#we need more disabled rep

[cherry-pop-elf]

George Weasley is Disabled, and it’s frustrating how easily people just brush it off or ignore it. So, imma fight that

🧏🏼‍♂️

George Weasley Headcanons For After The War

He started to pick up sign language, and often uses it when talking to the young students who come into the shop. His sign name is “Orange Twin” Since orange is his favorite color

He gave Fred the Sign name “Purple Twin” by Proxy

He has a habit of leaning a lot. As to focus his good ear at people, in order to hear them

He rarely sleeps on his right side, because it cuts out all sound. And since he is a victim of fighting a war, he suffers paranoia from his PTSD. So dead silence is a no go

He’s rather self conscious about his missing ear, and will try and style his hair to hide it

It’s also a painful reminder that he isn’t identical to Fred anymore. In a morbid way, a physical reminder Fred is no longer with him. Not even in his own reflection

Given what spell that claimed his ear, Sectumsempra, he has multiple scars on the side of his head. Which also cut into his hair, and cheek. So he had to grow out his hair a bit, in order to hide them

He developed a real hate for things being to quite, so he’s always having some kind of noise playing. He just can’t sleep if his bedroom is to quiet. He just won’t

He makes jokes, and acts like it doesn’t bother him. More so because of other people than his own comfort. He was always the guy to make everyone else feel better. So he kinda bottled up the side effects of the trauma it gave him

He has phantom pain, so it’s not uncommon to see him rubbing the side of his head. As if his ear was still there

A real way to his heart is to kiss the scars on the side of his head. It makes him feel not so gross. It’s also something Fleur has done with Bill, so it triggers just that side of his brain to say “I am loved”

Kids often times point it out, but a child doing it never bothers him. It’s a case to teach them, and encourage their curious nature. If an adult does it? He gets very uncomfortable very fast.

George Weasley is a disabled man, and that’s ok. Disabled people exist, and he’s a man that survived a war. You can be young, and disabled. You can be pretty and disabled. Disabled people exist

[maxbutnotcaulfield]

Okay so like, months ago, @blusthings drew Chloe with crutches and I was like "omg omg I love it gotta do it too"... And then I did, and hated the results and never posted it, lol. And a few days ago I found the sketch again and went "let's actually finish this".

And in the end it doesn't look that bad! Anyway, here are my headcanons :

In this AU, Chloe definitely zooms as fast as she can as soon as the ground is flat enough (Max has to run after her and it Chloe thinks it's the funniest shit). She's into skateboard, and she sometimes skates using her crutches for support, but she's actually saving up to buy herself a sports wheelchair specifically to skate, and she's already learned some tricks. She's a badass, and quite similar to the Chloe we know and love <3

[saym0-0]

hi. im an ambulatory wheelchair user fwhip truther. if you even care.

this drawing was originally for a teen/human au, hence the lack of a beard hes like 15, but tbh it could also be regular fwhip so read it as you like

[us-the-voices-and-more-voices-2]

me everyday: oh yeah my government hates the disabled smh

you guys: what

me: the clusterfuck that is the NDIS and the Australian governments complete willingness to let you straight up die is uh.. pretty dang palpable!!! (by fuck is it bad man, by fuck is it bad.)

most of my disabled friends are poor as shit and cannot earn enough to buy a house or rent a house, or get food, or anything.

I myself will probably never own a house and will probably have to lie about being disabled as to not uh... be payed less money then my abled peers <3 fuck this country sometimes!!!!

plus they are beyond god awful to our First Nations people. fr like if you are disabled and aboriginal by fuck do you have a hard ass time, beyond hard.

why is it like this.

[cherry-pop-elf]

Word vomit all you want. YOU get it. Finally someone else gets it. It is also something to dive into in general. It is just so much MORE than just the logic of how this would work, or what back lash it would have. Because at the end of the day, George is leaving with some kind of issue. He isn’t going to be clean of pain.

But nope! Disabled? Nope totally not! Because that doesn’t meet the ‘aesthetic’ demands. This doesn’t meet the ‘quota’ or the ‘story line’ and all that. They could have so easily given him a line, in the mobile game, that addresses it. Like “Could you repeat that-? Hearings not so good anymore.” It’s so STUPIDLY SIMPLE but nope!

They also have another disabled person in the game. Long Shouren. Make ONE comment about his arm, and it’s just used as a plot device. And notice how it’s the LEFT arm? Almost like the arm that wouldn’t really affect his life. Since most people are right handed.

I can go on for hours. The media just doesn’t like disabled people. We are plot devices, we are aesthetics, we aren’t PEOPLE. George is such a simple concept. He has a missing ear. JUST ONE LINE and things could have been fine. A simple representation. Nothing complicated. Just a disabled person living a normal life. Not a sob story. Not a plot device. Not ‘to pretty’ to be disabled.

Oh jeez and WILLIAM WEASLEY! No no no. He was given the stupid Anime Boy treatment. No sir. He’s MISSING HALF HIS FACE. He should be showing teeth, missing a eye, scars in his scalp. Disabled people should be allowed to LOOK DISABLED! We don’t need to be given the pretty boy treatment to be loved.

I can go on for hours. So I better stop now before I start crying lmao. Like just. I can go on man. I can go on and on and on……..

George's ear was not cut off

Sectumsempra is the spell that George was hit with. It is describe as a spell that causes hemorrhages, and, in the fight against Draco, the spell is given the visual of blood seeping through clothing. This has the implication that it not only causes the implosion of blood vessels, but that it either 1. the magic cuts through the skin to cause the implosion and/or 2. the implosion is so strong it cuts through the skin from the inside.

There are a ton of tiny blood vessels that go in, around, and through the ear. Some of these vessels travel around the face and neck. We know that George's ear could not be grown back due to the spell being dark magic, how far does that apply? How many of those veins got hit? How much of George's face is permanently marked?

I don't know.

But what I do know is that George's ear was not cut off.

It was blasted off painfully quick and gory

[miammey]

Since you seem insightful, do you think canon Jouno would/could ever have a guide dog for when he's not working? I mean, he is blind. He deserves blind rep tbh. Asagiri please give him blind rep because if you don't, I will.

I’m not the best when it comes to figuring out representations, mainly because I am not blind or visually impaired myself, but I feel like it would be nice to see him using either a guide dog or cane when off duty, in a sense using them to rest a bit.

I don’t think he can exactly turn off his other senses, and he probably spent a while training himself to be able to navigate with those (people aren’t exactly born knowing how to do that to the extent Jouno does), but I do think he’d enjoy just having time to rest and not focus too much on his surroundings, instead using whatever navigation device he has to guide him.

As much as I love the idea of him with a dog I don’t think he’d have the time to take care of it, and if he’s needed in the middle of the day for a mission or something it would be much easier and quicker for him to fold up his cane and put it in a bag than take the dog some place safe. (Yes they’re collapsable, idk if all of them are but a blind kid in my high school had a collapsable cane, it was neat)

There are also other ways to show blind representation that don’t include navigation aids. Actually, one that was mentioned by a mutual of mine, who is visually impaired, is that it looked like Jouno had dragged his hand across Tecchou’s back in the anime’s café scene, as if he was grounding himself and his surroundings casually, which I thought was really cool, she said it was something she did and it was nice to see.

Personally, I like those casual bits of representation, Jouno’s used to his lack of sight at this point, and so are the other Hunting Dogs, so they all know his limits, but it would still be nice to see more of those limits, if that makes sense. Maybe later we’ll see more of his disability and his struggles with it.

He doesn’t seem to think negatively of it, he wasn’t hesitant to ask Dazai for the horse’s number or anything like that, and he overall seems very used to his disability. I mean, it’s been over six years since he lost his sight, we’re not sure of when he lost his sight but it was long enough before he joined the Hunting Dogs that he was able to learn a new way to navigate well enough to be of use to the Hunting Dogs.

Overall, I agree that I would LOVE to see more disability rep with Jouno, but I also don’t think we should limit that rep to just navigation aids. Just smaller things like using a screen reader to do paperwork on a computer or to read texts, or using one of those plastic guide things to write his signature, or even just reading the braille on a sign before entering a room, things that can take one or two panels can go a long way

[thanks-obillma]

if anyone has wheelchair pose refs that aren't just someone sitting still I'm begging you send them to me

[omi-papus]

Listen I adore Toph as much as any human being with a brain. But “Blind except actually not at all, save for a few times when its funny” is really not the type of representation you can expect people in 2023 to be satisfied with.

[phagodyke]

reading this blurb made me realise this is possibly the first time ive ever seen my own life experiences shared by another person. damn

[cherry-pop-elf]

Morning Routine

George Weasley X GN Disabled Reader

Warning: Fluff, Disabled content, Chronic Illness, Wheelchairs

The sun was warm, and refreshing. A nice way to wake up, not long after your husband was already dressed for work. Being a sweetheart in making sure you got that needed extra sleep. Wouldn’t be long before he came to check on you, so you tried your best to slowly sit up. Every single joint cracking and aching as you moved.

No matter how many times it happens, it never gets easier. It’s uncomfortable, being so hyper aware that your joints. How your bones lock into place. That random parts of your muscles that move beyond your control. Existing in your own body is surreal. You fight to exist. Just one of the few thoughts you have, before that sweet voice saves you.

“Morning, Jellybean.” That sweet voice rings, as he came to your aid. Kneeling down in front of you, in that neat suit of his. His warm hands would cup your face, before peppering your cheeks in kisses. You couldn’t stop your smile, with how much he would pamper you. He made life a little easier, because he listened.

“Ready?” He would ask, and you would give a soft nod. Even in his suit, he happily scooped you into his arms. Cradling you so gently, as he would bring you to the bathroom. Helping you undress, a gentle cloth wash, before slipping you into something soft. For your joints. A cozy sweater, and shorts, to keep from moving so much.

“There you go-“ He would hand over your medication, and a potion bottle. A mixture of muggle, and magic, to help you live each day. It’s exhausting to know you need to take so much to simply live, but he helps. Helps you each morning, so it’s not so hard. As you drank what you needed, he would finish brushing your hair. Making sure you looked your best.

Back into his arms you went, before he brought you to your wheelchair. Making sure you were safe in it. Nothing catching the wheels, your bag on the back strapped on, and your legs safely secured. A new day for the two of you.

He would roll you out of the bottom floor of the flats, before rolling you into the store itself. The joys of your husband owning both buildings. Made life easier, to just live so close and convenient. Diagon alley had everything you ever needed, in easy distance. So when you had strength to walk, you could actually be normal. Even for a hour.

“Don’t go falling asleep on me, already-“ He would laugh, as your medication started to kick in. So tired, yet you didn’t even get a chance to start your day. He never complained. He would simply park you in your snug little corner. Able to people watch with ease, before sitting right next to you.

“Eh, still got a hour before we actually need to open….” He shrugged, as you rested your head on his shoulder. He always was one to be over prepared. He took this shop seriously. He took you seriously. You couldn’t understand how lucky you were.

Able to rest your head on his shoulder, and slip into a quick nap. The smell of gun powder heavy in your nose, as his head rested against yours. Another day, another smile. Despite how much you wonder how lucky you were, at the end of the day……..George was the one to ever say it out loud. How lucky am I, to be married…..to you.

[another-dra-anew]

:angy: the fact i can’t talk about [redacted], a character who’s such a interesting culmination of how hopes peak and their system fails and neglects people, and also of how having a school like this has given people the opportunities to do great things which change lives, all because they’re a spoiler for something THAT IS LITERALLY [redacted] fucking GETS ME sometimes.

[willmarstudios]

Bookworm Will Review 2024 (#11)

Title: 'Pit Stop'

Author: Ellis Mae

Rating: 3.75 / 5

Review: (MILD SPOILERS)

I want to first thank Ellis for the e-ARC of this book and having the opportunity to share my thoughts before its official release on May 28th, 2024!

The story has a few heavy topics (racism, bigotry and alcoholism), but not for angst or shock value. Everything has a reason. That being said its not everyone's favorite topics to read as we watch our two troubled MCs embark on their own character-driven plot. Protect your peace.

With that being said, I really think that the story was well thought out in terms of the struggles/inner conflicts for John and Isa. Each chapter was a POV shift from one to the other and through it, we got an equal amount of screen time to delve into them. They felt well crafted and emotionally compelling as the story progressed and about how similar their situations are. Mostly internally. This says a lot about how you don't need to go through the same experience as someone to understand them. We also got some incredible representation with a diverse cast and clearly researched disability traits (both physical and mental). Nothing felt stereotypical, tokenizing, romanticized or like box-checking. Props to the author for putting in the time to research and objectively represent each addition to the story.

It is a quick read and so the pacing came off a bit jumpy which wasn't a huge problem, but sometimes it is better to let scenes breathe in my opinion. As mentioned before this story does tackle some heavy scenes, I can see this not being everyone's favorite kind of dramatic and emotionally charged love story. Especially when its focus is on minority groups because the experiences in the story are very real.

It is a bittersweet ending with some common aspects of romance novels of accepting/choosing to accept external love/support, allowing room for a relationship and those 'happily ever after vibes'.

Overall a really enjoyable read, definitely recommend it!

You can find more of Ellis' work HERE

[byfulcrums]

been rewatching rtte

toothless is called T multiple times, but the letter T doesn't exist in the alphabet of this world

i think hiccup was also called H???

hiccup went to the wedding of the man who tried to kill him and his family multiple times. no wonder he thought he could change drago's mind

snotlout is canonically a theater kid

"you're so small and cuddly" "please never say that again"

the twins are really smart, but they're also just stupid

hiccup straight up disappears when he's working on something

heather had a super noticeable crush on astrid

fishlegs got a love interest!! a plus size main character actually has a cool, badass love interest!

it was super hetnormative but it was cute

there was an island full of flying women who were implied to regularly commit cannibalism

hiccup taught all the riders how to fly with toothless, that's so sweet

everyone is a flat earther except for the twins

hiccup almost directly killed a lot of people

and killed a LOT more when destroying their ships

“scalding– cal..ding--" "toothle, plama bla!" was pretty much the funniest part of the entire series

dagur was bullied as a kid by a guy 8 years older than him who literally tattooed an imagine of him beating up little dagur in his arm??? What was that all about

actually we need to talk about how messed up everything about dagur is and about how the things that could've/did happen(ed) to him may be the reasons why he's Like That

just why was he imprisoned by the outcasts??? he didn't do anything to them directly

oof my brain is spiraling. "he loved you" "ig now we'll never know" what do you mean he didn't know if his dad loved him

there's a technically musical episode

tuffnut became hiccup's defense attorney and immediately got him the death sentence

hiccup regularly jumps off cliffs

he also jumped off a boat, with his arms tied and without toothless. just where did he think he was going

snotlout's annoying attitude is actually because spitelout pressures him too much and he feels like he has to be perfect for his dad :((

THE 'HICCUP'S EVIL MIRROR' VILLAIN THEME DONE RIGHT YESS!!!

viggo is the best httyd villain change my mind (you can't, swords at sundown, you may bring backup but i will win on my own)

skrill comeback skrill comeback SKRILL COMEBACK!!!!

"COMEEE TO DADDY"

what is a boar pit???

oh my god i had missed this series so much. it has no right to be this funny

this was my childhood. it has forever shaped the way i am

berserker heather the unhinged >>>

actually good disability rep! yay

hiccup complains about his peg leg pinching him

he straight up cannot walk without it and it is shown many times

"well, there are the benefits of a metal leg" after it got caught in a bear trap

funny moments, like snotlout trying to steal it to use it as a weapon

the jokes!! toothless laughing at the jokes!!! hiccup being so fucking done with the twins, who are always making the jokes!

there's an episode where everyone is so sleep deprived they actually start spiraling

astrid becomes a happy go lucky girl, hugs snotlout and tells him he's handsome

the fucking mood swings snotlout got were insane

the twins were straight up just hallucinating

"i sent them to wash their dragons, how could they mess that up?" cut to heather falling on her face with a bucket full of water in her hands

fishlegs becomes so paranoid, he's yelling at everyone all the time

"don't you know the trapper's trap can trap the trapper?? ...oh gods, i must be losing it, i'm quoting dagur"

YOOOO VALKA!!!! it's so nice to see her

hiccup tried to murder dagur to stop him from getting to toothless, which is scary bc it shows just how far he's willing to go for his bff, but also funny because hiccup. that was not going to work

oh the hiccstrid slowburn, how i have missed you

the twins's made up language

there was a beach episode turned murder mystery and a musical episode held at gun point

hiccup has a whole little speech that he periodically gives astrid to remind her that the twins serve a purpose

[tryslora]

Disability in fiction

This was a tough post to write. 

I saw a post about disability rep, and I kept thinking about it, and wanted to share my own takes on the topic. 

I thought about it for days, trying to figure out how to word it. Then after drafting it, I stuck it in a file for a couple of weeks, trying to decide if I could even post it. This is not a topic that can be boiled down to a simple yes/no kind of answer.

Let’s start with two examples.

1 - I have a short story I started writing (it wants to grow up to be longer, so it’s waiting for time) where my original concept was to write about an older woman who is short and has major chronic pain, and I wanted to dig into fantasy reasons why this pain exists, but at the same time, have her be able to kick ass despite being exhausted and dealing with excruciatingly painful issues.

2 - I once drafted a portal fantasy storyline wherein a young man was transported into a fantasy world, and when he was given a horse to ride, he approached it very warily. He was encouraged to mount, did so, and sat there and exclaimed in shock, “My brain isn’t exploding with snot!” because his allergies hadn’t come with him into the body he had in the fantasy world.

Both stories were designed to be fun, a bit light, maybe even cozy.

So.

In one case, the disabled character remains disabled and kicks ass anyway. And in the other case, the character is magically “healed” and no longer has debilitating allergies that had wrecked his way of life.

This is the difficult part to express: I think both storylines are valid.

Bear with me while I dig into this.

First and foremost: I completely agree that we need more representation in all forms of fiction, especially when it comes to disabled people being able to live their lives. Characters with missing limbs, or non-neurotypical brains, or anxiety & depression, or hearing issues, or sight problems, or chronic pain, or… or… you get the idea. We need all of it, and we need it to not need to be magically healed in order for a story to be considered happy and cozy. Disabled people can be happy, too.

I’m all in for this, and I wouldn’t write the stories I do if I weren’t.

However, there are also moments where I am so exhausted by my body and by everything I deal with inside of it where I do wish for that magical ability to forget that my pain exists. Or for the ability to actually process information in a straight line, or make decisions without writing a hundred lists and accomplishing nothing from them. Or to be able to lie down in a field of grass without regretting it for days while I drip snot and fight sinus-pain-induced migraines.

Sometimes I want to imagine that my life is different.

And that is one of the joys of writing. I can choose to write a story where people like me or the people I know are the heroes/heroines exactly as they are, different abilities and all. Or I can choose to write a story where the problems magically resolve.

Both can be cozy, sweet, and adorable. I can give the character with chronic pain the ability to kick ass, take names, and have a sweet reunion with her ex-girlfriend. I can show all the ways that my disabilities may define how I handle my life differently than someone else, but do not define what I can and cannot do.

But I can also daydream about a life where it’s different, the same way I can daydream about having wings, or being able to teleport. For me, imagining a day with no pain is the same as a day where I can walk through walls. It is absolutely a fantasy, and about as likely to happen.

Here’s the thing: It’s okay to be angry to see what looks like disability being erased. It’s okay to wonder why the author did that, why they magically healed someone instead of letting them be who they were. But at the same time, maybe ask why, and what point of view it’s coming from. Or look a little deeper into the story and how the resolution occurs, and the effect it does have on the character (I suspect that were I to suddenly have a day of no pain, I’d be intensely reckless, given what an idiot I am while IN pain, y’know? And WOW would I regret that later…).

And for authors, think about what you’re writing. WHY is this particular event (keeping disability, erasing it, whichever or both) happening, because the reader will take note of it. They may see things that weren’t intended, but are there as unintentional biases.

Make conscious decisions for why things happen.

Someday I want to get back to both of those examples from the start of this post; I still like both concepts. But I’ll be writing them for very different reasons, and both will be healing my soul in different ways. Different kinds of daydreams. And again, I think that’s valid, too.

[rickrifft]

New ships I'm ride or die for after this season:

- Sharako Lohar x Tyland Lannister (Lohar adding a new babygirl to her collection of wives is iconic)

- Rhaenyra x Mysaria (begging them to get over all their exes and slap more men)

- Aemond x Jace (they're playing Twilight Imperium while everyone else is playing Monopoly and I respect that)

- Ulf and Silverwing (serving Donkey and Dragon from Shrek, icons)

- Baela and Rhaena x some more gd screen time pls (spitting facts every scene, we need more common sense now Rhaenys is gone, give them more linessss)

- Larys x Aegon (hyped for the disability rep bois roadtrip next season, idk, they've got potential)

- Helaena x Alys (i headcannon that they have like a force-bond and chat about the future together in their dreams, fight me)

- Criston x Gwayne (Fabian and Freddie want us to want this so bad, and I am not opposed)

[shirecorn]

Forgive me if this is nitpick-y, but why'd you get rid of Scoot's disability?

It's not nipicky to wonder! Disability rep is very important. However, you could ask "did you" instead of "why did you" to make the question more open and less accusatory. There's no need, since I did indeed include her disability, though the signs are pretty subtle so I see why it could be missed.

Let's take a look at our girl!

The original style of MLP gives everyone teeny tiny wings and the suspension of disbelief. You just gotta trust those things can fly.

However, my style is way more about speculative biology and anatomy. My pegasus have huge wings that could believably allow flight.

My scootaloo has tiny wings which will not allow flight. The anatomy is there, but something is wrong with the full wingspan. Here's a comparison of a flight-capable scootaloo vs my actual scootaloo.

Notice anything else? Those dark gray markings aren't normal feathers, they are pinfeathers! (it's hard to tell from the sketch smudges so don't worry). Pinfeathers are developing baby feathers in a protective hard sheath that allows the growing, living feathers to be full of blood, soft and delicate. All birds have pinfeathers amongst their plumage as they lose and regrow feathers. You see them a lot on baby birds just growing their first feathers.

Once feathers are done growing, the sheath can be preened off to reveal healthy, fullsize feathers underneath. When baby birds go through this, we call them fledglings. They will spend some time shedding all their pinfeather sheaths and then their flight-capable plumage will come in. Scootaloo is much too old to be a fledgling, most pegasus are flying by now.

Adult birds can have prominent pinfeathers too after going through a molt and then having to regrow lots of feathers at once.

So what's going on with scootaloo? Her wings are there, the pinfeathers keep coming in, but every time the sheaths fall off, the adult feather is undersize and limp. My family owned a flightless cockatiel who just couldn't grow functional wing feathers no matter how hard he tried.

Nobody knows why scootaloo's feathers are deformed, but it is what it is. She can't fly and without mobility aids, will never be able to. She keeps waiting for her feathers to come in right, but eventually she will realize it won't happen, and be able to work around it and find other sources of joy