#but they very openly discuss - and not only that. they embrace - them

[aspoonofsugar]

RWBY Volume 9 Epilogue: The Five Stages of Grief Again

As @greenteaandtattoos's friend noticed, volume 9 epilogue has its five narrators embody the five stages of grief:

Negation - refusal to aknowledge the truth, while clinging to a preferable reality.

Anger - lashing out on others in an attempt to channel one's pain and frustration.

Bargaining - being ready to negotiate, to give something in order to avoid loss. When death already happened, it is about exploring what ifs scenarios.

Depression - sadness, desperation and refusal to engage with others. It often comes with low energy.

Acceptance - coming to terms with one's loss and finding a new stability.

This isn't surprising, as volume 9 as a whole uses this motif. In particular, Ruby herself goes through the 5 stages twice. First to grieve over Penny and then to face her emotions towards Summer. Finally, RWBYJN reach acceptance (the main theme). Acceptance of death, loss, pain, change and of themselves. All in all, RWBYJ's journey in the Ever after is a metaphor for the process of grieving. Well, the epilogue shows us how the other characters have been dealing with this emotion.

So, here comes NORWQ as the 5 stages of grief:

Nora = anger: tbf she is the most difficult to pintpoint, as she fits the pattern less than others. Still, her section focuses on how Vacuans and Atlesians are both reacting with anger at the new status quo. Vacuans are frustrated that Atlas brought its own problems into their Kingdom. Atlesians are furious nobody came to help them. Nora herself enters into a short confrontation with two angry Vacuans and clearly projects her own past into the conflict. What's wrong with orphans? What's wrong with her?

Oscar = negation: our Little Prince is the only one that believes Ruby and the others might be alive. He even looks for an answers into books (mirroring how RWBYJ is grieving through a fairy tale). On a personal level, he and Ozpin are both fighting the merge, so they are negating a transformation, which is bound to happen.

Ren = bargaining: Lotus boy is trying to replace Jaune as the glue who keeps the team together. He is conscious of everyone's feelings and problems, but is not sure on how to handle them. Moreover, his section deals with how Salem's faction goes through a bargain. Sure, it lost some people in Atlas, but Tyrian and Mercury free the Crown, so that new forces are ready to fight for the Evil Witch of the West.

Winter = depression: our Winter Maiden is dealing very very badly with Penny and Weiss's lost. She blames herself for everything and is far away from accepting Penny's final teaching: "I won't be gone, I will be a part of you". Winter is struggling to honor both Penny and Weiss's legacy. If anything, she feels she isn't the right person to do so. Her section is also the most somber on a macrochosm level. As a matter of fact through her we discover Vale was destroyed by Salem and we see how the refugees are not handling their new situation well.

Qrow = acceptance: Qrow is Winter's opposite, as he is the closest to find acceptance. On a personal level, he shows he has integrated with Clover. He has embraced his friend's optimism and has learnt to love himself through him. This is why his semblance evolved and he is now able to bring both good and bad luck. This new found balance lets him find hope even in the bad situation the world is in. He sees how people are showing kindness and realizes Ruby's message is the first step into uniting Remnant.

Of course, our five narrators all foil each other in different ways. I have discussed Qrow and Winter here, so let's see what to say about Nora, Ren and Oscar.

RENORA = LONELY TOGETHER

Nora and Ren are going through an inversion of their dynamic. Nora is now repressing her feelings and avoiding Ren's attentions and offers of support. Ren instead is grieving openly and is trying to be open with his feelings.

Nora isn't even able to speak directly with the person she lost, but narrates talking to no-one in particular. She mostly speaks about the macrochosm and uses plural forms. "We buried our friends", "I think everyone lost someone that day", "For us it was a relief, but for the Vacuans", ""What if we can't go on, what if we are too scarred?". She is in a sense the embodyment of everyone's grief. At the same time, she is so disconnected from her own trauma, that she can only read it while projecting it on the world:

Ren: Nora, she is putting the world on her shoulders.

Ren instead is the one more focused on the feelings of the people around him. Through his point of view, we discover how the other main characters are doing. We realize Nora is too focused on the macrochosm, while Oscar has trouble with the microchosm (he just isn't himself). Ren is trying to balance out the two dimensions. He is grieving for Jaune and is inheriting his legacy. At the same time, he understands that just like his friends are fighting to overcome anger and pain, so is the world. By doing this, he once again draws a parallel between Nora and the World:

I think the epilogue of volume 9 (or the prologue of volume 10?) sets up Nora as a strong symbolic character in Vacuo. She is Vacuo itself, struggling with pain, grief and anger. She is Atlesian orphans, nameless children too scarred to go on. Ren's role will probably be to step in and remind her how beautiful she is.

OSCAR = STAGNATION

Oscar's conflict permeates both the microchom and the macrochosm. It is synthesized by this phrase:

Oscar: "You always believed in the best. You saw people for who they really were. Some of us don't know anymore."

Here, Oscar is speaking both:

Of himself, who is slowly and painfully merging with Ozpin

Of the world, which finds itself in "uncharted territory"

Oscar is uncertain. Of who he is. Of what to do. So, he looks up to Ruby, who was always certain and could "see the world through better eyes".

At the same time, Oscar's situation strongly suggests he is stagnating. He refuses to accept RWBYJ's death (he is right, but it isn't a healthy reaction). He fights the merge unsuccessfully. He can neither go back to the person he was before nor can he progress towards a better version of himself. Basically, just as Ruby is finding the path back to herself in the Ever After, Oscar is losing himself in Vacuo. This is (just like in Renora's case) an inversion to their previous dynamic. Back in Atlas, Oscar was the one progressing, whereas Ruby was stagnating. Right now, they start their stories in Vacuo in an inversed situation.

OTHER POSSIBLE FOILINGS

Of course, the epilogue/prologue offers several possible foilings that could be explored in volume 10. Here are some (but they aren't all).

Ren and Winter are both talking to the "sibling" they entered a conflict with in volume 8. Both grew distant from Jaune and Weiss, only to reconcile later on. Now, they realize how much Jaune and Weiss did to keep their respective families together. They celebrate their legacies and wonder if they might be able to live up to it. This might also foreshadow some foiling of Jaune and Weiss themselves, once they come back.

Qrow and Oscar are both talking to Ruby (to be fair, Qrow speaks to everyone, but thematically Ruby is her interlocutor). However, Qrow has managed to integrate (with Clover), while Oscar fights integration (with Ozpin (understandably so)). At the same time, Qrow focuses on how Ruby has changed the world, whereas Oscar focuses on how Ruby has changed him.

Nora and Qrow open and end the epilogue. Nora is the one who struggles to grieve the most (she is the only one who never visits the memorial, after the cerimony). She insists she must move on, but also wonders if she will ever be able to. Qrow instead is the one who deals the best with the situation. He finds serenity while at the memorial and grieves in a hopeful way thanks to the murales realized by the community. Both are very involved with helping people and the refugees. Nora is shown helping children and states she wants to help Velvet before eating herself. Qrow keeps going into meetings with Theodore, he spends time with Robyn and the kids and helps the Schnees giving out free food. Still, Nora is clearly wearing herself out, whereas Qrow genuinelly finds hope and energy. Nora is symbolically one of the orphans trying to carry the world. Qrow is instead a mentor, who has learnt he doesn't have to face the world alone.

OTHER THOUGHTS

Happy to see the Crown. I think Jill and Jax have the potential to foil Emercury to an extent, so I am happy to see them (it's them, right?) with Merc. It is also something I had always thought that Tyrian and Mercury's mission to Vacuo might have been to find some new allies there. The Crown were the obvious choice.

I feel neutral about team CFVY appearing so much in the epilogue. My guess is that they are set up to be minor foils to RWBY, kind of like the Happy Huntresses and the Ace Ops were in Atlas. I think the books give them enough set-up to solve their arc in a quick way, while commenting on those of the main characters.

I was surprised about the revelation of Salem attacking Vale. I wonder if she found the crown. I doubt it, so far and I think Glynda missing is clearly set-up as a future plot-point. In any case, we'll see. I am open to everything.

#rwby #rwby volume 9 #greenlight volume 10 #rwby volume 10 #nora valkyrie #oscar pine #lie ren #winter schnee #qrow branwen #rwby meta #my meta

[amomentsescape]

Bro, I love your writing so much and it’s so cool to see some new Gotham stuff pop up on my feed s🥹❤️❤️🥹❤️🥹 if it’s alright, could I please have some fluffy and slightly suggestive headcanons of some Gotham boys, including but not limited to the J squad, with a punk or alt s/o? If you don’t want to do anything suggestive, tho, I totally understand

Please and thank you in advance if you decide to do this ❤️

J Squad + Oswald, Victor, & Bruce with Punk! Reader

Includes: Jerome, Jonathan, Jervis, Oswald, Victor, Bruce

A/N: I hope you enjoy! I wasn't able to make every character suggestive, but I tried my best to make the HC's fit your request!

Jerome Valeska

He loves your aesthetic

Has asked you time and time again to help him get dressed before a heist

Thinks your outfits would not only look badass while murdering people, but they would also help you blend in at night

"Practical and sexy, doll"

Loves when you place your tall, leather combat boot on his leg, asking him sweetly to help you lace it up

He likes to trace his fingers along your leg at this, sometimes going a little too high which earns him a swift smack to the hand

He just lets out a chuckle at this

"I'll get you back later..."

If you're out and about and he notices people looking at you, he immediately helps you embrace it

Will twirl you around in the middle of the street and place a big kiss to your lips

Whispers in your ear how gorgeous and sexy you are whenever he gets the chance

If he's out on a heist and he sees something he thinks you'll like, he'll take it

Even if it steers him off his current mission a bit

Starts having you paint his nails religiously as "good luck"

But in reality, he just likes how his pretty fingertips look wrapped around your neck

Jonathan Crane

This sweet boy is in awe of you

Your edgy looks, your interests, everything

He's never been introduced into this genre before, but you've opened a whole new world for him

Absolutely falls in love with the music you listen to

He just connects to it so well

He also adores being a dress up doll for you

Want to try out a new makeup look on him? Go for it.

You want to see what he'd look like in an edgier outfit? He's ready.

You want to dye his hair a crazy, experimental color? Let's do it!

Seeing him dressed similar to you empowers him in a way

He's used to being hidden in the background, so you pulling him away from that insecurity is like a completely different life to him

Gets extra touchy when you have chokers on

Will softly give you little kisses just above and below the accessory

He's ashamed of it, but he lets his eyes wander for just a little too long when you get all dressed up

He tries to hide it but will turn into a huge blushing and stuttering mess if you catch him in the act

Jervis Tetch

He's definitely intrigued by you

He's used to his world being full of chaotic color and fantasy

But you have this certain edge and uniqueness about you that he hasn't come across before

They say opposites attract for a reason

He feels like you balance him out

You actually help him feel his emotions and openly discuss the things floating around in his head

But of course, being opposites still come with a few disagreements

He finds your taste in music and makeup a little... much

His taste is a little softer and more elegant, but he's not one to judge what you enjoy

He's just tried listening to a couple of your favorite songs and found them scary

He's also not very knowledgeable in this particular genre

So if you bring up something, he'll simply look at you like you've grown a third head

But besides that, he's overall supportive on whatever you want to wear or do

Loves when you both get dressed up together for a night out

It gives him a deep sense of thrill when people look at you both while out

You two may have opposite styles, but your aesthetics are similar in the fact that they don't "fit in" with the public eye

And Jervis honestly loves that

Oswald Cobblepot

You caught Oswald's eye almost immediately when he first encountered you

Something about the way you held yourself drew him in

And when he got to know you?

He was so interested

He wanted to learn more about your clothing choices, the music and art styles you liked, what made you interested in the aesthetic, etc.

He might not share the same exact passion for the things you do, but he will always be very respectful on supporting your interests

He also just finds your look to be super attractive

He doesn't mean to, but he finds himself becoming a little more submissive around you

He's used to throwing out orders and making decisions in his normal day-to-day life

But coming home to you immediately allows him let go of those reigns

You just tell him what to do, and he'll do it

You've accidentally gotten him to whimper a couple times just by complimenting him or giving him words of praise

When you kiss him, you can feel his whole body fall into you

He literally turns into Jello

But he's still an emotional man too, so give him lots of love and attention, and he'll be fully content

Victor Zsasz

Well, obviously he adores how you look

I mean, he wouldn't consider his own look to be punk, but he's aware that he's taken inspiration from the genre in the past

Honestly thinks you two make a badass duo

Even the Zsaszettes admire you whenever you're around

He also likes how easy it is to spot you in a crowd

Not that he stalks you while he's out "working" or anything

He loves your normal outfits of course, but if you wear anything that shows a little skin?

Oh boy, does that dark gleam shine in his eye

He just about sinks his teeth into you (literally)

Victor is known to keep his cool no matter what, but you are able to tell when he really likes a particular outfit that day

A hand on your lower back, a lingering glance, and a teasing smile are all signs

But he also will not hesitate to pinch your butt at the most random times too, public or not

Makes you hold his weapons sometimes because he thinks they make you look even edgier

He also has a thing for any piercings you have too

He's not sure what it is, but he's fascinated with how the cool metal sinks into your skin

He'll play with them too if you let him

He's careful not to hurt you

Unless that's what you want, of course...

Bruce Wayne

He honestly doesn't really think anything of it or notice it much

Which isn't a bad thing by any means

Bruce doesn't judge based on looks, so however you decide to present yourself is just who you are in his eyes

But he also cares a lot about your interests

He'll happily sit beside you and listen to your music, shop with you for new clothes, and come with you for your latest piercing or tattoo

You name it, he's there

If it means a lot to you, then it means a lot to him

But he does think it's pretty cool to have such a badass partner

Has helped you dye your hair a handful of times

He kind of gets a slight thrill from knowing that he's the only one that gets to see all sides to you

People may see you one way when you're out in public, but he also gets to see you when you're at home sleeping in his bed or cuddled up on his couch watching some crazy show he's never heard of

He just likes knowing that he gets all of you

He finds it pretty romantic

Really likes any leather pieces you own

You may have persuaded him to buy a couple jackets based on ones that you already had in your closet

But he especially loves the leather on you

Becomes a bit touchier when you have it on, tracing his hands along the material

He thinks it looks great on you and will definitely let his gaze linger a little longer than usual

#gotham bruce wayne #gotham headcanon #gotham fandom #gotham x reader #gotham #j squad #jerome valeska #jerome valeska headcanon #jerome valeska x reader #jonathan crane x reader #jonathan crane #the scarecrow #scarecrow x reader #jervis tetch #gotham jervis #jervis tetch x reader #oswald cobblepot x reader #gotham oswald cobblepot #gotham oswald #bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #gotham victor zsasz #victor zsasz x reader #victor zsasz

[bitchy-craft]

How People Feel In Your Presence | Pick A Pile

Hello and welcome to this Pick A Pile! In here you'll find out how people feel in your presence. I hope you guys enjoy and find this useful. Do make sure to leave comments down below on your experience! I do want to remind you all that this is a General Pick A Pile which means this is for a lot of people: therefore keep what resonates and leave what doesn't.

Masterlist

Pick A Pile!

Pile 1:

People feel a numerous of ways when in your presence, something that may differ per personality of said people. Some feel almost desperate, others feel like they are simply a side-character in your world and your story. Some people will feel insecure around you, maybe even fearful because you come over as such an extroverted, fierce person.

This is the only pile where how people feel in our presence differs a lot; which I’d only see as a good thing. You can find all sorts of people whenever you need them; want someone to boost your confidence? Someone is there to admire you from afar. Want someone to work together with? There’s someone that loves to be with you. Want to decide what happens in group projects? There are people who want to give up their own ideas for you. If you ever need someone to have a non-biased discussion with, there are people around you for that too.

You are a very divers person, which you should embrace and love.

Pile 2:

People feel relaxed in your presence, they feel confident in your presence even though they have no need to openly speak about it. You can come over as soft-spoken, as passionate and happy, as someone that is there for people whenever they have troubles with things. Someone who can bring people together and can solve stressful situations, find positives in negatives.

People like being around you, people like being close to you, people like to admire you from afar and people like to just simply listen to you. You’re graceful, your energy is graceful and people who are around you will take over that kind of feeling, that kind of energy, and they like that. They feel comfortable in your presence, and will continue to feel like that.

Pile 3:

People feel like they are loved whenever you are there, they feel precious, they feel like you care about them, that they matter and in some cases, are the center of attention; and people love attention from time to time. They feel special when you’re with them, probably because if they are around you, you talk to them, no matter how bad or good you know them. You get them in conversations, you ask for their opinions on situations, you actually listen, and if you don’t you act like you do.

Do make sure you don’t let everyone feel that way, some people can use this against you and take all energy you are able to give for themselves, it can cause you harm if you make the wrong people feel like that.

#pap #pac #channeling #channeled reading #channeled messages #channeled message #divination #pick a card #pick a picture #pick a pile #pick a side #pick an image #pick a piles #predictions #spiritual #spiritual healing #spiritualhealing #spirituality #your presence #tarot #deck #reading #tarotoftheday #tarot reading #tarot deck #daily tarot #tarot witch #tarot pac #tarot pap #confidence

[markantonys]

mat/rand/elayne/aviendha is a great polycule because they are all incredibly smart and competent yet also incredibly stupid and useless, each in a different way, and in the end they all balance each other out.

important diplomatic event? elayne negotiates 3 new alliances by the end of the night. aviendha causes an international incident. mat actively despises every diplomat there (except elayne) yet somehow ends up charming all of them. rand just wants to go home.

lost in the wilderness? elayne tries very hard to help out but she can't even read a compass. mat fusses about how bored he is and how they are never going to make it back to civilization (they've only been lost for 2 hours). rand insists the others should eat him if they run out of food (they've only been lost for 2 hours). aviendha completely ignores everything the other clowns are saying and doing and gets them back to civilization in one piece by hour 3.

trapped in a sticky situation of certain doom? rand and aviendha solemnly prepare to accept the embrace of death, and to sacrifice themselves so the others can escape. mat and elayne say "no one's dying today, idiots" and cook up a harebrained scheme to get them all out of there, and against all odds it works.

time to talk about feelings? elayne will volunteer to go first and will openly share every feeling she's ever had. rand is the best listener, but will volunteer nothing about his own feelings unless forced. aviendha thinks all feelings should be processed via the meeting of toh, not via discussion, and feels shamed whenever elayne tries to talk about something for which the toh has already been met. mat cracks jokes to deflect from his own feelings and ends up pissing elayne off because she is TRYING to have a serious conversation, and aviendha is also pissed off at mat for dishonoring elayne by making light of the matter, and then rand blurts out something troubling that makes the others forget their bickering in favor of unionizing to make rand go to therapy.

household chores need doing? aviendha refuses to waste water on something as trivial as mopping the floor. elayne is too busy with her queenly duties. mat is too busy bringing the kids to raid the palace kitchen for desserts way past their bedtime. rand goes into a househusband frenzy and gets the royal apartments all tidied up and the kids and mat tucked into bed after their sugar crash by the time elayne returns home from her duties (and of course he has a hot meal and a nice cup of tea waiting for her).

#perfectly balanced as all polycules should be #rand al'thor #elayne trakand #mat cauthon #aviendha #wot #the wheel of time #wot book spoilers #avimatrandlayne

[yesimwriting]

i get this vibe that best friend reader was a cheerleader in high school … https://pin.it/1OAic25B1 😋

was she popular in high school or not really?

omg!! love this and the jennifer inspo pic,, very bestfriend!reader with the uniform and the fun vibes lo

ik this is kind of a straightforward question but you've given me such a perfect opportunity to dip into character analysis/evaluation

but bc i have a long reply, i'll give a short answer here and my thought process (and some character discussion on saltburn in general,, more specifically on oliver and felix) below the cut;

short answer: reader was popular enough in a private school full of rich/extremely privileged kids, she wasn't running her high school, but she got invited to the fun activities bc she made friends with the students that were older than her, i kind of picture her like a smart karen if you've seen mean girls, kind of along for the ride with the popular kids but not actively working at it/being mean about it

but!! she's not fully aware of her popularity/influence on others,, which i think is her "major flaw",, which is something i think all (main) saltburn characters have (which is why they feel so real),, i'll discuss that below the cut :)

so something i love about saltburn is all of the (main) characters have a relatively clear flaw(s) that still leave some room for interpretation,, for example ollie and over indulging/consuming (he's "too much of a good thing" personified to me, i think the reveal that he comes from a pretty well off/financially comfortable family proves that taking too much is more of his issue than jealousy),

and felix is flawed in that typical rich kid way (he's a llittle weird in the way that influencer nepo babies are weird 😭 i'm sorry, i promise i still love him), he's so removed from poverty/struggle in a way that gives him a subconsciously self righteous ego, he's not naive but his perception of reality is warped, and in the end it's this belief that he's removed from real world dangers paired with his ego that catches up with him

so i wanted to do something similar with bestfriend!reader and in my head her "fatal flaw" is that she views herself as an underdog even though if you think about it,, she's not really

i want to make it clear it isn't a pick me thing!! at all! i see best friend! reader as not having the easiest childhood bc of some family things and it's not easy being openly smart in late elementary/middle school (especially in the 90s/2000s which is when she would have been that age...i think?)

so her insecurities are real,, but a part of her kind of embraces the "outsider" label bc it's familiar, she doesn't see herself as this polished, socialite despite being familiar with them and their world,, and even though she means it, to people that don't know her, it can be a little annoying to people more on the outskirts than her (cough, cough,, this is lowkey why oliver doesn't like her at first)

bc even though she's not as wealthy as felix and co,, and she's not fully embraced by his friends, she isn't this outsider that has no chance at getting in, people like her enough,,

it isn't perfect, but it's enough to get by, for example, people laugh at her jokes/comments, but usually, it's when she didn't mean to be funny; she always knows what to wear, but she doesn't always know what to say; she knows how to act at parties/knows how to be a fun "drunk", but feels awkward/under a microscope when at smaller things like dinners and group study sessions

also!! a little side note that i just think is fun, i think farleigh and reader's relationship is the marker of how well she's fitting in,, as soon as farleigh starts getting along with her, it's hard to deny that she's fitting in bc he's not easy to win over

i think all of this works as a point of contention between reader and oliver,, bc at first it's okay to hear "oh i get it,, it's hard to fit in with felix's friends" but that can only sound so genuine when farleigh starts calling reader over to hang out at parties and then later starts hanging out with them just bc

can also see reader having an identity crisis the day it's pointed out that she's friends with farleigh 😭 like one day another one of her friends asks her to do something and she's like "can't, i'm getting coffee and studying with farleigh later" and then it hits her like 😟

#bestfriend!felix verse #bestfriend!felix x reader #saltburn x reader #felix catton x reader #sorry for character analyzing a little hard here

[selfaware-bungou-stray-dogs]

How would the characters react(before they get into our world) if teruko from the hunting dogs was the readers favourite character and made it very well known by praising ever scene she's in

Totally not taken from the fact that I do that.

(also I have a completely platonic admiration for her)

Here you go. Hope, you like it.

My favourite (Teruko edition)

Self-Aware! Teruko Okura x GN! Reader

Description: Their Guiding Light have a favourite character. The Vice-Captain of Hunting Dogs.

Warning: OOC. English is my second language. Soft Yandere.

"Wow! Teruko is in this chapter! Great!"

Teruko felt, how Little Light curled on her head and start purring. Familiar warmth surrounded her. Happiness and respect. Their Guiding Light were glad to see another scene with her in the manga.

Teruko also felt, that other characters were jealous of her. You were openly admiring Teruko. And some characters were jealous because of that.

Of course, it doesn't mean, that you hated other characters. Quite the opposite, they were fond of all of them and have something nice to say about them. But in case of Teruko, you were very vocal about their love for her.

"Heh. Teruko is quite a fun character."

"Teruko's ability is so unique and strong!"

"Teruko is the best BSD character!"

There were some accidents.

For example, Teruko was a little bit nervous. She was afraid, that her more sadistic side would scare you. Especially, after Teruko and Sigma red about their battle in Sky Casino. Would you change your opinion about Teruko? Thankfully, it wasn't the case, and you didn't like Teruko for been violent. When you were discussing BSD with your friends, characters heard your reasons for liking Teruko.

"My favourite BSD Character? Teruko Okura, of course! Why? Well, because she's an interesting character. She is a warrior. A ruthless one. A warrior, who can do terrible things. But for the better cause. Teruko is protecting civilians. She may be sadistic, it's true. But she is not a terrible person. She is a person, who has flaws and who embraced them and use them for the better cause."

Since then, Teruko promised to herself, to do everything in her power, to be the best of your protectors.

Teruko feels happy. Their Guiding Light's love wasn't bad or awful. You really respected her and liked her.

Teruko smiles. Today will be the day she joins the Rare Scout. And your team.

When Ango, Katai and Fyodor hack the app and find a way to add new cards and seasons in game, they start adding cards of the "new" characters.

At first, they add everyone from Season 3. Even this strange French guy, who, Teruko was sure, died many years ago. If Teruko understood Tachihara's report clearly, others made a leap of faith and add the photo of stage French guy into the Rare Scout as new card. Somehow, it brought him back to life. Completely normal and not harmed.

After characters finished with Season 3, they moved to Season 4.

Now, they were in the process of adding Hunting Dogs cards.

Today, it's Teruko's turn. She braced herself.

Today you will get new card. SSR Card [Gasp of the Soul] Teruko Okura.

The purple moon shined above Yokohama.

"Oh! New SSR! Who I got this time?"

"..."

"YO! Teruko's card! It's so pretty, it's so cool! Let's level you up, let's test you! Best day ever! Best scoot ever!"

Little Light was circling around Teruko, purring.

Teruko felt so much happiness. You really were happy to get her card. Teruko grinned. She needs to send you a few notes later.

Teruko herd Jounou's scoffing.

"You are a lucky one, Teruko. Been Our Guiding Light's Favourite. Are you sure, you would carry your duty as one of your guardians, when we finally met them?"

Teruko only hums in return.

"Keep your jealousy for yourself, Jounou. Of course, I would. I won't do my job poorly. Moreover, I would try even more now. I can't let them down. No matter what, I will protect them."

Teruko Okura looked at the window. Right at the fake sky.

"They are counting on me."

_______

Earlier today, you got another note in the Gift Box.

"[Y/N], I am so glad to finally be a part of your team! I promise, that from now on I will protect you. Hope, that one day, we will become friends. Teruko Okura"

You laughed.

"I would be so happy to become friends with you, Teruko."

Teruko Okura smiles again. She also, would be happy.

#self-awareau #self-awarebsd #bungou stray dogs au #bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd anime #bsd x gender neutral reader #gender neutral reader #teruko okura #Self-Aware Teruko Okura

[everlastiingiimmortals]

About duplicates — this is something I feel I should formally address as I see it in so many rules, but I've never had the thought to establish as a rule myself: I love duplicates!

For some unnecessary context, I come from a fandom where it's incredibly commonplace to see multiple alternates of a muse in one space and even see them interact with each other — at one point, there was even a collective of at least four alternates of one character that were friendly with each other and regularly interacted at the same time (and I recall more than 9 fairly active ones total, across the history of my time rping in that fandom). Multiverse interaction is widely embraced and more or less learned and encouraged from the get go in that fandom, and any rules on duplicates are nonexistent, so it is by habit that I tend to assume the same in other spaces, which is my mistake! I'm not used to people being strict or openly nervous about duplicates, and this did at some point extend to exclusives as well.

All that aside, now for the important part: what does this mean for my blog?

I openly encourage and am very comfortable with duplicates. I am also very willing to have duplicates interact, particularly for Stelle! I think there's a lot of very fun potential to be explored there. Due to the inherent multiversal nature of HSR, as a general rule my HSR muses are aware of the multiverse (except Gepard, because of Belobog's isolation from the galaxies) and will react accordingly. You will not see any (again, bar Gepard) surprised by another version of themself.

For Stelle in particular: there is only one Caelus that she will consider a twin ( @celestial-narwhal ), due to the nature of our established verse. Furthermore, any other Trailblazers regardless of gender will be treated as an alternate of herself by default, unless prior discussion between you and myself establishes otherwise. If you are not Starry, do not ask me to establish a twin dynamic with you! Platonic bonds otherwise are fine; I'm very open to Stelle being close to an alternate of herself. She may still bring up her Caelus in conversation with a Caelus duplicate, but only if you, the mun, are fine with that (I will check with you first!).

Of course, if you have any questions, please poke me! And if this doesn't jive with you, feel free to ignore and/or block, I won't be mad about it.

#//immortal; (OOC) #//immortal; (PSA) #idk if any of this makes sense but it'll be an established part of my rules soon #aka when i wake up #honestly. i dont like the term duplicate #it always felt rude to me. like a shared muse was a 'copy' of another #i much prefer the term alternate. it makes more sense and its nicer woth the multiverse as a whole #duplicate sounds so gross idk. alt is better. alt offers openness and acceptance of varied interps and aus

[gffa]

(About your ‘not being cool’ post)

Your love for things is what I love about following you though! Because I’m here to enjoy things too! So for what it’s worth, I think your blog is pretty cool, and at least if it’s not then we’re uncool together. And now that I think about it, isn’t that the point of fandom? Being ‘uncool’ together? 😂

High five for another uncool person! I admit, I sometimes desperately want to get in with other fans who are writing things that hit me in the metaphorical solar plexus because they're so sharp and have such delicious bite and they're incredibly cool, even when I suspect they would probably find me deeply annoying, but that ultimately I also very much admire people who embrace being silly and goofy and flailing around a lot, because I love those people, too. I pine wistfully sometimes, but then get over it, because I know that if I remade myself into being 'cool', I would only stare even more wistfully over at the people being silly and just having a silly good time. And I want to cozy up to people like you as well, who are so sweet to reach out like this, like I want to talk to people about silly things, I don't want to be intimidating (well, okay, maybe a little, it might be nice for five minutes, but ultimately, no, I want people to feel they can approach me and talk to me genuinely), so I'm just kind of settling in the middle with "acknowledge my genuine desire to be cool, but that it's a temporary want, and the home I really want to make is in the silly goober camp, and then make fun of myself a little in a silly shitpost to get it out of my system". And you are so right! It's not that the cool people don't openly love things as well, they do! But often times they're not as goofy about it (and I find that admirable, none of this is about saying any way of behavior is more right or wrong than any other way!) and they're having fun in fandom in their own way and, who knows, I have met so many genuinely cool people like this that do like me back! I'm just up in my own head sometimes (Star Wars fandom did a number on me), but also I want to agree so wholeheartedly with your ultimate point: It's okay to be uncool in fandom, like we're nerds on the internet, we're watching/reading often very silly stories and there's nothing wrong with embracing that. We can take them seriously, there's a lot of genuinely thoughtful and depthful things to discuss here! But it's also okay to be silly and goofy and sometimes I need the reminder that others are happy to be here with me, too. <3 (Can you tell I'm avoiding cleaning? I have drafted so many character ask game responses to schedule for tomorrow to spread them out a bit, because I really don't want to have to go organize the bathroom. orz)

#lumi.txt

[asma-al-husna]

Allah calls Himself As-Samee’— The Hearing, The Ever-Listening— on 45 occasions in the Quran. He is the One whose hearing and attention comprehends everything. As-Samee’ hears every word, thought, and secret, and He listens to every voice. As-Samee’ listens and pays attention to everything, perfectly, eternally, and without any limits!

The All-Hearing, The Ever-Listening

Samee’ comes from the root seen-meem-‘ayn, which refers to four main meanings. The first main meaning is to hear and to listen, and the second to accept and receive. The third main meaning is to pay attention to and the fourth is to understand the meaning.

This root appears 185 times in the Quran in 10 derived forms. Examples of these forms are sami’a (to hear, to listen), tusmi’u (to make hear), and as-sam’a (the hearing).

Linguistically samee’ is on the structure of intensification. As-Samee’ refers to the perfection and the totality of Allah’s hearing, which cannot be compared with the hearing of any other created being.

As-Samee’ Himself says: Our Lord! Accept this service from us: For You are the All-Hearing, the All-knowing [Quran, 2: 127] . . . If I am astray, I only stray to the loss of my own soul: but if I receive guidance, it is because of what my Lord reveals to me. He is All-Hearing, Ever-Near. [Quran, 34:50] . . . And Allah hears your discussions. Lo! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. [Quran, 58: 1]

No secrets for As-Samee’

As-Samee’ hears every single sound, every rustle of the tree, every voice, and every thought. Our most secret speech is an open declaration before Allah. As-Samee’ tells us: It is the same to Him whether one of you conceals his speech or declares it openly; whether he lies hidden by night or walks forth freely by day. [Quran, 13: 10] Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: Glory be to Allah whose hearing embraces all voices. The woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, with her plea. She had a grievance against her husband. I was in the corner of the house and did not hear what she said. Then Allah revealed: Allah has heard the plea of the woman who pleads with you . . . [An-Nasaa’i, Ibn Maajah]

How Can You Live by This Name?

1. Watch that tongue.
How many times have you watched your mouth when certain people were around, like your parents, a teacher, or your boss? As a Muslim one of your tasks is to guard your tongue, anytime, anywhere, and in any company.
Parents sin if they use inappropriately harsh or curse words while disciplining the children. As-Samee’ told us: Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). [Quran, 50:18] Use your tongue wisely so that your words will not be something that keep you from the gates of Jannah.

2. Study the etiquette of speech for a Muslim.
How do you know if your speech is pleasing to As-Samee’ if you do not study His book and the sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him? Learn about the prohibitions of the tongue, like backbiting, swearing, and lying. Study the types of speech As-Samee’ loves to hear from you, like dhikr, good advice, kind words to others, and reciting the Quran.

3. Ask As-Samee’ in salah.
Did you know you have seven places where you seek As-Samee’ with supplications in your prayer? You can do so after the first takbeer, and on some occasions before bowing, also while bowing, when you rise from bowing, during your prostrations, between the two prostrations, and at the very end of the prayer before you say your Salaam. Make use of these times to ask for whatever (halaal) you want in this life and the next.

4. Be comforted by As-Samee’.
When Allah ‘azza wa jall sent Musa and Harun to confront the Pharaoh, He comforted them with the words: Fear not. Indeed, I am with you (both); I hear and I see. [Quran, 20:46] As-Samee’ hears and answers your prayers, so invoke Him and supplicate to Him. Remember— dua’ is the weapon of the believer and can make the mountains shake.

5. Seek refuge in As-Samee’.
The Prophet Muhammad, salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to seek refuge with Allah from four things, including a prayer that goes unheard:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ ‏لَا تَشْبَعُ ‏ ‏وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا‏
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowledge which does not benefit, from a heart that does not entertain the fear (of Allah), from a soul that is not satisfied and the supplication that is not answered. [Muslim] The Prophet did not mean that he feared Allah would not hear the prayer itself, but rather that Allah would leave the prayer unanswered!

6. Ask As-Samee’ to bless your hearing.
Allah As-Samee’ loves those who use the abilities He gave them for His sake. Did Allah give you ears to listen to gossip or music? Did He give you a tongue so He could hear swearing and lying from you? Ask Him to help you to use your hearing and your tongue only for things pleasing to Him.

7. Pick the right words.
A true believer would never intentionally give reason to others to be doubtful, nor hurt their feelings in any way. You must ensure, as far as possible, that what you say is heard and understood by all involved; pick your words with wisdom.

8. Feel ‘sami’Allahu liman hamidah’.
Next to the amazing Hearing of Allah, The beautiful name As-Samee’ also means He answers our prayers. After bowing in prayer we say: sami’Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him). We know that Allah hears us; this means that Allah answers those who praise Him and seek Him in prayer. Now every time you say sami’Allahu liman hamidah, feel that Allah is The All-Hearer and make the intention to strive that He only hears good from you.

O Allah, As-Samee’, we know You hear every sound and thought. Aid us to watch our tongues and use them for Your sake only, protect us from foul speech, bless our tongue and our hearing, and make us of those whose prayers are answered, ameen!

#allah #islam #revert help team #asma al husna #revert help #muslim #ayat #daily #allah’s name #dua #pray #prayer #salah #muslimah #hijab #religion #reminder #mohammed #new revert #new convert #new muslim #how to convert islam #converthelp #convert islam #become a muslim #welcome to islam #daily ayat #prophet #god #revert

[skwtches]

1 4 5 6 7 20 21 22 for the asks game for rabger (this is me holding back btw)

YESS i’m gonna be so Normal abt them under the cut

what’s their love languages?

Tigger’s is definitely physical touch & words of affirmation while Rabbit’s particularly fond of acts of service (he probably also likes physical affection, but doesn’t rly know how to initiate it/accept it). Both of em rly value quality time in my eyes

what’s their favorite sleeping/cuddling positions?

Tigger definitely likes to fall asleep while clinging onto Rabbit, holding him close while Rabbit leans into the embrace. Though, Tigger tends to move around a lot in his sleep, constantly tossing and turning no matter what manner he falls asleep in, and more often than not, he ends up just kinda sprawled over the bed on his back. Despite this, Rabbit still manages to keep close contact with him, usually burying his face in Tigger’s chest. Multiple instances of Tigger waking up to just a full-limbed embrace from a still-asleep bunny have taken place, and he’s always touched by the sight.

With cuddling, it’s a similar story where Tigger is almost always the one initiating with Rabbit leaning into it before eventually reciprocating. Tigger doesn’t really mind whichever way they cuddle so long as they’re cuddling, though Rabbit generally likes being held against his chest, running his fingers thru Tigger’s plush whilst listening to the latter purring up a storm.

who does what chores?

Rabbit’s very particular and likes to handle most of the chores on his own, though Tigger’s very eager to offer help whenever he can (he also just likes the excuse to hang around Rabbit more.) Some of chores they handle together include washing the dishes, dusting, taking out trash, and tending Rabbit’s garden. In terms of the last one, Rabbit’s initially very, very hesitant about accepting Tigger’s help in caring for his pride and joy, but the latter proves to be a better listener than expected and cares enough to where Rabbit eventually accepts it and ends up really appreciating his company in the end.

do they go out often or prefer to stay indoors?

Definitely go out often. Both of em enjoy being outside and don’t like being cooped up inside all day

who is the more romantic one?

Tigger’s the more openly affectionate of the two, being the one to use terms of endearment the most and initiating more of the physical acts of affection. Though, Rabbit probably plans out the majority of dates and other outings.

what clothes/accessories do they steal from each other?

Rabbit absolutely cannot sport a hat without Tigger snatching it off his head at least once—either taking and wearing it himself, or trying to engage the former in a game of keep-away

which of their friends/family pokes fun at them for them getting flustered/affectionate?

Owl pokes fun at Rabbit incessantly whenever he catches him getting flustered over Tigger, both before and after the pair start dating. Perhaps around the time that Rabbit begins to harbor feelings for Tigger, Owl notices how often he brings up Tigger and jokingly points it out to Rabbit, only for the latter to get all defensive over it. In the visits to Owl following the occurrence, Rabbit’s subjected to even more teasing whenever Tigger becomes a point of discussion.

Rabbit: (talking abt smth unrelated)

Owl: Lovely! Say, how’s he been?

Rabbit: Oh, Tigger’s been a thorn in my side as usual, y’know-

Owl, giving Rabbit a Very Knowing Look(tm): I didn’t say who

Rabbit: …

how do they apologize after an argument?

Rabbit isn’t the best at letting go of grudges and even worse at approaching verbal apologies. Tigger’s generally very forgiving (at times, to a fault), but depending on the severity of the argument, he might worry over Rabbit still being cross with him. And so, after what becomes a mess of avoiding apologies and each other, they both kinda just crumble at some point and—usually with insistence from one or more of their friends—approach the other all awkwardly and deliver earnest apologies, earning the relieved forgiveness of the other in return.

#wtp #winnie the pooh #tigger #rabbit (wtp) #rabger #ask game #rema.txt #answered asks #winefeathers #THANK U FOR LETTING ME INDULGE i have So many thoughts abt em dkfjdkjf

[celluloidbroomcloset]

Good Omens: A Big Gay (Queer) Allegory

Please note: these are just my thoughts and interpretation. It's one way to read some of the events of Good Omens, especially Season 2, but is not the only way by any means. I'm not looking to denigrate or sideline any other interpretation or understanding of this show.

The show has turned, slowly, into a big gay allegory, about the complications of perception and openness, especially in the 20th and 21st Century, and especially in terms of how Aziraphale and Crowley both manifest themselves and are perceived by the world around them. The show uses elements typically associated with the persecution of queer people throughout the 20th Century, as their relationship must remain secret (closeted) through much of their exitences. The 1941 episode in Season 2 involves fascists spying on Aziraphale and Crowley with a camera, trying to get evidence of their relationship. The 60s vignette takes place in 1967, the same year that Britain decriminalized homosexual acts, and is the first real indication that Aziraphale might be able to put a name to their relationship (but can't quite do it yet).

This is not about whether Aziraphale and Crowley are gay in the sense of being two homosexual men, but how they are perceived by the world at large. The joke from the book that Aziraphale is "gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide" is in the context of how others (humans) perceive him. And this governs them both—because they both typically manifest as men, use male pronouns, and because the world perceives them as men, their relationship would be perceived as homosexual (whether that is a reality or not). Nina asks Crowley about their relationship because, to her, they are behaving as a couple, and her assumption after he tells her "it's not like that" is still that they're together, just maybe not a couple-couple. She certainly never assumes that Crowley is a straight cis man—her questions are all about whether he has a husband or boyfriend, and all assume that he and Aziraphale are having sex. She seems to assume that they are two gay men.

That kind of open discussion, from an out lesbian who discusses her relationship with customers and friends (but not, we note, with cops), would have been impossible in 1967. Or 1941. Or 6,000 BC. But it is possible in 2023, in a relatively safe space like Whickber Street.

Crowley's reaction, I think, is not surprise about the relationship itself, but about how their relationship is being perceived. It's putting a name to something that has had to remain nameless or been outright denied as even existing. He falls back on denial—"it's not like that"—but he realizes that it is, in fact, like that. It's him facing the fact that a relationship that has never been defined is being perceived by others and that's something that is now relatively safe. This quite obviously becomes something he embraces as he realizes that he and Aziraphale can be together, openly, as whatever they want to be. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore.

(I think it very indicative that the next scene involves Crowley confessing that he's been worried about Gabriel/Jim "waking up" and smiting him. It's a repeat, in its own way, of Aziraphale's initial conversation with Jim and is expressive of the last fear that Crowley has: that someone will see what he is and destroy him for it. And it's one that's put to rest by the next scene between him and Jim.)

Aziraphale hasn't made that move yet, at least not in the same way. He is still, essentially, closeted, because he perceives their relationship as still being dangerous. In the very first episode of Season 2, he responds to Jim's question about needing to be close to one particular person in a series of microexpressions (thank you, Michael Sheen) that indicate, yeah, he knows exactly what Jim is talking about. But he immediately denies it and draws away, saying that he has "no idea what that feels like." Of course he knows, but Jim might very well be Gabriel, a representative of the organization that will destroy him and Crowley if they are found out (outed). He can't admit that feeling openly, though he knows he has it, and he's likely known for a very long time.

The entire act of concealing Gabriel is a queer act: they are choosing to protect someone who is hiding from powerful entities because, as we learn, he has fallen for someone else he's not supposed to love and defied Heaven. Aziraphale's bookshop becomes a safe haven for persecuted beings, but Aziraphale himself doesn't feel safe about his own relationship.

Crowley finally feels safe enough, through his conversations with Maggie and Nina and through the example of Gabriel and Beelzebub, to speak his feelings and try to put a name to what exists between them that they've spent their existences pretending wasn't there. Aziraphale doesn't yet. He thinks he finds a solution with returning to Heaven, to literally go back into the organization that would have destroyed him for his relationship—literally enforced social conformity that nonetheless would be safe.

Although it is safer now, in 2023, to be openly queer than it was in 1941, it is still dangerous. There is still the threat hanging over people that how they are perceived will harm them, that the discovery of their relationships and their identities will be used against them, even by those who seem to be innocent or their friends. It's as much about fear as anything else. Crowley and Aziraphale cannot be together openly in part because they are still afraid of what could happen to them if they are. They not only know what Heaven and Hell can do to them, but what was done to queer people over the course of centuries. They were there.

#good omens #good omens 2 #queer allegory #aziraphale #crowley #crowley x aziraphale

[shadowetienne]

Album Teaser for Things I Can't Say LOve

Audio for the instrumental introduction track "things I can't say lOve" from the Things I Can't Say LOve album

I'm putting these two together in my discussion of the album and the individual tracks. I think that it's really interesting that the teaser is the only place (so far) that we've got clear, visually shown queerness. Here there are no lyrics, only visual depiction. I also find it really interesting that the short instrumental track is the one that has the album title of "things I can't say lOve."

There is something really telling at this point in their careers, even with all the queer stories that they've told, even with all their open discussions of kissing, even with the way they have wholeheartedly and loudly embraced these stories, that they are still using the language of the "lovers that could not be blessed." It's beautiful language, and it's clear, and I love it, but it's still obfuscating. It's still keeping that last layer of the very clear now glass closet, of barely plausible deniability.

There are things that in the society that they are working in that they cannot say about love, no matter how much they would like to. They can show it, they can talk all around it and get close enough that they're almost there. And they get backlash for that! They've been controversial because of it!

They've been working so very hard to make all their videos as low an age rating as possible, so they reach more people (thinking about libidO and how it so carefully worked with the rules of the Korean age rating system to get that 12+ marker instead of the 16+ one that Rie's because was not able to avoid). They've got a message that they are trying to convey, and they're doing an incredible job of conveying it, but even with how open they are, there are all these things that they cannot say and also have the platform to get their messages across.

You just have to look to those who are confirmed openly queer in K-ent to see what they are dealing with by trying to get these messages across. I continue to be deeply impressed with how they handle it, and also can't help but wonder what they would say, what they would show, if they had a few fewer constraints. If they get the level of platform where they have a little bit more momentum, where the backlash that they might get wouldn't be enough to derail them, to knock them off their further reaching platforms like music shows.

I know that I'm taking a lot from a short track, a short teaser, but it's also just from years of what they've been saying and showing. How they've reacted to things, what they so clearly care about. They've not picked an easy path, and I think that the stuff that they've managed to say with it is so important, so it's also our job when engaging critically to think about what they've not been able to say.

#OnlyOneOf #Things I Can't Say LOve album #also teaser #things I can't say lOve track #I apparently have a lot of thoughts about this one #and like feelings about the way they've been managing to present queerness for us #Youtube

[whoreviewswho]

Wokeness, Responsibility and if RTD is problematic - Introduction

Is Russell T Davies a problematic figure? Is he too woke or not aware enough? Is he doing something wrong to illicit negative responses from the progressives as well as the conservatives? Is it something in the programme, something in the marketing or is he doing nothing particularly bad at all? Well, perhaps you and I, faithful reader, can come to some sort of conclusion. Let's find out together as we take a dive into the controversial choices behind RTD2 and the mind of the man behind them.

There is an extremely telling moment in issue 599 of Doctor Who Magazine in their feature on The Giggle, specifically the climax. On page 18, the magazine printed some conversation between Benjamin Cook, Ncuti Gatwa and Russell T Davies (RTD) which you can read below;

"When you wished for it," Russell asks [Ncuti] now, "there wasn't a part of you thinking, but there's no point, it's not going to happen, because I'm black?" "Never," says Ncuti. "I love that," says Russell. "Because here I am, as a 59-year-old white man, assuming that would weigh heavily on your mind." "Yeah, no, completely," says Ncuti. "When it was announced and everyone was saying, 'He's the first black Doctor!' - that was insane. Slowly I was like, '... ohh." "Yes, it's hard to know what to do with that."

I find this to be a very revealing exchange and an invaluable insight into RTD's mind. RTD thinks. He thinks a lot. It is very clear not only that he thinks a lot and is very conscious of his decisions and responsibilities as a showrunner but also that he wants us to know that. And, you know what, perhaps he is a little too conscious. Perhaps RTD thinks too much.

But of course RTD thinks. He is a writer and a storyteller. He is, in fact, a very good storyteller and, in order to be so, one has to be continuing to engage with new art, meet new people and be connected to the world around them. This is not conjecture, this is how art works; it is a expression and representation of how the artist relates, reflects and responds to the world around them. RTD is a wickedly intelligent, queer man and you need look no further than his own work to see how passionate he has always been about depicting a diverse range of characters and stories that are firmly rooted in the political and social climate of his day. In fact, he explicitly said as much himself in a December 2023 interview for Rolling Stone;

"From my point of view, whatever I make on television, I try to embrace queerness and queer politics and that’s like breathing to me because that’s my world. That’s how I live.”

At the time I am writing (two months away from season one's debuting), RTD's second stint as show runner of Doctor Who, RTD2, as it has come to be known, has proven to be as divisive for longterm fans as his initial tenure, if not more so. No surprises there, of course, but what was unforeseen however, at least by me, was the vocal backlash from the progressive crowd. 

Perhaps it shouldn't have been though. After all, we are talking about a sixty year old white cis man. As well researched and intentioned as he may be, the scope of his experiences will inevitably reach their limits regarding gender, sexuality and cultural backgrounds. Even ethically, to hold somebody of quite a different generation to the exact same standards as your own, a significantly younger or potentially older audience member, is a pretty dubious and flawed thing to put into practice.

Still, backlash from the progressives might also have been foreseen if we took more than half a glance at his original time on the show. The quality and impact of representation in 2000s Doctor Who was certainly varied, and something worth discussing in more depth in some other entry. That does not make it any less significant that it was Russell who spearheaded the first openly queer companion, its first black supporting character and then first black companion as well as the oldest leading lady to date. And these things were not simply acts of ticking boxes. Jack Harkness, Mickey Smith, Martha Jones and Donna Noble were strong, fully-realised characters who were regularly recurring across almost five years of television. One of them even led a TV show of his own for half a decade. Combine that with more than a handful of overtly political storylines across the episodes that he produced and you have a revived Doctor Who that is quickly established as one of the most progressive television programmes of its kind in the 2000s. 

But mistakes were made, particularly regarding racial background. YouTuber Princess Weekes has made a particularly articulate video outlining RTD's pitfalls in representing black communities in Doctor Who a couple of months ago and I strongly encourage you to go and check that out. This article is not about the 2000s though. This is about the present day and the world surrounding RTD as he re-entered the role of showrunner in 2021. So, in order to contextualise that, let us tackle that frustratingly large elephant in the room; let's briefly discuss how Doctor Who became too woke.

This will be a very short discussion because, of course, this didn't happen. Yet, somehow, this narrative, that Doctor Who has become more occupied with pushing its progressive political agendas than telling compelling stories, is a bizarre claim that has been looming over the series for far too long now. It is a line of thinking that I first remember hearing around 2016 with the announcement of Bill Potts as the first openly lesbian companion. Y'know, because having an openly lesbian character must surely mean the Moff was out of ideas. But it really seemed to become a thorn in the fandom's side in the year following when Jodie Whittaker's casting was revealed. Together with Chris Chibnall's casting of two people-of-colour in his main cast and hiring the most diverse writers the show has ever seen to tell stories that reflect their varied life experiences and backgrounds CLEARLY indicated the show was on a downward spiral. The writing was on the wall*.

Okay, so, let's break this down for a second because obviously Doctor Who of the past seven years has not been too woke. But, even if that were the case, what does that even mean? Well, let's be blunt here, this is a form of cultural appropriation. The usage of 'woke' as a slang term for being attentive to social issues originated in African American Vernacular English. As Marriam-Webster defines it; 

"In [African-American Vernacular English], awake is often rendered as woke, as in, 'I was sleeping, but now I’m woke'". 

In the mid-2010s, "stay woke" became a watch word in the black community eventually becoming entwined in the BLM movement. The term has since been co-opted by conservatives, in another harmful display of white aggression, as an insulting short-hand for people and works that challenge their comfortably ignorant view of the world in really any way at all.

TLDR; to level the accusation of a television programme being "too aware of social and political injustices", especially a show with as long a history in of engaging with those sorts of ideas as Doctor Who, as if it were some kind of negative is one of the most laughable criticisms that the show has ever seen. 

It is actually even more laughable when you consider that one could take less than half a glance at Chibnall's version of the show and realise that it was, in fact, doing remarkably little actual engagement with contemporary social and political issues at all. Hell, 10.96 million people tuned into the first episode of his run to learn that for themselves. But this article is not about Chris Chibnall either. This is about Russell T Davies. The man who walked into the office while Chris Chibnall was still in the job and was revealed as such before Chibnall's final season, the Flux storyline, had even gone to air. As nasty a move this was from BBC, seemingly attempting to sabotage their own show, they knew how big of a deal this was. This is Russell T Davies ! The OG showrunner !! The guy who turned a dead cult TV show into an enormous national, and eventual, international franchise !!! This will be 2008, all over again !!!! RTD was going to save Doctor Who !!!!! Praise be to Russell T !!!!!!

Of course, this did not happen. 

It was a pretty dumb call from the conservative crowd to claim RTD was going to swoop in and be their champion. There was truly no reason at all to suspect that he would come back to Doctor Who and not bring his established brand of mindful, inclusive and socially charged writing to the programme. After all, in the years since writing regularly for Doctor Who, Davies produced works like Years and Years and It's a Sin, two incredibly thoughtful though quite different series, the former being a speculative work of science-fiction envisioning the next fifteen years of human history through the eyes of a single family and the latter an intimate and tragic retrospective on the UK AIDS crisis. For a certain crowd of people, this was actually the most appealing aspect of RTD's return. The man was going off the heels of some of his most acclaimed work of all-time, works that spoke to harsh realities of the world we live in and told compelling stories of any number of diverse characters. And, for some people, this was somehow a red flag.

There are longtime fans of a certain generation who have been vocal of RTD's flaws as a social-justice champion from day one. Diamanda Hagan is one such person who comes to mind. I have a great deal of respect for her and her opinions which are often much more articulate and interesting to engage with than my own. If you are unfamiliar, I encourage you seek her out. For the purposes of this article, there are two recent(ish) tweets of hers that I will be citing and the first is as follows;

"[In reference to the polarised reception to The Church on Ruby Road] I continue to be amused by people watching RTD being RTD, now disliking it and thinking that RTD or his work is the one that changed." - December 26, 2023

I would like to use this quote to springboard into a more in-depth discussion of RTD's choices onscreen (strap in, everybody 'cause this'll be more than one post) but, before I do, allow me to note that I find myself only half-agreeing with Hagan's assertion here. Onscreen, Davies' work is distinctly his own. His style has evolved, certainly, insofar as his language and the presentation but the overall package, the flavour and spirit of RTD Who, is much the same as it was from 2005-2010. 

But I would insist that something has changed and that something is what Davies is saying behind the scenes and in promo material because, and this is a crucial point, regardless of how 'woke' RTD2 actually is, and we will get into it, he certainly wants you to think that it is. I do not think that this is an out of arrogance or some kind of saviour complex. I don't believe that RTD is sitting at home rubbing his hands and thinking 'hehehe look how progressive everybody thinks I am". No, I think that Russell is drawing attention to how progressive the show is in the media because he genuinely believes in making socially conscious choices and their impact and consequences. He wants audiences to be talking about disability and race and queerness and class and acceptance and bigotry. RTD is asking us to talk about the topics highlighted in his productions.

So, let's do that then....

To be continued in part one; The Regeneration Question and Davros with Legs

*The fact that Chris Chibnall's version of Doctor Who was ultimately lacking in compelling storytelling for most audiences is extremely unfortunate but obviously unrelated to his diverse cast and crew.

#doctor who #tv #analysis #behind the scenes #culture #history #wokeness #anti woke #woke liberal madness #conservatives #progressive #queer #rtd2 #rtd #fourteenth doctor #ncuti gatwa #i love ncuti #critique #media critique #commentary #lgbt pride #actors #pride

[destinyc1020]

Destiny as a fellow woc I noticed a peculiar theme when it comes to Z discourse on Twitter. Sorry in advance if I ever overstep as I'm not black but it seems like being biracial puts you on a uncomfortable position (or maybe it's just Twitter spaces I don't know lol) I've read people complaining that Z should never be refered as black cause she has a white mom or that the only reason why she's accepted in wider spaces is because she's light skin (I agree with discussions about colorism cause in my own community we struggle with views on light/darker skin complexions) but I also noticed how they also criticize Z's decision to go for white women roles saying she's only pandering to garn "simpathy" from the black community because to them she feels "more comfortable" with her white side only cause she's dating Tom taking aside how her closest friends and team are all black and how openly she's talked about growing up in Oakland and being problack. Sometimes I feel they are overly judgmental towards Z like damn if she does or damn if she doesn't. But I don't think I have any moral authority to call anyone out for that as I'm not part of the community. Have seen the discourse? What fo you think of it? Sorry for the long text tho 😔

Thanks for your ask Anon, and no worries about the length. Who am I to talk lol? 😅

Anyway.... To avoid going into some back and forth debate about this topic again on my blog (I've already discussed this a few times before), I'll just say this:

Twitter is unfortunately Twitter 😒🙄

The topics of being "black", colorism, and all of the implications in btwn all of these things regarding skin tone, historical treatment, etc. tend to be a very (how shall I say) complicated topic in African American culture 😬👀

I can't argue with what someone identifies themselves as. If Zendaya says she's "black", then she's "black" 🤷🏾‍♀️ Maybe she just feels more welcomed and embraced by those people on her "black" side?? Who knows?

With that said, I don't think we can just fully brush under the rug the difference in how some women who have two black parents, and perhaps darker skin are treated in society, vs their lighter-skinned/biracial (those with parents from two different racial groups) sisters. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Those are my views in a nutshell.

I don't wish to go into all of this again, cuz I know delving TOO deep into this topic will just cause a lot of arguments and drama in my inbox, and I'm really not up for that today....or ANY day really. 😩

All I'll say is that it's COMPLICATED. And Twitter is dumb. Also, Idk what on earth her dating Tom has anything to do with anything.... 😒🙄

If Z prefers white women roles, then let her have white women roles lol. I'm pretty sure Marie is written as "black" in the script since it was basically written for her lol. So, she doesn't just do "white women roles". Some are mad because Tashi is written as a "black woman", and some feel that Z took the place of a "real black woman" in the role of "Challengers". 🙄

Again...people are gonna complain about ANYTHING these days.

I honestly don't care. I'm happy for ANY woc who gets good roles.

I don't have to knock down Z for the roles she gets. I can still wish for great roles for my fellow darker-hued sisters in Hollywood w/out putting down Zendaya (who's more fair-skinned) in the process. JMHO 🤷🏾‍♀️

[chattingwiththelightkeeper]

It Is Time For #KinkMeToo

I wrote this in December of 2018, and it has been on my FetLife page since, the incidents I reference in this writing are from that time and are not discussing current events or anyone involved in them. I feel that recent happenings make my thoughts relevant especially as I see history repeating. So I hope you will take a moment, and give this a read, and while I know I do not have all the answers, I may not even have a correct one, we can make our community a better and safer place.

One of the greatest things, in my opinion, to occur over the last few years has been the emergence and power of the Me Too Movement. This is long overdue in the world and people need to be empowered to come forward, especially since women have been intimidated and shamed into keeping silent for so many years. As awesome and influential as the movement has been, I believe we in the kink community can and should do better. While I know I don’t have all the answers nor am I an expert I have a couple of things I believe everyone in the community must do.

First, everyone needs to support those who come forward to share their experiences. Welcome them, embrace them and make sure they are not shamed, attacked, or blamed for what happened to them. The community both online and in-person need to make sure the brave people who stand up are ensured a safe place. When someone tries retribution, the community needs to step in front of them, form a human shield, and protect them. The community needs to show its strength and protect those that come forward.

Next, if you are a leader in the community either locally or online, you cannot just ‘shun and run’. What I mean by this is when a brave person comes forward to report abuse as they did on this dark star filled night, leaders in the online community (Bloggers who are very well established, have large followings, and may even present/lead in-person events) not only verified the abuse but stepped up using their platforms to out the abuser. Which is wonderful and after this exposure, the person who committed the vile offenses disappeared but then a very odd thing happened. After leaving the community, the abuser returned, not even hiding their identity. The leaders who not only shielded the brave woman who came forward, but sounded the warning for the world, denounced this person’s return, and then washed their hands. They issued statements again about the abuse and who the abuser is then did something that just seems so wrong to me. They said we have blocked them, we urge our followers to block them if we see any of our followers reblogging them we will block those who reblog them and then went silent on the matter. That was in February of 2015 and now in the late spring of 2018, the person they stepped up to out for abuse is back, rolling on with a new cult following that is growing daily (It is now 2022 and this person is still here and active in the online community). The bloggers who stepped up to out the abuser, I imagine, were inundated with asks seeking inappropriate requests for sordid tabloid details they need not share and stones thrown at them by the minions of the outed but these leaders sadly failed the community by going silent on the matter and allowing this abuser to start over. Rather than say they will block anyone who they see following or reblogging they should make the time to reach out asking if that person is aware of this and sharing a link to one of the posts expressing what happened.

Sadly I have seen something similar happen in the in-person community. In my old neck of the woods, there was an abuser who preyed upon new submissives, and after an incident occurred the local leaders banned this person from local events and openly advised new people to the community or the area to steer clear. Just like the online case, as time passed, the abusive one was slowly dropped from conversations, warnings publicly stopped and while I do not know if he has been allowed back into the in-person community, his presence continues online without any abatement. I realize that stopping someone online may be impossible but there was again no name change on the part of the abuser and after some time the storm passed for him and it was back to life as normal.

Now in both these cases, I do not know if leaders reach out privately to people they see have contact with those who have done physical damage to offer their counsel, although I hope that is the case. What I wish the online leaders could do perhaps is maybe once a quarter simply reblog their posts about the abuse that they had originally stepped forward to report and the in-person community leaders make it a point to pull newbies or those new to the area aside to share people they know to be dangerous. I believe we all have a moral obligation to fight against abuse, never walk away from the abused, stand with them, and refuse to allow shaming, attacking, or blaming of victims. Together we can make the community better, stronger, and safer for everyone but everyone needs to stand together, not look away, not excuse, and protect the victims. We can and will make the lifestyle a better place #KinkMeToo!

As with all of my writings, please see this disclaimer.

©TLK2022

#my thoughts #KinkMeToo

[strixhaven]

You know, if there’s one thing I do miss about early 2010s tumblr and is something that I wish the broader site could have a wider, much more nuanced conversation about, it’s the openness with which people used to discuss self-harm. Early 2010s tumblr was by no means a very healthy outlet or place to talk about issues like mental health, how it manifests, how to cope with it—especially with regards to self-harm—but the shift from a deeply problematic openness and semi-romanticization to quietly adopting the predominant cultural attitude of outright silence, denial, and shame when it comes to self-harm is… more of a lateral move than anything else. For as much absolutely terrible shit that era of tumblr came with, the loss of open discussion about recovery, alternative coping mechanisms, celebrations about stopping, and encouragements that life still goes on even with self-harm as a presence in it is something that I do genuinely wish the site and people more broadly would embrace again.

I completely understand people not wanting to talk about their own experiences, though. Self-harm is often deeply tied to some of the darkest times in a person’s life, and how people navigate and feel about those times and how they relate to it is something that should be completely up to them. But in the few times I’ve seen people on the site actually broach the subject of self-harm, of living with it, of quitting, and of having it as a part of your past, it’s just an immediate barrage of people accusing them of romanticization for merely mentioning self-harm, people asking that they hide their bodies and experiences as something inherently traumatizing for everyone else to acknowledge, and overall making it very clear that this is not a struggle or a part of your life you can ever discuss openly. The readiness with which so many people will make you try to feel shame and disgust about your own body and mental health as a way to vent their own shame, denial, and disgust at themselves is unreal. It’s a whole-hearted embrace of the broader cultural narrative surrounding self-harm and mental health that seeks to keep its most ugly aspects hidden in order to pretend it’s not a problem that has to be dealt with.

Again, I do not begrudge anybody for not wanting to talk about their own experiences with self-harm, but I genuinely think this wide-scale sidelining and refusal to discuss self-harm and tumblr’s relationship with it is just as much of a problem. It is a deeply isolating and incredibly disheartening thing to have gone through, to know others have gone through, and to know that it’s something you’re likely never going to be able to bring up to other people. The greatest comfort I’ve found and the ability to make peace with my history of self-harm and scars has come from hearing other people just acknowledging their relationship to it and refusing to be shamed for what they endured, how they coped, and what they felt like they had to do to stay alive.

With the more nuanced, open discussions of the “uglier” and less-acknowledged aspects of mental health slowly becoming more common and more mainstream, the absence of self-harm from these conversations only becomes more and more noticeable, and I sincerely hope that the void it’s left is filled with the care and attention this topic deserves. With how on the rise self-harm and suicidality are amongst teens and young adults, as people who’ve lived through and with self-harm as a presence in our lives, I feel like it’s incumbent upon us to be more open and available to discuss these things so nobody else has to deal with the pain that comes from silence and shame about it.

#mb if this isn’t super incoherent and fully baked i just have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this topic #i know there’s pockets of people discussing this in much more nuanced ways but they’re often very niche and tend to get bombarded #with a lot of bad-faith bs from people who sincerely seem to believe that any acknowledgement of the existence of self-harm is inherently #harmful. and as i said i genuinely think the worst thing you can do as someone who used to self-harm is encourage that kind of shame and #silencing of people who want to be open about this subject. the isolation that comes from knowing but never being able to talk about it #is so awful man. #just something i wish people talked about more overall #cw self harm #cw discussion of self harm #cw self-harm #discussion of self-harm #long post #here’s another brick of text from me ig #bees posting