#unless you're culturally appropriating

[cistematicchaos]

You're all valid, I dont give a shit how out of the box or complicated or contradictory your identity is. Thats what we're starting pride off with. You're all fucking valid and I will bite anyone who says differently.

"Even if I-" Yes. "But what if-" Yes. "But ppl said-" Still valid. I dont care what other ppl said. You're. All. Valid.

#lgbtq #lgbtq community #pride month #Lgbtq pride #validity #trans #lesbian #gay #bisexual #pansexual #queer #nonbinary #aro #ace #arospec #EVERYTHING #ELSE #unless you're culturally appropriating #Or using slurs that dont belong to u #in which case get fucked #and NO #U cant appropriate gayness or transness or lesbianism #Or ANY of that #So stop worrying #Breathe young gay #Its gonna be ok

[meirimerens]

you know i must have been bone-tired when this part of the herb brides lore didn't come to my mind when i discussed how the Kin fundamentally differs from the cultures it is inspired by um There Is The Human Sacrifice part. like it's an important part of pathologic 2 that you are doing human, or anthropomorphic (if you want to see the Herb Brides as closer to spirits, which comes with its own set of problematics regarding how to approach their oppression) sacrifice. it's an important part of pathologic 2 that you kill a woman, as part of the journey and in direct resonance with you ritualistically killing cattle earlier, and she offers herself to you with cultural and religious significance.

human sacrifices have been done across the globe for millennia, but i cannot, for the life of me, find any source at all that mentions the Buryats (since that was the discussion point) partaking in human sacrifices by the turn of the 19th-early 20th century (or even anything past the 16th). every single source mentioning offerings and sacrifices i've read mentions animals, things such as milk and vodka, and often both at once. would love to read anything about these rituals if papers exist, but i'm personally drawing a blank.

the Kin has Obvious and very Visible influences but it also differs from specific (in this discussion's case, the Buryats) or wider (here, turkic/mongolic as a whole) cultures from the area by so many pieces, big and small, that i wouldn't have enough appendages on my whole body to count them all. and sister. i have plenty of appendages.

#i AM reading a paper that mentions the human sacrifices at Mongol burials where people (typically servants or family) would be sacrificed #to accompany the dead; as well as the Shor practice of sacrificing women/girls (replaced apparently quickly by sacrificing ducks) #but those seem pretty old [the Mongol part mentions the 13th century] & like. nothing about the buryats in that time period #i'm like 85% sure i saw in the beginning of being into patho someone saying how equating the Kin; who practice human sacrifices [& others] #to correlate/be meant to represent Real Life ethnicities is insulting because They Don't Do That. #and like. everythingggg that touches upon representation/appreciation/appropriation/theft is subjective and #informed my how much leeway you're willing to give the creators so that's like #bro i'm just reading PDFs #also just found out the discussion of ''The Kin Is Obviously Inspired But Not Meant To Represent [x]'' is over 2yrs old. we're still at it. #as anon said. ''unless you're tolkien; coming up with a whole fictional language is hard''. #anyways appendage time. stuff that differs just out of the top of my head: #everything relating to the religion which is almost a complete inverse of buryat tengrist/shamanic faith + don't get me started on buddhism #the clothes. the homes. the creation myths; beyond the apparition of Clay; which is present in so many cultures on earth #no swan ancestor. no lake worship. no sky/heavens. no tens of named hierarchical deities. NO BURBOT! no hats. no hats (burts into tears) #NO HORSES? ON THE EURASIAN STEPPE? #the belief that earth mustn't be cut is so buryat. i'm sure i've read it. no idea if it is also in other mongolic peoples but buryat it is. #also a bull-ancestor/bull totem. that exists in buryat tribes; but they also have a bunchhhhh of other sacred animals (including. swans. #also horses. there's this [charm?] made out of horse hair there is) #neigh (blabbers) #i'm realizin how crazy i sound repeating shit that has been said 2yrs ago but like someone already mentioned the human sacrifice. #someone already mentioned the clothes. someone already mentioned the yurts/gers. someone already mentioned the religion #like i'm just. repeating stuff. and yet. give it up for year 2

[neverendingford]

.

#color says shit #this is about the twitterpocalypse and tumblr getting weird about it #do y'all realize that these communities have existed on tumblr already. it's not all superwholock and quirky tumblr U #Christians exist on tumblr. Maga-heads exist on tumblr. alt-right exist on tumblr. #it's just that there's no algorithm pushing it in front of you. #without that unifying algorithm tumblr remains disparate social circles that are very clear and easy to map out #which is what I love about it. you can see the web of social dynamics so clearly because there's no hand of god pushing anyone forward #but to condescend and try to get Twitter users to go through Tumblr U orientation so they know about your ten year old memes is blind #unless you're following tags. you won't see any of the new people until people you follow reblog that shit. #entire groups and cultures can live and die next door and you won't notice shit because their posts simply do not circulate to you #anyway not that any of you care. and that's alright. maybe I just need to curate my feed so I stop seeing people be dumb about it #our glorious hellsite. their hideous tweetbook. you know the drill #saw someone try and throw in that classic opinion that reddit is the worst. like 'at least it's not redditors immigrating' like bruh stfu #internet xenophobia is fucking hilarious but I'm kinda tired of laughing #tumblr isn't the only goddamned place that has inside jokes #it's just tumblr nationalism #this feels like one of those posts that I could make actual text and then use the appropriate tags to get some traction but idgaf #I don't need a bunch of people agreeing with me. I just want to complain #I would absolutely love to hear opinions though. other people's experiences are cool as shit #that 'not that any of you care' wasn't meant to be passive aggressive it was a 'I don't expect you to feel strongly about this'

[lesbiancarat]

algorithm by heejin for the ask game

ooh the hanbok!!!!! i love when kpop songs incorporate traditional korean elements, whether it's though clothing or traditional instruments. the song was cute and catchy as well, it's probably not something i'd listen to all the time but i'd definitely play it once in a blue moon when i want a cute, chill song to listen to! also was there lowkey a lesbian moment in the mv or do i just have yuri goggles on? either way loved the mv!

send me a kpop release from the last year and i'll listen to it if i haven't already and tell you what i think! (see rules)

#melia.ask #anon #been a fan of tradtional korean elements in kpop ever since i saw arario by toppdogg when i was first getting into kpop #fair warning though don't look up the mv unless you're prepared for some culturally appropriative hairstyles #but anyway thanks for the ask!

[crimeronan]

guys. okay. rubs my temples.

i have blacklisted every word u can Possibly think of to block posts i do not want to see and somehow keep seeing them. so Please know that this is not a shit-starting post. hence why it's unrebloggable. because i legitimately just want to communicate to people in my immediate sphere.

it is... Not Acceptable Or Appropriate... to make/reblog posts referring to a collective of "jews" or "jewish people" in response to israel's genocide of palestine.

what i mean by this are posts along the lines of "what jews don't realize is-" "i wish american jews knew-" "can't wait to watch jewish bloggers come up with the worst takes imaginable-" etc etc etc.

it is similarly Not Acceptable Or Appropriate to refer to rabbis, synagogues, jewish practice, and other aspects of judaism/jewish culture as a monolithic hivemind that's loyal to israel. this includes "you're all being brainwashed by your rabbis/synagogues" "synagogues are zionist institutions" "stop speaking hebrew until your people stop committing war crimes" etc etc etc.

your kneejerk reaction (if u are a leftist goy) will likely be along the lines of: but it's simply like referring to a collective of british people or american people wrt imperialism, colonialism, and war crimes. you don't mean LITERALLY all jews, just like you don't mean literally all brits or americans.

this is unfortunately a false equivalence because of the antisemitic history and violence behind the idea of Monolithic Jews and Dual Loyalties. there is a quick overview of some of The Problems here; jewish scholarship and discussion of this is incredibly broad and varied... because jewish people are incredibly broad and varied.

like i'm fucking begging. you have Got to knock it off. i was gonna say something snide about how it's telling that i'm seeing a lot more posts About The Jews than about the fundamentalist christians who fanatically support israel's right-wing fascist govt, but like.... god i don't care i don't care i don't want to be writing this. It Just Sucks.

That's It. It Just Sucks

while i'm here, since i don't plan to talk about this anymore unless i have important resources to share: ACTUAL helpful things you can do are to keep an eye on the news and communicate with your own governments. for americans (just bc i am american) -- the biden administration has pledged to work with israel to allow humanitarian aid into gaza. it's important that the public pressure for that to happen continues & that the documentation of what's happening in palestine continues.

the more you guys turn your issue into an issue with "the jews" or "jewish people," the more time we're going to waste explaining why this is not acceptable or appropriate. which is frustrating because there is shit out there that Matters A Whole Lot Fucking More Right Now.

so keep talking about what matters. and please please PLEASE think for two seconds before you make any posts referencing jewish people.

#if u did not know about the dual loyalty history. i would recommend that u not make/reblog any posts about jewish people at all period. #given that like. u do not know enough to recognize and stop dogwhistles from proliferating in ur stuff. u know. #antisemitism #israel #palestine #current events #long post #i am a goy my jewish partner of 8 years HAS read this over and approved it prior to posting tho.

[just-system-things]

This might get be shot in the foot but can someone explain the argument that alters can only have names that match the body's ethnicity/culture/country of origin to me like I'm 3? I just. Don't get it. One of our core values is to be a forever student, so we are more than willing to learn and adjust here if we're wrong, but with the information we have this argument doesn't make sense to us.

I just don't see how a name is cultural appropriation. I definitely agree that like claiming that an alter in a white body is literally another race is appropriative, disrespectful, and flat out racist. No matter how you appear in headspace or how many pseudo memories you have, you will never experience that actuality of being that race. Claiming the experiences of minorities is obviously shitty.

I don't see how simply having a name from another culture is the same though. Just having a name is not equal to claiming that you are actually X ethnicity when you're not. As long as alters acknowledge that they are not a different race than the body and don't claim to be, what is the harm in letting them have the names that they have?

I just saw someone who was told that it didn't matter that their anime alter with a Japanese name already acknowledged that they aren't and never will be Japanese and that it didn't matter that that alter was strongly attached to their name and distressed by being forced to change their name. They were told they had to force the alter to change their name and that the alter would just get used to it.

It just.... Seems cruel to forcibly take people's names from them to me.

Also. What about singlets who were given names that aren't from their race/culture/country/ethnicity. Are they culturally appropriating just by having those names they didn't choose to have? Would the argument be that they HAVE to change their names when they're old enough to?

I still come back to forcibly taking people's names just seems cruel to me.

Names are big parts of our identities, whether they're chosen, given, or inherited from a source. I just don't think people should be forced to part with such a big part of themselves unless it's their choice to find a name they love for themselves more.

So. What am I missing from the other side of the argument? What makes having names from other cultures appropriation? How is someone having a name causing harm? I would genuinely love if someone could break it down for me, because I just don't understand and if I'm lacking perspective, I'd love to gain it.

#actually did #actually plural #cdd system #did osdd #osddid #polyfrag system #polyfragmented #sysblr #system stuff #syscourse #fictive #names

[balioc]

I have a beard, of a particular slightly-distinctive style. I've had that same beard for the entirety of my adult life.

This is, obviously, the most contingent kind of fact about me. If I wanted to shave it off, or to style it differently, I could do so right now with zero difficulty. It's not a cultural signifier, or a marker of group belonging, or anything; even to me, it doesn't really mean anything other than "this is a symbol of me-the-person because it is associated with me because I have it." I started cultivating it in mid-adolescence for ephemeral irrelevant reasons, and kept it going basically out of inertia.

Nonetheless: it is really important to me. Like, really really important.

I basically cannot use character-creators or avatar-generators of any sort unless they have appropriate-enough beard options. When I contemplate getting rid of the beard...well, based on the way other people use the term, I think that the appropriate word for the feeling I get from that is dysphoria. During a brief period when I thought that I might have to get rid of the beard for medical reasons, I seriously considered wearing some kind of full-face leper mask whenever I left the house, because the thought of hiding my face from the world forever made me less unhappy than the thought of having people see me clean-shaven.

And, crucially, this affects my ability to Identify With People in literature and media. I am about 900% more likely to have an "it me" mental reflex if the character in question has a Beard Like Mine, regardless of whether there's any actual substantive commonality or grounds-for-sympathy there. I can control this with deliberate effort, but -- it takes deliberate effort. This phenomenon has probably had some measurable effect on my personality and philosophy, simply by causing me to identify or not-identify with potentially-high-impact characters in a subconscious (or conscious) way.

For example: I basically always see elves as Other and Not-Me, because elves are usually portrayed as the Beardless People, even if there are all sorts of obvious reasons to map myself onto a particular elvish character or elvish culture. Which there often are!

You might be inclined to say that this is, uh, stupid. I wouldn't blame you. It is, at the least, definitely very irrational; it's an aggressively hypertrophied bit of mental DNA, the sort of thing that you might fairly-if-uncharitably call a "psychic cancer." But of course it's never going to change, because the phenomenon operates deep down on the level of appreciative impulses and happy-buttons, which are mostly impervious to reason. (Assuming that you're inclined to try and alter them through reason, which is usually not worth the effort even when it can work.)

----------

It's not actually a problem for me that beard-related neurosis prevents me from identifying with elves. Not much of a problem, anyway. I guess I lose out on some cool Line of Feanor feels.

But I can imagine it being a problem. I can imagine the world in which the cool resonant myth that everyone cares about, the thing around which you want to build big chunks of your identity, has only elves with whom to identify. I can imagine the world in which all the cool smart people I want to be my friends are endlessly talking about their elfsonas.

And, y'know, in that hypothetical world, there's a few different ways I could react. I could say "fuck you, fantasy myth is for losers." I could be a mythic entrepreneur, and aggressively push my own homegrown stories featuring dwarves and ogres and other beardy folk. I could try to [shudder] map myself onto a beardless elf in my mind, and let that image occupy space in my fantasies, and hope that the revulsion and dissonance don't tear me apart. I could just be kinda sad about it all.

Or I could say: Hey, guys, could we maybe just agree that elves can have beards? Since they're made up and all, and their beardlessness doesn't even really matter to the myth anyway?

If I were so inclined, I could even follow that up with: Look, this is a really big deal for me. I'm pretty sure it's a much bigger deal for me than it is for any of you. That would be 100% honest.

And I imagine that many people would respond: What? No. Ew. The elf stories have clear lore and a well-defined aesthetic, and you're proposing to shit all over them with your weird beard nonsense. You don't get to do that; you don't get to make the akashic commons worse for your own private benefit; it doesn't matter what your reasons are. Play by the rules, or go play another game.

I would have a lot of sympathy for those people.

----------

(Yes, yes, I know, Cirdan the Shipwright, don't @ me.)

----------

There are, of course, lessons in this. Perhaps I will spell them out in another post, soon, if I find myself feeling less tired and cranky. But for now: he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

#conceptual vagueblogging #media analysis

[tommyssupercoolblog]

okay so let me check my notes umm... according to fakclaimers:

systems can only be kids because it only develops then, but also can only be adults over 20 or so because otherwise you're making it up for tiktok OR wouldn't possibly know yet, and you have to be diagnosed with DID/OSDD but you also have to be truamagenic or the diagnosis doesn't count even if it comes from a doctor, and if you're truamagenic but self diagnosed then you're lying or confused. if you're truamagenic AND diagnosed then you're a freak and dangerous to the public OR you have to live in secret or else you must be lying. you can't be plural on purpose through thoguhtform because then you're making yourself disabled and that's fetishizing but you also can't be plural against your will UNLESS you met the previous critera otherwise that wouldn't happen to you. and you can't call yourself a t-pla ever even though the controvery is around cultural appropriation and a stranger has no clue over the internet if you have the right to reclaim, which you VERY WELL MIGHT. but if you call yourself a thoughform you're cringe and too woke. if you're endogenic you can't call yourself a system but you also can't call yourself plural or a collective or anything else. If you're mixed-orgin you're just a confused truamagenic or a lying endogenic.

You also can't have introjects because that's cringe and cringe means you're lying but you also can't have original alters because then you're just roleplaying as OCs. as an introject you can't hate your source or be neutral because then why would you introject?? but you can't love them or else you're just a crazy fan pretending to be them. as an original alter you can't be TOO different from the original or that's just something out of a movie but you can't be alike because then you're not really an alter.

You can't have only nice alters who get along together because then you're faking and if you have alter conflict then you need to be locked up because you're probably a serial killer. and you have to only have split when you were little and can't split ever again even though that's something that happens all the time even past people's 20s, and you can't have any other disorder or you're just wrong about being plural, and you can't hate being plural because then you're attention seeking and clearly must be pretending to have a disorder for pity, and you can't love being plural because you're not allowed to love having a disorder or disability, and you can't be neutral about it because why the fuck wouldn't you have a big reaction to being so weird?? you're weird. so you must be lying about being weird because everyone else finds this shocking and disturbing or fascinating and surely so would you.

and you can't not date because then you're missing out (even if ur aro, ace, or aroace mostly) and you can't date because then you're abusing your partner and lying to them by being multiple people since you're clearly just one OR you're making them date strangers which is also bad, and you can't date another system because you can't know other systems personally or else you're all fakers, and you can't date in-headspace because that's too weird to be true. you can't all be striaght because that's unrealistic so you're faking but if your alters all have different sexualities that's a sure sign you're faking and just making up OCs and if you're all gay then you're ALSO faking and just trying to be Jefferson Miku Binder Woke and are a cringe SJW. You can't all be the same gender but you can't be different genders either and you can't have individual labels but if you id as genderfluid or pluralgender or something collective that's cringe and clearly a sign you're just a dumb lying teenager begging for attention.

you can't have a consistent host but also you can't have anyone other than the "original" front for too long. you can't be able to control switches but you also need to be able to "prove it" by switching in front of other people. you can't have different mannerisms or handwriting because that's overdone and dramatic and clearly just theatre and you can't have the same mannerisms or handwriting becase then you're clearly just lying. You can't think of yourself as one person because that's confusing, but you can't think of yourself as multiple people, because you share a body so CLEARLY you must be one singular person!!!!! If you use i/me pronouns you're faking and just forgetting to act plural as a plothole in ur lies and if you use we/us you're also faking and clearly only know about systems through tiktok. if you go by your infividual names you're being confusing and a hasstle and a bitch, but if you use a collective name or go by the og/host's name you're lying and a catfish abuser. if you get final fusion you're not plural anymore and don't get to talk about it. if you don't get final fusion you're a faker.

you can't literally be seperate because that makes no sense, you can't have more than one consciousness in one mind!! but you can't just be one person separated by memory walls with the EFFECT being "as if" you were actually seperate because then you're not really plural.

you can't act or dress normal because "we'd be able to tell" but you can't be visibly weird or plural because then you're fake, cringe, or both. you can't roleplay or cosplay because that means your plurality is cosplay too, but you can't avoid roleplaying and cosplaying because then you're crazy for identifying as another person than the og but not being able to dress up as a different person (and/or your source if ur an introject).

did i get it all?? no, probably, because there's way more rules and contradictions than even these, huh?? there's an infinite list of rules and ideas but really they're all just set dressing. all the conflicts just end up resulting in one, big rule. but they don't say the big rule because a long list like that, if it's spread out and not put in one post like this, doesn't look as mean. so it's easier to swallow it one bit at a time, to rule out one way of life after another, then to say it outright.

when every possible way to be is ruled out, you get the real rule, which is:

"If you're plural or a system, you can't exist."

there is no acceptable way to be plural. the only "correct" way to be plural is to be erased entirely.

#i made a textpost #vent #vent cw #vent tw #tw vent #cw vent #endo safe #syscourse #syscourse cw #syscourse tw #cw syscourse #tw syscourse #ableism #cw ableism #tw ableism #ableism tw #ableism cw #anyway. plural solidarity is important and if you tell me you're plural i'll believe you. no matter how different we are.

[sophieinwonderland]

Words You Can't Use (According to Language Police)

System: System is a medical term that only applies to DID systems and can only be used by them. Ignore Internal Family Systems therapy, or top DID specialists referring to some voices in psychotic disorders as parts of a system. Only dissociative disorders!

Multiple: This came from the multiplicity community, and the only way to be multiple is to have a dissociative disorder. (No! Don't look at the boundary with normality in the ICD-11)

Plural: This means the same thing as multiple. Still can't use it.

Alter: A medical term that only applies to DID systems.

Headmate: Means the same thing as alter, and you can't have a headmate unless you have DID. But also, DID systems can't use this because it's not a medical term. (I've seriously seen someone attacking the Plural Association for using the word headmate instead of alter. Oh, wait. That was the same system claiming endogenic is offensive. That tracks!)

Introject: This is a medical term with a specific meaning that can only apply to DID systems. It's not like introjection is a common psychological process, and any headmate created through introjection would logically be considered an introject.

Fictive and factive: Non-traumagenic systems can't use this because it means the same thing as introject and non-traumagenic systems can't have introjects. But also, traumagenic systems can't use it because it was coined by endogenic systems.

Tulpa: You can't use this because its etymology is derived from another language, and anything with a foreign origin is apparently appropriation.

Thoughtform: This is also related to the tulpa, and you can't use it either. Try something more invalidating like "imaginary friend."

Imagian plural: Psych! Actually, we decided that if you identify your headmate as imaginary friend but call yourself plural, you're comparing alters to imaginary friends which is super ableist.

Spiritual plural: We also decided that literally every culture that ever experienced nonpathological possession states is closed, and identifying any of your headmates as being spiritual is racist. We don't know who it's racist against, but it's against someone. Trust us.

Sysmed: This uses the same suffix as transmeds, and It's actually transphobic for transgender systems to compare how a hate group has harmed them through an ideology that pathologizes all transness to how another has harmed them through an ideology that pathologizes all multiplicity. It's the same way it would be homophobic for other groups to use the "phobic" suffix. Oh... wait...

Natural: By calling something natural, you're inherently calling everyone else's experiences unnatural, which sounds bad. Why do you think disabled people are unnatural? Don't think about the fact that nature in psychology generally refers to genetics and the more common opposite in this context would be more akin to "environmental."

Endogenic: Well.... umm... you see... it sounds kind of like iatrogenic... or maybe endogenous... and endogenous is a common word used to refer to something internal... and there was some debate about whether DID was endogenous or exogenous... so that's why other groups can't use the word, and using the word makes you ableist? And... umm... Freud?

It's funny how anti-endos keep insisting that literally every word is harmful, and demand we take their assertions super seriously when they claim that all they want is for us to change the language we use.

If you still think this language discourse is legitimate and in good faith, you haven't been paying attention.

If anti-endos feel we're not taking their criticisms seriously... it's because we're not.

It's because when every term is treated as contentious, it becomes obvious that you don't care about language as much you care about using attacks on language to silence speech.

I have said for a while that the attacks on terms like "tulpa" and others aren't in good faith. That we would be attacked no matter what terms we use because anti-endos hate us for what we are, and only target our language as an excuse to spread hate against us.

I have said for a while that nothing would satisfy them.

I sincerely hope that most people watching these latest attacks play out can see the truth in this now.

The endogenic and plural community is done apologizing for our existence, and we're done apologizing for the language we use.

#syscourse #endogenic #pro endogenic #pro endo #multiplicity #plural #plurality #system #plural system #systems #endogenic system #system discourse #language #actually endogenic #endo system #tulpa #tulpamancy #tulpas #hate group #hate groups

[barkhoffman]

rest in peace tumblr user barkhoffman 🕊🕊

I'm gonna use this ask I got to springboard an explanation as to why I've gone silent and stopped updating, so! here it is! the Discourse no one asked for!

it was brought to my attention recently that some people on twitter (a site which I no longer use and have not used for years because it is a cesspool) have been vaguing/insulting SLAP, which! sure! fine, that's your right! not everyone has to like what I create, I don't mind that at all! that's not why I vanished, though.

my issue with these "criticisms" is that they ended up insulting who I am as a person. accusations of fatphobia, transphobia, and ableism (among other things) have been leveled at me, and that's where I personally draw the line.

you don't have to like me. you don't have to like what I write. but when you call my moral character into question, I get a little bothered.

an example: some of the accusations include calling me transphobic for using the word "vagina" to refer to a transmasc character's genitals. for those of you who don't know (not that I should have to disclose this information), I am not cis. trans people are not, in fact, a hivemind, and the idea that we should all be ashamed or uncomfortable or whatever the fuck with our anatomy unless we couch it in different terms is actually rather more transphobic than using a medically accurate term to refer to a person's genitals during a smut scene -- a scene which is written from the third-person limited perspective of a 48-year-old cis man who is unfamiliar with transgender issues, so even if it WAS universally offensive to call a vagina a vagina, it would still be in-character.

the thing is, in-character observations, speech, and thoughts are not actually a universal indicator of the author's identity or beliefs. things that you dislike or that make you feel uncomfortable are not automatically morally impure, and you don't have to reach for reasons to say the creator is a bigot because you don't agree with how they portrayed things.

(there's also something to be said about the inherent colonialist racism in the transmed viewpoints that lend to "transmascs shouldn't ever have vagina used to refer to their genitals," dismissing nonwhite cultures with a rich history of third/other genders and gender euphoria. DYSphoria is not the only trans experience. furthermore, calling the word vagina "female-gendered" is a slap in the face to all of us who are NOT female who have no problem referring to our genitals in that way. idk man, are the arguably more gendered terms "pussy" and "cunt" REALLY more appropriate here? should I have used "bonus hole" instead? not sure what the solution is supposed to be.

anyway.)

I could go on and on and get into every little accusation thrown at me and how insulting and ridiculous they are, but I don't want to invite that level of discourse. this is bad enough. it is absolutely batshit bonkers that I, as a nearly 30 year old person, am sitting here typing this right now. it is even more wild to me that at least some of the people involved in this drama are apparently in their 30s as well.

listen to me. look me in the eyes. if those of you who have a problem with my fics expended even half that energy into helping actual real life people instead of defending the nonexistent honor of fictional ones, the world might actually get better.

I know, I know. it feels good to vague on twitter and pretend you're doing activism when you're trashing a small creator's work in a way that's very likely to get back to them. it feels nice to know you've "saved the world from some evil" when you discourage people like me from continuing their projects. it feels like you're making a difference, right?

unfortunately, you are not. I would advise those of you involved in all this to get well soon and mature a little bit past wrongly deducing someone's viewpoints via the fictional works that they create. there are happier and more productive ways to spend your time, I swear.

I'm not mad, honestly. I'm just sort of tired. tired of getting messages asking where I am and what happened. tired of feeling like I have all this bottled up inside. tired of fandoms that would rather stoke fake moral outrage like Republicans than, idk, go to a protest or give a homeless person a dollar or defend POC from your racist uncle at the neighborhood barbecue.

I don't think we as an internet "society" really understand the mental toll it can take on someone to be called things like fatphobic, ableist, and transphobic -- particularly when, in my case, I am fat, disabled, and trans. of course, being a member of a group doesn't absolve you from bigotry against that group. however, when these accusations are leveled based entirely on someone's body of work and not on their actual character, it makes us far less likely to create works, what with the likelihood that they'll continue to be looked at in bad faith by those who have some sort of weird moral high ground point to prove.

I really didn't want to have to post about this and bring the people who like my work down, but I think you guys are owed an explanation rather than silence. not sure if I'll post anything after this, because I'm really too old to be engaging in internet slapfights over torture porn movie fanfics, of all things (I guess I really spoke too soon when I called this fandom nice, drama-free, and welcoming). if my ask box gets too messy, I'll turn it off. idk. just wanted you guys to know where I've gone.

now stop telling everyone I'm dead

#I don't think I'll tag this as anything much bc I'm not that bad of an attention ho #but #for my ocd's sake #ask tag #anonymous

[crazycatsiren]

I don't know which white gentile needs to hear this, but in this case, I don't give a fuck if you're queer, disabled, neurodivergent, or a woman.

When BIPOC, Jews, ethnic minorities, are talking about racism, antisemitism, cultural appropriation, colonialism, you have no place to insert yourself into the conversation, unless you're willing to shut up and listen. Because no marginalization entitles you to speak over marginalized ethnic groups. No marginalization erases white privilege, and no marginalization makes you immune to white supremacy.

#psa #white supremacy #white privilege #white entitlement #racism #antisemitism #social justice #hot takes

[sheydgarden]

Hey! First of all, I absolutely love your work. It's so provocative and I'm a huge fan of your clear inspiration from history and your reinterpretation/modernization. Absolute 10/10 a feast for the eyes. I love love love active participation in history/religion/folklore through art so much, and you're one of the artist I've seen it pull off best. Instant love and frankly a great inspiration (like for real, this kicked me back into working on my little medieval west European manuscript project).

I do have a question! I am not Jewish myself and I'd love to buy something at your shop. I also understand many of the imagery and items you're selling are deeply grounded in your faith/culture and I absolutely do not want to buy something that is not for me! Ergo, which items are you OK with selling to a goy (I presume the zines are) and which should I stay away from? (sidenote: I'm not about to use anything for spiritual purposes, unless my aforementioned obsession with history/material culture/art counts).

♥️ I hope you're having a great day!

thank you so much for this sweet message! really appreciate hearing that my work has inspired you ♥️

you've inspired me to make a FAQ page, as i get this kind of question fairly regularly (it's a great question!) & i can never remember exactly where i've answered it. i've written in more length on that page, but the short version is:

i'm absolutely cool with non-Jewish folks buying almost anything from me, with the rare exceptions being things like the "GOTH JEW" shirt (which literally refers to the person wearing it as a Jew) or any Judaica bought for the purpose of using it in a non-Jewish/appropriated religious or spiritual practice, which i could see potentially happening with something like a pocket golem - i do see that as different than appreciating the golems as cultural art, which i'm happy for all kinds of folks to do!

#asks

[blackcrowing]

Do offerings have to consist of food/drink?? I live in a really old, shitty building, and despite being a neat-freak with an intense phobia for bugs, I've had like 4 infestations as a consequence of living here for 10 years. I do have a balcony but I can't really use it for offerings like this unless I want bees and wasps to upset my neighbors (and the landlord). So leaving out food and drinks isn't really a viable option :/

yikes! Sorry you're having so many issues with bugs!

So you have a couple of options, you can still offer food and drink and then just consume it yourself to avoid any unfriendly intruders. While I personally dislike consuming my offerings I find most pagans split about half and half on the idea of it it is appropriate or not.

Secondly, you ABSOLUTELY can give offerings that are nonparishable. Some people offer tasks ('I'm dedicating this cleaning spree to Frigga' 'I dedicate this study session to Ogma' etc), others might offer pretty rocks or leaves or feathers they find throughout their day, I have a dedicated necklace for Macha which I keep on my altar if I'm not wearing it.

The options for things you can give to your deities is as limitless as your imagination. Its just that food/drink are traditional and tend to hold deep cultural significance to people, so we often reach for those first.

#ask #anon #offerings #pagan #paganism #polytheistic #polytheism #deities #deity work #deity worship #deity #blackcrowing

[hostilemuppet]

Where did all the Bruce is trans come from? You're not the first who is using this headcanon. Is that because Brandy's voice actress is trans? Or because he changed his name?

P.S It's funny because I've seen a lot of fics on AO3 and there all the brothers were trans at least once! Mostly Bruce, Branch and Floyd???

Also Guy Diamond and Creek????

Even Viva and no Poppy

bruce being trans is a popular headcanon because of the name thing, yes, but specifically how jd keeps getting bruces name wrong, and clay angrily correcting him and bruce thanking him. a lot of people take it as an equivalent to family members not using your chosen name.

floyd is commonly hcd as trans bc hes Soft and Cute. branch is commonly hcd as trans bc hes the male protagonist, and poppy (and viva) isnt hcd as trans nearly as much because transmasc hcs tend to be more easily accepted while transfem hcs face a lot more pushback. on account of fandom transmisogyny (which isnt to say that theres no transphobia against transMASCS in fandom, just at this current moment transmasc hcs are more... easily digestible to cis people. you guys should work on that. our sisters deserve to have fun just like our brothers do)

guy diamond is hcd as trans because not only does he give birth on screen, he is the FIRST character to, and i believe the only male character in the entire franchise (unless it happens in trollstopia which i havent gotten to yet but i imagine if there was egg stuff in trollstopia i wouldve heard about it) so even though its generally agreed upon both sexes can have eggs, guy is the only... guy in canon to be pregnant. so it speaks for itself

creek is hcd as trans bc people think assigning marginalised identities on asshole villains justifies them liking the asshole villain. see: hcing him as indian when his Thing is hes a white guy culturally appropriating spiritual practices

#ask

[creation-help]

Miscellaneous character design tips (that everyone could find useful)

- Feathers in hair, behind the ear, on the head, in some headress ect? Just don't. Unless you're indigenous I strongly, strongly advise against it, bc native people have criticized this design trope time and time again. Accessories and clothing like this can be very difficult to get right if you don't know what you're doing.

• Also! W*ndigos. Don't. If you wanna design a character that "looks like" (or is what you imagine when you think of a) W*ndigo, just. Design a character that looks like that and call it some other monster (Disclaimer: I'm mainly talking about things like those skull headed monsters with antlers ykno). These creatures have alot of deep meaning to the cultures they're from, and people are tired of them being appropriated and misrepresented. It will cost you nothing to just make a generic monster rather than butcher something from a marginalized culture. (Also, I've censored the word because in the past I've been told that using it's name is bad luck/harmful, so I'm doing this to be respectful)

(Natives/indigenous people are welcome to add on discussion about this if you feel like there's anything I could've said differently)

- Unless your character design is meant to be flexible, up to artist interpretation, or just messy, place patterns and decorative characteristics on distinct, memorable places. For example if your character has spots, put the most notable ones on places that're easy to remember and replicate, like on particular body parts. I'd also advise to make just a bit less of these patterns. Generally, if you're not aiming for a cluttered looking design, prioritize quality over quantity, when it comes to patterns.

- A character design's intent is just as important as the actual character design. You'll see me mentioning this on the previous point as well. Unless we're talking about offensive caricatures, there's teeechnically no such thing as a "bad" character design. Just rather a failed or unsuccessful one. What I mean by that, is that if your design is meant to look cliche, tacky, messy, or just plain unappealing, and it looks like such, that is a successful design! If you designed a character just to be something fun for you to draw, that's a successful design! I often see this point applied more professionally by other art advisors, to mean more like "You should be able to tell what kind of character it is based on the design", which is also true! But intent and purpose matters in storytelling. Obviously, not all aspects of a design need to be there for some very specific reason (looking at the people who ask "Why was this character made fat/gnc/black/poc?" and so on.) just keep in mind what this character is supposed to be. I think it's better to worry about if the character design does what it's supposed to, rather than if it's ""Good""

(And yeah, there are still things that just objectively don't look very good together, according to human perspective and color theory and whatnot, but again, if you're aiming for that, you go buddy!)

- Sorta coinciding with the previous point: Don't be afraid to use "ugly" traits when designing. I think the reason why is obvious (beauty standards can go suck a dick), but there's more to it than just radical acceptance! By giving more unique, weird, or "ugly" traits to your characters, you make them more memorable and distinct from one another. If there's a billion smooth faced perfect pretty characters who are the exact same kind of flavorless vanilla sexy, it gets boring, and they blend together! And please don't limit these traits to just villains or characters who are supposed to be disliked!! My other advice on this point, is, pllllease don't design villains "ugly" and heroes "pretty", I feel like that should be a given, but alot of people may be doing it without even realizing. And that's understandable, but I heartily recommend taking a second to think about it more deeply. Why is this visual trait "Bad", or "Evil"? I just feel like so many artists are deathly afraid of having their characters look the least bit unappealing or challenging. I could go on about this but I'll stop here to keep it concise. Don't beauty police your oc is all I'm sayin

- Reference! I don't necessarily mean take inspiration from other existing character designs, although that can also be helpful. I mean that look around you, think broadly! If you have a certain theme for your design, try to round up all the little things (items, concepts, colors, animals, traits) that could be associated with it! And try to reflect that in your character design. You can get a little wacky and experimental. You can literally just broaden your inspiration to things like everyday objects, a specific fabric texture, an element, or a fungi that lives in moldy houses. Anything! My main point is to try to think outside the box and consider more unconventional things to reference for your character design, you'll never know what might work and look really interesting. Often, a bland design is worse than a weird one. (Disclaimer: Unless you're aiming for bland ofc, per my prev points, but ykno). You can also just go by "Hmm, I'm making a character who is X, what does that remind me of?" or, what I also recommend "Hmm, so X kinds of characters remind me of these things. Let's ditch that and think what one usually wouldn't associate with X kinds of characters!". Ykno, defy convention, think about things you might not usually do. I know it can be easier said than done but once you get into a habit of trying to think more broadly, it'll come to you easier. Don't be afraid to get odd and unusual

- While I don't condemn designing a character in a way that just, is that way, because you designed it like that, I also recommend thinking about how and why the character is like that in-story. Might seem like an obvious tip, but I'll elaborate. I for example, have a pair of bug demon characters who grew up on the streets and didn't have the normal amount of nourishment for their age, so, due to that their mouth pincers and other buggy parts were left much smaller and more "plain" looking than others of their species. They never developed to their appropriate adult size. Things like this will reflect on a character design! And that's just one example. If your character has a habit of nervous picking, or sensory problems, or live in an area where certain resources for clothing aren't available, all of this will reflect on the design! Of course, you can also work backwards from a design and think "Hmm, what justification will I think of for the character having these traits (especially if they're uncommon for their story setting)?"

I may do a part 2 sometime later, I just had some thoughts I wanted to compile for now! Obviously you can have your own design principles but these are ones I consistently use (also the first one being as specific as it is, is just something I particularly wanted to say).

#Character design #for character design #Character design tips #character design ideas #Cultural appropriation #Ask to tag #design tips #Design ideas #Artists on Tumblr #monster design #Artblr #Important

[brandycranby]

You have Ari wips? ☺️ if you're up for it, may we have a nibble of something ip?

hi needle ☺️🫶🏻 have a snippet from one of my oldest wips, arranged marriage a/b/o duke!ari x princess!reader AU, (asian/desi coded as always but no description)

His hands guide yours off your clothes but he doesn't try to loosen your skirts. Instead, he slides closer on the bench, pulling you onto his lap and enclosing you in the fold of his arms.

"This is a hug, sweetest. Have you… have you never had one?"

Muted by the cloak of his scent, you shake your head. His heart beats under your ear, a steady even pound that soothes the bristling creature in your head. It's so warm, so dark where you're pressed up against his chest, hidden away in his arms. Safe. You're so safe cradled here. It makes you want to nuzzle his neck and breathe in his thick musk until you’re lightheaded, take liberties with this kind Alpha without his leave.

The wetness of your tears doesn't register immediately, but when it does, it's with a jolt of panic that makes you twist away.

long rambling under the cut :^))

i've wanted to write a palace setting ever since i started writing fic, especially during quarantine when i was consuming stuff like bajirao mastani and a shitload of tvb historical dramas. i think about what it must have been like to grow up in a harem, to fight for dignity and respect that should have been given to you, to have to hide your softness and be strong and sharp and smart unless you wanted to get killed by another concubine.

i also think about how physical touch is something so forbidden in many asian cultures and how much im starved for contact. i think about how emotional i am, how many tears i can cry at a time, and how my mom never ever cries when things get tough because it's natural for her to process rationally and logically. she's not broken or missing anything in the same way that someone with autism isnt broken for experiencing life and emotion differently. im not looking to demonizing one culture or another and i definitely not making this into an east vs west white savior thing.

but growing up, i didnt know what to do. it was a big learning process solved by communicating what i needed. i recommend this comic by ruth chan which is very healing

so, this fic is an illustration of the balancing act i've finally kinda mastered after 20 years. duchess isnt there yet, she's still struggling to accept that she's more emotional than what her culture prescribes as proper and appropriate and that she can't control it. because she was never taught why or how and how to feel safe communicating this with someone she trusts.

i thought it'd be interesting to put all of this in the context of a/b/o which we know deals a lot with physical touch and instinct and emotions. i wanted to see how different origins and traditions create miscommunications. and ari is the perfect vehicle for this. it's going to hurt so much (sorry duchess) and then he's going to be a soothing balm for us all.

it's all so very very complicated and close to my heart. thats why it's taking so long :'))

i also understand that this is reader with a lot of personality, one that you (general you) may not vibe with and i say thats valid. jjst please move on if she bothers you or if you feel like you cant connect with the fic.

that being said, even if she's was not written for you, i hope you can still try to understand her and feel affection for her and the story

@punemy-spotted duchess mention <3

#debating whether to tag with a tw #lemme know ig #brandy answers #needle <3 #needlereads <3 #needleandhammer <3 #my asks #my writing #ari levinson x reader #ari levinson x you #asian self insert #desi self insert