry this rage with you to the next book and now he's dead??? How can he be dead??? He didn't provide the answers he was supposed to provide???? He left us (and Harry) hanging in a critical time where Voldemort is literally out there getting more powerful with each passing second! But the mentality shifts here because the realization sinks in that we (again, and Harry) are almost adults now and we can't forever relay on a now dead man for answers especially since it's a critical time to take action and get the gears in your head working to find a solution and a way to defeat the dark lord. So you do just that! And it works! Congratulations! Voldemort is dead! War is over! Now you finally have the time to rest and reflect on everything that has happened in the past 7 years and this is when you come to the terms with that fact that Dumbledore never really fooled us. We placed him at such a high pedestal because much like Harry, we were kids. Simple as that. He was at the end of the day just a man, a brilliant man and a brilliant wizard...but at the end of the day...he was just a man. Not a hero. Not a savior. He was a mortal man! We expected him to have all the answers and solutions because at the time we were young and naive and wanted those answers and solutions to be spoon-fed to us! We needed guidance and an adult figure who we can go back to at the end of the day and rest our weary heads and get a "there there" but that's not the case, is it? Not in fiction or in real life. And I guess this is the one thing I like about Dumbledore as a character, it's that he makes you come into terms with the fact that people around us are on their own journey, whether be it a parent figure, a teacher, a friend, a sibling...they can't provide all the answers you require to go on with your journey. After all this is their first time in this life much like it's your first time. You need to learn how to take matters into your own hands and make your own decisions and take responsibility for the results of those decisions.

[f1ghtsoftly]

So like, this is why I call myself a Marxist feminists rather than a Radical Feminist because I primarily think that ending the relationship between heterosexuality/submission to male authority and women’s financial security will eventually end the intense prioritization of men by women. Without economic survival being assured without ties to the patriarchal family or heterosexual social structures, women will naturally just care about what men think a lot less.

There are other women who believe the opposite, that one must separate from men. I think this is truthfully impractical and cruel. It might make sense for a young woman without children and a college education, but it makes less sense for less financially well positioned women and once men realize many women who are financially well positioned are breaking away, they will use the women and children they control against independent women (or to at least, stay compliant with the scapegoating). Most women, statistically, have children that they need to care for. Most women, who work for wages, have jobs reliant on their willingness to work harder for less and to take male abuse. Most women do not live in a world where realistically they can reskill and leave their husbands without suffering dire economic and social consequences that will put them at risk for more predation. They literally either cannot afford it or live in cultures were this isn’t permissible. Not only that, but it destroys solidarity between younger and older women which we need to win. Men are 50% of the population. We need every woman on board. This cycle has already happened many times, all over the world, throughout history.

Now you may say? Why don’t women all pick up trades? I think going into the trades is a good option for a lot of women and I encourage it, but when I think about economic security, my mind drifts to more vulnerable periods of a woman’s lifespan like her later years and when she is a mother with young children. It’s easier to be economically well when you aren’t strapped by dependents or in bad health but men use our vulnerabilities against us to accept their dominion.

Women not only deserve inalienable economic security for the carework they preform through raising and educating children and caring for the old and sick but protecting women at their most vulnerable protects us all. If we want to live in a healthy post patriarchal world some, or most, women will still want to have kids. We want those women to need support via labor and $$$ from other women rather then men during that time. When women are old and need help, they need support and $$$ from female driven sources. We will all get old or sick someday, we all were children once, some of us may want to become mothers. All of these life stages are RIPE with male predation and exploitation and women forced “under” male protection , for whatever reason, are often turned against feminists but this is a false, male centered choice. Feminists are natural allies to mothers not men.

Knowing we don’t need to rely on men when we’re weak makes us strong and bold. Kids who grow up in households lead by women, with good financial health and strong female lead social bonds not only thrive but become kids comfortable with challenging male power. Adult women free from the burden of raising children without payment do not need to tie their social and political activities to a domineering and conservative husband. They also don’t need to be as desperate to work in exploitive work environments and can ally with childless women in organizing activities with less financial stress.

Wages for Childcare and full autonomy for female dominated industries IS the issue of our time. I don’t want every single woman to stay in a traditional field, obviously, I’m not in one, but I do want every single woman to know that no matter what there are millions and millions of women who earn good money to throw at lawsuits, financial assistance, who can take time off to protest, who can provide childcare etc etc…for women who do feel called to brave the world of male/het relations.

We NEED a strong base of financial autonomy and self respect. We NEED to make sure men can’t split us in camps of spinsters vs. goodwives. We NEED to make sure every woman knows we have her back, as long as she pays us back with loyalty to women first. It is so critical to the survival of this movement to create strong structures that support separatism rather then undermine it.

[0ld-m4n-y40i]

This isn't old man yaoi content, but I wanna talk about my Jeremy Fitzgerald headcanons. I'll talk about old man yaoi headcanons another time :)

Jeremy's childhood/young adult life before the bite™

He is a gay trans man to me, he was in gay denial for the longest time because he thought that Michael wouldn't like him as much as Jeremy likes him. Some stupid kid decisions later, he does manage to confess to Michael via being high from smoking weed. They've been together ever since.

Jeremy ALWAYS went to Henry for trans help because Henry is trans as well. He'd always go to him for binder help, good clinics to get his T, etc. He basically sees Henry as his own father figure since his own family life is very very shit.

He and Michael play in a band!! Jeremy plays guitar and he is actually really fucking banging with the guitar. He can also do vocals but not very often, he gets a bit self conscious about singing outside of singing to Michael.

Jeremy's bite wounds™

The bite put him in a coma for like a couple of days to a week and when he was finally awake, obviously he's going to have effects of half his brain getting chomped.

He's very sensitive to bright lights, it gives him migraines very easily if he's not careful. He usually wears sunglasses, even indoors if he thinks it's going to be too bright for him. He also has a false eye from his old eye getting damaged beyond repair.

He stutters a LOT. He genuinely started learning sign language on the side so when he starts stuttering uncontrollably, he can just sign out what he needs. He's usually fine and the stutters aren't usually too bad, but when they are bad he looks so annoyed and frustrated.

He already dealt with a lot of depression and mental illness but the bite increased his mental illness a LOT. He is way more paranoid now about some of the smallest things and he literally fucking hates it.

If I think of anymore headcanons I'll reblog this with more :)

[sepublic]

            During the Phantom Alliance/Entrobrai arc, there’s this subplot of just a regular human named Emily Walker, who wants to attend a school of some type of creative art, maybe music. But for all of her bright passion and talent, she finds herself belittled and just not good enough thanks to an abusive and condescending teacher, think something like that prick from Whiplash. It leads to an inferiority complex that only causes Emily to become self-sabotaging, as students compete with one another; All of the wonder of their craft has been taken out, just a desire to be better than others, but for what end? Some dick’s approval?

            Enter a respected figure of vague importance; Someone who helps fund the school. Her name is Jasmine, and upon seeing a lesson, she’s finally had enough; She comes to Emily’s defense, berating the teacher as an insecure idiot whose methods have proven far more detrimental than they have been effective.

            He’s ruined the craft, the art for its sake, and the expression of the individual; He’s bastardized the collective spirit of these bright folk, and sabotaged their potential, rather than the students sabotaging his potential by not living up to his vision. Anyone can make plans, it takes someone special to make those plans work and happen.

            The teacher is fired; Stunned, intimidated, he knows his place and leaves. Jasmine smiles at Emily, and vice-versa; She feels a bit better. Jasmine appoints a new, better teacher, and leaves.

            Jasmine and Emily eventually run into one another, start to have conversations; It’s finally addressed that Emily feels grateful, and Jasmine tells her not to, Jasmine only did what was expected of her, and what everyone should do. Everyone wants to be the best, but nobody wants to cultivate the best; Whether that’s themselves or others, is incidental.

            They have a meaningful, genuinely supportive mentor-mentee relationship, with Jasmine encouraging Emily and seeing great potential, helping her recover her passion and from the abuse. There’s a moment where Jasmine tells Emily not to subscribe to some false ideal of being ‘tough’ by doing something the hard way, because she tells her not to waste her effort on mundanities; Save it for things that actually matter, that are interesting.

            Jasmine resonates with Emily on being autistic and not getting people. But there are some red flags here and there, Jasmine casually admitting to a callous worldview about how only a select few matter, those with the vision of leaders but the performance of workers who make things happen. Jasmine of course softens these statements afterwards, and some seem innocuous enough at a glance. Emily looks right past it, she’s still a young kid just entering adulthood.

            All the while, the main conflict between our protagonists and the Phantom Alliance occurs; There’s the enigmatic, masked figure of Maerco, and her desire to control death. She has some motives and observations that seem a bit suspiciously similar… She mentions a ‘collective spirit’ which could be literal given the Spirit Currents are just that, as well as Preeminent devouring a bunch of souls and using them to power themselves.

            Jasmine makes Emily an offer as she continues to succeed, explaining to her student that she has a vision, and has and continues to make things work. And she needs others like her, others like Emily, to make that work. People like them need to rise up, and Jasmine encourages Emily to cut off other ties deemed ‘distractions’, and even projects a little bitterness. She’s nudging Emily into this elitist, hierarchical mindset where people like them must devote and even destroy themselves for a greater good, except it’s not one concerned with everyone else, just a certain abstract idea.

            As our protagonists in the conventional storyline learn more about Maerco, they learn her full, true name… And at the same time, Jasmine finally admits to Emily, going mask-off, her full name; Jasmine Maerco. She becomes upfront of what and who she really is; Maybe Emily is already connected to our protagonists, so Maerco is explaining the Phantom Alliance because she needs Emily’s help.

            Emily is horrified; She isn’t doing this! She snaps out of the delusions that Maerco has put into her, about being devoted to a greater good. Maerco tries to get Emily to calm down, insinuates she’s getting emotional, explaining that the ‘common masses’ still have a place, and even those who are ineffective but sympathetic and trying, will be regarded well and appreciated by the Phantom Alliance; They can be used for other things!

            And Emily isn’t like those common masses, nor the ones who understand; She understands and is better than them! And even if she isn’t, well, she just needs to get over herself for the sake of those better; Maerco would do the same, and she actually means it. But it doesn’t make this any less horrible and evil.

            Who cares if it’s horrible and evil? So are many things, Maerco argues. If you just step back and do nothing, horrible things will happen, wars will inflict mass death. Even if you try, it happens; Misfortune and death are inevitable facets of life. So why not make it happen anyway, but in a way people like them can take advantage of, to make it meaningful? Make it matter, make senseless loss into a noble sacrifice, an investment.

            And eventually, they can invest enough power to smash the laws of nature itself, and put an end to things like that; The Phantom Alliance’s methods mean their destruction will be limited. Not doing anything means destruction will be infinite. There’s an obvious calculus here, and if it’ll happen anyway, someone has to bite the bullet and be the evildoer, for the greater good.

            Emily refuses, Maerco sighs; She’d hoped she would understand. But she won’t make Emily do it, because then Emily will have no real spirit, and in the end a talented yet forced one is inherently inferior even to one less capable but actually willing. Maerco takes control of Emily using a combination of magic and Preeminent’s power, and/or Emily gets rescued, I dunno.

            We all know it, Jasmine and Maerco are the same; It’s not about it being a twist to the audience, it’s about it being a twist to the characters, and in particular, exploring a side to Maerco more mundane, seemingly sympathetic. It’s a context in which Maerco can recruit others, and we see what goes on in the heads of those who join her, which is the same as what goes on in Maerco’s head.

            And Emily considers, for a bit; And shakes it off, nah. Maybe Maerco played her card too early, maybe because she had no choice. It might haunt Maerco, Emily’s wasted potential… but the same goes for many taken away too soon. That will be resolved by controlling the Spirit Currents anyway.

            The tragic irony is that Maerco seems nicer, and on a superficial, immediate level is; But for all her correct lecturing on that teacher, she turns out to be infinitely worse and so on some level, there’s a bit of technical hypocrisy on Maerco’s part. That teacher was just a mediocre prick going nowhere and dragging people down to his level, whereas Maerco is a delusional mass murderer helping others be that way too. And while she’s certainly more competent than the teacher she fired, that just makes her far more dangerous because she knows what she’s doing, and has delusions beyond that guy.

            It becomes obvious; Maerco was not really kind, she was not really caring for the students; Just in cultivating their potential. At the very least that compassion was deeply conditional on them being ‘worthwhile’ just as the teacher’s approval was. Her beef with the teacher had nothing to do with the nature of the methods, just them being ineffective; Being effective is all she cares about, regardless of the method, and her admonishing made students mistake Maerco for having other priorities.

            Looking better may have been part of it, her way to salvage a bad situation. But while the reality is that honey attracts flies more than vinegar, what if that were not the case? If being vicious and cruel worked, you could not imagine just how sadistic Maerco would be; Not so much for their general well-being but this abstract idea of ‘potential’ to live up to.

[the-gayest-tree-you-ever-did-see]

What do you think happened at those Career Districts?

How do they volunteer being in the life/death competition?

Do you think this is parallel in real life?

Thank you,

@curiousnonny

i feel like im basic about this in the sense that i read it very literally as how war drafting/enlisting works. career districts are closer to the capitol, if not physically, politically and ideologically, and so they kind of.. believe in the hunger games more. obviously they are still distraught about sending kids to die, but its for a good cause, right? doing this now means avoiding a war in the future. its twenty three lives a year versus millions at once, and you know, president snow says it might wipe out the whole world given the weapons we have! i love my kids and i love my friends but its the choice between letting one die versus letting all of them die.

and so i think they almost equate the games to a war. you are either drafted (reaped) or enlist (volunteer). the career districts volunteer because it is, very literally, a career path. you train your whole life to win the games and bring home glory, enlist, and ideally, win, come home, spend a year recovering and being paraded around, and then you teach the other kids how to follow in your footsteps. every district has mentors for the chosen tributes, but i think since kids in career districts were training, those mentors made their services available to all the kids in the district, not just the chosen ones. (and yes, i do believe they think of themselves as the chosen ones.) its amazing how much you can justify when you believe in the cause. its like that one post about the older woman who was against unions because it meant that everything she'd done was for nothing. if the career districts are to realize that the hunger games and their entire governmental system is corrupt, then wasting their whole lives away to learn to kill and survive, to treat human lives as a means to an end, and to send kids off to the games willingly was all for... nothing. and if its all for nothing, look how much they lost already. how can you recover from that? how can you face yourself?

they have to continue volunteering and training and going along with the games because it would mean everything they thought was important is actually harming them and was never important at all. one must imagine sisyphus happy, right?

but yeah, this is very parallel to how people enlist for war in real life. we even see in the volunteers, katniss volunteers to save her family, because she'd rather fight a war than let it touch her sister, but no one volunteers for peeta because hes a decent option anyway. finnick has a head full of visions of glory and he volunteers too young, and letting go of that cockiness, no matter how false, would be admitting that he did it for all the "wrong" reasons. mags (an older veteran and mentor) volunteers for annie (a young woman already scarred) so that the younger generation is protected from the horrors of war. peeta volunteers for haymitch for the opposite reason, but also because he wants to die with his fellow soldiers if he must, even if we erase katniss entirely.

and even with being reaped (drafted), its going to be a majority of poorer people in minority groups who need get more tesserae and have their names in more times. so you see someone like gale, whose name is in more than probably any other kid in the district with forty two slips in order to get food for his family and save his younger siblings, is so geared to war. hes already fighting it in his head. and if he admits that war is not the answer, that principles do not have to be casualties in it, then it was all for nothing. his whole life, lived in fear of reaping but never volunteering, of always being prepared to fight but never willing to jump in... it was all useless. especially because we saw peeta volunteer in the 75th games to be with katniss, but it never occurs to gale to do the same in the 74th. we know how eager he is to fight, but he never chooses it.

i think suzanne collins did a fantastic job building up this system because it is very, very real and very, very poignant.

[thebitchforjemcarstairs]

i love both Wessa and Jessa and i just wanted to know where you stand on the two dynamics. I love Will and i love Jem for different reasons. Jem for me represents this feather light airy love that shines while Will represents that really deep cacophony of love that is deeper then any witching well.

If i were to describe the two different dynamics via swiftie songs it would be-

Jessa: invisible string, wildest dreams, clean, timeless, snow on the beach, my tears ricochet, the lakes

Wessa: red, maroon, midnight rain, dress, i see you, false god, cruel summer

Where do you stand in all of it? Do you feel like there should be one finite endgame for Tessa? Or do you think its balanced and both should end up with Tessa at certain points? Do you like Jessa post-TID?

I'd just love to know your stance on it all :D xxx

I LOVE ANY VARIATION OF HERONGRAYSTAIRS, LITERALLY.

Wessa 10/10, Jessa 10/10, Heronstairs 10/10, HERONGRAYSTAIRS ++ 10/10

I remember reading TID for the first time and being as confused as Tessa, and I remember being scared she would choose one, and I would have been pissed for the other. I was like, If she chooses Will, I'm pissed because Jem is the real man in this book, and if she chooses Jem, I'll be pissed too because Will deserves the world. IT WAS A MESS IN MY HEAD, and I am extremely happy CC chose this ending. If Tessa had ended up with one, it would have been like all the other boring love triangles we are used to, and the series would not have been as loved as it is right now.

I love your descriptions of both dynamics. For me, Wessa is bantering, it is crazy adventures (they go on vacation in old gothic castles), it is big gestures of love, the shameless PDA couple, but when they are alone, they are laid back, they read books, and I don't know, they just enjoy the company of each other in front of a fireplace. Will is a very loud person, but only when he's surrounded by people, once he's alone with Tessa, he's pretty chill.

Contrary to the Jessa dynamic, which is very calm, beach vacations and on the quiet side, but once they are alone, it's very passionate (ex: the make-out scene in cp1, after the bridge, the proposal, etc.), that's because Jem is a very intense character, even though we don't get his POV, and he's written to be seen through the eyes of Will and Tessa, (something I'm still pissed about, but that's for another post).

So yeah, I'm a Wessa/Jessa stan. The funny thing is that I follow people who cannot stand Will, who find him the star that outshines everyone, just because CC loves her Herondale boys (which he's not, I actually find him very reserved, he's just loud around his people). And I also follow people ( I highly appreciate) who cannot stand Jem, because for them he's everywhere, (which is also wrong, because let's be honest, GotSM was all about Will, they literally go after Kit, because of Will). Modern Jessa, if they don't mention Will at least one time, they die. Some readers also think that Tessa moved too fast, after the death of Will, and was ready to throw it all for Zach and find this out of character and disrespectful of her life with Will. AND I'M LIKE, GUYS WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME READING OF TESSA, SHE LITERALLY FUCKED WILL AFTER SHE LEARNED THAT HER FIANCÉ/BESTIE OF HER OTHER CRUSH DIED. If there is one thing CC is good at, and did not ruin, is the continuity of these 3 characters through the series.

To each their own, I guess, it's not a dictatorship lol, but it's been more than 10 years, and if readers still don't understand that they are a three-package deal, it's their choice. It's Jem, Will and Tessa, they all love each other waaay too much, but it's them. I would have loved to explore more of Will and Jem when they were kids though, because my babies only had 5 years together. Too bad CC is only writing romance stories in her upcoming 10-story novella. I would have loved to have a story of young Jem and Will.

Anyway, I will finish this really cool question with my two fav quotes about these three characters, who have been in my heart since my teenage years.

"Is what difficult?”

“Sharing your husband’s heart so entirely with someone else,” he said. 

“If it were different, it would not be Will’s heart,” Tessa said. “He knows he shares my heart with Jem as well. I would have it no other way—and he would have it no other way with me."

"I could not have loved Will so much if I had not loved you as well. And I could not love you as I do if I had not loved Will as I did.”

[polychaeteworm]

My abusive mother is finally trying to do family therapy and her therapist wants to talk to me on the phone first. I have no idea if this means I'm getting into a session with her but like, she's about to be exposed for not telling the truth if she hasn't already.

This gonna be soooo fun!(Genuinely) Happy birthday to me!

I wrote her the "Here's the facts about why I haven't spoken to you in a decade" email and told her to share it with her therapist. Because at this point, it's like, painfully obvious that she's enmeshed with me and has a number of tightly held delusions that she's good at masking... Until someone pokes holes in her story. Poke poke poke! I promise human mother you do not want me talking to this PTSD therapist that you've told a false story to, but heeeeere we gooooo.

We're talking about things like, she thinks I was kidnapped dispite being told by literally everyone she moans to that I left on my own. She doesn't think I can, she can't believe it, so to her, it simply didn't happen, even when it plainly obviously did.

She petitioned the court to hand her my autonomy and it got thrown out to the tune of her making up conspiracy theories about why they didn't think that was a good idea when there was no evidence that I was incapacitated.

She seemingly cannot process the concept of me disagreeing with her validly and on my own. Any time I hold an opinion she doesn't like, one of her "enemies" put it there. Or she blatantly steps around it like it's not there.

The time she assaulted my system, we were both alone in a supermarket. Nobody told me my mom grabbed and dragged me, nobody hyped me up and convinced me of that. I was not brainwashed, I was not hypnotized. it was a real thing that actually happened.

She claims my trans status is a surprise. She's finally calling me by my systems preferred name (not sharing for our safety) and acting like I just never told her. Which is both cool and absolute bullshit.

Even though she very clearly physically assaulted me for cutting my hair and full on dramatically feined heart attacks Stanford and son style when I tried to calmly talk to her about anything LGBT related, other people defamed her, it was other people, not her own actions.

It's very worth mentioning that this woman isn't your typical flavor of ignorant parent either.

She's a LOA new age cult entrenched hippie fag hag hanging on to her Catholic childhood when it comes to the concept of purity. She lost all her gay friends when they found out she was the "not my kid tho" type. She is a spiritual tourist that had a child(hi it's us) with a native man to trap him in a relationship.

She's charismatic and nice until you disagree.

I feel like something about my gender threatens her and I'm not entirely sure why but it's not my fault and not my responsibility.

I'm only planning on attending therapy with her to, as my therapist puts it, "say goodbye". She has stage four cancer and this might be the last time I interact with her. You hope for the best but I am not expecting the presence of a therapist to change her mind. This is just the showdown I owe to the young folk of the system.

They need to see me advocate for them in this exact environment. I've been waiting for these exact conditions and the spirits are definitely throwing out good signs.

[sanguinifex]

Y’know the “classic children’s literature” canon is largely pretty fucked up.

C.S. Lewis was racist and homophobic and sexist, not to mention Extremely Christian and trying to convert you (seriously, there are exactly 2 books where the bad guys aren’t women or Muslims by another name, and one of those 2 doesn’t even have an antagonist once Eustace gets un-dragoned)

Roald Dahl was notoriously antisemitic and just kind of misogynistic in general. Keeps trying to sell the idea that ugly people are inherently evil and pretty people are inherently good. Also like the Oompa Loompas are a) canonically black in the books and b) slave labor, and this is promoted as positive? Charlie’s dad would’ve had a job if Wonka hadn’t been literally stealing people to avoid paying workers. Also, like, the nerve of leaving a chocolate factory to a random kid who knows nothing about chocolate except it tastes good, when probably at least a dozen of the Oompa Loompas are qualified to run the place. Like, Dahl is great at giving people nightmares, but the inherent assumptions begin the worlds he builds are not something I want to give to a 10-year-old and tell them it’s Great Literature and something to emulate, the way I was. (Also, I was actually 8, come to think of it.)

JKR. Well. Besides the TERFery and racism/antisemitism. There’s just a complete disregard for bodily autonomy that’s so present in her work that it becomes obvious it’s part of how she views the world? Like, it’s supposed to be a funny joke to slip someone a potion that turns them into a canary. Admittedly the delivery of that line was 109% but like. What if he’d got stuck like that? You can’t just transmogrify people like that without asking them. You also shouldn’t do the “muggle” equivalent like putting Nair in someone’s shampoo. That’s assault, Joanie. I think this also feeds into her transphobia, because she just doesn’t seem to have anything that would hold her back from swapping someone’s gender for giggles if she were able to. It’s not just the HP series, either, it’s her works aimed at adults as well. Like, she’d be the type to barge into the bathroom while you’re peeing and then get offended when you’re upset by this because “We’re all girls here.” But oh it’s a modern classic and you have to read it to understand nerd culture…well, you could make that argument 10 years ago but it’s a bit less solid in 2023. I wouldn’t ban a kid from reading it, but I wouldn’t give them a box set. If they brought it home from the library I’d give a quick talk that I’m not mad at them for reading it but they should be aware that the author is a jerk.

Stephanie Meyer: Completely inescapable if you were a tween girl anywhere between 2005 and 2010. You had to plough through 4 doorstoppers of toxic Mormon heterosexuality just to understand what anyone was talking about. Like, I think it should be shelved with a pamphlet about healthy vs unhealthy relationships in it. Also, like, Meyer profited off the names of Native people and didn’t give them a cent. Also Bella you need a vampire like a fish needs a bicycle, just take some vitamin D supplements and you’ll get over him

Again, I’m not saying “don’t read these books.” Many of them are well-written and have historic and sociological and literary value. This post is about how we tell children that these demonstrably bigoted authors, whose bigotry shines through in their writing because they’re too unaware of it to file it down, that these are Great Writers and suitable to emulate. It’s not just that bigotry could be absored by young readers, it’s also that ir build a false foundation that will crumble under literary analysis, creating a life of doubting one’s own word choices, among other problems!

[egg-emperor]

"I love that Eggman is pure evil. If I wanted a nice/peaceful character I'd..." is kind of a false dichotomy, man. Most people aren't arguing he's pure good, just that (despite still being a bad person) he has some good qualities here and there. It's fine to not believe that yourself, I'm not arguing against it. Just that I feel most people aren't making out Eggman to be like Tinker (a good guy), but rather making him out to be like Bowser (a bad guy who's not supposed to be completely bad).

Nah it's not, trust me. Speaking from experience, I've seen a whole bunch of people who specifically say they like him as a character but literally dislike his evil despite that being the main point and defining descriptor of his character as the villain, and want him to be morally gray/a good guy/hardly evil at all as a result and that's just not who game Eggman is.

But they insist he is, that he doesn't know he's evil or doesn't really want to be deep down and has no choice, try to give him excuses or reasons for his evil like trauma to justify his villainy, downplay his cold-hearted acts, and now say that he's becoming a better person because of Frontiers despite the game not actually suggesting this at all.

And these are some of the same who get at me for liking Eggman as evil as he appears and how I write him that way and share my findings in analysis, and that's what I'm specifically referring to in that other post. I'm just questioning it because I don't understand what is so bad or unlikable about the main villain of the series actually being evil.

And again I'm just not a fan of the Eggman and Bowser comparison if it's to say they're alike because they're really not, it just emphasizes how different they are even more to me. Game Bowser isn't as evil as game Eggman. I'm a much newer Mario fan but people more knowledgeable than me have put into words why Bowser is the better guy than Eggman better than I could

But when it comes to Eggman, he causes mass amounts of global destruction, pollution, damage to the environment and wildlife, tried to kill kids as young as six and eight years old, has abusive behaviors that create multiple plot points, and wants to rule the entire world and be the emperor dictator who has power and control over everything and everyone and suppress freedom.

He has no limits known aside from actually destroying the entire planet so he can't rule it and that's not for moral reasons but purely selfish ones. He also isn't genuinely nice and selfless in any capacity, not even in his relationships with his creations and lackeys, which have most often been abusive and caused many to try to betray and escape him.

I know you said you're not trying to argue against it and I'm not trying to argue either but I just want to say that with all that in mind, I just can't understand the Bowser comparison. Eggman has had much more catastrophic impactful acts in the games over him in the games I know of, so the comparison doesn't seem fair. Eggman has the most inherently evil and dangerous intentions.

There are people out there who make him out to be like Tinker as much as there are ones that make him out to be just like Bowser, or at least wish he'd be like both, neither of which I can understand or get behind. Eggman is really that bad, I don't see any solid evidence in any of the games that suggests otherwise when you look at the examples they commonly use in full canon context.

If we were talking about Boom Eggman specifically however, then I could see where people are coming from and it would be more accurate. But game Eggman has never been less than diabolical evil.