Today my therapist introduced me to a concept surrounding disability that she called "hLep".
Which is when you - in this case, you are a disabled person - ask someone for help ("I can't drink almond milk so can you get me some whole milk?", or "Please call Donna and ask her to pick up the car for me."), and they say yes, and then they do something that is not what you asked for but is what they think you should have asked for ("I know you said you wanted whole, but I got you skim milk because it's better for you!", "I didn't want to ruin Donna's day by asking her that, so I spent your money on an expensive towing service!") And then if you get annoyed at them for ignoring what you actually asked for - and often it has already happened repeatedly - they get angry because they "were just helping you! You should be grateful!!"
And my therapist pointed out that this is not "help", it's "hLep".
Sure, it looks like help; it kind of sounds like help too; and if it was adjusted just a little bit, it could be help. But it's not help. It's hLep.
At its best, it is patronizing and makes a person feel unvalued and un-listened-to. Always, it reinforces the false idea that disabled people can't be trusted with our own care. And at its worst, it results in disabled people losing our freedom and control over our lives, and also being unable to actually access what we need to survive.
So please, when a disabled person asks you for help on something, don't be a hLeper, be a helper! In other words: they know better than you what they need, and the best way you can honor the trust they've put in you is to believe that!
Also, I want to be very clear that the "getting angry at a disabled person's attempts to point out harmful behavior" part of this makes the whole thing WAY worse. Like it'd be one thing if my roommate bought me some passive-aggressive skim milk, but then they heard what I had to say, and they apologized and did better in the future - our relationship could bounce back from that. But it is very much another thing to have a crying shouting match with someone who is furious at you for saying something they did was ableist. Like, Christ, Jessica, remind me to never ask for your support ever again! You make me feel like if I asked you to call 911, you'd order a pizza because you know I'll feel better once I eat something!!
Edit: crediting my therapist by name with her permission - this term was coined by Nahime Aguirre Mtanous!
Edit again: I made an optional follow-up to this post after seeing the responses. Might help somebody. CW for me frankly talking about how dangerous hLep really is.
question: do ppl ACTUALLY say things they don’t mean when they’re angry? or is that just an excuse after letting something true slip? i wouldn’t ever say something i don’t mean in anger, so the concept confuses me.
but something was said to me that is bothering me, though apparently was said in an argument and wasn’t meant. but i don’t rlly believe it wasn’t like, deep down true thoughts/feelings??? anyone have any insight? anyone say things they don’t mean in anger?
EDIT: this was a hastily worded post that i didn’t expect to get notes. this is a genuine question asked in good faith that i got a lot of amazing answers to!
also re: the many ppl saying “OP is lying about not saying things they don’t mean in anger because everyone does it”— i genuinely have never done that. if i say something mean while angry, i meant it. that’s literally why i asked this question and why the concept confuses me, because i wouldn’t do something like that so i wanted perspective from people who do it. idk why y’all can’t believe that lmao not everyone is as prone to anger and outbursts
Hey, I heard from someone that you don't like being depicted as a deer. Is that true, or do they just have misinformation?
Sorry for asking if it makes you uncomfortable. I just wanna know cause I have, like, no context😅
I think people get that from misunderstanding a tweet I put out a while ago.
I dont hate being portrayed as a deer.
Although, it wasnt something i expected. Pre-hermitcraft gem was almost never drawn as a deer, the antlers were meant to be part of a decorative flower crown, not actually growing out of my skull. So it isn't a depiction that I intended or imagined for myself. When I picture my character she's more of a silly nature elf woman.
Because of that, I do sometimes wish I could separate from the deer a bit. I tweeted a while ago that I didn't want to *always* be a deer. So for the skins I have that don't have antlers, I usually prefer those to be humans or some other more fitting animal. Wizard Gem from Empires is a good example, I really didnt picture her as being a deer, it didnt fit with the character for me. But season 8 hermit gem can totally be a deer. That doesnt mean if you portrayed wizard Gem as a deer I was uncomfy, it just didnt align with how I imagined the character, which is fine.
For season 10 of hermitcraft I plan to ask the audience not to make me a deer. I've had season 8 & 9 gem both be deer now, and I just prefer for my character to be able to change outfits and forms. I think always being portrayed as a deer is putting me in a cottagecore sized box that I never really asked to be trapped in. Season 10 gem won't make sense as a deer anyway, just cause of the theme i'm going with, but to help the fan artists I am commissioning an artist to portray my character close to how I imagine her, with a few animals I think could work in place of the deer.
also if you just haveeee to draw S10 gem as a deer, I still wont be mad, its not that serious I appreciate all the art.
People getting offended whenever they see Black Annabeth with book Percy in fanart makes me giggle. Bro, people have been drawing Annabeth as black for years. Its not just bc of the show.
Dp x Dc AU: Dani has a too many break-ups for Danny’s heart to handle as an older brother- So he gives her a criteria that her next boyfriend needs to fit for Danny to approve of their relationship.
Dani was really excited about her new boyfriend. He was witty, and charming, knew how to sword fight and was absolutely stunning. He loved his family, was passionate about animals and social justice causes, and he was an artist! She had a thing for green eyes, and hey, he was actually super chill about them having flexible schedules to see each other (she had vigilante shit to do that she couldn’t explain)! It’s been going on for a few months and she’s honestly ready for him to meet Danny & Jazz but...
The last time she was home it was for a broken heart and Danny was beside himself with worry over her. He made the guys recently deceased ancestors come forward to speak on his behalf and it was Mortifying- Danny was ready to throw down. And Dani had to admit, it was super sweet that her big brother cared so much. He’d happily given a shovel talk to each of her partners when she brought them home and he’d happily tried to bond with them and integrate into their lives. Danny always allowed her to make mistakes but respected her choices to only ever ask two questions when a new partner came into the picture: Do they make you happy? Do they treat you well?
This last time he made a simple request, just could they please fit this one criteria?
The thought comes to her unfortunately when she’s making out with her perfect match, her soul mate, this beautifully stabby man Damian Wayne, that she should bring up the deal breaker. Her brother gave her literally one request for her next partner, and by the ancients she didn’t want to disappoint Danny.
Pulling away from her boyfriends kiss for just a moment, Dani quickly asks “Sorry, Sorry, it’s just...Have you ever died before?”
Damian’s look of confusion and then concern grew on his normally collected face, which told her more than enough.
“Okay great!” And she leaned back in, only to realize that he’s pulled back.
“Would... Would you care to explain why you just asked me that?” Damian was doing his best to not jump to conclusions.
“Sorry, I just got in my head a bit about how you’re like, the light of my life and I want you to meet my family and then my brain wandered, before you did that thing with your teeth, to the fact that my brother kind of requested... um, well, he just asked that my next partner be, uh, don’t freak out if this sounds weird, but uh, be dead.”
“He...He wants your partner to be dead.”
“Well, Dead adjacent is perfectly normal in my family! It’s not like a whole thing! You’ve died before, so he’ll absolutely love you! And he’ll love you even more because you love me!” She smiles as brilliantly as the stars.
Damian isn’t sure for a second, but eventually asks: “Your family is ‘dead adjacent’ and you want me to meet them?” to which she happily confirms.
“Do you... Wish to know how I-” Damian begins but she cuts him off “No! Never, I would never ask that of you. He won’t ask either! He actually has a better vision for these things so it probably won’t even come up! How does next Tuesday work?”
“That should be fine, however, well...On the subject of family expectations ... Is it even possible that you might be a vigilante?” Damian’s worries melt away when his girlfriend smiles and lunges forward to kiss him.
Families could have such weird expectations, you know?
I just found your comic today and holy crap Nickelodeon should be hiring you
Also quick question, do you have tips for lineart? I know the general rules of thicker lines for borders and stuff you want people to focus on, but I can never get it to look organic. Your lines are literally the kind I’m shooting for lol
Anyway keep cooking 🫡
I always suffer my way through lineart lol. It is my least favourite part of the creative process, but I'll try my best to show how I do it o7.
For this comic in particular, I have been trying to keep the lineart a thin and consistent (ish) weight. The lines are thicker and darker where the shadows lie or wherever the character's weight falls.
When mimicking the Rise cartoon I follow the animation style of having solid closed lines. My personal line style has more gaps between lines. I enjoy how both look tbh
The thicker borders start to happen once depth comes into play. Objects closer to the "camera" have thicker borders and more details within that border. Objects further away get thinner lines with fewer details.
I don't have it down to a perfect science and it's bound to change the more I do comics, but I hope this was helpful!
I was thinking about my cookie run characters recently and I realized that I've mostly just drawn Seafoam, Blue, Coco and Octo. None of the other characters really have any story or personality yet.. So I thought hey! Why not pick out one of the cookies and focus a lot of time on developing them? So I chose Cuttlefish cookie to start with.
She's sassy, crafty, and has a love for all things shiny and expensive. Working on her backstory is easier said than done.. I plan to keep the concept of her being a skilled assassin pirate from another crew.. and through some kind of events, she wound up stuck with Seafoam's crew for a time. By the time she was able to leave.. she didn't want to. She really liked the people on this ship. So she just stuck around. Its very vague atm but I plan to keep working on her--
These drawings took me a very long time to make. Mostly due to the health problems I've been having.. but I really like this idea and overall it was very fun. I'm tempted to pick out another cookie and make a post for them too. Thinking Spidercrab or Ellie... oo maybe Louis..? 👀👀
ACNH AU but it’s just Chil as Tom Nook giving out lax loans to people in need with his half-foot guild, and his close friend Isabelle Marcille helping out and hanging around. Been playing ACNH and came to the realization that Tom Nook & Isabelle give Chil & Marcille energy, and immediately had to draw it…
Man wanted to retire early but still hasn’t stopped. What I want for post-canon Chilchuck is just for him to have Tom Nook energy fr fr
Oh, Hazel, look! The field! It’s covered with blood!’
Fiver is my favorite character in Watership Down, he's just like me fr. I was afraid this wouldn't read especifically as Fiver, but alas... i liked my initial sketch a lot so i kept it as it was.
Gem (or anyone else) putting up their graffiti on the cyberpunk wall. -Chandelier
[Day 20]: Geminitay (click for better quality)
Decided to combine an art rq & the promot for today, hope you like it! More art rqs coming soon, i alr finished the lineart for 2 others and I'm gona be posting the colored versions soon!
(non animated version below)
Stupid procreate keeps messing up the colors when i export animations >:( i managed to fix most of it, but it still looks a bit off-
watching 0.6 for like the 30th time and came with a thought
cross unconsciously falling in love with dream doesn't sound so fucked up (i am not letting this scene go), like i highly doubt cream WILL become canon -again- somehow but i totally see it working given the context (goddamn such a hardcore backstory it rocks istg)
said this already on one of my cream drawings here but the fact that cross saw dream as a light of hope in his life is so damn wholesome and i beg for them to be together, it literally will make cross' life way happier
it's very implied that all of the x gang do share their feelings so that's why cross says this specific line
and they are seen crying just after that
it may not be a strong feeling for them besides genuine happiness or relief and calm but cross being the one directly interacting with dream wouldn't make it so far-fetched for him to start feeling love