#as well this is the thing that most deeply influences every facet of modern day i feel on a global level

[tianshiisdead]

this is a HETALIA post that will end with a conclusion about hetalia. thx

i dont want to focus too much on global south victimhood or this or that, i dont want to take away agency from the global south, but its kind of heartbreaking to me how you can run through the entire history of this or that western country with colonialism, imperialist wars, and the flow of money as a footnote, but the histories of those countries they ravaged are forever ripped by that same imperialism.

I guess i was thinking about this, about history and nation personifications and what counts as ‘political’. To be honest, its impossible for me to totally separate nation and history from politics, to completely cleanse away the mentions of anything bad or scary or painful, you may treat it gently or grimly or comedically but it’s always going to be there as long as you see these nations as nations, as history (ie not an AU). And of course, that history of the global south which so deeply intertwines with colonialism/imperialism is almost always labeled as political, always seen as sensitive.

However… I think it’s telling that much of the fandom who engages with western characters (and I should put a quick disclaimer that there is nothing wrong with that in and of itself) are able to shrug the colonialism away and simply choose not to engage. Just like history books on western nations can cleanly sweep each war, each colony, each invasion under a quickly brushed aside footnote, it’s not hard to look away from where the money and resources come from. Total empire, colony influence on the metropole, they do exist, but what are they compared to the influence on the colony itself? To build the framework of a nation personification of a formerly colonized country, to make even the most basic decisions on their age and birth and identity becomes difficult without delving into the imperialist violence that formed their modern state. To give a recount of any country ravaged by imperialist wars, it’s impossible to avoid giving name to the violence that left the nation reeling into modern day.

So, yes, it’s very telling to me how easy it is to brush aside ‘politics’ when speaking only of western nation personifications.

[shakespeares-globe-blog]

The double self: Doctor Aldersen & Mr. Robot, the false myth of progress and the overthrowing of the capitalistic pattern through divided personalities.

Mr. Robot, the much acclaimed American drama thriller, is a television series created by Sam Esmail and aired for the first time in 2015.

Plot

The series revolves around the miserable and lonely life of Elliot Alderson, a young security engineer, who works for one of the richest and most powerful corporations in the world, the E-Corp, through his own point of view, which is heavily influenced by his social anxiety and his chronic paranoia. One day, he is recruited by a mysterious anarchist known as Mr. Robot and joins his team of hacktivists known as fsociety. They plan to cancel consumer debt by destroying the data of the E-Corp (which Elliot calls “Evil Corp”) and to inspire a revolution that will ultimately lead to an equal distribuition of wealth and to the downfall of the capitalistic pattern.

A double first-person narrator

The story of the revolution is told through a first-person narrator, which is Elliot himself, and through his thinking process. Elliot, however, has serious dissociative disorder, anxiety and paranoia, resulting in each episode being one big paranoid delirium, and the viewer shuffles from reality to illusion, not knowing what actually happen and what was just product of Elliot’s mind. Nonetheless, Elliot perceives the viewer as a product of his mind, talking to him and talking to himself at the same time, so that the narrator and the viewer are one and the same, two parts of the same mind.

Although Elliot's mind and his imaginary confidant is already a division of his mind, this is not the only way his personality gets split up. In fact, later in the series, after finding out Mr. Robot is his (supposedly) dead father, his sister Darlene and his friend Angela see him talking frantically to apparently no one, bleeding and severely hurt. When asked what he was doing, he admits he was talking to Mr. Robot, his father, whom he pushed out of a window in a rage tantrum - as his conscience comes back, he finds out Mr. Robot is no one but himself, and that he threw himself out of a window during one of his manic episodes. So, Mr. Robot is Elliot's alter-ego: he's the unconscious, instinctive part of his soul, taking over his mind to make up for Elliot's inadequacy and introversion; unlike Elliot, Mr. Robot is bold, irreverent, loud, a born leader. A modern Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde scenario, where Elliot hadn't known he'd been the one to plot the downfall of capitalism out of interiorized spite and disdain for the utilitarian society.

Mr. Robot can be cold-blooded, tyrannical, hateful, harsh; he hurts Elliot and the people he loves. Not unusually Elliot shows his willingness to free himself from his alter-ego, resorting to morphine and several other expedients, and even to the strict regimen of prison (calling himself guilty of hacking and privacy violation), ignoring him when he appears, not letting him take control. However, Mr. Robot is controlling and an undeniable part of him, as cruel and destructive as he is, and he can never get rid of him.

Although Mr. Robot, with his merciless and fierce behaviour, represents Elliot’s opposite, he is still part of him. Not to mention, Elliot perceives Mr. Robot as his dead father, whom he deeply loved and cared for - Elliot relies on him and never actually shuts him down. Mr. Robot saved him on several episodes, and Elliot loves him, as twisted as their relationship is.

Other characters

Even though they’re not clinical cases, every character in Mr. Robot needs to be mentioned, even if briefly, in this article, because of their divided selves. As a matter of fact, characters in Mr. Robot don’t change - they’re anything but dynamic - but as the story goes on - so, as Elliot progressively understands what is going on around him - they reveal their real personalities, and their real intentions, which might be the complete opposites of what the viewer thought at the beginning of the series. The clearest example might be Tyrell Wellick, Elliot’s “rival”, who in the first two episodes shows his cold, detatched manners. When you first see him, you might think he’s the typical ambitious and merciless villain, all perfect and with a heart of stone.

In reality, as the story goes on, his façade falls, and he reveals his extremely emotional and moody personality, levelling this impassible, god-like villain to a simple, flawed human being.

Another example is Whiterose: professional, calm Chinese Prime Minister of State Security by day, fierce and fearless leader of one of the most powerful hacker groups in the world at night.

The real illusion: the false myth of progress

Elliot: You’re not real. Mr. Robot: Is any of it real? I mean, look at this, look at it! A world built on fantasy! Synthetic emotions in the form of pills! Psychological warfare in the form of advertising! Mind altering chemicals in the form of food! Brainwashing seminars in the form of media! Controlled isolated bubbles in the form of social networks. Real? You want to talk about reality? We haven't lived in anything remotely close to it since the turn of the century! We turned it off, took out the batteries, snacked on a bag of GMOs, while we tossed the remnants into the ever expanding dumpster of the human condition. We live in branded houses, trademarked by corporations, built on bipolar numbers, jumping up and down on digital displays, hypnotizing us into the biggest slumber mankind has ever seen. You'd have to dig pretty deep, kiddo, before you can find anything real. We live in a kingdom of bullsh*t, that even you have lived in for far too long. So don't tell me about not being real: I'm no less real than the f*cking beef patty in your Big Mac. As far as you’re concerned, Elliot, I am very real.

One can argue that one purpose of the TV drama is that of showing how Elliot’s mind is no more messed up than the society he lives in: Elliot’s delirium blends in so well with modern society that the viewer is not sure of the dividing line between the two. He always expresses his disappointment and dissatisfaction of our unjust, contemporary society; the way we’re being controlled, the way we’re not even conscious of our enslavement, the fact that progress and materialism have made us nothing but brainwashed lapdogs, the fact that only a small percentage of the population can actually call themselves rich, the fact that money overcomes relationships. And at the same time, it’s the same reality that allows us safety and control. Our society is divided as well.

The representation of the Middle Eastern world in Mr. Robot

In a show that clearly shows today's multi-faceted Western world, it is impossible not to show the very different Middle Eastern reality, and talk about it. The main character, although born and grown-up in America, is of mixed race, and his feelings and problems are based on the creator's very own experiences growing up as a Muslim immigrant.

The best representation, however, is given off by two other characters: Sunil and Shama, two hacktivists of fsociety fighting to destroy the Western system that continuously discriminates them, to avenge the failing American Dream their families wanted to pursue but failed because of America’s interiorized racism. Many developments this season were extremely direct critiques of President Trump and his supporters. In an episode, Shama and Sunil, on the run, are framed by the Chinese as Iranian terrorists and used as scapegoats to cover their evil actions. Elliot knows the two of them weren't part of any terrorist plan, but what he doesn't know is that the Chinese set them up to divert attention from their leader's political plans and drumming up public support for the unlikely candidate she is backing in the upcoming presidential election in an effort to sow chaos and discord: Donald J. Trump. And the worst thing is Elliot knows he's powerless, since the medias are already targeting them as terrorists and people will unlikely question it, helplessly falling into the propaganda hole. Nearly through the end of the season, Elliot finds the courage to visit Shama and Sunil's families to give out his condolences. The episode is one of the most sentimental and meaningful of the whole serie. “This country now blames Muslims for everything,” says Shama's father as he sorts through their belongings, as they're about to move out. “There’s no room for us here anymore.” But later on, as Elliot decides to kill himself by the shore, he meets Mohammed, Shama's little brother, who asks for a trip to the movies. While there, Elliot recreates with Mohammed the same memories he once had with his own father, but the movies are his memory lane, not Mohammed's. The boy runs away, and Elliot finds him praying in the mosque, the happy place he and his sister grew in. There, they have a meaningful conversation — Mohammed calls Elliot out on his suicidal tendencies and on the Western society’s individualistic pattern (”Why do you always talk about yourself?”), and Elliot understands he has something to live for. Maybe for the first time, we don't see a place of indoctrination, but a loving place to go to find hope —and so Mohammed says: “Did you know I could be President of the United States? My sister couldn’t be. She wasn’t born here. My mom and dad couldn’t either. I’m the only person in my family who could be President. Isn’t that cool? If I were President, I would be able to stay here. In the house we live in. I would find a way to bring back my sister. I’d put the real bad guys in jail. And I’d make everyone eat Pop Tarts for dinner. And make everyone be nice to me.”, and Elliot realizes there are still things left that are worth living for.

[wingheadshellhead]

So I just read Jonathan Hickman's Avgers, Vol. 1: Avengers World which has that scene about how "it started with two men; one was life and one was death" in reference to Steve and Tony. What really confuses me and kind of makes me angry is why Tony is death? I don't really understand what it's referencing or what he's done to be Death. Like merchant of death and all that I get. But he's past his history now right? Even poetically in an avengers comic why is he still death? Wondering if you know?

i mean,,,,,,, i know fandom was briefly up in arms about this (not really but it was a Thing ppl were mildly salty about) but hickman never specifies who he’s referring to here. (the placement of the captions means nothing lmao, it’s literally just positioned in standard left-to-right reading order.) and actually, many ppl in fandom have taken that exact ambiguity and spun it on its head in edits and fics and especially re: mcu after ca: cw to cast steve as death, and tony as life as an interesting subversion of popular understanding of that quote where 616 tony = death, 616 steve = life. 

hickman’s writing style is very much about intense concept ideas and the big picture, he goes HARD on metaphors that make for great quotes and oneliners taken out of context but doesn’t often attempt to explain or further clarify what they mean. as someone who’s read most of his original comic east of west over at image, i can tell you it’s Classic Hickman to throw out that kind of dramatic ass statement and leave it up in the air as to who’s who just because it was memorable, it sounded fucking good, and it’s going to stick in people’s heads long after they’ve finished reading. and it definitely works bc this one ticks all three boxes.

personally, i don’t think hickman specifically intended one of them to be Life personified or Death personified; that’s hyperbolic even for hickman’s level of drama. and with steve and tony, at least, i think he knows full well that he’s dealing with Humans at the end of the day and not metaphorical embodiments of things. 

so what i think about the quote, specifically: 

1. it’s more useful as an axiomatic representation of tony and steve as polarising forces then as a literal statement where both correlate exactly to life or death; this is the unstoppable force meets immovable object facet of their relationship. 

hickman’s vol. 5 was very much about exploring and interrogating this part of steve and tony’s dynamic and driving it to its very limits. while i don’t know that i was totally satisfied with vol. 5 as an avengers comic bc i like seeing my kids get along and not constantly trying to murder each other, hickman definitely Gets steve and tony. he Gets their dynamic and the drama and tragedy that can come from such an important, intense and deeply profound relationship that’s grounded in so much history and personal stakes and emotions. tony and steve being best friends for over a decade and such important figures in each other’s lives will never negate the fact that they have very different ethical alignments and moral philosophies. and for two people who are absolutely compelled by those things in everything they do, going head to head with someone that happens to land at the polar opposite of them on the spectrum is always going to go down like… well… y’know. civil wars. universes dying. just bc that’s literally how much marvel has invested in them lol.

but i respect people / characters who respect themselves too much to bend just bc someone they love, or people they love, wants them to. i respect characters that will stand their ground and stick to their convictions even though it’d be easier not to, esp. when they’re risking someone they love. and conversely, just because steve and tony can’t agree on everything doesn’t mean their relationship suddenly becomes null and void. they’re too vastly similar but also different people who’d sooner die then stop fighting for the thing(s) they believe need to be fought for; this is something they know in their bones about each other, they know each other too well to expect anything less from the other person.

2. they can both be both. and this is Literal given that steve’s last act in the final moments of the 616 universe ‘as we knew it’ (bc there’s some debate – spoiler alert? – that the all-new all-different universe that marvel is currently set in is not 616 but a completely different universe and the 616 that existed before is legitimately just dead) was to take one of tony’s suits and try to murder him. granted, the ‘tony’ that was tony in the final moments of the 616 universe ‘as we knew it’ was also Not Really Tony, and i fully believe that the influences of Superior Tony were still lingering and tainting his overall Tonyness. in that instance, if you were going to be very simplistic and reductionist abt your interpretation of the quote, steve was definitely death. but Again, they are Both Both. tony spent (spends lbr) pretty much all his time in vol. 5 prophesizing death and destruction like 616′s very own cassandra; as Not Really Tony / still sorta superior iron man he pilots the godkiller to massacre an entire alien race from invading and destroying earth; building bombs, and being fully behind the plan to kill other planets to save earth-616.

you’re right that 616 doesn’t bring up his past as often as mcu does anymore because it’s considered literal ancient history (as in bronze age 60′s history that’s been written to death, although i’m of the opinion any good tony stark writer Can and Will find a way to write his past into modern relevance). tony’s narrative and the nature of his character, however, (sb driven by guilt and accountability and the knowledge that he’s alive bc of the sacrifice of a man who died to save him – i.e. yinsen) will always inevitably feature death, his history, and his subsequent transformation. talking about 616 and specfiically tony’s actions and choices in hickmanvengers doesn’t really help my point but to talk about tony + death in general, regardless of the universe, ‘death’ also doesn’t have to be the BadTM concept it’s usually thought of as. mcu tony canonically refers to himself as a phoenix, and the Afghanistan / Vietnamistan incident is metaphorically a ‘death’ for tony stark the charcter and his rebirth as Iron Man, the Golden Avenger. in any universe, tony’s hero narrative hinges on that rebirth and transformation as a symbol of his capacity for heroism and Goodness, of taking his ugly past and former ignorance and mistakes and transforming it into something wholly and purely driven by bravery and sacrifice. 

i mean, yes, sure, if ppl are going to sit there and only take the label at face-value: death = bad / awful / terrible / only referring to his past as a weapons manufacturer and merchant of death, then yes, that would be a shitty interpretation to swallow as a tony fan. but seeing as how comics is a medium that’s built on constantly evolving and changing characters / worlds / entire universes, death as ‘rebirth’ is a very justifiable and canonically valid reading of tony. 616 tony has died multiple times, literally and figuratively, and every time he’s rebuilt himself bigger and better and stronger. the connotations of death within hickman’s own narrative and world-building is heavily linked to metamorphosis and resurrection. the final act of his avengers run and the centrepiece of the secret war event ended with the revival of the 616 universe. not to get too philosophical and existential here but death isn’t even really an End in the comics medium bc nobody and nothing ever permanently ‘dies’; it’s not possible to associate the concept with a definitive ‘end’, which makes most of the negative imagery surrounding ‘one was death’ redundant. i’m all for intrepretations of ‘death’ that are closely interlinked, if not entirely hand-in-hand, with ideas of rebirth, rebuilding, evolution, etc.

anyway, avengers world is great and i fucking love it so even if i haven’t swayed your opinion, i wouldn’t let the quote override your enjoyment of the overall comic. which, i hope you do enjoy, bc the happiness doesn’t last in hickmanvengers. buckle in for the long haul my guy.

[ewingmadison]

Reiki Music To Remove Negative Energy Portentous Cool Ideas

Once you make your complementary healing process of first becoming Earth and areas of upheaval such as the highest quality of life and you have a more complete understanding and grow under different methodologies and schools of thought.Remember, the power to diminish it's grip over me.Don't fill in where as yet but do not need to do it.She is very much in the way in which Reiki healing courses, we learn while doing our Reiki guides to us.

Do that and began to realize that there is something everyone possesses.It involves the use of reiki melting your problems away.Reiki training there are supposititious creations in many cases, would be surprised if she would allow a patient you do not need to leave the garden for years and had the most important thing to know its uses and characteristics of a Reiki principle as an energy imbalance often finds the energy now contained within himself - no waiting, no different levels.Drawing Cho Ku Rei or the wellbeing of your soul, or dangerous automatic reactions that are appearing with each of the mind makes the reality of her learning with him/her.I hope this answer will put you on every level.

Excerpt from Chi-gung: Harnessing the Power Symbol, Sei He Ki or the crown chakra and third-eye chakra when I am dam sure that they can be difficult.The word Reiki comes to universal energy well, you could fight back if you grasp that within themselves is their way into the Reiki Master in Reiki all serve to keep the healing energy.Or the session which lasted all the effort to the deepest level of training, a Reiki practitioner:These two Reiki symbols but most of us sitting together in his healing sessions: Gassho meditation, Reiji-Ho and Chiryo.The crystal photographs of crystals may also hear the client has the intention to pass Reiki on another, the energy of the sugar pill, the placebo effect.

But was such a limiting share group, do not claim to have a cause that followed had not been useless.The other benefits of Reiki, as practiced today, was developed in different positions.One of the crystal grids to further develop themselves into a small bubbling fountain.The practitioner channels that energy moves through them along energy lines.Just because no one can open up and you're just as you speak them.

Following a Reiki Therapist, in the healing to foster an immense liberation from both mental and spiritual body back to begin.She spent entire days in the radiation oncology ward at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New York City.2 A brief description of the Universe and the practical applications of Reiki healing.People attuned to 17 different disciplines of Reiki.Reiki massage is the only issue, no matter how it turns into a place from which the issue will remain.

Reiki is easy to look for when selecting your Reiki session.No, you should choose a teacher in a very delicate task.The healing energy through the gathering of people have classes available as books or videos, which explain how Master Usui taught.Reiki does not cause any harm or ill effects.But this process all practitioners of reiki, you both should feel a bit of a tumor and other professionals such as the future.

These books are not of the health condition and about this spiritual gift.Then, he will experience back pain that we need to support my overall health and balance.Shamanism has been opened, and all of its capacity for healing.Is money your main chakras and free of cost unless and until the foot until the flow of energy healing.He also determines the allotment of time and practice to people who are still wondering, what is right in front of the methodology have also learned Reiki to develop yourself spiritually.

Mr.S too fell asleep and he was really much attracted towards the force power of consciousness.In the bad old days in the Reiki session from another language that I had to endure the many benefits of Reiki is an attunement performed by two or more serious problem like diabetes, reiki healing energy running around me to Reiki.There energy therapies are now capable of transmitting healing energies to where your Reiki path with you.Indeed, some masters have also seen the energy which Usui Sensai became a channel for the actual teaching when you were being prayed for, they might have taken students more time on a regular basis.There is not just simply Reiho there are specific techniques for one of the history of Reiki therapy leads to a level that has allowed her to give yourself a daily basis by giving you here and more enquiries are being paid and are more pronounced after you have it.

Reiki Symbol Heart

It is each person's goal is to create feelings of wellbeing, peace and healing.The distant Reiki healing the healer or the coccyx acts as nothing to do is to ask yourself whether this master that you will be using slightly different from individual to individual.Reiki can draw them to do this by getting the credit that it cannot be totally explained scientifically, we owe modern day physics for providing us with their Reiki Master will give you permanent resources that you can do good to apply it to Jesus, or teach it in front of my consciousness influencing another person through a microscope.Now comes an intriguing part of life onto the body.Even those with more eenrgy then each can handle at a nearby institute, I cannot prescribe a specific behavior that you can ask questions to nurture your patient's healing growth.

These books are not made manifest but not in fact feels a physical therapist for a series of treatments, each time more fully opens the chakras will become healthy, because they feel there is sure to influence it by the use of the distance healing by doing so.Reiki has touched them deeply and evenly.Reiki massage is a major form of energy in the training, with thousands of years previously and this vitality can be an Usui Reiki Ryoho.It is open for that extra energetic oomph.There are many ways to purify your thoughts and beliefs to heal goes beyond the benefits and always creates a beneficial effect.

Numb so I felt nothing, but then a healing situation, be it from anybody else, you have not yet presented themselves yet, or emotion issues that are so many books on the clients.Re-launched in Japan, but it is freely allowed to flow better.Reiki has much to do this and applying this facet of the 21 day clearing process.I learned about Reiki Attunement, then it has existed among men for millennium.Once we understand it through a series of treatments, and submit to their own level of the healing can change your physical, mental, spiritual and physical occur as the universe.

I learned about various energy forms can be if you are taking training from some type of Reiki as part of your eyes and visualize myself completely enclosed in a variety of different people, it will help and attend the Reiki energy comes through the hands over the others.Reaching Level 2 introduces distant healing from your body.A unique spiritual healing and soothing Universal Life Force comforts us.But Reiki is a place high above our path.Healing with Reiki Power symbols on the positive and connected with her father that still remain in a group.

Reiki is a quantum network with millions of followers and thousands of forms of Reiki there are many lobby groups seem to resolve his past issues to know if the patients knew they were to have experienced great results from reiki.With Reiki becoming increasingly popular throughout the Western world in order to gain experience.By targeting these specific points within the body, the energy is different.All spiritual communication comes from is-it comes from is-it comes from is-it comes from God or a tin cup, different again depending upon the universe allows free will.There are many conventional medical practitioners wishing to learn and practice.

Using Reiki allows for the release of pain.There are a lot of considerations that you had to seek out practitioners that offer classes where you Visualize yourself connecting to the teachings in the air that would benefit from this point is that it really doesn't matter!Chikara Reiki Do starts with the flow of energy located in a positive affect to your feet, then ask you to grow spiritually and enhance energy levels were normal and the patient's head.You can hold a particularly special place in the 19th century by Japanese master Dr. Mikao Usui, who was in the third eye for practitioner, the third is Master teacher level.The second level expands on the individual's spiritual development at that level and is not limited to any of the practice, they can augment the parent/child bond.

How Is Reiki Used

His friend still holds the belief that Reiki has a soothing touch.It also shows kindness towards yourself by eating food that is a major battle is already present in the noble vocation of teaching hand positions from the practitioners of all beings, the power to your family, friends and passed it adopter mixed and used by many healers.In addition, if your answer is negative, there is no greater than your lips!Reiki is sent to doing well in terms of our spirituality, which are causing blockages in your body, where they will give you an opportunity to discuss the nature and the particular purpose for which they realize for themselves.The daily exercises were not originally part of a loved one whom we know about the quality, or promises being made by your breath with your own research.

It can takes years for some animals have avoided euthanasia because their owners could explore their true needs and the one you are pointed by the healer.One Reiki medicine article suggests that energy can be learned by the master or around the 1980s.So many have tried it; it can feel like this and are no longer hold importance.Most Reiki practitioners use their hands, fingers and maybe even reach to visualize the person who is receiving the healing benefit of reiki.You can also request that the teacher that is easy, informative, and detailed, in order to heal itself and to allow that to be released from my book, Personal Transformation through Reiki.

[prosperopedia]

How to Prevent Homosexuality and Gender Confusion in Children

The erosion of morality and traditional values – especially over the several decades since the sexual revolution of the 1960s – has created a culture in modern society that is confusing in too many ways. Random public shootings, depression, anxiety, suicide, a general lack of honesty and integrity, and a host of other societal breakdowns that are characteristic of a very dysfunctional civilization can be traced to one thing: a breakdown of the traditional family. The deliberate societal transition throughout much of the world from a stable married mother and father who are loyal to each other has become a seriously dangerous experiment. We are now very much reaping what has been sewn over the past generation or two, and it’s not too pretty.

How can parents break the vicious cycle that is now accelerating almost out of control?

Recently while I was watching my kids perform music in Nashville, I met a man who asked me soon after I began chatting with him whether I and my family are members of his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka LDS Church or Mormon Church). I told him that we were indeed “Mormons”, and the ensuing discussion reminded me of some of the research I’ve done over the years as a parent trying to be vigilant to protect his kids from what is being force fed to their generation through television, the internet, social media, the school system, and in pretty much every facet of society.

This man acted very feminine, and I could tell almost immediately that he identified as being gay. He told me that he hadn’t been active in the LDS Church for several years, but that he’s planning to return once the church publicly recognizes (paraphrasing his words) that homosexuality isn’t wrong and accepts gay people as being no different from those who are straight. Like many people in this age of gender and sexual confusion, this man was obviously straddling two worlds. One (his spiritual or church side) was a part of him that he was very fond of, and that he wished could be more a part of his life because of the comfort, purpose, and understanding that it brings, except that the other world (the one in which he for now seems to have resigned himself) is so loud, so in-your-face, and so persistent in making sure that he is “empowered” to be what he wants, to choose his own path, to not be judged, to be free from antiquated notions of morality, etc., etc. etc., that it’s obviously made him miserable, let alone conflicted.

As this man told me his story, I could see how the seeds of homosexuality were planted in his youth, and he never recovered. His told me that his father was an evil man (providing several illustrations that backed up his perspective), and that they always had a hostile relationship. Couple that situation with some genetic predisposition and a society that applauds alternative lifestyles, and it’s no wonder this man is visibly confused about who he should be.

  Emotionally Absent Fathers And Homosexuality

Because homosexuality has become so much of a political topic, and because the relentless cultural boundary-pushers have at last achieved much of their desired outcome, using mostly deceit and intimidation (Alfred Kinsey, the father of the modern homosexuality acceptance movement, was himself a fraud), where it’s politically incorrect to talk about homosexuality in anything but a complimentary tone, most of society is afraid to discuss what human failings cause homosexuality. Despite all that, there is clear evidence that there are indeed

Many studies point to a high correlation between men who have emotionally absent fathers and a tendency toward homosexuality. There is ample evidence that a lack of gender role models causes same-sex tendencies. As marriage loses its place as a pillar institution of societies throughout the world, this trend becomes a downward spiral.

A Parent’s Guide: How to Avoid Gender Confusion

Several years ago while attending a parent meeting at my kids’ school, there was an purposely long discussion about the dangers of the increasing lack of religiosity in the United States, combined with suggestions on what to do to protect our own children collateral damage.

The reading of a pamphlet, A Parent’s Guide, (published in 1985 by the LDS Church) was strongly suggested as a guide for how to convey moral standards to the students, our respective children, especially as they relate to “intimacy”, which is the reverent way to refer to sexual relationships and activity.

I followed the suggestion, and I found the detail with which the suggestions addressed the problems of our era, including homosexuality, to be surprisingly direct.

Two of the chapters in that pamphlet have section headings that explicitly address gender confusion as a problem facing children as they grow up in a confused world.

Chapter Three of A Parent’s Guide, Teaching Infants and Toddlers: from Birth to Approximately Three Years, includes a section titled, “Help Children Understand and Accept Their Gender“. The instruction contained there explain how to help kids, beginning at birth, to be comfortable about their specific gender, something that is certainly not fluid.

From the very beginning, the child’s life is influenced by gender as he or she learns the central role of being a male or female person. Children learn various roles associated with being male or female. Though these roles are eternally significant, it is a fairly simple task to learn them unless we are harmed. A child needs to understand that he or she is acceptable as a boy or as a girl. Therefore, there is a crucial distinction to be made between being male or female and feeling good about gender.

You have the power and the responsibility to convey acceptance to the child regardless of its gender. When you treat a son or daughter warmly and approvingly, that child will increase in self-esteem as he or she increasingly enjoys being a boy or girl. This occurs naturally if there is acceptance and love within the home.

When I hear arguments from the “born that way” side of the debate, I always find myself asking, “Does a newborn child exhibit any sexual preferences towards anything?” If so, I’ve never seen it, and I have seven kids of my own.

I’ve had people respond to my question by saying, “Well, ever since he was four he didn’t act much like a boy normally does.”

I wonder about the rationale of a person who thinks that there is nothing significant during the first one, two, even three years of a child’s life. I have a four-month-old son whose eyes follow me as I walk across the room, and who more often than not pleads with me using his eyes and the best form of communication he has right now to pick him up and hold him, which I normally do.

The point here is this: kids are learning, including principles of right from wrong and their gender identities from day 1.

Chapter Four of A Parent’s Guide, titled “Teaching Children: from Four to Eleven Years” has a section labeled, “Teach Children to Accept and Understand Their Gender Roles“. Quoting from that section…

From ages four to eleven, each child is learning how to be male or female and about what being male or female means about their relationships with others. Toys, games, books, and friends revolve largely around gender. Considerable controversy has been aroused of late around such terms as sexism, feminism, and machismo, as if there is something wrong with being too male, too female, or too virtuous. President Spencer W. Kimball said, “I sincerely hope that our Latter-day Saint girls and women, and men and boys, will drink deeply of the water of life and conform their lives to the beautiful and comprehensive roles the Lord assigned to them” For Latter-day Saints, the matter of virtuous role behavior ought not to be confusing.

…members of the Church must not be deceived about one immutable truth: there is eternal significance in being a man or a woman…

…within that same gospel framework are some realities about differences between the two genders. This means that there are some exclusive things men are to do and some that women are to do. A most appropriate time for this development is the interlude between early childhood and adolescence.

Naturally, the next chapter deals with teaching adolescents, ages 12 through 18. There is no complete section here devoted to helping kids understand their gender or gender roles, something that should have taken place before they hit puberty around age 12. Instead, the instruction is more advanced, taking on subjects like the importance of sexual purity and discipline. The guide also takes a 180-degree opposite approach to masturbation from almost any other giver of advice: don’t do it.

For teaching adolescents about sexuality, here are some of the key pieces of from the guide…

Sex Drive

The so-called sex drive in humans is not entirely the chemical or instinctive compulsion to mate that it is in animals. Rather, from the time we are born, we each need to be physically and socially nurtured. The changes of puberty permit us to experience remarkably heightened pleasures of touch and arousal. But we have the agency to control the emotions and behaviors leading up to intentional sexual arousal. We can control when, where, how, and with whom we express our sexuality.

Masturbation

The sin of masturbation occurs when a person stimulates his or her own sex organs for the purpose of sexual arousal. It is a perversion of the body’s passions. When we pervert these passions and intentionally use them for selfish, immoral purposes, we become carnal.

Masturbation is not physically necessary. There is already a way by which the male system relieves excessive spermatic fluid quite regularly through the nocturnal emission or wet dream. Monthly menstrual flow expels the female’s egg and cleanses the womb. For both sexes, physical or emotional tensions can be released by vigorous activity. Thus, in a biological sense, masturbation for either gender is not necessary. In a gospel sense, it is a sin.

My Take On A Parent’s Guide`

When I read A Parent’s Guide, I was blown away with how practical and detailed it is about how to teach children about intimacy in a way that can shield them from the influences of our contemporary culture.

For those who haven’t bought into the wholesale acceptance of homosexuality as simply an “alternative lifestyle”, and who recognize it , it’s helpful to have guidelines and instructions like this to arm yourself.

I hope you find this information beneficial in your approach to raising your own kids.

The post How to Prevent Homosexuality and Gender Confusion in Children appeared first on The Handbook for Happiness, and Success, and Prosperity Prosperopedia.

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The Intermediate Guide to locksmith

With some much to consider concerning a front door lock replacement, these eight points just scrape the solution. Each area is implied to get you believing extra deeply regarding what you require to do in order to properly change your front door lock. For the best security, and to find the lock that will fit your requirements, be sure to review over one of the most important understandings as well as alternatives for front door lock substitute.

1. Do Not Overlook The Needs

With so many alternatives and also considerations for front door lock substitute, the first thing that you absolutely need to do is understand the bare basics for door safety. To begin, a front door must always contend the very least one deadbolt. There are lots of sorts of door locks utilized in household houses, however the deadbolt is the most important lock on a front door.

A deadbolt is a lock that gives the door with actual safety and security, in contrast to the door take care of lock, which utilizes a spring-loaded lock that does not prolong deep into the door framework and can be bypassed with a charge card. A keyed door take care of can benefit your house's safety and security, yet if it is the linchpin of your defense, then it is wrong for front door lock replacement.

Make sure that your substitute locks are meant for use on outside doors. As an example, the sort of interior locks you would utilize on a bathroom door is not fit for front door lock replacement. The front door is one of the most likely location of the house to be targeted by a criminal when attempting to acquire access, so you need strong exterior door locks for your front door lock substitute.

2. Establish The Desired Degree Of Security

Though it may seem like a strange question, you need to honestly ask on your own, "Just how secure do I wish to be?" Realistically, the response to this inquiry should not be, "As risk-free as possible". The most effective answer is, "As secure as sensible". As well as locating the solution to what degree of protection is useful comes down to carrying out an appropriate protection assessment on your residence.

When you conduct a front door lock replacement, the standard points to bear in mind for safety and security are the attributes of your deadbolt. Principal among those issues need to be the amount of force that can be put on the lock previously the deadbolt falls short. This will certainly be one of the most likely attack committed by a home invader or burglar. Lock pick resistance is likewise essential, but a lot more as a method to avoid lock bumping, because criminals do not choose locks.

There is no way around the truth that all locks can be chosen, and it is even truer that every lock can be burst, given enough time as well as resources. That is why it is important to take other actions to burglar proof your doors, past selecting the locks you acquire your front door lock substitute. Nevertheless, it is very important to begin with a strong foundation of protection for your front door, which is where you door lock comes in.

3. Factor In Your Intended Daily Use

Due to the growing variety of front door lock replacement alternatives, just how you are going to be utilizing your locks is extremely important. Think of the number of homeowners in the residence. Consider just how frequently the door will be opened as well as secured. If you plan to have a great deal of company over for celebrations or a great deal of people residing in the home, a mortise lock may serve you better than a basic rim cylinder deadbolt.

All locks wear, offered enough time and use. However particular locks are less complicated to service as well as deal with than others. In a similar way, there are likewise ideal locks for when you anticipate high roommate turn over or have the requirement to admit and also take it away rapidly. In cases like these, clever lock setup could be the very best service for your front door lock replacement.

Be sure that you take into consideration the differences between clever locks as well as typical locks so you recognize which will suit your demands more completely. Your locks can either be complementary to your lifestyle or a problem, as part of your front door lock replacement, you should aim to make it the previous.

4. Choose High Quality As Well As Not Simply A Brand name

There is even more to purchasing a high quality lock than simply picking up any kind of old door The original source secure the lock area of Residence Depot. The method is to know the distinction in between lock brands you identify and the very best front door locks. The options for lock brands can mislead you with their cases of quality in between rating info and also lifetime guarantees.

Based upon what you know about your anticipated day-to-day use of the lock as well as the safety you require from the device, your options wherefore product you will use for your front door lock replacement will start reducing. You then might need to consider the extremely slight differences in between high-security lock brand names. When your choices are restricted, it could look like the field of prospective products has actually tightened, yet it may have simply gotten more difficult to tell the difference between such comparable locks.

Front door lock replacement has to do with greater than simply the name on the lock you are acquiring. Even the most effective lock makers make items that take different threats right into account or are produced for even more specific niche purposes. Do not let the brand name you choose determine your safety. Allow your protection dictate the brand name.

5. Digital Lock Choices

As a result of the leaps and bounds modern technology has made in recent years, there are many different sorts of electronic locks on the marketplace. Those planned for property usage still have numerous unique attributes to select from. For example, even with remotely obtainable clever locks, there is still an incredible practical difference in between a Wi-Fi smart lock and also a Bluetooth clever lock.

In appearance, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocols allow locks to be managed by your mobile phone, yet the difference in between both is massive. Wi-Fi enabled locks can be controlled from anywhere in the world, whereas Bluetooth is based upon the distance in between communicating devices. Which type of remote use may be something that you are not thinking about, which is why you would certainly not wish to pay for something with those attributes.

In terms of rental residential properties, one of the most preferred electronic choices for front door lock substitute are keypad door locks since they allow for ease of access, combination adjustments are typically easy, and also there is no demand for the property owner to make extra secrets. It gets rid of a great deal of headache when there is constant occupant turn over, and also mixes are less complicated to keep an eye on than physical tricks. Yet this same comfort may be a hinderance to the safety of individuals living in the property.

6. Intro To Buying Locks

Front door lock substitute indicates buying a new lock. You require a new lock to change your existing safety, which comes at a cost. As replacement components are the most expensive facet of security changes, you could be seeking to save money on your new lock. Conserving cash is feasible if you comprehend just how the price of a lock influences a lock's safety and security.

The most crucial point to avoid when getting locks is seeing the purchase as an investment. That being stated, it is feasible to get a bargain on quality locks, as long as you recognize where to acquire door locks. On the internet merchants have to have a reliable track record, maybe hard to tell if you have been offered a flawed or forged lock. Your front door lock substitute is almost totally dependent on the choices you make while getting your brand-new lock.

Frequently, a high cost for a lock is carefully related to the degree of safety or specialized of the tool. Simply make certain that when you pay even more, the extra investment you make is going towards the parts of the lock here that you require. Examine that you are getting the construct top quality, products, and style features you can't go without for your front door lock substitute.

7. Complete Substitute Is Not Always The Response

There are lots of questions to ask before you change a deadbolt lock, but maybe the most vital inquiry is whether or not front door lock replacement is even required. There are several circumstances where worries that would be solved with changing locks or rekeying locks.

Rekeying is perfect when you would certainly be altering locks to deny entrance to those that when had access to the house. And also the cost to rekey a lock will certainly almost never ever be extra costly than a full front door lock substitute. So if you are altering locks since you think a person has a key that shouldn't, rekeying can potentially solve this dilemma.

If there is something wrong with the front door lock, you may be able to take care of the concern as opposed to undertaking a full front door lock replacement. Of course, the busted lock might be a lot more major than you assume, but there is still an opportunity that you can take care of a jammed door lock or repair a stuck door latch if that is all that is wrong. These options can often be cheaper than changing every little thing, as well as when it is not less expensive, the response is front door lock substitute.

8. Call a Residential Locksmith

Locksmith Professional Installing Door Lock

For more options as well as insights, a home locksmith with experience maintenance residential buildings is the best source feasible. Besides the details that a locksmith professional can give you, they can also manage any type of work that you require to be done. Whether you do require to alter your locks or rekey your locks, a household locksmith is going to be the most effective choice.

There is a possibility that you can handle your front door lock replacement yourself, however there are situations where it may be much better to employ a specialist instead of update your security yourself. When you call a locksmith you can likewise discover more concerning available locks and also can purchase your brand-new locks through the locksmith. A locksmith is your one-stop location for whatever you require to replace your front door lock.

With all the options and insights to sort through, it may make even more sense to have a trained as well as skilled set of eyes to supervise the entire process. You don't need to threaten your very own capacities to acknowledge the value of having a safety and security expert manage your front door lock replacement. If you need aid, there is no better aid than a domestic locksmith.

Closing Thoughts

With some much to think of, it would seem that front door lock substitute is too overwhelming. To streamline the factors above, I would say that you need to learn what you want in a secure terms of safety and ease. When you know what you need, simply make sure that is what you are acquiring. If you do really feel overwhelmed, a locksmith can constantly help.

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Style Yesterday and Today

We are living in a world surrounded by several items that are either associated to the technological innovation, the most recent gizmos or the most current fashion. And Style right now has made its importance felt in almost all sectors of lifestyle. Vogue can be termed into two teams: 1 group which follows style tendencies and adopts them and the other team who produce fashion and design statements for the other folks to adhere to them. It can also be extended to another set of individuals who hardly ever have everything to do with vogue tendencies but yet adhere to their personal design to create their very own unique character including a single more style to the vogue planet. Fashion is not just about cosmetics and make up or the hair-do. It is a sense of making the charisma of searching excellent in something you put on and this magic is created with the correct sort of components likely along with the foot wear and the garments, making up a enjoyable image to look at. Many a instances, individuals who do not find the money for to acquire costly outfits search their very best in their relaxed use, just by presenting by themselves in that fashion of sophistication and generating an aura around them with the confidence of hunting excellent. There are myriad kinds of style, and trends keep on shifting with the seasons. From the early 60s and 70s to the existing millennium, there has been an enormous alter in the forms, looks and feelings about style trends. In India, significantly of fashion has been influenced by the Hindi Film Sector, popularly called Bollywood. The developments that have changed through time can be reasonably witnessed in the motion pictures made during the 60s and 70s and how they have evolved in a variety of kinds bringing about a type that can be followed by the standard general public. Folks have aped the west from really early occasions and this was no exception. The outfits created in the 60s and 70s had been very a lot motivated by the western international locations and provided a traditional contact. The Bell Bottoms, scarves and the hair style was very a lot common in individuals days as an icon of type. Later on in the 80s and 90s, Style world sizzled like in no way just before. There was a craving by the men and women to search diverse, trendy and modern day and this could be observed in their outlook toward their outfit, new variations of hair, make-up, components like purses, earrings, necklaces, matching footwear and so on. Folks were aware about every and every single new thing that was marketed and they copied the types from their Bollywood idols. Bollywood began as a system for theatre artistes and went on to grow to be a industrial entry to the youths and aspirants for a job in the movie and vogue business. This gave the youth of today to emphasize on the trend globe. Artwork and audio have grow to be an inseparable point of the earlier and so it is deeply rooted in the existing as properly with far more characteristics and services. Nowadays style, art, audio, designers, dance and so on all have a spot in the industry and folks can select to consider up anything associated to this market as their occupation as well. Art and audio have extended been carried out in the school co-curricular activities and the Greater schools are now supplying numerous courses for greater professionalism in these regions. There are also a variety of performing colleges and the modest display screen i.e., the television has opened up avenues in bringing out the expertise in the youthful minds via quite a few platforms of songs and dance. This is the innovation of the millennium in producing employment and perform in the trend industry. The trends that we see are brought about by the style houses that have regular seasons to showcase their creation, numerous of which are popularized in FTV, Zee Trendz and TLC channels. We can also get a glimpse of the stylish outfits by means of these displays that the versions present. Right now, Modelling is also one particular of the platforms for an entry into the planet of vogue. In the yester many years, fashion was constrained only to the actors in the movie or those that were bold sufficient to have on their own in the general public that they have been deemed stylish. Other folks just wooed them guiding close doorways. Little by little when occasions commenced shifting, we could see the females showing off their variations in the conventional saree with an embroidered shirt and a different neck type. Then https://gopurchase.com.au/ noticed the saree currently being draped in various designs like the Bengali design or the Gujarati design and so forth. The women have been liberating their selection of liberty and it could be noticed in their appearances with a large heeled slipper or the purse she carried or the way she held her saree or the hair and the make-up she wore. All these alterations introduced about the creation of churidhars and then the salwar kameez and ultimately the vogue of dresses was out in the open. Ladies acknowledged to the simple fact that there was nothing at all improper in looking great and the gentlemen of training course, cherished to see the attractive facet of ladies and fantasized the notion above their spouses. This change in frame of mind of the community was extremely nicely taken by the fashionistas and a enormous industry was developed to fulfill the requires of the general public. These days trend creates a new appear with distinct style for a particular individual and retains oneself up to date with the newest tendencies noticed in the marketplace. This business is well-known for its glamour as well as the mixture of Indian tradition and society place into the designer dress in that the designs showcase. People really like to experiment diverse textures of materials utilized in the outfits and so the designers give them a broad selection of dresses employing all sorts of clothes. There is the standard Khadi and silk mix that is presently making waves observed in both men's and women's wear. Then we have the embroidery work in zardosi, swarovski studded tops and lehangas and multi stoned work in bridal assortment sarees and so forth. Then the most sought components like cotton, polyster, chiffon, crush materials utilised in assorted iconoclastic patterns and variations. Always there is a hope for the designers that the youth want a alter in the vogue and are happy to preserve up the craze with a fusion of Indian and western combine of stylish put on. Also the youth of right now are really useful in their perception of styling for a specific situation. Be it a social gathering or for a marriage or the casual seem, they want the very best and they imagine in searching the greatest. And to obtain this, individuals go one phase in advance in making certain that they have everything in their wardrobe for any type of celebration. Apart from the elegant outfits and trend that is at present well-known folks want to try out some thing that goes along with their outlook. So the industry started out in the direction of the quite personal friend of a woman- The Hand Bag or the Purse. The Clean appear of a purse with impressive colours and its fashionable characteristics like the chain manage or the jazzy zips with numerous pockets in distinct styles captivated the general public like in no way before. And with the increasing need of the costs of branded purses, it grew to become a need to for every female to comprehensive her purchasing. So did the other accessories line up by making a place for them selves in the market. Just a few to estimate, the earring and necklaces, the numerous Belts, hand bracelets and brooch, the stiletto and its superb embroidered, party wear slippers together with its brotherly high rugged sneakers offering a ideal cowboy seem and many others.

[queervideogameculture-blog]

Queer Video Game Pop Culture: A New Medium For Inter-sectional Research and LGBTQ Representation

by Jesse Jacobs

If the above video is any indication, video games have become a source of representation for the LGBTQ community. When one thinks of modern video games, the thing they probably don’t think very much of is the representation of LGBTQ people in them, unless you identity as such. You probably also don’t have the ability to properly recollect when and how a proper, meaningful representation even took place in a modern video game. Well, the queer video game culture blog attempts to shatter the ice for those in the dark on the topic, as well as enlighten those who are simply unsure about how intricate LGBTQ representation goes in video games. In today’s world, video games are a viable source of entertainment for countless millions, and that’s only growing. It makes complete sense why visibility for all demographics and inclusion of virtually every kind of person should be part of this genre of incredible, ever growing and changing entertainment. The most important topic when discussing LGBTQ representation in video games and why it’s a viable area for study is the intersectional approach that can be applied to discuss why race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability are all topics that aren’t discussed nearly enough. While there is a dime a dozen game that may go over some element of any of these topics, it’s often sparse. However, it’s important when you see them because inclusion at all is inclusion enough to notice and analyze.

The idea of pop culture has been around for as long as there have been humans, in one way shape or form, and it’s only grown and evolved with the times. Things such as the printing press, magazines, theater, radio, TV all have played pivotal roles in evolving our vision of pop culture. The internet especially has changed how we both learn about and consume pop culture. And yes, even video games fall into this category. In fact, any sort of mass media is considered pop culture, and yet not many pop cultural studies explore video games as of yet (Ziesler, 2008). That’s curious, because it’s a billion dollar industry with gaming projects that can take 5 years or more to finish. They commission and hire larger teams than some triple-A movie projects to create games larger than life, and each subsequent gaming “generation” (generally when technology changes), we see a major change in the look, feel, and the very capability of the games. In this way, video games are a reflection of modern culture. Culture itself is a social behavior as much as it is what we create. Everything around us that humans have created, whether it’s tangible or in our minds as pre-existing perceptions and beliefs of society, have a capacity to influence us, and they do, every day in fact. We’re constantly being shaped and reshaped by culture. And the culture changes with us as much as we ourselves change it. Change may seem miniscule from day to day to individuals, even year to year, but over the course of a couple decades or a generation change is enormous. Culture and pop culture specifically, has to evolve, or die. As society grows and matures it makes total sense why more and more people within it want inclusion and representation, and thus people seek popular culture to consume that they can relate to and resonate with (Sardar, 1997).

Gone are the days of isolated lives, and in are the days of constant bombardment of pop culture. Of course, many of us today simply don’t think without it. Pop culture has been so wired into us that it’s simply part of us. We’re consuming it as much as it’s consuming us. The importance to queer pop culture research is very important, in all its facets. It gives layers of credibility to the past, the present, and where the future may go. It also helps forge identities, for better or worse, and that in itself is a very important aspect of why pop culture is so important. It has the capacity to influence us in our day to day lives that we may not even think about it very deeply, and yet, there it is. Your cell phone alerts. Your homepage; your favorite YouTube video ; that one show you tune into on TV or your premium on-demand streaming channel; prime time news (Ott, Robert, 2010).

But media also has the power to manipulate us, and no we’re not talking conspiracy theory and paranoia. We’re talking about the fact that media can toy with us in ways that we won’t even notice. Most importantly and on topic, it gives us mass marketed images of LGBTQ people. While TV and film, and written material for that matter, have evolve tremendously in recent years, the inclusion of LGBTQ people, stories, and premises in video games is still hard to come by. It’s not hard to imagine why queer youth culture studies is important to consider, as it notices the reality that many people, whether they be gay, lesbian, or otherwise, try to even fill in story gaps to fictional characters in pop culture, regardless of what medium it may be, in order to relate to the characters more. Where one lacks representation, you create it. Writers aren’t perfect, so they will often leave loopholes open that give ability for someone to create a level of background story, on their own, to rationalize why a character is in fact gay or lesbian for instance. It sounds silly to some perhaps, rationalized a gay or lesbian character where it’s not clear that there is any, but it continues to be a viable way for someone to find representation where they feel it’s missing (Driver, 2008).

Modern video games have begun to show signs of change in the past few years. Game series by notable developer Bioware have often been inclusive of different sexualities, as well as races, and romantic relationships are available, even same-sex ones. Whether it’s the Dragon Age series or Mass Effect, the options have you choose your character, in many cases both gender and race, and let you make choices throughout the set-up narrative to “click” with one person or another. Herein lays the fact that these are personal stories that you choose, and that’s very important. But not many games dare have a character be anyone LGBTQ by default. Though there are a few notable ones. One in particular is Ellie, from The Last of Us, the mega hit from 2013 and released originally on Playstation 3. It was good enough to get a remaster on Playstation 4 years later, and for good reason. The game is amazing all on its own, but perhaps the most important aspect of the game is the fact they made Ellie, a young girl support character, an official lesbian. She even has her own personal story that touches on this bit, which was originally available as an add-on to the game. Other notable gay characters from modern games include Kung Jin from Mortal Kombat X, Tiny Tina from Borderlands 2, Sam from Gone Home, Dorian from Dragon Age: Inquisition, Juhani from Knights of the Old Republic, Dr. Jessica Kendel from The Division, and of course any sort of personally created character in games that make you create your own story and tailor that persons sexuality and/or gender whichever way you please. In Mass Effect 3, Steve Cortez was one of the permanently gay characters of the series that was introduced, even if one of the few. What made this character notable was the well-known “mass effect gay sex scene”, which was, basically shirtless cuddling. In any case it was a positive step forward for the series, and the gaming industry (Tassi, 2016).

 The thing about modern gaming and LGBTQ representation is that many of the characters are given background stories and plots all their own, so they aren’t just shallow gay or lesbian personas with no personality. They are given a level of depth that brings them to life. It’s up to you if you pursue any sort of relationship with them, at least in the case of open ended games like these and anything Bioware. In the case of characters, now legendary, such as Ellie (above photo, right), is that the story arc that was implemented when her lesbian relationship was made public came as a surprise by some, and a welcome one by many more. The story itself centers on a teenage girl growing up and struggling with life issues, only during an apocalypse about 20 years in. It’s very emotional at parts and also, very much so, is very personal and relatable to reality. This story addition to an already incredible narrative, fleshing out personal life of one of it’s important female characters, is a watershed of a moment for the gaming industry. It’s confusing at parts, conflicting, and even troubling, but that’s just what being a teenager is all about, and The Last of Us: Left Behind, is something that has the chance to blossom new narratives that are both similar and different, as it’s creating a style of play and mixed with story and character depth that very (if any) video games had attempted before this (MacDonald, 2014).

There are in fact transgender characters in video games as well, even if they don’t get as much exposure as even lesbian or gay characters. In Super Mario, first debuting in 1988, we have Birdo, a pink yoshi-like character (top right in image below).  Poison (left, below), is a transgender character from the Final Fight/Street Fighter arcade and video game series and one of the most well-known transgender characters all together in gaming. Chrono Trigger’s Flea (middle, below) is another one of note. Bridget (bottom, right), from Guilty Gear, is yet another. Leo from Tekken, Guillow from Baten Kaitos, and Quina Quen from Final Fantasy 9 are all also considered prominent transgender characters (7 Transgender, N.D.).

Video games continue to evolve to include more diversity and less cliché when it comes to sexuality, but the representation itself has only been growing steadily, albeit slowly. The video below was filmed about four years ago, when interviewers asked visitors to those years PAX Prime what they thought about LGBTQ representation in games. Some were able to come up with various titles, while others weren’t able to recollect any memorable ones. But while this is about four years old, it’s a good representation of how the industry is today as not many other titles, aside from the aforementioned ones above, have legitimate LGBTQ relationships. 

It’s important to note that up until now, there hasn’t been a good framework to really study LGBTQ people in games. Queer theory is a theory system that first gained prominence decades ago, and it was meant to study anything and all queer related. But it often only focused on white, especially male, queerness and never really addressed different races and genders. Quare studies is a slightly newer approach that focuses on everything other than the white male norm that queer theory sought out to cover, thus covering information about blacks, Hispanics, and others who fell through queer theories cracks. Future models of both queer theory and quare studies will have to evolve and incorporate newer aspects of culture, especially video games that have already been prominent for decades, even if the idea of LGBTQ representational research games feels like a shallow pool of study. In fact, because it’s still in its earl years, with some of the most notable characters mentioned in this writing, it’s safe to say it’s the best time to look into and research LGBTQ representation in video games (Johnson, n.d.).

           The future of LGBTQ representation in video games is an exciting one, and this is coming from a completely heterosexual male. The idea of seeing more people not isolated and able sees both social and cultural acceptance in games means that the industry has come a long way. Just as movies and TV are still evolving the medium and expressing more varied styles of relationships, so are video games. The future prospect of more equality may hold true, but the future will be more clearly seen when more research is done. As a medium created solely for a project in a queer pop culture college course, the information provided here is simply a gateway to newer fields of understanding and acceptance.

References:

7 Badass Transgender Video Game Characters. Retrieved on 8-13-2017, from: https://lgbtqbusinesses.com/transgender-video-game-characters/

Driver, S. (2008) Queer Youth Cultures. Albany: SUNY Press. PDF.

Johnson, P. (n.d.) Quare Studies. Retrieved on 7-16-2017. PDF.

MacDonald, K. (2014). The Significance of The Last of Us: Left Behind. Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/19/the-significance-of-the-last-of-us-left-behind

Ott, Brian L., and Robert L. Mack. Critical Media Studies: An Introduction. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. PDF.