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kanmom51 · 8 months

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Ahm... HAPPY BIRTHDAY JK

And happy JK day Jikookers.

What a morning to wake up to!!!

You open your eyes and this is what you are hit with.

The black and white couple in BLACK & WHITE.

Happy birthday Kookie indeed.

Yes, that was JM's hashtag: Happy birthday Kookie or Kookie's birthday, depending on your translator.

I am definitley still processing.

Well JM, you have definitely out done yourself.

Better than even this:

Ok then, did I not say that JM will not disappoint us? He NEVER does!!!

And yes. JM posted it to his account. Not a story. Not something that will be deleted or go away within 24 hours.

No.

JM posted this photo of the two of them in Connecticut on his IG timeline for forevers!!! Right next to his hot boyfie's Hot 100 post.

Yes JM, we know your boyfie is Hot and he's all yours. And you have now told us all just that. You claimed him!!! He is definitley yours.

Had a hoot reading the comments, lol. Someone asking if they are together, and the answers. Many answer yes (surprising), but then, the denial some people are in. Besties. Brothers. Ok then. 🤣🤣🤣 Those calling them besties are probably same ones that ignore Jikook moments, ot7-fy them, dismiss them, but now they are besties... Well, my partner is also my bestie, so...

Good thing my timeline is curated, lol. I cannot imagine the way the fandom is imploding. I think this is kind of a good description though:

So yeah, JM did not disappoint.

And dropping it at the start of the day for all of us to go nuts for the whole day too, lol.

Now, doing that, posting so early on (may I remind you that the last couple of years he posted toward the end of the birthday or even just after the day ended?), I cannot help wonder if there is more coming for us today...

I mean, JK's live, well an 9 minute live, an all new record for him. Funny how his records are how short his lives are, lol.

What do we know so far?

JK was out to dinner with others that he was practicing with.

Took photos with fans that saw him out.

Posted for his birthday on 31.8.23 at 23:55 or 11:55 pm.

Coming home, still in same outfit as he was eating out, JK goes live for 9 minutes. A new record low (well, apart from his Mingyu live), lol. Shorter than his panty folding live.

He was a man on a mission. Coming to say hi.

Showing us the 2 aces. Army. Yep.

Doing a card trick.

Saying love ya, a term used multiple time by JM.

And diving out of there.

So, I wonder.

First of all, was there someone there already or someone he was expecting to arrive?

Same someone that posted that mind blowing pic to set the fandom on fire.

JK's live was at 00:55 am KST. Going for 9 minutes approx. JM posted at 1:33 am KST. I wonder. I wonder if they picked out that photo together, lol.

Oh, I got sidetracked, didn't I?

Because my point was meant to be: Is this all we are getting this year?

No cake? No long karaoke live? No long live period? No TikTok post from our birthday boy, who told us he is now a TikTok content creator? No Jikook live?

I mean, JM's pic, well it's a gift. But is it gift enough?

And no, I'm not being greedy here talking about a gift for us. I'm talking about a gift for JK. Because JK wants that damn live together. Giving him that live together, that would definitely be a worthy gift for his birthday!! Lol.

Just saying...

Did I mention everything I wanted to? Probably not. I'm writing this off the top of my head rushing to post, cause I need for this to be out there, like 2 hours ago, lol.

Kind of hoping that as the day goes by there will be more to talk about. Kind of counting on it, lol.

Oh wait, did I mention JK was wearing same brand as JM?

Ooh, and forgot to mention that PolyC reposted JM's post:

And last thing before I go:

I just loooooove seeing that JM, can't help myself.

Ok, so this gif does not do the JM justice. Watch the live and see just how pronounced it is!!! LOOOOOOOVE it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOOKIE!!!

#Jungkook #JK #JK birthday #JK birthday 2023 #Jikook #Kookmin #Minkook #Jimin #JM

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lame2882 · 1 year

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About Me ✎

Howdy! Welcome to my blog!

I'm not great at introductions. I've been here for... a good amount of years and I'm just barely getting around to introducing myself on here.

Anyway, Hi! I'm an artist and a writer and have chosen this blog as the vessel of my machinations.

Basics:

☆ I mostly go by Lame! But some other names I enjoy are Mel, Lochland, Castor, and Gayl (yes, I have characters with some of these names too)

☆ I'm trans masculine! Still figuring things out right now, but the pronouns I use are he/they/xe/xem/ae/aer as well as some others that I'll clarify later down the post!

☆ I am an adult! Still don't try anything sketchy tho. I am taken.

☆ Dissociated daydreamer

☆ Although I am a writer, I don't like telling stories through... writing. I love unconventional ways to tell stories like... comics and video games. Y'know, things I don't know how to do

☆ I will talk obsessively about my OCs and fictional worlds and you can't stop me

☆ I am obsessed with The Legend of Zelda and have my own fanon universe/timeline for it. Is it lore accurate? Absolutely not, but have you seen the canon timeline?

Hashtags:

#lame reposts is a hashtag that I put all of my reblogs under, just to keep things neat

#lame art is for all my art!

#out of canon shenanigans is for all my stuff that isn't canon to any of my stories. Ranges from random one-offs to whole aus, which will also be tagged respectfully

#in canon shenanigans is for all my stuff that is canon to any of my stories. Usually concept art or short stories

#Foranon is for everything related to my fantasy world Foranon, one of my main wips that I post about... a lot

#BoSZAU stands for Balance of Shadows Zelda AU. It's my Fanon Zelda Universe/Timeline... which is basically an alternate universe for Foranon

#TRTS stands for “To Rewrite The Stars” which is a new wip about my persona Castor and his twin Pollux and how they navigate the world

#DTHS stands for Devil Towne High School, which is my interconnected universe of various wips. Most of the stories have been abandoned, but I might still use the hashtag from time to time for the stories that are still being worked on

I also have various hashtags for various OCs but we don't have time for all that. Just look up their names and you'll get it.

More information about me as well as where else to find me below the cut!

I'm trans masculine. I mostly use he/they pronouns, but have been doing some fuckery with neopronouns and even nounpronouns and they feel really nice so here's a full list of pronouns you can use for me!

☆He/Him

☆They/Them

☆Xe/Xem

☆Ae/Aer

☆Ey/Em

☆Star/Stars

☆Void/Voids

Please do not start discourse on my blog, thanks

I'm an artist and writer! I write original stuff, but the only stories I've actually managed to finish have been fanfics. I finished a whole trilogy of fanfics but can't focus long enough on my original stuff to finish anything.

I am an avid daydreamer and I often forget about my surroundings because of it and I feel bad because it makes me oblivious to a lot of things. A lot of my stories come from my daydreams.

One of these stories is Foranon! I'd love to give a synopsis on it, but there's literally so much that would need explaining that I don't have time to put it all down here. It's mostly just a worldbuilding project right now with a narrative worming its way through it. I'll have to make an infodump post about it and I'll link it here eventually. For now, take the blog I made for it that I never touch @foranongame

I also have Balance of Shadows! Which is one of the many fanfics I mentioned in the paragraph above. It's a Zelda AU where I decided to mess with the canon timeline into something I find cohesive. The characters in this AU are kinda the same in Foranon as Foranon is basically just me repurposing fan characters for something more original.

I'm also hoping to return to my story Ghost Freaks! Which is a comic I've been planning for 4-5 years now. I published the prologue of the comic back in 2020 and then motivation killed me so I never touched it again. Hoping to revamp it and start on it again soon! Again, have the blog I never touch @ghost-freaks-comic

I'm... not good at synopses.

Social Media

You can find all my social media on my carrd here

All my stuff is some variation of Lame2882 or Lame.2882

Interests

As said before, I'm obsessed with Legend of Zelda, but some other interests of mine are:

☆Omori

☆Little Nightmares

☆Pin Collecting

☆Danganronpa

☆Astronomy

☆Night in the Woods

☆ROTTMNT

☆Don't Starve

☆Sky: Children of the Light

☆Ghosts and other supernatural stuff

And I think that's all you really need to know about me! Feel free to say hi!

#I stole this from my friend Val #I really don't know how to introduce myself to people #intro post #introduction #introductory post #intro blog #about me #lame2882

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nightswithkookmin · 3 years

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RE: JUNGKOOK CHANGED IN RUN

Anon:

Why did Jungkook not want to be on Jimin's team in the last run episode? He has changed a lot from before. Thoughts.

My first thought is, you don't gotta interpret everything in a negative light.

Not every strong reaction is a bad reaction.

I'd be a phony ass fraud if I sat here and told you with my two thumbs that I didn't raise a brow at that moment. I did.

Especially when you contrast that episode with run 112 which falls on all fours with this current situation- ok may not all fours.

But in that video, like many others, RM had suggested they form teams based on the sunglasses they wore, just as he had suggested they form teams based on the seating arrangements.

Of course he'd meant it as a Joke just as we discussed in a previous blog post. Personally, I expected they make a draw, rock papers or even dance in circles like they did in the other episode to decide who got who in the competition.

But it seems in all the times he's been paired with JM he's been supper thrilled about it. He even warned the members not to underestimate him and JM when they'd unanimously concluded they were the disadvantaged team in the game- Jin not even bothering to ask them what their scores were on Korean.

He reset the timer to 10 seconds when Jk pointed out he wasn't good at reading fast

When the time stopped and they were asked to make a team of four, he turned to find JM almost immediately as if to make sure JM was part of the four, he held on to his arm to prevent RM from breaking the link.

He was supposed to pair with Yoongi and Jimin with Tae but he didn't even try to find Suga. At least V did try to find Jimin. He moved towards JM and when he realized JK was hugging him he went for Suga.

Throughout the episode he was giving JM tips on how to cheat and shot when he wasn't sure of the answers.

Yet in the last run, he didn't seem as enthusiastic about being paired with JM- or so, he'd have us believe. Smirk.

He ain't slick. Lol.

To me he seemed, on the surface of it, either really salty about the others having Jin or RM on their teams or upon reflection, just plain ass overcompensating for something.

I'd go with the later.

It's similar to how, Jimin got the Sauna card and he'd complained about not liking the Sauna but then swapped cards with Tae so he could be on JM's team.

Or how he'd make a theatrical show of wanting to win a competition but smirk satisfactorily to himself when he loses.

I really don't think it's a big deal.

Personally, I love watching them paired up and doing such activities. It's a great way to see how they work together as partners and as a team.

It's also a great way for them to spend time with eachother, enjoy eachother, nurture their bond and strengthen their relationship.

Fanservice or not, scripted or not, you cannot deny that spending time together doing activities together is good for building a relationship.

They spend a considerable about of time together off cameras but a lot of their time is spent on cameras and at work.

They gotta find a way to make their relationship work on the work as I keep saying. All that 'fanservice' people say they are doing? That's them making it work. They gotta find a way to go on dates, feed eachother, hold each other's hands, tell Jokes, laugh at eachother's jokes, express their attraction for each other, flirt, share eachother's interests and do things couples do without inviting public scrutiny to their every interaction and invasion of their privacy.

So where they see an opportunity they go for it. For JK it's the the little decisions he makes on their behalf like choosing where they will sleep, what activities they can do together, wanting the bigger room, making sure JM wins the presidential suite, or choosing a room detached from the other rooms.

He invests in his relationship the best way he can. Same goes for Jimin.

I keep saying this whole fanservice culture is a win win situation for them- for even any queer idol couple in the same band.

What seem like a challenge could technically be an opportunity for a date for them without dispatch breathing down their necks.

A typical example would be this. Jimin said he wanted to go get Yoga with the others but ended up going with YoonKook on their brewery excursion.

The more time they spend together, on and off cameras the more closer they get and the more they get to know eachother on a deeper level.

But you have to bare in mind, they need their personal spaces too in order for their relationship to function properly.

Jimin used can be very needy in his relationship but for the most part he enjoys his independence too.

Jk has always had a strong sense of independence but he can equally be quote needy and over attached once he is in a relationship- especially when things are going great for him.

Spending time apart, persuing personal goals and interest is good for them.

If it helps, think of moments when they hang around eachother as Jikook dates and when they hang quietly in the background of videos do think of those as them having their me times at work...

Would they miss an opportunity to 'date' or hang privately with eachother? I don't think so.

It's in their dicks interests and the interest of whole production team and crew to allow them to be around eachother as often and as much as they want and can.

I for one, I'm not prepared to sit through yet another excruciating episode of Jungkook wanting Jimin- physically and emotionally. I'm still dealing with the PTSD from the last BonV four episodes.

Y'all buy me Ko-fi please. I don't intend to sit through that shit sober.

If Jk is pushing to be on JM's team and what not it's mostly because he feels he needs to spend more time with him. If he's not pushing for that it just means he or they are both allowing for space and room in their relationship for eachother to pursue other activities and interests or even connect with other members- unless of course they are having relationship problems which I don't think is the case.

Jimin is particularly good at this.

He goes out of his way to nurture his relationship with the others even on set.

He does this especially with Tae.

He'd take Tae to go see places he and JK had already been to, he'd request to take pirate rides with Tae- even though JK is available and won't hesitate to let him know, he often make plans involving Tae or even the others- in Soop when Tae asked him to go ride around the town with him he chose to stay and manspread on Jin and Yoongi. *I'm cackling. Lmho.

Jimin is a funny guy.

Now does this mean he doesn't like spending time with Tae or that he's changed? Hell no.

Hell, Tae does the same thing from time to time too. I mean when he found out he had picked a Sauna card he asked to swap it knowing very well Jimin had picked that card too. Soulmates coulda soulmated that shit in hot piles of steamy.

Sure JK lurks around sometimes. He is the resident intruder stepping on Jimin's other ships' neck. Love him for this. Lol.

Perfect Disney villian.

Tae had to drag his ass away from the kitchen for intruding when he and JM were cooking in the Kitchen. Let's not talk about him physically removing him from JM's car or all the times he's complained about JK raining on his Vmin agenda.

When V wanted to be on a team with JM this man literally sabotaged him, hugging Jimin first. It's his laughter afterwards for me. Lmho.

V needs to insure his Jimin cos at this point it's trademark infringement. Hashtag soulmates. Lololol.

Jk needs to go ahead and free Vmin.

But JM does this too, in much more subtle ways- I'll never forget the look he had on his face when he had to get off the bus and walk home as punishment. It was the most heart breaking thing I ever seen.

Then he had to hang off Hobi to get JK to leave his friends and come to him.

It's why I used an ellipsis the last time I talked about Jimin being very mature now. Old Jimin would have, clapped back, made JK pay for that outburst if he genuinely thought JK meant what he said or believed JK really wanted to be on a team with someone else.

Y'all don't see him when JK compliments other people? He stays kicking his feet under the table🤣🤣🤣🤣

I used to pinch a gurl I liked when other gals talked to her when I was little- In my defense, I didn't even know I liked her or that it was straight up abuse💀

Jimin can be pretty scary and petty when he's mad or offended.

If it helps you sleep at might, think of this moment as just another one of those 'we've been a unit for so long do you wanna be with someone else now' scene from February last year.

Jk answered yes when JM asked him that. But do you really think he meant it?

Jikook is complex, not complicated.

They love eachother.

We can't be looking at their interactions as either or. Grey areas exist and it's not a negative thing.

Signed,

GOLDY

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ambitiousblackfeminist · 2 years

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Poetry Collection Available, Surfing Lessons in Costa Rica: A Digital Pass the Hat Campaign for Reza Rites November 4-11, 2021 Hi friends,

I'm selling a short, #3mblackpoetry collection as part of a mini-crowdsourcing campaign I've designed to help fund surfing lessons* in Costa Rica for my November 7 birthday.

Yes, you heard that right: I'm conducting a limited-time only, "digital pass the hat" to support a birthday trip centered around Surfing Lessons in Costa Rica.

Now to be clear, all of this makes me nervous. No, not the part about traveling outside of the US alone, as a single woman. No, not the part about realizing that my Spanish proficiency levels vary depending on the topic of conversation. And no, not the part about the different ways that Covid 19 has affected international travel and reentry to the US.

Instead, I'm nervous about this part: sharing a post about my unbridled attempts at seeking joy, and the vulnerability behind asking for help. "People do GoFund Me's all the time" some have reminded me. And for two decades I've tried to examine and spotlight the pursuit of joy in the face of communities with narratives and historical truths that could live in misery and oppression for it not the active choice of embodying, broadcasting and disseminating stories highlighting #BlackGirlMagic, #BlackBoyJoy and the #CarefreeBlackGirl. Why is this different? In fact it's not.

If I may also borrow from The Nap Ministry, and the hashtags noted above: I booked a trip to Costa Rica because I'm tired, and I'm sick of bottling up my joy, or hindering it out of fear of the unknown, and due to dripping and overflowing levels of sensitivity toward others at a time when I need some, too. I am exhausted from walking with the weight of Black womanhood on my shoulders. I am sick from constantly having to choose between humanity vs paycheck, integrity vs isolation, duty vs imagination, compassion vs validation. And I am ready to reactivate nuclei of joy that lay dormant in my soul.

Know this: the flight, the lodging, the airport transportation - all of these items are booked. At a time when my nervousness was low, I booked these items before my skepticism could reach fever-pitch volumes, although I ensured everything was refundable. And even now, I have my doubts concerning whether this part plea-part essay will yield any results. But one thing I learned over Covid is that people need to see examples of unburdened self-love and devotion to joy. It was a message that rang loud and clear with every dance video I posted through stay-at-home orders, and the feedback I continue to receive when sharing moments of movement and culinary experimentation through my social media stories. It is also the warmth and pride I feel when catching glimpses of friends and complete strangers brave enough to venture into the waters of happiness. I, too, am ready to swim again. (I am Salt Water. Praise Gaia Gallactica)

So as nervous as I am, I come here to share my truth, and to ask for your assistance in this endeavor. However, I don't come empty-handed; as I shared above, I have produced a special, limited-time only book/zine/collection of poems to share with anyone who gives 10 bucks or higher; one prize, no matter the donation (at or above ten). If you give 50 or above, I will share an additional collection of poems and/or write an exclusive one just for you or a loved one. Funds not applied toward Costa Rica will be put toward the cost of repairing the typewriter I use for writing poems in community settings, toward printing copies of the limited edition zine, and/or as seed money toward programming and publishing I have planned for National Poetry Month 2022.

As far as today's offer: "I've Come to Find It Lovely: Poems Inspired by Color and Art" is a collection that inspires a certain sense of whimsy and sweet nostalgia - the same feelings many of us reach or aim for when seeking joy. I hope some of you will make a donation because you've consumed some #3amblackpoetry previously and care very little about how funds collected are used; that is, you just want to read more. And I hope, for those who see your own joy reflected when I share mine, you will reach into this same place as you imagine me surfing, with the added bonus of a few poems that you'll also get in the process. Give if you want or can. Keep scrolling if you can't or won't.

My trip may be refundable, but time spent worrying, instead of pursuing restoration, joy and la pura vida is not. Thank you for your support, positive vibes, and/or collaborative energy.

Sunshine, laughter, and rolling coastlines,

Reza Rites

Paypal Link: https://bit.ly/3jUfcOY

Direct Message me across Social Media platforms for the Venmo and/or CashApp links

* Ok, ok - maybe towards an excursion or different activity, or maybe toward a meal

#rezarites #3amblackpoetry #ambitiousblalckfeminist #3amblack #carefreeblackgirl #blackboyjoy #blackgirlmagic #joyisthemovement #nationalpoetrymonth #poetry

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fictionalrambles · 4 years

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Shadowhunters Fandom Story - Part Fifteen

Submitted by jwrites_

Five Favourite Fics:

1. What's It Gonna Be by @lemonoclefox

Why I love this fic: I'm a sucker for Pride & Prejudice. San was able to take that dynamic and put it all in a modern day telling of it. I can't count how many times I've read this. Sometimes I read it all the way through, other times I go and find my favorite parts just to get that rush of emotions it never fails to give. The enemies to lovers is done perfectly, the dialogue is great and flows seamlessly, the way she tied in the storyline between Simon, Isabelle, Valentine, and Alec together was genius. I truly love every word of this story.

Favorite scene: Awkward - love - confession - in - the - rain

Favorite quote(s):

(Yes. Love confessions are great but have you ever overheard someone say something rude about you and then have the opportunity later that same night to be able to casually call that person out for their comment?)

"Her friend is..." He trails off, as though searching for the word, and Magnus can imagine him gesturing in the meantime. "Interesting," Jace eventually settles on, pointedly.

"Who, that Bane guy?" Alec says, and as he does, Magnus is hit with a wave of intrigued surprise. Does Alec like men? Interesting. The assumption could be wrong, of course, but Jace's tone implies that that's why he's mentioning it. "He's a bit over the top, don't you think?"

He sounds almost disdainful as he says it, as though Jace's mere suggestion is laughable, and Magnus's intrigue immediately shifts to offended annoyance. He straightens a little where he stands, reluctantly affected by it.

"I mean, love songs are great," Magnus admits lightly. "But stringing a few pretty words together does seem a bit unoriginal when everyone does it."

Simon shoves him lightly in offense, and Magnus can't help but laugh.

"Then what do you suggest?" Magnus is taken completely by surprise when he realizes that it's Alec who's speaking, and he turns to him. The guy's expression is neutral, but seems genuinely curious.

"Oh, I don't know," Magnus says, swirling his drink around in his glass. He shrugs. "I suppose I'm more a fan of showing and not telling. I'd much prefer someone showing interest in what I like and who I am, than comparing my eyes to the night sky, and whatnot." He gestures airily, then hesitates. He suddenly can't seem to stop himself, the memory of the Lightwoods' overheard conversation bubbling to the surface. "I think most people can appreciate that. Even if some of us are a bit over the top."

--Okay...I'm gonna go ahead and throw in a love confession~

"Look, I don't expect anything from you," he says, as though the words are hard to say. "You've made your feelings pretty clear, and I respect that. But I heard you talked to my mom, and with the stuff you said to her... I guess it just kind of made me a bit hopeful, or something. A bit." He clears his throat, while Magnus just listens. He turns to watch Alec's profile as the young man struggles to find the words, eyes on the view in front of him. "Either way, I'll admit that how I feel hasn't really changed. Maybe it should have, but..."

Alec shakes his head, and Magnus feels his throat go dry. He wants to interrupt Alec, wants to say and show everything that's bursting out of his chest, but he waits. Alec takes a deep breath then, turns to him. He looks determined.

"If you want me to," he says steadily, "I'll go. I'll leave you alone, I promise. You won't hear from me again." He pauses, licks his lips. "But if you don't want me to, if something has changed since last time, somehow... I'd really like to know. Because that would be pretty great."

2. 42 North 71 West by @lecrit

Why I love this fic: I was blessed with the opportunity to witness Lu working on this fic from its conception to its end. I was there and still I am blown away at the way she was able to work the time jumps. I remember thinking with every chapter I read, 'Wow. The way she is telling this story is amazing. She is amazing.' Lu has a way of presenting so much honesty in her characters. She writes them in a way that feels so real, that you can't help but understand their fears and hesitations even though it hurts. The story is a back and forth told through scenes set in the past and present. You get to see what they were and where they are. The story is beautifully heartbreaking. And she was able to make me enjoy a story that dealt with politics? What? Sorcery, I tell you. -- also, the bench.

Favorite scene: This was almost impossible to choose and I took way too long trying to pinpoint just one. But I'm going to go with one that I hold very dear. When Magnus goes to visit Alec on his birthday and he finds Alec playing the song he only plays when he's sad. That's all I'm going to say because I don't want to spoil~

Favorite quote(s):

“Magnus,” Alec breathes out.

The name feels almost foreign, as if he hadn’t uttered it in too long and now his mind is troubling to catch up with his mouth. Still, it manages to make Alec’s heart stutter.

“We should’ve stayed on that bench in Boston,” he murmurs.

The good thing is, he knows where to go to find his way back. It is inked on his body, engraved into his soul, sealed into his heart.

3. Lead The Way by Clockworkswan

Why I love this fic: Because it takes the wonderful adventure of Doctor Who and packs it in with Malec. This is the ultimate fun and feel good but you will also cry at one point fic. I always go back to it if I want a wonderfully written Doctor Magnus and his adorable companion Alec. Seriously, even if you're not into Doctor Who, give this fic a shot. It's written in a way that you will get so caught up in the adventure that you won't even realize it's based on something else. And if you're a Doctor Who fan, you're in luck with all the little Easter Eggs Heather left throughout.

Favorite scene: I really don't want to spoil anything. The planet of Ablorix. This will mean nothing if you don't read the fic (so you should ;])

Favorite quote(s):

Magnus extends a hand. It’s just like before, when they were in the hallway a couple of weeks ago. It’s just as inviting as it was the first time.

“How about it, pretty boy? Name a star. Any one will do. Or a date,” Magnus says. The double meaning is evident when he winks. He pauses then, and his expression shifts, growing solemn.

A clear shift in his demeanour happens. Magnus turns from playful to sincere in the blink of an eye. Although, there was also a serious tone to it. Magnus looks at him, and understanding eyes meet Alec’s hesitant ones. “Alexander, you seem like a man in need of a break, and I am very much a man in need of a friend. Adventures are always a quick way in figuring out what you want. What do you say?”

What does he say?

He says yes.

Of course Alec does.

Before Magnus can think of a good retort, he tries to ignore the clenching ache his stomach gives at the sight of a confident, smirking Alec Lightwood watching him so openly. He settles for pointing in a random direction. “I have to go and see a dog about a man. Meet back here in five?”

“Uh, isn’t the expression, ‘see a man about a dog’?”

“Not when the dog ran off with the man’s wife. A rather big scandal, it seems. The president wants me to try and step in. Smooth things over, so to speak.”

At that, Alec just stares blankly.

Magnus holds up a finger. “Yes, this is normal for me. No, you may not come along. Go.”

4. Love & Other Drugs prequel of Our Love Is A Harsh Chord in the Semi-charmed Kind Life series by @la-muerta

Why I love this fic: I'm kind of cheating here by listing two fics but they're a package deal. Love & Other Drugs was a smutty one-shot that left me wanting

more...

backstory. Let me tell you the pining and 'unrequited' love between those two demanded a story to be written. Which is why when la_muerta ran a poll on whether or not she should start it or another series first, I campaigned for this one like it was my job (I lost but I still got the series eventually so did I really lose?) The writing in this and with all of la_muerta's fics will hook you. The sadness over the back and forth between them is done so well. It's angst that will grip you and hold onto you until you eventually finish. Just go on the twitter hashtag of #OLIAHCfic and see my screaming.

Favorite scene: Probably the LSD scene.

Favorite quote(s):

Alec was still here, in bed with him.

How many times had Magnus wished that he could wake up with Alec in his arms? He didn't dare to move, wanting the dream to last a little longer, but Alec was already stirring.

he'll wonder if life would be a little easier if he wasn't hopelessly in love with Magnus, but it is a fact of who he is now: Alec Lightwood is 6'3, has dark hair, is gay, and is in love with Magnus Bane.

They are lying next to each other now, turned on their sides and face to face. The world is no longer warped and weird, but glowing and perfect. Magnus is tracing a path of lightning down Alec's body with his fingertips, and in a moment of clarity Alec understands that in Magnus' eyes he is as beautiful as he thinks Magnus is (it is the first thing Alec forgets when he wakes up sober later).

Words aren't enough to express how he feels, but they've always understood each other better when clumsy words don't get in the way.

5. The Lonely Hearts Hotline by @unrestrainedlyexcessive

Why I love this fic: It's funny, it's endearing, it's heart wrenching, it's sexy, etc. The way Alec is written in this fic is one of my favorite characterizations. The way his situation can resonate with so many young adults today. That feeling when you're an adult and you feel like you should know what to do with your life and who you should be but the truth is, you're still just as lost as always. Being an adult sucks tbh and even when you're an adult, sometimes life doesn't quite feel like it. Alec's character and growth in this fic is beautiful. (I also really loved Jace in this fic)

Favorite scene: A tough choice. Probably the office party and follow up scene in Magnus' office.

Favorite quote(s):

The problem with being a new grad, in general, is that the world and job force demands you have experience, but you have to live a certain number of productive years on the planet to gain that experience.

Early adulthood is no man's land. You don’t have the experience to matter and no one wants to pay you to gain it, hence how he ended up in the precarious situation he’s in: dodgy sex work by night, an even dodgier roommate, and desperately hoping an internship eventually turns into an actual paying job.

Magnus runs his tongue down the knobs of Alec's spine. "You're so beautiful," he says, pausing.

"I'm really not," Alec insists, eyes fluttering closed.

"Why are you so kind to everyone except yourself?"

"I'm a work in progress."

"Aren't we all?"

#shadowhunters #shadowhunters fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfiction blog

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blue-shaded · 3 years

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To the anon who replied to me with the big message (yes I read all of it lol), I've seen quite a few speedrunners/people in the community worry that the MC speenrunning community will be like looked down upon/delegitimized to the rest of the general speedrunning community (like other speedrunning categories on speedrun.com), I have also seen a bunch of people questioning the legitimacy of the speedrun mods during the time that it was up in the air about whether or not Dream cheated, so I guess I'm saying that both are being claimed to be delegitimized. And whether he is a Professional speedrunner or not, he's a big name on YouTube in general right now, and I would 100% say it's like 75% or more due to both the manhunt series (which are advertised as hunters vs speedrunner, which implies he is a professional minecraft speedrunner, whether he is or not), and the speedrunning drama (where, obviously, he is speedrunning), and being such a big name associated with speedrunning thanks to both of those, it's not really crazy for outsiders to assume he's a sort of figurehead/representation of the mc speedrunning community and take him as the, like, norm for the community

As for the not condemning his stans thing, I can admit that he has and that I was wrong on that front, but I follow his Twitter and I have been since like December/January, and nit once have I seen him condemn them in a way that he either didn't delete, or wasn't sarcastic. He has a tendency to say things like "Ah yes, let me just control 20m+ people" and "of course 20m+ people will listen to me just because I say not to do something" before saying not to do stuff, which comes off as sarcastic, which comes off as not serious, and stans will take it as such. The only serious stuff I have seen from him has been him condemning stans in replies to other tweets, which dont show up in notifications or on the main tweets page, and is easily able to be overlooked. Imo the most notable thing he's done to say don't be toxic is his Twitter description which just says "Dream stans supremacy (unless you're toxic)"

Imo, he needs to not just say "hey, don't be toxic", and instead condemn the toxic BEHAVIORS (tell them not to tell people to kys and not send hate towards people on his behalf and such), because just saying not to be toxic won't help because the people being toxic most likely won't realize they're being toxic (idk how they wouldn't realize but most of these people are like 14 and under and I know that I sure didn't realize that a lot of behaviors were toxic when I was 14)

I know that people who hate him to the extent my friend hates him won't stop hating him even if he does condemn them (it's popular to hate popular stuff, because you get some sort of satisfaction from not liking the same popular stuff other people like, and I would know I still have some things I very much dislike just because it's so popular), but I feel like at least some people wouldn't hate him as much. Another things is that he has put stuff on his private account (like when he told people that making fun of someone's dead dog was too far), and not many people will see it because it's private and a lot of people can't see the stuff because of it (the dog thing is one of the only serious tweets like that that I've seen honestly which sucks)

I didn't touch on this in my last ask, but another reason people hate Dream stans is because they trend literally everything, which is fair when there'd actual important stuff to talk about (like the black lives matter/free Pakistan/stop Asian hate stuff), but if it's just a bunch of sports stuff trending then I I see how they're doing any harm by trending the name of their favorite streamer because they're streaming and such (the shooters4dream hashtag was a bit much, but im pretty sure antis started that and the stans just jumped on the trend)

The fact that people hate Dream because of his merch is ridiculous though. Hating him for putting a smiley face on a hoodie and selling it for 40$ is ridiculous, and the argument that people could do the same thing for less is also ridiculous. If you want to put a smiley face on a hoodie then do it? The point of merch is to support your favorite creator and show that you're a fan of them, and I40$ for a hoodie is one of the cheapest options for hoodies I've seen, actually, unless I just want a plain one, and THAT'S ridiculous Imo

Anyways this wasn't meant to be hateful towards you, I just wanted to explain my side/how I see some of the stuff you've brought up more, so sorry if I sounds like I'm just trying to be mean, I swear I'm not (also sorry to Blue in case this is a long ask)

-🐬

(Also, about the thing with my friend, it's not necessarily that she's being mean to me/she's always been mean to me specifically, it's just that I'm not in a good headspace rn and watching her say that dream and those who watch him deserve to die is definitely making things worse for me, especially when she used to be/still is such a huge advocate for mental health and internet safety and not hating on people/cyber bullying, so I'm working on building up the confidence to unfollow her)

y'all its okay you can talk to eachother on here!

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sjaejoneswriter · 6 years

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hi JJ, not sure if this is okay to ask about on your tumblr, but I know you've talked before about how you identify as queer. For a long time, I've been wondering if as an asexual person if I'm also allowed to identify as queer, but I've heard so many people within the LGBT+ community say ace people are not queer/are not welcome. I'm terrified that querying agents and talking to other writers and saying that my asexual #ownvoices character will end up working against me

Oh nonny, I’m so sorry you feel this way.

First off, let me say this:

You do not owe anyone your identity.

Let me repeat that.

You do not owe anyone your identity.

Now to move onto the meat of your question (bear with me, this might get long). If you are afraid that writing your truth will work against you, then publishing is no different from the world at large in that there are those who will accept you with open arms, those who will not, and those who fall somewhere in the middle. I wrote two books with a protagonist who shares my bipolar disorder. That resonated with a lot of people. It also made some readers hate my book. It also made a great deal more or less indifferent. #ownvoices is simply a way of alerting people that you share a marginalization with your character. That is all. And yet, the hashtag has become incredibly fraught, for many reasons.

If you are asking me to absolve you and allow you to claim the queer label, I cannot. Do I identify as queer? Yes. I am also on the ace spectrum (I consider myself grey asexual, or perhaps demisexual), although that is an identity that took me until my late 20s to claim. When I was younger, I thought I was bisexual, and that was the label I proudly used. It wasn’t until I understood the difference between sexual and aesthetic attraction that I slowly came out to myself as a different orientation.

I’m not sure how old you are, nonny, but in my time and involvement with the LGBTQIA+ community, definitions and identities and our understanding have shifted, evolved, grown, expanded, and even changed. I did not have the vocabulary to understand my sexual orientation until I an adult, and that was with the help of my queer friends, many of them younger than me. I still consider myself queer. This is my community. This is my family. They raised me. They helped me understand myself. They are gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, aromantic, trans, non-binary, and more. My friends and I are bound by a common language, sensibility, understanding, and history. That history? Is why I identify as queer.

The history of the term “queer” as an identity is long and complicated. As a word, it means “strange” or “peculiar,” but did not come into use as a derogatory term against non-heterosexual people until the late 19th century. In the latter part of the 20th century, people began reclaiming the term as an act of political resistance. Who gets to claim the label now? That’s both a personal and intra-community matter.

Identity is an intensely personal thing, yet claiming an identity often means finding where you stand within a community. The scholar Debbie Reese once said that identity is not just a matter of who you claim, but who claims you. And communities, like every other social group, can be messy and hurtful or supportive and loving. Sometimes both at the same time.

I’ve written before about my complicated feelings about Korean-American identity. For a long time, the community did not embrace me, and it wasn’t until I was older that I found Asian-American identities beyond the rigid ones with which I had known growing up. I don’t know what to say, nonny, except that I hope you do too.

#ask #anonymous

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pocinperioddramas · 7 years

Note

Haha whoops, I forgot to say that if you want sources for any of the stuff I mentioned I can track them down for you - the comments were just way too long already. (Thanks again for the thoughtful, civil conversation. I'm trying to find a non-patronizing-sounding way to say I was nowhere near as mature and self-aware as you in high school and I can't, but I swear I don't mean it that way, I just admire that. It took me way longer and I'm not even sure I'm there yet.)

So to start with I’m glad you’ve put so much thought into this. I personally as kind of uncomfortable bringing it up, as I *know* I’m not super well-informed on Israel, but I didn’t feel I could say nothing. With that knowledge in mind, I tentatively support a two-state solution - I’m not sure whether it’s relevant if it could *realistically* happen without further bloodshed - if it TECHNICALLY could, that’s probably what matters. (I’m maybe not expressing myself well - it’s like how a lot of things in Canada/USA which are technically possible are realistically less possible because of conservative obstruction, but we still aim for them.) Or even just… LESS bloodshed then right now.

There’s a post going around that GG posted on fb that’s getting a lot of flak, but the actual post specifically condemns Hamas, not Palestine, and her statements in the post support coexistence - and, yes, young IDF soldiers, but military service is compulsory in Israel - I know I feel for any young people drafted or convinced into combat. Like - it’s still okay to have an issue with her support of the military (although, like I said, her service wasn’t a choice and she wasn’t in combat), but a lot of the problem I think is that her service in/support of the Israeli military is being scrutinized and condemned, while celebrities like, say, Adam Driver, who supports the American military HARDCORE, like, complete with fundraising and stuff, go completely unscrutinized and uncondemed despite the US military’s own horrible track record/activities.

Last thing I think - it’s been my understanding that the creation of Israel created so many problems due to mistakes/racism/anti-Semitism by Western powers, and not Israelis or Jewish people in general. I don’t know how accurate that is - but it complicates the idea of Israel as ‘colonialist.’ (Although obviously the affect on Palestine has been… unjustly detrimental, to put it obscenely mildly.) I’d feel way more comfortable letting a Jewish person speak on this.

I know you’re looking for a mod - have you considered looking for a Jewish perspective, not specifically, but maybe as a desirable thing? Erm. Sorry for length, I didn’t intend for that number of replies. Thanks again for giving this so much thought. (VERY different experience from the last time I sent a blog I like a message like that tbh.)

Hello again, thanks for all your replies! :) I will respond to all of them here, by the way, for easier reading and so there will be not too many replies in that one post alone.

I understand your point about a realistic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict not being that relevant as of now, as that wouldn’t be very easy especially if there is still obstruction from self-interested parties, and you make a fair parallel to the situation there in Canada and the US. So yes, at the very least, less bloodshed than before would be something to aim for, which will hopefully eventually lead to the war’s end and full peace at last.

I saw a screenshot of that post - that was the very post for which people began truly disliking and condemning Gal for since it’s so explicit in its support of IDF. She brings up Hamas in that post - but Hamas can be interpreted as either a fundamentalist group of terrorists or a grassroots organization of freedom fighters, depending on your views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict/war in Gaza. To be honest, I don’t know what my stance on Hamas is yet, as I’ve read contradicting information about the group and I don’t know what to believe as of now. But there is apparently one falsehood that Gal perpetuates about Hamas in that post, whether or not you believe them to be terrorists or noble freedom fighters - she says that Hamas is using Palestinian women and children as human shields, something which has apparently already been disproven by a number of major news organizations (see here and here for more information).

Here’s an important quote from the 2nd article I linked that I find relevant:

“Speaking up for the Palestinians does not mean you are supporting Hamas or even are anti-Israel. It is just impossible to ignore the facts. In this so-called “war” there are way more people dying on one side than the other. And most of the people dying are civilians. Not only that, but hospitals and schools are in the cross-hairs, too. Yes, any nation reserves the right to defend itself. But is this really self defense or a variation of Florida’s barbarian “Stand Your Ground” laws played out on a global scale?

The other thing that bothers me about Gadot’s stance on the conflict is one of the hashtags she uses: #weareright. That hashtag is buttressed by other, more palatable ones like #freegazafromhamas and #coexistance (sp), but it still oozes with the kind of nationalism that leads to the kind of escalation that will ultimately make everything worse for both sides.

Here’s the thing. When you have hundreds of people — most of whom are women and children — dead and hospitals and schools destroyed, no one is right. War is terrible and awful. Not a spectator sport. Supporting one’s country does not mean you have to also support what that country is doing, especially when so much death and destruction is the direct result of those actions.

The fact that Gadot will be the real life embodiment of Wonder Woman for generations to come is what makes this all so ironic. Maybe not as ironic as casting, say, Ted Nugent as Batman, but still. Wonder Woman is supposed to be an ambassador of peace. Of course, she’s also an Amazon warrior who isn’t afraid to take up the sword against evil, but Diana of Themyscira only goes to war for those who cannot fight for themselves.

Is it possible that, were Wonder Woman real, her view of the conflict in Gaza would be filled with more compassion for the oppressed? Isn’t that the kind of justice that a character like Wonder Woman is supposed to inspire?”

As the quote points out, even though she says she supports coexistence in her hashtags, she uses the hashtags #weareright and #loveidf at the same time. I am aware of her history as a soldier serving in the IDF and I’m also aware that in Israel, serving in their military is compulsory, so I do not really condemn her for that. But the fact is that she remains an active supporter of IDF when she doesn’t have to be, because as far as I know, it isn’t compulsory for Israeli citizens to actively show their support and love for the IDF like through social media (unless it is, so please correct me if I’m wrong there - because I don’t know enough about Israeli laws and policies on that front). After her service in the military, she could have just remained quiet and not necessarily have been so public about her support of the IDF (but then that might have been a whole other can of worms as she would be condemned for her silence on the issue, for it could be viewed as being still complicit in the oppression due to her not speaking out on it).

I didn’t know about Adam Driver (who, like Gal, also served in his country’s military, although this time it wasn’t compulsory and thus it is less understandable and he actually served in combat too from what I’ve researched now), and in that area, I think you’re right. That is a troubling phenomenon, and thank you for pointing that out. I first knew of him through “Star Wars”, but I didn’t care much about him (and still don’t) because I like the lead actors - Daisy, John, and Oscar (whose character is not really a main protagonist as of now but Poe is more important to me than Kylo Ren anyway) - much better, and he really didn’t stand out as anything special to me although I suppose he was a good actor too. That’s the thing with US-centrism (and West-centrism in general) - these Americans think their country is too good and progressive to be oppressive to other nations and countries. And in this situation, I do think that it’s more likely than not a case of implicit anti-Semitism (and perhaps even a little sexism) and so-called liberals feeling high and mighty about themselves because they condemn one form of oppression perpetuated by a non-Western country while ignoring the oppression perpetuated by their own country.

I will tread more carefully now where Adam Driver is concerned, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I will boycott “The Last Jedi” and Episode IX. I have never had plans to watch any of his other movies and TV shows (and this just solidifies my stance to not watch them at all), especially ones in which he is the main character, and while he has a significant role in the sequel trilogy, the movies have been more focused on at least Daisy and John (and now Oscar and Kelly) and that is what I’m focusing on too. But I understand that would be a problematic stance to take, as it reminds me of the time people urged others not to boycott “Suicide Squad” so as to show support for the relatively unknown actors of color there for whom these people were afraid that their careers would end and be wasted if SS was a financial flop and the time people also urged others not to boycott “The Get Down” so as to also show support for the relatively unknown actors of color (mainly black, Latinx, and Afro-Latinx) who still deserved it despite people’s legitimate concerns about Jared Leto’s creepy behavior and the allegations of sexual harassment/assault against him and the issue of Herizen Guardiola being a child predator. Rest assured, I will think on that and reevaluate my stances, and I totally understand people who will not watch or who will boycott “Star Wars” due to Adam Driver’s presence and I will not condemn them for that.

For your last point, while that may have been the case at the beginning and that may be somewhat understandable (and I’m not fully convinced), that doesn’t account for all the atrocities that Israel has committed against Palestinians, especially at present. I doubt all of the cruelties they inflicted were a result of mistakes or US anti-Semitism - it’s far too many to all have been the product of mistakes, and they are still doing it now so yeah :/ However, I do understand that Israel owes a lot to US support and the US should be called out as vocally for its continued support for Israel, but there’s a line from this article which I linked to before in my previous response that I think we should consider: “Israel is an extension of US imperialism, doing its dirty work of intimidating regional enemies with periodic military aggression and a rogue nuclear arsenal. The US has no special interest in oppressing the Palestinians, but they are powerless enough to be expendable in the Great Power game.”

It may not be the best parallel to make, but this kind of reminds me (not specifically referring to you or anyone else, sorry if it comes off that way) of our current situation in the Philippines - how our president, Rodrigo Duterte, tries to deflect US criticism of his bloody war on drugs and the thousands of extrajudicial killings and murders that have happened in the course of this war by retorting with call-outs of US imperialism and colonialism in the Philippines in the past (although US imperialism still definitely affects our country at present, but Duterte usually cites things like atrocities committed by the Americans during the Philippine-American War and the American colonial period). Duterte’s call-outs are valid in that the US is still messing us up well into the present and they’ve never really apologized, and the US needs to acknowledge that too, but two wrongs do not make a right. Besides, there are plenty of Filipinos who criticize Duterte and his policies too, so that doesn’t mean all criticism of him is automatically invalid (which it’s still not, even from the US or Americans) because most of it (actually, from what I have seen, Filipinos are the most vocal) comes from the US. (And yes, for those who are curious, I am mainly anti-Duterte [but that doesn’t mean I oppose all his policies, for some do make sense, but in general, he has a terrible track record especially when it comes to actually serving his people as it seems he’s actually killing off a lot of them and violating their human rights as well] - though that doesn’t make me a yellowt*rd or a supporter of the Liberal Party/P-Noy/the Aquinos and the Cojuangcos as many Duterte fans are so fond of making false dichotomies - so if there are Filipino followers out there whom we call DDS (die-hard Duterte supporters), you can unfollow me.)

But it is in no way the fault of Jewish people in general at all - only the fault of the Israeli government, the IDF, and the people who actively continue to support them. Not all Jewish people are Israeli and there are in fact plenty of Jewish people who are anti-Israel (I’ve found more websites now like the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and Jewish Voice for Peace), so if anyone is blaming them for what is happening in Israel and Palestine right now, they can sit their anti-Semitic asses down and shut up.

I think we could also consider that Zionism may be to Jewish people as the Q word is to LGBT+ people and the N word is to black people - it may be an inherently flawed ideology that is only theirs to reclaim and call out if necessary, so as I said before, this means we should be more careful when it comes to using the different terms involved in this issue.

Finally, for the mod/admin thing, I am considering it - that’s actually a good idea. Preferably Jewish people of color would be good, but if there are white Jewish people who wish to join and contribute to this blog, I will consider them. I will be editing my PSAs about admin applications soon in that case, but that isn’t final yet.

Also, I understand that there are people who do tend to respond to criticism like that aggressively, and while there are some situations - depending on the issues being criticized - where that’s an okay way to go, it doesn’t always help.

And yes, sources would be good too, so thank you in advance :) Thank you for that too - I’m rather flattered. I do think I could be even more mature as I don’t consider myself that mature yet, like if you knew me personally, but thank you anyway :) I hope I was able to make more clarifications too, and that we understand each other.

-Admin Dawn

#theserpentsadvocate #answered ask

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probablyintraffic · 7 years

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Hey, so question! Read your "Fandom is not radical" post and am kinda waffling between agreeing on most of it while I'm also not sure if the premise is always applicable? Anyway, actual question: How would you fit "the personal is political" into "Fandom is not radical"? (Maybe you will just shrug and say you don't think the personal is political but...) Or do you hold that the personal fandom politics are in general not radical? I'm very interested in hearing you respond.

I actually borrowed the title of that post from Yamin Nair’s essay, Your Sex Is Not Radical, in which she argues that what people do in their bedroom has nothing to do with their politics. You can be a conservative and be trans–I mean, that’s Caitlyn Jenner. Nair writes (emphasis mine):

In many ways, when it comes to sex and sexuality, the Left makes the same mistake over and over again: it imagines that simply having violated the rules of the Conservative Right means that it is now setting about creating a new world order. This has led to the Left’s greatest blind spot in social issues, Gay Marriage, which it fervently supports because it believes, in the most wrong-headed fashion, that the very fact of gays marrying each other is somehow disruptive to, well, something: Capitalism, perhaps, The World Order, the Christian Right. Something.

And:

Should we think about sex at all? Yes, absolutely. Let’s all think and agitate collectively around how sex is deployed against the most vulnerable bodies, like people in prison. Let’s all think long and hard about whether we really want to keep reifying the idea that sex offenders deserve to be raped in prison (and about the oppressive framework of the category of “sex offender” itself). Let’s consider how to create a world where sex work and sex trade can flourish without coercion and demeaning people. By all means, please, let’s not stop having sex, which can be riotous fun, and let’s not stop thinking about sex in all its multiple forms. But stop pretending that sex is anything more than sex.

Your sex is not radical. Your politics can and should be. Consider the difference, and act upon it.

I’m quoting her in such length because she’s both such a gifted writer and says such insightful things. I would encourage folks in fandom to read that essay and read her (and other leftists’ writings) a lot more than we do now.

To your larger point: I think that in theory, yes, the personal can be political, but in practice, that theory has really devastated the left. In the kind of politics that’s practiced in the real world, we have to question what’s effective organizing and what’s just your personal life.

It’s such a conflicting issue for me too. On the one hand, I agree that the personal and the public spheres should not be separated. On the other hand, we politicize so much of our daily interactions (both online and offline) now, that the word politics may well have become meaningless. The distinction now, I think, is with “doing” politics. What does it mean to do politics, as opposed to just calling someone out? Doing politics requires organizing people to work toward a definable goal, a la Fight for 15; calling somebody out is, you know, calling them out.

Doing fandom is not doing politics until it involves organizing. I am skeptical of fandom’s real capacity for that, though, even with what the Harry Potter Alliance does, which is not that much. (I am more sympathetic toward it than many leftists would be, because this can be some young fan’s gateway into politics.) But organizing around a specific fandom is not a good idea, especially since Harry Potter has very questionable politics, as any single media thing would, and because, basically, that is just not how politics work. You only need to look at any successful movements/revolutions in history.

The difference between “fandom is not radical” and “the personal is political” is that fandom is mostly entirely online, where the personal needs not be. Online organizing is another topic I tried to touch on with that original post, in that I am not convinced of its effectiveness either. On The South Lawn, “Frank Little,” a “union organizer in the Midwest,” writes (emphasis mine):

If [online organizers] want to Instagram their lunch (which is likely volunteer pizza or stale donuts) –that’s fine — but they should not be organizing around hashtags, online petitions, or Twitter storms because even successful social media organizing can give organizers a false sense of winning.

In the formative years of organizing, understanding a win is crucial.

I’m an online organizer and one of the first things I tell people is that my work can only bolster the work on the ground. If I make a huge mistake, it could tank it. However, I am not winning campaigns behind a screen. I have made hashtags trend. I’ve made Thunderclaps explode. I have gotten important information on the news by organizing activists to tweet about it. But even some of my most “successful” campaigns have been parts of campaigns the organizations ultimately lost.

We seldom talk about this in the post-mortem. When we lose, field organizers self-flagellate while the digital organizers continue to pat themselves on their backs.

I go to a lot of digital conferences where we talk a lot about “building community.”

“Well, we lost the campaign, but we built a great community.”

Again, I’m quoting so excessively because what they said is so good.

But back to your point. The original promise of “the personal is political”–now a dogma–was to invite people to look into their own lives and their own relationships to find reflections of various oppression. That’s great, but I am more concerned about what this means in practice. How does that translate to action and to real political gain? Currently it translates to calling out microaggressions.

Like Frank Little said, I’m afraid that many Tumblr teens may not know what winning a political battle means, what taking political power means, and may believe whatever they’re doing on this website is already politics.

There is a greater concern too, that we have placed too big an emphasis on culture as a political space (I have an essay in the works about this actually). Is it a political win to have a person of color star in a Hollywood blockbusters? Yes, but not nearly, nearly as meaningful a win as say, if we ever get around to make healthcare universal. More in that post, but this combined with “the personal is political” means that personal consumption choices, what you watch on Netflix, what movie merchandise you purchase, have now become political too. Remember when Buzzfeed told us to buy Ghostbuster merch to be feminist or something? I do. That’s that theory, in practice.

Hope that terrible rambling answers your question lol!

#fandom meta #online organizing #the personal is political?

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