#imperfect woman

[iron-sides]

actually im not done complaining abt derap not liking hannah because in what fucking world is that an acceptable or even smart thing to say directly to someones face when you are trying to recruit them. if u didnt want her on the team why not just say that?? but now you just look like yr deliberately sabotaging recruitment efforts like :/ i get that hes playing a character but could that character include fewer WHO RAISED YOU moments my fucking god

[allblognamesaretakenso]

so....can we all finally agree that the entrapment line was never THAT deep or shall I come back again in a few years

[the-great-prince-of-the-forest]

"we need more complex female characters" you could barely handle her

[sapphicsparkles]

you deserved so much more and so much better

[gingermintpepper]

I have finished the book. It was not a very good book at all. My preliminary thoughts are as follows:

Prose is the best part about it but also one of the worst. Evocative and lovely language was used for what I can only describe as manipulating the reader. In a different book by a different writer, perhaps that would be the mark of a good unreliable narrator but this is not that kind of book and the writer, I fear, is not clever enough for that kind of narrative.

The characters - I do not think of them. Trapped as we are in Alcestis' head, she is a passive, dull thing who I do not know any better at the end of the book than I did at the start. I couldn't distinguish where her voice ended and where the author's began and it is through that haziness that all other characters are observed. Admetus is an objectively phenomenal husband but his kindness and regard is made bitter because he loves Apollo not her. Apollo is no more than a ghost haunting them both. Hippothoe and Phylomache exist as images of what Alcestis could be - a woman who dies of illness or children - and Heracles is awkward and small, quiet and passive in the way everything is in this book. Persephone and Hades are perhaps the only characters of some interest in here, but Persephone is a volatile mess of power masquerading as empowerment while Hades, like all the men in this book really, is small and passive and really only becomes worth something when out of Persephone's massive shadow.

The romance - What romance? There is no romance in this book. Alcestis imagines that what occurs between Admetus and Apollo is a romance but we do not get to see that story. The obvious regard and kindness Admetus holds for Alcestis would be romance in any other book - but in this it is described with so much apathy and loathing so as to make Admetus' actions seem unremarkable and lacking. As for Persephone and Alcestis; Alcestis wants nothing to do with her until Persephone forces her. She assaults her, like Hades assaulted her, while speaking the words of that tale into Alcestis' flesh while Alcestis rejects her and somehow this becomes the catalyst of their 'love'. There is no romance in this book.

The queer themes - I am not sure how one makes a story so easily given to a queer imagining biphobic, lesbophobic and not poly but it sure did that. Alcestis' ideas about love and sexuality and how it might possibly have different forms and fashions is unchanged from start to finish and homosexuality, for all that it is what she blames her ruined marriage on, is never explored past a few fleeting, derogatory descriptions and quickly brushed over allusions.

The Apollo Thing - Listen to me so carefully. Apollo is only in a single scene of this book. One single scene and it is the wedding scene where Admetus calls upon him to save them from the poisonouse snakes. Every other mention of him in this book is in passing, an offhanded mention of a person praying to a god, or with the underlying scorn and anger of a wife thinking of her husband's mistress. Apollo is not even there when Alcestis dies. He wasn't even responsible for Heracles eventually going down to the Underworld to retrieve her. If the author could've erased him from the wedding scene too, I'm sure she would've invented a way to do it. Apollo has no relationship with Alcestis, we do not get to see the nature of his relationship with Admetus and every other opportunity which existed to show him on their side was neatly and entirely erased. Thanatos, naturally, is completely absent from this novel.

In short, this was entirely unpleasant from essentially start to finish. I was very excited when I started this book and saw the quality of the prose and also the ambivalent character sketched of its gods but things went so rapidly and extremely downhill that I am left wondering how it was possibly flubbed that badly.

Regarding this book's feminism, I will dedicate a separate post to that entirely. To this book's credit, it did not have the superficial girlboss feminism that many of its contemporaries tend to champion but to its complete and utter detriment, the feminism it champions is perhaps the most insidious kind. The sort that excludes the disenfranchised, the impoverished and the normal woman. This book's feminism is for the privileged and the powerful and it is a deeply upsetting thing.

Lastly, I would like to thank @superkooku , @konu-d and @waterlinkedgirl for cheering me on through this absolute torment. I would not have finished this without them. Take that as you will.

If you are interested in the tale of Admetus and Alcestis or just want to read a retelling, I urge you to just read @reawakened-revenant (CiCiRose on ao3)'s God of the Golden Bow series. It is captivating, enthralling, impeccably researched and so utterly submersed in passion, love and care that it is breathtaking to read. It is a personal favourite of mine and the standard to which I hold all other Admetus and Alcestis retellings.

With all that done, I am going to stare at a wall and contemplate the horrors now. ✌🏾

[whateveryeah]

Daemon was so in love with Nettles that when he learned about Rhaenyra’s discomfort he sent her off and went to prove devotion to his wife

Anyway, Always this.

[mcacomulada]

happy birthday to all the unhinged women out there. be bitchy, grow muscle, be amazing, be pathetic, create the most beautiful pieces of art, dont shower for a month, be sad, be happy, cry alone, ask for help, be violent, be remorseful, learn, study, rot in bed, lose your sense of empathy, be good, be kind, teach, command, follow, breathe, create create create, be angry, destroy, be inconsistent, be obsessive, be organised, be compulsive, do horrible things, do amazing things, ask for forgiveness

maybe you do not deserve to be forgiven, maybe we are nothing more than our shortcomings...

if we are only bad things, what does that make us, if not the perfect ground to start rebuilding.

maybe you cant be so morally good that you would give yourself and everything to a partner, maybe your habits make you uncomfortable to be around, maybe you aren't goodness personified.

but what does that mean?

just, we should never have to hide parts of ourselves or pretend that they're accidents or slip ups. Sometimes we do bad things, on purpose, sometimes we smell like shit and are irritable and we don't try to repress it.

should we try to minimise other's pain?

probably, and if we hurt someone because of something that we did on purpose we ask for forgiveness.

do we have to be perfect before we ever enter society? thats how it feels like sometimes.

do bad things, but ultimately, try to be a good person.women

[noperopesaredope]

Me watching the prequel movies: "Padme's alright, but she's kind of boring and I don't care for her that much."

Me watching Clone Wars: "Padme Amidala could dropkick me, step on my neck, and spit in my face, and I would thank her. She is so cool and smart and I want to be her and also maybe be her assistant. She's a savvy politician who believes in peace but is not afraid to shoot a bitch if needed. Revenge of the Sith Anakin doesn't deserve her."

[revvethasmythh]

you really can't like an unpopular female character for like. five minutes without someone having something to say can you. can you

[itwoodbeprefect]

bisexuality and maybe even polyamory win: the automated thai > english translation has no clue what to do with this gender neutral thai word, so it translates two lines from the same singer to mean that he wants a boyfriend in one sentence and a girlfriend in the immediate next

[godoverus]

It wasn’t until Eve bit into the fruit that her eyes were opened to sin. It wasn’t until then she felt the need to hide from God, because she knew she was naked - she was ashamed.

It is because of the same shame that women still hide. Whether it’s behind makeup, hair, clothes, filters, achievements - whatever it is. The lies of the enemy in our ears, telling us we’re not pretty enough, we’re not thin enough, we’re not smart enough, we’re not good enough.

For how beautiful it would be if we lived freely and confidently, embracing the truth of who we are as daughters of God. To walk unburdened by insecurities, knowing that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in his image.

Just like Eve in the innocence of Eden before knowledge of sin, we could revel in the beauty of our existence.

[deprivedmusicaljunkie]

i love would that i so much. i have never been in love but that sounds like its permanence. like coming to terms with knowing that you know exactly who they are and they know exactly who you are. and maybe they look like your demons but you fell in love with the fire long ago. the beginning verses describing his past partner are so soft, and the later verses describing his current partner are satirical and a little abrasive but he’s singing with a smile. i don’t know. i don’t know

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Summer of '84

Nancy walked into Steve’s house, ready to climb into his arms and sleep. Her mother always believed her when she was spending the night at Ally's, and she wondered when she'd figure out that she wasn't that close with Ally. Bitterly, she thought about the time her mother was more worried about the fact that she lied about having sex than the fact that her best friend was missing. No, she didn't deserve to know. Although she had forgiven Steve when he had been more worried about his dad than Barb, and after meeting his dad, she understood. She didn't understand why her mother was worried about her sex life. The more thought about it, she couldn't find anything wrong with having sex. She wished people would stop treating her like a naive little girl when it came to that. In the end, though, she did forgive her mother, but she still wasn't quite honest about being with Steve.

"Steve?" Nancy called out.

He obviously didn't hear her because he didn't respond back. Nancy climbed up the stairs with her overnight back and pushed open Steve’s bedroom door. She found him kneeling on the floor, the bat in hand, as he peered under the bed. He jumped up when she entered.

"Nance!" He yelled, and his eyes darted from her to the bed. "I was just making sure - "

"There was a spider, wasn't there?" Nancy asked.

"There might have been, and it might have crawled under the bed," Steve said.

Nancy smiled in amusement, dropped her bag, and grabbed a flashlight. She grabbed the glass from his end table that he usually used for water. She looked on the other side of his bed. It didn't take her long before she found the culprit and trapped it under the glass. She opened his window and quickly used a piece of paper to slide under the glass. Nancy picked it up and tossed the spider out the window.

"There! He's gone now," Nancy said.

"Oh, my hero!" Steve grinned.

"Hm, really?" She smiled.

"Yeah, I love it when my girlfriend protects me," Steve said. "Makes me feel safe."

Nancy walked over to him and pulled the bat out of his arms. She wrapped her own around his neck.

"What's my reward?" Nancy asked.

Steve smiled and leaned down to kiss her. Nancy grinned against his lips, sighing as Steve’s hands gripped her waste gently as he returned the kiss. She loved his soft lips. . .so soft and plump. She couldn't say how many times she watched him put on lip gloss. She nibbled on his bottom lip before pulling away.

"Thanks," Steve said softly.

She still couldn't believe that she'd been with Steve Harrington for the last five months. He really had changed since he decided to walk back into Jonathan's house that fateful night with the demogorgon. He had really stepped up, and he still does it now. He doesn't have to go with her to Barb's parents, but he does it, knowing how hard it is. It was only getting harder as time went by. He was just as soft as he had been with her before, and maybe even more so, now. He gave it all up to be with her. . .his popularity, his friends. . . everything he had known. She loved him for it. So, what's the cost of killing a spider compared to the sacrifices he made?

"No problem," she said smiling.

"Do you think that we could just sleep tonight?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Nancy said. "I was thinking the same thing, honestly."

She pulled off her dress and bra before slipping into one of Steve's swim shirts. She climbed into the bed first and watched Steve change into his pajamas. There were just a pair of shorts, really. Nothing special except for the way they clung to his hips. It always made Nancy's heart skip a beat. Steve climbed into bed, and Nancy flopped onto her back, pulling the man into her arms. She loved it when he slept on her chest and she especially loved the way that the scent of his hair wafted into her nose, the softness of it brushing against her cheek as thought it was caressing her. Five months ago. . .well, actually, more like six, Steve was friends with Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins. Now, here he was. . .

"I can hear the wheels turning in there," Steve said.

"Do you miss Tommy and Carol?" Nancy asked.

"What? What brought this on?" he asked.

"We've been dating for the past five months, you know," Nancy said and paused. "I just don't think I've ever asked you about giving them up."

"I miss Tommy, I'll always miss Tommy," Steve said. "I missed him when we were friends at the end, too. He wasn't the same Tommy that I used to know. He got really mean when he started dating Carol. It didn't matter how many times I told them to stop. There was nothing I could say or do could stop them from being assholes. Walking away from them was always going to happen. You coming into my life, just made it happen faster. I don't regret walking away from them."

"I'm just worried about you not having a whole lot of friends anymore," Nancy said.

"Nancy Wheeler, you're more than enough for me," Steve said, looking up at her. "I'm happy, okay."

"Yeah, okay," Nancy said.

Steve leaned up and kissed her before moving his head back to her chest. It felt a little overwhelming to know that she was the only good thing that he had in his life. There were his parents, but she wouldn't count on them, and neither would Steve. . .well, maybe his mother. Although, she seemed to be just as absent as his father, but Steve seemed to have rose colored glasses when it came to her. Nancy sighed. She loved Steve, and she wanted him to have more in his life than just her because what if something happened?

"Goodnight," she whispered and smiled when his snores filled the air.

The next day, Steve and Nancy got ready to head off to the community pool. Steve would be performing his duties as a lifeguard while Nancy would be sitting poolside reading. Although, occasionally, she'd look up to watch him look out for everyone's safety. The view wasn't so bad either. When they got to the pool, Steve gave her a kiss before heading to the back to change and relieve Heather Holloway from duty. Nancy was just about to stretch out in a lawn chair when she spotted her mother and her friends.

"Mom?" She asked softly.

Nancy frowned. Karen had told her that she had errands to run, and that's why they couldn't get their hair done today. Was this one of those errands? Karen and her friends were watching Heather as if they were anticipating something. They looked really nice. . .too nice to be sitting by the pool. Then it clicked. They were waiting for Heather to leave. They wanted to see. . .oh god, they wanted to see Steve. She wanted to vomit. Nancy got up and hurried to the locker room where Steve was in the middle of changing.

"Nancy!"

"Wear a shirt today," Nancy said.

She hoped he wouldn't be flattered when she told him.

"Why?" Steve asked. "I mean, I'll do it. . ."

"My mother and her friends are out there today," Nancy said. "And they're a little too eager to see you up there."

"Ew," Steve said, scrunching up his face. "I mean - "

"No, that was the correct response," Nancy replied.

She waited for him to finish changing before walking out with him. Standing up in front of everyone, Nancy pulled Steve into a deep kiss. She broke the kiss quickly, smirking at the goofy smile on Steve’s face. She moved back to her seat, ignoring the feeling of her mother's eyes on her. Nancy opened her book, but she couldn't read a single word of it. She stayed with Steve again that night, and when she walked into her house, Karen was waiting for her in the kitchen. Ted was at work, and Holly had been dropped at the Sinclairs. She assumed that Mike was at Will's.

"Can we talk?" Karen asked. "I made some coffee."

"I'm sure it will go great with the disgust I feel knowing that my mother is lusting after my boyfriend like she's a teenage girl," Nancy said.

"I didn't know you were going to be there. You told me that you were going to be at Aly's," Karen said.

"So, that makes it okay? I lied, too, so it makes it okay for you to do that?" Nancy asked with a scoff.

"Of course not," Karen said. "I'm ashamed of myself. I didn't want you to see me being so weak."

"You made it into such a big deal that I slept with Steve," Nancy said, rolling her eyes. "I didn't want to make you even more uncomfortable with the idea that I had a sex life, so I didn't tell you that I was spending most of my nights with Steve. The fact that you're drooling over him is the problem, the biggest, in fact."

"You shouldn't have to do that. You should be able to tell me these things," Karen said.

"And you should be able to deal with the fact that I'm having sex," Nancy said.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Nancy," Karen said. "You have no idea how guilty I feel about this. I really tried to ignore it, Nancy. I did."

Nancy huffed and fixed her a cup. She sighed as she took a sip. It did seem to help soothe her stomach. She stared out the kitchen window, trying to figure out how she wanted to deal with this. Men and women weren't so different, as much as they tried to pretend they were. A lot of women tried to deny that they wouldn't go on looks alone, that they're not as shallow as a lot of men were. Nancy was guilty about doing it on occasion. It was what drew her to Steve, but what really pulled her in was the fact that she felt it in her bones that underneath all that hair, Steve Harrington had heart. Society wanted them to have this barrier, that men should believe that they're better than women just because a lot of them, not all, are physically stronger. There was an air of superiority that women felt, that they themselves wanted to believe, that they're better than men because they don't view sex the same way they do. Standing in the kitchen with her mother, it wasn't true at all. Women and men were the same way in that aspect. She couldn't blame her for how she felt, but she could blame her for how she chose to act on it.

"I don't blame you for being attracted to Steve. He's a beautiful young man, inside and out," Nancy said as she turned around.

"Does that mean - ," Karen started to say.

"I'm not ready to forgive you yet," she said.

She wasn't perfect either. Nancy had her own struggles to deal with. Including her own attraction to Jonathan.

"Nancy," Karen pleaded.

Nancy sighed and sipped her coffee as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"You're the adult here, mother, and I'm not naive to think that you're not going to make mistakes but this. . .I mean, I totally understand not being able to control how you feel sometimes, but you knew how wrong it was. You're old enough to understand that openly gazing at someone who's the same age as your daughter, who's dating your daughter, is wrong! And you did that with your friends! You made that decision! Steve is a teenager, and he managed to tell his friends off and walk away from them," Nancy said.

"I'm sorry, Nancy," Karen said tearfully.

"I love you. You're a good mother. . .although this isn't a good look for you," Nancy said. "You and Dad have done so much for us, but neither one of you is perfect. There are times, however, that I feel more like the parent than you or dad. It shouldn't be like that. It feels a lot like that now."

"I don't know how I got here, Nancy," Karen said.

"I think you do, mom," Nancy said. "You don't want to admit it. We all have a problem with communicating in this family, especially with ourselves. You and Dad both know what you have to do, but you're choosing to ignore it."

"I'm sor - ," Karen started to say.

"You've already said that," Nancy said. "All the times that I've been with Steve, I never wanted to control myself. I never wanted to hold myself back because I knew there wasn't anything wrong with how I felt. It wouldn't have been wrong because I'm the same age, I'm attracted to him, and now I'm in love with him. Judging me for sleeping with him and then turning around to spread yourself out like that. . .that's what pisses me off. You're a hypocrite. . . But I think most, if not all, people are, though."

"Are you okay?" Karen asked.

"I'm trying to be okay with what you did," Nancy sighed.

"You really don't have to forgive me right now, be mad at me as long as you want to," Karen said.

"He's my boyfriend, mom, mine!" Nancy snapped. "I don't want to see you at the pool again."

Nancy finished her coffee and walked up to her room. She laid on the bed, hugging her bear and wishing that Barb were here. Women weren't infallible. They fuck up just as much as men do but this mistake doesn't wipe away all the good that she's done for them over the years. Nancy herself wasn't perfect either, but she refused to make the same mistake her mom did. She didn't want to hurt Steve the way she hurt Nancy or the way she almost hurt Ted. He wasn't perfect, but he didn't deserve what Karen almost did. She wasn't going to be like her mom or her dad. . .well, she wasn't going to be the worst part of themselves, anyway. The problem was that they couldn't admit that they're no longer in love. She also knew that sometimes things hurt so much that you can't just seem to let go of what's safe.

"Fuck," Nancy whispered, wiping her eyes, and wished once again that Barb was here.

It took a couple of days for Nancy to even start speaking to their mother. Another couple for Nancy to realize that Karen didn't get there on her own, that maybe she had transferred her feelings of loneliness into something else. It wasn't just Ted but their responsibility as well. At least she hoped it was only a pseudo attraction and not her mother actually being attracted to men the same age as Nancy. Either way, Nancy spent the next couple of weeks trying to work on her relationship with her mother and father. She went shopping with Karen and when she wasn't shopping with Karen, she was watching TV with her father and talking about books. Books were actually one of the things she had in common with Ted and one of the things she could talk about with him. Although getting her mother and father to actually speak to each other was the trickiest part. It was hard to do when her mother found fault in everything that Ted did. No wonder Ted stopped trying. Holly was the easiest one to talk to, but Mike was the hardest to reach. He was still pretty angry over the fact that El was gone, and despite the fact that she knew what it was to lose someone, she didn't know how to talk to him.

"So, how is everything?" Steve asked as Nancy curled up against him.

After spending time with her family and being driven crazy, Nancy finally decided to spend time with her boyfriend. His parents were gone once again, so she was relaxing from the drama by watching TV on Steve’s couch.

"Still very tense at home. I can't get mom to talk about what she really needs to talk with dad," Nancy sighed. "I think she's scared of going out on her own. . .I mean, without dad for her to lean on."

"Yeah, after being married for so long, I get that," Steve said. "I think if anyone can inspire her, it's you."

"You think so?" Nancy asked.

"I know it. You're an inspiration, Nancy Wheeler," Steve said. "You inspire me everyday."

Nancy smiled and kissed him deeply before tucking her head into his shoulder.

"So, how's it going making more friends?" Nancy asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Steve frowned.

"Steve, come on, talk to me, please?" Nancy asked.

"Well, I tried to approach Eddie Munson about joining Hellfire," Steve said.

"Really?" Nancy asked.

"I was curious about all of that Dungeons and Demons game your brother plays," Steve said.

"Dungeons and Dragons," Nancy said, laughing. "And how did it go?"

"Well, he laughed at me and then told me to fuck off. No matter how many times I told him I was serious, he didn't believe that I wasn't just fucking with him like Tommy apparently used to," Steve said.

"Do you want me to beat him up?" Nancy asked.

"That would be hilarious for Munson but no," Steve snorted.

"Aren't there any potential players on your team?" Nancy asked.

"Patrick Mckinney is nice, but he also shadows Jason Carver, who's not so nice," Steve said.

"Well, you used to hang out with Tommy and Carol," Nancy pointed out.

"That's true," Steve said. "I suppose I could give it a shot."

"It definitely wouldn't hurt to try," Nancy said. "Which I think you should."

"Why are you trying so hard?" Steve asked.

"I just don't want you to be alone if anything happens," Nancy said.

"Hey, you're going to be okay, and and so am I," Steve said. "I am okay, Nance."

"I just worry about you, sometimes," Nancy said.

"I like that you worry about me," Steve said and kissed her. "I worry about you, too."

"I'm okay," she whispered, and then her eyes lit up. "Jonathan!"

"I'm Steve," he replied.

"Shut up!" Nancy laughed and slapped his chest. "I should set up a play date between you and Jonathan!"

"Okay, never call it that again, and do you really think that Jonathan would want to be friends with me?" Steve asked.

"Yes! He needs to see how great you are," Nancy said.

"Alright, if you can convince him," Steve said. "I'll do anything you ask me to."

"Really?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

"Within reason, I'll do anything you ask me to within reason, and so far, everything you've asked of me sounds pretty damn reasonable," Steve said. "Although, don't be surprised if it doesn't work out."

Steve grabbed the remote and changed the channel.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Nancy exclaimed.

"No, you weren't. Besides, Magnum is on," Steve said.

"Ooh, I do love Tom Selleck," Nancy said and squeezed Steve’s thighs. "He's got great legs like someone I know."

"Hm, he's got a great mustache, I definitely would give it a ride," Steve said.

"Steve!" Nancy giggled. "Hopper has a mustache."

"Mm, yeah, he does," Steve said, and Nancy buried her face in his chest as she giggled some more.

"Stop," she said.

"Don't worry, baby, you're definitely hotter than Tom Selleck," Steve said.

"You take that back," she said with a gasp.

Steve laughed as they snuggled deeper into the couch, propping their feet up onto the coffee table, their matching painted pink toenails shining under the light. For once, neither one of them were trying to be perfect. . .just live in the moment.

"Hey, do you think it's too soon to joke about you and your mom having the same taste in men?" Steve asked.

"Yes, asshole!" Nancy shrieked, sitting up.

She grabbed a pillow and hit him repeatedly. Steve laughed as he shielded himself with his arms. He grabbed the other pillow and hit Nancy. She shrieked with laughter as she fell back onto the couch. Steve rolled off the couch and took off. Nancy ran off after him, trying to hit him with her pillow. Steve dodged and weaved.

"You don't have a chance," Steve taunted.

He turned around and hit her bottom with the pillow. She tried to hold in her giggle but failed. She managed to hit him back. He responded with another hit, and she fell back with a fake gasp.

"Steve!" Nancy yelled in mock outrage.

"Shit, Nance, I'm sorry," Steve said.

He hurried over to her and gave her his hand. Suddenly, Nancy gave him a wicked smile and grabbed his hand. She yanked him onto the floor next to her.

"Gotchya!" Nancy exclaimed.

"You tricked me," Steve said.

"Of course I did," Nancy said and straddled his waist.

Steve’s hands went to her hips, holding her steady and her smile wide.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

Nancy leaned down and kissed him, enjoying having him underneath her. Outside, the pool where Barb died still resided, a constant reminder that she was gone. That thought constantly lingered in her mind, whispering to her that it was her fault, especially the closer it got to the one year anniversary of Barbara's death. She didn't want to think about that, though, or the fact that she had feelings for Jonathan. All she wanted to do was live in this moment with Steve and enjoy the fact that she was in love with him. . .that neither one of them was alone.

[selamat-linting]

imagine living during an era where the us is systematically sabotaging and dismantling countries in the global south using manufactured consent, writing a book where a pacifist in a meeting argues for their ideals only for them to be gunned down by the caputalist government a few chapters later, but still loudly proclaim yourself as an pacifist. you cant even prove your ideals are right in the realm of your own fiction! i'd be fucking embarrassed lmao.

[shironezuninja]

Oh, Wow. An extra 10 photos has been added to the Instagram 10 Photo count posts. This’ll make Tumblr jealous.

[theluckygirlblog]

The Quiet Power of Vulnerability: Why Being Soft is the New Strong

We live in a world that rewards toughness. We’re taught to armor up, smile through the pain, hustle harder, and keep our emotions in check. For women especially, there’s a subtle pressure to be “strong” in a way that often means suppressing softness, hiding our hearts, and never showing the cracks. But here’s the truth: real strength isn’t found in the absence of vulnerability—it’s found in the…