#wera speaks

[meattruck]

y am i like this

[barbthebuilder]

Hello hello! I was wondering if maybe you knew of/experienced any non-obvious or less talked about signs that could point to someone being genderfluid? Other than the obvious which is your gender changing. I ask because I've cycled through many labels, including genderfluid and I genuinely can't tell or not if I'm fluid or static or what have you lol

Yo! Thank you for the ask it's a good one!

I had to think about it some but there were some signs.

- feeling more comfortable in boy's clothes

- not liking dresses and rebeling against wearing them when I was little but sometimes weraing them like it was nothing?

- using different pronouns on the internet bc I liked being preceived as a boy

- feeling a weird longing to have more connecttion with boys not because I was not like other girls but bc I had a genuine connection to boyhood

- often wanting to look like a boy, wanting to have a flat chest and short hair in childhood

- not liking how feminine makeup makes me look

Those are things that are fery specific to me so they probably don't apply to most genderfluid folks. I'm pretty sure they are connected to my genderfluidity but again, it's a personal thing. If anyone else has something to add to that list- don't be shy and speak up!

[imaryathings]

Killing The Love

I am the love killer,

I am murdering the music we thought so special,

that blazed between us, over and over.

I am murdering me, where I kneeled at your kiss.

I am pushing knives through the hands

that created two into one.

Our hands do not bleed at this,

they lie still in their dishonor.

I am taking the boats of our beds

and swamping them, letting them cough on the sea

and choke on it and go down into nothing.

I am stuffing your mouth with your

promises and watching

you ***** them out upon my face.

The Camp we directed?

I have gassed the campers.

Now I am alone with the dead,

flying off bridges,

hurling myself like a beer can into the wastebasket.

I am flying like a single red rose,

leaving a jet stream

of solitude

and yet I feel nothing,

though I fly and hurl,

my insides are empty

and my face is as blank as a wall.

Shall I call the funeral director?

He could put our two bodies into one pink casket,

those bodies from before,

and someone might send flowers,

and someone might come to mourn

and it would be in the obits,

and people would know that something died,

is no more, speaks no more, won't even

drive a car again and all of that.

When a life is over,

the one you were living for,

where do you go?

I'll work nights.

I'll dance in the city.

I'll wear red for a burning.

I'll look at the Charles very carefully,

weraing its long legs of neon.

And the cars will go by.

The cars will go by.

And there'll be no scream

from the lady in the red dress

dancing on her own Ellis Island,

who turns in circles,

dancing alone

as the cars go by.

[dawn-of-worlds]

Three-Dimensional Thinking

War engulfs the subsurface realm. Cities starve, children perish, temples are reduced to rubble. Twice-vassal Siktun City is no different, and large portions of its populace revolt against Chivik rule. Remote Siktun is resentful over a lack of imperial protection, and hard to pacify for much the same reason that made it hard to defend, and so the revolutionaries are powerful there.

But a lopsided war may still be long and bloody. And so Siktun is engulfed in war all the same as the other underground realms, and its people watch their city slowly ground to rubble, and despair. Many agonizing voices all speak the same prayer, whispered in ruins and shouted in echoing caverns.

"Circadian! Day and night that are changing! Sky-gleaned-from-tales! Instigator, wheel-turner, transformer! If we must fight and starve and kill one another, if there must be upheaval and bloodshed, then show us a sign of your support for our struggle! Reveal those cosmic truths that we echo with our deeds, oh great revealer!"

And for many years, the prayer went unanswered, even as it was taken up by ever-more voices. Until at last, a reply came; not from high above, nor from far below, but from within the city itself, a rumbling through the large cavern in which it was constructed.

"THE SKY SHALL NOT FULFILL YOUR WISH." the voice proclaimed. "IT IS ITS NATURE TO HONOR BOUNDARY, TO ENFORCE SEPARATION, TO PRESERVE SURFACES SACROSANCT. IT CREATES REFLECTIONS AND IMPRISONS THEM IN MIRRORS. IT SPINS GREAT ZODIACAL WHEELS OF SYMBOLS, WHERE EACH MARK CHASES AFTER ALL OTHERS, BUT NEVER COMES CLOSER TO REACHING THEM. IT WILL NEVER UNDO THE BARRIER THAT VEXES YOU."

Then one Tiktik, who refused to accept this answer, yelled out: "Then, whoever you are, act on our behalf! Show us what we fight and die for, if this lies within your power! Tear away all that which separates us from the divine!"

And Haebarik, maker of paths, horizon walker, star-bridger, breaker of traditions, castaway god, one-armed realm-forger, responded:

"WELL, IF YOU INSIST."

And there was a great earthquake, and through the cavern-ceiling then descended the great black whale Maretik, maw opened wide as it feasted on the stone. Round above the city it circled, eating away at the rock, until at last it disappeared once more, having devoured the barrier between realms above and below.

And through the hole in the roof of their world, the Tiktik beheld the moon, shining brightly, its bloody lake like a great lidless eye. And the defenders took the bloodstained sky as a sign of divine favor, and all their foes were converted or banished or slain. And so remote Siktun became the first city to claim true independence from Chivik; and though its people are loyal to Corobel first and foremost, a number of them worships the Carver of Paths as a lesser deity.

------------------

From the surface, the passage to Siktun appears like a great circular pit, its sides gently sloping in, with a hole at the bottom through which one might look upon Siktun and its subsurface lake. Paths have been dug through the soil and stone, culminating in great elevators that ferry travelers up and down to the city.

Though brighter than most of the underworld, the sun does not directly shine down into the city, though the summer noons get bright enough for the Tiktik to briefly stay within their dwellings. Despite their lack of adaptation to sunlight, the Tiktik have responded to their surface access with great enthusiasm, and eagerly harvest the nearby natural resources, foremost among them wood.

The reactions of nearby realms differ. Besieged Wera, though closest of all human cities, must remain dedicated to its own defense, and interacts little with Siktun. Its hinterlands, long since abandoned by their ruler-in-name, are quick to strengthen ties with this new regional power, and many come to call Siktun's rulers lord in time.

Unimaa, whose access to subsurface goods was largely controlled by the Hewn, eagerly cuts out the middle-man and sends emissaries to trade with Siktun directly. And to the southwest, locked in a decade-long stalemate, the malevolent Kalkayer reigns over artificial deltas and mud-choked farms. It hears whisperings of a new city, and so sends scouts upriver; eager to find out whether Tiktik shells, too, can host its algae...

(Shape Land 8 pt., Command Avatar (Create Order) 1 pt., 0 power remaining.)

[chicago-geniza]

Yung Irena Goldberg's stepdad is disappointed when she chooses to join PPS-Lewica instead of the Bund, but she says "there was no other choice"; she was a radical socialist, she "wanted to change the world," but didn't speak Yiddish & felt no connection to her Jewish heritage. She also admits that one other deciding factor was her huge teenage crush on Maria Koszutska (pseud. Wera), to whom she ran messages for her stepdad during the 1917 revolution. I am obsessed with interwar Poland's most scandalous and annoying bisexual

I don't think it's been translated into English but if you know Polish, Irena Krzywicka's memoir is a really enjoyable read

[grad701seanjacobramosimbang]

Task 2 Mind Map SDL

this was the sheet that was given to us to do as an SDL. the idea of this map is to get us think about the tpoic we want to look into this semester. 

my hand writing is really hard to read for others so i will specify what i have have wriiten or some of what i wrote. 

box 1: personal values.

Respect: i wrote that respect is an important value i have because it promotes postive relationships, fosters team work, enhances communication and supports diversity and inclustion. resepect is a important value of mine because it contributes to personal growth.

Discpline: displince is imporant to me beacuse it can help you achieve goals and master self control. i find that men these days somwhat lack sexual control and find themselves watch porn and masturbating which i find pathetic and weak as this isnt something a man should be doing. thats why i think that displince and self control is something that i value the most. 

Communication: communication for me is importnat becuase it is key to healthy realtionships. without communication there can be a lot of misunderstanding and misinterpritation which can lead to conflics and mis communication. 

box 2: Race 

Tagalog: i do not speak tagalog but i do understand it. i want to learn the language and learn more about my culture. i was born in philipines in Manilla with my twin but then moved here to New Zealand six months after. so i was mainly raised here. 

Box 3: Disablities 

Short sighted: i am short sighted so i can see up close but cant see things from a far. i wera contacts when i go out but my glasses when i am at home. 

Box 4: My Creative Practice

Screen Printing: screen printing is a way for me pass the time at uni. i like to screen print up in level 7 sometimes during the break if i feel like coming onto campus. i screen print things from clothes to art and design. screen printing is a way for me to cope with stress sometimes after class. i find the procces quite fun and calming and really satsifying. i feel like screen printing is like an old way to design things and to make art becuase no a days design is manily digital and not realy analog so screen printn is one of those design procces i find unique and engaing. 

collage making: I love to collage make becuase iot allows you to bring toghter seemingly unrealted things toghter to create something pleasing to look at. 

[televisionoperator]

does anyone else ermeber in 2019 when the invader zim movie came out and this entire site was fucking infested with scene kids and nostalgic scene adults for .03 seconds. or did i conjure this memory. theres still probably someone out there who never escaped this and is still weraing kandi cuffs liestning to the spirit phone album AS WE SPEAK.

[moviestorian]

Hey! <3 How are you? Have you read any interesting books lately?

Hiii! Long time no see :)))

Life's been crazy recently, as I'm getting married soon so I've been doing a lot of organizational stuff! Some time ago I started reading the Attack on Titan manga series, I recently finished volume 14. :) I also finally got to Bram Stoker's Dracula. At the moment I kinda want to take a short break from reading, as I had a really intense exam session this June and my brain's a bit fried. :D

What about you? How's life? :3

[here-i-study-in-4-languages-blog]

Would anyone be interested if I ever elaborated on how my bullet journal works? I mean I feel like I'm always just stumbling along with it, but one thing I find very true is reblogging pictures with someone else's bujos and wondering how does it actually work so... just tell me in any case

[boizandgurlzinthehouse]

Could I ask for a fluff headcanon with Damiano but witha S/O who has the complete opposite aesthetic? (Sorry my english is not well I'll try explaining myaelf) but like the S/O wears fluffy dresses, frills, bows, soft pastel color, pinks (it's kinda my aesthetic, I hope you understood what I meant, love you!❤)

𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦

a/n: that was one of my favourite requests >:) i'm a softie too myself, so my canons are my imaginary in a large measure. enjoy loves !!

you know that picture when the loli girl and darth vader give tips for each other in front of the pink atm? or when the most metal-head guy and the white-laced girl sits beside each other, eating ice-cream?

ladies and gentlemen, i just let you know that that's basically the two of you

when it comes out that the two of you are dating, you kept your instagram profile locked down, so nobody knows who you are, just from the bio and profile pic, but that's not everything (and the måneskin's and others's stories). so, everybody is freakin' curious about you !!

damiano steps before you in the crowd at the airport, or cross the hall in the hotel, the fans and cameramen expects the typic rocker-girl with black, smokey makeup, smudged, chrome lipstick, two-toned hair, chains everywhere on your body and platform boots–

but then here you are, all in your adorableness, laces and manifold skirts, pastell colors, white and silky long slveed blouses, and they're just... like, who's that girl? the manager? or just his sister, who clearly hates him

but when damiano holds your hand and kisses the crown of your hair, every flashlight begins to flicker like a bomb in the night. if you're uncomfortable with the lights, or the journalists, or just with the whole situation, damiano just strokes your face, keeping you close to him to keep you away from everything that can make you uncomfortable

now, thanks to you, the soft, ethereal styled people joins the fandom too, some fans even try to cross the two style, creating extravagant, but unique pieces –you even highlight the best works into your story, getting closer to the fans, and they're just adore you because of your immediacy.

but now, speak about just the two of you (you know, the spicy stuff uwu)

you can be shy, but i think the shy girls can be really horny, the only difference is that they're on the other side –the secret side, you know ¬‿¬

lacey outfits means that everything can be frilly and flowery –your skirts, blouses, bras and panties... did i mention that men can be turned on from intimation more than too much revelaing stuff? because yeah, damiano's head over heels for you when you wear that lace nightgown (we soft people all have and imaginary lacy nightgown that we could wear but we don't have, don't we? >3<)

he likes to stroke the nightgown and then your skin at night, saying stuff like "i can't decide which fabric is softer, love"

at one point, when you decide to try out new things, you sit beside him when his band take a break during rehearsal, you hold onto his arm as damiano scrolls through instagram, asnwering questions. lucky for you, a question is about "how doesn't get y/n bothered with that much layer? doesn't she get too hot?" "look honey, here's a questions for you" he says, but instead of grabbing his phone, you lean into his ear and whisper him a thing like "if i'm not weraing anything under those layers, i can't be too irritated, don't i? and... a dress can't make a girl hot, but her really hot boyfriend can."

he tosses his phone aside, pulling you into his lap, running his hands up on your thighs, ridding up your skirts bit by bit more, you try grab his hand, but instead of stopping, he kisses you roughly

"you spoiled my answer-session, baby, do you know how difficult is to reply to my fans with you around?"

yeah, soft ones can be perky ones too | ू•ૅω•́)

and i headcanon that that he would help to button up your blouse (ask him too if you want to button down, dam would do it much more gladly i swear （＞ ་། ＜)), or making your hair with a bow, stroking your face.

mystories, mystories, mystories !! i mean, social media au canon, but after your relationship is revealed, and your personality too, he would take pictures when the two of you go out to an antique store in the actual city, or when you set up a little picnic with him/and the other members.

vic and you are simply best friends, tiktoks and short videos about the two of you, holding hands, jumping up and down in a circle like too happy anime girls (is it too happy or am i just too positive today hkdshf)

you drag damiano, vic, ethan and thomas to watch some soft movies with you, like dead poets society or howl's moving castle, and when you come back with the sweets and elder-juice, you see the four rocker staring intently on the screen, watching as sophie and howl dance.

it turns out that it's much more better than anyone thought ♡´･ᴗ･`♡

[nanamis-bigtie]

Get To Know Me!

Tagged by: @laws-yellow-submarine, thank you  (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

Rules: Answer some questions and tag some bloggers you want to know better

Name: Weronika (veh-raw-NEE-ka)

Nicknames: well, right now I am mostly known as Bas, my real name is usually shortened to Wera or Werka, my family calls me by variation of one of my middle names, Ania

Gender: female

Sexuality: bisexual

Height: 180cm (5′11)

Languages: Polish, English, Greek; I understand German and Spanish to some extent, but can’t really speak them

Nationality: Polish

Current time: 16:27 (4:27pm)

Favorite season: late spring/early fall

Favorite scent: you know that characteristic scent you can feel in the air right after the storm? yeah, that’s it

Favorite color: I have few: black, dark red, dark purple, navy blue and yellow (the more “canary”, the better)

Favorite animal: I don’t think I have one favorite? I like most of animals, especially birds

Favorite fictional characters: oof, this is too hard question xD I have few listed on my blog, but I can assure you those are not all of them and well, this is from one (1) fandom only; I think anyone who follows me long enough knows my obsession with Zoro and Law, but there’s also Robin, Killer, Sabo, Koala, Okiku, Cora, Drake... the list goes on

Normal amount of sleep: what is sleep? can I have it as a treat?

Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: tea! I have a huge stash of various fancy teas, mostly green and white, I like ones with nice rose and fruit aroma, as well as yasmin teas

Number of blankets you sleep with: usually 0, if it’s cold outside, then one a bit thicker which I partially kick off anyway; yeah, I’m one hot girl lmao

Dogs or cats: birds

Dream trip: despite the fact I’ve been in Greece twice I still haven’t seen Athens which are my number 1 destination there. I don’t think I’ll fly there in next 5 years tho

Dream job: any that will let me hire a room and don’t starve, for the records: my current one doesn’t let me

Followers: 941

Blog established: 10.02.2020

Reason for my URL: just needed something short and connected to One Piece

Random fact: I work in a publishing house and I do the lettering (putting text into pages of a comic and making it look readable), I’m currently working with 3-Gatsu no Lion (7th volume) and crying cause due to problems with computer I have huge delay

Tagging: @misc-headcanons @nakunakunomi @burnthoneymint @mooshs-crack-headcanons @doctorgerth @lucynnamonroll @sandpumpkin @alice1290 @elliemehl @cykadaa and whoever wants to do it :)

[sellyoursoulforagoodfic]

The Outsider Chapter 6

Good Ganondorf x reader

Word Count: 999

Summary: Adjusting is hard, and so is Ganondorf.

 Everything was a whirlwind after that night. Within a week, you had been forced to take up classes on Hylian etiquette, undergo several fittings for wetting attire and court appropriate clothes and jewels, and most jarring of all, earlier that day you had moved into the palace. Honestly, that was what you were most . . . uncomfortable would be the wrong word, but shall we say nervous about. You wouldn’t be sharing a room with Ganondorf until the wedding, but he and the council (that weren’t practically on strike protesting his choice of you as his wife) decided that having you closer would be wise in case some unhappy soul decided to do something about you.

Ever since the announcement, you’d become uncomfortably aware of just how many people didn’t approve of your very existence. There was still a majority that loved you; however, that small faction from before had grown into something to be leery of. Several people that had seemingly been fine with you in the past became suspicious once they found out that you would have power in their society. The whole thing was more than a little unsettling.

You jumped in surprise when Ganon’s snarling voice startled you out of your depressing thoughts, “The queen of the Gerudo will not wear Hylian clothing.”

Ah yes, that was why you’d tuned out not that long ago. A couple of the royal seamstresses and advisors had somehow gotten it in their heads that your ‘court appropriate’--really you didn’t see what the big difference to your normal clothes was, there was just some extra embroidery--attire should be solely Hylian in design due to your heritage.

“It would be insulting to them if they saw one of their own dressed as one of ours!”

“She is one of ours!” he roared. “She hasn’t set foot on Hylian soil since they abandoned her in the desert 20 years ago!”

That’s it. “Enough!” you shouted over their voices. You were usually known for either being very polite with people or being lovingly teasing, so hearing you sound so harsh surprised everyone present into silence. “First of all, I will sooner meet the Hylian king completely naked than wear the clothes of a people that tried to kill me. I can assure you that none of you would be happy with that.” You leveled a pointed glare at your future husband that kept him quiet and a bit sheepish. “Secondly, what sort of example would it set to have me dress like them? We may fall under their dominion, but the Gerudo do not bow to anyone. Having our queen dress like them would serve as nothing else than a symbol of servitude; that we have lost our spirit.”

You could practically see the realization bloom in their eyes. Apparently, no one had thought of it that way. Being blinded by how you looked had seemingly caused them to overlook such an obvious point. Naturally. A glance over at Ganondorf revealed the way he was staring at you with a look that showed how blatantly impressed he was; you assumed it was because of how calmly you handled their prejudice.

“Since that’s settled, we’re done for today,” he announced, leaving no room for anyone to argue. With that, he grabbed your hand and swept you out of the room so quickly that your legs had trouble keeping up with his much longer ones.

“Don’t we have other things to do?” you managed to pant out between the wheezing breaths you were taking from the effort of keeping up with the man. “The wedding planning meeting is soon, isn’t it?”

And just like that, you found yourself being spun around and pinned between him and the wall. “Hang the meeting,” was all he said before he sealed your lips together with more intensity than any of the kisses you’d exchanged before.

Your eyes were closed and your fingers were tangled in his wild hair before your brain truly caught up to what was going on. A little, startled sound left the back of your throat when he lifted you up so your legs would wrap around his waist. While you didn’t protest the new position, you did pull away from the kiss long enough to speak. “This isn’t exactly the kind of place where we should be doing this,” you pointed out despite the way you’d been shamelessly reciprocating the way he’d been rubbing against you moments before.

He leaned his forehead against your chest, inadvertently digging the jewels there into your skin. “You know, I don’t rightly think I care.”

“Something tells me that your advisors would care if someone found our king in this position in a random hallway.”

“I’m with our queen,” you could feel his lips move into a smirk, “so I doubt they would be too angry. You’re impossible to resist when you act like a queen.”

“Okay, you’re not allowed to go from being sexy to absolutely adorable,” you complained, fingers trailing along the back of his neck. “It’s not fair.”

When he lifted his face back up, you confirmed that he’d been smirking. “The better to woo you with, my dear.”

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. “Come on; let me down. We don’t need people hating me more than they already do, so put me down.” You placed a sweet kiss to the tip of his nose. “Besides, if we don’t show up Aya is going to change the color scheme again,a nd like fuck are we gonna get married weraing purple and brown.”

The smile that’d fallen somewhat due to the reminder of the current state of public opinion returned somewhat at the little joke. She was only half kidding, though; ever since the announcement, she’d been arguing against Aya’s color choices. “Alright,” he sighed as he returned you to your feet, “but tonight you’re all mine.”

“I already am.”

“Okay, if I’m not allowed to be sweet, neither are you,” he chuckled.

“Rude.”

[no0dlru]

(Debate begins at 10:38:12 and ends at 11:08:30 - the link above should jump to that timestamp)

A transcript is also available here if you’d prefer.

A few days back I shared a petition calling for the Government to reform the Gender Recognition Act; the petition has so far gained 130,000 signatures (and you can still sign it until 24/1/2021 to demonstrate the matter’s importance). Once a petition to parliament reaches 100,000 signatures, it has to be debated in parliament, and it was on Thursday 24th.

If you want an overview of the current situation of trans rights and the framework in which the debate was conducted, check out this fact sheet made by the GEO in advance of the 2004 GRA being debated. The first thing it states is “There will be no change to the provision of women-only spaces and services”, and secondly “There will be no change to the NHS medical pathways for trans people“.

Here are the key points of the government’s trans rights “reform”:

“Three new gender clinics [will be opened] this year, which will see waiting lists cut by 1,600 patients by 2022″

The gov. “will cut bureaucracy by enabling applications [for Gender Recognition Certificates] via gov.uk, and we will also reduce the fee from £140 to a nominal amount”

“the GEO [Government Equalities Office] is providing funding for Dr Michael Brady, the UK’s national LGBT health adviser, and working with him and the NHS to improve transgender people’s experience.”

“The law is clear that service providers are able to restrict access to single-sex spaces on the basis of biological sex.” (this issue is later raised in relation to domestic abuse shelters and women’s prisons)

“Dr Hilary Cass, former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, will lead an independent review into gender identity services for children and young people. The review will look to ensure that young people get the best possible support and expertise throughout their care, and it will report back next year.”

(above quotes from volume 680, column 1131, The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss))

Crucially, the government’s actions DO NOT change the 2004 Gender Recognition act. Truss states “It is the Government’s view that the balance struck in this legislation is correct, in that there are proper checks and balances in the system and also support for people who want to change their legal sex.“

The half-hour debate contained some strong arguments for trans rights from several MPs, but Truss’s (and the government’s) stance doesn’t go far enough. I’ll try to describe what the announcements actually mean for trans people (except those about Dr Michael Brady and Dr Hilary Cass, about whom I’m not informed enough to comment) and give an overview of the debate.

----------------------------------

“Three new gender clinics [will be opened] this year, which will see waiting lists cut by 1,600 patients by 2022″

As pointed out by Nicola Richards (West Bromwich East) (Con), waiting lists pre-covid stood at 13,000, despite the fact “84% of trans people have thought about suicide, with 50% attempting it“. A reduction of 1,600 over 2 years is negligible and does nothing to relieve the suffering of 88% of trans people who will still be waiting.

Truss touted that these three are “the first new gender identity clinics in 20 years”. Currently even if a trans person does get an appointment, they may have to travel over 100 miles to attend.

(Above: a map of the UK with it’s 15  current GICs shown; the 3 circled clinics treat under 18s)

As mentioned by Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) (Lab)[V], “the average wait for a first appointment with a gender clinic is 18 months", adding “[Truss] failed to answer my question yesterday on whether the three new clinics mentioned in her statement were new, and we now know that they are not.“. This contention was added to by David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) (Con) asking “Are they new clinics in addition to the pilot projects previously announced?”, to which Truss replied “The clinics are new. As for whether they are the pilot clinics previously announced, those in the Department of Health and Social Care are the experts on that, but they are new clinics and they will reduce the waiting list.”.

----------------------------------

The gov. “will cut bureaucracy by enabling applications [for Gender Recognition Certificates] via gov.uk, and we will also reduce the fee from £140 to a nominal amount”

Marsha De Cordova also pressed Truss on this, asking “Can the Minister tell us what the new online process will look like, what the new fee will be and when it will come into force? What is the timeline for when this new process will go live?”, to which Elizabeth Truss replied “we will be doing that as soon as possible; obviously, it is an IT process that we need to get online, but I aim to introduce the new fee, which will be nominal, as soon as possible.”.

This reads as a non-comital response, and “nominal” is a broad term. It’s worth noting that this fee is for an application for the Gender Recognition Panel to provide certification, and does not guarantee it. The processes for gender recognition are outlined below; the certificates being talked about are the green process (taken from the aforementioned fact sheet):

To be recognised as trans in the UK, you will still have to jump through years of hoops and prove yourself as medically trans to a panel.

This is in contradiction to WHO, as raised by Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton, Kemptown) (Lab/Co-op): ”I ​fail to understand how [Truss’] administrative changes will comply with the World Health Organisation’s requirement that by 2020 we remove gender dysphoria as a medical classification, seeing as the GRA is based on that medical classification.” - Truss replies “The clinical diagnosis is a matter for clinicians, and the Health and Social Care Secretary is working with them on this issue. I think there needs to be a medical element to the process, so that there are proper checks and balances in the system, but the specific diagnosis is a matter for clinicians”.

A few MPs questioned Truss on the arduous process trans people still have to go through, including James Murray (Ealing North) (Lab/Co-op) [V]: “[The Government] have chosen to leave in place a lengthy, medicalised process that requires medical reports, statutory declarations, consideration by a panel, and more. Why have the Government taken so long to respond, only to ignore the wishes and destroy the hopes of so many in the trans community?”. Truss’ reply shows the crux of the Government’s failing: “As I made clear earlier, the Government do not believe in moving towards a model of self-ID. This is a serious process that has taken time for us to consider, but our view is that we need to maintain proper checks and balances in the system. We have addressed the issues that transgender people highlighted as important to them around healthcare, bureaucracy and the costs of the process, making the process kinder and more straightforward.“.

Throughout her statements, Truss reinforces research findings that "the number one concern of transgender people is improving healthcare services“. The proposed changes do nothing to change the healthcare process itself, aiming only to make clinics slightly more available; the bureaucracy and costs affected are only those of certification application. Medical costs, waiting lists, and the strenuous process of proving yourself to be medically trans will all remain. Truss’ confidence that the Government are handling healthcare, bureaucracy and costs is misplaced, and she seems out of touch with the real situation for trans people.

On this, Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD) asked “On 13 July, Baroness Barker’s office submitted a freedom of information request asking for details of who the Secretary of State met with regards to the Gender Recognition Act 2004. To date, there has been no answer. Will [Truss] now confirm whether she personally met trans-led organisations and trans people before making this important decision, which ignores the views and recommendations of a clear majority of those who responded to the consultation?”. Truss’ response: “I can assure the hon. Lady that I and the GEO have met with a wide variety of organisations. We have met 140 representative organisations, including LGBT and women’s organisations. I have also met a number of parliamentary colleagues to discuss this issue.”.

While I want to take this in good faith, it’s worth noting Truss didn’t mention speaking to any specifically trans organisations or individuals, only LGBT organisations. While it’s good that she’s spoken to these organisations, ignoring a freedom of information enquiry for over 3 months and even then not being able to confirm you’ve spoken to the people at the heart of this legislation is appalling.

Meeting with parliamentary colleagues leads me to part of Crispin Blunt’s opening statements against Truss. Blunt says:  “Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that her statement does not command a majority in this House? Will she confirm that that is one of the reasons why she cannot propose any legislation? She has presented the House with an inherently unstable settlement that will have to be addressed—hopefully sooner rather than later.” - Truss doesn’t respond to this point.

----------------------------------

“The law is clear that service providers are able to restrict access to single-sex spaces on the basis of biological sex.”

I want to be clear that I don’t know Truss’ personal opinions on trans people and trans rights, but I do want to note the repeated emphasis on women’s rights and retention of women’s spaces. I do respect that Truss has been trying to ensure the Government’s stance on GRA 2004 doesn’t affect the rights of women put forward in the Equality Act 2010, and I respect that a large amount of the population strongly believe in determination by biological sex for at least some women’s-only spaces, but there’s a thin line between upholding women’s rights and supporting TERFs over trans people.

When asked for a second time to reconfirm that women’s spaces would be protected, Truss replied: “My hon. Friend is right that we are striking a balance between the rights of transgender people and the rights of women. The position is clear in the Equality Act that service providers can restrict the use of spaces on the basis of biological sex, and it is important that women’s spaces, which have been hard fought for over generations, are protected.“

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[dawn-of-worlds]

Schiffentrückung

(Haebarik's power: 2 + 3 + 2d6->9 = 14; moving back in time a bit for this one, but I still had a dangling plot-thread so most of this happened 200 years ago in game time)

Previously, we spoke of the great Scout-King Wera, who sailed across the waves and was last seen sailing into the inner sea that misty Laasera engulfs. Wera, first cause of a thousand meetings between a thousand peoples, who will forevermore be hailed as the greatest Azure King, who delved into great danger to refind an old friend's kin. What happened to him?

Well, he died.

But before that, he sailed west, into the foggy bay encircled by Laasera, past islands of floating mangrove-root and the transient fiefdoms of ohmlings, ever closer to the heart of the rainforest, ever closer to the great golden city that the rumors told him of.

Instead, he finds a flooded crater crested with ruins. Anything of beauty or value was long since picked off the crumbled walls and diffused through the forest in a chain of thefts and murders. No trace remains of the original inhabitants: the few Atai survivors having long since moved on.

Wera could have declared his self-imposed quest impossible. He could have turned back, to the city not yet named after him, and be hailed as a hero. He could have passed on his ship, and lived in splendor the rest of his life: none would dare challenge his boldness after this great journey. But he does not.

He continues to sail the coast, searching for any sign of passage, exchanging gifts with the few local tribes so they may serve as scouts. He learns the lay of the land and leads expeditions through the forest, chasing after any hints of Atai presence. Even as an unknown disease takes hold of him, as ache and fever condemn him to a bed, he continues looking, continues to peer over maps and chart new courses.

And it works. Hundreds of Ataila he finds, some living among humans, some settled in tiny encampments, some camping as solitary hermits. They are brought before his sickbed, where the deathly-ill king offers them a new home, across the waves, new and holy and safe. His tales are, by this point, based more on fever dreams than Messonir maps, but somehow none disbelieve his claims.

And so they sail south, ship packed with Ataila (who, thankfully, need not eat), guided by the ever-weakening instructions of the savior-captain-king. Past Incarien they go, past Tuula, past those volcanic islands that were Erland's first mark on the world. The wind always seems to favor their sails, and though the journey is not without peril, it is a swift one.

Land is sighted: a new land, poorly marked even on their charts, of tall peaks and dense forest, of misty plateaus and green hills. A crewsman rushes to the captain's bedchambers to report the good news, only to find him dead, a smile on his face.

With a mix of gratitude and sorrow, the Ataila disembark, and begin construction of a new city, the first in this realm. They call it Kaluutalo: the second house of the Ataila.

And what of Wera's crew? They swear an oath of secrecy and make the distant journey back to human lands. In every port they stay but briefly, speaking not a word of the Atai. At last, they return to Palk, where they sorrowfully report the death of the king, and beg the queen to let them stay aboard his ship for one more night, so they may hold a wake for his soul: this request is granted.

But with the next dawn, they and the ship are gone, having departed under cover of night. Vessels are launched in pursuit, but the royal flagship still bears the dragon-wing sails crafted by the first king Palk, and no lesser ship can catch up to it. Aboard the flagship are the sailors, their families, and one particular soul, smuggled out of the palace during the starlit night.

They retrace their journey, outrunning news of their flight at every port, and at last return to Kaluutalo. They will never leave: this land is theirs to settle, too.

And so Vainaa, Atai-diplomat of the Azure Reach, is reunified with her long-lost people, of which some still remember her name, and may pay respects to the remains of Wera, who to them was pupil and master and hero all.

In later generations, the humans are quick to take up worship of Velarië, and come to honor her for the creation of land and life both. But they likewise worship the long-dead captain, who they hold to be half-divine in nature.

At the center of their city, still floating in the harbor, is the royal flagship still. It serves as the holiest of their temples, manned and maintained by a select priesthood, and still bears the blessed sails that once served as Möpatäriäle's wings.

And enshrined in the captain's quarters, dressed in full regalia and preserved in golden resin, lies the body of Wera. His worshippers know that one day, when his people need him most, he shall re-awaken. He shall open his eyes, and brush aside his amber shell, and assume command of his ship once more; and they shall be ready to sail with him where they must.

(Create Order (4) among the Atai (with a few humans mixed in there) to create the Devotees of the Captain-King, then Command Race (3) to have them found a city in the Forgotten Lands.

The order's actual tenets are a mix of the more altruistic Seeker values with a strain of apocalyptic Atai beliefs mixed in, emphasizing charity, sacrifice, and the value of all life.

7 points remaining)

[bjnurse]

Fugonara + idk...Dress ?

Hi Anon! Thank you so much for your patience on this! 💕 I hope you like this short fic! 💕

Fugo x Narancia + A Dress (SFW)

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“Heeey Fugo.” Narancia whines as he steps into the store after his new friend. His eyes squint, adjusting to the lighting. “Do we have to do this? My clothes are fine.” He looks down and tugs at his garments, trying to hide stains and tears.

The blonde scans the store looking for which way to wander. “Yes, we do. Bucciarati instructed me to buy proper clothes for you. So, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

The pair walk through the store with Narancia trailing behind, huffing and puffing. Along the way, something catches Narancia’s eye. He stops, but it takes Fugo a few more steps to realize he’s walking alone. He turns to find his new friend looking at a dress. He watches as Narancia reaches out and glides his fingers along the soft fabric. It’s top is dark orange and the skirt is medium orange with yellow squares. Fugo thinks for a moment then approaches him.

“Do… you wanna try it on?” He asks encouragingly.

“No.” Narancia scoffs. “I’m a boy. Boys don’t wear dresses.” He reluctantly releases the material and turns to walk away.

“Why not? If you want, you can alter it like I did with my suit.” Hearing Fugo’s suggestion, Narancia turns to look at the blonde considering the suit’s unique style.

“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?” He asks cautiously.

“Depends on what the purpose is.” Fugo’s response makes Narancia’s eyes squint and his lips purse as he thinks.

...

Once at his new home, Narancia takes a pair of scissors to the dress. He fashions a kind of skirt for himself, pairing it with a black strappy top and skinny pants. From the dark orange portion, he creates a headband and wristbands. Standing before a mirror, Narancia swells with pride as he looks at his reflection in his new clothes.

He exits his room in search for Fugo. He finds him in the kitchen with Bruno and Abbacchio. Fugo smiles at his new friend and can easily see the confidence in the boy’s faced. Before Narancia can open his mouth to ask Fugo’s opinion, Abbacchio raises an eyebrow at the new team member and blurts out, “Are you weraing a fucking dress?”

Fugo can feel a vein in his forehead begin to bulge as he takes a breath to scold the ex-cop when Narancia speaks up first, “At least I’m not parading around with my fucking bara tiddies on display, Abbacchio!”

The air leaves the room as everyone looks at the team’s newest member and the ex-cop. They all stare and wait for someone to say something.

Suddenly, Bruno bursts into a roar of laughter. He points at Abbacchio and takes a deep breath as if he’s about to say something, but when he sees the blush across his boyfriend’s face, he erupts into laughter again.

“He has a point!” Fugo comments before joining in the laughter.

Abbacchio can only scowl and crosses his arms angrily. He knows they’re right. He has no place to comment on what someone wears as long as it makes them happy.

[otter-faces-reality]

Butter, blueberry muffin, pu-erh, ceylon, hibiscus, herbal, hop, daejeling, cloud, twenty four flavours, flowering

darjeeling: what languages do you speak?

you still don't know after all this time? :(

english, irish, urdu, latvian, french, german and lithuanian kinda

hop tea: do you have a favourite tea? which one?

yes!! raspberry and blackberry tea!

herbal tea: which person would you chose to travel the world with?

my friend clara, or my friend wera or you!

ceylon tea: do you have a song you like, but have bad memories with?

i don't think i do have any

hibiscus tea: what is a song you can always hear?

tóg amach mé

flowering tea: what is a movie you can always watch?

eh im not to big in actually watching stuff :^|

pu-erh tea: what is a book you can recommend to others?

why the whales came

the earth is singing

the doll maker of krakow

once

the wonderling

apple and rain

blueberry-muffin tea: tell me a memory, which makes you smile.

when i last went berry picking in alytus with my grandfather

butter tea: show / tell me about one thing i your room you find awesome.

well obviously IM the most awesome thing in my room, but otherwise:

it's a lily pad thingy i made when i was 10ish. i use it to keep very awesome stuff such as cool coins, my prussian blue pencil, majensha the sheep and my earrings!

24 flavors: what is your favourite word?

cloud tea: which movie do you want to watch next?

dziewięćsetdziewięćdziesięciodziewięcioipółletni

i don't actual know