#all lgbtq are valid and perfect

[star-anise]

Everyone's got a take, and I've got a take too, about the current Internet Villain: James Somerton, a gay Youtuber who just got exposed (in the back half of a 4-hour video) as massively plagiarizing the work of LGBTQ+ media critics, historians, and memoirists, and then exposed in another 2-hour video as just making up the wildest nonsense about the topics he demonstrably had access to accurate information on.

He achieved a six-figure income on his work by squeezing money out of his audience with claims...

That only he was creating content that preserved queer history and elevated the voices and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community (a lie)

He was in serious financial distress and would have to go out of business if people didn't give him tons of money (a lie)

That he was going to use some of that cash to make definitely good and not-at-all-plagiarized independent movies, a thing he was definitely skilled and experienced enough to do (a lie), and

That those plagiarism allegations were incorrect,, and frankly,,,, hurtful and homophobic. (a GIANT lie)

Like, here's a visualization of the script of one of his videos, "Society and Queer Horror". The highlighted bits were lifted nearly verbatim from the works of others—the 18 authors identified at the time the exposé was posted—and presented as Somerton's own work.

So here's what drives me absolutely up the wall about this:

If he had just ADMITTED that it was the work of other people, THAT WOULD STILL BE COOL. If he had just said, up front, "We are going on a survey of thoughts and insights people have had about this topic", that would still be a good video with a real audience!

Like yes, he studied business in university, he might not have gotten the kinds of research skills and knowledge someone like Kaz Rowe uses to not just report on the history and analysis of others, but evaluate their relative validity and trustworthiness.

But honestly, since watching my niblings (oldest is 13) watch Youtube, I think you honestly can't underestimate the number of viewers who are really hungry for someone saying, "I don't understand this topic! Let's explore it together!"

But NOOOOOOO, Somerton didn't want to be just some schmuck waxing enthusiastic about homoeroticism on film and acknowledging the smartness of other people. He wanted to be HIM, MR. SMARTYBOY, very sophisticated and alluring and thoughtful and deep. Definitely an intellectual heavyweight who just happened to spout off his own personal ideas and analysis that put him at the forefront of all the scholarship on the topic he's come across.

I hate being wrong. Hate being wrong. But blogging for most of my life has forced me to confront constant textual evidence that two or ten or twenty years ago, I said some dumb-ass shit. Honestly, it'd probably keep me up at night sometimes even if I didn't have a written record. I absolutely understand the desire to scan the field, find the coolest people around, and quickly clothe yourself in as perfect an imitation of them as you can manage.

But if you want to be an artist or a scholar who produces something lasting, you can't prioritize coolness over truth all the time. To develop your true, independent voice, you need to find a time and place where it is just you and just the work you're doing, and you have pick up your tools and say, I don't know if I'm doing this right, but this is what feels right to me.

There are a lot of things in life to which we can only truly contribute our presence and our perspectives. Things we can only witness or hold space for. We cannot go back and bleed the pain out of history, or erase the complexity of another person's life. Not honestly, at least.

But those are the times that need our presence, our perspectives, our witness, and our space. When we gather round and tell sad tales about the death of kings, honesty can be the only thing you give that's worth a damn in the large scale of things.

If this dude had owned up to the truth and honestly showed the work of trying to piece together a queer understanding of the world, trying to draw the threads of culture together until he found a place he fit inside them, it would have been so much more valuable to our culture as a whole.

He probably made more money this way, though. While it lasted.

#staranise original #james somerton #plagiarism #lgbt discourse

[munsonsduchess]

Steve’s mother is East Coast old money. His Father from a prominent Midwestern family.

When Steve comes out he expects his parents to shun and disown him. What happens instead is that his Parents are now telling everyone about their ‘gay son’ and getting praised for being ‘such good parents’

Steve’s Father got a promotion at work. Steve is now expected to go to parties and events so he can be shown off like a prized pony. His fathers colleagues talking about how this will be so much better for business.

Steve’s Mother and her friends all assuming Steve wants to come shopping and to lunch with them. How his mothers friend just knows the “perfect boy” for Steve. Someone who wears pressed khakis and boater shoes and goes to Harvard Law and “doesn’t understand” when LGBTQ+ people talk about how hard life is because he’s gay and nothing has ever happened to him.

When Steve and Eddie get together Eddie does everything in his power to make Steve feel loved and wanted and worthy and not just as a tool or a pawn to further someone else’s life or career. That he is valid just for being himself.

Nancy has to stop Eddie from fist fighting Steve’s dad. If she doesn’t get to do it then neither does Eddie.

Robin gets to though. Bestie privileges.

(Yes this is partly inspired by Secrets Secrets by the amazing @eddywoww if you haven’t read any of their work yet I would highly highly recommend you do bc what have you been doing with your life?)

#eddie munson #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #stranger things #steddie #give me everyone loving steve and teaching him to love himself #queuesthetic

[chunkfunkgunk-offishal]

Today on CHUNK! FUNK! GUNK! We rate

the LOVE I HAVE FOR ALL OF YOU YEAR ROUND:

I’m sure you’re all probably getting a little sick about faceless internet people going “OmG pRIdE mOnTH LoVE YoU mY gAYs!1” But it really is important to me that you all know how much I care. Not only in June, of course, but year round.

I will let my mask of anonymity slip a little bit so that I can really let you guys know: the LGBTQ+ community is very important to me. I in fact have two lesbian mothers and would not even EXIST without it haha

Obviously it doesn’t only matter to me because of that, but also because so many I love and cherish are queer or genderqueer or questioning. I myself am aroace, which I know many consider to not be a part of the LGBTQ+ community, but I am so deeply involved with all of you that I don’t really mind. I’ve carried heavy flags for hours in pride marches and I don’t plan to stop!! ٩( ᐛ )و

But! Most importantly!

Hey! You! Trans peeps!!

I love you 💕

You are so absolutely valid and the world is just too scared to realize it. You are all perfect as you are, I just hope that you can see it.

And YOU! CLOSETED TRANS PEEPS!!

I wish you only the best.

You all are so brave and wonderful. I hope that sometime soon you’re able to get to a place where you’re able to be as happy and you as you want to be.

This has been CHUNK! FUNK! GUNK! Wishing you a

Happy Pride Month

#chunk funk gunk #chunk #funk #gunk #pride month #I love and cherish you all #I’m so sorry that world hates it when cute people try to be cute in peace

[burningvelvet]

this is a long analysis on titanic (1997), re: my last reblog on titanic’s depiction of rose coming into her own sexuality, being sexually dominant, & actively pursuing jack romantically, + LGBT themes, feminism, & the cal/jack/rose triangle as a freudian representation.

—this is one of the great and unique things about this film and also i’d like to point out that although we see jack liking rose first, rose is the one who actively pursues him every step of the way which is almost never seen in films. the roles are almost always reversed. she’s the one who lies to protect him, she’s the one goes to see jack again on the deck under the guise of thanking him, she’s the one who snatches his art book and asks about the nudes, she’s the one who asks to be drawn and specifically drawn nude, she saves him with an axe, she’s the one who initiates sex, etc.

i despise it when people talk about titanic like it’s the most boring cishet movie of all time when it’s one of THEE most progressive/subversive imo (in terms of popular mass media). jack is one of the only major male romantic figures i’ve ever come across who never says anything sexist even in jest, who never dominates their scenes together whether emotionally/romantically/sexually, and who genuinely helps the female protagonist become a better person rather than vice versa. i can’t even think of comparable male characters, so yes in a way he is the perfect example of a manic pixie dream boy. i would go as far as to call their dynamic a subtle gender role reversal and i don’t know why this isn’t talked about more.

there’s also been a lot of queer interpretations and analysis on titanic which i think is apropos. jack and rose have been seen by some as being butch-coded/lesbian-coded ever since the movie came out, and you can also make a case for rose representing (metaphorically or literally) the experiences of gender-envy or being GNC, especially in the scene where jack nonjudgementally teaches rose to “ride like a man, and spit like a man” — and she says “why can’t i be like you, jack?” — etc. — jack actively encourages her to go against the gender norms and i don’t think it’d be a reach to say that he would be supportive if she was LGBTQ+ and vice versa & that they’re both clearly allies regardless of interpretation. Take for example Rose’s line to Kack: “I know what you must be thinking— poor little rich girl, what does she know about misery?” & Jack’s response: “No, no, that’s not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was, what could’ve happened to this girl to make her feel she had no way out?” — As Rose says, Jack “sees” people, and validates/recognizes them in a way that is similar to the queer theories on queer kinship, allyship, & solidarity. Rose and Jack find each other and feel kinship for each other through their mutual progressive/bohemian values in a way that is commonly experienced by LGBT people finding other LGBT people, which is heightened by Rose/Jack’s mutual attraction & their blooming relationship being socially frowned upon (due to classism + Rose’s engagement).

I also think it’s important to point out that sexuality is a core theme of the movie in general, & this is esp important considering it takes place in 1912. From Rose’s Piccaso painting of the prostitutes, to Rose’s comment at the table about Freud re: male overcompensation, to Cal slut-shaming Rose, to the nude French prostitutes, to Rose saying she’d rather be Jack’s whore than Cal’s wife. The theme of being a “ruined woman” is rampant. Many of Cal/Rose’s scenes are laced with subtle sexual implications with him wanting Rose to be sexually submissive/passive/exclusive/available (“do not deny me”) and her clearly not being interested in that role (Cal asks her why she didn’t come to his rooms late at night when he asked her to, and he’s always the one initiating contact, & she clearly hates him). It is also very clear that Rose sees her wifely duties as performative, and to some extent her gender itself is performative (see: the scene where she watches in anxious disgust as she sees a little girl being taught how to act like a lady through table etiquette, and Rose immediately runs off to Jack). I also think it’s ironically symbolic that Cal gives her his mens coat toward the end, and we see pictures of young her wearing pants and riding horses “like a man” as her and Jack fantasized, etc.

I also think it’s intentional that Jack is slightly tomboyish/androgynous looking, younger, and open-minded, whereas Cal is older, dominant, and represents a sort of Byronic “tall, dark hair, handsome, rich” version of masculine appeal. There’s also the split in politics, class, etc. — they represent opposite ends of male sex appeal while both being attractive. The love story wouldn’t be effective if Cal was unattractive bc his sex appeal is necessary to the narrative. Jack and Cal’s contrasting versions of sex appeal are what make this love triangle so effective yet conflicting (aside from their differences in personality and Cal being abusive/Jack being supportive) because the contrast between Jack/Cal highlights and brings out Rose’s sexuality and her transgressive sexual desires. She refuses to be sexually passive for Cal. In nearly all of their scenes together, Rose and Cal are constantly competing for sexual dominance through their dynamic—whereas with Jack, Rose doesn’t have to compete for dominance bc Jack accepts her for the way she is and actively lets her take the reigns and sexually guide him, and Jack feels comfortable in the role he plays. During the drawing scene and in the car scene, he’s presented as being shy and nervous but is still clearly enthralled by her, whereas Rose is suddenly the comfortable/confident/more knowledgeable one, even making jokes when Jack reacts to seeing her disrobe. Typically in cishet romances, the roles would be reversed, which is what Cal desires—that’s Cal’s tragedy, that in the end when he searches for Rose during the sinking and then later on the Carpathia, he’s mourning a fantasy of who Rose was, & tried molding her into a submissive version of herself & destroying her dominant/masculine side.

For these reasons, I believe Jack also represents a part of Rose’s subconscious mind, and that the lines “he exists now only in my memory,” “it was the ship of dreams, and it was, it really was,” are symbolic of this. I see their relationship as being more importantly a deep bond of friendship and a connection between two kindred spirits than being solely romantic. To use a Freudian model, Jack helps bring out Rose’s “id” whereas Cal tries to supress it and bring out Rose’s “superego,” and Rose ends the film by forming a healthy “ego”—this is what makes the Cal/Jack/Rose love triangle so riveting and effective, because it represents this clash of values and this tug-of-war thru this Freudian Trio.

I’m considering turning all this into an actual academic essay atp lmao

#analysis #film analysis #titanic #titanic 1997 #film criticism #media analysis #rambling #my thoughts #writing #opinion #lgbt #feminism #academia #thoughts

[dailyhistoryposts]

Common Fallacies in Propaganda

A fallacy is any form of reasoning that in invalid. They may be due to an internal bias, or they may be deliberately used for the sake of argument. Recognizing common fallacies when they are being used is an important part of critical thinking. Do not allow the person presenting evidence to guide your conclusion-making--this should be done by yourself.

First, always remember the fallacy fallacy. Just because something was argued with a fallacy does not mean the claim is therefore false--just this line of reasoning should be discarded. You should always do your own thinking.

Here is a description of other common fallacies.

Affirming a disjunct (false exclusionary disjunct): Given a choice between two explanations, thinking one being true means the other must be false. In reality, they can both be true. Example: either the globe is warming or the winters are getting colder. In reality, climate change has led to both an overall increase in average temperatures and more intense winters.

Argument to moderation: Assuming that a compromise between two positions is always correct and the best.

Definist fallacy: Defining a term in a biased manner, such that it becomes difficult to argue due to the unusual definition. Pro-choice advocates would claim that pro-life advocates do this, and vice versa.

Equivocation: Related to the above. Using a term with more than one meaning, and changing which one you mean depending on the situation. The proposed "Wall" between the United States and Mexico is sometimes an actual wall, sometimes a fence, and sometimes a metaphorical "Wall" that represents strict immigration polices. This allowed its proponents, like Donald Trump, to be able to take a hardline stance without building a literal wall.

False dichotomy: Presenting only two options when there are more," either you're with us or against us!"

Incomplete comparison: Making a comparison to nothing, so the claim cannot be effectively argued against. Claiming, for example, that a certain breakfast results in better test scores--better than what? Other cereals? Things other than cereal? Just not eating?

Apples and oranges: Comparing things that cannot be compared with validity. Always be suspicious of comparisons--the reason two things can be compared should be stated and valid by itself.

Lump of labor fallacy: Arguing that there is a set amount of labor to be done in a certain economy. This is often done by anti-immigration proponents, arguing that they will displace jobs from natives, despite recurring economic evidence that this is not true.

McNamara fallacy: Overly or only valuing things that can be easily quantified and described when making decisions. Things like emotions, relationships, life experiences all count. Attempting to avoid this fallacy is why many institutions of higher learning are shifting to holistic admission approaches over only using grades and test scores.

Nirvana fallacy: Rejecting solutions because they aren't perfect, even if they are better than the status quo. This is a common argument against receiving vaccines--because they are not totally perfect, people suggest they are totally worthless. The nirvana fallacy is related to the concept of false dichotomies.

Slippery slope fallacy: Suggesting a small action will inevitably lead to more negative ones. You might have heard this one in homophobic and transphobic attacks, connecting increased acceptance of LGBTQ+ lifestyles as beginning a "slippery slope" to pedophilia and bestiality. However, all evidence suggests that this never happens. It is important to note that some slippery slopes are real--when making a slippery slope claim, you should always support it with evidence that it has occurred in the past. Unsubstantiated claims can be disregarded, but this one is not always a fallacy

Always remember that propaganda and misinformation do not need to lie--they can mislead you with facts just as well. Do not allow other people to guide your thinking, only let them present facts and decide for yourself on your conclusions.

#history #propaganda #fallacies #logic #rhetoric

[sadcharactersrmykryptonite]

Completed tsats, in the middle of exam week, guess I have my priorities straight. Okay, let's get into the pro and con opinions of mine in this book.

Pros

1.Nico got over his trauma. Not completely of course, but he is on the right path. And the cocoa puffs are really cute ( send me fanart).

2.I am glad nico is more emotive in this. We saw him smile more, make jokes and generally be more optimistic then the other books. I felt like titan's curse nico is coming back and i love it. I love that nerdy side to him.

3.We see him cry it out. After so long of seeing him being described as emotionless, cold and scary, it was nice to see him letting out his emotions.

4. I love that he is so affectionate with will. We already know that nico is physically affectionate with the people he cares about, like hugging Jason, reyna, and kissing hazel on the cheek. It makes sense that he will be affectionate with his bf.

5. I love that the entire story revolves around how kind nico is. Like we knew that nico was the only one who saw and talked to hestia. His selflessness is the most important trait of his but also the most overlooked. But it's also the trait that got him in the most trouble. I am glad that he told nyx to f**k off, it means he is learning to prioritise himself and i am so glad for that. Also it felt so good to see people and deities acknowledge that, too the point that a primordial goddess was threatened by it. Listen up kids, KINDNESS IS YOUR BIGGEST STRENGTH NOT A WEAKNESS.

6. I liked will's characterisation. He's exactly what I taught he will be, kind, daring, supportive and brave. And he learns, accepts his mistakes and meets nico in the middle, what more can i ask. ( I feel like a parent giving their blessings to their child's so)

7. Nyx felt threatening, way better then gaia. And I really liked the way the final battle was more psychological then physical. And the new development in wills powers, that's a head cannon that felt validated. He can use plague powers, powerfull sunshine boy, nico, powerful sunshine boy.

8.Bob and small bob, they are the best. And them being happy and enjoying their freedom, ah, I was crying. I love them.

9.The deities crying over solangelo. I get it, they are so cute. Kind of shows a human side to them. And that talk about lost souls with gorgyra, yeah, another scene that brought me too tears. The fact that they still have hope. Warmed my heart.

10.Loved the talk about change , and being true to yourself and having the option to choose. It read nicely and it's a great message for the kids out there, not just LGBTQ kids, to everyone. And even bitter adults can learn this lesson. So be open minded people.

As a literature student, I am done with all the nihilist, Existentionalist, tragic stories that I had to read. This was the cheesy, funny, pure, and sweet book that I wanted to get rid of all this stress. And that's what I want from a percy Jackson series book.

Cons

1.It was rushed. But I think I understand. I mean they had to put nico's solo tartarus plot, the actual plot of the story and also address their trauma, add fanservice, create a believable story for why nico had to go to tartarus again ( sideyes hades) , yeah way too much for a spinnoff.

2.I would have love to know more about will. Don't get me wrong, as I gushed about it, I really like their interactions. But it felt like he was made for those interactions, like will solace is still not an individual character but nico di angelo's boyfriend. To me it felt like Rick was telling," look at this sunshine boy, I would tell you why he is perfect for nico", hence the earlier blessing comment. ( you have my blessing will, you have my blessing). But I don't care about it much, for me I was looking forward to Nico's story and I got it so I am happy.

3.There were inconsistencies, like bianca and his mother. It felt like a retconn, but it's also a story about gods, so it makes sense that hades will do it.

4.The tartarus parts didn't hit as much as I thought it would, nicos past solo trip, that is. Maybe it's because the story was written by two authors. I cried but it didn't tear my heart out. Maybe because I know nico gets out. Hmmm, something to think about.

5.Please dont take this the wrong way, but I didn't like how they constantly kept saying boyfriend. Like I get it, I know you are a couple, I want you to be couple, but it felt like the authors didn't think they would come across as a couple and kept on reminding us. This is one nitpick I have in this book.

Oh another nitpick. I wanted to see the other characters, like hazel and reyna and how did I forgot apollo. I need more apollo. I really wanted to see nico's reaction to reyna joining the hunters. Not much just a tiny reference, like when they were talking to gorgyra, like she also abandoned me, something like that.

And that's it. I can't think about any more cons.

TLDR: This book left me feeling like a proud mama who's watching her son grow up to be a hero. And that's exactly what I wanted. So, this book is a 10/10 for me. Cherished forever.

#the sun and the star #tsats spoilers #tsats #solangelo book #nico x will #solangelo #fav book #i love how cheesy it is #brought back the feelings #isnt a little too dark for 11years old #loved it

[lizzybeth1986]

Masterlist for More Recent Meta

My old essay masterlist was written during the time I was still actively playing Choices, and often went into detail on the diamond scenes of certain characters. But in more recent years, I began writing essays stemming from asks I recieved. I couldn't put them in that masterlist because it was too full by then, and over time all my essays/meta posts became difficult to track. I thought it would be a good time to compile them in a separate place.

Many of these essays were written around 2019-2021, and a lot may have happened since the writing of those. So do understand that some of them were written at a time when the full story was not out, but the arguments behind them often still hold.

I will keep adding to this list as and when I find more essays.

Choices and Race

Fear of the Second Book (ft. Sloane Washington)

CoC and Fandom Hypocrisy (ft. Xanthe)

Colorism

What White Woman are Allowed that WOC aren't (ft. Aurora Emery)

A Litmus Test to See Which Characters Writers/Teams Care For (ft. Zoey Wade)

PB and Fronting Diversity

LGBTQ+ Issues and Choices

My Issues with The "Playersexual" LI Term

TRR

Cordonia and Sexism

Cordonian Nobility and Their Upbringing

Madeleine

TRR's Alternative LIs: The Romances that Didn't Happen

Character Specific Essays

Shane

The Character Who Provided A Counterview

Sloane

Rebel Goddess: An Appreciation of Sloane Washington

Nadia

Nadia Park: The Moral Epicenter of Perfect Match

Hana

Hana and the Effects of Controlling Parenting

Hana Lee: A Study in Erasure (an ongoing essay series)

How Retconning Madeleine Harmed Hana

Using Hana's Pain to Generate Sympathy for Penelope

A Breakdown of the Madeleine-MC Confrontation

Kiara

To Be Not Heard: Kiara, Penelope and the Question of Validation

Kiara Theron: The Character that the Fandom Loves To Hate

Why There is a Disdain for Kiara

PB's Obsession with Keeping Kiara Away From Liam

Liam

Monuments, Memory, Meaning: King Liam and Historical Sites

Drake's Retcon

Who is A Forced LI

The "Sucky King" Argument

Princess Lena

Hayden

The Beauty of Hayden's Harajuku Scene

Hayden's Breaking Point: Unexpected Tantrum, or a Long Awaited Catharsis?

The Hayden Young Project (an upcoming essay series)

Scene Compilations: Book 1 | Book 2

Essays (coming soon!)

#long post #masterlist #essay masterlist #shane parker #sloane washington #hana lee #kiara theron #king liam

[church-of-lilith]

All this talk about ppl unhappy about the lgbtq+ representation in the show but I’m gay and I had no problem with it. It’s not a show about gay ppl I don’t know what you were expecting

I’m glad that the queer representation worked for you! I’m not saying that anyone has to be upset about what we were given, but that doesn’t make the people who did expect more any less valid.

In terms of what I was expecting? So glad you asked. I outlined some of that in this post of mine. But I kinda just expected the bare minimum? Like Colin introducing Michael to the team? Us learning about Trent’s full coming out story/his daughter?

And good God don’t get me started on the way they portrayed Keeley & Jack’s relationship. It’s not that lesbians in media have to be portrayed as perfect all of the time, but the way they painted Jack as a red flag from the start and she just progressively got worse... atrocious. And to give us a sapphic relationship that was doomed from the start and somehow make it one of the only facets of Keeley’s character for the whole season (via Jack holding the company over her head post breakup,) was just straight up poor writing.

This is all before you look at it from the lens of casual viewers who are perhaps older and have never really seen queer relationships portrayed in media before (much less their favorite show). What message are they getting from all this? What are they seeing to represent us? A disjointed, terribly toxic wlw relationship, a mlm relationship that’s so far in the background we don’t even know Michael’s last name, and a universe in which homophobia only exists when it’s convenient for the narrative.

Oh yeah, and Trent who’s queer backstory was so ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ that the only reason most of them remember he’s gay is because of the rainbow mug he carries around in each scene.

This isn’t a show about gay people, you’re right. But if the show is going to choose to include queer characters and relationships, I expect them to do it right.

#so yeah don’t get me started on the queer rep #ted lasso #trent crimm #keeley jones #colin hughes #colin x michael #keeley x jack #tedependent #tedtrent #lily answers #ted lasso queer rep

[assorted-queer-thoughts]

My Thoughts On: Lightyear

Ok, I've been hearing a lot of things recently about this movie, and even from my own parents, who aren't sure if they want to let my little siblings go see it. It was even banned in 14 countries, but why?

There's a lesbian.

That's right, there's a canonically lesbian character in a stable, loving, long-term relationship in a Disney movie. Surprised? Maybe you weren't, but I sure was. That is, of course, why my conservative parents aren't sure if they want to take my younger siblings to go see it. They very strongly disagree with queer representation in general, and they think that "Disney is trying to expose as many young kids as possible to LGBTQ+ lifestyles, and they're really pushing that agenda". Additionally, they're quite displeased that Tim Allen is not returning to voice the character of Buzz Lightyear, saying that "Disney has kicked him to the curb for his conservative political views".

Now, if you've done any reading on this subject, you'd know everything that I've just written is wrong. Recently, there's been a large portion of Disney staff speaking out against the company that claims to be queer-friendly, but still censors most of their content, and has also recently taken a lackluster stance over Florida's "don't say gay" bill. Pixar creatives have said that they've seen many beautifully diverse stories sent to Disney review boards and come back almost entirely stripped of the representation. One of these things was a lesbian kiss in Lightyear, which was removed for unknown reasons. After this speaking-out by queer employees, the kiss scene was actually added back into the movie, showing not only that the employees voices have been heard and are making a difference, but also validates their claims of censorship on Pixar films. This scene's return has sparked international backlash, banning the movie in 14 countries, and earning some hate from conservative parents like my own. While Disney is making progress in their representation, the fact it became a talking-point at all is just sad. Disney tried so hard to subtly censor things like this, and the employees have finally decided to speak up about it and come against it. It makes me so happy to see our community stand up like this. Disney is not as queer-friendly as they'd like to seem, but they're making progress, and progress is the first step.

On the subject of Tim Allen, he was NOT "kicked to the curb" for his conservative views. Disney hasn't been cutting him off. In fact, he just signed on to produce a Disney+ exclusive show based off of his The Santa Clause movies he did with Disney. I don't know about you, but signing on to do a new show worth millions of dollars doesn't exactly seem like getting "cut off". The creative minds behind Lightyear have already commented on this, explaining why Allen wasn't asked to voice Buzz Lightyear. They said that in the initial stages, there was confusion between Buzz Lightyear the toy, and Buzz Lightyear the Space Ranger, so they decided to make the two characters as separate and distinguishable as possible. While Tim Allen perfectly captured Buzz Lightyear the toy as a goofy, fun guy who serves as a sort of comic relief, they wanted Lightyear, the action movie that inspired the toy, to have a more serious tone, so as to not undercut the drama. To do this, they asked Chris Evans to voice Buzz Lightyear the Space Ranger, and his voice is perfect for the role they wrote. Tim Allen himself has not commented on this yet, but there's enough information here to make it obvious this choice was creative and not political.

Ultimately, there's an underlying factor of hate and bigotry here. When conservative parents condemn Disney/Pixar for trying to "normalize LGBTQ+ lifestyles", they do two things. One, they marginalize queer people as a "lifestyle", like being vegan or having a regular exercise regiment. Being queer is not a choice, is a part of who we are, and how we were made. It's not a lifestyle, it's a fact of life. We are here, and we won't go out of fashion like some people want us to. Two, they confuse "normalize" with "accept". Maybe this is just me, but there's a huge leap from seeing something all the time, and accepting that thing and being okay with it. We see crime all the time, it's a normal thing to hear about, but we don't accept it as alright in our society. If these people aren't going to "accept" us, that's on them. However, the first step to providing more safe spaces for queer individuals is making it a common thing to see queer people. Decades ago, the same thing had to be done with African-Americans as segregation was ending. Lots of conservatives (and conservatives who claimed to be "Christians" despite their clear contradiction of Christian values) acted out socially and physically against African-Americans and their integration into society. Everyone had to adjust to seeing them out and about in places that were previously reserved for white people. Even though not everyone accepted them (and some still don't today), they normalized the African-American in everyday life. I don't think there's many outspoken Christians (or "Christians") who would say that racism is okay, but they did back then. The first step to correcting bigoted beliefs was normalizing the people being hated. Once you can see the person as a human being, and not just an object of your hate, it changes your view. It changed mine. It's changed the view of countless Christians who fought against racism, and now fight against homophobia and transphobia. Love is beautiful, and as Christians we are called to love. Where do people get off spreading hate? Step one to revising that view is normalizing.

I hope I didn't come off too preachy. This subject came up very suddenly, and I felt I should say something. Sending prayers and best wishes to everyone out there, that these issues will be resolved in a loving manner, and that in the end love will win! Stay safe, stay hydrated, and God bless!

~Alex

#queer #pride #pride month #queer pride #lesbian #lgbt pride #lgbtq #queer community #queer positivity #movies #buzz lightyear #tim allen #chris evans #lightyear #disney #pixar #disney pixar #queer representation #lgbt representation #lgbtq representation #representation #media representation #representation matters #sexuality #gatekeeping #queer identity #thoughts #my thoughts #christianity #heartfelt

[yeswegetityoulovepodcasts]

Podcast Reviews and Recs

The night shift podcast

I am a simple girl. Give me an urban fantasy podcast with the interesting world-building and script and you'll get my heart on a platter. It's pretty short podcast (s1 is complete) with the queer cast and an engaging story in the world where magic that used to be is gone and only some people have traces of it. I loved the plot, the main character, the supporting cast, romantic pair, sound design and voices. My only pitfall is that I believe that pretending that the main character runs the real broadcast was ruining my suspension of disbelief. Some things that happened to him could fuck up all his plans if broadcasted and listened by the wrong people. Would work better if he was a blogger who researches conspiracy staff, and just records everything cos he is a paranoid wreck. However, overall it's pretty great so my advice is to give it a try. (Also the soundtrack for it is awesome) MC is a transman as far as I know, but it's not obvious.

Camp Here And There

This is one of those podcasts. It starts fun. Cute even. Short episodes, general creepy weridness reminding about wtnv, funny jokes. THEN IT STABS YOU. 7 TIMES. And makes you cry like a little bitch. The setting is a very weird summer camp with the main character being the nurse who has to deal with all this stuff as well as their mental, health and relationship problems. It is actually very good insight into the way love works and how many forms it can take and how difficult it is to express sometimes. Also writing is very beautiful. S1 is currently completed and I can't wait for a S2. (This one is also very queer. MC is a gay transman and their are also several sideships)

Malevolent

This one is a good horror podcast about a british private investigator who has lost his eyesight and got an eldritch buddy in his head. Yay! Somehow this entity is more rational and relatable one between the 2 of them. By the 20th episode you'll start saying "no, arthur" at the same time. Also, no romance and as an aro I do appreciate this - the platonic connection between you and the voice inside your head can be as valid as romantic one. What can be more intimate than sharing a body, right? Has many good classic elements from Lovecraftian (cosmic) horror so if it's your thing - give this podcast a try.

Neighbourly

I love you weird beautiful horror anthology podcasts with the same setting and some connections between episodes, but without action filled lengthy overarching plot. You're brilliant and you're doing great. This pocast tells you a story about people living in the weird little neighborhood and their secrets. Some stories are funny, some are heartwarming, some are creepy, and some are depressing. I find it more weird than scary, but it's exactly what I like about this one, so try it out if it's also your thing. Also I find the narrator voice very soothing. Stories do have lgbtq+ subtext if it's important for you.

Monstrous Agonies

I love you weird supernatural but at the same time uncanny relatable advice segment shows. This one is an advice segment for liminal folk (different types of paranomal creatures) but it is kinda a metaphor for all types of queer, aspec, pocs and neurodivergent people. This is a good comforting podcast so if you feel a bit lost and need some encouragement give it a try. It has some overarching plot, but it's not very big so if you have a short attention span - this one is perfect.

Finding Satan

The main character is an entitled brat and academia doesn't work like this for fuck's sake. Can't recommend this one, sorry.

#podcasts #podcast recs #audio drama #malevolent #the night shift #camp here and there #finding satan #monstrous agonies #neighbourly #the night shift podcast

[joannaromanoff]

My point of view on Red White and Royal Blue (movie, 2023) ❤️🤍💙

Red White and Royal Blue (movie) was out on Friday (11th August) and finally my our long and torturing wait was over. I read the book earlier this year and I couldn’t wait for the visual take of it.

The main reason why I love the book so much is because it never went down the road of stereotypes about same-sex relationships or LGBTQ community itself and badly-written clichés of the romantic art world (I’m somewhere in the aromantic spectrum, keep that in mind). I didn’t fear that the book would fail to keep those very important elements of the book intact even though I was sure that some parts wouldn’t make it because a 400+ page book can’t be squeezed in 2 hours.

I’m very glad that I was (mostly) right.

To be fair, I missed June, Leo and Rafael in the movie because I find their characters either pretty important to how the story was shaped or pretty fun (or both). But I get that they had to be cut so the movie wouldn’t last for 5 hours (which I wouldn’t personally mind either). What I really missed was Alex realizing he’s bisexual (and not already knowing so) and all that mental journey he has on that specific part of the book where he understands in such an in-depth way who he truly is. As a bisexual person myself, I find that part of the book so relatable and so inspiring. I had never realized it before. up until I wrote that chapter; I did miss representation so badly.

However I found the movie to be breathtakingly beautiful. Everything was as I imagined it to be. 

Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine were the perfect choices for Alex and Henry respectively. It was uncanny how invested they got me. The way they played their roles with so much respect to the true core of their characters and with so much respect to what Alex and Henry and their love story represent for us, the fans. So spectacular. The wittiness, the passion, the fun and the love Alex and Henry share were all there, we could touch it. It was heart-warming really. Uma Thurman was the PERFECT casting for Ellen, too. I love her (who doesn’t?).

I love how the movie was completely respectful to what the book stands for. A same-sex romance (true romance with problems and love and passion and all those things that make a true-life romance, as well) with two characters who have actual depth and they’re not tacky LGBTQ caricatures; they get to grow right before our eyes and right beside each other. It’s immensely appreciated that sexuality was discussed under a light of honesty with sprinkles of humor on top but not any intention of mockery. And what a refreshing moment was it when Ellen wanted to discuss with Alex about his sexuality and about safe sex. A mainstream movie, a platform movie and an Uma Thurman role talking protection and same-sex intercourse in a normal and casual manner because it is a normal and valid thing, you know… ❤️🤍💙

The 16+ scenes were all just what I wished for; two people who want to touch each other, who want to kiss, caress, hold, explore each other's body because their feelings dictate them to. As an aromantic person, I don’t usually connect sexual intercourse with love and feelings. But in a rom-com, you kinda look for a connection (or you just open p*rnhub) and it was definitely there.

The movie was fun. The movie was deep. The movie was romantic. The movie was hot. The movie was a romance with sharp points and even sharper intention to be the first one to have a same-sex couple in the center and not put any shame or doubt about how they felt for one another or for their sexuality. I truly loved that specific aspect.

This movie set the bar way too high for other LGBTQ rom-coms.

 

I’ve gone through a lot with accepting myself and it’s not always easy. It was amazingly stimulating to see Alex and Henry with flesh and bones right in front of me to be unapologetically themselves and embrace who they are and who they love.

 

Now I’m going to watch it for the fifth time 🫣

 

"You know the b in lgbt isn't a silent letter" - Ellen Clermont

Love is love,

Joanna 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️🤍💙

 

#red white and royal blue #rwrb movie #red white and royal blue movie #alex and henry #alex claremont diaz #prince henry of wales #ellen claremont #rwrb spoilers #rwrb book

[blacknidstang]

If I wasn't living in a country with extremely anti-lgbtq laws that literally endanger my life and if i could afford the therapist, i wouldn't ask my therapist to make me stop shipping incest but i would ask them to help me untangle why i have such extreme negative reaction to top dom sam, so much that i legit cannot pick an amazingly written fic if there's fixed top dom sam in there, even if it's long fic/case fic/something truly worth reading despite that. I totally understand this is such a me problem and therefore, in no way i wanna say my taste is superior but rather, sometimes i just wanna ask myself, buddy, what is even wrong with you??

On the other hand i do think it's perfectly natural to not like a trope even if it's like, very amazingly executed. I think actually outside of social media, in all my years of talking and discussing books and movies with irl friends, there's always "yeah this genuinely good and critically acclaimed movie is just .... Not my thing. Well done and perfect for its audience. But not my cup of tea" and like. It's such a fair and valid thing to say and no one gets mad (except some extreme fanboys i swear). And i think while i still see my own extreme reaction as not a positive thing and i do wish to figure it out on deeper level, i think the "just not my thing" shouldn't be needing any more politicsl or philosophical justification. There's no WRONG answer to it and we always expect some ground statement or political reason behind someone's preference. Which is ridiculous but it's good when you get to look deeper and understand why. And sometimes you look deeper and still dont know why your heart and dick went certain way and it's ok. It's so so ok.

#Im soopoo FUCKING RAMBLIBG #its not a wank post btw its my own string of thoughts #but i really appreciate if anyone giving ME PERSONALLY fic recommendation mention a lil warning about this #until i work through this shit bc why srsly #personal rant #spn #wincest

[silvermoon424]

*sighs deeply*

It's like... yeah, there's concern to be had about diversity behind the scenes of a movie about a very marginalized identity. The desire to have actors that match this is a valid concern.

Sadly... too many people see their "harassment" as "heroics." They're not "bullying" a teenager but rather fighting against yet another straight actor taking a role away from LGBT+ actors.

I mean, it's literally an example of villains seeing themselves as the heroes. You just gotta think the opponent is a bad guy.

Absolutely, I do think there is a valid conversation to be had about diversity in movie/tv production. Like, if every LGBTQ+ piece of media is being helmed by creatives and cast who aren't publicly/explicitly queer than I definitely understand being frustrated. Especially if, like, an explicitly queer director or actor was passed up in favor of someone who is cishet (or appears to be).

But I also really can't get behind the message of "You must be queer to tell LGBTQ+ stories" or "all actors playing queer characters have to be queer themselves!" Like, first of all, that can lead to horrific bullying and consequences like what just happened to poor Kit Connor, who was forced to out himself as bisexual to stop people from accusing him of "queerbaiting."

And second of all, I just don't think it's fair or even correct to take that stance? As a queer person myself, I think as long as someone is telling a story/portraying a character respectfully than there's not really an issue. I think that most cases, people do lots of research when it comes to this stuff, reading many first-person accounts from different LGBTQ+ people so they can portray the experience respectfully. And like, I'm gonna be real, queer authors get dogpiled all the fucking time by other queer people for not portraying their exact experience or having perfect representation or whatever. So I feel like people on Twitter who have too much free time are going to bitch no matter what.

But yeah, if there's a choice between a straight actor getting a role that doesn't reflect their identity and a closeted LGBTQ+ actor being forced to out themselves to justify their role and keep people from harassing them, I know I'll pick the first option every time.

#kit connor #rant #lgbtq+

[ghooostbaby]

the thing about the whole 'queer is a slur' thing is ... is it only a thing on tumblr/twitter? because none of the gay, queer, lesbian, trans etc people i know from real life, who are actively engaged in LGBTQ communities in the various cities where they live have heard about it all. so i kind of wonder if it is a byproduct of online culture, a place with a well documented history of peoples' opinions accelerating to the most polarizing degree possible and saying insulting/extreme things just because they can be more anonymous... but in real life when you have to be face to face with people, they just don't have the nerve. it's like ... something that comes from people stewing in isolation finding themselve in digital echo chambers and just hollering nonsense and filth. but if you met up with an in-the-flesh person, it would never get to that. "touching grass" is really really important actually?

people i know irl all have a variable variety of the relationships to the word queer. the problem i have is not just terfy posts about the "q slur" but also the defensive posts saying queer is great and the perfect word that describes everyone forever and you're a problem if you're not ok with it. i have a friend who is a non binary lesbian who loves calling themselves queer. i have a friend who says she balks at this idea that queer is finally a safe label you call everyone by, like the ideal we're all reaching for is accurate categorization, to be fixed in language, like sexuality is empirical. which i HEAVILY relate to. she does not want to be called queer. i used to call myself queer, but then i knew someone who used the label queer to justify/brush off other people accusing them of sexual harassment, and ever since i've felt viscerally repulsed by the word and wanted to keep a healthy distance from it. there are all sorts of reasons why one might dislike or like the word queer that are valid, and it feels like off the internet we can recognize and understand for the most part. but online discussions seems to turn into this totalizing polarizing mess where extreme ideas on either side get developed that it seems like no one would have the nerve to admit to face to face. I guess this applies to not just LGBTQ but so many aspects of societies these days.

but maybe "queer" discourse exists in other places i don't have friends in. i think having queer communities based on in-person and not only boxes on a screen does some important grounding. of course it IS still so hard to find and maintain.

#lgbtqia+

[trippy-maskow]

bro what r u on😭😭😭 I'm gay asl and moringmark didn't actually do anything. Like, not at all. I saw ur reblogs n obviously u aren't changing ur mind but like u r the biggest nitpicker and

the first one didn't compare? they're justing fighting for gay rights like nowhere was it implied that it would be the same as belos

the quiz was clearly a joke. I don't know what ur talking abt

u can also tell that you are like, the only one along with 60 smth other chronically online people are the only people that actually have a problem with this. Everyone else is fine with it. Like red flag #1, the LGBTQ+ community disagrees with what you believe is "bigoted"

bye

You seem to have not read the post properly. I'm not mad at Mark. At all?? I don't think he's 'bigoted' . I just think he should take a break (he's been making daily comics for over a YEAR NOW.) And that next time he does a comic feature say LGBTQIA+ stuff / issues, to do some research and maybe go over it with some people to make sure it won't come off the wrong way. I Explained in the post why both posts and jokes came off wrong. Jokes can be misunderstood/mistaken (I pointed out how on the Twitter version of his Test comic people where asking about "where to find " such tests and to give links.

Jokes can also be done in a harmful manner (I am NOT saying that this is what Mark has done, I am simply pointing out that not all Jokes are fun and lighthearted) and to mock someone.

Also, it is LGBTQIA+, not LGBTQ+ . Intersex and Agender folks, and aroace folks (like me :D) Exist bro. We're valid.

Also "The LGBTQ+ Community dissagrees " "I am gay asl" You, dont speak for the whole community?? I AM apart of the community as well (trans/demi-boy and aroace)??

I dont see how saying "The LGBTQ+ Community Dissagrees with You!!! I am also gay" Would make me feel as if How i feel about the comics are any less valid, esp since we JUST got out an era where the media ect thought that all you had to do was do a dumb test. (thats how little they thought of us. I dont want it back. Esp with all the laws coming out)

I'm also, not online much?? idk if you checked but my last post was me literally apologising for not posting.

Also my reblogs are about, the show?? Critising the show?? Analysing the show?? It has nothing to do with Mark??

I dont know why in the Owl House fandom it's called 'nit picking' to analyse and critise media you enjoy.

Like, its OKAY to enjoy something and admit its not perfect?? not everything has to perfect my guy.

You won't get SWATed for admitting that the finale of TOH sucked ass.

Or that the Hexside section in FTF was pointless and wasted time.

WHY IS THIS SO HARD FOR YALL TO GRASP??

Critising + Analysing ≠ hating something

[ficsyoumayhavemissed]

🏳️‍🌈 safe experimentation — @juliusschmidt

1.675 words / @girldirectionfest / Harry x Louis

Louis and her girlfriend are on a break for the summer. In the meantime, she reconnects with her best friend Harry.

This is a lovely little girl direction fic that includes snippets of Louis and Harry’s relationship as best friends. Harry’s experience coming out as pansexual is very true to life and relatable to those of us with less ‘visible’ sexual and romantic identities. Her coming out and later encouragement of Louis’ sexual experimentation is kept lighthearted and fun, guaranteed to leave you smiling.

🏳️‍🌈 With Purpose — may__a

1.687 words / Harry x Louis

Louis pulled away with startled eyes and flushed cheeks, but he quickly regained his composure. He was always one to have a purpose for everything, he never acted recklessly or without thinking. So, if he had to continue doing this to prove a point, he would. He was in control. He totally didn’t kiss his best-friend-of-eight-years’ cheek without purpose.

This fic was an adorable coming out between friends, coupled with a love confession. Light on the angst, but heavy on the heartwarming.

🏳️‍🌈 Use You As A Focal Point — Jiksa / @jiksax

2.090 words / Louis x Grimmy

“What am I, the fucking twink whisperer? You’ve been nothing but horrible to me. Last time I tried to kiss you, you lobbed a Chelsea boot at my head.” Louis shows up at Nick’s front door on the wrong side of midnight, asking for… things.

This fic portrays a common scene in the lgbtqia community. It’s about when you like someone, but are still in doubt about your sexuality, and it makes you behave unkindly towards your loved ones. However, in reality as in fiction, love always wins.

🏳️‍🌈 Dancing in the mint flavored moonlight — boneless

4.175 words / Harry x Louis

Harry is one of the most important people in their life. He is so supportive of them and is just a fountain of praise when Louis does something that scares them, like wearing a full face of makeup out in public or even wearing a small bit of makeup on their bad days. Harry constantly validates Louis on bad days and is just there from them constantly. Louis may be a star, but to Louis, Harry is a supernova. The one where ot5 isn’t cis, Louis has the best friends someone could ask for and makeup is in there somewhere.

We all want to love and to be loved, not in the same ways for sure, but we are always looking for love. This fic presents a beautiful relationship between our beloved ot5 boys and shows how the ones who love you will always be there for you. The most special part of the fic is that none of them are cis, making it a unique setting in the 1d fan fiction world.

🏳️‍🌈 Coming Home and Coming Out — BeautifulWisdom / @justanotherghostblr

8.438 words / @1dchristmasfest / Harry x Louis

Louise brings Harry home with her for the holidays. Her mum brings her old male friend to try and set them up. The problem: Harry is Louise's girlfriend of two years and her mum doesn't know she's a lesbian. The result: Lots of laughter and tears and confessions and love and Christmas feelings, a dog and a very important question.

Despite being a Christmas fic, this one is just perfect for the pride rec. It’s wonderfully fluffy, with just the right amount of angst to keep you on your toes. The author manages to write about different coming out experiences — how easy it can be sometimes, and how hard it can be at other times — and wraps it all up with a pretty bow and happy end.

—-

As always, support the authors by leaving kudos and comments! Happy reading!

Additionally to this month's rec being pride themed, we want to bring attention to three of our tags:

GENDERQUEER;

LGBTQIA STORIES;

and COMING OUT!

By clicking through these links, you can find all the fics we’ve ever rec’ed that feature gender issues, general LGBTQ+ themes, or coming out storylines. You can also find last year's pride rec here! —xx FYMHM

#hlcreators #hljournal #1dsource #1dficvillage #tracksintheam #trackinghome #trackinghappily #pride rec #fic rec #fymhm #june 2022