#I can't see anything new? just more people sharing their thoughts. and the op hasn't said anything more

[bookwyrminspiration]

If it’s not too much trouble, can you explain what’s going on with poc vackers? I’ve seen there being some discourse and i have no idea if it was about people reacting negatively to adding rep, or criticizing how certain types of characters/families are more widely accepted as poc because of stereotypes, or if people were using poc vackers as an excuse not to examine the racism the Shannon messenger has incorporated in both her attempts at diversity and just in the general content of the series.

It's not too much trouble, I can explain. Essentially, one tumblr user--who appears to be new both to the fandom and tumblr as a whole--made a post asking why people often drew Fitz and Biana as poc when they're canonically said to be pale. They included official art and such as sources. (warning: there is some racist rhetoric under the cut)

I, assuming good faith, was the first to reply explaining that it was a way for those of us not represented in the series to see ourselves in the characters, to make the series more inclusive. And that it caused no harm, and didn't have any real impact on canon; if they didn't like the headcanons, they didn't have to engage with them.

They then responded proposing the hypothetical of what if they drew Tam, Linh, Wylie, Maruca, any other characters of color as white people? That they thought the series was already really inclusive, so we didn't need to add more diversity. That they found it offensive when characters' ethnicities are changed when the characters look like them (when they're white, I assume). That was the beginning of more concerning thoughts they shared, as they went on to say poc were a "protected class" and that you weren't allowed to say anything about them without being called racist or homophobic. They claimed white people were being fired so companies could hire for diversity instead of for talent (though they later admitted they could only find one source for that, and it was a very biased, opinionated, and emotional-language heavy one). When I shared a statistic about what percentage of authors are white (75-90% depending on the source) to further my point about how media is catered to white people (because they'd said it wasn't) they asked why that mattered, and suggested maybe black people just don't write as much, and that's why there are more white authors.

After I talked with them in the replies where they said all that, other people also found the post and starting chiming in, hence why talk of it has spread to some places. Anyone referencing recent poc vacker discourse is most likely talking about this person and these views they shared. I hesitate to share the original post because I have no interest in call-outs or drama, but I also do not want you to just take me at my word. So please be responsible about this, anyone looking further. But here's the post in question so you can verify on your own and see exactly what they said (it's all in the replies) if you want to.

I hope that helps explain it! I think I covered pretty much everything, but i may have missed a detail or two.

[squeeky-seeds]

I miss my best friend.

I've been doing a lot of thinking recently, and I didn't know where to write the thoughts in my head, I forgot about tumblr, shit I haven't been in this thing in like two years. Fairly sure I have no followers on here this is literally just to get things out of my head and off my chest.

IDK man. The last time was spoke was 29th September 2016, almost two years. The problem is I didn't see her as my best friend, I saw her as part of me, probably sounds weird and gay, but we did literally everything together, told each other everything, we'd talk every day. Moving to Wales was one of the best things I did, but I can't help but think if I were still back home we'd still be talking, seeing each other, being the dicks we are. Losing a friend who means so much to you hurts more than losing a boyfriend/girlfriend.

I saw the things she said to people, and it fucking hurt, like is that really what she thought of me? Or was she just pissed at me? Both? Idk, but I decided after seeing that I didn't want to talk, and that if she didn't mean those things she would have spoken to me, but she still hasn't, and I haven't spoken to her. I want to, and I think about our friendship almost every day, still have photos of us in frames because we had fucking good memories, it hurts not talking to her, but I can't help but think she's better off without me talking to her anyways, I live miles away.

The things she said don't bother me anymore, I was a new mum then, seeing things that doubted me as a mother and girlfriend really put me down about myself, now I've come to realise I'm a fucking good mother, my girls have never gone without anything, I put them first 100% so I have nothing to worry about.

When I found out I was pregnant with Freya the first person I wanted to tell was Faye, but how weird would that be to op up out of nowhere after months of no contact, hey, I'm pregnant again. When Simon and I got engaged I wanted to tell her, there's so many things I've wanted to share with her, but I have to gut feeling she doesn't want contact with me again and I haven't got the balls to risk finding out that she hates me because I still care about her and her family so much.

I cried to Simon a few nights ago and asked, should I message her? I miss her I want to see her, go out get fucked up enjoy ourselves and forget the last nearly two years, I'd love to, but I don't think she would.

I removed her off social media, everything, because the lack of contact was shit, what was the point in keeping each other without talking, I removed almost everyone from Derby off of Facebook. But just lately I can't help but worry, I want to know if she's okay, I want to know that she's doing well, I want to know her family ar oaky, but I want to ask her, but I don't want a reply that says 'fuck off'

I told her I wanted to get matching tattoos of a little slug, it's an inside joke, but I'm still going to get it, because that's one of the funniest moments of my life for fucks sake 😂 we might not talk but she still my best friend, and I will still get that tattoo because it means something to me.

I just miss her, and the more time goes on, the harder it gets, it's almost like when someone you love and care about passes away and you want to talk to them, but you can't. Problem here is I can, I could easily message her and just say "hey, sorry I'm a dick, I just want to know how you are, how life is, what you're up to now" but I'm too scared of her refusing to speak to me again.

IDK.

It sucks.