#they're catholic and i'm gonna ACT like it

[iamfitzwilliamdarcy]

ok some more name thoughts:

Carmen Anthony- Carmen can come from two origins-- one of which related to Mount Carmel/Our Lady of Mount Carmel (one of my fave Marian titles! it's her feast day soon :D ) -- she is the Patroness of the Carmelite order and is associated with souls in Purgatory; if they wanted to spell it Carmine for the Italian it would mean red i think, but they didn't spell it that way ; Anthony is the patron saint of lost things (including people!!)

Natalie Rose- Natalie is name reference to the Nativity of Christ-- a birth that changes Everything (the Incarnation) and is also very related to maternity; Rose is a flower obviously, a beautiful flower though it has thorns; but (and here's my EXTREME REACH) it's one I always associate with St Therese de Lisieux, who came from a large loving family

Michael- I don't think his middle name has been said-- Michael means "who is unto like God?" -- St Michael is one of the archangels, the prince of angels-- and very notably a protector/defender

[sweaterkittensahoy]

Stop misappropriating the abuse and trauma cults use through purity culture for your stupid fucking shipping discourse? Holy fuck no wonder everyone hates this whole discourse.

Since when is "priests getting shuffled around after raping kids and kids being told they're sinful because they had bodily reactions to being SAd" comparable to "Bobo the clown said my ship was cringe"

I'm not gonna answer this with The Aristocrats, as a I threatened, because I want to make a very serious point to this anon:

Purity culture isn't just religious abuse. It is most widely connected to religious abuse. Including actions in the Catholic Church and all fundamentalist Christianity. It's entire existence is about terrifying and indoctrinating people into being fearful of their own actions and bodies so that they feel certain that moving out from the "umbrella of safety" (to use a fundamentalist term) will result in them being harmed in ways they can't imagine. This is generally happening at the same time as they are being harmed by those who are supposed to be keeping them safe from all those terrible, worldly evils. Like speaking up when you're being abused. Believing you are not responsible for the actions of a rapist, and many, many other things that any person with an ounce of self-worth and good sense (two things not allowed in fundamentalist circles) knows are true in abuse situations.

But the point of the purity culture as identity in the above-mentioned circles is to teach people from birth that they aren't to have their own feelings, ideas, or instincts. They are only to follow the feelings, ideas, and instincts on the approved list in order to stay within the structures they know and feel safe in even as they feel very unsafe.

That being said:

Purity culture can also exist WITHOUT a religious structure while still being about controlling the thoughts, feelings, and actions of everyone within it. In terms of fandom, purity culture is groups of people stating that if you write something uncomfortable or gross or immoral, then YOU must be uncomfortable or gross or immoral and therefore, not worthy of the safety and moral superiority of the group.

Purity culture without religion teaches black and white thinking, encourages thought policing, and shames anyone who steps outside of a very narrow definition of good and bad by turning an entire group of people against them for being "bad".

Just like in religious circles.

Just like in the cult of fundamentalism.

Purity culture is a term taken by fundamentalists and turned into a whole way of life because the goal of fundamentalism is to make people too scared to leave. Purity culture in fandom does the same thing. It uses fear and threats of abandonment/harassment to control the way people act because a group of people decided they didn't like something, so they must try and wipe it out rather than simply ignore it.

I am not mis-using the term because "Bobo the clown said my ship was cringe." My use of the term is intentional and precise because what is happening in fandom spaces now is non-religious purity culture cult thinking. My use of the term does not invalidate or water down the use of it in conversations about religious abuse and trauma. With or without religion, purity culture is a dangerous cult of "us vs them" that is built to demoralize and eradicate those deemed unworthy.

[suusoh]

mwehehehehehhhhhheheheh... ok .... so my submission would be...

“Oh, to be eaten alive by you?” Johan chuckles quite loudly. a genuine, sardonically genuine chuckle. “What a pleasant way to die.”

(This one was surprisingly softer than I expected lol. Hope you enjoy riribells! Thank you for sending the dialogue prompt!!)

(tw: cannibalism mention ofc lol, slight yandere? catholic joke at the end, other than that, nothing else surprisingly)

Of course.

Of course, those are the exact things that he would say tonight. Though you really should have known better, than to watch some show with him where cannibalism is the central point of the plot. This one's on you honestly.

"Can—" you take a deep breathe before you continue, "can we please just have one, one, peaceful movie night?"

Johan's sitting beside you on your sofa as both of you stay in for your annual friendly movie night, he's seated one space away from you, a small pillow acting as a barrier between you two. He always maintains that polite way of sitting when he comes over, like how one would sit when being a first time guest in a different home.

The only thing being that this is not in fact, his first time spending time with you here at your place. Numerous hang outs already happening within your humble abode, so maybe it's just your friend's general knack for good posture and deportment.

"Is there something wrong with what I've told you?"

He replies with a slight tilt to his head. You can't tell if it's from feigned or genuine confusion.

Your mouth just silently hangs open in a little 'o' shape. Thinking for a few seconds how you should even respond to that.

"Oh I don't know; the part where we're talking about cannibalism, the part where it's me specifically eating you, or the part where you find it a 'pleasant way to die' as you put it so nicely"

A small smile tugs on his lips.

He always smiles at you when seeing you react. Not in a way that's condescending (sometimes), but out of almost... genuine enjoyment. It didn't matter which approach you took.

Sarcastic or honest, nervous or nonchalant, bantering or silence. it was all the same to him: a front row view to you.

"I'm simply in topic. Are you telling me it's not normal, for people to discuss their thoughts and what they would do in the character's situation, while watching a show or movie?"

He's got you there you gotta admit. But still.

"Are we not even going to dissect your confession?"

"By all means." He nods.

His slight intrigue and the subtle excitement in his posture doesn't go unnoticed by you. You'll brush it off for now, another instance added to your growing personal collection of brushing off Johan's behaviour whenever he's acting kinda odd.

"...Actually, nevermind. I don't know where to begin with this. I'm just gonna not... talk... or think about it anymore."

You huff and lean back on the sofa again. His comment is out of pocket, sure, but you'll just let it go for now. Not really something worth making a big deal over. It's just another case of Johan being, well, Johan. And as he said, it's just harmless talk about what they're watching right now.

He watches you slump. He wants keep up this conversation, but he'll let you have your peace for now.

"Oh, alright then. Should I resume the show? We were— "

"— oh waaaaait wait wait wait a moment... did you say alive?"

You shoot up again. Eyes wide and brows furrowing. You know you look so cartoonishly shocked at him. You don't care. You are shocked. Why hide it?

"Hm, alive, yes. That's what I told you. Do you find this an issue?"

"You are alive in this theoretical cannibalism scenario with me. You are watching it unfold. You are breathing, you are conscious, you are awake, you are whatever else word similar with all those!"

Johan doesn't even move from his position. Still sitting and looking at you all politely. He is amused though.

"Should I not watch it all unfold? I'm sure it would be a pleasant sight..." his eyes look down and to the side as he revisits on some past thoughts. You see what almost looks like affection reflecting inside of it and you don't know how to feel about that. His eyes then return to you, holding his soft gaze with yours.

"I wouldn't mind. I'll even guide you through it."

"you'll... guide... me... through-"

you give up. You're done.

Exasperated groan leaving you as slump and deflate into the sofa . Mind too tired to fully talk about this right now. You grab the pillows near you and stack it around your head to aid in muffling out whatever word Johan says next.

You swear at this point, anything he says just gets progressively worse and worse. Baffling you more than cluing you in.

You enjoy the peace and darkness of your little soundproof world. There's bit of shifting on the sofa, then one by one, the pillows slowly move their way out of your face. He removes the last one, revealing you to the sight of Johan looking over you curiously.

"You know..." he puts the last pillow gently under the base of your head, "... all I'm saying is, just like the characters in the show, if there were truly no presence of food at all, absolutely nothing, and you were starving to the point of dying..."

He lightly pats your head.

"I think it would be a waste to not use my flesh for sustenance. There's nothing bad about it in the situation. Did you know that the people in the Andes mountain plane crash made a pact to their friends, that in the event one of them dies, they want their body to be consumed, in order for the others to keep on living?"

He smiles softly at that and something fills your chest with a slight warmth upon hearing his intentions. His explanation on the matter does make it seem a bit more pragmatic in a survival situation, not to mention it oddly has a sense of camaraderie to it.

"Well that's... very thoughtful of you then." You quirk a brow at him. Playful laugh almost bubbling out of your lips.

"Mhm. The reason I say 'alive'... well, I doubt you'd be able to do it without me instructing you. You'd be a blubbering crying mess while making all the wrong cuts, and I'd have bled out for nothing." He flicks your forehead.

"Hey!"

"Am I wrong?" he follows up by soothingly rubbing the spot where he flicked you.

"If just the mere thought of eating someone who willingly gives up their flesh for you to consume gets you this worried already... I wonder how you'll even be able to fare when you have to do the real thing."

You roll your eyes at him and swat his hand away.

"You're expecting me to act like that's the easiest thing on earth: eating the blood and body of a person you hold dear to you. I can't be normal about that, Johan!"

Johan can feel his finger twitch slightly. He stills himself impassive. How you effortlessly called him a person "dear" to you. Said with so little thought, and yet so undeniably genuine.

He thinks the notion odd, and nearly baseless. He's even sure at one point in his life he'd think you naive for that. But then again, he doesn't blame you. He does present himself as a friend to you... in fact, it's all he's ever been doing with you so far. Surprisingly. Also he did quite literally confess to letting you consume his flesh for your own benefit.

Not that he won't be getting his own benefits in that scenario.

With each bite you'll take, he gets to see parts of himself sustaining you, filling you, going inside of you and eventually being absorbed.

You'll swallow him, and he'd be so deeply ingrained by you at that point that you can't deny that he would be the blood running in your veins, he would be the branches in your lungs making you breathe, the ghost of him living within you, squeezing and squeezing your heart each second to pump it, as he lets you live another day.

He is inside of you;

mentally and physically.

Of course, the sight of you in tears and covered in his blood is just another adorably lovely cherry on top, but he won't tell you that. Saving all those intimate details for himself, preferably when he's alone.

...eating the blood and body of a person you hold dear. I can't be normal about that, Johan!

He chuckles softly. Patting your head again.

"Well, you obviously haven't seen Catholics. If they can do it, so can you."

[animentality]

the funny thing about the Black Butler revival is that Sebaciel is taking a lot of heat right now, here in the year of our lord and savior 2024, in which all ships are problematic and toxic.

because it's a pedo ship.

which is the most perfect low hanging fruit in all of anti existence.

but like, Sebaciel is really a microcosm of pro vs anti ship discourse in general, right?

everyone insists oh you like Sebaciel? you must be a pedophile... while totally ignoring that a lot of fucking teenage girls read Black Butler and imagine themselves AS CIEL. they have a crush on SEBASTIAN.

that's why they ship them. they're not generally lusting for the minor, they're imagining themselves as the minor, being MINORS themselves, and have crushes on the suave sexy demon guy... because that's literally budding adolescence in a nut shell.

Sure there are people who lust for ciel... but it's a fucking shonen. it's for teens.

Teens are allowed to have fucking crushes on Ciel and Naruto and Ichigo. They're also allowed to have crushes on adults, WHO ARE NOT REAL and can't return their affections or hurt them in literally any way other than fictional related trauma.

is it really that shocking that teens are projecting themselves on/lusting for the fucking kid protagonists? you know, like they're generally going to do??? because they're hormonal but also bc it's very normal for humans to have goddamn crushes on human shaped (and less human shaped) things???

and is it really that shocking that teens girls would lust after Sebastian?

are you telling them they can't do that, and then also ship their little self insert goth child with the object of their affection?

and also.

ALSO.

the harder thing for these people to swallow...

fucking adults can ship anything they want too.

literally who gives a fuck

just shipping a problematic age difference ship doesn't make you anything at all.

being an asshole in fandom spaces does, like harassing people for shipping or not shipping Sebaciel, sending death threats, doxing, whatever, but just the act of jerking it to Sebaciel fanfics, or writing them for yourself and friends, is not a goddamn crime.

nor is it anything other than a Catholic sin.

so I'm laughing at the modern discourse, as angry adults and teens try to cancel Sebaciel.

tale as old as time. but also Sebaciel is the fucking OG.

The og of queerbait shotacon nonsense.

you weren't gonna stop people in 2008, you won't stop them now.

just hang out in your own space and leave other people alone.

also just fyi. I don't ship this.

I ship toxic old man yaoi.

but I'm rolling my eyes and slapping you if I see you in the wild insisting a Sebaciel artist is a pedophile guilty of a real crime in real life.

get some fucking perspective.

[mongeese]

I'm not involving myself in the arguments again, but ep 1 Carol snaps that she "always knew Darryl would do something like this one day" and had a larger reaction to the car crashing than (her phrasing) "losing the kid".

So that's why the initial impression of Carol is that she is mean, and Matt's later dad facts + Darryl referencing Carol calling him fat and Darryl hiding his hobbies from her give a certain impression to people.

I do not care about discourse that happened probably years ago because it simply doesn't matter but I AM a defender of fictional women so I'm gonna reply to this. Know that any bitchiness in this post is not directed toward you specifically anon but rather it is directed toward general misogynistic fandom culture (which is rampant).

First point, Carol snapping at Darryl: obviously that's an imperfect reaction, but she's also just had the bombshell dropped on her that her husband crashed their car and lost their son. I think I can forgive her some anger in this moment. There's also probably built up resentment toward Darryl being expressed in this conversation, because she's falling out of love with him and he is the exact opposite of emotionally intelligent and I'm sure communication has been deteriorating between them for a while. Not ideal, but I can't particularly fault her for it. Also, literally in the same conversation, Darryl asks Carol to ask Darnell about the plays he emailed him, while his son is missing, which suggests that he is not always the most responsible! Perhaps giving some credence to her statement!

Reading the transcript, she didn't have a larger reaction to denting the hood of the car. Darryl said it last and she processed it first, but immediately after she began berating him much more intensely about losing their son. Which, again, is cruel but also understandable, given that in her mind there's no explanation for how he could've lost track of Grant other than gross negligence.

Gonna be honest and say I remember nothing about the context of Carol calling Darryl fat. I'd assume it was either a bit of a mean joke that Darryl took very personally bc his self esteem is in the gutter, or her saying he should lose weight. Neither is good, and I won't defend them, but also, compared to all the other shit characters do in the podcast? So tame.

Darryl hides everything from everyone. That's like, the core of his character. It's entirely possible that any hobbies he hides from Carol is simply because he's ashamed of them for catholic guilt/toxic masculinity/general weird repression paranoia reasons, and not because of anything she said or did.

Ultimately this is a pointless exercise because even if all those things WERE as bad as people make them out to be, I'd still be a Carol defender, because all 4 of the dads canonically do things which are way worse. Glen in particular is undeniably a shitty person (at least until 2/3 through the podcast, where I'm at right now), and Ron isn't much better. Yet they're both fan favorites. Why are they given the grace to make mistakes and be mean and thoughtless and flawed and still be liked, but Carol is hated? Could it, mayhaps, have something to do with the fact that they are men? And thus their shitty behavior is fine, because they're oh-so deep, but clearly CAROL doesn't have that depth, because she's just a woman, and she should be more understanding, and motherly, and caring, etc etc.

Like. I'm just fucking begging people in fandom spaces to have an ounce of self awareness and think about why, maybe, you're so ready to hate the female characters who don't act nice all the time, but you love the flawed tragic backstory men? What dominant power structure and social conditioning could be at work here? You are not immune to internalized misogyny (yes, even if you're a woman)

[tokoyamisstuff]

gn! Reader | general NSFW warning | not proofread

Poor guy has to keep up with enhanced humans and literal monsters😭

But I think he's fairly skilled, especially with his hands...👀 plus he's a master at massage even without an ulterior motive hehe.

It's hard to define how religious he truly is. While he does believe in god, he sees the Vatican as means to his goal more than anything. But he tends to bend the faith's rule to his will, due to his childhood trauma doing anything outside of wedlock is a no-go for him. Expect to be dragged in front of the altar before even thinking to get naughty, and even then he's adamant to always use protection.

I think if youre one oft the few if not the only person he truly cares about he's gonna be very clingy. Not upfront, not in a romantic way that would make him seem vulnerable, but he'd definetly tryna find excuses to keep you at his side.

Sex is his way of telling you things he's unable to put into words. That's also the reason he's very touchy and ready to sleep with you at any time. Years of loneliness made him needy and starved for affection, preferable the physical kind, since this kind of intimacy comes easier to him.

Let's be fr this guy is pathetic, I just know he cries afterwards. Hey, at least now you know how to get him to open up.

Is into cockwarming for similar reasons. It makes him feel as close as possible to you to be buried inside as if you were made just for him. Does it even without being in the mood, the sensation is just somewhat comforting, reminding him you're there.

Is pretty selfish during the act, but lucky for you he's great at fore- and afterplay, so you definetly get your fill either way.

Has a severe degradation kink, wanting to show authority to make up for his inferiority complex. He'd never do anything off your limits, but damn he does indulge in humiliating you. Damn he can get rough, sending vile insults your way while forcing his cock down your throat like you're some kind of toy.

Into cum-play as well. No matter where, chest, mouth, belly, gushing out your hole...he loves to see you ruined with his seed. Tends to stuff it back into your mouth/entrance. If you swallow it while looking him in the eye, he'll instantly be ready for round two.

Does a 180 after he's finished though. Will shower you in apologies and compliments while kissing any inch of skin he can reach.

Sadly he's a busy man and his work always comes first, but he'll find ways to make up for it. Is surprisingly good at sexting and keeps a lot of indecent photos of you hidden on his phone. Snaps them whenever you look especially enticing during the act, and is eager to record videos too if you approve.

Phone-sex with this man is surely pleasant, to hear him whisper orders and other profanities in his smooth voice. Gosh.

Likes to have keepsakes from you while away longer, for example one of your panties. Keeps it in his pocket and lets his fingers run through it whenever he thinks of you. No need to tell you what he does with it when he misses you to much, dirty guy.

Definetly able to multitask. Get used to him being mentally absent while still fucking you stupid easily. Takes you from behind and suddenly puts a piece of paper on your back to write down a note for his sermon or something lmao.

Does buy you new outfits or toys to try out regulary.

Is pretty upfront about this forbidden affair in general. Corruption at the catholic church runs deep, and he is a very influental man. So he can basically do whatever he wants and no one dares punishing or even calling him out.

Also loves the thrill of public sex, especially when you suck him off during meetings. I'm pretty sure half of the attendees know you're there but they're too scared/shocked/embarassed to say something. I seriously think at some point he'd just grab you by the hair and continues to fuck you on the table while continuing the meeting as if it was nothing. After all, he likes showing off what he owns...they shouldn't stare at you too much, though, if they want to keep living.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for vaguely coming out to my boyfriend's aunt at Thanksgiving?

As you can probably guess my bf and I are a gay couple. There was a mostly unspoken - just bc it didn't need to be spoken - agreement that we'd be acting like we were just good friends at his family's Thanksgiving bc they're Catholic and he's generally just not ready to be out.

It was just me, him, his parents, and his visiting aunt... who was decidedly very butch. Like undeniably. There's the standard old-lady-with-short-hair look but then there was this genuinely bulky rural woman who is unmarried at 60, never had kids, and outright told me that her friends essentially called her a masc name AND that she was here instead of home bc the "close friend" she usually spends holidays with passed away this year. It all just added up like crazy. Idk if my bf's parents have put it together themselves and/or if they just ignore it or what, and actually even my bf denied it when I first brought it up but I think he's just struggling to reconcile his upbringing with who he is and whatnot.

Anyway, that last part about the aunt's likely partner was during a private moment between the two of us, and it really sealed it for me. I started to offer condolensces and she immediately changed the subject to ask about the "close friendship" between me and my bf-- plausibly innocently, but I just felt it was right and I more or less confessed to her that I had really strong feelings for him.

And that's ALL i confessed. I didn't actually say we were dating. I just alluded strongly to the like, "we are the same" type vibes and that her nephew is like, my dream man. I didn't imply anything about his sexuality. For all she knows, I have unrequited feelings for him or something. And I know she's definitely gay herself now with how she reacted, AND she made it pretty clear she wasn't gonna tell her brother or his wife. She's chill.

So the issue is that I recently told my bf about this, knowing he would at least be upset that I didn't tell him sooner. And I'm totally ready to accept the flack for being a coward about the honestly on that part. I figured he really ought to know about his aunt, if nothing else. But he's also upset that I said anything to her of that nature at all. He insists it's the principle of the thing, that the lack of consequences mean nothing and that I should have just assumed the worst and been more careful, etc. And like, I did feel a little bad about my big fucking mouth in the moment, but ultimately it felt like a nice and important moment of connection. But WAS I the asshole for not being more careful? Like really?

What are these acronyms?

[gepgep2]

But I decided to become an anthropologist and I ended up going to Madagascar for one reason or another, and through sheer coincidence kind of, I stumbled into a place where the state had in fact disappeared. I was living in an anarchist society. But the fascinating thing is it took me a while to figure it out. People didn't warn me at first.

So I went off and I was in a small town but, the town was like an hour's drive out of the capital. It's hardly like out in the boonies anywhere and there was government offices, there were people in the government offices typing things, there was a police station, various other state facilities, so it would seem obvious there was a government here. But as time went on I realized there was something kinda weird going on here. Actually I think what gave it away is I heard the story about this guy named Enri, he was this enormous scary guy who was either insane or pretending to be insane. People seemed to have mixed opinions on this one. But all agreed that he was terrible- he's violent, he'd beat people up, sexual assault, steal things. So eventually people thought something needed to be done about this guy, and this is the town of 10,000 people right. And as I learned, there seems to be this basic principle in Madagascar that if you want to lynch someone you have to get their parents permission first. If you think about it, it makes sure it really doesn't happen very often. And if it does, there's probably a very good reason.

Basically it's a way of ensuring that like, your dad or your mom can go up to you and say 'Look, you really need to clean up your act- I don't know how much longer I can front for you here.'

So after about three tries his father said 'To hell with it. You're right, the guy's crazy.' They came at him with agricultural implements, he was injured and immediately ran into the local Catholic Church and demanded sanctuary- said 'Help! Help! I'm being persecuted because I'm mentally ill.' The priest eventually loaded him in the back of a van and took him off to a insane asylum, where they kicked him out three days later for beating up the other patients, but he never came back so it kinda worked out.

Be this as it may, when I was hearing this story I was thinking 'Wait a minute... there's like a police station right over there. Why didn't they do something about it?'

They were like 'Yeah, but have you seen Enri? He's enormous! They don't wanna fight him.'

'They have guns!'

'But they're not gonna shoot him, I mean come on.'

So there was this idea that it really wasn't any of their business. Eventually I figured out the police basically were there to keep the highway open. And they wouldn't go off the paved road. So what this meant is like, unless you're actually in the town itself, first of all nobody was paying any taxes, police would not come. Even in the town they wouldn't do much. But the fascinating thing was they set it up in such a way that you wouldn't know until you've lived there for a while that there was no state operative in this area. Because there are people who seem to work for the government. Later I learned that they weren't really being paid and they even had to buy their own paper to fill out forms because the government was basically providing nothing. But they were keeping up appearances.

There's a sort of traditional mode of resistance, I mean Malagasy are masters of passive resistance. Under the French colonial period for example they were trying this sort of thing. the basic approach is like, if somebody shows up and wants you to do something you really don't want to do, the first line of defense is: be nice to them, give them coffee, agree with everything they say, when they go away pretend the incident never happened. 'What? What guy? No, nobody came through telling us anything.'

And there's layer on layer of defenses these guys have developed. and it didn't work that well under the French, suddenly when the French government went away it was working better and better. The IMF was basically cutting the budget. They just simply cut police to the rural area, they figured people are running their own affairs anyway. They werent getting any taxes out out of them to speak of even before that. What eventually happens is the government effectively dissolved but they were still playing this game: this sort of like, tacit deal- we will never embarrass you, and make you feel like you're an important person who has authority, as long as you don't actually try to exercise it in any way. So everybody was playing along with this illusion of a state that didn't actually exist.

So it was an interesting test case in a lot of ways, in fact I find it a very compelling argument to use for people. Again one of the most common arguments against anarchism is that, well you can't get rid of police because people will just start killing each other. Just considered self-evident. No evidence needs to be produced. Well, actually no. This can be empirically tested and that doesn't happen. There was a case- police went away and nobody killed each other, any more than they did before, which isn't very much. And I think there's many places in the world like this by the way, where states have disappeared but we don't know because sometimes, if you are a rebel, you realize that the stupidest thing you could possibly do would be to put up a flag and say 'Hahaha! I am a rebel! We are autonomous now!'

For every case like Somalia which you hear about because there's violence, there's probably a dozen like Madagascar where nobody even knows.

It makes you think. What is it about living under a state, under someone else's authority, under the constant threat of violence if you break the rules, that actually causes behavior that makes it seem self-evident that people would behave violently if there wasn't such structures? Because in fact, if there aren't such structures, that's not how [people] act.

So there I was in Madagascar. I come back, I get a job teaching at Yale. one day I walk out of class and there's a newspaper box that says martial law declared in Seattle. And soon enough I discovered that the sort of social movement that I'd always kind of wished would exist, but didn't, actually had formed during the time that I wasn't paying attention. My immediate reaction is like great, where do I join?

So I got involved in the direct action network in New York and there are two things that really surprised me and which I've been trying to think about how to deal with ever since.

People were trying to develop this model of consensus-based direct democracy which although we identify it with the anarchist tradition, comes out of feminism just as much or more. Anarchists really adopted it because it's the type of process that could work in a society without coercive enforcement of decisions.

And it was a wonderful thing for me, but I suddenly realized that, that is what people were doing, that's how decisions had traditionally been made in Madagascar for thousand years probably.

And one reason I hadn't been completely able to understand what I was seeing when people did that at the time was, it was so natural to people that nobody really talked about it. It was just the way you do things. Whereas Americans even though we thought we live in a democratic society, how many of us have really had any experience sitting down with a whole bunch of people making a collective decision on an egalitarian basis? Maybe when we're ordering pizza.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Icrh7S9l8

[detectivebambam]

choose violence ask game for aftg🥳

the character everyone gets wrong

screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

worst part of canon (no explanation for this needed)

worst part of fanon (or this becuase I'll cry if it's smth I love and u don't like it)

the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them (AARON MY POOKIE)

that one thing you see in fics all the time

you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

ship you've unwillingly come around to

topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like...

I figured it would make life easier for u if i js write the whole thing becuase j can't be bothered to remember all the numbers and I think you'd be bothered to constantly check them too

ty for writing them out. I'm gonna try my best to answer these differently than last time

probably Jean. he's not a soft little cinnamon roll he's a bitch

that Andreil would fall into a cycle of domestic abuse because Andrew would hit Neil and Neil would be too scared to fight back???? wtf are you yapping about

again, Thea 😔 but she's one of my favs it's okay

I've seen some people who actually think Andrew is emotionless and like... did we read the same books? did you like fall asleep reading or something like what happened

again, I've gotta go with Thea and Kevin turning their daughter into a Raven

people making scars and trauma aesthetic. it's not. it's ugly and awful and it needs to stay that way

Aaron ofc 🤭 people don't seem to comprehend that the way you are raised is going to affect the way you behave. like Tilda is Luther's sister so most likely she was pretty homophobic too, Aaron is getting better, he just doesn't know where to start

"Andreil's first time" and they're like 30. be so real. they're in college, let them be horny teenagers. it's okay

fuckin,,,, Ichirou x Neil?? or Renee x Riko. i guess it's not a lot of people and it's most likely crack shipping but.... ????

Kandreil lol

probably anything that Nora says about her own fucking story that belongs to her???

"poorly written" shut up you dumb bitch go back to English class

no guilty pleasures I'm not Catholic

tysm for the ask bestie boo

[tododeku-or-bust]

Gonna start out with im white but tbh thats probably obvious so like. You rbed an interview about Miles G's hair and ive been wondering

Are there specific stereotypes to certain black hairstyles? Im curious bc i do character design a lot, and tbh ive always thought the double braids was a really cool look, are there implications to it? Or is it just regular racism from nonblack people that make some view it as "thug" as opposed to just a normal hairstyle.

Like when i was little i used to have my hair like that all the time, and i still do it sometimes bc its really good for hot weather, so i kinda associate it more with beating the heat/good hairstyle for when you're gonna get sweaty than anything else lol

🤣 it tis obvious, but I'm gonna answer this for you and anyone else who wants to start looking into it bc yes this is very important. So let's talk about it!

(this became a history lesson I did not mean to give lmaoooo)

The CROWN Act

PBS Transcript- How Hair Discrimination impacts Black Americans...

So first, to be frank: it's Racism. Understand that this shit is rooted in White Supremacy towards any nonwhite hair. I'm also approaching this from a Black American standpoint. While I won't be discussing their perspective bc it's better for one of them to do it, Native Americans also have a long history of White society forcing them to cut their hair, regardless of the religious/spiritual/symbolic importance. It, and its damage, lasts til today. And head wraps? Psht almost all of Brown America has a story.

In the beginning, they had enslaved Black women (and then through Jim Crow) cover their hair altogether. It was somehow seen as a way to protect property, then to call our hair ugly and an affront to whiteness, and yet a Jezebel lure for White men to sin (i.e. rape Black women, but White women didn't think that was possible so it HAD to be that concubine!!) This perception lasts to this day. Later, it turned into Assimilation or die- hair presses and conks to better meet white beauty standards. Being proud of our afros and natural hair had a revival in the 60s and 70s, and (this is subjective) i noticed it again in the 2010s with women and natural hair.

To present: You gotta realize that having afros, cornrows, braids, and locs is enough to get Black kids kicked out of some schools and extracurriculars. An entire education or valuable experience, and you cant have it bc of the hair that grows out your head. One of the saddest videos I've ever seen was when they forced a Black teen to cut off his locs (i.e. they held him there, looking miserable, as they sheared off his hair) in order to compete in a wrestling tournament, and all the white people in that place did was watch. No one stood up for him, as he sat there getting handled like property (bc his Black body was bringing them wins but his hair was just TOO MUCH 🙄 but that's a whole Convo about Blackness, Whiteness, and Sports).

My brother went to Catholic school and they basically said he couldn't grow his hair out. None of the looks we ascribe to our culture were allowed. The girls, unless it was flat ironed (to replicate whiteness), couldn't have long braids. Certainly no locs. Meanwhile, white girls can grow their hair out as long as the sun is old, and it's treated like innocent, beautiful youth.

And this lasts into adulthood with jobs! Bc that socialization, the idea that some hair is better than others, LASTS. A newslady just took her wig off to reveal her locs on camera, after hiding it for a decade because of public perceptions. The idea that if I have locs, oh they must be dirty (they're not), so they don't care about their physical appearance and we can't hire them. Like when that old white woman said that Zendaya's faux locs probably smelled like patchouli- that was an assessment purely made on stereotype.

This is also why we get so annoyed when white people- white women in particular- wear their hair in these styles. It's usually associated with "being edgy, being rebellious and older" (i.e., bc being a Black girl is so far from what you're supposed to be as a White girl, it's not innocent or valuable, it's dangerous and it makes everyone notice you) and as soon as they're done, it's back to Mother Mary of Whiteness. It's how cornrows and braids on Black and Latino men (or both, like Miles and Miles G!) are misperceived as gang or hood shit, but a kpop rapper will get them poorly done and it's 'cool' 🙄 it's White men with dreads (I refuse to ever call them locs bc they are NOT) who think they're in their "hippie/fight the power phase" cut them when it's "time to be respectable", but when a Black man with nice locs has them already he's suspicious.

You're basically saying that being Me/Black is a trashy, edgy phase that will never succeed, but it's cool for when you wanna feel Different!

*it's also why it pisses me off in fandom spaces when people refuse to give brown characters their hair texture (or whitewash at all!). It's a statement, that "good hair" is White, and "not good/aesthetic hair" is Black. You might not think that's what you're saying, but it's what you're saying, and every Black viewer of your art can hear it loud and clear. So if you're a character designer, put some thought behind and give your Black characters their features. It'll make you a better artist and a better person.

Anyway, to come back full circle to your question: as far as I'm aware, no, there's no "bad implications" of Miles G or his braids. Nothing we wear on our head is inherently bad, just like him. But bc we've all been raised in White society to unconsciously and consciously associate certain stereotypes with these looks, Black and Brown viewers of ATSV were quite worried that that statement was being made. It was nice to hear that it wasn't.

[folklore-barnes]

Things I wish Grotesquerie would've done different✝️

It's been a while since I've posted anything Grotesquerie related. After the season finale I kinda stayed away for a bit, from the fandom and anything about the show in general, until yesterday. And if I'm honest, I think it's because I was a little disappointed with the season finale. I didn't want to admit it, but I think I really was and still am a bit disappointed. I think it was great, I feel like it really sets the scene for season 2, and it makes me excited for the next season. But I had all these theories and expectations that I really thought I was gonna get right. It's funny because I don't really theorize much with shows or movies, I kinda just go with the flow, but the vibe with Grotesquerie was just so different, it genuinely felt like anything could happen, so I dared to dream and was disappointed when I realized I probably aimed a little too high... or maybe I didn't 'cause the show is only getting started, who truly knows?

Now that it's been a few days since season 1 ended, I've been able to think about the show with a sorta cooler head and I feel like I am able to share my opinions more accurately, and in this post in particular I wanna talk about some of the things that I wish the writers would've done differently.

For starters, I wish the coma storyline never happened, or if it did, I wish it would've been different.

That episode when we find out that it was Lois' coma dream all along was one of THE best episodes of the show. The acting, the score, the way the plot unfolds, the twist, the surprise when we find out everyone is different from who they are in the dream; it was everything you could've hoped for, and it was very well done. But, I feel like there were many things about the dream that were so good, and it would've been better if they were a part of reality as well. Because although the twist was great, afterwards, the show felt kinda regular. And maybe that's why the last episodes were a little harder to watch. Because for example, you had this unconventional nun who is a journalist for a Catholic newspaper; she loves gore and true crime, drinks alcohol, has a crush on her priest, and is a theology genius. You pair her up with an alcoholic detective, who, despite her problem, is the best at her job and has the makings of an iconic character in every single way. That Micaela Diamond / Niecy Nash chemistry is just too good to pass up. And I know that we're gonna see them together in season 2 as detectives, but I just think that the weird and fun nun / alcoholic and genius detective dynamic is kinda irreplaceable. Now all you have is... what? Two detectives, one of them retired? Where's the fun in that? I feel like, especially after what happened with Megan's abusive weirdo partner, and the crimes that are happening, their relationship is definitely gonna be stronger, but I just think they're gonna be two detectives, and I don't see how you could make that more unique and special than a nun and a detective being partners.

Another thing is, there were some elements in the dream that made you question the reality of what was happening.

Like for example, Lois being able to smoke in the station, the whole idea of Nurse Redd, the constant confusion, the Last Supper snow globe, things that didn't seem to make sense and just other small details that I wish would've been real. Were they questionable? Yes, but that's what makes the whole thing fun, it's different, and it makes you go “wait, what is going on?”. One of the things that I love about Outer Banks is that a lot of the things that happen wouldn't really happen in real life. Those teenagers go to so many places and are able to escape their parents, and don't suffer the consequences for the things they do, at least not like they should, and it's not realistic, but it's fun. I don't mind realism in television, but sometimes realism is boring as hell, and also depressing, especially with everything that's going on in the world. So there were aspects of Grotesquerie that didn't really seem realistic, but they gave the show life.

Another thing is, Dr. Charlie, I love you down but I miss Father Charlie so bad.

Like, come on, you got a hot priest with rizz to carry him and his sermons for DAYS; who is trying to make changes in the Catholic church and make them more progressive, while he's also fighting behind doors with sins like lust, and pride. That? That was a winner right there. And I also would've given him more screen time. I would've made people think he was the killer all along, just for it to end up being someone else, but not let him entirely off the hook 'cause he's got the potential to be antagonistic. Like I said, he really could've been the devil or something. Now THAT would've been a story.

As for Eddie, Merritt and Marshall, I would've left Eddie as a nurse, Merritt as the wonderful doctor she is and I would've not had Marshall in a coma. Had this been the reality, I would've had Marshall help her out a bit figuring things out and maybe even have him be the mastermind or main servant of the devil or entity or whatever in the end. I would've also had Merritt a little more involved, somehow because I love Raven Goodwin and hello?? she's a genius. She could've helped Lois see aspects about the case that no one else could see.

I have many more thoughts that I'll probably share later. The truth is, I'm still excited for the future of the show and I think we're gonna see some interesting things happen because like I mentioned before, the show is just getting started. Hopefully we get more seasons, and the show is successful so that we can continue to see the story because there's still a lot of things we don't know. I just think the original characters had a much more interesting potential than the ones we have now. BUT, and this is a big but, we don't even know if the reality we're seeing is a reality at all. A part of me doesn't think they're gonna do another reset, but one thing Grotesquerie has taught us is that anything is possible. So, we'll see.

[hollow-keys]

The Devil's Chord is basically:

"Let's go visit Mr Wifebeater and Co, who are obviously the most important musicians of all time, and act like they were all totally cool people even decades after Mr Wifebeater's wifebeating became public knowledge."

"Oh no, the world went into a nuclear winter without music we have to save it by finding the right chord to banish the evil demon music thief!"

"BTW the music demon is a nonbinary drag queen called Maestro (I'm gonna assume they don't know that's a gendered word lmao) who was safely prevented from destroying the world by the Catholic church banning the chord that summoned them. Please do not think about the subtext of that."

"Also this random washed up musician somehow found out about the summoning chord and played it. Don't ask how no one else tried playing it out of curiosity when it was apparently already public knowledge or how the church knew it was evil without playing it."

"Ruby is just saur important she managed to hold off the music demon with the power of the songs in her soul (???)"

"The Doctor pulled 6/7th of the banishing chord's notes out his own ass first try somehow and Mr Wifebeater and Paul McCartney got the last one first try also."

"Musical number everybody! The End!"

Literally what the fuck was that?

Honestly the original Toymaker serial was so haunting at times with him trapping people from the real world in his domain and turning them into literal toys he would then bring back to life to use against new people who got trapped in his domain. He pit them against each other in games, promising freedom to whoever wins, dooming them to either remain his puppets and let the newcomers go free or doom the newcomers to take their place so they can escape, and that's assuming he was telling the truth. The Doctor can't beat him, only escape and leave the domain with those people trapped inside. The TARDIS team tell themselves they're not real, just puppets pretending to be real people, but it's not clear. They're tricking themselves into thinking it's clearer cut than it is to make it easier to leave them behind.

Those were such good episodes and all RTD can write is pale imitations that are insultingly stupid even for children's television. "We defeated the Toymaker with a game of catch" "We defeated his child (did I mention the Maestro is related to him?) with a musical note password we got first try." What is this?

And they're still going with the pouring salt at the edge of the universe weakened the fabric of time and let supernatural beings in thing? "I invoked a suspicion at the end of the universe where the walls of reality are thin" doesn't sell the salt thing, sorry. I can't take it seriously. If Chibnall wrote this, more of you would be hating. This is like the fucking rat saving the universe in Endgame all over again.

[millenniumfae]

Dragon Age Demons vs Real-Life 'Inner Demons'

Way back in the summer of 2015, my symptoms got so unbearable I was bedridden. 20 years old and experiencing psychosis, quasi-hallucinations, and actual, unending panic for the first time. It marked the start of a condition that has never stopped since.

My aunt (and other relatives) helped me develop proper mindfulness skills based off of our homeland's folk Buddhism - the 'second arrow'. The meaningless of forgiveness. Devaluing control. And something that struck me as a new Dragon Age fan … 'Possession'.

Well, when translated to english, you'll find texts using the word 'insight' rather than 'possession'. But that's the word my mom translated from off the top of her head, and it immediately resonated with me.

"Imagine your panic as an inner creature. Something that is also you, but is acting independently. Treat your panic with kindness and mentorship, not antagonism. The more you struggle in the spider's web, the worse things get. But if you nourish what's hurting in you, let them tantrum, then come back in to nurture."

Up until the 2010s, the most acclaimed mental health books you could buy written in the english language would most certainly be christianity-influenced. Maybe not overtly, (but you'd be surprised how many have a chapter about "insert-book-topic-here and Christ") but there's little hints like how the reader must have left home at 18 to avoid mooching off their parents, or how to 'turn guilt into something productive' (???), the use of the word 'gamble' as a bad word, etc. But these books tend to include a chapter that would be some weird bullshit like "The Dark Souls Of Respawning?? What Daoism Says About Immortality" and take a brief moment to talk about the radical, never-before-heard-of methods from across the pacific that Will Turn Your World Upside Down.

Behavior therapists (of the 1950s) were aware insights about the origins of the problem usually weren't helpful. Exposure to the thing the patient feared was often curative. -When Panic Attacks by David D. Burns MD, Chapter 18, "Taking a page from the Tibetan Book of the Dead"

Now, it's no secret that the Dragon Age serial is very. Um. Christian. Catholic, specifically. Faith is written to be an unequivocally redeeming trait. Attempts at inventing fake elf/qunari/Tevinter 'religions' still have them be belief-based, colonialist, and conversion-heavy, while also at the same time implying that the 'Maker' of Chantry faith is the single actual true god.

So it's no surprise that the demons and spirits of DA are very seven-deadly-sins. Party banter and side-quests do point out the euro/christian-centricity of this demon categorization (Merrill, Solas), but that doesn't mean shit if, in overall story and gameplay proper, Pride is the most powerful demon while Faith is virtue at all.

So here I am, lying in bed and only capable of just riding the waves of panic day after torturous day. You bet I'm gonna try to geek-erize my symptoms. If people do it with Jesus, then I can do it with Dragon Age.

Enter Vigilance the Spirit. I was an at-risk young Rivani mage, so their Magic Welfare Government helped me join their クサビ-依り代 program and matched me with a spirit to induce possession. Can't boil two skulls in one pot, so to speak. I could have chosen to do their hemispherectomy program (I am made Tranquil but carry around a piece of the Fade like a pacemaker that keeps me perfectly lucid, only turning off when I sleep), but that comes with its own risks.

But it doesn't take much for a spirit of Vigilance to do a 180 and become Panic. They're still Vigilance, and I am still me, but the taste in the mouth is different. Our life will need to adapt.

I will not kick myself for 'failing' my friend. Vigilance has turned to Panic, yes. But they have always been one. Now, so are me and Panic. Such is the nature of spirits.

If I am kind to my spirit, then I am kind to myself. It's what we both deserve.

[venusdebotticelli]

I just wrote a monster of a reply on this post by @girlbossblackbeard, but I wanted to post this part on its own as well, because this epiphany just completely obliterated all my theories about the possible first reunion between Ed and Stede! (I do think they're gonna have tons of reunions throughout the season, as Stede keeps chasing after Ed and Ed keeps avoiding him and telling him to get lost.)

In their op, they pointed this out:

"the BTS production still of ed with his "trust no one" tattoo also features what i believe is the treasure chest we see jim carrying off the ship in the shot where fang is smashing two dudes' heads together!"

And in response, I noticed many many more things about that particular ship's crew, and what it says about who might be present:

I agree that the chest in Ed's quarters looks like the one they're carrying off that ship, but if I may add even more details...

The guy Stede successfully punches is dressed like the crew from that same ship where Ed is dressed like the Vampire Clown Blackbeard version, still with the Kraken makeup on, and shooting at something¿? (I don't think whatever he's shooting at is actually Stede, because you can see Frenchie and Jim's heads on the bottom left of that shot, and they don't seem all that interested in whatever Blackbeard is currently doing, they're just focused on their loot/corpses/whatever. And idk how I feel about the theory that Izzy loses his leg because Ed shoots it, rather than just gangrene, but if we were to go with that one: what if Izzy and Stede have been collaborating in secret, and this raid is when Ed finds out? I don't want or particularly expect that prediction to actually be right, but just putting it out there *shrug emoji* It could then also lead to Ed's "very rough night" and recruiting Frenchie to help with cleaning up his act the next morning?)

Also, when Stede does his swirly bit with the coat he's very much aboard the Revenge, because that's what the internal doors look like on the ship:

But I have no idea how that fits in the timeline. I think there may be a gap between when he first finds the coat, until the moment he gets to actually put on the whole suit with the matching pants¿? Or maybe not¿? Maybe all of that is happening in eps 1-2, which is an insane amount of information¿?¿??¿¿? 🔥🙌🔥

Also, I just realised this after I wrote all of that, I think this might be Jim going in behind Stede into the "I did a punch!" room¿? What's going on?¿?¿¿?¿?¿?¿? 😭

Tl;dr, I am losing my whole mind trying to piece a timeline with this scene 🔥🙌🔥 The Reunion™ could be as soon as ep1 going by this?¿?¿¿? While Ed is still in Kraken mode?¿¿?¿??

Edit: I also have no idea how Izzy/Jim's makeup or lack thereoff fits in with this timeline. Maybe they raid the same ship twice, at two separate points in time? Or it's a fleet with a strict uniform code, maybe a different navy, other than the English?

The Spanish Navy grunts from s1 dressed like this:

which is actually a very similar look, so maybe it really is just two different ships from the Spanish navy. It also explains all the catholic imagery and paraphernalia in the room where Stede finds the red & gold suit (the same colours as the ones the Spanish officers have).

So nvm, I've just convinced myself they're two separate instances, and I'm back to thinking the first reunion might be the headbutt 😅

Still interesting to point out, I think :D

(Also wondering about the significance of red neckties this season, which the Spanish grunts were missing in s1 but now all have, and Spanish Jackie's, and obviously, Stede's... 😁)

[redjaybathood]

who are you responding? no, seriously, you blocked me, who are you responding, the voices in your head? i don't even remember this guy tbh so I'm seriously puzzled what's the convo is even about.

there's a good chance that if I called you a tankie, it's for being a tankie. otherwise i would just say something like pro-russian.

who says i don't? I repeatedly said that citizens are responsible for their governments. yeah, if your government is throwing a Muslim minority into concentration camps for "re-education" and you're being like: it's chill! you're fucked up, bud.

North Koreans are just not someone you would see on the Internet defending North Korea tho. Let's say them being in a totally unique 24/7 prison is letting them off the hook.

the whole "why aren't you blaming X, then?" is stinking with imperialistic thinking. what you want to say, but don't have the guts, is: but it makes me responsible for my government, too! and guess what? it. fucking. does. So y'all better go vote, and don't do the "protest vote" shit I've seen promoted here. because y'all gonna be responsible for the results.

I was wondering whether to respond or not when I was sent this post up to a point where I saw that this user is clearly replying to me without any chance to me responding, and dismantling their bullshit bit by bit because they preemptively blocked me.

but yeah, excuse me if I don't think that Russian aristocrat was being oppressed here because their bank refused to serve them anymore. In fact, her and your positioning her as a victim of oppression is an act of weaponsied victimhood, thing that russians use to paint themselves as a victim of whatever shit they do. Who knows why bank refused to serve her, maybe it's due to their AML policy. I know they continue to serve russians abroad, especially naturalized ones who already have citizenship of the country they're in. It is very doubtful that an anglo-russian countess was discriminated against based on her ethnicity, here. Because, and I repeat, it's not a thing! I regularly work with companies from the UK that employ russians and guess what, they all have bank accounts!

One obviously mentally ill man (read the fucking article you're linking), okay. Not seeing you becrying any of the numerous hate crimes in Canada against Ukrainians and Ukrainian church. Like, desecration of a Ukrainian Catholic church, an arson of a rectory, a murder attempt on a Ukrainian Canadian priest via arson as well. Not to mention the hate on campuses, or how Canadian university professors participating in misinformation campaign against Ukrainians on twitter... Like. Buddy. It's not even funny.

again, read the article you linking:

Next:

AGAIN, READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE

besides, it's dated may 2022. assuming it was true although written by a russian; the current landscape in Europe is far different. In Germany, Ukrainian children are being bullied both by Germans and by Russians. Ukrainian adults are being killed by russians who then steal their kids. Assaults of Ukrainians by Russians in France, in the UK, in the Nordics. Should I go on?

I don't. But I have a translator. And I also have an article for you: it's 1000 possibly hate motivated crimes against Russians in the first year of full-scale invasion, in Berlin, versus more than 3K against Ukrainians, same time period, same city. Like, cry me a fucking river!

Russians abroad are still killing us! Don't you get it!

read the fucking article again, it's from Feb 2022

YOU DIDN'T EVEN BOTHERED TO CLICK ON IT WHY ARE YOU RECOMMENDING IT

you are a fucking hack. everything you said about russians being discriminated turned out to be not even something you bothered to read! just random headlines!!!

why the fuck a reaction reading information on the wrongdoings against Ukrainians by your country would be "Ukrainians don't deserve peace"??? I think there's something wrong with your overview on life.

Russians can go ahead and start on that way to peace by pulling out of Ukraine and not starting any more genocidal wars!!! if you want to grant them any peace before that, you are supporting them above their victims.

i dunno if you're a tankie, i cannot look it up, and did i ever call you that and under what circumstances, but you are certainly something.

If it's not obvious, I do not support any violence or hate crimes against Russians. All that I ask from the world, is not to promote or platform them.

[solradguy]

is johnny homo/transphobic or not, im seeing a lot of people claiming that he is and bashing him for that

No lmfao He's neither of those things. People wanna hate him so bad, but they're getting their information from thrice removed Twitter banter based on lines from non-canon games they probably haven't even played. Just out there stirrin the shit pot. It's like if people suddenly decided Ky was homophobic because he's very likely catholic.

There's this exchange from one of the Johnny routes in XX (which isn't even a canon game):

Bridget: 約束したじゃないですか！ Hey, you promised you'd listen to me! Johnny: くっ……このジョニー、レイディとの約束は裏切れねぇ。 Argh... I can't break a promise made to a woman. Bridget: ……ウチ男ですけど。 ...I'm a guy. Johnny: た、助かった…… Oh, well in that case...

The translation here is accurate. However, if we're going to call Johnny transphobic for this exchange then we're going to have to call about half the cast transphobic since Bridget has a lot of equally unfortunate interactions like this throughout XX.

There's this interaction from Bridget's arcade route too, which I think is the one people usually point to for Johnny being transphobic:

Bridget: ……ああ、危なかった。負けるかと思った。どうしたんですか？途中から剣筋が急に鈍りましたけど……。 ...Whew, that was close! For a minute there, I thought I was gonna lose that one. Hey, what's wrong with you? You suddenly went limp right in the middle of the fight... Johnny: このジョニー一生の不覚だ……。おまえ……男だろ！ Ahh... Johnny... What have you done... You.... You're a guy, aren't you! Bridget: ええ。この格好にはちょっと訳がありまして。 Sure am. This appearance... Well, it's kind of a long story. Johnny: この俺としたことが男を口説くとは……。もういいから、帰ってくれ。 I can't believe I just tried to seduce another man... Look, you should just go home and forget about all this. Bridget: 剣を向けて来たのはそちらですよ？ Hey! You're the one who stuck your sword in my face! Johnny: ……悪かった。一つだけ頼む。このことはくれぐれも他言無用にな。 ...I'm sorry. I just have one request. Whatever you do...Don't tell anyone about this. Bridget: ……ほんと、変な人ですね。 ...What a weirdo.

This official translation is pretty accurate. The exchange between these two here isn't good, I will admit. But we also need to remember that the XX series of games had at least 3 different writers, it isn't canon. Johnny doesn't act like this outside of a few parts of XX.

There weren't scripts on the GG wiki for the XX Accent Core Plus arcade routes, so I'm not sure how Johnny is in that game. Probably roughly the same as in XX though.

I also couldn't find any lines from him towards Testament or Venom that were worse than anything anyone else says to them. Johnny does use he/him pronouns for Testament in the localization, but in Japanese he doesn't seem to use pronouns for them at all (which is relatively common in Japanese in general anyway).

In summary: Basically if it's from any of the games from the GGXX line just throw it out the window. "He would not say that" The Game.

If he says something bad towards Testament, Venom, or Bridget that's in one of the canon games and I missed it: send it to me.

Here are the scripts I went through for this:

General VS mode quotes: https://guiltygear.fandom.com/wiki/Johnny/Quotes

X Plus script: https://guiltygear.fandom.com/wiki/Guilty_Gear_X_Plus_script

XX script: https://guiltygear.fandom.com/wiki/Guilty_Gear_XX_script

Bonus line from XX where the localization team made an... interesting... choice translating "dandy" as "studmaster." He's saying this to Bridget during one of the Johnny arcade routes. (this line doesn't prove anything either way, I just thought it was too funny not to share lol)

Johnny: ダンディなお兄さん…… ……と呼んでくれれば何でも聞いてやるぜ？ Call me 'Studmaster'... and I'll listen to whatever you have to say.