#ngo images

[digimarksposts]

The Each One Educate One Foundation is an NGO for education, uplifiting the underprivileged children out of poverty and paving way for a brighter future. Your donations will help sustain this noble cause and bring smiles of success. 

[homo-house]

hey uh so I haven't seen anyone talking about this here yet, but

the amazon river, like the biggest river in the fucking world, in the middle of the amazon fucking rainforest, is currently going through its worst drought since the records began 121 years ago

picture from Folha PE

there's a lot going on but I haven't seen much international buzz around this like there was when the forest was on fire (maybe because it's harder to shift the narrative to blame brazil exclusively as if the rest of the world didn't have fault in this) so I wanted to bring this to tumblr's attention

I don't know too many details as I live in the other side of the country and we are suffering from the exact opposite (at least three cyclones this year, honestly have stopped counting - it's unusual for us to get hit by even one - floods, landslides, we have a death toll, people are losing everything to the water), but like, I as a brazilian have literally never seen pictures of the river like this before. every single city in the amazonas state is in a state of emergency as of november 1st.

pictures by Adriano Liziero (ig: geopanoramas)

we are used to seeing images of rio negro and solimões, the two main amazon river affluents, in all their grandiose and beauty and seeing these pictures is really fucking chilling. some of our news outlets are saying the solimões has turned to a sand desert... can you imagine this watery sight turning into a desert in the span of a year?

while down south we are seeing amounts of rain and hailstorms the likes of which our infrastructure is simply not built to deal with, up north people who have built everything around the river are at a loss of what to do.

the houses there that are built to float are just on the ground, people who depend on fishing for a living have to walk kilometers to find any fish that are still alive at all, the biodiversity there is at risk, and on an economic level it's hard to grasp how people from the northern states are getting by at all - the main means of transport for ANYTHING in that region is via the river water. this will impact the region for months to come. it doesnt make a lot of sense to build a lot of roads bc it's just better to use the waterway system, everything is built around or floats on the river after all. and like, the water level is so incomprehensibly low the boats are just STUCK. people are having a hard time getting from one place to another - keep in mind the widest parts of the river are over 10 km apart!!

this shit is really serious and i am trying not to think about it because we have a different kind of problem to worry about down south but it's really terrifying when I stop to think about it. you already know the climate crisis is real and the effects are beyond preventable now (we're past global warming, get used to calling it "global boiling"). we'll be switching strategies to damage control from now on and like, this is what it's come to.

I don't like to be alarmist but it's hard not to be alarmed. I'm sorry that I can't end this post with very clear intructions on how people overseas can help, there really isn't much to do except hope the water level rises soon, maybe pray if you believe in something. in that regard we just have to keep pressing for change at a global level; local conditions only would not, COULD NOT be causing this - the amazon river is a CONTINENTAL body of water, it spans across multiple countries. so my advice is spread the word, let your representatives know that you're worried and you want change towards sustainability, degrowth and reduced carbon emissions, support your local NGOs, maybe join a cause, I don't know? I recommend reading on ecological and feminist economics though

however, I know you can help the affected riverine families by donating to organizations dedicated to helping the region. keep in mind a single US dollar, pound or euro is worth over 5x more in our currency so anything you donate at all will certainly help those affected.

FAS - Sustainable Amazon Fundation

Idesam - Sustainable Developent and Preservation Institute of Amazonas

Greenpeace Brasil - I know Greenpeace isn't the best but they're one of the few options I can think of that have a bridge to the international world and they are helping directly

There are a lot of other smaller/local NGOs but I'm not sure how you could donate to them from overseas, I'll leave some of them here anyway:

Projeto Gari

Caritás Brasileira

If you know any other organizations please link them, I'll be sure to reblog though my reach isn't a lot

thank you so much for reading this to the end, don't feel obligated to share but please do if you can! even if you just read up to here it means a lot to me that someone out there knows

also as an afterthought, I wanted to expand on why I think this hasn't made big news yet: because unlike the case of the 2020 forest fires, other countries have to hold themselves accountable when looking at this situation. while in 2020 it was easier to pretend the fires were all our fault and people were talking about taking the amazon away from us like they wouldn't do much worse. global superpowers have no more forests to speak of so I guess they've been eyeing what latin america still has. so like this bit of the post is just to say if you're thinking of saying anything of the sort, maybe think of what your own country has done to contribute to this instead of blaming brazil exclusively and saying the amazon should be protected by force or whatever

[fearsmagazine]

THE PARK | Trailer, Poster & Images

When a mysterious virus starts killing all adults, society is left to be governed by children living on borrowed time. After the adult population is wiped out, rival kids battle for control of an abandoned theme park. Danger lurks around every corner, and they must do whatever it takes to survive their hellish Neverland.

Filmmaker Shal Ngo's feature debut is a thrilling, dark journey through a dystopian world where children rule - and life is fleeting.

Written and directed by Shal Ngo, THE PARK stars Chloe Guidry, Nhedrick Jabier, and Carmina Garay; is executive produced by Ryan Chanatry, Nick Borenstein, and Matt Miller; and produced by Natalie Metzger, p.g.a.

Shal Ngo's dystopian thriller, starring a cast of amazing young actors and set in a long-abandoned amusement park, arrives on U.S. VOD on March 2nd, 2023.

[poetessinthepit]

One thing I think that is so insidious about the Pro-Israel narrative is that they don't even want you donating to the Palestinian cause to provide things like food or medical care for children. There is a concerted hasbara campaign to associate any NGO that provides any aid to palestinians with terrorism.

For example, if you attempt to raise money for the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, a charity rated 4 stars by Charity Navigator, you may be linked to a page on a website called NGO Monitor. At first glance, this appears to be a neutral charity rating website similar to Charity Navigator. It's not.

Try searching any charity with no connection to the Israel-Palestine conflict on NGO Monitor, and you'll get no result.

Do a little digging, and you'll find out that NGO Monitor was founded by Gerald Steinberg, a Likud party member and former Israeli Security Council consultant. It is essentially a right-wing Israeli front posing as a legitimate charity watchdog while spreading misinformation.

Or consider this racist parody song from Israel's version of SNL. It depicts a hjiab donning woman crying and begging for money in front of an image of shelled out buildings presumably in Gaza. It then cuts away to reveal it is all a set, and her crying is acting, alluding to the Pallywood conspiracy theory. This is followed by caricatures of Hamas members swimming in riches in a luxurious hotel room in Qatar chanting "dollar bills, dollar bills" as donations pile up. The implication is clear; if you give money to Palestine, you are giving money to Hamas. The fact that this video is in English tells you who the intended audience is. It was posted on instagram by Noa Tishby, a former Israeli spokesperson.

This all reflects the true cruelty of the Israeli regime. They don't just want to harm the Palestinians; they don't want you to help them.

[mutant-distraction]

In 2001, there were only 62 mature Iberian lynx individuals on the Iberian Peninsula. Now, thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, the population has surged to over 2,000 adults and juveniles. Breeding, reintroduction, and habitat restoration projects played a crucial role. Nature reserves in southern Spain and Portugal now harbor 648 adult specimens. Since 2010, over 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced to parts of Portugal and Spain.

Attention to the rabbit population (their main prey) contributed significantly. Changes in agricultural practices helped restore rabbit habitats. Public bodies, scientific institutions, NGOs, and local communities worked together. Farmers receive compensation if lynx prey on their livestock.

Image credit: Raul Santos

Text credit: Earth of Wonders

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - September 11, 2023

Sorry for not sending last week's issue as I got covid again :/ I passed it, so here's the best things that happened last week :)

1. The IRS plans to crack down on 1,600 millionaires to collect millions of dollars in back taxes

The IRS announced on Friday it is launching an effort to aggressively pursue 1,600 millionaires and 75 large business partnerships that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in past due taxes. The newly announced tax collection effort will begin as soon as October. “We have more hiring to do,” Werfel said. “It’s going to be a very busy fall for us.”

2. The NGO African Parks announced it would purchase the world’s largest population of privately owned white rhinos

Africa’s beleaguered rhinos have been thrown a significant lifeline with the announcement that nearly 2,000 semi-wild rhinos owned by South African rhino breeder John Hume will be “rewilded” into reserves across South Africa and other parts of the continent over the next 10 years.

3. Mexico supreme court decriminalizes abortion across country

Mexico’s supreme court has unanimously ruled that state laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional and violate women’s rights, in the latest in a series of victories for reproductive rights activists across Latin America.

Wednesday’s ruling came two years after the court ordered the northern state of Coahuila to remove sanctions for abortion from its criminal code, a decision which prompted a tortuous state-by-state process of legal battles. So far 12 of Mexico’s 31 states have decriminalized the procedure.

4. The first human organ created inside an animal opens the door to manufacturing ‘spare parts’ for people

It is a historic image. A team of researchers in China has successfully generated a blueprint of a human organ in another animal for the first time. The experiment, conducted with humanized kidneys in pig embryos, represents a step toward the still-distant dream of using other mammals as source of organs for transplants.

5. Study Shows a Single Dose of Psilocybin's Astonishing Impact on Depression and Could Change Medical Treatments of Mental Health Forever

Psychedelics are making a comeback, and this time, they're dressed in the respectable garb of clinical research. Recent studies have reignited interest in these substances, particularly psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, as a potent treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD).

6. Missing cat reunited with owner after it disappeared during Alaska flooding

Twenty-six days after he went missing, an adorable black and white cat named Leo has been reunited with his family. Brave Leo went missing after historic glacial flooding swept away his home and all his owner's belongings.

7. Dogs perform Mozart with orchestra in Denmark

A classical music festival in Copenhagen, Denmark, has opened with some canine additions to the orchestra.

---

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation here:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog this post with your friends.

[fireheartwraith]

Hello everyone. Climate change and lack of infrastructure has cause severe floods in the south of brazil and thousands of people are displaced or missing. If you can help, please do, especially those who use dollar or euro. You don't know far your money can take us

This tweet has a video showing how absurdly fast the water rose. Image if this was your home, completely taken by water in under three minutes. Imagine if you had children, elderly, disabled people living here. What would you do in this situation? What can you even do?

Most of the state is now underwater, and the parts that aren't don’t have power or water. Getting prescription meds and other necessities like hygiene kits and food is difficult because capitalism sucks. The military police are protecting supermarkets because the people are hungry and taking the food. Mind you, the food will spoil anyway. But god forbid people don't go hungry.

And in the midst of this chaos, public transport still isn't free. People are charging to rescue folks. So people can only be rescued by helicopter because of the currents. There are people debating whether or not they should leave pets to die.

And the government has done basically nothing. It is the government's fault, everyone knows this. The money that was supposed to go to preventing something like this simply doesn't exist. The people organizing rescues are distributing resources are the people themselves. Influencers have been doing more to the cause than the government at this point.

Some people were bringing up Madonna because the flood hit the night of her show, and they were saying the money she received should have gone to the affected people. And so she donated 10 MILLION reais. It is utter madness. There are bodies floating in the water people have to wade through.

If you can do something to help, please do

Here's a link to donate to an ngo that is feeding the displaced people

Paypal: Fathiele14@gmail.com

Edit: Floods are also displacing people in the northeast, literally on the other side of the country. The situation is dire. Remember, you are closer to being a climate refugee than being a billionaire. If I find where you make international donations to help Maranhão I'll share it here

[dtmsrpfcringe]

the definitive dictionary and almanac of Tinhattery

hi, this will be a list of the main misogynistic accounts, definitions people have questions about, accounts you should follow and abbreviations— let’s gooo!! If you’re tagged in this I probably put you on the accounts to follow section. Adding a cut here because it’s long and gonna get longer

definitions!!!!

LCB- Used to stand for letscoffeebreak, she has since changed her username to dejadestalkearmeloser.

NGO- Nightgoodomens

Ingrav, Amy- Ingravinoveritas.

tardisrose- thetardisisblueandroseistoo

Tinhatters- A group of (mostly) tumblr users who think everything in these two relationships are fake and the women are abusive and the men want to run away.

Queeranoners- same as above, my favourite way to refer to them, coined by the amazing @theeminentlyimpractical

sheenbergs- Mix for Michael and Anna’s name

sheenbergnant- the amalgamation of the four bad bitches we love

sheenant- ship name for David and Michael. (Remember kids: shipping is cool but it’s fictional!!)

DT- David Tennant (Georgias husband)

MS- Michael Sheen (Anna’s boyfriend)

GT- Georgia Tennant

AL- Anna Lundberg

PR- public relations

GM- a…delegitimising way of referring to Georgia by refusing to use her last name. Instead use her maiden name. Note how they don’t refer to David as David McDonald

APAT- usually used by tinhatters (stands for Anna Plain And Tall) to refer to Anna Lundberg

PR (Tinhatter definition) - an omnipresent being forcing two rich white men who constantly champion human rights and lgbtq acceptance into a hetero relationship because they just are so oppressed and abused and not because they love their partners!

PR (actual definition) -the professional activities of an agency hired by a person, company, or other entity to shape, create, and manipulate that person/company’s public image. A public relations firm is often useful in helping a company manage its media reputation when a crisis happens, in order to attempt to minimize false information or slanderous statements which could damage reputations.

Shipping- Shipping (derived from the word relationship) is the desire by followers of a fandom for two or more people, either real-life people or fictional characters (in film, literature, television series, etc.), to be in a romanticrelationship. Shipping often takes the form of unofficial creative works, including fanfictionand fan art.

Shipping (Tinhat definition) - NO THEY HATE THEIR PARTNERS AND WANT TO FUCK EACH OTHER LOOK HE BLINKED IN HIS VICINITY THEIR PARTNERS ARE ABUSIVE I SWEAR

GREATEST HITS (posts that killed Tinhatters, feel free to submit your favourites in my inbox)

The breakdown of an anon

tassel jokes

backstreet cringe

Ingravinoveritas admitting it

Laurens amazing fuck off post that snowballed into half the fandom straight up saying fuck you to these people

HALL OF SHAME (Worst of tinhatters, again feel free to submit more)

• Taraiha’s rivals meltdown

NGO hates this fandom for…calling her out

it’s not a choice to be weird and creepy about people’s lives! (Again shipping is fine. This shit is not!!!)

it’s okay if you attack women just don’t criticise Michael Sheen (no idea what she was talking about with David) this same lady had another absolutely dog shit post I guess she removed?!

How dare women…have fun at their birthday parties?? (Part 1)

for a group constantly sexualizing David and Michaels every movement we can’t stand when a woman shows a little chest and has fun

Accounts you should follow!!!!:

@goodomenswarning - same purpose as this account, hilarious, an amazing friend

@badaziraphaletakes - calls out shitty takes in good omens as well, so much more level headed about toxicity than I am but I love talking shit with them. @thegeorgiatennantblog - best Georgia content

@fightingalgth8rs -bad bitches calling out extreme sexism

@phoen1xr0se - one of the best and I devour everything she posts

@davidtennantgenderenvy stands up for what’s right in the fandom, one of my idols and stuck up for me during a vulnerable time.

lmk more I need to add because I’m definitely missing some

THE REPEAT OFFENDERS (booo 🍅🍅):

Ingravinoveritas- one of the bigger ones, refuses to believe Georgia does anything nice for David, or that any of them actually like their partners. Can’t stop fetishizing gay male relationships to save her life. If David blinks he apparently wants to be bent over. Likes to pretend she’s not as bad as the others but has some of the wildest takes and said she felt threatened and scared for her life at someone making a Shakespearean reference. Professional victim

Nightgoodomens- a particularly nasty motherfucker. So toxic she’s quarantined. Misogynistic, ableist, um…yeah not much to say there except for the fact that apparently anything that David does that involves his wife means he’s forced into it. Would rather see them as abused puppies than accept they love their partners. Heavy on the homophobia and bi erasure since yes, fetishization isn’t allyship, it is homophobia. Everything is PR. She doesn’t know what PR means nor that David and Michael are not nearly important enough to have a 24/7 team controlling all social media and personal aspects of their lives. Neil gaiman apologist who blamed his sexual assault revelations on David’s support of trans people. Denies women flirting with each other and boils it to PR friendships??!?

Dejadestalkearmeloser- pretty much the same as nightgoodimens, flips shit when you call her out on it, I mean look at her pinned post about me and you’ll see. Also apparently I’m every account that doesn’t like her. Seems to have a problem with lesbians not liking her (wonder why lesbians don’t like the misogynistic people who only talk about the lgbtq community when it comes to fetishising mlm relationships)

Thetardisisbluesndroseistoo- flips shit at Georgia getting credit for anything, lost her shit on someone saying that Georgia has educated David on lgbtq allyship (he quite literally said himself that she does) later deleted posts when I called her out. Can’t stop laughing at that

invisibleicewands- really, really creepy about Anna, delving into her past and family to try and find…something. Body shaming. Mom shaming. The usual misogyny.

dtmsrpf- I guess a spoof on my name, belongs to one of the others on this list. The usual misogyny with a particular axe to grind against their looks and other things. Definitely a little salty.

georgiatennantunofficial (instagram)- extremely fucking gross. Body shaming and misogyny. Usual. You guys see a pattern yet?

[digimarksposts]

Centre For Transforming India(CFTI) is an Non Profit Organisation located in Mumbai, Delhi and Alibaug. The bicycle distribution programme of CFTI is a flagship programme that helps the rural girls to continue their education and be empowered. Learn more by clicking here https://cftiindia.com/bicycle-distribution

[womenaremypriority]

This is so horrific.

———————

I have been following Siro’s story for 30 years, ever since I went to interview her and four other rural midwives in India’s Bihar state in 1996.

They had been identified by a non-governmental organisation as being behind the murder of baby girls in the district of Katihar where, under pressure from the newborns’ parents, they were killing them by feeding them chemicals or simply wringing their necks.

Hakiya Devi, the eldest of the midwives I interviewed, told me at the time she had killed 12 or 13 babies. Another midwife, Dharmi Devi, admitted to killing more - at least 15-20.

It is impossible to ascertain the exact number of babies they may have killed, given the way the data was gathered.

But they featured in a report published in 1995 by an NGO, based on interviews with them and 30 other midwives. If the report’s estimates are accurate, more than 1,000 baby girls were being murdered every year in one district, by just 35 midwives. According to the report, Bihar at the time had more than half a million midwives. And infanticide was not limited to Bihar.

Refusing orders, Hakiya said, was almost never an option for a midwife.

“The family would lock the room and stand behind us with sticks,” says Hakiya Devi. “They’d say: ‘We already have four-five daughters. This will wipe out our wealth. Once we give dowry for our girls, we will starve to death. Now, another girl has been born. Kill her.’

“Who could we complain to? We were scared. If we went to the police, we’d get into trouble. If we spoke up, people would threaten us."

The role of a midwife in rural India is rooted in tradition, and burdened by the harsh realities of poverty and caste. The midwives I interviewed belonged to the lower castes in India’s caste hierarchy. Midwifery was a profession passed on to them by mothers and grandmothers. They lived in a world where refusing orders of powerful, upper-caste families was unthinkable.

The midwife could be promised a sari, a sack of grain or a small amount of money for killing a baby. Sometimes even that was not paid. The birth of a boy earned them about 1,000 rupees. The birth of a girl earned them half.

The reason for this imbalance was steeped in India’s custom of giving a dowry, they explained. Though the custom was outlawed in 1961, it still held strong in the 90s - and indeed continues into the present day.

A dowry can be anything - cash, jewellery, utensils. But for many families, rich or poor, it is the condition of a wedding. And this is what, for many, still makes the birth of a son a celebration and the birth of a daughter a financial burden.

Siro Devi, the only midwife of those I interviewed who is still alive, used a vivid physical image to explain this disparity in status.

“A boy is above the ground - higher. A daughter is below - lower. Whether a son feeds or takes care of his parents or not, they all want a boy.”

The preference for sons can be seen in India’s national-level data. Its most recent census, in 2011, recorded a ratio of 943 women to every 1,000 men. This is nevertheless an improvement on the 1990s - in the 1991 census, the ratio was 927/1,000.

By the time I finished filming the midwives’ testimonies in 1996, a small, silent change had begun. The midwives who once carried out these orders had started to resist. 

This change was instigated by Anila Kumari, a social worker who supported women in the villages around Katihar, and was dedicated to addressing the root causes of these killings.

Anila’s approach was simple. She asked the midwives, “Would you do this to your own daughter?”

Her question apparently pierced years of rationalisation and denial. The midwives got some financial help via community groups and gradually the cycle of violence was interrupted.

Siro, speaking to me in 2007, explained the change.

“Now, whoever asks me to kill, I tell them: ‘Look, give me the child, and I’ll take her to Anila Madam.’”

The midwives rescued at least five newborn girls from families who wanted them killed or had already abandoned them.

One child died, but Anila arranged for the other four to be sent to Bihar’s capital, Patna, to an NGO which organised their adoption.

The story could have ended there. But I wanted to know what had become of those girls who were adopted, and where life had taken them.

Anila’s records were meticulous but they had few details about post-adoption.

Working with a BBC World Service team, I got in touch with a woman called Medha Shekar who, back in the 90s, was researching infanticide in Bihar when the babies rescued by Anila and the midwives began arriving at her NGO. Remarkably, Medha was still in touch with a young woman who, she believed, was one of these rescued babies.

Anila told me that she had given all the girls saved by the midwives the prefix “Kosi” before their name, a homage to the Kosi river in Bihar. Medha remembered that Monica had been named with this “Kosi” prefix before her adoption.

The adoption agency would not let us look at Monica’s records, so we can never be sure. But her origins in Patna, her approximate date of birth and the prefix “Kosi” all point to the same conclusion: Monica is, in all probability, one of the five babies rescued by Anila and the midwives.

When I went to meet her at her parents’ home some 2,000km (1,242 miles) away in Pune, she said she felt lucky to have been adopted by a loving family.

“This is my definition of a normal happy life and I am living it,” she said.

Monica knew that she had been adopted from Bihar. But we were able to give her more details about the circumstances of her adoption.

Earlier this year, Monica travelled to Bihar to meet Anila and Siro. 

Monica saw herself as the culmination of years of hard work by Anila and the midwives.

“Someone prepares a lot to do well in an exam. I feel like that. They did the hard work and now they’re so curious to meet the result… So definitely, I would like to meet them.”

Anila wept tears of joy when she met Monica. But Siro’s response felt different.

She sobbed hard, holding Monica close and combing through her hair.

“I took you [to the orphanage] to save your life… My soul is at peace now,” she told her.

But when, a couple of days later, I attempted to press Siro about her reaction, she resisted further scrutiny.

“What happened in the past is in the past,” she said.

But what is not in the past is the prejudice some still hold against baby girls.

Reports of infanticide are now relatively rare, but sex-selective abortion remains common, despite being illegal since 1994.

If one listens to the traditional folk songs sung during childbirth, known as Sohar, in parts of north India, joy is reserved for the birth of a male child. Even in 2024, it is an effort to get local singers to change the lyrics so that the song celebrates the birth of a girl.

While we were filming our documentary, two baby girls were discovered abandoned in Katihar - one in bushes, another at the roadside, just a few hours old. One later died. The other was put up for adoption.

Before Monica left Bihar, she visited this baby in the Special Adoption Centre in Katihar.

She says she was haunted by the realisation that though female infanticide may have been reduced, abandoning baby girls continues.

“This is a cycle… I can see myself there a few years ago, and now again there’s some girl similar to me.”

But there were to be happier similarities too.

The baby has now been adopted by a couple in the north-eastern state of Assam. They have named her Edha, which means happiness.

“We saw her photo, and we were clear - a baby once abandoned cannot be abandoned twice,” says her adoptive father Gaurav, an officer in the Indian air force.

Every few weeks Gaurav sends me a video of Edha's latest antics. I sometimes share them with Monica.

Looking back, the 30 years spent on this story were never just about the past. It was about confronting uncomfortable truths. The past cannot be undone, but it can be transformed.

And in that transformation, there is hope.

[fashionlandscapeblog]

Jean Dubuffet

Chambre au Lit Sous L’arbre, 1977

Image: Ngoc Minh Ngo, © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

[gatheringbones]

[“Carceral feminists hold that if we could abolish prostitution through criminalising clients and managers, the trafficking of women would end, as there would be no sex trade to traffic them into. As the deputy prime minister of Sweden writes, ‘It is very obvious to us that there is a very clear link between prostitution and trafficking … Without prostitution there would be no trafficking of women.’ This perspective also views prostitution as intrinsically more horrifying than other kinds of work (including work that is ‘low-status’, exploitative, or low-paid), and as such, views attempting to abolish prostitution through criminal law as a worthwhile end in itself. For those who hold these views, defending sex workers’ rights is akin to defending trafficking.

In these conversations, trafficking becomes a battle between good and evil, monstrosity and innocence, replete with heavy-handed imagery of chains, ropes, and cuffs to signify enslavement and descriptors such as nefarious, wicked, villainous, and iniquitous. This ‘evil’ is driven by the aberrance of commercial sex and by anomalous (and distinctly racialised) ‘bad actors’: the individual villain, the pimp, the trafficker. A police officer summarises this approach as: ‘we’ll put all these pimps, all these traffickers in prison … and that’ll solve the problem’. Numerous images associated with modern anti-trafficking campaigns feature a white girl held captive by a Black man: he is a dark hand over her mouth or a looming, shadowy figure behind her.

Fancy-dress ‘pimp costumes’ offer a cartoonishly racist vision of 1970s Black masculinity, while American law-enforcement unashamedly use terms such as ‘gorilla pimp’ and link trafficking to rap music. There is a horror-movie entertainment quality to this at times: tourists can go on ‘sex-trafficking bus tours’ to shudder over locations where they’re told sexual violence has recently occurred (‘perhaps you are wondering where these crimes take place’) or buy an ‘awareness-raising’ sandwich featuring a naked woman with her body marked up as if for a butcher. Conventionally sexy nude women are depicted wrapped in tape or packed under plastic, with labels indicating ‘meat’.

Conversely, the victim is often presented with her ‘girlishness’ emphasised. Young women are styled to look pre-pubescent, in pigtails or hair ribbons, holding teddy bears. This imagery suggests another key preoccupation shared by modern and nineteenth-century anti-trafficking campaigners: innocence. A glance at the names chosen for police operations and NGOs highlights this: Lost Innocence, Saving Innocence, Freedom4Innocence, the Protected Innocence Challenge, Innocents at Risk, Restore Innocence, Rescue Innocence, Innocence for Sale.

For feminists, this preoccupation with feminine ‘innocence’ should be a red flag, not least because it speaks to a prurient interest in young women. Conversely, LGBTQ people, Black people, and deliberate prostitutes are often left out of the category of innocence, and as a result harm against people in these groups becomes less legible as harm. For example, a young Black man may face arrest rather than support; indeed, resources for runaway and homeless youth (whose realities are rather more complex than chains and ropes) were not included in the US Congress’s 2015 reauthorisation of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Anti-trafficking statutes often exclude deliberate prostitutes from the category of people able to seek redress, as to be a ‘legitimate’ trafficking victim requires innocence, and a deliberate prostitute, however harmed, cannot fulfil that requirement.”]

molly smith, juno mac, from revolting prostitutes: the fight for sex workers’ rights, 2018

[felipeandletizia]

December 24, 2024: King Felipe Christmas Message

Good evening and thank you for allowing me to accompany you for a few moments on such a special night of meeting and celebration, which I wish you, along with the Queen, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, to be happy and peaceful.

This Christmas Eve I would like to refer first, and I am sure you understand me, to the terrible Dana that almost two months ago struck with unusual force several areas of eastern and southern Spain, especially in Valencia.

The people who lost their lives and those who disappeared deserve all our respect and we must never forget the pain and sadness they have left in their families. Thousands of people saw how what until recently was their town, their neighborhood, their work, their home, their business, their school, was reduced to rubble or even disappeared. A difficult fact to accept, but from which we should all be able to draw the necessary lessons that strengthen us as a society and make us grow.

We must never forget those first images of the flood that swept everything away, the rescues of people, some sick, elderly or exhausted, who tried to get out of their cars or took refuge on roofs and terraces. We also saw those who opened their homes to welcome the most vulnerable, opposing the relentless force of water and mud with the overwhelming force of solidarity and humanity. Neighbours, volunteers, civil protection teams, firefighters, security forces, Armed Forces, NGOs, and also companies that organised collections and donations, even mobilising their staff and machinery… the help and collaboration of everyone is helping, little by little, the more than 800,000 people affected to gradually recover a certain degree of normality in their lives. And that the medium and long term be equally addressed to really ensure recovery We have recognized this solidarity in its purest and most concrete sense day after day in the enormous work of anonymous volunteers and public servants; and we have also seen - and understood - the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination of administrations. Because all these emotions - those that move and comfort and those that hurt and sadden - arise from the same root: the awareness of the common good, the expression of the common good, or the demand for the common good.

Above the eventual divergences and disagreements, a clear idea prevails in Spanish society of what is convenient, of what benefits everyone and that, for that reason, we have the interest and responsibility to protect and reinforce it. It is something that the Queen and I have been able to see and value even more throughout this decade of reign. It is the responsibility of all institutions, of all Public Administrations, to ensure that this notion of the common good continues to be clearly reflected in any discourse or any political decision. Consensus on what is essential, not only as a result, but also as a constant practice, must always guide the public sphere. Not to avoid the diversity of opinions, which is legitimate and necessary in democracy, but to prevent this diversity from leading to the denial of the existence of a shared space.

It is from this agreement on what is essential that we must address the issues that concern us and that affect us in ways that are different from our collective life. The growing international instability, the climate in which our public debate often takes place, the difficulties in accessing housing or the management of immigration are issues, among others, that deserve our attention and that I also want to address tonight.

Immigration is a complex phenomenon of great social sensitivity that responds to diverse causes. Without population movements throughout history, the societies of today could not be explained; they are open and interconnected societies. Migration, therefore, is an everyday reality and can lead – without proper management – ​​to tensions that erode social cohesion.

The effort to integrate, which is everyone's responsibility, respect – also by everyone – for the laws and basic rules of coexistence and civility, and recognition of the dignity that every human being deserves, are the pillars that must guide us when dealing with immigration. Without ever forgetting the firmness required to fight against the networks and mafias that traffic people. The way in which we are able to deal with immigration – which also requires good coordination with our European partners, as well as with the countries of origin and transit – will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.

Another issue that worries, especially the youngest, is the difficulty in accessing housing. Cities, especially large cities, act as growth poles and generate a demand that supply cannot satisfy. It is important, once again, that all the actors involved reflect, listen to each other, examine the different options and that this dialogue leads to solutions that facilitate access to housing in acceptable conditions, especially for the youngest and most unprotected, because this is the basis for security, the well-being of so many life projects. And we really can do it.

Our lives are also affected by an increasingly complex and changing – and even turbulent – ​​external scenario. We see how international law is too often questioned, violence is resorted to, the universality of human rights is denied or multilateralism is called into question to face the global challenges of our time, such as climate and environmental crises, pandemics, energy transition or trade and the scarcity of natural resources. We also see how the very validity of democracy as a system of government is questioned.

In this context, Spain and the other member states of the European Union must continue to defend with conviction and firmness, together with our international partners, the foundations of liberal democracy, the defence of human rights and the achievements in social welfare on which our great political project is based. Because Europe - the idea of ​​Europe - is an essential part of our shared identity, of the legacy that we owe to future generations. In a world in need of strong and cohesive actors, but above all of behaviour inspired by principles and values, Europe remains our most valuable reference.

And if we look inward, our great reference in Spain is the Constitution of 1978, its letter and its spirit. Agreement on the essentials was the fundamental principle that inspired it. Working for the common good is precisely preserving the great pact of coexistence where our democracy is affirmed and our rights and freedoms are enshrined, pillars of our Social and Democratic State of Law. Despite the time that has passed, the harmony that was the fruit of it continues to be our great foundation. Cultivating this spirit of consensus is necessary to strengthen our institutions and to maintain the trust of the whole society in them.

A pact of coexistence is protected by dialogue; this dialogue, with dignity and generosity, must always nourish the definition of the common will and the action of the State. That is why it is necessary that the political conflict, legitimate, but sometimes thunderous, does not prevent us from hearing an even more clamorous demand: a demand for serenity. Serenity in the public sphere and in daily life, to face collective or individual and family projects, to prosper, to care for and protect those who need it most. The recent reform of article 49 of the Constitution, referring to people with disabilities, is a good example of what we can achieve together. And we cannot allow discord to become a constant background noise that prevents us from hearing the true pulse of the citizenry.

You have heard me say it many times and I would like to repeat it again: Spain is a great country. A nation with a prodigious history, despite its dark chapters, and a model for democratic development in recent decades, even defeating the terrorist harassment that caused so many victims. A country with a present that, despite the much we still have to do, for example, in terms of poverty and social exclusion, is promising when observing the performance of our economy – in terms of, among others, growth, employment or exports – and the general level of our social well-being. And looking to the future, I sincerely believe that we Spaniards have enormous potential that should give us hope, both at the national level and on the international scene.

This future lies mainly in our youth, the same one that has made our name shine in the Olympic and Paralympic Games and in the last European Championship, the one that undertakes despite the difficulties and the one that is at the forefront of our science; The youth who respect our elders and their valuable experience, the youth who most insistently demand progress in terms of equality, the youth who prepare themselves in our schools, institutes, universities, vocational training centres, to enter the labour market with energy despite the youth unemployment figures; the youth, in short, who seek opportunities and overcome obstacles based on merit and effort. But above all, the youth who have filled us with pride by turning out in droves to give their best in the streets of the towns affected by the DANA.

With this spirit of work and commitment to what belongs to everyone, to the common good, I end my words and return to the beginning. I return to all the municipalities and regions affected by the floods, in many of which there is still so much to do, where the need of the neighbours is so great that it makes all efforts seem small, even without losing hope.

May the solidarity that has united us in the most difficult moments continue to be present in every gesture, in every action, in every decision. May aid reach all those who need it, so that they can rebuild the future for which they have fought so hard, facing with courage and dignity the challenges of a sometimes implacable present. The sooner we achieve this, the more we will strengthen our sense of community, our feeling of country. Because the memory of the path taken, confidence in the present and hope for the future are an unavoidable part, perhaps the most valuable, but also the most delicate, of our common good.

May the spirit of these days of meeting and coexistence remain in the new year and may you have - I wish you, together with the Queen and our daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia - a very Merry Christmas.

Eguberri On, Bon Nadal, Happy Holidays.

[vadersgrl]

a snake in my eden

summary: in anakin’s mind, he was living the perfect life. until padmé came along and everything started to fall apart, including his marriage.

content warning: cheating, p in v sex, slow burning sex (kinda like really slow), age difference (anakin is 35 and padme is 23), mean girl padmé, married anakin, anidala endgame.

wc: 5.1k

chapter two.

I.

The previous meeting for Padmé’s presentation had gone very well. Now, she walked almost skipping through the company’s hallways, with a slight smile on her face that did no justice to the whirlwind of emotions bubbling inside her.

As her first initial task, Amee had assigned Padmé to a team handling a small refugee assistance project. Her job was to manage the finances allocated to them. It was a very simple task, which she quickly completed. It only consisted of recording in a spreadsheet all the financial support the NGO would be receiving to help in that area.

But it wasn’t the prospect of a simple task that delighted Padmé. The real reason was that any matter involving the NGO’s finances had to go through Anakin’s hands, who reviewed all the paperwork before giving final approval to Amee.

This meant that, although it wasn’t a rule, employees handling such reports usually had a private meeting with Anakin. He would evaluate the work done and decide whether it was good enough to be forwarded to Amee. Knowing this, it was obvious Padmé wouldn’t miss the opportunity to be alone in a room with him for a good few minutes. Even if it was just to talk about numbers, she was determined to take advantage of any chance to be with him, no matter how boring the subject might be.

Padmé stepped into the elevator and quickly descended to the large cafeteria, where many employees were taking a coffee break. Deciding to eat something before meeting Anakin, she headed to the counter, grabbed her snack, and sat at a secluded table. With a small sweet roll in hand and a paper cup full of coffee, she enjoyed the moment while observing those around her, preferring not to approach anyone for now.

Padmé finished eating quickly and, as soon as she threw the cup into the trash, checked the time on her wristwatch. The moment to see Anakin had finally arrived.

Before heading up to the meeting room, Padmé took a quick detour to the restroom. She fixed her hair, retouched her lipstick, and pulled up her dress a little, smiling at the angelic reflection she saw in the mirror. With confidence, she gracefully walked toward her future.

II.

The clock on the wall read almost ten in the morning when Anakin arrived at the meeting room, carrying a heavy folder full of documents. His expression was calm, but his mind was focused on ending the conversation as quickly as possible. Amee had insisted that Padmé would be an essential addition to the team and had already delegated small tasks to her. This wasn’t necessarily a problem, just an inconvenience, as the department Padmé was going to work in was directly linked to Anakin. He managed all financial matters for Amee, which forced him to work directly with Padmé for long hours.

When he entered, he found her already seated, elegantly leaning over a pile of papers. The black dress she wore contrasted with the soft light streaming through the large windows, and the neckline held Anakin’s gaze against his will. Her loose hair framed her angelic face, and she seemed completely absorbed in what she was reading, a perfect image of professionalism and innocence. Anakin couldn’t stop his eyes from trailing down the length of her crossed, pale legs, lingering on the firm thighs hidden by the dress. He felt ashamed when the thought of what kind of lingerie she might be wearing under such tight fabric crossed his mind.

“Good morning, Mr. Skywalker,” Padmé said softly, lifting her gaze and smiling slightly. Her voice was calm, sweet, and Anakin felt a slight discomfort take hold of his body. It was strange how she seemed so at ease around him, while he felt a tension in the air so strong and thick it could be cut with a knife.

“Good morning, Padmé. Is everything ready? Shall we begin?” he asked, watching her nod in agreement.

They spent the next hour discussing the details of the spreadsheet Padmé had prepared. It was a short and simple document, but she always seemed to have many questions, which stretched the meeting longer than Anakin thought necessary.

The entire time, he tried to focus, but her movements were… unsettling. Anakin found himself averting his gaze countless times from her body. The thought of bending her over that table and taking every part of her for himself crossed his mind and fled so quickly that he questioned whether he had truly thought it or not.

Padmé seemed oblivious to Anakin’s internal struggles. She crossed her legs with the ease of someone unaware of the impact of her gestures, maintaining a calm and innocent expression on her face as the fabric of her dress subtly rose, exposing her delicate thighs.

He quickly looked away, trying to stop himself from continuing with any improper thoughts, but his mind insisted on betraying him.

Working with Padmé was a challenge to Anakin’s sanity. With every smile, every time she tilted her head to listen closely, more obscene thoughts crossed his mind, and the guilt only grew. To him, Padmé was pure as an angel, so young and innocent. He knew he shouldn’t see her any other way.

Anakin thought he was doing a good job of being discreet, but Padmé always caught his eyes when he lifted them to her face, just after shifting his focus from her legs. In those moments when their gazes met, for a brief instant, he saw a glimpse of something more: a spark of desire that seemed to shine within her. This led him to believe she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. And Anakin began to question whether he was imagining the occasional glances that seemed to last longer than necessary, or the way she adjusted her dress, running the tips of her fingers along her thighs before pulling the fabric down to cover the exposed skin. It was as if she wasn’t even aware of what she was doing, but the movements were so calculated they couldn’t be merely accidental.

Even so, Anakin quickly pushed those thoughts away, feeling disgusted with himself for even considering that Padmé — sweet and gentle Padmé, who had done nothing but treat him with respect — might be trying to seduce him.

No, that little girl with such big, innocent eyes could never be capable of something so vile.

III.

Padmé stifled a sigh as she lifted her eyes from the paper she was pretending to read and looked at Anakin. He was sitting stiffly beside her, eyebrows furrowed, furiously typing something on his phone. Since the start of the meeting, Anakin had refused to look at her for more than a few seconds.

At first, Padmé found it amusing to watch such a big, powerful man turn into a shy figure in her presence. However, as time went on and Anakin seemed to prefer giving attention to anything other than interacting with her, irritation began to surface. There would be no progress if he continued to refuse to let her get closer.

“Mr. Skywalker, I couldn’t quite understand this part here,” Padmé said, rolling her chair until her knees touched Anakin’s. Holding a sheet of paper and putting on the most confused expression she could muster, she continued, “Could you help me?”

Anakin lifted his eyes from the phone, leaving the device unlocked on the table. The screen showed an open conversation with Amee. Padmé had to summon all the self-control she had not to let her confused expression shift into one of disgust. A bitter feeling invaded her as she imagined Anakin exchanging messages with Amee while he was there with her.

She leaned forward slightly, smiling internally as she noticed the look of desire that passed through Anakin’s eyes when he spent too much time staring at her neckline.

“Of course, Miss Naberrie,” he replied nervously, pulling back slightly until their legs were no longer touching. Then, he began patiently explaining the question Padmé had already resolved on her own several minutes ago.

Although Anakin was reluctant to let her get closer, Padmé still felt that everything was going according to plan. She knew that a man like him wouldn’t be easy to win over. A simple game of seduction, where he fell quickly, wouldn’t be any fun. She liked the challenge, the fight for what she wanted.

Every gesture, every movement she made was calculated to drive him crazy. And she knew she was succeeding, that she was getting closer to him, slowly, without raising suspicion. But deep down, Padmé was human and couldn’t avoid the frustration she felt when she realized that, despite his evident desire, Anakin resisted. He saw her as something unattainable, a forbidden desire, and that reluctance only encouraged her to keep going.

With a mischievous smile, Padmé uncrossed her legs and let the pen she was holding drop to the floor. When Anakin bent down to pick it up, she pretended to get up at the same time, feeling his nose brush lightly against the skin of her thighs. Quickly, she crossed her legs again and adopted an expression of false embarrassment when their eyes met.

“I-I’m so sorry, Mr. Skywalker,” Padmé stammered, her voice laden with innocence. “I didn’t mean to…”

Anakin was red, and the hand he extended to return the pen to her was trembling. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again, suddenly rising from his chair.

“I believe we’ve resolved everything that needed to be addressed, and that I’ve answered all your questions,” he said, nervously adjusting his suit. His restless hands smoothed the fabric as he spoke, “I’m afraid our meeting ends here for today. Have a great day, Miss Naberrie.”

Padmé watched as Anakin hurried out of the room. She couldn’t suppress the anger that took over her face, coloring her cheeks red. He was proving more difficult to break than she had imagined. Perhaps it was time to recalculate her approach.

IV.

Padmé quickened her pace as she spotted Amee turning the corner toward the company cafeteria.

The woman walked elegantly in low heels, her blonde hair tied in a flawless bun, and heavy makeup on her face. Despite her beauty, the lines on her mature face and the melancholic expression she carried were impossible to hide.

It was the melancholy of loneliness. And although Padmé was someone with a large social circle, she sometimes recognized that same look in her own reflection. For a brief moment, she felt a pang of sympathy for the older woman, but she quickly shook her head, pushing the thought away. She quickly reminded herself of the reason she was there and allowed the bitter feeling of envy to replace the pity—the envy that consumed her whenever she thought about the woman who slept in Anakin’s arms every night.

Forcing a friendly smile, Padmé placed her hand on Amee’s shoulder as she caught up to her. The woman stopped immediately, turning back with a confused expression that quickly gave way to surprise upon recognizing her.

“Padmé, my dear, hi!” Amee gave a big smile. “You and Anakin have already finished the meeting?”

“Yes, Mrs…” Padmé closed her eyes quickly, pretending to be embarrassed, and forced a shy smile. “Yes, Amee.”

Padmé loved doing that. She had noticed Amee’s insecurity about her age and appearance, evidenced by the heavy makeup and overly modest clothes. That’s why she always called her “ma’am” before correcting herself, feigning innocence and naivety but subtly undermining the other woman’s confidence.

“Are you going to eat?” Padmé asked, adding a slight pout to her lips. “I was heading to the cafeteria and thought we could eat together, since I don’t know many people here yet.”

Amee hesitated for a moment but soon gave a small smile and replied:

“Of course, my dear! Why not? Let’s go.”

The two walked side by side to the cafeteria and, after sitting at a more secluded table, began talking while eating.

“So, what do you think of your first day at work?” Amee asked, breaking the silence.

“It’s wonderful! So much more than I imagined.” Padmé gestured enthusiastically. “It feels like this is the place I was always meant to be. But, of course, I think I owe much of that to you. You’re an incredible boss, Amee, and I’m so grateful that you believed in me and gave me this opportunity.”

“I’m glad to hear that. From the moment we talked at dinner, I knew you’d be perfect for this job.” Amee gave a modest smile. “And thank you for the compliment, but you owe me nothing. I just recognize talent when I see it, and without a doubt, you radiate talent, Padmé.”

Padmé lowered her head, as if shy, while smiling gratefully. Then the two returned to eating in a comfortable silence.

The days passed, and Padmé slowly embedded herself into Amee’s routine. Being pleasant, smiling, and appearing helpful came easily, and soon she became a comforting shoulder for the lonely and needy woman. Amee, always so busy with her responsibilities, began to see Padmé as a confidante.

Having coffee together in the cafeteria became a habit. Sometimes, they even had lunch at a restaurant near the company, and on a day off, Padmé accompanied Amee on a walk through the park. As the months went by, their relationship quickly grew stronger. Convinced that Padmé was trustworthy, Amee began to relax and share more and more of her routine with her.

“I’ll confess something,” Amee said one afternoon as they drank coffee on the terrace of the NGO building. “At first, I felt a bit jealous of you.”

“Of me?” Padmé replied with a soft laugh, as if the idea were absurd. “Why?”

“Anakin… He… well, our marriage isn’t at its best, you know? I think we’ve hit the infamous ten-year crisis.” She gave a small laugh, trying to appear carefree, but Padmé noticed the truth behind her light tone. “I thought he might be, I don’t know, interested in you in some way.”

Padmé furrowed her brow, feigning surprise. “Oh, Amee, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Your husband is… He’s an exceptional man, but he has never given me that kind of impression. I admire you two as a couple so much, truly. You’re an inspiration to me. It would never even cross my mind to approach your husband in that way.”

The lie slid so easily from Padmé’s lips that, for a moment, she almost believed her own words.

Amee smiled, seeming satisfied. “I know that now. You’re different, Padmé. But I think I needed to hear that from you to feel at ease. I consider you a great friend, and I’m so happy to have you around.”

“I’m happy about that too,” Padmé responded with a sweet smile. But inwardly, her smile was malicious, knowing she was getting closer and closer to achieving her goal.

V.

Although she was closer to Amee than anyone else had ever been, Padmé still hadn’t made significant progress in getting closer to Anakin. He seemed to avoid her like the plague, giving her no more than a few discreet glances when he thought she wasn’t looking.

She tried everything. She delivered incorrect reports, hoping to be called into his office for a scolding, but the papers came back to her corrected, as if nothing had happened. She tried to strike up conversations when she found him at the coffee machine, but before she could even think of flirting, Anakin would down the hot liquid in one go and walk away as if she were carrying a contagious disease. No matter what Padmé did, he always found a way to escape her grasp and block any attempts at interaction.

But the perfect opportunity came a few weeks later. Padmé was desperate for his attention; she needed, at the very least, a sliver of Anakin’s focus, or she would surely perish.

In desperate situations, desperate measures must be taken. That’s why she didn’t blame herself when she spent an entire day planning an “accident” at her apartment, which, with luck, would bring her directly to Anakin. All it took was leaving a few scented candles burning under the curtain before leaving for work, and boom! A small fire started, rendering the place uninhabitable for weeks.

When she got home and saw the situation, Padmé called her “best friend,” her voice dripping with feigned despair, enough to touch Amee’s kind heart. Amee insisted on helping her:

“You’re not going to stay alone in a hotel at a time when you’re so fragile, Padmé. Come stay at my house until everything is resolved. I’m sure Anakin won’t mind, and we have plenty of guest rooms,” Amee said. Padmé pretended to hesitate for a while before accepting.

Now, installed in the Skywalker penthouse, Padmé felt closer than ever to achieving what she wanted. She made herself helpful, assisting with household tasks, though maids came every day to take care of the house. In NGO meetings, she was always prepared, knowing exactly what to say and when to say it. Meanwhile, she continued to subtly provoke Anakin.

He, however, seemed far from pleased with his wife’s decision to house Padmé but voiced no objections when Amee informed him she would stay until her apartment was renovated.

Six days had passed since her arrival. When she didn’t see Anakin, the days were tedious and empty, nothing special happening to mark her routine.

That night, leaving her room, Padmé descended the stairs toward the living room, looking around and finding the rooms empty. Amee always retired early, and Padmé didn’t know how Anakin had been before her arrival. But now, he spent his days locked in the office.

Walking to the kitchen, she thought about grabbing something to eat before heading back to her room to wither away in bed, thinking about Anakin. But this time, the universe seemed to be on her side.

Sitting on one of the high chairs at the counter, with a laptop open in front of him and a focused expression as he typed quickly, was Anakin. In all his glory, he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of sweatpants.

Padmé stopped in the doorway and allowed herself to take in the casual sight of him, imagining the day when such a scene would be a regular occurrence. Anakin working from home, her admiring him, the two of them together and in love.

Sighing dreamily, she approached, letting the thin strap of her nightgown slip off her shoulder. She checked if the fabric was sheer enough to reveal the shape of her nipples and stifled an irritated huff upon realizing it wasn’t.

“Still working, Mr. Skywalker?”

Anakin startled, his eyes widening upon recognizing her presence.

“Yes… I couldn’t finish everything at the office, so I brought some home to finalize.” He made a move to get up, but Padmé stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“Does my presence bother you, sir?” Padmé struggled to put a sorrowful expression on her face. “Every time I arrive, you leave… If I’m bothering you, please tell me. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in your own home. I can go to a hotel with no problem. In fact, I was going to a hotel, but Amee was so convincing in saying it wouldn’t be a problem for me to stay here…” She lowered her head. “I wouldn’t have accepted her kindness if I knew you weren’t okay with it.”

Padmé began to pull her hand from his shoulder, but before her touch could leave his skin, Anakin moved closer, keeping his hand there before gently holding her chin between his thumb and index finger, lifting her face. He glanced over Padmé’s slender body, licking his lips as he noticed the strap of her dress falling, and ran his hand down her arm to her shoulder, where he placed the strap back in place.

“It’s not that, Padmé…” He sighed deeply. “Your presence here would never be a bother, I promise. The problem is that I…” Anakin quickly fell silent, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh from his lips. “I just… Well, it’s nothing, forget it. Just know that you would never be a bother to me. Please, don’t think those things about yourself.”

His gaze dropped to her lips, and for a moment, Padmé felt her world stop. She tilted her head toward him and closed her eyes, waiting for a contact that never came. Anakin released her chin and ran his fingers over her cheeks before pulling away abruptly. He quickly gathered his things from the counter, not giving her a final look, and ran up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door with a thud that Padmé could hear from downstairs.

She closed her eyes, the ghost of his touch still warm on her skin, and a single tear slowly rolled down her cheek as the hatred burned inside her. Anakin would be hers, and she was tired of waiting to have him.

VI.

That night, while Anakin was reading some reports in the living room, Padmé passed by him with a towel in hand, on her way to the bath. She had her own bathroom in the room Amee had provided for her, but she preferred to use the one at the end of the hallway, which gave her the chance to put on a little show for Anakin whenever he was in the living room.

As always, she wore a short, thin dress, with her hair falling in loose waves down her back, swaying back and forth as she walked.

“Good night, Mr. Skywalker,” she said with a gentle smile.

Anakin just nodded, trying to focus on what he was reading, but his eyes followed Padmé for a brief moment. He looked and thought about how her ass managed to look so round in that little dress, his hands itching to grab the flesh and squeeze it until his fingerprints were permanently tattooed on Padmé’s soft skin. He pushed aside the uncomfortable sensation taking over his head, taking a deep breath to calm himself and ease the hardness that was beginning to show in his pants, blaming himself for letting his mind wander and blaming Padmé for being the cause of it before forcing himself to stop such thoughts. Padmé was naive and innocent. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Nothing. And she wasn’t to blame for his perversions.

But moments later, when Amee had already gone to bed and he was heading back to his room, Padmé crossed his path again in the hallway. The dress she had worn earlier was gone, replaced by another one, very similar, sliding over her thighs and accentuating the curves of her small body, clinging to her like a second skin. When he raised his eyes and hers met his, Anakin felt that, deep down, something had broken, and he suspected it was his self-control.

He tried to pull away, but Padmé was too close, smelled too good, looked too beautiful. Anakin had to clench his hands at his sides in a tight grip, or the urge to run his fingers over her milky-soft skin would get the better of him.

Padmé took a step forward, reducing the distance between them until only a few centimeters separated them. The air was thick, seeming to weigh tons, heavy with tension, while Anakin remained still, torn between reason and the desire growing more and more inside him, roaring like a chained dragon desperate to break free and take what was being offered.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes half-closed in an expression so needy that the hardness Anakin had struggled so much to ease in his pants earlier came back with a vengeance, making his underwear tight as an electric current seemed to flow through his veins, replacing his blood. The soft scent of her skin hit Anakin like a blow, throwing him off balance for a few moments before he focused on her again, now seeing her big, bright eyes wide open, holding his gaze with a vulnerability so seductive it triggered the most primal instincts of Anakin’s masculinity, disarming any resistance he still tried to muster.

“Anakin…” Her voice came out in a whisper so soft that Anakin wouldn’t have heard it if they weren’t so close, the sweet sound slipping into his ears like a melody, almost like a plea.

Anakin didn’t respond, but his breathing grew heavier, almost audible in the stillness of the hallway. He knew he should walk away, break the moment and run to the room he shared with his wife, but something within him refused to move.

Then Padmé raised her hand and placed it on his chest, his heart beating right beneath her small palm. Her fingers, light and almost hesitant, were warm enough to make his entire body react. That was the last barrier to break. Anakin could no longer resist, not with her touch so gentle on his chest. Before any rational thought could pass through his mind and stop him from continuing what he was planning, Anakin lowered his face toward hers, and their lips finally met.

The kiss began hesitantly, as if they were both testing the limits of what was allowed, knowing they were crossing a dangerous line. But it quickly became intense, their mouths moving in a synchronicity that felt as if they had known each other for centuries. Padmé’s lips had a softness Anakin had never experienced before, moving with a mix of sweetness and firmness that momentarily erased any self-control he had been trying to maintain.

He brought his hands to her face, his fingers running over her soft skin in a caress as gentle as a feather, holding her as though he wanted to etch the moment into his memory forever. Padmé responded with equal intensity, pressing her small body against Anakin’s larger frame, feeling herself disappear into his strong arms, the growing heat between them contrasting with the coldness of the night.

Her fingers slowly climbed up his chest until they reached his nape, gripping every inch they could find. The desire to take a piece of Anakin for herself consumed her; she wanted to be bound to him forever, wanted them to be one. She pulled him closer, tightening her grip in his hair, pressing him against her until their bodies were fused together.

Anakin ran his hands down the length of her spine, grabbing her ass in such a strong grip that Padmé felt her skin spill through his fingers and smiled in satisfaction. For Padmé, kissing Anakin was like scratching an itch she had had for a long time, like finally feeding alcohol to the embers glowing faintly within her, now burning into hot flames thanks to his touch.

She felt Anakin pull away to breathe, but she didn’t give him the chance to think about anything other than her before joining their mouths again in an intense kiss, feeling her body pressed against the wall and covered by his imposing presence. Then Anakin slid his hands behind her knees and lifted her into the air, with Padmé wrapping her legs around his waist and grinding against the growing hardness she felt beneath her. She moaned into his lips as he responded to her movements with slight thrusts, driving her to rub against him even more, a trembling sigh escaping her as she felt the wetness pooling between her legs and her entrance clenching around nothing, desperate to envelop him in her warm heat.

Padmé released Anakin’s neck and found one of his hands, which was supporting her thighs, guiding it to her breast. She closed both their palms over her soft mound and felt him squeeze firmly, his rough thumb drawing circles around her nipple. Separating their mouths for a moment to throw her head back in a high, needy moan, Padmé seemed to break the fog clouding Anakin’s perception, causing him to release her body with almost inhuman speed, leaving her trembling as she tried to steady herself on weak legs.

Both were panting, Anakin’s eyes fixed on hers as if searching her face for an explanation for what had just happened.

Padmé smiled faintly, a smile that seemed to blend innocence with something deeper, more enigmatic, something Anakin wasn’t sure he wanted to uncover. “I… don’t know what to say,” she murmured, her voice carrying a false confusion that clashed with the victorious feeling she savored like the sweetest fruit within her.

Anakin stepped back, distancing himself from her as if the very idea of contact between them might burn his skin. He ran a hand through his hair, nervous, his eyes unfocused as he tried to reorganize his thoughts. “This… this shouldn’t have happened. What have I done?”

Anakin looked at Padmé one last time, shaking his head before walking quickly to the bedroom he shared with Amee, shutting the door with a loud bang, not caring if he woke his wife.

Padmé watched him walk away with a smile so wide it seemed it might tear her face in two. She ran her hand through her hair, her neck, her lips, her breasts, and finally reached between her legs, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back with a laugh that escaped like a dreamy sigh, imagining his touch instead of hers and believing it was his hands that had roamed her body just seconds before.

Looking at the closed door, Padmé laughed as she had never laughed in her entire life, her body doubling over with the force of the laughter that brought tears to her eyes.

At last, she felt that a part of her that had always been missing had finally found its way to fill her. She walked to her room, bouncing lightly on her feet, a happiness overflowing from her chest, creating a stark contrast with the room at the end of the hallway, where, as he laid his head on the pillow beside his wife, Anakin felt his heart racing and regret coursing through his body.

But the worst part of it all was that Anakin’s regret wasn’t for the great mistake he had made, but for the certainty that he had awakened a flame within himself that he would never be able to extinguish.

previous chapter.

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[thinkingimages]

Taysir Batniji, Disruptions. Loose Joints (publisher) February, 2024 

Between 2015 and 2017, Palestinian artist Taysir Batniji lived in Europe and communicated via video calls with his relatives remaining in Gaza. In a series of “glitched” photographs, he captured the degradation of images due to the Internet connection.

At the time of these calls, the serie exposed the limits of digital communication in order to maintaining family ties and related the heartbreak of seeing his homeland only through altered images. Published by Loose Joints in February 2024, it takes on a new dimension. The artist produced images anticipating the destruction of Gaza City, the cutting off of communications, and the tragic loss of loved ones. Beyond the artist’s intimate family sphere, the images today evoke a loss of collective vision.

Announced on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Loose Joints is releasing “Disruptions” with profit going to the NGO Medical Aid for Palestinians.

With an essay in French, Arabic and English by Taous R. Dahmani Softcover 15.5 × 21.6 cm

[fightingalgth8rs]

I’m in love with the (ex) ngo’s latest post about David’s win at WOS Awards. And the comments! There’s nothing to say really, it just needs to be quoted in full because every sentence is a gem.

Apparently he’s humiliated himself by mentioning his wife in his acceptance speech, it’s self-sabotage, and in front of the whole industry! embarrassing, his agent needs to take him aside and let him know he’s ruining his image with his constant wife praise, stop it, his agent was the one who made him do it, this schtick (praising his wife) got oooold, David, it has its own beard (beard, lol, get it? cuz his wife is a beard and him praising her is like her own little heterosexual beard. Hilarious, I know)

And in the end I gotta just quote ngo’s whole comment under the post because it’s fucking golden:

“I watched the video so happy for him and he just had to fuck it at the end with the usual shtick of humiliation and it put me off. And that humiliation is always linked to one particular person who always does it to him too. But this is professional setting, so many people from the industry watching him, and yet again he shits on himself.”

David, be extra careful. You’re starting to piss ngo off with your humiliating wife mentioning. She was so happy and you just had to shit on her parade (and on yourself)! She wants only the best for you — to leave your family, to publicly humiliate your wife a couple of times and live happily ever after with your Welsh dragon! Yet you insist on undermining all her efforts to bring you happiness by pretending to be happy with your pathetic wife instead. Any more of that and you risk angering ngo for real! She might even decide to drop you from her pantheon, and what are you gonna do then? You’ll be RUINED. RUINED.

I physically did not want to believe this so I went and looked and …yeah…yeah. Jokes aren’t allowed and neither is appreciating your wife. Having a healthy and humorous relationship really seems to hurt ngo. KEEP IT GOING!! Also yeah still calling her NGO despite the whole “I’m now nightempire” just like we kept calling LCB that after the whole “dejadestalkearmeloser”

can we just appreciate the look of love on his face the second Georgia is mentioned and he looks at her behind the camera? NGO Losing like them Chiefs did