#its so much more than different beliefs and disagreements

[cheerfullycatholic]

confession time :( my lifelong best friend and her boyfriend unabashedly live in sin (drugs, premarital sex, witchcraft, immodesty, the works). she is vehemently anti-Catholic as she says Catholics are a "hate group." one of her other friends said he planned to convert to Roman Catholicism and she immediately acted nasty towards him and told him not to convert. the worst part is she's encouraging my little brother to start living in sin. it makes me so scared.

we've been best friends since we were seven, we're in our twenties now. it's sad that I dedicate every day to Catholicism meanwhile she drives a car with a massive "hail satan" decal in the back /srs. i don't want to end our friendship, but it makes me so nervous that she's leading my brother down the same dark path she's on. please pray for me :(

Of course I'll pray 🖤

[pigdemonart]

Do you ship Fox and Krystal?? Because they were my childhood 🥺 baby's first otp yknow

hahah I do! But with a BIG asterisk. Putting it under cut for INSANE STAR FOX RAMBLINGS

* <- the big asterisk: I ship them, but like I also am okay with them not being end-game. I think their relationship could be so much bigger than that!! OK so, let me explain. When I was a kiddo I shipped them! I was a baby furry and I loooooved that there was a playable girl character in Star Fox FINALLY (though, you know that was for only a split second bhnjmk) But now, I just think the way they were both written in the games was a little boring and one-note. Also just uncomfortable at times, since her first appearance Krystal was made out to be weird kinda-fetishy, sex-appeal and not much else. I don't think that's a controversial statement though LOL Later games I don't much feel for their chemistry either, though they have cute moments here and there. The more interesting parts about them is when they're not seeing eye-to-eye and they're apart from each other, honestly. So in my drawings I was picturing something less canon and more re-imagined. Krystal is the lone survivor of her race and she's on Sauria trying to find the truth about what happened to her home planet while also aiding the local wildlife. I don't imagine the dinosaurs speaking much in my version, but Krystal is telepathic and an empath, she can read their minds well enough to talk to them and be understood. I imagine also she knows about Andross, but doesn't believe he's the reason her planet was destroyed (there's disagreements on if that is canon or not, and I think its pretty silly to blame every bad thing on the one guy.) I think it would be fun if Krystal (never being encased in a crystal because that plot was dumb) meets Fox on Sauria early on in the events of Star Fox Adventures. I mean it would have been GREAT if Krystal was his partner, instead of Tricky. Though in the drawings I included Tricky too, cuz why not? I like the dynamic of Krystal being kind towards all living creatures and Fox having to learn to keep up with that. Nature never seemed like his -thing- ya know. See I like the idea of their personalities crashing a lot at first. They are from different cultures and backgrounds, their understanding of Lylat history is different -- Fox being from Corneria means he views the war against Andross as a necessary thing, something Andross brought on himself and eventually paid for with his life, not to mention the death of his father weighs heavily on him forever. Krystal disagrees, being a firm believer that war is never the answer and the price of peace for some came at the cost of the death of others, including her own people. Like...DO YOU SEE HOW MUCH THEY WOULDN'T MIX, they are just too different and too caught up in their own life missions to really get the other's intentions. But then in spite of all that, they become friends. I think my ver. of Krystal while looking down on Fox somewhat for being a mercenary would also be intrigued by him. She would want to know how exactly this guy and his team defeated Andross, and from there know more stories about his life. Likewise, Fox being stuck on ground on Sauria with Krystal I think would open his eyes a bit more (lmao touch some grass for once) and they would at least bond with each other while also helping each other stay alive. I think they realize on their own that they each bring out good things about one another... at least at first.

In the games Krystal is pretty much assimilated into Star Fox and we don't really see how that happens or how she really feels about it. We just know she eventually breaks up with Fox and cuts ties with the rest of them, something that broke my heart when I was a kid, but I'm not super against or in disagreement with. Personally I just think her sort of beliefs and upbringing would have never lent itself well to the line of work Star Fox does, at least not so easily. It came off to me like she was a young woman caught up in a romance that felt right at first and then became bitter and unfulfilling once reality set in. And in my eyes, I think its more interesting if she becomes disillusioned with Star Fox and the Cornerian Defense Force because, put simply, Krystal isn't pro-military. And that's sad...but it's pretty raw, too. And I love my stupid children's game about furries in space being full of dark themes!! Nintendo already set the domino pieces up, I just feel like we never got to see them all come tumbling down. We were teased with possible ideas that the Cornerian army and General Pepper were morally grey and that Andross had good intentions mixed in with every totalitarian thing he did. Krystal even is the one to defend Andross in one scene in Command, which is fucking crazyyyyyyyy!!! but it doesn't GO ANYWHERE -tears hair out- But anyways, as you can see Fox X Krystal drives me insane. /pos There isn't really an ending I love or subscribe to the most from Star Fox Command. That game really just threw a lot of the fans for a loop with all the drama and "bad," not super fulfilling ends to beloved characters. Though, that being said, I lowkey like the Kursed/Krazoa arc for Krystal, I think it's like an interesting path for a character like her. Like yeah, turn this woman into a hardened butch bounty hunter!!!! why NOT!!! She'd get under his skin better than Wolf ever could!!! Plus, how often does a pairing go from friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-strangers?? Fox can't recognize the love of his life anymore because she's been fundamentally changed by the world HE introduced her to. Now they both gotta live with that with Sauria being nothing but a distant memory. It's tragic, it's messy, it can go in so many different directions and I just think these furries should yell at each other for my amusement. anyways that's all. :] i'm actually normal about them tee hee.

[milktei]

When you write angst/fluff one shots, I love how you indulge more with your character's feelings and not just straight up jumping to the good part where everything's alright. Specifically during "Again" and "Fine". Would you mind writing the same stuff but with a bit of hostile management of actions whilst in a disagreement with the reader? Will writing for Kuroo or Ushijima okay? ( I think you've taken a liking to Sakusa so I'm not sure if you want the first two captains.) Anyhow, I'm frankly talking about a bit of viol3nce. In this view, how would they speak up their mind and resolve the matter maturely?

Of course when you're available, thank you for your time:3

Love Sealed in Gold

Ushijima Wakatoshi x gn!Reader

Genre: Angst, tiny bit of hurt/comfort

Warnings: Violence (not towards reader), Possible oocness again. Not edited :P

The pace that i managed to get this out is surprising even to me :o But i had an idea the moment i read the ask!! Isn’t that crazy???

the fact that it’s obvious that sakusa is my fav is kinda embarrassing ngl HAHA BUT i just enjoy writing for haikyuu so don’t worry about requesting people i haven’t written on!

hope you enjoyed this anon! i couldn’t in good conscious add anymore “violence” than i did. what i wrote is really tiptoeing the line for me.

That being said anyone who reads this please don’t take this as me saying to forgive everyone who acts like Ushijima does in this, of course every situation is different but i don’t want it to seem like this is acceptable behaviour and something a person should have to deal with and accept. Violence is a scary and serious thing especially in a relationship so stay safe!

Anyways the idea of using Kintsugi as a metaphor in writing isn’t exactly new but i hope you guys enjoy my take on it and how i wrote it :)

The Japanese art of Kintsugi is a method of fixing broken pottery that has been popularized all over the world, romanticized even. Something about using the precious material that gold is (among other materials), to put something back together seems to tear into the hearts of people all over the world. So much so that companies even sell their own Kintsugi kits where you can break the provided pottery and put it back together yourself.

How ironic, to buy something only to break it and go through the tedious task of connecting all the broken pieces back together again.

Many hold the belief that kintsugi hold its own deeper meanings. Some say it shows that something breaking and being repaired shouldn’t be covered up, but instead embraced, as it is a part of that objects history.

A more pessimistic view on the subject could be the fact that no matter how beautiful the broken pottery looks, it will never be the same again.

As you stand looking at your boyfriend with only horror filling your body, you could only think about the same could be said for your relationship.

You knew from the get go that getting into a relationship with the Ushijima Wakatoshi was going to be a tough mountain to climb. Anyone from family, friends, colleagues, and even complete strangers had warned you of that fact.

From his personality, to his schedule and the demands that came with being a professional athlete; it seemed that everything was put against the two of you.

But he was the one to ask you out, to court you, the one who crossed the line from friends to potential lovers. That was something that no one could deny being surprised about.

Yes your boyfriend was intimidating, seemingly expressionless and emotionally constipated. But you loved him, and he loved you.

You could work around schedules, you understood why he works as hard as he does, and learning who he really was something that came with time.

As your relationship progressed you could really begin to see what kind of person he was, and how the most subtle changes in his demeanour could signal a change in mood.

But this behaviour was not subtle, it was pronounced, loud, it filled the entire room and made it difficult to breathe properly.

You could barely remember what you two were arguing about this time. Perhaps how you acted during a charity event? How he was running late to a date and didn’t text or call to let you know? it seemed to be a trend for you two in the last couple of weeks. Pick at every little thing one found less than pleasing and then getting mad when the other tried to defend themselves.

This cycle had been going on for far too long and both of you were tired of it, but at the same time too stubborn, too proud to admit defeat.

It was late, far too late for the both of you to be awake, it was far from an appropriate time for you two to be arguing at the volume you were, but whatever exhaustion either of you felt was smothered by a whirlwind of emotions and stubbornness.

Ushijima wiped a hand down his face in frustration from where he sat at the dinner table. Across the room you paced, ranting about your point in the argument that had only been going in circles at this point.

“I-it’s like you can’t even bring yourself to care anymore!” you exclaimed frantically.

A piercing glare was sent your way and it took everything in you to not shrink away from it.

He stood up, with his size, the action in itself felt extremely intimidating, but you felt the way he talked down on you much more severely.

To further articulate his words, a palm would slam down on the surface of the table, so hard that you could feel the vibration in the floor. Each slam was louder and each time you flinched.

His words grew harsher, louder, and more pointed with each sentence. The look of pure, searing anger and hatred on his face kept you frozen in your place.

The man in front of you was unrecognizable, the man in front of you was not the gentle giant you loved. If anything, he was exactly like how many people would describe him upon meeting him. If not worse.

His words, which had now become shouts swirled in your mind, your eyes began to sting as tears began to well in your eyes. All you could think about was how you wanted this to stop, how if only your body would listen to you and move so that you could begin to ask for forgiveness. How you would give anything right in that moment for him to stop yelling and to stop looking at you like you were dirt on his shoe.

Your prayers were soon answered by the sound of shattering ceramic.

The gasp you let out was visceral, uncontrollable, you couldn’t hold it back if you tried.

The fire in his eyes seemed to die out all at once, his gaze moved to his outstretched arm and he look at it as if it had a mind of its own.

His arms were his prized possession even if he never said it out loud, some would go as far to say that they were something to be celebrated. His arms that can hit a volleyball with the utmost precision, arms that brought him to victory and through loss. Strong arms that held you at night and provided you with a great amount of comfort some could only dream of.

Arms that now only served to fill your body with dread.

A vase, along with all its contents was shattered on the hardwood floor.

It had chipped the paint on the wall beside him where the impact initially happened, water that splattered the surface had begun dripping to the ground.

You both recognized the vase, how could you not?You had gone out together to buy it when he had brought you flowers for the first time and you had realized you had nothing to put them in. After moving in together, you used it as a center piece for your dining table.

How sad that an item so fragile and small could hold so much meaning, and that it now lay broken, it was almost as if it were mocking you.

The room was silent as the both of you stared at the scene before you. Minds reeling as you both tried to process the events that had just unfolded.

Ushijima had thrown the vase at the wall in a fit of anger.

“y/n-“

“Don’t”

You looked up at him and wondered if the conflicted emotions that flickered across his face mirrored your own.

You looked away and took a shaky breath. “An apology won’t fix it. You can’t throw and break something, especially not that, and just expect me to be able to hear and accept an apology, not now, not for this.”

His mouth snapped shut and the tension that filled the room was suffocating. Every time you glanced at the broken ceramic the urge to cry grew and grew.

You wrapped your arms around yourself and took a step back, “I’m…” You swallowed roughly as your voice cracked, “I’m going to the bedroom, you need to clean that up and it’s obvious that we need time to cool down.”

With one last glance at the scene, you turned on your heel and made your way towards your shared room, not seeing the look of anguish that Ushijima held on his face as the watched you leave his sight.

You softly closed the door behind you and as it clicked shut, the realization of what had just transpired fell upon you like waves during a storm.

Despite popular belief, Ushijima had never been an intentionally violent man. The only harm he had caused was on the court, where it wasn’t uncommon for athletes to get injured no matter how good or bad they played.

But tonight, he had no reason to do what he did, there was no excuse even if it was the nth argument of the week. The Ushijima you knew was emotionally intelligent enough to know that he did not have to go through the actions of picking up the vase and throwing it at the wall in order to let his anger be known. He did not need to do that to show you how angry you made him.

His anger had been shown all throughout the night. It was practically palpable.

Your legs shook underneath you as you tried to make it to your bed but your efforts were in vain, you crumpled to the cold hard floor, feeling like you were in pieces, much like the ceramic on the floor of your dining room.

You desperately tried to hold yourself together as you replayed the what had just unfolded again and again in your mind. Not understanding why you felt so conflicted.

Fear. You realized.

Fear is what you felt, refused to believe. How could you fear the one you loved?

And yet every part of your body rejected the idea of your boyfriend and urged you to be afraid of him. Afraid of the only man who could make you as happy as he did.

The man who was supposed to make you feel loved, protected, and safe was the same man that made you feel the complete opposite.

Your chest ached and you breathing quickened, now fully aware of the situation you found yourself in. You were afraid of your boyfriend and didn’t know what that meant for the future of you relationship.

He was- is all you ever want, you couldn’t imagine spending your life with anyone but him, but how were you supposed to move on from this? You now knew how he could react in times of great anger, what if it only got worse from here?

It was then that you finally allowed yourself to cry. After all that had happened you didn’t know where your relationship stood.

It was only after a couple minutes that the door to the bedroom began to open ever so slightly, at a pace so slow you couldn’t even see or hear it through your sobs.

“y/n?” His voice managed to spit out. He was quiet, uncertain, he feared for what your reaction may be at him being there at that moment.

You didn’t respond to him but he knew that you knew he was there, even as sobs racked your body and you pressed a hand to your mouth in a feeble attempt to quiet them.

Slowly, as if not to startle a deer in the forest, Ushijima sank to the floor from where he stood. Keeping an eye on you as he sat down, angling himself so that he was looking at the far wall and you wouldn’t be forced to make eye contact if you could find it in yourself yourself to look up at him.

This was far from ideal to him. He wanted nothing more than to scoop you into his arms and bring you to bed, quiet your cries as he held you tight and told you that it would pass and by the morning it would be a thing of the past.

But he knew better. He knew that he was the reason for your tears and the last thing that you needed was for him to wrap his arms around you.

He was aware of your fear before you were. The horrified look you gave him would be something that would stay engrained in his mind for years to come.

He was only used to you looking at him with love and happiness in your eyes and he had managed to ruin that in one night.

“I know that you don’t want an apology right now.” Ushijima started, he looked down at his hands and clenched them together to prevent them from trembling. “But I just wanted to let you know that… I am fully aware of how unacceptable my actions were tonight, that was no way to take out my anger and I should know better than to display my anger in the way that I did.”

Your cries had stopped at this point but you still trembled, still it brought him the smallest amount of comfort knowing that you were likely listening to him now.

“You deserve better than my misplaced anger, and you have every right to be angry with me, to not want to even be in this room, in this house with me right now. If you wanted to leave-“

His breath hitched and he found himself looking down at the hands in his lap with disgust and sadness.

“If you wanted to leave right now I would understand, but that doesn’t mean I’m giving up on us, I’ll do whatever it takes to earn your trust again.”

Your head lifted ever so slightly and it gave him the confidence to keep going,

“I’ll get help, I’ll find other ways to channel my emotions. Along with that I’ll ask you for your feedback on how you think I’m doing, if what I’m doing makes me worthy of being with someone like you. It won’t start more fights I promise.”

He smiled at himself sadly “You seem to know me better than I know myself at times and that’s one of the reasons I fell in love you. I don’t think I could forgive myself for losing you if I didn’t put as much effort into trying as I could.”

The room was filled with silence once again as Ushijima finished talking. He sighed to himself. He hated this, he hated what he had done to you two, he hated that he was the reason for your tears and he hated that he was feeling completely helpless at the moment, and that you were well within your right to end everything, and there would be nothing he could do.

Your hand grazes his shoulder and he has to do a double take to ensure that you were there. Right at his side like you always had been for the years you had been dating.

Your smiled was coupled with sadness and exhaustion, and he couldn’t hold back the sound of surprise that left him as you wrapped your arms around him and let yourself press your weight into him.

He let out a shaky breath he didn’t know he was holding and allowed his arms to finally reach for you, the next thing you knew, you were being pulled into his lap and he held your head close to his chest, you could hear his heart pounding and could feel his entire body tremble. He kissed the top of your head and let his head rest on top of yours. When he realized how instinctively he was acting, he froze.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to act so suddenly I-“

You shushed the man and ran your stroked his arm soothingly in an attempt to calm him.

“I understand.”

Quiet filled the bedroom and for the first time in a long time, it didn’t feel oppressive, or hot with anger. It felt comfortable as it always should have.

Ushijima was the first to break the silence. “We’ll be okay y/n, right?”

The question was almost childish, naive, and ignorant of how many more questions would be raised answering it.

But it was purely Ushijima. Something that only Ushijima would ask in a time like this, he knew about the complexities, knew it would be hard to answer, but he asks anyways.

You ponder for a moment, knowing that no matter how you answered, there was still always the chance that everything could still turn out very differently that whatever you two could imagine.

“We’ll have to work towards it Toshi, and it might be a slow process, but from the bottom of my heart. I believe in us.”

Strong arms hug you tighter, filling you with that familiar warmth

“Thank you.”

Kintsugi is the art of repairing what was once broken by adding something precious to the mix. When used as a philosophy it encourages the acceptance of fragility, coming back from hardship stronger than before, and being proud of something imperfect.

Something that is repaired using this method will never look the same, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it still holds a unique beauty to it and will continue to function, as long as it is done properly and handled with care.

[roguesynapses]

Hi!

I am a Marxist-Leninist, but lately I have been thinking about getting closer to anarchists. First and foremost because my local communist organisation behaved absolutely inhumane lately (anarchists are also not perfect but not that bad, or at least they seem so), but I also admit that anarchist criticism of ML asks questions that I also wonder about.

So like, can you share some readings on anarchist theory and practice for someone with ML background?

If you have enough spoons to waste on me, here is what made me associate with ML:

(Break is weird because I do it to separate main part from addition)

Mostly just the fact that out of people around me they were making the most sense when discussing current affairs and history, but also like most of the available alternatives range from liberals who literally admire Hobbes as great hero to open fascist (both Hitler and Mussolini types, I live in such a diverse society), so it's not hard. Also like the only revolutions that lasted more than a couple of years were ML in nature, but also all of those states while achieving things eventually decayed and gave birth to elites of their own, so like, there is something wrong with the scheme. Also as I said I care a lot about history as a foundation of my beliefs, and Marxists make the most sense out of it, but also even more advanced versions than Engels have plenty of what I assume to be blind spots. It's mostly some distant stuff like how feudalism is in no way successor to Ancient world and not as universal as it "should" be, but any failure to explain something in the past makes someone's prediction of future questionable.

I can recommend a few introductory books, though they are not by all means the be all-end all of anarchist thought. Anarchism is a widely spread ideology, and especially at its intersection of socialism, and opinions differ from theorist to theorist, even if basic principles are mostly agreed upon. Keep that in mind as you explore further.

Anarchy Works by Peter Gelderloos is probably the most popular introductory work, and explains the basic principles quite nicely, although in my opinion it does contain some inaccuracies, policies I don't support and glosses over some points which should be explored more.

An Anarchist FAQ is not so much a coherent theoretical work, but is rather an exploration and rebuttal of frequently asked questions from a social anarchist perspective. It's by no means perfect, and does not claim to be so. Personally, it's a little mutualistic for my tastes, but there's good stuff in there.

Anarchy by Errico Malatesta is far closer to a classic piece of theory, if a short one, expressing the positions of a committed Anarcho Communist and one of the most prominent theorists of modern Anarchism. Although Malatesta is against syndicalism more than I would be, it's still a great introductory work.

Anarchism and Other Essays by Emma Goldman is seen as a pivotal work by many in explaining the philosophy of anarchism, as well as offering a contemporary view of anarchist theory at the previous apex of the movement at the turn of the 20th century.

As for history, many social anarchist at least largely agree with the Social view of history Marx postulated in broad terms, though there is heavy debate and disagreement on the finer points. Digressing from that, Kropotkin's Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution is probably the widest distributed work of the intersection of anthropology, history, and anarchism, even if it uses outdated terms and phrases. Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graeber and Against The Grain by James C Scott both explore the early history of states, with the former going more into economic value theories and the latter going more into the history and causes of the state itself. Scott's other works critiquing the state (Seeing Like a State and Two Cheers for Anarchism) are also quite good, which is impressive considering he does not call himself an anarchist.

If you'd like to discuss one on one, you can message me here or on my discord, I'll be happy to discuss. Happy reading, friend.

[butch-gamedev]

Hi! I’m trying to get my bearings on the post about bimisogyny, and I want to know more on why/how it’s appropriating (copying?) the theoretical underpinnings of transmisogyny. Can you explain it more, or direct me to where I can learn about it? Feel free to say no, I just wanted to ask directly 👍🏼

(feel free to answer publicly or privately, either is fine)

So part of what's upsetting to me about the whole situation is that there's a significant corpus of *theory* surrounding transmisogyny, a great deal of analysis, and these attempts to equate things like "transandrophobia" and "bimisogyny" to it completely elide frameworks in what is very blatantly a game of equalization or minimization. Transandrophobia is a bit more blatant at this - attempting to set up an intersection of transphobia (real) and misandry (not, tragically), and with its proponents essentially openly using it as a point-scoring method against trans women (a fairly prominent proponent was outed as a serial abuser today, another recently instigated a fairly large outcry by feeling the need to draw over stats on violence against transgender people to suggest that it was undercounted against trans men but overcointed against trans women). I think most transfemimists rightly recognize that people who uphold "transandrophobia" as a legitimate axis of oppression are largely just reactionaries - it's true that trans men and trans women experience transphobia differently, but the idea that trans men have it worse is... unsubstantiated is a generous term. The sole function of the word seems to be as a method for transmascs to signal to each other their own transmisogyny.

"Bimisogyny" as a term I think is coming from a better place - bisexual women do, in fact, experience particularly heightened level of misogynistic violence. But... at the same time it's fairly clear that the coining of the word comes from a desire for equalization rather than the emergence of a real framework of understanding. The only substantive writing on the subject essentially gathers a bunch of statistics on the misogynistic violence bisexual women face, lists a couple patterns of fetishization and control from men, and throws its hands up. No motives or mechanisms are considered. This, combined with the author having a history of questionable analysis of politics surrounding sexual orientation in the past, kind of give the game away to me. If an actual understanding of bimisogyny had been set up or was being worked towards, the piece (and the general discourse surrounding it) would be centered on developing an understanding of why conditions are so dismal for bisexual women - who benefits from it, who enacts it, and how. This isn't to say that such a framework isn't needed, it's just to say that... as people use the word right now, it kind of explains nothing while trying to carry the same gravitas as transmisogyny. This is part of why people responding to me with "oh so bi women aren't allowed to talk about their oppression?" is grating because that's obviously not the function of using the term as things are now. I must also admit that the originating piece lingering overlong on anti-bisexual sentiment among lesbians and referring to "bi-exclusionary lesbians"... does not give much confidence either.

And one thing that's been glazed over is that understandings of transmisogyny aren't just "shit sucks for trans women, ergo we get a word", and even if I frankly have a lot of disagreements with the originating text, there is a great deal of insight on the cultural factors informing transmisogyny. Serano theorizes transmisogyny as the intersection of oppositional sexism (the belief that there are essentially two types of human being, split by reproductive capacity into two non-overlapping and distinct categories) and misogyny (the assertion of men's power through the negation of women). I don't even really agree with this reading - I tend to follow Wittig's stance that the establishment of sex categorization is itself necessary to facilitate misogyny and that sex is not in fact prior to misogyny but is constructed. I think Serano is a bit of a liberal, and naturalizes some things which are socially constructed as innate or predetermined. But the understanding that transmisogyny is rooted in the maintenance of sex as a system does hold water, and contemporary materialist feminists do consistently have apt analyses of transmisogyny through this lens (often centered around the positionality of transgender women as degendered women - women who are subjected to misogyny and misogynistic violence without the already flimsy defenses afforded to others through gender recognition). The narrative that transgender women are sexually threatening or gain benefits from supposed intrinsic maleness is itself used as justification to abuse us in a traditionally misogynistic manner. One thing that has been of particular interest to me is the tendency of non-female transgender people (generally trans men and trans-mascs) to leverage a female self-gendering willingly and temporarily for the sole purpose of gendering transgender women as male as a justification for dismissal, violence, or resentment. I think that this necessarily points to transmisogyny being useful as a tool not only for the construction of hegemonic male and female identity but also multiple transgender identities, but I don't want to get any further into the weeds right now.

[stvlti]

Official cast interviews for Blue Beetle (2023) from DC Nation

Found these interviews in the back of Ravager: Knight Terrors and Robin: Knight Terrors. They seem to be inserted in Aug publications at random? If anyone finds Bruna Marquezine's interview please drop them and @ me

Update: The above interviews are now transcribed below:

Interview with Xolo Maridueña:

What can you share about the origin story of Jaime Reyes—and his alter ego, Blue Beetle?

Jaime is someone who's coming back to his hometown from college. One day he comes across this scarab that grants him powers beyond belief. At first, he's reluctant to become a hero, but ultimately he'll decide to accept his fate—whether he feels worthy or not!

Like most comic book films, there are tons of origin stories to pull from. I think our movie amalgamates some of Jaime's best stories in comics over the years.

How does this scarab give Jaime his powers?

The scarab, Khaji Da, is a sentient alien life-form on a mission across the universe to detect technological advancements. The scarab just so happens to attach itself to Jaime and he's granted incredible powers.

The powers are more a question of what can't he do? He can fly, punch things super hard, make his hands turn into different weapons. He's kind of just the best superhero out there...if I do say so myself.

Who is the villain of the movie, Victoria Kord?

Victoria Kord is played by Susan Sarandon in the film. Victoria is truly a billionaire mogul with her eyes on the prize. However, she has a bit of a chip on her shoulder because there was a disagreement on who should head up Kord Industries. Susan Sarandon is such an amazing actress and as much as Victoria Kord has a bad side, she's also very charming.

What makes this superhero film unique?

This film really is gonna tap into that familiar family feeling that is irreplaceable. You're gonna meet Jaime's family and say, maybe I don't look like them, maybe our parents don't come from the same place, but I know this type of love and what this relationship feels like. I hope it will make a lot of people realize you don't have to do everything alone.

All the moments that led up to Jaime encountering the scarab were because of the foundation that his family was able to build on.

Interview with George Lopez:

What can you tell us about Rudy, your character in the film?

On my last trip to Atlanta, I was in a car and I looked out the window and there was a guy working for the city with about a 10-inch goatee, glasses, long hair, and a city orange vest that had no sleeves, and I thought, man, that's me. I like the idea that we're so quick to judge somebody by the way they look, and Rudy is a bit of a contradiction from the way that he looks.

Why do you think the scarab chose Jaime Reyes as its host?

I think it chose Jaime because it knew that he's a good guy. The scarab chose somebody who would use their powers for good. If you go back into the bug lair and you see Ted Kord's previous Blue Beetle uniforms it was from a guy that had money, was a little bit eccentric, and would create these outfits for himself...but he couldn't fly anywhere.

What can fans expect from Blue Beetle's costume?

You've seen nothing until you've seen the Blue Beetle costume deploy and the pincers retract! It's amazing to see him fly and fight. He operates in a dark blue and black costume, similar to charcoal, which may be the coolest colors of all time. It feels more like a skin than an actual costume. I've seen a lot of bugs in my day, but I've never seen one that looks like that.

How is being a part of Blue Beetle meaningful to you?

As an actor, I've been fortunate enough to have done stand-up for a long time, had my own show named after me, and a number of other incredible things in my career. However, I would have hated to not be involved in this project. If I wasn't cast in this movie it would've been heartbreaking in a sense, but I'm honored to be a part of it. To know that you're specifically chosen to be in this great project, and give life  to a guy like Rudy, is beyond an honor.

[redr0sewrites]

Kim'dael x reader Headcanons

she is criminally underrated omfg here are some headcanons reqs are open!

🥀CW: nsfw, mommy kink, blood/knife kink, thirst and filth, bondage, mentions of wlw sex ig?

🥀 minors dni with the nsfw part

SFW:

SHE PAINTS HER NAILS ALL DIFFERENT COLORS ALL THE TIME

shes gotten really good at it, and she will do yours if you want her too

shes a really intense lover, but has a softer side

shes always flirting with you, and enjoys seeing you flustered

she will let you do her makeup, and will be smirking at you the ENTIRE time

she will teach you how to fight and defend yourself if you dont already know how

she has lots of enemies, and wants to make sure your safe

she has lived a long time, and knows how to read people very well. she can always tell when your feeling upset, but will wait for you to talk to her sbout it as she doesnt want to intrude

i feel like she would give you lots of gifts, shes not necessarily good with words but she will gift u lots of charms and trinkets. if she sees you wearing any jewelry shes given you, her heart will flutter a little

there has to be a lot of trust and communication within the relationship, kim'dael knows she isnt the easiest to love and that her life is difficult

if anything were to happen to you, she would go apeshit even if your wounded with just a scratch whoever hurt you is going to PAY

she likes really long, intimate kisses that lead into messy makeout sessions

if you let her drink your blood, she will be very, VERY careful not to hurt you or take too much

she finds your blood especially strong because of your bond and your love so she will save it for special occasions

she is very intelligent, and she enjoys talking about complex things with you

she plans ahead alot, and is always very punctual for dates

she INSISTS on paying for you milf behavior

she is very passionate about her past and her beliefs, and if you feel otherwise that may lead ot disagreements

she doesn't like avizandum or any of the archdragons very much

she mourns the moonshadow companions that she lost so long ago, but acts like it doesnt bother her anymore

NSFW

DOM DOM DOM

if you have a vampire kink your in luck

she is SUPER into marking and by the end of the night your skin is covered in bite marks and scratches

seeing you bloody is a turn on for her, and she has a knife kink. she wont hurt you too bad, but enjoys running the knife over you during sex and watching you shiver from the cold metal

super into bondage (i forget the fancy name) and will tie you up with thick red ropes in intricate designs

she will tease you for HOURS before the sex even starts

if you have boobs, she will ravish them

she also enjoys if you mark or play with hers, and will smirk the whole time

she prefers recieving to giving, and will pull on your hair when your going down on her

she will not be afraid to grind her hips on your face, she LOVES seeing your face all messy from her cunt

she also enjoys riding your face, your fucked out expression is something she cherishes

very much into scissoring teehee

if u have a cock, she LOVES riding you until your whimpering she will not let you cum until she does

SO MUCH DEGRADING SHE IS MEAN

mommy kink? mommy kink

"awe, your gonna come already? thats too bad, mommy hasn't come yet.. i guess if you beg really sweetly, mommy might let you come sooner. come on, i know you can do better then that doll~"

scratches you down your back with her long nails and will watch as you squirm and whimper

she is also into pain herself and would very much enjoy it if you gave her hickeys

POSSESSIVE POSSESSIVE POSSESSIVE

she is into public sex, its such a turn on for her if you guys are almost caught

sex in the woods/outdoor sex is definitely a yes for her

she can go all night, shes not stopping until you both are more than satisfied

SHE IS SO UNDERRATED WHERE ARE THE FICS FOR HER??? auugh she is so fine. reqs are open, lmk if you want more! i tried to make this gender neutral, but i feel like she would be more inclined towards a female/gender neutral partner however this can be seen as a male reader :) lmk if there are any mistakes!

[jujusjunk]

hey i’m a diaspora jew with a bunch of family in israel. i’m a zionist in the sense that israel is the jewish homeland, but that doesn’t mean it’s only our homeland. i hate likud and i don’t agree with the scale and duration of israel’s response to oct 7th. i’ve been really freaked out by a lot of the stuff i’ve seen on social media about i/p and people’s response to it all. i just want to say that i really appreciate your willingness to talk to people with differing views and how you value peace building and a better future over continued suffering. i went through your blog, and while i don’t think we agree on some details, a lot of our larger beliefs are the same. it’s proof that we don’t all have to think the same to want the same thing in the end! i’m glad people care and are trying to get more attention on a really long conflict that probably wouldn’t get much global attention otherwise, but it’s been so frustrating seeing how people who don’t have a personal connection have been treating everything like a game, not bothering to learn much, and wanting not to end violence but to make other people suffer more in return. i’ve had the same problem with some of the more conservative folks i interact with in jewish spaces, and it’s been annoying being told by people who basically don’t know shit that i’m supposed to cut them out rather than try and talk and understand why they feel the way they do/get them to see that there are better alternatives. why do these random westerners think they know better than those of us actually affected about what our people think? anyway sorry for rambling, i just want you to know that what you’re doing is awesome and that it makes me so hopeful that the future will suck less knowing that people like you are having conversations not just with their own communities but with the world about where we go from here. i think that bc of people like you, we might actually make peace someday.

Hi my loveee, it’s so nice to meet you. I know that we won’t agree on everything and that’s pretty normal. We’re not expected to agree on everything considering the way we were raised, the religions and ideologies we were taught and honestly the propaganda we were shown. The both of us have lived diffrent lives and we can’t be expected to agree on everything. But what I think important is that even with our disagreements, respect still stands. I might not agree with you but that doesn’t invalidate your points nor does it mean I view myself as more of a human that I view you.

Everyone is equal that’s what I’m trying to get at, it doesn’t matter your ethnicity, religion, race, ideology, anything. If you respect me I will extend that respect to you, if you don’t I won’t that’s how I work.

Inshallah we will reach a point where we can all live happily and peacefully in this land because honestly it’s beautiful, one of the most beautiful in the world. I would love to share it and create memories with all kinds of people, Jews, Muslims, Christians, atheists everyone.

We don’t have to think the same to live peacefully.

In Islam we have this quote (I know we’re not talking about it but I love it and I’d like to share it)

"لكم ‏دينكم وليا دين"

It means “you have your religion and I have mine”. I extend respect towards everyone no matter your religion and I think a peaceful solution can be found between the 2 groups without the interference of the outsider, whether that be America’s government or its people.

Conservatives on both sides need to calm down let’s be honest here, extremists on both sides need to calm down. We’re gonna get nowhere if all we do is bomb each other. We’re gonna ruin the land, we’re gonna ruin our health, we’re gonna live in hate and fear for the rest of our lives if this goes on.

Now ideally what I would hope to happen, to please both sides, we call it the holy land. Palestinians and Israelis hold the same rights. Aggression is stopped from both sides, both sides are held accountable for any and all actions.

I know this is simply a dream but maybe, just maybe, one day it can be a reality🤷🏻‍♀️.

Anyways have a great day anon, I’m always available to text and to rant to, sending lots of love🫶🏼

[stromuprisahat]

Alina and the Darkling’s interactions, pt. 15

Siege and Storm- Chapter 3, continuation

More arguing, more denying for the sake of disagreement, more of degrading the “villain”...

“He can’t wait to get away from you.”

I’d beg to differ. Pretty sure he’s trying really hard not to kill you, Alina.

...the bright edge of the blade pressed to Mal’s throat. The man holding him wore a familiar sneer. Ivan. *** “Drink.” I open my eyes. Ivan’s scowling face comes into focus. “You do it,” he grumbles to someone. *** It was hard climbing with my hands in irons, and Ivan quickly lost patience. He hooked my wrists to haul me up the last few feet. *** Before I could begin to sort through them, Ivan appeared and began yanking me back across the main deck. “Slow down,” I protested, but he just gave another jerk on my sleeve. *** “Move,” Ivan ordered. I struggled to my knees. He nudged me with the toe of his boot... *** “She’s the Darkling’s prisoner,” said Ivan, “and a traitor.” *** “Bring her,” he called to Ivan. “Mal—” I began as Ivan grasped my arm. Mal lifted his bound hands, reaching for me. His fingers grazed mine briefly, then Ivan was hauling me back toward the hatch.

Ivan’s never been fond of Alina, he’s clearly far from excited about their quest to find her. He’s more likely to be afraid for the Darkling, than of him.

The Darkling doesn’t miss a chance for a little dig at one of Alina’s less desirable qualities. He’s also avoiding direct answer once again. Alina doesn’t mind, she’s happy to supply it herself.

Free from illusions? Free from dependency? Free from small mindedness? Free from what?

The Darkling plays tutor. Alina’s interested in possible harm, not education. Knowing future events, I can say it could’ve help her call his bluff at the end of Ruin and Rising.

The Darkling’s a beacon to volcra, but they don’t try to eat him? I’d be sceptical. We could explain their “attraction” with magic, but if we view them as carnivorous creatures, why would they scratch his face, but not take a chunk off?

They [volcra] were his creations, just like the thing that had buried its teeth in my shoulder.

Nichevo’ya are different “animals”. Volcra are mutated once-humans, nichevo’ya creatures torn from the Darkling’s own being.

Calling on merzost was painful, like a breath torn from his lungs, a moment of terror as his life was ripped away to form another. Creation. Abomination. But he was used to it by now.

...

“It’s not an experience I’d care to repeat. I’ve had my fill of the volcra’s mercy. And yours.”

Good thing Alina doesn’t consider the Darkling capable of human emotions, so she doesn’t have to think about how he had to feel, losing everything just a step before achieving his lives-long goal. How desperate he had to be to resort to merzost, standing in the result of his last failed attempt to control it.

Gods, how I wish he were done with Alina.

I love the contradiction between practicality about use of Alina’s powers and sort of belief Morozova’s amplifiers are akin to family heirloom, therefore she- his counterpart- should have them. Aleksander already is an amplifier himself, so who else should claim his grandfather’s creations? As (m)any beliefs it muddles his judgement when it comes to Alina’s future.

When one accusation doesn’t stick, try scholar pose... and then emotional manipulation.

We should read this as guilt over him blinding Baghra, but I’d suggest different interpretation:

The Darkling is centuries-old immortal, but the only person he’s had through all those years is his abusive mother. He understands she’s not supportive, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t long for her approval or affection. It’s irrational, but she’s the only person he belives won’t die on him and she’s still his MOTHER. He wants to be loved by her no matter how much she acts like anything but capable of that.

Perhaps he’d seen her betrayal sooner.

Alina reading willingly?! I don’t remember her doing anything for her own enjoyment. It’s either assignments or what her clique drags her to do.

Peasant propaganda? I’d love to read more about the Darkling’s experience in this particular field. 

This isn’t even Alina trying to persuade herself, she just says the opposite of what the Darkling does. Like a child trying to trump another in an argument. 

Equality should never be about lowering yourself to whichever level’s necessary.

Naturally, Alina isn’t willing to admit the Big Bad Darkling could feel anything, fortunately, the reader doesn’t have to be so biased. Is it only me, or does this sound like Aleksander’s speaking from experience? Like he has specific people on mind? We never learn much about his life, but even in books there are crumbs, painting life full of loss and tragedy.

His first soldiers were dead now. Lovers, allies, countless kings and queens. Only he continued on. Eternity took practice, and he’d had plenty of it. 

Alina never likes to hear unpleasant facts, especially criticism of her. What she loves is blaming others. Two chapters earlier, she hoped to never see Ravka again. Chapter later, she painted herself the saviour. Now, the Darkling’s the real villain once again.

Alina kept complaining about the exact same thing even before she was discovered to be Grisha.

I glanced at Mal. There had been a time when I could have told him anything.

...

“You know she’ll [Zoya] be staying at camp,” he said with a leer.

“I hear the Grisha tent’s as big as a cathedral,” added Dubrov.

“Lots of nice shadowy nooks,” said Mikhael, and actually waggled his brows.

Mal whooped. Without sparing me another glance, the three of them strode off, shouting and shoving one another.

...

Mal laughed. I hesitated by the door. This was the hardest part of being around him—other than the way he made my heart do clumsy acrobatics. I hated hiding how much the stupid things he did hurt me, but I hated the idea of him finding out even more. I thought about just turning around and going back inside. Instead, I swallowed my jealousy and sat down beside him.

...

When we’d first started our military service a year ago, Mal had visited me almost every night. But he hadn’t come by in months.

...

We’d spent more than ten years of our lives in Keramzin, but usually I got the impression that Mal wanted to forget everything about the place, maybe even me.

...

I wanted to believe that Mal and I would always be friends, but I had to face the fact that we were on different paths. Lying in the dark, waiting for sleep, I wondered if those paths would just keep taking us further and further apart, and if a day might come when we would be strangers to each other once again.

... that’s just the first chapter of the first book, but that’s okay, because Alina’s willing to ignore it as long as Malyen’s happy. See: Their time in Cofton.

Such a beautiful quote.

(So easily destroyed with few retcons...)

Yeah, it's probably how scared he is of the Darkling. Doesn't wanna come in unless he's ordered to...

I know Alina doesn’t think, but why would Ivan come when she calls? I’m sure he was overjoyed to hear her yell his name.

... aaaand back to dehumanizing the Darkling in attempt to make him less right.

I’d guess not clinging to someone, who hates your otherness might help to deal with that feeling, but that’s just me.

All previous parts.

[shwoo]

For Flooftober day 24, I am having Floofty interact with Shelda, and using both "soft" and "annoy" as prompts! But mostly "annoy". Because it's Floofty and Shelda. Post-canon, though.

(Prompt List)

Title: Not adequately processed Summary: Floofty criticises Shelda's punctuality. (Also on AO3)

.

"Perhaps if you had spent less time stopping to proselytise, you might have arrived in plenty of time," said Floofty.

Shelda folded her arms. "The Mother holds not to worldly concerns like schedules, for her word is always relevant."

"Yes," said Floofty. "I suppose it would be hard to be punctual when you were invented before the advent of accurate timekeeping."

"Indeed," Shelda proclaimed, "it is through this long history that those on the Path can feel sure in their connection to the Grumpuses of old, and through its survival, we know its efficacy."

Floofty sniffed. But they couldn't attack just the idea of religion, or the idea of ancient people knowing anything. Though they were still working on figuring out the appeal of religion. "Ah, but we if fail to update our beliefs for the modern world, are we not betraying the ideals of the founders of those beliefs? Surely they too were seen as startling and new when they were first introduced."

"Floofty!" said Shelda, with exaggerated surprise. "Could it be? Are you beginning to feel some respect for the wisdom of those who predated us?"

"Hardly," said Floofty. "I am merely attempting to convey my point within the context that you have established. I have been informed that this technique can be helpful during points of disagreement."

Shelda smiled, annoyingly. "You may come to find that your philosophies and those of the Mother differ less than you imagine." She dropped the mystical air. "And I don't mean the spiritual parts. There's more common sense than you think. But seriously, thank you for getting this for me." She stroked the sweater she was wearing.

"You are welcome," said Floofty. They'd had to battle crowds of people, flickering lights, and repetitive Grumptide music to get what seemed like the last example in the city in Shelda's size. They hadn't been entirely joking when they'd said they wished she'd arrived in time to get it herself, but they were glad to have brought it to her. It was one of those extra sustainable brands she liked so much, but apparently, it was also very warm and comfortable.

"Speaking of timekeeping…" Shelda added. "You're already getting too old to pull so many all-nighters. Trust me."

Floofty yawned, reminded of the last time they'd slept. "I shall take that under consideration." Maybe.

[isfjmel-phleg]

I have some thoughts about the ending of Sinister Sons and what it does with the characterization in comparison to the series it's a counterpart of (Super Sons). Spoilers ahead!

Super Sons is a series about the partnership and gradual friendship of Jon Kent and Damian Wayne. This starts when their fathers deal with the boys' less than pleasant initial meeting by arranging a situation that encourages them to learn to work together. This isn't a manipulative set-up; the boys know what they're in for, and it's just a matter of their learning their lesson for themselves. The boys' vitriolic but ultimately mutually caring relationship is the core of the story, but parental relationships play an important role too. Jon has a beautifully uncomplicated and warm relationship with his parents, even if he sometimes clashes with them about minor things, and his parents are nothing but loving and supportive. Damian's relationship with his father is much more complicated and often fraught with conflict, but although his father can be strict and critical, it's also clear that there's genuine love there. The tone of the series is light-hearted and fun, with its appeal being the enjoyment of watching these wildly different personalities bounce off each other.

The recently completed miniseries Sinister Sons is presented as the villainous counterpart to Jon and Damian's team--Lor-Zod, son of General Zod, and Sinson, who believes he is the son of Sinestro. The series shares its predecessor's emphasis on a budding friendship between two very different boys who initially don't get along at all, and there is similar banter and shenanigans. But even more so than Super Sons, it is about parental relationships.

Specifically, failed ones.

Lor-Zod (unlike the original version of his character, the boy who took the name Chris Kent) has been raised in an almost princelike role by parents who ostensibly prized him and instilled in him their violent, conquering mindset and a massive belief in his own entitlement. But a disagreement with his father leads to a fight and Lor's being disowned and exiled. This is apparently a setup on Zod's part on the grounds that it's part of the traditional training of sons of his house, but Lor doesn't know that--and it would be even worse for him if he did. His parents have already made it clear that their love is conditional and that he is valued only when he is unquestioningly subject to them. So Lor deals with this by clinging to his pride and insisting to himself that he doesn't need or care about his parents anymore--all while trying to somehow make a name for himself in the hope that they'll change their minds and take him back.

Meanwhile, Korg is a boy from the planet Korugar who leads a miserable existence thieving for a crime boss whom his mother left him with when he was very young. She never came back for him, and the only clue he has to his identity is a syringe she left behind inscribed with the name "Sinestro." Korg becomes convinced that he is in fact the son of this famous supervillain, who, like him, is Korugaran. He starts calling himself "Sinson," paints a black mustache on his face with a marker in imitation of Sinestro's, crafts a weapon for himself meant to resemble a Yellow Power Ring, and starts making plans to escape his planet and reunite with the man whom he believes is his father. He fantasizes about the two of them spreading fear throughout the galaxy, side by side. His current life is so bleak and he is so isolated and unloved that he is willing to grasp at any hope for a family that he can find, even if it means that he's the son of a supervillain.

Sinson isn't a bad kid. He just wants a family. Lor is no innocent. But behind the violence and self-importance, he too just wants acceptance. And that's where they are when they meet and Sinson proceeds to steal Lor's spaceship.

Shenanigans ensue, and the boys spend most of it slinging insults at each other, but they gradually, begrudgingly come to warm up a little to each other. It starts as a sense of obligation, but the investment gets emotional when Sinson finally gets his opportunity to speak to Sinestro and get a blood sample to test. It doesn't go the way he plans, and Sinestro gives him a long, cold lecture that ends with informing him that he is "insignificant." This sets off Lor, who is reminded of how his father treated him, and he intervenes on Sinson's behalf--and if he can also manage to take down Sinestro and make a name for himself while he's at it, so much the better. Sinson sees this as interference with what he believes was a connection in progress, and the boys end up fighting. Sinson thinks Lor is a self-seeking jerk for trying to come between him and his father for his own gain; Lor believes that Sinson is willfully delusional to cling to his hope for a father despite the obvious rejection. Not like Lor! No! Lor is strong and independent and totally isn't doing any of this to try to restore his honor impress his parents!

It turns out that the emotion of the fight triggers something in Sinson, and he finds out that he can tap into the Red Light of Rage without a power ring. Sinestro knows this already. This whole thing was a set-up to see if Sinson's powers are effective and controllable and to test the extent of Lor's Kryptonian powers. The boys have both passed the test. They are useful, and Sinestro rewards them with the leadership of the Korugar Defense Force--under him, of course. Fear rules, he tells them, and under all that blood they're now covered in, they look pretty sinister.

And the boys, now fully aware that they've been manipulated and used by a man who clearly doesn't care about either of them...

...they dub themselves the Sinister Sons and head off to start rounding up troops for the Defense Force they're now leading.

Sinson is so desperate for a father that he is willing to work for a man who rejected him and transparently wants to use him, and he still insists on calling himself Sinson, even if he's unsure if he wants to test the blood sample Sinestro condescends to give him. Lor is so desperate for acceptance that he is willing to work for a man he cannot respect, who sees him as a convenient tool--but who still wants him for something, unlike his own father. Better scraps of false connection than none at all, as far as these boys are concerned.

Unlike Jon and Damian, who are building a friendship and their own heroic identities thanks to the encouragement and support of their fathers, Sinson and Lor get wedged apart and put back together again to suit the purposes of a manipulative pseudo-parental figure who sees them as just so many more powerful tools at his command. Both pairs of boys are bonded to each other through their mutual roles as legacies of heroes/villains (even though Sinson's parentage is still a mystery, his powers still link him to Sinestro), with all the heavy expectations that come with that. But Jon and Damian come from backgrounds of support and love that help mitigate that burden, while Sinson and Lor now share a history of rejection and hunger for approval that now drives their partnership. There's no personal investment in their fathers' missions that leads them to carry on those legacies; they're just two kids trying to earn love in the only way they believe is available to them.

The story isn't over yet, apparently. There's a promise of further adventures for the Sinister Sons in another title. And I'll be curious to find out if these arcs will end in tragedy or the realization that there are better options out there.

After all, in another life, Lor turned his back on his abusive parents to become the son of their greatest enemy. Who's to say that he couldn't do that--or something in a similar spirit--again? And why not bring a friend with him too this time?

[readingrobin]

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain. 

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe. -Storygraph

I've always had a hard time trying to break into the sci-fi genre. I don't know if it has to do with the common settings, tropes, or themes typically associated with it, but there's always been something that keeps me from seeking out these stories and really enjoying them. Whatever the case, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet easily became one of the outliers of this issue, right alongside The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, to which it feels like its distant, more emotional cousin.

At first, I was surprised at the more character-driven nature of the story. It focuses more on the journey to the titular small, angry planet, where the crew takes various pit stops and detours, whether to gather supplies or visit old friends and family. Surprisingly, the main conflicts come more from the interpersonal relationships of the characters rather than the world at large, though there are greater threats that appear in the book's third act to introduce more dire stakes. From what science fiction I have read, there is a greater emphasis on story driven content, where conflicts are typically more physical and the characters develop through that rather than their connections with each other. This quality of the story definitely gives a breath of fresh air to the genre, or to me at least.

While the tone is fairly laid back, the characters are what truly keep the book moving. Following a cast of ragtag, lovable weirdos, this book exudes the oh so wonderful found family trope, where no matter how many disagreements they have or what trouble they find themselves in, they're in it together. Chambers gives a chance for each member of the crew to shine, making the most out of the ensemble cast. I think I liked the Wayfarer's pilot, Sissix, the most, as it was so interesting to see a nonhuman character try to navigate situations through human terms. Her species is highly affectionate, having no qualms about intimate displays of touch in public settings, which naturally isn't going to fly well with those who are more influenced by human social standards. As a result, she has to hold back what comes so naturally to her, which, in turn, gives her a bit of discomfort. 

What Chambers does so well in this story is depict cultural differences not as a way to keep people apart or deem them "inhuman," but as a way to better understand others. There are moments when the differing perspectives of the crew clash, but ultimately, they remain respectful. No one is in the right or the wrong simply because to judge a species' custom or belief through the lens of their outsider's views that come from their own, differing culture is a tad unfair. To accept these differences is to better know and connect with those that come from different walks of life and to share them is for them to better know us in return. The inclusion of aliens that actually feel like beings distinct from humans leads to an engaging diversity that prompts discussion about our own values and why we may possibly think the way we do.

If I had one criticism, it would be that there were some scenes that seemed a bit disconnected, that there were events that were mentioned, but mostly glossed over or were told rather than shown. But really  it wasn't enough to bring the book down as a whole. This was an excellent feel good session in space and I really can't wait to see what other worlds Chambers has in store.

(4/5)

[tiefling-with-a-gun]

Margot Thoughts #50

Hot or Not? The leaders of the 8 ranked from least to most attractive! By Margot Leroux

8. Bones Malone

Talk about unrealistic body standards! Not to mention the age gap between Mr. Malone and any mortal who might want to court him. Don’t trust him to come running to your aid when you need him, the only thing this lich fears more than commitment is his own mortality.

7. The Wire Witch

I’m not against voyeurism, but this may be a bit much. Now, there is something to be said about a woman who has become all but omnipresent over an entire building. But what do you do if you don’t want to come over to her place?

6. Eight Eyes Matriarchs

Being honest, I don’t have any strong opinions on these ladies. They’re a bit old for me, but I respect what they’ve got going on. That being said: trust is important in any relationship, and so the high priestesses of the goddess of treachery may not be the ideal partner for many.

5. Aurelia Ivoryclad

Listen. I like a big strong woman as much as the next girl, but there’s such a thing as too intense. With just a few sentences whispered into her ear from someone she should have known not to trust, this woman ended up declaring war on two gangs at once, for different reasons! When I think of my partner, I imagine someone who won’t kill me for saying one wrong word around them.

4. Captain Nessa

Now, this is a woman who knows how to get shit done. The captain strong, dependable, and knows how to take charge. Unfortunately, she’s a slaver, so if you have a strong sense of decency you might be put off. But if you can get past that, I’m sure you can’t go wrong with this badass pirate!

3. Damien Fire-Breath

Coming in third on this list, Damien is the highest ranked drow! He’s a pyromancer (the hottest form of magic) and he’s passionate about the city and its future! The only thing holding him back is that, unfortunately, while everyone likes a commie, nobody likes a cop.

2. The Ashen Ringmaster

I may have my own disagreements with him, but nobody can deny the Ashen Ringmaster has style. This is a man who knows how to give people what they want and, for a while, he can give you what you want too! Just be careful to read the fine print.

Astrea Lamplight

This Aasimar radiates perfection in every way! Charming, beautiful, passionate, smart, it boggles belief! Now, obviously there are some downsides. Her goal to take over the entire city, for example, could be ungenerously described as megalomaniacal. Her savior complex is also concerning. But, of all the people we’ve gone over, she’s by far the most attractive candidate.

[crimsonlyinglilly]

DAY 23: ALT 6: immortality

Day 23 of Febuwhump.

@febuwhump

from Familiar faces, set during 3x16 the Originals

The Mikaelsons are normally the greatest danger to themselves and Elijah, despite his many new lives and names, isn’t any different.

(AN- really wish I could get my mind to focus and write these in order.)

—-

As Kol and Davina walk away, he doesn’t worry, after all he has the last thing that could kill his brother in his pocket.

“It’ll be fine.” he promises Freya as she watches them leave with concern.

As he pulls it free to explain he’s amused to note that the three of them that remain are the few who predate him, his older sister, older brother and the girl who Finn has been in love with for as long as he can remember.

He remembers getting bruises from the few times he had gathered courage to tease him.  

He pretends to ignore Lucien because as long as he doesn’t show that night left a mark on him Lucien will mind his tongue, for his own good, but any sign otherwise would be akin to bleeding in front of a shark.

Actually ignoring his brother’s first sired would be easier if he wasn't unconsciously hyper aware of him at all times.

It’s also meant a surety that most of them would agree to destroying the white oak; Freya like him wants their siblings safe, Sage puts Finn above all, the only possible voice of disagreement was Finn, but he shouldn’t feel strongly enough to argue against the two people he loves.

He had Freya, he had Sage what else could Finn want for.

Still their immortality has never felt so false as Elijah holds the bullet of white oak, he had lost Finn and Kol, held Klaus in the aftermath as he realised his Sireline was broken, yet holding it now felt more dangerous than the stake that mother had made with his Gilbert ring.

It’s a relief to toss the thing into the flames.

Finn proves him wrong, proof again he doesn’t know his brother and the sight of Finn’s hand in the flames sends a flare of panic through him.

“Brother!” He can’t stop the shout even after everything as Finn lets out a scream of pain as he burns.

Finn pulls his hand out and Sage is beside him before he falls to his knees, his prize and their death clutched in a fast healing hand

“The little witch has condemned me to this! To remain a beast.” he snaps even as Sage slowly traces a hand over his, to get him to release the bullet.

“Finn!” Freya calls as Elijah finds himself lost for words.

“I can’t live though loosing the pair of you again.” Finn explains looking between Freya and Sage before turning his sight to Elijah. “Elijah... I can't bear an eternity with no hope of escape. Can you?”

Elijah swallowing thickly as the question hit too close to home, his own words to Dam and Zach, words he had repeated to Finn himself before he had truly remembered everything.

“I can’t keep doing this. It needs to stop.”

“I’ll find a way to break her curse, or a cure, you won’t be stuck.” he offered instead of letting himself compare their despair.

It wasn’t like he had given up find a cure for Elena or any of the others, it had just fallen to the side as his powers became as much of a threat to his family as the outsiders who circled them.

And he hadn’t thought of a world where he’d watch Finn age and die, Elena and Elijah Gilbert had come into the world together but Elijah had come before that and even after Finn’s death, Elijah still had Finn as a set stone of his world.

Even in the short time he had returned Elijah had foolishly let himself get used it that idea again, childishly believed in the promise Finn had made to an Elijah who didn't really remember the truth and broke straight away and his very first belief that everything would be normal if they had Freya.

“Finn,” he calls offering a hand “Give it to me.” 

Finn clutches the bullet tighter

He sees Lucian start to move from the corner, Hyper awareness has its uses and he uses his powers to throw him backwards the moment he starts to move inhumanity fast.

Timing works perfectly, Lucain flies into a far wall and lands on the floor hard.

“Alright, I wont get involved in this family drama.” Lucian calls with apparent amusement as he picks himself up.

He waits, his out hand unmoving, Finn sighs against the force of Freya and Sage’s pleading eyes and reluctantly drops the bullet into Elijah’s hand.

Of course his own momentarily panic had been enough to gain It’s attention because as soon as Finn returns the now slightly burned bullet to his hand he’s unable to stop his flinch as he’s hit by sudden loud laughter.

The expression cackling just for him to hear, far too close to free, too open with it’s want for him to lose everything and accept it.

‘A seed’ it whispers, ‘the start of a new forest.’ and Elijah is assaulted with the image of the bullet bursting with branches impaling each of his siblings with deadly accuracy.

He had alway been good with aim.

He dropped the bullet, barely noticing as Sage moved from Finn’s side to catch it before Lucian did.

“Elijah?” Several voices called with concern and confusion but Elijah couldn’t force him to pay them much attention as the voice in his mind was too much louder.

He had grown a new tree with ease from the one he had destroyed in his loss of control, that was years ago he was stronger now, so was it. 

This wouldn't be any different.

It wasn’t just the power from the people he had killed, it was the place he had made his most horrifying mistake, taking 12 x 12 lives in the mud and blood of a swamp of dead that was once forest and field filled with life.

The trenches were a nightmare the books couldn’t touch upon, and Elijah there without any reason to hold back but a want for answers for what he and the nightmares were, hadn’t.

Nature had helped him in its rage and left him with the power he couldn’t control.

He had locked the expression away, separated the sentient new being from the power that made it, and it had grown in his mind, learned from his memories, a black mirror of himself without any connection other than its chains to him.

He had been ignoring it for years, using a small parts of it and pushing it away to focus on other threats.

Now it was strong enough he couldn’t ignore it.

Now it was strong and no long bound as tightly that it could act against him.

Now it was a threat.

one by friend, one by foe, one by family, one by self.

It was as much Elijah, as he was, lives of being reborn together, Elijah attempts to keep them separate, to shut it out, had failed.

He felt the non-existence weight as it draped itself over him, breathing in his ear, dark promises.

How easy it would be to release him from the weight of his attachments, leaving just them to destroy and remake as they wanted.

He’d be free.

Never risking hurt and pain again.

He swallowed bile and tried to breath around the hole in his chest that the shiver of want at those words had caused.

A release-

The promises sounded a lot like turning off humanity that the vampires who came after them could do but without an end.

No. He wasn’t letting himself take after that mother, sorry Isobel. 

He pulled himself from the words back to the room, his siblings were looking at him with confused concern, Sage with understanding.

Of course Sage knew what he had used to bring her back, but with Kol and Davina absent, his older siblings were a little further behind on knowledge of Elijah mistake.

“Wouldn’t it be easier if they were just gone?” it purred.

[electriccenturies]

inch resting how i am such a nice, normal person up until the point where i get triggered by irl things that feel too much like being on tumblr, and then i lose my cool...

like (now, after a ton of therapy) im totally cool agreeing to disagree, or understanding that someone might have a different worldview but the same underlying beliefs as me, or understanding that the reaction they have to something might be different than mine but not fundamentally incompatible, and understanding that we are closer in our differing beliefs than either of us are to OTHER beliefs even when we disagree on the exact specifics of lefty progressive ideas... but then it gets to the gaslighting 'actually, the society has always been the way we're trying to change it to be, and this all makes perfect obvious sense as objective TRUTH, and you're the weird one if you think it's new or need an explanation because nothing has changed even though it OBVIOUSLY has' or 'actually these people believe [opposite of what they believe] and [deliberate misreading of what they believe]' and i black out 🙃

its a problem. it's an actual panic response or smth and i can't control myself very well when it happens. and also i don't like feeling compelled to censor my observations about the world around me, and i don't like watching others be asked to either. why can't people just acknowledge that they're asking for something new, and then defend it to people who find it confusing? If you can't defend something without lying and/or using emotional manipulation to get people to stop asking, then maybe you need to think it through more??? or at least accept that it's not THE objective truth?

i regularly find myself begging my therapist to tell me if what im saying is a 'normal people' belief or not because my perspective is so, SO skewed from being terminally On Tumblr for 12 years. i used to believe crazy shit, even when i didn't believe it anymore. imagine my shock when i learned that many of the absolute no-nos on this webbed site do not even register as anything to average progressive joe. that many of the strict, important social rules on here are seen as crazy as fuck by people who vote progressive, hold progressive values, but aren't in these no-nuance no-debate no-disagreement echo chambers? god it's confusing.

the world is so much more complicated than anyone wants to admit, it seems...

[rosalesbeausderholle]

you could genuinely be rehabilitated from your bigotry and that is so fucking sad. the other terves do not care that women in other countries campaigned against lgbt protection laws. they did that in the USA as well. and the uk… this is a goal. you are in a cult

Oh please

I'm not a terf, I'm not even a radfem, I've spend a lot of time criticizing radfems and adjacents and I don't need any kind of 'rehabilitation' much less by you.

I'm not some confused little child, I'm a grown woman and I know what my beliefs are.

Yes, of course I support LGBT rights legislation, I'm LGBT, and of course I oppose conservatives, I hate them. And, of course, I'm against transphobia, I have trans people who are important to me and I know trans people are very discriminated against. And the more I learnt, the more I realized that there's things that are too complex for me to say that something is always in a specific way. That's a very ignorant point of view, and I'm a researcher, we must be comfortable with ambiguity.

That means that I don't personally have anything against people undergoing physical transition, I'm only worried about doctors not informing people well enough about side effects and selling them unrealistic ideas about the results.

It also means that I can't make absolute statements about what the life of all trans people is like and the specific ways in which the social construct of gender affects their experiences, ie whether their experiences are more man-like or woman-like. Everything is always more complex than that, including gender. I'm not talking only about personal identification here, I'm talking about experiences that come from the mix of identification, presentation, physical factors, being out or not, how other people treat them etc. These all make up gender and what gender one is treated as and effectively lives as, it's not purely a matter of choice.

However, complexity inherently means that not everything is good and perfect, because perfect means simple. So, of course, there's aspects of modern LGBT activism and mainstream feminism that I disagree with, I think modern leftist progressive movements have a lot of unchecked misogyny within them, a huge critical gap when it comes to analyzing women's lives and I think there's a huge difference between saying sex is complex and refusing to acknowledge its existence and what that means altogether, which is just not wise. I also believe everyone in general is a lot more gender essentialist than we think, in the sense that they believe that there's something natural and wired in our brains about gender roles, which is simply not true.

This of course spills over to the LGBT community, where you have some people who wholeheartedly believe that wearing a skirt or trousers says something about the state of your soul (I don't believe in souls) and who genuinely cannot comprehend the idea of a butch woman existing. Or, they do, in theory, because they understand that and also drag queens well enough but then many young masc women do report people asking for their pronouns all the time after they've stated them, as if 'she/her' wasn't a good enough answer when 'you dress like that'. This is not everyone, by all means, but there is a trend of gender roles becoming more and more entrenched, both in wider society and in LGBT communities and yes, of course I criticize that, it's misogyny. Saying that gender roles are bullshit is not saying anything wrong about trans people. At be the same time, I've been the victim of very strong homophobia by other LGBT people and of course, I will criticize that, that's fucked up.

That's the extent of our disagreement. I'm against misogyny in all its forms even when it comes from my own community and the same goes for homophobia.

Yes, I do reblog from radfems sometimes, because few other people talk about the same problems I do have, precisely because when they start to do it people like you treat them like monsters (even if they're trans) and start telling them that they're in a cult 😑. Groupthink tendencies, overall toxicity and anti-intellectualism are rampant both within your circles and within radfem circles. Me having a critical mind and being able to agree and disagree with different people on different points is precisely the opposite of the problem.

So no, I do not need to be 'rehabilitated' you condescending ass, in any case you do if you can't take a random woman being just so slightly critical of the very same LGBT and leftist communities she belongs to.