#because i do see this idea that westerners have of women of color who face systemic oppression

[themonstrousother]

A lot of people talk about how Utena explores abuse through Anthy, and how she is not a perfect victim, she plays role in perpetuating the system that is built upon her oppression, facilitating her own abuse. But I’ve never seen anyone talk about the role race plays and the implications it has. Utena deconstructs the idea of a perfect victim and what it means to be ‘worthy’ to be saved from abuse and harm, but Anthy’s role as a brown woman who is being abused by a brown man adds a layer to her story and I think it’s extremely important and relevant to discuss

[sapphicsvibes]

my last post was also about the discussions of transmisogyny centering cis female athletes who are women of color. there is a wider conversation being had about transmisogyny in athletics, and that is that, trans women aren't even allowed to compete. before we start discussing how transmisogyny impacts not trans fems, we need to actually center the discussion around the heavily, transmisogynstic shit that is already happening.

and when we talk about how cis woc athletes being overly masculinized and decide to call it transmisogyny instead of what it actually is, racism, it sets us back. there is this understood idea that people can be indirectly impacted by transmisogyny, but unless the subjects of those conversations are transfeminine people, then the focus shouldn't be transmisogyny.

it should be racism. it should be the fact that the white, western gender binary and idea of femininty/womanhood is so fucked up that cis girls of color from a young age are viewed as more masculine, dangerous and larger than white women. we should be focusing on the complexities of misogynoir that black girls go through from childhood to adult hood where we are both masculinized and also hypersexualized and exposed to harmful race science that gets us preyed upon by older men. we should focus on how these conversations of masculinizing women of color comes to play in how white women and white afabs (yes, i know i said i dont like using afabs but i am starting ot use it when discussing the lived experience of white afab people and how that negatively impacts people of color in queer spaces) can utilize their privilege, tears, femininity, etc., to turn society against cis girls of color and how we are automatically seen as a threat to them

we need to talk about racialized misogyny when dicussing imane khelif, and how white women like jk rowling, who has a history of transmigoyny yes, but also anti-arab/MENA racism and islamaphobia, and is prominent in alt right groups, is using her platform to attack a possible muslim, MENA woman. and that's a big thing that hardly anyone talks about - Rowling is heavily islamphobia and anti-arab. when you se guys see her attacking a MENA woman, and decide to focus solely on transmisogyny, you are quite literally erasing a huge chunk of her bigotry.

yes, indirect transmisogyny comes to play, but when you are talking about racialized misogyny, you NEED to make sure that is the main focus - racism and misogyny, because if you don't you make it hard if not impossible for us to have any type of productive conversation. you guys being too afraid to call out racism and misogyny makes it seem like you are shielding white women/afabs and white society from the pain they have put women of color through for decades.

the same goes for misogynoir??? like when we are talking about misogynoir and them completely ignore it and lump it under transmisogyny, who does that help? not only does the black community have an issue with transmisogyny in general, but it also erases a term that we've come up with to help better discuss our oppression.

also, this isn't to say that trans woc don't face racialized misogyny and misogynoir (black transfems!) because they do. but it should be understood that while THEY face these things, transmisogyny is something that should also center them. and while we, as non trans fem women do face racialized misogyny/misogynoir - yeah, sometimes we can draw comparisons between transmisogyny, but we shouldn't be the ones taking the lead or taking platforms.

and last but not least, the way you guys who are claiming what is happening to cis female athletes is transmisogynistic. Do you know how many trans people, who aren't trans fem, that i've seen saying

"see, this is why we need to talk about transmisogyny affecting non transfems! xyz athlete was actually born a woman, she's not a man, she is afab! she has a vagina!" do you realize how that language is terfy, do you realize how you guys will try to hijack convos of transmisogyny while also reinforcing transmisogynistic requirements of what makes a woman a woman?

[saraannereads]

On the portrayal of Illyrian culture in ACOTAR

I’m Sara - by ethnic origin, I am Arabic and Turkish. I was othered my entire childhood and dealt with seriously atrocious racist attacks.

As I got older, those things lessened and people started assuming I was white or biracial in part due to my having dyed my hair blonde.

Since then, I’ve experienced racism of a different kind - I get told I am a “shallow white girl” who doesn’t have the right to speak about issues facing POC by people from all different ethnicities.

I’ve had enough of that. I may not look like your typical WOC but I am a woman of color. And I will not be silenced.

Why I am not offended by the portrayal of Illyrian culture in Sarah J Maas’s books:

1. I’m from a Muslim family and grew up going to mosques in the Western World, where some of the very oppressive and sexist ideals about women and their place in society were preached from the stands and actively shared by members of the community.

2. I was chronically shamed by my peers in the community for being into my education and for wearing makeup or for daring to speak to boys.

3. The above happened in the United States in the community I grew up in because oppressive, sexist ideals travel across immigration. I clawed my way out of this community and will never look back.

3. Honor killings still happen where I’m from. To this day.

4. Genital mutilation still happens in the regions where I’m from to this day.

5. Women are not allowed to drive in some countries in the region where I’m from to this day.

6. Women are publicly beaten or stoned to death in those regions to this day.

7. Women have to be fully covered up when they leave the house in the region where I’m from to this day.

8. Women are silenced and told not to speak in public - even just to talk to someone - and not to leave their houses without a male chaperone in the region where I’m from to this day.

9. Women are glorified birthing vessels and it is socially accepted for men to have multiple wives to have as many children as possible in the region where I’m from to this day.

10. Women do not have full equality or even basic, fundamental human rights in the the region where I’m from to this day.

How does this relate to Illyrian culture and ACOTAR?

Do I really need to explain the answer to that? I realize that some people may have grown up in Middle Eastern families and not had the experience I had. Some of my experience is also due to Islamic religious ideas and not simply cultural ideals. And there are some people who may love where they came from and have had a radically different experience than my own. That does NOT make my experience less valid, nor does it make my criticisms of the culture and countries I’m referring to less valid or accurate.

To me, the portrayal of the Illyrians is an accurate representation of what goes on in some pockets of the mid east, and for that very reason, I’m not offended.

In fact, wing clipping is essentially the fictional version of genital mutilation, which still happens in the cultures that people say Illyria is inspired by.

It is not racist to look at something and call it out for what it is. If I were to say, every single ME person I’ve ever met adheres to some of the more fundamentalist and sexist rhetoric I heard and continue to see, that would be racist and untrue.

The reality is there will also always be people who attack Sarah J Maas because she’s Jewish, especially at this time with conversations about Zionism running rampant. I married a Jewish man. I’ve seen anti-semitism firsthand. I also saw it growing up among the more nationalistic people I grew up with who hated the idea of an Israeli country.

What you can do:

Stand up for women around the world who don’t enjoy the same freedoms you do, and quit picking fights about a book series. Look to solve real problems instead of making some up.

Note - If you attack me in the comments, I will not respond. I will immediately block. This was not an easy post for me to make in any way, and I feel vulnerable having shared so much.

[nothorses]

I have an acquaintance who I believe has been gone to the tirf side and while I don't think she's going to be able to be talked to on this the thing she posted to me to try to be like "well this trans man thinks you can't be specifically against trans masc people" did make me think like,

If transmisogyny has been expanded from just being about the type of extreme violence described by serrano to a lot of other items, but some people don't believe that anything similar can be described to trans men, then it feels like they are saying that men are the default in the way that anything bad that happens to a trans man or trans masc person is just transphobia but bad things that happen to trans women are transmisogyny.

Like I feel like it's a bit like, what is just transphobia any more then, is it something which just applies to all trans people or is it the same transphobia which can affect trans masc and trans fems?

Are there limits to what can be called transmisogyny like people are putting to transandrophobia?

Honestly, I think this idea kind of rests on this very weird model of gender categorization that really just ignores what transphobia is, and how it actually works on a systemic level.

The implication here is that trans women are women, therefore what they experience is misogyny. Which means that because trans men are men, what we experience cannot be misogyny.

We see this same logic in "TME/TMA" ("transmisogyny exempt/transmisogyny affected") language, which also conflates oppression with identity: do your actual lived experiences with oppression determine your "TME/TMA" categorization? Or are people of certain identities simply considered exempt from transmisogyny, by nature of those identities alone? In practice, it is overwhelmingly the later.

If we consider transmisogyny to be a system of oppression that is expressed in particular ways, rather than a kind of oppression that only impacts certain people, "TME/TMA" categorization immediately falls apart. Nobody is "exempt" from a system of oppression that, for example, polices conformity to idealized western standards of cis womanhood in sports; we know for a fact that women of color are regularly deeply affected by transmisogynistic rules and laws in sports. Those same women do not face many other aspects of transmisogyny-- currently they are not in danger of being places in men's prisons, for example-- but clearly, that doesn't mean they're exempt from transmisogyny, either.

The point here is that these are systems of oppression, and while they target certain qualities in people, their goal is ultimately to police certain societal rules. It doesn't matter what your identity actually is; only that you are breaking those rules.

Trans women are women, but they are not seen as women by these systems. They are seen as people who are breaking a particular set of rules; not "woman", not "man", but "other". Even "defective", "failed", or "outlaw". Transmisogyny exists to police their particular ways of breaking those rules, and it does not particularly care how they actually identity themselves, on an individual level.

Trans men are men, but we are not seen as men. We are breaking rules, too, and there are systems in place to police those rules; we've named them "transandrophobia" (or "transmisandry", or "antitransmasculinity", or whatever) so we can talk about them a little more easily.

[linisiane]

Cant stop thinking about that time I went on Reddit to ask for makeup advice, hoping to achieve that kbeauty soft makeup look (as in making me look soft, not as in more natural looking) and instead got replies telling me that I looked like a model, that people would get surgery to have eyes that looked like mine, that the makeup in the photo is unattainable.

The thing is that I don’t look like a model at all. I just look like a young Asian woman. It reminded me of when make up artists started saying fox eye make up was in style now and then started pulling their eyes back.

A dissonance of understanding that they didn’t mean any harm, but caused it anyway because of the system of beauty they work under: one where parts of our body come in and out of style.

From small butts to BBLs. From big eyes to fox eyes. White to tan to black to white again. Our culture rewards them for finding new features to exotify.

Let me walk it back. Why did someone calling me a model feel like a micro aggression?

Well, the advice they gave me on the subreddit was all very centered around western beauty, so I think it was less a matter of false flattery and more a matter of them having genuinely no idea how to frame my face in western beauty standards.

The photo I used for my bare face vs the advice they gave me.

Similar to the way people say Asian women date ugly white men and white men date ugly Asian women—it’s not that they’re fetishizing the other for their race (although sometimes they indeed are doing that), but that what they each think of as beautiful is different based on exposure.

So my eye shape is a unique (exotic) feature to capitalize on to them, but to me, I look like a normal Asian person.

This was reinforced by the model they said I reminded them of: Devon Aoki.

I totally get where they’re coming from with this! I do look similar to her in face shape, but I think it’s really notable that Devon is Wasian. Half white half Asian, which is pairing a lot of people say makes the prettiest babies.

What I hear when they say that, however, is that racial ambiguity is beautiful.

“The Instagram look is racially ambiguous, as it includes many features commonly found in Black women, Indigenous women and other women of color. However, BIPOC women who naturally have these features, compared to rich white and white-adjacent women who have gone through cosmetic procedures to achieve the same features for aesthetic’s sake, are rarely given the same level of acclaim or endorsements for their natural beauty.”

Again, it’s about a system where parts of our body come in and out of style, where proximity to whiteness is really key to determining what part is just an ‘ethnic’ feature and what will be trendy. So although what’s on Devon makes her look like a high fashion model, my features will always read as an un-notable Asian woman.

Ariana Grande was accused of Asian fishing. I don’t think she was doing this on purpose. It’s just that she likely got a face lift done that, as a side effect of pulling her face back, reduced her upper lid crease, making her look more Asian.

So yeah, I don’t doubt that people would get surgery to get eyes like mine. But that’s a monkey’s paw! One where, even though people are literally getting surgeries to have the “privilege” of having feature like mine, those features on my face will never have the same appeal.

The last thing is the idea that this makeup is unattainable. I find this very sweet to say, as obviously took my wording to mean I thought she had very little makeup on and wanted to reassure me that she was artificial.

However, most times when people talked about this style of makeup, they use soft to mean “looking sweet” rather than literally a soft amount, so it was really frustrating to see a cultural barrier hamstring the advice I got. Again, most of it was along the lines of the Western Baddie look rather than the more ‘soft’ makeup tutorial I was looking for (which I later found when Douyin makeup tutorials got translated).

The image I asked for advice on, the "soft" pic I posted for their reference, and a later, more skilled try (that I figured out myself by watching Douyin makeup tutorials).

It also reminded me of the way people jump on anything vaguely positive about China as a ploy by Chinese spies or propaganda by the coerced citizens. The way they pit China against America and use them as a measure of 'real' state propaganda.

Obviously it’s not the same—she clearly was wearing filters and they were misunderstanding my language in the first place—but it also made wonder about how much they’d have said had I asked about advice on getting a more Gigi look or a more Kardashion makeup style?

Sure, there would’ve been people calling out their photoshop/surgery/filters, but would their advice also have been more actionable? More understanding that I was interested in the technique of their makeup, like the Kardashian contour or the 2016 brows or Gigi's fox eyes for instance, rather than assuming that I’d been brainwashed by extreme Asian beauty standards?

I understood, even then, that her look would be unachievable on account of my face shape and skin color (and whew boy that’s its own can of ‘Eurocentric beauty standards and colonialism’ worms), but I also knew that my makeup skills were beginner at best, and that I could be achieving more similar results with the right advice, which I later did.

Anyways, I appreciated all of the advice!!!! They were all super nice, and some of the tips I did end up following!

But America's beauty culture makes it impossible to conceive of beauty unrelated to whiteness -- Western/white beauty tips, Wasians are the prettiest babies, I am a 'high fashion' model, surgery to have my eyes, extreme Asian beauty standards -- like the way orientalism fails to conceive of the East beyond a reflection of the West.

[hellaverse-critical-confessions]

So I promised a background/minor character design appreciation post...

(Part one because this will likely get long)

Starting with the imps, due to the order in which characters of different species are presented on the wiki

Ah, Pringles. Of course. What a guy. He is very shaped. (Especially the hair and collar. I happen to be a sucker for male characters with that kinda "cat fluff" hairstyle.) Love the weird little cuff on his tail, it's so unnecessary but it fits. Dapper boy. Gotta love him

(As far as I can recall he gets bitches in Ozzie's, which, like, good for him!)

There's this kiddo from Loo Loo Land. I like her shapes as well, very exaggerated. As depicted here she kind of reminds me of some concept art girlies from the Art of Encanto book.

Actually, I think I have an image...

...I'm not the only one who sees it, right?

(Anyway, it's still available for free to view online. Very interesting stuff.)

Ahh... this guy. Or gal, actually. Turns out this is Skye Henwood's impsona, as well as my favorite character in Western Energy. Me and my friend were deadass ready to adopt her on sight. So tiny!! So shaped!! Look at that ridiculously huge bowtie. The littol suit. I want a pocket-sized imp now. Would carry them everywhere in my purse. Speaking of...

That's exactly what she did! Another crewsona (Sam Miller), and this design is incredibly slay. The feathers. The tail. Big, flowy, swooping shapes. (Not a big fan of the hands, though.) Very majestic creature overall.

Moving on to a few background Wrathians from Harvest Moon. She's a cutie. Not much else to be said. I like her outfit with the little boots and gloves as well as her pigtails.

I think these two could be related.

She looks so silly, I love her. Her hat and horns are disproportionately huge and it's precious.

Her name is Square, and she has major resting bitch face energy. I appreciate her instantly. (Long sleeved shirt + short shorts is a good combo.)

This guy from the Ozzie's elevator scene (Aspen) looks like he'd have quite the story to tell over a couple drinks of hard liquor. Slutty, but in a tired way. (A certain saxophonist cat from another piece of online media also fits that description.)

HER!! I love her so much. Everything about her honestly. The colors!! The legs!! The underbite!! She has no official name, but I call her Pomegranate. Or Pom for short. Got some of my own lore for her and everything.

Haven't watched Queen Bee, so I didn't get to see Dennis in action, but from this still alone I conclude that he's pretty cute. (However dude could use to pull up his pants.) Didn't really deserve to get yelled at, anyhow. Justice for Dennis!

Though I do have an old Dennis character, and he's a dick, so maybe Blitzo was on to something.

I like the girlie on the right too. Women with :3 smiles automatically win me over. The ripped pants and loose tank top go well together, and the splotch of magenta on the waist isn't obnoxious.

Mamma Mia, an imp with not purely and overwhelmingly red skin? What a spectacle. She looks way more like a black character than Velvette. And due to her subdued skin tone, the pink looks nice on her. (Which can't be said for Millie in one of the pieces of summer merch. Who thought pink on her was a good idea?!) Cool hair texture as well, feels very poofy.

Some bite-sized imp clowns from The Circus; their names are Eenie, Meenie, and Miney. How charming! Though, as I recall, doesn't that old children's rhyme go on to have four-

...Oh.

I think this might be Barbie Wire. We were never told explicitly, and she isn't even mentioned in the episode itself, but she looks closest to that design.

(Though I just noticed her horn stripes are too thick. Nevermind, then. Seems like she didn't even get that brief cameo in Blitzo's nearly episode-long childhood flashback despite being his twin sister, which should suggest that they were pretty close.)

I like this chick, though.

And that's it for now! Let me know if you'd like to see a part two though I might just go ahead and make it anyway

[thecurioustale]

Oh, lord, this topic was getting me cancelled 20 years ago, before "getting cancelled" was even a thing.

But, yes, the reasoning is the same: Hijab is a sex-specific modesty garment representing a misogynistic double-standard. It serves, literally, as a physical instrument of female exclusion from society. It is patriarchal in the worst sense, and falls in the same class as its more extreme cousins like the burqa. Modesty garments are never a good idea when they are worn on the premise that your body is shameful and provocative.

There is something to be said for degrees, however, and I take less issue with a garment like hijab that is essentially an unapologetic head shawl versus something like a burqa or niqab that literally erases the female face and form from public life. The involuntary erasure of the face in particular is deeply offensive to me, to the point that I would support public bans on those types of garments (not unlike the French bans). And hijab, at least, does not run afoul of this unacceptable degree of involuntarily erasure of one's humanity.

But, even so, hijab is not the symbol of freedom and autonomy that privileged Westerners and clueless progressives claim it to be. It is the exact opposite. It is both a symbol and literally a physical instrument of oppression, the exploitation and manipulation of the vulnerable. To my eyes it is a terrible look to proudly wear a garment that is used to marginalize and seclude millions of women around the world from public life, let alone call this "empowering." You may have the choice to wear it, and you may be empowering yourself by exercising your choice, but hundreds of millions of other people who are in a more vulnerable position than you do not have that choice. They are forced to wear these things, on threat of exclusion or censure or harassment or sometimes even violence. Even in the West, even in the US, in Muslim enclaves, we are seeing this same oppression reassert itself more and more, with women there pressured to don these garments even if they don't want to.

We had to fight for the freedom of bodily visibility in the 20th century, back when it was Christianity doing the oppressing. We, or rather our liberal predecessors, had to fight for the sleeveless dress, the low neckline, the miniskirt, the right to wear plain old normal pants. Anything that exposed more of the female body or its shape. We largely won these fights—though we have yet to free the nipple—and it is a damn shame to see this new flanking attack coming in from a different religion.

You might have the freedom to choose, but your glorification of the instruments of other people's oppression contributes to the erasure of their plight from our collective consciousness. It is a regressive stance to take.

If you talk to female escapees from Islamist countries, most of them rightly have terrible contempt for these garments, even the relatively tame hijab, because what a hijab lacks in brutality it makes up for in symbolic power. To see certain progressives celebrate this says a lot about their true colors, or, at best, their ignorance. Either way, it shows that a particular faction of progressivism is so hellbent on Western guilt and the shaming of all Western defaults and norms, i.e. Christianity, that it will go to ludicrous extremes to rationalize and justify anything seen as outside of or in opposition to this "deplorable" Western sphere. Because Christian extremists, right-wingers, and other assorted bigots single out things like a hijab as "tells" that someone is an "Other," the progressive movement has overreacted and is essentially immunizing these objects from warranted criticism. This has led to untenable, disgraceful apologetics over the years of both the specific instruments and the overarching fact of Islamic extremism by white Western progressives—who are ushered along with smiles by their Islamic allies, all too happy to see the progressive movement doing their work for them. It's the biggest blind spot on the left today, to recognize that Christian extremism is bad but somehow not recognize that Islamic extremism is also bad. And "extremism" isn't just about murdering civilians in terrorist acts; it's about fundamental things like marginalizing and excluding persecuted classes of people from society.

(And, yes, I am against this stuff from any religion: Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, you name it. I think modesty garments are inherently oppressive, and spiral very easily from religious accoutrement to instruments of control.)

To a great extent (though not without limits, as I mentioned above), I support people's right to wear whatever they want, and that includes dressing as modestly or conservatively or religiously or "self-concealingly" as one wants. I am likewise aware of the hijab's fashion relevance, thermal warmth, and potential for comfort, and I recognize that these considerations all complicate the underlying ethical question. And I am also aware of the argument that physically concealing one's female body in public is sort of like flipping an "off" switch that can prevent a lot of unwanted attention, and that many people do this to themselves, if not purely voluntarily (inasmuch as in an ideal world free of unwanted attention and harassment they would not dress so self-deprecatingly), then at least as a "lesser of two evils" sort of thing—and I never begrudge people for easing the burdens in their lives. Long story short, I never get in people's business about this stuff; I don't say "Don't wear it." Even the people wearing the extreme garments like a burqa—which I have seen worn in south Seattle!—I do not make trouble with. For one thing, it isn't neighborly to make trouble. But more importantly, it is important to remember that anyone wearing this stuff under duress is a victim of larger cultural problems, and you're not going to get very far in fighting those problems by making trouble for the victims. And you never know who is wearing the stuff voluntarily and who isn't.

But I do harshly judge the people who, beyond their personal life choices, glorify this stuff politically and contribute to the public campaign of whitewashing Islamic extremism. It's like flying the Confederate Flag. You're technically allowed to, but...should you really?

not to be too edgy on main but i do think its a little funny that when someone wants to include a character wearing a hijab in their story its always those stylish headscarfs that give you a perfectly round view of the face and its never like, a full on burqa. like no, thats is a little too uncomfortable to depict, but they are the same principle right? the reasoning behind both is the same

[vroooom2]

The Buddhist Thai Kingdom: color symbolism

Yellow is the color of the King in Thailand.

When Thai people wear this color, they pay homage to their Buddhist sovereign.

Blue is the color of the Queen in Thailand.

When Thai people wear this color, they pay homage to their Buddhist sovereign.

Purple represents nobility and power in Thailand. It's worn on Saturday.

In Thailand, each day has a particular color that is attached to it.

Red (Sunday), yellow (Monday), pink (Tuesday), green (Wednesday), orange (Thursday), blue (Friday), and purple (Saturday).

Orange is the color of the Buddhist monks. Every Thai man has to be a monk three times in his life: shave his head and eyebrows, meditate, eat one meal a day in the morning with food donated by the population.

Thailand: sexual and gender identity

Thailand has no problem with trans people: Kathoys (the lady boys), men who have sex surgery and hormones treatment to become a woman.

They are socially accepted and have their own public toilets. It's the recognition of the existence of a third genre.

Thailand has no problem with homosexuality. In 2015, the problem for Thai heterosexual women was to find heterosexual men, therefore they became lesbians (as said by many Thai coworkers).

Thailand: prostitution perception

Thailand is also the country where every village has prostitutes. HIV/AIDS epidemic was not spread because of international sex tourism, but because prostitution is a local practice. For example, it's a rite of passage for new enrolled men in the Thai army to visit a brothel and have transactional sex. Prostitutes come from poor rural families, but they prefer to do this job than to work in factories.

The problem with Western male tourists is when they fall in love with Thai sex workers, who are clever enough to get what they want: gifts, money sent via Western Union, marriage. Western men think they save a Thai woman or man from the sex working system with their Disney prince brainwashing. The Thai woman or man who needs to improve her/his way of life, makes him believe that she/he's in love to improve her/his way of life, when she/he's actually not as she/he prefers Thai man type (for physical and cultural reasons).

I wouldn't have been able to provide this information, if I didn't have an Asian face. The Thai people trusted me to tell me their truth, because of my ethnic physical traits, and because I was genuinely interested by their point of view without being judgemental, unlike expats/half-Thai/Thai people, raised in middle/upper-middle class families, who despised them despite their charity/NGO/research work for HIV diagnosis/treatment access.

One striking example: when I invited two former Thai prostitutes who worked in Western-owned bars, for my farewell party in 2006. They were fun, nice, smart, strong, young women, and truly happy to be invited. My expat, British-Thai, and Thai coworkers were shocked to see them. They didn't speak to them at all, and made them leave earlier with their judgemental behaviors. I asked myself: why do they work in HIV/AIDS research? To feel better about themselves, and feel superior by working for an international program? To get rid of sexual practice they think is immoral? What a confusing but heuristic moment for an anthropologist, who had no idea that it would be a morally embarrassing situation for the guests.

To advance anthropological knowledge: naivety is a great research tool (should I write and publish a paper about it? To be quoted in the next Collège de France lecture, EHESS, Normale Sup, UCLA, and IAS seminar, like Émile Dujardin 😆)

Thailand: the Karma law

Later, I would understand that Karma law was the cause of the judgemental behaviors during my farewell party. Indeed, Karma is a strong social force in Thailand. It assigns an individual fate at birth. It divides the population in social strates. It rules the moral conduct in a vertical hierarchy: the luckiest (wealthy) must have compassion for the unfortunate (poor). The more compassion, the more chance to climb the social ladder in the next life. However compassion doesn't mean equality, there's a caste system, inherited from Indian cultural influence (Pāli language, and Buddhism, a branch of Hinduism), that is non official unlike in India, but still visible.

Exclusion and racism towards those who don't share the same fate, Karma, is very strong. However, because of the Karma law, compassion is required. It can take forms in professional endeavors: working in an HIV/AIDS research program, in hospitals, NGOs.

A striking example of exclusion and racism mixed with the moral duty of compassion, was towards the Burmese HIV positive women in Thai public hospitals. Instead of counseling prophylaxis treatment to prevent HIV transmission to their baby, in case they would become pregnant. They were offered free sterilization. A medical practice that was not counseled to Thai HIV positive women, because the healthcare workers knew how efficient the preventive treatment was, and the risk of HIV transmission was almost null.

This truth was revealed to me by Thai nurses, doctors, hospital directors because of my Korean ethnicity. They saw me as a respectful Asian woman, very well educated, who came from wealthy countries, hence a person with a good Karma.

My advisors thanked me for reporting this information, as they would have never been able to know the sterilization problem, because of their Western face.

[writingwithcolor]

Black characters with white hair: the “Special Snowflake” Compilation

Is it problematic to give my Black MC white hair?

@roseoholic asked:

Is it problematic to give my black mc white hair? In my story, if someone dies and comes back to life, their hair turns white. Her origin is that she's a reincarnation of an escaped soul, and took the place of the stillborn fetus in her "mothers" womb. I am pretty flexible in her design still, so I am willing to change if it's a bad idea. Thank you if you answer! :)

I think we’re all aware that Black people can have white hair naturally, whether it’s due to

Aging

Hair that turns gray/white early in life

Albinism

Genetics - Black person (mixed race or no) who have very light or white hair.

Obviously, Black people can dye their hair white as well.

Photo above: Black models Diandra forrest and Nyakim Gatwech posing. They both have pale blondish-white hair. Source: Essence.

The question being asked is if it’s okay for Black characters to have white hair by conscious choice of the author.

Answer: 

On its face, it’s okay to have Black characters with white hair. This is especially true if how the white hair comes about is a natural occurrence in your story that likely affects other races too. Motive is an important factor.

What is the reason for their hair being white? 

That reason could and should be everything but to make them seem special or more likeable. This isn’t aimed at you specifically, OP, but there are creators who feel compelled to give Black characters uncommon, rare or unusual features due to an aversion to feature Black people with more common features (dark and brown hair, skin, eyes etc). 

When aversion to Blackness is the motive, it shows. 

It’s in the way the narrative exalts this character over other Black people in the narrative, treating them more favorably and giving them more of an arc over other Black characters. This is sometimes known as making them a “Special snowflake” which isn’t a term I particularly love, as it’s sometimes used to devalue real struggles people face. However, It does serve to categorize the trope. (See: TVTropes Special Snowflake)

Signs you’re treating your white-haired Black character better over other Black characters, aka the “Special Snowflake”

Stronger characterization and arc, more importance and “Screen time” than other Black characters (even when they’re not the main character)

Unique features are overemphasized and described at every chance (fetishized)

Better treatment in the story compared to other Black characters. They’re also less likely to face suffering and abusive narratives. Good things happen to them more than other Black people.

Shown to be more deserving of love, affection and romance over other Black characters; may have a love interest while others don’t.

Takeaway:

You can have Black characters with white hair. However, do not use light or unique features to exalt or set your character apart from your Black characters as “better.”

That is, not without an explicit social commentary, since yes these folks tend to be treated better by society and media in real life. 

It also helps to have other Black characters with more common features who are treated well and have a fully developed character arc. These other Black people’s lives also should not revolve around just supporting white or the white-haired character, either.

Black Girl, Snow White Retellings

@morganadelacour​ asked:

Hi there,

I (a white woman) would like to write a re-telling of Snow White and make her a Black girl with white hair. Snow White would be under the impression, that her stepmother (a white woman) is evil, when in fact, she only tried to protect herself and Snow White from Snow White’s father (a white man). The story would be told from both perspectives, probably first from Snow White’s perspective, then from the queen’s. In the end, both women make peace, Snow White understands the queen’s actions and the queen apologizes and tries to make up for her actions that hurt Snow White. Do you see a problem with any aspect of this outline and/or are there certain things I have to keep in mind?

Thank you so much for all the work you do with this blog and for your efforts to educate.

@corbeaudelys​ asked:

I'm writing a science fiction variant of Snow White with a protagonist that has dark skin with white, 3C hair and brown eyes. I read a post that said magic white hair, dark skin, and European features was a bad trope; would it still be bad even if I made it clear that she has no European features and her hair's not magical?

See “Is it problematic to give my Black MC white hair?” which answers the core of this question. Motive truly is the main factor in if it’s okay or not, and the resulting treatment of that character and other Black characters that may exist in the story. I have a Black Snow White in one of my retellings, too! 

The motive is clear here: you’re retelling Snow White with a Black girl and want to keep it relevant by assigning the white feature to hair instead of skin. It’s also a story where Snow White is intentionally meant to stand out as the “fairest of them all” so the exalting does have plot relevance. 

As noted before, I would caution against making her beautiful to mean that other Black women are not beautiful or are unworthy. 

I would like to make special mention that you can also do retellings where Snow White goes the other direction, and her compelling dark features make her the “fairest of them all”

Black woman dyes hair white, problematic symbolism?

@tlking-heads-moved said:

hi! i have a story with two black women protagonists: 

1.) leader, strong and loyal, with very curly dark hair (usually pulled back) 

2.) part of the group, elegant and refined, with light pink braids (or other protective styles).

Towards the end of the story, both of their hair changes styles, the second character dyes her hair white.

I am afraid that the character with the styled, pink/white hair will come off as “purer” or “better” than the character with the natural, dark hair, because of their personality + appearance differences. should I change either of their usual hair styles or their personalities?

These seem like stylistic choices. As the girl already had a pink braided style, hair color changes seems like something she likes to do and does not have to be symbolic of anything. Your use of color throughout the story could help avoid implications of white as more pure, if this is something you’d like to avoid:

See more about Color symbolism in our Color Symbolism Guide

Also, going from pink to white, which both have connotations of femininity and softness (according to a Western Lens) doesn’t come across as a stark difference. Without knowing the full details of these personality changes the girls undergo, I’m personally not getting that impression. Again, the full narrative will inform this and you may want to pay mind to your use of color throughout.

Now, do avoid making the dark-haired one a Strong Black Women character. You specifically called her strong, which doesn’t necessarily mean she’s a SBW, but please see our several related posts to ensure she is not one.

I hope this helps!

~Mod Colette

[fatliberation]

I’m Abandoning Body Positivity and Here’s Why

In short: it’s fatphobic.

“A rallying cry for a shift in societal norms has now become the skinny girl’s reassurance that she isn’t really fat. Fatness, through this lens of ‘body positivity’, remains the worst thing a person can be.” (Kayleigh Donaldson)

•  •  •

I have always had a lot of conflicting opinions about the body positivity movement, but it’s much more widely known (and accepted, go figure) than the fat liberation movement, so I often used the two terms interchangeably in conversation about anti-fatness. But the longer I’ve been following the body positivity movement, the more I’ve realized how much it has strayed from its fat lib origins. It has been hijacked; deluded to center thin, able, white, socially acceptable bodies.

Bopo’s origins are undoubtedly grounded in fat liberation. The fat activists of the 1960s paved the way for the shred of size acceptance we see in media today, initially protesting the discrimination and lack of access to equal opportunities for fat people specifically. This early movement highlighted the abuse, mental health struggles, malpractice in the medical field, and called for equal pay, equal access, equal respect, an end to fatphobic structures and ideas. It saddens me that it hasn’t made much progress in those regards. 

Today, the #bopo movement encapsulates more the idea of loving your own body versus ensuring that individuals regardless of their weight and appearance are given equal opportunities in the workplace, schools, fashion and media. Somehow those demands never made it outside of the ‘taboo’ category, and privileged people would much more readily accept the warm and fuzzy, sugar-coated message of “love yourself!” But as @yrfatfriend once said, this idea reduces fat people’s struggles to a problem of mindset, rather than a product of external oppressors that need to be abolished in order for fat people to live freely.

That generalized statement, “love yourself,” is how a movement started by fat people for the rights of fat people was diluted so much, it now serves a thin model on Instagram posting about how she has a tummy roll and cellulite on her thighs - then getting praised for loving her body despite *gasp!* its minor resemblance to a fat body. 

Look. Pretty much everyone has insecurities about their bodies, especially those of us who belong to marginalized groups. If you don’t have body issues, you’re a privileged miracle, but our beauty-obsessed society has conditioned us to want to look a certain way, and if we have any features that the western beauty standard considers as “flaws,” yeah! We feel bad about it! So it’s not surprising that people who feel bad about themselves would want to hop on a movement that says ‘hey, you’re beautiful as you are!’ That’s a message everyone would like to hear. Any person who has once thought of themselves as less than beautiful now feels that this movement is theirs. And everyone has insecurities, so everyone feels entitled to the safe space. And when a space made for a minority includes the majority, the cycle happens again and the majority oppresses the minority. What I’m trying to explain here is that thin people now feel a sense of ownership over body positive spaces. 

Regardless of how badly thin people feel about their bodies, they still experience thin privilege. They can sit down in a theater or an airplane without even thinking about it, they can eat in front of others without judgement, they can go the doctor with a problem and actually have it fixed right away, they can find cute clothes in their size with ease, they do not suffer from assumptions of laziness/failure based on stereotype, they see their body type represented everywhere in media, the list goes on and on. They do not face discrimination based off of the size of their body. 

Yet diet culture and fatphobia affects everyone, and of course thin people do still feel bad about the little fat they have on their bodies. But the failure to examine WHY they feel bad about it, is what perpetuates fatphobia within the bopo movement. They’re labeled “brave” for showing a pinch of chub, yet fail to address what makes it so acceptably daring, and how damaging it is to people who are shamed for living in fat bodies. Much like the rest of society, thin body positivity is still driven by the fear of fat, and does nothing to dismantle fatphobia within structures or within themselves.

Evette Dionne sums it up perfectly in her article, “The Fragility of Body Positivity: How a Radical Movement Lost Its Way.”

“The body-positive media economy centers these affirming, empowering, let-me-pinch-a-fat-roll-to-show-how-much-I-love-myself stories while failing to actually challenge institutions to stop discriminating against fat people. More importantly, most of those stories center thin, white, cisgender, heterosexual women who have co-opted the movement to build their brands. Rutter has labeled this erasure ‘Socially Acceptable Body Positivity.’

“On social media, it actually gets worse for fat bodies: We’re not just being erased from body positivity, fat women are being actively vilified. Health has become the stick with which to beat fat people with [sic], and the benchmark for whether body positivity should include someone” (Dionne).

Ah, yes. The medicalization of fat bodies, and the moralization of health. I’ve ranted about this before. Countless comments on posts of big women that say stuff like “I’m all for body positivity, but this is just unhealthy and it shouldn’t be celebrated.” I’ve heard writer/activist Aubrey Gordon once say that body positivity has become something like a shield for anti-fatness. It’s anti-fatness that has been repackaged as empowerment. It’s a striking double-standard. Fat people are told to be comfortable in their bodies (as if that’s what’s going to fix things) but in turn are punished when they’re okay with being fat. Make it make sense.

Since thin people feel a sense of ownership over body positive spaces, and they get to hide behind “health” when they are picking and choosing who can and cannot be body positive, they base it off of who looks the most socially acceptable. And I’m sure they aren’t consciously picking and choosing, it comes from implicit bias. But the socially acceptable bodies they center are small to medium fat, with an hourglass shape. They have shaped a new beauty standard specifically FOR FAT PEOPLE. (Have you ever seen a plus sized model with neck fat?? I’m genuinely asking because I have yet to find one!) The bopo movement works to exclude and silence people who are on the largest end of the weight spectrum. 

Speaking of exclusion, let’s talk about fashion for a minute.

For some reason, (COUGH COUGH CAPITALISM) body positivity is largely centered around fashion. And surprise surprise, it’s still not inclusive to fat people. Fashion companies get a pat on the back for expanding their sizing two sizes up from what they previously offered, when they are still leaving out larger fat people completely. In general, clothing companies charge more for clothes with more fabric, so people who need the largest sizes are left high and dry. It’s next to impossible to find affordable clothes that also look nice. Fashion piggybacks on the bopo movement as a marketing tactic, and exploits the very bodies it claims to be serving. (Need I mention the time Urban Outfitters used a "curvy” model to sell a size it doesn’t even carry?)

The movement also works to exclude and silence fat Black activists.

In her article, “The Body Positivity Movement Both Takes From and Erases Fat Black Women” Donyae Coles explains how both white people and thin celebrities such as Jameela Jamil profit from the movement that Black women built.

“Since long before blogging was a thing, fat Black women have been vocal about body acceptance, with women like Sharon Quinn and Marie Denee, or the work of Sonya Renee Taylor with The Body Is Not An Apology. We’ve been out here, and we’re still here, but the overwhelming face of the movement is white and thin because the mainstream still craves it, and white and thin people have no problem with profiting off the work of fat, non-white bodies.”

“There is a persistent belief that when thin and/or white people enter the body positive realm and begin to repeat the messages that Black women have been saying for years in some cases, when they imitate the labor that Black women have already put in that we should be thankful that they are “boosting” our message. This completely ignores the fact that in doing so they are profiting off of that labor. They are gaining the notoriety, the mark of an expert in something they learned from an ignored Black woman” (Coles).

My next essay will go into detail about this and illuminate key figures who paved the way for body acceptance in communities of color. 

The true purpose of this movement has gotten completely lost. So where the fuck do we go from here? 

We break up with it, and run back to the faithful ex our parents disapproved of. We go back to the roots of the fat liberation movement, carved out for us by the fat feminists, the queer fat activists, the fat Black community, and the allies it began with. Everything they have preached since the 1960s and 70s is one hundred percent applicable today. We get educated. We examine diet culture through a capitalist lens. We tackle thin, white-supremacist systems and weight based discrimination, as well as internalized bias. We challenge our healthcare workers to unlearn their bias, treat, and support fat patients accordingly. We make our homes and spaces accessible and welcoming to people of any size, or any (dis)ability. “We must first protect and uplift people in marginalized bodies, only then can we mandate self-love” (Gordon).

Think about it. In the face of discrimination, mistreatment, and emotional abuse, we as a society are telling fat people to love their bodies, when we should be putting our energy toward removing those fatphobic ideas and structures so that fat people can live in a world that doesn’t require them to feel bad about their bodies. It’s like hitting someone with a rock and telling them not to bruise!

While learning to love and care for the body that you’re in is important, I think that body positivity also fails in teaching that because it puts even more emphasis on beauty. Instead of saying, “you don’t have to be ‘beautiful’ to be loved and appreciated,” its main lesson is that “all bodies are beautiful.” We live in a society obsessed with appearance, and it is irresponsible to ignore the hierarchy of beauty standards that exist in every space. Although it should be relative, “beautiful” has been given a meaning. And that meaning is thin, abled, symmetric, and eurocentric. 

Beauty and ugliness are irrelevant, made-up constructs. People will always be drawn to you no matter what, so you deserve to exist in your body without struggling to conform to an impossible and bigoted standard. Love and accept your body for YOURSELF AND NO ONE ELSE, because you do not exist to please the eyes of other people. That’s what I wish we were teaching instead. Radical self acceptance!

As of today, the ultimate message of the body positivity movement is: Love your body “despite its imperfections.” Or people with “perfect and imperfect bodies both deserve love.” As long as we are upholding the notion that there IS a perfect body that looks a certain way, and every body that falls outside of that category is imperfect, we are upholding white supremacy, eugenics, anti-fatness, and ableism.

[yes-ihavealwaysbeengreen]

Day 1: Heartbeat - Agent Whiskey

November Writing Challenge Day 1

Heartbeat - Agent Whiskey/ F-Reader

 Rating: 18 + 

November Writing Challenge Masterlist 

Autumnleaves1991 Masterlist 

I am so excited to begin the November writing challenge. Please remember to send in any requests to the prompts. I will do my best to honor them. :) 

If you want to be added to a tag list let me know! 

You had finally made it, the newest weapons developer at Statesman. This day was long in the making, ever since your best friend since preschool Ja-Tequila told you he had the perfect place for you to work. You had graduated from college with your PhD and were recruited right away by Champ. Tequila was ecstatic when you told him because he could finally tell you everything. All about his job, his gadgets, and his work friends.

Despite being chronically shy, everyone made you feel at home on your first day and eventually weeks turned to months and it was on that third month of working that you first met him....Whiskey.

He was just like what you would imagine a cowboy in an old western movie would seem, shiny boots, black Stetson, a velvety southern drawl, and one of the biggest...belt buckles you had ever seen. Looking in his chocolate brown eyes, and hearing him call you darlin made your head spin. You were hooked like a worm. Every single time he came into the lab over the next three months you heart felt like it was going to break out of your chest. He was handsome, confident, and he laid the southern charm on thick.

Though you never entertained the thought that he could feel anything for you, and it hurt you to see him flirt with all the other women at Statesman. So you kept your feelings to yourself, the only other person knowing being Tequila and not because you told him only because you weren’t as smooth as you thought. You recalled the conversation when you realized he knew.

“Why don’t you just tell the man how you feel?” Tequila grins widely at you from his chair across the lab.

Your head snapped up to meet his eyes, “What...what are you talking about?” you stutter.

“Apple, I have known you since we were four years old, I have been there for every single crush and you have got it bad for my old buddy Whiskey.”

You are sure you're the color of a tomato when you ask quietly, “is it that obvious?”

Tequila takes pity on you and comes around the table wrapping his arm around your shoulders and pulling you close to his chest. He wraps your arms around his waist and puts your head on his chest. “Don’t worry Apple, your secret is safe with me. But, if you really like him, you should tell him. You might be surprised,” Tequila hugs you tighter and kisses your forehead and you smile letting out a deep breath.

Neither of you notice the figure standing in the doorway of the lab, watching the comfortable exchange with a frown on his face.

It was six months since you had been recruited when Champ called you to the office about a special project. When you entered the room, you were surprised to see Whiskey sitting at the table with a bright smile on his face. He tipped his Stetson, and mouthed hi at you. You couldn’t help the smile that began to turn up at the corners of your mouth.

“Good Morning Apple, how are you doing this fine mornin’? Champ asks, giving you a smile.

“I am doing great Champ, everyone is always so friendly, and I love being able to see my Tequila every day,” I grinned back. You notice out of the corner of your eye Whiskey’s smile drops from his face.

“That’s wonderful to hear, we love having you here. We have been needing someone with your expertise for some time. That’s actually why I called you up here, Whiskey is needing an upgrade on his whip, do you think you are up to the task?” Champ smiles broadly at you.

“I am up for anything,” you smile, “Whiskey would you mind joining me in the lab and we can draw up some plans of what you might be wanting for your whip? I would love to have your input before I get to work.”

“Of course sugar, but can we speak in my office? I drew up a list the other day,” Whiskey rises from his chair and walks over to the door. You follow, smiling in goodbye to Champ.

In the hallway you walk side by side and you can’t help but steal looks at him as you pass. He really is one of the most handsome men you have ever seen. His hand naturally falls to your lower back and you can’t help the slight gasp when you feel his warmth. His eyes dart to yours before they drop down to your mouth before he looks away quickly, clearing his throat.

His office is huge, being a senior agent of Statesman has its perks. In the center of the room is a large mahogany desk and a tall leather chair behind it, on the side is a brown leather couch, with a coffee table in front strewn with papers. You take the seat across from him and cross your legs at the ankle, your pencil skirt riding slightly up your thigh.

“Ok what is it that you are thinking about for the whip?” you jump straight to business.

“Ya know sugar, I don’t think you have ever seen me use the whip have you? I would love to give you a demonstration.”

“No, I haven’t but I understand the mechanics of how a whip works and I have read up on all the current weapons in use at Statesman so I don’t think I really need a demonstration.” You don’t miss how his eyes light up with a challenge.

“Oh but I insist,” he rises from the chair and takes off his jacket. You can’t help but ogle the way his white button up clings to the muscles in his arms and across his broad shoulders. The way his jeans cling to his powerful legs, and when he turns you bite your lip to prevent the moan from slipping out of your mouth. Damn does that man know how to wear a pair of jeans.

He walks over to the large empty space in the room and attached to his belt he pulls his whip. He presses a button on the hilt and the whip rushes from it and towards the ground. He raises one thick finger and gestures towards you to stand up and come to him. You feel possessed like the sailors responding to the sound of a siren. Walking over to him and standing before him, he grabs your hips gently, and turns you so you have your back to his front. You don’t notice anything in the room except for the feel of him behind you strong and warm.

“Breath Apple, nothing is going to happen to you. I got ya,” his honeyed voice feels warm against your ear where he whispers.

You can’t help the shiver that runs down your body. He puts the whip in front of you and puts it in your hand, his own hand coming to wrap around yours and he slowly begins to make it move. The way he handles the whip, like it’s an extension of his own arm amazes you. It feels like it’s over too soon when he retracts the whip into the handle. And even longer until he turns you around to face him.

He’s so close to you, if you lifted up only a little your lips would touch. When he speaks your lips feel the moist warmth against them, “How was that for a demonstration Apple?”

You feel bold and you begin to raise on your feet only slightly, “I feel like I might need to see it again,” your response comes out breathy. What the hell was going on with you?

Whiskey smiles before he reaches the rest of the way down and your lips meet. It’s slow at first, and you feel your body start to heat instantly. When you open your mouth to take a breath he licks inside your mouth and you groan. The kisses heat up and you raise your hands to slide into his hair and he moans into your mouth when you tug lightly. He steps back still holding onto you until his knees hit the leather couch against the wall of his office.

He falls into it with a grunt and pulls you to straddle his lap, bunching your pencil skirt up your thighs as you fall into his lap. You pull back and look at him. His hands are massaging circles into your hips, his eyes blown black, his lips puffy. You raise your hands to his face, and run them over his jaw, his sharp nose, his eyes closing. Your hands find their place resting on his chest. You can feel his heartbeat strong and fast beneath your palm.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for months baby,” he whispers to you. Both of you are afraid to ruin the fragile balance in the air.

You let out a shaky breath, “me too,” you quietly tell him. “I didn’t think you liked me like that. I am not like all those other girls in the lab who are confident and...”

Whiskey scoffs, “do you have any idea how damn beautiful you are? Oh baby, you are the apple of my eye, I have been sweet on you for months ever since Tequila first introduced us. There’s something I have been meaning to ask you, are you and Tequila…”

You shake your head no quickly, “no, no, no he’s been my best friend since preschool. There is no one in my life like that. Only one and right now he’s sitting underneath me and telling me he likes me so I don’t think you have any competition.” Your megawatt smile is only rivaled by his own and he leans forward and kisses you again.

He pulls away when you both break for air, “Would you join me for dinner tonight?” he asks, pressing his forehead against your own.

“Yes,” you pull back and smile at him feeling more confident than you ever have before, “but first I am going to finish dessert.”

It’s all worth it for the smile on his face, “Oh baby, this is just the first course,” Whiskey says before reclaiming your lips with his own. And what a fine meal it was.

 Day 2: Wind - Din Djarin 

[ihavenolife3011]

Congratulations [The Remarried Empress]

I know that it technically isn't an anime but hey! I had this idea and I liked it so here is the synopsis...

You my beautiful reader are a sibling of Navier's and decide to give Sovieshu a piece of your mind.

Song is from Hamilton because I loved the play.

{E/C} = Eye color

{H/C} = Hair color

"Talking"

'thinking'

I couldn't believe what I was hearing...

Today was the day I was supposed to see my sister after two long years but the first thing I hear while in my carriage is the whispering of a commoner talking about my brother-in-law Sovieshu taking in a former slave as a mistress.

I knew that him and Navier didn't have the best relationship when I left but I didn't think he could stoop this low. Having a mistress is one thing but her being a former slave AND treating her better than my sister is something I will NEVER forgive.

I clear my throat to make the driver know I wanted him to continue on the passage to the Eastern Empire.

'I can not wait to tell off Sovieshu' I think running my hand through my {H/C} hair.

=========================TIME SKIP===========================

I had been wearing heels however that didn't stop me from running straight to Sovieshu's office as soon as a butler opened the door.

When I opened the door I saw Sovieshu talking to a silver haired women who was smiling brightly. I could already feel my anger rising but I didn't show it as I smiled calmly. Sovieshu snapped his head towards my direction with a scowl however that was quickly replaced with a shocked expression along with another emotion I couldn't understand.

"Y/N...I-"

"Your majesty, who is this?"

The white haired girl who I assume is this mistress turned her head to me interrupting. She then started to walk towards me with a confused expression well at least she tried walking towards me until Sovieshu stopped her. "Rashta please exit I would like to talk to Lady Trovi alone."

The girl known as 'Rashta' had a pout on her delicate features and looked like she was about to object until Sovieshu yelled at her. "NOW RASHTA!" she quickly runs out the room with tears in her eyes.

He puts a hand over his forehead stressed about the situation already. However this lasts shortly before he meets my eyes again.

"Y/n..."

"Sovieshu...congratulations"

As soon as the word congratulations exit my mouth his facial expression turns into one of confusion.

"You have invented a new kind of stupid"

Quick to object he opens his mouth only to be interrupted by me.

"A damage you can never undo, Kind of stupid. A open all the cages in the zoo, kind of stupid. Truly you did not think this through, kind of stupid."

He stands up and walks towards me irritation clearly on his face. Opening his mouth to be interrupted by me yet again.

"Lets review, you took a rumor that a few maybe two people knew and refuted it by sharing a affair that no will ever accuse you."

He steps back with his irritation now replaced with shame. However it is far to late to feel remorseful. I step forward continuing with venom lacing my voice,

"I begged you to take a break, you refused to," I grab onto his collar pulling him down to my height.

"So scared of what you enemy can do to you but your the only enemy you ever seem to lose to. Do you know why Heinry can do what he wants?" I ask letting go of his collar backing up with my finger pointing towards him,

"He doesn't dignify school yard taunts with a response!"

He looks down knowing that what I had said was directed to him.

"So Yeah! Congratulations!"

"Y/N...."

"You have redesigned your legacy! Congratulations!"

"It was an act of political sacrifice!" He yells back at me before realizing that he had just told me the reason why Rashta is here in the first place.

"Sacrifice...?" I ask the little patience I had disappearing completely. "I languished in a lonely life in the Western Empire, I lived only to read your letters." I say with tears gathering in my {E/C} eyes.

He looks at me with pity, walking slowly towards me. He tries to come closer however is pushed away by me. "I look at you and think 'god what have we done with our lives and what did it get us?"

He once again looks down at his shoes and for a second I can still see him as the same boy I used to play with as children but I know he isn't the same and he never will be. So I continue talking whilst staring at him with my eyes glazed over and a tear running down my cheek,

"That doesn't wipe the tears or the years away but I am back in the kingdom and I am here to stay, do you know what I am here to do?"

He looks at me tears in his eyes as he tries to talk, "Y/n..."

But I don't want to hear it. "I'm not here for you..." I say putting my hand in front of his face stopping him from talking.

"I know my sister like I know my own mind." I say walking towards him my anger beginning to out shine my despair. "You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind and a million years ago she said to me 'this one's mine' So I stood by..."

I continue walking towards him remembering when Osis III had chosen Navier to be the new empress and how she had ran to tell me so excited.

"DO YOU KNOW WHY?!" I shout grabbing his collar shaking him as he just stares back at me.

"I LOVE MY SISTER MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS LIFE! I WILL CHOOSE HER HAPPINESS OVER MINE EVERY TIME!" I shout letting out my anger and revealing my past feelings for Sovieshu.

"NAVIER!" I shout my sisters name letting go of his collar and throwing Sovieshu back.

"Navier..." He says slowly realizing everything he has done. "IS THE BEST THING IN OUR LIVES!" I continue shouting but at this point I don't know if he was even listening because all I could do was scream out my feelings.

"So never lose sight of the fact that you have been blessed with the best wife!" Sovieshu starts to think back about how many times the empire has been in trouble but had been saved due to Navier's smart thinking. But his train of thoughts are interrupted by me for the 3rd time. "Congratulations..." I say my anger finally gone. "For the rest of your life every sacrifice you make is for my sister. Give her the best life...Congratulations!" I say before slapping him and taking my leave as he stands there frozen.

==============BACK INSIDE THE CARRIGAGE=================

I sit down signaling to my driver that it is time to go home. Everything is silent until my companion interrupts,

"So do you feel better now?" He asks as I look up to meet his purple eyes.

"Yes and if you ever hurt my sister I will do the same exact thing to you Heinry" he laughs at my response as we continue to talk on our way back to the Western Empire.

______________________________________________________________

A/N: Okay I got carried away with this but I hope you enjoyed and Have a great day!

[iamnightduchess]

There were originally two Asks for this but the draft got deleted by accident. To the two anons, I am so sorry 🙈 I also spent quite some time on it, so I had to rewrite everything all over again. But the Asks wanted to know what happens after their confession & their lives together afterwards in Hizuru, their courting process, marriage, kids & what Reiner does for a living when Mikasa ascends the imperial throne as the new Empress.

Reiner x Mikasa (ReiKasa) Canonverse AU (18+) Post-Rumbling Headcanon #18 (Pt.2) a.k.a a ficlet

A continuation to this post. Show me some ❤!

‼️Contains: mentions of PTSD‼️

Aftermath of Confession

Jean, who was also there with Annie & Armin, was very happy to see that two of his loved ones are finally embracing each other's feelings. He asks the new couple, "So, what's next?

Reiner looks into Mikasa's eyes and says, "For now, I just want to make out with the new most important woman in my life."

Annie sneakily jabs, "Get a room."

Reiner snarkily replies, "Good idea," causing Mikasa and Kiyomi both to panic before Reiner adds, "It was a joke, ladies."

"Jerk." Annie grins, as she holds her paramour's hand tight in hers. One could also see the look of pride and happiness on Armin's face, upon realizing that his sworn sister is genuinely loved by a good-hearted man, who would be her true anchor & life companion after the horrors she was forced to go through.

Reiner immediately approaches the Azumabito family matriarch and asks for her blessing and advice with the intention to officially court her kin. Kiyomi states that once Mikasa ascends the throne, the rules of Hizuru forbids the empress to marry a commoner but the spouse of a married ruler who ascends the throne will be recognized as the empress or prince consort. Thus, Kiyomi advises for their courting to proceed after the marriage, which will be held in a week.

Reiner and Mikasa, together, also talk to Jean and Armin in making it a triple wedding instead.

As soon as they return to the settlement, Reiner wastes not a second as he also looks for Levi, to get the older man's blessing as his soon-to-be wife's last living kin on her father's side.

Levi shakes his hand, albeit sternly, to which even Jean and Armin would cower in reflex, yet no one can miss the tender look in their former captain's eyes; one of a proud father when he said, "Be true. Be loyal."

Karina, Gabi and the rest of the Braun family are over the moon over the news of their immediate engagement & the family spearheads the wedding preparation together. The men go out to hunt and the women help with the simple but homely decoration as well as cooking preparations. Connie prefers to help the women and part of the reason is he's really interested in getting to know one of them; a single lady who had adopted 4 children whose parents were killed in the Rumbling.

The evening after Reiner had received Levi's blessings, Mikasa asks him out for a stroll around the settlement. Reiner also wants to spend more alone time with her. Teary-eyed, Mikasa confides in Reiner on everything that happened during the moment when she decapitated Eren's head, a truth that she has never told anyone. Not even to Armin. She told him that she placed her lips on Eren's cold dead ones to say her last farewell and that she is haunted by what she has done ever since. She is scared & terrified of what she has done and she feels she is being unfair to Reiner because of how 'broken' she is from within. Mikasa also says that she understands if Reiner wants to call off their wedding because he deserves to be happy with someone who doesn't have immense emotional baggage like she does.

Reiner, wordlessly, only holds her close in return. Mikasa almost flinches but she gradually allows the shackles inside her head go. However, she isn't able to return Reiner's physical affections as yet because of the unbearable guilt she still holds, thinking she is unworthy of Reiner's genuine love.

Reiner also confides that he has his emotional baggages himself; namely the day he tried to shoot himself in the head right before the assault in Liberio. Reiner also shares the reason why he has stopped thinking of dying, in particularly, the moment he realizes he did not want to give up on life so easily was the second he saw Mikasa's helpless face when the alliance decided to kill Eren. He accepts if Mikasa refuses to proceed with their wedding, but he would still follow her to Hizuru and be by her side - even as a friend.

At that moment, they both realize one fundamental truth: all these horrors they had to go through especially together only made them even more compatible with each other. No other man could ever understand and love Mikasa the way she is. No other woman could truly understand and love Reiner the way he is. They were both broken, emotionally weighed down but the strength they each needed was in the other all along.

Reiner and Mikasa are indeed two odd-shaped puzzle pieces who turn out to be a perfect fit after all.

That night, Reiner makes the first pledge to Mikasa way before his wedding vows: He will love her and make her happy for the rest of his life. He will never give up on her. Not even after death.

Wedding

The wedding had been a simple but a merry affair. Falco had been the ring-bearer & Gabi the flower girl.

Kiyomi had a craftsmaker from Hizuru and a blacksmith from Marley to make wedding bands from melted 3DMG blades and titan crystals for the three couples.

Kiyomi had found beautiful western-style white silk dresses in the Azumabito family's garments chest on the main ship. The brides, along with the help from Gabi, Karina and her sister, personalize the dresses according to their preferences.

Mikasa wears an ankle-length princess cut dress with tight long sleeves. She embroidered the hem with forest green trimmings (her new favorite color) and sewn gold laces and ribbons on the wrists and neck to match the color of Reiner's eyes. So as the gold teardrop stone on her silver headpiece. Reiner wore a matching white dress shirt and dark pants with a long beige overcoat, with a silver garnet tie to match the colors of his bride's beautiful eyes.

Annie wore a shin-length bell-shaped dress, with a sky blue drape silk wrap across her shoulders and sky blue hair ribbon to match the color of Armin's eyes. Armin wore a crisp beige coat with a light blue dress shirt and a matching dark blue bow tie.

Pieck, who's already 7 weeks pregnant at that time, wore a long halter bare-back dress, with a flowy dark purple ombre gradient skirt and a violet satin waistband, which matched Jean's bowtie and suit vest. He paired it with a crisp dark brown full suit.

Annie & Pieck were walked down the aisle by their respective fathers. Levi was the one who accompanied Mikasa down the wedding lane to Reiner.

Reiner was just captivated - he had tears in his eyes the moment he saw Mikasa in her wedding dress. He immediately kisses her hand when Levi gave her away.

Reiner & Mikasa's vows brought the guests to tears. Reiner vowed that he will always place Mikasa's life & needs before his and will always be with her through every second of their lives together - side-by-side, not behind her or in front of her. Mikasa vowed that Reiner will always have not only her heart but her whole life, in which their souls are bound for all eternity.

When they shared their first kiss as husband & wife, Mikasa truthfully savored & surrendered her heart to her first true love's kiss with Reiner.

Since Captain Levi was injured, it was Armin who sweetly offered his hand for Mikasa's father-daughter dance, as her sworn brother.

At the reception, Connie, being the best man to all the grooms jokingly said to the three of them, "You boys might have been married first, but I already beat you guys in being a dad," proudly proclaiming while cradling his adopted 3-month old baby girl in his arms.

Wedding Night & Courting

That eve of the wedding, Reiner had been a perfect gentleman and he wants Mikasa to know that they will always be each other's equal. He only asks her to take the lead when it comes to the physical intimacy in their shared life & they will only consummate their wedding when she is ready.

Reiner & Mikasa spent their wedding night just talking & reminiscing about their time as 104th cadets and positive memories of everyone they know until they fell asleep in each other's arms. Reiner wanted Mikasa to remember only the good memories with Eren and that night, Mikasa had a minor night terror but Reiner's embrace helped calm her down as he helped her back to sleep.

The next morning, Reiner & Mikasa spent their time helping the resident cooks in the main kitchen with breakfast. Reiner likes to sneak in quick kisses on Mikasa's forehead in between the kitchen chores & despite not being able to fully initiate physical affections towards Reiner, Mikasa have become more comfortable in accepting Reiner's physical affections without being subconsciously defensive.

They spent the next several days together by doing domestic chores around the settlement in particularly, they discovered that they both share the same enjoyment towards harvesting in the fields. Reiner loves seeing the peaceful expression on Mikasa's face underneath the sun when she's working hard at plotting soil for the vegetable roots. He never stops seeing her as the strongest, most beautiful woman in his life.

They both went on evening walks with Falco & Gabi and stargazing at night. Sometimes they would talk, sometimes they would just sit in silence while holding each other's hands. They also discussed on their near future plans in settling down in Hizuru, bringing Karina with them so they can still take care of her together.

Reiner carries her from the main walkway to their shared unit every single night, much to Armin & Annie's amusement and Mikasa's horror. But by the third night, Mikasa had become more relaxed and she leant on Reiner's sturdy shoulders, accepting his comfort naturally.

Reiner also loves giving Mikasa surprises - whether it's a wild flower, a ripe edible harvest or any interesting things that he found while he was out helping at the fields.

Reiner's honesty, diligence and romantic wooing won Mikasa's heart and the last evening before they left for Hizuru, they finally consummate their marriage. That night, he carried her all the way to bed and they never left until they woke up in the morning. Reiner spent the whole night just worshipping every inch of his wife's body and never took his eyes off hers when they made love for the first time.

Life in Hizuru

As soon as they docked in Hizuru, Reiner & Mikasa, respectively, went into an immediate intensive training to prepare them for the duties & expectations of the imperial throne. Mikasa, to prepare her as an Empress and Reiner, to prepare him as her prince consort, especially him being the first non-Hizurian blood to sit on the imperial throne.

Reiner also voluntarily enlisted with the Hizurian naval forces to learn the new ropes of being a sea military member, as oppossed to land. It wasn't long when the higher-ups took notice of his exceptional skills, natural leadership & battle experience, that he was made an Admiral in training within three months of his enlistment.

Reiner & Mikasa had to spend the first few months apart and that made the newlyweds miss each other even more.

During this temporary separation, Reiner and Mikasa had been writing love letters to each other, everyday without fail. Karina made sure that her daughter-in-law would never feel alone & she always helped Kiyomi in supporting the empress-to-be so it would not be a lonely, isolated period for Mikasa while she's being separated from Reiner.

Reiner & Mikasa were only reunited a week before their enthronement, which was held six months after they arrived in Hizuru. Everyone of their loved ones in Fort Salta's residence had been invited as the royal guests. Despite having challenging pregnancies as former female shifters, Annie and Pieck wouldn't miss the opportunity to support Mikasa & Reiner's historical day as they officially become the new age imperial monarch of the East Sea country. Pieck went into an early labor during the visit. Jean & Pieck's eldest son was born in Hizuru.

Enthronement & the royal Azumabito (Ackerman-Braun) family legacy

Mikasa's royal title is Her Imperial Highness Empress Mikasa of Azumabito.

Reiner's royal title is His Imperial Highness Reiner Braun Consort to Empress Mikasa.

The first night after Mikasa & Reiner's enthronement, they conceived the firstborn heir to the throne - His Imperial Highness Prince Ryuujin Marcel Ackerman-Braun of Azumabito. In the following years, they were also succeeded by twin princesses, Her Imperial Highness Princess Reina Mathilde Ackerman-Braun of Azumabito & Her Imperial Highness Princess Ryoko Minerva Ackerman-Braun of Azumabito and the second crown prince, His Imperial Highness Prince Ren Mathias Ackerman-Braun of Azumabito.

Mikasa will then make history as the first royal empress who had built the greatest legacy & the strongest, peaceful empire in the world. She is the global icon of world peace & female empowerment, with her husband's neverending love & support.

Reiner is known in history as not only as one of the World's heroes & Eldian consort to the Hizurian empress, but he is the first non-Hizurian naval leader who unites three major nations in the world - through his battlefield intelligence & military prowess.

Under Levi Ackerman's watchful tutelage, Reiner & Mikasa's four children (consecutively their descendants that followed after) have become existential symbol of humanity's unity through the four major bloodlines running through their veins : Hizurian, Ackerman, Marleyan & Eldian from their parents. Each child becoming successful scholars who would continue to fight for humanity in their respective chosen fields; Prince Ryuujin in military & global peace efforts, Princess Reina in women's studies, Princess Ryoko in medicine & Prince Ren in industrialism - all fortifying the legacies their parents have inspired them with growing up.

------------------

I truly had fun in working on this. Just imagining such potential future for my two beloved characters never fails to leave an everlasting warmth in my heart. Even if 139 may not promise a future for Reiner & Mikasa, I'd hope this vision would offer a much-needed comfort for my fellow RK shippers ❤🫂 xoxo

[coreastories]

Modern Royals: The King’s White Day declaration

If you live in Corea and you’re a man, you probably have a burning resentment for the king always raising the bar when it comes to romantic gestures. 

For my international readers-- and let’s face it, most of my readers are international because I write in English, although some ahjummas have taken to using translation apps on my articles, just to make sure I’m accurate and/or have used what they “educated me about...”

Anyway, White Day is a special day you only see in a tiny portion of Asia

Japan started it, and Corea and Taiwan also do it. China, Vietnam and Singapore also do it to some extent

While the Western world pampers women on Valentine’s Day, it’s quite the opposite here, where men receive chocolates and confessions of love from women

It’s gotten so widespread that it’s become a standard in schools and workplaces, to the extent that “giri-choko” or obligation chocolates exist 

These are the chocolates you had to hand out to your male colleagues, relatives, friends

Apparently, you can give cheaper varieties for these people. The more expensive the chocolate, the more special the guy will perceive himself to be. It’s a game of finesse, of not leaving anyone out, making sure your recipient feels appreciated (especially the sunbaes and bosses) but making sure no one gets the wrong message either 

White Day is a reverse Valentine’s Day. It’s the women’s turn to receive chocolates and gifts from the men

And men are expected to give four times the value of what they received on Valentine’s Day

Many workplaces pool their money to buy packages of good chocolates for their women colleagues

In Corea, despite dwindling support for obligation chocolate, romantic chocolate persists. Chocolate sales reach billions of won on Valentine’s Day, and this triples on White Day.

Stores create special White Day chocolates, and advertisements and online reservations start as early as January.

White Day this year was full of queen-themed chocolates. Crown shapes, real gold flecks, the plum blossom inspired by the Royal Court’s insignia and Her Majesty’s necklace and signature forget-me-not blue color dominated the designs that flew off the shelves before they were even placed there.

Specific hashtags on Instagram were full of posts of these chocolates and photos of guys waiting in line to pick up their reservations for a Godiva box of Crown Jewels, a limited edition White Day 2021 box of chocolates quilted in the distinct Chanel pattern, which is now a trademark of the queen so often seen wearing her Coco Crush earrings or rings. 

Chocopologie’s House of Knipschildt also created Sa Majesté Truffle, very similar to their Guinness Record-holder La Madeline au Truffle, except this one contains a delicate strawberry and edible gold candy in the shape of the queen’s plum blossom pink diamond necklace. 

This is made to order, and sources say Chocopologie had to close orders from Corea when it reached 2700 pieces. That $350 per truffle. 

Delafee sold out their Plum Blossom Chocolate and Gold Lollipops in seconds, and their 24-karat Gold Chocolate Box with a collectible solid gold coin bearing the Royal Court’s plum blossom insignia, retailing at $899, sold out in one day.  

Coreans snapped them up. These were the gifts to be had. Men thought they were pretty much in the clear in pleasing their women. 

Until photos came out of the queen wearing the legendary J12 X-ray, made almost entirely in sapphire crystal. 

The J12 X-ray and its transparent sapphire crystal face and 5.46 carats of baguette diamonds, with the gear train seemingly suspended in midair

Aside from the watch hands, train wheels, mainspring, metal hinges and components, if the parts aren’t sapphire crystal, it’s diamond, and where it’s not made of diamond, it’s in white gold. The hour markers are diamonds. The bezel is diamond. The face and bracelet are all sapphire crystal. 

As it often goes in Corean media, the photos zooming in on the queen’s wrist were immediately taken down. For security purposes, and some ahjummas said it’s so the queen’s bespoke watch won’t be imitated. 

There are only twelve of these watches to be made in the world, and aside from the queen of Corea, we have not yet seen it on anyone else. The availability is still TBA. 

Sapphire crystal bracelet, plate and bridges. The luxury and rarity comes from the difficulty and expense of machining and working with sapphire crystal, the second hardest material next to diamonds.  

It’s so fitting that royalty is the first to be seen with this watch, and not just any royalty, but the queen of Corea, who does seem to like Chanel watches. 

See our Queens Day Recap, where the queen wore the Chanel Boyfriend watch. 

Here’s Her Majesty photographed wearing the J12 Phantom last year 

And I think the king’s in trouble, because I rather think the queen had no idea she was wearing $626,000 on her wrist when she and the king appeared at the UAAC Baseball season pre-opening friendly match.  

The Prime Minister was also there, along with CorGen Obstetrics Chief Chae Song-eun, the queen’s OB. 

The Royal Public Affairs Office declined to comment, but in his monthly televised panel today with the Ministries of Finance and Commerce, the press asked His Majesty about the watch as the meeting wound down, and the king answered it with laughter.    

“I did hear that men are furious with me? I’m sorry but the watch is very much the queen’s style. The sapphire crystal means the band and the watch face are indestructible. I happen to choose Her Majesty’s accessories in that criteria. 

“If you can afford to buy your wife and the mother of your child an expensive gift, why not? This country owes a lot to its women--don’t forget we have a Queens Day because we owe our queens so much-- give them expensive gifts! The most expensive you can afford without bankrupting yourself and getting yourself killed by your wife, of course.”

Seeing as the king is very much alive and his blissfully happy self as ever, we can assume the queen has forgiven him. 

And now I bet all the luxury brands in the world are gearing up with their own sapphire crystal and/or timepiece offerings. 

And while the J12 X-ray’s price is astronomical, I have to agree with the king that it’s definitely the queen’s style. That is to say, it’s absolutely wearable, unlike the million dollar diamond watches Harry Winston, Cartier, Chopard and their ilk have made. 

We do wonder what the queen has given the king for Valentine’s Day, but perhaps bearing the heir to the Corean throne is beyond enough. 

Our countdown to that happy day continues! 

[strawberryspeachy]

So i went to grab some take out today and had to wait a while in the bar while the takoyaki grill heated up. While waiting i could unfortunately overhear the loud white dude in the bar… reminding me-expat white men always remind me why americans are hated sigh

He was so loud - not in a drunk way - in a way that says he thinks hes sooo coool. Ugh every single time i get stuck waiting somewhere in earshot of a white dude they talk like this. Theyre so proud of themselves for speaking English and being out with japanese men. And him and his friend kept looking at me - i could see then in my peripheral and tried to pretend i couldnt understand them so they wouldnt try to talk to me

He was getting too friendly with the bar staff lady. And bragging about something - dunno. Managed to tune out making sense of what he was saying for the most part

UNTIL (luckily just as my food was being back nd i was about to leave) this dude starts talking about about how a girl wont suck his dick so hes gonna end it and “break her heart”

He was short and ugly and i assume looks even older than he is. Youre not “breaking” anyones heart dude….

Its just gross. So full of himself. So many super gross white men so fucking full of themselves here.

Got my thinking. I dont really ever see the girl equivalent… the closest i can think of are older white ladies whose air about them gives…. Military wife?? Or some other kind of stay at home mother vibe. They dont yell so everyone fan hear them but they do make faces of disgust at everything for seemingly no reason

But thinking about this ive realized theres 3 groups of western women in japan

1) girls who were not cool high school and obsessed with anime - actually this accounts for two groups…. Yea im in this one

1a) girls who were made fun of as a teen for liking japanese stuff…. This….. also splits into two..

1aa) girls STILL obsessed with japanese stuff and obsessed with japan. But secretly. They pretend they have a regular admiration for the country but really they’re still trying to live out their anime world

1ab) girls who left their obsession in the past. Trying to pretend were just normal functional people and not just weird in a different way

1b) the actual second group of this two parter. The girls who were made fun of in high school for liking anime BUT were cool on like the internet or anime cons or within their weird kid group. These are the girls THRIVING in japan (unfair) still doing lolita, street fashion or dancing or voice acting or whatever their niche at 16 was. (UNFAIR BECAUSE) as usual its appearance based. They always are super pale, have GIANT eyes, are SUPER skinny OR curvy in the right places. Usually light hair and eyes too. Got here off their parents money. Better than group 1aa because they dont look at japan through rose colored glasses BUT they dont advocate for change (like stopping pedos from doing whatever they want) because theyre the “good gaijin” understanding japanese ppl, theyll “never feel comfortable in the west again” cause only in japan can they be mini celebs, if they were the wests idea of (the word that means society has deemed you pretty) then theyd be in group 2

Group 2) literal models. This month tokyo, next month paris.

[jams-sims]

I wanna talk about Brawler and his misuse in Akudama as a black women. Because, I see a lot of hot takes but I don't think they get to the root of the problem and that is-

Realistically Brawler had no character and he was meant to die from the very beginning. I don't think that comes from a place of racism. I just genuinely believed its ignorance. Brawler ended up being a lot of people favorites mine included. The problem lies in the fact he got popular and as fans do you can fill in the blanks for his character. Make it better than what was given. People forget the strong idiot archetype is appealing.

Brawler character is a anime trope wrapped in a foil of a black asian character. Brawler never needed to be black to fulfill his character role. There are countless characters like brawler, who are just generic fight me anime characters light skin and all. (I also wanted to mention this isn't the first time. The creater of dangan ronpa has done this. Sakura is a literal dark skin asian women fighter. Who gets mistaken for a man even tho she is obviously a young women. I brought this uo because i feel like he should have learned a little. And i think he did but never gave enough thought to brawler character because he was ment to die anyway. That being said thats giving homie a lot of leyway. That im not really gonna give cause I don't forgive him for what he did to sakura. Brawler feels more like a writing oversight and less edgy early 2000s death game writing.)

The problem really hits it peak, when the black man dies first. So not only is brawler a generic anime trope wrapped around a black asian man. He also has the unfortunate event of also being a horror movie trope as well.

This all comes together as a big red sign that screams racist. You would think the creater who knows he has a giant western audience. Would take just a bit more care. Because, Brawler doesn't need to be a racist caricature. And most people wouldn't see if the fandom wasn't so small.

This brings me all the way around too-

Brawler character could have been kept the same IF only he was given actual character. The problem isn't his skin color (its part of it but not all of it). Its the fact he doesn't have one. The haha im strong, works because the shows gonna end after 13 to 15 eps. God help me if it gets a second season. And that its no one really gonna get that 25 ep treatment. (If it is suppose to get 25 eps i will delete this whole as thing cause their no excuse beside for brawler death in ep 6.)

If Brawler character had been better develop for before his death. It would have been less of a problem.

We can keep the parallels of 2 people forming deep bonds and the will to live. You can keep this is really implying love wink nudge in there. You can keep brawler imma strong man who is generally happy. If you only did one thing.

In the same setting where Swindler and Courier have their moment. Off to the side Brawler and Hoodlum have their moment.

After hoodlum doesn't get his ramen and ends up sharing food from someone else. Brawler-

Hoodlum has an honest moment of curiosity and ask Brawler.

Why do you like to fight so much? Or in my case what the fuck is your deal!? I wanna know please god answer me-

This simple question would not have only punched up his death. From a knife being shoved into my side. To going into full blown fetal position and crying.

Pick any answer and it would have cement Brawlers and Hoodlums relationship into the most fucked death scene in the show. Because it lines directly back into the Master executioner/ executioner parallel.

And I have some answers that would have been fitting. Because as a writer I live off making background storys for characters that have non. These are by most realistically could be canon too what I would write for my akudama drive fanfiction and no one can stop me.

1: Brawler has a death wish and it based around fighting.

Explanation: this really works with the idea that he simply says I enjoy fighting. It is his life and its all he knows. He would be happy going out while fighting. He has no family, no past, nothing tieing him to world of the living besides the blood pumping rush of someone fist colliding with his face.

2: He explains, he was part of group that did nothing but fight.

Explanation: this would give Brawler another parallel to the Executioner's. By explaining how the last group. Everyone died in it all by fighting or being killed. That he is the last living person from that group and wish to follow his brother moto to the very end.

3: (you could realistically dabble into cultural differences as it clear brawler is mixd raced. I say mixed race cause I hate how everyone kinda assumes the asian characters made by asian people are white. Well because brawler is black abd made by a japanese man who will never state his race. I go with mixed raced)

Brawler talks about how hes from a culture that is known for fighting.

Explanation: It could make Brawler deatg less of a sad note for him. Keep him smiling at the end. And more sad for hoodlum because he can't understand the cultural difference. Also it give Brawler a family and something that makes him different from the rest of the group. He doesn't die alone and you can add a religious edge to it.

4: Brawler explains he is a street kid and this is how he has survived all this time.

Explanation: The streets are unforgiving, and Brawler would not have made it this far if he hadn't learn how to fight. Fighting is surviving, sure you can be the smart. But that not gonna feed you nor stop you from getting your front teeth knocked into the back of your throat. He goes on to explain that he sees no point in the long plan. When his time has always been limited.

Anyone of these explanations or shit anything at all. Could have driven brawler character well past a racist depiction of a black mixed race man. Sure i would be upset that he died first. But i could rant for hours about his home life or anything besides what we're given.

Bonus only hoodlum would have this information and it would fucking destroy him. Everyone would think on brawler your so dumb. While hoodlums like thats a fucking lie hes acting. To him dying and hoodlum coming to terms with someone he bothered to get to know was so much more than people gave him credit for. Only for a child to under play that pissing him off more. Adding to his loneliness~