#Latina Network

[successfulblackparenting]

Black Kids Get Head Lice Too

Reprinted with permission from Motivated Moms Blog. This is a sponsored campaign on the Motivated Moms Blog in collaboration with Licefreee and #WeAllGrow Latina Network, but all comments are the author’s own. I grew up believing that African Americans (Black people) didn’t get lice. For as long as I can remember, I was told that I could not get lice because Black people don’t get lice. I had…

[charlottejoancheng]

Introducing Amira White, a.k.a Angelus. A multiracial (half White, half Japanese and Afro-Latina) teenager who was trying to find her place the world while being a world class super heroine-which was much to her aghast. You can either be at her good angelic side, or you can be at her bad demonic side when she will wish death upon you.

And by the way, she is Rex love interest too.Other than her extremely strong, strategic and yet, easygoing personality.

[shadyfacewolf]

Hoy domingo 30 de abril es el cumpleaños número 30 de Cartoon Network Latinoamérica que es el primer canal infantil 24/7 de nuestra región y que comenzó 5 años después de Cablín en Argentina

[sodacowboy]

I love reimagining characters and taking the ones without much personality or development and making them my own

[spacenoirdetective]

I'm unimpressed

Whenever any leftist interacts with me, it's always the same. They posture and laugh at me for being a conservative. They look down on me. They cite false statistics or allegations fed to them by propaganda networks. They exhibit arrogance, smug superiority and overwhelming condescension without any knowledge, understanding or moral fortitude to back it up. When everything else fails, they resort to the New Communist slogan of "racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic".

To which I respond: My best friends include a black man from Trinidad, a Latina woman who immigrated to the US at the age of five, a man with Aspergers and severe anxiety disorder, a black lesbian, an Indian South African, a Chinese American woman, an octogenarian gay man, a Cameroonian man and a Saudi Arabian man who describes himself as pansexual. And a whole bunch of really awesome white people who are not racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic.

I'm gay. I voted for Trump because i don't believe the Democrats love me. I don't need them to love me. I don't want their love. They love sin and the embrace of dark triad behavior as their paragon for leadership skills, totalitarian thought control, the destruction of society, and they seek to make atheism the norm. They love the denigration of any individual that defies them, disagrees with their tactics, calls out their lies...they hate truthtellers. They hate anyone that places God as an imperative and sacred texts as crucial to their ethical conduct. They hate anyone that threatens their power and they believe in encouraging public vitriol to meet their needs. They believe in the destruction of the nuclear family. They encourage the worship of and dependence on the state to replace the family. They believe in a direct pipeline between the White House and newly established propaganda networks that cater only to the Democrat Party and the CIA. They believe in reputation destruction using those propaganda networks. They believe they have the right to assassinate Trump and anyone else who they deem a threat to their power. They have initiated the single worst attack on children in the history of our country via human trafficking and institutionalized rape ordered by the CIA. They normalized embezzlement, money laundering and inflationary tax on an unheard of scale to further demoralize the populace and inflate their own bank accounts. They conduct constant psychological war against their own people, which extends to perverting the minds of their children without their knowledge via the trans cult, the gender theory cult, and the DEI/Critical Race Theory cult.

On the issue of transphobia, I certainly don't endorse violence. But it is not violence to state that all trans people are mentally ill and they must be stopped from mutilation of children and sterilizing minors with puberty blockers, from demanding forced speech regarding their delusions, from using public funds to procure trans surgeries and from public attaining positions of power such as the Secretary of Health where they may spread their perverse cult directives causing psychological and physiological arm to adults and children alike.

They believe in these things because they want to secure a future for an elite minority that takes everything for itself, enslaves the rest of the populace, and convinces the populace that their astronomical greed is justifiable and that their destructive policies that result in totalitarian hell should be embraced as godly, necessary, and protective measures. They mockingly wear a mask of sympathy, compassion and the moniker of "social justice" which is nothing more than a code for "thought police" whose sole purpose is to implant hatred for political opponents and self hatred amongst whites, any minorities with religious sensibilities, and the intelligentia at large.

The future that they desire is a constant hell of pervasive misery and support of a one party state, supported by thoughtless government worship, slogan repetition, dehumanization of political opposition, desensitization to violence to meet the ends of the party's plans, mentacide, hatred of the past and all the accomplishments of Western Civilization, physical degradation and obesity from technological addiction and slow chemical poisoning from tainted food and lastly lowering testosterone via pbthalates.

I'm a gay white male and that doesn't play into my vote. It shouldn't. The body you're born with shouldn't determine your vote. Your party has done absolutely nothing for me. You have never done anything to help me. I am happy to fight you to the bitter end in any way I can to stop you from the communist genocide you so lovingly long for.

[olderthannetfic]

Random thought about Steven Universe, bc of how dirty it was done by not just Cartoon network but also fandom.

One of the things I hated about the fandom was how people were so set on the "race coding" that they couldn't even just take the characters as their own entities within their own realm and system. That doesn't mean you can't celebrate the characters, or draw paralells, but the fandom went way the fuck beyond that.

One incident I remember explicitly was when Pearls were first revealed as a servant "slave" class, and instead of viewing it as interesting or whatever world building... guess what people did.

They got angry and ranted about why the "white" gem would be a slave and how it was racist because Garnet the "black" gem was Black-coded, so obviously it was racist because reason... I guess. The fact that the color of a gem is superficial didn't matter.

The fact that Gems have no canonical race, or that, while they may have obvious features, that has no impact on their role in the lore was completely ignored. Or the fact that gems are made for specific work, and that "slave" was a bit of a reach.

Also the fact that, after years of saying that Garnet is black bc her VA is black. Suddenly it didn't matter that Pearl's VA is an Asian-American woman. Then again, Amethyst was also voiced by an Asian-American, but got coded Latina because... well, honestly it was basically just a bunch of stereotypes, especially negative ones: Loud. Glutton. "Obnoxious". Rude. Mean.

Another one was how people cried racism that one of the Diamond characters didn't turn out looking more "Indian" and just ended up as a "basic white" character. Once again, that character, Blue diamond, is a fucking humanoid gemstone, blue everything. Most of the gems didn't have any kind of explicitly cultural clothing. Esp when compared to the human characters, like the Indian main-side character, who apparently was also Hindu... whom people then promptly drew as Muslim in a hijab, which is a whole other can of offensive and really really bad decision worms. Guys if you have an Indian character in a show, especially a Hindu, drawing them as a Muslim is not a good move.

--

There are "What if white people were the real oppressed class?!" bad decision pieces of art, but this doesn't seem like one of them.

[sodapanque]

I'm doing this presentation to lose my fear of the place ᕙ(`▽´)ᕗ

I'm new here, but I decided to upload my drawings about "Epic: the musical!" and "Hamilton!", are my main motive, but I also jump between many fandoms.

I'm too shy, but I like to draw a lot of nonsense until I lose my shame. You can call me "Mila" or "Soda", I'm from Perú (y en serio anhelo encontrar a mi gente latina, porque a penas entiendo inglés pipipi)

Really like making fan art ofs, if you like them, go ahead. I ALSO LOVE SHIPING WITH ALL MY BEING ♡ !! They don't have to be from the same universe, if you see me drawing the same character with different partners, don't be surprised, they surely have good chemistry.

Regarding the use of my art:

Feel free to use my art in edits/pfps/fanfics/etc. as long as there are adequate credits and some of my social networks are mentioned: IG/Tumblr @/sodapanque_ _ and let me know to see it, I would like to

[tacticalhimbo]

TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE 2024

Don't have the spoons to make a spiel about how solidarity in and out of the community is important, but wanting to highlight that as is. We need to speak out and show up for those who fight alongside us, and for those we've lost*.

*Remember: Any concrete numbers you see statistics wise are not 100% accurate. The violence against us, especially our BIPOC siblings, are majorly under-reported.

Here are some organizations and resources to share around, with attributions and pronouns (as of writing the post). I'll section this off based on what type of resource/org they are... more or less--

Archival.

2600 Pages of Hate: Transphobia and Fascism by maia crimew (It/She)

Black Trans* Oral History Project by Blu Bachanan (They/Them) and Naomi Simmons-Thorne (She/They)

Digital Transgender Archive by K.J. Rawson (He/Him) et al.

LGBT+ Intersectionality, a Google Drive full of Resource Books

The Mirror Memoirs by Amita Swadhin (They/Them), Jaden Cervantes-Fields (He/Him), and Bilen Berhanu (She/Her)

NYC Trans* Oral History Project

The Trans* Library (Carrd)

University of Victoria Transgender Archives (Canada)

Varied.

Baltimore Safe Haven, established by Iya Dammons (She/They).

Bklyn Boihood, established by Black masculine-of-center queer and trans people of color.

Black Trans Femmes in the Arts, established by Jordyn Jay (She/Her)

Black Trans* Travel Fund, established by Devin Michael Lowe (He/They) and Morticia Godiva (Her/Shey)

Brave Space Alliance, established by trans and gender non-conforming individuals.

FedUp Collective, established by Zain Lugay (They/He), Sam (They/Them), Cody (He/Him), Ian (He/Him), JO Walduck (She/They), et al.

For the Gworls, established by Asanni Armon (They/Them; Sources Vary)

The Gender Affirming Letter Access Project, established by transgender, nonbinary, and allied mental health and medical providers.

"The Gender Binary" is a Misnomer; Gender Has Always Been a Hierarchy by Talia Bhatt (She/Fae)

Privilege, Power, and Pride: Intersectionality within the LGBT Community by Kittu Pannu (He/Him)

The Okra Project, established by Gabrielle Inès Souza, Max Rigano, and Celyna Jackson (Pronouns Unknown).

Organización Latina Trans in Texas, , established by Anandrea Molina (Ella/She, Rigoberto Reyes/Monika Adams (Él/Ella/She/He), Gia Pacheco (She/Ella), Danny Lopez (Él/He), Noemi Garza, Barby Ledesma, Vanessa Garcia, and Kassandra Rivas (Pronouns Unknown).

Princess Janae Place, established by Jevon Martin (He/Him) and Dani Farrell (He/They).

The Transgender Education Network of Texas, established by various BIPOC trans community members.

Trans*, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project, established by Janetta Johnson (She/Her), zy'aire nassirah (He/Him), zen "zee" mills (She/Her), van dell (They/Them), Valentine McClain (They/She), eli b. (They/He), et al.

TransgenderNI (Northern Ireland) / Belfast Trans Resource Centre, established by trans community members.

TransInclusiveGroup, established by Tatiana Williams (She/Her/Goddess), Krys Gordon (She/Her), Adrianna Tender (She/Her/Diva), Mei-Lan Diaz (They/Them), and Na'stacia Buchanan (She/Her).

Trans Latin@ Coalition, established by Paolo Coots (She/Her/Ella), Arianna Inurritegui-Lint (She/Her/Ella), Alexa Rodriguez (She/Her/Ella), et al.

Trans* Needle Exchange, established by Oliver (Pronouns Unknown).

And remember, community is what keeps us alive.

It is important to call out bigotry in our spaces; important to let those here know we value them and their existence. Do not solely fight for those who are gone, fight for those who are living with us here and now.

Let the folks in your lives and in your communities know you care about them. Listen to them. Learn from them. None of us are free until all of us are free.

Which is why I'm also going to drop broader-focus organizations and resources for the global community:

alQaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society

Canadian LGBTQ+ History

India's LGBTQ+ Movement

LGBTQ+: A Troubled History in Mexico

LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jewish Education (PDF)

LGBTQ+ Narratives in Pakistan

LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana Support Fund

Nigeria's Queer History

Queer Activism in Africa

Queer Nigerian Emergency Fund

Feel free to add onto this (preferably with more grassroots kinda stuff/individual spotlights; anything goes long as it's vetted really).

[bcacstuff]

Jennifer Lopez has cancelled all of her upcoming media appearances due to "very difficult times" as deadly wildfires continue to tear through California.

The 55-year-old actress was initially scheduled to appear on a long list of talk show to generate buzz for her newest film Unstoppable, but has chosen to call them off due to the current state of emergency. At this time, wildfires across the LA area have destroyed neighborhoods and forced tens of thousands of people to flee. According to reports by CBS, at least 10 people are dead, more than 10,000 structures have burned down, and over 300,000 residents are under evacuation orders or warnings.

And as the state of California is hit with the deadly natural disaster, Jennifer has decided to hold off on promoting her latest sports drama. J.Lo was slated to fly out to New York City next week to speak on the Today show, The View, Live with Kelly and Mark and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which have all now been cancelled.

Speaking on the choice, a source told People: "It's important to her to focus on supporting the community of Los Angeles during this very difficult time." This comes as Amazon MGM Studios also made the decision to cancel the Los Angeles premiere of Unstoppable, which had been originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday night.

The network released a statement following the cancellation that read: "As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority. We encourage everyone to watch Unstoppable on Prime Video, which will be available globally on January 16. Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe."

In the upcoming biographical sports drama Unstoppable, Jennifer takes on the fierce role of American wrestler Anthony Robles' Latina mother Judy. The movie follows the inspiring story of Anthony, who despite being born with one leg, beats the odds and makes it as a college-level athlete. Speaking on the role, J.Lo shared that she is looking forward to representing a powerful and strong mother and to be a part of bringing such a triumphant tale to the big screen.

[ransprang]

hi ! could I get a hc for the ouran hs host club members on receiving a foreign exchange student (possibly a latina if that’s okay!) please? thank u <3 (I’ve never requested an hc so sorry if it’s wrong somehow lol)

Ouran Members x Latina Student

Tamaki Suoh: Tamaki would be overjoyed to have a Latina exchange student join the Host Club. His romantic and chivalrous nature would make him eager to show her the best of Japan and the host club's hospitality. He would go out of his way to make her feel welcomed, ensuring she experiences the culture, food, and traditions. Tamaki would also be determined to learn a few phrases in Spanish to impress her.

Kyoya Ootori: Kyoya would see the arrival of a Latina exchange student as an opportunity to expand the Host Club's network and strengthen business connections. He would research her background, interests, and potential connections that could be beneficial for future endeavors. Kyoya would be polite and professional, ensuring she receives all necessary support during her stay while subtly observing how she could be an asset to the club.

Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin: The Hitachiin twins would be mischievous but intrigued by the arrival of a Latina exchange student. They would see it as an opportunity to create fun and playful scenarios, using cultural differences as a way to prank and entertain her. Hikaru and Kaoru would enjoy exploring new activities and games with her, making sure she never has a dull moment while being a part of the host club.

Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka: Honey would be genuinely excited about the Latina exchange student joining the host club. He would see her as a new friend and someone to share his love for sweets with. Honey would shower her with cute gifts and treats, ensuring she experiences the best of Japanese snacks. He would also be fascinated by any cultural differences and might even try to incorporate Latin American elements into their activities.

Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka: Mori would be reserved and observant but deeply respectful of the Latina exchange student. He would make it his duty to protect and support her during her time at Ouran High School. Mori would take a silent but watchful role, ensuring her safety and well-being while quietly appreciating her presence. He would also engage in activities that she enjoys and share moments of calm and tranquility.

Haruhi Fujioka: Haruhi would approach the Latina exchange student with open-mindedness and genuine curiosity. She would be interested in learning about her culture, traditions, and experiences. Haruhi would be supportive and helpful, guiding her through the dynamics of the host club and offering assistance whenever needed. She would form a strong bond with the exchange student, appreciating their shared experiences as outsiders in a wealthy and privileged environment.

Your School,

Admin Sav

[babeyun]

↳ welcome to babeyun's blog!

about me: – my name is altair. – she/her. born 2001. infp-t. latina. – full time pre-med student, so updates are slow. – typically heejakenoo biased, but everyone gets a turn.

navigation: – masterlist. – requests are closed.

other blogs: – stray kids. [main] – seventeen. – tomorrow x together. – nct dream/wayv. – recommendations.

current projects: – modus operandi: a collection of oneshots based off memorabilia. [1/7 completed.] – what's the 411?: a collection of oneshots based off romance: untold & my favorite mary j. blige songs. [0/7 completed.]

latest drops: – falling alone | l.hs [m] – on the rebound | p.sh [m] – the same heart | n.r

extra: – !! i do not write nsfw for riki and i will not take nsfw requests for him. i do not plan on writing it in the future, either. all riki works on this blog will be strictly sfw. thanks. !! – ageless blogs & minors do not interact with nsfw posts! you will be blocked. please have your birth year in your desc., especially if you are asking to be added to a taglist. – i only write for enhypen here. if you see my work anywhere else, please let me know. i do not write on ao3, wattpad, etc. only on tumblr. – networks: @k-vanity [mod] ; @sweetvenomnet [member]

[yunhoszn]

૮₍´˶• . • ⑅ ₎ა fawn, she/they, 21, latina

୨୧ m.list ୨୧ wips ୨୧ tag dir. ୨୧ about me/carrd ୨୧

୨୧ requests are: closed womp womp !

୨୧ networks: @atzhouse, @cromernet, @houseoftricky, @san-network, @wonderlandnet

୨୧ what’s new ! — recent posts

yunho & a situationship

san & a situationship

yeosang & a situationship

but i like u — kim minjae

୨୧ what’s next ? — upcoming works

sugarcoat — jung wooyoung + choi san

off the record — jung wooyoung (smau)

୨୧ where u can find me ! — other blogs

@fawnieszn, @jaeyunszn, @yeonjunszn, @juyeonszn

(divider by + matching w/ @bro-atz <3)

© yunhoszn. do not steal, claim, or repost.

[arhapsodyblueblog-blog]

Emilia Perez a case study of what not to do.

There are different ways to talk about a film. What some find worthy of admiration others find less than favorable.

Today we find ourselves with a film that navigates a fine line that is becoming increasingly invisible, today I find myself here talking about a film that produces nothing but anger and pain in me.

But in spite of everything, I think it is important to talk about the controversy in which Emilia Perez finds itself. I am Latina, I am Mexican and I would like to say that it is more than disgusting to see how the Academy, the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards and the Bafta Awards hold in high esteem a film that has so many identity problems.

Emilia Perez wants to be a musical, but also a critique, it wants to be a portrait of a reality, but it can't stand criticism. This film, while it looks at itself with airs of grandeur, is nothing more than a set of poorly produced clichés that are rather distressing.

The issue is not just that the Spanish they speak leaves much to be desired, or that the songs don't make sense in Spanish or English or the apparent lack of respect for the LGBTQ+ community or the Trans community.

What angers me is the fact that The Academy is behind this project, what anger me, is not only that Jacques Audiard talks about subjects he doesn't even know about or that he makes gestures against Cynthia Elviro. The fact is that the Academy does not care about what people are saying out loud.

Because Emilia Perez is cheap activism. It's what the members of The Academy believe is the right thing to do. Because inside their social bubble tells them that they should do it, regardless of whether it is the right thing to do.

Karla Sofía Gascón, should be more than sorry for what she has said through her social networks, she should keep quiet and not go to war on X. Because and if you do not know it, she and Jacques Audiard, manage a double discourse where in Mexico they say something but in the U.S. and Europe they say something else.

But what do I know, compared to them. I am Latina and Mexican, I see the insecurity and pain in my country that fights daily for the security that we deserve and should have. They are Europeans, who obviously can explain to me more about the problems in my own country.

The ball is in the court of Academy. What are they going to do now that Karla Sofia Gascon has decided to speak out against Fernanda Torres and the Brazilian team of Ainda Estou Aqui (I’m Still Here).

Will they continue to ignore what Emilia Perez's director, Jacques Audiard has said from the beginning? Will they forgive what Karla Sofia Gascon has said, or will they do the right thing for a change?

[the-owl-house-takes]

The ask about racism in TOH made me realize, the show really is kinda racist?

Even tho the main character is afro latina, the crew is almost completely white. The one Black latina crew member (who Luz was named after, and who ✨inspired✨ the creator into making her afro latina) didn't even get to be a cultural consultant, let alone a writer. Instead, she was demoted to storyboard supervisor (AKA correcting other's drawings to make them in model, one of the LEAST creative roles of the bunch).

Then, there's the characters and setting. The demon realm "should" be a place of horror and awe, full of weird and bizarre creatures. And yet, all the important characters are human adiacent and far removed from any demonic trait. Even a supposed demon was stripped of his demonity (?) once it was time for him to become important.

Demons are, effectively, treated as an underclass by the narrative. Their only use is as spooky decorations, unnamed background characters, or comedic one off villains. They're never allowed to be complex, compelling or interesting. Even though the whole premise is about exploring a demon world full of different kinds of people, only the humanoids (AKA the people most similar to "us") are worthy of the show's time.

In a similar (but less obvious) vein, TOH excludes its POC characters from being actually important to the plot. Luz's cultural background is never properly explored outside of few background details and "speaking Spanish". Her being "afro" is never actually shown, being only mentioned outside the show. Her part in the big story, and her development, come much later than other characters, with a contrived time travel storyline.

Willow and Gus contribute very little to the overall story, and feel like network mandates. Gus especially gets overlooked all the time, inside and outside (post hoots, interviews) the show. His only few moments are overshadowed by some big character moments, like kisses.

Other POC characters are even more marginal (Raine, Darius). Meanwhile, Camila's characterization ping pongs all the time, before landing on "secret nerd all along" and hastly closing her arc.

Another way you can see the bias is in the world building. It should represent all of Earth's myths, but instead feels like reguegitated european fantasy. What about Willow being Korean? It doesn't get rep in the show since Korean culture never gets explored in any way. Just another informed attribute, a way to avoid the show saying "oh yeah she's not white she's... Asian" without putting the effort to actually represent Koreans (ik her va is Korean but Hunter's is Black... You shouldn't have to scroll imdb to find the rep).

And the show as a whole feels like this. It's "diverse" in a way that doesn't actually challenge the status quo, it shows different kinds of people but, at the end of the day, who gets the spotlight always falls into the same category of white/white passing, "good" looking, not too different in body frame, and aligned in values/behaviors to the norm.

TOH might pride itself for being "daring" because of the queer content... But it's a very "white" kind of queerness, only really welcoming to a very specific kind of person.

-

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[coal15]

My opinions on the whole multi-shipping Buddie and Tevan situation. But first, [steps up on soapbox and yells into bullhorn] HAVE NO BEEF WITH ANYONE WHO FEELS DIFFERENTLY THAN ME SO I'D REALLY APPRECIATE NOT GETTING ANY "YOUR OPINIONS ARE STUPID AND PROBABLY SO ARE YOU" COMMENTS IN MY REPLIES. **If any such comments do appear in my replies I would ask the rest of you to please simply ignore them. You won't change their minds so confrontation will do nothing but further poison the waters.

Ahem. Carrying on. Warning, this post is LONG. Like, practically a novella.

I'm still a multi-shipper at heart in the sense that I will always love my memories in the Buddie fandom and how vocally we showed our support over the last six years--yes there was a SUPER PROMINENT contingent among us who directly engaged with and verbally disemboweled every actress who played a li on a regular basis, (and who harassed Oliver to the point of him quitting twitter) but most of us had the sense to direct our ranting at the fictional character or writers/showrunner/network with varying degrees of anger or indignation. Now speaking just for myself, in my time as a Buddie fan I never commented on the physical appearance of any li, so seeing a lot of buddie-or-bust folks now referring to Lou as "ugly" "rectangle-faced" "gross looking," etc has been disappointing. I hope they represent the minority. So far it looks like they do.

On to my reasons for and/or role in shutting down non-Buddie romances: While I never took to engaging her personally, I voiced harsh criticism of GW over her "honorary latina" comment, likewise EG for her transphobia and non-apology apology ("I'm sorry if you felt offended). And while I wish bucktaylor had stayed besties (preferably bi besties since there was no reason Buck couldn't have his bi awakening with a woman), my issue with them dating was at first just a lack of romantic chemistry and the fact that Taylor never apologized for what she did to Bobby or even admitted it was wrong. But as the relationship dragged on I watched the life drain out of Buck. They were stagnant as a couple and the look on Buck's face when he said ily back to her was . . . laughably unromantic. The only growth his character got from that relationship was him being the one to end it. As for eddieana, on top of lacking chemistry they were just plain dull. The end.

Moving on to Buck's kiss w/Lucy: I actually like AK and was excited to hear about her coming to 9-1-1. She was fun af as Lexi on VD so I was looking forward to seeing her play a different character. Aaaaannnnnnd then KR immediately ruined her by making it abundantly clear that she was created for one sole purpose: to complicate a man's storyline and spark off a love triangle--and she did so in the most offensive way possible. It was appalling, negatively affected Buck's character, and thankfully KR's response to the intense backlash was to pivot so the love triangle never manifested. But the damage was already done. No one had any interest in watching them poke/flirt for the rest of the season. I was deeply offended by such a misogynistic use of a female character and it still boggles my mind that a woman created her.

Anyhow, all this was a long winded way of saying that my reasons for wanting those li gone went well beyond my investment in Buddie. Though I did strongly believe no romantic narrative for either of them could ever compete w/the Buckley-Diaz Family, at the end of the day those romantic arcs were ruined for me by writing mistakes, problematic actresses, and lack of chemistry (which is admittedly subjective and something we all approach with shipper goggles to some degree--if you think you 100% absolutely don't you're lying to yourself). I stand by a lot of the reasons Buddies were so opposed to those li being endgame. Yes, plenty of us took things waaaaaaay over the line re: direct personal attacks against actresses and/or non-buddie fans, but I think far more of us than not did argue in good faith and toward the right people. We just didn't stand out as much or get as much engagement because . . . well, toxic behavior is rewarded on sm with more clicks, shares, likes, quotes, etc. Attention seekers gonna seek.

As for why it's so hard to ship happily on sm: in my experience a handful of problematic or outright unhinged fans (on both sides) will go around stirring shit, provoking arguments, and soon the dog pile effect kicks in because everyone wants to defend their tribe. Arguments go in circles, spin off, get more and more petty, until most of "us" end up discussing amongst ourselves about how "they" are a bunch of [insert string of negative attributes here], which then in itself provokes a reaction from "them." Lather, rinse, repeat. Eventually way too many of "us" are hissing and snarling at "them" more often than theorizing about or celebrating our ship . . . the thing we enjoy . . . and it's really hard to detach from that cycle, especially when things get personal. I recommend total non-acknowledgement, but even I struggle to hold that line when I read something I think is terrible. I'm making an effort these days to just keep scrolling thru my feed until I hit something happy, and if there's a negative comment somewhere in the thread to give it ZERO engagement of any kind. Not. Easy.

Which brings me to where I am today. During my time in the Buddie fandom I assumed that for most of us the actual queer rep mattered more than any one ship. Hell, if Taylor had been the one to wake Buck up to his bisexuality--and admitted what she did to Bobby was wrong--they might have grown on me as an endgame couple. I've accepted "meh" endgame couples before as long as everything else on a show stayed solid. I also thought that Buck could never, ever look at anyone with bigger hearteyes than the way he looked at Eddie, but . . .

. . . Enter Tommy. As soon as they kissed, and in their albeit limited screentime afterward (thanks a lot shortened season!) I learned a lesson: there are different kinds of hearteyes. In my opinion Buck looks at Eddie with complete adoration and love, yes. Total hearteyes. But the way he looks at Tommy is . . . "Oh, that's what Buck looks like when he's absolutely smitten, that's how he acts, that's what a romantic crush looks like on Buck. Wow." It wasn't better or worse than his hearteyes or vibe with Eddie, just conspicuously different. It re-framed the way I see the Buckley-Diaz Family as well, and the way I read their chemistry. As I mentioned earlier chemistry is subjective, and once I actually had something queer to compare with Buddie's chemistry, I stopped rooting for romantic Buddie. I wouldn't exactly be furious if they went canon since I did spend all those years rooting for them and it would still be a high profile queer storyline, but I would rather see the Buckley-Diaz Family and Tevan coexist. I think they can, and I think it would be beautiful.

So here's where I stand with my preference and opinions today:

Falling in love doesn't mean everyone else in your life gets demoted. Feelings aren't like pie. Maddie doesn't love Buck any less since she fell in love with Chimney. Athena didn't love her daughter any less when her son came along. There's not a finite amount of love and you're serving out pieces of it. You can love more than one person with all your heart. And that's how I feel about Buck and the Buckley-Diaz Family. He and Eddie are more than friends, different than brothers, they just . . . have their own dynamic. It's unique, special, and vital to both of their identities. And those facts will not be altered by either of them falling in love w/another person. If anything, the Buckley-Diaz Fam has become more special to me since I started rooting for a Tevan endgame.

Queer rep matters more to me than Buddie. Buck coming out as bi wasn't and shouldn't be seen as a step on the road to "winning" the ship I wanted for years. It is completely awesome progress for us whether they're endgame or not. Ditto for Tevan. Also, at the end of the day I ship Buck+Happiness and Eddie+Happiness, and right now Buck seems to be falling for Tommy. What happens with Eddie remains to be seen.

Looking at the whole picture, I will always love Buddie and kinda wish they'd gone canon in s4 or 5, but I think that moment has passed and I'm not mad or bitter about it. I adore the Buckley-Diaz Family, I adore Tevan, and I want to see them both thrive in s8. Now if you'll excuse me, my fingers have begun to bleed from all this typing.