#and then (t*rf talking point)

[musical-chick-13]

Genuinely I cannot take the phrase "de-centering men" seriously anymore.

[significant-narratives]

logging on to twitter like i wonder what new and terrifying ways people will find to reinvent gender essentialism today

[lordiavolo22]

just an fyi though, even though i talk about my disdain for ***********cishet********** men, this is not a t*rf or r*dfem safe space or blog. i am trans. cishet men is not codeword for trans women (because theyre women), i say cishet men to make it abundantly clear that i mean cishet men, specifically white cishet men!

[meeda]

I really need to follow more non-transphobic radical feminists im tired of seeing radical feminism constantly thrown under the bus for being “man-hating” or discredited because of the ones who can’t be normal about other people’s private parts and sex lives

[paperbag1999]

new contrapoints is soooo good

[the-dragonlich]

You know when you see a post that you agree with with wholeheartedly until you get to the very last bit and see a what’s honestly kind of a glaring red flag

[marzipanandminutiae]

The Snark Is Real This Morning

Oh no! Some patriarchal shill just had an Illegal Corset Thought on the Internet!

Maybe they said "corsets weren't invented by the patriarchy" or "comfort was actually often a prime concern for most women's day-to-day corset-wearing, as evidenced by mid-late 19th century advertising" or "women didn't go around fainting constantly because most of them didn't tightlace most of the time."

Maybe they brought up "survivorship bias in extant clothing" or "rampant photo doctoring in the 19th/early 20th century" or "treating satirical cartoons and fashion plates as gospel" or "museums displaying corsets laced entirely closed when wear patterns and primary sources indicate that lacing gaps were more common in many times and places" These concepts are actually conspiracies invented by Big Misogyny to sell more booze to depressed history workers!

Maybe one of them said that she'd worn corsets, or even that she and/or her friends actually found them more comfortable than bras! Clearly she believes this is representative of all women throughout history and in the present day. Besides, she is suffering from Femininity Poisoning and nothing coming out of her silly, weak little brain can be taken seriously. Remember, it is Peak Feminism to dismiss what a woman says because of her gender presentation!

Don't be fooled! All of these statements mean one thing: they are saying that corsets were and are, always and forever, universally feminist and empowering. That no woman in the past ever found them uncomfortable, and that GNC women didn't exist before 1960 and also are icky. Did they actually say that? Doesn't matter! You know what she Really Meant- you've seen P*rates of the Caribbean and Br*dgerton! Corsets were always torture devices meant to oppress women, and any statement contradicting that clearly means the extreme opposite.

So what's a right-thinking and concerned Internet Citizen to do? You have a few options:

See point above re: femininity. Feminine-presenting women are basically brainless, so if a woman talking about dress history Wears An Skirt, you can just write off whatever she says. Easy peasy! Be sure to say something derogatory about her appearance, so others know why they shouldn't take her seriously.

Accuse them of not knowing their history. Any degrees, professional experience, publications, academic accolades, etc. they may have are irrelevant. Their primary sources are...idk photoshopped or something? Best to ignore them altogether. You have Feelings on your side, and that's far more valuable than any research!

Accuse them of accusing you of being a t*rf. Works especially well if they've said anything about the preponderance of t*rfs expressing your True and Correct views- that just means they're calling everyone who thinks like you a transphobe, duh!

Tell them they're not believing women. If they have cited so-called "realities of historical women's lives," well, that's clearly just the rich elite of any given era (who were also brainrotted by Femininity, natch). If you're a woman, and you say corsets were the spawn of Beelzebub, that should be enough ~evidence~ for anyone!

Appeal to common knowledge. Everyone KNOWS corsets were evil; can they really be DEFENDING a KNOWN HATEFUL OPPRESSIVE HELL-GARMENT?! What is the world coming to! If they ask how exactly everyone knows that and where that collective belief comes from, reply with a snarky GIF and block them. There's just no reasoning with some people.

Call them a tradwife. Are they a tradwife? Irrelevant.

With all these tools in your arsenal, you are now well-equipped to fight the horde of vile corset apologists online. Remember: It's Only Real Oppression If The Oppressed Group Is Miserable 24/7!

[utilitycaster]

Unpopular opinion: parts of the cr fandom are really dismissive/ reductive of Travis’s characters. It feels like it’s due to Travis being seen as THE cis het man of the group, and by extension his characters must be heteronormative and bad, despite the fact that you could have queer interpretations of his characters. At the very least, Travis’s characters explore masculinity and the different ways it might look. It’s like the people who are all “ew men are gross and shitty” and act like that’s an absolutely normal reaction to a man just existing.

So this is another one in that I agree with the initial statement, but I'm actually not sure re: the reasoning why. I think it's possible but I could not tell you for sure.

I used to, again, think this was people carrying through Campaign 1 elements well beyond the point where C1 had ended, and so Grog having an intelligence of 6 was being applied to Travis; and this definitely does come through to an extent when people treat Fjord (objectively as smart as Beau without her circlet) as stupid or act shocked that Chetney is the brains of Bells Hells or that he can play a Cerrit, Fjord, or Nathaniel. However, again, I think this is one of those opinions that pops up among people who weren't around for Campaign 1 (or early enough in C2 to be exposed to it regularly) so I don't know if that's the case anymore. It could still be - it could be that Approved Fandom Opinions get passed down even when the logic behind them has long since been lost; that's a really common thing in institutional memory. But I can't say for sure.

I also have in the past credited it to, as you said, people assuming his characters are the cishet guys and then writing them off. That's still possible - I've seen both Fjord and Chetney called "token straight" despite considerable evidence of bisexuality, and they also paradoxically are both commonly headcanoned as trans while still getting called "token straight," which sort of ties into a post I would need to find from someone else from quite some time ago about which cast members are granted agency by the fandom in their choices vs. which are assumed to be the victims of circumstance. And I do think that there are people in fandom who have decided men are icky or whatever, and I used to think this came from a place of bigotry and a slide towards t*rf ideology but I now do genuinely think it's just idiots who don't grant interiority to characters outside their own limited understanding.

But I think it's also useful to consider a few things, most of which I've brought up before:

Travis is extremely offline. He is not here to entertain your headcanons; he has been politely but openly dismissive of some (imo, really fucking dumb) fanon/fan theories. I think the cast frequently talks about how it's their table, and I think that's valid and correct, but Travis is one of the players who lives it the most. He is playing this game with his friends, and he'd like it to be a good story, but if you don't like it, he is not here to make you like it. I think that really fucks with the parasocial connections some people desire with the cast.

Travis's characters tend to examine masculinity as a performance but also the general performance of the self, and the fact that you cannot in the end control how you are perceived entirely, and I think that really unsettles people who have equated presentation with reality and are again, looking for external validation of the self.

Travis can play it big but he's often extremely subtle, especially with his more serious characters, and he's not as easily quotable out of context as some others at the table. I think because he is a lot more naturalistic than dramatic at times (Chetney notwithstanding) and isn't as pithy and quotable in his characters as many of Taliesin's PCs are, and a lot of the strength is in the delivery, he gets overlooked despite being very good with words on the fly.

And finally: this would be a whole post on its own but people are still very foolishly wed to this idea that pressing the big red button in D&D is Wild and Chaotic and haha Big ADHD Man when it's actually how you play D&D if you're not a coward; the button is where the story is stored, and a lot of Travis's strength is that he is extremely good at understanding what the GM wants and supporting it with sufficient grace that it's only visible if you know what you're fucking doing.

[sgiandubh]

Context, always the context

After we had gagging fun - and some, a small and unjustified heartbreak, too - with the newest 🎪 pic, let's put it a bit in context. I confess I am more and more immune to these: they are aimed at this fandom, of course - just to fuel further web wars and talks: never forget Xmas is round the corner, too. But they are also aimed at the Casuals, who still can't place McIdiot on her map and do not really care, to be honest.

So, what exactly do we have, here?

This:

After more than ten years in showbiz, our C still needs a pointer to tell ignoramuses like me where exactly she is, on that picture?

How odd. How unfair. But let's imagine I am from Mars. I have no idea who these people are, including to each other. The legend tells me nothing: just C and T and zero details. They could very well be co-workers, acquaintances, friends...? Oh, she's married to him. Oh. Ok. For sure, they ooze bliss and happiness. For sure. I've seen broomsticks act more convincingly than this.

Also, the photographer. As a very trusted friend pointed out (thank you, forever indebted to you), this Bennett guy was all over the place, yesterday. According to Getty Images (https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/photographer?photographer=Dave%20Benett&assettype=image&sort=best&license=rf%2Crm), he attended at least seven other high profile London events yesterday and was paid to cover them, too.

Their list immediately places this minor happening in its right context and at its right place:

"Leave The World Behind" - UK Special Screening and afterparty. The one she attended with McIdiot.

Hackett London x David Gandy Wellwear Launch Party - Savile Row tailors, established in 1983. Huge success story from a humble Portobello Road clothes stall to a 160 shops global network and a part of LVMH group (remember? LOL). The one she did not attend with McIdiot.

"Femme" - Gala Screening - After Party - UK thriller, premiered at the Berlinale last spring. Will be released tomorrow in the UK and IE. 95% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. The one she did not attend with McIdiot.

Skye McAlpine Celebrates The Opening Of Tavola's Christmas Pop-Up Shop, in Knightsbridge (along with Fitzrovia, my favorite London spot). Tavola is a high end tableware collection, carefully curated by Skye McAlpine - celebrated British cookbook author and an expert in Italian cuisine and fine dining. You should think two gin entrepreneurs would be thrilled to meet her, at another event she did not attend with McIdiot.

A Reception By The All Party Parliamentary Group Honouring Elton John For His Dedication To The Global Fight Against HIV AIDS. No further comments needed for this very, very posh event she did not attend with McIdiot. I doubt she has this type of connections.

The Anti Slavery Collective Inaugural Winter Gala at the Battersea Arts Center in London. Attended by royalty (yeah, ok: Fergie - but also, her two Princess daughters!), aristocrats (Count Nikolai von Bismarck comes to mind), showbiz people (Ed Sheeran - hello?) and of course, the press. But this is another very high profile event she did not attend with McIdiot.

Longines Dolce Vita Exhibition and after party - aimed at the high end luxury crowd. Another event she did not attend with McIdiot.

Smirnoff Celebrates New 'We Do Us' Initiative In Partnership With Tilting The Lens And Sink The Pink. Smirnoff, that legendary vodka which story started in Tsarist Moscow and now continues as part of the behemoth Diageo spirits group. Mhm. Now with an event tailored for the well-heeled LGBT+ and Generation Z crowds, organized in partnership with Tilting the Lens,  Sinéad Burke's consultancy firm with an absolutely spectacular client portfolio, featuring Gucci, Starbucks and -hey, nice to see you! - Soho House. LOL. You would think they could have grabbed a black cab and do anything to at least drop in and say hi. You would think they would be interested to meet with the other, less obvious, partner of this event, Stonegate, a major player on UK's hospitality scene. What a pity this was another event she did not attend with McIdiot!

Make no mistake. London is a real global metropolis. Une ville-monde (a World City), a notion coined by one of my masters, the wonderful French historian Fernand Braudel. As such, it currently stands at the epicenter of all that is trendy, new, exciting and expensive and it offers an endless array of opportunities for the brave and the bold. That was but a very incomplete sample of a Wednesday night on the London scene, busier than usually with all those end of year events. Out of the other seven of this sample, she had a profitable and realistic choice between at least two or three other events. She could have even coupled that after party with at least another one of those, if she had the right network to attract an invitation.

It is also plain to see, by now, TMcG is by no conceivable means the successful, multimillionaire businessman and entrepreneur. He is nowhere to be placed on this very rich, very diverse event scene. He does not attend any events by himself, whereas she carefully attends events all alone and does it very well - wouldn't that be because she has a name in her own right, too? He apparently does nothing, he apparently is Nobody. You should think a successful, multimillionaire, ambitious businessman would be proud to be seen just about everywhere with his up-and-coming actress wife, isn't it?

The sad truth is this clown only makes it to a cursory mention in a Daily Fail picture gallery when dragged along by C. At an event she most probably managed to get an invitation via Rami Malek, her co-star in The Amateur:

That, my friends, is not C playing her Greta Garbo. That is C squandering every shred of sympathy capital she ever managed to acquire, with absurd determination.

But sure, keep on screeching, Stans. Keep on screeching. All of the above are cold, hard FACTS your queens carefully keep out of your reach. God forbid you come to the realization.

[nekrotiize]

It may be a stupid question, but why/how did t*rfs decided to use aphobia as a recruitment tool? [I in general have a quite, simplistic? view of them (terfs that is) as being very racist, transmisogynistic gender-essentialists, but aphobia is (unsuprising) news to me].

Thank you for anwsering, and I hope you have a good day.

Aphobia is a socially accepted bigotry, and a lot of Aphobic talking points intentionally mirror/recycles Transmisogynistic ones. This is something that's been known and commented upon since, like, 2016. It's a great way to boil the frog. If you normalize one form of bigotry to someone, then pulling them into other forms becomes incredibly easy. Here's a good post full of links and elaboration on this:

The Aphobe-to-Fullblown TERF pipeline is extremely real and has been admitted to by TERFs for years. It's a rare instance where something is not just observable, it's outright confessed to. Learning to be okay with Aphobia teaches you to be okay with other things. Since it recycles Transmisogynistic talking points, the next step is to become Transmisogynistic. Then it's to become Transphobic generally, Sexist generally, Racist generally, Classist generally, so on and so forth.

Bigotry clusters together, because they're all connected by the same emotions and the same language. There is no acceptable form of bigotry. The socially accepted bigotries serve merely as stepping stones to a pipeline of more and more hatred, whether people like it or not.

[shaingles]

I didn’t expect my trans post to get so much negative traction 💀 most of the comments a proving my points while completely ignoring what i said.

Apparently, I’m a “privileged, sensitive trans male who has a burning jealousy of trans women/fems”…? Even though I’m not. I am transmasc agender—again, pre-t, pre-op—also… my post was literally referring to commenters (on tiktok) who go under posts about trans men/mascs and transmasculine issues, and either weaponize transfeminine issues to silence trans men/mascs, conflating anti-transmasculinity with transmisogyny, or try to say that transmasculine issues/anti-transmasculinity don’t exist or are not important… and somehow, I’M “dismissing transfeminine issues” because I pointed out how weird it is for people to do that?

This is what i mean when i (rhetorically) asked “why are trans men/mascs treated the same way as cis men?” People like the ones in the previous post’s comments are conflating the behaviors common to cis men with that of trans men/mascs purely because both group align themselves with masculinity and/or manhood. They’re incapable of separating the gender label from the cis culture commonly associated with it. Ergo, they think trans men/mascs are just cis men with queer quirks, and that’s ignorant + it gives cis-passing trans men leeway to just emulate negative behaviors of cis men with no consequence because “they’re men.” You can be a man with out being indistinguishable from cis men. Transmasculinity is more vast and diverse than just being man-adjusted. Masculinity manifests differently for each individual, so to water it down to “being a (cis) man” is inconsiderate.

Also, the way the comments insist that intersectionality matters before immediately going “BUT TRANS MEN ARE OPPRESSED FOR BEING TRANS NOT MEN,” as if being transgender wouldn’t affects people perception of your manhood/masculinity(??) I guess its easy to pretend intersectionality doesn’t matter with the second identity involved just so happens to associate with the oppressive group.

Yeah no guys, the way blackness (hyper-masculinized and monsterized, stemming from racism/white supremacy) and being transmasculine (infantilized, fetishized, romanticized—demonized/vilified by r*fems/t*rfs) intersecting with manhood? doesn’t matter because black transmascs are men… ALL OF THEM! haha that stuff don’t matter… those identities don’t affect the way people perceive your manhood/masculinity >_< because man and that immediately makes you privileged! And as we all know, Privilege is when someone else has it worse than you 😌 so you’re not allowed to talk about your own issues that affect your community otherwise you’re a baaaad person pooooo 👻 <3 teehee

Anywho, thanks to those who proved my point <3

And sincerest thanks to the people who didn’t immediately blow a blood vessel seeing the word “anti-transmasculinity”

Im not talking about tis anymore. Anyone else who starts stuff without listening will get blocked 🙏

°˖✧ toodles ✧˖°

[transsexula]

Theres a very weird movement going on here, where if you mention issues related to men, you are automatically labeled an MRA.

In all honesty, it makes sense with what feminist theory has been clipped off after t*rfs got their hands on the "feminist" title and ran it through the mud. Because to them- men are evil. Masculinity is evil. Specifically trans men are evil gender traitors who want nothing more than a slice of the patriarchy pie.

Where is the space now in progressive/feminist circles for men? Especially queer men? Men who have BEEN feminists, who have been active politically, in their communities and homes- where is the space for them? What happened to stronger together? When did the mass begin adopting t*rf talking points? When did feminism as a whole become centered on those talking points?

Like. I AM allowed to talk about the issues I face in a heteronormative cis-centric society plagued with patriarchal views. That shit affects me deeply! I talk about it on my blog. In my own space. I also uplift the voices of others- especially women, and fem-aligned people. It's important to have connections with all sorts of people- it makes me feel more whole, both in the personal connections, and the connections made through works of art, books, etc.

It is frightening to watch the community splinter apart as the looming threat of a Trump term is happening. It feels like being in a crowd, helping everyone into a safe zone and reaching for a hand up- only to be left behind and closed out as the zombie hoard closes in.

Under pressure, things begin to break down. But we really need to do our best to mend the splintering, to fill the cracks and seems and divides. Because otherwise, their next step is "Conquer" and I don't want to see that for us.

[shrinkthisviolet]

3 for rf!Morgan (srry I’m obsessed with her)

Maybe rf!Morgan + Jesse or whoever else you think would fit best?

(Lovin the AU flashpoint timeline changes where everyone else forgets Morgan

Ngl I thought I was gonna have to pass on this one, but then I started writing, and I’m proud of the result tbh! Timeline-wise, this hops around during s2, and should be relatively easy to follow (but feel free to ask about anything confusing!). There are some minor canon divergences, but see the bottom of the fic for details about that

By the nature of things, these two aren’t close friends (because Morgan & Jesse aren’t really close friends in any version of the AU before they meet irl), but they do trust each other. Or at least…one of them does 👀:

You never did tell me who you are.

Morgan tensed at Jesse’s words. What do you mean? I’ve been totally honest with you.

I’m not so sure you have. Jesse frowned. I mean…for one thing, you say your name is Morgan, but you won’t tell me your last name. You sound just like me, so it has to be Wells, but—

My last name isn’t important.

…yeah, you react like that whenever I ask you. Proving my point exactly.

Morgan scoffed. Anyone ever tell you to butt out, Chambers?

Wells, she wanted to say, but she knew it would give her away.

I don’t tend to listen. Jesse almost sounded like she was teasing. Look, I’m just curious, okay?

Well, don’t be. One day, you’ll meet me…and you’ll understand my secrecy.

I guess so. But why can’t you tell me now? We’re friends, aren’t we? Whatever it is…it won’t change how I feel about you.

Morgan gritted her teeth, red lightning flickering in her eyes. I just can’t.

---

Why are the others afraid of you?

Morgan groaned. What are you talking about?

Team Flash, Jesse snapped, uncharacteristically irritated. Why are they afraid of you?

Morgan almost laughed. Are they really? That’s rich.

They’re heroes!

The offense in Jesse’s voice was adorably naïve. Are you sure about that? You hardly know them.

They saved me. They’re going to defeat Zoom.

No, they’re not.

Yes, they are! Jesse’s fervor went quiet, injected with uncertainty…and fear. They have to.

…ah. Jesse Wells had a weak spot, it seemed. Maybe you’re right. Maybe they’ll do for you what they couldn’t for me.

…what’s that supposed to—?

Goodnight, Jesse.

Morgan was always a clever girl, D—Thawne had always said so.

So it was no surprise that she’d figured out how to close the telepathy link.

---

Who the hell is the Reverse Flash?!

Morgan tensed. Don’t worry about it.

They’re saying it’s you. Morgan could almost hear Jesse’s tears. Morgan? What’s going—

No. This wasn’t a conversation to be had remotely.

---

“Oh my God.”

Morgan froze. That voice…it was—

“It is you,” Jesse Chambers Wells breathed, her voice trembling. “You’re…you’re the—”

“—Reverse Flash.” Morgan smirked, turning to face her—poor Jesse looked terrified, but Morgan couldn’t muster much sympathy. She’d told Jesse to butt out, to not put so much stock in what Team Flash had said…Jesse just hadn’t listened. “That’s what they’re calling me, right?”

“It’s what you are.” Jesse clenched her fists, her eyes narrowed. “You’re…you’re a monster. You’re the monster who killed Barry’s mom, who framed his dad, who—”

“I’m his successor,” Morgan corrected, rolling her eyes, “and even that’s not exactly true. But Team Flash was never one for accuracy, or fact-checking. Do you know they never actually asked me what happened that—?”

“You killed your own father!” Jesse scowled. “Why the hell should I trust anything you say?”

Morgan shrugged. “You’re the one who said nothing would change how you felt about me. Why should I trust anything you say?”

“How dare you! How…” from this far away, Morgan couldn’t see the tears in Jesse’s eyes, but she could hear them—Jesse was too expressive. That would get her into trouble one day. “You’re on Zoom’s side too, I bet.”

“Don’t insult me,” Morgan snarled. “Who do you think has been keeping him at bay all this time—him and his lackeys? Who do you think rescued Caitlin?”

Jesse froze.

“She left that out, I bet,” Morgan sneered. “Poor, sweet Caitlin. She’s so afraid to use the power she has that she kept herself a hapless prisoner. If I hadn’t broken her stupid necklace, distracted Zoom…she’d still be trapped, possibly dead. You’re welcome.”

“That necklace was the only thing keeping her from turning into—!”

“No, it wasn’t.” Morgan rolled her eyes. “It’s not like she has some alternate personality inside her. They’re just ice powers. Caitlin’s paranoia is unfounded and childish…and the sooner she embraces her power, the better off she’ll be.”

“Speaking from experience?” Jesse sneered.

Red lightning flickered in Morgan’s eyes. “Careful, Jesse. Don’t you know never to test a speedster?”

Gold lightning flickered in Jesse’s eyes, surprising Morgan. “I think I’ll manage just fine, thanks.”

Morgan shrugged. “Why not? One less ally for Team Flash is no great loss for me.”

Jesse rushed at her, all flashy punches and fury…and Morgan—faster, smarter, more experienced, deadlier—knocked her on her back in five seconds flat.

It was easier than fighting most novices. Jesse trembled like a dead leaf whenever she so much as aimed a punch.

Morgan yawned theatrically. “How dull. You didn’t even have the sense to wait until you had actual training. Your form is sloppy, you’re reckless…and so terrified too—who let you out of your nest, little bird?”

Jesse glared her down, still trembling. Perhaps she’d been doing that the whole time, but it was much more obvious after the fight. “I’ll beat you,” she snapped anyway, and Morgan could admit, she admired the little bird’s courage. “No matter how long it takes, I’ll beat you.”

“To impress Barry?” Morgan guessed, smirking when Jesse flinched. “Let me guess, he’s not terribly fond of you now that you’ve gotten speed.”

“That’s not his fault.”

“Isn’t it?” Morgan tilted her head. “You’re not me. Why should he judge you because of things I did?”

Jesse gritted her teeth. “So you admit you’re a monster?”

“I never denied that. I said I wasn’t Eobard Thawne, which is true. And that you shouldn’t be so quick to trust Team Flash…which is also true.”

Jesse shook her head. “They’re right about you.”

Morgan sighed. “How disappointing. And here I hoped you were smart enough to see through them.”

“I’m smart enough to see through you.”

Now Morgan did laugh, though it was hollow and brittle. “If you say so, little bird.”

“I’ll come back,” Jesse snapped, “and I’ll take you down.”

“I’m sure you will,” Morgan replied, dispassionate.

As Jesse scoffed, shook her head, and made a quick escape, Morgan sighed, unable to hide how truly disappointed she was. When Jesse had spoken kindly to her at first, for just a short while, she’d thought—

Well, never mind what she’d thought. She was wrong.

Jesse had chosen her side…and that made them enemies.

(No matter how much that broke Morgan’s heart.)

Brief rundown of the changes/misc notes:

Caitlin's KF powers, per this prompt fill, first manifested post-s1 in this AU. She grew afraid of them and suppressed them during s2, until Morgan intentionally broke her suppression necklace while rescuing her from Zoom. She doesn't have a split personality, just ice powers

Due to prior experience with Morgan, and believing she committed patricide unprompted, the Team (mainly Barry) is wary of Morgan, and initally wary of Jesse. Barry is the most so–he doesn't hate Jesse per se, but he's distant towards her, unable to distinguish between her and Morgan initially. Jesse getting speed right when Barry's warming up to her doesn't help matters

Morgan has not formally taken the Reverse Flash mantle yet. And this prompt fill shows that she isn't even the one to take it—it's thrust upon her by Team Flash. Makes for an angsty parallel between her and Thawne—tho ofc Morgan hasn't done anything that terrible yet and is in fact challenging Zoom on at least a few occasions (and continuing to fight metas). So unlike Thawne, she's trying to make better choices. Unfortunately, as the red lightning proves...she's driven by anger more than she's willing to admit. She won't even fully admit to how heartbroken she is to lose a potential friend in Jesse

I tried to hint at Jesse's Zoom-related trauma here—she went after RF!Morgan in a fit of recklessness, but her speedster-related trauma kicks in halfway through...and of course, when they fight, Morgan takes notice. But Jesse's never one to leave a job half-finished...even when she should

Morgan ofc is going by "Morgan Thawne" at this point in time, though it doesn't come up in this fic. It's not necessarily a surname she's proud to take—taking it on is driven more by shame (and a lingering feeling of belonging to Thawne even when he's dead). Not that she'll admit that just yet

prompt list!

Taglist (send an ask or DM to be added or removed):

@arrthurpendragon @ocappreciationtag @raith-way @vexic929 @ironverseocs

@thechaoticfanartist @goldheartedchaoticdisaster @negative-speedforce @starstruckpurpledragon @angst-is-love-angst-is-life

@miss-eli-starfleet

[letssendacountrysomecupcakes]

So I got dumped yesterday for saying I believe that transfemmes do experience male privilege pre-transition. My ex did not give me a chance to expand on that belief *at all*, just got triggered and decided I'm unsafe.

I'm going to expand those views here because I genuinely think I'm approaching the topic pretty reasonably and at this point I need to get the processing I've been doing written down.

First off, let me say that my opinion here comes EXCLUSIVELY from transfemmes I've talked to over the years as well as my own experiences with transmasc erasure. (My ex claimed that ALL of the transfemmes I know who've said that they've experienced male privilege only think that because of "internalized transmisogyny" while simultaneously refusing to engage with any of my experiences with erasure that are *specifically* things that happen bc of the learned behaviors inspired by the external factors of male privilege and socialization.)

The actual line that I have on this is that male privilege is an *external* force, not an internal one. It is entirely based in how you're perceived and how *others* interact with you based on that perception. It is based in the *societal and systematic* benefits someone receives based on the fuckin gender marker on your ID.

I absolutely do not think that that means transfemmes *interact* with male privilege in the same way as any c*s person, especially pre-transition. I do not think the *effects* of that privilege are the same and in almost every case it's going to be extremely complex and nuanced based on the individual. I *do* believe that, because that external force is applied *constantly* from a very young age, some aspects of that force can and often do come through even after transitioning.

Part of this being so upsetting for me is that it sounds like a rehashing of the "gendered socialization doesn't exist" argument that was going around here in like 2016 and is apparently resurfacing again. As far as I remember, when that argument stopped because the people who were pushing the conversation were outed as t*rfs who'd been posing as queer teens. The intent was to confuse the community and divide the younger and older trans folx.

The argument that gendered socialization doesn't exist (which, as far as I can tell, is the same argument as "transfemmes never experience male privilege) is laughably dichotomous at best and harmful at worst.

On the dichotomous end, we have someone who talks *frequently* about missing out on "being raised as a girl". If that person also does not believe in gendered socialization, they have the belief that they were also "not raised as a boy". Unless you come from a family or culture that has a third option or treats their kids the *exact* same (unlikely), you were fuckin raised in a way that was distinctly *gendered*.

That can transition to the harmful end *very* easily simply by not processing, analyzing, and questioning your learned behaviors. My ex spent the whole conversation calling me misogynistic and denying/devaluing my friends' experiences. She also very specifically made all of her points while simultaneously telling me I wasn't allowed to respond. At the point that I said, "Hey, I can't keep getting messages tangentially related to this when I'm not allowed to respond so I'm going to respond to a couple things, please keep your boundaries in any way that makes you feel safe", she immediately reengaged herself into the conversation fully, sent 3 messages - one of which was the dismissal of my friends' experiences, and blocked me.

I want to make it very clear that I put my responses under a break, specifically so she wouldn't have to read them immediately. I cannot be the one to enforce *her* boundary that *she* was repeatedly breaking. At the point that someone tells me they want a break from a conversation, I say okay and don't fucking respond until they do. I got two additional texts from her, both of which emphasized her points while continuing to disallow me from rejoining the conversation.

If that ain't the EXACT shit I've dealt with for my entire fucking life 🙄

[vyragosa]

I dont think you're a t*rf or anything but prev anon kind of had a point with the abuse thing... Defining Higgs exclusively by Amelie sucks :/ He was never innocent but he was trying to do right as much as he could and Amelie gaslit him by saying she could offer a better way, then showed no remorse in abandoning him w/o a second glance. The Lovecraftian mind control Beach Baby theory posited by vampirepunks makes the whole thing so much more disturbing, it's kinda genius that Logan (i think that's their name?) figured that out from the book. I don't think Amelie is a bad character, I love her a lot, but yeah what she did to him wasn't okay and vpunks is right to say peeps would totally go hard rallying around Higgs as an abuse victim if the gender roles were the other way around. i hope Higgs gets to heal autonomously and separate of Amelie. Curious to get your thoughts and clear up where you stand there

ngl if you knew me you would know i spent a year literally exclusively talking about higgs as his own person to define himself outside of "mirroring" and what being "peter" meant to him and his new ideals and what he thought he needed to achieve as a person to feel like he exists, which is a philosopher who needs to explore the world to know people, and ultimately got stranded in this world where "death" was the only definitive thing from the start, how he was even raised on the fact that he would be eaten alive, so he might as well proceed to do the same to other to survive

what "surviving" meant to him as a character as well, i spent a year doing that. not putting amelie in any part of the equation that's not solving why in hell he would dye his hair blonde.

i don't blame anyone but i have quite literally been theorizing for a year straight, with kojima retweeting my art of higgs ripping off the mask off his face and painful metaphors about being linked to amelie for a year straight.

i just don't think any of you all know me just because on this moment, i got fed up of seeing that about a female character, that's all it is.

[armoralor]

Queer Coding Pt 2 | "You only HC characters as queer for brownie points!" | Important Note: Wanting to feel included and cultivating your own joy in hostile environments is not a "performative act." Queer and trans folks are being legislated against at every turn, and real life can get heavy. No one is saying imagining fictional characters are gay is some kind of activism, none of it is being done for a pat on the head. Enjoying our free time by picturing ourselves reflected in media is a personal act, you don't have to make it about yourself (or act like your being bullied because of it). ALSO! Fetishizing queer and trans characters is not heroic or helpful to anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community. If you are cishet and find yourself hyper-fixating on queerness because it's "taboo" or "hot," do some personal reflection and reading. Additional resources and sources below. T*RFs fuck off.

Transcript: CRITICS: There is small, but loud, part of the population that is uncomfortable with trans and queer existence. Sometimes these folks are outright hateful and easy to spot, but many hide under the cover of liberalism or progressiveness while finding excuses to bash the LGBTQIA+ community for "justified reasons." The following is a small taste of the push back and hate queer fans get on their posts and some helpful ways to respond.

"Why does everyone have to be gay now?" Not all characters are gay, but some might be. It may feel like "everyone" is queer now because the previous number of queer relationships in media was zero. Going from having 100% of the representation to 95% of the representation feels like an attack when you're used to being center stage constantly.

"We need more positive heterosexual representations!" Cisgender heterosexual relationships are supported, perpetuated, and recognized by every major institution in society. Yes, patriarchal structures are toxic, but that does not mean queerness should be avoided in favour of more cishet focused media. The solution is bettering social constructs, no silencing the LGBTQIA+ community.

"Lesbians and bisexuals are transphobic + started the TERF movement!" Congratulations on perpetuating a false conservative talking point that has been disproven dozens of times! Lesbians have been statistically the most accepting of trans folks throughout history.

"You hate mothers and biological families!" Many queer and trans people have kids! Wanting to imagine your favourite characters are queer & trans does not mean there will be no kids in their life. At the same time, LGBTQIA+ folks not wanting kids is just as common as cishet people not wanting kids. None of this is an "attack" on cis women or mothers. Reducing people to their ability to procreate is fucking weird.

"This character is most likely straight!" Queer people are in the minority, we are very aware. That doesn't diminish the fact we like to see ourselves represented in the media we consume. Most people are right handed, but that doesn't mean left handed people don't exist.

"My interpretation of the source material is the most accurate and this character is obviously not gay!" Compulsory Heterosexuality is hard to unlearn, ever for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are force fed narratives of what het relationships look like from a young age, and often project what we are most used to onto others.

"A queer person was mean to me, therefore I must form straight solidarity groups!" First of all, please reflect on your choices and consider what that would sound like against any other oppressed group. A queer person pointing out something you don't like isn't bullying, and banding together to "promote" straight relationships in "solidarity" is both embarrassing and bigot behaviour.

Sources: Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer (2019); Everything but Named: Queer-Coded Characters in 19th-Century Literature by Marie Harra (2023); Queers in American Popular Culture by Jo Johnson (2010); Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Content on Television: A Quantitative Analysis Across Two Seasons by Deborah A. Fisher PhD et all (2007); Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence by Adrienne Cecile Rich (1980); Unrequited: The Queer History of Hollywood by James Somerton (2023); Lesbians Being Anti-Trans Is a Lesbophobic Trope by Amy Ashenden (2023); Stop Using Lesbians Like Me To Justify Your Transphobia by Sadhbh O'Sullivan (2022); Trans Day of Visibility by Just Like Us (2023); Why Queerbaiting in Marketing and Media Is Harmful and How You Can Help Stop It by Colleen Murphy (2023)