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neptuneschldd · 2 months ago

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Shining a light on “unfavorable” placements. pt.1

Within astrology, I notice a lot of people addressing only the dark sides of dark placements. These placements being considered as unfavorable and or “unfortunate”. However, tougher aspects/placements are generally considered to be gifts, though they are challenges, I see them as direct callings on what allows the individual to reach success. I am not a professional but these are patterns/observations I make from personal experience and life all around me. Now buckle up, this’ll be a long post, I’ll be discussing only planetary/object placements, next part will be aspects however, less descriptive.

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12H & 8H Suns and Moons

12H Suns are considered to be unfavorable however, this placement is actually a gift, though the sun is “shadowed” in this area; individuals with 12H are actually here on a mission, though it is bleak to see, individuals with this placement have power and it’s not even locked potential, it’s just power that they cannot see themselves but naturally exude. 12H suns are directly connected to the subconscious, they have this “one foot in one foot out” approach to reality, they are immensely creative and are gifted with compassion at early ages, though they don’t realize it, they tend to be ahead of the game in the early stages of life

12H Moons; these individuals are given heavy emotions, probably even a transformative connection with their mother, their emotions is where their spiritual knowledge lies, they have strong intuition and are the true empaths of astrology. Those with this placement are driven by their feelings, they know the ins and outs and have all the secrets, this is more hidden/internal knowledge, similar to 12H suns, they can gain a lot of knowledge later in life

Now 8H Suns/Moons are similar to one another. Individuals with these placements have true power in them, and they are gifted with depth and intensity that people are actually afraid of. These are the type of people to get told something toxic about themselves and they hit you with a “I know.” or they will outwardly tell you themselves (If other points in the chart agree). They are masters when it comes to shadow work and they are constantly changing–if you don’t see them for at least a month and they come back, their mindset could have taken a complete 180, for better or for worse. The 8H expands everything it touches, it creates an intense amount of depth to the matter. These individuals also tend to have a lot of people that will outwardly try to put them down, whether it is directly or indirectly, they also tend to have karma on their side. Their Image(Sun) and their emotions(moon)are heavily protected and praying on these individuals' downfall is like asking for a spiritual ass whooping.

Mercury in Pisces & Sagittarius:

Having Mercury in Pisces is an unfavorable placement, these individuals could be seen as forgetful, in a constant cycle of daze, and emotionally detached. However, the thoughts that boil within the brain of this placement is insane. I mean, we have a civil rights activist and a famous genius with this placement, if that doesn’t tell you anything idk what to tell you. These individuals are gifted with a lot of creativity, their thoughts actually run a mile a minute, they are typically well versed in various hobbies, these are the type of people if you ask what they do they might not give you one answer and hang around them long enough, you will see them having a new hobby every week. The ADHD masters, they’ll tell you they never played an instrument and hop on and immediately sound like an intermediate musician. These people have seen and heard it all, they are intelligent and their words hold weight. They say one thing and it’ll last you a lifetime, their advice sits in the back of people’s minds, their words are food for the soul, everything they say is more calculated and meaningful than even they think themselves. Truly underrated.

Next my lovely Sagittarian Mercuries. These individuals could be seen as rude, blunt, obnoxious, and or lacking emotional depth but just like their jupiterian sister pisces; they are much wiser than they put on. These individuals are witty, they are intelligent, they are humorous, their words hold power as well, they tell the truth and they build people up, they’re down to earth and self-assured, they have a way of making people listen, they are captivating in their words and can be lyrically gifted, natural poets in their own way.

Cadent Dominant Placements:

Being Cadent Dominant in my learnings is considered to have most of your placements within the 3H, 6H, 9H, and 12H. In addition, in case you don’t know, cadent houses are the houses further away from the angular houses and after the succedent houses, they tend to be where the most work has to happen are seen as challenging placements to have. Now, these individuals are smart as fuck, for lack of a better term. They are gifted with an inner drive, a drive that not many people will see or understand but themselves, these individuals have the power of moving masses. Though their efforts are indirect, they tend to hit people when it’s least expected–driven, misunderstood and powerful. 3H placements are well versed in communication, 6Hers know how to get shit done, 9Hers and 12Hers are mass movers and the backbone influencers. Having these placements indicate someone important, possibly even beyond a metaphysical sense. They don’t stop until they win and their perseverance is remarkable just as their lives are.

Saturn/Uranus/Pluto Ruled or Dominance (etc.)

Talk about “fuck around and find out”, these indivudals are like the older or even the middle children in astrology, many people with significant Pluto/Saturn/Uranus in their chart, this includes being ruled(MC & ASC), having it as a dominant planet, placed within the 1H, or aspecting Sun/Moon/Asc–tend to be protected like crazy. They tend to go through a lot of inner struggle and tend to constantly have something to work on, it’s like once they’re done with one lesson they’re given another. It’s like being stuck with chores all day and you’re finally done with your last one and once you’re about to step outside or go to your room to lay down, their parents call them and ask them to do something else and the cycle goes on lol. These individuals are resilient and are hardworking, they’re unique and nothing generally gets past them, you fuck with them, you’re fucking with their team as well, and best believe the universe is ready to dish back what you sent in tenfold; this even applies to the individual, but they rarely fuck up cause they know how it can get everytime. Gifted with power, control and drive, these individuals are goal-oriented, they don’t let anything get in their way and if there is even a slight indication of a distraction about to occur, they shut it down real quick. I like this.

Saturn in Angular Houses (1H, 4H, 7H, 10H) and HM: 5H.

Saturn in these houses are hard hitting. Cracking my knuckles because I’m about to go IN. I will state the

To start, Saturn in the 1H, these individuals are constantly met with lessons that have to do with their identity, they will be put in situations where they are physically limited and their identity is limited/restricted, these people will obsess over themselves and hold themselves to a high standard. However, even through this, these individuals not only directly have karma on their side, but they are ultimately gifted with a deep knowing of self, they build their identity and it is a literal weapon to anyone who brings murky intentions into their world, simply because of how resilient they are and how much they worked through restriction in the past.

For Saturn in the 4H, they may have had issues that involved restriction with their family, this is heavy because they sat through that for their entire lives, up to 18 and possibly even further than that. These individuals weren’t able to make a house a home or generally find a proper home. In their older years, they work with this energy to make a place for themselves and others, they have the power of compassion and comfort.

For Saturn in the 7H & 5H, these individuals are known to have tough luck in love, relationships are rare and if they have many relationships, they are often restrictive and unsatisfactory. They may struggle additionally with their sense of worth and bear a false outlook on love. However, in some moments in their younger years and in their older years, they possess deep knowledge on love, they seem to take it seriously and their love is rich, they are gifted with deep compassion and the ability to be long term with other people. They have unforgettable love, and they are typically unforgettable people as a whole.

Lastly for Saturn 10H, these people could feel restricted career wise, they may feel that they’re always being attacked in their reputation and are held from their true potential, however, they actually overextend themselves more than what they were meant, they can influence and hold a lot of power.

These can also be applied to Pluto as well, with more of a transformative foundation, however, Saturn and Pluto tend to be both extremely transformative planets.

Chiron in Succedent Houses (2H, 5H, 8H, 11H)

These placements tend to fit in a similar category, they are often scarred with themes that are prioritized in life; Money, Fun, Transformation and Community. They tend to see others experience joy and balance within these themes however, they find that this is the source of their trauma and unhealthy codependency that they desire to break away from. Ultimately, these individuals are gifted with strength and influence, they are creative, influential and open-minded when conflicts are properly addressed.

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In this post, I went into depth on placements that have more power than what is spoken about them; however, the dark tends to hold more truth about the light than the light does of itself. The placements listed are powerful and resilient, gifted with all sorts of things, and if you believe that something in your chart is insignificant, understand that astrology is a tool to access potential, it can hint at traits but it is not a concrete definition because there are other calculations that exist and have existed even beyond Traditional Western astrology. Next part will be on aspects, thank you for reading.

- J🧡

#astro community #astro notes #astro observations #astrology

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leikeliscomet · 2 months ago

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Asexual theory 101

Right I keep getting asked on most of my asexual posts 'What does this mean OP? Where's the sources?' so imma make a quick ace theory 101 post so if anyone says they don't get it I can say I tried. Let's go:

'What does being ace have to do with race/racism?/There's racism in the ace community???'

Pretty much everything as people of colour experience various forms of sexualisation and desexualisation at the same time, which is why POC are rarely included in asexual representation:

Asexuals of Color Still Seek to Validate Their Asexuality by Ebony Purks

Stereotypes & media about Black masculinity made it harder to come out as asexual by Tyger Songbird

Your Assumptions About Black Queer Masculinity Are Erasing My Asexual Identity by Timinepre Cole

It's Time To Start Celebrating Black Asexuality in Media By Tyger Songbird

Yasmin Benoit: ‘People had a hard time believing that I could be Black and asexual and at Pride’ by Alastair James

Brown and Gray: An Asexual People of Color Zine

'What do TERFS/transphobia have to do with asexuality?'

There's a growing TERF conspiracy theory that asexuality is the side-effect of transitioning. The LGB movement believes the community is exclusively for 'same-sex attracted persons' and so identities that don't involve attraction e.g. the TQIA should be removed. Most backlash towards Yasmin Benoit, aroace activist, is from white TERFs and conservatives:

Acephobic conspiracy theories have transphobic and fascist roots by Sherronda J Brown

'But how can conservatives hate asexuality if they hate sex?'

Because they don't and never did. If the term 'puritan' was used correctly in modern internet discourse, it would be known Christian puritans believe heterosexual sex for reproduction is a gift from god and mandatory so being asexual doesn't exactly fit with that worldview. Their beef is with any form of sex and sexuality that falls outside of cis heterosexual marriage, including asexuality. They're not anti sex but anti sexual autonomy:

"Anti-Sex" and the Real Sexual Politics of the Right by Lee Cicuta (ButchAnarchy)

The religious right is now targeting sexless marriages as “selfishness.” They Want to Ban Those Too by Tyger Songbird

Asexual people targetted by right-wing pundits following landmark report by Harriet Brewis

'What does being ace have to do with gender?'

It's commonly assumed that because patriarchy shames women's sexualities and considers all men's sexuality as biological and unavoidable, that ace women only and exclusively experience dsexualisation whilst ace men only and exclusively are pressured into being sexual beings. This can true as a broad overview but it can vary based on race, disability, class etc. This also becomes complex for asexuals that exist outside the gender binary. This is known as 'gender detachment'.

Impossible for Men, Unremarkable for Women by Canton Winer

My Work on Gender Detachment and Asexuality Strikes a Nerve by Canton Winer

'There's asexual studies now?'

Yup. On the general experiences of asexual people in the UK, including discrimination in education, the workplace and healthcare:

The National LGBT Survey (2018)

Ace in the UK Report (2023)

Specific names:

Asexual theorists: Ianna Hawkins, Michael Paramo, Julia Sondra Decker, Canton Winer (non-ace), Sherronda J Brown, Angela Chen

Asexual activists: Yasmin Benoit, Tyger Songbird, Marshall Blount (TheGentleAce), Kimberly Butler (TheAsexualGoddess)

And I'm gonna update this with more if they're worth adding. I don't wanna hear any excuses anymore or blame towards aces of colour, gay aces or trans aces for not being specific enough anymore. Read!

#i won't be surpised if this post gets aired #asexual #ace #asexuality #asexual community #compulsory sexuality #ace tings #queer theory #aroace #alloace #ace theory #asexual theory #black asexuals #black asexual #trans asexual #lgbtqia #lgbtq #lgbt

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mask131 · 1 year ago

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The truth about Medusa and her rape... Mythology breakdown time!

With the recent release of the Percy Jackson television series, Tumblr is bursting with mythological posts, and the apparition of Medusa the Gorgon has been the object of numerous talks throughout this website… Including more and more spreading of misinformation, and more debates about what is the “true” version of Medusa’s backstory.

Already let us make that clear: the idea that Medusa was actually “blessed” or “gifted” by Athena her petrifying gaze/snake-hair curse is to my knowledge not at all part of the Antique world. I still do not know exactly where this comes from, but I am aware of no Greek or Roman texts that talked about this – so it seems definitively a modern invention. After all, the figure of Medusa and her entire myth has been taken part, reinterpreted and modified by numerous modern women, feminist activist, feminist movements or artists engaged in the topic of women’s life and social conditions – most notably Medusa becoming the “symbol of raped women’ wrath and fury”. It is an interesting reading and a fascinating update of the ancient texts, and it is a worthy take on its own time and context – but today we are not talking about the posterity, reinvention and continuity of Medusa as a myth and a symbol. I want to clarify some points about the ACTUAL myth or legend of Medusa – the original tale, as told by the Greeks and then by the Romans.

Most specifically the question: Was Medusa raped?

Step 1: Yes, but no.

The backstory of Medusa you will find very often today, ranging from mythology manuals (vulgarization manuals of course) to Youtube videos, goes as such: Medusa was a priestess of Athena who got raped by Poseidon while in Athena’s temple, and as a result of this, Athena punished Medusa by turning her into the monstrous Gorgon.

Some will go even further claiming Athena’s “curse” wasn’t a punishment but a “gift” or blessing – and again, I don’t know where this comes from and nobody seems to be able to give me any reliable source for that, so… Let’s put this out of there.

Now this backstory – famous and popular enough to get into Riodan’s book series for example – is partially true. There are some elements here very wrong – and by wrong I do mean wrong.

The story of Medusa being raped and turned into a monster due to being raped does indeed exist, and it is the most famous and widespread of all the Medusa stories, the one people remembered for the longest time and wrote and illustrated the most about. Hence why Medusa became in the 20th century this very important cultural symbol tied to rape and the abuse of women and victim-blaming. HOWEVER – the origin of this story is Ovid’s Metamorphoses, from the first century CE or so. Ovid? A Roman poet writing for Roman people. “Metamorphoses”? One of the two fundamental works of Roman literature and one of the two main texts of Roman mythology, alongside Virgil’s Aeneid. This is a purely Roman story belonging to the Roman culture – and not the Greek one. The story of Medusa’s rape does not have Greek precedents to my knowledge, Ovid introduced the element of rape – which is no surprise given Ovid turned half of the romances of Greek mythology into rapes. Note that, on top of all this, Ovid wasn’t even writing for religious purposes, nor was his text an actual mythological effort – he wrote it with pure literary intentions at heart. It is just a piece of poetry and literature taking inspiration from the legends of the Greek world, not some sort of sacred text.

Second big point: The legend I summarized above? It isn’t even the story Ovid wrote, since there are a lot of elements that do not come from Ovid’s retelling of the story (book fourth of the Metamorphoses). For example Ovid never said Medusa was a priestess of Athena – all he said was that she was raped in the temple of Athena. I shouldn’t even be writing Athena since again, this is a Roman text: we are speaking of Minerva here, and of Neptune, not of Athena or Poseidon. Similarly, Minerva’s curse did not involve the petrifying gaze – rather all Ovid wrote about was that Minerva turned Medusa’s hair into snakes, to “punish” her because her hair were very beautiful, and it was what made her have many suitors (none of which she wanted to marry apparently), and it is also implied it is what made Neptune fall in love (or rather fall in lust) with her. I guess it is from this detail that the reading of “Athena’s curse was a gift” comes from – even though this story also clearly does victim-blaming of rape here.

But what is very fascinating is that… we are not definitively sure Neptune raped Medusa in Ovid’s retelling. For sure, the terms used by Ovid in his fourth book of Metamorphoses are clear: this was an action of violating, sexually assaulting, of soiling and corrupting, we are talking about rape. But Ovid refers several other times to Medusa in his other books, sometimes adding details the fourth-book stories does not have (the sixth book for examples evokes how Neptune turned into a bird to seduce Medusa, which is completely absent from the fourth book’s retelling of Medusa’ curse). And in all those other mentions, the terms to designate the relationship between Medusa and Neptune are more ambiguous, evoking seduction and romance rather than physical or sexual assault. (It does not help that Ovid has an habit of constantly confusing consensual and non-consensual sex in his poems, meaning that a rape in one book can turn into a romance in another, or reversal)

But the latter fact makes more sense when you recall that the rape element was invented and added by Ovid. Before, yes Poseidon and Medusa loved each other, but it was a pure romance, or at least a consensual one-night. Heck, if we go back to the oldest records of the love between Poseidon and Medusa, back in Hesiod’s Theogony, we have descriptions of the two of them laying together in a beautiful, flowery meadow – a stereotypical scene of pastoral romances – with no mention of any brutality or violence of any sort. As a result, it makes sense the original “romantic” story would still “leak” or cast a shadow over Ovid’s reinvented and slightly-confused tale.

Step 2: So… no rape?

Well, if we go by Greek texts, no, apparently Medusa was not raped in Greek mythology, and only became a rape victim through Ovid.

The Ancient Greek texts all record Poseidon and Medusa sleeping with each other and having children, but no mention of rape. And the whole “curse of Athena” thing is not present in the oldest records – no temple of Athena soiling, no angry Athena cursing a poor girl… “No curse?” you say “But then how did Medusa got turned into a Gorgon”? Answer: she did not. She was born like that.

As I said before, the oldest record of Medusa’s romance but also of her family comes from Hesiod’s Theogony (Hesiod being one of the two “founding authors” of Greek mythology, alongside Homer – Homer did wrote several times about Medusa, but only as a disembodied head and as a monster already dead, so we don’t have any information about her life). And what do we learn? That Medusa is part of a set of three sisters known as the Gorgons – because oh yes, Ovid did not mention Medusa’s sister now did he? How did Medusa’s sisters ALSO got snake-hair or petrifying-gaze if only Medusa was cursed for sleeping with Neptune? Ovid does not give us any answer because again, it is an “adaptational plot hole”, and the people that try to adapt Ovid’s story have to deal with the slight problem of Stheno and Euryale needing to share their sister’s curse despite seemingly not being involved in the whole Neptune business. Anyway, back to the Greek text.

So, you have those three Gorgon sisters, and Medusa is said to be mortal while her sisters are not. Why is it such a big deal? Because Medusa wasn’t originally some random human or priestess. Oh no! Who were the Gorgons’ parents? Phorcys and Keto/Ceto, aka two sea-gods. Not just two sea-gods – two sea-gods of the ancient, primordial generation of sea-gods, the one that predated Poseidon, and that were cousins to the Titans, the sea-gods born of Gaia mating with Pontos.

So the Gorgons were “divine” of nature – and this is why Medusa being a mortal was considered to be a MASSIVE problem and handicap for her, an abnormal thing for the daughter of two deities. But let’s dig a bit further… Who were Phorcys and Ceto? Long story short: in Greek mythology, they were considered to be sea-equivalents of Typhon and Gaia. They were the parents of many monsters and many sea-horrors: Keto/Ceto herself had her name attributed and equated with any very large creature (like whales) or any terrifying monster (like dragons) from the sea. The Gorgons themselves was a trio of monsters, but their sisters, that directly act as their double in the myth of Perseus? The Graiai – the monstrous trio of old women sharing one eye and one tooth. Hesiod also drops the fact that Ladon (the dragon that guarded the golden apples of the Hesperids), and Echidna (the snake-woman that mated with Typhon and became known as the “mother of monsters”) were also children of Phorcys and Ceto, while other authors will add other monster-related characters such as Scylla (of Charybdis and Scylla fame), the sirens, or Thoosa (the mother of Polyphemus the cyclop). Medusa herself is technically a “mother of monsters” since she birthed both Pegasus the flying horse and Chrysaor, a giant. So here is something very important to get: Medusa, and the Gorgons, were part of a family of monsters. Couple that with the absence of any mention of curses in these ancient texts, and everything is clear.

Originally Medusa was not a woman cursed to become a monster: she was born a monster, part of a group of monster siblings, birthed by monster-creating deities, and she belonged to the world of the “primordial abominations from the sea”, and the pre-Olympian threats, the remnants of the primordial chaos. It is no surprise that the Gorgons were said to live at the edge of the very known world, in the last patch of land before the end of the universe – in the most inhuman, primitive and liminal area possible. They were full-on monsters!

Now you might ask why Poseidon would sleep with a horrible monster, especially when you recall that the Greeks loved to depict the Gorgons as truly bizarre and grotesque. It wasn’t just snake-hair and petrifying gaze: they had boar tusks, and metallic claws, and bloated eyes, and a long tongue that constantly hanged down their bearded chin, and very large heads – some very old depictions even show her with a female centaur body! In fact, the ancient texts imply that it wasn’t so much the Gorgon’s gaze or eyes that had the power to turn people into stone – but that rather the Gorgon was just so hideous and so terrifying to look at people froze in terror – and then literally turned into stone out of fear and disgust. We are talking Lovecraftian level of eldritch horror here. So why would Poseidon, an Olympian god, sleep with one of these horrors? Well… If you know your Poseidon it wouldn’t surprise you too much because Poseidon had a thing for monsters. As a sort of “dark double” of Zeus, whereas Zeus fell in love with beautiful princesses and noble queens and birthed great gods and brave heroes, Poseidon was more about getting freaky with all sorts of unusual and bizarre goddesses, and giving birth to bandits and monsters. A good chunk of the villains of Greek mythology were born out of Poseidon’s loins: Polyphemus, Antaios, Orion, Charybdis, the Aloads… And even his most benevolent offspring has freaky stuff about it – Proteus the shapeshifter or Triton half-man half-fish… So yes, Poseidon sleeping with an abominable Gorgon is not so much out of character.

Step 3: The missing link

Now that we established what Medusa started out as, and what she ended up as… We need to evoke the evolution from point Hesiod to point Ovid, because while people summarized the Medusa debate as “Sea-born monster VS raped and punished woman”, there is a third element needed to understand this whole situation…

Yes Ovid did invent the rape. But he did not invent the idea that Medusa had been cursed by Athena.

The “gorgoneion” – the visual and artistic motif of the Gorgon’s head – was, as I said, a grotesque and monstrous face used to invoke fright into the enemies or to repel any vile influence or wicked spirit by the principle of “What’s the best way to repel bad stuff? Badder stuff”. Your Gorgon was your gargoyle, with all the hideous traits I described before – represented in front (unlike all the other side-portraits of gods and heroes), with the face being very large and flat, a big tongue out of a tusked-mouth, snake-hair, bulging crazy eyes, sometimes a beard or scales… Pure monster. But then… from the fifth century BCE to the second century BCE we see a slow evolution of the “gorgoneion” in art. Slowly the grotesque elements disappear, and the Gorgon’s face becomes… a regular, human face. Even more: it even becomes a pretty woman’s face! But with snakes instead of hair. As such, the idea that Medusa was a gorgeous woman who just had snakes and cursed-eyes DOES come from Ancient Greece – and existed well before Ovid wrote his rape story.

But what was the reason behind this change?

Well, we have to look at the Roman era again. Ovid’s tale of Medusa being cursed for her rape at the hands of Neptune had to rival with another record collected by a Greek author Apollodorus, or Pseudo-Apollodorus, in his Bibliotheca. In this collection of Greek myths, Apollodorus writes that indeed, Medusa was cursed by Athena to have her beautiful hair that seduced everybody be turned into snakes… But it wasn’t because of any rape or forbidden romance, no. It was just because Medusa was a very vain woman who liked to brag about her beauty and hair – and had the foolish idea of saying her hair looked better than Athena’s. (If you recall tales such as Arachne’s or the Judgement of Paris, you will know that despite Athena being wise and clever, one of her main flaws is her vanity).

“Wait a minute,” you are going to tell me, “The Bibliotheca was created in the second century CE! Well after Greece became part of the Roman Empire, and after Ovid’s Metamorphoses became a huge success! It isn’t a true Greek myth, it is just Ovid’s tale being projected here…” And people did agree for a time… Until it was discovered, in the scholias placed around the texts of Apollonios of Rhodes, that an author of the fifth century BCE named Pherecyde HAD recorded in his time a version of Medusa’s legend where she had been cursed into becoming an ugly monster as punishment for her vanity. We apparently do not have the original text of Pherecyde, but the many scholias referring to this lost piece are very clear about this. This means that the story that Apollodorus recorded isn’t a “novelty”, but rather the latest record of an older tradition going back to the fifth century BCE… THE SAME CENTURY THAT THE GORGONEION STARTED LOSING THEIR GROTESQUE, and that the face of Medusa started becoming more human in art.

[EDIT: I also forgot to add that this evolution of Medusa is also proved by strange literary elements, such as Pindar's mention in a poem of his (around 490 BCE) of "fair-cheeked Medusa". A description which seems strange given how Medusa used to be depicted as the epitome of ugliness... But that makes sense if the "cursed beauty" version of the myth had been going around at the time!]

And thus it is all connected and explained. Ovid did invent the rape yes – but he did not invent the idea of Athena cursing Medusa. It pre-existed as the most “recent” and dominating legend in Ancient Greece, having overshadowed by Ovid’s time the oldest Hesiodic records of Medusa being born a monster. So what Ovid did wasn’t completely create a new story out of nowhere, but twist the Greek traditions of Athena cursing Medusa and Medusa having a relationship with Poseidon, so that the two legends would form one and same story. And this explains in retrospect why Ovid focuses so much on describing Medusa’s beautiful hair, and why Ovid’s Minerva would think turning her hair into snake would be a “punishment fit for the crime”: these are leftovers of the Greek tale where Medusa was punished for her boasting and her vanity.

CONCLUSION

Here is the simplified chronology of how Medusa’s evolution went.

A) Primitive Greek myths, Hesiodic tradition: Born a monster out of a family of sea-monsters and monstrous immortals. Is a grotesque, gargoylesque, eldritch abomination. Athena has only an indirect conflict with her, due to being Perseus’ “fairy godmother”. Has a lovely romance with Poseidon.

B) Slow evolution throughout Classical Greece and further: Medusa becomes a beautiful, human-looking girl that was cursed to have snake for hair and petrifying eyes, instead of being a Lovecraftian horror people could not gaze upon. Her conflict with Athena becomes direct, as it is Athena that cursed her due to being offended by her vain boasting. Her punishment is for her vanity and arrogant comparison to the goddess.

C) Ovid comes in: Medusa’s romance with Poseidon becomes a rape, and she is now punished for having been raped inside Athena’s temple.

[As a final note, I want to insist upon the fact that the story of Medusa being raped is not less "worthy" than any other version of the myth. Due to its enormous popularity, how it shaped the figure of Medusa throughout the centuries, and how it still survives today and echoes current-day problems, to try to deny the valid place of this story in the world of myths and legends would be foolish. HOWEVER it is important to place back things in their context, to recognize that it is not the ONLY tale of Medusa, that it was NOT part of Greek mythology, but rather of Roman legends - and let us all always remember this time Poseidon slept with a Lovecraftian horror because my guy is kinky.]

EDIT:

For illustration, I will place here visuals showing how the Ancient art evolved alongside Medusa's story.

Before the 5th century BCE: Medusa is a full-on monster

From the 5th century to the 2nd century BCE: A slow evolution as Medusa goes from a full-on monster to a human turned into a monster. As a result the two depictions of the grotesque and beautiful gorgoneion coexist.

Post 2nd century BCE: Medusa is now a human with snake hair, and just that

#greek mythology #medusa #gorgon #athena #gorgons #poseidon #neptune #minerva #ovid #rape in mythology #greek monsters #roman mythology

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toruandmidori · 2 years ago

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I think we can all agree it’s the only solution.

Classy, sassy, socialist stickers are now in store.

Buy online here:

LET’S EAT THE RICH

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reasonsforhope · 1 year ago

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"Minnetonka first started selling its “Thunderbird” moccasins in 1965. Now, for the first time, they’ve been redesigned by a Native American designer.

It’s one step in the company’s larger work to deal with its history of cultural appropriation. The Minneapolis-based company launched in the 1940s as a small business making souvenirs for roadside gift shops in the region—including Native American-inspired moccasins, though the business wasn’t started or run by Native Americans. The moccasins soon became its biggest seller.

[Photo: Minnetonka]

Adrienne Benjamin, an Anishanaabe artist and community activist who became the company’s “reconciliation advisor,” was initially reluctant when a tribal elder approached her about meeting with the company. Other activists had dismissed the idea that the company would do the work to truly transform. But Benjamin agreed to the meeting, and the conversation convinced her to move forward.

“I sensed a genuine commitment to positive change,” she says. “They had really done their homework as far as understanding and acknowledging the wrong and the appropriation. I think they knew for a long time that things needed to get better, and they just weren’t sure what a first step was.”

Pictured: Lucie Skjefte and son Animikii [Photo: Minnetonka]

In 2020, Minnetonka publicly apologized “for having benefited from selling Native-inspired designs without directly honoring Native culture or communities.” It also said that it was actively recruiting Native Americans to work at the company, reexamining its branding, looking for Native-owned businesses to partner with, continuing to support Native American nonprofits, and that it planned to collaborate with Native American artists and designers.

Benjamin partnered with the company on the first collaboration, a collection of hand-beaded hats, and then recruited the Minneapolis-based designer Lucie Skjefte, a citizen of the Red Lake Nation, who designed the beadwork for another moccasin style and a pair of slippers for the brand. Skjefte says that she felt comfortable working with the company knowing that it had already done work with Benjamin on reconciliation. And she wasn’t a stranger to the brand. “Our grandmothers and our mothers would always look for moccasins in a clutch kind of situation where they didn’t have a pair ready and available to make on their own—then they would buy Minnetonka mocs and walk into a traditional pow wow and wear them,” she says. Her mother, she says, who passed away in 2019, would have been “immensely proud” that Skjefte’s design work was part of the moccasins—and on the new version of the Thunderbird moccasin, one of the company’s top-selling styles.

[Photo: Minnetonka]

“I started thinking about all of those stories, and what resonated with me visually,” Skjefte says. The redesign, she says, is much more detailed and authentic than the previous version. “Through the redesign and beading process, we are actively reclaiming and reconnecting our Animikii or Thunderbird motif with its Indigenous roots,” she says. Skjefte will earn royalties for the design, and Minnetonka will also separately donate a portion of the sale of each shoe to Mni Sota Fund, a nonprofit that helps Native Americans in Minnesota get training and capital for home ownership and entrepreneurship.

Some companies go a step farther—Manitobah Mukluks, based in Canada, has an Indigenous founder and more than half Indigenous staff. (While Minnetonka is actively recruiting more Native American workers, the company says that employees self-report race and it can’t share any data about its current number of Indigenous employees.) Beyond its own line of products, Manitobah also has an online Indigenous Market that features artists who earn 100% of the profit for their work.

White Bear Moccasins, a Native-owned-and-made brand in Montana, makes moccasins from bison hide. Each custom pair can take six to eight hours to make; the shoes cost hundreds of dollars, though they can also be repaired and last as long as a lifetime, says owner Shauna White Bear. In interviews, White Bear has said that she wants “to take our craft back,” from companies like Minnetonka. But she also told Fast Company that she doesn’t think that Minnetonka, as a family-owned business, should have to lose its livelihood now and stop making moccasins.

The situation is arguably different for other fashion brands that might use a Native American symbol—or rip off a Native American design completely—on a single product that could easily be taken off the market. Benjamin says that she has also worked with other companies that have discontinued products.

She sees five steps in the process of reconciliation. First, the person or company who did wrong has to acknowledge the wrong. Then they need to publicly apologize, begin to change behavior, start to rebuild trust, and then, eventually, the wronged party might take the step of forgiveness. Right now, she says, Minnetonka is in the third phase of behavior change. The brand plans to continue to collaborate with Native American designers.

The company can be an example to others on how to listen and build true relationships, Benjamin says. “I think that’s the only way that these relationships are going to get any better—people have to sit down and talk about it,” she says. “People have to be real. People have to apologize. They have to want to reconcile with people.”

The leadership at Minnetonka can also be allies in pushing other companies to do better. “My voice is important at the table as an Indigenous woman,” Benjamin says. “Lucie’s voice is important. But at tables where there’s a majority of people that aren’t Indigenous, sometimes those allies’ voices are more powerful in those spaces, because that means that they’ve signed on to what we’re saying. The power has signed on to moving forward and we agree with ‘Yes, this was wrong.’ That’s the stuff that’s going to change [things] right there.”"

-via FastCompany, February 7, 2024

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simmerkate · 26 days ago

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Xtra Interactions Mod v3

Take your Sims' social lives to the next level with the Xtra Interactions Mod, now updated to Version 3! This mod introduces a variety of unique, thought-provoking, and entertaining social interactions that bring more depth, realism, and storytelling opportunities to your game. Whether your Sims are debating ethical topics, bonding over family discussions, or simply sharing their love for food, this mod offers something for everyone.

What’s New in Version 3?

New Pie Menu: Family A dedicated Family Pie Menu has been added, offering unique interactions for children, teens, parents, and siblings to enhance family relationships and dynamics. These include:

Child Interactions: Ask for a new sibling, show a birthday gift list, share future dreams, ask about the family tree, or request a new pet.

Teen to Parent Interactions: Discuss college plans, ask to increase allowance, express annoyance at siblings, talk about romances, request prom outfit payments, or confess to skipping school.

Sibling Interactions: Argue over clothes or bathroom time, ask for crush advice, gossip about parents, share concerns about friends, or simply express sibling love.

New Health and Wellness Interactions Expand your Sims' self-care conversations with interactions like:

Share anti-aging tips

Compare morning routines

Discuss the benefits of hydration

Talk about vaccinations

Encourage therapy

Express love for yoga

Talk about "turkey teeth" (cosmetic dental work)

New Activism Interactions (Pie Menu) Help your Sims champion causes they care about with socially-conscious interactions:

Debate animal testing

Debate wage equality

Talk about cleaning the oceans

Discuss saving the turtles

Explore AI ethics

Share wacky water-saving tips

Debate paper vs. plastic

Discuss protesting

Expanded Foodies Talk (Pie Menu) Food-loving Sims can now engage in even more culinary-themed conversations:

Talk about cooking classes

Swap recipes

Debate food trends

Discuss favorite cheeses

Loads of New Buffs Every interaction comes with its own unique positive or negative buffs, bringing a variety of emotional outcomes to your Sims’ social lives. These buffs add depth and unpredictability to gameplay, from joyous moments to tension-filled disagreements.

Why Download the Xtra Interactions Mod?

This mod adds depth and personality to your Sims, making every social interaction meaningful and engaging. It offers:

Diverse Topics: From health and wellness to activism and family dynamics, your Sims can discuss contemporary and relatable topics.

Unique Buffs: Many interactions come with positive or negative emotional buffs, adding variety to outcomes and enriching gameplay.

Enhanced Storytelling: Create richer narratives with dynamic social interactions that impact relationships and moods.

Perfect For

Players who love storytelling and want deeper relationships between Sims.

Simmers looking for new and exciting interactions that add realism and complexity to the game.

Families, foodies, and activists looking for a new way to express their Sims' personalities.

Public Release - 3rd February Download (xx) ad-free

#ts4 #the sims 4 #ts4cc #skcc #thesims4cc #thesims4 #the sims cc #the sims 4 cc #the sims 4 mods #sims 4 mods

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anneapocalypse · 2 months ago

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Not gonna lie, analysis of Minfilia that rests on a reading of her as some kind of hiring manager at a company really doesn't sit right with me, not just because it lends itself to some particularly uncharitable readings of Minfilia, but because it seems to me like a pretty inaccurate reading of what the Scions actually are in ARR.

The Scions of the Seventh Dawn are the union of the Circle of Knowing, a group of activist academics who accurately predicted the apocalypse but failed to prevent it and lost their beloved mentor in the process, and the Path of the Twelve, a group for Echo-bearers to help them better understand and make use of their gift--all doing their best to pick up the pieces and protect the realm in the wake of said apocalypse. Minfilia, formerly the leader of the Path of the Twelve, has now been thrust into the position of leadership over both at the late Louisoix's behest. The Scions in ARR aren't a company, they're an activist group, and in ARR still a very small one without the massive web of political connections they fall into later. They don't have a lot of financial resources. They're largely working quietly and behind the scenes. They have a secret code phrase to identify friends of the organization. Being recruited into this group in ARR is closer to being recruited into a resistance cell than being interviewed for a formal job.

Minfilia's role prior to the Calamity was as the leader of a support group for people experiencing a frightening, isolating, and as-yet poorly-understood phenomenon, a group where they could find others like them, understand what's happening to them, and learn how to use their gift for good. And to some extent, this is still a part of her role. The Warrior of Light is brought in because they were witnessed experiencing the Echo, and Minfilia is reaching out to them as a fellow Echo-bearer. I think it's a mistake to interpret her words and actions without that context, particularly her expressed hope that this most recent Echo-bearer she's invited into her group will find something like family there. I mean, listen to the joy with which she says, "I too possess the Echo." She's telling the WoL that they're not alone, that there is a name and an explanation for what they've been experiencing, that they can find others like themselves here. Yes, she's also asking for their help. But this is a pretty far cry from a job interview. However flawed the Scions may be as an organization, I can only see Minfilia's overtures here as offered in the spirit of friendship and camaraderie. And framing that as her trying to build loyalty she can exploit in a corporate manner feels extremely ungenerous given what we know of her character.

I don't want to sound like I'm here to defend the Scions in ARR against any and all criticism--I've discussed my own in the past, from their concerning tendency toward self-sacrifice to the attitude they develop toward the WoL (which is kind of up for interpretation based on your character's relationship to them but which can come across as a cavalier attitude toward the WoL's safety, taking advantage of their unique abilities, etc). In particular, the Scions' experience as a small activist organization, and Minfilia's particular experience as Echo support group leader, has ill-prepared any of them to be thrust into an international spotlight following the defeat of the Ultima Weapon. The attack on the Waking Sands has already revealed the weaknesses in their opsec, and certain scenes in the ARR patch quests reveal something of a power struggle between Minfilia and Alphinaud--one which Alphinaud ultimately wins, because Minfilia lacks the kind of confidence in her position to stand against the force of his personality, and she, like most of the other Scions, starts to fall into the trap of seeing Alphinaud as the second coming of Louisoix and lets him push her around accordingly. Minfilia is simply not equipped or prepared to lead the kind of organization the Scions are turning into. (Urianger, incidentally is one of the few who seems to notice this and remark on it, but also seems to feel that he can't directly object.) The cracks begin to show, and then it all falls apart, and when the Scions finally begin to put themselves back together post-Heavensward, I think they all understand that they can't go back, that what they rebuild will be something new. Over the next few expacs I think we see them developing a new group identity, recognizing that that old model no longer serves them and doing their best to adapt to constantly changing circumstances.

The Scions in ARR have plenty of problems, but they're not a for-profit company and they're also not the same organization as the Scions of later expacs. I think that context needs to be taken into account when interpreting their actions, especially those of their leader.

#sorry to vague #i just think interpreting everything through a capitalist lens maybe results in some less useful readings #afk by the aetheryte #ffxiv stuff #heavensward spoilers #arr spoilers

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makingqueerhistory · 7 months ago

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Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

In this collection of essays, Lambda Literary Award-winning writer and longtime activist and performance artist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the politics and realities of disability justice, a movement that centers the lives and leadership of sick and disabled queer, trans, Black, and brown people, with knowledge and gifts for all. Care Work is a mapping of access as radical love, a celebration of the work that sick and disabled queer/people of color are doing to find each other and to build power and community, and a tool kit for everyone who wants to build radically resilient, sustainable communities of liberation where no one is left behind. Powerful and passionate, Care Work is a crucial and necessary call to arms.

(Affiliate links above)

#queer history #queer #lgbt #lgbt history #gay history #lesbian history #transgender history #transgender #making queer history

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potatomountain · 4 months ago

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Like Cats And Dogs

Pairing: Kitty hybrid!PSH x rich!fem reader x dog hybrid Johnny Suh Summary: To save some face, your parents "gift" you a hybrid to potentially breed with him- despite the fact you were an avid protestor of hybrid ownership and experimentation. With the help of a stranger turned friend, a human passing hybrid, you learn all about hybrids in a new light. How to take care of them, and how they can take care of you WC: 6.4k AU: Hybrid Genre: fluff, smut Warning(s): 18+ rating, verbal mxm, verbal mxfxm, breeding kink, possessive hwa! jealous hwa! guided sex, voyeurism, exhibitionism, fingering, breast play, hint of choking, manhandling, heat/rut, masturbation, praise kink, penetration with no barriers, phone sex, virgin/first time Hwa! Nets: @pirateeznet | @mirohs-aurora-society AN: Happy birthday to @flurrys-creativity ! i hope you enjoy this very much (and i hope I did Johnny justice!) and im glad i got to use this old kitty!hwa idea after having it on the backburner for so long! unedited, barely betaed, we go all in first time all the time xD dividers and Banner by me!

Main Masterlist

“You’re kidding right?” You glared over at your parents, lips pulled back in a bit of a snarl before you once more looked at their “gift”: a male cat hybrid, and a pretty one at that.

You were against the whole Hybrid concept to begin with, something your parents were well aware of, but they were all for hybrids; and tired of your lack of interest in starting a family of your own, let alone dating. Hybrids weren’t that new of a thing, as they were already a small portion of the population when you were born, but despite being needed for humanity’s growth and longevity, they were treated as pets even now.

This one was no different, black ears flat against his head and black tail wrapped around his thigh giving away how nervous and frightened he was, the collar around his neck like an elephant in the room. You didn’t blame him, after all he was being gifted to you with the purpose of impregnating you.

That just pissed you off more. “I’m not using him as a breeding tool-”

“Sweetie he can be anything you want him to be.” Your mother protested, reaching a perfectly manicured hand out to touch your arm but you pulled back.

“Then how about free huh?” There weren’t many hybrids that were their own owners, you knew that, but that was the cat’s problem not yours. At least- it should be, but with the way the hybrid trembled behind your parents tugged at your heart.

Your father shook his head. “Even if you give him his rights, what then Princess? He can be yours or he goes back to the shelter-”

You hissed, brushing the idea to the side. “Fine, I’ll take him-” You fixed both of your parents with as menacing a glare as you could manage, “-but I’m not using him to get pregnant, no matter how much you two want grandkids.”

When they shared a look, you lifted a brow questioningly. “That is why you are insisting on a hybrid to knock me up... right?” Mixed children weren’t rare, just uncommon, and had two possible outcomes: either they came out with human features and were treated as such, even if they had a mating cycle- or they came out with the animal characteristics and either would live their life with their parents or end up in a shelter.

The fact your parents, who both had heavy hands in the Hybrid business, wanted you to breed with a hybrid despite pushing your elder brother into an arranged marriage was beyond you- they would treat any hybrid children no different than the one behind them: like a toy.

“It’ll look good for the company too.” Your father added on after much consideration and it dawned on you- this was also a marketing ploy. You weren’t the only one who detested how hybrids were treated, and for those around your age and a bit younger there were plenty of activists fighting for a bit more rights for the animal mixes. On occasion you had been one, joining up with some of your friends until you were recognized because of your parents: two individuals that were detested by the Hybrid activists.

And it was probably affecting their company and reputation now. So what better way to combat how much they hate hybrids than to so wholeheartedly welcome hybrid grandchildren?

You stepped back from your parents, crossing your arms over your chest. “If you want to look good for the company then start treating Hybrids better. Especially if you are wanting Hybrid grandchildren. I’ll keep the boy, but unless you shape up the company and your own image, then I won’t even consider it.”

Not that you actually ever would but if it got your parents to be nicer and give them a change of heart- then you were all for using it as an incentive.

They seemed to brighten at that, nodding before they turned to your new “pet”. “His name is Seonghwa, He’s all yours now sweetie. Use him well.” Your mother winked back at you as she passed the man while your father patted his back and nudged him in your direction.

You glared at their backs until they were gone and you heard the door auto lock, only then relaxing your shoulders and turning to your new responsibility. “You can speak, I’m not going to treat you like them or the shelter.” Sighing you took a better look at him. He was tall, taller than your father had been. It was hard to determine age with Hybrids, they grew up faster than humans and stayed looking youthful long after humans would start getting laugh lines and crow's feet.

As you scrutinized his appearance from head to toe, he seemed to do the same with wide eyes, still frightened. As if deeming your words true, his tail unlatched from his thigh but his hands were still gripping the oversized sweater he was wearing. “What am I to call you by?”

Quickly you gave your name. “But you can call me whatever makes you comfortable, and I’ll refer to you as whatever you wish as well.” Uncrossing your arms you half turned to head further into your home as you had met your parents at the door when they had called just seconds before their unexpected visit. “I’ll show you around the house. I might be your owner now but I don’t expect you to do anything for me okay?”

“Then what... am I supposed to do?” He hurriedly followed after you, tail flickering behind him.

Shrugging, you glanced back at him with a half smile. “Whatever you want.”

He nodded softly, listening intently as you showed him each room until you stopped in the spare room you had for friends. The house was from your parents and it was a little big for just you and had thought about getting a roommate or something but preferred your space too much. You supposed that Seonghwa wasn’t going to be a bother at all, if anything you would probably have to force him to take up space and live as more than a pet.

He seemed skeptical about your statement, but had just nodded as he stepped into the room, which even with the Queen bed still looked huge and yet this was one of the smaller rooms in the house. “This is... for me?”

“Yep. It’s just a bed and I have some clothes friends of mine have left over- use any of them for now. We can head to the store tomorrow and get you more clothes and hygiene products, stock up on food you like, get you a few things for the room... does that sound okay?” You turned to him with a tilt of your head, admiring the pure awe of his expression as he stared at the bed, nodding slowly as if he barely processed what you said. “Seonghwa?”

“Hm?” His head snapped in your direction, ears perked and on alert. “Y-Yes?”

“Is that okay? You’ll be picking out anything you want, and I don’t want you feeling as if you need to repay me-”

“But why? That’s not how things should be right? I should have what you want, n-not-”

“And I want you to have the things you like. Don’t consider me your owner, more like a caretaker and roommate okay?” You offered an easygoing smile to try and ease his nerves a bit. “Let’s get along and make this a home for you.”

Cheeks pink, he nodded slowly, eyes boring into yours. “H-home. Make this home.”

You nodded. "Mhmm, some place comfy and cozy and just for you. No one is going to take it away." You encouraged, keeping your gaze locked on him. Even with as beautiful as he was, you only saw a frightened man, or animal, who had never been treated as an equal or with respect. At least, that's what you assumed. To have come from a shelter, and forced into being a gift for a stranger, you could only imagine how he feels right now.

He opened his mouth to speak, only for a loud grumble to interrupt him. Unsure if it had been your stomach or his, or both, you laughed. "I'll go make something to eat. Why don't you make yourself comfortable and get acquainted with the room?" Only when he agreed did you leave him alone, keeping the door open so he didn't feel caged.

Alone in the kitchen however you were at a loss... really, how did you just end up taking full responsibility for a Hybrid? Was this really a good idea?

Whether it was or not, this was the path you chose.

~~~

Shopping was a nightmare. Not only did you know little about hybrid’s despite the basics, but you knew so little about men as well. And Seonghwa apparently knew less.

Had it been two hours the two of you had stood in a men’s store looking at clothes? And all you had to account for it was one outfit.

You kept insisting he choose what he likes, just for him to browse the items like they were glass, then look up at you confused with nothing chosen. You wished you had someone to call for help, but your family would just tell you to pick whatever and your acquaintances would berate you for having a hybrid, so neither was an option.

With a heavy sigh, your shoulders sagged in defeat. “This is going no where.”

Ears flat on his head, Seonghwa watched you with growing worry. “I’m sorry… I just-” “Don’t apologize Seonghwa, I know.” Pinching the bridge of your nose you glanced around to see if there was anyone around, maybe a worker, that could help instead.

Luck would have it that someone was already watching you with a bit of concern. When you locked eyes on the tall stranger, you smiled with some relief. “Excuse me, I’m sorry to ask but could you help us a little?” He nodded, moving around the rack of clothes to stand next to you and Seonghwa. He was even taller than the hybrid, even slouching with his hands in the cardigan. “I sure can. You both look really lost. First time shopping for him?” You nodded sheepishly. “First time shopping for a man in general so, lost definitely fits this situation. This is Seonghwa and-” Seonghwa mumbled out your name in warning, much closer to you than he had been a moment ago. The stranger just smiled wider. “My name’s Johnny, I’m not going to harm either of you, promise. No matter how cute you two are.” His tone shifted to soothe Seonghwa, who you now realized was frightened of the man.

“Hey, it’s okay, promise.” Since he seemed to trust you, even just a little, you reached out and took his hand in yours. The hybrid jumped, wide eyes now on you in confusion. “We’ll take it slow. Would you like to hold onto me? Does that make you feel more safe?” The quick nod Seonghwa gave surprised you, especially since you had known each other for a day. Given the circumstances though, you supposed you understood why.

Johnny observed the interaction with a soft smile. “It if helps, one of my parents is a hybrid, so I’m not fully human.” He whispered, bringing a finger to his lips. “Some of my siblings are as well so I have experience with this.” He stretched his joined hands in front of him, pushing out the fingers in a stretch before rolling back on his feet. “I’ll take care of you both, safely.”

He had been true to his word, despite the clothing shopping taking another hour or two at least. He was patient for it all, helping you take the many bags to your car and then offering to have a meal and chat.

By then Seonghwa seemed less apprehensive, but he still watched him with a skittish look in his eyes. To be fair, Seonghwa watched you with the same look, even if he was attached to your arm. Ever since you allowed him to latch on when he wanted, it seemed to be the only thing he did without further prompt, constantly latching onto your hand or arm, or holding the back of your shirt as he walked behind you.

You thought it was adorable and endearing, and so did your newest acquaintance.

Who was quickly turning into a friend. He was easy-going, laid back, and patient: with both you and Seonghwa. You relented that you knew little about hybrids, usually avoiding them because you didn’t like how they were treated- how your parents treated them, but you seemed even more helpless because Seonghwa was definitely a man. He was all too happy to help, telling you about his siblings and father who was a hybrid, what worked for them. He gave you his number and prompted you to reach out anytime you needed anything, even if it was just to keep you two company.

Taking care of Seonghwa didn’t seem like such a daunting task with Johnny’s help, and he continued to help for weeks to come. In fact, he was over quite a lot.

You met his youngest siblings, the hybrids, and learned Johnny was a dog hybrid: in particular Anatolian Shepherd. While Seonghwa thrived with the younger ones over the weeks, it was his relationship with Johnny that brought liveliness to your home.

“He did it again!” Seonghwa huffed from one side of the living room, pointing an accusing finger over at Johnny who had a nonchalant grin on his face.

On the coffee table was the current Lego set Seonghwa had been building, which he was also huffy about because Johnny had started ‘helping’ him build. The cat had his ears twitching in agitation, fangs on display as he hissed at Johnny, but it was how lax his tail was you knew there was no serious threat.

You tried not to laugh, seeing them argue like cats and dogs. Seonghwa liked his growing hobbies, most of them introduced by Johnny or yourself, while the others had peaked his interest from an advertisement. Months it had taken him to open up, so you enjoyed the fact he would bicker. Or we'll, in this case “tattle”.

And Johnny’s nonchalance, the slightest pout growing on his features since Seonghwa rejected his attention once more, was also enjoyable. “I just want to build with you.” Seonghwa whined, pleading gaze on you as you did laugh a bit. “Don’t laugh! Do something!” He moved around the table and got on his knees before you, resting his hands on your knees, then his chin on his hands. This was something new he had started doing, begging- but you continued to give in.

“What do you want me to do Hwa? Ban Johnny from the house?”

“Yes!” “Hey!” Johnny protested the same time Seonghwa replied exasperatedly. “I got you this set though!” “Nuh uh! You got me the add on! She got me the set!” “So! I contributed!” Johnny huffed, suddenly getting on his knees and mimicking Seonghwa’s stance, nudging him aside to take up your left knee.

Seonghwa immediately hissed and started pushing him away roughly. “This is my spot!” Between the two of them, Johnny was still the taller and stronger one, but that didn’t stop Seonghwa from attempting to push him around. Most of the time Johnny just laughed and took it, or pouted. He wanted to get along with Seonghwa, but you thought they already did.

Of course Johnny didn’t know how antsy Seonghwa would get when it’s been a few days since his last visit. He didn’t know that Seonghwa would get even more clingy the longer the other man was away, or how he’d ask about when he would come over again.

“So I know how much peace I have left!” He would protest once you’d tease him for missing him.

It was adorable, especially since Seonghwa didn’t try to hide his affection for you. The morning cuddles where he nuzzled your stomach and made it hard to get out of bed. How he would steal some of your dirty shirts to hide in his bed so it smelled more like you (in which you always scolded him for). How eager he was to learn to cook just so he could make you breakfast- which watching Johnny teach him was a bonus on top of that. Johnny assured you these were normal behaviors for a cat hybrid when they liked their owner, their “human”, but there were times you got flustered. That was something Johnny told you to avoid, unless you wanted to deal with Seonghwa in a rut. Which you wanted to avoid, considering your parent’s intentions for Seonghwa. You couldn’t see the cute kitty in that way really anyways, he was too adorable.

At the sound of your name, you blinked back to reality to see Seonghwa pouting up at you again. “Please make him go away!” “Sorry Hwa, I like having Johnny around.” You might also have a growing crush on the man as well.

Frustrated, Seonghwa turned to Johnny again and pushed once more, finding the strength to catch him off guard so he fell back- and knocked your iced coffee out of your hand and onto him.

Seonghwa let out a little cry, moving to protect his legos from the coffee but the damage was already done and it was all on Johnny. You moved to pick up the mason jar, setting it aside while rambling apologies though Johnny was laughing.

“It’s okay, it’s just on my shirt.” He pushed himself up and pulled his shirt off before you were even a few steps away to get a towel. “I’m fine, he just hates me, is all.”

Seonghwa was still perched by the table, his body language shifting to one of guilt as he kept his eyes on the ground now. He didn’t deny Johnny’s words, but you knew differently, ready to deny them for Seonghwa though you were struggling to find your brain.

Had Johnny always been so toned? Well, not like you had ever seen him shirtless. Mouth too dry to speak, you just went and got two towels: one damp and one dry. He was still shirtless when you returned, using the shirt to wipe up the coffee on your hardwood floor. “Don’t worry about that.” You finally squeaked out, grabbing his shirt from him with much effort.

“Sweetheart, it’s fine-” The use of the nickname had you tensing up a bit, far too aware of him suddenly. Oh this was not good. “You can use one of Hwa’s shirts.” You turned away from him to look for the hybrid, but he wasn’t there. He did that sometimes, went quiet and left the room when he felt overwhelmed, but you usually still notice.

Were you so out of it you didn’t? “I have my hoodie, I don’t want to make myself more unwelcome.” “That’s not-” Immediately you protested but Johnny was already up and cleaning himself off. Your protests died in your throat, taking note of some of the coffee running over the ridges of his abs. What if you just licked it off? Whoa whoa whoa. Where was this coming from?

Johnny chuckled at your expression, reaching down and ruffling your hair. “Might want to get your hormones under control, you smell really sweet right now. I’ll come back after a few days, and I’ll bring you a fresh coffee, promise.”

Your hormones? Ah maybe that was it, probably ovulating. It was still embarrassing to be called out like this. “S-sure. But you aren’t unwelcome Johnny, I promise. He’s really open with you.” He shrugged, tossing the towels down onto the shirt. “Maybe… might just be because I’m another male.” It seemed like he wasn’t too upset over it, making his way over to the chair with his bag and hoodie and pulling them on. “I’ll see you later Sweetheart, don’t worry that pretty little head. I’m not upset, just worried about him.” You thought it was sweet of him, deciding to trust him and let him go. He was usually right when it came to Seonghwa, quite observant despite acting aloof and playful most of the time. After he left a moment later, you finished cleaning up the coffee spill and started a load of laundry to wash his shirt. Once that was done, you headed for Seonghwa’s room and knocked. “Seonghwa, we need to talk.” Silence.

You knocked again. “I mean it. That was not very nice of you to do to your friend. I’ll let you sulk in here for a bit but we are going to call him later and you’re going to apologize. Do you understand?” More silence.

Trying the doorknob you found it locked which shocked you. He had never locked the door, even though you had given him permission to do so when he wanted alone time. Even when he stayed in there for hours he would still leave it unlocked, and would still answer if you knocked.

Concerned more than anything, you debated on getting the master key to get in, only to stop that train of thought. This was the first time he locked the door, and while it was out of character for him, you had given him permission. How would it look if you immediately took that away from him like that?

So you left him be.

You tried again at dinner time. Then before you headed for bed. He didn’t answer either time, nor was the door unlocked.

Now laying in bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark, you were far too worried to sleep. Should you call Johnny? Is there a parenting book on this? What if he wasn’t in his room at all? The thought had you sitting up quickly, just to gasp out at the sight of a figure in your doorway. With the small stream of light through your curtains you could make out Seonghwa’s figure- as well as the fact he only seemed to be wearing pants. That didn’t matter, you were just glad he was out of his room and still here. “Hwa? Are you okay Kitty?” He didn’t answer, instead padding softly across your carpet and stopping next to your bed. He hesitated briefly before pulling your blankets down just to climb over your legs. You relaxed, thinking he was seeking comfort, and opened your arms for him. He immediately leaned down, burying his face into the crook of your neck and laying on top of you, legs and arms on either side.

“Are you feeling a bit better?” He shook his head, brushing his nose over your shoulder as his arms slid under you. This was different than usual, did he feel that bad? “Do you want to call Johnny and- Hwa!” You gasped out when his grip tightened at Johnny’s name. “Hwa, sweetie, please talk to me.” He shook his head again, crawling down your body and now rubbing his face in between your breasts. Fighting off the sensations, you squirmed in his hold, warning him again. Finally he looked up at you, feline eyes hooded so you couldn’t make out just how he was looking at you… just that it had a thrill of apprehension running up your spine.

Something was very wrong.

A bit panicked, you grabbed your phone off the nightstand, knowing that it was late and he might not answer but- “I’m calling him.”

You only had the phone unlocked before Seonghwa was pinning your wrists to the bed and hovering over you, lips pulled back to flash his fangs. “No. Look at me.” The way he spat the words out momentarily shocked you, unable to wrap your head around his behavior. He took your immobility as you obeying, the heat of his gaze running down your body as he shifted to sit fully on your thighs and keep you pinned. This was your sweet kitty? He was acting…

He was acting possessive.

Your mind replayed the events of the day to figure out what had sparked this, noting that you had been ogling Johnny to even notice he had left the room. Was that it? The blatant fact you checked out a shirtless man in front of him? But then that meant Seonghwa didn’t see you the way you saw him, which left a pang of guilt in your chest. “Hwa… what are you doing?” At your gentle question he furrowed his brow, running his hands over your arms to your breasts, softly kneading them. “Don’t know. Just… angry and upset.” You bit down on your lip, trying not to let his ministrations get to you, but his thumbs rubbing across your nipples under the fabric was giving away how much you liked the touch. “At me?” He shook his head, so you prompted further, “At Johnny?” That time you couldn’t help the sound you made as he harshly groped your chest in response.

“I don’t… hate him but… don’t want him around you.” He admitted shyly, rubbing your chest soothingly now. He must have thought he hurt you.

You didn’t like that, partly because you wanted to be around Johnny but it also meant things were different. It meant your parents might get what they wanted, and that pissed you off. Especially if Seonghwa kept touching you like this.

“Why?” You decided to question like you didn’t know the answer.

Seonghwa paused his movements to look up at you, so much emotion shadowed on his face your heart stung. “You look at him differently. I want you to look at me like that, but instead you talk to me like you talk to his siblings- they’re kids! I’m not! Aren’t I…” He suddenly pulled your shirt up to expose your torso to him, leaning down so his lips brushed your hardened nipple as he spoke “aren’t I a man too?”

You were definitely fucked. “Hw-ah!” His mouth latched onto you, fangs scraping against your flesh as he tugged on the peak and stared up at you with obvious heat in your eyes.

Trying to keep some sense, you didn’t let any sounds fall from your lips, even as he sucked and his hands moved down your body. They gripped your sleep shorts, yanking them down as he shifted off you to pull them off.

For someone who didn’t know what he was doing, he sure acted like he did. The rough texture of his tongue ran over your breast, flicking the pebbled peak and finally elicited a sound out of you. It just seemed to encourage him more.

While Seonghwa was distracted with your breasts, your hands were free enough to work your phone. You had to be sly, glancing up only briefly to make sure it was unlocked and you were video calling Johnny. Silently you hoped he picked up, but you were also scared he would.

After all, Seonghwa was now pushing your legs apart and kissing down your body, one of his hands back to fondling your breasts, the other hooking your knee over his shoulder.

You heard the call connect just as Seonghwa let out a deep groan. “Smell so sweet- finally I make you smell like this.”

Embarrassment momentarily flooded you but you pushed it aside, glancing up at the phone to prompt it up. The light from the call illuminated your body more, as well as Seonghwa’s head as he kissed past your navel. Johnny looked like he had just laid down for bed, but he was sitting up once he noticed the position you were in.

“H-help? What should I do?” Seonghwa was going to notice anyway, so you call out to Johnny, pleading.

Seonghwa’s head snapped up when Johnny cleared his throat. He sneered, turning his gaze onto you and pulling on one of your nipples. “Why did you call him!” “I am also questioning-” “I can’t get him to stop!” You cut off Johnny, grabbing Seonghwa’s hands when he tried to reach for the phone. “Please just help Johnny?” Seonghwa forgo the phone to instead pin your hands down and stare down at you. Your body reacted, eyes flickering down to see his body bathed in the light. He wasn’t sculpted like Johnny, but he wasn’t unattractive. You visibly swallowed at the tent in his pajama pants, eyes going wide. “I don’t know how I can help you sweetheart, looks like he’s getting his first rut.”

“No shit sherlock! But you know I didn’t-” Your words were cut off as Seonghwa pushed his pants down, paying attention to the screen now. “Mine.” He rolled his hips into yours, the length of him pushing through your folds and over your clit, causing pleasure to jolt through you. Seonghwa wasn’t making any attempt to end the call now, and you noticed neither was Johnny. It was hard for you to think pinned down like this, Seonghwa’s cock stimulating your clit and soaking himself with your wetness. It was hot, and it felt damned good.

But you were quickly losing- or had you already lost. “Johnny please~” The words came out as a pleading moan, followed by a poor attempt to look at the screen.

Just in time to see the man curse under his breath, staring at the screen with unabashed lust. “Fine fine I’ll help- not in the way you want me to though.” He chuckled breathlessly, meeting your eyes for a second before diverting his full attention to Seonghwa. “You want to really make her yours? Then fuck her properly, kitty.” Johnny only called Hwa that when he was being playfully condescending, to egg him on a little.

It worked, Seonghwa’s hips snapping aggressively, your back arching from the intense jolt of pleasure it gave you. “Johnny~~” Whining, you feared where this was going. “Stop calling for him!” Seonghwa hissed out, removing his hand from your wrist and grabbing your throat to have you look at him. “Only me. Only me please.” His tone softened when you locked eyes, pulling at your heartstrings.

Just like that, the battle was lost. “Then listen to him. H-he’ll tell you what to do so you get what you want. Okay?” Temporarily placated, Seonghwa nodded, his hips still moving. “F-fine. I’ll listen to the stupid dog.” “I can come over and show you how to do it if you’re going to act like that, Seonghwa.” Johnny warned through the small screen, a heat in his words that did not help your current state.

With a pout, ears flattening momentarily, Seonghwa rephrased. “Please tell me what to do Sir.” “G-good kitty.” You offered him some praise, blushing at the way he positively keened at it.

He even let out a soft purr.

“Alright, you look on the bigger side so you need to prep her. Just below your dick, you’ll want to push a finger in-” Johnny paused as Seonghwa began to move, following his instructions and pushing a finger inside you a bit rougher than was meant. “Easy- nice and slow.”

However the loss of stimulation on your clit had you wanting to protest it wasn’t fast enough. “Hwa- curl your finger, search for a spongy spot- ah! Right there!” His long fingers hit it with ease and you were thankful he followed directions so well… usually.

Seonghwa was watching you with the curiosity of a kitten that you were accustomed to, but also with a heat you were not. His eyes didn’t waver from your face as he rubbed against that spot, following Johnny’s instructions when he was told to put in a second.

You gripped the bedding above your head, careful not to jostle the pillow the phone was on despite the view being blocked by your body as you writhed in pleasure. Still lacking the stimulation of your clit, you reached down and exposed it for him. “R-rub here with your thumb Kitty. P-please-”

He did as he was told, gasping in response to the sinful moan that escaped you. Johnny was still telling him how to move his fingers, his anger at the man having vanished into thin air for the moment it seemed.

“Now push in a third, rubbing them against the spot just as your thumb is. She’s going to get really tight, and when does, pull your thumb off but keep rubbing inside.” Johnny sounded breathless as he spoke, his voice ringing in your head and drawing out your own muffled moans. You wanted Seonghwa to hear him after all.

Just as he said, you were coming seconds after Seonghwa pushed in the third finger, clamping down around him as your body trembled with waves of ecstasy. Your eyes rolled shut, getting lost in the feeling and temporarily forgetting just who was giving it to you.

“Such a good boy. Made our pretty girl feel really good. Didn’t he sweetheart?” You nodded, attempting to catch your breath and forcing yourself to look up at Seonghwa. You whined as he pulled his fingers out, hesitantly bringing them to his lips without being told.

The guttural moan he let out as he sucked on all three fingers, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, had your pussy clenching in want. The sight seemed to entice Johnny, a string of curses falling from his lips that sounded like moans themselves.

Sparing a glance at the screen, you let out a soft gasp. He was shirtless, and while you couldn’t see below his abdomen, you swore he was touching himself.

“What’s next?” Seonghwa’s eager question pulled the attention of you both, long tongue still wrapped around his fingers and giving you plenty of ideas. “Now you fuck her. Guide your pretty cock to where you had your fingers and push in. Slowly. Any time she tenses, you need to stop and wait for her to adjust.” Johnny’s tone was soft, patient, belying the effect this scene must have on him.

Seonghwa seemed oblivious, focused only on his task. “I’m going to do that then. I’m sorry for my inexperience… sweetheart.” He adopted Johnny’s nickname for you, expression shy as if he wasn’t pressing his cockhead to your entrance.

Johnny had said it was his rut, but you thought Seonghwa still seemed a little too level-headed for that. He was following directions well and didn’t seem driven purely by basic instincts. To some extent, he was acting like the Seonghwa you knew.

That all got dashed once he was inside. A little more than his head had pushed into your cunt when his head drooped forward and an animalistic whine rumbled through his body- it was the only warning you had before his full length was inside you with such a force the bed moved with it.

You cried out, eyes wide and head falling back from the intensity. It hurt a bit, he was big, but thanks to Johnny you were prepped enough that it was also pleasurable.

“Fucking hell-” Johnny cursed loudly this time, the phone having fallen over but it was Seonghwa who picked it up. “I’m watching.” “Good.” Seonghwa grunted out before his hands found purchase on your hips, lifting them up. “Mine.” He didn’t wait for Johnny’s instructions this time, moving on pure instinct as he began thrusting into you at the pace he wanted.

You could only take it, unable to keep the heavy pants and gasps and sinful sounds at bad. One glance at the screen and you could clearly tell that Johnny was indeed fucking his hand. That just made the cotton in your head thicker.

“Put a pillow under you.” Johnny instructed you now, and you quickly obliged, noting it kept you steadier for his thrusts. It was the only thought you had before Seonghwa’s thumb was rubbing your clit and you cried out loud enough it was almost a scream.

Seonghwa was just as far gone as you were, if not more. Purring and grunting in between mumbling of phrases that you didn’t understand until they got louder. “Gunna fuck you so full of my cum.” “Breed you so well.” “Mine. Mine. Mine.”

“Want you to be swollen with my litter. Fucked so full you can’t think.”

Part of you wondered where the hell he learned such phrases- most of you was too fucked out to care, just fueled on by the filth he was spouting.

“Fucking hell Hwa- fucking her so well.” Johnny’s breathless praise for the hybrid was what sent you over the edge, walls clamping down on his cock as you cried out again. It was enough to milk Seonghwa for all he was worth, a deep growl that rolled into a high pitched moan as he hit his peak.

You could feel him coating your insides, filling you up with his seed, and probably accomplishing his and your parents goal: breeding you.

With your whole body shaking, the sound of Johnny’s own low cry as he came, and Seonghwa’s weight collapsing on top of you… you could not find it in you to care.

Seonghwa’s soft purrs helped regulate your breathing, reality crashing down when you realized he quickly fell asleep while still very much attached to you. With some effort you freed an arm and grabbed the phone, angling it to see the man on the other side cleaning himself off.

“So-” You started, grabbing his attention, “-how do you expect to help me now? I think he’s literally stuck inside me. And I swear if I end up pregnant-” “I’ll take full responsibility sweetheart.” He smiled at you, the same smile that would often get your cheeks burning in seconds. “And I’ll head over now to clean you up. If I’m there for his first heat, he’s more likely to let me around more. Won’t bite my head off when I have you myself either.” Now you swore steam was escaping your ears with how heated you were. “Johnny that’s-” “Aht, we’ll talk when I get there.” He stood up, not at all hiding his softening cock on display or the few drops of cum still on his lower abdomen. “Better to do so while he’s asleep, otherwise it’ll be another cat and dog fight.” With a cheeky grin, he hung up, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

You managed to push Seonghwa onto his back, moving with him as he was still knotted inside you. It was easier laying on his chest, staring down at his pretty sleeping face, this time making an effort to see him as a man, just like he wanted.

A pet might have been easier to care for, but there was no turning back now.

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