#helps us understand where they're coming from

[queervegancryptid]

They fought back in part because the cops were literally checking their genitals so they could arrest the trans and gender non-conforming people there.

Stonewall wouldn't have been fucking necessary if not for cops pulling that shit and the powers that be supporting them so there wouldn't be any consequences. Cis queer people were also under threat, obviously, because you don't have to be trans to suffer from cissexism. But to remove references to trans people from this monument in particular is to literally erase trans people from a key moment in our history.

It's all part of the plan. One of the insidious things about erasing us in this way is that knowing our history can be a source of pride as well as strength, and it can help us resist the demoralizing nature of all of what's happening.

That's part of why they're doing it. They don't want us to know our history, and they also don't want cis people to know it, either, because then they can spread the false narrative that trans people were invented by attention-seeking people on Tumblr circa 2014. It goes hand in fucking glove with censorship and calling anything remotely queer "obscenity." If they can paint us as an anomaly that's definitionally obscene and therefore Morally Bad, it's that much easier to justify attacks on us.

Despite every way the Democrats have disappointed me over the years, when Harris gave a speech in November that called people at Stonewall "patriots," I teared up. Not that I put much stock (or any, really) in patriotism. But as a child, I never let myself imagine a future where a politician running for a major office, let alone for president, would say anything like that about people like me. This country is where I was born, but I never felt a sense of belonging in that way, like I had a welcoming home here. Maybe I never will.

Part of the reason queer bars are a thing at all is that queer people, especially trans people, were pushed underground and had nowhere else to fucking go aside from the odd bar that might be friendly to us. These places did become like home for a lot of people, and understanding it in context matters. It wasn't like they just threw bricks because "lol fuck cops." They fought back after enduring a lot, and they fought back out of genuine necessity, and I used to think, "They threw bricks so I wouldn't have to."

Lately, though, I'm coming to the realization that one day I might have to throw a brick, myself. I just hope I have my queer family around me, throwing bricks alongside me, if and when the time comes. We can resist, and we must do it together, and that's yet another reason they don't want you to know history. Collective action is necessary and can work. And it terrifies the folks in power.

Sigh. I'm sorry to go off. But this shit has me feeling some kind of way, and I just need people to understand the importance of queer history. If we don't protect it ourselves, it'll be destroyed.

Please read and share history. It matters. It really, really matters.

Okay. I'm gonna go cry.

Not to be dramatic but this is a massive fucking deal and I legitimately hope every single politician dies.

[astrolook]

Moon in the houses

Moon in the 1st House: Emotions? Yeah, I’m wearing them like a neon sign.

Mood Swings? Who Needs a Weather App? – One minute, you're on cloud nine, ready to conquer the world, and everyone around you is like, "Wow, you're so inspiring!" . The next minute, you're in a full-on emotional hurricane, and people are like, “Uh, is everything okay?” Yep, they can literally see the storm clouds forming.

You’re basically an emotional X-ray for anyone who needs to know how you're feeling. Super helpful in knowing exactly where you stand.

You have the perfect built-in therapist, your mom, who never asks for a copay and always responds with “I love you, sweetie.”

Moon in 1st gives you a youthful young face. If a man, could be a mama boy. On the flip side, mommy could be overbearing.

When you're happy, you radiate positivity like the sun itself. You make everyone around you feel like they’ve just had a shot of espresso… without the jitters. But when you're in a mood, watch out. It’s like the ocean’s about to swallow up the entire coast. You can go from zero to “I’m emotionally drowning, help!” in 0.3 seconds.

Moon in the 2nd House: The Emotional Shopping Spree - You feel things, and you buy things. Repeat.

When you're feeling happy, it’s like “treat yo' self” day, and suddenly you’ve got 14 new pairs of socks that totally spoke to you in the store. Feeling stressed? Well, it's probably time for a little retail therapy... because nothing says “I’m handling my feelings” like buying a $50 scented candle you’ll never use.

Impulsive purchases. When your emotions take a dive, so does your bank account. "I'm sad, I need a new purse."

When someone asks how you're feeling, your response might just be, "Well, I bought a new jacket, so I’m feeling fabulous."

Your Emotions Are Always on Sale. You're like, “You know what would make me feel even better? A cute new scarf!” Because nothing says “I’m emotionally balanced” like a $15 markdown.

You love investing in things that make you feel good—whether it’s a cozy home, a nice meal, or that perfectly curated playlist you bought (yep, it’s a thing). Your finances are tied to your emotional health like a carefully organized spreadsheet.

Moon in the 3rd House: The Over thinker's Hotline - You think, you feel, you text… then you overthink it all.

Your emotions are running wild and they need to talk. A LOT. Like, you’ll have a deep emotional moment and then immediately text your bestie about it, but also text your mom for a second opinion, and then maybe send a message to a group chat for a third—just to make sure everyone’s on the same emotional page.

You’re the Emotional Wi-Fi of your social circles—always transmitting and receiving feelings, whether anyone asked or not.

You overanalyze everything. Sent a text at 11:30 PM? Now you’re wondering if that emoji you used in your response was “too much.” Did they think you were crying in that voice message, or just, like, “really emotionally engaged”? You end up spiral-commenting under your own messages. "Wait, I wasn’t mad, I swear!" Cue overthinking every single word.

You’re emotionally open, but also maybe one text away from sending an entire novel about your mood swings. If you have a Moon in Aquarius in 3rd house, you are very much into conspiracy theories.

The overthinking is so strong, even Siri gets nervous. “Did I say that correctly? Does it sound too emotional? Let me try that again, Siri, do you think they’ll understand?"

Moon in the 4th House: Home is Where the Feelings Are - Your emotions? Oh, they're all cozy in your emotional fortress… with snacks.

If you're ever feeling down, you know exactly where to retreat: the couch, surrounded by blankets, a mountain of snacks, and probably a weirdly specific playlist of “emotional” songs you know no one else understands.

Your vibe says, "Come on in, let me feed you, and here’s a blanket!" You’re basically the human version of a warm cup of tea.

On the flip side, you can get way too attached to your personal space. Don’t even think about messing with your “comfort zone,” because that zone is sacred. You might find yourself overly attached to places, people, and objects in your home that just... feel right.

If someone says something you don’t like, you might retreat into your home and pretend to reorganize your kitchen for the next four hours. Not because it’s necessary... but because it’s emotionally satisfying.

If there’s food involved and your loved ones nearby, you’re ready for some serious heart-to-hearts.

Moon in the 5th House: The Drama Queen of Feelings - Life’s a stage, and you're always in the mood for a performance.

Your feelings take center stage like you’re auditioning for a Broadway show every single day. You’re all about self-expression, fun, and creating joy—because, let’s face it, life’s too short to not have an emotional karaoke session on a Tuesday night.

Moon in 5th bestows with a girl child. Of course, we need to check whether it is associated with any other planets.

Professions like actor or any artistic professions fits you. You can turn any situation into a joyous celebration and make even the most mundane things feel like a special event.

The flip side? When you're down, it's like the curtains close on the show, and you’re the star in a drama you didn’t sign up for. You may exaggerate your emotions a little (okay, a lot)—an offhand comment from a friend turns into a full-blown emotional musical number. Cue the tears, dramatic exits, and possibly a solo performance on why no one understands your very deep feelings.

You’re basically the person who gets emotionally invested in every movie, reality show, and Instagram post you see and also celebrities.

Moon in the 6th House: The Emotional Overachiever - Feelings? I’ll just organize them into a to-do list.

With the Moon in the 6th House, you take your emotions very seriously—like, spreadsheet-level seriously. You're not just feeling your feelings, you're tracking them, analyzing them, and organizing them with the same precision of a perfectly color-coded calendar.

Your home? Probably a Zen-like temple of organization. You could be a productivity guru and an emotional support animal all rolled into one.

You’re probably the person who compulsively checks your horoscope, wellness app, and to-do list while also making sure you're drinking enough water—because, yes, your emotional health must be on track.

Service - oriented professions.

Probably keeps a journal. Your motto - "Productivity meets therapy!"

Moon in the 7th House: Emotional Rollercoaster + Relationship Drama

You Have a PhD in Relationships – You analyze, you nurture, you feel. Basically, you’re the emotional therapist of every relationship/partnership you’re in.

Emotional Dependency? Yup, It's Real – Your partner's mood? It's now your mood. If they’re happy, you're on cloud nine. If they're sad, well, buckle up, emotional crash ahead!

You Can’t Just "Date" Someone—You Feel Them – It's never just a date night. It's a journey. You’ll be emotionally invested before the appetizers even arrive.

If your partner says, “I’m fine,” but their voice cracks, you’re immediately putting on your emotional detective hat. Something’s definitely wrong.

Your partner's mood shifts and you’re already planning a 5-step plan to emotionally heal them. Just call you “Dr. Love.”

Moon in the 8th House: The Emotional Detective with a Dark Twist

If emotions were a rollercoaster, you’d be the one flipping the safety bar off and screaming, "Let’s go faster!"

Family gatherings? More like family mysteries. You can feel the unspoken tension, and you’re practically Sherlock Holmes, trying to figure out what’s being left out. Every holiday dinner has a side of “What aren’t they telling me?"

When you lose your virginity, you could even hide it from your family.

Being vulnerable with you is like peeling an onion—layer after emotional layer until someone’s crying. Sometimes you overshare, sometimes you say, “I’m fine,” but everyone knows you’re not. You can’t help it.

You can turn pain into growth like a magical wizard. Hurt feelings? Great, now you’re ready for transformation. You take all that emotional mess and somehow turn it into deep wisdom—or a really great, tear-filled diary entry. Either way, it’s epic.

Moon in the 9th House: The Emotional Philosopher on a Soul-Searching Road Trip

Your emotions don’t stay local. You feel them on an international level, like, “Why am I feeling so deep right now? Is this about my past life in a distant land or because I watched a documentary on the Amazon?” Your emotions are basically the United Nations of your soul.

Family & Friends Talks Are Like TED Talks – When you try to explain your feelings to family/friends, it’s less “Hey, I’m upset” and more “Here’s a 45-minute monologue on the meaning of life, and also I read a book on existentialism last week.”

One minute you’re high on life, quoting philosophy, and the next, you’re googling “Why does everything feel so overwhelming?” You’ll go from thinking you’re a wise sage to wanting to crawl into bed and watch Netflix documentaries. Your moods are basically a journey, so pack your bags.

You can't just feel something—you need to analyze, interpret, and probably give it a name. "I feel anxious. Is this anxiety or is it just me tapping into the collective consciousness of humanity?

You’re an Emotional Nomad – You can’t sit still. Emotionally, you need to keep moving, exploring, learning, and growing. "Home? Well, I feel emotionally connected to 17 different places.

Moon in the 10th House: The Emotional CEO of Life

Your emotions are always on display like you’re giving a TED Talk about your deepest feelings.

You don’t just work; your career is an emotional journey. “Am I feeling fulfilled at work? If not, should I change my entire career path? Do I need a promotion to feel better about myself?!” Your job? Basically your emotional therapist, but with more PowerPoint presentations.

Public approval is your emotional fuel, and you’re like, “Did I mention I’m emotionally attached to other’s opinion of me?”

Your mood? It directly impacts your work ethic. When you’re emotionally stable, you’re like, “Let’s take over the world.” But when you're upset? You’re still working, but you’re crying in the break room, making dramatic phone calls to your loved ones.

You’re emotionally invested in how the world sees you. You need to be the best at everything, but emotionally—"Did I look too emotional during my presentation? Was my inner turmoil apparent?" It’s a lot of pressure to keep it all together, but hey, it’s worth the “likes”.

Moon in the 11th House: The Emotional Social Butterfly Who Forgets Why They Came to the Party!

People love your warm, nurturing energy, and your squad is basically a second family. Just be careful—you might adopt every stray friend like a lost puppy. You could even get in trouble for helping your friend.

One day, you're the life of the party, the next, you’re ghosting everyone because feelings. People around you should have learned to just roll with it.

If you are feeling bad, you might turn to strangers online for some emotional support.

You’re energized by like-minded people and might thrive in large social circles, community work, or even fan clubs (yes, you might cry over your favorite celebrity’s life updates).

You might bend over backward to fit into a group, even if it means suppressing your own needs. That’s right—you RSVP to events you know you don’t want to go to, then regret it immediately.

Moon in the 12th House: The Emotional Mystic Who Feels Everything & Nothing at Once

congratulations—you’ve unlocked "Feelings: Hardcore Mode." Your emotions live in the deep, mysterious waters of the subconscious, making you an intuitive, dreamy, and sometimes tragically misunderstood soul. You might love solitude but also feel unbearably lonely, sense energies others miss, and randomly cry for no reason (or is there always a reason?).

Your intuition is next-level. You pick up on vibes, unspoken emotions, and even spiritual messages like a human radio antenna. Your relationship with your mother could feel distant, mysterious, or full of unspoken emotions. Either she was deeply spiritual and nurturing or emotionally unavailable and hard to read.

Unlike most, you actually enjoy being alone. Your inner world is rich, and isolation helps you recharge from the chaos of life.

Even in a crowded room, you might feel disconnected. You crave deep emotional bonds but struggle to express your own feelings.

Emotional stress can manifest physically—sleep issues, mysterious body aches, or just always feeling tired for no reason.

You might secretly love someone from afar rather than openly express your feelings. (Just confess already!). You crave deep, spiritual connections but may self-sabotage by isolating yourself. You love soulmate vibes, but fear vulnerability.

[little-glitter-kitten]

The Colonel's New Crop Part 1

🔗 Part 2 l  Part 3

Prologue: As Colonel, a riding crop is part of the uniform but when Caleb sees you admiring his recently purchased swagger stick things quickly become heated.

Notes: Female Reader, No use of 'Y/N, porn with feelings.

TW: Pseudo-incest, Use of riding crop, D/s tones, Possessive Caleb, Inappropriate use of a riding crop, p in v sex, vaginal fingering, humiliation, use of 'Gēge', Inappropriate use of evol, dacryphilia, clit spanking overstimulation, squirting

You can't help but stare curiously at the smooth leather implement sitting on the coffee table in front of you. Caleb had come home from work earlier in the evening with a new riding crop in hand, claiming it was a necessity for work.

"Scared?" A voice whispered in your ear, making you jump. "You can touch it, you know? It doesn't bite...unless I make it."

You turned your head to watch Caleb, still fully dressed in his Farspace Fleet Colonel regalia, as he came and sat beside you on the couch.

"I just don't understand why you would need one."

"It's mostly just for show, a symbol of authority, but I also use it to signal troops." He replied, picking it up off the table and effortlessly twirling it over in his gloved, long, slender fingers. "The old one was getting so worn, I was kind of glad when it snapped. I was well overdue for a new one."

You felt disgusted to admit how arousing such a simple action could be. It was borderline sinful. Usually, you weren't one to admire a mans hands but Calebs were incredible. Especially in those black gloves.

You clear your throat and tried to get rid of such thoughts. You knew it was wrong to think such things of your own brother, that fact that he was merely an adoptive sibling didn't do much to quell the feeling of guilt in the pit of your stomach.

"How'd you manage to break it?" You asked, running your finger along the handle as he held it still in his fingers. "It looks too sturdy to simply snap."

He smiled and ruffled your hair. "That's nothing to concern yourself with, Pipsqueak."

You weren't stupid. You knew first hand that his rank came with some 'unsavoury tasks'.

"Interrogation gone wrong?" You couldn't help but pry. "I distinctly remember you had used one to interrogate me."

"No, pipsqueak." He laughed. "I had one on me but I didn't use it on you. Trust me, you would have known if I did. There's a big difference."

You stay quiet for moment before you curiosity got the better of you. "Does it hurt?"

Caleb threw his head back and gave a sharp bark of laughter. "Well. They're not made for tickling." His laughter soon died down and his face turned a bit more serious as he shrugged. "They are made to hurt but they can also be used to please."

His eyes flicked up to meet yours and suddenly all the oxygen was sucked out of the room. There was something in his gaze you couldn't quite put your finger on...curiosity?...hunger?....lust?

Deciding to take the dive and see where this lead, you asked quietly with a slight tremble in your voice. "Have you ever used one to please?"

Caleb smiled slowly, his gaze bordering on predatory. "I can't say that I have." He rested one arm on the back of the couch, behind your head, the other hand trailed the leather tongue of the crop slowly up your lower leg.

You couldn't help the gasp the left your lips but you keep your leg still, enjoying the feel of the leather tracing up and down your calf.

"Curious?" He asked, his eyes gleaming.

"Maybe." You gave a slight chuckle and looked down, embarrassed.

"'Maybe' isnt an answer." His tone suddenly turned serious as the stroking of your leg stopped abruptly. "I'm going to need a 'yes' or a 'no.'"

"Yes." You whisper quickly.

"Good girl." The hand behind your head coming up to rake through your hair. "Get up."

Slowly you stood up, looking down at him. His feet came up to rest on the coffee table as he made a circle motion with the crop.

"Turn around." He commands. "Slowly."

You turn slowly, your back now facing him as you await further instruction. Looking over your shoulder, you see his hungry gaze looking you up and down.

Suddenly, his hand reaches around you to pop the button and lower the zip of your denim shorts before the fabric is yanked down to your ankles. Your now left standing in front of him in your black lace thong and cherry print crop top.

You feel his large, glove covered hand, run up the outside of your leg, over your thigh and to your ass where he roughly squeezes a handful of the flesh there. As he kneads and caresses your ass, you feel yourself leaning into his touch when suddenly a sharp crack is heard and your bum cheek begins to sting.

He had spanked you.

"Stand up straight." He told you sternly. "Don't move until I say otherwise."

His feet that had been on the coffee table are pulled back  to rest on its edge before its violently kicked away, screeching across the wooden floor.

"Take two steps forward and get on your hands and knees." You step out of your denim shorts and do exactly as he asks, excitement making your breath now come out in shallow pants. "Head on the ground and ass in the air."

Getting into position, your nails nervously dig into the floorboards. You hear him rise from the chair and soon his polished boots come into your field of view beside your face which was turned to the side.

"Excited, are we? We haven't even begun, darling." He coos condescendingly as the silence of the room is broken by your heavy panting. "But, just how excited, I wonder, hmm?" He asks, trailing the leather tongue of the crop along the lace between your ass cheeks, stopping just before it can reach the spot that is so desperately craving friction.

You listen to his boots hitting the hardwood floor as he continues to circle you like a vulture, coming to a stop directly behind you again.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't dreamt about getting you in such a position." He murmurs, quietly. "Now I have you right where I want you, don't think I'll be letting you go anytime soon, kitten."

You feel the crop return to your bum and give two small taps on your left cheek.

"Brace yourself."

Before you even had time to prepare yourself, you felt a slight sting of two blows in quick succession. The first blow landing on your left cheek, the second landing on your right.

He waits, as if waiting to see if you'll ask him to stop. When no such request came he continued. Giving your ass a slight tap in warning before he landed another sweet sting.

It wasn't long before you got used to the rhythm and you slowly push your ass further out, silently begging for more.

Caleb chuckled. "Oh, silly girl." He tsked. "That was just the warm up."

You freeze.

'Did he just say warm..'

"Ahhh." You yelp as another blow lands, more forcefully than the previous ones and without the warning tap this time. The crack of the crop piercing and only adding insult to injury.

You ball your hands under your head into fists, resisting the urge to rub the skin where you had been struck. You could already feel the warmth radiating from that spot where the blood vessels had begun to dilate.

'CRACK' Another sharp blow lands to the other side this time but before you had a chance to catch your breath... 'THWACK'

The skin where you had been struck warms and begins to throb. The throbbing seemed to go straight to your pussy. Your mind racing, your unable to form words so you merely whine pathetically.

"Oh, baby." He coos at you. You feel his leather clad hand run soothingly over the heated flesh of your ass. "Can't take it?"

You shake your head furiously, you didn't want this to end.

"I can take it." You pant. "Please."

He chuckles. "You're not usually one to beg, you must really be enjoying this." As his gloved hand runs over your bum, his thumb traces the edge of your thong, his finger almost grazing your pussy lip.

"Please." You beg once more, unsure of what it is you're begging for.

"Do you trust me?" You nod without hesitation at his question. "Good girl, come here."

Slowly, he brings you to stand on shaky legs. Just as you feel them start to give out from under you, your feet leave the floor and he's holding you in his arms. Your legs instinctively wrap around his waist and one arm around his shoulder while the other clutches at the front of his coat. You rest your head on his shoulder epaulette as you revel in the feeling and smell of him. One arm is wrapped around your waist, keeping you tightly against him while his other hand sits under your ass.

You whimper as the hand under your bum rubs soothing circles, the cool leather a vast contrast against your hot skin.

Your so wrapped up in the feeling, you don't even realised he has walked you over to the kitchen island until he carefully deposits you on the freezing cold counter surface. You hiss at the contact and Caleb let's out a dark chuckle.

Glancing up at him, your breath catches in your throat. His purple eyes bore straight into yours filled with such longing it almost brings you to tears.

"I need you. I always have." He whispers, his voice trembling slightly. Bringing his gloved hand up, he ever-so-gently runs it over your cheek, as if worshipping. "I need you so much it hurts."

Mustering all of your bravery, you lean in, your nose brushing his.

This is all the invitation he needs as he closes the rest of the distance between your lips and let's the flood gates open.

[themioka]

Happy late Valentines 💝, I've come to hurt :3

During the inversion, Milo became hesitant in giving David's leather jacket back to Angel because it was the only thing left at the time that reminded him of one of his closest dearest friends. It wasn't til Sweetheart gave him a little nudge. Did he actually hand it to them. It was also the first time in years that he felt selfish over something and couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.

Sam briefly avoided Vincent and Lovely for a time because of the amount of guilt he felt for not being able to become Lovely's maker. Darlin has found him more than once sitting out on porch, lost in deep thought, wondering just how different things could've been if Sam had managed to convince himself he could handle the toll of turning Lovely right after healing Asher rather than giving in to his exhaustion so easily. Even now, Sam wouldn't look directly at Lovely or Vincent anymore because of the guilt that he still has.

Before Babe had gotten used to Asher's scar, they stopped touching him frequently because every now and then would unintentionally run their hand over his scar causing him to wince from how tender it was before profusely apologizing to him. It took a lot of coaxing from Asher to go back to their playful shenanigans and constant touching. Even now, on rare occasions, whenever they accidentally touch his scar, Asher will blatantly lie to Babe's face that his scar doesn't bother much in fear. Babe would fall back into old habits.

Even though Milo survived in bringing down the ward, Sweetheart can't properly relax or sleep unless the side of their head is resting directly above his heart. That only true confirmation they have of Milo being truly alive and well is the sound and rhythm of his heartbeat. Because they're afraid if they heavily relied on the sound of his voice and presence alone, there be a day they'll wake up to the reality of their mate being gone.

David went through a brief period of having night terrors, and it was time. Angel hated being unempowered because while they understood the context of what had happened, they knew deep down it was something they couldn't truly understand. And because of it, all they could do was lie in bed and listen to David talk about what was on his mind. Every now and then running their thumb across his jawline as they held his face in their hands, whispering/murmuring affirmation.

Ever since being turned, at the beginning, lovely was found shocking themselves via static electricity or as been seen staring out a window during a lightning storm every now and then. It was the only reminder they had of the power they once possessed.

David only knew what had happened to Milo was because he briefly stopped showing up to pack meetings, which Sweetheart mostly filled in, and had an excuse on hand to where nobody questioned it. It wasn't til one day, Sweetheart asked to speak to David alone, and there they revealed what was going on with Milo and asked for him to speak with him as they fear Milo would start lying to their face as he was beginning to slowly withdraw from them as well. It was also the first time David felt lost on what to do, what to say when Milo broke down in front of him, revealing his fear of losing his wolf.

After Sam's turning, Vincent, at the time, blindly clung onto the hope that after Sam's introvert and temporary hostility behavior settled. He would've integrated himself within the family. However, that never happened due to the harsh boundaries lines Sam drew, making it clear to Vincent that he only stuck around due to him and William at the time. That during the summit before the whole chaos erupted, and everyone went into their little groups. Vincent couldn't help but feel a bit envious towards the Shaw Pack as they drew out various sides from Sam he's never seen before, making Vincent ponder if Sam's ever been his true self around him or if it was nothing but a mask he wore around him at the time.

Babe and Angel sometimes feel out of pocket due to being unempowers within the group, and Darlin is fully aware of it. Knowing what it's like to feel the odd one out, Darlin tries their best to make sure they're always included and will explain things the best they can so Babe and Angel don't feel lost/confused.

⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

Reminder these are nothing but all head cannons, so take with a grain of salt. I had more, but I got rid of them due to not knowing how to exactly word them, or i just hated how they looked typed out in general.

Anyway, I hope yall had a good week and good Valentines Day.

[gayslutbehavior]

i really admire the way my mom raised me when it comes to books. she always let me pick what to read, and she usually read the same books along with me so that we could talk about them. she likes reading YA, so that helps. i remember she really liked a series of unfortunate events and would help explain some of the funnier lines that might have gone over my head.

if there were books that either of us thought might be upsetting or hard for me to read, she would read them first and tell me what she thought. she wouldn't say i could or couldn't read them, she would just give me a heads up about things that might be challenging. for example, when i was about 10ish i wanted to read the sixth harry potter book, and she told me (with permission wrt spoilers) that an important character dies and that she found it really sad and thought i might too.

there were also books that she read before me and said she thought would be fine and then i ended up feeling uncomfortable about it for some reason and stopped reading. so she knew she could trust that i would take care of myself when reading. i had a panic attack when i read mockingjay for the first time because the war felt so real, and i took a break, calmed down, and came back to it later. but i'm still really glad i read that book because i think it was really good and taught me a lot.

it was the same way with movies - i watched little miss sunshine for the first time when i was pretty young, and she didn't try to keep me from seeing the more inappropriate parts, but she did explain things that i didn't understand. the only part she warned me about was when the brother realizes he's colorblind and can't be a pilot and gets really upset. she said he's going to yell and it's really sad. it wasn't the sex or the raunchy humor that she focused on (she knew that i knew what sex was), but the parts that were upsetting or scary, which makes sense to me.

pulp fiction is one of her favorite movies and we had a poster of it on the wall in our living room, so of course i wanted to watch it, but she told me that i should wait until i was older, not necessarily because it was inappropriate, but because it's the kind of movie that's hard to follow and requires a lot of cultural context to understand. i listened and when i ended up watching it for the first time i totally agreed that i wouldn't have understood it when i was younger.

she used to watch house when it came on and most of the time i didn't watch it with her even though she never said i couldn't because i really didn't like the parts where it would show the inside of a body. if i did want to watch, she would fast forward through those parts for me. i vividly remember watching house with her when thirteen comes out as bi. she paused the show to explain bisexuality to me and it was a huge moment for me as a queer person! the fact that she didn't brush past it or try to hide it from me helped me to learn and grow in my own identity.

the point is, the times when i was most confused or upset or alienated by a piece of media, it was rarely because there was sexual content. having warnings from my mom helped me to be prepared for things that might be beyond my expectations, and with her help i learned how to process and move through those things instead of ignoring them. i also learned that it was okay to feel like i wasn't ready to watch/read something. and i think that's a much safer approach to consuming media than trying to prevent kids from seeing or reading anything challenging until they're a certain age. it's all a process of growing and becoming ready for that kind of thing imo

I keep seeing aggressive "don't let kids read Wicked, it's inappropriate!!!" posts, and they're deeply irritating.

Would I recommend the novel to a random 12 year old I don't know? Probably not! But I first read Wicked at 12, and it's not like it permanently scarred me. It's not like I couldn't follow the plot. I didn't understand all the sociopolitical and religious commentary at 12, but that's why I went on to re-read it multiple times throughout my life. I get more from it each time.

There's sex and violence, yes, but I knew what sex was at 12, and I was seeing violence and war on the news every day. Why's the fictional sex and violence worse? Why should a kid not challenge themself with a book outside their comfort zone? Every kid deserves the chance to wig themselves out with a weird book they don't fully understand yet, and Wicked was mine.

My wife is very fond of a Mitch Hedberg quote I think is relevant here: "Every book is a children's book, if the kid can read."

(Also I think it's weird that people fixate on the puppet sex and the BDSM club, and not the parts where Elphaba bashes someone's skull in, or Turtle Heart gets lynched, or the soldiers abduct Fiyero's entire family as political prisoners. The "sex is evil, violence is fine" moral panic is eternal.)

[purplesimmer455]

Meanwhile, in San Sequoia:

Emily comes back from school, and her mom is in the driveway to greet her. "Hey Ems, how was your day?" Megan asks, pulling Emily into a bear hug. "It was pretty uneventful, but good I guess. How was your day?" She asks and Megan smiles. "Good and uneventful too. I did some writing, planned a lecture for my college students, and checked in with your ma. She's apparently not going to have cell service for a day and a half because she'll be climbing Mt. Komorebi, but she'll check in with us as soon as she can." Megan says, her brows creasing a bit with worry. "It's okay mom, she's trained and is going with Kado and some other friends who can help her out if anything happens," Emily says, hiding the worry in her own voice. "Yeah, she'll be fine," Megan says, mostly to reassure Emily but also for herself.

The two head up to their apartment, and Megan starts making Mapo tofu with pork for dinner. Emily takes out her math and English homework assignments, and works on them while she and her mom talk about a book they've both been reading before going into the next topic. "Mom, there's something I've been meaning to bring up." Emily says, keeping her eyes trained on her homework. "Sure," Megan calls from the kitchen. "Kir and I were thinking of taking the next step with each other, and we want to be safe so they're asking their parents and I wanted to ask you if I could go on birth control," she says quickly. Megan nods, trying hard to stay casual. "That's fine, Emmy, and I'm glad you and Kiran are being responsible. I'll call Dr. West and set up an appointment for you and you can discuss it with her and go on the pill," she says and Emily nods. "Thanks mom," she says.

Emily finishes her homework, texts Kiran that she had the talk, and then has dinner with her mom. After dinner, Emily watches TV with Megan. It's quieter in their new apartment with just the two of them than it was back at their old house where she lived with her moms as well as her aunties and cousins Hamuera and Piper. Emily feels a lump in her throat as she thinks of movie nights with her mom and ma, snuggling on the couch, and hanging out with her aunties and cousins in the backyard. She pushes it away as her mom glances at her, and without a word, Megan takes her hand and squeezes it. Emily smiles, squeezing her mom's hand back and sighs as she settles into the couch.

After the movie, Emily heads downstairs to throw away the trash and runs into her oldest cousin, Quentin. He's the son of her auntie Peyton* and uncle Jared and out of all the Feldmans, he's the most calm and quiet**. "Hi Emmy," he says, and Emily grins. "Hey Q," she says. "How are you and auntie Megs doing?" He asks, his face serious, and Emily shrugs. "Better now, we're still adjusting to the new place but I'm glad we live next to you, Malaya, Casey, Darren, Cam, and Pipes so it's not as lonely or quiet," She admits and Quentin nods and sighs. "I understand, it's tough to uproot your life and have everything change. If you ever want to talk or hang out, I'm here too," he says and Emily grins. "Thanks Q, but I don't want to bother you too much. I know you're busy with med school," she says but he shakes his head. "True, but I always have time for family and friends," he adds with a smile and Emily smiles back. She's not as close to Quentin as she is to her cousins her age, but he's always been kind to her.

[bitegore]

Zionists want you to conflate Judaism and Zionism. Zionists want you to believe that Judaism cannot exist without Zionism and that all Jews are Zionists. Zionism would have Jews believe that a Jewish state is the only way that they can be safe from antisemitism and will point to any instance of antisemitism as proof that Zionism is the solution- so Zionism wants gentiles to be antisemitic in their support of Palestine. They want you to conflate all Jews with Zionism and the state of Israel, and they want you to treat all Jews regardless of political affiliation as the face of Israel. Antizionist Jews exist, and incidences of antisemitism ostensibly acting against Zionism will not help dismantle the forces propping Zionism up.

Don't do their work for them.

[summergoodwife]

Gonna say it again, "Just stop consuming the genre" is THE WORST POSSIBLE RESPONSE to someone complaining about the lack of representation in their preferred genre!! And "Consume other stuff too" is not much better!!! I don't care how much you think varying media consumption is a Good and Holy lifestyle, not everyone wants to do that! There is no obligation to do that and there should not be! Because it's fucking entertainment. It's not a college major.

And! And and and. I would be remiss to not point out that when you tell someone, "If you want well written (minority) just get out of (genre fandom)" you are, regardless of your motivations, rhetorically aligning yourself with the exact same bigots who just want the pro-representation crowd to shut up and go away.

[brucie-baby]

Little bit less dead now and I wanted to word vomit a little more.

Like I said before, I would not definitively describe pre-crisis Jason as reckless because that sounds a little too negative for a boy who genuinely did have good intentions, but he was often a little reckless. From the beginning (and to fully make it clear: this is pre-crisis Jason with his circus origin, because pre-crisis is where that line comes from), Jason had one goal: Be good enough to be Robin. He was constantly trying to prove himself despite Bruce telling him that there was no need. This mostly stems from doing death-defying stunts at the circus and always being encouraged by his parents to take risks (his parents chased after Killer Croc, they were also insane [positive]), and Bruce telling him that being Robin was too dangerous made him feel like Bruce wasn't letting him be who he truly was. (He's literally just a ginger Dick Grayson here, guys.)

After one of these instances, Bruce says, "It was ill-advised, Jason, but you didn't do wrong. On the other hand... initiative is one thing, but I wish you'd stop taking on such grand schemes for yourself. You don't have to keep proving your worth to me, I'm sold." That pretty much sums up Bruce's whole view on it at this point - Jason isn't doing anything bad because it's with the intention of doing good and it does help people in the end, but he doesn't have to take on these big missions all by himself.

Now one thing that's important to note is that Bruce did not initially want Jason to be his partner, but Jason was absolutely not having it. Before he even knew of his parents' fate, Jason had already stolen a costume from the cave and jumped in the back of the batmobile. From the get-go, Jason wanted to be Batman's partner, and Bruce wanted Jason to be his son. (This gets a bit flipped post-crisis which is infinitely frustrating to me.) Obviously both feelings end up much more mutual, the father-son one very quickly, but this is how it starts.

So essentially you've got this kid who's used to taking a lot of big risks and parents that encouraged him to take those risks (I can't tell if it sounds like I'm bashing them here? I'm not meaning to if it does), and whilst he understands that this is also life-or-death, he doesn't seem to grasp that they're entirely different circumstances. Being a skilled aerialist is not the same as fighting bad guys who want you dead. He's also got the whole Dick Grayson thing of "I'm your partner, not your weakness. Treat me as such."

That's where we get back to "Robin gives me magic!"

With all this context of Jason's intense need to prove himself, both as Robin, son of the Bruce/Batman, and Jason, son of adventurous acrobats, Joseph and Trina Todd, Robin giving him magic takes on a whole new light. I've seen a few people say that the line is more about the anonymity, or finding courage in the mantle of a hero, and while both these interpretations are totally fair, I still mostly disagree. This is Jason refusing to be treated like the child he is (he was twelve years old when Bruce took him in). This is Jason becoming... I wouldn't necessarily say cocky, but something along those lines. Like I said in the tags of that last post, this is a warning sign.

And that's not even touching on the Collins of it all. I know these comics are unrelated so you don't really have to listen to me here, but having a man become so convinced that his costume gives him magic that he grows detrimentally reckless just links them so well.

This is why I think that this could've been the starting point of his post-crisis self if the crisis had not happened. If they'd have fleshed it out a little more, slowed it down a bit, Jason gradually becoming more and more explicitly reckless and eventually violent could've worked. They'd already laid the groundwork for the recklessness. The violence and bloodlust would've taken a little longer (one of Jason's last conversations pre-crisis has him saying that Bruce has not failed by only arresting criminals instead of successfully reforming them, as the world is still a better place with them behind bars), but it still very much could have worked (Jason was quick to act and, only a few times, quick to violence, but with reason).

I was going to dig a little further into my ideal Robin!Jason origin and progression but I fear this post may be growing a little too long so I'll leave that for another time possibly.

There isn't much point to this post other than literally just rambling about Robin!Jason. I just think he's a very complex character, and fandom tends to boil him down to being 'the real golden child who loved school and never caused trouble', and that simply isn't accurate.

He did care about his grades, both pre- and post-crisis, and though he never really enjoyed homework, he still did it (pre-crisis he very much did not want to do it but he wanted to keep his grades up, and his views on schoolwork aren't really touched on in post-crisis, though it is said he does extra credit to make sure his grades stay up as high as they are). And he was always stressing Bruce - letting a villain adopt him to solve a case, running away, patrolling alone with permission, dying his hair black and stealing cash from Bruce's drawer to go help him and so on. Post-crisis, he was obviously very violent and this jump was super sudden (one comic he's telling Bruce not to give up on his methods, and the next he's saying "okay but what if they just died", but Bruce's character was also very affected by the crisis), but it's canon now, so🤷.

Basically I think fanon Jason is boring and bland. Like yeah canon Jason pretty much went from Ginger Dick Grayson to Angry Murder Machine, but that's still a lot more personality than what fanon gives him. I just really love Robin!Jason and this, I think, is why I dislike current Jason so much.

I've got a lot of thoughts about "Robin gives me magic!" and absolutely none of them are coherent but I'm sharing them anyway.

So for context: this line comes from a story in which Calendar Man is planning to kill Jason, and Bruce tells him that he can work the case but not out in the field. There's a whole thing here where Jason gives Bruce the silent treatment until Bruce calls him immature and sends him to his room. That night, Bruce apologises and explains that he can't lose Jason, and that sometimes Batman has to go out alone. Jason says he understands but sneaks out anyway, planning to take Calendar Man on his own.

When he gets back to the cave (after Bruce has been searching for him despite bleeding out), Bruce tries to scold him. This is where he says that line, and that Robin lets him do things he'd never have dared before. Bruce says that it sounds like recklessness, and Jason says no, just maturity. There's a few more bits here that I have a lot of thoughts on but these are the most relevant parts of it.

The thing I find so interesting about this is actually from a different comic from a little while before. There's this guy, Collins, who wears Catman's costume and believes it has this magical ability to give him nine lives. Collins narrowly avoids death several times (e.g. nearly hit by a truck, almost crushed by rocks) and he thinks it's the suit's doing, but actually, it was Batman following and saving him every time. While they're fighting and Collins is insisting that the suit gives him magic, Bruce thinks, "I've created a monster - he's completely reckless - unwilling to concede there's any danger his costume can't handle!"

Now I also have a lot of thoughts on this that I might get into when it's not five in the morning but the main one is this: "Robin gives me magic" is not proof of Jason being the happy, chill Robin. This is him giving Bruce grey hairs in real time. This is him thinking that he's nearly invincible. To me, this would've been the perfect point to start shifting him into his post-crisis self. I think Jason's too complicated to label him as just reckless but also? I would not say it's wrong to. He is occasionally reckless and he does act without thinking sometimes. And just to clarify, this isn't criticism. I love pre-crisis Jason. He's my little guy. That's why I hate it when he's just boiled down to 'the happy Robin' (and the fact that it's a stupid label for any of the Robins, please let go of that), because he's been stressing Bruce out since day one. Like, this is the kid who said "if you don't make me Robin I'm doing to run away to the circus," and then did. And post-crisis he's very explicitly written as violent and reckless. He's always been a menace, don't take that away from him!!

[mars-ipan]

overcoming anxiety (through practicing the things that scare you) is so interesting. i used to be horrified of taking up space or alerting other people of my presence. now i'm compelled to tell strangers i like their outfits or hair or earrings- on bad days i tell maybe a quarter of them. do i still overthink it? absolutely. but i call attention to myself to tell someone else my opinion. and with the way they tend to smile and tell me "thank you!" i'm pretty sure it's taken to heart.

i used to be horrified of making phone calls as well. this is one i'm still getting over- i just Don't Like Doing It. i used to have a phone call routine that i still joke about- realize i need to call someone, cry, avoid it for a few days, suck it up, write a script, memorize the script, cry again, final script read, make the call with the script in front of me. and i would be Exhausted by the end of it. i don't cry when i need to call people anymore. i'm even needing scripts less and less- i've found out that people actually won't kill me if i talk a little too fast or stumble on my words. i doubt i'll ever like making phone calls- i especially hate robots (i'm afraid they'll mishear me and direct me wrong or a person will suddenly show up and i won't be prepared)- but i can make them now.

i get overwhelmed really easy. just a thing that happens to me. my brain is really really good at taking one task and breaking it up into thousands of little tasks and it feels like i'm drowning. if i try to make it fewer larger tasks then it starts to feel insurmountable. i was completely lost on how to deal with this (other than avoid until you get that panic attack and can do work in the post-catharsis calm until 6:00 AM) until one night when my dad (who i often meet late at night due to overlapping mental illness symptoms) asked me how to eat an elephant. i looked at him, confused, and he said "one bite at a time." that was way more effective than any other analogy i've seen has been. "light at the end of a tunnel"- i don't feel like i'm moving forward, i feel like i'm scaling a wall. "steps on a trail"- i can see my destination, but it feels impossible to move forward. but eating an elephant? that sums it up perfectly. this huge task which seems impossible at a glance. but it must be done. so you eat the elephant, a bite at a time. every time i'm overwhelmed i repeat that phrase to myself. it hasn't made any major changes yet, but it keeps me calm enough to start before i hit the panic attack, which i'll take.

i was such a perfectionist growing up- i actually thought it was a good thing (school always taught me to strive for perfection). but it made me scared to try new things- if i wasn't immediately good at them, then it clearly wasn't for me. i'm still not great at starting new hobbies, but i try a lot of new things within the hobbies i already have. i test out different ways of making art, i try new puzzle games i don't understand, etc. and the feeling of steady improvement reminds me that i don't need to be good right away. some of the most satisfying moments don't come from immediately being good- they come from achieving that skill over time. i'd like to try to learn to sew soon.

idk it's interesting. i rewire my own brain's fear response by doing the Horrifying Thing enough times for me to understand that no i will not die. and while i'm doing it it feels like nothing is changing. i get so stressed every time- it can actually take a lot out of me (turns out fight-or-flight burns a lot of energy). but i look back at then vs. now and i realize how far i've come, and i can't help but think "huh. neat"

[aromanticasterisms]

bomb group chat is the funniest thing in the world to me. ratio really said you guys can figure this one out yourselves

[selvepnea]

Been playing Vampyr lately (not a recommendation)

[skrunksthatwunk]

hey a couple of things

1. glad people are seeing this bc his death deserves to be discussed and mourned

2. the use of "black bodies" rather than lives/people/etc has come up a couple of times and i would like to state for the record that this post was made by a black person. you can still be upset about/uncomfortable with that phrasing (and as a white person myself i'm in no position to judge it) but it is the language that a leftist black person who cares about and is engaged with this issue chose to use and felt comfortable using

wasn't able to find any posts about him on here but

[adreamfromnevermore]

AU Where the Justice League forms as usual except for one slight difference where Bruce just so happens to have been the one superheroing for the longest. (Excluding Diana, who got up to it in World War 1 and then mostly didn't while she learned about Man's World)

Bruce helps form the Justice League, ignoring all of the comments as they come to the sudden realization that Gotham's baby cryptid story is actually a man in a very intimidating armored suit who can and will break your arm if you cause problems for him. They are unaware that this is not the first team he's led, and actually he's used to teams full of mostly teenagers who also happen to be his children. This should be easier, this team is primarily adults.

He realizes rapidly that he doesn't understand these people.

His kids take bonding activities to mean learning a dozen different ways to break someones leg. That doesn't fly with these people. And that is most of Bruce's ideas, hell when he was a kid Alfred took every opportunity to get him out of his room and mostly that was with the agreement that Alfred would teach him how to defend himself. He's come by it honestly.

This team is not easier. They have more drama than when his house was actually full of kids. It's insane. He doesn't know what to do with it, usually he just sent the kids to their rooms or grounded them from patrol. That doesn't work here.

He comes to a strange crossroads. That falls apart when he forgets who he's working with and snaps at Hal with a full room of heroes that the next person to throw a punch or an insult without a reason too will be sparring with him.

A long standing rule in the batcave that worked two fold to prevent infighting between the kids and too ensure that they were well and truly trained.

It works wonders. No one says a word out of line for the rest of the debrief. Bruce becomes the unofficial mediator of the league over Clark because anytime he walked in on a fight it suddenly became 10 times more civil out of sheer terror of what he'd do to them in a sparring match.

Eventually they actually meet his kids. Well, one kid.

Half way through a mission (one of the rare ones in Gotham) the Bat comes to a complete stop at the edge of an alley. Every single league member on the team comes to a stop behind him. Slowly from the shadows of the alley a man in a red helmet stalks out to greet them.

"You don't call, you don't write"

"Red Hood."

"Don't Red Hood me! We've been worried sick!"

"I was at the cave last night."

"You didn't answer my texts B. You always answer my texts."

Somehow it ends with big and scary following them through the rest of the mission with a running commentary of how much Bats has let him down in his failure to respond in a timely manner to a text send less than an hour before he ran into them in the alley. It only ends when Red Robin shows up.

And even then it only ends because Hood can't keep himself from throwing a punch and Bruce has to snap at him that if he throws another one they're sparring when they get home.

And by god is Jason giving up the chance to punch his brothers.

[teaboot]

I've never had a cat before and I'm hoping to get one soon. Do you have any advice?

Treat a new cat as you would a new roommate. Give them space and time to settle, establish a pattern and a rhythm, and in time they may choose to become friends and spend time with you. Dont force a friendship.

Use simple words and repetition to establish communication. Words like breakfast, treat, snack, lunch, supper, dinner, food, and eat all basically mean, "I am feeding you; expect to be fed", but it's a lot for a little guy to remember. I just say "Dinner" when I mean "cat food is coming", and so my boy knows exactly what I mean when I say it. As a plus, using only one word for snack time means he has no idea what the other words mean, so I can talk about food in front of him without ruling him up.

Pay attention to body language. Cats all have different personalities, and you'll learn their likes, dislikes, and messages over time this way. Son boy here loves anything with plumbing but dislikes getting wet- his favourite blanket to chew and snuggle goes on his favourite chair, and he gives me a specific gesture when he wants me to kneel down so he can jump onto my shoulder.

Read into problematic behaviour. Cats pee in weird places when they're hurting, in distress, or have insufficient of unclean litter box space. Biting, attacking feet , and knocking things off tables often means they're understimulated and need you to play with them, or at least need some kind of enrichment or puzzle to tackle. Tail flicking can be frustration or irritation. Purring is usually good, but may also be self-soothing behaviour to alleviate pain, encourage healing, and relieve anxiety, like over-grooming.

Like children, "bad" behaviour isn't malicious- it usually means there's something you aren't seeing.

Learn how your cat expresses love. Loads of people think cats are uncaring, cruel, and indifferent, but the truth is, they're just not dogs. Spending time near you, showing an interest in tools you're using or projects you're working on, sitting the way you sit, laying on their back, rubbing on your legs, wiping their face on your shoes when you get home- these are signs that your cat is enamored with you. You're their family, they feel safe and protected around you, they're curious about things you enjoy and want everyone to know you're family.

Set reasonable expectations. Again, cats are not dogs.We bred dogs to desire our approval- cats walked into our lives themselves. They have no human-programmed need to fulfill a duty or perform a task to your standards.

Training cats to do tricks isn't as hard as people say, but the willingness or interest in doing the trick is more heavily reliant on personality and mood. Some cats will refuse all but the most basic requests- I'm lucky in that Ollie understands and is willing to do several, provided I don't abuse his trust and he's not crowded or overwhelmed or just bored of doing it over and over in a short period.

Ollie, for example, knows Up to stand on his back legs and hold my hand, Down to get to a surface I indicate, Out to emerge from a closed space, Come to find me where I am, Help? when I'm offering to let him use me as an elevator, Dinner when I understand he's hungry and am getting food, and when I put on his collar he knows to climb into his carrier 'cause we're going somewhere. And he'll do any of these about 90% of the time, either ignoring me or phoning it in when there's something interesting somewhere else, or if he's feeling anxious.

Lead by example. If you dread taking them to the vet, they'll see the anxiety in your body language and behaviour and likely learn to hate it, too. Again using my guy an example, I starred taking him on walks long before his first vet appointment, just to get used to his carrier and leash. Then his first checkup was relaxed and informal, with plenty of treats, and I let him explore the examination room with permission from the tech. Now he loves going, so I'm not stressed about taking him, so I don't stress him out in turn, and the vest doesn't have to deal with a stressed out cat slowing things down and fighting with them.

Make sure your sources are good ones, and also good ones for you. I will recommend Jackson Galaxy's YouTube channel for cat advice because a lot of what he does matches up with what I've learned and know to be true. I don't personally recommend Ceasar Milan because I personally find his methods distressing to recreate regardless of efficacy, so even if that advice was useful, *I'd* be miserable, and it'd just be trading one issue for another.

Have a person who can help. You never know when you might end up out of town overnight unexpectedly, or when your place may need serviced or fumigated, or if you may be called out of town. Before getting a cat, research reliable pet sitters, house sitters, pet daycares, whatever, just in case.

Consider pet insurance. No long spiel here, just think about it. Especially if you don't know your cats ancestry or potenyial health risks. An on top of that, fucking vaccinate them.

Dont let them free roam. At all.

I grew up on a farm with free-roaming barn cats. Do you know how many times child-me cried over having to bury them? Illness, disease, pregnancy, vehicles, other territorial cats, ticks, fleas, litter, poisoned prey, malicious humans, local wildlife, predatory birds, scrap metal, extreme heat, freezing temperatures, tainted water sources, poisonous or venomous critters, getting stuck in small or high places, tapeworms, loose nails, old equipment, falling branches...

I've seen some truly body-horror slasher-movie shit- just truly nauseating visual fuckery- and I'm telling you not to let your cat free-roam.

Leash training isn't hard. Supervised walks aren't hard. Even keeping your cat physically fit and entertained indoors isn't an impossible feat. Don't let your fucking cat fucking free-roam. Fuck

Also read up on foods and plants cats can't do, like every houseplant in existence is toxic it's insane

Anyhow yeah that's like. A couple things I guess

Here, have an Ollie Pic

[brick-van-dyke]

I also want to add something important: Israelis aren't just 100% Jewish and 0% any other ethnicity, chances are they're also very much westerners in the fact they were brought up German, Irish, British, US American, etc. In addition to this, Israeli Jews are a dominant social group in Israel, while Jews in other countries are a minority. This changes the dynamic for Israel as a whole and, yes, how they act compared to non Israeli Jews. This isn't a thing about being Jewish at all, it's just how sociology works; when a dominant group has more privilege, there's a sense of entitlement and when they have been brought up in a culture of individualism and patriotism, as in with western ideals? Yeah, they're going to act very differently to those who have not.

The idea of "Jews are sneaky and conniving" comes from a place that demonised Jews for a social construct built from being a minority in Europe/ the west and being demonised for not fitting into western social standards. 1960s Palestine doesn't have the exact same social context of 1930s Germany for example. Meanwhile, Israel being formed off of the exploitation of Palestinians creates a different social context of Palestinians being the oppressed class and Israelis being a dominating class. A Jew in 2010, for example, would have a very different life in Australia or Germany who would be seen as a social minority with less power and rights than non Jews, than a Jew in Israel (Occupied Palestinian Territories) who is seen as a social majority and has more power and rights than a Palestinian. It's about the power dynamic and social structure of a given area, not some inherent "privilege level" that stays the same depending on what category you try to box them into. I, as a queer person, will have different rights and be treated differently depending on where I am and who is around me; that treatment isn't built in who I am but built on specific societies and how they came to be and what factors play into their systems. Jews are about as much inherent victims as I am, so not at all. We're all people, regardless of category which that doesn't denote good or bad. Jews aren't "inherently" anything but people, which means social structure does absolutely come into play depending on where they are and what systems oppress OR benefit them.

How people are treated is dependent on the society they're within, and that societal structure can change depending on geography, culture and history of a specific area. Jews are not an exception, and I'd argue treating them as such is just boxing them into a category of "victims without personhood" in a way similar, if not worse, to other marginalised groups whose struggles are reduced to "how much" or "how little" privilege they have globally rather than addressing the root causes and factors of oppression and marginalisation. If there was a queer majority in a country, chances are we would be an oppressing class, and that doesn't suddenly change because we're an oppressed group in another country. That's why we need to analyse social groups in accordance with the environment and context around them rather than using one-size-fits-all approach like "we'll they're oppressed in my country so they're oppressed everywhere" because that's not how marginalisation works.

The conversation on Twitter around why the Zionist Entity would think that releasing footage of Yahya Sinwar's heroic final moments lead to the introduction to a reality, that I didn't know about, that one of the chief corners of Zionist settler identity is viewing all matter of upstanding citizenship, care for others, self sacrifice, and really any honorable behavior whatsoever as the behavior of naive marks who deserve to be scammed into oblivion. Utterly rotten culture from the very bottom up.