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justawritterwithideas · 1 year

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Boy Wonder and the Rockstar | s.r

✩ next part ✩

summary: Spencer and Y/N meet in college after a book search, creating a friendship where opposites attract. But Spencer has to move across the country to pursue his happiness and completely loses contact with Y/N. What if fate decides it's time to meet after 15 years and with a crazy stalker in between? Spencer won't lose to fate again and will do anything in his power to protect Y/N.

warnings: mentions of death, alcohol, drugs, strong vocabulary, as well as talk of heartbreak, disappointment and arguments. It also contains content regarding CM season 13, so it clearly contains spoilers. this is a spencer reid x famous!reader story.

this will be a small series of chapters so here are the general precautions of the series, each chapter will have its own precautions. !!!

words: 3,909 words.

a/n: hey! here alme with a little series i've been planning for a couple of weeks now. as you may know, i've been talking about the spencer reid x famous!reader relationship but as hayley williams, so i decided to set myself the challenge and write a little series called "boy wonder and the rockstar", so i hope you like it. i haven't planned how many chapters it will have yet but i don't want to make it too long, and also patience with each chapter. so, I don't want to make it longer and I'll leave you the first chapter. thank you. ♡

𝟎.𝟏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐲.

Spencer always lived under the stigma of being a child genius. His I.Q. was 187, he could read 20,000 words per minute and had an eidetic memory.

Everyone around him told him what to do, from his mother, to his "friends," to his teachers, to his neighbors.

"Hey Spencer, with that brain of yours you could make it in the government" "Spencer you could be part of NASA" "Spencer you could be a mathematical genius like Einstein!" "Spencer you're going to get into the CIA!"

"And where are you going to go to college? Because you know Harvard is already a lock for you" "I bet you'll go to YALE, that's where all the smart ones go" "Princeton is an excellent choice for you!" "MIT could open a lot of doors for you"

Spencer this, Spencer that.

But no one really thought about what Spencer wanted. Maybe he wanted to be a magician and make children happy with his tricks. Maybe he wanted to be a trapeze artist, or a fireman, or an astronaut, or just an ice cream man.

All these expectations of Spencer reached a point where he didn't even know what he wanted in life. He lived under the shadow of the expectations and visions people had placed on him, and he didn't want to let them down. He was just a kid, a kid scared of adult life who had to impose himself because others imposed it on him.

That's how his brain made him skip grades, have to enter high school at age 12, and have to suffer a lot of abuse from the grown-ups for just being a boy genius.

Spencer sometimes wished he could make his brain disappear and have a normal one. Then he could have normal friends, go to a normal school, have a relationship, experience the problems people his age have, and be able to feel the phases of adolescence like any other kid.

But things were not like that.

He had to live the life he had been dealt, with his genius brain and the damn adult problems at 13.

CalTech was a new life he had to accept, but it wasn't as bad as the one he had before. His mind was kept busy for a long period.

He was forced to grow up around books full of equations, chemical elements and mathematical problems, managing at 16 to get his first college degree, which was Mathematics, and the following year to get a PhD in it. But he did not dislike this.

But as they say it is never enough, he kept on studying until he was 21. Thanks to this, he became a doctor of two more degrees, Chemistry and Engineering, in addition to Psychology, Sociology and Criminology.

His social life at the university was not so hectic, in fact, he only stood out for the fact that he was a boy genius, and that was it. To other people, he was a person like any other.

Until one autumn day, in the middle of his 19 years and studying psychology, his paths were interrupted by crossing that of others, and that, probably, is the person who changed his life the last years of college.

It was an ordinary day in the university library. Spencer had been rereading an encyclopedia of human anatomy for two hours. Why you may wonder, well, it was his way of killing time during his free time.

Acquiring knowledge was the best way to keep his brain fed and occupied, according to the boy.

He had eaten his sandwich a couple of minutes ago and let his brain feed on information at that moment, trying to persuade his intrusive thoughts at that minute. Through the pages you could see the muscular system, focusing on the leg and foot areas.

To be honest, it looked quite interesting.

That day, leaves were beginning to fall from the trees, filling the ground with their autumn colors; there was a gentle cool breeze, a strong smell of wet dirt and people were crowded in the warmer areas of the campus. It was no surprise to anyone that the library was one of the most crowded areas, the vast majority of people were gathered around the tables as large college texts lay open on them.

Spencer was sure he had seen more than one student curse at the fact that they couldn't find what they were looking for, and then walk out of the room in exhaustion. It wasn't the first time someone had cursed his name because they found themselves reading the text they were looking for and, besides, they weren't able to approach and ask for it.

He could believe it was cowardly on their part, maybe they were too shy to be able to do it or it was an excuse to put off studying what they were looking for. Even though he considered that the The study methods they had were not very good and, if they started studying earlier, they could increase their grad-

"Excuse me."

A voice interrupted the conversation Spencer was having with himself, pushing away his intrusive thoughts that were beginning to take over his mind. The young man's head turned and he saw a girl, perhaps his age, staring at the encyclopedia in front of him.

"I asked Miss Wellington about the Rouviére and Delmas encyclopedia of human anatomy, and well..." The girl looked over Spencer's shoulder. "She told me that maybe the boy sitting at the back table had it. There are no other tables in the back and you're the only guy sitting here, so I think my deduction is correct and you have it."

"Y-yes, this is the encyclopedia you're looking for." Spencer admitted, looking at the young woman.

More than looking at her, he was admiring her. She was wearing a red skirt and hoodie with some embroidered words on it, her legs were also wearing dark leggings and some rather damaged black converses, over it she was carrying another coat and a backpack; her arms were loaded with medical and anatomy books, plus her hair was disheveled.

"Great! Must be my lucky day that a cute guy has it." Her books fell onto the table and she sat down next to Spencer.

The boy could smell the scent of tobacco and mint mixed with the scent of cherry perfume.

"May I see?" Spencer turned to look at her and, even though he was reading that book first, his head nodded. "Fine! I just want to see..." The sound of the leaves was rapid, as if a fan was moving them. "This... Nervous system."

Suddenly, and as if by magic, a notebook appeared in front of them both and quickly the girl was beginning to write on the blank sheets, even though to Spencer it looked more like a scribble than a resume as such.

"Shit, what is this?" the girl paused to read more closely. "In the central axon, the electrical signal is converted into a chemical signal, and then releases the chemical signal with chemical messengers called neur-neurotransmitters." The sound of the pencil falling on the table made the boy startle.

"Nervous system?"

"That's right, I have a lecture in three days and I'm still trying to associate concepts in the nervous system. Like my nervous system isn't nervous anymore."

Spencer chuckled to himself, the girl had a funny sense of humor.

"In fact, when the brain interprets that we are in danger, it produces a rush of adrenaline that activates the heart and muscles to place them on alert, but if prolonged, it can lead to health problems such as cardiovascular disease like heart attack and is associated with hypertension and arrhythmias and is the enhancer of other cardiovascular risk factors." Spencer turned to look at the girl, who looked quite interested in what he was saying, jotting everything down in her notebook. "But it's not that your nervous system is 'nervous', it's that it interprets that it's in danger and so it sends that kind of stimulus to your body that makes you anxious."

"I see you know about the nervous system, much more than I do." The girl scanned him from head to toe. "Are you a medical student?"

"No, CalTech doesn't have a medical degree, but I am a doctor." The boy admitted.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"Shit, and you already have a doctorate?"

"Actually I have three."

Silence stretched between the two, caused by the woman's shock.

"Are you some kind of alien or is your brain too big that it stores more information than I can retain?"

"Well, I have an IQ of 187 so I can read 20,000 words per minute, plus I have eidetic memory. But I prefer the concept of being more advanced than others."

The girl stared at him.

But to his surprise, the young woman only let out a giggle.

"You're funny, I like it." No one had ever told Spencer that he was funny. In fact, he thought that adjective didn't directly relate to him. "I'm Y/N, Y/N L/N."

"Spencer...Spencer Reid." Y/N denied.

"No, you're not Spencer."

"Excuse me?"

"You're Dr. Spencer Reid." Spencer smiled, she was right. "Well, it's nice to meet you, dr. Reid."

"Nice to meet you, Miss L/N." They both smiled.

"Well, now that I know your name, dr. Reid, we can start our friendship."

Spencer never thought making friends was so easy, even though he knew it was because the girl had gone to the trouble of calling herself his "friend," without even knowing him.

But that didn't bother him, in fact, he found it nice that someone had decided to be his friend.

Overnight, Spencer's evenings began to become more colorful, smelling of tobacco and mint, and filled with questions from Y/N, his new friend.

Although, at first, Spencer didn't seem comfortable around the girl, he quickly got used to it. He had learned several things about Y/N over the days, such as that she was a medical student at Pasadena City College, a college a couple of blocks from CalTech; she was the youngest in the family and had an older brother who had been diagnosed with leukemia a couple of years ago.

He had also learned that she was very into fashion, lived in an apartment complex nearby, smoked a couple of years ago, and only liked menthol tobacco cigarettes. Her favorite color was orange, but she didn't think it looked good on her, and she didn't see herself going to medical school, but she wanted to be a singer.

The first time Spencer heard Y/N sing was during a kermes in Pasadena City, she had been invited to sing on behalf of the medical school. Spencer never liked the idea of being around so many people, let alone at a kermes which was as unsanitary as possible, but his new "best friend" had begged him to go.

He couldn't say no.

He remembered perfectly how her hands shook with nerves, how she bit her lip as she cleared her throat and watched her bandmates, aka Y/N's other friends, rehearse with their instruments.

He knew she had practiced for this moment a bunch of times, had more than once arrived at Spencer's dorm wet from head to toe from running in the rain after a rehearsal, and hummed the songs under her breath every time they studied together in the library.

She was more than ready, but her own fears sometimes made her afraid of her talent.

Reid's eyes were on her, smiling confidently to convey that feeling as a guitar began to play the first chords, and announced the start of her performance.

Spencer didn't know what song it was, he wasn't even sure if the song was to his taste, but when he heard Y/N's voice he knew it had become his favorite song.

“Her name is Noelle

I have a dream about her, she rings my bell

I got gym class in half an hour

And, oh, how she rocks

In Keds and tube socks

But she doesn't know who I am

And she doesn't give a damn about me”

Their gaze was on each other, as if they were the only ones in that large space. The few times the eye contact was broken was when Y/N closed her eyes.

The song ended successfully and an avalanche of applause greeted Y/N, who thanked the audience for their attention. Soon another band filled the stage and for a few seconds, Spencer lost sight of Y/N. He wanted to tell her how great she had turned out, how all her effort and practice had made everything come out perfectly and that she looked like a total rockstar on stage.

"Spence! How was it, did you like it?" Y/N hugged the boy's arm, who turned to look at her with a sweet smile on his face.

"It was amazing, Y/N. Everyone loved it." Affirmed the boy.

"I was so nervous, I was so afraid it wouldn't go well, but I saw you there, and I felt like I could do it. You're my lucky charm, Spencie."

Spencer felt something jump in his chest.

"Let's get something to eat, I'm dying for some corn-dogs." Said the opposite.

"Y-yeah, let's get something to eat, my treat."

The day Spencer was accepted into the FBI academy was probably the most bittersweet day of his entire life.

At 22 years old, and in the middle of finishing his college semester for what felt like the fifth time, a letter arrived in his dorm room.

A letter of acceptance.

He could feel that all his hard work had been rewarded by whoever was up there. He quickly put on his sneakers and ran a marathon to the medical building at Pasadena City College.

His best friend's short red hair he could quickly visualize as he saw her smoking by the entrance, she seemed to be listening to something on her MP4 and bobbing her head to the beat of-who-knows-what song.

"Y/N! Y/N!" Spencer's voice sounded agitated, trying to get her best friend's attention.

The, now, redhead removed her earpiece and turned to see the tall boy running towards her.

"Spence?" From her mouth came the tobacco smoke, causing her to let the cigarette burn between her fingers.

"I made it, I got into the academy!"

The two big hazel eyes made contact with those of the girl, who dropped the cigarette to the sidewalk and hugged her friend tightly.

"I can't believe it, Spence! You did it! You did it! My goodness, I couldn't be prouder!" The younger girl began to do some jumping jacks as she didn't let go of her grip on his embrace.

"Thank you, Y/N. I couldn't have done it without you, you were the one who stuck with me through this whole process."

"You don't have to thank me, dorkie. I knew you'd make it, they couldn't leave out a genius like you." Soon they both disengaged from the embrace and the girl looked at the boy's face. "W-where is the academy? Tell me."

"I don't know, I-I didn't fully read the letter." He admitted embarrassed.

"Then read it! Go on." The girl took him by the arm and forced him to sit down on the faculty stairs.

Slowly, Spencer began to read the letter while Y/N listened intently to every word.

"The course begins on September 23rd of the current year in..." A pause.

Y/N looked at Spencer, who had stopped reading the letter.

"Where, Spence, what does it say?"

"The course begins September 23rd of the current year in Quantico, Virginia."

Y/N felt like a bucket of cold water had just been dropped on her.

Quantico? That was on the other side of the country!

"Q-quantico? Spence, that's on the other side of the-"

"Country, I know Y/N. I-I... I can't do it, I can't."

"What the fuck are you talking about!" The girl stood up startled, looking accusingly at her best friend. "No, I refuse. You have to do it, it's your dream, Spence! What you've always wanted for the last three years that I've known you, I refuse to let you back down now, I won't allow it!"

Spencer looked up from the letter, watching Y/N who was looking at him with her face burning with anger.

"You know I can't do that, what's going to happen to my mom? You know what's going on with her and her schizophrenia, I can't leave her alone."

"She would want you to go, Spence. Her happiness is where yours is, you know she'll be able to do it, there are plenty of options to help her." A long silence settled between the two of them.

Spencer didn't want to leave California, he didn't want to leave his mother or Y/N, he couldn't.

"Spencer Reid, I know what you're thinking right now, but I won't let you let this opportunity pass you by. You have dreamed of this exact moment for years, for as long as I have known you you have always wanted to go to the academy and you have done everything in your power to do so. Now they are offering it to you on a silver platter, you have to do it, there is nothing more you can do here in California. You've already studied all the existing careers in the world, you've already done what anyone in 50 years would have done and at your short 22 years you're already a doctor of three careers." The girl settled back down beside him, letting her icy hand wrap around Spencer's warm one. "You can't just limit yourself to staying here just because you have an engagement, the world has to know who Dr. Spencer Reid is like I know him, you have to go."

Spencer drew an elongated smile, feeling his body fill with that feeling of sadness that pervaded him from head to toe.

The redhead's words were true, it was his dream. But he didn't want to leave the only thing that made him happy on the other side of the country, he would love to carry it in his pocket to Virginia and have his dose of serotonin after each day.

He didn't want to stop smelling her tobacco and minty breath, the cherry smell coming off her clothes and the blueberry smell coming off her hair. He wanted to keep seeing the reddish locks of hair on his clothes and the cheesy paper notes in his pockets every time they met. He wanted to keep listening to the music on Y/N's MP4 every time he went to her apartment and drink coffee with lots of sugar that she made for him, keep hearing her voice in the shower and get biology questions at three in the morning every time she had a test.

He wanted to go to thrift stores to try on printed T-shirts and watch Y/N's camera fill up with pictures of the two of them, keep going to her shows with her band and eat frozen pizza after every gig.

He wanted to keep being with her.

But if she was letting him go, then he had to let her go too.

"I think I can go on living without hearing your bad jokes." Spencer's words lifted Y/N's spirits, who gave him a playful smile.

"Hey! My jokes are the best, last time you laughed for two hours."

"Because it was stupid."

They both laughed, letting the tension of the moment go with the last echo of their laughter.

"So you'll go across the country to make me proud?"

"Yes, I'll go make you proud."

Y/N's arms wrapped around Spencer's body, resting her head in the space of his shoulder and chin.

"I'm glad you didn't make a dumb decision."

Staying here with you isn't a dumb decision, Spencer thought.

They both pulled apart.

"Well, screw the skeleton. Let's go to the library and write your answer."

The girl's small hand imprisoned the boy's large hand, guiding him to the library to write what would be Spencer's fate.

The flight from California to Washington was five hours.

Five hours where Spencer and Y/N would be separated, and they would have to accept that fate had something different in store for the two of them.

Despite California being a sunny paradise, that day he wanted to keep the two friends company as they said goodbye at the airport.

"You already know my number, you know you can call me whenever you want." Commented the girl, who was in charge of carrying the book she had given him to read during the trip.

"I'm not such a fan of technology, you know that."

"There are pay phones over there too, Spence. It only costs a couple of cents to call me, plus they must have landlines there, and you have my email." The girl stopped in front of the door that separated goodbyes with new beginnings. "And if not, you can send me a letter. You know my address."

"A letter doesn't sound bad at all, in fact, for centuries, it was one of the most widely used means of communication by human civilizations since man began to write and whose importance transcended nations. The oldest courier service ever found was in Egypt in 2400 B.C. and in 1840, Sir Rowland Hill created the first postage stamp, which was called Penny Black, which was a profile drawing of Queen Victoria of England that had the rate 'One Penny' written on it."

"Oh Spence, I'm going to miss your fun facts about absurdly boring things." Commented the girl before she could hug him.

Spencer felt his heart clench.

"I'll miss you listening to me." They both turned in an embrace so tight it could take all the oxygen out of their bodies.

Neither wanted to be the first to say goodbye, neither was ready to leave the other. Their hearts were bound together like puzzle pieces, and just as when you lose one, the puzzle will no longer be complete.

"Now, you must go, your flight is about to leave." Y/N commented, separating from the young man as she wiped away the small tear that escaped from her eyes. "Miss me a lot, huh? And show off how pretty your best friend is."

"Always. Remember that wherever you are, whatever you do or whoever you're with, you'll always be in my heart."

A pout settled in Y/N's mouth, who felt like she was letting a part of her go with Spencer.

"Don't forget about me, because I will never forget about you." Demanded the girl, who was pushing the boy to go for his flight.

"It's impossible for me to forget you, I have an eidetic memory." He said laughing, waving goodbye as he received the book the girl handed him.

The two met in a final embrace, where Spencer could smell the girl's cherry and menthol tobacco scent for the last time.

"Write me!" Y/N vociferated, waving goodbye to the boy who nodded and disappeared behind the airport doors.

Y/N and Spencer didn't know that at that moment fate would place them on trial, causing their paths to diverge for many years until, magically, they would come together again.

“When two souls are meant to meet, fate brings worlds closer, erases distances, joins paths and defies the impossible.” Anonymous.

If you like it, don't forget to like and repost it.

a lot of love, alme. ❀

#spencer reid #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid x you #spencerreid #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfic #spencer reid x famous!reader #criminal minds fanfiction #it's my first series #almeseries

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rosellemoon · 1 month

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Well, I read Soman's post, and I have a few things to say.

First of all, fanfiction.

I'm not surprised to see another published author look down upon fanfiction, treating it as if all it's good for is providing new writers with training wheels. (Never mind the fact that writing someone else's characters is its own unique challenge!)

Fanfiction isn't just someone else's sandbox in which to hone your skills. It's expanding established lore. It's giving more voices and more life to pre-existing characters and worlds. Originality isn't just making something entirely your own, it's also putting your own spin on things, sharing your perspective through fiction that speaks to you and brings you joy on some level. Art is meant to be shared and engaged with and built upon. Art is a collaboration between you and others, and this has been the case for most of human history! I don't mean to offend, but belittling the power and importance of transformative works is just plain ignorance.

The obsession with originality can do more harm than good. Granted, I'm currently working on a novel that has a handful of inspirations yet seemingly no real comps, but that's not why I'm writing it! However, if someone does manage to find an actual comp, I won't care because I'm not writing to be original. That isn't why I write at all!

The real question writers should be asking themselves is: why do you want to be original?

Do you want to feel more special than others? Do you think being original increases your chances of notability? Do you want to go down in history as the Most Original Author of All Time™? These can be valid reasons, but let's be honest with ourselves. Honesty is good. We should embrace that more, even if it makes some of us look egomaniacal.

I'm afraid this emphasis on originality only feeds the stigma around fanfiction and ruins the true joy of writing. It's great to want to do something different because you're bored of the same plots and messages, or you don't find yourself or your perspective represented enough. But that shouldn't require you to give up the tropes or settings you love just because they're familiar.

I also want to address the common disregard for people with aphantasia like me. I don't have full-blown aphantasia, but it's enough that I can hardly visualize my own characters and worlds without external references. I've found my strength lies in "creativity outside the self," as Elaine Sturtevant put it. I'm most creative with things that don't come from within. I love mixing and matching (which especially shows in my digital collages) and seeing where that takes me.

So, fellow writers, ask yourselves: why do you write? What do you want to say? Could it be expressed through fanfiction rather than original fiction? Is being totally original more important than conveying your message/exploring creative what-ifs/simply enjoying the act of creation?

#the school for good and evil #putting this in the tag bc i feel it's important for readers of soman's blog to see this #as a reminder to NOT stress about originality!!#since i'm sure there are aspiring authors in this fandom #roselle rambles #long post

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hellyeahscarleteen · 10 months

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"For all the body positivity of our modern era, we still don’t hear many public conversations about periods. To open up spaces for clear, comprehensive discussions about menstruation and how it impacts our self-esteem often requires wrestling with centuries of stigma. In fact, it’s so off-limits that the English word “taboo” likely comes from a set of Tongan religious practices that addressed periods. In many parts of the world, people are and have long been cut off from resources and education about periods: and the more marginalized the person, the more cut off they’ve usually been. The push for greater access to period information, like using language when we talk about periods that includes everyone who can have them, has also resulted in its own backlash. So how are you supposed to cope, particularly when you’re a transmasculine person who menstruates, and especially if it’s a major source of dysphoria for you? First; if you’re reading this hoping to get some advice for yourself, take a big breath. I want you to remember that you are not alone. Let’s have an honest discussion about what periods are, some of the unique challenges that transmasculine people who menstruate can grapple with, and how to address them. What are periods, really, anyway? Do you have to have one? How do you cope with any dysphoria or other tough feelings they can bring up? What about bathrooms? What about some different words and new ways you can think about menstruation to either un-gender or re-gender it all in ways that work better for you?" This new piece from Ellis Schwamm today talks about all that and more.

#periods #trans #trans masc #trans men #menstruation #advice

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transmutationisms · 1 year

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I feel like this is likely a bat to a hornet's nest topic but I deeply respect your takes and thoughts overall a lot so here goes: I really appreciate that the show frankly goes out of its way to not pathologize its characters and lets the audience sit with them in the context of their own lives. So I'm kind of baffled that so much focus is given to "diagnosing" them in fan discussions, the vast brunt of which Kendall gets. I don't understand how you can watch this show and understand him as someone who's been heavily abused and had his reactions to being abused weaponized against him and come away being like "wow it's so cringe he acts like that, he must have a brain disease and is just too stupid to understand that. every action he takes is because he is manic/depressed/letting the disease manifest. if only he took the good moral Legal drugs that I do instead of the ontologically bad ones that are Illegal and for dirty addicts. hopefully one day he will Get Help and Receive Treatment so he will be more palatable (no whatever he's done up to this point doesn't count because it didn't work which must inherently be due to his own moral failings)." How did a show like this attract so many Reganites??

bat at a hornets' nest yes. yeah i've said before that i dislike diagnosing fictional characters as a general rule. it's tautological ("they do [x] because they have [y], and they have [y] because they do [x]") and abrogates further analysis of their motives or the meanings of their actions. and it's doubly irksome to me with succession, because unlike a lot of tv, i genuinely don't think that it's written within the weltanschauung of dsm neurobio determinism. ie, it's not a show where the answer to "why did he do that?" is ever supposed to be "his brain is just like that"—these actions are supposed to mean something about what the character wants and needs, and the effect of the capitalist milieu on those things. it's psychological, not psychiatric (& of course, psychoanalytic approaches are common in formal literary studies, whereas blunt psychiatric diagnosis is decidedly less so).

with kendall's drug use there are some particularly irritating ways this all plays out. i've been fiddling with my own reading emphasising the context of logan's demands on kendall and the construction of bourgeois masculinity, and have tried to place kendall's drug use as a response to neoliberal control mechanisms à la deleuze or foucault. i could certainly be challenged on elements of this reading, but what i see on this website is generally just an endless slog of very biomedicalised reads that seem to have no awareness of the particular historical and social baggage present in that model. i do agree there's an element of reactionary DARE-esque moralising going on here (stg if i have to read one more post written by someone who, like, has never so much as met a coke user and thinks all drugs instantaneously give you irreversible morally weighted heart damage, lmao), but it's honestly not just that.

i think most of the time when people do this they're not trying to be reactionary or regressive, and often they not only don't believe themselves to be moralising affective distress, but actually think the dsm diagnosis is the way to avoid that type of moralisation. this is essentially the "it's a discrete disease entity, so they have no control over it and can't help it, so it's not their fault" argument. in practice this fails on many levels. for one thing, it often implicitly assumes that 'ending the stigma' requires any kind of mental disability or affective distress to be treated analogously to physical disability or illness, as though those latter are not also consistently stigmatised and moralised—because ableism is actually more complex than that and has to do with the fact that capitalism values people on the basis of the 'use' it can make of them and their bodies, etc etc. it is also, again, a wildly decontextualised understanding of affective distress, the reasons why people use drugs—including in a manner that feels compulsive and out of control—and so forth.

i'll add also that wrt succession, i actually do see a LOT of pathologisation thrown at roman as well, and more than an incidental amount directed at connor, tom, shiv, and logan. which is to say, i don't think this is solely about people's discomfort with addicts. there's a broad tendency among fans, echoing the even broader social tendency, to see medical diagnosis as personally liberatory, and medicine and psychiatry as passing 'objective' judgments that are necessary in order for a person to 'get better.' this is essentially positivism and is very much a status that the medical profession has fought to obtain (in france you can trace certain 18th-century discourses on national decline, aristocratic luxury, and the corrupting influence of the city -> the birth of clinical medicine after the first revolution -> social hygiene and the pathologisation of the parisian urban poor -> the third republic's 'physician-legislators' and the general class status and professionalisation of medicine; i know less about the gory details of the american and british cases simply by dint of what i do professionally).

we tend to forget these histories when talking about science; it presents itself as a set of timeless, incontrovertible truths that are simply waiting to be uncovered, and we have entire industries of science communication and journalism that propagate this view. which is to say, circling back to succession, i don't believe that most people diagnosing and pathologising these characters are trying to be reactionary or are aware that there are reactionary and moralising elements inherently built into these discourses. i think they're largely people who have not been given the tools to see alternatives, like the perspectives dominant in the history and sociology of science, which are very much kept paywalled and inaccessible on purpose because this is profitable for the academe.

this type of popular literary analysis is simply not going to go anywhere as long as this is still the status and the moral resonance of medicine (and psychiatry by extension because it gained its professional independence without sacrificing the appeal to medico-scientific epistemological authority). i don't think succession viewers are any more or less prone to this type of thinking than the general population they exist amongst. i firmly disagree with this attitude, obviously, and like i said, i don't actually think succession is written 'psychiatrically,' which cannot be said for all tv lol. but i more or less expect to encounter this type of deference to medico-psychiatric judgments in 95% of social interactions and contexts, again because of a combination of institutional control of information, other forms of inaccessibility, and physicians' and psychiatrists' advocacy for their own class and professional interests, both historically and ongoing today.

#psychiatry

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androgynealienfemme · 8 months

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"The main justification for invalidating butch-femme is that its an imitation of heterosexual roles and, therefore, not a genuine lesbian model. One is tempted to react by saying "So what?" but the charge encompasses more than betrayal of an assumed fixed and "true" lesbian culture. Implicit in the accusation is the denial of cultural agency to lesbians, of the ability to shape and reshape symbols into new meanings of identification. Plagiarism, as the adage goes, is basic to all culture.

In the real of cultural identity, that some of the markers of a minority culture's boundaries originate in an oppressing culture is neither unusual nor particularly significant. For instance, in the United States certain kind of bead- and ribbon work are immediately recogniziable as specific to Native American cultures, wherein they serve artistic and ceremonial functions. Yet beads, trinkets, ribbons, and even certain "indian" blanket patterns were brought by Europeans, who traded them as cheap goods for land. No one argues that Indians out to give up beadwork or blanket weaving, thus ridding themselves of the oppressors symbols, because those things took on a radically different cultural meaning in the hands of Native Americans. Or consider Yiddish, one of the jewish languages. Although Yiddish is written in Hebrew characters and has its own idioms and nuances, its vocabulary is predominantly German. Those who speak German can understand Yiddish. Genocidal Germanic anti-Semitism dates back to at least the eleventh century. Yet East European Jews spoke "the oppressors language," developing in it a distinctive literary and theatrical tradition. Why is it so inconceivable that lesbians could take elements of heterosexual sex roles and remake them?

It is June 1987, and I am sitting in a workshop on "Lesbians and Gender Roles" at the annual National Women's Studies Conference. It is one of surprisingly few workshops on lesbian issues, particularly since, at a plenary session two mornings later, two thirds of the conference attendees will stand up as lesbians. Meanwhile, in this workshop the first speaker is spending half an hour on what she calls "Feminism 101," a description of heterosexual sex roles. Her point in doing this, she says, is to remind us of the origin of roles, "which are called butch and femme when lesbians engage in them." She tells us the purpose of her talk will be to prove, from her own experience, that "these roles are not fulfilling" for lesbians. She tells us that the second speaker will use lesbian novels from the 1950s to demonstrate the same thesis. And, indeed, the second speaker has a small stack of 1950s "pulp paperbacks" with her, many of them the titles that, when I discovered them in the mind-1970s, resonated for me in a way that the feminist books published by Daughters and Diana Press did not.

I consider for several minutes. I'm well versed in lesbian literature, particularly in the fifties novels, and don't doubt my ability to adequately argue an opposing view with the second presenter. I am curious to see if she will use the publisher-imposed "unhappy ending" to prove that roles make for misery. I also decide I'm willing to offer my own experience to challenge the first presenters conclusions- though I'd much rather sit with her over coffee and talk. She is in her midforties and, although she claims to have renounced it, still looks butch. Even if she speaks of roles negatively, she has been there and I want to hear her story. Then I look around me. Everyone is under thirty. There are a few vaguely butch-looking women present who'd very likely consider themselves to be as androgynous as everyone else, and not a single, even remotely femme-looking women besides myself. I recall Alice Walker's advice to "never be the only one in the room." Quietly, I get up and walk out. I go to no other lesbian presentations at the conference."

“Recollecting History, Renaming Lives: Femme Stigma and the feminist seventies and eighties" by Lyndall MacCowan, The Persistent Desire, (edited by Joan Nestle) (1992)

#the persistent desire #Lyndall MacCowan #Joan nestle #lesbian #lesbianism #butch and femme #butchfemme #butch and femme history #butch lesbian #femme lesbian #butch history #femme history #lesbian history #lesbian culture #lesbian feminism #lesbian feminist history #lgbt history #queer history

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techtow · 2 months

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Words, Quotes, and Life's Vibes: A Simple Dive into Online Wisdom

In the vast world of social media, some hashtags bring people together to share thoughts, feelings, and cool stuff. Let's explore hashtags like #Words, #Quotes, #Books, and more in a simple way.

Books and Libraries: #Books and #Libraries

These hashtags take us on adventures through old libraries and new novels. Book lovers and casual readers use them to talk about their favorite reads and the joy of getting lost in a good book.

Love and Beauty: #Love and #Beauty

These aren't just words; they're about feelings and the beautiful things around us. People online use these hashtags to share quotes about love, celebrate the beauty in the world, and talk about the connection between love and beauty.

Academic Vibes: #DarkAcademia, #LightAcademia, and #ChaosAcademia

These hashtags are like digital hangouts for folks who love learning and cool ideas. Each has its own style, inspired by books, art, and history. They create a visual feast and bring together a community of people who enjoy exploring knowledge and creativity.

Motivation and Positivity: #Motivation and #Positive

In a sometimes crazy world, these hashtags bring hope. People share quotes and stories to motivate each other and spread positive vibes. It's a supportive space encouraging resilience and optimism.

Challenges in Life: #MentalHealth and #Feminism

These hashtags talk about important stuff like mental health and gender equality. People share their experiences, helpful resources, and empowering quotes. It's about breaking stigmas, raising awareness, and supporting each other.

Vintage Vibes: #Vintage

This hashtag is all about the charm of the past. From classic books to retro styles, people use #Vintage to share things that bring back good old memories.

In conclusion, these hashtags are like a friendly chat online. They're not just trends; they're about shared experiences, creating a digital community where words become bridges connecting people on their life journeys.

#words #quotes #books #book quotes #love #beauty #dark academia #light academia #aesthetic #chaos academia #books and libraries #motivation #inspiration #vintage #relationship #feminism #mental health #positive

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system-of-a-feather · 2 months

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You know, I'm largely saying this because its a perspective that would have been super foreign to us in the past, but I honestly like to try to be someone who gives the best faith to people when I get the chance and I honestly think, at large, we have enough people in the world with high expectations and assumptions of people to just know everything or figure things out themselves that it's just not productive to those that haven't had it so easily put out for them.

I like to think that most people are dumb (affectionate), stupid (affectionate), and just honest to god confused and just need some help understanding things. And while I agree "you should do your own research and educate yourself", I like to think a lot of people do try that but due to a combination of difficulty understanding the topic and the amount of impersonal, complex language, and missinformation on topics, "educate yourself" is often easier said than done.

And I might go out on a branch and a bit of a stretch to state this, but I do think if you hammer away and expect everyone to "do your own research and educate yourself" or really oversimplify the effort of "learning things yourself" you kind of are largely putting up barriers to understanding to those with learning disabilities and unique and specialized learning needs. And if there are those barriers to understanding and denial of help without stigma, you kind of force people that struggle to learn things to be automatically labeled a "bad person" or a "bigotted person"

But a lot of people don't have resources to learn. A lot of people haven't been educated on a good and reliable way to learn. A lot of people struggle with reading. A lot of people struggle with more standard ways of "learning". A lot of people have trouble understanding social contexts that make it harder for them to navigate the social contexts of what people are saying and ulterior motives. A lot of people have little to no experience with topics related to what they are trying to learn and thus struggle to even fathom it. A lot of these social justice topics are actually very complex and confusing topics WITHOUT any unique challenges / difficulties accessing and understanding topics like these.

And it's why I very much love the "explain it to me like I'm three" statement; cause honestly, its okay to not know or understand things and I think its important to open up interest with the awareness that someone has tried and understands there is probably something they are missing, but can't connect it.

Maybe this is comes from the fact both of my parents that were actively abusive and harmful were both very "stupid" and thus very very harmful to me growing up, but in adulthood, when given the resources and time, it became very very very apparent that at no point did they ever have any moment of malice; they just never had the resources to understand or do better. Maybe it comes from working with neurodivergent kids that need things made more clear and explained to them in a unique way that is meant to help them in specific understand

Of course, this post isn't to say that people HAVE to educate others or that having these difficulties excuses harm done. It's never the victims fault that they were hurt, they never did and never do owe it to anyone to "educate them" to prevent getting hurt.

It's more so just to add some perspective, insight, and nuance to a lot of the social justice topics and a lot of the concept of "educate yourself" cause I think its important to have a lot more of a clear understanding of that in practice to actually help move everyone forward as a group

((And this is not meant to be just about neurodivergence; this is also about class, race, immigrant status, language barriers, environments, trauma and abuse histories, etc; this is a heavily intersectional post and is valid to apply to almost everyone. Learning foreign things is hard especially for certain people in certain situations. If you think it is only about one of these groups, you are missing the point; if enough people are missing the point I might follow this up when I have time))

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grouper · 16 days

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@kingdeath000 @pazithigallifreya

honestly this deserves to have its own post made because ive been wanting to talk about this stuff for a bit. a little explanation of what I've been doing recently is under the readmore.

I think we as a generation of creatives feel pretty unanimously betrayed by a lot of the decisions made by the spearheads of pop culture. we're in a space now where we are trying to distance ourselves from the past and move things in a new direction with improved values of inclusiveness, understanding, and sensitivity. This has lead to some really important contributions being made in the field of animation specifically.

At the forefront of indie animation right now we've got what is essentially an "anti-disney". Your vivziepop, the late cartoon network, adult swim, internet-based projects and netflix animated adult specials that directly tackle these issues of censorship, stigma, and challenge our ideals of past years. we are moving into a new frontier of art with the internet allowing people to create their own platforms, much like what we saw occurring with the last large technological innovation of broadcasting, and even that of the printing press.

As we move into what could be a new golden age of art and culture, we as a generation may benefit from scrutinizing and studying works of the past century and learning from them. What works, what doesn't, and what mistakes cannot afford to be made again. Those who do not study history are damned to repeat it. We stand on the shoulders of giants.

As an academic, it is my job to challenge myself and my understanding of my field. the good, the bad, the ugly. But through doing so, I hope we can carry forward what is beautiful and good and enriching for society while continuously improving our morality. And as someone who cares deeply about my work I will bring some levity into it from time to time and allow it to interest me personally.

#a little mission statement ig. hoping the bolded words make it easier to read.#yelling #🤷🏼‍♀️

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ducktracy · 3 months

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what is your most favorite form of animation in your opinion?

OHHHH WHAT A THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTION!! i love this!

the famous Eliza copout answer would be to go “ALL OF THEM”, and there is genuine truth in that! but i can’t entirely kid myself, i’m such a sucker for traditional hand-drawn animation. part of that comes from a sense of familiarity, but i really, REALLY love how inescapably human it is. there’s a human touch in every pencil stroke or brush stroke on a cel, etc., etc. i’m incredibly big on feeling a connection with the artists that made this possible, the demonstration that yes, this literal feat of magic is possible and here is someone physically doing it right now… not to say other mediums are exempt from this (which is a point i’m about to indulge in shortly), but, at least for me, i just feel the most powerful connection with traditional animation. actually getting to see the pencil lines on paper. seeing where the cel paint has maybe begun to smudge or chip with age or human error. it’s a living archive of human touch. and i love how that is able to translate in the actual product itself—not just talking about looking at relics! (which is another benefit: physical relics!!!)

BUT! i have to say that i am also a HUUUUUUUGE fan of puppetry and stop motion. the day the stigma of puppets being scary dies is the day i will be a free and joyous not-so-man.. and yes! this includes all puppets! like traditional animation, i LOOOOOVE how innately human it feels, maybe even MORESO than traditional animation. you always always always feel the human touch involved. that, and it’s just so CREATIVE! so many cool ways to make art!!! so many wonderful set designs you can have! so many creative PUPPET designs you can have! the challenge of making these characters or sets feel lifelike or, at the very least, convincing to your intent.

it’s a big reason why i love Popeye cartoons as much as i do, since they combine two of my greatest animation loves (traditional animation + physical 3D sets) and it’s truly a magical experience to see them together.

this is also where i take the time to shill Beany and Cecil. WATCH BEANY AND CECIL!!!!!!! more recordings have been recently uncovered and they’re wonderful!! reading Bob Clampett’s interview with Mike Barrier and Milt Gray and how he got emotional talking about his experience working on it made ME emotional! it’s one of the reasons why i love and resonate with his work so much, i definitely share a very similar reverence for stop motion and puppetry. tell me you don’t crack a smile watching this

youtube

and the great Frank Tashlin did stop motion of his own!! which, again, is why i love and resonate with HIS work so much too!!

youtube

BUT YES!! this is just a blip really—i love so many styles and mediums of animation for different reasons, and look forward to all the ways well be able to incorporate these various styles and techniques together. animation is such a great feat and so beautiful through its versatility; we’d get a lot more done if there were fewer arguments about what the Best way to animate is and, more accurately, how we can adapt and combine and innovate new ways to continuously reach new potential we’ve never seen before

#(with that said i still am all for more 2D films and cartoons HAHA)#prismvision007 #asks

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lollytea · 11 months

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/eating disorder mention The choice of Hunter doing ballet is fascinating, and the fact that it's still something he does when he's left stardom. While not as well known, it does come with a lot of the same pressures associated with showbiz, and the sport has a heavy association with eating disorders. But I'm not sure how much of that pressure exists if he doesn't actually perform. Which is to say, what is Hunter's relationship with ballet?

(More talk about the eating thing under the cut, that some might be uncomfortable with. Also a lot of ballet Hunter talk.)

So I tagged that other post with ED just in case, but I'd like to clarify that it's not exactly the condition that Hunter deals with.

There's a difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating and Hunter suffers from the latter. It's not a mental health issue so much as a physical condition that has resulted from having his food intake monitored for his whole life. These circumstances can lead to EDs but it's fortunately not something Hunter developed.

However, other people being so obsessed with his weight and body led to him being put on very strict and nutritionally lacking diets. Hunter isn't allowed to eat a lot so his stomach has adjusted.

Which makes it physically difficult for Hunter to immediately digest healthy sized portions once he's in a safer environment. He wants to. But every time he tries, his stomach rejects it and it comes right back up again.

So he needs to take it slow and gradual. Slightly larger portions every time until his stomach is accustomed to the new intake size. It takes a few months but he gets there.

Hunter genuinely loves eating.

Anyway on to the ballet. And like, it was absolutely forced on Hunter when he was young out of a creepy obsession to keep him slim while also training muscle so that his body will be aesthetically appealing enough when he's older.

Hunter is not built to maintain the body he currently has. His natural metabolism is insistent on a bit of chub on his bones, so he's required to push himself extra hard to burn it off.

Philip is gross, man. But he's aware that in order to monetize a teenage boy, it's in your best interest that he be at least somewhat attractive to teenage girls.

So the origins of Hunter's ballet hobby came from the same place as his disordered eating (Adults' sense of ownership over his body.) but they are not linked in that way. Like one does not contaminate the other, at least in Hunter's mind.

He doesn't perform ballet publicly, which is one source of pressure off his shoulders. However, not being public about it comes with its own set of challenges. Namely the stress of keeping it a secret.

It was Philip that decided on ballet to keep Hunter fit but he was also the one who warned him that people knowing about this could lead to severe consequences for Hunter's reputation.

There's a bit of a stigma around boys who do ballet. And Philip, a devoted christian man, doesn't want those rumors circulating about his nephew.

And his nephew, a devoted christian boy, doesn't either. Especially considering how scared Hunter is of himself and the thoughts he's caught himself having before.

(It's difficult being a religious and heavily closeted bisexual teenager in the mid 2000s. Especially considering you don't know what bisexual means and your interest in multiple genders leaves you in a perpetual and nerve wracking state of confusion.)

Anyway, Hunter is actually quite emotionally reliant on ballet. He enjoys it. Which is why the pressure is heavy to keep it a secret. If he's found out, it will be taken away from him.

The thing is Hunter is also an undiagnosed autistic kid who needs some form of motion based regulation in order to keep his emotions in check and ballet is what works best. It's like meditation for him. There's a dance studio on set and as long as he has a few hours in there alone to soothe himself, he's less likely to get fidgety and agitated or have an outburst on set.

Philip does not like to deprive of daily regulation hours, not because he cares about his mental wellbeing, but because its what keeps Hunter somewhat closer to "normal."

He does not want his nephew to be assessed for any mental disorders. It'd be shameful, especially for a boy in his position. So whatever keeps Hunter normal, the better.

So yeah, pros and cons.

Ballet is an extremely difficult and strenuous sport. It's not for the weak. Hunter was worked hard by his teachers. The lessons petered out a few years prior when his schedule got too packed but he continues to practise himself.

But he enjoys it. He really does. It helps him feel some sense of control, normalcy and stability when it feels like the world is falling apart.

I don't think he'd return to lessons after he leaves the spotlight and would much rather return to just keep teaching himself at his own pace. But yes, he continues to dance well into adulthood. And as a proud bisexual man, he no longer deals with the stress of keeping it a secret but enthusiastically mentions it as one of his hobbies if he's ever asked.

#ed tw #internalized homophobia #implied ableism #(sorry folks. lots of uncomfortable stuff happening in this au)#La La Land Machine AU

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arzuera · 5 months

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hiiiiii arzu :D

🕯️was there a fic that was really hard on you to write, or took you to a place you didn't think it would take you?

This one is a mix of both to be honest and its:

You Aren't Alone (and now you never will be)

It's not completed.

Not by a long shot.

TW: Discussion about Suicide

I decided... to challenge myself with this one in many ways. There is a lot of... fear of judgment and prejudice... or maybe someone feels their feelings are ignored when it comes to trying to ask for help when they are hurting.

There is a lot of stigma on Suicide hotline operators.

From the fear that, all they want to do is sick the cops on you or send you to an institution, to just ignoring your needs and passing you off to the next person.

While I can't say that every operator is good, I can say with certainty that most ARE. They want to help you! They want to make you feel safe and secure. You are calling them to ask for help and they want to provide it to the best of their ability!

But... people fear calling due to bad stories, their own assumptions, or just because they don't know what will happen. So I strived to try and remedy that with this fic.

Someone close to me used to work as a Suicide Hotline Operator and I have been working very closely with them to write Danny's interactions. So that way, it would be a good example for those who have never called but WANTED too, to know what would happen. How it would be like.

Because this is such a delicate topic, it's taken me a long time to write part two. It has required a lot of research and I want to do it justice. I want people to be able to ask for help if they need it and if a silly fic about Danny and Duke helps them do it then HELLS YES!

So yes.. this fic is hard to write but in the best way possible. And Its taken me places I never thought about because I never put myself in the shoes of Hotline operator and, to be honest? It's opened up my mind.

#arzuera #danny phantom #dpxdc #fanfic #ask

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gatheringbones · 2 years

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[“I do not mean to minimize the challenges of care work. Nor do I want to romanticize caregivers as saintly, self-sacrificing, feminized figures without needs of their own. Ugh! But my own experience suggests that doing care work can and does transform the lives of caretakers in positive ways. There is “care gain” just as there is disability gain. If care were integrated fully and equally into our lived realities of kinship, rather than outsourced or privatized in misogynistic, racist systems, its value would be visible. If disability were part of our collective kinship histories, rather than produced as an individual trauma for both the disabled person and the mother who has to figure out how to meet that person’s care needs alone, we would be in a better position to reimagine caretaking beyond its current racist and sexist configurations.

Too often, instead of challenging or transforming the problematic systemic dimensions of caregiving, we aspire to the false independence of masculine subjectivity, complete with that diamond-shitting dog. Our devaluing of care, of interdependence, of disability gain, and our lack of any sense of disability caregiving lineage lead not to freedom but rather to denial and ableism. This results in the perpetuation of unequal systems of care. If we deny the very need for care and care work as a natural and inevitable—and potentially positive—aspect of life, how can we possibly challenge the structural racism and sexism of care systems?

The fear of being burdened by the care of another, of having one’s hard-fought feminist freedom curtailed, and of ultimately being a burden to another shapes the fear and stigma underlying ableism. This enables white women like me to ignore and disidentify with the caregiver lineages from which we came. Missing from this is any specific history of caregiving. Instead, care looks like the abject plight of the great sea of (race unmarked) women. When faced with the care needs of family members, white cishet women are encouraged to “outsource” to BIPOC women rather than challenge their male partners to participate equally. Instead of challenging the public systems of school, work, and healthcare to include disabled people at the center rather than the margins of their funding and care structures, we retreat into the fantasy that we are somehow immune to disability.”]

jennifer natalya fink, from all our families: disability lineage and the future of kinship, 2022

#jennifer natalya fink #currently reading

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imamuffin · 2 months

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Transgender Characters in Video Games: A Shift in Representation

Let's talk about transgender characters in video games. It's a topic that's gaining more attention these days, and for good reason. The inclusion of transgender characters in games is both exciting and complex. On one hand, it's a step towards more diverse representation in an industry that has often been criticized for its lack thereof. On the other hand, there are challenges and controversies that come with it.

First off, let's acknowledge the positives. Seeing transgender characters in video games can be incredibly affirming for transgender players. Representation matters, and seeing characters who reflect your own experiences can be empowering. It helps to break down stereotypes and stigmas surrounding transgender identity. Plus, it adds depth and richness to the gaming experience, allowing players to engage with characters who have unique perspectives and stories to tell.

But it's not all rainbows and unicorns. There are negatives to consider as well. One issue is the potential for misrepresentation or tokenism. Just having a transgender character thrown into a game without proper care and attention to their story and identity can do more harm than good. It can perpetuate harmful stereotypes or reduce a character to their transgender status alone, rather than allowing them to be fully developed individuals.

So, what's the future for transgender game artists and developers, as well as transgender characters in video games? Hopefully, it's a bright one. As society becomes more accepting and understanding of transgender people, we'll hopefully see more opportunities for transgender individuals to enter and thrive in the gaming industry. Already, we're seeing more transgender game developers and artists making their mark, creating games that speak to their own experiences and identities.

Then there's the backlash from certain segments of the gaming community. Unfortunately, there are still people out there who react negatively to anything they perceive as "political correctness" or "forced diversity." They argue that including transgender characters is pandering or unnecessary. But the truth is, diversity is not a checkbox to tick off—it's a reflection of the real world, where people of all genders, sexualities, races, and backgrounds exist.

A few examples of #transgender characters in video games:

Birdo from the Mario series: Birdo, originally introduced in Super Mario Bros. 2, has been described as transgender by Nintendo of America's official website. In the game, Birdo is depicted as a recurring enemy who spits eggs and wears a bow, but is also referred to with female pronouns.

Krem from Dragon Age: Inquisition: Krem is a transgender man and a member of the Bull's Chargers, a mercenary group in the game. Krem's storyline involves navigating his gender identity within the context of the game's fantasy world.

Ellie from The Last of Us Part II: Ellie is a transgender character introduced in this highly acclaimed game. While her transgender identity is not the central focus of the game, it is revealed through subtle narrative elements and character interactions.

Cremisius "Krem" Aclassi from Dragon Age: Inquisition: Krem is a transgender man and a member of the Bull's Chargers, a mercenary group in the game. Krem's storyline involves navigating his gender identity within the context of the game's fantasy world.

Mizhena from Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear: Mizhena is a non-player character (NPC) who reveals to the player that she is transgender through dialogue. Her inclusion sparked both positive and negative reactions within the gaming community, highlighting the ongoing discussion around transgender representation in games.

These examples showcase the diverse ways in which transgender characters can be portrayed in video games, from subtle narrative elements to more explicit character arcs. Each of these characters contributes to the ongoing conversation about representation and diversity in gaming.

As for transgender characters in video games, the key is thoughtful and respectful representation. Game developers need to do their homework, consult with transgender individuals and organizations, and approach the topic with sensitivity and care. It's about more than just slapping a transgender label on a character and calling it a day—it's about creating nuanced, authentic portrayals that reflect the diversity of transgender experiences.

In conclusion, the inclusion of transgender characters in video games is a positive step towards greater representation and diversity in the gaming world. But it's not without its challenges. By approaching the topic with empathy, respect, and a commitment to authenticity, game developers can help to create a gaming landscape that is truly inclusive and reflective of the world we live in. And as more transgender individuals find their place in the gaming industry, we can look forward to even more diverse and compelling stories being told.

#im a muffin #blog #lgbtqia community #lgbtqiaplus #trans #video games #gaming #transgender #representation

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mariacallous · 1 month

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Back in 2022 at the annual Code Conference, where tech luminaries submit to onstage interviews, an audience member asked Apple CEO Tim Cook for some tech support. “I can’t send my mom certain videos,” he said; she used an Android device, which means she can't access Apple’s iMessage. Cook’s now-infamous response: “Buy your mom an iPhone.”

Cook’s remark and Apple’s recent decision to block the third-party app Beeper from bridging the Android-to-iMessage interoperability chasm are two of the many examples of allegedly monopolistic behavior cited in the US government’s antitrust suit against Apple. Central to the case is Apple’s practice of “locking in” iPhone customers by undermining competing apps, using its proprietary messaging protocol as glue, and generally making it challenging for people to switch to other phones.

Those accusations are backed up by lawyerly references to the Sherman Act. But the complaint also shows the Department of Justice crafting a cultural narrative, trying to tell a technology tale with a clear message—like an episode of the crime drama Dragnet, says antitrust expert William Kovacic, who teaches at George Washington University and King’s College, London.

The Apple antitrust lawsuit, filed Thursday by the DOJ and more than a dozen state attorneys general, claims that in addition to degrading the quality of third-party apps, Apple “affirmatively undermines the quality of rival smartphones.” Because messages sent between iPhones via Apple’s proprietary network appear in blue bubbles, but those from Android phones appear in green and are excluded from many iMessage features, Apple has signaled to consumers that rival phones are of less quality, the suit alleges.

The suit includes references to the negative cultural and emotional impact of the restrictiveness of some Apple products. It ranges beyond the typical antitrust case, in which investigators might focus on supracompetitive pricing or the conditions of corporate deals that restrict competition. The core of US antitrust cases has long been proving consumers paid higher prices as a result of anticompetitive practices. But a few key paragraphs within the 88-page filing mention the exclusion and social shaming of non-iPhone users confined inside green chat bubbles, distinguishing this case from some of the more recondite explanations of tech market competition in recent years.

“Many non-iPhone users also experience social stigma, exclusion, and blame for ‘breaking’ chats where other participants use iPhones,” the suit reads. It goes on to note that this is particularly powerful for certain demographics, like teenagers, who The Wall Street Journal reported two years ago “dread the ostracism” that comes with having an Android phone.

The DOJ argues that all of this reinforces the switching costs that Apple has baked into its phones. Apple is so dominant in the smartphone market not because its phones are necessarily better, the suit alleges, but because it has made communicating on other smartphones worse, thereby making it harder for consumers to give up their iPhones.

Legal experts say this social stigma argument will need much stronger support to hold up in court, because it doesn’t fit with traditional definitions of antitrust. “What is Apple actually precluding here? It’s almost like a coolness factor when a company successfully creates a network effect for itself, and I’ve never seen that integrated into an antitrust claim before,” says Paul Swanson, a litigation partner at Holland & Hart LLP in Denver, Colorado, who focuses on technology and antitrust. “This is going to be an interesting case for antitrust law.”

Regardless, the DOJ’s complaint builds a powerful message from the cacophony of consumer voices that have vented frustrations with iMessage’s lack of interoperability in recent years. And it’s part of a broader, democratizing theme introduced by Jonathan Kanter, the assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, says Kovacic, who previously served as chair of the Federal Trade Commission. “Kanter basically said, ‘We’re trying to make this body of law accessible to ordinary human beings and take it away from the technicians,’” Kovacic says. “Storytelling is overstated in some ways, but my sense is that a lot of work went into this filing.”

Apple has rejected the DOJ’s allegations. In an earlier statement to WIRED, Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz said that the lawsuit “threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets” and added that its products work “seamlessly” together and “protect people’s privacy and security.”

Cultural arguments about the harms of the iPhone’s stickiness will resonate with a lot of consumers, even if they end up being legally indefensible. Blue bubble vs. green bubble messaging has become a much more mainstream debate that transcends the wonky, technical underpinnings of iMessage’s protocol. Apple has also consistently boasted of iPhone and iMessage’s tight security, while seemingly denying third-party apps—such as Beeper—the ability to offer a similar level of security between iPhones and Android phones.

Apple has suggested that the design of iMessage is not anticompetitive, because iPhone users can install and use any third-party messaging app they please, as long as it’s available in the App Store. Apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Signal can all be installed on iPhones and give messages sent from users on Android or iPhone equal treatment.

The DOJ takes aim at that, too, saying that these other apps first require opt-in from consumers on both sides of a conversation because they form closed systems of their own. And the case points out that Apple hasn’t given app developers any technical means of accessing the iPhone messaging APIs that would allow SMS-like, cross-platform, “text to anyone” functions from those apps.

Swanson says he still believes Apple has been careful to take the necessary steps to legally preserve consumer choice, which is one of the fundamental principles in US antitrust law. “You probably can’t do sophisticated messaging on a T9 phone these days,” he says, referencing the predictive text system that dominated before the iPhone popularized touchscreens. “But there are plenty of other options in the market that won’t deprive you of a network effect.”

Kovacic believes that as the case continues, the DOJ will have to bring forward new evidence and arguments to stand up the cultural aspects of its suit. That could involve tapping theories of economics and the psychology of human behavior to attempt to explain why some technology consumers may unconsciously favor certain products they are emotionally attached to. More likely, he says, the DOJ will have to present contemporaneous business notes that show Apple’s anxiety about competitive apps or emerging technologies, and how the company responded in apparently dubious ways.

One way the DOJ tries to stand up its allegations is by comparing Apple to an earlier antitrust target: Microsoft. In a historic antitrust case filed in 1998, the DOJ presented evidence that Bill Gates’ company was fearful that software like the Netscape browser could weaken the market power of Windows, Kovacic says.

Steven Sinofsky, a former longtime Microsoft executive, wrote in a highly charged blog post on Saturday that he suspects many of the suit’s arguments about Apple’s products will prove to be irrelevant. “Almost all of the [DOJ-Apple] battles will end up being about the terms and conditions of contracts which is the stuff lawyers and courts are good at, and not on product design,” he wrote. “The vast majority of the settlement in the Microsoft case ended up being terms and conditions licensing Windows.”

In other words, the DOJ has shown some of its cards in this initial complaint—and told a story that will resonate with many frustrated smartphone users. But to keep the case alive the agency will have to present additional, concrete, evidence that Apple’s anxieties about its products being devalued led it to act in ways that caused actual harm. If the DOJ wants to make the case against Apple as historic as the one against Microsoft it will have to prove, as Kovacic puts it, “that the anecdotes aren’t just storytelling.”

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