#something about the POC turning on the queer community

[sourascanbe]

I think this says something about how the right(the director here) has convinced everyone that the trans community is the enemy, even other queer people. How they convince minorities to turn on each other for their own gain.

[genericpuff]

All That Glitters is Not Feminism - An Analysis of LO's Brand of "Feminism" and What Remains of its Fanbase (The Twist)

Alright y'all, I've been waiting a hot minute to talk about this because I wanted to see how it fully panned out before saying anything about it. And it's not even specifically about LO, but I do think it's very adjacent to it in a way that I'm sure you'll be shocked to hear. Much of it speaks to how we prop up white writers even at the expense of POC.

This is 'the twist' attached to my first post that I made just a couple hours ago that concerns an entirely other topic but I feel ties into this subject very well.

If you haven't heard, there's this author who recently fucked around in the Del Rey publishing scene.

Her name is Cait Corrain.

In the original tweet calling this person out, names were not dropped, but it was made very clear that what Cait did was unacceptable behavior.

You can read the entire thread that started it all from Xiran here:

There's also a GREAT recap thread from one of the affected authors, Bethany Baptiste:

I want to make it clear that Cait Corrain isn't just a debut author.

Cait Corrain is - or now, was (foreshadowing is a literary device that-) - a debut author who had an agent, a publishing deal with Del Rey (an imprint of Random House which is a MAJOR publisher) and even an upcoming Illumicrate deal - meaning, her book was going to be packaged in a monthly loot crate subscription shipped directly to people's doors, quite possibly one of the best marketing deals a debut author could ever get, usually unheard of in this industry. All the pre-reviews were strong and positive.

Cait's book was literally set up for success. All she had to do was sit back, relax, and watch the fruits of her labors roll in. She had written the book. It was ready for release. The hard part was technically over.

But I guess the racism brainrot got to her because as it turns out, since April - for EIGHT MONTHS - she's been making alternate accounts on GoodReads to review bomb the indie and debut works of her friends and peers, most of whom were POC and did not have the same opportunities set up for them as she did. There are loads of receipts to back this up that you can find in those above threads ^^^

To say that this is appalling is an understatement. This was an intentional and deliberate act of racism by a white queer writer who claimed to be "jealous" - of what, I can't imagine - so much so that she deliberately sabotaged her peers, people who had supported her and her book.

And then when she got caught? She doubled down on it and claimed it was a "friend", also an alternate account she made up.

The exchange between her and this made-up person is actually the funniest shit out of this entire thing, it's so poorly written and as soon as people noticed the time stamps were out of order, that was when it truly cemented her newfound clown status.

"oooooh he's standing right behind me, isn't he?" energy right here LMAO

yes keep expositing cait, that's really selling the "this is a genuine conversation that really happened with a real person" bit 🤡

Anyways, it became abundantly clear that Cait was just going to continue to dig her heels in over something she caused.

This has been a hot topic in the UnpopularLO Discord, not just because of how crazy of a situation it is that we had to talk about it - and we have people within the community who work in the literature and media sector - but because we noticed one very telling thing in the list of series that she had review bombed in her very own personal act of wrath.

You see, Cait made one fundamental mistake that led to her undoing - she didn't just review bomb the works of her peers, she positively reviewed her own book and others.

What's her book about though?

It's an Ariadne x Dionysus retelling set in space.

It's literally another "modern retelling" of Greek myth.

And wouldn't you know it, guess who else created a modern retelling of Greek myth that she included in her positive review raiding while she was sabotaging the work of her actual peers?

Now, I think it goes without saying that what I'm about to say should be taken with MOUNTAINS of salt, I'm sure a lot of you are reading the headline and going, "Ugh, really? You're gonna make this about LO? Could you give it a rest already???"

I need you to understand, with the current state of Rachel's fanbase and 'modern' Greek myth literature as a whole, at this point Lore Olympus - and the works that are literally inspired by it such as A Touch of Darkness - has basically become the shopping cart litmus test of basic decency. It's like when someone says they like Harry Potter - you can't take it automatically at good faith anymore, because there isn't a whole lot separating someone who simply liked Harry Potter as a kid and still rewatches the movies from time to time from someone who fully supports the politics and agenda of J.K. Rowling. No, not everyone who still watches the movies or reads the books fondly is a TERF by default, but it's justifiably a reason for suspicion when the consequences are often too dire to risk.

There's this thing that's been happening in the LO fanbase that I frankly saw coming, but has really recently started to hit its peak. It's what I call the "Kanye Effect", where the comic has become so absurd and backwards in its misogyny and white feminism that the only people who seem to be left supporting LO are the people who are legitimate white feminists and misogynists - because all the normal level-headed people fell off the comic ages ago (or transitioned into the critical side of the community).

I mentioned it in my last post, but it bears repeating - Rachel's fanbase has literally been shipping Hera, a victim of abuse, with her abuser, Kronos. I'm really hoping a lot of them realize how fucked up that is now that Hera herself has called it what it is - abuse - within the comic, but I also can't count on the LO fanbase picking up on that or even noticing it with how quickly people swipe through it each week, it's very apparent at this point that most of LO's readers don't know how to chew their food and don't pay attention when Persephone and Hades aren't onscreen.

But I'm digressing. Or am I? We're talking about Crown of Starlight after all. The debut Dionysus x Ariadne sci-fi/fantasy romance that was quite literally advertised using Lore Olympus as its baseline-

This. This is what the ongoing cultural erasure and white feminist uwu-fication of Greek myth is doing to the literary zeitgeist surrounding Greek myth as a whole. This is why we criticize Lore Olympus and works like it that are created by disingenuous people who only seek to use the assets of Greek myth material as a way to shoot themselves up into fame and stardom. This is why we demand better standards in the literature and webcomic industry, so that people like Rachel and Cait can't use their privileges to quite literally erase the source material that they used to make themselves famous in the first place.

If anything, Cait's actions didn't just affect the people she negatively review bombed, or the people she was affiliated with, but also the people she positively reviewed. While I don't support what Rachel creates, she wasn't the only one who Cait went out of her way to review positively from her alt accounts, there were many others as evident in the Google Doc - but all this really does is tarnish the legitimacy of these books and their ratings by artificially jacking up their numbers that are advertised to others.

Making Greek myth fanfiction or fun creative retellings was never the problem, but it's now being sabotaged alongside so many other genres and mediums by toxic white individuals who can't even keep themselves from committing hate crimes, let alone create something purely for entertainment that's transparent in its illegitimacy, lest it destroy the illusion that these people are qualified to speak over those whose voices are being stifled, often by these very same people. Many of these writers get caught and are still allowed to continue what they're doing - that was certainly what we feared with Cait.

Until today.

It was revealed today that Cait's book will no longer be featured in the Illumicrate May 2024 box.

Del Rey has dropped Crown of Starlight from their publishing schedule.

Daphne Press will be hopefully following suit.

And, most telling of all, Cait's own agent has severed ties with her.

For anyone not familiar with the inner workings of the publishing industry, Cait has essentially been blacklisted. Without an agent or a publishing house, she'll have to entirely rely on her own resources through self-publishing. Unless she manages to sneak her way back in under an alias (which I wouldn't put it past her to try) she no longer has access to the mainstream publishing industry that was already guaranteed for her before she let her 'jealousy' get the better of her.

Her career was already made for her. She had a red carpet laid out for her debut. Her book was getting good pre-reviews and she had quite literally nothing keeping her from her success. The best thing she could have done was nothing. Somewhere in her head, she made up a threat that didn't exist, and sealed her fate in acting on it, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I think in these situations such as with Cait Corrain, Rachel Smythe, and - also recently and relevant - James Somerton, we need to become increasingly aware of how white voices are still overpowering POC voices, not just in their actions, but in the opportunities they're given over others which they then use to further stifle the voices of those they feel "threatened" by or feel entitled to speak over. While neither James nor Rachel have used sock puppet accounts to "take out the competition" (at least as far as we know lmao) James did quite literally steal the words and voices of queer writers who were deserving of their time in the spotlight, and Rachel's work is being quoted as "rewriting Greek myth" as if its blatant gentrification and appropriation should be marketed as some sort of positive.

It's all too common for these deeply-rooted prejudices to rear their ugly heads and for the people who carry them to act out in this way while justifying it as "jealousy" or "a mistake". This isn't jealousy. This isn't a mistake. This isn't someone "starting drama". This is genuine, targeted hate, with the intention of snuffing out the voices of others who should be empowered, not silenced.

All that time and effort, and for what? Racism and petty jealousy? It just goes to show, it doesn't matter how many opportunities you're given, how high up on the ladder you already are - it won't fix the deeply-rooted insecurity and racial pettiness that spurs people on to do such horrible things.

I've spent enough of my time and words today talking about Cait, and James, and Rachel. So to end this off, I want to join in with all the others who have highlighted the books that were review-bombed by Cait, and help in uplifting them so they can have successful debuts. I'll be pre-ordering a few of them, so I'll be happy to make dedicated posts for them in the future after they release. Please consider purchasing them for yourself if you want some new reading material <3

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste:

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole:

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X Chang:

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White:

(I'm sure there are plenty others so if I missed any here, please let me know so I can add them here and check out their books!)

If there's any silver lining to this, I hope that it makes people aware of the media they consume and who it's being created by. I hope it makes people more willing to seek out the books that aren't getting the same opportunities as Cait Corrain and Rachel Smythe. I hope it's a wake-up call to the industry that matters like this need to be taken seriously and that POC writers are still being silenced under their own noses. And most of all, I hope it's a reminder that we shouldn't even need at this point that this behavior is not okay, no matter what level a person climbs to - that just because someone is part of one minority doesn't mean they're not capable of sabotaging another. It sucks that that has to be said, it sucks that despite these groups being so intersectional there are still people within them who submit to their deeply-rooted insecurities and find ways to feel threatened that they use to justify hateful behavior.

Having a platform is a privilege. It should never be weaponized against your own peers or those who you simply feel "threatened" by for no reason beyond your own imposter syndrome or doubts or internal struggles. Because as much as you may feel like you've earned where you are, that never gives you the right to weaponize your opportunities against others who were never given those same opportunities in the first place. "Feminism" is not using your power to crush "other women". "Progressiveness" is not exclusive to the progress that only benefits you.

I wish only the best to those who were affected by the actions of Cait Corrain. You deserve to be heard and seen and appreciated for the work you do and the abuse you've had to tolerate. I look forward to your debuts in 2024 <3

[sysmedsaresexist]

Something about that last post just really fucking irked me.

Normalize asking questions about your experiences and things you're not clear on

Yesterday, I had to ask some friends a question.

Any uterus having people that have had the electro therapy on their back-- very specific but Google isn't helping

Can the electricity on the lower back cause a period???

Wow, fucking cringe, what a faker, doesn't even know how her own uterus works, how do you make it this far in life and not know this stuff, FAKE UTERUS

I was so embarrassed to ask. I was scared, too.

And yet, I got an answer that I hadn't been able to find on my own.

Yes, it can happen.

Nice!

Well, first off, A, thank God I'm not hurt or dying, that's a relief. B, no one laughed. C, this shit isn't common knowledge.

Even if you think it's obvious, it's not.

Things can be related in the weirdest ways, and sound totally strange at first, and they turn out to be totally normal experiences.

What is dissociation?

Doctors say it's super complicated to understand, don't worry, you're not alone.

What's the difference between normal and pathological dissociation?

Oh, boy, let's sit down for this one.

What's the difference between trauma and abuse?

Fantastic question, first, are you doing okay? Second, it's complicated.

Could these two symptoms be related?

FUCKING PROBABLY, let's talk about it.

All these overgeneralized, sweeping statements, made under the guise of "correcting misinformation," and really only trying to prove people wrong instead of educate, hurt other people with that thing.

"Your doctor is ALWAYS right," fuck you, no they're not. "They know you better than you know yourself." Ohhh, fuck no, that's dangerous. "You MUST fit the criteria 😤."

The criteria:

WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP?

Because you're failing spectacularly at doing any kind of good for the community you want to "help".

You lost the point so hard that your posts are now actively dangerous to people with CDDs that don't think clinically enough for you. You lost the point when you use papers that directly contradict each other over basic facts, and don't even realize it in your rush to be "right".

"Trust your doctor 100%," about any other disorder, would get you instantly canceled. Are you overweight? A POC? A woman? Trans? A combination? Well, you're fucked.

You, yourself, have probably never thought that.

So why did you say it?

Who cares what they're calling themselves, who cares whether the term is clinical, are they getting the help and support they need? Can we help clarify anything for them?

Using a people focused approach in therapy is totally fine, THIS HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE. It may be a doctor-focused issue, but it's not a treatment issue. In other words, for every doctor that prefers a parts focused approach, there's one that'll use a people focused approach just fine, if that's what you want to do. Good job getting into therapy, congrats! That's what's important.

"Fictives," are so well documented that complaining about them is laughable.

Alters can take years to come forward after events, and may latch onto a character years after their actual formation. Who cares if the person can pinpoint the cause, or if they don't even care enough to try, are they getting the help and support they need???

Instead of saying, "that's impossible," let's start asking, "how can I help?"

Instead of saying, "your opinion is wrong," let's address actual misinformation. Talk to pro/endos about the trauma basis of DID. That matters a fuck ton more than whatever you're arguing about.

Instead of laughing at people who don't know things, learn to socialize and present corrections in a pleasant conversation. God forbid you're seen "being nice," to the other side.

As a very good friend said, better than I ever could, this whole "prioritizing research always over listening to others' lived experiences" is just the plural version of "academic theory on queer experiences is most important." You need both.

Many things can be true, all at the same time. Opinions are onions, they all make me cry or whatever the saying is. Single research papers should never be used generally. If you put all the papers together, anything is possible. This paper doesn't specifically talk about that thing so it's not possible.

Another paper, just a click away:

Are people happy, healthy, and feeling supported in their life?

Fantastic, that's what matters.

This blog is open to basic questions that people are scared to ask. I would also highly recommend sending @cdd-safe-haven those kinds of questions. It's completely unrelated to syscourse, hopefully the information will help more people.

[ca-suffit]

Hi. I love your blog. Good conversations are happening here and I love reading through them all. I have a question re: the depiction of Louis as a woman in what I don't believe to be AU scenarios. Forgive me if my vocab is a bit stilted, English isn't my first language.

I'm a cis, pan, black, female who came into the fandom a bit late. Due to my religious background I haven't been in a lot of queer spaces, online or irl. I've been interacting with the IWTV fandom here, on Twitter and AO3, which has been enlightening. There's a lot of Louis MTF characterization (?), and like the other anon said, most of it is very positive and fun. But, and this may be my ignorance speaking, there's a racial/colourist element in casting Louis as a woman that I think many overlook.

Within the show's universe, Louis took on the more feminine role, particularly in his relationship with Lestat. So when some Twitter user drew Louis as a darkskin man with a very blond Lestat straddling him a la Santiago and Eglee, many accurately argued that drawing him as a hypermasculine black man was very racist. But I haven't seen people mention that despite Louis taking the more feminine (read nurturing) role in Season 1, esp wrt to Claudia, he isn't feminine? Yes, some of his masculinity was a performance (aside from the way that most gender roles are a performance), but Louis is still a masculine man. His masculinity is softer in appearance than maybe most people's in his world, including Lestat's who had no problem dressing up as a woman, but it's still there. In a MTF fanfic I understand making Louis a woman, but in analyzing his characterization in a heteropatriarchal setting Louis is no less a man than Lestat.

My issue is Louis is a very lightskinned black man. Such men are typically not regarded as masculine in the black community, especially if they're homosexual. It's the other side of the coin of darkskin women being denied femininity. So while casting him as a woman in an AU is fine, I find serious analysis of the show that depicts him as a helpless maiden without agency in the face of stronger men and a misogynistic society very wanting. Because aside from being colourist, it also sort of absolves Louis of the harm he inflicts on the women he pimped out, Claudia, and yes, even his companions. It makes it seem like he was only given bad options and he had no choice but to pick the ones he could live with.

And this happens a lot. Anyone who loves Louis more than Lestat and Armand always sees him as a victim. Maybe this is in reaction to the Lestat-centred side of the fandom that always points out everything Louis does wrong. But since I'm not on that side of the fandom, most of the takes I see are in defense of Louis' victimhood as a weaker/feminine man/woman.

Idk if this makes sense at all. Don't post it if it doesn't. I hope it doesn't cause offense to anyone because it's not meant in that way at all. I think maybe there's something I'm missing about how the black/POC/Louis-loving side of the fandom views him, so if anyone who understands things better than I do can tell me what I'm not getting I'll be very grateful.

Thanks for all you do.

hi and thank u!<3

I think there's definitely a lot to talk about here. There's a lot I've observed of the fandom changing over time as the show has aired, bcuz none of this stuff was rly happening with the character of louis until the show aired. I don't have solid thoughts on this all yet, this has me thinking about a lot of things at once and I gotta organize it all. so otherwise I'd like to turn this over to the fandom as a whole to give feedback on for rn.

[bouncy-dog-funeral]

I’m seriously considering rewriting teen wolf but I lack any writing skills

TW and CW before you read this long long long post: mentions alcoholism, child neglect and abuse, past SA, past grooming,and talk of chronic illness.

And my biggest warning!! I am a queer disabled person and I make some (a lot) of these charecters queer, disabled, plus sized,and or poc. If you don’t like that then leave. Unlike the original show, I want minority’s to not only be in the series but to have actual story’s and stay in the story’s. Not be written out. I am the woke mob that conservatives warned you about and I’m turning all your faves into minority’s

And finally before we get into this..

This is a total rewrite so befor anyone gets on me for not being remotely accurate or “WhY doNt YoU wRiTe YOuR OwN StoRY” uhhhhhhh don’t feel like it and I like these charecters soooooo 🤷 this post is long as hell so get a snack

Imagine this for me if you will

*I start rubbing my glass orb as the camra starts zooming in to my vision*

So our story is located at beacon hills local collage…

I HATE that teen wolf is set in high school! This could be b/c I’m in collage and want these charecters to be more relatable to me BUT I also think you can just do more with them if they are in college. In the teen wolf series, the writers and directors sexulize these HIGH SCOOLERS. IK that through out the show they go back and forth on ages and birthdays but we do get the information that in season 1 Allison turns 17 and is embarrassed about it b/c she’s been held back and is therefore older then everyone els. That would put the rest of the highscoolers at 15/16 at best. The fact that you are doing shirtless thirst shots to charecters who are underage??? Weirdo behavior in my opinion. I get that high schoolers can be sexually active, make sex jokes, and arnt innocent (I was a highscooler not long ago. I am freshly 20) but having a bunch of adults seriously thirst trapping a 16 year old…. Not something I care for. IK Tyler was 20 when they filmed season 1 so they weren’t technically doing anything wrong but idc. I’m not being a prude or anything. I understand that it was to appeal to the teenage audience. Obviously teens are gunna find other teens attractive BUT you could have just made them incoming collage freshman so that they are all at least 18. Also that makes all the death defying trips they go on a little more reasonable. IK jjk has highscoolers dying and fighting left and right but I think that show also is very aware of there teen age charecters and that’s what makes jjk a tragedy. It’s supposed to be sad that these kids are being put to war. Teen wolf was supposed to be a supernatural thriller drama seemingly more focused on drama while sprinkling in some violence for fun. (They also never go as on the ptsd this would cause but in my rewrite ptsd will be discussed) AGIN befor I get hate. Yes, you can write about kids and teens going through traumatic life or death situations as they do happen in real life and there are fantastic fiction and non fiction story’s like that (it is a great example of traumatized children) but I just think it would be better if it was set in college. I know it’s called teen wolf so a name change would probably be needed but semantics.

Beacon hills collage is a local collage that is relatively easier to get into as it’s not very popular and is not in a prime location and is kinda limited on what can be studied. I like the idea of beacon hills being a smaller town as it adds to the ambiance and smaller towns are well known for myths and the idea of the supernatural. I also think it would add to some charecters feelings of being outsiders b/c of their supernatural powers as they have to kinda hide who they really are in fear of losing social standing in there local communities and non supernatural family.

The charecters and why they are there…

So here’s where I’m really gunna throw you for a loop. This version of teen wolf has stiles stilinski as its main charecter. IK, huge suprise from the stiles kinnie but hear me out!! I think the story would be compelling if we were seeing the supernatural world through a humans eyes. Also stiles is not the only character that gets focused on, it’s just this time it’s through stiles eyes

Stiles is a smart guy. I mean like ivy level smart but when we start the story, he’s moving into his shitty shared dorm with Scott at a school that almost anyone can get into. Everyone in stiles life (which is Scott, his dad, and ms.Mccall) are really confused as to why stiles didn’t apply and go to a “smart people school” and get the hell out of beacon hills. For stiles that more obvious. Stiles lost his mom young to frontotemporal dementia. Through his elementary school years his dad and him were her care takers (along with Mellisa who they made friends with when moved to be on hills but she’s a nurse so she didn’t have a lot of time and she also had to raise Scott) as all her relitives live in Poland. (I think she would have been in America on a student visa for school and some how Noah and Claudia get together and moved to beacon hills to have stiles) stiles didn’t really understand what was going on but still tried to help his mom but things obviously got worse and as they got worse Claudia started suffering from the symptoms. She was more agitated and yelled at stiles saying things that truly did damage to stiles and his dad. She would try and sneak out of the house, would make inappropriate comments, have huge outbursts, and mild delusions. This would have been especially hard as this was the complete opposite of the sweet, adventurous, loving mother, wife, and friend. When she did die Noah turned to the bottle and for awhile just wasn’t a very good father to stiles. Noah never hit stiles but he was just neglectful. When he wasn’t at work, he was drinking and that just hurt stiles more. He would look for praise and love from his dad but his dad just wasn’t there. Some nights stiles would stay over at Scott’s house as melisa understood what was going on at the time. The sheriff (after a very firm and angry talking to from Melisa) sobers up tho it’s hard cuz he wants to be there for stiles. He lost his wife and he can’t lose his son. With a lot of hard work and help from his son and the community, he becomes a great loving dad. He’s not perfect but he try’s. A couple years later when stiles is in high school he gets a call saying his dad got shot in the leg (he’s still the sheriff so the job can lead to problems) . Stiles is obviously freaking out unlike his dad and stiles kinda pushes school to take care of his dad. His dad makes sure he’s still doing good in school but stiles really just wants to take care of his dad. The sheriff eventually recovers but he still has to use a cane (much to the sheriffs dismay) and stiles starts making him eat healthier and makes him go to his physical therapy appointments. He takes care of him. All of his dreams about collage are more in the back of his mind as he wasn’t to be there for his dad cuz he can’t lose his dad. When collage application time comes around, Noah forces stiles to apply to a collage (“any colloge will do stiles! You’re not giving up your education and futer to take care of me!”) and stiles being the sneaky stubborn little shit he is apply for the one closest to home. It’s not the best collage but it’s near his dad and hey! Scotts going there!

(Also forgot to mention but stiles is white more specifically half polish on his moms side AND HE HAS ADHD. It’s not a joke or something that can be debated. In my series stiles has adhd and it affects his life)

Speaking of Scott (BOOOO)

Scott is one of my least fav teen wolf character but he is important to the story and when I write him, he’s cool. So Scott is stiles bestie! He is mixed Latino (moms side) and white (dads side) He’s a little bit of a himbo. He means well and is very loving. He was raised by his lovely single mother as his dad is out of the picture. He wasn’t fantastic at school and stiles helped him study. Now while he was not the best at school (mostly math and English. Personal head canon Scott hates English class cuz he doesn’t really care about the touchy feely stuff that comes with it. Although he’s supper sweet and caring, he just prefers to be presented with facts) he was fantastic at lacrosse! Him and stiles were on the team in high school (stiles dropped it to spend more time helping Noah after he got shot which he was sad about but family comes first for stiles) Scott didn’t really care where he went school wise and when he herd stiles was going to be on hill college, he wanted to go to and he just so happened to get a sports scholarship do hey! Why not go. He wants to be a vet and is a huge fan of dogs. Scott gets bit (not sure by who. Idk if I want to keep the Peter story line) and becomes a werewolf in collage where our next charecter comes in.

(I have more to say about Scott but that goes into story and not why he’s at beacon hills collage

*sniff sniff* is that a weird loner I hear??

That’s right boys (and lady’s and gender non conforming people) it’s DEREK HALE TIME!!! Derek is Chinese (moms side) and Latino (dads side) and a born werewolf! His mom was also a born werewolf while his dad was human. Derek much like in the original series shows up in the first couple chapters (I’m thinking of this like a comic/webtoon instead of a tv series) to help Scott control his wolf. He does not go to beacon hill collage, I want to make that clear. He’s seemingly only there to help Scott cuz he herd through the wolfy grape vine that a wild werewolf bit Scott. He lives mildly close to the collage (as do a lot of the town. It’s about 30 mins away from Melissa and Noah) and while he seems mean and like he doesn’t care about Scott and stiles except for the fact that they are now an annoying problem that he has to deal with, he genuinely wants to help and have Scott acclimate to becoming a wolf. Derek is autistic and struggles to express how he feels and gets supper frustrated easily. This explains his behavior (being aggressive, not understanding that stiles is joking most of the time, wearing that gd leather jacket every day) but does not excuse it. That boy needs therapy. The reason he is living in beacon hills still is 1st b/c it’s familiar and 2nd and more importantly b/c his family all died there and he doesn’t want to leave them until they get justice. Yep that’s right folks, hale house fire happened and you wouldn’t belive who caused it. That’s right Kate argent is back (BOOOOOO IM RUNNING HER OVER WITH MY CAR) Kate argent burned the house down and I actually want to go over how she did it. She groomed 15 year old Derek when she was 25. I’m keeping that plot line BUT I want my version to actually talk about how fucked up that is. Derek suffers major ptsd from Kate and everything she did. She took advantage of a child and although she’s portrayed as evil in the show, they kinda just gloss over it and they make it seem like Derek was never affected by it. That all changes here. Grooming genuinely leaves a lasting affect and I think that not only does his autism make it hard to connect with people but his trauma with Kate makes it that much harder to be in relationships. That’s not to say he never forms another relationship, there just kinda flings. He mostly argues with stiles as to what should happen with Scott and how to help him. They both think they know what’s best and if they just came together they would work a lot better. I think this could truly lead into a enemy’s to lovers slow burn with Derek and stiles slowly starting to trust etchother (I’m a operative slowly pushing my sterek agenda)

Holy shit is that Lydia Martin??????

Now I would like to apologize as I don’t have a lot for Lydia as I’m still trying to figure out her story. What I do know is that she’s white (both parents) and she’s a supper smarty. Why would she stay at becon hills collage. I’d like to maybe take it in the direction that she stayed for Jackson (also booo) Jackson and Lydia both went to becon hill high with stiles and Scott. Jackson was going on a sports scholarship and I think that Lydia’s parents kinda force these gender roles on her that she needs to follow him and take care of him. She struggled with her identity in the show and I want that to continue into my series. I belive she’s trans and she still wants to be seen as a “normal” woman so she pushes her dreams only mildly behind (she’s still a bad ass and is still set on her dreams but family pressure and societal pressure goes crazy) in later chapters I think her and Jackson break up and with encouragement from the pack and maybe Jackson himself (I kinda want him in the pack but more redeemable. Maybe idk) she apply for ivy league scools and gets in and comes back intermediary to rejoin the pack on hijinxs. I also want her to overcome her identity and how she needs to present to be accepted. This is not saying she dresses less girly. She’s still the girliest girl. This is more to say that she doesn’t need to pretend to be a damsel to be a valid woman.

Now this is cool and all but what about the rest of the pack???

Great question. I have only really fleshed out the first couple of chapters. I haven’t really even thought about the relationships (romantic ones) or the rest of the plot (I need to bounce ideas back and forth and unfortunately the person I bounce those ideas off of is writing her own book and is very busy) so while I can’t give huge reasons why all the pack is there I can give mini facts and what not!

Erica is originally from Arizona! She came to beacon hills collage (btw I just found out I’ve been spelling beacon wrong… I’m dyslexic and too lazy to change it so sue me) cuz it was quiet and befor she was bitten, she was shy and preferred the quiet

Erica still enjoys the quiet as she was epileptic befor the bite and although she’s cured b/c of the bite, she still fears that she will have a attack if she’s not carful

Boyd and Erica start dating a little bit after both being bitten. They didn’t know etchother until after the bite and found out they share a lot in common!

Boyd was set to go to the military just like his father but got disqualified for having diabetes that required medication. He came to beacon hills collage to get away from his disappointed father

Boyd is the only one as of now that holds a job while at college. He works as a line cook at a local dinner

Erica after the bite starts working at the same dinner as a server

Issac is the youngest member of the group as he is 17 when they (everyone els except Derek and Allison) are 18. Yes you can be 17 in collage.

Issac has extreme ptsd from the start of the series at the hands of his dad

Issac is at beacon hill university b/c his dad forced him to go as that is where he went and he wants Issac to follow in his footsteps

Issac has mild beef with stiles as Scott saved Issac from being beat up by a group of guys and he now wants to be besties with Scott but Scott’s befriend is stiles and neither stiles and Issac are very good at sharing

Issac is Derek’s kid with out the legal binding. Derek first met Issac when the big bad of the week kidnapped him to get to Scott. Stiles and co obviously go and save him and Derek is the one who gets him out of the binding and comforts him while Scott and stiles are beating some freaks.

Derek is the one to give Issac the bite

Issac stays with Derek over the summer so he doesn’t have to go back to his dad

Jackson was a bully to stiles through out high school but starts to get better after some trauma bonding

Stiles does not easily forgive Jackson for his lowkey ability bullying of him in high school and cuz he still has a crush on Lydia but they arnt enemy’s

Jackson was adopted as a newborn by his two moms

Danny is also attending beacon hills on a sports scholarship but he is from Hawaii so he didn’t really know any one coming in but he is friends with Jackson and Scott as they are on the lacrosse team team together

Allison is the oldest of the collage students being 19

Allison was held back a year after moving around too much

Also I wanted to write Jackson as straight cuz I hate the narrative that you have to be bi or pan to date trans people and I wanted Jackson to be a dick but like not homophobic or transphobic but I later found out that Jackson being queer is canon and I did not want to write that out. But yeah, Jackson Whittemore says trans rights

That’s cool and all evens but can you make a more brief summery of all the characters?

Yes I can dear viewer!!

Stiles “Mieczyslaw” stilinski

18

He/him

Half polish

Bisexual

Trans (ftm)

Smart, sarcastic, jester

Has adhd

Human

Scott McCall

18

He/him

Mixed Latino American

Cis

Straight

Himbo

Nice, empathetic, gullible

Plays lacrosse

Turned wolf

Derek hale

20

He/him (he’s also fine with they/them but he doesn’t use them for himself )

Mixed Chinese Latino

Cis

Bi/pan (wolfs don’t care about labels)

Demisexual

Born wolf

Quiet, reserved, cautious

Autistic

Care taker of Issac

Lydia Martin

18

She/her

White

Trans (mtf)

Straight

Smart, head strong, bold

Dating Jackson

Human???? (Idk yet)

Erica Reyes

18

She/her

White

Cis

Bisexual

Sarcastic, sometimes shy, pop culture nerd

Turned wolf

Vernon Boyd

18

He/him

Black

Cis

Straight

Quiet, collected, serious

Has diabetes

Turned wolf

Issac lahey

17

He/they

White

Cis

Unlabeled sexuality wise

Loyal, hyper vigilant, nervous

Has ptsd from dad

Has generalized anxiety disorder

Turned wolf

Jackson Whittemore

18

He/him

White

Cis

Bi

Abrasive, stubborn, put together

Kanima

Was adopted by his two moms

Danny

18

He/him

Hawaiian

Gay

Cis

Smart, sporty, friendly

Human

Ok but what’s the story??

All right, let’s get into the meat and potato’s (speaking of which, I’ve been craving mashed potato’s like really bad)

So the story starts with stiles and Scott unloading the jeep of all there stuff for collage while the sheriff watches. He wants to be there to see his son off and Mellisa couldn’t come to see Scott off cuz of work so he’s also there for Scott. Just general banter of “you sure you don’t need my help boys? “No old man we got it, stop worrying” “hey don’t talk to your dad like that!” Just a lot of that. After unpacking it becomes night and Scott heads off to bed while stiles stays at his desk just dreading school starting. He’s worrying about his dad, hating that he didn’t just go to an ivy, just genral dread. On top of that, he’s always been a social outcast. Having adhd, being trans, and being Jackson’s number 1 opp tends to do that to you. Cut to school starting, his first day does not go well. No one talks to him, jackson seems to be thriving in the party crowd so now he doesn’t feel comfortable attending futer party’s, and he just misses his old life. Sure he was a loser but he was a loser with his dad and Scott and ms.McCall around. It’s just rough so when he gets back to dorm, he wants to curl up and sob but Scott suggest they go play lacrosse so Scott can practice cuz he’s on the lacrosse team.

“Come on stiles! It’ll be like old times!! I need help practicing blocking!”

He agrees but he wants to get dinner first (stiles as a little over the recommended hours for class taking and chose later classes so he could sleep in so he gets out later then Scott) by the time they get to the field, it’s dark so there’s no one around really. They are playing around and stiles is feeling a little better when Scott accidentally hits the ball out into the forest that just so happens to be right next to the practice field.

“Oh I’ll go get it!”

“Idk Scotty, it’s kinda dark out there”

“Nothings gunna happen dude! We live in California. What’s gunna get me?”

Scott run out into the woods to grab the ball. Stiles waits kinda anxiously for scott when he suddenly hears Scott scream. Without a second thought stiles runs into the woods too look for Scott. He sees him laying on the ground, lower half of his torso covered in blood with a rip in his shirt. Stiles obviously helps Scott up and calls an ambulance (“don’t call an ambulance stiles… there so expensive.” “Well I don’t think that matters rn cuz YOUR BLEEDING OUT OF YOUR STOMACH!”) the hospital patches him up and makes sure he doesn’t have rabies and alerts the school that there is a wild animal near the woods on campus and to watch out. They send everyone home. The next day stiles leaves Scott to recover while he’s in class. He forgot to charge his phone so it’s dead all day. When stiles comes back to the dorm he finds a freaked out Scott.

“DUDE WHY DIDN’T YOU ANSER YOUR PHONE!”

“IT WAS DEAD? WHY WHAT HAPPENED?”

Scott lifts up his shirt

“All right dude no need to- wait. Where’s the bite mark?”

“THATS WHAT IM SAYING DUDE!”

Proceed to many days of digging and Scott experiencing werewolf like symptoms. Stiles is so hyper focused researching that other than school, he is doing nothing but research. Stiles then figures it out but it’s a little out there. He finds Scott in the library in a small study group and he pulls him away to give him the news.

“Scotty, I think IK what’s wrong with you but you have to be open. I think you might be a werewolf.”

Scott is laughing his pants off while stiles insists that he’s being dead ass

“He’s right you know.”

Both of them jump and turn around to see no other then BUM BUM BUM Derek Hale. But they don’t know him yet… except for stiles who knows about the tragic hale fire.

“I’m who are you.”

“Derek hale” stiles and Derek say in union

Derek’s a little shocked and asks how he knows his name. Stiles then states his dad was on his case years and years ago. Derek doesn’t really want to talk about the hale fire so he just growls and moves on. He makes the duo folllow him out of the library and starts telling them that he heard through other weres that someone was bit by a rouge wolf. He wanted to get to him and help him befor trouble got to him first and subtly shows them the shift. Stiles won’t stop asking Derek questions while Scott is processing this huge news. Stiles is off putting by how aggressive Derek is and pulls Scott over and whispers to him saying that maybe Derek bit him. Derek having super hearing obviously heard that. Cue stiles and Derek bickering when Scott just yells at them to stop and he breaths in and goes

“What do I do now?”

….

And that’s all I got! Thank you for listening to me rant and if you ever wanna disscus my retelling, I’m always down!! I have so much to say. Have a nice day!!



[catboybiologist]

i just had a moment

i wonder how many people on this were, in a way, saved from an alt-right pipeline by realizing and accepting that they're queer.

like 12-13 year old me was going on like /pol/ and shit before the dysphoria hit

just makes you think

Oh yay this is causing me to ramble

I think that being targeted by some form of radicalization was genuinely part of the reality of being a white kid online in the 200Xs to 201Xs.

I don't think I was fully on that pipeline, but I was 3000% an obnoxious neolib atheist as a teenager. The kind of person that describes themselves as "socially progressive, economically conservative", engaged with MRA stuff online with shallow "but what about men" sentiments, thought many protests had "the right idea, but are too extreme, we should just debate", and generally considered myself better than everyone else because of how "smart" and "rational" I was.

You know the type. This was when I was like... 14-17yo. And before you scoff at it being "dumb teenage shit", the alt right targeted those people, at that age and time, hard. I turned 18 in 2016, and that election was my first, coming right off of an online climate relentlessly trying to radicalize kids... So yeah, it was weird.

I feel like the ones that didn't become alt right gradually slid into leftism. Usually, the "revelation" moment was when you're excluded. You realize a lot of these people's "rationality" is based on irrational biases that they're dressing up as "logic", and it all crumbles. PoC and other minoritized groups are excluded form the start, of course, but since being queer is something that doesn't awaken until a bit later in life, it creates a kind of unique experience of potentially falling down that hole, until you realize you can't be a part of it.

But also to be fair... the same environment that caused a lot of the radicalization also fostered a lot of the communities we love. Modern "breadtube", as annoying as that term is, is an offshoot of this as well. Beyond just a few online-famous people, there's larger circles of leftist communities that have organized and done real, active good. I still carry some streaks of that stuff around, and I'm probably less extreme than most terminally online queer leftist circles. But idk. A bit of that weird, "rational worship" online vibe has done good, even if it's also done a lot of harm.

Honestly, everything I'm talking about here is extremely well summarized by Contrapoint's tangent about New Atheism. It's a Patreon exclusive, but it's a topic I saw myself reflected in a lot.

If my ramble here is shitty/incomplete and feels like I'm being apologetic or trying to excuse the alt right, that's an error in communication, not my actual intent- I hope that's clear.

[beepbananabus]

this might be a bad post but

theres something so funny about having the perfect story about a man who is struggling with internalized homophobia within himself due to growing up as a poc in a white neighborhood, being ostracized in communities and being white-washed in the public eye (like in school photos), and having to deal with hockey culture, the forced-masculinity that comes with it and the racism that used to (and sometimes still is) course through the sport, and finding a community that is still somehow even worse about the definition of masculinity but then that community has turned into a vital part of the guy’s career so he has to keep that part of himself locked away. he’s successful, then he meets a guy when he’s 18, just fresh into college, and he’s attached. he’s “clicked” with the guy, as described by his friends, and for the next 9 years, he hangs out with him non-stop, even going as far as to come up with the courage to *write a song* that might’ve been inspired by him, that would then transform into him making more songs, before he makes a public playlist about him under a company name. He does this time and time again. their friends make fun of how close they are and there are hundreds of invisible stories shared between them, moments where he’s debating if the leap is worth taking, then the guy gets into a relationship and then THAT gets written into his songs too and the heartbreak he experiences gets reflected into his behavior, his actions. he is devastated by this, and he writes and he writes and he mopes about it through his songs. maybe this is the push he needed to be able to make the next huge leap so he creates a project with four of his closest friends. He creates a near-perfect replica of himself, an embodiment of all of his elements, and then he makes the one thing he was the most scared about public, like he’s testing the waters. He makes the character bisexual. and there’s a consideration on his mind and he wants to ask the guy he met at 18, the guy he clicked with, if he wanted to come along and act, maybe even play the character that his character was destined to be with. his friends get so pumped about it that they wrote a script about it, but it all came crashing down when the time came to ask and the guy tells hm no. But they can’t just throw away the script for the character so they slap in another character (a female, because anyone else would’ve been too much of a reminder of what he missed out on) but their dynamic is still eerily there. It’s a mockery, a mimicry of what they had, what they COULDVE had. then more years pass and the playlist that he has keeps on growing and growing until it spans over 100+ songs. then the guy splits up with his relationship. the man would then go on to post pictures of himself hanging out with queer people, wearing the flashiest outfits, those that make him strike out, and he’ll have his friends vouch for him to be the BEST partner in the guy’s eyes, even going as far as to make up or stretch certain traits about him, and he’ll flaunt around with double-sided jokes, hints that he may be an option, that he is still open to him, if the guy is willing to come to him,

And this all would’ve been a BEAUTIFUL story if it wasn’t Evan fucking Fong.

[our-trans-punk-experience]

What does it really mean to be a "punk?" Is it a subculture? An ideology? Both? Something else?

It seems very interesting to me but I'm afraid that it'll turn into something where I have to sacrifice myself for the cause/scene/group or something. I'm not doing that. Period. I want to do stuff, you know? I want to fight. I want to make music. But I don't want to worship an idol of rigid Marxist analysis that asserts itself as the one true way of understanding our world as well as the one true moral framework. Not that I'm a big fan of morality anyways. I'm not joining The Christian Church 2.0. I'm not hanging with the bougie college kids who worship labor and workers.

I like anarchism because I want to do whatever I want. Period. It is a distinctly egoistic affair for me- think max stirner. That's not to say that I'm going to ignore critical theory stuff entirely (as I myself am a neurodivergent queer). I want to learn about the struggles of POC, queer people, neurodivergent people, et cetera so that I can resist against society and government. However, I don't want to be some kind of liberal politically-correct type that brings up their own identity in unrelated topics because they want to feel important. I'm not a twitter user.

I already know that I can do with concepts whatever I like. If I don't want to be "punk" then that's not going to stop me from being anarchist. People who feel the need to attach themselves to subcultures because they wanna feel correct and agreeable are fuckin' dweebs. What I want to know is what's in it for me. Why should I be "punk?"

OkOk tysm for being so engaged i love when ppl rlly are not afraid to grill me for information

1: Punk is a subculture, with a variety of politics in the scene, united by non-conformity and being anti-establishment / anti-authority.

2: You should in no way have to sacrifice anything about yourself, your style, or your politics to be punk. The whole idea is non-conformity so you do not have to meet any sort of criteria for style, music, or politics except the aforementioned [on a separate note i just answered an ask on punk politics, but could make another more in depth punk politics post on request].

2a: If someone on the scene gives you shit for enjoying showtunes and britpop alongside black flag and x-ray spex then that person is a wanker

2b: If someone in the scene gives you shit for wearing a battle vest with an mcr patch or a logo from a tv show you like alongside your eat the rich stitch-on then that person is a wanker

2c: if someone in the scene gives you shit for being punk in the "wrong way" then they are the one who doesn't understand what it means to be punk. they are, say it with me, a wanker

3: yeah dw, punk is not in any way synonymous w champagne socialist theory purists like you fear, its about action and small acts of resistance and mutual aid more than holding out on doing anything helpful bc it isnt a great communist revolution. we are the revolution

4: I like that you've done your reading. just as an aside.

5: yes I'd say esp nowadays (less so in the 70s) punk is a scene that has a strong focus on queer rights movement. The original punk focuses were more about class and race tensions, but as the subculture has evolved, the fight has become about standing up for anyone getting screwed over by the fuckers on top. you are in the right place for learning about the struggles facing multiple groups and how you can help them for sure

6: fear not, becoming a punk does not mean you have to join twitter

7: "I already know that I can do with concepts whatever I like." Good. You've got the hard part down already.

8: Your final point, on why you should be punk, has a bunch of different answers. Be punk bc its a great gender neutral term of address. Be punk because it'll make it easier for you to find cool ppl u get on with. Be punk bc we have good music. Be punk because DIYing your clothes is very rewarding. Be punk because it's an amazing community. Be punk bc tbfh you seem pretty punk already. You've sort of gone in reverse order to a lot of punks. You really have a good grasp on your own politics and philosophies, and you're clearly anti-conformist. If you want you can now work back into the music, the style, and immersing yourself in the subculture. We would love to have you

Do whatever you like, hope this was helpful

in solidarity :]

[blubushie]

tbh, as a woman who hangs out in communities where alot of middle aged men are guaranteed to gather around, you really hit the nail on the head. i've yet to find a tf2 fic that actually captures that male camaraderie that i've seen from the men around me.

Also, knowing this is the queer website and that much of the TF2 fandom is transmasc, I'm gonna address this so these kids can't go "I don't do that!! I'm a man!! I know what men act like because I-"

Men in queer spaces don't act the same way in the queer space as they do outside of it. I know I don't, cuz people get judgy. Queer community does not like men or masculinity. If you look too much like a man, or act too manly/boyish, or engage in male behaviours even with other men, they will look down on you. The only acceptable men are behaviorally effeminate, androgynous white twinks. If you divert from this in any way—too masculine, too POC, too physically male, too tall or fat or broad—they will treat you like a predator.

So a lot of these people, if they are interacting with men, are often interacting with other young transmascs who aren't socialised in male behaviour yet (usually online), or with men in queer spaces only—men who are masking. And they think men are just like this all the time.

And any man who doesn't play up the effeminate harmless uwu-shyboy persona is now scary or being toxically masculine because he's engaging in friendly ribbing with another man while being in a queer space.

I noticed it especially when me and an older bear went to a queer event (separately, we didn't come together) and he was practically ostracised because he's tall and bearded and bald and hairy and fat and very obviously male. And it turns out he was a trans man and he felt he didn't have a place in this event because everyone shunned him, or somehow managed to bring up toxic masculinity and how they don't feel safe with men in certain spaces, all in front of him while very obviously targeting him. The younger transmascs, of which there was quite a few, agreed with this. They ALSO didn't feel comfortable with him there because he was TOO male despite being just as queer as the rest of them (if not more—he was in his 50s and the oldest person there and had been out since his early 20s, so he defo had the most life experience of everyone there as far as the trans folk were concerned).

So naturally he and I hit it off. We separated off from the group, got drinks, and spent the afternoon in the corner, just us, discussing boats and fishing and lightly ribbing each other and laughing to ourselves while everyone else kept giving us glares and side-glances. Men are not welcome in queer spaces. Masculinity is not welcome in queer spaces. People treat ANY instance of masculinity as toxic. And so these young transmascs lost out on a perfect opportunity to see how men actually interact with each other, because the only other men they're actually interacting with are other trans men who don't know how men socialised as male act either.

It's kinda sad, in a way. Cuz they're gonna continue not knowing, and when the day comes they're gonna be blindsided and not know a fucken thing about how to be men in social environments because they don't wanna listen to or observe other men, not even the transmascs what came before them. Masculinity scary or some shit. And this is why it's SO IMPORTANT to have people outside of your familiar circle or your social group or your echo chamber as friends. It's why you should befriend your elders and learn from them, not shrink in fear cuz beards are scary or something. Not everyone can be a skinny white transmasc twink and not everyone WANTS to be. Masculinity is NOT a bad thing.

Anyway rant over. Point is these people don't know what male comraderie looks like cuz they don't actually put themselves out there to experience or observe it. Or even just engage in media where it's plainly showcased. 🤷‍♂️

[maxellminidisc]

I've said this for years but the way the community absolutely has an undiscussed dislike or idk disregard for closeted people has bothered me for years. Yeah theres that sheen of being understanding but I've seen and had to have so many conversations with people to have more empathy for closeted people, especially closeted partners because I understand full well how complicated that is. Btw I'll be using gay as an umbrella term for most of the following cause I'm sometimes uncomfortable with using the q word too much, please respect that.

Like it got especially bad after gay marriage became legal here in the US and most of Western Europe and like every mostly white gay living in liberal areas started acting like everyone should be out already and if you weren't you were idk probably ashamed of yourself, or worse someone faking it. You become some kind of half baked gay person who their behavior implied couldn't possibly connect to queerness in the right way.

But like it doesn't work like that. Some of us very much live in unsafe places to do that and we also don't have the financial privilege to leave to safer states/countries or move out of homophobic/transphobic households. I can't imagine especially how disabled and closeted members of our community feel trapped by these kind of circumstances.

Plus some of us live in cultures where the emphasis on family and community is an essential tenant of our makeup and learning to separate ourselves from the abuse present in those communities towards us is difficult, much like any abusive relationship. There is so much nuance, especially outside the lense of whiteness, that out people sometimes seem to forget or even dismiss instead of helping to foster relationships or community to help the people in their lives who are closeted find refuge safely.

And it really comes to a head when out people I know date closeted people. They seem understanding enough at first but then start questioning if the person they're dating "actually really loves" them if they're not willing to out themselves and the conversation can at time turn progressively meaner as if closeted people are all inheritly selfish. Yes it is a romantic notion for someone to risk everything to be openly with you, and its something frankly all of us deserve including closeted people, but life is far more dangerous and complex than that and I think some people have forgotten that.

And look, I even empathize with open people in that kind of circumstance cause yeah the pressure of having to keep something that incredibly special to you under wraps can be very daunting. But often I've found, most open people have a chosen community to fall back on and talk about it with because they're not as inhibited or cut off from the larger, while closeted people often dont have anyone except their partner because being closeted has severed most pathways of finding the community. Their partners are usually their first connection to the community.

I even sometimes think this sort of mind set extends into how white people perceive gay poc as inherently closeted too. We're either not open enough or being closeted is weaponized against us. Like we could be out and white people still presume we're not and act like were straight lite and we could talk about how we're closeted and white people, again, think it's ok to treat us like straight lite. This is especially evident when we say something that makes them uncomfortable and angry. Like the only time they take cultural nuance into account is to use it to dismiss us, as if all of us must be in hiding and cant be as gay as them.

Point is, being closeted is complicated and frankly miserable as someone whose got one foot in and one out lol and although some peoples only space to be open is online, it doesnt makes them fake, doesnt make them less gay or trans, or less part of this community. It doesnt make them less worthy or deserving of love and community despite their circumstances.

[diveyne]

non americans really pissing me off. the lack of empathy is insane. we are watching our democracy crumble and our rights being stripped away with a FULL REPUBLICAN CONGRESS TOO. remember when trump said we would never have to vote again? i knew exactly what it meant the moment he said it. people also not understanding that this country, UNFORTUNATELY, is a massive BIPARTISANSHIP. and every dumb tiktoker who sat and said “oh gen z will turn the tide” yeah because gen z white men are all neonazis lmao. and white women in this country will actively vote against their own rights if it means a black woman wont be in office. fuck off.

and the disingenuous, performative, bad faith guilt trips and attempts to shame people like “oh you voted for kamala? so you want palestinians to die?” imagine what’s going to happen now with trump. like??? he literally said he’s going to bomb the shit out of iran next. with kamala we could have a CHANCE at having her hear us out and doing something about israel.

AMERICAN IS A BIPARTISANSHIP. people who have zero understanding of politics genuinely are showing their asses. and i don’t blame everyone because the education system has failed us. not everyone has a civics class or good teachers.

but what that means is third party candidates will NEVER have a chance at winning a presidential election. a vote for third party was a vote for trump. voting third party might help your conscience but it does nothing for the country. but the biggest people to blame are the radicalized white men. the fucking boomers. all these maga cult bitches who hate the idea of a woman, a black woman, in office so bad and have brains so rotted with nonsense rhetoric. it’s a lack of education, genuinely. i will never forgive bush for his no child left behind policy because EVERYONE damn well got left behind, especially in rural counties.

it’s not fair. but moreover i need non americans to shut the fuck up. there are those who do, and equally as many who don’t, understand that america’s president affects their country too. so quit with the shaming as if voter suppression doesn’t exist. that gerrymandering doesn’t exist. that elon musk wasn’t out there incentivizing people with money to vote for trump. that black and brown americans were literally blocked from voting. that a convicted felon was even ALLOWED to run again. so many blue counties trying their best in overwhelmingly red states because there are poc and lgbt communities trying so fucking hard to matter. i’m sick. i’m fucking sick.

do not dare look at me and shame me for voting for kamala and say “wow so you’re not anti war? you don’t want to free palestine?” because i didn’t waste my vote on jill stein. how can i do anything to help anyone else if I AS AN ASIAN QUEER WOMAN DONT HAVE ANY RIGHTS. fuck lmao

like trump is 100% going to pass legislation that allows him to be in office until he dies. how is america going to help anyone now???? like. fuck bro LIKE.

[eddiediazismyhusband]

Can I ask you to list a couple things you do like about the show? Or the actors? Or the characters? Or heck anything 911 related? Because it seems like you and your other anons don’t like anything to do with any aspect of it at all from the writers down to the smallest of storyline details 😅

which at that point is probably a good time to step back and stop engaging with it either temporarily or permanently since all it’s gonna do is continue to feed into the negativity your having over it since nothing seems to be bringing you joy about it.

can yall not read? like seriously can yall not read the words when i say “i am not goign to watch season 8 until something good happens”

i feel like a goddamn parrot on here when people like you keep coming into my inbox with this same fucking “maybe you should step back” thing like yeah that’s what i have been fucking saying????

im not going to stop interacting with my friends on here- that’s out of the question. i still love being involved in the fanfic community and i still love the first 5 seasons of the show, but im not going to lie and say that i have been pleased with the most recent installments. if you actually took the time to read my blog and what i talk about you would see that i adore eddie and his queer subtext. i adore buddie as a ship, probably to a crazy degree. i love henren, and bathena, and madney. josh russo is literally one if my favorite canonically queer characters on tv.

i adore this cast with the exception of the talentless nepo baby half the fandom wanna suck the dick of (god knows why other than he’s a fugly white man who kissed their favorite white boy) i love seeing them interact with each other outside of the show.

can i ask you what the writers have given us to actually enjoy the past two seasons? other than the madney wedding? nothing else has been decently written, or taken the story in a positive direction. yeah, we got bi buck but he’s in a relationship with a literal misogynistic racist man who has had repeatedly treated buck horribly with no acknowledgement whatsoever. so no, i don’t like the writers or tim minear at the moment because they have had every opportunity to usher in something positive for eddie, but no bc tim “this show is a drama” minear would rather give the happy plots to his white characters while running his poc characters through more unnecessary trauma and pain (with the exception of chimney, although his happy plotline only happened after he was near-fatally sick an entire episode and bobby whose plotline was centered around a black man’s trauma being dug up and thrown in his face)

the earlier season of this show were such a joy to watch live when it felt like there was actually care going into it from the showrunners and writing team, but lately it’s just them throwing darts at whatever wack-ass drama plot they can think of.

this cast works too fucking hard for the vapid shit they get given to act out each week.

which is why i (once again, in case you were about to gloss over this) I AM NOT WATCHING SEASON EIGHT UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE TO FIX THE MESS THEY MADE

perhaps writing it in bold, italicized caps will make it easier for you to get it through your head.

and as far as “my anons” if you actually had enough confidence in your message, then why are you hiding behind anon, hm?

i have said multiple times i love interracting with my friends and fandom content that doesn’t have to do with spec. i have said multiple times im holding off on season 8. i have never said i hate the cast or i hate every single plotline the show has ever had, but you know what i did hate? how s6 and s7 turned the show into a fucking ooc mess. it is within my rights as a fan to dislike a season of a show for valid reasons.

what’s not okay is you coming into my inbox repeatedly saying “take a break” when i’ve said multiple fucking times that i plan to rather than just blocking me if youre so offended by people agreeing with me that the show is at a make it or break it point.

please kindly take yourself out of my space if you’re not going to actually take the time to read the words i post and just immediately send me anonymous hate because you didn’t like my posts

[witchofthewaist]

S/O happy rant!

Here's a list of all of the things Billy has worked through in our relationship (with his enthusiastic consent of me posting this) because I learned to channel and keep in close contact with him for the last 2 years 🥰 (Side note, I did NOT "fix him". He didn't need to be fixed. There were just some things he needed to learn and unpack and I support him through it.)

Internalized homophobia; I'm gender fluid and pansexual, which means being in a relationship with me is automatically a queer relationship. This was surprisingly one of the easiest things to work through.

Avoidant Attachment; This was one of the hardest things to work through with him. There were a lot of coping mechanisms that hurt along the way, but he did it, and I'm so proud 🥰

(Internalized) Racism; This came with unpacking a lot of his trauma as well as growing up in California in the late 70's/early 80's with the rise in conservative views. Not super hard to work through. He did see POC people as humans/people, he just associated a lot of the toxic stereotypes with them and viewed them as dangerous.

Childhood Trauma; I feel like this one is self explanatory. There are still a few touchy subjects, but he's actively in therapy working through the rest which will take time.

Fears surrounding Parenting; Poor baby was *terrified* he would turn out like his father, but after a butt load of therapy, he's now comfortable with the idea and currently parents 2 of our 4 kiddos at home.

Toxic masculinity and misogyny; I'm queer and AFAB, so he had to get over that *QUICK*. The toxic masculinity and fear of having real friends has softened over time and is pretty much gone (unless it's a joke) now.

Fear of intimacy; This one took a while. But he's doing great and communicates clearly when those fears come up.

Communication; This kind of encompasses all of these, but he's learning beautifully and we can communicate about anything and everything like adults without any blowout fights anymore 🥰

Internalized ableism: I have several physical disabilities as well as AuDHD, so this was also something he had to learn fast, luckily he really is just a big teddy bear with a bigger heart and he was more than willing to learn and continues to learn about this with me.

Consent: Consent was NOT taught properly in the 80's and it shows with everyone of the era. He actually brought this one up to learn and fix because of the assault I went through with my ex.

All in all, he's doing wonderfully and is still actively in therapy. I'm beyond proud of him for being ready and willing to address any, much less all of these. Long story short, I absolutely love and adore this man beyond anything I thought I could have ever experienced 🥰

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

If you're not comfortable writing this that's completely okay

Can I request Eddie with an FTM Reader boyfriend who has really bad cramps and he's dysphoric because he's on his period, and Eddie tries his best to help?

This could go from cuddles to "sex helps with cramps right?" With a sprinkle of breeding kink?

Again if you're uncomfortable, I understand

Hi, thanks for the request and your patience. I feel really touched that you feel safe enough to come with me for this request! As a note, I am not a trans man and thus, my depiction of this event will not be fully accurate. If there is anything that I have portrayed inaccurately, please let me know and I’ll be happy to correct it and learn more. I am completing this request in the hopes to allow others to be seen and to create more space for trans people in the community. 

Disclaimer: Some of what has been portrayed in this blurb is based off the interviews and research conducted in the article, “Queering Menstruation: Trans and Non-Binary Identity and Body Politics” by Sarah Frank. I recognize one article is not enough to get a full picture of an entire community. But I hope there is something that this fic gets right for folks and that it expands this conversation even just a tiny bit. 

CW: This request does deal with periods and feelings of dysphoria. If that triggers you, please do not read. Seriously--don’t do it. There is a read more higher up than I usually do to accommodate. 

Eddie Munson x Trans!Male Reader. Reader is 20.

Send me a request here! Currently writing for Eddie Munson. I write for a variety of reader inserts (male, female, gender neutral, POC too).

Feel free to look through my masterlist here!

_____________________________________

There is a cruelty to it all--you’re sure of it. As you’re curled up under the sheets, back of your hands wiping at your cheeks, you are sure that this has to fall under the stark definition of cruel and unusual punishment. The worst part of it all is that it’s not unusual. One week out of every month--it’s supposed to be natural and yet, something about it hangs like an anvil ready to take your head. Maybe it’s the language--what you grew up around. Maybe it’s more than that, maybe it will always be more than that. But the inescapable fact of your reality is that you are here--curled up under sheets. 

To make matters worse, the cramps are horrible this time. So much so you puked at work and got sent up. It’s a reminder of a simple fact: this body isn’t really yours. Not yet anyway. This body is not doing everything you wish it wouldn’t. This body still doesn’t show who you really are. But you’re carrying it around, all 206 bones, all twenty feet of small intestines, fingers, toes, elbows, eyeballs. You’re carrying around a body that still mocks you for an entire week out of the month. Twelve weeks in a year. Much too long to suffer and too many times to feel like the butt of a cruel twisted joke. 

“Baby?”

You turn your head, pulling it up off the pillow just enough to see Eddie’s head peeking in through the door. His eyes are still big, wet, and bright even in streaks of daylight behind the partially open curtains. “Hi,” you whisper. Your voice is thick and rough--probably from the lack of water. 

“How-how can I help?”

It’s like Eddie knows. You rest your head back onto your pillows and let out a sigh. “I-” you start, and then stop hearing how your voice catches in your throat. When you blink, tears fall down your eyes, along the apple of your cheek down to your ears. “Don’t know,” you conclude.

Eddie’s careful and quiet as he approaches. The bed dips and you can hear him shucking off the layers. He doesn’t unravel you from your sheets. Instead, he curls one arm around your waist and rest his cheek against yours. There’s some scruff, no doubt from the couple of days that have lapsed since his last shave. 

The thought lights your chest on fire. It’s a soothing tactile sensation. You wish you could bury it pores of your skin. You want turn, face Eddie better and when you go to plant your feet, a sharp zing of pain runs from your spine to your stomach. The movements are paused and you bury your head in your pillow before the shaky shout climbs out of your chest. The frustration--sadness and fear intertwined as well--bubble up and out of your lips into the pillow. Eddie’s arm squeezes around your waist. “Hey,” his voice is soft against your cheek. “Hey, I got you, sweet boy. It’s okay.”

He means well. You know he does. You try to focus on the soft and steady pass of Eddie’s palm over your stomach. It’s reassuring just a little. It lets you know you’re not physically alone. 

“There’s gotta be something I can do. Tea? I think I can be trusted not to burn down a kitchen to fix some tea. Hot compress?” Eddie’s fingers find your chin, sliding up to your cheek. He wipes away some of the fresh tears that have fallen. “Please,” he whispers. 

You can’t tell if he’s pleading with you or some unfathomable force of the universe. You hope whoever is out there listens. 

“I don’t know if I can move right now,” you whisper out shakily. “I’m not even sure I’m thinking at all.”

“Greg said he had to send you home. Said you puked.”

You nod. “I did.”

“You take anything yet for the cramps?”

The words makes your skin crawl, and you try not to react physically to it. “I fell asleep once I got home. I think I got crackers and ginger ale down.”

The bed shifts again. Eddie’s warmth leaves your back and side with the shift. There’s a crinkle somewhere to the left of you. “If this is a fresh sleeve, you only got a couple down.”

“Sounds about right,” you hum. 

“Did you keep it down?”

“Yeah, I did.”

Eddie’s hair greets you before he does, some wisps of the ends falling around your nose. “You stay here. Don’t move a muscle and I’ll be back in a minute okay?”

“Okay.” That much you can do. 

You can only listen to the shuffle. The bathroom door cracks open, the medicine cabinet clicking open. There's a rattle and you're pretty positive that it’s Eddie grabbing some meds. There’s more clicking. The light from the hallway dims and then Eddie’s shadows pass along the walls. He’s further now from you, probably in the kitchen. You listen and listen and listen. 

“Can you do me a solid?” Eddie asks. 

You catch his body halfway hanging inside the room as he rests his weight against the wall and the door. “Depends.”

“Ah, there he is. But what’s your favorite mug?”

Your brows furrow at the question. “I-I don’t have a favorite mug.”

“Nonsense. You have to have that one mug or cup that if you drink something out of it it just tastes better. Now c’mon cough if up.”

You laugh--not that you really want to, but because the question is so ridiculously Eddie that you can’t help it. “Uh, there’s a mug from my trip to Arizona that I really like.”

“Got it, Arizona mug. Thank you, lovebug.” Eddie’s gone again, you watch him disappear this time. 

“Arizona mug does have a nice ring to it,” you mutter to yourself. You blink your gaze over to the alarm clock to check the time. It’s just before 4. You got sent home from work around 11 this morning. 

Eddie has a ritual--comes by your job after work and hang out until the end of your shift, usually around 4:30. You two usually head to someone’s place--his or yours. There’s some TV or a rental if you two didn’t get to it over the weekend. Usually you play a game with Eddie---he barters with you about helping with dinner and you tell him he has to complete at least two homework assignments. It always ends with you letting him do some of the prep if it’s more involved and then you taking over at the end. 

And it means today, Eddie went to your job, probably worried about the lack of your car being there and then came racing to your place once your boss let Eddie know you’d been sick at work. You hope it wasn’t too bad of a scare. There was no way for you to get the information to him while he was in school that wouldn’t cause him to skip. Maybe it’s selfish. But if you’re honest, you just couldn’t deal. You didn’t want to verbalize it. Thankfully, you hadn’t to fully. 

You’re sure after the first two waves of this, Eddie can put the pieces together. You’re grateful that he’s giving you the grace. But you know you have to push yourself up soon. It’s going to suck. You hope you don’t vomit again when you do. If only could have a body that didn’t hate you. 

You take a deep breathe--inhaling in through your nose and then pushing it all out through slightly parted lips. “Just to the bathroom. It’s okay.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to move a muscle?”

“I-it’s just I gotta go to the bathroom.”

Eddie nods, a hum leaving his throat. “Not before some meds.” You nod, taking the few pills from him and swallow it down without taking the cup of water. “Metal,” he snorts in return. 

“I try to when I can. Can you help me up please?”

“Of course, yeah.” Eddie sets the mug, denoting the stop in Phoenix, Arizona, and scoops you up from your seated position. 

“I am a full human being, you know, right? A grown man, thank you,” You huff, allowing Eddie to carry you to the bathroom. It’s a little shaky at first, but he gets you there. 

“Just because you have a tax paying job does not mean you get to boast about it.” 

“It’s not like I’m making the big bucks, or anything.”

“It’s something. A job someone has to do.”

“Riveting work it is to be a line cook,” you snort. The two of you cross the threshold into the bathroom then. Before Eddie sets you down, you bury your face in his shoulder. You want to tell yourself it’s okay. But it doesn’t feel okay. Nothing feels okay. “Just one more second.”

“Take all the seconds you need.”

You don’t need to tell Eddie that if you wait too long you’re probably bleed all over him. But you highly doubt he’d care. But it’s already awful enough dealing with the period by itself, you don’t think you’d have the mental capacity to handle ruining Eddie’s clothes and yours at the same time. 

You inhale--the musk of Eddie’s cigarettes, cheap cologne, the slight twinge of sweat from P.E. no doubt and try to still the racing thoughts. Just a few more days. But that’s just for now. Then there will be a next time. “Fuck this!” you huff.

“I’ve got something else you can fuck that’s for sure,” Eddie snorts. 

You huff a life, nothing serious, but it’s just enough. Eddie kisses your temple. You take another inhale and then nod. “I’m okay.”

It’s not without a grunt and the crack of a knee that Eddie sets you down. “Good God,” you tease. “You’re getting old.”

“Fuck off,” Eddie laughs. 

“Yeah, I’m sure you have something I can fuck.”

Eddie’s touch on your cheek is tender. “I do. I always do, but only if you want it.”

“Such a gentleman,” you coo. You mean it to come out with some bite, but it comes out gooey like melting chocolate from your throat. 

“Only when you deserve it,” Eddie snarks. “I save it for special occasions.”

“Like you don’t look at me like I’ve hung the stars when you have sex.”

“While that may be true!” Eddie huffs, cheeks turning red. “Fucking sue me for loving my boyfriend, okay? God. Now, I’m going to leave. And you only need to shout if you need me okay.”

You nod in response. “I love you too, Eds.”

Eddie’s grin lights up his whole face, like it always does. Watching him smile feels like you’re basking in a ray of the sun. It warms you top to bottom, and you’re never really able to stare him directly in the face, lest it blind you. He presses another kiss to your lips. “Now, all offers are still on the table once you’re done. I’ve read orgasms help with cramps.”

“Maybe once the meds dull some of this.”

“Sounds delicious. I await with bated breaths.” Eddie’s steps take him over the threshold, hands locked aroun the door handle. “But seriously, holler if you need me, okay?”

You nod, a soft affirmative falling from your lips. The door slips shut. You wait a beat, then two. You pop the doors to the under sink cabinet, grab what you need and then watch the door again. “Holler,” you state. Nothing louder than your usual volume and the door cracks open. 

Eddie’s face peers around the crack. “Yes, baby?”

“Just missed you,” you return. That and you’re trying to ground yourself again, remind yourself you’re on Earth. 

“Missing you too. You good?”

“Yeah, I’ll be done in a second.”

He nods, backs out of the crack and then shuts the door again. “I was thinking though, like, there’s a really cool mug in the cabinets you got. It’s a Scooby Doo mug. And I’m thinking there’s no way the Arizona mug is your favorite. I mean, Scooby Doo is right there.”

You’re still on Earth--and whatever that meant you weren’t sure. But you’re glad to be Earthside with Eddie. Poised with the pad in hand, you sigh. “Eddie, you cannot berate my mug choices while I’m sitting on the toilet. Didn’t Wayne tell you to never kick a man while he’s down?”

Eddie’s laughter floats in through the crack under the door.

[fndmstrugglecomments]

Ramblings under the cut

I can understand being happy about whatever representation one gets, but there's something that gets under my skin about the idea that the Bumbleby formula is ideal. To me the bumbleby formula is corporate representation perfected: It involves two women so it won't turn away a male-focused audience that gets the ick from gay men and can be made to look feminist instead of mlm-phobic, Blake and Yang show just enough affection with each other that anyone is free to interpret it how ever they want be it platonic or romantic, It spent enough time being "developed" that it can be spun as a slow burn and not look like queerbaiting while also drawing in a audience. Lastly, and most importantly, it's completely bereft of any markings of queer culture, no concern over community or identity. I'm trying to think of a time when Blake or Yang even talk to another queer character...I think Blake talked with Terra during their mission in V6 and I think she also said something to May in V8.

I'm gonna deviate from my main point to talk about queer representation and community(idk what to tell you sometimes the ADHD wins)

When media attempts representation it tends to focus solely on the dictionary definition of what their representing. Often times If a piece of media has two gay characters it's because their gay character needs a romantic interest. Beyond that, said gay character will usually spend their time with cishet characters while having few queer friends and being completely separated from the queer community as a whole. It's my personal theory that in optimizing their representation for Maximum Profit™ while minimizing any losses that could come from alienating queer...averse potential customers corporations tend to sanitize their attempts at representation of any facets of queer culture that aren't fit for monetization...which is most of it lol. Another theory is that most popular queer characters are written by cishet creators who view queer identities as similar to their own: a small facet of their identity with no culture or community behind it(this isn't true btw).

(This little spiel actually dovetails into my point quite nicely)

My point is we've come to a point where everything about queerness that can be monetized(i.e white girls kissing) is prioritized and held up as the standard, while anything that can't(i.e literally everything else, but most notably trans and non-binary identities, POC, and men ) is either non-existent or worse. The article(which I'm starting to think is payola) I got the screenshot from note's the V2 episode "Burning The Candle" as important to Blake and Yang's development but fails to mention that the following episode contains a scene in which a male character wears a dress to a dance and is laughed at by an auditorium full of people.

(For reference V2 aired in 2014, the same year as season 6 of Drag Race)

How can RWBY be an example of representation done right while also mocking something that a lot of queer people do?

So why does all of this matter? Well because everything about queerness that I said wasn't monetizable is currently being legislated against in a worrying number of states and all those people with less than monetizable identities are in constant danger. I know that representation of any kind is a good thing, but I hate that the most marketable representation is held up as some kind of standard while the community that's being represented is always in danger.

I'm not good at conclusions so...uh...rant over

[frankiensteinsmonster]

I'm thinking about turning my work/posts into zines bc I have so many thoughts and ideas to share with my community and the world! (⁠◠⁠‿⁠・⁠)⁠—⁠☆ would y'all be interested in them for like. Couple dollars a pop? To support your local [BI]POC, Queer, 2S/Trans, fellow cripple, autistic, + mentally ill SOB ofc?

I'm thinking I'll start off digital and go from there!

Edit just in case:

Literally in the hyperbolic sense, not Literally-Literally! <- for those of us who don't get tone over text ⭐