#dwarfism in writing

[a-little-revolution]

Photo ID: two screenshots, one of a past post titled "Please discontinue fantasy 'dwarves'" that can be found here, detailing why fantastical "dwarves" we know from myths and legends featured in media such as Lord of the Rings are problematic. The second is a comment from that post that reads "I doubt that real people care that much about naming cool fantasy creatures (I mean, who wouldn't like to be associated with tough dwarves who have beautiful deep singing voices?) and more about governmental institutions giving them better opportunities"

Hey there lovelies! I received this comment a while ago and I wanted to take a moment to delve into it further - because it really touches on why I started this blog in the first place, and what it's become since then.

I mostly started posting to spread awareness for little people through means of real world education, but due to the nature of tumblr, I was quickly picked up by the fantasy and writing community. I now break down dwarfism representation in media because that's what there's been a demand for (I've now been a consultant on several published written pieces). And we know that the ways marginalized communities are represented in shows, movies, books and even board games affect the way people see them in the real world - it creates stereotypes, bias, and sometimes hatred or disgust. It matters that most of the media out there depicts little people as non-human, burly, labouring creatures. It matters that most films make a laughing stock of bodies like mine. These depictions are the remnants of a world that enslaved little people, that put us on display, owned us as pets, made us entertainment.

Activism is fought at many fronts - whether it be legislation, public access, human rights, or representation. On this platform I reach over 1800 people, many of whom are authors, artists, creators and character designers. I do my part to change some minds, and in the real world I do public speaking, community outreach, and sticker graffiti (I'm also writing a book). There are lots of other little people fighting for all kinds of things - I'm doing what I can with the spoons that I have, and hopefully that inspires some progress.

[hussyknee]

PSA: Please for the love of God stop using the word "cretin". It's a slur for people born with congenital hypothyroidism (CHT, that used to be called cretinism) that causes physical and intellectual disability.

I think it's unrealistic to expect a blanket moratorium on insults about intelligence, but words like "mong/mongoloid" (anti-Asian slur later applied to people with Down Syndrome), "spaz", "downie", "midget" and "cretin" refer to people born with specific developmental disorders. If you care enough not to use the "r–word", please steer clear of these as well.

[uncannyshark03]

Bro when I was doing I little mixed reality doodle ,I was thinking about like imagine a borrower meeting someone with dwarfism and just like automaticly thinking they are a child an being terrified while the human is just like "hi",ngl I think it would be really wholesome after a while like a convo like:

Borrower: pipsqueak.

Human:BRO your literally like 3 inches tall!

Borrower:well I am very tall for a borrower,you are veryyy short for a human.

Human:...

Borrower: exactly!

Human:shut up..>:(

[cripplecharacters]

Where to Start Your Research When Writing a Disabled Character

[large text: Where to Start Your Research When Writing a Disabled Character]

So you have decided that you want to make a disabled character! Awesome. But what's next? What information should you decide on at the early phrase of making the character?

This post will only talk about the disability part of the character creation process. Obviously, a disabled character needs a personality, interests, and backstory as every other one. But by including their disability early in the process, you can actually get it to have a deeper effect on the character - disability shouldn't be their whole life, but it should impact it. That's what disabilities do.

If you don't know what disability you would want to give them in the first place;

[large text: If you don't know what disability you would want to give them in the first place;]

Start broad. Is it sensory, mobility related, cognitive, developmental, autoimmune, neurodegenerative; maybe multiple of these, or maybe something else completely? Pick one and see what disabilities it encompasses; see if anything works for your character. Or...

If you have a specific symptom or aid in mind, see what could cause them. Don't assume or guess; not every wheelchair user is vaguely paralyzed below the waist with no other symptoms, not everyone with extensive scarring got it via physical trauma. Or...

Consider which disabilities are common in real life. Cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, stroke, cataracts, diabetes, intellectual disability, neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, thyroid disorders, autism, dwarfism, arthritis, cancers, brain damage, just to name a few.

Decide what specific type of condition they will have. If you're thinking about them having albinism, will it be ocular, oculocutaneous, or one of the rare syndrome-types? If you want to give them spinal muscular atrophy, which of the many possible onsets will they have? If they have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which one out of the 13 different types do they have? Is their amputation below, or above the knee (it's a major difference)? Not all conditions will have subtypes, but it's worth looking into to not be surprised later. This will help you with further research.

If you're really struggling with figuring out what exact disability would make sense for your character, you can send an ask. Just make sure that you have tried the above and put actual specifics in your ask to give us something to work with. You can also check out our "disabled character ideas" tag.

Here are some ideas for a character using crutches.

Here are some ideas for a character with a facial difference (obligatory link: what is a facial difference?).

If you already know what disability your character is going to have;

[large text: If you already know what disability your character is going to have;]

Start by reading about the onset and cause of the condition. It could be acquired, congenital, progressive, potentially multiple of these. They could be caused by an illness, trauma, or something else entirely. Is your character a congenital amputee, or is it acquired? If acquired - how recently? Has it been a week, or 10 years? What caused them to become disabled - did they have meningitis, or was it an accident? Again, check what your options are - there are going to be more diverse than you expect.

Read about the symptoms. Do not assume or guess what they are. You will almost definitely discover something new. Example: a lot of people making a character with albinism don't realize that it has other symptoms than just lack of melanin, like nystagmus, visual impairment, and photophobia. Decide what your character experiences, to what degree, how frequently, and what do they do (or don't do) to deal with it.

Don't give your character only the most "acceptable" symptoms of their disability and ignore everything else. Example: many writers will omit the topic of incontinence in their para- and tetraplegic characters, even though it's extremely common. Don't shy away from aspects of disability that aren't romanticized.

Don't just... make them abled "because magic". If they're Deaf, don't give them some ability that will make them into an essentially hearing person. Don't give your blind character some "cheat" so that they can see, give them a cane. Don't give an amputee prosthetics that work better than meat limbs. To have a disabled character you need to have a character that's actually disabled. There's no way around it.

Think about complications your character could experience within the story. If your character wears their prosthetic a lot, they might start to experience skin breakdown or pain. Someone who uses a wheelchair a lot has a risk of pressure sores. Glowing and Flickering Fantasy Item might cause problems for someone photophobic or photosensitive. What do they do when that happens, or how do they prevent that from happening?

Look out for comorbidities. It's rare for disabled people to only have one medical condition and nothing else. Disabilities like to show up in pairs. Or dozens.

If relevant, consider mobility aids, assistive devices, and disability aids. Wheelchairs, canes, rollators, braces, AAC, walkers, nasal cannulas, crutches, white canes, feeding tubes, braillers, ostomy bags, insulin pumps, service dogs, trach tubes, hearing aids, orthoses, splints... the list is basically endless, and there's a lot of everyday things that might count as a disability aid as well - even just a hat could be one for someone whose disability requires them to stay out of the sun. Make sure that it's actually based on symptoms, not just your assumptions - most blind people don't wear sunglasses, not all people with SCI use a wheelchair, upper limb prosthetics aren't nearly as useful as you think. Decide which ones your character could have, how often they would use them, and if they switch between different aids.

Basically all of the above aids will have subtypes or variants. There is a lot of options. Does your character use an active manual wheelchair, a powerchair, or a generic hospital wheelchair? Are they using high-, or low-tech AAC? What would be available to them? Does it change over the course of their story, or their life in general?

If relevant, think about what treatment your character might receive. Do they need medication? Physical therapy? Occupational therapy? Orientation and mobility training? Speech therapy? Do they have access to it, and why or why not?

What is your character's support system? Do they have a carer; if yes, then what do they help your character with and what kind of relationship do they have? Is your character happy about it or not at all?

How did their life change after becoming disabled? If your character goes from being an extreme athlete to suddenly being a full-time wheelchair user, it will have an effect - are they going to stop doing sports at all, are they going to just do extreme wheelchair sports now, or are they going to try out wheelchair table tennis instead? Do they know and respect their new limitations? Did they have to get a different job or had to make their house accessible? Do they have support in this transition, or are they on their own - do they wish they had that support?

What about *other* characters? Your character isn't going to be the only disabled person in existence. Do they know other disabled people? Do they have a community? If your character manages their disability with something that's only available to them, what about all the other people with the same disability?

What is the society that your character lives in like? Is the architecture accessible? How do they treat disabled people? Are abled characters knowledgeable about disabilities? How many people speak the local sign language(s)? Are accessible bathrooms common, or does your character have to go home every few hours? Is there access to prosthetists and ocularists, or what do they do when their prosthetic leg or eye requires the routine check-up?

Know the tropes. If a burn survivor character is an evil mask-wearer, if a powerchair user is a constantly rude and ungrateful to everyone villain, if an amputee is a genius mechanic who fixes their own prosthetics, you have A Trope. Not all tropes are made equal; some are actively harmful to real people, while others are just annoying or boring by the nature of having been done to death. During the character creation process, research what tropes might apply and just try to trace your logic. Does your blind character see the future because it's a common superpower in their world, or are you doing the ancient "Blind Seer" trope?

Remember, that not all of the above questions will come up in your writing, but to know which ones won't you need to know the answers to them first. Even if you don't decide to explicitly name your character's condition, you will be aware of what they might function like. You will be able to add more depth to your character if you decide that they have T6 spina bifida, rather than if you made them into an ambiguous wheelchair user with ambiguous symptoms and ambiguous needs. Embrace research as part of your process and your characters will be better representation, sure, but they will also make more sense and seem more like actual people; same with the world that they are a part of.

This post exists to help you establish the basics of your character's disability so that you can do research on your own and answer some of the most common ("what are symptoms of x?") questions by yourself. If you have these things already established, it will also be easier for us to answer any possible questions you might have - e.g. "what would a character with complete high-level paraplegia do in a world where the modern kind of wheelchair has not been invented yet?" is more concise than just "how do I write a character with paralysis?" - I think it's more helpful for askers as well; a vague answer won't be of much help.

I hope that this post is helpful,

mod Sasza

[autumnhobbit]

i obviously do not have dwarfism (though a mild form of it likely runs in my family) but i gotta admit i am absolutely baffled by peter dinklage’s takes here. they don’t live in a cave? how dare disney portray little people as *reads smudged writing on hand* kind hardworking people who live an adorable life in a little cozy germanic cottage, are friends with woodland animals, care deeply for each other, shelter the main protagonist who is an innocent child from murder by her stepmother which puts their own lives at risk??? how is this offensive???

[i-smoke-chapstick]

Request: I'm already back for more. As l've already told you I love your interpretation of a reader with dwarfism and since you are okay with me requesting more, can I get multiple headcanons of Gotham!Rogues x Dwarf!reader with just either simply day to day headcanons or their first reaction to meeting/seeing them? Rogues including jervis(obv Imao), Jerome, Oswald, Victor fries, Zsasz, and ra's al ghul!

The plot can be the reader being similar to the Cheshire Cat or Nightcrawler when it comes to teleportation powers. They're friends with Barbara, Selina, and Tabitha. The rogues always see photos on them on the news, newspapers, and sometimes in person but if they even get caught staring, reader teleports themself and whoever they're with away, so they don't really get a chance to talk or know them.

Like last time, only write this if you're okay with it and I'll understand if you can't or just don't want too!

Thank you tons again! - anon

‘VOULEZ-VOUS,

-GOTHAM VILLIANS X READER-

⋆ Characters ↬ Jervis Tetch, Jerome Valeska, Oswald Cobblepot, Victor Fries, Victor Zsasz, Ra's Al Ghul

⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 ; gotham villians with a cheshire cat!reader who has dwarfism!

⋆ tags/warnings. GOTHAM!villains x female reader. FLUFF! I love readers power SOSOSOSO much! Super creative <3 Also villians being whipped for reader just cuz they can. Protective Tabitha. REALLY protective Oswald. Jerome's a bit insensitive. Victor Zsasz is not immune to a pretty girls smile. Have never written for Victor Fries or Ra's, so fingers crossed their parts aren’t too bad! Ra’s and Fries parts got a little angsty

𝐽𝐸𝑅𝑉𝐼𝑆 𝑇𝐸𝑇𝐶𝐻

♫ “Across the room, your eyes are glowin' in the dark." Voulez-Vous by ABBA

Oh, the man is completely enthralled with you. How could he not be? You're the missing piece to his wonderland puzzle.

Similarly to Alice, he believes your powers go hand and hand with each other. He rules the mind, while you have complete control of your body. His first thought when he see's you in the newspaper is simple.

He must have you.

He will do anything it takes to track you down. He finds himself becoming more and more entranced with the prospect of you working with him, partners in crime, connected body and soul. Of course those feelings of admiration become obsession.

Before you know it, the man is going lengths to find you; just like how he was with Alice. Hiring Jim Gordon as a bounty hunter? Mayhaps...

When he finally finds you at the siren's club, he can't help but be in awe. You're so small, so fragile, so unique. He wants to kiss your flattened cheekbones that look like pure porcelain. Your his doll.

"My dear, Y/N!" He's calling when he finds you, his teeth spread into a wide grin. He finds your eyes quickly turning to meet his gaze, glowing underneath the club's light. His shadow towers over you.

"You look ravishing, I must admi-" He goes to speak, just before you disappear from thin air. His mouth is open for a few moments, eyebrows scrunched.

Where did his precious little Cheshire Cat go?

Oh yeah, he's pouting. He's never been a fan of the disappearing act. But he doesn't mind. He's determined. He's played this game with Alice for far too long, he will not take no for an answer.

You'll find notes, gifts, flowers, dresses tailored to your sizing. All perfectly crafted from Gotham's most professional hypnotized seamstresses or florists.

Barbara is smirking when she finds the gifts, cackling about how sweet small little Y/N has a loony admirer. Tabitha's less than pleased, throwing out any bouquet she finds before you see them. Selina agrees, the guy's a freak.

It's up to you if you want to give him a chance <3 He would be the most devoted lover and partner if you decided too...if not a bit overly infatuated.

𝐽𝐸𝑅𝛰𝑀𝐸 𝑉𝐴𝐿𝐸𝑆𝐾𝐴

♫ “Nothing promised, no regrets." Voulez-Vous by ABBA

Uh oh! Murderous clown on the loose, and he's also 100% fixated, just like a certain hatter.

Jerome brushes you off at first, don't get him wrong, he adores your work on the city. Nothing he loves more than seeing some horribles destroy Gotham! He's a fan, if you could call him that.

It takes him some time to warm up to the idea of being whipped. But once he is, you have him wrapped around your pretty little finger.

Similar to Jervis- he can't help himself. You're powerful. You're strange. You're a freak just like him and the rest of these bad boys in Gotham! You remind him of the circus, all different shapes and sizes of people around him. You belong with him. By his side. On his side. Maybe sitting in his lap... What?

Yeah, he's not sure where that came from either. But hey, he's not complaining! He likes to think he's a bachelor, a young beau waiting for his turn in the love game! Before he knows it, he's slicking his hair back, putting on his finest and most colorful suits, and making sure his face is stapled all the way. Then he's getting his cult to crash the Siren's club. Moment of silence for Tabitha who will have to clean it up after.

The place is a shit show, people in makeup dancing wildly and giggling manically. Tabitha, Barbra, Selina and you get tied up in the confusion. It's hard to fight back against a bunch of crazies when your expensive alcohol is being thrown at walls, and you four are simultaneously tied up together in one big rope. Barbra's throwing a bit of a hissy fit.

Everyone is quiet when Jerome enters, dressed to the nines, with a loud and boisterous,

"Hey gorgeous! I'm sure you've heard of me," He speaks, bending down to your level, invading your personal space. He goes to continue, until the four of you evaporate before him. Teleported away. He's left staring at the loose ropes, smile unchanged- but eyes widened in surprise.

Oh. Okay. So that's how it's gonna be. Alright.

Jerome loves a game of cat and mouse.

He craves attention. He loves the center stage, and he will not be ignored. No no no no.

He will not leave your club alone until you confront him. Yeah, sorry Babs and Tabs. Barbara will start urging you to just "sleep with the damn clown!" while Tabitha is trying desperately to not have you anywhere near that creep.

But the club isn't all he'll do, doll! No, he'll get his cult to do more and more mass murders and sprees across the city, each one broadcasted on live television. Each time, he looks into the camera, blood on his face, professing his undying love.

"This is for you, Y/N!" He's showcasing the violence around, "Call me!" He gestures, ending the broadcast abruptly.

Well, kind of hard to ignore a man when your club is in shambles, Barbara is going batshit insane, AND you have Jim Gordon trying to find you; just in order to stop these massacres around the city in your honor.

Once again, you should give the man a chance! He doesn't think he'd make a horrible boyfriend, y'know, if you're into gingers.

𝛰𝑆𝑊𝐴𝐿𝐷 𝐶𝛰𝐵𝐵𝐿𝐸𝑃𝛰𝑇

♫ “Take it now or leave it." Voulez-Vous by ABBA

Ozzie's a bit harder to gauge, because I don't think he'd become infatuated with someone unless he got to meet them first. So for arguments sake, we are just going to say you two have meet previously on many occasions! Specifically when he's had some bad blood with Barbara and Tabitha.

At first, he detests you. He thinks you're a nuisance, and a powerful tool for the Siren's. You can escape from ANYONES grasp, and take them with you. His nose is scrunching up every time he thinks of just how he can get rid of you.

Well, if he can't get rid of you, he's well versed in manipulation. Perhaps he can convince you to join his team.

You're going about your day at the club, tending bar on a step stool, the usual. Oswald comes in, Victor trailing behind him. Tabitha and Barbara are instantly on alert.

"Hello." Oswald fixes his suit jacket, rolling his cane in his fingertips. He wears a faux smile, and Tabitha huffs.

"What can we help you with, Ozzie?" Barbara is smiling, just as fake as his. It's a weird Gotham crime boss stand-off.

"I was wondering if you, my dear," He speaks, suddenly nodding down to you, "Would like to accompany me for lunch tomorrow."

Yeah, everyone's jaws drop, including Oswald's at the silence. Oswald didn't necessarily intend for it to sound like he was trying to ask you on a date. He's flushing red under everyone's gaze, suddenly fidgeting. If you look closely, Victor's giving a lazy amused smirk in the back.

"Like hell-" Tabitha's about to answer for you, before you squint at the man.

"Sure." You scan him up and down, hesitantly. Before anyone has a chance to speak, Oswald's turning on his heel.

"Wonderful! 2:00 sharp. Don't be late." He's smiling, knowing he's got a one-up on the Siren's.

...Well, leave it Oz to have things never work out quite his way. One lunch turns into two, and two turns into three. He's forcing himself to remember why he's doing this; you are just a tool. This is all a charade!

Hard to focus though, when you two seem to enjoy one another's company. Like when you show him what it feels like to teleport, (He's closing his eyes in fear, only for it to feel like nothing.) Or when you two have a strangely intimate discussion about what it was like growing up not very normal.

He's opening up about his schoolyard bullies, about his mother. About the feeling of being taunted, teased for his nose or height. You tell him, you know the feeling.

He stares at you, eyes focused solely on you. He's enamored.

He turns viciously protective over you. Any snide comment made towards you by a henchman of his, or a frequent at the Siren's club, they are brutally stabbed to death, a bit impulsively, with a bottle shard.

When he realizes he's falling in love with you, similar to Jervis, he likes doing grand gestures to get your attention. If there's anything you desire, you'll get it. Which is why when he finds out you're avoiding him, he becomes sour.

What? Why are you leaving him? He doesn't understand. The intimacies you two have shared, did they mean nothing to you? He's hurt, he's angry, he's aggressive. He's more irritable than usual; and judging from the fact he's irritable ALL the time, it's pretty bad. If you don't explain yourself, this sadness will probably turn into anger. He already believes you two have some weird pseudo-romantic relationship, so he's taking this like a break-up. He's a vengeful ex.

Whenever he stops by the Siren's club, and sees you teleport away at the sight of him, it stings. It all comes to a head when he's breaking down in his mansion. You will have to be the one to confront him, because he'll be too busy sulking. He loves you. He doesn't want to make you uncomfortable. If you don't want to talk to him, he won't force you, even if he's going crazy trying to figure out why.

When he sees you, he's standing up in a hurry, fumbling over his words, sniffling. His blue-green eyes are puffy, and you'll have to sigh and talk to him.

Please, tell him why your avoiding him. Explain if you're insecure, if you're scared of loving. He'll be thankful for the explanation. He'll be angry on your behalf for anyone who made you believe you were unloved, whether for your dwarfism or your powers. He's promising to kill for you, tear down the city to avenge you.

"Okay, Oz, I'm not dead yet."

"Yet?!"

Cuties <3

𝑉𝐼𝐶𝑇𝛰𝑅 𝐹𝑅𝐼𝐸𝑆

♫ “Now is all we get." Voulez-Vous by ABBA

Forgive him, he’s trying his hardest not to care, and failing miserably.

Similarly to Ozzie, I can’t see him becoming infatuated or obsessed like Jerome and Jervis so quickly, not since what happened with Nora. So, I’m imagining you’ve also met him once or twice; using your powers for the sirens, just like he and firefly have done some hitjobs for you four in the past.

He’s in love with the idea of having a family; of being accepted, of leaving this life behind. It’s made him bitter, cold; but the man will do anything for love. Anything.

And it’s hard not to notice the small woman running around on her toes in the club, parts of her body vanishing here and there. You’re gorgeous to him. Those small cheshire-like smiles you send him when he’s supposed to be working. They break his hard exterior. He doesn’t know if he loves or hates it. He loves it.

Even a small pit of jealousy fills him, whenever he sees you in the news. Or when he watches silently on the sidelines, while you talk with Barbara and Tabitha and Selina. You do it so effortlessly. How could anyone not be entranced by you?

He thinks that he’s a freak. Firefly’s a freak. Just like Jerome and Oz, he definitely finds solace in the idea you are just like him. You’re one of them; a freak. Pushed out by Gotham’s careless inhabitants, forced into this life. He remembers being driven out of town by Penguins army. He wonders if you’ve expirenced the same treatment at one point in your life. He wants to show you, he’s here for you. He loves you, every part of you. No matter how unconvential or mistreated. He just wants to take care of you.

Just like Oz, he’ll be ready to kill anyone for you. Freeze em’ to death in one single sweep. Just give him the go ahead.

Victor is terrified of hurting you, as well. Not only your tiny stature, but he’s sure he’d get ice burns from his fingertips. He imagines a life where it’s just the two of you, without the cold, back when he was just himself. He dreams of cooking for you. Owning an apartment. Even having a family. He swears, he’d be gentle. But he’s too uncertain. He isn’t good enough, and he certainly isn’t good for you.

You’ll have to be the first person to talk to him, warm up to him. He might not state it directly, other than a nonchalant nod here and there, but it makes him feel special. It’s the little interactions you two have that make him fall helmet over heels.

You two will spend hours, at the club, watching from the sidelines. Barbara and Tabitha out on business, Selina doing…Selina things. You’ll poke fun at the passerby’s to get a reaction out of him.

“Oh god, I just saw that guy kissing that girl- what’s he doing with that other chick?…Oh- they are making out. Oh, okay, he’s taking him to the back. I’ll give you $20 if Barbara kills this guy for doing it on her desk.” You’re snickering, gossiping. Every now and then you look over at him to see him already staring at you, the hint of a smile on his lips. It’s all you’ll get for now…until he responds.

“…Guess you’ll owe me $20 then.” He’s firing back, voice low. It’s the first time he’s spoken. The first time you’ve seen him do something other than brooding. It’s sweet.

These little things will become routine, and he’ll find solace in them. Eventually you’ll even play some tricks with your teleportation on the clubs costomers, scaring them, bumping into them. All the while you’re watching him in the corner, smiling, exhaling through his nose. He playfully scolds you sometimes, other times he chuckles. Either way, it’s a sight to see.

God, please don’t dissapear on this man. I don’t think he could take it. Gotham be damned, if you ever find yourself scared of him, he’d be broken. He’d think it was his fault, he’d think he lost his second chance at love. If you ran away from him, he might just up and leave Gotham.

But even if you did try to avoid him for awhile, I think he’d let you go without a fight. He’d just be more sulky than usual, more prone to picking petty fights with Firefly. You might find the room uncomfortably cold, even when he’s not occupying it. (He froze the AC to the club, he was upset. Sorry Barbara.)

I think he’s the only one on this list of characters that Barbara, Tabitha, and Selina might all actively approve of. Barbara wouldn’t mind having a henchman dating her bestie; soldifies his loyalty to them. Also, he’s good eye-candy. Tabitha doesn’t have any personal issue with the man, other than previously working with Penguin, of course. Selina will still make fun of him for being a walking freezer, but hey, what can you do. You have their blessing.

If you caught him before he decided to up and leave, explain to him why you run away, why you’ve been avoiding him. He won’t just understand, he’ll practically worship you. He’ll explain himself too, why he’s terrified of touching you. It’s not because of your dwarfism, or your powers. It’s just how he’s afraid of hurting or loosing you. Loving people is hard.

If he could cry, he would. But his tears will freeze when they touch his cheek. You’ll have to show him you aren’t fragile. He’ll believe you.

You guys can heal eachother.

𝑉𝐼𝐶𝑇𝛰𝑅 𝑍𝑆𝐴𝑆𝑍

♫ “The girl means business, so I'll offer her a drink." Voulez-Vous by ABBA

THIS Victor, on the other hand, is much more brash in his approaches to courting you.

He’s heard about you on the radio, from his boss, seen you in the newspapers, on the tv, watched you from the window in your apartment.

…What? Who said that?

He studies your every move. The man is calculated in his methods, what can he say? He’s not obsessed! (loud incorrect buzzer)

He just wants to size you up a little, see who the newest danger is in Gotham. He’ll convince himself he’s doing it for his boss, whether it be Falcone or Penguin. But it definitely goes deeper.

Unlike the other villians on this list that see your dwarfism as something to empathize with, Victor doesn’t really pay it any mind. He’s been around the block a few times- he’s been with women of all ages, heights, race, etc. The man really doesn’t have a type. What he’s attracted to is strength, independence, someone who will laugh at his dry humor with him. He’s stalked you at the club. He sees the way you banter with Tabitha and Selina, the way you make Barbara dissapear when she’s being too annoying with a flick of your wrist.

He’s incredibly attracted to a woman whose witty and good at what they do. Just like him.

Victor’s more subtle in his approach. He’ll make it casual.

So when you’re at the bar in the club, sitting around, watching the passerby’s, he’ll make his move.

“Now, what’s a girl like you doing here, alone?” He sneaks up behind you, giving you a start. You flush red at the man in front of you. Victor Zsasz. The words are spoken as he drums his fingers on the bar, cocking his head at your short frame. He towers over you, caging you in.

When you don’t speak, it doesn’t phase him. You’re about to teleport away in an instant, until he drawls your attention back to him with a lazy smile.

“So…” He whistles. “What’s your drink of choice? Wait- Let me guess.” The man doesn’t stop talking, listing off drinks that are most definitely not your drink of choice.

He watches you all the time. He knows exactly what your favorite drink is. But he wants you to stay.

It’s a bit awkward, a bit intimidating, and strangely charming. He speaks with an inflection that borders on sarcasm and curiosity. It’s intriguing, coming from Gotham’s most dangerous hitman.

“Can I ask-“ You squeak, now nursing a drink he ordered for you. It’s a Vodka Cran, and it could be worse. “…Is there a hit on me?”

He stares at you expressionless for uncomfortably long, before it forms into something quizzical.

“…Nah,” His voice is slow. He clicks his tongue. “Just an admirer.”

There’s an awkward scilence. He shrugs.

“Y’know. I’m a big fan of this place. Like the ambience.” He sips his own drink, you don’t know what it is. Just as his words sound out, you swear you can overhear a gunshot in the distance, probably from Barbara’s meeting with some other underground boss. Somehow, the sentiment makes you laugh.

He perks up at the sound.

You aren’t used to this. Someone being so casual about you, your powers, your small stature. He’s a bit flirty from time to time, but between the alcohol and his quips, you don’t seem to mind. He seems oddly genuine in his demeanor with every compliment or joke that slips.

You two keep the banter going for the rest of the night. Mostly chatting about how tiring your respective bosses can be. He does a poor drunken impression of Penguin, and you do one of Barbara. It’s a relaxing night in comparison to what you usually expirence living in Gotham.

You think you only see him every so often. Coming by the club whenever Penguin comes, or when a job is sent out, and his target is there. He’ll always send you a wink when he leaves, blood on his face.

But he sees you every day.

Yeah, the stalking only worsens. If you find your phone in different places throughout the day, or your window reopened, he’s the reason why.

He’s fine like this. In his head, the two of you are going steady. He’s pretty committed. You’re his girl, and that’s that.

Until you start avoiding him like the plague.

Zsasz WILL find a way to confront you. He doesn’t care if you teleport away each and everytime. He’ll find a way to get the message clear, through other means.

If you find a “talk to me.” with a smiley face, written with some poor saps blood, on your mirror, I apologize. He’s gotta get the message sent somehow.

Yeah, he won’t give up. He’ll go great lengths to get you two back together. He’s also listening to disco break-up ballads to cope. He’s getting the zsaszettes to stalk you when he can’t. If you still won’t budge, yeah, Tabitha might end up with a gun pointed at her head until you talk to him.

He’s not necessarily angry, but chasing after you is certainly taking a toll on him. Give the guy some credit.

Tabitha, still with a gun pointed at her, will be barking at you to not talk to him. He’s a creep, he’s an asshole, and you shouldn’t compromise your honor! (His eye will twitch at her words, trigger finger itching.)

Up to you what you decide to do! Explain the situation, talk to him, make things official, or…bye bye Tabitha. And that still won’t stop him. He doesn’t take rejection very seriously.

When you tell him exactly why you teleport yourself away, he’s the only one on this list who might think it’s stupid. He’ll understand, don’t get me wrong, but this is Gotham! Why would you be insecure? He garuntees you he’s met at least ten other people with far worse skeletons in their closet. You’ll have to teach him that’s not the issue.

Yeah, our little sociopath has a hard time with feelings. But I think you two would maybe be good for eachother! Teach him to listen more, whip him up into shape, and reap the benefits of having Gotham’s number one hitman as your personal bodyguard and lover. He’ll take you to stakeouts, make fun of Jim Gordon, crash your place. You two can watch Netflix under the blankets. He loves your size- cuddling into you like his own personal pillow.

Tabitha’s very dissapointed.

𝑅𝐴’𝑆 𝐴𝐿 𝐺𝐻𝑈𝐿

♫ “I'm really glad you came, you know the stars, you know the game.” Voulez-Vous by ABBA

May god have mercy on your soul, reader. Ra’s is a sight to behold when he’s in love.

He heard whispers of your name all around Gotham. He sees you on the news when he’s absentmindedly listening. A girl who can teleport herself and others, to any location? Even the power to control which body parts you maneuver. Extrodinary.

He’s immeadiatley infatuated with your power. He wants to covet you. Possess you. Have you close to him. He needs to see your power for himself.

He’s similarly calculated in his response to tracking you down. He will appear at the club, slinking into the shadows, whispering a quaint,

“Hello.”

It makes you jump, and as if on instinct, you teleport yourself away. He marvels at the way in which you do so right infront of his eyes. How rare it is, for him to be so easily confounded.

He must see you again.

You’ll feel his presence every now and then. Maybe even catch a glimpse of him watching you. You’ll turn back, eyes squinted, only to find he’s not there anymore. It confuses you just the same.

Though, you eventually get used to him watching. It turns into a little game between the two of you. If he can catch you, if you can catch him. It’s strangely endearing.

He’s also becoming increasingly more attentive to your daily habits. He memorizes your schedule. He sends members of the League of Shadows to observe you, to take notes on how you use your powers.

If any member insults you, or pokes fun at your dwarfism, Ra’s will spare them no mercy. Yeah…he’s making it a big deal. He’s ruthlessly insulting them for their ignorance, before killing them without a second thought. In a way, you belong to Ra’s already. He will not stand for disrespect among his order.

Ra’s is a gentleman. Just like Ozzie and Jervis, you’ll find gifts littered around your apartment. Little notes from him, written in the most exquisite cursive, expressing his admiration of you. Beautiful, rare, and expensive jewelry, tailored to the size of your wrists and neck.

You’ll see him exiting Barbara’s office sometimes, when he needs her for the demons head. He’ll send you a smile, half-way gentle, half-way playful. He’s unsure where the lines between love and facination blur; but he’s slowly realizing he loves you. He hasn’t felt such a way in decades. He’s been alive for very very long. No human woman has made him feel so helpless. He enjoys it thoroughly.

He’ll confess, the night before Gotham is meant to be blown to the ground. He’ll turn up, before the events are set in motion. You won’t have a clue in the world what he’s up to.

“My dear.” He’ll drawl, and you’ll go to teleport away, as you always do. It’s tradition for you two at this point.

Before you get a chance, he’ll click is tongue at you.

“Wait.” He speaks, voice sounding strangely desperate. It makes you freeze. “Come with me. Leave the city. Get somewhere else. I’d like to show you my home.”

Your choice, if you choose to leave with him. He’d make for a very attentive lover, and would protect you at any cost. But if you choose to do so, you’ll leave Tabitha and Barbara and Selina to their own fate <\3

Not that it matters if you decide to reject his offer. He’ll have you, one way or another.

[theprissythumbelina]

So you want to write about horses.

Specifically, you want to write about horses in your medieval-inspired fantasy novel, rpg, or daydream fantasy. Knights in shinning armor on noble steeds, damsels in distress(or not!) on fine prancing mount, or an evil sorcerer cackling on a fierce charger above your poor tandem MCs.

Whatever it is you're imagining, a medieval horse appears. But you know nothing about horses. I can help.

(If you would like to begin with my first basic Basics post, start here)

^ When thinking knight, you're probably imagining a horse like this.

Preface: When talking about fiction, there is always a question of historical accuracy. That is wholly up to you. But you will at least, after reading this, know more of the historical fact involving horses, and certainly know about some of the more commonly-complained about fallacies involving horses in media.

Now, the above still is from the film Ladyhawke (1985), which is often credited for popularizing the Friesian breed in the United States. I can almost guarantee you have see a Friesian in a film or on TV. The recent series Shadow and Bone had a central character ride a Friesian in one episode. They epitomize the romantic nobility and grace of knights. Except they don't.

The horse you see above came into existence in 1879, primarily as a harness and agricultural use horse. Horses known as Friesian horses have existed since the 11th century, but those horses were completely different from the breed created in the 19th century. The modern Friesian is a trotting breed, made to pull carriages and look beautiful doing it. They have a long back, short neck, and due to inbreeding, a host of nasty genetic problems including dwarfism, aortic rupture, hydrocephalus, and megaesophagus.

However, breeds that trace ancestry back to beyond the middle ages do exist, and they have been breed to look much the same for generations. Introducing:

The Barb/Berber Horse

^Kinda just looks like A Horse™

The Barb comes from North Africa, and was spread into Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain, where the breed mixed with the native Andalusian breed to create the Spanish Jennet, which is possibly the most widely successful horse breed in all of history. The Jennet is currently extinct*, but due to its durability, it was the horse used by the Spanish AND the British to invade the Americas, and descendants of the Jennet survive in local breeds from Argentina to Canada.

*a revitalization breed does exist of the same name

The Andalusian/Lusitano/Pure Raza Espanol

^The true Fabio of horses, known for thick flowing locks and sweet dispositions

Possibly the horse that most strongly resembles the ancient knighly horse, this noble creature used to be the preferred horse of film, before the Friesian rise in popularity. Horses of Spanish bloodlines are Andalusian, horses of Portuguese bloodlines are Lusitano, but the characteristics of both breeds are nearly identical. They are also known for a fancy 'high stepping' movement, in which they raise their knees higher than other breeds naturally.

The Arabian

^Note the narrow, 'dished' face and raised tail, breed characteristics

The ancient horse of the desert, made famous through books such as The Black Stallion, King of the Wind, and films such as Hildago. These horses are known for their stamina and intelligence, and were traditionally used as war horses by the desert tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian has descendants in almost all modern breeds, as it is used to add strength and stamina to the original stock, despite being a relatively small horse. During the Napoleonic wars, this horse became the prized war horse of Europe as well, with Napoleon himself preferring to ride Arabians into battle.

The Mongolian Horse

^Thick head, thick body, this horse is made to survive winter on the steppes

Introduced to Europe from the Hunnic invasions that ended the rule of Rome, the Mongolian horse is made to survive, thrive, and run in harsh cold weather. This horse allowed Ghengis Khan and his soldiers to conqure one of the largest empires to ever exist, from Korea to Poland. This compact horse would have mixed with the native stock of Russian, Eastern European, and Germanic tribes to help create the ancient northern horses, resulting in a thicker breed of horse in the north, and a lighter breed of horse in the south of Europe. Modern-day pony breeds such as the Exmoor, Fjord, Icelandic, and other have been found to have genetic ties to the Mongolian horse.

These horses do not exactly look like the modern image of knights on massive horses, but it is useful to remember that 1. people back then were a lot smaller and 2. horses back then were a lot smaller. Of course, there were hundreds of other local breeds during the middle ages, but many have been modernized and become today's sport, work, or pleasure horses.

During the middle ages, horses were not actually defined by breed. They were defined by the work the horse was suited and trained to preform. There were five main types of medieval horses.

The Destrier

Also called The Great Horse for its size, strength, and price, this horse was the renown mount of knights and kings in battle. These horses were highly trained for battle, and could be taught to do such things as striking out at soldiers in front, kicking at soldiers from the back, and even leaping all four feet in the air to protect it's rider. They would wear the most armor, and these horses would likely be closest in appearance to the modern Andalusian.

^Ornate heavy armor on a model horse. This armor was made for a horse not much more than 15hh, what today would be a small horse.

The Courser/The Charger

A lighter horse than the destrier, the courser is also a warhorse, highly trained and well-bred, but a little less expensive. A knight might not be able to afford a destrier, especially as a minor knight, but every knight should have a courser. The Spanish Jennet is the epitome of the medieval courser, and in fact was the horse used by Richard II. According to Shakespeare, the horse's name was White Surrey, although other sources claim the horse was Roan Barbary, and was a Barb or Berber horse*.

*Bought from Spain and likely a cross of Spanish and African blood, so a Jennet. But Jennet was also a classification of a horse type in those days, so, sources are muddled.

The Rouncey

The 'average' horse of the time, this horse was used mainly for riding, but could sometimes be ridden into battle if trained properly, and were the preferred horse for lower-class fighters such as archers or men-at-arms. As it described a riding horse, these horses came in all shapes and sizes, from all lineages, and in all colors. In peacetime they could be used to draw carriages or work fields. A proud and expensive destrier would never be caught pulling a plow.

The Palfrey

A highly-bred, highly trained horse, this horse is a high quality riding horse known for a specific gait, called an ambling gait. This horse had a special pattern of moving its feet that gave the rider a considerably more comfortable ride than the traditional 4 gaited horse. After the middle ages, these horses almost disappeared, only to be recovered in the Americas in the form of 'gaited' horses such as the Paso Fino, the Rocky Mountain Horse, the Missouri Foxtrotter, and the Tennessee Walking Horse. The Icelandic horse has also retained the special Tölt gait that may* be the exact gait of medieval ambling horses.

*may, I am not a gaited horse expert.

The Packhorse

This describes any kind of horse, usually a rouncey, that is used not for riding but to carry supplies. Packhorses could also be mules, donkeys, and ponies, so long as they could carry weight for long miles. These were supply horses, carrying food, weapons, tents, whatever else may be needed.

Knights, Horses, and the Battlefield

^ What an incredible creature of power and nobility. The man is fine too, I guess.

Now, if you have seen the above scene, you have probably seen The Hollow Crown, a historical drama with a few late Medieval battle scenes. In these scenes, knight clashes against knight in a furious charge, leading to pitched battles on horseback. I'm not going to say that never happened, but by and large cavalry was directed against infantry, not other cavalry, or used to conduct maneuvers requiring speed and surprise, such as a charge, a circling maneuver, a bluff retreat and most importantly, to chase down routing enemy soldiers. A knight on horseback was most effective in close quarters against unmounted and surprised soldiers. Lances were the primary weapon, allowing a mounted warrior length to spear and batter down at enemies, and a sword was secondary, as it had a shorter length, and would be used if a mounted warrior was surrounded by infantry or in battle against another knight. Throughout the medieval period, horses sometimes were removed from the fight all together due to unfavorable land, and kept in reserve to either help the army flee or to chase down the fleeing enemy.

Hungry for more?

There are many sources out there to learn more about the medieval period and knights in particular. I would highly recommend that you not look at Medieval Times sources, if only because better sources are out there. I enjoy the videos produce by Jason Kingsley CBE (Yes, that Jason Kingsley CBE) on his Modern History TV YouTube Channel, and find them to be accurate as far as I'm aware.

^ Jason Kingsley and his horse Warlord, in costume. I've sent marriage proposals but I've not yet received a reply.

That's all for this post. I'll have more when I feel like it, and send me questions if you want to know more about specific things or need a writing question answered

Reblogs welcome and encouraged

@jacqueswriteblrlibrary for wider reach

[alexanderwales]

I saw a post (which I cannot find now) which was about the casting of a Black woman as Elphaba in the new film version of Wicked, and pointing out that the musical is about discrimination, so this casting is a natural one.

But this seems ... kind of incorrect to me? That is, the musical has themes of personal identity, discrimination, prejudice, etc., but this is fantastical prejudice. So when, through casting or direction or acting choices or costuming or coding you pull some subtext (e.g. real-world prejudice) forward, you're changing the texture of the allegorical elements.

I don't think that this casting choice is wrong, I just don't find it to be "natural". It is a choice, and unlike a musical that was about nothing in particular, it's a choice that more meaningfully affects how the audience reads the musical. It makes the musical much less about prejudice generally, and much more about racial prejudice specifically. Maybe I'm being nit-picky about the word "natural" here, as though I think it's making a claim about what's in harmony with the work. Like "natural" means that someone is claiming the title of "most cohesive".

Imagine a version of Wicked where they cast a fat actor to play Elphaba. This obviously invites a different reading of the musical, right? Is this "less natural"? Is it "more natural"? I think it's a different choice to make, and I think people would be inclined to get different readings out of it.

This is the sort of thing that I sometimes have cause to think about, because I'm a writer, and have to decide on basic facts about characters, and figure out how those basic facts fit in with whatever kind of point (if any) I'm trying to hit.

If I wrote a story about how someone was kidnapped by aliens, and they think their human is just oh-so special, and this is maybe initially nice but it becomes clear that they just want the novelty human ... I would have choices for my human, right? And even if we keep all the dialog exactly the same, the readings become different if we're touching any kind of live wire. This would be a story about fetishism and exoticism and the way that makes a person feel like they're less of a person, or like they're only valuable for specific superficial traits.

So we could write our human to be an "everyman", nothing distinctive within the dominant culture. Or we could write our human to be someone with dwarfism. Or we could write our human to be an Asian woman. Or we could write our human to be transwoman. Or we could write our human to be an influencer. And all of these would substantially change our reading, right? The surface of the story wouldn't change, but the comparisons we invite would be different, and that changes the experience of the story, subconsciously or not. None of these are wrong, none are more natural, they're just choices.

[saturnyukaa]

Wakfu Human AU stuff I’ve been cooking up because I’m too lazy to draw it yet

(also yes I’m using their S2 iterations because THAT IS THE BEST SEASON + I hate S3 & 4 with a BURNING PASSION.)

Yugo and Adamaï are adopted fraternal twins, they live above their dad’s restaurant downtown and help him out with cooking. Yugo has a form of dwarfism and Ad is albino because dammit this is my AU I can do what I want. At this time they’re 12 / 13 and attending middle school. Also, they both have ADHD.

Yugo is big on Pokémon, Minecraft and MLP, and has a hat he literally never takes off in a Neurodivergent Kid kinda way (think Louise Belcher). Additionally, he has a pet budgie he’s crazy about.

Adamaï is a theatre kid (in a “I’m totally not projecting” kinda way) , and likes Transformers and Lego Ninjago. He also collects bracelets. You know what, I’m throwing in that he’s intersex because I can.

Amalia is 14 and a year away from highschool, she’s a big environmental activist and frequently drags her friends to rallies, and she has a decent social media following on Instragram where she essentially just vlogs. Her father is a politician and she comes from money, but she insisted on attending public school because she dislikes her status. She’s also a hardcore K-Pop stan because she WOULD (I’m not familiar with any bands but feel free to suggest any you think she’d like).

Tristepin is 17 and spent a year at military school, where he met a gruff dude a couple years older than him whom he now considers one of his best friends (Rubilax). He lives with his older cousin on his dad’s side, and boxes in his free time with coaching from said cousin (which is Goultard. by the way). Chronic shonen anime watcher…. he would SO eat up DBZ,, also a fan of combat related video games. He got held back a year in highschool and is dating Evangelyne.

Evangelyne is 18, has technically graduated and owns her own apartment. She does a ton of extracurriculars (figure skating, fencing, archery, tennis, creative writing, was on the debate team, etc.), and therefore was able to get into a really good college on a scholarship. She babysat Amalia when they were kids and Amalia’s family let her live with them for a few years when her dad left town. She regularly visits museums and adores the arts. Also a LOTR fan.

Ruel is OLD, an ex-rockstar / athlete / nepo baby and is absolutely LOADED, although now he just owns a pawnshop downtown and takes Yugo and Ad on fishing trips, where he gives them unwarranted advice about buying stock. He and Alibert are married for “tax benefits”, and co-parent the twins (I am a MASSIVE Rubert believer don’t @ me), although he’s still currently paying alimony to his ex-wife. He also owns an exotic, likely illegal pet and has gotten involved in more than one pyramid scheme.

Additionally, they all play DnD together and in this AU, the entirety of Wakfu is their custom DnD campaign (with Adamaï as the DM, ofc :3)

[a-little-revolution]

How would you make dwarfism exist in fantasy without making it ableist? I was gonna have one of my characters be a witch with dwarfism so she isn’t an elf or w goblin or anything like that but I’m not sure?

Hello! For dwarfism to exist in fantasy without being ableist, a few things need to happen:

Firstly, make sure their dwarfism isn't what makes them mystical. Instead let their special powers (witchcraft in this case would be great!), culture, or world do the work. Little people were mystified by the slave trade for hundreds of years, it fuelled freak show culture and still lingers in the stigma of today.

Do not make dwarfism it's own race. You want to avoid tokenism and disabled segregation. Include your Little characters in your race of humans and humanoids (whether that be witches, pirates, centaurs, etc.).

Don't give your Little People gnome or goblin-like traits. Goblins have a rich offensive history within multiple marginalized groups, and create a grotesque depiction of LP. Gnomes follow folklore that came to be when mystifying little people in history. Not to mention, both have been overdone.

If you're going to write dwarf characters, GIVE THEM DWARFISM. Do your research - it's not enough to make your characters short, you must give them the characteristics of their dwarfism. If you're going to use the name dwarf do your research.

-Elliot (they/them)

[phoenixyfriend]

Finally watched Moulin Rouge (2001). I need to specify because I've never seen it before, but I have watched the Broadway version three times live (I kept getting discount tickets).

Below the cut is my liveblog from discord (with two clarifying edits)

Oh this is VERY different

I've seen the Broadway version three times so I'm comparing every little bit to that

I can see why they changed up a few of the details, like removing the 'fake Indian' element of the in-setting musical

Like it tracks for 1899 and all? And it was definitely allowable for 2001? But oof would 2024 audiences have some Big Issues with it, even with the 1899 context

And modifying Toulouse's disability from dwarfism to a more generic permanent limp, even though the dwarfism is more true to history... it does make castingn easier, I suppose, and it's not like casting John Leguizamo and having him 'act' short was all that good of a plan for the '01. Very complicated I guess.

Also. I knew that it was unlikely that Christian would be from Ohio like in the Broadway version, but I did expect English! And yet! They actually let Ewan be Scottish! Nice!

Also the Duke is German?

And so much more pathetic than on Broadway (edited)

Oh this Nini is so much more of a bitch than the one on Broadway

I wonder how all the dancers, who very clearly do sex work, feel about being dragged into a song and dance number about how they can't be trusted

The playing around with frame rates is definitely interesting, but I don't love all the jumpy cuts between shots.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE KILLER'S NAME [edit: did not actually kill]

LIKE Thanks? But. But like. But we don't even know the guy's name. Also jfc did not! Expect! The fucking rape scene

Wait the Duke's not dead?

That's Chocolat? [edit: du Chocolat is a woman in the Broadway version, and a non-plot-relevant member of the Lady Marmalade quartet]

The order of events overall is pretty different from the stage version, too, plus there's that weird preoccupation with Sleeping With The Girl that's not present in the Broadway show (where she's just sleeping with both of them the whole time)

Oh that is some RACISM

THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT

UPSETTING

LINES WERE SWAPPED???

I now feel like I know enough to write that Star Wars/Moulin Rouge thing I keep thinking about

[fandom-puff]

Hi, I just wanted to say I love your works, especially the one about Tyrion Lannister. I just love this character so much and your story is so sweet 😍 Can you write something about his family life? Like after reader gave birth to their child? Something like that. Sorry if I sound impolite, English is not my native language 😋

Aww I love this and Tyrion definitely deserves some domestic fluff!! I decided to do this as headcanons <3

Tyrion Lannister after the birth of your child would include…

Warnings: reference to childbirth, mentions of maternal death during labour, reference to stillborns and miscarriages. References to typical Westerosi discrimination against dwarfism and disability

Gif creds to owner

When he hears the squalling of the newborn in the next room, his body sagged in relief

Such relief lasted all of three seconds

He’s suddenly tense again, leaping to his feet and straining his ears to hear for your voice, to hear a Maester or a midwife or a serving girl speaking to you

He hears nothing, thanks to the thick doors and walls of Casterly Rock

The Maester steps out of the room and as Tyrion opens his mouth to ask after you, he speaks.

“You have a Son, my Lord. He is not afflicted with your… condition,”

A son. Tyrion felt his heart swell with pride as he heard the maester’s news.

He imagined a tall, elegant boy, with waves of golden hair, learning to read with him

He imagined the child being groomed to be Warden of the West once the old lion passed

He imagined him doting on his mother and younger siblings…

“And my wife? What of my wife?”

Tyrion was made to wait a few minutes longer as the midwives cleaned away the rest of the blood and sweat from your body

But when you called his name, Tyrion hobbled into the room, clambering up onto the bed as carefully as he could.

“My lady,” he murmured. “Are you alright? Do you need milk of the poppy? Some food? Another pillow? You have laboured for hours and-“

But you cut him off with a gentle kiss.

“Shush, my love,” you whisper, your smile bright despite your exhaustion. “Look at our son. Our beautiful boy,”

Tyrion smiled bashfully, pressing a sweet kiss to your cheek before leaning over to look at the bundle in your arms

The baby was tiny, but the Maester assured him that his bones were nothing like Tyrion’s and both mother and baby were healthy

“I think he’ll be a blonde,” you murmured, stroking the soft pale wisps on his head

“He can be whatever he wants, so long as he takes after you,” Tyrion smiled softly, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

“So long as he has your mind,” you murmured, kissing him gently, the two of you transfixed on your beautiful little boy

[randomarttalent]

Mlp Pie's next-gen

Original posts, info and links down below

MaudBriar Kid

Ship: Maud "Slate" Pie + Mudbriar "Walnut" Fossilized Maple Maple is very different from their parents, not just in style, personality or special interest. Maple has a few hidden disabilities, meaning many won't know what it is unless it's told to them. Maple is dyslexic, meaning she has a harder time reading and writing, in Maples's case, she has a harder time writing than reading. Even though she may not be as fast as the rest in the literary world, that doesn't stop her, her way of creative thinking comes very handy with different tasks around the rock and wood farm. Maple also doesn't care about pronouncing, he's someone who goes with the flow a lot, which can be seen in his cutie mark. Its different patterns in a moving motion, show how flexible he is and how his talent is noticing the small things and being able to help in almost any situation.

LimeDa Kids

Ship: Gilda "Glory" + "Shady" Limestone Pie

Gloomy Glory

Gloomy is small for a griffin and his age, reason why is because he has dwarfism, which is also the reason why he had been abandoned. Griffin's used to throw away the weak and sick chicks, under Twilight's rule these traditions have become illegal but some are still able to get past and go unnoticed.

Luckily Gloomy was found before anything bad happened.

Gloomy is the oldest of the two but always gets mistaken for a small child. He has gotten used to it over time but it still annoys him. Because of his condition, he has a harder time flying, reaching things and certain things over longer periods of time.

Glaze Glory

Glaze was a large baby, this caused one of his wings to become deformed and so, he too was abandoned by his mother. He managed to survive till a representative of Twilight noticed him as they were traveling to the Dragon Lands.

Glaze grew and grew in size and soon enough the bed he was using in the orphanage was too small but soon enough he was adopted by Gilda and Lime. He still grows and will for plenty of years to come, as dragons live for centuries.

CheesePie Kids

Ship: Pinkamena "Pinkie" Diane Pie + Cheese Sandwich

Lil Cheese Even though he is short, Lil Cheese is the oldest of his siblings. He was born too early because of Pinkie's diabetes and high blood pressure, causing him to be c-sectioned at birth. Pinkie had only started on the medication to help her with these conditions. Lil Cheese has some problems with breathing at higher rates, meaning he can't play as much as other kids. Running for too long was also very dangerous for him, as his lungs never fully developed.

Lil Cheese was for most of his life homeschooled but as he got older and promised to watch out for himself, he was allowed to enroll. The teachers were told of his condition and Lil Cheese was happy to finally be able to be with other kids his age. Of course, he loves his family but he had always dreamed of making friends on his own. He did feel outside, as he couldn't play as the others but he had mostly gotten used to that feeling because of his younger siblings and watching them play.

As Lil Cheese grew up, he got his cutie mark while making a cheesecake for his Bright Luck, as it was her birthday. He wanted to do it alone, as he had helped a lot throughout his childhood and felt as if he could do it alone now, he wanted this to be his gift to her, as he didn't really know what she wanted that he could get. At the birthday party, as the slices of cake were handed out, he received compliments and he felt so proud. He then received his cutie mark and everyone was happy and excited by it.

He now works as a writer, writing stories of his life growing up, and his hardships, and has even written a best seller of a romance fantastical world, which world was made very open and broad. In his free time, he likes to go out to schools, talking about his disability. Helping teach that there's nothing wrong with being different.

Pop Tart Pop Tart is the tallest in the whole family, her broader makes her stand out and has been an insecurity all her life, as she feels rather less feminine than she wishes to look like. Even though her tall figure might frighten some, her heart is solid gold, and she's incredible with children.

Even at a young age, she liked taking care of the younger twins, she was the first one to be there if one of them began to cry, even scolding her parents about it. Even though they couldn't do anything about it, as sometimes babies just cry. As she enrolled in school, she became the popular one, as she looked the oldest and her warm and welcoming atmosphere. However, as they all grew older, she became less important to the other students, as they got older, and started having other feelings for things, such as crushes, makeup, spots, and so on.

Pop Tart didn't mind at all and rather liked the students her age who weren't around a lot, she enjoyed hanging around the younger fillies and colts, as she felt more important there as she would help the teachers and get compliments for her helping hoof. As everyone in her class got their cutie marks, she didn't. No matter what she tried, nothing had that spark and wasn't her calling, and as time went along, Pop Tart was tired of trying and only wanted to focus on her education. She wanted to be a doctor, specializing in children, wanting to help the young ones, like someone had with her older brother.

In her education, she became the top of her class, her still hoofs and quick-thinking brain were exactly what this job needed. As the final texts came, she was starting to get nervous, not wanting to fail or mess up. Her family and friends did their best to calm her mind and wished Pop Tart the best as she was called in on the performance test. At the start, she was quiet and didn't talk much but as time went on, her voice grew and she even came up with ideas for the main doctor's procedures. He was slightly surprised at her idea but was beyond proud of her improvement in the surgery and bright mind.

She passed and her cutie mark finally came, a cute fixed bear, resembling her and her passion for her work. Pop Tart started work at her education hospital but soon was moved to a better children's hospital, which specialized in child care and sicknesses.

Rock Candy Rock Candy and his twin brother Swirl Mix are always together, even though they are so very different. Rock is very outgoing and has ADHD, in his case making it harder for him to concentrate and doing tasks. He has a hard time lowering his vocals in exciting situations, as well as going nonverbal in upsetting ones. Whenever he gets very excited, his voice is loud and he starts moving his front hooves, doing stemming.

Rock is very kind and is very happy to hear others talk about their likes, as he wants to know about them and will even research the topic to later bring it up. If ever down, the best way to brighten up his day is by letting him ramble on about his latest hyper-fixation. 

At school, Rock had a hard time learning because of his ADHD but after learning he had it, he received extra time of things, as well as allowing him to bring fidget toys.  In one of the cooking classes, they were making candy and they made misshapen sugar bracelets, he was the only one made extremely well for his age and first try. He couldn't stop showing it off and would even start making candy with his mother. Earning his cutie mark as his aunt Marble Pie came over and they made rock candy together.

He now owns his own half-section of Sugar Cub Corner, selling sugar sweets and beautifully made rock candy in jewelry-like styles.

Swirl Mix Swirl Mix compared to his twin brother has always been more quiet and had a harder time socializing. As he had Autism, in class he would mumble a lot more than at home. Sometimes he would suddenly switch from happy to sad or angry, which consered the teacher.  After being tested with his brother, they found out he had Autism and he also received extra time for homework and tests but he didn't actually need that, as he always did the homework on normal time and even wrote more than what had been required.

Rock Candy was the only one he really talked to at school, as he didn't like the other students very much and would rather be alone than play with them. So it was only him and his brother, only on a few occasions did he play with others who weren't the teachers. Swirl was very anti-social and needed a lot of planned play dates and trips for him to open up more and learn that others also could like what he liked and he could have a good time with classmates.

Swirl got his cutie mark while helping decorate a birthday cake for themselves, his side was a lot more neat than that of Rock, who didn't quite have the touch for it. Swirl as his brother owns his own half of the store, selling cakes and baked goods. Their mother works with them both, helping whoever needs it, and is the main pony at the cashier, as well as on deliveries.

MarbleShoes Kids

Ship: Trouble Shoes + Marble "Droplet" Pie

Bright Fortune Bright is almost as tall as his father, scaring many upon meeting him for the first time, however, like his father Bright is a very kind hearted stallion. Bright's passion and cutie mark is that of traveling, exploring and finding old treasures. As a young colt, he would read all the stories of Daring Doo and wished he was on such journey's. Once he was old enough, he joined a expiation team, they traveled for 3 weeks in total before coming home with some old ponish's weaponry. Bright wears a headband and some cloth from his back to his behind.

Inky Hoof Inky compared to his brother's never saw the thrill of leaving their land. He loved to stay near Appleloosa and to go out to visit family but otherwise, he just wanted to stay near home, watching over his wild flowers and making jewelry with his mother. Inky is a lot like his mother, both in appearance and personality, he's only open and carefree with family.  Inky got his cutie mark while making his mother a birthday gift, including the wild flowers near their home and her name sake of a gem. Inky wears a necklace, earrings and whatever wild flowers are in season.

Obsidian Coat Obsidian has never been a person pony, rather linking the dark and quiet of the caves. As a young colt he would join his mother in the caves, helping her find crystals for her to make jewelry of and sell. But Obsidian was rather interested in exploring the deeper parts of the caves, wanting to see what lies in the depths. He would often be told to forget that dream, as it's too dangerous and Marble couldn't stand the thought of losing a child. But once he had turned 18, his only wish was to be allowed to cave dive and after a long discussion, he was allowed to go, if he did it with a team. Obsidian now works with a small but understanding team, they know of his anti-social behavior and don't mind much, talking mostly among themselves. Obsidian wears gauge earrings, snake bite piercing, bat wing shaped shades and a hoodie.

[cripplecharacters]

Navigation: Helpful Posts

[large text: Navigation: Helpful Posts]

Complication of posts from CrippleCharacters, as well as other blogs providing advice on writing disabled characters!

This post covers the general topics - for posts on specific disabilities, please see part two.

Last update: 23/10/2024

Character Making Basics and Ideas

[large text: Character Making Basics and Ideas]

- How to Start Doing Research When Writing a Disabled Character - Disabilities that are Common but Have no Representation - Facial Differences that Would Be Cool to Actually See Represented - How to Do Historical Research - Our "Disabled Character Ideas" Tag - Our "Character Inspo" Tag

How to Describe XYZ?

[large text: How to Describe XYZ?]

- Blindness Tropes: the "Blank Look" - Describing Characters with Facial Differences as Pretty - Difference between Fetishization and Being Seen as Beautiful - First Description: when to mention the Facial Difference - How Often Should You Mention Mobility Aids? - Dialogue and Speech Disorders - Sign Language in Dialogue - Words for Residual Limbs (stumps) - Describing a Limp - Words to Use instead of "Walk" for Wheelchair Users - How to not Describe Facial Differences as "Scary"

How to Draw XYZ?

[large text: How to Draw XYZ?]

- Tips for Drawing Characters with Facial Differences - Annoying Tropes in Art Re:Facial Differences - Drawing Blind Characters - Drawing Amputees - How to Draw (and not draw) Characters with Vitiligo - Drawing Cane Users - Decorating Wheelchairs - Drawing Characters with Down Syndrome - Drawing Characters with Cleft Lip - Drawing Burn Survivors

General

[large text: General]

- What's Off-Limits for Non-disabled Writers? - Writing a Newly Disabled Character - Writing a Visibly Different Character - The Accident - Including Disabled Communities - Disabled Characters in Historical Fiction - Coming up with Fictional Disabilities - Tokenism Discussion - Disability and Superpowers - Curing and "Fixing" Disabled Characters - Is It Realistic to Have Multiple Disabled Characters? - "Jaws Effect": how media affect the real world - Worldbuilding with Accessibility in Mind - How to Let Readers Figure Out the Character's Disability - Does the Disability Need to Have a "Purpose"? - Including Ableism in the Story - Casual Representation vs Fetishization (with albinism as an example) - Including Body Horror without doing an Ableism

General Tropes

[large text: General Tropes]

- "Super-Crip": Magic and Disability - Abled Characters Pretending to be Disabled - I Did a Trope but It's Too Late - What You Should Do - made with the mask trope in mind, but could be applied more widely - Magical Cure - made with blindness in mind - Including Healing Magic without Disability Erasure - Why is the Cure Trope Bad? - How to Do a Scary Disability Reveal without being Ableist? - Disabled Character Recovering, but without Disability Erasure - Killing off a Disabled Character without Doing an Ableism - Writing a Disabled Villain without Doing an Ableism - What is Fetishization of Disability, and what Isn't - Not All Sign Language Users are Mute and American

Mobility Aids

[large text: Mobility Aids]

- General Overview - Overview, but with More Options - not writing advice, educational - More Detailed Look at Crutches and Canes - Magic Mobility Aids - Tips on Writing Wheelchair Users - Writing a New Cane User - "But Mobility Aids Wouldn't Exist in my Fantasy World" - Basic Information on Service Animals - Should My Non-Modern Wheelchair User use XYZ instead of a Wheelchair? - Accessible Wizarding for Wheelchair Users - Fidgeting with Wheelchairs - Pet Peeves for Cane User Characters - Wheelchair user trying to navigate Inaccessibility

Other

[large text: Other]

- Writing Characters with Tourette's Syndrome - Introduction to Writing Characters with Speech Disorders - Writing Little People (characters with dwarfism) - Dwarfism and Fantasy Stories - Stereotypes around Characters with Dwarfism - Writing and Drawing Burn Survivors: basics and resources - Caring for a Burn Scar: the everyday things - On Chemical Burns - Writing Characters with ASPD - Writing a Character with Russel-Silver Syndrome - Complex Dissociative Disorders Terminology: A Basic Primer - What to Consider when Writing about Pollution-induced Disability - Portraying Psychosis + Review of Jinx from Arcane - Difference between "Nonverbal" and "Nonspeaking"

Making Your Content Accessible to Disabled Readers

[large text: Making Your Content Accessible to Disabled Readers]

- Why add alt text? - Image Descriptions Tutorial - Writing Image Descriptions for People Who Can't Write Them - "But how do blind people even use alt text" - How to Tag Your Posts (Tumblr) - ScreenReaders and Color Text (Tumblr) - FanFiction Accessibility

Recommended Blogs/Sources

[large text: Recommended Blogs/Sources]

- @blindbeta - @cy-cyborg - @a-little-revolution - @mimzy-writing-online - @writingdrugs - @vitiligo-is-not-a-trend - Fantastic website for any historical needs

[doodlegirl1998]

ngl im a mineta defender until the end, now before you jump me let me explain

his behavior is obvi disgusting (lets also not ignore the fact that hori has said hes his self insert) BUT IT IS EXTREMELY EASY TO FIX!

a lot of kids and teens who have similar behaviors often have parents with the same beliefs. not to say that this is always the case but it’s more common than not

which means that they’re raised not knowing that their behavior is wrong. they see it as acceptable, and not only that, but *expected* of them

it is an extremely easy thing to rectify. of course sometimes it’s harder depending on how much the behavior has been ingrained into them, but at the end of the day it is *fixable*

he was failed by his parents for encouraging his behavior and he was failed by other adults/teachers for letting it continue

also it’s not that much of a stretch to say that he was probably heavily bullied. he has a very prominent lisp, he’s a heteromorph, and he’s extremely short. i’ve seen several ppl who hc that he has dwarfism and i definitely agree with that

aizawa doesn’t seem to give a shit because he never takes any action to try and discipline him for how he acts

also im sick of the shinso replacing mineta fics. the only good thing abt shinso replacing aoyama is that ppl don’t have an excuse to replace him.

like for the love of god it’s not that hard to simply change his character. it annoys me to no end. bc i like mineta a lot! his quirk is interesting and he has a lot of potential as a character but he’s reduced to a creepy pervert bc every shonen anime needs to have at least one 🙄

tl;dr stop bashing mineta and start bashing hori

Hi @the-jello-bowl 👋

Stop bashing Mineta and start bashing Hori... hmm. You know what? That's a sentiment I could get behind.

After all, the ultimate problem with Mineta lies in his writing.

At the start of the series, Hori wrote him too perverted with too little of any other redeeming or sympathetic quality. That impression stuck - so a lot of fans want him out of heroism and out of 1A.

This is fair because Mineta's behaviour is triggering for many people, and he could make a dangerous figure as a hero and an adult if left unchecked and if his perversions worsen.

While I understand why, Shinsou replacing Mineta is a lazy way to do take Mineta out of 1A, since Shinsou canonically hasn't shown he deserves to be in the hero class nor shown to have good interactions with 1A as a collective.

While it doesn't make his behaviour excusable, you are right when you say Mineta was failed by the adults around him. Especially his parents and Aizawa, as you pointed out, they were the ones prime positioned to fix this behaviour, yet they did not. We don't know what his parents are like for certain, but I believe his dad was likely a verbally and emotionally abusive misogynist who Mineta idolised. And we know that Aizawa fluctuates between negligence and using his hero grade weapon on Mineta as discipline... so there is no consistent messaging there. Yikes.

Instead, Hori implied Mina had to clockwork orange Mineta to stop him being a pervert which... took away Mineta's whole agency in his decision to stop being perverted. (Did his character even get better at all by his own freewill really if Mina had to do this? Will that 'brainwashing' break one day? Here is another reason to hate Hori's writing.)

Hori also doesn't expand on the things that could make Mineta sympathetic, the lisp, the possibly being bullied in the past, the likely self-confidence issues. He doesn't expand on Mineta's backstory or expand on why he wants to be a hero, really (if it was just girls, he would have quit by now, let's be real).

It is a failure in Hori's writing that he doesnt give Mineta (as a HERO student) a redemption arc where he realises just how awful he's been to the girls and vows to make up for it. This moment could have even begun because Mineta stops his perversions due to wanting to be more well-liked and like Midoriya (who he looks up to). The building blocks are there - Hori neglects them.

TLDR: Mineta is a character that could have had potential, and his quirk is interesting. He had potential for a character redemption arc, potential for an interesting backstory, too.

The reason why Mineta is hated is because Hori wastes all his potential to have a lazily written creepy pervert throughout the majority of the story.

Good traits such as Mineta's bravery only make a large appearance later, and the perversions disappear too late in the story to really salvage his popularity.

Not only that, but being a hero is a privilege, not a right. Mineta has got to show through the story as a member of 1A why he deserves to be there and why he has the character for Heroism - unfortunately Hori fails to do this for him because of the reasons I mentioned above.

A lazily written cowardly perverted character could have worked in a minor villain character, but this is instead in a member of 1A, who we are meant to root for adding to the cognitive dissonance of his character.

[charliedawn]

Slashers meeting a new nurse who has dwarfism? They are hella insecure and like always silently observing everyone and everything but it’s obvious they enjoy their job. Also the slashers notice how they don’t have nails or long ones atleast and they are always red (biting their nails a lot because of anxiety). (Main slashers being father Paul, the sinclairs, Norman, and whatever other slashers you think you should or want to add) again I understand if you’re not comfortable on writing this topic or just can’t in general. Thank you sm Charlie!

WARNING: mention of dwarfism.

Vincent Sinclair:

Fairy ?

Vincent never saw a person who has dwarfism before and would be curious. He’d follow you around and take pictures of you.

He would also pick you up in his arms and whenever you wanna bite your fingers—he’s squeeze you and not let you go.

Vincent would be a sunshine.

But, he would also have no clue if what he says or do would be taken as offensive to you.

Vincent is also rather blunt and could also touch you and compare your arms or hands to see just how different yours are from his.

Bo Sinclair:

"Come on, shortie. Try to keep up."

Bo would—without a doubt—tease you.

He would purposely go faster just to see you run after him. He’d also put things out of your reach just to annoy you. He’s an asshat.

He would also carry you because…WHY THE HECK NOT ?! 😂

Bo *walking around with his arm around you—carrying you*

Lester : "…Bo. Maybe you should…hum…Leave them alone ?"

Bo : "Yeah ? How about you mind your own beeswax ?"

Lester Sinclair:

Lester would be happy to meet you and take you trash hunting with him. He’d give you everything nice he finds.

He’d talk to you about anything and be happy just to have a little bit of attention.

He’d take you fishing and hunting. He’d also show you the best places in the forest.

He’d also make sure you always feel good with him because he is a really nervous guy as well, so he’d immediately notice if you are frustrated or upset.

He’d also be very happy to have you next to him in his truck and just hold your hand when either of you is feeling down so you can support him each other (because he certainly won’t find emotional support with Bo or Vincent. 😂)

Norman Bates:

Norman is rather tall.

He would have to lean down to talk to you and as he is also very quiet, he’d be the expert in creeping behind you to look over your shoulder.

He’d also bend down to wrap his arms around you respectfully without carrying you up because he would never do anything that you would find uncomfortable.

He would however maybe have back pain at the end of the day—but worth it.

He would also prepare you tea and biscuits whenever he sees that you are about to have a breakdown or are biting your fingers.

Norman used to bite his nails when he was younger and his mother used to bake cookies for him when it happened.

Father Paul:

Father Paul is an anxious man himself. He just hides it better than most. He would immediately know when you are about to break down and either hug you or hold your hands so you won’t bite your nails.

"Y/N. Please. Stop. Do not damage the body god gave you. It is too beautiful."

You glared at him and seethed.

"If god gave me that body, then he is a bad god."

His eyes widened and he smiled sadly before slowly stroking your cheek.

"What are you talking about ? I see you in front of me and you are just beautiful, Y/N. God was good when he created you, because he made our paths cross. He is good. And if you ever think like that again ? Remember that I am proud of you."

You started crying when he told you that and he held you as you tried to calm down. The priest kissed your forehead and started rocking you back and forth to soothe you.