#but my indian sister is queer
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at this very moment in India, the Supreme Court is hearing petitioners who wish to legalise same-sex marriage in India. these petitioners are being opposed by the Centre, which believes that marriage is only intended to be between a "biological man and a biological female". these 20 petitioners are fighting for the basic fundamental rights which have been promised to the citizens of India in the Constitution under Articles 12-35.
by legalising same-sex marriage in India today, people who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community in India also get the life and health insurance rights that married heterosexual couples currently get. their union is legally recognised by the State, which might not be important to some but is quite important to others.
by legalising same-sex marriage in India today, the Supreme Court would be granting the rights that queer people in India have been fighting for for years.
i really hope today is the day we finally get the rights we deserve.
#manifesting that this will be the day that same-sex marriage is finally legalised in india#this affects me in so many ways#i might be an american citizen which means i do have the right to same sex marriage in america#but my indian sister is queer#my indian friends are queer#and they deserve the right to marry whoever the fuck they want#just like me#and i really hope they get to do that#news#same sex marriage#india#india news#gay marriage in india#gay marriage#gay#queer#bisexual#trans#lgbt+#lgbtq#lgbtqia#lesbian
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Five Wholesome Young Adult Romances To Read This Valentine's Day
Romance is in the air at this time of year. Not only is it Valentine’s Day, but after four cold months I know I, at least, want nothing more than to snuggle under a blanket, drink some (spiked) hot chocolate, and read a good book. Nowadays, though, it seems like every romance book is filled with smut. Maybe it’s just because I’m reading adult romance now and there hasn’t been any real increase.…
#bisexual#Books#books to read#books with romance#by Jocelyn#david levithan#gay#girls like girls#hayley kiyoko#kalie holford#last night at the telegraph club#lesbian#lgbtq#love#love stories#malinda lo#my sisters big fat indian wedding#queer#romacne#romance#romance books#romantic books#ryan and avery#sajni patel#story#the last love song#valentine#valentine&039;s day
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Is "hijra" a slur? Contextualizing South Asian (trans)misogyny
A note on the sheer cultural diversity of the subcontinent
There is no realistic way for me to exhaustively examine the context of every South Asian transfeminized population (though believe me, I’d like to). As such, I’m going to limit my scope to India, but make a quick initial note about Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Pakistani transfeminized communities, according to my partner’s sisters who are in the community, do consider ‘hijra’ more derogatory than their Indian counterparts necessarily do and refer to themselves as part of the ‘khwaja sira’ community.
I have sadly not been able to speak to any transfeminine people from Bangladesh, but I have spoken to cis queers who have told me that they use ‘hijra’ in a manner similar to India.
If there are desi queers from those communities who would like to add their perspectives, please feel free to reblog. And for the South Asian communities I haven't mentioned (such as Sri Lanka), please feel free to add your perspectives too! I'm curious to hear from you all.
Etymology and Usage
‘Hijra’ in its meaning and usage amongst the cis is most similar to the word ‘naamard’ (NAH-murd). The ‘naa’ is prefixal, a negation akin to ‘non’, while ‘mard’ is the word for ‘man’. It is a way of unmanning a man, of calling him lacking in the essential quality of manhood, of labelling him, in spirit if not in body, impotent.
As such, you can see how it’s an implicitly third-sexing construction (even before you account for how these communities are explicitly third-sexed, denied the epistemic autonomy to be recognized as women and now third-sexed by law). When Nanda called them emasculated homosexuals, it was not far off from how Indian culture forcibly categorizes and marginalizes them.
Members of the community have told me about their frustration and anger at being referred to as such, even though the word has now become a term through which they organize the community and sometimes advocate for themselves, a political reality that does not inherently contradict their campaigns to be recognized as women, and allowed to self-ID as such. (Recall, the Indian government currently mandates legal third-sexing of the hijra: they must first obtain a “Trans Certificate” and be documented as a third sex before they initiate the process of being recognized as women—a process that is contingent on subjecting themselves to transmedicalist scrutiny and gatekeeping!)
Others, however, have pointed out to me that the term is undergoing a process of reclamation. The term ‘hijra’ has a certain degree of legibility in Indian society even as it is a pejorative with degendering and dehumanizing connotations. It is being reclaimed intracommunally, but also by allies who speak of them without the usual stigmatizing connotations that cis society has saddled the term with.
Even still, I have also been told that the manner in which cis and especially Western academics use the term in scholarship—and I’m quoting here—"makes me want to tear my skin out". The fictions of “recognized gender role in Indian society” and “oppressed only after colonialism” are further simplifications and fabrications that obfuscate the role South Asian ruling-class collaborators eagerly played in petitioning for those colonial-era laws, and ignore such easily available empirical evidence as the Manusmriti mandating punishments for anyone who sleeps with—ugh—“eunuchs”.
Conclusion
In sum, I’d liken the use of the word “hijra” as analogous to the usage of “queer” in the 90s, as a slur in the contentious, contextual process of being reclaimed. As Aruvi put it to me on Bluesky:
We cannot allow cis people to dictate the discursive and epistemic terms of transfeminine culture. At the same time, the term “hijra” still carries with it heavy baggage due to South Asian transmisogyny as well as the academic misrepresentations and epistemic extractivism that Western scholarship has subjected South Asian transfeminized demographics to.
If you want to know how best to use the term, try to do so without third-sexing, and without promulgating fictive ideas of South Asian cultures being “gender-expansive” and “recognizing more than two genders”. Erasing the marginalization of the hijra is endemic to the way the term is used in the West, and that must absolutely be combatted.
On a final, personal note, I also wish to clearly state that I do not reject the label ‘hijra’ because I consider myself essentially different from them. Many Indian (usually upper-caste) trans women wish to distance themselves from the hijra, as though reproducing our society’s disgust for them will spare them from the same fate. That is not an attitude I share, or wish to normalize. The hijra—both those who affirmatively identify with the term, and those who wish to distance themselves from it—are my sisters.
I have simply not been granted the honor of being part of the communities and kin structures, and I do not wish to appropriate their struggles out of respect. Even still, their struggles are and will always be mine.
#transfeminism#materialist feminism#gender is a regime#sex is a social construct#social constructionism#feminism#third sexing#degendering#hijrah#hijra#transmisogyny#racialized transmisogyny#academic transmisogyny#queer history#queer politics#queer studies#queer theory#transphobia#transgender#trans rights
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While I entirely understand Indians who have been traumatized by Hinduism and would never deny them those feelings, asserting that it is a uniquely oppressive faith just isn't true. All religions, like any social technology, have the capacity to empower or oppress based on an infinite number of factors. I'm white, so my positionality here is far different from that of a Desi person and I'll therefor never know what it's like to be a queer Indian or someone of a lower caste, there has certainly been a lot of harm done to those groups in the name of faith, but the same is true the world over.
I don't practice, but I study Hinduism at a university level and have seen its flaws and the ways it can be surprisingly empowering (Arjuna when he's in exile in Virata and Shikandi -both a part of the Mahabharata- are two of my favourite examples of stories that you can read as queer and more specifically trans).
Likewise, my academic sister and someone who has more or less adopted me is a middle aged Indian woman who is an extremely devout follower of Krishna. She has nevertheless welcomed me into her home as a trans man and spoken about how she loves the acceptance of Canadian society, she also talks about how she abhors the caste system and the harm is causes.
Like I said at the top, I will never argue against people who have been hurt by the faith, but the generalizations of hatred hurt my heart.
(P.S. i'm too scared to go off anon here, but if you wanna talk about Hinduism Velvet just say so and i'll DM you lmao)
and btw an Indian woman having trauma doesn't make her racist for not liking her own culture's dominant religion but it is
absolutely
racist that a lot of White people are cheering on her epic dunk on a religion of more than a billion people because they would recognize that please-get-therapy response would be bugfuck if she directed that hostility towards a trans Christian but it being something outside of their own cultural context means everyone is totally thrilled to go along with "it inspired the Nazis! you can't be Hindu without being transphobic!"
like literally that is the entirety of her complaint
I pointed out the OP was not about her and she IMMEDIATELY pivoted away from that issue to me being "obsessed" with her because I briefly discussed her book one month ago and apply the term she uses for her ideology to others who share it with the framing that I'm doing an Operation Freakout because she's apparently gone on rants about Hinduism before
so regardless of her meltdown being triggered by something she now is undeniably aware was not about her she still gets her W from the cheering crowds because she ripped the mask off her bubbling trauma making her lose her shit at anyone who practices or is working towards practicing Hinduism which everyone loves because to them it's just some backwards foreign cult akin to a browner version of Scientology
God, can you imagine how they feel about Jews if they're this angry about Hindu atrocities? No fucking wonder they can't go five seconds without accusing anyone they dislike of being a Zionist the second they find out they're Jewish. It's unimaginably racist. Not of Talia, she just needs time off the internet, but of every White person who will uncritically share it in spite of the fact that no they truly would not say some dumb shit like this about the major religions that fit into their cultural context. This is exactly how TERFs are with Muslims, but it's not praxis right now for TRFs to hate Muslims unless China is the one putting them in concentration camps.
"transfeminized people are at the bottom of the caste system" ohhhhh my God and Christians have murdered queer people FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS but to act like a trans person being Hindu is a unique act of betrayal or short-sightedness you have to conveniently ignore that because it would be so obviously wrong to say that queer people can't be Christian
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Sent copies of my books to trans queer friends in Spain who want to host a nerdy reading party. Received a note: "we will remember to include you in our heart :)" Ran into an old classmate at the post office and found out we had run out of things to say to each other. Read a horrifying news regarding Indian LGBTQ healthcare and new safety regulations in the morning paper. Tried to dress up and look nice after ages. Met my dearest friend after months. Ate a new kind of food at a café and fell in love. Mourned that we shall probably hang out less due to our new jobs. Told her about a phone call with a homophobic publishing company. Promised my sister I'll see her soon. Car broke down in the middle of the road in the blistering heat. Discovered on the drive home that a beloved older acquaintance passed away yesterday night after a sudden illness. Walked to my apartment wondering if my day was good or bad. The neighbour's little daughter smiled and scream-asked from her window if I have seen the pandals in our neighbourhood yet. My friend told me to be trans and queer in this country is to know when to speak and when to shut up and save yourself. Of course I have seen the pandals. I love the city in autumn. It is the only city I have ever known. I wish it would love me back.
#mimiwrites#personal#tw death#tw grief#tw loss#india#trans#transgender#bisexual#lesbian#tw transphobia#misc.
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I am a queer indian woman in america. I didn’t even get to come out to my parents before all my rights were taken from me. I just cried in my sisters arms for two hours because they won EVERYTHING. All three branches. I’m mad, but I feel an immense loss for all those around me. It’s not “just four years” because the damage that is about to be done will be irreversible.
#harris walz 2024#kamala harris#vote harris#paige bueckers#uconn wbb#uconnwbb#azzi fudd#uconn women’s basketball#vote harris walz#walz#tim walz
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I accidentally deleted this ask yesterday but fortunately had a screenshot. Ngl I'm kind of ??? about it because...why would you single out Hinduism to pick the most fundamentalist, cultural and political aspect of it, that's not even practised in most the Hindu minorities outside of India? Nearly every community in India has a caste system regardless of religion. Within Hinduism there's no just one caste system either. Eelam Tamil Hindus have a caste system, but it's not as violent as India's (although of course still violent and oppressive). Sinhalese have a caste system too, and the ones still invested in it would swear blind this was related to Buddhism somehow, a doctrine that preaches against inequality of any kind. Caste systems are literally haram in Islam and yet some Muslim communities managed to rationalize creating one because they wanted to assimilate into the worst of us I guess.
I know fuck all about Hinduism to tell you the truth, but my sister is a convert and devotee of Durga Matha. I asked her about it and she sent me this:
There are as many variants of Hinduism as there are varieties of grass. The only thing they have in common is the Vedas which is a bunch of hymns and stuff. It doesn't really go into detail about caste.
The caste system comes from a book called Manu Smriti. Some accept it as a Hindu text, some don't. Hinduism isn't even a religion actually. It's a bunch of similar belief systems that the Britishers lumped in together for ease of classification. Within Hinduism there are many sects- Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, etc. So to define Hinduism as some sort of oppressive religion doesn't make sense because it isn't a religion as Westerners define it. Anyway, truth is everyone cherry picks the parts of religion that suits them and discards the rest. Some think that's being dishonest. I think that's just common sense.
This makes sense to me. It's very colonial to monolithize belief systems that evolved from the disparate religious texts and syncretic practices of dozens of kingdoms and dynasties over 4000 years, just because it shares the unique character of belonging to the Indian subcontinent. (Which is precisely why its propagated by Hindutva nutcases. They're imperialist colonizers permanently snorting Indian manifest destiny crack.)
Bestie. Friendo. My guy (gender neutral). Ideology doesn't shape society. People wrap ideology around what they already want to believe and do. This is how you get Zionists (both Christian and Jewish), Wahabi/Salafi Muslims, Hindutvas and... whatever we're supposed to call this current iteration of Theravadin Buddhism that is also characterized by ethnosupremacy and genocide. Religion takes the character of the individuals and ideologues that choose to follow it. There are no exceptions.
To reiterate the point that inspired this ask: Some LGBT folks's queerness is inextricable from their religious identity. Stigmatising and ostracizing religion in queer spaces is alienating, racist and violent. Just like no one should force religion on you, no one should force secularism on people either. There is enough air for us all to breathe free.
#religion#hinduism#religious tolerance#casteism#social stratification#buddhism#islam#anti zionism#hindutva#culture and society#racism#colonialism#christianity#knee of huss#asks#anon#sri lanka
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Happy Friday, Taylor! Either of the first two for Henry please!
Ideal day in or out?
Is it incredibly cheesy if I stay with my fiance for both? Actually, I don't know if I want him to know that. His ego is inflated enough. As much as I enjoy days out, the fact that I can even have days in makes me so happy. I like an early-ish start around 9. I'll take David out for a short wander before anything else, this day would obviously land on a day where our fantastic dog walker would get him later. Alex would be back from his run and make us breakfast while I make the tea and coffee. He's got me well trained on the machine now. If the day was nice enough, I'd sit out on the porch and read for an hour or so. I'm currently reading Guest Privileges by Gaar Adams, a non-fiction piece on queer lives in the middle east. Alex would eventually join me after pottering around the house, he likes to batch cook on days off. We might fool around in the afternoon, and that is all the information about that you'll be getting, there is far too much of our private activities out there. Once David is away with his doggy chums, we would settle inside with our favourite snacks (for me; Jaffa cakes and pretzels, maybe a Tunnocks teacake) and do some kind of movie marathon. Star Wars will always be a back up but we like to come up with a particular genre sometimes. The last one was Shakespearean inspired teen movies: Get Over It, 10 Things I Hate About You and She's the Man. Once David is back, we'll order dinner. French if we're feeling fancy, Indian if I'm missing home or Chinese if we're feeling indulgent as we get a lot of sides. Before bed, I'd go for a bubble bath and let Alex wash my hair (I swear the man is a wizard). I'd light my favourite candle which was bought by my future sister in law, it smells like banana bread. And I'd go to sleep the usual way, listening to Alex ramble about whatever he's fixated on.
#ficlet friday#red white and royal blue#rwrb#rwrb fanfic#firstprince#henry fox mountchristen windsor#tailsbeth writes
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Don’t forget, Sea Hawk is also apparently Asian. I also thought Frost might be Asian at first bc she kinda looks… maybe stereotypical isn’t the exact word, but just like what comes to mind when you think of a little Asian girl. Not to mention, she was originally designed as a white (Nordic coded?) teenager for this show before they decided to age her down into the little sister character. Never mind the fact the little sister character already existed in the old series with Glimmer and Allegra, and they could have done something with that, but I digress. I’ve also seen some people say Angella is Indian coded, because of the accent and her voice actress. Or maybe it’s because they think her gem is reminiscent of a bindi?
But yeah, idk about Perfuma, Entrapta, or Spinnerella. I think Perfuma could be latina because if the actress? But the character gives off the vibes of such a essential oils Karen that I associate with entitled white women, to the point I think she might just be a tanned white woman? Though I’ll admit, when I first saw her design I considered black and white biracial, and I considered Pacific Islander. So I have no idea. I’ve also seen some people interpret Entrapta as black. Though, I doubt it based on the hair alone. I like to think she’s latina, simply because I want her as my Latin rep, and not the literal cat. As for Spinnerella, I got nothing. Maybe white? All I know is that Huntara should have been black, and isn’t even coded as black. And I think that’s dumb, because I would have loved buff, queer, gets-a-character-arc Grace Jones in this show, since we didn’t get to have it in the old one.
Okay, hold on. I had no idea Sea Hawk was apparently half-Asian. I had to look this up. It was "confirmed" (as in, on Twitter) by the lead character designer for SPOP, who also "confirmed" Scorpia as half-Asian as well. However, I'm pretty sure Frosta is supposed to be Inuk like Katara, but I don't think that was ever confirmed. I could be wrong. I'm not even sure where her kingdom is located, for that matter. The worldbuilding in SPOP sucks so badly I barely remember how the kingdoms were like, save for Perfuma's and maybe Mermista's.
Idk, man. I honestly don't think that much about most characters' ethnicities, because the SPOP crew clearly didn't put a lot of thought into it. I mean, the literal cat teenager who licks herself, who walks on fours, who bites and claws people, who hisses and hates water, and who's sexualized on top of it all, is supposed to be Latina. Or Iranian or Middle Eastern, because apparently OG Catra came from "Purrsia", which is like... the Persian Empire? And fans really want to apply that to the reboot, too. Except Catra's origins were never brought up in SPOP, only that Catra was found abandoned in a cardboard box according to Nate. Regardless, neither theories are great because both Latinas and Iranian women (and Middle Eastern women in general) are not treated like people. They're sexualized and are victims of colonization. I've heard people headcanon Catra as Indigenous, too. Which is even worse considering she got her hair cut against her will.
As for the other characters... I just don't care, lmao. I will agree that Huntara should've been black, too. But since the SPOP crew didn't care about developing their kingdoms and their origins, then I don't think that hard. I mainly mention and dissect "Latina" Catra because the fandom won't shut up about her. Idk about Entrapta's ethnicity, but if Latina Entrapta makes you happy, go for it. Especially because Latin America is pretty diverse, so there are a lot of possibilities.
I don't agree with the term Karen, though. I get what you mean, that Perfuma is annoying and ableist and treats other people like garbage, but sadly that's another term that actual misogynists use against any women who get angry. But I know that's not your intention, I get where you come from.
#sorry this got long lmao#i'm just.#what the fuck i didn't even know sea hawk was half asian!!!!#and i'm not even happy about it i'm just angry that this is another thing they never expanded on#asks#spop critical#racism tw#long post
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i love your bridgerton takes and i’m curious - if you had a chance to rewrite s2 of bridgerton, what changes would you make?
ah thanks! you know, it's been two years and at this point I've kinda resigned myself to Shondaland's priorities (unnecessary drama, lady whistledown) and what they're disregarding (people of color, queer rep, the actual historical romance-ness of it all), but here's how I would rewrite Bridgerton season two:
Without explaining exactly what India's role in this post-but-not-really-post-racial world is, I'm uncomfortable with the colonial implications there as well as the fact that that they made the Sharmas from India, as opposed to the casting the exact same actors— Simone Ashley, Charithra Chandran, Shelley Conn— and having them be from Somerset. Hell, they could have kept some of the same customs like the Haldi and oiling hair, but made the Sharmas like allllll the other POCs in the ton; no one knows how they got there, but they're equal now so.... yay.
I also dislike how culturally confused the Sharmas were; they were using words from multiple Indian languages because the writers thought they'd do this weird pan-Indian culture for them. Pick a language, pick a region for them to be from, and stick to it
"Kathani" as a name should never have existed: here's all my research on why it's a name that means nothing, which is the antithesis of Indian culture, where name meanings matter. it's also insulting that her "actual" name was only used once; clearly the writers thought it was too ethnic to be used when she was introduced to us and other characters, but they wanted to pander to desi people so they included ONE Kathani in the end.
I want the Sharmas as a group to have WAY more screen time. I also think the family dynamic was royally mischaracterized. The writers were lazy and decided to make Kate's role in the family echo Anthony's which resulted in her basically.... taking over? And the results were disastrous even though she obviously meant well. A more feminist take, to me, would be this idea of all 3 Sharma ladies doing their part and pulling through together (well Mary and Kate a little more than Edwina) because there is no patriarch to provide for them, and that's something they could really have honed in on. So Kate and Mary would be making a lot of tough choices together, while Edwina is painfully cognizant that she's gonna be the one to marry up and provide for her family.
Because the Sharmas would be from Somerset, I think their backstory would be very similar to the book; dad is dead, they've scraped and saved up for one season, Kate is going to make a *sensible* match in the country (as opposed to having no marriage aspirations at all, which I found so weird considering she was 18ish when her dad died and COULD have married to save her family, regardless of her dowry or lackthereof she's a beautiful woman whose father clearly had some status as a royal secretary so that entire line of reasoning that she HELD OFF on marriage and decided to train Edwina to be the Ideal Debutante is bullshit on the writer's part to me) but Edwina is gonna be the shining star diamond who marries a rich enough dude to save all of them from destitution
Newton makes Anthony fall into the lake while he's still courting Edwina (similar to the scene's placement in the book)
And similar to the book I'd much rather Anthony take his courtship of Edwina only so far, like, honestly I'd be chill if he compromised Kate while still courting Edwina. I think it's unrealistic for Edwina to be entirely fine with this turn of events like she was in the books but the blowout would never have been necessary, and quite frankly, I think Edwina shrieked at Kate about the wrong things in the show. I'd personally be horrified my sister is conducting an affair with my suitor/fiancé and more importantly for Edwina, I think I'd want to know why, if my sister liked this guy, does she not think she's good enough for him and why does she keep throwing Edwina at him?
I'd do an extended study scene where not only do they talk about Edmund, but they also talk about Kate's dad who, when he died, left an even bigger gap in their family because like I said earlier, he was the male figure and it was SO Hard without a male in the family back then; The Bridgertons were actually lucky because Anthony was of age and was able to take over where it mattered most, with Violet's guidance. So that's what I'd want them to talk about and bond over.
I'd LOVE the book compromise moment; I think it's the most hysterical part of TVWLM and I'd want Portia Featherington to utter the immortal lines "Lud, girl, he had his mouth on your bubbies, and we all saw it." But then I think Kate should have refused to marry him because she she can't reconcile her dislike of him with her attraction buuuuuuuut then they have a blowout argument in the gazebo and then he eats her out and dickmatizes her into agreeing to marry him. They should have fucked a lot sooner than episode 7 because the chemistry was THERE and a compromise-turn-marriage plot like the book would allow for it. So less face-breathing, more fucking.
And that would lead to the wedding we all wanted to see except it's fraught with drama because a) the scandal and b) Kate still thinks she's Anthony's second choice
I'd loooooove a wedding night seduction scene
And then the issue becomes similar to the book's conflict at this point— Anthony still fears for his mortality, while Kate is falling for him but feels trapped in this marriage because she can't.... express those feelings because Anthony doesn't want love in their marriage
And then, fine, Kate has that riding accident except this time after she confesses her love and he freaks out and the accident is the nudge they need to make up and finally confess their love for each other
No Cousin Jack— that was such a bullshit plot because a) if he wasn't dicking down Portia while being engaged to her daughter what even was the point and b) he left in such a definitive way at the end of S2 so again, what was the point
We didn't need an episode devoted to the inner machinations of how Lady Whistledown works, nor did we need Marina implicitly endorsing polin which is so fucking disgusting considering Penelope literally shamed her into a botched abortion. I'd also like for Penelope to not microaggress Kate (calling a brown woman a "beast")
I think the Sheffield plot could have been reworked in some way; sure maybe Mary ran from her aristocratic family to marry a poor gentleman and they disowned her and now they're dangling an inheritance over their heads. I think it could have been more neatly done.
Colin's ponzi scheme crusher arc was unnecessary and dull
I liked where they took Benedict's arc actually; you really got the sense he wanted love but doesn't quite know what it is yet (his poem he gives to Anthony feels like he's worshipping a muse, not loving them for who they are), and he's in a shitty place by the end and doubting his abilities as an artist...... which would be a GREAT time for a love interest for him to come in
Eloise slumming it for a hot minute could have been done wayyyyy better starting with a hotter man, more chemistry, and more exploration
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Meet my OC Spider-Weaver (Spider-Woman, Earth 50513)
For the next few paras I’m gonna rant abt my spidersona :D this might not make any sense at all bc I’m just rambling at this point but here we go anyway! (a small warning, this is going to be a LONG post)
All images are from Pinterest!
TW: Mentions of death, some queerphobia/homophobia (judgemental aunties suck)
Name: Nikita Raina (pronounced Rhi-na like rhino but with an ‘a’ at the end instead of an ‘o’) (yes she’s South-Indian and yes this is me projecting)
Alias: Spider-Weaver*
Basic stuff to know:
-She’s loosely based off of a golden silk orb-weaver spider! I’m not going to attach an image but if you don’t mind staring at spiders then I suggest you look them up, they’re actually really pretty!!
-She’s been learning ballet since she was 3, picked up gymnastics for 2 or 3 years and then quit
-South-Indian
-Complete empath
-INCREDIBLE at knitting/crocheting/macramé knotting - basically anything involving thread + working with your hands. She literally works magic with yarn. She crocheted matching gloves for all of the Spiderteens one day after finding out that Hobie’s universe is COLD and his fingers are COLD and if she’s going to be holding his hand when it’s like that then she’ll freeze
Fighting Style:
Her fighting style is more aerobic and dynamic than the regular Spider-Man swings; she incorporates jetés and leaps from ballet into it while also using mid-air somersaults and other high-speed flips she picked up from gymnastics. She also teaches herself kalari adimurai (a South-Indian martial art similar to kalaripayittu) later on so she uses a few moves from that as well.
*The reason behind her alias being Spider-Weaver is that her web style has more of a lacy crochet feel to it than a regular spiderweb. This is what one of her webs would look like:
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Her webs are bionic and on her web shooters she has built-in settings for the thickness and stretchiness of the crochet web. For example:
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She can also switch up the style of her webs depending on how she feels yk? Like if she’s not vibing with any of the more plain ones she can switch to ✨ fancier ✨ stitches like
Arcade Stitch:
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Lacy Stitches:
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Fan Trellis Stitch:
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And lots more. She’s basically got almost all crochet stitches as different settings on her web shooters. An added bonus is that they’re not only unique and quite pretty, but they’re also stronger and more durable than the average single-thread (unwoven) webs.
Backstory:
(canon events will be in red)
-She was bitten at 13. Her older brother (he’s 20, they have a 7 year gap) Ravi figured out something was wrong fairly early but she played it off as nothing, put his worries to rest and found her way as Spider-Woman on her own
-She was best friends with her universe’s Gwen Stacy since they were in kindergarten. She started freaking out few years into their friendship (they’re in middle school now) once they had become basically inseparable because she started feeling giddy and bubbly and getting butterflies around Gwen.
-Poor girl was basically terrified because her aunties (mostly her mother’s sisters) would constantly pressurise her by asking her if she had her sights set on a boy yet or discussing how her marriage to a boy would go once she was older - those prodding conversations and speculations only reinforced her fears that she wouldn’t be accepted and instead would be frowned upon if she told her family that she had a crush on a girl. So she became more withdrawn and distanced herself a little, so as to not to lose the favour of her family.
-Nikita is 14 at this point
-One day she accidentally told Ravi and she went quiet, expecting him to shame her or mock her but instead he just hugged her and told her he loved her no matter what, and guess what,, he’s queer (pan) too :D
-Fast forward to a few weeks later after an almost-death scare as Spider-Woman fighting her dimension’s Vulture (she slipped up, miscalculated a leap and almost got herself killed) she finally worked up the courage to tell Gwen because it seems like she returns her feelings too! So she goes up to her and they hug and they’re talking and she’s about to confess- But noooo
-Green Goblin attacks in the middle of the school day, during a student art & drama exhibition thing (the parents are all there) and hahaha guess what Gwen’s right in the middle of it
-So Green Goblin basically splits the school building in two and she’s on the terrace and she falls down almost 15 feet because the whole thing’s cracked and Nikita doesn’t have enough time to swing to reach her since there are so many people and she’s on the far, far side and-
-Gwen hits the ground at full force. Niki gets there just in time for her last breath and it’s a little bit like the Gwen-Peter 65 scene from ATSV (Niki’s Gwen slowly figured out that she’s Spider-Woman, she just didn’t say anything) yeah I might write out this scene sometime idk
-She manages to deal with Green Goblin for the moment but she loses her dad in the chaos too (basically instead of losing her uncle she lost her dad)
-So she lost her best friend and her father in one go
-She closes herself off and withdraws completely into herself and distances herself from everybody (except Ravi),, & starts going to ballet more to take her mind off things and to get lost in ballet, with the graceful, controlled movements so she doesn’t have to think of how everything’s gone wrong
-During the mourning period she and Ravi grow closer; they both start leaning more on each other and are able to tell each other anything
-Ravi has also started training to be a cop at this point
-Her relationship with her mother grows slightly strained and shaky the older she gets, because of how closed off she’s become
-Fast forward to when Nikita is 16 and a half and the Vulture attacks particularly viciously one day, right on the bridge (the Brooklyn Bridge variant in her universe)
-Her brother (who is now a police captain, despite being a little young) is in the middle of the maelstrom of cars being flung and buildings at the end collapsing. He - a police captain close to Spider-Woman - dies saving a child from falling rubble.
-That does a number on Nikita mentally and she just. Shuts herself down in terms of feeling emotion for a bit
-Like she just goes numb, like she’s in denial about how many people she’s lost in such a short time
-Terrified to make friends or get attached because her losing someone she cares about deeply seems to be a recurring pattern
-The only one she has left is her mom, and she’s grown really distant from her
-Little bit irrelevant but she takes up psychology. She studies how the emotional part of brain works, studies some basic therapy and other think-y stuff like that, and some of her Spider-Woman ‘jabs’ (not really but I can’t think of a word for them rn) are things like “did something formative happen to you as a child? yeah I thought I sensed some childhood trauma, would you like to talk about it?” And stuff like that (she’s pretty genuine about it too, if they start talking instead of just attacking her then she will sit down with a mug of chai and just listen to them rant)
-Anyway fast forward to a year and a half later when she’s 18
-Jessica Drew ends up following an anomaly she’s been tracking into Nikita’s dimension, the anomaly manages to get the upper hand on her and has almost overpowered her when Nikita finally swings in (probably during/right after a psychology exam too) and uses the element of surprise + her speed to get the upper hand on the anomaly and web it up
-She was recruited into the Spider-Society by Jess after she saw how capable and quick-thinking Niki could be. She saw her as someone who could be a useful asset to the society.
-It’s there where she met Hobie, Gwen, Pavitr, Margo, Miguel and Peter B. + a few other spiders she became friends with (I’ll expand on their relationships in a different post)
Suit design:
(I will be drawing this out properly sometime soon, don’t worry!! Feel free to skip this part if you think it’s too complicated ^^ I really have no idea how to describe it in a simpler way lmao)
-mainly shades of gold, black highlights
-on her arms there are black “cuff” markings like a golden silk spider’s legs
-on her wrists she has black bangles (more like cuffs bc they fit around her wrists, they aren’t loose & dangly)
-wears black fingerless sleeves, they look a little bit like Gwen’s but they have black splotches (a little bit like spray paint blobs) instead of spiderwebs
-has a black spider on the front of the suit
-wears a necklace! it’s colourful and has some mismatched colourful beads on a chord and two pendants in the centre, one pendant is a paint-splashed red electric guitar, the other pendant is one of Hobie’s rings
-wears black ballet pointe shoes
-the eye outline is black, the ‘eye’ inside is pastel golden
-black 🕸️ patterns on the side of both of her shoulders (like painted pauldrons)
Abilities:
-Along with the super-strength, super-speed and accelerated healing of the average Spider-Person, she can sense emotions and thoughts.
Not mind-reading exactly but if she focuses hard enough she can sense whatever emotion is radiating out of that particular person’s mind (she used to get very overwhelmed in middle school bc of the sheer amount of envy and insecurity and other emotions in raging hormonal teenagers’ brains and somehow studying psychology helped her figure out how to tune it out a little bit, since every time she can sense too much of intense emotions it’s like constantly blowing a dog whistle around a dog,, and she also gets horrible migraines and headaches from it)
She can even read thoughts if the emotion associated with it is strong enough.
An added ability that stems from being able to sense emotions and thoughts (to some degree) is that she can sometimes predict the moves that an enemy might make before they actually make them. It’s not 100% accurate every time but it’s still pretty useful
I’ll write out her relationships (everyone already knows that Hobie’s no. 1 on that list lmao) and the world descriptions later, but for now here’s the character that’s been living in my head since I saw ATSV :D
Oh also she’s besties with @hobiebrownismygod ’s sona Maitreyi :D desis gotta stick together yk (putting this here so I don’t forget to mention it in the relationships post ^^)
#⋆·˚ 🕷️🌟 ༘ * — 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧-𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧!#it’s 1am#and i have to be up by 6 tmrw#whoopsies#not proofread at all btw#atsv#across the spiderverse#spidersona#spiderman oc#atsv oc#atsv original character#spider oc#oc x canon#hobie brown x oc#<- implied#nikita raina
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Celebrate Pride Month with These 10 Must-Read LGBTQ+ Books
Pride Month is a time to honor and celebrate the rich tapestry of LGBTQ+ voices and stories that shape our world. This June, dive into these ten captivating books that not only entertain but also enlighten, offering diverse perspectives and poignant insights into the queer experience. From business guides to young adult fiction, each book on this list is a unique journey worth embarking on.
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1. “Queeristan: LGBTQ Inclusion in the Indian Workplace” by Parmesh Shahani
Genre: Business / Memoir
Parmesh Shahani's ‘Queeristan’ is more than just a business book; it's a manifesto for change in the Indian corporate world. Shahani, known for his pioneering work in LGBTQ+ advocacy, blends his personal experiences with actionable strategies for creating inclusive workplaces. Through engaging storytelling, he illuminates the challenges and triumphs of being queer in corporate India and presents a compelling case for diversity and inclusion. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the intersection of business and LGBTQ+ rights in India.
2. “It Has No Name” by Payal Dhar
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
In a landscape where LGBTQ+ representation in Indian literature is sparse, *It Has No Name* shines brightly. Authored by Payal Dhar, an Indian non-binary writer, this YA novel explores the tender and tumultuous world of two high school girls in a small Indian town discovering their love for each other. Despite its raw and sometimes uneven narrative, Dhar's debut offers a heartfelt and genuine portrayal of young love and identity. It's a refreshing addition to the world of queer Indian fiction and a beacon of hope for more stories like it.
3. “Just Happy to Be Here” by Naomi Kanakia
Genre: Fantasy
Naomi Kanakia's ‘Just Happy to Be Here’ is a thrilling adventure set in a world inspired by Jamaican folklore. Faron Vincent, blessed with divine powers, must navigate complex choices that pit her loyalty to her homeland against her love for her sister. This fantasy novel combines rich cultural elements with a gripping plot, offering readers an immersive experience. Kanakia's storytelling weaves themes of identity, family, and sacrifice, making it a standout in the realm of LGBTQ+ fantasy.
4. “My Fair Brady” by Brian D. Kennedy
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Blending the charm of ‘My Fair Lady’ with the spirit of teen rom-coms like *She’s All That*, Brian D. Kennedy’s *My Fair Brady* is a delightful read. When Wade Westmore, a high school musical star, and Elijah Brady, a shy sophomore, team up to reinvent each other, they both embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance. This book is perfect for fans of heartwarming tales about finding love and identity in the most unexpected places.
5. “Daniel, Deconstructed” by James Ramos
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
In ‘Daniel, Deconstructed’, James Ramos offers a touching exploration of life through the lens of a high school photographer and film buff, Daniel Sanchez. Navigating his autism and queer identity, Daniel's world is a carefully constructed script until a new classmate, Gabe, challenges everything he thought he knew. This novel beautifully captures the complexities of growing up different and the transformative power of genuine connections.
6. “The Fox Maidens” by Robin Ha
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
‘The Fox Maidens’ follows Tara, the first out trans girl at an all-girls school, as she struggles to find her place in a traditionally rigid environment. Robin Ha’s narrative dives deep into themes of identity, acceptance, and the courage to be true to oneself. With its richly drawn characters and poignant storyline, this YA novel is an inspiring read for anyone navigating the complexities of gender and belonging.
7. “City of Laughter” by Temim Fruchter
Genre: Historical Fiction / Folklore
Temim Fruchter’s debut novel, ‘City of Laughter’, is a mesmerizing journey that intertwines the lives of a modern young woman and an 18th-century Jewish badchan. As Shiva Margolin delves into her family’s past in Poland, she uncovers a tapestry of history, humor, and heartache. Fruchter’s narrative, praised for its deep understanding of queer and Jewish traditions, offers a poignant exploration of identity, grief, and the enduring power of storytelling.
8. “Crooked Teeth: A Queer Syrian Refugee Memoir” by Danny Ramadan
Genre: Memoir
Danny Ramadan’s ‘Crooked Teeth’ is a powerful memoir that chronicles his journey as a queer Syrian refugee navigating life through the tumultuous backdrop of political upheaval and personal discovery. From Damascus to Canada, Ramadan's story is a testament to resilience, community, and the enduring quest for belonging. This memoir is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, offering an unflinching look at the struggles and triumphs of finding one's place in the world.
9. “Blessings” by Chukwuebuka Ibeh
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s debut novel, ‘Blessings’, tells the intertwined stories of Obiefuna and his mother, Uzoamaka, as they navigate their lives in Nigeria amidst societal and personal upheaval. Set against the backdrop of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013, this novel explores themes of identity, family, and the quest for freedom. Ibeh's storytelling is intimate and evocative, making *Blessings* a significant contribution to LGBTQ+ literature.
10. “Wish You Weren’t Here” by Erin Baldwin
Genre: Romantic Comedy
‘Wish You Weren’t Here’ by Erin Baldwin is a delightful enemies-to-lovers rom-com set against the backdrop of a summer camp. When high school rivals Juliette and Priya end up as roommates, sparks fly in more ways than one. Baldwin’s immersive storytelling and richly drawn characters make this book a perfect summer read. It's a charming exploration of love, rivalry, and the surprises life has in store.
This Pride Month, let these books take you on journeys of self-discovery, love, and resilience. Whether you’re looking for heartfelt memoirs, exciting fantasies, or charming romances, these ten reads offer something special for everyone. Happy reading!
#Frontlist Media#Pride Month LGBTQ+ reads#Best LGBTQ+ books 2024#Top queer books for Pride Month#LGBTQ+ coming-of-age novels
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A zine written by a radical, disabled/ neurodivergent, queer of Portland Oregon, with contributions from other disabled, queer artists and advocates as possible
A note:
Thank you to Canva and their artists for creating accessible and beautiful zine templates and graphic elements! And thank you to everyone who continues to put in the effort to fight against oppression. This is for you, especially those of you in the Portland Oregon disability/neurodivergent, and queer communities. And, of course, this is in honor and memory and to rally increased support around our fellow Palestinian humans.
Please let me know if you or anyone you know falls into the communities in Oregon/Portland that this zine is published for and want to contribute! Feel free to share without credit, although I did post originally from my personal and professional accounts; it is more for social activism :) Please reach out if you have any interest in supplying art of any kind.
-Creator and editor
*Please note times for White House Call Line are in Pacific Standard Time”
Alt text:
First slide:
Picture of pink dried flower with stem with pink and green sequins on cream background, cover of “Radical Justice”: A zine written by a radical disabled/neurodivergent, queer of Portland; with contributions from other disabled, queer artists and advocates. Published
November 2023, Palestinian Aid Issue
Second slide: Text reads: “We acknowledge the First Nations people who are the custodians of the land on which this zine is published and contributed from:
Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla
Stl’pulmsh (Cowlitz)
Clackamas
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
We also thank our QTBIPOC members who have taken up disability and queer justice and care work before us and the groundwork they have laid and the rights they died for that we continue today as a community.” Text on cream background with three dried yellow and white varied flowers on too and three on bottom.
Third slide: Text reads: “To our Palestinian brothers,sisters, and gender diverse humans: we stand with you, always.” With a heart in the middle of the broken up words and surrounded by 6 varied dried flowers and leaves.
Fourth slide: A note on decolonization
We all benefit from enhancing and adding to the voices that call for decolonization and human rights.
Disabled/Neurodivergent and Queer communities especially, and ALL OF US benefit from doing what we can to fight oppression when we see it. Picture above on a swing with locks on it.
Fifth slide: Graphic reads “Where there is oppression, there will be resistance.” graphic by Poonam Whabi.
Below, an advertisement for a course called “Economics for Emancipation: A course on Capitalism, Solidarity, and How we get free”
Sixth slide:
Another picture of a Palestinian, masculine presenting child holding a sign with “Save Palestine” on it.
Google doc with resources on how to get more involved and resources for learning at https://bitly.ws/Y4ki.
Charities:
Medical Aid for Palestinians
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
Medical Aid Pal
Podcast episodes:
Palestine Parts 1 & 2 with Sumatra Awad (author of “Palestine: A Socialist Introduction” by Upstream Podcast
Seventh slide: Picture of a pink flower with yellow inner seeds, under which the text reads: “A list of companies you should boycott that are funding Israel from BDS Movement.net
https://BDSmovement.net (more info about the differences here)”
Please see list from graphic below at this site as well. Text on top of graphic reads: “Act now against these companies profiting from the Genocide of the Palestinian People “
Eighth slide: Picture of a white flower in bottom right. Text reads: “Phone and Email Your Oregon US Representatives
House
1st district: Suzanne Bonamici
503-469-6010
2nd district: Cliff Bentz
541-249-4085
3rd district: Earl Blumenauer
503-231-2300
4th district: Val Hoyle
202-225-6416
5th district: Lori Chavez-DeRemer
503-557-1324
6th district: Andrea Salinas
503-385-0906”
Text continued in the right side with, “Senate
Ron Wyden
503-326-7525
Jeff Merkley
503-326-3386
White House Call Line
(T-TH 8AM- 12PM)
202-456-1111
OR
202-456-1414”
Bottom reads, “Send auto Populated Emails Below:
http://tinyurl.com/defundisrael”
Ninth slide: Poem reads: ““Genocide is not a Jewish value”
Harsh comment,don’t you think?
“No”, says the slaughtered Palestinian family
that is, if they could speak
So we continue to be their voice until they get the justice that they seek
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
H it ‘em where it hurts
for “their” priorities lie in wealth and power, not a dead child’s hearse
Genocide Joe and those in power, please take a stance that prioritizes life over power
When history looks back , your human rights violations will surely be looked to as weakness and dour.”
Picture of a sunflower in bottom left
Tenth slide: Picture of life-like leaves taped to a photo peg board with sequins.
Text reads, “Tools for Re-centering:
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Body Scan/Somatic Grounding
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Feeling Wheel Reflection
Timed Processing
Yoga or Qui Gong
Box or 4-7-8 Breathing
Centering Meditations
Binaural Beats/8D Audio”
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ARC Masterlist
ARCs
Reviews can also be found on My StoryGraph
2024 ARCs:
Unladylike Rules of Attractions by Amita Murray Release Date: 23rd May 2024
In the highly anticipated sequel for Unladylike Lessons, comes Anya Marleigh's book! Anya is Lila Marleigh's second sister and the musically inclined heroine of this book. She is a court singer and sitar player in Queen Charlotte's royal court. Anya soon comes into a large inheritance which has her involved with the executor of her new fortune, Lord Damian Ashton. Lord Ashton's banter with her is the least of her problems when she becomes embroiled in a murder case.
The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore Release Date: 26th March 2024
A contemporary queer retelling of Pretty Woman involving Cole Vivien, the CEO of their version of OnlyFans and Teddy Hughes, a botanist who has lost both his husband and his business. The two meet on a fateful night in New York and come up with a proposition to be a faux couple to satisfy what they each need
2023 ARCs
Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray
Release Date: 30th May 2023
A realistic historical women's fiction centred on a really cool Indian heroine who runs a gambling hall. The book gives a deep dive into the working class and immigrants of the Regency era with a side of romance
Clytemnestra's Bind by Susan C. Wilson
Release Date: 15th June 2023
A Greek Tragedy in every sense of the word that will have you sobbing - a prequel to Clytemnestra's story in the Trojan War.
A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales
Release Date: 27th June 2023
A murder mystery set in the Regency era that's a parody of itself and the Austen-universe, so much so that you can match each character to their Austen counterpart. It has a side of romance with a dashing Indian detective.
An Upper West Side Story by Rachel Cullen
Release Date: 6th July 2023
A modern chick-lit/coming of age for 20-somethings set in 2004 and follows a group of four neighbours whose lives intersect together in various ways.
I Do, I Don't by Joy Argento
Release Date: 11th July 2023
A contemporary sapphic romance novel about a reality show producer and her programmer for the show who unexpectedly has to step in as a lead.
The Wrong Family by Ellery Kane
Release Date: 30th August 2023
A mystery novel a 30-something orphan woman gets involved with a rich family in Lake Tahoe after trying to find her father. Things start to go awry as soon as she arrives and the family's fingers start pointing to her.
Roomates by Ola Tundun
Release Date: 20th September 2023
A debut novel about a roommates to lovers pairing with a seemingly perfect girl whose life is really a mess and a playboy who has to change his ways when the perfect girl comes crashing into his apartment with an offer he can't refuse.
Hunt on Dark Water by Katee Robert
Release Date: 7th November 2023
A contemporary romance novel set in the fantasy world of Threshold. Tensions rise between a witch named Evelyn and sea Captain Bowen as they journey across realms and find out secrets that have them questioning everything.
#NetGalley#ARC Reviews#ARC Review Masterlist#Historical Romance#Books#HR Blogging#Wake up everyone new year; new masterlist!
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obligatory having to live under fascist orangutan with bootlicker misogynistic family rant under cut 😊
this shit fucking sucks cause not only is trump destroying the united states when its literally only been like 4 days but my literal siblings support his ass no matter what . genuinely full blown dont see a problem with trump. never mind that were already losing global climate change laws, destroying the lives of immigrants and innocent poc who are accused of being immigrants, allowing discrimination and abuse in the work place again, leaving the world health organization, and losing all protection for queer people, no impressing my dad who doesnt even support trump and looking edgy and cool in front of people who couldn’t give a fuck is more important than your literal family members who are actually affected. for some fucking reason fascism is the new fucking cool thing to do one day its cool to make misogynistic jokes then suddenly theyre saying shit about girls are so this men are so this one day its fine to make racist jokes but its not so FUCKING funny when you know they actually hate immigrants (though im not allowed to say that they hate them they only want them to go leave or die and reinforce horrible stereotypes about them and demonize them in front of our parents because they think it will impress my FUCKING dad because thats the most important thing right?) one day were “JOKING” about the gay kids in school but is it so fucking hilarious when were sterotyping or OUTING PEOPLE “no one knows hes gay but I do” with no evidence WHATD HE DO WHERE A PINK SHIRT? ALL of this is so FUCKING STRESSFUL and at least LAST TIME people in my house had some fucking sense but I cant even confide in my family members when elon musk is doing the NAZI SALUTE because my sister 110% believes that roman salute lie and will GLEEFULLY “jokingly” EMPHASIZE THE QUOTATIONS BUT SHE MEANS IT HALF SERIOUSLY just say “oh its the roman salute🥺😝” meanwhile its the most FUCKING stressful time of my entire life but it doesnt mean jack fucking SHIT TO HER because shes got daddy musks boot in her mouth all the fucking time so I have to post on my FUCKING TUMBLR ACCOUNT ABOUT IT cause if I have to hear ONE MORE “we shouldnt judeg trump supporters 🥺” or “b-b-but immigrants!” or “my stwong male friends are so crazy not like me im just a girl >_<“ IM GONNA FUCKING LOSE IT and she thinks its all fine cause as long as she supports abortion (for now . ?) and gay people and “isn’t racist” (has a singular indian friend who she referred to as black for a while to pull the diversity card ? ?) but one its a slippery fucking slope two “supports” is a strong word for someone who also supports worlds most transphobic man, runner up for worlds most transphobic man, and third place for worlds most transphobic man and also wouldnt and probably doesnt give a flying FUCK if any of her friends say the f slur . and then they all (my entire family) makes fun of ME for being “woke” cause I dont pray at the fucking ALTAR of men who want me DEAD and oh IM over exaggerating for not licking the boot of someone who disowned his transgender daughter IM CRAZY for not loving it when I see people whose misogyny I have experienced FIRST HAND make misogynistic “jokes” oh im SORRY did I not find it HILARIOUS when you guys who despise haitians (though its FINE to hate an entire race if you have one bad experience THATS FINE????????????????) made jokes about hating other races did I not find that very funny? and is it my fault for not embracing with open arms someone with “just a difference of opinion 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺” AND THE OPINION IS TO END ALL GENDER AFFIRMING CARE? “thats not what being a trump supporter is about u don’t understand its about the groceries THAT I DONT FUCKING BUY🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺” POINT. TO . THE . ACTION . THAT FUCKING ORANGATANG MADE IN HIS FIRST FOUR DAYS THAT BENEFITED A SINGLE FUCKING AMERICAN . POINT. did leaving the world health organization lower prices of groceries? did it? WAS IT FUCKING WORTH IT ? IS IT ALL FUCKING WORTH IT AS LONG AS IT DOESNT EFFECT FUCKING YOU YOU YOU????????? AS LONG AS YOUR FUCKING FRIENDS THINK YOUR COOL
I MEAN IF THEY SAY ADOLF IS COOL THEN HES COOL RIGHT? CAUSE THEY CAN NEVER BE WRONG? AND IF OUR PARENTS SAY BEING TRANS IS WRONG THEN IT MUST BE WRONG RIGHT? IT MUST BE WRONG THEN? MUST IT BE WRONG?
WHY DOESNT ANYONE AROUND ME HAVE A FUCKING BACK BONE THIS IS WHY MY MOM GOES FUCKING CRAZY
and oh is my brother hilarious or is he just making misogynistic jokes? is it really just a joke if he does it ALL THE TIME? is it really just a joke if we found a crude drawing of a nude women in our basement? WHAT THAT A FUCKING FUNNY JOKE? is it funny if whenever a girl gets mad their on their period? was it funny when he talked down to my maga fucking sister in a way he wouldnt talk down to a man? is that fucking funny? or does it get to a FUCKING POINT? DOESNT IT GET TO A FUCKING POINT??????????? DOESNT IT??? DOESNT IT GET TO A POINT WHERE ITS NOT A FUCKING JOKE ANYMORE? HEY DID ANYONE STOP TO FUCKING THINK THAT CONSTANTLY MAKING MISOGYNISTIC JOKES AND DEGRADING BECAUSE LETS CALL IT WHAT IT FUCKING IS DEGRADING MY MOM WOULD MAKE A FUCKING IMPACT ON SOMEONE IN A DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE OF LIFE? WHEN ALL OF HIS PEERS HAVE THE SAME MISOGYNISTIC RHETORIC? CAN WE STOP FUCKING TALKING ABOUT WOMEN LIKE THEIR FUCKING OBJECTS CAUSE IT GETS TO A FUCKING POINT
IF EVERY SINGLE DAY AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAING “WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN” SUDDENLY STARTS COMING OUT IN DEAD SERIOUS “YOUR JUST EMOTIONAL” OR THE FUCK WAS THAT THE OTHER DAY THE BEING CONDESCENDING LIKE OK WE GET IT WE ALLL HATE WOMEN HERE FUCK WOMEN AM I RIGHT?
genuinely tired of it im so fucking tired of it its just NOT A JOKE ANYMORE
its real it was always real because you cant spend EVERY WAKING FUCKING HOUR saying that shit thinking it wont affect how you view the world and treat those around you BECAUSE LETS BE HONEST IM GETTING TREATED LIKE DOG SHIT BECAUSE MY FAMILY OF FUCKING “politics doesnt matter lets just ignore its existence” LITERALLY WONT EVER SHUT UP ABOUT POLITICAL SHIT AND HARASSING FUCKING ME CAUSE HOW DARE I BE GAY? HOW DARE I? HOW DARE I CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE? HOW DARE I CARE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY THAT THEY CLAIM TO LOVE? HOW DARE I WANT PEOPLE IN POVERTY TO SURVIVE WHEN THEM, SELF PROCLAIMED “CATHOLICS” WANT THEM TO BUILD THEMSELVES UP THEMSELVES ON THE MINIMUM WAGE THEY DONT WANT TO RAISE WITH THE HEALTHCARE THEY THINK THEY DONT DESERVE WITH THE COLLEGE TUITIONS THEY WOULD BE OUTRAGED IF THE GOVERNMENT PAYED FOR
FUCKKKKKKK EVERYTHING ESPECIALLY MY FUCK ASS BOOT LICKING WOMEN HATING NAZI SUPPORTING ONE ELON MUSK SPEECH AWAY FROM HOMOPHOBIC COULDNT POINT TO THE CAPITOL ON A MAP “CENTRIST” REPUBLICAN
AND FUCK HALF OF THEM FOR THINKING NOTHING IN POLITICS APPLIES TO REAL LIFE FOR THINKING THEY LISTENED TO “BOTH SIDES🥺” AFTER LISTENING TO A 6 HOUR RIGHT WING PODCAST AND GLANCING AT ONE LEFTIST TUMBLR POST
GET ME OUT OF HERREEE
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Do you have any recs for books about muslim queer people? especially graphic novels?
I have some fiction recommendations, as I don't usually read too much non-fiction:
[ NOTE: Yes, I am aware that all the gay books listed below are depressing as fuck while the sapphic books are fluff or romance. Take it up with the authors. ]
MLM Muslim Books
Darius The Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram: an Iranian-American boy with clinical depression makes a best friend for life, reconnects with his grandparents, and repairs his relationship with his father on a trip to Yazd.
Guapa by Saleem Haddad: Rasa, a gay man working as a translator and living in an unnamed Arab country, tries to carve out a life for himself in the midst of political and social upheaval, in this novel set over 24 hours.
God in Pink by Hasan Namir: set in war-torn Iraq in 2003 and follows a young gay Iraqi man struggling to find a balance between his sexuality, religion, and culture by seeking guidance from a sheikh.
The Carpet Weaver by Nemat Sadat: a tragic love story between two gay youths in 1970s Afghanistan, who must keep their relationship a secret due to the fears of societal ostracisation, violence and even the impending threat of a war.
WLW Muslim Books
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar: Nishat, a young Bangladeshi-Irish lesbian has to fight against racism, homophobia and cultural appropriation when she starts a henna business at her Catholic school, and falls for a rival classmate.
Bright Lines by Tanaïs: a vibrant debut novel set in Brooklyn and Bangladesh, which follows three young women and a diasporic Bengali family struggling to make peace with secrets and their past.
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan: a young Bengali-American girl's conservative Muslim parents forcibly send her off to Bangladesh for marriage, after they catch her kissing her girlfriend; once there, she finds solace and strength through reading her grandmother’s old diary.
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar: a grumpy-sunshine fake dating romance between two young Bengali-Irish sapphic girls, one Muslim and one Hindu, each having her own troubled relationships with friends, religion and family.
The Quilt and Other Stories by Ismat Chughtai: a collection that includes the titular erotic lesbian love story between a Begum and her maidservant, their sexual trysts unknowingly observed by an innocent little girl– this story revolutionized Indian queer literature and lesbian history.
Radiant Fugitives by Nawaaz Ahmed: a Muslim-Indian lesbian political activist working in the early days of Obama's presidency, attempts to reconnect with her mother and sister, years after her father abandoned her because of her sexuality.
Roses in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman: Razia, a Pakistani American, grows up across cultures in 1980s New York, confronting stereotypes, dealing with American society, practicing her Muslim faith, and falling in love with a female classmate.
Tell me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi: a YA enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about a popular Persian-Indian Muslim cheerleader and a Jewish wannabe director who end up working together on a project, despite their mutual hatred.
Soft on Soft by Em Ali: a very fluffy and low-angst romance between two plus size women- a Persian makeup artist/beauty influencer with anxiety and a Black actress.
MEMOIRS
My Life as A Unicorn by Amrou Al-Kadhi: from a god-fearing British-Iraqi Muslim boy enraptured with their mother, to a vocal, queer drag queen estranged from their family, this is a memoir about the author's fight to be true to themself.
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H: a nonbinary butch Muslim author's powerful, religious memoir spanning from her childhood, to their arrival in the United States for college through early-adult life in New York City, describing how she found queer affirmation in the Quran and Islam.
A Dutiful Boy by Mohsin Zaidi: a poignant coming of age memoir by a British-Muslim gay author, about growing up queer in a conservative household, amidst poverty-stricken east London.
We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib: a memoir about feminism and LGBTQ community by a nonbinary queer Ahmadi Muslim author, whose family sought asylum in Canada after fleeing Pakistan's political turmoil.
In Sensorium (Notes for My People) by Tanaïs: this memoir interlaces memories of childhood in the South, Midwest US and New York with a universe of memories and scent—inspired by the author's own perfume maker background– while offering an alternate history of South Asia from a Bangladeshi Muslim femme perspective.
I have not read some of these, and am not Muslim, so I cannot testify to their "correctness" of Islamic representation. Unfortunately I do not have any graphic novels that deal with queerness and Islam. Perhaps my followers can help.
#mimiwrites#book recs#book recommendations#books#literature#queer#lgbtq#muslim#desi#desiblr#india#Pakistan#religion#lesbian#gay#sapphic books#queer books#diverse books#litblr#memoirs#history#fiction#romance#long post //#answered ask#weaponizedalibi#terfs dni
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