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likehoneyandsilk · 6 months

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I Wanna Be Yours

Hi everyone! This is a draft I have been playing around with. As per my last post, I am trying out something new. This would be a short multipart piece of writing, however, it is not my usual style. That being said, I wanted to get across some content for feedback and opinions! This may flourish or very well end up back in my drafts. Regardless, it is worth a share! Thank you!

P.S. To get a vibe for what this will be think of "Strangers" by Kenya Grace!

. . .

Any lucid person would tell Savina she was being played by the strings. Like a puppet, twisted, and turned in all directives at the hands of her puppeteer. Filled with life at his convenience. But together, they satisfied each other's desires, the appetite for comfort and comradery. Together, they kindled fires so passionate and uncontainable. What was malignant was also nourishing.

And when he held Savina, she melted like snow underneath a scorching hot sun. Sensed herself wilt into fragments as he pressed his lips to hers, so soft at times and others so intense she believed the butterflies in her stomach would burst. When he replenished her air with his laughter, Savina spiraled into a cordial and pleasant world. And when he pressed into her, yearned every inch of her golden skin, and looked into her doe eyes, she swore she saw glimpses of heaven across his ocean blues.

It all began three months ago when she had caught his eye at a charity affair hosted by the Bengals. Savina was the creative lead for the organization of the event, representing her company with exhibited ease and tranquility, but inside she rippled with anxiety. For the next year, her company was to manage all charitable events held by the Cincinnati Bengals. The pressure to be successful and receive a well-deserved promotion hung above Savina's head like a grey cloud, lingering to storm down on her. She counted down the minutes till she could flee, take refuge in her tiny apartment, and adequately breathe.

One could never see the battles Savina played in her head. Because on the outside, to the dashingly bestowed bachelor in all of Cincinnati, Joe Burrow watched this woman with pure attentiveness, averting his lingering gaze as he worked the bravery to approach her. She dazzled in a black ankle-length dress, hugging her hips just enough and falling effortlessly around her lower limbs. Her breasts were round and full, graced with the black fabric, but not enough to hide the last few lines of an unintelligible script in a tiny black font that peaked from underneath. The straps resting on her shoulder were barely an inch thick. Leaning against a pillar, cradling a half-empty glass of sparkling water, Joe observed the astonishing stranger's doe brown eyes, surrounded by thick black lashes moving around the room.

And suddenly he felt time freeze. His breath hitched in his throat. He was speechless. A haste washed over Joe, the need to speak to the woman before him, to fill her attention with his existence only. Yet, before he could put one foot in front of the other, her cheeks burned red and she turned away, that long jet-black curled hair bouncing with every step she took.

Savina's hands trembled with nerves. Her body felt heavy, her senses foggy when she found his eyes on her. There was a limit to the extent of their paths crossing. Too much was on the line. The peak of her career lay in this event, and had she been seen locking eyes and trading longing glances at the untouchable man, she could have kissed all her dreams and aspirations away. Joe Burrow meant trouble, despite whatever miracle had sparked his attention in her, she had far too much to lose.

Mortified at how far her thoughts permitted her to proceed, how silly it seemed that she was convinced he had taken a liking to her, Savina set aside her drink and busied herself with the event. Presenting herself as efficient and professional, she lingered around the peripheral vision of her boss, who she doubted would even recognize her hard work as he was now numerous margaritas into the night. But to dismiss the urge she felt to meet the lingering gaze of the quarterback as he discreetly watched her move about the room, she occupied her time with the event.

Just before midnight, the bar made the last call. Savina watched as the few remaining guests made their way for whatever they could get their hands on. Thoroughly sober, yet she felt like she was hungover. She had found solitude in a corner of the event space, far from the bright lights and embellishments. She sat atop an unused speaker, leaning her head back against the wall. It was no lie that she had sought out Joe in the crowd. He was impossible to forget. All eyes seemed to fall on him. 6'4", athletic physique, and despite sporting a black suit like many of the men in attendance, he appeared to stand out the most. He smiled guilelessly, baby blue eyes sparkling underneath the lights. Every few seconds when he appeared overwhelmed, he ran a hand through his hair, emerging ever so effortlessly unshakable.

The lights of the bar had fallen dim. The music ceased playing and Savina watched her boss stumble up the steps of the stage, thanking everyone for attending. She stood up, tidying her dress, as she made her way to join the crowd. Engrossed in her boss's horrid speech, she awaited her name to leave his lips, to acknowledge that she had done well, at least some ounce of credit into organizing this event. Unbeknownst to her, she stood next to Joe, hardly reaching his Adam's apple even in her heels. Joe's heart beat profusely in his chest as he watched her through his peripherals.

Up close, despite not being in clear view, she was sensational. The blush embellishing the apples of her cheeks had faded, the rose pink hue now a reminder of the night. Her lustrous lips curled up in a smile and soon fell into a straight line, the glimmer in her eyes abruptly fading as the chocolate brown darkened into charcoal. Forcing his peaked interest away from her, Joe watched the intemperate man before them, dawdle down the steps. A muffled applause fell through the room, and Joe felt a shift in the air when he turned to his side.

The nameless stranger hung her head low. Her hands clutched the silk fabric of her dress. Her hair fell around her, and then behind her as she straightened herself. As if slipping back into reality, she turned her head, tilting it upward to finally allow her eyes to meet his. Her features displayed scraps of dissatisfaction and regret. Joe wondered if he could wish away all her pain. He opened his mouth to speak as bodies moved around them, and all at once he could tell she felt suffocated. Her eyes screamed, and her frame became timid as the crowd moved around her. The lights above them began to dim, and she occurred to freeze.

His mouth went dry. His vision was hazy. He reached out a hand, despite the voices in his head pleading him to stop.

He leaned down, his lips inches from her ear. Savina felt as if she might faint, from his proximity integrated with the irritation she felt towards her boss. All those weeks of hard work faded with the lights as the event closed. But Joe was saying something, and she flinched the slightest when his hand rested on the small of her back. She eased against him, preserving her energy and tuning out all noise to clear her head.

"I know a place you can get some air."

She filled his nostrils with a floral scent, so rich and exquisite. He smelled masculine. Like bergamot and applewood. Together they seemed to harmonize so well.

Savina gulped, nodding her head, and missed the feeling as his hand parted from her body all too quickly. She followed his large and tall frame through the crowd. He steered her towards coat check. As if playing coy all too well he remained a few steps away, fiddling with his phone. He nodded reassuringly as she met his eyes from the line.

Every muscle in her body tensed. Every inch of skin tingled.

Her mouth was parched as she fiddled through her purse for the coat check slip. Offering it to the attendant she watched them vanish into a room full of racks. Savina inhaled a large breath, holding in the air before releasing it.

Get it together Savina. She watched Joe scan the room, his demeanor impatient. He knew he was crossing a line. But so was she.

Joe backed away gradually, eyes scattering around the emptying room before forcing open a door that read "NO ENTRY UNLESS AUTHORIZED" with his back. Savina fell behind, as she scurried after him, flailing her coat around her. As she approached the door, she seemed to recall the reluctance to engage with this man in the earlier hours. All that still stood profound. She promised herself not to pivot from her goal.

Joe was not visible on the flight of steps that led to another door when Savina stopped to breathe in the solitude of the poorly lit room. It smelled of floor cleaner, remains of pine and citrus evident in the air. The voices faded completely, and Savina listened to the footsteps on the other side buffer with each passing second. Either she turns back now and forgets all this happened, or she takes a gamble on her screaming heart.

The air was crisp. Bitterly cold Joe stood against the concrete balcony. Below him, vehicles passed by as specks of light, faster and faster. It was early October, yet the city had nestled into an early Winter coldness. The sky was clear above him. A few scattered stars sparkled, adorning the full moon that seemed within reach this high up. Dispersed cigarette butts littered the ground. Two empty lawn chairs sat underneath a lone umbrella perched within a discarded glass patio table.

Joe feigned composure. His hands rested in his pockets. His nose was slightly red from the cold. With his head bowed, he shifted his gaze between the door behind him and the scene below him. After what felt like a century, the door screeched open, closing behind her with such a loud bang it felt as if it vibrated through the ground.

Slowly, Savina made her way to him. Her heels clicked against the concrete. The bare skin of her legs became scattered with goosebumps. Her lungs felt fully expanded despite the iciness that settled around her. It felt good to catch a breath of true air. Joe turned, catching his eyes with her once again. An invisible string between them pulled them close. Savina found herself situated next to him, her gaze now shifted to the passing city beneath them. She could feel his eyes on her, and she wondered if he could hear how loudly her heart banged against her chest, or how red her cheeks had become.

Willing herself to speak, Savina sighed. But before she could spill out a single phrase, Joe spoke.

"My name is Joe." He offered her his hand, suggesting a handshake.

"Savina." Her voice came out quiet. She carefully positioned her hand in his grasp, and he held it so gently, and when they parted, she felt every electric speck flutter through her as his skin brushed against hers.

"How do you feel now Savina?" Gosh, how her name sounded out of his mouth. Joe's voice was both manly and soft. His eyes conveyed concern and prominent interest. He seemed the least bit flustered, but his calm and cool composure kept Savina grounded and at the same time craving him in all aspects. Savina smiled, slowly curling her lips into a smile.

"A lot better. The best I've felt all night." Joe watched her teeth graze her bottom lip. He stood straighter. A boyish smirk washed over his lips. A cold breeze passed between them. "I take it that asshole was your boss?" Taken aback by his word choice Savina could not help but laugh. She felt unrestrained. Her body was both filled with energy and glow. Joe watched the woman before him unfold. Her laughter was music to his ears.

"That would be true." Savine sighed, leaning against the balcony. A newfound surge of confidence reigned over her, that dark storm cloud above her head slowly evaporating.

"I was the organizational lead for this event. I work for Commons Corporate. This was my big break to show him what I've got, and to be frank, I think he won't remember a single thing."

Savina nodded disapprovingly as she confirmed her thoughts, pulling her hair behind her ears. Her eyes fell to the ground. Her confidence began to quiver, the recognition she would be frowned upon for engaging with a player beyond professionalism.

But she was lonesome. She craved camaraderie and consolation. She desired all the urges a young woman who found refuge in her apartment did.

"I think the event was amazing. And I can't stand men who can't give credit to women when it's worth." Joe inched closer, pulling Savina's attention from the ground back to him. His body emitted heat. Savina was convinced underneath the layers, his body was warm and tender.

"Thanks." The whispered word barely leaving her mouth was audible. Their eyes fell from the others to their lips, the energy around them begging them to do something.

"Savina?'

"Mhmm?"

Savina stepped closer. Joe's arm wrapped around her frame, underneath her coat. Savina shuddered.

"Is this okay?"

Savina nodded, cradling her head against his hand as he rested it against her cheek. "And this?"

Savina nodded again, stepping even closer till her body pressed against his.

"Savina, can I kiss you?"

Joe's blue eyes merged a shade darker. His frame towered over hers, in a way that was protective yet flushed her body with deep desire. He tilted her head towards him even more. "You tell me to stop and I will Savina."

Please don't stop.

"I want you to kiss me."

And with that, his lips were on hers. Every ounce of desperation filled Savina as his lips moved against her. He was delicate, holding her as if she were a feather, and kissing her so gingerly. Joe tuned her, her core pressed against his and she gasped, a rush of blood surging to her cheeks. His arms netled her against him, her own wrapped around his neck. She leaned back as he inclined into her, never once breaking their kiss, as her head dipped above the city below them.

"Savina, god damn it," Joe muttered against her lips, lifting her off her feet as he situated her on the edge of the balcony.

"Joe!" Savina gripped Joe's arms, eyes frantic as she forced herself not to look down.

"Easy, easy." He cooed, instantly calming her nerves as he pulled her off, twisting her body so that he leaned against the balcony now. "I wouldn't let you fall."

Joe Burrow was a stranger. A well-known man in the city, but truly and logically a stranger. Yet Savina trusted him blindly, a flutter of her heart telling her she was safe.

Savina was flush against his chest, her lips inches from his.

He held her so close. How could one feel so at ease when you just met them?

"What are you thinking about?" Joe watched Savina's brown eyes darken, a sudden plead of desire clouding over any logical thought. He'd be a fool to say he didn't present her with the same.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Her hand wrapped around his. She pulled away from him, tugging him with her. She walked backward, pulling him with her.

"We shouldn't." They stopped at the closed door, possibly the barrier to their separate ways. Savina's back pressed against the door, her hand still within Joe's own. Joe held the latch in his free hand, hindering the door from opening.

What they felt was electric. What they desired lay in the other.

What they needed was each other.

. . .

Friendly reminder to let me know what you think! Opinions/constructive criticism welcomed, my interactive options on my page are open! Thank you again loves!

#joe burrow #joe burrow one shot #cincinnati bengals #cincinnati bengals imagines #joe burrow imagines #joe burrow x reader #joe burrow imagine #nfl imagines

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apuulixhaka22 · 3 months

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Hello everybody am agay person in a homophobic refugee camp in east Africa I walked miles of distances from my home country where I was considered a demon just because am an lgbtqi person i acquired disease,slept hungry for weeks through my flea.i ran to the boarder and I found Red cross Kenya that held me and stayed there for weeks until I was brought to a refugee camp were I have stayed for Three years and half year. I thought maybe I would have been saved from hatred and discrimination when was brought in the camp but now it's the worst place of my life I have been too.The community,the government and even the officials are the most discriminative people I have ever seen.The beat us torture and arrest us several times and get denials everywhere we go we suffer from hunger denial of access to water or even work anywhere in the camp we are helpless and voiceless.I hereby plead for attention to my situation here and advocate for us make awareness to whom it may concern because we need your help.We shall be grateful for your support thanks you all raise support to our world remit number+254799090969

#gay #trans #lgbtq #lgbtqi #transgander #queers

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rjzimmerman · 1 month

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Heavy rains and flooding kill dozens as extreme weather racks Kenya, (Washington Post)

Devastating floods during Kenya’s rainy season, aggravated by climate change, have killed at least 38 people and displaced thousands as rivers burst their banks and inundated low-income neighborhoods.

Social media sites were awash Thursday with images and videos of people on rooftops of submerged houses. Residents across Nairobi neighborhoods used boats to rescue those stranded by the rising floodwaters.

Venant Ndighila, the emergency response manager of the Kenya Red Cross, said 38 deaths and 11,275 displaced people have been reported across the country. He warned about accompanying risks, including disease outbreaks and the disruption of goods and services.

April is traditionally the peak of the spring rainy season, said David Koros, assistant director of the early-warning system at Kenya’s Meteorological Department. “Right now we have the remnants of what was happening last year in terms of El Niño effect, where we had a lot of the temperatures in the Indian Ocean that were a bit high.

“For the last two weeks, we have had extreme rainfall being observed over several parts of the country,” he said, which followed a heavier-than-usual rainy season at the end of last year. Even the north of the country has been getting rain after experiencing severe drought in 2023 that resulted in a major loss of livestock.

“The frequent extreme weather events such as the occurrence of droughts and heavy rainfall are definitely effects of climate change,” he said, adding that after weeks of 1.5 to 2 inches (40 to 50 millimeters) of rain a day, the ground was saturated.

#Kenya #extreme weather #flooding

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diddle-riddle · 1 year

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Batkids - Evolution Board

Here comes how I headcanon the Batkids’ legacy (centering on the main Batfamily, I’ll make an extended version afterwards if you want ^^) through the ages and the titles they wear, first in canon then into their future!

Starring the team by oldest to youngest instead of by appearance :)

1) Barbara Gordon

Batgirl > Oracle > Mayor of Gotham

- Batgirl (at 18 when she makes her own path into vigilantism then teams-up with the orginal Dynamic Duo). - Oracle (after the Joker shot her while, as an adult in her early thirties, she distanced from vigilantism and was wearing her Batgirl uniform only occasionally). - Mayor of Gotham (she gives her ‘Oracle’ title to a reformed Edward Nygma who fully joined the Batfamily and dedicates herself to politics the official way since then, until her election as the new Mayor).

______________________

2) Dick Grayson

Robin > Nightwing > Batman > Nightwing > Retired

- Robin (at 11 after Bruce took him under his wing). - Nightwing (the disco suit version at 18 after he quit, then the black and blue classical one after Barbara became Oracle). - Batman (during the transition period over which Bruce was presumed dead). - Nightwing (after Bruce returned). - Retired (after Barbara and him married and he decided to fully dedicate himself to being a husband, a father and Babs’ main support over her political campaign).

______________________

3) Jason Todd

Robin > League of Assassins soldier > Red Hood

- Robin (at 10 after Bruce took him in and up to 16 when he was murdered by the Joker). - League of Assassins soldier (up to his early twenties when he lived with Talia al Ghul and followed her training). - Red Hood (first a villain when he returns to Gotham, then an antihero who progressively grows closer to the Batfamily. He keeps his Red Hood title up to his old days).

______________________

4) Cassandra Cain

Batgirl > Black Bat > Batman

- Batgirl (at 16 when she arrives in Gotham and after Barbara then Bruce and Tim took her in and considered her a true ally then a family member - she keeps her title until she gives it to Stephanie when thinking Bruce has died and she doesn’t want to fight for him anymore). - Black Bat (once she returns to Gotham after living a couple years in Hong Kong away from the bats-and-birds). - Batman (when Bruce solemnly hands over to her his cape and cowl, he chooses her as his rightful heir).

______________________

5) Tim Drake

Robin > Red Robin > Phoenix > Dark Phoenix

- Robin (at 13 after he stalked Bruce and until they cross paths, less than six months after Jason’s death). - Red Robin (after he was forced to quit for a short period when his father found out about his activities and after Stephanie’s death, he couldn’t take back his old costume so he upgraded his outfit and his name along the way). - Phoenix (over his mid-twenties when he decided to make a name for himself and take a chance into the ‘other side’ of the fight). - Dark Phoenix (a nickname given by the press he ended up adopting after his team and him killed the next generation of Batman and Superman, aka Cassandra and Kon-El, what signed his definitive tipping point).

______________________

6) Stephanie Brown

Spoiler > Robin > Spoiler > Batgirl > Nightwing > Batman

- Spoiler (at 13 to frame her dad and spoil his plans before she bonded with Robin!Tim ; she takes nearly eight months off the Game to handle her pregnancy at 15 and its aftermath, needing time to recover after putting her baby up to adoption, then resumes the fight and meets Batgirl!Cassandra plus Oracle!Barbara). - Robin (at 17 when Bruce finally takes her in). - Spoiler (after Bruce fires her, leading to her ‘death’ and her spending nearly two years far from Gotham, in Kenya to recover with Leslie Thompkins. She returns at 19 wearing her original alias). - Batgirl (at 19 when Cassandra abandons the title and she takes up the mantle for ten years to come). - Nightwing (at 31, after two years off the the game to welcome her daughter Taylor ; she passed the Batgirl mantle to her apprentice Nell Little during her pregnancy). - Batman (the one she never wanted to take up, but endorsed after Cassandra’s death to carry on the legacy).

______________________

7) Damian Wayne

Robin > Angel > Nightwing

- Robin (at 10 when he arrives in Gotham and meets his father, then forms a Dynamic Duo with him and with Dick during the transition period Bruce is out). - Angel (at 20, he gives the Robin title to Carrie Kelley the same time Steph gives the Batgirl mantle to Nell Little). - Nightwing (when Stephanie becomes Batman).

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crossdreamers · 1 year

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A lesbian refugee from Uganda is doing her best to assist LGBT people living in a refugee camp in Kenya. You can help her.

The government of Uganda is intensifying its attacks on gay and transgender people, which forces more and more LGBTQA people to flee the country. Nakafeero Swabulah is organizing a team that helps lesbian women and their kids in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya.

Her story is harrowing, given the violence she has been facing. She has not given up, though, and she has achieved a lot with little.

We talked to her about her experiences and the work she and her friends are doing for queer people in the camp.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

“I am a lesbian activist and leader living in the Kenya Kakuma refugee's camp. I am advocating for about 80 LGBTQI refugees, lesbians, kids, and other vulnerable people.”

The anti-LGBTQA policies of Uganda

What was it in your own life that made you decide to leave Uganda?

“I came to the Kenya Kakuma refugee's camp to seek asylum in Kenya. I am being persecuted and mistreated in my mother country Uganda, due to its homophobic people and policies.”

Nakafeero’s experience is in no way unique. Sexual relations between persons of the same sex have been banned in Uganda since colonial rule. As Nakafeero put it:

“Being LGBTQI in Uganda is not allowed by law. Due to my sexual orientation and being a lesbian I faced a lot of hostility and harassment. I was mistreated and persecuted by homophobic people and the government of Uganda itself.”

Under the new “anti-homosexuality bill” of May 2 2023, persons convicted of gay sex may be imprisoned for life. The maximum penalty for “attempted homosexual acts” is imprisonment for 10 years (3 years for minors).

You are not allowed to defend same-sex relationships or go to gay weddings, and the concept of “homosexuality” also includes gender identities “that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female.”

Needless to say, such a law strengthens the homophobic and transphobic attitudes of many Ugandans, and increases the hatred and the violence. So this is basically a law aimed at scaring all queer people back into the closet.

We asked Nakafeero about where she thought all the homophobia and transphobia in the policies of the Ugandan regime come from.

“I think the increasing homophobia and transphobia come from the government in general and the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, in particular,” Nakafeero said. “But he is not operating in isolation. He exploits a homophobia that is already there, in the culture. Being LGBTQ, it's like being cursed in Uganda.”

Violence and escape

“I was persecuted and mistreated and I was about to lose my life because of my sexual orientation,” Nakafeero told us. Her mother and her sister were both killed in their home by homophobic people who had found out that Nakafeero is a lesbian.

“They thought that I was inside the house and they wanted to kill me or burn me alive,” she said. “The chairman of our village ordered the villagers to look for me and to bring my head to him. Though at that time I was not inside our house. My partner decided to keep me at her place so that I could be safe from the homophobic people.”

That very night Nakafeero got the news that her mother and sister had been killed in their home.

“I felt like killing myself too because my mom and my sister were the only family I had left. Our father left us when we were still young and my mom was a single mom. May the souls of mom and my sister rest in peace!

“My partner told me about a place where I can be safe. This was a place for LGBTQI refugees, she said , although she didn't tell me exactly where this place was. That very night we boarded a maize transport truck. I sat behind a sack of maize [corn]. I was not even able to look outside or to see where we were going by then. I only saw the cargo. We moved out.

“Later on we got into a small car. I could hear them talking and she was telling the driver to drop me at the Red Cross station.”

The Kakuma refugee camp

The Kakuma refugee camp is located the north western Tulucana county in Kenya. The camp is managed by the Kenyan Department of Refugee Affairs in conjunction with the UNHCR (the UN refugee agency).

You are currently living in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. Could you say a few words about life in the camp? What does a day in the camp look like?

Nakfeero saw this rainbow over the Kakuma refugee camp as a good sign.

“The Kakuma refugee camp is not a good place for LGBTQI refugees, as there are a lot of homophobic people here too. LGBTQI refugees in the refugee camp are being mistreated, also by fellow refugees. Keep in mind that there is a lot of homophobia in Kenya as well.”

Indeed, there are no explicit protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in Kenya either. Same sex acts are illegal, even if there are few convictions. Moreover, many of the refugees living in the camp come from African countries with equally bad traditions as regards the treatment of LGBTQA people.

“Since we are sleeping outside we are often being attacked by homophobic people. They steal our property and have even killed some of our fellow LGBTQI refugees,” Nakafeero said.

Nakafeero told us the story about a transgender woman, Emily, who had been killed – in the camp – for being trans, and about the murder of Joseph Kamoga, a queer man.

One of Nakafeero’s priorities is to build shelters for the lesbian women and their children.

Are you threatened for being a lesbian in the camp?

“Lesbians are not provided with shelters where we can sleep safely. We are sleeping outdoors. Lesbians are being raped, getting HIV and unwanted pregnancies. We buried the child of one of the rape victims just a day ago.

“The refugee camp is not a good place for LGBTQI people. There are far too many homophobic people around here. Each and every day in the camp there is violence. It's like spending the day in the grave.

“Being a lesbian in the camp is seen as a really big crime. Even the UN tells us to keep a low profile.

Nakafeero wants to give the women access to sanitary products.“When we go through our periods we just use polythene bags and dirty clothes which causes infections and itching rashes,” she says.

What they need

What are the greatest challenges you are facing in the camp right now?

“We are leaving under miserable conditions. We do not have any provided shelters where we can sleep safely,” Nakafeero told us. “Moreover, there are poisonous snakes and scorpions here which threaten us each and every day.

“We have very little to eat, and there is a severe lack of medication, shelters, milk for babies and so on. The UN provides us with one kilogram of maize, one kilogram of millet, and one cup of cooking oil which they say must last for one month. It can't even take us through a week.”

“We need our freedom and deserve to be treated like human beings.

“A European activist has set up a fundraiser campaign for me, so that I can take care of my fellow LGBTQI refugees and get support for them. We haven't gotten much so far, but I am trying my best.”

She notes that there are those who think she is a scammer, “as they cannot believe any lesbian can survive in such a homophobic situation.” But this is all real, unfortunately.

Are you cooperating with other LGBTQA people inside or outside the camp?

“Yes I do cooperate with some of my team because I can't manage to take care of all about 80 people all on my own.

“I do have a team of about ten LGBTQI refugees who help me to take care of children, like bathing them and making sure that we all sleep safely. We sleep in shifts, you see.”

What is the most important thing LGBTQA people and their friends can do to help you and other queer people in Uganda and Kenya right now? I am thinking about basic needs as well as political support.

“We need to move away from these homophobic living conditions. I am trying to find ways of advocating for us so that we can get a better life. The world needs to be aware of the situation we as LGBTQI refugees live in here in the Kenya Kakuma refugee camp.

“The Kenyan government tells us that as LGBTQI refugees we must keep a low profile. That is not right at all. We need more international awareness of how homophobia and transphobia are affecting queer and trans people in both Uganda and Kenya.

The refugees do not get enough food in the camp, so Nakafeero is using some of the donations to ensure that her people get what they need.

“We need money to cover basic needs such as medication, shelters, food, baby formula, detergents, clothes and clean water.

“I would stress the need for sanitary pads so that we as lesbians can live a normal life like our fellow girls or lesbians living elsewhere. Many here do not even know how to use pads.

“We also need money for a fence and for shelters so that we can sleep safely at night.

“We really need support from fellow LGBTQI people in other countries and from others who have the heart to help us. I will be grateful for any financial support we can get. If good people out there can make the world become aware of our situation, I would be grateful,” she concludes. “We fight for love and solidarity!”

You can support Nakafeero Swabulah and her team over at FundRazr.

Nakafeero with some of her LGBTQA friends. (All photos provided by Nakafeero).

#lesbian #queer #lgbtqa #uganda #kenya #refugees #politics #lgbt+#lgbtqi #homophobia #transphobia

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alex-the-nonsensologist · 9 months

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Disney Dreamland - Part 2: Adventureland

Due to my quirk of wanting each land’s name to reflect a broad genre, Frontierland was basically merged into Adventureland (I know westerns are their own genre, but I felt it too niche compared to the other genres I picked). I tried my best not to be stereotypical in regards to certain areas. Cultural experts would be consulted (both native to their country and diaspora).

Also, I should mention, I friggin' love carousels. I put at least one in each genre land. I'm just that nuts about them.

Imperial Courtyard

This area would be similar to the China Pavilion in EPCOT, but more focused on fiction and mythology. Includes a lovely lotus pond garden to sit and relax in. Would have Lunar New Year celebrations in the winter. Disclaimer: I may be a child of Hong Kong immigrants but I grew up a full westerner New Yorker. Please consult cultural experts. At the moment, my mind’s eye is picturing this area neatly tucked away in a corner between World Galleria and the rest of Adventureland.

Sun Wukong the Monkey King / Journey to the West: Dark ride. I only recently learned that despite Sun Wukong being a popular character, he is not in fact the protagonist of Journey to the West. I think centering it on either Sun Wukong’s life and backstory, or the actual journey to the West with the other characters could work. The art style would resemble Chinese calligraphy paintings come to life. I would also love an original song that ties the entire ride together, in the same manner as “Compass of Your Heart” from Sindbad's Storybook Voyage in Tokyo DisneySea.

Mulan stage show: Would contain well-choreographed martial arts stunts, alongside musical performances, with “Make A Man Out of You” being the big showstopper combining both. For the design aesthetic, I’m thinking of something similar to Mulan’s float unit in Shanghai’s parade.

Zodiac Carousel: Under a lovely red and gold Chinese pavilion roof. Features twelve rows of animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Could be located inside the garden.

Jade Phoenix Tea House: Chinese tea, pastries, and dim sum.

Golden Dragon Restaurant: Table service.

Equatorial Tropics

Blends from Polynesia to Africa.

The Enchanted Tiki Room : The only thing I’d change is have a new cast of host birds, to make it unique. Maybe there could also be a temporary Lilo and Stitch / Moana overlay during the summer months.

Polynesian Terrace restaurant: Table service.

Jungle River Cruise: Obviously would not include condescending stereotypes of natives. Otherwise, I would like it to be distinctly unique from other versions of the ride with a new storyline and skipper commentary.

“Treetop Village” : My park’s equivalent of the Swiss Family Treehouse. I wanted to have a suspension bridge entrance like Anaheim’s version used to have (as Tarzan’s Treehouse), which I thought looked so cool, and then I thought about putting my treehouse on an island in the Jungle River Cruise, like Hong Kong’s, with the bridge crossing over the river from the walkway entrance. Then I thought, why not make it a whole village of treehouses on the island, all connected by suspension bridges? It would be limited to a handful of trees so as not to disrupt the Jungle Cruise ride too much, but would still have plenty of scenic views for guests to see. There could be a few interactive elements for guests to play with, such as rope and pulley systems, to simulate the illusion of functioning living quarters. Maybe even include a couple of swings.

Tales of Anansi: Dark ride. A stylized retelling of the Anansi stories with a unique art style, in the same manner as how Lion King was adapted for stage. This is partially to look cool and unique, and partially to avoid Anansi looking too creepy for anyone afraid of spiders. Please consult cultural experts.

Circle of Life buffet: Cuisine from Kenya and Tanzania, the countries of inspiration for The Lion King. But just for fun, one of the desserts could be Timon and Pumbaa’s Chocolate “Mud” and Gummy Bugs.

Disney Dreamland Railroad Adventureland station: Styled after a jungle trading post

Pirate Cove

Visually based off the Adventure Isle area in Paris’s Adventureland. Includes a walkthrough ship, a restaurant ship, a small island (Skull Island), and a picturesque waterfall. This area would probably be outside the railroad perimeter, accessible through a mountain tunnel.

“Pirates Ride” : I think Pirates of the Caribbean is a very neat ride. I have a lot of mixed feelings regarding *ahem* certain scenes, but that’s a lot to unpack for another time. I do not want this version of Pirates to have anything to do with the movies, which while entertaining, I feel have overstayed their welcome (but I will admit the scenery in Shanghai’s version of the ride is breathtaking, both real and digital, and the battle climax is definitely exciting). Rather than copying the classic ride, I would love it if Imagineers would come up with a brand new story with a brand new set of pirates in another part of the world. That said, I have no issue with Jack Sparrow being a walk around character in the area.

“Pirate Explore Zone”: Inspired by the various walkthrough ships in Disney Parks. Could also extend to Skull Island, which includes caves you can wander around, inspired by Le Ventre de la Terre underneath Paris’s version of the Swiss Family Treehouse.

“Pirate Stunt Show”: An action stunt show on the water utilizing floats.

“Pirate Ship restaurant”: Quick service.

X Marks the Shop: Pirated themed merchandise.

Wild Western Frontier

The start of “Frontierland”. Part typical Wild West town, part Native community featuring adobe pueblos, part Grand Canyon-style rock formations. Please consult cultural experts.

Western River Expedition: Based on the never-built attraction by Marc Davis. Would be tweaked to avoid any stereotypical portrayals of Native peoples. Please consult cultural experts. The river flume would be crafted to intertwine with Big Thunder’s railroad. Also includes a snapshot photo-op at the final drop, like Splash Mountain.

Big Thunder Mountain: Mostly the same, but I would rearrange to have the train pass through the underground Rainbow Caverns at the end before the unloading dock. Story could go that in trying to find the last motherlode of gold, you accidentally trigger explosions that nearly trap you, but end up unearthing the caverns; pretty much like the Mickey Mouse short Nature's Wonderland that homages this ride and its predecessor. Lesson being that in life, you may not always find what you want, but sometimes you find something else just as valuable.

Cowboy Carousel: Would appear to be built out of wood. Could resemble a farm enclosure. Horses in cowboy hats and bandanas. This is not really a necessary addition to the area, but as I mentioned, I LOVE carousels and could not resist putting it on this list.

Golden Horseshoe Revue restaurant: American cuisine and BBQ and saloon stage show. Table service. (I have yet to experience this in the existing parks, but I’d like to some day.)

General Store: Cowboy-themed merchandise.

“Native Legends of the West” / “Legends of Coyote”: Dark ride designed in a Native art style. Please consult cultural experts. Could retell various legends of the region, but for a more unified story it could focus on the trickster character of Coyote.

Native-owned shops: Authentic Native American artisan crafts. Shout-out to @disneylanddilettante for the idea. Could feature live demonstrations and workshops for kids, along with guides to explain the cultural significance.

Land of the Dead restaurant: Mexican cuisine. I wanted a place that could be themed as a nod to Coco, my favorite Pixar movie, without being heavily IP themed. Actual Día de Muertos celebrations would only happen in the fall; this restaurant would basically allude to the daily lives of the inhabitants of The Land of the Dead the rest of the year outside of Día de Muertos. Please consult cultural experts. Would include a live mariachi band.

Rivers of America

Embodies the calmer aspects of Frontierland, however I still think they fit neatly into Adventureland if you think of life itself as an adventure, with this area being the "take it easy" part. The northern coast of the river would be on the edge of Mysteryland, part of that land’s city themed area, but with the buildings facing the river themed to New Orleans.

Fort Wilderness Island: Themed to a summer camp.

Fort Wilderness River Rafts: Transport to and from the island.

Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes

“Tall Tales Campfire”: Stage show retelling of classic American tall tales. Does not have to be a literal campfire, as that would limit the shows to nighttime only, not to mention be a hazard.

Camp Woodchuck Kitchen: Based on the restaurant of the same name from Tokyo. Quick service. Waffle sandwiches and s’mores brownies. The original three flavors of waffles sandwiches were Fried Chicken and Maple Sauce (Huey), Bacon and Vegetables and BBQ Sauce (Dewey), and Shrimp and Avocado (Louie).

Johnny Appleseed stand: Apple tarts, apple fritters, apple fries, caramel apples, and apple cider.

On the coast of the river:

Mark Twain Riverboat

“Musical Americana Animals”: Animatronic stage show inspired by The Country Bear Jamboree and America Sings.

Tiana’s Palace: New Orleans cuisine. Tiana’s signature beignets and swamp gumbo are a must. Jazz band playing live music, with appearances by Louis the alligator and performances by Tiana and Naveen. There could even be a short Mardi Gras show every hour.

Other parts:

World Galleria

Mysteryland

Fantasyland

Create-It-Land

Discoveryland

#disney parks #disney dreamland #armchair imagineering #adventureland #frontierland #theme park design

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its-to-the-death · 8 months

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Mod's Crush Competition Round 1

Hey guys! Based on the poll I sent out, it looks like some of you wanted to see what kind of fictional crushes I've had and of course I'm more than happy to oblige...

These are all crushes I've had through my lifetime so not all of them are current. Some of them I can explain and others make me question my life choices. They're also all male because I'm only attracted to men. (Maybe next time I'll do a tournament with your guys' crushes)

I tried to limit it to 3 characters per franchise but Yugioh ended up with 5 because there are so many series and I have seen all of them (It's been a very important fandom in my life). I also tried my best to not overrun it with anime. I admit my number of fictional crushes spiked when I started watching anime though. They know how to make them pretty.

Anyways, let's take a look at our bracket:

I am already dreading some of these matchups. For the first round, I am going to split the polls between 2 days. The first half will go up on Tuesday, September 26. The second half will go up on Thursday, September 28. All polls will last a week.

Some reminders:

Please be nice! To me and to fellow voters. I know I've had some weird crushes (and I don't mind if you think I'm weird) but I won't accept hate. If there's a problem, be civil.

Have fun! Don't take this too seriously because it's just a little Tumblr tournament I'm doing for fun and I just want people to enjoy it.

Since the pictures in the bracket are so small, matchups will be under the cut and link to the polls once they start.

Tuesday, September 26 polls

Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan) vs Finnick Odair (The Hunger Games)

Rocket (Guardians of the Galaxy) vs The Corinthian (The Sandman)

Peter Pan (Once Upon a Time) vs Shun Kurosaki (Yugioh Arc-V)

Koushi Sugawara (Haikyuu) vs Manitoba Smith (Total Drama)

Sebastian Moran (Moriarty the Patriot/Yuukoku no Moriarty) vs Griff Jones (Bunk'd)

Shun Ibusaki (Food Wars/Shokugeki no Soma) vs George Weasley (Harry Potter)

Kenya Yukimiya (Blue Lock) vs Chase Davenport (Lab Rats)

Seishiro Nagi (Blue Lock) vs Karma Akabane (Assassination Classroom)

Ryou Bakura (Yugioh DM) vs Mycroft Holmes (BBC Sherlock)

Doppo Kunikida (Bungou Stray Dogs) vs Newt (The Maze Runner)

Nathaniel Kurtzberg (Miraculous Ladybug) vs Trey Clover (Twisted Wonderland)

Five Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) vs Luck Voltia (Black Clover)

Feitan Portor (Hunter x Hunter) vs Tsuchigomori (Toilet Bound Hanako-kun)

Kyoya Ootori (Ouran High School Host Club) vs Viktor (Arcane)

Horace Somnusson (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) vs Percy de Rolo (The Legend of Vox Machina/Critical Role)

Hikaru Hitachiin (Ouran High School Host Club) vs Tetsurou Kuroo (Haikyuu)

Thursday, September 28 polls

Hiccup Haddock III (How to Train Your Dragon) vs Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)

Eita Semi (Haikyuu) vs Leona Kingscholar (Twisted Wonderland)

Keigo Takami/Hawks (My Hero Academia) vs Colt Grice (Attack on Titan)

Theon Greyjoy (Game of Thrones) vs Azul Ashengrotto (Twisted Wonderland)

Noah (Total Drama) vs Ango Sakaguchi (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Quattro Arclight/IV (Yugioh Zexal) vs Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Millard Nullings (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) vs Jackal (Fairy Tail)

Shin (Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross) vs Mihaya (Snow White with the Red Hair)

Ryokan Kogami/Revolver (Yugioh Vrains) vs Tamaki Amajiki/Suneater (My Hero Academia)

Bran Stark (Game of Thrones) vs Rogue Cheney (Fairy Tail)

Gray Fullbuster (Fairy Tail) vs Klaus Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Shouta Aizawa/Eraserhead (My Hero Academia) vs Reo Mikage (Blue Lock)

Kento Nanami (Jujutsu Kaisen) vs Sanji (Live Action One Piece)

Scott (Total Drama) vs Kurapika (Hunter x Hunter)

Farkle Minkus (Girl Meets World) vs Seung-gil Lee (Yuri on Ice)

Phaser Ryugu (Yugioh Go Rush) vs Franken Stein (Soul Eater)

#mod's crush competition #crush competition round 1 #brackets

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elias111 · 3 months

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#gay men #trans #lgbtqi community

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deadcactuswalking · 8 months

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 07/10/2023 (Jung Kook/Jack Harlow, Ed Sheeran's 'Autumn Variations', 163Margs/Digga D)

Content warning: Brief mentions of violence, sex and... corpses (last two only loosely related)

For a fifth week, Doja Cat reigns on top of the UK Singles Chart with “Paint the Town Red”, and it’s a semi-busy week ahead of us so welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we start the episode with this week’s notable dropouts, songs exiting the UK Top 75 - which is what I cover - after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. For this week’s goodbyes, we bid adieu to “Single Soon” by Selena Gomez, “Rave Out” by Turno, Skepsis and Charlotte Plank and some big hitters like “Barbie World” by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice and Aqua, “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue, “Relax My Eyes” by ANOTR and Abel Balder and finally, “REACT” by Switch Disco featuring Ella Henderson and the late Robert Miles. These are honestly mostly a shame, I like the vast majority of these songs.

As for our returns, we don’t have any, but as for our gains, there is a pretty long list, all over the chart too. This week feels kind of like a rehaul, and redecorating the walls, bear with me, we have “Little Things” by Jorja Smith at #65 off of the album - more on that later - “Escapism.” by RAYE featuring 070 Shake at #59, “On My Love” by Zara Larsson and David Guetta at #57, “Mr. Brightside” at #55 (Jesus Christ), “Would You (go to bed with me?)” by Campbell and Alcemist at #48, “Feel It” by Jazzy at #45, “Calm Down” by Rema at #40, “Back on 74” by Jungle at #36 (yay), “Got Me Started” by Troye Sivan at #34 (ugh), “ecstacy” by SUCIDAL-IDOL at #33 (huh), “Liquor & Cigarettes” by Chase & Status and Hedex featuring ArrDee at #29, “Dog Days are Over” by Florence + the Machine at #28, “Used to be Young” by Miley Cyrus at #26, yes, I’m still going, “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish at #25, “Snooze” by SZA at #20, “Bittersweet Goodbye” by Issey Cross at #19, “DNA (Loving You)” by Billy Gillies featuring Hannah Boleyn at #18, “My Love Mine All Mine” by Mitski at #15(!) and all the way to her first top 10, Tyla at #10 with “Water”.

The top five of this week’s UK Singles Chart starts with a debut from Jung Kook of BTS featuring Jack Harlow at #5 with “3D” - more on that later - and the rest is standard: “Prada” by casso, RAYE and D-Block Europe at #4, “greedy” by Tate McRae at #3, “Strangers” by Kenya Grace at #2 and of course Doja Cat on top. Now it’s time to get through our rag-tag group of songs debuting in the top 75 this week.

NEW ARRIVALS

#74 - “Mosquito” - PinkPantheress

Produced by Greg Kurstin, PinkPantheress and Mura Masa

We don’t know when that next PinkPantheress full-length is coming, but for now it does make sense to keep pushing out singles and seeing what sticks. She adds Greg Kurstin as a co-writer and producer alongside more expected collaborator Mura Masa in a song about spending problems, jauntily recounting over glading acoustics and a thumping backbeat about spending a fortune out of sheer will, acknowledging how much she’s losing but becoming attached to materialism and possessions instead of finding much human connection. I do appreciate the swell of strings in the chorus and how well the guitars play off of that, alongside her nonchalant flutter in the back, but as with most of her tracks it does feel a bit underdeveloped, and in this case, a bit derivative as the verse treads the exact same lead vocal melody as her collaboration with Skrillex and Trippie Redd from earlier this year, “Way Back”. With that said, it’s still a good foundation and the increasing submerge of the song into the whirlpool of strings is a pretty good way of signifying a lost cause, yet I really feel like a bridge is needed to cement that a bit further. If there’s an album in sight, I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt given that this could work a lot better in that context but as is, it’s just good, needs that little extra to be great.

#69 - “Stick Season” - Noah Kahan

Produced by Gabe Simon and Noah Kahan

This song from 2022 by folk singer Noah Kahan has been a sleeper hit for a while and perhaps in part due to a recent cover by Olivia Rodrigo, it got one last push that resulted in it finally cracking the top 75 criteria. Kahan is a singer-songwriter in a pretty traditional sense so there’s a lot of lyrical detail here, regarding a breakup of a long-distance relationship, with that, the weather and the ongoing pandemic pushing Kahan inside, isolated from communication aside from his friends coming around for Christmas, over a sprinkling of twangy acoustics and stomp-rock percussion that’s increasingly tedious. Kahan’s jumbling of the meter is charming but dampens the impact of an otherwise pretty effective chorus, and the bridge’s solo is a tad underwhelming, so we have a pretty nonchalant-sounding song fronted by a singer whose voice I’ve never liked and still not gotten used to, and backed by a dated pounding of a drum that gives me a migraine come the final chorus. If what was inside your sandwich was great but the bread slices at the top and bottom had gone off, you sadly end up throwing away the whole sandwich.

#63 - “Babydoll” - Dominic Fike

Produced by Dominic Fike

And now for a particularly more modern singer-songwriter, with another sleeper hit, but this one is even older, appearing on his 2018 demo EP before he blew up to the level he is at now. I can only assume there’s some TikTok virality to this because there really isn’t much to this as a song. We have a simple riff with some cool countering over-dubs, placed beside a typical steady indie drone of percussion and Fike’s lead vocal which would be decent if he had any convincing rasp but alas, he just sounds like a prepubescent Anthony Kiedis, especially when he’s “rapping” in the completely unfitting verse, essentially acting as a bridge - or awkward insertion of a completely different song - with bizarre flows, monotone whining and odd interruptions amidst the continuation of a still tedious rhythm section. I guess this is only a demo but that’s why you don’t release everything you make, kids, because this is just nothing to speak of with a confusing mid-section seemingly grabbed from elsewhere in the drafts. Now for something probably a whole lot more finished…

#50 - “Feelings” - Jorja Smith featuring J Hus

Produced by DAMEDAME*

I have yet to listen to Jorja Smith’s newest album falling or flying but it did debut at #3 and produce a charting track here, probably thanks to a feature from J Hus. The chanting that starts the song is pretty exciting before we have that drizzling of reverb coating everything, from Jorja’s echoed vocals to the surprisingly intricate bassline, which sounds drier when placed against that pattering of Afrobeats drums. Content-wise, it’s a bit of a scuffle where Jorja succumbs to J Hus’ temptation for some Sexy Times, and interestingly enough, not only does the guest rapper stay on topic, he handles the chorus, playing a really effective back-and-forth foil to Ms. Smith, even if he’s not nearly as good or as nuanced a singer and performer. He goes for a kind of Wyclef Jean yelp that makes him sound a bit less convincing and more desperate, which is just interesting considering how well Jorja’s convinced, or at least seems to be from her second verse. As with the rest of the singles, the production details - even if a bit more minimal this time around - are impeccable and very smooth, especially with the swirl of strings after the pre-chorus and distant sound effect-esque loops that decorate J Hus’ incredibly charismatic rap verse. The disharmony between the two is actually a pretty interesting narrative touch, especially since Jorja is just echoing what J Hus is trying to convince her with, almost as if this is being played back in her mind and she might be a bit more regretful about that as implied in the first verse and pre-chorus. I might have to give that album a listen because this level of detail and interpretation, if carried across a full album, would contribute greatly to the already good year of R&B for me. This is brilliant.

#49 - “Magical” - Ed Sheeran

Produced by Aaron Dessner

Ed Sheeran released his newest album on his own label, Autumn Variations, which still went #1 but is largely an acoustic-focused album produced by Aaron Dessner of The National with decidedly very few hits. I have yet to hear it in full, but it still produced two charting songs, with this one very much in Ed Sheeran’s wheelhouse: it’s a cute, kind of staccato love song with his choired-up multi-track vocal he often delivers nowadays. However, it’s not for bittersweet purposes like it often is: it’s a love-struck track with an echoing, kind of distracting drum pattern, a really melodramatic synth and bass swell that doesn’t end up damaging the subtlety of the song mostly because there isn’t all too much to begin with. Sure, it’s a subdued ballad, but it’s one that adds odd tension through trap-influenced drums that are mixed in a muddy, kind of gross way below the very heavy vocal focus, and the lead melodies here get very saccharine and pretty infuriating quite quickly. It’s a shame, because it’s a very genuine and cute track lyically, but it’s also too simple for me to forgive the production misgivings here. Thankfully, he has a second shot later in the chart.

#38 - “Hide and Seek” - 163Margs and Digga D

Produced by SJ Beats

It’s pretty funny to me that there is a solo version that’s actually longer. Even people relying on Mr. D for hits and are otherwise unknown don��t seem like they want to have Digga on their songs too badly. Anyway, this church organ is pretty much the lead melody despite how basic and empty it is, and even then, it’s somehow clipping and the sample chop is painfully obvious and awkward. That sheer incompetence should be all you need to know because whilst 163Margs has some promise in terms of his energy, his flow isn’t new and his content is just a lot of gang violence not delivered particularly interestingly, and then we have Digga D giving so much detail I’m surprised the government hasn’t investigated him a second time. I don’t even have a problem with this kind of content necessarily, but I wish the production or delivery was in any way compelling, because I’ll forget about this very soon.

#27 - “American Town” - Ed Sheeran

Produced by Aaron Dessner

I’m not sure if this counts as a single push exactly, but this is the furthest Ed’s going with this rollout so the song better have some potential and yes, this is more of what I expect from Ed, especially writing wise, with the intricate details that emphasise how real the narrative is whilst also being able to detach it from a lot of pop culture - the pre-chorus has the line “live the life we saw in Friends” which I think is particularly poetic considering Ed’s place in the industry - as well as wordy but charming moments of culture shock that come with being in love with an English girl in an American town. The production is a lot less distracting here too; I wish the shaking percussion was lower in the mix or not just there but the filtered synths, kind of sounding like farty horns, make a bit more sense than I feel like people will give credit. It’s a nostalgic song that muddies the clash between past and present, or Hell, even future in the bridge, and those horns as well as the more subtle synths add a lot of detail in an honest, vintage-sounding way. It’s not perfect-sounding, but that’s much of the appeal. It’s also sadly nothing new from Ed, it’s a pretty expected pop-folk cut that sounds a tad rough around the edges but not enough to threaten its radio play. Overall, it seems pretty solid but it’s not exactly convincing me that the full album is worth checking out.

#5 - “3D” - Jung Kook featuring Jack Harlow

Produced by BloodPop and David Stewart

Well, I figured “Seven” would need its follow-up soon enough and Jack Harlow is definitely a very approachable American rapper for a collaboration, though I’m not sure if the addition of a western guest rapper is doing as much heavy lifting as how effortlessly catchy the songs can be, so I hope he doesn’t end up getting someone on every track he releases. Regardless, this song is about Jung Kook from BTS wanting to have sex with you. If that puts you off immediately, I mean, you won’t like the Jack Harlow verse. Regardless, we do have an arguably more subtler set of lyrics here, with Jung Kook wanting to get straight to the choose over a much more solid, funkier groove, backed by a simple but effective bassline and choppier drums, alongside a weird Latin guitar intrusion that kind of works--oh, this is a Justin Timberlake song. He even sounds like Timberlake a lot of the time, with about as much charisma and weird hip-hop crossover attempts. If anyone is going to produce a Timberlake lite, BloodPop is probably a good choice, and Jung Kook has the playful ad-libs, no-holds-barred commitment to the bit and more chemistry with Mr. Harlow than I really expected, given that Jack actually gives some backing vocals on the chorus and references the BTS star’s sex appeal on his verse… though not his, which is kind of funny. In fact, Jackman is oddly slippery here, and it’s largely for the best as the beat gets much more percussive, with him slipping through flows and flexes, and making good use of a corny counting conceit, as well as saying that you would have thought the girl’s body was a dead body with the way he told all of his friends to come look. I will admit, it’s a pretty corny, hard to take seriously song but I don’t think I’m supposed to, and both guys have enough fun without really overdoing it into ridiculous territory… except for when Jack Harlow ad-libs “Spy Kids” in the background, that… that was stupid. Oh, and PC Music and hyperpop pioneer A.G. Cook made a remix which makes way too much sense yet ends up way worse than you’d think considering his expertise. It’s pretty ugly.

Conclusion

This really was not the best week, though far from the worst, as we have a lot of middling tracks, but the only real great song here is “Feelings” so Best of the Week goes to Jorja Smith and J Hus, with a loose Honourable Mention to “Mosquito” by PinkPantheress, I guess? As for the Worst of the Week, I think there are quite a few snoozefests, but 163Margs and Digga D end up with it for “Hide and Seek”, with a Dishonourable Mention for “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike. Ed Sheeran’s “Magical” was closer than you may expect though, I really don’t like that one. As for what’s next, it’s Drake, Drake, Drake, so thank, thank, thank you for reading and I’ll see you next week!

#uk singles chart #pop music #song review #jung kook #jack harlow #ed sheeran #autumn variations #163margs #digga d #jorja smith #j hus #noah kahan #dominic fike #pinkpantheress

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xtruss · 1 year

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One month after George Floyd was murdered while in police custody in Minnesota, Kris Graves photographed the remnants of the Confederacy in and around Richmond, Virginia. “One late night on statue-lined Monument Avenue, I came across projections by artist Dustin Klein on the monument of Robert E. Lee,” he writes. “We stood and watched a seemingly endless rotation of Black lives that had been ended at the hands of police.” Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of Floyd’s murder one year later, but Graves writes that “this continues to be an epidemic in the United States.” Photograph By Kris Graves, National Geographic

Wildlife ranger Joseph Wachira comforts Sudan, the last living male northern white rhino, as he laid dying at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya in March 2018. “He died surrounded by people who loved him,” wrote Ami Vitale, who was there to capture his last goodbyes. She added that she hoped that Sudan's legacy “will awaken us to protect this magnificent and fragile planet.” Photograph By Ami Vitale, National Geographic

While documenting the treacherous waters and fishing culture of the Aleutian Islands, photographer and salmon fisherman Corey Arnold captured this image. “Every night in Unalaska, I'd spot this red fox near the side of the road, charming drivers with its irresistible cuteness into throwing it snacks out the window,” he writes. “On this evening, I spent a few hours watching this fox at work, using my headlights to light the scene.” Photograph By Corey Arnold, National Geographic

“I don’t know about you, but fireflies take me back to childhood,” writes Kiliii Yuyan, who captured these synchronous fireflies flashing at early nighttime in the forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “Here, in the space all around me, a thousand tiny green-yellow lights are miniature lanterns, blazing long enough to be seen but always escaping my cupped hands.” Photograph By Kiliii Yuyan, National Geographic

This is a rare example of performing polar bears, a controversial but not illegal practice in Kazan, Russia. Polar bears are a threatened species and a powerful symbol for conservation—yet these bears are fitted with metal muzzles and their trainer holds a metal rod. Photographer Kristen Luce and writer Natasha Daly traveled the world to learn about the suffering behind the scenes of wildlife tourism. “Our intention is not to shame tourists who have had these encounters,” Luce writes, “but to arm our readers with information that will help them identify potentially abusive situations for animals.” Photograph By Kristen Luce, National Geographic

Left: “A reminder to breathe,” writes photographer, filmmaker, and mountaineer Jimmy Chin of this striking image of the Middle Teton in Grand Teton National Park. Photograph By Jimmy Chin. Right: The Caldor Fire rips through a valley south of Lake Tahoe on August 29, 2021. Lynsey Addario documented the California wildfire season—the second worst on record—on assignment for National Geographic. Photograph By Lynsey Addario National Geographic

Andy Lewis crosses a slackline high above the valley floor in Moab, Utah. Photographer Renan Ozturk dedicated this photograph to his late friend Dean Potter, who first envisioned a free-solo image like this "moon walk," captured without digital manipulation within a single frame. After missing his first chance at the shot, Ozturk writes that he “stumbled through the night, arriving tired and bloody to the moonset/sunrise location on the opposite side of the towers.” Photograph By Renan Ozturk, National Geographic

#Most Liked Photographs

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hicginewsagency · 1 year

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Kenya: Number of Missing People in Mackenzie's Shakahola Forest Cult Rises to 212

By Phidel Kizito National Police Service Kenya/TwitterExhumation of bodies of cult leader, Paul McKenzie Nthenge’s followers in Shakhahola massacre scene in Kilifi. By Phidel Kizito Nairobi — The number of missing people in pastor Paul Mackenzie’s Shakahola forest cult has risen to 212, according to the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS). The organisation stated that out of those missing, 99 are…

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#Kenya Cult

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animaginaryartblog · 1 year

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[Image ID: A digital drawing of two human characters, standing on sandy ground. Behind them, distant acacia trees are silhouetted against the setting sun.

Standing closest to the camera is a young black woman. She is wearing a dark red halter top with a white collar and hem. Her pants have a yellow and orange geometric pattern, and each pant leg splits into two pieces below her waist, hanging loosely around her legs. She has cool, dark brown skin, warm brown eyes, blue-black hair, and a short, muscular build; her upper body is especially buff. She stands with one hand on her hip, the other hanging loosely at her side, as she looks directly into the camera with a confident smirk.

The woman's blue-black hair is barely shoulder-length and carefully styled, with three corn rows braided on the left side of her head. She wears rounded glasses with gold rims; a matching gold cross earring hangs from her right ear. A bead necklace hangs loosely around her neck; from it dangles a white and red beaded cross. Matching colorful beaded bracelets are on both her wrists. On her feet she wears white sandals with beaded patterns.

Behind the woman, a masked figure is crouched as if they have just landed - knees bent, one fist on the ground and the other hand raised as if preparing for a strike. Yellow bat wings arch from the figure's back, and matching ears angle back from their head. The figure wears green and black combat boots; the rest of their clothes are loose, flowing, and dark, hiding the details of their form. Red plaid lines the ends of their pant legs and sleeves, and the same pattern flows from shoulder to shoulder, covering their shirt collar. A matching red plaid cloth is tied around their head. A black mask covers their face, painted with a stylized fanged mouth, bat-like nose, and white eyes. The figure's shadow extends before them, stretching towards the camera. /end ID]

Also on my DeviantArt

yes I'm still at it with this "challenge" that should have ended three months ago. at this point it's just an excuse/motivation to make some new covers for all my Spotify playlists, ha.

anyway! this is Emily Wig, protagonist of my WIP novel Wings of the Dusk, and her superhero alter ego, Bat-Ear. yes they are the same person. Emily takes great care to make her two identities very distinct so as to keep anyone from guessing who's really behind the mask. part of this charade is that Emily relentlessly roasts "Bat-Ear"'s sense of fashion, while Bat-Ear claims to have no idea who this "Emily" person even is. she has fun. more on the drawing below.

this drawing took way longer than I wanted it to, partly due to "oof ouch humans hard to draw" and partly due to "oof ouch clothing and jewelry hard to draw". I'm not sure what the proper term for her hairstyle is (I tried my best with the image ID okay), but it's based off this (I found the image from some article online and took the time to find the actual original source. be proud of me.) Emily's cross necklace is modeled after one I have, albeit with different beads. Her pants are also modeled off some I have that are very flowy and fun. They also have different colors and a more complex pattern but I wasn't about to try and replicate that.

Bat-Ear's sweatshirt is a similar story; I partly based it off a sweatshirt I have that is also patterned around the collar and I did legitimately consider making a Procreate pattern brush to replicate it... but this was already taking me way too long and at that point I just wanted to be done with it, so I just used a plaid pattern brush I found online. another thing for Emily to roast her local superhero for- that, and the very dramatically painted hockey mask.

I considered giving Bat-Ear some sort of actual traditional mask from Kenya (which is where she's from and where she lives), but discovered that a) Kenya doesn't really have a lot of traditional animal masks? and b) most traditional African masks are associated with spiritual stuff and I didn't really want to get into that. so I just went for a general "ooh scary bat" sort of look. something a teenager would paint on a hockey mask to look intimidating. the claws are fake, by the way. probably stole some of her sister's fake nails.

fun fact: Emily's ears and wings are based off of the yellow-winged bat, because I already had reference images saved in my folder and figured it would look cool.

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