#and should be equally as illegal for kids

[sarroth]

I had this similar talk with my wife not too long ago. She hates Trump and MAGA but was appalled when I suggested that I was unsure how much compromise was left, how much bipartisanship could happen.

But just look at the examples. When there is little fact to political decisions, just ‘Democrats liked this so it must stop,’ what middle ground is there?

- Where’s the compromise between ‘Abortion is sometimes proper medical care and is thus an individual right to be decided between a person and their doctors’ and ‘Abortion is murder.’

- Where’s the compromise between ‘All people should have equal rights’ and ‘Religion should not be forced on anyone’ and arguments like ‘Homosexuals and transgender people are sinners and our religion prevents us from treating them like equals and requires us to force other people to treat them as subhuman’ or ‘All people should have rights’ and ‘People who come here illegally are presumed guilty of everything and no legal protections should be allowed cover them, even the plain language of our constitution, and we don’t even need to make efforts to keep kids in contact with their parents; it’s their fault we orphaned them.’

- Where’s the compromise between ‘Our country spent most of the last 250 years protecting the rights of just white men and steps must be done to even the playing field’ and ‘Any minority hire is suspect unless they are a registered Republican voter and we cannot even look at whether there is still discriminatory outcomes because to just ask the question is racist.’ I know this last one isn’t said like that out loud but it’s frankly the meaning behind their actions.

- Where’s the compromise between ‘American’s rights to guns should come with required training and other protections for people’s safety’ and ‘Even domestically violent people who are threats of harm to others should be allowed to have guns with no conditions.’ Currently the compromise is that at least these people can’t have explosives I guess, which I worry about even mentioning because there are fucking psychos out there who think the 2nd Amendment should prevent any restrictions on even military weaponry. Like wtf.

Compromise requires agreeing on facts. Democrats can agree on some tax relief for some businesses, but Republicans so often don’t compromise on that, as they want full on Trickle Down Economics with just the occasional sprinkle of help for the working class to feel cared for. Democrats wanted to compromise on border security, but Republicans wanted it done their way, so no meaningful change occurred. You mentioned Roe v Wade as a compromise; that seems absolutely right. Then you get politicians claiming democrats want to abort newborns - abortion by definition is of unborn children, so they are just lying. The Affordable Care Act was a compromise between what other countries do and many Americans want and what wasn’t working in our country and we got the death panels lies you mention; and today, with a majority of Americans now in support of the ACA, you still get Republicans focusing on the minority who don’t like it and threatening to dismantle it without any alternative plan. We can barely compromise to just keep the government open. We can’t even compromise on a vaccine created under Trump because one of his few good accomplishments got turned on by his fanatical, science-hating base, and so he stopped shouting about getting that done and he loves to talk about how good he thinks he is.

So I guess we compromise on infrastructure at least, maybe? That then republican politicians who were actually against it claim to have made happen once the projects impact their community? That Republican voters will probably think Trump made happen because voters think

On Consequences: What About Fuck Around And Find Out Don't You Get?

As anyone with two functioning brain cells could have predicted, people who voted for Trump and those who sat out the last election because “both sides are equally bad,” are experiencing the “Find Out” portion of “Fuck Around, Find Out.”

From MAGA farmers in the Heartland whining about losing their livelihoods, to “Latinos For Trump” voters crying about their abuela being deported, to people who voted for Trump who are finding out they are losing their government jobs due to DOGE, the Find Out Portion of Trump’s second administration is just getting started.

Am I surprised? Fuck no! What would happen if he won again was blatantly obvious to anyone with a brain, moral compass, and basic understanding of…well…just about anything.

Do I care? Fuck no! It isn’t the fault of those of us who threw up warning flags, shot off flares, and screamed until we were hoarse that the things we said were going to happen if he got reelected, happened. That burden of responsibility is not on us, no matter how hard some try to make it so.

Should I care? According to those “Finding Out,” the media, and the moral scolds on the left, I’m supposed to care. Their arguments for caring come in three different forms: Compassion, Sympathy, and Non-Alienation.

I’m supposed to be compassionate towards those who are suffering, regardless of the reasons for their pain.

Really? The people who have spent the past twenty years bitching about participation trophies want one now because they are on the losing end of their play and want me to comfort them with orange slices, a big trophy that has “We Are Not Losers,” engraved on it, and a hug? Hell, even if I believed in a participation trophy culture, I wouldn’t extend it to those who voted for Trump or didn’t vote in 2024.

A soccer team of kids who get beat 20-0 at least tried their best. They put in the work at practices, played the best game they could, and lost. MAGA voters didn’t’ do jack. They didn’t put forth any effort to understand any issues. They walked onto the field of play, handed in their lineup, and didn’t do another damn thing. The people who sat out the election did even less.

What do I mean by, “they didn’t do another damn thing”? All the information about the Democratic Party’s agenda, Kamala Harris’ record, and policies were readily available for anyone to see. So too, were Trump’s. All the things Trump is doing were things he, or those close to him, said they were going to do. EVERY SINGLE FUCKING THING!

Why in the fuck would I be compassionate to anyone who willfully denied and/or ignored this?

Fuck them! My compassion goes to the people who are going to suffer from Trump’s policies who did the right things, made the right choices, and actually put forth an effort. That’s who deserves my compassion. Not some farmer in Iowa who put a fifty-foot billboard of “Trump 2024” on his land who is now scrambling to save the farm that has been in his family for generations. Actions, choices, and elections have consequences. Hence the “Find Out” part of FOFA.

Along the same lines, I don’t have sympathy for these people for what they are going through.

Do I wish these terrible things to happen to people who made bad choices? Not really. But, that is the only way they might (very heavy emphasis on “might,”) learn. Until the consequences of their actions are severe enough, and maybe not even then, people are not going to learn. If they keep getting bailed out, financially, emotionally, culturally… there is no incentive for them to learn.

How many times do Republican policies have to fuck over rural America before they learn a lesson? It’s been almost all of my sixty-four years and they not only haven’t learned a lesson, they’ve doubled, tripled, and quadrupled down on their loyalty to the GOP.

How many times do Democratic policies have to bail out these same people before they get any credit for it? Obama and Biden not only saved the US auto and energy sectors but helped make them better. Their reward for this? Having areas dominated by these industries vote Republican. This is just one of hundreds of examples like this I could give.

Am I supposed to have compassion and sympathy for these people? Fuck that!

I’m pretty sure the people pushing the “compassion and sympathy” arguments know they are pushing garbage which is why many of them have shifted to the more nuanced, though equally garbage, “let’s not alienate the Find Out crowd because that won’t get them on your side.”

This argument might sound reasonable except those touting it never can give examples of it working. Obama bent over backward to accommodate Republicans. The Affordable Care Act was more Republican-based than Democratic. What was his reward for this? Being called a Marxist socialist who was creating death panels that would end Pappy’s and Memaw’s lives, to provide on-demand abortion to drug-using moochers from San Francisco.

I have yet to see anyone provide a real example of a Democratic statement, position, or policy that actually changed a MAGA’s mind. The argument being made is basically:

1-Bad things are happening to Republicans because of their choices. 2-Dems should not point this out because it will alienate Republicans. 3-If Democrats don’t point this out, then Republicans will learn the error of their ways.

The faulty logic is in believing what Dems do or not do has any influence over Republicans. There is no causation here.

It is understandable, on some level, why people might believe this argument. Hundreds, if not thousands, of articles and even more media hot takes have been put forth pushing the causation between what Dems say/do and Republicans’ choices.

It’s not the Republicans’ fault they support a racist, misogynist, criminal. The Dems made them by (fill in the blank.)

The paradigm of this causation argument is whenever a Republican comes out and says something blatantly racist the justification they give for doing so and the excuse given for them by the media is, “If Dems hadn’t called them “racist,” they wouldn’t have said/done something racist.”

No ownership of their actions. No personal responsibility from The Party Of Personal Responsibility. They flip the causation completely around to justify their actions. It wasn’t what they said or did that led to someone calling them a “racist,” it was someone calling them a “racist,” that did it. It is Bizarro World Logic.

Today’s Republicans don’t want compromise. That concept has been beaten out of them through years of Newt Gingrich tactics, Rush Limbaugh talking points, and FOX News. As long as this is the mindset of conservatives, there is NOTHING Democrats can do or say that will not alienate them.

Everything the Democratic Party stands for would have to be abandoned, to partially satisfy MAGA. As the Democratic Party, whose rights are we willing to sacrifice, to win the vote of the farmer in Iowa who is upset Trump’s policies are going to cost him his farm?

I don’t fucking negotiate with terrorists. I especially don’t negotiate with white supremacist domestic terrorists. Once you do this, they will ALWAYS demand more. Roe v Wade WAS the compromise when it comes to abortion. How did that turn out? Were the right satisfied? Did they accept it and move the fuck on? Nope. Now that SCOTUS has said that abortion is up to the states, do you think the right is happy? Nope. Until they get 100% of what they want, they will never satiated.

If you understand the nature of modern-day American conservatism and its ties to Evangelical Christianity, then you know, without a doubt, they cannot be reasoned with, no amount of evidence, compassion, or sympathy, is going to get them to change their minds, at least not on any meaningful level.

This is why there are no fucks left in my basket to hand out to anyone, no matter how much they are suffering, for the choices they made on November 5th, 2024.

All my fucks are reserved for those who made the right choices but are going to suffer anyway.

The pragmatist, realist, and ethicist in me are fine with this. As my mom used to tell me, “You can’t change people who don’t want to change and until they hit bottom, they will never change.” Applying this to anyone, especially people who care about isn’t easy. Applying it to a good chunk of your fellow citizens is perhaps more difficult, but more important.

[coldretard]

How to Naturally Balance Your Hormones

Get enough protein. Proteins provide amino acids that your body cannot make on its own and are needed to produce peptide hormones. These hormones play a crucial role in regulating several physiological processes, including growth, energy metabolism, appetite, stress, and more.

Get enough sleep. Sleep is one of the most important factors in hormonal imbalance. The levels of hormones can rise and fall throughout the day due to the quality of sleep.

Exercise regularly. Getting enough physical activity strongly influences your hormonal health. It enhances hormone receptor sensitivity, helping the delivery of nutrients and hormone signals.

Maintain a moderate weight. Weight gain is directly associated with hormonal imbalances. Obesity relates to a lack of ovulation in women. Eating within your calorie range can help maintain hormonal balance.

Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber plays a role in gut health, helping regulate hormones like insulin.

Watch your gut health. Your gut produces numerous metabolites that can affect hormone health.

Eat healthy fats. Healthy fat intake can work to maintain balanced hormones that are involved with appetite, metabolism, and feeling full.

Lower sugar intake. Minimizing added sugar intake can help balance hormones. Eating added sugar promotes insulin resistance, and fructose intake is linked to disruptions in the gut microbiome, ultimately leading to hormonal imbalances.

Reduce stress. Stress can significantly harm the body’s hormones in many ways. Work to decrease and manage your daily stress.

best resource: logic lol but also Barbara O’Neill 💕

[toughtttz]

I still have a few years for something cool to start rearing it's head I can't handle being stuck with the same starter pack mental illness I have now.

[dearhargrove]

Please pls pls write for Eddie Diaz🥺

Sleepover

Eddie Diaz x reader

summary You're on the way to pick up your son, Liam, but it's hard to get him to go home when he's begging to sleepover at his new friends house. Turns out you don't mind as much when you met said kid and his dad.

word count 995

tags fluff, reader simping over Eddie, kind of open ending

a/n I got this idea randomly so I hope you like this <3

part two

masterlist

“Liam!” You call out when you spot your eight year old son busy playing with another kid. Usually whenever he heard you he'd come running; with every year he turns older you expect his clinging to reduce but it never does. Not like you mind, he may be eight now but he's still your baby.

But today he just glances and waves before continuing to giggle and talk with his new friend.

You're surprised as he usually never stuck with one kid, most of the time he'd even stay by himself. It worried you, even when you figured he just preferred to be by himself and did it by choice and not because he was left out.

One of the teachers at the side shrugs with a smile after seeing Liam and his new friend.

You approach them and put a hand on Liams back before bending down and kissing the top of his head. “Hey, buddy. Did you make a new friend?”

He grins and nods eagerly, “Chris! We've been playing all day. He's my best friend!” You chuckle at the eager introduction and wave at Chris, who looked almost shy if not for the cute grin.

“Well in that case, it's nice to meet you, Chris.” He politely holds out his hand, “It's nice to meet you too, ma'am.” He says quietly and slowly. You melt on the spot and gently shake his hand.

Your son stands up quick enough to knock the top of his head into your chin, leaving you to grunt in pain as he excitedly bounces in his spot. “I have to sleepover at Chris' house!”

Your eyebrows raise as the two boys continue making plans about tonight. You don't want to be the killjoy but for one you had never met the other parents nor had they met you. Otherwise you would've easily agreed; you were just happy Liam had finally made a friend.

“Alright, boys, I'm afraid this won't work out… We don't even know if Chris parents are going to agree,” you say and pointedly look at your son who's about to pout (you couldn't resist him and you would not let him make you feel bad about making a reasonable decision).

“My dad will say yes. He always says yes.” Chris says seriously and pushes his glasses up with his index. You smile as both of them look at you with equally big, pleading eyes.

“I will say yes to what?”

You almost give yourself whiplash with how fast you turn around because whose voice is that sexy? You'd never heard anyone talking that attractive.

And surely when you look at him you basically faint. Brown hair that seemed to be a grown out buzz cut, brown eyes and white teeth with a grin that makes your heart actually stop for a second.

“Sleepover!” Liam yells and then turns shy when the man looks at him with a smile that should be illegal to look that good. “A sleepover? That sounds exciting.” He gets even more attractive in your eyes when he leans over and kisses Chris’ head in greeting. So he was great with kids too? Wow.

He then fixes his gaze on you and you do everything in your power not to fluster as he rakes his eyes over you and back up to look right into yours. “Hey, I'm Eddie. Chris is my son.” He extends his hand and you shake it before remembering to introduce yourself as well.

He smiles at you through it and if it wasn't for Liam gently clinging to your hand as he and Chris watch you and Eddie talk you'd have actually lost it.

“So these two want to have a sleepover?” The boys both yell in agreement and you laugh, shushing your son a bit. Eddie looks at you with a questioning look and you shrug your shoulders. He had something trustful about him and with the way he acted with both the kids he already checked a few boxes.

But still, this was your son and you wouldn't leave him overnight with - practically - a stranger.

“My dad is a firefighter, he will protect us.” Chris mentions and you look at Eddie in surprise. He chuckles a bit bashfully but nods, “I'm with the 118.” You hum in recognition, “I work at the dispatch center.” He looks surprised now and you chuckle as he comments, “That's a coincidence.”

After that conversation flows easy and after probably fifteen minutes is Liam who pulls your sleeve with an impatient pout. You coo and pick him up with ease, letting him wrap his arms around your neck as he sleepily rests against you.

“Chris is clingy too, I feel like I shouldn't be indulging him so much, but…” Eddie starts and you see him ruffling Chris’ hair with a fond look as the boy looks at his dad with pure adoration.

“It's hard to resist. Yeah, same here.” You hum and both of you laugh a bit.

The teacher takes note of both the kids being picked up and you start walking to the parking lot after getting the backpacks. Chris is on crutches you note and slow your steps for him to comfortably keep up.

“Sleepover?” Liam asks again after - you were quite sure - a nap. Eddie tilts his head and looks at you, giving you the chance to decide.

Wow. So far he's more than just a green flag.

“How about we do a few meet ups first?” You suggest and both boys groan but ultimately agree.

Eddie nods and after letting Chris into the car he turns back to you and holds out his phone with a small smile, “Just so we can, you know, organize their play dates.”

Your heart actually stops for a second before resuming twice as fast and you take his phone to put your contact in.

“I'll see you around.” You smile and wave, Eddie grinning too as he waves and gets in the car.

[drdemonprince]

I should probably preface this by saying that this is a genuine question, not an attempt to "own" anyone, not a troll, etc. I'm genuinely curious and interested: Has there been any good scientific studies done on the question "Does having a kink about a 'problematic' subject, reading about it, fantazising about it, roleplaying it, etc., make a person more or less likely to do that problematic thing in real life?" Do you know of any good research papers or articles on the subject? Maybe it's a whole field of study?

I feel like if I ever (god help me) would have to defend a position of "other people's kinks, no matter how disgusted they might make me feel personally, are none of my business" to someone, it would be useful to have some kind empirical science to point towards.

Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk saying "source, please?", I'm genuinely interested in reading about it.

So a good place to start here is in thinking about how this kind of topic gets data collected about it. So if you're wondering about the relationship between, for example, fantasizing about bestiality and actually abusing animals, your primary way of being able to study actual, real-world behavioral outcomes would be to identify a source of data on acts of bestiality...which would almost exclusively come from the police state. If you really wanted to study who actually does commit these acts and what their history was, you'd have to look at people who were convicted for having committed animal abuse of a sexual nature.

The problem is, that data isn't necessarily representative of what abuse actually occurs and how often. The police aren't trustworthy, the carceral justice system is profoundly unjust, not every person gets investigated or tried fairly, and even if all those systems DID operate justly and fairly, you'd still be missing all the people who never got caught. And we know that since these systems are racist, classist, ableist, etc, that they are not 'catching' real offenders from all groups equally. Poor & Black people who have committed these acts are most likely to get caught, rich & white ones least likely. And so the data is skewed.

This is FURTHER complicated by the fact that even if you do look at this data, you are only seeing the people who *have* harmed animals sexually, not the people that haven't, and so that is going to be susceptible to confirmation bias of your prior assumptions and not be representative of the whole population if you use it to draw conclusions. So, for instance, if you look at the porn habits of every person who has been convicted for bestiality, you will probably find a lot of bestiality porn (both fantasy and real) in their histories. Okay, not surprising... but of the average people watching this porn, how many actually go on to offend and how many don't? We have no way of knowing. And because such an activity is so stigmatized (and in the case of real porn, itself illegal), you're going to not be able to get self-report surveys from the general population on this.

If you did try to give out surveys on this kind of stuff, you might be forced to report any of your respondents who did admit to doing something illegal. It wouldn't really pass most ethics boards to do this research at all.

So you can see why this is such a shadowy field of discussion. The thing to keep in mind is that the number of people who do get arrested for things like bestiality, child sexual abuse (especially the kind that is driven by an attraction to children rather than your garden variety case of a parent abusing their power over their kids in multiple ways, including sexual, but the sex is incidental), etc are very small. These are vanishingly uncommon crimes. and we can't really trust the police state to give us reputable information on this. and it is very hard for scientists to study well, and most who study it do approach it in a pretty sensationalistic way.

So, to answer your question, yes you can hop onto google scholar and dig around for studies on 'paraphilias' and their relationship to criminal offenses, but most of it is going to be profiles of people locked in mental health institutions and jails that SOUNDS super scary and fucking disgusting but is not a good reflection of whatever the hell is going on in the actual world. I think it's evident that a hell of a lot more people are fantasizing about this stuff than are offenders. Especially if we are drawing a distinction between fantasy and porn that depicts actual abuse. The people drawing dogs fucking on like deviant art or whatever probably do not pose any actual threat to real animals 99.99% of the time.

And if and when a person with a desire to DOES harm animals, it is because of the legal construction of animals as property that it is possible for them to do so. once again power is the root of the crime. more than a 'paraphilia' making someone like, evil. a lot of this stuff is values based and a philosophical case about how the world works rather than a specific statistical claim. but the number of real offenses that happen are so vanishingly thin that we could barely empirically study them anyway -- it's too small a sample size, and there is no ability to locate comparison groups of non-offenders who share these kinks.

I hope this helps answer your question. Obviously I am using bestiality as one example here but you could apply this to CNC and rape porn, child abuse and age play porn, etc etc.

[sooniebby]

Hey brother. I ain’t quite sure if you’re receiving this request or not (didn’t figure how to send them corrrctly yet), it could you write something with tsukkishima or Kuroo, please? With a character that is also somewhat smart academically but stupid for other shit. A intelligent himbo, if I can call it that way. And the other character is just feeling this weird sense of pleasure by putting the reader back on his place with some sort of dumbification. Thanks man

ఌ 𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐎 𝐓𝐄𝐓𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐎

꧁ 𝙏𝙚𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙤 𝙭 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 ꧂

Word count › 1.4k

Rating › NSFT

Warnings › you’re very dumb :/

Kinks › light degradation

╭┈─────── ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

╰┈─➤ ＢＥＧＩＮＮＩＮＧ

“That’s not how it works, Nekomata-San…” 

(Name) glanced back at Kenma with a confused look. “Why not? Isn’t the ball supposed to not hit the floor?” 

“Yeah, but…” 

“So then double hitting it should be fine.” 

“We can’t. It’s illegal.” 

“You can’t go to jail for that. There’s no law about it.” 

Kenma wanted to jump off a roof. He simply sighed and shook his head, deciding his mental health was worth more than explaining volleyball to his coach’s grandson. (Name) was honestly just confused on how something could be illegal in a game. 

“Kenma! Oh, afternoon, Nekomata-San.” Lev yelled, quickly bowing towards (Name). 

“Where’s Kuroo?” Kenma asked, wanting someone else to entertain (Name) before his brain turned into mush. 

“Dunno! I just got here,” Lev said, noticing only Yaku and Nekomata (the coach) was there. “Where is everyone?” 

(Name) hummed. “Maybe they got stuck in traffic?” 

“But… they were at school.” Lev said. 

“They could still get stuck in traffic.” 

“But they only have to walk. There’s no cars.” 

Lev looked confused out of his mind while Kenma simply wondered how could someone be so stupid but be one of the smartest kids at the school. He sometimes wondered if it was the price (Name) had to pay to be a top student. 

“What’s today’s date?” (Name) suddenly asked. 

“October 15.” Yaku said, walking over towards them. 

“Ah, It’s Kuroo’s birthday tomorrow!” 

“No, it’s Kenma’s.” 

“Ah,” (Name) blushed in embarrassment. “Sorry, Kenma.” 

“It’s fine.” 

“So are they just getting a party ready for Kenma? Oh, but why wasn’t I told?” Lev pouted. 

“Because you’re annoying.” Yaku grunted. 

Kenma shook his head. “I doubt it’s for me. Wouldn’t they do it tomorrow? We’ll have practice tomorrow too.” 

Nekomata coughed, earning the boys attentions. “(Name)… did you forgot the day you were born?” 

(Name) blinked. “I don’t think so. It’s September 15.” 

His grandfather sighed. “No, it’s today.” 

Kenma wondered how one could forgot their own birthday but he kept his mouth shut. Lev quickly went on a spew of questions on how (Name) could forget while Yaku simply muttered a happy birthday. 

“Ah, but that doesn’t explain why they aren’t here,” (Name) muttered. 

It did but no one had the heart to tell him. 

The door to the gym suddenly opened with Yamamoto, Kuroo, and few other players holding a cake. They yelled out a happy birthday with grins on their faces while (Name) just looked confused. 

“Who’s this for?” 

“Uh, for you.” Yaku said. 

“Ah! Right, thank you!” (Name) took the cake out of Yamamoto’s hands and blew out the candles, a small smile on his lips. After the quick happy birthday song, they all cut the cake into equal slices for everyone. 

“Nekomata-San, did you really forget your own birthday?” Kenma asked once (Name) was left with the largest slice of cake. Birthday boy gets the biggest slice, Nekomata had said. 

(Name) blushed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you… But I was busy worrying about what to get you.” A cute smile appeared on his lips. “I guess I forgot about myself for a moment. I’ll give you your gift tomorrow.” 

“Ah, okay.” Kenma was honestly surprised (Name) would give him something since he had forgot his own not too long ago.

Maybe (Name) just had short term memory.

“Nekomata!” An arm suddenly wrapped itself around (Name)’s neck, causing him to wince. Kuroo grinned mischievously as he pulled (Name) close to him. 

“You’re going to choke him.” 

“He’s fine. Eh, Nekomata, I heard from Lev that you don’t know how volleyball works.” 

(Name) pouted. “I was only wondering why something was illegal if there’s no laws against it.” 

Kuroo blinked, a confused look in his eyes. He wasn't expecting that level of stupidity but he’d ignore it. “Those brains of yours certainly can’t help with everything, huh? It’s okay, though, you have me to teach you.” 

Kenma felt awkward being here. It felt oddly sexual with the way Kuroo was holding (Name) close to him. The more lustful look in his eyes while (Name) looked into it in a way. 

He should go for his sanity sake. “I finished my slice. I’m going to go practice now.” 

“Oh, okay.” (Name) muttered, meekly waving him goodbye. Kuroo simply hummed. 

Kuroo waited until Kenma was gone before pulling (Name) outside. (Name) went along with him, a blush creeping on his face. Once they were outside and behind the gym, Kuroo easily manhandled him to press against the wall. 

“Cute, I love when you play dumb.” Kuroo chuckled, pressing light kisses on (Name)’s neck. 

“I wasn’t!” (Name) mewled. 

Kuroo and (Name) were dating, which was something only Yaku and Yamamoto knew. And it wasn't because they told them. It was more of they were having sex in the locker room and Yaku and Yamamoto hadn’t actually left yet. 

It was a traumatising day for them both but they were nice enough to never tell anyone. (Name) mainly didn’t want his grandfather get angry or anything. 

“Tetsuro, they might hear us,” (Name) muttered, watching as Kuroo pulled down his pants. 

“They’re busy practicing. We can be quick,” Kuroo grinned, reaching down to slip a finger inside only to feel the string of something. He blinked and looked at (Name) who looked as if he wanted to die. 

“Oya? Is this what I think it is?” 

(Name) flushed. “No, it’s not a dildo!” 

Kuroo still wondered what he saw in (Name). “I know that. It’s called a butt plug. I’m shocked you used it,” he laughed, reaching inside to pull it out. (Name) groaned as he felt his hole now clench around nothing. 

“Did you have it inside you all day? Thinking about me…?” Kuroo smirked. 

(Name) pouted. “You said you’ll be happy if I did…” 

“Hm, did I?” Kuroo slipped in two fingers easily, enjoying the needy whines he earned from him. “You just do whatever I say huh? Don’t think for yourself.” 

“What..?” (Name) whined. “I do think. It’s impossible not to.” 

Kuroo simply shook his head and slipped out his fingers. “Do you want me, (Name)?” 

“Please.” 

(Name) wrapped his arms around Kuroo’s neck as the volleyball player grasped his legs and held him up. His legs quickly found themselves wrapped around his waist as Kuroo reached down to push his cock into (Name)’s twitching hole. 

From the butt plug that was inside of him the entire day, his cock easily slid in, earning a whimper from (Name). It certainly took some strength to hold him up but Kuroo was able to began his slow thrusts, enjoying the small gasps that left his boyfriend’s lips. 

“Tetsuro, it feels good.” (Name) babbled, his grip tightening around Kuroo as his thrusts began to pick up speed. His back was rubbing up against the wall, possibly causing them to collect dirt but he didn’t care. He loved spending his time with his boyfriend and having sex on his birthday was arousing to him. 

(Name) quickly pulled him in for a kiss as his thrusts began to feel sloppy. Maybe it was the thought of getting caught or the fact that (Name) was really walking around school with a butt play all because he said he’d like it but Kuroo felt as if he was about to cum already. 

He wanted to last a bit longer but thought maybe it’s good he’ll cum now. So they won’t be out gone for too long. 

The two continued to kiss, allowing them to moan without being heard as (Name) could feel himself getting closer. The grip on his legs was driving him crazy as he felt Kuroo use them to move (Name) back into him with each thrust. 

Sounds of soft gasps and squelching filled the air was the sun began to set. In a weird way, it was oddly romantic. With a few more thrusts, (Name) came first, arching his back as he gripped Kuroo’s shoulders painfully. Kuroo was right behind him, grunting as he pushed in deep inside. 

(Name) shivered at the warm cum inside him, wondering if he was really about to walk home with it inside. Kuroo simply hummed, not sorry at all for not pulling out. A pout appeared on (Name)’s lips as he was about to complain until he noticed that they were no longer alone. 

There stood a traumatised Kenma and Lev. 

“Kuroo….” 

“Nekomata-San…” 

Oh, fuck. 

“(Name)?!” And his grandfather?! (Name) was shocked to see his grandfather right behind Kenma. 

(Name) felt himself faint. Oh, no. His grandfather really just saw him butt ass naked with cum dripping. Kuroo himself also wanted to shrivel up and die right then and there from the glare his coach was giving him. 

Yeah, he was gonna have to kiss that leader title goodbye. 

╭┈─────── ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

╰┈─➤ ＥＮＤ

I hope I did Kuroo Justice lol! Thank you for requesting! And requests are open!!

[mortarpestle]

ortolan

Short piece with professional chef!sukuna and younger kitchen porter reader. Title taken from the very brutal and illegal French delicacy of the same name, which one must hide their face to eat.

word count: 1.7k

*no curses au, age gap (chefkuna is in his 30s and reader is in their early 20s), employer-employee power imbalance, petnames ("kid", "brat"), Sukuna is intense, reader smokes right off the bat and is…a lil grim and unexpectedly Freudian?? Idk what happened here, suggestive themes ahead.

An angry red flake falls off the tip of your cigarette. It sways and loses some of its brightness on its way to the ground, succumbing to a puddle next to your feet. There's a couple more puffs left before you inevitably reach the filter, maybe double that amount if you're frugal with it. A few stolen breaths to catch until dinner rush.

You hate this fucking job.

You also know that by the time you clock out and return to your apartment, you’ll collapse on your bed with the prospect of a new shift working your nerves into a frenzy. Talk about an abusive relationship. Effectively stockholm syndromed by cutting boards and sous vides—and your boss.

Sukuna seems to have that effect on people.

Behind you, the back door creaks open. Heavy footsteps stamp down the stairs, coming to a stop by your makeshift ashtray. For a few precious seconds you’re content with counting the flour spots staining his black clogs (expensive brand, sleek, better than yours). He smells like his food; spicy, complex and a little smoky. The perks of working 14 hour shifts at a restaurant with high end cuisine and an even higher tax bracket among its customers, is that you’re afforded the luxury of smelling like a human being. No deep frier mystery oil notes clinging onto skin and clothes for you and especially him. You stifle a rather unsavoury thought about his cologne and inhale bitter smoke.

"You'll fry your lungs with that shit, kid."

Despite the distance, he sounds closer than you’d like, closer than you can handle having him. You don’t mean to shiver. Or for him to notice.

"That's the plan."

Every word coming out of your mouth makes you more conscious of your worldliness. Primarily your lack thereof. Speaking to your boss never ceases to make you seem like a peevish child in comparison. The little nickname he insists on using just for you doesn’t help either.

Sukuna doesn’t reply and your stomach churns.

"You don't smoke...why are you out here." You continue, painfully aware of your appearance.

"Don’t get it twisted. I should be the one asking you that. I can think of ten different things you should be doing before traffic picks up instead of getting cozy by the trash.”

The buildup sweat from the kitchen stovetops is slowly settling over your skin. Seated on one of the plastic crates left by your local produce supplier, you feel like a proper rat. What a picture to paint for the man singlehandedly responsible for funding your life.

Getting back to work is the lesser of the two evils you’re presented with. Still, one more smoke before shift's end sounds like a dream. You slip a stick out of the tobacco case tucked inside your apron pocket, taking his silence as permission to light it between your lips.

You smile.

"What's your vice, boss?"

Sukuna clicks his tongue. "Wouldn't you like to know."

He doesn't seem too offended. After working under him for nearly a year you've come to find that Sukuna is a man who is hard to surprise and equally as tricky to offend. Good at hiding it too, when he wants to. Which is why you ask again, be it a bad idea or not.

"Everybody has one. I've never met a professional chef without a few loose screws, so what is it?" Maybe you could've phrased that last better. You're too tired to care.

He mulls over your question without really giving into it. He’s awfully compliant today. Normally he would've chewed your ear off at the second cigarette.

Something’s off.

"I trust you include yourself in that crowd you speak of."

“Not really. I’m not a professional.”

(Ash stings your fingertips, but you refuse to let go.)

"You've got potential." He says, low and succinct.

You choke on your spit, laughing in earnest, "Sure.” Potential for cutting vegetables and cleaning after other people’s messes, maybe.

"I mean it, kid."

Sukuna leans against the railing, arms folding over his chest. One long glance out of the corner of your eye grants you with an intimate view of his tattoos. All these months you've been catching glimpses of the full design, unable to tell where it ends beneath the black fabric. Not a single hair is out of place. His uniform is rolled up just above his elbows, exposing tanned skin with tiny burn marks littered over hard muscle, no doubt from his early training years. He wears them like medals of honour.

The first thing you did after landing a position in his kitchen was googling his name. Ryomen Sukuna is fifteen years older than you and begrudgingly, the only thing standing between you and quitting as soon as tomorrow.

You’re no stranger to unwanted urges, the occasional intrusive thought. It’s human, you are human and therefore unjustly robbed of any sovereignty over your unconscious and its whims. You don’t think much of it. Even when you take your rare bathroom breaks outside peak hours, only to find that you’ve soaked through your underwear just from glances and strict instructions thrown your way. What does that say about you as a person? You don’t intend to figure it out today.

It's a classic case of treating the symptoms and not the source of your disease. Pretending he doesn’t exist outside of the physical place you both work at won’t get you very far. It won’t take long for the tide to turn over. Sukuna doesn’t play with his food. Only with the people tasked with preparing it.

You tug at a stray piece of lint on your chest, playing with the cotton ball over the flame of your lighter.

"If boss says it."

"Don't call me that." he all but sneers at you over your shoulder. His voice is grating when he wants it to be. You don’t flinch, not even when you turn around to catch the stare he’s drilling into your slouched back. On a second thought you don’t think he’s taken his eyes off of it since he he stepped out to join you. His stare is violence. He makes you want to crawl out of your own skin for comfort.

Working within a kitchen hierarchy is much like having a father; you get used to raised voices and empty threats whether you like it or not. With Sukuna creeping around the counters, you also learn to not talk back if you know what’s best for you. You consider yourself lucky to have never stood on the receiving end of anything more severe than a scolding. Then again, you’re not important enough in the grand scheme of it all, and you make a point to take advantage of that as often as you can.

"Are you not?" you sneer back.

"I'm quitting," Sukuna bares his teeth at you, "Expected to be gone by next week."

You bet he’s enjoying the look on your face. Surprised stupid.

"Pick your jaw up off the ground, s'not a good look on you."

You collect your thoughts and try to convince him that this doesn’t change everything for you. "Can I have your knives? The fancy Japanese ones you keep inside the office safe."

"You better keep your mouth shut and listen to what I have to say before I change my mind you brat." His voice commands you to look at him, "I'm not retiring. I'm opening my own joint and I want you to join me."

You feel nauseous.

"Why."

You've never been one to count your blessings, mainly because it's not worth doing so when you can do it on only one hand. Everyone says your early 20s are hell, the trenches of adulthood. No second-hand warnings and half assed attempts at lukewarm life lessons could've prepared you for the slump you hit after graduating college. Money is tight as it's always been, only now you've got twice the amount of problems and half the support.

The job advertisement was a beacon of good luck amidst a sea of bad decisions.

You had to fight tooth and nail to get through the first week (hell week, objectively the worst time in any hospitality job) without any power or warm water in your apartment after missing the payment deadline. Sukuna noticed—not like it was hard to, given that you looked like shit fresh into your employment—and slid you an early paycheck tucked inside an envelope on lunch break. A week's worth of dailies in an employment contract that only guarantees monthly wages.

You could cry.

(You did. In front of him.)

(He looked so distraught he almost snatched it back.)

"You're good, honest. Smart yet a little stupid, but even that's necessary to get by in the business. Like I said you have potential and I want you in my kitchen when you see it through."

"I think," you start.

Sukuna gives you a sly smile, mumbling a barely audible “Is that so” with his eyes narrowed down to slits.

"—You're only doing this out of spite. Stealing Gojo's staff is dirty work."

"Started that sentence on the wrong foot. You think I’d sabotage my own shit just to get back at that fraud? Most of the guys he's got back there working for him don't even know how to grill chicken without fucking up."

Yes. Yes, you do believe he’d do that, but opt to keep the thought to yourself. You’re sure Sukuna would kill the guy if he were guaranteed to get away with it. Gojo is an angel investor in name and nothing else.

"I'll give you a week, no more no less. Sit on it, let it marinade in that little head of yours and have your answer ready by morning shift." He pushes off the railing to take his leave. Halfway up the steps he backtracks to reach you, snatches the cigarette out of your fingers and takes a long drag, draining the leftover tobacco inside the poorly rolled paper. After he's done, he licks his lips and kisses his front teeth to taste your saliva, humming in satisfaction.

Kicking away the crate, you get up on baby fawn legs, half numb from being folded over yourself for so long. They tremble, a blink and you’ll miss it movement. Sukuna’s limp hand twitches by his side.

He’s about to leave for good when you speak again, moving towards him.

"You never answered my question.”

What's your vice?

Sukuna stumps your cigarette on the brick wall next to your head. His words are low, barely audible over the commotion slipping through the open door.

"Be good and I might just show you in practice."

[femsolid]

https://www.tumblr.com/mbakwe-blog/45072537611/capitalism-a-bitter-sweet-love-story?source=share What do you think about the above?

Did you write it? I think it's capitalist propaganda from start to finish. And you don't even realise how offensive it is.

"capitalism isnt working nearly as well as it could"

During Covid, french billionaires made an obscene amount of money, while everyone else was struggling to survive. Bernard Arnault (Louis Vuitton) more than doubled his profit! He made 96.3 BILLIONS in a year, during covid, and became the richest man alive. For him, capitalism works a charm! And you're saying it could work even better?? You see, it works perfectly well for the rich and it doesn't work for the 99% of people left, exactly as intended. During every major crisis (war, illness, natural disaster, ecological crisis, terrorism) the richest get richer, the poorest get poorer, as intended. That's what capitalism is for. The hoarding of resources by a minority. In that regard, it's working wonderfully.

"We shouldn't force people to pay for being successful."

Exploiting the poor, including kids, profiting from modern slavery in non western countries or by using migrants, and becoming experts in tax evasion, isn't "being successful". Yes they should pay for what they did. They should be in prison.

"They weren't doing anything illegal to cause what happened."

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's moral and we should keep quiet about it. We're not equal regarding the law: rich people get away with murder because they have money, poor people don't. And some things should be illegal. Like trading, which leads to this: women dying in sweatshops. That's murder. Yet no one's going to jail. Not to mention the assassinations and coups d'état and profiting from a fucking pandemic disaster.

"I mean if you were making lots of money and you really worked hard to get where you are"

Rich people don't get rich because they work hard. They get rich because of INHERITANCE. They come from, at the very least, a middle class background, they had money to begin with.

And how do you define working hard? To "earn" as much as Elon Musk, a minimum wage worker has to work millions of years, do you realise that? Is Elon Musk working harder than a nurse? Why is his work worth more than a woman protecting and saving lives? What exactly is one man doing, from 9 to 5, that's worth earning as much as millions of people at once? People who are working jobs that actually benefit our societies! If Elon Musk disappeared, we would be fine, better even. But if cleaners, doctors, teachers, factory workers, mothers or train drivers disappeared, we wouldn't have a society any more.

"I know it is hard to get in a position of power, but its not impossible if you work hard."

See above. The "American dream" is capitalist propaganda. Poor people work hard every day. To say that people are poor because they aren't working hard enough or haven't invested (the money they don't have) enough, or aren't smart enough, is neo-liberal propaganda. It's disgusting. It's insulting. It's classism. Homeless people aren't homeless because they didn't "invest wisely in the stock market" okay? Who does it serve for us to believe in this illusion of Meritocracy? It serves the rich, agitating a carrot in front of your eyes, so that you don't fight back.

"if you were making lots of money you're not going to take responsibility for those who cant do what you did"

Well they should, because they ARE responsible. If you don't understand the link between wealth and poverty, you don't understand economy at all. For some to get rich, others have to be poor. You need to get educated on class struggle.

"I believe no one is to blame for this economic crisis we went through"

Trading centres are big casinos playing with poor people's lives. The money isn't even real, but it can cause real jobs to be destroyed and real sweatshops to collapse on a thousand women in India. The people responsible for any economic crisis are those in power. Life isn't lalaland. Real assholes make real decisions that affect real people. The government, lobbies, banks, CEOs, etc. They have names and addresses.

"Everyone is naturally self interested."

No. You're just a right winger. Half of the population believes that we're all self interested, the other half believes in a common interest. Neo-liberalism isn't the only economic system available. And for a social species such as ours, that depends on peace and community to survive, capitalism is a deeply unnatural system. Case in point: we'll all die soon because a minority of humans are destroying our ecosystem to make more fake money to play in their big casinos with. It's an absurd system for absurd people.

"If you were making millions after working hard your whole life you wouldn't want to lose any of it."

Being rich is IMMORAL. As I said, you don't make millions by simply working hard. If that was the case, every mother would be a fucking billionaire by now. If I was a millionaire in a capitalist system, I'd be absolutely ashamed of myself, because I'd know damn well it'd come from the blood and tears of others. I WOULD want to lose all of it and I'd use it to save others, not to play in my big casino. And I'd apologize endlessly.

"You worked hard" 

No.

"you learned the skill,"

Like every other worker... or do you think you can drive a bus, install an electric system, repair a car, or care for a severally autistic child without "learning the skill"?

"and you most likely deserve every penny you make if you get to be in a position where you are rich and powerful."

No. See above. The best example of this is your own president. The man is a fucking idiot with no skill and a criminal. To get to a position of power you mostly need to be male and born in a wealthy family. That's about it. You don't "deserve" more money than anybody else.

"I just feel that you shouldn't be frowned upon because you achieved the rare phenomenon of "The American Dream"

Not just frowned upon, you should be in jail for slavery, tax evasion, the destruction of our ecosystem and murder.

So I think the link you shared shows the author's (you?) complete lack of understanding when it comes to what capitalism is, as well as an alarming inability to think outside of it, resulting in a display of typical capitalistic advertising.

[luckybyler]

I’ve watched up to 4x03 so far + latest episodes of season 8, and I’ve come to the conclusion that Buck is the baby of the 118 family because he was assigned that role by them, not because of any inherent traits of him.

I’m not saying he isn’t impulsive and sometimes an idiot because he is, I’m saying that he’s not worse than everyone else, and yet they all keep the privilege of being treated like adults afterwards. And being the baby of the group can be a good thing, but it’s a bad thing when it makes people not take you seriously of treat you condescendingly, which is often the case with Buck.

I’ve seen Maddie stalk a 911 caller, Eddie became an illegal fighter and almost killed a guy, Hen PERFORM AN IMPROVISED TRACHEOTOMY INSIDE A MOVING VEHICLE, AS A PARAMEDIC, Bobby missed a shift because he relapsed in his binge drinking, Athena wiped her ass with police procedure several times, Abby got Buck’s number unethically to say the least… that’s what I remember from the top of my head right now. I’m sure there was more stuff. Most of them were reprimanded in some way of course, but again, all were treated like adults. Had Buck been in their place he would’ve never heard the end of it.

On the other hand, Buck constantly does adult things that are ignored or dismissed. Like, he gets along with children and is good at taking care of them. If this was any other guy, everyone would say “he’s a great dad/he’ll make a great dad one day”. But because it’s Buck, it means he’s “one of the kids” and gets the funny music. Or Maddie’s called “basically Buck’s mom” even though our introduction to her involved her arriving unannounced at his (Abby’s, but still) place, and Buck letting her stay with him, hooking her up with a job and helping her find and move to a new apartment, as normal brothers and sisters do. Or the lawsuit era of “you’re a selfish child who can’t understand that we’re doing this for your own good, also my son and I need you and you weren’t there to bail me out of jail”; or when he helped Athena organize a secret Christmas dinner at the 118 with all their loved ones and the group home, etc. and at the end she was like “see what you can do when you use your brain for good?” like, why don’t you just say “thank you Buck for helping me make Christmas happen” like a normal person, *Athena*? Why not keep the condescending comment to yourself? Or when Chim kicked him out of his house after half a day and then overstaying his welcome for at least a month the next season, then having his brother stay there. And I’m glad Bobby wasn’t affected by the radiation, but Buck had a point about the nosebleed.

And speaking of Bobby, I cannot emphasize enough how much he has never had to give Buck a shower (at least as far as episode 4x03), and yet Buck *has* had to give *Bobby* a shower at least once because he was so drunk he didn’t know who he was neighbours with. And how much if I was in Bobby’s place I wouldn’t be able to look at Buck in the eye afterwards and think “yes, I am the father in this relationship”.

I guess I relate to Buck’s situation a lot, but yeah. I’m not saying Buck is perfect or everyone should be so grateful to Buck or even that they can’t see him as the baby in a way, a good way. As in whimsy and baby blues. But he is an adult **and he acts like it**, so they need to start seeing him more as an equal.

[transfemme-shelterdog]

Kind of just a small ("small" lmfao) vent 'cause I dont have anywhere else to share it and you're like the only person I've found that's been talking about it consistently, but I'm also one of the few trans men that want to get pregnant and have my own kids. But because of how trans people are viewed, I also want to be 100% stealth. I just want to be viewed as and treated as your average man. But obviously those two things aren't going to work together so I'm at a huge fucking loss on what to do. If trans people were treated like normal people and respected, and pregnant men were part of the norm, I wouldn't even worry about the stealth shit. I wouldn't be screaming that I'm trans from the rooftops, but I wouldn't be looking over my shoulder and overcompensating with my masculinity either. I'd just be a person, y'know? I just want a husband and a kid (or three) and a decent house and a job that won't fire me when they find out I'm trans and/or pregnant (and before anyone says "that's illegal!", I'm in America. The current government doesn't care what's illegal, they don't even care what's unconstitutional).

I'm just so fucking tired. The way things are now, when I get pregnant (if I decide it's even worth the risk despite how much I want it), I'm going to have to uproot my entire life. Or just quit my job once I can no longer hide my bump, but that's still gonna be fucking me over. I've also still gotta deal with doctors and shit and ugh... I've literally been considering becoming a nurse and learning some labor & delivery shit so I can just do it all myself at home. And then maybe go to a hospital like 1-2 hours away for (very limited) ultrasounds and doctor appointments and shit. It's unfortunately safer at this point.

Hell, doing it all myself with no ultrasounds or doctor appointments and with the knowledge I have right now is still safer. And that's bullshit. That shouldn't be how it is.

It really is an absolute shame that this has to be as big of an issue as it is. Trans men/mascs should be granted the right by default to have kids, or choose not to, as they wish. Equal access to healthcare to allow, along with access to surgery/meds to prevent pregnancy, should be granted by default.

Unfortunately, I doubt it'll ever change. Not only because most trans men/mascs are perisex afab, but also because, y'know being trans comes with being treated like living garbage.

Maybe in the future, but I doubt it. Even to this day, disabled and gay people have limited (if any) access to adoption and conception, so I am not gonna hold my breath.

[mariacallous]

A Republican state lawmaker in Michigan said gay marriage should be “illegal again,” an inflammatory remark that prompted swift rebuke from Democrats.

State Rep. Josh Schriver (R) made the controversial statement on X on Monday, just weeks after the GOP’s strong showing in Michigan during the November election, where they wrested back control of the statehouse.

“Make gay marriage illegal again. This is not remotely controversial, nor extreme,” Schriver wrote. “America only ‘accepted’ gay marriage after it was thrusted into her by a perverted Supreme Court ruling.”

He pointed to old remarks from then-Sen. Barack Obama, saying the former president was once “more conservative on marriage than many Republicans today.” Obama first endorsed marriage equality in 2012 — the first U.S. president to do so — and later said he believed the Constitution guaranteed the right to marriage for all same-sex couples.

The Supreme Court agreed in a 5-4 ruling in 2015, a historic victory for queer Americans.

Republicans have embraced culture wars targeting queer Americans in recent years, particularly trans people. The party has pushed through laws blocking young trans kids from gender-affirming health care, barring them from school sports teams and cheered efforts to limit access to public bathrooms.

Michigan Democrats quickly excoriated Schriver.

“Please explain how dissolving my marriage, or that of the hundreds of thousands of other same-sex couples living in America, provides a benefit to your constituents or anyone else,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D), who is married to a woman, wrote on X. “You’re not interested in helping Michiganders. You want only to hurt those you hate. Shame on you.”

Fellow state Rep. Jason Morgan (D), who is gay, said his colleague’s remarks were both “controversial and extreme, along with anti-family.”

Schriver has courted controversy in the past. In February, he was stripped of his office staff and committee assignments in the Michigan statehouse after sharing conspiracy theories linked to the “great replacement.” The false notion relies on racist tropes and claims white Christians are being intentionally replaced by immigrants.

At the time he said he was opposed to racism, but defended his social media posts and said he found it “strange” that there was an “agenda to demoralize and reduce the white portion of our population,” according to The Detroit News.

[rtc-confessions]

a lot of rtc fans aren't general theatre fans/theatre kids and it Shows. especially with the treatment of lowell high school. like making fun of these clearly young actors for .. doing poorly in a production is mean. as someone who loves all aspects of theatre, i would hate it if someone posted me forgetting a line on tiktok for the entire world to see or something equally as embarrassing. but messing up lines and being off key and microphones failing and slipping out of character, that's all a part of live theatre and they're parts of live theatre i've grown to love because of how unique to the form of entertainment they are. and a lot of the criticisms to be had with productions like lowell or the initial illegal high school production of rtc should be aimed at the directors, not the young actors who have little to no say in what they're performing

~~

[evidence-based-activism]

women are not held accountable. I don’t remember paternity fraud being a crime. In most places, a man still owes women alimony even if she cheats. He still has to pay child support even if the kid does not turn out to be his. Innocent men are punished and you are talking about them not being held accountable lol.

Gender neutral laws are a joke in most civilised countries. It always favors women without fail.

It’s just excuses for women to avoid accountability as usual.

to protect men paternity tests should be legal and mandatory.

Why are women surprised when men want paternity tests? The laws are already unfair to men. It’s like making divorce illegal.

"women are not held accountable."

Held accountable for what?? Did you send this to the wrong blog?

"I don’t remember paternity fraud being a crime."

That's because it's a civil offense. Also, if you agree to take responsibility for a child only to back out when you find out the child isn't yours then you never should have agreed to take responsibility in the first place.

"In most places, a man still owes women alimony even if she cheats."

First of all, the purpose of alimony is not punitive, it's to ensure both spouses can maintain the same quality of life. That being said, in a fair number of states, if he can prove infidelity he can often avoid or greatly reduce alimony [1]. In addition, it's simple to avoid this even in states without this consideration; just get a prenuptial agreement with a clause concerning infidelity.

Beyond all that: alimony is paid by the higher-earning spouse. Given the extent to which men have prevented women from earning equal money (e.g., insisting on stay-at-home-mothers, excluding them from higher paying jobs, insisting on prioritizing their own career advancement over their wive's), it's reasonable that they bear some of the consequences of this decision (i.e., paying alimony to a wife they've prevented from earning equal amounts of money by their own actions) [2].

In addition, alimony has never been particularly common [2]. It was a part of less than quarter of divorces prior to divorce reform, and has only fallen since then (and the proportion of permanent alimony has fallen even faster).

"He still has to pay child support even if the kid does not turn out to be his."

If you have reason to believe that the child isn't yours, then seek out a paternity test (the court can and does order them when necessary). Often times there is a time limit (usually a couple years following the child's birth) in which you can seek out a paternity test. If you miss this deadline, then you've already agreed to take responsibility for a child, therefore you are responsible for that child. The courts will subsequently prioritize whatever is in the child's best interest.

"Innocent men are punished and you are talking about them not being held accountable lol."

Child support and alimony are not punitive, they are part of what you agree to when you get married and/or have a child. If you don't want to be held liable for alimony, don't get married. If you don't want to be held liable for child support, don't have unprotected sex.

"Gender neutral laws are a joke in most civilised countries. It always favors women without fail."

Do you have any evidence for this? At all? This is so vague I can't even try and find sources for you. What laws? About what? What "civilized" countries? (And how exactly are you defining "civilized" anon?) How do they favor women?

"It’s just excuses for women to avoid accountability as usual."

Women are consistently held "accountable" for not just their behavior, but for the behavior of the men around them. Here's two articles [3-4], one from back in the 1990's and one from 2022, both describing the exact same phenomenon: a culture of women being blamed for men's actions.

Also, here's an interesting laboratory experiment [5] that found that only men were less likely to blame low performance outcomes of female leaders on luck (as opposed to selfish decisions). But again, this study was interesting, but also doesn't invalidate the extensive cultural history of blaming women for men's violence against them and other around them.

"to protect men paternity tests should be legal and mandatory."

They are legal.

No, they should not be mandatory. No medical procedure should be mandatory; that would be a gross violation of personal autonomy. It's one thing for a court to order a test based on the specific circumstances of that case (this is reasonable), it's another to mandate that every women or child undergo a paternity test (that is not reasonable).

Also ... this doesn't have anything to do with "protecting" men. To protect is "to make sure that someone or something is not harmed, injured, damaged, etc." [6]. Raising a child that is not biologically yours does not harm, injure, or damage; therefore preventing this does not protect men.

"Why are women surprised when men want paternity tests?"

Well if she believes the two of you have been in a monogamous relationship, then she may be surprised at the implication that you have not been faithful. If she believes you're "one of the good ones" she may be surprised at your attempt to dodge parental responsibilities. Or maybe this is just the first time you've showcased your misogynistic beliefs, and she's surprised at your display of disrespect.

"The laws are already unfair to men."

I covered this earlier. No, they are not, and there is no evidence suggesting they are.

"It’s like making divorce illegal."

No, no it is not. A divorce is "the legal ending of a marriage" [7]. Such an ending does not absolve you of your responsibilities to your children nor does it absolve you of the legal contracts you agreed to. (One of which is the payment of alimony, in the event of a divorce, provided you are the higher-earning partner.)

References under the cut:

Alimony laws and forms: 50-state survey. (2021, January 18). Justia. https://www.justia.com/family/divorce/alimony-forms-50-state-resources/

McMullen, J. G. (2014). Spousal Support in the 21st Century. Wis. JL Gender, & Soc'y, 29, 1.

Blame-the-woman syndrome—The washington post. (2021, September 21). https://web.archive.org/web/20210921162019/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1994/12/06/blame-the-woman-syndrome/50095e32-280a-441f-94d4-60c7c73eb11a/

“Blame her”: The cultural and legal phenomenon of accusing women | psychology today. (2022). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intersecting-law-and-mental-health/202204/blame-her-the-cultural-and-legal-phenomenon-of

Erkal, N., Gangadharan, L., & Koh, B. H. (2023). Do women receive less blame than men? Attribution of outcomes in a prosocial setting. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 210, 441-452.

Protect verb—Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced American Dictionary at oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. (n.d.). Retrieved 2024, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/protect

Divorce noun—Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced American Dictionary at oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. (n.d.). Retrieved 2024, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/divorce

[starlattethesqueakwal]

Officially blocking Chaifootsteps.

Actually no, Chai.

How about we report lolicon AND children being exploited.

Because believe it or not, under the law, its the EXACT SAME THING!

Because lolicon is FUCKING ILLEGAL and is known to be CHILD PORNAGRAPHY which only encourages MORE pedophilles to feed into their urges. Which HURTS CHILDREN! So if anything BOTH SHOULD BE REPORTED EQUALLY!

PERIOD! So if you want to report more kids being exploited- do BOTH instead of mostly lolicon! Be the change you want to see in the world. BOTH CRIMES NEED TO BE ERADICATED! PERIOD!

[gearbox-doll]

Okay but I'd love to genuinely have a debate with someone, where everything is completely neutral and I don't have to worry about getting judged outside of the room, about why incest is bad.

Because like. Beyond the ick factor that most people feel, which wouldn't exist if it weren't so heavily stigmatized, why is it bad? I want a well thought-out, logical, neutral answer.

If it's because their kids would have mutations or whatever: first off, stikes me as kinda like eugenics. "They shouldn't have kids because their kids might be disabled", is what you're saying. Plus, the really bad stuff tends to crop up only after a few generations, and honestly I don't see that happening unless the family is specifically only marrying within itself? Like, I feel like in a world where incest is normalized, there would be equal chances of falling in love with a family member as there are falling in love with someone you aren't related to. Just because it's a possibility doesn't mean it's gonna overtake everything else. And that's not even bringing up y'know, gay couples or childless couples in general.

"It's wrong!": Why? Why is it wrong? Does the bible tell you that? (Genuinely asking, it's been a while since I've read the bible.) If it does, what about people who don't believe in the bible? Setting aside the idea of "everyone should believe in the bible", what is a non-religious reason someone should think incest is bad? Why does the bible say it's wrong? Are there explanations? Is it a case of "this was dangerous back then but now we have ways to deal with it"?

Abuse: no relationship style is inherently abusive, so I ask you this: why is incestuous abuse worse than non-incestuous abuse? Why is romantically abusing your child worse than romantically abusing someone the same age as your child? They should hold the same weight, no? And if they do, then why isn't it illegal for someone to date someone the same age as (or younger than) their child? If the person is an adult, don't they have a similar dynamic?

What about siblings? Siblings usually have a smaller age-gap right? What about twins or triplets? Why is incestuous abuse in this kind of case considered worse than domestic violence? Obviously it's not illegal to date an abuser that's similar in age to you. You can get them arrested for abuse, yes, but it's not illegal to date them, or for others to date them.

And yes, I know there are certain dynamics that are only found in families (golden child vs scapegoat, the power a parent has over a child, etc), but I think those are symptoms of other issues that should also be solved. A parent only has that much power over a child because children don't have equal rights. So give the kids more ability to stand up for themselves! And even so, in a relationship with that kind of age gap, I'd be willing to say that the older partner has that kind of power over the younger partner regardless of whether they're related or not, because often it's the older partner who has more money, a better space to live, is older so they "know better" etc which so easily allows them to control the younger partner. Just like in a parent/child relationship, the older party has to be aware of what kind of control they have, and make sure they aren't hurting the other, to be a good parent/partner.

As for golden child vs scapegoat, I think that kind of dynamic can just as easily be found outside of family structures, though for different reasons. A popular kid and someone who's bullied, for example. You get what I'm saying?

Like honestly if you can give a good, well thought out response to this I'll read it and consider it! I'll see if I agree with you or if I can find evidence to refute you! Let's make it a debate.

If you're just going to yell at me bc incest bad or whatever though, you're getting blocked.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

It was a rough day in the Supreme Court for anyone who cares about transgender kids, women, men, or people. In short, the reactionary justices on the Court seem poised to create an exception that will allow discrimination based on sex in cases involving healthcare. The rationale of the justices seemed to be that “healthcare is complicated” and “best left to the discretion of part-time legislators” in GOP-controlled states that have a lock on power through political and racial gerrymandering.

Before reviewing the specifics, let’s talk about the solution—and the missed opportunity. During the first two years of the Biden administration, Democrats could have expanded the Supreme Court to override the death grip of the reactionary majority. Democrats controlled the House, the Senate, and the Presidency from 2021 to 2023. Expanding the Court required only the passage of bill by a majority vote in both chambers of Congress (and creating a carve-out in the filibuster, which requires only a majority vote).

But calls to expand the Court were met with disbelief and horror. Opponents warned that expanding the Court would “undermine its legitimacy.” That quaint notion was demolished by rulings in cases like Dobbs (overruling Roe v Wade), Trump v. US (fabricating presidential immunity out of whole cloth), Bruen (concealed carry of handguns in public is a universal right), Bremerton (okay for football coach to lead public school athletes in prayer at midfield after games), Cargill (a bump-stock rifle that can fire 13 rounds per second is not a “machine gun”), and Snyder (bribes given as “thank you gifts” are not illegal). (List is not complete; feel free to add others in the Comment section.)

During the two-year period when Democrats had a trifecta in Washington, they suffered from a lack of imagination. They could not imagine that the Court would take a wrecking ball to the US Constitution and the rules of judicial interpretation and restraint. Lesson learned.

Democrats will regain a trifecta. When they do, we must not waste a moment worrying about the “legitimacy of the Court.” Like Elvis, it has left the building, and it isn’t coming back. We must never again allow a lack of imagination about the depravity of the Republican Party to detain us.

Sadly, the religious and cultural biases of the reactionary majority were again on display during arguments in US v. Skrmetti. The facts are straightforward: Tennessee has outlawed the use of certain medications for use by transgender youth. The law plainly discriminates on the basis of sex because those same medications can be used by other minors who are not seeking to transition or affirm their gender. See generally Ian Millhiser in Vox, The horrifying implications of today’s Supreme Court argument on trans rights, in US v. Skrmetti.

Under existing precedent, laws that discriminate based on gender are subjected to a higher degree of judicial scrutiny to determine if they violate the Equal Protection Clause. Under settled law, the Tennessee ban should be subjected to heightened scrutiny. But the reactionary justices seem intent on allowing the Tennessee ban to escape heightened scrutiny (and thereby remain on the books). Accordingly, four justices seemed willing to create an exception to the heightened standard for cases arising in the “medical context.”

What could go wrong? I mean, it’s not like the reactionary justices are relying on the views of witch-burning judge from 17th-century England (as they did in Dobbs). In fact, the reactionary justices seemed inclined to follow selected European laws dealing with transgender youth rather than the US Constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court.

As explained by Ian Millhiser, Justice Roberts led the charge in suggesting that there should be a “carve out” to the heightened scrutiny standard of review for sex discrimination in the medical context:

If the Court adopts Roberts’s approach, which seems likely, that’s not just a devastating blow to transgender youth and their families. It’s also a sea change in the Court’s approach to sex discrimination of all kinds. Again, [previous cases] held that “all” laws that draw lines based on sex must survive heightened scrutiny, even though some laws ultimately clear this hurdle. “All” means all. But now many of the justices seem eager to hold that only some laws that classify people based on sex are presumptively unconstitutional.

The Republican attempt to legalize discrimination against trans people begins with its assault on the equal protection of trans youth. Again, as Millhiser notes,

It’s hard to divorce this case from its political context. During his recently victorious presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump went all in on anti-trans rhetoric — spending literally hundreds of millions of dollars on ads that, in the Washington Post’s words, “paint trans people as a menace to society.”

Republicans are discriminating against transgender youth because they can and because it is a wedge issue that will lead to additional areas of sex discrimination. Such discrimination is one of the last bastions of “acceptable” discrimination in America. The reactionary justices are poised to “aid and abet” in that discrimination by refusing to subject it to the heightened scrutiny that is applied to all other forms of sex discrimination.

As with reproductive liberty, the reactionary justices will wrap their complicity in the claim that they are “sending the issue back to the peoples’ representative.” But other constitutional rights do not blink in and out of existence depending on a person’s residence. That is precisely why we have a federal constitution—to ensure that there is a supreme law of the land not subject to the vagaries of state legislators who choose their voters (through gerrymandering) rather than being chosen by voters.

It was a tough day. We must never again suffer from a lack of imagination. And that lesson should be applied to every situation where Democrats have an advantage—no matter how transitory or narrow.

Recognizing the Democratic achievement in the House

The Supreme Court has blessed the use of political gerrymandering to make it nearly impossible to dislodge incumbents. Republicans have pushed gerrymandering to the extreme, thereby bestowing on themselves a “built in” unfair advantage in the House arising from red-state gerrymandered districts. See David Daley in Salon, How Republicans held the House: It's the gerrymander, stupid.

Per Daley,

Republicans’ margin of victory [in the US House] was just three seats, and their working majority as the next term begins will be almost nonexistent.

As it happens, three seats is exactly the number that Republicans engineered in their favor this cycle in North Carolina, as the result of an extreme gerrymander gifted to them by that state’s Republican-controlled Supreme Court.

The fact that Democrats clawed their way to 215 seats is an achievement to be celebrated—not the badge of shame portrayed by many commentators. Readers forward articles to me daily that explain “what Democrats did wrong” or “why Democrats lost.” Nearly 100% of those articles adopt the “just so” story that Democrats lost because they stopped listening to the working class (a falsehood so egregious I will not repeat the obvious response, but instead direct critics to any and every campaign speech delivered by Kamala Harris).

One grassroots organization sent a newsletter that said that Democrats “must have made mistakes” because “we lost.” As framed, that syllogism is false. Democrats could have (and did) run a sound campaign but lost, nonetheless. See, e.g., gerrymandering in the House, described above.

I am not saying that Democrats are perfect or can’t improve or are blameless in the 2024 losses. But the handwringing and gnashing of teeth by Democratic political commentators are out of control. Predictably, every “what went wrong” article miraculously validates the author’s worldview and prior (successful) campaign experience (usually on the Obama campaign).

With apologies for that detour, let’s get back to my thesis: Democrats have every reason to be proud of their accomplishment in increasing their representation in the House in the 119th Congress, which starts on January 6, 2025. The Democratic success in the 2024 election has saddled Speaker Mike Johnson with the smallest House majority in history.

Let me repeat: “The smallest House majority in history.”

See NYTimes, Mike Johnson’s Newest Headache: The Smallest House Majority in History. (This article is accessible to all.)

Despite being in the minority in the House, Democrats are in a strong position. I recommend reading the NYTimes article above to understand the details of the Republican majority’s predicament, but here is one example:

The relief from the budget ceiling negotiated by President Biden expires in January 2025. Republicans want to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts as their first order of business in January 2025—a move that will raise the debt unless Republicans create new sources of revenue (i.e., “raise taxes”) or slash spending. Cutting spending is easy to talk about but hard to do when your ox is being gored by cuts to services or projects important to your constituents.

It seems unlikely that Republicans will be able to pass any spending bills without Democratic support. That outcome is a direct result of the countless hours and tireless work of Democratic grassroots volunteers.

No one will thank you or even think of you when the bigwigs are negotiating in the halls of the Capitol or sitting uncomfortably on the awkward couches in the Oval Office. Still, you are the reason Democrats will have a seat at the table. Every vote cast, every ballot cured, every door knocked, every postcard sent, and every phone call made is directly responsible for Democratic power in the 119th Congress.

So, rather than blaming “Democrats” for their imagined arrogance or manufactured “mistakes,” we should thank them for standing up to Trump and MAGA extremism. We still have a dog in the fight and a seat at the table because of you.

Since precious few other commentators are saying what should be said, I will say it:

Thank you for a job well done.

Democrats who volunteered their time and donated their resources are true heroes of democracy. Your nation will forever be in your debt for a job well done. And your reward is that you get to do it all over again, starting yesterday.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]