#this was legit one the most beautiful queer love stories I have ever seen in mainstream media

[indigosquid]

kicking screaming crying throwing up punching the air over frank and bill’s love story in the last of us episode 3 media is thriving and the gays keep winning

[sitp-recs]

HP Rec Fest, Day 28

I’ve been reccing underrated fics since this blog was created and so I thought “there’s no easier @hprecfest prompt than this one” lol famous last words, this post took me ages to prepare 😂 I was initially overwhelmed by the amount of fics that came to mind, and going through my bookmarks and old recs only made it worse. How was I supposed to shortlist?? In the end I gave up and decided to rec 2 Drarry fics + 2 rare pairs. I could have included so many more but I really didn’t want this to become a tl;dr post and these rec blurbs are already going out of control, so here we go!

Day 28) an under-rated fic:

Drarry

In Dreams by @moonflower-rose (E, 38k)

Harry wasn't expecting to ever see Draco Malfoy again. He also wasn't expecting to walk into a political conspiracy that morning either, but apparently that's exactly what the day has in store for him.

I’ve screamed quite a few times about this fic (see my rec here) and every time I do it’s in the hopes that more folks will stop whatever they’re doing and go feast on this. not only a delicious and intriguing case fic with Rosie’s trademark epic dialogue and superb sense of humour, this also wins the award of best fic opening I have ever read. the way I gasped at chapter one and am forever haunted by its utterly devastating ending oh my god!!! my heart belongs to this gritty Harry, and the slow burn is masterfully crafted within the urgency of their teamwork to solve the mystery combining comfort, grief and hope in a thrilling, poignant and perfectly paced adventure. plus, the emotional payoff is chef’s kiss, honestly I cannot recommend this enough!

Survival of the Species by @romaine2424 (E, 47k)

Draco approaches Harry on the 9 ¾ platform, after their sons have boarded the Hogwarts Express, and invites him over for tea. The discussion they have leads them on an adventure that neither could have expected. There be dragons! HPDH compliant but before any other canon info had been released.

considering this masterpiece was published back in 2007 I think I’m allowed to say this is definitely a formative story when it comes to the creature genre, more specifically Veela fic. I first read this a couple years ago and my jaw legit dropped at the amount of world-building and carefully researched lore that went into this. so detailed and intricate and different from everything I’ve seen before or since, I was truly fascinated and couldn’t stop reading. kudos to the amazing slow burn covering years of their struggles stuck together in a dragon cave and having to rely on each other to survive. I loved seeing the hardships and how they genuinely came to care for each other, definitely one of the most moving and convincing Veela love stories I’ve read in the fandom.

Rare pair

With a Look by earlybloomingparentheses (Ginny + Deamus, E, 5k)

Now, twenty years old and done with boys and looking forward very much to putting her hand down some lucky girl’s shirt later this evening, Ginny looks at Dean Thomas’s gold-painted fingernails and feels heat pool between her legs.

I think about this fic every now and then - such a sensitive, thought-provoking and beautiful homage to the 🏳️‍🌈 community. the visceral and contemplative tone takes it beyond your regular PWP, and I’ve rarely seen gender and queerness explored quite like this. seeing Ginny figuring out and owning her identify is mesmerizing. her voice is powerful, sexy, earnest and articulates so many complex and layered feelings - I was particularly moved by the inner turmoil of not looking “queer enough”. I’m sure this fic will be eye-opening and comforting to so many people out there, and that’s why I never cease to rec it. an intimate character study, a sinfully hot and self-indulgent threesome but above anything, a poignant love letter to the queer community.

Passion, Patents, and Pen Pals at the Ministry by @violetclarity and @yrfrndfrnkly, art by @anaxandria-writes and @veelawings (Hermione/Pansy, T, 32k)

After an extremely ill-timed lovers'-tiff-turned-food-fight at the Ministry leaves her less one boyfriend and suspended without pay for six months, Hermione pleads for some position–anything–to fill her days until her suspension is up. The good news is, her temporary position in the Magical Games & Sports's Ludicrous Patents office is just down the corridor from Harry's office in General Inquiries. The bad news is Harry's officemate is Pansy Parkinson, the Ministry's operations are shockingly outdated, and every altercation between Hermione and Pansy winds up a headline in MoM's internal rogue gossip zine, Hot Goss.

rivals to secret pen pals to lovers yes please?? this hilarious Pansmione is a ship triumph and yet criminally underrated. I had a blast getting into the world of Ministry gossip & politics, and immediately fell in love with all the characters, l especially with this lovely meddling Harry. it’s SO MUCH FUN to watch poor him (and Blaise omg what a duo) in the middle of a ladies’ tug of war. I’m impressed by the amount of world-building especially around their workplace, not to mention all the side interactions and the fun, organic slow burn. I love this take on identity porn with tons of banter and Pansy and Mione connecting through their shared worldview and feminist principles, such a power couple ✊🏼 the mix of semi-epistolary, witty dialogue, dorky meddling friends and mild angst make for peak entertaining, I laughed non-stop and cheered so bad for them. femslash ftw!!!

[namtanlovesfilm]

axelle judges non bl shows > To The Moon and Back

/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD

summary: Matalada is a naive and kind girl who was raised by a community of queer drag queens. When she meets Pennueng, a doctor who was raised to be nothing but perfect his whole life, sparks flies and opposites do, as always, attract.

where to watch: dramacool

grade: 8,5/10

pros:

this story was so fucking down my alley, bro. minimal drama and pure character development & analysis for 21 episodes? sign me the fuck up!!! the themes were so beautiful, about forgiveness & growth, chosen family & kindness always winning... I ATE THAT SHIT UPPP!!! such a heartwarming & honestly important lakorn for choosing depth above drama.

this is the least toxic lakorn couple I've ever seen, apart from maybe the one in to me, it's simply you which I also loved! they just truly love & respect each other and were written incredibly well. even though they're vanilla af, I didn't get bored at all?? LOVE THEM!

bruh, the characters!!! truly the first time in a lakorn where I truly love not only the main characters, but the entire cast. pennueng is so fucking soft, mata is legit the queen of my heart, trichat owns me entirely and is one of the most complex & interesting ever in my eyes, pang was also super complex & badass, and matalada's entire family????? are my family now. I absolutely adored them, and it was by far one of the best queer representation in lakorns!

the chemistry was beyond incredible! the main ship is perfect & truly feel like soulmates, and the side ship was SO HOT & iconic together, I was stanning! two different vibes but they both ATE!

the acting was PERFECT! everyone did an amazing role, james jirayu perfect in the role of the sad & stilted doctor, toey jarinporn impressed me so much for the first role I've seen her in, she was perfect for mata & absolutely made this role hers, the pang actress was great, I loved seeing the dad actor in a queer role, he honestly ate, the aunt vee actress ATE, especially considering it's her first role ever, the grandma??? fucked me up, I cried so much in her scenes lol. but the one who impressed me the most is ryu wachirawich. I only knew him from 9x9, but BITCHHHHH. he absolutely BODIED trichat & made him his in a way that has made me an immediate stan even though it usually takes me 2 to 3 roles to stan someone! he was so good & I'm looking forward to his next roles!

cons:

I was so confused by trichat ending up with riri. while I liked them together & they had been built up to have some tension since their first meeting... obviously trichat & pang should've ended up together??? in fact, I was certain they did??? didn't they mend things together & go on a double date with the main couple??? that whole thing was so confusing bc tri & pang had been far more developed and also built up to be soulmates like the main ship, so I was so disappointed by this choice of ending. ESPECIALLY since riri is canonically queer & used to like mata, so I wish we'd have seen her end up with a girlfriend, which would've added to the representation of the show.

similarly, I think the whole tri x pang storyline was made overly complicated for no reason. what was actually my favorite ship of the two quickly became a bit slow & repetitive after a while, and I believe they could've conveyed the same type of story better.

I wish we'd have seen at least one queer character get a love interest. this lakorn focuses more on the 'identity' aspect of queerness rather than the 'sexuality' aspect, which I found very interesting & worth exploring, but considering half of the characters are queer & they're basically the only ones ending up single feels kinda weird. just something they could've improved.

would I rewatch it: yes!

It was honestly such a joy to watch a lakorn where the couple is not toxic, people's decisions make sense most of the time & that actually created realistic and beautiful characters, not caricatures. I loved every moment of it! I cried, I laughed, I screamed... definitely one of the best lakorns out there & truly such a gem to watch!

[socialfauxpa]

2022 book wrap up

I got a couple messages about what i was reading in 2022 and thought the Storygraph Wrap up feature might be a good chance to post about it.

If anyone is interested in adding me on storygraph, my account username is socialfauxpas

I read a total 36 books and graphic novels this year! I was aiming to read 22 books in 2022 and overshot that goal. Most of the graphic novels were re-reads of Saga catching up for the new issues this year (i am completely caught up as of yesterday). And yes Harrow the ninth is on here twice, i read it twice this year. Also nothing but love for Martha Wells's Murder bot diaries those six books slay.

I'll post some detailed thoughts about my 5 star reads under the cut below.

My 5 Star Reads

Last night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Listed under books that made me lose my mind. I read this in January 2022 and its discussions of discovering and belonging to queer community and acceptance of butchness had me legit sobbing at times. And all that is being paralleled with 1950's Red-Scare paranoia ! Malinda Lo was insane for this and I recommenced it to everyone interested in historical queer fiction because it has been rattling around my head for literally a year.

The Starless Sea By Erin Morgenstern

I Love Erin Morgenstern, her novel the Night Circus is one of my all-time favourite love stories ever. Starless sea is a banger too. It comes out swinging with her beautiful prose fantastic protagonists and a novel about the nature of stories and storytellers? Insane. Her wold building and interweaving of timelines is so incredible. I also listened to this as an audio book and the reader was so good at the different characters voices and delivery of the stories it really added a lot of depth to an already rich story.

The Priory of the Orange Tree By Samantha Shannon

Talk about a win for the High fantasy gays, this ones got it all. Dragons, romance, magic, RICH world building. It's what i wish game of thrones was-> a entire cast of characters and interconnected storylines across continents that 1) made sense to its own story and 2) no homophobia lol. I literally couldn't put this brick of a 850+ page novel down and read it in exactly 10 days according to storygrpah.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

The review on the cover says something like" this book wil grab you by the collar, break your heart over its knee, then mend it" and Yeah.jpeg. It does that. I love Touraine and Luca, their dynamic is incredible. Adele voice "Its about the devotion babes, devotion".I found this book through a Tordotcom article about The Butch Martyr in SFF, where it talked about 2 of my other favourite queer fantasy series (Gideon the Ninth and The Traitor Baru Cormorant) and i figured anything that is mentioned in the same breath as those two must be a banger, and BOy howdy is it. And ill tell you if i had nickle for every book I've read that features heavy themes of colonialism, of dealing with the grief of a love lost, and loving a culture that will never see you as one of its own, id have about 15cents. Which isn't a lot but it was the hot new trend for books i read in 2022 (2021 was lobotomy).

She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan

Another one i could not put down. I listened to this one as an audio book as well and i was plugged the fuck in. Absolute banger of historical fiction and an incredible GNC protagonist. I feel like ive seen this book mentioned a lot along side Xiran Jay Zhao's Iron Widow (which i also read and liked a lot this year) because these authors have taken real people from Chinese history are playing around with them like dolls. But the way this book talked about fate and how the life you live is an active choice really hit. And talk about a book that is gender, JESUS. You know how sometimes you read something and you can just tell it was written by someone who GETS it, Shelly Parker-Chan gets gender in a way that i haven't seen in a long time.

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Can't talk about books that are so gender without talking about Nona. Yall know my love for the locked tomb series and this torch is still being carried. I've been thinking about the "It’s finished, it’s done. You can’t take loved away." line for uhhhhhh 5 months straight. I can not say enough good things about this series, I could talk about it for literally years (and i have).

[c-is-for-circinate]

For a long, large part of my life, being queer in a media landscape--finding queerness in a media landscape--has meant theft.

I'm a Fandom Old, somehow, these days, older than most and younger than some, in that way that's grown associated with grumpy crotchetyness and shotguns on porches and back in my day, we had to wade through our Yahoo Groups mailing lists uphill both ways, boring and irrelevant anecdotes from Back In Those Days when homophobia clearly worked differently than it does now, probably because we weren't trying hard enough. I've seen a lot of stories through the years. I've read a lot of fanfic. (More days than not, for the past twenty years. I've read a lot of fanfic.)

When people my age start groaning and sighing at conversations about representation and queerbaiting, when we roll our eyes and drag all the old war stories out again in the face of AO3 is terrible and Not Good Enough, so often what we say is: you Young Folks Today have no idea how hard, how scary, how limiting it was to be queer anywhere Back In Those Days. Including online, maybe especially online, including in a media landscape that hated us so much more than any one you've ever known. And that is true. Always and everywhere, again and again, it's true, we remember, it's true.

We don't talk so much about the joy of it.

Online fan spaces were my very first queer communities, ever. I was thirteen, I was fourteen, I was fifteen--I was a lonely, over-precocious "gifted kid" two years too young for my grade level in an all-girls' Catholic school in the suburbs--I lived in a world where gay people were a rumor and an insult and a news story about murder. I was straight, of course, obviously, because real people were straight and anyway I was weird enough already--I couldn't be two things strange, couldn't be gay too, but--well, I could read the stories. I could feel things about that. I would have those stories to help me, a few years later, when I knew I couldn't call myself straight any more.

And those stories were theft. There was never any doubt about that. We wrote disclaimers at the top of every fic, with the specter of Anne Rice's lawyers around every corner. We hid in back-corners of the internet, places you could only find through a link from a link from a link on somebody else's recs page, being grateful for the tiny single-fandom archives when you found them, grateful for the webrings where they existed. It was theft, all of it, the stories about characters we did not own, the videotaped episodes on your best friend's VHS player, one single episode pulled off of Limewire over the course of three days.

It was theft, we knew, to even try and find ourselves in these stories to begin with. How many fics did I read in those days about two men who'd always been straight, except for each other, in this one case, when love was stronger than sexual orientation? We stole our characters away from the heterosexual lives they were destined to have. We stole them away from writers and producers and TV networks who work overtime to shower them in Babes of the Week, to pretend that queerness was never even an option. This wasn't given to us. This wasn't meant for us. This wasn't ours to have, ever, ever in the first place. But we took it anyway.

And oh, my friends, it was glorious.

We took it. We stole. And again and again, for years and years and years, we turned that theft into an art. We looked for every opening, every crack in every sidewalk where a little sprout of queerness might grow, and we claimed it for our own and we grew whole gardens. We grew so sly and so skilled with it, learning to spot the hints of oh, this could be slashy in every new show and movie to come our way. Do you see how they left these character dynamics here, unattended on the table? How ripe they are for the pocketing. Here, I'll help you carry them. We'll make off with these so-called straight boys, and we only have to look back if somebody sets out another scene we want for our own.

We were thieves, all of us, and that was fine and that was fair, because to exist as queer in the world was theft to begin with. Stolen time, stolen moments--grand larceny of the institution of marriage, breaking and entering to rob my mother's hopes for grandchildren. Every shoplifted glance at the wrong person in the locker room (and it didn't matter if we never peeked, never dared, they called us out on it anyway). Every character in every fic whose queerness became a crime against this ex-wife, that new love interest. Every time we dared steal ourselves away from the good straight partners we didn't want to date.

And: we built ourselves a den, we thieves, wallpapered in stolen images and filled to the brim with all the words we'd written ourselves. We built ourselves a home, and we filled it with joy. Every vid and art and fic, every ship, every squee. Over and over, every straight boy protagonist who abandoned all womankind for just this one exception with his straight boy protagonist partner found gay orgasms and true love at the end.

Over and over, we said: this isn't ours, this isn't meant to be ours, you did not give this to us--but we are taking it anyway. We will burglarize you for building blocks and build ourselves a palace. These stories and this place in the world is not for us, but we exist, and you can't stop us. It's ours now, full of color and noise, a thousand peoples' ideas mosaic'ed together in celebration. We made this, and it will never be just yours again. You won't ever truly get it back, no matter how many lawyers you send, not completely. We keep what we steal.

.

Things shifted over time, of course. That's good. That's to be celebrated. Nobody should have to steal to survive. It should not be a crime, should not feel like a crime, to find yourself and your space in the world.

There were always content creators who could slip a little wink in when they laid out their wares, oh what's this over here, silly me leaving this unattended where anybody could grab it, of course there might be more over by the side door if you come around the alleyway (but if anybody asks, you didn't get this from ME). We all watched Xena marry Gabrielle, in body language and between the lines. We sat around and traded theories and rumors about whether the people writing Due South knew what they were doing when they sent their buddy cops off into the frozen north alone together at the end of the show, if they'd done it on purpose, if they knew. But over the years, slowly, thankfully, the winks became less sly.

A teenage boy put his hand on another teenage boy's hand and said, you move me, and they kissed on network TV, in a prime-time show, on FOX, and the world didn't burn down. Here and there, where they wanted to, where they could without getting caught by their bosses and managers, content creators stopped subtly nudging people around the back door and started saying, "Here. This is on offer here too, on purpose. You get to have this, too."

And of course, of course that came with a whole host of problems too. Slide around to the back door but you didn't get this from me turned into it's an item on our special menu, totally legit, you've just got to ask because the boss throws a fit if we put it out front. Shopkeepers and content creators started advertising on the sly, come buy your fix here!, hiding the fine print that says you still have to take what you've purchased home and rebuild it with your semi-legal IKEA hacks. Maybe they'll consider listing that Destiel or Sterek as a full-service menu item next year. Is that Crowley/Aziraphale the real thing or is it lite?

And those problems are real and the conversations are worth having, and it's absolutely fair to be frustrated that you can't find the ship you want on sale in anything like your color and size in a vast media landscape packed full of discount hetships and fast-fashion m/f. It's fair to be angry. It's fair to be frustrated. Queerbait is a word that exists for a reason.

There's a part of me that hurts, though, every time the topic comes up. It's a confusing, bad-mannered part of me, but it's still very real. And it's not because I'm fawning for crumbs, trying to be the Good, Non-Threatening Gay. It's not that I'm scared and traumatized by the thought of what might happen if we dare raise our voices and ask for attention. (Well. Not mostly. I'll always remember being quiet and scared and fifteen, but it's been a long two decades since then. I know how to ask for a hell of a lot more now.)

It's because I remember that cozy, plush-wallpapered den of joyful thieves. I remember you keep what you steal.

Every single time--every time--when a story I love sets a couple of characters out on a low, unguarded table, perfectly placed to be pilfered on the sly and taken home and smushed together like a couple of dolls, my very first thought is always, always joy. Always, that instinct says, yay! Says, this is ours now. As soon as I go home and crawl into that pillow-fort den, my instincts say, I will surely find people already at work combing through spoils and finding new ways to combine them, new ways to make them our own. I know there's fic for that. I've already seen fic for that, and I wasn't really interested last time, but the new store display's got my brain churning, and I can't wait to see what the crew back at the hideout does with this.

Every time, that's where my brain goes. And oh, when I realize the display's put out on purpose, that somebody snuck in a legitimate special menu item, when the proprietor gives me the nod and wink and says, you don't have to come around the side, I know it's not much but here--there is so much joy and relief and hope in me from that! Oh, what we can make with these beautiful building blocks. Oh what a story we can craft from the pieces. Oh, the things we can cobble together. Look at that, this one's a little skimpy on parts but we can supplement it, this one's got a whole outline we can fill in however we want. This one technically comes semi-preassembled, and that's boring as shit and a pain to take back apart, but that's fine, we'll manage. We're artists and thieves. I bet someone's pulling out the AU saw to cut it to pieces already.

And then I get back to our den, which has moved addresses a dozen times over the years and mostly hangs out on Tumblr now (and the roof leaks and the landlord's sketchy as fuck but at least they don't charge rent, and we've made worse places our own). And I show up, ready for joy--ready for a dozen other people who saw that low-hanging fruit on that unguarded table, who got the nod and wink about the special menu item, who're ready to get so excited about this newest haul. Did you see what we picked up? The theft was so easy, practically begging to be stolen. The last owner was an idiot with no idea what to do with it. The last owner knew exactly what it could become, bless their heart, under a craftsman with more time on their hands, so they looked away on purpose at just the right time to let me take it home. I show up every time ready for our space, the place that fed me on joy and self-confidence when I was fifteen and starving. The place that taught me, yes, we are thieves, because it is RIGHT to take what we need, and the beautiful things we create are their own justification. We are thieves, and that's wonderful, because nothing is handed to us and that means we get to build our own palaces. We get to keep everything we steal.

I go home, and even knowing the world is different, my instincts and heart are waiting for that. And I walk in the door, and I look at my dash, and I glance over at twitter, and--

And people are angry, again. Angry at the slim pickings from the hidden special menu. So, so tired and angry, at once again having to steal.

And they're right to be! Sometimes (often, maybe) I think they're angry at the wrong people--more angry with the shopkeeper who offers the bite-sized sampler platter of side characters or sneaks their queer content in on the special menu than the ones who don't include it at all. But it's not wrong to be mad that Disney's once again advertising their First Gay Character only to find out it's a tiny sprinkle of a one-line extra on an otherwise straight sundae. It's not wrong to be furious at the world because you've spent your whole life needing to be a thief to survive. It's far from wrong. I'm angry about it too.

But this was my den of thieves, my chop shop, my makerspace. Growing up in fandom, I learned to pick the locks on stories and crack the safes of subtext at the very same time I learned to create. They were the same thing, the same art. We are thieves, my heart says, we are thieves, and that's what makes us better than the people we steal from. We deconstruct every time we create. We build better things out of the pieces.

And people are angry that the pre-fab materials are too hard to find, the pickings too slim, the items on sale too limited? Yes, of course they are, of course they should be--but my heart. Oh, my heart. Every single time, just a little bit, it breaks.

Of course the stories are terrible (they have always been terrible). Of course they are, but we are thieves. We steal the best parts and cobble them back together and what we make is better than it was before. The craftsman's eye that cases a story for weak points, for blank spaces, for anywhere we can fit a crowbar and pry apart this casing--that's skill and art and joy. Of course we shouldn't have to, of course we shouldn't have to, but I still love it. I still want it, crave it. I still thrill every time I see it, a story with hairline cracks that we can work open with clever hands to let the queer in.

That used to be cause for celebration, around here. I ask him to go back to the ruins of Aeor with me, two men together alone on an expedition in the frozen north, it feels like a gift. And I understand why some people take it as an insult. I understand not good enough. I understand how something can feel like a few drops of water to someone dying of thirst, like a slap in the face. If it was so easy to sneak it hidden onto the special menu, to place it on the unguarded side table for someone else to run off to, why not let it sit out front and center in the first place? I know it's frustrating. It should be. We should fight. We should always fight. I know why.

But my heart, oh, my heart. My heart only knows what it's been taught. My heart sees, this thing right here, the proprietor left it there for you with a nod and a wink because they Get It. It's not put together yet, but it's better that way anyway. It's so full of pieces to pull apart and reassemble. I bet they've got a whole mosaic wall going up at home already. We can bring it home and make it OURS, more than it was ever theirs, forget half of what it came from and grow a new garden in what remains.

And I go home to find anger, and my heart breaks instead.

[revenantghost]

Anime Round-Up: Winter 2022

Mostly doing this so I can keep track of what I’ve seen and remember to give my thoughts to peeps who asked for them. :’D So, here’s the anime that held my attention long enough to finish this season in order that they finished airing!

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suri/My Dress-Up Darling

What a wonderful and cute ride! It took until after the first six or so eps aired for me to watch because I thought it would be too much fanservice for me (no hate on the fanservice lovers, just not my cuppa tea), but it actually wound up being extremely character driven and wonderful. Gojo is so soft and so dedicated, a teenager with the most wonderful heart of gold doing everything that he can to be the best friend he can for the first friend he’s ever had. And Marin! Her confidence is so lovely to see, but so is her softness and sweetness and how emotional she can get beneath it all. They both have a passion for their hobbies and a love for their art that seriously drives the story along. They’re just both ridiculous teenagers stumbling through new experiences in a lovely and meaningful tale. Also that animation and sound design are STUNNING, holy cow. I enjoyed the first half a little more than the second, but I still overall loved it, and would recommend it for someone looking for something sweet and light--but not too slow or lacking any character development!

Sasaki to Miyano/Sasaki and Miyano

SASAMIYA MY BELOVED! I started watching this because I read the synopsis and thought it would be extremely cringe and hilarious to watch, assuming that we would be living out every single bl trope under the sun and I was woefully, wonderfully wrong. Sasaki to Miyano follows a shojo format while being self-aware of boys love tropes and it creates one of the softest and most wholesome romances I’ve ever seen. Highschool age romances aren’t always my favorite with the ridiculous drama (which is a taste thing, of course), but these boys communicate, they care for one another, they’re gentle and extremely aware of boundaries, consent, and respect. Not to mention the side characters are some of my favorites of all time--the support and yet almost critical look at the tropes and relationships and problems around them are lovely. Both Sasaki and Miyano are beautiful, understandable, and complex human beings, stumbling through the later stages of adolescence, and I cannot recommend this anime enough. Also, shout-out to the cat in every episode, I adore that cat.

Sabikui Bisco/Rust-Eater Bisco

This show is a TRIP!!! Listen, I started this as a fun mindless and ridiculous shonen, and it is that, but it’s also wonderful on other levels. The world-building is absolutely ridiculous and a blast (they had me at attack hippos and iguanas you can ride), and the conflicts are very clear-cut and easy to follow. But where it really shines are its characters, especially the lead two. They’re just wonderful guys with refreshing personalities that are built so vividly and engagingly. Also they’re queer as hell. I don’t make the rules on this one, they dropped the big “love” bomb (and I mean the Japanese, extremely legit, “Aishiteru”) on screen and the power of love achieves all sorts of miracles--it’s as canon a relationship as any shonen atm is gonna get. The light novels go some places that touch on personal squicks of mine, but this first season? I recommend wholeheartedly for someone that wants to go on one hell of a rollercoaster of a romp full of character and heart.

Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan to/Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout

This is not one that I planned to watch, despite a potentially hilarious ride, because there is room for... all the phobias in this premise. Two guy best friends are reincarnated into a fantasy world, one as a super cute girl, and they’re attracted to each other but terrified of that because they want their relationship label to remain as “friends.” It doesn’t sound bad, but it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see how it could go bad. Instead, this is a genuinely funny and endearing anime that lightly touches on gender and attraction but is mostly about shenanigans and the deep, budding relationship finally managing to bloom between these two friends. Also did I mention these two were brought here by the goddess of LOVE??? If that isn’t as queer as you can get, I don’t know what is. (Shout-out to the anon who suggested this to me, I’m forever grateful) The concept of gender and attraction is talked about honestly, and enough to bring it to watcher’s awareness, but not in a way that overrides the story. It’s a comedy and a hilarious one above all else--it just also happens to be one of the best queer/trans stories I’ve stumbled into.

Tensai Ouji no Akaji Kokka Saisei Jutsu/The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt

This was a genuinely fun romp!!! I was afraid that it would turn into harem no-plot nonsense (which isn’t my cup of tea, but we all come to anime for different reasons), but it was a lot of fun! Wein, our protagonist, is incredibly refreshing and even down to earth despite the light-hearted nature of the show, and the plots were generally engaging and built throughout the show! The characters all had depth, and I was invested in the consequences of every move. Think Code Geass, but with a lot more humor and taking itself a lot less seriously. Bonus points for it’s no tolerance for racism, and that OT3 endgame pairing that I’m very curious to see if it becomes a thing.

Tokyo 24th Ward/Tokyo 24-ku

Listen... there’s still one episode left to trudge through, I know. But I’ve accepted my fate. This show had so much potential. The main characters are bright and vibrant beyond their main-character coloring, the world-building was fascinating, and the THEMES! Poverty and government surveillance and the definition of justice! The loss and cost of achieving justice!!! What it’s like to make horrible, crippling mistakes in the pursuit of what’s right!!! And then the studio hit crunch, we got the boob filler episode, and it fell apart at the seams. Please just go watch the OP and ED of this show on Youtube, they’re brilliantly animated and catchy, and they deserve attention. But the rest... RIP Tokyo 24th Ward, I’ll mourn you and your potential.

[maggiecheungs]

2020 ~everything~ wrap

i finally have time to do all of the tag games that people have tagged me in over the past month or so! i cannot for the life of me remember who tagged me in which one, so i’m just putting ~everything~ in one huge post. if i tag you anywhere then consider it a standing invitation to do whichever of these you haven’t done :) in fact, this is me issuing a standing invite to any of my followers who wants to do it :) also, thank you all!

Creator Wrap: Favourite Works

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 (or so) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

this collection of philosophy quotes paired with thai bl series, (and its sequel) which is possibly my favourite thing i’ve ever made. for, uh, nerd reasons.

these gifted text post memes i made still make me laugh sometimes

this fic about green from 2gether, which i wrote in the notes app on my phone and published the same day. not my absolute best writing but i am very fond of it <3

i have a bunch fof friend zone dangerous area edits/shitposts which i like, but i’m particularly fond of my fzda as satire headlines (which now has a sequel!)

i also love my crisgood-walmart-lesbian post. i might send it in to gmmtv to try and convince them to do a crisgood-bffs spin-off

+ bonus: since i wrote this list i made this gifset (my first ever!) of jennie panhan in the shipper and i love her too much not to include her on here

+ extra nerdy bonus: this niche meme about Chinese philosophy, which still makes me crack up whenever I think about it

Favourite Creators/Follow Forever

i’ve completely lost track of who’s following who from which blog, so this is just going to be a haphazard, non-exhaustive list of people who i adore/admire/am vaguely intimidated by, mutuality be damned. maybe we talk all the time! maybe we’ve never interacted! maybe i am constantly there in ur tags... lurking... 👀... but if you’re on this list you have made me smile at least once this year and i love you for that alone <3

@wjmild kylie!! you make gifs of arm & tay & lee (separately or in various combinations) & the shipper & and kapook & random fluke pusit cameos & school rangers so i don’t have to <3 ilysm

@janeramida vianey, you have such impeccable taste in general, but your sizzy gifset in particular is so gorgeous it lives in my mind rent free

@applelapis bri, this post was a callout and i want you to know that it haunts me at night as i lie awake staring at the ceiling :((((( i hope you are happy

@gigiesarocha cata, i love it when you show up on my dash bc you have!! such taste!! also, every time you gif gigie i gain five years of life <3 pls continue doing the Good Work

@pvrrish​ eleni, i remeber legit thinking that this was an official poster when i first saw it, it’s so beautiful

@ahysopae​ juliette your khaithird fic is so good and it literally changed the way i think about khai (not an easy feat)

@kurosawadachi angel, whenever i think about grace’s speech i remember your gifset and get literal chills

@doctorbahnjit alexa, you have no right to be as funny as you are. your friend zone edits give me life

@khaotungthanawat sam, you’re probably sick of getting tagged in these lists by random strangers, but i just had to bc your gifsets are Pure Art

@tanwirapong roa, all your gifsets are so ✨iconic✨

faiza @asianmelodrama and rahul @petekaos! yours were the first two thai drama blogs i followed and for ages i lowkey thought of you as my fandom parents.

and some more blogs that make me happy: @curlykytta / @lee-thanat  / @fck-inspector-m / @pangwave / @tichawongtipkanon / @tawanv @kimmonv (violet istg i have spent more time this year trying to figure out how many blogs you have than i have spent admiring your gifsets. & i spend a lot of time admiring your gifsets) / @taytawan / @1akorn and @yihwas (and your radiant lovechild @lakornladies ofc) / @teh-ohaew / @vihokratanas (mel your gifsets are just so gorgeous) / @tootiredtoosadtooangry / @headcompletelyempty / @demiromanticmickey​ / and there are definitely more but my brain is a sieve so apologies if i’ve forgotten anyone!! i love you all!! 

2020 HIGHLIGHTS ✨

rules: list your top 10 shows (bl or not) you watched in 2020 (doesn’t necessarily have to be shows that came out in 2020 though!)

1. 2GETHER & STILL2GETHER

my first thai drama, and even after all the amazing shows i’ve watched this year, it still has a special place in my heart. watching 2gether was the first time i’d ever seen a queer romcom that just... was. for me, by the simple fact of its being, 2gether was revolutionary. and then still2gether came along and took all the best things about the first season and gave us something beautiful and quiet and lovely and just proved to me, once and for all, that queer happiness doesn’t need to justify its own existence. there can be gay cuddles on the beach for no other reason than that we want them. 

2. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

i don’t really have the words for this one but. it makes my heart so very soft.

3. FRIEND ZONE 2: DANGEROUS AREA

season one was mindless fun because everyone was an absolute trashfire and it was hella cathartic to watch, but season 2... wow. i love it for so many reasons: it has messy and authentic queer rep; the characterisation is excellent and i somehow care about all of the characters; amazing women taking centre stage(!); a wlw relationship with lesbian, ace and bipolar rep; multiple interesting plotlines; actual character development; arm weerayut as a chaos gremlin... absolutely one of my favourites of 2020.

4. CHERRY MAGIC

i don’t think i need to explain this one, which is fortunate, because i have no idea how exactly i’d describe the happy-warm-fuzzy-queer-seen-loving-affirmed-profound feeling that rises in my chest whenever i think about it. 

5. THE GIFTED: GRADUATION

confession: i liked season 2 more than season 1 (with the exception of the ending, which we don’t talk about). season 1 was enjoyable and interesting, but for me it was season 2 which made me love this series. it did some incredibly interesting and complicated things (even if it didn’t quite nail the landing): it pushed characters to the breaking point and wove so many layers into the story and questioned its own underlying themes. plus, watching it alongside everyone in the fandom made it 200% better. i love all of you and i love this show. egg girl 5eva.

6. THE SHIPPER

i 100% understand why so many people didn’t like this show, or found it problematic, but through some fluke it absolutely worked for me (even the ending). one day i will write an essay explaining my rationale, but for now i’ll just say that it’s one of my favourite shows about adolescence and queerness and identity and compassion and friendship and love that i’ve ever watched. 

7. YYY

this series is absolutely off its rocker, and it somehow managed to be one of the most affirming shows i’ve watched. it shouldn’t have worked by it did, and i love it so much.

8. 3 WILL BE FREE

absolutely iconic. amazing plot, stunning visuals, great characters, canon polyamory, jennie being incredible... what a series.

9. MANNER OF DEATH

i love the fact that this show exists; i love the mix of crime and romance; i love maxtul’s acting; i love the central relationship; i love bun. i know we’re not even halfway through yet, but this show is doing something special and i’m so grateful that i get to watch it unfold in real time. 

10. CHIHAYAFURU (SEASON 3)

odd one out on my list, but I had to include it. chihayafuru is my all-time favourite anime and it finally got a third season, which is somehow even better than the first two. mashima taichi is one of my favourite characters of all time and his storyline hits me on such a profound level. plus, in the years since i first say this show i’ve fallen in love with classical japanese literature (particularly heian poetry) so i had newfound appreciation for the karuta matches (aka i cried every time someone recited one of my favourite poems)

other favourites: together with me, he’s coming to me, sotus and sotus s, my dear loser: edge of 17, why r u, theory of love, wake up chanee!, gameboys, pearl next door, uta koi (anime), three kingdoms (2010), blood and water (netflix). (itsay would almost certainly be on my list if i’d had time to watch it. same with dark blue kiss, which i had to pause so i could do my assignments)

Final Thoughts

well, it’s been... a year (i don’t think anyone needs a reminder of the details) but writing this post has reminded me of all the amazing shows and people I discovered over the course of it.

thank you to everyone for being so lovely and creative and funny and quirky and kind and passionate. you’re all incredibly awesome people and i wish all of you the very best xx

[smokeybrand]

Venomous Visibility

As a creator, I always find the subject of representation kind of dubious. With the f*cked up Last of Us II leaks, the continuous misandrist poison leaking into the Star Wars canon from that Kennedy-led Lucasfilm, and the incredibly amazing portrayal of Jill Valentine in the Remake, this sh*t has been on my mind lately. Like, how do you write strong, female, protagonist without falling into that Mary Sue trap? How do you code black without being offensive? How do you write gay without resorting to stereotypes? I don't know how to distinguish a trans or deaf or autistic or native person through text without outright stating these things. Where's the nuance in portraying someone queer without it coming across as pandering? I don’t know if it’s because of my limited experience as a straight black dude who kind of thinks the current trend of eighty-eight genders and personal identifications is kind of ridiculous but i find the attempts studios make to cater to these groups to be adequate as f*ck. Like, Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley kind of defined feminine bad-ass and they both did it way back in the 80s. Why is there this irreverent need to portray this misandrist energy in modern cinema? Birds of Prey was a fun time but it was way heavy-handed on that “Girl boss” energy and it didn’t have to e. Harley Quinn is already a boss and the Birds kick ass in their own right. Why does that have to be the focus of your narrative instead of actual character development and plot? Especially when you have that Ellen Ripley template? It’s weird to say but it feels like certain groups want those aspects to define the entirety of a character instead of it just being a part of them. I think that mindset is both toxic and does a disservice to the given narrative, unless the narrative, itself, is defined by those aspects.

I'm of the mind that, if you wrote dope characters, that should he enough. Take, for examples, Disney’s newest attempt to represent a queer character in Onward. I’ve never seen the movie, i have severe daddy issues so this hilariously outside of my wheelhouse, but i hear that one of the characters makes a passing reference to their same sex spouse. How is that not good enough? Isn’t that how it is in real life? I don’t see gays running around, shouting about their homo love from the balconies and rooftops. Unless it’s Pride. To add that little tidbit in the middle of a Pixar film, aimed at the notoriously conservative middle America, and not have them trying to burn down city hall is kind of amazing and, in my opinion, very tastefully done. At least it’s better executed than the way Beauty and the Beast did with the LeFou reveal. Like, holy sh*t. Talk about blue-balls. This fervent obsession with representation for representation sake or to push an agenda is absolutely repugnant. You think the character of Rey Skywalker would be enough of a lesson on that poisonous nonsense for everyone, not just Disney. Be it female lead, bisexual heroine, gay protagonist, whatever; If you're character is strong enough to be more than whatever social label cats want to code them with, then the representation is inconsequential. Don’t force something that doesn’t need to be forced.

I’ve seen representation executed beautifully. Euphoria is one of the best shows i’ve seen on television and it deals with a ton of sh*t that most SJWs want to fight about. Zendaya is excellent in this show and so is her trans partner, Hunter Schafer. The way that show is written, you can tell that there is an understanding about that culture, a personal connection to their world. That level of representation is outstanding and i commend the creators for giving us such a rich vision for those characters. That said, the strength of Euphoria is in the characters. Rue makes that show. It’s about her journey and everything after that, is a part of who she is as a character, not the defining aspect of it. That subtlety is how you represent an uniquely ignored demographic. That’s how you handle representation in media for adults. For kids, i think this is a little much. Not many nine-year-olds out there are recovering drug addicts.

I think the best piece of media i’ve ever seen in terms of representation actually came out of Disney years ago and gets criminally slept on to this day. Atlantis: The Lost Empire i easily the most diverse, accessible, and palatable piece of “woke” media, Disney has ever made, and it was never created to be so. Atlantis is a story with a female co-lead of color, who has her own agency, doesn’t really fall into the trap of being “damseled” and ends up being a Queen by the rend of this story. The male co-lead is an anxious, neurotic, nerd with a distinct lack of brawn, who beguiles the antagonists with his intellect. The supporting cast is a mixture of people of color, both of which are dope as sh*t, and various nationalities. I’ve spoken at length about my love for Kidagakash Nedakh, she’d be my favorite Disney Princess if she wasn’t a motherf*cking Queen, but i’d be lying if i didn’t admit Audrey had a near equal place in my heart for her sheer dopenesss. Doc is cool, too. Seriously, how is there no Atlantis world in Kingdom Hearts yet? F*cking Disney, man... For the record, my actual favorite Princess is Rapunzel with Jasmine coming in a close second.

Personally, when I create a character, I describe the way I imagine how they physically appear and let the reader assign whatever else afterwords. If I say a character is female with caramel color skin and lavender hair, it's up to the reader to define the minute details in their mind's eye. Is the Lavender a natural hair color? Is she black? Maybe Hispanic? Could she be native or Indian or something completely different? A lot of people have caramel color skin. Hell, she might just have a tan, I don't know because the way I see the character, is different than whoever reads it. I think that's one of the joys unique to literature, that ability to essentially "customize" a narrative to taste, which only amplifies my inability to reconcile this trend of "representation." A lot of people in the fandom attribute Ahsoka Tano as an LGBTQ character and i think that’s fine. It’s never implicitly stated but i don’t think it really has to be. Ahsoka is a bad ass and she displays all of that effortlessly. If you ant to ascribe a queer connotation to her, fine, but that’s not the part of the character that matters to the overall narrative. It shouldn’t be the one aspect which is harped upon officially. I actually really, really, love Ahsoka so i have a dog in this fight. Not so much about the gay coding, that’s a thing that doesn’t really matter to me, more the fact that she needs deserves more shine in the franchise. Thank you Mando II. Also, Dr. Aphra. I hope they actually give her a show. She’s f*cking awesome and, i think, a legit LGBTQ character. I could be wrong about that though.

If a character can be whatever you want them to be, why does it have to be implicitly stated? How is all of this forced representation and social agenda pushing not disingenuous at that point? How is it not more a hindrance than a strength? Why is it acceptable to have your token marginalized appearance, if it’s forced and detracts from the overall story trying to be told? Is it really okay to just accept such pedestrian pandering for the sake of pandering? Like, i’m not gay. How am i supposed to write a gay character without being an ass about it? The only way i know how is to be direct with it. Direct but subtle about everything. “Strong Female Character” should not be the one aspect of your character driving their development. You don’t need to create a Mary Sue in order to have a compelling female lead. Tifa Lockhart and Norah Price prove that. Your protagonist doesn’t need to be “the big gay” in order to be a bad ass. Ian Ghallagher and Willow Rosenberg prove that. Also, they’re both gingers so, you know, double the suffrage points i guess? You don’t have to write a potato who can do physics in their head, to represent an autistic person. Sherlock Holmes and  Amelie Poulain prove that. I would definitely do what Disney did with Onward in order to represent a character of that type of minority because, to me, as a minority, i don’t believe any singular aspect determine the whole of a character. Race, gender, orientation, religion, and other social identifiers; All of those are just qualifiers to the core of the character you’re creating. They are parts, never a whole. These things are just additions to embellish and enrich, not the definition of who they are, as much as everyone wants it to be. I mean, at the end of the day, how lame is your character if all they are is gay or stronk female? How much of a boner is our story going to be with a protagonist as deep as a puddle because you feel some kind of way about visibility?

[lost-dazed-andconfused]

I know this was all hyped and spoken to death a week ago and shit BUT I was feeling super emotional and also had that fourth Dan and Phil dream about me meeting them so I watched this video. And I legit cried. So props to @thrivinghowell (I think this is the right one) because it is really well edited and the song is great.

I also just want to comment AGAIN on how much them coming out has just effected people. And in such a deep profound way. I go to a queer youth group and a month ago we went to pride and I saw queer kids connecting with each other holding signs quoting @danielhowell’s video and recreations of @shittywatercolour’s art. And this month at a much smaller pride for a much smaller community I saw some of these amazing kids from the youth group making signs using quotes of dan and phil. We even chanted quotes in this parade. Somehow, these two amazing people by being vulnerable and authentically themselves, they have given us hope, connection, and power. They have told us that’s it’s okay to be us and it’s okay if we were or still are afraid. It’s okay. And... now I’m crying again geez.

What I’m trying to say is that boys, you’ve done good. Your journey is amazing and beautiful. Sure, it’s got a lot of rocky shitty things and things you might find cringe and just things that people don’t usually describe as ‘amazing’ or ‘beautiful’. But I just watched a great video of your journey together and it is beautiful. I would be lucky to end up with a friendship or romantic relationship or anything that is like yours. Because it’s so clear how much you care for each other and how much you make each other just happy. And sharing your stories and coming out has connected with a lot of people, myself included. And wow this is long and ranty. This isn’t even including me crying and gushing about kids whose families are being unsupportive got to be themselves and it’s the most gorgeous things I’ve ever seen. Or the kids connecting with other queer kids their age for the first time. Or any of the other things I noticed.

And I haven’t even really talked in any depth about how this has all personally effected me.

But my point is... do I even have a point? I just really appreciate Dan Howell and @amazingphil and love the the queer kids and love the queer adults who are all older than me and just... I’m gonna go to bed before I cry or rant more.

[swainlake]

Hello! So now that got has ended I'm looking for some tv shows that I could watch after I'm done with my exams. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not looking for anything specific, although if you have watched some good period dramas, I'd love some recommendations. Also wanted to add how much I love your blog, it's really beautiful

tysm that’s so sweet!! i love giving recs so i’ve got a bunch that you might like under the cut; i’ve put a ♡ next to my favs

period dramas:

NEW WORLDS (2014)this one is a mini series, only 4 episodes long, but please don’t let that stop you! it’s about anti-monarchism and rebellion and forbidden love in the 1600′s & is set in both england and america. i cried more than once but the ending is so bittersweet and hopeful!! 

POLDARK (2015—)i have a love/hate relationship with this one tbh. i started watching because of the main relationship but i ended up really into it for the side relationships instead?? the actual political plot doesn’t interest me but i love the drama between the family members. also i adore the women in this show, every single female character is well-written and realistic and you’ll love them all (even if at times you hate them). the men tho? the men are pretty much collectively the worst. “what’s wrong with the women in this family?” “the men.”

SPARTACUS (2010—2013) ♡i started watching this before i ever got into game of thrones but if you like the fight scenes in got, you’ll enjoy this! great characters, great fight scenes, great friendships. this one is based on gladiators who are fighting for their freedom.

THE WHITE PRINCESS (2017) ♡okay firstly and most importantly: jodie comer stars in this so you know it’s good. it’s also got michelle fairly (catelyn stark) in it though tbh she wasn’t my favourite character in this and i didn’t find her likeable at all. it’s not very historically accurate ofc but the relationship between henry/elizabeth is honestly the perfect enemies to lovers rep & always lowkey reminds me of book!sansa/jon possibilities

PAN AM (2011—2012)this one isn’t like game of thrones at all but it’s only one season and it’s super cute and has a lot of famous actresses in it like christina ricci & margot robbie. based on the adventures of a crew of pan am stewardesses, this is a good combination of lighthearted fun and chilling cold-war drama. an old favourite. 

THE MUSKETEERS (2014—2016) ♡i’ll be gushing over this for years to come tbh it’s really just that perfect. the relationship between the musketeers is so lovely, the personification of ‘brotherhood’ really, but also the romantic relationships are really good too?? which for some reason i personally hadn’t expected. my fav couple is aramis/anne (anne is played by the actress who played roslin frey!) because the forbidden love & the respect and adoration between those two is just perfect but really every relationship (even the ones that don’t become endgame) are written very well

OUTLANDER (2014—)i haven’t watched every single episode of this one but from what i have seen it’s very good, and has some similar themes to game of thrones!! the sex scenes are epic, the main relationship is lovely, and overall its a very realistic show that features supernatural elements!

THE LAST KINGDOM (2015—) ♡i’m not going to lie: i started this series by skipping straight to 2x7 because i’d seen gifs of the relationship between aethelflaed and erik but it was so good i ended up going back and starting from the beginning! this show reminds me of ‘vikings’ more tham game of thrones but it’s not as gory and the characters aren’t all assholes. side note: if you love sansa stark as much as i do you’re gonna love aethelflaed, lady of mercia! she’s actually a real person but this show is based on a book series that looks super interesting! honestly the main character also kind of reminds me of jon snow

HARLOTS (2017—) ♡oh my gosh how do i describe this show?? the family dynamics are so! intricate! and! beautiful! honestly just stunning. everything about this show is s t u n n i n g. the costumes are colourful and vivid and honestly i’d recommend watching just for that but the storyline really does keep you hooked!! also: liv tyler and jessica brown findlay are love interests in this which is honestly a dream come true

BLACK SAILS (2015—2017)okay full disclosure; i haven’t actually seen this but i’ve heard very good things and it’s on my list!! it’s about pirates, i think there’s some queer rep (can anybody confirm??), and there’s lots of amazing women. again, allegedly. 

dramas:

THE SOCIETY (2018—)i literally watched the entire first season in a single night so it must be alright, right? basically all you need to know about this is that a town full of teenagers go on a field trip & then return to find all their parents mysteriously missing and their town closed off from the outside world. it’s basically lord of the flies but modern! with some kick-ass friendships! and amazing young women (one literally teaches herself to be a doctor can you believe?)! 

SHARP OBJECTS (2018)if you haven’t heard about this one yet idk what rock you’ve been living under but welcome back! this one is a m a z i n g but also hella chilling and the ending is such a shocker if it hasn’t been spoiled for you yet!

THE BOLD TYPE (2017—) ♡i always describe this one as ‘sex and the city for millennials’ but i’ve never watched a single sex and the city episode in my life so i honestly don’t know how accurate that is?? but it’s about a group of 20-something year old women who are best friends and work mates and they love each other so much?? the relationship between the girls is my favourite thing about the show but the show honestly tackles a lot of relevant issues; trump, age gaps, queer rep, immigration, racism, etc. i can’t recommend this enough!

CODE BLACK (2015—2018) ♡you know those episodes in greys anatomy where everything is life-or-death and you’re on edge for the whole episode? that’s basically every single episode of code black. this is hands-down one of my most rewatched shows ever. i love medical dramas and this one balances well written characters with action-packed medical miracles so honestly what’s not to like?? 

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (2018—)okay admittedly the only reason i watch this show is because of the main couple but i can’t help it when they’re just so gosh-darn cute!! they love each other so god damned much! i wasn’t completely sold on this straight away but by ep 3 i was HOOKED. if you like supernatural romances/dramas that are more mature than your usual cw show, this one is a good choice!

THE OA (2016—) ♡i can’t even put into words how much i adore this?? but also: it will confuse THE SHIT out of you. no matter how smart you are, this one will leave you scratching your head. basically: a group of people who’ve had near-death experiences get kidnapped and experimented on. it’s not as brutal as it sounds, in fact the show is exceptionally beautiful, but it does deal with some hard themes and the good guys don’t always win. 

12 MONKEYS (2015—2018)do you like time travel? do you like forbidden and yet totally-still-devoted-to-one-another-anyway love? then this is the show for you! this one is dark and gritty and deals pretty realistically with the concept of time travel & self-sacrifice and what people will give up to create a better world. it’s got a happy ending & you wont regret watching!

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE (2018)oh this one will make you cry. in a good way though! long story short a family grows up in a haunted house and it affects them in ways they cannot imagine. it’s hauntingly beautiful and poetic and everybody should watch it at least once imo

comedies:

THE MARVELOUS MRS MAISEL (2017—)okay so this one counts as a period drama as well but it’s about a COMEDIAN so i put it in the comedy section lol. okay so long story short, a woman is left by her husband, she’s worth 1000 of him & everybody else knows it because you seriously can’t help falling in love with this woman but ofc there’s period-typical sexism she has to face as she struggles with being a single woman, a single mother, and an up-and-coming comedian. def recommend.

SANTA CLARITA DIET (2017—2019)drew barrymore is a zombie!! who lives a normal life but also eats people!! it’s only weird for the first couple of eps. the family dynamics are snarky and witty and they manage to make gore funny?? honestly this entire show is legit laugh-out-loud darkly hilarious.

[saportuh]

this pride month i implore you all to watch pose on fx.

it’s a show about 80s ballroom culture & lgbt experiences of that time, written by and starring trans women and gay men of color. it’s a beautiful found family-type of story that’s incredibly sweet & emotional, and it features not only lgbt struggles, but also community, solidarity, family, and love, and it’s filled with much-needed diversity. here’s why you should check it out.

our main characters are two black trans women, three black gay men, and a (presumably gay) latino man, and they’re this adorable little family that loves each other so damn much omg. 

there’s a bunch of other minor characters composed of black & latinx trans women & gay men, too, and because there’s so many of them, they all have different personalities!! there’s not a token character that has the same sassy fabulous flamboyant personality like every other movie ever, the cast is so heavily composed of lgbt characters that they all have different motivations and dreams and hopes and feelings! it’s wonderful! and so damn refreshing!

there’s only one white main character (along with the two other white minor characters that he primarily interacts with). he’s played by evan peters (who’s a doll for hopefully bringing his fan base into this, since this shows deserves all the views!! i want it renewed asap!!), and he’s the love interest of one of the aforementioned trans women, who’s a babe named angel, played by the gorgeous up-and-coming indya moore.

speaking of that relationship, there’s some mildly problematic aspects, & his motivations aren't completely clear yet, but from what we’ve seen so far, he doesn’t misgender her, he defends her against those who do disrespect her, & he genuinely cares about her, so i have hope those two will sort their shit out, cuz angel’s a wonderful character who deserves the world.

in fact, many viewers were worried his character would end up hurting her, since her character is a sex worker & violence against trans women who are sex workers is unfortunately so common in film and in real life, but in the latest ep, they had normal sex & it wasn’t a big deal! it was just a thing that happened! and everyone was so relieved! one of the writers tweeted after “we wanted to show that trans women’s bodies are desirable and not always points of trauma/violence” - and that writer is a trans women!! like!! ahh!! trans women writing positively but truthfully about trans experiences!

speaking of which, the show was created by white cis gay men (specifically, ryan murphy, of american horror story fame, which a lot of people were wary about, but his murder fetish has stayed out of pose so far, thankfully), but the writers and consultants are trans woc! like, this show’s legit!

the other main trans character, blanca, is hiv postive, and her storyline doesn’t completely revolve around her diagnosis! it’s just a small part of her identity! she’s the mother of this little family we follow, this little house, & she’s absolutely incredible, & so loving & compassionate yet still strict - essentially, the mom we all wish we had. she’s so damn good.

but the show doesn’t chicken out on addressing the threat of aids - it’s a prominent subject, not sugar-coated but not overdramaticized. it’s honest and heartbreaking, and it’s done extremely tastefully, which i commend them for. 

the show tackles real world lgbt issues, specifically ones dealt with in the 80s, but many of them are still problems today. these include: the aids crisis, transphobia from the outside world, transphobia from the lgbt community itself (specifically from white cis gay men towards black trans women), lgbt youth being kicked out of their homes & forced to live on the streets, lgbt people forced to make ends meet through illegal and immoral methods because of the hand they’ve been dealt… it’s all portrayed realistically.

however, unlike most lgbt content, which only focuses on tragedy, pose doesn’t exclusively focus on the struggles. these characters laugh, enjoy themselves, have fun. they’re allowed to be happy, which is so damn refreshing when so much media only focuses on the sad aspects of queer life.

in fact, the most recent episode was a christmas special, & while there was some sad plotlines, most of it was lighthearted and sappy and made me tear up with joy, and it was incredible. 

there’s a relationship between two gay black boys, and it’s nothing but wholesome. the only angst at all comes from one of them needing time to follow his dream of being a dancer, and the other feeling a little neglected, but otherwise supportive. these two face no other issues. there’s no toxicity, there’s no violence, there’s no sadness. it’s a pure relationship between young black men, and it’s absolutely lovely. 

the show has garnered nothing but praise, from critics and the public, but more importantly, from the lgbt community, specifically lgbt poc!! ive seen so many people getting emotional about this gem of a show, because it’s representing people who’ve rarely been represented before. laverne cox has praised it!! queen laverne!! listen to queen laverne!!

so please support it, because it means a lot to a lot of people, & i know, if you give it a chance, it’ll mean a lot to you, too.

it’s three eps into an eight episode first season, & airs every sunday at 9pm on fx - which means, since i’m posting this on 6/24, the fourth episode airs tonight!! try to tune in if you can!! and even if you can’t, please watch it when it airs next week - we want it renewed!! we couldn’t save the get down or sense8, but damnit, we will save pose!

for the first three episodes: the pilot is available for free on itunes and google play, and the other eps are available for pretty cheap on both services, as well. and if you really need it, dm me for links to online streams, though i definitely recommend watching it on an official stream, for the sake of views.

please give this show a chance!! you will not be disappointed, i promise.

[thelastlesbean]

Max’s (Super Gay) Comic Rec

Cause we all need a lil more gay in our lives lets be real.

(R stands for Rating. What do u mean this is not a legit rating system? You’re not a legit rating system) 

(AL stands for Angst Level 1 being (almost) no angst, 5 being very fucking angsty)

LGBT+ 

Les Normaux by JJ & AI ( @lesnormaux ) | R: 12.5/10 | AL: 1.5 Follow the lives of a bunch of supernatural beings living in Paris Read for: INCREDIBLE ART INCREDIBLE CHARACTERS INCREDIBLE STORIES INCREDIBLE EVERYTHING basically read this if you’re having a bad day u will not regret 

Griefer Belt by Kales ( @grieferbeltcomic ) | R: 12.5/10 | AL: 3 A bunch of queer contract killers… what could go wrong? Read for: A+ art, A+ artist, A+ story, A+ characters, A+ anything

Green & Gold by Lisadorina | R: 13/10 | AL: 2 A story about teenagers at a German boarding school. Read for: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ART I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE IN A COMIC OKAY & also the story is just really really really great

Sharp Zero by Robotsharks ( @robotsharks ) | R: 13/10 | AL: 3.5 A superhero action comedy. The main character dies but it doesn’t end there... Read for: *grabs ur face* okay listen LISTEN THIS Story IS SO GooD OKAY JUST Read AND WeEP + The Art??? THE ATR IS BEAUTIFUL

Countdown to Countdown by Vel ( @velocesmells ) | R: 10/10 | AL: 4.5 Iris' life takes a turn for the worse five year into an apocalyptic outbreak Read for: ridiculously incredible art, unique art style and a great story that keeps you on the edge of your seat 

Falconhyrste by mcapriglioneart ( @falconhyrste ) | R: 10/10 | AL: 2 A story about a bunch of kids at a mysterious boarding school Read for: OCTAVIA AND HER AMAZINGNESS, quirky characters, really really great artwork & a story that pulls you in

Artistic Progress by Red-vaporeon ( @red-vaporeon-draws ) | R: 10/10 | AL: 2 A bunch of kids tackling everything that happens when you grow up Read for: really incredible characters, beautiful and very unique art style 

Lochbank cryptic society by Cryptid society ( @cryptidsociety​ ) | R: 10/10 | AL: 2 Three teenagers start an after school club dedicated to hunting cryptids and legends of their small town, only to discover a conspiracy bigger than anything they set out for. Read for: smart and intriguing story and characters 

More under the cut!! 

Aspera by rrroux | R: 9/10 | AL: 1 Amongst Parisian cobblestones, paint stains and empty coffee cups we find nine different young adults who somehow ended up in each other's lives. Read for: really unique and lovely art style, lovely story and well thought out characters 

Aversion by Hayden Marie ( @aversioncomic ) | R: 8/10 | AL: 3.5 A story about a human unwillingly caught in the middle of the Endless War of Heaven and Hell, and the angel Nadhirrah, assigned to protect him. Read for: very interesting story full of plot twists & crazy good colouring 

Chasing little stars by Eleviken | R: 9/10 | AL: 2 The world is dangerously polluted. As if that's not bad enough already, four kids also have to deal with their own issues at an elite high school in Shanghai. Read for: Beautifully created characters, setting and art 

Forget me by Bai ( @leello ) | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 2 A story about the exciting, complicated life of a college student. Read for: Really great characters and the story they tell 

Rock & Riot by Chelsey Furedi ( @rockandriotcomic​ ) | R: 9/10 | AL: 2 Opposing gangs, cool outfits, swooning humans all around and people falling in love. Read for: Funny story, lovey art work & great representation all over  Also check out: Project Nought

Acquainted with strangers by Crumbsicle ( @crumbsicle​ ) | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 1 Keenan decides to start designing the town’s first arcade with the help of the rich pretty-boy he just met. Read for: Really unique artstyle, intriguing story 

Monster crowd, creatures call by Void ( @monsterscrowdcreaturescall ) | R: 8/10 | AL: 2.5 A coming of age comic about monster teenagers in the 1980’s. Read for: interesting take on the monster genre and very unique but cool style 

Piercings by MacAngell | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 2A Drama about a slew of college kids from across the sexuality spectrum that are terrible at relationships and understanding what they want out of life. Read for: gorgeous story with interesting characters 

Danse orbitale by Princedesoies ( @princedesoies​ ) | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 1.5 A comic about two friends who enjoy dancing ballet together and can't be bothered about gender Read for: cool style and great exploration of what it means to be yourself 

WLW 

Elvis & Jules by Bibinella ( @bibinella ) | R: 10/10 | AL: 1 The moment they met they immediately hit it off, what will happen next? Read for: beautiful artstyle, interesting story that’s still developing 

Preheat by Bilvy | R: 9/10 | AL: 2 A young and ambitious baker loses her cafe in a disastrous fire, but sees none of the insurance payout. Read for: super super great art and promising story 

Short by Dani Bolim ( @bolinhopodre ) | R: 8/10 | AL: 1.5 Short story about lesbians Read for: Fun short stories that don’t take too long to read & cute art to boot! 

Honey & Venom by Kurzz ( @honeyandvenomcomic ) | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 2 A webcomic about ancient Roman/modern California lesbians. Read for: Interesting story & great art 

Long Hair Hotel by Momcarda | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 2 A story about letting go of your history and getting to know yourself Read for: a story that’s just beginning, unique and interesting art style 

Meriel’s law by Illuia | R: 8/10 | AL: 1 A very persistent saleswoman charming the heck out of a very grumpy witch Read for: MAGIC, WLW, CUTE ART 

Our story begins with by Shihho | R: 7/10 | AL: 1.5 A story through a relationship Read for: cute art

GRRRLS by 025GERU ( @025geru ) | R: 8/10 | AL: 2 Short stories about girls Read for: unique artstyle, interesting narratives and bite sized stories 

MLM

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman ( @heartstoppercomic ) | R: 12/10 | AL: 2.5 A really wonderful and cute story about figuring yourself out and falling in love as a teenager Read for: ridiculously amazing story, great representation on what it really is like figuring out you’re lgbt (without it being all about that) & super cute art style 

Autophobia by G.H.S.T ( @autophobiacomic ) | R: 13/10 | AL: 3 A story about Louis, an eleventh grader with anxiety trying to juggle school, his fathers expectations and later his budding feelings for a boy. Read for: the ridiculously amazing storytelling, best depiction of an anxiety attack I have ever seen in media and seeing the growth of an artist (this comic is my number one fave)  

Long Exposure by Mars ( @longexposurecomic​ ) | R: 12.5/10 | AL: 3.5 Nerds, bullies, superpowers, government conspiracies, secret labs… This story has it all Read for: Incredibly well thought out story, incredible art, incredibly amazing characters just !!!!! READ THIS !!!! 

Eerie Crests by Bell ( @eeriecrests ) | R: 12/10 | AL: 4 They say Malek is dead… Dallas isn’t so sure Read for: A-FUCKING-MAZING ART by an absolutely fabulous artist and a very very intriguing story 

Dear Boy by Blauerozen ( @blauerozen ) | R: 11/10 | AL: 2.5 Follow a group of not-so-human college boys as they whine about their tangled love lives. Read for: cute art, cute story, cute everything lets be real

Cupid by XUIO | R: 8.5/10 | AL: 3 Tony is a troublesome and carefree kid who has trouble falling in love, he then meets a forgiving and levelheaded Cupid named Koji, who helps him out, ironically. Read for: very interesting story and pretty art 

MondoMango by The Kao ( @thekao ) | R: 9.5/10 | AL: 1 Follow the day to day life of Kao as he goes on adventures or thinks stuff about things. Read for: funny little stand alone comics with great line art 

Breaks by Emma Vieceli  | R: 8/10 | AL: 3.5 A love story… but a little broken Read for: Very interesting story and great characters 

Cupido by Skatuya ( @skatuya ) | R: 8/10 | AL: 2 Alec has the ability to see soulmate marks of people and likes to play cupid (with some great help!) Read for: lovely story, awesome characters, interesting idea 

Fluxa by Kukkiia ( @fluxa ) | R: 8/10 | AL: 3 Callipus is on the run from the government when he meets a boy part of a rebellion Read for: In-cre-dible art, really cool story 

BSandL by Nilukka ( @drawthen ) | R: 9/10 | AL: 2.5 An alien crash lands on earth with a bang Read for: Original story and way of storytelling and multi dimensional characters 

Brian & Ditya by Bakanoapit ( @apitnobaka ) | R: 9/10 | AL: 1 Way more than friendship, not (yet) a relationship - told as bits and pieces of words. Read for: REALLY CUTE AND FLUFFY + GREAT A R T OKAY

Geoff & Rupert by Olive Guy | R: 8.5/10 | AL: 1 Plants and soul reapers Read for: Cute af art and cute af plants 

Jamie by NDGO ( @jamie-comic ) | R: 7.5/10 | AL: 2.5 Jamie falls for Aiden, Aiden isn’t so sure… Read for: interesting story & lovely art style 

This took me over 3 hours to put together jfc but yes read all of these they’re absolutely amazing 

Also @ the comic artists: if I put your comic in the wrong category pls let me know u guys are amazing and I love all your art so much 

[smokeybrandreviews]

Venomous Visibility

As a creator, I always find the subject of representation kind of dubious. With the f*cked up Last of Us II leaks, the continuous misandrist poison leaking into the Star Wars canon from that Kennedy-led Lucasfilm, and the incredibly amazing portrayal of Jill Valentine in the Remake, this sh*t has been on my mind lately. Like, how do you write strong, female, protagonist without falling into that Mary Sue trap? How do you code black without being offensive? How do you write gay without resorting to stereotypes? I don't know how to distinguish a trans or deaf or autistic or native person through text without outright stating these things. Where's the nuance in portraying someone queer without it coming across as pandering? I don’t know if it’s because of my limited experience as a straight black dude who kind of thinks the current trend of eighty-eight genders and personal identifications is kind of ridiculous but i find the attempts studios make to cater to these groups to be adequate as f*ck. Like, Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley kind of defined feminine bad-ass and they both did it way back in the 80s. Why is there this irreverent need to portray this misandrist energy in modern cinema? Birds of Prey was a fun time but it was way heavy-handed on that “Girl boss” energy and it didn’t have to e. Harley Quinn is already a boss and the Birds kick ass in their own right. Why does that have to be the focus of your narrative instead of actual character development and plot? Especially when you have that Ellen Ripley template? It’s weird to say but it feels like certain groups want those aspects to define the entirety of a character instead of it just being a part of them. I think that mindset is both toxic and does a disservice to the given narrative, unless the narrative, itself, is defined by those aspects.

I'm of the mind that, if you wrote dope characters, that should he enough. Take, for examples, Disney’s newest attempt to represent a queer character in Onward. I’ve never seen the movie, i have severe daddy issues so this hilariously outside of my wheelhouse, but i hear that one of the characters makes a passing reference to their same sex spouse. How is that not good enough? Isn’t that how it is in real life? I don’t see gays running around, shouting about their homo love from the balconies and rooftops. Unless it’s Pride. To add that little tidbit in the middle of a Pixar film, aimed at the notoriously conservative middle America, and not have them trying to burn down city hall is kind of amazing and, in my opinion, very tastefully done. At least it’s better executed than the way Beauty and the Beast did with the LeFou reveal. Like, holy sh*t. Talk about blue-balls. This fervent obsession with representation for representation sake or to push an agenda is absolutely repugnant. You think the character of Rey Skywalker would be enough of a lesson on that poisonous nonsense for everyone, not just Disney. Be it female lead, bisexual heroine, gay protagonist, whatever; If you're character is strong enough to be more than whatever social label cats want to code them with, then the representation is inconsequential. Don’t force something that doesn’t need to be forced.

I’ve seen representation executed beautifully. Euphoria is one of the best shows i’ve seen on television and it deals with a ton of sh*t that most SJWs want to fight about. Zendaya is excellent in this show and so is her trans partner, Hunter Schafer. The way that show is written, you can tell that there is an understanding about that culture, a personal connection to their world. That level of representation is outstanding and i commend the creators for giving us such a rich vision for those characters. That said, the strength of Euphoria is in the characters. Rue makes that show. It’s about her journey and everything after that, is a part of who she is as a character, not the defining aspect of it. That subtlety is how you represent an uniquely ignored demographic. That’s how you handle representation in media for adults. For kids, i think this is a little much. Not many nine-year-olds out there are recovering drug addicts.

I think the best piece of media i’ve ever seen in terms of representation actually came out of Disney years ago and gets criminally slept on to this day. Atlantis: The Lost Empire i easily the most diverse, accessible, and palatable piece of “woke” media, Disney has ever made, and it was never created to be so. Atlantis is a story with a female co-lead of color, who has her own agency, doesn’t really fall into the trap of being “damseled” and ends up being a Queen by the rend of this story. The male co-lead is an anxious, neurotic, nerd with a distinct lack of brawn, who beguiles the antagonists with his intellect. The supporting cast is a mixture of people of color, both of which are dope as sh*t, and various nationalities. I’ve spoken at length about my love for Kidagakash Nedakh, she’d be my favorite Disney Princess if she wasn’t a motherf*cking Queen, but i’d be lying if i didn’t admit Audrey had a near equal place in my heart for her sheer dopenesss. Doc is cool, too. Seriously, how is there no Atlantis world in Kingdom Hearts yet? F*cking Disney, man... For the record, my actual favorite Princess is Rapunzel with Jasmine coming in a close second.

Personally, when I create a character, I describe the way I imagine how they physically appear and let the reader assign whatever else afterwords. If I say a character is female with caramel color skin and lavender hair, it's up to the reader to define the minute details in their mind's eye. Is the Lavender a natural hair color? Is she black? Maybe Hispanic? Could she be native or Indian or something completely different? A lot of people have caramel color skin. Hell, she might just have a tan, I don't know because the way I see the character, is different than whoever reads it. I think that's one of the joys unique to literature, that ability to essentially "customize" a narrative to taste, which only amplifies my inability to reconcile this trend of "representation." A lot of people in the fandom attribute Ahsoka Tano as an LGBTQ character and i think that’s fine. It’s never implicitly stated but i don’t think it really has to be. Ahsoka is a bad ass and she displays all of that effortlessly. If you ant to ascribe a queer connotation to her, fine, but that’s not the part of the character that matters to the overall narrative. It shouldn’t be the one aspect which is harped upon officially. I actually really, really, love Ahsoka so i have a dog in this fight. Not so much about the gay coding, that’s a thing that doesn’t really matter to me, more the fact that she needs deserves more shine in the franchise. Thank you Mando II. Also, Dr. Aphra. I hope they actually give her a show. She’s f*cking awesome and, i think, a legit LGBTQ character. I could be wrong about that though.

If a character can be whatever you want them to be, why does it have to be implicitly stated? How is all of this forced representation and social agenda pushing not disingenuous at that point? How is it not more a hindrance than a strength? Why is it acceptable to have your token marginalized appearance, if it’s forced and detracts from the overall story trying to be told? Is it really okay to just accept such pedestrian pandering for the sake of pandering? Like, i’m not gay. How am i supposed to write a gay character without being an ass about it? The only way i know how is to be direct with it. Direct but subtle about everything. “Strong Female Character” should not be the one aspect of your character driving their development. You don’t need to create a Mary Sue in order to have a compelling female lead. Tifa Lockhart and Norah Price prove that. Your protagonist doesn’t need to be “the big gay” in order to be a bad ass. Ian Ghallagher and Willow Rosenberg prove that. Also, they’re both gingers so, you know, double the suffrage points i guess? You don’t have to write a potato who can do physics in their head, to represent an autistic person. Sherlock Holmes and Amelie Poulain prove that. I would definitely do what Disney did with Onward in order to represent a character of that type of minority because, to me, as a minority, i don’t believe any singular aspect determine the whole of a character. Race, gender, orientation, religion, and other social identifiers; All of those are just qualifiers to the core of the character you’re creating. They are parts, never a whole. These things are just additions to embellish and enrich, not the definition of who they are, as much as everyone wants it to be. I mean, at the end of the day, how lame is your character if all they are is gay or stronk female? How much of a boner is our story going to be with a protagonist as deep as a puddle because you feel some kind of way about visibility?

[to-a-merrier-world]

Webcomic recs!

These are some of my absolute favorite webcomics that I’m reading right now (all are in-progress). They aren’t ranked in any order, since I don’t think I could choose a favorite. Also, all of these have queer themes of some variety, since that’s just how I like my entertainment. Anyways, here we go!

1) Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu   (read here)

Description: Eric Bittle—former Georgia junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and amateur pâtissier—is starting his freshman year playing hockey at the prestigious Samwell University in Samwell, Massachusetts. And it’s basically nothing like co-ed club hockey back in the South. For one? There’s checking. It’s a story about hockey and friendship and bros and trying to find yourself during the best 4 years of your life. 

My notes: This is one of the more popular webcomics around right now, at least from what I’ve seen, and that popularity is well-deserved. The characters are well-written, unique, and very fun; the story has a good pacing and keeps you engaged; and the art is really nice. I’m personally very fond of this comic because I, too, am a queer Southern guy person, so I can really relate to Bitty and all his struggles and idiosyncrasies. Plus, it’s cute, sweet, has relatable angst, and is already promised to have a happy ending, so what more could I ask for? Also, pie. And hockey butts. And no need for any knowledge on actual hockey. Need I say more?

2) No End by  Erli & Kromi (read here)

Description: No End is a romantic soap opera webcomic about a group of people trying to survive and make lives for themselves in a cold, post-apocalyptic world ravaged by hordes of undead. Heavy on LGBTQ+ themes, content warning for occasional blood, gore, violence and strong language. 

My notes: This comic guys. THIS. COMIC. It’s so good, okay; so good. I’m not even all that into zombies (I’ve only liked In the Flesh and Warm Bodies, as far as zombie stuff goes, if that tells you anything), and I love this comic. I literally read all of it (that was out at the time) last year in one sitting. That good, y’all. The characters are great and surprise you at different turns, the relationships are engaging and realistic, and the art is drop-dead (ha) gorgeous. 

3) Sunshine-Boy (Leftovers) by Moosopp (read here)

Description: Sunshine Boy is about a boy named Kelly, moving to a new environment and struggling to fit in. Growing up in a loving house hold and having supporting parents. He has to learn that the world isn't as nice as he thought it would be. 

My notes: Y’aaaall, this artist is quite possibly my favorite artist, ever. I don’t even know, their style just makes me feel things, ok. Also, this is probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s still going, and there are future content warnings for violence/bullying/drug use/sexual content, so it may not stay so lighthearted and cute, but I love it, so. I also just recommend this artist/writer in general, cause all their works are wonderful and gorgeous. Besides my obvious hard on for their art, though, the story has a nice flow and the characters are all really unique and interesting--you can really tell that there’s more to them than what we’ve seen, and I’m personally very excited to see where all these characters go.

4) Les Normaux by KnightJJ (read here)

Description: Les Normaux follows the lives of a bunch of supernatural beings living in Paris after a human wizard named Sebastien moved to the city. 

My notes: Honestly, what’s better than queer characters, Paris, and modern mythical/supernatural creatures in a slice-of-life style comic? Not much. This is a really cool comic that changes which character they highlight in each episode. The character designs are unique; everyone has different problems, solutions, and happy moments, but they’re all connected in one way or another, which is super cool; and I really dig the art style (ok, I know I say this about everything, but I just really love art, ok? All of these people are wonderfully talented and hardworking).

5) George and Johnny by Savi (read here)

Description: Comics about two unlikely friends, George and Johnny. Stayed tuned for bad jokes, high school, sleepovers, bands, romance, burgers, and tiramisu. ((not necessarily in that order)) 

My notes: A comic that has a sweet, chubby, nerdy guy as one of the main characters? Sign me the fuck up. This is an extremely sweet and wholesome comic about two boys becoming close friends (and possibly something else? yet to see...). It’s very much a slice-of-life kind of comic, concentrating on characters and their relationships, and I honestly love it so much. The art style is also really pretty, especially the coloring, which is typically bright and kinda pastel, which I really dig. 

6) Sharp Zero by robotsharks (read here)

Description: Delivering takeout normally doesn't end with lethal exposure to superscience, but Elliot's habit of being at the wrong place at the wrong time lands him in a shitshow that ends up with being brought back from the dead with the help of Danny, the cute intern who he died hitting on. His new form of undead life gives him new powers and recognition from a high ranking superhero organization. While running with the heroes he used to worship, Elliot learns what it really means to be alive. 

My notes: Y’all. Do words even exist to describe my love for this comic? I don’t think they do. The art? Gorgeous. The writing? Interesting, well-paced, and hilarious. The characters? Unique, beautiful, and deliciously diverse. There’s superheroes. There’s the supernatural. There’s aliens. This comic has got it all and it’s amazing. I’ve never seen something so specifically my kind of thing, but this is hitting everything I love, plus its got gorgeous art. Need I really say more?

7) Long Exposure by mars (read here)

Description: Long Exposure is an ongoing webcomic about a nerd and a bully who are forced to work on a class project together. The story revolves around them developing super powers after an incident at a strange research center, and finding themselves followed by a mysterious car, overcoming personal challenges, and (most importantly) discovering how gay they are for each other. 

My notes: I was actually kinda unsure about this comic before I read it, since the whole enemies to lovers trope isn’t often my thing (only if it’s done really well). But after reading what’s been posted? I love it. These characters are imperfect people who the author treats as imperfect people, and they do it really well. Also, their art style is sooo cool and unique, I dig it a lot. Also, I’m really digging where the story is going and how they’re handling it, thus far, so I’m super excited to keep reading it.

8) Heavy Horns by Joane Kwan (read more)

Description: Guy meets guy, but it isn't love at first sight. Just how will Andreas ever get along with the enthusiastic Beau remains to be seen. An unromantic romance. Warning: Can be nsfw, also, these two swear a lot. 

My notes: Okay, so admittedly the first thing that caught my eye with this comic was that one of the main characters literally has horns. Like. Legit horns. Growing out of his head. It works for him, though. Anyways, this is a cool fic and I really like where it’s going, cause it’s really highlighting some of the struggles that queer people face, especially relationship wise. The art is also really gorgeous, with unique character designs that I dig a lot (no, it’s not just because of the guy with the bull horns... I actually like Beau’s characters design the most...).

9) Griefer Belt by Kales (read here)

Description: Griefer Belt is a slice of life series about queer criminals in the black market! Light-hearted dark humor ensues! Contains violence, gore, foul language and sexual references.

My notes: This is a fun one. All the characters have very... grey morality, considering they’re all in the business of black market organs selling (and no, I don’t mean the instrument). But! The characters are fun, the writing is funny, and the art is great. And, honestly, who doesn’t love a little dark humor every once in a while?

Special Mentions:

Memory Born by theroyalglasses (read here) -- there hasn’t been much written for this one yet, but the art is rad and I dig the concept.

Improvise by robotsharks (read here) -- very new, and very fun; same author as Sharp Zero, only this one is about lady assassins. Nice.

A Turn for Change by Kace (read here) -- not a lot has happened yet in this comic, but I dig the characters, and the art style is pretty rad.

Same Shit Different Day by Moosopp (read here) -- by the same author as Sunshine Boy, this is kinda just a mini comic about the artist’s life. I’m still in love with the art, and we also, apparently, have similar senses of humor, so I genuinely find this comic hilarious

And that’s it! I hope you can find something you love, too, out of this list. And if you end up getting into any of these, come chat with me! I’m always up for chatting about these comics! 

[thegentlemaninthetophat]

Last night I got the chance to attend the trans rights march in Pittsburgh.  And I'm grateful for it. My attendance was originally questionable.  What, me with my overnight shift the night before, my anatomy and physiology tutoring right after, the chance for only two hours of sleep or so before I'd have to leave to be back in Pittsburgh for the march.  I highly debated on not going.  But, sometimes you get that pit feeling in your stomach where you know there's a place your supposed to be.  Call it life or god or whatever, but sometimes you just know you're supposed to be somewhere.  And I was supposed to be there.

And I'll admit, on more than one occasion I was almost at tears.  To actually be able to stand with a crowd and hear speakers and be seen.  And to march.  As a queer person in this country, there's a lot of legacy in marching.  There's a lot of history in marching.  You sort of have this knowledge and awareness that your innate legacy comes out of marches, protests, and open resistance.  What we know and what we have comes from our elders fighting the fight before us.  What we have and will have in the future comes from us fighting the fight for the children that come after us.

And it's the idea of the children that pushed me and is now pushing me further in the open than I have been in the past.  The bathroom legality  is targeted at our children and at our queer youth.  At the end of the day these are children.  These are children that already have a high rate of suicide and depression. It has been a long battle to keep our queer youth alive and it's so unsettling to see that we're back at this sort of fight.  I grew up in the era before gay marriage was really a widespread thing.  I got to see all those changes.  And now for us to be back at this, in the wake of Orlando, is heartbreaking.

Repeat after me, these are children. Brave children.  The bathroom debate impacts me, yes but I am far more equipped to handle my own bathroom needs.  I'm a legal adult with a car and years of experience of navigating bathrooms.  I know how to find a bathroom that is safe for me to use.  My current schooling now has easy to navigate bathrooms.  These are children. Children in traditional full day school.  They don't have the advantages and easy pickings that I do.  They can't just up and leave and find a different bathroom.

Let's face it, I didn't begin to get myself together until after high school.  I didn't have to fight the bathroom fight.  I legit had an inkling of what was going on with me when I was thirteen or fourteen and noped so hard out of that that I didn't address it again until I was nineteen or so.  I wasn't like them.  I wasn't that brave.  Handling my developing sexuality was a full on disaster that required all my effort.  Handling gender was so far beyond what I was capable of.  Shit, I didn't even have vocabulary for it.  Transgender?  Yo, so much a word I didn't understand.  Listen, I had to Google to find out that the word 'bisexual' even existed.  If that doesn't give you the sense of how unprepared I was for my own gender issues I don't know what does.

I am twenty-five.  Last night was the first night I think I've ever touched and held anything that actually said the words 'trans' and 'proud' together.  Because those two words have never really been associated in my head.  That's not to say that I'm ashamed of being trans.  I'm not.  It's just always viewed it more as a hassle.  An inconvenience.  I mean it complicates every aspect of my life.  It hasn't exactly ever been a perk.  

It's not exactly a thing I talk about. I've always been more willing to address and talk about my sexuality more than my gender.  The truth is though, since coming back home from my first college, there is no real way for me to discuss my sexuality without discussing my gender.  The two concepts are so tangled up in each other that I usually vote to discuss neither. It's easy to say that I date both boys and girls.  It's easy to say I prefer men, mostly.  Ah, but sexuality and dating talk includes talk of exes.  On occasion I might discuss a female ex.  But to talk of my last male ex?  Hah, not really.  Because my last male ex was a straight man.  And that's where sexuality and gender are so tied together.  

Besides, being a man and largely preferring men isn't an easy thing to manage as a trans man.  

Proud and trans?  Well.  Not something I usually associate for myself.  Others, perhaps.  These children for instance.  These brave, brave children that I'm so proud of.  That I'm so, so worried for.

I was thirteen/fourteen, when I had a split second awareness that female was not a word I wanted for myself.  I remember that clearly.  It went hand in hand with me realizing that I am bi.  You know, after the Google adventure to get the vocabulary.  Except my hands were already super full trying to handle the sexuality issue.  So gender?  Nope.  I buried that far enough down to where it could quietly fester into mental health issues.  I'm not saying I was a reasonable person.

Looking back now it's rather obvious. I couldn't understand it then why I couldn't fully identify with bisexual women.  Bisexual was a thing I could handle being, but no part of me other really identified with women loving women.  The queer women movement and identity is so powerful and so beautiful- but it did nothing for me.  It's obvious now, of course.  

It wasn't until years later that I started to slowly get my head around things.  Only, by then, I couldn't.  I was in a relationship that was supposed to last the rest of my life.  It was supposed to end in marriage.  I was planning a wedding and building for a future with a man.  Most notably, a man that was straight.  There wasn't room to be anything or anyone else than I already was.  For a multitude of bad reasons, I was fairly okay with that as well.  Again, I'm not saying I was healthy about my life.  

Gender and sexuality have always been so intertwined for me.  To me, it was simple.  I would go from being a woman in love with a man to being a man in love with a man.  Super easy.  It didn't change anything on my end.  Still, things aren't that simple for other people, are they?

If I was to really cover the ideas of my transition here I would go on and on.  There's a lot there I'm not proud of either.  Did you ever have a period of your life that you have a hard time looking back on- not because you did anything wrong or shameful, but because you didn't care about yourself soon enough? My coming to terms and starting transition is much a period of that. Tangled up in a story about an ex.

But standing in that crowd last night there was a bit of pride personally.  For the first time I really thought about my own trans story and what some of that really means.

Because, fuck, that shit was hard.  I was strong enough to start addressing what was happening to me.  What I knew deep down had been happening that I just hadn't wanted to deal with.  I did the research to get the vocabulary I just had never had. I found the words to describe what my gender situation was in comparison to my body.

I put myself into the necessary therapy to begin addressing transition.  I paid for, I researched for, and I stood in court several years ago to get the legal name I wanted.  I stood in a court to do that.  I researched physical transitions to determine what I wanted.  I weighed the risks and benefits of starting hormone therapy.  The relative ease of life I have right now is because I did that for myself years ago.

There is a fair enough reason to be proud.  It took work.  It took worry.  It took arguing constantly to justify my actions.  It was and sometimes still is overly scary.

There are still moments where I wonder how I survived that.  

And that's what scares me about the situation we are in now.  These are children.  It might be so easy to say that this is only a bathroom issue.  But the truth is America has always hid its underlying problems under other things. Aka, water fountains.  

I was older when I started to address my life honestly.  I was able to pursue my own actions legally and medically.  These are children who do not have these means.  They cannot move to legally defend themselves.  They have to rely on parents and teachers and law officials to fight back for them.  I cannot begin to imagine how different, how much harder my life would have been if I had realized I was trans as a child.

What's more, we have to fight for these children.  There is a great legacy in resistance.  In marching.  A lot of hope is built on visible faces.  Visible faces are what makes the difference.  When I was younger and even recently I wanted very much to bury the idea of me being trans and to move on with my life. In the America we have today I don't think this is an option.  Those that are able to live openly, safely, need to do so.  

It's important to establish visibility to the general public, but it's much more important to do so for our youth.  They need to be able to see their elders.  Twenty-five isn't that old either, but with the high rate for suicide in the community, twenty-five is no longer insignificant.

Aka I labeled myself publicly trans for the first time last night

[nirah10]

Some more posts about AIDS

Another mass post, as I had several more when I signed in today.

From Anon,

My favourite character on Queer as Folk is hunter.

The teen prostitute who was taken in by Michael and his husband Brian.

Hunter was abandoned at a early age and grew up on the streets, the poor kid selling his body to men for food and money. It is a very, very sad story.

He was eventually found and taken in my Michael and Ben.

With only a few hiccups (such as Hunter fucking a murderer because he wants to prove himself to Brian who he has a weird little crush on.)

Hunter is HIV positive.

:(

The poor kid went through a nightmare of a childhood, was getting his life back in order, wanted to go to high school, only to find out he has HIV. 20 years ago. When the death rate was crazy high.

Where HIV for most was still a death sentence.

With Hunter, they handled his story differently to the adults in the series with HIV.

Hunter is still so young, and in high school and so they focused on the stigma of HIV.

Hunter being outed as HIV positive in front of his school after parents of another kid freaked out after they saw him bleeding:

https://youtu.be/PS3A2sim744

Everyone staring at Hunter at school and clearing the path around him. Look at how small and self-conscious he looks here. It makes me so sad.

https://youtu.be/yo5u0u9UN8I

Then Hunter being harassed by school bulloies:

https://youtu.be/rCCQxIYWVSg

These are there very short clips.

But the reason I am sharing them as they focus on the Stigma of having HIV, especially as a young man.

Not only do you know something in your body might kill you, not only are you seeing the people around you dying, but you have to deal with this ignorance.

Sharing this, as while it is rare to see an adult with HIV on television, it is even rarer to see a teen with it, and it does happen. And it is freaking heartbreaking.

You can almost feel Hunter’s pain in these scenes can’t you?

Do you think this character is more likeable that Brian?

What is the most realistic protrayal of living with HIV that you have seen in a movie or on a television show?

Dear Anon,

He’s definitely a more sympathetic character for sure. He’s pretty rough around the edges but it’s easier to look past when you know he’s just a kid with such an awful background. To be honest, the only other thing I’ve seen that had any focus on AIDS whatsoever was the movie I Love You, Phillip Morris (based on a true story and actually stayed pretty accurate), which touched on it but didn’t have a heavy focus. I’ve also never known anyone in real life with HIV/AIDS (that I know of) so I can’t really comment on what’s realistic or not.

From Anon,

https://youtu.be/yAzDn7tE1lU

Sharing for the first two minutes. From 0.00 until 1.25.

AIDS is only just started to be called AIDS, and the White House response is to laugh at the “gay plauge”. (It was often called the gay plauge or the gay cancer as a formal name hasn’t been put into place yet.)

This was legit the government’s response to 900 YOUNG MEN DYING in ONE YEAR. Amercian men, their own people.

This was only the start of the crisis. Heaps more men died.

This video was at the start. Do you think AIDS would have been different if it wasn’t gay men dying from it? Do you think of the government of the time cared, it would have spread as far and as quickly in America as it did? By the mid 1980’s, it was ten times worse, really an epidemic.

Dear Anon,

I guarantee it would have had a different response if it wasn’t “a gay disease”. The fact that people laughed when the reporter says it’s known as the “gay plague” and the response is “I don’t have it, do you?” clearly reflects that they don’t care about it because it’s not “their” problem. It’s a gay problem and why should they care about gays? The response here is disgusting.

From Anon,

'It’s hard for people who weren’t around then to imagine what AIDS used to look like. It was an epidemic that turned young men old; murdered beauty and promise. You knew someone at work who wouldn’t feel well, you wouldn’t see him for a few days, you would never see him again. AIDS made men ghosts.' I'm 17. I don't know much about HIV, expect that is was first discovered in the gay community and it effects gay men more than any other group. these stories are so sad. I didn't know how bad it was.

From Anon,

History of a crisis

I know this is a seven minutes video, and is a bit long, but it is worth watching.

It covers five different time periods, and it is honestly terrifying to see how quickly the numbers jump. They just keep getting higher and higher in this video.

It was honestly terrifying.

If this was dealt with properly, i think millions could have been saved.

It wasn’t just in the United States though. The numbers were just as high in places like London.

Ages ago I saw a billboard saying: “AIDS is a gay disease. Own it.” I don’t think that was homophobic.

Over two thirds of HIV infections TODAY are gay men. Even with straight people have sex and one had HIV, it is much harder to transmit than between two males. AIDS and HIV is still much higher in gay men. We can’t ignore that.

HIV cost so many young gay men their lives. Many of these young men were active members of the gay community? Isn’t it a bit of an insult to ignore their sexuality and their identity? To remove their sexuality as it makes people uncomfortable?

HIV led to gay men being bashed at higher rates, more hate crimes, more seperation between gay and straight and really made the gay community have to rely on each other, as the rest of the world turned their backs.

Isn’t to deny the history of this wrong?

Gay people suffered so much because of HIV. And to ignore it is not only disrespectful to the men who died while fighting for awareness, it is also dangerous.

To tell young gay men they are not at any more risk than their straight friends is irresponsible. Sure, their straight friends can get it too, but the chances are much higher for gay men. And to not edcuate gay teens about this and to let them go out into the world not being aware that they need to be extra careful is stupid.

From Anon,

‘Jack can’t get sick so I imagine that means that bacteria/viruses can’t survive in his body at all. Because of that, I suspect he doesn’t use condoms very often,’ I’m guessing though in the 1990’s and early 2000’s especially (and hopefully past then as HIV still kills people and still doesn’t have a cure) that at least some of the men Jack was with insisted on safety? I’m sure men from the 1990’s/2000’s after seeing so many friends and lovers die in the 1980’s would not have gone near Jack without a rubber.

But you said he Jack didn’t really use protection. Did he just convince the men he was with he didn’t need one?

Because talked into not using rubber, especially by a long term boyfriend, was a big way it spread. Hopefully some of the men refused Jack right?

Dear Anon,

No, Jack wouldn’t have pushed for going without. If someone he was with wasn’t comfortable having sex without a condom, then he would have just done what they wanted. I just meant that I doubt he would have ever suggested using one and would have happily gone without as long as his partner didn’t say anything about it.

From Anon,

‘After John’s AIDS diagnosis, I was rushed in for my own test. It remains the scariest thing I’ve ever done. Back then, it could mean a death sentence.

I asked him how he happened to contract a disease largely transmitted through gay sex. He told me he’d slept with men, which, at the time, surprised me. It was the beginning of a world falling apart.

My AIDS test came back negative: The kids and I had been spared. But nine months later, John died.’

This sounds similar to what happened to my grandfather, who died in 1985, when my dad was only a kid himself.

He was aware of what was happening around him and despite not wanting to come out (being out in the 1980’s was hard- it was hard to hold down a job as an out gay man) he told my grandmother that she should probably get tested as he has been sleeping with men throughout their marriage and that the man he has been having an affair with for two years had just found out he had HIV.

My grandfather hasn’t been tested himself yet when he told my grandmother, he had just found out his boyfriend had it and was spooked.

My grandparents got the tested together.

He was positive. She was negative.

He died shortly after, still young.

My grandmother didn’t tell my dad or his siblings what happened for years and years. They actually found out by accident, after my aunt was talking to one of his friends, his friendbdidntf realise my aunt didn’t know. My aunt told all her siblings.

All those young men who died just make me really depressed. Thinking about how many died alone, scared and not knowing what was going on because most of the straight world were ignoring the crisis, the period was dropped in homophobia.

It would have been beyond awful, to die of something that was just known at the time as 'the gay plauge’. No one wanting to help you our of fear of getting AIDS yourself. Many people blaming the victims themselves, facing homophobia and hatred right up until they died.  

Have you ever seen the Tom Hanks movie Philadelphia from 1992?

Tom Hanks plays a gay man dying of AIDS, who was fired from his workplace and decides to try and sue them. In the film they talk about 'guility’ and 'innocent’ victims. Hank’s character was considered “gulity�� as he contracted HIV through sex with men. Another female character with HIV was referred to by a lawyer as an “innocent victim after catching HIV through no fault of her own”, a blood transfusion after giving birth. That is really how they looked at it back then. If you were gay with HIV it was deemed “your own fault.” It is a really good movie. Sure, being from the 1992’s, Tom Hanks’ boyfriend is kept kinda to the sidelines, but I think it is one of the best HIV films out there.

Did you have any friends or family caught up in the virus?

Dear Anon,

I haven’t heard of this movie before actually and, no, as far as I know, I’ve never known anyone with HIV/AIDS. My family are Jehovah’s Witnesses though, so I was raised in an extremely religious and isolated community, which meant we didn’t really hear about this stuff.

From Sally,

https://youtu.be/ULrqL_aYoW0

I think it is really positive to see people discussing HIV and the gay community, as it is often brushed aside.

Just sharing this five minute video of Castro, one of the first queer spaces in the world to be hit by the crisis.

Listening to these men, in the present day, talk about what it was like watching their friends around them die makes me feel numb, thinking about how hard it must have been for my uncle watching his boyfriend die, and how hard it must have been for my mum watching her brother die.

It is only a short video, but I feel hearing the stories of the men who were in the middle of the crisis during this time period is important. I cried when the man was talking about people he knew thinking the gay community getting AIDS was a good thing, because it was ‘punishment by god.’ that contrasted with the hundreds and hundreds of photographs of all those men put together really got to me.

I really want to go and find the full documentary now.

Also, I talked to my mum, she wasn’t mad at me. She told me her parents tried to manipulate her like that when she was my age as well, and they were really good at it. I told my grandparents if they want info about my uncle, they had to go through my mum and make her think they deserve it. I doubt they will contact her. Thank you so much for your advice.

From nololmaybe,

My year ten health teacher was fired after he showed this trailer to our year ten health class.

Not even the full movie, just this trailer.

Parents complained and he was fired. Like, parents were threatening to pull their kids out of the school of they didn’t get rid of him.

Apparently this trailer promotes violence, immoral behaviour and violent protest.

Legit, he was fired for showing this, not even the whole movie. Just this. He told us he didn’t have time to show us the film, but that we should watch it of we could because it is important.

Do you think there is anything bad in this trailer? Do you think it promotes violence against the government?

To be fair, our school also fired a gay teacher a year before this incident happened.  The school is protected because of a “religoius freedom” law because it is a church funded school.

https://youtu.be/haEPLCA_H2Y

But do you see this as promoting violence against the government?

Dear nololmaybe,

Aw, hell no, that had nothing to do with promoting violence. That was 100% pure homophobia, that was.