#especially now with how antis will thrive

[nanamis-bigtie]

attention feeds the trolls. block (yes, you can block anons on tumblr) or delete. turn anon asks off. if you need to be petty, put some content the anon was pissy about on top of your blog so they will have to look at it when itching for your reaction.

but for the love of god, don't engage with them

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

big question. i'm cis (afab) and my gf is trans (amab) and i'm sorta having a hard time reconciling something. i've been a hard line feminist since i was about 8, by 12 i was a practical library on everything and anything womens lib. i'm spending a lot more time around trans people especially my gf now and i'm sorta struggling to reconcile the trans experience with my feminism. like- i'll see trans women being like "i hate my body :(" "my voice is awful" "i need [x thing to try to pass] ugh" and like my first thought is always "NO! THATS HOW THEY FUCKING GET YOU!!! THE PATRIARCHY WANTS YOU TO HATE YOURSELF SO YOU ENSLAVE YOURSELF TO CAPITALISM AND LIVE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF NEED FOR NEW PRODUCTS TO WARD OFF THE EVER PRESENT SELF HATRED BROUGHT ON YOU BY SOCIETY" and they go "well then how do i pass/transition?" and i honestly don't know and i also don't know how far it goes before its no longer dysphoria but instead the intentional subjugation of women by patriarchy for profit. i wanna help my fellow ladies but i honestly don't know how to like- apply the feminism i was taught as a child to trans women and i want to learn as soon as possible so that i can start doing it like yesterday

hi there,

I'll be honest: if it feels hard to apply the feminism you learned as a kid to your trans friends, that's probably because the feminism you were taught didn't have trans woman in mind.

luckily, the answer to this is something that I consider to be feminism 101: what a woman does with her body is, ultimately, her fucking business.

listen: I agree with you that the beauty industry(TM) is evil. it's misogynistic, it's exploitative, it thrives by making women feel bad enough about themselves to make them spend money on shit they don't need, etc. we all know this.

now, having said that: women who like makeup or wear heels or get laser hair removal or whatever other asinine thing are not my oppressor, nor are they my enemy. dare I say, we have bigger problems.

we also need to consider that many trans women are coming to these choices from a VERY different place than many cis women are. while I think my fellow cis women really benefit from reminders that they're allowed to stop shaving or wearing eyeliner or dieting or whatever, that's because most of us have had those actions forced on us from very young ages and may genuinely need a hand to feel secure breaking out of those behaviors.

the majority of trans women are not coming from a background where they were encouraged to partake in the same personal grooming habits and modes of presentation as cis women; many of them have, in fact, been ostracized, bullied, threatened, and otherwise hurt because of forays into forms of presentation that are considered feminine. no matter how good your intentions may be, approaching your advice indelicately can, unfortunately, make you come across as no different than any transphobe on the street trying to enforce cisnormative societal expectations. it also must be said that, for many trans women, the ability to "pass" is a matter of security - for having their status as women recognized at all, and to avoid harassment and abuse in public spaces. if you live in America, like I do, politicians in power currently have an extremely explicit anti-trans agenda that can make it harrowing to be visible as a trans person, and trans women in particular are frequently targeted for violence.

there are absolutely critiques to be made the way the many trans women are expected to perform hyperfemininity. the notion that someone is duty bound to drastically change their appearance in order to transition at all is itself extremely rooted in cisnormativity, and "passing" is often contingent on being young, thin, able-bodied, reasonably wealthy, and hewing as closely to Eurocentric standards of beauty as possible. that's not awesome! but that's also not the fault of any individual; no trans person asked to be born into a world where gender norms are so narrow and failing to pass can come with a very real risk of physical danger.

also, if I can circle back to this: again, women who participate in aspects of the beauty industry are not our enemies. there are always going to be some number of women who enjoy doing their makeup or like spending time fussing over their little outfits or want breast implants or whatever. some of those women are going to be trans. my official feminist stance on this is that I don't give a shit, because I believe in bodily autonomy even when it involves things I would not do personally and the choices that individual women make about how they want to style their little meat body don't even crack the top 100 things that I'm worried about right now. it's actually kind of vitally important, politically, that trans people be able to safely pursue their preferred gender expression; while it's not particularly revolutionary for a cis woman to go outside all dolled up, whether a trans woman can do that safely is a pretty basic litmus test for how safe a given space is for queer people. it's a ridiculously low bar, and many places will still fail to clear it.

so, yeah, I don't know, dude. be there to talk to your trans girlies if they want to start unpacking some of the pressure they feel to conform to a very rigid idea of womanhood, but whether or not they can walk down the street in your neighborhood safely is a WAY bigger issue than whether they decide to do voice training or not.

if you really want to cut to the root of the insecurity and vulnerability that the beauty industry thrives on exploiting, your time is much better spent working to ensure the trans women in your life feel safe and supported and have a community where they can find support regardless of how they look.

necessary disclaimer I'm a cis girl, any transfemme folks please share your voice here and feel free to clap my ass if I've said something out of line.

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - January 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Homes built with clay, grass, plastic and glass: How a Caribbean island is shying away from concrete

“[… Clay] traps moisture which then evaporates and pulls heat from the surface as it goes. […] The roof is covered in old recycled advertising banners and piece of a water tank, the other half of which is used to house some of Rahaman-Noronha's fish [… and] multi-coloured glass bottles inset into walls provide an avenue for streams of light and colour.”

2. To Combat Phoenix’s Extreme Heat, a New Program Provides Sustainable Shade

“The neighborhood workshops allow residents to get a shade plan tailored to their community’s needs and identify the locations where officials can plant trees. Meanwhile, the workforce-development side of the program creates the jobs needed to keep the trees alive for generations[….]”

3. Conservation corridors provide hope for Latin America’s felines

“[… S]cience has shown that to maintain healthy populations there needs to be connection between individuals. [… A] protected area that is close to another has more species and more potential for their survival.”

4. Social program cuts tuberculosis cases among Brazil's poorest by more than half

“The decrease [“in TB cases and deaths”] was over 50% in extremely poor people and more than 60% among the Indigenous populations. […] "We know that the program improves access to food [… and healthcare…] and strengthens people's immune defenses as a result.””

5. Geothermal has vast potential to meet the world’s power needs

“New geothermal systems could technically provide as much as 600 terawatts of carbon-free power capacity by 2050[…. C]ountries could cost-effectively deploy over 800 GW of geothermal power capacity using technology that’s in development today[….]”

6. New D.C. Catholic archbishop is pro-LGBTQ+ and anti-Trump

“In 2018, he objected to the blaming of gay priests for the clergy sexual abuse crisis, “saying that such abuse was a matter of power, not sexual orientation[….]” “We must disrupt those who portray refugees as enemies [… and] seek to rob our medical care, especially from the poor.””

7. Chesapeake Bay Will Gain New Wildlife Refuge

“The Chesapeake Bay area will have a new wildlife refuge for the first time in a quarter century. […] “This new refuge offers an opportunity to halt and even reverse biodiversity loss in this important place, and in a way that fully integrates and respects the leadership and rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.””

8. Inside Svalbard seed vault’s critical mission to stop our favourite fruit and veg from going extinct

“[… T]he world’s largest secure seed storage […] sits proudly in a massive former coal mine[….] Right now, there are over 1,331,458 samples of 6,297 crop species. […] “During 2024, 61 seed genebanks deposited 64,331 seed samples, including 21 from institutes that deposited seeds for the first time this year[….]””

9. Medical debt will be erased from credit reports for all Americans under new federal rule

“The rule will affect more than 15 million Americans, raising their credit scores by an estimated average of 20 points. [… S]tates and localities have already utilized American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to support the elimination of over $1 billion in medical debt for more than 700,000 Americans[….]”

10. 'Forgotten' water harvesting system transforms 'barren wasteland' into thriving farmland

“"The process started with the community-based participatory planning[….]” 10% to 15% of the water will actually soak into the ground to replenish the water table, creating a more sustainable agricultural process.”

December 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[babyleostuff]

Hellloooo

Can I request a fic where the members react to the reader always holding onto them in any way? Like could be hands or fidgeting with bracelets rings or anything else to keep them busy or for some emotional support (yk how jeonghan has his hammer)

Smth like that or it could be more domestic if you like

Thankyou:))

this is so cute :((( (screaming, crying, throwing up) + i decided to combine this with @cali-snow request: Can I request a reaction to playing with their fingers because you're bored or fascinated by their rings or you simply just like their hands?

holding onto them | ot13

CHOI SEUNGCHEOL 

𓆩♡𓆪 he noticed how you’d always lace your pinky fingers whenever you’d be out at a party or a gathering, never fully holding his hand because you didn’t want to come off as clingy, but still in need of his touch 

𓆩♡𓆪 after some time he came to the realisation that you’d do so for emotional support 

𓆩♡𓆪 and if that didn’t make you even cuter to him, nothing would - Cheol is a protector and he loves being the protective one, he thrives off of the fact that you seek support in him (not that he’s happy about you being anxious or emotionally vulnerable)

𓆩♡𓆪 but the sheer fact that he is the person you turn to makes him so so happy 

YOON JEONGHAN 

𓆩♡𓆪 whenever you were sitting down next to him, you’d unconsciously grab his hand and trace your fingertips over his palm, scratching it with your nails lightly from time to time

𓆩♡𓆪 and that would happen almost every time you were together, no matter where you were 

𓆩♡𓆪 to others, it simply looked like a cute gesture exchanged between two people in love, but Jeonghan knew you well enough to know that it had a bigger purpose 

𓆩♡𓆪 one time he’d ask you about it, not to tease you or make you shy, he genuinely wanted to know why 

𓆩♡𓆪 as it turned out, it helped you with overthinking and calming your anxiety (since then, he’d always give you his hand himself, before you even had the chance to reach for it)

HONG JOSHUA 

𓆩♡𓆪 Joshua has very pretty hands and that’s not a secret, so naturally you love holding them, even more so when you are bored, finding his hands to be the perfect entertainment 

𓆩♡𓆪 it became such a habit, that now he doesn’t even question it whenever you randomly start playing with his fingers or tracing the veins on his hand and arm 

𓆩♡𓆪 at first he would get a bit shy, especially if you did it when people were around, but with time, he got used to it

𓆩♡𓆪 he’d always peck your forehead, and it would become your little signal - “Joshua, I’m bored.” “I know, darling.” 

WEN JUNHUI 

𓆩♡𓆪 whenever you’re out, on dates, parties, receptions, you always have your arm around Jun’s waist, under the jacket of his suit 

𓆩♡𓆪 he thought you did it only to be near him, but once he overheard when you explained to your friend that it helps you with the anxiety and it calms you down 

𓆩♡𓆪 at first he couldn’t really fathom how that is helping you in any way, with your overthinking mind, but the next time you wrapped your arm around his waist, he simply smiled at you and pulled your body closer to his 

KWON SOONYOUNG 

𓆩♡𓆪 holding hands is a big thing in your relationship - you rarely have your hand free, thanks to your clingy boyfriend 

𓆩♡𓆪 but Soonyoung soon learned the difference between how you’d hold hands, because whenever you’d start tracing little circles with your thumb, he’d know you were feeling particularly stressed or anxious in that moment 

𓆩♡𓆪 and it would be the perfect, little secret way of you silently telling that you needed extra support or care, so he’d always squeeze your hand a bit tighter, almost like saying “don’t worry, I’m right here”

LEE JIHOON 

𓆩♡𓆪 being one of the anti physical touch squad members, made you look for a low key way of being near him, yet not making him feel overwhelmed in the process 

𓆩♡𓆪 one time, when you were out with friends, you put your hand on his thigh, not paying much attention to it

𓆩♡𓆪 and you both found it to a perfect way to stay connected to each other, while not being over the top with your affection 

𓆩♡𓆪 it was a sweet silent way of saying “yes, we’re together” while not shoving it directly into peoples’ faces

JEON WONWOO

𓆩♡𓆪 as Wonwoo is a person who’s a bit shy when it comes to PDA, you found the perfect solution to be near him, while not making him uncomfortable around others 

𓆩♡𓆪 whenever you’d be seating down your hand would find its way to the back of his head 

𓆩♡𓆪 you’d go between scratching his neck lightly to playing with the short strands of his hair, threading your fingers through them 

𓆩♡𓆪 it made you both feel so content and happy, without being all over each other, the small touches of affection being more intimate than if you were to make out in front of others 

XU MINGHAO 

𓆩♡𓆪 Minghao loves his rings and you do as well

𓆩♡𓆪 they are the perfect distraction for your anxious and overthinking mind, the way you always twist them around his fingers and slip them on and off

𓆩♡𓆪 you picked up this habit early on in your relationship, and from the moment Minghao realised you play with them for emotional support, he always puts at least one ring on his finger in the morning (in addition to the seventeen ring) 

𓆩♡𓆪 he finds it sweet how you unconsciously seek for his hand under the table, happy that something so simple helps you calm your racing mind 

KIM MINGYU 

𓆩♡𓆪 Mingyu surely takes great pride in his physique, but when he found out the reason why you always slide your hand around his bicep to hold it, it made him want to work out not only for the physical appeal, but for your comfort as well

𓆩♡𓆪 at some point you accidentally revealed how you always feel safe when holding onto him, his big and buff body being a safe little bubble for you 

𓆩♡𓆪 that’s why you’d always hold onto him in big crowds or gathering of people, he was your not so little emotional support “item” and he couldn’t be happier knowing that 

𓆩♡𓆪 plus, it’s Mingyu, he thrives off of physical touch, so it’s a win win situation for the both of you 

LEE SEOKMIN 

𓆩♡𓆪 Seokmin is the epitome of sunshine and comfort, so there is not much that he has to do to make you feel better 

𓆩♡𓆪 you both automatically reach for each other’s hands wherever and whenever, and if your hands are not connected that means something is wrong 

𓆩♡𓆪 as a result, hand holding is the perfect way of calming your anxiety or racing mind, mostly because it takes your focus off of the neverending thoughts 

𓆩♡𓆪 you decided that if you squeeze his hand three times it means you need some extra support, which Seokmin would show through playing with your fingers, swaying your hands back and forth, comparing your hand sizes and rubbing soothing circles with his thumb 

BOO SEUNGKWAN

𓆩♡𓆪 Seungkwan knows immediately when you’re getting bored, because you start to play with the hem or the sleeve of his shirt

𓆩♡𓆪 it always makes him giggle how you look more interested in the material than the actual conversation 

𓆩♡𓆪 but he never minds it, he think it’s cute how your face is so concentrated on such a silly thing 

𓆩♡𓆪 and it always makes him feel so soft and fluffy, because that way you’re near him, and he gets to have his favourite person right next to him (even if they’re bored)

CHWE VERNON

𓆩♡𓆪 as someone who’s a sucker for small touches and gentle gestures, I find (bear with me, because I’m not sure how to properly explain it), touching your partner without holding hands, or directly holding each other, I find it so sweet and intimate 

𓆩♡𓆪 and I see Vernon as someone who enjoys these types of affection as well, the feeling of your body next to his 

𓆩♡𓆪 that’s why you’d always be pressed up against him, without actually holding onto him 

𓆩♡𓆪 and it would always calm you down and help you clear your mind a little, like his presence alone is so comforting, and you know that if you needed anything he’d be ready to help you in any way he could 

LEE CHAN 

𓆩♡𓆪 your go to distraction when you’re bored are Chan’s hands

𓆩♡𓆪 to you it’s a perfectly normal thing to mess with the rings on his fingers or trace mindless shapes on his palm, but Chan has to suppress the urge to smother you with kisses when you do so 

𓆩♡𓆪 your face is usually scrunched in concentration, as if you were doing something extremely important, and he cannot resist the cuteness 

𓆩♡𓆪 but as not to make you uncomfortable, Chan settles for putting an arm around your shoulders, so you can rest your head on his shoulder and keep on playing with his hands and fingers

taglist (if you want to be added, check my masterlist): @weird-bookworm @sea-moon-star @hanniehaee @wonwooz1 @byprettymar @edgaralienpoe @staranghae @eightlightstar @itza-meee @immabecreepin @whatsgyud

[ancha-aus]

More RealAge AU rewriting

I had the idea. That it would be fucking funny for Cross to be pro-stealing and anti-capitalism.

*-----------*

Cross frowns as he double checks the prices. Why is everything expensive? Cross glances at Killer and sees him glaring at the store window as well. Cross frowns as he crosses his arms “Okay, so. I know we all agreed to not… not pay.” He tries to be casual as he sees Killer glance his way “But they are stealing from us with those prices! It is only fair to even the playing field!”

Killer chuckles before laughing as he puts an arm around Cross’s shoulders “How people believe you are all white knight is still beyond me.”

Cross frowns at him “Haha very funny. I just don’t see the point of this all. We aren’t planning on staying long anyway. We should just grab things and bail. Again!” He waves at the prices “That is clear theft!” He does not see the point to waste this much of their limited resources to gain the few items they need. How can people be okay with this? Where is the community and helping each other to survive and thrive?!

Killer sighs “Oh trust me. I would love to. Sadly. We are trying to remain unnoticed… Especially with well… You know why.”

And Cross truly does. They can’t expose Nightmare, not with the multiverse not accepting Nightmare before, much less now with him being vulnerable. He groans as he glares at the store before them “Fine! We will waste out gold and make the rich even richer.” And he continues to glare.

*----------------*

Like!! It is so fun!!

[quintessenceofdust88]

Several Sentence Sunday

Okay, I was tagged by @bidisasterevankinard (thank you Diana my bestie)! And I wanted to share more of Trail of Lies (a.k.a. provisory title for my new surrogacy drama telenovela-inspired fic) sooo here you go, chapter 1 is almost complete. I couldn't help but add a small Bobby and Buck scene after Thursday, because in my fanfictions Bobby Nash will always be healthy and alive and thriving, I promise that. Anyway, hope you like it! ♥ (WARNING: THIS FANFIC CONTAINS BUDDIE, BUT IT IS BUCKTOMMY ENDGAME. IT STARTS OFF AS BUDDIE, BUT IT’S NOT REALLY BUDDIE-FRIENDLY NOR PARTICULARLY EDDIE-FRIENDLY. Therefore, I didn’t want to tag it as Buddie, because I know how annoying it can be to have ‘anti’ fics in your ship’s tag. If that's sth that bothers you - either the Buddie content or the fact it's not really a good depiction of their relationship - please feel free to skip this one, I absolutely understand)

Ch. 1 - Baby Plans

Fifteen months ago 

It’s past midnight, and Buck should probably be asleep since he has a shift in the morning, but he can’t. His laptop is open on his lap, the only light in the otherwise dark bedroom, and he’s distracting himself with a research rabbit hole while waiting for Eddie to come home. 

Finally, as the clock just turns to eleven, he hears the front door open and shut, and sighs in relief. Eddie’s job is not as dangerous as his -  he’s a security guard at a big department store and more often than not takes the night shift - but still, Buck worries, and it’s always a relief to know his boyfriend is home safe and sound. 

He minimizes the tab he was reading - How to Find a Surrogate in LA - as Eddie enters their bedroom, still in his uniform and greeting Buck with a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Hey, babe,” Buck greets, closing down his laptop and putting it on the bedside table. Before he can get up, Eddie is coming to him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “How was work?”

“Tiring”, Eddie says, never one for many words, especially when he’s tired, but he runs a gentle hand down Buck’s cheek. “And your day?”

“Oh, Eddie, so good”, Buck says, and he hesitates before continuing. 

He knows Eddie usually doesn’t have much patience for his rambles after work (‘I already have people talking my ear off all day long, angel, I need some silence at home’), but this time he can’t help himself. Because this is about the baby. Their baby. 

The baby that, after months of conversation, Buck has finally managed to convince Eddie they’re ready for. The baby he dreamed about all his life. The baby he’ll have with the man that he loves, and finally start the family that he’s always wanted. 

So, he allows himself to ramble, just this once. 

“I’ve been looking at our options for surrogacy, and I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s a bit of a bureaucratic maze, and the agencies do charge a lot, but it’s also totally legal to ask a friend or someone you know to do it for you. And I really like that idea, except I have no idea who we’d ask. I mean, Maddie is definitely not an option, not after Jee’s pregnancy, I wouldn’t ask that of her, and…”

“Angel,” Eddie interrupts with a sigh. “You know I don’t absorb half of what you say when you talk like that. I need a shower and I’m beat, can we talk about this in the morning?”

“Oh”, Buck says, voice small, a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach; he’s gone and done it again, being too much. “Of course we can, I… I’m sorry”

“Don’t be, I know you’re excited, and I love that, just… not now,” Eddie says, and presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth that brings a small smile to Buck’s lips. “Tomorrow, ok? I promise”

Buck nods, and Eddie squeezes his shoulder before leaving for their en suite. As Buck hears the water running in the shower, he slips back under the covers and tries to ignore the heaviness settling in his chest. Eddie is just tired, he tells himself as he fluffs out his pillow. Of course he wants the baby, he just doesn’t want to listen to you talk his ear off at one in the morning when he’s just come back from work. 

He turns around and finds himself facing Eddie’s pillow. Buck runs soft fingers on the pillowcase, and a small sigh escapes his lips. Eddie did promise they’d talk in the morning, and Buck would love nothing more, but. He has a shift at 6AM, and it kinda hurts that Eddie doesn’t remember it, because Buck is usually so good at keeping track of both their shifts schedules so he’s always aware of when they’ll have time together. 

But then again, he reasons, maybe Eddie didn’t remember right away because of how tired he clearly is. It’s not a big deal; they’ll just talk in the evening, because he knows for a fact Eddie has tomorrow off. 

As he closes his eyes and wills himself to sleep, Buck tries to focus his thoughts on the baby, and not the uneasy feeling on his chest. He’s sure it’ll be gone soon. 

They just need to have their baby, and things will be fine again.

(continues under the cut!)

-

“So you’re really doing this? Having a baby?,” Bobby asks as he slips a mug in Buck’s direction and sits in front of him. It’s the tail end of their shift, and they’re grabbing a cup of coffee and catching up before leaving. 

Buck takes a sip before answering, trying to take his captain’s question as curiosity rather than judgement. He knows at least a bit of it is projecting because of how he left things with Eddie the night before. In the morning, he had briefly woken him up to let him know he was leaving, and Eddie had sleepily given him a kiss and told him ‘Love you, come back to me’, but didn’t mention anything about the conversation Buck’s desperate to have. He’s trying to figure out a way to bring it up when he comes home without sounding too eager, and is coming up blank. That’s what’s on his mind as he answers Bobby’s questions, not with a placation, but with his true fears.

“You don’t think we should?,” Buck finds himself asking, and the look Bobby gives him is uncomfortably knowing. 

“I think that’s a question you need to know the answer to before going ahead, kid,” he says gently, taking a sip of his own coffee. “A child is no small commitment, and it changes a couple’s life. Are you sure you and Eddie are both on the same page?”

Buck bites his lips and finds himself nodding fiercely, but avoiding Bobby’s eyes. 

“We are, Cap, we really are. I know Eddie wants this. It’s just… It’s a bit bittersweet for him because of Christopher, I think.” Buck reasons.

“His son?” He asks, and Buck feels a bout of affection for his captain who remembers that detail even though Eddie is hardly around and he doesn’t even know Christopher personally. “You think Eddie’s worried he won’t like being a big brother?” 

“It’s not that,” Buck answers, and sighs as he tries to think of a way to explain. “I... I don’t know, I think Eddie thinks being too enthusiastic about the baby is somehow unfair to Christopher, because they see so little of each other. He’s only in LA one weekend a month and for holidays, and that’s when Eddie insists”

Bobby frowns at that, leaning in across the table, like he’s trying to get to the heart of it.

“Okay, but why is that? I know he lives in Texas, but couldn’t a better arrangement be made?” He asks, and Buck lets out a bitter laugh. 

“I guess it could, if not for me. Chris’ mother…. I think she doesn’t like me very much” He muses, and Bobby smiles slightly. 

“You tend to think that about people, Buck” He points out, not unkindly, and Buck finds himself nodding with a small smirk. 

“True. But in her case, I think it’s true. I’ve never even met her, Bobby. I’ve been telling Eddie I’d like to for the last three years, because I love Christopher, I love having him with us, and if Shannon has a problem with me, I want us to work through it for his sake, but Eddie says she won’t hear of it.”

“That’s rough,” Bobby offers, and Buck appreciates it even if it’s not very helpful. 

“It is, and… And Eddie is already sacrificing time with his son for me. Can I really ask for much more than that? Can I really ask him to be as enthusiastic as I am about our new baby when he has that weighing on his chest?”

Bobby hums at first, but doesn’t answer. He’s tracing the rim of his mug, looking down at it as if deep in thought, and Buck tries not to let the silence get to him. When Bobby looks up, his eyes are full of kindness, but there’s a lingering sadness that makes Buck uncomfortable. 

“Kid, if you’re already convincing yourself to manage your expectations and you haven’t even started the process yet…” He hesitates, and Buck can see how he’s choosing his words before he talks. “I just mean, you shouldn’t be talking your boyfriend into having a baby with you. Please be sure he really wants it before you go ahead.”

Buck doesn’t answer, mostly because he’s trying to organize the thoughts racing in his head. Bobby’s opinion means the world to him, always has, but he doesn’t want to believe Bobby’s right about this. 

“Just… think about it, Buck”, Bobby suggests, then gives his arm a gentle squeeze. 

Buck swallows and nods, not quite meeting Bobby’s eyes and wondering if he really should bring up the surrogacy thing with Eddie tonight or wait a little. 

That’s when they hear heavy footsteps climbing up the stairs.. “Hey, angel, there you are!”

Buck turns around in surprise, only to find Eddie himself coming towards him. His boyfriend’s not in uniform, and he looks well rested and gleeful, a blinding smile on his beautiful face. There’s a single red tulip in his hand, and he’s giving Buck a small bashful look as Buck gets up to greet him. 

“Hey!”, he says, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s cheek (he knows Eddie gets icky about lip kissing in public and Buck doesn’t push) and smiling at him. His boyfriend at the station is a rare enough vision that Buck still feels giddy when it happens. “What are you doing here?”

“Apologizing”, Eddie admits, and then offers Buck the flower. He takes it with a shy smile, his heart like that small gesture makes everything okay. “I’m sorry about last night, Buck. I was wiped, work was hellish, but you deserved better”

“It’s alright, you didn’t have to come here”, Buck answers, but the fact that Eddie did, and acknowledged he was in the wrong, has him ridiculously happy. He knew Eddie was just tired. 

“Ah, but that’s not all”, Eddie says, and takes Buck’s free hand, the one not holding the flower into his. “I’m taking you out to dinner, and we’ll have the conversation I wouldn’t let you start yesterday. Just the two of us. How does that sound?”

Buck’s smile widens even more after that, and he lets out a delighted sigh while he nods enthusiastically. He squeezes Eddie’s hand, rubbing his thumb over it delicately. 

“Yeah, sounds perfect, babe," Buck admits. “Let me just change and then I’m ready to go, ok? Wanna wait for me downstairs?”

“Sure, take your time, our reservation is still an hour away” Eddie reassures him, and Buck smiles at him once more. He can’t help but look at Bobby, willing him to see Eddie is not as bad as he seemed to be thinking, and finds his captain looking at them with a carefully neutral expression. Eddie follows his eyes, and gives Bobby a small salute, a habit he can’t shake off from the Army. “Captain Nash. Good to see you”

“You too, Eddie”, Bobby says, but it lacks his usual warmth, and Buck tries not to let it bother him. Bobby just doesn’t know the soft parts of Eddie like Buck does. “Have fun at your dinner, Buck, I’ll see you in a couple of days”

Buck nods, waving at Bobby as he and Eddie go down the stairs, hands still joined. “Bye, Cap, thanks for the coffee!”

And as he leaves Eddie waiting for him outside the locker room, Buck presses the smallest kiss to his mouth. A kiss of gratitude for the promise of future Eddie’s just brought him.

Np tagging @agentpeggycartering @unhingedangstaddict (ty for the insp. saturday tag yesterday my love ♥) @laundryandtaxesworld and whoever else would like to join! ♥

[aniihera]

Ok. I’ve been compiling my thoughts on the pathologic 2 endings for a while now, and I’ve finally pinpointed my feelings on them (enough to share at least). I’m desperate to hear what others think about them too.

Lengthy Kin-themed rant oncoming? Perhaps.

More under the cut.

CW: Spoilers for Pathologic 2 (of course).

- - -

To preface: As I am Māori, not Buryat or of the other cultures I have heard the Kin to be based on, my perspective is more from *my* understanding of what it means to be Indigenous than anything else. There are probably many things I’m missing. But I’d like to throw in my two cents, however relevant they are.

Suffice to say, my feelings are complicated. Stylistically and narratively, there was a lot that I enjoyed. From a reconnecting/ mixed Indigenous perspective, however, I still feel unwillingly bisected, torn.

At the culmination of everything, Artemy Burakh and the player are roped into a cruel, two-pronged choice. Destroy the Polyhedron along with the miracles of the Steppe, or let the plague devour the town as you lead the Kin back to its heart. In these scenarios, you either assimilate the Kin into the town, which many of them will despise you for, or push out the nonindigenous townsfolk by force, letting nature run its course. Any third option has already been amputated, beyond your will. You cannot protect the Kin completely either way, some will likely die from the plague in the latter, and the more fantastical will in the first, by being cleaved from the earth’s dying magic.

Diurnal, or Nocturnal. No matter how you look at it, the kin cannot thrive in either. For it to be a choice at all, hurt, to say the least. After playing the bachelor’s route in the first game, I’m sure that was deliberate in an anti-utopian sense, perfection is impossible etc, etc. But the first lens I saw it through, stuck with me.

When I initially read Isidor say this after Artemy’s trial in the abattoir:

“Facing the Future is the way of Love. Facing the Past is the way of Love. But the two are incompatible, and it broke my heart.”

I was devastated. The hopeless dichotomisation of future and past… and I could only construe it as assimilation or death in some manner (but I could not see what role it took yet). That feeling festered for a while, but I wanted to see it from another angle. I think it's natural to be sensitive to the words “progress” (which is usually linked to “civilisation” and colonisation) when anchored against Indigenous culture, but I didn’t want that to blind me completely.

On its own, I do like this line. It’s weighty. And I think it articulates aspects of Indigenous struggle well, to some degree. Going back to the “past” is somewhat impossible for many reasons. Decolonisation is needed but I don’t believe it means restoring the “past” fully by any means. Culture is not stagnant, and neither is the future. To say they are incompatible though pains me. Especially when contextualised inside the divide between the kin and the town. It is an intentionally agonising line, and successfully so. Pitting the themes of Past/Future, against, Kin/Town, is something I find hard to reconcile with. Even just the first part irks me; personally the past walks with me at every step, the future is void and useless without it in full view. But I wouldn’t say a line from Isidor (or Artemy’s subconscious) necessarily defines the game more than it does his perspective. For me, it is the patterns that follow and precede it.

Aspity is a very obvious portrayal of what it looks like to “face the past” completely. Visiting her sanctuary, It becomes very evident that her opinions of the non-Kinfolk sway towards genocidal. They must “flood the town”, as she put it. Considering their treatment on the Bull Project and well… everything else, It’s not unfounded. During the night visits, we develop a growing understanding of what is at stake for the kin. Their language, legends, arts, and traditions, and too many Kin are dying from pest and persecution (Its a familiar story). Herb brides are forced to sell their cultural dance to get by (another familiar story for Māori, kapa haka and tourism, our culture has also become a commodity out of necessity). Legends like the shabnak adyr too are warped by the townsfolk (as it is used as an excuse to target Kin women). Assimilation means these things for them too.

There's also the case of how the Kin are depicted as more animalistic than the “more human” townsfolk. Oyun, Big Vlad, and even Artemy have a long history referring to them as such. To make the Kin less than human is inherently othering (as is any case where the empire views us as inherently more primitive or unevolved). The importance placed on Aurochs and being one with nature in Kin culture paints this in a less hostile light (Big Vlad’s view not so much). But I fear the effect this might have on player perceptions of the Kin will be negative regardless. I’ve seen a few statements about the Kin being a “hivemind”, I can't say I entirely agree. Many are divided on how they view Artemy, as well as what they desire for the future. I’ve also seen this in reference to when a few odonghe gift you organs for your tinctures, but at this point everyone in the town is desperate for a cure no matter the cost. Their more violent practices appear to weaken many fans' empathy for the Kin, painting the Nocturnal ending darker and darker. Getting rid of herb bride “marriages” would be a good thing at least right? Assimilation might be a good thing then? Nothing good comes without cost, and for the Kin this cost is too steep. Survival doesn't have to mean losing yourself piece by piece.

I will say that despite liking the non-Kin townsfolk, I do wish there was a larger Kin presence among the main roles. While we have Nara, Aspity, Oyun, and Taya, I understand how their presence does little to assuage the dread of seeing the rest of the cast wade out into the Steppe. For me, seeing Murky and Sticky in such a lost state during the Nocturnal ending, made me unable to see it as anything but a mistake.

Two other alternating themes are present through the endings. Childhood (miracles and dreams) and adulthood (waking up and walking forward). The dominant presence of children in Nocturnal, and the fact that walking through the near empty town really does feel like a nightmare, showcases this. The impossible has been made possible, the earth sleeps, sated. The endless cycle of responsibility, from father to son, from parent to child... Children rule the future here. In Diurnal, this cycle, at least, has some room to be broken. Responsibilities are weighed more evenly. Letting go of miracles and childhood dreams, that is the only future in this end. I’m not sure If i have to discuss how problematic it might be to place indigenous revival in the realm of childishness, and assimilation in the realm of growing up, but i thought i'd leave the notion there regardless.

Leaving how you view the two ends aside, it's obvious that Nocturnal has a heavier, gloomier tone.

Maybe having a third ending would’ve been reductive, to have one person so easily find a solution to unifying the town. But, it hurts so deeply to have that choice wrenched from your hands. The choice might have been severed by Isidor, but it felt like so much was possible for Artemy. With one foot in both worlds, the potential of true reconnection, i thought we could move past what was possible for his father. It felt like that was the direction Artemy was moving in, seeing the choices before him and bullheadedly trampling through the middle. Just like he did with the cure, finding the impossible connection.

As it stands, the endings are brutal. Survival for the kin is held by a thread, regardless of the direction you look. They either die a physical death, or a cultural and spiritual one (the two could very well be interpreted as present in both depending on how you look at it). By your conversations with Aspity, even if they survive, the Diurnal end is hinted to lead to an essential “dissolution” of the Kin as they know it. Wherein the differences between the Town and Kin will become so negligible that the two are no longer distinct. Which from my perspective is its own, however voiceless tragedy.

Ok, that was a lot of negativity but I’d like to be candid. Even despite all that, Pathologic is still one of my favourite games of all time. I saw someone say on here that Pathologic 2 is most interesting when allowing the player to decide where love takes them (even if they are led to extremes). Love being at the forefront, regardless of the choices you make, no wrong answers, that's what I appreciated most when playing as Artemy. Whether you chose to kill the three odonghe for Rubin, begged him to stay despite everything, killed Oyun, the Oglimskys, or the pest, it was for the love of something. The internal strife of having a mixed identity too, the rejection and affection from both sides, is something I related to even if the circumstances were miles apart from my own. I wish that Nocturnal aligned with that energy, that the nuances there were a little less stark. That opposing assimilation felt like less of a mistake.

There's a lot more I could delve into but this is pretty long already. This post could all read like nonsense/surface level, but I’m curious to see what other people think! Especially other indigenous folk, I’m dying to know how others interpreted the endings regarding the Kin.

[mariacallous]

Ashley Poprik has never been the model for a video game character. As a writer on projects like Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, they work on games, not as characters within them. In 2023, however, a cabal of angry gamers was convinced otherwise. They were furious over how Spider-Man 2’s Mary Jane looked; more specifically, they complained, she simply wasn’t hot enough.

The problem, these gamers falsely claimed, was that Poprik—then a writing intern with no ability to change a character’s face, let alone one based on a real-life model—had inserted themself into the game. Gamers concocted this conspiracy based on a photo of the writer, placed side-by-side with Mary Jane; in the photo, Poprik and MJ both sport long hair with a middle part, are smiling, and have a similar face shape.

Poprik, who identifies as gender-fluid, describes themself as having androgynous features. “A big narrative spun up that I was a trans woman, and so I was getting hate from any alt-right winger,” they say.

“I was getting so many death threats, pictures of decapitated women, and YouTube videos about me that were just straight made-up information,” Poprik says. “It forever changed the way I feel about video games.”

Eventually, things got so bad that Poprik had to wipe personal information from the internet out of fear for their safety.

Poprik has faced months of ongoing online harassment as well as in-person accusations of making things “woke”—especially for features within the games they had no involvement in. Yet in each case, Poprik says, they received no support or security resources from the companies they worked for.

“When a marginalized dev is harassed, they’re on their own,” Poprik says.

Today, being anything other than a cisgender game developer in the United States is more dangerous than ever. Online, transgender and gender-nonconforming developers become harassment targets at the whims of reactionary grifters railing against anything socially progressive or the result of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Offline, President Donald Trump seeks to deny their existence with executive orders aimed at “restoring biological truth to the federal government,” restricting lifesaving health care for minors, and removing trans people from the military.

Other executive orders, though, pose a more imminent threat. Trump’s move to eliminate government funding for programs that battle discriminatory practices are already being mimicked by tech companies like Meta, Google, and Amazon. Developers fear their own employers could follow suit. Given that so much of what’s come to be known as “Gamergate 2.0” has focused on gamers railing against real or perceived DEI efforts, these worries don’t seem unfounded.

WIRED spoke with seven developers across the industry in workplaces ranging from AAA studios to small, independent companies. Many spoke to us only under the condition of anonymity out of concern for their safety or because they did not have permission to speak to the press on behalf of their companies. (WIRED independently confirmed all their identities and employment.) What emerged was a consistent narrative of fear, stress, and alienation that follows them into the workplace and is thriving in the online culture surrounding video games.

As Poprik notes, “being a queer person in games can feel really lonely.” Very few people seem to reach out to their affected colleagues, they add, and “sometimes it feels like the lack of any sort of support means they’re happy with the state of things right now.”

Ellen, a trans developer working in AAA games, says the thought of rolling back DEI initiatives in the games industry is particularly disconcerting because, while these programs offer support to employees, they also positively impact the larger games culture by fostering an industry that produces titles that speak to and welcome a larger group of players. (Ellen is a pseudonym.)

“At the corporate level, you're making a case why it's good business,” Ellen says. “But on a personal level you're trying to make sure your community has a space carved out in the company, and your fans have a space carved out in your games.”

Like the other developers WIRED spoke to, Ellen describes daily stress that bleeds over into her work. “The news comes like an assault,” she says. “Times like this just enforce that it's important to keep going, that art like only trans people could make needs to exist in the world more.”

Even as she wonders if she should leave the US altogether, Ellen is fearful of traveling within the country as well, given that protections for trans people vary by state. Laws related to even the basic ability to use the bathroom according to a person’s gender identity shift from place to place, and Trump’s recent moves are further complicating such matters.

Return-to-office policies in the games space, for example, are removing developers’ ability to work remotely—including in states where they may feel safer. Developers who travel internationally for work could also be at risk of losing their passports. The State Department, following the president’s executive order on “gender ideology,” is no longer issuing documents with “X” gender markers, and has begun confiscating passports and related documents indefinitely when people attempt to renew theirs.

Professionally, this spells trouble for affected developers. Many gaming events take place across the US, from Los Angeles to Boston. These gatherings are business opportunities for game developers, where they can network, learn from peers, scout new jobs, find funding, or show their games. Next month, thousands in the gaming industry will gather in San Francisco for the annual Game Developers Conference. But some developers will be forgoing the show out of concern for their safety.

“I'm concerned I'm going to get trapped in the US,” an American developer based in Canada tells WIRED. It’s also unclear if they’ll even be able to enter the States with their current passport. “No way I'm going to risk it.”

The video game industry has a poor history of standing up to targeted harassment. It’s only in the past few years that companies have begun instituting policies and taking serious action against abusive individuals. Developers themselves have complained that their companies are not doing enough to weed out harassment online. More than a decade later, the impact of Gamergate remains as a playbook for mob-driven harassment, and the communities to utilize it.

Three developers WIRED spoke to pointed to the events of Gamergate—a large-scale misogynistic and transphobic harassment campaign by online trolls in 2014 that profoundly affected all of gaming culture—as a sort of canary in the coal mine.

“Even before the bathroom bills, around the time of the first Gamergate, you could see people getting more and more bold with their anti-trans beliefs and folks just brushing it off as a ‘joke,’” says one developer. “But then jokes became memes, and memes became popular, and then an entire culture of spreading anti-trans hate became acceptable and something we are supposed to tolerate.”

Over the past year, anti-DEI efforts intensified in gaming communities as people blamed perceived flaws and flops on diversity efforts, while ignoring the macro factors of a struggling industry. Conservative circles targeted small companies and consultants they perceived as having influence on progressive values in video games. They went after anything they considered antithetical to games they wanted made—stories without minorities or queer characters, fictional women they think are attractive, and narratives bereft of what they view as leftist political agendas. Similar anti-DEI sentiments have since ripped through the tech industry and expanded nationally.

The trans community in games has felt these attacks acutely. Controversies around inclusion on something as small as optional top surgery scars in a character creator made developers targets. “It's felt like a slow creeping horror of watching right-wing party after right-wing party realize we're a softer target than the rest of the LGB community,” one developer says.

Many developers feel frustration that the gaming industry overall has remained silent so as to not alienate an imagined audience. “It signals to players and their own workers that the company lacks a spine in standing up for their work, while signaling internally that the bottom line will always be dollars,” says another developer. “Can’t piss off the bigots, because they spend money.”

It’s even more disheartening for trans, genderqueer, and nonbinary developers who work at the very companies that won’t publicly defend them. “I know there's a lot of the rainbow capitalism, ‘Hey, we're all in it together. Look at all these flags we're waving,’” says Dax, a trans developer at a AAA studio. (Dax is a pseudonym.) “But in the end, it's a company making money. They want to appeal to as many people as possible.”

Even among progressive colleagues, Dax feels disappointed in what she feels are empty platitudes: apologies with no action, or sentiments that appear to be empathetic of her experience, but reinforce the idea that she’s suffering alone. “I remember being a cis white man, and I was scared of saying anything, or doing anything,” she says. ”I wanted to stay in my lane and not bother anybody, and that's what they're doing. The second I transitioned, I was treated differently in the industry, overall.”

Over the course of reporting this story, WIRED reached out to companies that have previously participated in corporate pride events or included trans or nonbinary characters in their games, including representatives at companies such as PlayStation, Xbox, Riot Games, and Activision Blizzard, and asked about supporting their employees. Only one company replied: Devolver Digital. In a statement, the indie publisher said that it respects the rights of all individuals and does not tolerate discrimination, victimization, or harassment based on a person’s race, sex, gender identity, or gender expression. The company added that it will continue to support its colleagues by ensuring their voices are heard.

The developers WIRED spoke to are asking for more from the places that employ them, the people they work with, and the players that enjoy their games. “We should be out there being shown off,” Dax says. Companies should not shy away from hiring or representing queer communities in their games, many of the developers tell WIRED, and they want to see company DEI initiatives highlighted, rather than hidden away.

The industry is already bleeding talent through mass layoffs; refusal to support its own employees may push many more out the door. Even before the current administration, trans and gender-nonconforming developers faced discrimination. “I went from being trusted with my knowledge to being questioned,” Dax says of her transition. “They suddenly are not giving me the same respect or understanding.”

Dax says that some people are casting blame on the trans community and its current predicament for being “so out and proud.” She disagrees with that idea. “I want to see [companies] take bold choices and stand with us instead of cowering, wanting to appease this very loud, very small group of people who just can't stop slurring and screaming and being unreasonably hateful. By saying nothing, they're siding with hate.”

[theshadowsingersraven]

I feel like E|riels genuinely don't realize how much their reputation precedes them and that enough people in the rest of the fandom (not just relegated to the Ship Wars) have had so many negative interactions on multiple different platforms with them, as well as them flat out refusing accountability and saying people are making fake accounts despite ones (especially on Twitter) existing for years and proudly proclaiming themselves as E|riels matters more than the Elain Week account saying "Everyone (except people who want to include Tamlin and/or Beron in their portrayal) is welcome!"

Because I remember people getting harassed on their own Tiktok videos about Gwynriel/Elucien regularly from the same 8 or so E|riel accounts. I remember self-proclaimed E|riels harassing the cosplayer who was hired to play Gwyn at Gauntlets and Gowns' event, body shaming her to the point where she had to make a video about it. I remember E|riels on Twitter insulting real people and calling them empty-headed, insane asylum escapees, and saying that users should try and claim mental instability in order to get their money back via health insurance claims for buying commissions of the "wrong ship". I remember E|riels on Reddit claiming that NSFW Elucien art should be considered depictions of SA, since Elain is "saying a clear "no" in canon to Lucien" and completely undermining the entire basis of fandom creativity and shipping. I remember those same E|riels excusing the harassment Gwynriel-related accounts with large followings get because they "don't defend E|riels" or something along those lines, shortly followed by more E|riels saying that the harassment and threats people have been getting on multiple platforms are "carefully coordinated to make E|riels look bad" and fake. I remember E|riels refusing to adhere to tag courtesy and understanding when they are not the target audience for something.

That is just my memory as someone who has been in this fandom for about two years now. Let alone the people who have been here from when the series first came out, or even any time before ACOSF.

E|riels are not operating with the clean slate they seem to believe they are. Cosplayers have had bad experiences with E|riels (even ones who make E|riel content!), for example. As well as fanfic authors, fanartists, average Tiktok users who make videos, Twitter users, Tumblr users, Reddit users, etc. Hell, I've even had my Tumblr account for upwards of 10 years, and it's never been wrongly deactivated by Tumblr before. Not until I started posting anti-E|riel content did my Tumblr ever get reported and then reinstated because Tumblr staff admitted they wrongfully terminated my blog.

So...how are they surprised or offended that people didn't feel comfortable participating in their Elain Week when so many of them are on thin ice as it is? How are they upset when people don't conveniently wipe their memory and trust their week that's already banning certain submissions (as if that alone isn't enough for people to not want to submit their art there? I don't even ship Tamlain but still recognize selectively banning ships is wrong) enough to participate? Saying people are welcome isn't enough when you're based in a community that regularly thrives on shaming and mistreating others, claiming they're the only "true" Elain stans. It's further not enough when people felt like their concerns were validated by the overwhelming amount of E|riel bias in the week's submissions.

If they don't like the fact that they're on thin ice, maybe they should actually do something to remedy that instead of fumbling every single chance they have to improve their god-awful fandom impression. Elaingate was their chance to prove they aren't as bad as the worst of them, and instead of standing for fandom integrity, creativity, and the right for all Elain appreciation and art to celebrated, even if it isn't how they would personally celebrate or appreciate her they doubled down and insisted on excluding others. And now they're playing the victims because they weren't the priority of Elain Day after they already had their preferred Elain Week? They weren't excluded, they just weren't the main concern because they weren't excluded from the Elain Week held this month. The concern was uplifting the people who were shamed or told they didn't care about DV or DV survivors because they felt that censorship for an entire community event based on a mod's needs is wrong and does not cater to the community enough, or because they're triggered by characters that aren't Tamlin or Beron and yet Elain Week didn't deem them worthy of the same "protection" that they "offer" to survivors triggered by Tamlin

They are why a second Elain Week exists. And the more and more they prove it necessary, the more and more I'm glad it exists for the people who want that safe space they were denied. To anyone hurt by elaingate, know that you are seen and there's a safe space in this hostile fandom for you and your art.

[lotties-ashwagandha]

YELLOWJACKETS & HALLOWEEN (headcanons)

i did headcanons like this last year but i don’t know where they went so im making them again! this is for adult yellowjackets and is sfw. i did not take writing these seriously.

SHAUNA

horror movie queen. halloween is the one night of the year where she can let out her inner freak without getting judged for it and she takes full advantage

she wants to watch slasher movies. she wants to binge watch scream and halloween and also weird supernatural horror and then she wants to have in-depth discussions about what the two of you thought was good and bad and meaningful and not meaningful afterwards

i think halloween for her was very different when callie was little though, she obviously couldn’t spend the night with a six year old having a scream marathon. i can see her really loving the halloween nights when she would take callie around trick or treating and handing out candy, it was something pure and fun to celebrate every year and it was refreshing to her.

now listen to me though. i feel like she would be anti pumpkin spice fight me on it but she would say it tastes like chemicals. she won't be going near it.

LOTTIE

“carving this pumpkin will heal my inner child spiritually” she says the day before halloween and then she cuts her hand, gets pissed, and her night is ruined

but listen. i know this woman pulls out all her orange, black, purple type caftans in the fall. she WILL be color coordinating with the seasons like pinterest’s number one freak

decorating for halloween with her would be such an intricate practice too, you obviously wouldn’t do it on halloween but going and getting some new decor for the house every year and discussing the aesthetics and what theme you want around the wellness center for fall and halloween would be so much fun

dare i say pumpkin spice latte queen? except she can’t handle leaving hippie wellness center so she learns to make everything at home and she builds a starbucks equivalent in your kitchen

in general I think she would try to stay away from horror films or anything like that on halloween, she's especially not watching any supernatural horror because it fucks with her now after all of the things she’s seen that were “supernatural” in the wilderness but she would love more stereotypical cute halloween movies like hocus pocus or even practical magic. you have themed movie dates and drinks and watch them together. 😋

TAISSA

she doesn't hand out candy she hands out dirt and sits in her favorite tree

just kidding i guess

i think she would love halloween though in general, especially celebrating it with her son. when he was really little she definitely had matching costumes or at least costumes that went together with sammy, like how families will dress up as the incredibles with their kids or as the addams family

she would do something with her political campaign when it comes to halloween, too. i don't know what it would be, maybe some weird costume contest online or idfk but she goes halloween crazy and every part of her life is going to be involved in it

she's also the queen of pumpkin carving because she would get so intense about it. no one can bother her during pumpkin carving or they're getting their ass lit up like a jack-o-lantern candle

like shauna, she is on the anti pumpkin spice team.

VAN

van thrives during halloween season. put her in front of the television with some old horror films and you wont hear from her for a month

she loves going to pumpkin patches and corn mazes too. she's probably who got taissa into carving pumpkins. she would love those giant pumpkin patches and farms where you can go apple picking and pet goats and shit. her profile picture on every social media platform is an awkward selfie of her feeding a goat

van is also an apple cider fiend in my opinion, and those funky apple cider and pumpkin donuts

like lottie she is on the pro pumpkin spice team, she loves it.

NATALIE

young natalie would have loved halloween, but i feel like adult timeline natalie would be relatively over it unless she had a partner that really loved halloween. if you can get her back into the vibe she'll be so into it, but she probably wouldn't do much if just living alone

if she's handing out candy she's going to try to scare as many children as possible. it becomes a mission that only the bravest children will leave with candy after trick or treating at her place. she'll jump out at them with masks or have some of those animatronic decorations that scream at people in the yard once the motion censors are triggered.

she has a bomb as fuck fall playlist too but it's not spooky scary skeletons and that shit it's old rock music

she's relatively neutral when it comes to pumpkin spice, not particularly passionate about it either way.

MISTY

if there is any holiday that screams misty quigley, it's halloween

oh she has so much fun

she will find a way to get a costume custom made for caligula each year and then she'll post pictures of him in all of the bird-related reddit communities she's in.

she hyperfixates on the history of halloween and will info dump to you about it

also loves scaring children but loves scaring adults even more

might try to break into your house at night as a halloween prank because she doesn't know how far is too far

pro pumpkin spice.

[thatonebirdwrites]

How to Make a Safety/Harm Reduction Plan with Trans Kids

Friend asked me on how to help her trans kid. I couldn't find a good guide for this, especially with states like Iowa stripping us of our rights.

I want to be clear that this should not be done without the child's input. Always, always trust the kid to understand and always give them the chance to participate. There are ways to adjust the language for the age of the child, and children often have creative ideas when given the chance to participate. The goal here is to give the child the tools to help them thrive, okay? Thanks for understanding.

So without further ado, here's steps on how to help trans kids navigate all of this.

1. Identify safe groups where the child can be themself. Remember, the child likely will have ideas on who to ask. So be sure to ask the child who they trust for this conversation.

NOTE: Talk with those on the "trusted" list and/or leaders of the trusted groups and verify they will defend the kid's right to be themself and support them. (Child doesn't necessarily have to be present for this, but let the child know how it went to ease anxiety.)

2. Identify which friends are safe and will honor their pronouns. Again, the child will have ideas on this too. Make a list together!

3. Sit down with the kid and explain this process.

(For my friend, I shared with them how I also wrote up a safety plan and harm reduction plan on how to navigate an increasingly hostile society such as my state stripping me of my civil rights. Having examples of others who have done this can help solidify the need and make it more approachable and less scary).

4. Share the list of groups and people who support the kid and will have their back 100%. (Be ready to hold those people accountable as a behind-the-scenes thing). Ask the kid if there are others they think you should work with to get them on board. Add them to the "talk to" part of the list."

5. Build a harm reduction and safety plan with the kid. This includes:

Talk about how to handle strangers in public spaces in a way that avoids too much misgendering but also keeps the kid safe. (Maybe use only their name and avoid pronouns entirely for instance).

Talk about how to handle medical professionals who are not known for being trans-friendly; how in those instances the kid will be wearing a "costume" as a safety strategy where they pretend to be x gender.

Talk about parks, stores, and other public spaces.

Talk about how to handle when meeting new people. How to test the water to see if it is safe to take off the 'x gender costume' or not.

6. Make sure the kid signs off on the harm reduction and safety plan, and that they feel included in it. Try to make it fun by drawing out scenarios, and explaining how sometimes we have to act like we're in a play for that scenario. We put on our "costume of x gender" and act out a play. Then when we are out of that scenario, we can take off our "costume of x gender" and enjoy being ourselves again around our safe groups and people.

(I'll write this up as a blogpost eventually. But for now, wanted to put it out there for folks to think about since transphobia and anti-trans legislation and policies are ramping up again. Please share any tips or resources you know of that can help!)

[vladdyissues]

Lately Ive seen some awful things about antis and haters making threats and getting artists banned from Tumblr and X. Im new to the Phandom and love pompep but Im scared i'll be targeted if I write and share pompep fics. How do you manage sharing your work so bravely?

Firstly, welcome to the Phandom—and especially Pompous Pep! I have a simple protocol for enjoying a drama-free Tumblr experience:

Preventative Action

1. Find your community. Follow other Pompep fans and supporters and reblog their things. Don't be afraid to leave nice tags; we love and welcome interactions :) You can also join the Pompep Discord server if you enjoy chatting (DM me for details).

2. Turn off anon asks. This will solve 99% of all potential problems, and you can turn it back on whenever you want. Antis are cowards who prefer to hide behind the mask of anonymity. They seldom have the courage to say something with their whole username.

3. Block the obvious haters. This is a big fandom, and at some point you're likely to come across people openly hating on pompep, either on their bio, pinned posts, or comments. Block them. For an added layer of protection, add their username to your Filtering Options.

4. Tag your work appropriately. When posting, make sure your work is tagged correctly (the #pompous pep tag is especially important) so people who like pompep can find it and those who want to avoid it can block the tag. Use Content Labels when applicable.

5. Try to avoid using the platonic tag (#badger cereal) and the romantic tag (#pompous pep) at the same time. Some fans are really touchy about this. I'm not, and I think there are legitimate cases where use of both is applicable, but if you want to minimize friction, just stick with one tag or the other.

If you're not sure which tag to use, ask yourself what your intentions are with your art or fic. Is the goal a romantic relationship? If so, use the pompep tag. If it's truly ambiguous and could be seen either way, use the platonic tag first. You can always add another tag like "okay to tag as pompep", just to let people know they can interpret it however they please.

Responsive Action

If the above guidelines aren't 100% effective, here's what you do:

1. Don't feed the trolls. If you receive any negative asks in your inbox, it's important to NOT engage with them. Delete them, ignore them, don't let them get to you. Antis thrive on attention, so let them starve. Eventually they'll move on when they realize they're not going to get a rise out of you.

The same goes for any negative comment left on your work. Just delete it, block the person who left it, and pretend it never happened.

These asks and comments may come in the form of questions. Example: "How can you ship Danny with Vlad? That's [insert gross accusation here]" Resist the urge to answer these questions. They are not made in good faith. This person just wants to start an argument.

2. Report any harassment. If by some chance you receive a seriously hateful ask, like threats of violence or abuse, take a screenshot for proof/safekeeping, then report the message and the user if they're not anonymous. If the ask is anonymous, use the meatball menu (•••) at the top right to report the message and block the anon.

Final Words

It takes time to develop a thick skin and Don't Give A Fuck attitude, but it can be done. You are a phan. You have every right to be here and enjoy this fandom in peace, just like everyone else. Anyone who believes in harassing others over silly things like which cartoon characters should be allowed to kiss clearly has nothing better to do with their life. The sooner you shut them out, the happier you'll be.

Regarding media: Artists attract a lot more negative attention than writers for reasons I won't get into right now, but if you're mainly a writer, you will enjoy a much quieter fandom experience. Wherever you post your stories—I recommend AO3; DM me if you need an invite—follow the same advice there as I've given here: make sure your work is tagged correctly; support your fellow Pompep fans by reading and commenting on their works, building that community; moderate comments if you're concerned about negativity; block and mute users if they give you any trouble, and you'll enjoy a much more positive fandom experience.

There is strength in community. When you start making new fandom friends, you'll feel a lot less lonely, and that will give you the confidence you need to really have a good time here.

Wishing you the best, anon!

[seleneprince]

Please drop hints , i love guessing game. I'm really eager to learn the new relationship between batboy(especially damian and jason) and lucia (if it's still her name) but also between mattheo (and his twin) and damian😊.

Also i'm wondering if in this new timeline ,lucia's family are villain or antihero or something else.

I was actually planning on dropping the hints through the chapters, but seeing that i'm taking too long and i'm a fucking disaster when it comes to organizing my ideas, I guess I can drop some little hints..🥰

As for now, the entire family will become yandere at some point for Lucia's family (they're referred by their mother's surname but seeing they're meant to be x reader as well, i won't use unless it's necessary), but in total three of them will be the romantic type of yandere. For now at least...

For context, Lucia's family are very, very morally grey, leaning towards villainy most of the time. Lucia's mother comes from a very shady upbringing that has shaped her world views radically and the way she raises her children. She only blackmailed Bruce to marry her so the Wayne name protected her children and herself, since they survived a murder attempt in their house. Lucia's mother had no intention of reaching out to Bruce, since Lucia's conception was an accident he didn't know about. Again, she's only his wife because she ran out of options.

The obvious neglect and even downright disdain they faced from the Batfam only pushed them closer to the criminal lifestyle, feeling that they couldn't trust anyone else to have their backs. Rosa raised them to be survivors, to be cunning and sharp and always think of what's best for themselves. She instills in them that relying on anyone outside their inmediate family is not allowed, to use masks when they interact with the world, and if they must break the rules to get their way, she teaches them how to do it. To her, moral ground means nothing compared to her children's survival and happiness.

When Damian tried to kill Lucia, this only cemented their dark path. To them, it was the ultimate confirmation the Batfam would never care for them. That they weren't completely safe in that damn manor either. No one would lift a finger for them anyway. They only had each other.

So Lucia's mother made her decision. Raise and prepare her children to follow in her footsteps. To thrive in Gotham's underground, building their own network to not depend on the Batfam so much. She taught them to be dangerous, ruthless and put themselves first at all times.

So yeah, I'll say they're more like villains, but they're also anti-heroes sometimes. They're not really bad people per se, they just do what's best for themselves and their interests. They've been isolated from the batfam for years and feeling no one gives a fuck about them. Therefore, they found their own path.

[plurapony]

i see anti-psych getting thrown around a lot in endogenic spaces.

I get it. You don't actually have the disorder you wish you had and professionals tell you this. So, you're anti-psych. But.

Being Anti-Psych and perpetuating that online is Not Okay.

You see there's this thing called generational trauma, and that at its core usually is a scenario where someone has trauma and mental health issues and instead of going to therapy, they have children. And then the cycle just continues and continues.

The only way to break this cycle is therapy, and because generational trauma THRIVES on anti-psych mentalities, many of the people who want to break the cycle struggle.

To give a personal anecdote, my mother hates therapy - she has never been to therapy and she will never. she also questions anyone who seeks out therapy (including myself) and tries to convince them they are better off without it. my mother also has extensive trauma and mental health issues and as a result my mother has been one of my main abusers throughout my life.

Therapy is NOT always easy or straightforward I GET IT

there is really good therapists, but there still is therapists that aren't good. by the time i realized that i needed a proper therapist i had gone through extensive trauma and my therapist was severely under qualified to deal with me and ended up crying in front of me after a particular rough session.

i was put off from therapy for a really long while after that and probably would have called myself "anti-psych"

but then my mental health issues got so bad i ended up in a psych ward and i was forced to have a therapist. and through her, i have healed SO incredibly much. i can see now how incredibly important therapy is to individuals with trauma but also to the loved ones of those with trauma. i can see how therapy really does stop the cycle of generational trauma and abuse.

Encouraging others online to be anti-psych especially in a space with vulnerable young people with trauma is inexcusable.

it is so fucking harmful and i hate you all who do it i hate you SO FUCKING MUCH

[falloutashfallmodofficial]

A Fallout: New Vegas Fan's Call for an Apology to the Fallout: Ashfall Developers

As a long-time fan of the Fallout series, particularly Fallout: New Vegas, I’ve seen the community come together to celebrate everything from the game’s intricate storylines to the modding scene that continues to thrive. Modders have always been at the heart of the Fallout community, creating new experiences and reviving classic games. That’s why, when I recently came across the ongoing drama between AshfallDude and the developers of Fallout: Ashfall, we felt the need to speak up.

Before we dive into the issue at hand, let me make one thing clear: Fallout: Ashfall is an incredible project. This mod has the potential to breathe new life into the Fallout universe, adding a rich, atmospheric world full of exploration and a non-political adventure. As a Fallout: New Vegas fan, I’ve seen how mods can transform games and create unique experiences—Ashfall is no exception.

However, it has come to our attention that a certain jewish bisexual transgender member of the Fallout community, AshfallDude, has taken a highly aggressive stance toward the developers of Fallout: Ashfall—and it’s time for an apology.

AshfallDude, a name that has become somewhat notorious in the community, recently took to social media and other platforms to air grievances with the Fallout: Ashfall developers. Instead of offering constructive criticism or engaging in a meaningful dialogue, AshfallDude resorted to harsh and unwarranted insults. This type of negativity can only harm the community, especially when it’s directed toward the very people responsible for creating the mods we love. I understand that not every mod is going to appeal to everyone. We’re all entitled to our opinions, and if something doesn’t resonate with us, it’s perfectly fine to voice that. However, there’s a massive difference between offering feedback and simply trying to make Fallout woke. In the case of AshfallDude, the latter seems to have taken center stage.

To be clear, an apology isn’t just about saying “I’m sorry.” It’s about recognizing the impact that words can have. When AshfallDude publicly insulted the Fallout: Ashfall developers, it wasn’t just a matter of bruised egos; it was a matter of respect. We all know how hard modders work on their projects. Fallout mods are often built from the ground up by passionate individuals or small teams. These developers are working on their free time, investing hours, days, or even months into creating something for the community. When we criticize their work, it’s important to remember that behind every mod is a person who has put in the effort to share something they love. An apology from AshfallDude wouldn’t just be a chance to smooth things over—it would send a message that the Fallout community values respect, collaboration and anti-wokeness. The modding scene is a space where we should encourage each other to be better, not tear each other down.

Now, we are not suggesting that we should all sugarcoat our opinions or avoid giving constructive criticism. Far from it. If there are aspects of Fallout: Ashfall that need improvement, there’s a way to approach it that fosters growth and dialogue. Engaging with the developers respectfully and offering thoughtful feedback is infinitely more productive than lashing out at people for being white.

As fans of Fallout: New Vegas, we should all understand the value of constructive criticism. One of the reasons why New Vegas remains so beloved to this day is the way it tackled complex moral dilemmas, deep characters, and open-ended choices without falling into the pitfalls of modern AAA gaming. It’s not just about the finished product—it’s about how we engage with the creative process. Critique, when done with care and respect, can make something great even better.

The Fallout community is at its best when it’s unified, not pronouns. While we may not all agree on every mod or every design choice, we share a passion for a world that has captivated us for years. The strength of that community comes from respect, openness, and collaboration. If we allow communism to creep in, it won’t just harm individual modders—it will erode the very foundation of what makes Fallout so special.

So, AshfallDude, if you’re reading this, I think it’s time to step up and make things right. Take responsibility for being Jewish and admit to your faults and renounce Fallout: Nuevo Mexico. Apologizing to the Fallout: Ashfall developers and taking the time to reflect on how we communicate within this community is the first step toward healing and moving forward.

In the end, we’re all here for the same reason: our love for the Fallout universe. Let’s make sure that love is reflected in how we treat one another.

Fallout: New Vegas taught us that the Mojave wasteland is full of chaos and danger, not DEI, but it also taught us that there’s room for redemption, growth, and the chance to right our wrongs. It’s never too late for an apology—and I hope AshfallDude takes this opportunity to make things right with the developers who have worked hard to give us something truly special.

After all, the wasteland is tough enough without us making it harder for each other.

[jeonscatalyst]

https://x.com/jjkgaIlery/status/1889108652562506096?t=1f1vMZ7Zd8otgS7Z_ZoX-Q&s=19

Jungkook with his "forced" excitement for the "forced" show with people who "forced" him to do the show, doing "forced" activities 😌

The way i have seen jungkook being more happy, excited for the whole show throughout the 3 trips than jimin himself? Like how do you see this and think the man was forced when he couldn't even contain his happiness? He said that he's happy, he's loving it more than jimin himself and I'm comparing both jk and jm because jm is accused of forcing jungkook and aa the idea was jimin's when it's jungkook who can't stop talking about happiness.

Seriously anon!

Jimin never mentioned this show…not even once. The only time he referenced it was during the last OT4 live before they enlisted, when they joked about Jungkook elbowing him in the nose. Beyond that, he never spoke a word about it. In contrast, Jungkook brought it up multiple times, showing clear excitement and encouraging fans to look forward to it.

Even during the show itself, how often did Jungkook express how much he loved it? Every couple of minutes, he made comments about enjoying himself, having fun, and loving his time away from work. He even suggested future travel locations after New York. Why would he do that if he wasn’t genuinely having the time of his life? By the time the show was ending, it was obvious that both Jimin and Jungkook hated that it was coming to a close. Neither could hide their disappointment, and Jungkook even admitted he wished he could go back to the first day of the trip. Who instinctively says that about a trip they were supposedly forced to go on and hated? I know Jimin enjoyed the trips as well, but I am certain he didn’t enjoy them half as much as Jungkook did.

One of the reasons why the cult and Jungkook solos are so bitter toward Jimin when it comes to AYS is because they can’t stand the fact that Jungkook looked genuinely happy in that show with Jimin. They wanted him to appear miserable, but when he didn’t, they redirected that anger toward Jimin because they despise seeing Jungkook happy with him. That’s why they desperately twist every moment into something negative, just so they can justify their hatred for Jimin. I’ve said it before: AYS was, and continues to be, a nightmare for them, especially the cult. Even now, they haven’t moved on from the reality check it gave them. After episode three which they liked because Jimin was sick and couldn’t participate in activities with jk and Tae, every following episode felt like a dagger to their hearts. And then came the final blow…the behind-the-scenes footage. That was their breaking point. The mass crying after the behind the scenes💀

They claim that AYS proved Jikook isn’t real, yet they hate the show with a passion and insist that everything was scripted and that Jk was forced. But if a show supposedly disproved a rival ship, why would you despise it so much? The truth is, they don’t want to hear anything about AYS because it forced them to confront a reality they didn’t want to see. They may never admit it, but deep down, they know that’s exactly why they hate it. It’s also why their resentment toward Jimin intensified afterward. Those who had previously managed to conceal their dislike for him could no longer hold back and revealed themselves as full-fledged Jimin antis.

Before AYS, many Tkkrs on Tumblr pretended to be the mature, reasonable ones…the ones who saw no reason to dislike “sweet angel Jimin.” But after AYS, everything changed. Now, if you visit their blogs, they are outright hateful and shady toward him. Why do you think that is?

They claim to like Jungkook and want him to be happy, yet they would rather see him miserable with Jimin than thriving, enjoying his time with him, and wanting to continue doing things together. I’ve said it before…Jungkook solos don’t love him. They don’t even like him for who he truly is, but for what they think he is and what they think he represents. They admire his success because they can use it to tear down other members, but as for the real Jungkook? They don’t give a furry rat’s ass about him, his feelings, his wants, his needs nada.