#Actual MLK

[thisismenow3]

Protect yourself and keep pushing

Just give this a listen

[riddlerosehearts]

happy martin luther king jr. day, and happy twisted wonderland EN anniversary, and happy anniversary to the release of high school musical, aaand happy birthday to the late ken page, who voiced oogie boogie in the nightmare before christmas 💖 i think that's everything important that's going on today!

[hauntedbydemonswhilefollowinggod]

Please watch Martin Luther King, JR videos today instead of the coronation of the orangutan today.

[pangirlpanic]

Well. Okay so fuck me then

God I hate our government. Saying that with my chest. And no, I’m not mad because I won’t be able to scroll through my fyp and see videos for my favorite fandoms, even though I’m pissed about that too.

They’re trying to silence us, essentially. Because we see their bullshit and try to call them out on it, and this is what they do. Try and yank away our freedom of speech. If I could, I’d kick all of those insufferable, incompetent fucks out of office and put people in who are actually for the people instead of them fucking selves.

Also, side note, an empire (on average) lasts about 250 years, and rises and falls during that time. The U.S. is reaching its 250th birthday soon. Just food for thought, y’know.

[larrikinisahimbo]

Starting with "The revolution is about to televised" when you're performing for an institution that literally pushes military propaganda, and who also would have signed off AND approved the performance before hand, and people are praising you for "sticking it to the powers" as if you did not spend the past 15 months with complete silence about Congo, Sudan, Palestine who are being decimated by your country, while claiming your life and art is about activism is certainly as USAmerican as it gets.

[yetisidelblog]

Today is not a good day

On this day of remembrance for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all he stood for, a climate denier and serial liar who is wholly unfit to be president will stand on stage with his oil-drenched donors and lackeys to be inaugurated as the 47th president. So, I am filled simultaneously with grief, and with a furious determination. I am awash in grief—grief for all those powerful policies, investments, and commitments we fought so hard to secure and now may lose. Grief for all the people living through wildfires, hurricanes, floods, heat waves, poisonous fossil fuel extraction…everyone living through the consequences of a too-long delay in climate action. And grief for how far we still have to go to further MLK Jr.'s own tireless work for civil rights and economic justice. Climate action is not separate from those fights, and in fact we know humanity must rebalance the world toward a fairer and more sustainable future. And even in my grief, I am more determined than ever to toil on, and to do what we must do next. You see, it has long been true that most of the real progress on these issues does not come first from our federal government. The pioneering policies that led the way on investing in workers, addressing historic wrongs, cleaning up our air and water, and protecting our climate came first from states, counties, and cities—they came from us. From our neighbors and our communities, working together in solidarity. I believe that we will now see a great uprising of historic state and local action on the climate crisis and the many intersecting crises which oppress our communities. And Evergreen will be there. We're going to do what we do best, and make sure that decision-makers have the most ambitious and actionable policies and the political space to make those policies real. Local action is the primary way we will keep making tangible progress. So I'm asking you to send a message to your state elected officials that our movement will not let up. Write to your state reps right now to tell them to prioritize climate. Do it today, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As the man himself said:

"Now let us begin. Now let us re-dedicate ourselves to the long and bitter, but beautiful, struggle for a new world."

@upontheshelfreviews

@greenwingspino

@one-time-i-dreamt

@tenaflyviper

@akron-squirrel

@ifihadaworldofmyown

@justice-for-jacob-marley

@voicetalentbrendan

@thebigdeepcheatsy

@what-is-my-aesthetic

@ravenlynclemens

@thegreatallie

@writerofweird

@anon-lephant

@mentally-quiet-spycrab

[luigi-mangione-fan-girl]

The Inauguration and M.L.K day are on the same day...

[the-voice-of-night-vale]

whatever ur electoral decision is. can we PLEASE stop pretending america is a democracy. it is, and has always been, a farse of a democracy at best. the electoral college? the supreme court? anyone?? i remember finding those things distinctly undemocratic in middle school.

saying that 'we're choosing between fascism and democracy' is just patently untrue and frankly disrespectful to the vulnerable people who have been harmed by the authoritarian state even (and in some cases ESPECIALLY) under democrats.

(and before you say, "okay, fascism vs worse fascism" please take a moment and think about how fucking insane that is.)

[joshuadunshua]

[Image ID: a cropped image of an excerpt from “The Will to Change” by bell hooks. Various spots are highlighted in different colors. Beginning from the first full sentence, the paragraph reads, “He was not interested in forgiving him or understanding the circumstances that had shaped and influenced his dad’s life, either in his childhood or in his working life as a military man.” The following paragraph reads, “In the early years of our relationship he was extremely critical of male domination of women and children. Although he did not use the word ‘patriarchy,’ he understood its meaning and he opposed it. His gentle, quiet manner often led folks to ignore him, counting him among the weak and the powerless. By the age of thirty he began to assume a more macho persona, embracing the dominator model that he had once critiqued. Donning the mantle of patriarch, he gained greater respect and visibility. More women were drawn to him. He was noticed more in public spheres. His criticism of male domination ceased. And indeed he begin to mouth patriarchal rhetoric, saying the kind of sexist stuff that would have appalled him in the past.” The last paragraph is cut off, the top which is visible reads, “These changes in his thinking and behavior were triggered by his desire to be accepted and affirmed in a patriarchal workplace and rationalized by his desire to get ahead. His story is not unusual.” End image ID]

Trans mascs that “speak out” against transandrophobia/anti-transmasculinity/transmisandry/antimasculism/whatever word of the month they’ve forced us to coin, I need you to see yourself in this. This is you. This is you leaning into the patriarchal role of “protectors of the poor weak permanently victimized women,” this is you leaning into the patriarchal role of “ignore your pain, ignore your emotional distress, ignore your psychological needs, stuff it deep down inside and suck it up.” This is you enforcing patriarchal (and therefore also white supremacist) attitudes about gender. This is you learning to shift how you operate under the “logic” of a white supremacist, capitalist patriarchal system so that you can get and maintain access to what little scraps of privilege the system will give you for your conformity.

You cannot apply “logic” to oppressions—it is not a math equation you can solve for. It is not internally consistent.

(And when I say logic, I mean formal logic, I mean mathematical logic, I mean specifically Western conceptualizations of logic.)

You can’t simply state that “men don’t face oppression for being men because that then logically means [something untrue about women’s oppression] would be the case and it’s not.” Oppression is inherently illogical. To assume it operates on a truly definable and fully understandable logic is to suggest there’s a “good” reason for its existence. Which if you examine that for just a moment, you find it also then suggests that there is truth behind how oppression works. Or rather, that oppressed people did some thing or are some way that deserves oppression in response.

White supremacy doesn’t operate on any logical basis. Patriarchy doesn’t operate on any logical basis. They weren’t constructed to be logical, they were hardly “constructed” at all. They came about specifically to uphold and maintain powerful people’s access to power. To call the systems “constructed” is almost to give people too much credit.

Perhaps at one point “white supremacy” was a very specific spark in the mind of quite a number of powerful fair skinned Western Europeans, (though many would understandably point out that white supremacy existed well before it was made explicit), but to suggest that white supremacy as it exists now, as a self-perpetuating system that is able to chug away, an engine for capitalism built and sustained on the exploitation and slaveability of Black bodies, was consciously and carefully designed to operate only within specific bounds that we can define and uncover? That’s trying to use the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house.

Trying to equate the operation of white supremacy with patriarchy, or any system of oppression with any other system of oppression (though you really do see this most often with people equating racism with sexism) similarly does not work because they are not organized logically. They are not separable entities, either. It is true that there are common elements to different oppressions (see: Suzanne Pharr, bell hooks, Paulo Freire) and it is true that the different systems are interlocked and work together to hold it all up (see: Audre Lorde, Patricia Hill Collins, Andrea Smith) and it is true that they impact people at different intersections of oppressive systems uniquely and dynamically (see: Kimberlé Crenshaw, Jennifer Nash, Bonnie Thornton Dill & Ruth Enid Zambrana) and the systems themselves intersect and interact in different ways to produce unique effects which are dynamic across time and space and context (see: Cathy J. Cohen, Patricia Hill Collins, Rita Kaur Dhamoon).

At the end of the day, too, this whole conversation is also excruciatingly Western-centric, and most often Americentric. The white trans mascs (and any other white queers) decrying the concept that men could ever be oppressed for their being men, that men’s experiences of oppression could ever be shaped by their manhood (or their proximity to it), betray their ignorance to men’s experiences outside of their specific version of Western patriarchy. It betrays their understanding of patriarchy, white supremacy, and feminism as having been wholly informed by white radical feminists who appropriate the language of Black feminism while maintaining essentialist perspectives that reify and protect the same patriarchy they want to critique. As though patriarchy is just about men holding power over women and not also about men holding power over other men, not also about women’s complicity in maintaining and perpetuating it, not also about Western nations holding power over the Global South, not also about kinship organization, not about nationalism, not about colonialism, not about international and transnational politics, not about capitalist globalization.

I suppose this turned into something much bigger than it was originally meant to be, but I have fucking had it. I am fed up with white trans mascs from Western countries whose understanding of feminism is stalled at the stage where they’ve learned that white neoliberal feminism is bad because it’s not anticapitalist or intersectional enough but they haven’t actually learned what the fuck that criticism means because they think or behave as though “intersectional” is just another word for “diverse,” which they also maintain a neoliberal understanding of. I am also fucking heartbroken for all the trans mascs who are willing to lean into this patriarchal role where they close off their own emotions and dismiss their own problems and downplay the reality of being a transgender person at their particular intersection all because they’ve been convinced that men’s problems aren’t real problems, that the oppression they experience because they are transmasculine people is nothing to do with their masculinity or association with or proximity to (and subsequent distance from) manhood.

To claim that there is nothing unique about transmasculine experiences of oppression at the intersection of trans identity and gender is to willfully ignore reality in quite the same way that transphobes do when what they protest is “trans ideology.” Trans people will exist whether you personally believe our gender claims or not, right? So to fail to incorporate us into your reality is to have the temper tantrum of a toddler all because the world and its people aren’t as simple and uniform as you wanted them to be. Similarly, transmasculine people will experience oppression at this intersection regardless of what you want to call it, but to demand that we capitulate to language that flattens our experiences along the lines of either being transgender (it’s literally just transphobia) or our proximity to womanhood (it’s literally just misogyny), or even the two together but-not-really (it’s transphobia and misogyny but it’s not because of your proximity to manhood), is to suggest that there is nothing unique about our experiences of transphobia and misogyny as transmasculine people. Is to suggest that unless and until we are perceived as men by society, our experiences with oppression and penalization (and privilege by this logic, but notably not in practice) are indistinguishable from those of cisgender women and there is no value in discussing, dissecting, naming, or otherwise acknowledging anything transmasculine people experience—and then on the flip side, when society does perceive us as men, suddenly our experiences with oppression and penalization (and privilege by this logic, but notably not in practice) are indistinguishable from those of cisgender men, and so there is no value in discussing, dissecting, naming, or otherwise acknowledging anything transmasculine people experience.

We’re either basically cis women or basically cis men, whichever is more convenient and makes it easier to disregard us in the moment.

[bottomvalerius]

Jewish organizers have been called antisemitic for nearly 2 years now solely for being pro-Palestine and anti-genocide. I’ve seen highly intelligent students being suspended for expressing the very basic idea that Israel & The United States (under Joe Biden and with the explicit support from Joe Biden) are orchestrating & funding a genocide that has been taking place for decades. All labeled antisemites, even if the organization is Jewish run. And this isn’t even getting into the disgusting, vile things being said to Arab and Muslim students (especially if they are women or gender nonconforming), even those non-politically active, simply for existing and resisting. We were told to shut up, that our cause (THE ANTI-GENOCIDE CAUSE) isn’t as important as the election, that if we stop taking so much space, our time will come, etc etc etc. that we are actually the enemies and that the rise of fascism is actually OUR fault. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive some of the things I’ve read and heard on hear and on the protest lines. It was the same shit when anti-fa and BLM were trying to hold Biden & Clinton accountable during their elections too: shut up and stop being so disruptive. You’re a terroristic organization because you condone looting. You deserve what’s coming to you. Etc. Etc. Etc.

But Elon Musk can full on Nazi salute and we need to give him and other Nazis the benefit of the doubt. Choke on it.

[moreaujeans]

moodboard

[constantvariations]

I remember someone saying "there's no such thing as a good racism allegory" and it's been bouncing around in my head for a while. I'm someone who typically thinks anything can work if given the right circumstances, but then I really started thinking about it and I believe they're right

Because if you want to talk about racism, you should just talk about racism

(This is unpolished and ramble-y, so strap yourselves in)

Racism is deeply ingrained into our society, no matter where you live. Imperialism and colonialism has ensured that no corner of Earth has been left untouched. Choices from hundreds of years ago are still being felt today. There's practically no end to the discussion of its effects on the world and its people

So, why should anyone feel the need to dress it up in cat ears?

I've consumed a lot of media where writers have consciously echoed in part some aspect of racism in their fantasy story: Bright 2017, Dragon Age, RWBY, the MCU, Harry Potter, Detroit: Become Human, etc. The biggest thing they have in common is that the narrative is told to side with the victims, but it somehow always ends up against them

It always sides with the status quo

It's confusing, maddening even, because the narrative oft goes out of its way to show how horrible the system is and how these folk don't deserve their treatment, so why are we going back to normal as if it's a good thing? Why are the people actively working to improve the system decried as annoying at best and monstrous at worst?

Then you look at the people who write these storylines. The beliefs they hold, the people they vote for, which charities and organizations they give to, and it all makes sense. Centrists (at best) trying to look progressive are the ones who need to dress racism up in cat ears and rainbow freckles. They set aside the long, brutal histories and crushing systemic realities to play pretend that racism is Not That Bad and is only done by Those Bad Individuals

That's why Velvet's ears are tugged instead of culled. That's why the Mantle drunkards say mean things to Blake instead of attempting to assault her. That's why everything surrounding the SDC's labor practices is so vague as to be useless while the biggest evidence of their malice is hand-waved away by a writer who says the victim "had it coming" as if someone can deserve being branded by being too much of a brat

These stories aren't meant to make the audience question why our society works off the bloodied backs of the exploited or demands we take good, hard looks at ourselves and how we've been duped into believing so much garbage about entire swathes of people. They're meant to satisfy the people who only feel bad that these things are happening because they (white folk) look like the bad guys. It's a self-congratulatory wank about how "I'm not like THOSE guys, therefore I'm a good person!"

And then there's the characters meant to convey this story in the first place: always inoffensive, mostly aimless, "not like the other girl" types that pander to that delicate palate. Blake - a conventionally attractive, pale skinned girl in fashionable clothes - used to be passionate about equality but only in the right way, and demonizes anyone who does not conform to this mindset despite having no reasoning to back it up while never once demanding better of the privileged people around her even when they do racially insensitive things

The biggest downfall of these racial allegories, be they about cat girls or orcs or elves or robots, is that they do something that marginalized folk have been forced to endure since the dawn of time: literal dehumanization. There are tangible differences between humans and whatever the allegory is, which undermines the very fundamental fact that black/asian/queer/neurodivergent/disabled/whatever folk are unapologetically, undeniably, exceedingly human. By dressing up their plights in cat ears or spottled blue skin, you're creating theater not for the people who actually live through these struggles as a means of connecting with them and providing them a safe outlet for their feelings, but giving the people who benefit from passively allowing the system to enforce said struggles a pat on the head for not being the grand wizard

I don't really know where I'm going or how to end this, so I'll just sign off with if you're going to talk about racism, just talk about racism

[thattheater-kid]

It’s that time of year again, throwback to that time in seventh grade when my friend was having a severe mental health crisis in school and the license, trained, paid counselors called me out of class and said to me, “We just don’t know what to do anymore, he keeps asking for you. Can you try talking to him?” So I went over to my friend and tried to talk him out of ending his own life and then spent that entire long weekend stressed beyond belief because I thought if he was dead by Tuesday, it was completely my fault and I failed him.

Oh, happy Valentine’s Day by the way.

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

before i go to bed bc i have been doing a lot of research- it’s *intensely* funny people whine about “gene's vision” whenever star trek is mildly transgressive like. i mean for one the dude stuffed the series with as much sex as he could in the time periods he was alive if he saw modern star trek and what’s possible on the air nowadays he'd probably say it needed to be way hornier lol. but also like. gene was progressive in his time outside of his fucking ridiculous level of misogyny. and even with that people who were Not Gene because turns out multiple people are involved in production of a whole tv show were often progressive in that area including women who obviously didn’t share the nightmare sexism gene had. and the series heavily reflected that, even if it’s not obvious today (since progressive for the 60s is usually intensely bigoted now). if the series wanted to be accurate to that it should actually be way more transgressive to the point it makes blunders bc the writers are tired from arguing with network executives. where’s the equivalent of the first interracial kiss on television guys ur playing it way too safe.

[mascula-sappho]

at this point I wish I had a militant autistic army to fight against the psychiatric-capitalist-neurotypical complex and get respect and person hood for the first time in our lives. Oh you won't raise your autistic child because they aren't like you? We'll adopt them and give them plushies, stimtoys, fight the school admin, and hug them when they are sensory overwhelmed. we'll cook them their safe food over and over and over again. If you were lazy and thought that your child couldn't think bc they couldn't speak, we'll find a deaf person to teach them sign language. If that doesn't work, they'll be the smartest iPad kid around bc they will have a communication app and not TikTok. We'll stop psychiatrists from trying to cure them and us, we'll stop them trying to medicate us out of existence. Only ND psychiatrists allowed. We'll hand out pamphlets to new parents so their children never receive the abuse we did from so called authority figures. We'll plaster posters and murals all over ABA offices with pictures and biographies of famous and successful autistic adults from everywhere in the world and in history. We won't stop trans autistics from transitioning bc unlike mainstream society, none of us are children or infants except for those that are in terms of age. Everyone will have time to study their special interests and not be mocked for them or overvalued only for their intelligence. I guess this is my dream, that one day this will be possible.