#normes de construction

[nfavocats]

Comment éviter les litiges en matière de construction immobilière

Comment éviter les litiges en matière de construction immobilière

https://nf-avocats.fr/comment-eviter-les-litiges-en-matiere-de-construction-immobiliere/

#Assurances, #Conformité, #ConseilsJuridiques, #ConseilsPratiques, #ConstructionImmobilière, #ContratsDeConstruction, #DroitDeLaConstruction, #DroitImmobilier, #EnjeuxJuridiques, #Étapes, #ExpertiseEnBâtiment, #GestionDeProjet, #Immobilier, #Législation, #Les, #Litiges, #Médiation, #NormesDeConstruction, #Obligations, #ObligationsContractuelles, #Pour, #Prendre, #PréventionDesLitiges, #Propriétaire, #RédactionDeContrat, #Réglementation, #RelationsEntreParties, #RésolutionDeConflits, #Travaux

[toilettechimiques]

Location et Vente de Toilettes Chimiques au Maroc

Vous avez un événement en plein air prévu ? Vous travaillez sur un chantier de construction éloigné ? Les toilettes chimiques peuvent être la solution idéale pour répondre à vos besoins en matière d'assainissement. Dans cet article, nous explorerons les différentes options de location et de vente de toilettes chimiques au Maroc, en détaillant leurs avantages et en vous aidant à faire un choix éclairé.

Qu'est-ce qu'une toilette chimique ?

Définition et fonctionnement

Une toilette chimique est un dispositif portatif d'assainissement, utilisé principalement dans des endroits dépourvus d'installations sanitaires fixes. Ces toilettes utilisent des produits chimiques pour désinfecter et décomposer les déchets, offrant une solution hygiénique et pratique.

Avantages des toilettes chimiques

Les toilettes chimiques sont faciles à installer et à utiliser, nécessitant peu ou pas de connexion à l'eau courante ou à l'électricité. Elles sont également écologiques lorsqu'elles sont utilisées correctement, avec des produits chimiques conçus pour minimiser l'impact environnemental.

Pourquoi opter pour une toilette chimique au Maroc ?

Contexte sanitaire au Maroc

Le Maroc, avec sa diversité de paysages et d'événements en plein air, a un besoin constant de solutions sanitaires portables. Que ce soit pour des festivals, des mariages en extérieur, ou des travaux de construction, les toilettes chimiques sont indispensables.

Besoins spécifiques du marché marocain

Le marché marocain présente des défis uniques, tels que des zones rurales éloignées et des événements de grande envergure nécessitant des installations sanitaires temporaires mais fiables. Les toilettes chimiques répondent parfaitement à ces besoins grâce à leur mobilité et leur efficacité.

Location de toilettes chimiques au Maroc

Avantages de la location

La location de toilettes chimiques offre une flexibilité inégalée. Vous pouvez les louer pour une période spécifique, réduisant ainsi les coûts associés à l'achat et à l'entretien. De plus, la location inclut souvent des services de nettoyage et de maintenance.

Types de toilettes chimiques disponibles à la location

Toilettes portables standards

Les toilettes portables standards sont idéales pour les événements de petite à moyenne taille. Elles sont robustes et offrent une solution de base mais efficace pour les besoins sanitaires.

Toilettes de luxe

Pour les événements plus prestigieux, des toilettes chimiques de luxe sont disponibles. Elles offrent des commodités supplémentaires telles que des lavabos intégrés, des miroirs et un design plus esthétique.

Processus de location

Étapes à suivre

Le processus de location commence par une évaluation de vos besoins. Contactez une entreprise de location de toilettes chimiques, décrivez votre événement ou votre chantier, et discutez des options disponibles.

Coûts associés

Les coûts de location varient en fonction de la durée, du type de toilette chimique et des services supplémentaires tels que le nettoyage régulier. Il est essentiel de demander un devis détaillé pour éviter les surprises.

Vente de toilettes chimiques au Maroc

Pourquoi acheter une toilette chimique ?

Acheter une toilette chimique peut être plus économique à long terme, surtout si vous organisez régulièrement des événements ou si vous travaillez sur des chantiers de construction permanents. Cela vous offre également la liberté de personnaliser et de gérer l'entretien selon vos besoins.

Options d'achat

Toilettes neuves

Les toilettes neuves garantissent la meilleure qualité et la dernière technologie. Elles sont idéales si vous recherchez une solution durable et fiable.

Toilettes d'occasion

Les toilettes d'occasion peuvent être une option économique tout en offrant une fonctionnalité adéquate. Assurez-vous simplement de vérifier leur état et leur entretien préalable.

Prix des toilettes chimiques

Le prix des toilettes chimiques varie en fonction de leur type, de leur marque et de leurs fonctionnalités. Il est crucial de comparer différentes options et de considérer à la fois le coût initial et les dépenses d'entretien.

Où acheter des toilettes chimiques au Maroc ?

De nombreuses entreprises spécialisées proposent la vente de toilettes chimiques au Maroc. Vous pouvez les trouver en ligne ou via des recommandations locales. Assurez-vous de vérifier les avis des clients et les services après-vente.

Facteurs à considérer lors de la location ou de l'achat

Qualité et durabilité

La qualité est primordiale pour garantir la longévité de votre toilette chimique. Optez pour des modèles robustes et bien construits, adaptés aux conditions locales.

Entretien et maintenance

Un bon entretien prolonge la durée de vie de votre toilette chimique. Assurez-vous que des services de maintenance réguliers sont disponibles, que vous louiez ou achetiez.

Conformité aux normes sanitaires

Vérifiez que la toilette chimique respecte les normes sanitaires en vigueur. Cela garantit non seulement la sécurité des utilisateurs mais également le respect de l'environnement.

Utilisations courantes des toilettes chimiques au Maroc

Événements en plein air

Les toilettes chimiques sont couramment utilisées lors de festivals, de mariages en extérieur et de concerts, offrant une solution pratique et hygiénique.

Chantiers de construction

Sur les chantiers, où les installations permanentes ne sont pas disponibles, les toilettes chimiques sont essentielles pour maintenir des conditions de travail sanitaires.

Sites touristiques et campings

Les sites touristiques et les campings, souvent éloignés des infrastructures urbaines, bénéficient grandement des toilettes chimiques, offrant un confort supplémentaire aux visiteurs.

Comment choisir la bonne toilette chimique ?

Identifier vos besoins

Définissez clairement vos besoins en termes de capacité, de fréquence d'utilisation et de type d'événement ou de site.

Comparer les modèles

Comparez différents modèles de toilettes chimiques en fonction de leurs caractéristiques, de leur prix et de leur durabilité.

Consulter les avis des utilisateurs

Les avis et les retours d'expérience d'autres utilisateurs peuvent fournir des informations précieuses pour faire le bon choix.

Conclusion

Les toilettes chimiques représentent une solution pratique et flexible pour de nombreux besoins sanitaires au Maroc. Que vous choisissiez de louer ou d'acheter, il est essentiel de prendre en compte vos besoins spécifiques, la qualité des produits et les services offerts. En suivant les conseils de cet article, vous serez bien équipé pour faire un choix éclairé.

FAQs

Quelle est la durée de vie d'une toilette chimique ?

La durée de vie d'une toilette chimique dépend de sa qualité et de son entretien, mais elle peut généralement durer de 5 à 10 ans.

Comment entretenir une toilette chimique ?

Pour entretenir une toilette chimique, il est important de vider régulièrement le réservoir, de nettoyer les surfaces avec des produits adaptés et de remplacer les produits chimiques désinfectants selon les instructions du fabricant.

Est-il préférable de louer ou d'acheter une toilette chimique pour un événement ?

Pour un événement unique ou occasionnel, la location est souvent plus économique et pratique. Pour des besoins réguliers, l'achat peut s'avérer plus rentable à long terme.

Les toilettes chimiques sont-elles respectueuses de l'environnement ?

Les toilettes chimiques modernes utilisent des produits désinfectants respectueux de l'environnement et sont conçues pour minimiser leur impact écologique.

Où puis-je trouver des services de location de toilettes chimiques au Maroc ?

Vous pouvez trouver des services de location de toilettes chimiques en recherchant en ligne, en consultant des annuaires professionnels, ou en demandant des recommandations auprès de prestataires d'événements et de construction locaux.

[your-gay-grandma]

Butch/Femme history and culture introduction (written by a femme lesbian, deeply in love with being so)

💖Ideal for people immersing themselves in lesbian culture for the first time

🤍This post will contain brief summarising information about butch/femme culture and history as well as an introductory resource list for continuing your learning journey.

🧡It is by no means exhaustive and is intended as a very basic and simplified introduction that people can and should easily build on. Please try to keep this intention in mind before telling me i have neglected something!

⚠️ Disclaimer - this post is admittedly very centred on butch/femme history of the US and western culture in the 1900s. If there is a different culture or time that you’d be interested to learn more about, I would be overjoyed to research it so please let me know! Lesbianism has existed everywhere in every time and the cultural variation of this is beautiful and SO important. I do not want to neglect that but cannot fit it all in this brief introduction post.

“Whether reclaiming femininity from the male gaze or rejecting feminine gender norms by embracing butch, the subculture is intrinsically radical: it empowers lesbians to renounce patriarchal standards of beauty.” - Megan Christopher

What is butch/femme?

butch/femme is a lesbian subculture with a deep and rich history and culture. It goes far beyond masculine and feminine aesthetics and informs lesbian identity and dynamics. Butch/femme culture is a crucial part of LGBTQ+ history and culture as a whole.

It has existed for a very long time but it is very important to know that not all lesbians are butch/femme. In fact, most lesbians will not identify with either label and that is completely okay! You will see some lesbians describe themselves as butch4butch or femme4femme.

Traditionally, there is nothing in between butch/femme and to suggest otherwise negates the rich significance of the identities. Some people suggest it is a spectrum with “futch” in the middle. This is however not the case and the significance of this will become clear as we delve further into the importance of butch/femme identities to queer culture and history. Crucially too, straight women cannot be butch/femme

Aren’t butch/femme just replicating traditional heterosexual gender roles?

Absolutely not! In fact, they outwardly challenge them.

Gender and sex are constructs. A lot of lesbians find that butch/femme are gender identities in of themselves (myself included)

Instead, butch/femme are identities that encapsulate a particular “performance” of gender. The attributes of these may seem “masculine” or “feminine” but this is only because of the strict gender binary our society ascribes to gender performance.

Judith Butler, in their book Gender Trouble, notes that a lot of lesbians in general have a complex relationship to gender. This is because our binary perception of womanhood is constructed on the basis that “male” is default and “female” is the only sexed other. Because lesbianism is the only identity that totally de-centres men, a lot of lesbians (regardless of being butch, femme or neither) will not feel like they are conventionally “women”.

A lot of the time, butch/femme roles were and still are a source of safety and solace

Butch

Butch refers to masculinity in any number of ways

Butches typically and historically face high levels of discrimination and harassment for their gender non conformity.

A very important butch text is Stone Butch Blues, written by Leslie Feinberg

In the book, Feinberg discusses the importance of working-class identities to butchness.

Some butches are transmasculine. This doesn’t make them less of a lesbian, as long as they have ties to butchness and lesbianism.

Stone butches are lesbians who do not like to be touched (or “receive”) during sex

Femme

Femmes are lesbians who present more “femininely”.

Femmes do not necessarily conform to society’s perception of womanhood. Many will have complex relationships to gender identity or will present as hyper-feminine.

Hyper-femininity is an exaggerated performance of womanhood where aspects of dress, character and/or mannerisms of femininity may be heightened.

This is why a lot of the time lesbians can still “clock” (or recognise) femmes as being gay. Straight women tend to feel put off by the level of femininity common with hyper-feminine femmes.

History

In western culture, butch/femme culture existed underground or secret up until the mid 20th century. We can assume however that butch/femme dynamics have existed for a long time.

In the early 1900s, butch/femme dynamics were confined to underground gay bars.

In this case, femmes were often considered in a position of privilege as they were “straight passing” and could only be recognisably lesbian when accompanied by a butch.

Femmes will often assert sexuality through their femininity.

In the 1940s, butch/femme dynamics were extremely important and a thriving part of lesbian culture.

Women were allowed to enter bars without men.

In the US, butches would have to dress femininely in order to hold employment and avoid harassment and assault based on their preferred gender non-conformity.

Butches dressed in a way that was accepted by society, while still presenting as more masculine than the norm. Alix Genter writes that "butches wore long, pleated skirts with their man-tailored shirts, sometimes with a vest or coat on top"

In the 1950s, many butches refused to live these double lives. Their full-time masculine presentation made it difficult for them to work so they were often employed in factories or as taxi drivers. (hence the importance of working-class solidarity with butches)

Increased lesbian visibility and a strong anti-gay political stance at the time of McCarthyism led to increased attacks on queer women and resulted in a particularly defiant gay bar culture.

Butches are therefore extremely important in our fight for LGBTQ+ rights. It was butches and trans women who were known for fighting back for our rights and visibility.

In the 1970s, particular sentiments of lesbian separatist feminism declared masculinity and butchness was harmful to women. This led to the popularisation of more androgynous fashion amongst lesbians including boots, jeans and flannels. This movement weakened butch identifiers and is known for alienating lesbians of colour and working class lesbians.

Lesbian separatism is essentially the idea that lesbians should exist separate to men and heterosexual women. That is why some theorists believed performances of masculinity were harmful (while others did not believe this and it is obviously not true)

Introductory reading list (online articles that are short and accessible)

how butch/femme subcultures allow gay women to thrive by Megan Christopher for VICE: https://www.vice.com/en/article/wjwzqx/how-butch-femme-subcultures-allow-gay-women-to-thrive

A good introduction to the radical history and importance of butch/femme identities.

The Lesbians That Founded The Gay Village And The Mafia Alliance They Made For Protection by Diana Robertson: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-lesbians-that-founded-the-gay-village-and-the-mafia_b_5941d7a1e4b0d99b4c921126

Really helpful history!

No Matter What’s Gendertrending, the Butch is Here To Stay by Jack Halberstam

https://web.archive.org/web/20180907141513/https://www.afterellen.com/tv/443117-no-matter-whats-gendertrending-the-butch-is-here-to-stay

I don’t like the suggestion of the title but the article itself has good information. Jack Halberstam is an important queer theorist. I also recommend his writings on queer failure. This article has some generally good direction about butchness, especially in modern media. “Butch is always a misnomer; masculine but not male, female but not feminine, the term serves as a placeholder for the unassimilable, for that which remains indefinable or unspeakable within the many identifications that we make and that we claim.”

Key books for a deeper understanding (and their pros and cons)

The Persistent Desire: A Femme–Butch Reader by Joan Nestle

Gender Trouble by Judith Butler (one of my favourite books of all time. Really difficult to get through but very worthwhile and completely changed the way I understand sex and gender)

Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg (an incredibly important lesbian text. Can be very difficult to get through, especially emotionally. Please make sure to check triggers before reading)

Dagger: On Butch Women by Lily Burana

[alicedrawslesmis]

I know I just said I didn't want to just be complaining about everything so I'll try to word this in a more constructive way asdfghjkl

It's hard to be an Eponine fan in a world where the musical -and On My Own specifically- is sooooo mainstream. Because imo as much as On My Own itself is kind of a half-decent, if simplified, encapsulation of Eponine's struggle with her love for Marius if you analise the lyrics in isolation, the musical as a whole, her role in the narrative as the unrequited love diva (I'm also simplifying here. I don't think this is super fair to the anglo musical, but compared to the book there's no question of how they reworked her into a glamorous 80s diva contralto because musical theatre has usually very strict gender roles), did her so dirty. So dirty. And imo often her character is reduced to her pining in fandom as a result. And I don't like that, personally.

I love that girl so much. I love that she is just young enough to still be a child but adult enough to be aware of her social role. She has one foot in the gamin life and one foot in the adult world. I love the tragedy that is the fact that she likes the beauty and pomp of high society girls and wish she could have silk shoes but knowing she can't.

And also being super resigned to her class despite it, she doesn't believe she ever will have any of that. She resents that too, somewhat. The tragedy of her knowing that she couldn't be with Marius because of his social class and her accepting that (angrily? sadly?). I love her self-banishment as his guard dog because of this. I love her drunk sailor voice. I love how manipulative she is and that she isn't Marius's friend at all. He's just her one neighbor who wasn't a total asshole one time. He was, later. But not at first. And she can't be in his head and know he thinks she's kinda despicable because crime because Marius is a judgemental little shithead.

And Eponine isn't an idealist, she's resigned to her position. I understand why she gets paired with grantaire in fics but her canon narrative parallel is Javert, they both believe they are excluded from society from their outcast position and so become the watchdogs for it. Eponine a kind of guardian (in her own words a devil, not an angel) and Javert the same. That's why he's the one person who sees her in the barricade, he's the same as her. Marius saw her but that's only cause he had a use for her in that moment, as soon as she didn't he forgot all about it.

I think also Gavroche, with his ability to be kind of a figure above the narrative, with his gamin skills of being almost omnipresent is something Eponine used to have, but with her age she's starting to lose that. She's starting to grown old enough that she's required to be IN the world and not supercede it. Gavroche is also almost there, if he had been allowed to grow up he would've lost that ability too. They both inhabit this sort of magical surreal world superimposed on our own.

A lot of Les Mis and Notre Dame de Paris can be kinda described as magical realism, I would go so far as calling them urban fantasy. And characters like Babet, Thenardier sometimes, Gavroche, Eponine (and Javert sometimes as well) are inhabiting this magically charged layer. This reality that's imposed Over the real world.

Talking about that One Series Of Wizard Books is a bit passé rn so uh. Doctor Who. Particularly the initial New Who seasons before they got that huge budget. That's a good parallel to what I'm getting at. The real world is still the same but there are certain characters that inhabit this mystical overlayer and are able to transverse from one to the other (Javert can't really because he is stuck forever outside and the second he understands that you CAN'T be an unbiased outsider who only enforces the norm without participating he freaks out and literally dies about it). Eponine is right in the eye of the storm tho. She manipulates reality to get her way, to die with Marius, because that's as close as she can get to being with him. And she manipulates reality to protect him too. Contradictions be damned. She has many contradictory feelings that make her complex and cool and an awesome character whom I love and wish would stop being reduced to the glamurous mysical theatre role with a single black stain on her face and a beautiful actor and a big unrequited love song about a random boy (whose personality was also changed for the musical and I argue is probably the character that was most fucked up by it in the public perception because he's such an weird little self-insert of an even weirder guy. But I get it, the musical is long enough as it is).

Anyway, I wish eponine could be more of a mongrel, a little gremlin. A little rat child that's just beginning to grow into an adult and is self aware of her role in the narrative society. She's a teenage girl which already sucks to go through when you're not constantly starving and cold and being forced by your father to work and do con jobs. Marius is the object she attaches herself to, but it could've been literally anything. Javert did that with the social order, he protects and guards it. She just chose Some Guy instead. Which, we all have that one friend who does that too. Like girl you're too good for him. Come on let's get you sone ice cream. And clean clothes and a roof. Literally anything. Bread.

I think if Eponine had a roof over her head and like, food on the regular she would forget Marius exists. Same as Cosette if she had moved to England. Like he'd be that one intense crush they had as teenagers. Can't say the same for him tho. He would hold onto that for the rest of time.

[argyrocratie]

"In “Memory Voids and Role Reversals,” Palestinian political science professor Dana El Kurd writes of her jarring experience, hearing of the October 7th massacres by Hamas while visiting the Holocaust Tower at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. She notes the historic irony of Holocaust survivors seeking security from future oppression by expelling another people from their homeland by the hundreds of thousands, ghettoizing them in enclaves enforced by military checkpoints, and controlling them with collective punishment.

The irony of a state formed as the “antithesis” to the ghetto using ghettoization as a strategy of control is not lost on Palestinians. This infrastructure of coercion went hand in hand, of course, with ever-present physical violence — imprisonment, home demolitions, air strikes and more.

She quotes Aristide Zolberg’s observation that “formation of a new state can be a ‘refugee-generating process.’”

This is not only true of Palestinians. The Westphalian nation-state, which has been the normative component of the international system since the Treaty of Westphalia, necessarily entails (especially since the post-1789 identification of nationalism with the nation-state) the suppression of ethnic identity to a far greater extent than the expression of any such identity. Every constructed national identity associated with a “State of the X People” has necessarily involved the suppression and homogenization of countless ethnicities present in the territory claimed by that state. At the time of the French Revolution, barely half the “French” population spoke any of the many langue d’oil dialects of northern France, let alone the dialect of the Ile de France (the basis for the official “French” language). The rest spoke Occitan dialects like Provençal, or non-Romance languages like Breton (whose closest living relative is Welsh). The same is true of Catalan, Aragonese, Basque, and Galician in Spain, the low-German languages and now-extinct Wendish in Germany, the non-Javanese ethnicities of Indonesia, and so on. Heads of state issue sonorous pronouncements concerning the “Nigerian People” or “Zimbabwean People,” in reference to multi-ethnic populations whose entire “identity” centers on lines drawn on a map at the Berlin Conference.

When I say official national languages were established through the suppression of their rivals, I mean things like the residential schools of the United States and Canada punishing Native children for using their own languages. Or schools around the world shaming students with signs reading “I Spoke Welsh (or Breton, or Provencal, or Catalan, or Basque, or Ainu, or an African vernacular instead of the English, French, etc., lingua franca). And so on.

And when we consider the range of artificial national identities that were constructed by suppressing other real ethnicities, we can’t forget the “Jewish People” of Israel. Its construction occurred part and parcel with the suppression of diasporic Jewish ethnic identities all over Europe and the Middle East. The “New Jewish” identity constructed by modern Zionism was associated with the artificial revival of Hebrew, which had been almost entirely a liturgical language for 2300 years, as an official national language. And this, in turn, was associated with the suppression — both official and unofficial — of the actually existing Jewish ethnicities associated with the Yiddish, Ladino, and Arabic languages.

The centuries-old languages and cultures of actual Jewish ethnicities throughout Europe were treated as shameful relics of the past, to be submerged and amalgamated into a new artificially constructed Jewish identity centered on the Hebrew language. 

Yiddish, the language spoken by the Ashkenazi Jews of Europe — derived from an archaic German dialect and written in the Hebrew alphabet — was stigmatized by Zionist leaders in Palestine and by the early Israeli government. According to Max Weinreich’s History of the Yiddish Language, the “very making of Hebrew into a spoken language derives from the will to separate from the Diaspora.” Diasporic Jewish identities, as viewed by Zionist settlers, were “a cultural morass to be purged.” The “New Jew” was an idealized superhuman construct, almost completely divorced from centuries worth of culture and traditions of actual Jews: “Yiddish began to represent diaspora and feebleness, said linguist Ghil’ad Zuckermann. ‘And Zionists wanted to be Dionysian: wild, strong, muscular and independent.’” 

This “contempt for the Diaspora” was “manifested . . .  in the fierce campaign against Yiddish in Palestine, which led not only to the banning of Yiddish newspapers and theaters but even to physical attacks against Yiddish speakers.” From the 1920s on, anyone in Palestine with the temerity to publish in Yiddish risked having their printing press destroyed by organizations with names like the “Battalion of the Defenders of the Hebrew Language,” “Organization for the Enforcement of Hebrew,” and “Central Council for the Enforcement of Hebrew.” The showing of the Yiddish-language film Mayn Yidishe Mame (“My Yiddish Mama”), in Tel Aviv in 1930, provoked a riot led by the above-mentioned Battalion. After the foundation of Israel, “every immigrant was required to study Hebrew and often to adopt a Hebrew surname.” In its early days Israel legally prohibited plays and periodicals in the Yiddish language. A recent defender of the early suppression of Yiddish, in the Jerusalem Post, argued that Diasporic languages threatened to “undermine the Zionist project”; in other words, an admission that actually existing ethnic identities threatened an identity manufactured by a nationalist ideology.

If this is true of Yiddish — the native language of the Ashkenazi Jews who dominated the Zionist settlement of Palestine — it’s even more so of the suppression of Jewish ethnic identities outside the dominant Sephardic minority. Golda Meir once dismissed Jews of non-Ashkenazi or non-Yiddish descent as “not Jews.” 

Consider the roughly half of the Israeli population comprised of Mizrahi Jews from Middle Eastern communities (including those living in Palestine itself before European settlement). Although the Mizrahim are trotted out as worthy victims when they are convenient for purposes of Israeli propaganda — the majority of them were expelled from Arab countries like Iraq after 1948, in what was an undeniable atrocity — they are treated the rest of the time as an embarrassment or a joke, and have been heavily discriminated against, by the descendants of Ashkenazi settlers. For example former Prime Minister David Ben Gurion described Mizrahim 

as lacking even “the most elementary knowledge” and “without a trace of Jewish or human education.” Ben Gurion repeatedly expressed contempt for the culture of the Oriental Jews: “We do not want Israelis to become Arabs. We are in duty bound to fight against the spirit of the Levant, which corrupts individuals and societies, and preserve the authentic Jewish values as they crystallized in the Diaspora.”

Current Prime Minister Netanyahu once joked about a “Mizrahi gene” as his excuse for tardiness. And an Israeli realtor ran a commercial appealing to “there goes the neighborhood” sentiments by depicting a light-skinned family having their Passover celebration disrupted by uncouth Mizrahi neighbors.

Nationalism and the nation-state are the enemies of true ethnicity and culture, and built on their graves. There’s no better illustration of this principle than the Zionist project itself."

-Kevin Carson, "Zionism and the Nation-State: Palestinians Are Not the Only Victims"

[familyabolisher]

you mentioned something about knights when you were talking about Joan of arc and i was wondering if you could expand on it? or link something that shared your perspective?

a lot of what people are drawing on when they talk about eg. "butch knights" or otherwise use knights as an articulation of a particular (generally non-normative) mode of gender is located within the chivalric imaginary. broadly speaking, chivalry as a european cultural phenomenon emerged in the literature of the late crusading era, largely fermented in the chrysalis of nostalgia for christian conquest and rule of the so-termed 'holy land' in west asia; crusading, in turn, was of course a bloodthirsty practice of christian conquest leading to the slaughter of vast swathes of muslim and jewish populations—cf. for example, the rhinelands pogroms or the aftermath of the siege of jerusalem in 1099, or the siege of maarat in 1098. chivalry as a cultural construct was significantly steeped in a desire to reconcile the military practices of knights with the guidance of the church, and the paradigmatic 'chivalric knight' was one whose military prowess or whatever could be matched by his piety. we see this effort to reconcile the 'worldly' with the spiritual as a galvanising force in much of the key works of chivalric lit; chrétien de troyes' perceval being a key example, or the narrative tensions around lancelot and galahad throughout the arthurian canon. the point is: chivalry is a phenomenon loyal to medieval european christianity, and deference to a medieval imaginary is most often reactionary. (cf., for example, the weight held by nostalgia for the 'chivalric era' in the ruling class of the antebellum american south.)

in chivalry and violence in medieval europe, richard kaeuper writes against the impetus to take the romantic image of the chivalric knight (as we may find in, say, chrétien de troyes) at face value, and urges us as historians to understand instead that many of our sources on the chivalric imaginary were produced as part of a reform effort promoting this idealised cultural construct. the natural follow-on here, of course, is that a reform effort must have a particular political tempering, and—imo—a meaningful queer politic of gender should be capable of understanding and reckoning with that political tempering which continues to hold currency in the present day rather than borrowing what we like and discarding what we don't.

like…knights are a state militia, chivalry is a social relation constructed around that fact, steeped in the presumed supremacy of the church, and loyal to the primary governing power. these very vague ideas around deference to 'ladies' (drawing on a romanticisation of the ruling class, ofc) can't really be separated from their broader social setting and the relations of power that chivalry sought to articulate and affirm. in short: it's very very white and it's very very goyish.

this isn't to say that like, everyone who does this has to Stop Immediately or else they're directly endorsing the ideological thorniness that chivalry invokes, but i do think it's worth spending some time with what it is that makes these cultural histories a) hold currency in the present discourse and b) appeal specifically to a lesbian/butch/transmasc/etc. imaginary. what are we trying to integrate ourselves into and what ideological hegemons are we trying to resist, and are we succeeding? can we be more imaginative?

[also—this was a very broad overview off the top of my largely unqualified head. would recommend going away and reading more about the history of chivalry + chivalric lit + the crusades if you're interested; the kaeuper text is a good starting-point.]

[a-gnosis]

Hi dear. I've been following your comics for a while now. I also absolutely adore your Dionysus and it seems like you do as well! Do you have any book recommendations for someone who wants to learn more about Dionysus as a god associated with sex and subversion of sexual roles? I can't seem to find satisfying answers from just theoi.com alone.

Hi! Dionysos certainly is a fascinating character. I'm glad you like my version of the god. ^^

Unfortunately I haven't read any book that focuses entirely on this aspect of Dionysos. It is mentioned briefly in the chapter "Sexuality and the Gods" in Greek and Roman Sexualities: A Sourcebook by Jennifer Larson.

One article that Larson recommends for further reading is "Riding the Phallus for Dionysus: Iconology, Ritual, and Gender-Role De/Construction" by Eric Csapo.

It is also discussed a bit in the chapter "The Anthesteria and other Dionysiac Rites" in Polytheism and Society at Athens by Robert Parker.

In Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide, Jennifer Larson means that the analyses of how Dionysos subverted gender roles and other societal norms are largely based on the portraits of Dionysiac worship in Greek poetry and myth, above all the Bacchae of Euripides, but that a study of Dionysos' cults and the historically attested behaviors associated with them yields a different picture:

"In practice, the worship of Dionysos was not truly subversive; instead, it offered outlets for physical and emotional self-expression within socially acceptable contexts. Furthermore, Dionysiac cult was smoothly integrated into Greek civic systems of worship, with ecstatic and private components balanced by state-sponsored festivals and conventional sacrifices."

If anyone knows any good books or articles on this subject, feel free to add.

[queering-ecology]

Chapter 7. Polluted Politics? Confronting Toxic Discourse, Sex Panic and Eco-Normativity by Giovanna Di Chiro

“Stereotypes and lies lodge in our bodies as surely as bullets. They live and fester there, stealing the body.”—Eli Clare

Queer ecology as defined by Mortimer-Sandilands (2005, 24) “both about seeing beauty in the wounds of the world and taking responsibility to care for the world as it is”. (200)

Environmental justice constructs an eco-politics that defines the environment as our communities: the places where ‘we live, work, play, and learn’ (200). Environmental justice activists embrace inhabited/built places---cities, villages, reservations, agricultural fields, workplaces, poor and low-income neighborhoods next to hazardous industrial facilities as environments worthy of recognition and protection (Di Chiro 1996)

There has been rising environmental anxiety that surrounds cultural fears of exposure to chemical and endocrine-disrupting toxins especially as it relates to the troubling and destabilizing of normal/natural gendered bodies of humans and other animal species aka the “chemical castration” or the “feminization of nature” (Cadbury 1998; Hayes 2002)--rising fears that we are “swimming in a sea of estrogen” (Raloff 1994b, 56; Sumpter and Jobling 1995 173) as a consequence of rising levels of estrogenic, synthetic chemical compounds emitted into our water, air and food known as estrogenic pollution (ova-pollution). (201)

Pop-science warning about the ‘instability of maleness’—warns that the rising incidences of male-to-female gender shifts and intersex conditions observed in the ‘lower’ species of animals, such as frogs, fish, and salamanders, represent the newest ‘canaries in the coalmine’ portending an uncertain fate for human maleness and for the future of ‘normal’ sexual reproduction (Robert 2003) (201) also anti-toxins discourse has concerns about estrogenic chemical toxins disrupting/preventing/disturbing ‘normal’ prenatal physiological development and natural reproductive processes, leading to rising cases of infertility and producing disabled, defective, and even monstrous bodies (201)…

What can develop is a “sex panic” that resuscitates familiar heterosexist, queerphobic, and eugenics arguments classifying some bodies as not normal: mistakes, perversions, burdens (I would add ‘freaks’)…under the guise of laudable goal/progressive goals, a certain type of anti-toxics environmentalism mobilizes knowledge/power of normalcy and normativity and reinforces compulsory social-environmental order based on a dominant regime of what and who are constructed as normal and natural (Davis 1995; Garland-Thompson 1997; McRuer 2006).

Disability becomes an environmental problem and lgbtq people become disabled—the unintended consequences of a contaminated and impure environment, unjustly impaired by chemical trespass. (202) The true scope of the mortality and morbidity of POPs (persistent organic pollutants) becomes distorted by alarmist focus. This fixation ends up de-emphasizing and worse--naturalizing and normalizing other serious health problems associated with POPs that are on the rise: breast, ovarian, prostate and testicular cancers, neurological and neurobehavioral problems, immune system breakdown, heart disease, diabetes and obesity (202).

There is good reason for alarm concerning the continued use and accumulation of toxic chemicals that are wreaking havoc on the health and reproductive possibilities of the living world. Our cumulative exposures to endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, neurotoxins, asthmagens, and mutagens in our normal, everyday lives from our daily contact with plastic water bottles, shampoos, and kitchen cleaners to insect repellents, food preservatives, and factory farmed meats, among others, are most certainly putting at risk the health of our own bodies and our earth. (210) But where should the critical attention lie?

The hyperfocus on the world turning into hermaphrodites participates in a sexual titillation strategy summoning the familiar ‘crimes against’ nature’ credo and inviting culturally sanctioned homophobia while at the same time sidelining and naturalizing ‘normal’ environmental diseases such as cancer (211).

--

Environmental theory and politics in the US have historically mobilized ideas of the normal, to determine which  bodies and environments/landscapes embody the distinctly American values of productive work, rugged individualism, masculinity, independence, potency, and moral virtue upon which environmental advocacy movements should be based (Haraway 1989; Cronon 1991). Critical histories of U.S. environmentalism have revealed the capitalist, patriarchal, colonialist, heteronormative, eugenicist, and ableist histories underlying its “progressive” exterior (Boag 2003; Darnovky 1992; Evans 2002; Gaard 2004; Jaquette 2005; Sutter 2001).

Eco-normativity (or eco[hetero]normativity) appear in alarmist discourse in the anti-toxins arm of the environmental movement. Their alarm about contaminants effect on sex/gender appeals to preexisting cultural norms of gender balance, normal sexual reproduction and the balance of nature. The use of “anti-normal” “anti-natural” in antitoxins discourse is highly questionable and risks reinforcing the dominant social and economic order (the forces actually responsible for environmental destruction and toxic contamination of all our bodies and environments) by naturalizing the multiple injustices that shore it up”…and thus creates what the author terms, polluted politics.

[khalixvitae]

★Under The Skin ★

Rook Hunt x Reader | ~3k words

Warnings: mentions of death and dying (not descriptive), a smattering of angst but we don’t have time to unpack all that; semi suggestive at points because I cannot seem to help myself; mentions of book 6 but nothing too descriptive! Reader is also implied to know Floyd. Vaguely canon compliant, takes place ambiguously after book 6

Info: I’ve been obsessed w the idea of Rook w an implied goth reader who collects bones and makes bone jewelry. Entirely self indulgent (i am goth and I collect bones and make jewelry Lmao). GN reader, no physical descriptors used other than that the reader wears jewelry.

——————————————————————————

Rook Hunt was an odd duck, you’d always known that much for certain. He was hyper observant and yet seemingly unaware of social norms, constantly invading the personal space of those around him. Ever the chatterbox, he’d seamlessly suck any passersby into a whirlwind of a conversation, gleaning whatever information or entertainment he’d sought out before discarding his still confused target with a friendly adieu. He would regularly monologue, lyricize, and wax poetic about even the most mundane of things. Frankly it was difficult not to notice such glaring personality traits- he had a habit of making his eccentricities everyone’s business.

Even so, his outlandish tendencies and flowery language only further obscured what kind of person he was hiding beneath the surface (and beneath that bizarre hat). He was in Pomefiore, after all- and a Vice housewarden no less. It only made sense that his public persona, as bewildering as it may have seemed, was carefully crafted by his dexterous hands. Always guiding the conversation away from himself with a practiced ease, it was obvious he sought to keep any clear image of his character permanently out of focus. He was like a mirage- not quite tangible, his perimeter fuzzy and constructed only of contradictory statements or nearly mythological anecdotes. No matter how hard you tried to get a peek behind the veil, he was always just out of sight. You had always been certain that the trajectory of any arrow fired by those same hands would be far straighter, cleaner, than any conversation you could ever hope to have with the huntsman.

Which is what made your current situation all the more unexpected.

“And this one?” His eyes darted to another one of the many trinkets you’d scattered across your bed. Lithe fingers hesitated over the pendant he’d zeroed in on, an owlish gaze flickering up to meet your own. He wanted permission. How very unlike himself, you thought. Or perhaps it was more like him than he’d ever been in your presence- you had no way of knowing, of course. You pushed the thought away and instead nodded affirmatively. He plucked the necklace from the duvet, its weight remembered by an indentation in the plush down.

“Yeah, I found that amber while digging around on the beach with Ace and Deuce. I’d never seen inclusions like that before. It just needed a little polishing up and it made for a really nice piece. The other stones are tigers eye- I got those online.” He held the petrified resin up to the sunbeams streaming through your bedroom window, nodding affirmatively as you spoke.

“Magnifique! How lucky you are, mon Trickster.” He rolled the stones between his fingers, a musical lilt coloring his speech. “You have quite the collection- a proper Cabinet des Merveilles.”

You shrugged at that, glancing down at the innumerable treasures you’d accumulated. Well, treasures was a subjective title to say the least. Bones or teeth belonging to unknown animals, each fragment you’d found in the woods and painstakingly cleaned to later preserve. Carefully dried flowers from plants you’d never seen prior to your arrival in Twisted Wonderland, as well as some familiar varieties you’d taken comfort in coming across. Sea glass, petrified coral, and iridescent shells you’d collected on trips to the coast with your friends. A shadow box of butterfly specimens found around the school’s botanical gardens, each one you’d mounted with care. Evidence of your time there, proof of your experiences and your memories and your love for a foreign place you’d slowly made home.

When you managed to untangle yourself from your own sentimentality, you realized he was watching you. He was waiting. His vibrant green eyes were too green in the early evening light, shining like pools of opaque, still wet oil paint.

“I’m glad you like them,” you answered simply, your voice far more hoarse than you’d anticipated. The bizarre nature of your situation only hit you further when he shifted his weight, his attention now focused solely on you- as if you were a specimen in your own collection.

All of this because he’d inquired about your earrings in homeroom.

They were simple things, really. Pretty green glass beads strung together with tiny bones you’d unearthed on one of your many hikes. They had belonged to something small, and you were certain the delicate pieces were vertebrae. It was a wonder they were so intact- however despite their relatively pristine condition, you had no idea what creature they’d belonged to.

You figured they’d caught the light just right, or maybe you’d tilted your head just so- it didn’t take much to catch the hunter’s attention, after all. Whatever the case, halfway through the lesson you’d noticed his keen eyes on you. Your recognition did nothing to deter his blatant staring; in fact, he’d waved at you. As strange as it may have been, you didn’t pay it much mind. Rook was odd, sure, but he’d never done anything outright malicious. Well, not towards you. This kind of behavior was well within his usual repertoire and therefore easy enough to ignore.

In much the same way, it wasn’t totally unexpected for him to descend upon you as soon as the bell rang for dismissal. Rook wasn’t an especially large guy, at least not compared to some of your other classmates. He was broad shouldered and sturdily built, sure, but he wasn’t a notable giant like Jack Howl. And yet something about Rook made him loom, an imposing presence despite his cheerful cadence and charismatic smile. He always toed a fine line, giving the impression that he was all over you without ever once making physical contact. Your encounter that day had been no different; he’d spouted off a laundry list of greetings and praises, only half of which you’d managed to catch, before dipping in closer to view your handiwork.

“Oh! Beau savoir-faire! Did you make these yourself, Trickster?” The way he’d honed in on the dangling vertebrae made you keenly aware of how they framed the vulnerable column of your throat; the equivalent to a neon sign for any apex predator, Rook himself included. Feeling ever more exposed, the rest of the conversation passed with a quickness you had grown to expect from the hunter. Before you knew it, you’d invited him to come by Ramshackle so he could view the rest of your collection. After all, it wasn’t often that someone took vested interest in your little hobby. Ace thought it was outright creepy. Shells were fine, and he could almost (almost) give the butterfly thing a pass, but bones were where he drew the line and made a point to tell you so. And tell you he did. Frequently. Deuce was less outright rude about his discomfort- he wasn’t Ace, after all- but the squeamish look on his face was enough to deter you from showing him any unusual specimens.

When you’d arrived home from classes that day, Rook was already on your doorstep. He looked excited, nearly childlike in his enthusiasm. You’d resolved to yourself then that letting him into Ramshackle would do no harm- Rook was strange, yes, but he was only as dangerous as the rest of your peers. He’d never been remotely unkind to you; in fact, he’d been extraordinarily helpful on more than one occasion. Besides, he was already there, patiently waiting for you on your own stoop. Turning him away now would be just plain rude, not to mention he often made pleasant company.

And so there you were, settled across from Rook Hunt of all people. Alone, in your otherwise desolate dorm- the Great Seven only knew where Grim had slinked off to when your guest arrived. Even the ghosts had made themselves scarce since you’d guided Rook to your bedroom. That being several hours prior, you were astonished that not a solitary soul had intruded upon your peace. Normally something or someone would’ve stirred up trouble for you by then, but the dormitory was silent. He was still silently observing you, and that exposed feeling from earlier in the day seeped back into your bones.

“The ones you’re wearing. May I look at them again? The lighting here is much better, no?” As always he sounded so sublimely agreeable, and it would’ve felt even more revealing to tell him no. Not that you wanted to tell him no, necessarily. If anything, you didn’t mind the thought of him getting closer. That was a damning thought you forced down immediately as you gave him the go ahead. He removed his hat and placed it somewhere beside him- you didn’t keep track of where, far too focused on his reasoning for doing so. He leaned in closer, so close in fact that the brim of his trademark accessory would’ve prevented him from achieving the proximity.

“Snake vertebrae,” he murmured, as if identifying them didn’t take a moment’s thought. “And my, how wonderfully preserved! You’re quite talented, mon Trickster.” His breath grazed your cheek as he spoke, words ringing impossibly close to your ear. The sudden thought that he smelled nice passed over you, only serving to grow your list of absolutely damning thoughts about Rook Hunt. The subsequent realization that there was a list to begin with would have made your blood run cold had the heat of your embarrassment not warmed you down to your bones.

You briefly recalled one of Floyd Leech’s many complaints he’d voiced to you on your living room floor. He’d dropped in uninvited, if memory served you right, but you’d digress for the moment. You weren’t sure of the full context- you didn’t make point to pay that much attention when Floyd was in one of his moods- but what you did remember was a rather innocuous detail he’d given you about the hunter sitting on your bed. That he only wore perfumes when he wanted to be noticed. Of course Floyd’s delivery had been much more coarse and insulting, but nonetheless. And the herbal, nearly floral scent you’d caught was definitely cosmetic, you were sure of that. So he wanted to be noticed by you, then? Another idea to add to your ever growing list.

The soft shuffling of leather brought your senses back into sharp focus. He’d removed one of his gloves, brandishing his bare hand in your line of sight. “May I?”

You nodded silently, watching it for as long as you could. A gentle tug on your earring let you know he was turning the charms around, looking it over carefully with those unnerving eyes of his. Wheatgrass strands of his cropped hair tickled your skin, but you held as still as one of the courtyard statues.

When he finally sat back he looked more than pleased. “Your finds are most impressive,” he chittered, tapping his bare fingers against his gloved ones. You watched them for a moment, taking note of the practiced calluses on each exposed fingertip- marks of his upbringing that even Vil’s carefully coordinated skincare routines couldn’t fully erase.

“But why do you collect them?”

The question wasn’t entirely unexpected- it was quite common for people to be curious about what motivated such a strange hobby. What was unexpected though was the glint in his eye. Something hopeful and genuine brewed behind his placid expression, something you couldn’t quite place but intended to figure out.

“Because they’re beautiful,” you replied, far surer and more steadfast than you’d been moments before.

“Even though they’re dead?” He raised a manicured eyebrow at you expectantly, the shine of his eyes catching the sun’s last bright rays.

“Of course. I mean why wouldn’t they be? It’s not like death itself is innately ugly. And dead things aren’t either.” It was your turn to lean forward, soaking up his expression that wasn’t all that unlike surprise.

A quiet laugh bubbled up past his lips. “So you do not fear death, then?”

You shook your head, matching the soft smile he offered you in exchange for your thoughts. “Death, no. Dying? Absolutely. Dying has a sensation- well, probably, its not like I’ve done it before- and that’s what I’m afraid of. What it feels like. I’m way more impartial when it comes to death itself. Mostly because it’s also impartial. It just is. It’s not malicious, or calculating. It’s just there.”

You brushed a hand over your trinkets, choosing your next words carefully. “I guess the only scary part about death is that when you’re dead, you run the risk of being forgotten. I mean, that’s why stuff like ruins and run down cemeteries are a thing. It’s not that those things don’t matter anymore because they’re dead, but because they’ve been forgotten about. Bones are a lot like that. Just because they aren’t up and moving anymore doesn’t mean they just cease to exist. The thought of dead things being forgotten about… bothers me? I guess? Especially when they’re beautiful things. Because all beautiful things were loved at some point, even in passing.” Perhaps this was all getting a little too introspective. Part of you wondered if you were a forgotten thing back in your own world; what had your loved ones done? Sometimes you felt like a dead thing with no body, no grave for them to visit. Something that had truly ceased to exist outside the memory of those around you. You worried you were revealing far too much, however his wide eyes and parted lips were all the encouragement you’d needed to continue forward.

“So I like to find them and clean them up. Yeah they’re inanimate now, but they deserve to be remembered and loved, even if they’ve changed. And I do love them. They’re special to me, just like the times and places I found them.”

Rook was wound taut like a bowstring, his posture rigid and features affixed in an expression of unmistakable awe. And there he was. Suddenly his usual shifting demeanor was frozen in time. The smoke and mirrors he usually deployed were no longer in effect, and you were absolutely sure that you were getting an honest look at him. Staring at him like that, you could recall a few instances where you’d seen him in momentary clarity. When he’d jump to protect his juniors, or when he nearly took off alone during the STYX debacle, and when something would catch him so off guard he’d throw his head back in unpracticed laughter. This was that Rook. The prolonged sight made it hard to breathe.

The final fiery glows of the setting sun illuminated him, now uninterrupted by the wide brim of his hat that still lay discarded on your bed. In the warm evening light you could faintly see the ghosts of freckles along his high cheekbones and the bridge of his nose, faded but still a part of him. His soft woodsy perfumes, the bare hand laid flat against your duvet and the hopeful way he stared at you, as if begging you to accept some sort of invitation you’d never consciously received.

For the first time you could recall, he looked weak.

And just as quickly, he began to slip away. His long lashes fluttered and he forced a quiet laugh- he was beginning to recompose his facade piece by piece. He went to work slipping on his missing glove, beginning one of his typical monologues- he was running. Whatever silent offer he’d given you, you’d sorely missed your chance. If you didn’t think of something, anything to stop him, you were sure this wouldn’t happen again. “Magnifique! Another devoted to the pursuit of love, much like myself! How dreadful it is that the evening is drawing to a close-“

“You’re so beautiful.”

Whatever door he’d tried to close was promptly blown off its hinges. There was a heavy silence that settled over the two of you as his already wide eyes grew to the size of saucers. The sun had fully dipped below the horizon, and now the fluorescent street lamp by your window illuminated his visage in new shades of blue.

“Excusez-moi?” His honey colored lashes fluttered as he once again met your gaze. You may as well have punched him in the gut.

“I said you’re beautiful, Rook.” By lightly nudging his hand away from his hat you only further disarmed him. Something in his posture went lax; the bowstring had finally snapped, leaving him boneless, powerless beneath your intense gaze. He looked relieved. Being so exposed was exhausting, yet set a visible shiver down his spine.

All at once you placed that glint in his eyes from before, his silent request coming into vivid focus. An aching desire to be a part of your larger collection- something to be coveted, something to be loved regardless of form. You supposed one devoted to the pursuit of love would crave it the most. Had that been what this was from the start? His benevolent assistance, his endless compliments, his unwavering attention? You’d written it off as his usual eccentricities, but had he been subtly peacocking this whole time? The way he allowed you to ever so gently remove both gloves and press your skin against his gave you all the confirmation you needed. When you trailed your fingertips along his forearms before encircling his wrists, he all but pushed them into your grip. There was something else in his verdant gaze, something that told you he’d ask you to maim him and enthusiastically thank you after the fact. Not that you’d ever want to harm him at all; no, seeing him in such a state gave you an abrupt and thorough understanding of his desire to protect all things beautiful.

However, Rook would, in fact, leave shortly after. Your time had drawn to a close, and he did have duties to tend to at his own dormitory. Part of you worried he wouldn’t come back- that the moment of weakness the huntsman shared would be regretted as soon as he slipped away.

How foolish of you.

A few days afterward on your way to class, you noticed something glinting in the morning light. An arrow, cleanly wedged into the clapboard by your front door. A little bag of trinkets had been secured to it, along with a note.

“Pour le Cabinet des Merveilles de mon amour” - R.

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Tag list for those of y’all who were on the same wavelength over the last few days! Feel free to DM to be added! A Vil fic is probably gonna be next bc I have Pomefiore brainworms alsjdkdj (and dm if you wish to be removed ofc! <3)

@v-anrouge @vtoriacore @phoneymedic @gum-gum-time

[greatwyrmgold]

After Worm ended, Wildbow shared some Parahumans drafts. There are a lot of interesting details that changed, interesting details that stayed the same, and a few things that were just weird. One weird thing that's stuck in my head for nearly a decade is the Rhizome Epidemic.

Out of the snippets provided, the Rhizome Epidemic is only mentioned in the 2004 one, TELUTT (The Events Leading Up to That Thursday). The Epidemic is a bunch of fungus growing somewhere far north enough that it has glaciers. It is noted for sometimes being hostile and producing materials that make great superhero costumes. No seams, bulletproof, cut-resistant, fireproof, "reduces the force of ambient psychic effects," and sometimes transparent.

I could speculate on the origin of the Rhizome Epidemic, whether it's a half-baked Entity "superweapon" or a biotinker creation or some other power effect, but that's impossible to know and not all that interesting. Instead, I'm going to speculate about why Wildbow included it in 2004 and discarded it by 2011.

So, one of the things Wildbow was trying to do with Earth Bet was construct a world where all the standard superhero tropes made sense. Hence (for instance) the 3-4 obscenely powerful precogs, their disparate goals and indirect conflicts pushing the setting towards a superhero norm.

Obviously, Rhizome fabric is intended to help with this. It's the super-suit—nearly invulnerable to damage, good at protecting its wearer from harm, and none of the unpleasant visual clutter caused by real clothesmaking techniques. It even comes with a built-in justification for cleavage windows and the like. It's not a bulletproof suit with a hole cut out right over her heart, it's a bulletproof suit with transparent fabric over her heart!

So why was the Rhizome cut?

Normally, I would argue that the line between "deconstruction" and "reconstruction" isn't fuzzy so much as nonexistent. Both of them take a closer look at a genre's tropes, depicting what the author thinks is a more reasonable version of them. Deconstructions tend to say "This wouldn't work"; reconstructions tend to say "Here's how this could work," but the two are hardly incompatible...especially since genres tend to have multiple tropes to xeconstruct. There are plenty of stories which people could argue as being either de- or reconstructing something; they might outnumber examples which are unambiguously one or the other.

However, the distinction is the most straightforward way to explain the difference between canon Worm and the Rhizome. Worm leans towards deconstructive; it is focused on the ways its setting differs from the Platonic superhero setting more than the reasons why it has superheroes. By contrast, the Rhizome Epidemic is purely reconstructive. From what we saw in the TELUTT draft, it exists to explain why the best/richest capes have costumes that would fit in a Silver Age comic.

Again, reconstructive elements could exist within Worm without ruining its tone; this is obvious, because they exist. (Coil's plans, particularly his early jobs for the Undersiders, are an obvious example.) But the Rhizome Epidemic would still stand out, because it only justifies a trope—and a pretty inconsequential, aesthetic trope at that.

I can imagine a Worm where Rhizome fabrics were incorporated into the narrative weave. Perhaps the flashy four-color costumes are used as a contrast to the grim and gritty reality of the world, with the Epidemic being a disaster that those in power are letting happen because it's convenient for them.

But at the same time, a world where most notable capes have bulletproof costumes, where superheroines regularly flash their cleavage to the world, and where these things exist because of a super-material that only serves to facilitate fanciful costumes and plot armor, is a softer world than Earth Bet needs to be. Worm isn't grimdark (as I'd define the term), but the darkness is needed for the story we saw to come togehter.

[ardri-na-bpiteog]

Long post that no one asked for:

Not to like, come to the defense of french people too much, but as someone who has interacted with a lot of them, I think that some of their reputation for rudeness/coldness comes from cultural differences, particularly compared to anglophone countries. There are certain things that French people do that can come across as rude to other people but in their cultural context are fairly normal.

Switching immediately to English when you try to speak French with them:

This is admittedly quite frustrating and can be a bit of a hit to your confidence while speaking French, but honestly most of the time when people do it they're genuinely trying to be helpful. Obviously there are going to be some people who are a bit pretentious about it and just don't want to listen to you "butcher" the language, but usually people are trying to be nice by doing it. Or if they're working and they see you're struggling so they decide to switch to English because they think it will be the most efficient way to communicate. Even if someone is normally willing to help you with the language, if they have other tables to serve or there's a queue behind you, they might assume English will be more efficient.

Correcting your French grammar or pronunciation unprompted:

This can be something that's really annoying and a bit jarring because it can feel a little bit patronizing but honestly it's just something French people do. Usually, again, they see at as constructive because they're helping you correct your mistakes. But admittedly a lot of the time people who aren't French don't see it that way.

It did help me get more used to it when I learned that they do it to other French people too. Correcting grammar is a bit more socially acceptable in France. It's obviously not something everyone does all the time, but it's not reserved for non-native French speakers.

Being generally rude or unhelpful when you approach them:

This is one that I see mentioned a lot and it is often, not always, but often down to one thing:

You didn't say "bonjour".

In France, it is generally considered rude to start an interaction with a stranger without saying bonjour. You say bonjour when you enter a small shop, you say it when you approach an employee, you say it when you walk into a restaurant, and you say it if you walk up to a stranger on the street to ask for directions. If you don't, they will sometimes be rude to you because to them, you were rude first.

A phrase that I think everyone should learn before going to France as a tourist is: "Bonjour, excusez-moi de vous déranger..." (Hello, excuse me for bothering you...). This will typically be seen as more polite than going up to some stranger on the street and asking them a direct question without first saying hello.

You will obviously still occasionally run into assholes, even if you're polite, particularly in Paris. Even other French people don't really like Parisians, it's similar to the reputation that New Yorkers have for abruptness and coldness. But it's important to keep in mind that Paris is an incredibly dense, busy city. People who live there do not exist to help tourists and might be rushing off to work, plans, or trying to get home.

-----

That said, French people are generally less...warm than, say, North Americans, particularly service workers. But that's partly because they're not required to be and there are just different social norms. I've mostly found people to be quite polite and friendly though.

It's also important to remember that when you're in a foreign country, you might be the one the locals perceive as rude. I noted the "bonjour" issue above, but Americans especially are often seen as rude for their...elevated speaking volume. When you're in a tiny restaurant in a 200 year-old building, inches away from the next table, it's seen as a bit impolite to make the entire restaurant hear your conversation.

[femalethink]

Can gender be considered a product of "performance"? This assumption is now popular among feminists in the US and for reasons that are easy to understand. Describing a gender category like "woman" as the product of performance means rejecting centuries of restrictions and rules imposed on us by appeal to a mythical female nature. Echoing Simone de Beauvoir's statement that "one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman," performance theory appears to be on a continuum with the 1970s feminist insistence on the socially constructed character of "femininity." There are, however, differences that should be noted, as they point to the theoretical limits of this concept. Whether we assumed that the normative definition of "femininity" was a product of "patriarchy" or we saw it rooted in the capitalist exploitation of female labor, our critique of it always investigated and named the sources of women's oppression, as we looked for political strategies that would transform not only our lives but also society as a whole. Identifying, naming, analyzing the source of the "norms" to which we were expected to conform was important also to demonstrate the complex nature of "gender construction." It was important to show that our acceptance of the rules and regulations institutionally prescribed was always more than an acting out of the "norm," as "performance" implies. Most often it would be an involuntary submission, accompanied by an inner sense of injustice and desire for revolt, very formative, we discovered, of what "woman" came to mean to us.

Performance is a useful concept. But its range of application is a limited, partial one. The concept suggests passive obedience to a law, enactment of a norm, an act of consent. In this way social identification as woman becomes almost inevitably a self-inflicted wound. It overlooks that gender is the result of a long process of disciplining and that it is maintained not simply through the imposition of "norms" but through the organization of work, the division of labor, the setting up of differentiated labor markets, and the organization of the family, sexuality, and domestic work. In each of these contexts what is often called "performance" would more properly be defined as coercion and exploitation. We do not "perform" gender by working as a nurse, a sex worker, a waitress, a mother, or a paid care worker. Describing our production of femininity in such occupations as "performance" greatly reduces our understanding of the actual dynamics, it hides the economic compulsion involved and the fact that, beneath the appearance of compliance, practices of resistance and refusal are nourished that undermine what the performance was expected to consolidate.

—Silvia Federici, “Beyond the Periphery of the Skin.”

[suddenfossilfightersheadcanons]

some quick queer fossil fighters headcanons

-Several vivosaurs have been treated throughout the ages as queer icons. Generally, dromaeosauridae, particularly Dilopho, Breme, and Nychus, are seen as representative of all forms of queerness. Moreover, Aopteryx, Proto, and Guam, who are gifted with the ability to transform into yet more glorious iterations of themselves, are commonly used in trans iconography. Shanshan tends to be used as a transmasc icon solely, while Guam is usually used for transfem iconography. Aopteryx is used dually as a generalised trans icon and as a representation of nonbinary Fossil Fighters. Also; Sinopteryx is often incorporated into lesbian iconography.

-Most assume that Holt, for his love of V-raptor, would be gay. They're not wrong that he's queer, but his specific brand of queerness is asexuality.

-Dinaurians have more complex chromosomes than humans, so have their own approach to classifying both sex and gender. While there exist both female and male Dinaurian phenotypes, these phenotypes don't always match with their BC/CC chromosome distributions—environmental influence plays a far greater part in Dinaurian than human puberty, so BC males and females both exist, as do CC males and females, and BC and CC intersex Dinaurians. While Dinaurian standards of masculinity and femininity exist, they present more guidelines than cultural imperatives—as such, many Dinaurians fit into neither box socially or biologically, and this is broadly considered normative. Human ideas of straightness, gayness, and bisexuality thus don't always translate well into Dinaurian culture, as the idea of inherently being attracted to especially stringent expressions of certain chromosomal phenotypes just doesn't compute when those phenotypes aren't straightforward. Dinaurians might mention preferring masculinity or femininity somewhat if asked about their sexualities, but are more likely to emphasise personality, intellect, or specific nondimorphic physical characteristics. That is, most dinaurians are sapiosexual and pansexual to some degree, but pansexuality doesn't tend to entirely translate as a cultural construct.

-Near the Hare Club, Cranial Isle has a small hangout room labelled 'the Aopteryx Club'. It's a de facto space for trans Fossil Fighters to meet up and trade anecdotes, and Terry insists on setting aside a portion of the Fighter Station housekeeping budget to make sure the Aopteryx Club is furnished as well as possible.

-Terry is gay, and Cole is a bisexual who long assumed himself to be the sole queer man worth his own attention. The two attended highschool together, and slowly, ever so slowly, have been seen becoming more and more affectionate with each other in public.

-Lola is nonbinary and aroace, but doesn't tend to mention her gender identity unless asked. She's seldom felt quite comfortable with they/them pronouns, but considers herself human before she considers herself in any way female. Though she's ace, she absolutely adores gossiping about others' love lives, and has made every effort possible to nudge Cole closer to Terry.

-Lester is nonbinary and transmasc (he/they pronouns). He and Lola spend a great deal of time making music after hours at the Aopteryx club.

-Pauleen and Dina are lesbian. Oh so very lesbian. Dina is usually entirely oblivious to any male expressions of attraction towards her. Pauleen is not oblivious when men adore her, but tends to be upfront about seldom returning feelings.

-Rupert and Dino are gay. Oh so very gay. From a marketing perspective, Rupert's father didn't disapprove of his son's sexuality—rather, he despised his son's choice in partner, and feared that Rupert and Dino's public affection for each other would drive away potential clients for FossilDig. Rupert managed to allay most of his father's worries by pointing out that FossilDig could likely buy into rainbow capitalism more now, but look less conspicuous doing so. Nevertheless, Rupert's father remained too stuffy to follow through on such a business venture, and pride month sales remain anodyne. Joe Wildwest, meanwhile, not only dotes on his son, but has been absolutely vocal about LGBT rights since he noticed that Dino was gay. 'Noticed', rather than 'was told', since Dino never really came out—he just happened to have a first crush on a male, rather than female, classmate, and the family rolled with it from there.

-In the Patrol Team, Todd is the token straight on thin ice.

-P. A. Leon is gloriously and gorgeously aroace. Though she dated as a young woman, she came to realise she better enjoyed time spent alone with her Kraftwerk and Gary Numan records than time spent together with partners. Her team comprises solely dromaesauridae, and as such, long before she used the term 'asexual' on radio, many celebrated her apparent queerness.

-Diggins and Beth are both trans, and Diggins was the first person to popularise Aopteryx as a symbol of transness.

-Joe describes himself as straight, but also swoons over 70s & 80s rockstars. He's as straight as a 70s rockstar can be—that is, functionally bicurious at minimum. An, uh, 'extremely devoted ally'.

-Though Stryker gives extremely little away to the press, he's always been openly gay. It's not something he's ever wished to conceal; as such, he's the first openly queer head of the Wardens.

-Dahlia and Penny are probably the most prominent resident sapphic couple at INTERFOL.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Threat to the Powers that Be

Constructing local nucleuses of power, in this case through autonomous municipalities, poses a potentially fatal threat to the long standing dictatorial power of the Mexican government. The autonomous municipalities and their building block of self-determination break the success of seven decades of paternalistic policies by the ruling political party, the PRI. Locally, they shatter the mechanisms by which Mexico’s one party state politically, economically, and psychologically has controlled the majority of the nation’s population.

A document written by the Dioceses of San Cristobal de las Casas analyzes the impact of reconstructed indigenous local forms of power: “The naming of authorities through indigenous norms and customs, signifies that the political party system is no longer the only channel to elect authorities and government representatives. At a local level municipal presidents imposed by the PRI are left governing only themselves, without being able to penetrate into the communities. Basically this means the slow destruction of the false democracy sustained by the political party system and its replacement by communities and organizations that construct their own history first as autonomous municipalities and eventually as autonomous zones.”

The EZLN support base communities have successfully demonstrated that even under the constant pressure of low intensity warfare and with almost no resources, they can reconstruct local power to benefit those who create it, rather than allowing coopting vertical forms of control to maintain power in the hands of the few.

[v-ividus]

31. The Ethical Crisis of Our Time: A Reflection on Our Humanity

“The good of an individual or a group of individuals requires that it be taken as an absolute end of our action; but we are not authorized to decide upon this end a priori. The fact is that no behavior is ever authorized to begin with, and one of the concrete consequences of existentialist ethics is the rejection of all the previous justifications which might be drawn from the civilization, the age, and the culture; it is the rejection of every principle of authority.” — Simone de Beauvoir

Have we been so delightfully naive that we, in fact, fail to see ourselves trapped by this modern, digital labyrinth? Addicted to our screens, we find ourselves captivated by curated personas that obscure the real and frequently chaotic maelstroms of human existence. The irony lies in the fact that our expansive online networks often strip us of our deepest connection: our humanity. As these virtual landscapes expand, we risk becoming mere echoes of our true selves, endlessly seeking validation for a façade that is as fleeting as a scroll.

Simone de Beauvoir urges us to scrutinize the ethical frameworks we cling to so dearly. If we insist on the goodness of the individual as an absolute, we must reckon with the consequences of our online behaviors. The algorithms we engage with fashion our desires and, inevitably, our interactions, transforming us into puppets of fleeting excitement and manufactured outrage. The psychological fallout is alarming—people devolve into caricatures, chasing after validation in the currency of likes and shares, drifting further from the intimate ties that truly nourish us.

Here our moral essence teeters on the brink of erosion. We must confront how willingly we let digital narratives shape our ethical stances and our human interactions. As we peel back the layers of this existential crisis, it’s glaringly clear that our once-sacred norms of civility and affection have been warped into objects of trade. Are we not, then, prisoners of our own design? Can we summon the fortitude to hold ourselves accountable for the voyeuristic impulses we've now come to accept?

We must bravely hold a mirror to our online personas and confront the unsettling dissonance within our moral and ethical consciousness. This call for self-reflection is not optional; it’s essential if we are to reclaim our lost ethical stature. Only then can we ignite a real revolution—one that shatters these artificial barriers and compels us to rediscover the humanity and greatness within ourselves and those around us. To reframe our relationships, we must dismantle the systems that manipulate us into compliance, for therein lies the essence of our moral reinvention.

The Masks We Wear: Dissecting Online Identities

Within the intricate tapestry of digital interaction, identity often surfaces as a carefully constructed façade, obscuring the complexities of the authentic self. The personas individuals adopt online can be understood through the lens of social constructionism, where identity is not merely discovered but actively constructed in response to socio-political and religious contexts. The digital arena engenders a performative struggle for social validation, wherein users engage in a seemingly zero-sum game: any ascent in social capital for one individual is perceived as a corresponding detriment to another. This interactive dynamic fosters an environment rife with competition and antagonism, rendering authenticity secondary to the pursuit of recognition.

Psychodynamically, the incessant quest for social affirmation serves to mask underlying insecurities and existential anxieties. The virtual environment operates as both an amplifier and a sanctuary for these psychological tensions, offering ephemeral gratifications through likes, shares, and comments that ultimately exacerbate feelings of disconnection and inadequacy. This phenomenon can be articulated through the lens of attachment theory; users may find themselves entangled in unhealthy attachment styles, leading to an insatiable craving for validation from an audience that remains fundamentally abstract and impersonal.

The entrenchment in defending social, political, and religious systems is often underpinned by a profound need for belonging and identity reinforcement. These institutions, while ostensibly providing order and coherence, function as conduits for deeper existential fears of isolation and meaninglessness. The binaries entrenched in our online discourse reflect larger socio-cultural narratives that dichotomize perspectives and reinforce in-group versus out-group mentalities. This battleground mentality cultivates a fertile ground for polarization, as individuals conflate their self-worth with the preservation of these ideological structures, thereby perpetuating a cycle of division and conflict.

To unravel these complexities requires engaging in a rigorous deconstruction of the motivations that compel individuals to invest in these performative battles. Aligning with de Beauvoir's critique of authority, we must confront the internalized disparities that shape our engagements with the digital landscape. Platforms and algorithms merely reflect the underlying socio-psychological patterns that dictate our reactions, amplifying the performative nature of our identities and transforming them into commodities within a marketplace of attention.

The pivotal inquiry becomes: How can we liberate ourselves from this recursive cycle of curated existence? Engaging in a transformative ethical reckoning demands a deep self-reflection on the structural underpinnings of our affiliations and the psychological ramifications of our digital engagement. As we excavate the layers of our online personas, we must confront the implications for our emotional intelligence, empathy, and moral reasoning—qualities that are imperative for fostering substantive connections in both virtual and physical domains.

To chart a course toward ethical resurgence, individuals must embrace the challenge of introspection and navigate the complexities of their relational dynamics. By confronting the emotional void created by superficial digital interactions, we can cultivate a more nuanced understanding of our shared humanity. This exploration allows for the dissolution of the artificial barriers erected by social, political, and religious frameworks, ultimately facilitating a journey toward a more authentic, connected, and psychologically integrative existence.

The Illusion of Connection: Alienation in the Age of Social Media

Despite the illusion of connectedness provided by social platforms, we face an era defined by profound alienation. The paradoxical nature of social media invokes the urgency to investigate our understanding of connection and belonging. This paradox—an urgent invitation to dissect our fractured understanding of real connection—bears down upon us with relentless intensity. Each “friend” or “follower” is but a hollow echo, a mere flicker of interaction, lacking any semblance of true understanding or emotional depth. This façade of connectivity not only deludes us but deepens our estrangement from the very relationships we yearn for, insidiously weaving a tapestry of loneliness that we seem all too eager to accept.

This alienation manifests in stark psychological and sociological ramifications. The motives driving our interactions online often intertwine with our desire to escape the discomfort of solitude. Yet, in seeking relief through the shallow engagements fostered by likes and shares, we inadvertently reinforce our sense of isolation. Each interaction, rather than bridging the chasm, deepens the void. As we gaze into the abyss of our digital lives, we must confront the truth—that solace is not found in screens, but in the raw and imperfect exchange of human experience.

To confront the ethical crisis we face requires more than mere acknowledgment—it mandates a collective uprising against the systems that enable our disconnection. It is incumbent upon us to question how we wield social tools designed for connection yet often sabotage our capacity for meaningful engagement. An examination of our patterns is essential; only then can we initiate the reclamation of our shared humanity.

To forge deeper connections, we must tread the arduous path from surface engagement to authenticity. The ethical implications of our actions extend beyond the digital realm, demanding a conscious reparative effort in our offline relationships. With empathy and vulnerability, we can reshape the narrative and redefine connection—one that transcends the constraints imposed by social media, anchoring us in our humanity once more.

The Confrontation of Ethical Identity: Reclaiming Agency in Digital Spaces

In the chaotic maelstrom of the digital realm, where social, political, and religious affiliations are ruthlessly magnified, our moral identity is at risk of being obliterated by ethical disarray. Like a relentless hurricane carving its destructive path, the online environment churns with egos battling in a senseless zero-sum game. What do they gain? Nothing but stress, anguish, and the festering consequences that spill into our real lives. These digital systems trap us in a dark whirlpool, suffocating our psychological well-being while breeding a culture steeped in compliance and vacuous interactions.

As we find ourselves adrift in this turbulent sea of moral complexity, we must rise against the siren call of shallow digital connections. The insatiable demand for authentic humanity compels us to shatter our comfort zones and reforge our ethical compass—one that places individual well-being at its crumbling core. It is not too late to reclaim our identity and cultivate a culture where love, empathy, and genuine connection are not drowned by the tide of artificiality.

The confrontation with these oppressive systems demands we scrutinize our online personas and the moral decay bred by blind cowardice and conformity. In our desperate grab for approval within trending ideologies, we often abdicate our responsibility for ethical beliefs and actions. This toxic dynamic births echo chambers that muffle dissenting voices, reducing the once-vibrant tapestry of human identity into a monochromatic display of conformity. We must ask ourselves: how can we truly justify our actions online when they wreak so much havoc on our real relationships, in real life?

To transcend mere compliance, we must embark on a brutal self-examination, dissecting the ethical calamities that infiltrate our digital and physical worlds. Each interaction on social media carries a heavy weight—the potential to unravel real-life relationships and escalate societal rifts that extend beyond the screen’s glow. Our collective conscience in this digital landscape must awaken to the stark responsibilities we bear for the toxic discourses we enter, understanding that our careless words and actions can drown the very essence of connection.

Navigating this treacherous divide necessitates confronting the conflicting loyalties we clutch to in our defense of chosen affiliations. Like a wild tidal wave crashing against the shore, users often bolster the very structures that erode genuine connections, perpetuating vicious cycles of division that warp our interactions in the tangible world—fueling hostility in public discourse, entrenching polarized communities, and nurturing isolated social spheres. The reclamation of our ethical identity must, therefore, be a fierce shared endeavor, demanding active participation in reshaping the corrosive narratives we perpetuate across both realms.

In our interpersonal systems, the ripple effects of ethical identity—especially in the context of an interconnected digital landscape—can be profound. Social media platforms often serve as an echo chamber, where individuals surround themselves with like-minded voices, reinforcing perceptions that can erode empathy and genuine understanding. As seismic divisions grow, people may find themselves in a state of moral paralysis, prioritizing digital affirmations over real connection.

As conflicts escalate online, they spill into real life, straining friendships and familial bonds. For example, a disagreement over a political issue may lead to heated exchanges on social media, fostering resentment that seeps into personal interactions. This fracture can dismantle trust and subject relationships to a barrage of judgment and blame, making it increasingly challenging to engage in constructive dialogues.

Moreover, the temptation to comply with popular opinion can lead to a suppression of dissenting views, curbing healthy conversations that help foster deeper understanding. Instead of nurturing honest exchanges, individuals might adhere to a façade, fearing backlash for expressing differing opinions, driving wedges between individuals who once shared strong ties. Reclaiming ethical identity in this realm necessitates an effort to cultivate mutual respect, develop empathy, and actively seek to understand differing perspectives—creating a foundation for lasting and sincere relationships.

Political systems often mirror the ethical dilemmas of interpersonal relationships, amplified by a 24/7 news cycle and an increasingly polarized environment. The urgency of the digital platform cultivates an atmosphere wherein opinions are often weaponized, leading individuals to champion partisan ideologies without regard for the complexities surrounding them. The result is a disintegration of discourse, characterized by vitriolic debates rather than constructive dialogues.

As political conflict mounts, citizens often align themselves with party lines, abandoning their ethical compass in favor of blind allegiance. This loyalty paradigm fosters a dangerous notion that a person's worth is defined by their political affiliations, reducing voters to mere statistics in a grander scheme of electoral politics. Consequently, empathy for those with opposing views erodes, reinforcing a binary perspective where compromise is viewed as weakness, further entrenching divisions.

Moreover, the immediacy of social media often leads to rash judgments and hasty conclusions, culminating in mobs of outrage without a nuanced understanding of issues at hand. Political discourse morphs into a fragmentation of tribalism, where loyalty supersedes ethics. To counter this divisive trend, leaders and citizens alike must emphasize the interconnectedness of their roles and the shared responsibility for fostering healthy dialogue, grounded in priority for truth and understanding above partisan loyalty.

Religious systems, too, can be significantly affected by the dynamics of ethical identity in a digital world. While faith can serve as a profound source of connection and community, digital platforms often expose theological discord, propagating divisions within faith communities. The online realm, filled with competing ideologies and interpretations, can amplify differences that inhibit unity. Disputes over doctrinal beliefs may escalate into public confrontations, leading to disillusionment and a fractured sense of belonging.

In such an atmosphere, individuals may express piety through the lens of their online personas rather than genuine faith. The quest for validation from digital followers can overshadow authentic expressions of belief, transforming spirituality into a performance rather than a lived experience. Furthermore, the desire to defend one's faith against perceived attacks can engender hostility, distorting the fundamental tenets of love and compassion often central to religious traditions.

The challenge lies in balancing the potent influence of digital narratives while nurturing spaces for genuine spiritual dialogue. Faith leaders and communities can reclaim ethical identity by prioritizing inclusion, emphasizing shared values over divisive doctrines, and promoting understanding among diverse perspectives. Embracing this ethical awakening can cultivate a sense of belonging that transcends social media's transient chatter, making way for authentic connections rooted in shared spirituality.

The interplay of ethical identity across interpersonal, political, and religious systems showcases the complexities of human connection in a digital age. To reclaim agency, individuals must commit to fostering empathy, genuine discourse, and authentic expressions of belief. The journey entails a shared resurgence of core values that prioritize compassion, understanding, and unity, enabling us to navigate the often-chaotic seismic landscape of contemporary life—transforming the fractures in our systems into opportunities for healing and connection.

Our march toward reestablishing a forgotten moral identity requires an unwavering commitment to ethical realness and constructive engagement amidst the chaos of mediocre intent. As we exercise our agency in these online spaces, we are obligated to recognize the consequences of our words and the chaos they unleash beyond the screen. Only through audacious action, fierce acknowledgment, and a united stand against our own complicity can we hope to cultivate relationships grounded in mutual respect and understanding—both online and offline—emerging unscathed from the tempest and reclaiming the full spectrum of our moral agency.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

We stand on a precipice, staring into the void of our ethical crisis, perpetuated by systems that thrive on our disconnection. Recognizing this reality is the first step toward asserting moral agency. To navigate the murky waters of social media and its implications on interpersonal relationships, we must engage in critical dialogue and self-reflection. Each individual possesses the ability to become a catalyst for change, rebirthing ethical standards that prioritize humanity over algorithmic imperatives.

By embracing the challenge of confronting our online behaviors, we send ripples through the fabric of our existence. The process of reconstructing our moral identity demands courage, vulnerability, and an unflinching commitment to truthfulness. Only through authentic engagement can we challenge the dominion of disconnection. Recognizing the humanity in others is a vital companion to this journey; acknowledging their complex narratives fosters an ethical awakening rooted in profound understanding.

Ultimately, the act of disengaging from systems of alienation and cultivating genuine relationships involves a collective undertow. We must resolutely confront the unsettling truths of our participatory roles within these structures. The imperative for ethical reclamation speaks volumes for the individual; it urges a return to the innate affection we carry for our fellow beings. It is time we choose to step away from artificial constructs and recommit to radical empathy, understanding, and connection-in our world, our actions echo far beyond the confines of the digital screen.

In closing, let us remember de Beauvoir’s emphasis on the rejection of preordained authority as we embark upon this journey of reawakening. The ethical crisis of our time demands a transformative shift—a commitment to uphold the intrinsic sanctity of human connection. May we challenge ourselves to evolve beyond our existing structures of morality, propelling ourselves into a future where our reclaimed identities spark the radical transformation necessary for healthier, more fulfilling relationships. It is time to seek the good in ourselves and others, guiding us toward a future rooted in true ethical integrity and profound human connection.

[swordwithribbon]

abolishing gender identity = there are zero genders, no one has a gender, it is impossible to have a gender, being nonbinary or trans doesn't exist because there is nothing to identify out of, everyone on earth is genderless bc gender is a rightwing male invention and upholding it in any form is part of the patriarchal scaffolding holding up male supremacy, heterocentrism and capitalism.

abolishing gender identity =/= i've got a dick but i hate football therefore i must not be a real man, i've got a vagina but i've also got a personality unlike all those other silly brainless bimbos so i must be nonbinary, if you don't fit the rightwing definition of masculinity and femininity that means you're special and not just normal.

there are two sexes* - one of which has oppressed the other since time immemorial - and there are zero genders. oppressors cannot identify out of their privilege and oppressed people cannot identify out of their oppression. a white person cannot decide they're one of the good ones and identify out of their white privilege, and a male cannot decide the same either.

* if you're about to say something ableist about people with DSDs/"intersex" people, and claim they don't have a single sex because you're too stupid to understand how sex-linked disorders work, don't bother. i've heard it all before and it's all anti-science nonsense not dissimilar to anti-vaxx conspiracies.

thanks for the patronising explanation of what gender abolition would mean, although i already knew all of that lol. it’s interesting hearing such radical gender abolitionists such as yourself because i actually agree— abolishing gender would almost certainly be beneficial for everyone. but, none of you ever offer a practical and realistic way to achieve this: it’s always “gender doesn’t actually exist” but it does, you said so yourself. yes, it’s not a biological reality in the same way sex is and it is constructed but things that are sociological are still real. gender is a social reality.

being transsexual is at its core a medical condition caused by gender dysphoria aka gender discongruence. i find it abhorrent that anyone who hasn’t experienced such a challenging condition (which, as we all know, causes the trans su*c*de rate to be so high) would attempt to debase transition as “not liking football so i’m not a man”. you sound ridiculous. transsexuality is gender dysphoria being alleviated by a social and usually medical transition. interests have literally zero impact; if liking feminine things made you trans, all effeminate gay men would be transitioning, but they aren’t because there’s no dysphoria.

on a seperate note, other “trans umbrella” identities that you mentioned (e.g. nonbinary) are literally what you’re aiming for. nonbinary is a gender identity that defies all other binary ideas of gender, but for some reason this still upsets you because it’s being referred to as a “gender identity” and as such upholds in the loosest of ways gender norms. well, to that thought i ask: what’s the alternative? being transsexual or nonbinary or anything that goes against the conservative and very reductive idea that amab = man and afab = woman is rebelling against those conservative ideas. transsexuals are in favour of gender abolition. being trans is one step towards your utopian description of a genderless society, which, as an aside, we probably won’t ever arrive to unless society completely dies off and starts anew.

in regards to “identifying out of oppression” im not sure if you’re claiming i said this is possible, but i’ll give my thoughts. a trans woman who “passes” as the sex to which she has transitioned (and so is socially a woman) holds much less social power than a social man. yes, there are things that trans women cannot identify out of in the sense that they will always be biologically male, and so will never experience sex-based oppression e.g. oppressive abortion laws. but, a “passing” trans woman can and will inevitably experience misogyny as she lives as a woman day-to-day, just as a trans man in the same position will be treated as he is— a man— and be able to benefit from the social and daily privileges that this comes with. when people see a stranger, they see them as they are, not their genitalia or chromosomes or sex organs etc. so, yes, in part, oppression that isn’t tied completely to biology can be transferred.

as a final note, the racial comparison you mentioned is completely irrelevant as being “transracial” 1. doesn’t actually exist, and 2. even if it did, there would be no grounds for it to be valid as race dysphoria isn’t real. so you can’t really make a comparison between the two.