#historicall

[bismuthburnsblue]

hi! looking for some advice on corset making-

i want to make anne's corset as like, a proper corset instead of this absolute abomination BUT im having a little indecision around how exactly to do that

because the back is super visible and so long, i really dont want to do more than the tiniest tightening of the laces as itll be a pain to do and end up with a lot of excess lace very quickly, sooo i need to do some kind of front closure

a centre front busk would be the obvious option but im a little hesitant to go that way because to hide it it would have to perfectly line up with the buckles and i cant guarantee that it'd work out that way- im also a little concerned about poking the busk posts through the (faux?) leather but im sure that thats something that people have done before and i can figure out a way to stabilise it if it becomes an issue

one of the main reasons id be hesitant to do a busk is simply the fact i would have to do up every single one of those buckles every time i want to get in or out- but at the same time im not sure theres going to be any method that avoids that? the only real alternate i can think of would be a zip, which has the same issues.

i dont really want to do fake fake buckles (like, velcro'd down on one side) i think theyd look far better set into the seam (and not topsewn down like hers :/ ) but i would definitely be open to some kind of quick release buckle for convenience as i dont plan on having them taking any of the actual strain of the corset.

how would you go about it? should i just cave and acknowledge im going to have to do a busk? is there any other way you can think of?

[syncrovoid-presents]

Totally recommend listening to @hazbinradio collection of music while studying or drawing or writing! I've been doing so and got a lot of writing done today :D

[zhuhongs]

if any of yall are interested in taiwanese music like in taiwanese/southern min/hokkien(台語) not standard mandarin. def check out collage 珂拉琪. their music is so good. its the only like contemporary group ive found that sings fully in 台語 and its really neat. also if youre interested in other chinese dialects, i recommend the hakka/客家話 speaking group Zenkwun

[insert-funny-url-here]

I got my grad school applications in on time now I just have to do one before Dec 15th and two before Jan 15th

[nomairuins]

also my sleepings getting bad again and ik its my fault for just..not being able to fall asleep. but i do hate it yeah

[noteveryoneis]

Avatrice Pirates Au

Okay so if you know me on twitter (which you probably don't cause I have like 15 followers and I keep my shit hidden) you know that about two months ago I fell deep into my stupid idea of an avatrice pirates au and that I drew a stupid little drawing that got a little bit of attention, but it stopped here. I wrote only the first 4k words and stopped there because the fixation passed.

Anyways. These pieces by this amazingly talented artist reminded me of that and although I won't probably ever write it again, I'm starting to consider using tumblr to just post snippets of fics instead of writing them whole cause I never manage to finish them.

Anyways.

Here's the avatrice pirates au I never wrote (and you'll probably understand why some things are better left untold):

1700s, on a Caribbean island I did a lot of research about but forgot the name of:

Beatrice is an aristocrats’ daughter that is about to be married to the rich governor, which is pretty cool for her parents cause there's no way she could do better. Beatrice is not happy about it but she complies like a good daughter (a vial sits in the drawer of her bedside table, hidden under her Bible, her escape, her salvation).

On the night of her engagement party, Beatrice is called for outside discreetly by her future husband's valet, and brought to the gardens, far away from the party (she's not complaining, she wants out). There, her fiancé explains that he knows she would never love him, asks for her friendship. Beatrice knows she would never be able to give it to him but lies anyway and says he has it all. After that, the dude tries to kiss her and then BOOM! He's knocked unconscious by two figures that hide in the dark (one with two shotguns hidden under her long coat, the other with a glowing red jewel around her neck and pointy teeth).

Beatrice tries to warn that they're being attacked but then, get this: these bitches gag her, blindfold her and kidnap her! Shit's about to get real around here.

Those two 'Mary' and 'Lilith' bring her to their ship which is on the other side of the cliff, hidden from view, and then some idiot stops in front of her, congratulating the two of them for their work and asking that they take off Beatrice's gag and restraints and blindfold.

Beatrice opens her eyes to Ava the Pirate Captain grinning at her, and has the brilliant idea of spitting in her face and insulting her, which just makes Ava laugh. As Beatrice is being brought to a cabin by Camila, she steals her sword and decides to kill Ava herself cause she's pissed.

Ensues a pretty epic sword battle or something, but Beatrice is wearing a 40 pound gown and she trips on her skirt and loses and is absolutely fuming. "Get me out of that horrendous dress and give me a properly balanced sword and maybe we’ll call it a fair fight," she says, but Ava laughs and asks why they would fight a fair fight, they're pirates, they don't do this 'honour shit'.

Anyways, Beatrice is left in the captain's cabin as the whole crew sails away, and fucks up a window to try and jump off (in this story Beatrice has absolutely 0 regards for her safety and is filled with rage and hate for pirates so she's pretty unhinged). Too bad Ava catches her before she can do that, calling her insane. Beatrice kicks her out of her own quarters and barricades herself inside, vowing to stay until the end of their trip.

Yeah, cause the whole point of this is to ask for a ransom in exchange for Beatrice, so unfortunately they have to keep her alive the whole time, which Ava doesn't seem very pleased about, but she wants the money so she complies.

Anyways, the details are a little fuzzy but during the following weeks Beatrice sparks a friendship with Camila who provides her with lighter clothes and tries unsuccessfully to make her wear pants (again, details fuzzy but they have an interesting conversation about femininity and masculinity and shit).

Camila is the one to explain the whole crew to her. Camila herself ran away from her abusive husband and will give her life for Ava, as she was the one to provide her with an escape. Mary's mother killed her father and told her to run and since then Mary has vowed to never set foot on land again, she's the only one allowed to call Ava out on her bullshit. Lilith is a witch. Like a total fucking witch. Her story with Ava is pretty confusing, I only remember that she granted Ava some kind of second life when she found her dying (of what, I'll have to think about it) against a place on her ship. There is a dude named Michael somewhere, Beatrice hasn't met him yet. Hans is the cook. He's chill.

As for Ava, Camila says Beatrice will have to find out her story on her own like a big girl.

Then, one night, as Beatrice is just bored out of her mind, the door of her cabin is forced open and Ava runs inside. Beatrice at first grabs the nearest shoe to throw it at her, but Ava doesn't give a fuck. She has a child in her arms, Camila and Lilith are running after her as she makes her way to the fireplace (I don't know if there can be fireplaces on ships, but let's be real this isn't the most unrealistic thing about this whole au).

Beatrice is Scandalised ("YOU HAVE A CHILD ON BOARD YOU MONSTER?!"), but she doesn't have time to think about that. The child is sick, he's shaking and crying and burning with fever and Ava is frantic, trying to find a way to heal him. She's yelling at Lilith to take her life and give it to the child, when the boy starts choking. Beatrice's 'I know everything''s ass immediately springs into action and drops all of her hate for Ava to save the boy (Diego, his name is Diego). How she does that, I haven't done enough research to answer that question, but let's say she uses everything she knows from her books and manages to make him breathe once again.

Ava then wraps him into her coat, scoops him up in her arms and goes back outside, and Beatrice follows after her because "Are you insane what are you doing", only to find Ava on the main deck, holding him against her chest and whispering to him.

("Do you smell that, boy? This is the smell of the sea. The sea is here, the sea is us and we are Her. Can you feel it? This is the scent of our freedom.")

Diego falls asleep against Ava's chest, and Beatrice tries to berate her for bringing a child in such dangerous conditions, but Ava stops her right there. "Do you think I haven't tried? Do you think I like it, to know that he could be killed at any moment? I have tried to leave him on land many times before, he always finds his way back to me. He is a child of the sea, and so am I." Beatrice understands, doesn't push, instead helps her hold Diego so that he can breathe freely until the sun rises.

But after that episode, Ava finally decides to leave him on land for good, with the right people. So, she calls for Michael, and ensues a cryptic conversation that Beatrice doesn’t really understands but from what she can tell, Ava is asking if they can leave Diego with Michael’s mother, and he sighs, saying he doesn’t want to see his mother but that he’ll do it for the boy.

Beatrice accompanies them to Jillian’s house (because Ava doesn’t think her crew can stop her from escaping without her supervision), where she learns that not only Ava can read (the latter is pretty offended by her assumption) but she also knows about Jillian’s works in physics. It turns out Jillian didn’t want Michael to leave, after his father was taken during a storm, and he ran away years ago. She agrees to keep Diego with her after a long conversation ("Protect my boy," Ava says, "and I’ll protect yours."). Diego doesn’t want Ava to go, but she convinces him, telling him that they’ll write to each other but that he has to learn how to read for that, she promises to visit him at least once every year.

Ava cries when they leave, tells Beatrice to swallow back her comments, but Beatrice doesn’t have any.

After that, Beatrice sort of opens up to the crew and to Ava, because she realises that there isn’t shit else to do (that’s what she tells herself, but deep down she also wonders what she would have been if she had been born pirate). 

Mary’s wife comes back in the middle of nowhere, somehow finding a way to track down their boat. Beatrice is shook because WAIT YOU CAN MARRY A WOMAN?? (and Ava's like "Yeah, who do you think married them?") And because they both look pretty normal and in love and she doesn’t find it that disgusting. Shannon has brought a woman that is being chased by the Inquisition for her scientific knowledge and called a witch, Yasmine, who just rolls with the chaos.

Beatrice and Ava bond over their knowledge of physics and play chess and one night during a storm Ava injures her hands and Beatrice has to hold the rudder (?) for her, following her directions until they are out of the storm (cause ain’t no way she’s dying on a pirate ship).

She also rectifies their map because “they’re completely wrong, you idiots”, pretends that she just doesn’t want to get lost with them, and uses all of her knowledge to draw the land accurately (and Ava provides her with the finest inks and pens and parchments because "I just want a good map, lady").

There was also that episode where they meet sirens (mermaids? Man, idk) and one of them, Melanie, is Shannon’s half sister and so in sisters’ fashion she immediately jumps into the water to try and fight her and THAT’S when Ava convinces Beatrice to try on pants because she can’t swim with that many petticoats. 

The sirens show them sea caves and the glowing seaweeds and sea shells and Beatrice goes nuts as she watches the constellations drawn on the inside of the walls of the cave (and maybe Ava looks at her a little too fondly from across the cavern and Melanie teases her about it).

There was also another episode where they’re on land for errands (don’t ask) and a horse escapes its enclosure and Beatrice manages to catch it by running after it and then mounting it (and it feels so freeing, to be able to breath and to feel the air on her face and in her hair) and then she returns if and Ava is shook because "why didn’t you run away??" and Beatrice uncovers Ava’s biggest fear: horses.

It turns out that Ava lived her whole life in an orphanage after her mother’s death, with another little boy named Diego, mistreated and abused, until she fell in love with a boy who promised to marry her and give them both the life they deserved. And Ava, like an idiot, believed him, did everything for him. Until she found out that JC was engaged, that he had never intended to marry her, and so she went maybe a little bit cray-cray and not only stole from his place but also stopped the wedding and told his bride everything before making her escape. To her surprise, Beatrice doesn’t berate her, doesn’t tell she shouldn’t have done that, instead she smiles like she’s picturing the scene herself and they both laugh. 

Then there was an episode where they go out to drink and drag Beatrice with them cause it’s funny to watch her be so scandalised about everything. And they end up in a bar where some woman named Lucia sits down next to her and starts talking with a flirtatious smile that Beatrice doesn’t notice (and Ava looks weirdly at them but doesn’t intervene because it’s not her business). When Lucia assumes that she’s with the captain, Beatrice gets so embarrassed she loses her shit a little and starts stuttering and Lucia laughs and tells her it’s alright, that she can help her teach her some things if she’d like. Beatrice takes a pass (and lots of repressed memories come back to her and we as readers discover that Beatrice isn’t just not attracted to her fiancé, she’s also a woman kisser and is admitting to herself that she’s also a woman lover and a man hater). 

At some point the crew crosses paths with a small Navy ship and board it and win the pointless little fight and immediately starts stealing their merchandise. Beatrice wanders around the ship (“Don’t mind the woman,” Ava warns the crew that she has rounded up on the main deck. “She’s just looking around.”) The moment she has her back turned, Beatrice tries to give a letter for her parents to a terrified sailor, but Ava catches her.

To say that she’s disappointed is an understatement, they get into a big verbal fight as Beatrice is brought back to her cabin. Beatrice insults them all, tells Ava that they’re nothing but a little band of thieves and killers, that there is no way in Hell that they would ever be friends, no matter who they’d have been born to be. Then Ava tells that she’s no better, marrying a crook and an idiot and Beatrice might agree with her but she’s very very angry right now and so she tells her something like ‘he’ll always be better than you’. 

And Ava goes “Who do you think told us where to find you?”

To which: “What?”

“Who do you think told us where to find you? How come you were outside when everyone was inside having the party? How come there was so much noise and nobody could hear you scream? Who had the idea, Beatrice? Do you think you were chosen at random? Do you think you were picked because you’re rich or because someone asked us to?”

And everything starts adding up and Beatrice realises how much she’s fucked, and screams at Ava until the woman leaves, closing the door behind her.

And Beatrice is devastated, because she’s going to be brought back to her parents, to marry the man that has ordered her kidnapping and will enjoy his own share of the money and it makes her sick

No later than the next day, Ava receives news (letter or messenger?) that Beatrice’s family is ready for her return, as well as the money that they asked for. “Congrats, milady,” she says darkly. “You’re going home.”

And Beatrice feels nothing.

She feels nothing as she takes back her heavy dress, she feels nothing as she slowly and painfully puts it on, she feels nothing as she detangles her hair and tries to braid it back like her maid did on the day of the engagement party.

She feels nothing, until she looks in the mirror and finds the woman she used to be looking back at her. And she thinks about the cold bed in the colder house of her husband, about her parents looking away from her, about the vial of poison hidden in her bedside table and she panics.

Ava finds her clawing at her dress, breathing erratically and trying desperately to take it off. “Get me out get me getmeoutGETMEOUT!” and she has to take out her knife and cut the laces of her corset for Beatrice to breathe, and then she holds her as she cries and cries and says things about poison and how she doesn’t want to die and how she hates that man and she begs Ava to not give her back and Ava cups her face, looks at her in the eyes and promises that they will never have her. 

It takes a bit of convincing for the crew to agree to let Beatrice stay, but Ava gets there.

(There was also this unnecessary but funny episode where they’re in a bit of a jam because Beatrice’s fiancé promised the money once Beatrice was returned to him, and so they wonder how they’re going to get the money — and Beatrice gets scared that they’re going to give her back after all but Ava runs her thumb over her knuckles and tells her they’d never do that. It ends with Lilith dressing up as the bride — she’s pretty pissed about that but they have no other choice — with a veil covering her face and Beatrice giving them a detailed map of her parents’ place so that they know exactly what to do. Ava shows up grinning with fake Beatrice “Look I brought you your bride, ready for the wedding!” and gets her share of the money as Beatrice hides in the back, disguised as a man. Lilith ends up running away from Beatrice’s family after dramatically revealing herself and Beatrice is the one to guide her to the ship — “HOW DO YOU RUN IN THIS THING?” Lilith asks. “YOU DON’T.” — and then they run away and Beatrice finds out that those idiots also stole a lot of her parents’ jewels and she thinks it’s funny as shit.)

There’s probably going to be another part to this but let me have a little break first I’ll be back with my bullshit later.

Pirate au👄💅

[ice-cream-writes-stuff]

Claws

《Stray/Catlad!Jason Todd / Reader》

-

Smiling brightly, you happily walk beside the dark-haired boy. He pays you mind, head in a book, ignoring you. A scowl on his face as sound of your foot-steps copying his.

Sighing, he closes the book, pausing, waiting for you to say something. His attention fully on you.

"What." He asks plainly, glancing over your love-sick smile as you happily hold two tickets in your hand. "Hi Jason! I just wanted to know if you would want to go too a movie with mw this weekend?"

Eyes brimming with hope, you watch him frown deeper.

"Can't. I'm busy with work."

"Oh! Well, that's okay. Maybe-"

Jason pockets his book, heading to his bike as he hops on. Putting on his helment as he starts the engenie and drives off.

"...Aw man..." You sigh, deflating as you look at the tickets. Noticing in the corner of your eye a cat themed book mark on the floor.

Picking it up, your face warms up as you beam at the written initals on the back.

"Well, theres always next time! Hmmm.. Maybe I'll pass this tickets to Bruce.. I don't wanna tell Dick though. He'll probably get upset.."

You hold the book mark close, skipping along home.

-

Turning away from the night sky, legs swinging back and forth on the ledge. You overhear a grunt, you glance down. Seeing a fight down below. Catwoman scratching at Batmans chest with her claws as he grits his teeth.

There goes a calm patrol...

Getting up, you feel a hand grab yours, twirling you around, your body bumps into a familar chest...

"Panther..."

You said politely, rolling your eyes with a smile. Taking a step back as you look at him with slight caution.

"Heya Purr-ity~!" He says snarkly, licking his lips as you turn away.

"Eyes up here." He states, grabbing your cheeks. His claw like gloves digging into your face as you gaze at him doe-eyed, scoffing. Swatting away the hand, the wind becomes stronger as your tickets fly out from your pocket.

Damn! You forgot to leave them in your civilian clothes!

Eyes widening, you try to grab them, but was beaten to the punch..!

"Huh... Didn't know you liked the books." He mumbles.

"Well, kinda. I got into them recently and saw the movie was coming out..."

You recalled Jason throwing his copy of the book at you after you spooked him on accident. Hoping to ask him out to a cafe together, instead, you got a free book and a bruised forehead.

What luck!

"...And you coincidentally had two tickets.."

"Yeah? I was gonna' give them to Batman instead-"

The male laughed, throwing his head back at the idea of Bataman watching a romantic historicall fiction movie. All in his get-up as he grumbles nonsense.

"Yeah, no..." He smirks, holding the tickets tighter. "No way he's going to do that! Sides', who he'd go with? Catwoman? Yeah, instant rejection." He says dryly, shrugging his shoulder. "Even those Bird-Brains know better to give that to their Boss."

He mentioned Nightwing and Robin, shrugging.

You sneakily try to grab the papers back, yet he easily dodged.

"Guess' you and I are going."

"Wha-?"

You feel him pick you up, slung over his shoulder. Half-expecting him to throw you. Instead, he starts running as he carries you!?

-

Jason Todd in this Au, is succsessfull in stealing the wheels off the bat-mobile. That catches the attention of certain cat-like thief. So he becomes her protege. Super Easy.

I headcanon Jason being kinda closed off in his Au, but slowly becomes more open. He's happier in his own little world with his books and Selina's multiple cats.

-

"Panther..? No.. Move! Move please! Move you stupid cat! Panther!"

Pushing away the thief, the sound of a crowbear smashing into your sides rung in the desolate area. "AUGH-!" You scream, Joker laughing as you fall and crash into one of the shipping crates of Joker-Gas.

"..Purrincess..?" Panther spoke slowly, the nickname a bit bitter on his tounge, more fond of Purr-ity. Yet it meant nothing now, no sweet familiar giggle. Nor playful banter..

Instead, horrible laughter.

In this Au, Jason doesn't die. But hates Joker in general. While.. Heroine(Y/N) doesn't suffer OG Jasom Todd fate..

Possibly, but super close calls.

Also, made up a small au where she has a Ric Graysom situation, so a possible idea too. Dunno, I wont decide.

"D'aww... How sweet! Give it up for lovers!" The clown cackled as the henchman stare in horror. Blinking out of his shock, the thief snarls in a animalistic manner. Yelling as he grab one of his guns, pointing at the head of the stupid clown.

-

"Wow..! Ears! So cute!" You said in awe, wearing your civilian clothes as the thief grumbles. Looking away, not bothering with you. Even when you and the other, "hostages" sat as Catwoman snagged the musem jewlery.

You sweat a bit, not partically used to his cold shoulder. Often him hogging your vigilante time instead.

-

Pressing a soft kiss on your knuckle, you eye Jasons bloodied hands worriedly. Sure, you adored the contact, but you were worried.

"Thank you, for your help- B-but your hurt!" You make sure your hands cup around his. Worriedly glancing around for a bandage or calling one of the officers.

Protective Nightwing Lol.

"Don't worry, (V/N)! Got one of the paramedics right here!"

You pout as Nightwing gets in the middle of you and Jason. Pushing the health care hero between you two. The Big Bird ushering you to Bat's side.

[What?? More Batboys as Cat Thiefs?? Yes. Originally, i wanted to call him. "Alley-Cat", but found out there already was one! Anyway, yay! Comments and art are always wanted and appriciated!]

[pillarsalt]

hi! i was wondering your opinions on how hrt affects the body? i hold a lot of radfem beliefs but i am trans (taking testosterone). would being a woman to you have to be completely about chromosomes? for example, trans men years on T do not have the same genetic makeup as cis women. same with trans women on E, their genetic makeup would be very different to cis men, and would more correlate to cis women. does this factor in who you consider female/male or having experience as women?

Hi there, thanks for reaching out.

Firstly, I think you may be a bit confused. Taking exogenous hormones does not affect your genetic makeup. Your dna will stay the same unless you're exposed to something extreme like radiation - this is a good thing because dna mutation is bad for you and causes cancer! Your genetic sex is immutable, a person with XY chromosomes cannot have their dna altered to have XX chromosomes instead.

Hormones will affect the expression of your genes, for example turning on facial hair production in women who are taking testosterone. This is why those patterns of facial hair, even in women, differ from person to person. The genes for it were already there, but hormone replacement therapy uses the endocrine system to change what signals get sent to your genes to tell them what features to express.

Beyond chemically induced genetic expression, there are particular physical features in males that do not occur in males, and vice versa. This is a feature of the /ancient/ evolution of sexual reproduction. Despite the variety of metaphysical beliefs about identity and personhood, the truth is that humans evolved to reproduce between two sexes, and human beings cannot change sex. Every cell of your body has your sex encoded within it. This affects us physically in many ways. I and most feminists believe that this fact should be irrelevant to any person's ability to pursue their passion, be themselves, and love who they love. Even so, recognition of biological sex is something important. This is really critical in a medical context. For example: men who receive a blood transfusion from a pregnant or recently pregnant woman have an increased risk of death by transfusion-related lung injury. Another example: tracheostomy tubes differ in size depending on sex due to dimorphism in average tracheal diameter. A women who is reported as a male risks considerable injury by having a male sized tracheostomy tube forced into her windpipe. A considerable amount of medications differ in dose effectiveness and side effects based on biological sex. Something as straightforward as a heart attack has different symptoms depending on if the patient is female or male. Denial of biological sex is dangerous, and as it stands, medical science has not advanced enough to change the biological sex of an individual. If you are born male, you will stay male for your entire life. You say that a transwoman who has taken estrogen is more genetically similar to a woman, I'm sorry but that simply isn't true. A male person will always be more genetically similar to other males than to a female person.

Determination of sex is very simple, it's about the easiest genetic test to do. They have kits for high school classrooms to try out ffs. We need to leave the "meaningful sex change is possible through medical intervention" thing in the past, all we accomplish with that is giving people false hope and an unattainable goal to fixate on. Sex is real and immutable, I wish it didn't matter, but it does.

And why it matters is, maleness and femaleness have become inseparable from certain stereotypes and assigned qualities by societies in human history. Overwhelmingly, the male people subjugate the female people. Since men, male humans, discovered womens' ability to give birth could be taken advantage of, it was capitalized upon. And this is the foundation of patriarchal society. Religions were founded to justify this as the will of god. To deny that women have historically been persecuted due to their sex is, well, misogynistic. There is no "woman feeling" that makes us targets for child marriages, FGM, trafficking/prostitution, and other horrors from the minute we're born and even before. No, it's the sex we were born with that makes the world think it can decide our fate. In fact, the way that people treat male children differently from female children is so different so early, that we are genuinely unable to study human behaviour unaffected by gendered expectations. This is what feminists are talking about when they discuss "socialization". There is not a single man on the planet who knows exactly what it's like to see the world from a woman's eyes, no matter how feminine that man is. Womanhood isn't something you can achieve or acquire through effort: you were either born a woman or you weren't, just like you were either born with detached earlobes or not. It's so simple.

All that to get to my final point: Yes, I believe the definition of womanhood comes down to biology, because anything beyond that is a meaningless stereotype. Women can do anything, be anyone, look any way they want, go through any experience they do. The one thing they have in common is that they are female adult human beings. There is not way to fail at being a woman or do it wrong, you just are. Womanhood is the experience of having been a female person in this world, and nothing else. There are certain things only female human beings need, like abortion and female contraceptive rights, access to spaces where we can be safe from our subjugators (male human beings), and the ability to define ourselves and fight for our collective rights.

(At this point you may object and point out that male people who identify as trans women are also subject to violence and scorn from men: unfortunately that is often the case, but this does not make male people who identify as women, well, female. We need solutions for them that do not involve requiring women to sacrifice our comfort and safety for the sake of a particular subset of men, because of the inherent risks involved and the fact that women do not owe men anything even when those men have it bad.)

One last thing: my opinion is that prescribing exogenous cross-sex hormones is unethical (so are all elective cosmetic medical procedures but that's a post for a different day). I understand the distress that gender dysphoria inflicts on people, however the ill effects of hrt are too numerous to condone. The huge increase in risk of stroke with estrogen, heart disease and uterine atrophy with testosterone, and the way that trans medicine studies are notorious for losing followup with patients after a year or less... it's short sighted and frankly, financially motivated. The amount of trans patients who are prescribed hormones without access to an endocrinologist, it's honestly infuriating. People deserve the best care possible, not lab rat bullshit where they cut you loose when it's not working out. I won't judge anyone for what they do to themselves to cope with distress, but I want everyone, especially girls, to be aware of the lifetime effects medical decisions may have, and that you also can find happiness within yourself without hurting your body.

Thanks again for your question, be well ✌️

[literary-illuminati]

Book Review 59 – Spear by Nicola Griffith

So after loudly complaining about this year’s Hugo nominations enough, it was recommended I try using the World Fantasy Awards shortlist as a reading list instead. Spear is the first result of that – I’d never heard of either it or Griffith as an author before, but the library helpfully had a copy with only a three-week hold. It was, well – unevenly paced and characterized, often beautifully written, a setting I’ve got an enduring fondness for, a bunch of things. But at the very least I’m not confused or annoyed that anyone would nominate this for a ‘best novel of the year’ award, so beating the Hugo’s!

The book’s Arthuriana, of a mythological and Early Medieval type. Specifically, it’s a queer retelling of the story of Sir Percival (Peretur here, the book makes an attempt to use Welsh names for most. Artos and Cei and so on) intermixed with celtic mythology (the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann are stolen to be the Grail, Excalibur, the Stone the sword was in, and Peretur’s Spear). Also Peretur is a) a demigod raised from birth on soup and water drunk out of the Grail/Cauldron and b) a lesbian. The book follows her childhood, raised in the wilderness with only her mother and wildlife for company, how she eventually leaves her behind to fufil a dream of becoming one of the king’s companions, and the trials she undergoes to become accepted by them. The second half of the book then follows her falling in love with Nimune, accidentally breaking the geas that was hiding her mother and the cauldron from her father (a wrathful Tuatha Dé) the organizing of the grail quest and her, Lancelot, and Nimune going to kill her dad and retrieve the grail/cauldron. And then bury it away after lying to everyone that the queen had had a sip from it and wouldn’t be infertile anymore. Having thus doomed the kingdom, they set about enjoying their lives together.

So, queer early medieval Arthuriana retelling. Which on reflection probably seems like less of a natural/obvious combination to people who spend less time on tumblr than I do. The ‘Early Medieval’ part of that seems pretty carefully researched, and the book takes great joy in describing everyone’s panoply, situating the politics in a very specific post-Roman collapse politics and geography, and so on. In that sense reminds of Bernard Cromwell’s take on a ‘historicall’ Arthur in the same era (which I read far too young because my father had just left them lying around the house and still inform my default view of the genre.) The queerness is just presented to be taken as a given more than part of the actual plot – being a crossdressing lesbian causes Peretur exactly zero problems at any point, and Arthur/Lancelot/Guinevere are a loving polycule so actually it’s a net reduction in sexuality-related drama compared to the usual.

The basic conceit aside, the most striking thing about the book is easily the prose. It’s written in a kind of elevated, mythological or capital-R Romantic voice. There are passages that are legitimately quite beautiful, and just overall does a lot to sell the story as somewhere between chivalric romance and myth.

Otherwise – I pretty much adored the first half the book, covering our hero’s childhood and attempts to build a reputation that will earn her acceptance from the king’s court and a place at the round table. Peretur’s naivete and utter lack of understanding of politics form a nice contrast with her being, well, a superhuman demigod with magical wild empathy skills when it comes to everything else. The second half, on the other hand – I mean it just tries to pack in way too many plot points and too much lore in not nearly enough page count. The effect – one long procession of character revelations and things happening without preamble or fallout – fits the whole mythic style but, like, not in a good way.

Also since the whole happy ending is built around a central romance it’d help a lot if Nimune felt like more or a character and less of an exposition fairy. Peretur legitimately had more chemistry with Angharad-the-innkeepers-daughter from the second act. Also since it was how the book ended, the big choice to hide away the cauldron/grail and make sure neither king nor queen nor anyone else ever drinks from it is presented as this, like, considered and moral decision without ever touching on any of the massive hypocrisy inherent in it for ms. ‘grew up drinking from it every meal. But it’d corrupt and drive insane anyone else who did. For sure.’ was just deeply irksome to me.

Still, not at all a bad read. Maybe a bit style over substance, but it’s a good style and worn well.

[smartbitches]

From the reviews in July 2004 Issue of RT Book Club, which we recap in the latest (12/1) episode!

So, FULK the RELUCTANT.

Mullet? check. Headband over the forehead for Ye Olde Historicalle Style? check.

HIS NAME IS FULK. I can't get over it. I think a contemporary publisher would be like, nah, you need to change that guy's name. Otherwise people (like me) who read too fast will think it says Fuck the Reluctant.

The cover copy is wild:

Fulk de Galliard was sore dismayed. A man of dark secrets and dangerous prowess, he was unfit to be any noblewoman’s spouse, even such a one as Jehanne of Windermere, who lived by her own knightly code. But now that the ambitions of a duplicitous earl had forced them into a betrothal, would this Iron Maiden be tempered by his touch?

Sir Fulk had been the subject of many a fearsome rumor, Jehanne recalled. Now this enigmatic, overwhelming knight would be master of her keep by strength of royal command…and keeper of her heart by virtue of her own unchecked desire!

SORE DISMAYED.

But this review on Amz from ME Wood titled " Great plot, lots of deception and battles; not just sex" Contains this line:

"Fulk de Galliard is a giant among men both in stature and honor. He loves his family and his horse."

HE LOVES HIS HORSE.

I might have to read this. YOU should also read it.

[azhdakha]

"Based on your likes" da fuck

"Historicall territories of our country" my ass🤡

Dude, why spread your legs that wide?

[curseofkolyana]

Just saw a costumer refer to a project they were working on as "Historicall Adequate" and I am gonna start using that term.

This character is from 1860s Europe. Is there design Historically Accurate? Nope. Is it Historically Adequate? Yeah, totally.

[realcatalina]

Do you know who is the author and the lady of this portrait?

I believe this might one of the AI generated images. Those are not based upon singular real image but on multiple, based upon what search engine shows to AI upon the topic-which in this case would probably be Catherine of Aragon, but of course it isn't true likeness.

But tbh I am not sure of it.

However to me it certainly doesn't look like an actual original from 15th or 16th century. The outfit has aspects which are not historicall accurate, layers, jewels wrong etc.

Could be somebody just creating it in some program, but obviously not understanding fully what the outfit is supposed to be like.

[glorioustidalwavedefendor]

Today I learned that for example in Arab countries almost no women adopts her husband's surname when she is married.

Which I like a lot, you should be allowed to keep your own name

But now I just gotta ask

Hey, historians searching historical people and their relatives through historicall documents

How are you doing?

Like e.g. in english records if you find a sarah hartnell that lived in the same area as the Hartnell brothers at aroud the correct time. She will propably be a relative

How does that work if the women keeps her own name?

(same for anyone searching through icelandic documents - while we are at it ... does it make searching harder?)

[khnvinien]

I hosted Historicall earlier this year over at twitter, an art collaboration for the English speaking community featuring the prompt: "Saniwa in a video call, chaos ensues"

The final compilation features 31 saniwa from 27 different participants which even weeks from now I find amazing. Please check out everyone's work here!

I'll be bringing this back sometime in the first half of next year, too~

[cosmik-homo]

I had to get into actual, research for this, so. Highlanders successfully fulfilling Edutainment purpose despite it all, I guess, but. I'm Stoll not sure what denomination would Jamie historicall be but he might have not had Christmas so good for him.