#this is not to disregard my own personal privilege either.

[bixels]

The idea that uni protesters are "elitist ivy-league rich kids larping as revolutionaries" on Twitter and Reddit and even here is so fucking funny to me if you actually know anything about the student bodies at these unis. Take it from someone who's going to one of the biggest private unis in the US, 80% of the peers I know are either from the suburbs or an apartment somewhere in America, children of immigrants, or here on a student visa. I've heard about one-percenter students, but I've never met one in person. Like, don't get me wrong, the institution as a whole is still very privileged and white. I've talked with friends and classmates about feeling weird or dissonant being here and coming from such a different background. But in my art program, I see BIPOC, disabled, queer, lower-income students and faculty trying to deconstruct and tear that down and make space every day. So to take a cursory glance at a crowd of student protesters in coalitions that are led by BIPOC & 1st/2nd-gen immigrant students and HQ'd in ethnic housings and student organizations and say, "ah. children of the elite." Get real.

#also idk how to tell you this but even if it were true. wealthy children potentially sacrificing their educational careers to protest is #a good thing actually. idk how to tell you that caring about people from other nations is good #personal #“this war has nothing to do with most students cuz nobody's getting drafted” idk how to explain to you that we should be angry #that our tuitions of 10s of thousands of dollars that we pay every year for an education is being used to fund a genocidal campaign #also the implication that if you go to a uni institution you are automatically privileged by participation no matter your bg #i didn't /want/ to go to this school. i was supposed to go to a school with an art/animation program. but i realized my immigrant #parents have been working their whole lives to get me here. and turning the opportunity down would be a disservice to their sacrifice #this is getting into convos of “what 2nd gen kids owe their parents” which is different for everyone but. yeah #i just get pissed off at seeing people misrepresenting student bodies as “wealthy” and “privileged” and “elite” when it's such a blatant li #i remember a year ago a friend told me they can't fly home to hong kong for winter break because the plane tickets are too expensive #so they have to find temporary housing around the area #last quarter for a film doc class my film partner made a doc on a small group of marxist grad students from india discussing praxis #during a rally a few months ago in response to police presence the coalition invited palestinian students to speak about their experiences #and lead songs and read poems they wrote. these are STUDENTS. are they elitist too? #this is not to disregard my own personal privilege either. #this whole narrative's just to rationalize a lack of empathy to me. seeing a 19yo student get shot by a rubber bullet and your first #reaction is “HAW! HAW! bet richy rich didn't see THAT coming when she put on her terrorist hood!” #newsflash. these big uni campuses are HAUNTED by the violence of past protests and revolutions and police brutality. we know. #why do you think these coalitions have been making reinforced barricades at record speed

[doberbutts]

The problem with the concept that there are trans men who don’t have male privilege is that it seems to imply that there are trans women who DO have it, which is a concept that is widely agreed to be unequivocally transmisogynistic. Any rebuttal for this?

My rebuttal is; I know trans women who have lived in my house and sat on my couch and watched movies and played videogames with me who have told me to my face that they did receive male privilege on a similar incredibly conditional, individual, and situational basis similar to how I am describing for trans men, how it relied on the closet and total stealth, and very aware they had to be of the line they were toeing, and how much worse they are treated now that they are out and transitioning, and how afraid they are to say it because of rabid people online who are looking for any excuse whatsoever to hurt them when they deal with that enough in their everyday lives.

I am forever reminded of this older interview (mid-90s early 2000s I think) of transgender Japanese citizens and this one person who was probably what we would call a trans woman. And, like my butch friend, was trapped in a situation in which there was absolutely zero room to breathe. They were amab, married to a woman with multiple children, working as a businessman to support the family. They said how they always felt like a woman on the inside, and how they knew that could never be a reality for them, so they didn't see much point in pursuing anything because it would break their family apart. The only thing they could do was make various cute needlework girly things during their daily commute to and from work. They had some cover story for their wife that they were buying them from a shop for their daughters or something.

Do you think that this person, who is perceived by everyone around them to be a cis man for several decades, does not benefit from male privilege in any way despite probably not actually being a man? Do you understand what I'm talking about when I say that this is a topic that needs to be discussed with far more delicacy and nuance than "man privilege woman not privilege"?

Do you think that all of the accounts of trans women out there saying "when I came out and started identifying as and passing for a woman, people suddenly started treating me much worse" and "I frequently have to boymode because otherwise my life is too dangerous" aren't discussions of exactly what I'm talking about?

Privilege is a tricky, complicated thing. It's also something bigoted society bestows upon you, and not a moral critique of your own existence. TERFs and MRAs both have poisoned the well, but that's not a reason to completely disregard the much-needed grace that has to be had during these conversations.

Personally I think any trans person's experience with "male privilege" is shakey at best and entirely contingent on a wide number of factors that you can't just point at their gender and say yes or no. I think it's way more complicated than that. And I don't think anyone is lesser for having or not having it, either. Gender is a morally neutral thing. Gender presentation is a morally neutral thing. It is okay to exist. It's okay to have a complicated existence.

[atopvisenyashill]

not to keep harping on but definitely the complaint i see that really sticks in my craw is that the only reason or the main reason robb planned to banish catelyn to seaguard was because of their argument over jon. it’s certainly a factor but they have spent the entire war arguing over every decision robb makes! ned tells robb “keep your mother in your council” but robb really does not! he has her there, yes, he lets her speak, yes, but oftentimes he will disregard her advice without any appeasement, misstep badly, and be worse off politically in the exact way she warned him of. she’s not the only person he blows off - he’s not exactly nice to edmure either, for example - but cat is right when she suspects there’s an element of “kings are not supposed to have mothers” and “wedded to his war" and she clocks this long before the argument over jon! robb tries to get rid of her at the beginning of a clash of kings when all cat has done is urge him to continue peaceful negotiations with the lannisters!

robb is angry because he’s in over his head and he knows it, and it's got very little to do with jon! robb is losing this war and his best friend was the son of a man who crowned himself and lost the war!! robb knows exactly what’s going to happen to the north if he loses and despite everything, he cannot seem to win despite being a near prodigy in battle tactics. and here his mother has been this whole time, fighting him on every front - just like the lords but he cant punish them for disagreeing can he? - and being so frustratingly right about more things than his lords, and now they’re picking at this wound in their family that has never been allowed to heal and a lot of resentment that both robb and catelyn are feeling at their general situation gets focused in on each other. this is such a tully thing too (pls remember these are canonically unpleasant people!) because look at lysa projecting years of resentment onto sansa, look at the entire cat, hoster, edmure situation, or even hoster & blackfish’s relationship. family is so important to them but in times of stress, “doing everything for family” becomes an anchor pulling them down, until the only thing left is to lash out at each other.

most of the lords are happy to let this nonsense play out! catelyn does not even have the privilege maege & dacey mormont do at being head of their own house - she’s just a wife, just a mother, just a first born daughter. when she disagrees, they don’t see an equal arguing with them, they see a woman sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. they do not give a single solitary shit about like, ~the plight of bastards~ they just believe, like robb, that sansa is currently “tainted” by her marriage to a lannister and can’t be allowed to inherit, that arya is dead, that the boys are dead, that jeyne is not yet pregnant, and a bastard boy castle raised who looks like ned is better than no boy at all (see edric storm, addam of hull, and larence snow). these men have not spent the last fourteen years cooking in their resentment over this situation the way catelyn and robb have!

jon is a reason. but so is rickard karstark, jaime lannister, willem lannister, tion frey, renly baratheon, walder frey, and theon greyjoy. ned is a reason as well, and bran, sansa, rickon, arya, hoster, edmure, perhaps even lysa and sweetrobin. jon is the final straw but robb isn’t (only) sending catelyn away because of some righteous fury on his brother’s behalf! he’s sending her away because she is an easy, socially acceptable target for all his frustrations and failures and fears that he can project on, and punish, in a way he cannot punish his enemies, his lords, or himself.

and catelyn is as always very aware of the deeper motivations in her son’s mind, and resentful that she doesn’t have the power to push back; she’s just a mother, after all.

#getting on my soap box #robb stark #catelyn stark #valyrianscrolls #catelyn stark defense squad #cat/robb and ned/sansa/arya are the most interesting & realistic depictions of mother/son and father/daughter relationships send tweet #like the jon snow of it all is always relevant. but she is also right that she’s being punished for being a woman who won’t shut up. just b #some of her advice (SOME! NOT MOST!) is sketch or not good doesn’t mean they’re not punishing her. it’s not like edmure gives good advice! #but guess which tully is sent away!!!!!! edmure gets to have flaws. he gets to be wrong. catelyn does not. #motherhood #mothers and sons #gender politics in asoiaf

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

I'm the anon who asked that one ask you didn't make. Let me rephrase that, just in case the first one was too much.

How about the M6 who saw MC burying their head underwater when they cry? MC has this habit of hiding their problems and always keeps a strong persona in front of everybody. But when they breakdown, they go to a stream, a lake, the bathhouse, whatever place that has bodies of water so that they can put their head in the water and scream out their tears and inner conflicts. Because when they do this, nobody can hear them cry underwater.

Hopefully this one is more acceptable than the other one. Thanks, Brainrot. I'll try to be more considerate for the others :)

Hi anon,

I want to be clear from the beginning of this that what I'm saying is not coming from a place of anger or hate. Rather, there's been a small but growing trend in my inbox lately that I want to address, and this request is one of the clearest examples of it. I intend no harm against you and I'm not requesting any kind of apology, I'd just like to give some boundary reminders.

I understand your frustration with your first request not getting written. The opportunity to have content for a favorite set of characters custom made to your ideas is exciting! Much of the time that it doesn't happen, it's because there's more mini-hcs in the inbox than I can write, or it's because due to the amount of traffic through it some of the asks get lost. (I still write well over 90% of the prompts that come in, though, which is how my current posting output is roughly 2 full headcanons, a Vesvuvia Weekly prompt, and 21 mini headcanons a week!) It's why I usually don't mind receiving a request a second time in case there wasn't space for the first one ^.^

However, I still have the right to pick what I do and don't write. While my guidelines are written with the comfort and safety of my readers in mind, they are primarily there as my own personal boundaries. Writing about things like waterboarding, torture, child abuse and neglect, toxic relationships etc. without a context of healing, recovery, and personal growth is and always has been off the table. I chose not to write your earlier, more extreme prompt because it would violate the boundaries I outlined in my pinned post, and I'm choosing not to write this one either for the same reasons. I don't judge you for wanting to consume content with those themes (we all have our tastes, and that's okay!) but I'm not going to compromise my own boundaries or mental health to write something that's meant to be a free gift of my own creativity. There are other authors you can ask for those themes who would be happy to provide.

I don't bring this up often because I don't want to ruin the chill vibes, but I do in fact do this for free. I clock easily 30+ hours of work a week putting content on this blog alongside my full time job - and that is work that I am happy to do! I'm privileged enough to do this without needing to monetize it, and I find my reward in being able to share my writing with people, make friends, and create joy where I can. Even if I did depend on this for my livelihood, that still wouldn't entitle anyone to my services. I'm immensely grateful to the people who send me their ideas and support my work and give me feedback, but the work I do for the people on my page is out of joy and love, not obligation.

For the few anonymous requesters who send me prompts with disturbing content outside my guidelines, I understand that not everyone has an interest in checking my boundaries (listed in my pinned post) first. I'm not angry about that. However, I in turn have no interest in writing for requests that disregard those boundaries. Those requests are not entitled to being fulfilled or responded to.

To the vast majority of my readers and requesters, thank you!! Your ideas are a constant source of creative delight and your feedback and interest and joy light up my page. You guys are the best and have a special place in my heart :)

Cheers,

brainrot

#ask arcana brainrot #the arcana #the arcana headcanons #the arcana hc #the arcana game

[pansy-picnics]

Sorry but your recent artwork has me thinking about parent Varigo and I have to dump my thoughts somewhere. I feel like, if they actually had a kid it would be really emotional for them but in different ways. Varian finds out he’s pregnant and is a little scared at first, but he actually adjusts to the idea pretty fast and is excited about it, because he’s in a good place now and has a good support system. He doesn’t have to worry about his family judging him, he knows they’ll still see him for who he is. Hugo on the other hand is terrified. But not because he doesn’t wanna be a dad, he’s pretty excited about that, he’s just really scared that Varian is going to get sick from the pregnancy, or that the whole experience is gonna be too much for him. He feels like this is just another thing he’s “putting Varian through” because he’s still not quite over the guilt of his betrayal years ago, and now it’s coming back to haunt him. They work it out of course and Hugo realizes that it’s gonna be okay and that he also can depend on Varian’s family for support because they’re his family too. Now I’m emotional. Anyway I love your art <3

AUGHHHH YEAH YEAH THIS IS SO REAL!!!!! i love plots like that fr, their characters are so fun to explore😭😭😭 Honestly? i think in the right circumstances hugo could be a deadbeat dad. like he could just straight up leave bc he’s paranoid varian or the kid would get hurt or he’d put them in danger or something. he’s the kind of guy who’s always Running! like i could think of scenarios where he’d run away on their wedding day too. those are both horrible extremes SORRY FOR THE ANGST I JUST THINK IT’S NEAT.

i think hugo’s always WANTED a family but its something she’s always viewed as unachievable, mostly bc of the shitty living situation hes been in for most of his life. she could barely survive on her own and she’d never want to drag someone else into that yk? and she’s still scared of that commitment even after she moves into the castle, bc what if she DID have a kid and then something happened and she couldn’t take care of them anymore, or she ends up on the streets again….and what if she just ends up abandoning them? what if she’s no better than the parents she never even knew? it’s like, obviously she wouldn’t do any of those things or be in those situations but she has….a Lot of anxiety around it for sure. but i also think that she tries to adopt literally every orphan she and varian see. she LOVES kids as much as she pretends she doesn’t and its very obvious….she just hasn’t really had the privilege to be able to think about it until now.

varian…i think he goes either way, he doesn’t really plan to have kids but he’ll kinda learn to adjust to whatever, he’s also just a very family oriented guy so he’s definitely not opposed to that kind of role. in my head they usually adopt bc i think varian like, Hates anything related to the human body at all so even disregarding the gender dysphoria pregnancy is SO gross to him. idk why i just think he’s silly like that. hell make bombs and poisonous chemicals but he remembers people have organs and he wants to throw up. i’m not opposed to the idea of them having biological kids at all though…especially considering all the art i’ve already drawn for it’s us against the world LOL. personally i think even if he weren’t opposed to the idea he’d be miserable the entire time, and not even like in a serious way necessarily he’s just REALLY mad that he can’t work in the lab anymore. he’s pissed about EVERYTHING, actually. he’s bored and he’s tired and he can’t work and he feels like shit and he doesn’t really have any other hobbies either. his whole life and routine has been completely fucked over for nine months and SURE he loves the kid and he’s excited but like why does it need to be in there that long. why can’t it just come from the stork or something. 🙄/j

i think he might pick a few fights with hugo bc of it, just because he’s so overwhelmed and emotional and doesn’t know how to handle it, but hugo’s really understanding; also they’ll honestly take any kind of treatment from him because they’re like, “Yeah i probably deserved that”. which varian does NOT like btw and always gets on his ass later to stick up for himself more while also in tears apologizing for yelling at him

idk i just think them as parents would be Sooo silly. neither of them have any clue what they’re doing. dude if those two had a baby? Dude can you imagine? varian’s sooo fucking sheltered i think he’s only interacted with like, 2 babies in his entire life. quirin stays with them for tje first few weeks bc varian literally just has NO clue what he’s doing and is crying to him all the time. and hugo like, has an idea of what to do but he’s also SUPER paranoid. they’re both just staring at the kid while they sleep not so much out of adoration but because they’re just terrified they’ll stop breathing at any moment. you cant convince me that either of them know how to change a diaper. They’re gonna bring out like full lab gear. like the gag where the dads will pull out full hazmat suits for the diaper change. That’s them idc

ruddiger is also SO protective of their kids from the moment they’re born, like he jumps up into the crib and snuggles up with them and they always IMMEDIATELY stop crying. olivia is the opposite. she’s kinda like a toddler who just got a new sibling she didn’t want. shes pissed that she isn’t getting hugo’s full attention and keeps being a brat about it. hugo’s just trying to calm down his baby and olivias glaring at him while she’s about to push a glass off the table

yeah idk i. have a lot of thoughts abt them too they’re so beloved to me

#tangled the series #rapunzels tangled adventure #vat7k #varian and the seven kingdoms #varian and the 7 kingdoms #varigo #tts headcanons #varian #vat7k hugo #pansy rambling again #ask #tangled ask #hugo rottewange

[deepspacedukat]

Worthy

And Spock wins the plot bunny sprint. 🖖

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Spock & Reader (platonic)

[A/N: This can be any Spock you want, but in the interest of full disclosure, I did write it with TOS Spock in mind.]

Warnings: Mentions of a break-up (not between reader and Spock), tears, emotional hurt/comfort, friend relationship, Spock is a good friend, supportive Vulcans are supportive.

~*~

"Lieutenant? You have seemed distracted today. Are you well?" The calm, neutral voice of the Enterprise's first officer startled me out of my stupor. I'd thought I was alone in the turbolift - finally free to trudge back to my quarters at the end of my shift and cry myself to sleep. Had Spock been there the whole time? If not, when did he get into the lift with me? Had I been that out of it?

"I'm fine, sir," I murmured, but the conspicuously raised eyebrow told me that he didn't believe a word.

"Forgive me, but unless I am mistaken, the puffiness around your eyes indicates the recent presence of tears. And you never call me sir when we are off-duty," he stated, and although I knew he was just expressing his concern, the formality of his observation in a situation like this drew a rueful huff of laughter from my throat. I was certain that I'd either confused him or made him even more concerned about my well-being.

Taking a slow, deep breath, I nodded my head and halted the turbolift.

"Perceptive as always, Spock." He'd been my friend since the year before I'd been assigned to Enterprise, and since I had nobody else aboard who I felt like telling, I figured I should go ahead and tell the one person to whom I told everything. "He broke up with me...said he couldn't handle this 'long distance stuff,' to use his own words."

At this Spock's brow furrowed.

"I was under the impression that he was merely opposed to the labeling of your relationship as romantic. The two of you were, to quote you, 'keeping things casual.'" He sounded as confused as I felt.

"We were, but...I guess a casual relationship just...wasn't what he wanted anymore. Not when it was long distance, anyway," I muttered crossing my arms protectively over my middle and leaning against the turbolift wall. "He wants to stay friends, though. I agreed. It hurt, but I agreed. I can't make him care for me more than he does."

Lowering my head to hide the reemergence of my tears, I took another deep, steadying breath and tried to blink them away before they could fall.

A large, warm hand grasped my upper arm, a gentle sensation that made me look up.

"If he was not satisfied with the devotion you harbored for him - that was evident whenever you spoke of him or to him - then he was not worthy of you," Spock murmured, soft brown eyes conveying more compassion than I'd expected from one so controlled as he.

This time I couldn't stop the tears that dripped down my cheeks.

"Thank you, Spock." My voice sounded watery and small, but I knew he wouldn't mind. His mother was Human. He'd probably seen her cry before, not to mention the rest of the Humans he'd served with.

Standing straight and clasping his hands behind his back, Spock lifted his chin slightly and spoke with more gravitas than I'd heard before outside of the Bridge.

"As you are my friend, I believe it is my honor and privilege to host you in my quarters for what is colloquially termed a 'girl's night.' I may not be the same gender as the name implies, but I have been told that what matters on such an occasion is the quality of the friendship. I believe I am correct in saying that ours qualifies."

I was so stunned that I didn't reply immediately, but Spock continued.

"Disregarding the lack of nutritional content, I believe ice cream would be an appropriate substitute for a meal, as well as wine. As per the terms of a 'girl's night,' I am also quite open to listening to the ways in which the ending of the relationship has caused you pain and providing comfort at appropriate moments–"

I couldn't help myself. I knew that Vulcans weren't big on physical touch, but Spock had allowed me to hug him before. Throwing my arms around his waist, I let out a wet giggle against his shoulder, making him break off mid-sentence.

"You're too good to me, Spock."

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I sniffled quietly.

"It is my duty as your friend to support you. I believe it would be customary after a terminated relationship to offer to hide the body, but he is not worthy of the effort of such a venture," he said against the top of my head. "I take it you would not be opposed to a girl's night?"

I shook my head wordlessly, and he redirected the turbolift toward the floor housing his quarters.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

#deepspacedukat fic #fuck it #why not

[sailoms]

i have to explain why kanghan kneeling in front of those thugs is a peak life lesson and my new obsession.

(tagging vi @disasterbabygirlnick cus i read your tags and this will explain the birth of the gifset 😔💖)

it wasnt in my agenda to see kanghan kneel, i thought it's just gonna be a father-son feud and other misfortunes. but then he had to, in order to keep the biggest responsibility that every human hates: something that's not theirs, which was the bike. kanghan owed his dad his midterm scores, his main goals.

and then, being a reckless teenager with his narrow vision, he sold that big bike. this was the beginning of two big blows he was about to receive. first, he had to return the bike to his dad which meant coming home and asking for forgiveness and also forgiving his dad deep in his heart.

like, he hated his dad for sure but that he realized that human flawed and alas his dad was also human??? that he had to be the bigger person and understood that his dad's way of loving was providing everything that he wanted, whether he actually liked it or not. there was no proper communication between them as well so, whose fault was this actually?

second, the thug asked him to kneel. read all about kneeling culture in asia, the big idea is it's a gesture to honor the person standing/sitting and/or receiving blessings. in thailand culture (just read this), it's a deep gesture between parents and children. the purpose is same.

now, a thug, who's in kanghan's eyes, didn't behave or lead a life better than him, not even a relative or family member, asked him to kneel. kanghan had to kneel in front of a person so undeserving, so low to save his bike and boyfriend, his two major responsibilities. why would he ask for blessings from a "sinner" or honor a person whose life wasnt better than him??

yet he still did that, realizing that his pride wouldn't save either his boyfriend or his bike. doing nothing wouldn't help much too. it was his fault and he shouldn't call his dad to "save" him again. this moment was really him against the world. notice how his expression changed as he tried to get a grip of himself when he kneeled.

a side note, since im a jjk reader, i learn a bit about buddhism. that in order to achieve enlightenment, one should dispose of his ego. i'd say, this was kanghan's peak enlightenment where he dumped his pride to achieve the level of humbleness, empathy, and humanity that he wished for. as if it's a symbol, that he finally truly lowered himself "closer to the ground" where sailom and his cliques stood in the society.

however if we bring this to irl, in the same situation, this method of enlightenment would be disregarded. most people would rather fight it out rather than opening their heart and owning their mistake then "lower" themselves in front of the party that hurt them. it's entirely about disposing of human's greatest possession that is pride, the need to be at the top of the mountain, food chain, blablabla, in order to truly touch and empathize with the poor and marginalized ones who spend their lives having no privilege to choose (sailom).

i just, i don't think i'd watched a thai bl that portrays,,, character development as detailed and well written as this one and runs with a surprisingly simple idea, responsibility, as its main theme. imo, this is my top 2 after atots.

#.txt #dangerous romance #dangerous romane the series #kind meta?? #im sorry its so long but i just UGH #THIS HIT ME RIGHT

[hologramcowboy]

https://at.tumblr.com/hologramcowboy/we-know-jensen-and-danneel-come-from-christian/amhzme20xldr

I’m sorry, but I am seriously offended by this anon’s stereotyping. Assuming Christians are automatically antisemitic is gross. Do they realize the two religions start from the same core? Bigotry is not only a label that should be reserved for right leaning people, clearly. Not being able to see past your own bias to empathize and just repeating hateful opinions about others is gross no matter who is doing it. Weather I agree with another persons beliefs doesn’t matter to me as much as as them being a decent person because I believe people have free will for a reason, and they have the right to personal freedom of choice.

Thank you @hologramcowboy for your nuanced reply to this ask.

As for labelling Danneel and Jensen as Christians and supposing that’s why they’d have antisemitic actions take place in their show and that being the reason for Jensen supporting Russia and war is gross, and really unlikely. Besides, Christians don’t exactly have any issues with Ukrainians that I’m aware of that would prompt them to support such a war.

For one, J and D aren’t exactly poster children for a “good Christian couple” since they treat each other with contempt and don’t appear loving with each other at all, while only seeming to be able to stand each other when drinking.

For another, I doubt there is any thoughtful intention behind either the burning of a golem (which is very tone-deaf) or playing a KGB agent to promote a Russian video game while the country is waging war in Ukrainian. I doubt Jensen pays attention to anything in The Winchesters besides scenes that mention or lead to Dean appearing again. Which makes him lazy and careless but not necessarily antisemitic. As for the Russian game, I don’t imagine he supports the war, but he’s out of touch enough that he probably just didn’t consider it. But, I have to admit it’s almost like he’s trying to self-sabotage at this point. Anyway, my point with this is that Jensen is more likely to be careless than actively hateful. And his disregard for these issues is likely not because he’s Christian (if he is) but because he is an out of touch celebrity who has been constantly petted and having his ego stroked for the last 17+ years. More thoughtless than hateful in intention, though the end result is what we have here, so it’s not great either way.

Or maybe he does support those things and I’m wrong, but for crying out loud let’s stop automatically equating Christianity with supporting things like hate and war. Not every person of the same religion, nationality, political leaning, etc thinks exactly the same. We are all still just people.

I have Christian friends and they are some of the deepest, smartest, most loving people I've ever met. In the end it's not even about the religion someone has but about their core character. You define your religion by who you are and your choices and some do define their beliefs beautifully others tragically but we see this with every religion.

Just to be clear, Christian faith does not condone violence or abusing others in any way.

I do feel that what the anon was referring to was those fringe cult like religious groups that may have different nominations but all ultimately toxic as they endorse racism as well as other deeply negative views. So I do get where the anon was coming from because, especially in Texas, some groups are scary. It's completely natural to assume someone's religious views affects how they filter life. I think all anon was trying to do was shine as spotlight on the less than ideal ideologies some "christians" display. Not actual Christians but people who misrepresent the faith. If I understood correctly, that is.

As for not being aware of the social implications of his choice, sorry but I'm going to disagree on that or, rather, just add that being privileged should not be an excuse to be ignorant, on the contrary, people who are privileged should be a voice for those that do not have one. So i'm not letting Jensen off the hook on this one, he made a bad choice and is still failing to respond to the backlash.

#jensen critical

[headmasterrookwood]

Welcome, students.

Today not only marks the beginning of the rest of your lives but the beginning of a new, glorious age for wizard-kind. Here, your magical education will be compounded upon and enhanced by additional coursework designed to prepare you for the new world the Dark Lord strives to create: a world of peace and order where everyone has their place and abides by the limitations or freedoms of their status.

If your wand is branded with the red seal, you're a Dominant and a pure-blood. There are privileges extended to you that you'd be wise to take full advantage of.

If your wand is branded with the purple seal, you're a Switch. A combination of your righteous allegiance to the Dark Lord and either a certain indecisiveness or a clamoring for as much power as your blood status will allow has put you on this path. Make the most of it, but let it be known that either your own potential preference towards submitting or your less-than-pure blood status will always bar you from true, undiluted power.

If your wand is branded with the blue seal, you're a Submissive. Potentially, you've elected to forfeit the power your blood status entitles you to because you know you aren't built to dominate - in which case, I respect that choice. Alternatively, you've done the first admirable thing in your life and have seen reason; siding with the Dark Lord will keep you from total humiliation. You've acknowledged your place at the near-bottom of the societal hierarchy and will be rewarded with freedoms many will still believe you don't deserve. Do not step out of line. I will not hesitate to punish any discrepancies I observe.

Heed the following rules and regulations:

All students, unless similarly branded, are to address Dominants by either Sir or Miss. As a Dominant, it is your responsibility to enforce this rule. Switches and submissives are liable for punishment should they disregard it, but if I catch one of my Dominant students ignoring their obligation to enforce protocol, I'll step in and issue a punishment to everyone involved. You have been warned.

Dominants are permitted to roam the castle and the grounds at their leisure without curfew. Additionally, they may escort a lower-ranked student at all hours.

Dominants are within their rights to place lower-ranked students under orders. Lower-ranked students are expected to follow said orders and are liable for punishment should they disobey.*

Orders from Dominants can last upwards of forty-eight hours. Orders from Switches can last twenty-four.

Switches are to be confined to their House common rooms or their dorms by 10 PM on Sunday-Thursday and 11 PM on Friday and Saturday unless escorted by a Dominant.

Submissives are to be confined to their House common rooms or their dorms by 9 PM on Sunday-Thursday and 10 PM on Friday and Saturday unless escorted by a Dominant.

*Should a lower-ranked student receive an order that they, for whatever reason, feel incapable of following, you may reach out to me or another member of staff to appeal the order. Only I or a member of staff have the right to intervene and excuse an order - and bear in mind, this is on a case-by-case basis, and personally, it would take quite a lot to warrant an excusal.

That's all for now. Your preliminary guidebooks should answer anything I missed, but if you have further questions, ask away. I just reserve the right to ignore them if they're idiotic.

#starter #kink rp #smut rp #hp rp #semi appless rp #roleplay

[horizon-verizon]

Rhaenyra was usurped, half of her children were killed, here and there betrayals and other troubles, two bastards, to whom she gave huge dragons, betrayed her, Mysaria was poisoning her mind, but God forbid, if she rejects the idea that the last close person betrayed her and thinks that other riders can follow these two and betray her as well.

Definitely a response to this post.

Have you read my Twitter post about Rhaenyra & Nettles, anon? I suggest you do, it is a shorter explanation. This is going to be my only open, detailed, & calm explanation about it here on Tumblr. And I hope that people bother to read all this.

It's like when we come across either an accomplished/just a "cool" OR someone who has struggled against one form of societal oppression (ex. sexism) but still has performed oppressive acts themselves (homophobia). AKA, someone like Black female rapper I forget the name of who's homophobic.

Pre-Points

The Black Jezebel stuff, that sort of thing still happens today: a white woman/girl who sees a black woman/girl become the center of attention or otherwise receive the admiration/attraction from a white man and they try their best to slander the black woman or "persuade" the white man/boy away from the black woman/girl, trying to convince them that the black woman is an undesirable match but also person. To reestablish white dominance by "reclaiming" the white man. Because the white woman depended on the white man for access to many rights or privileges due to their society baring them of those rights due to their gender. And the (richer or "midclassed") white man, in the U.S. esp, has had the highest positions, the most money reserved, and the most political power/privileges/rights. Thus, that will come with the psychological games to feel more in control. Again, in both romantic/sexual & in platonic contexts.

Why should the blood purity Rhaneyra displays be relegated under her grief? Why isn't blood purity recognized as its own entity, as a thing with its own origins and role in Rhaenyra's downfall? Yes, she is a victim of misogyny, but she is also a perpetrator of misogynoir as white women often can be when the "threat" of a sexual competitor appears as the differently-objectified, more vulnerable Black woman. If fans of her story and Fire and Blood and ASoIaF can see that Rhaenyra's paranoia partly causes her downfall towards the very final months, why isn't it the same for her clear blood purity? This is the same blood purity that Rhaneyra's society/family passes down to her--that she uses to try to gain back and maintain power both immediately and by large. Why then do people try to separate the two as if they aren't connected and inform the other to bring her down?

-- not "inform the other"... rather "the grief loosens deeply embedded blood purity because that what emotional distress can do, get people to slip and reveal stuff --

Has to be because they aren't familiar with racism for Black women, or American history, and/or don't want it to color or affect how they define their own politics and everyday lives. To not have that sort of burden or implication of responsibility. Participation in society requires this confrontation and acknowledgment, the process of social change requires it. And of course that some in the fandom may just be racist and want to hide while performing it to continue it.

Either way, with this AND what I will describe below, those who dislike or can find no/less sympathy for Rhaenyra specifically because of how she handled Nettles very much have that right. They--and I--are warranted.

The History of the Black Jezebel

Jezebel is a Christian biblical figure that traditionally's been used to connote female wickedness and (later sexual) duplicity:

According to the��Bible (Kings I and II), she provoked conflict that weakened Israel for decades by interfering with the exclusive worship of the Hebrew god Yahweh, disregarding the rights of the common man, and defying the great prophets Elijah and Elisha.

Here's the thing, black women--esp in American history AND currently, are often dehumanized into sexual creatures. Similar and borrowing from already existing socio-Christian ideas of [white] women being themselves inherently sexually deviant because Eve was "manipulated" or just was to blame for both her and Adam failing and being cast out of the Garden of Eden.

After the consolidation of the slave trade and European expansion/colonization, the colonized or nonChristian women received differentiation from the Christian/European in the new patriarchal/colonist matrix. It is also here where the prior Christianness of the white women got subsumed by her non-brown/Africanness. Only recently (beginning around the Victorian era) that modern white women granted the "inherently modest, sexually chaste and domestic goddess (if faithful)" assignment. The perfect mothers in the invented "private", domestic space. We also have the stereotype of the Femme Fatale, the woman as capable & powerful enough to destroy the social order and sanctity of "good" white families/society. Families and societies are headed by white (cis het) men. The "opposite" of the domestic goddesses and her more modern products (like Girl Next Door).

Yes, either way, white women's statuses' (legally and otherwise) remained defined as subordinate to men. Yes, there's still this tendency for women to be called sluts for not being "faithful" or having "high(er)" so-called body counts that stem from the Eve-Domestic-goddess pipeline. Yes, there is certain element of lack of self-restraint in the Eve-evil/Femme Fatale white woman. What makes the white Seductress/Femme Fatale different than the Black Jezebel is that Black women are thought closer to animals in need of white guidance. For their political and (coming from colonialism) spiritual development.

Going back to making white, Christian women "different" from the non-Christian African women used as slave labor. White women at least have the sociopolitical privilege of being the incubators of men's heirs and later in history, domestic goddesses (ironic wording). Black women and girls are animalistically and inherently lewd, being of a people (ethnic group) themselves inherently without proper civilization that began with heir absence of Christianity/God.

And with that element of control over African bodies and defining/validating their place in European and white colonial territories, the ideological, anxiety-mystique precursor of the Black Jezebel slowly forms. Esp when entering into real chattel slavery enslaved Africans could become Christian to legally free themselves--for a time in the colonies and from tradition, no Christian could be enslaved. Africans being able to become Christian and then free themselves made white people lose their source of slave labor. After slavery and the slave trade were abolished, Jim Crow and several different laws/measures prevented most Black people (esp in the South but also in many North places) from accumulating either wealth or political power. and even here, the true stereotype of Jezebel came into its own and got its name from several comedic/sensationalist pieces of media. Sex and magic and femininity are partially combined in media because of the anxiety towards magic in Christian Europe and women having independent power apart from the powers and privileges granted to them by patriarchal institutions. (The images and meanings of its positivity or negativity depend on how its portrayed, the main perspective[s], and how these things create the values of the conflict in different stories with magic and womanhood.)

Africans who were not Christian and were sold/grew up as enslaved persons or their descendants can easily qualify as practicing "witchery", though their own religions/ancestor worship/rituals are neither inferior nor superior to any other. And it wasn't that long into the slave trade that Africans became inherently different even if Christian, racially different from white Christians by law and successful domination. Therefore, in maintaining control over the Black female body and its meaning, Jezebel has elements of evil sorcery, to be used and implied through that element of the capability to "ruin" whiteness and white families.

It has the social purpose of justifying sexual objectification, sex trafficking, the invisibility of Black women's thoughts and emotions, etc. while still assigning the blame for violence from white people (esp men) to these women and girls. If you can do that, then it doesn't really matter that this young girl goes missing. It doesn't matter as much when she's raped by a police officer and sometimes it's never even put into the news or revealed until a couple of decades later.

And it becomes just one of many unspoken justifications to disable Black political power or dignity today. For Black women, with deep psychological consequences that look different from a white woman's.

Mysaria & Rhaenyra's Actions Toward Nettles and Blood Purity

So even though Westeros has no slave trade (though a few do participate in its commerce if not directly own any) and they haven't colonized any Sothryos, Ib, Naath, etc regions nor other "PoCs" (yet) blood purity can't really be separated from racism.

It's very clear that GRRM has Rhaenyra use blood purist terminology and ideology when she says "stink of sorcery" and "common thing" and "You only need to look at her to know she has no drop of dragon's blood", "thrall", "low creature", and "spells that bound a dragon to her, and she has done the same with my lord husband". Whether he did it unconsciously or not (and I think he did it consciously and with intent). Rhaenyra doesn't use such language with the Velaryon/Hull bastards as often as with Nettles, whose color AND baesborneness Rhaenyra uses to characterize her.

We know Mysaria is the architect of her would-have-been demise:

Rhaenyra's suspicion of Nettles takes on a different flavor, an intensity than the one she had for Addam and Alyn Velaryon after the Two Betrayers. Grief doesn't excuse nor erase the presence of blood purity, and blood purity facilitates grief's/need for control's worst, willful actions. If she hadn't used colorist and blood purist sentimentality in her explanation in going after Nettles, then, anon, we'd go by your assessment.

She's expressing a certain kind of casual yet sharp hatred for Nettles that goes beyond betrayal but also has the cognitive dissonance present in justifying said hatred. That comes with the anxiety of someone "not one of 'us' (Andal-FM Westerosi of the paler skin variety)" nevertheless having some sort of control or access to the power (here dragons and a lover-defender) associated and historically reserved for Targaryens. The vivid sexual imagery in "your husband's bed", "his bastard in her belly", words like "thrall" and "bound", all connote a possessiveness and loss of control that trigger Rhaenyra into acting. (Remember that Mysaria was going to have Daemon's baby way back until Viserys inadvertently caused her miscarriage when he exiled her).

One could argue that Rhaenyra's suspicious hatred for Nettles (even with her probably never got to know her like maybe Jace, though this really should clue one into discrimination) stems from Nettles seemingly keeping Daemon, the love of her life and main emotional support. That she was just afraid of losing that on top of her sons' lives and her trust in her closer advisors and thus needed to know she had a semblance of the past in actually seeing Daemon. However, Daemon is also one of her means of gaining and maintaining political power. He acted as one of her chief military commanders if he leaves her, it may have sort of sucked out the sense of his faith in her, made almost meaningless their past. And not really wanting to confront that, she used blood purity and misogyny (the text shows the precursors to misogynoir) against Nettles.

It's almost like Aerys II after Duskendale in that way, that personal decay, pressure to maintain control over those sworn to take back/maintain her throne. Nevertheless the constant feeling of vulnerability to others not being so honest with her, the mistrust sliding into paranoia and only compounded with grief. This makes it even easier to take the "easy" ways out, i.e., executions of "the least important" persons. She's still much more powerful than Nettles (in terms of privilege) to then be entrusted with said power to victimize someone like Nettles. Even when she has suffered so. Nettles would have lost her life.

This hatred, though "casual" in how easy it was for her to use it in language, is used to characterize Nettles as a "special" sort of evil in continuance with Mysaria's vivid sexual imagery and has dire and nearly fatal consequences for Nettles. See that disparity, the privilege Rhaenyra has and is using against someone like Nettles? We can't make it the same as the one she does against the other bastards. Especially since unlike both of them, Nettles is executed. Addam and Alyn were imprisoned or to be imprisoned truly only on account of Corlys and the Velaryons. This shows more of Nettles' sociopolitical vulnerability getting dismissed in lieu of the image and sense of control.

Ironically, Rhaenyra's own sons have been targeted for something similar, as her youngest Joffrey at least is noted for having nontypical Targ features. Remember that cognitive dissonance I mentioned? The fact that her sons all were able to ride dragons helps them have a better chance at happiness and survival, but Rhaenyra is less concerned with Nettles' wellbeing and contributions to keep said boys alive and alive to be her heirs, supporting her claim. And that blood purity honestly is just as much a part of Targ monarchy as it is for Andal-FM aristocracy, especially with the dynasty having mostly assimilated to the Faith/Andal-FM culture. Whether unconsciously or semiconsciously, she takes advantage of that extant paradigm.

And notice how he emphasized Mysaria's "skin as pale as milk" and "hooded robe of black velvet lined with blood-red silk" that contrasts against Nettles' brownness and past bedraggled clothing from her time being alone in the streets. Paleness is often described both in ASoIaF and the real-Western world as a marker of feminine beauty. And we know that Mysaria is unlikely to have been aristocratic herself--having been first a dancer, then a sex worker in Lys and KL. Gyldayn theorized that Nettles did sex work (therefore "impure" and unattractive to Daemon) to survive and get sheep for Sheepstealer and thus explain how she bonded with the dragon and thus tried to reduce the phenomena and its possible implications about Targs and dragon bonds, rationalizing her connection to Sheepstealer, & denigrating her character.

Mysaria, the more "obvious" Valyrian-descent beauty vs Rhaenyra--another, more obvious Valyrian beauty with an actual dragon vs Nettles, undetermined-descent-yet-doubted-bc-of-blood-purist-politics having her own dragon.

Though Westeros is not medieval Europe and the world is not the direct equivalent of either ancient or medieval societies...it shares much. And this, the blood purity, is one of the "much".

BTW, while the blood purity is worst for Nettles, this doesn't mean I think Rhaenyra didn't perform blood purity against the rest of the dragonseeds. Nor that her decisions concerning Rosby/Stokeworth were not bad political choices.

*EDIT* (8/21/23):

THIS is a great post by @mononijikayu about medieval queens, female rulers, the history of how women in leadership positions were made and seen as threats to the very structure of social "order", and contextualizing Rhaenyra thru Empress Matilda. I didn't even know about Matilda's husband being comparable to Rhaneyra's Daemon! PLZ READ!!!!

Excerpt:

just as much, along with these fictitious portrayals, more lies are depicted. these women are considered vixens that cause havoc to men by shifting them into desires and danger. through the written word, we see how women are cast in roles of villains in men’s lives. it is because by their conclusive thoughts, women are the only creatures that are able to turn ‘good honorable men’ into despicable creatures who do shameful, deplorable acts for the sake of women’s pleasures.  it is within this narrative that ancient chroniclers declare that women were in fact the doom of men. if they were not able to control the dangers posed by the wiles of women, then the foundations of the mighty society they had built would be up in flames.  [...] as i mentioned, these factors of community are written down and preserved. and with that, the example of the ancients were the foundations by which medieval society built itself. the same concepts continued to cause the same issue within society and that was the exclusion of women from participating in the bigger picture of community and state, much so with governing states in their own right—without judgment or disapproval. 

#asoiaf asks to me #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenyra's characterization #fire and blood characters #rhaenyra and feminism #alicent rhaenyra and misogyny #white feminism #misogynoir #asoiaf #fire and blood

[welcometotheunknownlosers]

Well here is my Scara lore dump. I hope you all like it. I know I do :)

Warning: Big chunk of text that does not make the most sense and is theory mixed in with actual lore. Not all of this is canon, and while I think I've made it clear what is headcanon and what isn’t, I’m tired and I can’t catch everything. Read at your own risk. I have opinions and funny jokes here. I also am likely wrong about some of these things as I am just a human (or am I) and I make mistakes. Now that you are properly warned, here is my GIANT wall of text that is likely formatted horribly so you will just skim. Because if I wasn’t fixated on his lore I would as well. Also slight leak warning but its only those obvious ones that every Scara fan has to know at this point.

Nameless Era: 

When Scara was made he had been given a name. It was probably a really cool name, but he can’t remember it at all. Ei and Yae might still know it but considering they use the name Scara chose for himself (Kunikuzushi) they probably don't care to use it. Anyway, he wasn’t created to be like the Raiden Shogun, ie, his sole purpose was truly only to be a prototype to hold the Electro Gnosis, which is considered by him to be his heart. According to Yae, he was indeed created as a boy, but I still like to think that he just decided to trans his gender and everyone is supportive. But I digress. Scara also wasn't created to look like Ei at all, which is funny considering he looks like a desaturated version of her. Personally, I think Scara was created to be like Makoto, in personality and all. However, that really has no basis. I just think it's cool. 

Anyway, Scara was created for holding the Gnosis, right? So when Ei gave it to him, and he cried in his sleep, he got his Gnosis privileges revoked because he was “too fragile”. Why was he crying? There’s no definite answer, but I believe it is because the Gnosis gave Scara at least a glimpse into Makoto’s memory, more specifically her last moments in the Cataclysm. Which could be a cool Segway into Scara telling the traveler about that event but that's also not the focus here. Another theory is that Celestia is a bully and yelled at him through the Gnosis. 

Disregarding that, Ei was like “oh no” and took back the Gnosis and put Scara into an eternal sleep (Spoiler Alert: He wakes up) much to the chargrain of Yae, who thought it would be better to just destroy him. But Ei thought it would be ‘kinder to just let him sleep forever. One possible reason is that (going back to my previous theory) because he was inspired by Makoto, outright destroying him would be kinda like killing her sister again. Which is not fun. Either way, Scara ended up being put to sleep indefinitely or, as it felt like for him, was tossed aside like trash.

Waking up, X years after Creation:

We don’t have a definite time frame for how long Scara was asleep, but we can make an estimate. If we assume he was made within the first year Ei became an archon, that allows us to get the maximum time for him to be asleep. He likely woke up some time after Chiyo (Ei’s Oni Friend) went crazy, I would say that gives a 20-25 year maximum? But I’m not that good with assuming time so take that with a grain of salt. 

Now, why exactly Scara woke up is also not confirmed, but our best guess is something to do with the Ley Lines disrupting whatever magic was keeping him asleep. Speaking of magic, Scara at this point has all his magic divine powers sealed away. And along with that, he lacks emotions. Just a complete blank slate. This is because his “heart” was taken away. When he wakes up, he is completely alone in the world. At this point, Scara decides to take up the art of wandering, and wander around he did, exploring the land of Tatarasuna, Kannazuka (Ironically, he was a godly puppet abandoned in the place that means ‘land where no Gods reside’), where his story truly begins.

First Act, Kunikuzushi: 

When he was wandering, he was discovered near Nazuchi Beach by the Shogunate working at the Mikage Furnace, led by Mikoshi Nagamasa (The adoptive son of Chiyo) with his yoriki Katsuragi. Found by Katsuragi, he is taken in, and starts working with them, even performing a sword dance for the newly forged Daitatara Nagamasa with Katsuragi, which is commented to be one of the most beautiful ever performed. It was here that Scara witnessed the hearts of others, and began his longing to have one of his own. And speaking of Katsuragi, Scara grew close with him, describing him as a kind, young deputy. At some point, Katsuragi learns of Scara’s true nature, likely through the feather he wore (Plume of Luxury - Husk of Opulent Dreams) that proved as a connection to Ei. He is told to hide that from the others, because there is no knowing of what they would do if they found out. 

At this point, Scara had not taken a name, and is known only as a wandering eccentric. But misfortune soon struck. Some disaster occurred, whatever it was, one of the effects was a howling wind, which he can still hear if he covers his ears. Despite this, it was unnatural, and everyone was unprepared for it. Because of this, it seems their only option is to go to the Grand Narukami Shrine. Unfortunately for everyone, they can’t go, likely due to orders from Nagamasa, who wants to prove his worth after his family name was stained from Chiyo, well, going murder mode. Scara, wanting to save them all, attempts to sneak out and go, but is caught by Nagamasa, who there learns of Scaramouche’s nature as well. He instantly does not trust him anymore, since he believes Scara is a spy from the Shogun to make sure he isn’t doing anything wrong like his mother did. However, due to Scara being neither man nor mechanism, the only thing that he can do to punish him is lock him up. So now not only was everyone suffering, Scara was unable to do anything. 

However, a stroke of luck came from Katsuragi directly disobeying Nagamasa’s orders and secretly breaking Scara out, who hurriedly rushed to get to the Shrine. On his way to the harbor, he passed an ill child, who asked where he was going. He told the child where, and the kid responded that those people who left to there hadn’t come back yet. Scara could only smile at the kid when he left to save the others (When Scara would come back, he noted that the child was nowhere to be found). He truly believed he could save them, because, well, the feather he had was a proof of identity from Ei herself, surely that meant something? That Ei would surely come to his aid? 

However, when he got to the Shrine, he likely learned of how Ei had come to stay in the Plane of Euthymia, and thus would not help him personally. Yae reassured him, though, that Ei wouldn’t abandon him, but Yae herself would do her best to send help as fast as possible. This was good enough for Scara, who made his way back to the island, preparing to face the consequences of escaping, but also to bring the good news of help arriving. However, once he returned, he discovered that two people had died, not from this disaster, but because of Nagamasa himself. The two who died were Nozomu, who died from burn wounds taking the Daitatara Nagamasa out of the furnace where it had been cast, now renamed the Katsuragikira Nagamasa, after it was Katsuragi, Scaramouche’s first and only friend, who had been slain by Nagamasa in a fit of rage after discovering his misconduct. 

This sparked something in Scara, who instantly sought out Nagamasa. When he found him, they got into a fight. Nagamasa told Scara to “Not hold it against him”. Despite that, and the fact that we don’t exactly know the outcome, a reasonable inference would be that Scara did, in fact, hold it against him, and killed Nagamasa. This is where I believe Scara took on the name of Kunikuzushi, the country destroyer, as this is also where he pledged to destroy the Raiden Gokaden, the 5 bladesmithing families in Inazuma.

Before I go any further, the game says that the Raiden Gokaden was a plot by the Fatui. However, I do not believe this to be the case. The only one with a motive to actually carry out this plan would be Scara, as what would the Fatui have to gain from this? I believe this is the case of the player having more knowledge than the Traveler at this point, because we knew of the Raiden Gokaden incident and who caused it long before the Irodori Festival, where it was officially revealed. Plus, he introduced himself as Kunikuzushi, not Scaramouche or the Balladeer, which he would have used if he was with the Fatui. 

Why did he act like this then? Well, I have a theory that has little basis, but I think it would work. In Kazuha’s story quest, we meet a blade that had been warped by the Tataragami Energy held on Tatarasuna. While Tataragami has numerous horrible effects on people, Scara, being an artificial being, would be affected more like the sword, than a person, only receiving psychological effects, which could be why he swore revenge, as without emotion, why would he care? We know that the Tataragami Energy, when not contained, can affect the environment, so could the disaster that have been brought upon them be a result of that energy? I believe so, but again, not a lot of solid evidence. Just theory. Back to the main point.

After deciding that the best way to avenge his friend is through absolutely destroying people who had no connection to him, and who had no clue who he even was, Scara started killing. It’s not confirmed that the three arts that he completely eradicated were murdered, but considering how the one act we know for sure he did was murder a whole bunch of people and mess up their forging diagrams, we can only assume he did something similar.

 Before we move on to the 4th Art, let it be made clear that this was a bad move by Scara, because most of the reason why he even continued to do this plan in the first place was because he found it fun. Why dude??? Moving on, the 4th family that he was going to mess up was the Isshin art. Scara assumed that this would be the same as the last 3. It was not. As he was beating up and killing these people, one man was saved from a killing blow by his hat. When it fell off, the man was revealed to be Kaedehara Yoshinori, more widely known as Kazuha’s great grandfather. Scara stopped there, for some reason, recognizing the man. He asked if he knew Niwa, whom the man said was his father. Scara let him live after that, only stopping to tell his name.

 Why did he let him go? My only theory is that he could be a descendant of Katsuragi, as Katsuragi was an adult and could very well have had kids. However that is just theory as well. Most of the survivors there fled to Snezhnaya, where they were taken in by the Fatui (as stated before, I don’t believe Scara was a part of the Fatui now, but this could be a reason why he was). Scara stopped his revenge plan, leaving the last family untouched. While doing this, Scara evolved some sort of God complex, believing he is above all others, and that only he decides his fate, and nobody else dares meddle with it.

Second Act, Scaramouche: 

Scara gets approached by the Fatui on his travels. He finds them interesting, and funny to be around. As such, it would only make sense for him to join these mask wearing individuals. And so he did. Quickly, likely because of his status as a divine entity, Scara became the 6th Harbinger. He took a new name, leaving Kunikuzushi behind and becoming Scaramouche, and taking up the title of the Balladeer. But still, he desired a heart of his own. He desired the Gnosis. 

And the Fatui had an answer for that. A delusion. It could replace the hollow emptiness of his chest, and allow him to feel, and be whole. But that was a lie. It was like fitting a circle into a square hole. Sure it fit, but it wasn't proper. The only feelings he could feel was bitterness, hatred, annoyance, selfishness, not the good, kind hearts that he had been so jealous of in Tatarasuna. But a heart was a heart. If he took it out, he would be back to feeling nothing again. These feelings made him the least popular harbinger of them all. He could only barely tolerate the others when needed, and they hated him in return. None of the lower ranked Fatui even wanted to work with him. But he could care less.

 What he did care about, was his own power. Dottore was allowed to experiment on him, making him stronger, unsealing his powers, and going beyond his original capacity (And if we go with the Scara trans headcanon that is definitely when he got his totally legal top surgery). Now this was a payoff. Even if the matters he had to deal with bored him most of the time. 

In time, Scara was sent to Mondstadt to investigate the strange Meteorites that had fallen there. In his trip, he was unsuccessful in both of his attempts to kill the Traveler, who had been there by chance. Yet he did discover in his research the truth of this world. The sky is fake. In game there is no elaboration on this, instead he says his iconic line “so long, suckers” because he has parental controls still enabled and cannot swear. What is so special about the sky being fake? Well Celestia is in the sky, and the sky also reveals your fate if read by an astrologist. Scara could very well have stumbled into a plot by Celestia, which he perhaps was not meant to find. 

Either way, he reports back to Pierro, and is later assigned to handle the distribution of delusions on Yashiori Island to help with spreading the Fatui Agenda and just screwing up Inazuma’s fragile balance even more with the Vision Hunt Decree. This is where I believe Scara gets a dream. This dream, he had disregarded as a trick by Dottore, believing that he himself could not dream. But the dream was a vision of his past self, saying how he would finally attain the heart he desired, after the failed attempt with the delusion. Soon after, the Traveler would eventually break into the factory, where Scara was working. Scara was taunting the traveler, and almost killed him with the energy the factory was producing, before a blast from the past appeared.

 Yae Miko. The Traveler is passed out at this point, so we don’t know what exactly was said between the two, but what ends up happening is Yae Miko strikes a deal. The Gnosis for The Traveler, which Scara hastily accepts. It was all he ever wanted. He didn’t care for the Traveler at all. Without telling his coworker Signora, he flees Inazuma with the Gnosis, knowing that the Fatui will be on his tail for his desertion and betrayal. He ends up in Sumeru.

Third Act, Wanderer, and my beliefs on what will happen: 

Scaramouche is heavily linked to the Kabuki Theatre, in name, and in lore. In the Husk of Opulent Dreams set, it says that his life, like the Theatre, is divided into three acts. Signifying this, he casts aside his old names, Kunikuzushi because it does not suit him anymore, and his Fatui names, because he can no longer call himself one. Instead, he returns to being nameless, and simply calls himself a Wanderer. 

Another theory could be that the Gnosis factory reset him- making him how he was, forgetting his actions. But thats stupid. While I wish that playable Scara is electro (for the sake of I NEED TO NOT HAVE A 4 ANEMO TEAM), anemo Scara makes a lot of sense. I have always headcanoned his delusion to be anemo, so I guess I win there. 

I hope they have a good reason why he can’t use electro, like maybe his powers will be re-sealed or something. I do fear for Scara, as it seems like Dottore actually knows his every move. If that means that Scara is predictable, or if there is some sort of tracker or some tech that lets Dottore do it, it makes him pretty scary. 

If Scara does join the team, I think it will be like Childe, a mutual team up but not allies, you know? I feel like Scara definitely also knows about the Abyss Sibling, and that might make us inclined to help him. Perhaps when we first see him again, it will be the boss fight we all are hoping for, but after we beat him up, we realize what we have to do. I do hope that Scara doesn’t lose the Gnosis, but I feel like he will end up without it. 

But maybe he will find out how to be happy without a heart.

To sum this all up, I really enjoy Scara’s lore, and I hope that that was pretty obvious while I was writing this. Who knows? Perhaps in Inazuma, there will be a play inspired by the acts of his life, called the Kunikuzushi Scaramouche Wanderer, as per traditional Inazuman play name standards.

#Scaramouche #genshin #genshin lore #genshin theory #scaramouche genshin #scaramouche lore #lore #theory #im so sorry #i spent hoURS ON THIS #IDK WHY

[bluemoondust]

“We both know this ain’t going to happen. So how about you save those flowers and praises for someone who returns your affections? You are a dear friend, Rengoku Kyojuro. It would be the best if we resolve this peacefully.”

What would Rengoku do with a S/o who matches him in skills of blades, repeatly reject his advances towards her? She is a newly nominated Pillar, therefore she insists on she can protect herself and carry out dangerous missions.

Just want to see what is your take on this! 💕Headcanons or scenrio are both fine!!

-🍫

✧Constantly Rejecting Him — Rengoku Kyojuro✧

That beginning part was amazing! I can definitely tell Rengoku will not take that statement lightly... This was certainly an interesting request, so thank you! ^^

Warning(s): Delusional Thoughts, Patronizing Behavior, Suffocating Behavior, Borderline Stalking, Slight Gaslighting

"That's cute."

You really think that just because you're now a Pillar, that you're out of the woods of danger? Oh, darling. That's honestly adorable of you to believe. Yeah, Rengoku is the type of yandere to not see you as anything more than someone who needs protecting. And of course, he'll be that person to be your protector. Even after you insistently told him that you're capable of fending for yourself, he just won't listen. Because of that, things get really frustrating for you and him as well.

"Hm? You're mad? All I'm doing is protecting the one I care about, is that wrong?"

It just makes you even more irritated when he voices that you're frustrating him just as much as he is to you. Why? He has no right to be because he's the problem. Rengoku waves off your words of telling him to stop and give up, so why the hell is he upset? This just pisses you off even more. Although he loves you, oh so dearly, he just won't listen. Because he doesn't want to.

The worst part? Rengoku justifies his behavior with the fact that you're a new pillar. It's adorable. Yes, your skills matches his, but he's been a pillar longer than you have. He's more experienced when it comes to the dangers one could face. You can use that whole up to his level of skills to argue against him, but Rengoku is stubborn. He will not budge. Many can say they're capable just because they hold a title. It's slightly arrogant in a way, but of course he just believes it to be the naivety from those who've gained the privilege of that title.

"Oh? You believe you're strong enough just because you're a pillar? That's cute."

It's utterly patronizing to just hear this even when you know you worked so much to become a pillar. This is not naive thinking, you rightfully earned that title and can back it up with how you manage to fend for yourself. Rejecting him constantly is equally hair pulling as he flat out ignores it. It's as if your words go through one ear and out the other. Like he's purposely disregarding your rejections. He'll just come back again.

On the outside, it's all smiles with him when you shut him down, but his patience is wearing thin as time goes on. Rengoku just wants you to give in. He deems it the best option for both of you. Wouldn't you want to have someone who would stand by your side to defend you? He'll plant questions in your head. What if you don't win? What if you get terribly injured? What if you're not strong enough? Could you possibly be able to stand your ground when worst comes to worst?

"It's a bit arrogant to think one can take on missions alone just because they're now a pillar. It would be better to just accept my help. Nothing wrong with admitting when you're not strong enough alone."

Even if you manage to get away from him, he still manages to follow you during missions. Either he kills two birds with one stone and fulfills his own mission while watching you or deliberately finds a way to pair up with you, Rengoku will always be near. He can't have you getting yourself hurt after all. Besides, you'll thank him if there ever should be a time where you're injured and need assistance.

Sure, you'll question the coincidence as he puts it, but that doesn't matter. You need help and he will provide. He likes you like this. Relying on his aid. Why can't you be like this all the time? It would be so wonderful to have you need him like this and he'll happily come to you. You're just stubborn and all that skill has gone to your head. You can still become helpless. Then you'll surely need him.

"How am I here? I just happen to be coming back from a mission of my own. Not possible? Huh, that's silly of you to think. You're just remembering the locations incorrectly."

Rengoku will let out a sigh as he ponders on the last resort. When things have gotten no where for him, there's only one way of getting you to stay in line. Kidnapping was the last thing on his mind since he believed he could simply win you over on his own. But yet again, you're so stubborn and his patience has met its end. Even after he's intentionally put you in dangerous situations and rescued you just in time, you still refuse him.

You still don't get it. It's nothing to worry about though. You will understand soon enough. Why? Because you're smart and you do hold strength within yourself to endure the strife you'll feel once he gets ahold of you. That, is something Rengoku believes, truly. The two of you will get to talk in depth, which is great. He can get you to see things through his perspective and convince you why he can't just leave you alone. You're his after all.

#yandere imagines #yandere x reader #yandere demon slayer #yandere demon slayer x reader #yandere rengoku #yandere rengoku kyojuro #yandere rengoku x reader #yandere kimetsu no yaiba #yandere kny #yandere kny x reader #🍫 anon

[january-warlock]

No offense, but a lot of what bisexuals have asked of you Not Bi People really hasn’t been that hard.

We asked you to stop saying bi women are available to men because not only is that misogynistic, men thinking bi women we’re available to them contributes to our abuse and sexual assault rates, because they think we either can’t or won’t say no to sex.

We asked you to not make fucking jokes about how bi women deserved to be abused because I thought we all fucking agreed that it’s never an abuse victim’s fault, but when it’s bi women, all critical thinking and empathy can just go out the window.

And the same goes for behind bi men; I know very few bi men who have not been abused by cis straight women because of their bisexuality; bi men are also the most likely to be closeted and are forgotten and erased.

We asked you to keep calling us bisexual regardless of who we date or have dated or have not dated because we are bisexual regardless of those things and you calling straight or gay depending on how you personally us chips away our identity, and bi people losing our identity upon entering a relationship is a massive part of our mental health issues (not that you care about that either).

We asked you to accept the fact that biphobia is its own issue separate from homophobia and cishet are abusive to their bi partners out of biphobia, and we are abused specifically because of our bisexuality and people think it’s okay to abuse us, and this goes double for bi black women, bi Asian women, bi Latina/Hispanic women, bi indigenous women, bi disabled women, bi autistic women, bi Muslim women, bi Jewish women, and so many other bi women who are otherwise vulnerable.

We asked you to stop assuming we’re actually gay or straight depending on the gender of our partners, because not only does that damage our mental health, it’s hurting trans people too, and as a not straight person, you should know better than assuming someone’s identity; the same with saying “I don’t like het partnered bi people in gay spaces.” Just because you think it’s a straight, cis relationship doesn’t mean it is.

And we ALSO asked you to have a little bit of sympathy for bi stories about how “yeah, I love my husband/wife, but I grew up in a violent, conservative area where I was never able to be in a same gender relationship or explore that part of my orientation or my gender identity” and YOU STILL GO “but you had straight privilege, so...” Because you have not compassion for bi people.

Because it’s not a privilege that I’ve never been able to be with a woman because of the homophobic area I live in, and also, growing up to like the opposite gender too did not save me from the homophobic violence I faced as a child or how even now, straight women avoid and do not like being around me and occasionally outright hate me because they pick up on the fact that I. Am. Not. Straight.

These were all very simple things, most of which only required some language changes and thinking about bisexuals for five minutes, but you can’t deconstruct the image of the privileged bisexual you have in your head. You use straight passing privilege as an excuse to disregard these issues and our health and safety.

If you’re not bi, you can reblog, but don’t add anything. It’s not wanted. Other bi people, feel free to add on.

#if you’re not bi don’t comment #biphobia #being bisexual #bisexuality #i think not bisexual people should be told to shut the fuck up about us lol

[katsidhe]

your meta is one i either completely agree with or can understand where you're coming from, so i would love to hear your thoughts on the more flawed aspects of sam's personality, bc i feel like fandom always somewhat misunderstands them and/or makes up flaws for him to fit their narrative. loved the recent chapter of aware, arise btw!! <3

Thank you!

Mmm, Sam and flaws. yeah, this area is rife with pitfalls. The big problem here, which makes fandom interpretation so wildly variable and often off-base, is that there are a lot of things that the show, or Dean’s POV, would like to categorize as Sam’s fundamental flaws that simply... aren’t. The big examples are hubris, rage, and disloyalty. 

But, I mean, since when does Sam have a rage problem? When he shoved John in s1? When he shot Jake, who actually, literally killed him? When he confesses in s5 that he is angry about the horrible circumstances of his life, the ways that he’s been manipulated and controlled and hurt both by people close to him and by powers beyond his control? Frankly, I would be more concerned if Sam weren’t angry, and in fact I get concerned about this very thing in s6+. Wrath is only a ~~flaw~~ if it’s consistently externalized in ways that hurt people. To say that there is a rage beast underneath Sam’s iron control, to hammer on this idea that this rage is oooh more scary because Sam’s generally in control of himself, rather disregards what actually makes anger issues... issues. 

Hubris, and disloyalty, well--that’s Dean’s perspective for sure. It’s Dean, rather than Sam, who struggles with being too controlling, and with over-dictating the course of their lives. Sam’s actions in even s4 aren’t particularly based in an overwhelming hubris, but rather in a grim, goal-oriented tunnel vision. There’s a sense less of grandiosity, more of sick determination. 

Okay, so what about actual flaws?

So, like, the thing with Sam and Dean is, well, they’re serial killers for a living. And there is a certain amount of hideous moral compromise that has to be wrapped up in that career, in knowing that you intentionally kill sapient beings all the time, and moreover that at least some of those beings are innocent, or at least don’t strictly deserve death. And all that’s without tallying up the collateral. 

Dean overcomes this hurdle by identifying himself strongly with the righteousness of his motivations, deeply woven into his identity. His own subjective perspective is privileged above those he kills because he, personally, embodies and must always embody a hero. Consequently, his moral struggles are all about placing his own needs and his own (emotionally informed) perspective above that of other people, even, and in some cases especially, if it still causes him personal anguish. He kills Cyrus and narrowly avoids killing Jack not because he hates them, but because he places a higher premium on his conviction that they’re Destined For Evil than on any other potential for mitigating factors.  

Sam does not engage with his personal subjectivity like that. When Sam does something morally objectionable, it tends to be because he’s doing the opposite, which is to totally outsource his moral conflict based on the extremity of the goal he is pursuing or based on his reluctance to trust his own judgment. Sam has the ability to write off harm to himself when he thinks it’s necessary, which, okay; but this also means he can and will write off harm to others too. Sam can rationalize and rationalize and rationalize.

It’s far easier for him to see the big picture than Dean, and thus easier for him to excuse wrongs on the basis of the greater good. Sam’s tolerance for both personal and collateral costs rise exponentially when he thinks there’s a clear end clause in sight--eg the Apocalypse in s4-5, the trials in s8, the Mark in s10, cooperation with the BMoL in s12, saving Mary in s13, even getting to Michael in s14. There’s a certain pragmatic ruthlessness in Sam that’s really, really visible when he’s soulless. 

And sometimes it serves him well! It sometimes means that Sam finds it a lot easier than Dean to engage in the moral grays of sparing individuals on a case by case basis, because his identity is less wrapped up in black-and-white heroism. Though often, Sam’s moral triumphs come when he over-identifies with monsters, such that he’s able to inject and rely on his own subjectivity. And, look, Sam’s goals are, for not an insignificant portion of the show, to prevent the actual literal end of the world, which makes quite a lot of collateral relatively justifiable. But in the end, Sam’s world is just as insular and claustrophobic as Dean’s, with that same inevitably skewed sense of scale, in terms of putting his goals before other people. Sometimes, eg in s13, those goals shift from “prevent the end of the actual world” to “save my family” and that is something that it’s a lot less morally permissible to kill for. 

This flaw is connected to another of Sam’s big problems: he’s altogether too willing to excuse, enable, and even participate in the patterns of harm that others, mostly Dean, engage in, especially in late seasons. Sam has developed a tendency to overcorrect against the involvement of his own perspective. Dean may have spearheaded the plan to trap and later kill Jack in 14.19-14.20, but Sam tricked him into the box, and that is a failing. Sam has adapted to survive, but he tends to externalize and project his own adaptations onto other people as well, even when they aren’t in his situation or don’t want to be: Jack, AU!Charlie, Gabriel, Kevin to some extent. 

It’s a fascinating kind of thing, in which Sam’s tiny, tiny world is thrust against his tendency and even his need for big picture goals and idealizations. It leads to sometimes uncomfortable generalizations and moral justifications.

#sam and pragmatism #sam and forgiveness #sam and dean #14.19 #13.09 #i speaks #dean is typically too subjective #and sam is typically not subjective enough #Anonymous #sam and flaws

[galemalio]

3 Examples of Racial Bias in Animation Storytelling

It’s not hard to grasp that a white person, while not explicitly or consciously racist in the sense we might usually imagine, is still inherently racially biased because they benefit from and grow up used to white supremacy.” - Scottishwobbly, Tumblr

This is nothing new. This is something POC (People of Color) have been talking about in separate fandoms. Nevertheless, it needs to be acknowledged by those unaware.

This article is not made to say that some of the animations that I will use as examples are bad. But in the hopes that we, as consumers and creators, will do better in the future in handling characters that are POC. 

Most often, racial bias in storytelling is when the narrative treats white or light skin toned characters better than darker skin toned characters. The darker skin toned characters are often POC-coded or actual POC.

White creators often do not notice their racial bias in their storytelling as they benefit from and grow up with white privileges and white supremacy. This can also apply to light-skinned POC who have light skin priviliges. 

Some of us don’t often see it but real people who relate to the characters of color do. Especially when it reflects from their experiences with racial bias, microaggressions, colorism and flat out racism.

So when they speak up, it’s important to listen to them to unlearn the racial bias we may have in ourselves. 

I will be emphasizing “the narrative” for I am criticizing how the story treats its dark-skinned characters and not because I am criticizing the characters themselves.

This article is critiqued by @visibilityofcolor​ as a sensitivity reader once and then additions were made before publishing. If you’re looking for a Black sensitivity reader, you can contact her. 

This article is a 14-minute read at average speed so buckle up. Unless you want to skip to your show mentioned below. External Tumblr Resources will be put in the reblog.

Here are three examples that I was made aware of. 

Example #1: The Narrative Treats the Light-Skinned Character at the Expense of the Dark-Skinned Character

Steven Universe was one of the animations that pushed lgbt+ representation in cartoon media. However, there are narratives here and there that showed racial bias. 

SU creator Rebecca Sugar was raised with "Jewish sensibilities" and both siblings observe the lighting of Hanukkah candles with their parents through Skype.[1] Rebecca Sugar also talked about being non-binary.[2] 

But as a white person, she (and the rest of the SU crew) is not aware of the inherently biased values from growing up and benefiting from white privilege. 

One example is the human zoo. There are people that have spoken up about this such as @jellyfax​​ of Tumblr who pointed out that the Crewniverse mishandled a loaded topic and reinforced a white colonist propaganda where the captive humans of mostly black/brown people are naive, docile and childlike in order to subjugate the people that they colonized. .

What I’m here is how a character of color from the main cast is more obligated to the lighter-skinned character. 

In the episode, Friend Ship, one fan had spoken out about how Garnet, who had been validly angry at Pearl, was compelled by a dangerous situation to forgive Pearl. Garnet is a Black-coded character. While Pearl is a light-skinned character.  

Garnet was mad at Pearl for tricking her into always fusing with her. Then they were trapped in a chamber that was going to crush them. In this situation, they have to fuse in order to save themselves but Garnet refuses to because she was still angry at her. 

In the end, they were forced to talk it out, for Garnet to understand Pearl’s reason for wanting to fuse with her and everything worked out well.

The narrative focused so much on Pearl’s self-worth issues at the expense of Garnet’s right to be angry. 

Yes, it showed that Pearl is trying her best to make up for it but Garnet should have been allowed to work at her own anger at her own pace instead of being obligated to consider Pearl’s feelings over her own. 

I wouldn’t have noticed it until someone had mentioned it. Because it was never my experience. 

But it’s there, continuing the message that it’s okay to put the emotional labor on Black people and disregard their own feelings for the sake of the non-Black people who have hurt them -particularly light-skinned women. 

White Fragility and Being Silenced White Woman Tears

Again, racial bias in animation storytelling is often not intentional because white creators do not experience it due to white privilege. 

Without meaning to, that scene alone shows Garnet as the Angry Black woman trope that is ungrateful and rude to Pearl who then ends up in tears. Without meaning to, Pearl with her light skin, became the tearful white girl trope that had to be sympathized over.

The Angry Black Woman trope is a combination of the worst negative stereotypes of a Black woman: overly aggressive, domineering, emasculating, loud, disagreeable and uppity.[13] 

The Tearful white girl trope comes from the combination of the stereotypes of white women being morally upstanding and delicate and therefore should be protected.[13] 

Which, unfortunately, many white women have taken advantage of.

These two tropes are harmful to WOC (Women of Color) because they experience the "weary weaponizing of white women's tears". This tactic employed by many white women incites sympathy and avoids accountability for their actions, turning the tables to their accuser and forcing their accuser to understand them instead.

(Image by Виктория Бородинова from Pixabay)

In "Weapon of lass destruction: The tears of a white woman", Author Shay described that white tears turns a white woman into the priority of whatever space she's in. "It doesn't matter if you're right, once her tears are activated, you cease to exist." [11] 

White woman tears have gotten Black people beaten and lynched such as Emmett Till. Carolyn Bryant who had accused 14 year old Emmett Till of sexually harassing her in 1955, admitted she lied about those claims years later in 2007.[15]

In Awesomely Luvvie's "About the Weary Weaponizing of White Women Tears", she states that the innocent white woman is a caricature many subconsciously embrace because it hides them from consequences. [10]

In The Guardian’s article, "How White Women Use Strategic Tears to Silence Women of Colour", Ruby Hamad shares her experience:

"Often, when I have attempted to speak to or confront a white woman about something she has said or done that has impacted me adversely, I am met with tearful denials and indignant accusations that I am hurting her. My confidence diminished and second-guessing myself, I either flare up in frustration at not being heard (which only seems to prove her point) or I back down immediately, apologising and consoling the very person causing me harm."[4]

This is not to say that all crying white women are insincere. But as activist Rachel Cargle said:

“I refuse to listen to white women cry about something. When women have come up to me crying, I say, ‘Let me know when you feel a little better, then maybe we can talk.’”[3]

One of the most quoted words in “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.” is this:

“It is white people’s responsibility to be less fragile; people of color don’t need to twist themselves into knots trying to navigate us as painlessly as possible.”[3]  

When white women cry in defense, instead of taking accountability, People of Color are then gaslighted into thinking they’re the bad guy. This is emotional abuse and a manipulation tactic. 

People of Color shouldn’t have to bend backwards to accommodate discomfited white or light-skinned people who have hurt them. 

How She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (SPOP) Did It Right

Despite SPOP having good lgbtq+ representations, there are other biases in the show. Such as Mara, a WOC whose only purpose was to sacrifice herself for the white protagonist. There was also the insensitive joke in their stream regarding Bow’s sibling that perpetuated an Anti-Black stereotype which Noelle Stevenson has apologized for.[14]

But the scene I have encountered where the Black character was validly angry and his feelings were treated well by the narrative, came from SPOP.

Bow, a black character, was validly angry at Glimmer, a lighter skinned character. Glimmer made a lot of bad decisions, one of them was using Adora and their friends as bait, without their knowledge, to lure out and capture Catra.  

Glimmer tearfully apologized in Season 5, Episode 4. Adora readily forgave her. But Bow didn't. 

They faced dangers along the way but the story didn't put them in a dangerous situation where Bow has to forgive Glimmer in order to get out of it. 

This was Glimmer's words of apology:

"Look, I know you're still mad at me. Maybe you'll be mad at me for a really long time. I deserved it. And maybe... maybe we'll never be friends like we used to be. But I'm not going to stop trying to make it better. I made a mistake with the heart of Etheria. I should've listened to you and I'm sorry. You get to be mad. For as long as you need to be. But I'm not going anywhere. And when you're ready, I'll be here."

In short, Bow was allowed to take the time to be mad and not just get over it for someone else’s sake. The story validates his feelings and he was allowed to take his own pace. That is emotional respect the story gave to him.

Example #2: The Narrative Gives Better Endings or Portrayals to Colonizers than Their Victims

Avatar: The Last Airbender has handled dark themes well such as genocide, war, PTSD, disability and redemption with great worldbuilding.

However, I never noticed the racial bias in ATLA until people spoke up of the double standards in ATLA’s treatment of light-skinned colonizers compared to their dark-skinned victims-turned-villains.

The characters in question -Iroh, Azula, Jet and Hama- are all flawed and well-rounded in a believable way. But how the narrative treats them is unequal.

General Iroh is an ex-colonizer who gets to redeem himself and not answer for his past war crimes, living a peaceful life as a tea shop owner. The only reason Iroh changed was when he was personally affected by the negativity of their military subjugation -his son’s death. It wasn’t the harm of the Fire nation ravaging Earth kingdom villages or cities and affecting millions of people that opened his eyes.

Azula, the tyrannical daughter, had closure of her mother's rejection when she was a child and was able to escape imprisonment.

Jet and Hama, victims of colonization who have done bad things, did not get similar conclusions to their stories OR compensation for what they have gone through from the Fire Nation's colonization. 

Jet was given a second chance but was arrested for trying to expose Zuko and Iroh being firebenders -firebenders who were their enemies for conquering their villages. Then he died from the injuries of the person who had brainwashed and mind-controlled him. 

Hama was imprisoned for life. 

Compared to the sins of the light-skinned colonizers, the narrative didn’t give Jet and Hama the development where they could heal from their trauma, receive compensation for what happened to them and really have a chance in life. 

The dark-skinned victims of colonization just became a lesson to the viewers how they shouldn’t hold grudges for being colonized. The end. They have received consequences for their actions but there is no continuation to their stories after that. 

It almost seems like the narrative is saying that because they have harmed colonizers who have no part in their trauma (and in Jet’s case, some Earth kingdom villagers), they are therefore unworthy to be given an actual chance in life. 

While Azula and Iroh, who have actively participated in conquering, colonizing and attacking the Earth Kingdom itself, were.   

Someone once said that if indigenous people have control over Hama’s story, it would have been done differently. But the ATLA crew are white, non-indigenous people who prioritized redeeming colonizers instead.

The narrative has also affected how the ATLA fandom thinks. If most fans are asked who they would want to be redeemed, the popular option would be Azula over Jet or Hama.

Once again, I don’t think the ATLA crew noticed it due to their racial bias. But still, the harm is done and the racially biased message is continued: 

The colonizers and their descendants don’t have to make amends for the colonizers’ crimes. Or if they do, only lightly since it’s in the past (no matter how recent that past is). 

The colonized who rebel will tend to hurt innocent people and then get a grisly end for getting in way over their heads.  

I would venture as far as to say that the narrative may have the  added subconscious desire to quiet their white anxiety on the vengeance of the colonized. As I have learned when writing about Vodou stereotypes and how they have stemmed from the history of white anxiety of Black vengeance, of Black fetishization and of dissolution of the white race through intermarriages.

In @visibilityofcolor’s blog, someone asked:

 “So I saw some of the really heated debates on here and on twitter about how if Iroh and Azula can be portrayed sympathetically despite their actions then characters like Jet and Hama should've been given a chance too. Do you think that the writers understood the implications of only redeeming characters from the colonizer/fascist nation but not giving the characters who suffered because of their fascism a second chance too?”

To which VisibilityOfColor replied:

“No, because at the end of the day, the writers are white. When it comes to stuff like this, it’s no surprise when we see white writers redeem problematic characters before they actually redeem victims of those racist problematic characters. For instance, Dave Filioni, who worked on both avatar and star wars rebels, did the same thing when redeeming agent kallus who was an soldiers in the imperial army and took credit for a genocide. where as victims of the empire were still painted in negative lights. i really don’t think they understand.

They have this ‘be the better person’ view on things, which is what a lot of white people tend to emulate when it comes to people of color standing up to their oppressors. and unfortunately, these are ideas passed on to children, esp minorities. that they should forgive people and communities who hurt them and ‘be the better person’. this is why white ppl don’t need to write narratives for people of color.”

Example #3: The Narrative Favors the Light Skinned Character Than Dark Skinned Character in Similar Situations

I would like to reiterate that racial bias in storytelling is often not intentional. I am not saying the creators and the people who support them are bad people. No.

However, I encourage that once a racial bias is made known in our work, it is our responsibility to change them to stop the perpetuation of its harmful message.

Hazbin Hotel is a popular cartoon with whimsical designs and its concept opens the conversation about redemption. The creator, Vivziepop may not have noticed the racial bias in her cartoon as a white Latina [5] that grew up with and benefits from white privileges, along with the Hazbin crew. 

In the Youtbe video, "Hazbin Hotel - How Art took over Writing", Staxlotl states:

“I understand that there was a lot of time and effort put into this pilot, almost three years worth of effort. But I think most of that time was spent into the art and visuals when it should’ve gone into polishing the writing in the characters.”[6]

Once again, I’m not here to critique the characters but how the narrative treats its dark-skinned characters.

The story treats Charlie, the white-skinned, “Disney-esque” protagonist princess differently from how it treats Vaggie, the dark-skinned, more outspoken and protective Latina girlfriend of Charlie who supports the princess’ cause. 

In its pilot episode, both girls experience humiliation. While Charlie is portrayed by the story as someone the viewers have to feel sorry for...

...Vaggie is portrayed in her humiliation as the butt of the joke for the viewers.

While they both didn’t like what Angel Dust did, Charlie was sympathized over in the narrative as a moment... 

...while Vaggie’s angry but valid callouts were dismissed and ignored as part of the comedy.

While Charlie was someone that needs to be protected in the narrative... 

...Vaggie is left to fend for herself. 

Again, I don’t think the creators noticed the racial bias of their cartoon. However, this racial bias is reflected in the harmful perceptions that dark-skinned women, particularly Black women and Black girls, are more mature, tougher and need less protection at a young age.[7] 

This adultification bias perceives them as challenging authority when they express strong or contrary views and are then given harsher discipline than white girls who misbehave.[8] And this continues when they grow up.

In a 2017 study, Black women and girls aged 12-60 years old confirmed they are treated harsher by their white peers and are accused of being aggressive when they would defend themselves or explain their point of view to authority figures.[8] 

This bias also coincides with the Spicy Latina trope of a brown-skinned, hot-blooded, quick-tempered and passionate woman.

Everyday Feminism described this trope as "Although objects of desire for many, the spicy Latina may have too much personality to handle. So much so that she is often viewed as domineering or emasculating." [16]

Sounds familiar? (Look at Angry Black Woman trope above.)

Why is it that a light-skinned character, Charlie, is allowed to be vulnerable and be sympathized while the dark-skinned Latina character, Vaggie, is mocked, dismissed and expected to tough it out?

Severina Ware had to remind the world in her article that relates to the bias against dark skinned characters:

“Black women are not offered the protection and gentleness of our white counterparts. We are not given permission to be soft and delicate. We are required to exhibit strength and fortitude not only because our lives depend on it, but because so many others depend on us. Black women should not be charged with the responsibility of saving everyone when nobody is here to save us.”[12] 

As @cullenvhenan​ of Tumblr has said in her post:

“if you're a white creator and your brown/black characters are always sassy, reckless, aggressive or cold and your white characters are always soft, demure, shy and introverted you should think about maybe why you did that”

(Image above from Iowa Law Reviews’ “Aggressive Encounters & White Fragility: Deconstructing the Trope of the Angry Black Woman”)

Detecting Your Own Racial Bias

It would be hard. No matter how much you edit and create, you may miss it because it was never your experience. 

So how do we prevent our racial bias from creeping into our creations?

Listen to POC and their feedback.

As @charishjb from Instagram has shared, here is one of the things that we can do (tumblr link here) [9]:

Consider POC voices. Listen to their experiences. Hire sensitivity POC readers. Put multiple POC voices in positions of leadership in creative projects.

Then we can stop the racial bias that perpetuates again and again in the media. I hope for that future.

#racial bias #racism #colorism #animation #steven universe #su #pearl #garnet #atla #azula #general iroh #jet #hama #hazbin hotel #hazbin vaggie #lynching mention #lynching tw #writeblr #artblr

[myblacksailstales]

Political Radicals in Oversized Shirts (Part 2)

This is a comparison of Blake's 7 and Black Sails, and of their protagonists, Roj Blake and James Flint (Part 2).

The same as with Part 1, SPOILER ALERT for the rest of the text.

3. B/A and flinthamilton

Another possiblitiy is to compare Blake not with Flint, but with Thomas Hamilton. Both Blake and Thomas are altruistic, selfless and believe that it is possible to change the world for the better. Blake is an Alpha, the highest class in the futuristic society presented in B7, and Thomas is an aristocrat. Both risk losing social privilege (and end up losing it) to fight for the rights of the downtrodden and the oppressed. Blake is arrested and put to therapy which is meant to erase his personality. Thomas is sent to Bethlem. The authorities eventually decide to silence Blake by sending him to a penal colony on Cygnus Alpha, whereas Thomas is sent to a prison farm in Savannah.

Avon is Blake's second-in-command aboard the Liberator and his opposite in terms of character -- cynical, sceptical about the human nature, and realistic in contrast to Blake's ideals. Their characters remain contrasted throughout the series. (Blake/Avon is not canonical but it is the most popular ship in B7 fandom.)

James Flint (McGraw) is Thomas's sceptical opposite only at the very beginning.

However, as soon as he falls in love, James discards his sceptical attitude and begins to emulate Thomas's idealism. In the course of the series, he continues to model his belief system on the memory of Thomas, growing more and more idealistic and willing to believe in positive human potentials.

Does Avon likewise change and become less cynical under Blake's influence? It's difficult to say.

4. B/A and flintsilver

Avon also has some things in common with the Black Sails character John Silver. Avon is Blake's second-in-command and Silver is the quartermaster on Flint's ship. Both characters claim that they feel trapped in their relationship with the protagonist. Both characters argue that the only reason they remain part of the crew and put up with the protagonist's captaincy is material gain. (Silver claims this in the beginning; his motives change later on.) Their greatest desire - or so they profess - is to be free, and as soon as they get what they want (as soon as Silver gets the Urca gold, and Avon gets the Liberator), they allegedly intend to leave.

For anyone who has seen both series, the most shocking similarity is in the way they end. Blake's 7 ends with Avon pointing his gun at Blake. Black Sails ends with Silver pointing his gun at Flint.

The reasons are very different. In spite of his cynicism, Avon has never betrayed Blake's revolution. He kills Blake due to a misunderstanding, at the moment when he is wrongly led to believe that Blake has betrayed him. Silver, on the other hand, has found personal happiness in a love affair and doesn't want to risk losing it all by partaking in Flint's crusade. He argues that Flint's revolutionary goals are false and that his captain is simply a man who has lost everything and who wants to see the world burn.

5. Conclusion

It's not really a conclusion as I could go on and on. But my chief fascination remains with the type of character to which both Blake and Flint belong. Passionate, hot-headed, irresistible like a force of nature, the kind of person who inspires you and invites you to engage in the struggle for an ideal, to disregard your own well-being and sacrifice everything for a seemingly unattainable revolutionary goal. You get hopelessly attracted to Blake's (or Flint's) charisma and the strength of his personality, and at the same time you desperately want to escape and be free of HIM. Which I don't think either Avon or Silver have ever succeeded, with or without pulling the trigger.

link to part 1

#black sails #black sails meta #james flint #thomas hamilton #john silver #blake's 7 #roj blake #kerr avon #blake's 7 meta