#but the gayer the project the better it does

[valyrie630]

This has to be the GAYEST year for Marvel.

[spaceorphan18]

If you had to cast the Bridgerton actors into glee 09-15 as special guests stars, have you any thoughts on who any of them could be? I could see Jonathan Bailey as a cousin of someone, maybe Blaine (and bring back Cooper) or Rachel. Or pick a Bridgerton actor as love interest for any of the glee characters? Or a mother figure or mad teacher?

So. I thought about this all the way to and all the way from my doctor's appointment today. And the more I thought about it, the more fun I had with it, lol! I have soooo many thoughts, so you're getting a whole bunch of ideas, Nonny!

Btw, I realized that the Bridgerton actors are, on average, younger than the Glee cast! Isn't that wild? Mostly because it's been so long since Glee was on the air.

So, I came up with story lines for a hypothetical Glee Season 7 -- that takes place solely in New York, and ignores about half the plot points of Season 6, lol. Oh, and I decided the Bridgerton actors are playing characters with the same or similar names because I'm too lazy to create new character names for this kind of thing.

Oh. And. Apparently, Glee makes everything just a smudge gayer, lol.

I hope the five of you who don't mind me continuing these crossover things enjoy this <3

*****

Nicola Coughlan...

... (as a season long guest star) plays Penny, a quirky, fun loving, gossipy student from Ireland, come to New York to study script writing. She and Kurt take the same class, and Kurt thinks she's the greatest thing ever, and the two become joined at the hip (much to Rachel's chagrin; Blaine doesn't mind one bit). She and Kurt decide to work on a project together -- writing a play about a drama school -- it takes them the whole year to do (and of course, they put it on at the end of the season/year).

And I mean -- I'm not out here advocating for people to be in Ryan Murphy productions -- but if anyone could really sell one of his bonkers characters, it'd be Nicola Coughlan.

2. Rege-Jean Page...

...plays Simon; a hot, young TA for stage combat and movement, and every one has lined up to take the class.

3. Pheobe Dynevor...

...plays Daphne, a young girl whom Quinn is mentoring. She ends up pregnant and alone, after her boyfriend dumps her. Quinn takes her under her wing, and helps her figure her life out.

4. Jonathan Bailey...

...as Tony, Cooper Anderson's just as neurotic, weird, and attention seeking roommate, who also wants to be an actor. The two of them have a ridiculous love/hate relationship, which makes staying with Blaine (and Kurt) question whether or not they might actually be in a relationship together. (The answer is no, but Tony is gay, and he and Cooper are ultimately fond of each other)

(if there's another person who could also really go all in when it comes to eccentric Ryan Murphy characters -- it'd be Jonny Bailey.)

5. Jessica Madsen

...as Cress, a waitress at the same bar where Santana works. She's has a fiery streak about her, and goes toe to toe with Santana. She's also a lesbian. There's a regular enemies to lovers thing going here.

6. Claudia Jessie

...as Ellie. She's the student director of the all-female play that Rachel is starring in. She doesn't really like Rachel, and felt somewhat forced to have her in the production, but deals with her anyway. She's smart and clever and really opinionated and very direct, and she and Rachel butt heads a lot. But Rachel becomes a better person after being in the production and having Ellie really help her get her shit together.

7. Adjoa Andoh

...as Mercedes's favorite aunt, Agatha. She's in town and helps Mercedes decide how to move forward in her life. (And also shows up to attend the wedding between Mercedes and Sam.)

8. Luke Thompson

...as Ben, Tina's new boyfriend. Who figures out he's bisexual when he does a play with Blaine. Blaine helps him figure out his sexuality (not personally - Klaine is still very much a thing) but it's alright, he does actually like Tina, too, and they stay together. :)

9. Yerin Ha

...as Sophie, Mike's girlfriend-turned-fiancee. She is not at all in the entertainment industry, and Tina decides she doesn't like her. Until she meets her, and thinks she's great. It gives Tina and Mike a chance for some real closure.

10. Golda Rosheuvel

...as Char. She takes over NYADA after Carmen Tibideaux retires, and she makes Carmen seem kind and charming.

11. Hannah Dodd

...as Frannie. Artie sees her in a coffee shop once and becomes obsessed with her -- wanting her to be the star of his movie. He searches the entire city for her, only to find that she works in the building next door as an accountant (who loves her day job). She won't star in his movie, but she does agree (eventually) to go on a date with him.

12. Victor Alli

...as Johnny, Brittany's new best friend, a rich, handsome, world traveler, who is using Brittany's intelligence to help him in his scientific work. It's a season runner -- where she always mentions him, but everyone thinks it's just Brittany just being Brittany, until he shows up at the end of the season to be completely real.

14. Martins Imhangbe

...as Willy. He runs the piano bar they all go to (and Santana works at). He doesn't really like theater, and finds the kids annoying, but hey, it's a living.

15. Simone Ashley

...as Katie. She rides a motorcycle, and frequents the piano bar, and Santana is obsessed with her the whole year. Santana finally figures out how to talk to her, and the two hook up, but Katie does not have time for Santana's bitchy shenanigans, and puts Santana in her place.

(I don't know why my brain wanted this to happen, but my brain wanted this to happen.)

16. Luke Newton

...as Colin, Elliot's younger, half-brother, whom he hasn't seen in years. He's in New York to try to reconnect with Elliot (and hey, why not form a new band and bond through music). Kurt hates him. Mostly because he's way too distracting to Penny, and my god, they have to get their script done!!

(See...tying it all together ;) ... also, things I never knew I needed - Luke Newton to work with Adam Lambert.)

17. ...and Julie Andrews

...as Kurt's Grandma Hummel. Because it's what Chris always wanted. :)

Alright, I know I didn't get everyone (Sorry Ruth Gemmell, I just couldn't think of anything!) But man, now I want/wish we had all of these things. :D

[kattahj]

Another batch of QL or QL-adjacent reviews, plus a bonus extra!

Am I the Only One with Butterflies? (Minidrama, 7 x 5-10 min)

What's it about? Jung Ah has such a crush on her kind and helpful boss, Manager Lee. But how can she know if her boss feels the same?

Genre: Romantic drama

Watch if you enjoy: Pining. Workplace romance. Age gap. Insecure protagonist. Chatroom advice. No villains. Bitesized episodes. Minimal number of characters and settings. Ambiguous ending.

Gayer version of: Hmm, I can't think of anything where someone has a crush on their boss and it's as innocent as it's presented here.

Recommended? It barely has time to get started before it ends, but it's pretty cute, so sure! Especially since it has no fandom presence on AO3 and barely any on tumblr, and I think it deserves better than that.

Watched on: YouTube

Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY5PeW5o0GVychuvZOrOhdWt9sgnrnh92&si=gCj7CMBV_1-EGfAi

Club Friday: Love Bully (4 x 60 min)

What's it about? Rich girl Irene falls for bartender Night, which infuriates her CEO mother and makes some others in the company sense an opportunity.

Genre: Soapy drama

Watch if you enjoy: Couples that waste no time falling in love. Class issues. (Somewhat undermined by the poorer characters' ridiculously fancy house.) Smirking villains. Trans representation.

Gayer version of: Crazy Rich Asians

Recommended? Must a show be good? Is it not enough to watch two beautiful ladies fall in insta-love while soap villains conspire (badly) against them?

So no, but also yes.

Watched on: YouTube

Trailer: https://youtu.be/RocOPTziZ1c?si=_VL3nFNzb5dG7xTj

Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLESL0e438h4OWJmsV0KUFZTFAbbxF0rpg&si=PZcueqaBHTkmqeFp

Ghost Host, Ghost House (8 x 30 min, last ep double-length)

What's it about? Kevin is going on holiday with his relatives in Thailand. As a side project, he's also ghost hunting, and livestreams about it. But the ghosts may be closer than he thinks!

Genre: dramedy (more comedy to begin with, then more drama)

Watch if you enjoy: Nice ghosts and some not so nice ghosts. Ghost bureaucracy. Explorations of love and loss. Incredibly sweet boys in love. Romance that progresses at a realistic pace.

Gayer version of: The Canterville Ghost

Recommended? Yes! This was an unexpected gem. Heartfelt, funny, and sweet. Among my absolute favourites.

Watched on: GagaOoLala, but seems to also be available on youtube

Trailer (quite spoilery): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il0tMQA8BRg

My Stand-In (12 x 60 min)

What's it about? Joe works as a stuntman/stand-in, and he also feels as a stand-in in his romantic life, since his boyfriend would rather be with aomeone else. After a fatal accident, he finds himself as a third kind of stand-in: stuck in a stranger's body!

Genre: Melodrama

Watch if you enjoy: Heightened emotions. Slight supernatural tinge. Toxic romance (that improves somewhat with time). Both supportive and less supportive family. Sweet, sad, and soppy protagonist, who knows he's a fool returning to his folly but does it anyway.

Gayer version of: Heaven Can Wait as written by the Brontë sisters (not Anne)

Recommended? For the right kind of viewer, yes! Personally, I enjoyed it in a "sit back with popcorn" way, but was the most emotionally invested in Joe's relationship with his new "mom".

Watched on: Dailymotion 

Trailer: https://youtu.be/9lzKraOt4dk?si=4kRyaPr0IbzaKT0S

Fragrance of the First Flower (6 x 15-20 min)

What's it about? Yi Ming and Ting Ting were in love in high school. Now Yi Ming is married with a child, and trying to make the best of it, when Ting Ting suddenly comes back into her life.

Genre: low-key drama

Watch if you enjoy: Realistically messy relationships. (This is more of a general relationship drama than a downright GL.) Old flames and second chances. Multiple timelines. Heartbreak with a hopeful ending. No heroes, no villains.

Gayer version of: Maybe The Notebook? I feel like this is a common story, but I'm hard pressed to find examples!

Recommended? Maybe? I thought the acting was well done, but found it distracting (and sometimes confusing) when these clearly 30+ actresses were supposed to be teenagers. The storyline is compelling, though it's hard to sympathize with anyone.

Season 2 is in the works, and I plan to see it when it comes.

Note: The end titles are unusually long, so don't be surprised if the counter says 23 minutes and the ep ends at 16.

Watched on: GagaOOLala

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkdxhA-LZ2E

Wandee Goodday (12 x 50 min)

What's it about? Dr. Wandee just got rebuffed and called vanilla by the colleague he has a crush on. Determined to prove himself desirable, he hooks up with boxing champion Yoryak and asks him to be his fake boyfriend.

Genre: Romcom

Watch if you enjoy: Hijinks of both a sexual and platonic variety. Couple who deny being in love for far too long. Playing dress-up. Talking the issues out. Gayest boxing gym ever. Parental issues. Parentified big brother with the bestest boyfriend. Some asexual representation on the side. Occasional reminders to take the HPV vaccine.

Gayer version of: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Recommended? The main storyline is kind of cute, with piles of romcom tropes in good and bad ways. The SECONDARY couple, however, I absolutely adored. They got 5-15 minutes per ep, and stole every scene they were in and then some.

Watched on: YouTube

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAC6UgVxles

BONUS REVIEW

The Warp Effect (Series, 12 x 45-60 min)

Not a QL (it has a mix of straight and queer pairings) but relevant to the subject because it has a lot of the same actors as Thai QLs, and the director has also made some QLs.

What's it about? Before she died, Alex's mother made him promise to stay a virgin until the time is right. Whenever Alex tries to break that promise, bad things happen. Like being thrown ten years into the future.

Genre: dramedy

Watch if you enjoy: Big friend groups. Mix of comedic and serious moments. Gay, lesbian, trans, nonbinary, and even kinky representation.

Somewhat gayer version of: 13 going on 30

Recommended? On the whole, yes. It's sympathetic, and I got quite involved in some of the characters' fates (mostly the ladies and my favourite enby, not so much the guys). The comedy doesn't always work for me, and as a cynical Gen X cusper, I thought at times that the show gets too Very Special Episode about its sex ed bits. (In Swedish terms, it's like it was co-produced by UR and RFSU.) But hey, in comparison to what we were told as teenagers, its lessons are pretty darn great, and it's also got Silvy Pavida looking (and acting) fantastic in a nonbinary role, so... :-)

Watched on: YouTube

Trailer: https://youtu.be/eBwCNO-XkaY?si=2rvyoEtxFruHZq2D

Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGbua6YlkQiIx1a-KrOMDNDoutnY1ZEmj&si=4ik9y6LC5t2owoBm

[poetzproblem]

Hi Poetz, I was wondering once DB Rachel Career get going does she ever get the chance to do adaption of shakespear play 12th night? I imagine her being a wonderful Olivia! Maybe in a play musical type of adaption? Also who would you cast as her Viola? I was watching a adaption of much ado about nothing and just couldn't help but wonder! I imagine Quinn being a Lil jealous of whoever it is. Lol

Funny that you should ask about Twelfth Night, or What You Will.  For quite some time, this has been one of the two pieces of source material that I’ve been considering for the new original musical that Rachel will sign on to do after Celeste is born. The fact that Rachel will be going back to the stage as her first post-pregnancy project has already been hinted at in I’d Search the Moons of Endor.

Raising two kids is its own unique kind of stress; a fact that Quinn has firsthand experience with now. She's not sure she could manage it as smoothly if Rachel had gone back to work after a couple of months instead of staying home with her and their girls nearly full time for the last year—though more than one production has tried to woo her back to a stage or a set already. She's starting to get antsy though, enough that Quinn won't be surprised if the next workshop invitation that falls into her wife's line of sight convinces her to finally end her maternity leave.

The other possibility would be a musical adaptation of Imagine Me & You where she would, ironically, play Rachel, in a role very similar to her real life, considering she almost married Finn once upon a time. In either case, the role will be very gay, which is exactly what gets Rachel excited about it - the chance to play an LGBTQ character and put some good representation on stage. 

And you are correct. Rachel would be Olivia if it ends up being Twelfth Night that I pick - though the show would probably run only with the second half of the title, What You Will, because it would be a modern adaptation set to music. Think She’s the Man but without the soccer. I’ve envisioned it being much gayer than the original, in that Sebastian would probably be trans, possibly with a more tragic backstory. I haven’t really settled on why Viola would be taking on his identity - maybe to get revenge on the person she thinks is responsible for his death.  But she’d be bisexual, so her attraction to Olivia is as real as her attraction to Duke. Olivia would still think she’s hot for a dude and so would Duke, and they both have a big gay-panic awakening by the end. I also like the idea that Viola actually ends up with Olivia, because let’s face it, didn’t we all want that to happen in She’s the Man?

As for Quinn, she’s mostly proud that Rachel is playing the role and getting good reviews, but yeah, she’s never super thrilled to see her wife kissing other people. She might find it just a little more uncomfortable when Rachel is kissing other women. I mean, Rachel kissed a lot of guys before dating Quinn, so she was kind of used to seeing that, but Rachel never kissed another girl before. 

Do we think that would be better or worse if her co-star ends up being her friend, Jessica Foster?

[starshine-valley]

My friend rates project sekai characters' new fits (+ extras)

Ichika - 6.5 “would have been a 7 if the leg thing wasn’t there. Adds to the outfit but holds back during performances”

Shiho - 8 “green makes you look gay”

Honami - 7 “nothing wrong but isn’t great barely passing bc otherwise is sad”

Saki - 8 “Yassified sun baby and if sun baby was a girl”

Miku - 9 “because miku”

Miku - 8.5 

MMJ - 7.5

“They look like they’re leaping for joy. Look like they can play the live action teapot from beauty and the beast.”

Akito - 7.5 “Gamer boy in the closet”

Toya - 8 “Orange dude’s gay awakening”

Kohane - 7.75 “Look like three people’s gay awakening but missed any social cues towards it. You may have autistic tendencies”

An - 8.5 ��my gay awakening”

Miku - 8 “would have been an 8.5 but got demoted to an 8.25, look like graduated from a catholic school run by nuns but rebelled. Hasn’t reached full potential but will get there no worries

Tsukasa - 6 “gets a six because he’s wrong but just a little. His boots remind me of sky from winx the original.”

Rui - 9 “1 <3 femboys”

Miku and Emu - 8.13 “pulled 13 out of my ass but they get an 8 because they look like strawberry shortcake if she wasn’t an asshole”

Nene - 7.75 “would have gotten an 8 but is too much like genshin”

Niigo - 8.5 “ghost squad gets 8.5 because I love goth bitches” 

Old design:

Leo/need - “They look a little bit prepubescent” 

Miku - “I like the new design better because she had a better hair care routine” 8.5 “because miku”

Shiho - 7.5 “looks like a person who likes to plant and thought they were planting mushrooms but it was actually marjuana but it’s okay because you’re nice.”

Ichika - 7.5 “looks gayer the new design makes him look like he’s been through something.” “Them before the got repressed”

Saki - 8 “looks like they would do the peace sign when being taken a picture of. A little less sun baby and gets mad at any short joke directed at them”

Honami - 7.3 “looks like she’s from incredibles but that’s okay”

MMJ - 8.753 “can be rounded off to a nine. MAYBE.” “Less Alice in wonderland” 

VBS - 8 

Kohane - 8.5 “hard HARD masking but it’s okay you found yourself”

“Pre quarantine before they realised they were gay and they were just REALLY REALLY good allies” 

Tsukasa - 7.5 “the guy should go back to that”

Rui - 8.75 “at the start of his femboy awakening when he went to a lot of cosplay conventions”

Nene - 7.58 “uwu bitch but that’s okay.”

Emu - 8.11 “you are you. You are okay. You are.”

Miku - 8.3 “looks like she came last minute from another party.’

Niigo - 8 “2020 e girl era but does it for themselves and not male attention. It’s a phase that we shouldn’t bring back but shouldn’t erase.”

Name guesses:

Ichika - Lunarae “look like her best friend does astrology readings on her”

Shiho - Samm “went by Sammy until you turned nine. Twelve actually.”

Saki - Schema “your parents were English majors and so are you. Goes by mimi.”

Honami - Eliana “not too basic but not much to it.” 

Minori - Miri “because you look like you got a mryiad of issues”

Haruka - Nine “nobody knows your actual name everyone calls you nine.”

Airi - Harper “you just give off sheltered white girl but like really nice so people let it slide you can hang with them.”

Shizuku - Toona “explain????? Um no.”

Akito - Theo 

Toya - James 

“They’re gay and they know it but they don’t know it yet but they will.”

Kohane - Kira “you probably had a very complicated name like kryrsterenimoniaous but nobody could pronounce it so you go by Kira” 

An - Leni “your parents had three children before you and had a meeting the day after. You’re leni, just leni, simply leni.”

Nene - Hope

Emu - Joy

“Nothing. They just are.”

Tsukasa - Mike “looks like he was destined for greatness then it just didn’t happen not that he’s horrible he’s just mid and burnt out.”

Rui - Q “um you’re tired of everyone else’s bullshit” 

Robo Nene - Mert “you look like you’d be best friends with Paimon.”

Kanade - Erica “you just were born that way.”

Ena - Cadey “um you came up to someone and told them your name was cadey and everyone went along with it.”

Mizuki - Alisa “you had a very bad lisp until the fourth grade that everyone made fun of you for.”

Mafuyu - Quirah “so so so different. You just wanted to be so unique cause you were a basic bitch up until high school. This is to rebel against Christian mom who took you to Sunday school against your will that you had to miss your best friends halloween party for.” 

[bathroomtrapped]

What are the basic differences between saws original script and the outcome? Why did they not play those scenes?

theres a lot of superficial changes, like their ages and adams last name being denlon. honestly still not sure where faulkner-stanheight got confirmed as his last name!

a lot of the things that were cut had to do with adams character and im not entirely sure why it was cut. his reason for being there was because he was suicidal. jigsaw said something along the lines of "everyday youve wanted to die". he wanted to go to vet school and had an interaction with some cat in his apartment. theres a scene where his mother calls, saying his father isnt mad and that he should call them. he writes on a sticky note "call mom" then adds a "?"

he has an interaction with a shitty neighbor, begs god to become a better person

theres probably a few small details about him im forgetting bc its been a while since ive reread the screenplay but the common theme is that the saw movie cut out a MASSIVE amount of context for adams character.

im not entirely sure why, i think some scenes might have to do with cutting down on time (the cat scene would probably get cut for time before filming once they actually start working on the project) vs something that was cut to make the story tighter and change adams role in the story.

he tells lawrence that basically, be hid the photo because he "didnt know what he would do". aka he was scared that itd motivate lawrence to kill him more. not sure why this is cut because some people clearly did not pick up on that lol

basically everything we know about adam is only known to us because it has something to do with lawrence. we know it because lawrence needs to. its unfortunately bc i like adam enough to want to know more but it serves the story better. hes the audience. we know what we know bc adam knows it or learns it. hes the one behind the camera. hes a voyeur. hes literally nothing. he died forgotten by basically everyone and hes just BARELY there in the narrative bc hes just... nothing.

at the end of the day, he was just a pawn. hes not important to anyone but lawrence because this is his story. this is his test and were just the people chained up and forced to watch it play out. i imagine his backstory and personal information was cut for this reason.

during the editing process, there were scenes cut. i know the trap was supposed to be more elaborate originally. i think the cat scene was cut out to save time and the mom scene/motivation/history was cut to firmly center the narrative on lawrence

one change that fucking BAFFLES me is that at the end during the love scene, adam originally asks lawrence "am i going to be okay?". in the film its "are WE going to be okay?" umm im honestly not quite sure what series of thoughts propelled them to make such a gay film by accident, call the end the LOVE SCENE publicly, and then proceed to be shocked when people call them on it? leigh was shocked to see chainshipping fics back during the ff.net days (fun fact: the first ever chainshipping fanfic was published on ffnet called rebirth. its still up)

my best guess is that leigh wanted to push their "relationship" (whatever they think that is) further for more emotional pay off. most of the changes seem to pull their themes tighter. it ends up working in its favor. adam is lawrences test and his moral core or whatever, so they have a pretty instant connection. it was probably done to make lawrence suffer more! or maybe make it gayer and leigh is just doing a bit

theres also the lampshade song lol. some dumb shit leigh made up and cary refused to do, so they changed it to the weird little piggy thing instead. MINOR minor improvement

certain words were changed because cary just kinda... rolled with it. he adjusted the script a few times bc he rly liked lawrence for some reason. he still does. leigh just accepted it and let him do his thing

amanda was also amanda denlon in the screenplay im pretty sure

tapp was dunked on by john as he assassins creed-ed him in the throat for being a 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN! absolutely insane

the way adam finds out lawrence is a doctor is different, he talks about possibly being injected with rohypnol LOL

the heart was actually a clue leading to the word toilet written over his heart, under his shirt. the blood heart wasnt in the script LOL. i imagine cary didnt want to have toilet written on his bare chest for the film? a shame

theres more interactions with tapp, sing, lawrence, and brett (his lawyer) im assuming its what happened before they asked lawrence to sit and watch amandas testimony. they say his fingerprints were found at the scene, not a pen. i think either way its interesting because. wow! lawrences prints are in the system which means he has a record. the implications are kinda funny, it makes how baffled he is that tapp dare accuse him of such a thing! even more ironic. now we know that mark was involved in the police and planted the pen, so he probably just out his prints into the system as well

amanda works at lawrences hospital. not sure why this is cut? possibly bc shawnee was begged to join bc james had a big crush on her and she didnt even want to originally. she might notve wanted to do multiple scenes or something at the time before she decided on returning as amanda (for whatever reason, im not quite sure why she became so attached to the series after not joining as enthusiastically as cary did after watching the 2003 short)

amandas reason is also different. i think jigsaw literally hated depressed ppl so much in the script bc she was there for therapy or something LOL. not drugs. prob just cut to improve it

thats all i got. theres a lot of changes for logics sake related to the trap, wording changes for flow (im assuming), time constraints, and to streamline the themes and center it on lawrence

[weeswine]

Stuff I have noticed watching ST season 4 for the 5th or something time:

(Or just my rekindling of opinions and feelings)

Lucas wasn't a back stabber, he sent Jason and the crew to El and Hops old cabin (me too busy just focusing on Lucas (he is babygirl✨️))

Eddie isn't present for like 2 episodes and that is just a big wow [also Erica, miss her :(]

That classic shot of Eddie at the d&d table is not him being a dramatic whore™, rolling dice, but actually congratulating Erica

Why is Erica wearing the flag? Like slay and also the American theme song is playing but like girl?????

Erica supports the gays ✨️ (She probably is a gay 🇺🇲🇺🇸🇺🇲🇺🇸)

Angela still deserves that skate to the head [slayed !]

Murray is slay.

Still cant look at Robins outfit from the psych ward (sorry but yeah nah)

Alexei 😫

Jason is a leader but not a responsible or smart one, like he is hunting down a couple of 20 y/os and their half a dozen 14 y/o children??? And supporting his teammates to do the same (i didnt like him before but jeez dude)

also you can see his style of leadership of basketball and children hunting have some similarities sus

California Dreamin was played because ... *drumroll* THEY ARE IN CALIFORNIA!

The main group are the pick me girls of character developement (they dont develope like other characters~ they get desensitized and are used to death and gore *bites lip, tucks hair behind ear, giggles and pukes little*) but also geniuenly concerned for their sanity:

Argyle: Omg that dude dead, my 1st (?) death, the party is not here my dudes😔, wtf is happening, Ive never been through this, Im meant to deliver pizzas not dead bodies🍍🍍🍍

Byer boys + Mike: Oh my ✨️gawwdd✨️ Argyle get over it already ... like chop chop this agent died like 20 seconds ago move on !

(but they were in danger like Argyle indeed dude chop chop)

Does Yuri always just drug his coffee with sleepy pills? Like my guy thats not what coffee is meant to be used for, and the pills wouldve been low dosage cause unless Yuri is a maths wiz he wouldve been counting his mula for a while

Hop! Just dont have feet. At this point get rid of them! Get those 'orrid manky things outta 'ere!

The most horrific part of ST is not asshole Vecna and his gang, its just watching Hop get his feet dragged or him running around in the snow, no shoes, big cuts, the only thing keeping is feet on his body is Joyce, she is a super glue.

Vecna is more than just a piece of shit, hes the entire digestive system.

But him just targeting traumatised kids and touching them on the fore head, like: "Dw sweetie~ I'll fix you, shh is okay, you be nasty never again <3 Nurse Vecna will make you all better~ :)"

They are not nasty! They just been through some shit. Fuck you twerp

Freds visions with the funeral family giving ✨️Tisphone✨️ vibes ~♡

Early season 4 Mike is an asshole (dw it gets gayer *pats on head*)

Steve 🥰

Robin 😍

Nancy 😘

Eddie 🤩 (star fish boy)

Together united in harmony, they are the power Rangers💕💞✨️✨️

Dacre Montgomery (Billy) was in power Rangers (hes also aAussie which is just so oool)

Conspirewithme: #headcanons

Joyce could totally just go 1v1 brawl with the entirety of the upsidedown, Id pay to see it.

That guy who hired Robin and Steve who also worked at the arcade defo played d&d with Eddie at some point

I need to see El just have a giant therapy dog (think Perrito but Great Dame size)

Mike might be projecting Will onto El butttt he bi af, have you seen his cheekbones??? ( im watching a documentary on "Mike Gay????😱😱")

I am only up to the beggingin of episode 5, gods i hope this makes sense and im not accidently offending anyone

(Im a tag sl**)🐌

[jiangwanyinscatmom]

I posted 1,326 times in 2022

726 posts created (55%)

600 posts reblogged (45%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@ladypfenix

@jiangwanyinscatmom

@kingcasanuva

@ponderation

@newhanfu

I tagged 864 of my posts in 2022

Only 35% of my posts had no tags

#mdzs - 424 posts

#mo dao zu shi - 403 posts

#fanart - 95 posts

#svsss - 80 posts

#scum villain - 78 posts

#cql - 61 posts

#wangxian - 61 posts

#the untamed - 60 posts

#fashion - 57 posts

#canon jiang cheng - 51 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#ship what you want just don't make it something it isn't and try to call it a romance of beauty and could ever work in any healthy capacity

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

( I have the very lovely @kimalysong to thank for encouraging me to post this bit of overthinking which I greatly appreciate!)

Now that we have a full line up of the EN release for the covers of the main story for MDZS, I was curious to discuss the running theme of them which consists of Wei Wuxian metaphorically looking towards his future (meaning Lan Wangji) throughout the art.

For reference, each of the covers:

See the full post

264 notes - Posted October 28, 2022

#4

MXTX fandom needs to stop having an obsession with making the straight dudes seem gayer than the actual protagonists.

Just saying, that washing of them (i.e Jiang Cheng, Feng Xin, Lan Xichen, Shen Jiu), to make them fanon gay and to prop them up over the canonical queer men, is highly disturbing on the English-base side of these takes.

You "making the work more gay" by doing this, is tone-deaf when you sweep away the leads just because you "don't like so and so" dynamic but slap that same thing on the straight men.

320 notes - Posted March 8, 2022

#3

Lan Wangji could probably be chewing on Lan Xichen's forearm as hard as possible and the guy would still be going "He's the greatest and cutest little brother ever right?" All while everyone else stares in horror.

366 notes - Posted October 19, 2022

#2

I will never get how some will read all the way through MDZS, get shown and told that all the lies based around Wei Wuxian were all untrue, and still tell themselves that Jiang Cheng was still wronged and his feelings are still "valid" by the end.

Jiang Cheng's feelings stopped being valid the moment he decided to be like his mother and choosing to hate people because that was easier than fixing the parts of him he disliked. It stopped being just a problem between his parents and him when he decided to use Wei Wuxian as a shield to name all of his wrongs to lash out against. You do not call someone just a support when you only use them as a scapegoat to say they are the reason for what you did not get in life. You do not call someone a friend or sibling and tell them they owe you for protecting them and then hold that protection over them as a price they have to buy into.

His story is tragic, but it stopped being empathetic when he dragged his projection of failings from just Wei Wuxian on to Lan Wangji and Wen Ning. He chose to project that his father and Wei Wuxian were playing favorites and always choosing someone else over him, when he himself did nothing to mature out of the angry sad child he had been. A child's feelings of being able to do nothing in the face of rocky parents fighting over control are valid. A grown man who continued to find a parental figure to rage against without ever bettering himself, is not.

Jiang Cheng got the ending he deserved because that was the effort he put into his bond with Wei Wuxian. You do not do the bare minimum and expect open arms after years of bitterness and hate that you created from your own insecurities and fed to the world. As an adult you do not continue to be hateful and expect unconditional love from the one you hurt constantly and belittle. Nor because you do one "good" action does it erase the pile of hate you put into the world and demand you are owed something from another. Forgiveness does not mean an opening to rekindle a relationship that is broken, it's just a door closing and sometimes it isn't ever going to be opened for you again.

You move on though and be yourself without excuses.

374 notes - Posted August 29, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Wei Wuxian thinks he's the bad boy in the relationship, and turns out it's Lan Wangji.

687 notes - Posted January 25, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[freddiekluger]

Why Cap Being Internally Closeted Is Not Only Possible, But Valid Representation 

i wrote this to a lot of mitski and onsind, so you can’t blame me for any feelings that bleed through

now i don’t know if it actually exists, but i’ve heard of there being a lot of discourse surrounding the captains story arc regarding his sexuality- i believe the general gist is that having a queer character that remains closeted to themselves is either unrealistic or ‘bad’ representation, and as someone who really treasures the captain and relates to his story so far a lot, i thought i might break this down a bit. 

i’ve divded up every complaint i’ve heard about this into four main questions which i’ll be covering below the ‘keep reading’, because this is gonna be pretty comprehensive. full disclaimer i reference my experiences as an ex-evangelical non binary butch lesbian a couple times, and i spent a year studying repression and the psychological impacts of high demand sexual ethics for my graduating sociology paper, so this is coming with some background to it i swear

the big questions:

can you EVEN be gay and not know it????

but isn't this just ANOTHER coming out arc, and aren't we supposed to be moving beyond those?

but if cap can't have a relationship with a man because he's a ghost, what's the point?

since cap's dead, isn't this technically bury your gays, and isn't that bad? 

1. "but is it really possible to not know? Isn't that bad representation?"

short answer: no and no.

before i get into the validity of the captain's ignorance about his own orientation as 21st century rep, let's break down how the hell the captain can be so clearly attracted to men and still not even consider the possibility that he might be gay, as brought to you by someone who literally experienced this shit.

the captain's particular situation is both a direct result of the lack of information around human sexuality he would have had (aka clear messaging that it's actually possible for him to be attracted to men. i don't mean acceptable or allowed, i mean physically capable of happening- the idea that orientations other than heterosexual exist and are available to him, a man), and a subconscious survival mechanism. the environment in which he lives is outright hostile to gay people, while the military man identity he has constructed for himself doesn't allow for any form of deviation from societal norms, let alone one so base level and major. as a result of this killer combo of information and environment, instincts take over and the mind does it's best to repress the ‘deviant’ feelings until a. one of these two things changes, or b. the act of repression becomes so destructive and/or exhuasting that it becomes impossible to maintain. the key to maintaining a long-term state of repression of desire is diverting that energy elsewhere, and a high-demand group such as the military is the perfect place for the captain to do this (this technqiue is frequented by religions and extremist ideologies worldwide, but that’s not really what we’re here to focus on). 

while the brain is actively repressing ‘deviant’ feelings (aka gay shit), this doesn't mean you don't experience the feelings at all. when performed as a subconscious act of survival, the aim of repression is to minimise/transform the feelings into a state where they can no longer cause immediate danger, and something as big as sexual/romantic orientation is going to keep popping up, but as long as the individual in question never understands what they’re feeling, they’ll be able to continue relatively undisturbed. you know how in heist movies, the leader of the group will only tell each team member part of the plan so they can’t screw things up for everyone else if they get caught? it’s kind of like that.

this is how the captain appears to have operated in life AND in death, and it’s a relatively common experience for lgbtq people who’ve grown up in similar circumstances (aka with a lack of information and in an unfriendly-to-hostile environment), and accounts for how some people can even go on to get married and have children before realising that they’re gay and/or trans. 

personally, while i can now identify what were strong homo crushes all the way back to childhood, at the time i genuinely had no idea. there was the underlying sense that i probably shouldn't tell people how attached i was to these girls because i would seem weird, and that my feelings were stronger than the ones other people used to describe friendships, but like-like them in the way that other girls like-liked boys? no way! actually scratch that, it wasn't even a no way, because i had no idea that i even could. i even had my own havers, at least in terms of the emotional hold and devotion she got from me, except she treated me way less well than cap’s beau. snatches of the existence of lgbt people made it through the cone of silence, i definitely heard the words gay and lesbian, but my levels of informations mirrored those that the captain would have had: virtually none, beyond the idea that these words exist, some people are them, and that's not something that we support or think is okay, so let's just not speak about it. despite only attending religious schools for the first couple years of primary, until i got my own technology and social media accounts to explore lgbtq content on my own- option a out of the two catalysts for change- the possibility of me being gay was not at all on my radar. don’t even get me started on how long it took me to explore butchness and my overall gender, two things which now feel glaringly obvious. 

when shit starts to break down, you can also make the conscious choice to repress which can delay the eventual smashing down of the mental closet door for a time (essentially when the closet door starts to open, you just say ‘no thanks’ and shut it again by pointedly Not Thinking About It). in the abscence of identifying yourself by your attractions, it becomes quite common to identify with a lack- in my case, this meant becoming proud of how sensible and not boy crazy i was, and in the captain’s case, this means becoming proud of how sensible and not sensuous/wild (aka woman crazy) he was, identifying with his LACK of desire for women and partying (which, even in the 40s, involved the expectation of opposite sex romances and hook ups). i’m not saying that’s the only reason he’s a rule follower, but i think the contrast between About Last Night and Perfect Day pretty much support this. (the captain getting on his high horse about general party antics that he inherently felt excluded from because of underlying awareness of his difference & his tendency to project his regimented expectations of himself onto others, vs. joining in the reception party, awareness of how the environment supports difference in the form of clare and sam, and relaxing his own rules by dancing with men- the captain doesn’t mind a party when feels like he has a place there.)

so the captain was operating in a high demand, highly regulated environment (primarily the military, but also early 20th century England itself), with regimented roles, rules, and expectations. working on the assumption that he wouldn't have had out/disclosing lgbt friends, he would have had little to no exposure to lgbt identities, and what information he did receive would have been hushed and negatively geared. while my world started to open up when i started high school was allowed to have my own phone + instagram account, resulting in me realising something wasn't quite 'right' within a few years (making me a relatively early realiser compared to those who don't come out to themselves until adulthood), in life the captain never had that experience. he didn't receive the information he needed, his environment didn't grow less hostile. with the near-exception of havers related heartbreak, his well disciplined and lifelong method of repression never became destructive/exhaustive enough to permanently override the danger signals in his mind and allow him to put his feelings into words. neither of the most common catalysts for change happened for him, so he continued as usual, even after his death.

BUT, and here’s where we come to why this is actually great representation, arrival of mike and Alison represents the opening up of new world. for the first time, the captain is actively made aware of the fact that his environment is no longer hostile, and better than that, it’s affirming. he’s also getting access to positively geared information about lgbtq people and identities, so option a of the two catalysts for change is absolutely present, and resoundingly positive. 

the captain’s arc is also relatively unique as it acknowledges the oppressive nature of his environment, but actually focuses on the internal consequences, and the way that systems like those that the captain lived in succeed because they turn us into our own oppressors. for whatever reason, we repress ourseslves, and often can’t help it, and i find that the significance of the journey to overcome that is often overlooked in more mainstream queer media. perhaps it’s just not very cinematic, or it remains too confronting for cishet audiences, but ghosts manages to touch on it with a lovely amount of humour and hope. Jamie Babbit’s But I’m A Cheerleader is another favourite piece of queer media for the same reasons.

not only does it show this, but as the captain continues to get gayer and lean into some of his less conventional traits (like an interest in fashion and the wedding planning), it shows lgbt people who have been or are going through this that there CAN be a positive outcome. it takes a lot to unlearn all the things that have painted you as wrong, especially when a massive institution is desperate to continue doing so, but you can do it, you can be happy, and it's never too late. (i've been meaning to say that last point for ages for ages, but a mutual beat me to it here)

2. not just another coming out arc

i absolutely support the demand for queer stories that don’t center around coming out (it’s like shrodinger’s queer: if you’re not coming out on screen, do you really even exist?), but i don’t align with the criticisms that the captain should already be out. for the reasons mentioned above, the captain’s particular story is fairly different to the ‘young white teenager who mostly knows gay is fine, it’s just everyone else that’s got the problem, but have a unremarkably straight sounding soundtrack, a trauma porn romance, and a cishet saviour’ that we keep seeing. the captain’s ongoing journey with his sexuality emphasises the overaching theme of the show: recovering from trauma and humanity’s endless capacity for growth, and i think that’s worth showing over and over again until it stops being true.

additionally, while the captain’s journey regarding his gayness is a big part of his character and story, ghosts makes it clear that it’s not the ONLY part, and being gay is far from his ONLY characteristic or dramatic/comedic engine. the fact that i’m even having to congratulate ghosts for doing that really shows how much film and television is struggling huh.

while all queer media is, and should be, subject to criticism, i think if it helps even one person then it absolutely deserves to exist, and i can say i’ve found the captain’s journey to be the lgbt story i’ve found that’s closest to my own, which says a lot considering he’s a dead world war 2 soldier who hangs out with other ghosts including a slutty Tory, a georgian noblewoman, and a literal caveman. 

3. if captain gay, why he no have boyfriend???? 

another complaint that’s been circulating is that since the captain doesn’t, and likely won’t, have a boyfriend, that makes him Bad Representation because it follows the sad single gay trope. i kind of get the logic from this one, and a lot of it is up to personal interpretation, but part of me really enjoys the fact that the captain’s journey towards accepting himself is separated from having a relationship.

coming out is often paired with having romantic/sexual relationships (either as the reason or reward for doing so). my own struggle with repression didn't end the second that came out, and i still struggle with letting myself develop & acknowledge romantic feelings as a result of actively shutting them (and most other feelings in general) down for years, and statistics show that lgbtq youth in particular tend not to live out their 'teen years' until their twenties. by not giving cap a relationship straight away, ghosts separates the act of claiming identity and sexual orientation from finding a partner (two things which are, more often than not, separate), and also provides some very nice validation to folks who have yet to have the relationship they want, especially when lots of mainstream queer media is now jumping on the cishet media bandwagon of acting as if every person loses their virginity and has a life defining relationship at sixteen. it’s essentially a continuation of the earlier theme of “it’s never too late”, and who’s to say the captain won’t get a gay bear ghost boyfriend to go haunt nazis with??? people die all the time, it could happen.

(also, i think him and julian will have definitely shagged at least once. it was a low moment for both of them and they refuse to speak of it.)

lots of asexual/ace spectrum fans have come out to say how much they’ve loved being able to headcanon cap as ace, and while that’s not a headcanon i personally have, i think it’s brilliant that ace fans feel seen by his character- we’re all in this soup together babey (and sorry for cursing everyone still reading this with that cap/julian headcanon. i’m just a vessel)

4. “okay, but cap’s a GHOST- doesn’t that make this Bury Your Gays?”

this is a bit of a complex one, but i’m going to say no as a result of the following break down.

Bury Your Gays (BYG), aka the trope where lgbtq characters are consistently killed off (and often with a heavy dose of trauma, while cishet characters survive) is probably one of my least favourite lgbt media tropes. BYG has two main points:

1. the lgbt character is killed, thus removing them from story entirely- hence the use of the phrase ‘killed OFF’ (killed off of the show/film)

2. the character’s death reinforces the perception that lgbtq people’s lives must end in tragedy, instead of being long and fulfilling, or are inherently less valuable. bonus points if the character is killed in a hate crime or confesses same-gender love right before they die (that one implies that queer love genuinely has no future!)

not every death of an lgbtq character is bury your gays, and i personally feel that the captain is an example of an lgbt death that isn’t. 

first of all, while the captain is dead, so are the vast majority of characters in ghosts. the premise of the show means that death is not the end of the line for its characters- for most of them, it’s the only reason we get to see them on screen at all. as such, the captain being dead doesn’t remove him from the story, so point one is irrelevant.

at the time of posting, we don’t know how or why the captain died, but we've had nothing to suggest his death was in any way related to his latent sexuality, so his mysterious death doesn’t actively play into the supposedly inherent tragedy of queer lives, nor the supposedly lesser value. that’s as of right now- since we don’t know the circumstances of his death it’s a little tough to analyse properly. while the captain’s life absolutely features missed opportunities and it’s fair share of tragedy, hope and growth (which seems to be the theme of this post) abounds in equal measure. the captain may not be alive, but we DO get to see him growing and having a relatively happy existence, that for the most part seems to be getting even better as he learns to open up and be himself unapologetically- that doesn’t feel like BYG to me.

while writng this, it’s just occured to me that death really is a second chance for most of the ghosts, especially with the introduction of alison. from mary learning to read, to thomas finding modern music, they’ve all been given the chance explore things they never could have while they were alive, and hopefully grow enough to one day be sucked off move on.

in conclusion,

i love the captain very much and i hope his arc lives up to the standards it’s set so far. i don’t know where to put this in this post, but i’d alo like to say i LOVE how in Perfect Day, the captain wasn’t used as an educational experienced for fanny at all. i am very tired of people expecting me to be the walking talking homophobe educator and rehabilitator, so the fact that it’s alison and the other ghosts that call fanny out while the captain just gets to have fun with the wedding organisation made me very happy.

here’s a few other cap posts that i’ve done:

the captain’s arc if adam and the film crew stayed

a possible cap coming out 

the captain backstory headcanon

if you’ve read this far,

thank you!

also check out @alex-ghosts-corner , this post inspired me very much to write this

[collabwithmyself]

*(wakes up to see country boy Phoenix - cracks knuckles)* “Let’s do this.”

Likely got best of both worlds seeing that he and Miles went to the same school - I’m thinking farm was in the country on the edge of a big city, Miles was big city, school was somewhere in the middle in suburbia... either that or his family moved to the city right before he entered that grade so he was already ostracized as being ‘that new farm kid’... I love the first because there are southern big cities (there’s a difference between southern and country), and honestly the idea of Miles also having a little bit of an accent from being in a city close to the country gives me life - but also the second one with the move fits with the plot better

Either way I’m saying his parents either still have or got a new farm and he gets his best thinking done while riding a tractor. If they’re within a reasonable distance he’ll sometimes be visiting, helping with the chores, and then all of a sudden “Sorry Mom and Dad, gotta go!” because he had an epiphany on a case in progress.

First time Miles and Larry get invited over as kids, Larry is offended that none of the chickens will let him hold them, but he’s just too loud and fidgety. Miles, however, is calm and quiet and within a few minutes has one in his lap letting him pet it. (If Phoenix’s little baby crush wasn’t solidified already, it is now. Chickens are great judges of character, and he loves seeing how gentle Miles is with them.)

Also during disbarment his parents are concerned about him and continually suggest the idea of him coming home, maybe not even to work on the farm (although nowadays many farm owners also have other jobs) but maybe the courts will be lenient and let him be a small town attorney (especially now as a parent he needs a more stable job to support Trucy). Phoenix resists however because 1) Trucy is going through enough changes; he doesn’t want to put her through a new lifestyle and take her away from what she is familiar with, 2) he truly believes he will find a way to prove his innocence, and 3) [the sass comes out] “I want to help defend the innocent - not the deadbeats who want custody of their child even though they never have food in the kitchen or a steady job”

He gets personally offended by Jake Marshall. Like, dude... did you spend one day in Ft Worth (the most stereotypical Cowboy City in Texas) and decided that was what the whole state was like? No one talks and acts like that (or maybe that’s just me projecting)

Most people can’t tell Phoenix is from the country, but he does have certain mannerisms and a practiced lack of any accent that people can tell he’s not native to big city life. Honestly the biggest tell is when he refers to anyone (especially those with authority, but anyone he’s trying to be polite to) sir or ma’am. He’s become careful, especially since some people will take it as an insult about their age (“oh I can’t believe I’m old enough to be referred to as sir/ma’am”) but when used at the right time it has won over a few individuals because “they aren’t used to talking with someone so cordial and polite”

Lotta and him butt heads, and I don’t think she catches on that he’s a country boy from the beginning, but in 2-4 he gets really heated at Miles and she overhears the accent slip out “Maya is kidnapped, I’m bein’ Blackmailed into goin’ against my beliefs and seekin’ the truth, and ya decide Now is the time to Waltz In and let me know YAINT ACTUALLY DEAD!” After that she has a bit more respect for a fellow country folk just trying to make it.

Also, to the one ask that suggested they knew each other, I’m imagining if he moved to the big city right before he met Miles, what if she was from before the move? They finally get talking over a couple of beers about growing up, she calls him out on being a country boy, and they realize that they were classmates up until 2nd grade or something but had changed so much they didn’t recognize/remember each other.

Body built for working. He’s not the type to work out, but he’s strong from just general biking into the city, fence mending, tree limb clearing, etc. Can also cook (and eat) well. Knows all the secrets to making a good roast, and will get offended if you refer to a cookout with hot dogs and hamburgers as a barbecue (it ain’t a barbecue unless the meat is smoked and slathered in sauce)

Also knows a lot about plumbing and electrical from making a room in the barn to be a laundry room. Just has a bunch of random skills where at the office something goes wrong and Mia says something like “I’ll call someone to fix it” and he’s asking her if she has any tools because he thinks he sees the problem and can fix it if she has even a basic toolkit. She pulls one out that hasn’t really seen the light of day in years (new office present from someone), and sure enough Phoenix gets it fixed.

Has boots and a hat somewhere, but really only wears them if majorly working on the farm or attending a country event like a rodeo or something. Although he does have quite a few plaid button-ups and jeans he’ll wear on more casual days. First time Miles sees him in that, he somehow becomes 10% gayer. (BOY LOOKS GOOD IN PLAID)

*(crashes back asleep)*

Holy SHIT, Azal.

[vaspider]

“There are No Trans Women Named Iphigenia: A Brief Pamphlet Regarding Claims by White Cisgender Rich Gay Men that Queers Against Pete is Homophobic. - by Han Koehle

The issue is not that Pete isn't queer enough.

Pete isn't queer at all. Listen to him. He doesn't self-describe as queer, he doesn't politically position as queer. When other people call him queer he responds that he is a gay man. And that, specifically, is his identity and his political positionality.

Queer and gay do not mean the same thing. Queer, as an umbrella term, refers not just to a range of genders and sexualities but to a specific political project that has to do with reclaiming and dismantling heterosexism and cissexism. Gay people can be queer, but gay people don't have to be queer, and a lot of gay people have very specifically separated themself from queerness (as Pete does, explicitly) because the thing that they want and fight for is to fit into the majority. Pete's sexual and romantic desire, his identity, and his marriage are completely legitimate. Nobody who says "he isn't queer enough" (although as far as I can tell that's a bit of a strawman anyway, because all critiques from queer folks are assumed to be "not queer enough" even if they literally never critique him that way) means that he isn't flamboyant enough, which seems to be how cishet people and assimilationist rich white gay men read this term.

There have been decades of struggle between people who can and wish to expand the dominant group just enough for their own families to slip into them, and people who want to structurally dismantle the power dynamic that debases them. There is nothing wrong with a person being gay and living a white picket fence lifestyle with their 2.5 kids and a dog. That isn't the issue. The issue is whether that person thinks this is the only respectable way to live, and whether they are willing to point at people who could not or would not live that way and say "I belong here because I'm not like THEM."

And that is ultimately what the critique is. It's saying "he wants relatively powerful gay people to be allowed to live in hetero society and he is willing to sell out poor, BBIPOC, trans, and otherwise misfit and downtrodden members of our community to do it." That isn't self-hate, it's self-respect. He's not allowed to use me as a bargaining chip for his own betterment, and then claim to be my ally.

He is really, really gay. Properly gay. Uncontested. And so were the gay men who wrote in the 70s that they, unlike the "street f*ggots," belong in polite society. None of these folks are part of the queer movement because the queer movement is specifically, intentionally the politics of saying "no, I'm with the street f*ggots" whether you identify as one or not. [I am only editing this word for Facebook. I can say it without flinching. I can say it with only love.] Queer says no, you cannot insult me by lumping me in with the most marginalized and scandalous among us. I am unabashedly for their quality of life and not just my own.

When people say I am queer and not for this man, they're not saying he should camp it up a bit, he should Seem Gayer, he should be femme or they/them or kinky or nonmonogamous or urban. They're saying that being out as gay or desiring and loving other men does not carry a specific political project. He is not, by virtue of his marriage, automatically interested in the wellbeing of Black trans sex workers and we, the queer political movement, will not make or tolerate the deal he wants to make because he does not value or understand or identify with the most vulnerable among us. And indeed, he cannot even imagine them. When he contrasted his experiences with an imagined Other in the LGBTQ+ umbrella, he contrasted himself with a "Black gay woman." He knows that he is white and a man, but I suspect that he can't see street level from up so high.

There are no queer candidates (to my knowledge) and one gay one. For many of us whose material positionality is even vaguely similar to Pete (myself included, though we are different in many, many ways), it is thrilling to see that it is possible to exist so publicly in ways that it wasn't even recently. And yet, his insistence that he is not like me tells me a lot about how he sees me, how he values me. I have no reason to think that his genuine love for his husband makes him a particularly good representative for my interests, and I resent the implication that I owe him support even if I believe he will act in ways I find immoral.

I am not denying the symbolic resonance and meaning of even a longshot out gay candidate. Even an assimilationist gay candidate. But at the end of the day, I'm going to support the person that I think will be safest for children in Iran who giggle as they run barefoot around the house and unhoused trans women who eat when they date. I want to support the person who will feed more people and bomb less. If he cannot hold the name for my kind of person in his mouth, cannot bear being mistaken for me, why should I trust him to care for me? And I'm not anywhere *close* to the bottom of this hierarchy.

I want a trans dyke for president.“

Emphases added by me.

[d-criss-news]

With the film industry as we know it—A-list stars swanning around studio lots amid the swirling winds of an entire city bellowing buzzwords about makin’ pictures—essentially nonexistent at the moment, here’s an especially provocative idea as we contemplate its eventual return: What if Hollywood was... better?

Not in terms of quality of output, though if we’ve learned anything through the industry’s glacial inching toward progress, that will follow suit. But what if the industry was more inclusive? What if it was less afraid of change? What if it allowed gay people, people of color, women, and minorities to tell their own stories, to be in charge—and what if the people accepted it? 

Better yet, what if it was always that way? 

Like the loud, harsh clack of a clapboard coming down on 70 years of motion picture history, Ryan Murphy’s revisionist manifesto Hollywood arrives Friday on Netflix with blinding, blaring, technicolor confidence. Hardly subtle, deliciously ostentatious, and admirably mischievous, the lavish seven-episode series is a love letter to Hollywood by way of 2020 think piece. 

It is messy and thrilling, upsetting yet profound; as uneven and as enthralling as any of Murphy’s big-swing, genre-contorting efforts: Glee, American Horror Story, or The Politician. But as with his soapy historical study Feud: Bette and Joan, it is a fastidious celebration of a glamorized time in Hollywood that mines nostalgia for modern meaning—a fragile undertaking swaddled in the dazzle of unmatched production design and talent pedigree.

Hollywood flops as often as it soars, but never rests in its grandiosity and ambition. The result is something escapist and frothy at a time when a retreat to a Hollywood happy ending is as alluring a fantasy as they come.

There is brilliant acting and there is bad acting. There are ovation-worthy ideas and there are off-putting ones. But, above all, there is reason to watch: It is gay, it is sexy, it is Patti LuPone.

Hollywood is a revisionist history of cinema’s golden age. It’s the 1940s in all their glamour and art: Casablanca! Citizen Kane! Alfred Hitchcock! Jimmy Stewart! Rita Hayworth! Cary Grant! It’s an era that’s been romanticized for so long that we’ve internalized it, morphing our own lifestyle aspirations to conform to its very heteronormative, very patriarchal, very (very) white ideas about sex and gender roles. These were ideas, however, that the industry was telegraphing, but not living in real life. Not at all. 

Murphy and his team’s rewriting of history pulls the curtain back, exposing the sexually fluid proclivities of the stars—leading men sleeping with male escorts; Oscar-winning actresses in bisexual affairs—and the damning, racist barriers to inclusion fortified by studio heads thwarting any opportunity for progress. 

Then, and here’s the crux of the whole thing: Hollywood changes that narrative. We glimpse the power dynamics inside Tinseltown’s gilded cage, and watch them being dismantled. 

Some of the players’ narratives are real, and some are fiction. That makes for an amusing parlor game for viewers, attempting to separate the true history from the imagined one, and should birth a cottage industry of “The Real Story Behind…” stories in the weeks to come. But these are actual people who never had the opportunity to live authentically or see true, equal opportunity in the industry. Expect there to be a split among those who find happier, reimagined fates for them a sweet gesture, and those who find it in bad taste. 

The story trains in on Jack (David Corenswet), a World War II veteran arriving wide-eyed in Hollywood, hoping some gumption and a jawline God shed a tear after creating will be enough to get him into the pictures. But he’s got a pregnant wife (Maude Apatow) to think about. Until he catches the eye of a casting director, he has to find some way to pay the bills. That cash flow comes surreptitiously from a gas station owner (Dylan McDermott), whose dashed Hollywood ambitions leave a soft spot for attractive dreamers like Jack���particularly ones who prove lucrative in his under-the-table prostitution business. A customer comes in for a fill-up, so to speak, and whispers the code, “I want to go to Dreamland,” and, well, you know the rest—and hopefully get the hardly nuanced metaphor about sex, power, sacrifices, and Hollywood.

This gas station business is without a doubt inspired by Scotty Bowers, the notorious L.A. hustler who died last year at 96, following a scandalizing, dishy documentary and memoir revealing the brothel he ran out of a petrol stand, sleeping with (allegedly) Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Vivien Leigh, Gary Cooper, J. Edgar Hoover, and Rock Hudson. 

McDermott’s character, however, is not actually Scotty Bowers, a distinction that’s necessary because Rock Hudson actually is a character, played by Jake Picking. So is Henry Wilson, the monstrous, closeted Hollywood agent played by Jim Parsons, who trades blowjobs for representation. Elsewhere, real-life trailblazers like Hattie MacDaniel, Vivien Leigh, and George Cukor show up. Their presence, on the one hand, lends credibility and grounds the fantasia of diversity and acceptance that Hollywood builds to. It’s also morally amorphous.

Hudson was closeted until the day he died of HIV/AIDS. He didn’t get the happy ending imagined here, publicly coming out of the closet by attending the Academy Awards with his fictional black, gay screenwriting boyfriend, holding hands on the red carpet, and staying on track on his ascension to Hollywood hunk. There’s also no evidence that Wilson, as caustic and self-loathing as the devil himself when we meet him in the show, had a change of heart and becomes a LGBT crusader seeking amends and atonement. 

The wishful thinking is nice. But the bleakness of the reality shouldn’t be forgotten. There’s no clean place to land there, other than to consider both. 

But these are just a handful of Hollywood’s players, and not even the true engine of the plot. In typical Murphyland fashion, there is a dizzying constellation of characters and their errant business to keep tabs on. 

At the forefront is Patti LuPone’s Avis, the bored wife of a studio head (a scene-stealing Rob Reiner) who is first introduced as a client of Jack’s—hence all the press about the Tony winner’s explicit sex scenes that you’ve likely been reading—and eventually put in charge of the studio itself when her husband is incapacitated by a heart attack. 

If it’s novel now to think of a female in charge of greenlighting projects and making commercial creative decisions, imagine it seven decades ago. And Avis shakes things up. With a casting director (Holland Taylor, perfect) and producer (Joe Mantello, heartbreaking) as her conspirators, she greenlights and positions as the studio’s next blockbuster a film called Meg, with its historically diverse creative team intact. 

That means half-Filipino director Raymond (Darren Criss), black screenwriter Archie (Jeremy Pope), black leading lady Camille (Laura Harrier), and Jack and Rock in supporting roles. It takes willfulness to bulldoze the fortresses that bar progress. That is invigorating and moving to watch, especially as Hollywood dances between comedy, camp, earnestness, and tragedy with all the glee, if you will, that you’d expect from a Ryan Murphy production. 

There’s sex—hot sex, gay sex, interracial sex, intergenerational sex—and there’s farce and there’s a wardrobe and set budget to sweep you away like a riptide. 

There are scenes from Parsons and LuPone that will win them Emmys. Mantello and Taylor have a two-hander together that shattered me into so many pieces I am billing Ryan Murphy the cleaning fee. I worry that even with his Netflix money it won’t be enough—that’s how good it is. 

Mira Sorvino and Queen Latifah give so much in their scenes as guest stars that you wish they were in more but are grateful for the flawless blips of bliss, while Michelle Krusiec as Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American movie star, is the epitome of an actor making a monumental moment out of limited material. 

Criss solidifies his leading-man status—he’s captivating in every scene, even without much to do—and Corenswet brings glimmers of gravitas to eye candy. But the rest of the kids nearly torpedo the whole damn thing, they’re so miscast. The scenes with the older generation are so rich and such an utter joy to watch, it only makes the woodenness of performers like Picking and Harrier all the more egregious. Thankfully, there’s a larger message to it all that acts as absolution.

If Hollywood were a treatise on how society interacts with movies and TV both then and now, then the thesis could likely be boiled down to an early conversation between Raymond, Criss’ director character, and Dick, Mantello’s studio exec. It’s Raymond’s dream to direct a movie starring Anna May Wong. Dick kills the pitch, saying no one will pay to see a movie with an Asian lead, or any lead of color. 

Raymond doesn’t stand for that. How does he know? No one’s tried. “Sometimes I think folks in this town don’t really understand the power they have. Movies don’t just show us how the world is, they show how the world can be. If we change the way that movies are made, you take a chance and you make a different kind of story, I think you can change the world.” 

It’s not a stretch to argue that as the mission statement of Murphy’s entire career. He’s proved it time and again, from Glee to Pose: Bring the marginalized out of the margins and watch how things change. Someone just has to be the one to do it.

In essence, Hollywood sees Murphy dramatizing the progress that he played a part in catalyzing today, but imagining if it had come at a different turning point in cinema history—70 years ago. More tantalizingly, he raises the question of what society today might be like had it actually happened then. 

Is it a little self-congratulatory? Sure. But, hey, that’s showbiz, kid. 

[ink-flavored]

20 and 10! :) (-confunderewrites)

Thank you! @confunderewrites

10. which patterns keep popping up in your projects/characters?

Well, dragons are a constant, those will never leave me. From my first WIP onwards, there will be dragons in it somehow. I will make it have dragons in it.

Character-wise, I have often and publicly made the joke that every single one of my characters has some sort of Issue with faith and religion, because I grew up queer in the American South so you know I’ve got issues babey!!!

On a much happier note, I do find my WIPs and characters alike to be good demonstrations of how circumstances and people can change for the better. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes on accident. I just think we need a bit more hope. 

20. where do you begin a WIP? ex: a mood, a scene, a certain character dynamic, etc. does this differ per project?

Depends on the project!

Probably 70% of the time, I’ll think of a scenario and a scene to go with it, and from there the story blossoms, but there are exceptions to every rule. I’ve got WIPs that came from aesthetics alone, from a cool character concept, from reading something and going “I could totally write that better and gayer than you.” Roll the dice, honestly. 

[send me a writing ask!]

[realbigpodcastslut]

Hello, I was wondering if you could suggest some podcasts? I am new to the podcast fandom and have already fell into Wtnv and serial podcasts. Thank you in advance.

Oh heck yeah!!!! Welcome to podcast hell. Though I haven’t listened to Serial (i listen to more backwater-indie but still good), WTNV is an old favorite. For some goodies, but more of a mixed bag here are the top ones you’ll see people post about (*=gayness):

*Wolf 359- A Space Opera on the USS Hephaestus. Wacky hijinks ensue for the first couple episodes and then you’re crying and everything’s a mess. But to be honest, this is really good. This turned my light hobby of listening to podcasts post-2016ish to binging it. I love the characters, they’re very complex. Its storyline is always easy to follow, which is a plus (there are some I still don’t know what’s happening). (Status: Ended but sometimes there are surprises in your feed) (Also the creators made Time Bombs which is a three ep series about a bomb squad and very good) 

***The Bright Sessions- Therapy for people with superpowers. It’s a lighter podcast in that it’s not guns in space- but it gets deep. It’s very sweet and it has so many characters that you’ll love- and some that you’ll want to punch in the face and they don’t get redemption arcs which is great. It’s a good podcast. (Status: Ended but a ton of bonus content is being released for years to come with a TV show) 

*****The Penumbra Podcast- This is not a single story podcast, but still good. The main story is Juno Steel and it’s about a Private Eye on Mars. It’s got drama, love, pain, friendship, and something special. The main love interest is also freaking amazing. The Second Citadel is the other one about a fantasy-age kingdom of monsters and humans at war. It gets…. well steamy. Not really but the tension between some characters is palpable. It’s good. (Status: Finished its  second season but their working on their third season) 

***King Falls AM- Okay, I’ve got to state this IS my favorite podcast. It’s got the whole “radio station in a small town” idea from WTNV, but it’s so fleshed out. The main characters you constantly meet and it doesn’t have the isolated feel like WTNV. It also isn’t surreal. But it deals with some heavy issues like depression and grieving but also has lighter episodes. I have to say I think it most definitely gets better later on. I freaking love this podcast and I wake every first and fifteenth at 3 am for my fix. (Status: Just got out of hiatus and is going strong). 

***EOS 10- Another space comedy, except it is like Grey’s Anatomy in space. I mean I’ve never watched Grey’s Anatomy, but it’s got doctors so it’s kind of the same??? It’s funny but like I said- it gets darker. I’m sorry, it just does. Another really good one. (Status: Is currently releasing season 4, and released season 3 after like a 3-year long hiatus)

**The Magnus Archives- A horror podcast but good. I mean I love horror podcasts- but this made get some tingles down my spine. It’s told though a file system but all connects later on. Very good and I really enjoy this one. Though it is very long, so I warn you to get comfy. (Status: Season 4 and is going strong).

***The Adventure Zone-  NOT AN AUDIO DRAMA, but fuck is it good. I’m usually an audio drama snob but I made an exception and it’s great. It starts off with there brothers and their dad goofing off while playing DnD and it’s very funny. It never loses this, but as time goes on the story is told and it’s so freaking beautiful. Made me basically cry. I would recommend 10/10 but like TMA it is also v long. (Status: Finished Balance and is half-way through their Amnesty arc).

Podcasts I like but don’t want to explain too much because my hands are cold:

*****Inkwyrm !!!! (The Devil Wears Prada in space and gay. I like this one so much asdhkjsad)

*****Dreamboy (WTNV but gayer and R-Rated)

Amelia Project (Some British guys fake your death)

*Darkest Night (Lots of people get killed)

Uncanny County (Weird shit happens in a county… that’s it)

We Fix Space Junk (Capitalism is bad in space)

SAYER (Capitalism but in space and with an AI)

*Kakos Industries (Do Evil Better, R-rated)

***The Strange Case of Starship Iris (Gay Space Pirates)

I hope this helped. If you don’t like any or are looking for something else don’t be afraid to say so!! Or if you need more. This might have lasted me a month or two hahaha. :))))

[laboratorium2d]

Children's Animated Series, As Graded by a Parent Who Has Watched Far Too Many of Them

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: The brony thing is legitimately weird, but this is legitimately a great show. The combination of epic-fantasy plots with a deep dive on friendship is a winner (and has also been deeply influential on kids' television). It also makes the obligatory pro-social messages feel earned, rather than an afterthought. The characters are charming, the writing sparkles, and the animation is still distinctive. Endlessly watchable, which is a good thing when your kid wants to watch endlessly. Fake holidays: Nightmare Night, Hearth's Warming Eve, Hearts and Hooves Day. Grade: A+

Avatar: I was fifteen years too old for this when it was on TV, so I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Now I do. It's epic but not grandiose, funny but not dumb, and morally deep without giving into plot gravity. The world-building, the writing, the animation, the voice-acting, the fight scenes, the side characters: everything works, and everything is pulling in the same direction. (The sequel series, The Legend of Korra, is more of the same, with an interestingly updated setting and better music.) If your kids are like mine, they'll want to talk about everything, and so will you. I guess binge-watching is a family thing now. Grade: A+

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: This show is so gay. However gay you expect it to be, it's ten times gayer. It's also pro-diversity along every axis you can imagine, including body-type. It's completely awesome. It captures the uncannily compelling techno-fantasy atmosphere of the original, and it has characters with the same names, but otherwise it's a total gut rehab. The character studies at its core are compelling, even as the overall plot and action hold a young child's interest. It takes lots of anime animation tropes and tones them down to the verge of naturalism, which I wouldn't have thought would work, but totally does. Grade: A-

Wild Kratts: The big kid was learning biology from this show almost from before she could talk. "Giraffe. Long neck. Eat leaves." The premise of the show is genius: animated versions of veteran kids' wildlife-show hosts Chris and Martin Kratt have suits that give them "creature powers," and they travel around the world having adventures with animals. The science is legit and it's presented entertainingly. And the characters are winners, especially the creature-suit inventor Aviva Corcovado and the colorful villains. The only thing consistently annoying about this show is that it can be shouty. Everyone is Just! So! Excited! About! Animals! Grade: A-.

Phineas and Ferb: The Arrested Development of kids' animation, Phineas and Ferb is impossibly dense with overlapping plots, brick jokes, and a large army of recurring minor characters. Every episode features an original song, some of which are genuinely brilliant ("Squirrels in My Pants" is a household favorite). It is also a wholly, completely sweet-hearted show. Even the antagonists -- Candace and Dr. Doofenshmirtz -- are sympathetic, charming, fully-realized, and allowed to grow and be happy in ways that a lesser version of this show would never even have realized was a possibility. The allegretto pacing and intricate writing keep the show consistently fresh. New Disney at its best. Grade: A-

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom: From the same team who brought you Peppa Pig, but even drier underneath its treacly trappings. The comedic timing is straight out of classic British sketch comedy. The voice actors are clearly in on the joke, which if anything makes the show more fun to listen to than to watch. B+

Dinosaur Train: Sometimes high concepts work. The show 100% owns its message: dinosaur physiology is a diversity metaphor, presented with just the right degree of insistence. The characters are sketched with grace and sympathy, and the science is pitched just right for its target audience. Over the years, the show (like all railfans) has gotten increasingly obsessed with its train equipment: the aquacar, the submarine, the ... zeppelin. The songs are surprisingly catchy, too: our favorite is probably the Dinosaur Train Zeppelin song, which, yes, is a Led Zeppelin pastiche. Grade: B+

Odd Squad: This one really grew on me. If all you've seen is short clips, it just seems like everyone is shouting about math all the time. But the show overall is delightfully goofy, with a real sense of how to string along a running gag, and some genuinely talented child actors. Grade: B+

Creative Galaxy: Despite being a total Daniel Tiger rip-off, down to the animation style, the obligatory song in every episode, and the live-action codas, this one is actually kind of nice. The art projects are well-chosen both to interest kids and also to actually be doable. Fake holidays: Heart Day. Grade: B

Peppa Pig: It took me a long time to appreciate this show's arch sense of humor. Everyone's pretensions and ambitions are punctured; embarrassing mistakes and small indignities await adults at every turn. Once you realize that the show is making fun of most of its characters but loves them anyway, it's much more bearable. Grade: B

Curious George: Entirely forgettable, with two mildly redeeming qualities. George himself is as charming as always, and the jazzy musical score is pleasant. Grade: B-

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: It took me a while to understand what this show was doing. It's very, very French. Grade: C+

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: Even my kids recognize that Daniel Tiger is needy and whiny. The show inadvertently teaches kids what to be afraid of and how to misbehave. There is also something deeply wrong with the economy of the Neighborhood: everyone seems to have multiple jobs and the public transit system runs on magic. On the plus side, the potty song has come in handy as a reminder: when you have to go potty, stop and go right away. Fake holidays: Love Day, Snowflake Day, Dress Up Day. Grade: C+

Ready Jet Go: I suppose there's some science in here somewhere, I guess. Grade: C+

Tumble Leaf: Reviewers might call this one "gentle," by which they mean "boring." The animation is lovely and the music is calming. But what's the point? Grade: C+

PAW Patrol: Unbelievably, incredibly formulaic. For example: have you noticed that they get in their trucks at exactly the same point halfway through each episode? Just Canadian enough to be noticeably off, but also rah-rah in a George W. Bush-administration kind of way. Sometimes I imagine grown-up versions of the pups. Chase regularly engages in police brutality, Rubble has a drinking problem, and Marshall has joined the alt-right. Grade: C

Nature Cat: Nature Cat is annoying and his friends are worse. I'm not clear on what they're supposed to be learning. And the theme song manages to be both unmemorable and an earworm. Make it stop! Grade: C

Super Why: More like Super Why Does This Exist, amirite? The whole show is oddly paced: I find the story-within-a-story structure confusing and can only wonder how much of it kids actually get. Having each character deal with a different aspect of literacy leaves the show's educational content unfocused. And the Super Letters are like the world's lamest game of Wheel of Fortune. Plus the song is an earworm, and not in a good way. Grade: C

Sofia the First: Empty Disney calories, this show is the reductio ad absurdum of Disney's democratization of the idea of "princess." The plotting, the writing, and the music are technically proficient. The cel-shading effects that give 3D animation the luminosity of 2D hand drawn are lovely. The messages are perfectly innocuous. But the heart of the show is a giant gaping void. Fake holidays: Wassailia. Grade: C

Lion Guard: More empty Disney calories, like Sofia the First but with more obnoxious characters. Inexplicably real holiday: Christmas. Grade: C-

Peg + Cat: All I can remember is that the show is inexplicably drawn on graph paper, and they have a BIG BIG PROBLEM every few seconds. When people complain about STEM, and I remember that this show exists, I have to admit that they have a point. Grade: C-

Martha Speaks: The AV Club's term for this kind of show is "least essential." Even by the standards of kids' shows, the premise makes no sense. Nobody here, human or canine, is remotely sympathetic. And the plot comes to a screeching halt every time it's time for a new vocabulary word. Grade: C-

WordWorld: I have so many questions about this show. If everything is made out of words, what about the ground? The sky? Windows? And what are the letters in the words made of? What is going on with the accents? And who greenlit three seasons of this garbage? Grade: D+

The Adventures of Puss in Boots: This is a weird, weird show. And not in a good way. Grade: D+

Trolls: The Beat Goes On: Quite possibly the most misanthropic kids show currently streaming anywhere. The combination of grimdark setting and hackneyed uplifting plot tropes is somewhere between unsettling and child abuse. Poppy is a walking illustration of emotional labor; Branch has severe PTSD. The show treats both of these as laughable quirks. And I am never going to get used to the Auto-Tune. Grade: D+

Kung-Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny: Pretty much your standard DreamWorks animation. This is not a good thing. Grade: D

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: The animation and voice-acting are innocuous. But building an entire show around the "if X, then Y" formula led to some disastrous choices. The show taught my big kid how to say things like, "If I see a rock, I just have to bring it home with me." It takes a special kind of kids show to affirmatively instill bad habits. Grade: D-

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2018): An absolute travesty in every possible way. The remake is the direct opposite of everything the original represented: crude instead of clever, manic instead of playful, and mean instead of goofy. Grade: F-

[moistmailman]

Imagine an AU where !CheerleaderRuby has a giant crush the the Sweet !MetalHeadPyrrha, who has piercings, tattoos and has half of her head buzzed for the punk rock look.

She gets extremely flustered whenever they talk together. One time Pyrrha waved to Ruby during one of the games and the poor girl just froze up in the middle of the field, blushing madly, much to Pyrrha's confusion. The metalhead actually started to get worried for the short girl. It was pretty hot outside that day, so was Ruby having a heatstroke or something? What was wrong with her? Ruby's cheer captain, Weiss quite literally had to slap Ruby back to her senses. "Ruby, snap out of it! Everyone's staring at you!!!" "W-WHAT?! I WASN'T S-STARING! YOU'RE JUST SEEING THINGS!" "No, I said that everyone is staring at you! I never mentioned you staring at Pyrrha! So snap out of it!" "O-oh right. O-of course you did. I-I knew that.......WAIT, I WASN'T STARING AT PYRRHA!!!" She still was blushing for the entire game while sending Pyrrha discreet (not really) glances.

Another time she spent a lot of money on some metal concert ticket of a band that Pyrrha loves so she could watch it with her. "Whoa, what are you doing here, Ruby? I never knew you like this band." "What? Really? That's surprising, cause I like, love this band. I have all their albums." "Really? What's your favorite song?" "(Panicking) Uh.......O-oh the uh........t-the one about......sticking it to the man, haha, you know? I absolutely love that one. (Sweats nervously)" "Oh cool. That one is pretty popular. Good choice." "(Sighs in relief)" At one point Ruby was complaining that she couldn't see the band due to her short height and then nearly had a gay heart attack as Pyrrha picked her up and put the shorter girl on her shoulders. "There you go. Can you see now, Ruby?" "(High pitched) Y-yeah, I-I can see n-now." "Hey, are you alright? You sound funny." "YEP! EVERYTHING'S GOOD UP HERE! THANK YOU!" "Okay, if you say so."

Another time Ruby actually managed to muster up enough courage to finally confess to Pyrrha. It took her a whole hour to approach the taller girl, but she still did it though.......kinda. "H-hey P-pyrrha, I need to tell you something. Okay uh...well uh......I-I t-think you're really awesome and stuff. Y-you also look really cool, especially with your tattoos and hair. A-and I-I j-just want to s-say that.......y-you're very pretty and I-I like you a lot. D-d-do you want to go on a date with me?!" "(Taking out her earbuds, causing quiet metal music to come from them) Huh, did you say something, Ruby?" "U-uh....I uh.....(nervously swallows) I uh.....I uh....I said uh........" "Ruby? Is everything alright? Your face is all red right now." "........I-I GOTTA GO! HAVE A NICE DAY!!!!!! (speeds off)" "..........okay.....you too, I guess. It was nice speaking to you." Ruby then proceeded to go to her sister and cried on her shoulder. "(Muffled) IT'S JUST NOT FAIR! I ALREADY CONFESSED!!!" "There there, little sis. Just let it all out." "(Muffled) SHE'S JUST SO PRETTY! IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!! LIFE IS UNFAIR!!!"

Another time they were partnered up for a school project and Ruby decided to use her weeks of training with the art of flirting that she learned from Yang to her advantage. So the girl took the best pick up line in head. A pick up line that is absolutely smooth and amazing. One that would make Yang proud. "Okay, so what part of the project would you like to do? I'm alright with either." ".........." "Ruby? Hello? I'm speaking to yo-" "I LIKE YOUR TATTOOS!" "..................." "..................." "Thank you, Ruby. That's very sweet of you. A lot of people find them to be intimidating a little. So it's always nice to hear a praise about them." "Y-you're welcome, they're very cool." "Thank you again, Ruby. You're very sweet. My favorite tattoo is probably the one on my stomach though. Look (lifts shirt to reveal abs) see? It's Medusa from the Greek mythologies. I'm kinda of a dork for those sorta things. (Chuckles)" "(Face completely red)..............." "Anywho, let's get back to work, shall we?" "O-okay, yeah. L-let's do that. (Hides her face in her textbook)" "Are you okay, Ruby? Your face is all red again." "(Muffled from the book) NEVER BETTER!" Despite that, Pyrrha kept asking Ruby if any thing was wrong during the rest of the session, since her face was completely red the whole time. Although the shorter girl always said she was still alright, while forcing herself to look her in the eyes. ("Oh god. Her eyes are so pretty too! Oh god!") Pyrrha even asked Yang if her little sister had some sort of skin problem, since her face is nearly always red whenever they talk. "No, she has a thirst problem." "Oh, she gets dehydrated easily?" "Yeah, let's go with that."

They finally started dating when Pyrrha asked Ruby out to the movies. But Ruby never realized it was a date until Pyrrha kissed her goodnight at her doorstep. (Poor useless lesbian). "I had a grand time, Ruby." "T-thanks, m-me too. S-s-sorry for jumping in your arms a lot though." "No, it's alright. I should've told you it was a horror slasher movie. It was my fault" "(blushing) T-thank you for holding my hand during it though. I-it really calmed me down" "No problem. You want to go on another date next weekend?" "Most definitely!" "Good. Good night, Ruby." And that was when Pyrrha kissed Ruby right on the lips, sending imaginary fireworks shooting out from her head. Her face completely matched the taller girl's hair and she could barely speak afterwards. She was in a gay mess. "W-W-W-WAIT! T-T-THAT W-WAS A G-G-G-GAY D-D-DATE??!! L-LIKE F-FULL GAY?!" "Yeah, you didn't know?" "N-NO! I DIDN'T!" "Oh, I'm Sorry. I thought I was more clear when I asked you out. "(Lesbian flustered noises)" Look, if you don't want this to be a date then it does-" "N-NO! I WANT THIS TO BE A GAY DATE! A VERY GAY DATE! PLEASE MAKE THE NEXT DATE EVEN GAYER ACTUALLY!" "Oh, okay then. If you're alright with it then-" "YES! I'M A VERY ALRIGHT WITH IT! GO MAX GAY NEXT DATE!"

Yang was listening the whole time from inside the house and teased her for weeks for this. "(Laughing) Please make the next day even gayer. You crack me up, Ruby." "YAAAAAAAANG! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO HEAR ANY OF THAT!!!!" "Hello, can I have some extra gay for our next date, Pyrrha?" "SHUT UP!!!!" "YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME! NOT WHEN I SHIFT INTO MAXIMUM GAY!" "I SAID SHUT UP! (bonks Yang's forehead)" They are an adorable couple though.