#are not white they are from different cultures AND times

[paintedrecs]

"Creative inbreeding" is such an apt term. It is, quite frankly, why I've pretty much given up on reading fantasy YA for the time being. A lot of the popular ones I'd been picking up - widely discussed, pretty covers, interesting summaries - are nearly indistinguishable from each other in terms of actual writing style.

Lead characters with copy/paste personalities. A love interest that hits all the popular tropes, even if the relationship doesn't really work within the story structure. A narrative arc that hits all the key stops along the way, like it's following a map. The same types of descriptions of food, clothing, towns, etc. I set the book down when I'm done and can't even remember who the author was without flipping back to that nicely illustrated cover.

I don't mean to criticize the authors, because obviously they're working hard, and it's amazing that they got their books out into the world. I'm just...tired of reading so many of the same stories, with different hats.

Part of it, I'm sure, is that people are writing what they think sells - and agents and publishing houses are probably picking up specific stories for the same reason. It's like Disney doing endless remakes of stories that were originally something creative and inspiring.

But you can tell when you're reading something that's sort of just...cobbled together from all the other books that person has encountered from within the same exact genre. They're assembling bits of everyone else's voices instead of developing their own. It might be readable, but it's not terribly memorable.

In one of my college lit classes, our final exam was to read excerpts from various literary works and write a short essay response identifying the authors and explaining our reasons. It wasn't a test to check whether we'd read and memorized everything by these authors - it was to see how closely we'd been paying attention to the ones we had read and discussed in class.

For instance, the Jack London excerpt wasn't from White Fang or The Call of the Wild - it was a paragraph from a short story we hadn't read, where you could pick up on setting, style, themes, tone, etc to say hey...I think this was probably written by him.

I still remember that exam because it was a pretty cool exercise that showed how distinct an author's voice can be, even for ones that carry over into different genres. (Jack London is a little bit of a cheat if you go "oh it's set in Alaska.") It's like hearing a song you've never listened to before and recognizing their voice, or identifying a painting without having to look at the signature.

And yes, you can see this in fanfiction, too: I used to enjoy trying to identify authors in fandom exchange festivals, before the anon switch flipped off and they were revealed. Sometimes I was wrong. Sometimes I got it right, and it was so fun!

My favorite fic authors do often have a distinct tone and style that they carry through their writing, even while drawing from canonical sources and keeping it "in character." Just like the paintings from two artists sitting next to each other in front of a bowl of fruit will depict the "same" subject on the canvas, but with their point of view and personality in the brushstrokes.

Which is all just to say that I agree, so strongly, with the need to not only read if you're going to write...but to read widely and across genres. Across time periods and languages, too: I very much recommend reading stories from other cultures and other countries, to develop a wider view of the world.

If you only read modern YA fantasy written by US-based authors, your stories are...going to sound a lot like theirs, even if you don't intend them to.

If you read a ton of fic, you'll probably learn how to write something that aligns well with what everyone seems to like and gravitate towards in fandom. Maybe that's the goal. But even if you don't have the drive or the energy to write or try to publish original works, all the advice from earlier in this thread will help you in fandom.

If you want to write a story that isn't an entirely unique concept but IS your unique voice, you have to develop that voice through wider experience.

I've seen fanfic authors brag about how they never read at all, fic or otherwise...and quite frankly, it shows. You can only improve through practice, and some of that practice includes studying and learning from others, which can really be as simple as just sitting down with a cup of tea and a stack of books.

They don't have to be "literary." They don't need glowing 5 star reviews. They should just be what books are meant to be: a way for you to dive into a whole bunch of different worlds and time periods and discover the huge range of creativity that's out there for you to enjoy.

fascinating that when you tell people "you have to learn the rules to break them" when talking about drawing/painting etc everyone nods and agrees but the second you say "you have to read books if you want to write better" there's a horde of contrarians begging to be the wrongest people ever all of a sudden

[phosphorusab]

Remmick is so interesting to me (as a White American who’s ancestors were not considered White until they lost their culture to the Great White Nothing) because he knows how to manipulate his proximity to Whiteness for his benefit, but is simultaneously so racially clueless in 1930’s Mississippi, the Juke Joint members looked at him at first glance and thought that he was Genuinely Insane.

He knows that he can manipulate his proximity to Whiteness by concealing his Irish heritage, and that worked like a charm, because Joan and Burt would not have let him into their house if they thought that he was some ‘drunken, violent, poor, lazy, shady Black Irish Catholic immigrant’.

I agree with Ryan Coogler and Jack O’Connell that Remmick is not a racist - meaning that Remmick himself does not hold racist beliefs or intentions. But he is incapable of communicating that, and his racist actions were done out of complete ignorance rather than malice - and in my experience, people who hurt you out of ignorance hurts more than when they hurt you out of malice.

It’s his racial ignorance that prevents him from getting what he actually wanted, which was community and access to his ancestors. He is genuinely offended when Smoke asks if he’s a Klansmen, sputtering on about “we believe in equality”, as if there weren’t two former Klansmen behind him - with no sense of irony or self awareness. Smoke had a good reason for not letting them in (because Smoke is actually aware of what year it is, and wanted to prioritize the safety of his Black and Asian customers), but Remmick Genuinely Does Not Understand why he’s not allowed in their space because he’s an “I don’t see color” kind of guy.

After the jig is up and his actions have caused the deaths of Mary, Stack, Cornbread, Bo and several others, he’s like “Actually, I just wanted Sammie this whole time, if you give me him I’ll leave y’all alone” as if Sammie’s family and the other remaining survivors would have let him take his pick of the litter, after killing several of their friends and family. (Which makes me wonder how he’d have behaved had he been allowed inside if he only wanted Sammie, how long was hunting Sammie going to go on for? Was he determined to pounce on him that night or would he have waited? And according to Annie’s dialogue, vampirism cuts off a soul from their ancestors, meaning that Sammie would have lost his gift had he been turned, meaning that all of this was for fucking nothing. Is Remmick just Stupid??)

This is when he chooses to drop the fact that the Klan lied to the twins and were going to kill them all in the morning, when he could have told them this sooner and earned their trust. He could have even made a deal with them, be open about his vampirism instead of being deceptive - he takes care of the Klan in the Delta for them and he in return gets actual friends that he didn’t strongarm into his BORG collective who won’t turn him over to the Choctaw. He and Annie could’ve gone Interview with a Vampire and document their shared histories. Sammie might have actually been willing to share his music with him, if Remmick didn’t Insist on ‘saving’ everyone through vampirism.

Which is where his racist actions (unrelated to his belief that he is Entitled to Sammie’s music and healing powers because of his own racial trauma and centuries of solitude) come into play - Remmick unironically believes that he is Post Racial Vampire Jesus. I don’t think he’s ancient enough to experience when Christianity first came to Ireland - when he prayed with Sammie and said he hated the man who taught him the Lord’s Prayer, they were praying in English. He might have already been Christian but originally spoke Gaeilge until the English took his family’s land.

It’s his forceful baptism of Sammie and one thing he says in his Irish accent that makes me believe that he was always a Christian - he says something along the lines of “that there would be no difference between man and woman” in his vampire hivemind. Paul in Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”.

Remmick also creates his vampire hivemind, starting with Joan and Burt (his Adam and Eve) in his own image like in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

Because he believes he’s Post Racial Vampire Jesus, he has created a social hierarchy among the primarily Black people he has forcefully converted to Vampirism - which means his spiels on equality were always bullshit, and he is Completely Unaware of his Hypocrisy. He has No Idea he’s acting like the English who stole his land and forced him to speak a foreign language. He has No Idea he’s behaving like Sammie’s father, quoting prayers and alluding to Bible verses to force Sammie to submit to his point of view.

He has no sense of self awareness, his racial blindness is his fatal flaw - that is why he’s an effective villain.

[backstageinfatuationvn]

I remember seeing a lil animatic(?) on Twitter on how you worked on Kier’s design for 6 years. I can’t find it anymore tho 😭 but what was your thought process when designing him? I luv luv luvvvv his design smmmm 🥹❤️ you n your co-creator are doing an amazing job ��

The animatic is still on my personal twitter account! And thank you!! SUPER LENGTHY POST BUT HERE WE GO!

Originally Kier had black hair and a similar haircut to Kethan (old art from 2024)

The first one was actually him dressed as the phantom of the Opera since he is one of the main inspos (old inspo meme I did)

Kier was originally created 6 years ago actually, back then I also made many versions of him. But the most important one was Gacha (yes I was a gacha kid 💔)

I sadly don't have his gacha photos anymore since it was from a very ancient phone but if memory serves me right, he would've looked like this. Yes I installed the app again HAHAHA

He didn't originally have midnight blue eyes. That was added when I started bringing him back to my works before Backstage Infatuation.

Personality wise, he is originally a yandere! Nothing changed from there in terms of that but interestingly enough... Back then in my gacha days, I originally shipped him with another male OC. A BL gacha series was planned where it centered around Kier's obsession with the male OC but was later discontinued for reasons I cannot remember. It was a long, long, looong time ago.

I focused on other stuff so he started catching dust until I picked him up around early 2024. That's when I started planning for his comeback after remembering past memories on a random tuesday night before sleeping LMAO

I drew two pieces before his redesign (the first two images), this was when I was into the yandere vn games.

Just wanna shout out these two games because these inspired me to make my own!! YOU and HIM and TKATB really inspired me to make Backstage Infatuation (there was also Dramatical Murder). I also have a love for Idol culture and Kpop, so I based Backstage Infatuation on my interests.

It is no secret that Backstage Infatuation is a passion project of mine, most of the characters in the game are old ocs being brought back to life and new ocs being finally used. Kier was one of those OCs that were brought back to life and needed a new makeover.

Fast forward to November 2024, I started redoing Kier and originally came up with his overall face and hair.

Interestingly enough, I actually came up with his idol fit first after seeing an outfit on Pinterest!

This is the original concept of his first idol outfit draft, felt it was too plain but really liked the black and white theme.

Second try and I came up with this! Even added silver feathers to symbolize LUXE's angel theme.

I added midnight blue (with stars) accents and it really made them look ethereal and elegant, at least for me. Which fits the group's original concept!

For his casual outfit, I wanted to go with something stylish and cool at the same time. I went with techwear influence and came up with the outfit now used in the game! Originally he didn't have black leather pants, but denim... It didn't look good in my opinion. 😭

Old and New design comparison

I kinda stole Nightwing's color palette for his clothes and changed a few stuff (mostly the blue)— Sorry I just really like Nightwing 😭 HAHAHA.

Few tweaks there and there, I became satisfied with his design!

I also made different outfits for him, a easter egg outfit I plan to add, his summer outfit and spring time outfit. I do love dressing up my son and exploring different fashions for him. ❤️

I do enjoy designing clothes and outfits. (Already reached the 10 image limit so here's a poorly made collage)

Sorry if this took a long time 😭 I had to find my old gallery saves for some of the pictures but this was such a fun ask to answer! It's nice to have a memory refresh ❤️

I hope this answered everything and so SORRY IF IT'S LENGTHY 😭😭 - Ive (Creator)

[juicycoutureheaux]

Pairing: Mark Grayson x TransferStudent!Reader

A/N: This is inspired by @wordsofwhimsy southern belle reader. As a girl from Georgia, I loved the idea of a transfer student from the south. This is short fluff, I don’t know if I’ll turn it into a multi chapter or keep it as just a fluffy one shot. This is definitely AU. I didn’t know how to fit in Amber into this if it becomes multi chapter.

No TW’s.

Y/N tapped her pink-painted nails on the desk, a soft rhythm filling the quiet classroom. Her gaze wandered out the window, where a squirrel was in a full-blown loop of climbing up and down the same tree. It was almost funny enough to distract her from the knot in her stomach.

She was early. She was always early—part nerves, part habit. Her family had just moved up from South Georgia, and this was her first day as the new kid. She had gone to the same Christian school her entire life. Now, she was a senior in a public school where cliques were sealed shut, and no one knew her name.

The culture shock hit hard. No uniforms, for starters. She hadn’t known what to wear. Her first day outfit—a Lily Pulitzer shift dress and white cardigan—made her stand out like a highlighter in a sea of hoodies and skinny jeans. She tried not to let it get to her. She liked the way she dressed. That should be enough, right?

Today she wore a pink gingham dress and the same monogrammed cardigan. A delicate strand of pearls sat at her collarbone, and her golden-brown curls were half-pulled back with a ribbon. She felt like springtime in a room full of November.

The classroom door banged open.

A tall boy with black hair rushed in, clearly late. His backpack half-zipped, one shoelace untied. He scanned the room quickly—and his eyes landed on the open seat next to you..

He hesitated.

“Is this seat taken? I mean—of course it is, I’ll find somewhere else—”

“Wait!” You blurted. “It’s not. You can sit here.”

He blinked, caught off guard. Then offered a crooked smile. “Thanks.” He sat, dropping his bag with a thud. “I’m Mark.”

“I’m y/n.” She tucked a curl behind her ear, heart fluttering. He was the first person to talk to her all morning.

Mark gave a little nod, but the silence crept in quickly. You cleared your throat.

“So… how long have you gone to school here?”

Mark straightened in his seat. “Since freshman year!” he said a little too enthusiastically. His ears turned pink.

You giggled softly. “That’s awesome. Have you lived here your whole life?”

“Yeah, born and raised. You’re not from around here, I’m guessing?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Kind of.” He grinned. “You dress like you walked out of a magazine ad. In a good way!”

You blushed. “Thanks. I’m from Savannah. I used to go to a private Christian school. We had uniforms, so this whole ‘pick your outfit every day’ thing is… kind of intense.”

Mark laughed. “Honestly, uniforms sound great. Half the time I just wear whatever smells clean.”

She laughed again, brighter this time. “I kind of miss the simplicity. And the style here is so different—dark colors, graphic tees. I feel like a cupcake in a room full of Hot Topics.”

Mark’s gaze dropped to her dress for the first time. “Well, I like cupcakes. Especially pink ones. You look… um, really nice.”

She tilted her head. “Like Barbie?”

He winced. “Okay, that sounded better in my head—”

“No, no! I love Barbie.” Your eyes lit up. “She has, like, a thousand careers. What’s not to love?”

Mark chuckled. “Fair enough.”

Before he could say anything else, the teacher called class to order. They shared a textbook since Mark had forgotten his. Anna didn’t mind. She liked the way he kept whispering sarcastic comments during the video about photosynthesis. She had to bite her lip not to laugh out loud.

When class ended, Mark stood up slowly, surprised when you stood next to him.

“What’s your next class?” he asked.

“English, I think? Room 208?”

“No way. Me too.” He smiled. “Guess you’re stuck with me again.”

You blinked. “I’m never this lucky.”

Mark’s eyes widened, and he flushed. “Uh…”

“I mean—just having a friendly face in two classes. That’s all.” You fumbled over your words.

He smiled, heart pounding. “Where in Georgia did you say you were from?”

“Savannah. It’s all old trees and humid summers. And way too many tourists.”

“I’ve only seen it in movies. It sounds nice.”

“Yeah… quieter than here. And nobody wears all black.”

Mark laughed. “So is it a rule where you’re from? Skirts and pastels?”

You giggled. “Not a rule, just… tradition, I guess? It’s how my mom dressed, and her mom. It’s kind of fun, dressing up every day.”

“Well… I think it suits you,” he said, looking genuinely impressed now. “You make it look cool.”

Before you could respond, a tall, broad-shouldered blonde guy swaggered up.

“Grayson,” he sneered, eyeing Mark. “This guy bothering you?” he asked you, full of mock concern.

You blinked. “Do I know you?”

Todd raised an eyebrow. “I’m just wondering what a girl like you’s doing sitting next to him.”

You crossed your arms. “Weren’t you just leaving?”

Todd squinted. “What?”

You tilted your head, voice sweet as honey. “You said you were leaving. Or… was that wishful thinking?”

Todd’s face turned pink. “Uh—whatever.” He turned and walked off, mumbling something under his breath.

Mark stared. “He never leaves without trying to embarrass me. How did you do that?”

Anna smirked. “Gaslighting.”

They both laughed.

“Seriously,” Mark said as they walked down the hall together, “you’re kind of amazing.”

You smiled. “You’re kind of the first person who’s been nice to me today. I think I’m keeping you.”

Mark’s heart did a backflip.

[royal-confessions]

“What did William do to people, seriously? Why they hate him do much? All he’s doing is what his mother wanted for him: to be able to do his duty and have love at the same time. If you watch the entirety of the Bashir interview, that’s the bottomline of what Diana said he wanted for William, particularly. Also, Diana also talked about the whole bringing the monarchy closer to the public thing, which I think William is not failing to do. I kinda think he’s misunderstood by people. (Well, not really by the people because he still polls high but by social media I guess).” - Submitted by Anonymous

“Everything William does people have a problem with. Charles has so much more celebrity friends and is always wanting to be seen with celebrities, yet it’s William who gets called “celebrity wannabe”. Fyi, he has the healthiest boundary with celebrity among the three of them (him, Charles, and Harry).” - Submitted by Anonymous

“I know he’s the epitome of male white privilege and he will be King so I can’t feel bad for him, but my heart kinda breaks for Prince William. The way people misunderstand his intentions for wanting people to stop using his mother’s name. He just sees his mother as his mother, as a human being, and not the commodified character that exists in the realm of media and entertainment and pop culture. Is there anything wrong with that? When in his mind it’s the insatiable hunger for anything Diana that is what he thinks lead to her death. The way these people are the ones driving a wedge between him and the memory of his mother, saying she took his genes back or whatever when the reality of the situation is that he just lost his hair like many men do and it has nothing to do with his moral character. Are we supposed to think all men who lose their hair are bad and that only perfect looking people are good? It’s so superficial. And he’s not even that ugly. He just went from looking ethereal to looking like an average human being lol. The way Meghan has completely used his mother’s story to further her agenda and people refuse to see that he was a central figure in Diana’s story. He literally was the baby in Diana’s womb when she wanted to throw herself down the stairs. How it must have been for him growing up and knowing that? It must have had some sort of effect because the fact of the matter is he was the person who told Harry he might need help with his anxiety. Also, the fact that he married a woman with such empathy like Catherine that she was the one who saw the importance of mental health as an underlying theme in all of their different areas of work. And the way people just look at them as mental health deniers because they think they refused Meghan help when Harry himself has admitted he never told them because he was ashamed. And the way people continue to use the pop culture commodified image of Diana to try and canonize Harry and Meghan as saints as well for doing things that are not even as impactful as the work Diana had done. It’s all just done for the sake of continuing narratives in this soap opera. Anyway, whatever.” - Submitted by Anonymous

“Do people even think about William’s mental health in all of this? I feel worried about him. There’s just a sadness in his eyes these days that wasn’t there before. And this is why I can’t get over Harry and Meghan’s selfishness. They can fight for their right to be happy and free, but that’s not all they want. They could’ve escaped royal life without hurting anyone, but they’ve left such a mess. Lies and exaggerations and self-serving narratives. They aren’t simply fighting for their happiness, they want to ruin William and Catherine. Harry will not stop until he’s taken everything from William and William is completely broken.” - Submitted by Anonymous

“The way William is viewed as petty or a bully for all the imaginary ways they think he retaliates against Harry (because Harry plants ideas in people’s with all his insinuations). First of all, after what some people have said about him and Kate while she was battling cancer, I can’t call it petty anymore if William is in whatever way actually retaliating. Does William not have his own mental health? Does William not have his own trauma? Does William not have his own children he has to take care of? Does William not have his own wife who battled cancer while people salivated at the thought of “history repeating itself”?” - Submitted by Anonymous

[thenightling]

That's not an opinion, that's rage bait. Every culture in the world borrows from the cultures it interacts with. But at the same time there's always an era before the interaction. I specifically mentioned some Ancient Polish stuff right in this very post. Who do you think gave them that? Aliens? There's also Druidic culture and early Norse. Greek and Roman, of course. Or did you think Europeans always had battleships and globes? The thing about "White culture" is it's not "White" culture. There's no such thing as "White" culture. There's Gaelic / drudic culture, Spanish culture, Hungarian culture, Russian culture, Germanic culture, English folk culture, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Romanian, Greek, Italian, French, Norwegian, etc. Most of it dating back thousands upon thousands of years. And each distinctly different from the others. You seem under the delusion that "White people" sprouted into existence at the formation of the US and then started grasping at indigenous and African culture to form something resembling a culture and not that there were several different cultures in Europe dating back thousands of years. That wasn't an "unpopular opinion." that was an effort at being self-righteous and self-deprecating while also not knowing world history.

Why EVERYONE has a right to have Spirit animals

There have been several posts on Tumblr circulating “explaining” why “white folk” don’t have a right to believe in Spirit Animals. 

Allow me to provide bullet points as to why this post is hideously wrong and shockingly narrow minded and bigoted in it’s own right.  

1.    Spirit animals exist in cultures the world over.  

Germanic Pagans / Asatru (Heathen) have Vættir / wihtiz who often could shapeshift into animals.  And ånd dyr.

The Gaelic / Celtic have Spirit animals.  In fact when white men came to North America the term Spirit animal was applied to Totems because “Spirit animal” (by the English words) was a concept they already understood.  Ironic to have rants about appropriation without considering this…

Wiccans and other witches have familiars, which is an animal helper, beloved pet, or a… spirit guide in an animal form.  This concept is quite old and can be traced to fifteenth century Grimoires found in Germany and France.

The Ancient Japanese, Chinese and traditional Korean have spirit animals too.   Korean Spirit Animals are  Jangseung.  And similar can be found in other Asian cultures.  

The Ancient Polish had rodnidze whose meaning and purpose is virtually identical to the Native American Totems.   So what the anti-White person Spirit Animal posts did is telling Polish Pagans not to honor their past or believe anything from their own culture’s history because of what the descendants of other Europeans had done to a similar culture.  I’m pretty sure the Ancient Polish were not appropriating anything.

Australian Aborigine (besides North American) also had Spirit Animals that you could communicate with in the “Dream Time.”  

Roma / Romani (impolitely called gypsy) also have Spirit Animals.  This stems out of Hungary and parts of Eastern Europe.    

In many parts of India cows are sacred. 

Cats were believed to be messengers of the Gods in Egypt.

Ravens and wolves are believed to be servants of Odin in Nordic tradition and are also powerful figures in Gaelic folklore.

And last but not least we have Shetani in East Africa.

There are others but those are the ones I list here to prove a point.  The concept is literally everywhere.

2.  The term Spirit animal is not Native American.  Notice, for starters that the words are … you know… ENGLISH!    The more common term for the Native American version is Totem.

The concept is literally world-over.  Just about every Ancient Culture had a version.   Some existing into present day, some fading into obscurity.    

3.   Telling anyone that they do not have a right to follow a particular religion because of an accident of birth is an insult to several cultures.  Many Native American tribes welcome new members or want people to share their beliefs.  “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”  Skin color and race does not determine what religion a person has a “Right” to follow.

4.   It only proves how little respect you have for a belief if you think some people do not have a right to believe in it.  That heavily indicates you do not humor the notion that the belief to be a truth / fact of reality but rather treat it as nothing more than a badge or trinket to be jealously guarded away from others.

5.   Segregation and telling people to “keep to their own kind” and that they only have a right to things their “own people” created is not okay, no matter who is saying it.  All that does is perpetuate a cycle of hate and resentment.   We are all human.

Respect the opinions of others.  Respect the religion of others and never, ever, ever go so low and pretentious as to tell someone what they can or cannot believe in.

[sl-newsie]

I Have A Bad Feeling About This (Dr. Spencer Reid x Girlfriend OC) *Star Wars Day Special!*

Summary: Spencer's girlfriend comes into the office and he's worried about what reaction her stunning Star Wars attire will bring.

Morgan groans and takes a long sip of coffee. “Listen, pretty boy, can you please give us some peace and quiet for ten minutes?”

It’s been a usual day of office work. The BAU team has been graced with a day without a case so everyone’s been cooped up doing paperwork. Of course Spencer, being the chatterbox he is, had to go into lecture mode the second Garcia commented on his Star Wars pin on account of the occasion of Star Wars Day. She herself is wearing a new shirt with a cute Grogu on the front holding a tea mug. That sparked a whole talk about culture stereotypes.

“The Star Wars fans’ battle with Trekkies is similar to ethnocentrism. Our country’s form of ethnocentrism is a lot more open to other cultures and practicing multiculturalism compared to other countries due to the fact that the U.S. is supposed to be a melting pot for all cultures, however we sometimes tend to lean towards more broad-minded and influenced decisions rather than traditional and fair values.”

Just then a young woman walks in and stands to wait at the edge of the room. But not any normal-looking woman. This one is wearing a tan long-sleeved tunic with a matching sash and brown belt, in addition to brown trousers, boots, and an easily-noticeable cloak. What else is unsubtle about her appearance are the strange white markings on her face. It appears to be makeup but nothing like any normal trends.

Spencer doesn’t notice her yet but Prentiss keeps looking between her and the picture of Spencer’s girlfriend on his desk. Her hair is the same shade and without the makeup she almost looks the same…

“You must be Amelia!” Prentiss calls out and the lady nods shyly. 

The rest of the team looks over and is surprised to see the costumed woman waving at them. Spencer’s eyes widen. He must have lost track of the time. Amelia was going to meet him after work and then they were going to watch Star Wars films. How long has he kept her waiting? A quick glance at his phone shows a few texts from her asking about him. The team hasn’t met her yet- And it has to be when she’s dressed up. What are they going to think about this introduction? The concern leads Spencer to have a bad feeling about this.

Prentiss smiles and beckons the costumed woman closer. “Spencer’s mentioned you a few times. We were beginning to wonder if you really existed.”

Amelia strides over and Morgan eyes her strange makeup. “Did you join a cult?”

Her eyebrows rise and she does a double-take to remember what she looks like. Amelia never planned on coming into Spencer’s workplace today but it’s been over an hour since their planned meeting time. After he never answered her texts she began to worry. He always tells her if there’s an unexpected case- She thought something might have happened. But there’s no cause for alarm. She overreacted and instead found her boyfriend and his team working after hours. 

If this were any other day she would be wearing “normal” clothes and no unusual makeup. She reminds herself that not everyone dresses up on Star Wars Day. Amelia, however, doesn’t feel flustered. The team’s reaction is no different from any other glance she’s received all day.

“Oh, no! This is part of my Star Wars attire,” Amelia explains awkwardly, looking down at her costume. “It’s the one time a year I can get away with it without looking like, well, a cultist.”

Garcia looks out from her office and her eyes light up at the sight of the newcomer. She hurries out and approaches Amelia with a wide smile.

“I love it! How long did it take to do your hair?”

Amelia reaches up to touch her multiple braids that are twisted into a bun. “Almost an hour. You must be Penelope! Good to finally meet you!”

At that time, Spencer looks up to see Rossi walking down the stairs. The Italian notices the gathering around Amelia and decides to investigate. The closer he gets the more he recognizes the familiar outfit.

“I’m Agent Rossi,” he greets and offers a handshake. “I see that you aren’t letting societal standards stop you from dressing up.”

There it is. The elephant in the room. Of course Rossi is the one to address it. But he does so in a professional way. Amelia doesn’t feel uneasy about the attention. Meanwhile Spencer is holding his breath as Morgan gets a teasing smirk.

“And I thought Reid was the nerd- ouch!”

Prentiss elbows him in the rib and Morgan shuts up. She steps in front of him and gives Amelia another smile.

“Who are you supposed to be?”

“Oh, I’m just a standard Jedi Knight,” Amelia shrugs. “That’s what I love about Star Wars. You can dress up as any usual Jedi, bounty hunter, or civilian and still fit in with the lore.”

“I remember seeing those films when they came out,” Rossi comments. “Lots of good memories.”

“What’s your favorite trilogy?” Prentiss asks Amelia.

“Originals, by far!”

“Oh, c’mon! The prequels have great lightsaber fights!” Penelope debates.

Uh-oh, Spencer thinks. Here we go.

Amelia rolls her eyes. “Half of their content is memes. The originals are more nostalgic.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Rossi agrees. “Are you up to join us for a trip to the bar?”

Any other time Amelia would have agreed. But today is a special day for her and Spencer. Not only is it a day celebrating one of their favorite franchises but it’s their 5-month anniversary. She locks eyes with Spencer and sees that he’s itching to leave as well.

“That sounds fun but we’re going back to Spencer’s apartment to binge watch.”

“Is the party in here?” Another voice calls.

Hotch walks out of his office and smiles at Amelia. He’s the only team member she’s met before all on account of encountering him and his son during a walk in the park. The sight of the acquainted leader brings a sense of ease to Amelia’s mind and she begins to relax.

“Hey, Hotch! How’s Jack?”

“Today is one of his favorite days. He asked me if he could wear his Darth Vader costume to school but I had to say no.” Hotch gives her a nod. “Nice outfit!”

“Thanks! Um, how much longer are you all-?”

Hotch checks his watch and hums. “Is that the time? Sorry, everyone. You’re all cleared for today.”

The team gives a silent cheer and begins to disperse. Spencer makes a beeline for Amelia and she can’t help but notice his pink cheeks. 

“May the force be with you!” She waves to the team members and takes his hand to lead him outside. “Ready for action and adventure in a galaxy far, far away?”

Spencer takes a look around to be sure that they’re alone before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Definitely.”

Amelia frowns at his hesitation. “Is something wrong?”

“I- I’m sorry I kept you waiting and you had to meet the team like, um, this.”

Spencer doesn’t gesture to the outfit but Amelia knows what he’s talking about. She looks down at herself and then back at him. He’s worried that I’d be embarrassed. The thought makes Amelia’s heart flutter. 

“Did I embarrass you?” She asks lightly, reaching up to play with his hair.

“No! No!” Spencer blurts and starts rambling. “I mean- Did you feel uncomfortable? I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable when you met them- I think you always look adorable in your Jedi cosplay but if you-”

He cuts himself off when Amelia wraps her arms around him for a tight hug. 

“Spencer, I’m perfectly fine with walking around in my Jedi robes in public. If anything, it’s more modest than half the trends nowadays. I don’t mind if people think it’s strange. Do you?”

“N- Not at all,” he murmurs and runs a hand over her braids. “I love your fandom enthusiasm.”

“Then let’s put your concerns to an end and get to watching some awesome space adventures!”

Amelia gives his arm a tug and they begin walking. Spencer’s whirring brain begins to slow down now that he knows. She’s right. Today isn’t about trying to fit in. It’s about enjoying a creative franchise and addressing the special commemoration. 

“In which order?” He asks with a smile, all fears put away.

Amelia tilts her head in consideration. “Good question…”

Three hours later and the couple is cuddled up on Spencer’s couch. Half-finished takeout pizza sits on the counter. Amelia’s cloak is draped over the lounge chair. The sun has set and the only light comes from the glare of the TV screen. Their hands lay interwoven between them as they gaze at the flash of lightsabers. Amelia’s white makeup appears smudged from all the kisses Spencer has given.

Spencer leans in and presses another kiss to the top of her head. “Happy anniversary, sweetheart.”

“I love you,” Amelia murmurs and presses herself closer.

“I know.”

May the force be with you!

[bluejay-makes]

Drow kiddos growing up in different cities

[cosmogyros]

It's fucking weird how rude people are about immigration sometimes. And I don't just mean bigots being biased and stuff. I mean that, on a REGULAR basis, people ask me if I'm thinking about "going back to the US". And I'm just like... no? What do you mean "back to the US"? I live in Germany. I LIVE IN GERMANY.

I literally fucking started learning German and obsessing on German culture in high school, then I went to college in the US and majored in German Studies, including two study-abroad programs in Germany, then I moved to Germany for grad school and lived there for three years and worked in various German-speaking jobs while studying, then I had to temporarily return to the US but found a German-translation-based job at the US branch of a German company, and made a bunch of German or at least German-speaking friends in my new US city, and then a few years later I was able to move back to Germany, where I got a work visa sponsored by my employer and a full-time salaried job, and after a few more years I acquired my permanent residency, and soon I'll be applying for citizenship.

And people still sometimes ask me whether I'm considering "going back to the US". Like... dude? Would you ask a Mexican living in the US about their plans for "going back to Mexico"? That is rude as fuck.

Immigration is fucking hard. Why on earth would I have gone through all this shit just to throw it up in the air like "Oh well, never mind!"

[nefretemerson]

I've got a speech impediment (I don't say my Rs properly and high school era speech therapy only went so far) and a Very slovak face (because Dad's family emigrated in like. 1919. and mom's family is the sort of pennsylvania german that was fucking around in penn's woods right at the beginning). anyway. I spent fifteen years as a waitress and a bartender and idk. people feel so entitled to Ask things. I got asked where I was from All The Time. and people would get so Mad when I'd say 'ohio lol.' like. people got Angry. and then I'd have to explain, because I was working for tips. sometimes I'd be a dick right back. and be like. 'oh was it the accent?' and they'd say yes and id say 'ah yes. so you noticed my speech impediment.' and just leave. and then most of the time that did it, but often it didn't and they'd start in on my face or whatever. and I dealt with that for fifteen fucking years and it made me oversensitive tbh so now I don't ask people where they're from At All, even when i should because its Such an annoying question.

[fantabulisticity]

I was really pumped to go to a local concert that I thought was tomorrow, where a really good band is playing, and I found out AT THE TIME THE CONCERT STARTED that it's tonight and not tomorrow. I looked through concert tickets and shit and tried to find the length of the concert and band order for way too long and then finally decided to go and by the time I was ready, it was 45 minutes past start time and I would still have to drive across town and find parking. And not a single place online told me the band order. I HATE that shit. Idk where everyone finds that info bc i can fucking NEVER find it. So I didn't even know if I could still see them or not if I showed up late, and then it was so late that it's not even worth going. And the concert goes SUPER late and I work at 7 am and the tickets are $50 and I don't really have that right now. I am so sad and angry. I thought they were the headliner and I'd get to see them tomorrow. But I don't get to see them at all bc I've been so fucking busy and tired all the time that I didn't have the bandwidth to look for tickets until tonight. So now I'm going to bed without a shower even though I'm STICKY bc I spent the last HOUR trying to decide whether or not to try to go to this concert. I fucking HATE this shit. If I could have found this info earlier and more easily then I could have made it. But no. I don't get to go at all. And I don't know if this band will ever be in town again. I've seen them once and they were AMAZING, but that was years ago, and I was excited to see them as an adult. I had fucking PLANNED for this concert but my plans were wrong. And now I don't get to go at all. Bc this internationally recognized band is playing on a fucking THURSDAY NIGHT. Why the FUCK would I know they were put on a THURSDAY. And the websites are so impossible to navigate anyways, esp on Mobile. It is SO HARD to find the most basic info about this shit. And now I don't even get to go. Because it took me half an hour to find the info I needed in order to even make a decision, and that half hour started AT CONCERT START TIME. I'm so fucking sad and angry. I have had kind of a rough week, and I was really looking forward to this. The concert tomorrow doesn't have ANYONE I recognize bc I only know older musicians in this genre and I have NO IDEA who any of these people are. So I don't know if I even want to go to the one tomorrow. Because the one I wanted to go to was TONIGHT. A fucking THURSDAY. And I can't even just get my shit together and go anyways bc the concert will be halfway over and my bedtime is right fucking now. I'm so fucking sad. This event happens once per year and it changed dates a few years ago so I never fucking know when it is anymore, and now in the year when I DO know when it is and have a job where I can conceivably afford to go, and I fucking PUT IT IN MY CALENDAR AND TRIED TO BUY TICKETS, I actually can't go. The rug wasn't even pulled out from under me, I was trying to run over it and tripped on it and landed face-first on the ground. What the FUCK.

[j-esbian]

it is a bit sad to see how many usamericans have internalized the idea that we’re all the same and have no culture or accent diversity aside from “generic american” (manufactured for cable news) ��southern” (incredibly diverse btw) and “new yorker”

turn off the tv and go outside

[ablednt]

Granted I have the overall geographical and cultural knowledge of a 4th grader but from what I can tell the nuclear family model really does seem to be a white colonial invention

Different cultures have different approaches but I mainly hear about either large family units where multiple generations support each other and raise their children and grandchildren together or an "it takes a village" approach where children are raised somewhat communally

And I can't really speak on it much or claim that these families were free of abuse or that children aren't often an oppressed group basically everywhere I know of but the way ownership of your children is so engrained into white society is so bizarre

Like once you notice it you can't unnotice it even the most loving well meaning parents don't know what to do about it because everyone is so isolated from their own families and their own communities so you wind up with 1-2 parents who have full legal ownership of their child and are raised in a culture where you don't have personhood until you're 18 and all attempts at self actualization before them are seen as clueless rebellion. Like our culture is so divorced from the concept that a parent is someone who is helping mentor and care for their child so they can thrive as a fellow human being and it's actually so alarming

And ik this problem isn't unique to white and colonized people but it's honestly really soothing to hear about how other cultures approach and view parenting and community as a whole and to internalize it doesn't have to be this way

[irhabiya]

i think my favorite thing that i got out of my medical anthropology elective is how culturally defined health and illness are... very interesting to think about

[faunandfloraas]

inadvertently stopped using my freckle fade cream without thinking.... right around the time i started making gifs of felix.... coincidence?

[aromanticasterisms]

emilie is sooo flower based omg. she was made for me