#RANT OVER !!!!!!!!!

[kaisam]

Triage is a thing for a reason in emergency departments. Yes, I am sure you and your sick baby are having a shitty time, but you'll both survive a few hours. Some people might not have that long. Yes, wait lists for public health specialists are ridiculous, and emergency can take forever. But if you have urgent medical need, you will be seen.

To use myself as an example, using public health system in Australia. A couple years back I had to go to the emergency department of the Eye and Ear hospital because I had a pressure headache, on a background of having had eye surgery a few weeks prior. It was a mild headache. I certainly seemed in better shape than the tradie with a metal fragment in his eye or the screaming kid in the corner of the wait room.

But I was seen immediately. Didn't get to sit in the waiting room immediately. Went through triage and then seen straight after immediately. Because my "pressure headache" was actually increased pressure in my eye (your eye is a ball of fluid that needs to be able to drain, so if it can't, there are problems) which, if not brought down ASAP, could cause permanent damage to my optic nerve, and thus my vision. So I was seen immediately.

This is the job of triage.

Your kid screaming cos they have an earache and they're in pain is a shitty situation, and may feel like the end of the world to you. But they will survive and have no lasting damage from it. You will be seen eventually. But others need to be seen more urgently, to prevent death/harm.

I had to go to emergency for that twice. Second time got rushed into surgery the next morning. The issue has since been resolved, but I do have some permanent damage to my vision from those incidents. But I received good care, immediate care when necessary, from the public health system. The only costs were ~$60 for medications and some late night ubers to emergency.

Public universal healthcare WORKS.

Sometimes I see people from countries with public healthcare systems post videos that are like “This is the reality of socialized medicine. I had to wait in the ER with my sick baby for 4 hours.” “I had to wait 8 months to see a specialist. That’s egregious.” or “They didn’t have a bed for my loved one in mental health treatment.” and it’s like. Come to America babygirl. You can experience all of this and have your insurance deny it and pay thousands and thousands of dollars for it. Like I know healthcare systems in countries with public health can be bad but when I see someone imply they’re bad because the healthcare is universal, I want to jump through the screen and put my elbow on their throat. “The NHS is deeply flawed, therefore we should abolish it and go back to private healthcare. That will definitely make healthcare in this country better!” I am going to Kill You.

[hadesoftheladies]

I've been seeing some bad faith critcisms on separatism lately, but I will say I don't think it's entirely for no reason. for one, most radblr users don't read theory. it's not unique to radblr. It's just internet culture. most people just reblog quotes. So not only do we have a lot of radblr users that are unfamiliar with radical feminism as an actual theory, but you have a lot who simply don't know how to conceptualize separatism.

I'll be honest, separatism as a subject is confusing. It has many forms, many iterations and interpretations, and it makes sense that many feminists from all sorts of backgrounds get hung up on the details.

So all I'm going to do is clarify my stance in relation to Marilyn Frye's work:

There is no pure separatism. Not in feminist discourse, at least. Separatism as a concept is ALLOWED to be varied. Not marrying a man is separatism. Not living with one is separatism. Not listening to male musicians is separatism. Many feminists can and will disagree.

HOWEVER, I examine the use of separatism, like all other feminist actions, based on how it tackles the primary modes of female oppression by male persons: reproductive, sexual and domestic exploitation. In short, how effective is this strategy in limiting or eradicating men's reproductive, sexual, economic and domestic control over women? This is also what Marilyn Frye is talking about when she defines "sexual access" as the ultimate form of male dominance and patriarchal power. Sexual relations is the primary medium for male brutality and control. Understanding that is KEY to understanding female oppression.

Marriage is historically and institutionally a primary mode of women's exploitation. Just like prostitution and motherhood. Women are disenfranchised, disempowered and de-radicalized in marriages. They are more easily exploited (sexually, reproductively and domestically) and isolated (especially due to imbalance in domestic labor).

I also examine the effectiveness of feminist strategy not only by how it disempowers male dominance and control, but how it empowers female agency. Things that empower female agency are: same-sex spaces and programs, female solidarity, judicial and legislative power, economic power, etc.

By these two metrics, I argue that separatism, that is divesting from male hegemony in any way and centering female solidarity in any way, IS useful feminist action AND a worthwhile strategy BUT NOT a cure-all.

I get a little annoyed when non/anti-separatists discuss separatism as worthless or unserious because it cannot be done in total or even because it is difficult. All activism is brave and difficult because it goes against the status quo.

I won't speak for all separatists, because opinions will vary, but here's what I think:

When I call separatism or celibacy a preventative measure, I AM NOT equating it to being THE solution or THE ONLY solution. Separatism will not stop a woman from being raped BUT IT WILL REDUCE HER CHANCES OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION ENDEMIC TO THE SPHERE OF HET-MARRIAGE/DATING. The same way abstinence will not make your coochie immune to STD'S, just make the chances of encountering them less likely. All we can ever work with as humans is ODDS not CERTAINTIES.

Some of y'all straight up sound like that condescending ad for Bumble saying "You know celibacy is not the answer." It's AN ANSWER. One that works for very many women.

"But what about the women who can't?" Wherever they are, the conversation is clearly not about them. It's clearly about the women who can. No separatist is out here lecturing women and girls being forced into marriages about feminism to begin with. No separatist is blaming the women in Iran and Afghanistan for what the Taliban is doing to them.

Every woman and girl at some point knows that fear--when recognizing the ever-present threat of male violence--while a rational response, cannot be the solution. To live in fear will be akin to not living at all. It makes no sense to tell women to avoid every space a man may be in. Idk which separatist on here is saying that, but I would disagree with them. That is a decontexualized exaggeration of what most radblr separatists are saying.

WE KNOW men are unavoidable. But the legally binding and socio-economically significant contract of MARRIAGE is avoidable for most of us, especially tumblrinas like let's be serious. WE KNOW that women do not choose whether or not they are victimized, but there are contexts and situations where your odds can increase or decrease. How safe a woman is when it comes to male violence is SIGNIFICANTLY dependent on HOW DEPENDENT SHE IS ON A MAN. Separatism is not, for me at least, a conversation on PROXIMITY but a conversation on DEPENDENCY. Something libfems and choicefems are NOTORIOUS for scapegoating. Women are likely to be endangered by a man if they are at his mercy at any given point and in any given sphere. So, the feminist's goal is to limit that dependence, in the work-force, government, and interpersonal dynamics.

The question of proximity is ALSO NOT (for me) about whether or not rubbing shoulders with a man on the bus will give me evil male cooties, but whether or not my female socialization will kick in and I will end up deferring to him and his needs instead of myself. THAT IS THE VULNERABILITY. Not that men exist, but that women so easily resort to fawning and pouring energy and effort into men for SIMPLY BEING THERE AS A MAN.

Women and girls need female-only spaces to combat female socialization. Without unlearning female socialization, female empowerment is moot. That's just the truth. You'll give a woman an education or a job, and she'll throw it all away for a man. We've all seen this happen. Separatism as a transitional phase is still vitally important.

To say that separatists are victim-blaming for suggesting that women DO have some say and some agency when it comes to protecting themselves is just ludicrous and absurd.

Not everyone can escape cancer. Sometimes it's genetic. Sometimes it's the air you breathe. You don't have total control, but YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR ODDS.

That is the point of a preventative measure. It is not a guarantee, it is just an extra safety net. Some men can and will cut through it, but to act like women can't do anything about it but try appease men, I find, on some level, insulting.

Because men are not these immovable or invulnerable creatures. Our freedom does not depend on their sympathy or moral sense. Case in point: history. Rehabilitating oppressors is not what got any marginalized group their freedom. Some of you sound like MRA's where the only chance women have is gonna come from convincing men and I'm just not sold on that idea like at all.

So am I saying we don't need male allies? Also no! I don't see why this has to be a fucking either or!

The primary fixation of separatist discourse should not be "abstinence" but "decentering." De-centering men in our lives, finances, decisions, etc. Because women are an important, perhaps the most important unit in the patriarchal machine. It is our loyalty to men, our worship of men, our efforts poured into men, that have facilitated the exploitation of our own sex. Being complicit doesn't mean we're any less victims. They are not exclusive in this case.

Furthermore, foregoing marriage is NOT THE SAME as foregoing love. You can have a romantic relationship with a man and NOT COHABIT with him. You don't have to buy a house together or make yourself more vulnerable either financially or otherwise for the sake of proving your love or living up to this enforced ideal of what love ought to look like. You can have a fulfilling loving community and life OUTSIDE of romance, too! Like why tf are we still essentializing romance and gender in radblr???!!! Fucking frustrating! Like we're adults, y'all. We actually have to outgrow the Disney bs. Again, I'm not saying that liking romance is bad, but treating it as the end-all-be-all is literally for twelve-year-olds idc.

Instead of arguing with separatists about what makes a good separatist or not, encourage discussion on creative ways to live the rich life you want outside of patriarchal institutions. You can live with your sister and have a male partner. You can co-parent with your best friend instead of a husband. You can adopt instead of get pregnant or whatever. Literally there's more options now than ever and I can't believe I have to keep explaining this to one of the whitest parts of the internet.

More than anything, I wish the separatist discussion would open up women's imaginations to LIFE OUTSIDE OF MEN. To focusing on WHAT THEY TRULY WANT instead of what they can or can't do. Loving a man doesn't mean you want to live with him or marry him.

Use separatism and separatist discourse to de-center men from being these beings of ultimate fulfilment. Straight, bi, lesbian I DON'T CARE just make sure you're routinely in a space where you can TRUST that you are making decisions YOU WANT to make and that you are WARY of the way patriarchal society constantly coerces us into being in exploitative situations that benefit men more than us.

THAT'S ALL.

[chitra111goddess]

Astrology psychosis is so real like i mostly experienced that when I was heavily into western astrology and transits and hearing ppl talk about every full moon or some harsh transit like its the end of the world or sum sht

I don't even check transits anymore like yea I still think planets influence us or wtv but stfu about it it's all this fear mongering that makes it manifest

At the end of the day astrology doesn't define u like stop making it so ego-based , ppl who actually benifit the most from studying astrology are the ones who see it from a spiritual perspective and can also be detached on some level , it's a TOOL not a personality type

U rly think ur soul is a libra or a Scorpio? Ur soul doesn't have those labels it's just energy , ur chart just shows u the path and the tools to evolve

[phantom-shell]

Everytime I dare to get comfortable with the idea of my future being in the animation industry, I get hit with a wave of "fuck you" in the form of beautiful animated shows being removed from existence. I know it would absolutely break me if a beloved project of mine was treated like this.

There's no legal way of watching some of these anymore. What the hell. Why is this considered the norm now.

Why are there a bunch of showrunners, animators, writers and other various artists that need to pirate THEIR OWN SHOWS?? Y'know, the things that THEY made???

It breaks my heart that the only thing keeping these works of art from collecting dust in some corporate basement and eventually becoming lost media is pirating websites.

This is so frustrating, fuck

[cilil]

Ok, really not tryna vague or be shady, but I just gotta say: I do not and will never understand why there's so much drama around ships becoming canon or not.

Seriously, why do you care. Is your ship game that weak? Do you need a stamp of approval from other people for what you like and how you creatively express yourself? Because, sorry, but that's technically what that is and you don't need it.

C'mere. Come to auntie. Listen. I multiship like crazy and lots of weird and niche rare pairs too. Whenever any of my ships become canon that's pretty much an accident and a statistical outlier and because I just happened to like what the creators like for once. And then I usually think "oh that's nice" and go on with my madness. No getting smug and using it to put others down either!

I'm telling you this because I simply can't stress enough how much more chill and fun shipping is if you become deeply unbothered by what's canon, what the creators think and what other people approve of. Again, you need nobody's stamp of approval. And if people nag and bully you about what you like then these people suck and they have no right to demand explanations from you.

Make your case not to justify yourself to bullies - they won't be convinced anyway - but to get other people interested. Make your case through your art, your writing, your headcanons, your conversations with other fans. Make your case through passion.

And stop letting others tell you what you can and can't ship. Which goes both ways, just saying.

Ok, that's it, bye

[jayrockin]

Hi, what are your favorite fountain pens and inks?

For entry level, I would recommend Platinum Preppy. For affordable/reliable, I would recommend Lamy Safari or Kaweco Sport. The only TWSBI Eco I ever bought was a lemon, so I can't recommend, but I know a lot of people who love them, so ehhhh? Sailor Compass is also a great writing pen, or fine liner. If you want something higher end for drawing, BlueDew Flex has blown my socks off with the insane bendiness of their nibs. I don't use pens for writing much so I don't have a particular preference for any high-end writing pens lol. I would just recommend finding a pretty vehicle to insert a Jowo nib and converter/cartridge in. And imo, generally, if you are paying more than $100 for a pen you are paying for the jewelry aspect of it. Which, like, no judgment, but also if someone tells you that you NEED to buy a gold nib pen for any functional reason they are lyyyyyyinggg.

Ink I mostly just buy dozens of 3-5ml samples to fuck around with because I like hoarding vials of colorful fluid, but Diamine Ink is affordable, has a wide variety of colors, generally has wet (high flow) inks, and offers $8 30ml bottles which are great if you want to buy a color but not like, a LOT of it. Though, my most used ink color is Vinta Hanan because I am the rare pastel yellow ink-liker. I also generally dislike shimmer inks, I find the effect underwhelming and they love to clog pens.

Also obligatory warning that Noodler's is affordable but the owner is kind of a libertarian shithead and their pens are great to start but break down in like 1-2 years (At least, every pen I've gotten from them). Also their inks areeeee all over the place in quality...

[touchyluffy]

part one

In the days it takes you to heal from your injuries, Luffy comes to your bedroom to sleep next to you every night. He does try, the night after the first, to sleep in his own bedroom but he can't. Usually sleep comes easy to him, especially after a long day of adventure but not now. He closes his eyes, trying to think of your wounds healing, your soft breathing, your warm hand holding his, but he can't fall asleep. He huffs in irritation and rises from his bed, sulking across the ship to knock on your bedroom door and opening it slowly. You put down your book, you were also struggling to sleep, and open the covers for him. You smile at each other as he excitedly hops into your bed.

And so it becomes routine for you two. Even as your injuries heal completely, as the sunsets and the crew walks off to their separate bedrooms, Luffy follows you into yours and you let him. It becomes normal to roll over in the middle of the night and snuggle into his warm body, to wake up in the morning with his arm wrapped around you, to feel him pull you closer in his sleep, to giggle at his sleep-talking, to hear your name in his mumblings. You offer to let him keep his toothbrush and some clothes in your room, he accepts.

Sleeping together becomes so routine that you have trouble sleeping without him. There were times when you two would be separated by a foe that Luffy challenged and each night you would stay awake staring at his side of the bed, worry clouding your mind and making it impossible to sleep and eventually when Luffy defeated the foe, he would be covered in bandages and it was your turn to listen to his soft, even breathing as he slept. There were times when you be working late into the night and he would come find you, curling up on the floor next to you to sleep in your presence until you eventually finish and drag him back to your bed so you can both sleep comfortably. There were times when you would get angry at him for putting the crew in danger with his recklessness and you'd slammed your bedroom door in his face and toss and turn, your anger at him turning into desperation for him to just come to bed already, eventually you get up to find him and as you open your bedroom door, Luffy's sleeping frame falls on your legs. He'd been sleeping against your door. Smiling you pull his rubbery body into bed and cuddle up next to him, his heartbeat your lullaby. He smiles in his sleep and his arms come up around you. Whenever he's missing his hat or sandals, you find them by your bed.

This new routine of you and your captain sleeping together left your other crewmates with their mouths on the floor several times. They still hadn't gotten used to you two waving goodnight and walking into the same bedroom. When they would ask, you tried to explain but there really wasn't anything to explain. You and their captain couldn't sleep unless you slept together. That's all, why do they always stare at you in such surprise when you say that? Their shocked faces didn't discourage you both into cuddling up to each other at night, finding relaxation, warmth, safety, and comfort in each others arms. What was once your space becomes "our bedroom", "our closet", "our bathroom".

[turbent]

“This war between Zutara and kataang shippers has been going on for so long. Maybe all of you guys should calm down 🥺🥺🥺

Besides, zukka is the best ship and the solution to it all right?? 🥺🥺🥺”

Genuinely, please be quiet! And keep your BS out of the Zutara tag 😭

[local-redhead-bookworm]

Stop! Putting! The "I have crossed oceans of time to find you" quote on stuff and saying it's from Bram Stoker's novel Dracula!! It's not!!! It was invented for the 1992 movie where Mina is Drac's reincarnated wife!! The closest we have is Drac saying "When my brain says 'Come!' to you, you shall cross land or sea to do my bidding" right after he's forced her to drink his blood!!! That's not romantic!!!! It's not even in the book!!

[javelinbk]

Can everyone please pass the message round that that photo is not Paul buying a newspaper on the morning after John’s death.

It makes perfect sense that Linda would take a photo of the newsstand. It does not make sense that Paul would a) change clothes, b) do a bit of shopping, c) pop out to buy a newspaper in the middle of London when everyone wanted to get his reaction

This is Paul on 9th December 1980…

(spot the crowds of people and microphone and camera shoved in his face?)

This is not

[the-alpha-doodle-dome]

recently fought mitty with oomf for the 1st time

[goodbadhabit]

periodic reminder that pet names should be earned

whether it's terms of respect, like sir/mister/master (or obviously any other terms (m/f/x))

or terms of endearment (kitten/princess/puppy/whatever)

do NOT slide into my dm's calling yourself daddy/sir, I decide whether you deserve the respect to be called that

also do NOT send me any dick pics, accompanied by a message calling me kitten

I'm not your kitten or your princess unless we have agreed that you're allowed to call me any terms of endearment

and trust me, there's only a few people who have that kind of place in my heart, so I'm sure as hell that a random stranger hasn't earned that right

[ereardon]

Can we all agree that it's OK for characters to be unlikeable at times? It's realistic, honestly. It's normal for characters to make choices we wouldn't. It's normal for characters to mess up once, twice, three, even four times before getting things right. It's normal for people to make mistakes and run away from things that make them scared.

I think too often people read stories and are fussed when the character doesn't do what they want them to do immediately. When they don't see what's right in front of them and they don't get their happily ever after.

Reality is, most people take a handful of turns before they figure their shit out. Normalize characters making mistakes!

[morallygreyintrovert]

November first and I am in tears moments after waking up because the first thing I watched was a sad supernatural edit and my fury at the shows ending is molten again, it begins to bubble and rise, ready to erupt BECAUSE WHY THE FUCK COULDN’T THEY HAVE HAD A HAPPY ENDING????!!!!

Cas died never knowing he was loved. He died the same way he spent his life, being a means to an end, a tool in a plan.

Dean fought for fifteen years to escape the end of the story that he was destined to play out, defeating every obstacle that came his way, including God himself and still died young on a hunt. He never got to watch the child he raised have his own children. He never got to be happy.

Sam who didn’t have a memory of his mother because she died when he still a baby, found an entire family, only to lose every single one of them. He was the last man standing. He was forced to live knowing he couldn’t save his brother, the man who gave up everything for him, did and would sacrifice himself an infinite amounts of time if it meant he would be safe.

A show dedicated to family and chosen bonds and by the end that family tree was burnt down to the ground. LIKE WTAF??!!

Happy nearly November 5th I guess.

[evasthesis]

i’m still thinking about “what am i?” “you’re alive!” because it’s such a perfect pair of lines for jayce and viktor. like i can’t even put into words how well it puts their s1 dynamic into perspective. for all his moral reasonings and his veneer of science, jayce is completely uninterested in how his inventions affect zaunites. he loves the idea of being a savior more than actually having to make radical change. he’s still the little boy who drew himself as a superhero, except now he has the power to actually be that person. this is why he shuts down the bridge but also is so affected by killing renni’s son. he doesn’t have to see any actual harm done by shutting down the bridge, until viktor crosses the blockade— then he’s furious that his own partner would destroy the myth he’s telling himself about being a savior. viktor is the opposite— he doesn’t care at all about optics, just real, radical change in the status quo. that’s why he’s so attracted to jayce— jayce is an idealist, like him. their “paths diverged long ago” because viktor realized intellectually that jayce isn’t the Man of Progress he sells himself as, but emotionally viktor still sees him as that Man of Progress— until vik gets resurrected. that’s what he means by “it was affection that kept us together”— i.e., “affection is no longer keeping us together, because i’ve finally realized who you are.”