#just- a queer love story about finding a safe place and a character who is being loved through his anxiety

[mykonossalome]

„I wish to always be a safe place for you to close your eyes and rest.“ (PotS, p. 243)

[relaxxattack]

Piggybacking off the last anon, what is it you like about Jane so much? I find my feelings on her kind of mixed but I lean towards positive.

okay i haven’t read act six in probably like 5 years so bear with me here. *cracks knuckles*

jane is sooo so interesting and it’s really a shame people miss like everything fun about her.

pre-scratch she used her detective work to literally succeed at tearing down the crocker cooperation, to the point that HIC has to fucking abandon ship and head into another universe to have another shot at her evil empire. pre-scratch jane is also fucking hilarious! if you didnt enjoy her antics with john as nannasprite you must just have no heart

meanwhile HIC breaches a new universe, and her FIRST fucking order of business is to NEUTRALIZE JANE CROCKER because of how goddamn detrimental she was to HIC’s plans the first time around.

not ONLY does HIC pump subliminal messaging and brainwashing into nearly every aspect of jane’s life, she also tries to straight up mind control her basically whenever possible! she ALSO sends assassination attempts after jane 24/7! (people will seriously try to say that jane lived a safe normal life… as if she wasn’t almost killed by walking into her backyard.) this is because HIC is fucking scared of jane, as she very well should be!

jane is also NOT a boring weepy annoying crybaby like everyone and their mother complains about. jane is literally the most fucking supportive friend and emotion-repressing dumbass you could ever hope to meet. jane combines john’s emotional repression and jade’s intentional cheerfulness together into one of the most fucked up cases of emotional repression in the whole comic

act 6 suffers from a LOT of shitty writing choices, but it’s not jane’s fault the whole act turns into a soap opera— and she’s ALSO not the only one who acts all soap-opera-y either! literally all of the alpha kids suffer from this, people just like jane the least so they project it all onto her. despite the fact that she did her very fucking best to NEVER talk about her feelings, to the point where she ONLY started telling people about shit when she was mind-controlled or took mind altering substances to make her do so! and you can say “ohhh that’s stupid she shouldn’t repress things in the first place how dumb” but, one she’s sixteen, and two, everyone eats that shit up when it comes from like. literally any other character.

people (cough hs2 writers) act like she would actually be “pushy” with a relationship on jake— as if she wasn’t literally the one who helped him make the decision to explore dating dirk?? because she thought it was the right thing to do???

jane is incredibly thoughtful and mature and people really throw all of those traits out of the window with preference for a version of the story where she Comes Inbetween Their Fave Gay Pairing as if she wasn’t, again, the one who got them together. jane is also extremely interesting in terms of queerness; she’s got the makings of a really interesting arc, not to mention she’s the only human girl that dresses mainly masc! there’s a lot there that people just don’t care to explore.

people just have less patience for the prospit kids in general. not to mention homestuck fans love to be misogynistic and berate jane for stuff they love the men doing, or claim she’s coming between them when she’s not, etc etc. and then because no one was writing fun meta posts about her, nobody ever rereads the comic to grab little scenes or lines to expand the online discussion about her! and then because there’s no discussion about her, people assume she’s boring and don’t go looking for bits to start discussing, which cycles on and on forever until we have the ripple effects we see of that misogyny today. which mostly consists of, “oh i hate jane because she was a villain is hs2”, or, “i know hs2 isn’t canon but i still don’t care for jane because she doesn’t do anything that interests me.” (and she’s only not interesting because of the cycle i mentioned before causing NO ONE to have meta discussion about her).

idk, it’s been a while since ive read so i could be talking out my ass but that’s what i’ve got.

TL;DR: jane is fucking COOL, she just suffers from intentional fandom ignorance. and she’s also a canonically hot, fat, masc woman, so i don’t know what else you could possibly want.

[zan0tix]

May I just say I really really appreciate your approach to and respect for the transfemininity embedded in Homestuck. Like the fact that you depict Jake as a kind of "genderfuck" (for lack of a better word) character without trying to divorce that from transfemininity as so many others do, as well as being able to depict Roxy with certain clocky characteristics without disregarding her femininity or making it feel fetish-y, is all really admirable in my eyes. It gets extremely frustrating seeing large swathes of the fandom constantly trying to separate the story of Homestuck from transfemininity despite it having a transfem enby author, so I really appreciate that you don't shy away from it in your art :)

I am so glad!!!!! Its something ive Always noticed in like every fandom since i first got onto the internet the disparity between the amount of transfems i knew vs how often their story got to be uplifted in fandom spaces or get to be celebrated how transmascs did considering how queer dominated they are but then i grew up and realised how badly male centric queer spaces are too😭

Homestuck is one of the spaces that has a big amount of transfems openly engaging in fandom activities and that makes me really happy to see! since i often see gross rhetoric from transmascs or cis women about fandom spaces abt “who is allowed” and “fandom being a safe space” cough blatant transmisogyny (sobs everywhere its so bad)

I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW PPL BRUSH PAST HUSSIE BEING TRANS SO OFTEN ISNT THAT INSANE. To me it reframes homestuck how the creators of the matrix being trans does. Like I dunno maybe that informed the works presentation of gender somehow. Maybe all the commentary and critique and displays of frustration at the contradictory nature of gender but especially trying to fit “being a man” in society came from somewhere when they were writing it 🤔🤔🤔 hussie said it herself that alot of homestuck was just stream of consciousness. Everything that comes out of daves mouth near the end seemed very plausible to be a reflection of hussies own journey realising that Actually these boundaries of what defines A Good Man and A Good Woman are ridiculous and no person can possibly live up to that no matter what were told from birth.

But i try my best to reflect the innate transfemininity of homestuck and the majority of its cast, its something integral to the works themes and just the community who built it! It saddens me how skittish other transmascs are about engaging with or portraying the transfeminine stories when its just. Practically textual. And all you need to do is Listen and empathise. I love learning how other feminine people see themselves in this story like how often do you get such a menagerie of in depth fem characters. And i love seeing what the experiences transfems see echoed in homestuck are because its all such insightful stuff About femininity and its beauty and its ills all at once. Roxy..kanaya.. wipes tear from my eye.

I want to actively include and celebrate transfem features and bodies as much as transmasc ones get to be around here and i am glad my jake and roxy do feel that way 🥹🥹 my aim with my designs is to make them feel like some everyday people youd see, no fetishisation/sexualisation or demonisation, just Existing and appreciating. Because i know how much it can mean to see yourself in something and for that to be treated with care and kindness. Its why i create in the first place! Because of how others creations gave me that comfort when i couldnt find it elsewhere

I feel similarly about how people portray fat women or just like. Women in general. its sad how badly the whole sexualisation = acceptance warps how people portray things fatness or transfem features. Never ever saying these things arent hot or sexy or to be appreciated. Duh. I think how i portray jake says enough abt what i think of that LOL just that It feels like its the only way people try and show theyre accepting? Which just feels so gross and dehumanising the only way they think to display they feel empathy is through saying “Yeah i can get off to people like you”😭

Rlly bad in society in general so also in the homestuck space. Worlds hardest challenge is liking the alpha kids. Im so sorry for what they do to you jane and roxy🥲🥲🥲 Its baffling because Homestuck is Prime Example Numero Uno of how to humanise characters. Just display them being people; their thoughts, their feelings, their insecurities, their passions, their woes, their loves, their losses. So much can be communicated through how a character speaks with their friends.

I wana do that for jake and roxy! They get to be dimensional too! I like showing their laughs and their sorrows, just them Existing with the people around them. They get to be a part of the lighthearted comedy just as the rest of them do. They get to be a part of all the gender and sexuality insanity going on in their friend group, can point out their flaws and mistakes and insecurities. I dunno its rlly not that hard to just empathise with them and want to tell their stories.

I am so invested in the raw unabashed Humanity of homestuck. Its just one person pouring their brain contents into this huge thing and it displays the best and the worst and the absurdity and the questions. Its so interesting and hussies transness IS JUST BAKED INTO IT. Thus the characters contain that too and it kinda stinks of transmisogyny to throw that out!

YAPPING TOO MUCH OMG but i rlly appreciate this ask🫶🫶🫶makes me so happy to hear

[goodbyeyellowbrickcloset]

Taylor Swift and the Yellow Brick Road: A Queer-Coded Journey - Masterpost

Introduction

The Wizard of Oz is my all-time favorite movie. It has shaped the way I see storytelling, art, and the power of symbolism. At its core, it's a story about self-discovery, chosen family, longing for home, and stepping into a magical but often deceptive world. Over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate its deeper layers—particularly its historical ties to queerness and coded storytelling.

In recent years, Taylor Swift’s engagement with The Wizard of Oz has completely opened up a new perspective for me. Her references to Dorothy, the Yellow Brick Road, and queer-coded themes are not just random. They are braided into her storytelling, her visuals, and even her activism. When you lay it all out—the lyrics, the imagery, the performances, and the deeper cultural implications—it becomes impossible to ignore. This deep dive will also explore how the people around her—friends, collaborators, and industry figures—play into the story in their own way... and how all roads somehow lead back to Taylor.

So let’s follow the Yellow Brick Road. 🌈✨

The Queer Legacy of The Wizard of Oz

Before we talk about Taylor Swift, we need to talk about why The Wizard of Oz is one of the most queer-coded films in history.

1. “Friend of Dorothy” as Queer Code

🌈 Did You Know:

“Friend of Dorothy” became secret slang for LGBTQIA+ people in the 1940s-1960s. Because being openly gay was dangerous and illegal, queer people used coded language to identify each other safely.

Dorothy, played by Judy Garland, was loved by queer audiences because her story mirrored that of many LGBTQ+ individuals—leaving home, finding an accepting chosen family, and realizing that home (identity) was inside her all along.

2. Judy Garland’s Connection to Stonewall

🌈 Did You Know:

Judy Garland’s funeral on June 27, 1969, took place the day before the Stonewall Riots. Some historians believe her passing played a role in the emotions that fueled the rebellion.

Garland was one of the first mainstream Hollywood stars to be openly supportive of queer people.

3. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as a Queer Anthem

🌈 Did You Know:

Somewhere Over the Rainbow was written by Yip Harburg, a closeted gay man. The song is about dreaming of a world where you can live freely and openly.

For decades, it has been a symbol of longing for queer liberation.

Who’s Behind the Curtain? Taylor Swift’s Oz-Themed Symbolism

Taylor has been referencing The Wizard of Oz for over a decade. And when you map the out the references, they tell a bigger story.

1. “Mean” Dreaming of Leaving Kansas – Speak Now (2011)

📺 Watch Here: Taylor Swift – Mean (Official Music Video)

One of the earliest visual nods to The Wizard of Oz appears in the Mean music video. While it may have been subconscious at the time, the imagery is striking:

📌 Key Visual Similarities:

The rustic, old-fashioned farmhouse setting in Mean resembles Dorothy’s Kansas home.

The wooden interiors, neutral tones, and rural landscape mirror the black-and-white opening of The Wizard of Oz.

Much like Dorothy, the protagonist dreams of something bigger, longing to escape a world where they feel out of place.

In The Wizard of Oz, Kansas represents a limiting world, one where Dorothy isn’t fully seen for who she is. Similarly, the Mean music video centers around characters who feel stuck, ridiculed, and misunderstood, before eventually stepping into their true potential.

If Oz represents self-discovery and queerness, then Kansas symbolizes rigid societal expectations.

Mean centers around struggling against judgment—a theme deeply resonant with LGBTQ+ experiences.

The journey from a restrictive, sepia-toned existence to a brighter, more authentic future mirrors Dorothy’s path in The Wizard of Oz.

The themes introduced in Mean—of feeling trapped in a world that doesn’t understand you, longing for something more, and finding your voice despite opposition—are revisited throughout Taylor’s discography + performances. Kansas in Mean mirrors Dorothy’s world before Oz—a place where she is underestimated, ridiculed, and told she can’t be more than she is.

📌 Other Key Visual in the Music Video:

In the locker room scene, the bullied boy (a key character in the video) is wearing lavender while being mocked by football players.

Lavender is one of the most significant colors in queer history.

🌈 Did You Know:

Lavender has been associated with queerness for over a century.

In the early 20th century, the phrase “lavender lads” was used as a coded way to refer to gay men.

During the Lavender Scare of the 1950s, LGBTQIA+ people were targeted and purged from government jobs.

In the 1970s, the Lavender Menace was a group of lesbian feminists fighting for inclusion in the women’s rights movement.

💡 The bullied boy wearing lavender in Mean could symbolize queer youth facing discrimination. The locker room setting mirrors real-life bullying that many LGBTQ+ people experience in school. I won't go into it here, but as some may know, Taylor references lavender several more times throughout her discography, most notably in the song Lavender Haze... and ohhh, does the sapphic lore run deep with that one.

2. Happy New Year! Blake as Dorothy & Taylor as Ariel—A Hidden Message? (2019)

Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, and Gigi Hadid dressed as childhood heroes to welcome the new year in 2019. Blake Lively dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Taylor Swift dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

📌 Key Visuals in the Photo:

Blake, as Dorothy, stands above Taylor on a staircase—Dorothy, historically, is a guide to self-discovery and finding home.

Taylor, as Ariel, looks upward—Ariel, like Dorothy, is a character who longs for something more, fights for change, and ultimately reclaims her power.

The placement and dynamic could symbolize Taylor’s journey toward reclaiming her voice and true self.

At first glance, this seems like a fun, nostalgic costume choice. But given Taylor’s history of layering symbolism into everything, this pairing leads to questions:

Was Blake’s Dorothy a nod to “Friend of Dorothy” symbolism and queerness?

Was Taylor’s Ariel a reference to being silenced and struggling to reclaim her voice?

💡 In the context of queerness, Ariel’s story mirrors that of the queer community who feel silenced or unable to express their true selves. Given the themes in The Wizard of Oz, and Dorothy’s role as a gay icon, Blake and Taylor’s pairing feels too thematically perfect to be a coincidence. Take a little detour with me, I feel this must be included here.

⭐Ariel’s Story as a Metaphor for Queer Identity & Taylor’s Journey

📺 Watch Here: Ariel Losing Her Voice – The Little Mermaid (1989)

📌Key Themes in The Little Mermaid

Ariel longs for a different life—she feels out of place in her world and dreams of living freely.

She sacrifices her voice in exchange for a chance to become her “true self.”

She spends much of the movie silenced, unable to communicate her thoughts and feelings.

Eventually, she fights to reclaim her voice and identity.

🌈 Did You Know:

The Little Mermaid was written by Hans Christian Andersen, who was widely believed to be queer and wrote the original story as an allegory for unrequited love and hidden identity.

Disney's The Little Mermaid was released in 1989.

Taylor Swift has frequently expressed frustration over losing control of her voice, whether in the music industry (the masters dispute) or in her personal life.

Ariel’s story could reflect Taylor’s own experiences of being silenced—either by the industry, by public perception, or by personal constraints related to queerness.

⭐Connecting Back to The Yellow Brick Road & Taylor’s Imagery

Ariel’s story in The Little Mermaid and Dorothy’s journey in The Wizard of Oz share striking parallels, both serving as allegories for self-discovery, longing, and transformation. Just as Dorothy leaves the dull, black-and-white world of Kansas in search of something greater, Ariel dreams of escaping the constraints of her underwater world, longing for a place where she can be her true self. Both heroines sacrifice a part of themselves to enter a new world—Dorothy is swept away by a tornado, while Ariel gives up her voice to walk on land. In these new realms, they face obstacles, meet guides and allies, and learn that the world they once idealized is not as simple as they thought. This theme of searching for belonging, navigating a new identity, and reclaiming personal power deeply resonates with queer narratives, making both stories enduring metaphors for LGBTQ+ self-acceptance and the journey toward authenticity.

📌 Key Lyric + Movie Quote:

“But daddy, I love him”

One of the most emotionally charged lines in The Little Mermaid comes when Ariel, desperate to be with Prince Eric, defiantly shouts this to her father.

This moment is pivotal—not just in the film, but in queer-coded readings of Ariel’s story. It represents a young woman asserting her independence, challenging authority, and risking everything for a love that is considered unacceptable.

So when Taylor Swift lifted this exact line for a song on The Tortured Poets Department in 2024, it immediately raised eyebrows.

📌 Parallel Themes:

Defying expectations – In The Little Mermaid, Ariel’s love is forbidden. In Taylor’s work, the phrase could represent a love that is misunderstood, denied, or rejected by those in power.

A plea for acceptance – Ariel isn’t just declaring love; she’s begging to be understood. Taylor using this phrase suggests a desperation to validate something others refuse to accept.

Queer Subtext – The phrase has long been used in queer narratives where love is met with opposition. Could Taylor’s use of it be a wink toward a love that’s hidden, complicated, or unapproved?

I'll do a whole analysis on Taylor's storytelling inspiration from The Little Mermaid. When I do, I will link it here.

3. ME! Out Now - April 26th, 2019

Taylor Swift's ME! music video is rich with vibrant visuals and hidden references, some of which mimic scenes from The Wizard of Oz. Taylor announced the song and music video in social media posts that stated: ME! out now... This happened on April 26th. This day is significant because it has been nationally known as Lesbian Visibility Day since 2008.

📌 Key Visual Similarities:

Skipping Toward the Rainbow: In one scene, Swift and Brendon Urie skip hand-in-hand toward a magical rainbow and towering green building, reminiscent of Dorothy and her companions heading toward the Emerald City. In this scene, they're surrounded by people in pink suits lining their path strongly resembling the poppy field from The Wizard of Oz—the final obstacle Dorothy and her friends must pass before reaching the Emerald City.

Emerald City Imagery: At the beginning of the music video, as Taylor storms out of her home and begins approaching the outside world, the interior space she passes through is similarly detailed to that of the interior of Emerald City. Once she makes it outside, the video's colorful, fantastical setting continues to evoke the land of Oz, with its bright hues and whimsical architecture.

📌 Symbolism of Glinda & Taylor’s Role in ME!:

In The Wizard of Oz, Glinda serves as Dorothy’s guide, helping her navigate Oz and ultimately leading her to self-discovery.

In ME!, Taylor plays a similarly uplifting and empowering role—celebrating individuality and self-love, much like Glinda encourages Dorothy to embrace her own inner strength.

Glinda is loved by many and known for her charm, grace, and wisdom. Taylor’s larger-than-life presence in ME! echoes that same enchanting, benevolent energy.

🌈 Queer Interpretation & “Good Witch” Symbolism:

Glinda is often associated with queerness and camp culture—her over-the-top glamor and theatricality have made her a beloved figure in LGBTQIA+ media.

Taylor’s use of pastel colors, dreamy fantasy elements, and exaggerated femininity in ME! aligns with camp aesthetics, queerness, and a deliberate embrace of joyful theatricality.

Could this be Taylor symbolically placing herself in the “Good Witch” role—a figure of guidance, encouragement, and transformation?

📌 Key Visual:

In the ME! video, Brendon Urie wears a white floral suit with a large heart pinned to his chest, reminiscent of the heart-shaped clock that the Wizard gives the Tin Man at the end of the film.

In The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man believes he lacks a heart, but the Wizard tells him that he had one all along—he just needed a symbol to prove it to himself.

The ME! video is all about self-love, individuality, and reclaiming joy—similar to how the Tin Man realizes he was never truly heartless.

Brendon Urie’s heart could represent emotional validation, much like how the Tin Man receives proof of his capacity for love.

💡The scene could also symbolize Taylor Swift’s own journey of reclaiming love—whether for herself, her art, or even her personal identity.

This scene from the ME! music video, featuring people dressed in black tumbling through the air while clutching broken umbrellas, strongly evokes the imagery of the Wicked Witch’s flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz.

📌 Key Similarities:

Dark, Winged Figures Falling from the Sky – In The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West sends out her winged monkey army to terrorize Dorothy and her companions, swooping in from the sky. In ME!, the airborne figures dressed in black mimic that chaotic, unsettling motion.

Umbrellas as Symbolic “Wings” – The tattered black umbrellas resemble the leathery, bat-like wings of the flying monkeys, further cementing the visual connection.

💡Taylor’s rainbow-filled Lover era could be a deliberate nod to Somewhere Over the Rainbow—especially since it never explicitly referenced queerness while being deeply associated with it. I'll elaborate soon.

4. Evermore Cover: The Braided Narrative (2020)

Perhaps the most overlooked queer-coded reference comes from Evermore.

📌 Key Visual:

Braiding in poetry has been used as a technique to reflect intersecting identities, hidden truths, and fluid perspectives, making it especially relevant in queer poetry and literature.

The braided structure allows for hidden narratives, nonlinear storytelling, and parallel experiences—elements that resonate deeply with Taylor’s songwriting, especially in Evermore.

If the braid on the Evermore cover is intentional, it could symbolize interwoven themes of identity, hidden meanings, and layered storytelling—just as queer-coded poetry often does. It could also reference a famous hairstyle from a famous icon... I'll let you guess who that may be.

🌈 Did You Know:

Evermore was announced on the birthday of Emily Dickinson, a well known poet. Many scholars believe Emily Dickinson is queer and had a lifelong love affair with her childhood friend Susan Gilbert.

💡Evermore is one of Taylor’s most coded albums, with “Dorothea” being one of its bigger Easter eggs.

⭐Dorothea - Evermore (2020)

📺 Listen Here: Taylor Swift – Dorothea (Lyric Video)

Dorothea = Dorothy Gale—the parallel is undeniable.

The song describes a girl who left a small town for Hollywood, but the narrator still longs for her.

Many fans (or at least I) believe Dorothea represents Karlie Kloss, with the song reflecting a lost romantic relationship.

“It’s never too late to come back to my side.”

📌 Key Themes:

Dorothy leaves Kansas to follow the Yellow Brick Road, longing for adventure but ultimately realizing there’s no place like home.

Dorothea is about someone who leaves a small town, finds success, but is still deeply loved and missed by the narrator.

This theme of longing for someone who has moved on, feeling left behind, and struggling with what that means is a deeply queer-coded trope—one that Taylor often returns to.

I'd like to also mention, the It's Nice To Have A Friend / Dorothea mash-up that Taylor swift did on The Eras Tour in Edinburgh on June 9th, 2024. Guess who's birthday is June 10th? Dorothy Gale herself, Judy Garland. The implications of this. 🤯

📌Why Tupelo? The Yellow Brick Road, and The Ones Who Leave

I've always wondered about the significance of Tupelo, Mississippi, in this song. So, I started digging into possible connections between the narrator, the muse, and Tupelo, and—unsurprisingly—it led me to Sir Elton John. This won't be the last time I mention him, certainly not in the broader context of understanding Gaylor. There are plenty of reasons for that. But for now, humor me: assume that the ties between Taylor and Elton run deep, and follow me as I decode Tupelo in Dorothea.

I referenced this Reddit Post while deep diving Tupelo.

🌈 Did You Know:

Elton John has a song called Porch Swing in Tupelo. The song explores themes of leaving home, returning, and nostalgia—mirroring the journey Dorothy takes in The Wizard of Oz.

📺 Listen Here: Elton John - Porch Swing in Tupelo (2004)

As Porch Swing in Tupelo paints a lovely picture, Gaylor's have made a connection to an unreleased song from Taylor in 2003.

💡 Bridging This to Taylor's song, Me & Britney

📺 Listen Here: Taylor Swift - Me and Britney 

While Dorothea and Porch Swing in Tupelo focus on someone who left, longing, and nostalgia, Taylor’s unreleased song Me & Britney adds another angle to this theme.

In Me & Britney, Taylor sings:

Britney made it to Memphis, and that’s where she wanted to be.

Memphis (home of Graceland) is where Elvis went after leaving Tupelo—and his story is often framed as one of fame, longing, and isolation. Sort've a side note, but definitely ties Taylor's old music to Dorothea and aligns with the same trope. Stay with me...

💡Dorothy, Elvis, and the subject of Dorothea all followed a road that led them away from home—but was it really what they wanted?

📌 Key Lyric in Me & Britney That Feels Queer:

I was just jealous of the boy that she fell in love with.

This aligns with a classic queer storytelling trope—where attraction is framed as “jealousy” over a male love interest rather than outright romantic feelings.

💡 Final Thought:

If Dorothy realizes that Oz wasn’t what she thought it would be…

If Elvis became trapped in the fame he once sought…

If Taylor keeps returning to themes of people leaving, longing, and hidden feelings…

🌈 Could the Yellow Brick Road be a metaphor for realizing that what you were searching for was already inside you—whether that’s home, identity, or love?

5. Elton John & The Yellow Brick Road as a Queer Metaphor

🌈 Did You Know:

Elton John—one of the most famous openly gay musicians—has drawn inspiration from themes of The Wizard of Oz throughout his career.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is often interpreted as his rejection of the expectations placed on him, including those of the heterosexual, traditional lifestyle.

The song describes escaping an artificial world—one where he was expected to play a role rather than be himself.

📌 Key Lyrics:

“You know you can’t hold me forever / I didn’t sign up with you.”

“So goodbye yellow brick road / Where the dogs of society howl.”

💡 How This Relates to Taylor Swift:

If Elton saw the Yellow Brick Road as a false promise, could Taylor also be questioning the path she’s been on?

⭐Taylor Swift’s Own Yellow Brick Road: The Fame vs. Reality Conflict

📌 Key Songs That Reflect This Theme:

“The Lucky One” (Red, 2012) – A song about the dark side of fame, where the narrator envies someone who escapes it.

“Nothing New” (Red: Taylor’s Version, 2021) – A reflection on the fleeting nature of fame, mirroring the “illusion of Oz.”

“The Archer” (Lover, 2019) – Explores feelings of isolation and longing for something real beyond the performance of celebrity.

💡 The Yellow Brick Road Parallel:

Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz follows the road to what she believes will be her dream, only to find out it was all smoke and mirrors.

Elton John realized the world he was chasing wasn’t real.

Taylor has repeatedly questioned whether the life she built is truly what she wanted.

Further connections between Elton John and Taylor include the release of Elton's documentary: Elton John: It's Never Too Late on Friday December 13, 2024. Taylor Swift's birthday? December 13th. Again, there is more to say about these two, but it's going to require its own post.

6. The Most Fabulous Closets in Oz: Harry, Taylor & The Magic of Bearding

I referenced this Reddit Post for this section.

In 2021, Harry Styles dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz for his Harryween concert at Madison Square Garden, fully embracing the camp aesthetic of Oz with ruby slippers, blue gingham dress, red tights, and a Toto-filled basket. This moment was more than just a fun Halloween costume—it was a bold embrace of gender fluidity and queer-coded imagery, further aligning him with the broader queer themes of The Wizard of Oz.

📺 Watch Here: Harry Styles - Over the Rainbow - Harryween Night One

📌 How This Relates to Queerness:

Harry’s choice to dress as Dorothy plays into his broader exploration of gender nonconformity and theatrical self-expression.

The act of a male pop star dressing as one of cinema’s most famous female protagonists challenges traditional gender norms, something Harry has done consistently throughout his career.

This moment fits into a larger trend of Oz being reclaimed by queer artists as a symbol of self-discovery and belonging.

⭐The Taylor Swift Connection: A Relationship That Was More Than It Seemed? A Public Relationship with Career-Boosting Benefits

So what's the connection between Harry and Taylor you may ask? Maybe you weren't around for the pap walks and easter eggs these two gave us. Have no fear, I'm here to outline that, from a Gaylor's perspective of course.

Harry and Taylor’s highly publicized relationship in 2012-2013 came at a crucial time for both of their careers.

Taylor was transitioning from country to full-fledged pop, and aligning herself with Harry—who was breaking out as a global pop phenomenon with One Direction—helped solidify her move into a new genre.

Meanwhile, Harry was preparing for an eventual solo career and a public relationship with Taylor further cemented his status beyond being “just” a boyband member.

Their short-lived but highly visible relationship seemed almost perfectly orchestrated for media attention, which has led many fans to speculate that their pairing was a mutually beneficial bearding arrangement.

💡 The Bearding Theory:

Both Harry and Taylor have been rumored to be closeted, and many believe their relationship was staged to divert speculation away from their personal lives.

This would not be the first time high-profile celebrities have engaged in strategic PR relationships to control public perception.

If this was a double bearding scenario, it would mean both Harry and Taylor were using each other as a cover while pursuing their own private lives off-camera.

🌈 Queer Implication in the Wizard of Oz Narrative:

If Harry and Taylor’s relationship was about public image rather than personal romance, it fits into the Oz allegory perfectly.

The Wizard of Oz is about facades, illusion, and realizing the person behind the curtain isn’t what they seem.

Is Taylor revealing these hidden truths through her constant Oz references? One things for sure, these two have been creatively aligned from a distance for over a decade. Neither have gotten on a stage to profess their sexuality, but with a *sometimes* obsessive interest in the stories they tell, its hard not to see parallels in the queer undertones that have littered their work for years.

💡Take this for example: Harry Styles and Taylor Swift both have a song called Daylight. I will reference Taylor's song in the next section and will provide a deep dive into the parallels of Harry and Taylor's song in a different post. But for the sake of Oz, I must note - the chorus of Harry's song Daylight says:

If I was a bluebird, I would fly to you

Which feels pretty parallel to the lyric from Somewhere Over the Rainbow,

Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then, oh, why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh why can't I?

No? Sure, okay... moving on.

7. Optimistic Voices Line by Line, Taylor’s Lyricism, & the Journey to Daylight

📺 Watch Here: The Wizard of Oz – “Optimistic Voices” & The Snow Scene

📺 Watch Here: Taylor Swift – “Out of the Woods” (Official Music Video)

📺 Watch Here: Taylor Swift – “Daylight” (Live From Paris)

There's a lot to unpack here. Let’s start with lyrics and move into imagery.

⭐Escaping the Darkness: Out of the Woods & The Journey to the Light

📌 Key Lyrics from Optimistic Voices

You're out of the woods, You're out of the dark, you're out of the night, Step into the sun, step into the light.

📌 Key Lyrics from Out of the Woods

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

📌 Key Lyrics from Daylight

I've been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night (Now I'm wide awake) And now I see daylight (I see daylight), I only see daylight (ah)

At its core, Out of the Woods is a song about living in a state of constant anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. While it has been widely interpreted as a song about a fragile, doomed relationship, when viewed through a queer lens, the song’s themes take on an even deeper meaning:

🌈 Queer Interpretation:

The fear of being found out.

The struggle of navigating a love that feels fragile and threatened.

The desperation to hold onto something that the world does not want to survive.

💡 Optimistic Voices tells the moment of reaching safety—it is the sound of emerging from a place of struggle into clarity. Out of the Woods, on the other hand, is still trapped in uncertainty, asking the question: Are we safe yet? Are we in the clear?

⭐ Where Daylight Fits in the Journey:

If Out of the Woods is about struggling to escape the fear, then Daylight is about finally arriving at a place of clarity and acceptance.

The lyric “I’ve been sleeping so long in a 20-year dark night” mirrors the journey of stepping out of the woods into the sunlight—into truth.

⭐ Stepping Into the Light: Visibility & Queer Self-Discovery

📌 Key Lyrics from Optimistic Voices

Step into the sun, step into the light.

📌 Key Lyrics from Out of the Woods

The rest of the world was black and white, but we were in screaming color.

📌 Key Lyrics from Daylight

You gotta step into the daylight and let it go Just let it go, let it go

🌈 Queer Interpretation:

The contrast between "black and white" and "screaming color" reflects the experience of queerness in a heteronormative world.

The “black and white” world is society’s rigid, traditional expectations.

“Screaming color” is queerness—vibrant, alive, but existing in stark contrast to what’s expected.

⭐ Daylight completes this arc:

In Out of the Woods, the sun is rising but it’s still a question of safety.

In Daylight, Taylor is fully in the sun, embracing its warmth and clarity.

It’s not just about stepping into the light—it’s about choosing to stay there.

📌 Much like the journey from Kansas to Oz, the transition from Out of the Woods → Daylight is about leaving behind a world of confusion and entering a new, golden reality.

🌈 Did You Know?

The Emerald City has often been compared to the idea of a queer utopia—a place where people who have been marginalized in the “real world” can be free. (I may have already told you this 100 times, haha)

Daylight being "golden" aligns with the Yellow Brick Road leading to Emerald City—a literal path toward truth, clarity, and belonging.

⭐ Holding On Through the Journey: The Final Push Toward Safety

📌 Key Lyrics from Optimistic Voices

Hold onto your breath, hold onto your heart, hold onto your hope, March up to that gate and bid it open.

📌 Key Lyrics from Out of the Woods

Remember when we couldn't take the heat? I walked out, I said 'I'm setting you free.'

📌 Key Lyrics from Daylight

My love was as cruel as the cities I lived in Everyone looked worse in the light.

🌈 Queer Interpretation:

Optimistic Voices is about reaching the final destination—the Emerald City—after a long, uncertain journey.

Out of the Woods describes a love that is filled with tension, fear, and the possibility of collapse at any moment.

Daylight is the final realization—that love doesn’t have to be cruel, it doesn’t have to exist in the dark, and when you step into the sun, you see things for what they truly are.

⭐ Final Thought:

Out of the Woods asks if the journey is over yet.

Daylight declares that it is.

Optimistic Voices sings the moment when you finally step into the light and let it all go.

Maybe Daylight is that moment of realization—that the fear, the hiding, the uncertainty—it was never love. Love was golden. Love was daylight. At least that was her hope for the Lover era. I will deep dive this when I write about the failed coming out of 2019.

9. Out of the Woods and the Snow That Awakens Dorothy: A Symbolic Parallel

Now let's explore how the striking visual connection between The Wizard of Oz and Taylor Swift’s Out of the Woods lies in the use of snow as a transformative and awakening force. In both stories, snow serves as an intervention—clearing a path forward and signaling a moment of clarity.

📌 Key Scene:

As Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion approach the Emerald City, they become trapped in a poppy field—a symbol of illusion, intoxication, and losing one’s way.

They begin falling into a deep sleep, overwhelmed by the enchanted flowers that prevent them from reaching their goal.

Glinda, the Good Witch, intervenes, sending a magical snowfall to neutralize the poppies’ effect and wake them up.

The moment marks a turning point—Dorothy and her friends can finally see the Emerald City clearly and continue their journey.

🌈 Did You Know:

The poppy field has often been interpreted as a metaphor for external forces that sedate or mislead people, from addiction to societal expectations.

The snowfall, then, represents a cleansing moment—a realization that breaks through illusion.

⭐The Snow in Out of the Woods: A Moment of Survival & Awakening

📌 Key Visuals:

The Out of the Woods music video follows Taylor through various brutal landscapes—fire, water, mud, and snow—each symbolizing the emotional turmoil of a doomed relationship.

The snowstorm sequence comes toward the end of the video, as Taylor collapses in exhaustion.

As she pushes through the deep snow, she appears more alone than ever—but also closer to breaking free.

At the end of the journey, she reaches the ocean and finds herself, leading to the final message: “She lost him but found herself, and somehow that was everything.”

💡 Parallels to The Wizard of Oz:

Just as Dorothy’s group was lost in a dreamlike haze, Taylor, in the Out of the Woods video, struggles through disorienting landscapes, lost and overwhelmed.

Snow acts as both an obstacle and a catalyst—it is the final challenge Taylor faces before she reaches self-discovery.

Like Dorothy waking up in the poppy field, Taylor’s emergence from the snow signals that she has survived the journey and can now move forward.

Many fans have pointed out that Taylor’s music video looks eerily similar to The Wizard of Oz's journey through different landscapes—leading up to a final realization of self.

💡The journey through these trials mirrors the queer experience of fighting through shame, fear, and external pressures to finally find one’s authentic self.

7. "Karma" Music Video: A Nod to Dorothy (2023)

📺 Watch Here: Taylor Swift – Karma (Official Music Video)

In May 2023, Taylor released the music video for "Karma," featuring Ice Spice. The video is rich with symbolic imagery, notably a segment where Taylor embodies a character reminiscent of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Dressed in a gingham-style outfit with braided hair, she skips down a yellow brick road, evoking the classic journey to Oz. This portrayal not only pays homage to the iconic film but also reinforces the queer themes associated with it.

The "Karma" music video is replete with Easter eggs and references, with fans noting the deliberate parallels to The Wizard of Oz, further emphasizing Taylor's engagement with queer-coded imagery.

💡 This could represent Taylor realizing that the world she built for herself isn’t real—just like how Dorothy learns that Oz is an illusion. To throw in some more imagery, the hour glass plays an important role in the life or death of Dorothy, In Karma, Taylor puts her "duel self" (oh boy, what a deep rabbit hole that concept is) inside of it. Further evoking connections to running out of time, anxiety, and the long journey of waiting.

8. Karlie Kloss as Dorothy: The Chessboard & “Mastermind” Connection

Karlie Kloss’s Halloween costume as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz may seem like a simple tribute, but the details of her social media post led to potential deeper meanings—especially in relation to Taylor Swift, “Mastermind,” and black-and-white chessboard imagery.

📌 Key Visual in the Post:

In Karlie’s Halloween Instagram photo, she’s dressed as Dorothy and positioned next to a chessboard.

This small detail immediately caught fans’ attention because chess and strategic planning are key themes in Taylor Swift’s song “Mastermind.”

Karlie’s decision to post a chessboard next to herself while dressed as Dorothy is too deliberate to be ignored.

Fans speculate that this could be a nod to her connection with Taylor—whether as an inside joke, a strategic message, or an acknowledgment of their intertwined histories. As of 2025, this post has been removed from her grid. Kinda fishy if you ask me...

📌Chess as a Metaphor in “Mastermind”

📺 Watch Here: Taylor Swift – Mastermind (Lyric Video)

In Midnights, Taylor Swift’s song “Mastermind” is all about strategically orchestrating relationships and events, using chess as a metaphor.

Key Lyric:“What if I told you none of it was accidental? / And the first night that you saw me / Nothing was gonna stop me.”

The song describes a calculated, almost fated connection between two people, a theme that many have associated with Taylor’s relationships—both personal and professional.

📌Black-and-White Imagery: The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show & Eras Tour

📌 Key Visuals:

At the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Taylor Swift performed while Karlie Kloss walked the runway, and the two famously held hands on stage.

The stage floor was a black-and-white checkerboard, setting the scene for the chessboard imagery seen in Karlie’s Halloween post 10 years later, lol. I know, sounds crazy but stay with me.

In The Eras Tour, Taylor replicates the black-and-white stage design, reinforcing the symbolism of duality, strategic moves, and interconnected paths.

💡 The chessboard theme in Karlie’s post, Taylor’s “Mastermind” lyrics, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show checkerboard stage, and the Eras Tour black-and-white motifs all tie back to themes of control, fate, and strategy.

Is Karlie subtly responding to Taylor? Is this an inside joke or an intentional reference?

One thing is clear: The chess pieces are still moving. ♟️✨

🌈 Did You Know:

Black-and-white checkerboard imagery has long been used in queer-coded storytelling as a symbol of duality, secrets, and transformation.

It is often associated with hidden messages, underground queer spaces, and coded communication—just like the way queerness has been subtly signaled in art for decades.

💡The black-and-white color scheme of the chessboard and Karlie’s setting mirrors one of the most iconic cinematic transitions of all time—when Dorothy leaves the black-and-white Kansas world for the vibrant, complex, and magical world of Oz.

⭐Black-and-White Transitions: From Kansas to Oz & Taylor’s Career

📺 Watch Here: The Wizard of Oz (1939) – The Moment Dorothy Enters Oz

📌 Key Moment in the Film:

The first 20 minutes of The Wizard of Oz are filmed in sepia-toned black and white, representing Dorothy’s dull, restrictive reality.

The moment she arrives in Oz, the world explodes into Technicolor, symbolizing her awakening, self-discovery, and entrance into a more complex reality.

⭐ How This Relates to Taylor:

The black-and-white Kansas vs. Oz transition mirrors Taylor’s career transformation.

Many interpret Taylor’s use of black-and-white motifs as representing her “Kansas” era (the media’s constructed, controlled version of her) versus her true, colorful, more authentic self (Oz).

Karlie’s chessboard post reinforces this theme of strategy, hidden messages, and transitions between different realities.

10. The Tortured Poets Department & The Aesthetic of Kansas in The Wizard of Oz

For this section, I heavily referenced this Reddit post.

📺 Visual References:

Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department (Concept Aesthetics) TTPD Announcement Video

The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Kansas Scenes Opening Scene of The Wizard of Oz

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD) era is characterized by a stark, desaturated, grayscale aesthetic, heavily focused on themes of melancholy, confinement, and longing. This muted, dreamlike quality bears a striking resemblance to the sepia-toned depiction of Kansas in The Wizard of Oz—a world of restriction, where one longs for escape but also finds deep-rooted meaning.

📌 Kansas in The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy’s life in Kansas is drab, isolated, and full of longing for something more.

The world is monochrome, reflecting both emotional and physical constraints.

The tornado serves as a rupture—transporting Dorothy from a limited reality into a world of heightened color and discovery.

📌 TTPD Aesthetic

Taylor’s album visuals are stark, black-and-white, evoking a feeling of nostalgia, loss, and self-reflection.

The concept of being “trapped” in a poetic department mirrors Dorothy’s confinement on a Kansas farm—both feel like places where creativity is stifled or existence is dull.

Fans have noted the “literary sadness” of TTPD—it embodies the idea of a writer trapped in their own melancholy, longing for something beyond the grayscale world they inhabit.

💡 Queer Interpretation:

Just as Dorothy dreams of escaping Kansas for something more vivid and fulfilling, TTPD could represent a moment of longing before stepping into a fuller identity.

The monochrome aesthetic could symbolize repression or living in a constrained world—before fully embracing one’s truth.

If The Wizard of Oz is a metaphor for queerness, then is TTPD the period before Taylor’s own “tornado moment”?

📌 Key Lyrics from The Tortured Poets Department

But you awaken with dread Pounding nails in your head But I've read this one where you come undone I chose this cyclone with you

Nod to waking up (as Dorothy does in the movie)

Nod to reading (reading about the journey which is undertaken in the Wizard of Oz

Nod to the cyclone (need I say more? Fine, I will.)

The Tornado as a Symbol of Disruption & Change

📌 How Tornadoes Function in The Wizard of Oz

The tornado represents a violent rupture in reality—breaking Dorothy out of the mundane and sending her somewhere new.

It is both terrifying and necessary—it destroys her former world but also leads to her greatest self-discovery.

📌 How This Relates to TTPD

If Kansas = TTPD, then where is Taylor’s tornado?

Could TTPD represent a moment of painful self-awareness before a transformation?

If Taylor follows the narrative structure of The Wizard of Oz, then what comes after TTPD could be a transition into something entirely new—a moment of “color” after the storm.

Visuals At The Beginning of The Eras Tour:

When considering this, I wonder if the intent is to draw attention to the era in which Taylor really began overtly queer coding, Lover, with the dark, swirling cyclones behind her? The screen visual feels like another acknowledgement of Kansas.

If this could be so, and it is true that Taylor connects Lover to Oz and TTPD to Kansas, it is worth noting theories that the costumes for the The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived segment of the TTPD set at The Eras Tour could be a callback to the ME! music video but with all the color removed.

📺 Watch Here: ME! Live From The Billboard Music Awards

In the ME! music video, Swift dons a pastel marching band uniform over a crystal-encrusted bodysuit, complemented by patent boots. This ensemble aligns with the video's overall colorful aesthetic, symbolizing themes of individuality and self-empowerment.

"ME!" Music Video: The colorful uniforms and lively marching underscore a message of joy, unity, and self-celebration.

During the Eras Tour performance of The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, she wore a white military-style jacket featuring epaulettes and frogging, accompanied by a synchronized marching routine with her backup dancers, who played drums. The act concluded dramatically, with Swift and her ensemble collapsing on stage, symbolizing the song's themes of vulnerability and introspection.

Eras Tour Performance: The white military jacket and structured marching reflect a more somber and introspective tone, culminating in a staged death that signifies the song's exploration of personal struggle and defeat.

📌 Key Lyrics from TTPD:

Taylor Swift’s use of animal imagery in The Tortured Poets Department carries striking parallels to The Wizard of Oz, specifically through references to the lion, tiger, and bear—three creatures that are deeply embedded in the Oz mythology.

These references mirror the iconic phrase from The Wizard of Oz:

“Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!”

In the film, Dorothy and her friends chant this line as they enter the haunted forest, anticipating unseen dangers. Each animal in the story represents a distinct archetype:

The Cowardly Lion – Symbolizes fear, insecurity, and the search for courage.

The Tiger – Represents strength, intensity, and a predatory nature.

The Bear – Associated with both protection and untamed aggression, embodying both nurturing and destruction.

💡 How This Relates to TTPD

The “coward claimed he was a lion” lyric in LOML suggests a false bravado—someone pretending to be strong but ultimately lacking courage, much like the Cowardly Lion’s arc in The Wizard of Oz.

The lyric “Way to go, tiger, you look ridiculous and you have no idea” suggests mocking someone who thinks they are strong or in control.

The bear in The Bolter represents the tension between control and freedom, echoing how Dorothy’s companions struggle with their own limitations.

11. Lions, Tigers, and Football Players, Oh My!

Follow me into this theory where I explore the idea that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are both on that journey together—not as a romantic couple, but as two people navigating a carefully constructed public image while protecting their private truths.

🌈 Queer Allegory:

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy finds her people on the road—each struggling with their own identity crisis.

Similarly, if Taylor and Travis are indeed “walking the Yellow Brick Road” as a protective duo, then this relationship could symbolize two individuals working together to maintain a shared safety net in the public eye.

💡 Possible Implications:

If Travis is queer (or in a long-term private relationship with Ross Travis), and Taylor is also closeted, then their relationship becomes a shield—allowing them both to exist more freely behind the scenes.

This would align with other known Hollywood “double bearding” arrangements, where two public figures strategically date to deflect speculation.

⭐ The Kansas City Connection: From Allegory to Reality

📌 Key Connection:

The Wizard of Oz is set in Kansas, a place Dorothy longs to escape but ultimately learns to appreciate.

Now, Taylor is literally in a public relationship with one of the biggest Kansas City figures in the world.

💡 If Kansas has always been a metaphor for longing, escape, and self-realization in Taylor’s work, then does this relationship mark a return to something safe and stable, rather than a new romantic revelation?

Follow the Yellow Brick Road… to Arrowhead?

I just wanna note that I do not believe the Cornelia Street lyric below was premeditated to be referential to the Tayvis relationship, however, it's always peculiar how Taylor's life so stunningly imitates art.

As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead Leading us home

Where is Dorothy trying to go? HOME! KANSAS!!

📌 How This Theory Could Fit the Timeline:

Khalen Saunders (former Chiefs player) is the brother of Kameron Saunders, one of Taylor’s backup dancers and close friends.

The theory suggests that Travis and Taylor may have been introduced through Kameron via Khalen, setting up a mutually beneficial dynamic.

If this is true, it would mean Taylor and Travis’s public debut in July 2023 was premeditated long before the world caught on.

Aside from the Khalen + Kam connection, it is worth noting that Karlie, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, has publicly supported the Kansas City Chiefs and Travis specifically.

In May 2022, Travis Kelce attended a Formula 1 cocktail party hosted by Karlie Kloss in Miami. This event indicates that they were acquainted prior to Travis's relationship with Taylor Swift.

🌈 Queer & Symbolic Interpretation:

In many ways, this fits a classic queer narrative of finding safety in partnerships that protect one’s truth.

The Wizard of Oz is about longing for a place where you are safe, understood, and able to be yourself.

Could Travis and Taylor’s relationship represent a way for them to exist more freely within their respective closets—while the world watches a different story?

⭐ Why This Relationship Works—Regardless of the Truth

Whether this theory is correct or not, one thing is undeniable: Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have a public dynamic that feels mutually beneficial in ways that go beyond romance.

📌 What Travis Provides for Taylor:

A strong, masculine, straight-passing relationship to appease media and conservative backlash.

Genuine public adoration—he is protective of her and supportive of her success.

A sense of stability and safety in a relationship that does not threaten her independence.

📌 What Taylor Provides for Travis:

Elevated status outside of sports, making him one of the most visible athletes in the world.

A PR shield—any speculation about his private life is drowned out by their high-profile romance.

Increased crossover appeal—his branding now extends to pop culture in a way it never did before.

💡 If they are truly bearding for each other, it would mean they are not only protecting their personal lives, but also strengthening their own public legacies in the process.

This theory presents a compelling reframing of Taylor and Travis’s relationship as something more complex than just romance.

🌈 Is this truly Taylor’s Dorothy moment—finding her “home” with Travis in Kansas City? 🌈 Or is this another carefully constructed part of the larger story, walking the Yellow Brick Road together, knowing full well the truth that lies at the end?

Maybe, just like Dorothy, they already know the truth—but they have to walk the path anyway.

Conclusion: “Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain”

Taylor Swift’s repeated return to The Wizard of Oz—through imagery, lyricism, and visual storytelling—feels deliberate, layered, and unshakable. For over a decade, she has woven Oz into her art, a recurring thread in a larger tapestry of hidden meanings.

So what is she really telling us?

Is Oz a metaphor for fame—an illusion, an Emerald City that’s never as real as it seems? Is it about queerness—the journey of self-discovery, longing, and finding a chosen family? Is it a hidden love story—one written between the lines, only visible to those who know where to look?

The answer? Maybe all of them.

Taylor Swift is still following the Yellow Brick Road. And for those of us who have been paying attention, one thing is certain:

🌈 There’s more to the story than meets the eye.

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

I’ve seen someone else mention this, but I also wanted to talk about this

The erasure of queerness in the movie is something I definitely did not expect.

Sure, it’s a love story between two men, but grab Alex and Henry and make them a man and a woman, the movie doesn’t change much. Maybe monarchy instead of being homophobic and racist now it’s only racist, and they hate Alex not because he’s a man but because he’s brown. They kept it a secret because of monarchy’s racism, but love triumphs at the end. That’s why the movie didn’t hit as hard as the book. The movie is just some forbidden love movie, rwrb is a book where the main characters are in a forbidden relationship, but it’s not the whole point of the book.

Alex discovering his sexuality, Nora being bisexual, whatever Pez had going on, whatever June and Nora had going on, Alex learning about queer history, the historical lgbt love letters at the ends of their e-mails, all the references to queer history and literature, THE SHELTERS, monarchy’s homophobia (yes, it appears on the movie but it’s really glossed over. It doesn’t show just how homophobic they actually are in the book), Alex stating how he knows more about himself the more intimate (both in the sexual and non sexual sense) he is with Henry, Luna being gay and unapologetic about it and being exactly Alex’s queer role model, even before Alex knew he was queer himself, THE FUCKING SHELTERS

I’m so so mad about the shelters being missing.

Henry and Pez made shelters for lgbt youth, so they can never feel as alone as Henry once felt, so they can always have a safe space so they know there’s nothing wrong with them no matter what the adults in their life might say, no matter what the preacher or their classmates or the right wing politicians in their tv might say, where they can find hope, and friends, and a home if they never had one before, or at least, one where they could truly be themselves. The shelters are, I would say, crucial to Henry’s character development. He went from hiding, believing being gay was “the most unforgivable part of him”, not even trying to come out because he just succumbed to live an unhappy life in the closet, to someone who’s out, living with his boyfriend and running lgbt shelters with his best friend so young queer people can move past all the things he felt and believed time ago, so they know they are perfectly normal and loved and safe in there, as long as Henry and Pez are there they’re safe, they don’t have to hide anymore.

Henry became the queer elder he needed in his life when he was younger. The lgbt adult who could tell him than it would get better, no matter how bad it was at the moment, no matter if he couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, because it was there, he just had to hold on a bit more. Than there was absolutely nothing wrong with him.

Another thing than I seen changed than a normal person might not notice, but I did, because im obsessed, is the karaoke scene.

In the book, it takes place in something resembling a gay bar (maybe not exactly, but it’s full of queer people), and look at this

Three rounds of shots appear —one from a drunk bachelorette party, one from a herd of surly butch chicks at the bar, and one from a table of drag queens. They raise a toast, and Alex feels more welcomed than he ever has before, even at his family’s victory rallies.

Look again

and Alex feels more welcomed than he ever has before, even at his family’s victory rallies.

This book is about about finding community, finding yourself, finding love and letting yourself accept that love.

Do you think Alex in the movie has felt “more welcomed than he ever has before, even at his family’s victory rallies” at any point? Has he been with another queer person in the whole movie, except Henry, at all?? Because Nora’ sexuality was not mentioned at all no references nothing and with the whole Pez thing everyone could see Nora as just straight

Henry and Alex in the movie are kind of without community, alienated from it, they are, in my personal opinion, the kind of gay people republicans would consider “good gay people” who “don’t shove it on everyone’s faces and just wanna be left alone” (in the rwrb universe where they exist and are real not actual republican people watching the movie). They don’t really take a role on the community, in the book, Alex and Henry being queer is an important part of themselves, again, Alex feeling like he knows himself better, Henry whole internalized homophobia, their shared interest for lgbt history and literature, Henry and Pez making the shelters, etc etc meanwhile in the movie Alex and Henry just happen to be gay and bisexual, but it’s no deeper than that.

And don’t get me started on creating Miguel, a queer character, and making him the one to leak the e-mails or smth instead of a republican candidate

[lyraofthestarsss]

My Thoughts on Songs of Origin

Yaelokre’s comment about how Songs of Origin isn’t about war because they only write about topics they are familiar with made me look at the album in a completely new light. I believe Songs of Origin is still about the characters and their backstory, but it’s also based on Yaelokre’s personal views and past. The latter is what I will be focusing on. I’m not Yaelokre so I don’t know if any of this is true, but a theory is just a theory after all.

My farewells to the fields starts with Cole singing with a quivering voice and shaky breathing, immediately followed by Clémentine’s much more even and steady voice. Cole is terrified of singing about their past, but Clémmie is there to comfort and reassure. This is a story that needs to be told. Their story

Music is the main storytelling method because it’s comforting, it feels like home to them. Music is the heart of their story, found beneath the grove, hidden by thick tree roots that keep it safe

There’s a special type of bravery when you bare your soul to strangers. These characters and their story is a deeply intimate part of what makes Yaelokre the person they are. And after seeing how much shit they went through over the years, I’d say they are the bravest of all

Their voice is deeper and intense here. To me, this sounds like the anxiety any performer feels before going on stage. Listening to the chatter of thousands of eyes on you. It can be overwhelming

Despite the fear, they push forward. With so many eyes looking to you, hearing your story, you have to say goodbye to the you from before. To your past, your name

And yet it’s liberating, being heard and being listened to. Having so many people love your creation, and feel it so deeply in their hearts

Clémmie’s instrumentals are always covered in gentle bell chimes, a reference to their connection to the Bellringer. And yet ironically enough, Bird cage blue and yellow is about the past

This song is the one that is most clear about the character backstory. Clémmie lived in a big lonely estate with the Baroness, they escaped, and they ran off into the woods and eventually found Hayfields. However, it also touches a lot on gender identity and societal expectations

Being afab, you are often weighed down by gender norms. In much more conservative areas, you are expected to look pretty, not speak out of turn, never ask too much of people. It can be suffocating, especially to someone who is transgender

This song is about Clemmie breaking away from those societal expectations, as well as escaping from the house and the family that expects too much of her. Clémmie’s words mirror Yaelokre’s views. That’s the reason why they put so much emphasis on the Lark kids having they/it pronouns and Hayfields being a place free of gender

This last part is fun and freeing. Clémmie’s story about leaving their house and the past behind is liberating for Yaelokre and other queer people who relate to their story (Malayang maya, malayo-layo/Free sparrow, fly away)

The children speak about how the Bellringer will keep them safe. (Rödd eins og bjalla heldur okkur öruggum frá framtíðinni/Voice like a bell keeps us safe from the future) Although the future is uncertain and scary, it can be the place where queer people can be their true selves. The future is where they can find people who are just like them (Finndu mig í framtíðinni/Find me in the future)

[was-andi-rigby]

Alright, y'all. Poll time. Synopses of your choices are under the cut, if you want them. I can't decide between my upcoming original stories (I'm gonna write them all eventually), so I'm inviting y'all to choose for me.

On a related note, if I hit 15 followers before this poll expires, I'll do a follower lottery and the lottery winner will get to name a character in the winning story! (More details on that also under the cut.)

Synopses

Adventures in the Gaywild, a queer contemporary portal fantasy with an ensemble cast of queer & disabled adults just trying to live their lives, but who have said lives interrupted regularly by their hometown’s proximity to the fey realm. Beronsgate is a cute little coastal town with a major problem: sometimes the door you open doesn’t lead where you wanted it to. Monster-of-the-week episodic sitcom installments with an overarching denial-of-destiny arc. (If this wins, the "winning story" will be the first installment of the series.)

The Death of Santa, a sapphic Christmas adventure with a transgender Mrs. Claus who’s unhappy in her role as the token female holiday persona, and escapes the North Pole only to find herself in a strange land of eternal winter. Kristina takes shelter in a fortress built over a gate, and finds deadly traps, warped Christmas monsters, and the woman she married 900 years ago. Transgender themes, trans joy/power, and mistaken identity feature heavily in this high-action novelette that tries not to take itself or Christmas too seriously.

Liberty, a gay cowboy friends-to-lovers between a cattle baron’s heir and a gifted horse trainer. Aaron and James have kept their romance a secret for almost a year. When Aaron’s mother makes a big stink about him turning down yet another farm princess, he’s got a tough choice to make: follow the herd, or follow his heart. Forget coming-of-age—let’s talk coming-out, love and support from unexpected avenues, and being true to yourself.

Double Tide, a seaside low fantasy adventure about a dockworker and the inquisitive merrow they met in the local tidepools, who become fast friends despite language barriers and local taboo. When a new fishing technique threatens the local merrow population, they discover whether a lone dockworker and a social pariah can really make a difference. Try this gender-agnostic, hopeful Romeo and Juliet (without the tragedy) that explores the meaning of love and friendship.

The Siege of Helen, an exploration of neurodivergence and (mis)communication in a romantic relationship. Helen’s new pregnancy has made her mood a thousand times more volatile, and her husband is spending more and more time at the office. Hephaestus, already overstimulated and dysregulated from trying to provide for his now-growing family, realizes in the nick of time that there’s only one way not to lose the woman he loves: he’s going to have to talk to her. About his feelings. Short story companion to my novel-in-progress, By Any Other Name, following Ambrose’s parents as they try desperately to keep their marriage from falling to pieces.

The Library, a heartwarming zombie survivor tale about a weary now-single dad and his last remaining foster teen who fight to preserve the ruins of a great library against those who would destroy it for their own short-term survival. Take refuge in the Charles J. LaRose Memorial Library, and let Kaylen tell you about the time they fought off zombies and men with guns to make a safe place for travelers like you to rest and recuperate in the desolate hellscape of the zombie apocalypse.

Lottery Info

Lottery will happen if the total follower count (less myself) on this blog reaches 15 before the poll in this post expires. I'll choose via random selection & contact the winner via Tumblr to confirm you want to participate. If you don't, or I can't contact you via Tumblr because your messages are closed, or if I don't get a response to my initial message within ~24 hours, then I'll choose a different winner by the same process. And so on until someone bites.

Lottery winner will receive a short bio of the relevant aspects of their character (appearance, mannerisms, and plot role), and the name they choose will be used for the described character. I will not accept names that are offensive or that would be considered offensive in the context of the story or character, and I retain the right to ask the winner for a different name if the chosen name is, for some reason, really really not going to work in the context of the story.

[siblingskissing]

Ronance headcanons?

Ronance Headcanons

I have had the BIGGEST brain rot about these two, you guys don't even know, so please excuse my rambling session in this post. As always- feel free to share your headcanons, opinions, thoughts ideas, just be kind <3

-Robin is the biggest simp to ever exist. Nancy mentions liking a color? Guess who's suddenly adding it all over their wardrobe! A favourite food? She's already learned how to cook it. Allergic to something? Robin will destroy it with her bare hands and make it go extinct to protect her girl.

-Likewise, Nancy would and will kill for Robin (come on Robin tell her to kill for you she wants to)

-Their favourite dates include them sitting in one of their rooms, a movie or music playing as they discuss conspiracy theories or whatever story Nancy is working on

"There's been a ton of missing items from farms in the areas. Animals, tools, bales of hay-"

"could it be aliens?"

"Alie- Robin it's not aliens!"

"What? Interdimensional monsters are real but aliens aren't?"

-Many people assume Nancy would get annoyed by Robins carefree joke centered attitude but actually she calms down whenever Robin tries making jokes.

-She doesn't like when people don't take things seriously, but she knows Robin is taking it serious, but using humour to make sure they don't spiral with the problem

-their relationship definitely started off rocky but with some time, understanding and surprisingly really deep conversations they learn to appreciate the little things about one another.

-Robin loves Nancy's drive and her leadership skills. She makes sure that everyone takes her seriously and if the kids complain about Nancy being a hard ass she brings them back to listen.

"Nancy's not our boss!"

"No, but she's the one keeping you dipshits safe- she knows what she's doing so listen up and quit complaining"

-They kids listen to Robin more and so when she follows Nancy with no complaints, the kids unconsciously follow suit.

-When Nancy gets stressed/aggravated Robin will be there to lend her a shoulder. They're very much leader/Right Hand man coded to me.

-Nancy doesn't know much about queer culture so when she does eventually come out Robin is happy to talk to her about it and share what she knows.

"So we use Blue violets because Sappho used to describe women wearing garlands of them,"

"Sappho?"

"... Do you have a spar 3 hours so I can explain Sappho and Greek poetry to you?"

-They take all kinds of cute little Polaroids that they keep at Robins place

(examples of said Polaroids)

-Robins family is more supportive so often Nancy goes over there to spend the night

-when college comes up in discussions Robin mentions that she enjoyed investigating with Nancy, the research was fun when they didn't have death looming over them.

"Yeah, learning Russian to break the code was awesome- the torture kind of ruined it though-"

"The WHAT?"

-Nancy asks Robin 1000X if Robin is sure she wants to go to the same college/same field and Robin promises her that she isn't only going because of her.

"I'd follow you anywhere, but this is also for me- if I have to do one more customer service job I might kill someone."

-They love movie nights, curled up under a blanket watching whatever film they can find. Robin always finds the oddest ones and sometimes some really deep indie films. Nancy also enjoys the foreign films she can find and let's her choose.

-on nights Nancy chooses- she likes care free fun films. Nothing too heavy because she likes the simplicity

-Theyre a gross matching couple- but in a new fun way.

-Mat hing colors in their respective styles, using each other's clothes and making it go with their personal choices, matching patterns/designs.

-They also shared shoes sometimes

-On the 90s Nancy gets a more "Rachel from friends" style like this

-Robin eats it up like no one is watching and often has to hold back from just kissing her 24/7

(also I badly wanna do a look book of the characters so Please someone ask for that because I love fashion)

I definitely probably have more but here you are!!

[this-world-of-beautiful-monsters]

remembering this Extremely correct post about how lis2 is the only game in the lis series where your choices actually matter and thinking about how ironic is that it's also a game where your playable character is so strikingly powerless. Sean is the only lis pov character who not only has no superhuman abilities, but has to share an environment with someone who has (confirmed, sorry Rachel) abilities of their own, someone he loves and wants to protect, someone who can do incredible things he'll never be able to do, making their already weird brother-brother parent-child dynamic a thousand times messier.

it's a huge shift for Sean--you can literally see it in the mechanics, which go from helping Daniel with tasks in the first episode to increasingly relying on his help in the rest. ep 4 is the one where Sean gets beaten up the most because he's the most separated from Daniel then, even the whole game begins with Sean beating Brett up for Daniel, before he kept ending up in situations where he's so wildly outclassed. it's all shit that interweaves with the powerlessness that already comes from being queer/brown/disabled in america, but the difference is that those are the result of oppressive systems and the people who enforce them, systems Sean is trying to break away from, but he can't break from Daniel, he loves Daniel, and Daniel isn't oppressive, he's just a little boy trying to love his brother as much as his brother loves him, protect him with the only tools he has

and it's terrifying. like, from the perspective of a character of Max or Alex, they're overwhelmed by their own powers, but the player is in control of them and can try to find a way to use them, even if it doesn't always work. Sean doesn't have that, he just have to live with being extremely aware of how vulnerable he is to Daniel losing control. the truly fucked-up thing it's not like Daniel ever means to hurt anyone, none of the powered lis characters do, their intentions are beneficial at best and mischievous at worst, it all just has such earthshaking affects on everyone around them. we don't see Chloe's inner monologue about all the ways Max alters her reality to keep her safe, we only get so much insight into the way Haven's Point's residents feel Alex messing about their emotions,

but Sean's perspective makes it extremely clear on what a roller coaster it is to have someone with abilities to shaping your life like this, as if you're sharing your world and your heart with a tornado, a wonder and a terror all at once. idk, there just aren't that many superpower stories with this kind of look about what it's like to be on the outside looking in on godhood, certainly not to this degree, not with the focus on how intense it is, like the difference between standing in the eye of the hurricane and being caught outside. I honestly think that's one of the reasons people are dicks about this game, they don't like that feeling of helplessness, they get used to Max and Alex's incredible abilities and it's a very different feeling to have so much of your story tied to a character out of control instead.

but Sean is at once the most powerful playable character in the lis series if "power" means power over how the story plays out, over destiny. because as has been mentioned, your choices in lis2 really do matter more than any other game. it's not power that comes from what he can do, it's his relationship with Daniel, it's whether he's able to maintain high enough brotherhood to get Daniel to do some things and figure out what to do when he can't convince Daniel on others. it's whether he's shaping them both into people who will give up their combined power to the very systems they're running from or if he'll die trying to do what he thinks is best or if he'll take his control back by giving up his control, in a way, trusting that Daniel has what it takes to protect them both, and doing what's necessary to guide Daniel to that place where he can do that.

he has to choose what smaller, emotional influences he's going to have in order to build up rather than more direct displays of power. and it works, because lis series has always been all about how messy, human relationships can change and destroy so much more psychic abilities ever could by themselves--i honestly believe that no one game encapsulates that quite the way lis2 does.

[respectthepetty]

I was going to respond to @waitmyturtles' ask about if a person should finish Step by Step, but instead of taking that post hostage, let me be honest on my own post:

Step by Step has problems.

Step by Step isn't perfect.

Step by Step has pacing issues.

Step by Step's timeline is all over the place.

Step by Step's second couple was not fleshed out.

and yet . . .

Step by Step has consistently stated that being gay is its biggest problem.

AND I LOVE THAT!

A BL about how being gay is a problem in an industry profiting off of gay stories is what I'm showing up for each week. Mostly when it directly stated that in the series, only to have to be edited due to fan outrage.

Put being an actual gay man in the BL industry is a problem.

Jeng being an actual gay man in a company that made a BL to promote a product is a problem.

Pat being an actual gay man, who successfully marketed a product using the BL concept he was adamantly against yet pulled off with a limited budget and time, rising to a leadership position is a problem.

All was fine and dandy when we were watching a BL about two men falling in love and providing each other balance, but the problems started to spring up when the story became about gay men trying to balance their work with their lives.

The pacing fell apart as their work started to take over their lives and everything work related sped up as their personal stories stopped.

The timeline became muffled as life and emotions started to cut into their work. PAT FORGOT HIS OWN BIRTHDAY because time escaped him as we dug further into the corporate world.

The second couple fell apart before they even started as the show began to tell us that life-work integration was never going to work

when

you

are

gay

especially in spaces that want to profit off of the queer community without openly accepting its members in those spaces.

A gay man can't integrate his life into a job that doesn't want to accept that actual gay men exist.

It's performative action at its finest, and it demands that queer people become compliant in their own oppression.

Jeng never caused a problem at work, yet those men sat there and told him their biggest problem with him was that he was gay. Then they made Jeng apologize for it.

Put never caused a problem at work, yet his manager told him that revealing he was in a gay relationship was going to be an issue. Then he pushed Put back in the closet.

Two years ago, both of them sacrificed their relationship and their lives for work, and as result, their entire lives became their work.

They lost track of time. They missed important moments happening in their family and friend's lives. Entire events passed without them being present. They had to compromise themselves to succeed.

And we witnessed that happening to Pat until he realized he didn't want to be manipulated into doubting his skills, his work, or himself.

I'm sticking around to see what justice this show brings to its characters who gave up everything just to be left with nothing.

But I stuck around because this show told us from the very first line in the very first scene what it was about.

This wasn't a story about falling in love while balancing each other out. This was a story about trying to find a balance between a job that doesn't want to accept your life exists and a life that can't exist because of your job.

One gives you security.

And the other makes you feel safe.

Pat made his choice.

Now it's time for Jeng to make his.

[imsiriuslyreading]

i keep seeing people on tumblr saying “if you like harry potter you are a bad person” “anyone who likes harry potter should go to hell” “liking harry potter makes u a transphobe btw” and it really bothers me to be lumped prejudicially like this but also most people making these posts are trans and i’m like ok fair of you to be pissed at j*r but… i just read silly fanfic on the internet and reblog queer af art of characters she spent all but three pages on… i get that the books are rife with the author’s prejudices and bigotry but we literally *fix* all that stuff in fan work…. why do i have to be treated like a literal fascist you won’t even have a convo with me just because ur making a blanket statement? makes my blood boil. i just want to enjoy gay fanfic idk about what the transphobic cunt says… how do you cope with this, if ever?

hello! how are ya?

oh boy do i have thoughts on this.

recently, i've been thinking a lot about this.

there have been a lot of assumptions made without me actually being asked what my thoughts on this are, so I'll jump on this and tell you what I think.

i think queer and trans people, people of colour, along with other 'minority' groups have a lot to be furious with her about. I think she's a despicable excuse for a human and the way she has acted so dangerously to the group of people who needed her stories the most growing up is one of the saddest things to happen in our lifetime.

as a queer arab woman in this space, i often ask myself how do I balance and walk the line of engaging in fandom whilst keeping true to my beliefs and protecting the people in this space. i think it's different for each and every person, but what I know for sure is that if there's one thing JKR hates, it's the queers. its the lgbtqia+ gang.

something I think about a lot is that making this place what it is for us and our trans friends is one of my favourite parts of finding fandom. Being able to facilitate and offer safe spaces for people who are targeted is another.

so i think one of the most fierce and beautiful ways we can and should reclaim this world from her is by being as loud and as proud here as we can. i don't think we should hide in the shadows and skulk around pretending we don't love the parts that she created. i think we should continue doing what we do, and making these works of art of who we are, what we love, and keep writing the stories of ourselves we want to see in the world.

because if not us, then who?

[meraki-yao]

RWRB Thoughts: Happy One-Year Anniversary ❤️🤍💙

I think it’s safe to say my life changed because of this movie.

I didn’t buy the book with the thought of it being this significant, but the moment I started reading and followed the promo leading up to movie, I could tell this was something different. Something bigger.

For one, because of this movie, I was happier than I ever was since Form 6 Farewell in January 2022. Waking up happy to check out what updates there were, counting down the days to the movie’s release.

I cannot pin point what in particular made this so different, so much more to me. Whether that be seeing characters similar to me, even in age navigate a strange and wild world, or the delight of watching my book come to life on my screen brought, or finding comfort in seeing Alex and Henry come together and end up being the one pair in all of the historical queer couples they quoted in their email to announce their relationship, no hiding anymore, just being themselves, and being accepted.

And this is the first time I ever joined a fan community. Partly because I think I’m finally at the age where I know how to handle my online presence, partly because I was just bursting with excitement from the movie I needed a place to scream about it and be heard, be responded to, I joined Tumblr, and made so many now personal friends through the fandom. Friendship with different backgrounds, from different countries, all united by this love for this little movie, all sustained with a deeper connection.

I found people to turn to when things for me were getting too much, or when I needed advice but didn’t know where to turn to. I went to sleep crying from a big family argument and woke up to ten messages checking on me. I found another place to belong. A sanctuary.

The movie saved me. I was drowning and suffocating for most of the last quarter of 2023, and the one thing that kept me from sinking into the void was RWRB and the community I found.

On the day of my calculus exam, we got a sequel, and I felt such a burst of euphoria that I, someone who’s been terrified of maths exam and has never passed an advanced math exam, went into the venue feeling like I could conquer the world. This was the best I’ve ever done in Math since primary 6. I went from an F to a B+ in this course.

After sobbing my eyes out at Alex’s telling Henry “Nothing will ever happen to you” and being afraid that the same would apply to me, and asking advice from a lot, a lot of people, and reading about Alex’s story of finding a new dream, turning from politics to law, and Taylor’s story of giving up what his parents wanted from him (funnily enough, biochem) to pursue what he wanted, I gathered up my courage and applied for a program transfer, and got into the program I wanted in the first place. I think I’m gonna be a lot happier and more motivated now, and hopefully the demons will pop up a little less.

I could not have had the bravery to take my life into my own hands and break out of the path I was stuck on without RWRB, Alex and Henry, Taylor and Nicholas, and my many new friends inspiring and encouraging me to do so.

My life is better because of this movie. That’s insane, but it’s also the truth.

So happy anniversary to our little movie that’s not so little anymore. Happy one year to our Emmy-nominated, sequel-in-progress queer rom-com. I love you, I love you all. Thank you for all the wonders and salvation you brought me.

And I’m so excited for what comes next for us.

(yes that is me singing the birthday song to a movie)

[jev-urisk]

Heyo, call me Jev. 👋

Near-30s trans goblin, they/them/he

Haunted equally by my horniness and my disdain for the patriarchal and capitalistic hellscape I find myself in.

Drag artist, dog parent, dnd DM

I generally write urban fantasy, queer romance/smut, adventure, mystery and horror undertones.

Open to tag games, asks, exchanging ideas, and general mutual support

I enjoy fanart! However please do not use Ai to recreate anything of mine.

I'm here to learn and laugh and lament and lust alongside other goblins like me, and hopefully my work inspires those feelings in those I meet here!

My writing disposition:

I'm genderqueer, mixed-race, autistic, poly, and pansexual and not only put those qualities in my characters but love fucking with dry uninspiring stereotypes.

I'm talking more poc vampires, non-animalistic natives in fantasy, black women in charge and black women who get to be gentle and delightful. Hybrid species/race characters who learn their cultures and where they fit in instead of just being 'I'm mixed and angsty'. I'm talking middle eastern men as honest protectors, an incubus with asexual qualities, disabled faefolk, and soft gardener orcs. I'm here to serve chubby lamia, small characters who aren't infantalized, and build terrible societies for my ocs to burn and I hope someone dies mad about it.

✨️Thanks for visiting.✨️

-Wips below break-

Works in Progress

🌐 Seven Circles 🌐

Intro Post Here

WIP I post about most. This is where I store my hate for capitalism, my trauma, my hope, and my kink for fangs. Urban fantasy, 100k+, queer relationships, and smut

Criminals from districts 2-4 are sometimes made to work in district 1 for 'rehabilitation', subject to demonic contracts that get extended over any slight the demons perceive in your service to them.

Four characters are caught up in this system of subjugation and they each have their own ideas of handling it: complacency in servitude, manipulating a way to escape, diplomacy to bring change, and revenge fueled rebellion.

♦️🤠Post Paedicom:

Version of our world where monsters, witches, and an original humanoid race called Elja exist- all of which are considered dangerous by humans.

Takes place in Texas where two men, a witch and an Elja, fall for each other whilst hiding among humans and quietly keeping their town safe from monsters. Casually writing for now but may post art at some point.

♦️⚔️Prodigium

Historic precursor to Post Paedicom when there were kings and carriages and sexy swordplay. Before the modern era where Elja are considered either government dogs or rogue monsters. In this era, the strong monster-immune species had a thriving civilization that lived in mutualism with humans, offering protection from monsters in exchange for produce and other farmed resources.

This story is about the downfall of Eljankind, the deception of a coven of witches, and the punishing freedom of love.

Please lmk if you would like to be added to my taglist for these, tag games, or my art posts 🩷

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: It Was Always You

A chance encounter during one of the worst times of Ezra Fell’s life reunites him with his once best friend and the one who got away. Though, that would imply he ever had him in the first place. Anthony Crowley and his son, Warlock, relocate to the quieter city of Tadfield from that of London. In the process, manages to find again that one person who always made him feel less alone, the one person he was pretty sure he was never going to speak to again. But the road to true love never did run smooth (something that’s been true from their very beginning). Despite the easy way they fall back into each other, their lives don't seem to follow suit, and if it's not one challenge its another. But despite everything they find themselves facing down, the ten years without each other taught them one thing: they’re better together than they are apart.

Length: 236,585 words

AO3 Rating: Teen and Up

Best for: Safe in Public, Taking Breaks, Human AU, Slow Burn, Romance, Fluff, Pick-me-up

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by mltrefry

*Minor Spoilers* Strap in, because this is going to be a long rec post. This story hit pretty much all my personal buttons on the parent AU side, so I knew it would end up being a favorite of mine. But then, to combine it with such a rich and wonderful story of how Crowley and Ezra grew up together as best friends? It felt tailor-made for me.

Let's start with the present. Crowley is the father of five-year-old Warlock, owns a very successful flower shop, and has moved to Tadfield to be closer to that branch of the business. Ezra has just lost his sister Eliza and is now the guardian to his nephew Adam. Both men are content with their lives, but the memory of their fallout plagues them both. In the past, we follow their entire history—from their first meeting, to new boyfriends, supporting each other through hard times, and the unbearable pain of their unspoken mutual pining.

I loved everything about this story. As parents, they're both amazing. They love being dads, they never see their sons as a burden, and I'm so thankful that this story doesn't cause any unnecessary angst for them in this aspect. Their family is built on love, safety, and trust. I adored the boys, their new routines, and their entire extended family of side characters.

I was fascinated by their past relationships. Every person each of them dated was such a complex and interesting side character. I appreciated how even when a partner is flawed, they're not portrayed as evil—especially Gabriel. Yes, he's an asshole, and he can't take no for an answer, but he's not evil. He does nothing to purposely sabotage Ezra's happiness, which was something I was honestly expecting a bit. The character of Oscar here was a particular standout for me. I also loved how the red string of fate kept connecting them in ways I don't think they'll ever realize. Which is lovely, but also a little silly in that it almost feels like there's only like 8 queer men in all of Britain. But each relationship taught them more about life and themselves, and yes, maybe it would have been easier for them if they confessed their love earlier in their lives. However, that wasn't meant to be; they came together at exactly the right point in their lives. They were meant to have this wonderful family together.

And watching them grow up together? I was glued to every moment. Their family lives were unique and complex. Completely original to this story, which sometimes can feel too removed from canon. But it didn't feel that way to me ever. Or if it ever did, it wasn't a negative. I don't believe this is the kind of story you could scrub out the Good Omens and repackage it as any other couple. Even though technically it should be easy to do with this set up. There isn't that much Good Omens canon in it, but still, this just feels like Crowley and Aziraphale despite how much of an AU it is.

Ok, I gotta stop before this becomes even longer, there are SO MANY plot points I could talk about. But seriously, if you love parent stories or stories of them being friends as kids, this is a must-read. It's satisfyingly long, but also so effortless that you will spend hours in this world, and it'll feel like seconds. The writing is excellent, so detailed that you'll feel like you're actually there, but never gets bogged down in itself. This is now a forever favorite of mine!

Read it here, fic by mltrefry

[tbhimnoteasyonmyself]

15 Day BL Challenge - DAY 24

Happy Christmas, to all those who celebrate!

Hoping everyone gets nice gifts and shares a good night with their loved ones. My family and I will be eating a Bacalhau no Forno (classic cod dish), as per Lisbon tradition, and I hope to get, at least, one album tonight, it'd make me very happy.

Anyways...

What Storyline/Trope Do You Enjoy and Wish to See More of?

Easy one.

You Make Me Want to Be Better

I think we see a lot of You Make Me a Better Person, where one of the characters is trying to actively change the other. But I think that's not such a good trope. Love, after all, is not about forcing anyone to do anything but about finding a safe place where you can fall back to in your road to being better. So, I think, having someone not only be that home but also the kickstarter to that road is really interesting and so much better.

They loved you as you were. You were the one who realized their love was so precious they should give it to someone better, so you're searching to be that person.

Perfect.

Here are some examples to illustrate:

SandRay (Only Friends)

Ray is depressed and an alcoholic and he acts arrogantly and selfishly to compensate. But when he accepts Sand's love, he accepts, at much cost, what comes with it: the realization that, yes, he is kinda broken, but even ppl like him are worthy of love and of a place in the world. And that he should fight for his future. Be someone better. So he goes to therapy and he tries rehab and he tries to be a good boyfriend. Is he perfect? Absolutely not. Do I think his road won't be bumpy? Hell no! But you don't have to succeed at first or even at all to be a better person. The effort is enough. And I appreciate that.

WenZhou (Word of Honor)

You might look at them and think I'm just talking about Kexing but I'm not. Sure the murderer to family father plotline is HYPER relevant to this conversation but we can't forget how much Zishu was also not fucking great with his assassination cult shit. This is a classic sodium chloride ship. Alone they have done terrible things. Together they've been a wonder to society, learning from the other the best there is in him and that, perhaps, sometimes, only truly they are able to see.

JackJoke (Jack&Joker)

Similar to WenZhou but without all the war crimes. This time is just normal time crimes dksjkdjskdjsd. I think we're quick to say Jack profoundly changed Joke just by being a good selfless person, which is absolutely true, but also we need to understand how Joke's vulnerability made Jack more open as well; how Joke's faith made Jack more faithful; how Joke's trust made Jack more trusting. Undeniably, they bring out the best in each other.

TongrakMahasamut (Love Sea)

Back to the beginning, this is 100% about Tongrak and how closed off, selfish, distrusting and arrogant he was and how loving Mahasamut and finally seeing the value in that love, made him a softer, calmer and more altruistic person. And none of this was because Mahasamut demanded anything bc that was the last thing he ever thought of doing, he gave Tongrak nothing but space and opinions. This was bc Tongrak came to this conclusion himself. And that's beautiful.

HONOURABLE MENTION: Poly, Ace and Aro Relationships

I just feel like we deserve companies and directors less afraid of being "offputting" or weirding out the fetishizers that lurk around. Queer people will never fit into the narrow-mindedness of the people who see us as objects for their own gains or non-human so why bother? Give us a whole series on characters like Plakao from Wandee Goodday, give us 3WBF (without Andrew Tate listeners), break a love triangle by making it a throuple, tell us more queer-platonic stories, make a plot where one of the protagonists doesn't succeed with their incessant bothering bc the other person just doesn't do romance, give us stories where there's 7 ppl, all romantically involved some way and they're all cool with it, DON'T BE AFRAID!!!

[grayseeker]

The Spark of Inspiration: Why Starscream Means the World to Me

I vividly remember the moment I became a die-hard Transformers fan. It was in 1985, during the episode Starscream's Brigade. The scene where Starscream confidently flies up to perch on Bruticus' shoulder took my breath away. There was just something about him. His attitude, his defiance. His sheer audacity in standing up to Megatron's attempts to put him in his 'place' - and all of this balanced by a emotional vulnerability that I found all too relatable.

For me, Starscream embodies the quintessential outsider striving for acceptance and power; an archetype that speaks to anyone who has ever felt overlooked or underestimated. His clashes with Megatron mirrored my own experiences with bullying, as well as my struggles to find my voice. His relentless pursuit of his ambitions taught me the importance of sometimes being just a little 'selfish.' That prioritizing one's own needs–for time, space or creativity–is an act of courageous rebellion in a world that pre-defines one's 'correct' role as being in service of others.

Despite being labeled a coward, Starscream's never-say-die attitude in the face of setbacks provided me with a model of courage and resilience that has inspired me for decades. Even his death in Transformers: The Movie couldn't suppress his passion for life. Following the open-ended finale of Ghost in the Machine, I felt compelled to continue Starscream's story. He got me past my fear of the dreaded blank page, and kicked off what has become a lifelong passion for storytelling.

Starscream also awakened my sense of myself as a queer person, and inspired me to explore gender, sexuality and identity in ways I might not have if he had not planted the seed through his delectably flamboyant brand of queer-coded villainy.

Starscream perched on Bruticus' shoulder.

Why Supernova, Why Now?

It's safe to say that Starscream is more than a character to me. He is my Muse. He swooped into my life in '85 and took up residence, capturing both my heart and my imagination. Supernova, one of my upcoming zine projects, is a way to extend that love to a wider community, inviting others to bring their own Starscream-fueled perspectives, experiences and creativity. Supernova will accept submissions in the form of art, fiction, comics, poetry, and essays in what I hope will become a vibrant homage to the inspiration Starscream has provided me and many other fans, both old and new.

Want to join in?

Supernova is currently in the interest-check phase. Fill out the interest-check survey below, and let me know what you’d love to see included in the zine. I can't wait to see what we create together!