#queer money experts

[bitchesgetriches]

NEW POST!

Personal finance--it's not just for medium-ugly straight people anymore! Here are 5 helpful queer money experts from the LGBTQ+ community.

[makingqueerhistory]

":')))))))) you realise that gen AI is available to everyone though right??? Queer creators can use it just as much as anyone else??? I just don't understand this post... It really feels like a cheap way to get on the 'AI Bad's bandwagon, and coming from such a thoughtful and insightful creator that's incredibly disappointing... It's okay to not comment on subjects you're not an expert in y'know...?"

Y'all know the drill, I am replying to this publicly but that is not an invitation to send any negative messages to the person I am replying to.

Anyways, let me start by saying that the original context of the post you're replying to is discussing an event where a queer org used generative AI to steal an interview with Keri Hulme. So let's start there. To be clear I don't even know if the original interviewer was queer so let's put the identities of stealer and stolen from to the side. I want to explain the harm done in this example specifically and I hope this is illustrative of what harm generative AI can (and does) do.

The original place I saw generative AI was a queer org that explicitly says they are using generative AI "for good", and as a way to bring more queer history to light. So let's take them at their word, and assume they are not out to cause harm. This is the best example of generative AI that I can imagine, so I hope that makes it clear that I am not coming at this issue from bad faith in any way.

Here is the harm they are causing:

Decontextualizing and rephrasing an interview: I am not going to pretend that I am an expert in academic best practices, but I do believe one thing, if a person is speaking on their own identity and lived experience, it is always much better to directly quote than it is to rephrase. As I read this source, I initially didn't know that it was AI, and I was already upset. An interview that is widely available on the internet with no pay wall, was poorly sourced and made more vague than it was in the initial text. By creating one degree of seperation between the original words of A WRITER (whose literal job was largely based in choosing the right words to describe experiences they had) harm is already done. It makes vague what was once clear, and removes Keri Hulme's voice from her own narrative.

The original interviewer is not paid, or given proper recognition: I get it, sometimes just copy pasting an interview doesn't feel transformative enough, but something that one would learn if they worked in the queer history field and weren't a literal robot rehashing what has already been said, is that not everything needs to be transformed. In those cases, we give credit to the person who said the original words (in this case Keri Hulme), and the interviewer who facillitated the conversation (in this case Shelley Bridgeman). This case (again a best case scenario), takes the attention and byline away from the original interviewer and gives it to an AI.

The original publisher of this story is deinsentivised from paying interviewers in the future: The original publisher of this interview has ads on their website. As a person who also has ads on their website, taking an article like this and rephrasing it for no good reason (the orginal word count was not prohibitive and the rephrasing did not make it more readable), takes money from the publisher. It's pennies, but it's also removing numbers could have been used to justify further interviews with asexual people and archiving of asexual stories. The org that stole from this publication does not interview people themselves so the money and numbers that could have gone to continue to preserve asexual stories goes to stealing them instead.

These are just the active harms that I saw in this specific case. As you said, I am not an expert in generative AI, and will not be speaking as if I am. But I will say that asking me not to speak out on active harm that is being caused in queer history spaces, is disrespectful to my many years in this field.

To illustrate this even clearer: if you were a patron, you would know I recently took down an old article. I have been rereading and editing our backlist of articles, and I found one that no longer fit my standards of sourcing. My standards had recently raised due to a video made by HBomberguy about someone in the queer history space who was stealing from other creators. I watched this video not as a work project, but because I watch most of HBomberguys videos, and this one made me think more critically about sourcing. An AI can't do that. All an AI has is what has been inputted, and it is right now impossible to input every available peice of information about ethics into an AI and get a coherent ethical basis on which it will function.

It is a distinctly human trait to absorb information and change in that way. AI can rephrase information that already exists, steal it, recontextualize it even, but it cannot create something altogether new.

Do I believe that there one day might be an ethical use for Generative AI? Maybe. Do I believe that coming into a queer history space, stealing the words of a Maori asexual author, rephrasing them, and giving the original interviewer and publication no form of compensation for their work, is accomplishing that? No.

On a more personal note: I am coming at this issue with a bias. As a queer history creator, I do not want AI in my space, because it is literally damaging to my financial prospects. It has been like pulling teeth to try and get patrons in the current state of the global economy. I don't blame anyone from that, but I feel very disrespected that I am being asked to compete with a machine now. Not only that, but I am being asked to shut up and be fine with it? No, absolutely not. I cannot and will not stay quiet as space that I have fought tooth and nail to create in mainstream discussions is taken and given to AI.

AI was not supporting me when I was sent gore to try and scare me off of discussing queer history. A person did that. AI was not there to tell me I had written too many sad stories, and I needed some happy endings to remind myself of the good in the world. A person did that. AI was not there when I was being harrassed for supporting and including asexual stories on my website. A person did that.

And after all that, I am being asked to lie down and take it when my ability to pay the people who supported me in those ways, is being threatened. Nope. Not going to happen.

An AI doesn't have to make rent. An AI doesn't understand what it feels like to have to stop holding their wife's hand in public. An AI didn't get calls from people needing comfort in reaction to the election. Pay me for my work, and get this AI nonsense out of my face.

[grison-in-space]

from the number of asinine complaints about how "voting is NOT a form of harm reduction" because harm reduction is for ADDICTS! ONLY! I'm seeing around... all coming from OP blogs I don't recognize and which otherwise don't have much presence... well, that coordination alongside the timing of US politics sure feels like the Russian troll bots agitating again. (Yes, they absolutely infested Tumblr; I think @ms-demeanor had a great post about what the bots looked and felt like somewhere that I will have to try and track down tomorrow.)

The thing is, if you actually do know harm reduction well, the complaint makes no sense. It's not as if the origin of harm reduction is a secret or especially hard to find out more about. I am not exactly an expert in the field: I have a educated layperson's interest in public health and infectious disease, I'm a queer feminist of a certain age and therefore have a certain degree of familiarity with AIDS-driven safer sex campaigns, and I'm interested in disability history and self advocacy (and I would in fact clarify harm reduction as a philosophy under this umbrella). So I have about twenty years of experience with harm reduction as a philosophy basically by existing in communities whose history is intertwined with harm reduction, which means I know it well from many different angles, and I know how the story of the philosophy is generally taught.

See, this is a story that starts, as so many stories do, in the 1980s with something monstrous President Reagan was doing. In this case, it was the AIDS epidemic, and Reagan refusing to devote any money or time to what eventually became called AIDS (rather than the original GRIDS, which came with its own baked in homophobia). Knowing themselves abandoned by society in this as in all things, and watching as friends and loved ones died in droves, queers and addicts are two communities who see that they are the only resources that they collectively have to save each other's lives. Queers know that sex, even casual sex, is an important part of people's lives and culture... and people aren't going to stop doing it even if there's a disease, so how can it happen safely? Condoms. Condoms every time, freely available, easy and shameless, shower them on people in the street if you have to. (And other things: this is the origin of the concept of "fluid bonding", for example... both of which were concepts that were immediately adopted in response to COVID, like outdoor socially distsnced greetings and masks and "bubbles." That wasn't an accident. Normalizing sexual health tests and seeing hard results on paper before sex was a thing, too.)

Addicts, too, knew that using was going to happen no matter how earnestly people tried to stop. If it was that easy, addiction wouldn't exist. So: how do you make using safer for longer? If you could stop someone getting HIV before they could bring themselves to get clean, that's a whole life right there. If you could stop someone overdosing once, twice, a dozen times, that's more time you're buying them to claw themselves out of addiction and into a better place. Addicts see, right, needle sharing is getting the diseases spread, so cut down on needle sharing. Well, needles aren't easy to get hold of. Their supply is controlled because people who aren't prescribed needles are theoretically junkies, so taking the needles away makes it harder to use, right— and no one is complicit, and also you see fewer discarded needles lying around where they're unsanitary and unsafe, right? Except that people want to do a buddy a good turn, so they share if there's no other option, and they'll keep a needle going until it's literally too blunt to keep using if need be. So fighting needle sharing means making it easier to get needles to shoot up with: finding a place to discard used ones and get as many fresh ones as you need to use safely!

Making free needles available to junkies and free condoms for the bathhouses was not a popular solution with politicians, for perhaps obvious reasons. Nor was routine testing of the blood supply, because that cost money too. But these things work to stop the spread of disease. Thus the principle of harm reduction: policy interventions in response to communities that frequently engage in risky behavior should focus on whatever reduces aggregate harm by reducing the risk rather than by trying to reduce the behavior. The homos and junkies say look, all your societal judgement in the world hasn't stopped us being homos and junkies yet. You ain't going to look after us? We'll look after our own. And this is the form that takes. Not increasing the pressure to act like people who aren't is, but making it safer to be the people we are while we try to be the happiest versions of ourselves. Even if that means being morally complicit in a whole lot of casual sex and drug abuse.

The thing is, harm reduction is a philosophy rooted in the defiance of people who knew that their society thought they deserved to die painfully, young, invisible and alone. This is not the kind of thing that people come up with and get mad if you adapt it and share it, especially if you tell the story of where it came from. And importantly, harm reduction is not purely the child of addiction: that philosophy, from the get go, was cooked up to apply both to substance abuse and casual sex. It didn't just spread from addiction care; it was born straddling addiction care and queer & feminist health care.

So it doesn't make sense to see actual activists who know harm reduction well complaining that this is a term exhibiting semantic drift when we talk about voting as harm reduction. It's actually a good metaphor: you're reducing the overall risk of the worst case scenario metaphors by voting Democrat, at least until future votes can install a system where multiple parties can flourish on the political scheme. (Democrats and Republicans are essentially coalitions of a pack of arguing factions anyway, and those factions are essentially what would be classed elsewhere as a party in its own right; the US essentially just lumps political granularity rather than splitting it in our political system.) And anyone who understands harm reduction itself knows that.

So it's this wildly inorganic complaint being voiced repeatedly by different sources. Sounds like a pretty good flag for a potential psyop to me.

If you want to learn more about harm reduction and its history, especially from an addiction perspective, I cannot recommend Maia Szalavitz's Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction (2022) highly enough. Szalavitz has a history of addiction of her own as well as being a clear and accessible writer with an excellent grasp of neuroscience and history. I have a lot of respect for her work.

[nortism]

I wanted to talk about @pilferingapples ‘s autistic Fantine headcanon that has been brought up in the Les Mis Letters server because it has rewired my brain and the more I think about it the more I can see my own experiences as an autistic woman reflected in Fantine’s story.

Fantine is introduced as being an outsider amongst the other grisettes. I think Hugo’s intention here was to paint her as innocent and virtuous in comparison to them but the way it reads to me is that she is someone who just can’t quite connect with her peers. She is described as being dreamy and “always having a queer look about her” in the words of Favourite.

The way Fantine is treated by the other girls rings very true to me as an autistic woman in my experience with friendship. She does consider the other grisettes her friends yet they speak cruelly about her behind her back (Favourite saying she puts on airs) and to her face (Dahlia mocking her for crying over a dead horse). Yet she offers no resistance, in fact she barely seems to acknowledge these things as offensive, because that’s just what being friends is.

The friendship between the four grisettes is shown to be truly shallow when after Tholomyes’ “prank”, they all go their separate ways, with Hugo saying it was like they’d never been friends in the first place. Realistically, one of the few examples of female friendship in the brick being portrayed as shallow and catty is most likely down to some lingering misogyny on Hugo’s part but it is something I find relatable as someone who has allowed myself to be treated poorly by others because I thought that’s how friendship was supposed to be. I’m sure a lot of other autistic people can relate to this as well.

Additionally, I think it’s interesting how the other grisettes criticisms of Fantine come down to her not acting in the expected way and fitting in with group. Favourite accuses her of putting on airs because she won’t swing like the other girls (therefore let the men look up her skirt). Dahlia laughs at her for getting emotional over the dead horse because her emotions are tainting the happy outing they’re all having. Fantine being empathetic towards animals isn’t an inherently autistic trait by itself but her inability to suppress her emotions or just go along with what everyone else is doing is something I think a lot of neurodivergent people can relate to.

Her relationship with Tholomyes is probably the biggest example of Fantine not understanding unspoken social rules. I’m no history expert and people have definitely written more in depth posts on the relationships between upper class men and working class women in France in this period but from what I’ve gathered it was understood that these relationships were purely transactional. The men got sex and attention and the women got gifts and nice days out to places they couldn’t afford by themselves. There’s more nuance than that I’m sure but that’s the gist.

We know the other three grisettes are aware of this aspect of the relationship. They are eager to receive a “surprise”, an expensive gift they could later sell on. Favourite flatters her lover to his face and says all the things he expects of her but confesses to the other girls that she doesn’t like him because he isn’t playing his role of spending money on her.

Fantine is seemingly oblivious to all of this. Maybe it’s her ostracisation from the other girls that is keeping her ignorant or maybe she knows how it is for them but genuinely believes she and Tholomyes are different. Either way it’s clear to me that her and Tholomyes have very different ideas about their relationship and that subtext has not been picked up by Fantine. For the record, this is completely on Tholomyes, even if he’s supposed to be playing the expected role, leaving his mistress without any financial aid for their child together is bad even by the standards of the time. However Fantine is definitely naïve.

Also if you read Fantine as autistic, her reasons for being in love with Tholomyes make a lot more sense. From Hugo’s description, it doesn’t seem like Tholomyes has many redeeming features: he’s balding and missing teeth, he’s a student in his thirties and he is in poor health. Yet he pays attention to Fantine, he flatters her and spends money to keep her in a nice apartment.

If we assume that Fantine is autistic and has spent her life being an outsider, this onslaught of affection would lead her to let her guard down and believe that this is what love should look like. Even without the autism, Fantine was an orphan, she didn’t have any examples of what a marriage was supposed to look like growing up so how could she possibly resist a man who seems to be doing and saying all the right things?

I think my conclusion is it doesn’t really matter if you want to read Fantine as being autistic or not. I think all the factors I’ve outlined in this post can be explained by her upbringing and her still being very young during her relationship with Tholomyes rather than having to be neurodivergence. However, I think looking at Fantine through an autistic lense has given me a new appreciation for the character and being an outsider in society, a big theme in Les Mis, is generally a relatable sentiment for neurodivergent people and I think it’s interesting to explore that in the context of Fantine.

[aspecpplarebeautiful]

https://www.tumblr.com/communities/mlm-community/post/773135668682571776/hi-mlm-community-i-have-a-question-for-you-guys

The admin the-boy-who-kisses-boys was talking about aspec and it all being neuroscience etc and was making me uncomfortable, can you make me feel better

Oof yeah I found the posts you were talking about, Anon, and I can see how it can be upsetting. It's really hard not to just go over this point by point and explain what's wrong with it. But I will say that the science comes out in favour of asexuality, and supports what the community has been saying. And watching a few Youtube videos on neuroscience (that aren't even about asexuality) doesn't make you an expert in anything.

Also like every sexual orientation is a social construct. No one was identifying as straight, gay, bi, etc. 500 years ago. Social construct doesn't mean not real. Money's a social construct too, but my bank account still plays a very real role in my life.

I'm sorry you came across this, Anon. Generally speaking most lgbtqia+/queer people are supportive and welcoming of aces and ace experiences. But bigots tend to be loud and like to use tactics to make themselves seem more legitimate than they are.

Otherwise maybe hanging out in more ace-centric spaces might help you feel better too.

But hopefully this was helpful too. All the best, Anon!

[unforth]

How did it feel to go from the 80’s to the explosion of acceptance around the 2010’s? In terms of being queer?

hm, interesting question. First, a couple disclaimers: I am not an expert in queer history, I was not involved in queer activism in anyway growing up, and no one in my family was queer. I was born in 1982 and am currently 42, and my mother had a lot of gay friends, but she intentionally sheltered us (my brother and I) from a lot of that once they all started dying from AIDs. For my own queerness, I worked through a lot of identities because I was an extremely confused asexual who didn't actually learn that asexuality existed until I was 30; I'm afab and was already married to a woman before I realized I was ace (I now ID as aroace, agender.).

All that said, I grew up in New York City, in a very accepting city and with a very accepting family. I knew queer people from a young age and my mom was sick of watching her friends die and got involved as she could (she was a New York City public school high school teacher; a lot of queers gravitated toward public schools because it was a stable job with decent pay and no one would care if they weren't married, in fact it was often considered a plus in the 60s and 70s for teachers to be single, and when mom got pregnant with my brother in 1976 she says multiple other teachers pressured her to quit because okay fine she was married and a teacher, but married and a teacher WITH KIDS? Appalling. needless to say she didn't quit.)

Anyway. Sorry. I lost the thread.

Honestly, the answer to this question is: utterly unbelievable.

If you had told 1990s about-to-start-high-school me that this is where we'd be in my lifetime I'd have thought you were out of your goddamn mind. I was obsessed with To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. I'd walked in AIDs walk and raised money with my mom every year starting in 1990. Mom and I saw the original off-Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the original Broadway production of Rent. I was about as in-the-loop and accepting as a kid in that era could be, and I spent my college years thinking I was bi (I feel the same about everyone! that's bi, right? lmao, so young and clueless). And I never, never thought that nationwide gay marriage was even in the cards. I never dreamed that trans people would be able to live as openly as they do now. I didn't even really think we could do much about AIDs beyond slowing the spread.

I am only 42. I don't even consider myself middle-aged yet (though I'm definitely getting close to that particular tipping point). I grew up with my mom's even older stories, about being friends with the gay men at Cornell when she was in college in the early 60s, and her discussions of how far things had come in HER life (she's 80 now) and yet I was the one who pointed out that my great uncle, who died before I was born, was clearly mostly definitely bi and maybe gay (the look on her face when I said that and she realized I must be right. I keep meaning to post some of Natie's photographs.)

When my wife and I got married in 2013 we planned where to live, where we could travel, where we'd have kids, all around where it would be safe. My wife has health problems; if we traveled and something happened to her, we had to be sure that we were in a state where they would recognize our marriage and let me visit her, or else we wouldn't go there.

Sorry. I'm not holding the thread of narrative in this post well, I've been pretty sick with strep throat and my brain is just refusing to make this very coherent, and also it's just... so much. The amount I've seen, how far we've come, since I was a kid, is so fucking much.

I still sometimes don't believe how far we've come, nor how quickly we've done it.

And that's exactly why conservatives are shaking in their boots. These trends challenge all the things they believe true about the nature of authority and societal control. If they let up for an instant, then they'll have to accept that cis hetero white christian men actually have never been any better than anyone else, and their whole worlds will crumble, and that scares them to death because they're also old, most older than I, and they remember exactly what every queer person when I was a kid lived with. They remember Matthew Shepard, and all the hate crimes that the queer community survived, they remembered all the slurs that we've strived to reclaim and how they were used such that we had to reclaim them, and they really think that equality is a demotion for them, and that true equality would mean they're subject to the same things they've subjected us to, and that terrifies them.

Ugh, sorry, rambling again.

What I think about the changes is that they're fucking amazing, and that if I could somehow convince 13-year-old me that any of this would happen, she'd have sobbed with joy. Especially about the asexual part lmao.

We're in a down-swing of acceptance now, but the pendulum still won't go back to where we were during the AIDs crisis, much less back to where things were a hundred years ago.

We've come so far.

We're not going back.

[overthinkthis]

15 Day BL Challenge

Day 43: Let’s get delulu, which branded pairing should just get married already? (Note: this is all for fun and giggles, we’re not actually speculating on anyone’s sexuality or relationships.)

Okay. So. I have no skin in this game and I don't care, I don't really follow actors. This being said. Can we please get normal about BillyBabe?

I'm no expert, but from what I understand, for a long time (and even today in some forms) the ideal for pairings was to keep things ambiguous - act a little like they were dating to keep up the fantasies, but not actually come out. And I've seen a lot of praise on tumblr for pairings who are very clear and outspoken about acting being their job and that they are not actually dating. And a lot of people are (rightfully) calling for everyone to respect that and believe them. (Yes, even when YinWar tell some random kids that they're a couple. They told us that the couply parts are work for them, so that's what we're going with.)

But the other side of the coin is to also be normal about couples that actually are dating! Yes, don't assume anyone's sexuality, but that includes not assuming heterosexuality either. And at some point, calling everything we see a performance or 'fanservice gone too far' simply starts being disrespectful.

As long as people are vague or ambiguous - yeah, don't assume anything. But they're not vague or ambiguous or subtle at this point.

(source)

Now, tbh I don't even think Billy or Babe care all that much, they seem pretty chill around the topic. But that doesn't mean it's okay to insist that they are pretending to be in love for clout or money.

Thailand is still a conservative country where being out can have negative impacts on people's careers, so being that gay for each other on main is not without risk. (Yes, they're obviously fine at idol factory, but who knows what the future holds.)

What also bothers me is that we're still at a point where softness and romance between men immediately gets discredited as 'this has to be a performance for women'. Let men be loving and in love with each other without assuming an ulterior motive. Let young queer people watch this without telling them 'Ah, no, this has to be fake!' Let queer love exist without immediately doubting it or asking for receipts.

15 Day BL Challenge: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

[laurenfoxmakesthings]

Hi, everyone. If you're outside of America and feel unsure how to help out queer and trans folks in America from over here (apart from directly donating to trans people, please do that anyway), here's one suggestion I've been doing recently. Collect and save the LGBTQIA+ media and such you encounter. Be your own personal archivist.

It doesn't have to be for the worst case scenario, I don't believe those are inevitable. But streaming and ebook sites have always deleted, best to save anyway. I've collected physical media for years, but I decided to prioritise collecting physical media of queer media and increasing when I do so, and I've been downloading examples only found on streaming and online.

Like, turns out The Coming Back Out Ball documentary is no longer on Netflix and not anywhere else, but thankfully after a few stressful days, it's now on my external drive. But it's not everything, I'm human without endless money, so I've focused on documentaries and mostly lesser known examples I know of. To cover everything, I would recommend folks to do their own media conservation efforts. Be sure to get an external drive. Clouds aren't your friends, they're literally just someone else's computer.

And not just movies and shows. I'm also reaching out about getting physical copies of books, comics, zines, etc, and saving ebook exclusives. There's a helpful introductory guide by @thetransfemininereview at the bottom about those specific efforts.

And audio stuff like music. There's so much out there I can't cover, the experts (aka neurodivergent music fans) can do better than I can. I recommend exploring the Queer Music Heritage site though.

Please let me assure you this isn't to panic you. If anything, I'm suggesting this because I know how strong our community's determination is. Especially when it comes to our culture and niches.

Sidenote: Don't you dare forget asexual and aromantic examples, I will come after you if we're forgotten for decades AGAIN.

[epickiya722]

Do you think the reason people misunderstand Midoriya, Bakugou, Uraraka, etc. is because they misunderstand Horikoshi himself?

Like, people say chapter 431 doesn't contribute to the story, but I think that's wrong to an extent, since it does give closure to Ochako's character arc, which is her dealing about her feelings for Izuku (Hori probably got bored of the money to her parents motivation, since it's never brought up again). I think Izuku/Ochako was always Horikoshi's intention since he does mention that he planned her and Izuku to have several scenes, but like many shonen authors, he simply sucks at writing a proper romance or developing a female lead beyond pining for the hero, leading to Ochako becoming less prominent as he couldn't find a better role for her outside of being the token heroine that deals with the token female villain.

(His treatment of other female characters in this manga is also not the best it could be, but that's a talk for another day)

Meanwhile, he became more invested in writing Bakugou, likely due to popularity reasons (Horikoshi is famously scared of cancellation due to prior traumas with Oumagadoki Zoo and Barrage. It's why we had annual popularity polls). As a consequence, the relationship between Izuku and Katsuki became a lot more focused, which contributed to the popularity of the ship. However, I don't think this was ever intentional from Horikoshi's part, since again, he doesn't know how to write a proper romance, let alone a queer one. It's his own take of a Naruto/Sasuke-esque rivalry with lots of emotional tension, which he DOES know how to write due to growing up with Naruto, and it's arguably better written because he actually tries to explore the psyches of everyone involved. But at no point I think he even considered making an actual gay couple, especially since his exploration of rather sensitive topics like LGBT rights and racism are not particularly well-thought, even if well-meaning. Magne and Toga end up evil and dead simply for trying to find liberty in an oppressive society, and Shoji's discrimination plotline is squished in the story at the last minute despite its inherent potential. This all tells me that he's not really this overly progressive, status quo-shattering mangaka that some people believe him to be, he's just a guy writing a superhero story that sometimes deals with social issues, akin to the X-Men.

In the end, I think Horikoshi just decided to end things the way he planned from the start, while not giving much thought to the middle. He did make Ochako's feelings a plot point, so he had to give some closure to that, but alas, he didn't give it the development it deserved beforehand. It was always in the back of his mind as he always sprinkled those "Ochako is crushing again" moments here and there, but never had it as a priority in the story due to the popularity of the main duo + Shouto and his dad, thus chapter 431.

That said, Horikoshi is still an amazing mangaka, but like many others, he is still learning, especially now that he is no longer some obscure creator and has to deal with the usual trappings of fame. He probably never expected MHA to be as huge as it is and it genuinely caught him offguard.

Could be that people do misunderstood Horikoshi's writing. There's many writing styles out there. And really depending on the individual who cross a specific writing style they can either understand it or don't.

I, myself, don't think I'm an expert on any writing style except for my own.

I do think Horikoshi didn't expect MHA to become as popular as it did, especially when his previous works didn't even run that long. (I did enjoy OZ though, that was fun.)

During the years, with that rising popularity it could be that he had to keep building up the plot and I felt like had he had more prepared and probably had more time some of the plot lines could have been handled better.

He just had to experiment along the way while also going by the words of his editors and assistants. (There was also Horikoshi's health issues which hindered some creative development. How relatable.) So there some things he could and couldn't do. I mean part of the ending we got wasn't even the original ending we had in mind, not completely. One element of that OG ending (Movie: Heroes Rising) he did keep that I can think of is Midoriya losing OFA. Which was something that definitely coming.

Also, another factor of that misunderstanding of Horikoshi's writing are cultural and experience differences.

Now with Ochako and her crush, I'll be honest, even though it was "obvious" she's the supposed "love interest", I still don't think Horikoshi intended for her to only be known as that, let alone probably not really one at all.

Horikoshi has written female leads before and they're not written to be a love interest. (Shoutout to Hana Aoi, I adore her. Always doing her best.) Ochako didn't begin the story liking Izuku like that and that crush came later in the story. Heck, going back, a lot of their earlier moments I wouldn't consider "romantic". Just more like "look at these silly kids".

You mentioned Horikoshi stated he wanted to add more scenes for Izuku and Ochako, but what kind of scenes?

I get it as in more scenes in general. When thinking about it because as the story gets to the ending, Izuku doesn't have a lot of scenes with Shoto or Tenya who like Ochako he did become good friends with in the earlier parts of the story.

You know what, to me it seems like the first half of MHA was Izuku building up those bonds with the people in his class and the latter half became him kind of coming to grips on his responsibility as the last/ninth OFA user. First half of those building bonds kind of works because come later those friends do come in clutch for him in the second half.

But anyways!

With the romance, Horikoshi may not actually want to write it, no matter the gender. But probably went to add it in much later because it what draws some parts of the fandom in.

Who really knows, but Horikoshi?

I don't know, he never seem like the kind of mangaka who has cares to throw in a love plot (at least for the leads) in his stories.

I'm not an expert on his writing, I'm still trying to understand it myself. However, I do think his style is misunderstood.

Whose isn't?

[messrsrarchives]

hi robyn 🫶🏽 i hope youre ok and this is ok to ask but i just went through the pdf thank you! i had no idea hogwarts legacy was bad too but it seems obvious really so thank you for that but i had a question about the 70k thing my question is... actually all of it, what does it mean and what was the money for? i can google if you dont want to answer but i thought id try here first and say thank you as well 🫶🏽

HI HELLO !! this is always okay to ask 🫂 i'm really glad it was helpful and yeah hogwarts legacy is always a bit of a controversial one because people love the game but yes, her IP. but anyway !! politics time (p.s i'm not an expert, just a sad trans politics student)

For Women Scotland is a transphobic pressure group who, like many politicians and public figures like jkr, hide behind the guise of "protecting women" to be transphobic but do very little to actually protect women outside of going "trans people are bad" (noting here too that the LGB Alliance - anti-trans queer organisation - were in support of this, and JKR has donated to them and spoken at their conferences)

in 2018 there was a proposed amendment to the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act:

essentially, it would have changed the legal definition of a woman from "a female of any age" to also include "a person who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment"

in simple normal human words - trans women who has a gender recognition certificate would be legally recognised as women.

there was actually more before this where the original amendment said that having a GRC would mean trans women are treated like "real" women, FWS fought against this and won this case, so the scottish government changed the amendment to say the above instead so that trans women were simply classified as women.

FWS obviously were still very against this and said it would "erode women's rights in law", claiming that including trans women was "unlawful" - scotland is still under england's power for certain matters and FWS said that this was a matter for westminster to decide, not scotland, because it goes against the UK equality act of 2010. (see also: Gender Recognition Act 2023, scotland proposed a bill that would give better protections for trans people, Westminster blocked it.)

a judge from scotland's supreme court set up a hearing, FWS lost this.

on feb 16th this year, FWS got permission to appeal this to the UK supreme court and started a crowdfunding campaign to cover the legal costs

shortly after this, JKR donated £70,000 to the campaign. FWS confirmed that the "JK" that donated was her, and the comment left on the donation was "You know how proud I am to know you. Thank you for all your hard work and perseverance. This is truly a historic case."

the case was heard november 26th and 27th, but supreme court cases take a LONGGGG time and it's incredibly unlikely that we actually hear the final verdict until hmmm i wanna say as early as march of next year, but JKR donated to the crowdfunding campaign to get this case appealed, and has long-standing, close connections with organisations that are on FWS side.

but because i love yapping, let's say FWS win, what happens:

scottish government amends the act so that trans women are not a part of this

potential rewrite of the guidance around gender recognition certificates - as much as i hate to say it, jkr is infact right, this is a historic case and the ECHR are involved,,, could lead to big backlash against getting these certificates (which already has backlash in the uk)

many organisations (including Sex Matters, very transphobic) want to take this further to ensure a distinct separation between "real women" and "trans women" in alll areas all the way down to public funding

adding here! amnesty international intervened as a third-party with their own points that you can read here

also gonna note here: jkr recently spoke out about trans police officers performing searches and Sex Matters as well as FWS have said that no matter the outcome of this case, this is their next priority. not gonna yap too much about this here because it's a different thing but jkr has close ties to this whole thing and is very clearly on the side of many transphobic organisations.

sorry omg this is so long but that's, shockingly, a short overview of the case and what the £70,000 donation from JKR was spent on. there's a handful of lesbian organisation involved on the FWS side, a lot of third-partty interventions and i was going to add some articles from people who were at the hearing but i can only find incredibly transphobic ones that call this "the darkest day for women since the first world war" and i would love to know if they have a hobby in their free time. maybe knitting. perhaps reading a history book. or like,,, current news regarding women's rights worldwide,,, america. poland. afghanistan. congo. palestine. sudan. the list goes on really. violence against women has been declared a national emergency in the uk and i'm no expert but i think it's safe to say that this hearing that affects the 0.01% of the UK population that actually have GRC certificates is not the darkest day for women since the first world war.

and jkr should really get a hobby. maybe attend a writing class.

[bitchesgetriches]

5 Rad Queer Money Experts You Should Follow This Pride Month

It’s Pride Month! The most gayest time of the year! The month when corporations release rainbow-embossed merch and proclaim themselves Down With the Gayness. Yet here at Bitches Get Riches Incorporated, we’re not just LGBTQ+ community spokespeople… we’re also members! And so it is with zero hypocrisy and a whole lot of enthusiasm that we come to you this week with a very special message. And…

[blue--ingenue]

Slytherin Traits

Note: This is just my interpretation of Slytherin traits. Take what resonates, and leave what doesn't 💚

“Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends” - Work smart, not hard. Colleges and publishers deem textbook piracy “immoral” and “unfair” to other students who pay full price for books. But when higher education prices are inflated by privileged administrators, this power imbalance nullifies such comments. It also reminds me of a quote I saw spray-painted on a wall: 

“If paying is not owning, then pirating isn’t stealing.” I wouldn’t go out and steal a physical textbook, but no real money is lost if I replicate a few hundred pixels on a screen so that I can finish my education

Additionally, choosing to play “fair” in a system designed to exert control over people with less privilege and power will not benefit you. The same people setting arbitrary standards for “fairness” can often be the same ones benefiting from those rules.

Continuing on with being cunning, bending the rules here and there can help you level the playing field. Blanket statements and generalized restrictions don’t affect everyone equally. For example, exams that rely on hard memorization, and testing environments that punish students for fidgeting are ableist and severely limit the types of students who will be able to succeed in school/university. 

In my case, my class was allowed to bring a single note sheet to our final exam. I have trouble memorizing formulae/processes, but can solve nuclear reactor physics if the formulae are in front of me. Although the professor advised against writing out full examples, I bought an ultra-thin writing ink pen and crammed all the exampled I needed. I passed.

Ambition, defined as “a strong desire to do or achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.” Ambition is very subjective. One Slytherin’s ambition may be to graduate at the top of their class and become an expert in their field. Another’s ambition might be to set healthy boundaries for themselves to prioritize their mental health. Someone else’s goal might just be to get out of bed that day. The only person who can decide the importance of your goal is yourself.

Everyone has different abilities, desires, material resources, and life experience. No matter the goal, ambition is essential for completion, and success in any measure deserves celebration.

Speaking of accomplishments, pride can be a well-deserved reward for achieving your goals. You more than deserve to celebrate your successes. Taking pride in your achievements can help build self-confidence. Feeling capable, accomplished, and proud of yourself can be empowering.

In my experience, it’s a lot easier to underestimate yourself than it is to oversell your accomplishments. If you’re someone who tends to downplay your abilities/accomplishments, there’s a chance that you’re selling yourself short. Take pride in yourself. You’ve earned it.

Slytherins also understand how it feels to be Othered, negatively stereotyped, or feared. As a queer POC and one of only ten women in my major (bearing in mind that my university's graduating class size is 10,000 people per year), I know what it feels like to be singled out. I was also the only Asian student in my high school class, and the only family of color for a 1-mile radius in my hometown. 

People tend to see you through their own narrow-minded lenses and stereotypes. This isn't a reflection of you, but merely a projection of their own prejudice and ignorance. No matter your reason for feeling Othered, know that their comments and limited perceptions are merely their own self-reflections.

[scientia-rex]

Medicine is a numbers game. I use probability all the time. If you don't understand probability, you'll look at someone with chest pain and have no fucking clue how likely it is that you're looking at a heart attack. You may not even know what the other top contenders are. GERD is common. Anxiety. An angry rib muscle. Lots of options. Most of the time, most chest pain won't be a heart attack, but sometime it'll be something worse--an aortic dissection that's rupturing will kill you even faster than most heart attacks.

I see so many patients who come in with a symptom that the Internet, whether Google or influencers, has told them is associated with this one thing. It's often the thyroid. And yeah! A fucked-up thyroid can cause all kinds of symptoms. But here's the deal: if I check your thyroid and it looks normal, it's probably not your thyroid that's causing the symptoms. It could be something else we understand. It is very often something we don't understand. But the fact that I can tell you modern medicine doesn't understand some process doesn't mean your naturopath or chiropractor or Certified Hormone Expert Influencer does understand it because they have this different way of looking at the body. Look, long, long before I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to be an herbalist. I'm queer, I'm a woman(ish), I am neurodivergent, I am not The Man. I'm not beholden to the system; the system doesn't care for me and wishes I would sit down and shut up, most days. And I have a background in research science and statistics. I used to have a rubber stamp that said "Denied" and one that said "Approved" and I'd hit piles of paper for research applications at an R-1 university, in triplicate, with my stamps, because I understood research well enough to get a Human Subjects Division job evaluating it. If a naturopathic approach to thyroid worked well, I would be doing it. I'm a utilitarian. I don't give a rat's ass about the theoretical underpinnings of modern medical practice, I want things to work. Ideally I would like to know why they work, too, but hey, we can't always have it all.

So the dozens of patients I get every month who are looking elsewhere for answers, looking to people who don't actually know any better but are good at pretending they do, who pay money for elaborate supplement regimens or unvalidated genetic tests or (my personal least favorite) "memory-improving games," I have to be calm and professional and diplomatic about what I say. I can't say, "That's quack shit." I can't say, "Your favorite influencer is a liar and an idiot." Not just because I'd get lower patient satisfaction scores, but because patients wouldn't believe me, and they would reactively like me less and the other guy more. (You're calling me stupid? You're saying I wasted money? If I believe you're just a shill for Big Pharma, that hurts less.)

It takes years, even decades, to understand how to put together the probability maps. Chest pain in a patient under 40? Highly unlikely to be a myocardial infarction, but not totally impossible, especially if they've been doing cocaine. In a patient over 60? Much more likely. Is the pain crushing? Is it sub-sternal? How long has it been going on? Is it constant, or intermittent? Does the patient smoke? What other health conditions does the patient have? These are all deeply important questions, and I remember feeling overwhelmed by things like this all the time in medical school. It's taken so long to build my knowledge, and my background in research is only tangentially valuable most of the time.

Please don't believe authority just because it looks good. Don't trust people because you want to trust them. Learn about the scientific process, learn how the sausage gets made, and then you'll be in an infinitely better position to know whether this is a "wow! science!!!" or a "wow! science bullshit!" moment.

[lornrocks]

Huh. So when I was like 12 my great uncle died (never met him but he was a fabulous gay man who left our shitty conservative family in tnt Midwest to live in San Fran where he ran a boarding house for queer folks, so goddamn I wish I could have met him)

Anyway my parents and dad’s siblings went to his home and took care of the estate and I believe they sold everything worth selling and donated the rest, split the profits. But my parents brought me back some rings and necklaces.

And none of it is my style and most of the rings didn’t fit so I recently sold the rings in one lot because my mom said all this stuff is costume jewelry.

And then I listed the necklaces today, and sold them to the same woman who bought the rings, and then I had two separate folks message me to say I should get the necklaces appraised because it should be worth a lot of money.

Which again, I assume isn’t true because if this was worth money my family wouldn’t have given it in a random bag to their 12 year old but I guess I can get it appraised??

Which means if I get it appraised and it is worth money and the jewelry store or someone else in town buys it, I’d have to 1. Cancel the order (I’m sure she’d understand) and 2. I really hope the rings I sold weren’t worth a lot? Cause I sold them for like $10.

(I’m no expert but all the stones on them were like, crystals and rocks, not fancy gems, and the metal itself seemed cheap??)

What’s done is done, I guess. The lady I sold the rings to bought them for herself and her mom. The people messaging me about the necklaces are offering to buy them from me for $2k or whatever and they’re professional jewelers but I’m like bro how can you possibly tell from like a few photos??

Man. What a weird time.

[odditybee]

Progress Pride Flag NSB Expansion (An Extreme Legacy Challenge)

Hello pals! I’ve taken the initiative to create an exciting extension to Lilsimsie’s Not So Berry Challenge! This new version draws inspiration from the vibrant colors found in the Progress Pride Flag, making it a perfect opportunity to celebrate and embrace queerness within the challenge. Get ready to embark on a colorful journey that celebrates the beauty of queerness, self-discovery, and self-expression!!

RULES

-Must be on short lifespan (The more chaos, the better!)

-Legacy Heir must be color-themed (and their siblings, if you want!)

-No money cheats to be used (Unless you really want to, I suppose)

-Start with one sim (White Gen Sim)

-Can live anywhere (except for Brown gen)

RECOMMENDED RULES

-Divorce Mod (Makes children sad about divorce)

-Move each gen to a different world (Explore!)

-Most Packs are Recommended (And some necessary for gameplay)

-Spouse color doesn’t matter

WHITE

Family Oriented, Perfectionist, Neat

-Big Happy Family Asperation

-Must marry as a young adult in the first week of gameplay

-Must rely on spouce’s income

-Must have at least 4 kids

-Max Parenting, Cooking, Gourmet Cooking and Piano

-Set cerfews and enforce them

You recently moved from out of town and have made the decision to transition into a stay-at-home parent role. With a deep devotion to family and a desire to be fully present for your children during their formative years, you are excited about this new chapter in your life. However, before diving into the role of parenthood, you also long to find a special someone to share your life and love with. Equipped with a warm and caring personality, you are ready to embark on a journey to find a partner who values family and embraces the idea of creating a loving home.

PINK

Unflirty, Rancher, Generous

-Freelance Botanist and Expert Nectar Maker Aspirations

-Max Gardener Carreer - Botanist Branch

-Never marry or woohoo

-Must have at least 1 child via science as an adult

-Max Guitar, Handiness, Nectar Making and Gardening

-Only friends can be your family, pets, and ranch hand (and eventually Brown Heir)

-Best friend must be your ranch hand

-Have one Perfect Plant

-Give away at least 50k Simoleons

You grew up in a lively household with four siblings, surrounded by the joyful chaos that comes with a large family. As you navigated the bustling suburbs, you developed a deep appreciation for nature and the simple joys it offers. Longing for a slower pace of life and a genuine connection to the land, you dream of owning a ranch, where you can escape the busy urban environment and return to your roots. The desire to create a peaceful and harmonious space, surrounded by wide-open spaces, animals, and the beauty of nature, drives you to pursue your vision of a ranch, where you can immerse yourself in the tranquility and fulfillment that comes from living in harmony with the land.

CERULEAN 

Squeamish, Erratic, Party Animal

-Party Animal Aspiration

-Max Charisma, Comedy and Photography

-Max Law Carreer - Judge Branch

-Must shower in the rain

-Must have 10 good friends

-Must have a best friend

-Must have an enemy

-Always accept invitations to go out

You were raised on a ranch, where hard work, discipline, and a deep connection to nature were instilled from an early age. However, despite your rustic upbringing, you harbor a contrasting desire for a carefree and adventurous lifestyle. Having a squeamish disposition, you prefer to avoid the gritty aspects of ranch life and instead crave the excitement and thrill of partying and spontaneity. The yearning to break free from the structured routine of ranch life fuels their desire to embrace a more erratic lifestyle, seeking moments of unrestrained joy and unrestricted self-expression. With an inherent sense of wanderlust and an appetite for excitement, you are on a quest to navigate life on your own terms, seeking experiences that bring you closer to your true sense of freedom and adventure.

BROWN

Loyal, Hates Children, Animal Enthusiast

-Country Caretaker and Friend of the Animals Aspirations

-Max writing, mischeif and pet training

-Max Writer Carreer

-Must live in Henford-on-Bagley

-Must have all animals at least once (Dog, Cat, Horse, Cow, Llama, Chicken, Goat, Rodent (of your Choice))

-Befriend a Rabbit

-Must Marry a Family-Oriented Sim and divorce as adults

-Must have twins

-Must have a good relationship with Pink Heir

Nurtured in the company of your ranching grandparent, your passion for animals blossomed and became an integral part of your identity. The countless hours spent tending to the ranch and caring for the animals left an indelible mark on your heart. However, in contrast to your affinity for animals, you harbor a strong dislike for children. Despite this, fate intervened when you cross paths with a person who cherishes family values and has a strong bond with children. Over time, you found yourself falling in love with this family-oriented individual, despite your initial reservations. Unfortunately, your love story takes an unexpected turn, leading to your eventual divorce. Throughout your journey, one constant remained - your unwavering love for writing, which served as an outlet for your emotions and experiences.

BLACK

Noncommittal, Active, Geek

-Nerd Brain and Renaissance Sim

-Max Logic, Video gaming and DJ mixing

-Must be a streamer and/or Youtuber starting as a teen

-Must have 10,000 followers

-Max Social Media Career

-Have 3 failed relationships before marrying as an adult

-Have your first child before you get into a relationship with your “soulmate”

-Go running every morning

You are a tech-savvy, energetic, and independent person. You had a unique upbringing as a child of divorced parents, which shaped your perspective on relationships. From a young age, you embarked on your journey as a social media influencer, leveraging your passion for technology and your innate ability to connect with others. Despite societal expectations, you became a parent before tying the knot, embracing the idea that love and commitment can take various forms. Your unconventional path has allowed you to inspire and empower others through their online presence, showcasing the beauty of embracing one’s true self and challenging societal norms.

RED

Childish, Hot-Headed, Romantic

-Serial Romantic and Soulmate Aspirations

-Max Baking, Painting, and Flower arranging

-Only earn income from sold paintings, flower arrangements and food stand

-Sneak out 5 times as a teen

-Woohoo in all the spots (Double bed, Hot tub, Walk-in Closet, Shower, Treehouse, Animal Shed, Boardwalk Rides, Photobooth, Backyard Observatory, Sauna, Tent, Pile of Leaves, Party Bush, Sleeping Pod, Brindleton Bay’s Lighthouse, Rocketship, Money Vault, Dumpster, Hot Springs, Ice Cave)

-Get in 1 fight with your Best friend, befriend them again

You are a person with a youthful and fiery temperament, raised by a single parent until your parent discovered their true love, igniting within you a deep appreciation for the power of love. However, despite your fervent belief in soulmates, you struggle to find your own perfect match. You become so consumed with the pursuit of love that you unintentionally overlook the importance of your friendships. This leads to a rift between you and your closest companion, resulting in a heated argument and potential fallout.

ORANGE

Self-assured, Adventurous, Cringe

-World Famous Celebrity

-Reach 5 star Celebrity Status

-Max Actor Career

-Max Bowling, Dancing, Mixology, and Acting

-Take your first date to the Bowling Alley

-Propose at the Bowling Alley

-Have a massive wedding

-Dance at Wedding

-Have One child

You aspire to become a renowned actor, but possess a somewhat cringe-worthy demeanor. However, you also have an undeniable passion for the sport of bowling. So much that you take your first date to your favorite alley and even propose there! Despite the informality of the proposal, you and your love have a giant bash of a wedding.

YELLOW

Clumbsy, Loner, Socially awkward

-Inner Peace, Zen Guru, Self Care Specialist and Angling Ace Aspirations

-Get to Level 7 of the Secret Agent Carreer before quitting

-Must start your own Resturant (after quitting Secret Agent Career), which fails on the first day and you lose 100k (If you have to sell stuff in your house to reach 100k, then you must)

-Sell the rest of your belongings and house

-Live off the grid and max Wellness, Fitness and Fishing

-Meet the love of your life while living off the grid

-Raise a family off the grid

-Stop living off the grid as elders

You were raised in the constant glare of the public eye due to your renowned parent. Despite your parent’s fame, you always felt out of place and struggled to connect with others, often finding solace in your own company. Unexpectedly, you embark on a thrilling journey and become a covert operative, working as a secret agent. However, this path doesn’t resonate with your true self, and you eventually decide to leave the world of espionage behind. Seeking a new purpose, you venture into the realm of entrepreneurship and open a restaurant, hoping to create a space where people can find comfort and connection. Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, the restaurant doesn’t flourish as expected. Lost and without a purpose, you undergo a profound transformation and embrace a spiritual path, leaving behind the materialistic world you once knew. As you delve deeper into your spiritual journey, you ultimately become a revered spiritual guru, guiding others towards enlightenment and inner peace.

GREEN

Materialistic, Vegetarian, Jealous

-Five-star Propety Owner and Fabulously Wealthy Aspirations

-Max Cross-stitch, Entrepreneur and Robotics

-Have a Servo

-Manage at least two units (Asside from your own)

-Have a one-time affair

-Get left at the Altar

-Have a difficult relationship with Blue Heir

-Have Servo Raise Blue Gen

You had an unconventional upbringing, living off the grid, yet harboring a deep affection for material possessions. You embark on a journey to become an entrepreneur, driven by your aspiration to become the most exceptional landlord in town. Alongside you, they have a loyal Servo companion, providing both companionship and assistance in their endeavors. However, just as you were about to embark on a new chapter of your life by tying the knot, a moment of weakness led you to betray your partner, resulting in your partner leaving you, heartbroken, at the altar. This painful experience only added to the complexity of your already strained relationship with your child, making your path to redemption and personal growth all the more challenging.

BLUE

Kleptomaniac, Loves the Outdoors, Gloomy

-Extreme Sports Enthusiast and Outdoor Enthusiast

-Max Herbalism, Rock Climbing, Skiing or Snowboarding

-Max Politician Career - Charity Organizer Branch

-Donate to Charity any time they call

-Get abducted by aliens

-Have an Alien baby

You had a tumultuous upbringing, marked by a strained relationship with your parent. Despite the challenges you faced, you developed a deep passion for the great outdoors. Determined to make a positive impact on the world, you decided to establish a non-profit organization. One fateful night, as you were stargazing in a remote location, you were unexpectedly whisked away by a group of curious extraterrestrial beings. Returning to your home, you realize that you are pregnant with an alien child.

PURPLE

Paranoid, Proper, Genius

-Accedemic, Seeker of Secrets and Mansion Barron

-Graduate Highschool early

-Get a College Degree in Computer Science

-Max Rocket Science, Programming, and Research and Debate

-Must be in debate club -Max Engineer Career

-Make a Rocket Ship and travel to Sixum

-Have a shark pond

-Die from Falling in the Shark Pond

-Get a Game-Over

You are an extraordinary individual who stood out from the rest. You, possessing an unmatched intellect and a touch of paranoia, were known as a true genius. Despite your peculiar nature, you managed to graduate from high school at a remarkably young age and pursue a degree in computer science. Fueled by an insatiable desire to explore the vastness of space, you embarked on an ambitious mission to construct your very own rocket ship. With your immense wealth, you reside in a grand mansion, surrounded by opulence and luxury. However, fate has a cruel twist in store for you, as your life tragically comes to an end when you meet your demise in a shocking incident, falling into a pond teeming with ferocious sharks.

[collectivecartomancy]

Quick & Easy Tarot Card Meanings (Yes, All 78)

The Modern Phrasal approach is a novel method of learning tarot.

It queers older card meanings by applying them to a wider context of human life.

Each phrase is built for modern concerns, attention spans, and situations. 

I developed the Modern Phrasal Approach during my twenty-two years of tarot study.

Temperance Queer Tarot, my tarot service for queers, feminists, and leftists, has been in operation for the past twelve years. 

The Modern Phrasal Approach also comes out of my lifelong work as a poet. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

SLINGSHOT, my first book of poems, won several awards. It also reminded me of the importance of the phrase to language. 

The primacy of the phrase is what poetry understands better than all other forms of writing.

The Modern Phrasal Approach combines tarot, storytelling, and poetry to paint a picture of possible futures. 

You may notice that there are no reversed card meanings.

This is because the reader is intended to read reverse as a return to the unlearned lessons of the previous card.

That is the best method of reversal reading for this system. Of course, you may elect not to read reversals at all. 

Ok, let’s go!

(P.S. I don’t know how to put in anchor links so control + F is your friend!)

Major Arcana

0: The Fool

Keywords: Risk-Taking. New Beginnings. Variability.

Love & Sex: Androgynous and/or Bisexual Lovers. Risk-Taking in Love. Asking Someone Out.

Friendship: A Scattered, yet Affable Friend. New Friendship. 

Money: Making Money Through Gambling, Speculation, and Other Risks. Money Lost and Won. 

Career/Business/Work: Self-Employment. Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow. 

 1: Magician

Keywords: Initiation. Manipulation. Communication. Technology. Alchemy. 

Love & Sex: Making the First Move. Manipulating a Lover (Especially with The Fool). 

Friendship: Forming or Forging a New Friendship. Initiating a Friendship. 

Money: Creating Money Out of the Ether. Money Drawn Through Clear Communication. 

Career/Business/Work: Technologists. Scientists. Alchemists. Clear Communication At Work. 

2: High Priestess

Keywords: Mystery. Prophesy. Intuition. Three-Faced Goddess: Maiden. 

Love & Sex: Lesbians. Sex Activating Deep Desires. Mysterious Love. Secrets in Love. 

Friendship: Covens. Clandestine (Informal) Gatherings. Psychic Friends. 

Money: Money Made From Secret or Hidden Sources. Money Made From Psychic Work. 

Career/Business/Work: Therapist. Psychics. Mediums. Religious Leaders in Feminist Traditions.  

3: Empress

Keywords: Three-Faced Goddess: Mother. Fertility. Abundance. Nurturing. Creativity. Nature.

Love & Sex: Being Worshipped By a Lover. Getting Pregnant. Creative Sex. 

Friendship: Abundant and Nurturing Friendships. 

Money: Financial Ease and Abundance.  

Career/Business/Work: Nannies. Housewives. Career Success Without Much Work.

4: Emperor

Keywords: Power. Valor. Stability. Direction. Hierarchy. Decisiveness. Masculinity. Experts.

Love & Sex: Aggressive Sex. Love With Someone Who Has Power. Older Lovers. 

Friendship: Being Friends With Your Boss. Friendships With People Who Have More Power.

Money: Making Money Through Wise Decisions or Powerful Connections. Money Moves. 

Career/Business/Work: Brokers. Military Leaders. Power. Expertise. Promotion. 

5: Hierophant

Keywords: Religion. Order. Secret Organizations. Organization. Governments. Three-Faced Goddess: Crone.

Love & Sex: Serious Relationships. Missionary Sex. Marriage. Escalator Relationships. 

Friendship: Socially Sanctioned Friendships. Mentorships.   

Money: Money From Investments, Banks, and Business. Money From Religious Work. 

Career/Business/Work: Clergy. Trustees. Security. Working Up an Established Business Ladder. 

6: Lovers

Keywords: Love. Romance. Choice. Harmony. Balance Between People and Sides of Yourself.  

Love & Sex: True Love. Deep Romance and Understanding. Loving Sex. Self Love. 

Friendship: Spiritual Friendships. Loving Friendships. Friendships That Encourage Self Love.

Money: Money Made in Harmonious, Easeful Ways. 

Career/Business/Work: Harmonious and Spiritually Aligned Jobs.  

7: Chariot

Keywords: Ambition. Success. Drive.  Self-Determination. Missions. Journeys. 

Love & Sex: Landing an Idealized Partner. Satisfying Sex. Athletic Sex. Competitive Dating. 

Friendship: Friendships That Bring Success or With Successful People. Competitive Friends. 

Money: Money Gained Through Ambition, Drive, or Brute Force. 

Career/Business/Work: Professional Success. Military Service. Sports. 

8: Strength

Keywords: Boundaries. Force. Grace. Human/Animal Dichotomy. Willpower.  

Love & Sex: Breaking Old Patterns in Love. Setting Boundaries. 

Friendship: Setting Boundaries With Friends. Helping a Friend Advance Emotionally.

Money: Applying Grace To Your Financial Life. Being Honest About a Financial Situation. 

Career/Business/Work: Strength of Will At Work. Overcoming Rivals. 

9: Hermit

Keywords: Seeing the Light. Being Alone. Leading the Way. Self-Isolation. Loneliness. 

Love & Sex: Celibacy. Needing To Put Yourself Out There. Frigidity. Too in Your Head. 

Friendship: Need To Make New Friends. Philosophical Friendship. 

Money: Money Made in Isolation. 

Career/Business/Work: Work That Requires Long Periods Alone To Complete. Scholars.

10: Wheel of Fortune

Keywords: Gambles. Wild Rides. Fate. Turning Your Present Condition Upside Down. Cycles.

Love & Sex: Relationship Ups and Downs. Fated Meetings. New Relationships. Karma. 

Friendship: Fated Friendships. Changes in Friendships. Long-Term Friendships. 

Money: Surprise Money Gain or Loss. Money Appears From an Unexpected Source. Gambling. 

Career/Business/Work: Gamblers,Poker Players, and Card Sharks. Taking a Chance At Work.

11: Justice

Keywords: Balance. Fairness. Legal Decisions. Karma. Retribution. 

Love & Sex: An Equal Romance. You Reap What You Sow in Relationships. 

Friendship: Being in Right Relationship With a Friend.  

Money: Money From Legal Settlements. A Fair Split. A Fair Wage. 

Career/Business/Work: Contracts. The End of a Business Dispute. 

12: Hanged Man

Keywords: Patience. Surrender. Sacrifice. Martyrdom. Enlightenment. 

Love & Sex: Waiting For the Right Person. Getting a New Perspective in Love. Pillow Queens. 

Friendship: Tripping With Friends. Friends Who Change Your Beliefs or Attitudes. 

Money: Money From Alternative Healing. Waiting For Money To Come. 

Career/Business/Work: Yoga Teachers. Wise People. Allowing a Boss To Show Their True Colors.  

13: Death

Keywords: Endings. Clearings. Rebirth. Transformation. 

Love & Sex: Breakups That You Could See Coming. Strong Orgasms. Relationship Transformation. 

Friendship: Ending Friendships. Life-Changing Friendships. 

Money: End To a Source of Income. Clearing the Way For New Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Losing a Job. Moving On From a Career. Working With the Dead. 

14: Temperance

Keywords: Balance. Budgeting. Human/Divine. Miracles. Healing. Spiritual Expansion. 

Love & Sex: Making Up After an Argument. Equitable Sexual Encounters. 

Friendship: Friendships That Come From or Lead To Spiritual Expansion. 

Money: Creating a Budget. Putting Money in the Correct Accounts. Expansive Financial Thinking. 

Career/Business/Work: Philosophy. Spiritual Work. Exceeding Your Estimations At Work. 

15: Devil

Keywords: Obsession. Abuse. Capitalism. Celebrity. Greed. Sexuality. Addiction. 

Love & Sex: A Volatile, Abusive, Dangerous, or Manipulative Lover. A Lover With an Addiction.

Friendship: Friends Who Bring Trouble. Charismatic, yet Abusive Friends. 

Money: Developing an Unhealthy Relationship To Money. Greed. Money Over Everything. 

Career/Business/Work: Film Industry. Jobs That Use Underhanded Tactics. Watch Your Back.  

16: Tower

Keywords: Shock. Surprise. Confinement. Revolution. Major Changes. Potential Danger. 

Love & Sex: A Surprising End or Change To a Relationship. A Quickie. 

Friendship: Shocking End To a Friendship. Major Changes in a Friendship. 

Money: Changes in Wealth, Like Sudden Home Moves and Bank Account Closures. 

Career/Business/Work: Working in Prisons or Hospitals. Job Loss or Radical Job Change. 

17: Star

Keywords: Healing. Faith. Renewal. Guidance. Prophecy. Wisdom. Altruism. Social Justice.

Love & Sex: An Altruistic Relationship. Healing in Relationships. Asking For Relationship Advice. 

Friendship: Renewal of a Friendship. Wisdom Gained From Friendship. 

Money: Money Made For the Social Good. Giving Money To Charity. 

Career/Business/Work: Social Justice Organizations. Listening To Internal Guidance At Work.

18: Moon

Keywords: Emotions. Confusion. Illusions. Psychic Ability. Repressed Emotions and Trauma. 

Love & Sex: Problems and Confusion in Relationships. Trauma Affecting Relationships. 

Friendship: Emotional Illusions in Friendship. False Friendship. Confusion Due to Friends. 

Money: Money Made Through Night Work, in Theaters, Hotels, or Nightclubs. Financial Illusions. 

Career/Business/Work: Any Work That Creates Illusions. Wait For the Truth About a Job. 

19: Sun

Keywords: Revelation. Clarity. Children. Optimism. Heat. Passion. 

Love & Sex: Clarity in a Romantic Relationship. A Partner With Whom You May Want Children.  

Friendship: Friends With Children. Clarity About Friendships. Optimism About Friendships. 

Money: Revelation of a New Way To Make Money. Summer or Seasonal Jobs. 

Career/Business/Work: Optimism About Your Career Careers in the Public Eye. 

20: Judgment

Keywords: Decisions. Accountability. Outcomes. Awakening. Recovery.

Love & Sex: Making Romantic Decisions. A Lover Holds You Accountable. Turning Points in Love. 

Friendship: The Outcome of a Conflict With a Friend. Deciding Whether or Not To Stay Friends.

Money: Successful Business Deals and Financial Endeavors. Careful Where You Put Your Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Be Decisive At Work. Becoming the Person in Charge. Responsibility. 

21: World

Keywords: Completion. Attainment. Breaking Cycles. Moving Up in the World. Fulfillment.  

Love & Sex: Major Life Events in Love Like Starting a Family or Moving in Together. 

Friendship: Events Where Friends Can Watch You Succeed Like a Graduation or Wedding. 

Money: Confidence in Financial Endeavors. Financial Success After Hard Work. Public Trading. 

Career/Business/Work: Traveling For Work. Fulfilling Jobs.

Minor Arcana: Wands

Ace of Wands 

Keywords: Beginnings. Conception. Sex. Invitations. New Jobs. Opportunity.

Love & Sex: Flings. Impatience in Love. Sex Without Love. Quickies. Meetings.

Friendship: New Friends. Sudden Return of Old Connections. 

Money: Quick Cash. Temporary Increase in Income. Gambling. 

Career/Business/Work: Move Quickly Towards a New Opportunity. Invitations.

 Two of Wands

Keywords: Working Together. Expansion. Making Decisions. Road To Success. 

Love & Sex: Wandering Eye. Grass Always Greener On the Other Side.. Practical Decisions. 

Friendship: Working With Friends. Friends Made At Work. 

Money: Money From Small or Self Owned Businesses. Helping Your Job Make More Money.  

Career/Business/Work: Interviews. Evaluating Potential Employers. Collaboration. 

Three of Wands

Keywords: Media. Communication. Travel. Evaluating Your Companions. Taking the Next Step.

Love & Sex: Decisions About Love. Traveling Together. Online Dating. Ultimatums. 

Friendship: Traveling With Friends. Online Friends. Expansion. Early Stages of Friendship.

Money: Making Money Online. Investing in Yourself. E-Commerce. 

Career/Business/Work: Remote Work. Online Donations. Advertising. Creative Business. 

Four of Wands 

Keywords: Surprises. Success. Celebrations. Luck. Rites of Passage.

Love & Sex: Good News. Weddings. Baby Showers. Wedding Showers. Housewarmings.

Friendship: Celebrations With Friends. Joyous Occasions. Graduations. Creating Memories. 

Money: Hosting Parties For Money. Enjoying Your Money. Down Payments. Abundance. 

Career/Business/Work: A Thriving Team. A New Workplace. Joyful Work. 

Five of Wands

Keywords: Conflict. Play. Team Sports. Young People. Debate. 

Love & Sex: Conflict. Arguments. Difficult Conversations. Light Kink. Group Play. 

Friendship: Banter. Conflict With Friends. Disagreement. Team Sports.  

Money: Auctions. Fighting For a Contract. A Competitive Financial Environment. 

Career/Business/Work: Friendly Rivalries At Work. Professional Competition. Business. 

Six of Wands

Keywords: Power. Drive. Moving Quickly. Success. Accomplishment. Achievement. Esteem.

Love & Sex: Attractive Companions. Coming On Too Strong. Success in Love.

Friendship: A Successful Friend. Making the First Move. Success With Friends. 

Money: Winning Grants and Awards. Promotion. Asking For a Raise. 

Career/Business/Work: New Jobs and Promotion. Success in Business Assignments.

Seven of Wands

Keywords: Battle. Drive. Uncertain Outcome. Defending Yourself. Hostility. Arguments. 

Love & Sex: Surprising Conflict. Too Much Sex. Differing Sexual or Romantic Needs. 

Friendship: Arguments With Friends. Annoying or Competitive Friends. 

Money: A Competitive Field. Feeling Like There Isn’t Enough Money. Overwork. 

Career/Business/Work: Unrealistic Demands. Rivals. Overbearing Boss. 

Eight of Wands

Keywords: Swift Movement. Letters. Information. Quick Results. Communication. 

Love & Sex: Flirtation. Love Letters. Sexting. Sneaky Links. Unexpected Connections. 

Friendship: Sexy Parties With Friends. Being a Wingwoman/Wingman. Flirting With Friends. 

Money: Quick Flow of Money. Spending Money. Money Spent To Advance Yourself. 

Career/Business/Work: A Fast Moving Project. Hearing Back From an Interview. Internships. 

Nine of Wands

Keywords: A Pause in Battle. Attractiveness. Health. Considered Action. 

Love & Sex: Being Admired. Multiple Love Interests. People Fighting For Your Attention. 

Friendship: Working Out With Friends. Friend Who Has a Crush On You. Conflict Between Friends.

Money: Negative Attitude About Money. Bank Charges. Temporary Loss of Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Negative Performance Reviews. Need To Work Harder. 

Ten of Wands

Keywords: Overwhelm. Burdens. Taking On Too Much. Demands. Final Straw.  

Love & Sex: Too Much of a Good Thing. Need To Take a Step Back. Too Much Work To Date 

Friendship: A Needy or Demanding Friend. Picking Up the Slack For Irresponsible Friends. 

Money: Low Return On Investment. Not Planning For Taxes. Money That Becomes Burdensome. 

Career/Business/Work: Too Many Jobs. Too Much Work. Suffering Under Your Own Ambition.

Page of Wands

Keywords: Young People. Active or Sporty People. Fun. Casual, Short-Term Relationships.

Love & Sex: Dating Around. Casual Sex. Short-Term Relationships. Younger Lovers. Speed Dating.

Friendship: Younger Friends. Immature Friends. Acquaintances. 

Money: Figuring Out How To Make Money. School or Learning. Gig Economies. 

Career/Business/Work: Playing Around At Your Job. Gig Work. Still Figuring Out What You Want. 

Knight of Wands

Keywords: Rushing in. Valor. Enthusiasm. Being Seen. Physical Attractiveness. 

Love & Sex: Partners Who Aren’t Taking You Seriously. Affairs. Heartthrobs. 

Friendship: Opinions About Friends’ Romantic and Sex Lives. An Attractive Friend. 

Money: Grabbing a New Opportunity. Getting the Financial Upper Hand. A New Idea About Money.  

Career/Business/Work: Changing Jobs. Becoming the Office Hero. Creative Problem Solving. 

Queen of Wands

Keywords: Popularity. Influence. Grace. Glamor. Magnetism. 

Love & Sex: Waiting For Lovers To Come To You. Having Your Pick of Lovers. Feeling Sexy. 

Friendship: Popularity. People Who Seem To Be Friends With Everyone. Powerful Women Friends.

Money: Feeling Control Over Your Financial Life. Influencing or Being Influenced About Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Businesses That Empower Women. Motivational Speaking in the Office. 

King of Wands

Keywords: Powerful. Self-Directedness. Leadership. Paramour. Businessman. 

Love & Sex: An Unavailable Man. A Sexy, yet Short-Term Relationship. Cheating. Hot Sex.

Friendship: Friendship With a Business Mentor or Superior 

Money: Making Your Own Money. Money That Comes Based On Image or Appearance.  

Career/Business/Work: Owning a Small Business. Becoming a Leader At Work or Business.

Minor Arcana: Swords

Ace of Swords

Keywords: Information. Endings. Truth. Death. Cutting Through the Bullshit.

Love & Sex: Finding Out the Truth About a Lover. A Turning Point in a Relationship.  

Friendship: A Crisis in a Friendship. A Secret Is Revealed About a Friend. 

Money: Money From Legal Decisions. Security Deposits. Making Financial Decisions. 

Career/Business/Work: Applying For New Jobs. Communicating With Your Employer. 

 Two of Swords

Keywords: Inability To Make a Decision. Fear of Moving Forward. Denial. Legal Issues. Delays.

Love & Sex: Filing For a Divorce. Applying For a Marriage License. Denial About a Lover. 

Friendship: Difficulty Making a Decision About a Problem in a Friendship.  

Money: Delayed Money From Legal Sources. Process Difficulties With Money.  

Career/Business/Work: Delays in Signing Contracts. Uncertainty About Leaving a Job. 

Three of Swords

Keywords: Heartbreak. Sudden Endings. Miscarriages. Pain. Unavoidable Ruptures. Discord. 

Love & Sex: Break-ups. Arguments. Misunderstandings. Affairs. Hurt Feelings. 

Friendship: Ending a Failing Friendship. Big Fights Between Friends. Being Abandoned By Friends. 

Money: Expected Money Fails To Come Through. Contracts May Be Dissolved. Finances Stalled.

Career/Business/Work: Job Loss. Communication Problems. Workplace Harassment. 

Four of Swords 

Keywords: Rest. Healing. Confinement. Loneliness. Isolation. 

Love & Sex: Missionary Position. Boring Love. Healing Conversation After a Fight.  

Friendship: Visiting Friends in the Hospital. Not Having Many Friends. Missing Friends.

Money: Finances On Hold. Considering the Next Financial Move. 

Career/Business/Work: Taking a Leave of Absence From Work. Considering Your Options. 

Five of Swords

Keywords: Impasse. Deception. Duplicity. Abuse. Selfishness. Abandonment. Worry. Strife.

Love & Sex: Two-Faced Lovers. Verbal Abuse. Selfishness In Bed. Sexual Abuse. Ghosting. 

Friendship: Friends Who Use You. Entitled Friends. Abandoning a Friend.

Money: Theft. Scams. Things That Appear Better Than They Are. Taking Advantage of Others. 

Career/Business/Work: Abusive Workplace. Wage Theft. Bait and Switch In Business.

Six of Swords

Keywords: Moving On. Getting Away From Abuse. Travel and Movement. Finding Safety.  

Love & Sex: Establishing a New Pattern of Healthy Relationships. Leaving Abusive Relationships.

Friendship: Staying With Friends. Moving in With Friends. 

Money: Making Money Through Travel. Finding a Clear Path To Make Money After a Hard Time.

Career/Business/Work: Traveling For Work. Finding More Harmony in The Workplace After Strife. 

Seven of Swords

Keywords: Theft. Cheating. Doing What’s Best For You. Forcing Change. Surprising Behavior.

Love & Sex: Infidelity. Leaving Suddenly. Lying. Considering Multiple Partners. 

Friendship: Lies and Deception in Friendship. Sudden Changes in Friendship. 

Money: Getting Over On Others. Stealing Money. Scams.  

Career/Business/Work: Lying To Your Boss. Going Behind Your Colleagues’ Back. Hidden Rivalry. 

Eight of Swords

Keywords: Feeling Trapped. Fear of Moving On. Being Stuck in Hostile or Painful Patterns. Incarceration. Addiction.

Love & Sex: Being Trapped in Abusive Relationships. Fear of Leaving. Limiting Beliefs About Love.  

Friendship: Friends That Hurt You. Continuing Painful Friendships. 

Money: Limiting Activities Due To Lack of Funds. Repeating Patterns That Keep You Broke. 

Career/Business/Work: Being Stuck At An Unsupportive or Bad Job. 

Nine of Swords

Keywords: Trauma. Grief. Shadow Work. Sadness. Humiliations. Betrayal. 

Love & Sex: A Relationship That Causes Pain. Fear of Relationships Because of Past Hurt. 

Friendship: A Painful Event in a Friendship. Difficulty Making Friends Due To Trauma. 

Money: Financial Stress. Poverty Trauma. Money Worries. Self-Worth Issues Related To Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Prolonged Unemployment. Stressful or Unrewarding Work. 

Ten of Swords

Keywords: Final End. Release. Destruction. Goodbyes. Relief Caused By Letting Go. 

Love & Sex: Unresolvable Issues. Emotional Catharsis. Feeling Better After a Relationship Ends. 

Friendship: Ending a Friendship For Good. Resolving Old Issues. 

Money: Failure of Some Kind in Finances. Ending a Period of Hardship By Making New Decisions. 

Career/Business/Work: End of a Job. Termination. Lay-offs. 

Page of Swords

Keywords: Gossip. Chit Chat. School Groups. Casual Conversation.

Love & Sex: All Talk. Relationship Gossip. Flirtatious Texts. Getting To Know Each Other.

Friendship: Casual Friend Groups. Gossipy or Shallow Friends. 

Money: News and Documents Related To Money. New Plans to Make Money.  

Career/Business/Work: News About a New Job or Potential Job. Applying For Jobs. 

Knight of Swords

Keywords: Breath of Fresh Air. Fools Rush in. What’s Done in the Dark Will Come To Light. 

Love & Sex: Intellectual Companions. Romantic Banter.

Friendship: Sparring Partners. School Friends. Debate Partners. Intellectual Friendship.  

Money: Surprising Information About Money. Possibly Bad News Related To Money.   

Career/Business/Work: Information About a Possible Job. Communication. Marketing. 

Queen of Swords

Keywords: Exacting. Cold. A Single Parent or Divorced Person. Could Be a Widow/er/x.  

Love & Sex: Frigid. High Standards. Wants a Partner, But Doesn’t Need One. 

Friendship: People Who Are Difficult To Get To Know. Friends Who Seem To Have It All Together. 

Money: Wise Financial Decisions. Independent Assets. Clear Financial Communication. 

Career/Business/Work: Working Independently. Nurses. Thought Leadership. Witches.

King of Swords

Keywords: Smart. Logical. Unemotional. Professional. Charming. Lacking Empathy. 

Love & Sex: A Professional. Someone Who Needs To Feel Above or Removed From Others.

Friendship: A Collegial Relationship. A Professional Friend. 

Money: Anticipating Future Needs. Wills. Trusts. Bonds. Financial Deals Go Well. 

Career/Business/Work: Law. Communication. A Charming Boss. An Intellectual Environment.

Minor Arcana: Cups

Ace of Cups

Keywords: Emotional Beginnings. Outpouring. Abundance. Fertility. 

Love & Sex: Conception (Especially With the Ace of Wands.) Orgasm. New Love. 

Friendship: New, Emotionally Fulfilling Friendship. Emotional Sharing With Friends. 

Money: Creative Money. Outpouring of Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Jobs in Creative Fields. Renewal in Business Life. 

 Two of Cups

Keywords: Partnership. Harmonious Relationships. Romance. 

Love & Sex: Romantic Love. Lovemaking. Early Stages of a Great Romantic Partnership.  

Friendship: Harmonious Friendships. Friends To Lovers. 

Money: Making Money Through Strong Business Partnerships. 

Career/Business/Work: Mixing Love With Money. Counting On a Good Team. 

Three of Cups

Keywords: Friendship. Parties. Gatherings. Revalry. Socializing. 

Love & Sex: Group Sex. Friendly Relationships. Taking a Lover To Meet Your Friends.

Friendship: Friend Groups. Parties and Events With Friends. A Sweet Time With Friends. 

Money: Money Made In Groups. Money Made From Social Events. 

Career/Business/Work: Working With Groups of People. Harmonious Group Dynamics At Work. 

Four of Cups 

Keywords: Meditation. Isolation. Shutting Out Information. Trance. Transcendence.  

Love & Sex: Ignoring Potential Suitors. Not Listening To Your Partner’s Needs. Celibacy. 

Friendship: Not Returning Texts. Feeling Like You Don’t Have Friends. Isolation. 

Money: Focus On a Particular Stream of Income. Ignoring Sound Advice About Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Overworking To Avoid Emotional Problems. Honing Your Craft.

Five of Cups

Keywords: Grief. Loss. Counting Your Blessings. Reevaluation. Taking Things For Granted. 

Love & Sex: Grief Over a Lost Relationship. Emotionally Unfulfilling Sex. 

Friendship: Losing a Friend. Mourning Lost Relationships.

Money: Losing Money. Poverty Trauma.

Career/Business/Work: Underemployment. Considering Leaving Your Job.

Six of Cups

Keywords: Reunion. Innocence. Immaturity. Sharing. Mutual Aid. Karma. Children.

Love & Sex: Getting Back With an Ex. Synchronicities With a Karmic Link. A Younger Lover.

Friendship: A Younger Friend. Reunion With Friends. An Immature Friend.  

Money: New Beginnings With Money or Potentially a New Source of Income. 

Career/Business/Work: Working With Children or Teens. Harmonious Work Environments. 

Seven of Cups

Keywords: Choices. Illusions. Social Media/Online Environments. Spiritual Journeys. 

Love & Sex: Online Dating. Choosing Between Partners. Promises That Don’t Materialize. 

Friendship: Choosing Between Friendships. New Friendships You’re Idealizing.

Money: Money From Spiritual Work. Money With Hidden Strings.

Career/Business/Work: Choosing Between Jobs. Contracts That Aren’t Exactly As They Seem. 

Eight of Cups

Keywords: Moving On. Leaving the Past Behind. Ending Abusive Dynamics.  Disappointment.

Love & Sex: Trial Separation. Going To Bed Without Resolution. Sexual Disappointment. 

Friendship: Ending a Friendship. Recognizing Unhealthy Dynamics in a Friendship. 

Money: Financial Loss. Moving Forward With a Bad Investment. 

Career/Business/Work: Leaving a Dead End Job. Drudgery At Work.

Nine of Cups

Keywords: Wishes. Manifestation. Satisfaction. Pleasure. Egotism. 

Love & Sex: Great Sex. Manifesting a Partner. A Partner Who Is Too Good To Be True. 

Friendship: Trying To Make Friends Jealous. Wishing For Friends. Manifesting With Friends. 

Money: Manifesting Money. Desired Money Arrives.

Career/Business/Work: A Seemingly Perfect Job. A Job That Gives You a Big Head.

Ten of Cups

Keywords: Creating a Family. Lasting Love and Friendship. Joy. Abundance. 

Love & Sex: Excellent, Loving Sex. Life Partnerships. 

Friendship: Friends That Are Family. Happiness in Friendship.  

Money: Money Through Those You Love. Money That Comes With Happiness. 

Career/Business/Work: Joyful Work Environments. Family Businesses. 

Page of Cups

Keywords: Becoming Emotionally Aware. Naivete. Creative Beginnings.

Love & Sex: Getting Attached To a Casual Date. Emotional Hookups. Good First Dates. 

Friendship: New Friends. Playing With Friends.  

Money: A Small Amount of Money From a Creative Source. 

Career/Business/Work: Being Creative At Work. Creative Employment. Creative Apprenticeship.

Knight of Cups

Keywords: Fools Rush in. Pitching Woo. New Suitor or Date. 

Love & Sex: One of the Best Indications of a New Lover. Short, yet Passionate Romance. 

Friendship: A New Friend Who Becomes Emotionally Invested Quickly. An Earnest Friendship. 

Money: Money or News About Money Arrives Quickly From a Creative Source. 

Career/Business/Work: Delivering a Presentation With a Creative Element. 

Queen of Cups

Keywords: Nurturing. Parenting. Psychic Power. Mysterious Emotions. Femininity.

Love & Sex: Kind and Sweet Lover Who Can Be Overgiving. Sensitive Partners. 

Friendship: Friendships That Have a Caretaking Element. Caring Friendships. 

Money: Money Made Through Intuitive Prediction. Money Made in the Care Economy. 

Career/Business/Work: Work Helping Others. Working With Mothers. 

King of Cups

Keywords: Emotional Control. Creative Power. Self-Mastery Through Emotional Understanding. 

Love & Sex: An Emotional Lover. Drama Queens. Romantic Environments.  

Friendship: Friendships With People Who Like High Drama Settings. Emotionally Mature Friends.

Money: Money Made Through Others’ Emotional Responses. 

Career/Business/Work: Theater. Artistic Professions. Working For an Emotional Boss.

Minor Arcana: Pentacles

Ace of Pentacles

Keywords: Financial Beginnings. New Homes and Businesses. Beginnings of Stability.

Love & Sex: A New Relationship That Could Go Somewhere. Sex For Conception. 

Friendship: A New Dependable Friend. Money that comes through friends. 

Money: A New Source of Income That Could Last. Investing.

Career/Business/Work: A New Job. A Promotion. A Raise.

 Two of Pentacles

Keywords: Balance. Robbing Peter to Pay Paul. Juggling Responsibilities. Financial Fluctuation.

Love & Sex: Creating Balance in Relationships. Overwork That Affects a Relationship.   

Friendship: Juggling Social and Professional Responsibilities. Sharing Responsibilities.  

Money: Money Comes and Goes Fast. Economic Change. Stock Markets. Gambling.

Career/Business/Work: Promotion or Demotion. Revolving Door Jobs. 

Three of Pentacles

Keywords: Building. Collaboration. Creation. Communication. Religious Spaces. 

Love & Sex: Co-creating a Future With a Lover. Getting Serious.  

Friendship: Working With Friends. Creating Something With a Friend Group. 

Money: Money Made Collaboratively. Sometimes Money Made From Building and Construction. 

Career/Business/Work: Real Estate. Clergy. Construction. Working Together To Meet Goals. 

Four of Pentacles 

Keywords: Stinginess. Hoarding. Control Issues. Greed. Afraid To Let Go. 

Love & Sex: Selfishness in Bed. Controlling Your Partner. Putting Pressure On  a Relationship.

Friendship: Forcing a Friendship. Controlling Your Friends. Rubbing Your Gains in Their Face. 

Money: Holding On To Your Money. Greed. Bank Accounts.  

Career/Business/Work: Working With Money. Being Selfish At Work. 

Five of Pentacles

Keywords: Poverty. Unwilling To Ask For Help. Feeling Shut Out of Care. 

Love & Sex: Relationship Problems Caused By Financial Problems. Emotionally Cold Sex. 

Friendship: Feeling Shut Out of Friend Groups and Friendships. Friends Talking Behind Your Back. 

Money: Loss of Money. Needed Money Doesn’t Come Through. 

Career/Business/Work: Job Loss, Business Failure, Economic Problems. 

Six of Pentacles

Keywords: Charity. Philanthropy. Hierarchy. Provider. Financial Harmony.

Love & Sex: Making the Relationship Officiall. Crumbing. Stone Top/Pillow Queen Dynamic. 

Friendship: Lending Money To a Friend. Feeling Secure in a Friendship Due To Established Rules.

Money: Money Comes in From an Established Source. Money Through Charity or Venture Capital.

Career/Business/Work: Charity Work. Working in Philanthropy, NGOs, or Non-Profits.

Seven of Pentacles

Keywords: Investment. Patience. Sowing So You Can Reap. Doing the Hard Work.  

Love & Sex: Quality Time. Long Sexual Sessions. Orgasm Denial. 

Friendship: Long-Term Friendships. Investing Time Into Your Friendships

Money: Investing Your Money. High-Yield Savings Accounts. 

Career/Business/Work: Working Overtime. Working At Banks, Trusts, and Financial Institutions. 

Eight of Pentacles

Keywords: Apprenticeship. Higher Education. Philosophy. Working Towards a Professional Goal. 

Love & Sex: Breakthroughs. Learning Each Other’s Sexual Desires.. Working On a Relationship. 

Friendship: Friends Made Through School or Internships. 

Money: Money From Academic Gigs. Building Wealth. Grants. Fellowships. 

Career/Business/Work: Academia. Professorships. Internships. Apprenticeships. Mentors.

Nine of Pentacles

Keywords: Beauty. Isolation. Self-esteem. Healing Alone. Reaping the Fruit of Your Labors. 

Love & Sex: Relationships With People You Already Know. Masturbation. Friends To Lovers. 

Friendship: Lovers To Friends. Dinner Parties. Garden Parties. 

Money: Easy Money. Having More Than Enough Money. Abundance. 

Career/Business/Work: Gardener. Independent Wealth. Domestics. Home Offices.

Ten of Pentacles

Keywords: Inheritance. Elderhood. Wisdom. Maturity. Family. 

Love & Sex: Sex or Relationships With Older People. Solid Relationships. Families. 

Friendship: Very Well Established Friend Groups. Sou-Sou.  

Money: Money Gained Through Family or Inheritance. 

Career/Business/Work: Estate Planning. Wills. Working For Long-Established Organizations. 

Page of Pentacles

Keywords: Financial Support. Moving Toward Stability. 

Love & Sex: A New Prospect That Represents What You Ultimately Want in Love.

Friendship: Solid New Friends That Could Become Close Over Time.

Money: Small Amounts of Money From a Raise or a Small Promotion. 

Career/Business/Work: Financial Literacy and Education. Starting a Retirement Fund. 

Knight of Pentacles

Keywords: Money is Coming. Caught in a Financial or Career Whirlwind.  

Love & Sex: A Stable Prospect Arrives. A Reliable Lover. Reliable Orgasms, Quickly. 

Friendship: A Trustworthy Friend Arrives. News About a Close Friend. 

Money: Money Arrives Shortly. News About Money. Digital Banking (Venmo, PayPal, Cash App). Transfers.

Career/Business/Work: Bank Tellers. Truckers. Security Personnel. News About Income.

Queen of Pentacles

Keywords: Pregnancy. Growing Money. Watching Over Your Money. Patience. 

Love & Sex: A Good Spouse. Love That Creates Family Relationships. Submissives.

Friendship: Mom Friends. Friendships With People in Traditional Lifestyles. 

Money: Being a Good Steward of Your Own Money. Checking On Investments. 

Career/Business/Work: Stay At Home Parents. Daycare Workers. Teachers. On the Right Path.

King of Pentacles

Keywords: Financial Stability. Mastery in Career. Patriarchs and Matriarchs. 

Love & Sex: A Predictable, yet Stable Romantic Relationship. A Partner Suitable For Marriage.   

Friendship: Mature Friendships With People Who Are Established in Their Lives. 

Money: Money Made in Traditional Ways. Having Mature Insight On How To Make Money. 

Career/Business/Work: Bankers. Patrons of the Arts. Business People. Mastery in Career.