#I believe in us as a community we can hold each other accountable

[tavyliasin]

Boundaries and Parasocial Relationships (I will only say this once)

This is the ONLY post I will be making on the matter, so please feel free to skip if you do not want to hear it again, and don't worry you don't need to hide me to avoid discourse - the rest of my content will remain firmly with only SMUTFIC FAN FUN.

So let's start with the simple. Actors, performers, celebrities: They are PEOPLE with LIVES. They are not CHARACTERS. Paying them for a service does not include the right to cross their boundaries. Just like tipping someone working food service does not give you a pass to harrass them either.

If you feel the need to request something smutty from an actor/celebrity, STOP. THINK. THIS IS WHAT FAN CREATORS ARE HERE FOR!

I'm not saying that you can act inappropriately towards fan creators, I'm saying that those of us making NSFW content are already prepared to hear the horny requests, the thirst comments towards the characters on our posts, the headcanons and self inserts and all of that. Of course you should never expect a creator to make your ideas into fic or art, and asking politely is always preferred. Whilst fic writers generally cannot take paid commissions, artists can and do, so you should also consider commissioning what you want to see and never expect art for free. Sometimes we hear a good idea, though, and get really inspired! We draw or write it because we hear it and thing "well yes darling actually that's very hot" or even "that sounds like a challenge, it could be fun!"

For anyone still confused about what is appropriate or not, please read this article about Parasocial Relationships

It is important to recognise for your own mental health when fandom is going too far, and to keep the right boundaries for everyone. It is very easy to get carried away with excitement, especially when some performers might share a few risqué pieces of art or content, but when they're sharing it like that it is on their terms, on their time. Making requests during a live stream or through cameo is not the same. I'd also add to think before sharing any NSFW art, fic, or other creations directly to performers - if they haven't asked for it don't send it. Don't tag them in it, either - they have families, careers, and may not want to be as visibly linked to literal porn. If they're looking for that content and want to see it, they will find it. That also applies to sharing other peoples' NSFW creations to the performers or tagging them in replies - unless they specifically state they want to see the content, don't.

FINAL NOTE

This fan community has so much potential. We have proven we can be awarded "Community of the Year". We can love and support one another, we can keep each other safe, we can be a rock in the storm and the cheerleading squad that each other need in so many situations. Let's keep it that way. Be kind, to each other and to the performers. Remember, the words on the screen are not written by unfeeling robots, we are all very real people with thoughts and emotions and lives. Now go out there. Make the world a brighter place, and keep creating the fan content we all love so very dearly, darlings, but do it right.

SAFE, SANE, CONSENTING. Check in on the safety, mental health, and boundaries in all of your interactions.

And one last time, to learn more about parasocial relationships and how to handle interactions with famous people:

Click Here for the full article.

[monsterfuckermilligan]

i am not anti sam but i sometimes find myself hating sam because some samgirls are super into bio/gender essentialism whether or not they realize it. sam is a woman and dean is a man and sam is the victim and dean is his abuser like what show are you watching?

[vaspider]

An important definition of terms:

As far as I'm concerned, an assimilationist is someone who believes that queer people must assimilate in order to advance the cause of queer rights. An assimilationist creates a dress code for marches like the Mattachine Society did, fights against queer self-expression at Pride because "it holds back the movement," and believes that the only way for us to move forward is for all queers to live as cishet people do, but with little rainbow flags taped on.

An assimilationist is not "someone who wants the functions and institutions of cishet society to be available to queer people." It's someone who believes the only way to live is assimilated into cishet society, and anything else "holds us back." It's someone who wants Sylvia and Marsha to march at the back, and who prizes cishet aesthetic over practical liberation.

A liberationist is someone who believes that queer liberation is not contingent upon public performance of identity.

Let me repeat that, so we're absolutely clear: a liberationist believes that queer liberation is not contingent upon public performance of identity. ANY IDENTITY.

That means a sufficiently cishet identity and a sufficiently "respectable" identity, but it also means a sufficiently radical identity. If you actually believe in queer liberation, you don't just believe in liberation for people who look, act, and believe like you. You believe in liberation for people who genuinely want to get married, have babies by IVF and live in the suburbs as well as for people who want to live childfree on an anarchist trans commune/Llama farm.

I hear people use the term "Assimilationist" and "Assimilationist Victories" to dismiss as meaningless those victories that are insufficiently radical for their tastes, and that to me is only proof that those people are not actually liberationists in any meaningful way. In liberation, there must be room for people who actually do just want to get married and live quiet, content lives going to their kid's baseball games.

The difference between Assimilationist thought and Liberationist thought cannot be simply replacing "we need to blend in" with "we need to stick out." It cannot simply replace "we must be integrated into cishet society" with "we cannot ever integrate into cishet society and anything which permits us to do that if we so choose is insufficiently liberationist." That's the organizational equivalent of yelling YOU'RE NOT MY REAL DAD, and I'm fucking over it, y'all.

My liberation doesn't have to be your liberation. Your liberation doesn't have to look like mine. What matters is that we are helping each other up the mountain and making long-term plans to get to where we can, and that we recognize that every choice we make is going to leave someone behind, and we account for that and plan for that so we don't leave them behind forever.

We cannot regard gay marriage or gays in the military or instituting a nationwide right to transition or any of our future goals as an endpoint. They are only goals part of the way up the mountain.

We don't get to the top until we are all free to live as we choose without government or societal interference or sanction, and without having to perform an identity for those rights and respect. The freedom to be ourselves must include the right to "blue hair and pronouns" but it also must include the right to "your kid's school plays and a duplex in a suburb." The latter is not an assimilationist lifestyle unless you try to enforce it on everyone.

I'm so, so tired of people acting like they're radical thinkers for poo-pooing the civil rights advances that the community has achieved through literally decades of work as "assimilationist victories." That's not clever, cute, or correct. Every. Single. One. Of those victories is written in tears and sweat and blood. Every single one is wrapped in the funeral shrouds of people who died fighting for it. Every single one was achieved not by assimilationists alone, but neither by people who think the only true victories are the ones sufficiently pure in their leftist credentials.

It is extremely possible and indeed likely that if you judge queers by their aesthetic, you will miss partnering with some of the most radical people and shackle your movement to people who cloak regressive politics in radical language. I've heard some truly noxious words come out of mouths framed by snakebites, and I've known extremely radical thinkers who look like your grandma. And I gotta tell you, in those local elections which keep school boards free from Moms For Liberty? The latter are useful people for liberationists to know and have in our camp, those people who think like liberationists but look like your grandma or your auntie.

Enforcement of aesthetic as a condition of liberation is assimilationist thought. It doesn't matter if the assimilation is to pink hair and tattoos or polo shirts and khakis - enforcement of aesthetic and philosophy as a condition of liberation is assimilationist thought. It's just replacing one kind of demanded conformity with another, and when we say "none of us are free until all of us are free," that also means free to be fucking boring if we want to, full stop.

We talk a lot about how much work goes into being disabled, how much work we have to put into making appointments, and fighting bureaucracy, but this is also true of queer life. Freedom comes with ease, with being easily able to update paperwork, with being easily able to find employment and housing, with being easily able to create the family structures we want to live in. When all of us can wake up in the morning assured of security in our beds, food in our bellies, meds in our med trays as needed, and a day ahead of us filled with chosen purpose and chosen meaning, which ends with us back in the bed of our choice at the end of the day, fulfilled in purpose and secure in our homes and chosen families, then we are free, and not before.

You may notice a seeming contradiction in this, in that my liberationist philosophy has room in it for the very people who are currently annoying the fuck out of me by demanding allegiance to a leftist aesthetic over practical liberation (that is, a movement based in harm reduction and long-term strategy over adherence to leftist purity of thought).

This is not a contradiction.

It is not a bug. It is a feature. My liberationist ideals mean that people have to have the right to be wrong without their liberty hinging on being right, that's all. :)

[idyllicidols]

Cheat Day.

Another request. I forgot if the person wanted to stay anonymous so I'll leave them out to be safe. Something different with it being third person, but it felt needed with the content.

TW: gangbang

***

Wonyoung was always expected to be perfect. Her days were filled with endless rehearsals, rigorous diets, and sleepless nights. She yearned for a life of freedom, where she could make mistakes and be herself. Her long awaited day off was under commencement–and mistakes were definitely going to be made.

Three of her most dedicated fans, handpicked by the dollesque idol herself, received a private DM from an unknown account with a time and address. They were apprehensive about the message, but the never before seen photos piqued their curiosity.

The room was dimly lit, the only sound being the soft hum of the city outside. Wonyoung, clad in a silk robe, stood before them, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. She took mental notes on each one as they introduced themselves.

"Donghyun." She recognized him as a man who had been to nearly every concert and fan meet–his loud screams often heard over all the other fan chants. The messy haired boyish man looked like he just got off work. A disheveled suit with his tie loosely knit. Now that he was in such a private setting, he looked at her with an innocent admiration.

"Minsoo." The hottest of the bunch. His right arm covered in tattoos, his hair perfectly sculpted, but not greasy. He gazed upon her as if he already knew what she had planned. If the other two failed, she could depend on him for a good time.

"Junho." A recognized community member. Almost her whole fandom and group members knew of him. Her most dedicated fan. At every event, making sure to capture her in the perfect light. His fancams were the most popular, some even doing better than official recordings. A casual friendship had grown, and this was her way of showing her appreciation.

Her voice was steady and confident as she spoke, "Tonight, I'm not an idol. I'm not a performer. I'm yours, to do with as you please."

Junho and Donghyun exchanged astonished glances, their minds racing with the implications of her statement. They couldn't believe the woman they had idolized for so long would offer herself so freely. But Minsoo smirked expectedly.

Junho spoke up, "Wonyoung, we can't take advantage of you like this. You're an idol, and we're just fans."

Wonyoung's expression turned determined. "You can't deny me this. I've been living this life..always holding back, always being the perfect idol. Tonight, I want to be something else."

Donghyun joined in, "But you could ruin your reputation."

Wonyoung's voice hardened, "I don't care about my reputation. I want this. I want to be used, to be fucked."

She looked to Minsoo, her eyes pleading. She was right, she knew she could depend on him to get things rolling.

"If you're sure, Wonyoung, we can't deny you anything."

With a sultry smile, Wonyoung nodded, "I'm sure."

Minsoo undressed her slowly, untying the knot to her robe. She let it fall off her shoulders, the light from the window acted as a spotlight to her perfectly slender naked body. She was a tiny, delicate thing, but one with fire burning within her. The other two watched in awe as his hands roamed her body while his tongue explored her mouth.

He easily lifted her up and tossed her on the bed, his kisses trailed down from one pair of lips to her other. His hands were rough, their movements urgent and demanding.

"You cucks going to just watch or join in?" Minsoo aggressively berated the other two men into action.

Donghyun was the next to act, seizing this rare opportunity, kissing and touching wherever he pleased. Wonyoung moaned in pleasure as the two men grasped at her body. But she couldn't help but feel bad for Junho.

"Join us sweetie…" She called out to him. "... You can record this too if you like, just make sure you keep it to yourself…" flashing a sly smile.

That was all it took. Junho set up his camera, then joined in on the fun. He knew he would never get a chance like this again, and wasn't going to miss out.

Without another word, the three men moved in unison, Minsoo between her legs, Donghyun and Junho each taking one of her breasts in their hands and began to fondle them gently. Their thumbs brushed over her already sensitive nipples, sending shivers down her spine.

"Oh, god," she gasped, her head falling back as she felt a sudden rush of pleasure wash over her.

"Is that good, baby?" Junho asked, his voice filled with concern and desire.

She nodded, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. "Yes, it's so good."

As the men continued to pleasure her breasts, their hands moved in a rhythmic pattern that had her on the edge of ecstasy. Minsoo was gifted at his craft, his tongue danced against her wet folds.

"Oh, God," she cried out, her body trembling with pleasure.

His tongue moved in slow, deliberate circles, the pressure building with each pass. Wonyoung's breath caught in her throat as she felt the pleasure growing, spreading throughout her body until she was sure she couldn't take any more.

And then, suddenly, the pressure was gone, and she was left feeling empty and wanting.

"Please," she begged, her voice pleading. "I need more."

Minsoo smirked, knowing he had Wonyoung right where he wanted. He spread her legs wider, revealing her sensitive, throbbing clit to his waiting mouth.

"Oh, fuck," she gasped, her hands clawed at the sheets as pleasure washed over her once more.

Minsoo began to suck on her clit, his tongue moving in rhythmic, deliberate motions that had her body convulsing in pleasure. Then the final nail in the coffin, his middle and ring fingers dug into her wet quivering pussy. Squelching sounds echoed out with his fingertips constantly brushing her g-spot.

"You're gonna make me cum!" she screamed out, her voice strained and desperate.

Her body tensed; involuntarily trying to fight off the pressure that was overwhelming her system. But the other two held her down as they continued to explore her body. The pressure built in her stomach had nowhere else to go, a stream of sticky clear fluid shot out of her, her strongest orgasm in months taking over.

"Oh, god," she gasped, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own pleasure. "It feels so good."

An orgasm that intense should've left her helpless, but this was her only night of escape. Her animalistic desires insatiable, she rose from the sheets, her thin body covered in sweat.

"I'm gonna ride your fucking cock."

Wonyoung demanded as she pushed Junho on his back. He watched as the idol he's fantasized about so many times slowly lowered her mess of pussy onto his cock. It was better than he could ever dream, so tight and so warm, he never could have imagined how good she felt.

"You're so tight." Junho cried out.

He had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. But it got even better, she planted her feet and started bouncing up and down. Her sopping wet pussy glided easily-massaging his shaft with her moist caverns. She screamed in ecstasy, the first real cock inside of her in months felt better than any toy–it was a living thing, with its heat radiating inside of her.

It was hard to know who was having a better time - Wonyoung finally letting loose or Junho feeling the tight walls of his dream girl squeezing his cock. She was lost in ecstasy, the feelings of hands on her body almost forgettable.

Minsoo was there to give her a stark reminder. Wonyoung gasped when a strong force pushed her forward, making her turn around in surprise. Then she felt something hard pressed against her asshole, the tight ring on her virgin hole clenched in resistance.

"What are you – AH!" Wonyoung cried out before she could finish her question. A predictable result. There were three men and she had an accompanying hole for each. But what she didn't expect was for it to happen right off the bat. No preparation; no fingers or toys - just Minsoo's hard, massive cock breaking past her defenses in one fell swoop. Drool started leaking from her mouth, the intense feeling of getting fucked from both ends beyond her wildest dreams. Cries of pain filled the room, Wonyoung stretched out further than she ever thought possible. You would think she begged for them to stop, that the pain was too much to bear...

"Fuck me harder!" She screamed out, the pain of being fully engulfed by cock reminding her that she was alive–washing away months of the stressful idol life.

It was a sight to behold, Minsoo aggressively fucked the blabbering idol. His hands gripped her hips, holding her in place as he drove into her with relentless force. It was a stark contrast to Junho, feebly thrusting upwards trying to keep pace. Wonyoung moaned, her head flailing as she felt her insides being stretched and filled. But soon they got in sync, fucking and stretching out Wonyoung's body at perfect intervals.

"Is this what you want, you filthy whore?" Minsoo growled in her ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine.

"Yes," she gasped, "Fuck me."

"Hey Donghyun, why don't you keep her quiet before the neighbors complain."

Donghyun was like a perfect little pet, listening to everything anyone told him. As he stood up and pressed his cock against her lips there was no hesitation. Wonyoung opened up her lips and sucked like it was a popsicle. Now she was truly filled, a cock in each orifice, her body being used for greedy desires. It was only right, she worked so hard to stay fit, it would be a shame to keep it hidden away and locked up.

Donghyun was perfectly content standing there while she sucked and licked. Wonyoung however was not, grabbing the back of his thighs and taking him deep in her throat–a jolt of pleasure blasting through him every time she let a muffled moan vibrate against his cock. Actions spoke louder than words, her desires clearly obvious. His hands tangled in her long hair, thrusting his hips, fucking her face with the intensity she craved.

As the men continued their relentless onslaught, Wonyoung felt her body being torn apart, her mind filled with pleasure and pain. She could feel the cocks pounding into her, stretching her, filling her completely. Her moans and cries filled the room, echoing off the walls as the men continued to use her.

"Fuck I'm gonna cum!"

Wonyoung was in no place to protest, a cock in her throat keeping her from replying. Nor did she want to, wanting nothing more than the feeling of hot cum filling her up.

"That's it," Minsoo grunted, "Take it all."

Minsoo was the first to concede–a thick stream of hot cum painting her insides. He slid out from behind her, her gaping ass leaking down to the sheets. He grabbed Donghyun, pulling him away. Wounyoung heaved in relief, finally able to breathe without a cock pounding her throat.

"Clean up my mess." Minsoo demanded. Wounyoung's relief was short-lived–opening up her mouth, happily sucking the cock that just took her anal virginity. Donghyun stared at her asshole with intrigue, kneeling down behind her. She smiled in response, feeling him pressed against her puckered hole. While her mouth was amazing, Donghyun longed to fuck something much tighter, and there was nothing tighter than Wounyoung's ass.

Junho had surprising stamina, his fingers biting into her sensitive flesh as he pinched and twisted her nipples. Wonyoung writhed above him, her body on fire with pain and pleasure. She could feel her own orgasm building, the pressure in her pussy and ass growing unbearable.

"I'm going to cum," she gasped, "Oh, God, I'm going to...ahhh!"

Her body trembled as the orgasm ripped through her, her muscles contracting as she was filled to the brim. That set off a chain sequence–her contracting body milking every shaft inside of her. Luckily for her, all the fans were just as insatiable as she was–knowing this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

She was tossed around like a ragdoll, her tiny body fucked in every position possible, her tight holes nothing but a dumping ground for cum. They were like a well oiled machine, switching positions and holes, making sure that she always experienced something new. The only time one of her holes wasn't being fucked was when they needed to recover. Donghyun and Junho grew bolder as the night went on, fucking her with a ferocity that almost matched Minsoo.

The men continued their assault, their grunts and groans filling the air as they emptied themselves into her. Wonyoung's cries echoed in the room, a plethora of hands and tongues covering every inch of skin–three cocks stuffed in her holes, giving her everything she could ever ask for. She was reduced to nothing more than a living, breathing, screaming orgasm.

The sun was starting to rise, and the men pulled out, their spent cocks dripping with cum. They stepped back, leaving Wonyoung sprawled on the bed, her body covered in sweat, her mouth, pussy, and asshole leaking with cum.

Donghyun was the first to leave, he had to return to work within the hour. Junho turned sheepishly shy, embarrassed at how he lost control fucking his bias, collecting his camera. She smiled at him knowing he would forever cherish that footage. Donghyun and Junho bowed when they left. Forever grateful for this experience their faces flushed with pleasure, their hearts filled with gratitude. They had experienced something that most could only dream of.

Minsoo stuck behind, his fingers buried inside Wonyoung until she forced him to leave. She thanked him for starting things right, pulling him in for one final kiss before he left.

Wonyoung laid there, panting and trembling, her body sore and aching. Forget dance practice, she would be lucky if she was even able to walk. But as she stared up at the ceiling, she couldn't help but smile - she had found a release she had been longing for, a release that would fuel her performances, her passion, and her life. She couldn't wait for her next day off.

[tommykinard6]

This blog is here to stay. It will remain a Tommy Kinard and BuckTommy blog.

I’m pissed. I’m grieving. 9-1-1 is my favorite show and now they’ve pulled this shit.

If Lou had left the show because the death threats were too much, his mental health was suffering, or he just couldn’t take it anymore, I would absolutely understand. I’d blame a certain part of the fandom, but I’d respect his decision. But he didn’t even want this. He loves Tommy and Tevan. I don’t know what Tim is thinking.

I know it all feels like a waste right now, but it’s not. Let me recount really quick:

• Buck is bisexual.

• There have been some really important scenes to come out of his discovering his sexuality, including Josh’s speech and his own lesson in fighting for his relationship.

• Tommy Kinard will be a character you pry from my cold dead hands. A gay man who discovered himself late in life and is still living his life genuinely. A man who made mistakes and acknowledges them, but has grown far past them. What a wonderfully rounded character.

• Excepting the end of 806, the beauty of their relationship. They did so much with so little screen time.

It’s not a waste, even though the ending absolutely trashed the progress made.

Resolutely, I do not believe this is the end. I know, I know, “the interviews”. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that they’re misdirecting. Also, they haven’t even written the rest of the season yet. The storyline is fixable if there’s a make up.

Not telling anyone how to feel about Oliver’s comments, but I would caution about using TVline’s article as the Bible. It was a terribly written, heavily biased interview and frankly it’s an insult that it was even conducted.

Even if it is the end, no one has to stop shipping. No one has to leave the fandom. We did not lose. We still got our canon ship and it will forever be an irrevocable fact that it was canon. BuckTommy is endgame for me. I may be disappointed by expectations, but I will never be in the wrong for sticking by that.

Make your displeasure known to Tim and ABC, but do not lose your dignity doing so. Do not engage with the haters. No harassing Lou. You can hold Oliver accountable for his remarks, but no harassment of him. You can call him out without making him the fandom whipping boy. I’ve seen many people latching onto him as the outlet for their feelings on this. Do not harass or bully the writers or actors, but make sure the producers and showrunners know they fucked up.

And most importantly, look after yourselves and each other. We’re still a community and we’re here to stay. This week is one of the worst ever, but we will come out of it.

Thank you, Tommy Kinard, for the hope you gave us, the representation you presented, and the character you were. Thank you Lou for portraying such a character and being such a sweetheart. BuckTommy will forever be in our hearts, endgame or not.

As a reminder, BuckTommy is not the be all end all of the show for queer rep. Hen and Karen, our fabulous queens, and Josh will still always be there. Buck is still bi, no matter what’s next in store for him. Tommy, even if gone forever, is still a significant moment of gay rep. And that’s not even counting the small characters that come in and out. It’s not always done well, but it’s there.

[curioscurio]

Why we have to start being nicer to eachother:

I know it sucks and is hard, but I think we really do need to start treating techbros and incels and our fellow humans with a bit more compassion, empathy, and understanding before we jump to bad faith interpretation. Especially when seeing a bad take online used as bait for arguments. We have to give other people the opportunity and knowledge to think for themselves, and make the choice to become a better person on their own.

"Hold on! Why should I be nice to people like that? THEY'RE the ones who are being bigoted to US!"

Well, I'll try and answer that question below! I ended up writing a lot, so check out the "read more" if you're curious. At the end of the day, I'm not an expert or a professional on human behavior, so keep that in mind. This is just something I've been thinking about based on my own past experiences.

Conspiracy theorists, the far right, gun enthusiasts, and even MAGA's all operate on the belief that modern society hates them for who they are. They think the entire world is against them.

And, looking at the kind of hate rhetoric and harmful ideologies they talk about; the cruel acts of casual and extremist violence that stem from that community, it easy to see why the world has turned its back on them. Right?

It makes you wonder: "Why are they like this?"

The easy way out is to simply hold on to the belief that they are behaving this way because they are bad people. Bad people do bad things, after all.

But when the world turns its back on a group of people, those people turn their backs on the world. They will naturally gravitate towards whichever group of accepting humans they come across first. Whoever validates their feelings and makes them feel accepted and safe instead of rejected and fearful.

The far right preys on young men who don't know know any better because they are never treated any better. They have influencers, exactly like Donald Trump, that make you feel safe. They also are lying to these people and using their fear of rejection to control them.

It's very similar to how the Church will help you out and feed you if you're homelss... as long as you join the church and donate 10% of your earnings to "God." (The churchs bank account. )

That is to say, people don't usually pop out of the womb with these prejudices and fears programed into their heads. It's something that has to be taught to them by somebody else. Their parents, the church, their school, their friends, youtubers, etc.

"So, what do we do? How do we save future and current generations from being sucked into this hateful spiral of far right bigotry?"

"How do we help our conservative parents, who we know love us but are absolutely convinced that they need guns to keep their families safe? How do we help our Trump Train family members who used to be loving, compassionate, people?"

Well, you're not gonna like the answer. We have to start being nicer to everyone. We have to be nicer to incels, dude bros, techbros, Karen's, and yes, even your average Republican voters. We have to show them compassion and empathy when they're expressing their fears, without immediately attacking them for it. We have got to prove to them that there's a place for them to come back to.

Their fears are being taken advantage of by a system that benefits from pitting the general population against each other. If we're too busy fighting eachother, we can never join forces and fight the system.

And so it turns into a self-sustaining system of fear and reactive lashing out. They start believing that everybody is against them, except the few people who understand. Until the only safe place left for them is the Q Anon message boards. Quite literally an orobourous of hate.

"But Curio! They literally want us dead! These people are violent and irredeemable!"

Many of them are. So many of these people are groomed into believing that the only way they can keep themselves safe is by killing anything they think has caused them harm. It's an intentional system maintained by those in power to control those who are not.

Some of them, however, are just normal people who got in with the wrong crowd or are too young to know better. Some people were never given the chance to be better.

"So, what SHOULD we do? Be nice to our oppressors? Let them get away with hate crimes and bigotry?"

No. But we DO need to stop thinking of "them" as this massive malevolent demographic who have no souls and are inherently evil. The majority of these people were lied to and manipulated and groomed into these beliefs.

We have to try harder to stop ourselves before we start calling them names and attack them, regardless of if they deserve it or not. We have to engage with them on good faith. Learn about WHY they believe conspiracy theories and why it stems from fear.

"Why? What will this help?"

Because you're quite literally showing them that there's another option available for them to take. You're showing them that, if they do change their minds and want to change their behavior, that you are a safe person to approach with these thoughts. You have the power to create a space for them where they're allowed to think for themselves without punishing them for it.

Once you create that connection, it's like you're showing them another road in life they can explore. They now can see a new future for themselves. A future where their kids start talking to them again. A future where they're not terrified of being humiliated for being soft. A future where they feel listened to.

And that's all. You just have to give them that chance. It's not your job to change their mind, or to tell them that they're wrong for thinking thoughts. In fact, trying to do just that will usually encourage them to double down.

But what you CAN do is build an environment where they have the OPPORTUNITY to change their mind. You can be kind, empathetic, and educational. Be patient and listen and have a respectful conversation with them.

It is especially important for people with privilege to step up and be those kinds of diplomats. People who are able and willing to look past the surface bigotry to address the scared humans underneath. People who can do this without endangering themselves or their community. This may be other cis straight white people who can get away with bringing these topics up gently, without triggering reflexive defensiveness. Who then have the patience to gently educate them and steer them towards a better path.

"But Curio, I can't do this. I've been hurt too many times by these people, and doing this would cause me significant mental distress."

Then don't. You're not obligated to be the better person for every situation and circumstance. Nuance must be taken into account. You don't have to be nice to every troll or ragebait Twitter post. I certainly don't want you to put yourself in a situation that causes you emotional, physical, or mental harm. Hell, you don't even have to give them the time of day. It's your own responsibility to make the judgment call regarding your health.

But people simply won't change if there's no room for them to change. And some people have the power to make that room for them little by little.

"I've tried everything. I've begged, cried, been nice, and shown them that we won't reject them. They won't change their minds no matter what."

And that's also ok! It can happen. When you give people the opportunity to make choices for themselves, there will always be people who still choose to believe the system they were groomed on. They can do that because thats free will, baby. There will still be people who will not change their minds and who will actively choose to become more radicalized.

And it's sad to see. But you also have to respect that sometimes people aren't ready to change at the same time that you're ready to help them change.

But you should try to do it for all the young men and children who are being taught by their parents that White Genocide is real. You should do it for the parents who love their kid so much, but are so terrified when they say they're transgender because they don't know what to do. Because they know the world will not treat them fairly or are afraid of ruining everything.

You should do it for your 10 year old nephew who watches Andrew Tate because their mother doesn't give a damn enough to check what kind of YouTube videos their kid is watching. You should do it for the depressed and hurting teenager who thinks they have no option left but to buy a gun and shoot up their school, because no ones listening to them. You should do it for the tradwife who's alone and hurting after her conservative husband cheated on her and left her with nothing; because she thought she would be the exception.

"...How do you know this will work? What if you're wrong, and nothing changes?"

I don't! I'm just a random person on the internet. I dont know who might read this. It's just my opinion.

But at least, at the end of the day, you tried your best to be a good person to another human being, and I don't think that's such very a bad thing. For me, I'm going to try because I don't want to lose my father to that kind of environment. I want to be able to have a normal conversation with him again.

There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for.

[mueritos]

i hope we continue to see more protests within the US military. i see a lot of leftists and folks who are anti-military who have such an open disdain for the people who are in the military, yet neglect to considering the conditions this country makes to produce ideology, poverty, and the illusion of choice to make all kinds of people choose to enlist in the military. You ever see those videos of ROTC kids recording each other asking why they joined the military and everyone's like, "healthcare", "it helped me go to college", "I was bored" or "free ptsd lol". I hate to remind everyone but folks who are in the military are people, too, and they are the same victims and perpetrators of violence as the rest of you, we have all been shallowly conditioned to view each other as enemies just because one person is wearing army greens and the other is not.

some of the biggest anti-war advocates are those who engaged in war. Veterans who genuinely believed they were protecting the US against "terrorism" come back with blood on their hands, and they choose to realize that it was US imperialism that forced them to carry out violence, instead of doubling down and shielding themselves from the fact that they too are capable of atrocities... This is a class of people who are intentionally conditioned to be as poor and as ideologically aligned to US imperialism so that the military has a never-ending pool to send their youth to destroy other country's youth. The only people I have ever heard say "do not join the military" are those who ARE military.

This is in no way to ever excuse or explain away any of the atrocious war crimes and violence this industry and its people have committed against others. What I am saying is that we absolutely cannot cast aside the individuals who have been victimized within US imperialism, even if they are wearing army greens. I was speaking with my Palestinian classmate last week and another classmate--a member of the US air force-- walked up to me and struck up a conversation. My military classmate showed me her new bird, bid both of us goodbye, and left. My Palestinian classmate asked me if I was close with her, and I said we talked quite often, and she said, "I never met a person who's in the military. I still hate the military, but I never knew that they did, too. I didn't realize that they were also victims."

If my Palestinian classmate--one who is actively watching her own community die--can understand that it is not individuals who are the problem but it is in fact systems, US imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism...why can't we all? And she has EVERY reason to hate any individual military member. A lot of online activism just creates more barriers. if your optics look bad, complicated, or contradictory, you are cast aside. Everyone has got the be the perfect activist, you can never make a mistake or share a half-baked thought, you should always believe every word from a marginalized persons mouth (because being marginalized doesn't mean you're not entrenched in white supremacy too!) and you should never question what you see...Do you know what you sound like? The very imperialists who are convincing poor whites to vote against themselves. Perfectionism is white supremacy. Black & white thinking is white supremacy.

I'd rather have a military member who genuinely believed in the US imperialism machine but was disillusioned after being deployed as my comrade than some leftist who cherishes the performance of "being a good person". I don't want "good people" in our movements. I want humans who care. I want humans who make mistakes and who learn from them. I want humans who accept the messiness of a person. I want humans who hold others accountable and allow themselves to take responsibility for their actions. I want people who change for themselves and others.

fight systems, not individual people. we can change each other, but if we're too preoccupied looking like the World's Perfect Activists, we will only consume each other alive. Connect to your fellow humans, forever and always.

[genderkoolaid]

1. The Revolution Is a Relationship

[…] Something that worries me about social justice communities is that we tend to conceptualize “revolution” as a product, as a place and time that we expend all of our energy and anger to create – often without regard to the toll this takes on individuals and our relationships. [...] In our – often justified – anger and disappointment at the failure of ourselves and our communities to uphold the dream of revolution, we lash out. [...] What if revolution isn’t a product, some distant promised land, but the relationships that we have right now? What if revolution is, in addition to – not instead of – direct action and community organizing, the process of rupture and repair that happens when we fuck up and hold each other accountable and forgive?

2. The Oppressor Lives Within

[…] I’ve started to believe that I can’t engage in authentic activism, I can’t create positive change without recognizing and naming my own participation in the oppressive systems that I’m trying to undo. Coming from this position, I’m forced to have compassion for the people around me who I see also participating in oppression, even as I’m also angry at them. With compassion comes understanding, and with understanding comes belief in the possibility of change. When we become capable of holding that contradiction in our hearts – when we can be angry and compassionate at the same time, at ourselves as well as others – entirely new possibilities for healing and transformation emerge.

3. Accountability Starts in the Heart

[…] I often wonder how different things would look if it were more of a cultural norm to understand accountability as a practice that comes from within the individual, instead of a consequence that must be forced onto someone externally. What if we taught each other to honor the responsibility that comes with holding ourselves accountable, rather than seeing self-accountability as a shameful admission of guilt? What if we could have real conversations with each other about harm, in good faith? In a culture of indispensability, I cannot ignore someone when they tell me I have harmed them – they are precious to me, and I have to try to understand and respond accordingly. […]

4. Perpetrator/Survivor is a False Dichotomy

There is an intense moral dynamic in social justice culture that tends to separate people into binaries of “right” and “wrong.” […] “Perpetrators” are considered evil and unforgivable, while “survivors” are good and pure, yet denied agency to define themselves. Among the many problems of this dynamic is the fact that it obscures the complex reality that many people are both survivors and perpetrators of violence (though violence, of course, exists within a wide spectrum of behaviors). Within a culture of disposability – whether it be the criminal justice system of the state or community practices of exiling people – the perpetrator/survivor dichotomy is useful because it appears to make things easier. It helps us make decisions about who to punish and who to pity.

5. Punishment Isn’t Justice

[…] It isn’t inherently wrong to want someone who hurt you to feel the same pain – to want retribution, or even revenge. But as Schulman also writes, punishment is rarely, if ever, actually an instrument of justice – it is most often an expression of power over those with less. How often do we see the vastly wealthy or politically powerful punished for the enormous harms they do to marginalized communities? How often are marginalized individuals put in prison or killed for minor (or non-existent) offenses? As long as our conception of justice is based on the violent use of power, the powerful will remain unaccountable, while the powerless are scapegoated.

6. Nuance Isn’t an Excuse for Harm

[…] [I]ndispensability means that everyone – especially those have experienced harm – are precious and require justice. In other words, we cannot allow the fact that something is complicated or scary prevent us from trying to stop it. Trapped in the perpetrator/survivor dichotomy of understanding harm, it might seem like we have only two options: to ignore harm or to punish perpetrators. But in fact, there are often other strategies available. They involve taking anyone’s – everyone’s – expressions of pain seriously enough to ask hard questions and have tough conversations. They involve dedicating time and resources to ensuring that anyone who has been harmed has the support they need to heal.

7. Healing Is Both Rage and Forgiveness

If the revolution is a relationship, then the revolution must include room for both rage and forgiveness: We have to be able to tolerate the inevitability that we will be angry at one another, will commit harm against one another. When we are harmed, we must be allowed the space to rage. We need to be able to express the depth of our hurt, our hatred of those who hurt us and those who allowed it to happen – especially when those people are the ones we love. It is up to the community to hold and contain this rage – to hear and validate and give it space, while also preventing it from creating further harm. […]

8. Community Is the Answer

[…] Perhaps the reason we tend to recreate disposability culture and trauma responses over and over is because we are all, secretly, that frightened runaway kid, constantly searching for a home, but not really believing we can find one. Maybe we don’t create communities of true interdependence – of indispensability, of forever-family – because we are terrified of what will happen if we try. But I believe, have to believe, that true community is possible for me and for all of us. The truth is, we can’t keep going on the way we have been. We need each other, need to find each other, in order to survive. And I have faith that we can.

[owlsie-hoot]

All Creatures Great and small "Holding the baby" 05x02

I don't even know where to start!

First: my internet connection was not AWOL this week and I could watch the entire episode without any trouble. And maybe that is why I still cannot sort my thoughts!

What was this episode? What happened? How many of the predictions came true? How many spoiler dots were correctly connected? A LOT!

Starting at the beginning:

Audrey being on one of her first training sessions to learn everything about her new job, a scene I was eagerly looking forward since the end of February. That the episode started with that was simply amazing. I cried because it made me so happy. Of course it was Siegfried who didn't close the curtains correctly - prediction one. And of course he waited for her because he wanted to make "you were accounted for" - correct prediction two. I mean how many times have we written about this scenario in fanfics? I certainly have used this trope numerous times. Needless to say that this entire sequence already killed me and that was only the beginning. The joking, the banter, the care, the offering of a nightcap, handing her the letter from Tristan. There is no line there anymore. It has vanished.

Only in my rewatch did I notice that episode 2 picks up directly after episode 1. Just one hour later. So we all got to yell "Bingo" if we assumed that Siegfried was only still up, talking to James, because he was waiting for Audrey in episode 1. (sorry was too excited last night to notice this)

Siegfried and Jimmy at the breakfast table: can it get any cuter? Seriously! Reading medical textbooks to the baby is so Siegfried.

The story slowly unfolds after that of course and I didn't dare hope that Siegfried and Audrey would get more than two scenes for themselves. Setting my expectations very low for each episode is hard but rewarding because they were inseparable in that episode. Siegfried storming through the house, yelling her name, ranting about Bosworth, telling her everything he hates about that guy, is so married! Of course Bosworth hears everything and of course Siegfried puts his foot in. "Monopolising my housekeeper" - is one way of phrasing it but I think that 'housekeeper' is by now a very hollow expression, only used out of habit. And because every other term would give him away. He cannot say her first name, he cannot say partner, wife, companion, friend. I wasn't sure if the look Audrey shot him was because he called her 'housekeeper' or because he interfered her meeting and offended Bosworth.

Cue Siegfried apologising (scene number 3 for them!) almost immediately afterwards in his own special way. He fully accepts her terms and conditions and points out that he was only angry with Bosworth and not with Audrey who only had two training sessions so far. "feels like more" he mutters because he misses her and doesn't like sharing her. But he does not really understand that he is jealous. At least they talk now! Still not enough but there is so much more communication between them that is emotionally important and not your regular small talk.

As if this wasn't already enough, the next correctly predicted scene happens. Audrey riding her bike while on a round, finding poor Bingo and calling Siegfried for help. Once again the two share a frame but this time even more flirting is added. The looks are killing me and I can't believe what I just witnessed. There was admiration and pride, thankfulness and a tenderness in that scene that leaves no doubt that Audrey is slowly getting there.

The next scene with them doesn't help either because the first hint is dropped that Siegfried is too old for romance (and doesn't have a family) - which Audrey finds so funny that she has a hard time suppressing her laughter. Bosworth could not be more wrong. Seeing Audrey and Siegfried sitting opposite the warden, like the couple they unofficially are, in a house that reminds us of Gerald's dark bachelor flat, is the cherry on top of the cake. Followed by the epic car ride (prediction number 4!) that I rewatched directly afterwards.

Audrey teasing him and Siegfried knowing that she does but playing along. They are on fire. Additionally we have never seen Audrey so carefree, so at ease and happy, smiling and teasing throughout an episode. Gone is the weight that she had carried around for such a long time. She truly is free and Siegfried welcomes this with open arms. "There should be a line between employer and employee" "when is suits" - that line Siegfried pointed out in 01.02 has eroded. She can endlessly tease him and he joins in. Seize the day! And smile about it.

Only to step hard on the breaks later. Have we ever heard Audrey tease him like that? Or Siegfried answer in such a flirty sarcastic way? I don't think so. Will add "Stubborn beast" to the list of endearments Audrey uses for Siegfried.

And finally, the last scene. Not alone this time but the predicted, apron wearing husband. Adapting, helping, not being grumpy about it. And his wife who lets him fight his own battles because she enjoys the squabble between Bosworth and Siegfried way too much (when it is not about her).

[theblackfemininesociety]

Why 'Hoe Culture' is a Detriment to Our Society, Particularly the Black Community.

Hey Besties,

Welcome to The Black Feminine Society! We pride ourselves on creating a safe space for Black Women to heal, grow, and embrace their femininity. Our mission goes beyond just creating a supportive environment. We believe it is our duty to have open and honest discussions about the challenges that can be detrimental to our culture, while also shining a light on the right paths for Black women to take.

At The Black Feminine Society, we are committed to holding ourselves and each other accountable. Our goal is not to tear down another Black woman, but rather to empower and uplift one another. We firmly believe that by addressing the issues within our community, we can drive positive change for the greater good.

So let's talk about it…

As 'Hoe Culture' is gaining increasing momentum, particularly within the Black community. It is a matter of grave concern that such a culture is being propagated, especially considering its adverse impacts on the perception of Black women and young girls.

The music industry, a formidable influencer of society, plays a significant role in this degradation. Many lyrics and music videos often depict women as objects of desire, thereby demeaning their worth. This portrayal of Black women is not only disrespectful but also aids in perpetuating stereotypes that have haunted the community for centuries.

The lack of genuinely empowering role models for young girls is distressing. Our society seems to drown out voices that advocate for respect and dignity, while those who succumb to the pressures of being overly sexualized for relevance are amplified. It is heartbreaking to witness the precious innocence of young minds being corrupted by such destructive ideologies.

The propagation of 'Hoe Culture' also distorts the perception of what healthy relationships should look like. It fuels lust over love, leading to superficial connections devoid of real affection or respect. This is not what relationships should represent. Relationships should be about mutual respect, understanding, and love, not superficial attractions.

Also, the media tends to glamorize 'Hoe Culture', conveniently ignoring the trauma associated with it. It is not all fun and games, as they would have us believe. The reality is much harsher, filled with emotional turmoil and personal distress.

This brings us to the concept of trauma bonding, a situation where individuals develop a strong emotional attachment to those who hurt them. It is a cycle of abuse and reconciliation that can lead to severe psychological effects, including low self-esteem and chronic mental health issues.

In the world of social media, especially on platforms like Instagram, young girls often feel pressured to participate in 'Hoe Culture', fearing that they might be ostracized otherwise. Behind the glamorous pictures and seemingly perfect lives of IG models lies a sad reality of mistreatment and deception. It is vital to remember that these are curated images, not reflecting the reality of their lives.

Before I conclude, I want to leave you with a motivating message:

To all the beautiful Black women out there, remember that you are so much more than what society tries to label you as. You are strong, beautiful, and worthy. Your body is your temple, a sacred sanctuary that deserves respect and honor. Protect your heart, keep it exclusive for those who genuinely deserve it. There is no rush to fit into societal norms; remember, it's okay to be selective. Your worth is not defined by the number of likes or followers, but by the strength of your character and the depth of your spirit. Be proud of who you are and never let anyone dim your light.

[noemilivv]

Hello :) I saw you were doing Hazbin Hotel matchups and honestly I would be very excited to see who you would assign to me (no pressure ofc!!!) so I hope this request is finding you at a good time ^^

ABOUT ME: Feel free to just call me Zo! I’m AFAB and I use she/her as my pronouns. While not officially diagnosed due to growing up in a household who treated it as taboo something that I couldn’t “catch” I definitely fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence. From past research I’ve found ADHD symptoms relate to most of my experiences.

SEXUALITY/ROMANTIC TYPE: To be frank, I’ve always internally struggled when it came to my sexual and romantic identity. Found myself craving some sort of connection that traversed the likes of just platonic bonds but the couple times when someone showed interest in me I’d clam up and push them away. The couple crushes I did have always happened to develop after I had built rapport with them, after we had grew close. So for the sake of labels and for this matchup I’d definitely like to say I’m demiromantic? In terms of sexuality all I got for you is that I’m not repulsed by it??? All I know for sure is if I like them, we’d have to have been friends or at least know each other. (In terms of gender I’m fine with either or! I’m just curious to see who fits the box el oh el ^^)

PERSONALITY: Oh boy. Ok so to start off with I’m an INTP 5w4😼…. My hog warts house is Slytherin. My temperament is Melancholic (my sub temperament is tied up between Melancholic sanguine and melancholic phlegmatic). I definitely fall under the umbrella of shyness, however I’ve also noticed that depending on my company I tend to emulate the majority of the vibe. A half hearted defense mechanism in order to fit in is what I assume it be. I’m told I’m a very emotionally intelligent person, and my friends prefer to talk to me about issues and problems due to the fact that while I can comfort I can also hold them accountable and give them solid advice. They also make jokes on how I should’ve been a psychologist if I wasn’t actively getting a degree in early education. I’m terrible when it comes to changing topics which just makes it me all the more unintentionally hilarious. I’m always more funny when I’m not actively trying to be, I just have this unknown charisma that activates when i don’t try hard being funny </3. I struggle when it comes to maintaining my relationships and also most of my responsibilities, maybe it’s a numbness for my own priorities but it’s so easy to help other people in their own slumps, that when I’m forced to face my own issues and problems I can’t help but make myself numb to it and push it on the back burner. Not for lack of care, but more of seemingly frozen in place, it’s all so terrifyingly overwhelming that I just don’t even acknowledge it. Scarily good at doing that while also avoiding spieling my own feelings on personal matters that my friends always believe I have my all together. So ironically enough while I’m good at helping my friends communicate I’m terrible when it comes to communicating about myself (yippee⁉️ #imworkingonitiswear ) more or less I’m laid back, However I did used to be more of a doormat, luckily I don’t bend backwards for every little thing that breathes now LMAO. I do have a bit of a competitive streak when it comes to games (cough uno cough) and I definitely have a penchant of using my mind and other mediums as a form of escapism. Which can be ok, but sometimes I overdo it.

LOOKS: Medium length dark brown hair, round hazel eyes. I have a round face, and here in the future I want to get wispy bangs to compliment my face shape :D. Pale but not too pale skin, I have the pear shape body type, in the sense that my hips are wide, and I have somewhat big thighs but other wise I’m relatively flat. I do have a bit of chub when it comes to my midsection. Oh! I’m like 5’5 (maybe a little taller????)

LIKES: My cats Basil and Mugwort (literally my sons). I prefer more morose weather like rain. I quite like fall compared to the other seasons. I used to draw a lot but now I don’t as much, still a joyful hobby nonetheless. Recently bought a couple new books and am getting back into the grove of loving reading once more. I will absolutely demolish croutons of any kind. Currently really into mlp, it’s those TikTok infection slideshows I swear (I redownloaded the game….) I like to ramble about my interests like animation and its evolution, cats (the breeds, the care, the everything), and much much more.

DISLIKES: I hate beans. The taste. The texture. If I see beans in food it’s an immediate ick. I will gag. Overstimulating events, like I can bear with it and grow accustomed to it, but that’s doesn’t mean I’ll like it every single time. I hate being/feeling like a burden. Oh and not really a dislike and more of an annoyance(?) the fact that ritz cheese and cracker packs don’t come with the little red plastic spatula to spread your cheese anymore. I assume because it could prove to be a choking hazard, but still I’m just like 😞

LOVE LANGUAGES: Had to really scroll through my gallery because I did take an online test before!! Physical Touch was my highest (ie im extremely touch starved but am too awkward to initiate </3) Something in me just yearns for some kind of comforting touch, but I always tend to swallow it back and push it away for fear of rejection. After that focus, intellect, acts, and words of affirmation were literally all tied not even 5% behind phys touch. I’m just a kind of mentally paralyzed overthinking insecure(ish) gal, my bad bro 😎 But on a real note the confirmation that I’m being seen and heard will make me melt.

Alright!!! Hopefully my yapping was coherent and not a chore to read through!! I think it’s really cool you’re doing this and I’m mainly curious to see who it is you’d pair with me! Because I have a favorite character in mind who’d jump with joy to see, but that’s just because of bias 😭😭

And if it’s not too much of a bother is it alright to ask not to pair me with angel dust? It’s mainly personal preference so hopefully it’s not too much of a bother :))🫶🫶🫶

hey zo! this was quite the adventure to read through haha, after some deciding, I decided to go with…

Alastor !!

I can see you and Alastor meshing well together due to your craving of a platonic bond (you both may or not have a QPR? idk)

Alastor takes deep appreciation for not only your charisma and wit, but also your ability to read the room and match everyone’s energy, it’s helpful in certain situations with him

He isn’t the most touchy feely person you’ll meet in Hell, but he does make an effort, you’ll both usually have your arms loops while holding hands, or he’ll let you lay your head in his lap while he reads and he’ll rub your scalp

But Alastor isn’t afraid to tell you how it is, he makes sure you know your worth, and that he sees you all too clearly

[tirfpikachu]

i mean there’s genuinely no difference between a frat bro saying ‘i’m a lesbian too haha’ and a ‘transbian’… they are males intruding on a female exclusive sexuality that has always and will always face harassment from males just for daring to not feel attraction to them. a man did not grow up with the same experiences as a lesbian. a woman did not grow up with the same experiences as a gay man. they are heterosexuals with het privilege inserting themselves into gay spaces and it is insulting to actual homosexuals - who are a very small minority!- to intrude on our lives and communities. i have been pushed out of most mainstream lesbian spaces by ‘transbians’, they revolve around girldick and people who ‘love butches’ who are always just masculine males. i hold no energy for men who claim space for themselves without giving a damn about us - which is most ‘transbians’. because they are entitled males and were raised entitled males. you are doing fine work by being diplomatic but god including ‘transbians’ is downright insulting to lesbians who have been dealing with lesbophobia and misogyny because we aren’t attracted to and don’t relate to trans women *by nature*. they are heterosexual males and lesbians should not be expected to stand by them after they’ve colonized our spaces. it’s disappointing that you hold such an inherently homophobic view about heterosexual people

also are you not supporting bisexual lesbianism/split attraction model by saying people who are trans, have ‘gay experiences’, but are technically hetero/bi can use gay labels? there’s no criteria for lesbianism besides experiencing similar harassment to lesbians? i think you are well-spoken but should interrogate this train of thought more. who does it serve to include bisexual, or, less generously, heterosexual trans people in gay sexuality?

i thought for a really long time about this ask! it's such a complicated topic that ofc seems very obvious to ppl on each side. originally when i answered your previous asks (you or someone else on the topic) i honestly wasn't fully settled into my thoughts about it. i'm still fairly new to spaces that aren't mainstream tra spaces. i don't agree that male ppl who transition into being perceived as gay women with their partners etc have the same intent as fratbros joking abt being dykes. i think they just occupy a space that previously was almost impossible back when physical transition wasn't a thing. they're still struggling to find their own space. yes, they did (and still do) really bad shit to homosexuals and female ppl as a community. i know that firsthand. but i also have seen people transition that way and i think it's always annoyingly more complex than it is at first glance. but i REFUSE to give up exclusive female4female & male4male spaces. i refuse to not hold heterosexual ppl accountable for their consistent homophobia, especially transfems unfortunately due to their male socializing & body differences that causes a power imbalance. though i have seen transmascs who date bio men and say the wildest shit ever, or even trick bio gay men into having sex with them without telling them. like stuff is getting REALLY bad, truly unhinged, and i am worried. i just want to figure this stuff out, and i don't believe all trans ppl are doing this for evil reasons, or even callous reasons.

honestly, i do think the term lesbian has always been so fucking unique and uniquely marginalized. and many people born with dicks, transfems included, have been horrible to me & other biological lesbians. i think we have been denied basic respect for so long and pressured to the point of abuse for some of us. transitioning becoming more accessible makes this issue much worse and more pressing. personally, where i'm at right now is... i am okay with transfems who post-transition live passing as sapphic with their gfs etc (who at times are transfem too) using the term transbian. but i do think them using the word lesbian on its own just digs the knife deeper for the female4female community, the lesbian community, which before very recently - back when physical transition wasn't possible - was always 99.9% bio women and transmasc folks loving each other. it's a very specific term. it is heavily, extremely fetishized, and demonized, and belittled, and is an isolating af experience from a young age. they don't get it. of course they don't. yet their sexuality is extremely complex if they transition; they go from their relationships being shrugged off to facing lesbophobia. just like transmasc ppl who transition can date bio men and suddenly face homophobia. but that's those people immigrating into the experiences that homosexuals, exclusively same-sex/agab attracted people, were born into. they have had a life free of the paranoia of showing any attraction to their opposite sex. it must be confusing as fuck. it must be isolating. but it's not the same. it'll never be, and i think gay female ppl & gay male ppl have really tried to be accommodating... i do believe there can be wonderful spaces where everyone who lives perceived as gay/bi men, or as gay/bi women, can have their respective gay & sapphic spaces that are trans-inclusive. i also believe that we need our exclusive male4male and female4female spaces too. we need a space to let loose and bond over stuff.

i think it would be immensely healthy for trans people who transition into living as gay to form their own specific terms for that. i think right now they exist in a very awkward in-between place where they try to make gay/lesbian terms match. but they're constantly upset when homosexual culture doesn't magically stretch itself to include them at every turn, they view it as an attack and a rejection, bc they don't realize same-sex attracted ppl have unique experiences too. they accept t4t but not us. and at times they're butting into a culture they can't really comprehend, same as if a bio gay guy went into a club full of transmasc people who live as gay men. there would be a totally different vibe, a different culture, and i think it upsets trans ppl to think that they're different. even though it's 10000% OKAY to be different, you need to come to terms with it. it can be dysphoria-triggering, that makes total sense... but it's not healthy for them to try to utterly deny their sex/agab and shove themselves into a box they are incapable of fitting into and pretend that they were always in that box and they 1000% understand that box and anyone who says they were never in that box before or that they're new in it and need to be respectful is just a horrible bigot. anyone making homosexual-specific inside jokes etc are being exclusionary meanies. it's not fucking healthy for them OR for female4female & male4male people. we're all marginalized in different ways, and it's not earning them any favors from us. which actually only isolates them more!

transfems haven't returned the allyship that female ppl so often show them, and especially did earlier on when it wasn't so girldick-in-your-face in lesbian spaces and homosexual-shaming as it is now. i will personally, where i'm at right now writing this, accept the term transbian to mean someone who has immigrated into the experience of being perceived as a lesbian, faces misogyny & lesbophobia, and may live that way for 30-40+ years or their whole ass lives doing so. i still will consider them my sisters and want to bond over the similarities and differences in our experiences. but they need to fucking understand what they've done, as a group, to bio lesbians and just female4female ppl. and how bio men & transfems are born into privilege, and that doesn't just all shed away the second they grow tits or get surgeries. i will accept transbian for now. but i think them saying they're lesbian women outright has started to feel insensitive to the current cultural tensions within lgbt, and the misogyny & lesbophobia their community has brought us. all the threats and sexual abuse & guilt-tripping they throw at us, in very male ways. i do believe there's absolutely lovely trans women who i wouldn't even recognize as trans and find common ground with when we both talk about our girlfriends and how shitty society treats lesbian-passing couples. i think homosexual bio men tend to be better at asserting their boundaries bc female folks are taught to be meek and subservient growing up. but we've finally had enough. it took me meeting trans women who tell me "hey, it's really fucked up how my community treats lesbians. i'm sorry. you deserve better" for me to really start to process my anger. bc it could've been so simple!! but it wasn't. it still isn't. i want transfem allies to rise up and show the fuck up for homosexual female folks. for the og lesbians. i will welcome transbians, personally, but not in all context. and i don't expect them to welcome me in transbian-exclusive context either. i want actual allyship. i know this isn't me fully agreeing with you anon, we still disagree on certain aspects of this. but your ask did help me. and i want you to know i don't take shit from misogynistic transfems, i don't let opposite-sex attracted transfems to speak over homosexuals, i demand mutual respect. opposite-sex attracted trans people who live as gays irl post-transition occupy a very weird space. i want to open up dialogue about that with them and between homosexuals too. at the very least, more and more transfems are peaking and properly apologizing & showing up for us. little by little.

i don't know where i am about opposite-sex attracted transmascs using gay. for me, personally, i don't really mind bc it doesn't have the same impact as lesbians having male bodies pressured onto them. i would need to talk to more male4male people, including bio gay men and transfems who are only into other male people. i know some transmascs use the term achillean, and other things like that. some also use gay to mean being same-sex attracted, often they're transmasc4transmasc (and can reclaim lesbian if they so desired, or make new terms). i deeply care for both homosexual rights and people who are genuinely trans and transitioning into new experiences. i'm still trying to learn more and find a middle ground. i know i'm a nicefem by radblr standards or whatever, but whatever.

so yeah, anyways. thank you sm for this ask! it really did stir my brain. i know this isn't as satisfying as if i had outright agreed with you after all this, but i tend to have more nuanced takes since i've been deep in the trans community as a detrans woman and seen how complex life is for people who transition into a gay-passing life. i'm still learning and gathering my thoughts. asks like these really do help.

we need to stand our ground gyns. we need to fight for homosexual rights. we need ppl who immigrate into our experiences to show us basic respect and not demand us to do conversion therapy on ourselves or stop making community inside jokes, just erase all our history to make space for them. we can have overlapping experiences without forgetting to celebrate our differences too. we can have trans-inclusive gay spaces and homosexual-only spaces and trans-exclusive spaces. we can literally have it all and coexist! & they need to start holding their bigots & creeps accountable. we need them to figure this shit out. i get that being a hetero person living as gay, thriving in that way as they're more than welcome to, can be really confusing and isolating and frustrating. but they can't keep doing this to other marginalized communities. it's just not fucking fair.

[a-very-tired-jew]

Other Universities

I know the focus has been on Columbia and the many of the other Ivy Leagues, but I feel that a lot of the other universities and colleges have not been paid enough attention to regarding their own antisemitic movements. Yesterday there was a massive walk out and protest at UT Austin that led to many students and non-students being arrested. The organization behind the walk outs is the PSC, which is just SJP by a different name. I can only hypothesize that the reason they're now called the PSC and not SJP is that members of the national committee for the org and its founder have links to Hamas (e.g. Hatem Bazian). However, if you go across any social media you'll see the typical outcries that this was an unprecedented escalation by the university administration to bring in the police and it threatens freedom of speech along with other things. But are they correct? In some part yes, but, like the I/P conflict, there's a bit more nuance then they'd have you believe. Since October there has been a steady rise in antisemitic incidents and attacks across this country. According to the Austin ADL chapter there has been a 60% in antisemitic incidents and attacks in their city, which encompasses UT Austin. For example, the Hillel on campus was defaced, an antisemite was sentenced for attempting to burn down a synagogue in Austin, another student was stabbed in a "bias motivated" incident, and multiple Jews have taken to social media to talk about their own harassment at the university and in the area. Not every incident gets reported to the ADL and often the number is much higher than what they report. Jews live with constant antisemitic aggression in their lives and it's typically when it gets to its most extreme that we say to ourselves "hey, maybe I should report that to the ADL." Outside of these moments we often tell our community and they let other communities know, and soon we're all well aware of it. This is true for almost any minority community. The university is likely aware of this gradual escalation towards violence. The escalation towards using police does not happen overnight. This has been going on since October, and anyone who says that it's "sudden" is being disingenuous. As activists you should be well aware of the consequences of your actions and be aware if your movement has a reputation towards violence so you can judge what the response might be from authorities. Considering how each university is not in a bubble and do in fact talk to one another, I'm not surprised that there is a line that has been reached for many of them as Jewish students and faculty have been physically harmed by these protests. Another thing to remember is that places like Austin, NYC, and the overall Leftist "havens" of the USA are echo chambers. Many of the beliefs and ideologies feed back on themselves and prevent any critique. Any attempt to address the antisemitic rhetoric or violence is often dismissed as propaganda, not important at the time, or said to be perpetrated by a small number. Actually holding their group accountable is not something that often happens, and they do this while calling for others to be held accountable (which is ironic and I've seen happen). So I'm not surprised that there's shocked Pikachu faces all around due to the yesterdays activities.

Someone else held them accountable for their movement's hate, and not in a way they wanted.

[galadrieljones]

Daryl's Arrows: Symbolism, Pt. 2 (Faded, Red, and "Always Accountable")

In my last post, I left off discussing Daryl's new crossbow and the green and white arrows that come with it. The green and white represent different aspects of Beth and her proximity to Daryl, her effect on Daryl, and Daryl's psychological connection to Beth, as it is communicated via the use of arrows that are green and white.

Moving forward, it's time to look at what happens to Daryl after "Coda," and how this affects and changes the color of his arrows. What happens after he loses her? The point of these posts, remember, isn't necessarily to pick apart the fact that Beth is alive. This, I believe to be a given. The point is to show how tptb use Daryl's arrows to continuously communicate her influence over Daryl, how it fluctuates and wanes. There is also a predictive factor at work. I will get there.

For the record, I also want to remind everyone that Daryl uses his new crossbow with exclusively green/white arrows (Beth arrows) for some of season 3, all of season 4 and most of season 5. Not coincidentally, this most closely mirrors his proximity to her. However, at this point, we will start to consider, not just the color of Daryl's arrows, but the number as well. Because after "Coda," Daryl's total number of Beth arrows slowly begins to decrease. That's what I'm going to talk about today.

Taking Count

When Daryl is with Beth at the funeral home, we get this very clear shot of him standing with his crossbow hanging across his chest. We can clearly count: four arrows in the quiver, plus one arrow in the rail. That is five total Beth arrows. This is at the height of his closeness to her, as they hold hands and mourn the death of Hershel.

When the walkers attack the funeral home, two things happen. The first is, Beth tosses Daryl his crossbow. When you brighten up the shot, you can see that three out of the four the arrows appear white. This is an early indication of Beth's angelic "protection." She tosses him his weapon.

Second, Daryl loses two of his Beth arrows. You can keep count. As Daryl is fighting the walkers, he shoots three arrows, and he recovers only one. At the end of "Alone," Daryl is now down to three Beth arrows. I wanted to go over this to show you that the writers are keeping track. Because in "Us," when Daryl is with the Claimers, we see him with only three arrows. Two in the quiver, one in the rabbit. It is consistent with what happened at the funeral home.

The reduced number of arrows communicates that Daryl is operating at a deficit. He has lost his physical proximity to Beth, but he hasn't yet lost his spiritual proximity to Beth. He doesn't replace the arrows for a long time, as if in a period of mourning. Daryl continues to carry only two Beth arrows in his quiver all the way up until episode 5.14 "Spend," at which point, he starts making new arrows in a new color.

"Spend," "Try," and "Conquer": Red (faded)

Daryl is not a central character in the episode "Spend." In fact, he plays no real role. In the very beginning of this episode, we see him leaving Alexandria with Aaron, on a scouting project. When he's seen driving away on his bike (because Daryl will simply not ride in cars), we can see that he now has four arrows in his quiver. He still has his two Beth arrows, but he now has added two new arrows, which are just like his Beth arrows, only instead of having green and white fletching with green nocks, they have red and white fletching with red nocks. They're sort of like "inverted" Beth arrows, the same design, but with faded red elements replacing the green.

We don't really get a good look at his new arrows though until the next episode, "Try." At this point, Daryl has two Beth arrows, and two "inverted" Beth arrows. In TWD, the colors green and red are often featured in thematic opposition to each other. Everyone has their slightly different interpretation for green/red and what they mean; however, they are all typically variations on a similar theme. To me, green and red are simple in their relationship to the stop light. Green means go, the way is clear. Red means stop, the way is blocked. On a related note, yellow indicates a liminal or transitional state. I will come back to yellow later.

When a character wears or interacts with the color green, this is a signal that they are on the right path, close to their humanity and their true purpose. When a character wears or interacts with the color red, this is a signal that they are on the wrong path, and dark times lie ahead. They are closer to monstrousness. They are losing touch with what it means to be human.

Red and green, when they are seen in the environment, can serve a similar purpose. Red is a warning. Go back. Do not proceed. Green is an indication that the way is clear, you are safe and on the right path.

Let's backtrack to this shift and how it affects Daryl and his arrows. "Spend," in case you've forgotten, is the episode in which Noah dies. Noah's death is a part of Glenn's arc, not Daryl's, and though Daryl didn't know him that well, in terms of the narrative, Noah, as the immediate beneficiary of Beth's sacrifice at Grady, still meant something. He was the last shred of evidence that Grady even happened. With Noah dead, and in such an ugly fashion, we can say goodbye to one more whisper of her lingering presence in the story.

The shade of red used for Daryl's "inverted" Beth arrows is faded. This is important, because it signals a transitional stage, and also because it parallels the color of Noah's sweater. Faded red and white. It's important to note that during the back half of season 5, Daryl is still trying to be the person that Beth thought he could be. He rebuffs Rick and Carol, and their plans to steal guns from the armory at Alexandria. Instead, he begins spending time with Aaron and Eric, and he takes Eric's place as a scout, helping Aaron look for new people to recruit into the ASZ. He bonds with Aaron who compliments him as being the "best judge of character" he's ever seen. Aaron appreciates Daryl for the same reasons that Beth did. He wants Daryl to try, because he knows that Daryl is a good person, and he knows that trying is what will make Daryl happy, in the end.

So, in the second half of "Try," that's exactly what Daryl is doing. He's trying. Daryl will try very hard for some time, to believe in the goodness of people, but ultimately, we do know that a great deal of damage has been done. She's gone. Without her, there is an absence, re: the arrows he lost back at the funeral home, which are still there. He'll never get them back. For a while, he did not replace them as a testament to the hole in his heart, but now, he must move forward. He must try. So, he replaces them. But they're not the same. He hasn't lost hope, not yet, but he has lost something he can’t get back, Beth Greene.

So why red? Daryl’s sense of loss is emphasized in "Try," when he and Aaron stumble upon a blond, female walker crucified on a tree, naked and torn apart. At the time, we don't know what the "W" stands for; however, I like to think of it as a big, red warning. Because that’s what red means: it’s a warning. Though the walker is of course, not Beth, and there are many theories for why Daryl might think it could be Beth, essentially what we have here is a corrupted, or inverted representation of Beth's memory, and her effect on Daryl, as it is threatened constantly to be corrupted and turned. This "threat" is, essentially, what I am associating here with the faded red/white arrows. As Daryl's arrows "trend" red, Daryl is in danger of losing his connection to Beth, to his faith in people, and, as a consequence, to his own humanity.

This trend continues through "Conquer," which is an important episode in which Daryl and Aaron are attempting to track down a mysterious man in a red poncho, another warning. But he proves elusive, and Aaron wants to give up. At the end of the sequence, while they're trapped inside the car, surrounded by walkers, Daryl, in a rare moment of extroversion and self-reflection, laughs to himself and marvels at the irony. He says that he came out here because he didn't like being cooped up back there, and yet, somehow, this "still feels more like [him]." Aaron says, "You were trying," to which Daryl responds, "I had to."

This moment, to me, reads as very important to his emotional close range to Beth, but it's subtextual, and it's ultimately unanswered. Why does he have to try? He has to try, because it's what she wanted him to do, back at the moonshine shack, and back at the funeral home. Believe in the goodness of people, and she is the one who changed his mind. Daryl is still trying to be the man she wanted him to be, or the man she knew he was, even after she's gone. He's doing all this for Beth. So when the haters and the losers out there try telling you that Daryl never cared about her that deeply, keep this in mind. Of course he did. He is ready to die in this scene, as a better man than he had previously thought possible, and through this sacrifice, he inspires Aaron's latent bravery to do the same, just as he once did for Beth.

It is of course no coincidence that it's Aaron who comes bearing "good news" at the end of "Them," the episode in which Daryl's grief manifests, as Aaron will go on to play a crucial role in Daryl's life over the next half season. Throughout 5b, Daryl struggles to fit into the new world without Beth. He is still trying to be the man he knows would impress her, but he is not safe. Daryl's nomadic tendencies, and his inherent pessimism about the nature of people, wrought by his years as a victim of abuse and neglect, means that he is constantly searching for an anchor to shore. Without a lifeboat, he is in danger. For some time, drifting along on the surface of her memory, Daryl will grasp for whatever shred of hope he can to stay afloat, and we can see this fragile, unsettled nature reflected symbolically in the faded, ephemeral quality of his arrows.

"Always Accountable": Continual Fading (of hope)

In 6.3 "Thank You," we see our next change in Daryl's quiver. There are now three green arrows and two red. This is, I believe, for emphasis. After finding Morgan and bringing him back to ASZ, and his time on the road with Aaron, Daryl is, I think, doing a little better. He is on his way to a "new start" toward a better, more "sustainable" tomorrow.

But then, there's a change, with episode 6.6 "Always Accountable." "Always Accountable" is a major TD episode. If you haven't watched it in a while, you should, and for lots of reasons. Today, we'll mostly focus on Daryl's characterization and his crossbow.

Let's start with a topic that Daryl knows well: loss. When Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham are attacked on the road by who we now know are the Saviors, Daryl takes a turn too close and skids off his bike. When he gets back up in a hurry to drive away, the camera very deliberately zooms in on the ground where he'd fallen, and there, we see clearly that he's lost two Beth arrows.

These must have been spares, as when we see him again on the road and in the woods, pushing his bike through a scorched hellscape, he still seems to have all three Beth arrows in his quiver. Why show us this? Why focus on the lost arrows?

First, because it's the same number of arrows that he loses in "Alone," signaling a callback to a previous and salient traumatizing experience, which will be reflected in other ways throughout the episode as well. Second, I believe they want us to focus on the arrows in this episode. We’re shown them up close several times throughout, and the crossbow itself is in a constant state of contention and fluctuating ownership. Finally, losing these arrows is a major symbolic foreshadow of what's to come in terms of Daryl's characterization. "Always Accountable" is a huge turning point for Daryl and his newfound faith in the goodness of people.

Another major bit of foreshadowing early in the episode is Daryl's injury. He's been shot, or he’s lost some blood in the fall. We don’t know the exact cause. It's not fatal, just a graze, but it's enough to fill his sleeve with blood and to really slow him down. He can barely handle the weight of the bike as he hauls it through the woods. This is the first time Daryl has been physically injured since his black-eye in "A," which occurred at a similar low point for Daryl, as Joe the Claimer fed a bit too much into his anti-social tendencies; however, even then, he was not this physically hurt.

Whenever Daryl is injured, that's important, because he's not injured that often. Not in any way that slows him down. In "AA," Daryl's injury is a signal that he may soon fall from grace, and out of Beth's spiritual protection, which I talked about in my last post per the presentation of white arrows as being angelic, and visually linked to Beth.

We're given one more close-up of the crossbow before Daryl goes off to find the sources of footsteps in the woods. You can see here how faded all of his remaining arrows have become. Even the green is faded now, which is a new development. The red looks merely brown.

The faded colors represent a gray area for Daryl, a liminal space, a transition. This symbolism is reflected in the environment as well, a burnt out purgatorial hellscape, in which he is being endlessly pursued. But a character can only exist in limbo for so long. Daryl will soon be presented with a series of choices, and how he proceeds will determine the way forward per his characterization.

Another very important symbolic moment for Daryl is this episode is the removal of his angel vest. He takes it off when he examines the gunshot wound. He proceeds through most of the episode without it. Unlike in "Consumed," Daryl is communicated as greatly exposed in this episode. He finds himself lost, hunted, and in constant danger. As Daryl is used to being the hunter, the entire situation sends his character out of balance.

When Daryl is confronted with Sherry and Tina, we do catch a reminder of Beth: three white arrows, right in a row. Of course these women will protect Daryl, in some way, going forward, and in this we are introduced to our earliest Beth proxies in TWD. Tina through her innocence and her many visual and character parallels to Beth, and Sherry as the wife and lover archetype, a more literal protector as, later on, she will free him from captivity at the Sanctuary. Sherry, a catalyst for changing Dwight, a Daryl proxy, down the line, a long-gone woman in trouble, and the object of a relentless, romantic search, is a very important proxy to consider when we think about Beth post-"Coda."

Moving on. After Daryl is dragged around in captivity for a while, as Dwight, Sherry, and Tina have mistaken him for a Savior, Tina collapses, and Daryl makes a break for it, stealing the duffle bag containing his crossbow and running off into the woods. While he's out there, Daryl then encounters a visually stunning walker, one overgrown with bright green mossy plants, standing out greatly against the hellish, burnt-out setting of Dwight's purgatorial woods.

After dispatching the walker, Daryl collapses to the ground. We then learn that the walker was not overgrown with the vines of just any plant, but the Cherokee Rose, a representation that goes back to Daryl's story about the Trail of Tears in the eponymous episode fro season 2, and how something beautiful can still grow from tragedy.

It's after this that Daryl discovers the cooler of insulin in the duffel bag. Daryl is then met with his first major choice. Run, or stay? With the Cherokee Rose there to guide him, he chooses to stay. He returns to Dwight, Sherry, and Tina with the insulin, even though he knows that, for some reason, they think he's their enemy, and he gives it back. This choice reflects Daryl's persistence toward faith in the goodness of people.

But the group is then almost immediately ambushed by the Saviors, who we don't ever really see but for specters and boots in the woods. Daryl helps Dwight, Sherry, and Tina escape. He even gives Dwight back his gun. This is another important decision, which communicates his inherent desire to trust that Dwight is a good person who has simply been caught up in bad circumstances.

After that, we get a great view of Daryl and his quiver, down to two faded Beth arrows, and two faded red arrows. Now, Daryl makes another choice. He chooses to invite them back with him, to Alexandria. This, once again, communicates that he has deemed them to be good people, which communicates, of course, that he still believes in good people. All of this is very important, because of what happens next.

At this point, they encounter the greenhouse, and the two little dead girls encased in glass. In a familiar gesture, Tina places yellow flowers over their grave, but the glass gives under her weight, and she dies. Tina's death is symbolic of Beth's as well as a spiritual death for Daryl. Why do innocent women continuously have to die?

This symbolic downward spiral quickly then manifests literally. After everything he did for them, Dwight and Sherry betray Daryl. They steal his crossbow and his motorcycle. Obviously guilt-ridden, Sherry tosses him a couple bandages and tells him to "patch himself up," all while pointing the gun at him, the same gun which Daryl had previously, consciously chosen to return. They then leave him in the woods.

This betrayal is about more than just stuff. It pulls the rug right out from under Daryl's feet, and what he thought was a formula for happiness, because it had truly been working so far--forgive people, see the good in people, and you will be met with forgiveness and goodness in return--turns out to be bullshit.

The shot of Daryl above with his hair obscuring his eyes is an important image, which signals a kind of messy lack of clarity for Daryl's character. He is not seeing things clearly. This will come back.

Another important visual point to consider here is the inverse parallelism between Dwight and Sherry and Daryl and Beth. Daryl is brunette, Beth is blond. Dwight is blond, Sherry is brunette. The inversion here is unique and related to the inverted color scheme of Daryl's arrows at this point in the story. We are thinking about how things could be, how they could have been, etc.

You can guess these casting choices were made deliberately with said parallels and inversions in mind as well, ie: We don't have a ton of other light blond male characters on the show, certainly not main characters, and none with such close symbolic connections to Daryl. Dwight and Sherry, in this moment, are an inverted, twisted version of Daryl and Beth.

"Always Accountable" is a devastating turn for Daryl's character. Beginning with this episode, he undergoes a dramatic descent. The "reboot" nature of this moment in "Always Accountable" can be summed up going forward by the loss of Daryl's *new* crossbow. He's empty-handed now, literally and figuratively, back to square one, with whatever progress he'd made toward becoming a more trusting, hopeful person, and the parallels that progress manifested in the journey of his arrows, threatening to be undone completely.

In these moments, Beth's presence is pushed way, way down, not because Daryl has forgotten her, but because he is hiding from her. Another reason he wears his hair in his face like a mask: he can't, in his subconscious mind, bear for her to see him this way.

Daryl is about to "go away" for a long time, and that will be reflected in his arrows. But do note that "AA" is not, itself, the acceleration point for his descent. It may be the tipping point, but Daryl still has choices after this. The actual accelerant is Denise, which I will discuss in my next post for this series.

In my next post, I will also discuss Beth's knife, as well as Daryl's incarceration and escape from the Sanctuary, his time at the Kingdom (re: “New Best Friends”), AOW, Carl’s death, Daryl’s continual struggles with Rick, and the bridge.

I’ll be back again soon! Thank you for bearing with me as I move my way through this series. There is a lot to cover as we make our way forward to the present.

[shukakumoodboard]

a headcanon from each of the levels you just reblogged for gaalee

oh my GOD this is a top quality anonymous question op ur da BEST. yammertime. ofc since these are all for a non-canonical ship they're all deranged sparkle emoji but i digress.

for anyone who is like wtf here's the post i reblogged.

text under the cut!

level one:

one that purveyors of gaalee are very familiar with in fanon lore but i believe this to fit in nicely with canon while filling gaps: gaalee friendship developed predominantly via letter writing. reasons why i think this fits with canon 1) gaara manages to develop solid friendships with a lot of people in konoha with what is visually very little actual in-person interaction time. it stands to reason that there's behind the scenes friendship development. 2) he's the president at fourteen like he does not have time to spend on wandering the local mall like a lot of us oldmanyaois did to build our social circles, plus, he's got access to allllll the military communications options. and hawks are fast 3) we know there are multiple canonical messenger hawks! and their whole purpose is cross village communiques. of course they're all sending notes lets b so fr rn

level two:

height difference: lee is, in my head, taller than the canon suggests, and gaara is shorter. reasoning: ok look you've all seen this panel and you're telling me gaara ends up only like 4cm shorter than lee? Go To Jail

yes yes we can all discuss how they're all mid teens and have growing time but listen. gaara spent his entire childhood being effectively mentally tortured by shukaku and also his village's effective abandonment. do you think he had a well balanced diet? if we want to get scientific there's several studies that discuss how poor nutrition in childhood leads to lifelong consequences, and just because kishimoto didn't address this doesn't mean I Won't thank u. and i haven't even gotten started on the not-sleeping-thing. conversely, lee's probably been on Max Gains Training Diet since he was like. what, 10? tldr, i'm simply massaging their canonical heights in favour of what Actually Makes Sense Fucka You

i have another one for lee i think fits in this level that many of you may know from my magnus opus fight club: lee is--whether certified or not--definitely qualified to be a physiotherapist, and i think he'd volunteer at the hospital helping patients with mobility related injuries. reasoning: PLEASE in order to be a brilliant taijutsu specialist he has to have like the most intimate understanding of how the body works. that's his whole area of expertise. and i think that even post-op as a sand-squished teen he would have needed tons of therapy, and rock "paragon of virtue and chivalry and whatever" lee would absolutely feel like he needed to provide some sort of assistance to the hospo staff and help the other patients. because that's what a good shinobi would do. dattebayo

level 3:

yall know what time it is its LANGUAGE HEADCANON TIME based on, once again, all of @sagemoderocklee's fantastic lore. i think lee speaks 3, which for me are a) some form of shinobi common b) whatever the land of fire's local is, and c) something unique to team gai that's heritage based. in tgod i call it nishitsuchigo. i think gaara speaks [large number] on account of being mr sand president sir and thus becoming to some extent a diplomat, plus all those night awake? polyglot challenge speedrun. and the gaalee aspect of this is that gaara can speak all three that lee knows, so they can use that heritage based one to talk shit about their coworkers what who said that.

gaara's hugely into gardening. i think this is a fact in the databooks and we all know the screencap where he's holding the flowerpot but extending on this into truly fan-created lore i think he's definitely overhauling all of suna's food supply chains by going ham on greenhouses and very precise water allocations etc etc

lee grows his hair out after neji's death. this one is, again, well distributed across fandom because everyone, of course, is right relieved emoji. but ignoring bort entirely, lee would definitely do something to honour his friend/teammate, and i think that would be something like growing his hair out, since i don't think he'd change his style of dress and he can't learn neji's jutsu. and he's had long hair before. bring it back kishi u bastard

level 4 delusions:

theyre married. what do you mean im delulu

metal, if i am acknowledging bort which most of the time i am not, is their biological child. no i am not explaining how. my metal origin theory changes based on the fic i'm writing. currently its rock lee's tboy swag porn extension fic. hooHA. but this one only applies to when there's kids present--most of the time there aren't kids in my head

lee and temari swap diplomat roles to be emissaries for each other's villages as part of a Siq Deal to be with their respective husbandos

lee would 100% teach taijutsu to suna's academy students. why? because i said so

basically all my other headcanons tbh

omg i had so much fun with this thank you anon! <3

[fujocoded]

Funding FujoCoded: Stretch Goals!

It’s time! With our first goal met (🎉 thank you!), let’s talk about stretch goals. We have quite a few planned, so we're going to go through them one by one and explain what they are and why we chose them!

Before we go down the list, here's something fun:

Sticker Unlock: At 45 backers, we also unlocked one more sticker!

The goal of our campaign is to cover business expenses most of all. The unlocked content is an extra token of gratitude for your support that also helps us meet our own targets! 

With that said, let's get to our stretch goals...

$4,000: "That's Why I Ship On Company Time" Ao3 Sticker

At $4,000 we'll unlock one more sticker design that you can add to your collection! 

Our first version of this "shipping" sticker features VSCode and a terminal, but there's more than one type of shipping... here's to the other one!

$5,000: "Using NPM with Javascript" Article

Next up, we have our first article. Our plan is to add an Articles section to @fujowebdev where we'll collect simple, free guides to help beginners get past the roadblocks we see them encounter!

This first one will cover the basics of NPM, a core element of modern JavaScript!

"How do I install this JavaScript library? How do I run this open source JavaScript project? How can I get started creating my blog using a tool like @astrodotbuild?" are some of the most common questions we get in our Fandom Coders server. 

Let's give *everyone* the answer!

$6,000: Offering Website Art Prints

Next up, we'll turn the excellent art on our website into prints! These will be (probably) 8x10-sized art prints that will look amazing without breaking the bank. Full specs soon!

...and speaking of the site, you have tried moving the windows, right?

$7,000: "Catching Up With Terminal" Article

Next, another common issue for beginner developers: how to start learning how to handle the Terminal.

This will require some research to determine the major roadblocks, which is how our project operates: active learning from those going through it all!

$8,000: "Crucial Confrontations" Article

And last (for now), something very dear to us: an article extracting some wisdom from the book "Crucial Confrontations": https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Confrontations-Resolving-Promises-Expectations/dp/0071446524

This may seem like an unusual choice, but it highlights how our teaching goals go beyond programming to cover collaboration!

After years of working within our community, we repeatedly found that developing effective communication and confrontation skills helps our collaborators thrive. Unfortunately, the world doesn't teach us how to effectively (but kindly) hold each other accountable.

Some of our most involved collaborators have read this book and found the tools within it transformative. Given this experience, we deeply believe that making some of this wisdom easily accessible (without having to read the full book) will allow all of us to collaborate better!

If we can reach $8,000, this will enable us to test this hypothesis and learn how teaching soft skills beyond programming influences what we're able to achieve! It's a bold idea, but we're excited to see how it turns out in practice.

Help us make it there!

And that's all...for now!

If you want to hop on Twitch right now, you can join us as we put some extra polish on our shiny new FujoCoded website.

And remember, you can back our campaign here to help us achieve these goals and more: