#like every1 else is popular in some way | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

drifloonz · 2 years ago

Note

hmm.. do you have any favourite Pokémon/Poképasta characters? If so, what do you like about them? Or.. if you could make your own Poképasta character, what would their concept or design be? Or name in general, you don’t have to do a fully fleshed out backstory for them. Orrr, what’s your favourite thing about being on the internet or being in a fandom?

i... to no ones surprise, reaaally like steven. glitchys up there, but i think his og pokepasta sort of sucks ( which is not an unpopular opinion ), but strangled red ( specifically strangled red, strangled and doors open are... neat, but sort of badly written and way more stereotypical ) is just... mwah. chefs kiss. stories about grief and abt a depressive spiral that gets worse and worse AND you get to see how he was like before it? soo good. you can argue the missingno plotline in it was unnecessary which i could agree but i think its just cool more than anything else, esp since most pokepastas based on gen 1 use it or other glitches in the 1st gens for horror a lot, which i think is interesting. missingno can be many things!

i like to think logically that glitches and stuff in game prob exist in the pokemon universe as well, since... well.. pokemon can be turned into data. you put them into the pc. missingno likely just exists and is a heavily corrupted pokemon that is not supposed to be there, or a glitch that the pc or something made real.

therefore, miki probably was "healed" because missingno "filled" her "missing data" or something like that, but i like to keep it more vague and ambiguous too. you can do a lot with strangled red and steven, miki, and mike too which just intrigues me. once again read lessons in guilt and grief and faulty on ao3. they explore this and steven, mike, ( and daisy who doesnt get enough attention ) in a way i 100% agree with and enjoy .

as for other characters i obviously enjoy glitchy but i much more enjoy the like... post-fnflull version of him cuz' in his original popularity he was just sort of prettyboy red who was also a creepypasta but ppl barely drew him like he was one ( i like fnf lulls interp bc of how his body constantly stutters and how when hes irate his mouth just stretches and shit like that. gmod ragdoll with broken physics ass mf ). also as said before his pokepastas sort of forgettable but i do like the concept of a red stuck in a game self aware bc im allll for that shit. i am an IHNMBIMS fan, i love AM, i love self aware AIs that feel trapped and take it out on every1 else or cope with it in Some Way... very interesting concept, idk.

honorable mentions for pokepastas that ppl prob know that i do not talk abt a lot that i like the writing or concepts for are DISABLED and Hell Bell.

hell bell you could argue has a stereotypical 'pasta ending of "ooooh you die in the game you die for real" but idk i eat up the way they did it in hell bell bc the person doesnt die but they sort of do since nobody can see em anymore ( iirc, i hvent read it in a bit ). also uses gen 4 which as someone who started mainline games with diamond and pearl respectively, i enjoy that a lot.

for DISABLED, its not super deep or scary or anything ( ok well its scary for the narrator obviously ) but its another one that just sorta makes me feel bad in all the right ways.

i have concepts for pokepasta aus of my ocs and some side characters but they arent pokepastas theyre just like... ppl who live in the world ( of fnf lull usually since i like to think everything there is connected and coexists somehow ), but i am not original to save my life so i dont think id make an actual pokepasta anytime soon, lol. the closest i got was making a super horrible choose your own adventure where you played as a cubone on deviantart when i was like idk 9

as for internet and fandom stuff, i dont associate myself w fandoms or fandom terminology and unironically i just start to call myself an "enjoyer" of things, bc i dont like being associated w anything... fandom oriented a lot of the time anymore. a lot of fanonization of characters also sucks. i do think the pokepasta fandom has some funny fanonizations though. like yes dilfify that man ( @ steven )

also esp for pokepastas bc i have Hyperfixation Shame. its why i have a sideblog for it, both so it has a concentrated place to go and so no one knows i like it enough to write abt it lol

thank u 4 asking :]!

#wispy chatters

8 notes · View notes

dersitedreamr · 2 years ago

Text

Also dirk would in no way be some popular enigmatic figure people would think he was fedora wearing neck beard redditor adjacent and he wouldnt help his case by being sort of an awkward person to talk to. He also acts like he knows better than every1 else (unintentionally) which would make ppl hate him more he’d be so unpopular. The idea that he’d be a sly mysterious fake deep coming of age protag is laughable

#dirk

3 notes · View notes

twotonedsuicide · 3 months ago

Text

My small yap session bc I'm bored

So spacehey just hit 1 million users and liek ,, it feels so weird 2 me

I joined the site 2 years ago when it only had around 480k - 500k users so I've seen a good chunk of the sites history unfold right by me

It's just such an amazing accomplishment I'm around 2 see happen and liek ,, it's nice that I've been on the site 4 so long ,, yet it makes me a bit more sad abt my plans on quitting / leaving it 4 a bit

My plan was 2 leave the site 4 as long as I wanted bc yeah it's a good site but the ppl on it r either super sensitive, super edgy or just not active

I get wanting 2 b a good person and positive influence ,, but obv there is such a thing as toxic positivity

I've also seen ppl harass users just 4 liking a simple movie or having a trait a particular person doesn't like

It's a good site and good idea but the ppl make it insufferable 2 b on daily

Another small issue I have w/ the site is the mod team

Ppl don't like the mods and it's mostly 4 good reasons

Yeah the mods have been cleaning up the gore spam and other nasty stuff off the site but they also unfairly ban/suspend ppl 4 little reason if any at all

I've almost got my acc on there suspended bc some1 reported my acc

I was confused y until a mod IMed me on there

Apparently some1 didn't like how I had a razor blade as my cursor and the graphic I added as a joke

(the graphic I was using below:)

I've had that graphic on my profile 4 months before that person actually reported it and the mods thought it was completely fine

I 1st put it on my profile way back in early March so it was considered fine 4 5 months

That's what I don't like abt the mods

They will get pressed over little graphics on some1s page but the second some1 starts spamming actual gore it'll take them at least half a hour 2 get rid of the account

They will also ban you the second you piss them off / get involved in the smallest of drama

I'm friends w/ some1 named gia who has been banned over 50 times on spacehey just 4 popping up and making a new acc

He only got involved in drama once b4 his acc got terminated

And every time he just pops up on the site and tries 2 use it like any1 else his accs get suspended

Ik it's against TOS 2 not make multiple accs but banning him over some petty drama that happened way back in April is just a bit unnecessary

He doesn't even interact w/ the ppl who were involved w/ that situation anymore

Every1 but the mods moved on

So now he has 2 use burner emails and a variety of display names and such just 2 b able 2 stay on the site

I get trying 2 minimize the problematic content on your site but just straight up banning ppl for a small situation that happened 3 months ago isn't exactly the best way 2 do things imo

There's a block button 4 a reason

If you don't like some1 on the site just block them and move on there's no need 4 the mods 2 ban both parties 4 what's essentially no good reason

That reminds me of another issue I have w/ some of the ppl on spacehey

I've had ppl get mad at me and question y i blocked random well known users on the site

I've had angry IMs from ppl asking me abt some small stuff I was involved in

There's just what seems 2 b cult followings around some of the popular users on the site

Like I'm srry I blocked them but it's my choice

If some1 doesn't like me I will just block and move on bc starting up something over something so insignificant is stupid

I've also gotten blocked by some of the popular users 4 no reason

If some1 blocks me 4 no reason I'll just block them back

I fear it's just the best thing 2 do

I won't go and make an alt acc just 2 ask them y they blocked me

It's their choice and that's that

I also have an issue w/ the rumors on the site

I've seen so much misinformation/rumors spread around abt ppl and I'm sick of it

If I see something abt some1 and it's that bad I'll just str8 up go and ask them like "hey is what X is saying abt u true ?"

I won't go around spreading it unless it's confirmed or there's too much evidence surrounding that particular info 4 it 2 b false

I've personally seen rumors abt me such as that I'm a tcc (true crime community) member and that I'm an awfully rude person

The tcc rumor only popped up when I asked a certain bad person who's part of that community abt some rumor floating around abt them

Yes I admit I do like some crime cases but I'm not a part of the community

I've only interacted w/ ppl from that community a handful of times and I only know abt some cases

In order 2 b part of a community u have 2 b committed 2 it , active in it and u have 2 enjoy the community

I do not like tcc since from what I've seen abt it , it's a community that idolizes and worships horrible ppl who committed heinous activities

I would not enjoy being part of a space like that

Also I'm only rude 2 ppl if they're rude 2 me

I believe in treat others how u want 2 b treated

Maybe if they were actually a good person who treated others kindly I wouldn't b such a shit face 2 them

Anyways that's it of my yap ses I'm gonna go back 2 my important reblogging

#spacehey #sorry for my long yap ses

0 notes

my-traumacore-sideblog · 5 months ago

Text

so this post got a lot of popularity bc of this reblog

i can't exactly put my finger on y but this makes me kinda uncomfortable?

i think it's bc the reblog in a way in my opinion reframes the struggles of trans men as struggles that women face? or implies that we only face the struggles that we face from being trans men because we used to be women, to me this feels almost misgendering in a way? but on top of that misses the point of my post

i did not face this as a woman

when i was living life "as a woman" (in quotes bc i was never rly a woman but i still had 2 present as 1) i was not told that i was sexist if i didn't make sure my life revolved around subservience 2 men, i was told 2 fear men, i was told that men were evil and i was good and that it was inherent, i was raised 2 fear what was deep inside me brewing under the surface, i was told that men didn't face any form of struggle or systemic oppression, that every struggle that they might face from other factors (such as race, sexuality, ect) was lessened bc of them being men, i was taught that men basically had 2 redeem themselves bc of their gender and that it was up 2 every man 2 prove he wasn't a threat but there was not 1 mention that i might b perceived as a threat as a woman, the closest there was was "some men might b intimidated by u but that's just bc ur not acting subservient 2 them and they r sexist" i was literally taught that if a man was intimidated by me it was either bc he was sexist or it was a good thing bc it was better 4 a man 2 fear me than 2 think he could walk all over me and i was told that deep down all every man wanted 2 do was 2 walk all over all women

as a woman i was taught 2 oppress marginalised men, as a woman i was taught it was every man's job to make himself more palatable 4 me but that they expected the same from women and that that was sexist

i don't believe that cis women have it as hard as trans men or that the oppression that i face as a trans man is a continuation of anything i faced as a cis woman

the real horror of being a trans man in my personal experience comes from being raised thinking u r the victim of society and can do no wrong and it's every man's job 2 make it up 2 u while deep down knowing that ur the thing that every1 is telling u is a monster and the root of every evil in the world, living in fear of what you'll become if u finally give in and become yourself, and eventually 1 day u realise that it is actually possible 2 b a man without being a monster so u finally allow urself 2 take that first breath of fresh air and fuck does it feel good and u know now how much u don't want 2 go back 2 existing as a trapped soul in a puppet u control 2 b acceptable only 4 u 2 then b confronted w the reality that not every1 else has figured out that u can b a man without being a monster and that the hollow shell u wrapped around urself 2 appear acceptable was ur suit of armour that u can no longer put back on

my original post was not made 2 centre the experiences of women or those living as women, it was me venting abt my personal experiences with allowing myself 2 b a man and imo this reblog derails from that in a way by acting like cis women have it just as hard as trans men which i don't think is accurate at all, personally i think that trans men have it much harder than cis women do and i don't think viewing our oppression thru the lense of sexism against women is at all helpful especially given how a lot of the oppression trans men face especially the stuff i was talking abt in my original post is cis women weaponising the concept of sexism against women 2 b shitty 2 trans men

my original post was not about how "life is just as hard 4 me now as it was b4 when i was living as a woman" the original post was me venting abt how now that ive finally accepted myself as a trans man my life has become so much harder in regards 2 gender politics than it ever was when i was living as a woman and the absolute fucking whiplash that comes from going from being told that ur always the victim of every situation who can do no wrong bc of being a woman and any1 who disagrees is just sexist and afraid of ur power 2 all of a sudden being told that u r everything wrong with society and u r inherently a threat 2 women and that its ur job 2 make up 4 it and redeem urself from the sin of being a man bc being a man is the same as being a rapist monster

i was not fucking told that being a woman made me inherently a rapist

i was however told that being a man made me inherently a rapist

my posts r not made 2 soothe the egos of cis women and frankly it's kinda upsetting 2 c some1 take a post abt me venting abt being a trans man and try 2 make it sound like what i experience as a trans man is the same as what cis women experience, it's not, the oppression i experience is unique 2 me being transmasc and while usually i wouldn't b so blunt since its on my vent blog i c no reason 2 bother holding back, cis women have it easier and no i will not apologise 4 saying so, cis ppl in general have it easier than trans ppl and yes that includes cis women, cis women r not at the pinnacle of experiencing the worst forms of oppression that society has 2 offer like they often like 2 think they r, we rly need 2 stop basing our ideas of who is and isn't oppressed on the words of cis (and let's b honest here, white) women

idk there's smth so fucked up abt me going off on a deeply personal and emotional rant on my vent blog abt the oppression i face at the hands of cis women only 4 some1 2 derail the post by basically centering the experiences of cis women and 4 my post 2 suddenly as a result get more attention, idk, probably gonna block this account after posting this tbh bc i don't think i can handle this happening 2 this post again

(seriously guys this is my personal vent blog stop trying 2 twist my very deeply emotional venting 2 fit ur own ideas fuck)

feeling rly unsafe 2day, but it's specifically bc of being a trans guy, i keep seeing stuff from cis women abt how men r always the worst and how men hav a duty 2 make their lives revolve around women or else we're sexist, how apparently men need 2 all b willing 2 lay down their lives 4 any woman or else we're just as bad as the creeps who make ppl feel unsafe 2 go out at night and yes i said people not just women but they only want 2 acknowledge it when it's a cis woman that's the victim

i did not fucking sign up for this

i did not fucking sign up 2 sacrifice my life either literally or thru dedicating my life only 2 others just because the pronoun "he" fits me better than the pronoun "she"

i should not hav 2 worry that im an inherently bad person because of being a gay trans man

i should not hav 2 worry abt being perceived as a threat bc of being a queer man of colour

i've honestly started to hav thoughts abt de-transitioning not bc being a guy in the way i am doesn't fit me but rather out of fear of the scrutiny every action of mine will b placed under

i was sexually abused as a child but i guess that doesn't matter anymore because im a man now, boys don't cry they punch ig, apparently since im a man now it means im destined 2 become that which hurt me

all i want is to be a man, in a nonbinary way yes but still a man (demi-guy), i want to love men who love me back, i want to live a quiet life surrounded by love and happiness, i want to live a gentle life

but no.... because im a man now then apparently it must make me predatory in some way

i can't de-transition... i know i wouldn't survive emotionally... so i stick with it, with allowing myself to be a demi-guy.... but it hurts knowing that me being free is perceived as dangerous, that im seen as inherently a threat to women

edit: so a terf started clowning this post, just 2 make this shit clear, this is not a fucking debate blog this is a me posting abt my feelings blog, i would've thought the url "my-traumacore-sideblog" would've made that clear

also no racism and sexism is not the same thing

yes women face oppression at the hands of men and should be allowed to talk about it but men also face oppression at the hands of women and should be allowed to talk abt it, 4 men who r not in a minority group this is usually in terms of legal stuff (how r*pe is legally categorised, custody disputes ect) but this is even more of an issue and more every day when it comes to men in marginalised communities, yk like me, yk like what i was venting abt in my fucking post i should b allowed 2 talk abt my own oppression 2 and acting like me venting abt my own oppression in a post tagged as a vent post on my vent blog makes me the same as my white oppressors is not only terf shit but also racist and it shows a lack of political literacy, a woman has just as much capacity 4 violence as a man but a queer man of colour is seen as inherently violent and a white woman is inherently seen as always being a victim but ur ok w/ these white women using that power of perceived vulnerability 2 call 4 violence against queer men and men of colour and especially queer men of colour just say u want cis women klansmen and leave im not backing down from talking abt my own oppression bc of white woman tears

anyways person who clowed is now blocked so don't bother trying 2 respond 2 my edit

#tw transandrophobia #tw sexism #tw rape mention #down with the cis #vent post #rant post #long post

36 notes · View notes

runaways-withme · 7 years ago

Text

Billy being the first one to respond to Trini’s confession at the campfire like “It’s okay , you’re with us now” is so sweet esp since Billy never really had friends either n they both have ppl who don’t understand them

#billy x trini brotp #i love them #like every1 else is popular in some way #jason ex quaterback kim the queen B Zack doesn't even go to school but kim immedietly rmrs his name #n even jason knows abt him n asks if he ever goes to school #n then there's them two #also on a ship level imagine both of them talking abt their crushes on jason n kimberly

16 notes · View notes

inmyarmswrappedin · 3 years ago

Note

I wasn't being facetious w my ask and i certainly wasn't intending for it to appear like i was criticizing Tarjei. I was just making an observation on the patterns that seem to reoccur and influence how and why some shows and actors become popular and sustain it. Imo most of the remakes ~ that NRK signed off on~ are below par so i side eye every1 who approves more content from them. Lastly the fandom(s) is small enuf that any conflict sends ripples thruout making ppl feel uncomfy so they leave

Second ask: I'd also like to add that, aside from whatever promo the actor signed off on in their contract, no actor is obligated to attend additional events just to give you more content. Would it be awesome? Of course!! But we as fans need to recognize that the actors have a life outside skam. tarjei attending conventions two years after skam ended would have been awesome, don't get me wrong, bit skam had been over for two years and it wasn't the career choice tarjei wanted to make and that's extremely valid

Hi anon! 🎈 I guess I find the amount of responsibility/blame that you lay upon NRK to be unreasonable. Like, they already dictate that teams must do research, that some characters are off limits as mains, and that some other characters must be mains. That one French guy said that someone at NRK reads the scripts for the original seasons and has veto power. There's already a perception that NRK micromanages the remakes far too much and is too demanding. Compare with other adaptation contracts like, idk, The Office, Queer As Folk, or Ugly Betty, where remake teams were allowed massive amounts of freedom in terms of casting, characters, storylines, etc.

Like, what else would you have NRK do? Demand a specific episode runtime? A specific percentage of the script that must be entirely rewritten? A specific feel for the soundtracks that avoids unlicensed music or too much generic pop? To cast Tarjei as the Isak in every remake? I'm sorry that you find the remakes below par, cheap and unwatchable, but lol I find the insistence that NRK should've done more to protect Skam's legacy to be bizarre. It would've been completely batshit insane for them to send a NRK rep to every remake shoot to be all, "Okay we're not doing this scene because Julie wouldn't have done it this way, and we're not adding that song because it's lame, and please stop filming that actor because we need to be shooting B roll for clip transitions now." Gvhvhvv. There's only so much NRK can do without outright taking over productions in other countries. And if your argument is that NRK shouldn't have licensed Skam if they couldn't guarantee it'd be done exactly like Julie would have done it then... I'm sorry they didn't envision the same thing for their intellectual property. Not much more I can say about that.

What NRK can do is keep producing shows that they are happy with, which is what they've done. Since Skam, they've produced lovleg, blank, 17, lik meg and others, taking into account the feedback they received for Skam. I've enjoyed pretty much all these shows (haven't watched lik meg), so side eye me for approving of more content from NRK all you want I suppose.

Re: Tarjei. Right, but the thing is, I don't need to recognize that actors have a life outside of Skam because I already know that lmao. Like, I know you meant it in a generic sense, but I truly madly deeply give no fucks if Tarjei does a convention or not (and so do plenty of other fans who aren't in it for Tarjei's existence). In fact, given how MASSIVELY CREEPY con organizers have been in trying to secure his presence, I hope he's never in a situation where he has to attend a con for financial purposes.

#ask #Anonymous #I cannot emphasize enough how bizarre I find this point of view #and this is coming from someone who finds half of the remakes not my thing

4 notes · View notes

sexeducationsource · 5 years ago

Note

Sorry about not warning you, but I figured since you run a blog about this tv show I wouldn’t have to. just gunna say 2 things &then i’m done. 1st ruby clearly wasnt as drunk as Otis. She sought him out, she said it to Otis. That’s what she likes doing. 2nd knowing who Otis is and his personality we know if he was sober and someone was trying to have sex with him he would not have done it, but he couldn’t consent. I’m sure he didn’t go find her. If Otis did this to ruby every1 would hate him.

We are a source blog, yes, but I think you forget that behind the source blog are people who could potentially (and do) have triggers.

This is clearly something you’re set on, and as it’s a touchy subject for me, I’m not eager to get into an argument about it. Having said that, I also feel it’s important to set the record straight, and, respectfully, you have a lot wrong.

People have drunken hookups, teenagers included. Often regrettable, sometimes not. It’s true in real life and definitely in fiction, where Drunken Hookup is all but a trope, it’s been done so often.

As per alcohol.org: “Alcohol also jacks up the amount of norepinephrine present in the brain; this neurotransmitter acts as a stimulant, Psychology Today publishes. Elevated levels of norepinephrine increase arousal and excitement, and it can lower your inhibitions and increase impulsivity, making it hard for you to consider potential consequences of your actions.”

In 2x06, after he tells the party at large about all the intricate goings-on between himself, Ola and Maeve, he’s seen making out with two random girls (different shirts, different hair). He and the second girl even go so far as grinding. This is also, in your words, something he “would not have done” but he does it. Why? He’s sloshed, same as most other folks at the party, and other parties on this show and other shows. Among them? Ruby.

Ruby is, despite being a complex female character (like all the others on this show), at the heart of it, the archetypical Mean Girl. She cares a great deal about her reputation and popularity, which is made abundantly clear more than once throughout the show. She doesn’t like associating with unpopular kids: she speaks with Maeve only in the privacy of the old bathroom in 1x05, she doesn’t even consider going to Otis’ party when Eric invites her and Olivia until Rahim (someone she deems of her social caliber) says he’ll be there, she normally wouldn’t be caught dead interacting with Otis and proves as much in 2x07 when she meets with him in secret, doesn’t want to be seen with him, etc.

By way of remembering a little more about their night, she might have been less drunk, but it’s plain to see that she is, all the same, drunk: she experiences lowered inhibitions, she does something impulsive, she passes out cold instead of leaving (and I think it in any other state she very well would have).

Nowhere in the dialogue does Ruby say she “sought” Otis out, and I think you’re either misunderstanding the “make out with nerdy boys” scene or twisting it. When she says it’s intentional, it’s in the context of him worrying about her consent in all this, and the only thing “incriminating” about it is that she’s owning up to a pattern of behavior she falls back on when she’s sad.

Here are the things they do establish in and through their dialogue in 2x07:

Consent. In the scene in the woods, straight off the bat, they establish it was consensual. I know the focus is on Ruby’s, but then comes the rest of the dialogue.

Otis checked in often. Maybe every ten seconds, maybe not every ten seconds, but while exasperated as she informs him of as much, she’s completely genuine when she thanks him for it. “Most guys don’t.”

Ruby treats her body like a temple. There’s all the grooming she talks about, the way she cares about her looks, yes, absolutely, but above all, she cares about practicing safe sex. When she starts having more reason to be concerned about it, she worries they didn’t actually use a condom. She’s immediately horrified at the prospect of being pregnant—what’s more, the prospect of having Otis’ kid/s. (This isn’t the reaction of someone who’s taken advantage of someone and gone out of her way to do it. This is the reaction of someone who did something stupid, while drunk, because she didn’t think of the consequences of her actions, as we’ve established drunk people are guilty of doing.)

The writers aren’t perfect—they could have handled Ola’s pansexuality differently, I could have done without any sort of thing between Adam and Jean in season 1, among other things—but it’s obvious they care a great deal about doing sensitive topics and matters justice.

This is the same episode where Aimee’s storyline comes to a head and the girls in detention all discuss their experiences with sexual harassment. Do I think the writers could have squeezed in something more explicit about Otis’ consent? Absolutely. 100%. But I also think, like with anything else, that there’s critical thinking to be had by the audience to fill in some blanks. Not plot hole sized ones, but ones easy enough to fill when you add everything together.

Consent is something I’m very conscious of. I take it very seriously, and I’m glad you do as well. But I really, truly, genuinely cannot arrive at the same conclusion, and, with no offense meant, am still finding it difficult to see how you came to that conclusion when the math laid out before me just doesn’t add up to something as grave as that.

#assault cw #rape mention cw #anonymous #questions

19 notes · View notes

weedlascl · 2 years ago

Text

Rihanna rehab justin timberlake video

Either way, even if she DIDN’T write her own material, who gives a s***?! She’s a pop artist, not a rapper, stupid Larry, once again, check your facts. Check you facts before you run your mouth and look stupid. Stop right there! She wrote on both her first and second album and will be writing on her fourth. OH! She’s not talented because she doesn’t write her own music. I’m sick of other ‘talentless’ people calling people who do have talent ‘talentless.’ You don’t have the f****** right. Why’d you deleted my comment Sammie? F**! Beyonce is a puppet in her own career, no matter how many albums she sells. Justin Timberlake’s a douchebag, no matter how many albums he sells. Rihanna sucks ass, no matter how many albums she sells. Stans, haters, stop being so a*** and overprotective about people who don’t even know you’re alive. Beyonce can sing well (when she controls her voice), but she can be just as annoyingly overexposed as Rihanna can.įacts are facts. Rihanna’s really pretty sometimes, but cannot, I repeat, CANNOT sing for S***. People are f****** lemmings, following each other off a cliff. If anything, Rihanna’s popularity speaks to the overall idiocy/gullibility of the world population, and I stand by that statement. If they see a cash cow, they will milk it dry however they can. The music industry is in charge of a lot more than you think. But Rihanna has the Midas touch with her singles usually, so who knows.īeyonce outsings and outperforms Rihanna all day everyday, but Rihanna outsold her, even by just a little, internationally. Rehab is stale, it’s been out a year now. She doesn’t dance or sing well, but she sure looks good in her clothes. All of them waver between terrible and average at singing, but any of them can outperform Rihanna anyday. GTFO here comparing Rihanna to Madonna Britney Janet or even Ciara. Kelly Rowland (Does well in Europe but not in US)Īm i missin any1 (JJ is Legend but no hits for YEARS) MJB:(Borderline as no massive hit since “no more drama” although Just Fine did well in London) Leona Lewis (Vocally yes, yes, yes! Performance not that kind of Artist) REALITY CHECK: Who else is up there worldwide status with these three?. I’m not tryin 2make this a black/white thing but in this day and time i’m soo glad that ladies like Rihanna can support Beyonce and Alicia Keys in the mix of competing with these other ladies… Performing wise Ri is still young and perfecting her sound and craft so i think she shouldn’t get such abuse from people not that much in2 her. Performance wise unfortunately she bottom of the pile BUT she better than when i first saw her so gettin bit closer…īritney and Madonna get huge props for just being them with those HORRID live vocals and Rihanna just gets a baggering, i don’t understand? Is Rihanna not allowed to be mixing it with these white chicks, when they sound worse? I’ma say this Vocally out of all these heavy weight chart artist Rihanna is NOT the worse TRUST ME(4th Best). I’m from uk and used to work in Wembley area and 02 area i’ve seen Madonna, Britney, Beyonce, Rihanna, X-tina, Pink and Janet Jackson(seen loads others but these are used for the point i’m about to make) Love this song Rehab and glad Rihanna/Label is releasing this. Wow some good points from bloggers in here(well a few lol) This is not a message to big up Beyonce and put down Rihanna i jus stating there is NO POINT comparing these two successful black women for OBVIOUS reasons. Like another blogger said i will defo give respect to Rihanna for her worldwide success and growth overall and i hope she continues 2b that way its just personally not my taste/flavour If you gonna watch a show live on tour or whatever almost every1 gonna wanna see Bee as she a monster on stage and really performs and sings well live.(Comparison?) Their style, music, direction and abilities(writing, production) are TOTALLY different (Worth comparing?) OBVIOUSLY!!!!!! Beyonce is the better singer and performer(doesn’t take much to know that), however there’s no denying Rihanna has found her niche and gettin great success as a few bloggers have stated. LISTEN they both successful and the Jay-Z connections thats where the similarities stop. Why are there still comparisons between Ri and Beeĭoes every single female have to be compared to Bee? Its chorus is sung in an emotionally melancholy style using lyrics that address the bad memories of an ex-boyfriend that is metaphorically seen as a disease.OMG is most people on the blog transparent and OLD? "Rehab" features background vocals from Timberlake in the song's middle 8. " Rehab" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, released as the final single from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad.

#Rihanna rehab justin timberlake video

0 notes

honey-and-diamonds · 8 years ago

Conversation

nct in marching band

taeil: played clarinet initially, injured his ankle during band camp his freshman year and got stuck in pit for the season. he then discovered he was really fucking good on the marimba so he sticks with it for the rest of high school. always practicing in the band room in the early mornings

hansol: drumline section leader. plays tenor because he's a badass. always practicing with drum pads in the band room. no one wants to get on his bad side bc he's super strict n scary looking but every1 in drumline knows he's a weeb and uses anime references to explain drill formations

johnny: tuba section leader. lets his section take way too many breaks during sectionals and is super good at making it look like everyone is practicing when the band director comes by. drinks too much boba and once ate an entire costco pizza on a dare. always wears basketball shorts (even in the rain). calls everyone his son

taeyong: drum major since junior year. before that he was assistant drum major. he was born to be on the podium so the previous leadership started fostering him right away. as a freshman he was an alto sax. is normally super quiet but scares the living shit out of everyone when he calls them to attention so everyone listens to him even tho he seems unassuming. spends all his lunches in the band room practicing his conducting. somehow still has scrawny arms

yuta: came in as a clarinet, got bullied into playing alto sax during freshman band camp by the section leader at the time and he won't let anyone forget it. always wears large brimmed hats because he hates being out in the sun. yells at underclassmen. constantly sneaks out during band camp to go get starbucks

kun: clarinet section leader. pretty responsible but his section walks all over him bc he's too nice to put his foot down. only became section leader bc he has the most experience and technical skill. his section low key loves him tho and gets him the best senior gift at the end of the season

doyoung: flute. likes to opt out of exercise block doing paperwork for the band director and organizing sheet music. always goes to the biweekly parent booster meetings and is the sole reason taco tuesday is still a thing during band camp. gets unnecessarily stressed before comps and halftime shows. somehow also always has starbucks?

ten: color guard captain. thinks he looks great in a unitard and sparkles (does). majestic on the field. has been getting solos since freshman year. knows how to do eyeliner on a moving bus. despises low brass and doesn't make it a secret. once a bunch of freshmen walked through his practice block and he yelled at them so loud two of them cried. no one messes with his guard babies

jaehyun: bari sax. unassuming. tries to stay out of all the band drama but somehow always ends up right in the middle of it. has the best 8 to 5 stride out of everyone in band. gets way too excited about taco tuesday

sicheng: color guard lieutenant. ten's prodigy. somehow is friends w/ every person in band and can pull favors at the blink of an eye. also has the band director wrapped around his finger so guard gets the most funding and super nice costumes. cheer used to make fun of guard until sicheng joined and won't stop trying to recruit him

mark: drumline. started off on snare as a freshman, upgrades to tenor by winter line bc he's THAT good. always having a crisis bc he wants to be drum major his senior year but he also rlly loves being in drumline. has the most awful embarrassing harness tan bc drumline never march with shirts on during rehearsal. also does drum corps during the summers bc he loves marching THAT MUCH

renjun: started off as a flute, got bullied into piccolo bc there weren't enough in that section. initially only joins marching band bc it looks good on college apps n he's trying to get into an ivy league. by junior year, he's band president and he doesn't know what he'd do if he wasn't surrounded by these smelly idiots and cries during his senior banquet

jeno: drumline. gets put on bass drums bc he's one of the only people strong enough to hold one up. one of the few people in drumline who don't ONLY hang out with drumline. constantly getting yelled at by the band director to put on a shirt bc he's distracting everyone. miraculously doesn't have an awkward harness tan like mark? because he's made of magic and sunshine. somehow always loses his shako

donghyuck: tuba. u know what else starts with a t and is related to tuba? trouble. in the perfect section bc tubas are little shits and only cause a headache. initially came in as a trumpet but got converted by johnny. never brings enough water to rehearsal and mooches off everyone else. gets way too excited about pep band and always asks to play the hey song. once dumped an entire gatorade cooler on the band director's head

jaemin: trombone. spends a lot of time trying not to get hit by the guard bc it happened once during his sophomore year and it scarred him for life. always carries a gallon water jug around with him. somehow never in the stands during pep band? usually found loitering around the band trucks eating cup noodles and playing on his ds

chenle: started off a clarinet, but can't stand the sun so he joins pit and plays the keyboard. always gives taeil a hard time. really loves being called to attention for some reason? super competitive, has all the dirt on the other bands during comps. drinks too much soda at football games and screams too much. sits with the guard during pep tunes and does the choreo with them

jisung: pit. failed drumline auditions because he got so nervous. plays the triangle and won't stop complaining about it. hates the fact that he's a freshman, vows to take revenge when he's an upperclassman, but no one takes him seriously. is relatively popular in his grade, so he low key always tries to ditch pep rallies bc he's embarrassed. one of the only ppl in band who hangs out with friends who aren't in band.

#my massive nct marching band au #didnt add jungwoo n yukhei bc i dont rlly know anything abt their personalities so?? its hard to say what theyd play and all #nct #nct 127 #nct dream #nct u #nct scenarios #i cant tag every member thats exhausting #i miss marching band so much that was the best time of my fucking life

21 notes · View notes

jdw-juseyo · 8 years ago

Note

i am new to ifnt and rly dont wanna make anyone mad but i don't see the big deal abt woohyun. yes he is hot and can sing but why does every1 love him so much? i dont mean it in a bad way jst that i dont see how he is more popular than others. also i dont see how his voice is so different to other kpop singers? but then again i am new so maybe i dont kno wht i am talking about. pls help me to understand more?

You caught me at the absolute pinnacle of my Woohyun feels, which happens every year around his birthday. And therefore (with a little help from my friends) I have constructed this little list of reasons why Woohyun is absolutely deserving of the amount of love he receives from Inspirits and why it’s kinda hard not to love him, even if he isn’t your favourite member…

1. WOOHYUN’S LIVE VOCALS

Woohyun is known for having what many call a ‘power-house’ vocal. You can always rely on him to hit those incredible high notes in INFINITE songs. He’s known for being able to bellow out his lines; his voice is strong, loud and instantly recognisable. But he also pours a lot of emotion into his vocals, every note dripping with it. His solo album Write.. and his subsequent appearances on Immortal Songs 2 showcased another side to his vocals too; a softer side, gentle, quieter but without lacking that trademark emotion in his voice. It really proved he’s a versatile vocalist, and not just there to yell at the top of his lungs (but it’s still incredible when he does). Here is Woohyun performing on Immortal Songs 2. This appearance earned him the highest score for an idol on the show at that point.

youtube

He is (in my opinion) one of the best live singers in kpop at the moment. I can’t think of many people who could hold a candle to him, really. Yet he is still improving and working on his voice; he still admits he has far to go.

2. WOOHYUN’S FAN SERVICE / HIS LOVE FOR FANS

Woohyun is known for being the ‘fan idiot’ in INFINITE. He’s got a different heart for every occasion and is usually credited with popularising the ‘finger heart’ that everyone uses nowadays. In 2012 he came 3rd in Weekly Idol’s Fan Service poll (as voted by idols), and the video shows some good examples of him showering Inspirits with love. He consistently refers to fans as his ‘girlfriends’, to the point his twitter bio even says it (팬=여친fan=girlfriend). But his love for Inspirits runs deeper than superficial hearts and displays of cuteness. INFINITE and Inspirits have had a close relationship since debut, and it has continued on to this day. During One Great Step, INFINITE’s first world tour in 2013/14, Woohyun personally went out to buy roses and small rings to present to fans at their shows, spending his own money. He wrote and composed the song ‘함께 (Together)’ during OGS, and dedicated it to Inspirits, saying it was about fans (see the lyrics here).

youtube

At Dream Concert in 2016, Woohyun performed as a solo artist for the first time, and even other fandoms began to feel jealous at the amount of attention he gave to Inspirits. [Even more reactions here] He sang just for them, never taking his eyes off their section of the crowd and taking out his earpiece to listen to them singing along. Okay, so later all of INFINITE roasted Inspirits for not being able to sing well, but at least Woohyun then tried to explain how to sing properly.

youtube

It should be noted too, that after this performance, Woohyun and INFINITE gained a lot of new fans who were impressed by him.

3. WOOHYUN’S PASSION FOR SINGING / MAKING MUSIC

As I mentioned above, Woohyun wrote and composed ‘함께 (Together)’ for INFINITE while they were taking part in their first world tour. During their movie, Grow, which showed the behind the scenes of OGS, you see Woohyun jumping up in the middle of eating to go and compose.

youtube

He was excited about this song and wanted to share it with the rest of INFINITE once he was finished, asking them to contribute to the lyric writing too. Then his solo album Write.. was released in 2016 with 3/6 tracks having Woohyun’s direct involvement: ‘향기 (Scent/Nostalgia)’ which was entirely written and composed by Woohyun, and ‘Gravity’ and ‘Everyday’ which Woohyun co-wrote and composed [source]. You could tell he had worked extremely hard on these songs, and could tell how proud he was of them when he spoke about them in interviews. Whenever Woohyun takes the stage, you know that the energy and enthusiasm he exudes isn’t just an act… He truly loves singing, is passionate about performing and wants to share his talent with the world. For example, look how stupidly in his element he is performing Everyday in Singapore during INFINITE’s second world tour (© Honey Tree ) :

youtube

4. AND EVERYTHING ELSE:

Those were just three main points focused on Woohyun as a singer, performer and idol. There are so many other sides to Woohyun too, and so many reasons to love him.

He loves cooking, and his instagram is full of videos of him making food

His relationships with the other INFINITE members are really sweet. Just one recent example would be: even when everyone was teasing Sungjong and being kinda mean (including Woohyun), he did then reassure him that there would be plenty of INFINITE schedules soon and that he needn’t worry. He’s also super affectionate with the others, and you’ll often find him touching them or correcting their hair/touching their face/leaning on them.

Actor Woohyun!!! He’s been in multiple dramas, but my personal favourite is Hi School Love On, where he played Shin Woohyun… Please watch it if you haven’t already, it’s so good (and it’s all available on KBSWorld’s youtube channel with subs, here)!

His friendships with other 91 line celebrities, especially SHINee’s Key with whom he debuted as the special sub-unit ToHeart in 2014.

Like you mentioned, he is ridiculously good-looking and is known for not having had any surgery - that nose and that jawline are aaaaallll natural, ladies ~~

He loves football and plays for FC Men (FC 멘), an all-star team affiliated with the Suwon Bluewings alongside other celebrities.

My closing statement is this: usually when you stan a group you’ll have a favourite member, one you look at more than the others, one you might pay a little more attention to during MVs or performances or shows. But then often (and in most cases when it comes to my Inspirit friends), you end up loving them all. Your bias might even change (maybe even many times). You’ll find it hard to stick solely to one member, especially when the rest of the group are so damn lovable. Soon enough, you realise you’re OT7 biased and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Do yourself a solid and give Woohyun a chance. I’m sure you’ll see why everyone likes him so much in no time.

#ask ~~#woohyun #infinite #Anonymous #lol i got so intense #mine #about ifnt #about:wh

380 notes · View notes

njawaidofficial · 7 years ago

Text

She fought to get a mat on the sand so her wheels could take her to the sea.

http://styleveryday.com/2017/08/12/she-fought-to-get-a-mat-on-the-sand-so-her-wheels-could-take-her-to-the-sea/

She fought to get a mat on the sand so her wheels could take her to the sea.

The day Gabrielle Peters started using a wheelchair was the day she started learning how to fight.

Photo by Leo Reynolds/Flickr.

Peters is prickly, and it’s earned. For years, she clammed up in the face of condescending stares from strangers, platitudes from politicians, and second-class treatment from doctors. Now, when people try to “fix” her, she recommends they “take a good, long look in the damn mirror.”

When the housing complex where she lives in Vancouver was sold to a Mennonite group that forced residents to participate in prayers in the communal dining hall, she told Canada’s largest newspaper.

She doesn’t want to be saved, humored, or, worst of all, anyone’s “inspiration porn,” that flat, familiar treacle where a disabled person “overcomes” the odds to run cross-country, throw a javelin, or juggle a dozen chainsaws behind their back — stories told mostly to remind able-bodied people how “good” they have it.

Peters wants equal health care, equal access, and equal rights. She also wants to go to the beach.

Until Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, it had been more than 10 years since Peters had been on the sand. “The world I exist in was not designed for me, and the people I exist with have all sorts of messed up ideas about me,” Peters says.

A self-proclaimed “city person,” the water is her favorite place to be. The forest is a close second. When Peters was discharged from the hospital after rehabbing from the autoimmune disease that required her to begin using a wheelchair, she was determined not to let her new mobility arrangement reduce her quality of life.

But, without a flat surface, determination means squat.

She tried hiking the “accessible” trail in the city’s expansive Stanley Park — to no avail. The surface was uneven, the paving was intermittent, and the grade was too steep.

A photo Peters took of the trail in October, showing pebbles and pine needles over uneven dirt. Photo by Gabrielle Peters.

Accessibility, it turns out, is subjective.

At the beach, she would sit as close to the water as she could — by a paved seawall far from the tideline — while her friends lounged on on a sandy section nearby. When she left, her friends would get up and move closer to the water.

Unlike the United States, Canada does not have a major federal law mandating equal opportunity and access for people with disabilities.

While many Americans, particularly those who lean left, tend to view the country as a sort of “America Plus” — what we could be if only our self-involved, short-sighted politicians rolled up their sleeves, delivered a killer Aaron Sorkin-style speech, and started working for the common good — on disability, Canada largely relies on a vague statement of principles laid out in documents like the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, which calls for “equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on … mental or physical disability.”

Efforts led by groups like Barrier Free Canada, Every Canadian Counts, and others to establish concrete, nationwide standards for accessibility, have thus far failed to produce legislation.

In the meantime, many disabled Canadians are forced to rely on the generosity of local governments — and the tenacity of their fed up, pissed off peers like Peters — to safeguard and expand their right to access public spaces.

In summer 2016, Peters (@mssinenomine on Twitter) began tweeting at the Vancouver Park Board, the agency responsible for the city’s beaches, demanding access to the shore.

The solution, she discovered, was 2,700 miles away, in Northern Bruce Peninsula, Ontario — where the town had installed a flexible mat on the sand, allowing wheelchair users to glide all the way up to the waters’ edge.

.@ParkBoard Beach shld be for every1 #accessibility #disability ht @EveryCdnCounts @rnsharen https://t.co/sbZSsR4sZW pic.twitter.com/VZ4Yx4aNpN

— sine/G. Peters♿️ (@mssinenomine) June 20, 2016

If a tiny Lake Huron community of fewer than 4,000 people could get its disabled residents and visitors to the shoreline, Peters argued, her wealthy global city had no excuse.

The Park Board replied with a “survey of a plan of priorities for some time in the future.”

It felt insulting.

It turns out Vancouver city officials were indeed working on a solution — having spent the previous two years searching for a way to open up the shoreline.

Park Board Chair Michael Weibe, who also sits on the Vancouver’s Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee, spends a lot of time on the road.

When he travels with his mother, who uses a wheelchair, he keeps a running note of “what works and what doesn’t,” based on her feedback — as well as the feedback from residents who write and call his office with suggestions.

“It’s always great to have such a healthy user group that’s willing to share the information with us,” he says.

Part of the solution, it turned out, was in Vancouver’s own backyard.

The Park Board purchased a single MobiMat dirt cheap from an event company eager to sell it.

The low cost turned out to be a warning sign. The mat didn’t come with all the required parts, which required money the board hadn’t budgeted for and then had to find.

There was another problem too. Unlike Northern Bruce Peninsula, Vancouver has 14-foot tides. If the MobiMat was rolled all the way out to the water’s edge, parts of it would quickly be swallowed by the sea.

As a result, the mat sat in storage for the first few weeks of the summer.

Peters didn’t think she should have to wait for something able-bodied residents already had unlimited access to.

On June 23, she emailed a representative from the Park Board who had contacted her after her earlier tweets. She explained the feeling of dependency that comes with having to call in and request a beach wheelchair — which are not self-powered — in order to get on the sand. She explained the fear of leaving one’s wheelchair unsecured, and that many people have no desire to be pushed. She explained the longing she and others experience standing or sitting by the seawall, squinting at the waves meters away.

“I want on the beach now,” she wrote.

A member of the board followed up with a phone call a few days later. The hold up, he explained, was the missing parts, which were awaiting delivery.

Stock up on sun screen/get ready to wheel to English Bay Beach soon🤞🏻Thanks @ParkBoard This is great news! #vanpoli #accessibility #Happy pic.twitter.com/YP0UOYVArt

— sine/G. Peters♿️ (@mssinenomine) June 27, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

For the first time, it was evident that someone was listening.

On Aug. 9, the city finally rolled out the mat at English Bay Beach.

Peters had been having health complications and had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for that day, but was determined to “soak in this tiny little win in a sea of inequality.”

And, of course, to “try it out and get close to my water.”

This time, her determination was met with the right piece of equipment.

She was nervous wheeling to it. As her chair edged on, the artificial surface slowed her pace, but did not leave her feeling “tippy or off balance.” She found that it wasn’t difficult to maneuver. A small gap in one section turned out to be easy to navigate.

A few minutes later, she caught the sunset.

6. There’s a bit of a gap at 1 section which I prob should’ve got photo-but was too busy looking at this. Haven’t been this close in decade pic.twitter.com/LYOPmFHdN7

— sine/G. Peters♿️ (@mssinenomine) August 10, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

“You’re a trailblazer,” an older woman told her.

Peters explained that she didn’t work for the Park Board, and she left to go get a hot dog. Back near the seawall, her former high water mark, she saw a man in a motorized wheelchair and told him about the mat. She watched him power over and down the path, stopping at the edge.

As she was leaving an hour later, she noticed he was still there.

“I never spoke to him, but I think I know how he feels about it,” she wrote on Twitter later that day.

Still, years of delayed promises have left Peters feeling anxious about the mat’s prospects.

“What if no one uses it?” she wonders. “What if it turns into an excuse to not make something else accessible because it wasn’t popular enough?”

The current setup is not perfect. Right now, there’s only one mat and the beach gets crowded. Also, it can’t really get that close to the shoreline because of the extreme rise and fall of the bay.

But there are signs the tide is turning. One of the first things Peters noticed was that there was no sign alerting beachgoers to the presence of the mat. If you didn’t already know about it, she realized, you would have no idea it was there.

Peters wrote the Park Board on Twitter. This time, they replied immediately.

Hi! Thanks for raising your concerns, sharing your story and keeping us accountable. This sign was installed as of this afternoon! pic.twitter.com/JruM0ICVGj

— Vancouver Park Board (@ParkBoard) August 10, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Weibe notes that other residents have recommended creating more sitting areas adjacent to the mat to make it a social space. Recently, the Park Board purchased nine new wheelchairs with inflatable tires that can travel over sand to the water line, though they still require the aid of a friend or lifeguard.

A beach wheelchair. Photo by the National Park Service.

“Our goal is to have them at every beach because the call in [to get a beach wheelchair] is just another barrier,” Weibe says.

Peters agrees — and has a million more ideas for what the city can do next.

She wants Vancouver’s beaches to get waterproof wheelchairs powered by compressed air for use in the ocean. She wants the Park Board to install a ramp by an area of stairs near the water. She wants adapted versions of the dozens of adventure activities in the city.

“I don’t get people who see this accessibility innovation as burdensome,” she says. “It’s fucking amazing and cool and requires the best kind of integrating of tech, design, ideas, and people.”

Gabrielle Peters knows how to fight. She fought to go to the beach and won. She’ll keep fighting until every space everywhere is accessible for everyone.

Until that happens, she’ll celebrate the small victory the way she prefers. By soaking in the salt air.

#Fought #Mat #Sand #Sea #Wheels

#fought #mat #Sand #Sea #wheels

0 notes

tragicbooks · 7 years ago

Text

<p>She fought to get a mat on the sand so her wheels could take her to the sea.</p>

The day Gabrielle Peters started using a wheelchair was the day she started learning how to fight.

Photo by Leo Reynolds/Flickr.

Peters is prickly, and it's earned. For years, she clammed up in the face of condescending stares from strangers, platitudes from politicians, and second-class treatment from doctors. Now, when people try to "fix" her, she recommends they "take a good, long look in the damn mirror."

When the housing complex where she lives in Vancouver was sold to a Mennonite group that forced residents to participate in prayers in the communal dining hall, she told Canada's largest newspaper.

She doesn't want to be saved, humored, or, worst of all, anyone's "inspiration porn," that flat, familiar treacle where a disabled person "overcomes" the odds to run cross-country, throw a javelin, or juggle a dozen chainsaws behind their back — stories told mostly to remind able-bodied people how "good" they have it.

Peters wants equal health care, equal access, and equal rights. She also wants to go to the beach.

Until Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, it had been more than 10 years since Peters had been on the sand. "The world I exist in was not designed for me, and the people I exist with have all sorts of messed up ideas about me," Peters says.

A self-proclaimed "city person," the water is her favorite place to be. The forest is a close second. When Peters was discharged from the hospital after rehabbing from the autoimmune disease that required her to begin using a wheelchair, she was determined not to let her new mobility arrangement reduce her quality of life.

But, without a flat surface, determination means squat.

She tried hiking the "accessible" trail in the city's expansive Stanley Park — to no avail. The surface was uneven, the paving was intermittent, and the grade was too steep.

A photo Peters took of the trail in October, showing pebbles and pine needles over uneven dirt. Photo by Gabrielle Peters.

Accessibility, it turns out, is subjective.

Unlike the United States, Canada does not have a major federal law mandating equal opportunity and access for people with disabilities.

While many Americans, particularly those who lean left, tend to view the country as a sort of "America Plus" — what we could be if only our self-involved, short-sighted politicians rolled up their sleeves, delivered a killer Aaron Sorkin-style speech, and started working for the common good — on disability, Canada largely relies on a vague statement of principles laid out in documents like the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, which calls for "equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on … mental or physical disability."

Efforts led by groups like Barrier Free Canada, Every Canadian Counts, and others to establish concrete, nationwide standards for accessibility, have thus far failed to produce legislation.

In summer 2016, Peters (@mssinenomine on Twitter) began tweeting at the Vancouver Park Board, the agency responsible for the city's beaches, demanding access to the shore.

.@ParkBoard Beach shld be for every1 #accessibility #disability ht @EveryCdnCounts @rnsharen https://t.co/sbZSsR4sZW http://pic.twitter.com/VZ4Yx4aNpN

— sine/G. Peters♿️ (@mssinenomine) June 20, 2016

If a tiny Lake Huron community of fewer than 4,000 people could get its disabled residents and visitors to the shoreline, Peters argued, her wealthy global city had no excuse.

The Park Board replied with a "survey of a plan of priorities for some time in the future."

It felt insulting.

It turns out Vancouver city officials were indeed working on a solution — having spent the previous two years searching for a way to open up the shoreline.

Park Board Chair Michael Weibe, who also sits on the Vancouver's Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee, spends a lot of time on the road.

When he travels with his mother, who uses a wheelchair, he keeps a running note of "what works and what doesn't," based on her feedback — as well as the feedback from residents who write and call his office with suggestions.

"It’s always great to have such a healthy user group that’s willing to share the information with us," he says.

Part of the solution, it turned out, was in Vancouver's own backyard.

The Park Board purchased a single MobiMat dirt cheap from an event company eager to sell it.

The low cost turned out to be a warning sign. The mat didn't come with all the required parts, which required money the board hadn't budgeted for and then had to find.

There was another problem too. Unlike Northern Bruce Peninsula, Vancouver has 14-foot tides. If the MobiMat was rolled all the way out to the water's edge, parts of it would quickly be swallowed by the sea.

As a result, the mat sat in storage for the first few weeks of the summer.

Peters didn't think she should have to wait for something able-bodied residents already had unlimited access to.

On June 23, she emailed a representative from the Park Board who had contacted her after her earlier tweets. She explained the feeling of dependency that comes with having to call in and request a beach wheelchair — which are not self-powered — in order to get on the sand. She explained the fear of leaving one's wheelchair unsecured, and that many people have no desire to be pushed. She explained the longing she and others experience standing or sitting by the seawall, squinting at the waves meters away.

"I want on the beach now," she wrote.

A member of the board followed up with a phone call a few days later. The hold up, he explained, was the missing parts, which were awaiting delivery.

Stock up on sun screen/get ready to wheel to English Bay Beach soon🤞🏻Thanks @ParkBoard This is great news! #vanpoli #accessibility #Happy http://pic.twitter.com/YP0UOYVArt

— sine/G. Peters♿️ (@mssinenomine) June 27, 2017

For the first time, it was evident that someone was listening.

On Aug. 9, the city finally rolled out the mat at English Bay Beach.

Peters had been having health complications and had a doctor's appointment scheduled for that day, but was determined to "soak in this tiny little win in a sea of inequality."

And, of course, to "try it out and get close to my water."

This time, her determination was met with the right piece of equipment.

She was nervous wheeling to it. As her chair edged on, the artificial surface slowed her pace, but did not leave her feeling "tippy or off balance." She found that it wasn't difficult to maneuver. A small gap in one section turned out to be easy to navigate.

A few minutes later, she caught the sunset.

6. There's a bit of a gap at 1 section which I prob should've got photo-but was too busy looking at this. Haven't been this close in decade http://pic.twitter.com/LYOPmFHdN7

— sine/G. Peters♿️ (@mssinenomine) August 10, 2017

"You're a trailblazer," an older woman told her.

Peters explained that she didn't work for the Park Board, and she left to go get a hot dog. Back near the seawall, her former high water mark, she saw a man in a motorized wheelchair and told him about the mat. She watched him power over and down the path, stopping at the edge.

As she was leaving an hour later, she noticed he was still there.

"I never spoke to him, but I think I know how he feels about it," she wrote on Twitter later that day.

Still, years of delayed promises have left Peters feeling anxious about the mat's prospects.

"What if no one uses it?" she wonders. "What if it turns into an excuse to not make something else accessible because it wasn't popular enough?"

The current setup is not perfect. Right now, there's only one mat and the beach gets crowded. Also, it can't really get that close to the shoreline because of the extreme rise and fall of the bay.

But there are signs the tide is turning. One of the first things Peters noticed was that there was no sign alerting beachgoers to the presence of the mat. If you didn't already know about it, she realized, you would have no idea it was there.

Peters wrote the Park Board on Twitter. This time, they replied immediately.

Hi! Thanks for raising your concerns, sharing your story and keeping us accountable. This sign was installed as of this afternoon! http://pic.twitter.com/JruM0ICVGj

— Vancouver Park Board (@ParkBoard) August 10, 2017

A beach wheelchair. Photo by the National Park Service.

"Our goal is to have them at every beach because the call in [to get a beach wheelchair] is just another barrier," Weibe says.

Peters agrees — and has a million more ideas for what the city can do next.

She wants Vancouver's beaches to get waterproof wheelchairs powered by compressed air for use in the ocean. She wants the Park Board to install a ramp by an area of stairs near the water. She wants adapted versions of the dozens of adventure activities in the city.

"I don't get people who see this accessibility innovation as burdensome," she says. "It's fucking amazing and cool and requires the best kind of integrating of tech, design, ideas, and people."

Gabrielle Peters knows how to fight. She fought to go to the beach and won. She'll keep fighting until every space everywhere is accessible for everyone.

Until that happens, she'll celebrate the small victory the way she prefers. By soaking in the salt air.

0 notes

socialviralnews · 7 years ago