#institutional motherhood

[galleryofart]

The Red Room, Etretat

Artist: Félix Edouard Vallotton (Swiss-born French, 1865–1925)

Date: 1899

Medium: Oil on artist's board

Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

[widowshill]

Character bingo: Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the woman the myth the legend

Her.

[quo-usque-tandem]

Heritage of Motherhood by Gertrude Kasebier

[queerographies]

[Nato di donna][Adrienne Rich]

È nel 1976 che Adrienne Rich ha dato voce alla distinzione tra istituzione ed esperienza materna. "Nato di donna" esplora la gravidanza, il parto e la cura con profondità e tenerezza.

Nato di donna: la rivoluzionaria analisi di Adrienne Rich sulla maternità Titolo: Nato di donnaScritto da: Adrienne RichTitolo originale: Of Woman BornTradotto da: Maria Teresa MarencoEdito da: MondadoriAnno: 2024Pagine: 448ISBN: 9788804758884 La sinossi di Nato di donna di Adrienne Rich «Già nel 1976 Adrienne Rich aveva fatto chiarezza. È stato Nato di donna a distinguere per la prima volta…

[starry-eyer]

Daenerys’s rise to power is inseparable from the setting in which it unfolds. Unlike the female pov characters in Westeros, who remain trapped within rigid societal structures, a portion of Dany’s storyline exists largely outside of what is considered the “civilized” world. This separation is not incidental—it is fundamental to her ability to seize power in a way no other woman in asoiaf can.

Like the noblewomen of Westeros, Dany is sold into marriage, her body used as currency to further her house’s (her patriarch’s) ambitions. But while Westerosi arranged marriages are framed as political alliances, the underlying reality remains the same: women are commodities, their fates dictated by the men who claim authority over them. What sets Dany apart is not simply the brutality of her circumstances—being sold as a bridal slave to a foreign Dothraki warlord whose language and customs are alien to her—but also the opportunities those circumstances create. In Westeros, a woman’s best hope for power is to influence the men around her or exercise power in the name of the men she is connected to, but even the most politically savvy women remain constrained by a system that does not recognize their autonomy. Dany too has to initially wield power through her husband as Dothraki society is also patriarchal, but once he (and her unborn son) dies, she finds herself in a space where she is no longer beholden to any man and rejects the last institution that would otherwise confine her.

The decentralized nature of Dothraki society gave Dany an opening to refuse to join the Dosh Khaleen. Custom dictated that she should have done so, but there is no true institution enforcing this tradition, likely because it’s normally a self-enforcing one. More importantly, the powerful remnants of Khal Drogo’s khalasar were clearly not expected to enforce their own traditions, so they did not do so. Dany was not useful to them, and there was likely no benefit in sending her to Vaes Dothrak when they needed to focus on forming their new khalasars. Dany turned that perceived uselessness into an advantage. By stepping outside the last constraints placed upon her, and by the nature of her setting, she created the conditions necessary for her dragons to be hatched safely. Believed to be useless by Khal Drogo’s ko’s, they split the khalasar and rode away, leaving her in a perfect position as they took with them anyone powerful or greedy enough to challenge her for her dragons long before she even stepped into the pyre to hatch them.

So, upon Khal Drogo’s ashes, she hatched her dragons, and in doing so, she reclaimed motherhood from its patriarchal definition—not as a role that serves the interests of men, but as a source of her own power.

Her story makes it clear that working within an oppressive system to gain power is often futile. This parallels how our female Westerosi povs who attempt to gain power by playing the game remain trapped by its rules. No matter how skillfully they navigate it, the system itself is built to ensure their subjugation. Dany has succeeded not because she played better, but because she refused to play at all. She burnt the board, then removed herself from civilization—from its structures and trappings—by crossing through the Red Waste to protect herself and to safeguard her dragon hatchlings. Because of this, she is later able to reenter society as a force of disruption in her world. It’s important to note that it was Dany herself who chose to reenter society—annd later decided to use her dragons not just to empower herself, but to liberate others as well.

The message asoiaf presents through Dany is quite clear: true liberation is impossible within a system designed to oppress. Hatching her dragons on the Dothraki Sea, far away from the “civilized” world, was the perfect setting for her liberation—both practically and symbolically.

[forthegothicheroine]

Trying to keep the peace between the tankies and the hippies in Frostpunk 2, and suddenly the hippies want me to institute the death penalty and mandatory motherhood, and I'm starting to see the appeal of absolute tyranny.

[blackstarlineage]

25 Essential Principles for Black Conduct and Empowerment: A Garveyite Perspective

From a Garveyite perspective, Black people must uphold a code of conduct rooted in self-determination, unity, discipline, and economic independence to reclaim sovereignty and build a powerful Black world. Marcus Garvey emphasized that the liberation of Black people requires not just awareness but action, structure, and collective responsibility. Without a solid foundation of principles to guide conduct, Black people remain vulnerable to external control, disunity, and stagnation.

This analysis outlines 25 essential principles that Black people must adhere to for collective empowerment, ensuring that every aspect of life—from personal discipline to political strategy—aligns with Black self-reliance and Pan-African unity.

1. Prioritize Black Unity Over Petty Divisions

Black people must reject tribalism, nationality-based elitism, and class divisions that prevent global solidarity. Whether African, African American, Caribbean, or Afro-Latino, all Black people share a common struggle and destiny.

2. Be Loyal to Black Institutions, Not External Systems

Economic, educational, and political systems designed by non-Black entities often do not serve Black interests. Black people must build, support, and defend their own institutions to ensure self-governance.

3. Maintain Economic Discipline and Group Economics

Black people must spend, circulate, and invest money within their own communities rather than enriching non-Black businesses that do not support Black liberation. Wealth must serve the collective, not just the individual.

4. Reject Begging and Dependency

Garveyism teaches that self-reliance is the key to sovereignty. Seeking validation, reparations without self-building, or constant dependency on non-Black systems keeps Black people weak. We must create solutions, not wait for handouts.

5. Strengthen the Black Family Unit

A strong Black nation starts with strong families. Fatherhood, motherhood, and communal responsibility must be honoured. The intentional breakdown of the Black family is a tool of oppression, and reversing it is a revolutionary act.

6. Guard Black Cultural Identity Fiercely

Black culture must be protected from dilution, appropriation, and distortion. The global media industry manipulates Black culture for profit while degrading its revolutionary potential. Black people must reclaim their spiritual, artistic, and historical identities.

7. Reject Hyper-Consumerism and Materialism

Black empowerment is not measured by luxury brands, flashy lifestyles, or European standards of success. True power comes from ownership, land, and industry—not consumer status.

8. Develop Financial Literacy and Generational Wealth

Black people must prioritize financial education, investments, land ownership, and cooperative economics over short-term spending habits. Financial discipline determines power.

9. Master Self-Defense and Security

Black communities must be physically and strategically protected. Knowledge of self-defense, martial arts, and security strategies is essential to prevent exploitation, gentrification, and violence against Black people.

10. Respect and Elevate Black Women

Black women have always been at the forefront of liberation struggles. They must be honoured, protected, and empowered, while rejecting both misogyny and feminism that devalues traditional African family structures.

11. Reject White Validation and Seek Black Excellence

Seeking approval from white institutions, corporations, or governments weakens self-worth. Excellence must be defined on Black terms, not Western standards.

12. Eliminate Self-Hatred and Colourism

Black people must dismantle anti-Black programming, including colourism, texturism, and Eurocentric beauty standards. Loving Blackness is a revolutionary act.

13. Be Politically Aware but Not Emotionally Manipulated

Black people must engage in politics with strategic awareness, rather than blind emotional allegiance to parties that do not serve Black interests. Power is taken, not asked for.

14. Prioritize African Spirituality and Indigenous Practices

African spiritual systems have been demonized and replaced with religious systems that pacify Black resistance. Black people must reclaim ancestral knowledge and reject systems that promote blind obedience over empowerment.

15. Train Black Youth for Leadership and Legacy

Black children must be educated in liberation philosophy, economic empowerment, and self-discipline from an early age. The next generation must be trained, not just inspired.

16. Reject Degenerative Media and Narratives

Music, television, and films that promote self-destruction, hypersexuality, and violence against Black people must be rejected. Media that elevates, educates, and empowers Black minds must be supported.

17. Demand Accountability from Leaders

Black leaders—whether political, religious, or social—must be held to strict ethical and strategic standards. Personality cults and blind allegiance lead to betrayal and stagnation.

18. Build Pan-African Alliances Instead of Isolating Movements

No single Black community or nation can thrive alone. Black people worldwide must work together to secure land, resources, and industries.

19. Promote Self-Discipline and Mental Strength

A weak and undisciplined mind is easily controlled. Black people must master self-discipline in thought, habits, and actions to create a powerful global presence.

20. Reclaim the Warrior Spirit of Our Ancestors

African history is filled with warriors, revolutionaries, and empires that resisted colonization and slavery. Black people must embrace the warrior spirit rather than glorifying passivity.

21. Master Technology and Control the Digital Space

The future is digital, and Black people must own, develop, and master technology rather than being just consumers. Controlling media, cybersecurity, and AI is critical for sovereignty.

22. Protect and Defend Black Land and Resources

Black communities and nations must protect their land, agriculture, water sources, and raw materials from foreign control. Land ownership equals power.

23. Reject Integration as the Ultimate Goal

Integration into white society is not liberation. The goal must be nation-building, sovereignty, and Black self-governance, not assimilation.

24. Reject Criminality and Sabotage from Within

Internal destruction—whether through gang violence, betrayal, or corruption—keeps Black people weak. Code of conduct, integrity, and accountability must be upheld.

25. Make Black Consciousness and Excellence the New Standard

Mediocrity, victimhood, and aimless entertainment must be replaced with a culture of Black excellence, Pan-Africanism, and mastery of knowledge and power.

Conclusion: The Path to Black Sovereignty Is Discipline, Strategy, and Unity

From a Garveyite perspective, the liberation of Black people is not a dream but a responsibility. Without a strict code of conduct, discipline, and self-determination, Black people will remain vulnerable to exploitation, division, and external control.

Marcus Garvey built the largest Black organization in history because he understood that power comes from order, strategy, and a clear set of guiding principles. These 25 rules serve as a modern framework for achieving Black sovereignty, economic independence, and Pan-African unity.

The question is: Will we have the discipline to follow them?

[asukiess]

I have this wip where nathalie wrestles with motherhood + the time she lost with Adrien and anyway. he encourages her to go back into the archaeology field, lectures or symposiums or public classes that might interest her, and. it got me thinking of adrien planning a first day back to school for nathalie 😭

like. he wakes up early, earlier than her even, careful to stay quiet in the kitchen while he packs her a lunch. fighting off horrible suggestions from plagg as he bounces between pantry and kitchen and on the balls of his feet as he assembles whatever lunch he thinks up for her. 

he resists the urge to play her, though the thought makes him laugh. knock on her door and politely let her know that she has an hour before she has to leave. does she have her bag? does she have her homework?

no, it’s better like this, catching her shocked expression at the foot of the stairs, her eyes fixed on the brown paper bag he’s clutching. 

Adrien, you didn’t have to—where did you—? 

Adrien shrugs. It’s almost hard to speak around his smile. He saw this in a movie. This is how first days go. It feels good to him to give this to her. 

To Nathalie, this is a mirror of how she failed him. This is what he never had. 

Outside, he’s practically bursting with excitement as placide pulls the car around and nathalie is laughing a little now, telling him he can start his day now—but wait, he says, grabbing his phone, she has to take a first day picture!! He ushers her against the door, but the lightning is too dim so he runs down the steps, calling after her to follow. yes, here, where the sun is shining against the ivy and roses—

“You always make that pose!” adrien laughs, waving his hand at her torso, which her hands are hid behind. 

she scoffs down at her feet, fighting a smile. what pose? she doesn’t pose.

“bring your hands forward, c’mon! we’re celebrating nathalie sancoeur’s 17th first day of school!!”

reluctantly, awkwardly, she lets her hand fall to her sides and resists quite terribly to make them into fists. is she holding them too far out to her side? Sweat beads at the nape of her neck. 

he tells her to smile, and she does. genuinely. After all, it’s hard not to mirror his. 

he keeps snapping pictures—she was blinking, the sun was on her glasses, oh, the dreaded smear frame!! 

(they’re all perfect pictures, he just wants a lot.)

adrien opens the car door for her. she says she wouldn’t have minded walking, it isn’t far. he clicks his tongue, looks out past the gates. no, the house isn’t far from a lot, and there is a kind of thrill to running to school—

Nathalie says okay, okay. Before she can say sorry, he’s ushering her inside, wishing her a fantastic first day. smiling, both at his joke and at her, like she’s something worth smiling at. like he enjoyed, more than anything, doing this for her. 

placide is silently wiping away tears at the stoplight. nathalie, a failed-stoic and blubbering mess in the backseat, playfully tells him to cut it out. they’re representing a brand, she jokes, echoing Gabriel’s words from over a decade ago now, have some decorum. someone honks behind them; they’re taken too long at the light. what a softie he’s turned into, she whispers. 

the trepidation she feels on the institute steps makes her all too aware of how alone, how scared he must have been to see her call after him that first day. a lifetime ago, she held her mother’s hand on the way into primary school. she squeezes her hand into a fist. adds it to the running list of things she should feel guilty about forever. 

Later: nathalie feeling incredibly liminal on campus, alone and frazzled with emotions on a lone bench. she opens the bag and sucks in a breath. 

he put in a little note. it’s hard to read through welling tears. 

With a mind thick with guilt, slow moving and stuck on one question, she struggles through eating the sandwich he packed. 

What has she done to deserve this? The question comes in stereo, her voice and the ghost of two others. Her lip quivers and the question throbs like a headache, pounding, the early onset dehydration. What has she done to deserve this? Food sticks in her throat and she forces herself not to cry with little success. What has she done to deserve this, exactly? 

Sobbing into hands that’ve killed what he is, one of the easiest things she’s done, admittedly; no mess like a deer, no wasted arrow, no missed shot. poof, done. for her, that’s the current sum of her motherhood.

hands that have given over death to his mother, hands that promised her that she’d protect him. hands that have notched an arrow at his father, hands that have warmed a ring for him. Hands that rejected Adrien at birth and for the burgeoning years after. Hands that only regretted that too late. 

The way people mark heights and ages on thresholds, there used to be a jamb with this history in the house but it was sanded down after Emilie died. There is nothing she can do to lessen what she’s done, not now. She feels every mistake as viscerally as the scars on her body. Maybe those have kept the score. 

How many years wasted? Observing him, loving him and never doing enough, never doing the right thing, you’re a series of choices and you’ll always pick the wrong one. What’s that choice now, Nathalie—loving him as your own or telling him the truth of who you are? 

A dog that keeps dropping rabbits at your door. Presents, people coo, it means like love you—but it always makes your gut twist a little at the morbidity. You can either punish it for trying or accept fragile things. 

She breathes out, solemnly and steadily trying to catch her breath. Bring them forward, he’d said, and the fresh memory tugs on her heart like pushing on a bruise. 

Well, they’re forward now. They’re different hands now. No, they’re the same, but what’s the difference, the similarity?

Wiping her hands on her dress pants she resolves: they’re forward now. that’s all she can do.

[dykeulous]

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

the illusion of a loving, determined, self-controlled & providing man is just that. an illusion.

“woman” does not exist as as a “protected” underclass.

the lies they sell you about the “easy life” of tradwives are exactly that. lies.

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

if you give a man the power to feed you, you are essentially giving him the power to starve you.

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

the couples who tell you how perfect their conservative trad life is, how functional & happy they are, how easy the wife has it– are selling you misogynistic propaganda to cover up the reality of housewives, disadvantaged women; women who depend on their husband’s mercy.

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

the oppression of women is not merely tied to, “they are weak & soft and should in turn have a loving & logical man provide & protect them”. the oppression of women does not exist in a setting of a “peaceful dumb subordinate and her rational and loving head”.

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

housework is only one form of unpaid labor. women have historically engaged in more physically exhausting & dangerous labor, unpaid labor– the role of a “gentle and nurturing housewife”, despite the role/labor of motherhood, childbirth & housework also being insanely dangerous & undervalued roles; is closer to a misogynistic myth than reality.

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

marital rape is normalized. under a totalitarian marriage, a woman is not “protected” from rape. she is regularly raped by her husband. the law does not interfere since her husband has full ownership of her. to him, consent is given the second you say your wedding vows. marriage is an institution of oppression.

“woman” does not exist as a “protected” underclass.

nothing about our pain, suffering, and oppression is “protecting” us. quit using misogynistic language when trying to analyze systems of oppression.

[astrodescent]

NEPTUNE AND THE KIND OF DAYDREAMS YOU MIGHT HAVE

neptune in astrology represents the planet associated with dreams, illusions, and spirituality. it influences our capacity for imagination, intuition, and the desire to connect with higher realms, but it can also bring confusion, escapism, and a tendency to see the world through a veil of idealism or delusion.

aries / 1H: adventures, taking risks, impulsive actions, personal growth, idealized self image, ascend personal victory, being seen as a leader

taurus / 2H: materialistic, luxury, comfort, food, owning property, stability & security, gardening, creating art, being worthy, success

gemini / 3H: communication, writing, being smart, learning, school days, being seen as witty and intelligent, having access to knowledge, siblings, neighbours

cancer / 4H: family, motherhood, having a comforting home, sense of belonging, ancestors, domestic life, home decorating, family history / secrets

leo / 5H: creativity, romance, drama, theatre, preforming, being in the spotlight, love affairs, recognition for their artistic talents, applause

virgo / 6H: work, helping others, health, science, being exceptionally good at their job, making a difference, cleaning, having order & control

libra / 7H: relationships, partnerships, art, beauty, idealistic partnership, balance and fairness, law, aesthetics, spiritual fulfillment

scorpio / 8H: mystical themes, sex, drugs, rebirth, dying & funerals, intense emotions, inheritance, deep transformational experiences

sagittarius / 9H: travelling, education, institutions, university, freedom, law, morals, adventures, global issues, higher truth, different belief systems

capricorn / 10H: public image, legacy, recognition, authority, social status, being seen with integrity, authenticity, career, creating a foundation

aquarius / 11H: inventions, societies, cultures, new technologies, close knit relationships, dystopian futures, aiding in societal change, creating a better world

pisces / 12H: spiritual & mystical themes, higher powers, divine healing, transcending material world, deep empathic scenarios, using artistic abilities, forgiving past trauma

© spirit-of-phantom 2023

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for dismissing Motherhood?

🐣🚼👼

I (33f) work in a large financial institution, doing remittance processing. No customers are ever around us, and I sit with a group of 5-6 people every day. One of our cool supervisors came around greeting everyone and saying happy Mother's Day. He also asked my friend (29m) if he'd gotten his pregnant wife a gift yet. Friend replies that he's thinking about it. I say "well technically she's not a mother yet".

Here's where I might be TA. Everyone's reaction, erupting in a mix of laughter and gasps. (Gaspter, if you will) I am child free by choice and everyone knows that, as the conversation around kids comes up pretty often. And one of our coworkers (45f) who is pretty religious, was on break and everyone was saying how lucky I was that she didn't hear that.

Here's my thought process tho! WHICH I DID NOT SAY ALOUD. If someone is pregnant, even if they're up to 8.99999 months, horrible things can happen which lead to a stillborn baby. Someone who's had a miscarriage is definitely traumatized and in despair, but if they didn't have other kids, you wouldn't say "she's a mother/parent".

Maybe I'm wrong and it's some weird religion thing left behind in my child brain but until you breathe, you aren't born, and therefore become a Child.

Should I apologize for being insensitive? AITA?

[meirimerens]

You mentioned a burakhovsky wedding… please share your thoughts on that. Like do they marry as old men or younger? Is it like a steppe wedding or more a symbolic commitment thing? I’m curious

Cracks KnucklesOkay so the deal is

they Would have liked to keep it low-key (especially dankovsky who's used to having to cover his ass all the damn time), maybe the two of them + 3 friends each (rubin lara & grief for burakh, peter andrey and the rotten corpse of farkhad they haul around as a ghost like a noxious cloud over their heads for dankovsky), but burakh Is A Menkhu. he is the spiritual leader of the Kin, he is a vital social, spiritual and medicinal person within his community, so his business is the community's business, and vice versa. a sense of Ritual is deeply important to the Kin (not just to them tbh) and if he and dankovsky are to be seen, in the eyes of burakh's communities (kin and town) as bound by dedicated, committed love, a ceremony gotta be done. he WILL be put into a ceremony. dankovsky comes around to a wedding from a sense of What Happen In The Town Stays In The Town so might as well and when he comes back to the Capital the people don't gotta know and also it would make his mom soooo happy she so would so happy for her son to have a weddig(sic) so he's like oh my god okay fine. he's never been a big #marriagehead in no small part because it is like The institution of heterosexuality (especially within christianity) but he comes to consider that the whole "bride being given from father [her previous "master"] to husband [her new one] to go from domestic servant to domestic and reproductive servant" well Does Not Apply here from the But We Are Both Boys Men.

as far as age goes: vitally important to me that yeva (mamakosvky) get to see it so i think they marry age like. mid to late thirties. she's old but she still attends.

it's a whole ordeal because a Warden officiates a Kin wedding, and in the instance that burakh, The Main Warden, is the one getting married, another Warden must officiate. in my mind it is Oyun [cf this thing he's the one hidden and going over the book (2021 art jumpscare)], who also is in charge of updating the rites for Two Men [cf below] and it's kinda awkward due to the Almost killing each other thing.

there is a lot of motherhood - birth - death symbols within the kin's mythology (cf. Boddho herself, The Mother, the birthing of herbs, the "<o> brand" sigil associated with birth, motherhood, cycle and death...) which to me are apparent within the wedding rituals (not just for the fictional[ized] Kin tbh this is a widespread thing irl too) and as such said rituals have to be adjusted for the Gay Thing. it is not that no Kin member has ever been gay or bi, or even that a menkhu has never been that (i know what isidor did to that old man), it's just that burakh junior is the first one for whom such a ceremony pops up. whole ordeal. oyun has to go over the rites with burakh and a bunch of herb brides about what needs to be changed, what can be left in but adjusted etc. "we should probably take this sigil out of the rite it's for a descendance--" "[herb bride speaking] actually☝ it's technically for sexual potency so it can stay" meanwhile burakh is head in hands begging for it to be over. one of the rites include the husband helping his new wife hop on a bull and then lead that bull to the threshold of their new shared house and dankovsky has to sit his dad down and go "okay so i will be on that bull but this is not because i'm "the woman" in the relationship. you must understand this. not "the woman" because there is no woman. we're doing it this way because it's better for the bull to carry lighter (me) and also because i don't know how to lead a bull but burakh does. you understand this".

yeva brings armenian brandy to the post-wedding feast. there is LOUD singing and dancing. honey cakes also (to bring together burakh's & dankovsky's respective backgrounds).

[madameaug]

Remember the Dream || Scott Summers

Pairing: Scott Summers x Black Female Mutant Reader

Ten years had gone by since the untimely passing of Charles Xavier. The voice for mutant rights and the most prominent advocate for the coexistence of mutants and mankind. Today marked a solemn anniversary the eternal rest of his physical body. But his message lived on- or so he had hoped.

Xavier believed his dream would flourish through the hearts of his students and the countless lives they touched. However, it appeared more than evident that his dream was buried alongside him. His beloved students parted ways not long after his funeral.

The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters was shut down within a year, and its iconic halls were abandoned. Students have to be redistricted to other schools. Over time, ivy and wild weeds claimed the brick exterior, turning the once pristine grounds into a ghost of its former self. The X-men had effectively disbanded. Some said they were on hiatus but others knew the truth: they were scattered, lost without their leader.

That's why it was so shocking to see the news headline flash across the breakroom TV:

'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters Demolition Next Monday'

The title alone was enough to freeze you in your tracks. One by one her colleagues gathered around the screen. Someone turned up the volume as Gwendolyn Branch, a local reporter, delivered the story with practiced detachment.

"CEO of Dynamico Industries, Morgan Hills has purchased the former school for mutants for an undisclosed amount. The property, once heralded as a safe haven for young mutants, will be turned into commercial use. Dynamico's representatives have declined to comment at this time. This is Gwendolyn Branch reporting for your five o'clock news."

"Good riddance." Ruben clicked off the news segment, turning the public television to a college basketball game. He didn't even try to mask the disdain in his voice.

You learned early on that Ruben's opinions, were always delivered with sharp edges. In fact his bias seemed to embolden others in the office to share their own. Conversations like these were why you avoided the water cooler crowd. Divisive topics about mutants always led to cliques forming, and for your sake, it was better for you to remain silent.

You continued to enjoy the few minutes of your lunch before your next meeting. Your silence on the ongoing conversation in the lunch room seemed to catch Ruben's attention.

"I'm sure your old man is jumping for joy, ain't that right Kelly?"

"I don't know why don't you ask him for me." You offered a fake-nice smile. You put your fork down, making direct eye contact with him.

The room grew quieter, the background chatter fading. Ruben pulled the seat across from you underneath his body. He now sat in the chair backward.

"That's right, I forgot. Daddy issues."

"Step-father." You corrected. A distinction you made sure to clear up every time it eventually came up in conversation. Your mother met the now senator not long after your biological father signed over his parental rights, officially walking out on the both of you. Too overwhelmed with the idea of single motherhood your mother corrected your birth certificate giving you his last name.

Your stepfather's extremist anti-mutant stance had cast a long shadow over her life. As a prominent figure of human supremacy, he had spewed rhetoric that endangered mutants daily. His political stature painted an unwanted target on your back. People at the firm assumed that you shared the same views as him, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Not that you ever felt compelled to prove herself to anyone.

"Now, if you excuse me," you stood up, snapping your Tupperware shut. "Some of us have a job to do."

The glass door to your office clicked softly behind you as you returned to the tranquil silence of her desk. But the tranquility was short-lived. You now had to tackle the fifty new emails in her inbox when your office phone rang.

"Hello?" You answered the phone as usual, as your hands typed on your keyboard. There was a silence on the other side of the line. Glancing at the number again, it didn't register to any of her clients or any familiar caller ID.

Repeating yourself again, you waited for a response. In pure coincidence, you looked outside your window. Nothing in particular catching your eye of the busy New York streets. Hundreds of people passing the law firm.

A strange feeling crept up your spine. Turning your head, your eyes drifted to the telephone booth across from the firm. At first, nothing stood out, just pedestrians hurrying past each other. But then you saw a glint of light reflect of maroon red shades. You could see a man's figure in the telephone booth. A trenchcoat and a baseball cap on his head, doing everything in his power to blend in.

"You can't be serious?" you whispered. You stood ridged, the office phone still in your hand. The man tilted his head slightly, adjusting his glasses.

"We need to talk."

"After ten years, this is how you reach out to me? A cryptic phone call. Really?"

"I doubt you would have liked if I went in the firm." You glanced at your office door, then back at the window.

"You'd be right about that."

"Meet me tonight." He said, turning half of his body now facing your office window. "Our old spot."

The line went dead before she could respond.

Removing the business casual attire from work you changed into something more casual. The impending conversation with Scott pressing heavily on your mind. What exactly did he want to talk to you about?

You hadn't seen him in a decade-not since the funeral, not since the school shut down. They had lost touch, and that was putting the situation lightly.

The New York streets on this side of town was uncharacstically quiet in compared to other boroughs of the city. Bayville, New York, was a combination of low-income housing with speckled areas of modern homes. Gentrification spread across the town as the years went by. Before multi-million dollar condos popped up it was the kind of place people went to disappear. Police actively avoided this area, as members of the community took an active no-police involvement stance. Any discreptions that occurred were solved between the community. It was the perfect place to feel outcasted to hide. A perfect place to hide in plain sight.

Scott sat in the back corner away from the few patrons in bar. He too was also in a trench coat that was draped over his shoulders. His elbows were on the table, fingers interlocked with each other. He appeared to be in deep thought. The same dark sunglasses she saw him with earlier. His posture was guarded, his shoulders hunched slightly as if the weight of the world rested on them.

You walked toward him, your heeled booths clicked on the tiled floor.

"You're getting old Summers." You slide into the chair across from him. His lips curved into a small humorless smile.

"Funny, You on the other hand-"

"Careful," you warned.

He chuckled softly, the sound warming her more than she wanted to admit. "I was going to say you've grown into yourself. More confident."

Unsure if you should accept the compliment or dissect you let his comment go.

"So talk. What's so urgent that you needed to drag me into this."

Scott reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a worn envelope. He slid it across the table to her. “This is what they don’t want you to see.”

Yout hesitated before picking it up. Inside were photocopied documents—legal contracts, zoning permits, and financial agreements. Her eyes scanned the pages quickly, your brow furrowing.

“This isn't just redevelopment…” she murmured. “This is erasure."

Scott nodded grimly. “They’re destroying the school, its history, and everything it stood for.”

“And you think I can help with this how, exactly?” she asked, setting the papers down. “I’m a lawyer, Scott, not a superhero. Those days are over for me.”

"That's why I need your help. You've got the legal expertise. And, well... I trust you." he said, his voice lowered but remaining firm.

"This looks complicated Scott."

"When has it ever been easy." You looked at him for a moment. Noticing the little signs of aging on his face. His signature stubble with patches of grey hairs. Even with the glasses, there was still a fire in his eyes. The determination had not wavered after all these years.

"It's about ensuring the next generation has a chance like we did."

The logical part of you wanted to tell him no, to leave you alone. That you finally found normalcy in your life, and wasn't going to through it out the window just because he asked her too. But deep down, you knew he was right.

You crossed your legs. "Do you still believe in the dream?

"I have to. It's the only thing keeping me going." The vulnerability in his voice melted your heart.

"What's your plan?" You asked, not quite getting on board yet.

It didn't surprise you that Scott came prepared with multiple plans to accomplish his goal. He always had plans for everything. Even ten years later some things never change.

"First we stop the demolition. That means hitting Dynamico where it hurts- legally, financially, and publically."

“And after that?”

He hesitated, his hands clasping together on the table. “After that… we bring the X-Men back.”

You failed to control your facial expression. Your eyes squinting unsure if you heard his correctly. You paused waiting for him to correct himself, but he remained quiet.

"You're serious."

"As serious as I've ever been," his voice steady. "The world still needs us, more than ever."

"Alright, Summers" You said, "Let's see if we can make this crazy plan on your work."

"We've done crazier things." He smiled again.

Leaving the bar you both walked down the uneven pavement.

"Okay, so you want to bring the team back. But it's not like we can just snap our fingers and expect everyone to show up."

Scott’s expression faltered slightly, and he adjusted his sunglasses, a familiar tic you recognized from years ago. “I’ve tried. Some were easier to find than others. And… not everyone is eager to come back.”

You tilted your head. “Who’d you talk to?”

“Let’s start with the easy ones.” Scott exhaled. “Hank’s still teaching. He’s at a private research institute, working under the radar. He… wasn’t exactly thrilled when I brought up the idea of reforming the team. Said he’s done fighting. Said it’s time to let go of the dream.”

You frowned.

“That doesn’t sound like the Hank I remember. He always believed in the dream, even when things got rough.”

Scott shrugged. “Ten years can change a person.”

“What about Ororo?” you asked.

“Storm’s back in Kenya,” he said, his voice softening. “She’s doing what she does best—helping people. She’s rebuilt her community, her family. When I reached out, she told me her priorities have shifted. She didn’t say no outright, but I could tell she’s hesitant. She’s… moved on.”

“And Logan?”

Scott’s lips pressed into a thin line, and his jaw tightened. “He’s… gone.”

Your heart sank. “Gone? As in—”

“No,” Scott interrupted quickly, shaking his head. “Not dead. At least, not that I know of. But he’s off the grid. No one’s seen or heard from him in years. Knowing Logan, he’s probably somewhere in the Canadian wilderness, doing what he does best—brooding and avoiding people.”

“Sounds about right. And Jean?”

Scott hesitated, he looked away. He stuffed his hands in his coat pocket. A small but telling gesture.

“She’s… not here,” he said quietly.

The words hung in the air, heavy and unspoken. You didn’t press further. She knew better than to dig into wounds that were still raw.

“What about Rogue? Bobby? Kitty?” you asked, steering the conversation back to safer ground.

Scott’s expression lightened slightly. “Rogue’s in New Orleans. She and Remy are running a community center for mutant kids. She said she’d think about coming back, but only if it won’t disrupt what they’ve built.”

“Remy, huh?” You said with a small smile. “So those two finally figured it out?”

“Looks like it,” Scott said, a hint of amusement. “Bobby’s teaching high school somewhere in the Midwest. He seemed… content. Kitty’s in London, working with Excalibur. She said she’d be willing to help from afar but doesn’t think she can leave her current team.”

You briefly stopped in your tracks, taking in all the information.

"So let me get this straight. You're trying to rebuild the X-Men with a team scattered across the globe. Half don't want to come back, and the other half moved on with their lives. Do you realize how insane that sounds?"

"Like I said, when has it ever been easy." He smirked faintly.

Fair point. Scott stood a few steps before you, coincidently, under a street light. He looked at you, waiting for you to continue walking with him. From the little amount that you did know, this didn't sound like it was about to be a quick in-and-out mission.

It was you and Scott having to carry out this mission, until the others came to their sense and rejoin the team.

"Please don't make me regret this." You huffed under your breath, stepping a few feet closer.

"If we're going to do this, we do it right. We're a team."

Scott nodded, a flicker of determination sparking in his expression. “Agreed. And Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” he said, his voice soft but genuine.

Continuing on their walk, the conversation changed into a lighter tone.

"What exactly have you been up to for the last decade? Other than making cryptic phone calls." Your tone was humorous.

“Nothing as exciting as it sounds. After everything fell apart, I went underground. Tried to help where I could—mutants being targeted, families torn apart. But without the X-Men, it was... different. Smaller scale.”

“That doesn’t sound small at all,” You said, her voice softer now.

He shrugged. “It felt small. Like putting out fires while the whole building burned. And you? What about you, Y/N? You’re… a lawyer now?”

You laughed lightly. “Yeah, imagine that. Little old me, trying to make sense of this world with contracts and legal jargon. It’s… exhausting, but it pays the bills.”

Scott raised an eyebrow. “You say that like it doesn’t mean something to you.”

You thought for a moment before responding. “It does. I like helping people, even if it’s just navigating the mess that is our legal system. But it’s not…” You hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s not what I imagined myself doing back then.”

“Back then,” Scott echoed, nodding slowly. “Feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” you agreed. “But sometimes, it still feels too close. Like at work—there’s this guy, Ruben. He’s one of those people who says every nasty thing that comes to his mind because he knows no one will call him out on it. He doesn’t know I’m a mutant, obviously, but he says enough that I know exactly how he’d react if he did.”

Scott frowned, his jaw tightening. “Sounds like someone I’d like to have a word with.”

You smirked. “Don’t worry about him. I’ve learned how to handle people like that. But… it’s not just Ruben. My stepfather’s at it again. He’s sponsoring this bill that would require mandatory DNA testing for everyone to identify whether or not they carry the X-gene.”

Scott stopped walking, turning to face you fully. “What?”

Your expression darkening. “It’s called the Genomic Transparency Act. He’s dressing it up as some public safety measure, but we both know it’s just another way to target mutants. To single us out.”

Scott’s fists clenched at his sides. “That’s... dangerous, Y/N. If something like that passes—”

“I know,” she interrupted, her voice firm. “Believe me, I know. If this bill gains traction…”

Her voice trailed off, but the weight of her words hung in the air.

“We can’t let that happen,” Scott said after a moment.

“I’m not sure how to stop it,” You admitted. “He’s got powerful allies, and the bill is already gaining support in certain circles. It’s not like I can waltz into Congress and argue against him without outing myself in the process.”

Scott’s expression softened as he looked at her. “You’re not alone in this, Y/N. We’ll figure something out.”

She looked at him, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them. “You always say ‘we.’ Like there’s still an ‘us.’ ”

“There is,” Scott said without hesitation. “There always will be.”

You swallowed hard, glancing away as they resumed walking. The conversation had shifted something between them that felt too heavy to confront directly.

“Yeah, you’re a real enigma, Summers,” Y/N teased, shaking her head.

[radicalfeministroots]

Women’s Bodies Are Not Public Property. Reproductive Rights Are Non-Negotiable.

Reproductive rights are not just about abortion. They are about bodily autonomy. They are about the right to exist outside of forced reproduction, outside of state control, and outside of the male-centered system that has treated women as incubators for centuries.

Patriarchy has always sought to control female bodies through forced pregnancies, restricted access to contraception, sterilization abuse, and medical gaslighting. Whether it’s banning abortion, normalizing birth control sabotage, or denying women life-saving healthcare, the goal is always the same: to keep women subjugated by making our biology a prison.

Let’s be clear:

Abortion is healthcare.

Contraception is a right, not a privilege.

Motherhood is a choice, not a woman’s default destiny.

No woman should be forced to carry a pregnancy she does not want.

No woman should be sterilized against her will.

No man should have the power to dictate what happens inside a woman’s body.

And yet, in the year 2025, we are still fighting to be seen as fully autonomous human beings. Our rights are debated like abstract concepts instead of life-and-death realities. The erasure of women from discussions about reproductive rights is intentional because when you erase the oppressed, you erase the oppression.

Women’s bodies do not belong to men. They do not belong to the Government. They do not belong to religious institutions, political parties, or the medical establishment.

They belong to us. And we will not stop fighting until that is recognized fully, completely, and without compromise.

[djuvlipen]

But as surrogate mothering is normalized, it is crucial to highlight the classist and racist premises on which it is founded and its destructive consequences for the children thus produced and for women. A worrisome one is the presence of a number of “suspended children,” who, having been denied, for various reasons, legal certification in the countries where the “intended” parents reside, or having been born with disabilities, are rejected by both the surrogate mother and the commissioning couple. A Reuters investigative report has also found that through the internet adoptive parents, at least in the US, can dispose of children adopted abroad, without any difficulty, through a practice called “private rehoming” that is totally unregulated. Even more worrisome is the evidence that some surrogate children are channeled to the organs market, for once the transaction has taken place no institutional oversight checks what happens to the children marketed this way, who in most cases are taken to other regions, thousands of miles away from the place of their birth. ... While defenders portray it as a humanitarian gesture, a gift of life enabling couples who cannot have children to experience the joys of parenting, the fact is that it is women from the poorest regions of the world who generally take on this task, and surrogacy would not exist except for the monetary compensations it fetches. Quite properly, then, in “Surrogates and Outcast Mothers: Racism and Reproductive Politics in the Nineties” (1993), Angela Davis has argued that surrogacy is continuous with the breeding practices that were enforced on the American slave plantations, with poor women in both cases being destined to forfeit their children, once born, for the profit of the rich.

-- Silvia Federici, "Surrogate Motherhood: A Gift of Life or Maternity Denied?" in Beyond the Periphery of the Skin

[laurelwen]

Like Minds Tarot Cards, Part 1 of 3

Possessed initially by the idea of putting Alex and Nigel into the Lovers card, of course I immediately expanded my ambition to make all the Major Arcana. Tarot is incredibly subjective and personal, as are interpretations of these characters and moments. Reversed meanings are included for most of these because I feel many of the cards embody a complex mix of both energies. (Sally as the High Priestess is just entirely reversed. Complete failure, no one is doing intuition worse than her.)

The Fool - Beginning a journey, standing at the cliff’s edge, taking risks, reckless folly, spontaneity, impulsivity

The Magician - Enacting your will to manifest an outcome, potential manifesting into reality, determination, willpower, resourcefulness, cunning, manipulation

The High Priestess - Intuition, insights, mystery, secrets, inner knowledge, understanding.  Reversed: Failure to listen to your intuition, incorrect instincts.

The Empress - Motherhood, fertility, abundance, nurturing, compassion. Reversed - sterility, negligence, domestic problems, stagnation.

The Emperor - Authority, leadership, fatherhood, law and order, status, control, structure. Reversed - authoritarianism, rigidity, abuse of power, absentee father.

The Hierophant - Religious beliefs, conventional values, conformity, tradition, institutions.

The Lovers - Union, partnerships, desire, soulmates, mirroring of the Self. Reversed - disconnection, conflict, imbalance, distrust.

Like Minds Tarot Cards, Part 2 of 3 Like Minds Tarot Cards, Part 3 of 3

[Like Minds Masterpost- Main] [Like Minds Masterpost - Aesthetic]