#school success beyond black and white

[quotesfromall]

Students find much meaning in the way classrooms are structured, especially in multiracial schools. These schools send implicit messages to many poor Black and Latino students when the ability grouping is highly correlated to racial and ethnic background. In multiracial and multiethnic schools, certain courses can become known as classes for Black kids, White kids, or Asian kids.

Prudence L. Carter, Keepin' it Real

[confessedlyfannish]

Writing Prompt #11

It's an innocent ("please," Jason sneers, "there's nothing innocent about a plagiaristic propaganda machine encouraging minors to dance for sick ol' pervs while it spews misogynistic hate speech.'"

"okay, boomer,"

"the fuck did you just call me, replacement?") TikTok, one of those ones that kind of simmers in the background for a few weeks until someone with a decent enough following posts it on the Platform Formerly Known as Twitter and from there it seriously catches traction, blowing up until Tim knocks on Bruce's office door, phone in hand. Damian stands behind him, arms crossed and clearly simmering.

Bruce, fresh off a series of zoom conferences, raises an eyebrow.

"Okay, so you haven't seen it," Tim decides, striding forward.

Bruce's eyebrow jumps a smidge higher, on the edge of concern, as Tim thrusts his phone into his grasp.

"So," he begins, reaching over to refresh the mobile page "there's a video that's been making the rounds on Twitter and—well you should probably see it," He sighs over Damian's scoff as he clicks through the pop-up asking him to sign in or join TikTok, and presses "Watch Again", unmuting the video.

🎶 "Doo, badoo-badoo-badoo Badoo-badoo-badoo-badoo,"🎶 an upbeat background song hums as someone, presumably a student, films a school hallway with their phone. They walk past students talking near their lockers, some of whom flash peace signs and silly grins as the camera swings their way before continuing on.

But the main point Bruce gets stuck on is the all lowercase white text at the center of the screen that an automated woman's voice awkwardly narrates:

"when you go to school with bruce wayne's other long lost lovechild"

The student filming comes up behind a much taller student who faces away from him, in conversation with a black haired pale teenaged girl. She spots the cameraman and shoots him a confused, disgruntled look, saying something to the boy who then turns around.

Bruce quietly observes as the camera zooms in on a boy around Tim's page, possibly older. Tall and broad-shouldered, with a strong jaw, he raises an eyebrow at the one filming, looking beyond the camera, pitch black hair with blue undertones falling into his blue eyes. The camera momentarily zooms too far into those eyes then abruptly pulls back as he quirks a puzzled smile at the viewer, mouthing out an easily understandable "hi?".

The TikTok ends and seamlessly transitions to a person balancing their cat on an exercise ball with minimal success and this time Bruce presses the Watch Again button. The heart on the right side claims 750k likes.

Damian scoffs, louder, as it ends. "Clearly it is a hoax, but it has been popular among my classmates."

"The board hasn't made much noise about it—" Tim starts.

"And they won't," Bruce says, lifting his eyes from his phone. "Wayne Industries doesn't give statements on videos like these, no matter how viral they become. I've been getting lovechild claims since before I adopted Dick."

Which Tim knows, which is why his insistence on showing Bruce this one raises his hackles. He pins Tim down with a stare and despite Tim's perfected PR mask, he can see Tim is unsettled.

"B...he really, really looks like you." Tim admits. Damian scoffs for a third time and Tim shoots him a glare, "I get it, you don't see it, but you haven't seen the pictures of Bruce when he was younger."

"I don't need to!" Damian says angrily. "You're all being ridiculous!"

"All?" Bruce asks. Tim shifts awkwardly. "The family group chat has been talking," he says.

"I see," Bruce says. Because he does. Many claim Damian to be his doppelganger, but the boy actually favors Talia not just in skin tone but in the shape and color of his eyes, as well as the soft slope of her mouth and ears. Whether those features will sharpen once he goes through puberty is anyone's guess.

But this young man has Bruce's eyes. Martha's eyes.

That night they have a suspiciously full house for dinner, with even Jason dropping in, but no one says anything until Barbara wheels in for dessert, carrying a manila folder on her lap.

"What?" she says, when everyone stares. "Dick told me it was crème brûlée today!"

Bruce extends a hand wordlessly, and Barbara sheepishly hands the folder over.

"Bruce," she says, before he can open it, "I wouldn't have looked into this normally, but,"

"Just say it," Jason says, leaning back in his chair. "Take away the gray hairs, the receding hairline, and the wrinkles and the kid's a dead match."

"Take it back, Todd," Damian growls, "Father has a very full head of hair!"

"Not to mention a failed track record at keeping it in his pants, Exhibit A," Jason continues, pointing a fork at Damian, "oh wait," he says gleefully, "kid is definitely 18, so I guess that would make you Exhibit B!"

The table erupts, cutlery tinkling as Damian gets a knee up on the table to hurl himself at a cackling Todd, Dick jumping up to grab him as the others lean out of the way—

"Ahem!" Everyone stops cold as Alfred stands in the doorway, porcelain ramekins of crème brûlée stacked perfectly on a silver tray. Under his gaze, everyone sits back down, Damian and Jason both quietly uttering a "Sorry Alfie/Alfred," as they straighten up.

Bruce is oblivious to the chaos, Barbara biting her lip beside him as he stares blankly inside the folder at the printed copy of an adoption certificate.

Two days and several million likes later, another TikTok goes viral from the same user. Caught in the moment as whoever is filming runs up to the group, the same young man is chatting with a blonde in a red letterman jacket, a partially formed crowd around them. Even with one leg still in the cafeteria table, he towers over everyone.

"—sh. Look, we're all possibly Bruce Wayne's son!" the boy snarks. He has his hands out, palms up as if he's making a great point, and as he looks around he catches sight of the cameraman and his smirk drops.

"Ah Mac, c'mon dude not again—" and the TikTok ends.

[umlewis]

Lewis Hamilton: I've Struggled With Depression From A Very Early Age

From Formula One glory to making a film with Brad Pitt, at 39, the sports star is more successful than ever. It's been tough, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Sir Lewis Hamilton is the most successful Formula 1 driver in history, with 105 (at the time of writing) grand prix victories to his name, as well as seven championships and a knighthood in 2021. What makes this achievement even more extraordinary is Hamilton's background. He is the first and only black man to race in F1, a sport dominated by the gilded progeny of wealthy white families. A child of mixed heritage-his father, Anthony, is of Grenadian descent; his mother, Carmen, is a white woman from Birmingham-Hamilton was partly raised on a council estate in Stevenage, his family sacrificing so much to get him to the track. "I am grateful I had that experience. I remember not having any money. I remember the struggle of my parents. I feel that's an advantage," he says. "Did you fight harder on the track because it was so tough for you to get there," I ask. "One thousand per cent," he replies. We are meeting at the Kensington Roof Gardens (Hamilton has a home in London, as well as Monaco, Geneva, Colorado and New York). He is a vision in expensive beige: Maison Margiela slacks, chunky Bottega Veneta boots, a Dries Van Noten cardigan, Dior bracelets, Cartier rings, a pearl necklace he bought online, twinkly little studs, one for each side of his nose, his hands a collage of geometric tattoos. But his love of fashion goes beyond amassing a "dream" wardrobe. He has collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger on several collections and has just been made guest designer at Dior, for whom he has a debut collection coming this autumn, the palette for which was inspired by his travels in Africa, particularly Nigeria. Hamilton agrees it's a busy time for him. At the end of this season he will be moving to Ferrari, after twelve years with Mercedes. "It's been a rollercoaster of emotions from the moment I signed the contract. Telling my boss, that was terrifying. But it's so exciting because I remember as a kid watching Michael. Every driver watches that car and you're like, 'What would it be like to sit in the red cockpit?'" He is a quiet presence, boyish almost, despite his 39 years. He uses euphemisms for swearwords such as "frick" and "shoot." He doesn't drink, is "plant-based," and loves hanging out with his nieces and nephew, playing Uno and Fortnite, chucking them about in the pool on holiday. "I'm really good with the kids," he says, setting aside his oat latte. "With them I feel like I'm able to be the kid that I am."

Hamilton's own childhood was not so carefree. His parents separated when he was two, his father meeting his new wife, Linda, at British Rail, where they both worked. Sundays with his dad were spent watching Formula 1. This was the era of the talismanic Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna, Hamilton's hero. It was during a holiday in Ibiza that he first got in a go-kart. "I was hooked," he says. "The adrenaline, the chaos, trying to control it. You feel it in your chest, your emotions, through your fingers, everything." Hamilton's dad bought him a kart for Christmas when he was eight. "I think he just wanted something to do with me, this kid that had all this energy, that had no fear." He describes himself, back then, as a "Tasmanian devil," a child who didn't enjoy school, who had undiagnosed dyslexia, who was shy - but behind the wheel "something flowed through me. It was the only thing I was confident in." The family began to orientate their existence around Hamilton's racing, his father taking extra jobs, while his stepmum spent all her savings on his new passion. Hamilton won his first race when he was ten. "That was really empowering for me," he says, 'Because I was competing against a lot of wealthier families."

It was also around this time that Senna died, his car crashing into a concrete barrier during the San Marino Grand Prix. "I was with my dad; we were working on the go-kart. I remember going to the front and crying, bawling my eyes out. I couldn't cry in front of my dad. He was not that kind of guy." Hamilton suppressed his grief, in the same way that he suppressed his emotions about the bullying and racism he endured. "There was no escaping it. You experience it at school, in the parks, walking through town. I didn't understand it and my parents never spoke to me about it. They never explained what was going on. My dad was just, 'Keep your head down, hold it in, don't say anything, just beat them on the track, that's all you can do.'" So that was what he did. When Hamilton was thirteen he was offered a place on the McLaren driver development team. His father became his manager, looking after all elements of his career, including finance. "Even when I got to Formula 1, at 22, I had no comprehension of money," he says. Hamilton's first F1 season was in 2007, his first championship win in 2008. But despite all that it gave him, despite his deep love of the sport, of competing, Hamilton found the world of F1 corporate and stifling. There was a requirement to conform, a residual feeling that just one misstep and the opportunities he had been given would be taken away. "It wasn't until I'd had some wins that I started to put my toe out of the box. Each time it was, like, you make one step and that rock's safe, but that next one was wobbly or would fall away. You'd get criticism about how you were presenting yourself. But I kept punching and kept fighting." Racing, like so much competitive sport, can be a lonely business. "You're nice and friendly outside the car," Hamilton says, "but in the car my dad would say you have to be ruthless, aggressive, sharp. In the car there are no friends." He found greater freedom, a sense of belonging and camaraderie, in the fashion world, attending his first show in 2007. "Everyone was wearing what they wanted. You didn't feel like you were being judged because everyone's on their own vibe. It was the first time I got into an environment where everyone was expressing themselves and I loved it."

Hamilton tried to bring some of that creative freedom to his professional life. In 2010 he sacked his father as manager. "Obviously parents try to protect their kids, forever I guess, and some don't want to let go. My dad struggled with that. There was a point when I was like, 'Look, I've done everything you've asked me to do, now let me live my life. I am going to have to make my own mistakes.' That was a really tough process." At the end of the 2012 season he left McLaren for Mercedes. "They gave me a lot more freedom," he says. He became involved in the look of the team, bringing in Hilfiger to help redesign the clothing. "But still if I felt there were wrongdoings, I didn't feel I could speak out." That all changed in 2020, when Hamilton watched a video of the murder of George Floyd by the policeman Derek Chauvin. "The cork popped. It had me on my knees in tears. All this emotion came out. It was such a strange experience because I don't remember crying since I was really young. I knew that I'd had enough, I really needed to speak out. There are people that are staying silent, people that feel voiceless, and I have this platform. Winning championships is an amazing thing, but what are you doing with it? What are you doing with your time on this planet?" These were the questions that Hamilton began asking himself during that pandemic year, which was also when he started meditating. "I would struggle initially to calm my mind, but it's a really great way of getting in touch with myself, my inner feelings, understanding what I want to do." These days he meditates every morning, waking at five, following this with a ten km run, which he sees as an extension of his meditation, a time to have ideas, to clear his mind.

"When I was in my twenties I had some really difficult phases. I mean, I’ve struggled with mental health through my life." What are we talking, I ask. Anxiety, depression? "Depression. From a very early age, when I was, like, thirteen . I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school, the bullying. I had no one to talk to." I ask if he has ever seen a therapist. "I spoke to one woman, years ago, but that wasn't really helpful. I would like to find someone today." He has gone on silent retreats and reads books about mental health, including The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. "You're learning about things that have been passed down to you from your parents, noticing those patterns, how you react to things, how you can change those. So what might have angered me in the past doesn't anger me today. I am so much more refined." The year 2020 was a time of profound personal change. Hamilton took the knee before every race he entered that year. He advocated for change within his industry, initiating the Hamilton Commission to research the underrepresentation of black people in UK motorsport and the STEM sector. Using this information, he launched Mission 44, a charity to help young people around the world overcome social injustice, investing £20 million (he is worth an estimated £350 million) into the project.

He also started moving into other spheres with greater purpose, including fashion and music. He developed a non-alcoholic drink, Almave, and set up a film production company. "I want to be able to tell diverse stories. Film has changed my life. There is so much inspiration I have received," he says. One of his first co-productions is F1, the upcoming movie with Brad Pitt and a more diverse vision of the circuit, including a female technical director. "That was important to me. I lived with my dad, but I was really raised by my two mums and my two sisters. I grew up around a lot of female energy, powerful women. Most of the people on my team are women. The women hold it down." And, of course, there is Pitt playing a driver in his fifties. "That was a tricky part for me," Hamilton says, "because, shoot, of course we want Brad. But I was like, there is no way a 58 year old can compete with a twenty year old. These guys have got nothing going on but to race. And they're fit. So we had to work around this narrative, telling him how much harder he would have to train to get in shape." Hamilton himself is old for an F1 driver, most of whom retire in their thirties. His replacement at Mercedes, the Italian Kimi Antonelli, has only just turned eighteen. You could be his dad, I say, and Hamilton laughs like this hadn't actually occurred to him. "Honestly, right now I feel I'm healthier than I've ever been," he says. "I'm in such a good place, physically and mentally. My reaction times are still quicker than the young guys. I think I'm a better driver than I was at 22. I was just young, energetic and ruthless, but no finesse, no balance. I didn't know how to be a team player, how to be a leader. Being a good racing driver, it's not just about being fast. It's about being the most rounded. When I study the legends, they're spread between small percentages, so it's the whole package. What do they speak for, stand for? That's what I look at. I look to Ayrton Senna and Nelson Mandela, and those are the two people gelled together that I want to be."

Senna used to cross himself before every race. Like him, Hamilton was raised a Catholic. "I pray every time before I race," he says. "I pray that everyone is safe." Motor racing is far less dangerous than it used to be, but people still die. I ask Hamilton if he fears death when he drives. "I don't, no," he says. "But still, we're traveling at crazy speeds. You have to respect it. So that's why I'm conscious of the time I spend with my family, with my mum. Is this the last time I get to hug her? Because you just don't know. Nothing is guaranteed." Hamilton is single, but he would like to have a family. "One day. I wouldn't be able to do what I do to the level that I do it today with that. One of my best friends has just had a kid and I'm seeing how manic it is. And my nieces and nephew are a handful. There will be a time and a place for it, and I can't wait for that part. But right now I have some work to do."

[bodymachine]

regarding the “the american education system didn’t teach ___ so i never learned it” posts, some of you are veryyyy much missing what’s wrong w/ those statements when you give the blanket retort that the american education system actually did teach ___. newsflash: public school curriculums aren’t the same in every school/district/county/state. but to take it a step further, the quality of public education depends on state laws and the funding available to schools, which funding depends largely on local property taxes, which means low-income communities end up with low-quality schooling, fewer extracurricular programs, fewer resources for disabled students, more corrupt administration. the system is not about problems with curriculum, it’s much more and much worse than that.

besides the property tax funding, standardized tests also play a huge shitty role in this mess. schools that don’t have high test scores, i.e. underfunded schools often with majority low-income black and brown students, are considered “low-performing” and actually get less funding from the government as a result, like needed funds can get cut, and their teachers get paid less (and don’t even get me started on how programs like teach for america are sending young, white, fully inexperienced teachers to the poorest schools).

standardized tests are chosen at the state level, so states with huge wealth disparities and obviously segregated districts (like CT where i’m from) are measuring the performance of poor kids and rich kids using the same content and scoring system to arbitrarily determine who’s smart enough to deserve a better funded education. so the tests, i.e. the government, clearly favor the success of rich, white students. and the problem isn’t so much which content gets taught and how, as it is how little the american government actually cares about kids learning and having promising futures. like, education truly isn’t the point of american public schools. what they care about is deciding who gets to thrive in the world once they become adults.

since schools with majority white and wealthy populations essentially set the bar for what kind of performance is “standard,” everyone else whose circumstances (academic or otherwise) don’t allow them to reach that level are set up by the system to fail. being a “low-performing” school means kids are forced to repeat grades, and graduation becomes something out of reach. the schools don’t care about their students’ needs (especially when the teachers and administrators are mostly white), and real-life factors beyond students’ control cause them to struggle in school and they end up getting punished/suspended/expelled at horrifying rates, and yeah there’s a whooooole host of reasons why school can fucking suck and i’m barely scratching the surface.

anyway, what i’m trying to say here is YES the american education system sucks—not just because certain topics related to racism and imperialism and american history and other countries are glanced over or fully left out of curriculum, but also because success is being gatekept by the white and wealthy. it’s actively a racist system. not being taught important things about the world, or not being taught in a way that is actually engaging, is a problem that anyone anywhere can face, but it’s particularly insidious when you realize that the school system is TRYING to harm poor, black, brown, and immigrant communities.

so just to circle back to the real problem on display in those ignorant posts, it really makes me sick that white liberals can develop such a whiny complex around their own insular lack of curiosity when they don’t even know what “american education system” they’re talking about. and trying to look better than them by saying they just weren’t paying attention in school is completely completely beside the point.

[jasonshoodies]

WIP: Do we want me to continue this?

Jason Sudeikis x Reader

RPF

No Smut (for now)

___

"Oh, gross, Sudeikis is gonna be here?" You asked your brother, making a face and taking a sip of beer, "I thought he was too cool for all of us now."

At the edge of the party, you survey your older brother's friends. Bald. Bald. Bald. Married. 3 times divorced. Kids. Kids. Kids. It was Big Slick weekend, and your older brother always had the old Shawnee Mission West crew in to hang when Jason had time to visit Kansas City.

“You know Jason isn't like that. You two just can't stand each other." Your brother smirks and hands you another beer and moves away to work his crowd. Extroverts. You shudder.

Even at 39, so many of your brother's friends still treat you like a little sister, and considering the options laid out before you, that wasn't a bad thing.

Once you were finally in your 20's, there had always been a relentless ballbusting between you and Jason, and in the times he was single, it always came off painfully flirtatious. At least from you. By the time you were 25, he was already considerably successful (and married or just divorced), then by the time he was single again, he was 100% beyond your reach.

Which was fine. Of course. Whatever.

Getting lost in the Kindle app on your phone, you continue to sway on the glider, glancing up periodically at the twinkle lights and the crowd, offering a smile to your niece and nephew across the yard. It wasn't that you weren't social, it was more that this party was for your brother and his family and friends, but it was Friday night and you really didn't have anything better to do. But, to be clear, it wasn't like you were trying to see Jason. Of course not. How stupid would that be?

Looking back at your phone, you read another chapter until you feel someone sit directly beside you, man-spreading, his thigh pressed up against yours. You don't even have to look up to know who it is.

“Do you know how fucking rude it is to sit at a party on your phone?" He doesn't even look at you, instead, he stares straight ahead and tilts his head a little while pushing his tortoise shell glasses up on his nose. With a nod, he spots his own kids and younger sister, Lindsay, and gives all 3 a sweet smile and wave. "I mean, socialize a little. Say hello to people, y/n, Jesus."

Without looking up, you swipe the page on your book and chew your lip for a second, "I told Jeremy that I hoped it wasn't true. Maybe your flight from LA would get delayed. But, I guess when you're a piece of shit who can afford to ruin the Earth and fly private, it doesn't matter."

He doesn't miss a beat and deadpans, "You got it figured out."

“You good?" You ask, cutting him a look and finally putting your phone down, replacing it with a beer of your own. "You look good. Less like an old man from last year. Is that hair color?" Without hesitation, you put your fingertips in the hair at his temples and sideburns and gasp, "Wow. Just for Men. Didn't know that still was a thing. This was completely white last year. Good for you."

Jason leans back a little and smiles showing no teeth, a tight smirk, lips pressed together. "M'yeah. You are lovely as ever." He bites the corner of his bottom lip and considers you, giving you a once over that makes warmth flood your face until he glances away at the sound of his name. Playfully, he squeezes your thigh without another word and stands to join a circle of guys who you personally know live to tell people that they went to high school with Jason Sudeikis.

He does look good, though. Even in his Dad gear. Light color cargo shorts, a hoodie, black baseball cap, and obnoxiously high end sneakers. You can't help but watch him. He's always been comfortable and effortless. Warm. Qualities that have only gotten more developed and better with age.

He, quite unfortunately, has only gotten better with age.

For the rest of the party, he never sits down, and you force yourself back into your phone and mundane conversation until the crowd dies down and you start to help your brother and sister in law pick up and go inside.

It's not that late, but basically everyone has kids, so when Jason comes inside with an arm full of dirty plates and cups to put in the trash, you give him a funny look as you wipe down the kitchen counter. "Well damn, you didn't leave with the kid crowd?"

“Nah, sent mine home with my sister. Haven't seen y'all in a year, Jeremy mentioned playing some cards? I'm a night owl. Not even close to sleep. You staying?"

Your eyebrows shoot up to your hairline and you wash your hands in the sink, "Yeah, I drank a little, so I wasn't going to drive anyway, I planned on bunking up in the basement."

“Well, lock your Kindle app and come hang out. Unless the sight of me is so nauseating that you just can't stand it." He washes his own hands and grabs a handful of chips from a bowl and pops several in his mouth, leaning against the counter and talking with this mouth full. "I will somehow endure it for your brother."

Casually, you flip him the bird and he grins at you and shrugs. "Maybe later, let's have a couple more beers and see where the night leads us."

[ithebookhoarder]

Joel teaching you how to ride a horse: (Joel Miller x Reader)

A/N: I apologise in advance as I am through and through city bred, and do not -in fact - know how to ride a horse. I’d love to learn though, especially if Joel was willing to teach me 😅

Warnings: swearing, light smut, references to smut

Masterlist:

Riding a horse isn’t scary. Or, at least, it shouldn’t be. 

Getting into college was scary. Surviving the outbreak after finishing a 12 hour shift at work was scary. Hell, every day since then, fighting and scrambling to stay alive despite the unknown horrors that seemed to surround you… now that had been scary. 

But this? Learning to ride a horse? From Joel no less? It should have been a cakewalk. 

You were embarrassed to say you were trembling all over before you’d even entered the training paddock. It had taken a whole lot of coaxing from your all too patient partner to get you to at least make it close enough to pet the horse, let alone mount it. 

Why had you agreed to this again? 

Oh, yeah. 

Him. 

Because of those big brown eyes of his and his soft, sultry tones… begging you to let him teach you so you could go on romantic rides together, beyond the borders of Jackson, see the sights, get some time alone… he’d made it sound so appealing, as he peppered kisses up and down your spine. 

“But Joel… You know we could just skip the horse part and still go for a ride here, in bed-“

“Not that kind of ride, you minx.” 

It’s also a smart idea, as Joel explains, so that you both knew you had a way of making a quick escape should it ever come to it. 

It makes sense. Annoyingly. And you know you have no choice but to agree and give in. 

Which is how you ended up here… frustrated, sweating, and regretting ever saying ‘hi’ to Joel Miller. 

It’s not fair at all. 

You have no idea how he makes it look so easy, what with him trotting about like one of those damn cowboys you’d seen in movies growing up. The kind your Nanna had fawned over whenever she got you to agree to watch an old black and white flick on a Sunday afternoon. 

It was like the horse just knew what he wanted him to do without Joel ever having to do or say anything. 

“It’s all in the grip, darling,” he explains after you huff and complain that your horse hates you. “Come here. I’ll show you.” 

And he does. 

He stands behind you and grabs you around the waist, changing his position and his grip several times in quick succession. It feels like you’re back in medical school again, being shown the various parts of human anatomy. 

“What do you feel when I grab you like this, all super tight, like I’m crushing your ribs?” 

“L… like you’re trying to hurt me?” 

“Exactly? And when I hold you here? Like this, much looser, instead?” 

“Like you’re trustworthy… that, I’m safe. That you’re trying to hug me rather than wrestle me.” 

“Now imagine my arms are your legs, and your waist is that horse. You wonder why he’s getting all worked up, but he’s sensitive. He feels the same as you do. Relax and he’ll relax too. See? Easy.” 

Yeah. Sure. Easier said than done. 

Still, Joel is determined to see this through and does not allow you to quit - no matter how much you try.

He keeps on urging you back on to the horse every time you fall off, and is the first to praise you when you do something right. 

“No wonder Ellie bitched so much about you teaching her to swim. Heard you pushed her in a river-”

“She learned to swim, didn't she?”

“JOEL!”

You hate to accept he has a point. After all, by the end of the day you’ve managed to learn to stay on the horse, and can actually steer them in any direction you wish. 

Which, in Joel’s eyes, makes you a damn state champ and he’s keen to tell you as such. 

In fact, he sounds so proud of you, gushing praise about how well you did, and how he knows it was tough but you stuck with it and that’s the most important thing about learning any new skill... 

It makes you feel all gooey inside - especially as he runs you a hot bath later that night, so you can soak your aching body. You know without asking that the slowly growing pain will be even worse come morning. 

It’s no wonder Joel’s stayed in as good shape as he has, given how much time he spends riding around the countryside beyond Jackson’s walls. In fact, you have a new found appreciation for it.

“You did real good, darling. I mean it. I’m proud of you.” 

“Thanks, baby.”

“You’re welcome... now skooch on over so I can get in there with ya. Who knows when Ellie will get home, and I plan to make the most of having this place to ourselves.” 

He doesn't have to ask twice. 

Soon enough, your groans and moans of pain were soon replaced with those of pleasure, accompanied by the sound of water sloshing over the sides of the too-small tub. 

If this is your reward then you’re not opposed to getting back in the saddle again at some point to finish your lessons. 

But, be that as it may, you still definitely prefer being left aching after the other kind of ride instead... one that involves a bed, and a whole different kind of wild creature. 

[sxnshxnxxnddxxsxxs-fics]

let’s talk about dean thomas

to be clear fuck jkr for racism, antisemitism, transphobia, holocaust denial, misogyny and the rest of her sins of which there are many

let me be so for real right now

dean thomas is one of the mandem

no ifs ands or buts

he is one of the mandem

and the fact that he is never portrayed as such in fandom is proof of why poc characters need to be attached to their poc identities and also of the fact that can only handle blackness in a way that’s palatable to white people.

and to be clear him being one of the mandem doesn’t mean that he can’t have his other personality traits. it doesn’t mean he can’t be into art or be queer or whatever caricature you have of what being one of the mandem is. but being mandem does massively inform all of his life experiences and those traits that you like to use to make him a palatable soft boy would actually manifest very differently.

but for those curious some things that indicate that dean is one of the mandem:

first of all he’s a (most likely) second gen caribbean immigrant who at some point has a single mother - none of this inherently predisposes him to being one of the mandem but if you know anything about the sociopolitical climate of the uk in the 80s and 90s (and beyond) he’s already mandem by association

secondly he’s a west ham supporter. now if you know anything about uk boys (especially school aged ones) and their football teams this tells you a lot. first of all the main reasons for the team you support are either: they’re a successful club doing well in the premier league, you’re a fan of a particular player and support the entire team by association, or it’s your local team. and judging by how west ham was doing in the 80s and 90s that is deans local team.

which brings me onto my next point dean thomas is from east. he’s from like fucking newham. he’s from ends and he reps his ends especially when he first gets to hogwarts and puts up his west ham poster and always talks about his team. he’s always repping because he’s grown up around the mandem and knows to rep his ends.

when writing poc characters they have to be established in their poc identities because if not they lack core components of their identity and they don’t read as fully fleshed characters. you know which is the same thing that the author of this fucking series did. dean in the canon is a caricature of what it is to be a young black boy in the uk but separating him from his blackness isn’t any better.

[lesbian-books]

Lesbian Historical Fiction

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Victorian England, 1860s. A con artist hires a London pickpocket to help him obtain the fortune of a naïve heiress.

Beyond the Screen Door by Julia Diana Robertson

Washington, USA, 1945. Two best friends grow up together and start to fall in love. One of them can see ghosts, but this is not a scary book.

Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis

Uruguay, 1977. During the military dictatorship, homosexual people were persecuted, imprisoned, and tortured. Five women (three lesbians and two bisexuals) manage to find each other and cultivate a friendship that will last for decades.

Club Storyville by Riley LaShea

Virginia, USA, 1944. A girl raised to be a “proper lady” falls in love with a nurse who comes to care for her sick grandmother.

Belladonna by Anbara Salam

Italy, 1950s. An insecure teenage girl develops a toxic obsession with her beautiful and popular best friend. As the girls graduate high school and attend an art school, their relationship becomes complicated by sexual lust and secrecy.

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

Virginia, USA, 1959. Sarah is one of the first black students to attend her previously all-white high school. She becomes acquainted with a white student named Linda, whose father is a major opponent of desegregation.

Shaken to the Core by Jae

California, USA, 1906. Giuliana, a working class Sicilian immigrant woman, goes to work as a maid for a rich American family. The daughter of the family, Kate, is expected to marry a rich man and have children, but Kate wants to be financially independent and be with a woman. This book is set in the time period of the real life 1906 San Francisco earthquake, one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history, which killed over 3000 people and destroyed most of the city.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malina Lo

California, USA, 1950s. A Chinese-American girl has a lesbian awakening, makes friends with another lesbian at her school, and discovers the vibrant nightlife in lesbian bars.

Matrix by Lauren Groff

England, 1150s. A young French woman named Marie is forced to go to an English convent to become the new prioress. The nuns are living in hunger and squalor when Marie arrives, and when she takes charge she transforms the fate of the convent and the lives of the nuns into something better and more successful than they could have imagined.

Click “Keep reading” for content warnings. Minor spoilers ahead.

Content warnings for Fingersmith: abuse, including child abuse

Content warnings for Beyond the Screen Door: child abuse, domestic violence

Content warnings for Cantoras: abuse, child sexual abuse, corrective rape, marital rape, suicide

Content warnings for Lies We Tell Ourselves: racist abuse. Additional note: This book does not hold back from depicting the racism and homophobia of the time. It has also been criticised for its portrayal of an oppressed person falling in love with their oppressor, and rightfully so because that aspect could have been done better, but at the same time I don’t think that lesbian relationships in books have to always be written as flawlessly healthy and morally pure, just as hetero relationships often are not. If Linda had abandoned all her racist beliefs immediately and rededicated her goals to supporting black civil rights, then the book would have been criticised for being too unrealistic, imo.

[tcbmemories]

Rock and Roll’s Black Roots

“Rock and Roll is the most raucous form of jazz, beyond a doubt; it maintains a link with the folk origins, and I believe that no other form of jazz has ever been accepted so enthusiastically by so many”- Duke Ellington (Lavezolli 2001, p.76)

Elvis Presley is often heralded as one of the originators of Rock and Roll, and while he did bring the style to the masses and his contributions to the genre are not to be disregarded, Rock and Roll is at its core an amalgamation of Black musical styles, from the Blues to Jazz to Black Gospel. Throughout his career, Presley recorded songs written by Black musicians, and used historically Black performance practices, like Mahalia Jackson’s movement-driven singing, to secure his place in popular music history.

Presley, born in a shack in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, moved to the bustling city of Memphis, Tennessee with his family in 1948. In Tupelo, Presley and his mother lived near the Black neighbourhood of “Shake Rag” in a higher-income Black neighbourhood called “The Hill”, (Warnock, 2017) and this was where he first became exposed to Black music. The move to Memphis only further allowed for the young Presley to hear a wider variety of Black music. As a teenager, he attended Blues clubs on Beale Street, where he saw secular Black musicians like B.B. King and Little Richard perform. These musicians and their performance practices had a profound effect on Presley’s vocal and musical style throughout his career and shaped much of his personal taste in music. Presley himself, whose first hit came from a cover of Black Delta Blues musician Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s song “That’s All Right” stated: “Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now and I said if I ever got to a place I could feel all old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.” (Presley, 1956).

In 1954, a year after graduating from high school, a 19-year-old Presley went into the Memphis Recording Service studio on Union Avenue in Memphis and recorded a cover of Crudup’s song “That’s All Right.” He and the studio musicians, Bill Black and Scotty Monroe, who created the modified version of Crudup’s track after a “jam session” had no idea they would change the course of popular music forever. “That’s All Right” is now widely considered to be the first Rock and Roll record. Sam Phillips, the owner of the studio and the Sun Records Label, was known for producing Black music, referred to as “race records” at the time. Although Phillips believed in Black music, he did not have much commercial success with the Black musicians he chose to record. As Maureen Mahon suggests, Phillips recognised that “the excellent quality of music performed by African American artists could not offset the fact that in the United States, it was easier and more lucrative to sell white artists playing black music than it was to sell black artists doing so” (Mahon 2022, p.115). As such, he was delighted to hear and record Elvis’ interpretation of Black music.

Presley’s “That’s All Right” became his first hit, but Arthur Crudup was not paid the royalties from Presley’s success. At the time, it was the norm that Black songwriters were given measly one-time payouts for their songs, and as such they did not receive adequate royalties from the songs they wrote. This was the case with Arthur Crudup and “That’s All Right” in 1954, but this attitude towards Black songwriters continued until as late as the 1980s, when Chuck Berry finally received sole credit for his hit song “Maybellene,” until then, he had shared writing credits for the song he wrote with two white men. (Garsd, 2020). Although unjust that Crudup did not receive adequate royalties for his songwriting until after his death, it is important to note that Presley held nothing but respect for Crudup and that as the recording artist, he was not responsible for the exploitative practices of the recording industry and its disparity towards Black musicians. (Umphred 2022)

Henry Pleasants suggests that Elvis’ cover of Crudup’s song generated such success and became so revolutionary because it

Heralded a metamorphosis of popular music, a new phase in the interaction of white and Black musicality [...] they represented the convergence in one small-town boy, born at the right time, in the right place, in the right environment and under the right circumstances, of all the musical currents of America’s subcultures: Black and white gospel, country-and-western, and rhythm-and-blues. (Pleasants 1974, p. 255)

Indeed Presley’s recording of “That’s All Right” incorporates elements from all of these genres. Instrumentation-wise, it is relatively sparse but reflects all of these influences: an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass and Presley’s unique vocals. There are several key differences between Presley’s recording and Crudup’s original track, one of which is Presley’s much faster tempo, almost twice as fast as the original. The signature rhythmic “slapping” sound produced on the upright bass is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the 1954 track and is arguably what made it so innovative and genre-defying. The “slapping” sound, created by studio musician Bill Black, is the main rhythmic drive in the song and reflects both country-and-western and Blues influences. This new sound, heard first on “That’s All Right” was named “rockabilly,” a precursor to straight Rock and Roll. Another difference between the two versions can be heard in Presley's altered lyrics. By contrast, the original, slower song has an audibly sexual overtone, reflected in Crudup’s use of the extremes of his vocal register, in particular the highest parts of his voice, in vocal gestures which at times err on the side of moaning. Presley’s version is perhaps more “sanitised” and youthful (and white), while still incorporating some of the versatile vocal techniques that Crudup and other Black musicians used, moving seamlessly between a deep resounding chest voice to his lighter head voice, oftentimes utilising both in the same phrase.34 There is also an improvisatory jazz-like scatting section in both versions, but while Crudup’s seems more natural, in Presley’s recording, we get the sense that he is imitating Crudup’s vocalisations, rather than creating his own organic improvisation.

As Pleasants puts it, Elvis:

would seem always to have been a naturally assimilative musician [...] the Black rhythm-and-blues style he had in hand, - and in throat and body- from the very first [...] Gospel music, and the gospel sound, are second nature to him, too, along with the gospel singer’s affectionate mutilation of words. There are songs where he lays into them in a manner worthy and reminiscent of Mahalia Jackson. (Pleasants 1974, p. 261)

In Presley’s earliest records, like “That’s All Right,” his nature as an “assimilative” vocalist is most audible. Throughout most of the 1960s, Presley’s music mainly focused on movie soundtracks and did not generate songs that defied genres in the same way as his first releases did. In the later, more commercial tracks, it is evident in his voice that Presley wasnot satisfied with the quality of music he was putting out; when in “That’s All Right” his youthful admiration for Crudup is audible, later movie soundtrack songs sound flat and bored in comparison and do not display the vocal quality Presley was capable of. Perhaps in this way, Presley was an “assimilative” musician too, putting out music he did not fully believe in mostly for its commercial value. However, his “assimilative” nature is most impressive when he combined his unique background with both white and Black musical traditions in his earliest records, or when he recorded his Gospel albums. His fusion of country-and-western, blues and Black and white gospel changed popular music permanently, but the corny, formulaic “Song of the Shrimp” (1962) did not.

One of the most well-known and obvious examples of a Black musician’s influence on Presley can be heard through his recording of Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s song: “Hound Dog.” Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton originally recorded the song “Hound Dog” in 1952. The track was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who were, as Ben Wynne describes, “two white teenagers obsessed with Black culture.” (Wynne 2024, p.2): Leiber and Stoller wanted to write a song for and in the style of one of the Black musicians they so greatly admired. As such, they wrote “Hound Dog,” a 12-bar blues that was revolutionary for its use of guitar as the most prominent instrument and otherwise relatively sparse instrumentation. The use of the guitar as the primary instrument was unusual for this era of Black Rhythm and Blues music, which typically was thick in texture, loud and heavily featured brass instruments like saxophone or trumpets below the vocalist. The prominence of the guitar in this song marked the shift towards the Rock and Roll music that would become popular soon after.

Thornton’s record became a hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts, which inspired several artists from a variety of different genres to cover the track. In 1956, two years after he’d experienced some success with “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley was one of the artists who recorded a cover of the song, in his signature amalgamative Rock and Roll style, using a version of the lyrics he’d heard Freddie Bell and the Bellboys sing in Las Vegas. The lyrics that Presley heard, rewritten by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, changed the message of the song, much to the original songwriters’ and Thornton’s dismay. (Sheffield, 2024).

Thornton’s lyrics were a disparaging account of a womaniser, sung from the perspective of a woman who had been wronged. The lyrics, much like Crudup’s on “That’s All Right,” were more sexually charged: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog/ Been snoopin’ round my door/ You can wag your tail/ But I ain’t gonna feed you no more.” The innuendo implied with the image of “wag your tail” was obscured by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, and then Elvis Presley, who both sang words that didn’t quite make sense: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog/ Cryin’ all the time/ Well, you ain’t never caught a rabbit/ And you ain’t no friend of mine.”

Although the lyrics were modified to appear less sexually suggestive, Presley’s performances of the track on three major television shows, The Milton Berle Show, The Steve Allen Show and the Ed Sullivan Show, still caused much controversy for its sexual nature. The first taste of fame that Presley experienced with his cover of Crudup’s “That’s All Right” had been mostly localised to the South, by contrast, in singing Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and thrusting his hips suggestively into the microphone on national television on The Milton Berle Show Presley caused an all-out revolution. Wynne suggests that Presley’s cover of “Hound Dog” was so controversial because:

It was a clear, unmistakable signal to an older generation that a new youth culture was emerging in America, and they were powerless to stop it. The song was a three-minute testament to everything that American elders hated or feared about rock ‘n’ roll [...] Like rock ‘n’ roll itself, the song was the product of a type of racial interaction that [...] blurred the lines between white and Black culture in a way that some viewed as dangerous. (Wynne 2024, p. 4)

Indeed, with Presley’s reinterpretation of Thornton’s track, his emulation of some of her raw vocalisations from the original recording and his adaptation of Freddie Bell and the Bellboys’ rewritten lyrics, he achieved what had been proven by his initial success with “That’s All Right”: white America enjoyed Black music even more so if it was being performed by an attractive young white man.

What is most interesting about the controversy that ensued with Presley’s cover of “Hound Dog,” is that in one sense his ability to integrate a variety of different musical styles and genres is precisely what led to his version of “Hound Dog” becoming one of the best-selling Rock and Roll records of all time, while its inherent Blackness was also deemed threatening. Certain parts of white America felt that by simply emulating Black musicians, Elvis was encouraging racial integration. Much of the outrage that ensued after his performance of “Hound Dog” on The Milton Berle Show in 1956 was over his dynamic, movement-laden performance. Presley was a white man who embodied the movements he’d seen originally done by both Black secular and religious musicians he admired in his hometown of Memphis, and these performance practices were inescapably Black. Just as Mahalia Jackson ruffled feathers with her Gospel blues in the North, Presley angered many white Americans by performing in the style of Black musicians. All of this is to say that Elvis Presley caused a revolution, yes, but all of the elements he utilised, from his flamboyant fashion sense to his notorious leg-shaking, originally came from the Black musicians he looked up to.

Regarding the success of Presley’s “Hound Dog,” Mahon suggests that:

The cross-racial exchange that contributed to Presley’s version of “Hound Dog” is an early example of what became a common practice of white male rock and roll artists borrowing from the sound and style of black women. It is also indicative of the ways the vocal and performance practices of African-Americans informed those of white rock and roll musicians. To her great frustration, Thornton did not receive any financial compensation for the role she played as originator of what became one of the best- selling records in rock and roll history. (Mahon 2020, pp. 41-42)

Unfortunately, like Arthur Crudup in 1954, Thornton did not receive royalties proportionate to the success of Presley’s cover of her song. She was understandably frustrated with this lack of monetary recognition for her contribution to music history, however, without her song, and her powerful voice, Elvis would have never released what is still to this day one of the most recognisable Rock and Roll songs of all time.41 While she may not have received adequate compensation for her contribution to Rock and Roll history, the legacy of Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” has not been forgotten. As recently as 2022, Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” was interpolated in Doja Cat’s song “Vegas,” written for the Baz Lurhmann film Elvis, a biopic about Presley’s life and career. In using Thornton’s version, rather than Presley’s, Doja Cat acknowledged the Black woman to whom Elvis owed his success with “Hound Dog,” reflecting a change in attitude in the past decade or so.

While Elvis is often heralded as “The King of Rock and Roll,” it is interesting to note that he refuted this title. According to Michael McDonough, “After [Elvis’] first opening in Las Vegas, in 1969, a reporter referred to [Elvis] as ‘the King’ in a press conference, which prompted him to point to [Black Rock and Roll legend] Fats Domino at the back of the room and say, ‘No, that’s the real King of Rock and Roll’.” (McDonough 2023.) When earlier in his career, Presley was pressured to denounce the influence of Black musicians on his music, it is reassuring to know that he was aware of the huge impact they had on his work, and the way that he would not have had half of the success he did have without their influence.43 With changing racial relations towards the end of the 1960s, Presley was able to acknowledge that he owed his success to the Black musicians who came before him.

[3rdeyeblaque]

On April 5th we venerate Ancestor Booker T. Washington on his 167th birthday🎉

The epitome of Black Excellence in academia & beyond, Brother Booker T. was a scholar, eduvator, student, principle, businessman, & founder of Tuskegee University in the decades following Emancipation.

Having only ever been known as, Booker, he was born enslaved on the plantation in Virginia along with his mother, Jane, to an unknown White man from a neighboring plantation. After gaining their freedom in West Virginia, he began pursuing formal education. This was a pivotal moment in his life as this was the first time that he was confronted with the realization that his first name was the only name he'd ever known in the absence of surname. This spurred was during the school registeration process. Thus Booker T. Washington forged his name as an ode to his stepfather surname & after discovering the name of his biological father, Taliaferro. Education would become a reoccurring theme in his life of which he attributed to his elevated status & success. He used public higher education as the lens through which he pursued the abolition of Slavery & the advancement of his people. His philosophy was, an investment in practical skills training was the key to the Negro collective's economic & moral progression while accepting the realities of Segregation. For Booker T., education was always the key to our advancement.

"He lifted the veil of ignorance from his people and pointed the way to progress through education and industry" - presented on the Booker T. Washington monument at Tuskegee University.

We give him libations & 💐 today as we celebrate Brother Booker T. for shattering false perceptions of what it means to be of us while charting a path forward to our collective advancement that would serve as a template & stellar example to many.

Offering suggestions: dollars/coins, libations of water (especially on the grounds of Tuskegee University), & books

*Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.

[fantomcomics]

What's Out This Week? 10/18

Y'all coming to our Furry Nite event this weekend??

Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees #1 - Patrick Horvath

Don’t. Murder. The locals.

This is small-town serial killer, upstanding citizen, and adorable brown bear Samantha Strong’s cardinal rule. After all, there’s a sea of perfectly ripe potential victims in the big city just beyond the forest, and when you’ve worked as hard as Sam to build a cozy life and a thriving business in a community surrounded by friendly fellow animal folk, warm décor, and the aroma of cedar trees and freshly baked apple pie…the last thing you want is to disturb the peace.

So you can imagine her indignation when one of Woodbrook’s own meets a grisly, mysterious demise—and you wouldn’t blame her for doing anything it takes to hunt down her rival before the town self-destructs and Sheriff Patterson starts (literally) barking up the wrong tree.

Cyberpunk 2077: XOXO #1 - Bartosz Sztybor & Jakub Rebelka

Beneath the skin, flesh, and cyberware lies a beating heart--and only two things can stop a heart from beating: love and death. It's gang on gang violence as the Maelstroms target the Moxes for an ambush. Is a bloodbath underway or could this be love at first sight?

BRZRKR #1: Pen & Ink - Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt & Ron Garney

For those that couldn't get enough of Keanu Reeves' record-obliterating jump into the comics world, BRZRKR returns in a new format while fans eagerly await the Netflix feature film, the Netflix anime series, the novel, and more comic books!In addition to enjoying the brutality in the refreshingly bleak black and white of BOOM! Studios' Pen & Ink line, series artist Ron Garney brings some method to the mayhem with brand new exclusive commentary!

Crypt Of Shadows #1 - Rebecca Roanhorse & Karen Darboe

The heroes of the Marvel Universe spend most of their time in the bright sun, flying high above it all…but every once in a while, they venture into the darkness that lurks in the hidden corners of the world. There lurk the creatures, the monsters, the vampires…the ones who prey on innocence and goodness. Join us, and some of your favorite heroes, for tales of fangs, claws and silent, stalking swamp creatures to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve!

Fear The Funhouse: Toybox Of Terror One-Shot - Timmy Heague, Danielle Paige, Michael Northrop, Ryan Caskey, Ryan Jampole, Tango & Sweeney Boo

In Riverdale, even the toys are terrifying in this anthology one-shot set in the universe of last year's successful Fear the Funhouse comic. Three tales of dolls, robots, and puppets gone awry all thanks to the work of a shadowy toymaker and a young girl intent on revenge, in the vein of the widely successful M3GAN movie and Child's Play franchise.

Gargoyles Halloween Special One-Shot - Greg Weisman, Bonesso Diego & Matteo Lolli

It's young Gnash's first Halloween in Manhattan, and you're invited to come along as he heads out to find friends on the one night of the year when Gargoyles can roam the city unbothered! Unfortunately, he's about to run afoul of the masked Quarrymen, who are out to hunt down any Gargoyle foolish enough to brave the streets on All Hallow's Eve. That means Brooklyn, Katana, Lexington, Broadway, Angela, and even Goliath are in real danger! Will they survive this cruel trick, or become a treat for the marauding Quarrymen? Find out in October with this all-new 40-page special featuring a 28-page main story written by Gargoyles creator GREG WEISMAN!

Hack/Slash: Back To School #1 (of 4) - Zoe Thorogood

Slasher hunter Cassie Hack is only just getting used to her man-monster partner, Vlad, when she's drawn into a new case involving a murderous bunny mascot, dead kids, and an entire squad of maladjusted teenage serial-killer hunters!

A completely new chapter in the beloved, long-running series that's perfect for new readers and old fans alike, just in time for Halloween.

Headless Horseman Halloween Annual #1 - David Dastmalchian, Valeria Burzo, Phillip Sevy & Lukas Ketner

Boils, ghouls, vampires, monsters, and creatures of all kinds, welcome. Take a seat, go on, fill the aisles, relax your fangs, and sit with us for a while. Join us in a macabre and magical journey through all the haunts and spooks that keep you up at night for here we revel in the darkness and present to you a chilling, nay petrifying experience as the Headless Horseman presents a collection of five terrifying tales to warm up your cold soul. Hurry up now, you won't want to keep them waiting...

My Little Pony: Black, White & Blue One-Shot - Tee Franklin & Agnes Garbowska

Sorry, everypony, it seems our printer ran out of pink, purple, yellow, green, red-uh, well, all the colors except black, white, and blue! What to do with all this blue? Hmm... OH! Drumroll please...In Misty's first comic appearance, everypony's favorite blue pony is in Maretime Bay for a sleepover with the Mane 5! But when everypony wakes up...all the color is gone! It kinda looks like Violette and Skye's favorite old TV show, Betwitched-at least the years it was in black and white-but everypony can still see blue for some reason. Determined to make the best of a gloomy situation, Vi and Skye put together a plan to spread cheer. Meanwhile, Izzy helps the distraught Misty see the beauty in messy situations using the power of unicycling! Join us for a magical one-shot of color calamity before returning to your regularly scheduled programs.

Sensational She-Hulk #1 - Rainbow Rowell, Jessica Gao, Genolet, Andres, & Jen Bartel

THE SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK IS BACK! Jen Walters is dusting off her adjective and kicking off a new era! The best hero slash lawyer in the Marvel Universe is going to remind you why she's so SENSATIONAL, going up against her deadliest challenge yet! PLUS: MARVEL STUDIOS SHE-HULK series writer JESSICA GAO makes hers Marvel in a short story with the Jade Giant!

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #1 - Saladin Ahmed, Juan Ferreyra & Rod Reis

Terror continues for the Web-Slinger! After a fight with SPIDER-CIDE, Spider-Man gets taken on the most terrifying ride of his life. If you think you've already read the scariest Spider-Man story ever, you may stand corrected after this one!

Subgenre #1 - Matt Kindt & Wilfredo Torres

A man is living two lives. He is a private detective in a dystopian cyberpunk future trying to solve a triple murder. But when he falls asleep... he wakes up as a wandering adventurer in a barbaric fantasy world where magic exists. Is he two separate people? Or is he a third person that has undergone a psychotic split? He jumps back and forth from sword-wielding barbarian to jaded private eye trying to solve the brutal crime. But the bigger question is, can he merge these realities without losing himself?

A Splatter Western One-Shot #1 (of 4) - J M Brandt, Tom Napolitano & Garry Brown

A chance encounter between a sideshow owner and a man with his fair share of secrets unleashes an unholy terror on the folk of Randall's Oasis and Professor Morris' Pageant of Curiosities. A grisly murder brings the attention of fastidious Sheriff Jacob Dillon. What will he discover in the desert, and how will he stop it? Read the darkly comedic Splatter Western Swallower of Shades to find out those shocking answers!

TMNT: The Best Of Bebop & Rocksteady - James Biggie

Elegant. Mild-mannered. Graceful. Two upstanding gentlemen eager to help their neighbors. Just Kidding! Bebop and Rocksteady are wild, angry degenerates with muscles the size of sedans. And they're charging toward your local comic shop to relive their greatest hits! Try not to miss the party, will ya?

Whatcha snagging this week, Fantom Fam?

[opiatemasses]

Normality or Reality?

Some believe that racism no longer exists, that the society we now live is post-racial or colour-blind. However, it is clear racism is an ongoing issue both here in the UK and globally. For example, 95% of young black British children have witnessed racism in school. According to Delgado et al. (2017) many people of colour choose not to speak out about it, as they feel it limits their futures. 

Because racism exists in society it also exists in sport. Black people do not have equal opportunities and do not receive similar rewards for equal or better performance when compared to their white counterparts. As a consequence, their desire for a successful career beyond sport or any other profession is dismal. 

Racial abuse does not just affect children, it affects adults, athletes, teachers, police officers, lawyers and so on. Anyone who is a person of colour can feel as though they are at a disadvantage because of the colour of their skin. It is something they face and challenge every single day. 

Examples of Racism in Everyday Life

It has been argued that race is a social construction.                       

Within the police force, at the end of March 2020, 92.7% of police officers were White, with only 7.3% identifying as BAME. Between April 2020 and March 2021 black people were over 3 times as likely to be arrested as white people. 

These statistics provide evidence to their reasonings of why they are at a disadvantage, simply because their skin is not white. Racism can occur anywhere and to anyone, what is important is that we are aware and report it to the police, or if you are at work to your workplace management. If you or someone you know is experiencing racial abuse you can report it here: https://www.report-it.org.uk

Image credit: Getty Images https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-myth-of-systemic-police-racism-11591119883 

Defining Racism 

Racism in sport is defined as any form of discrimination against people based on race, ethnicity or nationality. This includes, and is not limited to, discriminatory acts, comments, policies and practices that exclude or hinder the ability of people of certain racial backgrounds to participate in sports. 

Racism In Sport 

Racism in sport is a reflection of wider prejudice and inequity that exists in both our societies and institutions. Athletes experience racial harassment on a regular basis, whether that be in person or online through social media. 

Racism has been found in sport for a long time in European sports, but this has intensified during major international sporting competitions where players of colour are put on centre stage and under pressure.   

In 2020 the men’s England football team lost to Italy in the UEFA Euro final.  Instead of admiring the skill of Italy’s goalkeeper or congratulating the fact England had succeeded in coming so far in the competition, three players – Bukayo Saka, Jason Sancho and Marcus Rashford – were subjected to floods of racist abuse. A tweet was published in response to this harassment encapsulates this phenomenon: “When you score, you’re English. When you miss, you’re an immigrant.” 

Furthermore, racism in sports can often have serious consequences for those subjected to it. Research has shown that in addition to physical and mental stress, athletes of colour often struggle with feelings of powerlessness, depression, and anxiety due to the constant discrimination they face during their sporting career. This can not only affect an athlete’s performance, but can also have lasting impacts on their mental health and well-being.

Image credit: Reuters https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/12/euro-2020-england-players-bombarded-with-racist-abuse-14912944/

What is Being Done to Stop Racial Abuse?

There are several organisations working to combat racism in sport, which include:

The Institute for Sport and Social Justice

The Anti-Defamation League

The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP)

Additionally, many professional sports leagues, such as the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Soccer (MLS), have established policies and initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion in their leagues. 

‘Taking the Knee’ was a major movement - a globally recognisable protest against racism, but it was prohibited for football players to do this before every match. This was only just the beginning. If we are to make progress in combating racism in sport, it is important for everyone to take a stand and speak out against racism whenever they see it. 

Various important initiatives have been launched to tackle racism in sport, such as the #BritishAthletesUnite campaign across the UK, which aims to create a platform to end racism in sport. Initiatives such as this are important, as they provide education and awareness of racism in sport. 

Additionally, organisations like Kick It Out are taking action to fight racism through their campaigns, educational resources and alert system. This ensures those affected by racism are provided with support and the issue is addressed.

Below is a short video on the backlash players received by ‘taking the knee’ before games. 

What Can YOU Do?

Sports are a microcosm of society. So to end racism in sport we need to recognise that the idea that society is post-racial is wrong. We must also focus on eliminating racism in our wider communities. 

This includes actively supporting organisations and initiatives that promote equality and racial justice. Additionally, we must continue to have discussions about racism and engage with communities to create change. 

Finally, it's important to remember that sport should be accessible to all, regardless of race, gender, class, disability, etc. Encouraging diversity and inclusion and ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table is critical to creating a more equitable sporting environment.

Racism in sport is an issue that we must take seriously and address. We must take steps to ensure that all athletes, regardless of race, are given equal opportunities and treated with respect. This is our reality but let us not make it a normality. YOU can help end racism once and for all. We all need to do our part and take steps to ensure that all athletes, regardless of race, are given equal opportunities and treated with respect. We must also take steps to ensure that those who engage in racist behaviour are held accountable for their actions. Only then together will we be able to make progress in our fight against racism in sport and end racism once and for all. 

N0948104

[globofhoney]

I believe that each Dragonborn has their dress code to represent themselves, modded or not.

Mine is White 80% , silver 15%, Blue 5%

A snow elf mage who has a very VERY hard time accepting a single flaw about herself. Getting shit from the Dominion quite a lot since she is not an Altmer, both mentality and appearance.

The arrogant mage were made, not born into.

she left Summerset to find her own path.

With a facade of happy and articulated chatter, behind the mask is a cold and bitter person who is not afraid to lashes out at those she deemed nuisance.

Gifted and ambitious in the study of arcane, she mastered all school of magic and enchanting by the age of 85, and arrived in Skyrim by accident at the age of 91 years old.

And that is when she discovered that she is gifted for more than just magic. The Dragon god of time has chosen her of all people to be his champion.

All this time, the ambitious and domineering nature of hers has roots from a hidden draconic soul all along. Finally she finds a thing that she likes, a unique power...one that also requires cultivation and mastery over time. But there's no need to rush, patience and mindfulness is also hey key to success. It is alright, she can wait and learn along the way, after all, there is plenty of time as a long living race such as hers.

Many bandits cannot see beyond the veil of peaceful and noble looking of frail and weak woman, therefore, their punishment is justified trying to rob her.

Dragon aspect: White and shining in color.

Dialogue:

- Idle

"the lack of progression serves no purposes..."

- Get hit (90% - 60% HP)

"Well met"

"How rude!"

- Get hit (HP below 50%)

"My patience wears thin with you..."

"You got some nerve laying your hands on me..."

- When it's raining

"A perfect weather for good shock spells, shall we hunt for storm Atronach?"

- When it's snowing

"How lovely, these dancing little snowflakes..."

- When the weather is nice

"Hmm~ such a nice weather for reading"

//when someone offers her Lusty Argonian maid//

"I...have to refuse. I could use another book for entertainment, something more refined. But still, I thank you for your kind offer"

(Translate: "thank you for trying to help me find a book to read, but I don't need this shit" )

- When it is sunny

"It is almost time for an afternoon tea"

Color represents

White: In some people, white color may represent angles and goodness, but in this case, I chose the colour theme for my LDB as white because of her perfectionist concepts, clean, rigid, empty, and bland. Like an Order untainted by chaos.

But, the grand clarity and purity in the color of white represent her arcane aspects. Her mind is ready, and her heart is resolute and cleared, just like a diamond, brilliant and unyielding.

Elegant when unprovoked, but also barely approachable (don't mind the courier part, that guy approaches everyone) not many people have a heart to directly ask her for help, even though she would do it for free to kill her boredom.

Silver: The color of nobility, illumination and enlightenment. But also...insincerity, deceiving, immoral, and enigmatic nature.

Aside from glittering gold and jewels, the person who has deep insecurities about not being enough, and being a target for making a fool of. She prefers to let her brilliant light shine to hide the flawed inside.

Like a swan that tries to hide a black feather..or even pluck them all out without fearing pain or grave consequences it may bring to itself.

But what does the great father of dragons see of the Eminence, chased after by his champion?

Blue: while the color blue can represent tranquility, honesty, trustworthy, wisdom, and reliability. It can also represent yearning, sadness, passiveness, aloof, and predictable nature.

A simpleton, a No one who once never has a role in anything big, got what she wanted in the end and yet it never made her whole as much as she thinks it will be. Instead, it created a big gap between her and the people around which... didn't actually help much.

The question in her heart remains unanswered. What does she really want?

"A mighty Dov that has scales shine in all platinum lays atop its mountain of hoards and ponder, is it not enough? Or is this never the right answer to begin with"

So...what is the dress code and color theme of your LDB????

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Wilfred Reilly

Published: May 18, 2023

There has been a good deal of talk in the US over the past few weeks about ‘Hispanic white supremacy’. The idea itself sounds darkly funny, but its widespread prominence says something serious about the mainstream media’s embrace of race essentialism.

The recent prompt for all this talk was the mass shooting at an upscale outlet mall in Allen, Texas, on 6 May. Nine people were killed, including the perpetrator, and another seven were badly injured. Almost immediately, the national media looked beyond the tragic reality of the murders themselves to focus on right-wing activism and, more specifically, on white supremacy.

The Washington Post’s first social-media post addressing the shooting read: ‘The gunman who opened fire on an outlet mall in a Dallas suburb… was a man in his early 30s who may have had white-supremacist or neo-Nazi beliefs.’ Meanwhile, Salon seems to have simply assumed that the shooter was a white supremacist, asking in a headline: ‘When a mass shooter is a white supremacist. Does it even matter?’ The UK-based Independent similarly honed in on a potential white-supremacist motive, running a long piece on the gunman’s ‘white-supremacist social-media footprint’.

One important detail was rarely mentioned, however – namely, that the Allen mall shooter, Mauricio Martinez Garcia, was actually Hispanic.

Yes, it is true that Garcia displayed a fondness for elements of the radical right. He was active on 4chan-style websites, like the obscure Russian platform ok.ru, where he posted photographs of swastika tattoos, ‘praise for Adolf Hitler’, a range of incel gibberish, and – perhaps unsurprisingly – ‘complaints about the state of his mental health’.

However, Garcia does not seem to have dreamed of an all-white society (which he would presumably be excluded from). His rambling writings suggest that he actually believed Latin Americans to be the planet’s superior race. Nevertheless, several major publications tried to square the circle by running headlines like the Nation’s unforgettable ‘White supremacists don’t have to be white’.

The media line that this pro-Latino Hispanic lunatic was actually a white supremacist would simply be a curiosity if this were an isolated example. But it isn’t. In fact, a growing number of right-wing ethnic minorities are now finding themselves accused of believing in ‘white supremacy’. Take, for example, the attacks against Larry Elder, the popular black conservative radio personality. During Elder’s Californian gubernatorial campaign in 2021, the LA Times referred to him as ‘the black face of white supremacy’.

What do these accusations mean in practice? At the root of ideas like black or Hispanic white supremacy is an essentialist view of race. Many wokes and even liberals now believe that different races are immutably linked to specific cultural traits. Within this rather insidious framing, racism and conservatism are said to be ‘white’ traits, and so black racists or even just black conservatives must therefore be ‘white’, too.

This is no exaggeration. In 2020, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture published a list of what some prominent staffers considered to be distinctive ‘white’ traits. Among them were a stable ‘family structure’, ‘objective, rational… thinking��, the belief that ‘hard work is the key to success’ and showing up on time for work.

Similarly, more than a few American liberals appear to believe that academic performance is a proxy for whiteness. A past column of mine for spiked dealt with a novel technique devised by at least one major US school district. To explain the high academic performance of ‘oppressed’ Asian and West African students, the school district simply labelled these overachieving ethnic-minority students as ‘white’.

This sort of essentialism is remarkably racist. It implies, for example, that being hard-working, or being objective and rational, are natural predispositions for whites, but not for blacks. Such claims are nonsensical and dangerous. Believing that certain characteristics or traits automatically attach to members of any racial group is the very definition of racism. Some members of minority groups can be radicalised to the political right, but the fact that they are right-leaning criminals or terrorists does not make them white. Acts of violence committed by black or Hispanic people that have a racial component – the Waukesha Christmas parade attack comes to mind – must be understood for what they are. They should not be ignored or shoehorned into a box that does not fit them.

More broadly, it is important to recall that people do not behave as they do because of their race. Mass shooters kill people mostly because they, specifically, are disturbed. And immigrant kids do well in school not because they are acting ‘white’, but because they tend to study hard. When analysing people at either of these extremes or in between, it’s generally a good idea to put aside the labels and focus on that smallest of minorities – the individual. Otherwise, we risk reviving a very ugly and divisive form of racial thinking.

==

“Another aspect of the construction of whiteness is the way certain groups have moved into or out of that race. For example, early in our history Irish, Jews, and Italians were considered nonwhite—that is, on a par with African Americans. Over time, they earned the prerogatives and social standing of whites by a process that included joining labor unions, swearing fealty to the Democratic Party, and acquiring wealth, sometimes by illegal or underground means. Whiteness, it turns out, is not only valuable; it is shifting and malleable.”

-- Delgado/Stefancic, "Critical Race Theory: An Introduction (Third Edition)"

“Reflecting on the social and economic advantages of Whiteness, critical race scholar Cheryl Harris (1993) coined the phrase “Whiteness as property.” This phrase captures the reality that being perceived as White carries more than a mere racial classification. It is a social and institutional status and identity imbued with legal, political, economic, and social rights and privileges that are denied to others.”

-- Sensoy/DiAngelo, "Is Everyone Really Equal?"

Critical Race Theory regards "whiteness" as property. Not simply in the "helium has the property of low density, high thermal conductivity" sense. But in the sense of an exclusive club you can be either born into or buy your way into, like a country club. In effect, it means someone can be disavowed as a "sellout" ("acting white," "race traitor," "internalized racism"), who sucked up to the members to gain their favor and admittance to the club. Because race essentialism, as Reilly touched upon.

[mariacallous]

Outdated grooming policies banning natural Black hairstyles have fueled racial inequities in schools and workplaces for too long. However, a new wave of legislative reforms and public advocacy aims to finally dismantle this form of discrimination. The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) has emerged as a legislative solution, prohibiting race-based hair discrimination. To date, the CROWN Act has been enacted in 24 states and numerous municipalities but has stalled in the U.S. Senate after passing through the House. Additionally, some state-level versions of the CROWN Act still enable discriminatory targeting of Black hairstyles.

In Texas, the CROWN Act left loopholes allowing bans on hair longer than two inches, which explicitly singles out and prohibits natural Black hairstyles like afros and dreadlocks on male students. By failing to bar restrictive policies on length and color, Texas’ version of the CROWN Act falls short of fully preventing race-based hair discrimination. Such gaps at the state level undermine the spirit of the CROWN Act and must be addressed through truly comprehensive reforms that protect all facets of Black hair. This gap between legislative success and real-world implementation, as evidenced by the suspension of a Texas student months after the Act’s passage, highlights the need for comprehensive legislation to fully address hair discrimination. Moving forward, legislation must address hair length, color, texture, and style to create truly inclusive policies without loopholes that permit discrimination.

Hair policies that regulate length and color have specifically targeted Black students, leading to disproportionate discipline and loss of educational opportunities. National data reveal that while Black students represent 15% of the K–12 population, they account for 31% of all school suspensions. Black students nationwide are missing nearly three times as many school days due to suspension as white students, accounting for a disproportionate number of the total 11 million days of lost instruction. In one school district in Texas, research from the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University found that Black students are seven times more likely to be suspended compared to white students, often for discretionary, minor behavioral infractions. Repeated suspensions increase the risk of falling behind, dropping out, and having contact with the juvenile justice system. In fact, one study revealed a concerning cycle—students who were suspended from school were seven percent more likely to later have contact with the juvenile justice system. Moreover, once these students returned to their schools after suspension, they were 20% more likely than their peers to face another suspension.

The consequences of hair discrimination extend beyond the classroom. A 2021 study found that Black women with natural hairstyles are less likely to be recommended for a job interview compared to white women with curly or straightened hair. Natural hairstyles like dreadlocks were deemed less professional. This employment discrimination limits economic mobility and forces Black women to incur the financial and health burdens of damaging chemical treatments, including increased uterine cancer risk from chemical straighteners.

To achieve the goal of ending hair discrimination, the CROWN Act must expand to cover all facets of hair style and presentation without exceptions, such as those found in the Texas version. Congress should pass the federal CROWN Act, joining states like Colorado and New Jersey in enacting more comprehensive bills that close loopholes. Enforcement will also require dedicated resources and training. School administrators must learn how to shift away from punitive dress codes toward supportive, culturally-informed policies. Human resource professionals need guidance on removing Eurocentric appearance standards from hiring and grooming practices.

The CROWN Act reflects an important step towards ending race-based hair discrimination. However, true progress requires closing loopholes that allow for continued disproportionate enforcement against Black students and workers. Comprehensive legislation coupled with proper training and enforcement provides a path forward to ending harmful policies rooted in white supremacist standards. Schools and workplaces must move beyond narrow beauty norms towards valuing diversity in how individuals present themselves. This includes embracing and protecting all hair lengths, textures, and colors.

Why it matters

Hair discrimination limits educational attainment, career opportunities, and economic mobility for Black Americans. It also exacts a psychological and physical health toll by forcing assimilation to white beauty standards. The CROWN Act has the potential to eliminate centuries-old institutional policies and stereotypes that perpetuate racial inequities and trauma.

However, achieving this goal depends on enacting legislation that fully encompasses all facets of hair, including length, texture, color, and style. Comprehensive legal protections coupled with training and enforcement can help create more inclusive environments, where individuals are empowered to show up authentically. Getting the CROWN Act right matters for racial justice and equality of opportunity.

[anonymusbosch]

trying to help an acquaintance with some severe life issues and I'm beyond the point where I can help. below the cut, heavy mental health stuff:

she needs to get into grad school and get a job and move out from a bad living situation. I've offered to help review her resume or do practice interviews and I've offered tide-over money and I've tried to be supportive and talk through some of the "the world hates me and I should kill myself and no one will ever love me" stuff, but I think she's possibly having some kind of reality disconnect or interaction... issue that I'm not familiar with. she just told me I should either directly give her a job or shut up and leave (this doesn't follow from previous bits of conversation, but as a stress/frustration reaction I'm not surprised) but also that she should kill herself because of people like me. that one came out of nowhere. there was a lot of black-and-white "either i succeed 100% or i need to die" that I was trying to meet with "are there things that can help address aspects of the situation even if they don't solve the whole problem/intermediate steps to get more stability". which was apparently the wrong thing to say, because not supporting her by directly giving her a job meant not understanding the situation, not caring, and directly hurting her. and therefore being part of the problem and both deserving to die myself (like everyone else who hasn't helped her) and that she deserves to die (bc the world is uncaring and doesn't want to help her).

I'm respecting her request to not message her though she's sent more invective at me. the previous conversation went on for several days with me trying to reassure and support and being at least somewhat successful, but I guess something tipped the scale? I don't know how to help - there's no one she trusts and no one I know near her, and I surely don't intend to message her against her directive, and I can't and wouldn't try to get a wellness check on her. but I'm worried she's having some kind of break with reality and that there's a nonzero chance of harm to self or others.

i don't know. I just don't think there's anything I can reasonably do and I don't know what I could have done better. her reactions had been a little extreme and unpredictable but I still didn't expect this.

I guess all there is to do is hope? hope the storm passes?

just needed to articulate this somewhere. can't get it out of my head