#i do not want to fight anyone but especially not a terf

[punkitt-is-here]

Hi, I'm genuinely looking for an explanation here and not looking for an argument /srs

Can you explain how calling a transfem a TERF for spreading ideology that I genuinely assumed was included in the definition of TERFism is othering ? Not to be that guy, but I'm autistic and I'm having a very hard time connecting the points you're making, and I genuinely want to learn and understand what you're saying /gen

Again, I do hope this doesn't come off as hostile, I am genuinely trying to learn and understand better, and I want to be able to fix misconceptions about what a TERF is in my own mind, and I haven't seen anyone bring this point up before /gen

You absolutely do not have to answer this, but I hope you have a fabulous rest of your day, and I do apologize for what I said, as it wasn't necessary for me to comment on the situation.

Yeah totally! Okay, I got a lot of this from Ibram X. Kendi's "How to be Antiracist"* where he talks about describing "racist" as an identity means that hardly anyone is going to ever "identify" with it, even if they are a racist. It's much more helpful to talk about actions being racist or anti-racist. Someone committing racist acts speaks far more to the vulnerability of anyone to cause harm, rather than it being something ONLY reserved for someone with the identity of "racist". For example, Clarence Thomas, a black man, has done untold amounts of harm to the black population in the US. If we subscribe to the "oh, (X) can't be racist, they are (a minority)" train of thought, it means people are less likely to understand that Clarence Thomas commits racist acts. In the same way, describing yourself as an anti-racist is not enough, as it can let people be comfortable with racist actions because they think "oh, I'm an anti-racist, I can't commit acts of racial harm." That's why it's more helpful to describe acts as racist and anti-racist rather than framing them as identities.

In a similar way, describing someone as the label of "TERF" can have a similar effect. Because it's specifically a label centered around being anti-trans, transgender people of all kinds will easily assume they cannot be transphobic, because the label of TERF is ideologically opposed to their existence. It invites ridicule rather than introspection. By saying actions can be transphobic, I think it helps a lot more because it's easier to understand that trans people can be transphobic. For example, Blaire White is right there. Despite being a trans woman, she is actively doing transphobic acts. By calling out an action as transphobic rather than describing someone as a "TERF", it helps fight back against the idea that being trans means you cannot be transphobic. For a super duper simple example, I can step on my dogs tail, but it doesn't mean I hate dogs, it means I committed an act of harm against my dog. Describing me as a dog-hater when I LOVE dogs would invite ridicule more than it would a tendency to watch my step when my dog is in the house. I hope this makes sense!

*I'm not trying to say the Black and Trans experience is exactly the same, just that like any oppressed group, there is a lot of overlap in tactics and thinking, especially for people who are Black and Trans. Reading about other groups can really give you a ton of helpful insight on how to work within your own identity!

[teaboot]

Do you think that cis men feel the same way as trans men do? Like with how men get treated by society as being inherently evil and as predators?

I think maybe both cis and trans men experience these issues but it's easier for a trans guy to point it out because he gets to see people so quickly turn on him for being a man while transitioning

oh yeah definitely

I find "meninists" fucking obnoxious, especially as any of their VALID concerns fall under the bracket of feminism, but there does exist a presence of radfems and terfs that are scarily eager to lash out at anything resembling masculine that. Definitely needs to be addressed somehow

Like. There's a mile of middle ground between "Um yeah women have problems, whatever, but what about ME and MY FEELINGS 😢" and "I am genuinely trying my best to be thoughtful and considerate of others, and everything I do is being met with bad-faith interpretations and dismissal"

And I think the best advice I have for anyone else getting bogged down by this is that. like.

If someone is determined to see the worst in you, nothing you can do to prove otherwise will be enough. You will never change that person's mind. They don't want you to change their mind. So like... just focus on you, and keep doing your best, and learn, and know that people determined to find something nasty don't really have an issue with YOU- they have their own experiences and traumas coloring their worldview.

Someone who is determined to see you as a monster will only ever see a monster. So it's better to ask yourself, "would a monster do what I'm doing?". If the answer is yes, take steps to change that. If the answer is no, then it's not about you, and you can give yourself permission to move on.

So... yeah, I imagine cis men probably do feel the way I feel about this sorta thing sometimes.

Except, like. After a lifetime being a girl, living as a girl, fighting for equality as the only girl in a lot of men's spaces, being a feminist girl and an Eldest Daughter girl and calling out the bullshit only to later realize I'm not a girl... and that Im actually mostly a dude, still a feminist... at least when people call me a mysoginist, I know they're talking out their ass

I can kinda see where young men encounter their very first radfems calling themselves feminists and immediately become radicalized right-wing conservatives cause like. If I as a teen thought feminism meant Radfems and Terfs, I'd probably start running too

It's all just so exhausting

Any one group being wholesale grouped as "100% helpless gentle victim" or "100% selfish malevolent monster" is doomed, imo

(Now watch the notes blow up with "this is just 'not all men' rhetoric, lol)

But anyways I hate nuance I hate interpretation I hate implication and symbolism and context and I wish everything in the world was simpler so we could all blow a collective joint together and invent some new soups

[miraculouslumination]

Just because twitter is collapsing and we'll probably be getting an influx of users coming back with extreme terf/exclus brain fungus;

Mspec lesbians and mspec gays are not your enemy!! They are not Ruining the Sanctity of lesbianism or gayness. They are not the reason why cis men are lesbophobic, and they are not why bigots can't take gay people seriously

They are NOT a community that uses a label made to describe a lesbian who is attracted to trans women. It was not made by terfs. It is a label that is largely used by queer people with a beautifully complex sense of sexuality, and/or oftentimes gender identity/identities

Mspec lesbians and mspec gays are simply a subset of the lesbian and gay community, much like the asexual lesbians, or aromantic gays, or the trans* lesbians or the non-he/him gays. These are diverse communities, and have been for decades, even centuries.

No one in the mspec lesbian and mspec gay communities are demanding anyone to do anything, especially in regards to a stranger's own sexuality. All they ask for and want is understanding, respect, and care. Just like the rest of us - just like you.

Mspec lesbians and mspec gays are people who have probably gone through a lot of inner reflection on who they are and what label they want. As you most likely have, as well, and so have I.

We all start off with the same question - "what am I?" - it's just that we all end up with our own answers, each one similar and different to each other.

We are a community. A family. Having a kneejerk "but!! My feelings!" is inevitable, especially with the more complex or obscure things, but that is something that should be temporary and then let go.

Do not let that hook of fear dig into you, because it won't lead you toward the bright future you want.

Fight it, open your mind, and listen to us

The world is always weirder than you think

[most-hated-blorbo-bracket]

Welcome to the most hated blorbo bracket!

Do you have a blorbo that you absolutely hate?

Is there a character that makes you want to tear your hair out?

Do you want to put them in terrifying situations and study them under a microscope?

If so, this bracket is the one for YOU!

Our mission is to find the absolute most hated character in tumblr history. Will it be someone universally hated? Or someone more niche?

Let’s find out!

Rules

ABSOLUTELY no TERFs, bigots, transphobes, racists, or any sort of shit like that! This is supposed to be a lighthearted tournament, and I will NOT tolerate any fighting.

Your blorbo will be judged mainly upon the propaganda YOU give. I don’t know most media, so please be detailed!

Your blorbo must be hated :)

Characters from controversial media will most likely be accepted. If it’s from something especially controversial, I’ll send out a poll about the media and have the people decide your blorbo’s fate. If anyone is uncomfortable with a certain character after the bracket is revealed, please let me know!

Know that I am running this alone..so expect some silly little things to happen by accident! This is also my first ever bracket :3

Propaganda in asks is always welcome, as well as just silly cat pictures and whatnot.

Aaaand…here is where you can find your submission link!

Tags for exposure + inspo under cut!

@pinkhairswagtourney @canonmisogynyvictimstournament @most-datable-datable-bracket @the-nobody-tournament @dumbass-duo-showdown @dumbass-duels @leastdatablebracket @let-me-date-them-bracket @ultimate-blorbo-bracket @stinky-fuck-swag @action-brodown @pikmintournament @starwarspilotstournament @theater-kid-throwdown @badass-queer-couples-battle @art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament @obliterated-character-tournament @fuckingstupidbracket @generic-man-in-suit-battle

[genderqueerdykes]

I was wondering if you know how to deal with the hate, especially in queer spaces. It's supposed to be, preached as, safe there, but most of the time it isn't.

I don't feel safe the community. I know that's bad and I should but I don't know how to get past it all. Honestly I barely even say I'm trans or queer at this point, hey a lot don't want me there maybe completely removing myself would be best? There was the whole "trans men shouldnt be apart of trans/queer comunities because they dont experience hate" a while back. I know it's not every space and I have just been unlucky in finding places but it feels like more and more places are agreeing with terfs now and I don't know how to handle that. I'm so scared.

Sorry if this is rambly, I've never felt okay to tell this to anyone.

you know it's a good question, considering how fractured up the online communities really are right now. the issue is that enough people have taken the rad feminist bait and begun arguing with their neighboring queers they don't understand. it's a really tough time. i actually also feel alienated from most of the community, believe it or not. i sort of stick to myself and interact with my own fan base because i'm unsure as to whether or not people think i'm whatever -phobic they're the most riled up about because of how "Extreme" my beliefs are or whatever.

it's crazy but it seems like people are literally becoming proud conservatives right now. it seems like people are super proud that they hate gender non conformity right now, and lesbians who are men, bisexual gays and lesbians, female gays, trans women, trans men... people are proud to hate queers online right now. they completely fell for the conservative rad feminist bait and they don't see it. they're doing exactly what they want. the more they fight with each other they less we can have productive conversation

i say start out small. work with a small group of people you feel comfortable with, and slowly branch out and add people as you go. it's best to not overwhelm yourself with a community that's too large. i joined a community recently that didn't let me join because i listed 2 of my identities as fag and dyke. it was an 18+ community. it was really wild to watch. people are literally regressing and becoming conservatives. but there's also open minded queers literally ever

we need to bond together more than ever now, stick together in whatever ways we can. reach out to those mutuals you like who really agree with you and vibe with your beliefs and want to make sure you're doing okay. stick with people who have similar identities and find others and the communities they frequent. if the surface level of tumblr isn't for you, which i agree can be scary, you can also try communities on reddit like r/FTM, r/MTF, etc., you can try instagram, or whatever other social networks youre on.

you can also always try to find something IRL. IRL meetups are almost guaranteed to be less hostile. i recommend looking for "pride group in my area" "gay/straight alliance in my area" "lgbt group in my area" "queer pride in my area" etc. to see if there's anything at all in your local community. colleges often have them open to the public. good luck, you're not alone in feeling exhausted and alienated. it's rough right now, but sticking together with other queers is the key. stay safe for now.

[genderkoolaid]

Do you still believe HRT, which unless you have a messed up endocrine system doesn't hurt or sterilize anyone , and SRS, which often calls for reduction or addition of things and doesn't have to entail the removal of any genitals, gonads etc, are in the same vein as being trans abled, and wanting things like debilitating illness, removed limbs, and to use mobility aids etc when physically and mentally abled? /genq

It could've been a trollpost, but I saw someone posting about something that supposedly came from you about how it's the same as removing healthy gonads or to sterilize oneself intentionally to want a limb removed to disable oneself /g

Uh, yeah, at the very least I believe it doesn't make sense to support people's ability to choose one but not the other. [Also as a necessary disclaimer: I am physically disabled and I use both a cane and a wheelchair. It has had a major impact on my life. This is my opinion as a cripple who suffers on a daily basis from both my disabilities and systemic ableism.]

If you get healthy gonads or sex organs removed, you are essentially reproductively disabled. When it comes to phalloplasty, especially RFF, your arm can experience some nerve issues (which for most people is not serious, there are therapies you do to help recover) but you could, potentially, experience some kind of disability. None of this is a value statement about any kind of medical transition because disability is morally neutral. In fact for many people being reproductively disabled is an entirely positive thing! Even though for another person it could be deeply upsetting!

I've fought for a long time against TERF fearmongering about transmasculine transition, specifically HRT, and their warnings that "it will make your good pure body DISABLED!!!!!" which is both ableist and transphobic. It comes from the assumption that a disabled body is inherently lesser and tragic and a place of suffering, and that no trans person would ever take disability for the ability to experience euphoria and relieve their dysphoria. Many of us would rather be disabled and happy than abled and suffering. So why do we only get to apply this to medical transitioning for trans people?

Yes, obviously getting a limb removed or paralyzed or losing a sense is going to change how you live and you will have to deal with a lot of ableism. But it's not up to me to tell someone else that they shouldn't pursue happiness and relieve because oh no! They might be a DISABLED PERSON! The worst thing to be in the whole wide world!!!!!!!! Like disabled people already have to constantly hear "wow if I was you I'd kill myself." And while you shouldn't comment your feelings on someone else's condition unprovoked, I think it's way better to see people getting excited to live a happy and active disabled life instead of constant traumaporn. So yeah I think people should have the ability to pursue voluntary disability & I also think it would be cool to see people with BIID reclaim the label of transabled, since it was coined by a BIID activist to create a less medicalized and suffering-focused way of talking about BIID.

(Also, my stance as a mobility user has always been that the only criteria you need to fill to get a mobility aid is thinking it could help you. People already suffer unnecessarily because they are worried they aren't "disabled enough" to deserve an aid. So if someone w BIID feels better when walking with crutches I don't care! Especially if they actively fight against systemic ableism and inaccessibility! I am wayyyyy more concerned with all the buildings in my hometown with no goddamn elevator + crosswalks with no button or speaker than I am with someone using a wheelchair because it helps their dysphoria.)

[littlesapphicraccoonguy]

A lot of my mutuals have an introduction post pinned so here’s mine!

You can call me Goose(it’s a nickname I have) or Duck(because I like ducks) but i prefer to be called Goose :3

I also have 2 alt accounts, which are:

@linsangdetector (a gimmick account im hardly active on)

@littleasexualraccoonguy (my reblog account)

Do NOT interact if you are:

An Israel supporter, a supporter of Russian invasion, antisemitic, racist, homophobic, transphobic/a TERF, sexist, fat phobic, ableist, a bigot in general, anti-furry, a zoophile, a MAP, or a scam account

This account is a safe space for: queer people(duh), trans people(including those who use neopronouns :3), furries, therians, neurodivergent people, and people of any religion(as long as you aren’t a dickhead ofc)

(More info below)⬇️

Now for my interests: BoJack Horseman(my favorite character is Todd), Octonauts, Tails Noir, Breaking bad, Scott Pilgrim(manga, show, etc.) dinosaurs, silly critters especially raccoons, art(duh), history, Fight Club, The Boys, Taxi Driver, The Mule(2014), Cooties(2014) and the SAW franchise!

But the things I mostly post about are Saw, The Mule(2014), Cooties(2014), Dying Breed, and just Leigh Whannell in general because I love him

My favorite musicians+bands are: Deftones, Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, Korn, Twenty One Pilots, TV Girl, Linkin Park, She Wants Revenge, Limp Bizkit, Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, Sublime, Weezer, Cage The Elephant, Rob Zombie, Hozier, Sabrina Carpenter, Mitski, Will Wood, and Lana Del Rey :3

Also one more thing, incase anyone wants to repost my art(which i doubt) im okay with it for the most part but PLEASE give me credit!!!

These are my userboxes so far⬇️ feel free to save and use any of them for yourself, i only made 4 of them anyways

[saypleasetickleme]

Please read before interacting:

Hi, my name’s Alejandra, or Alex for short, but honestly I'll answer to most things as long as they're respectful. As I mentioned in my bio this will be a predominately (90%) tickle blog, but I do have broader kinks under the BDSM umbrella so, yeah, there might be the occasional smattering of things in that wheelhouse too.

Obviously with that being said this will be a NSFW blog. MINORS PLEASE DNI, it's for your own safety. If you do you'll be blocked immediately. Anyone that omits their age on their blog will also be treated the same. SFW blogs of age that interact will be treated in a sfw manner, but understand that my blog will likely never be entirely sfw.

My orientation is Lesbian, but imo tickles are for everyone so as long as men/masculine identifying individuals are happy with sfw tickles and don't get weird with it then this blog is definitely for you too <3

When it comes to my blog, and especially my own posts, everything is with the assumption that safewords are applicable and have been discussed -- If cnc is your thing that's fine, no judgment here, but please don't come into my asks or comment on my own posts trying to enact said scenarios. It's happened a few times now and you will just be ignored/blocked.

My favourite spots to tickle are wherever you're most ticklish. It's cliche, I know, but for me it's all about 'lee's reactions...

My own ticklishness however is pretty non-existent. It's maybe a 2-3 on a good day unless we're talking two specific spots, and even then it's like a 5/6 max. It definitely works in my favour though, I'm always the least ticklish person in the tickle fight which means I always win 😏 

I first got into tickling at 18 irl and haven't really looked back since, but this will be my first experience with the online community.

Mainly a Ler, maybe 3% Lee under very specific circumstances... Very much enjoy the juxtaposition of playful verbal teases while completely wrecking someone.

My IMs will mainly be used for getting to know the community, please don't use them for request/scenarios ect they will be ignored unless we know each other well. My asks on the other hand are always open, though I will respond to them at my own discretion. If you prefer to interact anonymously then feel free to sign off with an emoji/name if you want me to know I’m talking with the same person each time, I’ll keep a list somewhere. Hate/harassment/homophobes/transphobes/TERFs/misogynists/bigots ect on and off anon will indisputably just be ignored/blocked. I don't intend to waste my time or energy on you.  

And last but certainly not least -- if you can't say my url out loud then you should probably get tickles as forfeit. Sorry, I don't make the rules 🤷‍♀️

[your-chewtoy]

intro post

here to feed my heat & hopefully yours too.

18+ NO MINORS 🔞

i follow + like from main (@beast******e)

DNI zionists, terfs/transmeds, racists, queerphobes, anyone "apolotical", ableist, pro-ana/ed, cishets, abdl blogs

(everything here is fantasy unless explicitly specified otherwise! do not practice any of these hard kinks without proper research, safety, and trust between partners!)

🦷💕🐾

27, they/it (he/she too, but only if ur trans)

genderfluid, bisexual/queer

non-monog & partnered x1 (down 4 friends, flirting, sexting, romance, etc.)

disabled (chronic pain, mdd, anxiety, also very likely audhd but no formal diagnosis)

3 years post top surgery & was on t 2019-2022

feral bratty succubus & depraved puppy thing.

my name is moth, but mutuals can call me doll/dolly, puppy, mutt, wolfie, pig, bug, good pet, good toy, good ANYTHING, little one, little sis/bro/sib, princess/prince, prey, meat/dogmeat, bait, girlthing/boything if you want to >////<

please no fem terms (like girl, lady, woman, etc.) besides the ones i listed above! i'm okay with my body parts being called anything (except "breasts" for my chest)

feel free to dm me your fantasies/nudes or ask me anything you want to know :>

my pics are tagged #chewtoy pics

kinks + limits below

hypersexual & hopelessly submissive. sometimes switchy. bratty sadistic top with the right people.

kinks

(not an exhaustive list, but includes my extreme kinks so you can block the tags if needed)

pain of any kind (but especially being slapped, bitten, punched, spanked)

^ fight club fantasies - beat me up pls?

pet play (mostly puppy/wolf stuff, but also piggy, fawn, lamb, bunny, a few others)

breeding

free use / used by strangers

exhibitionism/public sex

bathroom control

dumbification

brainwashing & hypnosis

cnc (blackmailing, coercion, corruption kink, somno, intox)

bloodplay

anal (stretching, rimming, anal breeding)

squirting

forcefem + forcemasc

burns, branding, forced tattoos

monsters & deities (vampires, succubi, werewolves, cryptids, gods, etc.)

religious kink & sacrilege

furry stuff

knife/gunplay

devotional & ritualistic cannibalism

predator/prey, primal dynamics

fauxcest/incest kink

soft limits (ask first/in specific situations)

ageplay

piss drinking

snuff/extreme gore

hard limits

scat

vomit

raceplay

misogyny related degradation

detrans fetish / misgendering

calling anyone but my current partner "daddy" (non-negotiable, don't ask)

anything involving pulling/breaking teeth

[pillarsalt]

How do you cope with loneliness? My friends are so important to me but sometimes I feel like I can't fully relate to them anymore, and I just think about how they would hate me if they knew I was GC. I have TIF and even a few TIM friends that I love and cherish very dearly because I can see that they've just fallen victim to a toxic ideology feeding their body dysmorphia and self-esteem issues. But I can't tell them how genuinely worried I am about their mental health or send them detrans testimonies that I think they would relate to because they'd think I was some hateful violent monster that I'm not. Even the content creators that bring me joy and comfort are all so fiercely anti-TERF and it just makes me sad. I don't want to hurt anyone. I even distanced from the radfem community a bit because I felt like I was becoming too hateful towards men and TIMs when I truly believe many of the ones in my life are just trying their best and fell victim to a manipulative ideology that myself and other women also fell for. It's not that I wish I was still a TRA, because I feel much more at peace internally with my identity and my belief system, but I don't know if I can say peaking has made me happier overall. I feel like I don't fit in anywhere now. Making radfem friends helped a little bit but it's not the same as being around people I've known for years and gotten close to for reasons other than this one shared belief. I don't just want to abandon them all. And it's FRUSTRATING to see people spew misinformed fearmongered nonsense and not be able to actually help them dissect those beliefs. Feeling like the only one who sees things for how they really are, but forced to play along regardless, is just so restrictive and isolating.

To be completely honest with you, I don't have a great answer. I've been lucky to have one or two close friends at a time to whom I can tell everything, including my uncensored feminism-related beliefs. I've also been (and currently am) in friend groups with multiple people who identify as trans or are dating someone who identifies as trans, and have had to keep my thoughts and opinions to myself to keep the peace. I agree it's incredibly difficult sometimes, and I know a fair few of them would instantly drop me if they knew I was a "terf". It's kind of funny because I know some of them have an inkling of what I think about the issue, but say nothing so they don't have to fight with me. If anyone asked my opinion directly, I wouldn't lie, but I admit that I lie by omission.

It is hard to watch the ones who take the medicalization route hurt themselves. My ex girlfriend and I still talk, she's a they/them nonbinary now and despite always and still being very feminine and never expressing discomfort with her body before (including posting thirst traps often,) she wants to get a mastectomy soon. It sucks because of course after having looked into this phenomenon for so long, I'm well aware of the complications and side effects that can result from a major procedure like this: phantom pain/itching, extensive and restrictive scarring, the risks of infection and necrosis, and of course the risk of regretting having an entire organ unnecessarily removed from your body later on when it's no longer fashionable to do so. It sucks that voicing even the mere suggestion that it might be a bad idea is enough to have you shunned as an apostate. I genuinely care about her and I would feel similarly if she was having any other radical cosmetic surgery like breast implants or a BBL. At the end of the day, our friends will make their own choices regardless of how we feel about it, and the only thing we can really do is be there for them in the end.

I feel similarly to you in that I don't want to hurt anyone, only to protect people and especially women from the harms that are intrinsic to trans ideology. Unfortunately, you can't help anyone who doesn't want to be helped. Sometimes though, you can play dumb and ask questions that might get them to think a little bit more about the rhetoric they're repeating. For example, I often go out for drinks with coworkers, one of whom is a she/they nonbinary woman. One time she said something about how she couldn't be a full they/them because she's still 'girly' sometimes. I said something like "doesn't it seem kind of regressive to associate how feminine you are with how much of a woman you are? what about butch lesbians?" She didn't have an answer and brushed it off, but I could see the cogs turning a bit. Playing the uninformed normie pointing out the obvious sometimes gets them to realize how twisted the logic in trans echo chambers can be. And I think sometimes expressing your disagreement with the dogma can show your friends, who know you well and know you're a good person, that, contrary to what they've been told, not everyone who disagrees with gender ideology is an evil nazi out to slaughter transwomen in the streets.

But yes, in general, it is very very isolating to hold radical feminist beliefs. I'm sorry you're going through it. One thing to remember is, there are tons of women even in your general vicinity, who like you, don't buy into gender rhetoric but aren't saying anything in order to preserve their safety and social lives. I do believe that as the world seems to be becoming more aware of the reality of the situation, more and more people will feel able to be open about their dissent, and it will become less of a fringe opinion as the flaws in the ideology are exposed. Here's hoping I guess. Keep your chin up anon.

[qqueenofhades]

I came across a post about some show called The Other Two and it was making fun of Angels in America and I just...I didn't know how to react to it beyond rage. Like do young LGBT+ people understand how important that play is? How much it meant to our community and still means? Why are we all so irony poisoned that we put down the things that gave us comfort in a time where all of us are faced with the very real possibility of being erased from existence and murdered by the right wing nut jobs passing horrible legislation calling us child groomers. I'm so fucking sad and angry.

I'm in two minds about young LGBTQ people these days. On the one hand -- it's great that they get to grow up in an environment where they can (more or less) be themselves, have institutional supports like marriage and Pride Month and LGBTQ characters in media and plenty of visible discussion. It really, really is. All of that progress was hard won and we shouldn't WANT them to have gone through the exact same struggles as their elders. That's always the thing -- fight so your kids can have a better life, and we shouldn't want that to be any other way.

On the other hand, because this is the case, a lot of younger LGBTQ people don't respect the community's struggles, believe that they're real, learn its history, or understand the magnitude of the threat it is once again facing now. Instead they end up doing things like embracing TERF logic and arguing on social media about who has the right to use the most hyper-specific microlabel, pushing us all into smaller and smaller separate boxes because "queer is a slur!!!" and relentlessly gatekeeping and moralizing at other vulnerable people, both inside the community and outside it. And man, that just does not sit right with me. Of course, not all of them are like this, but a not-insubstantial number are, and it troubles me.

As for Angels in America: I saw Part 1 live in 2010, after reading both parts beforehand. It knocked the fucking SHIT out of me, and this is even before I had consciously realized that I myself was queer (though I was already reading a ton of queer lit/history like This Just Seems Neat, because I was clueless). So I don't know why the irony-poisoned postmodern masses feel the need to get their jollies out of taking shots at it, especially since, once again, times have changed and LGBTQ art and experience is represented in a whole lot of other ways than just "AIDS tragedy." Which is as it should be! But if anyone thinks that it's okay to then mock, minimize, ignore, or otherwise discount everything that led us to the point of them smugly having the ability to do that, then yeah. Fuck off. Jfc.

[velvetvexations]

I also should have looked up the statistics to double check before sending my original ask, but I was referring to a specific news story I followed about a black men attempting to gain custody of his child, only for the mother to get it despite her history not severe neglect, and the child ended up dying in her care. I didn't want to spell that all out bcs it's an incredibly painful thing to think about, but I should have specified what I was referring to. That is also def not just a result of misogyny, but of racism, since black men are often seen to be absent or even dangerous parents. I am sure there are cases where men have an easier time getting custody, especially rich white men, but as will all situations the story is more complicated when you bring in intersectionality and especially race. I just think it's important to remember that a black man wasn't just being denied his child because he was black, the specific way society views black *men* was part of the problem.

As for the working in more dangerous jobs point, I brought that up because yes, men do tend to work those jobs more than women do, but where MRAs get it twisted is that that's only true *because* of misogyny. Women WANT to be firefighters and loggers and soilders and do hard labor, it's just that the fields are male dominated and riddled with misogyny so women often can't get an in or leave after being treated like shit. Additionally, it is also an issue with workplace regulation and capitalism devaluing ALL life in favor of profits. MRAs are right that more men work these jobs and thus die more and I can see how they would feel that their lives are devalued, the issue is that they blame that on women when the real culprit is misogyny and capitalist deregulation of workplace safety. They also bring up the draft, which again I can get how some men feel that their lives are only of value if they are willing to die, but that isn't bcs women are valued above them, it's because the draft is inhumane and NO ONE should be forced to go to war at all, and certainly not against their will. Like genuinely the fact that men have to sign up for the draft just to vote is insane to me and I can't blame any man for being upset about that, it's just a lot of them have a deep seated hatred of women and thus blame them for it rather than seeing that the real issue is forcing *anyone* to go to war.

(I also recall them using the Titanic disaster to show that society doesn't value men's lives but uh...yeah no the Titanic is one of the only instances where women and children were prioritized. Historically in shipwrecks women and children were left to die while the men escaped, but I can kinda get the irritation a little given Titanic was such a big deal it's overshadowed the true history of protocall in maritime disasters.)

I also meant to add in that in the RBG case the man wasn't being denied the tax credit just for being a man, it was because he was unwed and that tax credit was intended for families where the wife was absent, dead, or for whatever reason was incapable of providing care for an ill family member. I suppose you could even argue that it was less a case of him being punished for being a man and more him being punished for being unwed, thus a manifestation of amatanormativity and heteronormativity, but it is true from what I read they fought the ruling on the grounds that he was facing sex based discrimination, and the case went on to provide legal president to fight types of sex based discrimination that primarily harmed women.

I just also think it's important to fully understand what hate movements believe and how they can make their ideas seem rational and appealing, because it's the only way to counter them effectively. Hell the modern queer movement deciding that TERFs *only* hate trans women and have no other targets is why radical feminism is so prevalent in queer spaces. They can't recognize TERFs if they aren't screaming about trans women, and the TERFs know that. If you don't understand what your enemy believes and who they are against and how they doctor their arguments for recruitment you stand no chance of eradicating them. MRAs did successfully recruit women, very feminist women in fact, with some of these very talking points, because they held off on the blatant misogyny until they knew they had you on their side, just like TERFs will pretend to not hate trans people until they've already got you. It's important imo to not boil their entire belief system down to "incels who want sex" even if that is a major part of it because then we can't teach people to watch out for the less obvious dogwhistles and understand what the actual issue behind these points are and thus how to fight them and not get drawn in with seemingly reasonable arguments AND how to recognize the difference between someone drawing attention to real issues men face and someone who just wants to spew hatred.

I honestly kinda wonder if the current pushback against transandrophobia is born of the backlash to the MRA movement, but from people who didn't pay attention and learn the rhetoric and how to counter it and now think anyone who talks about any men suffering for being men in any context is a closet MRA who must be shown the door immediately, but idk that's just speculation on my part.

But anyway, I should have been more clear and checked my sources better, but tbh I just felt like the ask was getting too long and it was late and I had a headache so I just ranted about what I remembered of the movement. I'll be sure to be more clear next time I send something in, I don't want to spread misinformation or get any ire drawn your way.

However I do want to say comparing trans men and trans masculine people in general to MRAs is ridiculous because even when you break down the few few slightly valid points MRAs bring up before laying on the Horrifically Agrressive Misogyny that's clearly NOT what trans men and mascs are taking about, the two movements imo have so little in common it's legit ridiculous to compare them, and it's also ridiculous to act like some jackasses using the concept of misandry as a way to shut down women means the entire concept of the patriarchy harming men at all is so throughly tainted we can't even let trans men talk about it or coin language to describe anti-masc bias especially in queer spaces. Imo anyone comparing discussions of transandrophobia with MRAs is missing the point and has no idea what they're talking about re: trans mascs *and* MRAs.

Thank you for the clarification anon, though I'm still not totally sure about the custody thing because I've heard different things since your first ask. It's good to have a dialogue.

[citadelofmythoughts]

It’s both very sad and ironic that cis women specifically who deny or get angry at trans women on the grounds of “they didn’t or don’t suffer the way REAL women do” is proving that they do in fact suffer in similar ways. A woman online who isn’t hurting anyone is being sent hatred either directly or indirectly bc her body does not match What. A Real Woman Looks Like. Which is sownthing cis women struggle with and they’re not only fighting male views on their bodies but other women as well.

Assuming a trans women will hurt you because “she was socialized male and born with a penis which will be used to hurt me” is the same bullshit as “I a white woman feel afraid because this black woman spoke to me in a tone I’m labeling as aggressive and now I will cower an blink tears from my eyes and hope someone stronger will protect me from her”

I’ve been thinking about this at woke actually. I’m afab and was raised by strong black women but I identify very strongly as queer with no big label fitting me but knowing Woman does not fit. Girl used to fit as a child but as an adult Woman does not. And a lot of me wonders if cis women’s fear and hatred of trans women does not stem from They Are Men, at least not all of them, but as a sort of jealousy.

Trans women delight in the way their bodies change. They are so so happy to see developments and document them and tell others they feel safe with. They go shopping for the first time and try out the girly things they didn’t get to experience growing up. The struggles and threats of violence against them are very real but they do not outweigh the euphoria of finally being who they want to be. Who they hoped and feared they could be. Who they love to be.

Cis women and TERFs especially only see the double edged sword. Young girls and their bodies are sexualize. Growing wider hips and breaths is an experience that belongs more to others than the individual depending on if they live in an area that demonizes female bodies. Or if not they get that shit from television. Their bodies are used as weapons and it takes a long time to unlearn that and to live for themselves in a way that’s not tinged with shame.

Trans women if they start hormones are outwardly joyful. That’s not saying being out as trans is only fun and that young boys are sexualized or aren’t given under expectations. But cis women don’t think about that. They only see the current adulthood joy and not the adolescence awkwardness or pain or suffering. Feeling like your body was wrong. Having people close to you and loving them and them loving you back but not all of you. Not being allowed to do certain things bc of The Gender. And there is no time boy equivalent for boys.

Cis women see trans women joy and gender euphoria and instead of going “how do I find that for myself. Am I in an environment that is still holding an axe over my head? That little girl who was scolded for having a body that changed against her will. How do I heal her” they blame trans women and paint them as aggressors or predators in hiding so they don’t have to confront the fact that despite the societal challenges being a women is so so wonderful. They deny themselves the joy of womanhood for the sake of gatekeeping it via suffering or arbitrary biology.

Not every cis women has suffered the same. Some cis women tear down others the same way men do. There is no monolith of how women move through life. But to acknowledge and internalize that? To let go of the idea that YES society does not treat women fairly but you as an individual have the power to change that on a social level by sticking up for others until the respectful outweigh the disrespectful? Letting go of that means realizing that there is more to being a women than Being Born With a Specific Body. That it’s not something you have to earn by being hurt the right ways. And they cannot comprehend that

Damn anon, this was just incredible. If there was a way to do it, I'd hug you.

You're completely correct about my experiences as a trans woman. It's been said that when you start transitioning it's a second puberty and that's not just physical, I've been living the years I never got to have when I was a teen and with that comes awkwardness but also so much joy.

I wish more people would realize that hating others and making them feel awful about who they are isn't going to fix their own pain.

[battyblog]

Feminism is not a genre of film!

Does anyone else feel like cinema is kind of popping off in 2024 so far? Watching films has become my coping mechanism for winter. Recently, I watched the film Poor Things which has taken the world by storm; with ‘Best picture’ and multiple other Oscar nominations to prove it. Aside from the gorgeous aesthetics of Poor Things, the film’s story has fuelled the fire for the current feminism in film debate. For anyone who hasn’t seen the film, this post will contain spoilers and I really do recommend you watch it! Poor Things is the story of Bella Baxter, a female lead who’s journey to mental maturation is a key aspect of the film. We follow Bella who is revealed to be an amalgamation of mother and child, the mother’s body with the brain of her infant child (An aspect of the film which receives NOT enough attention). What the film does focus on is how her brain develops and how the young brain being treated as the adult shell affects Bella’s view and experiences of the world. The film covers topics of the 20th Century society, and how women were treated within it, prostitution, marriage, manipulation and suicide.  

Is Poor Things a feminist film? Seems to be a key question in the discourse. But I think that we need to take a moment to question what this concept actually means, what is a feminist film? Whilst there are many great smaller films that cover feminist topics well, I want to focus on these big blockbusters as these moneymakers allow us to also think about the role capitalism plays in this debate. Film is an industry after all. A common theme in these female-led Oscar noms is that none of them are labelled as ‘feminist’ in their promotional materials. Feminism is still a divisive term, and in the pursuit of profit, it can be risky to give a film such a label. ‘Feminist’ is a label that is both given and taken away by the media and discourse surrounding a film.  it is an umbrella term for various socio-political movements, it is a lens in which to view the world and a standard to hold things to. How could this be encapsulated within a film? Within Feminism itself there are internal arguments, one person's feminism may look completely different to someone else's. 

Take a look at Barbie, celebrated by some as a feminist classic, but belittled by others as not being feminist enough. How could Barbie be a perfect feminist film? In 90 minutes could the film have covered aspects of a movement that’s history varies so hugely from country to country. There wouldn’t be time to then expand into intersectionality*, would Warner Bro’s dare discuss abortion issues, Barbie meets a TERF? By putting both Barbie and Poor things up to this impossible feminist standard it leads to them being torn down by an angry mob. It is important to view film critically, especially when these topics are covered, but when these films face so much backlash it can have knock on effects and scare filmmakers from attempting to cover women’s issues in their projects. Barbie is a film that set out to make money, it’s based on a bloody toy! While we can acknowledge that there were issues with the topics covered, it is important to also be grateful that a film like this exists, made so much money and definitely introduced or expanded upon feminist topics to the audience. 

This leads me to ask, where is this energy for films without a male lead? Feminism can be a critique applied to all films yet seems to only be extended to those with a female lead. Just because a film has a female lead doesn’t mean it is feminist. I think this echoes the emotional labour that society puts on women to represent feminism and fight for respect for themselves and other women. Do we all lack the object permanence to remember feminism unless we’re directly gazing upon a woman? In order to be successful, feminist practices need to be adopted in all aspects of a film, yes with female characters, but also behind the screen. A role can be written and directed by a man, just because it is played by a woman does not mean it is feminist or not exploitative.  

Capitalism wants to sell us feminism as this neat little package, it wants us to buy into it and forget that there is no way to price an ideology. Poor Things is a fantasy film, not a feminist film, feminism is not a genre. Yes, there are Feminist themes, but there are also prominent themes of class issues, yet no one is rushing to label it as a communist film. If we cannot decide a set framework or criteria for a feminist film, we need to stop trying to use that label. Feminism is a critique that can be applied to all media, and feminist debate surrounding film needs to also expand to cover those behind the scenes. Let’s just enjoy some cinema and accept that it cannot fit into the high standard, but by sparking a conversation it can do more and still be used to educate people. 

*Hey, don’t know about intersectionality? Thats cool, but you should acquaint yourself. Intersectionality in feminism is an acknowledgement that gender based oppression isn’t one size fits all and that other factors such as class and race can have a huge effect. Read up 

[xxx-sir-pentious-xxx]

Pentious fucking wrecks the Vs[title pending]

Absolutely funny and cool and badass, totally not written by pentious lol, angel dust is sneaky.

Angel dust made one joke, resulting in the fight being stopped and Cherri being forced to let the battle go, especially since Sir Pentious would leave her terf alone permanently. Only for his son would he do this.

The trick went so far that Pentious actually got to the hotel before the opportunist Alastor.

Due to the fight being stopped in such a sweet manner the news report went may smoother. Peoples opinions shifted, maybe the hotel was reforming Angel Dust, I mean really hes reuniting with his father.

All was going so well, Pentious was funding the hotel and manning it with security. Angel had to rein his emotions a few times but eventually he was warming up to the crew, he was getting protective of them. They were like his eggies, precious and fragile.

It was the moment Angel mentioned his soul contract and abuse that Sir Pentious snapped a bit and hugged Angel close,

"My sssweet son... I'll fix thiss. Dont you worry your precious little head..."

And like that he began crafting with angelic steel. It was intense, the look on his face when he was eating with his crew, his family. Within two days he was ready. He showed off the look of it to angel who was honestly freaked out.

"Hey uh.. Dad ya arent gonna... you wont actually do it right?.. it's dangerous you might get hurt..."

Angel had actually gotten pretty fond of his 'dad', his confidence scared him as he got hugged and watched Pentious go to slaughter the V's like a assassin.

He played it cool.

Then as soon as someone made a fuss he threatened and made it clear what hes there for, it took a simple look of the weapon to make anyone crack.

To be honest most kept it easy, some gladly guided him, hell they begged him to do it.

It felt so good to meet the V's all together and the be seen as a real threat. Vox tried to do something but Pentious had frequency jammers. He got loud at Pentious calling his bluff, which only resulted in a chest shot,

"IM NOT FUCKING AROUND. YOU WILL TAKE ME FUCKING SERIOUSLY, IM GONNA FUCKING KILL EACH ONE OF YOU."

Val couldnt fly, not good but he tried, it only lead to his wings being blown off and most of his back.

Velvette got the idea to call for help but got told shes shit outta luck, they wanted to be free. Her head was quickly blown off.

Pentious slithered to the dying Val who's completely in shock.

"I wanted sssome of your fluff."

The sound of a blade was heard and next thing anyone knew he had his head. Then a feeling washed over Pentious.

"I... I won. I WON. Oh I'm sssso happy!"

He turned off the jammer and the cameras showed the scene to the masses after a few minutes. A employee probably wanted to see what had happened completely forgetting to not broadcast it. Or did they?

The masses saw the mess, they saw Pentious laughing about it, Vals head in hand,

"I MURDERED THE V'sss IM THE SsECOND GREATEST OVERLORD EVER!!! I DONT NEED TO PRETEND TO BE THREATENING ANYMORE!!"

He could finally relax his worries, no more dangers now to him, only peace.

What he didn't consider was how the people seemed to flock around him, worshipping him almost, yeah he owned them now but he expected.. what? He wasnt sure really.

He appointed the workers, his new underlings to just do whatever felt right. Broadcast what they like, make whatever. Oh and he made sure to make the bank accounts and funds of the V's his own. That way he can afford and handle these things.

He felt so... powerful. He was like a king.

"King Cobra sssoundsss good... yeah, king cobra! Hass a ring to it..."

People could finally think again, no more tv hypnosis, no more pain from unwanted sex or being stabbed with needles. Sir Pentious was a hero to them.

Alastor felt a bit threatened and tried to talk to him when he assumed it right but didnt account for the fact he scared the snake and was quickly dead too.

"Oopsss! Oh hehe, well who's gonna care.. no one will know! This meansss I own his soulsss too now... FUCK YEAH IM AWESssOME!!"

He slithered along into the hotel glad to be home, feeling cocky as fuck. He made sure he put the safety on the canon gun and turned it off to avoid another accidental murder.

His family and crew was small he felt. He gave his new power a try, spawning Nifty and Husk and eagerly telling them their new roles and that they really couldn't back out but he wasnt gonna beat them if they were gonna be stubborn. Everyone watched him giggle and play with his powers outside,

"Aw yesss, I'm so powerful!! No drawbacks!"

He was a good leader really, he can do it all. He will do it all. He noted his looked bigger too, more filled out, tail bigger. He could hug his new family with this tail! He had to stim a little and decided it was safe to slowly let loose some power into the air making everything glittery. He couldnt sleep, he was much too energized and high off it all.

Angel dust had to really take in the fact that he started this. Wasnt bad feeling actually. Felt great, he could feel it too. Felt warm and fun. Felt like child to father love.

[aingeal98]

The part of the Zionists rhetoric I've seen online especially here on tumblr that really... not so much confuses or disturbs me because every part of supporting racism and genocide is disturbing, but the part that makes me nauseous in a very specific way, is how many of these people claim to be leftists. Not the Israeli government or the majority of Zionists obviously, they're proud racist right wingers. But here on tumblr you have people who believe in feminism and queer rights and would agree easily enough with surface level takes on how racism in America is bad. And when it comes to conservatives and red fascists they can easily tell when a right wing racist or homophobe is arguing in bad faith, they can make long posts explaining the harm behind terf rhetoric and how it differs from the actual fight for women's liberation. They can look at the Russia and Ukraine conflict and use critical thinking to call out bad actors with ease.

But then with Israel and Palestine they just... Flip. All the bad faith arguments they criticised before is now their modus operandi. They ignore the ongoing genocide and the Palestinians talking about it and focus on the oppressors, only reblogging the same one or two Palestinian voices once every now and then that say everything they want to hear and nothing more.

I think the most striking example is that "antisemitism bingo" someone made where the ongoing genocide was something to be laughed at and the blog made fun of Palestinian civilians being tortured. And yet when a blocklist went around of people who interacted with that ghoulish blog, clearly explaining why we should avoid them, (Hijt:The racism and dehumanisation of Palestinians) these "leftist zionists" immediately were like "Oh its a block list of Jewish blogs! It's only blocking us because we're Jewish!"

Like it's the most bad faith easily disproven illogical argument that every random 4chan troll can make. It's not my actions it's because I'm white! It's not my homophobic remarks it's because I'm straight!

I still struggle to understand how they're able to flip so easily from intelligent historical and societal discussions of oppression and intersectionality to denial of the Nakba, denial of the apartheid and racism that has ruled the Israeli state since its conception, denial of the Israeli terrorism and colonisation ongoing in the West Bank that Palestinians have been speaking up about for years (The save Sheikh Jarrah campaign and the murder of peaceful Palestinian activists predates October 7th by quite a bit and yet received far, far less coverage by western media) and denial of everything the government and soldiers and many citizens are currently doing to murder as many Palestinians as possible. How do you go from pointing out cult tactics to a Maga style tribalism enthusiast just because it's Palestinians being oppressed and not another group?

The only reason I can think of is that unlike say, white people or straight people, zionists DO have an understandable, real fear that they can use to promote their racist cult. Antisemitism exists worldwide and is a problem in every single country. Unlike ridiculous concepts like "white genocide" or misandry, there is grounded, factual and understandable reasons for Jewish people to want a community where they can feel safe. And anyone who truly cares about equality for all must be committed to stamping out and dismantling antisemitism in every country and neighbourhood, because Zionists sure as hell aren't. The more antisemitism exists the greater their fuel for justifying and promoting Israel as the One True answer to it all.

But the solution of Israel involved ethnic cleansing in order to built their majority Jewish state, and relies on racism and genocide to maintain it. Just like any other coloniser state, it's not sustainabile and is constantly spiralling towards fascism. (America currently contending for loudest spiral) And that is obvious to anyone who reads up on the history or just like. Talks to Palestinians for five seconds. Israel exists due to racism and dehumanisation of Palestinians, and anyone who considers that an acceptable sacrifice is blatantly morally bankrupt. But the tribalism is simply too strong for that sort of logic and understanding, and whatever reasons they may have for falling into Zionism, it's still unacceptable. If you're still on here talking about "demonising Israel and exaggerating genocide (for the woke agenda, is what they're two steps away from saying) then I have no sympathy or time for you. One day you will be forced to reckon with your cognitive dissonance and willful ignorance, and the self righteous racist narrative you cling to will no longer be enough to protect you from judgement. Normal people with their morals screwed on right don't support fascism and racism. Leftists sure as hell shouldn't support facism and racism. (And yes this goes for those who defend Russian and Chinese imperialism too.)

You talk about feeling isolated, about having no one but fellow zionists to rely on. No one else will accept how complicated the situation is, you say over the sound of ten thousand murdered children killed and celebrated by the fascists you're carrying water for. Everyone else is just too antisemitic! You say as the Israeli government and military celebrates Hannukah by bombing Palestinians and joking that they're lighting one of the candles.

I genuinely can't tell if these people are aware they're full of shit or just so scared that they've dived deep into cult mentality with zero critical thought allowed. But either way, there should be no more space for them in our community than a nazi, a homophobe or a Trump supporter. They may have parroted similar ideals of equality and justice for long enough, but when push came to shove and the issues began to hit too close to home, they decided that supporting facism is how they want to cope. So be it. Palestine will be free with or without them and I will mourn the intelligent principled people they could have been, but at the end of the day you have to draw the line somewhere. And supporting genocide is generally a solid line to go with.