#but they should have made mary butch

[aoifereal]

[theriverbeyond]

DEATH FIRST TO VULTURES AND SCAVENGERS

🦴 Harrow, photo editing, bones et al by me! 📸 photo and harrow robe by @trickstercheshi

took these pics like 2? months and then totally forgot to post them here! anyway Harrow currently features 122 hand sculpted bones (86 of which are in the rosary!), not counting the spares I made or the 336 resin teeth I bought & drilled for her bracelets and waist chain.

my central requirement for this cosplay is basically that every bone (except the face/ear jewlery) HAS to be made as close as possible in size and shape to an anatomically accurate human bone, because I am nothing of not committed to the inherent wonder of human anatomy. this means: no bone tits, no sizing bones up or down as convenient for aesthetics, no animal bones. I think it turned out great and I'm soooooo excited to make EVEN MORE bones for when I wear her next >:3

rigcage progress is documented on tumblr here, and under the cut are some extra ramblings & detail photos of her rosary & stole!

the rosary is based off of normal catholic rosaries, altered it to fit Ninth House aesthetics. a normal rosary has 5 sections ("Mysteries") made of 10 beads each.

MY rosary has nine (9!!) sections for the Ninthefold ressurection, with each section being made of 8 bones. specifically, each section is made of carpal bones, and there is one carpal bone per section to represent each populated House. anatomy fun fact! humans have 8 different carpal bones in the body (one set in each wrist) all of which I lovingly sculpted to attempted anatomical accuracy.

phalanges are the "separating" ("Our Father"?) beads, and the hanging centerpiece is a metacarpal articulating with 3 phalanges -- "the knuckle of your great-grandmother that represented the Rock, and the Universe, and God." (HtN p. 118).

I went back and forth on what I wanted the centerpiece to be, because "knuckle" has an original anatomical meaning (the talus bone -- of like, sheep, so not an option here per my central requirement) but it also has several colloquial meanings. I've heard "knuckle" being used to describe both the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and the metacarpalphalangeal joint as well. I actually did end up sculpting a life sized human talus bone to test how it would look as the centerpiece, but rejected it due to it simply looking very goofy due to scale and size (it was too big 😔). I also learned how to do a proper hail mary knot for this!

anyway: behold some more pics

for Harrow's stole, I was inspired by @/thatbonejunky's art here as well as @/bondibee's art here! I really wanted to lean into the religious leader aspect of her character. Harrow as not the Reverend *Daughter*, but the *Reverend* Daughter -- especially as this is, due to my own proclivities, definitely a Butch Harrow™ cosplay. The fabric is this cool celtic pattern from JoAnns and the skull is applique + hand beading! I went back and forth on if I should give her tassles on the bottom or not but honestly it came down to tassels just seeming more dramatic, and Harrow deserves this

phew ok that was a lot of rambling. all bones are made of creative paperclay, an air dry clay, and painted with basic acrylics. did you know you can find hundreds of free 3D models of bones free online on sketchfab or by searching "[bone name] 3D model". what was i saying. anyway. i love bone :)

[cow-dyke]

"The Bar"

Hello people of Tumblr!

So I am attempting to write a book about a femme who explores her sexuality as a lesbian while also being religious and dealing with internalized homophobia.

To get more motivation, I wanted to share a little piece of it to see what other people think of it.

I have one scene written out when the femme (Mary) meets a butch (Joan) at a bar for the first time. Keep in mind, this is just a rough draft so ignore anything that may seem poorly written. Enjoy!

I remember her so clearly: she was pretty tall with a masculine physique and  also had this short, black slicked-back hair. Oh, I will never forget that hair. She was looking straight at me and we connected eyes. Yet, being the timid person I was, I quickly broke our silent glance and focused on my drink instead. It's not that I didn’t like her looking at me, I loved every moment of it. But it just felt too good, almost as if I was committing a crime (technically, I was). Despite my broken contact, I could still feel her eyes on me. I wasn’t sure if I should pray for her to come over or stay where she is. Yes, I did love her but that could mean a lifetime in hell for the both of us. I guess a hell with her was more desirable than a heaven by myself.

“Miss?” I heard her say.

I looked up from my glass and felt like I was on fire. But fuck that fire felt so good. God can punish me for my sins but he will never be able to take away the rush that went through me when I got to look at her closer. Is this how Eve felt when she ate the forbidden fruit? I thought to myself. She had these piercing brown eyes that were almost black and a sharp jawline that I swore could kill a man. 

“Yes?” I responded.

“Would you like to dance with me?” 

I knew it was wrong what she was asking me to do. It wasn’t just a dance, it was also the attraction between us as two women and admitting to it. It would be giving in to my pleasure in exchange for my obedience to God. I can do a lot of things for His honor but I think it’s time I do something for my own.

“Yes,” I said with a smile on my face.

She gave her hand out to me and I took it without another thought in the world. Her hand was as soft as cotton. I could have fondled it for days. When we got to the dance floor, she took her other hand and put it on my waist. I inferred that I was supposed to put my hand on her shoulder so I did that. We did a dance like any other couple would by casually swaying to the music. 

“What’s your name?” the woman asked. 

“It’s Maria but most people just call me Mary,” I said.

“Maria…what a pretty name” she asserted. 

I chuckled a little because I felt nervous around her but also flattered. Many men have said that same line to me but when she said it, I felt like the only woman in the world. I didn’t care about any of those men’s comments on my name but for some reason, I was really happy that this woman liked mine.

“What’s your name?” I asked. 

“It’s Joan.” 

Joan. Like Joan of Arc, Patron Saint of France. She definitely emulated her as a crossdresser and having the strength to do it right in front of the public eye, risking everything. Or, maybe everything was already lost. Maybe she had already fallen victim to the risks. That is something that made me so attracted to butches. They had the one thing I didn’t: Bravery. 

[lakemichigans]

just watched ammonite 👍🏻 it destroyed me 👍🏻 i didn't find out until afterwards that it's from the same guy who made god's own country, which in hindsight i really should have realized sooner. both movies say more with silence than dialogue and stylistically they're veryyy similar. also the way color is used in ammonite is beautiful, with the clothes and the weather especially. mary's line about how cold it was last year literally ripped my heart out. they're talking about the weather and i'm dry heaving, that's how you know it got me 🥲 bonus: through sheer physicality alone, kate winslet is believably butch even while dressed in traditional 1840s feminine garb. talent

[playwiththesire]

still thinking about ryuzato’s gerardsonaverse. rat king my beloved. rat king x mary butch girlfriends im crying. dirty butch girlfriends fucking copia while rat king has their period dONT LOOK AT ME

anyway. explicit, 2527 words. ao3 link

Copia was exhausted from giving sermons and hearing confessions, sitting in meetings, running errands for Sister Imperator, and artfully dodging Papa Nihil to avoid being scolded for whatever he was doing wrong in the old man's ghostly white eyes. Closing his doors, he was more than relieved to unbutton his cassock and wrap himself up in a simple robe, because it was moreso laziness that kept him from bending over to put on pajama pants than the tiredness. Ruffling his hair free from the gelled combed-back style, he sat down at his mirror to wipe the black off his upper lip first.

Surprisingly, when he saw movement in the window behind him, he didn't flinch. When he first moved into his new suite, it would often take him by surprise, only to learn that there were Ghouls walking around the courtyard at night. He knew better than to stick his little nose into their business. So once his lips were clean, he dampened his rag again. Before it even touched the dark circle under his eye, it dropped from his hand.

Copia finally screamed when a loud bang tapped against the glass hard. He stumbled to his feet and knocked the stool over, and. of course, he had to trip over it. His cheekbone collided with his floor, and though his vision blurred, his hands pushed him up as much as he could. "What-" He tried to blink his vision back to normal, but relying on his hearing came more in clutch when the lock on the window jiggled.

The culprit jimmying the lock open with a coat hanger was none other than Mary fucking Goore. Again. Only this time, they weren't alone. And it seemed like they didn't have a care in Earth or Hell whether or not Copia saw them.

Scrambling back to his feet, Copia stumbled to the window and pressed his hands against it. "You may not enter!"

Mary pouted. "But I missed you!" he whined through the glass, and gave his best puppy-mutt eyes. A mutt that had rolled through a butcher's shop, no doubt. Their friend hung back with their greasy arms crossed. "C'mon, Cardi. I'll tuck you in."

Copia should say no. He couldn't count the number of times Mary had committed B&E, and he knew that they were just gonna find some crack in the wall to squeeze through somehow. It would have been amusing to watch them get caught, but...that friend. The grime that drenched their body made the surprisingly soft features of their face stand out more. The eyes. The sweet little pout, the grumpy pose as they nudged the tip of their shoe into the grass. Shit, the Cardinal was entranced. When their gazes finally met, the friend wiggled their fingers on one hand in greeting, and cracked a half-assed smile.

Mary didn't need a verbal confirmation when they read his face, and finally pushed the window up. "I knew you'd say yes!" Eagerly, Mary hopped up with their legs swinging and held Copia's face to smack a kiss on his lips. "Hey, dollface."

"You smell like low tide." Copia stared them up and down with disdain, even if the bats in his belly fluttered at the sight of them. But he pushed Mary aside to offer a hand to the friend, helping them through. "Scusi, bella. Is this creature bothering you?" Their hand was slippery and difficult to pull, and admittedly, the slimy feeling made him wince. But their touch was still warm, and by the time they were in the room and on their feet, they were practically pressed up against his chest. Their face was at the same level as his, and his whole face flushed red.

"I like your eye," they murmured, and pressed the pad of their index finger against his left cheek.

Mary lightly tugged Copia's earlobe to snap him out of his trance. "Copes-" He shuddered at the bad pet name. "This is Ratty. I thought they'd like you."

"R-Ratty?" Copia blinked. "Oh. Yes, well- eh, yes. I have been known to...well, it's a whole thing. I'm working on this-s story, no, a song. About plague and a metaphor of-"

Ratty just nodded along, humming every few moments to remind him that they were listening.

"Ah, widespread religion is infectious, see, and some followers are like the rats that carried diseases...but I'm not saying you're diseased!" He eyed their oily arms and dirty shirt; he could see why Mary was drawn to them.

Ratty shook their head. "I'm not," they confirmed. "I'm just feelin' a little unwell."

"What?" Copia glanced back at Mary.

Mary took Ratty's hand and glided them over to sit on the edge of Copia's bed. "Calm down, your unholy eminence, it's just cramps. I wanted them to have a safe place to sleep tonight."

Copia brushed the wrinkles out of his robe, but ended up smearing some grease stains over the cotton. His lips pressed together tightly, and tucked it away in his mind as a later problem. "As  man of faith, I do have a duty to aid those in need."

"Widespread faith?" Ratty's shoulders shimmied a little, teasing him.

It was a contradiction, he knew, with his luxurious rooms in a luxurious palace of a church. "I...I suppose so."

Mary guided Copia to sit down as well, and Copia's instinct was always to tilt his head up to await a little kiss from Mary. Mary obliged, and Copia rested a gentle hand on Ratty's back. He rubbed in slow circles, pleased to see that their face relaxed. But he felt a little wrong when something in his pelvis sparked listening to them hum in relief.

"That's nice," Ratty assured him, and shamelessly took his hand to press against the front of their hip. "Right there, please."

Mary shuffled in behind them and rested their chin on their shoulder. "Copia's gonna take good care of you," they whispered, smiling. "He's so attentive."

Yes. Yes, he was. He hadn't planned on taking any lovers to bed tonight, but he couldn't turn them away. He couldn't stop touching them, he didn't mind them leaving traces all over his sheets. The deep, earthy, salty tang of them drew him in closer. He didn't mind Mary's blood-crusty fingers suddenly combing through his hair, and he leaned in as Ratty turned their head and let him kiss them gently. "I'll ease your pain," he whispered, half in his professionally dulcet tone. "Unburden your troubles with me."

"Should I call you Cardinal?" they whispered against his lips.

"If you'd like." A sharp hiss quickly filled his lungs when Ratty guided his hand lower, between their legs. He quickly got the message and attempted to lay them down, only to find that Mary wouldn't budge.

Mary brushed a thumb over his cheek affectionately. "Just let 'em lean on me." They smiled when Ratty's neck craned back, and their head rested on their shoulder. "They're aching real bad, Cardinal."

Copia picked up what the trouble was quickly enough. And by the looks of Mary's mouth, they already tried to ease the cramps before they got here. Figures that he'd get sloppy seconds, but he didn't mind. He was more than happy to treat this fallen angel.

"Wanna feel how good you are." Once Mary got Ratty's pants down past their knees, their legs spread open and revealed a surprisingly clean-shaven pussy, still dripping blood. "Please, help me, Cardinal?"

Now, usually Copia avoided letting church-goers use his title as a kink, but he had exceptions. One bat of their lashes and he was two fingers deep inside them. Moving slow at first, he pumped them in and out of her until they were red-slick, and he buried them as deep as they could go, scissoring them wider.

Ratty keened and bucked their hips up, nodding. They kept a steady hand on his wrist and parted their lips, inviting Mary to slip their tongue in their mouth. Their whines pitched high in the top of their throat, wordlessly begging for more.

Copia couldn't get a good enough angle sitting. He stood up again to hover over the both of them and get three fingers in, now, to curl them better inside their cavern. He was humming softly from his chest, and very aware of the flame burning in his thighs. It almost felt wrong to get so hard from this, but Mary's impure smirk assured him that it was so right.

"Cardinal, could you help a little more?" Ratty bit their lip and arched their chest forward. Copia got a good look at the muscle tank now: All Hail The Rat King. How apt. The knotted tails would have skeeved him out more if all of his blood wasn't in his dick.

With his fingers still moving, though, his thumb pressed against their clit in quick motions. His eyes turned downward to watch himself fingerfuck them, and his l'appele du vide was making sense of why Mary ate them out before they both got here. His mouth watered, and shame itched in his stomach. No, he couldn't. Besides, his room was filled with their shaky panting and whining, so he must have been doing well enough of a job. That didn't mean that it was easy to ignore the cock eagerly pulsing between his legs, however. "My dearest-" His voice cracked. He tried to ignore it. "May I fuck you?"

Ratty didn't hesitate on nodding. "Pull me back." They slid down to the center of the bed, and Copia crawled with them. He peeled their shirt off their body, and nodded at Mary in silent demand that they undress as well. He shed his robe and finally took the plunge to press Ratty's and his chest together, getting himself deliciously dirty. He kissed them like his sanity was slipping away and their arms slipped all over their waist.

"Turn over." Mary leaned back and helped Ratty on their knees, legs spread and hips bucked like an animal. Mary pet their head and neck, grinning down at them. It seemed like Ratty knew just what to do when they took Mary's cock in their mouth. Mary winked at Copia. "You can have some next."

Copia huffed at them and leaned over Ratty, kissing their shoulder before he mounted them and plunged his cock in deep. Their walls were so soft and hot, he shuddered in pleasure and couldn't help but thrust into them again.

Ratty's voice vibrated hard around Mary's head, making them grunt in return. Ratty only freed their mouth to look over their shoulder and nod eagerly, and let Copia's thrusts help set the pace as they took as much of Mary into their mouth as they could. Mary's hips just worked a gentler rhythm, not wanting to choke them.

Copia reached around to keep rubbing soothing motions between their hips as he fucked them carnally, but as they cried out in desperation, he returned to circling their clit until they were practically screaming, tightening around his cock and absolutely shaking. For a moment, Copia felt panic rise as he feared that he pushed them too far, but they let Mary's dick go again and wiggled their hips again eagerly, touching themself in satisfaction. "He is good, Mare."

"I know. Get him on his back." Mary laughed softly and tipped Ratty's chin up to kiss them just as sloppily as before.

Ratty didn't even need to move for Copia to obey and slide forward, laying down next to them. His cock was a deep, glistening red, with only a rivulet of precum cutting through the blood. He could only stare for a few seconds before Mary was sitting on it, grinning down at him.

"You missed this, didn't you?" Mary moaned, arching their back with their legs spread wide open for Copia to get a good look. Apparently, Copia was slick enough for him, since there was no resistance going into his ass. "You missed me riding you, unholy eminence. You missed the way I look when you stuff me fucking silly."

"M-Mary..." Copia's eyes rolled back, but his hand scrambled to grip at Ratty's arm. "Bellisima, how do you feel? Are...are you alright?" He felt a little stupid with the way the mattress bounced from their weight, with Mary's rough motions.

Ratty's fingers brushed over the forming bruise on Copia's face from falling on the floor earlier. "I think you're the pretty one," they purred, and their fingertips dragged along their lips. Bloody fingertips from overstimulating themself.

When in Rome, right? Copia closed his eyes, like that would make succumbing to his any better, and let their fingers press against his tongue. It was filthy, it was sort of humiliating, and Copia wanted more. A squeak escaped him, and he grabbed for their thigh instead. "I need you, Rat. I need...por favore. Use my mouth."

"I knew it." Mary threw his head back with a smug moan, and gripped Copia's ribs. "Drink up, Cardi. Trust me, it's delicious."

Copia didn't have much time to respond with Ratty throwing a leg without a care over on the other side of Copia's face. Their thighs stretched out more in a lazy spread-eagle, and they leaned forward to kiss Mary again. Their cunt pressed hard against his lips, his nose brushing their taint as he sucked on their folds. His own cum was dripping back onto his face, making their taste more sour, but he couldn't stop anymore. It was too good, he never knew he loved being used like this so much. Without a second thought, he spanked their ass hard, just once, and reveled in the yelp they let out.

Ratty bit down on Mary's lip and jerked them off; it didn't take much longer until they were cumming all over Copia's happy trail with that guttural growl that he so famously used instead of singing. But it was a pleasing noise, a feral signal of a well-fucked out gutter rat.

Ratty arched their back as they shared Mary's cum together, and though Copia couldn't see, his other senses were so amplified between taste and smell and Mary still clenching tight around him that he couldn't stop himself from cumming deep inside them. He spanked Ratty one more time before begging for air, and as Ratty pulled up, the blood left  his chin and cheeks cooler. Licking his lips, his cheeks burned in glorious shame.

"Lay with me," Copia begged. "Stay."

Mary patted his stomach and wiggled off his dick to flop down on top of him, earning an annoyed oof from the cardinal. "As you wish."

"You bum," he grumbled, but was easily pacified when Ratty cuddled up against his shoulder. They kissed all over the side of his face, from his jaw up to his temple sweetly. It was apparent that nobody was going to clean up, so he sighed and let his muscles ease. His hand wandered again to take Ratty's, and he found himself smiling again. "Can I keep your friend.

At once, Mary grunted "No", while Ratty giggled with a "Yes."

[blush-reads]

Books I've read this summer (so far!) in a couple sentences or less

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White - 5/28 - Incredibly brutal portrayal of religious trauma and queer rage. I was hooked from the first chapter.

Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall - 5/30 - Suuuuper sexy and fun; I'm always impressed with Alexis Hall's writing, especially his Regency romances. They make me want to dive into Jane Austen's works cause the characters mention them at least a few times in each book.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker - 6/4 - This book is a modern classic for a reason, it is so important to read and it is really tough to at times but I really loved it. I completely fell in love with Alice Walker's writing and the emotions she so vividly portrays, I am definitely going to read more from her.

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner - 6/5 - OMG I loved the chemistry between the leads and was smiling almost the entire book. I am so going to pick up their other book and will hopefully be adding them to my list of must read romance authors.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - 6/6 - Another great installment to a lovely series.

Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers by Lillian Faderman - 6/9 - Taught me so much about lesbian culture and I am so sad that I don't own a copy of this book, because even though I took pictures there's some passages that will stick with me for a long time.

Burn the House Down: A Biography of America's First Woman President by Kenna Jenkins - 6/10 - I love alternate history and for it to be by a self-published writer it was even better. It was truly worth reading.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler - 6/13 - This is truly one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read, and for it to be compared to anything is completely cheap because it is truly one of a kind. I ran to the library the next day to check out like three more of Butler's books.

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells - 6/14 - Murderbot is so great I love it, and this series is incredibly fun to listen to at the gym.

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin - 6/15 - A bit absurd at times but a witty and horrifying work that feels all too relevant right now.

The Fianceé Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur - 6/16 - Bellefleur is one of my favorite romance authors, she's so magical and I am so excited to read all of her future works. I have one left from her backlog and I'm already itching for more.

Season of Love by Helena Greer - 6/20 - The blurbs were right, this is like a Hallmark movie in book form. It was incredibly sweet and I loved the butch representation, butches have my whole heart forever.

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree - 6/25 - Although I am not into D&D, this book was super sweet and soft. Definitely going to read more from this series.

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton - 6/26 - Definitely very hard to read but was one of the better celebrity memoirs out there.

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica - 6/27 - God this book was so horrifying I can't even fully comprehend my thoughts on this book.

Upstream by Mary Oliver - 7/2 - I love Mary Oliver, this was so good and it was top-notch literary analysis.

Educated by Tara Westover - 7/4 - This book was so good OMG my mom was so right to recommend this book to me for like four years because it is completely worth the hype it got in 2018. Everyone should read this book and pass it on to their friends.

[eclipsecrowned]

thinking about how left to her own devices, mary is a butch. the hair stays long for sentimental value, but everything from her wardrobe to her lifestyle skews hard into butch territory. and yet the entity really put her in a pretty new dress and unbound her hair and made her look like female sin post-eden.

and frankly, why wouldn't it? mary was handed over to it like a child receiving a new doll -- or more accurately, a wife being given a new pet from her most devoted. her identity now is whatever pleases that otherworldly master best. it already has a toy or hound like her, something old world and worn down by dust and a life on the road, in caleb. why not have something soft and inviting, an oasis in the desert wastes, a young woman reflecting what she might have been had her people lived? there are enough crones in stories like these. a bright young witch such as herself should have a white-hot spotlight on whatever passes for her beauty.

[imaginedreamwrite]

Criminal: Part 1

1938 – Brooklyn

“I know asking you to be on your best behaviour is out of the question,” Steve piped up before the two of you had finished walking up the stately home belonging to the Barnes, “but could you at least try not to fight with Bucky every moment?”

The rolling of your eyes and the quiet grunt of disapproval of the notion had pulled a weary sigh from Steve. The two of you could never really get along much, not since the day Bucky called you ‘butch’ on the schoolyard for kicking some dolt’s ass after he made fun of Steve.

You growing out of the physical tomboy stage hadn’t changed that. Bucky becoming a playboy and dating every woman who would take him, hadn’t changed that animosity.

“Get him to change the size of his ego.” You grumbled, taking the stone steps up to the front door one at a time.

“Y/N!” Steve hissed, getting as close to pissed off as he could with you. “You can’t say tht-“

“The hell I can’t, Steve!” You turned and stared at your older brother, blue eyes looking into grey. “Its true! Bucky had the ego the size of Manhattan and Brooklyn-“

“-and their family has done a lot for us, Y/N. Since mom died and left us alone, they’ve helped us out.” Steve was trying to reason with you.

“That wasn’t Bucky. That was his saint of a mom and sisters.” You bit back, correcting Steve over Bucky’s involvement.

“Bucky asked me after mom’s funeral if he could do anything. He offered his help.” Steve rang the doorbell to the stately home, mansion rather, and wait for the Barnes family to greet the two of you.

“Pity the Rogers orphans who would be nothing without-“ Steve cut you off with a rather painful jab to your ribs as the door opened and the matriarch of the family appeared in the doorway.

“Come in! You know you don’t have to knock Steve.” His mother greet Steve first, and then you.

“You look beautiful, Y/N.” his mom squeezed your shoulder, flashing a gentle courteous smile your way.

“Thank you for inviting us.” Your voice was dripping with sugar when you spoke to anyone and everyone who wasn’t Bucky. You could stand them, you enjoyed their company.

“You’re like our family.” She stepped aside and motioned for the pair of you to go to the sitting room where the rest of the Barnes would no doubt be waiting dressed to the nines as they celebrate Christmas.

“Be nice.” Steve whispered in your ear as the two of you entered the first sitting room.

Like you had predicted, the four Barnes were in different places of the room with the three girls sitting on one of the deep cushioned couches in front of a serving table while Bucky was leaning against the wall with a whiskey glass in his hand.

“Nice dress.” He commented on your second hand tight fitting dress with a small missing button on the collar.

“What are you supposed to be? Some second rate mortician?” You seethed, moving past Steve while ignoring his pointed look, heading straight for the Barnes sisters. “Or is it insurance salesman? I forget what you’re calling yourself.”

You could feel his cerulean blue eyes digging into you just as easily as you could tell that Bucky had poured himself a drink yet hadn’t actually taken it.

“You get your dress at the dime store?” He questioned, making his way toward your group of girls.

“Along with my knickers. Why, you wanna see em?” The moment you spoke, Steve made a sound of choking surprise, the coughing and grunting he made from his place behind Bucky drawing everyone’s attention except yours and Bucky’s.

You were staring at him, unwilling to back down and concede. You wouldn’t let him get the best of you. You wouldn’t let his already bursting ego grow an inch more due to you backing down despite all of society’s social do’s and don’ts clearly stating that a woman should not be confrontational with a man.

“Y/N!” Becca laughed delicately, slapping your wrist with her fingers. “That’s so bad!”

For the second time in a short while, you ignored Bucky’s presence and turned your back on him choosing to focus on Becca, Marie and Elizabeth instead.

You wouldn’t give Bucky anymore attention than necessary.

Curse him, Bucky thought. Curse him. Curse him. Curse him.

Your presence in their home would’ve been better handled if you weren’t so damn attractive. He could’ve kept his eyes off of you if every time you moved his eyes weren’t drawn to the sway of your hips.

Why couldn’t you have been a flat board with no shape and a crooked nose? Why did you have to have be so buxom and womanly? Why couldn’t you have kept that tomboy body from your early years?

Curse him, you were beautiful. Every god damned thing about you had such a direct impact on Bucky, every stupid little cursed thing.

But you were Steve’s younger sister and you were the bane of his existence.

You were beautiful, alluring and desirable.

Until you opened your mouth, that is.

Until you opened your mouth and became a lippy woman without a single care about propriety or social convention.

Curse him, that only made him more attracted to you.

Curse him, that only made him want you more.

He was one day set to become the head of the Brooklyn mafia, running an empire. Bucky was going to have a small army at his disposal, he was going to become a man of great power and wealth.

And yet, you mouthed off to him. You tore into him at any given moment, throwing whatever punches you saw fit and Bucky let you.

Bucky let you say what you pleased without so much as a single motion to stop you, and he knew full well he could.

Damn him, you were beautiful and you had such an effect on him.

If anyone else had even though to try and pull some of the shit you had…Bucky would run them through.

And yet, you got away with it.

“This is for you!” Becca’s eagerness had lift the heaviness in Bucky’s head and brought him back down to the reality around him.

“You didn’t need to get me anything.” You reached for the wrapped package and set it down on your lap, the softness of your voice drawing Bucky’s attention.

While you were busy looking at the wrapped book in your hand, he was busy watching you. He was busy studying the angles and lines in your face that made you appear as an angel in the moment, fair and breathtaking. If he had been any other man on the face of the planet, he may have thought you were ripped from one of the paintings on the Sistine chapel.

“A first edition?” You questioned upon gazing at the book that was once wrapped. “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Our mom used to read this to us.”

The smile that graced your face was heart-stopping, you were heart-stopping. Shameful then, that you happened to glance at Bucky and notice his staring.

Shameful then, that the softness and the gentleness was replaced by irritance and a scowl.

If only you knew that your gift wasn’t from Becca or Marie or Elizabeth.

If only you knew that it was Bucky who had gifted you that first edition favourite.

Curse him.

Damn him.

[bushs-world]

The Unjust Attack On Strong Female Characters With Masculine Traits

So, I saw posts with bs about strong female character and how these representations are harmful and unrealistic and blah blah. And while they might are written in a way to showcase a problem, if we look carefully, we will find they are full of misogyny and covert hatred.

What's really stupid is that these posts/content rarely critique the character and can't point out one thing wrong with them (without ignoring or lying about canon). They have nothing substantial to back their opinions. Instead, they use generic words like agenda and TERF propoganda to justify their statements. And the usage of such words cause guilt tripping and fear.

But anyways, I will be trying to debunk all these arguments and give my own thoughts on the same.

Are masculine female characters stronger?

The answer is a big, fat no.

It is true that in today's society as in the past, femininity and feminine qualities and hobbies are looked down upon as weaker and inferior to masculine qualities, and a woman that displays certain masculine traits is considered stronger than a woman who displays certain feminine traits. Notice the word certain because if a female character is too butch, or too muscular, then she is hated. It is also true that in most media today, many strong female characters who were traditionally more feminine are made of embody certain masculine traits in order to turn them into a strong female character, like in the Amazon adaptation of Cinderella, which replaced og Cinderella's kind hearted nature with a girl boss attitude. This is a problem since a female character can be traditionally feminine and strong, as well as display certain acceptable masculine traits and still be weak.

But while this an issue, it turns into a problem when people take this framework and start hating on any female character that displays traditionally masculine traits, especially if she occupies a space earlier held by a male character. Like Sylvie.

Here's a few common arguments they make and how these are all flawed reasoning with covert hatred and misogyny.

She's a just man with boobs

Ok, this is the first argument I see and it never makes sense to me at all. Why would you call her a man with boobs?

Because she is a female that isn't stereotypically feminine and has masculine traits and personality. So, let me ask this question, does a woman stop being a woman because she isn't feminine? Why does a woman have to fit into a narrow, antiquated set of ideals to be called a woman, or else she isn't one?

News flash, a masculine woman is still a woman, a feminine woman is still a woman, a butch woman is still a woman, a trans woman is still a woman. No one stops being a woman because she is good at fighting, or because she is closed off or because she is a loner or because she isn't stereotypically feminine.

For example, some people claim Sylvie is just a man with boobs because she is fuelled by her rage and uses force. And I hate to break it to people that women are equally capable of being consumed by rage and being revengeful. Being a woman doesn't mean being a goody two shoes who is incapable of hurting an ant. We are equally complex people, with complex emotions.

And for another thing, this entire idea that women should only have x qualities, and men should only have y qualities just feeds into the outdated gender stereotypes and stunts the emotional growth of each gender. There's nothing wrong with being a woman with masculine qualities just as there is nothing wrong with being a man with feminine qualities.

She is a Mary Sue

This is the next most common argument thrown towards any female character that shows even a bit of competence or shares a place traditionally held by a male character. But in calling a competent female character a 'Mary Sue' and saying that is it because she is showcased as awesome and without any struggles, these people totally ignore any backstory that justifies her strength or competence.

Another very interesting point to note is that this label is mostly attached to female characters who overshine or atleast are on par with a male character. Even if her backstory justifies her competence or strength.

Take Sylvie for example again. She was abducted as a child and has been on the run since then, hiding in apocalypses, all the while the TVA hunted her down. Growing up in such conditions obviously made her good in combat and hence justifies her competence as a fighter, because her survival depended on it. But people conveniently ignore this part of her backstory to label her a Mary Sue just because she is strong.

And that begs the question, do these people think that a woman isn't capable of being good enough at something, even if she has been doing it for a long time just because she is a woman? Do people think our gender makes us inferior to men, that if a competent woman outshines a man in media, then it's only possible because she is being glorified, not because she is capable? Coz obviously it doesn't matter if she has been working for it her whole life, a woman still can't be better than a man coz she is a woman.

Her struggles are unrealistic

Now, I agree that any fictional character has to be relatable and display some basic human struggles for audience to bond with them. But, that in no way means, that their struggles have to fit into your definition of a struggle and mirror your real life experiences for it to be valid else it is unrealistic.

Male characters, especially white males are allowed to stand on their own as their own character, without having to function as a self insert. But when it comes to female characters, people will try to invalidate the struggles of a character as being unrealistic only because they don't exactly match their own life experiences.

So, let me ask you this question that why does every female characters have to function as a representation of the experience of every single woman and why can't they just exist as their own person with their own story, struggles and experiences? Why does a female character have to mirror your life exactly to be valid?

And secondly, her struggles are realistic to whom? Just because you never faced certain problems, doesn't mean other's never faced it. For example, for a person living in the West, the struggles of women in third world countries is going to be unrelatable. But that doesn't mean their struggles aren't valid or unrealistic. And why do you feel the need for a female character to function as your self insert and completely resonate with your life experiences to be valid, otherwise she is just useless?

Coz news flash again, women aren't a monolith. We are all different with different life experiences, struggles and problems. That is the founding principle of intersectional feminity, that our experience as women varies depending on your socio economic status, our religion, our race, our nationality etc. And it is possible for us to have widely varied experiences. If you need a woman and her experience to resemble your own experiences, if you need her struggles to match your own in order to be valid, then that's a you problem.

Coz there are so many things you would never experience unless you don't belong to a certain group or undergo a certain difficulty. This idea that if someone struggles don't match my own, if it doesn't seem realistic to me then those struggles are invalid is a extremely dangerous and exclusionist idea that is often used to discriminate against certain groups and erase their struggles. Coz then it gives privileged people, who have rarely experienced those difficulties to invalidate the struggles of marginalized groups who do experience them, all because these struggles aren't realistic according to their narrow, biased world view.

For example, a lot of Sylvie's struggles arise from her trauma, and while I don't want to superimpose that the struggles of a fictional character is similar to the struggles of real life people, her story draws parallels with stories of children of human trafficking or refugees who are targetted because of their race or ethnicity. And claiming her struggles are unrealistic, is straight up disrespectful to actual people who struggle from such situations. Coz saying being ripped away from your home is unrealistic invalidates the struggles of refugees, saying growing up on the run while being hunted is unrealistic invalidates the struggles of people who are a victim of targeted genocide or ethnic cleansing or those who have to flee to avoid persecution. Such a statement is extremely offensive and insulting to actual victims, even if it is used in the context of a fictional female character.

She isn't a role model

Again, this matches my previous point that a female character should be able to exist as her own character, without her turning into a moral science class for women. Especially since we have a plethora of morally grey, complex male characters that are fan favourites despite not being a role model.

But personally to me, this argument always sounded like a covert way of shaming women characters who don't fit into the image of ms. Goody two shoes. And it also reinforces the century old negative stereotype that a woman can either be a pure, innocent soul or a heartless vamp. And that any woman who isn't pure and innocent is horrible.

Now that doesn't mean that we don't glorify and hail their flaws but a woman isn't invalid or bad, just because she is morally grey. And especially if her place in the narrative is that of a morally grey character.

What baffles me is that these same people who apply such high standards and shame female characters if they fail to stand up to their high moral standards will often justify and defend the wrongdoings of male characters, who do equally bad, or worse things.

In the end, women are capable of being complex, morally grey and flawed. And this critique of women who are treated as flawed in narrative, just because they are flawed is misogynist coz the underlying theme isn't that the character is flawed, that much is supported in the narrative, but rather a hate campaign because the character dared to be flawed and wasn't ms. Goody two shoes.

She is emasculating to men

Now, any critique of a strong, female character isn't complete unless there is a mention of male characters and how their strength is emasculating to male characters. Coz, obviously you can't have a female character without comparing her with a male character.

And this is one of the most harmful argument of all, coz it covertly propagates hatred and paranoia against women empowerment by spreading the fear that strong women will ultimately be harmful for men. It also covertly reinforces toxic masculinity ideals and the idea that losing to a woman or a woman being better than you makes you less of a man.

This argument then serves a double edged sword, where on one hand, it spreads paranoia against women gaining power, thus attempting to keep them caged, and on the other hand, covertly mocks and ridicules men who don't fit into the toxic masculine ideal. Coz these people, who claim to be men activists will very happily exclude men when they fail to achieve the masculine ideal as incompetent and useless.

Take the series Loki for example. On one hand, the antis will hate on Sylvie, saying she was glorified and shown to be more competent and that it was disrespectful for Loki, on the other hand, these same antis who slander Sylvie for overshining Loki, will mock TVA Loki as Larry coz he doesn't succeed, despite the fact that the stakes were staked against him.

This paranoia and fear against women gaining power are also the founding principles of incels, who are fearful of women growing in power and believe that the empowerment of women is responsible for their shitty situation and harm and kill women over these imagined slights.

Guys, there is nothing wrong if a man isn't able to always top a woman, or he is sometimes unable to succeed, or if a woman exceeds a man in some areas. There's nothing shameful about a man who struggles or who needs help. There's nothing shameful if a woman does something better than you. This idea that a man has to be better than a woman is a very toxic one, that not only discriminates against women and sees them as inferior, but also places undue pressure on men to excel and achieve a standard of success according to the society's standards, not their own.

In the end, while these posts seem like such an intellectual critique, in reality they are full of exclusionist and anti feminine agenda that tries to sugarcoat it's hate with imagined slights and problems

[lemoncandybats33]

Head up a lot of headcannon/ AU stuff. Happy 2022 every one, how's every one doing? I've been messing with my art style and was hit with an wave of nostalgia for my OTP Spicerpuff caused me to re-visit my crossover headcannon. Some character Bio's: Jack Spicer (19): Five years after the main story ended. Jack is still trying to take over the world while being forced to study business under his father's command. While his machines have gotten deadlier and he can somewhat hold his own in a fight (just barely though). His entire effort get's blown to smithereens wen the RRB show up. Still the same Jack we know and love but with a smidge more common sense. Fell hard for Blossom the first few weeks and slowly became friends with the girls. Mostly because he kept trying to convince them to become his evil dream team. (Side note Jacks look is inspired by a science look designed by Croxovergoddess on Tumblr who you should all check out and commission if you have the money) Blossom Utonium (20):  Leader, superhero and future Lawyer, or diplomate, or doctor. Truth be told Blossom is still deciding which causes a lot of stress for the perfect leader. Has gotten less bossy out of high school and after a really rough patch in high school with Buttercup the girls are now closer than ever. Didn't like Jack that much at first but after getting to know him began  to enjoy his company. Denies her feeling's and claims that she won't be able to see him after the go home so it doesn't matter. Bubble's Utonium (20): A pure sweat heart who tends to be a mediator of the group and is studying to become a councilor with a minor in teaching. Though she tries to keep an open mind, the wounds of villains pretending to be good has left her apprehensive to most evil doer's. This included Boomer who at one point she dated but broke up after he refused to give up being a villain. Took the longest to warm up to Jack but his baking skills did help (they bonded over snickerdoodles and anime). Buttercup Utonium (20): Still the toughest fighter, Buttercup is currently studying  physical fitness and business, though like Blossom isn't sure what she wants to do. To a lot of peoples surprise Buttercup is more willing to listen to villains. This may be do to a time in her high school years where after a blowout with Blossom went on her own and has dated a few villains including Brick. Didn't like Jack at first but he grew on her. Also Buttercup shipped Jack and Blossom before anyone else. ----- Brick JoJo (20): Still the same hot head as in his youth, Brick longs for power and control. After he and his brother's were fully adopted under Mojo Jojo's care (as HIM was flighty to say the least) they kept up the villain role even after attending high school. While Mojo became a better father over time, Brick feels he would be a better leader by not half assing his attacks(still lowkey love's his dad though). Bricks other relationships aren't any less complicated either, despite being a good leader  Butch only half heartedly listening to his plans and Boomer has become more divisive since high school. Love life is the same as after dating a multitude of girls in high school , including Buttercup and Robin, was recently dumped by Princess for 'Being a sexist prick' (which he blames Blossom for). Currently goes to the same college as the girls under a disguise thanks to Mojo. With the Monks he almost feels guilty for using them but not that much. Gets along with Jermaine and Kimiko the best, while he lowkey want's Raimundo to choke. Boomer JoJo (20): The middle child of the group and hates it. After years of being the punching bag to his brother's Boomer found solace in his job as a mechanic in Pear Cove. Where he made friends with the other workers (Ashe and Marie Kanker), even transferring to Peach Creek High after being Marie's date for a bet, where he met his current girlfriend Nazz. Enrolling into a trade school for mechanics after graduating, Boomer was slowly setting up his future. The only reason he hadn't cut off his family was do to some love and he's worried about what will happen to him after words. So needless to say Boomer isn't thrilled with his new predicament.   He does get along with Clay  and enjoys being the good guy sometimes. Butch JoJo (20): The wild child without a care in the world. Still a reckless jerk, Butch to many peoples surprise has mellowed out a bit. Only being a villain so it can pay the bills or his tab. Loyal to his family with a tough love approach (including apology punches) and isn't sure why Boomer is so set on leaving. Used to flirt with Blossom and Mitch all through high school but hasn't really had a relationship (mostly a few flings here and there). Truth be told Butch was fine with using the monks until he bonded with Omi which is causing him to rethink some things. ------ All the Monks have raised their ranks past Shoku and are quickly becoming Xiaolin master's. Now they have their own temple and are still fighting the forces of evil with Dojo. Just on their own as Master Fung has new student's. (Note Xiaolin Chronicles does not exist in this AU) Omi (15): The same old Omi, only less naïve to the modern world.  Though it took some time Omi did accept Raimundo as his leader and despite claiming he'd be better does respect him. The only current issue is Raimondo's distrust of the RRB (or jealousy of a red puff and Kimiko). At this point he has given up on changing Chase Young but does believe Jack can change. The PPG to as he often gives them speeches on being a good guy. Found himself under Butch's wing with mixed results as he's introduces Omi to adult jokes (which gets him smacked by Kimiko or Brick). His main Wu is still the Orb of Tsunami. Kimiko Tohomiko (18): Still the kind, head strong, almost big sister of the group. Despite being just as stubborn as in her youth, Kimiko is Raimondo's second in command. Often reeling him in and pointing out the flaws in his plan. Started taking online classes on robotics after Jacks robots started to become a problem again. That was until the Rowdy Ruff Boys showed up. Having mixed feelings about the Rrb at first , Kimiko has become their main advocate. Even having a video game night with them (and being the reigning champ) Has secretly been dating Jermaine for a few months but isn't sure how the guys will take it so it's a secret at the moment. Her main Wu is the Tangled web comb and the Akane Flower (made up Wu) Raimundo Pedrosa (19): The Xiaolin Monk of wind and the leader. Raimundo is still the laid back, mischievous, resourceful monk with a more serious, intuitive edge to him. Not usually having a plan Raimondo's on the fly usually works but definingly clashes with Kimiko and Brick. The most talented in using his wind abilities thanks to wind surfing to blow off steam. Can't stand Brick and the feelings are mutual. Clay and Kimiko write it off as to many cooks in the kitchen, but Raimundo's gut is telling him something else. To the point he's started following them and the PPG. Rai's main wu are the golden tiger claws and sword of the storm. Clay Bailey (20): The compassionate, gentle giant who seems to be one with the earth, fully opening up while being a monk. In fact Clay recently has been thinking about passing on the ranch to either Patty or Jessie but doesn't want to upset his parents. Which might be why he bonded so easily with Boomer whom he see's as a little brother. Clays main wu are the Star of Hanabi ( I mean come on it was his families heir loom) and the Fist of Tebigong. Jermaine Thompson (19): Joining the team officially four years ago as the dragon of plant/wood was kind of a culture shock for Jermaine. While yes he had been training under Chase for a brief while it was nothing like training with the Xiaolin monks. Mostly access to modern conveniences though this did give him a chance to bond with Kimiko. Gets along well with Brick of all people as a lot of the redheads anger just washes over Jermaine, especially when they play Goo Zombies. Is currently in a secret relationship with Kimiko whom both agree to keep it under wraps until they know the guys would be okay with it. Jermaine's main wu is the Staff of iron wood. --------------- Some back story, the girls are in there second year of college and Townsville has become a much more peaceful place, with most of the villains becoming older, changing their ways (as with Princess) or seemingly disappearing. Such is the case with HIM who went silent after a huge battle during there senior year or recently the Rowdy Ruff Boys. Not that the girls were complaining much but after Nazz (Boomer's girlfriend) came to them for help. Some where along the way they ended up being transported to the Xiaolin world (IDK how else to explain it) and find out what the boys have been up to. Flash back a few months to the boys. The three of them are planning to rob a bank in Citiesville when there dragged  to a middle dimension where HIM was waiting for them with a mysterious woman who called herself Wuya. There they were given a choice to help them or face HIM wrath (to put it in blatant terms). After being given a brief over view of the world the three are thrown right into the fire. After meeting and unintentional helping the monks. Which gives Brick an idea, reverse their roles with the PPG. After using clips Brick had stored from their time in Villetown, convinced the Monks they were the good guys. Slowly gaining their trust while HIM and Wuya began to full proof there plan. Then the PPG get dropped in and after fighting the monks and unintentionally help Jack escape. Soon after Jack tracked them down and having his but kicked more than he'd like to admit by the RRB and by himself offer the girls a deal. A place to stay if they help him, especially since he broke his arm in their first encounter. The girls agree but on the condition that they will not help him take over the world and would stop him if he tried anything serious. Now the girls are stuck trying to figure out how to get home and how they got here with the help of Jack Spicer. ---- I own nothing but the art. Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Brick, Boomer, Butch @ The Powerpuff girls Jack, Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo, Clay and Jermaine @ Xiaolin ShowdownIMAGE DETAILS

[rory-iero-real]

Here are my notes (live action) :

TW for spoilers

EHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAA I LOVE OLIVIA COLEMAN

Lestrade with sideburns is amazing

Sherlock......... in a PLAID SUIT

I love how this was filmed

Why am I scared

"It's a shotgun wedding" baddie moment

Everyone looks so sexy in the 1800's I love this

"I have some urgent business" IS IT MYCROFT?!?!

M is prob mycroft

Wait do we not get to see Molly?!?!

Rude.

AHHHHHHHH WHAT

I LOVE BUTCH MOLLY HOOPER BUT WTF IS HAPPENING

"It's never twins" he said the thing!!

Not the secert twin-

Can I marry Mr Hooper?

THATS FUCKING CREEPY...

"Now that daddys gone" AHHHHHHH BE MY HUSBAND

"And I should have to go deeper still." cunty

Eating up the Victorian dressing gown

Idek what he just said bud talks too fast

"Who have I been talking to all this time?" Awww sherlock misses his man wife

Why is John being a dick

Ewwww

"If inconvenient, come anyway" he said the thing!! Pt 2

"Shut up" love a sibling rivelry moment w the Holmes boys (if their seeing myc, idk yet)

What..... is happening.....

"Sorry what" me that whole scene bud

The way they are depicting Mycroft is- something

I know it's Canon but like-

Not them betting on Mycrofts life

This makes how Mycroft is in the 2010s feel sadder

Love the brothers bickering

Please get back to case solving

Still trying to figure out where Mary is going

"Those are my specialtys" love that guy

A priest?? GHOSTS?!?

Are those seeds?? Am I dumb??

I'm very confused

HER?!?!?!?!??!

"My sins have found me" DID HE KILL HER?!?!?! WHAT

Was she his ex wife??

That bed looks mad comfy ngl

WHAT??

I'm scared it's too misty

Is he dead?!?¿

HOLY SHIT-

AHHHHHHHHHHHH IM SCARED

The head tilt is giving me the hibby jibbys

NO FUCKING WAY HE JUS DIED RIGHT THERE.

"But he could be" lmao

Watson??

AHHHH MARY YES.

"And I was about to laugh in your face"

So theirs no ghosts??

Babe that was NOT sleepwalking

Sherlock feminist moment

He's so funny

This episode is sideburns central

Ohhh so their orange seeds

IS IT SCURVY??

It's not scurvy.

"The game is afoot" he said the thing!! Pt 3

Dad thinks it's finally twins ("cause it's NEVER TWINS")

I think it's ghosts (I like ghosts)

Love their yapping

IRENE ADLER MENTION

Watson just wishes holmes had game

"A brain without a heart"

DOES HE MEAN SEX?¿?

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH

"Oh Watson, nothing made me. I made me."

REDBEARD!?!??

IS IT A GHOST

I'm dizzy wtf is happening

I'm fr kinda scared

OMG HES DEAD!?

John bby u can't shoot a ghost

WAIT WHO WAS THAT

PLEASE BE GHOSTS PLEASE BE GHOSTS

AHHHHHHHHHHHH NO JOHN PLEASE

AHH GO SHERLOCK GO

"THEIR ARE NO GHOSTS" WHY are u yelling at me Sherlock

Yay Lestrade is back!!

Dude how is it John's fault??

Benny hunnny PLEASE talk slower

THERES A NOTE??

IS IT THE WIFE

YESSSSSSS ITS MORIARTY

"Good boy" I WOULD LET MYCROFT HOLMES THROW ME DOWN THE STAIRS.

If Moriarty doesn't have sideburns I'm turning the TV off/j

HES COOKING LET THE MAN COOK

Mind palace mention

"I just sort of do" I love you Mrs Hudson

THE DEVIL??

NOOOOO SHERLOCK SAY NO TO DRUGS

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HES HERE

"Or are you just pleased to see me?" HE SAID TJE THING!!! pt 4

Not him posing so cuntly

HE WAS IN HIS BED??

HE LICKED. THE. DUST.

DONT SHOOT MY MAN HELP

"where's the intimacy in that" PLEASE kiss

"UGH so what?" WHY IS HE BEING SO CUNTY

Yes. I do need to know how.

PLEASE ANDREW STOP BEING SEXUAL I AM WITH MY FATHER.

"DEAD, is the new sexy." GRRRREAHHHHHHHHHBHHH

WTF. IS THAT.

It's ghosts. It's ghosts.

Wait he was dreaming?!?!?!!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh he WAS dreaming

EXACTLY LIKE MORIARTY

ohhhhhhhhh is that why everything was so- sherlock

Ie. John being "dumb", Lestrade being "weak", Literally JUST made a shot at Mycrofts weigh

Wait now I'm sad

UGHHHHHHH MYCROFT JUST CARES ABT HIM.

IM GONNA CRY

I love Mary

"Yapping?" YAPPING.

"It was my fault" BABY PLEASE I LOVE HIM

HUH?? WHAT IS HAPPENING

I AM TWEAKING IS EVERYTHING A DREAM????

"I could break every bone in your body while NAMING THEM."

Awwwww John just cares

WHAT?? MARY??

"Wear the damn hat" he said the thing!!! Pt 5

I AM SO CONFUSED I LOVE THIS

IS IT CULT SHIT!?!?!?!??!?!?!?¿?

"Being the slow little brother" MARY BADDIE MOMENT

Wait so they're showing how she did it like how they showed Sherlocks

Love that

IS THIS ABT FEMINISM????

ITS ABOUT FEMINISM

This is so cool

But confusing

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MOLLY

SO MOLLY WAS JUST BUTCH IM A GENIUS

I WAS JUST BEING FUNNY BEFORE

New #1 episode

This is so fuckinf cool yall

I LOVE MOLLY HOOPER. SO MUCH.

IT. WAS. ALL. MOLLY.

WASNT IT

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IT WAS MORIARTY.

I KNEW THAT

I ALSO LOVE MORIARTY.

IT WAS ALL A DREAM. I KNEW IT

Slay Mary tech queen

"Smartest person in the room istg" - my dad

YAAAAAAY LESTRADE IS HERE!!! (he's my fav) (can u tell?)

BENADICT. TALK SLOWER.

PLEASE.

"Mary's taking me home" he gets pegged.

WHAT IS HAPPENING

NO. NONONONO

I HATED THAT.

Wait- WTF IS THAT A WATERFALL

Yaaaaaaaaaaaay Moriarty!

Imagine they kiss

"Not in your mind, I'll never be dead there."

DID HE CALL MORIARTY SHORT ASS? I CANT HEAR WITHOUT SUBTITLES

HELP IM SCARED

"SHALL WE GO OVER TOGETHER?"

OMG JOHN AHHHHHHHHHHH YES

"That's not fair there's two of you" waaaaaawaaaaaa poor stinky baby

"Since when do you call me john?"

AWWWWWWWWWW

"Pretty damn smart."

YES MORIARTY. THEY SHOULD ELOPE.

HE JUST GOT KICKED DOWN. THE. WATERFALL.

HE ALWAYS SURVIES THE FALL.

"ITS ELEMENTARY MY DEAD WATSON." HE. SAID. THE. THING.

Awww the little smile

Stumble stumble

"Promise me?" he just CARES AHHHHHHHGGGGGGG

"Look after him, please?" SOBBING.

REDBEARD.

Watching The Abominable Bride w my dad

[nellygwyn]

the woman that made the video, she's the definition of white feminism. once in a video she tried to argue that suffragettes were successful because they dressed nice, which meant that people took them seriously. you can see how flawed this is. if you are gay, black, trans whatever just conform to the norm and you'll get rights!!! she's pathetic and should not be taken seriously in any regard.

Yes, that argument is incredibly flawed and ignores the fact that, sometimes, the 'norm' is both unfair and unattainable for some people, especially if that 'norm' is the expectations of beauty for women in 18th and 19th century Europe. Really, in theory, the Not Like Other Girls argument should mainly target the kind of snot-nosed white women who say things like 'I only hang around with men because it's less drama!!!' and are absolutely gender conforming in almost every aspect, except that they play Call of Duty and drink Red Bull and call that a personality. But unfortunately, in practice, it seems to be collapsing on people of colour, trans people, queer people more broadly, gnc people etc. who aren't doing ANYTHING except 1. living outside the confines of white cishet femininity, and 2. occasionally railing against how unfair it is that they are expected to conform to all of that in order to even be allowed the most minute amount of respect and dignity. In the context of Mary Wollstonecraft's time, expectations of female dress and beauty were rigid enough to mean that gnc women (and arguably, trans-masculine people, although it's hard to put a single label on people who lived 200+ years ago) sometimes faced the full force of the law for their deviation from the norm....Charles/Mary Hamilton comes to mind.

Btw, the woman who made the video (Abby??) has received harassment in the past, mainly from men, who mocked her interest in historical fashion after one of her videos went viral. I'm extremely sorry about that, it can't be good to have your interest denigrated on such a mass scale, especially when it's a generally harmless interest. Men have no business making fun of women's interests point blank period. But I think what's happening inadvertently is she's decided that men being wankers over her interest in women's fashion history is the same as historical women talking, sometimes negatively, about their experiences with contemporary fashions and expectations of femininity, and she is projecting somewhat. She might do well to hear feedback from black women, trans people, butch lesbians etc. about how expectations of white cishet femininity harm them sometimes and it is perfectly okay to say so. It doesn't mean they think feminine white women ain't shit. I mean, even Mary Wollstonecraft was friends with very fashion-conscious women like Sarah Siddons!!!

[lesbianremu]

marauders butch hcs!!

in conjunction with my last post, here r some butch hcs to get the ball rolling!!

marylily: femme4butch

butch: lily

femme: mary

lily realises she’s a lesbian after she kisses james.

she instantly feels this detachment from womanhood n doesn’t feel as connected to femininity as she once did.

she starts experimenting. she cuts her hair shorter, she wears vests n baggier clothes to give her a more masc shape.

mary doesn’t know how to deal with it, bc her best friend is suddenly the most attractive person she’s ever seen.

lily regularly flusters mary, which is a big deal bc Nobody flusters mary.

lily’s confidence grows tremendously and she loves being called handsome.

dorlene: butch4butch

dorcas has always presented masc.

she hates the wizarding robes bc they feel too similar to dresses, so she always breaks dress code n wears pants.

she likes wearing button downs.

her locs must always be kept above her shoulders; she hates having long hair.

marls forces people to call her just that, bc she hates her full name. she deliberately won’t respond to her full name bc it makes her feel feminine.

she grew up ashamed of being tall n lanky, but now she loves it bc it’s affirming.

dorcas exclusively used to pursue fems bc she felt like she had to. being butch, she needed to find a “complementary” fem so she suppressed her feelings for marls.

it wasn’t until she let go of this binary way of thinking, that they got together.

eventually it all builds to a point where dorcas can’t keep up her charade, pretending she doesn’t love marls when she really, really does.

marls was unsure about dorcas’ feelings bc of who she always pursued. she tried not to let it get to her, but she couldn’t understand why dorcas stared at her.

why dorcas should look, when marls isn’t what she wants.

dorcas tells her she looks bc she’s everything she’s ever wanted, n it was the only way she could have her without taking what she wasn’t “supposed” to have.

pandorcas: femme4butch

(my personal fav)

butch: dorcas

femme: pandora

the femme identity is intrinsically linked with butches. it is inseparable from the act of loving butches (platonically or romantically), n in the 70s this was paramount for lesbian couples.

pandora uses her privilege as a femme to protect dorcas and together, they protect each other by being perceived as a cishet couple.

they’re childhood best friends n have always had this solidarity between them b4 they ever fell in love.

dorcas having always presented masc, pandora would help her affirm her identity.

pandora would help with dorcas’ loc retwisting to keep it at that shoulder length dorcas needed.

she would fashion button downs and rings for dorcas out of any materials she could find — they got better with time.

pandora felt her most beautiful whenever dorcas complimented her n when they were just friends, she never understood why.

dorcas who also learnt how to make her own clothes over time, returned the favour n made pandora any dresses or skirts she said she wanted but couldn’t afford.

when they’re older n they have their own house, they experiment with different clothes n styles. their sewing room is so messy, u can hardly see the floor.

they’re each other’s muse, n they create together until their fingers r too stiff to do anything else but hold each other.

[stars-and-soda]

Highlights from the video I mentioned in this tag now that I watched more of the video:

She mentioned that she wanted to acknowledge that some Indigenous people had more fluid concepts of gender and femininity and that's cool and all, but why? It was never mentioned again and it was very clear to me that we were talking about Historical Fashion that was mainly, if not entirely, white settlers and European. Why just mention Indigenous culture? Other cultures also have different relationships to gender than Anglo people.

She called Mary Wollenstone "a bit cringe" but not for constantly comparing middle-class white British women to the trans-atlantic slave trade, the racism and classism and being vague about her feelings of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade as a whole, but for judging other women.

She also said "As much as class is a point of frustration, something has to be said for higher society's women complicated role in gradual shift towards societal equality" (paraphasing). Can we also talk about how many were incredibly racist and themselves benefited from the exploitation of lower class women? Or how many revoltionaries and strikers were poorer women?

Continued on to say, "While yes, today we appluad the unique and celebrate stepping out, admire having strong, progressive views, these behaviours were not historically accepted" Where? Also those women absolutely stepped outside the box and she acknowledges that pften their class protected them so I don't get the point?

Talked a bit about how many historical feminists dressed or even liked fashion, but also had a part about women who dressed as men in the past. I don't get why it's such an issue that masculine women exist in historical drama when you yourself mention people who lived like that. Also used they/them pronouns for George Sand and that's actually cool.

And finally, having a character dress more femininely makes them more nuanced. I cannot stress enough how bad this section and message was. She says that character dressing in feminine and masculine clothing makes them more nuanced, interesting and "relatable and modern" to have them "work within their societial expectations". Cool, what if you can't? What if society doesn't want you? Also, even the whitest, richest historical feminist didn't stay in those bounds, that what made them feminist. She also said she didn't get why a suffragete character was wearing pants at a town meeting.

Also, if you're a tomboy, or a butch or a stud or dress masculine all the the time you're less layered, less relatable, less nuanced, less modern? Truly it is more progressive to accept some of an oppressive system? Is that where we are right now?

The whole video feels like a cis white woman saying a lot of topics that she knows she should and relates to intersectional feminism but not being able to apply them or understand them at all. Truly any neurodivergent, queer, nonwhite, disabled person could have told you that you can't work in a society's expectations when that society wants you dead. I feel like I've been waterboarded by white feminism after this.

Something that really gets me about this whole ultra feminine/ bimbo femininism is that they have a lot of nostalgia for the past to the point that they'll rewrite women to have more control and power than they did. And I can't imagine myself being some multi-talented, voting, and is so progressive 1950s housewife who can't divorce her husband because of who I am. Indigenous women on reservations couldn't vote then and I wouldn't be allowed in bars.

[mo-cs]

got 1 like on the oc thing so. about my oldest oc:

in terms of age (of the ocs i talk about on this blog, i have more), butch. in terms of how long ago they were created, dee. i created her when i was like 14 i should find the og sketch

actually my first ocs were a strawberry shortcake self-insert named vanilla cupcake and when i was in 5th grade i made this like, wild west oc named anne-marie whose backstory is she had powers because her mother was tricked into drinking some bullshit snake-oil elixir while giving birth. she carries a sword with her and is fantastic at swordfighting

[rebamacncheese]

THSR Designer’s Notes: The Suit

This is the fourth in a series of posts where I break down the design choices I made for my illustrated Frozen 3 fan-script, True Hans Soul Rebel. Link here if you haven’t read it: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113293/chapters/66207733

Without further ado, Marie’s suit. 

This suit is next level. Big brain. Peak Marie, as a character. This is when she decides to live bravely - face what she actually wants for the first time in her life, and experiment with self-expression beyond conformity. 

Now, before I go much further on this vein, I should acknowledge that everyone’s gender journey is different. While I like to think Marie’s story has some universal appeal, she’s not meant to, and could never, represent everyone’s experience. Many MTF people glow up from a masculine presentation to a high femme one, and that’s how they live their truth.

But for this story, and this character, I couldn’t see her going from one box of binary expectations to another and finding much happiness that way.  With the suit, she reclaims masculinity - and begins the end of an arc about reclaiming her past actions, her life and all its contradictions. 

Lets break it down. 

The concept of the suit was one of the earliest visual ideas I had for THSR. Here’s a draft, which predates me figuring out what to do with Marie’s sideburns, and most of the plot:

And here’s a slightly later, post-burns draft, which also predates Elsa’s ruffle dress:

Minor color changes and shaping aside, the outline is basically there. All the same things about the fairy tale prince wardrobe that made Hans the most conventional thing in a room make Marie the least. The masculine wear is offset by feminine adjustments to the silhouette - the hair bun, the cinched waist, and the heels. On shaping, Marie’s asymmetrical lapels are a whole choice as well, adapting the boxiness of Hans’ suit jacket for something fragmented, angular, and flattering to Marie’s chest. Gnc af, no attempt at all to appear straight, or even really cis. 

A major inspiration was, of course, Revolutionary Girl Utena. Especially in the waist shaping, themes of defiance, and the palette (we’ll get to colors in a bit)

The whole ball scene, really, is just Beauty and the Beast by way of Utena. Watch out for falling petals, folks!

I ended up changing the skirt-like flared coat tails in the final to a cut that drew more attention to fact that Marie is wearing pants. The pants are going to be a plot point, how Marie’s accidentally clocked by the trolls, so it’s important that they’re uncompromised. 

You have Captain Amelia, fellow sideburns queen, to thank for the new cut:

You also have her to blame for the heels, likely. The heels are impractical, a stretch for the soft butch look, and are really there because I thought they looked foxy. There is some gender-significance to them, if you’ll bear with me. At ~5′10″ (my estimate), Hans was a respectable height for man, while Marie is uncommonly tall for a woman and it’s a source of insecurity for her. Wearing four inch heels anyway, which elevates her a little taller than Kristoff, is a bold flex in that context.  And in Marie’s defense, she didn’t expect to be in action scene that evening. Come the third act, I’m sure she’s grateful that she gets to spend most of the final battle with her feet off the ground. 

The hair bun was, like the best decisions, so simple and something I just did because it felt right, intuitively. But it really makes the look, the capstone if you will, and so I want to talk about how that happened. First, I was watching a lot of Gentleman Jack at the time, and though the bun is just the period, this was in my mind as Victorian Butch Lesbian chic: 

Second, the high bun makes Marie’s profile very reminiscent of the first Disney makeover:

The effect with the suit ends up being a mashup of Prince Charming and Cinderella, effectively Disney canon’s Adam and Eve. 

A note on hair, this is the line I had to walk. I wanted the length to be long on a man, but short for a woman - while still long enough to be bun-able. In other words, Mulan length: 

What are buns? How does gender? Is hair a society?

Moving on. Color!

From the beginning, I wanted the dominant color of the suit to be black, or something very dark. This is in line with what makes Marie romantic to Elsa - she’s brooding, mysterious, anti-heroic. The specific shade I landed on, with midnight blue highlights, matches Elsa’s ruffle dress and ends up matching the black ice of THSR’s title cards. And it pops nicely in the green spring palace. 

The final dark-on-light scheme is an inversion of Hans’ main ensemble in Frozen 1:

And takes the red and gold accents from Hans’ off-white ball ensemble:

This shot is like, the rosetta stone for Marie’s characterization and ancient hansoglyphics btw. 

I see all of the Hans references in the suit design as character-driven on Marie’s end. A part of her walking right up to the line of what she can get away with. She’s almost daring Elsa and Anna to recognize her. 

Earlier versions of the suit played with warm colors more to break up the blocks of black, finding a way to rework the feminine magenta maybe. But, simpler is often better for something memorable, and the suit also has to look good with fiery wings later.

The suit will be destroyed in the end, as it must. 3/3 outfits burned in three days - perfect score, Marie. I do think that after the dust settles, this soft butch style is what she sticks with day-to-day going forward. 

Here’s a version for a christmas special I may or may not get around to:

THSR is a fantasy - on many fronts, including a queer power fantasy. A fairy tale - where my heroine is pressured into a classic feminine makeover, says “fuck it” and shows up to prom in tux. And then the fairest woman at the ball, a goddess in a gown like a waterfall, looks her and thinks “She’s so beautiful, I don’t know how to speak to her”. That’s what the suit is all about, to me, in the end. 

But, y’know, with all the gay, sexy, morally compromised fun we’re having, it seems somebody has gone overlooked, overshadowed. Neglected. What about Frozen’s first heroine? What about Marie’s antagonist?

Next time on the THSR Designer’s Notes, Anna gets off the bench. Watch this space :)