#how they use their womanhood to gain power

[billysboner]

i’m sorry as a woman im imagining what it was like for miranda to be completely shunted to the side by flint the moment they arrived in nassau, to go from being her husband and friend’s equal partner in their pursuits to some “fancy bit of puritan tail”. and of course flint says he doesn’t see her that way and of course she knows she’s not a fighter and can’t join him on the walrus but god, to be stuck in that goddamn house away from literally all the action. playing nurse to her new psuedo-husband when he comes home to her on death’s door. and for all flint’s insistence that “these men are dangerous, these men will kill you, you’re safer here while i go out and do all the dirty work”, well… in walks eleanor.

#black sails #miranda barlow #miranda hamilton #eleanor guthrie #i just think WOMEN #our five sort of main female characters #eleanor max anne madi and miranda #all exist at different points on this really interesting axis #of femininity and power #how they use their womanhood to gain power #how they overcome their womanhood to gain power #idk im just thinking thoughts

[drdemonprince]

have you defined the meaning of “white woman brain” anywhere and if not, can you? /gen

Many Black and brown feminist writers have discussed this phenomenon and I encourage you to seek out a lot of writing about this subject, because there are a variety of perspectives, but to distill it, white woman fragility brain is a phenomenon that is not exclusive to either white people or to women, but is especially common among those who can weaponize white womanhood, and it consists of the following qualities:

A view of oneself as a helpless victim that is constantly in threat of being attacked, especially by strangers (even though statistically, this is not the case).

A refusal to consider oneself as capable of doing harm to others, especially a lack of consideration toward others' body autonomy or consent. (even while being highly concerned about one's own autonomy and consent).

A generally passive or passive-aggressive orientation toward the world: seeing oneself as a romantic or sexual object to be approached, but never wanting to initiate (or feeling that one never can), never feeling comfortable directly communicating displeasure or one's desires, believing that others instead must guess at it. (and then resenting people when they don't, but never expressing it).

A tendency to cry, excessively berate oneself, complain about being made to feel "unsafe," or give up when criticized or challenged, especially when challenged by people of color.

A tendency to associate a person's body type with how much of a threat they are. For example, feeling unsafe around people with penises and expecting a social space to accommodate that fear to cater to you, a fear of people who come from cultures where it's common to speak loudly, a fear of those who are large, assertive, and/or darker-skinned.

Instinctive fawning-type responses to stress, and a pattern of feigning happiness, agreeability, and ease when one is not genuinely feeling it, and expecting all other people (but especially other women) to feign happiness as well, paired with a deep-seated resentment of anyone who violates this illusion and expresses any negativity (being especially punitive toward women of color).

Instinctively "smoothing over" conflict between other people before it even begins, even when healthy conflict is necessary and not at all your business-- often performed by gossiping behind other people's backs, triangulating information when it is not yours to share, asking people to alter their behavior in order to avoid a reaction from somebody else, presenting your concerns as if they were somebody else's ("what will people think!"), tone-policing the airing of grievances, derailing hard conversations with more light-hearted topics, and excluding people who are known to be candid and assertive.

Here are some articles on elements of the phenomenon and why it is so dangerous:

Now, I single white cis women out a lot when I am describing this phenomenon, because they have the most to gain from exhibiting these qualities, but make no mistake: this is a pattern that many types of people can and do use. I have seen white trans women use white women's tears to silence critique. I have witnessed women of color being passive-aggressively derailed and silenced by a Black manager who was in a position of institutional power over them. Multiple of the women who sexually harassed me in the story linked above were not white. And LORD knows I see plenty of t boys falling back on this shit, as well as cis men from wealthy backgrounds. It's a mindset that has deep colonial roots and we all must be on the look out for it in ourselves and others, and we must be vigilant in uprooting it.

[icyg4l]

PAC: How Does Your Higher Self Define Womanhood?

Hello, beautiful people. Today marks the last post of the Women’s History Month series & one of two posts made today! I am excited to continue to create content for you guys. And I am even more grateful for the support I have received as of lately. Because of this, I will continue to post creative tarot readings. So, without further ado, please pick your pile.

Left-to-Right: (1-4)

Pile 1: Pile One, your story reminds me of the Miss Congeniality plot. Basically, Sandra Bullock plays a detective that goes undercover as a beauty pageant contestant. At first, she rejects the ideas of what it means to be a “girly girl” but eventually conforms to the standards. She viewed femininity as a sign of weakness and did not like being around other women because she felt that she had to prove herself to be tough. But she gained respect for the girls who worked in these pageants as she worked undercover because she began to acknowledge the hard work it takes to be in the pageants. By the end, she is closer to her womanhood. You have a similar story. I doubt that you’re a detective reading this but I feel as though you may have the tendency to thoroughly investigate any piece of information. To your higher self, womanhood means constantly being on the search for answers to placate the inner child wounds that lie within you. I feel like when you were younger, you may have been an outcast or a tomboy, maybe both. Because of this, you have set a lifelong quest to figure out what being a woman means to you whether it is intentional or not. Your higher self wants you to know that being a woman comes with all types of trauma, but remembering that you do not have to face it alone. You do not have to carry the burdens alone. You see, women are conditioned to be demure for the sake of keeping the peace but that’s not what works for you. Embrace the messy parts of yourself because if you don’t, life will get boring. Part of your mission is being aware of your multifaceted nature; reject conformity, embrace the abnormal, babe.

Cards Used: The Sun, 4 of Cups, 4 of Swords, 5 of Wands, Ace of Cups, The Magician, 5 of Cups, 3 of Cups, 3 of Swords.

Signs: Aquarius, Libra, Leo, Sagittarius.

extras: money getter. cash grabs. “low hanging fruit.” airhead. wallpaper. phineas and ferb. “sharon.” beetles. s.o.s. by rihanna. “tinge of an accent.” sweet. mirrors. coconut trees. hawaii. stubborn. radioactive.

Pile 2: Pile Two, there is a similar vibe that you have to Pile One, except I don’t think that you have problems with accepting your femininity. I think that you have problems with how masculines function in society. I am sensing a Lori Harvey type of energy here. This is likely related to the way that you operate when it comes to love. People tend to want to possess you so that they can show you off like a trophy. But your higher self wants you to know the difference between users and the genuine thing. I feel like you’ve developed this flighty persona to protect yourself from harm. While experiencing the many tribulations of womanhood, you have adopted the “flights over feelings” type of mindset. How has that been working out for you? No, really. Is it actually working or have you convinced yourself that it has. As a woman, your higher self thinks that womanhood is finding love in a loveless world. This isn’t necessarily about romance, but it’s just a mindset that you should adopt. It will save you from falling victim to the cycles of toxicity that plague society. It’s a cold world out here, babe but it doesn’t mean that you have to be as cold as the world. Part of your mission is forgiving yourself and those who hurt you so that you can see the beauty in the world. With this newfound sight of beauty, there comes true inner power.

Cards Used: The Devil, 7 of Discs (RX), 8 of Wands, The Hierophant, 3 of Swords, 3 of Cups, 10 of Discs, The Star, 10 of Cups (RX).

Signs: Capricorn, Cancer, Scorpio, Virgo.

extras: two can play that game. all about love by bell hooks. renegade. open arms. country music lover. tony montana. archer (2009). “logan.” phoenix rising. “marcus.” ashy. corny. cerebellum. stupendous.

Pile 3: Pile Three, your higher self defines womanhood as something that is both sweet and sour. It is something that she takes for granted but it is also something that she takes pride in. It’s a strength but also a weakness. I feel like I am talking to someone who has an ingenue/youthful spirit. I channeled the character Darla from The Little Rascals but I also channeled Charlotte from Princess and the Frog. You seem to be very in tune with your inner child and there is nothing wrong with that. Your inner child is heavily protected by the teenaged version of yourself, which seems very angry. These different versions of yourself often clash with one another, which can lead to bouts of depression and confusion. Your higher self is a woman who pours into herself through movement and self-expression. You need to channel these negative energies into creativity or else you will be stifled by your own thoughts. You honestly need to get out of your head. Your higher self feels as though there is a flip side to every coin that you get. For example, if you are having period pains, it may hurt but at least you’re not pregnant! Looking on the brighter side of life is how you can be closer to your higher self.

Cards Used: 5 of Swords, 6 of Swords, Page of Swords, Justice, 4 of Cups, Ace of Cups, Ace of Discs, 5 of Wands, The Hanged Man.

Signs: Leo, Pisces, Aries, Gemini.

extras: janet jackson. “i’m da man.” we will rock you. parties. diva. elle magazine. shapely. “how’d you figure?” honest answers only. maya angelou. glorilla. lola bunny. fatigue. body aches. deodorant. small bowls. annual. prayers. mark on the cheek. boot camp. “your highness.” shredded cheese. livelihood.

Pile 4: And last but not least, Pile Four. I feel like you are well sought after in the most lusty way possible. This has its perks, but lately, you feel like it has more cons than anything. I feel like you’re someone who always seems to feel isolated because of this. As a result, your higher self views womanhood as foreign. The amount of power that you hold as a woman is beyond explanation. There are so many ways that you can present yourself, Pile Four. I don’t think you have realized your true potential. Yes, you have gone through trauma because people assumed that you could handle the weight of the world but this means nothing to your spirit. Wake up! Don’t you realize how unique you are? Pile Four, womanhood can really only be defined by you, not by anyone else. The prioritization of yourself will help you make a name for yourself. You could be in your 20s, tired and just wanting a change. Well, your higher self wants you to know that change will come once you begin to change the narrative yourself. If you believe something about yourself that was told to you by someone else, then it means that you’re easily moldable. Being a woman means rising to the top even through the facings of opposition. You are a fighter. So the question is: when are you going to jump in the ring and fight for your sense of self, Pile Four.

Cards Used: Ace of Cups, Queen of Wands, 3 of Discs, Knight of Discs, Ten of Swords, 4 of Discs, The Hermit, Queen of Swords, 9 of Discs.

Signs: Gemini, Pisces, Cancer, Virgo.

extras: “tart.” “fresh out the shower.” burgundy. melons. net worth. SWer. dollar bills. illegal documents. molly. friendless. stoned. be your own boss. cake baker. sister, sister. wiseman. silly goose. fall. saturn.

#law of assumption #manifesting #neville goddard #tarot #tarotreading #astro notes #hoodoo #pick a card #pick a pile #divination #spirituality #tarot pac #pac reading #pick an image #pick a reading #tarot pick a card #tarotcommunity #tarotblr #tarot pull #daily tarot #tarot reading #tarot deck #Spotify

[abyssal-debonair]

“Masculinity and patriarchy are one in the same” is one of the ideological pillars of patriarchy. It frames masculinity as something that can only be affirmed via a dominance relation and renders all forms of counter-hegemonic masculinity invisible. Ceding that territory to patriarchy only serves to erase the butches, trans mascs, trans men, nonbinary people, etc. who explore and live out subversive forms of masculinity. We would be far better served by understanding masculinity as something that patriarchy attempts to capture, rather than something it inherently owns, therefore shifting our understanding of masculinity away from seeing it as a component of the enemy and towards understanding it as continuously contested territory. Patriarchy attempts to enclose masculinity, rigidly define it, tie it to domination and control, and punishes all unsanctioned expressions of it. This capture is not inherent nor is it complete. Trans and gnc people have been undermining that project since it began! Many of the positions explored above take for granted that masculinity is a real and consistently definable phenomena: invented, made material, and defined by patriarchy alone. They assume that patriarchy’s word on masculinity has been the only real word, cis men’s understanding of it the only real understanding of it, its deployment in rigid gender roles its only possible manifestation. Cis men have been at the wheels of centralized power and thus have had more means to make their own voices drown out the rest of us, but subversive masculinities have always been here, have always been a threat to the patriarchal narrative. Many also assume that when queer and trans people refer to masculinity we are always referring to a masculinity that at least gains its meaning from patriarchy. It is time to inform you that your imagination up until this point has been disastrously stifled. Certainly, popular conceptualizations of hegemonic masculinity are inherently patriarchal and gain their meaning from that system. However, it is too far to assume that trans people are always referring to the same framework of masculinity that cis men do. We create our own meaning even as we expand masculinity to the point of meaninglessness. I take testosterone and am seeking top surgery to affirm my womanhood. Glitter, dramatic eyeliner, platform boots, and extremely slutty deep-V shirts validate my sense of my masculinity as much as work boots and button-ups do. Some of us are simply not referring to patriarchal masculinity when we are doing masculinity and what we’re doing is not new. Not only is masculinity not inherently patriarchal: masculinity is not inherently anything at all! Masculinity, femininity, and all gendered terms are vibes-based only and vibes are always changing with people and context! They are not real! Their utility is in play and self-exploration and any insistence of inherent reality beyond that will itself necessarily refer to patriarchy.

read the entire essay by Lee Shevek (@butchanarchy) — she does an excellent job breaking down the problem with conflating masculinity with patriarchy, especially how that leads to vilifying masculine people who are harmed by the patriarchy.

#lee shevek #feminism #masculinity #queer #gay #lesbian #butch #trans #transgender #transmasc #trans man #ftm #transandrophobia #nonbinary #genderqueer #transfeminism #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq+ #queer anarchism #queer anarchy #anarchism #butchanarchy

[crystaldivination]

𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 .˚

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐞?

Hello beautiful souls and welcome to another intuitive pick a card reading. Today we will be looking at what’s so special about you that makes you drop-dead gorgeous. I hope to be able to bring you some delight feelings and contentment with this reading. It’s quite long so as always please let me know if this resonates with you in some way. I’d be happy to know if you enjoy my works. Likes, reblogs, comments and follows are highly appreciated. Thank you ♡︎

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© 2023 Crystaldivination | All rights reserved.

how to choose your pile. take a few deep breaths & look at each piles separately. Which pile sparks an interest in you? Which pile do you feel called out to the most or reminds you of something? Take your time and come back later to it again if you can't seem to choose.

The piles

from left -> right

Disclaimer: this is a general reading which may or may not resonate with you. Take what resonates and leave out anything that doesn't. Feel free to choose another pile if you'd like.

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄: 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐄.

La feminine mystique

Hello pile 1,

you’re so powerful. Let me tell you what I mean by that. You possess an enormous energy in you which seems to have no limit. This can be an extremely powerful force that can benefit you in the long run if you know how to use it wisely and it seems like you do. Other people often feel "intimidated" by you. They feel compelled to respect you and treat you with dignity. You attract attention without meaning to. For some of you this confidence may stem from what you’ve been through in your past. Your experiences shape and form you to be the person you are now and you know it. That’s why you’re proud of yourself, proud of the strength you’ve gained from your pain and always carry yourself with pride. You don’t let others step on your boundaries and your well-established values. Other people can sense and see this attitude coming from you even if you don’t openly express this directly. You make a statement with your presence. You subconsciously challenge other people as well especially men. You radiate an energy that’s just as bright and powerful as the sun or hot and passionate as Mars or dangerous and brooding like Pluto. You don’t sit around waiting for a prince on a white horse to come to your rescue, you dive into the challenges and face them head one. You stand up and get things done and you do it YOUR WAY. You don’t give in to anyone even if it means to hurt someone’s feelings if you truly believe in something firmly. You’re daring and sassy. You’re words might be harsh sometimes but the truth hurts so for you your bluntness just simply means that "It’s better to get hurt by the truth than to hear sugarcoating false lies". That quality of yours makes you admirable in the eyes of many although for people who is more on the traditional side (referring to the fixed gender roles of masculinity and femininity) they could see you as being too intense, overwhelming or over empowering but that’s okay because you’re not here to please or fit anyone. You know your worth and you’re not afraid to face any criticism because that’s part of life. You’re familiar with that but you couldn’t care less for you’re the one who create your own reality.

To conclude what makes you so special is your renowned sense of self and self-confidence. You believe 100% in yourself. You know what you want and know how to get that bag. You’re just a girl boss and most importantly you’re priceless. You don’t give away too much from yourself yet enough to show who you are. You represent real womanhood and stand for feminism. You’re the mysterious femme fatale who’s giving everyone weak knees. It’s giving successful business woman/entrepreneur vibe. You’re such a win overall.

[Astrology placements] Leo, Scorpio, Aries, Capricorn, Virgo, Pluto-mercury, Pluto-ascendant, Mars-asc/mc, Pluto/Mars/Neptune dom or influence

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟏 ♥︎

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐎: 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑

A supernova

Hello pile 2,

you’re well-liked for a reason. You’re charming and always outrank others with your tenderness. Your kind demeanor and attitude just make others mesmerized by you. You put others above you and never seem to really want the "prize" of being the best everyone is looking for. You surpass all superficiality of this world. Jealousy, competition or intentionally stepping on others to get to where we want is not a solution for you. You dislike that. You believe in a peaceful and harmonious world. Hostile, judgmental attitudes create a negative, pessimistic picture of the world we live in so you choose to be kind and fair. You see that relying on one’s ego and be full of greediness won’t do anyone any good. People really notice this difference in you hence most might see you as superior to others. You’re so empathetic that people can’t help but want to protect you. You’re very balanced in your way. You care for others but never forget about your own needs. You’re always so put together and professional when dealing with other yet you can relate and connect with them on a personal or emotional level as well. You just have a knack for being sociable. You’re diplomatic and gentle. Others might view you as a soft or even obedient kind of individual but you know when to stand up. For yourself and for others. This makes you admirable and respected by anyone. You very much stand for justice and righteousness. You believe everyone is the same regardless their race, status or anything society would judge a person by. You’re definitely a pacifist. People love you and most importantly they believe you. They believe in you and your power to change the world FOR THE BETTER. A world where everyone can live in peace with each other, where there is no useless competition or harmful intentions. Your picture of a beautiful place where one live harmoniously together and function together as one is a desirable wish for many who believe in togetherness and the collective.

To conclude what makes you so special is your sense of purpose. You call out for a meaning to live and exist in this world. You impress other people with your vision of a world filled with love. Love for oneself and others by being kind. And indeed people who are truly kind have the ultimate leverage. If you give without expectation of getting anything in return, you've won. The obvious benefit of being kind, honest, and loving to others is to affect positively those around us. If you respond with kindness, all the hate will be defused. You only force yourself to be bigger than the negativity. If given the choice, most of us would prefer to be in the presence of a person with a humble spirit and YOU are one. Your energy and vibe reminds me of Marilyn Monroe’s.

[Astrology placements] pisces, cancer, libra, venus-Pluto, sun-venus, moon-Jupiter, venus/sun/Jupiter dom or influence

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟐 ♥︎

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄: 𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍.

A rebel

Hello pile 3,

let me start by saying that you’re so innovative. You have the craziest ideas but they are all so forward thinking. People see you as a genius most likely. People might even call you "mad" because of your weird ideas but you probably easily prove to them about it. You’re the definition of an intellectual and knowledgeable individual. What makes you superior to other people is that you know you’re different from them and you embrace this so well. You may be proud in nature but never arrogant. Your easy-going attitude is what attract a lot of suitors. Eyes are being laid on you all the time. You’re the cool and fun sis/bro in the hood. What’s unique about you is that you create or like have a different form of expression and you know how to get your messages across using different amount of mediums or modalities. Your different perspectives makes you incredible interesting in the eyes of other people. Furthermore you’re a very good debater. You have your own visions and you’re all about evoking a revolution, changes and progressiveness. You’re most likely known for being a shock factor. Your purpose might be here to literally disrupt the system that we live in now. It's like actually you don't want to do it the same way it's been done before so you create something completely new. You might see that it’s because our evolution is changing and you feel like you're in a role or a position to bring in new strategies for a good cause. You have your own moral spine. You’re strong enough to rely on yourself and do everything on your own. You don’t need help from anyone yet you’re not scared to ask for help when you need it. It’s very admirable to have this kind of balance in you. You’re not trapped, bound or driven by your own ego. If it serves the intention for a new growth and more developed world you’re ready for everything to make it happen. You’re a warrior. You break the norms and find way to improve society like no one else does and that’s for everyone in it not just a certain percent of people. People see you as a source of inspiration. You walk your own path but never alone.

To conclude what makes you so special is your inventive skills and mind. You stand out from the crowd because you own your uniqueness and new ideas. You don’t shy away if you or your different views aren’t being well-received by others. You stay true to yourself while being understanding of them and accepting their differences and opinions. You just continue to do your own thing. It’s really giving Gen Z vibe.

[Astrology placements] Gemini, Aquarius, Sagittarius, Uranus-nn, Saturn-Pluto, Jupiter/Saturn/Uranus dom or influence

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟑 ♥︎

© 2023 crystaldivination ── all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, edit, alter, or redistribute my work. Plagiarism in any form is prohibited.

#crystaldivination #pac reading #pick a card #pick a card reading #pac #pick a pile #pick a number #pick a photo #divination #spirituality #intuitive #psychic #intuitive readings #intuitive reader #tarot reading #daily tarot #tarotdaily #tarot #free readings #free tarot #free tarot readings #tarot community #tarotblr #support readers #astrology #astrology placements #astro notes #astrology community #astrology aspects

[detransition]

I enjoy being a detrans woman. There are downsides, of course, but they're mostly about how I look.

I enjoy having experienced radical changes in my worldview and knowing I'm fallible yet capable of learning.

I enjoy having gained so much perspective on the world, on my thought processes and on my emotional processes.

I enjoy the self-knowledge.

I enjoy knowing I have always done my best to free myself, with the means and knowledge I had at the time.

I enjoy the connection to other women like me.

I enjoy contributing to the narrative we collectively build around this kind of female experience.

I enjoy being a woman.

I enjoy being the woman I am today, my personal values and choices enabled by living several years inside a male-looking cocoon in which I had the freedom to discard everything I had learned about womanhood, one thing after another.

I enjoy rejecting the patriarchal idea of womanhood.

I enjoy learning to accept loss, imperfection, and regret.

I enjoy shifting my perspective from monitoring myself and my looks to interacting with my surroundings.

I enjoy learning what it is to be an animal, a living body.

And I dare to say, I enjoy the stigma, the attempts to silence women like me, I enjoy the potential for societal change we hold in our hands because we are the ones to contradict both the new definition of womanhood and the old oppressive idea what women are supposed to be: we are trans and not-trans at the same time, we are or were dysphoric yet cis, we are "masculine" yet women. We don't fit the categories we're supposed to. We will raise questions just by existing. No one would hate us like we are hated if we didn't hold the power to change the narrative.

from terra-feminarum | thinking of detransition? you are not alone

#detrans #detransition #ftmtf #detrans ftm #detrans female #positivity #1st #actuallydetrans #actually detrans

[eatmangoesnekkid]

The most powerful being on the planet is a fully intuned sexual being; Someone who is fully intuned with their sensuality, sexuality, and thereby their ability to consciously and deliberately create.

In order to operate at a higher-than-average level, you have to release the need to judge yourself. Not judging or regretting any part of your journey, but experiencing and honoring every aspect is the secret to moving beyond a bored, shrunken sense of of self and coming into your full, phat, creative, joy-filled, sensuous, juicy aliveness so that you can create your new life narratives. Back in 2010, I left my leadership job in Atlanta and started to work 3 days a week as an art model for a professor and his students.

Calling in this well-paid position allowed me more space to spend 4-6 hours, 5 days a week in a forest alone. Spending that much alone time in a forest felt like the truth (the universe/love) was breathing me. Animating me. I would get so “high” naturally and become one with all that is, all there was, so there was less density and judgment about anything left in me, you see. You don't have to spend that much time in a forest to begin to feel how releasing judgement is a sacred keycode for living in a healthy magical existence. If the harmony feels right, allow yourself (your cells) to receive this. Judging everything on the planet as 'this is good/that is bad, this is right/that is wrong' actually takes up a lot of space in your body. However, discernment for what is true for you, is not judging but a kind of maturity.

To access the creative power that naturally and innately lives in your body, this magical divine energy that has been depressed (or pressed down into your body) and is now showing up or "manifesting" as aches and joint pain, fibroids, heavy periods, mold, candida, fibromyalgia, weight gain, rapid weight loss, overfunctioning, or addictions, is about creating more space within. Your developing spaciousness is key. What or who is taking up so much space in your body and life that you can't create new body and life narratives?

I started to sense years ago that maturing in my womanhood was not about constantly shopping, wearing dresses, overconsuming, or materialism but doing the solid meticulous real embodiment work that opens up a natural unrepressed sensuality that you and I both need in order to access our dormant pressed down divine gifts and power. When you are living in relationship to your divine energy, you no longer NEED to walk around in your human body with low-grade anxiety, low-grade depression, lack of fulfillment, constantly busy, constantly fighting and raging, or constantly running into the next thing because you are running away from yourself, your actual cells. You start to become clearly aware that you are something different from "normal" --like alien/angelic and intuition, foresight, secrets of the universe, manifestation, resilience, joy, aliveness, sexuality, and the deliberate creation come easier for us because you have accessed your real self beyond thepattern/programming. A heart opening frequency. In as much as prehistoric times, the Universe and our Ancestors passed down now forgotten stories and the lost arts of telepathy, tongues, prophecy, levitation, healing hands, etc. that some people still can not fathom are real. The beauty of this existence that we are all part of is that we can wake up those memories or realizations that life is incredibly mysterious and magical and anything is possible.

This melody of love work is intimate, mature, and takes you deep into your gorgeous body. Shadow work. Unconscious work. Breathwork. Movement. Breast care. Pussy work.

Holding gratitude for all your experiences, whatever they may be, is the first step to emotional maturity and its magical awakening. Trusting your choices eliminates the need to blame or shame another or feel victimized and allows us to actually be in the position of creator/God//supreme creator consciousness. Dare we to stop fighting and start feeling and twirling in spirals through life’s beautiful, and sometimes painful and messy initiations….and become whole and human again. --India Ame'ye, Author

[genderkoolaid]

Transandrophobia: A F.A.Q

!! Please see this updated version !!

If you find this FAQ useful and/or you want to help me out, you can donate to me here.

What is transandrophobia?

It is transphobia that targets transmasculinity. Some people also refer to it as transmisandry or anti-transmasculinity.

What are some examples of transandrophobia?

Laws blocking medical transition or puberty blockers, which come from fearmongering about "young girls ruining their bodies to become men"

The idea that AFAB trans people only transition to escape misogyny and gain male privilege

The idea that transmascs are "betraying" womanhood by transitioning, and that it would be more feminist of them to "stay women"

The erasure of transmasculine voices, history, and culture, to the point that many people do not know that transmasculine people exist, or think that transmasculine people do not face violence because they don't hear about it

Being refused important medical exams and treatment because they are only for women (such as pap smears) for transmasculine people who are legally male.

Testosterone being a protected substance which people can be fined or arrested for having without permission from a doctor.

Also see my examples of transandrophobia tag for more, and my experiences with transandrophobia tag for people's real-life accounts, and the Archive of Violence Against Transmasculine People.

Androphobia doesn't exist, though, so how can transphobia intersect with it?

The term "transandrophobia" was made to emphasize the targeting of transmasculinity, not to represent an intersection between transphobia and androphobia; the same goes for "transmisandry". Transunity theory considers misandry to be one of the "three arms of transphobia", along with misogyny and misandrogyny. All forms of transphobia view trans people as having the negative traits of masculinity/manhood and femininity/womanhood, as well as the negative trait of being unable to fit into either binary option (androgyny). This is also why transunitism uses "transmisogyny" to mean transphobia targeting transfemininity and not just as the intersection of transphobia and misogyny it was originally coined as. Alongside exorsexism/ceterophobia/nonbinaryphobia, the use of these three terms to express transphobia targeted towards different groups allows us to discuss the way different groups of trans people are perceived and treated. To quote this article, "Misandry [...] can never reliably be prevented from collapsing into transphobia." Negative traits associated with masculinity (aggression, hypersexuality, dirtiness, being a danger to vulnerable/innocent women, etc.) are used as justification to attack all kinds of trans people based on trans people as a class's unique relationship with gender, as well as intersex people's. These negative traits are also frequently used as justification for the oppression of marginalized men, who are seen as both an opponent of dominant masculinity and a threat to dominant femininity. Cis men do not need to be systematically oppressed in the same way as cis women in order for misandry/androphobia/antimasculism to be an aspect of transphobia and play a role in other forms of oppression.

Does transandrophobia mean transfems oppress transmascs?

No, not at all. Trans people cannot oppress each other for being trans; none of us have the systematic power to do that. Transfems can be transandrophobic, but that is lateral aggression. Transfems do not have any social power over transmascs. Transandrophobia is built and propagated by cis people and they are the ones who have power over us. Anyone who argues that transfems are uniquely/especially transandrophobic, that they have class privilege over transmascs, or that transmascs should separate from the wider trans community are either not arguing in good faith, or are transmisogynistic and should not be listened to.

I've heard some really bad things about the coiner of the word transandrophobia.

Firstly, the accusations at Saint were a part of a smear campaign that heavily distorted the facts to make him seem like an awful person. He also coined "transandrophobia" as an alternative to a pre-existing term, "transmisandry" - he did not create the idea nor did he start the discussion on it, merely the term now most widely used. See this explanation by doberbutts, a black trans man. But regardless of how you feel about Saint, he gets no material benefit from the use of his word. He gets no money from transandrophobia being used, it does not "support" him in any way. The word was coined in good faith to give transmascs a word to describe our experiences with specific forms of transphobia. See the "genetic" and "guilt by association" fallacies.

Why is it important to have this word?

Why is it important to have the word transmisogyny, or exorsexism/nbphobia? Those could also be grouped under "general transphobia", but it's vital that we don't because we need to understand where certain ideas come from. Bathroom bills don't just come from a general hatred of trans people - fearmongering about transfems being sexual predators is what causes them. Ignoring the transmisogyny rooted in these bathroom bills obscures the true motivation behind them. "There are only two genders" is transphobic, but it isn't based in a hatred for binary trans people - it's aimed at nonbinary people specifically. Fears about the destruction of gender come largely from nonbinary existence. Laws against transitioning do not come from fears about trans women, they come from the idea of young girls "corrupting themselves" by cutting their hair, taking testosterone, and getting affirmative surgery. By being able to point out where exactly certain transphobic ideas come from, we can better fight transphobia as a whole; that's the idea behind transunitism.

Additionally, discussing transandrophobia has helped many people (myself included) become more comfortable identifying as transmasc/trans men. Transandrophobic and antimasculist ideas are unfortunately very frequent even in queer spaces, leading many people to avoid identifying as transmasc. Speaking out about transandrophobia helps people realize that the problem exists, and heal from the damage it has caused.

This is meant to be a primer for people who dont know much about transandrophobia, to clear up common misconceptions and introduce some ideas. Please do more research into transandrophobia and the nuances of it when you can.

Further Resources:

""Transandrophobia" Primer" by nothorses

"As a transfem, what's your insight on the way transmascs are treated when talking about their experiences?" by cipheramnesia

"This is just your regular free-of-charge reminder that when people argue that transandrophobia does not exist, or that its not important enough to talk about, they are explicitly saying they don't care about sexual assault victims or victims of suicide (among other things)" by nothorses

"Transandrophobia Posts Masterpost- 2022" by transgentlemanluke

Pinned post with links to discussions about transandrophobia, baeddelism, and other issues by nothorses

"What is transandophobia actually?" by transmasc-pirate, with additions by doberbutts and psychoticallytrans

"Transandrophobic Fundamentals and the Intersections of Trans Masc Marginalization" by none-gender-left-man

"Hello, I apologise if you've already received questions like this, but can you explain why you would say that transmisandry/androphobia is distinct from misogyny?" by transfaguette

"I Am A Transwoman. I Am In The Closet. I Am Not Coming Out." by Jennifer Coates — not transandrophobia related, but a very valuable read.

This conversation between doberbutts and folly-of-alexandria on how transandrophobia differs from general transphobia and why it's important, which lists some further examples of how transandrophobia manifests in life.

Transandrophobia Explained carrd, by myself

Transmisogyny is not the intersection of transphobia and misogyny by luckyladylily

This post on misogyny, misandry, and transandrophobia by thorne1345

"tumblr can make fun of Blizzard’s Oppression Calculator all they want, that’s exactly how people act with discourse poisoned queer discussions" by cardentist

Invisible Men: FTMs and Homelessness in Toronto by the FTM Safer Shelter Project Research Team

On Hating Men (And Becoming One) by Noah Zazanis, an analysis of transmasculinity in feminism & Marxist feminst "unity theory"

#transandrophobia #m. #examples of transandrophobia #antimasculism #experiences with transandrophobia

[actiwitch]

The Gods' myths sometimes include horrific or immoral aspects. That doesn't mean we should behave as if those myths dont exist!

(A Pagan perspective)

(tw: sa, misogyny)

When we are faced with myths that no longer fit in modern moral views (such as so much SA in Greek mythology alone there's a whole Wikipedia page on it) we should not shy away! Even if we don't like or approve of it, it's a part of the Gods' history and mythos.

All mythology is written by humans, and as such is unavoidably a product of its time. The way that anyone (including modern pagans) interprets the Gods as entities, or any interaction with them, is limited within our own culture, time period, and personal beliefs. By examining both the beliefs of the present and the past, we can decide for ourselves how we see the Gods while considering the context their myths were written in.

Even within one time period or similar group of people, such as modern pagans today, interpretations of the Gods can vary widely.

Zues is a cheating rapist. He is also a powerful god of the skies, lightning, and order.

Lucifer is literally the devil. An evil liar full of sins. And yet he is enlightening, independent, and honest.

Freyja is constantly associated (some say reduced) to sex. She uses her body for her gain, and is quite canonically called a slut. At the same time, she's the goddess of women! Of female power, both in mental skill and physical strength. She leads the Valkyries.

Loki is dark and deceptive, bringer of Ragnarok-- and he's a deity of change and freedom.

And neither is wrong. In mythology, both are true.

The Gods, all their aspects, and all the texts we have of them are complicated, complex, multifaceted, and interpretive- of course, there will be various understandings within pagan practices. No one view is superior to the other. Our understandings all exist on a scale, or rather some sort of mashup, of how important and what importance we attribute to various myths and aspects of deities.

When I worshipped Hera, I did so in two 'versions'. 1. Hera as resistance against men and abuse. I found solace and connection with her in powerful womanhood and female rage. I prayed to her before attending a pro-choice rally. And 2. Hera as a symbol of deep love, power, and marriage, and commitment. I lit her candle when my partner was over or when I needed a confidence boost.

These aspects never felt conflicting to me. Separate, maybe (I certainly wasn't thinking of any cheating or abuse in mythology as overlapping with the love and commitment)- but just part of one THING. Of Hera and everything surrounding her.

To many other deities of various 'immoral' aspects, these conflicting elements aren't just both present but often integral to their presence and worship.

Lucifer is often worshipped in rebellion. In healing from oppressive Christianity and finding light and understanding in that darkness.

Freyja is sexual! One of her many aspects. (which by the way, should not be seen as immoral. looking at yall, bs tumblr feminists) There is pleasure, joy, and power to be found in reclaiming that part of women we are told is shameful.

Loki is so much at once. He is outcast and destructive, and within that he spurs necessary change and chaos. So many pagans look to her as a symbol of queerness in the broadest sense and in facing the necessary chaos of growth.

TLDR: Don't just ignore aspects of mythology that feel uncomfortable (obviously unless something like trauma is involved). There is a lot to learn both from understanding the time and context their myths were written in as well as self-reflection on how certain myths or aspects of deities fit (or don't fit) within your practice.

#pagan #deites #paganism #deities #deitywork #norse paganism #deity work #paganblr #polytheist #hellenic polytheism #heathenry #the old gods #pagan witch #mythology #witch

[autogyne-redacted]

Reframing Patriarchy.

The popular model of patriarchy asserts that all men hold power over all women and gain privilege in doing so, paying little heed to the internal dynamics and differences among men and among women.

This model is profoundly inadequate.

Gender doesn't simply exist to privilege men. It exists to facilitate a more complex division of labor and social control. And while certain men are pushed to wield power, they are not free to use it as they see fit. Like company scrip, it only works within a system that is antithetical to any real kind of freedom.

A framework I like much better starts with recognizing that gender exists within larger systems of social coercion (Leviathan, nationalism, etc) and pushes ppl into specific roles that it needs filled along gendered lines.

While this varies from system to system and over time, a non-exhaustive list of roles is:

Within manhood:

Rulers.

Enforcers (cops, managers, etc. Chauvinism and misogyny can be seen as generalized ways of "keeping ppl in their place.").

Soldiers (often conceptualized as protectors)

Workers.

Villains (the abject, the punished): nationalism benefits from both internal and external threats to energize its militarism and the system actively produces enemies both internally and externally (see prisons producing more violence, intelligence agencies pushing ppl towards terrorism internally, US foreign policy in general, etc). It also benefits from populations whose visible punishment and suffering encourages others to be complacent.

Within Womanhood:

Child rearers: biological production, the mundane labor of daycare, and wielding authority over children to shape them into useful men and women.

Workers (pink)

Supporters: doing care work, organizational work, emotional work, house work, generally doing invisibilized work to sustain others and make up for where they're weak.

Trophies/cultural objects: to be beautiful, to remain pure and unsullied by the world, to give men something to strive for, to let men vicariously engage with things they're prohibited from being themselves, etc.

The vulnerable: an objectified role, the system uses the supposed vulnerability of women to justify and catalyze violence (see: lynchings, the image of oppressed Muslim women used to justify recent wars, the figure of Helen of Troy "[launching] a thousand ships," etc.)

These roles are flexible and show up at different levels, and the ways ppl are coerced to engage with them varies massively by intersecting demographics.

white women and women of color are pushed to engage with producing and raising children in very different ways, but the role is significant across racial demographics.

A man's normative role as "head of the household" will include elements of being a ruler/enforcer even if the man in question doesn't perform these roles professionally.

People can lean into these various roles or not, but I think they're all roles that are meaningfully gendered and that some ppl are coerced into / have projected into them.

Trans people are sometimes pushed into roles based off their assignment, sometimes off their transitioned gender position, and often towards abject and fetishized positions in general.

These roles are not strictly limited by gender (eg women can be cops) but I think they are solidly *gendered* in that gender as a system exists to produce them and they tie in closely with gendered values and gendered power dynamics. EG one of the major functions of masculinity is producing a sufficient population of cops and soldiers and shitty dads, if women want to take on these roles that's allowed lots of places.

#writing #gender #patriarchy #theory #think this is going in the gender theory zine #as always I'm v curious what y'all think

[alpacahat67]

Jareth x Sarah - How It's Worse Than the Age Gap.

Now, from what I can tell, no sane person in the Tumblr Labyrinth fandom ships Jareth x Sarah. Most people who do ship it are either insanely out of the loop, or are middle-aged women who think David Bowie is hot (who could blame them.) It's not something I see that's a problem often. Because as we all grew older, we gained this thing called hindsight. And we were able to realize that, hey, maybe an immortal fae king chasing after a 16-year-old girl is... a bit creepy! This is completely valid, and I agree!

But I often think about how it's a common experience to only be hit with that realization when entering adulthood or teenage years. Why didn't we realize it sooner? And I think I have the answer.

It was about Sarah's desire for Jareth. Not Jareth's desire for Sarah. And it always has been.

Which is why people still actively pushing the ship is not only weird, but it completely negates the entire purpose of Sarah going into Jareth's labyrinth to find her baby brother! And erases all of the character growth she endured!

Now, in order to explain this, we need to take a more allegorical approach to "Labyrinth" as a whole. More specifically, "Labyrinth" as an allegory for growing up, Sarah's transition from girlhood to womanhood. Of course, many people have pointed out the allegories within the film, but we really need to dig in deep here.

"Labyrinth" is a coming-of-age film for Sarah (and, arguably, Jareth, but this isn't about him), she starts the movie as a spoiled, unlikable brat who has to leave behind her selfishness to save someone she loves. She loves all these little insignificant things at the beginning of the film, perhaps more than her brother from an audience's perspective! One look around her bedroom shows that, despite her being a teenage girl, she's stuck in her childhood.

When she wishes Toby away, she has to leave that behind. Because the labyrinth is an unforgiving place and nothing is fair, and Sarah is used to getting what she wants. Who's the person standing most in her way? Jareth. He's older, he's sexy, he's dangerous, he's charming, and he looks like the rockstars Sarah loves. He even looks like the man her mother seems to have run off with, based on the photos in her room! (I have some theories about him too but no matter.) All these factors lead to Sarah being attracted to Jareth. Because, well, what nerdy teenage girl wouldn't be!

Except, Jareth's entire purpose is to keep Sarah from reaching her goal, getting her brother back. His purpose is to, in essence, allow her to give into what she wants, to remain a kid forever. To play with her toys and costumes and "forget about the baby", if you will. At the end of the film, he practically asks for her entire livelihood and says he's asking for little because he's done so much to keep her happy. And while that may be true, he has done a lot, happiness isn't what she needs to grow or what she needs to get her brother back, so she rejects him.

Jareth is the physical embodiment of Sarah's dreams, and that is intentional! Again, going back to the allegory sense, I believe that Jareth is representative of that urge to remain young. Which is why Sarah's rejection of his advances is so crucial, and why her attraction to him is important to her character's growth.

By rejecting Jareth, Sarah is allowing herself to grow up, because she's rejecting her childish, selfish, stubborn ways.

Feeling drawn to Jareth shows Sarah being drawn to the simplicity of childhood. Yet she's growing up against her will, because it's something we all go through, and perhaps this could be represented in Toby being taken by the goblins. And when she says that Jareth has no power over her, that's when she comes to terms with growing up and becoming a woman. It's something we all do. Her past has no power over her.

And with Jareth representative of these things, it dampens how weird that age gap feels. It never focuses on Jareth's attraction to Sarah, because the character growth he experienced would have happened whether or not he loved her romantically, and he objectively is not the protagonist, we aren't supposed to like him. But if Sarah had no feelings for Jareth, she might not have ever changed. And she is also the protagonist, she's supposed to be somewhat likable by the end of the film. By not paying much attention to the adult's attraction to the minor, "Labyrinth" deals with a situation such as this one... very well, in my opinion. Even if maybe the adult never should've reciprocated in the first place.

...All of this is why I find it more weird than others when I see ship content of these two, I think, even with Sarah aged up as an adult. By creating a universe where Sarah never went after Toby or stayed with Jareth, one is... practically killing all her growth throughout the movie. Allowing her to remain selfish and ignorant. Which would be letting Jareth "win" in a sense. Hence why Jareth x Sarah is worse than just the age gap.

#this was written on sweet tea and a dream sorry if it makes no sense #you get it right? #ramblings #labyrinth #labyrinth 1986 #jareth the goblin king #sarah williams

[fromtheboundlesssea]

So I came up with a wild idea that is probably not original and am too lazy to check to see if anyone else has thought about it.

But what if, while conquering the realms, Aegon also took extra “wives” to better connect his kingdoms? He does not take a Durrandon wife though as the marriage between Argella and Orys proceeds with canon.

Will I eventually do something with it? I have no idea.

Aegon I Targaryen (27)

Aegon is a rather solitary man, with his only friend being his bastard half-brother Orys Baratheon. While a great warrior, he views fighting as a necessity rather than a source of entertainment and never participates in tourneys. Although he wished to remain faithful to his sisters, he understood that marrying women of his kingdoms would bring stability to his reign—especially since he is yet to have an heir.

Visenya Targaryen (29)

Visenya is known to be a stern woman who does not yield easily to the follies of womanhood. She is considered to be an unforgiving woman, however if a person has gained her trust, she becomes fiercely protective. She is considered to be the true power behind Aegon’s throne and her brother’s most trusted advisor.

Rhaenys Targaryen (26)

Rhaenys is the more openly kindhearted amongst her siblings. However, she has an impulsive nature that leads to some jealousy once other wives are deemed necessary to uniting the realm. She is a lover of the arts and when she isn’t riding her dragons, she is spending time with her husband or composing songs or poetry.

Lelia Lannister (35)

Leila is the widowed older sister of the last Lannister King of the Rock. She is pragmatic and has a head for politics. She is often in the company of Visenya, helping advise her on the culture of Westeros and how best to use it to their political advantage as Aegon begins his duties as king over the entire continent. She is unable to have children.

Jeyne Arryn (34)

Jeyne is the aunt of the last King of the Mountain and the Vale. She is a very serious woman who is rather pragmatic about the effects a forced subjugation of a country can be. She rarely smiled and tends to keep to herself and only seems to respect her husband and his first wife.

Alarra Stark (27)

Alarra is the younger sister of the last King in the North. She tends to the weirwood sapling she brought from the North and is attuned to the old gods. Alarra is a pleasant woman who enjoys songs and it is believed that she is a greenseer. She has a more neutral stance within the family, but spends much of her time with Rhaenys.

Asha Greyjoy (26)

Asha is the niece of Harren the Black and a great fighter in her own right. She is in charge of the protection of the royal family as Visenya sets up a guard to attend to those matters. She is rather solemn and prefers to spend her time in the training yard where she occasionally spars with her husband and Orys Baratheon. In truth, she has no interest in men and only seeks the adventurous opportunities being the wife of the king can provide.

Elinor Tyrell (19)

Elinor is the daughter of the new Lord of Highgarden. She is a confident young woman sent to help her family rise higher than they are now. She has always known she was destined for more, being the wife of the king and possible mother to his future heir is exactly the thing she needs to attain the destiny she longs for. She spends much of her time with Rhaenys, although it is more so both women can keep an eye on one another.

Celia Tully (17)

Celia is the youngest daughter of the new Lord Paramount of the Trident. She is the youngest of King Aegon’s wives and is seen as a more neutral party and passes along messages to the other prominent ladies of court. She is often called “the littlest sister” by the other wives and even occasionally her husband. Celia has little interest in politics or the so called “baby race” and prefers to curl up in the vast library and read.

#a king should never sit easy #aegon i targaryen #visenya targaryen #rhaenys targaryen #lelia lannister #jeyne arryn #alarra stark #asha greyjoy #elinor tyrell #celia tully

[doberbutts]

Jfc the transmasc vs transfem privelege disk horse is just like... so divorced from reality.

Let me break it down for the folks coming at you wanting to play oppression olympics: In situations where *everyone is respectful of trans people and affirming* on a macro scale trans men hold power over trans women. On a micro scale the power people hold over each other varies wildly due to the fact that a) there is no monoculture and b) intersectionality exists. This is also true of gender politics for cis people. Individual women can have power and privilege over individual men. The broad sociological statements of men having privilege over women - all men, cis and trans - were *always* meant to be interpreted in a macro (and often theoretical) context. This privilege can absolutely manifest on a micro level but it is far more complicated because intersectionality fundamentally alters the state if the status being observed. E.g. Black manhood is fundamentally different from white manhood in a way where the blackness or whiteness cannot be separately from gender. Effectively, 'black man' is a different gender from 'white man'.

When it comes to being trans the bulk of society views us as *gender failures* regardless of our asab. Our (perceived) asab determines *how* society at a macro scale treats us as gender failures. We are simultaneously viewed as failing the gender assigned to us at birth, and the one we adopted - but the way in which we are perceived to be failing depends on if we are talking about agab or our actual genders. That is: we are viewed as failures of our "real" genders (agab) by failing to enact them, and failures of our trans genders by failing to be cis. The primary failure that most cis people are concerned with is the failure of our agab.

Thus trans women do not gain male privilege (since they are viewed as failing at manhood), but trans men can be subjected to misogyny (since they are viewed as failing at womanhood). Because of the way cis manhood and cis womanhood are regulated trans women are viewed as "irredeemable" (they have tainted themselves with womanhood and thus may not return to manhood), but trans men are viewed as "redeemable" provided they have not gained enough masculine features to one day return as a sex/reproductive object (that is, a feminine cis woman).

Tl;dr: being trans alters your gender irrevocably. Trans men are men but they are not *cis* men and to assume the functions of male privelege work the same for trans men as they do cis men is frankly divorced from reality. The reality is our cissexist, misogynistic society taken at a macro scale is interested in teans people inasmuch as we can be sex objects, and in the case of afab teans people, reproductive objects. If we cannot provide an adequate level of 'use' (existing as a sex object for trans women, availability to detransition into a sex/reproductive object for trans men) then they want to kill us allllll lmaaaoo.

P.s. it is widely accepted that applying privilege as a sociological/gender theory concept is insanely complicated and requires a lot of thought, care, and an eye toward intersectionality. These concepts were created primarily to be applied at a macro level - largely to instigate data driven policy and social change.

Source: listening to PoC and having a master's degree in sociology. I worked primarily in microsociology doing theory and ethnography in sociology of play. The gender stuff I've gone over here is either a) pretty grad student 101 type stuff, or me fitting the widely accepted facts about trans people (e.g. large chunks of the population want to kill us) into that framework.

For the record I am white, nonbinary (sorta bigendered - bothneither) and consider myself currently transmasc.

P.p.s. I've been following Jaz for years and years. Anyone who thinks he is transmisogynistic based on a rigid and narrow application of theory well divorced from its source... well if you think that, you're high lol.

Apologies for misspellings and typos - wrote this shit on my phone and I am Old.

Mystery anon DM me I wanna hug you so bad I think everyone needs to read this and then read it again

Also wanted to add: trans men, trans women, and nonbinary people are not all direct opposites of each other!!! We share more than we don't!!! Saying "trans people in this direction experience X" does not mean that any other trans person inherently does not!!! Many times we do all experience the same fucking shit and the biggest difference is how it looks from the outside rather than whether or not it actually fucking happens!!! "Trans men are subjected to misogyny unless they are perfectly stealth and passing, and honestly sometimes even then" does not mean "so other trans people aren't"!!! It was a complete sentence from the start and other folks just tacked on the extra words!!!

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Thoughts on Barbie - Feminism, Power Fantasies, Isekai, & Existentialism - SPOILERS!

I really like how the feminism in Barbie is actually kept simplistic. I don’t think the feminism in it needs to be super layered to make for an excellent and engaging movie, especially due to how Barbie the Movie, itself, is structured.

Of course the feminism presented in it is rather simplistic in nature. This makes sense since this is Stereotypical Barbie’s first exposure to feminist ideology and thoughts. She was a doll with a very childlike understanding of how the world works and functions. This also makes sense, since the Barbies in general are all toys geared at young girls. Their world is a reflection of the fluffy promises and hopes that we, as adults, feed to young children (especially girls). This idea that they can be anything and do anything.

But the reality is much more messy and complicated than that. We see the Barbies (and Kens) beginning to understand this towards the end of the movie - after they have all been “touched” by the Real World. They have engaged with Gloria and Sasha and the CEO of Mattel and so on and so forth. There is now no instant change in ideology (like what we see happen when Ken brings over patriarchy to Barbie Land), instead, we see the sort of social change that happens in the Real World - slow moving and made in small intervals. But, at the same time, we see Stereotypical Barbie and Ken working through more complex ideas and emotions surrounding feminist thoughts and ideologies. 

I also feel like it was less the feminism itself that makes the movie stand out in a way, but the way they present it. They don’t hide it behind a dark and grim story, they don’t have it being presented just generally to the audience or subtlety hinted at - instead the movie is bright and colorful and silly - and we have two older women (Gloria and Ruth) guiding younger women (Sasha and the Barbies) through the ups and downs of womanhood. Right, Sasha is a teen girl in the Real World who is starting to understand more and more of life’s complexities, but still missing some of the time and experience that can add more nuance and understanding to many areas of life. While Barbie is like a young adult woman - a college girl that is just getting ready to graduate and really head out into the actual Real World. 

So it’s all about being able to relate (whether in a big way or a small way) to the shared experiences that are being depicted on the screen. It’s a movie created by a woman specifically for women (and yes, that includes trans women - the Youtuber, Kat Blaque, who is a trans woman, did a review of Barbie where she talked about the trans rep and how they got it right - I’ll link her video below). It is speaking directly to us women. All of us.

Which also gets me into thinking about power fantasies, isekai (and reverse isekai) a genre that is about “normal human ends up in a fantasy land,” with the reverse being that a fantasy being (usually of some high power or standing) ending up in the normal human world, and how men and women tend to play into these narratives. 

Many power fantasties that we see tend to involve men - even the ones aimed at women - such as the take I’ve seen of how “teen girl x immortal (usually male) being” in YA novels is about girls seeing themselves in a place of emotional power over men. Superhero narratives are all about normal people gaining superhuman powers - usually in a way that makes them physically stronger - and these all tend to play into male power fantasies and gazes, even when the superhero is a woman. Even if they may touch on feminist ideologies, the way the power fantasy element is handled is still very different from what we see here in Barbie.

In Barbie, we follow Stereotypical Barbie. She is like that ordinary human. Nothing about her really stands out and she doesn’t have any amazing job. That being said, there are elements about her existence that we, as humans, would find to be almost superhuman or advantages over us - never aging, never dying, being able to float from the top of your house right into your car, etc. But, Stereotypical Barbie herself, like within her own world, doesn’t hold any kind of power or high standing. Her journey into the Real World is essentially a reverse isekai. 

In the end, Barbie chooses to stay in the Real World and become a human. She chooses the more flawed existence over the more perfected one (or seemingly perfected one anyway). And I think it is the moments that touch on this aspect of Barbie’s journey which is what makes the movie so special to so many women. Not necessarily the Feminism 101 aspect, which is just an element to Barbie’s journey into womanhood. It’s Barbie seeing the elderly lady next to her on the bench and seeing the beauty in her. It is Barbie meeting Sasha and Gloria and learning from them about how hard life is for women in the Real World still. It is Barbie’s talks with Ruth. Quiet and introspective and filled with a soft patience that comes with age and life. And it is Barbie seeing and experiencing all of these things and then choosing to become human and live in the Real World.

Not because of men. Not because of romance. Not because of any sort of power fantasy that engages in a male gaze and perspective. But because of the women she has met in the Real World. The connections she made with them and the hopes, dreams, and feelings of all girls and women in the Real World.

That’s the moment that makes Barbie so special. That’s the moment that really makes everyone in the theater feel connected, especially the other women and girls present there. That moment is what made the movie for me. The culmination of Barbie’s exploration of existentialists ideologies through a purposefully and specifically woman focused lens. 

#Barbie #Barbie the Movie #Barbie spoilers #Barbie 2023 #Barbie 2023 spoilers #Barbie meta #thoughts post #long post #feminism #isekai #reverse iseaki #power fantasy #existentialism

[wakandamama]

Speculations for S2 of Blue Eye Samurai.

I think that the topic of exotic-ism or how (and Fowler may influence this with his evil but correct ass) Mizu may use her "spectacle" of being a Japanese woman in Europe to gain information and proximity to the last two white men in order to enact her revenge .This may also lead to her re-embracing traditional expressions of femininity. The whiplash Mizu is gonna experience when she gets to Europe and all they see is her Japanese-ness and femininity whereas back in her home county the world only saw her whiteness/ "impurity" and masculinity (for the sake of her survival and privilege to actual travel/train since she clearly still identify personally as a woman). That's gonna cause some trauma, but we've seen that Mizu is willing to personally suffer to obtain her satisfaction, even if she loses some of herself or discovers more about herself in the process.

I think it would be interesting if Mizu meets visible brown women who have to play at a whole different level of performance to obtain basic access to their womanhood (that they usually can't even enjoy or vary in expression without being taken advantage of with no sympathy or condemned as too manly and locked away from a vitial part of their identity due to white supremacy and colonlism) whereas due to exoticism and the fetishizing of East Asian in this historical context (and let me honest even in modern times it's gross) Mizu could just present as a woman to access proximity to their spaces with these colonial (so at the time powerful) white men in order to take them down.

#blue eye samurai

[softeningmyheart]

Hello and welcome. My name's Rachel. I made this blog because I'm interested in learning more about Islam. I feel called to Islam, but my heart is still torn because of fear and bad circumstances. So please be patient with me as I learn and grow. Insha Allah I will gain the courage and willpower I need to overcome all barriers between me and Allah.

I am not yet Muslim though. I have not taken my shahada. Please do not pressure me to grow faster than I am ready. I will take it when I am ready, when I am able to live a muslim life and exist within a muslim community. I have many barriers in my living situation and in my habits that keep me from being openly muslim or doing things like salah. Rather than judging me, please keep me in your prayers so that I might overcome these circumstances and be free to pursue faith as I choose.

I ask that men, please do not DM me. I am not comfortable with talking to men in private at this stage in my journey. I do not wish to invite any more negative temptations into my life than already exists. Muslim women however, please feel free to reach out. I am all by myself in my journey right now and I hope that will find friendship and sisterhood that will help me grow into a better person.

If you want to know why I'm interested in Islam, there's a few reasons.

Firstly, I feel abandoned by western feminism and I seek real and true sisterhood, without compromise. It feels like Muslimah are the only ones who truly understand what sisterhood is supposed to be, rather than just using it as a means to fuel her own ego and wealth at the expense of others. I feel like I have been encouraged to make myself vulnerable and unprotected for those with the worst intentions.

I have been taught that I am wrong for feeling violated by the exposure of my chest and my hair and I must learn to enjoy being objectified. I have lost all faith in western feminism to help women at all. Western feminists will never look after me or come to save me. It is every woman for herself, so long as she is sufficiently naked and consumerist.

All this, in the name of making a point for a movement that does nothing to actually help women in the worst situations. So for this reason, Islamic ideas of womanhood and the rights of women are highly appealing. Islam gives me the right to gatekeep my beauty. Islam gives me the right to protect myself from the predatory eyes of evil men. Islam tells me that I do not need makeup, or fast fashion, or plastic surgery, in order to be a woman because I was made exactly how I am meant to be by Allah. In Islamic feminist thought, I feel truly protected and liberated from the male gaze.

Some struggle to want the hijab. I struggle because circumstance will not allow me to veil myself. Hijab is a beautiful gift to protect women.

Another reason is because it is fully compatible with my own experiences of the supernatural, as a former neo-pagan and occultist. Through following these paths I saw some of the worst of humanity and I've experienced first hand how these things are not only real, but dangerous. Nothing I ever contacted or indulged in ever felt anything like Allah. No other spirit ever offered me guidance, respect, or protection like Allah.

I will not go much more in depth, because I know I should not project my sins, but I feel it is important to explain my background so you can understand where I am coming to Islam from. I was not a Christian, nor a Jew, nor a Buddhist. I was raised new age, I bounced between polytheist practices that led me down the dark path of the occult and Satanic. Now Allah has blessed me with a change of heart. I hope Allah will forgive me for what I did in ignorance. It is a long road ahead for me, but there is nothing beyond the power of Allah.

So that is why I feel called. There are many reasons, but here are a few of my thoughts on the matter. I have a very complicated life situation and a very complicated relationship with faith. I pray only that my heart be softened, my gaze turned to the straight path, and that the right doors will open to lead me toward truth and goodness in a state of flow and ease. I wish only to be a good person, live a good life, know community, know love, and know spiritual fulfillment. Please pray for me so that the right doors will open for me and lead me into a virtuous life.

#islam #muslim #muslimah #revert #islamic #convert to islam #muslim revert #muslim women #interested in islam #learning about islam