#pray for minneapolis

[lightpost]

Lord please hear my prayer, I need this man to know he has saved my life. His voice is the only thing I wish to feel again before I leave this planet. God please one last time I need to feel his voice. That is my one and only choice. He needs to know the truth.

[auras-moonstone]

hello there! this is my first time requesting anything so i’m sorry if it comes out too long or i don’t really request it properly hwhshwhsjssh, i just stumbled across your blog and saw you’re a swiftie AND a jack stan too!!! (i already love u for this!!). could we get jack/ethan with a swiftie girlfriend? maybe he got her tickets to see taylor (and if it’s jack, maybe he knows taylor and got into the little celebrity area at the eras tour?) and he tells her he loves her for the first time during “daylight”, because ever since they got together he learnt love is golden 🥺<3 if you’re not up for it, it’s totally cool!! your work is so good :)

hi!! the way i SCREAMED in excitement when i saw this request omg! thank you so much! writing this was honestly heartwarming. i always include some taylor references on my writings because she’s the one that inspires me to write. so, i’m actually really proud and happy of what i did with this little one shot🥺 hope you enjoy it!

it’s golden, like daylight — jack champion

words: 1,307

pairing: jack champion x fem!reader

summary: taylor invites jack and y/n to her show, and during one of the surprise songs, jack gets the courage to tell her the three words.

THE FIRST THING JACK THINKS WHEN HE HEARS THE NAME TAYLOR SWIFT IS Y/N. When they met, one of the first thing he noticed about her was that she was a huge swiftie. He took interest in her interests, so now his timeline and his search page was filled with things about the american singer. He even added tons of her songs to his playlist. And if you were to ask him what his favorite album was, he would say Lover. But maybe that’s because—as his girlfriend said—he was in his “Lover Era”.

When Taylor announced she was going on tour, he knew he would do anything to make his girlfriend’s dream come true. Maybe the stars had aligned, maybe it was a coincidence or maybe it was faith, but Taylor Swift knew him, and she also knew that Y/N was a big fan and Jack almost fainted when he saw his Instagram notification. He had kept it from Y/N for a couple of weeks, and it was finally time to reveal it.

Y/N was sitting on the couch, laptop on her lap and you could see the stress and anguish painted on her face. It was clearly someone who was having an awful time on queue.

Jack walked towards her with a smile, and closed her laptop. She started at the device with an expression of shock before setting her eyes on him—if looks could kill, Jack would’ve died on the spot.

“Jack! What the fuck!” she said in a loud angry tone. “You better pray to all the gods that I didn’t lose my queue number, cause I’m going to strangle you” she gritted her teeth as she opened her laptop again.

“You don’t need the queue” Jack simply said, taking her laptop away.

“Jack, please, it’s not the time for your cuddling needs” Y/N said frustrated.

“It’s not that” he laugh, as he took his phone and opened his DMs. He handed the phone to her. “Read it”.

Y/N’s curious eyes took notice of the user on top—Taylor Nation. Her heart skipped a bit, and read the message.

Hey, Jack!

Hope you’re doing well!

Taylor Swift knows your girlfriend, Y/N, is a big fan and she would like to invite you both to her show on Minneapolis, night two!

Please, answer us if you’re available and gives us the address so we can send you the tickets.

The girl stared at the phone in pure shock, not even noticing the tears leaking from her eyes or her shaking hands. She re-read the message hundreds of times, but still felt surreal. Taylor fucking Swift invited HER to her show. Taylor Swift knew who SHE was. Y/N never imagined something like this would ever happen, not even in her wildest dreams.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, I wanted it to be a surprise. Also, sorry for making you angry and scaring you with the laptop thing” Jack spoke up.

Y/N grabbed his hand and pull him in, his body landing on top of hers. She hugged his boyfriend tightly. “Is this really happening?” she asked with a broken voice.

“Yes, babe. We are seeing Taylor in a couple of months!”

Y/N sobbed as she hid her face on her boyfriend’s neck. Her wishes became true—she was seeing her favourite artist with her favourite person.

JACK DIDN’T KNOW THAT THE TOUR WOULD BE SUCH AN EXPERIENCE. The concert was still months away, but the excitement was present every single day. Y/N even had a folder on her pinterest called “the eras tour”; in where she had outfits ideas and inspo for friendship bracelets. She also had a list on her phone notes with the surprise songs she would love to get.

“So, what costume are we getting?” Jack asked her while they made friendship bracelets.

“You are getting one too?” Y/N asked surprised.

Jack smiled “Of course! I was thinking of doing couple costumes”

“Yes! Let’s go on pinterest” she said with eagerness.

They spent a couple of minutes searching for a costume they both liked, until they found the perfect one.

“I’m so happy, you don’t even know” she beamed, head on his lap.

“I love seeing you like this. It makes me happy too” Jack grinned, tracing her cheekbones with his fingers.

Y/N lifted her head to kiss him softly “Thanks for putting up with my annoying fan girl ass”.

“Shut up” he laughed against her lips “You say it as if it was something bad. And it isn’t. Like I said, seeing you like this makes me happy too. Besides, I’m actually enjoying this whole ‘the eras’ experience”.

“Well then, I’m glad. What song would you love to hear live?” she wondered.

Jack knew the answer instantly. “Daylight”.

“Jack, oh my god, you have great taste. Why did you choose it?”

“I just like the lyrics” he shrugged.

Lies. Well, of course he liked the lyrics—but more importantly, he understood and felt them. Jack didn’t really know how Taylor came up with the concept that love was golden, but it just made sense to him. Maybe it’s because he had Y/N in his life that he could see why the color fitted just right.

His girlfriend was a literal ray of sunshine, there was no chance of feeling blue whenever she was around. How could he not fall for her? How could he not love her when everything was brighter and shiner—like daylight—ever since she barged into his life with her dazzling smile and heart of gold? She was golden and so was their love.

Love… that was a word they hadn’t say to each other yet. They had been together for almost six months, and he had known he loved her two months ago. But she was his first girlfriend, and he was scared he was going too fast for her liking, so he decided to wait.

Ironic enough, the same thoughts were on Y/N’s mind constantly. Falling in love with him had been as easy as knowing all of the words to her old favourite songs, pun intended. He was sweet, funny, caring, the representation of a golden retriever.

Both had the other completely bewitched, and they didn’t even notice.

THE DAY HAD FINALLY ARRIVED AND Y/N ENTERED THE VENUE WITH SHAKY LEGS. A security guard guided them towards Taylor’s guests area and on their way, a couple of fans waved at them excitingly.

Once they were settled there, the fans started to come their way to say hi and exchange bracelets with them, also receiving a lot of praise for their outfits. They chose the costumes Brandon Urie and Taylor used for the ME! music video. Jack had a dark pink checkered suit and Y/N the glittery pink dress with the big red heart on the middle.

The countdown began and Y/N and Jack screamed her lungs out singing the intro of Miss Americana and Cruel Summer’s bridge. They got all lovey during Lover and Enchanted and danced their heart out to the rest of the set list that was filled with Taylor’s most iconic songs.

Before they knew it, surprise song time came, and Jack’s mouth fell open when he heard the words.

My love was as cruel as the cities I’ve lived in…

“Jack, what the fuck! You literally manifested it!” Y/N laughed. Jack laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist, her back pressed against his front and Jack’s chin rested on the top of her head.

I once believed love would be black and white… but it’s golden, like daylight.

If that wasn’t a sign, then Jack didn’t know what else it could be. But he was going to tell her, he felt a little more brave…fearless.

“I love you, Y/N” he whispered on her ear, as Taylor continued to sing the song that, in that moment, became theirs.

Y/N turned her head to the side, their lips brushing. The corners of her mouth lifted and she looked at him with eyes filled with love and adoration. “I love you too, Jack”.

liked by taylorswift, taylornation, jackchampion, and 16,987 others.

y/n.y/l/n i once believed love would be black and white, but it’s golden like daylight 💓 i love you forever and ever jackchampion

jackchampion that’s our song, love. i love you to the moon and to saturn 💕

jennaortega best couple ever

masonthegooding you two are disgustingly cute

baileybass omg you finally said the l-word!!!

y/n.y/l/n baileybass yes!! he said it during daylight😫💕

jackslover SO THATS WHY JACK SAID “THAT’S OUR SONG” OH GOD THIS IS CUTE

jamieflatters and they say romance is dead

misstrinitybliss i love you both 🥺🫶🏻

taylornation that’s a real fucking legacy

[ausetkmt]

How Black women shaped Tim Walz’s politics after the death of George Floyd

From inside Minnesota’s executive mansion, Gov. Tim Walz could hear the grieving woman’s bellows..

Toshira Garraway’s voice quavered as she spoke to the hundreds gathered outside the residence in St. Paul. It was a sunny Monday in June 2020, just days after George Floyd had been murdered in Minneapolis.

Protesters across the world had been shouting Floyd’s name, but Garraway and other speakers — almost all Black women — were invoking the names of men who hadn’t garnered as much attention after they died in encounters with Minnesota law enforcement. Hardel. Kobe. Justin.

The lifeless body of Justin Teigen, Garraway’s boyfriend, had been found in a recycling bin in 2009. Police had said they were chasing Teigen and lost track of him when he hid in a dumpster, where he remained when the trash was compacted. Garraway was convinced police had killed him.

“They didn’t throw him in the river! They didn’t throw him in the woods!” Garraway shouted. “They threw him in the trash! That’s what they think of our people.”

“I could hear her pain,” Walz recalled in a 2021 interview with a Washington Post reporter. Walz, who is now the Democratic nominee for vice president, stepped outside the residence for a closer listen.

When Garraway heard that Walz had joined the crowd, she stepped away from the microphone to meet him. She asked for his cellphone number.

“I had been calling and writing the governor and attorney general for years,” she recalled telling him. “I want you to meet with our families.”

He promised he would.

At the most critical juncture in Walz’s tenure as governor, with the world pointing to his state as an example of gross injustice, he found insights and counsel from Garraway and a group of Black women who pleaded with him to do more to address systemic racism.

This story is based on years of interviews with Walz and those women, starting 11 months after Floyd’s death as part of research for a book on Floyd’s life and legacy.

Walz’s last interview was in May, two months before he was selected as the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to be the Democratic nominee for president. During the discussions, Walz offered the most expansive, personal accounts he has ever provided about how Floyd’s murder changed his worldview — and about the women who helped shape it.

The women cried with him, prodded him, prayed with him. They admired his ability to listen without interrupting them, and appreciated the get-well cards he sent when they were sick. When it comes to supporting a Black woman who is already facing racist attacks in her bid for the presidency, they think Walz is ready.

But even more than his empathy, the women relished the opportunity to help Walz craft legislation that specifically addressed their concerns. That’s when the relationship became more difficult.

“He makes political calculations in terms of where he’s going to put his energy and spend down political capital, which any responsible person or elected official will do,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a former head of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP. “But because of his nature, you always have in the back of your mind that he will go the extra mile. … That’s when you get disappointed.”

Beyond Walz’s reputation as a folksy liberal, likely to be on display when he speaks Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention, the women saw a politician trying to navigate uncertain terrain. The national zest for police reform would eventually slow, and Walz’s national profile would begin to soar. And now, some in the group say he has lost interest in them.

Walz declined to comment for this article, but a spokeswoman wrote that Walz “deeply values the friendships, what he’s been able to learn from them, and the reforms they worked together to pass. He continues to meet with them and looks forward to their continued work together to improve Minnesota.”

Garraway has not heard from Walz in more than a year. When friends started texting about his becoming Harris’s running mate, she didn’t fully know what to say.

“I don’t want to bash the man, but all I can do is speak from my heart, and I’m conflicted,” Garraway said. “I cannot say that empathy was not there. But, as time went on and this was no longer the headlining topic, we became less and less important. Our families are pushed to the side and, basically, ignored. It is painful and hurtful.”

Philando Castile's mother, Valerie, holds flowers during a demonstration outside the governor's home in St. Paul on July 7, 2016.

Before Floyd’s death, Walz had been warned about the insidious threat of racism in Minnesota.

The prediction came from Valerie Castile, whose son Philando had been shot and killed at a traffic stop in a suburb of St. Paul in 2016. “Mark my word, if it keeps on going in this direction, something really bad is going to happen,” Castile recalled telling him.

“That was back in 2017,” she said.

At the time, Walz was serving in Congress and preparing a bid for governor. She told him she had dedicated her life to finding a way to bring honor to her son’s name. She spoke about Philando’s generous spirit — the school cafeteria worker would dig into his own pocket to help a student who couldn’t afford lunch.

And then, Castile quizzed Walz on why he thought Black people disproportionately die at the hands of police.

“I’m going to be brutally honest with you,” Castile recalled telling him. “We know it’s a racist factor that’s the underlying problem within law enforcement.”

The two formed a tight bond, calling themselves “friends.” Walz said her honesty showed him how “the basic joys of life are always clouded by” racism, and illuminated “the day-to-day, year-after-year systemic issues and microaggressions that people endure.”

“It just permeates everything,” he told The Post.

Walz, who grew up in Nebraska and moved to rural Minnesota as an adult, said he knew he had a blind spot when it came to the Black experience, “being a middle-aged White guy [from] a town of 300 … with no people of color.” In Minnesota, where only 7 percent of the population is Black, politicians often note how easy it can be to miss the struggles of the African American community. So many of the state’s bragging points — its high incomes, its healthy residents, its high-performing students — disguise some of the country’s widest disparities in wealth, life expectancy and education between Blacks and Whites.

After Walz became governor in 2019, Black lawmakers and activists said, he and his wife engaged with Black communities immediately. Walz said that they were eager to learn — and that they were surprised by what they discovered.

During one event, a Black woman told him she had moved to Duluth from Arkansas. Compared with racism in the Deep South, she said, she found Minnesota’s to be “quieter — but meaner.”

On another occasion, Levy Armstrong, the former NAACP official, told him that state lawmakers had a history of “admiring the problem” — acknowledging that disparities existed but not working hard enough to eradicate them.

Then a police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck in May 2020.

As video of the brutal incident spread, Walz reached out to Castile.

“What do you think they’re going to do?” she recalled Walz asking her.

“You better get ready,” Castile said. “They’re about to tear this motherf---er up.”

Castile was right. Although most of the protests were peaceful, large businesses were looted, windows were smashed and a police station was set aflame.

Not long afterward, the Floyd family asked Walz to remove the county attorney from the investigation of the killing. Walz agreed to assign Keith Ellison, the state’s attorney general, who had a history of working against police brutality. Walz told The Post that he was thinking of Castile when he made the decision.

“She was adamant, and groups of folks who had talked to me even before George Floyd [died] believed that we needed to have an independent prosecutor’s office,” Walz said. “That there’s just too close a connection between the police and the county attorneys.”

Walz, center, joins protesters in front of the Minnesota Governor's Residence on June 1, 2020, after the murder of George Floyd.

A few weeks after Walz spoke with the Floyds, he met with Garraway and the other women on a Zoom call.

Garraway spoke again about her boyfriend, referring to his death as the “2009 version of Emmett Till.”

The police account of the events had always seemed fantastical to her. But in 2009, there were no body cameras or Black Lives Matter movement — and few people took her seriously. After three years, only one lawyer said he would be interested in taking the case. By then, it was too late — the state had a three-year statute of limitations for investigating officers.

Amity Dimock told Walz the story of her autistic son, Kobe Dimock-Heisler, who was killed in 2019 by police during a wellness check. Police said Kobe had lunged at them with a knife, but Amity said she believed the officers reacted so quickly because they were ill-equipped to deal with mental illness.

Del Shea Perry spoke of her son Hardel Sherrell, who died in a jail cell in 2018. Officers ignored Sherrell when he said he wasn’t feeling well. Security camera footage over eight days captured him falling hard off a bed, going limp and dying in a pool of his own waste, never receiving medical attention.

As the women recounted their pain, Walz’s eyes welled with tears. He told The Post that he, like many in the state, needed to do more soul-searching on why it was so easy to look past the trauma of racism that Castile assured him existed.

“This is a great state if you’re White, not so much if you’re not,” Walz later recalled thinking. “And that pains me, but it has to be said. And it’s the truth.”

Amity Dimock, right, is comforted by another woman during a demonstration outside the Governor's Residence on June 6, 2020.

After the conversations with the women, Walz said he went back to his staff and asked, “What can we do? What can we change?”

They encouraged the women to work with racial justice organizations to craft legislation, and by 2021, more than a dozen police reform bills had been introduced. Some followed national trends. They asked for the state legislature to limit the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants. They asked that the state allow police officers to be sued directly for actions taken in the line of duty, ending a practice known as “qualified immunity” that shielded them.

Other bills were directly inspired by the women’s stories. One would have ended the statute of limitations for wrongful-death suits related to police killings — potentially giving Garraway the chance to find out what had happened to Justin. Another would have referred 911 calls to mental health crisis teams when appropriate — which Dimock thought could have saved Kobe’s life. A third would have mandated wellness checks in jails — which could have led to an intervention for Hardel.

The women set out for the State Capitol to lobby lawmakers, but struggled to gain traction. About a year after Floyd’s death, conservatives were nervous that such measures might deplete the morale of police departments, which were losing officers.

“After Minneapolis started burning, the Republicans immediately went to blaming Governor Walz and Mayor [Jacob] Frey, and [saying] the Democrats will let the city burn down,” said Jeffrey Hayden, who was a Democratic state senator. Hayden said Republicans appeared hesitant to act, arguing that Floyd’s death had been “an isolated incident.”

The women said they found it difficult to find advocates even among rural Democrats, who they said would stare at them with blank faces. They asked the governor to leverage his authority, and he tried at first. He threatened to keep the legislative session open until lawmakers passed police reform, and he negotiated with Republicans, who were in control of the state’s House.

Del Shea Perry cries as she marches with demonstrators near the Governor's Residence on June 6, 2020. Beside her is a photo of son Hardel Sherrell.

The legislature agreed to pass a bill in honor of Sharell, to make changes to police training and to limit the use of chokeholds. Walz used executive action to add $15 million for violence-prevention programs, and then required that police provide body-camera footage to families within five days of incidents involving a death. But the legislature rejected the toughest measures, such as strengthening civilian oversight of police departments and ending qualified immunity.

And the measure to lift the statute of limitations also failed, meaning there would be no chance to get to the truth of what happened to Garraway’s boyfriend.

On the last day of the session, Garraway and the other women held a news conference. She pleaded with her new friend, the governor, to try to do more.

“You listen to our stories. You watch us break down. You watch us cry,” she said. “How can you make a deal to say this is okay?”

A few months after the legislation failed, Walz put his disappointment plainly: “I feel like I failed Toshira.”

Walz told The Post back then that he had learned that White men like him wanted to probe the details while Black women like Garraway sought swift action because the lives of their families were at stake.

“This is a complex issue. It’s nuanced,” Walz said. “But in the midst of this are people who say, ‘I don’t have time for nuance.’”

He wondered if the country needed a truth and reconciliation commission — like the one in post-apartheid South Africa — that would allow people to truly listen to the stories of pain and exploitation he had heard.

After the 2021 legislative session, Walz said he felt the chance to have an honest conversation about racism in America — and then work to fix it — had probably passed him by. He worried that, between the pandemic, the protests and the unraveling of the great American reckoning on race, the country was not “healing.”

“I don’t know if we’ll get another shot at it,” Walz said. “I’m worried about this. … I’m worried [about what] I’m seeing at the national level. I’m seeing our democracy under threat, and I’m seeing the community here that’s losing faith.”

Back then, he also recognized how not addressing the problem would mar his political legacy.

“One way or another, I will be associated with this,” Walz said.

Valerie Castile speaks at a Minneapolis rally on June 16, 2023, after the release of a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.

Valerie Castile had not lost faith.

After a jury in 2017 acquitted the police officer who killed Philando, she spent years seeking another route to honor her son’s legacy.

She started a foundation to clear the balances of grade-school students who couldn’t afford to pay for school meals, then began pushing the state legislature to make breakfast and lunch free for all students. In 2023, with a Democratic majority in all three chambers, the bill passed.

It became one of Walz’s signature pieces of legislation, and the photo of children hugging him after he signed the bill has become an indelible political image. Watching proudly in the back that day was Castile.

“Oh my God, we finally did it,” Castile remembered thinking. “Congratulations, Phil.”

After the police reform bills were rejected, Walz tried other routes to deal with racial disparities, at the behest of Democrats eager to avoid bills that could be deemed as anti-police.

Walz worked with lawmakers in 2023 to invest more than $70 million in workforce training for manufacturing and tech jobs. After the NAACP filed a lawsuit alleging that the child-welfare system disproportionately separated Black families, they approved proactive steps to keep families together. They passed laws barring discrimination based on hairstyles and establishing an office to investigate suspicious deaths of Black women that have become cold cases.

In May 2024, Walz told The Post that these policies have helped to close some of the state’s racial gaps. For example, the median household income for Black Minnesotans has jumped 70 percent since 2011, the seventh-fastest growth rate in the country, according to the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development.

“We’ve stopped admiring the problem,” Walz said in the interview. “We’ve learned not to do the Minnesota thing, which is to look at disparities, say ‘Oh that’s too bad,’ then go and eat pie.”

He also said he was wrong to wonder if the country might have missed its chance to eradicate racism.

“That was a part of my trauma speaking,” Walz said.

The women he met in 2020, though, still wonder if they will ever experience any relief from their trauma, a smidgen of which Castile felt when Walz signed the school meals bill. They accuse Walz of giving up on police reform too quickly. Perry, whose son died in the jail cell, continued trying to persuade Walz that they needed to do more work. In 2018, when Hardel Sherrell died, there were nine other deaths at county jails, state data shows. Last year, there were 20 deaths.

Her phone calls, though, were being returned much more infrequently. Perry’s advocacy didn’t even get a hearing during the last legislative session. When she met Walz earlier this year, he asked if she had been in touch with the Rev. Al Sharpton. Maybe some national attention would help, he suggested.

“Maybe he should call him,” Perry told The Post. “He knows him. I don’t. I’m a grieving mother.”

Still racked with pain, Garraway said there are bigger matters on her mind than Walz’s potential vice presidency.

When county prosecutors decided in June to drop their case against a state trooper who killed a Black man named Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop, she called Walz to see if she could get answers from a man she thought she understood. Walz had supported dropping the charges, saying it would be impossible to prove that the officer used excessive force.

But after introducing Walz to so many grieving families, Garraway was desperate to know why he could side with the police in this case. She trusted his judgment. So after his big speech accepting the nomination and all the balloons and the pageantry of the Democratic convention, she hopes he’ll answer her calls again. She longs to hear his voice.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Michelangelo Signorile at The Signorile Report:

When Jacob Reitan was a student at Mankato West High School in Mankato, Minnesota, where Tim Walz taught social studies in the 1990s—long before a political career that would eventually take him to the Minnesota Governor’s Mansion, and now as the VP running mate on a presidential ticket—Reitan was a student in Gwen Walz’s class.

Reitan was closeted in a time when being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender was deeply shunned by many Americans, particularly in rural and small-town America. Bullying in schools was rampant from big cities to the most remote parts of the country, and it was often dangerous to be openly queer as hate crimes escalated. “Gwen was my English literature teacher in 10th grade,” Reitan told me in an interview on my SiriusXM Progress program. “And in 10th grade, I knew that I was gay, but I was living in the closet of one. It was an echo chamber. I was out to no one, but I was wrestling with this reality. That was difficult because not only did I not tell anyone that I was gay, I also knew no one who was gay.” Reitan, who would go on to become a gay activist in later years and an attorney, remembers feeling very lonely in the small city of Mankato, the county seat of Blue Earth County, 82 miles south of Minneapolis. On the first day of class with Gwen Walz, she said something at the beginning that stirred Reitan.

“She started the class by saying that this was a safe place for gay and lesbian students,” Reitan vividly recalls. “I had never heard any teacher say anything positive about gay kids from the front of the class. My heart was beating out of my chest. I thought, Does she know that I'm gay? Is that why she's saying this? And it stuck with me.” Reitan soon decided to come out as gay, telling his sister and a good friend first. The third person he came out to was Gwen Walz. “Gwen and I had long conversations about being gay, and she talked about being supportive of a previous student of hers who was openly gay when [she and Tim] were teaching in Nebraska and things that they had done to support that student,” he recounted. “And so I knew that Tim and Gwen were supportive people that I could go to.” Within the year, Reitan, the first student at Mankato West to come out as gay, worked with other students and created the gay-straight alliance at Mankato West. As Vice President Harris noted in her introduction of her running mate in Philadelphia two weeks ago, Tim Walz, the social studies teacher and football coach, became the faculty adviser to the group.

Both Tim and Gwen Walz became lifelong friends of Reitan and his family. Reitan told me about how their faith is what guided them in supporting LGBTQ people. “Tim's core is the concept of treating people with compassion, equality, and justice,” Reitan said. “And it's in Gwen's core too. Gwen, in high school, would talk to me about why it was important to her because of her faith.” “We talked about how I come from a Lutheran family. My grandfather was a Lutheran minister, and she would say that it's because of her Lutheran faith that she does this. They're very religious people. Gwen prays every day. Their concept of religion includes treating people equally and justly.” That is enormously powerful to hear at a time when Donald Trump courts Christian nationalists in the evangelical base who demonize LGBTQ people. He’s promised them, as he did in his first term, to strip the rights of LGBTQ people. much of which is outlined in Project 2025.

Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, calls LGBTQ people “groomers"—a grotesque and dangerous lie that implies we are pedophiles—and is opposed to marriage equality and gender-affirming care for transgender people. So the fact that the Walzes supported marriage equality in 2006 as Tim Walz was embarking upon a run for a congressional seat in a rural, red Minnesota district is pretty astounding. That was a time when President George W. Bush was pushing for a federal marriage amendment, and many states had banned same-sex marriage. Even most Democratic elected officials, including those from urban areas, publicly opposed same-sex marriage. In fact, they saw the middle ground—the safe space—in opposing the federal marriage amendment while opposing marriage equality. It was pretty cowardly. But not Tim Walz. Reitan relayed a story from 2006, when Tim and Gwen Walz were mulling over Tim’s possible run for the U.S. House, and they came to his home for dinner.

Jacob Reitan came out as gay in Gwen Walz’s English Lit class in 1999 at Mankato West High School in Mankato, Minnesota. Reitan helped form a gay-straight alliance that year with Gwen and her husband Tim, who taught social studies.

In 2006, when Tim was gearing up for a Congressional run, he supported marriage equality in a time where many elected Democrats still didn’t support marriage equality or LGBTQ+ rights.

In 2004, his ticketmate Kamala Harris fought for marriage equality in California and refused to defend Prop 8 as Attorney General.

See Also:

Public Notice: Tim Walz's remarkably courageous stand for LGBT youth

[bunnidid-reviews]

DID Book Review

DID Book Review

Facts -

Book Title: Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen

Publication date: 2014

Fiction or Nonfiction: Fiction

Was there a diagnosis of DID? Yes

Was the person with DID presented as evil for having DID? Yes, in the twist ending

Major Trigger warning list:

Ableism all throughout (a lot of infantilism and the autistic savant trope, as well as generally written in a dehumanizing way)

 Incarceration

Infant and parental death

Threatening with a gun

Plane crashing in the twist ending

Neglect

Physical abuse played off as a joke(? ‘she smacked him upside the head/across the face’)

Attempted sexual assault played off as romantic (Making out with the hesitant Elias, it’s written very vaguely and confusingly but I came away feeling like he couldn’t fully consent even if he wanted it)

Forced integration/forcing him to face his memories to integrate

Kidnapping? (In general it doesn’t seem like Elias has the ability to consent to most things despite being 19. His general confusion triggered my childhood..something sorta like kidnapping experiences so I’m adding this)

Sneaky Christian Messages (main character starts praying to God)

 Subjective Review(this is how I felt about it) -

Personal triggering scale from 1 to 10 (1 being not triggering at all, 10 being a badly overwhelming experience that might cause personal harm): 5. It’s not explicit in any way but there were many points I just needed to put this down

Personal relatability scale from 1 to 10 (1 being unrelatable, 10 being OMG THAT’S ME!): 2

Personal avoidance scale from 1 to 10(1 being eager to get on with it, 10 being impossible to finish): 7

My interpretation of the media(Includes spoilers):

I think this book is garbage, let me tell you why.

The story follows our main character Clara, who after her mother’s death and her turning 18, fled her home in London to live an untethered life of travel. She left being Teeter and Marna(yes, those are their names) to live with their father, who had been incarcerated for the past ten years over an Incident that it only ever vaguely mentioned, and many times.

Clara is a stuck-up bitch. She’s written as if these are attractive and heroic traits, that she looks down on the people around her so much that she assigns them numbers instead of names, gets her fill of them, and flees to the next country. She’s evidently taken hundreds of trips around the world in the past year, funded entirely by scamming people into thinking they’re paying a charity to support the travels of other children of incarcerated parents. Not exactly a lie, but I found her scamming and making literally thousands like this to be disgusting. There’s only one person she ever trusts with the truth, and that’s her online friend, FFA

She’s going to New York.. Or Minneapolis. Actually I believe she’s on a flight from New York to Minneapolis when she meets Elias, an 18-19(?) year old boy who’s seated next to her in-flight. He’s handsome, but seems.. Off in a way. He’s huddled against the window sketching away, and she measures him up to be Dangerous To Her Personally because he seems.. Interesting. Someone she might be tangled with. Especially as he sketches away at a scene that must’ve been her own trauma.

After pestering him all flight, they part ways and he accidentally takes her identical-to-his bag. Clara has to track him down in Minneapolis(I believe) to retrieve it.

Elias lives in a big boarding house with his overprotective but also negligent mother, as well as a quirky cast of various old people who live there. The Elias Clara meets here is distinctly different from the Elias she met on the plane.. He’s.. Neurotypical and Nice.

She stays overnight and overhears the Quirky Cast Of Old People gambling on time to spend in Salem, Elias’ inner world. The way they do this I’m assuming is to trigger out the Savant Elias who talks about his Inner World while they hang out? Apparently, everyone can live their dream-lives there, like a couple who’s only married in Salem, or a couple of artists who are renowned in Salem. They’re explicitly using his DID for their own selfish reasons, and they’ve justified it with Well Everyones Happier In Salem! So they try to keep him in this ‘sick state’, trapped by his inability to care for himself in ways an adult should be able to(driving, being able to read, ect. Elias’ life doesn’t pass the burrito test)

To her credit, Clara thinks this is pretty fucked up and confronts Elias about it with a plan to force integration so he won’t have DID, and then no one can use him for Salem anymore. So she steals him away into the night after some weird exposition of… travelling into an active war zone and running into someone with leprosy…? (Forgive me, none of this makes any sense so it’s hard to remember.)

But she too has her own secret uses for Jason(This is the other side of Elias, he chose the name Jason. Even if Clara outright refuses to call him by his name, I will) She has to know how he Knows about the Terrible Thing She Did. Maybe she can force the truth out of him as well as force him to face all the trauma that split him in the first place. Even if Real Elias doesn’t seem entirely onboard, Jason declares Clara to be his guide, Clarita, and off they go.

Hijinks ensue. They have a big fight at a frat party. Clara forces her friend to sell her car to her with all the tens of thousands of dollars she scraped up with ‘charity’. They buy an airplane…? They go to all the towns named Salem. Clara has a moment of Clara-ty when FFA texts her to let her know that her siblings are ill and she needs to come home. She panics about being a bad person and using Elias and abandoning her family, and feels better about everything because she.. Slept in an old prison cell by choice. She makes up with Elias for abandoning him and urges him to get off his DID medication.

The next morning, Clara wakes up to find a gun to her head. It’s a girl named Izzy, who forces her way into their journey by threat. She’s going East like the rest of them. So theyyyy goooooo onnnn

They split up for a bit then come back together. It turns out all along FFA was her father! Clara has another spiral and lays in the road and I guess passes out. Izzy, who had taken the car (hooked up with the plane) came back for them and theyyy wentttt onnn theirrr way

Izzy comes to know Elias and actually doesn’t think of Jason as sub-human. She listens to all the heavy symbolism and substitute beliefs Jason has with Salem (They must stop the evil Lightkeeper to save the Queen and all of Salem) She offers her own input to help the journey along and speaks to him on the same level, compared to Clara, who’s been scoffing and making quips about how insane all this has been the whole time. It seems like Izzy really cares about both Elias and Jason compared to Clara(thE LOVE INTEREST), and she literally broke into all this by force and seemingly without a care for human life.

As they pull into the next Salem, the group decides to stay in a newly-bought house under the guise of all being siblings and moving in early for their father, in an attempt to fool the kind neighbors who let them in. I don’t really know why they made this up if they’re all adults anyway and had multiple chances to come clean about who they were, but they stuck to the sibling story, even when…

Clara lead “Her Elias(Real Elias)” upstairs to start making out with him. He.. Doesn’t seem like he wants to, is very polite and hesitant, and rather confused by the state of things. Even so, Clara… Pulls him into it…? It’s very vague and it doesn’t seem romantic to me in the least. Theres some entitlement from her because she ‘puts up with’ Jason and is endlessly thirsty for ~Her Elias~. They’re interrupted anyway by the neighbor coming upstairs and demanding what the fuck!! To which Clara says:

“But you don’t understand. He doesn’t even know what’s going on half the time. If he was normal, maybe, fine make your judgements, but he’s not. He’s no protector. He’s vulnerable.”

O_o Clara what the fuck, if that’s what you believe then what the fuck????

Elias is rightfully hurt!! So he switches out with Jason. For some reason, the neighbor trusts Clara of all people to ‘handle’ their own autistic son because… she… Deals.. With Elias. And they consider him a lost cause.

Lo and behold, the son is actually also a genius and was only Pretending to be disabled to hide the project he’s been working on: Digging through the old slave escape tunnels underneath the whole of Salem. The trio make their getaway and leave the son behind. Clara gives him a kiss and is offended that he doesn’t really like it as much as he likes Izzy

Following Izzy’s Greek myth analogy she shared to understand Jason’s POV, they end up going to an artists’ commune and staying there for an amount of time. Elias is avoidant of Clara and he surrounds himself with people who actually like him, along with Izzy. In a fit of jealousy, Clara goes up the mountain to pray each night because she comes to…realize…God…. No, ‘Ungod’, because she doesn’t believe in God, but this is still published by Blink, a Christian publisher, so they had to shoehorn in the obligatory turning to God makes everything right trope, even if the only thing she changes is just.. being away from Elias for a little bit.

During the time at the commune, Elias fixed the plane they were hauling around this whole time. As a reward for leaving him the fuck alone for a while, Clara gets to have a nice friendly moment where they fly the plane together. Izzy decides being at the commune is what’s doing her a lot of good, so she’s going to stay behind as Elias and Clara set off once again.

They go to the last Salem, which is in Maine. At some point along their journey, they figure out that the Lightkeeper’s tower they’re looking for is the substitute belief version of a certain lighthouse. The root of all the trauma happened there. As they grow nearer, both Elias and Jason are growing apprehensive. And Clara is pushing ahead harder than ever because she wants to be done with this all.

They have a spat. They pour soup on eachother and split up. It’s kind of a running theme that Clara often abandons Elias to go have her huffs, and they’re always justified. She figures hes helpless and can’t really leave where she puts him anyway, so she goes off with a strange man to this certain lighthouse

The man’s name is Salt, a lobster fisher of course(It’s Maine after all), who takes her to another lobster fisher named Atticus. It turns out that man knew Elias’ father, the root of all trauma.

Elias and his father would go to this lighthouse to watch the stars when he was young. The lighthouse was surrounded by steep, rigid rock, so it was difficult to get out there safely. Elias adored his father. Once night, when Atticus dropped him off at the lighthouse, the father and a strange woman emerged from the lighthouse, in attempt to hide their shame: the father was cheating on Elias’ mother. Clearly upset, Elias tried to flee from his father, shoving him off the edge, where he fell and cracked his skull, dying. Elias had killed his father, and that’s when he split.

That’s when Clara went oh my god, this whole time.. those sketches!! They were about ELIAS’ TRAUMA and not her own.

Clara’s secret trauma is that she had a baby brother with down syndrome. On the way home from a hospital visit, it was icy and snowy out. Clara was supposed to take her baby brother in, but he got dropped, cracked his head open also, and died. Then police came and arrested the father for this, and all this time Clara kept the truth a secret, keeping her father in prison for the past decade. And from then on, Clara was different too… Ableist 😔

Having discovered his trauma for him, Clara rushed back to find Elias. He’s understandably hurt because he’s facing all these memories and getting abandoned in a strange-but-familiar-place over and over again. But she shuts him up and tells him all about her own trauma, using it to force Elias to reconcile with his.

But Jason.. He already knew. And revealed that the death of his father was on purpose, and he came here to seek revenge and kill the woman who caused all this.(Which is kinda implied to be like a mermaid or something because she was already Never Seen Again) Because Jason… Is a Murderer Alter!

Clara, who cannot accept the dark side of having trauma, flees up a mountain and prays to God overnight, leaving Elias all alone, who was very very upset and dysregulated.

The next day, Clara can’t find Elias. She has her father contact the police to arrest him. As she and Salt search high and low, finally Atticus lets them know..

Elias is dead.

He flew the plane into the rocks at the base of the lighthouse, injuring himself badly, but had just enough life back in him to put up sketches of Elias and his father together.

“He didn’t draw, Salt.” I sniffed and pushed myself up. “My Elias didn’t draw. Only the…Only the Other One, and he wouldn’t have hung these. He hated the Keeper… He hated…his..dad. Unless, the two, in the end, unless the two became one.”

He did.

I stared up at Orion, and whispered. “We did it. Elias, you did it. In the end it was just you.”

HES DEAD, CLARA!!! WHO GIVES A RATS ASS IF HE FUSED IF HES DEAD!!!!

The end :>

I apologize both for spoiling the entire book and also putting you through that, as well as my haphazard way of writing. This is an extremely tiring book for only having 254 pages. So much happens, and yet it’s possibly the most boring book in the world to read.

The writing itself is vague and trying to be witty, so it’s actually extremely difficult to tell just what is going on, because it feels like there’s a lot that’s not clarified. I spared you the details about Elias’s theme park machine and giant..spoon…statue..? because it’s altogether nonsense and doesn’t add anything to the already nothingness story.

Yes, I’m being very harsh. This book is a huge insult to anyone who has any neurodivergency, particularly Autism and DID, which are both mentioned explicitly in the book.  The way the main character views the people around her is disgusting already, but the way she treats Elias is.. Very confusing. That’s your love interest? The one you have zero faith in, actively dislike half of and scoffs even at ‘Her Elias’ ideas. She’s mean, and it’s not reciprocated banter. She’s just a straight up bitch.

I thought maybe this nonsense world she crossed over into would make more sense if it turned out they were in Salem all along, maybe even if Clara had been the host and she’s actually coming to recognize her own DID. I kept hoping and wishing and that never came to fruition.

But no, Elias is just.. Like that. Treated both by the one who should love him and the narrative itself as something less than human, who doesn’t have choice or any impact on the world around him. And then he fused, and then he died. Because Clara’s journey of self-acceptance was over. Even the author admits he didn’t know what he was doing in the end. Oh sorry, that it ‘Came To Him’. Sure thing, buddy.

If this is your favorite book ever, I’m very sorry. But I’d also love to hear your point of view, so please do share.

What they got Right in my opinion:

The use of substitute beliefs felt slightly realistic, actually. The truth being smudged into something that looks slightly different. Like Salem being both Elias’ way of understanding the world, as well as his inner world. And the Keeper being a lighthouse keeper, his father. The use of stars and mythology coming from the stargazing days with his dad.

Since the split happened as a result of his father’s sexual affairs, it makes sense that Elias recoils from intimate touch. It seems very Trauma to me

What they got Wrong In my opinion:

Where do I even begin? It’s like Mr. Friesen picked up a list on how Not to write DID and followed it as his biblical guide, making sure that he hit every Wrong note.

The Autistic Savant trope is the trope of having the autistic person be both a genius in either a variety of skills or a specific skill, but also being unable to connect on even basic levels with people around them. (think of the movie Rain Man(1988), like being completely unable to understand danger or the world around them as not fitting in their rigid world view. Obviously autistic people with higher support needs do exist(I would love to see more of their stories told in a respectful manner), and a person can be very knowledgeable about their special interests, this  trope specifically is a commonly fetishized view of autism seen in media. Especially where the only ‘use’ an autistic person in this role would have is to benefit the (neurotypical) main character and push them towards growth. This is blatant with  Elias/Jason’s case.

I can’t find the exact age, but I believe Elias was on the tail end of the age of developing DID. I’m not going to say that he doesn’t have ‘enough trauma’, but DID has been directly correlated with unstable attachments with caregivers in early childhood. It doesn’t make a lot of sense for him to develop DID when he has this fairly secure attachment already with his parents, and even with autism, he would’ve been integrated at this point.

The complete blackout/timeloss with every switch trope. When Jason is there, Elias just is Not. There’s no attempt at recollection, even

DID-blocking medication, lmao

Salem being his inner world as well as.. everyone else’s? This was really vaguely explained in the book and I don’t fully understand how other people ‘have lives’ in his inner world unless he’s just sitting and telling them endlessly about his inner world.

The fact that everyone around him has full knowledge of his disorder when he just does not, it feels very.. Unsafe to me. Treating him like he’s old fashioned ‘insane’ is really… wrong. Even when this abuse of power is questioned, it just gets shut down and smoothed over anyway.

The DID killer trope :I I don’t think I have to explain why this is wrong

Elias is evidently going to a doctor regularly and it has officially been named Dissociative Identity Disorder by said doctor.. Why isn’t there any trauma therapy?

Not DID related, but my British fiancé wants everyone to know that the ‘fine English breakfast’ of sausage, bacon and rolls is just pathetic and this horrible British girl is written extremely clearly my an American.

If even people who call the disorder “Dissociative Personality Disease” feel like this is badly written, THEN ITS BADLY WRITTEN

There is probably more but I am exhausted and want to chuck this library book in the trash to spare anyone else from reading this. This review is 6 PAGES LONG

Would I recommend this to someone with DID to read?: NO!!!!!!!!!!!

[nakibistan]

🌈☪️ List of LGBTQI+ friendly Mosques and Muslim Congregations:

This is a list of mosques,muslim/islamic congregations that welcomes queer,trans,non-binary,intersex,BIPOC Muslims. The list is curated by Bangladeshi Bisexual Muslim @nakibistan. In this list some of the mosques/islamic congregations are radically “inclusive” to all folks. Please note that, some of the mosques & muslim congregations in this list only welcome to queer folks.

USA 🇺🇸

MPV-NY Unity Mosque, New York – Started by MPV-NY Chapter

MPV-LA Unity Mosque – Started by MPV-LA chapter

Unity Mosque of San Francisco – Started by MPV-SF Chapter

Atlanta Unity Mosque – Started by el-Tawhid Juma Circle & MPV

Unity Mosque, Chicago – Started by MPV Chicago

Unity Mosque, Boston – Started by MPV-Boston Chapter.

Unity Mosque, Columbus – Started by MPV-Columbus

Masjid an-Nur al-Issalah – Started by MPV-DC.

Masjid al-Rabia, South Loop downtown of Chicago – An intersectional, women-led, queer-affirming mosque.

Qalbu Maryam Mosque – A woman led, queer-friendly mosque

Masjid al-Inshirah – Started by Pioneer Valley Progressive Muslims group. The mosque also welcomes LGBTQI+ muslims

Masjed Fatimah – A shia-centric, inclusive mosque

Rainbow Crescent Mosque – A virtual queer-friendly mosque

Masjid Daar ul-Gharib – A virtual intersectional, queer-friendly mosque.

Masjid-ul-Hub – An online mosque for LGBTQI+ Muslims

Masjid al-Musawa – An online mosque for queer muslims

Haven, Philadelphia – An inclusive muslim congregation also includes LGBTQ+ muslims

Jummah 4 All collective

Mercy Community Center

Dergah al-Farah, Manhattan Downtown of NY – Radical inclusive sufi lodge of Nur Ashki Jerrahi order

The Circle of Ishq of Minneapolis – An inclusive Sufi lodge Jerrahi community

The Atlanta Circle – An inclusive sufi lodge of Nur Ashki Jerrahi

Nur Ashki Jerrahi Michigan Dervish

Nur Ashki Jerrahi Pittsburg Drevish

La Order Sufi Yerraji/Nur Ashki al-Jerrahi Sufi Order of New Mexico - Progressive, liberal Mexican sufi dervish of US

Muslim Space, TX – A texas-based BIPOC, queer-friendly, gender-inclusive community

Redwood Unity Mosque Initiative (RUMI),CA – A small congregation of progressive muslims in Redwood. It was affiliated with eTJC (don't know it's still active or not)

New England Unity Mosque (NEUM) – A Unity mosque of New England. This mosque was affiliated with el-Tawhid Juma Circle.

UK 🇬🇧

Inclusive Mosque Initiative (IMI) – An inclusive congregation that opened first LGBTQI+ friendly, women-led mosque in Britain

Nur Ashki Jerrahi Order of UK – Sufi lodge of Leeds/London

Imaan LGBTQ+ Muslim Charity

France 🇫🇷

Mosquée Inclusive de l’unicité , Goutte d'Or neighborhood of Paris – France's first unity mosque started by Imam Ludovic Ahmad Zahed

Frederico Joko Procopio's Buddhist Dojo, Paris – egalitarian congregation where french queer muslims prayed

Progressive Islamic Center, Marseille

Fatima Mosque – A progressive, women-led, mixed-gender mosque

Musulmans Inclusifs de France – A progressive muslim congregations of France

Voice of an Enlightened Islam (VOIX) – A progressive, spiritual & radically inclusive congregation for all. VOIX also runs Simorgh Mosque, which welcomes LGBTQ+ muslims

Canada 🇨🇦

Masjid el-Tawhid/Toronto Unity Mosque - It is the first unity mosque of el-Tawhid Juma Circle (eTJC) & Canada

Ottawa Valley Unity Mosque (OVUM)

Vancouver Unity Mosque, British Columbia

Halifax Unity Mosque, Nova Scotia (don't know it's still active or not. please contact eTJC for details)

Kitchener Waterloo Unity Mosque

Calgary Alberta Unity Mosque

Madison Unity Mosque

Queer Muslim Network

Germany 🇩🇪

Ibn Rushd Goethe Moschee,Berlin – A liberal, feminist mosque for sunni, shia, sufi, ahmadi, non-religious, BIPOC, queer, man & woman folks

Liberal-Islamischer Bund e.V. – A largest feminist, liberal muslim congregation of German

Australia 🇦🇺

Australia's first Unity Mosque

MPV-Australia

Norway 🇳🇴

Masjid Al-Nisa – A women-led, LGBTQ+ friendly mosque in Oslo

Italy 🇮🇹

Moschea al-Kawthar/Al-kawthar Mosque – A virtual intersectional mosque started by Sveva Basirah Balzini

Mexico 🇲🇽

Tasním Nur Ashki Al Yerrahi, Cuernavaca – Radically inclusive sufi dervish for all genders & sexualities

South Africa 🇿🇦

Masjid ul-Umam ( People's Mosque), Cape town – First egalitarian mosque of Africa

Masjid ul-Ghurbaah – An inclusive mosque for marginalised muslims, runs by al-Ghurbaah Foundation

The Open Mosque – An egalitarian, mixed gender mosque for all

Claremont Main Road Mosque, Cape town – A mixed-gender mosque in South Africa. The mosque also welcome HIV+ & LGBTQI+ folks

Pakistan 🇵🇰

Khusrain Wale Shahi Masjid/ Khusray wale masjid, Jalalpur of Punjab – Punjab's oldest mosque of transgender eunuchs (also known as Khusra/Khusray)

Shrine of Shah Hussain/Madhoo Lal Hussain – An important site for queer & trans muslims where they can explore the divinity of love & find solace

Bari Imam Shrine

Imambargah of Mirpur Khas

Dargah of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

Rehmatul Alameen Masjid,Islamabad

India 🇮🇳

Hijron Ka Khanqah, Delhi – A historical sufi khanqah with a small mosque. The mosque is only for muslim Hijras (an umbrella term for transgender,eunuch, transvestite,gender non-binary & intersex folks)

Khawaja Gharib Nawaz Dargah

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Nizamuddin Dargah

Masjid Syed Gauhar Ali Shah Qadeem, Delhi (this mosque doesn't allow women to pray besides men)

Masjid-e-Mukhannisan/Hijron Wali Shahi Masjid, Lohamandi of Agra – A historical mosque was built by Emperor Akbar to honour his favourite Mukhannas Itibar Khan

Indonesia 🇮🇩

Pondok Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah, Yogyakarta – Indonesia's first Islamic centre for Warias (Indonesian local term for trans woman)

Bangladesh 🇧🇩

Dakshin Char Kalibari Masjid, Mymensingh – Bangladesh's first hijra mosque

Turkey 🇹🇷

Alevi Muslims are providing safe spaces for LGBTQI+ to pray

Ağalar Mosque in Topkapı Palace – A historical mosque for gender non-confirming eunuchs

[adachimerica]

actual photo of me since the 5th lol

real talk tho obvs this shit all sucks ass, not a new take in the slightest. wife and I basically spent yesterday just hunkering down and making our house as cozy as posslbe, rearranged some furniture and held our cat and just. Talked through our feelings.

(side note I love my wife so fucking much)

we’re praying that PA will be safe enough for us to make it through the next 4 years, although fleeing to a sanctuary state is not out of the question. most likely chicago or beverly, ma? maybe minneapolis? obvs everyone around us is also panicking so we’re just listening and trying to figure out the consensus as far as safety goes… worst case we can go hang w/ my MIL in LA for a bit.

Big Fuckin Sigh, y’all!!!

[toddlertimess]

Road Trip Thoughts: Day 1

I am traveling through Red States the night of the election and the day after. Pray for me.

The state of Kansas is unnecessarily large.

I referred to the capital of Kansas as a “cute town.” It actually reminded me of the cities that surround Minneapolis

[lutawolf]

Between Us Episode 8 Commentary and Review

Happy holidays guys!!! I hope each of you are having an amazing day. I was up super late, so forgive me if I'm spazzy during this commentary. For those not familiar with me. You can check out my master list here. Also, don't forget to head offer to Coconuts Mafia and check out the other BL content providers. There are several of us who like to keep you guys entertained.

Without further ado. Let's do this.

This is fucking relatable. I envy those who studied and never had this thought. It's no fucking wonder you can't sleep on your bed if you're eating chips on it! Crumbs on the bed. Just ew. No.

Opens door. Tone says you suck, then the bag of snacks come out. Why I do love you... Not gonna lie. My daughter and I are the same way. "You're not you when you're hungry." That smile on Win's face, so cute. Ahhh, listen to that Dom voice. Hand stopping Team from going any further. Voice commanding, not asking or even telling, but commanding. Whiny brat comes out, but we are merely amused. I'm so dead. "You're so dumb." 🤣🤣🤣

When has a pillow ever saved you, Team? Name one time. Go ahead. I'll wait. Then calling Win out. "How you want to get paid?" We got questions and we need answers. Forehead kisses! That pillow did nothing, Team. Nothing at all. Next time, wack him. I mean, you'll be punished for it, but I'm okay with that. Team, did you really ask that? I know you're insecure and last episode didn't help with that, but you're dumb. Well that was about as clear as mud Win, thank you for that.

These two dorks. Bee and Prince. PrinceB. So fucking special.

Win tells him that they are taking the bike. No argument from Team. Even though it's a product placement. It's a cute moment. Love the peace sign. Not Win demanding a check kiss! So cute! Look at that smile! I really enjoy that we only see this side of Win with Team. It shows just how special Team is to Win. I'm sentimentally attached to the colors red and blue. Which is saying something because I hate the color blue.

Team once again being relatable. Ladies and gents, the award goes to Drama king Team and Drama Queen Manow. OMG!!! He posted pictures! I'm so dead. I fucking love the sub trio. They are hilarious.

Blue and red! Ahhhhh. Now you give him encouragement instead of calling him dumb. After the exam! smh. Look at him, waiting to hear where Team is sleeping tonight. Then getting all happy about it. So cute! Yeah, so Team does not have a praise kink. He actually gets embarrassed with it, which is why you see him pushing Team on. There are brats like that. Especially those more comfortable being degraded. Which Team clearly is.

You only believe half of it Team!? No! He likes the idea of it. Win coming in with the logic. 🤣🤣🤣 He can't help it. It's how his brain works. Sweet baby Jezebel, it's a pain in the ass. OMG!!! I'm loving Team's reaction. He just giggles while Win side eyes him. Love It!!!

That's right, baby boy! Question why he has hemp rope, and let all pray it's for the reasons that we hope. Though, hemp rope that frayed would be awful! Like painful, uncomfortable, and break. Just say no to craft hemp rope. There is softer rope that will still give you the feel you're looking for and will hold up better. With a hell of a lot less aftercare, too. Actually, here, let me just give you the link. Ropes are a really fun, even if you don't want to tie someone up. I have friends who've really enjoyed learning knots.

Okay, so back to the show. We left off with Team thinking he had it to tie him up. Sadly, we find out that was not true. Fucking teases. The red thread is for little boys like Dean and Pharm. So dead! HAHAHA!!!

Hey dumbasses, I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be the pinky and not the whole body. Wait! Why am I complaining? This is what I wanted! NVM, please continue.

Awe, they're at Win's house. Here comes the parents. OH, NO Win! Calling him a junior. There goes the fucker with something stuck up his ass. And not in a fun way either! Though... One could argue that anything STUCK up the ass wouldn't be fun. In any way.

Super stressful situation, but let's all take a minute to enjoy how Win commanded Team to take Wiew out. And how, Team just did it. Yay, daddy, don't piss off the kid that can actually run circles around you running your business. I love, love, that Wiew feels comfortable talking to Team about his issues. I really respect that Team isn't trying to give advice right away here. He isn't interrupting, he's just listening. Letting Wiew talk about his issues and concerns. Sometimes, that's more needed than an actual solution to the problem.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Damn. First calling him a junior and then asking if Win is dating someone. This family knows how to score a direct hit. I'm actually enjoying the frank father son talk.

Omg, why is it so salt. "My hand." dead. I'm so dead. Because they are not dead like me. How could they miss it. Look at the ABC gang coming in with the good advice.

See. Team is not into the praise kink. Win tells him good job, and he's like eh. That's actually very typical in someone with low self-esteem. This can be due to abuse, trauma, or even ADHD. Praise kinks aren't as common as one might think. More like, Doms give praise until a sub gets used to it and then begins to enjoy it. I praise like nobodies business both here, in real life, and with my kids. Don't believe me, ask my daughter. No, I also have a degrading kink, but that's with my husband. And even that is done with a balance of praise. Which is actually what we see with Win. A very good balance of degrading and praising. Which would be why you might miss his degrading kink if not paying attention.

Are you seeing it now that I've pointed it out? How many of you are now going to rewatch it to catch it? Raise of hands in the comment section. Notice that Team isn't fighting the degrading like he does being praised. Win just realized that Team can memorize anything he deems important. Win, I mean this with the utmost affection. You're a slut and I love you for it. But seriously, did they throw in a lion sound effect? WTF.

Hia, I can't talk so here, let me show you. So fucking cute. He got a B!!! Shut up, Manow!! 🤣🤣🤣 By the way, I think I'm fucking up the spelling of these names. You should see me, when I write my stories I have a notebook of everyone's names next to me. But do I do it when writing these? Hell to the nah.

The eye blinking sound effects. SMH. Haha, she went to see the lights. He got a B! Do you guys see it? Hmmm? He wants a prize! I fucking love it! A ROOM KEY!!! See sneak in of the praise kink. He did it while he was so happy that he didn't fight him. He's starting to get used to it now.

Their smiles talking about the Christmas lights and Team cheering!! So fucking cute!!!

Well that's all folks! Hope you've had an amazing day and got all your wishes granted. 💜💜💜

[wolgraugorimilir]

A letter to Deborah

Deborah is a Christian theologian, and a friend of the family. She took an unexpected interest in my writing, and we've been going back and forth about God. I'm going to share my letters, because I put a lot of thought into writing them. (and I love to muse about God and Mesopotamia)

Deborah,

Thank you for deciding to say something when you were unsure. I consider that a great compliment, as I strive for openness with all my relationships.

I apologize for my ignorant comments about Jesus. Truth be told, I never expected that any Christians would want to read my writing. (I certainly never expected to open a dialogue with a theologian). I'll go back in and soften my language, because I don't want to alienate anyone who would otherwise respond.

"I further dare to say that you don't know Him at all, because then you wouldn't hate him. Not possible... I wonder if, when your little brother died (and believe me I would not for worlds discount by an atom the terrible tragic significance of that in your life) some well-meaning person told your aching, bewildered, grieving self that "Jesus wanted him for Himself" or some other pernicious nonsense? Have you always blamed God for that loss?"

I agree that I don't know Jesus. I never tried to understand Him. I can't remember much about my childhood, but I remember thinking of Jesus as something certainly real, but confusing and vaguely malevolent. I can't remember how people talked about Henry's death. I remember that it quickly became something taboo. We didn't say his name. 

I think the bitterness came later. Jesus transformed into something Hideous to me slowly, as my social consciousness developed, and as the resultant horror caused by christian nationalism and white supremacy became tied to His name. 

I've never been able to separate the two things: The Jesus that Was, and the Jesus that became the rallying cry for genocide. This is partly because I feel that there's not a meaningful difference between intention and effect. (I've only ever been hurt by people who Meant Well).

"Anyway, dear Toni, this is not a rebuke from an offended believer, but real concern for your deep wound, and deep hope that you can find someone with whom to unpack this "bitterness" and "hate," which will infect your own spirit if you let them."

Thank you Deborah. Your genuineness reads. I unlearn my hatred a little bit with each conversation like this one, and by writing this bitter little story. 

Mesopotamians were bitter people too. If you'll humor me, I'd like to share one of my favorite poems, The Story of Adapa:

Adapa is a sorcerer. He attains power to rival the gods through his wit and will, but he is a servant of Ea, the god of Waters, and Wisdom. Ea summons Adapa to heaven to answer for a magic spell which went too far. Through a series of psychedelic trials, Adapa is tricked. He could have reached out and taken that which would have made him a god, but he chooses not too. He despairs when he realizes his mistake too late. He is bound in service to Ea forever. The gods laugh. 

If there are gods in this world, I think this is how they would act. 

It feels cathartic to tell that story. I can picture the farmers who told it. Their teeth are rotting. There are parasites in their blood. They toil for cruel masters.

Sheesh. Welp. Keep it pushing. We don't have it THAT bad.

"Pray to Osiris if that helps...God is remarkably tolerant."

Maybe I will! I haven't tried to pray in a long time.

Thank you again for your wise words. I will always cherish our correspondences, and muse on them when life is kind enough to allow me to write. I would welcome your prayers! Send baby Henry my finest regards, if you can get in touch!

Blessings from a dirty apartment in Minneapolis,

-Toni (I also go by Maeve)

[lightpost]

Hey babe! It's Friday and I miss you so much! I was near tears at a garage sale I had to leave just thinking about how much I have a hole in my soul because you are missing from me. I think about our son, I got to have another dream about him and I got to hear our daughters laughter life just seems dull and lifeless without you. My love is locked in a cage without you. You're tall dark and handsome and I know you have brown honey golden coffee eyes that glow when you are in love looking at me I saw them in a dream and I miss your voice that gave me that out of body experience at Lifetime Fitness while I was folding towels on fitness floor back in December 9, 2012 Sunday night. I remember everything from that day. Now I miss you more than ever! I miss you so much it hurts to wake up without you. I miss you so much I long for our kids and hold them I long for our family I don't know how to get up and make through the day but I have too I must for them for you. One day closer to hugging you. One day closer to getting to see you. One day closer to ending this pain and filling this hole in my chest and making life whole again. I miss you so much!

[kcyars520]

25 Meaningful Tweets Commemorating The Anniversary Of George Floyd’s Death

Jaron BryantMay 25, 2021

Today marks the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death (May 25).

Many have taken to social media to honor and pay tribute to the man who has been credited with changing the world.

Some referenced the work we still need to do to make sure George Floyd’s death was not in vain, while other tweets focused on urging Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, which aims to combat police misconduct, excessive force, and racial bias in policing.

The Floyd family visited the White House today to talk with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris about police reform.

Hopefully, these conversations and actions will result in some true change.

Below are 25 meaningful tweets commemorating the anniversary of George Floyd’s death: 

It’s been a year since those horrifying 8 minutes and 46 seconds stole George Floyd’s life. Today, I am thinking of this clip of his daughter Gianna, and all the young people out there who have seen so much, but refuse to give up hope. pic.twitter.com/VclaQksyso— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 25, 2021

George Floyd was murdered one year ago today. Since then, hundreds more Americans have died in encounters with police—parents, sons, daughters, friends taken from us far too soon. But the last year has also given us reasons to hope.— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 25, 2021

Today, we honor the legacy of George Floyd. We pray for continued healing for his loved ones, as we work to dismantle systems built on injustice and inhumanity.— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) May 25, 2021

Today the President and I met with the family of Mr. George Floyd.— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 25, 2021

Today is the one year commemoration of George Floyd’s death. Let’s honor his legacy by raising our voices for police reform so marginalized minorities won’t have to endure the unbearable pain suffered by George. Urge Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act!— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) May 25, 2021

Today marks one year since George Floyd’s death. Yes Derek Chauvin was convicted of his murder, but justice has not been served. There is much more work to do. #BlackLivesMatter— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) May 25, 2021

A Marine holds the door as Gianna Floyd, the daughter of George Floyd, walks into the White House. pic.twitter.com/tbsavLTzcx— Evan Vucci (@evanvucci) May 25, 2021

One year since George Floyd lost his life and the world woke up to the injustice that black people have known existed all along.  And until we find justice, the fight will continue. #NoJusticeNoPeace pic.twitter.com/VJl3zkBEqs— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) May 25, 2021

His name was George Floyd. He was a father, a brother, a son, a friend. He died on the streets of Minneapolis with the knee of a police officer on his neck one year ago today—an image that haunts me to this day.— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) May 25, 2021

George Floyd should be alive right now. One year after his murder, it falls to each of us to answer last summer’s powerful call to action by bringing real reform and accountability to our justice system and confronting racism and inequity in every part of our society.— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) May 25, 2021

One year ago George Floyd called for his "mama" again and again, while being murdered, and awoke our country. A reminder the work is not done, it is only beginning. Stay engaged!— Amy Siskind ????️‍???? (@Amy_Siskind) May 25, 2021

Today, I’m sharing photos that capture joyful moments in George Floyd’s life.  Images of Black death flood our timelines daily. This is your reminder to celebrate and hold close moments of Black joy. Our skin is not a crime. It is the robe of nation builders. pic.twitter.com/4NHKsPORRY— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) May 25, 2021

#GeorgeFloyd should be with us today, but we will continue to demand a reimagining of public safety in his memory. Too many Black lives have been lost to a system that refuses to recognize their dignity and worth. We can’t let up on our calls for justice. https://t.co/1JeMpZQvHg— Danielle Panabaker (@dpanabaker) May 25, 2021

Members of George Floyd’s family raise their arms as a tribute to Mr. Floyd after meeting with @POTUS & @VPpic.twitter.com/tcf9Jd5AWD— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) May 25, 2021

“My Daddy changed the world,” said Gianna Floyd, daughter of George Floyd. George Floyd did just that, and now we must do the same.  We will not rest until the Senate passes the George Floyd #JusticeInPolicing Act into LAW.— Joyce Beatty (@RepBeatty) May 25, 2021

All my love to the George Floyd family on the anniversary of his death. Their tireless work in his honor for policing reform will be what made all the difference when it happens. The George Floyd #JusticeinPolicingAct needs to pass the Senate. https://t.co/KpOZVz3RTZ— BlackWomenViews Media (@blackwomenviews) May 25, 2021

One year ago today, George Floyd was murdered. His death catapulted America into necessary accountability.  We’ve made progress. But there is still so much work left to be done. Keep talking, keep sharing, keep listening, keep loving. Never get tired of doing good.— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) May 25, 2021

George Floyd’s family will direct money from its $27 million settlement with the city of Minneapolis to fund $500,000 in grants for businesses and other organizations in the community where Floyd was killed by police. https://t.co/Ft2UzGKKun— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 25, 2021

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, people organized like never before. Too many Black lives have been lost to an oppressive system that refuses to recognize their dignity, their worth, and their very existence. We can’t let up on our calls for justice. pic.twitter.com/HKhMboZIdO— Legal Defense Fund (@NAACP_LDF) May 25, 2021

Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York joined the Rev. Al Sharpton in Harlem to mark the anniversary of George Floyd’s death by kneeling in silence for 9 minutes and 29 seconds — the time that Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyd’s neck. https://t.co/09fI8VNKFu pic.twitter.com/68CZpvYBly— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 25, 2021

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/uSi3ckdqHJ— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) May 25, 2021

Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. He did it in public.  For 9 min and 29 seconds.  In front of a camera. Believing there’d be no consequence. Congress must end qualified immunity.— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) May 25, 2021

Rest in peace, George Floyd. You were NOT a martyr. You were a bright man taken too soon by corruption. We continue to live our lives honoring you and the many others who should not have left us when they did. The fight never ends but I hope you know peace now. ✊????❤️— ΩMEGA JONES. (@CriticalBard) May 25, 2021

The George Floyd #JusticeInPolicing Act, which has now passed twice in the House, is an opportunity to honor his life and all lives taken by the scourge of racial injustice. We remain hopeful that we will, in a bipartisan spirit, reach an agreement and enact this legislation.— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 25, 2021

We're calling on the Senate to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. George's blood is on this legislation, so make it MEANINGFUL. pic.twitter.com/C8133eKZHf— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) May 25, 2021

Rest in power Mr. Floyd! Your name will forever resonate in the hearts and minds of humans with compassion, heart, and integrity.

Tags : George FloydPresident Joe BidenVice President Kamala Harris

Sent from my iPhone

[guiltiest-gear]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing my donation post and supporting me by spreading my story and campaign link. What you are doing represents a glimmer of hope for us at a time when we are fighting for survival and desperately need someone to stand by us. 💚🫂

I want to share a heartfelt truth about our lives: my campaign is still in its early stages and fully relies on kind hearts like yours – hearts that understand the meaning of compassion and believe in the power of empathy. Every contribution, no matter how small, It means saving my child and my mother-in-law from illness and suffering, securing treatment to ease their pain, and protecting us from the harsh winter cold that weakens our bodies day by day. 😢💔

Your contribution, even if just $5, is not merely a financial gesture; it is a symbol of hope and warmth that reaches us and restores a sense of security we thought we had lost. 💖 Every dollar brings us one step closer to preserving the lives of my family and my child. 💚🙏

Thank you again for your continuous support and for sharing hope with us and our loved ones. I pray that your days are filled with peace and happiness, just as you have filled my heart with gratitude. 🩵🌷

Campaign link: https://gofund.me/b905b50e 🕊️

[crype]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing my donation post and supporting me by spreading my story and campaign link. What you are doing represents a glimmer of hope for us at a time when we are fighting for survival and desperately need someone to stand by us. 💚🫂

I want to share a heartfelt truth about our lives: my campaign is still in its early stages and fully relies on kind hearts like yours – hearts that understand the meaning of compassion and believe in the power of empathy. Every contribution, no matter how small, It means saving my child and my mother-in-law from illness and suffering, securing treatment to ease their pain, and protecting us from the harsh winter cold that weakens our bodies day by day. 😢💔

Your contribution, even if just $5, is not merely a financial gesture; it is a symbol of hope and warmth that reaches us and restores a sense of security we thought we had lost. 💖 Every dollar brings us one step closer to preserving the lives of my family and my child. 💚🙏

Thank you again for your continuous support and for sharing hope with us and our loved ones. I pray that your days are filled with peace and happiness, just as you have filled my heart with gratitude. 🩵🌷

Campaign link: https://gofund.me/b905b50e 🕊️

[scarabitious]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing my donation post and supporting me by spreading my story and campaign link. What you are doing represents a glimmer of hope for us at a time when we are fighting for survival and desperately need someone to stand by us. 💚🫂

I want to share a heartfelt truth about our lives: my campaign is still in its early stages and fully relies on kind hearts like yours – hearts that understand the meaning of compassion and believe in the power of empathy. Every contribution, no matter how small, It means saving my child and my mother-in-law from illness and suffering, securing treatment to ease their pain, and protecting us from the harsh winter cold that weakens our bodies day by day. 😢💔

Your contribution, even if just $5, is not merely a financial gesture; it is a symbol of hope and warmth that reaches us and restores a sense of security we thought we had lost. 💖 Every dollar brings us one step closer to preserving the lives of my family and my child. 💚🙏

Thank you again for your continuous support and for sharing hope with us and our loved ones. I pray that your days are filled with peace and happiness, just as you have filled my heart with gratitude. 🩵🌷

Campaign link: https://gofund.me/b905b50e 🕊️

[cucumber-icepop]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing my donation post and supporting me by spreading my story and campaign link. What you are doing represents a glimmer of hope for us at a time when we are fighting for survival and desperately need someone to stand by us. 💚🫂

I want to share a heartfelt truth about our lives: my campaign is still in its early stages and fully relies on kind hearts like yours – hearts that understand the meaning of compassion and believe in the power of empathy. Every contribution, no matter how small, It means saving my child and my mother-in-law from illness and suffering, securing treatment to ease their pain, and protecting us from the harsh winter cold that weakens our bodies day by day. 😢💔

Your contribution, even if just $5, is not merely a financial gesture; it is a symbol of hope and warmth that reaches us and restores a sense of security we thought we had lost. 💖 Every dollar brings us one step closer to preserving the lives of my family and my child. 💚🙏

Thank you again for your continuous support and for sharing hope with us and our loved ones. I pray that your days are filled with peace and happiness, just as you have filled my heart with gratitude. 🩵🌷

Campaign link: https://gofund.me/b905b50e 🕊️

I'm not able to donate, I'm sorry. I'll keep sharing your fundraiser.

Donate if you can!