People are out here arguing that gatekeeping cpunk from people is actually perfectly fine because able-bodied ND people have mad- and neuropunk and that's "perfectly fine" with them and it's actually annoying as fuck imo, large explanation under the cut I forgot to add originally
• First of all, try to tell me that physically disabled people are mentally perfectly fine and have never had their mental health compromised as a result of their physical disability. Just try, I'll wait. Just like how I'm waiting to hear about "able-bodied" ND people not having any physical issues purely as a result of being ND.
• Secondly, that doesn't make gatekeeping with the mad- and neuropunk communities okay EITHER, even IF the first bullet SOMEHOW happens to be true. The separatist mind-body dichotomy is predicated in entirely false pretenses. The experiences between the physically and mentally disabled communities have SO much overlap. One "form" of disability is not inherently more or less disabling than another, that's down to the individual(s) and their conditions. A lot of either "form" can restrict people's abilities to perform a lot of the same tasks regardless of what the tasks may be or what "form" of disability is responsible for it. A lot of medical conditions (and systemic ableism) can produce a whole lot of symptoms that present like mental disorders.
• In the same vein, we DO have to acknowledge that some people have their disabilities affect them in ways that not everyone experiences. The experience of having a psychotic break isn't comparable to the experience of being wheelchair-bound. But neither is the experience of being a low support needs autistic that can function independently and being a high support needs autistic who can't bathe or dress independently and will need lifelong supervision, and this is just two examples of the same disorder! A person who's chronically bedbound isn't going to have a comparable experience to a Deaf-Blind individual, even if they both wind up with lifelong caretaking requirements. If we can acknowledge that experiences in the mentally disabled and physically disabled communities aren't going to be universal even WITHIN our own communities and we don't turn to separatists about it, what makes the physical and mentally disables communities as wholes any different?
• This one's the big one, and I see it a lot, you guys really need to learn what punk actually means. PUNK isn't about the "by X group and for X group" mindset at all. It's not about "X group of people vs X group of people." It's a community of people who are standing together against a SYSTEM. It's about highlighting society's wrongs and shouting about it, and trying to enact change in whatever way we can. Its praxis is just activism. You don't have to be black to stand with the Black community and fight for their rights, and fight systemic racism. You don't have to be a woman to be a feminist, and fight the patriarchy. You don't have to be queer to get down in the trenches with them and fight queerphobia (allies still get bottles 'n shit thrown at them regardless). You don't have to be disabled to stand against systemic ableism. You don't have to be the direct target of systemic oppression, or specific, targeted systemic microaggressions to fight it.
What punk is is getting down in the thick of oppression right alongside those who have to deal with it as a concrete force in their daily lives and being right next to them when shit hits the fan, fighting the same fight they are, and taking the blows as if you were one of them, because to those who want to perpetuate it, you might as well be. Anyone can be an ally, and allyship IS what punk is, just as much as being a member of a targeted group fighting for their rights. Systemic oppression doesn't care about the nuances when it lines us all up against the wall, and our infighting is doing its job for it. The second we start singling out groups of people for their identities is when we've already lost. Anyone standing up against these sytems is punk.
Anyone GATEKEEPING a punk movement isn't a punk, they're a fucking poser. A cop. A fed, even, because there are no cops at punk.
Can you have specific communities OF [x people with x identity and experiences], by and for that group by definition, to discuss their specific experiences unique to their situation(s)? Sure! Just don't do any fakeclaiming in the gatekeeping, mmk?
And don't you DARE call it fucking punk.
58 notes
·
View notes
Mountain x Rain: Shy Waters
CW: Discussion of past pack abuse.
TW: Past verbal and physical abuse.
Angst, hurt/comfort.
Mountain only wishes for the new water ghoul to feel safe in his new pack. Will the water ghoul open up to him?
Ever since Rain was summoned, he kept to himself, keeping everyone at a safe distance. He wasn’t sure what to make of the world around him. Aether was welcoming and understanding with the new water ghoul. He made it clear that Rain was part of the pack. The pack he used to be a part of in the pit disregarded him, saying that he was useless and not worth keeping around, causing the new ghoul to keep himself at a distance, not wanting history to repeat itself.
Mountain wanted to get to know the new ghoul, but was hesitant to talk to him since Rain backed away from him when he offered his hand to shake. He thought that the water ghoul was so stunning, and he couldn’t believe that the stunning water ghoul was part of the pack. Mountain wanted Rain to feel welcomed, and he tried doing so, but each attempt ended with Rain being silent and backing away from the earth ghoul as if he was afraid that he would strike him. Mountain had no idea about the abuse that the water ghoul went through at the hands of his old pack. Rain had no idea why the earth ghoul was even trying when he made his intentions pretty clear. He thought that if he continued to keep himself at a distance, they would give up and send him back to the pit.
Rain sat on the water fountain late at night, staring at the moonlight glistening on the water. He wished he was back in the pit with his old pack and would welcome him with open arms. Bruises fade, wounds heal, but he still had the scars from it all. Mountain noticed them and tried to figure out how the scars came to be, but thought not to ask the shy ghoul. He didn’t want to scare Rain even more since he was already scared enough. Mountain finally decided to try to talk to the water ghoul, bringing a bouquet of white roses to give to the water ghoul.
Rain paid no mind to the gentle giant that was behind him.
Mountain hesitated when approaching the water ghoul and softly spoke his name.
“Rain?”
Rain jumped and turned around in fright, hyperventilating. Mountain wanted to whimper. He didn’t mean to scare him. Why must he look intimidating? Why is he struggling to comfort the newest pack member? What was his life back in the pit? Mountain lowered his head and took a step back, shyly holding out the flowers to the water ghoul.
“These are for you,” Mountain hesitated. “I don’t know what your favorite flower is, but I assumed that you would take a liking to these. You don’t have to take them if you don’t want them.”
He paused before continuing.
“I don’t know what your life was like back in the pit, but I can tell that it wasn’t pleasant, and I’m so sorry that you went through that. I wanted to let you know that we aren’t like that at all. We love and care about every single member of the pack. I want you to feel that way as well.”
Rain hesitated before gently taking the offered flowers out of Mountain’s grasp, studying them. They were pure and beautiful. It was very thoughtful of Mountain to give him something as such. He looked up and saw that Mountain was fidgeting with his hands nervously. He didn’t expect this giant to be so hesitant and nervous. Rain saw how lively this earth ghoul was and how kindly he treated the pack.
“Thank you, Mountain,” he softly spoke. “These are beautiful.”
Mountain looked at him and smiled.
“Of course. I’m glad that you like them.”
Mountain turned his gaze to the moon.
“Beautiful night, isn’t it? Never get a view like this back in the pit. I remember seeing the moon for the first time and waking up Papa frantically asking him what the fuck that big shiny thing was.”
He chuckled and looked back at Rain before continuing.
“You'll never get sick of a view like this.”
He never noticed before, but the water ghoul’s eyes had a shine to them like when the moonlight shines on the ocean. Mountain found Rain to be beautiful. He was too beautiful to be a demon. He was captivating. Rain moved over and patted on the spot next to him. Mountain smiled and graciously sat down, his eyes never leaving Rain’s.
Rain looked deeper into Mountain’s eyes.
“Your eyes have gold in them,” he almost whispered to himself in awe. “Still green, but they have rivers of gold in them.”
Mountain smiled and blushed.
“Yours remind me of the ocean when the moonlight shines on it. They’re beautiful, Rain.”
Rain blushed and looked down at the roses.
“You think so?” He asked shyly.
Mountain nodded.
“The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Rain hesitated before speaking up.
“I owe you an apology. I did not have the best experience being in a pack before I was summoned here. I assumed that it would be the same as it was, and even though you all have been treating me with kindness, I still avoided everyone like the plague. I rejected you before you rejected me and that was cruel of me. For that, I am sorry, and I hope you forgive me.”
Mountain gently took Rain’s hand in his and looked at him mournfully.
“There’s nothing to forgive," Mountain reassured him. "I’m so sorry that you went through that. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way. If I was part of your past pack, I would’ve ripped them to shreds and treated you like royalty.”
Rain’s eyes shone with tears and looked down at their intertwined fingers.
He whispered, “I am not worthy of being treated like royalty or being part of your pack. I do not wish for you to see the ugly side of me.”
Mountain gently cupped Rain’s chin and gently tilted his head to look at him.
“There’s nothing ugly about you,” Mountain spoke with conviction. “You’re beautiful and you proved how strong you are by surviving that hellhole. We want you to be part of this pack.”
Rain shook his head. Tears running down his face.
“You are wrong,” he countered. “I have the scars to prove it.”
Mountain gently brought Rain’s hand to his lips and kissed it.
Mountain spoke with kindness that Rain had never heard before.
“You’re still beautiful.”
Rain hesitated before taking a deep breath.
“Do you want to know about the pack I was a part of?”
Mountain gently held Rain’s delicate hands in his own to comfort the ghoul in front of him.
“Only if you want to talk about it. I understand if you don’t want to.”
The water ghoul looked away as tears ran rapidly down his cheeks.
“It is not a pleasant story," Rain started.
He took another deep breath before continuing.
“Back in the pit, I was part of a pack for a long time. I was often picked on or left to fend for myself. When it came to hunting or defending the pack from other ghouls they would use me as a decoy since I could not defend myself. Every day I tried so hard to prove my worth to them. I wanted to mate with one of them, and this was the result.”
He let go of one of Mountain’s hands and pushed up one of his sleeves, revealing multiple scars on his arm.
“He made his answer loud and clear. Told me that he would rather have Lucifer himself smite him than be with an ugly creature like me.“
Mountain was speechless as he stared at the scars. How dare some lowlife treat this beautiful water ghoul like that? He was tempted to be sent back to the pit to find this asshole and rip him to shreds. Rain was beautiful and amazing. Stunning as blue stained glass. How dare his past pack not see that?
Rain shrugged and continued.
“I should have known better than to irk him, and I paid the price for it,” he spoke so casually as if he was talking about the weather.
Mountain shook his head as tears clouded his vision.
“No,” he stuttered. “No, Rain. You didn’t deserve that. That lowlife is an asshole who should be tortured for the rest of his pathetic life for hurting you.”
He took a deep breath before continuing.
“He’s a fucking idiot who doesn’t see how amazing and beautiful you are. I would never, ever hurt you. I would rather be sent back to the fiery pit of hell.”
Rain gently rested his hand on Mountain’s cheek. He saw the raw emotion in the earth ghoul’s eyes. The honesty and promise.
“There is no need to do such a thing,” he almost whispered. “I believe you would not harm me. I am sorry that it took me this long to realize that. Please do not go back there.”
Mountain gently rested his hand on top of Rain’s that was cupping his cheek.
“I promise, but if you change your mind, I would do it.”
The water ghoul chuckled.
“I believe you would.”
From that night forward, Mountain would continue to prove to the water ghoul that he was part of the pack and that he was safe. Whenever Rain would fall, Mountain was always there to pick him up.
52 notes
·
View notes