#marginalized orientation flag

[genderdenied]

☆ㅤfrilly HPD alt

pt: frilly HPD alt :end pt

!!ㅤ;ㅤfor : anon

﹒ ㅤdefinition :

a cute frilly pink alternative flag for anybeing with HPD, because pink frills !! :D

; userboxes by ghosting-plural-userboxes

; copy-pastable IDs && pt below !!

header id: A lace header, it curves downwards and is coloured with pastel pink. It has multiple outlines going dark pink, white, baby pink, dark pink. In the center is the words " frilly HPD alt " coloured white and outlined similarly :end id

divider id: A simplistic orange divider. It has an orange crescent moon on each side and is all outlined in brown, white, orange and brown again. In the center is the word " genderdenied " outlined similarly :end id

flag id: A decorated rectangular flag, it has 5 variously sized strips with different colours and patterns respectively. Going in top-to-bottom order they are: large baby pink with frilly border, medium pastel pink, small pink tinted white, medium pastel pink, large baby pink with frilly border. At the top and bottom of the flag is a strip of frilly darker pink coloured semi circles with hearts and dots decorating them. In the very center of the flag is the HPD symbol coloured white with a pink tint and pink outline :end id

footer id: A lace footer, it curves upwards and is coloured pastel pink. It has multiple outlines going dark pink, white, baby pink, dark pink. :end id

userbox 1 id: A red fox themed userbox. The picture is of a red fox sleeping peacefully, tongue sticking out slightly. The text reading " This being appreciates reblogs and comments " :end id

userbox 2 id: A red fox themed userbox. The picture is of a red fox having it's head held. The text reading " DNI: Radqueer, TransID, Syscourse and NSFW " :end id

pt: for anon. Definition, a cute frilly pink alternative flag for anybeing with HPD, because pink frills !! :D[happy face] :end pt

; tagging : @radiomogai @liom-archive

; quick mention !! while Myles is neurodivergent && does have (a) suspected personality disorder(s), xe does not have HPD specifically. xe made this flag as requested by somebeing who hadn't been able to find many flags for HPD like this, which is why xe feels ok posting this. /info /gen ( xe js feels the need to say this ( ˃ ˂ )[distressed-ish face] )

[cinnabutcringy]

[ just a small cw; i'm gonna be talking abt racist stereotypes, not very in depth but still ]

i said this on twitter but i'll say it here too: reverse1999 is NOT a perfect game and i think people should stop acting like it's "the exception" because of the devs doing the bare minimum when it comes to some of the representation.

like, it's okay to like these characters. hell, if you're part of the groups that they represent (indians, for example) then i'm not gonna tell you that you can't like them or find them decent representation. i also understand the feeling of "i take what i can get" when it comes to representation in media of marginalized groups.

but at the same time, i think it's important to acknowledge that there is genuinely criticisms to be had of this game and its way of handling non-east asian poc.

for one, there's only about 4 characters that have dark skin (i would not personally consider joe to be one of them but i'm counting him just bc i forgot to in my twt thread and also to just cover my bases.) kaalaa baunaa and kanjira do not have dark skin. has no one considered why this is???? at all???

and on the topic of kanjira, she also is a character full of orientalist stereotypes. i like kanjira, i think she's a sweet kid, but aside from that, she's written to be a thief, con artist and is illiterate and homeless. i'm not saying that that's not a reality for some kids, but the fact that she was deliberately written this way is kind of a red flag.

there's also some smaller things that people have pointed out like most of the representation in this game of those cultures being things like the characters naming off foods, or just saying small phrases (i.e. centurion talking about burritos and enchiladas, and leilani saying "aloha!") and not actually having many cultural references nor speaking a lot in their language

don't even get me STARTED on the lack of african or african american representation in this fuckin game.

again. i don't want to say that no one can like these characters. i don't want to say that people cannot relate to these characters, or that people can't think they're good representation. that's not my call especially not if you're part of the groups of ppl they're representing (i.e. latin americans, hawaiians, indians, etc.) but i think it is important to realize that like

well, for one, no group is a monolith. there are probably ppl who feel this way but either don't get heard or are too scared to say so.

and two, even if you're not a part of these groups, you can still recognize the flaws in something and acknowledge that, most likely, it's part of a bigger problem in society--colorism, orientalism, whatever. it's in many gacha games and will continue to be, and r1999 is not an exception that should be justified or ignored because "it's better than genshin impact"

[she-is-ovarit]

It's all connected. Corporations began marketing gay pride themed merchandise. An increase in "I-identify-as" populations began to flood gay bars and events, where outward appearance (marketed as "gender expression") became heavily emphasized.

Commercial visibility and marketability does not equal human rights progress.

Ability to consume does not equal citizenship to an oppressed group.

Biology, (referring to sexual orientation and sex) is not a brand you can buy into or boycott out of.

Corporations selling rainbows do not reflect our values.

The churning out of new "all inclusive" pride flags to pledge allegiance to is not indicative of liberation.

A historical homosexual slur being sold by the multi-billion dollar media obfuscates predominantly lesbian relationships ("queer women", "queer relationship") and retraumatizes many gay and lesbian people.

Gay pride only extending to people able to purchase detracts from the meaning of gay pride and distracts from the struggles of the most vulnerable. It positions the most privileged within marginalized and oppressed groups as those who represent the whole.

And associating body modification, aestheticism, and "expression" with self identity turns the lived experiences and material realities of entire subgroups of people into niche market categories that people who aren't even a part of these groups can identify into and out of based on social trends.

Biology becomes devalued, overshadowed by the social and manufactured "genders". Infinite genders means infinite target audiences. Lived, material realities of certain groups of people become materialism.

Human rights movements are becoming human rights industries, with the wealthy more directly capitalizing off of the exploitation of the poor, of the homosexual, of the female, of the immigrant, of the dark skinned, of the mentally ill, of the disabled, of the sick, of the marginalized and oppressed.

Don't buy into it.

[a2p3nn]

Anti Endo Marginalized Orientation Gender Alignment and Intersex (AEMOGAI)

AEMOGAI is a term for people who are apart of the MOGAI community and are anti endo since i was told the original label of MOGAI is pro endo :3

The orange stripe in the flag represents anti endo systems, the blue stripe represents anti endo singlets, the white stripe represents solidarity between the two groups and the symbol in the middle is the MOGAI symbol !!

[obnebulant-mogai]

Linear and Non-Linear!

[plain text: Linear and Non-Linear! /end plain text]

Linear and Non-Linear are terms I coined to serve as alternatives to queer and not queer, in case someone is uncomfortable due to queer formerly being a slur.

Linear - a term to describe a person who does not have a marginalized gender expression or identity, orientation (for any attraction type), and is not intersex or altersex.

[ID: A flag with five horizontal stripes. In descending order, there is a thin dark green stripe, a thin green stripe, a thick white stripe, a thin green stripe, and a thin dark green stripe. End ID.]

Non-Linear - a term for someone who has at least one marginalized identity or expression type, whether it be gender or orientation (for any type of attraction), or is intersex or altersex.

Obviously, I can't touch upon every type of identity, but those who are alterhuman, neurodivergent, or feel like they deviate from the societal norm in any way may also use this label if they wish! No gatekeeping allowed!! The only requirement is that you support other non-linear folks of all communities :)

[ID: A flag with five curved, diagonal stripes. From top left to bottom right, there is a thick purple stripe, a medium light purple stripe, a thick white stripe, a medium light purple stripe, and a thick purple stripe. End ID.]

I chose the terms "linear" and "non-linear" because linear is seen as straightforward, and non-linear deviates from this in a variety of different forms, such as quadratic, exponential, etc!! I'm a bit of a math nerd, as you can see.

P.S. These labels do not need to be mutually exclusive! Experiences are complicated, feel free to mix and match these however you wish!

[ID: A divider that consists of a thin white line with three stars on each side. End ID.]

Flags by me, tagging @radiomogai.

[godspeedviper]

Pride at Arkham Asylum - Headcanons

𖤐 SFW || TW: None

𖤐 A/N: Happy pride to all! Please keep in mind these are just headcanons made from my opinions for FUN! Do not get mad if these do not align with your own takes on the characters. Additionally, some of the chosen gifs are my own fancasts for live action of the characters we haven't gotten yet. Once again, this is not meant to upset anyone. These are simply my opinions done entirely for LIGHTHEARTED FANDOM FUN.

⚠️DON'T LIKE DON'T READ. BLOCK AND MOVE ON⚠️

Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow)

While he was staff he absolutely hated pride month on simple account of the excessive decorations & frivolous activities. Dr. Quinzel was his absolute nemesis as she was always the most enthusiastic member of Arkham's staff.

After he gets put into Arkham as Scarecrow he started to relish in the decorations & celebrations just to annoy his handlers. He makes a game out of everything & has started a tradition of repurposing Halloween decorations for pride month.

When Harley joins him as an inmate she encourages him to bring out his artsy side, & together the two begin making Pride Pumpkins. Even the staff have caught on & they hold a competition to see who can make the best Pride Pumpkin both in the break room & for the inmates (No carving allowed, painting only, for obvious reasons).

If asked about his pronouns & orientation he will usually say it's none of your business, but sometimes he will reply with "they/he/it" for The Scarecrow. No one really knows for sure, but 'aromantic? asexual? agender???' is written in his file on the margins, as it seems he has no interest in such activities (though rumors suggest otherwise). The staff regularly place lunchtime bets as to his sexuality (or lack thereof).

Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn)

When first arriving at Arkham as a member of staff, she insists upon decorations in the breakroom, & starts encouraging related activities for the patients such as a pride ball/dance, arts + crafts, & group therapy based around queer issues.

Once she returns as an inmate, she insists upon painting her own little bi pride flag every year & decorating her cell with whatever items she's allowed. Sometimes she will switch it up with a pan flag, & other times she keeps both up.

Her favorite activity is the pride ball that she herself started when she was still employed there. She usually chooses the music & theme along with Ivy & Selena (or both if all 3 of them are in at the same time).

The staff can never really keep up with who she's attending the dance with & they regularly place bets on that too. Sometimes it's Joker, sometimes its Poison Ivy, & one time she even dragged Bruce Wayne into it when he was around for a visit. No one could figure out for the life of them why the man agreed in the first place.

Dr. Pamela Lilian Isley (Poison Ivy)

Much like Scarecrow, Ivy at first wasn't very fond of the festivities on account of her introverted nature. Also like Scarecrow, she only began partaking in the celebration because of Harley.

She is oddly competitive in the annual Pride Pumpkin contest & has a concerning rivalry going with Scarecrow. If one of them wins best pumpkin for pride, then the other has to win best Halloween pumpkin out of pure spite.

Although she was denied the request to start a WLW knitting club (for obvious reasons) she is the only inmate granted permission to pin a large lesbian flag in her cell on the condition of good behavior. Outside of Arkham though, she does start that knitting club with the Birds of Prey + Gotham City Sirens.

"God is a Lesbian Woman: On The Divine Feminine, Mother Nature, & Climate Change" is a paper she managed to publish as a zine while at Arkham. From that point on, she receives a lot of fanmail from other climate activist queer women. The staff have no idea how she got that zine out there, but at least half of them are secretly subscribed to it. She makes great points.

Edward Nashton/Nygma (The Riddler)

His sexuality seems to be the most complicated riddle of them all, as he regularly seems to have a fluctuating crisis over his sexual orientation. He really takes to the group therapy sessions & is always the most talkative (and weepy).

When well behaved, he is given permission to enter the hospital kitchen to assist in baking cupcakes for the end of the month pride ball/dance. He loves decorating them with icing, but he will also hide a little plastic rainbow toy despite being told numerous times not to as it is a choking hazard. Whoever gets it has to help him decorate the cupcakes next year.

His favorite activity is being allowed to watch Drag Race in the rec room. While he was denied permission to conduct a drag competition in the asylum, he is given permission to host a vogueing "class" in the yard all month long (they watch VHS tapes on how to vogue and try to keep up, that's the class).

Despite only being allowed to use wax crayons, he likes to draw new riddler themed outfits for himself whenever he has the chance. Mostly after he finishes an episode of Drag Race. He's actually quite skilled at drawing. The staff often wonder if he makes his own costumes or if he gives the drawings to a tailor, but no one really wants to ask.

Selina Kyle (Catwoman)

Like Ivy & Crane, Selena is quite the reclusive introvert when first brought in. However, she will open up to her fellow rogues when they are also in attendance, but she retains her ever-present 'too cool' attitude.

Her favorite thing to do during pride month is her makeup. She will spend hours in solitude toying with eyeshadow to debut intricate pride themed looks despite the limitations (no brushes with long handles, no palettes just individual rounded eyeshadow pans, etc).

When not doing her own makeup, she's usually doing someone else's. She & Joker will oftentimes have these odd "spa days" where they do each other's nails &/or makeup, along with whatever skincare they are allowed to have (hardly any complex products due to various inmates being expert chemists. Cucumber peels only).

Despite Harley & Ivy making a lot of contributions to the playlist for the end of the month pride ball, Selena is always resident DJ. No one will admit it, because they're not as cool as her, but she has the best music taste of anyone. Even the staff will try to shazam whatever songs she plays at the ball to add to their own playlist.

Dr. Jervis Tetch (Mad Hatter)

When asked about pronouns Jervis will have two different responses depending on how well medicated he is at the time. If coherent, he will respond with "he/him/his". If in Wonderland, he will go on a rant about how fascinating xenopronouns are yet never directly answer the question. Sometimes he will blurt out "her pronouns are she/her!!!" in regards to Alice.

His favorite activity is joining Riddler in drawing potential costume ideas, although most times he draws anything at all while Ed works on a costume, bouncing ideas off out loud without waiting for Jervis' response. It's more of a parallel play kind of activity.

Much like his dear friend Jonathan Crane, no one can seem to really figure out a label for him. He doesn't seem to express any interest in courtship or intimacy, but salacious rumors exist. Is sex just a means to an end for him or is he simply being private about his romantic/sexual life? The only person that seems to know is Crane, & he enjoys keeping the mystery alive.

Thanks to him, tea is served alongside Riddler's cupcakes at the end of the month pride ball. He takes great pride in carefully selecting blends for the craft services table, mixing in both hot & iced tea to serve all tastes.

The Joker

Just like Crane & Jervis, Joker's gender + sexuality are a mystery, but in quite the opposite manner. He's unabashedly flamboyant & will flirt with anyone if bored enough. No one can ever tell if he means it or not.

Despite his vile reputation, he's quick to adapt to preferred pronouns & new names. He was the first to properly address Ed by his preferred name of Ed Nygma instead of Nashton, & lightheartedly joked that it was a transition & refers to Nashton as a deadname. Even villains have standards it seems.

If asked about his pronouns, Joker will reply "hehe/haha" to the point that people quickly stopped asking just to be spared the dad joke. However, staff have heard his fellow rogues use any & all pronouns under the sun to refer to the clown. It seems they all make a game out of keeping the staff guessing, & no matter what pronouns they use, Joker always responds without missing a beat.

One year in particular he was sent to solitary for weeks after somehow managing to smuggle in various dresses & makeup to indulge Riddler in his desire to host a drag contest. By the time staff noticed, the entire rec room had been transformed into a scene straight out of Paris is Burning. No one knows how he pulled that off, not even Harley.

Ao3 || WiPs || Ko-Fi

[rjalker]

well I'll assume I also forgot to post this....

if I ever say I'll post something after I post something else, assume that I will forget to do that second part lol. ADHD brain says oh, the first task is done? then all of it's done. forget it exists now.

This design is public domain, feel free to use.

[ID: Digital reference art for an original design for the Sphere from the book Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, named Kormance, whose pronouns are xet/xev/xel/xevself. A small key on the side shows how to use these pronouns, with each corresponding word color coded: Replace he with xet, replace him with xev, replace his with xel, and replace himself with xevself. The bottom of the image is black, with the colors showin first in a scribble of the character, then in near boxes. The top of the image is blue, showing the character from six different angles. Kormance is a Sphere with a base of light red. First we are shown xev from the front, showing that xet has a single oval shaped eye like a cyclops, with a diamond shaped iris and pupil. The iris is made of different shades of dark blue. Xet has two arms, with the right one ending at around the elbow, in a congenital amputation. The other arm ends in a simple three-fingered hand. Arranged around the eyes are different mirrored geometric shapes, each conntected to the eye by a line of the matching color. On the upper sides of the eye are two dark red diamonds. On the lower sides are dark navy blue circles. Above the eye on the top of the head is the start of a navy blue circle, and on the cheeks and belly are red circles with blue spots. Kormance grins with xel mouth open, revealing sharp teeth like a cat, with a light pink tongue and darker red inner mouth. When viewed from the side, we can see large red spots with lighter blue spots inside, with the left and right side having slightly different arrangements of the blue spots. The one on the belly is shaped more like a long oval than a real circle. The back of Kormance is mostly taken up by a navy blue spot that continues up to the top of the head where we see it from the front. On the back is a large dark red diamond, with a paler red diamond inside, and a navy blue center. Scribbled in the margins are more drawings of the character. One shows xev smiling with xel eye closed, one fist raised in celebration. Another shows xev sleeping in a bed with a purple blanket. A third shows the narrator of Flatland, a Square, saying, "4D plox", with Kormance throwing xel arm into the air and exclaiming, "That's nonsense!". A smaller drawing next to this shows xel eye as seen from the side. The pride flags listed along the bottom are, from left to right: Omni-oriented: with stripes of pink, dark pink, blue-black, medium blue, and light blue. Transgender, with stripes of purple, black, blue, pink, white, yellow, black, and brown, with rings in the center in black, purple, and gold. Gendernull, which has a black field with a white diamond in the upper left corner, and small diagonal stipes in the lower right of light grey, grey, red, and black. Disabled, with a dark grey field, and diagonal stripes in the center of desaturated red, yellow, white, glue, and green. The last flag is Nebularomantic, with stripes forming a gradient from dark red to white, to blue, to blue-black. End ID.]

[lugagl]

ITSS TIMMEEEEEEEEE!!!~/ref

Over the past couple days I have been working on four queer headcanon flag charts with the overarching theme being Intermission/Problem sleuth. I AM FINALLY POSTING THEM AFTER AROUND FIVE DAYS OF WORK.

without further ado, THE CHARTS!!! :

extra info under the cut! :o)

HI!! These are queer headcanon charts! I very commonly find myself making these with my interests, favourite characters, and my own and friends oc's. I use these to have a vauge headcannon understanding and baseline for my interpretations on the queerness of characters. It helps me when writing fanfics, drawing, aswell as discussing headcanons with others! it also makes me INSANELY happy to make them and put labels onto characters without a universally agreed way of self expression. Throughout making this batch of charts, especially towards the end, i did a LOT of reasearch on different sets of Neopronouns, Neurogenders, MOGAI [1] terms of expression, aswell as just general queer labels. which is why towards the end especially there is a large jump to neopronouns aswell as complexity in their associated flags.

Extra fun tidbits of info!!: The one that took me the least amount of time was the extra felt members page, with only five characters taking only 23 minutes to complete. THE ONE THAT TOOK ME THE LONGEST, BY A LANDSLIDE, WAS THE PROBLEM SLEUTH CHART WITH *FIVE AND A HALF HOURS TOTAL TIME.* ll In order from first started to last finished, these charts go in this order : The general felt chart/Leprechaun chart, The extra felt members chart, The general carapace chart, and last but not least the Problem Sleuth chart. || I myself personally identify very strongly with multiple items under the MOGAI umbrella, which is a large reason I love doing these charts and including identities from the MOGAI microlabels! || Items under the MOGAI unbrella used in the post above include but arent limited to: Xenogender, Neurogender, and Egogender. || If you use/check Alt Texts on posts, you'll notice this post doesnt have alt text for any image given. That is because I plan to make an entire post dedicated to a image ID for the four photos, including: What the flags are, What they mean, Who theyre next to, What pronouns does each person have, aswell as where the images end and go onto the next image. The reason an ID isnt included in this post is due to purely how outrageously long it is, however I look forward to writing the ID/Alt text to this post sometime within the next few days.

Did you catch the little bracketed one next to the first time I used MOGAI in this post and come down here looking for a citation? if so, here you go! Items under the [1] are copied directly from the LGBTQIA+ Wikipedia page on the MOGAI umbrella term!

[1] : MOGAI is an acronym for Marginalized Orientations, Gender Alignments, and Intersex. MOGAI is an umbrella term for people who are not cisgender and/or heterosexual and/or endosex [2]

[2] : Endosex is a term used to discribe those who are not intersex and whom are born with typical sex characteristics that fit the Male/Female binary.

[just-antithings]

Just Anti Things: "I don't want people with ~bad ships~ to follow me or interact with me, but I sure will design a pride flag for my marginalized orientation I want all of us to adopt! The possibility of people sharing my marginalized orientation and having ~bad ships~ has never occurred to me!"

every damn time

[genderdenied]

☆ㅤfrilly ASD alt

pt: frilly ASD alt :end pt

!!ㅤ;ㅤfor : anon

﹒ ㅤdefinition :

similarly to the HPD alt posted yesterday, this is a cute frilly pink alternative flag for anybeing with ASD, because pink frills ^_^

﹒ ㅤmight make more of these alts, because everybeing deserves a cute frilly flag if they want a cute frilly flag !!

; userboxes by ghosting-plural-userboxes

; copy-pastable IDs and pt below !!

header id: A lace header, it curves downwards and is coloured with pastel pink. It has multiple outlines going dark pink, white, baby pink, dark pink. In the center is the words " frilly ASD alt " coloured white and outlined similarly :end id

divider id: A simplistic orange divider. It has an orange crescent moon on each side and is all outlined in brown, white, orange and brown again. In the center is the word " genderdenied " outlined similarly :end id

flag id: A decorated rectangular flag, it has 5 variously sized strips with different colours and patterns respectively. Going in top-to-bottom order they are: large baby pink with frilly border, medium pastel pink, small pink tinted white, medium pastel pink, large baby pink with frilly border. At the top and bottom of the flag is a strip of frilly darker pink coloured semi circles with hearts and dots decorating them. In the very center of the flag is the ASD infinity symbol coloured white with a pink tint and pink outline :end id

footer id: A lace footer, it curves upwards and is coloured pastel pink. It has multiple outlines going dark pink, white, baby pink, dark pink. :end id

userbox 1 id: A red fox themed userbox. The picture is of a red fox sleeping peacefully, tongue sticking out slightly. The text reading " This being appreciates reblogs and comments " :end id

userbox 2 id: A red fox themed userbox. The picture is of a red fox having it's head held. The text reading " DNI: Radqueer, TransID, Syscourse and NSFW " :end id

pt: for anon. Definition, similarly to the HPD alt posted yesterday, this is a cute frilly pink alternative flag for anybeing with ASD, because pink frills ^_^[joyful face]. Might make more of these alts, because everybeing deserves a cute frilly flag if they want a cute frilly flag :end pt

; tagging : @radiomogai @liom-archive

[mariacallous]

In recent days, hundreds of thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets of their country’s capital, Tbilisi, to protest a controversial draft law being debated in the Georgian Parliament. The government, led by the Georgian Dream party, calls the draft law the “Transparency of Foreign Influence” bill. Opponents refer to it as the “Russian law” because it mirrors a Kremlin law designed to silence, stifle, and shut down political opposition. In the latest escalation overnight, Georgian police used water cannon, tear gas, and rubber bullets to break up continuing protests against the law.

If passed, the law would require all nongovernmental organizations to declare if they receive a certain amount of their funding from abroad. Opponents of the bill argue that these measures will weaken civil society and threaten freedom of speech. If the experience in Russia is anything to go by, their concerns are well founded.

Last year, the Georgian government introduced similar legislation, only to withdraw the bill from Parliament after several days of major demonstrations. The new bill is basically identical to last year’s draft. The difference this time is that the demonstrations—supported by opposition politicians and civil society groups—are larger and the public outcry greater than before. Georgian, Ukrainian, and European Union flags are commonplace among the crowds, where young people are heavily represented. The bill already passed its first reading in Parliament. This week, the draft law passed its second reading, and Georgian Dream bused people into Tbilisi from around the country for a rally in favor of the bill. In a fiery speech, Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili promised “punishment” to the main opposition party and civil society groups speaking out against the government.

The third and final reading of the bill is expected to take place around May 17—another expected flash point on Tbilisi’s streets. After the bill’s likely passage, it will be sent to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who has promised to veto it. Georgian Dream can then use its majority in Parliament to override the veto and bring the bill into law.

Georgia’s Western partners are ringing the alarms. Today, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the latest violence against protesters. Earlier, European Council President Charles Michel stated that the draft law “will bring Georgia further away from the EU.” A U.S. State Department spokesperson said: “We are gravely disappointed by the Georgian parliament’s decision to advance Kremlin-inspired ‘foreign influence’ legislation.” Javier Colomina, NATO’s special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, posted on social media: “This draft is a step backwards & does not further [Georgia’s] Euro-Atlantic integration.” Considering that almost 80 percent of Georgians see their future in the EU, the mass demonstrations against the draft law are not surprising.

Meanwhile, there has been nothing but support for the Georgian government from Moscow. Outspoken Russian philosopher and Kremlin insider Alexander Dugin declared that “Georgia is on the right track” with the reintroduction of the law. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blamed the West for provoking “anti-Russian sentiments” among Georgians. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, too, has publicly defended Georgia’s draft law.

After entering office in 2012, Georgian Dream led a coalition that proved to be a good partner for the West. Even though there were always elements inside Georgian Dream whose sympathies lay with Moscow, they were kept marginalized by the coalition’s Euro-Atlanticist mainstream. Over the years, however, the pro-Russian elements of Georgian Dream worked their way to the top while pushing Western-oriented members out of government.

The result is a Georgian Dream that looks nothing like it did in 2012. The party now pursues policies that unfairly marginalize the political opposition. While the government’s official policy remains for Georgia to join the EU and NATO, little is being done to achieve this goal. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Georgian government questioned Western sanctions against Moscow, refused to join, and instead increased trade with Russia. Senior Georgian Dream officials have publicly ridiculed successive U.S. ambassadors. Georgians fighting for Ukraine as volunteers are scorned by the government.

You can bet that the Kremlin is closely watching. The moment it appears that Georgian Dream is losing its grip on power, there is a high likelihood that Moscow will intervene—especially if the government’s downfall comes as a result of mass demonstrations, which, in the Kremlin’s obsessive worldview, would be a “color revolution” conspiratorially engineered by the West. And if you believe that a Russian invasion scenario is unrealistic, you have not been paying attention in recent years. Russian advisors and security forces helped prop up Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko after mass protests following stolen elections in August 2020. In January 2022, Russia led a military intervention in Kazakhstan to restore order after several days of political violence. And Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 followed the Maidan Revolution that deposed a Russia-friendly president. There is no reason to think that Russia would not do any of these things in Georgia.

Russia already occupies 20 percent of Georgia’s territory, following its 2008 invasion. Another Russian incursion—triggered by an impending downfall of Georgia’s Kremlin-friendly government—could take a number of forms. Since Georgian Dream likes to portray itself to the Georgian people as the only thing standing between them and another Russian invasion, Moscow might calculate that a military provocation from Russian-occupied South Ossetia or Abkhazia, if it is dramatic enough, could frighten the Georgian public to fall back in line with its government.

Another scenario involves the hundreds of thousands of Russians who have moved to Georgia in recent years. Even if many of them did so to escape military service and economic hardship in Russia, it is impossible to know the extent to which the Kremlin’s security and intelligence services have infiltrated this diaspora. Moscow’s track record shows that it could intervene to “protect” the Russian minority, especially if there have been accusations of mistreatment of Russian citizens.

In the most extreme scenario, Russia could attempt an invasion to bring Georgia fully into the Kremlin’s orbit. This may be a low-probability scenario given Russia’s challenges in Ukraine, not least its vast losses of manpower and equipment. But just as Russia’s full-on invasion of Ukraine in 2022 surprised even the most seasoned experts, nothing can be ruled out. Although there are few public details, it is known that Russia has been militarizing the occupied regions of Georgia in recent years, even if some Russian troops based in Abkhazia or South Ossetia have been sent to Ukraine. Around 2,000 Russian troops are now leaving the Karabakh region in neighboring Azerbaijan, and it’s anyone’s guess where these soldiers will be going next.

Of course, a large number of Georgians would resist a Russian intervention. The Georgian armed forces are better trained and equipped than they were when Russia last invaded in 2008, and there are more soldiers with combat experience, mainly from Afghanistan. There are also thousands of Georgians fighting as volunteers in Ukraine who would be itching to defend their motherland.

Another Russian move into Georgia could have implications for U.S. interests in the region. For example, controlling Georgia would give Moscow access to more Black Sea coastline at a time when its navy is being pushed out of the western Black Sea, including the ports in occupied Crimea, by successful Ukrainian drone and missile strikes. Occupying even a small additional slice of Georgia would also give Russia control of every major oil and gas pipeline that connects the vast energy resources of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to Europe; at their closest points, both Georgia’s main east-west highway and several energy pipelines almost directly abut Russian-occupied South Ossetia. Any disruption would create significant energy problems for Europe and by extension NATO and the United States.

Finally, Russian control of Georgia would establish a much-desired land bridge with Moscow’s ally Armenia. This, in turn, would create a direct land and air corridor between Russia and Iran at a time of deepening military cooperation between the two countries. Looking at a map, such a corridor between Russia and Iran would allow Moscow to control much of the east-west transit on the Eurasian landmass. Crucially for Russian President Vladimir Putin, a lightning intervention into Georgia could give him a much-needed geopolitical victory after more than two years of being mired in Ukraine.

In a park overlooking the banks of the Kura River in Tbilisi, there is a bronze statue of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. It is perhaps no coincidence that the statue shows him facing north—toward Russia. The statue could be seen as a reminder for Georgians of how far they have come since the oppressive days of Soviet rule. Before Russia is tempted to intervene, Georgian Dream should stop the escalating confrontation on Tbilisi’s streets and withdraw the bill. This is the message that Western capitals need to be urgently sending.

[hero-israel]

In defense of anti-Israel people, it doesn't seem the fairest to consider any of their political art to be antisemitic for showing the Star of David in a negative light (such as censoring, breaking, being stabbed, etc) when that *is* the only symbol for the State (save for stripes, which I've seen represented too but less). How else are they supposed to criticize it visually? You can only use Netanyahu as a strawman so many times. The institutional and historical issues are more extensive than him or anyone like him. The recent branding with the Star of David of a Palestinian by an Israeli cop (assuming that's true, which looks like it as far as I can tell) shows the symbol can be used for evil. We should maybe make some exceptions to what we might otherwise consider antisemitic. I'm reminded of a graphic novel I read called "Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think", which mostly sarcastically criticized and compared various historical regimes. I felt it was a little too biased in a lot of ways, but it made one point I find relevant here. It said that populist ideologies create symbols that represent large swathes of marginalized people so if you criticize that ideology you can be framed for being prejudiced. It talked about how the communist/Soviet symbol was hammer and sickle, representing workers, so if you opposed communism/Soviet Union/etc., they could just say you were classist. (I personally have more sympathy for communism/Soviet Union so I somewhat disagree but I believe you said you're more anti-communist than I am so this might be more agreeable to you). To pull this back to my main point, maybe it isn't fair to have a historically violent nation be able to always have the ability to attribute criticism of it to one of the world's oldest bigotries? Don't get me wrong, I am a Zionist and I do think there's value in Israel asserting itself as Jewish and representing Jews. Enough Jews get associated with Israel by antisemites when they have no affiliation with it or even oppose it, so there's not much real value in trying to separate. And I do believe criticism of Israel and Zionism crosses over into antisemitism more than critics would like to admit. But I'm just making a point about iconography here. I half-wish that Israel went with one of the earlier flag designs of the Menorah or Lion so iconography could be more clear-cut. But maybe it shouldn't be.

A few thoughts on this:

The menorah would be functionally identical to the Magen David in terms of potentially causing confusion / inspiring hate from critique. The lion just isn't as good, though YMMV

It isn't hard for cartoonists to caricature political leaders like Netanyahu, it is in fact their job, if you can call it that.

if someone can draw a Magen David, they can draw it in blue and put in the stripes to remove all doubt that they mean the modern political entity and not the human ethnic group / religion

I don't recall seeing as much specifically blood- and killing-oriented imagery around Muslim crescents. The flag of Pakistan has the crescent on it, people making a cartoon criticizing Pakistan would hopefully not leap to showing the crescent as a knife beheading someone

All things are not equal and the political artists just have to cope with that and work a little harder. It does make a difference that Jews are a persecuted, frequently-genocided group controlling such a tiny land area. If the hammer-and-sickle was only used as the flag symbol of North Korea, which was the only Korean country, and most ethnic Koreans lived there after having been wiped out everywhere else, maybe people would have to be more careful with how they negatively portrayed that symbol.

to reiterate point 1 - it is good that artists and activists should be expected to work hard to avoid bigotry in their critiques

[fakerobotrealblog]

"Our Flag Means Death" is a historical comedy television series that, while not strictly adhering to historical accuracy, offers a unique perspective on queer historical pirates and explores themes within the context of queer history. Here's an analysis:

1. **Representation of Queer Pirates:**

- The show breaks away from historical norms by portraying a diverse group of pirates, including characters with various sexual orientations. This challenges traditional historical narratives that often neglect or marginalize queer identities.

2. **Queer Relationships and Dynamics:**

- "Our Flag Means Death" delves into queer relationships and dynamics within a pirate setting. The show explores how queer individuals navigate relationships, love, and camaraderie in a historical context, providing a fresh perspective on LGBTQ+ experiences.

3. **Subversion of Stereotypes:**

- By featuring queer characters in prominent roles, the series subverts stereotypes associated with both pirates and LGBTQ+ individuals. It challenges preconceived notions, offering a more nuanced and diverse portrayal of both historical figures and queer identities.

4. **Historical Context and Anachronism:**

- The show balances historical elements with comedic anachronisms, allowing for a playful exploration of queer history. While not strictly accurate, it provides an entertaining and imaginative lens through which to view historical narratives.

5. **Inclusivity and Acceptance:**

- "Our Flag Means Death" touches on themes of inclusivity and acceptance within the pirate crew. The characters' acceptance of diverse sexual orientations fosters a sense of belonging, emphasizing that a pirate's identity goes beyond societal norms.

6. **Exploration of Queer History:**

- While the show takes creative liberties, it contributes to a broader exploration of queer history by bringing LGBTQ+ characters into historical narratives. This encourages viewers to consider the existence and experiences of queer individuals in various historical settings.

7. **Humor as a Tool:**

- The comedic nature of the series allows for a more accessible exploration of queer historical themes. It uses humor to address societal attitudes, challenging conventional norms with a light-hearted and entertaining approach.

8. **Cultural Impact:**

- "Our Flag Means Death" adds to the growing body of media that acknowledges and celebrates queer history. Its impact lies in contributing to a more inclusive representation of diverse identities within historical storytelling.

In summary, "Our Flag Means Death" stands as a noteworthy addition to the representation of queer historical pirates and queer history in media. By blending humor, creativity, and inclusivity, the series offers a refreshing take on historical narratives, challenging stereotypes and contributing to a broader understanding of LGBTQ+ experiences in different historical contexts.

[artgsposts]

Francesco Hayez

'The Kiss' (1859)

☆ Historical context:

After the defeat of Napoleonic France in the 19th century, the Congress of Vienna was held in 1815 to redraw the map of Europe. Italy had a very marginal role compared to other European countries and was slated to be divided into several states. Every state was ruled directly or strongly influenced by the Habsburgs of the Austrian Empire. That fragmentation went against the growing nationalist sentiment for Italian unification and caused the creation of secret societies with democratic and radical orientations, such as the Carboneria and Young Italy. Although those associations were unsuccessful, their role was fundamental in shaping public opinion.

The first war of Italian independence (1848) was a failure, but, by 1859, a secret agreement between Napoleon III and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, stipulated the formation of an anti-Austrian alliance. The contribution of France was considered crucial because the Austrian armies were defeated by the alliance in the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia in the empire. That victory initiated the unification process, and the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed a few years later, in 1861.

It was during that period that Francesco Hayez painted The Kiss. Mindful of the bloody repression of the nationalist movement, Hayez decided to disguise the ideals of conspiracy and the struggle against the invaders by a representation of past events. The use of ambiguous, opaque metaphors allowed the artist to avoid censorship by the authorities.

♧ To be precise, there are three versions of this picture. In the first and official one, made in 1859, the woman wears the blue dress, while the young man's suit is characterized by green and red; the colors of the Italian and French flag, united by an alliance. In the second, made in 1861, the woman's dress is white and that of the young man remains red and green, the three colors of the Italian flag. In the third and last version of 1867, the colors of the young man's dress remain the same, while the woman's dress is again blue but, next to their feet, there is a white veil on the ground.

[hector-garcia]

– BASIC INFORMATION.

Full name | Aliases: Hector Oscar García Liddell Gender | Sexual orientation: Cis man | Gay Date of birth | Age: 26th of June | 47 Place of birth: Newcastle upon Tyne Current residence: 10 Downing Street Occupation | Affiliation: Prime Minister of the UK | Labour Party Relationship status: Married to Viktor Liddell. Children: / Positive traits: + Charismatic, brilliant, level-headed, incisive, passionate Negative traits: - Calculating, revolted, idealistic, overly empathetic, intense

– PHYSICAL TRAITS.

Hair color: Salt and Pepper Eye color: Dark brown Height | Weight: 5 feet 9 inches (1.77 m) | 72 kg (160 lbs) Distinguishing features: Strong nose, smooth recognizable voice, Newcastle accent (fading) Faceclaim: Raul Esparza

– BIOGRAPHY.

Hector was born in the working class, to parents who had fled Fidel Castro's regime and made ends meet while they raised him far away from home. Every day, after school, he would do his homework at his mother's desk, who worked as a receptionist in a paper company. His father was a florist working on farmer's markets. They were hard workers, who had big plans for their only son and they saved every month to put him in a proper school. While attending high school, Hector came in second in a competition organized by the British Academy for Science, for his research project on reducing water usage in agriculture, he participated to debate competitions and though he was happy to make his club's victory a collective effort, his extensive knowledge of social, political, economical issues was key into getting 1st place, and it was no surprise that he ended up president of this club as well as 3 others.

He joined college and at the same time officially signed up with the Labour Party as a full member and activist. His parents were involved in politics themselves, and from the moment he was old enough to hold flags at rallies and demonstrations, his father would hoist him up on his shoulders. They both took part in a worker's union, though his mother was the one most devoted to helping both workers and those most vulnerable.

He first did a double licence in sociology and political sciences at LSE, studied in Barcelona for a year with the Erasmus program, and got involved in activism there too. Followed two more years during which he worked on his thesis. He focused on the positive impact immigration had on the country, and while his work was applauded by his peers, he reaped a lot of bile and hatred from the opposition. The dichotomous controversial work ended up in the media. While progressive ones applauded his fresh stance on the question and commented on the depth of his analysis. Qualitative research combined with grounded theory made a solid ground to build his political program on. It didn't matter if some called him a ludicrous dreamer or a clown. Ad hominem attacks only confirmed what he already knew: he needed to take things further, he needed to become a candidate to local elected office.

He ran for council in his borough, Barking and Dagenham, in north eastern London. He fought against gentrification in the area, which would be made all the more painful with the 2012 Olympic Games and the quick evolution of the city in the years that preceded the event. Hector spent most of his free time listening to people who dedicated a lot of their energy, time, or even money for the local community. Eventually, when the time came for him to campaign again, this time for MP, he chose to rely only on their donations, refusing any money that came from corporations and lobbies. The people would be who he represented, not the interest of private companies. It was unconventional. It was risky. He might even lost the election because he fought against Goliaths. Fundraising and media relations was usually handled by professionals who saw the world through a lens filled with statistics and polls.

He shouldn't have won those elections, he supposed. When he won, upspent with a margin of 15 to 1 by his opponents, Hector couldn't believe how much support he had managed to gather through his years as a devoted borough councilman.

Hector, who was now a MP for a little over 10 years, was feeling tight in his shoes, and with the help of his husband, threatened his old LSE pal, none other than the Prime Minister, to reveal the contents of the treaty to the public. He knew the time was right for him. He was quite popular among the party, and his husband's ties with the conservatives made him much easier to accept for the Tories.

His party did get this much right: he represented a breath of fresh air, and those always got people talking. What they didn't get right, however, was this idea that Hector was so much better than your typical politician. Not one bit. He wasn't above shoving people under the bus, or using god awful tactics to get ahead of others. He might have been a likeable personality, with the kind of voice that you could have listened to even if it read the phone book, he also knew when crossing the line was necessary. After all, in a city like London, you couldn't possibly hope to survive being a good guy.

[i4eth0ld]

Juvelic Orientations Flag Re-Desing

I am proposing this redesign for the following reasons:

— The colors have no meaning, it's just the flags of other communities together, disproportionately.

— Uses "heterosexual flag" there isn't a pride flag to represent a majority, and I don't like the idea in which blue and pink were placed, because it reminds me of the "cisgender flag".

As this is not a new flag, but a redesign, the original credits for the original flag remain with the person who made the design, which in this case I am based on it.

Meanings:

Red Orange, yellow, blue and purple stripes represent ALL the queer attractions. Includes all flags and all gender/non-gender love terms.

I kept the gray and black stripes precisely because of the Agender, Asexual and Aromantic pride flags, I do not want these stripes to be erased in any way, I am an Aroace person and these stripes are very important to me, as they must also be important to agender and other non-binary people.

The white stripe represents everyone who is not queer, or some who are straight, cisgender, allosexual or alloromantic who are otherwise queer, Everyone who Has an identity, attraction, orientation labeled "marginalized".

Lavender has long been a symbol of the queer community, so I decided to claim it and put it on the flag.

(flag with quality)

F.A.Q.

"Do I have to use the flag?"

No, there is no official flag in any community, there are flags for all tastes, and everyone can disagree and agree on guidelines.

"Is the old flag problematic?"

Probably not, but I still wanted to make an Alternative that is more representative, and I welcome suggestions on how to improve it

"Who are you?"

My name is Ethan, I'm an Inclusionist, I'm gay/Vincian non-binary Aroace, I like cats, and I sometimes enjoy learning about queer community terms and flags.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I was once an exclusionist, but I totally regret these kinds of thoughts, but if for some reason you come across an exclusionist comment of mine, please send it to me, I will delete immediately.

Finalization

I hope you queers like the flag, I tried my best to make it as beautiful as possible, bye!

EDIT: According to some people's feedback I changed the gray tone of the flag, I also think it looks much better so thank you very much for the feedback!