#this is why communication is important people

[opencommunion]

looking back on how liberal political analysts talked about donald trump during his 2016 campaign, I notice two very important insights that have vanished from the conversation this time around.

1: the dire warnings about the rise of fascism were really centered on trump's followers, not the man himself. what concerned scholars of fascism in particular was that the already well-established neonazi presence in the US was openly rallying around a presidential candidate. trump's campaign emboldened neonazis, but the neonazis were already there — this is why we saw an astronomical rise in hate crimes against many marginalized groups during trump's campaign, before he was elected. trump himself was understood as an opportunist riding the wave of rising fascist sentiment — the wave itself was a bigger concern than the surfer. trump was replaceable. liberals now seem to have forgotten that trump's followers won't disappear if harris wins. the heritage foundation (originators of 'project 2025,' blue maga's favorite boogeyman) won't disappear if harris wins. extreme right politicians — many of whom I would argue are even further right than trump, and more embedded in the establishment — won't disappear. even if you mistakenly see the republican party as the sole provenance of usamerican fascism, republicans won't disappear if harris is elected.

2: the people centered in the crosshairs of trump's agenda were migrants and asylum seekers; chiefly those from south of the US border and from majority muslim countries. the intensified demonization of these groups led analysts to draw parallels with fascist parties that were on the rise in europe. hatred of migrants and muslims is indisputably the primary driver of 21st century fascism, from the UK to India. so tell me why the conversation in the US has shifted to revolve around white trans people? yes, trump supporters are obviously transphobic, but you have to trace this particular manifestation of transphobia to its source, which still comes down to white supremacy and anti-migrant sentiment. when you actually look at the way fascists talk about trans people, it all comes back to the idea that hostile foreign elements invading the country have degraded white christian values. trans people of color have already been targeted for a long time, because we're seen as a sort of vanguard of non-white perversion; this isn't new to us. white trans people are now experiencing increased persecution because transness is seen as infiltrating white families/communities and corrupting their whiteness. I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about the rise of transphobic policies; of course we should. what disturbs me is that anti-migrant sentiment has been shunted to the sidelines of discussions of 'trumpism,' when it is still very much the center of his platform. and that's the part of his platform that the harris campaign has adopted to try and pull voters from him! that's the part of the republican platform that the biden administration advanced with the excuse of 'reaching across the aisle.' and what more extreme manifestation of an anti-migrant anti-muslim platform is there than committing genocide in gaza and then refusing to let gazan asylum seekers (or even gazans with US citizenship!) into the US?

the entire US government, red and blue, is unified around the anti-migrant, white supremacist crux of so-called 'trumpism.' large swathes of the american public, whether they vote red or blue, are enthusiastic about genocidal foreign and domestic policies. none of this stops when trump is gone

[goopgirlie813]

Welp, shit sucks. But we gotta get to work. Lets make the best of a shit situation.

Assuming that voting still matters in two years, we all gotta show up to the midterms. If we can flip congress then, we can reduce republican influence in the second half of the term. Even more than that though, we need to both persuade would be republicans to switch sides and persuade "I wont vote" people to get off their asses. We got two years, start strategizing.

First and foremost be watching the current government like a hawk. Talk about EVERYTHING they do and save all legislation decisions they make on a spreadsheet. Predict what will result, good or bad, and check in later. Make sure that EVERY bad thing they do is brought to attention so that people know exactly what our problem with them is. Make sure that if someone asks why you hate them you have an answer locked and loaded with references to back it up. All their faults need to be on full display.

Second, be pragmatic. Check your own biases. Learn to fact check. Make sure you know your shit on topic you care about.

Queers? Make sure you know your history and the reasons why different parts of the community ask for different things. Why is transition access important? Why are marriage rights important? What role do kink and sexual liberty play in the fight for queer rights? Learn about it. Talk about it.

Feminists? Read up on feminist history. How women's rights have progressed and why they were fought for.

Participate LOUDLY in every history month and visibility day. Make it very very clear why these issues are important.

And most importantly, remember that the goal is to grow support for progressive causes and erode the foundations of far-right fear rhetoric. You do not and cannot achieve that by name calling, insulting, mocking, relying on emotional appeals, demanding perfection over progress, or any number of other behaviors common in progressive spaces. We need to get our shit together. We need to be pragmatic. We need to learn to keep our cool and be realistic. We need to act mature and know what the fuck we're talking about. Not... whatever the hell has been going on up until now.

Shits gonna suck, but if we can support each other to the other through it lets make sure we come out the other end in one piece and with our shit together

Good luck

I love y'all <3

[harmonysanreads]

Ratio looks like he'd fold after two genuine compliments and not just ones about his looks or intelligence. Bro would not be able to handle actual genuine words from someone because he's so damn used to hollow words from fans and haters alike (I don't care if this is ooc its true in my heart)

No no, I agree with you.

People tend to take compliments too lightly, let whatever escape their mouths often carelessly. The act of giving compliments can be honed into an art with practice, the gesture of taking them gracefully can be considered as a mark of maturity and class. Simply put, you can tell a lot about a person based on how they give and receive compliments.

The academic field is privy to many kinds of drama. Back-handed compliments thrive in the radius around ‘geniuses’, ‘prodigies’ and the ‘talented’. Unless you hear it from certain people, delivered in very specific tones, you won't even know just how easily positive words can be twisted to feel like insults. Ratio is intimately familiar with this phenomenon.

It took some struggle, reflection, trial and error until he understood the sheer absurdity of the situation. By then, it was more funny than hurtful to him. Oh, the scope of idiocy. Ratio prefers words in communication to be direct and transparent, though he won't deny that nuance and implication have their own charm when used appropriately.

Ratio might not appear so due to his default disposition, but he's actually quite good at complimenting — given that he finds something genuinely admirable about the person. Take his party-joining voicelines about Ruan Mei and Herta for example. But because of the factor that needs to be met to be complimented by the man, his words of appreciation are often posed as statements (e.g. his voiceline about Screwllum). Which could make his compliments hard to believe if you happen to struggle with receiving them.

Now, the first thing that comes to my mind if we're looking for ‘that’ compliment which will be successful in flustering him ; is to try to learn and understand his ideology, values, ambitions and mindset by extension. Difficult task, I know, but studying Veritas Ratio is unavoidable if we're talking about him. Of course, Ratio enjoys studying everything around him even more, so to catch someone this perceptive off-guard is a bit of a challenge.

Well, it's not possible to understand a human in their entirety, so the effort is of greater importance. Observe, question (and don't be dismayed by his sharp comebacks), reflect, apply what you learned and always try to be genuine. There is no way Ratio won't notice honest efforts.

I don't know why but I have this nagging feeling that compliments about his appearance can also do the trick. Perhaps it's because they could've become somewhat scarce since he started using the alabaster head. But don't just randomly go, "You're so handsome! Your eyes are so pretty!" True as they may be, try to point something he hasn't considered or heard, challenge him. “I appreciate the way you maintain your hair. The neatness and your choice of accessory is pleasant to the eyes.” is something that I'd probably go for. This has greater chances of working if you've made a place in his head through the first suggestion, so to say.

And when, after all that hard work, you do succeed — Ratio is a sight to see. If there was some sort of microscope to gauge the transition of human emotions when they receive compliments, it'd paint such an entertaining picture. First is a scintilla of surprise, then you get a flicker of joy which ignites into flames of emotions too jumbled to decipher — Ratio's cheeks and ears will be guilty of letting them escape. If you don't seem to get any coherent response from the scholar even after an interval of patience, just know that Ratio.exe has stopped working.

[nikiatnite]

I get this and she is completely right about the prevalence of this attitude and that we are now facing the ramifications of it in our world but I think that means more than anything that we need to FIGHT against this in ourselves. like it is so much easier to be fatalistic about the world and give in to that feeling of hopelessness but that is literally what got us all in this situation. the plan of action has to be getting up every day and choosing to love the world, choosing to take care of the people around you, choosing to believe that you have power to do something positive in this life. yeah that shit is hard and takes a lot of work and time and sacrifice but that is the only way we are gonna be able to save ourselves. "we keep each other safe" isn't just some catchy protest slogan it is a promise you make to your community when you decide that you are going to reject the hyperindividualism of this country and it's something that you have to dedicate yourself to every day. and when you do that, when you do your part and protect the people around you they will do the same and that is how we make the world a home and not just a place that we live in. I don't believe that we can throw up our hands and say "the world is bad and people are evil" and call it a day. the world is cold and it is harsh and people are scared and they are mean and they are damaged but that's why it is more important than ever to do what we can to add some warmth and love and compassion and healing to it in whatever way we can. because otherwise what's even the point?

The problem is that America has beaten down its people for decades and gotten them weak and desperate and now promises a way out, a way to transcend and rise above, through selling out their fellow man. They encourage contempt and hatred as one way ticket to not being included with the masses being death marched to poverty or imprisonment or whatever other bitter end surely awaits the people they’re told are beneath them. An embarrassingly large chunk of white men are just straight up nazis these days as a way to dissociate from the rest of the carnage around them, even if they’re broke and uneducated and from an impoverished background themselves. They’ll vote for and align themselves with anything for a taste of power and control that makes them feel a little less helpless. The same goes for minorities. They’ll punch down if they think it’ll get them somewhere, even if in reality they’re punching sideways. I don’t know what else to say, really. Everybody is so incredibly hateful. We are a loveless, disrespectful nation. We are so spread thin by our government that we would sell each other out in a heartbeat for an ounce of relief. This is what we’ve come to.

It’s not even about Trump at this point. He’s gonna get in office and do whatever he does and it’s gonna be a mess but whatever. This is indicative of deeper problem. This is just the ugly consequence of the already present reality in this country that we all just despise each other. There is no solidarity and there is no love. Trump being in office or not doesn’t change the fact that America is a breeding ground for violent hatred. Trump has given people a shining example of how to give in to the worst parts of your human nature and make it the problem of everyone around them. I don’t even know what we’re supposed to do about that. I don’t know if that’s something we can come back from. And if anything COULD be done about it, Trump certainly wouldn’t do it. Honestly, Kamala probably wouldn’t have either. We are so deeply fucked.

However, I must say, if you voted for Trump, I hope that peace never finds you. Instead, I hope clarity strikes you someday like a clap of lightning and you have to live the rest of your life with the knowledge and guilt of what you’ve done and who you are as a person.

Love yall. Shit is so bleak but the world keeps spinning until it doesn’t, I guess. We can’t count on the government for literally even a shred of progress or hope so just keep up the good fight in your own personal lives. That’s literally the only thing to be done at this point. Stay safe out there. Maybe buy a gun.

[lastoneout]

I'm mostly going to be focusing on staying spiteful and hopeful today but since I've already seen a handful of posts that are like this I do wanna remind everyone that we are dealing with a major surge in radical feminist ideology in queer and progressive spaces, and while I won't fault anyone for venting, now more than ever it is important to familiarize yourself with what radical feminisim is(it is not just hating trans people or trans women it is SO much more and anyone who pretends otherwise is misinformed or intentionally lying) and why it's so dangerous and figure out how to talk about the way the alt-right is targeting young (mostly)white men without getting radfem-y about it.

Don't call them "males" don't act like men are born with misogyny built into their DNA do NOT fucking act like trans men are the enemy and don't spread hopeless bullshit about how men can never improve or will always hate women and thus are a lost cause and the only people we'll ever be safe around are women and queer men who abandon masculinity completely. In the coming years queer, intersex, marginalized, and even some cishet white men will be your allies, they are not a lost cause, they can be swayed to our side, and acting like it's impossible for men to change UPHOLDS the very system that is indoctrinating them right now, it does NOTHING to fight it.

Fr check this at the door now. Radical feminism is inherently racist, sexist, transphobic, intersexist, classist, monosexist, and white supremacist and it will NOT save us. I don't care if the person selling you on it is trans or queer or a person of color, radical feminisim is never truly inclusive and WILL NOT SAVE US. Gender and bio essentialism are the tools of the enemy, we do not need them. Abandon them now and purge them from your theory, community, and self.

Solidarity will save us. Radical feminism will only divide and destroy.

[obscure-entity]

the only thing i can think to say right now is please support each other; the people around you are not your competition or talking points, they are all affected by the same shit and nothing exists in a vacuum. politics is not an isolated subject that can be turned on/off either since it affects almost all aspects of our lives. which is why its so important to use what little voice you do have to communicate and help each other, not infight nor elevate yourself. i just have wishful thinking that peoples intentions will shift from I Gotta #Own This Guy Online to actually wanting to set the stage to improve our lives

couldve/shouldve/wouldve has solved 0 problems your (and my) task now is the present and future

[sosa2imagines]

For dad Bucky, how about little Natalia scared him by announcing she has a boyfriend but the real meaning of sentence is that she made a new friend. And in the end reader clears the misunderstanding.

Thank you so much for this ask, I had lots of fun writing it.

Warning- Fluff, protective dad Bucky.

Bucky had always considered himself to be a simple man. Back in the 30s and 40s, people spoke in proper, full sentences, and communication was a straightforward affair. But now, in the world of today's generation, things seemed to be much more complex. The way people spoke, the slang they used, and even the way they expressed themselves had changed so much.

Bucky was sitting in the living room, sipping his coffee and going through some paperwork when Natalia, his six-year-old bundle of energy and mischief, bounded into the room, a wide grin on her face. She clambered onto the couch next to him and poked him in the arm, trying to get his attention.

Bucky set down his coffee and turned to look at his daughter. “What is it, kiddo?” he asked, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

“Guess what, Pa?” Natalia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I have a boyfriend!”

Bucky's heart skipped a beat. He knew what those words meant, and the thought of his daughter having a boyfriend at six years old was not something he was ready to deal with. A storm of emotions roiled inside him, from shock to panic and everything in between.

Taking a deep breath, Bucky tried to keep his voice neutral. “Natalia, sweetheart,” he began, “you can't have a boyfriend at your age. You're only six.”

Natalia's face fell a little, confusion replacing the excitement she had felt just a moment before. “But why not?” she asked, her bottom lip puckering into a pout.

Bucky had to tread carefully here. He didn't want to upset his daughter, but he also didn't want her to think that having a boyfriend at such a young age was acceptable. “Well, sweetheart,” he said gently, “having a boyfriend is something that happens when you're a bit older. You need to focus on being a kid and having fun, not worrying about boys just yet.”

“But everyone in my class has boyfriends and girlfriends!” Natalia protested, her little brow furrowing in confusion.

Bucky's heart dropped even further. The thought of all those kids in her class having relationships at such a young age was even more distressing. He took another deep breath, trying to stay calm.

“Natalia,” he said, trying to keep his voice level, “even if that's true, it doesn't mean you have to have one too. You're still too young for that kind of thing. And I don't want you thinking that it's normal or okay to have a boyfriend at your age. Do you understand?”

“But my teacher is okay with it,” Natalia protested, her voice taking on a hint of defiance. “She even told us to have boyfriends and girlfriends. She said it's important to.”So-cial-ize!”

Bucky's jaw dropped open in shock. What kind of teacher was telling kids in kindergarten to have boyfriends and girlfriends? He struggled to hide his disbelief and anger.

“Natalia,” he said slowly, trying to keep his voice steady, “your teacher told you to have a boyfriend?”

“Yeah, she said it's important.” Natalia replied, completely oblivious to the storm she had unleashed in her father.

Bucky rubbed his forehead, trying to process what he was hearing. This was insane. They were six, for god's sake.

Bucky felt a headache beginning to form behind his eyes. This was shaping up to be a very long day.

He knew he had to set a firm but gentle boundary with Natalia, but the fact that her teacher was apparently not only okay with kids in kindergarten having boyfriends and girlfriends, but actually encouraging it, was making things more complicated.

As you walked through the front door and into the living room, you were expecting the familiar sounds of giggles and fun chaos that usually accompanied Natalia and Bucky together. Instead, you were greeted by an unexpected sight.

The two of them were sitting across from each other, arms crossed over their chests and identical scowls on their faces.

It seemed like a battle of wills was taking place, and neither one of them was backing down.

You stood frozen in the doorway for a moment, taking in the scene before you. Both Natalia and Bucky were still glaring at each other, their expressions identical. With a resigned sigh, you gave them a small nod and headed towards the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

As you stood in the kitchen, sipping your water, you mentally prepared yourself for the coming conversation. You knew there was going to be a lot to discuss.

You walked back into the living room, taking a seat on the couch. Natalia and Bucky got up and came to sit next to you. Natalia being small, she sometimes needed help getting up onto the couch.

“Pa, help please…” she said innocently, and in an instant, Bucky was there to help her, lifting her up onto the couch next to you. At that moment, it was hard to believe they had been glaring at each other just moments ago, it seemed like they had forgotten their argument entirely.

“Thank you, pa.”

“You are welcome, princess.”

As soon as Natalia had settled in beside you, both of them seemed to remember their argument again. The air in the room became tense once more, and their angry expressions returned.

Natalia and Bucky were both still sitting on either side of you, their arms crossed and their gazes fixed on each other. It was as if the short moment of peace had never even happened.

As you took a deep breath, ready to ask what was wrong, both Bucky and Natalia spoke at the same time.

“Our daughter has a boyfriend!”

“Pa says I can't have a boyfriend!”

You couldn't help but do a double take as you heard their simultaneous declarations. Their words had been so similar yet contradictory. It was as if they had rehearsed it.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” you said, holding up your hands in an attempt to stop them from talking over each other. “One thing at a time, please. Bucky, you go first.”

Bucky started to explain, his voice filled with frustration and disbelief.

“Our daughter has a boyfriend, doll,” he began. “And not only that, but everyone in her class has a boyfriend or girlfriend, can you believe it? And the worst part is, their teacher actually suggested it!”

His words hung in the air for a moment, and you couldn't believe what you were hearing.

You furrowed your brow, trying to wrap your mind around the situation. It seemed so absurd that kids in kindergarten would be having relationships encouraged by their teacher.

“What do you mean the teacher suggested it?” you asked, looking at Bucky for answers.

As Bucky was about to respond, Natalia interrupted and climbed onto your lap. “Excuse me,” she piped up, “it's my turn to speak now!”

You couldn't help but chuckle a little at her cheeky attitude, but you were still concerned about the situation.

You patted her head gently and smiled down at her. “Okay, sweetheart,” you said. “You can speak now. Go ahead.”

Natalia grinned and sat up straighter on your lap, clearly happy to have your full attention.

“Everyone in my class has a boyfriend or girlfriend,” she began, much like her father had. “And Teacher said it's important to have one! She said it helps us be more so-ci-able!”

You furrowed your brow again, focusing on the word “sociable” that Natalia had repeated.

“What do you mean by sociable, princess?” you asked her gently, trying to understand what their teacher had told them.

Natalia seemed to think for a moment, trying to find the best way to explain. “Well,” she said, “Teacher said having a boyfriend or girlfriend means we get to play and talk and spend more time together. She said it helps us be friendlier and have more fun with our friends.”

Bucky interjected, panic evident in his voice. “See?” he exclaimed.

Natalia shot a glare at him, her little face scrunched up in irritation. “Do not in-ter-rupt!” she repeated, pronouncing each syllable separately with a hint of defiance.

You couldn't help but bite back a smile at her little display of sass.

It was clear from the interaction that Bucky and Natalia were both feeling strongly about this situation. Bucky was concerned and worried about Natalia having a boyfriend at such a young age, while Natalia was determined to prove that it was perfectly normal and acceptable.

You turned your attention back to Natalia, curious about this supposed boyfriend of hers. “Sweetheart,” you said, “can you tell me a bit more about this boyfriend of yours? What's his name?”

Natalia's face lit up as you asked her about her boyfriend. “His name is Tommy,” she said, her eyes shining with excitement. “He sits next to me in class, and he shares his snack with me every day!”

As Natalia described the qualities of her “boyfriend,” you began to connect the dots in your mind. Everything she was saying pointed to a simple friendship rather than anything more serious.

With an amused smile, you asked, “Is he your friend, sweetheart? Like a friend who happens to be a boy?”

Natalia's eyes widened slightly as she seemed to consider your question. “Well,” she said thoughtfully, We are friends, and he is a boy. So he is my friend who is a boy. Boyfriend!”

You couldn't help but laugh softly as you realized the situation was just a misunderstanding. You noticed Bucky looking at you, his face a mix of confusion and frustration.

“Oh, Bucky,” you said, grinning at him. “It's not as serious as it seemed. Turns out, Natalia's 'boyfriend' is just her friend who happens to be a boy.”

Bucky's expression didn't soften right away. He frowned, still clearly concerned. “But the teacher still told them to have boyfriends and girlfriends!” he protested. “Doesn't that worry you at all?”

You put a reassuring hand on Bucky's arm, trying to ease his worries.

“Calm down, Bubba,” you said gently. “Natalia's teacher wasn't telling the kids to have romantic relationships. It's just a misunderstanding in the way Natalia explained it. I think what the teacher meant was for the kids to socialize and make friends with each other, including boys and girls.”

Bucky's expression softened slightly upon hearing your explanation. He seemed to relax a bit, the tension in his shoulders releasing.

“Okay,” he said slowly. “That makes more sense. But why use the word 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'? That's what threw me off.”

You chuckled softly, amused at the confusion caused by Natalia's innocent misinterpretation.

“Bucky,” you said, “I think Natalia is using the terms 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' because in her mind, they simply mean a friend. She's not aware of the romantic context adults associate with those terms. She's thinking 'I have a friend who is a girl, so she is my girl-friend.' or 'I have a friend who's a boy, so he is my boy-friend.' Does that make sense?”

Bucky nodded slowly, seeming to finally understand the situation. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a sigh as the tension faded from his face.

“Yeah, I get it now,” he admitted. “I guess I misunderstood the situation, too. I still think the teacher should've been clearer with her choice of words, though.”

You gave a gentle smile and teased a bit, trying to lighten the mood.

“Or,” you said, “I think our little miss Natalia here needs to work on her storytelling skills a bit better. Dropping the 'I have a boyfriend' bombshell without giving you context was not the best approach.”

Natalia pouted again at your gentle chiding, her lips pursing into a small frown. “I was getting to that part,” she mumbled, crossing her arms. “I just wanted to start with the exciting part first.”

You chuckled at her defensive nature, finding her behavior endearing. “Fair enough, sweetheart,” you said, ruffling her hair affectionately. “But next time, try to give a bit more context before dropping news like that. Your Pa won't be able to handle it.”

Bucky feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart theatrically.

“Hey, I can handle news like that,” he protested, a hint of humor in his voice. “I just need a little warning beforehand, that's all.”

Natalia giggled at her father's exaggerated reaction, her earlier pout replaced by a cheeky grin.

“Don't worry, Pa,” she said, poking him in the side. “I'll give you a warning next time before I reveal any more 'bomb-shells.'”

Natalia, intrigued by the new word, looked up at you with wide eyes and asked, “What's a bomb-shell?”

Bucky chuckled at her question, finding her curiosity adorable. “It's a figure of speech, sweetheart,” he explained. “It means saying something surprising or dramatic, like saying you have a boyfriend.”

Natalia's eyes widened further as she took in the explanation. “Ohhh,” she said, nodding understandingly. “So it's like when I say, 'You'll never guess what I found in my lunch box today!' and it's a surprise?”

You chuckled at her analogy, impressed by her ability to connect concepts. “Exactly, sweetheart,” you said, patting her head. “It's like that. A bombshell is just a big surprise.”

As Natalia got down from your lap and headed over to her toys, she called back over her shoulder, her voice filled with excitement.

“Oh, and Pa, I can't wait to have a playdate with Tommy!”

Bucky's eyes widened at Natalia's mention of a 'playdate' with Tommy, and you could practically see the gears turning in his head.

With a resigned sigh, you muttered under your breath, “Here we go again...” knowing that Bucky was likely to misinterpret the innocent term 'playdate' and start overthinking again.

Taglist- @imyourbratzdoll @blackhawkfanatic @ordelixx @sapphirebarnes @ilovetaquitosmmmm

@differenttyphoonwerewolf @vicmc624 @thezombieprostitute @nekoannie-chan

@mrvl-addict @mercurial-chuckles

@emerald-writes @caplanbuckybarnes

@redbloodedgurl @cjand10 @chemtrails-club @slutforchrisjamalevans @gracescor3

@ghostlythinggoingaround @princezzjasmine @3xclusivemariii @ephemeral-oasis @zuri-767-666

@geeky-politics-46 @dexter99 @calwitch

@caplanreblogsfics @winterslove1917

@pono-pura-vida @renegadesgirl1991 @iwudbutnah @ghalouha @sebastians-love @saranghaey @greatmistakes @baw1066

@bucks-babe @lolzies123r @kandis-mom @purplecolordeer @avioletkurt

@unaxv @pattiemac1 @lovely-geek @hzdhrtss

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

Realistically, yall want estate lawyers.

When my mom and her wife saw the writing on the wall last year, mom said fuck that noise I didn't get an fbi file just so you can take my marriage back, and they went to see an estate lawyer. This woman walked them through a whole packet of paperwork, but by the end of it, she said, it'd be as ironclad as any legally recognized marriage.

A lot of people assume estate law is about. You know. Estates. But it's not. It's kinship. Legal kinship.

So if you, like me and my wife and my mom and her wife, are worried about the continued protection of your legal kinship, book a consultation with an estate attorney. While some folks' local attorneys may be doing outreach on this issue as well, if you're not able to access local services for any reasom, you can consult with organizations like the LGBTQ Bar, they even have a directory page dedicated to seeking Family/Estate law support

When my wife and I booked with an estate attorney, she gave us the consult free and helped us with a payment plan for the documents, and all told it was.....expensive. not gonna lie. Which is why marriage rights were so important! Your kinship shouldn't be undermined because you didn't have $2500 for legal paperwork.

But for generations the community has done it, and I have no doubt that if we can pull together, we can make sure no one's finances leave them vulnerable.

Before January 2025:

If you are a USAmerican in a relationship that might be affected by legislation that dissolves same-sex marriages, who may no longer be recognized as next-of-kin, especially if you have children, get your rights in writing!

Your marriage certificate may not be enough to prove you have rights to make medical decisions for non-biological children or for a same-sex spouse or partner.

Go to a lawyer, get it spelled out as clearly as possible that you have a voice in emergency medical and legal situations.

[wildmelon]

things that are bothering me the most:

antaam stuff makes no sense, full stop. it's also explained poorly/insufficiently.

most of what we see of rivain is completely uninhabited. i also don't care about more warden shit there, i was looking forward to more lore on rivaini people and culture, especially the seers obviously, we've been dying to know more about them for three games.

every elf we've met is ok with the huge revelations that their gods aren't what they seemed and this process happened offscreen. i would think there would be many different reactions to the spread of info about the evanuris, and i would think it would be extremely important to make it clear that info had spread pre-game.

the venatori are the same nonsensical vague useless boring cult with the most nothing goals. as incredibly lame as they are, it's even stretching my suspension of disbelief that they'd serve elven gods for vague promises of 'power' given tevinter's extreme history with the elves. i would think this would come up at least one single time.

the past two points are part of an overarching issue. the contentious and complex political landscape of thedas that makes the setting interesting feels flat. i'm supposed to believe NO ONE in super-elf-racist tevinter would blame the elves for their gods terrorizing thedas? even inquisition acknowledged this, w solas/inky showing concern that revealing the orb was elven would lead to elf racism.

i'm supposed to believe NO elves who've been oppressed by humans for centuries would think 'fuck them' and join up? what happened to the elves who joined solas at the end of trespasser when they heard he was trying to bring back their empire? at least inquisition had wacky cults for every side.

walking down the street in minrathous as an elf or qunari with no difference is simply absurd, i would literally rather never visit tevinter if they were going to implement it so toothlessly. where is the immediate opinion hit for being a mage/elf the inky takes in orlais???

yes the tone is off and a little shallow. yes the companions communicate too healthily for my tastes. yes i was dreading 'evanuris are behind everything' lore reveals and that's what we got. but i honestly think i could overlook those things if the above problems were solved and it felt like the same immersive, problematic thedas.

i'm so completely infuriated by the worldstate choices i'm going to make a separate post about it. but yeah i was concerned but made no noise, i was willing to wait it out and see how the three choices played out in game. and it's absolutely ridiculous that so far two out of fucking three have basically no impact, and the last one idgaf about unless inky romanced solas. i'm so so so so mad and disappointed about this, especially after staying open-minded when it was initially revealed.

everyone loves companion quests, so i don't know why the game feels like it needs to sell you on their significance. why did we get two different scenes of varric spelling it out to rook: do the companion side quests, or else they won't be able to focus! it's such a weird and superfluous tie-in. i don't get why they went so out of their way to clarify this when it didn't need to be clarified, companion side quests are expected in rpgs and their relevance to the plot is very easily accepted/overlooked.

[genderqueerdykes]

it’s unbelievably comforting to know that you’re therian/otherkin as a younger person who’s identified that way for years as well. people like you are ones i look up to for being my most authentic self and you remind me that it’s not a phase and i’m ALLOWED to be who and what i am ^_^

aww thank you! and hey of course, that's why i try to talk about it so often. i've identified as nonhuman since i was a child, but i've been a part of the online nonhuman community since 2010. i first joined the furry community as someone who genuinely identified as their sona, then the otherkin/therian/etc. communities when someone i followed on here came out as a dragon otherkin.

over the years we've realized a few nonhuman identities. we're not all one person so some of these will only apply to some, but we state that we collectively identify as a wolf, coyote, dog, & horse therian, and we have a lot of elf and dragon otherkin in our system, as well as other identities that are less common but important to the individuals who have them! many of us are undead, some are angels and demons.

i instantly became very involved in the community! i became staff on many different forums over the years and tried to help out when and where i could. i was very active under a lot of different usernames due to our DID, but i've tried to interact with others and help people understand that identifying as nonhuman isn't a bad, scary, or dangerous thing. it's not a problem. it's just how that person experiences their life and how they see themselves!

you're not doing anything wrong by identifying as a nonhuman. this belief is held across many cultures, all throughout human history. it's been well documented and recorded over the course of human history on every continent we've lived on and it's not going away any time soon. we are meant to be in nature. we are meant to be around other animals. humans ARE a species of animal- we are not above the animal kingdom, we are a part of it. it's only natural to relate to other animals.

you're perfectly fine being your authentic nonhuman self! i'm glad i can help you feel more comfortable in that. you are genuinely not harming anyone, that is a them problem if they have any issues with it. you are just being yourself! :) take care, stay safe, feel free to stop by again!

[gaysindistress]

To add onto this; PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND POTATOES, INTERACT.

INTERACT WITH YOUR FAVE FICS AND AUTHORS.

LEAVE COMMENTS.

REBLOG.

SPAM WRITERS WITH LOVE AND SUPPORT.

You can write content but you can’t make writing content. I can write pages of informative content for work while on the other hand, it takes me weeks to create fics. There is an art form to creative writing and I think that is where the misunderstanding is.

My most popular fic is a mafia au for Bucky Barnes.

A mafia au for a marvel character.

One of the most popular au’s known to man for one of the most popular mcu characters and it is still one I get notes for daily. I know it’s not the most original concept but the reason why I continue to get notes almost two years later is because of me.

The way I write is completely different from any other writer and the same goes for every single writer out there. I’m apart of a wonderful writing community, @bucks-and-noble , with several other Bucky writers who’ve also written mafia au’s yet each fic is vastly different.

This idea that fics (and writing as a whole) are consumable products is wrong. It’s fundamentally and morally incorrect. Writers are not factories who can produce hours of work for you to consume in minutes. It will take time and precious time it is as all of us have lives outside of Tumblr.

Going back to my originally point, if you want your fave writers to stay here and continue to create these masterpieces, interaction is how you do this.

Please tell the artist what you love about their work. Stop and stare but tell us how you feel about our work.

I don’t think people fully understands that while I sincerely appreciate the likes and reblogs, written feedback is important too! I have no way of knowing what is or isn’t working if people don’t tell me (politely) what they think.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve deleted this app and sworn off writing because I’m being treated like a computer. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat and stared at my computer and the post button because I’m so afraid of a fic flopping. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written something I’m so excited about and not posted it because I know that it won’t get the attention it deserves.

But I also cant tell you how many times I’ve sobbed reading comments after months of only likes and empty reblogs and decided to keep writing.

Interaction is only a small step in getting back a community of appreciation and respect but it is an important one.

ok, because i just saw a terrible take, i feel compelled to say that there is no "fic market" to "oversaturate" in fandom. good gravy.

[hyperlexichypatia]

can you elaborate on why you don't think nursing homes should exist? I'm genuinely curious, not trying to engage in bad faith, but i do feel like many elders do need a level of medical care that can't be provided well in a home environment, and benefit socially from being surrounded by their peers. is it more a matter of eliminating the huge staff-"client"(-billpayer, generally a younger relative) power differentials and potential for abuse that exists there, the way nursing homes tend to be relatively isolated from the surrounding community & many restrict certain freedoms, or is there something else more inherent to the structure (i.e., incapable of being reformed or mitigated) that I'm missing? i guess i'm wondering how different a more just model for elder care would look from nursing homes

Yeah, it's everything you said -- nursing homes inherently restrict their residents' freedoms (how many would pass the burrito test?), don't see the residents as the decision-making clients, infantilize and segregate their residents, etc.

As for socializing with their peers, if older disabled people lived among the general population, they could still socialize with other older disabled people if they wanted to, and also with younger people, abled people, and others. "This population that has been systemically excluded from society should live among themselves in a congregate setting so they can socialize" isn't a particularly good argument for nursing homes; it's an argument against the ageist/ableist segregation that exists in the rest of society.

Could nursing homes be reformed/mitigated? I mean, I'm a strong harm reductionist; I believe every harmful institution should be reformed and mitigated as much as possible. That might mean more freedom for residents, more privacy for residents, more transportation to and from other places in the community. But if a nursing home were "reformed" to the point that it was no longer harmful -- if it no longer exerted coercive control over its residents, if its residents had the same freedom and privacy and autonomy and freedom of movement as anyone in the outside world -- it would functionally cease to be a "nursing home" and would just be... well, an apartment building. Or, if it's an apartment building specifically for older disabled people, without the coercive control, a "retirement community" (although sometimes coercive-control nursing homes are also called "retirement communities" so who knows?).

Home and community based services for disabled people, if properly funded, can replicate most of the assistance a nursing home provides -- now, I do say most, but people who need multiple-times-a-day medical care from a medical provider might choose a living situation that involves specific proximity to medical care. That doesn't mean a nursing home; it might mean, for example, an apartment building near a hospital that caters to people undergoing regular treatment. But it's important that many nursing home residents don't need daily medical care from medical providers. They they need accessible assistance with activities of daily living, which can easily be made accessible outside a medicalized setting, and, in particular, without the coercive control of a nursing home.

Or, short version (sorry, I have a fever) -- the problem with nursing homes is the coercive control. Fund home and community based services. Hire CNAs and install accessible features in the homes of disabled people who need them with the money governments and families can save by abolishing nursing homes. Not everyone in a nursing home is there because they need medical treatment, but even for those who do, there are ways to situate housing and medical needs in proximity to each other that don't involve residents being forcibly drugged or given a bedtime or needing permission to have sex. Let Grandpa fuck (if he wants to).

[igetthedisneybox]

Extended Encanto Family Trees

I made families for Alma, Pedro, Augustín, Félix, and Mariano from some background characters and concept art. Based on @hannahhook7744's version, here

Pedro's Family:

These are Pedro's parents, Josefa "Mariposa" Madrigal, and Jorge Bravo.

Mariposa was nicknamed for her lighthearted attitude, colorful hair, and graceful body language. She was also incredibly free-spirited, and wanted to walk her own path. She believed heavily in magic and miracles, as well as the belief that good things happen to good people.

Jorge was a bit of a coward, who disliked conflict. He was also incredibly superstitious, and spent the rest of his life as a paranoid shut-in after Pedro's birth.

Jorge was a handy man, who specialized in construction work, while Mariposa was an orphan, who worked for the church that raised her. Pedro was born out of wedlock, which was a huge no-no back then. Mariposa and Jorge were both freshly adults, and spent a passionate night together, which resulted in Pedro. Jorge fled not only Mariposa, but the whole village when he found out that she was pregnant.

Due to the circumstances of his conception, and to avoid tarnishing her reputation, Mariposa raised Pedro in the church with the help of the nuns, in secret. The story was that Pedro was an orphan, and Mariposa was helping to take care of him.

Despite this, Mariposa loved Pedro unconditionally, and imparted an important belief onto him: Love is magic, which is how the Miracle happens later: from love.

She ends up dying when Pedro is just thirteen years old, from an unspecified illness.

Luckily, at that time, Pedro had learned enough skills to support himself, and his "aunts" the nuns, helped him along as well, until he met Alma, when he was nineteen.

Jorge lived a lot longer, only dying a few years before Mirabel was born, from a heart attack. He fled to the city, and spent the rest of his life as a shut in, never leaving his house, for fear that he would be crushed for his sins.

Pepa gets both her looks, and her name from her Abuela (Pepa is a short form of Josefa).

Alma's Family:

Alma's family is rather large, so I split it up into four parts. First are her parents, Avila Romero and Hernando Cadenza, her twin brother, Raimi, and Raimi's wife, Rosa Peña.

Avila and Hernando had lived in the village their entire lives, and had been planning to get married even when they were children. They both were very traditional, and raised Raimi and Alma to be so as well. They were extremely strict and no-nonsense, especially to Alma, because as a girl, she would be expected to behave differently than Raimi.

Despite this strictness, the twins never felt unloved or unwanted. Hernando had a soft spot for Alma especially, and would let her get away with "un-ladylike" things when Avila was out.

(Side tangent: This is partially why Alma acts the way she does in the film. She always just assumed her family knew she loved them, even when she was being awful to them, because she knew her own parents loved her when they were being strict/unfair. She really needed to learn to communicate her love to her family better, since her behavior towards them was far more egregious than her own parents' was.)

Hernando died when Alma and Raimi were sixteen, when he got into an altercation with a man who would eventually become one of the raiders later on.

Avila died only a few months later, from "a broken heart", really just a bout of depression leading to her dying of malnutrition from not eating.

After their parent's deaths, the twins needed to earn a living for themselves. Raimi joined a group of men traveling to the city for work, where he met Rosa Peña and her family (who I will get back to,) and started working at their inn, sending the majority of his earnings back home to Alma.

Alma meanwhile, did domestic jobs around the village as supplemental income, and at age eighteen, met and fell for Pedro, getting married and having the triplets when she was nineteen.

Raimi and Alma sent each other letters religiously for three years after their separation, but they started to drift apart as they grew their own families, which is why Alma never tried to contact the city after the Encanto was born. She figured Raimi would be better off without her.

The last letter Raimi ever got from his sister was the announcement of her pregnancy. Then, he heard about the attack on the village, and the thousands of people who went missing, including his twin and her husband.

He mourned, but had to move on, for the sake of his wife and sons.

Alma's family part two, mainly focusing on Raimi and the Peñas.

So, the Peña family has a bit of an issue: they're cursed with luck. Both good, and bad.

There are two Peña children born each generation. One is blessed with extreme good luck, and the other, extreme bad luck.

Rosa, Raimi's wife, is the good luck child. She's had fifteen near death experiences, but has always come out unscathed. Her baby brother Benito on the other hand...he's the bad luck one. Nothing ever goes right for this poor guy. (more on him later)

Rosa and Raimi married when he was eighteen and she was twenty, and their son, Erasmo, was born soon after. Erasmo is the good luck child, and is jovial, kind, and kinda quirky.

Five years later, Enrique, their second son, was born. He's the bad luck child, and is shy, withdrawn, and...still quirky, honestly. He and Bruno get along very well when they meet.

Erasmo fell in love with and married resident daredevil Carolina "fuck gender norms" De La Cruz (no relation to Coco), and they had their own kids, Matteo (good luck) and Yésica (bad luck).

Matteo grew up completely spoiled and somehow ended up as kind of a dick. Yésica on the other hand is kind, but stern. She knows accidents can happen to even the luckiest, and takes every day with optimistic caution.

Matteo met and married Reina Estrada, the spoiled heiress of a dress making company getting big quick. Their marige is strained by arguments and disagreements, because of how similar they were.

They had three daughters: Inés, the good luck child, and Juno and Julia, bad luck twins. Because they're twins, the bad luck is shared between them, so Juno and Julia don't feel the affects of it too bad.

Inés is the perfect golden child. She is beautiful, spoiled, and a typical "mean girl." She's incredibly jelous of the Madrigals and their gifts.

Juno and Julia are troublemakers, even outside of their inherit bad luck. They enjoy causing mischief, and so get along with the younger Madrigal cousins.

Benito meanwhile, never married or had any children, until he found an abandonded baby on the roof of the inn one day. He named her Faustina, and hoped that she would inherit the good luck gene. She did not, but she also doesn't really care? She's cheerful, despite her bad luck, and always looks on the sunny side.

Augustín's Family:

Here are Augustín's parents, Valentína Huerta and Wilmar Rojas.

Valentína is soft and sweet, and loves her family very much. (Mirabel is her favorite, don't @ her.) She finds strength in kindness and understanding, and takes forgiveness very seriously.

Wilmar on the other hand is a brick wall. He's fast and hard in his decisions, and it's near impossible to change his mind. He's opinionated, and while he loves and protects his family fiercely, he can be offputting at times. (He's basically your average republican grandpa)

Valentína and Wilmar came to the village from the city on the day of the attack. They barely stepped foot in the village before it was being evacuated.

At first, not a lot of people from the village trusted them, but Wilmar proved their worth by helping make all of the houses for the villagers.

Wilmar's passion was sport hunting, and so he has many dead stuffed creatures on display in his home, which were brought to life many years later by his granddaughter, Zoe.

Félix's Family:

These are Félix's parents, Maura Montoya and Fernando Castillo, and his much younger brother, Gabriel.

Maura is from the Caribbean, and is a calm and patient woman (she has to be, with sons like the ones she has), but isn't afraid to stand up for her own morals and desires.

Fernando is an upstanding guy, who is prone to turn everything into a joke. He has a taste for the finer things in life, and has a small jewelry collection.

Fernando lived in the village his whole life, and Maura moved in a few years before the raid. They got married and had Félix two years before.

Gabriel was born almost sixteen years after Félix, and is very curious about everything. He likes to push the limits of the rules (and Maura's patience) just for fun, and wants to adventure outside of the Encanto.

Mariano's Family:

In a tweet, Jarred Bush said that Mariano was meant to have a large family, and each member was to be a foil of a Madrigal cousin (except Mirabel, who would be represented by a goat). I took that idea and ran with it.

I named his mother Abigaíl. She and her husband were among the Encanto's founders, and thought they couldn't have children, which is why Abigaíl is so much older than the triplets, who have children of a similar age. Mariano's father wasn't the best man, and emotionally--then physically--abused Abigaíl and her nieces and nephews. Once she got pregnant and found the courage to leave him, he was imprisioned for the crime of abuse, before he took his own life.

Abigaíl is also responsible for her brother's children. Her brother and his wife both died climbing the mountains, trying to leave the Encanto. Her nieces are Isidora, Débora, and Lucía. Her nephews are Camino and Angelino. Camino is also married to a woman named Marcela.

Isidora is the opposite of Isabela: level headed, traditional, romantic, basically Isa's "señorita perfecta" persona, but as an actual person.

Débora is the opposite of Dolores: loud, opinionated, unromantic, stubborn, unobservant, etc etc.

Lucía is the opposite of Luisa: lazy, uncaring, selfish, vain, etc etc.

Camino is the opposite of Camilo: serious, hardworking, stern, etc etc.

Angelino is the opposite of Antonio: older, kind of mean, scared of animals, etc etc.

Marcela is also there. She and Camino have twins, Adelmo and Adela, who like to play in Pepa's clouds.

[islandofarson]

This is why representation is important. Seeing characters that look like you or are part of smaller communities is so important for young kids, and older people too.

[moondirti]

Hey.

I won’t respond to the anon in question (because you’re blocked! rot in hell) nor will I give any indication as to what they said specifically. But I think it’s important for me to talk about this.

Today is hard for a lot of different people. Today, you worry about you and your loved one’s future. I get it. I said I wasn’t a citizen, but I am US-based, meaning I will be held to these changes too, and there is shock sweeping our systems as we realise how unstable the ground we stand on is. Hurt. Anguish. Anger. It’s a lot to grapple with.

This does not excuse the racist vitriol seen in my inbox today.

I say this with my full fucking chest because it is the last and only time I will address it. It’s ridiculous that I even have to spell it out for you – you, anon, who claims you’re just speaking out for the affected.

Arabs are not your punching bag in the wake of that man’s victory.

I don’t even know where you got the impression that I ever encouraged anyone to vote 3rd party. Was it the pressure my community was putting on Dems regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza? Was it your own inflated assumption? What if I told you, in the past weeks, I sat down with my friends in swing states and talked as many as I could out of voting third party. Would that have made a difference in your assessment of me? I doubt it. But why do we, a people actively fighting against our dehumanisation, have to prove anything to you? Why are we your first ticket to blame?

It seems to me that we aren’t people to you, either. Not when, instead of criticising the fascists that made his victory possible, you turn to me. The easier target. And by coming directly to my inbox instead of reaching out to people in affected communities, you’re serving as a mouthpiece for all the bigots you ideologically oppose. It is exactly the kind of rhetoric typical of them.

It is exactly the speech of a racist. So I’ll be the one to break it to you: that is exactly what you are.

And to anyone on the receiving end of that today, my heart goes out to you.

[simmireen]

Hiiiii everyone, you lovely people! 

I wanted to give a little headsup about everything going on!

Let's first officially announce that my adventcalender is progressing very well and currently I am still working on the last posepacks to get it all finished up. Remind me though, IF I am still in this community next year and still wanna do this, that I start in January already (.... finishing 24 posepacks is really a pain!)

I hope you are ready! 

it's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving...

November will have 4 of the recent pose commissions I did, that will be released so I can focus on that december calender for the rest of the month! If you want to do a commission, note that you have to wait a little longer than normal, since I really want to get this adventcalender done before I start posting in december <3

Then I want to address my recent change of a few posepacks you can find exclusively on ModCollective. For me this opportunity is really amazing. I get to create between a lot of very talented people and seeing my name in between them, is just one of the big goals I had when I discovered I felt I was/am good in something, in well, basically life. Posecreation is making me happy, because I get to tell little stories with my dear sims in them.  On the other side, yes, I have to adjust to their way of working with early access (most of you know how much I hate it and why I don't do it..) and giving away some of the control about releases (I am a control freak, sorry). Yes, you have to create an account there to download. They also have a limit of downloads (10 per hour) if you keep being a free member, but all without intrusive ads. In the end, with a little patience, it's free. And that is what I find important.

Don't worry, most of my posepacks, since I create a lot, will just be distributed through patreon and simfileshare in the 'old way'.

I hope you can be happy for me :) That's the only thing I ask. 

Next thing I want to mention again, is that with releasing my advent calender, the eyelids bug will probably still be there and you will notice it in my poses, because I decided (since I'm rallying hard of this bug to be fixed) not to change anything in my way of posing eyelids.

So I want to ask you again -YES IT'S A NEW TOPIC, because they said they fixed it with the life and death update, but that's not true at all - to hit me too in the new topic.

Even if you think you already did it, please check double if you hit 'me too' on this bug because we have to start over rallying 'me too's!

Here is the link to the topic again: EA HQ

The last Phil is added after they said they fixed it. No change.

Then the last thing because I am thankful. 

You, my amazing supporters, I wouldn't be anywhere without you.

You, the one who downloads that package file everytime I upload anything.

You, the one who uses every posepack I upload or just use one pack that you need in your story.

You, who just enjoys seeing my boys or other sims having a good life.

You, who lurks in the dark.

You, who hearts the post I post.

Thank you <3