#also why so much salad???

[bairdthereader]

Heartstopper Elders: Coach Singh

One thing I admire about a lot of Alice's work is that for every cruel, bigoted, neglectful, or just bewildered parent, there is often a contrasting adult figure to fill in the gaps.

Many of the teens in Heartstopper are wise beyond their years, keenly observant, and maturely even-tempered in a way that some critics say is unrealistic. (I'd argue that all of them have been through life experiences that made them that way, but that's a post for another day.) Despite this, they still sometimes need guidance and a safe place to land. Alice is brilliant in the changes they made to the show to bring minor comic characters to the fore who provide that counsel and safety. I'll start with Coach Singh for this post.

---

Priya Singh occupies a pivotal role in Nick's life. She's a uniquely placed outside observer who watches as the part of Nick’s life that (until Charlie) made up a lot of his identity and supplied the bulk of his friend group transforms into a space where Nick has to walk the knife’s edge between his old, false self and his emerging and evolving true self. Though she doesn't completely understand the impetus behind it at first, she sees Nick's relationship with his teammates deteriorate and knows that something has changed for Nick. And she has to have noticed that that change happened simultaneously with Charlie’s joining the team. 

When Nick enters Coach Singh's office after she walks in on him and Charlie, he's prepared to be chastised, and possibly assumes he'll be stripped of his captaincy. You can see it in his defensive, protective, and even resigned posture and facial expressions.

It’s interesting that in the comic Coach Singh makes Nick the captain during this conversation, whereas in the show Nick has already been rugby captain for a while at this point. This is a clever change, because it establishes that Nick and Coach Singh have a closer relationship than average, built on mutual respect (as would be necessitated by Nick's holding that position on the team) and it adds a layer of complexity to the strained relationship he now has with the rest of the team. He's responsible, in some ways, for the morale and cohesion of the team and yet now he can't see eye to eye with them. Knowing Nick, this conflict of loyalties would cause him a lot of guilt, especially because--no matter how many jokes are made about his status as rugby king--Nick is actually very good at rugby, works very hard at it, and clearly cares about the sport itself. (In the comic Coach Singh tells Nick she thinks he could pursue rugby after school.) So when this conversation starts, Nick is worried about the status of his captaincy, his relationship with Coach Singh, his relationship with Charlie, and his role in his team's struggles, not to mention his repeated attempts to come out to the few teammates he's starting to feel he can trust again. That's an awful lot for one person to carry.

Coach Singh handles the whole situation beautifully. She starts by reminding Nick, clearly and forcefully, why she made him captain in the first place. Though her delivery is brusque and could be interpreted as corrective, I think by starting the conversation here she's telling Nick that she knows Nick's positive qualities, especially the ability to bring people together, are still part of him, no matter what else is going on at the moment. She's communicating that she understands that the problems that have come up this term aren't, ultimately, his fault. Nick feels such a sense of responsibility that, though he knows he's in the right in this situation, he still feels guilty for the way things are going with the team, so Coach Singh's reassurance at this point is critical.

Then she quickly proceeds to emphatically put herself in his corner: "If any of the lads say anything out of line, you tell me immediately." Nick is very obviously surprised by this show of support and relieved that he's receiving it at all.

Coach Singh reinforces this support by sharing her own coming out story with Nick--making herself vulnerable so that he might feel more comfortable being vulnerable as well--and showing him that she really does understand what he's going through. She reassures him that he is under no obligation to come out, a reminder that Nick needs to hear often because he puts so much pressure on himself to tell people. She's also carefully signaling that Nick can trust her not to out him to the team.

So now, not only does Nick have someone he deeply respects and who is already a fierce, experienced fighter in this particular arena standing by him, supporting him, protecting him (and, by extension, Charlie), but he has a safe base at school, something he desperately needs. His relief at the end of this conversation is palpable. Nick received safety in a part of his life where he has not felt safe for quite a while.

It's worth noting that Charlie has a lot of important moments with Coach Singh as well. Knowing Charlie already from phys ed and his running accomplishments, and likely also as a past victim of bullying, her watchful gaze is naturally going to be on him as he ventures onto the rugby team. She knows that sport can be a rough place for queer people and clearly feels some concern. Her frown here isn't so much about Charlie's trouble getting the hang of a rugby play--she knows he can do it--but about the other boys' teasing reaction to his struggle.

She's always happy to see him, always encouraging him without condescending to him, and vocally praises him in front of his classmates (important!). She shows the other boys that Charlie is someone to be admired, even emulated.

Coach Singh shows Charlie repeatedly that she knows he's capable of anything he sets his mind to. She even manages to correct some of his negative self-talk that is rooted in his unconscious internalization of damaging gay stereotypes, a brilliant mini teaching moment that I think often gets missed.

She's clearly very disturbed and upset by his decision to leave the team, knowing on some level that his reasons for doing so must be very distressing but that he's unwilling to discuss it.

Then she welcomes him back with open arms (literally) when he asks to rejoin the team, knowing that this means Charlie is back in a place where he feels at least some of the confidence he needs to face this challenge again.

I mean, look at her face ⬆️ She may not be loud about it, but Coach Singh is a Charlie champion.

Bonus: Coach Singh will call. you. out.

[bipunkharrington]

There's something that infuriates me so much about people mocking characters that fall into the "not like other girls" trap, because the reasons girls take on that stance is because they exist in a society that tries to put womanhood and femininity in a restrictive box that tells them who and how they should be.

They're generally mocked and derided for not wishing to conform to stereotypical femininity, but when they lash out in entirely predictable but ultimately unhelpful ways (by being dismissive and rude about other women and femininity in general) instead of understanding that it's a product of growing up in a society that's restricting them and punishing them for not conforming (either by choice or inability) so many people who claim to be feminists choose to mock them or make them out to be the cause of the problem rather than a symptom. Whether its being mocked in real life, or watching people deride the fictional characters they relate to, this behaviour just alienates those girls even further into thinking that the issue is other women, and confirms their belief that women who are typically feminine will only ever be derisive toward them and that they're somehow fundamentally different from other women.

If you know someone who thinks along those "I'm not like other girls" lines instead of mocking them try directing them towards resources that can help them understand where that harmful rhetoric comes from, and when you're critiquing characters that fit that mold try to consider why they behave that way, and what girls who see themselves in those characters take from your commentary.

[aliciavance4228]

Bruh... 💀

[lemonynuggets]

being fictionkin can be so stupid sometimes. Yeah I don’t eat this food bc this fictional character that happens to be me went through horrors that had to do with this food but now I gotta make up an excuse to explain why I don’t eat it when people ask me about it.

[tennessoui]

girl your hanahaki au is absolutely wrecking my shit i--- I don't ever read ongoing fics and this is why. I just cannot wait?!? But the waiting somehow makes it better too?!? I'm literally dead bro I can't I love it so much

hahah omg thank you !! I’m really happy to hear you took a chance on this wip and that you like it so much!

not to get on my soapbox or anything but you have given me a great corner to shout from

as a disclaimer I totally understand why people will choose not to read wips and I truly think you know your mental health and what you can stand to wonder about/think about/obsess over/NEED to know a conclusion for better than anyone else

BUT as a writer who almost exclusively posts in wips, people reading them before they’re finished is my life blood and I am so grateful and it makes the writing process so much more fun for me because I know at least someone else is invested in my brainworm of a story?? someone else is enjoying it and thinking about it and I’m putting a small amount of good into the world??

the best analogy I’ve been able to come up with is like:

when you read a finished fic you’re eating a whole meal and that’s great that’s so amazing (especially if you tell the cook you liked it after you’re done). and you’re literally always welcome to eat that meal whenever you want. finished fics are like standing dinner invitations: I am always happy to have you and I mean that very genuinely

but if you read a wip, you’re keeping me company in the kitchen while I cook. and that’s sort of priceless. in some instances, you can even tell me the food needs more spice and I’ll think about it and listen!!! you’re sitting on my kitchen counter as I bustle around my space and we’re talking about what I’m doing and also how I’m feeling and maybe how you’re feeling and it just feels like community more than anything else I’ve experienced in any fandom. like you’re with me in my space as I’m creating food I hope you like. we’re both invested and it’s amazing

and I think in general that’s why wips are a lot of fun and also maybe why the waiting between chapters is fun for you - you’ve suggested that I add paprika to the pot and you’re waiting and wondering if I will, and I’m laughing and hoping you like the soup either way but also wondering if paprika will work with the recipe, and if I can add a bit to it just for you while staying true to the dish I envisioned at the get go.

[ioannemos]

spent my whole shift on the line and Not Liking It At All. this is why i only wanted to work in the back. my fingertips hurt from hot food and my hands got So Dry from washing my hands a million times and there were tons of little things that annoy me. like. we have three kinds of bowls and three kinds of large plates. WHY

[anxietybumblebee]

I'm fucking SCREAMING wdym I've worked in this kitchen for seven months and my first cut is from a BAG OF HARD-BOILED EGGS.

[mechahero]

@asurastro asked- I think a Fanon Lambda just gets traits added on every other week/month or something. Not even in a multiverse way just the same mainverse Lambda getting heaped with details that aren't accurate. Fandom infighting results because they're confident Lambda would cheat on a partner vs grant pardons to everyone who's ever committed wrongdoing against Motor City. Tell me what the “fanon” interpretation of my OC if they were a canon character would be (accepting!)

//Oh too true. People adding traits to a character and then treating those traits as if they are canon and getting into fights because someone else points out that that's not something a character does/would do happens a lot in fandoms. So for Lambda to get hit with the random roulette so frequently... I can only imagine massive, insult laden fights and people shouting down other people rightfully pointing out that he wouldn't do (insert trait/thing that is way way out of his wheelhouse).

A lot of it would probably also stem from the fandom outright ignoring how he would hate, to use your example here, cheating. Or, tied in with that, ignoring something pre-established for something that likely won't make complete sense with him. Which yes, it's having fun and what not but there comes a point where it would better off being made an AU or a different verse instead of tacking it onto a main verse and getting pissed at people when they don't go along with it.

Tl;dr it would be a mess lmao.

[computerpeople]

Do any of your alters have different voices?

no and yes, so the few i can audibly hear and hallucinate the voices of (nero is the only one i can think of) has a specific voice, which is actually why i thought i had DID when i was 15 because thats when i first started hearing that. which then got ruled out as psychosis. he sounds like aloise trancys english dub. but when im hearing them as "inner thinking" no, because i don't think in sound my inner monologue isn't spoken it's. like. words. like i dont see the words but its the same feeling you get when youre reading and you start "hallucinating" to the reading youre doing, like with a book? like its just already there

[ambreiiigns]

brother's top almost-10 slasher-esque movies that i made him watch coming to you live except we feel like we're forgetting something

[trifoliate-undergrowth]

Daily pet peeve: why do people act like salad is a punishment. Salad is crisp and good and can be customized to have any combination of different leaves toppings or dressings. If you simply do not like any salad, just find another type and preparation of vegetable to eat that you enjoy. Salad gets such bad PR it's the boring health weirdo food. Yes you should eat a variety of foods and balance your nutrition but I really don't think that hating on salad and talking about how nobody likes salad is helping with that. If you don't like it just eat something else that you do like. Why is salad a joke

[todayisafridaynight]

whenever you srb your masadai content i always start to tear up bc its just soooooooo good and i need more

bro imagine how my brain must feel with havin thoughts about these knuckleheads every other hour and not being able to share them all

[claratyler]

started off my day realizing that in order to finish my scores and parts for my string piece i need to talk to the person who directed its premiere to make sure how he'd notate a tempo change we decided on during rehearsal (which wasnt in the original score). But its the holidays and i cant get a hold of him 😭

Carried on my day researching clarinet extended techniques, which was quite productive but then i reached the part about multiphonics only to realize how imprecise my microtonal ear is, because as these multiphonics are out of tune, i realize how much of a hard time i'm having fully identifying them (are they too sharp? Too flat? Are all the pitches off which means the interval relation is also off and therefore deceiving my ear?)

Am now ending it by having emailed a microtonal music specialist about her manual on microtonal ear training and composition, to see if its worth purchasing

[crypticpine]

Guys what do you do when you have a bad day that's actually healthy for your mental health cause pretending everything is fine is starting to crack and I cried 3 times today and I'm about to go on a 4th.

[autobahnmp3]

im hooome im filled with sugar and espresso

[milo-is-rambling]

I LOVE YOU PAST MILO -current Milo nauseas head in a sparkling clean toilet I cleaned literally a half hour ago and then got too high while celebrating how clean it looked and feel sick now😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭