#neurodivergent/having (at least one) learning disability. so i wanted to put it here in the au. its important to me. also. quietly

[sualne]

Mr 0 and Miss All Sunday investigate.

(timeline)

#one piece #nico robin #sir crocodile #monkey d luffy #crocodad au #my art #my comic #described in alt text #ive finished it!! :'DD this comic was about how no matter the universe luffy just cant read. i love how easily it is to read luffy as bein #neurodivergent/having (at least one) learning disability. so i wanted to put it here in the au. its important to me. also. quietly #establishing a few things for later. meheh

[neon-moon-beam]

Addressing Ableism In The Submas Fandom And Its Impact Again

The fact that I know multiple neurodivergent people who have bad feelings arise from seeing any content, including official, of Warden Ingo due to an influx people turning the Submas fandom into an ableist playground in the wake of PLA speaks volumes.

Before I continue, I want to stress: I am not calling anyone in particular out.

Unknowingly making ableist content does not make you a bad person. Everyone still has things to learn, everyone has room for change and growth. Self-education and critical thinking are very important here (and everywhere). A desire to correct a mistake, change, and grow from it is better all around than digging your heels in and refusing to budge or listen.

I am not responsible for bad faith interpretations or other potential misinterpretations of me addressing these issues that have personally affected friends, acquaintances, and myself, should people choose to make these interpretations.

I am also not responsible for the reading comprehension or critical thinking skills of others. If you don’t read the entire post and choose to be reactionary towards it, including making assumptions about what was said or putting words in my mouth, I am not at fault.

Bl*nkshippers are not welcome on my content.

I can't begin to forgive the contingency of the fandom that made neurodivergent people feel unwelcome and alienated in their own space, and made them wonder if other Submas fans, or even people in general, even see them as human.

Given that it’s widely accepted that Ingo and Emmet are autistic-coded characters, the fandom could have been a safer and enjoyable space for neurodivergent (but especially autistic) people. It could have even been a refuge for people upset by the uncertainty we were left with due to PLA being incomplete. Instead, a large contingency of fans took one look at Submas and went "how sad/unhinged/angsty can I make the train blorbos?" and decided disability, trauma, and mental illness were acceptable to use as props.

To the people who have been doing things along these lines (but with especially Emmet!);  this tells neurodivergent people that you think they're unhinged, will hurt others if given an opening to do so, and portraying Ingo and/or Emmet as never having been human, turned into something nonhuman (as in Submas is singled out as nonhuman, and NOT in something like a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon AU or other AU where everyone is not human), or otherwise being not in control of their own actions is telling neurodivergent people that you don't even see them as human. And yes, you can be sending this message even if you yourself are neurodivergent!

Because of all this, I now know multiple people who do not want to see any content involving Warden Ingo, or PLA at all due to the negative association from the fandom, and even some who have stopped engaging with Submas in varying degrees.

I've made it very clear in other posts that I don't like how fandom is on tumblr for many reasons and that I do not consider myself part of the Submas fandom. But the Submas fandom has further turned me off to fandom as a whole, and I currently do not wish to engage with PLA content outside of making reassurance posts compiling evidence Ingo will or has gone home.

My roommate barely posts Submas art anymore because the pervasive ableism got to be too much. This is saying something considering she’s the author of the Submas primer many people, probably including many of those making ableist content, reblogged. She’s also the author of a post detailing Submas as autistic-coded characters. She’s been alienated from a community that she had provided a ton of research for! Please think about that for a second.

Other people don’t want to see Submas interacting with certain characters ever again (namely Volo), because of the ableist content created around their interactions, or even ships.

And if you’ve been around since at least PLA, you may have noticed that there are a few people who frequently posted about Submas as well as the ableism, who haven’t engaged with Submas content in a long time.

Fandom shouldn’t become an alienating or even hostile space for people who just want wholesome or comforting content, or simply want to see characters they like or even find representation in NOT being treated as ableist puppets or being so ooc with angst and ableism they’ve essentially become the artist or writer’s OCs. But unfortunately that's the track the Submas fandom seems to frequently head down in the wake of PLA.

If you’d like more info about the ableism that has been going on in Submas fan content, there is a list of posts here, but this is by no means exhaustive.

This is a post I previously referenced in one of my posts about the ableism about the issue of making Emmet violent and traumatized for entertainment purposes and why it’s problematic to use trauma as a prop.

And here is a post I made (with my roommate’s addition) addressing the issue of people thinking ableist portrayals aren’t harmful or don’t have an impact on real people.

And if you’re going to continue to make ableist content of Submas (or any other fandom) without any regard as to how your work impacts others, then there isn’t much anyone can do. But don’t be surprised if people choose not to engage with you or your content.

Thank you for your consideration.

#Submas #Ingo #Emmet #Ingo Pokemon #Emmet Pokemon #Warden Ingo #cw: ableism #I am really worried about tagging this as always but the issue is still prevalent #And I'm tired of friends feeling like they can't engage with content they would normally want to #And it especially bothers me that friends have told me they feel dehumanized by fan works for Submas that isn't right for anyone AT ALL #and just in case someone wants to attack me over this? you'll be blocked and messages or replies etc deleted #also I'm by NO MEANS an authority on Submas or ableism here...I can advocate but do not ask me to vet your work for you #you need to do your own research with multiple sources vs asking one person to vet your work

[torchickentacos]

Banging my head against the wall. This post is for people whose learning disabilities and neurodivergencies actually affect their ability to read!!!! Some people really don't understand how frustrating it is. This site is full of people to whom reading comes easily and naturally, often far better than others. I want to try and outline to people who can read well that even intelligent people (who are otherwise at least competent with words) can struggle with reading.

Imagine you've read a sentence, and you know what every individual word in it means. You know each word. But when you try to put it together, the words lose meaning. They're all puzzle pieces you can't fit together. Take this sentence from my textbook-A specific type of e-business is e-commerce, which is the process of conducting buy and sell transactions on an electronic network such as the Internet. I imagine for most people, this is just a regular sentence you can read and understand in one or two fell swoops. The words flow and make sense.

Here's how I read it. "A specific type of e-business-" ok, I have to note that this is specifically E-business. Thing one to remember. "-is e-commerce, which is the process-" Okay, so E-commerce is a type of e business and a process. Thing 2. "-process of conducting buy and sell transactions-" It's not buying and selling, it's CONDUCTING buying and selling. This trips me up- is it the act of buying and selling in itself? Conducting makes me think it's the action of facilitating buying and selling rather than buying and selling itself. A conductor doesn't play music, they facilitate others' ability to play it. However, I doubt the test needs me to get into the weeds of the definition that precisely, so we'll put that aside for now. Thing 3, note for later. "-on an electronic network such as the internet." Ok, so just online, I guess.

For each side note, I had to go back to the beginning and reread the sentence. So, having broken it down, the sentence comes down to this in my brain- "E-commerce is buying and selling things online. It is a type of e-business."

Okay. That was one sentence that we broke down to be more processing/ADHD/whatever else friendly. Do you see how it might be difficult, with how some of our brains work, to read full passages? Especially when your ADHD has you reading it ten times over and not once does it actually load in your brain? It's not fucking processing no matter what you do, and when it DOES process, it comes with a thousand little steps you need to break it down into. Reading is like disassembling and then reassembling furniture to me. It takes a lot of time and it's just frustrating and it makes me feel stupid, even though I'm more than capable to understand the actual content being provided to me.

I'm not illiterate. The issue is not a lack of intelligence or capability. Writing comes easily to me, in many ways. I have no issue with word output. Words make sense to me and come naturally when I'm trying to let them out, but the input just doesn't work. Do you understand how stupid this makes a lot of us feel? Knowing how long it can take for us to read individual passages while our peers just somehow get everything on the first go? It's hard. Incredibly intelligent people (of which I'm not calling myself one, to be clear) can- and constantly are- affected by processing disorders, ADHD, dyslexia, and so many other things that can severely impact how easy or rather, how difficult reading is.

It says absolutely nothing about someone's intelligence at all, and it's ableist to think otherwise.

#ok to rb #3:13 am and i'm pissed off. mostly at myself. lmao #taylor's tag #adhd #might delete later but rbs are still fine!!!

[these-written-reveries]

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[the-pjo-analyst]

Chapter 6 - I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom

Theme of the day: Expectation

I know that this has been said a lot in the fandom over the years, but I really do love how the foundations of the pjo universe is based in inclusivity and representation. I can excuse the lack of racial and lgbtqia+ representation in the first series because it’s all about giving neurodivergent kids and those with learning disabilities a platform. Like how often do you come across media that explicitly gives that kind of representation? And because it has that foundation, it’s so easy to include other types of representation in later books. Riordan isn’t like certain narrow minded authors that lash out at fans for asking for inclusivity, because he actually listens! and puts his money where his mouth is! He’s not perfect by all needs, but at least he tries and uses his platform to let minorities have their own voice.

Anyway, time to get to the chapter at hand lol.

Y’know with how many campers come and go CHB, you’d think they’d explain to newcomers that they’re demigods like as soon as they get there lmao. Chiron even said there’s a whole orientation video but didn’t have Percy watch it because it would’ve been insufficient with how little he knew, but like..... he never got a proper explanation of everything sjkdfdfj. Everyone kept dancing around the particular piece of information, but no one has flat out said, hey Percy you’re a demigod and here’s what that means and this is what the camp is for. It honestly kinda irks me how dismissive Chiron and Annabeth are? In that why don’t you already know our customs and how things work here already kind of way? Really just Chiron tbh, I can understand Annabeth since she’s so young yet has been at the camp for longer than most, so she’s probably just Tired and Annoyed lol, and it’s also not her job to explain all this stuff to Percy ahem CHIRON.

There’s a lot of expectation that comes up in this chapter! I think the biggest ones are the campers’ expectations of Percy as the New Kid who also defeated the Big Bad Minotaur, and also vice versa with Percy’s expectations of the campers. Obviously in the two days that Percy was unconscious, rumors were going wild about him. Clarisse also alluded to how the campers were talking about Percy maybe being a child of the Big Three. They probably expected someone a little grander than this scrawny twelve year old kid lol. And then there’s also Annabeth’s own expectations of Percy thinking that he’s the guy who’ll finally take her on a quest. But whereas the other campers likely lower their expectations significantly after meeting/seeing Percy, I don’t think Annabeth ever truly does. As soon as they have a moment alone, she says you have to do better than that. Sure, she might look down on him at first but I think that’s just how Annabeth is as a child of Athena lol. Like Chiron, she will always expect more from Percy.

I want to take a moment to talk about Grover, because like Percy, most people don’t expect much from him. He is a scrawny kid also, a late bloomer for satyr standards, and has Big Dreams for that Tiny Body but not showing much potential for it. But! he has a few people that will still believe in him, like with Percy. It’s always important to have those handful of people around you who believe in you when the world tries to tell you that you’re not enough <3

Now onto Percy’s expectations of the campers and this new world he’s found himself in. I’m not sure if he actually has expectations since he’s being bombarded with so much information, but he frequently compares CHB with what he’d expect regular camps to be, which is to say he finds everything to be strange lol. He’s like uh sword fights?? what is the forest stocked with?? doesn’t it rain?? why are perfectly good cabins empty?? He’s still just a mass of confusion lmao. But it’s interesting how as soon as he finds out who the campers are children of, he immediately makes assumptions about them: Hermes is the god of thieves, so maybe shouldn’t leave personal belongings just lying around in the cabin; children of Ares are Brutes and Ugly. The former is completely valid lol, but as the series progresses, we’ll find that first impressions and who someone has as a godly parent isn’t everything, like with Luke and Clarisse.

An interesting thing that came up relating to expectation is Chiron’s wish. I don’t think he expected basically becoming immortal for thousands of years when he asked to be a teacher for “as long as humanity needed him.” These things always come with loop holes don’t they. I can only assume that as long as the gods are around having demigod children that humanity will need Chiron, which is basically like eternity, and that’s such a wild concept to wrap your head around as a mortal that I don’t think Chiron really knew what he was signing up for. Like here’s young Chiron thinking wow! I have the option to do the thing I love for a really long time! And then bam he has to watch the people he teaches die horrible deaths for millennia.

Small things:

Can I get an F in the chat for Grover having to be middle school aged for 6 years 😔

If there’s one small wish I had for the tv show casting, it’s for Annabeth to be taller than Percy, because I really love that dynamic between them in the first few books. But that’s such a low priority for casting LMAO

Percy really has that childlike lack of tact lol

I really feel for Percy when he met Cabin 11, like that would also be me, trying to make a good first impression but instead almost falling on my face sjdkfhsdjf

Percy also really has a tiny body just filled with pure Spite

Previous: Chapter 5 - I Play Pinochle with a Horse  

Next: Chapter 7 - My Dinner Goes Up in Smoke

#percy jackson #annabeth chase #chiron #clarisse la rue #grover underwood #pjo #percy jackson and the olympians #the lightning thief #pjo analysis #pjo meta #tlt analysis

[j-g-day]

Your Mandatory RTO Policy Is Illogical and Harmful

First, a note.

This is intended for those organizations who espouse the importance of DEI initiatives, of modernization, of work-life balance, and of progressive work policies. If your organization doesn’t fall into that list, or if you’re in a field where working onsite is a necessity for your job, this does not pertain to you. There are always exceptions.

If, however, you’re an executive, a business owner, or a board member within an organization that claims to care about employee wellbeing and diversity, equity, and inclusion, and if you insist on a return to office (RTO), then this is very much for you.

You may find yourself arguing that we need to return to the office for one or more of the following reasons:

It increases collaboration

It increases productivity

It strengthens workplace relationships

You get the “water cooler” conversations

Here’s the thing: the first three of those four arguments have mixed research. It’s easy to focus in on the pieces of research that support your point of view; confirmation bias is alive and well among all of us, myself included. To that end, I won’t say that it’s completely incorrect to make the first three statements; however, it’s silly to state that it is always, or even mostly, true.

The last argument, as many millennials and Gen Zers can tell you, is just as easily accomplished online. We grew up in the age of chat rooms, AIM, and social media. We’re familiar and comfortable with building online connections; many of us have close friends that we met through social media or some other online platform. It’s not imperative to be in person for these connections to develop, much as some who read this would like to pretend it is. We have slack, teams, zoom — the list goes on. The want for in-person connection with coworkers isn’t necessarily mutual. Incidentally, when was the last time anyone actually had a meaningful or innovative conversation at a water cooler?

Aside from the unfounded arguments that typically punctuate RTO policies, they’re also incredibly harmful for myriad groups of individuals.

Black, Indigenous, and PoC employees need a break.

Numerous BIPOC writers have already written about this at length, and they are all far more informed, both from personal and professional experience, than I, a white individual, will ever be. To that end, here are several articles for your learning:

Black employees will thrive with remote work — it’s anti-racist

BIPOC employees fight to continue remote work. Here’s why

I’m Black. Remote Work Has Been Great for My Mental Health.

Why Hybrid, Remote & Flexible Work Appeals Even More to BIPOC Employees

Why Many Women of Color Don’t Want to Return to the Office

Women, people of color happier working from home

The Psychological Safety of Black Employees

It’s ableist AF.

This should really be self-evident. Look at your office. Is it really completely ADA compliant? Is a wheelchair user able to move about the entire office freely and without issue? Are all of the desks adjustable so employees can change the height as they need? Does your office ensure that neurodivergent employees feel fully comfortable in their environment, whatever that may mean for them?

Employees with disabilities have been requesting remote work options since long before the pandemic hit. It’s nothing new for them, and it’s not just because a pandemic happened to impact our entire world. Why, though?

It’s simple, really. We all have very specific needs and accommodations that an office space is highly unlikely to meet, especially when there is more than one person with a disability in an office. To put into perspective, there are now roughly 42.5 million Americans, or 13 percent of the population, that have a disability. That means more than 1 in 10 employees in your workplace likely have (or have had) at least one disability. There are many of us who have several; comorbidities are, frustratingly, a common occurrence.

I can definitively say I’ve never worked in an office setting where every accommodation I might need for my body and my mind were available; that’d be a lot to expect, after all. But I can find everything I need in the safety of my own home, and I don’t have coworkers asking me why I’m doubled over in pain or why I’m not eating lunch with them at that new restaurant. And I’m not alone in this experience.

As one of the three cofounders of a disability employee resource group (ERG), I’ve met so many other individuals across our place of work that also live with a disability (or two, or three) or care for someone with a disability. It is already exhausting having to go through life with a disability; we’re asking for the bare minimum from employers when we say we need flexible working options.

LGBTQIA+ Folx Are Tired of Masking.

Believe it or not, we do bring our whole selves to work. That includes who we love. Speak with an individual who’s queer, and they’ll likely have a story or two about feeling uncomfortable at work — that they were or are afraid to bring up their identity as a queer person, even in passing. This is especially so for those who are of the older generations. Until recently, it was technically legal to discriminate against a queer individual in the workplace.

I’m bisexual. It’s not something that comes up in daily conversation, especially at work. I’m lucky in that my partner is a cisgender man. I can very easily pass as heterosexual if and when I need to, and that allows me a certain comfort that others don’t necessarily have access to. When we arrive at work, we do not know who’s against us outside of work. We don’t know who opposed, or continues to oppose, marriage equality. We don’t know who believes trans people deserve less respect. We don’t know who we can trust. Because of that, many individuals of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum find it easier — and safer — to mask, or to assume an affectation so they can get through the workday. Data from 2014 shows that this number was as high as 53 percent.

When we’re able to work from home, we have more ability to decide who we want to come out to. For individuals who are trans, this is even more important. It’s given them space to rediscover their selves and to feel safe in their place of work.

Parents are juggling two (or more) jobs.

This is a section where, at least currently, I have no lived experience and therefore am providing a list of resources from parents about their desire for flexible working arrangements. A few common themes have emerged, however, across articles and social posts: more flexibility to handle childcare, less strain on finances, and more time to bond with family.

Married to the job no more: Craving flexibility, parents are quitting to get it

How Parents Feel About Remote and Hybrid Work Being Here to Stay

Fully Remote Work Is Better than Hybrid Work for Parents

Why Hybrid Models Level the Playing Field for Working Parents

Women want remote work, too.

We, as women, face numerous issues at work that men typically don’t. I can tell you firsthand that in the past ten or so years of working, I’ve had more incidents than I can count of sexual harassment by different male coworkers and managers. I’ve also unfortunately faced workplace bullying from a few women in managerial positions over the years — it felt like these woman, though thankfully few in number, had some level of internalized misogyny that resulted in their lashing out at more inexperienced female employees. And I’m not alone in these experiences of sexual harassment or bullying.

This isn’t to say that women are the only ones who experience these issues; individuals of any gender can and do have these experiences. Women, however, are more likely than men to undergo this treatment — and have it happen to them much more frequently.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t speak about the physical, mental, and emotional stress women go through due to our menstrual cycles. Whether it’s awful period pains, endometriosis, or the dreaded menopausal transition, we’re sometimes handling pain that to others would be unbearable — all while going to work and acting like we’re not wanting to scream.

We need a break. We need a space to feel safe from those who would try to harm us. Many of us have had those “crying in the bathroom stall at work” moments, and we’re tired of it. These issues aren’t just going to go away overnight, so at the very least, give us a reprieve.

Working from home can be more ecofriendly.

Your job to reduce your carbon footprint is not done just because you drive a Prius to work. Honestly, that’s the bare minimum. Employees who work from home typically have a smaller carbon footprint than those who commute. According to a recent study by Cornell and Microsoft, it can be up to 54 percent lower than their commuting peers. We don’t all have access to sustainable transport options, either. While some of us live in cities where public transportation is semi-functional, 45 percent of our country doesn’t have access to public transportation.

A note for those who will, inevitably, argue.

First and foremost, the groups about whom I’ve written are not monoliths. They are groups of individuals who all have diverse opinions and experiences, and this includes how they view returning to the office. Some thrive in an office space and love to be around their coworkers. Some are perfectly content with returning to the office either full-time or on a hybrid schedule. There’s nothing wrong at all with that.

What is unacceptable, however, is forcing all employees to return to the office simply because an executive or a board insists on it. RTO mandates say nothing about employees’ productivity or diligence and everything about these executives. Those in positions of power who are adamant in their stance that returning to the office is required have the need to maintain control over their employees, are unable to adapt to change or to see another perspective, and/or are benefiting from the commercial real estate industry — I really can think of no other reason, try as I might.

If you’re going to require employees return to the office, regardless of if it’s five days a week or two, you must have a rational thought behind it. Otherwise, you’re going to run out of candidates. Plenty of other workplaces have embraced this new world, and they’re seeing a massive flow of incoming applications because of it.

So, ditch the mandatory RTO policy. Embrace flexibility. Because we the employees are ready for it.

I originally published this writing on Medium. Follow me there today.

#business #rto #return to office #remote work #working from home #wfh #opinion #writing

[healinghamster]

spoonie summer, the trip and self-validation

alienation, depression and queerness is something i also wanted to talk about.

i have felt alienated practically my whole life due multiple reasons: i am queer, i am disabled, i am asian (was raised in a predominately white country), i am trans and i am weird, i am a weirdo/ref /j in general.

i know now the reasons for these feelings, but as a child it was pretty hard to deal with them so i am still healing and searching for a way to healthily process everything.

the way i experience things are different; despite my friends being queer we are queer in different ways; i am lost when i have to explain why i need to go to sleep and miss all the fun because i am in pain - it feels so childish (i know it's not) and insignificant. i am so used to not putting myself first that me just existing creates this whole cloud of thoughts i would probably be better off without. i am struggling with saying i experience dysphoria and that's why i am upset in public sometimes; i am struggling with expressing that my attraction to even men is not from a cishet perspective. i struggle with communication in general as a neurodivergent person and explaining these things is sometimes very very hard.

i felt bad about it for some reason; like it was my fault for being different and having sifferent experiences and i have to *try harder* to fit in. and one thing i learnt on this trip is that i have all the rights to be myself and people are actually accepting me for who i am, with no conditions.

learning to be in the moment without feeling "happy" but still embracing the moment the best way i can. self-validating myself through tarot readings turned out to be very important and a powerful way to make myself instantly feel better. i learnt so much about myself and my relationships on this trip that i really really needed to journal it at least here

#hamjournal #healing #positivity blog

[catboyantichrist]

Hi there! Can you please do relationship headcanons of a gender neutral MC with autism and ADHD dating the seven brothers? I’d love to see more positive writing of a neurodivergent MC and how each of the brothers would love and respect them regardless of their disabilities. Feel free to do this if you want to. If not, that’s ok! Have a great day! 😁👍🌷🌹🌺🌸🌼🌻🌷🌹🌻🌼🌸🌺

This ask literally made me squeal- my neurodivergent ass is gonna have way too much fun with this- LMAO Just a warning, I'm basing this mainly off of my personal experiences (I have ADHD and am possibly getting tested for atypical autism in the future.). Ill try to be as broad as possible but I'd just like to give a heads up.

Just know that if you don't relate to this post or something in it, that doesn't mean you aren't valid! Everyone experiences neurodivergencey differently ^^

☆The Brothers Dating A GN!MC With Autism & ADHD☆

Day-to-day life has always been a struggle. As it feels like no human truly understands why you function the way you do. From bosses, to teachers, to neurotypical friends. Life can feel draining and like a chore when you're living in a world that doesn't function the way you do.

Then your world literally changes. You're in the devildom now. Most people would be terrified that they're living in a house full of demons. But you weren't. You felt like you finally belonged, and eventually you finally found love. Something that people assumed you'd never be able to find. Well jokes on them because your lover treats you with so much respect and kindness, and of course you do the same. This is some of what your lover does that just makes your heart spin:

Lucifer:

-Much to your dismay, before Lucifer started to get to know you he was similar to the humans you've encountered in the past. This doesn't last long though as one of the brothers (most likely Leviathan or Mammon) try to explain. He begins to go a bit easier on you, and also falls for you.

-When you guys start dating, he makes it his goal to help make your day-to-day life easier. Dare I say, he takes pride in it. (Hahahah aren't I funny?)

-He notices how you need a schedule to function, but how much you hate schedules. So with your permission, he makes a loose schedule and follows it WITH you. It simultaneously helps you function more than usual, and it helps Lucifer take breaks when he needs to.

-You two begin to do everything together, as doing stuff together and holding each other accountable is a lot easier than doing it alone

-If someone ever dares to make a rude comment about you Lucifer will um... "take care of them".

-If you ever get overstimulated from the environment you're in, Lucifer keeps his office wide open as a quiet place for you. He keeps a weighted blanket, some headphones and any stim toys you usually use in a corner of his office. If you're not comfortable with them out in the open he'll keep them in a special box somewhere in his office that others can't get into.

Mammon:

-Executive Dysfunction gang! The both of you are relieved that you understand each other and some dumbass wont just go "jUsT gEt Up aNd dO iT!"

-If you guys are struggling with it at different times, you'll try to help each other do small tasks that require very limited effort so that one of you don't get overwhelmed and stressed out. If its a particularly difficult day, you'll just stay there to support the other if they want that.

-If both of you are struggling that day, you do nothing ✨together✨ and just vibe with each others company.

-This man brings you shiny things. They don't even have to be worth anything, they're just shiny. You proceed to do the same. You two now have a designated spot for shiny things you bring each other. If you have an interest in art, you and him will probably end up using the shiny objects as art projects.

-A LOT of impulse shopping. You guys enable each other. Although you quickly realize that you impulse shop for each other. Every second day you end up bringing each other gifts and laughing about it after.

Leviathan:

-Y'know that arm thing two neurodivergent people do when they find out that the other person is neurodivergent? Yeah you two did that. And still continue to do that. It's your greeting now.

-You two spend tons of time either cuddling and talking about your special interests together, or both of you are pacing around Levi's room talking about your special interests together.

-And if you end up having the same special interest?? Oh man the serotonin you two both get just being AROUND each other.

-If you have a hard time around tons of people (in general or just at certain times) he's more than willing to share his room with you and for you two to do online school together. I mean hey, doing school by yourself online is difficult. (Even if it's more comfortable for you both)

-Will he get you a matching pair of noise cancelling headphones if you have auditory sensory issues, or if you just like the pressure on your head. (I don't know if that's a neurodivergent thing but I will wear my headphones just so that I feel some sort of pressure on my head)

-You both communicate what you need, and whether you need alone time or not. Making sure not to trigger any form of rejection sensitivity dysphoria for eachother.

Satan:

-If you were one of those neurodivergent kids that spent all of their time in the library, going through books like wildfire in middle school, get ready for that to be reignited.

-You two will read together all the time, and if you're having a day where you're more fidgety and don't wanna stay still, Satan is more than happy reading to you while you pace around.

-Satan has a natural curiosity, and loves to learn about anything that he doesn't already know about. So if you have a special interest about your own neurodivergency, he is more than happy to listen to you ramble about your life experiences and symptoms.

-Honestly, it doesn't even have to be about neurodivergency, Satan is happy to listen and learn about anything you're interested currently.

-If you aren't big on physical affection from humans or, well... humanoid people, that's perfectly fine! That's what animals are for! He'll take you to a cat cafe and will enjoy spending time with the animals with you.

-Similar to Lucifer, if anyone makes a comment about the way you act, they wont live to see another day. Unlike Lucifer, the demons who say these comments don't even finish their sentence. They're dead before MC blinks.

Asmodeus:

-When Asmodeus finds out that you have sensory issues that affect what you wear, he decides to hand-make clothes with fabrics of your choice. He has no issue with you prioritizing comfort over appearance, but if you want to put effort into your appearance and texture is stopping you, he's more than happy to design some stuff for you.

-Asmodeus has always been a touchy person, but if you aren't comfortable with that he'd never force you to cuddle. If you are interested in physical affection one of his favourite things to do is put makeup on your face, or just touch your face.

-Speaking of which, if you ever impulsively cut your hair whether it be from breakdown, normal impulsivity, or sensory issues with your hair being longer. He'll always help you cut your hair. He wants to make sure that once you cut it, you wont regret it the next day.

-Depending on whether you like going outside or not (or if its depending on the day) he's more than happy to take you to the fall! He'll make sure you're always comfortable and if you need the attention diverted from you if you need a break!

-If you don't like going outside, Asmo will dedicate certain nights for just you two to hang out. He can always energy match you. Hyperactive? Oh he's right there with you bouncing of the walls. Calmer? He doesn't mind just vibing with you. Comfort? Oh you've come to the right guy.

-Asmodeus is very emotionally intelligent, it may have originally been for the wrong purposes (charming others) but now he can use it to help you work through issues with socializing with others, past traumas from other people, he'll always do his best to support you as long as you'd do the same for him!

Beelzebub:

-Beel is always well meaning, but whether you're neurodivergent or neurotypical, communication is key with him. So, if you're unintentionally blunt to neurotypical people, that's exactly what Beel needs and wants. He knows you don't mean it out of harm, you're just trying to state your boundaries.

-Do you need a weighted blanket? This man will become the weighted blanket. He wants to make sure you're comfortable at all times!

-If you have trouble eating, Beel is here to help. If you take meds for ADHD and they make you lose your appetite, or just general forgetfulness, he'll remind you to have at least some sort of small snack throughout the day. Nothing too filling, just enough so that you aren't running on zero food throughout the day.

-All the go-to and comfort foods that you had in the human world? Beel would make it his MISSION to get them, and TONS of it too. It's the only food in the house he wont eat because he knows how important it is to you. He will tear up a bit if you offer to share though.

-If you're in a hyperactive mood, or anxious, Beel will convince you to do some light exercise with him to help calm you down

Belphegor:

-If you have trouble sleeping, Belphie will definitely try and help. Ranging from cuddling, aroma therapy, getting Beel to do exercise with you. To more magical means (if you're comfortable with it) like sleeping powder.

-If you just have a different internal clock than the average person, that's fine too! It may be permanent but that's okay- Belphie will sleep at any time with you.

-Isn't generally a social person so if you're not that big of a fan of social interaction you don't have to worry. Belphie would even do online school with you!

-He would let you use his pillows and blankets to stim if that's something you're interested in. He'd also listen to you ramble about your interests while doing so! As long as you don't mind him talking about the stars afterwards.

-Definitely the most blunt out of his brothers, so communication wouldn't be an issue between you two. If his bluntness is a bit too harsh for you he'll try to tone it down a bit, but it would probably just end up as him trying to explain the reasoning behind the bluntness and how it's not out of harm.

#neurodivergent!MC obey me #obey me #obey me headcanons #obey me imagines #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me shall we date #obey me x reader

[gonuclear]

i'm gonna pop off with a horribly unpopular opinion that i've probably already talked about on here before, but it's been wearing on me more for a couple of weeks now.

for as long as i've been watching anime (which is, on and off, about 13 years) i've seen the dub vs sub debate. i've seen people who only watch subbed anime, who demonize people for watching dubs, and who really couldn't care less either way. i've seen people rant for what seems like hours on end on why dubs are awful and you should only be watching subs. and i get it. if you prefer subbed anime that's awesome! more power to you, dude. but what has been pissing me off so much for all that time is the lack of recognition by people who claim to despise dubs and all those who watch them.

they don't recognize the dedication that's put into adapting and dubbing anime, how hard it is to translate jokes and culture for an audience that's a literal ocean away. yes of course there are bad dubs (hello, 4kids) and there are bad scripts and bad actors, but on the whole dubs have come leaps and bounds from where they were even a decade ago. (and if you'd like to learn more about how translations work i'd recommend this video.) i can understand people who come from a "well i watched one awful dub 10 years ago and i haven't wanted to watch them since" (my mom was in that category for a long time) standpoint, but even then you're closing yourself off to a whole other aspect of this medium that you love. i myself have certain preferences for sub or dub voices (i like itadori's sub voice a bit more, but i've grown used to the dub in my rewatches since it first aired), but i stay open to the possibility that another voice could be better. i mean, i'm waiting with bated breath for the dub of the second cour of haikyuu season 4 because i have a very specific idea of what the characters should sound like, but i'm open to whatever comes out of it. and that's what a lot of this boils down to—openness. i'm not telling you to go out and watch only dubs from now on, your preference is your preference, but at least try to meet people who watch them halfway when they say they enjoy dubs.

another thing proclaimed dub haters don't realize is the accessibility aspect of dubbed anime. not only does it make anime accessible to a younger audience for shows like pokemon or naruto, but it also makes anime accessible to people that might have dyslexia or (like me) audio processing disorders, adhd, autism, or other neurodivergencies. i remember seeing a tiktok about a month ago that said dub and sub watchers should unite against people who watch dubs with captions, and i genuinely almost burst into tears. i almost wanted to comment that i have to watch captions (obviously the ones that match the dub) in certain situations because i literally can't hear what's being said. there's always been a problem in the anime community with rampant ableism and the way it contributes to gatekeeping. to a certain extent i know that people may not intend for their comments to be taken this way, but to someone who's disabled it can feel like their own chosen community is purposefully pushing them out over something they can't control. i've seen so many nasty jokes against people's "excuses" for not watching subs, and it's honestly so disheartening and sickening to see the way that fans are treated.

i know there are always going to be assholes that rail against dubs and the people that enjoy them, but if you're one of those people i think it's worth taking a look at yourself to see why you think that being so rude to people who are just trying to enjoy the same thing you are is okay. anime is, was, and always has been for everyone, no matter how you watch it. remember that.

#arsene speaks #rant #anime #dub vs sub #dubbed anime #anime fandom

[mellometal]

Is it time to tear ANOTHER Dhar Mann video to shreds? YOU BET.

I've been sitting on this one for a bit because I wanted to make sure I talk about this tactfully. The subject of parents abandoning their disabled children is a very touchy one.

Parents abandoning their disabled children simply for being disabled is way too common. Like, I understand that not everyone has the resources to care for a disabled child (which is why you reach out for help, and why people like me, who work with disabled people, exist), but it doesn't mean you just walk out of their life. There are exceptions, like if you truly didn't want children or something like that, but just flat-out walking out of your kid's life BECAUSE they're disabled is fucked up.

I know someone personally whose biological mother abandoned her when she was born. Why? Because she's disabled. Physically, and mentally, to a point. I work with this woman on a daily basis. I don't really know WHY exactly her biological mother abandoned her, but I do know that her being disabled was part of it. It's sad. It doesn't affect her, thankfully. I'm happy that she's got her biological dad, her brother, and another maternal figure in her life, at least.

ANYWAYS. Before we get to the topic at hand, I need to put an obligatory trigger warning, like I do with EVERY Dhar Mann post:

This post will be talking about parents abandoning their disabled children simply for being disabled, treating disabilities like they're tragedies (in this case, we're talking about autism...again), divorce, and some SPICY ableist bullshit from an allistic (nonautistic) PIECE OF SHIT.

If any of this triggers you or makes you uncomfortable in any way, you don't have to read this post. This isn't worth putting yourself in a bad state mentally. I would never ask for any of you to put yourselves in that position all for a post. Put your mental health and well-being first. Consume media that sparks joy for you.

As far as my response goes, it's definitely more calm than normal. Funny....since this video is about autism spectrum disorder again. (Third time's the charm, huh, Dhar Mann? NOT.)

LET'S FUCKING GET IT.

The video starts off with these two parents (Gwen and Allen) in a psychologist's office. The psychologist tells the parents that their son (Chance) is autistic, and she tries to explain what autism is to the parents, but Allen cuts her off. Why? Because he teaches at a prestigious university, so he AUTOMATICALLY knows what autism is from that fact alone.

Um, excuse me? Just because you're a teacher at a prestigious university, it doesn't mean you're an expert in everything. It doesn't make you an expert in ASD or anything like that. Unless you SPECIALIZE in that area. Even then, shut the fuck up. The people who know about being autistic are AUTISTIC PEOPLE THEMSELVES! SHOCKER.

Hey, Dhar Mann! QUIT WITH THE VIDEOS ABOUT AUTISTIC LITTLE WHITE BOYS AND YOUNG WHITE AUTISTIC CISHET MEN! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF IT. It's annoying, ignorant, and it feels like you're doing this on purpose at this point to piss people off. If you're so uninformed about autism in women and girls, FUCKING ASK AUTISTIC WOMEN AND GIRLS! DO BETTER RESEARCH THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE AUTISM SPEAKS. The Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and the Autistic Women and Nonbinary People Network (AWN) are great organizations to go to for any kind of research on ASD in women and girls. STOP GOING OFF OF THE BRAINS OF AUTISTIC WHITE BOYS AND AUTISTIC WHITE MEN.

I don't feel I need to go too deep into the fact that autistic women, autistic girls, autistic nonbinary people, autistic BIPOC, autistic AAPI, autistic LGBT people, autistic teenagers, and autistic adults exist. Y'all already know.

Gwen asks the psychologist if that means Chance isn't healthy. (I understand not knowing about autism, but don't treat it like it's a terminal illness. Please.) The psychologist tells her that Chance is fine, but he just learns differently and might need more support compared to his peers.

Yeah, autism can affect how you learn about certain things (limited and repetitive patterns), but there are other disabilities that can affect learning as well. Like how dyslexia can affect your ability to read, dyspraxia can affect your ability to do math, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can affect your ability to focus or on impulse control. Autism affects how your brain is developed, it affects you socially, behaviorally, and how you communicate.

Allen is upset, says that he can't have a son "with a learning disability" (ASD is a neurological disability, not necessarily a learning disability), and treats Chance like he's stupid for being autistic. Gwen tells her husband that autism doesn't make you any less intelligent, WHICH IS SO FUCKING TRUE. ABSOLUTE FACTS. I was totally with her until she began that little monologue with "Just because a person HAS autism". SAY "JUST BECAUSE A PERSON'S AUTISTIC" INSTEAD! IT'S NOT HARD. PERSON FIRST LANGUAGE ISN'T WHAT EVERY DISABLED PERSON PREFERS. Allen says that "they could have another kid" and "put Chance up for adoption". Gwen obviously wasn't down with that. Allen gives his wife an ultimatum that it's either HIM or their son Chance. Gwen says that she can't choose between the two, but she will stand by her autistic son. Allen gets up and leaves the office, saying he wants a divorce.

Years pass by, Gwen is single and taking care of her autistic son Chance, and Allen has a new life with a ✨perfect son✨ (Samuel). He never mentions the son HE abandoned (Chance). He's completely forgotten about Gwen and Chance. (YOU OWE SO MUCH CHILD SUPPORT, ALLEN.)

Hey, Allen, how much do you wanna bet that your ✨perfect son✨ Samuel is autistic too?

There's the SATs, they're announcing a winner, and guess who it is? IT'S OBVIOUSLY CHANCE, OF COURSE. He's got the highest score in the country, with Samuel in second place. Allen is PISSED.

Chance gives a speech about how his mom really helped him, he struggled with autism, how Allen LITERALLY ABANDONED HIM, and THE CROWD GOES FUCKING WILD. Samuel, instead of being a sore loser, APPLAUDS FOR CHANCE. Stay humble, Sam.

My thoughts on the video? If you cannot tell by my tone throughout this post, IT WAS DOG SHIT. This video was insensitive to the true reality of parents abandoning their disabled children just because they're disabled. What do I expect from Dhar Mann at this point?

Here's my response to his video below. Don't worry, I will fully type out my response soon for anyone who cannot read the screenshots easily. It's a lot easier for me to do that on the desktop site than it is for me to do it on my phone.

For anyone who can’t read my response, I’m typing it out for you. Like I said, it’s easier for me to type it out on the desktop site than it is for me to type it out on my phone. It’s a real royal pain in the ass. But because I’m trying to make my posts easier to read for people, I’m doing this anyway. /lighthearted

First, second, and third screenshots (broken up into paragraphs):

Hey, listen, I appreciate the message you’re trying to go for, but can you please stop putting autistic people into a box? Can you stop treating being autistic like it’s a tragedy? Not every single autistic person is a little white boy in elementary school who’s considered “wild and unruly” or “super quiet and makes no friends”, nor are they a young white cishet man who’s a super genius or is how Chris Chan was before she came out as trans. (For anyone who doesn’t know about Chris Chan, there are many documentaries people have made on YouTube, and I highly recommend Geno Samuel’s docuseries, if you’re really interested in learning about Chris Chan.)

Autistic women, girls, nonbinary people, BIPOC, APPI, LGBT people, teenagers, and adults all exist too. 

It’s very apparent now that you get your resources from Autism $peaks, a hate group that spends the vast majority of their money on funding eugenics instead of helping autistic people like they claim, claims that only little white boys and young white cishet men are autistic and ignores all other autistic people who don’t fit that description, have no autistic people on their leader board or on any board for that matter, have members who have actually fantasized about k1lling their autistic children, treat autism like it’s a tragedy or a disease someone can catch (completely false), act like autism should be cured (there is no cure, and ABA therapy is a total shit show in itself), and treats autistic people like they’re broken and need to be fixed. Also, not every autistic person is a Super Genius(tm). That’s so demeaning to autistic people who aren’t seen as intelligent in any way. I’m autistic and seen as smart; however, there are subjects I’m stronger in than others.

If you can’t handle the possibility of having autistic children, or just disabled children in general, DON’T HAVE CHILDREN. If you can’t handle working with or alongside disabled people, including autistic people, maybe find a different profession. Even if you do that, you’ll never get away from disabled people. Disabled people aren’t a disease. We’re human beings just like neurotypical and able-bodied people.

Fourth and fifth screenshots (broken up into paragraphs): 

I would highly suggest getting resources from reputable organizations for ASD, such as the Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) and the Autistic Women and Nonbinary People Network (AWN). Talk to any autistic person who isn’t a little white boy or a young white cishet man. 

Instead of using the puzzle piece, which is a symbol that many autistic people, myself included, are offended by (because of Autism $peaks and other organizations before them using it, plus it symbolizes that only autistic children exist and that we’re “missing a piece” like we’re broken), use the rainbow infinity sign (for all neurodivergent people) or the red and gold infinity sign (just for autistic people). Instead of “lighting it up blue”, light it up red or gold. Do both if you want. 

I’m actually really sick and tired of seeing just autistic little white boys and young autistic white cishet men being represented in the media, and y’all manage to fuck that up too. 

Before anyone mentions Sia’s movie “Music”, that’s also very poor representation of autistic girls. Besides, the actress who played the autistic girl isn’t even autistic. She MOCKED autistic people. I know she’s a kid, but that’s still super fucked up. I hope she’s able to turn that around. 

If anyone would like to discuss this topic with me or ask any questions, feel free to. I’ll answer as best as I can. Thank you and have a good night.

Before I get attacked for mentioning Chris Chan in my response, I bring up Chris Chan because allistic people think that every autistic person is like her (especially before she came out as trans). That person is part of why I wasn't open about being autistic or talking about my diagnosis until this year. I didn't want to be grouped up with Chris Chan because I do have very similar interests to her, I've been seen as cringey for having said interests, and just the way Chris treated autistic people who were formerly diagnosed with A$p3rg3r$ $yndr0m3 (like I was) really made me feel even more alienated.

Also, S1a supports A$ (Autism $p3aks). She's not a very good person to support. Some of her music is good, but her as a person....no. Her movie "Music" was gross, from what I've read about it and seen pictures of.

If you've read this far, thank you so much!

#mello speaks #dhar mann #dhar mann talk #dhar mann will live to regret his decision to make these fucked up cringe videos #dhar mann will live to regret his decision uwu #dhar mann is a piece of human garbage #please stop supporting dhar mann #autism isn't a tragedy #we need better representation for autistic people who aren't little white boys or young white cishet men #dhar mann is a cringe ass nae nae baby #tw abandonment #tw ableism #cw sia mention #cw chris chan mention #tw dhar mann

[kitkatopinions]

I’m probably over thinking/over complicating things but Ironwood and Penny have been really bothering me. It because prior to the moment that destroyed Penny’s arc the show and Ruby were really pushing that Penny not matter her body was human and that’s a very positive I like that especially when it comes to characters of Penny’s nature.

So my problem kicks in when I think of Ironwood. Namely this part in his song:

“What if it's true as they say

That I don't have a heart

That I'm more a machine than a man?”

Like wtf. I mean I “get it” especially with that dumbass line of Winter. But when it’s talked about Ironwood it was always in reference to the fact that his body is half robotic and there for we are meant to see the correlation between his body and his character.?

Put next to Penny’s message that really bothers me. Even more so since Penny gets a “reward” of becoming human, but the writers push that Ironwood sacrificing his arm to stop Watts and replacing it (a medical decision that could be debated given that he wanted to be up and able immediately to handle things not to mention that fact that nerves and muscle are severely fucked up) with a new (uncharacteristically uncovered) prosthetic means that he’s moving away from humanity. This thought has been driving nuts for a week.

I don’t think you’re overthinking at all. The writers have been pretty blatant about what they think of disabled people.

On the topic of James, 1. They wrote their triple amputee character to be coded as losing his humanity. This is suspect from the get go, but writers imo need to be especially careful and sensitive when they display things like villains with prosthetics. CRWBY is not careful and sensitive. 2. They specifically connected the loss of his limb to the loss of his humanity outside of the show, and as you said, his new prosthetic is uncharacteristically uncovered as well, and there were some pointed shots showcasing his arm and emphasizing it before showing Ironwood doing something wrong as well as a shot that particularly bothered me of them having James fall to Winter when his aura broke and then them immediately flashing to a fallen, broken robotic soldier. Tying the loss of someone’s humanity to them losing a limb / gaining a prosthetic in any way is wrong imo. There are better ways to display someone’s loss of humanity than villainizing the loss of his arm, and I don’t care what justifications people have for ‘they just meant to say that he was too impatient to-’ Idc. Tying the loss of humanity to the gaining of a prosthetic is wrong. 3. They never once treated Ironwood’s clear PTSD, history of mental health problems, and trauma with any sympathy, instead spending their time ragging on him for not wanting to feel his pain anymore and condemning him for... Trying to control his emotions. 4. CRWBY also gave him a semblance and explained how it worked by saying he hyper focused, talking about how James’ passive semblance that he can’t control forces him to focus on one single goal and fixate. I’m not disabled, but I do hyper fixate. It’s not something I can control, and to see it used as a justification for evil (in one of my favorite characters in the series who reminded me of my father lol) and being treated as something bad... It doesn’t feel good. I can’t imagine how other people must feel who are much more affected by this than I am. 5. As you say, the writers go out of their way to reference his metal body as being more ‘machine than man’ and make lines about him being heartless. And yeah, I get that he’s an allegory for the ‘Tin Man’ from Wizard of Oz but ffs the Tin Man had always had a heart and I honestly thought that was what they were going for in V3 with Qrow commenting that sometimes he thought James didn’t have a heart and the audience seeing Ironwood’s actions as questionable, only for the entire show to tell us repeatedly that he actually is a caring and good person who’s willing to destroy all the forces he was proud to show off if it means saving lives and was actually pretty freaking blameless in the Fall of Beacon and was super kind to the kids and when the chips were down, Qrow and Glynda both absolutely knew without even questioning that James would never ever willingly hurt the world or fully betray them and had absolutely no hand in the Beacon attack. Like, I’m sorry, but between Penny and Ironwood, season eight is the season of taking well done character allusions and throwing them out the window for the exact opposite moral done incredibly poorly. And anyway, getting off of that rant, making a ‘more machine than man’ sentiment tied around a triple amputee character is incredibly harmful and hurtful to people with disabilities and only propagates the real world stereotypes against people like James.

So, yes, their treatment of Ironwood, his mental health, and specifically his disabilities was so badly done, harmful, incredibly insensitive, and frankly, appalling that it came from grown adult writers in 2019-2021! But, as you point out, it’s not just Ironwood. And here’s where things really get bad for CRWBY. Because Ironwood alone is enough for me to say they were ableist - unintentionally or otherwise - and ought to apologize for the hurt they’ve caused their fans. But when you get into the rest of their treatment of characters with metal prosthetics or non-flesh elements to their body, it becomes a pattern.

Penny’s entire body is removed from her on threat of death, with the justification that it’s hurting her and that her body is just a machine and not part of who she is, contradicting Penny’s earlier themes of self-acceptance and validating her humanity in the body she already had. She then dies by assisted suicide in a way that feels unneeded, after having asked to be killed earlier in the narrative. So many people have talked about how destructive her story became in V8 and how it personally hurt them, especially non-binary people, trans people, autistic people, or disabled people who saw themselves in Penny or saw in her arc something that they could relate to, only to have Penny’s differences stripped away from her, having her conform to normal body standards and have her previous body type invalidated by her friends, and then they had her killed via assisted suicide in an unbelievable way, insisting as well that she never made a choice before she was a flesh-person and couldn’t feel things right. It’s all horribly done, but it’s important to remember that while Ironwood is accused of losing his humanity as he loses a third limb and gets a third prosthetic, Penny’s earlier validation is taken away and is instead only granted and she is only justified as a person when she loses all her ‘nuts and bolts’ and becomes a flesh person. And then she’s killed anyway.

Yang’s prosthetic is the least ill handled, but it is still dismissed as ‘just extra’ despite her former fairly strong arc of coming to terms with her disability and making it a part of her. She casually justifies what’s happening with Penny despite Penny not being in a position of adequate consent. Yang’s trauma and PTSD also vanished when Adam died at the end of season six and in my opinion, that situation was handled very badly.

Maria and Pietro, two other disabled characters, disappeared, left when Amity fell and were not even mentioned iirc since. Not even when Penny is awake, not even when they’re evacuating, not even when Penny is choosing to die. She never brings up her father. And Ruby’s supposed ‘mentor’ who never had an actual narrative role that couldn’t have been filled by Qrow and has had nothing to do since season six even past that is also forgotten out in the tundra and not mentioned again.

The writers go out of their way to have Winter say that because she was just following orders (a statement that contradicts her previous character imo) and pushing down her emotions, she was the real machine, whereas Penny had been human underneath her apparently easily tossed aside and destructive previous metal body.  And I don’t know if this means anything, but in that scene where she and Penny meet when Penny is dying and transferring the maiden powers to Winter, Winter is in her V7 character design, instead of wearing her assistive brace. Like I said, I don’t know if I’m reading into that, but with everything else, it feels like an iffy choice.

So yeah. In the past season CRWBY specifically cultivated a pattern of disrespect, dismissal, and villainization of any non-flesh attributes in my opinion. It seems pretty intentional and clear to me, but I’m willing to accept that maybe this was just a wildly bad uneducated mistake. Here’s the thing about that, though, after the Faunus/Racism allegory, the CRWBY writers should’ve learned their lesson and not touched on any real world topics that they weren’t willing to do the research on and treat with the sensitivity and care and respect the topics needed. Their Faunus/Racism allegory was harmful and hurtful and frankly could’ve sunk them in the water, they should’ve learned to put much more care and effort into their work or stayed the hell away from anything that could further spread the negative stereotypes surrounding real world people. But they didn’t learn their lesson and they’ve continued to push harmful narratives with no awareness or sensitivity. I don’t think you’re over-reacting at all, I think this is something that - intentionally written or otherwise - the writers should be called out on, or they’re just going to continue writing harmful narratives.

Also, I am not disabled, many of my opinions on the treatment of these characters comes from posts I’ve seen from many disabled or neurodivergent RWBY fans (or former RWBY fans,) or other people more affected by these narratives - minus the thing I said about Winter appearing without her brace when she talks to Penny, as it was something I just noticed while typing out this post. Since I’m not disabled, I’m not the best person to talk about these things, so if I got anything wrong in this, anyone more affected, please know you can let me know and I can edit and fix.

#rwde #rwby bashing #anti rwby #anti crwby #anti MKEK #rwby hate #if anyone comes in the comments invalidating or justifying I'll block #pro james ironwood #pro Ironwood #ironwood defense

[anwynb2003]

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..........................

Anyone wanna meet the OC in my story?

No?

Ima do it anyways.

Regina "Genie" Anderson

I SEE YOU SCROLLING AND I GET IT, BUT JUST WAIT A SEC-

I know, I'm with you, adding a relative to a main character isn't the most creative thing in the world, and it adds contrivances and blah blah, I know, I get it, went to the meeting, got the t-shirt.

But 1: I invented this character when I wasn't as good of a writer, gimme a break.

And 2: I'm trying to use those contrivances to my advantage.

The rest of this post will be divided into topics that either arise from this kind of OC, DBH human OCs in general (not that I see very many, at least not in main roles), or just things I'm putting a fair amount of thought into while writing.

Mary Sues

We don't use that term here, it's appliance is often misogynistic and it's often used to target young writers. Leave kids alone, they're learning, everyone's first OC was a shameless self-insert with no flaws, let's be honest with ourselves.

What's that? My reaction means my character must be a Mary Sue? I do my best to make my characters balanced and interesting, but if you don't like her, that's fine. Hope I can entertain you further in the future, have a nice day. Now, onto some legitimate issues.

Nepotism

Ever since she was a little kid, Genie wanted to be a cop, like her uncle. So she worked hard, did a co-op placement at Central Station in high school, went through the academy, and graduated; not at the top of her class, but still up there. She was placed at the Riverside precinct, and partnered with a man who'd been on the force for a while, Tony Deckart. She was doing what she loved, and even though she was related to the youngest Lieutenant in the history of the city, she had the knowledge that everything she'd done, she'd done on her own.

Then Tony died, when a deviant android took a little girl hostage. Genie was on vacation at the time with a few of her academy friends.

She didn't even get time to blink after getting back before she was being transferred to Central, and while she was glad be be around the people she'd grown up with as a second family, she couldn't help but feel that something here was sus.

And she was right. Fowler, an old friend of her uncle's and now her new Captain, had specifically asked for her transfer. Why? Because, sometimes, when the stars are aligned and the wind blew just right, Hank fucking listened to her.

So, her career, that she'd taken satisfaction in being certain she'd built and defined it herself, was now defined by her pretty much babysitting her uncle (which she'd already been doing in their off hours). She's thrilled that she gets to go to all the best crime scenes, giving her the opportunity to learn, because she does plan on making detective within the next year, she's furious she only gets those opportunities because of nepotism.

Allies in Activism

Genie loves androids guys, really. Seriously. She wants to make sure you know that, she really does. To the point that it's a bit patronizing. But here's the thing: that's the point.

I myself am very white. All my activism experience when it comes to race is being an ally, and that means educating myself on what it means to be a good ally, instead of a bad one. They say write what you know, and when it comes to a race war, all I know is how to try to be a good ally. And sometimes, unfortunately, you mess up. You don't realize that some things you do that you thought were harmless are microaggressions. All you can do from there is make sure to work on yourself so you don't do it again.

Same goes for Genie's treatment of androids, though I feel the comparison gets muddled here to more how people treat disabled or neurodivergent people. She calls them "buddy", "hun", speaks kindly and gently, aggressively defends them whenever she sees fit, thinking she just wants to distance herself as far from the people hurling swears and slurs as possible, when in reality it's infantizing them. And, by the end, she's called out for this, recognizes it in herself, and works hard to try and stop doing it. Sometimes becoming a good ally takes work, but that's no excuse to not put the work in.

Asexuality

Ok, to preface this, I am asexual. That doesn't mean I know exactly how every asexual works, or how they view sex. Sexuality is a spectrum, and asexuality is another spectrum on that spectrum. Ok? Ok.

Asexuality is, in my experience, uncommon in fanfiction. This does not mean all fanfiction is sexual, because it's not. It just means that I can't think of any fics I've read, besides Detroit Evolution ones with Nines (watch that if you haven't, it's amazing), that have a stated, definitely asexual character as the lead. They probably exist, but I haven't seen them.

Genie is asexual, and somewhat sex-repulsed; not enough to feel sick in the Eden Club, but enough that the idea of it makes her a bit uncomfortable. She's an asexual character, who's never had sex because it does not appeal to her, and has lost several datefriends because of that. She starts a friendship, turned queerplatonic relationship with Connor, where the most intimate thing they do is forehead kisses, and they're both perfectly happy with that.

This is mostly just me wishing someone would cuddle me, but let's ignore that-

Plus, later on if I do get around to writing the rest of the trilogy, Nines shows up, as a different kind of asexual. One who's fine with kissing, and is happy in a romantic relationship. Representation for more than one asexual helps to show off that spectrum on a spectrum I mentioned earlier.

Sci-fi as a Tool for Philosophical Discussion

Androids help run the country, it's sci-fi guys, don't @ me.

Science Fiction, since it's creation, has been used as a tool for philosophical discussion. From I, Robot to Star Trek and even Wall-E, it helps us question the meaning of life, the purpose of existence, and if that existence can be manufactured.

I love DBH, but even I have to admit that it fails dramatically with the philosophy talk. Just screaming the point "[Androids] are not machines! They are alive!" is a nice sentiment, but what does it mean, really? Because they are, very clearly, machines. They're built in a factory, they're designed for years beforehand, they need to be heavily tested, their brains are computer chips. But, why should that mean that they aren't alive? What does being alive mean? If the argument was that they're not just machines, this could be explored, but that incredibly important "just" is never added in.

We love this game for the characters, but imagine if those characters really had to think about what they are, if they're alive by a human definition, what it means to be sentient.

Genie is a very introspective person, often getting lost in her own head. That, and extending the story to a bit after the Battle for Detroit, to where Jericho has to negotiate with the government and even the judicial system, help me to utilize the incredible discussion tool that the genre is, instead of just stating the conclusion without the argument. It helps the message feel less empty.

OC Just Forced Into the Plot (TW: mentions of Hank-typical alcoholism/unaliving behavior)

Genie's got work to do guys, she's still a cop. Sure, Fowler makes her head to crime scenes with her uncle, but when she's not doing that? She's got a partner and a beat to walk, arrests to make, reports to fill out. And when she's off-duty? She's got friends, and her Mom, and other people to talk to besides Hank, even if she's often heading to check on him because of the drinking and suicidal tendencies.

Yes, she's involved with the plot. She became acquaintances with Markus because her old patrol-route went through the Greek District where he gets Carl's paint, and because her favourite donut shop is there. She's the first to meet Connor because her uncle's out at a bar, he asks her things about herself because he deemed it useful to gain an ally that could help Hank cooperate.

But above anything else, Genie's story is about friends, family, and grief. Her relationship with her mother and Hank, this strained friends/sorta siblings/rivals thing she has with Gavin, the differences between the grief she feels for her baby cousin and the grief she feels for her old partner, the pre-grief she feels after becoming friends with Connor, but knowing he's going to be shut down that eventually pushes her to try and stop him.

And yes, all that is wrapped up in a revolution, but there's not much she can do for said revolution beyond helping her friends to stand up and cheering them on, and defending them when they deem it necessary.

Geez this is a long post, where was I again? Oh yeah!

So, we got Genie Anderson, 24-year-old asexual DPD Officer unwillingly riding on nepotism from her uncle, who tries to be a good ally to a marginalized group, fails for a bit, but then improves by doing what members of said group ask her to do. She likes waxing philosophical, hugging her doggy-cousin Sumo, and wearing beanies. She's filled with lots of love, lots of grief, and shows affection by shoving and hugging.

Whadya think?

#dbh oc #dbh au #dbh #detroit become human #mary sue #nepotism #activism #asexuality #sci fi #philosophy #friends #family #love #grief #the whole shabang #queerplatonic relationship #aaaand i think that's it #byeeeee #connor doesn’t like ties

[dino-nugget7]

A Manifesto Against The School System

As of writing this I am a second year Public High School Teacher. I won’t be able to live with myself if I spend another year at it. Literally, I feel like a bit of a monster for deciding to finish out this school year rather than quitting right now. But we do what we must to survive, my students won’t be less oppressed because I left, and if nothing else, it gives me an opportunity to strategize about what I can do to aid in revolutionizing school because authentic alternatives to public school exist but none I have found have been intersectional enough to replace public education without excluding the kids who would most benefit from escaping the main school system here in America.

Some of the reasons I did not understand how oppressive school actually is, are that my interests and hobbies happened to align very neatly with the “core” classes, and that even though I grew up very poor and moved around a lot as a kid, we eventually settled and I went to a well funded high school that had just about any elective and/or after school club that I might be interested in trying and then some. During that time, I came to see school as a place where I could explore my passions and escape my home situation. So I figured I would love to pay it forward and go be a teacher.

I recognized at least, the privileged position I came from and decided I wanted to go learn how to teach in settings as different from my high school as possible. Which is why I went and got special permission for most of my classroom placements throughout the teaching program to be at alternative schools. In Colorado at least, alternative schools are small public schools which primarily serve students identified as “at risk”, which is shorthand for “Statistically more likely to drop out than the general population for one reason or another.”

I did not know when I asked to be placed in one, but learned within days of being there that most people that even know alternative schools exist, think of them as the places where “the bad kids” go. I realized very quickly that they are actually places filled with kids who have experienced a lot of trauma in and out of school and don’t respond to that trauma the way adults want them to respond. I came to adore kids at alternative schools because they remind me of my younger siblings.

Like my oldest brother, many of them find school mind numbingly easy and boring and have much more pressing matters to devote their mental energy to.

Like my middle brother, many of them have spent so much time around teachers who do not understand neurodivergence that have been convinced of the lie that they are weird, dumb and/or lazy and because of that, trying to participate in school is like hitting their head on a brick wall.

Like all of my brothers and my sisters, they have a ton of skills that they are brilliant at, but that are not prioritized by the school system, so they never pursue them, such as construction, music, makeup and programming.

Many, if not most of them come from living situations full of abuse and neglect and/or poverty so they don’t have the mental or emotional space to worry about much beyond survival, and not only haven’t learned how to make and achieve long term goals, but have never had the luxury of a stable enough environment for that kind of planning to be worthwhile.

All that being said, something that you only realize if you actually work in a few public alternative schools, as I have done through college and my current job, is that the name is actually an oxymoron.

What started me down the path of considering and researching all the ways school is an oppressive system, was a conversation I had with a student in my first year teaching. He was learning about chemical reactions and safety and asked me the infamous question, “Why do I have to learn about this?” to which I said “Because everything is chemicals and understanding how they can interact with one another and ways they can harm you can keep you safe when you do things like clean or cook.” To which he replied, “Well no offense but I have no idea how this shit relates to cooking and please don’t tell me because its not like I’m actually going to remember it when I am cooking, and I already know how to clean safely because of work. But you’re still going to make me learn this boring shit anyways so seriously, why do we have to learn about this?”

I paused to consider what he was asking. I had interpreted, as the system trained me to, that the question he was asking was, “what value does this knowledge hold?” But what he actually meant was “Why are you making me waste my time learning about this thing that I never asked to learn about?” So I replied, as a sort of test of my new understanding, “It’s part of the physical science curriculum the Education Department thinks is important for high schoolers to learn.” He was taken aback, “Wait, you don’t decide what stuff we learn about? What’s even the point of teachers then? Why don’t they just give us a list of all their stupid stuff they think we should know so we can get on with our lives?” He had a point and I have spent a lot of time reflecting on and growing from that conversation.

Sure, there are some key differences that make alternative schools slightly more tolerable than your standard 800-4,000 kid high school. Class sizes are smaller so students get more individualized help. We get funding to help students access things such as food, clothes, hygiene products, and healthcare and know students well enough that we actually know which kids are lacking these resources. We have slightly more leeway than traditional schools to create innovative lessons. We don’t give out homework.

But public alternative schools are still oppressive in most of the ways that the big schools are. I’m sure none of this will be a surprise to most readers, but I want you to really consider how restricted kids in public school are, how restricted you probably were in school as you read through this.

School starts early in the morning and students have to constantly shift mental gears throughout the day due to a tight schedule of constantly rotating classes and a very short lunch break. Throughout the day, bells tell students when they can’t or must move around or eat. Students have to ask when they need to go to the bathroom or get water and teachers cannot go at all outside of their plan period because students are not trusted to be in the classroom without an adult even for a few minutes. They have no control over who they share space with and very little control over their ability to leave that space if it conflicts with their needs. There is a strict dress code which disproportionately targets marginalized students. Students are expected to be sociable but not given nearly enough opportunities to actually socialize. The school keeps records of everything the student has ever gotten in trouble for, every class the student has taken, every grade they have received, their “class rank,” and every intervention program the student is part of. And like every public school, alternative schools must follow state curriculum standards and by extension, grading, data collection, and required testing. On the surface it might not seem like it, but that last point is actually the most insidious one and its the one that has followed students into remote learning during the pandemic.

According to the people who decide how schools work, there are four factors of student choice: These factors are Time, Place, Pace, and Path. For example, if I am running a unit on plate tectonics, rather than giving students a worksheet and telling them to work on it as we go through a slideshow and turn it in at the end of class, I could put them in groups, give them an online choice board of three different but roughly equivalent projects relating to plate tectonics to choose from, each with different rubrics for completion and tell them they can turn it in at any time in the next two weeks. And then instead of devoting class time to direct instruction, I would give them a variety of resources to peruse and teach them how to research more and let them choose what aspects of plate tectonics to focus on and how to present their information. Now, this is certainly a few steps in the right direction away from making kids sit in rows and listen to the teacher drone on about plate tectonics while they take notes. But it misses the most important factors of choice in my eyes, the things that I would be fired for if I actually gave them the choice about: How students spend their time and what they are allowed to prioritze.

None of this is to say that expecting kids to learn is inherently fucked up or that teaching inherently makes one an oppressive person. On the contrary, authentic teaching and learning are vital to our ability to solve our problems and grow as people. If all students were given the opportunities to spend their childhoods learning things that they were actually interested in, to explore the full breadth of knowledge that humans have compiled at their leisure without timelines or milestones except the ones they set for themselves, to socialize with people of all ages, to authentically participate in society both as learners and as educators, as leaders and as team members, the world wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be a lot less soul crushing.

Now, I mentioned at the beginning of this piece that authentic alternatives do exist.  To get you started on researching what’s out there, I recommend starting with Sudbury schools and the unschooling movement.

But unless these models somehow miraculously become a large and accepted enough presence to get government funding, or money ceases its hold on us all, the public school system will be the only one that most students, especially impoverished students, transient students, english language learners, and disabled students (especially those with profound disabilities) will have access to. Which is a damn shame and a problem I am committed to trying to figure out how to contribute to solving because those are the students whose lives would be most radically transformed for the better if they got the opportunities that these models provide.

#school #anti school #oppression #manifesto #youth liberation #I am aware that this severely pushes how long people are willing to read for on Tumblr #but I needed to get it out there into the void

[electricsockhead]

PSA PSA PSA!!!

Hi there! Can i tell you a little secret?! Ok, come here, come here!

[background information] I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t know that many neurodivergent people irl (or at least that you can tell they’re neurodivergent, given that a lot learn to mask, and can be very neurotypical passing). In fact, I only know one! Which I met when I started at this new school I’m going to! And I have this friend who is trans. Therefore, in WeBex calls (we use Webex instead of Zoom cuz who fuckin knows why???) he doesn’t put his dead name, and puts the name he’s more comfortable with instead. And the autistic kid had a class with him, and when they noticed the name change, they asked! Why do you go by [prefered name] rather then [deadname]? And my friend got a little upset.

Well, here’s the secret! Neurodivergent people, or autistic people in this scenario, have a little more trouble understanding things then the “average” neurotypical person. And they have a little more trouble understanding boundaries, both physically, and asking certain questions, like this one. So when they asked why my friend changed his name, they didn’t mean any harm! They were simply curious, and in situations like this, it’s best you just explain it to them! If you do not feel comfortable, or need established trust, in which you might not have, depending on what the relationship is that you have with this person, simply tell them that! Say it’s something personal you’d rather not share!

The point of this is: be more patient with neurodivergent people, and whatever you do don’t A) lash out at them! This only makes the situation worse, and can be extremely damaging for their mental health, and B) don’t ignore them! If they ask you such personal questions, just try to explain why you don’t want to tell them the answer, but never think that they mean you harm! Which brings me to my next point.

I know that neurodiverncy and disability DO NOT EXCUSE ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR, but if you are in an abusive situation with a neurodivergent/disabled person, do not hesitate to call them out on it! Tell them why they shouldn’t do that! Teach them instead of brushing it aside. Because if you pretend it’s not happening, you’re telling them (and this applies to neurotypical and able bodied people as well) that what they’re doing is ok, and there’s nothing wrong with their actions and words (becuase verbal abuse is still abuse).

I needed you guys to hear this, but given that I am neurotypical*, you might not want to hear this from me so there is this girl on TikTok who is neurodivergent and I wanted you guys to hear her side on this, as a neurodivergent person! Here is the link to her account, PLEASE go check it out, she brings light on important issues like this one, and it doesn’t hurt to take a little bit of time out of your day to educate yourself!!!

*added the little asterisk because I, myself, are struggling with identity, and I might be neurodivergent (add/adhd) but I can’t say that I am becuase I have not been professionally diagnosed, therefore it’s a simple self diagnosis.

If I missed anything, or said something wrong/offensive, please let me know! I’m learning too, and if no one ever calls me out on something I’m doing wrong, I’m going to keep doing it, and in turn I might hurt someone, which I don’t want, so if I messed up somewhere, please tell me! Feel free to add on to this, or ask questions, and thank you for reading!

#PLEASE REBLOG!! #BOOST #SPREAD! #PLEASE! #PSA #PSA PSA PSA #maggie said a thing #wise words from mama mags

[brightlotusmoon]

"It is a truism that there are people, particularly on social media, with whom one simply cannot reason. Hell, some of them aren’t even actual people, but rather bots whose very existence makes every other interaction suspect. And so we could certainly take worse counsel than to avoid wasting our precious little energies on those who make it clear that they do not share our core values, particularly online, and particularly when the values in question are equality, inclusion, respect, and the most basic, fundamental rights of every human being on the planet.

But I worry. I worry that our wholly understandable refusal to engage with one another will ensure that the bifurcation of us as a people, both as a purposeful political strategy by those in power domestically and as a means for external forces to "sow societal chaos and discord*” becomes permanent. And I worry about what it will do to our ability to evolve, both as individuals and as a society.

I look back on my life and I remember a lot of moments that I’d prefer to forget, and that I hesitate to share. I remember when I was fresh out of college and just starting out in business and one of the senior-most guys on my desk, a man I admired greatly, would make fun of the support staff by saying, “We hire the handicapped; they’re fun to watch.” I remember that I laughed. Not because I thought that I had to to keep my job, not because I felt pressured to do so, but because I thought it was funny.

I remember when the girls were tiny and we bought Katie a doll house, and it came with a family of dolls. I remember that I hadn’t noticed that I’d bought the one with the Black family until I’d brought it home and decided it was a happy mistake. But I also remember that when a guest saw it one day, they laughed and said, “Oh, look, the house came with help,” I chuckled, rolled my eyes, and carried on.

I remember when I screwed something up and thought it was funny to mockingly say, “I”m special. I ride the little bus and wear hockey equipment every day.”

I remember raising inordinate amounts of money, making speeches, pleading for pity, all in the name of finding a “cure” for autism, with no idea that the vast majority of the people for whom I was supposedly fighting desperately needed help and support, but had no desire to fundamentally change who they were.

That was ME. The me that you know, the one who fights like hell for equality and dignity and respect, started out as a person who mocked disability and allowed racial jokes to stand unchallenged in her own home. Who effectively silenced her daughter’s autistic peers. And who desperately needed interaction with people who were light years ahead of me to get me to where I am now. And it scares me, on so many levels, to think of how different my behavior might be had I not had those interactions.

Now I want to be as clear as humanly possible that I don’t mean to imply that we owe our time and energy to anyone, particularly those who deny others’ lived experience or excuse brutality or withhold justice or actively fight against equality. And I want to be even clearer that it is absolutely, positively not the job of the oppressed and marginalized to educate their oppressors and marginalizers. A thousand times no, no, and, just for good measure, hell no. No one is entitled to your labor.

But I do want to take a pause to consider what happens when the vast majority of us, particularly those of us with relative privilege who claim to be allies in the fight, simply stop talking to anyone who isn’t already standing shoulder to shoulder with us. What happens to the folks who might just have taken up the mantle of advocacy had they been exposed to a wider variety of people and perspectives? What happens to the ones who are never challenged to examine their own role in perpetuating the systems that keep us separated in the first place? My behavior changed because I had the opportunity to interact with people outside of the bubble in which casual bigotry and degradation and punching down for a laugh were perfectly acceptable. But what if I hadn’t?

Years ago, I became facebook friends with a particularly radical disabled activist who had taken me to task here on diary a number of times. At the time, a close friend asked what the hell I was thinking bringing them into my inner circle. They said something I’ll never forget: “Aren’t you going to be, like, so uncomfortable knowing that they’re seeing all your personal posts? You’re going to have to watch *everything* you say from now on.”

It wasn’t until I’d heard the thought that had been rattling around in my own head out loud that I’d realized just how important it was to be made uncomfortable. How vital it was to be "aware of everything I was saying.” How desperately so many of us needed - and still need - to widen our circles to let in precisely those about whose lives and opinions and reactions we should deeply care.

We can’t take up every fight, particularly not on social media. But I do hope that at least in our brick and mortar lives, we will keep finding avenues to connect, to talk, to learn, and to grow. Because the absence of connection has proven to be fertile ground for nothing but fear, hate, and further division — and we’ve had enough of those to last a lifetime.

* Full quote: "One of the ICA’s most important conclusions was that Russia’s aggressive interference efforts should be considered ‘the new normal.’ That warning has been borne out, as Russia and its imitators increasingly use information warfare to sow societal chaos and discord.” - Republican Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee"

-

And now, me:

FYI, one of my mentors is the activist mentioned, Radical Neurodivergent K, who coined the term neurodivergence many years ago, who will indeed take you to task regardless of what your brain is. And it's only been since 2013 that I discovered I was autistic, but in that time I have experienced and listened to so many ways of thinking, I've put them all in a crucible, and I keep trying to explain that just because you know a thing it doesn't mean you have all the knowledge. You always have more to learn. Information changes, expands, updates, increases. It's really easy to be a hypocrite. You need to keep listening to yourself, and you can't just burst in to gatekeep no matter how you feel.

A good example might be: an "Aspie Supremacist" insisting I or other autistic fans can't make an autistic headcanon about a fictional character who displays autistic traits because, according to that gatekeeper, the character doesn't have all the "right" traits, meaning their own traits, because they still retain their Aspergers diagnosis. By itself this is deep internalized ableism, and now it's with the added insult of an outdated diagnosis connected to a eugenics program that makes me extremely uncomfortable. Because Aspergers Syndrome is autism full stop, and functioning labels don't work and are arbitrary. Nobody needs to be that haughty or condescending to another neurotribe member, especially when it comes to expressing very personalized imaginings. That's kind of what Headcanons are about.

Anyway.

#actually autistic #being autistic #headcanon autistic #i have too many headcanons #let people have their headcanons #autism is not hot sauce #autism is not my handbag #autism is my identity #autism is my whole brain #bold of you to assume i'm functioning #functioning labels are arbitrary bullshit #fuck aba #this is why i argue with autism moms #this is why fandom bullying today confuses me #adhd is exempt from allistic fuckery #the ninja turtles are autistic #tmnt is my autistic special interest #i created this tumblr because of michelangelo #thesis #ableism #internalized ableism #the history of ableism #will neurotypicals finally understand us

[revangerang]

Oh boy I really got in my feelings and wrote way too much lmao

Tagged by: @edithpattou86

Tags your friends to do their own lists: @chierafied @mother-ishvara @doughygraduatestudent @kazoomajor @pagan-assassin

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Top 5 animated movies:

1. Whisper of the Heart - Such a cute and whimsical slice-of-life coming of age story, and so inspiring for creative types! I love how Shizuku sees her fantasies come to life in the world around her, and how she just follows her whims to wander the city and treats each day like an adventure. I see a lot of myself in her. The grandpa and his shop are so cool! I want to find a place like that in my city! I love how she and Seiji inspire and encourage each other to improve themselves. Even though they’re so young and I usually hate that kind of thing, I think it’s a very realistic portrayal of what true love and a healthy relationship should be. The way her writing is treated as a creative process and something she can polish with hard work is just such a wonderful message and so inspiring to me.

2. Spirited Away - I love the Japanese culture and mythology, and the serene, still tone of the film. Truly beautiful. The way it doesn’t paint the spirits and gods in a bad light is good and correct: they were the careless humans who went into their world and took what they shouldn’t have. But it still focuses on the supernatural and eerie elements, often without even explaining anything, which I love. And the bathhouse feels like a real functioning place with workplace culture and all. And of course it’s great that Chihiro steps up and learns to be strong. I just love it.

3. Howl’s Moving Castle - I love all the characters so much, and all the magic and whimsy. The fantasy European setting is so charming, and they did a good job depicting Western magic. Ghibli movies really have such mundane magic, and they make me feel like my life is magic too. Sophie is so good and strong and I love seeing her come into her own. And Howl is hot. lmao

4. My Neighbor Totoro - I had the original Fox dub of this on a bootleg VHS my grandma made us when I was literally like an infant. My parents threw it away when I was still young- like no older than 5- because it “has Eastern religion in it” 🙄 Too bad for them the damage was already done lmfao. It was definitely one of the biggest influences of my formative years, I loved it so much and I’m so grateful to it. That mundane magic I talked about before, and just introducing me to a totally different worldview from my sheltered white American Christian bubble. I was fascinated by every single aspect from the traditional Japanese-style home to the bentos to the shrines... I really admired Satsuki and how grown up she was, taking care of her little sister like she did, making the lunches, all that. It’s really such a charming movie with great music and such a realistic depiction of childhood. Plus who doesn’t love Totoro himself?? And catbus! Iconicccc. I still look for little portholes in bushes and trees to this day lmao

5. Mulan - My little 8-year-old enby ass crying in the living room and repeatedly playing the Reflections scene over and over makes so much more sense now 😂 But really it’s just such a great film with a unique art style, fun characters, and great music. I love how Mulan fights for what she believes is right, and wants to protect her father. And I think it’s great how she also fights to find her own place in the world. I like how they don’t make it a “not like other girls” thing, but just that she personally somehow doesn’t feel comfortable in her own skin with the makeup and all that. Between her living as a man and the clear romantic relationship between “Ping” and Shang, it’s pretty good queer representation for a 2000s Disney movie lol. Also Mulan and Shang can both get it I mean what.

Honorable Mention: Prince of Egypt - That animation tho! So fucking cinematic!! And the music and everything just ugh so good! The characters are really compelling too and you can totally feel the brotherly love and familial issues.

Top 5 live action movies:

1. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day - This is a movie where you can’t look away for a moment or you’ll miss something important. It really is just one entire heck of a day for the main character like howwww does so much happen. It’s really just written so well honestly that they manage to pack so much into a single movie and a single day. I aspire to that level. The 30s setting is so great with the costumes and set and music ahh I get so much inspiration from it. Every single character (and actor for that matter) is just fantastic. It’s super funny- that situational comedy is my jam. And there are touching moments that give me inspiration for my own life. I relate to Miss Pettigrew with her clear social anxiety, and perhaps neurodivergency? But I love how the events of the film bring out the best in her. And Delysia is just so charming! I want her confidence

2. La La Land - Such a fun and whimsical musical about life for creatives in Los Angeles~ It makes me feel nostalgic and proud to live here. I love all the different homages to classic Hollywood, and the music is so good!! The love story feels realistic and I actually really like that they don’t end up together in the end. They just encourage each other to be better, and if that means being apart, they’re willing to do it. It is another one that gives me inspiration for my life and creative endeavors, especially The Fools Who Dream 😭 Gets me every time.

3. Mamma Mia - This is my shameless feel-good movie. I love just putting it on in the background as I clean or whatever. It’s just so upbeat and fun!! I love Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep especially. And I like that the main character learns what she wants (and doesn’t want) out of life right now. And I love that they depict older characters and women!! having full and rich lives including romance and sex. The message that it’s never too late for love is so great! And also just like please communicate and you will probably save yourself so much heartache lmao.

4. Across the Universe - I have an affinity for the 60s and 70s, and I love how this movie kind of takes you through that era with the various characters. It’s such a fun movie with great costumes, cinematography, and music! I just love all the covers of the Beatles songs!! I honestly like them just as much as I like the originals. This is one of the first things I ever saw with positive/neutral queer representation?? Like Sadie is presented just as she is, without it being like WHAT SHE LIKES WOMEN?????? I”MPOSSIBLE !! Or making it all about sex or whatever. It’s literally just like “I want to hold your hand.” Also the whole bit with Eddie Izzard is just incredible lmfao

5. LOTR - My first fandom~ I love these movies so much ughhh. The music! The costumes! The characters! The world! The high fantasy!! I think PJ was so true to the books, or at least as much as he was able in just 10-ish hours. I love that they just went for it and filmed all three in one go, and made them over 3 hours long, which was basically unheard of at the time for blockbuster films. They did so good fully representing the different races through costume, language, culture, and the music too. I literally used to just lay on my bed for hours at a time in junior high, listening to the soundtracks and being immersed in the world. My friends and I would often play pretend that we were in Middle Earth (so lame for middle schoolers lmaooo). I love every single (not-evil) character and I will fight for them. I will especially fight Denethor I don’t even cARE !

Honorable mention: A Little Princess - Sooo whimsical and lovely, even when the girls are going through hardship! I love Sarah and how she literally does magic and even puts a curse on what’s her face omgg. She’s so charming and a genuinely good person too, even though she could have been a spoiled brat. The big climactic scene is so !! Omg I still get the adrenaline when she’s crossing the board and then hiding from the police even though I’ve seen this countless times since I was a small child. And it’s so wonderful that she’s reunited with her father, and they adopt the other girl. It taught me at a young age that the world isn’t fair and people will be nasty and abusive for no reason, but that you can still believe in magic and “fancy yourself a princess.” And the neighbor guy taught me that strangers will step in to help out of the goodness of their heart.

Top 5 TV shows:

1. ATLA - One of the best series of all time. The worldbuilding, lore, storyline, character development, animation, music, etc, are all incredible. If they had gone with the original intention of making Zutara canon it would have been literally perfect and so subversive and innovative! As it is it is still nearly perfect and they still did an amazing job with Zuko’s redemption arc. I just ignore that very last scene tbh. In my mind, it didn’t happen. The series addresses so many issues like imperialism, sexism, abuse, family, disability, war, etc, in a very realistic way. Uncle Iroh is literally a treasure.

2. Steven Universe - So charming and wonderful!! I just love it so much!! It is so goddamn queer, it makes me so happy. Stevonnie is the nonbinary representation we don’t even deserve!! I love every single character. I love the animation and the music too! The bgm is so bubbly and glitchy and cool, super on point for trends these days. And the original songs are so charming~ It also deals with a ton of important issues like imperialism, interpersonal relationships, oppression, self-identity, abuse, leadership, mental health, boundaries, consent, brain-washing, unlearning unhealthy behavior, etc. I love that every single character, even minor ones, get character development and a chance to be strong and improve themselves. And it shows that even the ones we initially think are super strong and have it all together, actually have their own issues that they struggle with too.

3. Yuuri!!! On Ice - This show!!!! Oh my goddddddd. Literally perfect. I love that it just subverts every single trope???? Especially with the events at the beginning and the big spoiler in episode 10. Simply incredible. I love every single character so much??? Even ones I was expecting to hate, like how Yurio is a little shit at the beginning, and then when Lilia is introduced as this super severe tyrant, but she ends up just being a good, yet strict coach because she really wants Yurio to succeed. It’s honestly just so wholesome! The music is so amazing and the ice skating is really realistic too! It really shows that they had an actual skating choreographer and worked off video of him performing. I love how realistic the whole show is like with lots of social media, youtube, instagram, etc. And it does a queer romance without it being a gimmick. It’s just a sports anime with a side plot of a romance but it just happens to be gay. And Kubo-sensei has stated that homophobia doesn’t exist at all in their world which makes me so happy. It’s honestly so queer and I adore how all three main characters are genderfucks a bit. I also love how realistically Yuuri’s anxiety and depression are portrayed. I relate so much to him, especially because mine exhibit in the exact same ways as his. It’s another one that inspires me to fight to be better and live the life I want to live.

4. OTGW - So charming. A perfect addition to the canon of New England fairy tales. The music is great, the animation is wonderful and nostalgic, the characters are fun and interesting and spooky. I love how liminal it is and you aren’t really sure where they are or what’s going on for the majority of the episodes. Greg is the most realistic depiction of a small child and the brothers’ relationship is the most realistic I think I’ve ever seen in my life lmao. He’s just so random and weird and has such Little Kid Logic I love it so much lmao. The story is perfectly contained in its 10 short episodes, and it gives a very satisfying ending. I still can’t get over how many huge stars were in it too?? Like fucking Tim Curry as Auntie Whispers???? I can not believe.

5. Inuyasha - I’m weeb trash and this show is also trash but I love it so much okay. As a big fan I hold so much against the anime for changing things from the manga, but even so I love it. Overall I think the animation, music, and voice acting is perfect. It’s so cool with all the mythos of youkai and the shikon jewel, plus I love traditional Japanese culture stuff. And isekai type stuff is my jam. If I found a portal to another world or to the past you bet your ass I’d go through it. I totally don’t still look for portals as a 30 year old adult, I don’t know what you’re talking about 😂 Kagome is such a great mc tbh like she’s so smart and strong and talented and kind I just love her so much??? I want to be more like her. And I love all the characters honestly. I have to overlook some questionable 90s anime tropes for certain ones, but I still love them. As much as we rag on the constant upgrades thing, the battles and stuff are pretty thrilling, and overall the series is good fun. And yes Sesshoumaru is my husbando, next question.

Honorable Mention: Doctor Who - I love how this show manages to be like every single genre?? SciFi, historical, comedy, thriller, mystery, slice of life, etc. I love all of the Doctors, and all of their companions. I just love how much the Doctor loves humans, and how much faith they have in humanity. And again it’s that whole isekai, time travel, normal modern human goes on magical adventures thing. I would go with the Doctor in a heartbeat. I still cry over Donna 😭

#tagged #about me #ghibli #hmc #spirited away #whisper of the heart #totoro #mulan #disney #prince of egypt #miss pettigrew lives for a day #la la land #across the universe #mamma mia #lotr #a little princess #atla #inuyasha #yoi #yuuri!!! on ice #otgw #su #steven universe #doctor who #dw