#1) we need more poc/poc couples in media 2) we need to have more moments of black characters in media going thru a big change and... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

batarangsoundsdumb · 3 years

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hae interrogationes multae respondeant quia demens .

if you read this entire ask post you deserve a gold star and financial recompensation

Um, Obviously because when you’re adopted by a white guy you automatically become white duhhh

this is about this post lmao and yeah youre absolutely right, you have to hand your poc card in when you get adopted by a white guy.

Do you think Cass would listen to Yanni, the YouTube channel epic symphonic rock, or some other stuff? There's some cool mashups but idk if that's up your alley, I kinda feel like I'm pushing it with my weird taste of music by recommending an orchestra cover of metal, but i just love that sort of thing and mashups :P @harvestyourcherries

i haven’t heard of that? but in my personal (correct) opinion steph listens to classical music, and then both modern and older, and then also stuff like black sabbath, iron maiden, but also hardrock and hardcore. i like the idea of cass just liking the most extreme screaming songs full of noise and then also listen to pachelbel’s 370th sonata yanno? THANK YOU for the rec tho

speaking of ur cass playlist hc...reminds of the time (yesterday) i found 2 playlists randomly on spotify from the same user. one was abt 3 hours of instrumental/classical "dark" & "nostalgic" music. the other almost 11 hours of nothing but hardcore bass/synth/electronic music. just an incredible tightrope act to put on in public. the synth one was also called like "psalms for synth sluts" which is Also incredible

tbh i LOVE synth SO MUCH like for no reason at all but then also cannot handle a poppy electronic beat lmao. but this seems like the kinda thing i’d do but just in one (1) playlist bc i just sort songs by vibe instead of genre? that’s how i end up with britney spears and billy ray cyrus in the same playlist.

Oh, I want Kate Kane playlist next! It would be amazing if you could do one when you have time and will 🙏

how rude would it be of me to just say no? like sorry kate but idk you and also you seem way too keen on the us military for an institution that homophobically targeted you? (and also commits war crimes) but let’s unpack the fact that the institution that caused the death of your mom and sister and also got you blacklisted for being gay is still one you align with???

'yes i am' 'no you're not' 'yes i am' 'no you're not' 'yes i am' 'no you're not' 'yes i am' 'no you're not' 'yes i am' 'no you're not' 'yes i am' 'no you're not' --- when i tell you i fucking screamed LOL!!!!!!! i can imagine the cameraman not knowing if he should cut to commercial or keep it on these two weirdos fighting on stage (bruce definitely ruffled dick's hair/noogied him right??

about this post but yeah lmao. this cameraman just turns to like the audience to get a reaction and it’s just multiple moments of CLEAR shock.

you are the only funny person on this hellsite

how egotistical is it for me to say that i get this ask multiple times a month? bc it literally happens so often it’s hilarious to me.

Wish there was more john/Bruce content 😔😔😔 was so hungry I actually looked at canon media 😔😔😔 (Justice League Dark babeeeyyyyyy)

check out batman: damned for some mediocre content but at least it’s john/bruce (also very interesting story and stuff, just got very >:( over this weird part where harley quinn tried to r*pe bruce or something? it’s not for everyone)

dick grayson but he's nicki minaj

his anaconda don’t want none,,, unless......

Dick Grayson was never a cop, he played Marshall on Paw Patrol

you are SO right. also paw patrol is a fucking good show idc. that shit could’ve been the new steven universe on this hellsite.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CS1lI0bLI7-/?utm_medium=copy_link

...

why do people keep reposting my CONTENT. if you are not funny yourself don’t just grab shit off of tumblr and post it on insta,,, get a life. sidenote: should i start an insta and get all these ppl to take my content down that would be funny as hell.

Might I suggest for a Gotham City Meme: something about the true crime fandom thirsting for the rogues gallery

ok can i just say something slightly controversial?? no? i don’t find true crime ppl who are into criminals funny, that shits disturbing irl im not gonna bring that into my very chill universe.

i may have never seen a 'jason cleaning guns in sink' fic but i do know he WOULD

THANK YOU

bestie im sorry to say this to you but while you can, and people do wash their guns in the sink, that is a lot of lead in a very vital part of the kitchen.

people tend to do it in the bathtub.

WHY???? like damn why do you even have guns

i dont think i read many gun sink fics exactly but i have read lots of fics where jason cleanes his guns in the living room. usualy dissembles them and cleans them with a rag i think

lmao fair enough, like i think that’s a large part of what i remember as well.

if you say you've seen/read gun sink fics I believe you. I think those of us who didn't see them are lucky or maybe didn't search for fics by tags or something idk

i mean ive never sought them out but i HAVE seen them,, like definitely i know almost for certain.

saw your tags and I'm interested in Steph/Kara now. They would be the most chaotic couple <3

literally thoooo, i have a wip where they get together in a zombie apocalypse and like UGGGHhhh i am so in love with them.

I am the Breece anon. Thanks for the recommendation; am reading now. I’ve always been a hardcore Superman fan because I love my pure himbo farm boy. My logic is, if one Bruce is a Broose, then multiple Broose are a herd of Breece. And this is a hill upon which I will perish.

fair enough,,,, like moose, meese, goose, geese, bruce, breece. i get your logic and i stand by it as well. (glad you enjoyed the comic recs!!!!)

It's a beautiful day in Gotham, and you are a group of horrible Breece

OH my god dude lmao

there only being 42 fics on ao3 for tim and bernard is honestly so sad i need more

it’s like twice that now!!! we did it lads. (tho very sad that my fic isnt number one but like number 4 :(((( )

i'm too late you already did the poll lol but may i suggest bethy (bernard + timothy)

shit dude that wouldve been so fucking funnyyyyy. think ppl have just stuck to timber tho, tim/bernard kinda died down recently and i think it’s too bad, they’re a great couple and i love them.

Wait, hear me out

Bernothy @redlightofdawn

great recommendation (lmao this ask is from like a month ago) but very sorry to announce that NARDTH is the superior shipname

Wait, we know that bernard likes milfs (Tim's step-mom) but what about dilfs? gilfs?

Wait no, I regret sending that ask

these were two seperate asks and they’re HILARIOUS. in my personal opinion tho,,, milfs, gilfs, dilfs are just about vibes and bernard is just attracted to sexy ppl who may sometimes be milfs, dilfs, or EVEN gilfs.

crime in bludhaven would drop to half if nightwing had a boob window. in this essay i will-

WHERE’S THE ESSAY ANON, WHERE’S THE FUCKING ESSAY

Wait if Barbra and Tim r at opposite ends at all times what happened to Barbra once everyone’s Tim’s ever love before started dying lol

she won a lottery ticket and spent 2 weeks on a resort in the bahamas before returning home and finding out that the joker was arrested for tax evasion and then spent a month staying at her big tiddie goth girlfriend’s house before conner came back to life and she broke her pinkie playing table hockey.

Why is the opposite end thing so funny and compelling to me. Tim comes back from his depression quest for Bruce and Babs is now a literal god

lmao when tim loses his spleen barbara reaches nirvana.

Are you still taking music recs because I have three songs that remind me of Jason that I think you'd like

send to me or lose a toe

🌸 ⭐ put this star into the inbox of your favorite blogs. it’s time to spread positivity! ⭐🌸😋

thanks, i wont tho on account of i wont.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMduBy3Sr/

⬆️

This is the whole of Blüdhaven and everyone anywhere.

Nightwings ass alone saves more people in a calendar year and does more for so society than most heroes do their whole career.Also u are one of the funniest tumblr pages out there. The vibes are unmatched and the memes and tags ✨send me✨.Thank u and goodnight @julia-flow

fanksss also lmao.

That's going to be a little bit difficult to explain, but

There's some music that you listen to and you think, "oh my gosh, I can perfectly imagine Dick Grayson singing this song, with the same voice as the singer because that voice matches with Dick Grayson"?

oh yeah totally lmao. i have a lot of songs that i think are just entirely dick grayson yanno? kind of all of my playlists have that vibe, but i really find bleachers to fit with dick? idk.

"Lois lane/Superman" fics this, "Lois lane/Clark Kent" fics that, (/lh) let's get into the real good stuff. Some people ship Lois, Clark, and Superman as a throuple. Most popular fic tag for sure

yes totally, i think they’d be absolutely killer on ao3 and clark gets so fucking embarassed about it.

I miss your post, hope you’re doing okay!!

haha this was like 2 months ago, but i was doing fine then too! just didn’t have a lot of inspiration in terms of content.

Doot doot!

noot noot

I’m confused. What did DC do now? Like with nightwing? And another sibling? Please spoil everything for me

lmao they gave him a secret sister plotline where they had his dad cheat on his mom with tony zucco’s wife, bc dick’s life wasn’t traumatic enough yet.

sorry but it's so funny that batman is called "the dark knight" when the gotham city baseball team is called the gotham knights. it'd be like if a vigilante was running around new york called like "the scary yankee"

lmaooo no. but like yankee comes from dutch names or something so wouldnt it be HILARIOUS if gotham knights came from like german names and bruce would be running around called the dark KLAUS UND NIEK @graysonnightwing

(not a batcest shipper) it’s so funny to me that the responses are “i’m a batcest shipper because i can differentiate fiction from reality and and it doesn’t bother me personally, but i understand why you oils think it’s weird” to “i wish all batcest shippers a very fucking die”

yeah lmaoo. i personally basically flipped my entire stance around to ‘i dont care please leave me and everybody else alone’ bc i think there’s really no point in starting a moral dillema over some fucking fandom bullshit. Please just,,, go home,,, log off, find a nice forest to have a little walk in and remember that somewhere in history, somebody probably died in the place you’re standing. and you will also die someday, and somebody will have to look at your internet usage and see you fighting multiple people anonymously while being named ‘nightwingsbuttchin200186′ like... calm down, we’re all gonna die this is not the thing to worry about.

so since like "wards" don't really exist in modern society almost all the batkids are foster kids, right? i used to work in the system and imagine: monthly visits from social workers and guardian ad litems, bruce having to get permission to take the boys anywhere out of state, calling their social worker at like 8 a.m. like "yeah dick broke his arm again... a gymnastics accident this time...." their poor social worker. bruce send her a huge bouquet and box of chocolates every month to stay on her good side

i imagine the social worker just getting into the case like ‘yeah let’s get this kid a good guardian’ and then ending up having to work with 22 y/o bruce wayne and his 50 y/o dad. and so this social worker is like ‘okay we can work with this, this is the best home i can find’ and then like it ends up landing on its feet and then the kid gets adopted and then they get a call a year later like ‘uhm so hi, this kid tried to steal my tyres can i adopt him?’ and like 3 years later. ‘okay so basically, my neighbours’ kid imprinted on me and now they’re dead, can i keep him?’ two years later it’s like ‘okay so this assassin child-’

ever since I saw that one post of yours, the meme that's something like "I know that abba's backup dancer got me" with a picture of discowing, I've been haunted. Every once in a while I'll be minding my own business then the image of abba's backup dancer dick grayson aka nightwing aka discowing will flash in my mind and I'll be frozen in place. Today at work I was in the middle of folding clothes and suddenly once again discowing entered my mind and I suddenly lost the ability to see anything except He. Thank you.

wow. the IMPACT.

Braver than any US marine man props to you🤝

this shit is about the time i wrote an article on batcest, like man,,, the fact that i didn’t get cancelled is MIRACULOUS. also like,,, uh if anybody on here did gossip on me,, send screenshots i’d love to see it.

Hello, just wanted to say your article was great. Thank you for taking the time to provide an unbaised answer. It should provide people with nuances they couldn't possibly conjure on their own.

May I ask where your username originates from?

yes you may (also thanks!!!) i thought it up when i was trying to find an original username bc i didnt want to be called like ‘timdrakes something something’ or ‘jason todd something smoething’ or ‘dick grayson something something’ yanno? so i thought batarangs, they sound so dumb and that’s my username story... now it’s my whole entire brand lmao.

yno that bit in kick ass where red mist asks kick ass if he wants a hit of his blunt, was that the inspo for stoner tim

no? it’s bc i think stoners are hilarious and drugs are great. (dont do drugs tho)

How would u feel if someone actually wore one of those bruce or ollie pride shirts u edited

fenomenal next question.

Dick as lil huddy and Jason as James gave me radiation poisoning and now I’m screaming crying throwing up so thx for that

(Rico suave as Tim is perfect tho literally no changes needed)

i was so funny for that shit wasn’t i??? lmao i loved those weird ass fancasts

You're doing the Lord's work by providing us with all these Gotham/Metropolis citizens memes, thank you for being so relentlessly funny @nellethiel-aranel

you’re welcome!! i really enjoy making memes, but getting validation for my content and my memes is REALLY nice.

Bruce is such a slut in your memes and honestly i love that for him @rhodey-rhudert-rhodes-main

he’s that much of a slut irl too dw.

Bruce and Alfred have an emergency pride flag for the batkids. Oliver Queen printed an emergency "I love my gay son" t-shirt and as soon as Roy told him he was dating Jason, Oliver started wearing that shirt everyday and Roy always cringes when he sees it. Oliver also has an emergency "I love my lesbian daughter" shirt just in case for Cissie.

lmao YES i had a post like this bc like all of their kids/family members are so gayy

stop bringing back batfam fancasts it is not real it is not real it is not- 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

oh yes it is my darling.

did discowing burn down the notredam because he hates the bees? @allulily

no he did it bc fuck the french.

im gonna beg for 1 thing and 1 thing only. please please please put physical by olivia newton john on dick's playlist

okay then beg. bc i wont. physical reminds me too much of glee and that hurts me mentally.

your playlist is sorely missing some Madonna. Specifically Into the Groove, Like a Prayer, and Vogue

i’m scared of madonna that’s why she’s not on there. she haunts me in my dreams.

suggestion: son of batman by aaron dews for dick’s playlist🤩

sorry, i listened to it and the vibe didn’t agree with me.

Hear me out, metropolis citizens sending rare pair fics of Clark Kent x Superman fics to Lois to edit

yes, absolutely hilarious. even more funny if they send like physical copies, no address attached and lois sends it back marked with red ink, SOMEHOW

Imagine all the smut Clark must of read editing the fics

clark reads smut confirmeeed

NOT LOIS READING SUPERBAT PORN AND EDITING IT A 2AM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

hc that alfred is a meta that boosts healing factor of the people around him. if the bats are injured as much as they seem to be they would be doing bat stuff MAYBE half the year. no one including alfred knows about this. whenever the kids move out they inexplicably dont recover from injuries as fast and feel better whenever they visit the manor they just chalk it up to homesickness. bruce just thinks he heals really fast. alfred thinks everyone doesnt take care of themselves properly @finchcollector

that’s actually such a great idea, but i think that alfred would find out and learn how to concentrate it better so he can help more people, bc he’s great and i love him.

One of your dickfast posts reminded me of that tweet that goes: 'so you've had sex how many times? Yeah technically that's not a bromance' lol that's dickwally or dickroy

literally tho. like that’s all of dick’s friendships. once it gets past a certain time dick is like ‘wow i wonder what it would be like to make out with wally, wally come make out with me’ and wally’s like ‘we’ve done this like 40 times, dick, you know what it’s like’ and dick is like ‘sorry are you complaining?’ and they just make out.

superfam and batfam associations??

-batman and superman

-dick/barabara and supergirl?

-conner and tim

-jon and damian

pls enlighten me I am confused

nope,,, uhm batman and superman, but dick and superman as well, and then conner and tim, jon and damian and steph + babs with supergirl

I came across a fic in which Wonder Woman calls Batman "Stella" (like Stellaluna, the children's book) and I can imagine the batkids hop on the trend and maybe copies of the book appear at random places (aka, everywhere Bruce frequents)

sorry can’t reciprocate that was the name of my high school chemistry teacher and it gives me nightmares to think about.

good human what are your pronouns?

wouldn’t you like to know?

I need me some gothamites preferring harley over joker memes

everyone prefers harley over joker youre just very fucked up if you dont

don't understand why people try to add like veteran policy to the batfamily

dick pulling out his veteran batfam member card so he can eat first: step aside, peasants

Do you know the song Simmer by Haley Williams? It (the first verse anyways) reminds me of Jason? It's about rage.

damn yeah i LOVE HAYLEY!!!! youre right thoo

Okay so I like listen to your stoner Tim Drake playlist 24/7 but would he listen to skegss? Also I keep adding songs mentally it’s killing me 😩✋🏼 Anyways,, I literally love and worship your playlist 😃🤞🏼 And uh yeah have a good day ✨

stoner tim drake playlist is lyfeeee. also dont know who skeggs is? i’m stupid? have a good day!!

All the Robins (and Batgirl) decide to trade costumes for one night just to fuck with Batman and all the villains in Gotham. @subspacecadet

batman knows it’s them youknow but like,,, what does he call them? he’s like ‘red hood?’ and 3 people answer and he’s not about to compromise some identities so he’s just Pissed.

I aspire to treat cops the way my dad treats them. This man is a 45 year old Asian immigrant to the US and the treats them like his pets. He talks about them like unruly children. Sometimes he pays off local cops to shut up and stop acting racist. And usually it works. I don’t know why but I can see Oliver Queen doing this

vibes... and also yes? oliver queen handing a local cop a donut to shut the fuck up lmao. but yanno i commit enough crimes to not really want to ever see a cop ever, so they kinda scare the everloving fuck out of me.

seeing as tim hasn't aged in years, that means he was 17 at peak emo tumblr era. im back on my emo tim bullshit and im not letting it go

emo tim had a wattpad account send tweet

People seem to think that batman is so dark and serious when the rainbow batsuit is right there. He wore it with no shame.

dude the 60s were a DIFFERENT TIME

dick grew up in a circus, jason grew up on the streets, and tim was probably raised by the internet

all of them cuss every other word and you cannot tell me otherwise

bitch i KNOW but dc has to change to an 18+ rating if they want to sell comix with swear words in them so we gotta deal with imagining the swear words in ourselves

thoughts on teen titans and young justice

haven’t seen teen titans on account of havent seen it and young justice was LITERALLY my favourite thing ever, tho i do gotta admit it’s not at all similar to the young justice comics unfortunately. i really wouldve liked to see timmy bart kon cassie and cissie animated on tv!!

ew ew ew how to delete batcest shippers I genuinely digust them

log off tumblr?

Okay as poc who was called racist for calling an Italian pastabrain: in the batfam are Italians bit Damian just yells various insults about the others being Italian. Just him yelling “What are you doing you moronic spaghettihead!” At steph etc

huh? i meant real italians. homeboy is telling steph he hopes she chokes on her fucking garlic.

I think it's dumb as hell to pull the batman is the best fighter in the batfam argument because like it's just irresponsible of Bruce to let his kids fight when they couldn't possibly be on his league or something

fair enough, but also like who cares they could all kill you just sit down and take a beating.

lady shiva, thalia al ghul and Selina Kyle are all milfs @notanothertimburtonenthusiastugh

unfortunately, i have to admit,,, you’re right

why tf didn't someone give joker a death sentence already? like he's a mass murderer...give him the electric chair treatment wtf

idk i think plenty of people would have tried to murder him already (boring answer is: he is a popular character so they can’t kill him off bc he brings in lots of money)

There’s no such thing as “ copaganda”.

all american media is propaganda. happy to clear this up for you

is it bad that I find lady shiva owa owa

no. find her as owa owa as you want.

aight I'm guessing the order of your favs in batfam:

1. tim

2. Steph

3. dick

4. Duke

5. the rest

you’re wrong but it’s cute that you tried, i generally don’t have favourites, but i have a special place in my heart for steph, tim, dick and cass. bc they were like my introduction to batfam. but damian, jason, duke, bruce, babs and alfred are NOT FORGOTTEN OR UNLOVED

oh my god i was literally just readily willing to believe that italians werent white ty for clarifying it was a joke im so dumb sdkvjskdfs

i mean some italians aren’t white? italian is a nationality as well as an ethnicity, so like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

since I saw so many people doing headcanons about the nationalities of batboys, I see Dick as an Italian.

dont know if youre serious or not, but sure.

super random but

jason 🤝 damian

old english

lmao fair enough.

tim absolutely has 1 gay uncle and his parents shit talk said uncle all the time so after bruce adopts him he specifically reaches out to this uncle to be like "heyyyy just so you know you majorly influenced my life yes i know i havent seen you since i was 5 and at the family reunion yes i know you dont remember my name idc thank you im gay too" and then they never talk again.

yuppp lmao that’s definitely something that could happen. i can also consider tim having no family members, like none. until he does like a dna test and he realises he has like an aunt living barely 2 miles away from him who’s like some illegitimate child of his grandpa.

I dare you one of them sends clark superman/clark fic and clark corrects the shit out of it and then goes like ps his dick is not that big, just telling as someone who has seen it. internet either explodes or goes who tf did he not fuck at this point.

i think everybody would call clark a buzzkill and try to cancel him over that.

so you're telling me Tim Drake wouldn't buy Starbucks?

no. dunkin donuts all the way

One of my favorite things is imagining people finding out jason came back from the dead and being like "oh no does he have magic powers now?!?!?" and he just pulls out a gun and tries to shoot joker

now he doesn’t even have the gun :) lmao

my favorite batfamily fanfictions are the ones where they use their shitty codenames, unironically, in any context

bruce gets codename ‘ugh’ everytime. he hates it.

crazy that tim being a 17 y/o ceo and a stoner who does brand deals are all actual canon things written in detective comics comics and not made up for shits and giggles by you, tumblr user batarangsoundsdumb @rowdeyclown

SO CRAZY HUH?

batman au where everything is the same but his utility belt is bright pink

absolutely, but i raise you, his boots light up like sketchers when he kicks people.

unbeknownst to the superhero fandom writers in the dcuniverse, clark and BRUCE are one of the most prolific fanfic writers in the superhero rpf tag on ao3. clark writes the best lois x superman angst, full of unhappy endings and scenes that are a so detailed you'd think you were in the middle of a superhero beatdown. bruce made an ao3 account to fuel "the do the butts match" thing, and makes batman/bruce fics from time to time. he wrote a superbat fic as a joke but ended up making it REAL porny. @concrastinator

dude they’re WAY too busy for that. Oliver Queen and Hal Jordan on the other hand are the most prolific fanfic writers in the superhero rpf tag writing what is Mostly porn.

When the dining table topic gets to politics, Steph says "eat the rich" as the solution

bruce just silently takes away her fork and knife while she’s talking.

#literally if you got through this i just respect you #this is mainly just for the people who sent me an ask in the past few mask #i hope your ask is in here :)#sorry for everybody else #ask #bataranswers #this took me 4 hours to do so i hope youre happy #also sidenote #does anybody know the latin translation for 'to become'#bc i just used future of 'esse' but it could be a different verb #who cares tho latin is a dead language #big congratulations to everyone who translates my sentence #here's a bonus sentence: tuam matrem futueram

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theshedding · 3 years

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Lil Nas X: Country Music, Christianity & Reclaiming HELL

I don’t typically bother myself to follow what Lil Nas X is doing from day to day, or even month to month but I do know that his “Old Town Road” hit became one of the biggest selling/streamed records in Country Music Business history (by a Black Country & Queer artist). “Black” is key because for 75+ years Country music has unsuspiciously evolved into a solidly White-identified genre (despite mixed and Indian & Black roots). Regrettably, Country music is also widely known for anti-black, misogynoir, reliably homophobic (Trans isn’t really a conversation yet), Christian and Hard Right sentiments on the political spectrum. Some other day I will venture into more; there is a whole analysis dying to be done on this exclusive practice in the music industry with its implications on ‘access’ to equity and opportunity for both Black/POC’s and Whites artists/songwriters alike. More commentary on this rigid homogeneous field is needed and how it prohibits certain talent(s) for the sake of perpetuating homogeneity (e.g. “social determinants” of diversity & viable artistic careers). I’ll refrain from discussing that fully here, though suffice it to say that for those reasons X’s “Old Town Road” was monumental and vindicating.

As for Lil Nas X, I’m not particularly a big fan of his music; but I see him, what he’s doing, his impact on music + culture and I celebrate him using these moments to affirm his Black, Queer self, and lifting up others. Believe it or not, even in the 2020′s, being “out” in the music business is still a costly choice. As an artist it remains much easier to just “play straight”. And despite appearances, the business (particularly Country) has been dragged kicking and screaming into developing, promoting and advancing openly-affirming LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 artists in the board room or on-stage. Though things are ‘better’ we have not yet arrived at a place of equity or opportunity for queer artists; for the road of music biz history is littered with stunted careers, bodies and limitations on artists who had no option but to follow conventional ways, fail or never be heard of in the first place. With few exceptions, record labels, radio and press/media have successfully used fear, intimidation, innuendo and coercion to dilute, downplay or erase any hint of queer identity from its performers. This was true even for obvious talents like Little Richard.

(Note: I’m particularly speaking of artists in this regard, not so much the hairstylists, make-up artists, PA’s, etc.)

_____

Which is why...in regard to Lil Nas X, whether you like, hate or love his music, the young brother is a trailblazer. His very existence protests (at least) decades of inequity, oppression and erasure. X aptly critiques a Neo-Christian Fascist Heteropatriarchy; not just in American society but throughout the Music Business and with Black people. That is no small deal. His unapologetic outness holds a mirror up to Christianity at-large, as an institution, theology and practice. The problem is they just don’t like what they see in that mirror.

In actuality, “Call Me By Your Name”, Lil Nas X’s new video, is a twist on classic mythology and religious memes that are less reprehensible or vulgar than the Biblical narratives most of us grew up on vís-a-vís indoctrinating smiles of Sunday school teachers and family prior to the “age of reason”. Think about the narratives blithely describing Satan’s friendly wager with God regarding Job (42:1-6); the horrific “prophecies” in St. John’s Book of Revelation (i.e. skies will rain fire, angels will spit swords, mankind will be forced to retreat into caves for shelter, and we will be harassed by at least three terrifying dragons and beasts. Angels will sound seven trumpets of warning, and later on, seven plagues will be dumped on the world), or Jesus’s own clarifying words of violent intent in Matthew (re: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” 10:34). Whether literal or metaphor, these age old stories pale in comparison to a three minute allegorical rap video. Conservatives: say what you will, I’m pretty confident X doesn’t take himself as seriously as “The true and living God” from the book of Job.

A little known fact as it is, people have debunked the story and evolution of Satan and already offered compelling research showing [he] is more of a literary device than an actual entity or “spirit” (Spoiler: In the Bible, Satan does not take shape as an actual “bad” person until the New Testament). In fact, modern Christianity’s impression of the “Devil” is shaped by conflating Hellenized mythology with a literary tradition rooted in Dante’s Inferno and accompanying spooks and superstitions going back thousands of years. Whether Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, Scientologist, Atheist or Agnostic, we’ve spent a lifetime with these predominant icons and clichés. (Resource: Prof. Bart D. Erhman, “Heaven & Hell”).

So Here’s THE PROBLEM: The current level of fear and outrage is:

(1) Unjust, imposing and irrational.

(2) Disproportionate when taken into account a lifetime of harmful Christian propaganda, anti-gay preaching and political advocacy.

(3) Historically inaccurate concerning the existence of “Hell” and who should be scared of going there.

Think I’m overreacting?

Examples:

Institutionalized Homophobia (rhetoric + policy)

Anti-Gay Ministers In Life And Death: Bishop Eddie Long And Rev. Bernice King

Black, gay and Christian, Marylanders struggle with Conflicts

Harlem pastor: 'Obama has released the homo demons on the black man'

Joel Olsteen: Homosexuality is “Not God’s Best”

Bishop Brandon Porter: Gays “Perverted & Lost...The Church of God in Christ Convocation appears like a ‘coming out party’ for members of the gay community.”

Kim Burrell: “That perverted homosexual spirit is a spirit of delusion & confusion and has deceived many men & women, and it has caused a strain on the body of Christ”

Falwell Suggests Gays to Blame for 9-11 Attacks

Pope Francis Blames The Devil For Sexual Abuse By Catholic Church

Pope Francis: Gay People Not Welcome in Clergy

Pope Francis Blames The Devil For Sexual Abuse By Catholic Church

The Pope and Gay People: Nothing’s Changed

The Catholic church silently lobbied against a suicide prevention hotline in the US because it included LGBT resources

Mormon church prohibits Children of LGBT parents to be baptized

Catholic Charity Ends Adoptions Rather Than Place Kid With Same-Sex Couple

I Was a Religious Zealot That Hurt People-Coming Out as Gay: A Former Conversion Therapy Leader Is Apologizing to the LGBTQ Community

The above short list chronicles a consistent, literal, demonization of LGBTQ people, contempt for their gender presentation, objectification of their bodies/sexuality and a coordinated pollution of media and culture over the last 50+ years by clergy since integration and Civil Rights legislation. Basically terrorism. Popes, Bishops, Pastors, Evangelists, Politicians, Television hosts, US Presidents, Camp Leaders, Teachers, Singers & Entertainers, Coaches, Athletes and Christians of all types all around the world have confused and confounded these issues, suppressed dissent, and confidently lied about LGBT people-including fellow Queer Christians with impunity for generations (i.e. “thou shall not bear false witness against they neighbor” Ex. 23:1-3). Christian majority viewpoints about “laws” and “nature” have run the table in discussions about LGBTQ people in society-so much that we collectively must first consider their religious views in all discussions and the specter of Christian approval -at best or Christian condescension -at worst. That is Christian (and straight) privilege. People are tired of this undue deference to religious opinions.

That is what is so deliciously bothersome about Lil Nas X being loud, proud and “in your face” about his sexuality. If for just a moment, he not only disrupts the American hetero-patriarchy but specifically the Black hetero-patriarchy, the so-called “Black Church Industrial Complex”, Neo-Christian Fascism and a mostly uneducated (and/or miseducated) public concerning Ancient Near East and European history, superstitions-and (by extension) White Supremacy. To round up: people are losing their minds because the victim decided to speak out against his victimizer.

Additionally, on some level I believe people are mad at him being just twenty years old, out and FREE as a self-assured, affirming & affirmed QUEER Black male entertainer with money and fame in the PRIME of his life. We’ve never, or rarely, seen that before in a Black man in the music business and popular culture. But that’s just too bad for them. With my own eyes I’ve watched straight people, friends, Christians, enjoy their sexuality from their elementary youth to adolescence, up and through college and later marriages, often times independently of their spouses (repeatedly). Meanwhile Queer/Gay/SGL/LGBTQ people are expected to put their lives on hold while the ‘blessed’ straight people run around exploring premarital/post-marital/extra-marital sex, love and affection, unbound & un-convicted by their “sin” or God...only to proudly rebrand themselves later in life as a good, moral “wholesome Christian” via the ‘sacred’ institution of marriage with no questions asked.

Inequality defined.

For Lil Nas X, everything about the society we've created for him in the last 100+ years (re: links above) has explicitly been designed for his life not to be his own. According to these and other Christians (see above), his identity is essentially supposed to be an endless rat fuck of internal confusion, suicide-ideation, depression, long-suffering, faux masculinity, heterosexism, groveling towards heaven, respectability politics, failed prayer and supplication to a heteronormative earthly and celestial hierarchy unbothered in affording LGBT people like him a healthy, sane human development. It’s almost as if the Conservative establishment (Black included) needs Lil Nas X to be like others before him: “private”, mysteriously single, suicidal, suspiciously straight or worse, dead of HIV/AIDS ...anything but driving down the street enjoying his youth as a Black Queer artist and man. So they mad about that?

Well those days are over.

-Rogiérs is a writer, international recording artist, performer and indie label manager with 25+ years in the music industry. He also directs Black Nonbelievers of DC, a non-profit org affiliated with the AHA supporting Black skeptics, Atheists, Agnostics & Humanists. He holds a B.A. in Music Business & Mgmt and a M.A. in Global Entertainment & Music Business from Berklee College of Music and Berklee Valencia, Spain. www.FibbyMusic.net Twitter/IG: @Rogiers1

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life-rewritten · 4 years

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Skam Espana- A WHITE YOUSEF

When I first had clued on to this change, I was unhappy. I knew what the writers were planning with Cris making fun of Dani and Amira and hinting that they always hang around each other a lot. I was intrigued as well. Cris is the Isak of the show. And we know Sana and Isak have an interesting dynamic in her season. So my mind liked that there was a new dynamic with this even at the loss of Sana's brother. These episodes so far have shown that Dani will be taking a massive part of the Yousef arc as Amira's love interest. This strategy is interesting because we have to consider where this story is going to go.

What we already know from the previous seasons/format of Skam Espana?

Season 3: Noora's season/The introduction of Miguel Last season of Espana did something we never expected or understood at first. We knew the dynamics between Noora and Willam vs Alejandro and Nora had changed, one because Norandro dated previously to the season and broke up then. And at the end of episode 2, we felt frustrated when they created Miguel. Whilst some understood he was going to represent the role of William's brother in the original, (the villain), it became disconcerting to realise he also was representing William for most of the show. The writers used Miguel to showcase the potential toxicity of the William and Noora dynamic in the original, and they emphasised on it. Alejandro, our supposed William, took a backseat and became a different character entirely to what we expected in the season. It was a fantastic representation of what women go through in abusive relationships, and till this day it haunts me, but it taught me the right lesson. Alejandro's character became the least toxic William ever in the Skamverse, and they didn't end up together in that season which broke our hearts. But now we have a healthy dynamic with our new couple in this season.

What does this tell us about the show? 1. They emphasise on specific messages from the OG Skam but give it a new perspective and dynamic. In Season 3 it was sexual harassment as with Skam, but they also added the downfall into emotional abuse in relationships. 2. They invert characters from the OG to add more depth/understanding of the character's role in representing the message. They made us trust Miguel as the William character only to make us and Nora feel slighted by his real persona under the facade (conversion to William's brother role) They do this all the time, but this is the season I'm using and comparing to Amira's one. 3. They don't follow the same vision as Julie Andem for Skam. Julie had her own opinions as the creator of the OG, and so has other skam representations that have done this season's remake. The writers of Skam Espana seem to disagree with the way the message was told in the OG and like to give the audience a new perspective and understanding the way they know it. For example, it seemed that they thought William was a toxic character in the OG, so wrote the same storyline whilst changing their own William representative and giving his unhealthy traits to another.

Why is this important?

In this season, we have new dynamics and changes to characters from the previous OG Skam. One of this is Dani as Yousef. A White Yousef. Yousef as Sana's love interest is her brother's best friend who she had a crush on, who also reciprocated that love. However, as they are about to start something, Sana discovers he's not religious, which she was confident he was. This brings her world to stand still, and she has to rifle through questions about the laws of her religion, her feelings for Yousef, her family and her place in society as a Muslim POC. Dani, on the other hand, is Amira's best friend's brother who's her childhood friend, and she knows he's not Muslim, he drinks, he smokes, makes out with girls (something Amira sees in episode 1), and she still ends up liking him, and now we know just like Yousef he likes her too. Whilst Sana refuses to communicate during her season and prefers to cut Yousef from her life, pretend he's not her crush etc. Amira faces her feelings head-on and her and Dani have to confront their differences as they start their relationship. Another thing about Dani is that he also is connected to discussions about Race because he has shown to be ignorant with Islamophobic quotes and a lack of understanding of her culture. So why would they make Dani Yousef? Just Like Miguel, he might be a throwaway character someone there to show the struggles of two people with different lifestyles, culture, relationships, Race in a romantic relationship and the reality of that;

1. This is good because we have a good conversation about Amira embracing her true self and standing up for her religion and learning about the naivety of romantic stories in media. Growing up and learning about what she truly wants through the relationship 2. This is good because it brings up the question of converting and might end up making Dani learn about religion, culture through being with Amira and choosing her, whilst falling in love with her faith. 3. This is good because many POC's including me also find our selves going through what Amira is going through and it's a nice representation and helps us understand more about the message of the show

On the other hand:

1.This isn't good because Yousef should be POC. Representation is essential, and POC want to see two POCS fall in love on tv and have a happy ending, this is why we love Sana's season. But also having two Muslim POCs would also be the best form of representation. 2. This isn't good because I hate watching in shows Islam always being a boundary or reason for why a girl struggles in a relationship. This is if they end up breaking up, and Amira ends up single. I'm tired of seeing POC girls who are feminists and religious having to always 'lose something' because of their values and choosing their religion. I'm not sure if you guys know what I mean, but I've seen too many negative representations of Islam in western media, and it's not enjoyable to watch.

Instead of watching Sana struggle to cut Yousef off because he's not Muslim, we get to see Amira face it head-on with Dani, she's written a list of what she wants to do, she knows who she is, and she doesn't want to compromise. He's the one who has to think about it and has to change to be with her (Almost like he's the one who is going through the Sana struggle in the OG). That's what I perceive, and I think that's a good step so far in the right direction. This is what how the writer's decided to teach us this message from the OG show. They've made Amira, communicative and headstrong and they've made Dani be the one to question his values and wants. I like that.

The addition of Kassim There's also the Addition of Kassim, who I believe is playing the Noora in the love triangle of the OG Yousef, Sana and Noora thing. He's more understanding of her culture, POC, and her best friend's brother as well. His character is used as a tool to portray the 'torn between two worlds'/ cultural dissociation dynamic that Sana also has to go through. My theory is that she's going to feel like Yousef at one point hopeless with the Dani situation and have a moment with Kasim instead of Dani being the one to kiss someone. (He's already done this in episode 1 and I don't think Eva would be the Noora character especially when Amira tells her she's with Dani).

So now we have to see what message Espana wants to tell, we either get Amira falling for Kassim, and we get a representation of two POCS together, we get her and Dani being together with Dani choosing to convert? or we have her single and choosing her values, making it one of the lessons of growing up. (One I'm not a fan of) Either way, we're going into this season expectant of some variation to the lessons learnt from the OG, Let's keep watching and focusing on Amira's growth and what her shame/skam is meant to be. In conclusion, I do trust the writer's of Espana; I'm sure they've researched and thought about what they want to achieve with this story and from previous seasons I know Dani will be a fascinating Yousef character, one that will end up being used to portray a vital lesson needed to hear.

#skam españa #amira naybet #dani soto #damira #analysis #cwg

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androgynousblackbox · 3 years

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The anon tries to listen to POC, but often there's an extreme distance between how their Asian colleagues interpret a piece of media and how it's interpreted by American diasporas. For example, Asian friends interpreted the anarchist themes of Joker and praised the film, while the American fans focused on the fandom grown around the character and the "white characters get away with murder, Black characters don't get away with shouting" epidemic in American fandom and hated the idea of it. (1/2)

Anon observed similar situation with Shadow and Bone fans - Asian fans disliked how the racism subplot was executed, while American fans loved how the canonical couple is between two Asians (both actors are mixed & none of them is American, but fans neveral talk about the nuances). The anon's Russian self can't help but laugh at the Russianess being little more than poorly applied decorations in the setting. Of course, they're generalising, but those are the trends they observed happening. (2/3)

So, there's this. In Russia, Japanese teachers teach students how to wear a kimono properly and how to perform a tea ceremony while many Japanese Americans hate the idea of foreigners doing it. In several Asian countries, Joker became the face of rebellion while many Asian Americans see him as face of far right. Shadow and Bone has many Asian American fans, but the series is seen as clumsy at best by many Asian and Russian viewers. What do you think takes priority? (3/4)

The anon cannot write reasonably short, for which they are sorry! They remembered an earlier discussion about how Captive Prince is anti-Black and arguments like "it's not chattel slavery and the characters are not Black" are sealioning. But the story is written by an Australian and rooted in Australian understanding of race (the author is of the same raciallized ethnic group as the protagonist). The anon, who knows USA realities only from social media and fanfics, is really worried. (4/4)

Okay, this is a lot and before saying anything, I think is fair for me to say that I am nothing but a white latino on the internet trying to navigate english speaking fandom so there's only so much I can even say at all because my own knowledge is limited. I try to educate myself whenever possible but there's stuff I still have yet to learn. Having said that, yes, discourse such as any of these are always going to be vastly different from one culture to another because any form of racism is always intrinsically tied to the culture of the place where it happens. This is not to say that there aren't universal forms of racism, like how darker skin is generally considered less attractive or desirable on many places (including Latinamérica), but a lot of it is related back to the history of each country and whatever relationship they have to any particular race. The issue you mentioned of cultural appropiation is a very american one because america reunites so many people from so many different cultures that want to be seen and respected like everyone else. Again, not to say that it's not an issue on other places, but the way the discourse is handled and talked about is very much an american because of the way America is at the center of so many discourses and also the history of America dealing with different cultures, which is to say, not good. Anti-asian racism is a very well and alive thing right now that has resulted on hate crimes against asian just trying to live their lives, promoted and kept alive by even people in power who don't care about what happens to them. Imagine how terrible it is to hear a ex-president of America blame you, your family, your country, everyone who just looks like you, because of a disease that is killing other people. Your culture gets mocked, you get told cruel jokes about the food you eat, about your broken english, get questioned about stuff you had nothing to do with... and the same people who do that, then turn around and are using that same culture they treated less for to make themselves look cooler and trendy? And that doesn't translate at all in you being treated any less shitty, it just means that any meaning your culture had before is reduced to pretty things for other people to use and then forget about the moment other pretty thing caughts their attentions. Wouldn't that make you feel like shit? When asian american or black american or native americans talk about cultural appropiation, it's not about just saying that you can't do this or that because they are meanies who don't want to share their fun pretty things. It's about asking people to please reflect in why it's only cool when others do it but they don't, in how it feels insulting to see things that have a cultural significance to you reduced to a gimmick like any other, on asking why their fun pretty things can't be enjoyed by them and get mocked, insulted and ignored when they tried to do so. Sometimes it also means literally taking away business from communities that needs them without any recognition or payment. I have no clue about the history of Russia with Japan specifically, but if it's a Japanese person the one chosing to share that element of their culture with other people who, I assume, respect it and want to learn about, then that sounds like cultural appreciation for me and it's not at all what anyone in America is talking about when they talk about appreciation. Using a kimono and serving tea on a traditional way is a neutral act that only gains significance because of environment where it happens. About everything else... it's complicated and I am 100% with you when you say that it's very difficult to navigate as a non american don't wanting to come across as insensitive or uneducated or a full blown ass without meaning to. Unfortunately for us, the online discourse is not especially gentle for anyone who doesn't know everything American related and all the intrincated race relations on a first moment. I know this is especially hard for asian fans when americans ones want to insert their own

intepretations into their works just to make it look worse. I get it, because people say "listen to POC" but that really doesn't tell you shit of WHAT to listen for and how to understand when different cultural perspectives clashes with each other, which is almost entirely inevitable because we all come with our own cultural baggage. And even between two black americans or two asian people from the same asian country you could have vastly different opinions about the exact same topic because of them prefer to concentrate on different aspects of it. I guess the best thing to do is... do try to know what people are saying. If these group of people are saying this show is this or that, try to come to understand why they say it. And if other group is saying otherwise, listen to why. Sometimes you don't need to interject at all, sometimes your own opinion is not really needed, but at least try to see where everyone is coming from and realize that everything is an ongoing conversation where nothing is set in stone forever, especially when you account for reclamation, parody and other things that influence the way we percieve anything. Ask questions if you are confused, because you are going to be confused a lot and I am sorry, but that is part of the process. Read books if you need to. Google a lot, but also talk with people, watch videos of people talking about it and, if you want to engage, do it with a mentality of wanting to learn and understand. I hope any of this can be helpful at all. If not, I am sorry. I am still trying to figure out things myself.

#long post #racism mention

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patroclusdefencesquad · 3 years

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heeeeeyyyy!! how are you doing? 911 anon here I just wanted to tell you that I've just finished season 3 and now I'm broken. I need more I mean... I was used to watching 10 episodes a day and being kept company by those characters and now I feel sad...

ok, so final conclusions now that I have watched the whole thing. first off, I think hen is one of the greatest characters that I've seen in a show. a poc lesbian woman with a wife and kids, kicking ass, saving lives and being so incredibly smart and kind and a good friend while also making mistakes which gives her the human element but also being kicked a few times by life and still winning in the end is the most wholesome thing that I've seen in a while by show.

second I wanna talk about chimney. I knew I'd like his character but I never assumed that I'd like SO MUCH! after seeing his background story I had another level of respect for this man and I'm so glad and happy that he found someone who appreciates the real him. all of it. which brings me to Maddie. I mean.... come on!!! a bad ass woman who finally got her freedom and saves lives but still cracks and cries and cares about all the people she's helped! and she finally finds the man who can give her what her ex husband has taken away from her. safety! chimney and Maddie are the couple I will be rooting for the most in season 4 just sayin'...

having said THAT I don't want to forget the no 1 power couple of the show which is obviously Athena and Bobby. both with their own struggles and still keeping it together (at least most of the times). I can't express how happy I was when Athena and Bobby became a thing and Bobby had a second shot in a family! also, Athena a beautiful, strong woman who never gives up... ugh... that's WHAT I'M HERE FOR!!!

and finally I need to address the elephant in the room. Buck and Eddie which were the reason (because of your posts) who got me intrested in this show. Buck in season 1 was not a very likeable? for me. before Abby he was just portrayed as a young, impulsive guy that used sex to fill an emotional void should I dare say? and after Abby although he seemed legit about this relationship it just... wasn't working. I mean don't get me wrong, I liked Abby but their dynamic with Buck was just... not it. neither of them were in a stage in their life to be in a relationship and they just couldn't help each other. it wasn't their age difference but their lives were in a very different place. they were both trying to figure themselves out. so I think it was for the best they were not together anymore. now, I know that buck 2.0 was supposedly with Abby and after Abby but I think the real buck 2.0 was when Eddie came into the scene. Eddie is a very likeable character. he saves lives, he's a single father with a kid that he has to look after... his whole appearance screams 'NICE' and I know he's done some wrong choices but I think in his case the good outdoes the bad. and this is why I love buck's and Eddie's dynamic in this show! Buck's relationship with Christopher is just adorable and ever since the tsunami episode.. ugh... I mean Buck was in such a distress! the tsunami episode is so hard to watch tbh. buck was in PAIN! and I think it's pointless to just pinpoint every single moment buck was like a second father to Chris. it would take a whole another essay. anyway, in conclusion, yes, I'm rooting for something between them, but because of what this show has given us between buck and Eddie I still wouldn't be mad if they just leave it as best friends.

as far as the other characters are concerned, I think Josh has a special place in my heart as well and I was so sad for what had happened to him. Christopher I've talked about what a lovely, happy kid he is! he's adorable. Michael is also a great character and I was relieved in the last episode that he's getting better!

to conclude, this show was one of the greatest I've seen lately and thank you so much for introducing me to it and also for being there enduring my rambles through the whole thing while I was watching it.

ps. I apologize for this humongous message but I told you to be prepared lol I had a lot to say

pss. I'm ready to be emerged into the fiction hole to swallow me whole! so if you have any recommendations I'M IN!!

sincerely your 911 anon

oh boy oh boy this is a long message lmao.

1. YES hen is one of the best characters and her and karen are PERFECT and i love that they worked through their issues together and i really hope hen has some good storylines in s4!!

2. chim and maddie make me so happy you have no idea they’re such strong characters individually and then together they’re so soft and lovely and i just want them to have so much happiness UGH SO MUCH HAPPINESS

3. YES BATHENA POWER COUPLE!! i honestly don’t think i’d like bobby as much if him and athena weren’t a couple i love seeing their interactions and the entire grant-nash family are just !! however athena i adore on any and every level she is my wife a goddess i worship her

4. i sort of agree with your opinion of buck, whilst i did like him in season 1 (after the first episode at least) i agree that he definitely developed more as a character in the second season without abby. and yeah, their relationship wasn’t great and i wish more had been made of the fact that it wasn’t great. eddie is *deep breath* the loml he’s a DAD he’s HOT he’s GOOD AT HIS JOB he’s FUNNY he’s COMPLICATED he’s GROWN fuck i love him and i love christopher and yeah, whatever happens between them relationship wise I’d be happy bc they are a really good portrayal of a healthy male friendship which media needs more of!! however bro some of those moments hhhh they need to be EXPLAINED!! what is the explanation!!

5. the minor characters yes every single one of them is so strong and every single one i wish we could see more of! luckily it looks like may grant will be more of a regular next season bc she works in dispatch it seems, and albert also seems to be in more so !! here’s hoping!

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kalinara · 5 years

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You know what I loved best about Shadowhunters?

It is the first time I’ve seen anyone tackle the idea of a deconstructive adaptation outside of fanfiction.

The Mortal Instruments novels were pretty popular as I recall. They sold well, built up a pretty passionate fanbase, and even got a movie that I never actually saw. I think I read maybe the first one, and it wasn’t really to my taste, but I didn’t think it was terrible. It just had a lot of the common flaws that I see in a lot of YA books.

And generally, when you get an adaptation, it doesn’t tend to touch on these problematic elements. Or if it does, it kind of sidles away from them. The Twilight movies, for example, show us a couple of POC as vampires, even though technically according to the books, all vampires get paler with age. But at the same time, neither movies nor books really address the inherent racist dynamic between the vampires and the werewolves. And so on.

Shadowhunters is different.

When I watch Shadowhunters as an adaptation, I get the sense that a lot of the people involved genuinely do love the Mortal Instruments as a series, but that they’re not willing to overlook the problematic elements. They want to explore them instead.

And they did. Starting with the Clave. Because, at least from what I recall, there’s not a whole lot TO the Clave in the books. I mean, it’s there. Sort of. But our main trio (Jace, Alec, and Izzy) seem to be primarily fighting demons on their own. They’re literally children. I think Alec is the oldest at what, seventeen? And while they’re meant to protect Downworlders and only kill demons, there’s a certain level of probably unconscious superiority. I mean obviously they don’t support Valentine, the villain who wants to genocide all the downworlders. But the elements are still there. Our heroes have angel blood, our heroes are special, and their authority is righteous.

I’m not trying to attack Ms. Clare with this, because I think this kind of thing is very very common in YA books in general. But I love what Shadowhunters did with this set up.

First, Shadowhunters did away with the idea of Jace, Alec, and Izzy as lone child soldiers against demons. The Clave exists, and it’s very visible. The Institute is bustling, filled with all sorts of background personnel. Something is always happening. Things are always being monitored. There are missions happening that our characters aren’t necessarily involved in. This does create a bit of narrative awkwardness in the first season, when the show tended to cleave more loyally to the books. (Alec’s role as de facto leader of the Institute early on in particular seems to wax and wane in terms of level of authority.). But it smooths itself out early on. And it makes more sense: fighting demons is pretty important. Not a matter to be left to three teenagers alone.

The show both ages up our characters, which makes certain romantic plots a lot less creepy, and actually addresses the idea that these people have been essentially soldiers from childhood, and that there is a LOT of institutionalized racism and superiority, along with militant duty, that gets drilled into these people from birth. We get to see the kind of environment that builds a Valentine, and how even generally rational adults like Luke and Jocelyn might have gotten caught up in his fanatic ideology. It takes the throwaway comments and superiority displayed by the protagonists in the book and extrapolates where that came from.

I remember reading somewhere that Ms. Clare was really unhappy with Alec’s actions early on in season one, when he was in support of Meliorn being taken to the City of Bones for interrogation (torture). And I can understand that. I’m sure Ms. Clare has a very clear idea in her mind about who Alexander Lightwood is. And her Alec Lightwood would never agree to take a man to be tortured.

But I think that, in terms of the show, it was important to show Alec like that. Because we needed to see exactly how ingrained this ideology actually is. Jace is the brooding rebel. Izzy is the bleeding heart half in love with Meliorn already. Alec is the responsible one, the dutiful one who shoulders the burdens. Which means, he’s the character most likely (at this point in the story) to swallow his conscience and misgivings and do what he thinks he’s supposed to do.

It’s an ugly moment, but it provides us with a focal point for his eventual growth. Alec’s multi-season plot, of overcoming both overt and unconscious personal racism, to tackling the problems of the Clave itself, is one of my favorite parts of the series. And it had to start somewhere.

One of the touches that initially made me uncomfortable, but now I rather like, is how most of the Shadowhunters are white, while most of the Downworlders are POC. There are exceptions on both sides (the Penhallows, Luke-pre-Werewolfing, Iris Rouse), but that’s the general gist. And at first, I thought this was a really bad thing. Until I realized that the show actually was making a point.

Because the racism against Downworlders is fantastic racism. And all too often, fantastic racism becomes an excuse to use real world narrative tropes meant for poc and apply them to white people. And look, I like X-Men as much as anyone, but this isn’t our story. (And there are very few things that annoy me more than when we see fantasy racism applied in ways that lead to POC being racist against white people: see the anti-alien senator during one season of Supergirl who just happened to be Latina.)

Even though it’s still a little uncomfortable that most of the people with “angel blood” are white and most of the people with “demon blood” are not, it does mean that we’re basically returning the focus of the fantastic racism back where it should be: on the POC victims.

Most of the Downworlders we see on the show are good people. They’re trying to live their lives the best they can. And the Clave uses the actions of a few bad apples (many of whom have some significant provocation!) to justify a draconian rule over all of them.

The parallels are hard to miss, and the show doesn’t actually try to miss them. I always think particularly of the episode in season 2, where the Clave starts to chip Downworlders in response to a serial killer targeting Shadowhunters. It’s heavy handed, sure, but it hits hard when Maia talks about real world racism and how the Shadowhunters are supposed to be better than that. It’s another episode where a main character is complicit in the institutional racism, and that gets called out too.

It’s not perfect, of course. And I think Jace, in particular, ends up getting off scott free for things that he really shouldn’t. (For example, kidnapping the werewolf girl and bringing her to Valentine makes him literally guilty of her murder under the law.) But it’s something.

Another improvement from the books is in Alec and Magnus’s relationship. For one thing, they’re a side couple in the books, given a handful of scenes here and there, but very much in the shadow of Clary and Jace’s drama. Their plots have some seriously uncomfortable elements: the age difference, the way Magnus presses Alec to come out, Alec’s paranoia over Magnus’s sexuality and past experience, Alec’s plotting with Camille to remove Magnus’s immortality. It’s a mess.

Now whether or not it’s a worse mess than Clary and Jace’s nonsense. You got me. But it wasn’t fun.

But even with the problems, Magnus and Alec meant something to a lot of fans. And I think the show really delivers on that front. Magnus and Alec go from being a side couple with a handful of scenes, to in many ways, being the pillar of the series. The age difference is less of an issue (I mean, Magnus is still many times Alec’s age, but Alec is actually an adult in this version). The biphobia is gone, and while Alec is occasionally intimidated by the difference in their experiences, it never turns into a critique of Magnus.

Their conflicts and obstacles are much more compelling. Alec’s initial coming out story was triumphant and the best part of season 1 to me. The fact that Magnus is a Downworlder, and Alec is a Shadowhunter, with all that entails isn’t forgotten. The romance, and Alec’s plot of overcoming his racism, are deeply intertwined. And Magnus isn’t a bit part in the story either. His plot, especially with regard to his self-identity and relationship to his magic, is just as important, if not more so, by the last season.

The weakest part of the series for me was when they were more faithful to the books, but I thought the show did a good job of refocusing later season events on Clary rather than Jace. One of the things that annoyed me about book and the early part of the series is that, as soon as we had Jace’s (not) parentage reveal, he seemed to end up with 90% of the focus in any of the family drama. Clary discovers her long lost father is a genocidal maniac, but Jace was raised by the man so it gets more focus. The dynamic between Jace and Jonathan had a lot more focus in the books too. Sometimes it seemed like the story forgot that Clary also had a family stake in more than just her mother. So I was really happy when the show started digging into Clary’s identity as a Morgenstern, and went the route of linking her to Jonathan. (Even if I could definitely do without incestuous overtones.) Jace, as a character, tends to work better when he isn’t the center focus, in my opinion. Or at least when the focus is shared, and he gets to react and take part in other characters’ plotlines.

You’ll occasionally see this sort of deconstruction in fanfiction (when it’s not a joyous celebration of unlikely characters banging - not that there’s anything wrong with that), but rarely to this extent, and certainly never with this kind of budget. The idea of a “Shadowhunters style deconstruction” is a really interesting thought exercise to apply to all sorts of media that has both enjoyable and problematic elements.

#shadowhunters #anti the mortal instruments #adding that tag just to be on the safe side

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sweet-star-cookie · 4 years

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Signs You May Be Watching a Hallmark Movie + Christmas Edition

Hey all, your friendly neighbourhood aroace here who is Tired of This Shit™ and needs to rant. I have been exposed to far too many of these movies for my own good and I am doing this to maintain my sanity, especially given the rampant Christmas season. For those who may not know, a Hallmark Movie or W (Women’s) Network movie is a general term for the generic schlock they call romance movies played on these eponymous channels, targeted towards middle-aged straight women and they are always terrible from a story / character / everything standpoint. These are genuinely some of the most predictable, generic, cookie-cutter pieces of media that I’ve ever seen and I’ve been itching to rip them apart for years so NOW’S THE TIME. If you genuinely enjoy these movies, ironically or not, I promise I’m not trying to take that away from you with this post, but please understand: you deserve better movies than this, even for passive entertainment. They genuinely make me uncomfortable and this post is to tell you why.

I’ve done my best to make this an exhaustive list, but feel free to add more yourself (lord knows I’m not researching it). ALRIGHT HERE WE GO

The Stale White Bread Main Leads - almost exclusively a white female protagonist who cannot be distinguished from any other generic white woman, usually with medium length blonde or brown hair, an hourglass figure and perfect teeth (only has glasses if she’s supposed to look Smart™, but she can take them off at will) She is a:

- Business Woman™ of two flavours: a struggling small business owner (usually a bakery, especially in the Christmas movies) or a high tier executive in a stuffy city job

- hokey small town woman who is randomly prettier than every other person in this town because the rest of them are 50+ or are decidedly “less attractive” than her so it is clear to the audience that they are not supposed to be after the affections of the equally attractive love interest

- journalist / writer who is lacking in Inspiration™ and just needs someone in her life who can give it to her again ~siiiighhhhhh~ OR - an extremely efficient wedding planner who can make everything work for everyone else but *~Can’t Seem To Find Her Own Prince Charming~* ———

- the love interest is a generic white man who cannot be distinguished from any other generic white man, usually with swept back hair, a chiseled jaw and a punchable face (seriously look it up) He is a:

- well-meaning mild-mannered guy who Just Happens To Bump Into the Protagonist at her business or festival because he’s new in town, sometimes in the form of being the Misunderstood Starving Artist Type™ (and if so he is a painter with a fine arts gallery, no exceptions) OR

- Business Man™ stuck in his dead-end office job, but only if the protagonist is not (though sometimes you get the rare Double Business plot and that is a ride of 75% business meetings during the film’s run time) OR - single dad whose previous wife left him / died, making him a lowkey Sad Boy and he has at least one child from the marriage (see the kids section for more on that plot device) OR - the friend of the groom in the wedding movies who always gets with the wedding planner protag at the end The Sidekick - usually a co-worker or a friend of the protag that somehow appears more often than the others - The only POC characters to appear in these movies (if any appear at all) are exclusively the protag’s supportive friend OR - the quirky (and usually old) townsperson who periodically appears to bring the protag and love interest together in a plot thread thinner than my patience - two flavours of sidekick: laid back and chill compared to the nervous protag but gets to say “I told you so” when the leads end up together, OR the impulsive one who pushes the protag to “chase her dreams” with the love interest - “Come on, live a little!” / “You only live once!” - the first time the protag interacts with the love interest, the sidekick swoops in like a fucking peregrine falcon to call them out on it - “OOOOooooooooh who was that guy????? Do you like him????? Ask him out!!!!!!” - sometimes the love interest has a male sidekick and when he does, either he or the love interest are Chads

- sometimes the male sidekick is an inexplicably old co-worker that tells the leads to “fall in love while they still can” (because he didn’t and regrets it) The Parents - one or both are dead for either the protag or the love interest to give the Tragic Backstory™ - this is usually used as a Bonding Moment at around Act 2 of the movie after the protags know each other well enough, but sometimes comes up on the first date for that first bout of ~Awkward Tension~ OR - both parents are alive and old and are exclusively used to tell the protag that they will find The One™

- the protag has a Look about them after they first meet the love interest, and the parents call them out on it immediately (similar to the sidekick) - the father will tell the protag that she is being too stubborn for not pursuing the love interest, and the wife will chime in to say “just like you were” - sometimes the parents are replaced with grandparents, though usually just one and it’s a grandfather for the female protag or grandmother for the male love interest Kids or Cats - either of these are used as plot devices to periodically bring the two leads together in the background without anyone noticing (seriously none of the characters notice that they are there for this purpose until at least halfway through the movie or later) - if there is a cat, that cat must be held in a person’s arms for at least 50% of the shots with the two leads because GET IT THEY BOTH LIKE CATS THEY’RE DESTINED TO BE TOGETHER YOU GUYS THE CAT IS THERE IT’S GOTTA BE TRUE - that cat will conveniently get lost at least once, leading to one of the leads finding it and bringing it back to the other, or they search for it together - if both of the leads like cats, the previous girlfriend of the love interest (or boyfriend of the protag) conveniently doesn’t like cats (that’s how you know the love interest is legit -wink wink-) - these cats (or dogs even) will inevitably cause mischief that inconveniences both of the leads, but then they make eye contact, laugh about it, and go “Oh, [pet’s name]” - kids exist to do two things in these movies: 1. “innocently” ask if the protag is gonna get together with the love interest after seeing him once, and often will do things throughout the film to make them see each other more 2. show to the protag whether or not the love interest is “a good guy” by being good with kids* * being good with kids is a prerequisite, because all relationships in these movies HAVE to be the lead up marriage + kids guaranteed The Music - flutes are used for added *~Whimsy~* when the two leads are spending time together - All music to denote awkward situations contains exclusively clarinets and harps (you know the ones) - said music flares up when one or both of the leads says their love out loud when they “weren’t supposed to” - sparkle sound effect when the leads touch hands or give each other The Look™ - bonus points if they do the thing where one of them drops something and they both go to pick it up, only to touch hands “by accident”

Other General Shit

- these movies are peak Straight Energy™

- every character and setting in these movies are impossibly saccharine, to the point where they don’t speak or act like real people (almost like a HALLMARK GREETING CARD HAHAH GET IT) - central visual themes exist for incredibly flimsy symbolism, anything from butterflies to rainbows (YES RAINBOWS) - bonus points if the child in the movie is interested in this central theme and it somehow connects to the two leads (example: the daughter of the love interest has butterflies on her walls, and the protag just HAPPENS to be baking butterfly shaped cookies in the next scene) - extra Sad Boy points if a dead character in the movie used to love the central theme before they died (it’s usually a mom or grandma for extra Contrived Sincerity™) - every title of these movies contains “Love” or “Heart” in the title, or involves the central theme in the name - if any of these take place during Valentine’s Day HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS because everything I mention here is amped up by 10 in those ones - if families with children is central at all in the plot, you are guaranteed at least one (1) pregnant woman / expecting father in the movie

- the love interest is introduced almost immediately after the protagonist, and you know who the couple will be by the end of this train wreck by about 5 minutes in

- the camera work focuses on the side eye looks that everyone else gives the two leads when they’re in love but Don’t Know It Yet - obligatory walk in a park / sitting on a bench scene, to establish nostalgia or longing or both - “Huh, that’s weird.” (said after a very obvious romantic advancement is shown, OR when the flimsy symbolism just happens to appear somewhere)

- scenes pause frequently when an awkward moment happens, supplemented by the clarinets farting in the soundtrack - any time the two leads are seen together, there is always ONE PERSON who mistakes them for a married couple (usually a concierge at a hotel or an oblivious friend), to which they awkwardly reply with the following:

- “I’m not looking for marriage right now!” / “we’re just friends!” * *fun fact if you want me to rage instantly, use this line anywhere and I will be out for blood - “I’m fine with being single!” followed by a “suuuuure you are” look from the sidekick or parents* *you know what add this one to the “out for blood” list too

- if there is a restaurant scene the entire staff will retroactively try to make the scene more romantic well before the leads have any feelings for each other - the waiter of the restaurant will side eye both of them like “okay lovebirds” - “he’s just a friend, a boy…. friend, a friend who is a boy. Friend boy.” - “Did I just say that out loud?” - the “act natural” scene where the love interest is coming over and the protag spends too much time messing with her clothes, hair and posture before he arrives - The Misunderstanding™ that usually takes place before or during a party and drives a wedge between the leads for a maximum of 5 minutes - the obligatory “I’m sorry” scene after the misunderstanding, consisting of the love interest standing in front of the protag’s house while she stands on her porch with her arms folded. As he explains himself, he slowly walks closer until they meet and he proposes / professes his love to her, then they kiss as the camera zooms out and fades to credits - if they kiss during a festival scene, you’ve got at least a 50% chance of fireworks going off in the background - Flowers. There are always flowers, given or received.

If the movie takes the Business angle: - the “too busy to live life happily” plot is a prerequisite - every business job is automatically an office job with board meetings, and it is always portrayed as a dull or negative experience - the protagonist is assigned to the hokey small town and travels reluctantly from the city

- her reluctance is punctuated by getting stuck behind a tractor or a bad encounter with the townsfolk that would Only Happen Here - she has a previous relationship with a guy in the city who is Very Clearly An Asshole but she takes the entire movie to realize this

- side eye glances from the locals, especially if the protag is in heels / a blazer / a short skirt

- “you’re not from around here, are you?” - the love interest is, at the start, the only friendly person to the protag

- said asshole boyfriend continues to call her about her business duties, until later in the movie when she decides to ignore him / dump him without so much as a warning - there is usually a conflict of interest between business advancement / capitalism and The Passion For The Job™

- “are you really going to give up all we’ve worked for?” (this is the final straw for the protag to dump the asshole) - literally it’s like “fuck you i’m out” -hangs up-

- obligatory scene where the protag ignores her family / relationship opportunities for a business phone call, paralleled by a scene at the end where she ignores the call instead - eventually she decides to stay in the small town and run a farm / bakery / antique shop with the love interest If the movie takes the Wedding angle: - the protag is ALWAYS too distracted by her wedding planning to think about romance for herself, something that the sidekick / parents will point out ad nauseum - the love interest is ALWAYS the friend or the brother to the groom - there are very rarely bridezillas, usually the protag is insanely good at her job to placate this anyway - there IS, however, the stuck-up mother-in-law who must test the skills of the protag because Reasons - the groom sweats nervously 24/7 (can you blame him really?) - if the bride and groom have any disagreements whatsoever it is always at the cake tasting or the flower / decoration phase - the “everything goes wrong right before the wedding and then it all works out” plot is compulsory - the bride’s dress doesn’t fit, the groom loses the ring, the catering is late, the gang’s all here - the protag has to navigate all friction with the bride, while the love interest does the same with the groom, thus bringing the two leads closer by proxy - whatever relationship issues between the bride and groom resolved by the two leads automatically translates to their own relationship as well - solving this bickering can also lead to a “maybe I was wrong” scene between the two leads directly after if they are fighting at this point too - the bride’s mother or father will give something important to the bride / groom every time, and the protag has to find a way to implement it into the wedding - the protag will always have a “window shopping” scene with the sidekick, and that window will ALWAYS have a wedding dress or ring in it - the day is saved by the love interest coming to the rescue last minute, solidifying the protag’s love for him - during the ceremony, the protag and the love interest have that Knowing Look as the bride and groom are celebrating - if there is a child present at all they will always be the flower girl / ring bearer for the two leads at the end - if the child is a little girl, there is prince / princess imagery all over the damn place - bonus points if the sidekick also hooks up with the only other named character in the entire movie by the end - extra bonus points if the only way you know they hook up is if they give each other a look like “yeah I’d tap that”

BONUS: Signs You May Be Watching a Hallmark Movie - Christmas Edition

- ambiguously placed mistletoe (someone has to kiss that’s just the rules my guys)

- if you don’t hear jingle bells in the entire soundtrack then you’re doing it wrong - either the protag or the love interest are Not in the Christmas Spirit and the other makes them get back into it by the end - “but what about your faaaaaamily” (used when the lead(s) are disillusioned about the holidays, can also lead to Tragic Backstory™) - the “too busy to live life happily” plot is still a prerequisite, but just about the holiday season

- town festivals and Christmas parties - turtleneck sweaters and scarves everywhere, not for the cold weather but for the protag to lift over her face when she’s embarrassed about liking the love interest, and then the sidekick notices and goes “OOOOOOHHHHHH” OR - the protag conveniently leaves the scarf or some other object behind thereby forcing the love interest to return it to her in person - there is always an old man character who either plays Santa at the mall or is an allegory for Santa in relation to the protags

- the leads will go skating, one will be reluctant and one will always fall on their ass immediately - bonus points if they fall on each other, and have a moment of staring into each other’s eyes before they’re like “oh shit” and frantically apologize as they get up - “let me show you how” *~holds hands as the music chimes~*

- if kids are around, the love interest will skate while the protag watches, and him falling on his ass is supposed to convey how he’s an easygoing goofball who can laugh at himself (this is usually used if the protag is the stuffy business woman with a sidekick telling her to lighten up) - obligatory snowball fight followed by hot cocoa scene - the protag and love interest are dressed in red and green respectively for that sweet, sweet Symbolism™ (*~because RED is the colour of PASSION~*) - angel symbolism for a dead parent or a “guardian angel” watching over the protags to make sure they get together by the end - bonus points if either the parents or the sidekick mention this guardian angel multiple times throughout the movie, until the leads kiss and they look lovingly at said symbolism somewhere else in the room at the end - other symbolism in anything from deer to snowflakes (yes really) - the struggling small businesses are almost exclusively bakeries and / or a family business that was owned by one of the leads’ now dead grandmother (insert Grandma’s Famous Cookie Recipe here)

- finding the right Christmas tree or perfect present is used as an allegory for finding The One™

- bonus points if either the protag or love interest awkwardly state the words “how do you know it’s the right one?” in the context of the tree and the other responds with “I’m sure I’ll know, in time” in a different context, and then they look at each other suggestively before the scene ends - house / room decorating montage that features some kind of upbeat Christmas song over it (Jingle Bell Rock, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, etc.), and always features the two leads who just happened to end up decorating together, usually with a child accompanying them - the two leads get snowed in and are Forced To Spend The Night Together

- there are still always flowers but because Christmas they’re poinsettias every time ——– - honestly if I can recommend anything go watch the murder mysteries that the Hallmark channel has now (YES THEY EXIST) - seriously they still do the stupid romance and will-they-won’t-they with the two investigators, and then one of the hokey townspeople gets shot or poisoned and the sheer tonal whiplash that causes makes it a fucking riot from there - make a drinking game out of these movies if you want to die instantly

#there you go folks #katie has had enough™#-cracks knuckles- my salt will flow tonight #this is my magnum opus #nothing will top this #text #long post #hallmark movies #really terrible romance movies #my soul just leaves my body whenever i'm in their vicinity

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blackcoffee85 · 5 years

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What movie title best describes your life? For Honesty hour 🤗

I have to think about this for a couple of moments - Waiting to Exhale.

Why?

1. Representation Matters: There is something to be said about sisterhood, but even more so Black and/or POC sisterhood. I had a realization today that while I am thriving in my career in Oregon, I am not thriving personally. My sisterhood and my relationships are in Washington State. This movie demonstrated feminine relationships and their importance.

2. Black Women are Multifaceted. Messy and complex. Some Black folx get frustrated with the representation of Black bodies in the media - understandable as we need a broader representation and range of the Black experience, however, we also get to be not all put together. I am tired of the "strong, independent narrative" being the only narrative for Black women. We are vulnerable, we feel pain, we hurt, we want what is best for our children, we love, and most importantly, we are not perfect. We need better depictions of how we "get to our happy", which again runs the full gamut of experiences, emotions, and decisions. I have spoken before about resilience and how we need to stop applauding people - especially Black women - for their resilience when you don't know/understand the cost. The cost is that we have to put on this "brave face" instead of being authentic in our pain and process. I live and lean into more and more what it means to be authentically myself as a Black woman.

3. Bernie's Character: This movie came out in 1994. I was born in 1985. I think this was the first movie to instill in me that regardless of being in love, you need to prepare for what happens if love ends and/or does not work out favorably. I also recognize that over the years with various relationships, I have grown from being more emotional about love to being more logical about it. There are pros and cons to either approach. Regardless, I love and trust my fiancè, but I ALWAYS have my own.

Thanks for the ask @riseandshinelittleblossom

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thehollowprince · 5 years

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Hey, it’s the “coding” anon here and honestly that answer to my question was excellent and the exact reason I come to your blog. I would absolutely love to hear you go on about the fetishization of m/m relationships!

This has been sitting in my inbox for over a week, and I want to apologize. I'm sorry for taking so long to get to this one, but I'm overworked at the moment. I've been pulling 60+ hour work weeks, by myself and I haven't had off since the first of December, so I'm a little tired. But I'm here and I'm ready to murder this bitch of a subject.

For starters, and for context, in case anyone who sees this doesn't follow my blog or, if you do and don't really pay attention, I am a gay man, so a lot of this comes from my own personal experience.

Now, onward my fandom soldiers.

M|M Fetishization & Objectification

I've only been super active within fandom spaces for the last couple of years. Before that, I just scrolled through Tumblr and reblogged gifsets and fluffy headcanons and whatnot, but even then I noticed a trend in fandoms that made me uncomfortable. That trend was the overabundance of gay men (chatacters) in fandom works, especially when there either weren't any gay men in that show or book or whatever.

I'm not at all saying we need less of that. I want and need more gay characters in the things I watch and read. That's actually one of the criteria I look for before I start a new show, or a book series or comics. I want to see myself represented in the media I consume, even if it is only this one tiny piece of who I am. But the problem for me arose when I saw all these fan works and headcanons and gifsets and thesis length metas about gay or bi male characters that were neither of those things in their original source material.

The biggest examples of this occured in fairly popular shows that I loved at one point, but do to a combination of bad writing and then the horrible fandom, drove me to actively dislike and avoid them. And that's always a sad thing, when you end up losing the love you had for something because others just won't let you enjoy it as it is.

Those two examples are Teen Wolf and Supernatural.

For years I watched people go on and on and on and on about Stiles Stilinski and Dean Winchester and how they were bisexual and so on and so forth.

There's nothing wrong with headcanoning a character as gay or bisexual, especially when those characters are severely lacking on screen and on paper. The problem arose when the fandom at large started to ignore the ACTUAL gay or bisexual characters that are in these shows and focus solely on their headcanons as the only representation in the show.

To start with Teen Wolf, we had, in the first season, an openly gay character that everybody in the school loved, that being Danny Mahealani. This character was introduced as gay from the very start, but oddly enough, there is almost no large fandom meta or fics or anything about him. In fact, a lot of his traits and qualities ended up transferred to Stiles, such as his intelligence and overall popularity. Hell, even Danny's attraction to Derek was stolen and transferred to him. These aren't things that Stiles is overall known for in the actual canon. He's clumsy and socially awkward and on the outskirts of the school like Scott (the main character) and has been obsessed (to the point of being considered a stalker) with one girl since elementary school, but somehow, in fandom, Stiles is suddenly the genius polyglot queer with severe depression who has a crush on the broody muscular werewolf who just wants somebody to love him.

Fandom created this portrayal of the character that didn't exist anywhere in the fandom except for his appearance. The reason I saw behind this was twofold. 1: fangirls (fandom is mostly female) want to see two "hot" guys kiss and get it on because they get off to it, much in the same way that straight men get off to lesbian porn. 2: Stiles (or any of these headcanoned characters) becomes a sort of self insert.

What I mean by that second one is that women and girls find a male character that's not "too masculine", usually kind of gangly or skinny, somewhat on the effeminate side. Someone that they can project their ideas and insecurities and so forth onto so that they can that pursue that relationship with the hunky manly man that they want to bang.

You may be asking yourself, "Why don't they just use one of the female characters as a self insert?" and I'm here to tell you that I have neither the time nor the experience to go into detail about internalized misogyny and how effects the way women do almost everything, even watching and interpreting their media.

But the reason they chose the male character is that, years ago, during the dark days of FF.net there was a lot of self insert OCs that infiltrated almost every level of fanfiction. Which caused the fandom gatekeepers to rear out of their hibernation and just shame anyone who tried to introduce an Original Character to this already beautiful world and ruin it with their lusts. Thus the OCs slowly disappeared and identifying with the male sidekick was born. And this is generally where we get the whole "my smol gay son!" bullshit. (side note: please keep in mind that 75% of shows are male characters and their problems, which is another cause for female fans to identify solely with men.)

So, for years, I watched Danny, and then his boyfriend Ethan, being shoved aside in fandom spaces so that the fans could focus Sterek (Stiles and Derek) despite the fact that both characters were stared to be heterosexual and that, on screen, they expressed nothing but mutual dislike for one another, if not outright hatred. This got so bad that Sterek, the crack ship whose members had no romantic or sexual interactions whatsoever, managed to beat (by a very large margin) actual gay ships from both this show and others in a fan poll. It got even worse when the character of Danny was written off the show (with no explanation) and we were introduced to the character of Mason.

Mason Hewitt was everything that fandom!Stiles was. He was smart and funny and openly gay and crushing on a hot werewolf. He even did the research that the fandom loved to attribute to Stiles, literally everything that the fandom had Stiles doing in fanon, but somehow the love for him (Mason) wasn't that big of a note in the fandom. I mean, Mason was even a major plot point of season five and the pack's mission to stop the Beast, but i heard nothing but cricket chirps from the fandom.

You'd think that after Stiles was written out of the show for the last season that maybe Mason will get some love now, right?

Wrong!

I didn't think it was possible to get any worse, but the fandom proved me wrong. Because instead of focusing all their pent up energy on Mason and his boyfriend, Corey, who had a number of cute moments in that final season, these fans focused on another crack ship that had no basis anywhere except in their fantasies. That ship being Thiam, which is based, once again, around two characters who actively dislike, if not outright hate, each other and even physically assault one another. But no, that apparently is a display of affection by someone who is emotionally stunted and just needs love to blossom and be his true self.

You notice how often the fetishization of homosexuality (even if only imagined) intersects with woobification?

You'll notice, if you look at Danny and Mason, that they're both POC, with Danny being brown (Hawai'ian) and Mason being black. Now, as I've said before on this blog multiple times, I am the Whittest White Man to ever White, so I don't have any qualifications to talk about fandom racism, so I'm just going to leave that little nugget there for you to think about and interpret how you will.

Moving on to Supernatural...

Before we start with this one, understand that I have not watched this show outside of an episode here and there since season eight, because I realized that no, this show wasn't going to get any better, so if any of this is contradictory to what has happened over the past six seasons (god, this show needs to die!) I do apologize.

Dean Winchester... I never really liked this character, especially as the show went on and I started to actively dislike and then, hate him. So it was annoying not being able to go into any aspect of the Supernatural fandom without coming across a post about Dean and his issues or his Bi sexiness or how his brother was mean to him.

Also, people, understand that this wasn't a new revelation for me. My dislike for Dean and the fandom's obsession with making him bisexual just so they could hook him up with Cas wasn't an overnight decision. I was there...

I was there at the Beginning, when this show first aired, when the ONLY constant characters on this show were Sam and Dean. I endured the hellfire that was Wincest and its infection of almost the entire fandom. Like, that right there, that was one of the most extreme cases of m|m fetishization I've ever seen, because the fandom needed to get off to two guys being together so badly that they turned to actual brothers for want of any other male character.

That's why Destiel immediately became so popular, because here was another guy that we saw with semi regularity that wasn't rated to the Winchesters, obviously they were meant to ship them.

Now, you may be asking yourself, "I thought this bitch was going to talk about gay fetishization, not his dislike for one character?" to which I'll just say I very easily go off tangent. But all of that is relevant because, come one of these later seasons, there was a scene where Dean was at a bar and the (male) bartender hit on him, and he didn't react negatively or homophobic.

Oh, my God, I watched my dash and the tags explode in post after post, meta after meta, about how Bi Dean was canon confirmed! Now he and Cas will HAVE to be together, because its canon that Dean likes guys. and Cas is an angel, who doesn't follow human sexual limitations, and... blah, blah, blah.

Cut to a few years later, and we're introduced to a character named Max Banes, a witch and hunter, who is openly gay and flirts with Sam in his first appearance. Where were all of his metas and fanfics and headcanons? Granted, he only appeared in two episodes, but I have watched people in this and other fandoms build mountains our of molehills, going on and on about how two male characters weren't actually straight and how they were destined to be together because the once wore similar style shirts a couple of seasons apart, or because of a carnation in a jacket pocket that signified love via the Victorian flower code (or something like that), or how the wallpaper of that room they shared a scene in was a subtle clue to their true desire for each other, etc.

And I'm not exaggerating there, those are actual examples I've seen in fandoms over the years.

But back to Max, why is it that he was left along the wayside, despite fitting most of the criteria that fandoms love in their m|m ships while Dean had entire thesis level posts about that time he shared a glance with Castiel or he let a bartender hit on him and not get upset?

And its not just these two shows, not by a long shot. If you were to go into literally any fandom of a certain size or bigger, you will come across fans putting two straight characters together because of "the chemistry" they have. Even if those characters are confirmed to be straight - especially if those characters are confirmed to be straight. Because when these loud fans don't get their crack ship that they rub one out to, they scream queerbaiting and homophobia and oppression, harassing the actors and producers and directors and writers.

Here are some others that just pop to the front of my mind...

Asher Millstone from How To Get Away With Murder (saw him shipped with Connor a lot, despite Connor's actual boyfriend)

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson from BBC's Sherlock

Tony Stark from Marvel comics (all because of one panel where he said "ladies and gents" when he announced he was off the market

Literally any male character in the MCU, which is his we get the things like Stucky and Stony that permeate the fandom on almost every level (and some leeway is given here because of the MCU's lack of wueer characters)

Klaus Mikaelson and Stefan Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries/The Originals (honestly, I was surprised that people in the TVD fandom weren't immediately all over Josh and Lucas, because they're literally everything that fans want and use in their headcanon gays)

Kol Mikaelson and Jeremg Gilbert, also from TVD

Elia and Filippo from Skam Italia (despite there being, once again, actual gay characters on this show. Hell, the entire second season was dedicated to a character coming out of the closet and being with a guy)

Etc.

I could go on and on but then this post would seem infinite.

Closing thoughts, please keep in mind that I am just one guy and that my opinions don't represent everyone in fandom spaces. But also bear in mind, that my frustrations are well founded and valid from my own experiences in the fandom.

My sexuality and the fact that I'm attracted to men is not a toy for a bunch of sexually repressed fangirls who think two guys being together is hot.

#long post #not sorry at all #rant #m|m fetishization #gay objectification #creepy fangirls

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cindyfelicia · 6 years

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Hi, I hope you’re doing well!! I was just wondering if you read comics? If so could you recommend some/ how to start getting into them? I want to start reading them, but it’s so stressful trying to figure out where to start. Also I love you blog!

Hi there! you’re all manners of sweet and kind thank u my advice abt approaching comics is going for solo runs first, this is how I, personally, did it and it’s way easier than jumping in on team books, or worse events bc they tend to be messier and need more bg info and pre-existing knowledge than a comic that focus on just the one character; I also feel it’s good to start with current or at least recent comics, you can always read the old stuff when you’re better acquainted with how comics work and which characters, artists and writers you like (or can tolerate).

actual recs under the cut because this got so long

i was gonna do a whole list of mcu characters’ solos because most people entry point to comics rn is superhero movies, and hmu if you want that, but instead I think I’m gonna rec you some good comics that are either separated enough from main marvel continuity as to be intelligible without extensive info gathering, or I just think they’re great and worth a bit of confusion (part of starting out reading comics is not knowing fully wth is going on sometimes, but stiking with it for some good art or for characters you love -I’m not gonna go so far as to say for good writing bc that’s just not realistic):

if you like yourself some spider-people:- silk (2015) and vol 2 (2016) are my absolute favorites- I’m not very much into spiderman but I read renew your vows and it’s lovely, it’s just not a main universe comic it’s an au where things are as, imo, they should be with ye old web slinger, and it’s good for getting your feet wet in the huge pool of spider-man comics;- I love miss jessica drew (spider-woman) but her solo is……. questionable if someone has a good jess drew intro rec pls tell me so I can pass it on, - miles morales has been written badly in more ways than one but I love him so I suffer, I can direct you without scruples only to his novel tho, absolutely lovely and not written by brian michaelbendis lmao- anya corazon is a really good character that marvel loves to forget it has, let’s not make the same mistake;- black widow 2014 and 2016 and bw: the name of the rose are all good comics (I know technically nat isn’t a spider person but like nothing about spider-woman’s powers screams ‘spider’ either so..

for wakanda I’d say good recent start-ups would be: - black panther (2016), - black panther: world of wakanda (w/ a lesbian couple as protag), - and rise of the black panther (ongoing)

some non x-men team books that are easier to approach as a beginner imho:-young avengers vol 2 (vol 1 has its moments if you want to start from the beginning with them but a lot of it involves the civil war arc and stuff.. also some characters die, the art is less good and I want to protect people from 17’s yo cassie lang’s nipples poking through her shirt.. I wish someone had protected me tbh) -I want to rec some Runaways but besides the current run (which is alright) there’s a lot to be said against the writing in most of the rest of them maybe vol 1? to have the origins pinned down-I feel like after a small read through of what exactly the hell was going on with secret wars you could approach A-Force vol 1 and the first half of vol 2 (the second half ties in with civil war II and I’m not touching that mess) and that and avenger world and sometimes secret avengers to me are good avengers books-she hulk 2014 and totally awesome hulk are my greens of choice but if you want an intro to bruce banner idont actually know, sorry-for the asgardians: thor 2014 and it’s follow up mighty thor, thor: god of thunder, angela: asgard’s assassin and its sequel angela: queen of hel, and loki: agent of asgard are my pick of this crop-we also have Fun here at marvel comics on occasion and both patsy walker aka hellcat and squirrel girl are nice in their own way although the latter isn’t really my thing

some follow up on the young avengers:- hawkeye (2013) an absolute fan favorite, good to discover that actually clint barton was a good character it’s that the avengers movies are just bad and hate people with disabilities- a couple of follow-ups to that (x) (x) and the kate bishop solo all pretty nice- america chavez’s solo (I’m just here to suggest gay comics, that’s almost all I read really)

I want to rec Champions to people but frankly it’s just a long series of event interruptions and bullshit interspersed with a couple of nice moments so far, so I’m gonna rec you some kids that are in the champions and have solos I haven’t already mentioned:- kamala khan’s book is probably my favorite ongoing series at marvel right now about any non-mutant char, I cannot say enough good about it,- nova is nice,- miles morales (spider-man) and amadeuscho (totally awesome hulk) are also there but I’ve already mentioned themalso in this house we love and respect elektranatchiosand any other attitude just isn’t tolerated.

on to the x-men, gotta love those guys, you just gotta:- like I said I prefer to tell people to start from recent comics but with the xmen that’s so difficult? it’s been 10+ bad years for them because of the movie rights situation and just marvel being shit in general, so my one recent team book to approach the x-men is prob x-men ‘92? because its based off of the xm animated series so you don’t have to straightaway deal with some mutant plague, eugenics plots, and other catastrophic events, but you can still get to know more of the char we all love - I want to say generation x vol 2, it’s not a good starting point for anything really but I love it so so much I had to mention it even tho it was cancelled and I’m still angry as hell about it.

the solo situation is better. I’m gonna be able to breathe without tasting my own bile while I type this, hurray!-all new wolverine follows laura kinney as she takes up the mantle from logan-iceman, good solid comic abt coming out and ice puns, who doesn’t like bobby really-jean grey, yes she’s a teen girl in this, yes it’s weird and I hate de-aging characters but it’s nice to see her train with different mutants, struggling with the incoming phoenix force and her adult self’s shadow, not really great entry point to jean grey but id read it anyway-if you were into the 00’s xmen movies like me, or at least a normal person’s amount the phoenix recently returned and with her adult!jean grey, it was a good book for me and good if you want to later start reading the actual phoenix saga (which is a lot of material so starting small with this might help) -I love wandamaximoff and despite what they’ve done to the maximoffs in order to bring them into the mcu (was it worth it for that result btw? really?) her recent book was good and I genuinely loved it -storm’s solo is so good, you’re gonna fall in love with an het ship and you’re not gonna regret it either-rogue and gambit, is ongoing and it’s good to get a little acquainted with these characters but mostly it’s about explorign their relationship

I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot of good x-men content atm but I can’t stop thinking I need to mention that there are ongoing series you could pick up its just.. I hate them.. some started out promising (xmen gold, astonishing xmen), but they’ve not developed in good directions imo, but I still feel they should be mentioned, there’s also a weapon x comic if you want to go for a more bloody kind of book and xmen blue if you like time displaced teens or something? god its bad

jeez this is so so long and guess what? I haven’t even finished yet.. there’s some excellent indie comics out there and with those you really don’t need to worry abt knowing any 30 years old lore or anything you pick them up and they explain themselves like any other normal media out there, I know, be still my heart:

- lumberjanes is my absolute favorite, a little corny, but so much fun and cuteness and if I could go back in time I’d give it to my little bi self so she’d know she’s not alone and anything I feel that ways about has a special place i my heart js

- Motor crush, there really isn’t any other comic book with a black lesbian as protagonist out there that I can think of, good if you’re into motorcycles but if like in my case that threatens to put you to sleep, it also has a sci-fi streak and solid character work, you won’t regret giving it a try

- moonstruck, cute non-white gay werewolves and other mythological creatures are there, I feel this cathers to me specifically every time I open it?? bless

- Hi-Fi fight club or heavy vinyl (they changed the title) if you want a period piece that’s fun and cute and gay (I meant it about me reading only gay comics as you can tell)

- saga, for a space, well ya know.. saga I feel that I can describe it as romeo and juliet in space with added racial commentary except they don’t kill themselves, I have to say not my favorite but you might stick with it for the characters, I sure do

- the wicked + the divine, I feel very much the same about this as I do about saga, only this is mythology based so like.. I sold my soul to it, but please do tread with care there’s a lot of deaths in it and so many of these dead people are gays and/or poc.. I’m none too pleased about it and I’d understand anyone not wanting to pick it up, I mean the deaths are basically in the premises of the books but that doesn’t change the end result..

lastly like I said dc is not my area of expertise but I’ve been following with pleasure both batwoman and green lanterns, and mr miracle was an amazing comic so I thought I’d mention them

#this is so long I'm sorry #I do hope it's somewhat helpful #Anonymous

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s0ym1lk · 3 years

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I have a bone to pick with the queer community.

The act of being LGBTQ+ is not a political ideology. It’s not. It’s not a culture, it’s not a mindset, it’s not a lifestyle. It’s not the clothing you wear. It’s not whether you care about saving the whales or not eating palm oil. It’s not sticking it to corporations that profit off queer dollars. It’s not being rejected or losing your home over your sexuality.

There are exactly two (2) traits that the LGBTQ+ community encompasses. 1. You are a sexuality other than straight and allosexual. 2. You are not cisgender and/or you are a gender outside the gender binary.

That’s it. No ands. No footnotes. That is all you need.

The thing about the queer community is that it naturally creates community, and with community comes culture. The lesbian community has a culture. The trans community has a culture. The LGBTQ+ POC community has a culture. The trans lesbian of color community has a culture. And so forth. These communities tend to be radical, subversive, experimental, and progressive. I think it’s both understandable and natural that identities which themselves are considered subversive to normative culture continue to seek to subvert norms. But the thing we need to remember is that all these are societal constructs that we have created AROUND the LGBTQ+ culture, not an inherent part of it.

Why is this important? Because the moment we start linking those two things and forgetting that the link is totally artificial, we start excluding people from the community. I have seen this hyper-culturized LGBTQ+ community take its aim at every issue and cross section of identity under the sun. Are binary trans people valid if they don’t subvert gender norms? Are gay men valid if they’re not politically liberal? Are bisexual people really queer if they’re in a ‘straight’ relationship? Are rich queer people actually queer if they haven’t struggled as much as poor queer people?

Some of these may sound more realistic than others, but if you dive into the discussions around queerness, you’ll find they’re all conversations being had. I read an article recently that absolutely gutted the new WLW Christmas romcom ‘Happiest Season’ because the main couple was buying into heteronormative values like ‘getting married’ (the author also said flat out that because one of the characters was rich, she’d likely ‘get over it’ if her parents rejected her for being a lesbian). Trans veterans are constantly being called traitors to the community for serving in the military, mainly due to criticisms of American involvement in the Middle East. There is a huge contingent of people pushing the idea that gender is fake, and shaming binary trans people who dare to assert that their gender is innate and not socially constructed.

All of these concepts are valid and they make for great discussion. We should absolutely discuss whether marriage is a healthy concept and the consequences of American imperialism and how gender norms constrain people. But here’s the kicker - you can’t take someone’s queer card because they don’t perform enough of whatever you define as queerness. If a queer person wants to make a Hallmark-esque movie about a couple of privileged lesbians navigating relationship and family issues, that’s a valid way of being queer. If a bisexual person eats factory farmed meat, that’s a valid way of being queer. If a trans woman loves wearing skirts and putting on makeup and dreams of being a suburban housewife with 2.5 kids and a husband that comes home and kisses her while loosening his tie and talking about how hard his day at the office was, that’s a valid way of being queer. To add or subtract Queer Points from someone for things outside the actual definition of queerness is...gatekeeping. There’s no other word for it.

The LGBTQ+ community has become big enough and mainstream enough that we now must accept that we’re not all the same. We have different values, we believe different things. We cannot continue shoveling ever-increasing requirements into this bizarre queer purity test we’ve invented. At some point, none of us are going to pass anymore. I also think this is a direct contributor to the vast number of people that now use the label queer as a way to protect themselves from having to explain how they belong to the LGBTQ+ community - not to protect themselves from nosy cishet people, but to protect themselves from other queer people.

And if you think you’ve got it figured out - if you think you’re the Mean Girl that’s always going to come out on top because you’re vegan and evaluate all the media you consume through the lens of radical queer theory and wear nothing but burlap sacks to prevent contributing to oppressive gender roles and sip homemade kombucha on your way to do shrooms with your fellow enlightened queers so you can talk shit about the rest of the ignorant fake-queer masses - I have news for you. Someone’s going to come along that’s just a little bit more Woke and topple you from your empire, and then you’ll be down on ground level with the rest of us, wondering why you even needed queer cred in the first place.

#rant

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the-bi-writer-blog · 6 years

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Not all Deaths are Created Equal (Musings on WLW Deaths in Popular Media)

I want to take a sec and talk about character deaths, and the way they differ between queer and non-queer characters. Below are major spoilers for the show “The 100″ and for the game “Life is Strange.”

So! I just played through the Square Enix game Life is Strange, and I was entirely delighted in the beginning. You start as a high school senior in a cute coastal town, taking photos and solving mysteries via time travel.

Cool, right?

What’s even better is that the main two characters, Max and Chloe, are wlw. (It’s sort of left up to reader interpretation if they are bi or gay, but since Chloe at one point literally calls boys, “gross,” and says that no one but her is good enough for Max, I’m going to go ahead and say she’s a lesbian who’s still in the process of figuring that out.)

Anyway! In the first few episodes of the game, you have these sweet story about these two childhood friends reuniting and having adventures. They watch the sunset together overlooking the ocean, they walk along train tracks and reminisce about their shared childhood, they go for a midnight swim after breaking into the school pool.

These aren’t the best life choices, but the game shows a genuine and sweet relationship that develops between the two.

Aside from a lot of flirting, however, and a very brief kiss as the result of a dare, the Chloe and Max never acknowledge their feelings for each other. That is, until Chloe’s about to die. (I said major spoilers, didn’t I?)

The climax of Life is Strange involves Max and Chloe standing in front of a giant hurricane that’s about to wreck their town. Max is given the choice to either save the town, or to save Chloe. For unknown reasons, Max can’t do both.

Yes, you heard that right. Our lesbian MC either has to choose between saving her childhood best friend/long lost love, or doing what is obviously the more moral choice. How can you save a single life instead of hundreds? The “moral” choice here is meant to be obvious.

So, here’s the thing about the two endings: if you choose to save Chloe, the two of you wait out the storm, and then drive off together into the sunset. Nothing is acknowledged or talked through, including the fact that you just let everyone die.

More conspicuously, the girls never discuss their feelings for each other, and the game doesn’t end on a kiss.

Guess when the game does end on a kiss, though?

That’s right, you guessed it! When the lesbian is about to die. More specifically, when one lesbian is forced to choose between saving the love of her life, or an entire town full of people.

If Max chooses to save the town, letting Chloe die, you get a passionate kiss from Chloe (finally!) before, well, going back in time and watching her slowly bleed to death as you do nothing to stop it.

Which is bullshit.

It also brings us back to the “not all deaths are created equal” idea. I mean, ideally, the amount of dead lesbians in your story would be 0, but in a mystery story where there are multiple wlw, it’s understandable that death may be involved.

However.

How characters die also makes all the difference. Did they knowingly sacrifice their own life? Did they die a hero? Or were they killed off screen, probably in a brutal way, simply to further the plot?

If we’re talking Life is Strange, it’s the second one. Rachel Amber, our missing bisexual girl who started this whole mystery, is revealed to have been dead and buried since the game began (which, after giving multiple hints that she’s still alive, and can be rescued if the player makes the right choices, is a really, really shitty way to end things. But I digress.)

So we have Rachel, our first queer woman, literally buried in a shallow grave after a brutal death, before the game even begins. Then we end the game with a choice to either kill another queer woman, who the MC now loves, or to let the rest of the town die.

As a reminder, to bring this all home: Life is Strange starts out with a light and hopeful aesthetic, and does everything but come right out and say, “Rachel is still alive, and all three queer girls can reunite and be friends if you make the right choices and solve the mystery.”

Then it reveals a brutally murdered wlw, and heavily pressures you to kill another. Leaving you, the last standing lesbian, utterly alone. The last scenes of the game, if you choose to save the town, are literally of your lady love’s funeral.

Not at all depressing, right?

Bringing this back to message again, I want to underline how many different ways this could have gone:

1. Rachel Amber (our missing girl) could have been alive, and been found/rescued by the player. There is literally nothing added to the story by Rachel’s death, especially after the audience has been repeatedly baited to believe that she’s alive.

Furthermore, having Rachel (and most likely Chloe) dead removes the possibility of sequels for these wonderful characters. It means that in the new prequel series, you get to watch Chloe and Rachel fall in love...knowing all the while that Rachel is going to die before the next game.

What value does Rachel’s impending death add to the prequel game? As I said in a previous post, the LGBTQ community does not need a reminder that life is subtle and fleeting. Believe me, we know.

In a world where wlw are killed and shunned for the way we love, sometimes we just want a little escapism and a happy ending. Especially from a game that all but promised us one.

2. Second scenario: Max could have figured out a way to save Chloe without killing everyone else.

Since the rules of time travel are never established in game, it was a conscious choice on the part of the creators to allow for Chloe’s death; not a narrative inevitability.

Once again: old white cishet men decided, of their own accord, to kill the lesbian. There’s literally nothing stopping the creators from creating a way to save Chloe. At all. Besides perhaps an understanding that for LGBTQ characters, survival is a far more radical ending than death.

Question: If, as a creator, have the choice to tell literally any story, and imagine any world, why do you imagine a world where 2/3 of the queer women die?

3. Scenario three: If, for some reason you absolutely had to kill Chloe in game, you reaaaaaaaaly shouldn’t do it immediately after Max and Chloe confess their feelings for each other, and finally kiss.

From a storytelling angle, I do understand wanting to save all the Big Emotional Moments for the climax, but here’s the thing: once again, not all storylines are created equal.

For a cishet love story to end this way might be interesting, because there are a million happy cishet love stories out there. A single sad ending for a single cishet couple is a drop in the bucket compared to the massive amounts of happy stories to be easily found.

But queer love stories are few and far between, and they almost always end in tragedy. Burying your gays isn’t revolutionary; giving them happy endings is.

And if you can’t give them that, give them happy lives before they die.

In Life is Strange, Max and Chloe only ever kiss/confess their love if you make the choice to sacrifice Chloe. That’s right folks; in order to have the “happy ending” of the two characters getting together, one of them has to watch the other die.

In a world where queer relationships are tested at every turn, that’s NOT the message the LGBTQ comunity needs.

The message that finding love will only end in death? We’ve heard it. We’ve heard it from The 100, where Lexa dies literally minutes after finally consummating her relationship with the woman she’s loved and been flirting with for several seasons. (Also, she dies from a stray bullet, not in battle like she would have wanted to, as a leader of a warrior people.)

We’ve heard it from Buffy, where Tara is killed- again by a stray bullet - seconds after reuniting with the love of her life. Tara’s death scene is literally her happy reunion with Willow.

Are you seeing a pattern? In popular media, the message is, “If two women are happy together, one of them will die.”

Would these few examples be as big of an issue if there were hundreds of other examples of happy wlw in media? Of course not. But are there hundreds of other examples of happy wlw in media? Nope. Not at all.

To bring this all back to Life is Strange: as a wlw myself, I was delighted to play through this game, and watch two reunited friends figure out what they meant to each other.

Then, once I was entirely invested, I was crushed to realize that there was no possible happy ending. Really, the “happiest” ending possible involves a confession of true love and a kiss...immediately followed by a lesbian dying via (you guessed it!) a bullet.

Taken on its own, I do love Life is Strange. I’ve read several theories on the meaning behind it, and, taken in a vacuum, I can appreciate the story for what it is.

But I don’t exist in a vacuum. I exist in a world where I lost my entire support system when I came out. I live in a world where my parents disowned me and kicked me out of the house, even though I didn’t have the ability to work due to disability. And in that world? I don’t need a reminder of the fragility of life. I need a reminder that love matters, and can save the day.

tl;dr All I’m asking for is wlw who get happy endings in mainstream media. It doesn’t feel like too big of an ask, but apparently, it is.

As an important end note: every piece of media listed above is also severely lacking in other areas of representation, most notably when it comes to PoC. Joss Whedon’s work is well known for its racism and misogyny; The 100 has almost exclusively white MCs, and treats its characters of color atrociously, and Life is Strange barely contains any characters of color at all. All of which are unacceptable.

Additionally, none of these pieces of media contain a single trans or disabled character. White, ablebodies cis gays are the only LGBTQ characters that seem to be represented in popular media at all. Which again, is unacceptable.

So I want to acknowledge that there’s a lot more work to be done, and that the LGBTQ community should be as diverse on screen as it is in real life. LGBTQ representation absolutely has to include PoC and disabled characters to be complete.

#wlw in media #lgbtq #pricefield #not sw #long post #my essays #mine

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rakuen9 · 7 years

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Some thoughts on wlw in mainstream media and fandom

I’ve noticed a trend going on in certain tv shows and fandoms that is bothering me a bit. So let’s talk Clexa, Sanvers, Cophine and WayHaught.

I have to say that I really like being a part of these fandoms and communities that are so active and produce so much content like fanart, fanfiction and super detailed text posts deconstructing the relationships/characters/motivations. I love you guys and I like enjoying that content but I’ve noticed something that is a bit worrisome.

Fandoms are expanding weakly written characters (or characters that barely get any screentime) and the writers are taking all the credit. .

I’m not gonna say much about Clexa, but I remember the time of the hiatus between seasons 2 and 3 where I read so many things about Lexa and how amazing she is.. things that weren’t in the show .. where I started liking her a lot more because I got to know her because of the fandom expanding her character with theories and backstories. We took a couple of lines about Costia and created this whole story about who she was and who they were together and all we knew about her was that Lexa loved her, she got killed in a political powerplay that failed and that Lexa has avoided getting close to someone because of all of that. But in the show that Costia conversation was a minute long. And then we know the shitshow that happened in the latter half of season 3. The first half was pretty dope in developing Lexa and grounder society and political climate. And they we all know what happened. And this might be odd to say, but the fact that she died doesn’t bother me that much. How she died and how we were lied to, and baited by the shitty PR people is the unforgivable part. How the writers pat themselves on the back for creating those characters and being progressive and then just fucking it up in a way that’s so incredibly idiotic that the backlash came to a total surprise. And then having Clarke hook up with another chick because it’s close enough is so insulting and again idiotic that i can’t even. But what do I know, I stopped watching that shitshow after 3x07.

The same thing almost happened in OB with Cosima being with Shay (because they didn’t book the actress as a regular .. Hmm why does that seem familiar). Delphine is another character who we spent not a lot of time with and that was fine because they wanted to make us wonder if she’s working for the clones or for Dyad. And they did the fake-out death thing (and I’m sure that they didn’t kill her off and dropped the Shay story line because of the backlash). I think that they truly are less moronic than the people behind the loo and they payed a bit more attention to the fandom. And at the moment of me writing this, the day that 5.06 airs, they are trying to fix some of the issues. Delphine being isolated and not trusted by the main characters and her whereabout and general actions. They’re also expanding her character by having her interact with other characters like Mrs. S and PT and Aysha, etc which both furthers the plot and also gives us some information about the type of person she is. (A woman who’s willing to take a lot of shit to get what she wants). As with Lexa, I won’t have minded that much if she was actually going to die (because the universe of those shows is ruthless and dangerous and not everyone survives it and killing a fan favorite is a good way to hammer that shit down) but the framing of it is problematic. If we think about how Paul’s demise was framed (Paul who was in a very similar position to Delphines) how we was framed as a self sacrificing hero whose shitty actions were forgiven and understood completely, as opposed to Delphine who would have died in a garage alone..) But she didn’t die yet, and while I don’t think she will, I know not everyone will survive this season and I’m ready (nope... I’m not) for the heartbreak.

Sanvers is.. ergh.. I like them they’re cute. The later in life storyline rings so true to me as a closeted 25 year old that’s not even funny, but Maggie is barely in it. She is Alex’s GF and we know little else about her. She had a bad coming out story (that was traumatic so of course she might have issues with Valentines day, but Alex is a romantic so she’ll do the bullshit Valentines day thing for Alex). Which is dumb. Love is strong but even with love you still need time to process and get over things. As nice as the scene with them going to a Valentines/prom thinggie is, I’d rather have had them talk about it. A simple “ok, I really to like you a lot, and I know you are a romantic at heart and I know this is important for you, but I can’t do this now. Maybe in the future, but right now, doing the Valentines thing still hurts too much” . How great would that have been? And then we get the thing with her girlfriend that she cheated on, but we didn’t talk about it. Why did she do it? Who was that Maggie that would cheat? Why was she scared? Like I could answer this, I’m sure that I would find nice reasons, but I would have loved if the writers would have given those answers themselves. And they get really intense scenes and short cute scenes, but there’s not a lot of screentime there. And now they’re getting married because why the hell not? Gay people can do that now right? But we won’t have the actress as a regular. Because wlw want representation and a married couple is that right? Why develop Maggie when we can do other things? And the behind the scenes pictures of the premiere is giving me season 3 finale “leaked” photos vibes that it’s seriously making me consider if i want to continue watching the show. I loved Kara but she was treated like shit in season 2 by the writers and I don’t like seeing that in characters I like. So if Kara is poorly written and the wlw relationship underdeveloped and has 2 minutes of screen time why watch it?

HayHaught was similar to Sanvers with the (not so) slow burn and Nicole was a bit isolated but they’re doing a good job in season 2 developing her. And I like the show, but it’’s also campy and while I like that OB and the even the loo had more interesting premises ( I like sci fi so I’m biased). I also like the supernatural demon fighting thing but sci fi is my jam. Anyways I actually like the show, but it’s not really something that I would recommend to my straight friends. OB is obviously the best of the shows that I mentioned ( and I literally sat one of my friends down and made him watch all of season 1 a few wars ago.. it’s fine already made me watch all 3 LotR director cuts in one sitting so.. we’re even). I am really exited about Wynonna Earp though, and I do love it, but I think it’s more of an aquired taste.

Anyways this long and rambly post was supposed to reflect the fact that we are so starved for representation as a community that we praise shows and writers that might not completely deserve it and the frustrating thing about it is that they get to pat themselves on the back for being so progressive and get all this attention that isn’t completely earned. Except Emily Andras she’s pretty awesome ( this season, Nicole is getting developed, the POCs were added to the cast and the te fact that they included the Melanie’s pregnancy into the show is actually pretty progressive and awesome. I’m not a big fan of those stories and I’m still pretty conflicted about Wynonna being pregnant. Mostly because I think that she might have chosen a different way to deal with this. But I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt).

Anyways thanks for reading this rambly post and I hope it made some sense?

#clexa #wayhaught #cophine #sanvers #spoilers

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dictacontrion · 7 years

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Dicta, I saw your great reblog about racism in fandom. I have a question that applies to white fic writers. There's this problem of white fans ignoring POC characters and failing to have good representation. At the same time, there's this issue of white people totally sucking when they try to do it. Saw a post recently like: "Non-Muslim people considering writing a Muslim character--just don't. Don't." Do you have any thoughts about dealing with this? Much love!

So many thoughts, anon. I’ve got a related ask that’s been hanging out a while and I’ve been waiting until I have enough time to sit down and properly answer, so I’ll have more and maybe more settled thoughts when I have a chance, hopefully soon. For now, these are sort of preliminary thoughts. Feedback is welcomed and valued and appreciated!

tl;dr: I think both of those arguments are right and it’s hard.

To be really candid, as a white fic writer, writing non-white characters makes me nervous, specifically because I really, really don’t want to fuck it up. But I don’t think my nervousness is an adequate end to the conversation; the experience of nervousness is nothing on the experience of constant erasure that I’ve experienced as a queer person within mainstream media, and I imagine that it’s nothing to the erasure that poc experience in fandom. So I think white people need to suck that one up, that focusing on our nervousness as its own thing is not reason enough to stick with white guy slash.

The part abut there being real potential to fuck it up in harmful ways is the part we can’t gloss over, and I do think that’s worth being nervous about - but that nervousness needs to generate thoughtfulness and caution rather than inaction. There are two (and a half?) main questions I’ve had in my head about this. And again, I’m really open to pushback on all of this.

1) How useful is it to distinguish between writing about vs writing as? I’ve seen this distinction made elsewhere/seen it go around as a farely common piece of advice, between writing about marginalized characters but not pretending to write as a marginalized person - so, for instance, don’t write as a Muslim character, but do include well-researched and thoroughly considered Muslim characters in your story. That way you’re including marginalized characters without claiming that you know what it’s like to be marginalized. That’s something that makes me, like, hum consideringly in a not-bad way. But the research part feels really key. It’s not enough, imo, to write a character and then add a line about the color of their skin and call it a day. If your white POV character is dating or close friends with or in a close working relationship with a person of a different race, and especially if it’s their first time dealing with institutional racism in such an immediate and emotionally invested way, they’re going to need to deal with that. Even if it’s not the first time, that stuff is going to need to be in there if you want to avoid erasure. So if you’re going to write that you need to go read (and then give credit, in your author’s notes, to!) accounts of people who have lived with those experiences and who can point out dynamics you might not be aware of. For instance, someone sent me this article recently, about two friends trying to plan a vacation and the black woman having all her attempts to make an airbnb reservation declined, and then the white man getting his reservation accepted on the first try, and how that changed their dynamic and their trip. (See also: the classic on this.) So, say you’re writing a buddy cop au with a mixed race couple in a forced proximity/maybe bedsharing situation, how is your characters’ race (and location, and time period, and gender, etc.) going to change the process of getting that room? More generally, we need to not just say “this is Joe and by the way he’s [insert characteristic here]” - we need to consider how that would change their lives and where that would show up in our stories.

2) Does the way white fic writers approach writing characters of other races make a difference? I sometimes see people talking about writing diverse stories like it’s one of those tasks you do because you know you should, but you don’t really want to, and it sort of feels like a drag, and I can’t imagine that doesn’t come through? I mean, maybe not? But it definitely informs the sentiment around them and contributes to, I think, this sense that stories about people of color are somehow created with less joy and enthusiasm? And to be embarrassingly honest, there are times when it’s come really easily and felt really natural and obvious to me to have Kingsley or Lee in a certain role, and times (none of which have seen the light of ao3) when it’s felt forced, and then stilted as a result, when I’m doing it because I feel like I should. Otoh, I really really want to write fic for Moonlight. I had that instant fannish reaction when I saw it, like five story prompts in my head before we were out of the theatre, was on AO3 looking for fic in the car home, feel a deep soul-level need for 20k about the evolution of Kevin’s relationship with his hands, and another at least 10k about the last things Juan thought, and several dozen different stories that retell everything from Teresa’s point of view, and maybe a 70k slow burn bookmarked by Chiron’s reflections on the different ways Kevin touches him and the space in between the thing in the schoolyard and the thing in the apartment (I’m trying to be vague bc spoilers but thinking about it gives me serious feels). I don’t think that enthusiasm is enough on its own; does it make a different at all? I think it might - I think when they’re characters we love fannishly and want to understand, more people might be willing to do the research and put in the work to really understand what their lives are like, and that that could be a moment when fandom is pretty powerful.

2.5) So one thing we as white writers have to do, as this post from earlier said, is to “put in the effort to fall in love with POC characters.” That doesn’t mean forcing it, that doesn’t mean doing it with a sense of dread, but it does mean actively seeking out media that includes POC characters and it does mean thinking about and embracing them. This is partly an issue with canon creators, who often don’t give us much to work with, but that’s less and less true. There is stuff out there if we go look for it, and there are characters who will grab us by the heart if we give them the chance. If we have to go looking for that, that’s work we should be willing to do.

The common denominator here seems to be doing your research? That no matter what, that’s really really important. I think that’s a good takeaway. And the rest I float as thoughts more than suggestions because I think as a white person my perspective here is necessarily limited. Also this is a hard question! So again, thoughts and responses are welcome!

#guess it's 'talk about controversial subjects' week here at dictacontrion dot tumblr dot com #who wants to read my moonlight fic??????#fanfic #fanfiction #writing #on writing #fandom and race #race and fandom #racism and fandom #what is my tag for this?#there's a parvati and lavender thing i want to write too #oh for time #dcsays #this was not supposed to be this long #yay asks!

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ubereyezconfessions-blog · 5 years

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Rides on 2/1/19-2/2/19

I find coming of age in america as a Black male to be quite the experience. A life thats rathe overly sexualized and comes with many stereotypes and assumptions. Cant say its a eye opener last night but rather a further confirm on feelings and visions I have around people that aren’t POC or in the area. I had around 4 trips with Uber specifically that I can recall that were very very weird and tension filled.

First comes with this couple that I picked up in West Hollywood. White male and Asian woman. They get in and I do my usual greeting of “Hello, How are you doing tonight?”, with their response either being “Good” or “Good and you?”. Pending the two you can assume who wants a conversation or not. Pretty clear, I’d assume. Anyways the car goes quiet to the music playing in the background and literally next thing is the two are seriously making out right in my mirror less than a foot away from me. Awkward, sure. First time of this.. No! This making out is pursued by and silence and the two are texting each other as a way of communication between making out, of which is only broken by the fact that the ordered an Uber Express and had another pickup. (basically a carpool). Which here is where we pick up 2 more asian women which out the blue the couple in the back then turn into the biggest socialites to walk the earth. New energy and a easy spark for conversation. Which either I from my assumption is they either sexualizing a ride with me in the vehicle and the face they show the world appeared when the others got in. The 2 women were dropped off first to that point, the couple then start having a chat outloud. Amongst the eavesdropping I’m trying my best not to do. This guys starts ranting to this woman about him being on Bumble and that he uses it as a means to have men send him money, which she laughs. He then explains that he talks to older men and in return they send him money. I can only assume he’s been enticed to go further than internet talking if he’s willing to consider chatting with grown men to get money out of them. After I try to truly tune them out and drop them off at the destination.

Next trip is 3 very nervous and young gold diggers, which i assume, of course. So its raining and already rather cold all day being its winter time. But these are the types of women that dress a bit “sexy” if you liked to call it that. Pretty much the less they can wear the more eyes on them. Anyways I pull up to a bar called “The Nice Guy”. As some may be familiar. So La Cienaga is took up by valet cars and I have to park on the side street which is maybe 20-30 feet from the door. Anyways Im called and asked to pull closer being its raining and they’re in heels. (Rain was in the weather report all week) anyways they make the run for the car screaming and get in the back seat. One of my policies is that when people get in the car, if they all get in the backseat, they want to keep amongst themselves. Being if anyone wanted to get to know you, they’d sit in the front. Ive rode with Lyft and Uber and always sit in the front seat and chat with my drivers, simple human etiquette. (Ill get back to this). So we start heading to the next destination which is the girls heading to another party of sorts or finding something to occupy themselves from themselves. Which on the way Im lodge into a superficial realm of these 3. Some womanese that Im becoming more fluent with and they make subtle ways to let me know that they are very much looking for drugs. And willing to have sex with those that have them, simply because they do. I kinda have a Baby Driver thing going on where people think Im “sleep” or dead on the inside. But I just know a lot of battles arent worth the $4-$20 dollar trips. So ones steady making snorting noises and rambling about skiing. (obvious someone snorts coke). And one persist on a story to her friends that she was in a bathtub with a football player and her bf. And the football player tried to fuck her in front of her boyfriend. Which Im sure she probably would’ve allowed. Im assume it stays in her mind being she wanted it. Otherwise the memory would fade. So then my spider sense gets to tingling that these chicks are getting made because I’m not talking to them and assuming that I want to fuck them. When actually Im so turned off by their superficial minds that I’m trying to tune them out completely. By the way, There is a new Broly graffiti painting on Melrose where Gohan was that I have to take for a secret instagram account.

Third on this trip is literally a trip after the gold diggers. Where I’m at the Argyle and i pick up this guy or transgendered. I assume being he was in full on make up and and very tight clothing almost couldve passed for a woman. So heres what I mean, you sit in the front if you want to know your driver. The rider, simply gets in the front seat and gives me a smile and we head to their destination. Now Im not an idiot, I understood that I could’ve done anything I wanted with this person. They sat there rather quiet just waiting on me to make a move. But I didn’t want to give in to a moment of being horny and just using a body. So I don’t make conversation for the understanding that I know thats where the person wanted it to go. Upon reaching the destination I just with the person a good night. They give me a deep gaze and a smile and a hesitation to leave my car but finally do. Sorry to disappoint.

Last but not least comes around 2:30am-ish. Im in mid city and pick up a american. He has a destination set but when he gets in he tells me he is changing the destination and needs to stop at a gas station. Upon which he passes me a $20 bill and says thanks. I make a stop across the street at a 7/11. and he offers me a water or something out the store which i tell him, “no, thank you. I have a gatorade.” Tell me why this guy comes back with a Fiji water for me. Next were back on the road and he offers me gum. Which i keep 2 packs in my center counsel. So to be nice to his generosity I accept. Which he goes onto a story about this girl were picking up. Tells me that they’re friends and he was taking her back to his place. Okay here on out, I can totally be having this all happen in my imagination, but things get weird. So he ask me to let me know if she’s hot when we pick her up. I can’t really fathom why he cares what another man thinks about a woman he’s potentially going to fuck. (its almost 3am-ish on a Friday.. c’mon son). I had recently watched Hitch so in my head I’m wanting to tell the guy. She already choose to pick him, but its on him to not fuck it up. Anyways we approach and low and behold is this tanned blonde with these amazing legs and great body. I admit before she gets in that she’s hot. So she gets in and this is another weird thing I picked up. The guys demeanor changed. He went from talking slang and being all masculine to being almost the opposite and high pitched. They start conversing about her night which she was with 3 guys all night to which, in her words, she didn’t want to have sex with because they were too fucked up and drunk driving. Womanese on the other hand started ringing off things with my spider senses. That this chick wanted to get fucked and this guy wanted to share her with me or watch me fuck her. (Im learning the cuckold is real in this country). They start rambling on about small talk about a guy being able to fuck girls at this hour just by telling them to come over. But at this point were approaching the destination and its getting quiet. Im paying it no mind but do understand its quiet. To pulling up and the girl gets out without a word and the guy thanks me for the ride, hesitate to get out and seeming disappointed. I truly felt like the dude try to buy my will or ease me into being of sexual use for them for the night.

With the way these nights go, I can’t help but get a intuitive feel that either people want to sexualize things or they find the black man irresistible. Media outlets cover us like were things to have. Porn, Athletes, Music, Entertainers. And a ever increasing broadcasting of everything interracial on TV and Movies. I even myself have been on the end of being worshipped for being a black man. I try to leave myself out of these equations in these trips. Dismissing that its all in my head and its not happening for me. But on a night to night basis I’m lodge into this pull that people want to devour me for being this black man I am. I roam around this city a lot. And Outside the “hood” and predominately black neighborhoods and areas or urban venues. I see sprinkles of likeness when out and about. And a vast majority they are workers or a seldom few here and there. So theres always a thought that Im that one different thing that happens to be in the vicinity. That must be had. But hey.. Im hoping its all in my head.

#ubereyez #losangeles #uber #driver #confessions

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