#i am rooting for the new girlies to be treated well

[risingshards]

Spring 2024 anime review!

It's time for my annual anime season review! I had a lot more shows to watch this season than last, which at times got a bit hectic! It's not quite done yet but it's done enough that I think I can put this up. Warning: Long post incoming where I ramble about the many anime shows I watched and personal reflection about how Going Through It™ affected my watching.

Laid Back Camp Season 3: My fav of the season, I'm obsessed with these camping girlies and any more time with them is always a treat. The combo of the suspension bridge arc with the wacky over the top arc is a fun jarring one, and the last trip was so sweet. Rin and Nadeshiko felt even gayer this season which is impressive, they're the most girlfriends to me, Chiaki and Aoi too (or maybe I should just ship full camping polycule???) It was only a few second scenes too but I love that they added Aya into the later arcs as well. I've been in a rough place mentally for a while and it kicked into a new gear this summer, so the comfort vibes of the show hit differently. I'm a super anxious person so chill times where everything is OK is such a nice escape from the world. Shout out to the OP/ED for being my favs this season! Also highly recommend both sub and dub, because the dub cast is SOOOO good once more. Celeste Perez is so fantastic as Rin, and Morgan Laure Garrett does an incredible performance as Nadeshiko. The whole cast is so great I could ramble on and on about them.

Whisper Me a Love Song: Not technically done yet as eps 11 and 12 are delayed, but in spite of the production woes this one has my heart this season in that "I love the manga and am happy to see this animated, I am hyperfixated, and warts and all I love watching it and get way way WAYYYY too sensitive about it seriously chiral go touch grass instead of having anxiety attacks about an anime" kind of way. The voice cast is SO perfect and everyone fits their characters so well and it's a treat to see the manga adapted. Himari and Yori's fluffy relationship was so sweet and I teared up a lot at their big moments. My beloved Aki got so many delicious angsty scenes while also showing her as not a bad person, just someone who's caught up in a crush while heartbroken about her true love leaving her (a true love that she didn't even realize was true love). Speaking about that true love, Shiho getting to be a feral cat storming into the proceedings is a treat, and I love that we get to see her earlier in the anime than in the manga.

The downsides ofc are the production that delayed two of the episodes, and now has the last two pushed to a later date, and my big qualm is the festival getting skipped over (well still kinda animated in the visual comic they released with the voice actors doing great on it), that's a bummer. I can see structurally what they were going for, 6 eps for Himari/Yori and 6 eps for the very popular Aki/Shiho storyline, and having the 'lost' ep voice acted helps a bit. But ughghggh even with all that...IDK it's still my babg and they're my babygorls so I'm rooting for 11 and 12 to be really great and for me to not engage with any fandom discussion about it LOL. Like I said this one had my heart this season, and when something latches onto your heart like that, I think it's good to cherish that a bit.

Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night: I heard the buzz a few episodes in about this and was hooked pretty quickly. The animation quality was great, I adored the characters, and I loved the queerness in it with the nonbinary talks, trans yakuza ladie, the kiss, and while I wish they went more in on the romance, we still got a lot of queerness that I don't want to count out. It's another case where I really need to disengage with what people think about something when it's special to me (that might be the moral of the season, honestly). My big downside for this is it got a little too stressful for me, the big fight towards the end of the show kept me up at night. I might be going through it pretty bad if watching anime does that to me BUT we stay silly.

Train to the End of the World: I didn't realize until I saw a post about it like yesterday that this had the same director as Kill la Kill and Gurren Lagann and in hindsight yeah that tracks. This was such a wild ride, I love a good journey story and this scratched that itch well. A group of girls go on a weird, hilarious, and heartfelt journey via train through a bizarre world? It made me really want to write a journey story. Funniest show of the season by far, crazy visuals, fun action, each episode being a strange little journey on its own helped the vibe.

The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio: This was a really cute one, bubbly gyaru x stoic girlie is a fun dynamic. Going by the structure, I assume this was the first 3 light novels adapted, since each arc was 4 eps IIRC. I hope the light novels get translated here because I'd love to see where the story goes next. My downside to this is this one also got STRESSFUL stressful in that like social kind of way as the main duo deals with stalkers, assholes online, shitty voice directors (I hope that voice director that was giving Yasumi a hard time gets super fired in season 2) and that took away from the fluff at times. Still was a definite highlight of the season.

Nijiyon Animation 2: Maybe even weirder than the first season, I was really glad to get more of this one, weekly 3 minute adventures of a wacky gay harem really is good for the soul. I love the vibe of like "yeah we're doing this premise this week let's just go with it" that a lot of the episodes had. Do Season 3 cmon!

Vexations of a Shut in Vampire Princess dub: I am a big stan for Vexations, and this dub has not disappointed so far (I think just one or two episodes to go for it), VERY well cast with Brittney Karbowski (of Railgun fame) putting in a STELLAR performance as Komari, showcasing all the facets of Komari's personality, like her spoiled bratty princess side, her anxious about being plopped into a dire situation side, the theater kid performance that helps her through this, and many other sides, it's really fantastic work by her. Vill, Sakuna, and Millicent are standouts as well (every Millicent scene I needed to pause afterwards because wow 🥵).

I also watched the back half of Dungeon Meshi (which is so big rn that I feel like I don't know what to add? It's great!), the new Spice and Wolf which was nice, Bartender: Glass of God which was VERY chill, and a coworker friend rec'd Condition Called Love, but I did not really enjoy that one.

All in all despite the bumpy road, I was really happy with this season and got SO much yuri. I do still need to watch Girls Band Cry and will rectify that soon, I just had way too many shows to watch at once.

Next season I am mainly looking forward to My Deer Friend Nokotan, and started watching Suicide Squad Isekai mainly for the ED lol. Next season big goal also: Chiral touches grass and her hypersensitive ass stops getting so worried about what other people think of the anime she watches and to just enjoy the anime hyperfixation while it's in full swing like this.

[imaginespazzi]

Bestie👋 We're back to routine/reality!

Happy 2025 :) How are you? Hope the rest of holidays were great and the new year is treating you well so far. Thought of your blog the other day in DFW 😅. (Sidenote but related, Lou and her family dog just melt my heart). My Xmas recap in brief - overall smooth travel, lots of fam time w eating and drinking too much on a regular basis, had no snow during the break yay, college bball and fb galore on tv, highlight gift was probably getting a helix piercing.

The in case you missed it portion:

https://www.tumblr.com/wintrrliqht/771452732561358849?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/bkristen/771236520640282624?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/ldapper/771237582627618816?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/lexipoo/770893626985365504/go-to-tim-tok?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/paiges-1vur/770939613672030208/the-cutest?source=share

Pleasant tea/lore: 👀 So eyebrows raised at recent stuff people are sharing re Lauren Betts. Also gotta say I feel more and more confident over time re Miles/Westbeld speculation (who Im willing to say are by far the most likable thing about ND).

Welp UConn wins their initial Big East contests and w/ no real injuries, so folks should take that for the time being huh. I def give grace for the games immediately before and after the holiday break tbh. Caught some of Texas/OU last night which was a good watch overall. And Michigan gave UCLA a pretty good run in their matchup new years day. Im so looking forward to Unrivaled starting up soon too! As a Mystics girly, I was especially excited to see Natasha Cloud and Shakira Austin playing together again, but alas Tash got moved to a different club late.

Alrighty thats about everything I can think of 😅 Best,

-☕️

Happy New Year Bestiiiiieeeeeee <3

I'm so good my love, how are you? I'm so glad to hear that you had a good Christmas and here's to a just as good 2025!

Awwww I love your incase you missed it section so much because even I didn't miss it, it's a chance to see my babies being all cutesie and adorable.

Loved the Betts tea and I'm really rooting for it to be true. I am completely sold on Olivia and Maddy and man what an attractive couple they are.

Yeah honestly, it's a blessing to be going through this season relatively injury-free (my poor Yanna bear aside) and that's something we shouldn't take for granted. Oklahoma does not move me at all I fear despite their ranking. Michigan just needs to give Syla a solid secondary player and I think they could make something shake in the next two years.

I was little underwhelmed by the Unrivaled jersey but considering that's literally the only they've disappointed me with, I'm very, very, very excited to watch the league unfold and as a former Storm fan, I'm so excited for the Jewell-Stewie combo again. If it wasn't clear, I will be supporting the Mist! Like my duo and Li-Li, how could I picky anyone else?

[rorichuu]

Hiii!!! If it isn't too much trouble and if there still open may I have (male) baldur's gate matchup please. My pronouns are she/her. I tend to be shy around new people but I can be somewhat loud with people who im close to. My height is 5'0. I would describe my aesthetic as girly/soft/cottegecore, lots of long dresses and skirts.

Im not very athletic and im not a big fan of sports but I love to go roller and ice skating. I also love to read books and to also cook and bake food. I also like to garden. I've been playing the violin for 7-ish years. I love animals. I am currently studying in college. I like to Watch nature/animal documentaries. I also like sweets.

Somethings I dislike are people who bend or ruin my books and people who speak over me when im trying to talk.I love music, I can listen to any genre and like it but my favorites are indie,bedroom pop and classic rock. sorry if i spelt anything wrong. Hope im not bothering you:)

༄ hello armin-ocean-eyes! ∘•˚.⊹

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ㅤ... 𝐈 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 ...

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ㅤ𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗲!

𝟏 . 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙞𝙣 — 𝟿𝟾% 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢!

you and halsin would be a perfect match!

with your share of love and appreciation with animals and nature... it would be difficult to stray halsin away from you.

halsin would also absolutely love your attire! long dresses, skirts... he loves them!

i feel as though halsin is a pretty comfortable person to talk to... aside from his towering stature, his conversations always seem light and easy.

he would completely understand your shyness. And some part of him would feel a bit bad or worry if his height is intimidating to you. (even if it wouldn't be, he would still think about it)

"You play the violin? I would love to hear you play... if you'll let me, my heart."

adores that you play violin

he truly thinks it's a beautiful instrument and i swear you could see the hearts in his eyes once he hears you play

HALSIN WOULD SOO SPOIL YOU WITH SWEETS ARE YOU KIDDINGGGG

he also has a sweet tooth

y'all be havin' your fair share of sweet treats every now and then

not to mention the fact that you cook/bake? dude he's head over heeeeels

he would def try to help you

and since this man is basically ancient i’m convinced he knows cooking here and there

but he’s cooking with every natural ingredient under the sun (mushrooms, herbs, etc.)

but he’s better at baking

he’s a professional muffin and crepe maker

any pastry, he’s got it DOWN

and he’d love to try your foods as well!!!!

『 • • ✎ • • 』

oh! you ice skate/rollerskate?? that’s great!!!! he’s awful at it 😃

cannot keep his balance for the life of him LMAO he can’t balance his weight and he’d much rather cheer for you on the side lines :,)

DEFINITELY ROOTS FOR YOU BTW

maybe a whittled duck or bear for you afterwards :)

but he’s your BIGGEST supporter fr

𝟐 . 𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙚 — 𝟾𝟸% 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢!

gale was a VERY close second

he completely understands your frustration when people talk over you or bends your books… he’s had his fair share of both.

from being known as the "know-it-all" wizard, he’s been talked over a LOT 😭 so he’s quick to defend you when someone is being rude in that regard

and we all know this man is a bookworm nerd, across all subjects and novels… so you guys definitely have something in common

he also adores your skirt/dress attire! he’d talk about all the shops and stores in Waterdeep and how he’d love to take you sometime

he would definitely be the type to spoil you when the two of you arrive in Waterdeep :)

and hey! you also cook?! him too!

he would love to share his kitchen and cook dinners with you… but heres one thing

the man. cannot bake. it just never works in his favor-💀

he’ll burn it, undercook it… but he’s adamant on never missing a step! he never misses a step!

“I don’t understand, [Name]… I followed the list! I even got the correct brands!”

absolutely transfixed by the fact that you play violin btw

he could listen to you play for hours fr

and you guys would definitely have nights where you sit and read with each other next to his fireplace!!!!

he loved the cozy nights where you snack on your baked goods while reading next to each other

gale is also not a very athletic guy, we all know he was a complete hermit in his tower for months… so he’s definitely more of a stay-at-home person!

gale would definitely go ice skating with you… while using a concentration spell to keep him balanced 😁

would show of a lil

i’m ngl he would

but he’d root for you or watch you skate :) he’s completely mesmerized !!!!

he adores you! :)

.

.

.

rorichuu!

[michyeosseo]

欢乐颂 ode to joy 3 first impressions

the reboot makes me feel old-old but at least we still have the balloons?

yes, we all miss the quintet that were shengmei, andy, xiaoxiao, yingying & guanguan but first, here’s a brief intro before my thoughts on the new tenants of the 22nd floor:

2201 again with the aloof mystery lady with an english name - lucy fang zhiheng

2202 has the three flatmates setup (a jiejie and two ducklings) as before - zhu zhe, nickname jiji; he minhong; and yu chuhui, nickname a'chu

2203 still houses the fuerdai of the bunch - ye zhenzhen

(watched the five fully subbed episodes on viki and as of last night, 18 out of 33 have already aired so halfway mark now)

jiji is as sensible as hotel managers go. she may not leave you with a strong sense of who she is at the start but she's been working the longest among these ladies and her breadwinner energy shows. the smol ones ought to let jiejie enjoy her drama fix before bed in peace.

naïve + nosy is how i'd describe minhong... guess that comes with her being a green writer. initially shown as someone who wants to impart her morals (chided by her supervisor right away for aspiring such) in the magazine column, she's bound to learn from conflicts she'll cause.

a'chu has the signature turbulent family woes. that said, grew up well and is striving to strike balance between escaping poverty and being true to herself – developing engineer patents even though neither her nor her peers get credit while teaching kids ballet on the side.

zhenzhen acted as the welcome wagon to the trio. yes, she's a scientist-to-be (biochemistry field if we're being exact) living one good deed a day. outside the lab's spent bonding with the other ladies of 22nd floor - treating them to expensive ice cream and just chilling around.

she and zhenzhen moved in the same time but rarely do we glimpse the two beauties mingling. by design since lucy's miss i-got-my-hands-full: keeping up her luxury appearances and keeping a semblance of normal when she should probably get therapy. she longs for their warm friendship from afar.

chemistry between the five is still wanting in organic interactions department, which is given. much has changed in the shanghai residential complex since the original series was on. years passed. 22nd floor corridor itself is laid different. our original 22nd floor jiejies may have moved on to hopefully better lives yet women in the workforce continue to struggle, maybe even more so with how reductive society has turned into. this otj reboot feels dated, though. at least, daylight entertainment's approach in these early episodes i have seen. the mansplainer of a narrator is gone, lemme just say that's a relief personally.

but y'know what bugs me? how they've opted to tackle sexual harassment.

raising the discussion via media in itself is fine. such abuse of power imbalance shouldn't be swept under the rug, considering countless women on a daily basis are coerced into silence because of the indifference. too few real-life jiji/a'chu/zhenzhen who believes immediately. but one of the guys in the main cast, lucy's suitor, is very attached to this so-called theme exploration. spoiler alert: he's the son of the company superior who assaulted lucy. gonna spare y'all the grim details but, of course, she alone knows of the connection. left to process such trauma by herself while fending off his dogged pursuits - at the office, at the mma gym and later on, even at her hls apartment. what kind of plot?! from the closing credits, he's not bound to leave anytime soon.

my main worry is the narrative will prove her reluctance wrong, that he's a Good Guy, tied neat bow and all that jazz when that does absolutely NOTHING to address the shitty lot that would have been avoided if he wasn't related to this godforsaken dog bloodedness to begin with. if it's only an afterthought to the writer, i just wanna voice that when you've penned a franchise jumpstarting the trend of female-centric modern set cdramas and then you want to continue that brand today? maybe you should update your sensibilities first.

we embrace women's wrongs in this house, not when women are wronged. 

quips won't make the cut with the audiences that easily anymore.

[nonclassyparty]

firstly, tell me why i had that wooyoung shit figured OUT LMAOOO. I literally called it HAHAHA. the way i knew this fool was part of the fruit community

i love the idea that like this story and your writing in general continues to make me go, men ain’t shit fr. but then my tiktok has san getting scared while playing video games and mingi being called pink princess like 🧌.

reading this story with the prologue in mind is insane bc i get that technically no one has really done anything wrong yet ? per se. but san rlly is or ig…is going to be? a grade a asshole.

atp i can understand that sans not at fault (YET apparently) bc like, let’s be real LMAO the agreement was set in place and even y/n herself UNDERSTANDS it, she just continues to play into it bc of her feelings. i cant imagine how san ACTUALLY ends up fucking up (ig putting aside the fact that he couldn’t even be a friend or at the very least an acquaintance and help her w her assignment). like ik y/n probably WILL get mad but she doesn’t rlly hav the right to get mad at him for kissing that girl watever her name is cus she and san aren’t exclusive. but like regardless of the fact, i’m stil obv rooting for y/n bc she’s going through it and she’s being treated terribly by so many ppl for stupid reasons, esp w the knowledge that they all think so shallowly of her and don’t take into account any of her actual interests or experiences like damn.

AND THEN there’s like the fact that (entirely from context and my assumptions alone) y/n didn’t even outright SAY any of this or tell san how she felt until she wrote that letter AFTER THE FACT like ??? that’s INSANE like my brain is scrambling to finish the puzzle before i even hav all the pieces. like ik u said ur not sure about the ending but does san get the letter ? do we even see how he reacts to it ???? (i’m assuming she’ll tell wooyoung or hongjoong tbh)

ALSO i can’t get over the description of why yunho doesn’t like y/n like…damn, homie’s giving incel energy. giving nate jacobs wanting maddy to be a virgin energy (but not nate jacobs wanting maddy cus yunho apparently can’t handle high maintenance bad bitches). idk he’s giving very small peepee, in the closet, daddy issues energy and yeosangs got his own issues that we don’t even know about yet like don’t let me find out i’ll probably lose it.

i’m LITERALLY rambling nonsense and i’m at work rn. anyways amazing work ONCE AGAIN. i cant get over how you write and how you flesh out the characters. cant wait for my boy mingi to be properly introduced. let’s see how my emotions handle that.

-🧃

there is so much to discuss in this message hold on;

first of all, wooyoung being part of the skittles squad well idk how you got that right i'll be honest with you

this is exactly why when i write i have to stay away from atz content bc i went and watched the new wanteez eps today and i just cant write afterwards bc san is so fawking soft and precious how am i supposed to write him as a fuckboy that breaks hearts??? at one point i was like 'damn i shouldve picked someone else as the fuckboy for starring role' and not HIM😭😭

about san fucking up, it will happen in act 8 and i cant say anything else without giving away spoilers but yes! san never promised her anything, yn is aware of it and she knows where the two of them stand deep down but she just doesnt want to accept it (spoiler: that will basically be what the next chapter is about). also keep in mind that the story doesnt end with the letter, there are a couple more chapters afterwards 😭

YUNHO. WAIT NOT TOO MUCH ON HIM?? thats still my man but i wasnt really going for that sort of energy but now re-reading the part about him, i could see why it might've came off like that 😭. basically, with yunho i was going for the type of guy that doesnt like spoilt girly girls who care about makeup, clothes and are shallow, that only dates girls who, by his standards, have some depth to them and are sorta not-like-other-girls but in a pinterest cottage core aesthetic way (kjsghdjfhkfdj??? idk if that makes sense but he likes sweet girls who he can bring back home to his parents basically. its pretty much what svoh yn was) and yet he would still sleep with starring role yn without a doubt 😭. he was inspired by many guys ive meet in college

yeosang's storyline...im kind of nervous about revealing it tbh, also mingi will be properly introduced in the next chapter! as something much more than just boyoung's friend.

thank you so much for this message, i always look forward to yours in particular and theyre so fun to read. i really appreciate them. i hope you have a good day 💝

[andrewminyartd]

ACOSF SPOILERS

DO NOT CONTINUE TO READ !!

ALSO KINDA LONG

-

I haven’t posted on tumblr in ages but this is the only place I know to rant.

I feel like there were three storylines mushed into one book here. Nesta, nesta & cassian, and the others.

NESTA - 5/5

Singling out Nestas part includes her growth, her friendships, her training, the stairs and the blood rite.

I LOVED this. I feel like so many people have serious trauma that causes us to change for the worst. we become harsh, we lash out at the people we love, we lash out at ourselves, question our worth, etc.

( did I love to see that the crew voted for this? no but that’s for another section. )

I honestly don’t have much to say besides it was wonderful to see nesta find herself. using the training to hone her mind and body, making amazing bonds with other women of trauma, to form that sisterhood, to finally master the stairs but to use them as a time to understand herself, and to ( unofficially ) complete the blood rite. chefs kiss, I’m so happy for her.

I completely understand what it’s like to be so comfortable in your sorrow ( or anger ) and not want to leave, it’s all you know.

The sleepover scene really tore at my heart I’m the good way, as someone who has three sisters, I loved it. No matter how cheesy it sounds sisterhood is a gift. I’ve found myself at odds with my sisters on so many occasions, wishing I could never see or speak to them again, but it always reverts to the i breakable bond of having a growing partner.

plus gwyn and emerie amazing women love to see it. Great supporting characters.

the blood rite, trope-y but still great to see her flourish.

NESTA + CASSIAN 4/5

Again, very cliche. I still liked it. The sex was filthy which wow i was a bit blown away. I have no qualms reading scenes like that but i felt so sad it had to be just sex in the beginning.

I looooved that he stood by her side. What an amazing man. Yeah I know they said I knew you were my mate etc etc but I mean elain and lucien are mates and so obviously not together so,,,,, point being he stayed not knowing what would happen.

I loved the hike, what a great connection. And a great message, if you need your time take it but I’ll always be here and waiting.

I do have to say I agree with some people that why can’t there ever just be an emotional scene followed by I love you and just yk comfort and etc. I do that with my husband all the time, no sex needed to portray the emotions.

Granted they are new mates but still.

THE OTHERS - 1/5

Am I not the only person who was really taken aback by the crew in this book? What is this voting on people’s life and feysand being wonky as fuck????

I was pleasantly surprised about the pregnancy but I felt like this was not the book for that. I don’t even know how to properly explain it I just am really surprised? I just didn’t like the general tone and vibe of everyone.

Mor? okay girl was barely here and uh is she hiding something? what is eris hinting at? ( dONT come at me if we are supposed to know I only reread the ending of acowar ). Feysand? Um just straight up annoying and rude. their bonus scene pissed me off. and yeah she’s pregnant I don’t give a shit I do not like how they treated everyone in this. Amren? No complaints shes chillin. I would expect her to vote on ppls lives but not everyone else. Elain? girly strong but practically not even in the book. Cassian? king Az? Pretty normal imo.

I feel like this book should’ve focused on Nesta more and she could’ve focused more on the enemy rather then throwing feysands pregnancy problems around. the plot was sloppy and loose.

BONUS - ERIEL

I love azriel, I always have he is one of my favourite characters. I hate people bashing on him, bc listen the fuck up. we do not know ANYTHING that has gone on between elain and him in an entire YEAR. for people to come for his life bc he’s having fantasies, how is it any different then cassian? he’s an illyrian male like??? oh because they aren’t mates? yeah well for 3/4th of the book it wasn’t confirmed nes and cas were mates either and everyone still rooted for them meanwhile their mates could’ve been somewhere else. mates does not always mean romantic, rejecting the bond exists for a reason. give elain a break, she finds no comfort in lucien. period. dont act like if luciens girl hadn’t been killed he wouldnt be cozied up with her rn bc he already found love. And would’ve accepted the platonic bond. I didn’t bother to read the part where he’s “ flirting” with gwyn. like bro got yelled at for trying to pursue someone he loves and someone who loves him back you assholes. he’s a man, they aren’t perfect, not even rhys or cas. he doesn’t even know gwyn and for yall to be like omg his shadows come alive blah blah, brUh he doesn’t even know her. If he chooses to persue that so be it but imo it’s squat compared to his relationship/friendship with elain. and I think you’re all taking the three sisters statement wrong, hes not saying he’s entitled bro he’s just saying like does it not make sense seeing as they are in love/attracted to each other.

CONCLUSION

Loved the Nesta story line, liked the nesta cassian story line, did not like anything else.

NOTE: if you agree or have anything to add feel free to comment or repost! If you don’t please just scroll.

[oceanmonsters]

(creating a new post because the original one was being passed around radfems circles and the notes were absolutely toxic - link to original even though it seems to have been deleted by op)

I wasn’t initially gonna reblog this because I was like well, I don’t think traditions like these should be completely beyond reproach / criticism and although I did have my ears pierced as a baby and am personally glad of it, it isn’t something that I would do to my own daughters if I had them. But then I checked the notes:

and I take that back because the people replying to this post prove exactly why it’s fucking needed. Because white women (especially white radfems, whom most of these are) really don’t know how to behave themselves when talking about woc / other cultures. “It makes girls into objects to decorate and look pretty” “A sense of control over their environment which heterosexual and het partnered women seldom get to have” “not owning her body that began with her mother piercing her skin against her will” these people are acting as if woc are literal child abusers for doing something that yes, although it may be a gendered ritual and not one I personally agree with, does very little harm to their child in the long run.

First of all, there are actual cultural / religious roots to the ear piercing of children (x) and yes, it was done to both female AND male children, although it has become more of an aesthetic thing nowadays and boys being pierced is much rarer. I don’t have any concrete sources on this but I’d be willing to bet it’s to do with the influx of western culture starting with colonialism that brought the idea that earrings / jewellery are unmanly and therefore unattractive. In fact, jewellery in general and especially gold jewellery does play a significant part in Indian culture and I know Indian boys who have gold chains that they wear around their necks and have since they were a child, although I don’t know the specific significances of these. My point is, if you actually bothered to research the culture for even two minutes, you’d see that this was about more than just “omg girls being decorated for men to look at!!!”. And even if you don’t agree with the culture of piercing children’s ears, which, as I said, I don’t particularly personally, it’s really not the massive deal that some people in the notes wanna make it. I’ve had my ears pierced since I was a baby and trust me, they have never ever held me back in life. I never even considered them much. You know what probably did affect me more? The general messages I was being fed to me by society that I had to look feminine and pretty, and have “girly” interests. Makeup culture. Beauty culture. My earrings are really very very low down on the list of things that had a big impact on my life. “Why don’t you wait until they’re at least 15” “Because it’s about establishing from a young age that they’re possessions / for male decoration / that exist to be looked at!!!!” etc. etc. No, a lot of the time it’s literally so that it’s done early on and then they don’t have to go through it later. Piercings can be traumatic at any age. My friend decided to have hers done as a young teenager and it left her so scared of them closing up and having to pierce them again that she literally wouldn’t even sleep one night without earrings on. Meanwhile, I had it done as a baby and didn’t even remember. Again, is this something I would choose to do to my daughter? No, but at the end of the day I don’t know a single person who got their ears pierced as a baby who is genuinely upset and resentful about having it done, because it’s really not that much of a big deal. “It sends a clear message that your body doesn’t belong to you” “it’s our culture to train infant girls that they exist to be looked at”! My parents, contrary to apparent popular belief about desi parents, have never encouraged me to exist for male consumption. If there is one thing my mum and dad have tried to impress on my my whole life it’s that education is the most important thing and it comes before boys or relationships or anything like that. My dad has told me on no uncertain terms that my education, my life, should always come before relationships and marriage. And yes, my mum also decided to have my ears pierced when I was a baby because that is the norm and she wanted to get it over with when I wouldn’t even remember it so I wouldn’t have to get it done later if I wanted them pierced. Even recently she’s told me she’s felt guilty about it when she hears people saying things like this and that makes me so angry because my mother is not perfect, but she deserves a fucking lot more respect than these people are treating her and women like her with.

These are the three that pissed me off the most:

White feminists really do not know how to talk about woc without projecting their own narrow ideas of cultural misogyny onto everything they do. Like they’re literally taking the actions of women from cultures they know nothing about and trying to analyse them and pile patriarchal reasoning onto them - and basically assuming that all woc who aren’t from western / “developed” countries are a monolith who all share a hive mind designed around upholding the patriarchy and can’t think for themselves, unlike the enlightened western feminists who have the critical thinking necessary to see through everything.

Radfems will use the violence and misogyny faced by women of colour in countries like India etc. to prove their points and then will turn around and show their faces with posts like this where they demonstrate that they don’t really care about them except to prove a point, and that any compassion and sympathy that they have for them ends when they don’t act in ways that aligns completely with their beliefs. You’ll talk about how misogynistic and terrible things are for women in countries like India but as soon as they don’t completely conform to how you think they should behave (mostly because of the societal pressures they face) they’re suddenly agents for the patriarchy who are seeking “a sense of control over their environment which heterosexual women seldom get to have”. “It’s not clear to me what it has to do with being white or not” what it has to do with being white is that white radfems absolutely refuse to treat women of colour with respect and acknowledge that we have different experiences to them except when it’s to shit on our culture for treating us badly without actually caring about us as human beings!

Do I think desi culture is absolutely beyond reproach or criticism in the way it treats women? No, there are certain aspects of it that absolutely disgust me (as do aspects of almost every single culture in the world). However, if you really cared about the misogyny and violence faced by women in these countries, you’d use your voices to uplift them and listen to their problems and support the causes they think are important and will improve their lives instead of just using them as a stage to soapbox about your own opinions. But of course, you couldn’t do that! Because they might think the wrong things are important! Because they don’t see the world through your special enlightened western feminist eyes who can see that earrings are the real root of the problem!!!!!

Again, I don’t personally agree with this tradition and I don’t think it should be above criticism, but it certainly isn’t awful or horrible enough to justify the sheer amount of vitriol directed at women of colour who do it - as op was trying to say from the beginning, it’s really not that deep. And in addition, what this post has done is reminded me why even if I do think a cultural practice should be criticised, I absolutely don’t trust white feminists to be the ones doing it. This isn’t me saying “my culture is perfect and beyond any reproach or criticism”, this is about white women not knowing how to behave when talking about women of colour of other cultures and being unable to talk about them without acting as if they know everything and projecting their own preconceived ideas about why the people of that culture behave the way they do in order to get their own points across about the society they themselves live in while simultaneously throwing the women of that culture under the bus by treating them as if they are completely helpless naive victims or agents for the patriarchy who are complicit in their own oppression, and either way are not enlightened enough to see through their culture in the way that only western feminists can.

[eadanga]

Let There Be Love Part 2

Summary: 4 years after winning the custody battle MC and Thomas decide to get married but what happens when a jealous ex and a ex husband get in they way?

Paring: ThomasxMC

MC sat in the bed reading and smiled as she looked down at her ring This is beautiful. The bathroom door opened and Thomas walked out smiling “Hey there” He got into bed and wrapped his arms around her.

“Hey tell me how long did you have this planned?”

He chuckles “A while been trying to find the right time I was so nervous”

MC giggles “You’re cute” She kisses his cheek “But you knew I’ll say yes right?”

“Of course I mean I love you and you love me and it’s been a long time since I’ve been in love with such a wonderful woman”

MC smiles “I love you so much Thomas”

“I love you too” He kisses her deeply then he pulls back “Promise me something MC”

“Sure Thomas”

“Promise you won’t ever leave me”

MC smiles “I promise as long as you promise the same”

“Me leave this sexy ass woman who drives me crazy?” MC giggles as he pulls her closer “Never in a million years”

“Good you better not”

“I won’t now I wanna make love to my fiancé” He climbs on top of her and pins her arms down as he growls “I wanna hear you screaming”

“You know we’re not alone in this house”

“Yes we live with two girls who are on the other side of the house”

MC giggles as he kisses her deeply wrapping his arms tightly around her.

****

Vanessa sat at her kitchen table with a drink in her hand Can’t believe her proposed to her in front of everyone is Thomas trying to make a mockery. Getting married to such a low class girl She scoffed Ugh disgusting if Thomas and I hadn’t broken up that could have been me marrying him instead of me marrying that piece of… She stopped herself No use dwelling on him he’s gone and out of the picture. She thinks to herself then smirks Thomas just needs a reminder on what he’s missing out on and MC she needs to learn her place she may have won that custody battle but the war is far from over and I know just the person to help me out She pulls out her phone “It’s me”

****

MC got ready to start her day she looked at herself in the mirror Yes this looks great She smiled and headed downstairs where Thomas was cooking “Hey there chef”

He turns and smiles “Hey what does my beautiful fiancé want for breakfast this morning?”

“Whatever is the special of the day”

“Today’s special is kisses” He wraps an arm and pulls her closer kissing her down her neck as she sighs “With a side of wetness” His hand goes under her skirt as he strokes her gently as she moans

“Oh Thomas…”

He leans in and whispers “Are you allowed to be this sexy? Now I don’t even want to go to work I wanna fuck you all day long”

MC giggles “The feeling is mutual Mr. Mendez”

“Soon you’ll be Mrs. Mendez and then we’ll start a family together”

“I can’t wait maybe add some boys to the mix”

He smiles “I would love that but whether we have a boy or girl I would love them regardless they’re a perfect mixture of me and you” He kisses her deeply

“You guys are gross” They startle apart and see Luz and Hope standing behind them. They both laugh as they take their seats at the table.

MC smiles “You know Luz one day you’ll get married and have kids of your own”

“And be all lovey dovey like you two? No thanks”

Thomas chuckles then smiles “We’re having dinner here tonight with all our friends so we can share the news with them”

MC smiles “I can’t wait to tell them”

Hope smiles “Am I going to be in the wedding?”

“Of course you two are going to be in it”

Luz makes a face “But we have to wear dresses”

MC laughs “I’ll try to find something that’s not too girly”

Luz smiles “As long as it’s nothing frilly or poofy I’ll wear it”

After the ate they headed down to school. As the girls went to their classes MC got all her stuff and headed to her classroom.

“Well hello there MC”

MC sighed and turned around “Hello Vanessa”

“Off to your class?”

“Yeah”

“How nice” Vanessa walks closer “Bet you’re feeling pretty smug”

“I’m sorry?”

“I mean you just got that ring and now that you’re marrying a rich guy you finally feel like you belong and you’re on top”

MC rolls her eyes “No that’s not how I’m feeling at all”

“Well even though you’re marrying him it doesn’t change where you came from you’re still a broke struggling mom trying to pay the bills”

“Thank you Vanessa did you just wake up and decide that you wanna annoy me today? Cause I really don’t wanna hear the garbage that’s spewing out your mouth right now”

Vanessa scoffs “I’m just saying the truth besides if me and Thomas didn’t work out what makes you think the same won’t happen to you?”

“I don’t know maybe because I’m not a slut”

“How dare you?! I’m just waiting for your little relationship to crash and burn and then Thomas will get a taste of a real woman”

“Yeah that’s great when you find her let me know goodbye” MC walks away and enters her classroom she grumbles Stupid bitch who the hell does she think she is?

****

After school MC and the girls headed home. Luz and Hope went upstairs as MC began making dinner. The front door opened and Thomas came in “Hey there” He kissed her on the cheek

“Hey baby”

Thomas studied her face “Uh oh I know that look what happened?”

“It’s nothing Thomas just Vanessa”

Thomas sighs “What did she say to you?”

“Said our relationship will crash and burn”

“Sweetheart don’t listen to her she’s just jealous that she’s all single and lonely while I’ve got the most amazing woman in my arms” He kisses her forehead

MC smiles “You’re right I can’t let her get under my skin”

“Good now let’s prepare for this party our friends will be here any moment”

After the finish cooking their friends arrived at the house as soon as they ate Thomas tapped a glass and stood up “Everyone I have an announcement it’s the reason why we invited you all here”

Alma giggles “You mean you didn’t invite us cause you’re not sick of us”

Thomas rolls his eyes and tries not to laugh “No Alma and why would we ever get sick of any of you?”

Levi smirks “I know you invited us over for the free food”

Thomas chuckles “Can I get on with my announcement please?”

Levi sits back “The floors all your man”

“Thank you ok so yesterday I asked MC to marry me and she said yes”

Eiko claps “I’ve been rooting for you two”

Alma grins “Congratulations” Then she narrows her eyes “Make sure you treat her right”

“Oh trust me I plan to”

“I propose a toast to the happy couple” They raise and clink their glasses

****

Vanessa paces around then her phone rings “Glad you called me back”

“Meetings”

“So are you in?”

“Whatever I can do”

“Good” She smirks “I can’t wait to see that pathetic wrench crash and burn”

Tags: @mfackenthal​​ @annekebbphotography​​ @indiacater​​ @the-soot-sprite​​ ​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @liam-rhys​

[takaraphoenix]

I’m currently watching The Legend of Tarzan. The cartoon tie-in to the Disney movie. Because my math-skills have shown me that between 2000 and 2010 I was being an idiot and not watching cartoons. I’ve been working on getting caught up for a little while now - Avatar, Danny Phantom, Kim Possible, Lilo & Stitch, Ben 10.

Anyway.

The reason I’m bringing it up is that I actually want to praise it. I’m more of a casual watcher of the Tarzan movie. It was never that much my cup of tea, I always find myself less drawn into the Disney movies where they don’t sing and to me, Tarzan just felt like the nth version of “two worlds clash and love happens” spiel.

But I’m genuinely enjoying the cartoon tie-in. Definitely not because of the animation quality, because good lords it looks so so so cheap.

But, see, my biggest problem with the modern movie tie-in cartoons - How to Train Your Dragon and that Tangled one - is that they neglect the romance.

I mean, seriously, Dragons took until its last season when the ship that was set up at the end of the first movie actually properly sailed. They barely invested time in developing their relationship.

And Tangled is even worse. Flynn and Rapunzel barely have screentime together. They spend more plotpoints with their new show-exclusive OC best friends than with each other and when they do, I’m pretty sure you can count the times they have kissed or been otherwise romantic with each other in the first season on one hand and would still have fingers left. Flynn is mainly a goofy comic relief who gets treated like shit by Rapunzel’s new bff (which, I am intensely not okay with and think that it’s time Rapunzel puts her foot down because seriously Cassandra shitting all over Flynn stopped being funny after like two episodes...).

It’s this problem that movies have. They portray the chase and then conclude in the epic kiss and the allusion to a happily ever after, but when you do a TV show, you inevitably have to show the happily ever after... And they shy away from it. Like they’re a bit in over their head portraying a healthy relationship.

And now back to where we started.

I am genuinely enjoying The Legend of Tarzan, because it doesn’t do what the two just mentioned ones do. It doesn’t shy away from the romance. It doubles down on it. Its main focus are the friendships and (platonic) relationships as shown and introduced in the movie, as well as the romantic relationship between Tarzan and Jane.

You get to see them go on dates, have romantic evenings together, call each other husband/wife repeatedly and with pride, kiss and hold hands.

But that’s not all. They’re portrayed in an impressively healthy way. They learn from each other, it never borders into Jane somehow coming off as superior and having to teach Tarzan everything because she is from a “civilized culture”. They make decisions together, communicate with each other, learn from each other and accept each other as they are.

And they don’t need to prove their relationship. There is an episode where a film crew comes in and Tarzan stars in a movie about himself, with a gorgeous blonde lead and the two have a kiss scene. It’s not the focus of the episode, there is no raging jealousy or insecurity on Jane’s end, she is one hundred percent supportive of Tarzan doing this movie. In another episode, we meet a gorgeous woman who has been raised by jaguars and has a lot in common with Tarzan and while there are moments of doubt for Jane, they are solemnly rooted in seeing this woman and not in anything Tarzan does - and the moments are brief and overcome far before the episode ends. A rich English man moves to the jungle to open a trading post and he repeatedly hits on Jane, but Tarzan doesn’t go jealous, possessive caveman on him, because he is completely secure in his relationship with Jane.

I’m just really enjoying this right now. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m watching too many TV shows these days that think that miscommunication and unhealthy relationships are enjoyable plot-devices, which seems to be such a theme in modern TV shows, but this is really refreshing to watch.

Also the fact that both Tantor and Terk get one-epsiode romantic-sub-plots that both boiled down to “Don’t change who you are for someone else” - with Tantor’s love-interest wanting him to drop Terk as a friend and Terk growing insecure in her being not girly enough to be liked by the guy but her love-interest then telling her that he likes her exactly how she is.

It’s a really love-positive cartoon and I wish more cartoons - and TV shows - were less awkward about romantic sub-plots. While a relationship that always sails smoothly can get boring with time, that does not mean that writers have to overuse miscommunication, distrust, lies and jealousy to make their relationships “more interesting”, because generally, those tools do not make the relationship more interesting, they just make it more unhealthy and less enjoyable when being overused.

[netunleashed-blog]

Love Island 2018 transformations post villa revealed as Dani Dyer, Megan Barton Hanson and Kazimir Crossley enjoy makeover

http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=31241 Love Island 2018 transformations post villa revealed as Dani Dyer, Megan Barton Hanson and Kazimir Crossley enjoy makeover - http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=31241 Love Island finalists Dani Dyer, Megan Barton Hanson and Kazimir Crossley enjoy makeover together post villa [Kazimir Crossley/ Instagram]   Love Island 2018 has sadly come to an end after Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer were crowned the winners of season four.  Since leaving the villa, finalists Megan Barton Hanson, Kazimir Crossley and EastEnders actor Danny Dyer's daughter reunited for a girly day pampering themselves and underwent a makeover.  But who else has treated themselves and undergone a transformation following their departure from the ITV2 show?  Here are all the details; from Dani and Ellie's new hair do to Dr. Alex George's former flame Grace Wardle's plan for a drastic change.  Dani Dyer sported long brown hair after leaving Love Island villa [Dani Dyer/ Instagram ] Dani Dyer showcased her new look on date with Jack Fincham  [Dani Dyer/Instagram] Dani Dyer  Dani had fans speculating she had a hair makeover during her time in the Spanish villa, as she sported slightly darker locks close to the Love Island final.  But since leaving Spain for good, the former Survival Of The Fittest contestant has undergone another makeover.  A young Georgia Steele takes a selfie as she pouts for the camera  [Instagram ] Georgia Steele's transformation: Love Island star looks adorable in unearthed photos from social media accounts from before she was famous The champion has opted for slightly longer hair extensions, and darker brown hair.  Dani has proudly shown off her new look on Instagram. One post read: "Finally I got my girl @jaimehunt_london back for a well needed transformation after my @loveisland experience." Ellie Brown's hair extensions were a big topic of discussion in the outside world [ITV2 Love Island ] Ellie Brown visited the hair salon after her Love Island departure [Ellie Brown/ Instagram] Ellie Brown  Charlie Brake's girlfriend Ellie Brown divided viewers during her time on Love Island for her noticeable hair extensions, which Hayley Hughes also suffered.  Once Adam Collard's friend left the villa she made sure to get her hair done too.  One Instagram post read: "Also... my hair extensions I am SO bad at my own hair and makeup never mind having pie and ice cream etc in it. I usually get a blow dry once a week because I’m so bad, it’s getting sorted ASAP I promise." Ellie visited Ivory Hairdressing where her hair was dyed blonde, roots touched up and hair extensions fitted. She wrote: "Thank you so much to Jodie at @ivoryhairdressing for my colour and extensions using @zenluxuryextensions these girls have saved me!!"  Grace Wardle visited a cosmetic dentist post Love Island [Grace Wardle/ Instagram] Grace Wardle Grace was a late arrival to Casa Amor, but was welcomed into the main villa after sparking up a romance with Dr. Alex.  Sadly their romance did not blossom as some ITV2 viewers hoped and she was dumped from the villa.  But on returning home Grace has visited a cosmetics dentist in Kent named The Sandford. She shared a string of images of herself with staff on her Instagram account, which read: "Thank you to all the lovely team at the @the.sandford So professional and welcoming, can’t wait for my next visit." However, it is unknown exactly what treatment grace has had, or is planning to have in the future. Darylle Sargeant was among the Islanders to get her hair done after leaving the show [Darylle Sargeant/ Instagram] Darylle Sargeant  Darylle Sargeant turned heads when she entered the secret villa Casa Amor, and again when Adam chose to couple up with her and return to the main villa. Similar to Samira Mighty, Ellie, Hayley Hughes and Dani, Darylle made sure to get a hair makeover on her return to the UK.  The tattooed beauty – who boasts impressive artwork over her body – sported long brunette tresses on the show with golden highlights running throughout, but she soon changed this following her departure as she opted for slightly darker brown locks. Darylle's hair stylist, who goes under the name of Laurenahair23 on Instagram, shared a photograph of the tattoo artist and model's new do detailing exactly what she had done. The post read: "I had the lovely @daryllleeein for a freshen up last week. All over colour scattered foils cut and style." Some Love Island 2018 cast reunited at Eyal Booker's birthday party and will rejoin again at Love Island: The Reunion on August 5 [Doctor Alex George/ Instagram ] Islanders will reunite again for Love Island: The Reunion.  Love Island: The Reunion airs on ITV2 at 9pm on Sunday August 5.  window.fbAsyncInit = function () { FB.init({ appId: '543301995758445', xfbml: true, version: 'v2.8' }); }; (function (d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) { return; } js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "http://connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Source link

[princestreetco]

What Do Women in Other Markets Really See When They Watch a Nike Ad? We Asked Them

In a recent Nike ad about equality, created by Wieden + Kennedy, a conviction-laden voice says, “Opportunity does not discriminate.” In the background, Alicia Keys croons, “Change is gonna come.”

With that gorgeous piece of work, Nike touted its commitment to inspire people to take local action to advance the values of sportsmanship, self-empowerment and acceptance off the field. Perhaps in keeping with that, the Nike Women account on YouTube—mainly used to promote Nike Training Club—has, since January, released four different regional ads that seize upon these ideas.

In other words, Nike appears to be doubling down on ads that speak directly to women, with calls to activate locally and change social norms.

So, we decided to talk to women from each market to get a better sense of what they’re saying. Find those conversations below, along with the ads.

Nike Middle East: “What Will They Say About You?”

This piece, created by Wieden + Kennedy, swept the ‘net following Nike’s “Equality” ad. It features Jordanian boxing pro Arifa Bseiso; Emirati parkour coach Amal Murad; Inès Boubakri, the Tunisian Olympic champion for fencing; singer Balqees Fathi; and Emirati ice skater Zahra Lari. Its tagline: “Just do it.”

The ad plays on the sense that people might be talking about you behind your back. “What will they say about you? Maybe they’ll say you exceeded all expectations,” it says at one point.

Parkourist Murad said that the question “What will they say about you?” is “every little girl’s nightmare growing up. We hear this every time we do something that might be met with criticism. There’s a fear to stand out and do something that’s not part of the norm. But I’ve learned that, if you genuinely want to do something amazing, you can’t be afraid of hearing this phrase. Don’t be afraid of your own greatness.”

For this spot, we talked to Cairo, Egypt, local Malaka Refai. And while she didn’t recognize any of the athletes, she felt it positively features a diversity of both veiled and unveiled Arab women.

But, Refai adds, it’s critical to keep in mind who this ad is talking to: “athletic women, who are already engaged in sports, of high socio-economic status,” she says. “The runner is [relatable] to all women because running is accessible and cheap—but few alleys in the Arab world would be as empty as the one in the ad.”

Otherwise, “the ad [assumes privilege] because all the women who are able to participate in those sports are of a high socio-economic status, so it is only speaking to women who already don’t face huge challenges in terms of societal restrictions.”

In terms of whether it has something to say beyond the local market, Refai adds, “It’s important for men to see this, to help change perceptions and stereotypes [of women] amongst men in society.”

Nike Russia: “What Are Our Girls Made Of?”

Nike leaned hard into the Russian market in 2015, when it launched “Real Girls of Moscow.” But the roots of this musical ad are far older, and will be familiar to anyone who’s heard that girls are made of “sugar and spice and everything nice.” (Its response to that question is in the tagline: “You’re made of what you do.”)

We talked to Irina Guseva, Adobe’s group manager product marketing, about how she perceives the piece.

“It’s a spin on a very famous Russian kids’ song about what kids are made of … flowers and candy versus batteries and springs, for example,” says Guseva. Basically, “girls are made of girly stuff and boys are made of masculine stuff.”

“Nike, being an innovative brand, changes the paradigm and puts a different spin on this traditional take on male/female hierarchy in Russia,” Guseva goes on. “It adds non-girly attributes to the [recipe of girls], such as bravery, independence, achievement, self-worth, bruises—and this is what the famous athletes are illustrating.”

The ad kicks off with a girl alone onstage, singing the song with its original words: “What are our little girls made of? They’re made of flowers and bells, of glances and jellies.”

But when an athlete suddenly appears in the concert hall and gives her a knowing look, she begins to change the lyrics: “Our girls are made of iron, of aspirations, of dedication and battles; of persistence and grace, which the whole nation is proud of…”

Athletes continue to appear as the girl’s voice builds in strength, ending with a ball literally bouncing into her court. Featured athletes include figure skater Adelina Sotnikova, MMA fighter Anastasia Yankova, ballet dancer Olga Kuraeva, actress Irina Gorbacheva, skateboarder Katya Shengelia, track-and-field athlete Kristina Sivkova, Nike + Training Club coach Anastasia Kotelnikova, and footballer Ksenia Lazareva.

“In my interpretation, the ad speaks to newer female generations in Russia, telling them to stand up for themselves, be brave, ‘kick it like a girl’,” Guseva goes on. “The tagline, ‘You’re made of what you do’, is very powerful. Given the latest developments in the Duma in terms of law changes in how females and children are treated in the country, it is especially interesting that Nike chose to launch this campaign recently.”

Guseva is skeptical that the ad will resonate outside Russia.

“The message is tailored to the Russian market, as this song is not widely known beyond Russia. Even in Russia, and based on the amount of dislikes this video had gotten on YouTube, I am seeing that patriarchal cultures may not have high acceptance rates for messaging that is outside the norm of traditional,” she observes.

“Progressive-thinking Russian people, however, will appreciate the new spin on this old song from the Soviet-era days. But that would mainly apply to megapolis-type cities, which are the minority in Russia. On the same note, when localized to other markets, the main message should be able to translate well.”

She concludes, “I am not even sure if it’s a product ad, or a public service campaign.”

Nike Turkey: “This Is Us”

Created by Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, this ad features women breaking out of gender-prescribed molds and revealing their true, athletic and empowered selves. It features basketball player Işıl Alben, tennis player İpek Soylu, triathlete Esra Gökçek, kickboxer Funda Diken, Dance Factory dancers led by Çisil Sıkı, and actors Dilan Çiçek Deniz and Elvin Levinler.

For this ad, we were lucky enough to score two interviewees: Turkey-born, Alabama-raised Sila Soyer, executive producer at Arcade Edit; and Gizem Salcigil White, best known as Turkish Coffee Lady.

“The narration is made up of commonly used phrases and sayings about how girls should behave, how they should present themselves and what’s expected of them,” says Soyer. “It’s kind making fun of that with the juxtaposed visuals.”

White sees many local references, “though I find the Turkish women portrayal in some scenes a little confused,” she adds. “It is not exactly accurate, especially for the target audience of women, living in big cities, who would be interested in buying a Western product like Nike.”

White explains: “The tagline is ‘This is us.’ The target audience might view these commercials and appreciate the message, but they wouldn’t agree that the caricature of Turkish women is ‘us’.”

For her, the modern Nike customer probably already feels different from the demure, traditional woman depicted in the ad. But it’s also possible that Nike’s talking to more conservative, wealthy Turkish women who may still match the stereotype, playing demure while hiding their true colors. Either way, “This is us” rings a bit disingenuous.

“Ultimately, I think it is an interesting commercial that has a positive message. I’m just confused by who their target audience is meant to be,” says White.

“I think [this ad speaks] to those who hold certain stereotypes about how girls/women should behave, and what their place is in society or the world, says Soyer. “It’s also speaking to girls/women who are brought up with those stereotypes, and illustrating that it doesn’t and shouldn’t have to be that way.”

She punctuates this observation with a memory struck by a line in the ad, “Girls don’t guffaw”: “I remember taking the bus into town to get ice cream with my best friend when I was 12, and how we were glared at if we laughed too loud.”

By and large, though, both feel the message is positive. White calls it “inspiring and refreshing,” while Soyer adds, “My mom loved it.”

Lastly, we asked whether “This Is Us” has something bigger to say beyond Turkey. In White’s view, the content would be hard to push elsewhere, simply because of how local it is. For Soyer, the answer is more complicated.

“I think the whole ‘This is how nice girls behave’ and ‘A woman’s place is…’ is a universal obstacle, whether it’s here in Trumpland or Turkey,” she says. “My 7-year-old daughter cried the morning after the election, asking if girls were no longer going to be able to do the things they currently get to do. And she was born and raised here in Brooklyn.”

Nike US + Western Europe: “Do You Believe in More?”

British artist FKA twigs creative directed this mesmerizing piece of work to promote the brand’s Spring Zonal Strength Tights. Shot in Mexico, it features 12 athletes (all chosen by the artist), including krump dancer Saskia Horton and Olympic fencer Miles Chamley-Watson.

We covered this piece previously (it was produced by A+/Academy in London direct with Nike), but for good measure we talked to Emilie Darabasz, a vice principal for a London-based girls school.

“It shows a multicultural group of people with different looks and different abilities,” Darabasz observes. “Despite all their difference, they are all together and they are putting on each others’ shoes—for example, one girl is fencing and jumping.”

She also senses the influence of films like Kill Bill and The Fifth Element in it.

For her, it’s addressing young people generally, “telling them to be who they want to be and embrace their differences, to be strong even though they feel vulnerable, and embrace each other’s differences.”

And that message is one that’s universal.

“It has a lot to say regarding trusting each other, embracing differences and celebrating multiculturalism in a global climate where there is a current fear of what is different,” she says.

(Source: © 2016 ABN | All Rights Reserved)