leah-yasmin-writes

[leah-yasmin-writes]

A little while ago, I finished reading Dead Girls Don’t Say Sorry by @aritany. It took me a while to get my thoughts in order, but I’ve finally been able to write up my goodreads review. And guys. If there is any book I can ever recommend, it’s this one. Please, please, please go read it if you can. And if you can’t buy it please consider requesting a purchase at your local library and adding it to your goodreads!!

Reasons you should read dgdss:

Do you love emotional whiplash? Me too!!!! And you’re in luck, each chapter switches between two timelines that simultaneously complement and foreshadow each other in a glorious, heart wrenching mix

Dillan. Freaking. Fletcher.

The texting!!

Two words: strawberry kiwi

Dillan. Freaking. Fletcher’s. Fletcher. Freaking. Family.

Mystery!!!! Suspense!!!!

The topic of grief is handled in such an eloquent and sophisticated manner. It’s not have (1) panic attack and Nora is instantly better. It takes the whole book!!!! And by the end, she’s still healing!!

Chapter twenty-five

Fat bastard

Bi rep!!! m/f *and* f/f bi rep!!!!

Every friendship is captivating in its own right

I could go on, but this is a book worth going in completely blind for to get the most out of your reading experience. If you want a book that properly puts you in a chokehold, go out and get your copy. You won’t regret it. And if you do read it, or you already have, consider posting a review on Amazon and/or goodreads as that is one of the best ways you can support an author!!

#could not agree more #I fucking love this book #other people's writing

[leah-yasmin-writes]

made this sickass banner for my twitter header and it doesn't even FIT RIGHT so i'm putting it here for you all instead

#other people's creations #I've read this book over and over and loved it every single time #highest recommendation

[leah-yasmin-writes]

PLEASE READ

So as of tomorrow, the Kids Online Safety Act, is set for markup as of July 27 at 10:00 am. And for those who aren't aware, this bill, if passed, does not protect kids. If merely eradicates privacy, freedom of speech, and unlawfully searches and seizes everything you say and do on the web.

It will censor everything the government does not like and if you want "unrestricted access" you will need to prove you are above the age of 18, which will most likely mean you will need to upload some kind of ID. Additionally, if you need to upload your ID, there is no guaranteed protection that your image or the ID itself will not be swiped or sold like how Instagram/Facebook/Twitter did when they sold data to the Russians.

This will also be harmful to kids, especially those to have a bad living situation. KOSA does nothing but police the Internet for everything you say and do on the Internet. It will censor medical information, history, information, and restrict and limit, if not outright ban what can be posted on social media.

Sites like Ao3 (Archive of Our Own), Wattpad, Tiktok, Tumblr, etc.... EVERYTHING will be affected, art especially. And what's more, is KOSA passes, it will be a gateway to pass all the other bad internet bills like the RESTRICT ACT, EARN IT ACT, COOPER DAVIS, CSAM, etc.

The Internet will turn into a hellscape for everyone; kids, companies, and adults alike!

The picture above, from @dontdelete.art, is a call to action in protesting these bad internet bills. As of today, July 26, we need to protest against this bill for our privacy and our freedom. Call your representatives and senators, AND ALSO call the Commerce Committee as they are the ones overseeing this mark up meeting.

The Commerce Committe's numbers are:

Majority: 202-224-0411

Minority: 202-224-1251

Call them and tell them you oppose KOSA, tell them the dangers, tell them how it breaks our first and fourth ammendment rights and how it violates our privacy.

We only have one more day before it goes to mark up, so let's make it count. Spend today speaking out on KOSA, post on social media talking about the dangers of KOSA, call and email your representatives, senators, and the committee!

DON'T SIT IDELY BY, MAKE TODAY COUNT!

#not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

hey if you're a UK resident can you sign this petition and if not please rb to spread the word

this is an official UK government petition that they have to respond to if it reaches 10,000 signatures

#signal boost #not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

🚨🚨🚨URGENT

dec 13, 2022

we literally have just a few days to act. the senate is debating about putting KOSA, the Kids Online Safety Act, into the end-of year spending bill. despite the title and content of the bill seeming to be about protecting kids, we know that everytime someone claims they are "saving the children" they have more sinister goals

which is why Senator Blumenthal is working with one of the biggest transphobes in the senate, Marsha Blackburn, to force this bill through.

essentially this bill gives every state attorney generals the power to remove anything they deem 'harmful' to kids online. you can see how a state like Texas or Florida would run with that, yes? it also forces you to upload your government ID online to access the internet. it will lead to mass censorship of anything related to race or LGBT content. in a post-Roe world too? say goodbye to any abortion/sex-related info.

they are doing a shit ton of PR for this, including claiming they are listening to LGBT voices. i mean just lo

two weeks ago, 90+ human rights, LGBT, and tech orgs signed onto an open letter telling Senators NOT to pass this bill. in response, over 230 orgs led by the American Psychological Association signed a letter urging senators to. it's really fucking bad. i didn't expect this to happen.

if this bill goes through it will literally kill off the internet as we know it

please, read about the bill and sign the open letter against it here

the best way to fight against this bill is to call your senators. however if you're short on time call chuck schumer (senate leader) and tell him NOT to include this in the spending bill

call chuck schumer [phone] and tell him DO NOT ADD KOSA TO THE SPENDING BILL

call script below

Hello Senator __:

My name is _, and as one of your constituents, I strongly urge you to oppose the dangerously misguided KOSA bill from being added to the spending bill. Over 90 human rights and LGBT organizations have spoken out against this bill.

KOSA gives state attorney generals full power to sue any online website if they see it has anything that is “inappropriate for children”'. For the past year, Republicans claimed anything LGBT is “grooming” children and we ended up with a shooting in Colorado and bomb threats sent to hospitals, NO senator should support a bill with vague phrasing like this. KOSA will only lead to more harm towards minorities and LGBT youth across the nation by censoring everything online.

The Heritage Foundation said they intend to abuse KOSA to target LGBT kids, specifically trans kids. In a post-Roe world, they will even use KOSA to censor resources on abortion. Anything they dislike will be targeted.

KOSA also would lead to age verification, eventually forcing you to upload your government ID online just to access anything. How is this more security? How is this protecting any minor? What will happen to undocumented, journalists, activists, trans people who all need anonymity? This bill HARMS kids by showing their private info to strangers online and stealing resources from them. This gives MORE power to Big Tech.

We all care about kids mental health. We all want to hold Big Tech accountable, but this is NOT it. This will give Big Tech more power while taking away resources from the most vulnerable children. It is not the solution.

Please, do NOT support this bill. Do the right thing, and VOTE NO on KOSA.

#not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

#other people's writing #love this #a lovely antidote to all the Christmas movies my mum forces me to watch

[leah-yasmin-writes]

Modern Male Witch Project: Masterpost

A personal project that has become very important to me: male witches in their private dens, with their belongings surrounding them that show what kind of person they are and what kind of magic they practice. I try to make every single piece emit peace and comfort, but with a magical twist!

Separate pieces

Bedroom witch | Bathroom witch | Kitchen witch | Home Office witch | Attic witch | Greenhouse witch

Buy prints on Redbubble and Society6 and TeePublic

Buy me a Coffee!

#other people's creations #I love this art style

[leah-yasmin-writes]

straight on til morning | a.ritany | excerpt - CHAPTER NINE: CLOUDBURST

(image id under the cut!)

Keep reading

#other people's wips #this is so incredibly vivid

[leah-yasmin-writes]

WIP INTRO - [STRAIGHT ON TIL MORNING]

genre |  MG queer horror fantasy retelling

status | drafting

synopsis |

the darling family is not alright.

john darling’s just been bitten by a shadow. to make matters worse, when a strange boy turns up at his window to retrieve the shadow and takes john back with him, john realizes all of his sister dee’s old stories about peter pan and neverland are true. as he explores the wonders of the island and the endless mysteries of peter, john begins to realize that not all is as it seems, and there’s something wrong with one of the lost boys.

already barely coping with her constant recurring nightmares, dee darling does her best to support her closest friend dom tsang with the disappearance of of his younger brother, vincent.  as john starts to act strange and her nightmares start drifting into her waking hours, dee realizes she has to confront her greatest fear: her nightmares might be real, and she might have to dive back in.

mickey darling sees dead people. with the missing boy vincent following him, and his family starting to fall apart, mickey might as well follow a strange boy out into the night…

with the very existence of neverland at risk, john, dee, and mickey must choose where their allegiances lie, figure out who to trust, and determine who—and what—is real.

characters |

john darling | 14, he/him

wendy “dee” darling | 16, she/her

peter pan | ??, he/him

michael “mickey” darling | 8, he/him

vincent tsang | 15, he/they

aesthetics | shadows curling between fingers, aquamarine water, wind on your skin, a sharp whiff of rot, dread in your bones, dense green jungle, the moment of buoyancy before a fall

excerpt |

“You’ve got it,” the boy said. “The shadow. I need it back.”

“Why?” 

“It’s mine,” the boy said, a bit louder. 

John held a finger to his lips. “He might wake up.” 

The boy shook his head, barely casting a second glance at Mickey’s sleeping form. “He won’t.” 

A shiver went up John’s spine.

themes | adventure, friends-to-strangers-to-lovers, found family but also like real family can i get a hell yeah for sibling rights

warnings | body horror, psychological abuse, mental illness

PLAYLIST | EXCERPTS | ART

(ask to be added to the taglist!)

#other people's wips #so excited for this book man

[leah-yasmin-writes]

Because, god knows when it rains it pours, there’s yet another horrible internet bill on the table, and it is a doozy! 

It’s called the Kids Online Safety Act and it’s basically designed to force internet companies to mandate ID for website logins, destroy websites with any hint of a kid looking at things they aren’t supposed to (With an extremely broad definition of “what they aren’t supposed to”), force companies to send data “for study” to the government (IE, spy on kids) force them to use an age-verification system that will likely include mandatory government ID checks, and put on mandatory parental controls cranked up to high by default for parents to spy on their kids!

Now, this is a nightmare for several reasons. The mandated ID checks are horrifying and intrusive violation of privacy for adults and the young alike, in a way that screws over queer sex workers especially, and the increased liability for websites will lead to truly biblical purges of NSFW content, but there’s another big one:

This bill will lead to kids getting abused and killed.

Like, imagine that parental spying being used on queer or mentally ill teens. Imagine the definition of “not okay for minors” being expanded by, like say, the transphobic push in Texas or Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill. You see where this goes.

Now, this is before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, who’s members are:

Maria Cantwell, Washington, Chair

Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota

Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut

Brian Schatz, Hawaii

Ed Markey, Massachusetts

Gary Peters, Michigan

Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin

Tammy Duckworth, Illinois

Jon Tester, Montana

Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona (Unfortunately)

Jacky Rosen, Nevada

Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico

John Hickenlooper, Colorado

Raphael Warnock, Georgia

Roger Wicker, Mississippi, Ranking Member

John Thune, South Dakota 

Roy Blunt, Missouri 

Ted Cruz, Texas (Ugh)

Deb Fischer, Nebraska 

Jerry Moran, Kansas 

Dan Sullivan, Alaska 

Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee 

Mike Lee, Utah 

Ron Johnson, Wisconsin 

Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia 

Todd Young, Indiana 

Rick Scott, Florida 

Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming

You can find their contact info here, and if they’re a part of your state, contact them and tell them this bill is a spying bill that will kill children, it needs to die.

But, even in other state, contact your sentators any way you can, and tell them this is a bad bill, and if it gets out of committee, it needs to die.

Tell your friends IRL to do it too either way, because they measure this shit in terms of how many messages they get, and so we need to flood their offices, and this goes for the other bad internet bills I’ve talked about too.

Again, deeply fatigued by all the godawful internet bills, but this is a goddamn war, and nobody ever won a war by giving up…

#not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

#not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

Til it costs $32,093 to have a normal vaginal birth in the United States, and $50,000 for a cesarian. Not to mention $40 to hold your newborn after birth, $10 a day to use the telephone, $25 for an extra pillow. 🥺

via reddit.com

#not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

Okay, I know the English internet spends a lot of time staring and ongoing political disasters in the US and the UK and oh what disasters they are, but CANADA 🇨🇦 WE GOTTA FOCUS FOR A MINUTE.

Ontario has municipal elections THIS MONDAY OCTOBER 24th! And you need to show up and vote!

Just like all our regular provincial and federal elections, it is okay if you aren't sure if you are on the voters rolls or if you info got updated after you moved or whatever - YOU CAN DEFINITELY VOTE AS LONG AS YOU ARE A CANADIAN LIVING IN THAT SPOT. You just bring proof of your address to the polling place and you'll be fine, I promise. I've done it. It takes like 2 minutes to sign the paper declaring you do indeed live there.

Now you may be asking "but do these elections really matter?" And the answer is YES THEY MATTER SO MUCH. There are racists and xenophobes and transphones and sexist and antisemitic and antivax people running all over the place and the one thing we know by now is that bigots get organized to get to the polls so we have to also organize to counter them by voting!

There are probably 3 things you need to look up who to vote for in your area: mayor, councillor, and school board trustee. All three matter! Please don't only focus on mayor, if the terfs get onto the school boards, they'll do serious damage.

So what can you do?

- First, search "[your town] election" and you'll get the link to the official election page on your city website. It'll tell you the poll hours for THIS MONDAY OCTOBER 24th and you'll be able to find your polling place and a sample ballot showing all the people running for all the roles (mayor, councillor, school board) in your district.

- Check out the candidates! If you want to narrow it down, for major things like mayor you can see which 3 or 4 people have a realistic shot of getting more than 10% of the vote based on polls and then look at the platforms for just those people. For more niche things like school board, you probably need to look at every candidate but less will be running. Please check the CBC article I linked above to narrow down the obvious terfs.

- Make a plan of when you are going to vote! Know what time is best for you to go and how you will get there.

- Get your friends and family to plan to vote too! Help them out by sharing your research and let them know who you are voting for for each part. Sometimes the idea of doing the research into candidates is too daunting, but if you share your plan with them, you can get more people to the polls.

- IF YOU AREN'T IN ONTARIO: Reach out to your friends and family here and ask what their plan to vote is. Help them out with the above if you can.

So much stuff gets decided at the municipal level, but they are expecting record low turnout and low turnout is dangerous for shitty people getting into positions that matter. We are already stuck with a clown at the province level. We need to make sure people who will work against him get elected at your local level.

It's one day, probably 45 minutes of your time including travel both ways and any line at busy times. Honestly, voting usually takes me 7 minutes at most at the polls even whe I was a student and voting in weird ways. They make it so easy if you just show up.

MASK UP AND GET TO THE POLLS ONTARIO!

#not writing #important #thank you for motivating me to stop putting off researching candidates #I'm going in with a plan now #can't let the transphobes and racists win

[leah-yasmin-writes]

ART COMMISSIONS OPEN

Hey everyone! I have decided to officially open commissions for character art. 

pricing is in USD as follows: 

$10.00 per character Sketch (+ $5.00 for every additional OC in group drawings)

$20.00 per character Clean Lineart (+ $10.00 for every additional OC in group drawings)

$10.00 to add colour

$25.00 for a Coloured Portrait (singles only, must provide approximate face claim)

$25 for an illustrated full body style (+ $15.00 for every additional character) (best for character drawings!)

$50.00 for a Realistic Painting (singles only, must provide face claim)

How It Works: once you contact me, we work out the details of what you’d like for your art piece in terms of style, pose, character description, etc. I take half payment up front. I will report back frequently with “drafts”* as I go to make sure that we’re on the same page and everything looks good to you, and once we’ve landed on a final product, I take the second half of payment.

I average about four or five drafts per piece. I do charge for any major changes requested once I’ve already started (i.e. change of clothes once I’ve already started colouring or change of pose once I’ve already done the lineart), with prices in accordance to the amount of work going into the change.

DM me or email me at [email protected] to get started!

a testimonal :)

STYLE EXAMPLES

sketch - $10

lineart - $20

add colour - $10

portrait/bust - $25

illustrated style - $25

realistic painting - $50

#signal boost #other people's creations

[leah-yasmin-writes]

most days, i float between my painted ceiling and my good wooden floors. if I stretch out my hands, I can feel the rough tapestry under my skin, if I dip down my toes, I brush the grain of the wood.

from the hollow of my throat runs a thread, silver-dipped. when I turn my head, it’s pulled taut. come, now, won’t you tug on it?

won’t you take my two good hands and my bones full of air, and shape them until I stay, anchored and with my fingertips stuck to your clavicles? Drape my palms around your throat and my mouth to the dip where your neck meets your shoulders.

like this, i will stay.

smile at me. your scar shapes a dimple and in your eyes swims a bottomless well. I have long since leaned over the edge of it, and carved a home into its stones.

the water above me shines silver.

most days, i taste on my fingertips the shape of your love. my grandfather once said that a love well felt is holy. his eyes wrinkled at the edges and his teeth were stained with sugar. i looked at him, then, five years old, and barely tall enough to reach the table.

what is holiness?

he laughed. the shape of their eyes, he said, or the sound of their voice. perhaps, he said, in between one bite and the next, perhaps the way the skin peels from their palms.

let me drink worship from your mouth. tether me to the very bones of you, and listen to the prayer i sing into your skin.

this well in the depths of your eyes is my temple, and I draw my scripture from the curve of your neck.

#other people's writing

[leah-yasmin-writes]

https://www.hoosieraction.org/scotus

#not writing #important

[leah-yasmin-writes]

on loving your siblings

I don't love anyone, Belle and Sebastian// The Reynolds Pamphlet, Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda//The Other Boleyn Girl(2008)//Fleabag, 2x06//NA//Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Literacy//Antigone, Jean Anouilh//Maurice Sendak//Little Miss Sunshine (2006)//Electra, Sophocles//NA

#not writing #Eliott I hope you know this Hurt me in my soul