#shove our queerness in their faces

[themarionette-theporcelaindoll]

Hank's arc in s4 not being one of "Oh there's no homophobia anymore :// where did it go?" And that's still very much in his arc. He needed to stop being flamboyant and outwardly queer and you kind of get that from Andrei's "no more rainbow family bullshit" Hank wanted to appear just like Andrei and Batir, "normal" and to conform to this macho man image. Andrei also refused to call Cristobal more than just a friend and it hurts knowing Hank did not correct him as a means of appeasing to this kind of manly het normalcy.

[andwhydoicare]

Told my tennis partner today that I might move in with a fellow (male) student and the first thing he said was "oh, spicy?!". good lord, he's probably gay and i'm, if not off, on the right side of the Kinsey scale.

[rainbows-caught-on-film]

I miss California...

[busycece]

Was working with a client that had his baby with him today. I smiled at the baby and he smiled back and looked away (like babies sometimes do when people smile at them). This happened a few more time and then this guy had the audacity to say to his less than a year old infant "Are you flirting [baby's name]?"

My dude, dude bro, homeboy, broski?

This baby doesn't even know the concept of flirting, let alone the idea of shitting and eating without assistance. Also are you just projecting this idea onto him??? Like where did that come from??

God, I hate straight people.

Also I'm nonbinary so if he was flirting with me, that means you're baby is queer and you can't take it back.

[alexwilltellyouthings]

Hi queer fans of queer stuff! How are we feeling with today's TV industry? How about really bloody angry?

Look, the recent cancelation of Dead Boy Detectives is obviously personal for its fandom, but it's also one more nail in the coffin and I think we have to start doing something about it together.

I went through this with Sense8. With Our Flag Means Death. With smaller but also amazing shows like The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself. Not to mention when it's not cancelled yet but it's boycotted with seasons cut in half or zero marketing. *I am tired*.

If you are too, I ask you to join the campaign. This is specifically about increasing views and attention, not because Netflix is necessarily going to change their minds (we know that's unlikely), but because we want to prove that we exist as a group.

So even if you don't feel like actually watching right now, we ask you to give it a stream if you have a Netflix account, with headphones connected or low volume. If you don't have a Netflix account, and honestly good for you, you can help by boosting us in social media.

I do recommend Dead Boy Detectives for real, it's REALLY good, but this is more about joining forces. They want numbers, so we give them numbers in the most petty way: after they cancelled so that other networks will get interested. At the very least, the crew and creators might get some royalties and they deserve it after busting their asses for years to give us this season.

TL;DR: stream dead boy detectives as a community to shove it in their faces

[lillymmb]

"She deserves respect."

bf!drew starkey x gf!reader

warnings: none

summary: you go to your boyfriend for his press tour and the paparazzi are rude to you and he gets protective.

The excitement in the air was palpable as the red carpet event for Drew Starkey’s latest film began. The cameras flashed, the crowd roared with anticipation, and reporters shouted questions from all sides, trying to catch a glimpse of the rising star. Drew had been a force to be reckoned with for some time, but this press tour, promoting his new queer film, was something different. It wasn’t just the movie that was generating buzz—it was the man himself, and, of course, you by his side.

You had been together for a while now, Drew’s girlfriend, but this was your first public event as a couple. He had always been protective of your relationship, preferring to keep it low-key, but with the way the world was shifting, he was growing more comfortable with the attention. He’d even told you, just before stepping onto the carpet, that he couldn’t wait to walk beside you.

But nothing could have prepared you for how chaotic the red carpet was. The sea of reporters and photographers swarmed around you both, shoving microphones in Drew’s face while cameras clicked incessantly. You were trying to stay calm, but your anxiety spiked as the crowd pressed in on you.

“Drew! Drew! Over here!” the reporters shouted, their voices growing louder.

He was doing his best to keep his cool, smiling and answering questions. But the second your hand slipped from his, you realized how quickly the crowd could pull you apart. The reporters saw an opening and immediately seized it, surrounding you with their questions and cameras.

“Are you nervous about Drew’s rise to fame?” one reporter asked, shoving the microphone closer to you.

“What’s it like being in a relationship with someone so famous?” another journalist inquired, her camera flashing at rapid speed.

You tried to smile and remain composed, but the overwhelming attention was starting to get to you. Drew had always been your safe haven in the madness of the public eye, but now, you were alone, caught in the whirlwind. You looked around, hoping to spot him through the crowd, but the sea of people was like an impenetrable wall.

Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in the distance. Drew was shoving his way through the crowd, his eyes scanning frantically for you. He finally caught sight of you, and his expression softened with relief. But just as he started to make his way toward you, a paparazzi photographer rushed forward, blocking his path.

“Excuse me, Drew!” the photographer shouted. “Can we get a picture of you with your girlfriend? How does she feel about you being the face of this movie?”

Drew’s face darkened, the protective side of him instantly coming to the forefront. He grabbed your arm gently, but firmly, pulling you behind him as he stood his ground.

“She doesn’t want to answer any questions right now,” Drew said, his voice calm but tinged with an edge. “She’s not here for this.”

The paparazzi didn’t back off, however. He stepped forward again, this time aiming his camera directly at you, the flash blinding. You flinched, your anxiety bubbling over as you instinctively stepped back.

“Please, just respect her privacy,” Drew said, his tone growing sharper. He could feel the protective instinct within him flaring, knowing you hated being shoved into the spotlight like this. “She’s not a prop for your photos.”

The photographer smirked, not backing down. “She’s with you, right? It’s all part of the deal, Drew. We’re just doing our job.”

“Your job?” Drew’s voice raised slightly, his patience thinning. He took a step forward, blocking the camera with his body, his hand instinctively reaching out for you, pulling you closer to him.

“Drew, let’s just go,” you murmured, your hand instinctively reaching for his, your heart racing from the tension.

But Drew was not backing down. “No, not like this. You deserve better than to be hounded like this. She deserves respect.”

The paparazzo snapped back, now growing frustrated. “You’re being difficult, Drew. You’re a public figure. People want to know about your relationship. It’s part of the game.”

“That’s not how it works,” Drew shot back, his voice now filled with a deep resolve. “I don’t have to play by your rules. She’s my girlfriend, and she’s not obligated to answer to you or anyone else.”

The photographer’s posture changed, sensing the tension between them and the unwavering stance Drew had taken. For a moment, it felt like the world had quieted around you—like you were the only two people standing there.

Finally, the paparazzi muttered something under his breath, lowering his camera and stepping back. Drew didn’t let go of your hand until he was certain the situation had calmed down. He gave one last glance toward the crowd, his jaw clenched in frustration, before leading you away from the chaos.

You could feel your heart racing in the wake of it all. The press had always been overwhelming, but today, it felt different. It was like they saw you as nothing more than an accessory to Drew, and it made your skin crawl.

“I’m so sorry,” Drew said, his voice soft as he walked with you away from the press. “I should’ve kept you closer.”

You shook your head, squeezing his hand. “It’s not your fault. You can’t control what they do. I just... I hate feeling like we’re part of some show for them.”

“I know,” Drew said quietly. “I hate it too. I’m not letting them do that to you again, though.”

You could hear the sincerity in his voice, and it made your heart swell. Drew might be the one in the spotlight, but when it came to protecting you, he was as fierce as they came.

As you both made your way to a more private area, the chaos of the red carpet finally faded away. Drew stopped walking, turning to face you, his eyes softening as he cupped your face gently in his hands.

“I love you,” he said, his voice filled with conviction. “No matter what the world thinks, you’re my priority. You always will be.”

Your breath caught in your throat, the intensity of the moment making you feel both overwhelmed and cherished. You smiled up at him, your heart swelling with affection. “I love you too. And I’m proud of you. But can we just… take a minute? Just the two of us?”

Drew smiled, nodding. “Anything for you.”

And as he pulled you into a quiet corner, away from the flashing cameras and prying eyes, you knew that no matter how chaotic the world became, you and Drew would always find your way back to each other—safe, away from the noise, in the calm of each other’s arms.

a/n: i saw the video of tom protecting zendaya and remembered about drew bcs i think he would do the same🙏

© LILLYMMB do not repost and do not copy!

[genderqueerdykes]

absolutely off the rails behavior when cis lesbians become enraged when you tell them that it's butchphobic to exclude butches who are transfemme, trans women, transmasc, men, take testosterone, have penises, and/or get top/bottom surgery from the butch and lesbian community. like the fact that we have historically always belonged to the lesbian community has been coming from the mouths of gnc and transfemme & transmasc butches for decades but everyone plugs their ears and doesn't listen.

the lesbian community has such a long and rich history of being a safe place for transfemme, trans women, transmasc, masc, intersex, genderqueer, non binary, and male presenting people who take testosterone and get top and bottom surgeries. before the rise of lesbian separatism and political lesbianism, transmascs & transfemme butches in lesbian spaces were not an issue. also in the past there just wasn't anywhere else for us to go. we were shoved into lesbian spaces by force, but also wanted to stay there because it's a community that's dear to our hearts and still means a lot to us

lesbians were the ones who made it safe for us to be there in the first place.

it's unfathomable to see people who say you should respect butches when it comes to their pronouns, identity, etc., to not invalidate their genders, to not assume anything about what gender they identify with- but the second they find out that some butches who are transfemme, trans women, or take T and still identify as lesbians and dykes they police our identities and bodies and insinuate that we can't be real butch lesbians for x, y and z reasons.

it's just insidious to exclude transfem butches and butch trans women on so many levels. i see this constantly and it's never called out as a form of butchphobia as well as a form of transmisogyny, especially when that person does not want to get bottom surgery. to call any MtF butch a man that's invading the lesbian community is to admit that one knows nothing about the complex gender identities and struggles transfemme butches and butch trans women face. to identify this way is one of the most prolific and powerful expressions of butchness, and what it means to be a butch lesbian. to deny these people the right to call themselves butch is inherently, inarguably butch and lesbophobic as well as trans/misogynistic.

to chase any of these people out of butch, lesbian, dyke and sapphic spaces is inherently butchphobia. yes, butchphobia affects perisex cis butch women, but it also affects so many more people. it affects transmascs and men. it affects genderqueer and non binary people. it affects bigender men. it affects transfemme lesbians and trans lesbian women. it affects trans girls and mtf lesbians in general. it affects intersex people. it affects lesboys. it affects boy/guydykes. it affects queer people of color. it affects studs.

it affects dykes, lesbians, and sapphics in general. this is a form of lesbophobia, trans/androphobia, intersexism, and especially butchphobia, no matter what. we have to accept ALL butches who don't fit into a neat little box of what a masculine queer person should be like.

[travelingthief]

Disabled people are not a "what if?" scenario btw. I've seen a lot of people disregard bedridden disabled people recently, I assume because they think the concept is a scapegoat. Polytheist circles are filled with disabled people who don't deserve to have their abilities or practices up for public scrutiny.

When we make blanket statements, we are often hurting the most marginalized members of a community. When we make blanket statements discouraging one thing or another, but tack on "unless you're disabled!!" the harm has already been done, and frantically, stings a little more. Disabled people - and I can not stress this enough - are forgotten about in just about every aspect of society.

I think of it like this -

My partner - a wheelchair user - and I went to an event to meet new people, make art, and connect over our shared identities of queerness. My partner contacted the organizers ahead of time and asked about accessibility. They were told the place was wheelchair accessible, we'd just have to use a different entrance. Cool, fine, great! Time for a good night!

We get to the venue and the wheelchair-accessible entrance is locked (don't even get me started on the parking situation). So I go through the inaccessible entrance and get them to let my partner in. The event room was small, cramped, and everyone was at standing tables making art. The organizer, who knew a wheelchair user was coming, was flustered, and cleared off a table in the corner for us to sit at.

So there we were, in the corner of the room, ostracized from others. And the table wasn't even wheelchair accessible. It was just lower than the standing tables. Being shoved in a corner as an afterthought is not accessibility. We ended up leaving. The organizer? Surprised we didn't stay long. Gee, I wonder why we left.

So when we're in these online spaces, we have to ask ourselves - are we truly considering disabled people. When you make a post about how you feel something should be done, are you actually considering disabled people? Or are you gonna get flustered when they show up and clear off a table to act like you're an ally?

We've created these online spaces to share our love and worship of the gods. We all know full well that disabled worshippers are present and contribute beautiful things to our community, yet so often they are left out of the conversations; the door for them is locked. Then when they enter the conversation, they're faced with the grueling reality that no one stopped to consider them despite claiming to be an inclusive space. So they get shoved off in the corner. And when they speak up, abled-bodied people are taken aback.

Have your opinions. Live and let live. But for fucks sake remember disabled people - of all abilities - exist.

[coffeeluv3r]

Secret love affair⋆˚࿔

⋆Pairing: 𝖯𝖺𝗂𝗀𝖾 𝖡𝗎𝖾𝖼𝗄𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗑 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

⋆Word Count: 900

⋆Summary: 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝗍𝗋𝗂𝗎𝗆𝗉𝗁, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗂𝗀𝖾, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗀𝗁. 𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝖿𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝖽𝗈𝗐𝗌, 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇 𝗈𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇.

⋆Genre: 𝖠𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗅

⋆Author’s corner: 𝗁𝖾𝗒𝗒, 𝗂 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗎 𝗀𝗎𝗒𝗌 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖺𝗌 𝗂 𝗐𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌!- 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝖾'𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗍, 𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝗋𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍𝗒 lmao

credits to @dollywons for this cute af dividers!

The arena roared, but all I heard was the frantic thump of my own heart. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and victory, the metallic tang of adrenaline sharp on my tongue. Paige, a blur of blonde ponytail and UConn blue, sliced through the defense, her movements poetry in motion. The symphony of squeaking sneakers and strategic dribbles filled the court, each beat a pulse of inevitability. Then—release. The ball arced, spinning through the air like it was destined for greatness.

Swish. Game point. Victory.

The crowd erupted, a tidal wave of screams and stomping feet, but I stood frozen on the sidelines, drowning in the noise. I should have been ecstatic. Everyone around me was. But a knot of dread coiled tight in my stomach, suffocating the elation before it could even form. Another win meant another wave of attention, another round of interviews, another barrage of cameras capturing her every move. And with each flash, the pressure mounted, crushing me under its weight.

Paige and I were a secret. A stolen kiss in the empty locker room after practice, hushed whispers on late-night phone calls, intertwined fingers under the table at a crowded restaurant, hoping—praying—no one noticed. It was beautiful, fragile, and terrifying.

I knew why. Paige was a phenomenon. A star. A brand. Coming out as queer, especially with someone as...unremarkable as me, was a risk. She had endorsements, sponsorships, and an image to maintain. I understood, logically. But understanding didn’t make it hurt any less.

After the game, confetti rained down like a cruel parody of celebration, a stark contrast to the gray cloud settling over me. I waited by the tunnel, forcing a smile for the fans shoving their phones in my face, eager to glimpse their superstar. Finally, she appeared, radiant and electric, her face flushed with triumph.

Our eyes met. And for a fleeting second, I saw everything: relief, love, a plea for understanding. Then, just as quickly, the moment was gone, swallowed by the throng of reporters who had already begun circling like vultures.

"Paige! Huge game! Thoughts?"

"Paige, what's next for the Huskies?"

"Paige, any words for your fans?"

I watched as she navigated their questions easily, her voice steady, her answers polished and professional. She spoke about teamwork, dedication, about the future of UConn basketball. Not a single mention of the person who had stayed up all night with her, calming her pre-game jitters. Not a single acknowledgment of the hand that would be cold and empty on the drive home.

Later, my phone buzzed.

“Drinks with the team. Raincheck?”

Raincheck. That word had become the soundtrack of our relationship. Raincheck on date nights, raincheck on introducing me to her family, raincheck on simply existing together in the light. Everything was a raincheck, perpetually postponed to a mythical future where the stars aligned, and the world was ready for us.

That night, I didn’t reply.

The silence stretched for days. I avoided the arena, the TV, and even social media. Every notification, every news article, was a reminder of the chasm growing between us. The chasm is built of fear, ambition, and the crushing weight of public opinion.

When she finally showed up at my apartment, her eyes were red-rimmed, her fingers trembling as she clutched the hem of her sweatshirt. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“Why are you ignoring me?” she asks in a hurt tone.

"You know what's going on, Paige." My voice was steel wrapped in glass, fragile and sharp all at once.

"I’m tired of being a secret. I’m tired of hiding."

"But I can't..." She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Not yet. I just need more time."

"Time for what?" My voice cracked, raw with unshed tears. "Time for everyone else to be okay with us? Time for you to decide if I'm worth risking your image?"

"That's not fair," she said, her voice rising, defensive. "You know I care about you."

"Caring isn’t enough, Paige. I need more than stolen moments and whispered white lies promises. I need you to be proud of me. I need you to want to show me off to the world."

“Can’t you do that for me? For us?” I pleaded. She stayed silent.

“Paige, please say something,” I begged, my voice shaking as tears ran from my eyes uncontrollably.

Why isn’t she saying anything?

Why?

Why?

Just why.

The silence that followed was suffocating. I saw it then—the truth, etched in the tight set of her jaw, in the flicker of fear behind her eyes. She wasn’t ready. And I couldn’t wait any longer. Her silence was the only answer I needed.

"I can't do this anymore," I whispered, my voice breaking.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, carving silent paths of regret. "Please, don’t go. Please stay."

But I had to. For my sanity. For my self-respect. I couldn’t keep sacrificing my happiness for a future that might never arrive.

"Goodbye, Paige." I said, turning away.

The door clicked shut behind me, the sound slicing through the quiet like a final, irreversible decision. As I walked away, I imagined the headlines that would eventually break, the whispers that would follow Paige and the scrutiny that would descend upon her. I hoped, with a selfish pang, that she would regret her choice. But mostly, I hoped that one day, she would find the courage to be true to herself, even if it cost her everything.

Because in the end, love shouldn’t be a secret. It should be a victory, celebrated with as much passion and fervor as a game-winning shot.

And I deserved nothing less.

[andwhydoicare]

straight people are so fcking weird sometimes; I just heard some of the most unhinged and icky shit ever. and I was like "tf?" most of the time. I don't have the words for this, oml.

[love-byers]

i fear no byler quote will make me more unhinged than:

"You guys think he's okay?"

"He's always weird when he has to go in."

"I don't know. He's quiet today."

"He's always quiet."

"..."

LIKE HOLY FUCK

the amount of depth this scene adds to mike and will's relationship despite only being a few seconds long is INSANE. my film student oomf @reo-bylerwagon has told me that it's a real strategy to find the exact right wording that adds this depth. there's only so many lines and so many scenes, so every last bit has to count towards something.

there is so much here

1. mike being closest to the camera while the others hang back

2. mike's expression being more concerned than the others

3. "you guys think he's okay?"

dustin is worried about his friend, but he's unsure. he seeks out lucas and mike's opinions.

4. "he's always weird when he has to go in."

lucas has noticed that will is noticeably different on days he has to go to the lab. but he reassures dustin. this is expected. will is always a bit off on days he knows he has to go in, because he hates it.

5. "i don't know. he's quiet today."

mike isn't so sure. will isn't acting the way he always does on the lab days. there's something else. he's noticeably quieter. mike suspects that this isn't just because of the lab, that maybe will isn't okay.

6. "he's always quiet."

lucas knew will was acting weird, but he didnt notice any difference in how quiet he was being. will is always quiet. that's just who he is. that's not a factor in his weird behavior, at least to lucas.

will is always quiet. every day. he is a quiet person.

there are several layers here that make it difficult to notice these shifts in will's behavior. he is a naturally quiet person. there is a known explanation for why he acts weird on certain days. and this is one of those days. no one else thought will was outside of his norm.

but still, somehow, mike knew that wasn't it. he noticed that will was acting different even on the day where he ALWAYS acts different. he noticed that will was being slightly quieter than usual even though he is ALWAYS quiet every single day. he knew this was new behavior. he knew there was something else going on.

but he doesn't voice this, he just watches will silently from behind the fence, clearly deep in thought. he's worried.

i'm sorry but why shove it down our throats that mike is more attentive to will than his other friends and clearly cares for him more and wants to protect him just for it to all mean absolutely nothing in the end? he is even more attentive to will than he is to el.

like how are they going to explain mike's behavior? cause like they still have to do that

"will is just his best friend" there's a whole scene in s1 where mike says they're ALL his best friends

"he's known will the longest" he also says he doesn't treat his friends any differently because of how long he's known them

literally what else is there?? is will just his extra special platonic bro soulmate???

ok so will was misled by mike's attentive caring and supportive behavior that was exclusive to him and developed romantic feelings. and mike is like that...just cause. this whole plot was just a tool to help will realize his sexuality and he'll get over mike and mlvn will be endgame.

a few problems with that...

WILL HAS BEEN BULLIED AND ABUSED AND CALLED GAY/GAY SLURS HIS WHOLE LIFE. unfortunately, and fellow queer people will understand, it's easier to come to terms with what you are when it's been spouted in your face your whole life. if wills love for mike was just to help the audience understand that he's gay, what was the point of all the homophobic abuse and hate crimes and all that? just cause? alright. noah has said will realized his feelings for mike "later on" but quickly cut himself off. will realized his FEELINGS, not his sexuality. will wasn't crying in the van because he doesn't want to be gay, or because he's coming to terms with the fact that he's gay. he was crying because he is deeply in love with someone who he thinks will never love him back. this isn't about self acceptance. will has accepted himself. he's accepted what he is. he's accepted his feelings for mike. that's not the problem. that's not why he's hurting. he's hurting because she's he's heartbroken.

like i'm sorry but it's ridiculous to pretend like you don't see how anything besides byler endgame makes 0 sense. bc it really doesn't and you don't even have to be a writer to see it

[kuruk]

it's one thing to be excessively open about your sexual life on tumblr if you're normal interesting cool or beautiful, but if you have the aura of a white 20s year old who had a phase of calling themselves feral on their sideblog dedicated to systemic aphobia where you had overpriced fursona commissions linked at the top of your blog, you need to stop making gross sex your tumblr personality just because it's popular to be open now. which is a beautiful thing of course or it should be, except not everyone is allowed to pull that off like you are gross and off-putting and quite frankly unsightly so please start acting like it. stop announcing to everyone that you are apparently having the weirdest most confusing queering dykefag sex ever seen. first of all it's cruel to keep shoving the notion of lesbians happily having sex with men in our faces so obsessively as if most lesbians aren't going to feel a sinking pit of disgust, depressing discomfort, and a sense of violation just simply reading this sort of imagined fantasy.. and second of all, what you are actually having is a big ego.. and you must put a stop to this grotesque and obsessive performance you insist on putting on for everyone, when your audience is either unimpressed or just the same and so too absorbed in putting on the same show to give a care your way

[mintytealeaves]

look at me. god made you.

he made you queer. He did. People will tell you he didn’t but he did. He made you gay, he made you trans. He loves you so much and he made you so complex and beautiful because he LOVES you. He died for you because he loved you and he didn’t die for you to shove away the person you truly TRULY are. Other people? Are not god. He loves you queerness and all and we serve him. Not the queerphobes who yell in our faces

[liondrakes]

Experiencing Transspecies Identity Through Philosophy

by Sivaan of Candlekeep

No blurb. This is a short, self-explanatory one.

Estimated reading time: around five to six minutes

This morning, I decided to chat a bit about being transspecies and why my experience is mostly approached from an ontological angle. Although I’m interested in options that’ll physically align with my identity, I’m not looking to immediately hit these goals. I’ll consider those pursuits when I have the time and money for them, but I’m not in an environment where I can.

Furthermore, that’s not why I label myself as transspecies. When I first considered it, I started out by reading “Transspecies: Two Flags & An FAQ” at the Sundragon’s Roost.

Initially, I was skeptical over whether or not I’d fit the label. It was the first option I considered outside of the alterhuman community. Although plenty of alterhumans use the label (such as myself), I also knew the term took root decades prior to and outside of alterhumanity as we know it today. I wanted to get a basic understanding of the label and its community first.

While reading, this particular passage caught my interest:

“People who choose this label also often have political reasons for doing so– making a statement of refusal of the social construct of humanity, and deliberately drawing comparisons with the transgender experience in order to make people think about how we construct these categories.”

This follows after information regarding physical and/or social transition within the transspecies community. This perspective wouldn’t be the only one I’d find. It came up again in other transspecies readings such as Aster’s “Why I Call Myself Transspecies”:

“What I'm trying to get across is that the status of "human" is socially constructed. It's been granted and taken away based on things like race, ethnicity, disability, orientation, gender, and far more throughout history into the modern day. "Human" and what that means has been looked at in myriad ways by different peoples since homo sapiens could first question our own being. "Human" is not the same as Homo sapiens. And I feel neither.”

“Part of "transspecies" for me is criticizing the mixed messages I'm sent by society as a queer, Mad, crippled, plural, nonbinary alterhuman that I must be human -- but I'm not human and don't deserve to be treated like one. It's saying "fine, I'm not human, and I refuse to be." With the "dehumanization" I've faced, I'm choosing to embrace it. To say "no" to every effort to make me conform to the idea of "human" that is constantly shoved down our throats. To some degree, it's Voidpunk. But that's a very recent stance I've taken on it, and it's far deeper and older than that for me, too.”

“So, "transspecies" comes from two places for me: both a place of "human" as a social/political construct that I reject entirely, as well as an innate and literal part of myself. One rooted in lifelong dysphoria and a deep desire to change my body to resemble inhuman beings that's tied firm to my sense of gender and body.”

For the rest of the essay, Aster goes into detail about faer experiences with dysphoria (species- and gender-wise), how faer gender identity and species identity intertwine, the steps fae wants to take or already has taken to transition, and faer personal thoughts on the pursuit and struggle of attaining body modifications.

This includes seeing a therapist who supports faer identity, gaining tattoos to ease paw dysphoria, and estimating the financial requirements for faer transition ($4,800 upwards for ear-pointing surgery, digileg prosthetics, and other attributes). Although I’m not sure how old this essay is, I still resonate with it to this day.

Similar to Aster, my relationships with species and gender overlap. Each journey began with the realization that I didn’t need to confine myself to the standards of my surroundings. The society in which I live in is culturally Christian, increasingly cisheteronormative, and anthropocentric to its core. Time and time again, it’s been shown that this society doesn’t want any space for individuals like me and my communities. However, not once has that stopped us from embracing our personal autonomy.

Of course, I have my own reasons for using transspecies as a label:

1. My journey with my species identity parallels my gender identity.

Neither were known from the beginning, as much as I try to find signs in my childhood. Regardless, both resulted in my detachment from my society’s ontological “norms”.

2. Much like gender, I believe not only humanity but species as a whole is a construct.

I hold the right to express and interpret my species how I see fit. If I say I am a shapeshifter, then I am a shapeshifter. That should be acknowledged.

3. I resonate with the following definition: “crossing the cultural boundaries of species”. In my case, I am crossing the cultural boundaries of both species and reality.

I am transfictional. I am a fictional character and a member of several fictional species while existing in this world. Typically, your average person won’t believe my existence. After all, fiction is known for containing imaginary events, people, and worlds within its medium. Therefore, fiction isn’t regarded as a part of our reality.

What we define as “reality” can be split into two categories: shared reality and personal reality. The former is something we all exist within and engage in, but what we share doesn’t determine the finer details of one’s personal reality. At the same time, no one is obligated to adopt another’s personal reality but they’re still obligated to respect and coexist with it as long as it isn’t harmful.

Let’s use spiritual belief as an outside example. I am an agnostic animist. I don’t follow a religion, but I do believe that all things contain a spirit of sorts— that includes plants, theriform animals, elements of nature, and inanimate objects. I don’t expect others to adopt my beliefs in order to respect me.

Conversely, do I believe this world was made by a single, all-powerful God? I used to. It’s not my cup of tea anymore. Do I believe in pantheons? I think they make more sense than a single god controlling everything, but nope, still not my cup of tea. My reasoning? I believe we have no set way of proving nor disproving the creation of this world through divinity.

That said, I do believe this world has a supernatural quality to it. In other words, I believe in spirits. Although our beliefs don’t align, I’m not clashing with a devout follower or an atheist. That’s a part of their personal reality. It’s not a part of mine, but I respect it at a distance. No one’s required to add the existence of fictional worlds to their list of beliefs around me. But, basic respect is required if we’re going to interact.

Being a part of this world and in this body doesn’t define me as an individual. I involve myself in the social and political climate of my surroundings, because it will ultimately affect my experiences here. That said, I don’t need to adopt every concept of being as my own in the process— that includes how I’m perceived in this society and the world at large.

4. I challenge the notion that personhood is exclusive to human beings.

Gender and sexuality, for example, are steadily deconstructed in our societies, not only on the basis of personal experience but how these concepts are perceived in our cultures and their social mores. If we’re capable of deconstructing these concepts on such a level, then the same case should be made with the concepts of species and personhood.

Consider those who entirely reject humanity. Now, consider those who experience humanity and nonhumanity as a spectrum, or are already nonhuman and developing their own connection to humanity. What of those who created their species or have no species of their own? Where do those of us belonging to multiple species, with fluctuating species, or experiencing all species at once fall? Personhood is an open concept. Anyone and anything can exist as a person in our societies.

Personhood shouldn’t have to involve human identity unless an individual feels that it is applicable to themselves. Anthropocentrism has governed the concept of being for as long as Earth’s been spinning. By being transspecies, and transfictional no less, my existence contradicts the notion that only humans of this planet and reality can be people.

As mentioned in Aster’s essay, this same demographic has continuously stripped personhood from their own kind on the basis of race, ethnicity, disability, gender and sexuality, and many more concepts. What grounds does humankind have in claiming that only they can be people? Some of humankind’s worst actors don’t recognize more than half of the planet’s population as people because they don’t fit their image of supremacy. This is also touched on in Akhila’s argumentative essay, “On the appropriation of trans narratives by therianthropes”, but under the context of humanity:

“We should also keep in mind that in the past the humanity of some people was denied and some groups were considered closer to nonhuman animals than humans. What constitutes “humanity” has been subject of centuries of philosophical debates, and the boundaries defining “human” has always been rather blurry and shifting depending not only on scientific progress but also on cultural and historical contexts.”

And that’s only covering humanity as a concept, given that it’s treated as synonymous with all things “just” and “civilized”. Never mind the fact that human (species) and person (concept) are also treated as synonymous. Yet, if a human being is denied personhood for the constructs they fall into, where does that leave us?

What makes someone a ‘person’? When personhood can be revoked and redefined so easily by a ruling class, that begs the question of whether or not personhood is truly based in humanity. If humanity is no longer the defining factor, then what is?

Humans can’t argue on the basis of general intelligence, that’s for certain. I’ve discussed in a separate post that plenty of non-sapient animals, such as dolphins and octopi, are incredibly intelligent on their own. As are humankind’s closest living relatives, chimpanzees and other primates. If we were to use intelligence as a metric, not specifically sapience, then that would open up thousands of doors. Anthropocentric thought often ignores the fact that all animals are intelligent, with or without sapience.

Topics such as these are why I consider my transspecies experience to be largely philosophical. We should continue to push the boundaries of species, especially regarding who our societies choose to recognize as people and who they don’t.

[eds6ngel]

I genuinely love your writing so much! I was just rereading your Ronance fic and it got me thinking:

(This could be with either of them whether it’s Robin, Nancy or Ronance again, so whatever works best for you!)

What about accidentally saying “I love you” during sex? You haven’t said it yet and honestly weren’t planning on doing so. You do love them, obviously, but neither of you has said it out loud so far and you’d been worried they’d reject you.

But when they’re fucking you so good it turns your brain all mushy and foggy with pleasure it just slips out <33

- 🪷

a/n: thank you so much!! i chose ronance! i hope you enjoy, lovely <3

warnings: ROUGH SMUT!! fem!afab!reader. poly!reader. queer!reader. strap-on (nancy using, r receiving.) oral (r receiving from robin.) hair pulling. swearing. pet names (princess, sweetheart, baby, lovely.) some slight fluff [0.4k].

Robin’s body was underneath you, head buried in your clit as she sucked and pulled at the erect bud. Nancy was gripping tightly onto your hips, fingernails digging into your plush skin as she moved your body on and off her silicone cock.

Your brain had turned to mush. You were a babbling mess, completely unaware of your surroundings. All you could hear was the suction sounds of Robin’s juicy lips and the slapping of Nancy’s beautiful cock against your rounded ass.

You could feel the ridges of the toy grazing just perfectly against your inner walls, your pussy sucking her in, wishing to never let her go.

“Nance— Robs— Oh God, fuck!”

Robin hums against you at your words, the vibrational waves making your legs shake immensely, Nancy speeding up the movements of her cock.

“Oh God, shit. I love you! I love you both so much! My favourite girls! I love you!”

The words slipped out without a second thought, your mouth reacting faster than your brain could comprehend. Nancy roughly shoves her cock all the way into the back of your pussy, her hips flush with yours as Robin lets up for air.

‘Oh no…’ you thought, ‘Are they gonna think I’m weird for saying that so soon?’

Nancy leans down to your ear, her breath making your body tingle all over, “Aw, we love you too, princess. Don’t we, Robs? Love her so fucking much.”

“You do?” you question, a slight essence of fear in your tone.

Robin nods breathlessly, “‘Course we do, sweetheart. We were waiting for you to say it. And now we can say it back. We love you so much. I love you so much, baby.”

“I love both of you too,” you smile weakly, mind still foggy over how well they fuck you.

And the gushy moment is swiftly over when Nancy pulls all the way out, just to force her cock all the way back in, the wind being knocked out of you. Robin’s tongue attacks your clit once more, Nancy tugging roughly on your hair and shoving your face into the mattress.

“Right, where were we? Oh yeah, making our lovely girl cum.”

And with that, their paces increase once more. You loved them both so much, and with the way they were fucking you, your brain would definitely be repeating that a hell of a lot more tonight.

taglist: @agxxb @robinsno1lesbian

[dancermk]

I’m a little disappointed to see so much discourse, fandom competitiveness, and plain arguing going around at the moment in regards to queer film/TV. People complaining about too much sex, not enough sex, too cheesy, made for the hets, too happy, too sad, too realistic, too unrealistic, and a million other petty issues. I, for one, am a queer person in my 50s and I grew up with practically zero representation! Yes, we want to continue onwards and upwards with quality and varied shows BUT let’s be HAPPY we now have representation! Like, actual shows where the central characters are queer, not just a side character who gets f*cking murdered! There is room for all different types of representation - so enjoy the types you like, and let others enjoy what they like.

And on a side note: progress is progress and film/tv is a business that has to turn a profit! If some queer content is made to appeal to the straight community, and will also act as a means of reducing homophobia and increasing understanding, then that’s a good thing. That means in the future more and more content will include queer stories and representation. If only 10% (ish) of the population is the maximum target audience then shows won’t keep getting made!

There is a huge backlash all over the world right now - a “push back” by conservatives and religious groups that want to wind back the clock, and specifically the last decade of advances.

So stick together queers and LGBTQIA+ allies.

I’m super happy knowing I don’t have to wait years between content anymore. And I’ve loved all different types of shows over the last 5 years, for lots of different reasons!

Interview with the Vampire - is giving me the toxic, passionate gothic love affair I’ve always wanted. And addressing interracial relationships.

Heartstopper - is filling me up with pure joy and hopefulness for the future.

Shameless - gave me Ian and Mickey - unique, anti stereotypical gays with a tragic yet ultimately beautiful love story spanning 11 years

Lone Star 911 - is giving me TK and Carlos whose sexuality barely factors into the storyline! Yay!

Looking - gave me an authentic queer experience and an intoxicating love triangle.

Red, white and Royal Blue - gave me a sweet, cute romcom that allowed reality to be sidelined. Fun escapism!

Young Royals - had me captivated by first love and intense angst.

Fire Island - an underrated romcom that made me laugh so hard I cried.

Sex education - shoved the realities of sex in our faces and provided me with laughter and drama and a range of queer identities.

Gentlemen Jack -gave me historical lesbians with spectacular wit, and feminine power.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg- because there’s SO SO SO many more shows I could mention! Don’t at me because I didn’t mention YOUR favourite. This is my point! There is SO much great content it would take all day for me to include everything. This is just a sample - and that’s f*cking brilliant!!

So maybe we could all start posting/tweeting etc about what WE DO LIKE / LOVE / MAKES US FEEL LOVED AND SEEN and put down the device if we’ve got nothing nice to say.

Sending everyone a love filled week! 💜