#i'm sorry but this is historical

[youshouldseemeinadeerstalker]

So I just watched the 3rd episode of The Last of Us. Tears are streaming down my face, my heart feels sore. I will never stop crying. What the fuck. That was beautiful and heartbreaking and monumental. In the middle of a zombie series you just casually drop this masterpiece. This was gay Romeo and Juliet but so much better. SO MUCH better.

This episode. Can we talk about what just happened? I'm so serious when I say this is queer cinema history. I'm so emotional about this. This episode will be passed around. It will be San Junipero (Black Mirror) levels of "you got to watch this, just that episode”. It is already iconic in every way.

I can’t believe how far we have come with queer representation in mainstream media. We just keep winning...

We just keep winning.

[bixels]

I'm not explaining why re-imagining characters as POC is not the same as white-washing, here of all places should fucking understand.

[neighborhood-yogurt]

Sorry to tell you this baby. but if your little fantasy story uses the word July, you done gone and canonized the Roman empire. Sorry bout it, but that's just how it shakes out sometimes, big boy.

[gremlins-hotel]

From the notes of Capt. Alfred Jones: "Davie was a bus and the 'Flying Fortress' moniker seemed to pass her by, but it was a ship with a brave crew. The trudge of getting back to England from enemy territory is a story for another day. I miss her and sometimes I miss the boys we lost that day."

-✪- -✪- -✪-

B-17F "Dear Davie": *U.S. Army Model B-17F-65-BO Air Corps Serial No. 42-29670 Delivered Cheyenne 31/1/43; Pueblo 18/2/43; Salina 15/2/43; Brookley 19/3/43; Smoky Hill 23/3/43; Dow Field 18/4/43. Assigned to the 333rd Bomb Squadron/94th Bomb Group [TS-L] "DEAR DAVIE" 22/4/43; Missing in Action near Hamburg 25/7/43 with Alfred "Comet" Jones, **Co-Pilot: Daryl "Speed" Reed, Navigator: Richard Reed, Bombardier: Charlie Marstaller; Radio Operator: Johnathan Graves, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: Clyde "Pepsi" Ray, Ball Turret Gunner: William Ortlieb, Waist Gunner: Leslie Lipsey, Waist Gunner: Paul Rapoport, Tail Gunner: Thomas Pugh (6 Killed in Action); "DEAR DAVIE" lost to flak/anti-aircraft fire, crashing near Uetersen, 15 miles NW of Hamburg, Germany.

-✪- -✪- -✪-

[nerd things & acknowledgements below cut]

Notes on the B-17F... The B-17F was an upgrade of the previous E model, with several notable changes: A one- or two-piece plexiglas nose cone, as opposed to the ten-paneled cone of previous versions. Reinforced landing gear allowed for a greater maximum payload, from 4,200 lb (1,900 kg) of ordnance to 8,000 lb (3,600 kg). Flight and combat range of the F model was improved by 900 mi (1,400 km) with the addition of nine self-sealing rubber fuel cells in the wing root, aka, "Tokyo tanks". The F model was generally characterized by being tail-heavy - which lead to part failure - and woefully undefended from the front; the early F models had no front-facing armament, leaving a 60° blind spot to the direct front of the aircraft - a flaw which was exploited by German pilots, who held air superiority. Later F models would see a list of possible available modifications (factory and field) such as inserting two .50 caliber machine guns into the nose cone to solve the blind spot. Other modifications to later F models were bulged cheek turrets, as opposed to the window-mounted guns of earlier iterations, and the available addition of the iconic "Bendix" chin turret. The chin turret is far more common on the subsequent G "gunship" variant. ("Dear Davie" is an early F model without the nose mount, bulged cheeks, or chin turret.)

*This model production block, serial no., and fate are borrowed from real-life B-17F #42-29670, "Thundermug." "Thundermug" was an aircraft that originally served in the 333rd Bomb Squadron/94th Bomb Group alongside my great-grandfather and his usual steed, "The Gremlins Hotel." It was transferred to the 544th BS/384th BG, at which point it went Missing in Action over Hamburg from flak/aa-fire; 8 of its crew became POWs while 2 were KIA. I have had the honor to speak to descendants of both of its crews and help them research "Thundermug"; I wish to voice a mere glimpse of their stories in a unique way.

**All names of Alfred's crew are either cobbled-together family names throughout our history here or entirely fictitious - though some were inspired by real people whom I grew up with stories of. All inspirations were individuals that lived good lives post-war.

[fluentisonus]

rambling here (& a little drunk) but it's so interesting coming to les mis from a preexisting maritime/age of sail interest background because like the whole historical situation (well. wrt toulon at least) it's discussing is like. it's very much a side of things you don't think about so much I guess when you're focused on life on board the ships themselves & particularly ships at sea. which -- like tbc my knowledge of this stuff is mostly to do with the royal navy during the same period, which can be very different re: how it functioned, so I don't necessarily know much about the french navy or how obvious this stuff would be if I was reading books about the french navy -- but just the whole existence of the bagne & the prisoners being the ones to help with the ships while they're in port (amongst other things) really makes one think about like idk. how casually you might get someone on the ship referring to 'putting in for repairs' or something in a way you wouldn't think twice about what that might imply. meanwhile then you read this & read the historical background & there's a whole different angle that's absolutely full of horrors. idk idk like I keep thinking about how in post captain (aubrey-maturin series, so written well after les mis & probably deliberately conscious of it while doing this) when they go into the harbor in toulon to meet with christy-palliere during the peace of amiens & there's like half a sentence mention of the convicts on the far side of the harbor unloading stuff from the ships before they go on with their lives (& this is 1802, jvj would literally be over there right then), and it's just background description. and how like every battle you read about, in fiction or non fiction, every time they talk about french ships taking damage or needing supplies etc etc it that it's often toulon (or similar) they'd be limping back to. it's just such a crazy shift in perspective & new consideration of some of the actual sources of this historical labor & how damaging it was beyond what's on the actual ships

[marzipanandminutiae]

what the fuck. why is it everyone's reaction to scream at girls baking cute pies for getting Trump into office. this seems so ironically counterproductive and blatantly misogynistic

honestly I feel like it's because striking out at something you can see is easier than admitting that ideologies are slippery, often invisible things

everyone would love to have a code for ferreting out trad types, a visual signifier you can spot beyond an actual, overt insignia or slogan (which most of them, especially women, don't wear). and a way to signal to others, without fail, that they are Not Like That. it's comforting to say "don't wear this or do this, and avoid anyone who does, and you will be Safe and signal to others their safety around you"

but the real world just. doesn't work like that. you cannot tell someone's politics from their aesthetic, with very few exceptions. and all that "avoid XYZ because that's trad!!!!" leads to is alienating people in your community who do the thing you've decided to demonize, and making yourself miserable if you want to do those things or wear those clothes

[temtamtom]

⚔️?

⚔️ A nation in a historical uniform

What's the opposite of a "happy camper"? Here's Romano in a (Light) Voltigeur uniform during the Napoleonic Wars.

Tfw your new boss is one of Napoleon's cronies, and now you're getting dragged around Europe to fight their wars.

I feel like the 1800s were certainly an interesting time for Romano and his personal growth (in my headcanons). There's a lot I'd love to properly explore some day.

This was quite challenging but I had a lot of fun drawing it in the end! Thank you for the ask ❤️

Less Meme-y version under "read more"

[neversetyoufree]

Sometimes I do feel almost overwhelmed with how much I like VnC. It's so magic that there happens to be a series out there filled to the brim with the exact sorts characters, story beats, and themes that I love most, and it happens to be constructed in exactly the way that I find most satisfying to write about and examine and dwell within.

[flowersandfashion]

view the graphics below for a basic guide

[theorahsart]

Incorruptible pt 32

If you didn't know where the terms 'left wing' and 'right wing' come from...now you know! Also, can you spot the Robespierres in these pages? lol

[daddy-long-legssss]

Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair

"I couldn’t think of a worse dance to in the devil's lair, you know what I mean? It was going to be the Congo for a minute. Hokey Kokey - it would have been. Might be that live sometimes. Macarena - I dunno, it just feels like it just flows better ... If you can’t sit down 'cause I moved your chair, then what sort of ridiculous list of things can you do? That were a lot like that Brick By Brick, [we] just spent the next few weeks like thinking of things you shouldn't do."

[x]

[heavenlymorals]

Sadie and Arthur and the Affects of Gender Roles in 1899 America

(warning: there is sexism and sexist ideas in this analysis because I refuse to sugarcoat the time period that RDR2 takes place in. Arthur is a product of his time and though it isn't shoved in your face, it's still there. Understanding the gender dynamics of this time period makes the characters much more understandable, nuanced, likeable, and better, if I'm being frank.)

I don't ship Sadie and Arthur, at all, it makes no sense to me besides two people liking the characters and thus putting them together. I like them as friends but that's about it.

And let's be so real for a second- even if they do get together for whatever reason, they absolutely wouldn't be compatible as partners because its been shown time and time again that Arthur believes in gender roles and gets visibly annoyed or angry when a woman takes up a man's role when a man is there or when a woman does something he thinks is unladylike in their line of work (just listen to his antagonization of Abigail (for her past as a prostitute, usually), Sadie, Karen, prostitutes, and female performers, all women who take on unconventional roles in their life(also pay attention to certain mission dialogues, and cutscene body language)).

Sadie proves herself as capable, and Arthur works with her, but he makes quips about her behavior or subtly judges her or makes fun of her("Oh, I'm sorry princess. Was there an insufficient feather in your pillow?" "You got a pair of pants and all of a sudden you think you're Landon Ricketts?" "You want to ruuuunnnn with the men?" "Few more like her and there wouldn't be much of a world left." "That ain't what you mean- I can still fight!" Or him being visibly annoyed when she doesn't take his hand to enter the boat and other similar things like that)

Arthur believes that a man should be the one doing the work that revolves around such physical exertion and if he isn't the one doing those things for a woman, he feels as if he is failing in his role as a protector and provider, which then provokes annoyance or in some cases, even anger. Sadie doesn't care about this obviously, and Jake Adler didn't either, hence why they worked so well together as a couple.

Not Arthur though. To put it quite simply, he prefers and is compatible with women who believe in the same gender roles as he does (Mary Gillis, Abigail Roberts, etc.).

This doesn't mean he dislikes Sadie, because it's quite obvious that he is fond of her, but given the intimacy of a relationship, Sadie would get fed up with him trying to be the ONLY provider and protector, and him getting fed up with her by encroaching on what he sees as his duties and responsibilities. He works with her in the way that he does because he has to and he respects that.

Some people may disagree with me on this analysis and that's fine, but to me, it feels like the most realistic outcome if they did become romantic partners. Another reason why I say this is because my mother comes from a culture that still operates a lot like 1899 America and I've seen this dynamic between men and women so many times that it's ridiculous- men who will accept working with a woman in more traditionally masculine roles and prefer partners who are more traditionally feminine.

[a-loose-collection-of-ants]

Happy pride month, holy shit

[cupidsncheerios]

every now and again i try to think of a 19th century au for radiostatic but god. they just dont work in any year before 1940

Vincent Xavier, Viscount of Vessex, is an avid supporter and early acceptor of the electric lightbulb. His entire mansion is lit with electricity, at all hours of the day.

Alastor Hartfelt, Duke of Argyll, resents the new invention and sees it as pointless. He prefers the ol' reliable 'use-an-easily-knocked-over-and-not-that-luminous-candle-and-risk-burning-down-your-entire-home-and-fortune-so-you-can-write-your-Hamilton-fanfiction-at-2-am' method.

[mascflowers]

So while it is true that transgender and transsexual men have been wrongly folded into lesbian history, it is also true that the distinctions between some transsexuals and lesbians may at times become quite blurry. Many FTMs do come out as lesbians before they come out as transsexuals (many, it must also be said, do not). For this reason alone, hard-and-fast distinctions between lesbians and FTMs are not always helpful. The editors of Dagger: On Butch Women, for example, include interviews with FTMs as part of their survey of an urban butch scene.²¹ The five FTMs interviewed all testify to a period of lesbian identification. Shadow admits that “the dyke community’s been really great, keeping me around for the last 12 years” (154); Mike says that he never really identified as female but that he did “identif[y] as a lesbian for a while” because “being a dyke gave me options” (155). Similarly, Billy claims that he feels neither male nor female but that he did “go through the whole lesbian separatist bullshit” (155). Like Shadow, Eric feels that for a while “the lesbian place was really good for me” (156), and, finally, Sky suggests that while certain individuals in the dyke community are hostile to him, “I’m forty years old and I’ve been involved with dykes for nearly half my life. I’m not going to give that up” (158). Obviously, these FTM voices are quite particular, and they in no way represent a consensus (or even a dominant version) of the relations between FTM and dyke communities. They have, in fact, been carefully chosen to fit into a collection on lesbian masculinities. However, these transsexual men do articulate one very important line of affiliation between transsexualities and lesbian identities. Many transsexual men successfully identify as butch in a queer female community before they decide to transition. Once they have transitioned, many transsexual men want to maintain their ties to their queer lesbian communities. Much transsexual discourse now circulating, however, tries to cast the lesbian pasts of FTMs as instances of mistaken identities or as efforts to find temporary refuge within some queer gender-variant notion of “butchness.”

In his Dagger interview, Billy hints at the kinds of problems some pretransition transgender men experience when they identify as lesbians. Billy recalls: “I’ve had this problem for ten years now with women being attracted to my boy-ishness and my masculinity, but once they get involved with me they tell me I’m too male” (156). Billy crosses the line for many of his lovers because he wants a real mustache and a real beard and does not experience his masculinity as a fad or a game. Billy’s experience testifies to the ways in which masculinity within some lesbian contexts presents a problem when it becomes too “real” or when some imaginary line has been crossed between play and seriousness. This also makes lesbian masculinity sound like a matter of degree. Again, this kind of limited understanding of lesbian masculinity has a history within lesbian feminism. As many historians have pointed out, male identification was an accusation leveled at many butches in the early days of lesbian feminism.²² It is hardly surprising, then, to find a residue of this charge in the kinds of judgments made against FTMs by lesbians in contemporary settings.

Transgender Butch: Butch/FTM Border Wars and the Masculine Continuum by Jack Halberstam (1998)

[alisoncooper]

forgive me if i'm wrong as i'm not an expert in elizabethan court hairstyles and i don't know how the trends changed over the era (or how it differed in the french court) however. as far as i'm aware, having long, flowing hair that was uncovered was a hairstyle mainly for unmarried women that showed their virgin status. once married, women would wear their hair up or covered. so.,, sophie bone wearing her hair long and loose without much of a covering in front of her co-conspirators is both hilarious and a bit sad to me. imagine your elizabethan wife going around court dressed like an unmarried woman when you've been married for years and betrothed since you were teens. it's like she's saying "i Do Not recognise myself as married. this man does not fuck me."