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merlot-and-chardonnay · 8 months

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My (Very Long) Take on the Blacks and Greens Debate

A day or so ago, I posted a poll concerning which was team Green or team Black (and who didn't want to choose), and maybe some of you probably want my two cents on it. And even if you don't, I'll give it anyway cause I really want to talk about the discourse.

First off, I kinda find the Blacks vs Greens debate to be...well a little reductionist (and I know people might take offense at that so please hear me out to the end if you can).

I think the bulk of the debate boils down not necessarily who you think would be the more suited ruler, but more like who do you like as a person (or people) or who do you hate so much that you think they deserve everything coming their way. For example, I notice people who are mostly team Black tend to idolize Rhaenyra and put her on such a pedestal that they see her through this rose tinted lens that she is saintly, that she did nothing wrong, and that she would make a perfect ruler. Additionally, I notice Team Black also hates on Alicent major time, seeing her as some catty, manipulative bitch who hates Rhaenyra cause she births bastards and gets away with pretty much everything without accountability. On the other side, people who are Team Green I notice idolize Alicent and her children and shit on Rhaenyra major time cause they see her as spoiled and entitled and would kill her siblings without a second thought should she ascend the throne.

And this tend to be reflective in the fanfic writes who are either vehemently team Black or Green

I kinda understand where people are coming from, but the discourse is really more nuanced than that. And to see the nuances get erased just really creams my corn sometimes:

So now allow me to present my two cents.

I find the debate reductionist because it doesn't really take into account other factors that led to there being these polarized sides in the first place: When we think about the show (and the book), how the events in the season that lead up to the Dance of Dragons, I actually think about the very first scene with the Great Council of 101 when King Jaehaerys named his new successor, being Viserys

The moment Viserys was considered above Rhaenys by the Westerosi nobles, that pretty much codified the line of succession, being that the eldest male descendent will supersede any of the women in his family; even though Rhaenys was the oldest descendent, even though she was the daughter of Prince Aemon, Jaehaerys' oldest son and Heir Apparent before his untimely death, she was overlooked in favor of Viserys, who was the eldest son of the king's second son Prince Baelon who also had an untimely death (Baelon was also deemed by the nobles as the next Heir Apparent when he was still alive).

And going on a brief tangent here, this wasn't the first time the line of succession was questioned for the Targaryens due to gender optics. In fact, when Jaehaerys first took the Iron Throne at the age of 14, after the death of his uncle Maegor, his claim was initially challenged by his sister Princess Rhaena, whose late husband was Aegon the Uncrowned i.e. the one was supposed to sit the Iron Throne next as the oldest son of the late King Aenys before Maegor usurped him. Rhaena and Aegon had twin daughters, Aerea and Rhaella. Aera was the oldest, and Rhaena insisted that her daughter be next in line for the throne since she saw her husband as the rightful ruler before the usurping. Long story short, Rhaena and Aerea were overlooked in favor of Jaehaerys.

Later, we see Viserys and Aemma Arryn, even though they had Rhaenyra, struggle to produce a male heir, and until that actually happened, Daemon was seen as Heir Apparent over his niece. Nobody actually considers the possibility that Rhaenyra could sit the throne next, they all assume her uncle would be next should Viserys and Aemma fail to produce a son, and that worries the nobles greatly, especially Otto Hightower who sees Daemon as a potential Maegor should he sit the throne next. In fact, Otto suggested to Viserys to name Rhaenyra as official heir after the death of Queen Aemma and her son, both for the sake of optics, and to save the realm from falling into chaos at the hands of Daemon. The man was so scared at the thought of Daemon being king, he flat out convinces Viserys to name his daughter heir, but only under the assumption that Viserys would eventually remarry and finally produce a son to further the line (something Otto definitely took advantage of when he had Alicent start visiting the king to comfort him in his grief).

This is when we see Viserys finally give into the pressure of his council to remarry. He took Alicent to wife and had a total of three sons and one daughter with her, which is more then enough boys to satisfy the line of succession. Yet, both in book and show, Viserys never renounced his succession, never disinherited Rhaenyra despite her reckless actions (and he points out to Rhaenyra in Episode 4 that this would NOT have been the case if these things happened under Jaehaerys' rule). Despite this, Otto and many others were still expecting Aegon to inherited the throne. Even more so when Rhaenyra "allegedly" birthed bastards with Harwin Strong when she was married to Laenor Velaryon.

This all showcases, more than anything, how incredibly sexist this society is. Not just because Aegon is expected to supersede Rhaenyra in succession because he is a man, but also how this society would be quicker to punish the woman for her misdeeds over the man (i.e when Rhaenyra is held under heavier scrutiny for her three oldest children being potential bastards by someone who is not her husband when her brother Aegon was confirmed to have fathered bastards of his own despite being married with legitimate children).

The influences and expectations of this society are part of what led to the divide between the Blacks and the Greens, but there are also personal and individual factors as well:

For example, Otto, being a man of great ambition, seized the opportunity to plant seeds in gaining influence over the realm the moment he sent his daughter Alicent to read to Viserys as means to comfort him after the death of his beloved Aemma (which wouldn't have happened if Aemma was never pressured to produce a son, but I digress). Alicent, being a good girl and a product of her society, does as she is told, which ultimately led to Viserys choosing her to be his new wife (worth noting Alicent never got an actual say in whether she wanted this or not).

For more insight, the Hightowers are the Lords of Oldtown, which is the original seat of the Faith of the Seven. House Hightower is arguably the most devoted House to this Faith due in part to that history. Alicent herself is pretty devout to the teachings of the Seven, compared to Rhaenyra who prefers to do her own thing. Many of those teachings include that women are supposed to be devoted wives and mothers, not meant to rule but to guide the men in their lives who do rule, which in Alicent's case are her father the Hand of the King, and her husband the actual king (and when Viserys passes, she was meant to guide her oldest son in his rule).

I think Alicent sees herself as someone who is good and righteous because of her devotion to the Seven, and by upholding these ideals both from religion and society, by doing her duty, she believes blessings should be coming her way.

In actuality, Alicent is a prisoner of her surroundings; she was married off to a man she did not love at a very young age, and became a mother a very young age too, she lays in bed with her husband at nights merely for the sake of fulfilling her wifely duties and not out of love or pleasure, and she is expected by her father to raise Aegon to be the king this realm needs.

All these things make Alicent miserable, but she soldiers on as best she can, because deep down she feels it is her duty.

In contrast, Rhaenyra is not devoted to the Faith as Alicent is, nor is she one to follow society's expectations. She is a bold, rebellious, and does what she wants with little regard for others' feelings; she swears, she speaks out of term in a man's presence (refer to when she was serving wine to the council members when they were discussing the Stepstones back in Episode 2), she disobeys her father when she flies to Dragonstone to deescalate the situation there, and she defies her father's expectations when she was expected to take a husband (even more so when she cut her betrothal tour short at the start of Episode 4). She sneaks out with Daemon into town and into the Street of Silk where she had her sexual awakening, and being left wanting for more pleasure (cause her uncle couldn't follow through) she heads back to the Keep and uh, coerces Criston Cole to sleep with her and take her maidenhead (worth noting Rhaenyra did all this with little regard to Criston's oath to the Kingsguard or the fact he could've been killed for breaking his oath if they got caught).

All this being done before allegations against her and her three oldest sons were held against her.

Rhaenyra is the antithesis of society's expectations, yet she does not feel bad about her choices, even if others would consider such choices to be indecent and an affront in the sight of gods and men. She is the blood of the dragon after all.

I think in Alicent's mind, the way she sees Rhaenyra carrying on like this, it makes her jealous on a subconscious level; here this good devout girl had only done what had been told of her for the sake of realm, gods, and family, doing what good ladies are supposed to do, but she is nothing but bitter for her circumstances, yet Rhaenyra is not a good girl by society's standards. She is a rebel and has more agency in her life compared to Alicent, and she is happier for it.

And I think Alicent, after being told by her father that the realm will never accept Rhaenyra as heir, and that Alicent's children's lives will be forfeit should Rhae ascend the throne because of this, there is a confirmation bias on Alicent's part when she sees Rhaenyra behaving as she is. This was further confirmed that night on Driftmark when Luke took Aemond's eye and Rhaenyra tried to make it look like her sons where the sole victims in all this for being called bastards and not Aemond who LOST HIS FREAKING EYE! THE KID LOST HIS EYE AND RHAENYRA WAS PREPARED TO HAVE HIM INTERROGATED OVER A FEW INSULTS.

Sorry about the rant. I'm calm now, let us continue.

Yeah, that was a pretty shitty thing for Rhaenyra to do, but at the same time, if Viserys did decide to actually acknowledge Jace, Luke, and Joffery were indeed bastards, Rhaenyra would probably be expected to be punished for this, be it execution for treason or best case sent into exile (kinda similar to how Sera Targaryen was exiled by her father Jaehaerys because she shameless lost her maidenhead to a man/men she fancied instead of waiting to get married). (Again, this also showcases the sexism of this society).

Rhaenyra is not a saint, that much I can agree on with the pro Greens side...

But neither is Aegon.

Yes, I am going there (content warning up ahead).

First off, Aegon is a lazy drunken slob, there is no question about that. Like Rhaenyra, he is also one to indulge in whatever vices deem his fancy on any given day, be it drowning in excess in cups of wine, cheating on his wife with whomever will have him (or not, as we sadly saw in Episode 8), and fathering bastards with little regard for the kind of image that produces.

This is clearly a major source of grief for Alicent, especially when Aegon takes servants against their will, resulting in Alicent having to pick up the pieces and put out the fires he leaves in his wake. (please note how fast the moon tea was delivered in that scene following what happened to Dyana the serving girl- this was clearly not the first time something like this has happened).

Aegon does what he wants with no regard for others, yet Alicent, even though she will scold her son for this indecent and shameful behavior, chooses to cover up for him, which unironically leads to Aegon continuing to do these things.

ALICENT, YOU ARE ONLY ENABLING YOUR SON, YOU ARE NOT DOING HIM ANY FAVORS BY COVERING UP FOR HIS BAD BEHAVIOR.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. I'll continue:

Aegon does not care for optics or the family image. He is much like his older sister in this way. (and if I'm being honest, as someone who's also watched the entirety of Bojack Horseman more than once, I actually would partly compare Aegon's life to that of Bojack...maybe I should write a post for that).

But he is not under the intense scrutiny Rhaenyra is constantly under for her choices, again pointing to the sexism of this society.

From the same vein, however, I'd also argue the reason Aegon is the way he is because of the way he was raised. Pro Blacks will be quick to point the blame to Alicent, and yes I can agree on that, given how her first instinct is to slap sense into Aegon when he steps out of line, but she is not the only player here. Viserys was basically an absentee parent regarding his children with Alicent (granted, I could cut him some slack due to his declining illness, but the man still could've put a little more effort here), not taking any kind of active role in raising his children. Honestly though, Viserys taking passive over active stances is his status quo, both in his parenting and his ruling, so nothing really new there.

And then there is Otto...actually I don't quite know what is Otto's relationship to his grandchildren, particularly to Aegon, but I think it may be safe to assume there isn't much warmth there. Otto after all sees Aegon has something of a pawn, someone to (presumptuously) look highly and favorably on House Hightower should he ascend the throne when Viserys passes.

It's pretty telling how Aegon breaks down in tears when he laments to his mother how no matter what he does it will never be enough for either of his parents. It's even more telling when he asks Alicent on the day of his coronation if she loves him.

Makes one wonder if Alicent ever told him that once in his life.

Despite his tragic and loveless life, it doesn't excuse the fact that Aegon is a toxic person; If Aegon was to become king, it likely would only intensify his toxic behavior. Being king, after all, he wouldn't have to answer to anyone regarding his actions.

But this is not to say Rhaenyra would be much better at ruling. Now one could argue she'd be better on grounds that she actually wants to be Queen since she was named heir. As burdensome as the title of heir is, she seemed to find the idea of ruling as Queen of the Iron Throne appealing on some level, given how she told Rhaenys in Episode 2 that she planned to establish a new order as Queen (prior to Rhaenys doing her best to give Rhaenyra the hard truth that she may end up being disinherited should Viserys remarry and finally produce a son with his wife).

To put it bluntly, Rhaenyra strikes me as something of a girlboss, to put into modern terms, and if she were to rule as Queen, she would likely rule as...well a girlboss.

Additionally, Rhaenyra was never really given the tools to properly prepare to rule as a monarch, to which I would pin the blame on Viserys for that. Since he was the one to name an heir, the onus to prepare said heir to rule should have been on him, but we didn't really see that.

Rhaenyra also didn't really prepare herself either. She had to have known her status as heir did hang in the balance somewhat because of her gender, surely she should've known on some level she would need to fight to show the people she had the makings of a decent ruler. And yes, it sucks that the reason she would need to do that is because she is a woman, but it's still something she should've thought to prepare for.

Instead, Rhaenyra spent the remainder of Viserys' rule on Dragonstone, hiding away from most of the court and unable to form alliances, and then expecting the Lords to swear fealty to her fully once her father passed and she became Queen, not really expecting said lords to take the Greens side and expect Aegon to be king instead.

Now I could argue that Rhaenyra probably was prepared to fight when she proposed that she and Daemon marry, when she told Daemon she needed him by his side to prepare to fight the Greens for her birthright.

And this was something, I think, Daemon took to mean it would be a physical fight, a war, when he started gathering eggs from the Dragonmount for the warming chambers and mentally calculating the number of dragons the Blacks had compared to the Greens in Episode 10, when they really both should've tried to play the game from a political angle.

As much as the Daemyra ship makes me giddy, Daemon may not have been the best match for Rhaenyra from an optics point. He's unhinged, unpredictable, and craves violence above all else. His first instinct is to fight and cause harm.

It really doesn't help that basically the first public thing Daemon did when he and Rhaenyra returned to King's Landing was decapitate a man in Court when he shouted the one thing everyone else was thinking, and basically not being held accountable afterwards (not even a slap on the wrist).

In conclusion, the Blacks and Greens divide is a nuanced combination of personal choices and societal expectations. The Dance of Dragons is a tragedy that was the result from all these choices made by the characters in the story (or not making decisions on Viserys' part), choices that would eventually impact the Targaryen dynasty down the line and ultimately it's decline and eventual downfall.

The discourse is really not about who you think would make a better ruler, or who even deserves to rule...it's about how the choices made impacts the determined the course of the future, and how people are more often than not the products of their surroundings and society at large.

So, which side am I truly?

Honestly, I would rather not choose at all:

To quote a certain brooding witcher (I know wrong franchise) whom I would protect with my whole life:

Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all -the Last Wish

This is not to say I think Rhaenyra or Aegon are evil, lesser or otherwise, both are products of their circumstances, and are also products by the choices they made as well as by the choices of others.

On principle, however, Rhaenyra should be the next ruler of the Iron Throne. Not because she is a woman, but solely because she was named heir by her father the king. Say what you will about Viserys, but he never changed the line succession, he was clear that Rhaenyra is his heir, to question that the line should change in favor in Aegon is...well sexist. Let's not forget Dorne's custom in terms of inheritance is that said inheritance is passed to the firstborn of the family, regardless of gender. (though she was not featured in the GoT show for some reason, Arianne Martell was firstborn, which made her heir to Sunspear), so there's no excuse there.

Anyway this what I have to say about the discorse.

This took a little longer then I anticipated, so apologies, but I really felt like I needed to show my thought process, so thanks for sticking with me. Also this is just my opinion on the whole thing, it's not law or anything like that, so feel free to disagree with me or not. I would love to hear other people's take on this.

Have a nice day!

#hotd #daemon targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #alicent hightower #viserys targaryen #jaehaerys targaryen #aegon ii targaryen #aemond targaryen #jacerys velaryon #team green #team black #rhaenys targaryen #laenor velaryon #laena velaryon

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ancenth · 2 months

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Prism family Such Colorful Lives Legacy!

I'm gonna put this under a cut because it's long, but basically since I'm starting posting my SCL legacy on gen 7 (accidentally wrote 6 on the poll whoops) Sadly no screenshots since I wasn't really taking pictures since I was just playing on my laptop :')

I found the rules here, and tweaked it however I felt like for my own play through, which I'll get into below

Gen 1 — Rosa 🌹

The founder of the legacy! She had a very standard generation where she completed all required tasks, got married and had kids, and didn't do much else. She married Darrel Charm, and had twin spellcaster babies; Clementine and Nova. Lived in San Myshuno for this gen.

Gen 2 — Clementine 🍊

I love and adore her and she's actually still kicking around the save! She's a highest rank spellcaster who took a potion of immortality to be with her vampire wife (Evie Delgato) forever :) (and also because I get extremely attached to my gen 2 heirs and I didn't want her to die). She completed the snow globe collection as a teenager before moving to Del Sol Valley. She had her first two kids, Sol (Granddaughter of Makoa and Lilliana), and Amber (daughter of Kiyoshi) who were both spellcasters, before marrying her wife, Evie, and eventually having a little vampire baby named Alba :)

Gen 3 — Sol ☀️

This was the first generation where I started to change the generational goals; namely I'd done the politician career 10000x so I swapped it out for the Law career, in the judge branch, which then had me swap to max research and debate instead of charisma. I also swapped the "donate to every charity" rule to a "volunteer every Saturday with the whole family" rule. She married Aurelio Robles, lived in San Sequoia, and had one daughter, Ivy.

Gen 4 — Ivy 🌿

I did a TOOOONNN of the kid stuff from growing together with Ivy, which was really fun! I think I did almost all of the kid aspirations with her?? Her generation did follow the actual challenge goals. Her ex-wife was Daniela Banuelos, a random townie who cheated on her with some guy named Troy, and had a kid named Dana. Ivy and Daniela had twins, River and Lake. I think her house was my favorite; she lived in this renovated cottage in Henford-on-Bagley that she built up over time and had a giant garden :)

Gen 5 — Lake 🐟

Also followed the actual goals of the generation for her! She married a mermaid. I forgot to mention that every single heir since Clementine has been a spellcaster lol. Lake ended up having 3 kids because for some reason her, Ivy, and Sol all have essentially the same face, so I kept trying until the game finally gave me someone who se genetics actually show the other parent. So first there was Violet, a spellcaster who married her high school sweetheart and immediately had triplets, and then a fourth child for good measure. After Violet was Lilac, also a spellcaster! And finally came our heir, Lavender, who broke the spellcaster streak and is a mermaid!

Gen 6 — Lavender 🪻

This gen was weird for me because I got super used to having spells like scrubberoo and delicioso, and now all I could do was make it thunder sometimes. I also changed this one up, since I've done a bunch of the original goals a bunch! The aspiration was swapped to Strangerville Mystery, career to Military, and swapped the bookworm trait for Adventurous. I still had her marry a scientist (who she met in Strangerville), and still get abducted and impregnated by aliens! Maybe it was a little cruel of me to make a mermaid live in Strangerville but I gave her a lil pool at least.

And then I'll be posting gen 7! I'll make a separate post introducing the family and generation goals (they are completely overhauled from the legacy rules). The gen 7 heir is starting in high school, because I guess Lavender was just too productive and got things done really fast.

#scl extras

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covfefeships · 5 months

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Weekly Writing update

Because I decided I'm gonna do these now every week to keep myself accountable and on track.

The writer's block is over hallelujah!!!!

Specific updates for each fic below the cut:

I should have the next chapter of Penned to You out by tomorrow morning. Decided it's going to be longer chapters than my usual stuff, but a much shorter fic, only 7 chapters total. Looking at about right under 50k total words completed for this fic.

The Once Great King Ch 2. is in the works. I'm taking my time with this one. I really want it to live up to how good I thought the first chapter was. (Which is very difficult because I was in the height of my college days and writing ALL the time when I wrote that one) Expecting this chapter by 4/29.

... I'm really, really frustrated with The Emergence Day Parade right now. I don't have good feelings surrounding this fic right now so I've been distancing myself from it a bit until I can look at it a bit more objectively because half of me just wants to just delete it and the other half is like "well hang on there cowboy, that's a little impulsive". I haven't started the outline for the second half yet, not for lack of ideas, I am just very disappointed in the first half and want to do major restructuring before I move forward. I'll have decided how I would like to proceed or what needs to be corrected on this one by the end of the month.

These Masks We Wear... I really didn't like the last chapter and it's been tearing me up. I feel like I changed the tone way too quick, and put too much emphasis on keeping the fic lighthearted. The character experienced a manic episode, albeit an unrealistic one, (expect maybe the scene in the pantry) I originally had it more realistic and the entire chapter mainly took place in the reader's head but I pussied out because I wanted this story to keep a more lighthearted tone. I'm really debating deleting that chapter and rewriting it fully as the more realisitc chapter that I initially wanted, just because I think I would be happier with that outcome.

Ghost of You - My little Dust/ Reader one shot. I've got a little written on this one, but it is very low on the totem poll, still, I will try to get this one out by 5/4/24

#Writing update #fanfiction #writing #c'est moi

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ranseur · 2 years

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Hiya! Thanks for responding to my poll about Dead Dove Do Not Eat tags! I have a follow up question for you, because your angle is one I knew was common, but I haven’t seen laid out in the responses to my poll (except for you!!! Thank you!!!). Are you aware of the origins of the phrase? (From an episode of Arrested Development.) Again, thanks so much for replying, and in such detail!! I really appreciate your contribution to Science. (Aka, my dumbass curiosity.)

Hellooo @aurorasulphur! Thanks very much for facilitating this very scholarly and scientific survey. Also thanks for reading my response. I'm glad my take isn't so uncommon! I'm sorry in advance for subjecting you to read another wall of text where I explain my silly thoughts. (Obligatory Disclaimer: These are only my personal preferences that I'll try to put in words. Anyone may feel free to disagree. I primarily want to explain why I think it's important to have a tag that means 'dark fic in general'.)

Yes, I'm aware of the origins! (Arrested Development is such a funny show.) I debated mentioning in my tags that I knew it, but they were already so long;;; And I had thoughts related to it.

From what I understand, the punchline in the original gag was 'this is exactly what the label (on the tin) says; what did you expect.’ Which is the popular definition from the poll, and again maybe I’m picky about the wording but it’s not the definition I prefer. We already use a tag to emphasize the provided tags ('READ THE TAGS') and a tag to strongly advise viewer discretion ('Don't Like Don't Read). Personally, I broadly define Dead Dove: Do Not Eat (DD:DNE) as 'Dark/Horror Fic- that may or may not criticize itself or be specified', because I’ve only seen DD:DNE used on AO3 to tag dark fic. So in effect, the tag itself is the ‘label on the tin’. Also I think- regardless of what the tag is- readers forfeit their right to complain when tropes that they dislike are properly tagged but they choose to read the fic anyway. I think it's a readers responsibility to check tags. And if writers forget to tag some warnings, DD:DNE could be a useful catch-all, fail-safe tag to have for dark fic in general. (An aside, I also think the symbolism of a dead dove is apt for dark themes, and DD:DNE intuitively reads as a warning, like, 'Don't Dead: Open Inside' from TWD.)

I’ll be the first to point out that my 'dark fic' definition has a flaw, right, because the fics that people tag as DD:DNE will vary depending on where they personally draw the line on what is dark or problematic. I think defining the moral lines of ‘what is problematic’ is a bigger discussion that can’t be fixed by defining one tag; but I still think the vagueness of DD:DNE can be a feature, not a bug. In order to be as clear as possible, many writers tag additional warnings. And even though DD:DNE is almost always accompanied by tags affiliated with dark fic, I think DD:DNE by itself can indicate dark tone more universally than other content warning tags. I think DD:DNE establishes the genre of the story rather than emphasizing the accuracy of tags, on the grounds that sometimes problematic or ‘content warning’ tags can be accurate and true without being dead doves.

For example, a common problematic tag like 'kidnapping'. This tag might mean the fic is a saucy bodice ripper, in which the kidnappee is never really harmed or in danger because they're supposed to melt the heart of the villain. Even though the scenario is an indulgent romantic fantasy, it's still kidnapping, so the tag is accurate. But if a fic is tagged 'kidnapping, DD:DNE’ then, to me, that has an entirely different implication; it means the holodeck safey protocols are turned off (ie, within the fictional story- the setting is no longer a romanticized fantasy; the kidnapper will be cruel, the kidnappee will be in pain, etc.) In this example, tagging ‘DD:DNE’ doesn't emphasize the latter story to be 'more kidnap-y' than the former, but rather it sets the tone; it's going to be a dark story while the former is raunchy romance. Also, if tagged, people who want to read the former fic can safely filter out DD:DNE without filtering out ‘kidnapping’.

Another example- some media properties, like horror films/games, are already loaded with problematic or dark tropes that are canon and expected in the fan content (eg, zombie media with body horror and gore and cannibalism). Readers might be accustomed to seeing canon-typical dark/horror tropes in that fandom. And if some tags, that are usually affiliated with dark fics, fail to express how the tone of a dark setting will be even more dark, then DD:DNE might be used to say ‘this is on another level’.

All said- the definition of DD:DNE that I prefer is useful as an umbrella term to warn readers of dark content. I'm sure there are a dozen ways to tag my above examples differently and still achieve the same results; I just think one tag is easy to filter. Also, the tag really doesn't have to be DD:DNE anyway; theoretically in an alternate timeline where Arrested Development never made the 'dead dove' gag, people still would have found a way to tag dark fic warnings. I think writers who don't know the DD:DNE tag, or choose not to use it, have flagged their fics with tags like 'Bad Ending' or 'Not Safe Not Sane' or just 'Dark'.

So, in my humble opinion, the DD:DNE definition based on the original context of the Arrested Development gag ('i tagged X: believe it!') is technically correct, but misses the point for me. My focus is on the context of AO3 tags and gaps in writer/reader communication. I prefer DD:DNE used as a broad term for genre of very dark or horror centered fic, because I believe reliable tags help us to curate our online experiences. By having clear expectations, we can keep our online sandboxes safer for everyone.

#(hides face in hands)#i'm SO SORRY this was such a long way to say #'hello yes i know the original joke but hrmph i don't wike it'#literally incapable of being concise when i explain myself but i hope any of it made sense and is helpful for your science #asks for ranseur

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rennsdeaddoves · 2 years

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Introducing something new. A guide.

here we go again kiddos! buckle up, it's gonna be a long one!

so i had a poll out a few days ago (that I have since deleted) and it had several options of fanfiction's i had wanted to introduce to my blog, and the two with the most votes would have been introduced. i was planning on keeping the poll up for three days but two day's in and i only had 13 votes. so i sent out a new one asking if you wanted descriptions to the fics and ya'll said yes. so here we go.

this guide will always be up and linked in my pinned post, so you never had to fear about losing it. if and when i make more fics I'll update the list, and I will always refer to this list/guide when i wanna introduce a new fic to the blog.

before we begin though i have a rating system for my fics, i like to write dark so i have a scale;

it's not bad but- = it’s light, not much gore maybe some trauma for spice. But otherwise technically could be 13+ (not including smut) at best

Trauma o’clock = it gets worse. 16+ (not including smut) more trauma and gore for the characters and in the story

wounded dove = it’s pretty bad. But not to the point of dead dove. But still pretty bad.

Our doves are rotting = dead dove do not eat all the way, it’s a gore fest in here. Morals we don’t know her.

if you see ✅ beside a fic or series title, i have added it to my blog already.

I'll colour code the list, so the colours that the ratings are will correspond with the rating of the fic, ight? ight. and if a title is still white then the rating is undecided.

i'll be tackling the solo fic's first (the ones that are not part of a series) and then I will get to the series.

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The Will of Gods and Monsters - Hellsing Ultimate ✅

summary - what is the human will? The age-old argument is of whether humans have free will at all, but if you want to go deeper, what about the Gods we serve? And what of the monsters they create?

Father Alexander Anderson makes choices that hurt him, he fixes those choices and eradicates all love for anyone except God. Though it is debatable who his god is.

Aireth made a choice in her young life to explore the world and subsequently got tangled up with a Lord by the name of Vlade Tempest, or Vlad the Impaler, she made an oath, by choice, and it continues to bite her in the ass even after she thinks she’s rid herself of it.

Finally, Abbadon. She seems to have no free will of her own, constantly controlled by the ones who took her as a child she never gets to make her own choices. Until she did, and the glass was broken.

It can be argued that humans have free will, Integra willingly killed her Uncle to save Hellsing, Walter willingly serves as her butler.

But what of the monsters under her control? Alucard, Aireth, Saris? What of the gods? Anderson, Seraph? Is their will their own?

the relationships in this fic are; Father Alexander Anderson x oc and the Captian x oc. this is a dead dove do not eat fic, there is human experimentation, nazi's (its Hellsing), lots of non-con/dub-con elements, attempted rape, and cannon-typical violence. this story is definitely not for the faint of heart but the characters I've made for it are super close to my heart and some of the best OC's I've made.

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Wait No Longer - Cult of the Lamb

gonna be honest this one doesn't have a description to it (it's not as developed as my other one lmao) but I do have vague ideas for it that a lot of my friends think are pretty interesting. it is a Narinder (the one who waits) x oc. and mainly takes place before lambert. idk the rating yet (haven't decided how dark i wanna go with it but it does have cult stuff in it) i'd likely put in in wounded dove

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And No One Saw It Coming - Puss in Boots the Last Wish

summary - Kitty and Perrito get to Puss while he is still stuck in the cave of souls, while death still hunts him down like a cat would a mouse, or a wolf would a cat.

In the ensuing scuffle, the three find out that even Death can have a wish, and Goldie and Jack are dealt with, they actively seek Death out and ask if they can somehow help grant his wish. If they can help find who he longs to see again.

Of course, Lobo scoffs at them. He’s a very busy wolf and doesn’t have the time for this, but something in the back of his mind won't stop gnawing at him and eventually he caves, Accepting the tabi’s offer for help.

Lobo (death) x oc, there is manipulation, illness, and maybe more, this is actually one of the newer fic's i have created for the movie .

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Determination of the forsaken - Kung Fu Panda

again no summary (for some reason-) even though this fic is pretty old, but what I can tell you all is that a dragon falls from the heavens, Oogway finds her as her form changes to fit in the mortal world. it is a Tai Lung x oc, and the oc is trying to discover who she was before Oogway and Tai.

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This Never Ending Nightmare We Must Call Life - Little Nightmares ✅

summary - the Maw was where they lived and where they were supposed to die. But fate had another idea and kept one alive. Those on the Maw named her Key as they thought she was the key to saving them all from this twisted world. However, a strange signal pulses in her head and she is drawn to the land, heading for a place with towering buildings and pale skies;

Key makes a journey that should have never been made in the first place.

guys.... there is so much manipulation and gaslighting in this fic... i was really in my gaslight era. BUT ANYWAY its a Thin Man x oc fic, super dark, i think there was some elements of dub-con, also major character deaths and suicidal ideation. all i know was that it was dark. but like Thin Man

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Let me give the world to you ✅

Xeno sees how Goku interacts with Goten the omni-king decides that his gods need that joy in their lives as well. So under the order of their father, the grand priest and the omni-king the angel attendants go and find suitable children for their gods.

when Bulma catches wind of the situation is she quick to pull several older kids who had been absolutely screwed over by the foster system for Whis to look at. One girl who has bruises all over her face and looks like a walking corpse catches his eyes.

in which renn exposes the foster system through dbz lmao. there will be drug use, pedophilia, non-con, dud-con, crimes, and a lot of trauma. but our girl will heal, after all, its amazing what a child can grow into if given the proper care isn't it

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With Withered Wings and Broken Bones

Nightmare Before Christmas fic where Jack adopts a kid with major ptsd involving divorce and Sally is cheating on him. everything is a mess, Jack eventually becomes a really good dad and then Ooggie comes back for his revenge

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You Thirst for Blood from the Roses in Hand

totk Ganondorf x oc who was an un-named slave girl before shit went sideways, she got flung into the past with Zelda and somehow met the gerudo king before being taken as his servant and then proving herself a grater asset then she got flung back into the present and after getting a taste of freedom and power the murdering started

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now we get into the fanfiction series, so these all contain more than one fic, and if the fics have descriptions I'll put em in.

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Set in Sand but not in Stone - Encanto

*gasp* a green title!!! who new i had the balls to write something like this!!! (lol)

fic one; How to Survive While Seeing the Future - a guide by Bruno Madrigal

summary - Growing up in the Encanto is all he has ever known, there was no outside world, just the small, but still large, home that they were slowly building. There were many kids their age or just a little younger in the community now that it was growing so well, but none stood out more to Bruno Madrigal than Mariposa Lucia Neva. And of course, his two sisters always noticed.

fic two; This Little Miracle of Mine

this fic doesn't have a summary but it involves the actual movie and Bruno and Mariposa have a child.

obv Bruno Madrigal x oc, and guy's looking back at the discord chats for this thing it is cute and mmmmmm. its just a lil trauma sprinkled here and there but the hurt comfort is hurt comforting.

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Creature Series - Moon Knight ✅

fic one - Haunted by a Darker Side

summary - The Gods were never reliable in any sense for Nem. her mother prayed and believed but she never did, she thought it was a waste of time and took matters into her own hands. Unfortunately taking things into your own hands will often get you into much more trouble than it's truly worth.

It was only when Nem really feared for her life that she prayed for the first time, it was only after running from guards with the shiver of the Pharaoh’s last words running through her mind, the moon clear above her as she lay dying in the sand that she truly prayed.

“Oh Lord Khonshu, god of the moon, Protector of the travellers of the night. Please protect my mother and brothers in my absence, watch over them when I could not. I beg of you if you are real please, please do this, I'm sorry I never believed or worshipped. I offer the rest of myself to you if you can do this one thing for me-”

What Nem was not expecting was a response to her prayer;

“Why don’t you protect them yourself? It would be a shame to die on a nice night like this. Allow me to keep you alive Nem of Iken”

She should have known there would be strings attached to that offer…

fic two - Transcends to Walking in the Light

summary - Nem would not let Khonshu be turned to stone, so with Anubis’ help, she announced that she was with child, a new god or goddess of the Ennead. Khonshu must live to raise the child, as Nem would not be able to handle it on her own unless they wanted a rouge god on their hands.

Begrudgingly they agree, freeing her God, but this freedom comes at a price.

“You must marry Khonshu, we cannot have a god be born naturally out of wedlock.”

At least it didn’t need to be conceived within wedlock- but these terms are easily agreed to by both parties. Now the next chapter of Nem’s patronage to Khonshu begins,

With her as his Queen.

fic three- And Slowly I'm Recovering

summary - Most agree that on any given night the moon is beautiful, it always has been and always will be. So why was it that Casper could never face it? Did it have something to do with a past she didn’t want to relive and a personal mission that had yet to be completed? Yes, yes it did. But she is too stubborn to admit that aloud.

So when she gets mixed up with a nice fellow named Steven Grant and his life, her past with the moon god Khonshu comes to a head. And what she's been running from all this time is right in front of her, she just needs to face it with the honour she once had.

fic four - The Beauty of Discovering

no summary but domestic fluff and chaos ensues.

GUYS I HAD THE BIGGEST BRAIN WHEN COMMING UP WITH THESE NAMES ON GOD I DID!!! if you haven't listened to the song Creature by Half Alive then what are you doing with your life?? anyway these titles come from the end of that song (it is one of my faves) and the lyrics describe what it happening sooooo well!!! i was so fucking proud of myself

anyway this is a Khonshu x oc, there is some pretty shitty stuff that happens in each of the fics that warrant the rating i have given it, but its not to the point that it's dead dove.

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have you heard the golden records? series - Transformers Bayverse

there are five fic's for the five movies, and the rating is split because one of the fic's has human experimentation and two of them have child abuse (maybe three) i only have the summary for the first fic, and while each fic covers a movie in the franchise it also covers a lot more, like the before's and afters of the movies, the fallouts we never get to see.

fic one - MESSENGER

summary - Up to this point life has not been kind to Ezra Rhett, but she manages in her own way and actually maybe made some good friends in the form of the Witwicky family. When Sam gets his first car and it apparently steels itself she’s the first person he’s calling, the next day when Giant metal beings show themselves to them all in a back alley and ask Sam to save the world she’s already had enough.

But that pleading look in his eyes has her reluctantly agreeing to go, and very quickly she realizes it would be a cold day in hell if she ever let these kids go through this alone.

Optimus Prime has a similar thought process when he realized how young the humans helping his team were. He is glad that Ezra decided to stay and help her young friends not for herself but for their safety. The Autobot leader also keeps his eyes on them, he doesn’t need any of the humans helping them get hurt along the way.

Though sometimes he finds himself being pulled by the Look in her eyes.

Fic two; Voyager Fic three; Apollo 11 Fic four; Pathfinder Fic five; Interstellar

Optimus prime x oc because yes. somehow i made the oc a half-human, half cybertronian in a non-cringe way. like me and my significant other literally discussed the biochemistry of how this could all work. there are paragraphs of messages of my friends and i talking about this. so it's safe to say, smut will happen in a natural way (without that holo form bs)

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Rust can be Fatal - Undertale / Transformers Prime crossover

fic one - It Had to be You

summary - Cybertron was a stagnant planet, it had been since the collapse of the space bridges, no, likely since the fall of the thirteen. But it was all about to change, A Gladiator named Megatrounus would make sure of it.

This, however, is not his story, this is the tale of another, one who called herself Seadrift and later Moray. She was the bot to bring Megatron back to his true ideals and the one to plunge him into a rage so deep it consumed all of Cybertron.

She was also the one to make an impact on Monster kind, after all, it was the Monster’s who accepted her and the humans who shunned her. When war broke out all over again in her new home, Seadrift was going to be sure it didn’t end with her getting sent away from the ones she loved, not again. So she took up arms against the humans and fought for monster kind, just like she had for Megatron so long ago.

fic two - The Reason I'm Alive

this one doesn't have a description but it's from Megatron and Seadrift's kid pov and it gets brutal (i think i have a scene where they saw off their own leg with fishing line)

Megatron x oc and eventually I make Megatron a dad (listen ya'll will eventually see that i have a thing for taking villans and making them single dads to daughter and have them absolutely dote on them)

does that have something to do with my daddy issues. maybe??

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THERE!!! the list is complete (for now) i will add as i do more, (i have tones more fics but these are the ones i feel the most comfortable with sharing/ the ones that are the most thought out) more will def be added later on, so check back whenever ya feel like it and don't be afraid to comment on any of them, i will appreciate all comments.

#fanfic #hellsing fanfiction #hellsing ultimate #transformers bayverse #transformers prime #encanto #moon knight #little nightmares #puss in boots the last wish #kung fu panda #cult of the lamb #dragon ball super #nightmare before christmas #tears #tears of the kingdom

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sapphire-heart-tippy · 1 year

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I'm not even done with the original Sapphire Heartverse fanfic (written anyway, but I know how I want it to end), and I already have ideas for the sequel, starring mine and Vanilla's son, Ramon

Okay so here's some quick info!

In case you don't know, here's the fic of how we found him

The reason the main story is called The Sapphire Heartverse is because that's my stand's name!

I think this ahem... "brief summary" covers everything

Alright, now that we have everything situated, let's go right into it!!

The original Sapphire Heartverse has two alternate endings, the good ending and the bad ending. The good ending is the canonical ending, the bad ending is what could plausibly happen if the couple didn't make it out of there alive.

I'm still debating on what to call the sequel. Something having to do with Ramon's stand Sugar Crash maybe? I'll figure it out, I might do a poll with all the different names I came up with!

Anyway, the sequel takes place 15/16 years after Vanilla and Tippy got married and found Ramon. So they're a little older, but still have the same ol' style (different designs, however).

Ramon is now a teenager, and got his stand Sugar Crash when he was about 10 years old. He's a typical edgy teenager, wearing dark eyeliner, painting his nails black, giving the finger to society. His teachers are in for a surprise when they find out that his fathers are exactly like that too. Unfortunately, Ramon gets in trouble a lot at school and might face expulsion. Vanilla and Tippy have a serious heart to heart conversation with their son. It's difficult being a teenager, but also being a teenager who has a stand and going to an all stand user school. They try to tell him that you can still defend yourself without breaking the rules and using your stand.

Vanilla and Tippy had to follow a similar rule while working at Dio's mansion. They teach him how to fight without using his stand.

Unfortunately, this doesn't end well either. Ramon defends his friend from a bully using his own fists. This doesn't sit well with the counselor. She suspends both Ramon and the bully from the school. Vanilla and Tippy go up there and end up making things worse. Now they have a reputation for being a family of delinquents.

To make things even worse, Vanilla and Tippy end up arguing a lot more because their bakery isn't making enough money to pay bills. Ramon has never seen them upset with each other before. Ramon overhears one of their arguments and they say something about how they should ask "him" for help again... Vanilla is especially nervous about this. Everything goes silent. Vanilla explains that "he" has helped them out before but he doesn't want to face "him" again.

They have no choice.... Ramon knows something is up. Over the next few days, things are more calm, but... his fathers are acting a little strange. Happier and more upbeat than usual, in a very bizarre way. Ramon goes to school and tells his friends about everything. One suggests they might be drug dealers and they're high on something. Ramon goes back home and sees his fathers cleaning up the house. They give him tickets to a concert he really wanted to go to and tell him that he can stay out as late as he wants that night.

This isn't exactly new, but... something is very off about this interaction. Ramon goes to the concert with his friends and heads home around 2am. Why would his fathers want him to stay out as late as possible? Don't they care about him anymore?

Ramon decides to sneak back in the house to see if they really are selling drugs or something... it's something even weirder.

Ramon hears 3 men laughing. One is Vanilla. One is Tippy.... and one.... is a man who sounds eerily familiar. Ramon can't quite put his finger on it, but he feels like he's heard that voice before. Ramon uses Sugar Crash to glitch into a wall and listen in on the conversation.

The mysterious man is very poised and feminine, yet super masculine and strong looking. He sips wine from a glass daintily and tells Ramon's fathers that he has been waiting for their return to Egypt for years. The man says that trouble has stricken the mansion and he would rather have it taken care of by the people he knows will fix it. Plus, the mysterious man has found somebody who might be important to Vanilla.

Vanilla is very confused by this, considering the fact nobody has ever really been important to him besides all of those who are in the house right now. The mystery man reveals that he knows somebody who is a blood relative of Vanilla. How he knows this? ... His blood tasted the same as Vanilla's....

Ramon's eyes widen and he is frozen in place with shock and fear. The man flips his blonde hair over his shoulder while speaking casually. Ramon is trembling at how equally casual his fathers are at the mention of blood drinking from this man. The man stands up and looks Ramon in the eyes... it seems.

Ramon is in between the wall, not visible to anyone, but Ramon feels like this man with piercing amber eyes, golden blonde hair, and flawless porcelain skin is staring deep into his soul. The man smiles, revealing two razor sharp canine teeth. A sudden flashback enters Ramon's mind. He has seen this man before... he just can't pinpoint when he has seen him. But the grin that man has made was the exact face he remembered. The man turns around to continue speaking to Ramon's fathers about the plan. He has recruited others for this task, including one of Vanilla's supposed relatives. They come up with a plan, but they can't just leave Ramon here by himself.

"Bring the little one with you! Where is he? I would like to see how much he's grown.... it's been what? 14 years? How old is he now? 16? My god, it's been so long since I've seen the little darling." Said the man... that's when Ramon realizes... that's him. That's the man. He hasn't aged a single day since Ramon had seen him. They tell him that he should be out at a concert with his friends. The man looks slightly disappointed. As he pours another glass of wine silently... he asks with a bit more seriousness in his tone,

"The child is a stand user... isn't he?" He swirls the wine around in his glass, "Why else would you allow him, a teenage boy, to go out and about at this unholy hour? Unless he has something to protect himself with? Hm?"

Vanilla and Tippy sullenly nods their heads and confirm.

"I told you so." The man take a drink and sets the glass down, "You know what needs to be done. Bring the boy to Egypt with you. Ice," the man gazes deep into Vanilla's eyes.

"Yes, sire?"

Sire? Ramon thinks to himself, is this guy royalty or something?

"Do what you did with your beloved. You will train him. You will work him to the bone until I find out just what his stand is capable of. Considering the fact you both are," the man uses finger quotes, " 'void dwellers', the boy might be one himself. Watch him closely."

"Yes, sire... very good, sire." Vanilla nods his head, feeling ill. The man smirks,

"You three will be my most powerful allies. Hmhmhm... Oh my my my my my..." He shakes his head, grinning and showing his full pearly white teeth, "You are not to tell him why you're there until I give you the right, do I make myself clear?"

The two men nod. The blonde man walks around, softly touching the counter. He leans in on Vanilla's ear and whispers,

"You're my favorite servant... I put my full faith in you once again."

Ice has his eyes closed, his cheeks are flushed but he resists feelings buried deep inside of him. The man touches Vanilla's right bang,

"Hm... you never decided to let it grow out, hm, Ice?" He chuckles and releases Ice. "Oh and.... Jonathan says hi... hmhmhm." After a while, the mystery man leaves.

Ramon is terrified. He's going to Egypt but his fathers are hiding some sort of dark secret from him...

What the hell is going on?!

(to be actually written one day!!)

#sapphire heartverse #sapphire heartverse fanfic #ramón cabrera ice jjba oc #tipvans #tw drug mention

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bl-bracket · 1 year

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Info for how the brackets work:

So since there's been a lot more attention on this current competetion then the last, I thought I'd share some of my process on how the brackets get formed so y'all can understand how it works more!

Who gets put in the brackets?

Basically everyone who gets submitted at this point! I'm still starting out on here and I don't have a ton of traction yet, so every character submitted has been put in the bracket. Right now I've been doing 16-competitors brackets, so I basically take everyone's submissions and then add my own if I need more. The green flag bracket had the most amount of submissions so far (39) with 12 characters nominated. I added another 4 based on my personal choices to complete the bracket and that's how you got what we have now.

Why is X character against Y character?

The pairings for the bracket are about 80% randomized. The remaining 20% is my interference, which, in order to make the competition more interesting, is avoiding putting the real heavy hitters against each other in the first round. For this bracket (and those going forward), the "heavy hitters" were basically the characters I got the most repeated submissions for earlier. Like I said, I had 39 submissions with only 12 characters, many characters were submitted by multiple people. I took the ones with the most submissions and adjusted it so that they weren't going to face each other till later rounds. Maybe in the future I will adjust this policy but for now just keep in mind that the match ups are largely randomized.

Isn't this just a popularity contest?

I mean... yeah? Unfortunately that's how these bracket competitions seem to work and I'm not sure if there's any way to combat that. My best advice is to use as much campaigning and propaganda as you want for your desired canadite (also reblogging the poll if your follower base tends to have similar opinions on the shows can be advantageous to you ;).) I also think in future brackets I'll add the reasons people give for submitting their character to the posts to hopefully even the odds a little.

Also just some general info, I'm trying my best to be neutral as possible with these! I don't vote in the polls (originally because the very first round I ever did didn't have a lot of votes and I didn't want to sway any of them. Now it's just a fun little game of self restraint) so I'm not trying to get yall to vote for a specific character. I also haven't watched every single drama that is a part of these competitions so pls don't get too upset at a character being included that you think is inaccurate! There is a very real possibility that they were just a user submission I added! I don't want to stay which dramas I have or haven't watched (again I don't want to sway anything) so please don't ask me or interrogate me on why a character is a part of the poll! Like I said before, it's primarily user submissions and only a few are added by me, but I would really rather not say which are which (except maybe after a bracket has been completed!)

Anyways! This is just a reminder that this is all in good fun! The most popular bl is not necessarily the best bl, nor is the bl you find most enjoyable always the best bl either! It can be fun to argue and debate over fictional characters but please stay kind and remember to keep fun at the forefront!

#bl bracket #bl bracket info

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buzzworddotie · 6 years

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The 8th Amendment Referendum in Ireland

And how history is being rewritten one step at a time

It's been a long time coming but on May 25th 2018 the people of Ireland were asked if they would like to amend the Constitution to decriminalise abortion in Ireland.

What's it all about?

Up until now, an Irish women who seeked out an abortion for personal reasons or medical ones was a criminal under Irish law. A woman would have to either travel to the UK or attempt to dangerously take abortion pills acquired illegally at home under zero medical supervision.

Or the alternative, for years, decades, Ireland and the stronghold held over her by the Catholic Church, would force girls and women into homes to have the baby. Often these babies wound up dead, buried away, hidden. Bones have been found in septic tanks.

Girls and women were treated brutally.

Secret pregnancies were also a thing, who knows how many women and girls suffered in silence?

Right up until May 25th 2018.

That's when we finally got to be heard.

Enough is Enough

I can't take a single piece of credit for getting this vote to happen but there are countless women who can. Women who have been banging on doors, demanding bodily autonomy, demanding rights, demanding choice. Finally the demand was heard, finally the government agreed to allow the people to make a decision.

The Campaigns

As soon as the vote was announced, I knew this was not going to be a particularly nice campaign. That's putting it lightly. In 2015 Ireland held the Marriage Referendum. An opportunity to change the Constitution to recognise and allow same sex marriage in Ireland. It passed, of course, but the campaign was filled with some uneducated, hateful rhetoric fuelled by the Catholic Church. Regardless of how much they wanted to deny it, hardcore religious groups and their followers were against that law with vigor and venom.

And I knew that hate would amplify for this one. I already knew what way I wanted to vote, I didn't need anyone to convince me either way, much like the Marriage Ref. But unlike then when I did tune into radio debates and absorbed the arguments, this time I made the conscious decision to avoid it as much as possible.

Marketing

Despite that it was tough to avoid, every pole, every surface available was covered with Yes and No posters. The Yes posters usually said something like "Yes for choice" "Together for Yes" or a simple "Repeal"...

Murals went up by artists like Maser, badges were made, Repeal jumpers and through the help of crowd sourcing the Yes campaign managed to gain more support for their message.

Our message.

On the No side there were an abundance of posters, I have seen images of feotus in the womb telling me babies will be murdered. Billboards across towns, rural and otherwise.

The whole thing turned into a massive marketing campaign. To a degree, on both sides. Paid ads on social media, Google and streaming services, posters... So... Many... Posters.

Social media attacks, hashags... I just didn't want to hear it. I know burying your head in the sand isn't a solution but I personally don't believe that an issue as important as this should boil down to who has the most money to promote a post or buy a billboard.

One thing I will say is that, at least where I have travelled, there was far more "No" campaign imagery than "Yes". Those were the ones with the billboards, the video ads that interrupted my viewing and I had to wonder, where was all this money coming from?

In the end Google and Facebook to the best of my knowledge pulled paid advertising on their platforms but there were other means.

Attacks on People, places and things

Another side of the campaign was the inevitable attacks. Digital rows blazed up as the concept of reasoned debate flew out the window. Some of the words I have witnessed being used against women on social media were beyond appalling, disgusting, shameful.

Were there bot accounts? Yes, there were. It doesn't take too much probing to see that and that minor exercise in investigation proved that really the "No" side was in the minority. It was clear but you could never be certain.

And by no means would I ever suggest the "Yes" side were entirely innocent, I just didn't catch the trolling by them.

"No" campaigners also attacked places, apparently in one constituency very graphic posters were hung very close to a school, causing uproar.

They also stood outside maternity hospitals.

Let me reiterate that, MATERNITY HOSPITALS.

They stood outside them holding graphic posters, other establishments too, but that one made me sick to my stomach.

Then on the stunning Benbulben, in my home county, a place I adore, they stuck a massive "NO" sign. For some reason this triggered me. Using the landscape of this country, which throughout history has been defined with feminine pronouns, to announce that women's rights were not of value was disgusting.

Photo: https://garethwray.com/product/classiebawn-benbulben-sligos-iconic-duo/

Not more disgusting than standing outside a hospital or plastering graphic and insensitive imagery around a school but a different kind of insult. As if they were claiming this land shared their voice.

What was even weirder was the fact the people who did it were practically a parody of themselves, announcing on radio that the men had put up the sign as the women made them tea and sanwiches.

This had to be a joke, right?

It's not funny

Truthfully though, this issue wasn't a joke, not to me or to anyone involved. This vote could actually be the difference between life and death for so many women.

By night, reports were coming out saying that the turnout to vote had been exceptional, people had been travelling back home from all around the country to take part.

Many popular Irish female voices had been so loud in their messages to push this cause, many Irish men got involved too stressing the importance of men getting behind women, taking a stand with them, recognising this is their issue too. Women should not be alone in this.

Soon we began to hear the results from the Exit Polls. First the Irish Times showing a landslide in favour of Repealing. It was something like 68% in favour, an insane number.

RTE Uses Us

The "main" Irish broadcaster, the state owned one, decided to announce their Exit Polls on what I think is supposed to be a late night chat show, The Late Late Show.

I found this disgusting and I didn't watch, because I never watch, because it's utter fucking drivel. But what RTE did was decide to use this campaign for their own ratings gain. They knew people would tune in and so they decided to, as far as I know, discuss how "Toxic Masculinity is a Myth", very fucking timely decision lads. As well as this they had some gobshite on NATIONAL TV talking about how she speaks to fairies.

Because heaven forbid we take a step forward as a nation.

Now, I don't know at what stage they announced the results but I do know that it wasn't before any of that other shite. Again, that was a calculated move and they will point to those viewing figures to justify the ridiculous wages that we fund for that show and it's (wooden) presenter. I'll pause that one right there.

History is Rewritten

In a move that has the potential to shock anyone not clued into who most modern Irish people actually are, the "Yes" side achieved a mammoth victory with over 1.4 million people deciding to Vote Yes, over 66% of voters.

And the 8th Amendment has been Repealed. I am so proud of all of us.

Photo: Maser, https://deandublin.ie/events/maser-exhibition/

What Now?

So where do we go from here?

I can never shake a Bell X1 lyric from my head in times like this. Fitting, given they are an Irish band:

"...History is written by the winners. And I want my say."

If we want to continue to create an Ireland that is just, inclusive, fair and reasonable we have to keep banding together and becoming the winners. The people on the reasoned side do not always need to feel like they are being walked all over.

That's how things have felt for so long, I won't even say in the past because it is still happening. This moment was monumental and something that, just like the Marriage Referendum, should be really allowed to sink into the minds of every single person who voted, the real power of what was achieved this day is epic.

We didn't just pop an X next to a box. We have literally changed the Constitution of this nation twice. We have asked to please get a chance to update this nation to reflect who we are and not to be bound to the decisions of the past, which maybe were the right decisions back then or maybe the alternative was too alternative. We had to crawl for a while, but we started to walk and now we have the chance to run.

I don't want our interest in matters like this to start and stop with things that are so clearly emotive. There is so much more to do to keep pushing forward.

And the further we move ahead the more resistance will be out against us but we can't turn a blind eye.

OK the 8th is Repealed, what can we put in place now to ensure any womelan who require ls a clinic is not harassed with hate on entry and exit as is the case in other countries?

And there are more issues outside of this.

We need to really strive to separate Church from state, the stranglehold the Church has over schools is poisonous. There are laws that exist that people are not even aware of, did you know that if you work as a teacher in one of the many, many Church affiliated schools and you do something outside of the Catholic ethos like sleep with someone outside of marraige, they can fire you?! Can you believe this shit!?

Then there are the other social issues including housing, homelessness, classism which are still very active and we need to fight back against those structures too.

We have to keep saying when enough is enough.

We have to keep looking out for each other, from all walks of life.

Sure, An Taoisach gave some really character defining moments during this debate but he and his party need to be just as active in helping people out elsewhere. Maybe it won't get them as much PR but it should and if they make the best decisions it will.

Simon Harris has been charming people during these debates. Is that enough? Is that all it takes? He is Minister for Health of a system that is simply disasterous. A system where hospitals are under funded, where women are being improperly diagnosed with ceverical cancer, where patients are left on trolleys, where I don't know if my own father is getting the best treatment he can be getting right now because I simply do not trust the HSE.

The rich are getting richer, you can barely afford a basic, single bedroom roof over your head. People, families are homeless. Maybe the few are doing well but I'd argue the majority are struggling still.

Prospects are few and far between.

Really heinous crimes have been committed, some very recently, against women and girls. A lot of them. These are issues too that need to be examined, there is an underlying problem to this that needs to be addressed.

Mental Health needs to be treated as a real issue with real, available and affordable treatment. People should be able to get counselling or therapy as easily as they can get the flu shot.

That barely scratches the surface.

Yes, we achieved something outstanding and worth celebrating but this should be the fire in our belly to ignite us to realise we can do so much more.

We don't have to sit back and take our lot. We need to keep demanding better from our leaders and our services from the extreme examples to the basics of decent roads, schools and water.

The water in my own home been undrinkable for nearly 6 months that we are aware of. And it could have been longer.

Honestly the Irish rail service Iarnrod Eireann's slogan sums us up perfectly, "We're not there yet. But we're getting there."

This country is moving forward but we can't stop demanding true equality, for everyone.

A chairde, comhghairdeas, rinneamar stair le chéile. Ligeann an treocht seo a choinneáil.

Is féidir linn é a dhéanamh.

#repealthe8th #repeal the eighth #repeal #ireland #eight #8thammendment #irish #vote #history #constitution #yes #politics #voting #church #simon harris #leo varadkar #may #change #marraige equality

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treadmilltreats · 4 years

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Just the lies...please

If you watched the non debates last night, you know we had to scramble between two networks to see what each had to say. This happened because #45 refused to get covid tested again and he refused to do it through a zoom meeting. (Maybe he was afraid of his mike being cut off)

Which was kind of like the first debate where we didn't hear what each of them were trying to say.

Anyway the highlight was all the lies #45 said last night and because of our favorite site, that wonderful fact check site, here is the highlight of such said lies.

1.Done more for the African American community

Trump said he has “done more for the African American community than any president with the exception of Abraham Lincoln,” noting that “a lot of people agree.”

Facts First: This is false.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, for example, signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act, monumental bills whose impact dwarfed the impact of any legislation Trump has signed.

It’s also worth mentioning that Black people themselves do not, on the whole, agree with Trump's self-assessment. Trump has had a consistently abysmal approval rating with Black citizens — just 4% in one recent Quinnipiac University poll, for example, versus 93% disapproval.

2.About ballots and voting fraud.

"Thousands of them are dumped in dumpsters and when you see ballots with the name Trump — military ballots, from our great military, and they’re dumped in garbage cans,” Trump said in the NBC town hall.

He went on to claim that the “thousands of ballots” were found with “my name on it.”

Facts First: This is false.

There have been two incidents where ballots were found in a dumpster or trash can: 99 ballots heading to voters in New Jersey and nine ballots “incorrectly discarded” by a temporary worker in Pennsylvania. 

3.About Osama bin Laden

Trump had retweeted earlier this week claiming Osama bin Laden was still alive and that the man killed in the raid was a body double.

Trump defended his actions, saying, "That was a retweet. That was an opinion of somebody, and that was a retweet. I'll put it out there. People can decide for themselves. I don't take a position."

Facts First: This is a baseless claim

It has no evidence to back it up. The facts around the killing of bin Laden are not a debatable opinion.

4. About the virus and wearing masks

"Just the other day, they came out with a statement that 85% of the people that wear masks catch it,” Trump said.

It was a repeat of a similar claim he had made two times earlier in the day, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the source for that number.

Facts First: Trump’s claim is false.

A CDC study released in September, did not say that 85% of people who wear masks get infected with coronavirus. In fact, it did not even attempt to figure out what percentage of people who wear a mask get infected with the coronavirus.

In fact he never answered the questions about him getting the virus or if he is actually cleared of it. He never answered the questions of his taxes and why he won't let the American people see them.

He never answered the question about what his health care reform was even though he had 4 years to come up with "A great one, better than Obamacare"

He never addressed the American people and the loss of so many lives, or how so many people are still struggling.

He avoided the questions of police reform and Roe vs Wade or why he was so fast to replace the Supreme Court Justice.

He had no sympathy for what average Americans have been going through or any answers other than praising himself and "What a great job he was doing" Which is what he always does anyway.

This man does not care about us, he wants to divide and conquer. He stirs the shit pot with hate and division not wanting to make America Great again but trying to make America white again. Back to the good ole boys club, where gays were in the closets, women had no rights and where we all weren't considered equal.

This is what this snake charmer has offered to us the last four years and now wants another four years to drive the nail in the coffin for good.

This shows us what he stands for…. lying, cheating, dodging questions and filling the pockets of him and his friends who will profit off his policies. We need change and as much as we may not like the competition, we need this man out of the white house. Haven't we've been embarrassed enough? We need change and we need it now.

We only have 18 days, we must get out there, we must get everyone we know to vote now!

Vote like your life depends on it because it does!

#wearesickofthelies

"Be the change you want to see"

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