#the B in lgbt stands for book

[meowdred]

this is basically what replicant gang is to me

[disneydatass]

Seinfeld || S2E1: “The Ex-Girlfriend” (1991)

[thenonbinarydetective]

Yes, the Hardy Boys Anniversary does fall on the first day of Pride Month.

Yes, this means they are a part of Queer culture

[quotesfrommyreading]

Beyond the roots of Hans’ radicalization, one of the longstanding mysteries surrounding the White Rose was the origin of its name. Though scholars can’t say for certain, many have good reason to believe a banned novel called The White Rose, first published in Germany in 1929, found its way into Hans’ hands. Its left-wing author, who wrote under the pseudonym B. Traven, was most likely an actor and communist revolutionary who used the stage name Ret Marut. He fled from Germany to Mexico following the collapse of the short-lived Bavarian Soviet Republic in 1919.

The reclusive Traven, who had a dozen passports with different aliases, never revealed himself to the public. He wrote at least eight novels in exile before the Nazi takeover in 1933, though only one was a resounding success: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, which inspired the classic 1948 film by John Huston, with Humphrey Bogart as its star. Once the Nazis came to power, Traven’s radical writings were deemed so inimical that his entire oeuvre was tossed onto bonfires. Still, his novels were widely read by members of youth groups like the d.j.1.11. The White Rose may also have been known to Schmorell, Hans’ closest collaborator and a co-founder of the resistance group.

In Traven’s novel, the White Rose is the name of an idealized hacienda, or large estate, where mixed-race mestizo peasants live in harmony until a ruthlessly exploitative American oil executive arrives on the scene. The businessman orders the murder of the village’s illiterate leader, then presents the dead man’s signature on a bill of sale for the oil-rich lands. The local governor tells the villagers he will try to win back their freedom, even though he knows his efforts against the imperialist juggernaut will fail.

This story would have resonated powerfully for Hans and Schmorell as the idea of creating a group to resist the Nazis coalesced in their minds. (Hans was by no means a communist, but Schmorell was decidedly socialist in inclination.) Its rejection of racial prejudice, as well as its denouement, shared a kinship with the spirit and message of the German White Rose. As the governor tells the displaced citizens toward the end of the book:

I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to discover the truth. And I promise you that when I’ve found the truth, the White Rose won’t have been plucked for nothing. If, perhaps, it can never bloom again in all its beauty, it shall certainly not fade away, never. It shall bear fruit that will ripen. And that shall be the beginning of the liberation of the country and its citizens.

When asked about the origins of the “White Rose” name during his Gestapo interrogation on February 20, 1943, Hans offered a rambling response, adding, almost offhandedly, “It is possible that I chose the name on an emotional basis because at the time, I was under the influence of Brentano’s Spanish ballad ‘Die Rosa Blanca.’” This explanation has been widely accepted in Germany. But there are no Spanish romantic ballads by Clemens Brentano of that name.

There was, however, a decidedly romantic poem titled “La Rosa Blanca,” and it was the epigraph to the 1929 and 1931 German editions of Traven’s The White Rose, a leftist, utopian novel about deceit, exploitation and oppression:

Along the edge of the barranca, Bathed daily by the Golden Sun, Caressed by Lady Moon at night, Faithfully blooms the White Rose.

Every day at dawn, The birds sing thy praise; How thou’st bloomed since God created thee, Forever flourish, White Rose.

And though one day I too must wither, White Rose, may’st thou bloom on, And my last life’s breath Will be my farewell kiss to thee.

If, as now seems likely, Traven’s novel was a primary inspiration for the group’s name, why did Hans give the Gestapo such a vacuous explanation? Perhaps he didn’t want the secret police to know he’d been influenced by a communist author. But another intriguing explanation comes to mind. Hans may well have been trying to divert the Gestapo’s attention away from Josef Söhngen, a 47-year-old gay bookseller who secretly nurtured the White Rose by providing a meeting place, a cellar in which to hide the group’s duplicating machine when needed and an endless supply of banned books from his secret cache.

Though other members of the White Rose frequented Söhngen’s bookstore, it was only Hans who became close friends with him. Hans often would turn up outside the door to Söhngen’s apartment late at night, seeking solace through the kind of intensely intimate conversation he almost certainly could not share with others.

  —  Hans and Sophie Scholl Were Once Hitler Youth Leaders. Why Did They Decide to Stand Up to the Nazis?

[tommysparker]

one person asked me to share my thoughts on the Red White & Royal Blue movie and that’s all i need so here you go! spoilers below

Okay so let’s start with the things I did like:

Taylor and Nick had AMAZING chemistry. They did a fantastic job with what they were given and I can genuinely envision them as the book characters. All the cast did a great job.

The scene with Alex and Ellen was so heart touching. As a queer person who’s come out to their parent and not been accepted, I almost started bawling when I saw Ellen holding Alex on the couch and telling him how much she loves and accepts him. It was a beautiful thing to see and I’m so happy we have more of that kind of representation in media; a safe space to come out and be yourself. Also Ellen’s knowledge of all the different labels in the community and her saying “The B in LGBT isn’t silent” is super empowering.

On that note, Alex’s speech at the end about privacy and how it’s your choice to come out (if you want to come out). Again, a very important message for people to hear and understand. Seeing the effects of being outed hopefully will open people’s eyes and we’ll see less pressure for people to come out or label themselves. And also hopefully people will stop butting into celebs lives in general.

To end the short list of things I liked: the bit with the phone calls was done in a clever way. I thought it was pretty cool, although it felt too much like walmart Heartstopper.

Now, on to everything I didn’t like about this movie

The writing was SO. FREAKING. LAZY. 90% of the movie is exposition. All tell no show. They pretty much only payed attention to the sex scenes and even those weren’t very interesting.

THEY CUT SO MANY THINGS. When I heard they cut June and Rafael, I was disappointed but figured it was to save time and they’d combine their stories with Nora/Liam respectively (which is what I heard). To my absolute disappointment, neither was done and on top of that they introduced this new character named Miguel who is nothing more than a jealous ex hookup. Not only that, they erased Alex’s parent’s divorce and Henry’s mother, two very important parts of their character backstories.

Continuing on about things that were cut, pretty much any actual bonding time we see with Henry and Alex in the book was reduced to short one-minute scenes and cheap montages. Instead they were replaced with beats that were 15-seconds too long that were meant to say something but simply didn’t translate properly.

Also, they completely cut out Alex’s whole awakening and immediately jumped to him coming out to Henry when they meet up after their first kiss. I get it made for a cute little haha funny banter moment but COME ON. Part of Alex’s character arc is him coming to terms with who he is after denying it for so long, and seeing that process is so important to show for people who are doing the same.

The movie felt so fast paced. Every ten minutes a new important story beat happened without giving the audience any real time to process whatever happened before that. By the time they were in Paris I had no interest in them “making love” for the first time.

I’m gonna make an example of this before it stands out as the most annoying thing to me still. The museum scene is a masterpiece in the books but on the big screen it’s so…bad. Half of the scene was done in voiceover for no reason (once again going back to exposition) and the other half was so boring I could barely pay attention. And the “history, huh?” moment being a spoken thing between them, as opposed to through email like in the book’s completely erases the basis all of their supporters held onto in the books. All the signs, the t-shirts, the graffiti, the way they did it in the movie makes it so none of that could exist.

I really wish we saw Alex’s side of things when they got exposed, especially the way it effected his mother’s campaign. I wanted to see him he told he’s off the campaign and how badly it hurt him. Instead we got one scene of exposition and a single shot of him gushing abt Henry and saying he misses him.

From a cinematography perspective, there was some very pretty shots that were obviously made to turn into promo posters.

That’s pretty much all I got for now off the top of my head. I’ve been trying to cleanse my brain of the film for the past 4 hours lmao

If you have your own opinions, please share respectfully!! I want to hear what you liked or disliked about this.

[whencartoonsruletheworld]

as a fellow bisexual: wait WHY are ppl mad that lil nas x came out as bi??? what do they think the 'B' in 'LGBT+' stands for?? brownies?? bats? book reading???

people are gonna accuse him of gaybaiting as if he's not like. an actual real human person who is figuring himself out

[gendiebrainrotreceipts]

My local B&N had a small section of LQBTQIA books. At first, I thought it was a typo. But I saw various signs (all different sentences/phrases) that used this acronym in both this section and in the banned books section (as in signs that included "banned for LQBTQIA content"). And it got me fuming! How dare they remove gay from the acroynm!!! What the fuck is wrong with them?!

That’s crazy to hear but tbh I can only think it’s got to be a mistake (they probably made the initial mistake then copied and pasted it without realising?) because what would be the logic in missing it out? I know they like to pretend asexuality etc is just as discriminated against as homosexuality (as seen by the inclusion of the acronym in the first place, rather than just saying gay or lgbt. I can guarantee none of the books are being banned for aphobia), but I can’t see them actively excluding gay people or pretending like books about gay people aren’t banned. Unless the first q (queer I’m assuming) is a stand in for gay…in which case, yes it’s homophobic….not even all gay people are okay w being called queer

Edit: looking at their website, they have the more usual acronym so I’m thinking it probably was a mistake tbh. Or maybe this particular branch was doing its own weird homophobic thing

[mermaidsirennikita]

So I know you’re not watching that show anymore but they recently came out with an article about a possible lgbt storyline later. What would you think about a genderbent Michael?

I think based on things that I've heard that

a) that's the most likely thing to happen if that show has a queer Bton (as in, a member of the Bton family)... like.... if I had to bet $$$ RIGHT NOW, that's what I'd say is gonna happen

b) I fully support it

I think that back when the "omg should a Bton be gay" wars were going on when I watched that show, I said that I was down with any one of them being queer, and I stand by that. And I mean... I think that ANY person who's read that show should realize by now: no matter what they do with "your" couple.... the chances of them really adapting the book closely in any way are out the door post s1. S1 was surprisingly close to the book, tbh. S2 significantly less so, and s3 even less, it appears. So like. Even if they adapted WHWW, which is my favorite book in the series... the chances of it being like the book I enjoyed at all are pretty low. With that logic in mind--like, you might as well give any Bton an entirely new love interest. Because if we're being fuckin' real. The Kate from the show doesn't have a lot of deep things in common with the Kate from the books if we never get into the deep things that affected the Kate from the books. Doesn't mean that she isn't a lovable character; she's just not the same, so if you're not gonna quibble with that, why would you quibble with genderbending?

Like. The Kate from the books had an entire traumatic backstory we never got into because the show.... sucks.

The Penelope from the books never ruined an unwed pregnant woman's life because she was jealous about Colin and his interests.

When the text is that different from the adaptation, you might as well genderbend whoever you want. A random guy named Peter who moonlights as Lord Whistledown has about as much in common with book!Penelope as show!Penelope does.

I say that as someone who like... yeah. I do love book!Michael. I actually really like his book, which is saying something as I'm either "meh" on or dislike 6/8 of those books lmao. I DO NOT REMEMBER what happens in books 7-8. Especially book 8. And that doesn't mean they're bad, it just means that those books by and large made little impact on me, and WHWW sticking out does matter. If I thought this show would actually give WHWW a good adaptation, then maybe I'd be like "aww, I wish I got book!Michael". But I ain't gonna get him either way, so do something cool with it and make it wlw if you want.

Do I think the show will do anything cool with a wlw storyline? lol no because the show is kinda rancid, you know?

So the thing about flipping Michael into a female character is that I don't even think you can call it "WHWW but genderbent". Because that storyline can't be genderbent and be that storyline. Michael's guilt isn't only built in him wanting Francesca when John was alive. It's also built in him inheriting John's title, something women in this show's universe can't do. He's "becoming" John in his mind. (He was also a rake, which I think is also difficult for a woman to be in this universe, but much more plausible.) Francesca's plot drivers also surround her infertility and her desire for children--Michael is very conscious of that, and is basically like "so what the fuck, are you only gonna marry me after I get you pregnant?" Francesca can excuse fucking him out of wedlock because it's like "let's see if he gets me pregnant, and if he does, I mUST marry him, oH NOOOOOOES". Francesca marrying Michael without knowing that she's pregnant with his baby is Francesca making a decision she has avoided making throughout the back half of that novel.

If Francesca's husband dies and she's left a wealthy widow... she can just be with his female cousin, tbh. Like. ON THE LOW. But that shit happened and it was much easier for a widow to be with her female partner as "companions" than it would be for a woman who was never married, right? The central tension of Francesca having to choose to be PUBLICLY with someone the way she'd have to be with Michael is gone, because according to the show's own logic, she can only be with a woman on the low. And that's an interesting story in itself, it's just not the same and it doesn't present the same emotional conflicts.

I say all this to argue that if they do that, they're not so much adapting WHWW as they are replacing it. And if people have a problem with that... Like, dude. It's whatever. They weren't gonna give you the WHWW you wanted anyway. I'm sure many will be up in arms.

And like, as someone who's always been pro "put Benedict with a man" (and I still am) I'll totally acknowledge that Sophie's story is dependent on her being a woman. Genderbending Sophie would change her story to an unrecognizable degree, the same way genderbending Michael's would/will his. But like. I think Benedict's book is shitty, and I think WHWW is not shitty. So to me, it always made sense to just totally change the bad book.

I know people are gonna hate that I just said "go ahead and change it because I think it's bad" but. That's my truth lmao. I have no great logical leap over why I would genderbend An Offer From a Gentleman over When He Was Wicked (if I had to choose) aside from "change the book that sucks, keep the book that is good overall the same with some changes because did Michael have to go to India and did we have to talk about an Indian princess being obsessed with him I think not Julia Quinn".

My IDEAL queer Bton would be Eloise because I think that.... not only does she read as a lesbian to me on the show............ her book is like, the worst, and it could actually be genderflipped while retaining its core, unlike Benedict's book or Francesca's. If SP was a widow with two kids and Eloise went to visit this widow friend and fell in love and they stayed in the country.... I mean, it's still different, but I don't think SP's character arc is necessarily as rooted in gender as Sophie's and Michael's are.

And there's a cynical part of me that says that if they do go with Francesca being queer, it's because they know they're gambling on whether or not they'll get renewed beyond s4, and they're making the Queer Bton the one who's kinda new to the audience and will have a b-plot for s3-s4 versus someone the audience knows, who may have a main love story, like Benedict or Eloise. Like. I see this show giving us a sapphic love story in the background for two seasons and being like "GIVE US OUR FLOWERS". I don't see them centering a sapphic love story as a season-leading romance. Dude, I can barely find a good historical romance novel that centers sapphic women lol.

ALL THAT BEING SAID. I support a queer Francesca. I support any queer Bton. Do I think the (online) fandom will? Meh. Do I think they should just get over this idea that the show is adapting their favorites like they would the books anyway? Yes for sure. THIS IS ALL A DIFFERENT THING. It being a different thing isn't why I'm over it, tbh; it being a bad different thing is the issue.

[side-b-bumblebi]

Side B Steve Rogers headcanons:

Steve had crushes on guys from a young age, but he never realized they were crushes and it confused him why he felt pretty much the same towards men and women. But because he didn't want women to think he was hitting on them out of nowhere, he was shyer around them, so he figured that meant he was perfectly hetero until—nope.

Steve's mother ended up finding out about him being bi. She decided to be a good mentor to him and loved and supported him. That made losing her even harder.

Steve had a crush on Bucky for a time and it wasn't until he got over the crush that he finally came out to Bucky. Bucky was just like, "Bro, I know, did you just realize that??" Bucky keeps Steve's secret faithfully and accepts Steve's choice to stand by his religious beliefs.

Even though Steve is Side B and therefore doesn't have relationships with men for religious reasons, his experiences with being bi have made him vehemently anti-queerphobia. He ended up getting a reputation for standing up for gay soldiers in the military. While some of the soldiers were stuck in their ways, others came to talk to him and educate themselves and became allies to the gay soldiers, even though they were straight. Steve became something of a counselor for gay soldiers during the war — and their biggest ally. The U.S. government didn't dare try anything when Captain America stood up for the little guy. He was the country's darling.

Steve has a green rosary with a little golden crucifix that his mother brought over from Ireland and gave to him. When he misses her or is having a PTSD episode or has fallen back into depression, he pulls it out and kisses the crucifix. It makes him feel closer to her and to God. He keeps it on him at all times. Some days when he feels exhausted and lonely and thinks nobody will understand his being Side B, he gives it a little squeeze and remembers his mom.

One time when Natasha was trying to set Steve up, she jokingly suggested a man. Steve said, "No, but it's nice to see you're picking up on my type." Natasha was confused for months.

Steve is very open about his sexuality at his local church because he knows how much the taboos of the day negatively impacted his mental health. He serves as a mentor to many Side B people not only in his church, but in other churches in the area. He ended up starting a Side B club at his church where they watch movies and eat snacks and read books and discuss their experiences. Steve is proud of being able to give these people what he never had, especially young people since he doesn't want them to be saddled with the years of unlearning toxicity that he was stuck with. But he also finds it's incredibly healing for himself as well. Young LGBT+ people at his church look up to him and often go to him for advice and understanding. He's their biggest hero.

Feel free to add on!! :)

[gaywriting]

Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe book review

Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (2012)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

""All of your instincts, Ari, all of them, tell me something. You love that boy. I think you love him more than you can bear." "I can't. Why are you saying these things?" "Because I can't stand watching all that loneliness that lives inside you. Because I love you, Ari."" (p. 349)

i've owned this book for years but embarressingly enough i didn't get around to reading and finishing it until february 2022. after hearing about it i figured i would like it and i definitely did. i have so many feelings tied to it, so ill try my best to write my thoughts here.

the story follows 15 year old Aristotle Mendoza, an american-mexican boy living in El Paso, Texas, in the 80's. he is the youngest in a sibling group of 4 and basically grew up as a single child. his mother is caring, but carying a deep scar from Ari's brother, who's in jail and Ari has never managed to bond with his emotionally distant father, due to him having been sent to Vietnam before Ari was born. Ari struggles very hard with himself, his family and his place in the universe. then one day during summer vacation, having shut himself off to everything and everyone in his life, he escapes to the local swimming pool, despite not knowing how to swim. here he meets Dante Quintana, a 15 year old american-mexican boy, with an equally special name and a very different world view, and who offers to teach him how to swim. the boys hit it off and quickly become very close friends. soon Ari is forced to face all of his demons and it all starts with Dante.

t h i s b o o k yall... i don't even know where to start asdfdgghjk this book is one of the most beautful stories ive had the pleasure of experiencing. the journey Alire Sáenz pulls us along of Aristotle and his relationship with coming to love himself and his life is such a deeply personal, emotional and wonderful thing to witness. first off this book felt to me like opening up a book an seeing a mirror. many of Ari's struggles are struggles i have experienced in my life as well and rarely have i related so much with a main character in a YA romance book. i was a little hesitant to read it since people were praising it to the moon and back, but honestly sometimes the hype do speak the truth because this book is honestly so good!

some people call this as a romance book, but it would not be the first word i would use to descibe this book (maybe i would do that with the sequel but we'll get to that one next). this book, in my opinion, is a philosophical, coming of age book that shows the reader a family of broken individuals that each have to learn how to deal with the trauma in their life, as well as how to open up and lean on each other. the fact that one of Ari's bigger pushes towards facing himself and his issues is Dante and the blossoming romance between the two is just a plus in my opinion. not every lgbt story needs to be thrown into the romance bucket, where that's all there is to the story, since that's not all there is to life.

Dante is just the sweetest little weed smoking rascal, a boy who feels every single emotion in his body like tenthfold and just wears it all on his sleeve. incapable of telling lies and so sure in himself and his beliefs. his only insecurity is his sexuality, and reading the letters he sends to Ari, about him figuring it all out and when he speaks of how he needs his sibling to be straight, is heartbreaking.

If you want to experience a psychological coming of age lgbt story with two precious boys learning to love and accept themselves and each other, despite the struggle that that life entails, then i c a n n o t recomend this book more. it was honesly one of the best books i read last year, don't let the hype scare you away and give it a try! ❤️

honestly to say im upset that i cant find a way for me to watch the movie is such an understatement. i might be going into it too optimistic and get Super let down, but as far as ive read (avoiding spoilers) people say its good, so the hype is crazy 🍿

[luuurien]

Sam Smith - Gloria

(Pop Soul, Contemporary R&B, Electropop)

Positioning itself as a daring, confident collection of pop songs but possessing none of the charm, lyrical depth, or musical enthusiasm to make that happen, Gloria is Sam Smith cosplaying as pop’s future while desperately appealing to current trends and anodyne pop formulas.

½

I’m not surprised I dislike virtually everything about Gloria, but the most shocking part is just how lifeless Sam Smith is throughout it all. In recent years, their unapologetic embrace of their non-binary identity and inclusion of more direct queer songwriting as opposed to the flat, androgynous love interests of their earliest hits (I’m Not the Only One, Too Good at Goodbyes) has made them one of the biggest names in LGBT representation in the mainstream, but the strength of Smith’s public persona hasn’t nearly kept up with their music, Smith too invested in pop ballad pastiche and appealing to the taste of Billboard charts rather than trying to do anything exciting with their music in step with how they act in the public sphere. And it’s fine if they were interested in simply being a by-the-books pop singer, but Smith has so desperately wanted to be the next Big Pop Statement, marketing themselves as daring new releases even when their songwriting and production remain strikingly indistinct and bland. With Gloria, that’s even more of the case: For all the Rupaul and Paris is Burning samples they include in their songs, Sam Smith is too afraid to actually try something new, sticking to gooey R&B ballads or trying to tap into current trends of afrobeat and hyperpop without any understanding of what’s brought those genres into the zeitgeist. Gloria wants to be everything - it wants to be a liberating statement of queer visibility, it wants to be an emotionally intimate R&B album, it wants to tap into current trends and prove Smith can do more than the standard pop song - and ends up doing virtually nothing as a result. There’s nothing particular Gloria stands for, and when the music is this middle-of-the-road, listening through the entire album becomes a test of patience and your willingness to go more than halfway for Smith’s awkward songwriting to even somewhat succeed. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Gloria is Smith’s songwriting, with one foot in trite attempts to sing about queerness without saying anything new or personal to Smith (“We love who we love / …Holding hands in the street / No need do be discreet”, they sing in the entirely unrewarding finale Who We Love) and one foot in the same anonymous pop of their past (“Babe, I’m not ready to lose you yet / Yeah, I’ve tried but you know I can’t forget” is all they can muster for the chugging dance pop of Lose You), but what all their writing sits atop is the actual music, similarly lacking in anything unique to say even when it’s trying to make a bid for Smith in new genres. Unholy, a song that has now terrorized just about every retail worker and shopping mall sound system in the world, does an incredible job at running the industrial EDM and hyperpop sound of the late-2010s into the grave with ugly and dry saw synths and percussion that couldn’t even shake the weakest speakers (plus an impressively annoying feature from Kim Petras, whose continued work and defense of Dr. Luke along with a hilariously weak output the past few years have made her one of the least interesting rising stars in recent memory), while their attempt at afrobeat on Gimme through a Koffee feature and lifeless beat make it clear that white British people should stay far away from the genre as possible - I guess it’s appreciable Smith is trying new things, but it feels more like they're trying to appease Capitol records than anything else. The other threads of Gloria aren’t much more exciting - there’s their usual R&B jams like Love Me More and No God that are unremarkable if smoothly produced, folksy singer/songwriter cuts How to Cry and Who We Love that are unoriginal at best with their strummed acoustic guitars and overwrought performances, attempts at club oriented dance jams with Lose You and I’m Not Here to Make Friends that are more likely to soundtrack Target shopping aisles and wedding dancefloors - but by trying to make every moment a big one, Gloria never finds a sense of relief, Smith unable to take in the moment when they’re so focused on keeping an image up rather than doing what they want. I can hear the bustling energy of Lose You or the sensual, wah-guitar sexiness of Six Shots, but Smith never leans fully into it, too reserved and vanilla for the many ambitions Gloria wants to achieve it all at once. But on Smith’s writing, it’s not surprising that an album so boxed in with its sound doesn’t have the most engaging songwriting, but even when singing about their identity and personal struggles with queerness and self-acceptance Gloria comes up short. Ironically, the album’s two interludes - Hurting Interlude and Dorothy’s Interlude - have the most interesting things to say of anything here: the former a sound clip from the 1970 pride march in New York City where a man speaks on the inability to open up about heartbreak to family in fear of hatred and homophobia and the latter stuffing a quote from drag queen Divine, Judy Garland’s  Over the Rainbow and a Sylvia Rivera speech into eight seconds that encapsulates different perspectives into a brisk, eight second lead into I’m Not Here to Make Friends. Smith themselves sticks to what they know: the plain self-care platitudes of Love Me More (“Lately, I’ve been trying not to hate myself / …Maybe I am learning how to love me more”), the lonesome anguish of Six Shots that hints at sex more than saying anything about Smith’s relationship to it (“I know how to mix it up / Let your body go with the slow as we grow with the weekend”). It’s all just so boring, Smith achieving relatability by taking almost all personal weight out of the songwriting, singing of their recent growth without giving any deeper insight into it - it’s cool to hear they’re putting themselves first on Perfect, but a chorus like “I'm not perfect, but I'm worth it / I'm not perfect, but I'm workin' on it” has no staying power, nothing to make sharing your time with Smith’s music worth the effort. Sam Smith so clearly wants the same kind of expansive, boundary pushing power as those they idolizes, but they're not willing to be as visually and musically daring as Lady Gaga was back in the early 2010s nor cut as deep into themselves lyrically as someone like Amy Winehouse or Adele, Gloria distinctly lacking in that sharp edge when Smith is either too afraid or prevented by their label to dig deeper. Perhaps the RuPaul sample on I’m Not Here to Make Friends is the clearest explanation of why Gloria fails to be compelling: for many non-queer people, RuPaul’s Drag Race is often their only exposure to any sort of gay culture, the neon lighting and over the top presentation and reality show format appealing to all even it has very little in common with what you might find at your own local drag show, Drag Race so clean and dramatized that so much of the energy and raw power of live drag performance is cast away for broader audience engagement. Much is the same for Gloria, Smith’s stories too padded and production too hyperactive for you to connect with them in any meaningful way. Sam Smith knows what they want to say with Gloria, but they are shockingly afraid to tell those stories without the safety of faceless radio pop to protect them, just as it did for them way back at the beginning. Nothing has changed.

[ursie]

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#5

TT isn’t ableist it’s DC/the editors/ect stop blaming him ok but he wrote these scenes he wrote this dialogue and this is just off the top of my head not even touching the “subtle” ableism woven throughout the run :

⚠️

Major tw for ableism :

See the full post

565 notes - Posted July 2, 2022

#4

Fanon Dick is sm like...I'm not saying Dick needs to be hypercompetent at everything but like a huge point of his character is trying to be because he's incapable of relying on other people a huge thing for him is being able to take care of himself in whatever way he needs to -be that blending in/playing the Wayne game for B, cooking for himself, cleaning up after himself, ect. like it's ooc to act like he can't do any of those things (or that he wouldn't of tried to learn) and no ones saying he's the best at them but fanon needs to learn there's a huge gap between being the best and being incompetent at something. I know everyone's worried about making him a mary sue but genuinely him being perceived as one in universe is an ongoing source of tension to him and his relationships like...main point is like he can cook and doesn't live in a dumpster guys pls read a comic

718 notes - Posted March 11, 2022

#3

Ok so like my thing w Dickbabs/Tom Taylor’s Nightwing is like knowing DC has been under scrutiny for years for ableism specifically surrounding Babs writing-that its hard not to see this book for what it is-It’s literally so insidious they’re literally both physically disabled and not only is it either ignored/brushed aside but they’re actively placating ableists and using this ship to do it like?? Aren’t y’all DickBabs mad for being used like that?? Y’all don’t have standards?? Like it could not be more obvious that it’s a constant here’s DickBabs ignore the fact she’s walking 😭 and the fact it’s coming right after a book where Dick had a reasonably popular new (Black!) love interest whom got written out for DickBabs makes it even worse. The fact that in the book Dick is barely competent and TT consistently relies on cameos and fan service in place of plot..like it’s just a very obvious pattern of appealing to fandom to avoid criticism (and effort tbh) and it’s working it is which is infuriating tbh. Like genuinely this book is the most obvious written from a pure marketing perspective I’ve seen in a while 😭

719 notes - Posted April 22, 2022

#2

See the full post

750 notes - Posted January 26, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I’m not a Depp apologist (I stand w Amber) I would personally kill him if given the chance but I do think pro Amber people need to be careful how they talk about his drug history. He’s not a bad man for being an addict, he’s not a bad man for being sick, he’s a bad man for being a wife beater and otherwise violent bigot of a man-and whilst his consumption of drugs and alcohol is undeniably linked to the abuse it’s important not to link addicts in general to being abusers/aggressors when more often then not people self medicate for reason’s yknow. Idk just watch your phrasing that is all. Other addicts do see how you view and talk about them. (Again I’m not pro Depp again I think he should die)

*ok to reblog no clowning

2,035 notes - Posted June 5, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[vishwal12santosh]

what does lgbt mean

The term "LGBT" stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. It is a widely recognized acronym used to describe a diverse group of people with different sexual orientations and gender identities. Let’s break it down to understand each component better.

What Does "L" Stand For?

L is for Lesbian. A lesbian is a woman who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to other women. This term specifically describes women who love women.

What Does "G" Stand For?

G is for Gay. Gay generally refers to men who are emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to other men. However, it can also be used as an umbrella term for anyone attracted to the same sex, including lesbians.

What Does "B" Stand For?

B is for Bisexual. A bisexual person is someone who is attracted to both men and women. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are attracted to both genders equally or at the same time; attraction can vary greatly from person to person.

What Does "T" Stand For?

T is for Transgender. Transgender individuals are those whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. For instance, a person assigned female at birth might identify and live as a man.

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Expanding the Acronym: LGBTQIA+

While LGBT is a common term, the acronym is often expanded to include more identities, resulting in LGBTQIA+. Here’s what the additional letters stand for:

What Does "Q" Stand For?

Q is for Queer or Questioning. Queer is a broad term that includes anyone who does not identify as heterosexual or cisgender. Questioning refers to individuals who are exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

What Does "I" Stand For?

I is for Intersex. Intersex people are born with physical sex characteristics that don’t fit typical definitions of male or female. This can include variations in chromosomes, hormones, or genitalia.

What Does "A" Stand For?

A is for Asexual. Asexual individuals do not experience sexual attraction to others. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are not interested in romantic relationships; they simply don’t feel sexual attraction.

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What Does the "+" Stand For?

The "+" Signifies More. The plus symbol acknowledges that there are many other sexual orientations and gender identities that are part of the community, including pansexual, non-binary, and genderqueer, among others.

The Importance of Understanding and Respecting LGBT Identities

Promoting Inclusion and Acceptance

Understanding and respecting the LGBT community is crucial for fostering an inclusive and supportive society. Recognizing and validating diverse sexual orientations and gender identities helps combat discrimination and promotes equality.

The Role of Allies

Allies play a significant role in supporting the LGBT community. Being an ally means standing up against discrimination, advocating for equal rights, and creating safe spaces for LGBT individuals.

How Can You Show Support?

Educate Yourself: Learning more about the experiences and challenges faced by LGBT individuals is a great first step. There are many resources available, including books, documentaries, and online articles.

Be an Ally: Stand up against discrimination and support equal rights for all. Use your voice to advocate for change and challenge harmful behaviors or language.

Use Inclusive Language: Respect people’s preferred names and pronouns. Using the correct pronouns is a simple way to show respect and recognition of someone’s identity.

Support LGBT Organizations: Many groups work tirelessly to support LGBT individuals and advocate for their rights. Consider donating to or volunteering with these organizations to make a positive impact.

Also Read: AI Evolution How Intelligent Machines Are Shaping Our World

Celebrating LGBT Pride

The History of Pride

LGBT Pride events are held annually around the world to celebrate the community and its achievements. These events commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969, which were a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBT rights.

Pride Symbols

Symbols like the rainbow flag, created by Gilbert Baker in 1978, represent the diversity and vibrancy of the LGBT community. Each color on the flag has a specific meaning, such as red for life, orange for healing, and so on.

Participating in Pride

Participating in Pride events is a powerful way to show solidarity and support for the LGBT community. These events include parades, festivals, and educational activities that promote awareness and acceptance.

Final Thoughts

The LGBT acronym is a simple yet powerful way to acknowledge the diverse identities within our communities. By understanding and embracing these terms, we contribute to a more inclusive and accepting world for everyone. Whether you are part of the community or an ally, your support and respect make a difference.

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[dustjacketmusings]

Book review: can't stand the heat by Louisa Edwards

Rating: 3 star but that might be high. This book is fairly dated from 2009.

Summary: Sharp tongued food critic Miranda Wake is given one month of full access to chef Adam Temple's new restaurant. This is an opportunity she can't pass up to launch her book career, and one Adam isn't looking forward to. But this is romance, so we know where this is going.

Review: There were parts of this I really liked. The entire tone feels very different from romance published in 2023, but I'm not sure I can fully describe it. It does get straight to the action with very good pacing. The first two chapters set up a drunken confrontation where both parties look stupid. I miss that. Dumb bets to get the ball rolling. It might just be refreshing that it's not trying to be comedic. It's a lighthearted romance but not a rom com, which is more popular now. Either way, I really liked this book from a tonal perspective.

Adam is also a revelation. He's a very interesting hero in that he's not confined to male love interest stereotypes and is allowed to show the full range of human emotion. He does get angry, but it's not often, and his high and low moodstyle is more about him being a chef than a love interest.

Side note, they use the term squee in print and I almost cried laughing.

More concerning is the B plot and how it affects the A plot (Miranda and Adam's romance). This book is trying to be accepting about LGBT people in a heavy handed and casually homophobic way that is very 2009.

Miranda's little brother just moved back in with her, and is a closeted gay man. He pretty immediately strikes up a romance with Adam's sous chef, a kind of skeezy older man who gives off predatory vibes. Her brother, Jess, is above legal age, but there's something about how the sous chef, Frankie, "likes em young" and is attracted to Jess's very innocent face that's just off-putting. Jess is incredibly into it, and their relationship is fine (it's a romance) but it's just weird.

But anyway. A decent amount of this book is Miranda coming to terms with Jess being gay in a way that is fairly homophobic, less so for the time. She responds badly to his initial coming out, accuses Frankie of ruining him, gets mad Adam didn't out her brother against his will, decides to break them up, and more. In the defense of this book, she is wrong about this. She apologizes and knows that her response was overblown. As I said, it's very heavy handed about trying to be accepting. And honestly? Takes up way too much book space. Which is not at all to detract from the giant groveling apology she gives on television that also... outs her brother 🤣. Oh my god. Trying so hard but it misses the point.

Wouldn't recommend reading it unless you're starved for chef romance. The chef parts are truly top notch, I love how they talk about food.

This book was a determined effort to make me regret saying I missed 2000s romance. You know what, there are parts I don't miss.

[sunsbled-archive]

when will people in 2022 learn that if they want to write a subgroup of something they should do research by asking people from said group and not unrelated people who all fall under a huge umbrella term

[brioche-equinox]

im bisexual which means I like girls and howl pendragon