#(and I better not see anyone in the tags using this post to do so)

[makingshortstorieslong]

A little zine about how I (still) have trouble saying the word aromantic.

I've never made a zine before! I was inspired to try it because @queerliblib mentioned a zine making night in an email. That hasn't happened yet - its on June 26th - but once I had the idea, I couldn't wait, lol. It was nice to put something down on paper and have the finished product to hold onto.

Image descriptions under the cut:

Page 1: Three tiny speech bubbles say: "Do you have a bf? Do you like anyone? What's your type?" A big speech bubble says, "Oh, I don't date." The big speech bubble comes from a heart colored like the aromantic flag. 

Page 2 says: I could say: "Actually, I'm... ...aromantic." ...aro." ...aromantic asexual." ...aroace."

Page 3 says: But there are a few problems:

aromantic: Has been misheard as "A Romantic".

aro: Opaque if you don't already know the term.

aromantic asexual: A mouthful! And sounds...scientific?

aroace: shares The Big Problem: it may require a vocabulary lesson!

Page 4 says: It doesn't actually come up too often! Which is fine. My coworkers, my neighbors, and strangers don't need to know I'm aroace. I just wish I could say it sincerely when I do want someone to know. 

Page 5 says: I always have to smile - laugh - hedge. "Oh, well, actually, I'm kind of like, aromantic? Basically just not interested."

It's been more than 8 years since the first time I said it out loud!  I'm certain of it, but I still can't say it like I mean it!

Page 6 says: The most memorable time I said "I don't date" the guy I was talking to asked "Oh are you asexual?" and I said "Yeah, actually. And aromantic." And we moved on.

That was nice. 

Page 7 says:

The times I've lead with "I'm aromantic" -- well, there's only one I really remember:

"I didn't use to think that was a real thing." 

Other than that time -- even if I use the word, I always explain what it means first! 

Page 8 says: I just hope that one day I'll feel like I can say, simply, confidently: "I'm aromantic" and "I'm aroace."

The words "I'm aromantic" are big and dark green, the color of the top stripe of the aromantic flag. The words "I'm aroace" are big and bright orange, the color of the top stripe of the aroace flag. Three hearts below the words are colored to look like the aromantic, aroace, and asexual flags. 

[licorishh]

no way she's alive ?? yea those mental health breaks because social media makes people suck are wild huh

[gonchillunchis]

ancient josuyasu doodle (circa 536 a.d)

[metalcorebarbie]

don’t read the tags if you don’t want to get mad at me but also i want to shout into the void about 911

[javierduffy]

starting to get restless so i'm going to the gym now but have this javieran wippy in the meantime cux i miss posting here

[suddencolds]

// personal

how strange it is to observe yourself changing

[ssreeder]

I'm so looking forward to iroh and zuko properly talking and seeing irohs reaction to zuko being gay.

Like we all know he doesn't agree with the fire nation rn but how will he react?

Will he not support him cause sokkas a guy? Will he not support him because it's SOKKA? Will he accept him? Will he reveal he's known for years zuko was gay?

Especially with everything that happened with zhao, regarding to what jee said to bato on their date. (Which is a very understandable perspective, zuko just got out of this very sexually traumatising situation and almost immediately starts a relationship (his first relationship) with sokka, but then again it is a very unique situation)

One thing I love about some atla fics is how they portray the FNs thoughts on queerness, cause on one hand they were one of the only country's (I think) that treated men and women the same but then again it's also the fucking fire nation.

And I also think zukos whole canon arc can be very comparative to queerness,

His dads an asshole and after speaking out against him he throws him out, and zuko try's for 3 years to regain his father's love and acceptance, and then faced with the opportunity of regaining it takes it immediately regardless of who or what he may hurt (iroh, his own morals etc) but once he makes it back home realises how fucked up everything is and eventually confronts his dad and openly tells him he doesn't agree with him then runs aways.

I also wonder if iroh secretly knows jee is queer it doesn't seem that likely to me but it also is iroh so who knows.

<3

I do think Iroh’s reaction will be a big moment for not only the story but for Zuko’s character development. Right now, Zuko’s technically still a prisoner, holding himself there by assuming Iroh will not understand or judge him when in reality he’ll never know what his uncle is thinking until they TALK ABOUT IT. (Which the FN royal family is just sooo good at healthy communication I don’t understand why this is so hard for them lol?!)

I do agree that the suddenness of the relationship combined with the intensity from both zuko and Sokka is very alarming for people looking at it from the outside (I mean we all totally get it cause we were there but others are like uhhhh hmmmm ok this might be concerning) so I get them gossiping and wondering if this is truly real or what the fucks going on with those boys.

I love Zukos canon arc because there’s just so much about zukos story that can be relatable no matter who you are and I think that’s why he is a fan favorite (it doesn’t explain why we torture him the way we do but ehhhh it’s fine haha)

Hmmmmmm does iroh know Jees gay? Depends on how saucy those music nights got ;)

[voiceshearingyouloud]

Finally properly sobbing after not being able to cry all day is such a great feeling

[katsdynam1ght]

i am too burnt out to be a person i think today i need to be a dog

[wildflowercryptid]

something that's been weighing on my mind ever since learning about the situation with ezra / toonimal is seeing how these predators will take the active hostility that is frequently directed towards minors in online spaces to their advantage and use it to prey on vulnerable children. i think that we as adults in online fandom should probably come together and maybe rethink the language / manner we go about interacting with kids bc clearly the way things are rn is causing active harm.

like obviously, if you're an adult and aren't comfortable with minors interacting with you or your content, you should be allowed to set that boundary and should be vocal about it, ( especially if the content you create isn't safe for them to consume. ) but i don't think talking to them like they're a blight on all that is good and holy is the way to go about it. maybe just saying you're an 18 plus account will suffice, you don't have to tell them to fuck off.

[cherryapplefish]

Sylus gun play anyone?

[bigcryptiddies]

When it comes to all the ways in which society needs to change and be dismantled and reformed and transformed and rehabilitated and made over, I almost never want to hear from a white person I just feel like they have a fundamental disconnect from some of the life experiences needed to fully understand what needs to change

[sskk-manifesto]

What a good episode. Maaaaaan

[hechose]

mmm the way armand, if he stopped to think for ten seconds, could have actually heavily related to claudia. that he just wanted to be chosen, to be loved first and for all he is and not all he has to be. not for the shell of an image outside, but for what he is within--

[cat-of-starlight]

They/Them is used for someone whose gender is unknown and since Dante’s gender is not explicitly stated (it’s not said in canon that they’re nonbinary) using They/Them is appropriate, but not required. Even if a character who knew Dante before the amnesia uses They/Them, it is not enough evidence to say Dante is nonbinary. They could also not know Dante’s gender. There’s no reason to be mad and mean about it.

Until the game decides to give them something else, they are they/them and that is required since that's what the game exclusively uses. If they get their memory back and they decide to use different pronouns then, that's fine and I'll adjust accordingly.

Having amnesia doesn't mean that the pronouns they use while having amnesia aren't valid as their current pronouns.

As for why I'm starting to get mean about it? Its not like this is the first game where it's happened. People LOVE to find reasons to dismiss the pronouns of a they/them character. not even the first time in Project Moon- Go read Wonderlab, its free. Some characters in that openly look fem, but also use They/them, and they don't have amnesia- that is their choice- Clearly PM can and will do it (I believe some Runia characters do as well but I'm not sure which ones off of the top of my head)

I'm MEAN about it because if I let it happen now? in this game? That only gives people who want to dismiss they/them characters more leeway to do so in the future- it only gives more excuses.

Honestly? If people come up with good intentions or are just confused, and then learn to change their ways? that's fine. I'll welcome them with open arms- people are allowed to make mistakes, especially just getting into a game- but its the people who OPENLY fight against it that I get mad at.

--

TLDR: I don't care atm what they were before losing their memories, they currently use they/them exclusively, every character who knows them uses it. Even Faust, who has made it pretty clear, or at least as clear as Faust makes ANYTHING, that she knew who they used to be ALSO uses they/them, making the "unknown gender" bit invalid. Their pronouns are they/them until they decide for themselves otherwise- hope that helps.

[lionblaze03-2]

idc that I’m allergic I love dog so much I need dog in my life. Look at this face. Like come on

And this one??? Forget about it