#who does it like young women academic? no one that's who

[aheartofdawn]

As Democrats struggle to come to terms with the results of this week’s election, some young women are looking abroad for inspiration. Women across social media have been exploring an idea called 4B, a protest movement in South Korea that calls for women to boycott men.“Now I am, how you say this, a ho, but I really want to get behind this 4B movement,” begins one TikToker, who goes on to say she approves of women withholding sex from men. “After this election — where women were pretty much told to their faces that no one gives a shit about them — don’t forget, ladies, we do have power. And you know the kind of power I’m talking about. Giving up our bodies to men is a choice. We don’t have to do this.”

The TikTok tag #4bmovement currently has thousands of posts with millions of views, and Google search interest in the term spiked after the election. Some of the social media posters are clearly joking out of a combination of rage, stress, and sadness — but others are more serious.“Once you can get out of your mind that you will not be missing out by engaging in this behavior, you will be better off,” one earnest TikToker says. “I encourage you to reclaim your power and have really honest conversations with yourself about whether being in a romantic relationship with men at this point in time is worth it.”

The tenets of 4B are extremely different from the kinds of feminism that tend to flourish in the US, where popular culture places a premium on choice and empowerment. Mainstream feminist campaigns here usually celebrate women’s ability to make their own decisions and do whatever makes them feel best as individuals.The point of 4B and Escape the Corset, however, is not to make women feel more fulfilled or more at home in their bodies. It is also not to put pressure on men as individuals to reform their ways. The point of 4B is to send a message about the structure of society — to say it’s not acceptable that you are valued only for your fertility and sexual appeal — and to ensure your independence.In an academic paper about the movement, author Hyejung Park translates a 2019 video from the South Korean activist group SOLOdarity: “It is true that tal-corset [Escape the Corset] comes with some inconveniences,” the activists allow. “When your hair is short, you might have to get a haircut more frequently, and you might need to buy a whole new wardrobe for tal-corset. Nevertheless, we practice tal-corset because it is not about being more comfortable. It is about not being a doll, a second-class citizen.”

The idea of refusing to wear skirts for the sake of your politics, even if you like them, is an attitude that has been out of favor in American feminism since the end of the second wave in the 1970s. Still, there is a discipline and a radicalism to this form of activism that you can easily understand feeling attractive for America’s angry young women in this moment. It supposes a world that so emphatically decenters men and their desires for women that men themselves disappear from a woman’s life. After the US elected a symbol of masculine aggression and violence to our highest office for the second time, a person can see the appeal.The idea of such severe and uncompromising protest also makes sense considering the reams of smirking rape jokes that the mere discussion of 4B online has provoked. Many American 4B TikToks have comments from men under them crowing, “Your body, my choice,” a refrain that young fans of far-right influencer Nick Fuentes have reportedly taken to parroting in schools.“[W]omen threatening sex strikes like LMAO as if you have a say,” a post from one X account with 122,000 followers went.

It’s worth remembering, though, that the divide between left and right in this country does not neatly map across gender divides. While we won’t know until later how the numbers break down, early exit polls say 45 percent of all women and 53 percent of white women voted for Trump. Trump surrounds himself with enabling women, and the likes of Marjorie Tyler Greene gleefully shriek misogyny across the floors of Congress.A possible lesson of the Women’s March era — that feminist reaction to the first Trump term — is this: Uniting in a large group as a pure expression of rage is not always sustainable. The Women’s March collapsed because of vicious infighting, which is traditionally what happens to large leftist groups in the US.Perhaps it’s time for American feminism to get specific and disciplined about its action points. 4B is specific and it is disciplined, which is part of what makes it difficult to translate out of its cultural context and into America. It is clear on its goals, which are to take personal autonomy through the force of one’s own denial, rather than to ask for it at the polls or in interpersonal relationships.A line of inquiry American feminists might take from 4B is this: What are you going to work toward? And what are you going to do to get there?

[thatfrenchacademic]

I was chatting with a (slightly more) senior academic about writing our respective academic monographs (Hers: published, successful. Mine : WIP).

On the topic of the literature review, I mentioned how uncomfortable I was, during my PhD, with how aggressive I had to be with previous works, to justify the existence of mine. "Find the gap" often felt like "Hammer down until there is a gap". It's nice to be beyond that, I told her, to frame my research as building on previous literature, accepting that academia is collaborative.

"I can't pretend I am not standing on the shoulders of giants" I said.

She nodded, and gently but firmly answered:

"That's true. But now, you are the giant too. You know that, right?"

And that shit has been living in my head 24/7 ever since, and it's going to be what I say to every single young academic doubting themselves ever.

You ARE standing on the shoulders of giants, and you ARE a giant.

[sp0o0kylights]

You know what I want to see, I want to see more of Steve, Eddie, and Robin being 1980s small town kids from Indiana, by which I mean;

Robin is The Source of Gay Knowledge purely because her parents host Hippie Christmas and she managed to sneak away to find a neat bookstore in Indiana once. 

Her knowledge is not in depth. It's patchy, woven together through rumors, stories she heard or things she picked up from her parents' old pictures. She's got a handful of zines, one book, and some movies she managed to order for Family Video behind Keith's back.

She acts like she's Queen of the Queers because in Hawkins she pretty much is.

(Max and El ask her what a lavender marriage is once, something they overheard snooping around. 

Robin confidentially answers that it's code for when one woman dresses up as a man, fooling officials into wedding two woman.

She does not live this down two years later when they find out what it actually means.) 

Eddie doesn't spend every weekend in Indianapolis. 

Gas is expensive, his busiest days of his "job" is Friday and Saturday, and he has no fucking clue what the hanky code is. 

He's wearing that bandana because Metallica front singer James Hetfield has one on all their tour posters. 

Eddie does make it down to a gay bar though, by accident. Rick needed some back up for a shady deal. Promised Eddie a boatload of free drugs to sell if he agreed to just stand there and look mean. 

He was warned the bar they were meeting in was 'weird' and to not 'freak out' --which Eddie thought was hilarious given his nickname and general appearance, but whatever.

He doesn't understand when they get there, because it's just a bunch of hot men with hanky's in their back pockets everywhere.

Then he sees two women kissing and it clicks. 

He can't out himself in front of Rick, but one of the bartenders playfully dresses him down for his own hanky, letting him know all about the code and teasing him through his embarrassment. 

He's got an offer to come back and learn what color and which pocket his hanky should actually be in, a prospect Eddie was salivating at until Chrissy Cunningham up and died on his ceiling.

(He still wore the hanky, because the feeling of that bartender tugging it out and stuffing it back in might be the closest thing he's ever had to sex and he absolutely wants a repeat. 

He's young and horny, sue him.) 

Steve Harrington may not be academically smart but he's not dumb. 

He figured out a while back that the basketball team as a unit probably crossed the queer line more than once--or at least it did before Hargrove came in. 

( Brad Handly for example, went around slamming kids into lockers and screaming slurs like a fucking movie villain one Monday because the varsity team got dead drunk at Laura's party on Sunday and hey, look, there weren't that many girls there, okay?

They all had fucking hands and mouths. Everybody but Tommy was single and hot to trot. Nothing gay about it.

Its not even like they were kissing or treating each other like chicks. It was just Brad's first time and they got to tease him later for overthinking it. 

Dude graduated soon enough after and given Steve was on the team as a sophomore, he hadn't thought about the guy and why he might be freaking out so bad in years.) 

Robin's entire panic attack at Starcourt, and a few more after had Steve replaying that whole incident. Reframed it a bit, and, yeah.

In retrospect that had been extremely gay, actually. 

It sat with him a lot easier than he'd thought it would. Partially because of Robin, but mostly because that's just who he was.

Stranger things had happened to Steve and this one didn't want to kill, maim or otherwise eat him, so it got filed under 'interesting facts he should never tell his parents if he wanted to keep his trust fund' and then he went about his day. 

(Or he tried too, anyways.

It caught up to him when Eddie and Robin somehow figured out the other was queer and dragged him along to some bar Eddie had a standing invitation at, with demands for Steve to do what he did best.

Babysit.

Their magical trip was utterly destroyed when Brad Handly happened to be the very same bartender who had given Eddie the invite.

 Considering Brad's immediate bark of laughter followed by a hug and introducing himself as "Steve's gay awakening", Steve ended up having to speedrun through Eddie and Robin both having a crisis for him.

It didn't help that Steve had politely, and laughingly, corrected Brad with a casual; 

"Pretty sure that was Tommy man, but if it helps I think that tongue of yours gave Matt Burdon a crisis."

--which ended up with him answering a lot more gay sex questions with Brad than he cared too. 

At least he, through Brad, was able to help Robin connect to some local lesbians and--after a second crisis from Eddie regarding how Steve managed to have more sex than "the resident town freak and guy who actually knew he was gay, Steve!"-- even helped Eddie out by catching the metalheads tongue with his mouth later that evening.

The last one landed him a boyfriend, trust fund be damned.) 

[flagellant]

Why can't you people be normal about slurs for 2 seconds

Just because YOU reclaimed and identify with something doesn't mean everyone else does. No one cares about you IDing as a queer or dyke or fag or whatever, people just don't want strangers to randomly assign them words that have historically been used as slurs.

Like, do you understand that people have had this word used against them by bigots? Do you understand that maybe, it's tasteless to get upset at people for having trauma regarding a word? Are you able to comprehend that maybe insisting people be okay with being called a word that means odd, spoiled, ruined or weird is not a good look?

I'm autistic and have a severe learning disability. I'm totally fine when people use the word retard, I call myself a retard, I don't care. But I'm sure as fuck not going to walk up to a bunch of other autistic people I barely know and go "lmao what is up my fellow tards!!!"

I'm not trying to start shit, I'm legitimately trying to understand why you find it appropriate to make fun of people, often victims of abuse or hate crimes, for being triggered by a word.

"I'm legitimately trying to understand why you find it appropriate to make fun of people, often victims of abuse or hate crimes, for being triggered by a word."

Gay is a slur. Lesbian is a slur. Homosexual is a slur. Every single word we have ever had has always either had its roots in cruelty and oppression or has been used against us by our oppressors. There is no term that is pure and clean and innocent and has never hurt anyone's feelings.

Let's disregard fag for now. That one's still in the process of reclamation, I'll admit. Let's just talk about queer. Queer has been the academic term for non-cisgender and non-heterosexual history for half a century now. Queer theory has been around for thirty years. Queer was the word which we shouted as a radical inditement of our treatment by our oppressors: "We're here, we're queer, get over it" and "Not gay as in happy but queer as in fuck you" should both sound familiar to you.

And now it's 2012 or so and queer is known as the most inclusive term we have. It's less unwieldy than LGBTQIAAP+. It's not based in a necessity of defining yourself through your oppression like MOGAI. It's, important, a deeply private word. Not in the sense that it is used privately, but rather than it grants its user privacy. If you're queer, everyone instantly knows you're a part of the community, but you aren't being forced to out yourself or give more details about your personal life and identity than you want. It was always a word about identity.

TERFs hate this. TERFs hate this so much, because it's inclusive of people they hate, like asexual people, trans women, and other freaks of nature who society needs to put down like dogs. Queer means TERFs can't as easily define you as the Bad Other. Queer means TERFs will be recognized more easily as bigoted towards the larger queer communities. So, obviously, they do what anyone would, and decide to take advantage of the language of social justice warriors of the time and attack impressionable young kids from 13-16.

The average 13-16 year old doesn't exactly have much experience in real-life queer spaces. They don't get to go to rallies or protests, they don't stay at community centers, their lives are insular and based entirely online. Their understanding of social politics is inherently rooted in the importance of posting in the right language. Their activism is one which tweets correctly. So TERFs slid into their inboxes and went "Hey, just so you know, queer is actually a slur used to oppress people and it's problematic to use since some people have been called it".

And this works, because of course it does, and now I have people like you in my inbox bitching and whining about how queer is a slur and how you've been called queer once or twice in your life. To this I say: My apologies, but fucking suck it up and reclaim it. I don't care about traumatic events you have with queer. It has been reclaimed by the greater community and was done so long before you were born if you aren't literally 50, and more importantly, by giving queer validation as a slur, you actively give our oppressors that power over you. I'm not going to let my oppressors know that if they say an identifier for us meanly enough then we'll stop identifying as that word. I'm not giving the power to silence and repress who we are to people who would use it.

Anon, I respect you enough to say that people who consider my identity as a slur should get punched in the face, because alt-right fash cunts, pig cops, evangelical christians, TERFs, and hyperconservative political lobbyists all consider my identity as a slur. Why should I treat you any different to them? What about your specific treatment of queer as a slur ends up with a meaningfully different result? The neonazis on kiwifarms won't care why you're telling me to shut the fuck up about queer. They don't give a shit about why you're saying this. What they give a shit about is if it works and if calling people queer will get them to shut up and curl up in a little ball and admit defeat and hand them slurs on a silver platter. And I'm not about to live that sort of life, so either get with the program or fuck off.

[duncebento]

basically basically basically a lot of people (white in particular since u refuse to learn the histories of black community organizing) act as though they are speaking intracommunally when they tweet or whatever, which for obvious reasons is not true. like everyone can see that shit. but because they have no concept of the outward-facing nature of their discourse, they will say shit like “there are lesbians that have sex with men” which, if you give it the benefittttt of the doubt and add a bunch of qualifiers, is like okay whatever yeah all attempts to categorize human behavior will fail, and sexuality is fluid, and certain behaviors will always slip through the cracks blablablabla.

but the main statement they are making, “there are lesbians who have sex with men,” is, again, not being spoken across the table at a gay bar, is not being written down in a journal, but is being made in a public online space, meaning it has a potential impact on the outside world. and what lgbt kids of this decade have oh so stupidly forgotten (what we have been able to forget bc of the blessings of our predecessors) is that the shit we put out in the world is not just theoretical, is not just academic, is not just personal, but is strategically designed to make an appeal to and to reckon with mainstream narratives. (the very alliance of “lgbt” is not naturally occuring, of course, though for young people it may seem so. it is, in fact, a tactical alliance.)

SO, if we think for even a moment about mainstream narratives, the sentence “lesbians can have sex with men” does not bring to mind the failure of the social construct, the fluidity of sexuality, the decolonization of sexual roles. it brings to mind, quite obviously, the historically prevalent oppressive role that a heteronormative society, its heterosexual men in particular, has played in “turning out” lesbians, often to the extent of corrective rape. it is myopic to think that fighting for a prioritization of fluid sexuality in conversation is at all more urgent than combatting the still very prescient narrative of lesbian women possessing an innate biological urge for heterosexual sex that can be “unlocked” via certain means.

in our current climate, insisting that lesbians can have sex with men keeps lesbians in danger of homophobic sexual abuse, misogynistic harassment and kidnappings, and all the other historical accoutrements of that narrative. insisting that lesbians do not have sex with men, on the other hand, puts certain members of our community— say, women who identify wholly with lesbianism while still having one particular man they enjoy sex with— at risk of being called “problematic” by gay 20-somethings online.

[merakiui]

We've talked about Prisoner Floyd, but now that Promising Young Man Riddle is behind bars, let's hear about Prisoner Riddle. Just when he thinks he can never find someone to replace his former teacher, here is...

Jailor Darling who is the highlight of Riddle's day. The few minutes you stop to chat with him behind his cell bars while you do your rounds stay in his mind long after you go.

Janitor Darling who secretly chats with the charming prisoner Riddle. Maybe she even indulges him in impossible daydreams like "someday when your out of here we'll start a new life." If Riddle is lucky, she'll sneak a strawberry tart in among her cleaning supplies.

Councilor Darling who is in charge of Prisoner Riddle's psych evaluation. Riddle always has had mommy issues, so women in positions of authority just make him want to submit.

AAAA YES YES!!!! All of these are so good,,, I think Riddle would fall for you if you're someone he can have an intellectual dialogue with! It was one of his favorite things to do with his professor. He just loves chatting about academic subjects with someone who will understand, and you're just that kind of person. Not only are you sweet and treat him like another human (and not as the man who killed his classmate in a fit of rage), you also take time to genuinely have a conversation with him. Riddle adores it! He falls head-first into another obsession, and you quickly become the highlight of his days.

In Riddle's mind, the prideful part of him is fully convinced he's different than the rest of the people in here. Sure, he's wearing a jumpsuit just like everyone else and he's serving his sentence dutifully, but he's different. He's delusional, and whenever you talk to him it feeds into the narrative he's crafted that he truly is better than the other prisoners. To Riddle, a murder of one is much better than the other heinous crimes and kill counts other prisoners have committed.

When you stop by to conduct his evaluation and have a chat, Riddle desperately wants to exchange thoughts on various subjects that interest him (psychology, criminal law, your favorite sweets, etc). You try to keep him on track because you have a job to do and you can't indulge him all the time. You need Riddle to talk about what happened; he needs to answer the questions you're asking. Riddle does that; he's obedient most of the time. It's in his blood to be a good student, after all. But sometimes he just can't help it. He wants to pick your brain in the same way you pick his, asking you what you think of his crime. Not from a psychological or professional viewpoint, but from your own personal perspective. He's genuinely curious.

I feel like Riddle's case would have a cult following almost...... he was so composed and articulate during his trial, looking just like a pristine businessman in his pressed suit and leather Oxfords. :) so put-together and respectful,, it does hurt when his mother refuses to look him in the eyes when she sits there in the audience. It does hurt when she refuses to visit or even write to him. It does hurt, but it feels better when he's sat in front of you and you're telling him he can be honest about everything.

And this time he doesn't have to worry about someone else trying to win your heart. This time, it's just you and Riddle. You may have other patients you see, but Riddle knows none are more fascinating or intelligent than him.

[bolshefem]

if you think people are more empathetic to women than men you are straight up fucking delusional. men have proved themself almost INCAPABLE of empathy for women, and this is statistically and empirically supported. they are incapable of understanding that women have an internal life, do not see us as humans with emotions who exist external to them. look at the comments on a post of a man talking about self harm vs a woman. "men's mental health matters too🥺" "I'm proud of you" vs "attention whore" "sideways for attention downwards for results" "ugly bitch trying to get sympathy"

this is what happens for ANYTHING regarding sexual assault, mental health, suffering, trauma.

or an overweight man vs woman "keep your head up king👑" "you got this bro, I believe in you" "these women don't deserve you." (like totally unprompted not discussing relationships) Or often no comments on his weight at all if he's not talking about it. For a woman, no matter WHAT she is posting about "landwhale" "starve yourself" "put down the burger" "kys fat b*tch" and the most vile and insanely cruel comments The amount of threads and forums dedicated to eviscerating degrading and insulting overweight women on places like lolcow and kiwi farms and just social media in general and I genuinely have never seen one for a man. Same thing with things like facial deformities, the comments are unbelievably cruel to these women.

the level of vitriol is not even remotely comparable, and I don't even think it's mostly a double standard. I think they just lack the capacity to feel empathy towards women and perceive them as human and capable of feeling pain. Things are solely perceived in how they relate to them and thought to be performances for men. Women exist to serve them and if they don't give them a boner they don't deserve to be alive. If something, no matter how innocuous, pisses them off in the slightest they don't have a single qualm because they just don't view them as real people and full human beings with internal lives. women having emotions is inherently manipulative, anything they say or do is a performance for men. And like look at things such as the gender credibility gap https://www.tedxmilehigh.com/gender-credibility-gap/ Women are systematically less believed as witnesses in a courtroom, reporters, academic authorities, in claims of sexual assault, discrimination, or harassment.*

Women's reports of pain symptoms are less likely to be believed by doctors, and they are staggering more likely to not receive proper medication, go undiagnosed and untreated. Women are 32% more likely to die post-op if their surgeon is a man. "Womens' pain not taken as seriously as mens' pain. Researchers found that when male and female patients expressed the same amount of pain, observers viewed female patients' pain as less intense "(sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210406164124.htm) "Nearly three-quarters of cases where a disease primarily affects one gender, the so-called “men's diseases” are overfunded, while the “women's diseases” are dramatically underfunded."

https://www.concernusa.org/story/gender-bias-in-healthcare/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2022/women-pain-gender-bias-doctors/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/gender-bias-in-medical-diagnosis#how-does-it-affect-diagnosis https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-and-pain-disparities-in-experience-and-treatment-2017100912562 I could literally go on on this topic forever. The gender empathy gap is a form of epistemic violence against women.

* "Suicidal behaviour and self-harm in women can be viewed by family, health professionals and the community as attention-seeking, manipulative and non-serious, which can negatively influence how young women are treated." (Curtis, 2016) *Men with overweight tend to be perceived as wise or experienced, while women's credibility tends to decrease with excess weight... women seem to experience higher levels of weight stigmatization than men, even at lower levels of excess weight (Flint et al., 2016)

*Women are at greater risk for weight/height discrimination than men (Puhl et al, 2008)

*so many papers on this but "Across the board, women are perceived to be less credible than men. Especially women’s testimonies of rape and sexual harassment are widely trivialized and disregarded, even though reports of sexual abuse are not more likely to be false than reports of other crimes" (Schreurs, 2020) more like Mack, 1993

[miz-chase]

Bones Renaissance AU Starter Kit: Character Roles

Brennan: Orphaned child of a university scholar, she was permitted to remain, slightly feral, on campus (ala Lyra at Oxford but with a lot more reading), alternatively loved, ignored, and actively mistreated. She mostly spent her time hiding in the library, reading anything she could get her hands on, especially on anatomical topics. Growing up in the company of old scholars, she ends up an incredibly well-educated, poorly socialized, rather self-important woman. She rarely leaves campus, has viewed the students as below her since she was a child, and the citizenry are even below them. While not recognized as a scholar and often actively dismissed, people in-the-know know that she's a fantastic resource (if you can stand her/if she will tolerate you).

Goodman: One of the senior scholars who doted on Brennan and encouraged her reading. Tried to keep her out of trouble as he could, and especially discouraging any male interest in the young lady. They bonded strongly over reading together.

Zach: The one student Brennan feels is worthy of her time. He is also a library goblin like her, and wants to be just like her. She is directing his study of the texts they have, the acquisition of new material, and the publishing of new scholarship.

Michael Stires: Still a piece of shit. Traveling scholar who arrived at the university to teach. Contrary to tradition, he invites a young Brennan to his lectures and eventually private lessons. She is delighted and takes to the scholarship with her usual verve and is oblivious to the sexual undertones. Goodman, on the other hand, is very aware and does not approve, tries to intervene. When Stires propositions her, she is academically curious on the matter and agrees. What she emotionally feels about the situation, and its inevitable disastrous fallout, is a topic yet to be investigated. He implies he will marry her and thus give her actual standing, status, and a permanent home. Yet, before anything can even be planned, he's moved on to a different paramour.

Hodgins: Local eccentric scholar who definitely isn't nobility (wink). He has traveled the continent to better his knowledge and expand his experiences, and is glad to have a spacious office where no one asks anything of him. While he has studied at a variety of universities, he's happiest here because maybe, possibly, his family holdings are conveniently nearby. Zach is intrigued by his experiences and wants to follow in his footsteps... probably, someday. Their shared study hall is just so comfortable and leaving home feels too challenging.

Angela: A Florentine cortigiane oneste:

The cortigiane oneste were usually well-educated and worldly (sometimes even more so than the average upper-class woman), and often held simultaneous careers as performers or artists. They were typically chosen on the basis of their "breeding"—social and conversational skills, intelligence, common sense, and companionship—as well as their physical attributes. It was usually their wit and personality that set them apart from regular women. Sex constituted only a facet of the courtesan's array of services. For example, they were well-dressed and ready to engage and participate in a variety of topics ranging from art to music to politics.

When she met Hodgins, she was deeply unimpressed. He tried flaunting his money, she had no interest. He tried his wit, his knowledge, his possessions, but still she had no interest. It became a game between them, where he would travel the continent to return with an exotic fruit or flower, only for her to turn him down (though each time her smile grew fonder, the laughter in her eyes sparkling). Eventually, he presented her with a perfect little violet, plucked from ground just outside the palace. Only then did she agree to come traveling with him. They have a lot of fun together.

When Brennan is jilted by Michael, it's Angela that insists they take her in at the Hodgins Estate. Angela uses all means she has to get Michael expelled back to where ever it is he came from with his reputation in tatters. She knows people, you know.

and of course, the boys: I'm of many minds (or just different stories) if we choose to translate the FBI as the sheriff/constable (more like cops) or perhaps royal (ie, federal) guards or attendants. There's a class thing going on, where it doesn't seem quite right to make Booth a Knight/member of the nobility or gentry. He's an esteemed successful soldier, which puts him more in the realm of the Yeoman. Yeoman also has the bonus connection with longbow archery, which matches our sniperboy. The Yeoman of the Guard are royal bodyguards who could be tasked with specific missions, like say, perhaps, solving a prominent murder!

so we have

Booth: Is pretty much Booth. Working class improving his station through exemplary military service. Serves the Royal Court and Queen (fuck it, let's just say this is Liz I's reign) as an analogue to federal service. Is good at people, hates the rich, has absolutely no connection to the university and doesn't know what to make of those people.

Aubrey and Sweets: Come as a pair, they gay, come at me. Drive Booth insane. While Booth climbed socially to get to his position, both of these guys come from more money and status than him. Booth is their commander but they often are the ones navigating court politics for him, especially Sweets. Aubrey comes more from the military side, while Sweets is a city boy.

[lingerina]

deserving // LISA MANOBAL 🔞

➛ sugar mommy!lisa x fem!reader ➛ pwp, smut, dom!lisa, use of toys, smacking with a ruler ➛ 797 words ➛ curiosity leads you to new discoveries.

One moment, you were staring at the two measly paragraphs that you spent over thirty minutes typing. Then the next, you were searching up local sugar mommies to fund the lifestyle you’ve always wished for because academics were frying your brains out.

Admittedly, you only lurked out of curiosity.

For shits and giggles.

In your head, there was no way a whole site dedicated to the wealthiest citizens looking for fun even existed.

But you were quickly proven wrong. It only took one search to find the biggest platform for them, most of them being older men.

There were a few women here and there who were just as old as the men, but infinitely more attractive and charming. You were inclined to select them all, until you came across a profile for a woman who could easily give goddesses a run for their money, and looked closer to your age.

Though you were envious that someone so young could acquire so much wealth while you were consuming cup ramen almost everyday to save for gas and rent, you followed the little voice in your head that encouraged you to appease your curiosity.

You just wanted to browse her profile.

Just look, and nothing more.

It’s now a weekly routine.

You sit on Lisa’s desk, legs parted just enough for the filthy rich woman to see how shamelessly you were dripping on the polished surface. How little it takes for you to get hot and bothered, and to beg for her to do something about it.

A smirk quirks the corner of her vamp red lips, the tip of her manicured pinky nail cinched between pearly white teeth upon watching you squirm, sigh ever so dramatically, and pout.

“What’s the matter, princess?,” she hums, her saccharine tone contrasting the sharp gaze piercing your soul.

She folds her arms over her chest, the slightest crease appearing in her blazer as she straightens up in her seat. “Why can’t you keep still for me?”

Lisa Manobal is not that much older than you, but she possesses the intellect, charisma, wisdom, and experience of someone twice her age. She is also not lenient on her employees slacking off and horsing around behind her back, and seeing her lash out once was enough for you to feel like you were put in your place.

She is just as intimidating now as she’s seated before you, unwavered by your pleas and pouts. You try spreading your legs wider and hiking your skirt up to show your naked pussy crying for her touch, the slight buzzing of the bullet vibrator in you less muffled without the obstruction.

It earns no more than a satisfied smile, and you drip even more the longer you’re at the mercy of the vibrating toy.

“You think,” she clicks her tongue as she rolls her chair over to you, “you deserve to be touched, don’t you?”

You nod vigorously, a pathetic whimper slipping at the same time your composure does.

Lisa reaches over your thigh, much to your disappointment, and retrieves a ruler from behind you. She holds it up, but you’re not sure if that’s supposed to mean something.

And then, it swings down on you.

You yelp at the sharpness on your tender inner thigh, but she lands another smack to the opposite side.

A series of swats make it difficult for your legs to stay parted. The ruler lands dangerously close to your slick folds, but Lisa never shows mercy. It’s not long until your pussy suffers the wrath of the wooden tool, each strike somehow making you drip and puddle onto the surface beneath you. The painfully pleasurable sensation can easily finish you, but you refuse to crumble that easily.

That is, until she stands up and towers over you. Her stature already makes you feel small but her presence looms over like a shadow. Trembling and gripping the edge of her desk, you meet eyes with her, not knowing that she would sink a long, dainty finger inside you, stuffing you alongside the vibrator still suctioned inside you.

You bite your lip as you adjust to the intrusion, but your mouth falls open as a second digit swiftly takes up space. Two fingers is ordinary, but two fingers and a vibrating toy?

“Aw, what’s the matter?,” she coos, faux concern etched on her brows as she curls her fingers. “Cat got your tongue?”

You merely answer with a breathy grunt and your eyes rolling back.

Did you need the money?

Obviously. You will always need the money. You will always be thankful for the money.

But you’re even more thankful that the direct source of your funds (for now) knows how to leave you craving for more and temporarily forget about the money..

[ramayantika]

Shaam aur Shyam

Krishna’s sakhis have now grown up to become mothers. Vishakha, Kamini, Madhura and other women are now doting mothers to young boys and girls. She has seen how they feed sweet butter and milk to their naughty children, how they lovingly braid their daughters’ hair and scold them when they perform mischief.

The little ones often run to Yashoda’s large cottage, for that is where they find the best butter and cream. The large pillars of Nanda’s house serve as a hiding spot for the children of Vrindavana to play even after Krishna’s departure.

Today is just like any other day. Yashoda has tended to the cows, looked after the grains in the storage and the butter and cream inside the kitchen, which shall be sold the next day.

It is evening. She hears the distant sound of jingling bells. There is an ache in her back because of old age. Though she has helpers but she still prefers doing tasks on her own. Placing her fist on the aching spot, she raises a pot full of white butter and holds it by her hips and hand, her eyes distantly looking at the dusty roads and the green forests of Vrindavana.

One of the helpers carries the butter-laden pot from Yashoda and makes his way to the storage room. His eyes drift towards Yashoda’s face and there is a pitiful smile on his lips before leaving Yashoda to her thoughts.

A fragrant breeze blows by and she can hear the jingling bells nearby. The young mothers of Vrindavana have begun walking outside their houses, their eyes waiting to catch a glimpse of their young cowherds who were gone since daybreak.

Yashoda’s heart thuds. She walks near the window and stares at the distance. Slowly, she sees groups of children with herds of cows emerging from the dense forest. The boys are whistling at the young calves. Some gently pat the soft skin of the cows and lead their way inside the village. The naughtier boys who still haven’t experienced exhaustion go around wrestling with their friends or pranking some poor lads, their enthusiastic laughter drawing a fond smile over Yashoda’s lips.

The boys finally reach their mothers. Some reprimand their boys for wrestling with their finds and getting scratches over their skin. One of them is feeding a delicious looking laddoo. A little girl hugs her brother’s leg.

So many children, so much of love, but there is no sign of her Kanhaiya.

Kanhaiya is now Dwarkadheesh Sri Krishna, married, a kingmaker, and a great politician. Yashoda does keep tabs on her Shyam’s whereabouts though her darling son hasn’t sent any letters after leaving the soil of Vrindavana behind.

The evening sun spreads a warm glow over the quiet and sublime village. Everybody does miss their Krishna, Shyam and Kanhaiya. They no longer talk about him much, just to avoid the pain of separation gnawing at their heart every day, but his friends did make sure that their children will know of their great friend, their Kanha who has made them so proud of the man he has become today.

But what of the mother’s heart? He may be a God to the world, but is her little Krishna for Yashoda. Shyam who would run inside the house after coming from the forests, leaving behind muddy footprints no longer prances around. Kanhaiya no longer plays pranks on the poor innocent milkmaids of Vraja. There is no one to steal butter from, nor there is Murlidhar to play melodious tunes that bring a divine serenity to the soul.

Krishna, her little one, her heart now lives to the western coast of Aryavarta, very far from the land of simple cowherds and milkmaids, away from the sweet innocence of childhood and his mother.

Yashoda’s arms stretch to the air as if her darling would come home rushing to embrace her.

And just like every day in all these years, cold air brushes her arms and warm memories of her sun flit by.

-- XXX --

Sorry for the low quality fic, but i haven't written anything nice for a while. There was a lot of drama in college, hostel and life and couple that with academics and dance practice

This may not punch enough in the guy :(

Taglist: @swayamev @jukti-torko-golpo @navaratna @inexhaustible-sources-of-magic @rhysaka @krishna-priyatama @krishakamal @krsnaradhika @kaal-naagin @ramcharantitties @houseofbreadpakoda @aesthetic-aryavartik

[churrosbitxh]

My headcanons of the boys' siblings, and their relationships with them:

Neil - Only Child. Which explains all the burden and pressure he had all throughout his life, and I don't think he really had any friends except for Charlie growing up. He had other boys to hang out, but not really 'friends' kinda thing. His parents (his dad, obviously) never allowed him to do sleepovers or play out with kids when he was young. Neil never experienced nor seen anybody around his age with siblings, so he didn't know if wanted one or not, until he came to Welton and saw some brothers with different age gaps, and in some ways having their backs for each other, making Neil desperately wanting one- more likely a brother. Personally, Neil would've have been the best brother if he had either one. (I'm going to die now)

Charlie - Also an only child, but a baby sister/brother coming. He also gives me the vibe of an only child- but in a good way. If Neil was more of the repressed and pressured type, Charlie wasn't treated the same way, though he was taken to social parties and other fancy-schmancy places his dad took him (and he hated), which kinda explains his knowledge for women at his age- since he grew up watching different types of older, high class people. Kinda head canoning that his father made him to play the clarinet so he could do recitals infront of his guests, which made Charlie hate it even more (will rant about this soon). I think he might get a baby sister or brother- but after he's all grown up so basically he doesn't have anything to do with it, he'll probably act like the cool uncle kind of way.

Todd - Youngest of Three. Aside from Jeffrey, I like to think that he has an older sister, who married young and left home when Todd was probably around 5 or 6, so he doesn't have significant memories of her except that she liked to read. All the books Todd read at home was definitely hers- mostly literatures and poems, which she left when she left. That and the only memories Todd have with her will only be her reading the poems for him when he was a baby, even before he knew the words because his parents were busy taking care of the Golden child- Jeffrey, and she basically took care of Todd when he was an infant (will also rant about this soon).

His relationship with his brother is complex, but I don't think Jeffrey is a bad brother for Todd. Todd feels he's under the shadows because Jeffrey was so good at everything- so perfect, but I think Jeffrey also kinda has his own problems, he might have Golden Child Syndrome, which I will deal in an another post, but Todd and Jeffrey would probably get along around their 30's.

Meeks - Youngest with three sisters, all different age gaps. Meeks, our sweet little boy gives the youngest baby boy aura, but with sisters, which is very important explaining his behavior towards others. He's more of an empath than the other boys- and also catches how Todd feels awkward and alone on their first meeting. He is the type who doesn't like people being left behind, and this is infleunced his sisters growing up. Though he shows awkwardness when it comes to girls, he doesn't really have fantasies about them- since he saw the reality of women from his sisters. He's the only boy in the siblings, so he does have the pressure to excel academically, but not as much as Neil does, but he doesn't really mind it since he finds studying enjoyable. He's not good at sports, though- since he grew up reading more than working out. I love to imagine one of his sisters taught him Latin.

Pitts - The middle child, with an older brother and a younger sister, a little age gap between both. He probably has an older brother who graduated college and works now, and a younger sister starting grade school. He doesn't have good nor bad relationships with his siblings, they just don't have much in common, and shares different interests. But their family is pretty tight, so though his brother moved out, he visits home every now and then, giving Pitts advice or encouraging him about his love for science, though he has no idea about it. He doesn't get along with his sister, but he is protective of her since she's the youngest. Pitt's is the good case of being the middle child.

Cameron - Oldest with a young baby brother. He has a baby brother around 7 or 8, and has the need to impress him. As much as his relationship with his parents, he wants to show his brother how successful he is and will become, wanting him to follow his footsteps just as much as their father did. Cameron definitely has a goodboy complex and a perfectionist, over working himself and thinking what he does is always for the greater good. I personally think his relationship with his brother will fail when he comes to a certain age, with some miscommunications and different ideals.

Knox - Oldest of Three, a younger brother and a baby sister coming soon. He is the older brother of two younger siblings with age gaps, which explains his father's wishes of Knox becoming a lawyer just like him. He wants him to take over the family job, which he doesn't have a reason to say no- though he's not very fond with the idea but he doesn't have any other passion, so he just goes for the money and stability the job gives him. Since he has so much age gap between his siblings, he didn't really have much time with them since he came to Welton from a young age. Though he has a sister he never had any interactions with girls or what so ever, and he only met his father's clients or colleagues (which are middle aged or old, white males), he acts awkwardly around women. Though romantic at heart, I personally think he doesn't know how to show his feelings towards girls since all he never knew how to court them- and the most women he have seen were the ones who wanted to divorce their husbands. (This is my personal favorite head canon don't judge me pls)

I have more head canons and stories I want to say but that's going to be on a separate post because it is going to be LONG, so this is my thoughts about it lol

Disclaimer: This is only my HEADCANON, has nothing to do with the original story.

Please tell me if you want to hear me rant more about this things I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO SAY😏😏😏

[lokigodofaces]

Since I've been seeing more and more anti-Wanda stuff lately, I thought I'd write something out and express my thoughts in a low-key venty manner.

I really don't trust the vast majority of Wanda criticizers*.

There is so much misogyny, victim blaming, dismissal of trauma, etc. I cannot believe it. And most of this started during WandaVision.

Okay I saw criticisms before mostly for Age of Ultron but it was your classic "poorly written" criticisms which I disagree with I think that in the majority of movies she was in they did a decent enough job of writing her. The only major ones I saw were because they wrote her and Pietro as part of Hydra initially. A) That definitely was not the most well thought out decision of Marvel's, given that they are Jewish and Roma in the comics but of course they've been whitewashed so Feige didn't see it as a concern. B) If it weren't for their ethnicities, it would be kind of genius if it had been fleshed out more. Real life Nazi organizations prey on young people who have been mistreated (or perceive themselves to be mistreated) by the government or other authority figures and groom them to be fascists. Don't get me wrong, definitely insensitive to have that happen with these two given ethnicity, but unfortunately that is kind of accurate still. Unfortunately, this fascist groups manage to get POC, LGBTQ+, and other minority groups to join them. TL;DR: the way AoU handled it was not written well, but it definitely could have been something note worthy if the time had been taken to analyze this. Never claimed that Wanda was written perfectly, will be the first to admit that there are problems as well. But I will say that I used to see lots of people claiming she was "boring" pre-Infinity War. Idk, maybe I wasn't seeing what everyone else was, that's 100% a possibility. Like I said, this is more of a vent post than an academic paper.

Infinity War and Endgame I didn't see that much criticism, but those are the movies where they let Wanda be awesome and powerful so yeah guess no one had too much to say. Other than the occasional dudebro being mad that women can be powerful characters, there wasn't much I saw.

Then we get to WandaVision. Now y'all no by now that I am not a fan of the majority of newer MCU stuff. WandaVision is definitely one of those exceptions. Brilliant series. I was going wild as it was being released. I was so unbelievably hyped for Multiverse of Madness after this (Stephen and Wanda! Two of my favs! Together!). And the majority of it was really good, loved the other characters (or loved to hate them, in the case of Hayward lol), loved the sitcom references, it was a very enjoyable series. And as it came out, I didn't see much criticisms other than the reasonable ones (it isn't a flawless series). But we started to run into some things I hated, and it would just get worse and worse as time would go on.

People have no ability to understand morally grey characters these days. Any Wanda, Bucky, or Loki fan will tell you this because Marvel's been doing them dirty and the fandom hasn't been much better.

What was WandaVision about? Grief and trauma and how difficult it is to overcome these. And I think they did a pretty dang good job at that. But then what does everyone do? Freak the heck out because Wanda took over Westview. Well, first off the series suggests that Wanda wasn't even aware of it for the first couple episodes. Then at the end it implies that Wanda was not aware that she was causing pain the citizens were feeling and she tried to get them all to leave once she found that one out. And you've got Agatha who was messing around, killing dogs, manipulating Wanda, and mind controlling Ralph. And let's not forget the pressure from S.W.O.R.D and Hayward being irrational about it (he literally shot his gun at kids and his employee who tried to protect them and people try to defend him). All Wanda wanted was to be happy and have her family (no one gets mad when other MCU characters do that, such as Tony in Endgame). By no means does this justify her actions, but she is villainized so much over something when clearly her motivations are not out of ill intent but out of trauma, grief, desperation, and also being provoked by Hayward right before she got to Westview. She is feeling all of these emotions, and clearly her powers somehow got stronger/she unlocked or leveled up/something idk that's never explained as she is feeling all of this. I mean, if I had powers as ridiculously strong as Wanda's, it'd be hard for me to control them on rough days.

WandaVision introduced us to this very complex narrative of Wanda doing something wrong but not because she had ill intent yet not wanting to give up the little happiness she is feeling while she is also being manipulated by Agatha and Hayward. It isn't black or white. She isn't a villain, but she isn't Westview's hero. She's a grieving woman that needs therapy and also help to learn about her growing magic (ie what Multiverse of Madness should have been).

But half the time you see anything about Wanda in WV it's just saying that she was evil, that she was purposely hurting the citizens, that it was for nothing but fake kids, etc. Dismissal of trauma. Victim blaming. Misogyny. Let me tell you, if Wanda was a man everyone would claim that he was a good father and that he only wanted to build a family. But noOoOoO, she's a woman so she can't be complicated.

Then we get to Multiverse of Madness. Pretty sure Waldron never watched WandaVision (a literal masterpiece) before writing the flaming pile of trash he calls a script. There's so much to unpack about how Waldron didn't write her well, how she became a villain out of literally nowhere, how while Agents of SHIELD definitely supports the idea of a Darkhold twisted villain even still Radcliffe never was pure evil he was simply misguided by a sudden overflow of information that didn't happen all at once, etc. There's a lot. But, hey, it basically sums up what antis have to say about Wanda. Because Waldron seems to hate every single character he has written other than some select people in the TVA!

Now, even more motivated by the awful writing of DSMOM, antis say that Wanda was crazy for a desire to have kids (again, would they have said the same thing if she was a man?) and that she was actually this villainous the whole time (show me your receipts because even the beginnings of Age of Ultron showed her not being completely evil). And I could go on, they say so much. But, as I have said, all of it is dismissal of trauma, victim blaming, and/or misogyny.

But it's caused me to be very suspicious of people who claim to hate Wanda. Which obviously no one has to like her. Totally understand that she might not appeal to some people that like different tropes and whatnot, that is definitely understandable. But whenever anyone starts to lean into anti territory, I just have to wonder why. Why do you hate Wanda so much? Tell me why? Because generally when I find out why, it's because she's evil and insane and tortures whole towns without remorse (canonically not even true).

*Disclaimer: I am not referring to anyone criticizing the MCU and it's whitewashing of Wanda. That is a reasonable concern. I am talking about everything else listed in the post.

[sam-keeper]

Halloween Horror: Häxan (1922)

Häxan's genre defying structure makes it hard to summarize. Wikipedia valiantly offers "Silent Horror Essay", a pretty decent stab at encompassing all seven reels of this silent Swedish classic. In the early parts, director Benjamin Christensen walks us through an academic lecture on the medieval conception of the cosmos and of superstition, aided by scale models of the universe. This section feels like a proto video essay. Then, it becomes an astonishing special effects horror showcase of rites and devil worship. Then, a multi-part melodrama of inquisition, false accusation, and torture, as a town falls to witch hunt mania. Finally, it introduces a melodrama in the present of mental illness and treatment, bridging past and present with its video essay elements.

I heard the bookends around the film described as a scholarly pretense for pure spectacle of the middle section. And boy there's some spectacle! I didn't really expect it to go quite as far as it does into perverse fantasy and sadomasochism. There's a whole sequence where a priest, consumed by lust for a village woman, ecstatically receives the lashes of a flail, his agonized expression superimposed on the whipping. Later, Christensen remarks in intertitles that one of his actresses insisted on trying his thumb screws. Juxtaposed with footage of the actress laughing and gasping, the intertitles remark coyly that they won't repeat all the things she confessed to after just one minute in the device. This fascination with pain, paired with shots of, for example, nude witches going to meet with the devil, suggests a knowing, post-Psychoanalytical overt desire to delve into erotic fantasy. It's not even implausible Christenson intended the homoerotic undertones in the whipping scene, or a later sequence where blasphemous mania overtakes a convent of nuns. After all, he starred himself in role of a young bisexual man in Michael just two years later. Queer people existed as much in the 1920s as the 2020s.

I get why surrealists loved the wild subconscious phantasmagorias of this film. It doesn't hurt that the film takes a bullish stance toward the new science of psychotherapy, suggesting that witch manias have an earthly cause in the human mind, even implying that they emerge from repressed desires. (Moreover, witch accusations come, as they do in The Crucible, from people jockeying for petty social advancement, or lashing out at the vulnerable.) In one of the middle sections, there's a lengthy sequence where witches cavort at a black sabbath with all manner of (stunningly costumed!) devils. The special effects are mesmerizing to watch--so much so that it's easy to forget the whole narrative is being related by an old homeless woman sadistically tortured by witch-mad priests. As it cuts back to the lurid, slavering excitement the priests display at each new concocted detail, each new accusation the old woman levels--against the very women of the village who denounced her in the first place!--it becomes clear that the lurid phantasmagoria is none other than the titillating fantasies of those selfsame priests. Forget Blazing Saddles, I don't think you could make a film like this today, a big budget expose of the perversities of the most holy fathers of the church.

After all the mesmeric special effects, the horror of witchcraft giving way to the horror of inquisition, the film concludes with a series of shocking juxtapositions: if the witches of the past are the mentally ill (the "hysterics" in the film's parlance) of today, aren't they still with us? And do we treat them so much better? I made a sarcastic crack to my friends midway through that Seattlites react to homeless people with the same conviction as the peasants in the film, that these are fearful creatures bound to put the evil eye on them. The film shocked me later when it pronounced directly that the inquisitor of the past is the law of today, and we've traded burning at the stake for prisons and institutions.

I don't know that Häxan is ahead of its time, exactly. Rather it reminds us that as long as Horror has existed as a genre, artists have used it to turn the floodlights on society and suggest that the real horror is how we treat each other. And, hey, also, turn the floodlights on the murky subconscious and say: oh boy what gooey nonsense is happening down HERE? What thoughts did you have lurking in your head, only now articulated through the witchcraft of the big screen? The best compliment I can give Häxan is that it is, simply put, a horror movie, and what makes it great haven't really changed all that much in 100 years.

Read more horror reviews like this all season on my Patreon

[abearinthewoods]

A comment of mine from r/curatedtumblr:

Feminism/feminist means multiple things. one is a synonym for WRA, a descriptor. (like MRA, is just an advocate for men's rights, its a descriptor). another is a body of academic work (and the people in it), and a 3rd is an ideological identity (more along the lines of radfem and 4b and the others i don't know or understand).

There is nothing wrong with a discussion on how the carelessness of the 2nd is stoking the fires of the 3rd and in some cases inadvertently introducing misandry into the 1st.

When we assign words with negative connotations to the male gender, specifically words that by their construction direct the negative connotation at the man/male gender: (mansplain, manchild, manspread, toxic masculinity(when directed at behavior instead of expectation), patriarchy(to a much lesser degree)) could we maybe be creating or reinforcing any negative gender stereotypes that might play a part in turning turn group 1 into the group 3?

When we push the concept of male privilege, are we not giving people the tools to excuse their bad behavior towards men to other people, who may be in the first camp (as most people who believe in gender equality are) and not as knowledgeable to see past it?

When we blame men's issues on the patriarchy are we subconsciously implying feminism, the force against the patriarchy, can not perpetrate men's issues? Could this not be creating a barrier in self reflection?

When we use a word tied to a lack of sexual conquests to attack men, are we not reinforcing the idea that one's value as a man is tied to their sexual conquests? (aka: patriarchal notions of toxic masculinity)

When we talk about strong role models for girls under the framework of improving girls sense of worth (viewing them as human beings), but strong role models for boys under the framework of improving how boys behave to make them more useful/respectful towards women and girls (viewing them as human doings)…. Are we not reinforcing the notion of viewing one with empathy more over the other? or viewing the other with a highen sense of suspicion (Secondary to that, thought experiment: how much traction do you think a role model for girls would get among young girls if they were consistently praised by the adults for how respectful they are towards men?)

And this still doesn't even touch what i think is the biggest issue. Criticizing feminism is seen as misogynistic, even when its not, so it not only becomes a useful shield, keeping the misandry from being addressed, the victim of the misandry gets re-victimized when they get accused of being what they were hurt by.

Somebody who has started to notice the sometimes subtle and easy to miss misandry in how a lot of feminist arguments end up being exercised in practice will only start to see more and more.

Its a eye opening experience that gets frustrating because then nobody believes you. its either a standalone antidote, which invalidates the person's experiences being subjected to it or seeing it as an attitude or if you try to point out the trends its a bad faith mra narrative.

As for radfems, I don't care about them, i see them on tumblr, they don't rep feminism to me. r/twoxc does on the other hand and the misandry in there is palatable and feminist arguments around privilege and oppression are used to excuse it, including by reddit admins when its reported.

I'm not even talking about the women drinking from a coffee mug of white male tears, i'm talking about the countless women and men and publications that were excusing it and poking fun at the men who expressed their emotional discomfort with it.

How would you prefer somebody talk about this? It has to be talked about. This is a mens issue that needs addressing.

When men's DV shelters open up, who is protesting them? Suing them for being gender exclusionary? bankrupting the org, driving the founder to suicide, then opening up a women's only DV shelter after buying it for cheap on auction?

When the feminist ex-director of NoW holds a talk on male suicide, who are the people protesting it and yelling misandry slurs into the face of the men who had multiple friends commit suicide and were hoping to find some answers?

Let me guess? "Not all men feminists?"

Sure, as a mra who is a fan of bell hooks, i can agree; but could we please not deny or attack the lived experiences of men who have seen that side of feminism because they don't perfectly express their frustrations in the correct way.

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

Hcs off modern Castlevania chars? Like jobs/friends & stuff

Ask: Hcs off modern Castlevania chars? Like jobs/friends & stuff

A/N: In this, most people are living sort of happily ever after. Does that make them OOC, yes it does. Do I care? No, I don’t. 

👷‍♂️ Modern-Day Castlevania Headcanons: Jobs 👩‍⚕️

I see Trevor as something of a detective/cop, but I don’t think he’d be down with working for the system. Being a P.I. or an independent security contractor of some sort would probably suit his personality better. He’s the cool kinda punk that strikes fear into the hearts of violent bigots but is also somehow seen as a safe adult to little kids. Which he doesn’t mind. He finds it useful that only those hiding something or guilty of something see him as a threat. He’s not the best with kids, but he’s nice enough to them. He was on his own a lot from a very young age- definitely a latch-key kid- so he feels a fair share of protectiveness when it comes to them. 

Sypha strikes me as a natural protector/nurturer, so maybe a preschool/grade-school teacher or physical therapist? She loves learning and sharing that knowledge with others. I can absolutely see her leading workshops related to whatever it is she’s chosen to have a career in. And she’s great with everyone- adults, kids, seniors, animals- you name it, they love Sypha. (Except for assholes and Karens of course.) 

Alucard is introverted by nature, and also a lifelong student like Sypha. He’s also the inheritor/keeper of his father’s money and his mother’s wisdom. For that reason, I see him as a History or Anthropology Professor- at the college level and above. Maybe even an eventual department head. He’s very serious, and doesn’t have the demeanor for working with children or amateurs; he wants to teach people who are just as committed as he is to what they’re learning. His whole life he feels like his purpose is greater than what it currently is, and because of that, he’s never quite content with the life he’s living. He feels like something or someone is missing from his journey. 

I think the three of them would become friends eventually, but one like one of those friend groups that makes absolutely no sense to people outside it. Like, you wouldn’t expect a rough and tumble cop-hating anarchist, a feisty, yet kind-hearted physical therapist, and a tall skinny history academic to be besties, yet there they are. 

Maybe they’d meet at a conference somewhere. Like a wellness convention/conference is taking place at Alucard’s college, Sypha’s a prominent speaker (ah! pun not intended) there, and Trevor’s company is providing extra security. 

Maybe there’s some kind of snafu, and there’s like an assailant loose on campus or something. Trevor’s chasing the guy, but Alucard sees him coming and decides he’ll help out and head the bad guy off. But in the end, the two men are beaten to the quick by Sypha, who stops the guy in the most impressively timed frisbee toss they’ve ever seen. The two men insist on talking Sypha out for coffee- and getting to know her, because, let’s be honest, who wouldn't want to be friends with Sypha? The three of them get to talking and the rest is history. 

Dracula is someone who just has power- he doesn’t have to amass it, it just naturally comes to him. He’s the type to gather fortune and invest it in a bunch of different properties and revolutionary pharmaceutical investment opportunities. He’s the Big Guy in the Chair. And then he just sort of, fucks off to his mansion to do whatever he wants. He’s a recluse- he deems human interaction pointless and unnecessary as a man of his stature. Who needs to leave the house when you can just pay people to do everything for you? He’d much rather be alone anyway. Of course that all changes when he meets Lisa. 

Lisa, similar to her nature in the show, would be a physician of some sort. I could see her being especially interested in women’s medicine or infectious disease as it disproportionately affects those in need, and she has a very strong internal sense of justice. Maybe she seeks out Vlad because he’s the big cheese CEO of a pharmaceutical company that’s publicly refusing to lower the cost of a specific drug that would revolutionize her patients’ care. She’d find out where he lived, bang on his door, and demand he lower his profit margins right now. Of course, no one has ever had the balls to say such a thing to his face before, and Drac falls in love pretty much instantly. 

The two of them are a power couple: he still maintains so much fortune and sway, but his partnership with Lisa makes him see ways to use it for good. He starts charities and fundraisers- he shocks the wealthy world by going rogue- and gives away most of what he earns instead of hoarding it. And it’s no secret it’s thanks to Lisa. 

Now Hector: I know everyone headcanons Hector as being a veterinarian, but for me, I think it makes more sense for him to be a mortuary or a medical examiner. He’s lovely with his pets, but at the same time, I don’t think he has the stomach to do what vets have to do. Vets have to talk to owners and their families and be personable and bright. He sees his pets as possessions, not family members. So a job where it’s just him and no one else- no crying kid or elderly companion to reassure would be better suited for him. 

Hector is naturally inquisitive- a trait we saw even when he was imprisoned, so I think being a medical examiner would be very rewarding to him. He’d find it invigorating, to get down the truth of a mysterious death or shocking murder. And because he’s not squeamish, he’d be very clear and articulate presenting information on the stand. 

Issac’s big thing throughout the series is loyalty and personal growth. S2 Isacc and S4 Issac are very different people. So I’m basing this more on S4 Isaac. I think he’d benefit in a position of some power, but also of some charity. Maybe as a politician or a professional lobbyist. He advocates for causes he believes are just and does not shy away from verbal confrontation when it comes to hashing out right vs. wrong. 

I could see this being the way he meets Vlad and Hector. If some sort of tragedy or panic happened, and a large emergency medical response was involved, I could see Isacc propositioning Dracula for donations, in exchange for dinner and a chance to sway his mind about a certain political vote. Hector would be on the other end of that tragedy, dealing with those who lost their lives. Perhaps Issac seeks out Hector as a form of outreach, to prove he is committed to what he says he stands for. He connects Hector with Dracula, and the three of them find they’re all rather pleasant company compared to the majority of the unremarkable humans out there. They can all look death in the face and feel no fear. They don’t do bullshit, and they get along well because of it.

[threadbaresweater]

hello!

i wanted to ask about your thoughts on how Higuruma perceives and pursues a serious relationship? plus how quickly he falls in love, versus how methodically he moves in it? If you see it as a gradual thing, how much does he notice the shift in himself or the amount of meaning he attaches to his partner's actions/interactions with him?

And how many times do you headcanon him to have properly been in love (ie deliberately risked his heart) before he meets the one he's most certain about? Personally I can't decide if his dogged pursuit of his ideals extends to how he approaches matters of the heart, or if he's actually way more guarded because he's already exhausted from that much disappointment in this major area of his life (career) - but he does give me the vibe that he's broken hearts more times than had his fractured (or maybe that's just me being an insatiable slut for angst oops) sorry if it's a complex ask! i know everyone has their version of Higu but i particularly adore your characterization of him and wanted to pick your brain on it (: - 🍙

hi! firstly, there's no need to apologize for this ask. it's stuff like this that really gets my brain working in ways I fear I've forgotten, so thank you for sending it! second, thank you for saying that my characterization of is him is worthy of adoration. it's been a few minutes since I've thought of him, but i've had a lot of fun today thinking of answers to your questions.

i don't think he dated a lot in high school or even in college. he strikes me as the type of guy who was charming and maybe even popular with the girls, but never really pursued a relationship. i really think he could have had any girl he wanted- tall, dark, handsome, a little bit weird, a little bit lanky and awkward, brimming with intelligence and an academic kind of humor. he's well read, quirky, loves board games and crossword puzzles and obscure music that he can info dump about for hours.

all that to say- i think you're right when you say that he's "broken more hearts than had his fractured" because i think there have been dozens of women who wanted to pursue him, and perhaps did, but he was either so oblivious to their advances or just outright ignored them in pursuit of his own happiness, which- for a long time- tended to lie in academia. namely his goal of going to law school.

i had a headcanon that when he was in undergrad, he did his fair share of partying (joined a fraternity, lived in the frat house for a while, dabbled in some opiates and developed a taste for expensive liquor) and lost his virginity to the star figure skater on campus. she was beautiful, athletic, talented. they dated briefly but never fell in love, per se. out of each other's league in different ways. I don't think either of them were heartbroken when it didn't work out. It just wasn't meant to be, and that's okay.

he didn't learn much from the experience, unfortunately. he graduated from undergrad, went to law school, passed the bar exam, established himself, and never really pursued any kind of relationship. his love affair with whiskey and gin put him in a few compromising situations. he found a bar a few blocks from his apartment where he'd drink away the stress of his day. one or two days a week, he'd sit at the bar with his tie loosened, the first few buttons of his shirt undone, his hair a tousled mess. he'd drink and do crossword puzzles and chat up the bartender, maybe take home a girl if the mood struck him just so.

he never thought of himself as a playboy, per se. just a man with an itch to scratch. the alcohol wasn't a problem at that point. he could go weeks without a drink then. and he never grew attached to the women he slept with. until he met his first wife.

a friend of mine wrote a drabble or two about higuruma having a very young, very beautiful wife. he met her at the bar and they hit it off almost immediately. i can't say what he saw in her- maybe it was her smile, her subtle air of desperation and eager-to-please enthusiasm. she laughed at his jokes, she crossed her legs and tucked her pretty dyed-blonde hair behind her hair, tied a knot with her tongue from the cherry in her amaretto sour.

he didn't sleep with her until they went out for a couple of months. didn't even kiss her until the third date. i don't think he wanted to admit he was in love with her because it scared him. i'm not sure he really knew what love was because he'd never really experienced it.

they married in a modest church ceremony and took a honeymoon to some tropical location. it really was a picture perfect life for a little while. they bought a big house in an affluent neighborhood and filled it with vintage furniture and art. she spent his money well.

i think he thought he was in love with her. I think he wanted to be in love with her. and maybe in his own strange way, he was. i think she was in love with the idea of being married to a lawyer. she had expectations of a posh life, of being spoiled and being a trophy wife. and perhaps for a while she was. higuruma eventually succumbs to alcoholism, and his wife's hopes and dreams of buiding a family with him come crashing down.

anyway, all this to say that when their marriage inevitably falls apart and he ends up divorcing her in a very messy split, he meets someone else years down the line, and he's just struck dumb by the feelings he experiences when he realizes that he never really loved his ex wife the way he loves this new person. he thinks he's had fleeting glimpses of love before, perhaps in his youth, but never like this. he savors it. he floats around on a cloud for a while and feels clumsy and more awkward than usual. he finds himself saying things that are so out of character because he's just so smitten that he can't think straight. he wants to jump headfirst into this new relationship and wallow around in it like a pig in the mud. he's floating, he's flying, he's irrational and feeling kind of insane because he's never, ever felt this way about anyone, and it's simultaneously the most terrifying and comforting thing he's ever experienced. he wonders if there's something fundamentally wrong with him. he's well into his thirties when this all comes about, just as he'd resigned himself to living the life of the bachelor (in dark academia style). along comes this woman who compliments him in the best way, who challenges him, who makes him dizzy with desire, who is able to help him put down the bottle and move through the most difficult time in his life.

.

i got really, really carried away with this, but i hope you enjoyed reading it anyway. i'm not even sure if it answered any of the questions you asked, but for a minute there, i was able to use my right brain, and for that, i'm exceedingly grateful.