#idk this is a really long thing to say g-d i'm tired of 'us' voices

[lapeaudelamemoire]

Some frustrations and thoughts:

1. I genuinely think a lot of white liberals and leftists and so on who are from and live in imperial centres and settler-colonies like the 'US', as well as those in Europe, despite calling themselves and thinking of themselves as progressive, don't actually often consider things intersectionally enough because their positionality (i.e., white privilege, of which one of the main features is that you don't notice what it confers) is a blind spot. I get that this is a feature and not a bug, but I am tired of white folks' voices everywhere.

2. On the multiple axes of intersectionality, being 'US'-ian is the second most annoying thing or on par with whiteness for me. POC 'US'-ians have that 'US'-centrism that is just a whole flavour of imperialism and I am also tired of them taking centre-stage and centering themselves so much of the time like they're special (on account of the 'US' exceptionalism shit). I frequently, at times like this, think back to when a Black US person basically harassed me for months on Instagram to join and subscribe to their educational community thing by attempting to guilt-trip me with the rhetoric of 'owing the Black community reparations' and that I should learn about their history. Like. I'm not from the 'US' and have never been there and in my bio I specifically wrote that I live on unceded Wurundjeri land. They also said they "didn't know my name" when I had a name on the IG bio, but it was written in Chinese characters. Or the time when I was invited to a meet-up of 'Asian-American' people and they spent the entire time talking amongst themselves about being talked over and marginalised and not heard etc. while completely ignoring me, the single non-US Asian person in the room.

I feel like a lot of people who live in settler-colonies or historical seats of colonial empire - i.e., the 'US', 'Australia', 'Canada', Europe, 'NZ', and also South Africa - don't seem to understand their nationality and perhaps more specifically their citizenships as a lens and privilege and also a bias, nor where that positions them in relation to others.

Like criticisms that have already been noted, a lot of queer white folks will use their LGBTQIA+ identity as a shield or exemption or whatever, like an in-built token marginalised identity 'get-out-of-jail-free' card. (This is the third-most fucking annoying thing for me in terms of positionalities.)

Before, I would get really excited to see POC and follow them thinking I would get more different perspectives, but inevitably it turned out, as I now reflect on it, that mostly what I was getting were North American perspectives and mostly from other 'Global North' countries as, again, mentioned above. And I would wager that it's not just the case for POC, but also LGBTQIA+ spaces.

[sleepy-waffle]

Request by Hugs4Drugs: The italic text is in the past. Bold is narration used for gameplay like stuff. I picked Pokémon that work against Alister well and things I used against him.———————————————————————You and Alister had had been friends since you met awhile so it was no surprise that you two hung out together a lot. Today you had suggested that he would go to the wild area with you to catch some Pokémon.

“Ally! Come on, it will be fun.”

“O-okay, sure... let’s go...” I’m glad Alister agreed. I really like spending time with him since we’re childhood friends and all, but lately I’ve been feeling something more for him...

*This time skip is brought to you by the flying taxi*

After getting off the flying taxi you two headed to watchtower ruins to get some ghost type Pokémon for Allister.

“We’re here. Geez that flying taxi guy sure knows how to get you dizzy...”

”Y-Yeah....”

”Well, we’re here. Let’s get some Pokémon.” After awhile you guys got tired and were prepared to head back.

“Ah hold on Allister. I think I got something under my mask, like a rock or something...”

”O-okay, sure.”

Slowly, you took off your mask and asked Allister “Is there actually something on my face or am I just imagining it?”

”Y-your e-eyes...”

”Um, Ally my eyes are always on my face...”

”T-That’s not what I meant. You’re e-eyes... I wanted to say they look b-beautiful...” He ran away before I got the chance to say anything. I saw him around town but we never really talked as much.

Later on I became a Pokémon trainer and joined the gym challenge. I'm pretty sure that it’s ghost type... I wonder if I’ll see him again, or if he even remembers me. Well, here goes nothing!

*idk how to make the teacup thingy sound exciting so another time skip to after that brought to you by the rotor bike*

I walk to the field of the gym to meet Allister for my fight with him. The crowd is cheering loudly. It’s time.

”... ‘M Alister. ...H-here I go...”

Trainer Alister sent out Yamask!

Go! Impidimp (or first starter)!

*another time skip to the end of the battle brought to you by the ball guy and the author being a lazy person*

“Wow, you were really good... my mask almost fell off from the shock...” You walked up to Allister and got the gym badge from him.

“Congrats on y-your victory. T-take this replica of Alister’s uniform.” Alister’s uniform taken from ghost gym trainer.

You were about to leave the gym when you heard a voice that sounded familiar... “H-Hey, wait up...!”

You turned around to see the short dark haired gym leader following you. “G-good job out there. Umm... I wanted t-to ask you something..”

”Shoot.”

”I uh was wondering.... d-do you want to meet up at the champion cup with m-me? I could help you fight Leon...”

”Sure! I’ll see you then. Gotta go, Ballonlea awaits!

*time skip to the champion cup brought to you by Bede’s fluffy hair*

You had been battling awhile against other trainers and gym leaders until you finally did it. The finally step, facing Leon and Raihan with Alister.

”I wish I could’ve faced you Leon, but this is cool too.” Raihan said whilst doing one of his weird poses.

”Let’s beat them and reprove who the strongest trainers of Galar are!” Leon tried to ignore Raihan’s posing.

”L-let’s do this!”

”If we work together I know we can do it Alister!”

You fought long and hard but eventually you and Alister won! The people in the stands were cheering for you. You took off your mask and gave Alister a hug.

”I didn’t k-know it was you before, but now I’m sure. Y-you have those same pretty eyes from all those years ago...”

”Hey, do you want to go to Bob’s Your Uncle after this?”

”Y-yeah. I would really like that.”

Hope you liked it! -Miu Iruma

”Called it.”

”Here’s your five bucks Leon...”