#tales from terf island

[sachermorte]

I went to Canterbury Cathedral and I fear something started moving deep within my blackened, withered heart

It was a weird feeling and I didn't entirely care for it. I don't WANT to feel things

[qqueenofhades]

Can I request a further rant on Alice Albinia's The Britannias please?

Anonymous asked: 'Further rant available upon request' here is my official request.

Aha. You are both prompt and accommodating. And it is my lunch break, so let's do this!

For context, this is the book in question:

This book was recently published, comes highly reviewed and (as I said) has apparently already been longlisted for some prestigious nonfiction writing/women's prizes. I got it from the library the other day and started reading it; I'm about 150 pages in. It has given me an increasing Itch to the point where lo, yes, here I am on Tumblr about to compose a Statement. This may be because of what the book blurb states upfront as its focus and goals:

Trespassing into the past to understand the present, The Britannias uncovers an enduring and subversive mythology of islands ruled by women. Albinia finds female independence woven through Roman colonial reports and Welsh medieval poetry, Restoration utopias and island folk songs. These neglected epics offer fierce feminist countercurrents to mainstream narratives of British identity and shed new light on women's status in the body politic today.

Okay... well. Basically, she wants to write a history of Britain as focused on its islands, which in itself is a perfectly valid thing to do. As she states in the introduction, focusing on the history of a place through its physically and geographically marginalized locations, its relation to the "mainland," the constructions of power and identity, how one resists and influences the other, is all a very interesting thing to do. It's just how she does it that gives me a twitch. Her clearly stated goal is to find a "hidden women's history" wherein these "fierce feminist countercurrents" are allowed to inform and eventually subvert a totally androcentric and oblivious mainstream British history that has apparently prevailed largely unchallenged ever since antiquity, and where the Male Process of History deliberately destroyed and excluded all female contributions. She is somehow, apparently, the first one to notice this and/or put it together.

Now I'll be honest, the Secret Magical Women trope also gives me a twitch wherever it appears, whether in saccharinely self-important historical or fantasy-historical fiction or in this case, attempted historical nonfiction. Albinia's thesis also seems, essentially, directly lifted from Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon fantasy series in the 1980s: the pagan Celtic/British tribes were egalitarian, proto-democratic, female-led and/or female-centric, and the conquering Romans/Christians/Saxons were all virulently misogynist, masculine, authoritarian, and determined to stamp out this wherever it appeared. I have only gotten up to about the year 1000 (it goes chronologically), so I can't speak to what rationales Albinia comes up with for the later centuries, but let me just say: Hmm. It says a lot about the overall style of this book that I read the first 10 pages and then immediately picked up my phone to check Wikipedia and see if she was a TERF. As far as I can tell, fortunately, she isn't, but it does give me the same binary gender-essentialist vibe (men are from Mars, women are from Venus), and yikes. Basically, there are a lot of things going on here, and all of them are Not Good when it comes to the actual practice and investigation of premodern women's history:

First, while Albinia cites a few research articles (via endnotes) and translations of primary sources (thus far, mostly Roman and early medieval) we know nothing about her qualifications for using these sources, how she is comparing and analyzing them, whether they should in fact be taken at face value, whether anyone else has written on these topics (spoiler alert: yes), or why we are supposed to buy her narrative of this Hidden Female History of Britain. For example: she includes several passages from Roman writers discussing (reported) actions or (reported) mythologies of British women or British female-associated places. These are presented as uncritical and general fact, or something which we should apparently assume was really happening as described, even when she (occasionally, and shallowly) points to the issue of using exterior and non-contemporary male writers from far away. Her analysis also does not touch at all on the potential metatextual or political impulses these Roman male writers might have for presenting a freshly conquered imperial territory as corruptly or unacceptably feminine, and whether this correlated at all to an overall real-world practice or belief. Yes, as far as we can tell, the ancient Celts were in some ways more "feminist" than the Romans, in that Roman public culture was deliberately and exclusively masculine and patriarchal and any civic participation by women in other societies would thus appear as more than usual. But that is a whole can of worms for many reasons, none of which are highlighted or dealt with here. (Like... are we even going to talk about how the "Roman standard" for society was itself re-created by the Renaissance and how that shapes Western historical views, or...?)

As I said above, the book completely brushes aside any of the previous existing scholarship on these topics (done, you know, by actual historians) and presents it as Albinia discovering these issues or formulating these arguments for the first time. She does mention a few other people whose work she relies on or who are informing her hypothesis, but several times thus far, this is from the 1920s or some other clearly outdated argument. Nobody in the field is still treating arguments made in the 1920s as au courant, and while I can't say for certain, it reads as her being more able to access older or public-domain work (since more up-to-date publications require institutional access or paying for copies) and doing the equivalent of the people on Wikipedia who cite the 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia for everything: they can get that text for free, so that's what they refer to. Now obviously, we all support uncovering feminist strands of history, doing feminist history, challenging heteronormative or patriarchal narratives, etc. But also, we support doing it well and making some reference to the complexity of it!!!!

Likewise, Albinia is a white British woman whose previous books are based on her time living and traveling in India and Pakistan (both of which are, uh, previously British colonies). I have not read them, so I can't speak to how she treats it, but there's certainly an element of exoticizing them here, and while she does make passing reference to the British Empire's effect on those places, she does a sort of weird inverse here. She obviously knows about the basic facts of empire and colonization, but there's a notable amount of time dedicated to portraying ancient/Celtic Britain as the helpless victim of constantly brutal Roman colonization (she makes a few very brief and offhand references to cultural miscegenation and how this process unfolded in ways apart from violence, but they are clearly secondary to her main thesis of this as a masculine rape analogy). She is very clear about mourning for this "sacred divine [female] Britain" which was then destroyed by the unrelentingly violent and misogynist forces of Roman (cultural/military) and Christian (religious) colonization, and as I said, that is straight up Marion Zimmer Bradley. I haven't gotten past said first 150 pages, but I'm not terribly confident that her historical analysis improves much in the centuries to follow.

The book does have some bright spots: it's well written, it's engaging, she includes some colorful and interesting sociological vignettes about life on the margins of modern Britain, and there are certainly some things she's mentioned that I would like to look into in more depth. But yet again, this is being presented as an Authoritative or Revelatory History deserving of recognition and prizes, when there are real historians who have done so much of this work and in so much better ways. There is very little nuance to her thesis, no context or analysis or critique provided for her sources (yet again: why are we supposed to take Roman men as an authority on British women and why is she presenting them as obvious empirical fact while critiquing all other elements of their system/society?) and some squicky assumptions around gender and empire that really would need to be drawn out and examined in more detail. The Secret Magical [Pagan] Women Erased In History By Brutal Men gimmick is one that got a lot of traction with Philippa Gregory (sidenote: bookstore websites really need to stop recommending me Philippa Gregory for Women's History Month before I do crimes), and has been exasperatingly hard to eradicate ever since. Just to name one, we need to talk a lot more about the gender politics of medieval Christianity, any of the work done on this topic already, or anything else that would complicate her argument beyond the simplistic black-and-white state in which it currently exists. There are plenty of historians who would like to do that! Why don't you give some of THEM a call?!?!

Anyway. There is probably more I could say (and might), but I will leave it here for now. Thank you for the indulgence, etc.

[berylshores]

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

“On the coast of a small island known as Beryl Shores, sleepy ‘town’ Sandborn Moores serves as home for a dedicated few. Yet it can hardly be considered a village with less than 50 residents. Mysteries lurk in the waters, there has to be a reason approaching ships keep sinking and outside danger never seems to befall the coast. Yet none have truly seen the creatures in the depths, for dead men tell no tales.”

// > Hi!! I’m Dex AKA @eternallyoctober, and this blog is dedicated to an ongoing worldbuilding project I’ve been working on, a mer-AU of the FNAF DCA’s. However, I consider this to be kinda separate, sorry if you came here for fnaf-centric content :’)  // > This is sort of a mix of an rp-blog, ask-blog, and art-blog so… do whatever! Asks to and about characters are always open, so please don’t be shy. I’ll also be posting random art and tidbits as this serves as a sort of archive of anything I want to dump. Maybe even some writing tidbits? Open to suggestions and requests, too! 

                                                 ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ Character Introductions - // Moondrop + Sunrise // [More to come.]                                                 ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

// > Please read the below things before interacting ⤵

🌊 ˑ༄ؘ ۪۫۫ - BE AWARE - There is a lot focused on the relationships between the two sirens and Joel, the protagonist, which can be interpreted as romantic, s3xual or platonic. While many acts are traditionally romantic and can even be interpreted as risqué, it is platonic centered. Please refrain from overly sexual asks or comments! 

🌊 ˑ༄ؘ ۪۫۫ - TRIGGER WARNINGS - Violence/mentioned violence and death, possessive behavior, unwanted physical intimacy/touch, emotional abuse and manipulation, etc. this ain’t a relationship guide, so don’t treat it as such, y'all. 

🌊 ˑ༄ؘ ۪۫۫ - DNI - Homophobic/Transphobic, Pedo/“Map”/“No-map”, Zoos, TERFs, Neo-Nazis, NSFW, or anything of the sorts. Also please avoid unconstructive criticism or rude comments, I'm cringe and that's based yada yada

🌊 ˑ༄ؘ ۪۫۫ - OVERALL - Mystery, horror, angst, fluff, it’s all here babey  . also gay fish

thank you <3

[brucefromfamilyguy]

Oh you're a terf too? Every time you post I love you more <3

FULL NAME

Bruce

LAST REPORTED AGE

52

PRIMARY EMPLOYMENT

Clerk of a horror novelty shop in "Chitty Chitty Death Bang"

CPR Teacher in "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire"

A medium in "Petergeist"

A priest in "Boys Do Cry"

A therapist in "Peter's Two Dads"

A lawyer in "Stewie Kills Lois"

A masseuse in "Baby Not On Board"

Bowling alley shoe counterman in "The Splendid Source"

Bartender in "We Love You, Conrad" (DVD exclusive)

Referee in "Baby, You Knock Me Out"

Laser Tag operator in "Forget-Me-Not"

Waste management in "Island Adventure"

Bowling alley desk in "Better Off Meg"

Couples counselor in "Boys & Squirrels"

Bruce is a major recurring character on Family Guy, known for his various jobs.

Bruce rarely appeared at all in the first three seasons of the show, but has become a recurring character since the show returned from cancellation.

He first appeared as the clerk of a horror novelty shop in "Chitty Chitty Death Bang". In "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire", he teaches a CPR course at the Quahog Community Center. His name was first revealed when he appeared as a member of the school board committee of James Woods Regional High School in "No Chris Left Behind". This position was implied when he heard the name change proposal to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial High School sought by Shauna Parks and Brian Griffin in "Peter's Got Woods".

He appear as a Tetris piece in "Prick Up Your Ears" and as a medium in "Petergeist". He worked for Exotic Entertainment.

In "Untitled Griffin Family History", it is revealed he had an African American slave ancestor named Tobi, who spelled his name with several accents, and is seen being whipped by an English colonist.

In "Road to the Multiverse", he performs "It’s A Wonderful Day for Pie" as a parody of Tinker Bell in the Disney-style universe.

He is Peter Griffin's lawyer for his trial in the accused murder of his wife Lois in "Stewie Kills Lois". He calls Jeffrey about Stewie in "Lois Kills Stewie", and about Peter's mustache in "McStroke".

In "Boys Do Cry", he offers communion wafers with wine. He explicitly warns Stewie not to drink the wine.

In "Baby Not On Board", he is a masseuse.

He appeared at O.J. Simpson's welcome party in "The Juice Is Loose", and joins the mob that chases him out of town.

In "Peter's Two Dads", he is the therapist who helps Peter realize that Francis Griffin is not his biological father.

He debates which groceries to leave behind while in the ten items or less line in "Brian Sings and Swings".

It has been hinted that he may be homosexual throughout the series, such as in "McStroke" when a mustachioed Peter walks by. He has a friend named Jeffrey and in "Road to the North Pole", he declares in "All I Really Want For Christmas" that he wants to marry Jeffrey. Seth MacFarlane confirmed Bruce's homosexuality in an interview with LGBT website The Backlot, citing him as an example of a positive gay character on the show.[1]

In "The Splendid Source", it is revealed that he works at the bowling alley, selling rental shoes. He is one of the people to whom the dirty joke is traced. It s revealed he also has a pet rabbit named Steven.

He plays Greedo in Blue Harvest and Admiral Piett in Something, Something, Something, Dark Side.

In "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing", he seems to be the only one who enjoyed the performance of "Guys & Dolls". He also enjoys ginger ale.

He is the announcer of Lois Griffin's boxing match against Deirdre Jackson in "Baby, You Knock Me Out".

He is an alcoholic, participating in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings Peter attends in "Friends of Peter G".

Bruce can be seen as Stewie rides through town under Brian's car in "Family Guy Viewer Mail No. 2".

The uncensored version of "Ratings Guy" includes a scene of Peter getting a haircut from Bruce, who shaves a misshapen, deformed penis into the back of his head. When Peter questions it, Bruce runs out crying, noting that some people have had an accident.

Bruce is teamed up with Bonnie Swanson in the three-legged race in "He's Bla-ack!".

In the courtroom scene in "The Simpsons Guy", the openly gay Bruce is seated next to the closeted gay Waylon Smithers.

Throughout the series, Mike Henry has given certain anthropomorphic creatures such as Jaws and a Xenomorph the same voice as he's given Bruce.

Bruce is revealed to be 52 in "Underage Peter", having told Jeffrey that he was 39.

In "Married...With Cancer", Bruce officiates Brian's wedding and remarks that it's another wedding he has to watch. He makes his intentions of marriage known to Jeffrey who nervously looks away.

Bruce and the Kool-Aid Man swap bodies in "Switch the Flip". He also has a crowd scene cameo in "No Giggity, No Doubt".

Under pressure from his parents Phil & Candy Straight, Bruce proposes to Meg in "Meg's Wedding". She refuses to acknowledge that he's gay at first, but stops the ceremony and admits she's aware after finding pictures in his phone. He is forced to not only confront his parents, but proposes and marries his long-time boyfriend Jeffery.

[troonwolf]

as your local british skeleton, you can always count on me to reinforce how shitty britain is. yes terf island. yes colonisers with a fake royal family actually from germany. yes stolen artefacts from all around the world that they still won’t give back. yes clown country. yes a mythical land not because of tales of knights and kings but because of how mythically shit it is

[my-gf-is-kazuichi-soda]

My first Kazuichi sprite edit. Cinderella's dress pretty much.

From my idea about an AU where Kazuichi could express her autistic comfort interest with fantasy/fairy tale type princesses without having to fit it into a cishet male performative fantasy (in other words, she doesn't have to pretend to wanna date a princess just to gush about them anymore, and she gushes about fairy tale princesses not real ones. So the princess thing is actually separate from Sonia.)

So, it's like Kaz got character development earlier in life and is able to express her gender a bit and the princess thing. She's trans and (for now, this is subject to change) I imagine that she starts off the story where she already calls herself a girl openly and has zero patience explaining it or arguing. Like, she just walks away, especially from Mahiru who I imagine would be annoying as hell about this ("You're a boy and you're just mocking a girl instead of being useful!" Ugh Mahiru and her sexism fucking sucks and she gives off terf vibes to me. Worst danganronpa character imo). I'm still working on all the details of this au in my head.

I can't imagine this in the actual game because the writers are definitely not good at handling queer characters (see: Chihiro), and it would likely change Kaz's role as a comic relief in some ways, so this isn't some kind of "fixit" rewrite it's just fun to imagine this au.

She wears the regular game outfit most of the time but changes into the princess dress for like half of the free time events and some of the in-game events. She was wearing her regular clothes when they got sent to the island, and changed into the dress sometime before you talk to her the first time.

Here's some quotes:

(When asked if she's the Ultimate Princess) "Oh yeah, totally! (laughs) No, I'm not, it's just a funny coincidence we're both here. I haven't actually met her yet, but you're like the fourth person to ask me that. But if you need me to fix anything, I can do that. I'm actually the Ultimate Mechanic."

"Of course this thing has pockets! I sewed them in myself!"

(Mahiru accused her of mocking Sonia). "I'm not mocking her! This doesn't have to do with her! I brought this thing with me before we got here, I just wasn't wearing it yet! And she and I are completely different princesses anyway! Princess...Sonia Whasit? Sonia's a real princess that lives in a real castle, and I'm just - wait, whoops, I don't actually know if she lives in a castle. Are castles still around? I guess she could live in a mansion or something. I don't know jack about real princesses. Maybe I'll ask her about that when I meet her."

[sachermorte]

love when I go through security at VIE and at the point where they have to scan my crutch one of the security agents offers me their blue latex-gloved hand for me to hold onto through the scanner like they're escorting cinderella to the ball

[sachermorte]

got home and literally slept 22 hours with a quick break for laundry. ultimately though 10/10, would do the stupid summer camp with the stupid children again

[sachermorte]

me when I've seen enough

I did generally get some very nice pictures the other day

[sachermorte]

shocked and horrified everyone else with pictures of me wearing all white so you all might as well see it too

I can't really say it entirely suits me but it wasn't a bad look

[sachermorte]

did the stereotypical tourist thing and bought a one of those cord and shell necklaces for four pounds from a shop on the beach. so cringe but I look so cute in it

[sachermorte]

terrible catastrophe presented itself when I learned we were putting on a version of the masked singer for tonight's evening show with all the staff, but the kids already know my voice because of the notorious and possibly infamous careless whisper performance where I got down on my knees on stage while holding the longest ending note known to man that rocketed me up to cult status

was just as quickly solved when the camp director texted me asking me to be the moderator and sing an opener and a closer

I'll be wearing a gold lamé cape and a hideous purple and golden sequined mask and will be making my debut as host of The Masked Singer: [Camp Name Redacted] as my alter ego Roland Royale

[sachermorte]

just sang careless whisper to an auditorium full of teenagers and my coworkers screaming my name and making heart hands at me

[sachermorte]

I've been brutally attacked by some of the girls at camp

I actually like the look very much though

[sachermorte]

lads the tap water is shit I fear

like I didn't fully realize exactly how spoiled I was up until this point but I feel like I'm suckling from some rusted iron teat

I feel like I need my tetanus booster

am I really sure these aren't lead pipes

[sachermorte]

quote from camper after I jumped out of a bush and scared him during ghost run: "oh roland you scary skibidi toilet"