#Youth Media Alliance

[gme-news]

RENDON LABADOR UMIYAK SA SOCIAL MEDIA! NEGOSYO NILANGAW!

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[fandomtrumpshate]

2025 Supported Org Umbrella: organizations serving vulnerable LGBT people

For the past five years, FTH has supported one “umbrella” cause: we invite participants to donate to their own local grassroots organization, while also suggesting a handful of exemplary organizations working in communities where the need is especially acute. This year, our umbrella category is community organizations serving and supporting vulnerable members of the LGBT community.

It goes without saying that the challenges facing the LGBT community under the incoming administration are numerous, from attacks on gender-affirming care to the rollback of hate speech protections on social media. The anti-trans and anti-queer goals of project 2025 are a chilling read. Meanwhile, a disproportionate number of queer youth and adults experience homelessness and housing insecurity, with trans, Native/Indigenous, and multiracial youth being particularly vulnerable. The needs are great across the spectrum, and intersect with every area of life.

There are dozens of small, local organizations working to support the LGBT community, including:

Sherlock’s Homes Foundation provides housing, employment opportunities, and a loving support system, for homeless LGBTQ+ young adults in which these young adults learn about responsibility, accountability, financial independence, life skills, but most of all how to love themselves.

The Kentucky Health Justice Network has been on our list before for their support of reproductive rights including abortion, but they are also active in advocating and assisting the trans community, working to provide access the healthcare they need, as well as reaffirm their autonomy and community.

Brave Space Alliance is a Black-Led, Trans-Led LGBTQ+ Center that strives to 'empower, embolden, and educate each other through mutual aid, knowledge-sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources as we build toward the liberation of all oppressed peoples.'

Trans Queer Pueblo works to provide a safe space for LGBT migrants of color in Arizona. They create community solutions to meet basic needs, cultivate the leadership of LGBT people of color to transform needs into community power, and fight for social justice for all.

TransFamily Support Services guide transgender/non-binary youth and their families through the gender transitioning process to help make it the most positive experience possible.

You can support any of these orgs as a creator in the 2025 FTH auction (or as a bidder, when the time comes to donate for the auctions you’ve won.) Alternately, you can find and support an organization in your own community that fits under this umbrella!

[our-queer-experience]

I am a trans youth and I live in PA. I went to the Pauly Likens vigil today with my cis partner. It didn't go so good.

I didn't know what to expect going into it, I assumed it would be about Pauly's life, supporting her family, and grieving as a community (both as western pennsylvanians and queer ppl alike). I decided to wear the same thing I'd wear to a less formal funeral, a black polo.

As we were driving in to find parking we noticed the large police presence and the large number of people. This made us immediately concerned.

Once we found parking that's whenever our friends told us about Trump's assassination attempt. Being in a more conservative part of PA, and not that far from Butler where it took place, made us even more concerned.

We walked to the vigil. Because of the media coverage and the obituary, I was under the impression that Pauly's family was supportive. Earlier that week I sent flowers to them that said, "May our community lift you up through this time of sorrow. We see you, and you are not alone." I very quickly realized that when I made the assumption they were supportive I was mistaken.

As we rounded the corner to the parking lot where the vigil was being held. A man was being escorted away by police, Pauly's father. A woman screamed behind him "THAT'S HIS SON!" She and Pauly's other family members were very upset. They left shortly after the father was escorted away, but not before screaming and misgendering Pauly over the scheduled speakers.

The speakers were... idk how to feel about the speakers. John Fetterman was there, and he's known for using young leftists' support as a stepping stone and switching up on them as soon as lobbyists ask him too. Seeing him there felt gross and like a publicity stunt. Granted I didn't catch most of what he said because of the shouting of Pauly's family, he's a pretty quiet speaker. He walked off and the speakers from the LGBTQIA+ Alliance took the stage. They talked about trans death. How Pauly's death made them feel. How important it is to fight for trans issues. I agreed with all of it, but I still felt kinda gross clapping. Pauly wasn't the focus of their speeches and I really felt she should be. I was expecting someone who knew Pauly and supported her to speak. But no one like that showed up. Thinking about it now, maybe nobody like that exists.

Things escalated when the candle lighting began. Pauly's family formed a protest and they brought more people. An entire line of them formed across the street. One man had a confederate flag t-shirt on. They were very quickly blocked by rainbow umbrellas. They were very loud and very angry, but I couldn't tell what they were saying.

Things quickly concluded and we were told to exit on the opposite side of the parking lot to avoid the protesters/Pauly's family. We made our way to the car and we left. The 2 hour ride home was mostly silent. We took the long way to avoid Butler.

I knew what little coverage there would be of Pauly's vigil would be overshadowed by what happened in Butler. So I hope this helps.

I'm exhausted in every sense of the word, goodnight.

god, that sounds like the worst. i’m so sorry

[peppermint-cardboard]

hey. hello my friend. i am grabbing you by the shoulders oh so gently. do not become hopeless. that is exactly what they want. blue state governments will give them hell over the next presidential term, and you can rest assured there will absolutely be people in our government fighting for democracy.

the thing we can all do that will have the most direct immediate impact and will lay the groundwork for cultures of help, creativity, and love is to get involved at the local community level.

i’m talking especially to my fellow teens here!!! may not be able to vote but that doesn’t mean we’re not able to help.

for my fellow Angelenos!

Hollywood Food Coalition - free food! you can sign up to volunteer and do meal prep (cooking), meal service (serving food), or help at their food bank. locations are on their website. thanksgiving is coming up and HFC will need volunteers!

My Friend’s Place - free aid for youth homelessness, especially queer youth homelessness. volunteering is for 18 years and older

Los Angeles LGBT Center - exactly what it sounds like. offers a wide range of wonderful services and opportunities for volunteering. also works with school GSAs!

Moonwater Farm - a community farm in Compton with great opportunities for education and sometimes paid fellowships

for people everywhere else! just some general recommendations:

The Trevor Project - queer youth services that have saved my ass a number of times. i don’t know if they call the police as part of their responses or not (offers a single-click-to-leave button in case of emergency)

TrevorSpace - a great queer youth-centered website and a very safe place for queer community and discussion

Debate Me, Bro - a great anarchist newsletter/advice column run by a friend of mine!

The Child And Its Enemies - anarchist child rights-focused podcast also run by that same friend of mine :)

Neocities - make a website! learn some HTML! it’s fun, it’s pretty simple, and it’s a way to get a message out if that’s what you want but it’s also just a great de-stresser

Queer Liberation Library - need i even elaborate on the importance of libraries and access to queer media over the coming few years? (offers a single-click-to-leave button in case of emergency)

American Civil Liberties Union - an activism and aid organization that gave the Republicans absolute hell last time and will continue to do so this time

Blackline (800-604-5841) - a crisis and help hotline prioritizing BI&POC and black queer people. will not call the police!

Trans Lifeline (US: 877-565-8860, Canada: 877-330-6366) - a helpline run by and for trans folks. has a quick escape button and will not call the police!

Wildflower Alliance Peer Support Line (888-407-4515) - a warmline to chat with trained therapists and professionals. will not call the police!

StrongHearts Native Helpline (844-762-8483) - a domestic and sexual violence helpline prioritizing Native Americans and Alaska Natives. has a quick escape button and will not call the police!

Thrive Lifeline (313-662-8209) - a live crisis warmline prioritizing marginalized people. also offers text messaging! will not call the police!

LGBT National Health Center (888-843-4564) - exactly what it sounds like! warmlines for queer people if you need help. has a quick escape button and will not call the police!

Transfeminine Science - a fantastic resource for... transfeminine science. exactly what it says on the tin.

Planned Parenthood - an incredibly prolific and important organization that offers a very wide array of vastly important services. if you live in an at least semi-urban city in the U.S., Planned Parenthood probably has a clinic near you. you should find out if they do!!!

please feel free to add more resources if you know any!!

other recommendations: say hi to a neighbor. bake someone a pie. start a garden. treat homeless people like your neighbors (because they are). propose a community movie night. have a party in your apartment building. call a friend. text a friend. draw something. cook something good. go to a restaurant you like. buy some DVDs. get a new stuffed animal. compliment a stranger’s shirt. ask for a hug. offer someone a hug. listen to music. KEEP LIVING!!!!!!!!!

don't just survive, keep living <3

[miraculouscriticismshub]

Is Chloe Bourgeois a senti-being? Season 6 theory explained

Introduction

As season 6 is only a couple of months away from being released, it’s time to discuss some interesting and bizarre theories surrounding different characters among the main cast. Today we will be discussing the controversial character of Chloe Bourgeois who is making a comeback in Season 6. This post will analyse the theory that claims that she is a senti-being which has gained traction among MLB tiktok, Twitter and Reddit after the release of Season 5. I am neither supporting nor denying this claim but providing evidence,ideas and theories I found on social media that props up both sides of the argument. I will be analysing evidence that supports the idea of her being a senti and of her not being one.

Evidence supporting this claim

Revolution

On the plane ride in Revolution, after Chloe has been exiled from Paris and sent to live with her abusive mother, Audrey says 

“ I will take control of your life again starting with your education”.

What did she mean by “again”? Did she use to control Chloe when she was younger with an amok and it was only when Audrey left for NYC that she finally experienced freedom? Control has always been associated with senti-beings with Gabriel and Colt both controlling their sons using rings. When Audrey is saying this line, there is a specific emphasis on the ring on her finger.

We know rings in this show are synonymous with senti-beings and amoks based on how the three confirmed senti's in the show (Adrien, Felix and Kagami) all have their amoks embedded in their rings. So are the writers implying that Chloe could be Senti based on this?

The Tsurugi, Agreste and Bourgeois families - possible alliance?

From the first 4 seasons of the show, it was speculated among the fanbase that the phenomena of senti-beings and creating a child using “magic” was only limited to the Agreste/Graham de vanily family with most of the fandom believing only Adrien and Felix to be senti’s. However, Season 5 revealed that there is another senti-monster in the cast which is Kagami Tsurugi meaning more families knew about the peacock miraculous and used it to create their senti’s. This changed how the concept of senti's were seen by the fanbase now with the possibility of theorising that characters outside of the Agreste/graham de vanily families are possible senti-beings. One reason why fans believe Chloe could be one is because of The Bourgeois family’s close ties to Gabriel Agreste.

Audrey and Andre both knew Gabriel in their youth so it isn’t a stretch to assume that he told them about the peacock Miraculous and allowed them to use it for certain reasons. The Tsurugi family is also another family close to the Agrestes and it is confirmed that Kagami is a senti meaning Gabriel gave the miraculous to Tome to use. If Kagami is a senti, then Chloe could be one too as both of their families are associated with Gabriel and are part of the elite.

We see Audrey, alongside Tomoe (who we know has an alliance with Gabriel) watching the news about the rediscovery of the Guardian's temple. Why would the writers focus on Audrey unless she knows about the Miraculous because of Gabriel and Emelie? If Chloe is a senti-being, why would the writers want to make all the rich kids of Paris senti’s? Do they want to imply that all the wealthy families in Paris are part of some secret cult and that all the rich kids we saw in the diamond dance in Emotion are all senti-beings?

Evidence debunking this claim

Andre Bourgeois

If Chloe is a senti , (and I know this will sound horrible)  why didn’t Andre just use the amok to discipline Chloe and keep her in line since he had so much difficulty in keeping her well behaved and well mannered ? We know he wasn’t a good person and didn’t care much for Chloe especially at the end of S5 where he disowned Chloe , sent her off to live with Audrey who he’s know will abuse Chloe , replaced Chloe with Zoe (another man’s daughter) and let her be scapegoat for the fiasco in Revolution when he know Tomoe and Gabriel were pulling the strings. If he is capable of being this lazy with his daughter when it comes to raising her, why didn’t he bother using the amok to keep Chloe in check if she is a senti ? Does he not know where the amok is or does Audrey have the amok? Either he drew the line at controlling people against their will or Chloe is not a senti .

The writers

It’s obvious that the writers are not even trying to hide their hatred towards Chloe especially after watching S5. They have no desire to redeem her or at least write her to be a decent villain. If Chloe is revealed to be a senti then that would mean she would have limited control over her actions in S4-S5 if someone like Audrey had her amok in S4-S5. That would imply Chloe isn’t to blame for some of her behaviour and that she is sympathetic which is the last thing the writers want her to be portrayed as. We know Felix who initially started off as a villain later became a little bit sympathetic as it was revealed he was A senti and that his father was horrible towards him by abusing and controlling him. Why would the writers make Chloe a senti in order to make her look sympathetic and redeemable when they made it clear Chloe would never change ? Therefore there is a possibility that she couldn’t be a senti.

If Chloe is a senti, why and how was she created and where could her amok be?

If this theory is true, One reason I could see Chloe being created was that one of her parents was likely infertile. The infertile parent would be Andre as we know Audrey is fertile because of her accidental pregnancy with Zoe. However, it is a coincidence that all the wealthy parents were infertile and would look like bad writing. Another reason why the Bourgeois could’ve used the peacock miraculously was because it was easier than getting pregnant. Audrey maybe didn’t want to get pregnant as it would ruin her physical image and Audrey is the type of person who prioritises herself and cares a lot about looks.

She thought creating a child using magic was much better than ruining her own body with pregnancy. However, this idea is debunked with the character of Zoe. We know Zoe is younger than Chloe so she was born after Audrey used the miraculous. Why would Audrey use the miraculous to create a child to preserve her body if she ended up ruining her body anyway when she biologically had Zoe? Why not abort? Did Mr Lee threaten her? Either both Zoe and Chloe are senti-beings or none of them are. 

Unlike the other senti-kids who has either One parent dead or absent, Chloe still has both of her parents alive. We know Colt used the miraculous to create Felix while Emelie used the miraculous to create Adrien. Because of using the broken peacock miraculous, both Colt and Emelie eventually got sick and died. However, Andre and Audrey are alive and healthy so if Chloe is a senti, somebody else must’ve used the miraculous instead. Either Audrey paid somebody to use the miraculous to prevent herself from getting sick or one of Chloe's grandparents used it and their death could’ve been passed off as old age.

Another theory suggests that Audrey did use the miraculous to make Chloe however instead of losing her life, she got lucky and the miraculous only corrupted her psychologically making her lose her empathy and morals instead of her life. This theory is related to the Tsurugi family, where the fans speculated that Tomoe was the one who created Kagami instead of her absent father however instead of losing her life, she got fortunate and only lost her eyesight. The idea of Tomoe surviving despite using the miraculous caused fans to speculate Audrey also used the miraculous and survived as well.

If Chloe is a senti, where could her amok be? It isn’t in her teddy bear as that was broken in Despair bear yet Chloe did not disappear. It is either in Audrey’s ring or her sunglasses as Chloe doesn’t go anywhere without her sunglasses.

Conclusion

To conclude , both sides of the “Is Chloe a senti ? “ debates have compelling arguments backed up by lot’s of evidence. However , I  haven’t officially picked a side yet and have just analysed and presented suitable evidence for and against this theory. It would be interesting if Chloe is a senti as honestly, Chloe being revealed as such might be the only thing that would save her character and redemption arc. However , the writers could also decide she isn’t a senti but a regular human . Now I want to hear your opinion. Do you like theory or hate it ? Here is a poll on the Chloe being a senti theory if you're interested.

Comment you thoughts below and let me know ?

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alex Bollinger at LGBTQ Nation:

Former Fox host Tucker Carlson said that it’s so obvious that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) is gay that it actually proves that it’s Democrats who are the real homophobes because Walz doesn’t feel comfortable coming out. Carlson was on Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM show, where she played a clip of Walz gesticulating energetically at the end of a rally. Walz has gotten media attention for his animated presence at campaign events. “I’m just gonna say, I don’t know any man who behaves like that,” Kelly said.

“Come on, I mean, come on,” Carlson responded, apparently frustrated at something. “I don’t want to be mean and also I don’t want to say things I can’t prove, but like, let’s- let’s be real.” “Let me just say, not connected necessarily to Tim Walz, I’m never going to take another lecture about gay rights from these people, like, ‘Oh, you hate gays and you keep them all in the closet or whatever,'” Carlson ranted as Kelly giggled. “Any party… Stop with the, with the lectures about that stuff. Do you know what I mean? If you’re so for, in general, if you’re so for gay rights then that would mean that any member of your party who’s gay would feel free to say so in public and would not be pretending not to be gay. I’m just saying.” Carlson then said that he doesn’t dislike Walz for being gay, but he’s mad at “the falseness of” his pretending to be straight. Walz is married and has two kids with his wife. He has never said that he identifies as anything under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.

[...] Pundits have noted that “masculinity” has become a subtext this election, with the Republican ticket positioning itself as “strong” candidates who will “protect” women by upholding conservative gender roles. Harris has painted Republicans’s anti-abortion policies as a threat to women’s bodily autonomy and the right of all Americans to make personal medical decisions. Walz is a father, a hunter, a former military servicemember, and a former football coach who has steadfastly supported LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive, and workers’ rights, but many on the right define masculinity now as the opposition to women’s equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and gun control measures. Walz, on the other hand, is now best known for his supporting role in Harris’ candidacy as well as his past advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, including helping his school establish a gay-straight alliance in the 1990s and making Minnesota a sanctuary state for trans youth.

Former Fox host Tucker Carlson, appearing on fellow former Fox colleague Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM Triumph show Wednesday, pushed the homophobic rumor that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) is “gay”.

See Also:

MMFA: Right-wing media figures are spreading salacious and unsupported accusations against Tim Walz from an account known for creating viral hoaxes

From the 10.16.2024 edition of SiriusXM Triumph/Devil May Care Media's The Megyn Kelly Show:

[mariacallous]

I was 12 years old when the far-right English Defence League (EDL) marched through my town of Luton. Teachers at my all-boys, majority Muslim state comprehensive told us to stay indoors. We were overwhelmingly working-class, the children of taxi drivers and factory workers for whom racist violence was a regular occurrence.

Many of us aligned with people organising the counter-demonstrations against the EDL and soon found other common ground. Alongside antifascism, the activists were vocal on foreign policy issues such as Iraq and Palestine, as well as the domestic issue of austerity.

When I visited my old school recently, I found very different political alliances. Teachers expressed concern about the growing influence of rightwing figures such as Andrew Tate. The influencer is part of a wider network, known loosely as the “manosphere”, which comprises anti-woke culture warriors, get-rich “crypto bros” and Donald Trump supporters. Here were young Pakistani and Bangladeshi boys taking part in a community that includes many who openly despise them. For example, Tate has previously met Tommy Robinson “untold times”, and in a 2022 interview he claimed that the EDL co-founder was “doing his very best to protect England from Islamisation”. To the surprise of many, later that year Tate converted to Islam.

It’s easy to understand the appeal of these influencers, who pose as self-help gurus, speaking directly to insecure young men of all races seeking to live better lives. The growing mental health crisis among young people and the longstanding stigma attached to any discussion of it in the Muslim community leads many vulnerable young men to seek solace in the words of influencers whose videos reference depression, anxiety and how to find motivation to move forward in life.

These young men quickly become enamoured of influencer lifestyles and seek to emulate them. Tate, in fact, grew up on the deprived Marsh Farm estate in Luton, and flaunts his money and flashy cars to impressionable young people. Crypto bros, made hyper-accessible through YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, actively encourage followers to invest in stocks and shares. A year-nine student approached me after I had given a talk at my former school and asked: “How do I become a millionaire without going to school?”

These young people are entering into an economy that is unequal, a society that is atomised and workplaces that are insecure. The idea that you can rise with your class rather than out of it has all but vanished. In Luton, nearly half of children are growing up in poverty. When ethnicity is factored in, figures show that in the UK, 67% of Bangladeshi children and 58% of Pakistani children are living in poverty. Like many areas of Britain, our town has been affected by deindustrialisation, cuts to public services and the resulting loss of social infrastructure. The decline in these spaces – youth clubs, libraries and community centres – has meant a decline in social interaction, too; the void has been filled by social media platforms.

During the Jeremy Corbyn years, many young people had a sense of hope that the state could improve their lives. I remember the long queues of young people outside the polling stations in Luton in 2017, and how many registered to vote at the stalls we used to run at the local sixth-form college. Many of us canvassed for the Labour party in Luton and in neighbouring Bedford. We were promised rent controls, the abolition of tuition fees, free travel, free wifi and an increase in the minimum wage.

Now, in the absence of such a project, many are increasingly turning to individual solutions peddled by online influencers. Why dismantle the system when you can become one of its beneficiaries? Why favour higher taxes that might one day come at your expense?

The pipeline for men of colour subscribing to rightwing influencers online to voting for rightwing parties at the ballot box was made clear during the US election. A record 46% of Hispanic voters opted for Trump – a 14-point increase from 2020. Trump also saw modest gains among Black men. Minority communities have suffered from the effects of globalisation, deindustrialisation and decline.

For far too long in the UK, progressives have taken for granted the votes of Black and Asian communities – but recent electoral events and reports show that this is ill-informed. Take Brexit: it is often depicted as the revolt of the white working class, but diverse towns and cities such as Luton, Bradford and Birmingham also voted to leave the European Union. A new report by UK in a Changing Europe shows British Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean and non-white Muslim and Christian voters are particularly likely to hold socially conservative views on issues such as crime and foreign aid in comparison with those from other ethnic or religious groups. Meanwhile, British Indian and Chinese voters are more likely to hold rightwing economic views. Both the former and current Conservative leaders, Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch, are representative of this wider shift. Many ethnic minority voters already hold rightwing views, and we may see this point of view grow in younger generations as the online culture they consume is dominated by the right.

On the Marsh Farm estate where Tate grew up, there is an alternative model of self-help being pioneered by local residents. Marsh Farm Outreach prides itself on collectivism and face-to-face social interaction. Its bottom-up community-organising approach transformed a derelict 17th-century farmhouse into a community hub. The building is now home to a DJing academy for local children excluded from school, Luton’s first Black radio station and a restaurant and bar. Here, on the estate, few young men believe there are any heroes in Westminster coming to save them, but they have found support in a local community.

Bringing young people into their physical communities, and out of their online ones, may be one way to counter the rise of the right. As these young people reach voting age, time is running out for the Labour party.

[pagesfromthevoid]

Glitch | k.h. | 3

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: none

Author’s Note: Kicking my feet and blushing

Talk to me! | Series Masterlist | AO3

Following the Announcement of the Chunin Exams

The jonin quarters of the Hokage’s office were bathed in the soft glow of afternoon light as Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Guy and her gathered to discuss the decision that they had all just made: nominating their genin for the chunin exams. It was a right of passage for them, and she knew that well enough. But Iruka had been right when he stepped in earlier: it was too soon. And she was starting to worry that maybe she shouldn’t have recommended her team after all.

She sighed, rubbing her eye with the heel of her palm, her expression a blend of doubt and concern. The sigh broke the silence of the room, and she finally spoke. 

“I think I may have made a mistake, recommending my team for the exams,” she admitted. Her voice was tinged with uncertainty, and her gaze shifted between her fellow jonin, searching for understanding.

Kakashi, his singular visible eye locked onto her, remained silent, his mask of indifference firmly in place as he watched her carefully.

Kurenai seemed surprised by the admission, brows raised and questions in her crimson eyes. "Is there something specific bothering you?"

Asuma, casually puffing on his cigarette, interjected, "Your team has been making progress, hasn't it?"

“I mean, they have.” She nodded, her eyes briefly falling to the table in front of her where she rested her arms. “But my training as a shinobi has been more focused on diplomacy and preventing conflict –not so much being directly involved in conflict.”

She was quite proud of her accomplishments as a shinobi, of course. And by the village’s standards, she was exceptionally strong in all styles of jutsu. But when she became a jonin, Lord Third –her uncle –determined that the best way to show allied villages that he was serious in trusting them was to send his own flesh and blood to broker peace and maintain alliances. She understood why he did it; it made sense. By sending her, he was telling the other villages that he trusted them enough to not cause harm to his own family. And again, she was thoroughly proud of her accomplishments as a shinobi.

But that meant her genin were getting trained in what she knew best, not necessarily what should be best for them.

Kakashi sighed, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface as he heard her explanations. 

"Look," he began, trying to keep his tone level. "I understand your concerns, but you've already recommended them. It's not about what you've focused on in the past; it's about giving them a chance to prove themselves."

She shook her head, her voice tinged with frustration as well. "I haven't given them the applications yet, Kakashi. There's still time to reconsider."

Asuma and Kurenai exchanged glances, realizing that this conversation was becoming increasingly heated. Asuma knew better than to get in between an argument with his cousin and anyone –let alone Kakashi. They decided it was best to make a discreet exit, leaving her and Kakashi to resolve their differences.

As they left, Guy, who had been oblivious to the growing tension, spoke up enthusiastically. "Well, it looks like you two are really passionate about your teams! That's great! What dedication to our youth!”

In the midst of their argument, she and Kakashi were so engrossed in their exchange that Guy's presence became almost inconsequential. Neither of them even acknowledged his statement, instead focusing in on one another.

Kakashi, his eye narrowing with frustration, couldn't suppress his retort any longer. "You've got to trust in your team's abilities. They've come a long way under your guidance."

She countered, frustration evident in her tone, "But Kakashi, this isn't just about trust. It's about ensuring they're as prepared as possible. I don't want them to face unnecessary danger unless they’re ready.”

Guy, standing beside them, tried to mediate, "Hey, guys, let's not—"

Kakashi interrupted, his voice tinged with impatience, “If you wanted to coddle them, you shouldn’t have recommended them in the first place.”

She bristled at his comment. "Coddle them? I'm trying to make sure they're capable."

Their argument was escalating, each of them deeply entrenched in their beliefs. Guy sensed the tension in the air and decided to make another attempt at diffusing it. "Come on, you two, there's no need to—"

But before he could finish, Kakashi and her exchanged a volley of pointed remarks, the intensity of their disagreement growing by the second.

"If you wanted to disappoint your team," he said, his voice sharper now, "you should have sent them back to the Academy when you had the chance.”

“You don’t get it, Kakashi.” Her eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and hurt as she stood, pointing down at him. “You’re a prodigy; you’re a genius. Your team consists of an Uchiha and the son of the Fourth Hokage. Even more so —you’re a good teacher. And I’m…I’m just…”

Kakashi realized then that she wasn’t questioning her students' abilities as shinobi; she was questioning her own . He eased back into his seat, the anger he felt just moments ago dissipating. Her breath caught, and her eyes widened for a moment —then she stormed off, refusing to give into her emotions any further. 

Guy’s hand on his shoulder brought Kakashi back to where he was, and he looked to his friend with a deep frown. 

“Leave her be, Kakashi,” Guy warned, looking at him thoughtfully. “To be young and starting out, it isn’t easy. This is her first team —she has every right to be concerned about her abilities to teach them. Not everyone can be as good as you and I are.”

Kakashi deflated some at Guy’s warning, but nodded once. “I suppose you’re right.”

Guy gave him a thumbs up, smiling brightly. “Excellent. Now what do you say we have a friendly competition? 100 laps around the village? That always makes me feel better!”

“I —what?” Kakashi looked at Guy in confusion before he shook his head. “No, not right now.”

“Have it your way! Until we meet again, Kakashi!”

*****

The clouds had rolled in shortly after she stormed out of the jonin quarters. While nothing more than a summer shower, it was enough for her to find her way to her mother’s grave. Her mind was conditioned by the rain at this point, it seemed. Even in the midst of her anger and stress, as the clouds were graying and the air was growing a little wetter than usual —she was at the cemetery.

“I don’t know what to do, ma,” she murmured, running her fingers over the headstone gently. Her lashes dropped raindrops like tears —or maybe they were actual tears. She couldn’t tell the difference.. “I’ve never been so unsure of myself.”

There was no response, of course, but that didn’t stop her from trying to imagine what her mother would say. 

“I know you had your own team,” she continued, using her free hand to wipe her eyes. “How did you…gods, how did you hold their little lives in your hands like that? They’re so young, and I’m barely twenty-six —what if they die? People die in the chunin exams, ma.”

“No one’s died in the exams in nearly five years.”

She stiffened at the voice, just as the rain suddenly stopped soaking through her clothes. Perhaps they knew each other too well if Kakashi knew he could find her here. After a moment, she swallowed and patted the spot next to her. Kakashi sunk down beside her, holding the umbrella between them. 

“There haven’t been rookies in the exams in five years,” she reminded him gently, though her eyes stayed glued to the headstone. 

“Oh —well, I guess you’re right.”

“You’re terrible at comforting people, Kakashi.”

Kakashi huffed, masking the chuckle he held back, and rubbed the back of his neck as he crossed his legs under him. “I’m more of a problem solver, truthfully.”

“I know.” She nodded in understanding, picking at a stray string on her pants. A blush crept its way up under her skin, and she cursed herself for being so ridiculous.  “But I don’t need someone to solve my problem; I know what’s wrong. I understand that my anxiety is… irrational , and I know that I should just trust my students and their capabilities.”

She could feel his gaze on her, steady and curious, as she spoke. “I just…I needed to vent, that’s all. Asuma and Kurenai are great at that –listening, and offering me a place to complain for a minute. Guy isn’t; he’s like you. Wants to solve every problem. But I don’t need a solution –I just need a friend to listen to me bitch for a little while.”

Kakashi hesitated a moment, his dark eyes flickering with a mix of regret and realization. As he replayed the heated exchange in his mind, he came to understand the uselessness of the argument he started. They were among friends, gathered to share their worries about their students, and all she had wanted was to share her concerns without the weight of judgment. Instead, his words had only succeeded in upsetting her, and that realization weighed heavily on him, like a leaden lump in his chest.

Feeling like a complete fool, he released a heavy sigh. His usually guarded demeanor had cracked, revealing a rare vulnerability. Without overthinking it, Kakashi tentatively extended his arm, reaching out to wrap it around her shoulder in an awkward, hesitant gesture. She stiffened initially, her body reacting to the unexpected contact, especially from him of all people. But the tension in her gradually ebbed away, replaced by a sense of reassurance as she relaxed into his side. Her temple came to rest against his shoulder, neither of them speaking as the rain pattered against the pink umbrella that shielded them.

It was the closest to an apology she would probably get from him, but it was far more meaningful in her opinion. 

“Wait,” she suddenly announced, pulling away from him to look up at the umbrella. “Did you break into my house to get my umbrella?”

Kakashi dropped his arm, following her gaze up to the canopy above them, before he nodded sheepishly. A blush creeped up above where his mask rested on his cheeks and he chuckled. “Oh, yeah. You should put up stronger protection seals.”

Her laughter erupted suddenly, a melodious sound that echoed in the quiet cemetery. She covered her heart with her hand, as if to contain the burst of emotions that surged within her. The absurdity of Kakashi breaking into her home just to retrieve her mother's umbrella was almost comical, but it stirred something deep within her. Gratefulness, perhaps, but it felt even stronger than that. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel an unexpected warmth, realizing that his actions spoke volumes about their friendship. 

“Oh my gods, Kakashi.”

[the-light-of-stars]

Multiple palestinian, jewish, german and international leftist organisations, among them members of the BDS movement and Jewish Voice for a Just Peace, have been organising an event for the discussion and education on matters of palestinian liberation and human rights under the title 'Palestine Congress'.

German politicians and media have been repeatedly calling this event things like "terror event" or "event to spread 'imported antisemitism'" (a racist term common in the current german discussion referring to the idea that antisemitism in germany stems from and is being spread by immigrants and not from ethnically german citizens) and have been calling for a boycott and ban of the event and repercussions against its participants, and have already enacted repercussions against jewish organisations like Jewish Voice in the name of supposedly 'fighting antisemitism' , an argument the german government and media keep bringing up as a moral pretense to justify their continued support of Israel as their second biggest supplier of weapons, and which in the past months and years has lead to the arrests of many protestors, a very large part of them jewish.

"Broad resistance against 'Palestine Congress'"

A broad alliance [of people] from politics and civil society has called for a protest against the 'Palestine Congress' that is supposed to happen in Berlin at the end of the week.

"Berlin must not become the center of terror glorification", emphasized the alliance and explicitly referred to an appeal by the youth organisations of the political parties Grüne [greens/progressives], SPD [social democrats], FDP [liberals] and CDU [conservatives] as well as the youth forum of the German-Israeli-Society (DIG) and the Jewish Student Union Germany.

Famous supporters of the alliance are among others the parliament members Alexander Throm (CDU), Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP), Kevin Kühnert (SPD), Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) and the former Berlin senator of culture Klaus Lederer (Linke [the left]).

This sentiment and call for protest was shared by the president of the Central Council of Jewish People in Germany who was quoted on the organisation's twitter account:

" Dr. Schuster regarding the planned Palestine Congress in Berlin: 'This event is a parade of anti-zionism and very certainly will not find any answers for the suffering of the civilian population in Gaza. On the contrary: Those who disregard the terror of Hamas and with it also the murderous strategy of the organisation against its own civilian population discredit themselves."

This of course is referring to the popular (in german media and politics) talking point that the deaths and otherwise suffering of civilians in Gaza was not caused by Israel but by palestinians themselves, specifically this argument states that Israel is only defending itself and is intentionally being tricked or forced into killing and starving civilians and breaking human rights conventions by Hamas as some sort of palestinian strategy to discredit the israeli government and that it is not doing this out of its own volition, and that the Gazan civilian populace acts as 'shields' for Hamas that Israel is forced to attack against its will for the sake of self defence.

German media and politicians love calling Israel the victim and treating palestinians as both the perpetrators and collateral damage , at most offering a fake 'oh the situation for the civilians is not good' while cutting off aid to Palestine and increasing weapons sales to Israel.

Of note for this particular situation:

The Palestine Congress is organised by multiple palestinian, jewish, german and international leftist organisations, among them also the jewish organisation Jewish Voice for a Just Peace.

Just recently a german state bank had frozen the organisation's bank account, thus freezing thousands of euros the organisation had meant to use as funding for the Congress. The bank also had demanded a detailed list of all of the organisation's members, including data such as their names and home adresses.

"The repression of the german state against the Palestine solidarity movement are escalating daily, they range from prohibition of demonstrations to police raids, and now the bank account of a jewish organisation was frozen in the name of fighting antisemitism - by the Berlin Sparkasse, a financial institution under public law." , said Wieland Hoban, chairperson of 'Jewish Voice' to jW on wednesday.

The unconditional support of Israel, that may be sold as a moral imperative but that serves real political purposes, leads to a 'dehumanisation of palestinians' and a declaration of war against everyone who calls for equality and freedom for them. "Who thinks they're ensuring jewish safety by doing this is gravely mistaken." so Hoban."

[digitalagepulao]

Pardal/Sparrow or Digital, whichever is your fancy sie/hir/they/them - adult (+21)

welcome to my JttW and chinese animations and mythology sideblog! my focus on it comes and goes so i'll let you know when turning on notifications to know when i'm posting again might be a good idea.

while this blog is mainly focused on JttW, I'll bring up other stories and legends, like Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi) or Lotus Lantern (Bao Lian Deng). this is also for Chinese animations and series as I find and explore them, and i'll occasionally do livereads of books, especially academic ones.

follow me over at my main @sparrow-in-boots if you'd like my more assorted interests <3

COMMISSION INFO | KO-FI | TWITCH

THIS BLOG IS +21 and will contain: fantasy and realistic violence, gore, body horror, discussion of mental illness and suicide, sexual themes, and other sensitive subjects. They will be tagged appropriately as cw but please be advised and proceed with caution.

PLEASE DO NOT TAG MY AUs AND CONTENT AS LMK unless i do so! LMK content is tagged with #not a lmk blog (head on over to my LMK sideblog @digitaldoeslmk if you want my art and aus)

AU info and tags below!

#Expedition to the West au

my take on JttW if it was (more or less) rooted in the real world and the historical Xuanjang's journey. follows mostly the plot beats as outlined by @journeytothewestresearch's article, so giving it a read will help contextualize where I diverge or fill in empty spaces with my own takes and ideas. full props to OP, their research has been an immense help and inspiration!!

#Sun clan au

[CHARACTER DIRECTORY] started as my own version of giving Wukong a mother figure, now it's me fleshing out the monkey population of Huaguoshan with ocs to explore Wukong's bonds and filial piety, as well as the repercussions of his actions. expect a lot of family fluff AND angst!

note that both AUs are somewhat connected but I'll tag them separately as needed.

#Havoc in Midgard au

God of War/JttW crossover AU. Linked to my Fimbulvintr Blues AU where Atreus and Mimir are kicked back into the far past of Kratos' Spartan General days, and have to catch up to his current time the long way. I'm focusing mostly on his trips across the continents and pantheons as he retrieves the giants hidden there by Týr and slowly but surely acquires a veritable arsenal of magical artifacts, special powers and baffling alliances. And of course, his short but chaotic stint in the Three Kingdoms during the time of both Wukong's youth and the entirety of the Investiture of the Gods.

#bell dragon art

my art tag regardless of AU or fandom

MEDIA TAGS (in no particular order)

1986 series - 1996 series - Conquering the Demons - Demons Strike Back - A Chinese Odyssey movies - Monkey King: Hero is Back - Monkey King Reborn - New Gods movies - NG: Nezha Reborn - NG: Yang Jian - Jiang Ziya - Nezha 2019 - White Snake movies - Tian Zhen Pai: Xiyouji 2019 - Havoc in Heaven 1961 and related movies - Chang'an 2023 - Luoxiaohei - Fei Ren Zai

ASSORTED TAGS

jttw liveread: quotes and tidbits from the novels i felt like sharing

fsyy liveread: same as above, but for the Investiture of the Gods (Fengsheng Yanyi)

oedipal god liveread: comments and quotes of the book "Oedipal God: The Chinese Nezha and his Indian Origins" by Meir Shahar

jttw book club: chapter reviews and comments by myself and others who have joined the reading group over at @/journeythroughjourneytothewest

[someone-will-remember-us]

A government-ordered review has dismissed claims that suicide rates in young people with gender dysphoria have risen sharply since the NHS restricted access to puberty-blocking drugs.

A report by the government’s adviser on suicide prevention also found that the claims – made by the campaign group the Good Law Project – were not supported by data and could prompt children under the age of 18 to take their own life.

The health secretary, Wes Streeting, last week asked Prof Louis Appleby, a leading authority on mental health at Manchester University, to look at suicide rates among current and former patients of the now-discontinued gender identity development service (Gids) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS trust.

And in his paper, published on Friday, Appleby said he had found no evidence to back up the claims.

“The data do not support the claim that there has been a large rise in suicide by young patients attending the gender services at the Tavistock since the High Court ruling in 2020 or after any other recent date,” his analysis concluded. It covered the care received by and outcomes seen among patients of the London-based specialist mental heath trust.

The Good Law Project’s executive director, Jo Maugham, said in response: “I was not contacted in advance of the statement being released and will obviously need time to respond. I do have difficulties with the figures and analysis and will respond in due course.”

Appleby also advised patients, NHS staff and campaign groups to not see the provision of puberty blockers “as the touchstone issue, the difference between acceptance and non-acceptance [of gender dysphoria]. We need to move away from this perception.”

He was asked to examine the evidential base for claims that the NHS’s decision to limit access to puberty-blocking drugs after the high court’s ruling in the Keira Bell case in December 2020 had led to a “surge” or “explosion” in suicides among young people with gender dysphoria. Three judges ruled that those under 16 lacked the capacity to decide whether or not to give informed consent to take the drugs.

As well as finding no evidence to support the suicide claims, Appleby also highlighted “the way that this issue has been discussed on social media has been insensitive, distressing and dangerous, and goes against [Samaritans] guidance on safe reporting of suicide”.

“The claims that have been placed in the public domain do not meet basic standards for statistical evidence,” he added.

He flagged up the possibility of “already-distressed adolescents hearing the message that ‘people like you, facing similar problems, are killing themselves’, leading to imitative suicide or self-harm”.

Appleby, an expert in mental health statistics, found evidence of 12 suicides among current and former Gids patients in the six years between 2018-19 and 2023-24. Six of them were among under-18s.

Five suicides occurred in the three years before 2020-21 and seven in the three afterwards. “This is essentially no difference, taking account of expected fluctuations in small numbers”, he said.

Kate Barker, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, said: “It’s distressing that the completely unevidenced claims of increased suicidality were allowed to take root, and given credence by people in public life who should have known better than to play politics with such an emotive issue.

“Now the whole world can see these claims for what they are: a cynical attempt to spread misinformation to serve a dangerous and homophobic ideology.”

[accio-victuuri]

Sharing excerpts from this article about YAYA and their cooperation with Yibo. It’s pretty long and talks a lot about the brand and their marketing strategy in recent years but of course, what I have included is about Yibo:

On the eve of Double 11, when all brands are sprinting for Double 11, the national down jacket brand YaYa officially announced the brand’s chief spokesperson Wang Yibo.

This "strong alliance" is not only good news for fans and consumers, but also a pioneering attempt for old domestic products to take advantage of new idols to rejuvenate them, helping national idols to strengthen and upgrade national brands' brand images, and consolidate and enhance their existing market positions provides a reference template for win-win cooperation.

On November 8, national down jacket brand YaYa officially announced Wang Yibo as the brand’s chief spokesperson. On the day the official announcement was made, the entry #王一博就是吃鸭夜# became a hot search topic, and resonated with consumers who are facing the onset of cooling.

After relaunching, Yaya's first task is to create a youthful image of the brand, and choosing the right spokesperson is undoubtedly the most effective way to clearly convey the brand label. Youth is Wang Yibo’s background. As a new generation artist born after 1995, Wang Yibo has shined in many fields over the years. With his trendy appearance and "cool" personality, he has become a national artist in the hearts of young people.

More importantly, whether it is Yaya or Wang Yibo, diversity is their most obvious label.

Actor, singer, professional racing driver, skateboard, hip-hop... Wang Yibo can switch freely among multiple identities, and his development path is multi-dimensional, which has accumulated a huge fan base for him. After Yaya restarted in 2020, it has always focused on national positioning. There are more than 1,000 new SPUs launched every year, with various styles and comprehensive styles.

Such a "top-quality" and suitable spokesperson also allowed Yaya to devote all its resources. In order to fully unleash the brand potential brought by the spokesperson, YaYa not only combined the brand super symbol Y-bill IP created by the well-known brand consulting company Hua & Hua with Wang Yibo's official announcement, but also customized multiple content such as videos, graphics and text for the spokesperson.

Take Wang Yibo, who is cooperating this time, as an example. His traffic effect and fan conversion rate are strong enough, and his versatile style provides solid confidence for multiple popular products to be released at the same time. Cooperating with the traffic management of e-commerce platforms such as Tmall and Douyin, and adding the traffic of social media such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu, the potentially explosive products have accumulated enough potential energy before they are officially launched.

[weiwhat]

'Hogwarts school of Activism: Harry Potter’s Fandom for Social Change?'

Traditional notions of civic engagement often conjure images of town hall meetings, community volunteering, and grassroots political campaigns.  William Galston, for instance, laments the perceived disengagement of young people, attributing it to their immersion in media and the internet (Kligler-Vilenchik et al. 2011). This perspective, however, overlooks the evolving landscape of civic participation in the digital age.  Increasingly, scholars recognize that younger generations are embracing new forms of engagement, deeply intertwined with their personal interests and online social network (Kahne, Lee & Feezell 2013).  Rather than being a source of apathy, popular culture and participatory platforms are emerging as powerful catalysts for youth-driven social action, enable by social media (Kligler-Vilenchik et al. 2011).

At the forefront of this shift is the rise of "fandom activism." But what exactly is fandom? More than just enthusiastic consumers of media, fandoms represent vibrant subcultures united by shared passions (Foster & Class n.d.). As noted by Leno, these communities foster a profound sense of empathy and camaraderie among individuals who connect over common interests(Leno 2024). In essence, fandom provides a modern iteration of social connection, offering a sense of belonging and collective identity, particularly in an increasingly digital world (Groene & Hettinger 2016). 1997 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, acclaim have earn the fandom; Potterheads. Today Potterheads are found all over the globe, standing in millions of stan fans.

This inherent sense of community and shared purpose within Potterheads creates fertile ground for activism(Kligler-Vilenchik et al. 2011).  Leveraging their digital fluency and collaborative spirit, fans translate their passion into tangible action, mobilizing around causes that resonate with their values (Kligler-Vilenchik et al. 2011).  From fundraising for charitable organizations to orchestrating online awareness campaigns, fandom activism transcends the boundaries of traditional civic engagement, harnessing the power of popular fan’s culture for social good (Foster & Class n.d.).

-Deathly Hallows Campaign-2011

The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA), founded in 2005, truly embodies Foster and Class’s definition of fan activism. Taking inspiration from book’s "Dumbledore's Army," the fictional student activist group in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) presents a compelling case study in the evolution of civic engagement, demonstrating how fandom can be a powerful catalyst for social change (Jenkins 2014). Far from a mere online fan club, the HPA strategically harnesses the digital landscape and the shared passion of Harry Potter enthusiasts to mobilize a generation of activists.

Their campaigns, often inspired by events and themes from the books, are carefully crafted to engage and mobilize fans to digital activism in their rights (Jenkins 2014). The "Deathly Hallows" campaign, for instance, mirrored the quest for Voldemort's Horcruxes, challenging fans to identify and combat real-world "Horcruxes" such as poverty and discrimination (Jenkins 2014). This approach translates fictional concepts into strong tangible actions, empowering fans to step beyond the screen and engage in meaningful change to people around them.

-Harry Potter Alliance's SocMed Hashtag Campaigns on Facebook

Beyond targeted campaigns, the HPA excels at grassroots mobilization through social media. Online forums from reddit to HPFF (Harry Potter Fan Forum) buzz with discussions, Facebook groups like Harry Potter Alliance UIUC and regional HPA groups transforming into virtual town halls, and Twitter hashtags from #BLACKLIVESMATTER serve as rallying cries. Through these digital channels, the HPA facilitates exchanges, disseminates vital information, and orchestrates collective action on a local and global scale (Jenkins 2014).

Fans are not merely encouraged to consume content; they are invited to become creators themselves(Jenkins 2014). Fanfiction, fanart, and music become powerful mediums for exploring social and political themes within the familiar context of the Harry Potter universe. This couple with social media’s reach not only nurtures a thriving sense of community but also allows fans to engage with activism on a personal and profound level, blurring the lines between fandom and social action whilst fostering a sense of ownership and agency among participants, making activism a more personal and empowering experience (Jenkins 2014).

HPA’ssuccess lies in its strategic engagement with the existing Harry Potter fandom. Instead of creating a separate movement, the HPA taps into the shared passion that already unites millions of fans worldwide (Potter 2019). This allows them to leverage a pre-existing sense of community and shared purpose, providing a powerful foundation for collective action. By organizing campaigns and events framed within the context of the Harry Potter universe, the HPA makes digital activism more engaging and relatable to its target audience(Potter 2019).

These examples highlight the versatility and adaptability of fan activism. Whether harnessing the power of established fandoms or building new communities around shared concerns, fan activism offers a compelling model for civic engagement in the digital age (Leno 2024). By tapping into the passion, creativity, and digital fluency of young people, fan activism has the potential to reshape the landscape of social and political change.

 

References

Foster, D & Class, the n.d., ‘Fandom as Participatory Culture’, ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub, viewed https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/comm3p18/chapter/fandom-as-participatory-culture/.

Groene, SL & Hettinger, VE 2016, ‘Are you “fan” enough? The role of identity in media fandoms.’, Psychology of Popular Media Culture, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 324–339.

Jenkins, H 2014, ‘View of “Cultural acupuncture”: Fan activism and the Harry Potter Alliance | Transformative Works and Cultures’, journal.transformativeworks.org, viewed <https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/305/259>.

Kahne, J, Lee, N-J & Feezell, JT 2013, ‘The Civic and Political Significance of Online Participatory Cultures among Youth Transitioning to Adulthood’, Journal of Information Technology & Politics, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1–20.

Kligler-Vilenchik, N, McVeigh-Schultz, J, Weitbrecht, C & Tokuhama, C 2011, ‘Experiencing fan activism: Understanding the power of fan activist organizations through members’ narratives’, ResearchGate, Transformative Works and Cultures, viewed <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259823285_Experiencing_fan_activism_Understanding_the_power_of_fan_activist_organizations_through_members>.

Leno, M 2024, ‘The Healing Power of Pop Culture Communities’, Psychology Today, viewed <https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/mind-matters/202407/the-healing-power-of-pop-culture-communities>.

Potter, H 2019, ‘The Culture Crush’, The Culture Crush, viewed 19 November 2024, <https://www.theculturecrush.com/feature/fan-activism>.

[iwoll]

The Rhetoric of @LibsOfTikTok: Unveiling the Tactics of Online Influence

Just like any other modern 19-year-old, I often find myself doom-scrolling Twitter. It's a bizarre mix of tweets that goes something like this: a cute cat with a funny caption, then a complaint about the current political climate, a tragic story of the murder of yet another transgender individual, then a meme about something I'm sure is very relatable, anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda, then another cute cat, a horribly transphobic headline, and then—of course—another cute cat. However, in this vast sea of tweets and retweets, there's one account that stands out to me: @LibsOfTikTok.

Chaya Raichik, the mastermind behind this account, wields a potent arsenal of tactics to captivate her 2.9 million followers. She employs specific names of people and institutions, a sarcastic—almost hate-mongering—tone, and fear as tools to persuade her audience to attack LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies.

In the social media sphere, where a tweet can reach millions of people in seconds, the power of influence is undeniable. However, in the wise words of Spider-Man, with this great power comes great responsibility, a responsibility that @LibsOfTikTok often seems to disregard. Raichik's tweets are not merely expressions of personal opinions but calculated attempts to stoke fear, anger, and prejudice among her followers.

A prime example is the situation that occurred between Raichik and ItGetsBetter. ItGetsBetter is a non-profit organization that helps uplift LGBTQ+ youth around the world. The “50 States, 50 Grants, 5,000 Voices” initiative gives $10,000 to elected schools, the grantees, to improve the lives local queer students (itgetsbetter.org). This initiative gained wide media coverage after Columbia’s Rock Bridge High School’s GSA (gender and sexuality alliance) received this money for a project titled “Coming Out of the Closet in Style Clothing Closet” which would allow students to change into gender-affirming clothing in school to better express themselves (Muñoz, 2022). When Chaya Raichik found out about this initiative, she took to her Twitter account and posted the following:

“This org [ItGetsBetter] is giving grants to teachers so they can get more LGBTQ+ books and make “gender affirming closets” in schools. The closets usually offer “trans” and “nonbinary” kids clothing, tucking tape, and chest binders to use in school and typically is kept secret from parents. These are the people teaching your kids” [@LibsOfTikTok]

This tweet employs loaded language to create a negative image of the situation. Phrases like "typically kept secret from parents" suggest a nefarious intent, insinuating that schools, teachers, and organizations are hiding something from parents. The use of scare quotes around "trans" and "nonbinary" implies skepticism or disdain for these identities, furthering the negative tone.

Raichik does not only target children and schools, she also targets fully grown adults. Mark Bryan is a 61-year-old grandfather of four and has been happily married to his wife for over 10 years. Bryan works in robotics engineering and coaches a local soccer team along with having an Instagram with over half a million followers. According to Interview Magazine, he “loves cycling, fast cars, and beautiful women” (Katz, 2021). The only main difference between him, and let’s say, your grandfather, is that Mark Bryan wears skirts and heels to work nearly every day. Bryan makes it very clear in all his Instagram posts that he is a cisgender, heterosexual man, and his audience has no reason to doubt him. His posts are in no way lewd, sexual, or suggestive; however, Chaya Raichik seems to disagree.

“This man [Mark Bryan] is being celebrated for flaunting his f*tish [sic] for wearing women’s clothing to work. Would you hire someone like this?” [@LibsOfTikTok]

The tweet uses a rhetorical question to prompt a response from the audience, implying that Bryan's choice of clothing is a fetish. This choice of words aims to cast Bryan's actions in a negative light, appealing to societal prejudices and stereotypes. By suggesting that simply wearing clothes that do not align with traditional gender norms is a fetish, Raichik perpetuates the harmful idea that clothing determines gender and gender determines sex. This stereotype not only affects transgender individuals but also impacts gender non-conforming cisgender people. The tweet is designed to provoke a negative emotional response, painting Bryan's behavior as derogatory and judgmental. It seeks to discredit him without offering any substantial evidence, relying instead on societal biases against those who challenge gender norms.

It is understandable why one might be confused when it comes to gender expansive people, fear comes from a place of ignorance. But that is why the Trans Youth Equality Foundation exists! The Trans Youth Equality Foundation (TYEF) is a non-profit organization that provides essential education, advocacy, and support for transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming youth and their families. Their website hosts a wealth of information on crucial topics such as chest binding, tucking, gender-affirming surgery, queer sexual education, protesting, transitioning to college, and coming out (transyouthequality.org). These resources are invaluable for individuals navigating their gender identities, offering answers to often uncomfortable and uncommon questions. It is vital to recognize that queer children deserve the same level of knowledge, comfort, and support as cisgender/heterosexual children, especially when they feel unable to confide in their parents. However, this message of support seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as Chaya Raichik tweeted a troubling accusation against TYEF.

“BREAKING: LGBTQ youth advocacy organization @TYEFofficial offers to secretly send 13-year-old a chest binder behind her parents’ backs. We posed as a teen girl and they encouraged her to choose another family, get a job to pay for s*x [sic] change surgery, and bashed her Trump supporter parents as “brainwashed.” This is grooming 101. Cut out the parents, isolate the child, and coax the kid into turning against their parents. How many kids has this organization already harmed?!” [@LibsOfTikTok]

Here, Raichik falsely accuses TYEF of encouraging a 13-year-old to get a job to pay for "s*x change surgery." This claim is entirely baseless, as no such discussion of surgery occurred in this so-called interview. Raichik's narrative of "grooming" and "cutting out the parents" is not only unfounded but also dangerous. It demonizes organizations like TYEF that work tirelessly to support LGBTQ+ youth and creates a harmful narrative of victimhood and conspiracy. This misleading rhetoric from Raichik encourages her followers to distrust reputable organizations like TYEF, despite their critical work in providing safe and affirming spaces for young individuals. Following the publication of her tweet, Susan Maasch, the director of TYEF, became the target of doxxes, bomb threats, and death threats. These threats not only put Maasch's safety at risk but also undermined the vital work that TYEF does in supporting vulnerable youth.

Raichik seems to have no issue undermining the hard work of a non-profit organization, but it did not stop after TYEF. The #pridebelongsinpreschools initiative emerged in June of 2021 from a small organization—approximately 200 followers in total—called Resilience Together (also known as Rise to Resilience). This organization shared infographics expressing their belief that pronouns and gender identities should be supported by teachers and administration. Somehow, New York native, Chaya Raichik, discovered this initiative and tweeted:

“SCOOP: This resource called “Pride Belongs in Preschool” was part of a teacher training in Providence Schools in RI. It encourages teachers to discuss gender neutral pronouns, gender norms, and explore gender identity with toddlers. They’re after your kids.” [@LibsOfTikTok]

For context, the Resilience Together infographic states the following:

“Children begin to be able to stereotypical gender groups between 18 and 24 months. Children can often categorize their own gender by age 3. Children may begin to “perform” their gender based on adult expectations, despite their authentic gender identity. Educators and school staff are responsible to support children’s health development. Healthy development is supported by children seeing their identities represented.” [@resiliencetogether]

As mentioned previously, this organization has a small following, so the likelihood of an entire school district adopting this "training" is minuscule. Therefore, not only is Raichik's tweet factually incorrect, but it is also misguided in its reasoning. If this information is indeed backed by science and social psychology, then what is the issue with implementing these practices in a classroom setting?

The final line, “They’re after your kids,” is a prime example of exploiting parental fears. Raichik insinuates that the teacher training program encourages discussing gender identity with toddlers, framing it as a threat to children. By preying on the fears of parents who may not fully understand or be comfortable with these discussions, she aims to incite panic and resistance to progressive educational initiatives.

Finally, and most outrageously, Raichik targeted Boston’s Childrens’ Hospital. Why, you may ask? Because, on their website, there was a picture of a young child under the “gender affirming cares” tab. So Raichik took to Twitter, stating:

“If a hospital has the words “gender affirming care” with a picture of a 3-year-old, that’s a sign to run the other way as fast as possible. Why would a doctor need to “affirm” a 3-year-old’s gender? Boston’s Children’s Hospital chemically castrates and mutilates children.” [@LibsOfTikTok]

Raichik uses extreme language, accusing doctors of "chemically castrating and mutilating children," which aims to evoke horror and disgust. Raichik suggests that if a hospital promotes "gender-affirming care" using an image of a 3-year-old, it is a reason to avoid the hospital entirely. She questions why a doctor would need to affirm a 3-year-old's gender and accuses Boston's Children's Hospital of performing hysterectomies on minors. This inflammatory rhetoric not only misrepresents the hospital's practices but also contributes to a climate of fear and misunderstanding around gender-affirming care.

These baseless accusations led to harassment campaigns, including bomb threats. In February 2024, NBC News reported that at least 33 instances of bomb threats were made against organizations that Raichik had previously targeted in her posts. Alarmingly, in at least 3 instances, these bomb threats resulted in criminal charges against at least 9 individuals (Brochstein, 2024). This demonstrates the dangerous real-world consequences of spreading false information and using social media platforms to target organizations and individuals.

In conclusion, the rhetoric of @LibsOfTikTok is not just about expressing opinions; it's a strategic campaign to manipulate and radicalize followers against the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Raichik's use of targeted tweets, misinformation, character assassination, and fearmongering is a dangerous cocktail that can and do have real-world consequences, as stated previously. It fosters a climate of intolerance, division, and hostility, undermining efforts for inclusivity and acceptance. As responsible consumers of social media, it is crucial to approach such content with critical thinking and awareness of the rhetorical tactics at play. By understanding the strategies used by influencers like @LibsOfTikTok, we can better navigate the online landscape and work towards a more well-rounded, informed, and empathetic society. It is not just about exposing the tactics of online influence; it's about actively resisting and countering the harmful narratives that seek to divide us.

[luckloveandwaterfalls]

hi :> are there any characters from other media you think would thrive in the aouv world?

hi!!

i feel like lila bard from the shades of magic series would be pretty chill with the aouv world. she'd be like, i can control magick with just rings on my fingers? sick. plus if she ran out of spellrings she would pull out her many knives and just solve her problems that way.

idk if anyone has seen the tv show leverage, but sophie devereaux would be perfect in the tournament (if she was a lot younger ofc). she's a grifter and would be perfect at forming alliances and convincing ppl not to betray her/betraying others so cleverly that they don't realize they're walking into a trap.

also i recently finished reading the priory of the orange tree and i think ead would thrive in the aouv universe! niclays would be the exact opposite and it would be so funny. he would be grumbling next to the spellmaking society about the youths and getting pissed off abt the blood moon affecting his daily routine.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Nathalie Baptiste at HuffPost:

WASHINGTON ― Hundreds of mostly white women gathered at a swanky downtown hotel to hear prominent conservative speakers and strategize with other moms about how to spread their message across the country. Decked out in everything from stylish pantsuits, light-up American-flag jackets and, obviously, Donald Trump swag, the crowd at the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors National Summit cheered and hollered as speaker after speaker spewed hate about transgender people ― all under the guise of protecting children.

[...] At the 2024 summit this week, the focus was on fearmongering about trans kids and criticizing school employees who support them. “There’s no such thing as a transgender child,” Tiffany Justice, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, told HuffPost in an interview. Her position is a common one among conservatives, who have taken to attacking trans rights around the country ― even as less than 1% of the U.S. population identifies as trans. The right wing has attacked gender-affirming care as “child abuse,” though the American Pediatrics Association says such care can be lifesaving by reducing the risk of suicidal ideation.

Seth Dillon, CEO of the conservative satire website Babylon Bee, talked about “gender madness” when he addressed the crowd. Actor Rob Schneider, who had a prime-time speaking slot on Thursday night, claimed that children were getting “mutilated.” Texas state Rep. Shawn Thierry, who lost her primary this spring, announced that she was leaving the Democratic Party in part because of members’ views on transgender youth. Maud Maron, a former New York City community education council member who was removed from her post for sending anti-transgender text messages, claimed men were playing in women’s sports. “I think the federal government pushing child abuse really concerns American parents,” Justice said when asked why there was so much focus on trans issues at the summit. “Cutting off the healthy body parts of children is pretty extreme, right?” she said. “We’re cutting off the healthy body parts of girls.” She was referring to gender-affirming surgeries such as mastectomies, which are very rarely performed on minors.

At a panel on writing laws that protect parental rights, the session was laser-focused on transgender children. The speakers addressed the audience about how, through legislation, they can put a stop to “secret social transitions,” or schools transitioning children without telling their parents.

“We’re getting calls from parents saying this is happening at our school,” claimed Matt Sharp, senior counselor at Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing legal group. (It is not uncommon for transgender children to be out at school but not at home if they don’t feel safe telling their parents.)

[...] January Littlejohn, a Florida mom, had a similar story. She said her daughter wanted to transition after some of her friends did. The school held a meeting with the child, Littlejohn said, but refused to tell her the details of the meeting. Littlejohn had a warning to the parents in the room. “Parents of young children and grandparents, you need to be actively inoculating your children against this,” she said, claiming that “the faucet of gender ideology is free flowing” on social media. She also railed against allyship, claiming that children were being “indoctrinated” into being allies. “If you see buzzwords like ‘inclusivity’ and ‘safe and welcoming,’ that means gender ideology is alive and well in that school,” she warned.

At the Moms For Liberty’s Joyful Warriors National Summit this weekend, numerous speakers, including Tiffany Justice, Seth Dillon, and Rob Schneider, uttered out anti-trans statements.