#foundational racism

[ausetkmt]

[socialjusticeinamerica]

“At least 38 Democratic members of Congress signed a letter sent Monday to the president of the Heritage Foundation requesting he meet with lawmakers to discuss Project 2025 and release the undisclosed fourth pillar of the project called the “180-Day Playbook.”

"Our offices are increasingly hearing from constituents worried about the impact of Project 2025 on the future of our nation," read the letter obtained exclusively by ABC News.

"A growing number of Americans are concerned that Project 2025, which you describe as 'a second American revolution,' poses an unprecedented threat to our democracy, reproductive freedoms, public education, LGBTQIA+ rights, our economy, environment, public health and more."

[theotterpenguin]

I really like the nuanced take about Zutara and why it makes some people uncomfortable and I can see both sides of it. I ship Zutara now but at first I didn’t and it made me really uncomfortable but I think it was just because of certain fan content I was coming across. Some people do portray Zutara in an extremely fetishized & creepy Stockholm syndrome way that makes Katara come off like some helpless damsel stereotype. It made me feel really gross thinking about as a young WOC but rewatching the show and seeing the true dynamic of these characters made me fall in love with them again. So I guess my feeling is that in canon i really love the dynamic but I hate the way *certain fans* twist it and refuse to acknowledge the racism & misogyny in what they’re doing

this is a complicated topic with many layers to it but first - i am sorry if you have ever felt unwelcome in the zutara fandom due to experiences with racism/misogyny.

it would be ignorant to claim that the zutara fandom is somehow uniquely unaffected by systemic racism or sexism, but it would also be disingenuous to claim that these issues only exist in certain parts of the atla fandom. racism, sexism, and general bigotry exist in every fandom due to institutionalized inequality in social structures. and to make it clear, i'm not directing this criticism towards you, anon, you are entitled to your own personal experiences, but i have seen a broader trend of people attempting to use fandom racism to moralize their position in ship wars, which is diminishing from the actual problem - the focus should be on acknowledging the existence of fandom racism/sexism, combatting implicit biases, and creating spaces that can uplift marginalized voices, rather than focusing only on optics in an attempt to gain moral high ground in a silly *fictional* ship war.

however, given all this, the reason that i am still in the zutara fandom is because i appreciate how many people in the fandom are dedicated to unpacking issues of racism and sexism and cultural insensitivity in atla's source material, which i personally haven't seen in many other sides of the fandom (that often sanitize what actually happened in the text to avoid acknowledging these issues in their favorite show). of course this is a broad generalization, but that's generally why i stick with the non-canon shipping side of the fandom because fans that are willing to stray away from canon are often less afraid to engage in critical analysis.

i also do think the zutara fandom has come a long way from the early 2000s when the show first aired. for example, when i first joined the fandom i had mixed feelings on fire lady katara, but i have since read some fanfics that have done an excellent job deconstructing some of the problematic ways that this trope could be interpreted and balancing respect for katara's cultural heritage and autonomy with the political and personal difficulties of being involved with an imperialist/colonialist nation. the fire lady katara trope, capture!fic, and other complicated topics/tropes are almost never inherently racist/sexist, but rather, their execution is what matters. and all this is not to say that issues of systemic racism/sexism do not still exist in this fandom, but it personally has not significantly negatively impacted my experience in the zutara fandom due to the wonderful content that so many other fantastic people produce, though everyone's mileage may differ with what they are comfortable with. anon, i hope that you are able to find a place in the zutara fandom for you! but i also know many people that have stepped back from other fandoms due to experiences with racism/misogyny, so i understand that decision as well.

on a final note, i think it's important to acknowledge that fandom doesn't exist in a vacuum and broader issues of racism and sexism are rooted in the media, the entertainment industry, and mainstream societal norms. while i do sometimes focus on fandom dynamics/discourse in my criticisms, i think it is equally as important to acknowledge how issues of prejudice and inequality are perpetuated through larger social structures, which is why it frustrates me when the atla fandom refuses to acknowledge the flaws of the original show, which has far more influence and social power over the general public than discourse over fandom tropes ever will. personally, i don't understand the phenomenon of holding fan-made material to a higher standard than mainstream media.

[finnick002]

I personally think that we Wyll fans should collectively stop asking (or, in some cases, begging) some artists and modders for Wyll stuff or including Wyll in their works. If they keep leaving him out, it's an obvious hint what they think of him and what kind of people they might be. By constantly asking, you're only making them feel good about the fact that their works is desired by you, and they'll continue to ignore you until they hit you with either "go play another game if you want a Black protagonist" type of outright racist shit or "people keep asking me to make Wyll stuff so I'm doing it this one time" type of reluctant and condescending response.

This also applies to Larian. They've already given us obvious hints by the way they keep ignoring us while rushing to respond to other fans' feedback and demand. Couldn't even bother to mention him at all in the latest stats. There's no way in hell they don't see our feedback or don't know what they're doing. They. Just. Don't. Care!!

I'd rather spend my energy and money on supporting people who do care about characters of color and especially Black characters. There are plenty of creators who do. As for studios, none of the major ones seem to have a good record in this regard. I'm super intrigued by the upcoming Dragon Age game and Assassin's Creed game just for the fact that both have a dark-skinned Black protagonist with Afrocentric features and beautifully styled and textured hair. It's a good start and I see their efforts, but I'll wait for the reviews from people I trust, cuz BioWare and Ubisoft both have displayed anti-Blackness before.

[notchainedtotrauma]

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Rep. Pamela Stevenson refuting the argument that Christianity supports transphobic bills.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Kevin Ray

Published: Jun 27, 2024

I’m a gay man who is skeptical of the existence of a so-called “LGBT community.” The idea of this community is a belief rather than an objective truth, and I don’t affirm its existence for the sake of social niceties. Endorsing subjective beliefs to “be kind” is the behavior that landed society in the wreckage of Critical Social Justice activism. People have a right to their beliefs, and I have the right to write about why I don’t share those beliefs. 

Although there are indications that the tide is incrementally shifting, on much of the left, it is still the fashion of the day to view any dissenting arguments to popular subjective beliefs held by or about minority groups as anything from “not nice” to outright “hate.” I’d like this trend to go the way of bell-bottom jeans. That’s not going to happen until people get back into the habit of voicing their opposing views. In the interest of taking one small step toward ending “Cancel Culture,” I don’t ever say, “LGBT community.” 

The claim that an “LGBT community” exists must be supported by evidence that withstands scrutiny. The only evidence supporting this claim is a population of self-identified gay men, lesbian women, bisexual and transgender people living openly across the globe. But a population doesn’t make a community. Communities of affinity exist when members participate in events together and have a shared set of values. Many people within the LGBT population participate in communal events, but many don’t. The identity groups that comprise the “LGBT community” have extremely divergent interests, behaviors, and concerns—and share little in common aside from minority status that some relish in and others resent. Also, people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender vary in a myriad of other identity characteristics and affinities, including age, race, political affiliation, citizenship status, income, and education level. The life experiences within this population are also varied. An out gay man in Seattle who enjoys the liberty of marching hand-in-hand with his boyfriend in a public parade has a wildly different life than his closeted counterpart in Tehran, who can be legally punished with up to 99 lashes or execution if convicted of sodomy under Islamic law. Everyone in this population does not meet together in communal celebrations, and they don’t share a monolithic set of values, behaviors, or life experiences.

Also, who is of this supposed community? Is a twenty-something man in a romantic relationship with a woman who, every now and then, decides to “take a walk on the wild side” with another man of the community? Is a thirty-something woman whose struggle with gender dysphoria desisted after years of exploratory psychodynamic therapy of the community? Was she of the community when she identified as male? Is she excommunicated now that her dysphoria has subsided? 

What about me? I happen to be a gay man; does that alone make me of this community? I used to go to gay bars, but I don’t anymore. I don’t attend events at the LGBT Center, and I don’t support it (or any LGBT organization) through monetary donations. I’ve never watched an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I don’t identify as “queer,” and I reject its political aspirations. Despite living in New York City for over thirty years, I’ve never set foot on the gay mecca known as Fire Island, and I haven’t been to a Pride parade since 2007. Am I to understand that, merely because I am romantically, intimately, and sexually attracted to other men, this makes me of a community? Do I decide what communities I belong to, or does someone else decide that for me? 

I believe this decision is being made for me to satiate other people’s political agendas. When the incantation of an “LGBT community” is cast, it is often followed by political jujitsu, asserting this “community” has a unified belief, cause, or demand, which I’ve already argued is false. In truth, this mythical community is frequently conjured as a cudgel wielded by the left to blame, shame, and expunge those not willing to capitulate to the latest LGBTQIAA2S+ youth activist temper tantrum. Conversely, it’s used by the right as a political “wedge issue” to frighten voters away from electing any Democratic candidate, be they moderate centrists, radical progressives, or anywhere in between. 

Worse, viewing the population as a community can superimpose the idea that this group needs protection. This impulse to protect had disastrous outcomes during the monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak that began in May 2022. On July 15 of that year, The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) decided to change its messaging about how the virus is contracted. Some within the department feared promoting abstinence might “stigmatize” gay men. Instead of honestly telling people about the risks of contracting the virus during sex, DOHMH said, “[f]or those who choose to have sex while sick, … sores should be covered with clothing or sealed bandages.” Whistleblower Dr. Don Weiss, a senior epidemiologist at DOHMH, knew this approach was dangerous, and took his concerns to The New York Times. In their response statement, DOHMH said, “For decades, the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community has had their sex lives dissected, prescribed, and proscribed in myriad ways, mostly by heterosexual and cis people.” However, when I am at risk of contracting a virus that causes extreme pain and possible lifelong scarring, I can’t afford other people’s identity politics and their virtue-signaling protection of imaginary “communities.” Rather, I want the best medical advice available and I don’t care about the identity of the person who gives it to me or what “community” the person giving me the advice comes from! Ironically, it was not the “heterosexual and cis people” at DOHMH who gave me the best advice about avoiding Mpox. It was Andrew Sullivan, a gay male journalist who took to his podcasst The Weekly Dish along with gay activist Peter Staley. Their advice was, “cool it for a month.” Sullivan and Staley did not make me feel “stigmatized” by promoting abstinence. They told me the truth, which made me feel that somebody cared about me and my well-being. 

Identity divisiveness needs to stop. I don’t use the term “LGBT community” because I don’t believe it exists, it reduces a diverse population into a blunt, monolithic group, it reinforces an “us vs. them” mentality, and, as I just illustrated, it could be dangerous to my health. It fuels division at a time when Americans desperately need to come together. 

This Pride Month, it’s worth remembering that rights for LGBT people were secured because of the common humanity appeal made by those who said, “We live, laugh, and love just like you, all we want is the same rights everyone else has.” It’s time to stop segregating LGBT people into a “community” that is separate and apart from our wider society. It’s also time to realize that much of this divisive impulse is coming from within the LGBT population, and something needs to be done about it.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adults need to stop being afraid of what young LGBTQIAA2S+ activists might say and start speaking up. Each day that we don’t stand up to activist fits is one more day that someone else might get bullied, canceled, or worse. The inappropriate behavior of young activists must be confronted by adults who believe their behavior is harmful. LGBT grown-ups need to proudly re-assert that here and now is the best place and time to be out and proud, and it will only get better if activists stop behaving like the bullies who once persecuted us. Pride does not call for revenge for past injustices. The attacks on heteronormativity, the patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and the pronoun wars need to end; if civil rights for LGBT people are rolled back, it won’t be by “conservative” political maneuvering, it will be a self-inflicted wound caused by LGBTQIAA2S+ activists and their overblown tirades that eroded the goodwill and trust built over time by people who made advances through a common humanity appeal. Activists may not like “heteronormativity,” but they all have to learn to live in a world where the majority are heterosexual. Let's be frank—none of them would be alive without some heteronormative behavior, and they should show a little gratitude toward those who brought them into this world. 

If I were to speak to one of these young activists, I would share my message for Pride 2024, which would be this:

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are a minority, and that comes with challenges. Facing obstacles and overcoming them gives me a reason to get up in the morning—it gives purpose and meaning to my life. It’s also true that most people have challenges to navigate, so those who are LGBT are not unique in this regard. A life well-lived is not one spent wallowing in identity grievance and pursuing revenge for injustices you did not directly experience. Nobody is advocating for forgetting the wrongs that occurred in the past; it’s possible to recognize the history of injustices inflicted upon LGBT people in the past while also expressing gratitude for the wonderful advances that have been made. It’s your job to make the most of the hard-won rights that have been earned for you so you might use those rights to pursue a life of joy and fulfillment despite the challenges inherent in being a minority. It’s not always going to be easy. There will be good days and bad days. And while I can’t say there is a “community” to support you, there are many people among a population that know what you’re going through and want you to live life to the fullest. 

Happy Pride!

==

"A population doesn't make a community."

[saitamastamaticsoup]

Hobie “i hate labels” brown would not hate relationship labels I fear y’all aren’t understanding what he means by that in a punk way

[maddy-ferguson]

using intersectionality to discredit feminism and downplay its reach and essentially weaponizing it when it was coined to describe black women's experience of racism and sexism is nasty work...

[blackbackedjackal]

The culture of that kind of extreme bully breeding comes from a long history of black exploitation and racism so I'm sure the person making casual p*do jokes will handle that topic with the utmost racial sensitivity.

Spoiler: they didn't

[andromedasummer]

can one of you f1 girlies become a journalist and interview the drivers who refused to take a knee because they wanted to fight racism in a different way/disagreed with how blm went about seeking justice and ask them, now that nearly 3 years have passed since the may protests, what steps they've taken to educate themselves on racism? what actions they've taken to improve things for people of colour within formula one/motorsports as a whole? or how they've gone about promoting racial equity in their own country?

[tilbageidanmark]

The 14 words

Kevin Roberts

(Click to see the memes I'm making)

[canyourlawnmowerdothis]

ive seen exactly one person do this, i think via tiktok? but theres a black goth that does their makeup base with black rather than white and i hope it already is/becomes widespread bc it fucking SERVES

[genericpuff]

spot the differences

Episode 120

Episode 220

answer: there are none, it's just persephone abusing staff workers.

what's REALLY wild though is that:

Persephone is supposed to be acting 'out of character' in Episode 120 because it's Hera disguised as Persephone and acting how Hera would act, but in Episode 220 we get ACTUAL PERSEPHONE acting the exact same way (WORSE, even) so is it really out of character?

Demeter's reaction tells us that she would absolutely NOT approve of what her daughter has become, she clearly did NOT raise her daughter to mistreat employees or those of lower classes but instead Persephone is reflecting behavior from her ROLE MODEL (Hera) and her LOVE INTEREST (Hades).

The EMPLOYEE DESIGNS ARE LITERALLY THE SAME. And knowing what we know about RS confirming that satyrs and nymphs are 'lower class' in the universe of LO, it's horrifying to see two similarly-designed satyr characters be mistreated by our main protagonist.

THESE EPISODES ARE LITERALLY EXACTLY 100 EPISODES APART ??? WHAT ARE THE ODDS EVEN-

I honestly don't even know how to process this. I would LOVE to believe that this is all intentional, a clever slow burn of Persephone's character devolving from a humble and compassionate Mortal Realm Goddess to a cruel, vindictive, capitalism-loving, high-class oligarchy-style Goddess.

But this is Lore Olympus. So all I can do is be reminded of how we're supposed to be rooting for these characters, how the audience cheers every single time Persephone or Hades are shown abusing their power. We haven't gotten any sort of confirmation through the text that Persephone has thought about what she said to Tori, how she reacted to seeing him after 10 years, how she feels after cornering him at his job the way she did. We never get to see into her mind, her reasoning as to why she thought it was okay; we never get to see into Tori's mind, it's framed entirely around Persephone "getting her revenge" on someone who barely had an impact on her life ten years ago in college.

That's not even getting into how Rachel's not even subtle anymore about how Persephone is a self-insert power fantasy for her to project herself onto-

-so she CAN'T in good faith deny that she's not like this in real life with how often she frames poor people being abused by the rich (and expecting readers to still cheer for the rich all the same).

I'm not here to psychoanalyze Rachel, but there's a point where it's almost more irresponsible NOT to call out the obviously problematic whims of a writer as they're bleeding into the narrative they're spinning and the messages they're sending to their audience. Especially when their audience is made up of children, teenagers, and young adults coming into a world that worships exuberant wealth and punishes the poor.

This turned into a bit of a ramble-rant, but let me leave you with these parting words to chew on the next time Persephone is inevitably portrayed as "Boss Bitch" goals to LO's audience just so the narrative can get away with having its main protagonist bully canonically lower-class characters and call it a win:

The tree remembers what the axe forgets.

[leonardalphachurch]

i pulled out from zero discourse but saw some of torrian’s tweets about it again and MAN i don’t really like the guy all that much but i really truly think if you’re still out here shitting on zero you need to shut the fuck up. “you mean it’s all bad because of corporate decisions?” always has been. now stop blaming a black man for it or else admit you’re just fucking racist.

[jeremyheereissomeow]

I’m sure other people have said this, but I feel the need to reiterate it:

The reason so many of you HATE the Be More Chill broadway run is because there aren’t as many white people in it as there was in the original Two River production.

[constantvariations]

When there's a show that has lots of combat but little to no killing, there's usually a reason for that. I don't just mean the target audience being children (which is a stupid claim anyway, kids can handle way more shit than adults give them credit for), I mean a Watsonian explanation

Aang doesn't kill because he believes it's against his pacifist culture

Batman doesn't kill because he believes in second chances

Vash doesn't kill because it would make Rem sad

But when it comes to the rwby world, the whos and whys of killing... aren't really there?

The villains kill on-screen often, which is a given since, yknow, villains. But our heroes have never had a discussion of how far they're willing to go for their goals

It could've been established during any of the Salem talks, but instead the writers handle it with kid gloves with that Saturday morning cartoon "How do I destroy Salem?" Like, we saw a whole ass human being turned to ash, ShawLuna, you can say "kill," I promise

Due to this, I thought the dynamic was "villains kill, heroes don't," which is fairly typical for shows with this tone

And then Adam was murdered. On screen. By two of our heroes

It was genuinely jarring. There was no lead up to this kind of action, no talk of "doing whatever it takes" or "we have to prepare to do things we might live to regret." Just BAM STAB DEAD

And not even a conversation after! There's literally nothing to distinguish the before/after murder versions of Yang and Blake, which is bad! You took a whole ass man's life! Blake knew him personally! His dreams, his fears, the way he took his coffee, the whole nine yards! Even if it had to be done, that should still have a major affect! Hell, my best friend cried for hours after a bird hit the windshield on our road trip, yet these two are totally okay with ending a person

Even stranger, there has yet to be actual blood spilled by our heroes after that. Not even a skinned knee! Deaths happen around them, not because of them

You've already opened the door for the reaper, you might as well let it settle in for tea