#like it's a crochet stitch my friend it does not have a gender

[testosterlonely]

every time i see someone post "what's a masculine crochet stitch for a blanket for a MAN" i should just send them a venmo request for 1 dollar

[pinguphd]

An intro into Fatima Pierce, OC for 9-1-1. Credit for this template goes to DMBadger from DeviantArt

General Information:

Full Name: Fatima Pierce (Born Al-Basra)

Nickname(s): Titi

Age: ~36

Gender: Female

Place of Birth: Basra, Iraq

Date of Birth: Unknown, however the date she chose to put on all of her information is April 14, 1987

Race: Arab

Occupation: Lieutenant Colonel in the Army/Firefighter

Appearance:

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 175 lbs

Skin Color: Medium Olive

Hair Color: Black

Hair Style: Almost always up in a bun, when it’s down (and while I am aware of the issues with the hair type charts this best describes what I have in mind so forgive me) 3a curl type, length hits the bottom of her shoulder blades

Eye Color: Amber

Clothing: Frequently in the varied army uniforms, when in civilian clothing she opts for fitted clothes in greens, grays, blacks, and blues

Accessories: Always wears her dog tags

Features: Multiple scars typical of someone injured semi-often in war (i.e. gunshot, knife wounds and shrapnel)

Relationships:

Family: Birth family dead, estranged from adopted family

Love Interest/Crush: Ravi Panikkar

Friends/Allies: The 118, an as yet to be named best friend

Enemies: … probably her adoptive parents, I mean c’mon they don’t talk.

History: Born in southern Iraq, all she’s ever known is a lifetime of war. Enlisted and got her commission as soon as she could since American soldiers saved her life, she eventually made the transition into serving in a more advisory/training type role in the California National Guard to be close to her best friend in Los Angeles

Personality: Reserved, generally introspective and very observant. Once you can get her talking and comfortable with you though? It’s all over.

Other Information:

Likes: Staying busy and occupied, my girl does not know how to stay still.

Dislikes: Quiet, not feeling settled, not having a sense of family or a feeling she belongs

Sexuality: Bisexual

Hobbies: Learning new languages, reading everything she can get her hands on: typically history books of the Middle East, military history, and prefers the classics. If a book has been translated into English she tries to read it in its original language. Also likes to stay busy with her hands, so she took up cross stitching and crochet. Muay Thai, weight lifting and cardio-she is ALWAYS working out if she’s not at work.

Goals: All she ever wants is a sense of belonging, a sense of family. She’s never really had a serious relationship with… well anyone. No family to speak of she just wants people around her who love her, romantic or otherwise.

Habits: Reads everything she can get her hands on

Fears: Being alone.

Trivia: No clue when she was born, a resident polyglot (languages she is fluent in include, but are by no means limited to English, Arabic, Russian, Farsi, Hebrew and Spanish). Her first language, to everyone’s surprise is Arabic.

[pearlsongfromstuff]

World

Sexuality Headcanon: Gay, all the way (Has he had relationships with women in the past, yes, but a certain ones fucked him up so bad, he realized he doesn't like women that way)

Gender Headcanon: Genderfluid!! (He/She/They)

A ship I have with said character: VanWorld and FallWorld are my ABSOLUTE OTP with him, which is really funny, because one ship cannot exist if they other one does lol (Someone ask me about FallWorld please plEASE PLEASE P L EA-)

A BROTP I have with said character: World and Reve during Jane's cycle. I want to know so much more about them as genuine friends, losing it. And Nevo too, I guess, fuck that guy (/j)

A NOTP I have with said character: REVE AND WORLD ROMANTICALLY PLEEEEEEEEASE NO jsjjddjjsnsns Bianca and World too, ugg

A random headcanon: World learned to do a LOT of things that some would seem strange for America to do. Crochet, Knitting, Cross stitching, embroidery, magic, sword fighting, botany, he has learned so much from just wanting to experience hobbies in the Waking World. Is it highly suspicious, yes, but America is a weird man, ya know?

General Opinion over said character: On my blog, this one, you can find an ask where I made a 3 paragraphs long talk about how much World means to me, I'm not gonna do it again lololololol

[lady-of-endless]

Hello! May I please request a one piece matchup? If you're too busy please feel free to delete! <3

--

BASICS

Name: Mochi

Gender: Female (she/her)

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual (any gender match is ok!)

SIGNS AND TYPES

Zodiac: Libra sun, Libra moon, Leo rising

MBTI: INFP

Enngram: 4; the individualist

Alignment: Chaotic good

House: Slytherin

Love Language (Giving): Physical touch, quality time

Love Language (Receiving): Quality time, gift giving

PERSONALITY

Likes: Video games, reading, drawing, writing, crochet, cross stitch, Sanrio, frogs, mushrooms, cows, coffee, sweets, summertime

Dislikes: Chores (executive dysfunction), cold weather, bitter foods, crowded places, overload of sounds (sensory issue)

Personality: I'm a very quiet person, but I'm also very friendly and bubbly. I love making friends even though I have social anxiety around new people. I'm not the most talkative, though I can hold a conversation: I'm a great listener, at least! I love spending time with my loved ones, especially my special person. I try really hard to make people feel welcome and relaxed when they're around me. Despite being quiet, I'm generally quiet communicative. When it comes to negative feelings it does have to be dragged out of me a bit, but otherwise I'm an open book!

I'm very chill most of the time, and can be very laid back. More a follower personality. I can be a bit cavalier as I deal with everything through (often quite dark) humor, but if I ever make someone genuinely uncomfortable I'm good to stop. I do need to be told peoples feelings directly though as I'm not a good judge of others unless I already know them well. Because of this I don't sus out peoples intentions well and see the best even when maybe it's not there. I'm pretty naive and gullible tbh. If you dig my humor, though, I'm really funny.

I'm very mental health aware. I suffer from anxiety and bipolar II, so I can be a lot. That being said, I'm very observant with those I love and very good at dealing with ups and downs in myself and others. I'm very introspective and always in my head for better and worse. I'm always striving to better myself, but tend to doubt myself and give into negative self talk.

I value my found family above all else. There's nothing I wouldn't do for them and I've been told I'm too loyal. I also value accountability, a growth mindset, and ambition.

Im very indoorsy and a bit of a homebody. That being said, I don't mind being spontaneous from time to time or going out if there's something interesting to do.

I have my moments of insecurity for sure but I'm pretty confident most of the time. Like I said, I'm an open book - I'm not shy to talk about anything with someone who asks and is seemingly well-intentioned! I honestly just have a huge interest in how people think and love picking their brains lol. I also love silly theorheticals for this very reason.

I'm a big softie who unsuccessfully pretends to be a tough guy. I've got a major weakness for cute things and wouldn't hurt a fly in reality. Soft candy with a gooey centre fr.

APPEARANCE

Hair: I have shoulder-length very dark brown wavy hair with a side part and grown out fringe. My hair is plain but it's soft!

Eyes: I have beautiful, big chocolate brown eyes with long lashes. They're one of my favourite parts of myself!

Body: I have olive skin, a pear figure, and am overweight. I have about 7 smallish tattoos, and piercings in my lips, ears, and nose.

Style: usually I'm very hobo-chic with all sweats but my preferred style is either full alt or cute pink dresses and bows.

--

Tysm for your time! Don't hesitate to message me if you have any questions!

Author's Note: Thank you so much for this request and how detailed and well structured it is! It made my work really enjoyable. As a side note, you seem such a nice person. Hope you'll enjoy it! 🌹

I ship you with...Trafalgar D Water Law!

(lovely gif is not mine, please show appreciation to the OP)

- Your chill and laid-back way of being is what naturally draws him to you. Afterwards, your bubbly side is what keeps him close, all whipped and annoyed.

- He hates to admit that you are exactly what he needed.

- You both seem loyal, mature and ambitious. Once he discovers those traits in you, he decides that he wants you close. An ally, maybe. That's what he sees in you initially.

- A softer demeanor is what Law needs to heal from his past. You being a softie is what will keep him getting better. Is also a side of you that he wants to keep as a secret, not wanting others to try to use it as manipulation.

- Being introspective is a mutual trait so at times, it will be a little complicated for you to figure out and communicate what's happening between you two.

- He's the first to notice that you're feeling anxious. Maybe because he's a doctor or maybe because he worries for you, who knows? (Hint: It's both.)

- The innocent gullibility you mentioned is something that triggers Law to take care of you. And also to tease you, good luck.

- Soft hair? Lay next to him as he's studying and let him run his fingers through your hair while he's reading.

- A cute scenario? You two would have late night convos about tattoos and piercings. Both being half asleep, talking about what other tattoos or piercings you want/consider cool.

- About your style, I think you two would make a great power couple when you go for the alternative aesthetic. If you go for the cute pink aesthetic, there's something about it that makes him whipped.

[callsign-mimic]

Meet Mimic!

(My CoD OC, not me lol)

Lieutenant Renee "Mimic" Foster

(Edit because I forgot to tag @charliemwrites so that Captain Castle Alistair has some idea as to why this creature is so skittish around him. And also so Charlie can squee about her more.)

Name: Renee "Mimic" Foster

Rank: Lieutenant

Aliases: Mimic, Bunny, Maus, Fawn, The Bard, The human equivalent of a Capybara

Official Callsign: Mimic

Age: 34

Gender/Pronouns/Sexuality: AFAB Agender, she/he/they (predominately uses she/her because it's easier and she doesn't actually give a fuck), Pansexual, Panromantic (Gender is meaningless to a mimic).

Marital Status: Officially Single, Unofficially has enough partners to start several sports teams.

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 250lbs of combined fat and muscle. Don't let her plush exterior fool you, she can and will throw down if she has to. She has plenty of thigh, tit, tum, and ass to be the perfect pillow as well. Built for cuddles, but can and will kick your ass.

Hair: Dark brown bordering on black, length ends just between shoulder blades, soft natural waves

Eyes: Pale blue, almost grey in color. Needs corrective lenses to see. Whether she uses contacts or glasses depends on mission requirements.

Personality/Quirks:

AuDHD. Inattentive and hella quiet. Loud, boisterous, and super expressive when hyper.

Wears a choke chain collar outside of missions. Is it a kink thing? No. She likes the weight of it and the sounds it makes when she moves. Can it be a kink thing? Absolutely.

Uncannily laid back and unbothered by most things. It takes a lot to make her angry. Rusty started comparing her to a capybara and often affectionately refers to her as "Capy".

Was in drama, choir, and band. Could definitely have gotten a considerably safer job as that voice actor that surprises you by being the voice of multiple completely different sounding characters.

Terrifyingly perceptive. Her peripheral vision is good enough that she can be sitting right next to a mark and not have to turn to look at them to give updates on their movements.

Practically a shape-shifter. Specializes in infiltration and espionage because she has the energy of an NPC and can integrate herself into most settings so well it just seems natural for her to be there. Need her to be sweet and bubbly? Done. Need an aggressive, short king with a Russian accent? She's got you. Surprisingly androgynous for someone with almost hyper-feminine features.

Fluent in English (native language), German, Russian, and Spanish. Teaching herself Japanese because she is an easily bored millennial weeb.

Sub leaning switch who can dish it out until her targets are puddles, but gets sheepish and flustered the minute she's given a genuine compliment (Stripper likes to make her a squirming mess by whispering praises into her ear while he has a tight hold around her waist. When she can't form proper words anymore is when the kisses start).

A ruthless, efficient killer on missions. Total prey animal off duty.

Sweet as. Will give you the shirt off her back if you need it. Always down to provide cuddles for comfort, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to vent to.

Mom friend. Somehow ends up being the unofficial den mother of every team she works with (except her own, because Big Papa has the parenting handled for the three little goblins ❤️). She has zero issues with this.

The type of person who thinks being low maintenance is a good thing. Very rarely asks for help or support. Big Papa is the only person she (currently) trusts enough to let him take care of her. If you try to take care of her, she will make up some lame excuse to get away, or try to redirect your attention to something else.

Has all of the hobbies of a grandmother. Can knit, crochet, cross-stitch, embroider, sew, cook, and bake. Also does woodworking, works on cars, and makes weapons (yes, doing the forging and smithing herself). As previously stated, she gets bored easily.

Already has arthritis in her hands because she uses them pretty much nonstop.

[purple-saladleaves]

All of F, O, I, R, and E for Ffoirre :3 @mystery-salad

hey, thanks for the ask! :)

F

1) what do they do for fun?

he spends time with the fern hounds or goes out for a drink with Efalynn when they can. I also think Ffoirre would really enjoy cross stitch or crochet (some kind of fibre art) if he ever tried it. not that he would though; he wants to improve his reputation but he still wants to be at least a bit intimidating

2) what is their ideal party?

one that he doesn't need to go to? or something small with just his close friends

3) who would they have the most fun with?

obviously he has the best time with Efalynn because she's the only one of my OCs that Ffoirre knows, and they do get on really well. but I also think he'd enjoy fighting things with Thora, and Sasha and Krett would get him to lighten up just a little

4) can they have fun while conforming to rules?

he can, but sometimes it can get a bit boring. he was a Courtier after all, even if he's trying to put that behind him

5) do they go out a lot?

not really. usually either Ffoirre or Efalynn is busy, and he dislikes getting recognised as one of the Nightmare Court, which happens pretty often whenever he goes out

O

1) are they optimistic or pessimistic?

definitely pessimistic

2) are they openly optimistic pessimistic, throwing it on others?

yep. he has a pretty cynical view of the world and rarely sees the point in keeping it to himself

3) are they good at giving advice?

occasionally. if he lets himself be a little less cynical for a bit, Ffoirre gives surprisingly good romantic advice for someone whose most romantic relationship was a one sided crush on Gavin

4) is there anyone in their life that throws optimism on them?

Efalynn -- it's one of the main reasons why they're friends

5) were they always optimistic pessimistic?

yes, but not nearly as much as he is now

I

1) what is their sexuality?

Ffoirre is arospec gay

2) have they ever questioned their sexuality?

not really, sexuality isn't really important to sylvari and honestly he had bigger things to worry about. he's secure in his attraction to men and doesn't feel like he needs to think about things further

3) have they ever questioned their gender?

same as above honestly

4) would/was their family be ok with them being LGBT?

yeah, since sylvari have such a chill view on it (although he doesn't really consider them family. also fwiw none of my OCs will ever face discrimination/hate for being LGBT, it's not something I want in my version of Tyria)

5) how long would/did it take for them to come out?

it would take Ffoirre a while to come out to anyone new, since he needs to build up a good relationship with them first which is uh. Difficult for him. but he doesn't make a big deal out of it at all, it's probably just dropped into conversation casually when he's comfortable enough to talk about romance

R

1) do they follow rules?

he works for the Pact as part of his "rehabilitation" so yes, he has to. but like in F4, he's not always happy about it, especially if he thinks the rules or orders he's been given are stupid

2) would they be a strict or laid-back parent?

Ffoirre does not want kids, but if he had them he'd be pretty laid-back. he felt like the Pale Tree put a lot of pressure on all the young saplings, including himself, which is what pushed him to join the Nightmare, so he would be very worried about making his kids feel the same way

3) have they ever faced consequences for breaking a rule?

Efalynn actually helped the Wardens in Caledon Forest arrest him once when he was still an active Courtier. it didn't last long

4) have they broken any rules they now regret breaking?

he regrets joining the Court, if that counts. (but not entirely)

5) do they find any rules they/others follow absolutely ridiculous?

some of the conditions Ffoirre has to follow to work with the Pact are very frustrating for him. for example, he's not allowed to take night watch, and he gets very little privacy to stop him "planning things". he's not going to plan anything, he genuinely wants to make reparations, but it's incredibly irritating when they treat him more like a prisoner

E

1) does the way they do things portray their internal personality?

sort of? like I say below (see E5) Ffoirre sometimes acts like more of a dick than he really is, and he also makes an effort to Do The Right Thing (occasionally). but typically he doesn't like playing nice. (rarely though he is genuinely kind, especially to dogs, but You Did Not See That)

2) do they do things that conform to the norm?

from the standpoint of a Pact Soldier, mostly? he does the same work as everyone else, minus a few smll differences (see R5). but a lot of the time he'd rather do what he wants than follow the crowd

3) do they follow trends or do their own thing?

he absolutely does his own thing. his reputation is important to him, but not nearly so important that he'd change the way he dresses or the things he does in his free time, for example

4) are they up to date on internet fads?

obviously the internet isn't a thing in Tyria, but there's still trends and celebrity culture. Ffoirre doesn't bother keeping up with most of them, he thinks it's all a waste of time, but he does like to keep up with the ridiculous rumours people will spread about The Commander, just to tease Efalynn about them

5) do they portray their personality intentionally or let people figure it our own their own?

I think Ffoirre slightly exaggerates the less pleasant parts of his personality, especially when he's in a bad mood. he doesn't like a lot of people, and sometimes when they're so sure he's an asshole, it feels easier to play to their expectations than change their minds. but mostly he lets people figure it own on their own, they can come to their own conclusions.

[bookwyrmbran]

It has been a year since Loki bapped me on the head with the first dream and I am feeling super sentimental, so y’all get some UPG of the probably ridiculously affectionate variety! Feel free to ignore, obviously, this is strictly my gnosis and does not need to be applicable to anyone else.

-Likes mint and cinnamon. Loves licorice. Likes most alcohol but especially ridiculous and terrible sugarbombs of cocktails (gross!). And whiskey (better). Likes homebrew mead and cyser better than store-bought. 

-Absolute magpie for anything that reminds him of himself. Or me of him. Or that is literally just shiny. Tacky? Great. Glittery? Even better! All of it gets tacked up as fridge art -- or, if it’s something that can be reasonably displayed or worn, I get Strongly Encouraged to do just that. 

-All emotions are turned up to at least 7. 

-Isn’t possessive... unless he gets protective, at which point all bets are off. 

-Is really really really amazing at helping with anxiety, panic attacks, self-worth issues, impostor syndrome, and not beating myself up over ADHD shit. 

-Inveterate snuggler -- when he can sit still. 

-So. Many. Sex jokes. 

-Is the absolute most likely to suddenly distract me with a finger in my ear or a terrible joke when I am trying to concentrate or supposed to be working.

-Genius. Sense of self-preservation not included. Impulse control not included. Acknowledgment of social norms DEFINITELY not included. 

-Despite the love for sugarbombs, generally prefers to share whatever I’m eating (I offer the taste/experience straight from my tongue) than have, say, cheap candy left uneaten on a slate.

-One Kinky Fucker.

-Is actually quite capable of being still and focused. This gets directed at me for a variety of reasons and can be legit terrifying -- that is a lot of hyperfocus, and, well....

-...while he’s usually fairly gentle and careful of my jagged spots, he can be utterly ruthless when he thinks it’s necessary. He tends to be right about it, too, damn him. 

-Also, “him”? is really only what I use when talking to other people. I have never gotten a single mostly-consistent image or gender for that particular lovely bastard; taller than me, usually, and tends towards the humanoid, but that’s about it. 

-Coos over my puppy, laughs at my spouse, makes faces at the cats, listens to me talk about my friends: relational af.

-Doesn’t care about me spinning or painting, does like to hang out if I’m crocheting and watches the yarn like he’s a cat. Sometimes tangles it and I snark at him. Sometimes watches me drop a stitch and points it out when he feels like it -- after a few stitches, if I’m lucky. Other times it’s a few rows.

-Is a lot more drunk butterfly flitting everywhere if Odin or Freyr is also around, like he can be less careful because someone more responsible is present.

-Gets REALLY LOUD if I try to pour Odin something without giving him any. Mostly joking most of the time but he gets more offended if the drink in question is whiskey or mead.

May add more. Right now, though? Dinner and spiced cyser to share with one lovely jerk, coming right up.

[aroworlds]

Aro-Spec Artist Profile: Signe

Today’s awesome aro-spec creator is Signe, better known to aro-spec Tumblr as @fluffyllamacorn!

Signe is a busy aroace writer, visual and textile artist! She writes for the Young Avengers, The Shadowhunter Chronicles/Shadowhunters, Hawkeye Comics and New X-Men: Academy fandoms in addition to developing diverse original fiction. You can find her growing collection of fanworks on AO3 under the name FluffyLlamacorn and her gorgeous art at @llamacorn-productions.

She also posts and reblogs fashion and accessories at @clothing-inspiration, and some of her cosplays can be seen throughout this post!

With us Signe talks about her passion for textile arts and how they allowed her to reclaim her femininity, the importance of non-romantic relationships in creative media, the difficulty of writing kissing scenes, and the need for works and discussions that celebrate our aromanticism. Her love of making, crafting and designing just shines through this post, so please let’s give her all our love, encouragement, gratitude, kudos and follows for taking the time to explore what it is to be aromantic and creative.

Can you share with us your story in being aro-spec?

I just sort of … never cared? I’ve never wanted to get married and have children, and I never really had crushes growing up. I partly figured that was because I was surrounded by assholes who weren’t worth crushing on, but even when I graduated and moved to better schools where I actually had friends, I still didn’t care. I’ve always had a lot of confidence, so I’ve never bothered feeling insecure about not dating. I spent a while identifying as a straight person “who doesn’t care about romance” before eventually identifying with the ace and then aroace identifiers after having known them for a while, but there was never any big moments in the journey that really stand out.

Currently, I see my aromanticism as more important to my identity than my asexuality – being aro is what I do, while being ace is what my body does – but I also don’t really see them as separate. It’s hard to put into words because it requires cementing some stuff that I don’t mind leaving fluid, but while my lack of attraction is a package deal, it’s the lack of romantic attraction that defines my lifestyle the most. I know which I would choose if I had to, but I prefer not having to. That’s the only good thing about the ace discourse: It’s made me very protective of my ace identity again after having let somewhat go of it after I came to identify as aro.

Can you share with us the story behind your creativity?

I’m the type of person who has a thousand different hobbies and therefore doesn’t have time to actually do any of them. The three I care most about are writing, drawing and textile work.

I’ve always told myself a lot of stories. Walking home from school, I would develop my stories, acting out scenes in my mind and developing huge universes. When I decided to share them with the world, it was initially as comics. I drew a lot, so I had developed the characters’ visual identities along with their personalities. While I’ve switched to planning my stories as books, drawing and writing is still pretty linked in my mind and I can’t imagine creating a character that I don’t know how to draw.

I got into textile work through cosplay, but have spread out into knitting, sewing, embroidery, cross stitch, weaving, crocheting, bobbin lace… Pretty much everything I can get my hands on, which is why I give it such a broad name. (This is part of my too many hobbies deal!) I love everything about textiles, from the look and feel of it, to how many different things can be created out of one simple material. Looking at clothes and knowing not just how it’s been sewn, but also how the fabric was made, is so cool. Creating things from scratch can make me feel like something akin to a god, recreating this corner of the universe as I see fit. A big part of my love for textile work is also reclaiming my femininity in a way that’s so different from the girly girl image I was taught to look down on as a girl. This is a way to enjoy being feminine that doesn’t force me to embrace things I don’t enjoy.

One thing I’ve realized recently is that I love the freedom to design my own work. My cosplays have moved further and further away from canon, from human versions to characters without a firm design or completely redesigning a canon design. On the other hand, I rarely feel the need to sew completely original things, and without the built in deadline of a con, I’m not very likely to get it done. I tend to rarely do the things I can just do whenever, but I’m getting better at that.

Are there any particular ways your aro-spec experience is expressed in your art?

It’s easy to spot in my stories. I have a lot of a-spec characters. The two main characters who were specifically designed to get most of my heart – Shizuka, the shy girl who didn’t know how to make friends, and Diana, the confident girl who’s never cared what anyone thinks of her – both ended up being a-spec even though I created them long before I started identifying as aroace. Shizuka is demi and I don’t know whether it’s sexually and/or romantically or if it even matters. Diana ended up being aroace because I was thinking about her future and my mind nope’d out of the possibility of her ever dating. I also made a conscious choice not to include much romance until I got interested in queer love stories and that sorta fell by the way side. Even then, I try to keep the love stories from being the only defining feature of the stories and the characters involved in them and never to devalue other types of relationship. You will never hear the term “just friends” in my work unless I’m trying to make a point about the person who uses it.

(This is not to pass a value judgement on anyone who uses that expression, but to help normalize language that doesn’t devalue platonic relationships.)

What challenges do you face as an aro-spec artist?

The recent anti-a-spec discourse has made me worried about posting about aromantic things too publicly, as aphobic comments and opinions seem way to commonly accepted these days.

Also, writing kissing scenes. What the hell. “And then their mouths squished together for a little while, which apparently made fireworks go off in their brains.” Like. What? Why does society think this is the epitome of every relationship?

How do you connect to the aro-spec and a-spec communities as an aro-spec person?

Building communities about a lack of something is always hard. Once you’ve written the first story about being aro, it can be hard to write the next one, unless you consciously try to write about a different way of being aro-spec. It’s also a hard orientation to include quickly as being single isn’t as clear an indicator as having a romantic partner of the same gender. While I follow a bunch of aro-blogs and I have a bunch of a-spec friends, I wouldn’t say I’m strongly integrated in the a-spec communities on Tumblr.

Part of it is that most content I see is validations that every sort of aro is alright. I see a lot of content aimed at people who feel bad. That’s important, definitely, but I don’t need it. I’ve always known I’m amazing, both independently of and intersecting with my aromantic identity. I’m interested in work that celebrates being aro, work that doesn’t say I’ll be happy “even though” I’m aro, but “while” I’m aro, maybe even “because” I’m aro and don’t need to waste my life on amatonormativity. At the very least, work that spends more than a sentence on reassuring me. I see a lot of content that implies the basic state of an aro-spec person is sad, and I object to that idea.

I have also recently seen a whole lot of posts about QPRs and that’s really cool! I’m happy to see they’re becoming more and more accepted, at least in some circles. I’m less happy to see them become so prominent and so expected that they start feeling like a new shape of amatonormativity. It’s not that bad right now, but I definitely got allo aces saying “at least we can still feel love” vibes from some QPR posts earlier this year. Because here’s the thing: I’m aroace. I won the lottery. I don’t need to define myself by relationships to other people.* I refuse to take another label that sounds like I don’t want friends because of people pushing QPRs to be the new norm. Again, I’m super happy QPRs seem to have become more accepted, just please don’t present them as something every aro-spec person is interested in unless we specifically opt out.

There’s also the question of what kind of aro stories should be told. I mean, as many as possible, obviously, but that’s going to take a while. But the whole deal with being aro-spec is to have less interest in romance, so too many stories that focus on the lack of it become … counterproductive? I think the Jughead comics are pretty perfect in that regard. The main character is aroace and there are several stories that’s hella important to, but mainly it’s just about him going on adventures with his friends.

(P.S. I hate Riverdale. I’ve seen two different Jughead cosplays these last two weekends, but I didn’t dare fangirl, because what if they were based on the wrong version?)

Honestly, my main way of interacting with the a-spec community is befriending people at random and later finding out they’re a-spec. It’s … almost a superpower? It’s pretty great.

* No one needs to define themselves by relationships to other people, but I imagine it’s much easier when you don’t feel the desire to.

How do you connect to your creative community as an aro-spec person?

I don’t feel very connected to creative communities, but that’s more because I’m not very good at reaching out and promoting myself unless I know I have exactly what’s being asked for. I mainly stick to one or two people I can bounce ideas off of for my different projects before I post it and hope it finds an audience. It might also be because I’m juggling so many things and don’t spend enough time on the social connections needed to connect with a community.

How can the aro-spec community best help you as a creative?

Feedback, feedback, feedback! I love it! I live on it! Telling me you like X or Y part of my work can keep me floating for days and makes me so much more motivated to keep arting! So please, check out my art and leave a comment and/or share it with your friends/followers, if you like it.

(Also, if anyone has good tips on how to reach a larger audience, let me know.)

Can you share with us something about your current project?

I just finished my newest cosplay, which is Lup from The Adventure Zone in her lich form! I had a lot of fun designing her – the podcast doesn’t have very specific descriptions and the creators encourage fans to come up with their own designs – and got a lot of positive reactions at the con last weekend. I went for a very non-human design, including hiding my face, and added a bunch of fire details to reflect her evocation magic. I would have added more, but then my sewing machine broke in the last second, and I had to finish everything by hand, so I just aimed for the basic version. I’ll be updating her for the next con and will have much more fire with me then. I have yet to finish editing the pictures, but they should be up soon.

Have you any forthcoming works we should look forward to?

My next project, one I’ve alluded to a couple of times in this profile already, in fact combines all three of my passions. I was considering cosplaying Pixie, one of the underrated students from X-Men, relegated to the background since their series ended, but I kept bumping up against the problem that her uniform was just too … generic to be fun. Besides, what’s the point of cosplaying the pink girl, and then not getting to work with pink fabric?

So I just redesigned her and gave her an individual outfit. And then I decided to redesign all of her teammates. I wanted them all to go together, but still keep an individual feeling, and I achieved that by giving them a rainbow theme when they’re together. Obviously, the next stop was figuring out a story for that to take place in, of which I’ve posted the first chapter. The idea is that they get out in their bright colors and visibly help everyday people with everyday problems to stop people from hating and fearing mutants and maybe actually making a positive change, unlike all of the superhero battles that don’t get anyone anywhere.

The project has three parts: Individual drawings for every member where I develop their outfits further, chapters of fic describing their adventures and a cosplay that I aim to finish for Genki in August, the next big con in Denmark.

[justkeeponsimming]

100 Questions NO ONE ever asks!

I was tagged by the lovely @footiegirl04 and she was right, omg this is torture. Just wait for those I’m gonna tag! >:)

1. DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR CLOSET DOORS OPEN OR CLOSED? Closed, but my boyfriend usually leaves them open!

2. DO YOU TAKE THE SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONER BOTTLES FROM HOTELS? OF COURSE! I take everything that is “included” in the price! :3

3. DO YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR SHEETS TUCKED IN OR OUT? Tucked in, but we only use a bottom sheet!

4. HAVE YOU STOLEN A STREET SIGN BEFORE? Yes, I stole a Bon Jovi concert poster off of a roundabout when I was 17!

5. DO YOU LIKE TO USE POST-IT NOTES? Every day. I wouldn’t survive at work without them!

6. DO YOU CUT OUT COUPONS BUT THEN NEVER USE THEM? We don’t really have them here in the UK...

7. WOULD YOU RATHER BE ATTACKED BY A BIG BEAR OR A SWARM OF BEES? Bear! I’m not allergic to bears (and I’m dead either way <_<!)

8. DO YOU HAVE FRECKLES? All over my nose, down my arms and on my hands! :D

9. DO YOU ALWAYS SMILE FOR PICTURES? I don’t like taking photos of myself so no thanks! :)

10. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE? People talking over the top of me. And hiccups! Dx

11. DO YOU EVER COUNT YOUR STEPS WHEN YOU WALK? Nope! I’d get dizzy and walk into things!

12. HAVE YOU PEED IN THE WOODS? I hate bugs so I avoid the woods as much as possible!

13. HAVE YOU EVER POOPED IN THE WOODS? Read above!

14. DO YOU EVER DANCE EVEN IF THERES NO MUSIC PLAYING? All the time. I get bored standing and waiting for stuff! :)

15. DO YOU CHEW YOUR PENS AND PENCILS? No way! I hate it when other people do it too!

16. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU SLEPT WITH THIS WEEK? Just the one! ;)

17. WHAT SIZE IS YOUR BED? Regular ol’ double!

18. WHAT IS YOUR SONG OF THE WEEK? Thunder - Imagine Dragons!

19. IS IT OK FOR GUYS TO WEAR PINK? Of course! Why should we limit all the pretty colours?!

20. DO YOU STILL WATCH CARTOONS? I watch Star Wars Rebels - does that count?

21. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE? X-Men 3 when they stupidly killed off Scott Summers >_<!

22. WHERE WOULD YOU BURY HIDDEN TREASURE IF YOU HAD SOME? My purse because I’m a skrimper and never buy anything!

23. WHAT DO YOU DRINK WITH DINNER? Water mostly, tea if not!

24. WHAT DO YOU DIP A CHICKEN NUGGET IN? BBQ sauce. What else do you eat them with?

25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Cottage Pie! 

26. WHAT MOVIES COULD YOU WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND STILL LOVE? All of the Star Wars trilogy! <3

27. LAST PERSON, YOU KISSED/KISSED YOU? My boyfrienddddd.

28. WERE YOU EVER A BOY/GIRL SCOUT? Nope! I was never cool enough! :(

29. WOULD YOU EVER STRIP OR POSE NUDE IN A MAGAZINE? Oh heck no. No one wants to see that!

30. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WROTE A LETTER TO SOMEONE ON PAPER? I always send letters to customers at work, so quite common! :)

31. CAN YOU CHANGE THE OIL ON A CAR? Uhhh no way. I’m not that clever!

32. EVER GOTTEN A SPEEDING TICKET? No, which is a huge surprise!

33. EVER RAN OUT OF GAS? No I am like...so paranoid of running out of petrol!

34. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF SANDWICH? Chicken and pesto <3

35. BEST THING TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST? Omlette! 

36. WHAT IS YOUR USUAL BEDTIME? 9:30pm to 10pm. I really am a little old lady! <3

37. ARE YOU LAZY? Yes. Always. All the time.

38. WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT DID YOU DRESS UP AS FOR HALLOWEEN? Lara Croft! (strange, I know!)

39. WHAT IS YOUR CHINESE ASTROLOGICAL SIGN? The horse I think!

40. HOW MANY LANGUAGES CAN YOU SPEAK? English, British Sign Language, French, German and Mando’a! (star wars)

41. DO YOU HAVE ANY MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS? None, I don’t collect them!

42. WHICH ARE BETTER: LEGOS OR LINCOLN LOGS? Lego - what on earth is a lincoln log?

43. ARE YOU STUBBORN? Not at all! I crumple all the time haha

44. WHO IS BETTER: LENO OR LETTERMAN? Uhhh...who are they?

45. EVER WATCH SOAP OPERAS? Used to watch Neighbours as a kid, but nothing since!

46. ARE YOU AFRAID OF HEIGHTS? Yup! Totally terrified. I have a fear of high buildings/ceilings too!

47. DO YOU SING IN THE CAR? All the darn time!

48. DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER? Never!

49. DO YOU DANCE IN THE CAR? All the time. How can you sing and not dance?

50. EVER USED A GUN? Never. Does a water pistol count?

51. LAST TIME YOU GOT A PORTRAIT TAKEN BY A PHOTOGRAPHER? At my friends wedding last year! ^_^

52. DO YOU THINK MUSICALS ARE CHEESY? I’m not a musicals fan but I don’t mind them!

53. IS CHRISTMAS STRESSFUL? I love Christmas. Shopping is my favourite part! <3

54. EVER EAT A PIEROGI? What on Earth is that?

55. FAVORITE TYPE OF FRUIT PIE? Rhubarb!

56. OCCUPATIONS YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A KID? Writer or a vet! :3

57. DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? I believe in spirits. I love watching supernatural shows like GA! :)

58. EVER HAVE A DEJA-VU FEELING? Actually no. I’m not that lucky to live things twice!

59. DO YOU TAKE A VITAMIN DAILY? I used to, but I haven’t for a long time!

60. DO YOU WEAR SLIPPERS? Nope. I always fall over them.

61. DO YOU WEAR A BATH ROBE? Yes - like...all the time.

62. WHAT DO YOU WEAR TO BED? Uhhh nothing?

63. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT? Bon Jovi - I was lucky to go to an epic concert!

64. WALMART, TARGET, OR KMART? We have Asda Walmart so I guess I’ll pick that?

65. NIKE OR ADIDAS? Nike! :)

66. CHEETOS OR FRITOS? Wotsits. My guess is that’s the UK equivalent!

67. PEANUTS OR SUNFLOWER SEEDS? Sunflower seeds - not a big nuts fan! 

68. EVER HEAR OF THE GROUP TRES BIEN? Can’t say I have! :S

69. EVER TAKE DANCE LESSONS? Yes - took ballet as a child and it was not fun! 

70. IS THERE A PROFESSION YOU PICTURE YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE DOING? My boyfriend isn’t a big job person, he just works to provide for us! Same as me!

71. CAN YOU CURL YOUR TONGUE? Sure can!

72. EVER WON A SPELLING BEE? I have never entered one - but I don’t think I’d do very well!

73. HAVE YOU EVER CRIED BECAUSE YOU WERE SO HAPPY? Yup. Probably something my boyfriend did!

74. OWN ANY RECORD ALBUMS? I do not :(

75. OWN A RECORD PLAYER? Sadly not!

76. DO YOU REGULARLY BURN INCENSE? Nope. I have candles and stuffs but incense is too strong imo.

77. EVER BEEN IN LOVE? Yes - I am now and I fall in love easily.

78. WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN CONCERT? Nickelback!

79. WHAT WAS THE LAST CONCERT YOU SAW? Bon Jovi

80. HOT TEA OR COLD TEA? Hot tea - when is it ever served cold? Like iced tea?

81. TEA OR COFFEE? Tea all the way!

82. SUGAR COOKIES OR SNICKERDOODLES? Sugar cookies are just biscuits right?

83. CAN YOU SWIM WELL? Nope, I have never learned to swim!

84. CAN YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH WITHOUT HOLDING YOUR NOSE? Not for more than like...10 seconds.

85. ARE YOU PATIENT? I am always patient, even when I shouldn’t be! :S

86. DJ OR BAND AT A WEDDING? DJ. We know a guy who does karaoke/DJ so would be great at a wedding!

87. EVER WON A CONTEST? I won a contest on TV as a kid and won some colouring pencils?

88. HAVE YOU EVER HAD PLASTIC SURGERY? No and I wouldn’t be brave enough to.

89. WHICH ARE BETTER: BLACK OR GREEN OLIVES? None. Ewww olives!

90. CAN YOU KNIT OR CROCHET? I cannot do either. I can barely cross stitch.

91. BEST ROOM FOR A FIREPLACE? Lounge/living room (that’s where I always put them in the sims!

92. DO YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED? I would love to, if my boyfriend asks me again ^_^

93. IF MARRIED, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED? Ask me this question in a few years!

94. WHO WAS YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH? No one. My family thought I was interested in the same gender for a long time. Truth was, there was no one at my school worth crushing on!

95. DO YOU CRY AND THROW A FIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR OWN WAY? Never. I am such a push over!

96. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No - but maybe one day!

97. DO YOU WANT KIDS? Yes - but I have a genetic history of twins so....

98. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Green!

99. DO YOU MISS ANYONE RIGHT NOW? Yes - but he’s only in the next room so it’s not too bad!

100. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO TAG TO DO THIS TAG NEXT?

Omg this took forever. Here we go with the tags: @simsoflove, @simalienn. @storylegacysims, @108sims, @pixeloasis, @snufkinsims, @ginassimming, @kotiij, @nadinemaee, @tacha75, @asterllum, @carmysims, @pooofy, @nutmegspicelatte, @stardustsims and anyone else who wants to do this!