#meaning that we have little to no support or protection from sexist violence?

[ciderjacks]

and actually like does anyone else notice how any other bigoted comment that gets called out is like, something mildly insensitive or close minded, but for a sexist comment to be called out it has to be some dude saying something like "I think all women should go back to being second class citizens also if i could I would murder every bitch i see. males are biologically superior, the only use a female has is being bred to make more men." and even then EVEN THEN its like "yeah this comment is pretty sexist...and worse is it also holds some pretty racist and transphobic implications!" like explain that to me rq. y'all never Layer shit when its any other form of bigotry, you understand that just being racist/homophobic/transphobic/whatever else is already bad on its own.

like im not saying other forms of bigotry are less serious, what im saying is that sexism is the only one you guys let get this bad before even acknowledging it! have the same standards with sexism that you'd have with anything else! if you wouldnt tolerate something if it was about any other marginalized group, why are you tolerating it when its about women??

maybe its because properly acknowledging sexism means having to realize how many things you like are bigoted...How many people you look up to are bigots.

it’s odd how with every other kind of bigotry, when a famous person is called out its usually over like. a few shitty tweets from 2014. But when it comes to misogyny/sexism it’s always like “yeah uh so he sex trafficked multiple underage women, killed his girlfriend, and raped his elderly mother. He’s been openly saying he hates women for years now and his whole platform is about hating women, but we sort of thought it was funny so we didn’t pay attention to it. Oops! He is still sort of funny though haha” And the guy still gets more sympathy than an otherwise harmless celeb who made a homophobic joke on Twitter at age 12.

[sweetiepie08]

@gen-has-green-vibes tags me in this OC tag. It teased my brain and I’ve been working on this on and off all day.

Favorite OC

I don’t have a favorite OC. I have several OCs that I enjoy writing for and can’t choose just one. I also have a tendency to expand my OC’s world and backstory with other OCs. So I’ll have Main Character OCs and supporting character OCs and I try to flesh them all out as much as I can.

Newest OC

Well, technically that would be a supporting OC who I just started fleshing out today. I’ve been working on a MASSIVE Hazbin Hotel story that I may or may not post. Both bc of the daunting size and the toxic fandom/hatedom. But anyway, this supporting OC is a work rival of Angel’s named Ozone. Angel sees Ozone’s Star is rising as his own is falling. Knowing what it means to be Valentio’s favorite, Angel tries to talk Ozone out of signing a contract with Valentino to save him the same fate.

Oldest OC

God, that was an atla OC named Sandy I wrote when I was in middle school. It was very much a Writer’s First OC situation. Canon breaking Mary Sue for sure. But I want to fight the impulse to be embarrassed of her. We all need to start somewhere. I think it’s an integral first step of character building. You have to make your first canon breaking Mary Sue to learn the very basics, then learn to flesh them out and make them 3 dimensional characters later.

Now my oldest OC that I would still be willing to write for, if the muse struck me, would be Noelle Janvier, a Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame oc. She’s a childhood friend turned lover of Clopin. She runs an inn passed down to her by her father (technically passed down to her older brother, bc medieval inheritance laws but he’s a flake so she runs the show), which she uses to help hide Romani people during Frollo’s reign of terror.

Meanest OC

Meanest supporting OC is definitely Carlo Scavo. He’s an antagonist of my Hazbin Hotel fic, namely the portion that takes place in the 1940s. He’s the oldest son of Angel/Anthony’s father’s biggest rival. What he lacks in subtlety and strategy, he makes up for in muscle and capacity for violence. He also drank every last drop of his father’s racist/sexist/homophobic juice. While he’ll give stronger enemies, such as Anthony’s older brother Arackniss/Archie, a wide berth, he’ll pick on seemingly weaker targets, such as Anthony or Carlo’s younger sister Viola, to make himself feel powerful.

Meanest Main OC is probably Noelle. She’s had to develop a hard exterior over the years, especially being a woman running an inn by herself. She’s not mean to people who don’t deserve it, but she puts on a prickly front and doesn't suffer fools.

Softest OC

That’s got to be Ari from @blackaquokat and my’s Coruscant Red series. She’s a seamstress of Padme Amedala and a friend of the investigation squad. She became the Senate Guard’s favorite civilian visitor when she started bringing them caf. Heading about this, the investigation squad absolutely HAD to make friends with her too. Since then, her apartment, particularly her nap-worthy couch, has become a sanctuary for her clone friends, where they can get away from their stressful lives and relax for a little while.

most aloof/stand off-ish OC

That’s a tough choice, but I’d have to go with Noelle and 1940s Viola Scavo, but in different ways.

Noelle, as previously stated, is stand-offish as a sort of armor. Her prickly front protects herself, her inn, and the people she protects. She trusts very few people. In fact, the list of people she trusts completely consists of Clopin and that’s it.

1940s Viola, on the other hand, is more aloof because she survived the house of horrors she grew up in by making herself small and unnoticeable. It wasn’t safe for her to voice her thoughts or opinions, so she keeps it all inside. She is most at ease being alone and ignored. It was a difficult habit to brake once she was forced into a sham marriage with Anthony. It took her some time to grasp that he had no interest in hurting her or controlling her. And, extreme extrovert that he is, he couldn’t be in the same room with her without trying to interact. He did push her to take more risks and speak her (heavily watered down and censored) thoughts, but she still played everything very close to the chest.

Smartest OC

Shoot! Forgot to do smartest! That would be Trouve Hezkahi for Gifted Kids. He’s a certified math genius and was accepted into Coruscant University at age 13. However, a tragic accident that occurred when he was 14 disrupted his studies. He had to quit school to grieve his dead father and take care of his hospitalized mother. However, he still uses his math skills to support himself by brokering bets at an underground fight ring and selling homework to university students. He hopes to one day return to school and complete his degree, except instead of going into data science, which he chose on the advice of his tutors, he now wants to go into forensic accounting and stick it to the corporations whose negligent practices took his family and swindled him out of seeking compensation.

”dumbest” OC

Dumbest supporting OC is probably Carlo. He doesn’t have the patience to sit down and think of a strategy beyond “threaten extreme violence.” That is why he sees Arackniss/Archie, who is highly intelligent, as his biggest threat.

For my Main Oc, I want to preface this by saying she is NOT dumb. I don’t really have a dumb main OC. But Willa is probably the least conventional thinker. Willa doesn’t have a talent for working with numbers and business talk just won’t stick in her brain. But she is a musical genius, having mastered her instrument at a young age. She is also people smart, able to be persuasive when needed. She is also sensitive to the emotions of others, and make insightful observations about them. Now, she is insecure about her intelligence and has a tendency to call herself stupid when she’s feeling low. But make no mistake, she is a brilliant artist and an even better friend.

Bestie IRL oc

I can’t really choose, because I think I’d get along with all my main OCs. I’d love to go thrifting with Willa, have tea with Ari, talk books with Noelle, watch so-bad-it’s-good movies with Trouve, and cosplay with (modern) Viola.

For my tags, I’m tagging @blackaquokat @charsawdeath @uraaniuum and anyone else who wants to try!

[septembersghost]

Warning- sensitive topic- but thread gave a very thoughtful response… twitter. com/chinasunrise/status/1656886936550645763?s=20

this is very well articulated, and initially i wasn't going to expand on it, but then i logged back on and saw some of the discussion from today, and i do want to add a couple of things. shock/cringe/edgy humor is not necessarily a sign that someone is a bigot, but i do think if you're comfortable using racist language and slurs (not only racial, but also the r-word and sexist insults), demeaning marginalized groups of people, joking about concentration camp victims, mocking ethnicities - that's not okay. nothing makes that okay. racism and misogyny guised in "humor" is still racism and misogyny. satire is meant to punch up, to strike at the more powerful, not those with less power who are already vulnerable. does intent matter? sure. but impact to those targeted will always matter more. and, sorry for sounding like a wet blanket here, but i do actually feel that what someone is willing to mock and laugh at says a lot about one's character. being progressive politically does not mean you're not capable of being cruel or prejudiced or doing harm.

and then we get into the issue of the p*rn. that's not humor. that's not onstage persona. that's something he chose to bring up for himself privately and then shared publicly as if it was just an anecdote. he himself used the word "brutalized." there is no excuse for the abuse and exploitation of women, there is no justification for harm and violence perpetrated against black women to pleasure white men. it's abhorrent. i'm sick knowing it exists. this is a rich cishet white man who has shown over and over what his inner values are, and that's why people are upset.

no, we cannot dictate this woman's private life or who she chooses to associate with. no, being mad/hurt/concerned/disappointed about this is not activism. no, she is not responsible for his actions or words, but she is complicit if she is aware and chooses to ignore them anyway. she's not online listening to fans, she has the luxury of ignoring it, but we have the right to be critical. as one little blog on the internet who HAS been hearing from fans, particularly fans of color who are hurt by this, i'm sad and troubled. it's not shaming. "let her be fun and messy uwu" is minimizing what the issues are here. we can't change it, but we're allowed to have opinions on it. we can and SHOULD hear the voices of those affected. we should prioritize them.

taylor is beloved and special to many of us, and that often does cross from her music into her person, and maybe that's on us for investing in her, but she herself has helped to build and establish that relationship, so this reaction is on her too. her art is a safe and comforting space for a lot of us, and i've proudly shared and spoken about and cherished that. anyone feeling less safe right now deserves to feel protected by this community, not shut out for perceived "disloyalty." we need to give each other support.

[bbangsoonie]

good for nothing

member: juyeon genre: angst (royal au) word count: 4,635 synopsis: despite being the first born and the kingdom’s princess, you lived your whole life in the shadow of the crown prince born to a concubine. in your plot for revenge, a fool in love comes along your path. warning(s): violence

kingdom masterlist

Princess Y/n. You were the first born of the king and queen, educated beyond societal standards for girls, and incredibly beautiful. Yet, you were disregarded and looked down on since the moment you were born. Your brother, who was born to a concubine, was the crown prince and received much greater respect. The reason? You were a girl. A good-for-nothing girl as your father called you on multiple occasions.

The king was ashamed to have his first born be a daughter. He also felt threatened by your rejection of the status quo. Because of this, he grabbed every opportunity to make you submit to him.

You were exceptionally smart but no one cared to notice. Your desire to learn was ignored and you were forced to embroider butterfly patterns instead. At a young age, you realized your place. You knew your designated fate was to be a political pawn meant to be married off at a beautiful age. To protect the royal family that never considered you as one of their own, you were to marry a complete stranger one day.

However, just because you realized your place didn’t mean you accepted it. You defied the rules at every chance you saw. You remained a headache for the king, but a small enough headache to avoid his wrath.

Unbeknownst to him, you were well versed with the dirty politics of the country. Ever since you were a little girl, you would eavesdrop into the ministers’ conversations and manipulate the eunuchs to take a peak at written grievances sent to the king. You knew about the starving peasants he ignored and the bribes he received. As you grew older, you became hungry for power. When it became apparent that the king was blocking any hope for you, you were determined to take as many people down with you. You refused to suffer alone.

The king always berated you for being greedy. Greedy for education. Greedy for acknowledgement. Greedy for a life that was more than just being a good wife. He reminded you again and again that you would never have a voice in official affairs.

Every time you left his chamber after another lecture, you made sure to humiliate the embarrassment the kingdom called the crown prince. You would outshine him one way or another. Whether it be pointing out his grammar mistakes in front of the scholars or exposing his secret palace escapes to the queen, you would dampen his mood for the day. It was the only thing that gave you a speck of joy.

There was also only one thing that gave you something to look forward to. For years, you had been conspiring against the royal family. You despised the royal family and its classist, sexist, and pretentious values. You planned on getting rid of it once and for all. The kingdom deserved a leader that would rule benevolently. Slowly but surely, you gained the loyalty of several ministers. Soon enough, you would be able to execute the meticulous coup d'état.

But until then, you had to continue to be nothing but the king’s puppet. Which included meeting your fiancé. You were introduced a week ago and wedding preparations were already in full swing.

The man you would be forced to wed, Lee Juyeon, was the first son of the Chief State Councillor. You didn’t like him the moment you saw him. He was a pretty face that grew up with his father’s full love and support. He was both elegant and masculine; he was the definition of perfect and you hated it. A person had to have flaws to be likeable.

For some crazy reason you couldn’t wrap your mind around, Juyeon was infatuated with you. He visited the palace every day just to have you decline his request for a meeting. He was persistent.

Unfortunately for you, he was also crafty. He figured out that announcing his arrival to the king was an effective way to see your face. The king was delighted to see the Chief State Councillor’s son head over heels for his daughter and thus, to your annoyance, daily meetings were arranged for you two.

“Tell me, Lord Lee, what about me is worthy of your obsession?” you asked.

You were sitting at one of the gardens within the palace walls. He had insisted on the location because of its romantic beauty.

“Then tell me, Your Highness, what about me is not to your liking?” he grinned.

“Do you wish to hear the answer of the princess or the answer of Y/n?” you raised a brow, making him laugh.

“You amuse me, Princess Y/n,” he turned his head to look at the pond.

You sighed, wondering how long you had until you could return to your residence. The man next to you was oblivious to your feelings as he rambled on about the dates he wanted to take you on. He caught your attention when he mentioned sneaking you out of the palace for half a day.

“You would really risk taking me outside of the palace?” you perked up.

He was excited to see you finally engaged in the conversation and nodded profusely. He promised to set up an elaborate plan for a smooth date. Grudgingly, you accepted his offer. Your wish to see the village overwhelmed your wish to avoid your soon-to-be consort.

The next day, a court lady secretly found you to notify you of his plans. To evade the eyes of palace maids, you were to escape through a path not commonly used. She helped you scale the wall and you froze when you saw Juyeon on the other side. You sat on top of the wall and he extended his hand for support. With a tight smile, you held his hand and jumped down.

He pulled the veil over your face to keep your identity hidden, blushing when his hand slightly brushed your cheek. He hopped onto the horse and gestured for you to do the same. Hesitantly, you held his hand again to climb on.

Using the excuse of maintaining balance, he urged you to hold on tightly. You weren’t left with an option when he sped up, prompting you to instinctively hug his waist. You didn’t have to see his face to know that he was smiling like a fool.

At last, you finally arrived at the village. Fascinated at the change in environment, you looked like a child surrounded by toys. Chuckling, Juyeon admired the view in front of him. In his eyes, you were prettier than any flower and sweeter than any candy. Feeling his gaze on you, you cleared your throat and began walking.

There was so much to look at. He caught you staring at the rows of yeot and purchased the confectionery without you asking. You immediately popped one into your mouth and he laughed when your cheeks expanded to resemble a squirrel.

“Are you teasing me?” you frowned.

“No, I am appreciating your adorable and lovely appearance,” he answered as he handed you the bag holding the rest of the yeot. His words didn’t fluster you. You simply rolled your eyes and resumed walking.

His long legs were quick to catch up with you. Enjoying your presence, he watched as you fawned over little trinkets. It was a new side of you that he had never seen.

Stopping at an accessory shop, you scanned the norigaes displayed on the table. One of them caught your eye and you held it up for a closer look. It was a beautiful pale pink color that perfectly matched your current hanbok.

“It seems a norigae is better at capturing your heart than I am,” Juyeon pouted.

“Perhaps it is prettier than you,” you shrugged.

“Is this an implication that I am pretty? To a certain extent?” he beamed.

“How do my words become that?” you exclaimed.

With another laugh, he took the accessory from your grasp and went to pay for it. You blinked at the sudden sight of his back, noticing for the first time how broad his shoulders were. When he came back to your side, he held the norigae in front of you but pulled it back when you reached out for it. He pointed at the bag of yeot and opened his mouth. Baffled, you turned around to walk away.

He caught your wrist and spun you back around. He bent down and your face stopped an inch away from his. His usual shy self was gone and he had a confident smirk on his lips.

“Does your heart not sway even at a close distance like this?” he asked. This time, he caught you off guard. When you finally came back to your senses, you hurriedly shoved a piece of yeot into his mouth and stormed off.

“Y/n, you make me laugh too hard and too much!” you heard his voice call out, making you blush crimson with embarrassment.

With your upcoming wedding looming over your head, it became increasingly difficult to communicate with the ministers. There were too many eyes to be wary of. Juyeon, of course, was one of them.

As you spent more time with him, you realized how sentimental he was. He brought you small, meaningful gifts and loved to tell you about the meanings behind each flower.

“Did you know that the plum blossom is one of the indications of spring's arrival?” he asked one day. “They can bloom as early as late March.”

“I think it is quite obvious that it is spring,” you commented, pointing at the variety of flowers surrounding you.

“My personal favorite flower is the rose of sharon,” he continued. “It is nicknamed the “immortal flower” and means “eternal blossom that never fades” because of its resilience. It regrows despite harsh conditions and even after it is damaged. Amazing, isn’t it?”

You hummed, looking for the flower he was talking about.

“I used to hope that our kingdom would take after the flower. We have survived through many tragedies and I hope that we will survive through anything else that tries to beat us down,” his words pricked you for some reason. Would your rebellion be seen as a tragedy or as a heroic deed?

“Now, I like to think that our love will be like the rose of sharon. My love for you will never fade and I will continue to pine after you despite your harsh words. Even if you hurt me, my feelings will transcend time,” he smiled. “The flower does not bloom until July. My wish is to go see them with you. Would you bless me with your presence when the time comes?”

You observed his lovestruck expression and couldn’t bring yourself to say no. Again, you were at a loss trying to understand why he was so besotted with you. His childlike innocence was almost pure to a fault in a place like the palace.

“I shall consider it if you teach me how to swing a sword,” you proposed.

He couldn’t hide both his shock and happiness. He was confused as to why you wanted to ever hold a weapon but glad that you were slowly opening up to him. Without a second thought, he agreed to your proposition.

Juyeon was full of bliss at the thought of spending more time with you. Teaching you swordsmanship would allow him to be intimate with you and he was thrilled. At your first secret lesson, his heart raced at your proximity as he guided your hands on how to properly wield the blade.

A week passed by and you quickly improved each day. Eventually, you became skilled enough to land a fake jab. Seeing your proud smile, he grinned as well.

“I guess I should be on edge now. If I annoy my princess one too many times, my life will literally be at your hands,” he joked.

“Do you regret training me?” you smirked.

“Ah, was this all a part of your plan?” he pretended to gasp. “Either to kill me off or to threaten me to obedience?”

Not finding his joke funny, you blankly stared at him. Noticing the sudden chill in the atmosphere, he awkwardly laughed.

“Do not worry, Your Highness. I will always do as you say. You do not need a sword to make me behave.” he smiled.

You hated to admit it but he had grown on you. His constant attempts to tear down your wall had finally made a crack. You had to stop before he became your weakness.

For the first time in a while, you were summoned to the king’s chamber. Expecting another reprimand, you dreaded the walk there. To your surprise, however, you were greeted with a smile he hadn’t given you in years. It kind of freaked you out.

“You called for me, Your Majesty?” you bowed.

“I hear you have been getting along wonderfully with the Chief State Councillor’s son. Finally, you are fulfilling your duty as this kingdom’s princess,” he commended.

What a back-handed compliment. You wanted to roll your eyes at his passive aggressiveness. Holding back your urges, you politely smiled instead.

“I just wanted to let you know that I will be in a hurry to complete your wedding. I need the Chief State Councillor’s support to find a suitable wife for the crown prince,” he announced.

“Is my marriage merely a way for the crown prince to find a wife with a powerful family?” you shot back.

Your question turned the mood scarily sour. You felt his anger rise as he chastised you for your impudence and disrespect.

“The crown prince is the future leader of our kingdom. He is more than deserving of the immense care, thought, and effort that goes into picking his consort. His consort will be this kingdom’s queen and will be the one to bear the next king. You are nothing but a useless girl who will belong to a different family.”

“I am still a member of the royal family, am I not?”

“You are just a good-for-nothing girl that will leave this palace soon,” he spat. “Now leave. You are dismissed.”

On your way out, you ran into the crown prince who looked at you in a way you found to be offensive. You paused your steps and turned around.

“I wish you fertility, Crown Prince. After all, the kingdom relies on your performance to produce an heir to the throne,” you said, lacing your words with venom. “I would imagine you would hate having to adopt a nephew.”

You could tell you had gotten under his skin yet again and left satisfied. You loathed and condemned your family with a burning passion. You couldn’t wait for the day it would all come to a bitter end.

While you were brooding, you didn’t notice Juyeon sneaking up on you. When you finally saw him, you nearly jumped. Your hand reached out to cover your heart, trying to calm it down. Sheepishly, he apologized for startling you.

Trying to keep you from walking away from him, he held onto the hem of your sleeve. Your heart softened at the gentle manner he treated you with. Ignoring your instincts, you let him cling onto you. Instead of making you turn around to face him, he walked in front of you.

“Will you accompany me to the garden today as well?” he asked earnestly.

Knowing that the court ladies were watching, you reluctantly accepted his invitation once again. This time, he surprised you with a bag filled with yeot. He looked so proud of himself for remembering your love for the sweet treat that it made you laugh. As a reward, he grabbed a piece for himself. Unaware of the smudge it left on the corner of his lips, he was conscious of your gaze and tried to look attractive.

“Worry not, Your Highness. You will get to look at this face every day and every night once we marry,” he assured.

Despite his wise exterior, he had a goofy side to him. He was pure and innocent—everything you weren’t. You could see why the king favored him so much.

“I do not understand why you are so eager to become my consort,” you suddenly blurted. “You know that it is just a flashy title that does not award you with much privileges. It is an empty position; you cannot hold office without a special order from the king. Do you simply see yourself as a stepping stone for your father to bring honor to your family?”

“Is my love for you an acceptable response?” he asked after some thought.

“Is it truly worth your dangerous status as the princess’s husband and king’s son-in-law? The royal family has many enemies,” you warned.

“I will be the one to protect you from such enemies,” he declared.

Was he naive or has his affection for you blinded him?

“Princess Y/n,” he said solemnly as he held your hand. “I promise to love and protect you for as long as my heart beats. No, even after it ceases to beat, I will still yearn for you. I will not demand or expect you to do the same. Even if your feelings for me are not as strong as my feelings for you, I will not blame you. But will you please give me the chance to try to win you over?”

His confession triggered an alarm in your head. He was never supposed to fall for you this hard and you were never supposed to allow him to. He had no idea how cunning and conniving you really were. Only the people in the palace knew how cold-hearted you could be. You had to be in order to survive.

You refused to give him a reply and pulled your hand away. His face fell but he forced himself to smile again. In an attempt to break the tension, he made a random comment on the weather.

After you two parted, you decided to speed things up to initiate the revolt. Once you joined hands in marriage, Juyeon would inevitably end up a target as well. If you wanted to spare him, you needed to overthrow the corrupted royal family before he became a part of it.

It was officially the day before the insurrection. To be honest, you weren’t really nervous. This was what you had been anticipating your entire life.

Yet why did you have a moment of weakness when you saw Juyeon that afternoon? He approached you with that boyish smile that did wonders to your normally rational mind. Feeling what you believed was pity, you wanted to leave him with a pleasant memory.

So you ended up convincing him to sneak you out of the palace again. This time, you were a lot more enthusiastic. You wanted to try all the pastries and insisted that he taste them too.

“You seemed to have a lot on your mind these days,” he carefully pointed out. “Has the problem that has been bothering you been resolved now?”

“It will soon,” you eluded.

You stared at the man in front of you, observing his features. He was, without a doubt, good looking. You could see why all the court ladies, palace maids, and girls of the village were so smitten with him. But you still didn’t get why he chose you to fawn over. Maybe it was because of the lack of affection you grew up with but something about having someone care for you was unsettling.

You had suitors court you before but none of them were as devoted as Juyeon. He always came off as genuine. Perhaps his sincerity was what made you lower your guard.

“I promise to lavish you with such outings if that is what makes you happy,” he proclaimed, almost making you laugh.

“Why do you make so many vows?” you inquired.

“I am a man who keeps his word and you are the only one I give it to,” he grinned. You wondered how happy he had to be to smile so often. You rarely had reasons to be smiling.

He glanced down at the table and examined the rows of binyeos. Holding one up, he held the hair pin against your hair.

“May I gift you this binyeo?” he asked.

You pursed your lips, feeling just a tad bit of guilt. You were used to being showered with extravagance but with Juyeon, it was different. There was an emotional value attached to each present.

“Only if you promise me one other thing,” you negotiated.

“Of course. I will do anything you ask of me,” he responded.

“Promise me that you will not visit the palace tomorrow,” you said sternly. He looked at you with curiosity.

“Tomorrow is… a day of mourning for me. I do not wish to see you until the day after,” you lied.

“This is the first time you have expressed your desire to see me,” he lit up at your last sentence. “I will prepare a magnificent date for when I see you over-morrow.”

You almost felt sorry for his naiveté. And you almost—just almost—felt sorry for deceiving him.

The fateful day arrived at last. You stood, taking one last glimpse at your reflection. Subconsciously, your hand reached out to touch the binyeo in your hair.

The roars of the royal guards and the clanks of combat rumbled throughout the palace. With a determined look, you left your chamber. The sword in your clenched fist dragged across the ground as you made your way to the throne hall.

When you finally busted through the door, the king sat as if he had been waiting for you.

“I should have known that this was your doing,” he scowled. “Was your luxurious life as a princess not enough for you? Could you not fight the temptation of avarice?”

“Nothing about my life was ever comfortable,” you corrected. “I always had to play along to match your mood in order to avoid being married off to an old man just out of your spite. You tried to drill your toxic mentality in me because my individuality terrified you. You made it a point to constantly tear me down. So I made it a point to see your demise.”

“You have always been this sly ever since you were a little girl. I knew I would regret your birth the moment I saw your eyes. And I was right. You are nothing but a vile bitch.”

“For the longest time, I thought I was deserving of your hatred. But I came to the realization that you simply belittled me just for being a girl. Do not forget, Your Majesty, that the womb inside me is the same as the one that bore you the crown prince.”

Mockingly, you approached the throne. It was incredible how that one seat gave its owner immense power.

“Speaking of which, why is it that only men carry on the family name?” you questioned. “Do you not realize that women are the ones who carry on the precious bloodline you always speak of? It is the body of women that conceive and grow another human inside them. It is the body of women that suffer through labor to deliver you children and nurture them to good health. The only thing you do is spread your seeds like a fruit. And then blame women for your own infertility.”

“All throughout history, it has been men who carried on the royal bloodline. What makes you think that you are worthy of special treatment?”

“Bloodline, bloodline, bloodline,” you rolled your eyes in irritation. “Do not fool yourself. It is not blood you care about but name. Men may carry on the nameline but we are the ones who give you the royal blood pumping in your veins.”

You sloppily lifted the sword to the king’s neck, smirking.

“I knew you would be the one to bring my downfall,” he glared.

“Well, how does it feel to have all your fears come true, my king?” you taunted. “You were always afraid that I would either surpass you or ruin you. Now, I will be the one to end this damned bloodline. This good-for-nothing girl will take back the royal blood that was given to you by a woman.”

With that, you slashed his neck. Blood splattered across the wall and on your face. You grimaced, wiping away the warm liquid. You were surprisingly calm in front of such a gruesome sight. That was, until Juyeon came bursting through the door.

After he had parted from you the day before, he could not get you out of his mind. Something about your eyes had been melancholic. Your words sounded like a foreshadow and it left him feeling disturbed. So he broke his promise and went to the palace to see you again. He was alarmed to see the chaos ensuing and immediately searched for you. However, he never expected the situation he stumbled into.

“P-Princess Y/n,” he stuttered, making you aim the weapon at yourself. You never intended or wanted him to witness this.

“Do not come any closer,” you warned.

“Your Highness, please. Put the sword down,” he begged.

“I cannot,” you gulped. “This is how it must end.”

“We-we can run away. Together. We can leave everything behind and I will keep you safe,” he said as he tried his best to stay calm.

You wanted to both laugh and cry. Your life was a suicidal mission. You knew from the beginning that you would not be able to survive. If you failed, you would be executed for treason. If you succeeded, you would be executed to officially end the royal bloodline.

You had to admit, you slightly wavered at one point. Juyeon’s promise to make you happy was enticing. To someone who never strayed close to emotions before, he was like a miracle. He made you feel all sorts of things that you were glad to have experienced.

“I apologize, Lord Lee,” you sadly smiled before you stabbed the blade into your stomach.

“No!” he screamed as he ran to your side.

You slowly fell to the ground with Juyeon’s arms wrapped around your body. His hands shook above the wound as he cried, knowing that he couldn’t take it out without ensuring your death. He never thought that what he taught you would be used against yourself. If he had known that this was what you planned on using your skills for, he never would have taken your offer.

“I am afraid I will not be able to go see the rose of sharons with you,” you said as a tear escaped your eyes.

Your vision began to cloud and you felt the life in you leave with every breath you took. You didn’t even realize that your hand was gripping his clothes, crinkling it. Another tear rolled down your cheek as your head fell back, your neck unable to support it any longer.

He desperately clung onto you, holding your head in his bloodied hands.

“I will bring the flowers to you,” he affirmed.

“Another promise,” you chuckled.

“This one I will be sure to keep,” he stated as his own tears fell to your face.

Next to the weapon embedded in you was the norigae he bought you the first time you escaped the palace together. He looked up to see that you were wearing the binyeo he bought you as well. He sobbed, holding onto you tighter.

“I hope to be reborn as a rose of sharon. That way, I can come see you every spring,” you whispered before you closed your eyes for the last time.

tag list: @dearseungie​ @cuppasunu​ @reverienostalgia​ @elcie-chxn​ @parfaitz​​ @lovelyutas​ @mochinyu​ @leejaeyeons​

[strawberry1212]

Kdrama Sexist/Toxic Male Lead Tropes

(originally made this post as part of another post about Run On but it got to be so long I just thought I’d made this list it’s own post)

-Possessive and easily jealous, and this is often played off as romantic. For a large portion of kdrama watchers who are younger, and for the majority of us who aren’t chased all the time by hot men, this toxic trait can easily be sold to us as an exciting and flattering trait. But this is in fact not respectful of the female lead’s autonomy. I enjoy the little humorous jealousy moments, (I am reminded of Crash Landing on You) but too often this leads to the classic “two male leads each grab the innocently wide eyed female lead and glare at each other” trope. Women are not ropes to play tug of war with! If jealousy over the instances like the girl simply having a conversation with another guy rupture into real problems in the relationship it is not romantic, but possessiveness is often mistakenly portrayed as an expression of love, when really possessiveness is just that: possessiveness over an object.

-Uses violence to solve problems. This is another thing that can be easily seen as flattering--someone is willing to go to great lengths to protect you/defend your honor/whatever the reason is for the male lead to use violence. This trope was deconstructed in the American movie 500 Days of Summer, where the male lead punches a guy “to defend the honor” of the female lead, but she when she is upset and embarrassed at the situation, he gets angry at her for not being excited over his violent sacrifice.

-The typical “tsundere” narrative of abusive language, but paired with romantic gestures, usually the Grand Romantic Gesture trope. I see this all the time, where the guy berates the girl, sometimes to point of just full on bullying, but then he throws his jacket at her when she’s cold, holds the umbrella over her while he gets wet, etc., In other words he may be verbally abusive but it doesn’t matter because he Truly Loves her. And that she should accept that and understand that about him and not expect him to be polite and respectful.

-He treats everyone but the female lead like trash. Well...he often treats the female lead like trash at first too, but this quality is also marketed as flattering. He treats everyone badly but you’re different! In reality this is super toxic. In fact, it is essential that a person treats *everyone* with decency if they are to meet the baseline requirements of being a person capable of giving and receiving love in a healthy relationship.

-He chases her one sidedly. Oftentimes he chases her even when she rejects him, which shows that dominating, male persistence is a behavior to be rewarded. Again, this is a fantasy easily marketable when many of us aren’t chased around by hot men. It is flattering for a person to be so interested in us that they are incredibly persistent, but this fantasy had very unhealthy, and even harmful real life connotations. There is a very important line between friendliness/respectful attention/flirting, and creepy and domineering. I think it is also equally important to note that in this toxic trope, it is important to teach both men and women that no means no and yes means yes. Not that you can’t have playful/teasing banter, but playing hard to get when you really want to be gotten, is an unhealthy coping mechanism for cowardice in relationships.

I think for this one as with other tropes on this list, it appeals to our childish, insecure, and relationship-immature side of ourselves that would rather have everything fall into place than be honest, vulnerable, and have agency in our romantic interactions. What I mean is, the fantasy of a hot male lead persistently pursuing us after a destiny meet cute is a fantasy where we don’t ever have to put ourselves out there. Where don’t have to consciously try to meet new people, express interest in others, set boundaries, i.e. do the hard work of negotiating our place within other people’s lives.

The hallmark of a bad drama for me is when the give and take between the male and female lead is: the female lead has to put up with the meanness and constant mistakes of the male lead as he hurts her (usually in tangent with the Noble Idiocy trope, where he breaks up with her and steps all over her “for her own good” for some bs reason), but in return she gets the Grand Romantic Gesture, and the male lead does most of the chasing. In a healthy relationship, there aren’t constant hurtful arguments, and both do an equal share of the “chasing,” or a better term would be meeting each other halfway in expressing interest in the other.

-Power imbalance. It really disturbs me how Kdramas fetishize power imbalances between male and female characters to create the helpless/incompetent/somehow indebted but also plucky/cheerful/abuse-taking female lead. This can manifest itself very overtly in the many Kdramas between CEOs and secretaries, which I still cannot believe are popular in 2021. Secretary Kim did a better spin on the usual trope--the secretary holds the power of being very good at her job, and therefore indispensable and respected in her own right, but it remains a mystery to me why these super narcissistic and childish CEOs are played off as “adorable manchilds” that always need a little soothing of their ego. But to return to the power imbalance, besides obvious power imbalances of wealth/power/etc., oftentimes the guy has supernatural powers, or by nature of his job has abilities that render him the “protector” in the relationship (My love from another star, descendants of the sun), or the girl is infantilized in some way to need to protection from the male lead (legend of the blue sea, she is a mermaid and therefore dependent on the male lead for guidance in the human world, bring it on ghost as well). I think these latter power imbalances are constructed into the setting of the story because more overt forms of power imbalances are frowned upon now, but they serve the same patriarchal purpose. 

This power imbalance inevitably leads to the female lead putting up with some abuse from the male lead because she “needs” him for some other end, and him holding his power over as a way to keep her close. It fits very well into the enemies to lovers trope in this way, especially some contractual enemies to lovers, where due to the power imbalance he is able to exploit/use her in some way, and keeps her close, and she hates him but has to put up with it for her own survival in some way, but they slowly fall in love. It’s super toxic and not at all romantic because they didn’t choose each other at all, they just were pushed together by circumstance, but again it buys into our fantasy of falling in love due to circumstance, rather than our own agency.

-Overly protective (OP) vs respectfully supportive. (RS) Essentially I can divide Kdramas into these two categories, OP and RS. OP romances can commonly be found in love triangles (where jealousy flourishes) and high school romances (where characters usually have less of a personality lol), and RS relationships are more common in working adult romances, where each character is pursuing their career/dreams and they support each other in those dreams. OP relationships infantilize the female character, render her as just an object in need of saving, and power dynamic between the leads is usually he constantly needs to save her, and in return she “softens”/“heals” him which, under deeper analysis, reveals itself to be quite an insidious and harmful stereotype, the kind of psychology that keeps women in domestic violence relationships. RS relationships are also better in that the leads have something going on outside of their romance, and are motivated beyond just ending up together. My favorite of RS relationships are Miss Hammurabi (two judges that work together to confront injustices in the judicial system), Run On (two leads from v different career fields, but they take interest and support each other throughout career ups and downs), and Hello My Twenties (probably my favorite example of an RS male lead--Sungmin supports Song as she uncovers her past traumas and stands up to an abuser, but does so following her lead and not doing her work for her, but rather simply staying by her side supportively).

Conclusion

This is not all the toxicity in the kdrama world--this is just what I can come up with off the top of my head as my least favorite tropes that disempower women and glorify toxic men and toxic relationships. And of course this is not a problem unique to Korea, and is by no means a condemnation of Korean culture, etc., but I simply happen to enjoy the aesthetics and innocence (compared to American shows haha) of Kdramas, so that is the entertainment world I am familiar with, and feel able to comment on.

[oldtvandcomics]

I watched The Green Hornet (2011). Now I really should do a review, right?

Ooooooh, damn it. Ok.

The most noticeable thing about this movie for me has been just HOW MUCH everyone in it is focussed on the way they look, and that not in a good way. The whole thing is just a bunch of people parading around their inflated air-filled personas and hoping that if they only perform hard enough, the others will believe it is them. The problem is that this leaves very little space for genuine interaction, and in the end, the movie itself runs into the same trap as they do: It wants to pretend SO MUCH to be one of the Big Bad Superhero movies, but in the end, it is a nobody.

I must add this disclaimer somewhere: I LOVE the Green Hornet. He is my third-favorite superhero. I desperately wanted to like this movie, I really did.

Objectively measurable things first: The dialogue is bad. Like, AMAZINGLY, PHENOMENALLY BAD. Sometimes you feel as if something that has been just said should be a funny moment. It never is. It just feels awkward. As to the characters, they are unlikable the way heroes only in the 2010's can be: It is a decade where nobody seems to believe any more that people can be genuinely good and heroic, leading to "realistic" re-imaginations that inevitably kill the charm of the original. In the case of Britt and Kato, this has degraded them to simple brutal serial killers who do it because they enjoy their own violence. Britt is the ultimate frat boy who takes shamelessly advantage of Kato's skills while believing to be superior to him, calls him slurs and straight out sexually harasses his female coworker. And... Look, in the Real World, this is probably what Britt Reid would be like. BUT THIS ISN'T THE REAL WORLD!! Britt is supposed to be a hero, that is the sole reason why he exists: Because the people in the 1930's desperately needed someone who is on their side, and they dreamed up superheroes to protect them from real world problems.

[Which I feel is a problem with many modern-day superhero adaptations, btw. They are separated from their original historic context and put 1:1 in the current year. This means that they inevitably stop making sense. Instead of looking why that is, what those nonsensical elements meant in their original context, and adapt THAT, people look at them and go "this is stupid, I am going to make the story about how stupid this is, look, I deconstructed this thing, am I not clever!". And along the process of pointing out how stupid it is, the rest of what made the story good to begin with also vanishes. The end result is that I have the impression that they are calling me a bad person for liking the original in the first place.]

Then there is the aforementioned sincerity problem: There were only one or two scenes where the characters were not lost behind their own smokescreens and I could actually connect to their emotions. And finally, the plot: There wasn't much of one. Britt and Kato only did their gig for fun, and the gang they pissed off as well as the corrupt politician who was supposed to be the final conflict just didn't feel important enough to warrant this level of bloodbath and collateral damages.

And now the treatment of minorities. Oh boy.

Kato naturally is treated like crap, both by Britt and the general story that seems to condemn this, but only towards the viewers. Britt is never forced to recognize all the ways he hurt him, even less does he apologize. And the narrative revolves so much around him that he is able to completely ruin the whole movie by simply being so badly written. Kato himself could have been a good character, but it and his arc just go under, and isn't that typical for Kato.

This movie loves sexist slurs. I was totally shocked to see that apparently, a decade ago it was completely acceptable to use "pussy" and "little bitch" as an insult in a movie, EVEN MORE BY THE MAIN CHARACTER (the person being called these slurs being, obviously, Kato). Casey, a clever and competent secretary with sharp wit and an even sharper tongue in the original, is degraded to "hot blonde girl", has both male leads openly thirst over her IN HER WORKPLACE, and all of her work experience erased by being a new employee. It was terribly uncomfortable to watch.

But hey, at least they sent out a message that they are both not gay? I guess?? Because look, Britt Reid and Kato can be fairly easily read as queer. They live together, have very visibly a close bond and trust each other unconditionally, and also neither of them has a female love interest. That is the original, 1930's-1940's. 2011, we are aware enough of the existence of queer people so that it couldn't be left like this, so obviously the mutual trust and respect needed to go, and those comments about poor Casey served the same purpose. The movie also kind of seems to keep commenting on the nature of their relationship with bits of dialogue that in a different context kind of sound romantic, and are clearly supposed to be jokes and/or funny moments, but absolutely nothing about the dialogue is funny, so it all just feels really uncomfortable.

And finally, the xenophobia. Also, racism, because it is trying to comment on how the original story treats Kato like crap by treating Kato like crap. NOT how you do this, guys. But the point I actually wanted to make in this paragraph was about the villain, who has a Slavic-sounding name. Which, apparently, is difficult to pronounce (it isn't??). Hahaha, look how difficult it is to pronounce! Let's constantly point this out by having the Americans comment on and keep mispronouncing it! Aren't we funny!

Fuck you.

Sorry, at this point, I had to.

Adaptation from the original things:

They gave Kato more screentime, that is good. It also completely went under in the mess that the rest of the movie is. Oh, and they didn’t let him wear his white suit, which, pity, it’s a really nice suit. Britt is an arsehole, and acts like a spoiled child. Points for trying to make him look more like a playboy, because in every other adaptation, he is a completely normal, responsible adult man who is said to be a playboy (vanishing weeks on end while fighting crime does this to your reputation). But like, AT THE BEGINNING. By the end, HE SHOULD BE a normal responsible adult man! Character growth, anyone? No? Not in this movie. Casey as I said before is just there to look sexy. Axford is... Apparently that older journalist guy who kept telling Britt to tune it down? That's Axford?? OK, he is absolutely NOTHING like the Axford I know, who is a bit of a bumbling character obsessed with catching the Green Hornet, but very likeable and a fairy good journalist. Lowry isn't there at all.

Look, what made the Green Hornet as a superhero so exceptional was the truly amazing supporting cast. I fell in love with the people at the Daily Sentinel at least as much as I did with Britt, the way they bicker and poke fun of one another. I couldn't find a single one of these beloved characters in this movie, and the Daily Sentinel itself was more of a background prop than anything else.

Black Beauty... Call me boring, but it really doesn't need this many guns. Why would it need this many guns?? But all in all, it was cool, so no complaints there. They did miss a chance by having Britt live in a GIANT mansion with a garage full of cars instead of an apartment with a secret passage, because who wouldn't want to see an apartment with a secret passage.

And now that I got this off my chest, some of the things that did work:

Kato. Kato, as usual, has got a perfectly good and interesting story going on behind the scenes. He is maybe the only character who doesn't feel fake (I mean, he gets covered up by the layers of bad radiating from everyone else so it hardly shines though), and he also has a completely good storyline that would have worked, had the rest of the movie... I'm repeating myself.

That's... Pretty much it, yes.

I did like the part at the beginning where Britt first met Kato, and there was this ridiculously complicated coffee machine that he built, and Britt was immediately in awe with him, and then Kato showed off all the stuff that he designed and built, and they were both just SO INTO IT. It is one of the few genuine moments in the entire movie.

I also loved the part at the end where Kato was trying to look for a new job, noticed that there is absolutely nothing that he can put on his resume, and for a moment it looked as if he was really considering a career in crime. They could have done more with this idea. I also hoped for a moment that he would actually dress as the Green Hornet for the job, and OMG, my fanfiction is coming true, but no. Pity, because I swear that it is better written than this movie.

(No, seriously. Would anyone like by any chance to read my fanfiction?)

TL;DR: THIS IS A BAD MOVIE. DON'T WATCH IT.

[gayregis]

boppinrobin replied to your post: “Question. Part 1. Hi. I like your blog and your analytical analysis of books,”

aauuuughhh tysm for ur analysis as always

thank you for reading and liking it!!

arinasassymessi replied to your post: “Question. Part 1. Hi. I like your blog and your analytical analysis of books,”

Thank you again for your response! I wrote anonymously because I was a little embarrassed by my English, but to be honest, I've been reading your blog for a very long time, and I've always wanted to discuss some topics with you. Thank you, I feel more confident now. First of all, I apologize for the fact that I considered this scene pro-life.

The thing is, I've reread the witcher books countless times (mostly because of Regis, lol). And if in the first times I was so fascinated by the plot and characters that I did not notice any obvious sexist/homophobic moments, then after rereading the books more consciously, I caught very unpleasantly, conservative motives, which Sapkowski is not shy about.

I remember that the first time this scene, even though it caused a bit of misunderstanding, still touched me with its warmth and how Geralt emotionally supported Milva, helping her make a rather difficult decision. And the way Regis was pleased with his actions, smiling at him, awww.

But after studying the books in more detail and the messages that Sapkowski puts in them, it seems to me that I began to see a catch everywhere. At first, I was also delighted to learn about Ciri's relationship with Mistle, wow, progressive author, LGBTQ+ representation! But after seeing this relationship "live," I felt cheated, and since then, I have returned to this scene with Milva.

I thought, oh no, isn't everything here the same as I believed? Most of all, I was afraid of Regis because he is my comfort character, the voice of reason, and a progressive medic. Does Sapkowski put pro-life ideas in his mouth?.. After a couple of discussions with friends, this fear only took root.

However, after reading your in-depth analytical analysis, I agreed with it, looking at the facts in a new way, and was glad that my first guesses and feelings from this scene were close to the truth. Now I can rest in peace, lol.

About "medicament/medicine" and "agent." I have read books in Russian, and now I am rereading "Baptism of Fire" in English to practice. I think the difference between the words "medicament" and "agent" in English is somewhat unclear, and it is impossible to say precisely which of them has a negative connotation.

Both of them sound entirely neutral and normal to me, but again, I'm not a native speaker, correct me if I'm wrong. In Russian, instead of the word "agent," we have the word "snadobye" (the closest translation is 'potion,’ and in Polish, it is 'ziola’). And while "medicament" means only medicine, a remedy, the word "snadobye" can also mean medicine, but has more folk properties (?).

It is brewed from herbs and a synonym to a potion/drug — a poisonous, magical, and forbidden drink, usually attributed to witches and wizards. For me, Geralt's refusal to use the word "medicament" — neutral and scientific-medical — in favor of a word that has a more magical/negative connotation seemed rather strange. But again, this is just my guess.

I consider the Russian translation closer to the Polish one because it belongs to the same language group, but I don't have access to the original to check what words were used there. In any case, I think that since Geralt decided to use one instead of the other, they should differ in some way, but it is not known in favor of which word this works. I also like your version.

I also had a lot of questions about Milva and her actions. She's probably my second favorite character after Regis, and I didn't understand her actions until a certain point. She was not satisfied with a woman's position in her society, so instead of the usual role, she decided to participate in Geralt's journey?

I was also not very clear about their conversation and Geralt's conclusion: "someone else's child for your own, life for life." Why? After all, she could stay in Brokilon and give birth, but if she didn't want a child, she could have an abortion (for example, she rather cruelly compared her child to young wasps that eat caterpillar alive).

Recently, the Russian Witcher community posted a short theory that Milva was in love with Geralt and therefore went after him. Milva's thoughts in Brokilon speak in favor of this — she finds Geralt attractive (although she felt something similar for Cahir when they were waiting for Geralt and Buttercup to be released from prison at night).

*not Buttercup (have no idea what is it), JASKIER

Also, their conversation outside Regis' hut at night, when Milva bitterly remarked that Geralt needed another woman — a scholar, a wise one, a beloved one (Yennefer), desire to get emotional support exactly from Geralt and and insisting on his presence during the miscarriage, her further refusal to marry the baron, and perhaps Sapkowski's sometimes ANNOYING idea that any woman should go crazy in Geralt's company. But again, these are just guesses, and I would be interested to hear your opinion.

I also didn't know that tumblr has a word limit in comments, so my replays look pretty stupid now, lol.

yes!! i also read the books first just for the plot and then went back and later, when my mind was clearer, noticed a lot more of political views in the writing. it’s the fact that a lot of sapkowski’s other takes are shitty (re: feminity, lgbt individuals and relationships), or at least come off as shitty because they are not explicit enough to actually be a progressive opinion, compounded with the fact that the scene with milva is not very clear on exactly what regis is asking geralt, why he is polling them, why geralt is upset, or what they even intend to do. i think also, because the subject is so important and people have very intense opinions about it, it makes you nervous to see it come up in a fictional story, even if the author is promoting a good message - it’s the feeling you described of, “oh no, isn't everything here the same as i believed?” 

and yeah, you’re right, in english i’d say medicament and agent both have neutral connotations, “agent” to me sounds more scientific, somehow? like it would be used in an experiment? i think i have usually heard it more in descriptions of products, like “cleansing agent” in relation to something dealing with chemistry... but then again, i am not a scientist, doctor, beautician, etc...

and about milva - agree, i love her too :D!! these are my personal opinions and takes on her character motivations but:

i think her ‘not being satisfied with a [traditional] woman’s role in society’ extends beyond not being satisfied, it’s being disgusted with it - in tower of the swallow, she describes how she as a teenager experienced sexual assault at the hands of her stepfather, and her mother didn’t do anything (assumedly because of the societal roles involved, and you can (unfortunately) see this occur in real life as well, mothers don’t protect their daughters from the men they stay with). milva beats him to death and runs away, and never goes back to that life. additionally, in baptism of fire, she talks about her name - milva, and why she changed it, and she says that her original name, maria, along with a lot of other “feminine-sounding” names beginning with M (this is at least what i got out of it, they sound like sweet names given to peasant girls), get your ass pinched in taverns (this is my best recollection of the quote). 

it’s clear that she has not only experienced discomfort, but really just blatant violence at the hands of “traditional feminity/women’s societal roles,” and so she goes to rely on only herself at first, hunting in lower sodden, and then finally being ‘adopted’ (kind of) by brokilon and eithne, becoming affiliated with them and working for them and the scoia’tael. this makes sense to me, because of course brokilon is a matriarchy, and the elves are mentioned to raise (and thus, treat) male and female elves the same way.

i won’t rule out that sapkowski intended for milva to have romantic interest in geralt, but i think that even if he did, it wasn’t interesting and i disagree with that direction for her character. my takes continued are that:

re:  "someone else's child for your own, a life for life." in this conversation, she talks to geralt about the differences between “milva” and “maria,” her two identities that seem to be at ends with each other. she didn’t want to stay in brokilon to have the child, because by societal means, she is no longer a “woman” in the traditional sense - she’s milva, not maria - she kills, she laughs as she pulls out the arrowheads from corpses, etc., like her chosen name, ‘milva,’ she is a red kite, a bird of prey. 

she doesn’t fit the societal expectations of a woman, and was never trained in being a mother (she ran away from home as a teenager, she hasn’t done ‘traditional woman things’ like keep house and cook, raise and deal with children, weave (?) and work in a house since she was 16, and she is older than that now (i’d say she’s at least past her early 20s, because she is described as a “young woman” compared to angouleme���s “very young woman” in lady of the lake, and angouleme is approx. 18-19). but since she doesn’t fit these expectations, how can she expect herself to raise this child? thus, she likely wanted to drop the baby, but since she was raised in a conservative rural society in which women are expected to bear children and not have abortions, she may have felt guilt and shame for wanting to do so. thus, she wanted to follow geralt - although she would have intentionally lost her child, she would have intentionally saved another, absolving her of her guilt. it’s like as regis described to geralt in the middle of the book, about penance and running up debts, this is a large theme of the book - a baptism of fire, fire which not only purifies, but burns (a challenge which absolves one of guilt, but it is painful). 

these are just my takes, i think sapkowski’s intentions were more along the theory that milva had a crush on geralt, but as i said i think that’s just boring and the “easy way out.” he also did that with cahir and ciri, making heterosexual love the motivation for a noble deed, and it’s just like... these characters have so much other depth and serious individual issues, and you want to reduce their motivations to just simply “they were in love”? okay... so yeah i don’t think sapkowski really may have intended any of the above, or if he did, it was to a lesser degree, but this is my interpretation of it.

[alwaysbewoke]

alwaysbewoke

dickslapthestate:

ranting-rose:

ittybittykittykisses:

ranting-rose:

vgcgraveyard:

caitallolovesyou:

friendly-neighborhood-patriarch:

lazyhat:

I was pretty skeptical about the figures, since they contradict what I usually hear on the media, so I did a little research. Here’s what I found:  (Sorry this is so US centric)  (I’ll also try to stay close to primary sources as possible)

(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6308a1.htm?s_cid=ss6308a1_e)

- the 12 months before taking the survey, an estimated 4.0% of women experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner -an estimated 14.2% of women experienced some form of psychological aggression in the 12 months preceding the survey. -*4,774,000 women have been victims of physical violence by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey -*17,091,000 women have been victims of psychological aggression by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey

- the 12 months before taking the survey, an estimated 4.8% of men experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner -an estimated 18.0% of men experienced some form of psychological aggression in the 12 months preceding the survey. -*5,452,000 men have been victims of physical violence by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey -*20,471,000 men have been victims of psychological aggression by intimate partner in the 12 months preceding the survey

*Table 6

By the data presented by the Center for Disease Control, out of the estimate of 10,226,000 yearly victims of intimate partner violence, 53.3% of victims where male and 46.6% were female. As for psychological aggression, out of the estimate of 37,562,000 yearly victims, 54.4% were male and 45.5% were female. These statistics would support the claim made in the bottom left.

Now I couldn’t find a primary source for the 70% of DV is initiated by women, but here’s the facts that I found, which may have been interpreted by the people who made this poster:

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-sacks/researcher-says-womens-in_b_222746.html) -Women who were in a battered women’s shelter, 67% of the women reported severe violence toward their partner in the past year.

This can be interpreted as “67% of violent couples with IPV is mutual”. But then again, primary sources and full data would be helpful to back up this claim.

But the one that is most interesting is:(http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/newsArticle.aspx?articleid=111137)(Another report analysis from the CDC)

-23.9% of relationships are violent -50.3% of IPV is non-reciprocal and 49.7% is reciprocal (Reciprocal IPV= Mutual violence) -70.7% of non-reciprocal IPV is initiated by women. 

So summing up the numbers, it’s not that 70% of all DV is initiated by women, its that 70% of non-reciprocal DV is initiated by women. To go further would say that 49.7% of DV is mutual, 36.2% of DV is initiated by women, and 14.5% of DV is initiated by men

Male victims of domestic violence are real. They are hurting. And they often don’t get the attention and compassion they so urgently deserve and need.

Have a heart. Open your mind, and give a care.

Hm. These numbers are all so different to anything I’ve seen before. I’m reblogging and liking this both for my own reference and to spread these numbers to others. I’m definitely gonna look into this and see if I can find more sources and more information.

Mother fuckers can we all just say let’s not be dicks to our fucking love ones already?

Tagging this for my speech project that I need the sources for

Here are 221 studies on IPV / DV for y’all.

You are a life saver.

That list is good, but outdated.  I e-mailed the researcher who compiled that list a couple weeks ago and he gave me three different documents.  I uploaded them to this dropbox folder. You can go there and download them.

The list of studies is now up to 343 scholarly investigations (270 empirical studies and 73 reviews). Not only did he send me that list, but he also sent me two meta-studies (also in the dropbox folder).  One is on male/female perpetration rates and the other is on male/female victimization rates. 

There is also “Rates of Bi-directional versus Uni-directional Intimate Partner Violence Across Samples, Sexual Orientations, and Race/Ethnicities: A Comprehensive Review“.  It’s a mouthful to be sure. Basically this study took the data from 48 other empirical studies, collated the data, placed it online for public viewing, submitted it for peer review, and was found to be accurate. 

It’s findings basically wind down to this:

84% of relationships are non-violent

58% of relationships that are violent, both partners abuse the other.

28% of violent relationships only the woman is violent

14% of violent relationships only the man is violent.

This is featured Partner Abuse State of Knowledge Project website and is part of a much larger DV research project.  You can read the summarized findings here or take a gander at the full 61-page review.  This is a compilation of the research of Erin Pizzey, Murray Strauss, Don Dutton, and many others who are challenging the feminist model of patriarchal dominance. They also have some videos that are very informative as well.

Murray Strauss also compiled: Thirty Years of Denying the Evidence on Gender Symmetry in Partner Violence: Implications for Prevention and Treatment.  A report detailing the existence of over 200 studies showing gender symmetry in victimization rates. Studies that show symmetry going as far back as 1975.  He also examines the methods feminist researchers have used to suppress the evidence from public discourse, hence the title “Thirty Years of Denying the Evidence”.

Two other excellent and brief videos on the topic come from the MenAreGood YouTube channel:

Male Victims of Domestic Violence - The Hidden Story

Bias Against Men and Boys in Mental Health Research

I really need to write up a solo reference post for domestic violence data…

so what do we have here? what i’ve been saying forever. women as initiators of domestic violence is one of the biggest, closely guarded secret around. we literally had female FEMINIST researchers hiding evidence. FEMINISTS!! but i’m the bad guy for stating that feminism is filled with man hatred. what would you say of men of who information about abuse women and thus allowed the abuse to continue? YOU FUCKING KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’D SAY!! am i surprised by the research? no fucking way. we don’t teach women in society to not hit men. we only teach men to not hit women. for little boys on up we are shamed if we even defend ourselves if little girls hit us BUT NOT ONE TIME HAVE I EVER HEARD OR SEEN ANY PARENT TEACHING THEIR LITTLE OR DAUGHTER THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HIT MEN!! we always make excuses for it. “she was emotional” “he said…” “he did…” “he had it coming…” and more. this research is fantastic but let’s be honest, this post isn’t going to get many reblogs at all because most of y'all are married to the idea that women are angels and men are devils. women have no agency and are always victims of men. that only men hit and women never hit. only men can be abusers and women can never be abusers. no amount of research is going to change your minds. men have done some evil shit but i so sick and tired of this narrative that women are just innocent, perfect deities. IF SHE HITS YOU ONCE, LEAVE HER ASS QUICK!!! IF SHE DID IT ONCE, SHE’LL FUCKING DO IT AGAIN!! GUARANTEED. and one more thing, FUCK FEMINISM. hiding empirical data but standing on your high horse preaching gender equality?! fuck feminism. so fucking glad i ceased to be a fucking feminist years ago. eye wide fucking open now.

sinjia

Thank you @alwaysbewoke !!! And did you know that there are feminists on here sending hate mail just because you don’t agree with them? It’s fucking sad, but I’m so happy that you said this. It lets me know that I’m not the only one realizing the shady bullshit that they preach but never practice themselves.

alwaysbewoke

i’ve only known one feminist who was on the right side of this issue and she was so because she works in the domestic violence field as a counselor. she told me she sees it all the time. men get hit, have things thrown at them, women come at them with knives, scratches on their faces and everything and yet we never talk about it. never. the only people who we pounce on for dv are men. we never ever talk about women. never ever. and if you do, you get shouted down. fuck all that.

this is why many men when they hear “feminism” they think “ok that means i get to hit back now.” because we’re tired of the bullshit. we’re tired of women getting away with hitting because society AND FEMINISM tells them it’s fine. it’s okay. they’re allowed. feminism PROTECTS FEMALE ABUSERS ALL DAY!! my goodness. to hide evidence as a researcher is akin to a crime. the ripple affect of that shit is fucking insane. however let them tell it, it’s a problem with men that we think feminism has a man hatred problem. yea the problem is with us because feminism is perfect. feminism ain’t never do no shit, no wrong ever. srsly fuck feminism. fuck it to the depths of hell.

this is why i tell people, dealing with only ONE half of a problem will only allow the problem to continue to exist. it doesn’t change shit. if anything it makes things worse.

racist, sexist feminism. fuck off. i spit on feminism every fucking chance i get. first they fuck over black women (and black men) and then they fuck over men with this type of bullshit. i refuse to align myself with that fuckery. i can help black women much better without it. i don’t need to be a part of something that hates me both as a man and as a black person to help sistas get equal pay and shit. fuckouttahere.

that’s why i call out all these people still posting pics and riding for solange knowles. imagine if i was posting pics and niceties for ray rice. but when women do some violent bullshit, we stay given them a pass smfh. 

[sparksinthenight]

Americans, please vote

If any American decides to not vote because Bernie won’t be on the ballot ... please don’t. I know Biden sucks but he’s better than Trump. 

Please if you can vote in the upcoming election do so.

I know the situation is not ideal. 

But we can’t have more years under Trump. He got millions of innocent people killed. Biden isn’t ideal but for fuck’s sake he’s better. 

Trump: 

•He tortured children and toddlers and babies by separating them from their families and holding them in incredibly abusive circumstances. Some kids died. Every child was deeply traumatized for the rest of their lives.   •He subjected asylum seekers to violence, lack of adequate services, and other human rights abuses with his “remain in Mexico” policy. People got raped and kidnapped and killed. They got sick and died. They were under incredibly stressful circumstances. 

•He made it so America took in way less refugees. Refugees that are fleeing for their lives and freedom, and dealing with crippling poverty within their displacement. 

•Donald Trump increased spending on harmful, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic abstinence-only sex education. This will make it so less teenagers know how to be sexually confident and healthy. It will perpetuate homophobia and rape culture. 

•Donald Trump put a fucking rapist on the Supreme Court.

•He sexually abused dozens of women and girls and he admitted to it. 

•Donald Trump is accused of rape by many women. 

•Trump used unnecessarily destructive war tactics in Syria that lead to the death of millions of completely innocent people, including children and babies, and wasn’t even effective against ISIS. He decimated an entire city. If he has used better tactics he could have avoided the vast majority of those civilian deaths and been more effective against the actual enemy.    

•Trump is giving weapons to Saudi Arabia which the country then uses to bomb Yemini school kids. 

•Donald Trump supported and encouraged many dictators, autocrats and oligarchs instead of doing anything to stand up for human rights, despite the US having a long history of speaking out against autocrats. This lead to governments around the world ramping up the repression of their people. 

•Trump removed many environmental protection laws. We are in the midst of an ecological crisis.  •He removed many consumer protection laws. This exposed people to harmful carcinogenic chemicals.        

•Trump removed labour protection laws. Workers deserve rights and dignity.

•He almost started a war which would’ve killed millions, caused instability, and ended up strengthening terrorist groups.

•He supports the use of weapons that cause human rights abuses. 

•Donald Trump has been incredibly, blatantly racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, classist, and xenophobic multiple times.  •He succeeded at instating his Muslim ban.  •Hd defunded many vital public services many people rely on.  •He defunded international aid programs so freaking much, especially programs for women’s health.  •He showed support to Nazi groups. Back groups. He sorted and ambled ducking Nazis. 

•Under him, racist hate groups have been empowered and hate crime levels have soared. Including violent hate crimes. 

•He got a man out of prison who was arrested for using his authority as a police sheriff to randomly arrest minorities and hold them in appalling prisons.

•Under him, ICE deported thousands of people, breaking their families and communities apart and leaving them with very little resources in a foreign land. Like, ICE quite literally deported the mothers of young children.  •Remember this is the guy who proposed a Muslim registry. 

•This is the guy behind the transgender military ban. 

•Donald Trump didn’t take Covid-19 seriously, leading to unnecessary deaths and an out-of-control pandemic. 

•The list goes on. It literally goes on forever. He is hurting everyone, especially the world’s most vulnerable, and he will continue to do so. 

 Yeah, Biden is racist, classist, homophobic, misogynistic and terrible, But not nearly as much. Not a NEARLY s much. He’s the normal amount of evil. Trump is pure, concentrated, saturated evil. 

And I know, I know we all wanted an anti capitalist Jewish man with a long history for standing up for the marginalized. I know we wanted someone who would fix the environment, fix the economy, end discrimination, and destroy the 1% and their henchmen. But just because we can’t have that right now doesn’t mean we can help Trump win by not voting against him. 

I know it will be difficult for a lot of you to cast your ballots. It would definitely be difficult for me if I was in a similar situation.

But please, if you genuinely care about any left-wing issue you'll see that Trump being stopped is more important than making a statement about the Democratic Party. I know the Democratic Party is problematic. The Republicans are worse though.  

You guys need to vote. Please vote. 

Please, for the love of everything good, fucking vote. 

[loudlytransparenttrash]

Controversial as it may be these days, I actually support and defend people's right to have racist, sexist, or whatever phobic thoughts as long as they don't try to hurt anyone. Just having these views don't hurt anyone but yourself. Unfortunately too many do try to impose on the ones they dislike. But for the ones that keep to themselves, I many not like your views, but I will fight to the death for you to have them cause this is America. Snowflakes may not like this but oh well.

Yeah, the quote “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” has always been a liberal mantra that has separated the United States from the rest of the world, up until now. Now with the bizarre invented crimes of “Islamophobia” and “transphobia,” and getting fired, banned and de-platformed over a joke, free speech is facing one hell of a test. What we can and can’t say is today regulated based on what part of the intersectional order we fall under. Choosing who you vote for, what you believe in and what hat you wear outside will decide whether or not you’re allowed to speak and whether you are subjected to assault and rabid mob outrage, all in the name of social harmony and justice of course... Such demonstrations express an ideology that has been growing in the academy but has only recently entered the cultural mainstream after their orthodoxy was challenged.

From the 1960s, the academic left began adding third-wave feminism, LGBT theory, the consolidation of post-colonialism, and “privilege theory,” which surfaced in the 1990s. Its greatest claims should be familiar to most of us by now, gender is socially constructed rather than based in biology, the West is uniquely despicable, racial identity rather than individual action determines guilt and responsibility and capitalism is evil. Each divides the world into oppressors and oppressed: whites versus “persons of color,” men versus women, “cisgender” versus queer, etc. To a large degree, it is a Marxist divide, but with race and gender in the place of class. Anything that strays from the script must be shut down at all costs.

An average college student at most state and leading private universities will witness displays targeting Israel, warnings of an ominous “rape culture,” and complaints of “white privilege.” Students report PTSD and require therapy dogs and Play-Doh to soothe their feelings after hearing something they don’t like. Activist students and faculty alike regularly argue that “hate speech” is the same as violence and it’s not unusual to see professors alongside their screaming hoard of students and antifa stopping conservative speakers from speaking, claiming the mere presence of an apostate is dangerous. 

Because of this sense of group victimhood, students feel justified in attempting to shut down the free exchange of ideas or retreating to safe spaces, as certain ideas could not only further harm the oppressed, but may potentially strip them of their victim status. Their unfamiliarity with operating in an environment of intellectual disagreement also makes these “social justice warriors” perceive contrary opinions as assaults on their intellectual security. The traditional rules of public discourse therefore do not apply to them. Their cause is too morally important. To allow dissenting opinion is to allow oppression itself.

A large number of college students believe that violence and shouting over a speaker is acceptable methods to prevent people from saying things. Over half of U.S. college students believe screaming over the top of a speaker to shut them down is acceptable, and one in five believe it’s acceptable to use violence to shut the speaker up, according to a national survey of students in 49 states. Today’s college students are tomorrow’s attorneys, teachers, policymakers, and judges. If a large fraction of college students believe incorrectly that offensive speech is unprotected by the First Amendment, that view will be at the center of all the decisions they make once they’re in positions of authority.

Silencing speech creates more chaos than peace. Those who dissent will resort to other means to speak out. They will protest, they will move to the other extreme or they will vote for the most outspoken leader they can find. In response, those who sought to dominate the conversation will do even more to end it, pumping out fake news, vilifying free speech advocates and refusing to present opposing views. So much of the polarization and division afflicting society today is a direct result of restricting speech. When figures in the media block certain ideas, they actually do more to validate and preserve these ideas than remove them. They validate them by granting them enough weight to merit oppressive action and preserve them by keeping them from being debunked.

Therefore, it should surprise no one that the left, which has taken to opposing free speech, has grown more extreme. Idiotic ideas like socialism meet little opposition because free market capitalism allows for winners and losers and is thus hateful. Even comedy has disappeared, as comedians only feel safe obsessing over Trump and white people. By contrast, free speech advocates, although frequently characterized as evil nationalists and unapologetic bigots, maintains integrity by its insistence on freedom. Many different positions find discussion among conservatives which allows for better policy and more constructive dialogue. Even though this dedication to free speech allows alt-right nuts to run their mouths, the strict dedication to reason and reality keeps them to the fringes. Compare it to the other side where the most far-left ideas and figures are mainstream.

It’s one thing to protest a speaker whose stance we find appalling, it’s another to work to block them from being able to speak at all. It’s one thing to choose to walk away from a discussion, it’s another to try to silence another’s voice entirely. When we choose the latter routes, we are one step closer to becoming the exact authoritarians Trump is accused of being. Free speech rights in the United States are still stronger and better protected than anywhere else in the world but we should still be closely aware of these growing attempts to weaken them. As we watch the English being arrested over insensitive tweets, Scots being sentenced and fined for memes and Norwegians imprisoned for "hate speech,” we're getting a glimpse of how fast and easy free speech can be removed and criminalized even in the most liberal democracies like ours. 

[tanoraqui]

what’s baffling about the plan to have 5 Fantastic Beasts films is that it makes some of the writing choices for Crimes of Grindelwald just...bad. (Worse.) I acknowledge that not everyone cares about treating female and POC characters as real people worthy of attention - it’s wrong in a way that is both incorrect and immoral, but I acknowledge it - but at least we can all agree that writing should be good? Instead of planning a 5-film series set between 1926 and 1945 and the second movie takes place only 5 months after the first - what?? It made sense if it was the second of three - that’s how Endgame Time works; stakes are high and it all moves fast. So are the 4th and 5th movies going to be back-to-back, too? So when is the third film going to be set?? This is basic pacing; what are you DOING?

And Queenie. Oh, Queenie. 

[irritated rewriting below the cut]

Getting back onto my “female characters are real people worthy of attention” horse, but...wow, what a character assassination. Way to strip an intelligent, practical, slightly ditzy but also magically sympathetic and capable of using that very feminine-coded power to help save her family and friends...to this helpless, overreactive woman persuaded to join the most notorious criminal/terrorist in the wizarding world on the grounds that he supports true love?? Wow. Okay. And not only is this a total (sexist) change from the first movie, but it isn’t even with the excuse that you’re hastily trying to set up a third and final movie in the series? You could have done this more gracefully over the span of films 2, 3, and 4, because unexpected side changes is a dramatic and compelling thing to go into the finale with?!?

Because that is true! I honestly fully respect the writers’ desire to have one of the main protagonist team switch sides to Grindelwald, to showcase how charismatic he and his espoused ideals are, and to emphasize how this whole thing wracked the wizarding community. And, you know, for character Drama(TM) - which I am tuning in to watch, because this is a story about characters and their drama! I would argue that the better candidate is Tina, known to make impetuous choices in the name of what she believes is Right, including risking the secrecy of the wizarding world, and in general much more vulnerable to a message of “there is injustice in the world and we need to take ACION to fix it, even if that means violence” - but Queenie would perhaps be more persuadable by the promise of eventual peace, so, hey. Three entire movies and well-written character development and you can convince me of anything.

IF ONLY THAT HAD HAPPENED. 

Like, you wanna use Queenie? Fine. Here a couple rewrite options of that parlor scene, with varying degrees of antagonism. Making use of the fact that Queenie casually reads everyone’s surface thoughts all the time (see: weaponized [feminine] sympathy):

Wariest:

Grindelwald: I wish you were working with me now, towards a world where we were able to live openly. To love freely.

Queenie, wand raised, guardedly: You’re a very good Occlumens, Mr. Grindelwald.

(Ie, she can’t get a read on him. Grindelwald tips his head slightly in acknowledgement [part ego, party sympathy/apology, like he’s sorry he has to be guarded from her]. A slight pause.) 

Grindelwald: You are an innocent. So go, now. Leave this place.

OR:

Grindelwald: I wish you were working with me now, towards a world where we were able to live openly. To love freely.  (slight pause) You’re a natural Legilimens, aren’t you? You know I am not lying.

Queenie, guardedly but maybe lowering her wand slightly: Only surface thoughts, really. (Ie, she can’t be sure - he seems to be honest, but she knows she can be tricked. slight pause.) I don’t think I want a closer look at you. (implication: he’s a monster)

Grindelwald, almost like he’s agreeing: You are an innocent. So go, now. Leave this place.

OR:

Grindelwald: I wish you were working with me now, towards a world where we were able to live openly. To love freely. (slight pause) You’re a natural Legilimens, aren’t you? You know I am not lying.

Queenie, guardedly but maybe lowering her wand slightly: Only surface thoughts, really. (Ie, she can’t be sure - he seems to be honest, but she knows she can be tricked. No follow-up - less aggressive)

Grindelwald: You are an innocent. So go, now. Leave this place.

MOST CREDULOUS:

Grindelwald: I wish you were working with me now, towards a world where we were able to live openly. To love freely. (slight pause) You’re a natural Legilimens, aren’t you? You know I am not lying.

(Queenie lowers her wand slightly, giving a reluctant nod. She is wary, but cannot deny that he seems honest. Earnest.)

Grindelwald: You are an innocent. So go, now. Leave this place.

And then at the graveyard, Jacob apologizes and says he doesn’t think she’s crazy, not really, not at all, and Queenie apologizes for overreacting and for enchanting him and admits that the things people say and do are just as important as the things they think, and maybe that she loves about Jacob how even when he doesn’t understand things, he tries to be helpful and kind. All she does with Grindelwald is look back at him as they’re all running away, somewhere between wary and curious and wistful, showing that she’s still struggling with the thoughts vs. actions thing and it’s at least nagging at her, that his thoughts and actions (towards her specifically) were both kind and sympathetic, even though she knows that he also does terrible things. In contrast to when Jacob had mentally called her crazy even while supposedly trying to woo her! Check out that valid* reason to trust one and not the other!

*One example of a “terrible thing” Grindelwald does is that in that moment, he was trying to set her, her loved ones, and all of Paris on fire. Because he’s a wizard Nazi.

And then you build on that over the course of the next 2 movies, you godforsaken idiots.

Also while I’m at it: I actually respect the decision from a writing perspective to have Lena Do That, because I’m not sure this is what the writer(s) intended but I make sense of it as she partly was trying to seize a rare chance and partly committing suicide by dark wizard, which is a) gripping and b) plausible for what we’d seen of her character. HOWEVER, it very much runs up against that “treating women and POC with narrative respect” thing, and if Theseus could have delivered that “GRINDELWALD! STOP.” and “I love you” with as much emotion, it, too, probably would have fucked me up a little. First spend the movie setting him up as frustrated, with both his own inability to catch Grindelwald and his superiors’ often hypocritical orders for doing so - catch him immediately, all force necessary, even if it means injuring or even killing people you are supposed to protect. So the audience gets a slightly plausible split second of “wait, shit, are they joining Grindelwald?!” and then the desperate attempt to stop him/suicide by dark wizard also makes sense. And then Lena can have a sweet vengeance arc, that would probably get pretty dark, because she’s only been loved by like 1 person ever and Grindelwald killed him, and for a while the movies would just be Newt + animals + 3 very competent women with weirdly similar-sounding names (Tina, Queenie, Lena). I would watch that.

Yusef could stick around too, on and off, because I actually quite liked that whole sideplot - more characters of color, and consequences to Credence’s alleged identity completely separate from the Obscurial stuff! I’m not trying too hard to fix the way this film had way too many moving parts and leaned so much on flashback that it got confusing; I might as well keep what I like. And Credence’s whole plotline can stay the same (sans Nagini - see post on Perenelle Flamel), and the stuff with Dumbledore - it’s not my favorite, but, fine. It could be worse, both in terms of writing and character. I actually quite like both Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s characters, once I wearily accept that they are as important to the plot as they are. Credence I don’t really care about, but this all seemed reasonable. He’s just growing up, he can make bad decisions about allegiances early on in the movie series.

I hope the entire Movie 5 climactic battle is resolved because the Niffler yoinks the Elder Wand out of Grindelwald’s hand. Ten bucks on that.

[bountyofbeads]

‘People Actively Hate Us’: Inside the Border Patrol’s Morale Crisis https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/15/us/border-patrol-culture.html

Excellent article looking at what the Trump administration immigration policies are having on the men and women inside Customs and Border Protection (HINT:Not Good)

‘People Actively Hate Us’: Inside the Border Patrol’s Morale Crisis

Overwhelmed by desperate migrants and criticized for mistreating the people in their care, many agents have grown defensive, insular and bitter.

By Manny Fernandez, Miriam Jordan, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Caitlin Dickerson Photographs by Kendrick Brinson | Published Sept. 15, 2019Updated 6:26 p.m. ET | New York Times | Posted September 15, 2019 |

One Border Patrol agent in Tucson said he had been called a “sellout” and a “kid killer.” In El Paso, an agent said he and his colleagues in uniform had avoided eating lunch together except at certain “BP friendly” restaurants because “there’s always the possibility of them spitting in your food.” An agent in Arizona quit last year out of frustration. “Caging people for a nonviolent activity,” he said, “started to eat away at me.”

For decades, the Border Patrol was a largely invisible security force. Along the southwestern border, its work was dusty and lonely. Between adrenaline-fueled chases, the shells of sunflower seeds piled up outside the windows of their idling pickup trucks. Agents called their slow-motion specialty “laying in” — hiding in the desert and brush for hours, to wait and watch, and watch and wait.

Two years ago, when President Trump entered the White House with a pledge to close the door on illegal immigration, all that changed. The nearly 20,000 agents of the Border Patrol became the leading edge of one of the most aggressive immigration crackdowns ever imposed in the United States.

No longer were they a quasi-military organization tasked primarily with intercepting drug runners and chasing smugglers. Their new focus was to block and detain hundreds of thousands of migrant families fleeing violence and extreme poverty — herding people into tents and cages, seizing children and sending their parents to jail, trying to spot those too sick to survive in the densely packed processing facilities along the border.

Ten migrants have died since September in the custody of the Border Patrol and its parent agency, Customs and Border Protection.

In recent months, the extreme overcrowding on the border has begun to ease, with migrants turned away and made to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed. Last week, the Supreme Court allowed the administration to close the door further, at least for now, by requiring migrants from countries outside Mexico to show they have already been denied refuge in another country before applying for asylum.

The Border Patrol, whose agents have gone from having one of the most obscure jobs in law enforcement to one of the most hated, is suffering a crisis in both mission and morale. Earlier this year, the disclosure of a private Facebook group where agents posted sexist and callous references to migrants and the politicians who support them reinforced the perception that agents often view the vulnerable people in their care with frustration and contempt.

Interviews with 25 current and former agents in Texas, California and Arizona — some conducted on the condition of anonymity so the agents could speak more candidly — paint a portrait of an agency in a political and operational quagmire. Overwhelmed through the spring and early summer by desperate migrants, many agents have grown defensive, insular and bitter.

The president of the agents’ union said he had received death threats. An agent in South Texas said some colleagues he knew were looking for other federal law enforcement jobs. One agent in El Paso told a retired agent he was so disgusted by scandals in which the Border Patrol has been accused of neglecting or mistreating migrants that he wanted the motto emblazoned on its green-and-white vehicles — “Honor First” — scratched off.

“To have gone from where people didn’t know much about us to where people actively hate us, it’s difficult,” said Chris Harris, who was an agent for 21 years and a Border Patrol union official until he retired in June 2018. “There’s no doubt morale has been poor in the past, and it’s abysmal now. I know a lot of guys just want to leave.”

EDUARDO JACOBO, AN AGENT IN CALIFORNIA’S EL CENTRO SECTOR:

The difference between doing the job now and when I started is like night and day. Before, it was a rush of adrenaline when you caught people with drugs. You were doing more police stuff. Now it’s humanitarian work. If you ask anybody about being in Border Patrol, they’re playing a movie scene in their head, jumping into a burning building and saving people. Now, it means taking care of kids and giving them baby formula.

By and large, the agency has been a willing enforcer of the Trump administration’s harshest immigration policies. In videos released last year, Border Patrol agents could be seen destroying water jugs left in a section of the Arizona desert where large numbers of migrants have been found dead.

Some of those who worked at the agency in earlier years said that it had changed over the past decade, and that an attitude of contempt toward migrants — the view that they are opportunists who brought on their own troubles and are undeserving of a warm welcome — is now the rule, not the exception.

“The intense criticism that is being directed at the Border Patrol is necessary and important because I do think that there’s a culture of cruelty or callousness,” said Francisco Cantú, a former agent who is the author of “The Line Becomes a River,” a memoir about his time in the agency from 2008 to 2012. “There’s a lack of oversight. There is a lot of impunity.”

The Border Patrol was established in 1924. Early agents were recruited from the Texas Rangers and local sheriff’s offices. They focused largely on Prohibition-era whiskey bootleggers, often supplying their own horses and saddles. Though horseback units still exist, the culture of the agency bears little resemblance to its past.

It has become a sprawling arm of Customs and Border Protection, the country’s largest federal law enforcement agency, which is responsible for 7,000 miles of America’s northern and southern borders, 95,000 miles of shoreline and 328 ports of entry. On a practical level, the Border Patrol’s hubs along the Mexican border, known as sectors, operate in some ways as fiefs.

In border cities, sector chiefs become household names, delivering annual State of the Border speeches. In the 1990s, an El Paso sector chief, Silvestre Reyes, used his popularity to win a seat in Congress.

In El Paso and other border communities, becoming an agent has long been viewed as a ticket to the middle class. A starting agent with a high school diploma and no experience can expect to earn $55,800, including overtime, climbing to $100,000 in as few as four years.

But given the long, solitary work, often in punishing heat and far-flung locations, and a growing workload, the agency has had difficulty recruiting: It remains about 1,800 agents short of its earlier hiring targets.

Some trace the increasing bitterness and frustration among agents to 2014, when large numbers of migrant families, as well as unaccompanied children, began arriving at the border. Many agents said they weren’t given the money or infrastructure to handle the emerging crisis. Desperate mothers and sick children had to be herded into fenced enclosures because there was nowhere else to put them.

Some agents blamed migrant parents for bringing their children into the mess. Their anger began building under President Barack Obama. Then, with Mr. Trump’s election, it found a voice in the White House.

Mr. Trump “said it to us, he said it in public, ‘I’m going to consider you guys, the union, the subject-matter experts on how we secure the border,’” said Mr. Harris, the former agent and Border Patrol union official from Southern California who retired last year. “We had never heard that from anyone before.”

The private Facebook group, which was created in 2016 and had more than 9,000 members, became a forum for agents to vent about the increasingly thankless nature of their jobs and the failure of successive administrations to fully secure the border.

Some agents who were members of the group said the tone of the posts shifted after Mr. Trump’s election, becoming raunchier and more politically tinged. A post mocked the death of a 16-year-old migrant while in custody at a Border Patrol station in Weslaco, Tex., with an image reading “Oh well.” A member used an expletive to propose throwing burritos at two Latina congresswomen.

AN AGENT IN SOUTH TEXAS:

What really pisses me off is that the agency knew about this group for a while. Those stories are true. There were patrol agents in charge on there. They knew it was wrong.

Most agents interviewed said a minority of those in the Facebook group were responsible for the most offensive posts.

BRANDON JUDD, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL, THE AGENTS’ UNION:

We have been pointed at with this broad brush and there are certain segments trying to make this out that all agents are bad and ‘Here’s the proof, look at these Facebook posts,’ when really the vast majority of our agents are very good people.

In some ways, though, the posts reflected a culture that was long apparent in parts of the agency. For years, the Border Patrol has quietly tolerated racist terminology. Some agents refer to migrants as “wets,” a shortened version of “wetbacks.” Others call them “toncs.”

Jenn Budd, a former agent of six years who is now an outspoken critic, said a supervisor at her Border Patrol station in California had explained the term “tonc” to her: “He said, ‘It’s the sound a flashlight makes when you hit a migrant in the head with it.’”

Josh Childress, a former agent in Arizona who quit in 2018 because the job had begun to wear him down, said the Facebook posts hinted at a deeper, darker problem in the agency’s culture. “The jokes are not the problem,” he said. “Treating people as if they aren’t people is the problem.”

Calexico, Calif., 120 miles east of San Diego in Southern California’s agrarian Imperial Valley, offers a glimpse of the relationship between a border community and the agents. Hemmed in by rugged mountains, desolate desert and the Colorado River, the valley has an economy that revolves around seasonal farm jobs and government work. Temperatures top 110 degrees during the parched summer months.

About 800 Border Patrol agents work in the vast El Centro Sector, which runs about 70 miles across the Valley. They patrol on bikes and in their white vehicles in Calexico, whose downtown sits up against the rust-colored bollards that separate the United States and Mexico.

When Mr. Trump visited the city in April to tout 2.3 miles of a new border barrier — a row of 30-foot-tall, slender steel slats with pointed edges — Angel Esparza organized a binational unity march that drew 200 people. But he said the march was to protest Mr. Trump, not the Border Patrol.

Mr. Esparza has featured Border Patrol agents on the covers of two issues of Mi Calexico, a magazine that he produces and distributes sporadically in this town of 40,000.

“The Border Patrol agents are part of the community,” he said.

NATALIA NUNEZ, A COLLEGE STUDENT IN CALEXICO, CALIF.

Being in the Border Patrol is a normal thing around here. I have three cousins who are agents. I have friends whose parents are agents. They aren’t supposed to talk about it. I wonder how they can sleep at night if they have to lock up kids in cages like animals.

David Kim, the El Centro Sector’s assistant chief patrol agent, is the son of a South Korean immigrant who worked for the Postal Service. He has been with the Border Patrol since 2000.

Asked about the agency’s relationship with the community, he recalled the government shutdown that began in December 2018, when Mr. Trump was locked in a standoff with Congress over funding for an expanded border wall. Border Patrol agents, who were working without pay, were offered food vouchers by restaurants. Jujitsu academies and gyms offered free passes. Mr. Kim’s chiropractor waived his co-pay.

Mr. Kim, seated in the sector headquarters building, went silent for about a minute as he talked about it. Tears rolled down his face. “The community,” he said finally, “stepped up for the Border Patrol when we were furloughed.”

But with the fraught atmosphere across the country over immigration policy, hostility can emerge even within agents’ own families.

BRANDON JUDD, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL:

I just had a relative four days ago send me one of the nastiest emails I’ve ever had in my life. How bad of people we are. How taxpayer dollars should not be used to abuse individuals.

Operating in communities that are often heavily Hispanic and quietly hostile to Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda, the Border Patrol has become more openly political than at any time in its history.

Agents have nurtured a strong loyalty to the president, whom many of them see as the first chief executive who is serious about border security. The union endorsed Mr. Trump in 2016, a move that gave the Border Patrol a line of communication to the White House but has also created friction in Democrat-dominated border communities.

A 10-YEAR VETERAN AGENT IN SOUTH TEXAS:

I have personally not come across any agents that do not like Trump’s positions on border security, on immigration. Hispanic, Latino, black, white — it doesn’t matter the origin of the agents, they all have a strong border-security mentality. So they love what Trump brings to the table. What they hate, what is detrimental, is the complete opposite feeling from the Democratic side.

Democratic lawmakers flocked to the Texas border throughout the spring, many holding news conferences to criticize the filthy, crowded conditions  in which migrants, including children, were being held — some with unchanged diapers, little access to showers and little or no hot food.

Agents said they had done the best they could — some bought toys for the children in their care — but were overwhelmed by the number of new arrivals.

AN AGENT IN THE EL PASO SECTOR:

‘Oh, that kid’s cute’ turned into, ‘Oh, there’s another one, there’s another one.’ We’ve done more for these aliens than these senators and congressmen that come down here. They make this big scene but then the next day they get on a plane to go back home. They didn’t take any of them with them, right? They’re going home to their running water, to their nice, comfortable bed, and meantime, we’re here dealing with them.

The Border Patrol’s culture is unabashedly self-reliant and male-dominated. Agents operate largely alone in the desert and brush, using neither body cameras nor dashboard cameras.

About 5 percent of agents are women. Some interviewed spoke highly of the agency and their male colleagues. Others described a culture in which women were demeaned, passed over for promotions and assaulted by co-workers. A supervisor in Chula Vista, Calif., pleaded guilty in 2015 to seven counts of video voyeurism, admitting that he had placed a camera in a drain in a women’s restroom.

In a written account of her time at the agency, Ms. Budd described women being forced to perform oral sex on fellow agents and subjected to humiliating labels. “I never, ever met a female agent that was not targeted by the male agents,” she said.

The job has taken a psychological toll on men and women alike.

From 2007 to 2018, more than 100 Customs and Border Protection employees, many of whom had worked as Border Patrol agents, killed themselves. Ross Davidson, who retired in 2017 after 21 years with the agency, said he was certain that stress from the job has been a factor.

“The repetitive monotony of doing the same thing over and over and seeing no outcome, seeing no end to it and nothing changing,” he said. “It’s just going deeper and deeper, and getting worse and worse.”

SERGIO TINOCO, AN AGENT IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS:

Now, with all this rhetoric, I actually have to go home where I want to unwind, and hear my wife tell me the comments she was told, and my kids tell me the comments they’re told. So at what point do I relax? The only time I relax is when my eyes are closed and I’m dead asleep.

Nicholas Kulish, Mitchell Ferman and Erin Coulehan contributed reporting.

[aerinmelina]

So a friend of mine recently moved into a new house with a few new roommates, and I met them yesterday for the first time. They were fine people. I wasn’t uncomfortable around them or whatnot, but I also don’t really support this decision my friend made (long story I won’t get into right now). I sat on the couch after idly chatting for a few minutes, then started messing around on my phone while I waited for my friend to get her stuff together so we could leave. She and a couple of her roommates were talking about whatever, when I suddenly heard one of her roommates laugh and say this derogatory comment which I’ve heard several times in the past:

“I don’t trust anything that bleeds for a week every month and doesn’t die.”

Let me tell you - after tearing myself and my two children free from a domestic violence situation and all the crap I’ve had to endure in my relatively short life thus far, my tolerance for comments like this has reached a big fat goose egg.

“Well, that’s a really sexist thing to say,” I interrupted.

He looked at me confusedly, as though he hadn’t heard me. “What?” he asked.

I put my phone inside my purse and sat up straighter, then said loudly, “That’s a really sexist thing to say.”

My friend looked gobsmacked. Her female roommate started laughing. The dude that had made the comment immediately started backpedaling and looked embarrassed.

“Oh no, I’m like... the least sexist person on the planet,” he scrambled. “I was raised by a single mom and my grandma. I have nothing but respect for women.”

“Then why do you think it’s appropriate to say things like that?” I asked. My friend looked like a deer caught in the headlights. So did the man who was putting his foot in his mouth.

“Like I said, I’m like the last person to ever be sexist—“

“Look. Women need the help of good men. We need good men to take a stand and be examples for other men, to teach other men what it means to respect women. To stand up to other men on behalf of women. Good men who will refuse to make derogatory comments like that. You’re intimating that no woman is trustworthy. That is a very sexist thing to say, whether you meant it like that or not.”

He opened his mouth to talk, but no words came out. My friend started nervously laughing while her female roommate continued to roar with laughter. I looked at my friend and asked, “Are you ready to go yet?”

We left.

“He really isn’t a sexist man,” my friend said as we climbed into my car.

“Then he had no business saying something like that,” I responded.

I come from a very recent background of domestic violence, where my husband controlled everything in our house - from the decorations on the walls, to the order in which I was allowed to complete chores, to the music or other media which was played, to the groceries I was allowed to purchase and the meals I was allowed to prepare. I lived in fear of his anger and unpredictable reactions to sometimes even more unpredictable triggers. Every day was an anxiety attack. I lived in survival mode.

I would have deeply appreciated if, even just once, another man would have stood up for me against my husband. Other people saw what was happening. No one spoke up. Would it have made a difference? Maybe not to my husband. But it would have impacted me. Maybe I would have come to understand sooner that I was in an abusive situation (because I didn’t truly realize it). Maybe I wouldn’t currently be struggling with the ability to trust the men around me. Maybe I would be able to understand in my heart that kind men do exist - because right now, I have to work hard at convincing myself on a daily basis that a lot of men are honest people who have zero intent to harm me or my children in any way, shape or form.

Restore my faith in men. Help me, and others like me, learn to trust men again. Teach us that there are good men out there. Show us that it is possible for men to feel and express compassion. Lead by example. Refrain from making derogatory comments like this one.

Please.

As a woman who has so very little faith in the male population at this moment in time, thanks in large part to my traumatic experiences, I am begging all good men everywhere.

Please.

Please be a safe person. Please be a man we can rely on to help protect us and show us that we are valued members of society. Please teach your friends to do the same.

If you’re really an ally to women, if you really believe that women should be respected and safe just like men should be...

Don’t say things like that.

I can no longer be silent. This was the second time I have stood up to a man who made a blatantly sexist remark in my presence within the past week. The first time was to my boss. #awkwardforhim

This shouldn’t be happening. We as human beings are better than this. And unless we start recognizing things like sexism when we see it, verbally slap a label on it and call it out for what it is in no uncertain terms, it won’t change. People parrot what their parents, friends or other influential people tell them, often without really thinking about it beforehand. Let’s be the influence for good.

Look... I just want to be safe. Physically and mentally. Please help me be safe. Please help me feel safe. Please. That’s all I ask. I don’t think that’s too much.

<end soapbox rant>

[ladyloveandjustice]

Spring 2018 anime Overview: My Hero Academia Season 3 (Episodes 1-13)

My Hero Academia comes back with a bang for season 3. The students are sent to a superhero training camp, but chaos erupts when villains invade. (Check out my take on season 1 of MHA on Epicstream here, my take on the first arc of season 2 here and my anime overview of MHA season 2 here)

Both My Hero Academia’s strengths and weaknesses persisted in this season. That means annoying bullshit with Mineta sexually harassing the girls as ~comedy ~ , the girl heroes in general being underserved and the occasional bit of sexist or sexualized nonsense. However, it probably says a LOT about My Hero Academia’s strengths that I’m still watching and enjoying. 

The characters and their dynamics are so much fun, the fights are some of the best I’ve seen in shonen, the animation is phenomenal and this series can hit the emotional beats so hard and so well. I had so much fun watching this season that I actually couldn’t resist doing a weekly recap/liveblog partway though, which you can check out here if you want more detail on my thoughts and other weirdness.

So this season starts off with the kids at a training camp and though it’s a little bumpy at first (we’ll get to that later), the stakes quickly get wicked high when the villains invade. We also get a little world-building, showing a kid who’s very cynical about superheroes after his parents died in the line of duty. The show hasn’t really gone into what families of heroes go through, and seeing it approach that territory is pretty cool.

Of course it’s up to Deku to prove the worth of heroes, and the fight where he defends Kota is just BOMBASTIC. The action, the visuals, the voice acting, everything is on point- it’s such a simple, not-all-that-uncommon story, but the show executes it with such sincerity and style you’re utterly blown away. Deku’s desperation to save the little boy, his terror when he thinks he’s going to die, the ridiculous bone-breaking feats- it all really hits you. 

MHA’s strength is the way it can take simple shonen/superhero plots and elevate them by just going all-in, heart and soul, with total confidence and not a hint of sneer. it’s here to give you a lavish spectacle that has real heart and belief in the power of heroes and the greatness of these characters, and it succeeds. This holds true for the other big fights of this season, particularly All Might’s big one.

Oh boy, does this season have the All Might feels for ya. It was pretty nice to finally learn a little bit about where he came from, and it was very cool to find out he’s carrying on the legacy of a woman, that she’s his mentor and inspiration, and he carries her words and teachings to motivate him in times of need. It’s still sadly rare to see male heroes being inspired by the legacy of women and looking up to them, so I gotta give my props-she’s straight up superhero Mia Fey, and we all know how I feel about that lady. it’s especially nice to see from MHA, which has struggled a lot with adult female characters.

Anyway, All Might’s big fight is pure shonen in the best way, it’s brutal and devastating and over the top and ridiculous and it’s genuinely something that is going to hugely impact the show going forward. You don’t want to miss it

But honestly, MHA’s biggest strength this season may be how it dealt with the aftermath of all this. It was careful to immediately depict the emotional fallout all this violence would have, and the way the characters were going to have to change in response and the conversations they need to have now. That’s a crucial element that’s missing from so many shonen and adventure stories, so it’s nice to see MHA really nail it.

Dead Moms in shonen are kind of a meme, and they’re ubiquitous in young adult adventure stories in general. However, in MHA our protagonist has a living mother who’s struggling to support him, and the show takes the time to explore her feelings over seeing her son get put in life-or-death situations while the older heroes fail to protect him. She puts her foot down, and this is portrayed with far more sympathy toward her than a lot of adventure shows would have. Both All Might and Deku have to acknowledge they’ve been unfair to her, and Deku’s response is surprisingly mature. It’s a very powerful scene that feels grounded in real emotion and it demonstrates the importance of having characters just honestly communicate with each other.

“Legacy” has always been one of my favorite aspects of superheroes, which is unfortunate for me because American comics have a tendency to reset the timeline and erase their legacy heroes. But there’s a real sense of legacy in MHA and it’s a big theme. Heroes will die, they will retire, and new generation will need to step up. 

I love that sense of the fight being passed down, of older heroes teaching the younger ones, of the youth carrying those memories and teachings forward. Nobody is permanent, but feelings can last forever if you pass them on. 

I’m glad to see the show is leaning into this more than ever, I’m glad to see All Might realize he’s been inadequate as a mentor in some ways and redouble his efforts. I look forward to seeing how the dynamic shift.

It’d be remiss not to mention Bakugou in an overview of this arc, since he was pretty central. I’m honestly surprised by how much I enjoy his character, the way the narrative uses him is just so interesting-the idea that even the villains noticed how much of an asshole this kid is and decided he would fit in is pretty funny, and his reactions to the whole situation were pretty fun and exciting to watch. This season definitely made me understand him a lot more (I go into it more during my recap here if you’re curious) and I’m interested to see where he goes from here- he hasn’t gotten much kinder or seen the error of his ways, and I doubt he will any time soon, but I see signs of progress and his worldview seems to be cracking.

 I once again appreciate that while he and Deku are big influences to each other as “rivals”, neither of them is the center of each other’s world or the one who will “save” the other. Deku straight up says that he can’t be the one to “reach out” to Bakugou and he’s accepted that Bakugou would never reach back to him, so when it comes to appealing to him, he elects someone better qualified. That’s a pretty unusual thing to hear a shonen hero say about ANYONE, much less his rival, and the fact their dynamic doesn’t follow the standard is way more interesting to me.

So yeah, I enjoyed the first part of season 3 a lot. But there was some bad stuff. Of course there was. And we gotta talk about it.

The secens of Mineta trying to sexually harass the girls early in the season are some of the worst the show has to offer yet- even when he fails, the girls are still threatened and sexualized. I do appreciate Kota for trying to murder him over it. If only he had succeeded, he would have been the biggest hero of them all. But it’s just galling that the teachers know about Mineta’s behavior and he hasn’t been punished, considering this school is supposed to be about heroism and goodness.

 Horikoshi’s gross handling of older female characters continues, we straight up have a 31- old lady superhero whose entire personality is she’s ~desperate to be married~ because she’s ~so old~ and excuse me while I bang my head into the wall. It’s especially stupid to see this overused cliche persist since the average age for marriage amongJapanese women to get married is much higher than it used to be- it’s 31, so she shouldn’t feel like she’s “past the deadline”, she’s absolutely average. But nope, gotta have those stereotypes- even to the point of having her hit on teenage boys, because that’s not creepy. Oh, and when it comes to the big fight she just gets knocked out immediately.

To be fair, Mandalay, who’s the same age, seems sensible and competent enough and we actually finally do get an important, inspirational older female superhero with Nana (though she’s dead, so, there’s that). 

The girls get some nice moments this season (Itsuka was badass) and they all remain competent and fun characters, but they’re noticeably sidelined a lot when it comes to fighting especially- both Tsuyu and Ochako conveniently can’t get to one big fight on time so its all boys and while Momo was super awesome in being saavy enough to put a tracer on the villains when they kidnap a classmate- without her efforts the big rescue couldn’t have even taken place at all- it’s very noticable that all the boys on the rescue squad gets to play a physical role in the rescue while Momo just has to stand there.  

And the one female villain on the massive villain league- well, her whole thing is she’s horny in a creepy way, because of course it is. But hey, at least Mt. Lady finally got to do something besides be a sexy joke for once!

Okay, I’m done griping. There’s still a Lot of trashy nonsense to contend with when it comes to MHA and I doubt that’s going to get much better. But the show manages to keep me coming back for more because of all the other stuff it has to offer. It can be So Bad sometimes but then most of the time it’s So Good. The true meaning of a problematic fav.

I just...love these kids (sans mineta)...i love watching them interact...they deserve the world...and I can’t wait to see more of them as the season continues.