#and think about why you don’t think it’s weird to speculate about a celebrity or etc. it’s weird regardless of who they are

[ilostyou]

let me make something very clear: it’s weird and strange and invasive to speculate about anyone’s sexuality unless it’s your own. hope this helps

#there was a post going around a little ago talking abt how putting someone on a pedestal is dehumanizing in a way and i think this is #a perfect example of what happens when that’s the case. i don’t care if she’s The taylor swift she’s literally a person !!! a human being!! #and if it’s weird to speculate so heavily about a ‘regular’ person’s sexuality (or like. anything else for that matter) maybe back up #and think about why you don’t think it’s weird to speculate about a celebrity or etc. it’s weird regardless of who they are #and god in the age of people legit pressuring people into coming out??? for the love of everything just shut up and keep it to urself #this has been a rant #taylor swift #this is me being anti gaylor as politely as i can be idk what else to say lol

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Wibta if I told my mom she loves a cat more than her own children.

I do feel like an asshole for this. I’m 17f and I have a younger sister 15F. My parents are married and for the most part good. When have a 12 year old cat that my mom just adores.

This part is all speculation, but when I very young like I was 5 or something my mom had an event that changed a lot. She stayed with her parents and would visits us. My grandparents would help out and no one really ever explained what happened to her but she lived there for like a year, she did move back in with us. My dad got her a cat to cope while she was away. The speculation is she had really bad post partum depression and had a break down. The reason I believe this/and this is my own theory, was when I was struggling mentally, my mom encouraged me to go to a therapist and they asked family history and she said she had struggled with depression/episodes and had tried medication but never stayed on. She just said when she was younger she had a hard time regulating emotions, and she wants me to worry about me and my own emotions. The post patrum comes from the fact that I asked my dad why did you two have kids and he admitted he wanted kids and my mom was more on the fence. I also find it weird she gets really nervous around Mother’s Day and will often try to not celebrate. (She always says she could be a better mom)

My mom is a good mom don’t get me wrong. She’s always encouraged my sister and I to try and do our hobbies. She’ll drive us where we gotta go. I know she works overtime when she wants to make sure we can do stuff for the family. It’s just sometimes, she seems more like a distant mom. She’ll listen to us, do anything asked, but idk how to put it into words.

But she really loves this cat. And I do love our cat too, but this cat and my mom are bonded. The second my mom comes home and the cat greets her and my mom picks her up and kisses her. She calls the cat her pretty princess and a hundred other nicknames. She calls me my dad and sister honey, bunny, and sunny. I know the cat actually makes my mom happy. Her eyes light up when she sees the cat. I know she looks forward to coming home to the cat. When we go on vacations she’ll miss the cat, or if she goes on a work trip she’ll always ask for pictures of the cat or ask to see the cat on FaceTime. She throws a small birthday party for the cat every year and makes a cake. For our birthdays she’ll ask what we want and sometimes she resorts to store bought desserts.

So this is where it gets bad. Our cat is now sick and probably has a year left to live. The vet told my mom she’s a good cat owner and has always done right for her, but with her age, treatment isn’t really the route because it’s not gonna prevent death, so just focus on making the cat happy and comfortable (this vet appointment was her 6 month check up.) My mom hasn’t been doing well mentally. She’s always struggled with mental health. She just seems to have a shakey mind at times if that makes sense. She very much before would hide her struggles, but we knew she’d have them. Before she would like stand still just gripping the counter with one hand. Now my mom is definetly depressed. She will come home be greeted by the cat, and go to her room and cry with the cat. She’s been just not happy.

My sister and I kinda decided to see if telling her we got good grades would cheer her up, and she’ll say good job and will sometimes offer to cook something or get something for us, but her eyes are just like very tired. (There is also an app she can use to check out grades but she never once used it and will just take our word face value) We’ve talked to my dad about this and he basically said that our mom has always loved animals (she use to work with her grandpa at a pet store he owned, but apparently her grandpa wasn’t a good person to most people in the family except her, so that was hard on her). I asked my dad what he thinks and says it’s normal for someone to be sad about this and that he’s gonna work hard or make sure we get all our needs handled. Which is nice, but I kinda wish it was my mom. I don’t feel dire need of anything, I’m just annoyed/jealous a cat can destroy my mom mentally.

My mom has gone over load for the cat. She cooks for her, makes her dinner buys the best food and mixes then. She often cries while cooking, and asks the cat if she likes the food.The cat doesn’t even know what’s happening.

I was looking at prom dresses online and asked my mom to look with me and she was just out of it. She would just say she’d like one or she’s not a fan but don’t let that discourage me. She’s just kinda lifeless. I try talking to her about it and she’ll aplogize and says she’ll get better. (It’s been like a week)

It boiled over when my mom’s sisters came over. (She’s the youngest. One sister has kids and one doesn’t) My mom tried to be happy and perky but ended up crying about the cat. Her sisters kinda said that she’s gotta be strong for her family and my mom just cried saying everything’s gonna be so much harder without the cat. I wasn’t in the room, they were in the basement, and there’s a vent where you can hear everything down there. My sister and I do easedrop to see what they say (her sisters are loud but we can never hear what my mom is saying without the vent. Normally we do it because my mom is a more different interesting person and again we don’t know our mom well. Away from us she kinda puts down the facade and actually talks). I was just angry. Her life isn’t hard. We’re middle class, if she wants to go to therepy she can afford it. We all deal with grief and loss. Yes I’m gonna be sad when our cat passes, but she is an older cat. I don’t imagine my life becoming “harder” other than my mom being depressed, but she is an adult who will heal from this.

After her sisters left and she was doing her night routine, I asked her if she loves the cat more than my sister and I. She said that’s not true and if she could do something more for my sister and I please name it. I told her that that’s the problem is that she does stuff for the cat without thinking, but for us it’s all asking us and she’s the adult she should know. She’s said she’s not a mind reader and she’s gonna rely on the information I give her to help me out where she can. I went to my room because ovbiosuly that conversation wasn’t going anywhere. I feel like my mom understands a cat more than her own daughter.

My dad came in a little while after and we talked. He assured me my mom loves me and this cat has been like an emotional support animal through the years. He mentioned my one friend who has an emotional support dog and compared them and told me that the cat has helped my mom emotionally with emotional regulation and just helps her steady herself. I asked if we were enough, or if my mom regrets having a family and she would just be happier if she just left us for the cat and lived by herself. My dad told me she loves all of us, but depression can be hard to navigate. I asked him about how he wanted us more than our mom and he just said that he was more excited, but my mom wouldn’t have had us unless she wanted us (which I don’t think is totally true.)

I went into my parents room and my mom was there with the cat. Again going to the cat for comfort. I told her I was sorry for saying she loved the cat more than us and she apologized for how her treatment towards the cat can seem that way and if I ever need anything please ask. It made me mad because she again is relying on me to know what’s wrong/ or ask, instead of her just idk taking initiative. I didn’t say that.

I get people can be mentally ill, but she’s also my mom. I do feel bad about telling my mom she loves a cat more than me, but I also don’t feel too reassured.

#aita #am i the asshole

[gffa]

Hey, hi, cool, so I just thought, for no reason that I can think of at this particular time, you all might want to fall back into the Kalluzeb rabbit hole with me, especially since they didn't get onscreen resolution for the desperate need I had for them to kiss, so fic is here to help solve that for us. Also feelings. So many, many feelings. And delicious mutual pining and hilarity of two idiots who clearly want to bang each other, with the knowledge that Zeb eventually will totally get his man (Steve Blum said so!!! just like that!!!) which makes it fun to watch two dumbasses circle each other around. Or finally give in because there's definitely a lot of giving in. Anyway, yes, have some STAR WARS REBELS fic, centered on Kallus and Zeb just because I thought it would be a fun side trip today. No reason! Just seemed like the thing to do, is all! STAR WARS REBELS KALLUZEB FIC RECS: ✦ A Lasat Walks into a Bar by Holderisms, zeb/kallus, the mandalorian spoilers, 1.3k    After speaking with Teva, Zeb gets a drink. Even when someone is waiting on him. ✦ Eudaemonia by Bur, zeb/kallus, 7.9k    Alexsandr never expected to find peace more terrifying than war. ✦ Hoth is (Not) for Lovers by bar2d2s, zeb/kallus, 1.2k    Hoth is cold and Kallus is miserable. Set only just before Empire Strikes Back. ✦ Falling in Love with the Right Now (Poster Boy) by akaparalian, (pre-)zeb/kallus & ghost crew, 1.6k    Somewhere out there in the galaxy, there's a rebel propaganda artist who deserves a raise. ✦ It Works on You by Kereea, zeb/kallus, 3.2k    Humans and lasats can have very different ideas about what's attractive. Zeb and Kallus still tend to line up by each other's standards. ✦ Warmth by icarus_chained, zeb/kallus, 1.6k    Zeb and Kallus, in the aftermath of Zero Hour. Someone needs to put Kallus back together, or near as can be managed. ✦ Mating Rituals by Velvedere, zeb/kallus & sabine & cast, 4.7k    Zeb has been acting weird lately. Kallus vents to Sabine about it. ✦ in your warmth I forget how cold it can be by dykeannebonny, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 3.6k    "Are you going to kiss me, Garazeb Orrelios?" Alex's lips were parted; he inhaled deeply through his mouth. "I'm thinkin' about it," Zeb said quietly. ✦ What We Want by TheTrashMan (Viraaja), Viraaja, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 12k    Kallus and Zeb realize what it is they want from each other: sex, obviously. ✦ Falling in Love with the Right Now (Poster Boy) by akaparalian, zeb/kallus & phoenix crew, 1.6k    Somewhere out there in the galaxy, there's a rebel propaganda artist who deserves a raise. ✦ The Care and Keeping of Ex-Imperials Who Need Coffee, a Nap, and a Hug in That Order by akaparalian, kallus & phoenix crew (& some zeb/kallus), 8.8k    Five Ghost crew members who helped Alexsandr Kallus, and one who he helped in return. ✦ In the Middle of the Night by bar2d2s, hera & kallus (background kanan/hera & zeb/kallus), 1.8k    When one member of your self-made family is pregnant, you’re all pregnant. ✦ Celestial Navigation by ambiguously, zeb/kallus, 1.7k    Kallus doesn't understand why Zeb's not sad. ✦ Untitled Rebels Fic by Mirror and Image, zeb/kallus & cast, 11.6k    Kallus, on Yavin IV, sees a Lasat that isn't Zeb. Things go as expected. ✦ When we have peace by apocrypha73, zeb/kallus, 2.9k    After the Battle of Endor, Kallus and Zeb enjoy the celebration. ✦ The Last Parking Spot on Lovers' Lane by ambiguously, zeb/kallus & hera & cast, 3.7k    All Zeb wants is to find a nice quiet spot to make out. This is not as easy as it should be. ✦ Speculation by Nana, zeb/kallus & ap-5, 1k    "AP-5," Kallus said, "are you under the impression that Captain Orrelios and I are involved, romantically?" "It is common knowledge at the base, sir. You don't have to deny it just because I am a droid." ✦ roisters by spookykingdomstarlight, zeb/kallus, 1.8k    For once, he is willing to put aside his thoughts and act. “Garazeb,” he says, because he is the only one who calls Zeb by his full name and because he’s noticed the way Zeb’s fur ripples in pleasure after he says it and somewhere in the back of his mind he knows that means something. “A word?” ✦ in this world by xpityx, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 2.1k    It had been eight months. Eight months since he'd last seen Alex in person. He'd still been Kallus then, had still been convinced that the Ghost crew were taking him to his executioners. ✦ The Sea Has Ten Thousand Names by ambiguously, zeb/kallus, 2.6k    Living on a new planet is hard when you don't know the language. ✦ Date Night by ambiguously, zeb/kallus & kanan/hera & jacen, 1.7k    Asking your not-boyfriend out on a date is even harder when he's stuck babysitting for his friends. ✦ Heard It in a Love Song (Can't Be Wrong) by ambiguously, zeb/kallus, 2.7k    Kallus can't quite figure out what makes Zeb tick, but he keeps trying. ✦ a more than mutually beneficial agreement by wrennette, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 3.1k    It takes a while, getting ex-Agent Kallus to open up. ✦ Another Mission, Another Mess by icarus_chained, zeb/kallus & kanan/hera & ghost crew, 6.5k    Kallus has been slowly intergrating into the crew when the Ghost is assigned to a normal supply run. The mission goes south, as it usually does, Zeb takes a hit, Kallus doesn't take it well, and the rest of the crew try to pick of the pieces. Another mission, another mess. Just another day on the Ghost. ✦ Rebel Teamwork by sempaiko, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 4.9k    How many Rebels does it take to screw in a lightbulb? ✦ Unscheduled Contact by Kala_Sathinee, zeb/kallus & cast, NSFW, 3.4    During a rescue mission, Zeb gets stranded aboard the Chimaera when it jumps to hyperspace. He and Kallus make the most of the time. ✦ just another damn of the damns you're not giving by shades, zeb/kallus & cast, NSFW, 6.8k    The thing is, Zeb’s handsy. ✦ taste of pleasure by wrennette, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 1.2k    The one where Zeb follows through on his idea of fucking Sasha full of come and then eating him out until he cries ✦ Scent Blind by Rachello344, zeb/kallus & cast, NSFW, 4.4k    Alexsandr has been avoiding Zeb since he joined the Rebellion in full, convinced that prolonged contact with the Lasat will prove his undoing. As long as Zeb smells so unfathomably good, he’ll never be able to speak with him casually, especially now that there are no other divides between them. If only Zeb had gotten the memo that Alexsandr was doing this for both their sakes. Unfortunately, it seems Zeb can’t, or won’t, take a hint. ✦ In Your Orbit by LoveCrumb, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 3.2k    After wanting to touch Zeb for so long, Alex reaches up and runs his hands down Zeb’s wide chest. The fur there, like much of his body, is short and thick; it feels velvety as Alex strokes downward, and more textured and coarse on the upstroke. ✦ We Belong Way Down Below by Mithrigil, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 1.6k    Zeb runs into Kallus on a routine mission. He doesn't know how that resulted in both of them getting off, but he's not complaining. ✦ ibac jaon by wrennette, zeb/kallus, nsfw, 3.9k    Fulcrum had given up on being found. ✦ Cogs by ambiguously, zeb/kallus, 1.1k    "You brought him home. That makes him yours." ✦ ever so patiently by Anonymous, zeb/kallus, NSFW, 21.2k    Lasat have very peculiar mating habits. No one thought to tell Kallus about that. or: Kallus is the last one to find out he’s being courted.

#alexsandr kallus #garazeb orrelios #kalluzeb #the mandalorian spoilers #fic recs #star wars fic recs

[majaloveschris]

I don't like her, but that girl has been pregnant since November 2021// well they’re married now so it is different. Chris has stated for years how he wants a family. I don’t get why people think it’s “obsessing” to speculate that she’s pregnant. It’s the next step for them. I know not every couple has children but HE wants them, he’s said so many times.

It's not different. People have talked about and stated she's pregnant since the NYC pap walk. At this point, it is an obsession, and some people weirdly want her to be pregnant. Why exactly? I don't say this because I don't think this is real, but because it's weird to keep talking about whether she is expecting or not.

Some people decided that it's the next step for them, but I can't recall either of them saying that they are trying for a baby or something like that, and what others say doesn't really matter. He's been saying for years now that he wants a kid, but him saying that could be simply because he tries to come across as a "hopeless romantic who wants a wife and a kid but a poor soul can't find the one for it." People lie, but celebrities lie even more. Just because he said he wants kids doesn't mean he actually does. The same goes for her.

And EVEN IF it's real and EVEN IF they got married, it doesn't mean they will have a kid together this year or ever. There are a lot of people who want kids, but the timing isn't right for them. And by the way, you said Chris wants it, and what about her? She is going to be the one carrying a baby for nine months, and so on. What if she doesn't want a kid right now or in the near future?

It's getting really annoying that people think that just because they "got married," she is immediately going to give birth to a child or that everything happens or not happens because she is pregnant, as if it were a sickness. If this is true and they are married, let them be.

But obviously, I don't think this is real.

#majaloveschris #chris and alba pr #chris and alba relationship #alba pregnancy rumor #cevans-love

[jaggedteeth]

as the u.s. tour comes to a close, i want to take a moment to talk about a phenomenon i’ve seen taking place within mcr internet fan spaces these last few months, my thoughts on it, and how i think it relates back to digital media literacy.

(before we start, i want to make it clear that i’m just some guy and i am definitely not the most qualified person to talk about this, but i think some of the things in this post really, really need to be said. my hope is not necessarily to change your mind or to “get you on my side,” but to encourage you to think critically and independently, even during your daily scroll on social media.)

————

so, what is this ominous phenomenon i’m talking about? i’m referring to some of the comments i’ve seen mcr fans make regarding gerard’s gender—specifically the public, speculative, and seemingly unironic ones that attempt to put a label or a semblance of a label on his gender nonconformity.

(i think now’s a good time to mention you should read this entire post before engaging with or commenting on it. stay with me. we’re in this together.)

here is a post that i think does a good job of explaining this a little more in-depth for anyone who’s out of the loop.

regardless of my personal opinions on all of this, i understand why it’s happening. much of mcr’s fanbase is trans and/or non-binary, and seeking out representation from familiar, comforting figures is not out of the ordinary. i don’t think anyone involved means harm, and this isn’t a callout post. i’m just adding to a discussion i think has been largely one-sided up until recently.

————

what is the point of me making this post? to put it bluntly, i disagree with how much of the discussion around gerard’s gender identity and expression is being conducted.

(again, please stay with me.)

what is it, specifically, that i disagree with? is it the celebration of gerard’s gender nonconformity? is it the possibility they might not identify, partially or wholly, with their gender assigned at birth? is it the joy their gender expression has inspired in many mcr fans?

no. it’s none of those things; not even close. i can’t even put into words how i, a gender nonconforming trans man, felt when gerard wore his cheerleader dress in nashville. it was a special moment and i was so happy to see him happy.

but something that bothers me about the “gender wars” narrative is the idea that anyone who’s not all-in is, if not an outright transphobe, someone with deep-rooted biases they need to work through. i haven’t seen this from everyone, but it’s floated around here and there.

nuance in conversations like this is incredibly important. the human experience is rarely black and white. and i believe the notion that it must be, especially when it comes to topics such as queer identity, largely stems from closed-mindedness and fear, conscious or unconscious.

i have certainly witnessed people online assert that gerard must be cis, and there’s no way he can’t be cis, implying if he ever identified as anything other than cis that would be bad and gross and weird. i strongly disagree with that viewpoint because it’s transphobic and gerard is a real person who none of us know personally who can do whatever the fuck he wants. in the same way, i disagree with the viewpoint that gerard must be trans, and there’s no way he can’t be trans, implying anyone who disagrees is a transphobe who refuses to pay attention. because gerard is a real person who none of us know personally who can do whatever the fuck he wants.

i’m aware gerard has also made comments in the past about his journey with gender identity, the connection he feels to women and femininity, and even his experimentation with drag while he was in college. he’s said he should be referred to with either he/him or they/them pronouns, he’s an earnest supporter of the trans community, and he’s historically rejected the sexist shithead rock-dude stereotype.

i’m not here to downplay any of those things, nor am i trying to invalidate anyone who has taken comfort in or identified with those things. just a couple of points i would like you to think about, though:

some cis people also question their gender identity and/or use multiple sets of pronouns for a multitude of reasons (i’m not saying gerard has to be cis, i’m just giving you an extra viewpoint to chew on);

i’ve personally met plenty of men or male-aligned people who strongly identify with women and femininity. i strongly identify with women and femininity and i’m still 100% a trans man and will throw anyone who tries to tell me otherwise directly into the sun (again, i’m not saying gerard must be a man or male-aligned);

gender nonconformity and transness are complex, nuanced topics. labels can be useful, but they are not a be-all-end-all;

and i’m going to be blunt here—assuming and/or declaring someone is transfem when they haven’t publicly referred to themselves as such, just because they are comfortable discussing their own femininity and sometimes have a feminine presentation and feminine mannerisms, is basically an upgraded form of gender essentialism and completely disregards the existence and experiences of amab cis-passing queer people and gender nonconforming people. i understand it’s a tough pill to swallow, but intent doesn’t always equal impact, and just because someone may not see it that way doesn’t mean that’s not what they’re doing.

even if gerard is transfem, he’s still a real person who has a right to privacy and autonomy, and he never has to publicly label himself if he doesn’t want to. no one is entitled to seek out the details of his identity, but least of all us, a bunch of strangers on the internet who will probably never have a full conversation with him.

not one of us is an “authority” or “expert” on gerard way or my chemical romance. we can learn about the band’s history and public personas or laugh at the funny, quirky parts of their lore or cry when we think about how far they’ve come in the public eye, but what gives us the right to dig into every tiny crevice of gerard’s work and interactions and public existence searching for “clues” as to whether or not he’s trans? what gives us the right to label his gender identity for him—a process that is incredibly personal? i know “parasocial” is basically just another hollow internet buzzword at this point, but let’s not forget the very real consequences that parasocial relationships can certainly have.

do i think it would be fucking awesome if gerard came out as trans tomorrow? absolutely. do i also think it’s fucking awesome that they’re an older gnc person? that so many queer people have discovered and accepted themselves in part because of them? that they now exude joy onstage and bravely dress and act the way they do? one million times yes. and we can celebrate those real, concrete, factual things without tinhatting, overstepping boundaries, or jumping to conclusions. if they were to come out as trans tomorrow, that wouldn’t invalidate any of my arguments or make the behavior i’m critiquing acceptable, because the point isn’t about whether or not gerard is trans, the point is about how some of mcr’s fanbase is treating them.

gerard has uplifted and respected us time and time again without even knowing us as individuals. so i want you to take a moment to sincerely reflect and ask yourself this question: where is our respect for him?

————

alright. i’m glad you’re still here. let’s talk about what can actually be done about this.

i think a lot of this problem boils down to a lack of critical thinking. yes, that’s thrown around a lot as a clapback on this website, but i don’t mean it as an insult. we’re all guilty of not thinking critically, myself included. especially in the age of the internet, it’s impossible to be perfect all the time, when we’re bombarded with information from every angle.

this is why learning about and consistently practicing media literacy is so important. it’s something i’m passionate about because i’ve seen firsthand, time and time again, how it can make or break a person and their worldview, to the point that i spent hours writing about it for my upper-level journalism courses (before i dropped out lol) and worked for two semesters as an editor for a college newspaper.

if these conversations about gerard were happening in private group chats between friends who already know one another, my opinions on the topic itself would still stand, but it wouldn’t be any of my business and i obviously wouldn’t think to write an entire post about it. but everything changes when these discussions are had on a public platform with little regard for nuance.

“misinformation,” or the unintentional spread of false information—not to be confused with disinformation, where the person spreading it knows what they’re saying isn’t true—might not be a totally accurate descriptor for some of what’s going on here, honestly. none of us can prove what gerard is thinking or feeling. but based on what we do know, what he’s publicly and concretely shared with us, i think it’s as close as we can get. a lot of the posts i’ve seen don’t read to me as “hehe funny celebrity headcanon that’s obviously just for fun.” or even “i relate to this person’s art and/or publicized experiences, but i understand i don’t know them and at least some of that is just projection.” rather, they seem to make invasive leaps and use inaccurate vocabulary while simultaneously taking themselves very, very seriously, and that concerns me more than if a random tumblr user was just trolling to start fandom drama or something.

to put things into perspective, this is why every single one of my journalism professors drilled it into my head that you have to get your news from multiple sources. those sources must have differing perspectives and you need to look at every single one with a critical eye, no matter how trustworthy they may seem (listen, i get it’s way more complicated than that and i could go off on a whole other tangent about the glaring problems with mainstream news media in the united states and not in a cringefail right-wing way, but this is an mcr blog, so let’s just focus on the basic principle here).

obviously, i don’t think anyone should engage with transphobes unless it’s for the sake of making stronger counter-arguments, because their beliefs are provably harmful and false. but someone making good-faith criticisms of speculating about a stranger who has not publicly come out as trans and/or non-binary is markedly different. i’m not the only person who’s written something like this, and i encourage everyone to seek out similar posts and think about the points they’re making, even if you don’t agree with every single one of them.

this speculative commentary on gerard’s identity has spread like wildfire and created a polarizing echo chamber, from what i’ve seen. i understand why. but it’s still deeply worrying to me. seeing as this is primarily happening on tumblr, i’m concerned less because i think gerard will ever see or care about these posts (that’s obviously still important, though), and more because of what this says about how people in mcr fanspaces view celebrities they feel strongly about and engage with information they see online at large.

please do research on digital media literacy, and please use reputable sources with authority on journalism and communications to do so. don’t take what you see on social media at face value. don’t trust any one social media user to feed you commentary or shape your viewpoints, and that includes me. read with a critical eye. think about the possible implications and intentions behind the words other people use, big or small, and why those might be there. be aware of your own biases and blindspots. remember that you’ll never be perfect, not even close. and while you’re at it, learn more about the experiences of gnc people, and the experiences of queer people of all different ages, backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, perspectives, lived experiences, etcetera. if you can, engage in diverse irl lgbtq+ spaces. they put things into perspective in a way the internet never will.

but i still use tumblr in 2022, so what do i know?

————

if there’s anything you think i overlooked or misconstrued in this post, tell me! i want this to be a living, breathing conversation, not a monologue. these are important issues and they deserve our time and attention. thank you so much for reading.

#terfs and truscum don't fucking touch this post btw you're not welcome in this conversation or anywhere near my blog #tumblr like fucked up the spacing between words for some reason but man idc anymore i've already been working on this for way too long #mcr #my chemical romance #gerard way

[sterekdyke]

Okay but I can’t stop thinking about girl!Jake (Jake Bradley and ice and mav all as women, everyone else can be canon gender I guees), fighting tooth and nail to get on the boys football team in high school and killing it on the field and then putting on a cute little sun dress and being all charming country cowgirl esque and all the boys love her and the girls don’t know what to do with her, but she bonds with girls over ‘girly’ things (which she genuinely does love) and with boys about sports and how her brothers taught her to fix cars, and the whole school would fuck her if she let them. But she won’t…

But Jake wants to fly planes, and she can’t do that if she’s out, so she makes out with her gal pals at sleep overs and complains to her best friend Javy. He and her joke that Jake should have been into men so they could be together, but they both are ride or die and understand that their friendship is just as important as any future partners they may have.

Jake falls in love with a woman who’s a little older than their cohort and always wears dumb Hawaiian shirts and has these stupid curls and long long legs. Bradley clearly has some big attachment issues and is incredibly avoidant one minute and then when they’re alone she’s all over Jake. Sure, they have to be careful of DADT, but women are allowed to physical in a way men aren’t, so what gives?? The only person Jake sees Bradley be affectionate with without reservation is Natasha Trace and it makes Jake want to set her own plane on fire. Why can’t Jake and Bradley cuddle in the rec room the way Bradley and Nat do? It would be fine…

So she flies like she’s on fucking fire, just like her hero (and ‘celebrity’ crush) Maverick (one of the first female fighter pilots, one of the best pilots ever) and unknowingly triggers the fuck out of Bradley who pushes her away further. Jake tells Bradley she loves her before graduation, Bradley tells her they have to choose flying or each other, and she doesn’t want to ask that of Jake, so she chose for them. She wants Jake to fly and forget they ever were more than friends.

Javy, being besties with Jake, has no reservations with hitting women in a fist fight, which he makes very clear to Bradley after she breaks Jake’s heart. Bradley ruins the satisfaction by basically saying please hit me and crying all over Javy, who is just too weirded out by measured and detached (when it comes to Jake) Bradley Bradshaw sobbing about how everything always ends and people always die or lie or get torn away and Javy better fucking punch her lights out and promise to make sure Jake is happy and in the sky and he better fucking promise not to mention this conversation to Jake. Javy calls Nat to come get Bradley. He doesn’t punch her in the face like she so desperately wants him to. It seems to earn Javy brownie points with Nat.

Jake doesn’t learn about that conversation for many years. She does learn other things though. DADT ends and her other lifelong hero Admiral Tomaszi ‘Iceman’ Kazansky comes out in the aftermath, as a lesbian (which, duh have you seen that woman’s frosted tipped flat top????). Iceman gets a lot of flack from all ranks, but her achievements speak for themselves and Jake is in total awe. In the release Kazansky spoke of the harm DADT had done her community and her family, and she hoped it was a step forward. She mentioned a partner, and there was a slew of speculation, but Jake was too busy getting laid to give it much thought. She sent Bradley a text, one of solidarity and excitement: “if THE ICEMAN can come out so can we 🎉” Bradley leaves her on read. Jake gets the hint. Etc etc…

I have more weird lesbian brain worms, but idk if I’ll keep going or write this, but HANGSTER AS LESBIANS WHY HAS NO ONE DONE IT????

#tgm #tgm fanfiction #hangster #lesbian hangster #there are icemav vibes duh and some javynat #top gun maverick #female!jake #female!bradley #jake seresin #bradley Bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #bradley rooster bradshaw #javy coyote machado #lesbian iceman #m writes #lesbians of top gun

[dearweirdme]

genuine question: do you guys not think it's incredibly unhealthy to sit online speculating about literal strangers' sexualities all day? do y'all not see how grossly disrespectful that is just as a general concept? these are people none of you have EVER met or spent ANY actual personal time with. they don't know you and therefore have never disclosed details about their romantic life bc it isn't your business??? what gives ANY OF YOU the right to hyper analyze everything they do to attribute it to their sexuality? i'm trying to understand how you all could possibly say you love them but don't have enough respect for any of them to simply be fans of their music and leave this weird ship at the door. y'all hyperanalyze all their body language to confirm they're in love but ignore them mentioning how the comments section is never fun to look at (bc it's ALWAYS just shippers being stupidly unhinged) and the very obvious discomfort the shipping shit brings them. most of you shippers are straight women fetishizing. most of you shippers are larries who jumped ship when 1d disbanded. most of you are grown adults who need to get offline and get real hobbies that don't involve breaking down the potentiality of sexuality for people you literally don't know personally. how do all of you have so much audacity and so much time to think half-critically but no time at all to introspect on the level of sheer delusion you have to willfully exist in to perpetuate this narrative shamelessly? this is so sick. how do y'all not feel awful about all the blatant, obvious, perceivable stress you shippers cause them? why can’t y'all behave like actual people with empathy and ethics?

Hi anon!

You are not sending me a genuine question. If that had been your aim you would’ve worded your ask differently. I also wonder if you send asks like this to blogs and accounts who talk and speculate about their relationships with women.. because if you are not actually being homophobic right now.. that would be the same.

I understand the delicacy in this. Except for the part of tour ask that seems homophobic (and plain rude and extremely biased on many accounts) I can even understand you wanting people to stay out of their private business to some level. You want to protect them from harm and I very much applaud that, even though I think your reasoning is faulty in some ways. It is for instance nothing new or weird for fans to care for and be interested in the private lives of artists. It’s something that the artists themselves and their labels/companies also know and at times even feed into. It’s basically inherent to the fan/artist situation. It’s just human nature to be interested in things like this.. is that bad? I don’t know if a word like bad or good applies here.. it’s just human to me.

You look at all shippers and their ways as the same. I think there’s many different kinds of shippers. There’s definitely those that go way too far. People should never confront members themselves with these things. Don’t go in their comments with Taekook or Jkk mentions. Don’t bring banners to concerts, just.. don’t. Not to blow my own horn.. but I would never! Also the constant searching for proof in the tiniest things… it’s so unnecessary and it makes people look crazy and (!) it takes away from the seriousness that this situation brings with it. Which brings me to my reason for talking about this.

Aside from thinking Tae and Jk are super cute and adorably in love, there’s the underlying issue of queerness still not being socially accepted in so many places all around the world. I think it’s important to talk about these things (even as a straight adult, because the more people talk about these things.. the more influence we have in making things better for the future). If no one was to ever talk about celebrities being closeted or closeting in general.. there would be no progress. I am fairly sure about what I have seen between Tae and Jk.. I am also fairly sure that they are not ashamed about their queerness. That is why I talk about this. I feel I am doing this in a respectful way. There’s things I do not discuss (sexual stuff) because I feel that’s in general not useful for the conversation.

I am not willing to take responsibility for other Tkkrs behavior though. I talk about things for myself and for my own reasons. I like to think everyone is able to think for themselves and be responsible for the way they interact in fandom. I am my own person though.. I do not rile up Tkkrs to go leave annoying comments anywhere.

Mostly though.. I am talking about love, anon. The difference between you and me is that to you them being straight is the default and to me it is not. Your ‘speculation about sexuality’ feels harmful to me.. because it’s love that we talk about.. I really hate the notion that there’s a difference between same sex love and straight love for you.

#fandom shenanigans #also #this is tumblr #taekook

[neoncat666]

extremely long shadows over welde character analysis post

by extremely long i mean its fucking 3k words cause I go too silly.

Spoilers up to ep 8 and its mostly rambles so apolocheese. I also posted this on my twitter so if u saw it there here's an actual text version LOL

Argentum:

Oh my god. You are soooo…… First of all, in the story we’ve gotten this. Argentum is a strong headed, curious person who is a bit stubborn and holds themself at a bit of a graceful appearance on the outside. They are smart, witty, but also a bit of a temper especially when it comes to frankly a little stupid ideas. They are also kind and care for others. We were shown from the beginning that they enjoy their work and meeting fans and even with people they just met are willing to help them stay safe. Also they’re a little dumb. Sometimes curiosity overrides rational thinking and that was shown when they touched the weird fucking webbing in the cave and also that ENTIRE plan when there was the confrontation between Vhaeraun and Lolth which was fucking actually crazy. This isn’t even beginning to talk about the head friend. I am constantly thinking about that voice and who that could be. Brings us speculation around them. Argentum is not human, or at least fully human. Their eyes are def not human and Hayden is a silly lil guy who would pull a trick like that. There was one speculation on them possibly being a Kalashtar and I think it could fit but honestly for now it hasn’t been on my forefront. I also bought the inscriptor class finally and was looking at how possibly they were built. What stats what subclass ect. I don’t fucking know.. Now you might be asking “Hey why don’t you just ask?” CAUSE IM SCARED. But honestly cause I wanted to see if I could figure it out myself lmao. It boiled down to either Mystery or Historian subclass is what Snail helped me narrow to. Could be wrong tho. There’s also little tidbits about Argentum that have come from outside the sessions like when I asked if they had a canonical birthday cause “celebrating fictional characters birthdays is cringe” “fuck you happy birthday argentum” is funny. Still honestly wanna know if any of the party has canon birthdays. I got hit with the “Oh they don’t know their own birthday.” and then swindled. There was also the discussion on Hayden’s pcs never really having parents or family and Argentum was included in that list which more or less got confirmed in session this episode (7). I still don’t know their motives, still don’t know their relationships with others because it seems everyone is connected to someone except Argentum, and I still don’t know who their patron is and if that is the same as the voice in their head. Love the silly though

Phoenix:

Fifi….. Not much was known about you until today and holy shit did it rock my world. Before we had known he was the apprentice to Ipswich and was sent in his place as guest of honor. We also then found out he was a spy working on tailing Lolth and that’s kinda all we knew about Phoenix for a bit, at least heavy lore wise. He’s a sarcastic, witty, bitch and I love him so much. I could never surpass Snail as Phoenix Enjoyer but it’s close. We learned a bit more during the nightmare drink sequence where he met his patron and got his powers fucking zapped. A couple things stood out to me from it. How his patron looked and specific wording from Phoenix. We know Ipswich isn’t mortal anymore but Phoe had said something along the lines of “I’d get my ass kicked and be right back here the next day.” He is surrounded by death or even just the undead. His patron deals in undead magic and I don’t think if Phoenix gets knocked down he wouldn’t be back again looking all fine the next day. We don’t know his patron’s name which like. Fuck. but lmao. Anyways Ipswich is tracking him like crazy and says he has this important quest although we don’t know a lot of Phoe’s thoughts and feelings on what he’s doing. To me it almost seems like he’s a tool or pawn for others and idk if I can fully call him a good person. Doing a bit of research into his pact and such it seems that he’s just going to possibly lose more and more humanity as he gets stronger but also i couldn’t tell you how much he has already. There’s also the whole cousins and throne thing that got dropped this episode. It seems his family is also involved with this whole scheme but Phoe is the favourite of the bunch. The idea that he could possibly be royalty was also thrown around and i think if he was like secret prince it would be from a large family all vying for a throne or he is working with Ipswich and others to usurp the current ruler and take the power for himself. Although knowing Fifi it’ll probably be like a secret third option. Not much except he’s so 90s movie older sister to me and the fact Ipswich runs a school for swindlers which is kinda funny.

Sunder:

Babygirl. Pookie. Love of my life who I want to kill me. God. This is now my love letter to you. I saw you across the bar and thought you were sooo scary and I’ve been enraptured ever since. Anyways that’s a freak. He’s not the most talkative and seems more lonely despite everything. They’re funny, loyal, kind, and ruthless. We didn’t get much for Sunder for a bit until mostly the shopping episode. We learned a bit through Kelly and the nightmare drink of what makes up Sunder but it didn’t really culminate until the head crushing I would say. Honestly I don’t even care I just fucking love the way Sunder is played. Like I’m sitting here trying to find words that aren’t just I think he’s neat cause I do think analyzing him is intriguing. They’re going to get angry and they’re going to get violent and you are not safe. It’s something that was so surprising at first because of how much Sunder kind of fell into the background. The nightmare drink gave us the first look at this, that Sunder had apparently killed someone, a kid even, but a lot of their violence was played off as a joke by the community, I know I did. Learned today that the person in that nightmare was Ilmater and it shows that she wasn’t lying when she said that visions and nightmares of this accident are a plague. I believe them when they say it was an accident and idk how young they were but to harbor that from a young age will fuck you up. Their morals are something that intrigues me i would say the most. No trouble in murder although I assume that’s more or less towards people who piss him off or are generally bad people. He’s kind hearted and that’s shown a lot especially with this last interaction I’d say. I still need to like rewatch a lot of parts of it but “we were just kids” genuinely fucking rocked me to my core and it got me i won’t lie. We’re still very early in but idk, I want to see Sunder truly happy and not haunted by the ghosts of their past. I feel this was most likely the first step but it’s hard to say as we go forward. I think violence and blood will always follow it’s just how they choose to take it.

The Wall:

I think now Wall is the character we know the least about, at least to me. We know his duty to Eilistraee and his duty to Zephrael and also his little foodie quirks (love him dearly) but outside of that I don’t think we know a lot. He’s the character I have the least notes for now but I do know this. He is loyal to a fault, a little dense, kind, and revels in battle and violence. I think about his nightmare and the fear of losing her and the sword then what happened to this episode. He’s had this since he was a child and then he had this dream, this trip to the beastland plane and looked Eilistraee in the eye and fought her. I believe he still loves her, cares for her, but I also think it has changed since that episode no doubt. Rewinding a bit, I think a bit about him being told he has to be pure of heart in order to wield the sword. What does pure of heart truly mean? Wall loves fighting and murder. He actively committed torture. Also he’s the bodyguard for an objectively bad man. There’s the argument of his intentions are pure although I doubt you can do a lot of what he did and have those intentions be fully pure. It’s just something I think about more than probably a normal person should teehee. Anyways the conversation he and Rae had at the beginning of this session should classify as psychological warfare cause I genuinely do not think I’m ever going to recover. I have been talking about it for weeks how they are the chosens, favored, by literal enemies and seem to have some sort of hit on them by a couple of deities now. I thought about how it might affect relationships and how Wall views them. We know he’s very loyal but I always wondered how far he would need to be pushed before that is broken. Seems like an extreme amount. His morals are probably what intrigue me the most tbh. I’d kill to know what his alignment is LMAO. Most of all I just really love the Wall because he is goofy and silly but he also isn’t a stupid brick wall that doesn’t know anything and I really enjoy seeing the times he gets to explain things. Fuck it we Wall.

Zephrael:

Okay so this will be the longest one cause I’m biased and yes Zephrael is my favourite. I always feel a little bad when it comes to that and showing that favouritism because I truly do love the entire party so much. This hit me the most when the show was just starting out and I did feel like I needed to show how much I loved each character and not just focus on Rae lol. I hope this thread can at least show that (if you even make it this far) Anyways Zephrael is a fucking freak and I love him so much. I’ve done multiple posts on him before and yeah Im gonna repeat some of it here i wont lie. Right out the gate we probably learn the most and yet the least about Rae’s past and present. He is an emissary for the reformed church of Lolth and an honored guest. He had known about Edo’s work before and talked about how it had helped with relations between the public and the reformed church. This means everything and nothing to us. But it does show that despite Rae’s… oddness, he is extremely well spoken when he wants to be and I think about that speech a lot. The next few episodes gave us some more information yet also a lot more questions. These weird pains that seem to predict disasters, the extreme phobia of spiders despite being a paladin of Lolth, and his both egotistical yet self deprecating attitude. It was fascinating to watch him because he clashed but never in a way that made him irredeemable and I’ll go more into that at the end section. A few early things I thought about a lot before the catalyst that was the nightmare drink were who the reformed church was, where did Zephrael come from, why was he chosen as this ambassador, and why he didn’t know undercommon but knew abyssal. These are still questions I have to this day LMAO. The nightmare drink vision I possibly overanalyze the most next to Phoenix’s. It stood out due to the fact that it wasn’t, bad. Rae could see again, he saw his father and best friends again, he got told he was going to learn the truth again. Why was this considered a bad thing? Everyone else experienced horrors and regrets yet Zephrael got sorrow. It jumpstarted the part aasimar Rae theory tho. Angel imagery Rae makes me clinically insane I won’t lie and his father having these large wings and bright white light did not help. There’s the big question of what he is and also how he joined the church. Hell, even how he feels about the church as well, truly at least. During one of the hiatuses fandom went crazy and Snail Snailmuds dropped out of nowhere that the runes on Rae’s body weren’t just random but fucking translated abyssal that said “PAIN CHAOS POWER” which first of all goes hard second of all what the fuck.

Theory crafting for Zephrael always feels like climbing uphill and also being constantly shot at cause every time something happens with that man it turns out to be a secret third thing going on oh mygod. Anyways I’ve discussed whether or not he was forced into this church, was kidnapped, born into it, ect because at the end of the day, he seems to very much be a tool or pawn for this church and/or Lolth. Also the whip being an artifact of Lolth or whatever they’re called again I forgot??? What the fuck dude. ALSO HIM SLEEPING IN BATHTUBS????? Grizzly has said this will make sense later but genuinely what the fuck there is something wrong with him. Moving on, revelation about the tattoos comes out and we get the torture episode. Well we get the holy shit they just killed those guys begining and then torture. First of all, I cheered louder than anyone else when Rae actually did fucking combat instead of running away and also the fact he can use his whip. Anyways dumb and dumber torture a guy and first of all the lay on hands to keep him alive during torture was insane and I hope to see it again in anything and it’s also where it’s learned that the tattoos on him were “forcibly engraved” which was honestly brushed off and a lot happened that I think most people forgot but I didn’t cause I’m crazy. Anyways moving on from THAT we get the typical Rae. Dodging questions when Argentum tries to interrogate him and also dunno if he’s just fuckin lying or not when he does actually answer them.

Episode 6 and 7 are where I think Rae slightly pivots. Not really noticeable but he feels a little more, close. It was also a change I noticed with the cast and I think that helped a lot of character dynamics as well. Rae’s stupid beef with Argentum was so fucking funny and I do think about him wanting to heal Sunder before himself after the Bulette because if he heals Sunder, how would that help him. Yes they’re his bodyguard but the monster is dead and it’s not like Sunder can heal him back. It was a decision that I think was the most different for Rae because he was shown to care deeply for Wall but not so much the others as much. He still doesn’t care for the others as much as he does The Wall but I do think he has grown a fondness or care for the others whether he wants to or not. And thats the thing, I could not tell you if he does actually wanna care for them or not. Yes they are allies and help but he seems to try and keep things at a transactional level or how much power it may bring him. He still does but like his dynamic with Argentum seems closer cause the antagonizing feels more like siblings getting on each other’s nerves rather than a growing distance. I think Sunder also displaying that brutality may have put him more into Rae’s good books too. Anyways he read a fucking book huge day. Now he has even worse mommy issues. Ep 7 killed me with hammers but that was spoken about. His relationship with Wall is something that fascinates me though. Rae is selfish, it’s not hidden at all, yet he does seem to care deeply for Wall and almost defends him more than he would defend himself. It’s nice to see for this bodyguard and his charge dynamic but ep 7 spread some light on it and I do think their bond will outlive the will of the Gods but what do I know, I’m not anyone at that table. Zephrael is rude, odd, egotistical but also masochistic and does care deeply when he wants to and you don’t see that kind of character as much I wanna say. He’s my favourite cause his weird gnc swag enraptured me thats all he is post over.

Not actually over cause there’s one last thing. These characters would not be these characters without the wonderful players behind them. Each episode brings out better and better performances that have me actually going crazy over them. I genuinely wouldve had nothing to write about if it weren’t for the fact everyone brings so much life into these characters and loves them so much that they feel so fucking real. They don’t feel flat or simple but very nuanced characters that I love to study and even be wrong about (i actually hate being wrong and every time im wrong i get so ashamed) but Argentum’s flourishes and talks to get out of situations, Phoenix’s wit and holy shit that dread form voice, Sunder during the market fight and then the softer scene with Varic, Wall’s humor and even talking about the more serious stuff, and Zephrael’s ability to balance harshness and endearing at the same time. That’s Hayden, Leizu, Juzo, Ben, and Grizzly and I genuinely cannot fucking talk about the performances enough. I’ve thought about making a post just about it but I fear I just wouldn’t be able to articulate what I wanna say enough. Then obviously it wouldn’t even be possible without the fucking amazing world building and npcs Jonah has provided. Everything is so immersive and I find myself caring for each and every npc we meet whether caring for their safety or caring too much cause I dislike them. Every npc sticks with me and I grow so attached so quickly because they feel so real in this world that also feels so fucking real. It feels like we are just peeking into another world and I actually can’t multitask when watching sow cause I get too sucked in. It’s really hard to do that and I talk about it a lot but never really publicly so I thought I would here.

Anyways for real this time post over, this ended up way longer than I thought it was gonna be so ur a real one if you read this all the way through lol. I’m off to go think about sow merch again as I wait for permission and stuff cause im crazy. See ya later

#shadows over welde #argentum rillis #phoenix sow #sunder sow #the wall sow #zephrael sow #dm.txt

[psychic-refugee]

“You start by realising all these ridiculous childish theories and conspiracies are wasted time and energy and then just throw the chicken in the oven to be fair,” Louis wrote.

Back in 2017, Louis revealed in an interview with The Sun that the persistent theories about himself and Harry had affected their friendship.

Louis later added: “It created this atmosphere between the two of us where everyone was looking into everything we did.”

I do hope people in the Wednesday fandom, particularly Wenclairs, take this to heart. I am pointing Wenclairs out specifically, because from my own experience they are the ones who take the shipping beyond just the fictional duo of Wednesday and Enid to applying to their real-life counterparts of Jenna and Emma. The Wenclairs have been the most aggressive in their shipping and are the ones more likely to actually attack people over other ships.

I’m aware that Percy and Jenna have some speculation, but in my observation those shippers have not been weirdly aggressive about it.

Hunter and Jenna have not had any due to Hunter's homosexuality and husband.

In the brief time I was on IG, I was seeing comments of people declaring that Jenna was for sure a lesbian and they act as if they have insider knowledge. It’s weird and creepy.

I think when the “theories” are in their infancy, most can brush them off and even laugh about it. The actors might joke about it and even reference it in interviews. But then the theories become bigger, and people become more unhinged and start to cross boundaries. People create explicit art or fanfic and then tag the actors in it. They start fights in comment sections. It crosses a line and its sexual harassment, plain and simple.

Louis point blank says the Larries affected his friendship with Harry, and I don’t blame them for wanting to distance themselves from each other. I agree with Louis, it was super childish to press the issue.

Same with the “Gaylors” who were aggressive in saying she was a lesbian.

There are many reasons why people might stay in the closet. People have a right to keep certain things private. Hounding them for the “truth” shows a serious brainrot in our society. It’s especially disrespectful when the celebrities point blank deny the allegations and the rabid fans double down.

If we want actors to have at least cordial relationships with each other, much less have a friendship, then we have to cool it with the aggressive shipping, especially IRL shipping.

#larries #shipping wars #wenclairs #jenna ortega #emma meyers #percy hynes white #hunter doohan #harry styles #louis tomlinson

[charleslebatman]

I recently found your blog and kinda binge read on a few people last night so I have a few things to add in.

Charles and Alex being a PR relationship. In my opinion they totally are and one of the things I find more indicative of this than all the weird stuff already covered is that Pierre doesn’t follow Alex. Just hear me out a bit. I currently work for a sports pr company, not motorsports specific and certainly not formula one; but I’ve been here around 4-5 years now and certainly know how things work.

In this day and age, there are a variety of ways to do these “PR” relationships and I’ll say now that very few of them are two agencies (or the same one but two different people) playing little matchmaker for an actual relationship. Sometimes with the only moderately popular influencers we can hint at a relationship by sending them to the same hotel as a celebrity especially if they are at the same brand event - or, my favorite, have them post or “caught” at the same hotel a bit after being seen at the same event. The most common one’s you see (at least in my industry) is more like hey we recommend you be seen with someone that has this or this characteristic to serve that image we are either supporting or cultivating.

One of the things I see speculated a lot is well what does charles have to gain from seeing Alex? He gets protection from the effect that we are seeing Lando suffer from at the bare minimum. EVERY girl question, EVERY like analyzed, EVERY follow posted everywhere. By having an Alex he is creating that buffer. She also support the brand he cultivated under Charlotte. The good boyfriend. There’s a reason there’s rumors that she promoted the breakup because he needed her to constantly be around and serve the image of his girlfriend and not Charlotte the separate entity also dating Charles. That’s also one of the reasons I think Alex is private on Instagram. Or at least a perk being manipulated. She is only seen through association with Charles. She has no individual brand. Granted, with the separate art account she has certainly set herself up to be able to create one after they end if she desires.

She is quite literally around to be Girlfriend. And I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that she’s attractive and can get along with his friends. He’s probably fine being around her but certainly wouldn’t have chosen to fall in love with her. Like when you’re in school and constantly dating due to proximity.

Pierre not following her shows me that while she is around now, she won’t be forever. We’ve seen evidence that Pierre and Charles are pretty genuine friends and we know he’s interacted with her, his own chronically online girlfriend does. Why isn’t he?

I tried to keep this limited to just the stuff I haven’t really seen talked about, but again, I just found your blog so I haven’t been around for ages if you’ve already discussed last year.

Ciao 🌚

I hope you’ve no problem I’m calling bestie, cause I do it with every one who follow the blog. 😂

So, bestie it was so interesting! I’m glad you find the blog, I hope it wasn’t too annoying to read everything and all. Don’t hesitate to come back or to give some opinions if you disagreeing with something. As every besties are doing.

A bestie, discovered that Alexandra could be and certainly connected in a way of the ex monegasque minister calling André Saint-Mleux. Not directly as if he was her grand father, but more great uncle and indirectly connections with this family. Could be a PR reason too idk?

But thanks for this long ask, I love long ask 🫶

#pr anon #pr bestie

[wavememes]

celeb life

These were originally posted by the deactivated user herebememes. For all the RPC’s celebrity AU needs, with muses living the high life. Since these days the word “celebrity” is mostly shorthand for “big-name actors and actresses”, this is what this meme is centered around. For use with fictional characters only. Please do not use this for “Hollywood RPs”, or to otherwise portray real-life celebrities/public figures.

Getting Their Foot In The Door:

“You sure I have what it takes? What if the casting director laughs me out of the room?”

“I want to be an actor/actress.”

“I don’t even have an agent yet!”

“A lot of this world is who you know.”

“These headshots are old but I still look the same. Is that fine?”

“Nobody swears like entertainment industry people.”

“Knock ‘em dead, champ. You’re prepped and you’re so ready.”

“Yeah, I’ll run lines with you. Sure thing.”

“Entertainment is the one industry without a mandatory retirement age.”

“Listen, if you can handle having to be on set before the sun comes up and possibly not leaving until well after it goes down, then I think you can handle this industry.”

“You are a CEO of a company and your face is your brand. Remember that.”

Career Beginnings:

“I’m telling you this in confidence: I am doing this movie for the money. I have bills to pay. Personally, I think this script sucks.”

‘I can’t go into specifics, but I have this huge part in this upcoming movie by a big-name director. I think this could be it for me.”

“You need lawyers. All actors sign contracts and contracts are full of legal jargon.”

“I have no interest in a lot of money or fame. I just want to tell stories.”

“Tell me more about this project.”

“I got a couple auditions for you this week.”

“I got a callback! I’m going into the next round of auditions!”

“There’s multiple rounds of auditions for this project. It’s big. You can’t tell anybody about it until the company announces you if you get it.”

“There’s this certain big production company that’s big on secrecy of the highest order. They want you to come in and read for this character.”

“This could be your big break, kid!”

“Be ready to meet some really weird people in the acting world.”

Rise To Fame:

“I don’t think people realize how introverted most actors actually are. Acting is a very personal craft.”

“I have no life anymore! It’s just my job and whatever else I can squeeze the time in to do.”

“Now I understand why so many actors choose to not have kids.”

“It must suck having famous parents.”

“This press junket is going to take six freaking months!”

“That love of privacy you had before now? It’s gone. Forget about it. There’s no such thing as privacy for you anymore.”

On Privacy:

“I don’t discuss my personal life with the press.”

“I told my agent there’s an embargo on all non-work questions in interviews.”

“Some things have to stay sacred.”

“The paparazzi are the bane of my existence.”

“I’m glad we have something sacred. They don’t get to muscle in on us.”

“All due respect, my personal life is none of your business.”

“The more closely I safeguard my life, the more press speculation there is about it.”

“I dunno, should I just tell these reporters something so they stop asking who I’m dating?”

“Talk shows are all about personal stuff. I’m not comfortable discussing my life outside of this job.”

”I want to live a normal life.”

“Anything I give a personal opinion on, I just know the press is going to spin it and take it out of context to make me look like a jerk.”

“Please understand, I’m a very private person.”

“If you want privacy, don’t go into an industry built around PR and public appearances. You’re a household name now.”

“You should’ve thought of that before becoming an actor/actress. Nothing I can do to help.”

“Can you imagine how it feels to have flashing cameras in your face all the time, even when you’re not at events for projects?”

Romance On The Set:

“I have a strict rule against dating costars.”

“You know falling in love with your costar isn’t real, right?”

“Shomances are just PR machine bullshit. Don’t fall for it.”

“Hey do you wanna maybe go on a date this weekend, or maybe tonight if we wrap early?”

“There’s no big sappy story. I mostly just realized I really liked kissing him/her/them.”

“We met on our first movie together and I’m proposing at the wrap party for this new one.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want to mix business with pleasure. We met on a television set; I don’t think we should work together unless it’s something special. You know how sets are.”

“People just assume we date or are secretly married because we’ve been on this show for ten seasons together.”

“Hey, you know what people say about assuming.”

“There’s all this chatter that you two are getting married. Any details you can provide?”

“You and I are getting married in a private ceremony.”

“Everyone loves us. This wedding is already super expensive. What’s a few magazine photographers gonna hurt? We get good pictures and they get some hefty paydays from their bosses.”

“Everyone is speculating that we’re having a baby because I happened to wear a baggy top in the winter and eat a big lunch.”

“On this take, kiss me for real. Like you mean it. That way, if we feel anything, we can decide if this is something worth pursuing.”

“You’re really great, but you’re not my type. I’m sorry.”

“I already told you I’m married to someone else. Now please leave me alone. This is me asking politely. I like working with you, so don’t make this a thing.”

“This says you’re having an affair with one of your costars. Please tell me it is making things up like it always does.”

“I had sex with one of my costars. It didn’t mean anything, I’m so sorry.”

“My marriage was rocky and you were there. That’s all it was. We’re done.”

“You came to my fucking house? It was PR stunt nonsense for the show.  None of this was real!”

“It’s only awkward if people make it awkward.”

“I’m on set 12-16 hours a day, sometimes more, for four or five days a week. Where the hell else am I going to meet someone?”

“It’s a classic scenario. Two people start dating during production of the first movie or season and break up when the movies end or the show outlasts their relationship.”

Dating A Regular Person:

“Seriously? You have no clue who I am? That’s such a relief, thank you.”

“I’m glad we can just talk like normal people.”

“You’re sure you’re comfortable dating me when I’m such a public figure?”

“Honestly? I’ve dated other actors before; it’s obviously never worked out.”

“I’m wearing this so you’re not swamped by paps. We are incognito today.”

“What’s it like working with [big name actor/actress]?”

“We make it work by not talking about work.”

“I make tv all the time. I don’t like coming home and watching it.”

“Dating a public figure is a big ask. You sure you’re ready?”

“I don’t talk about you in interviews. I want to keep this separate from my work life.”

“Acting is a unique profession. It demands a lot of me. Understand?”

“I work insanely long hours and might be away from home for up to six months out of the year. You up for that?”

“If you can’t handle this, I get it. Actors are a lot.”

“Oh, God, are you gonna get starstruck if I take you to this event?”

“You get this is a cable romance, right? I’m gonna be kissing a lot of people and simulating a lot of sex.”

“I’m going to be doing these things. It’s part of my job. If you can’t respect that, then maybe this isn’t going to work out.”

“What the fuck? Do you not trust me or something?”

Being Pregnant In The Spotlight:

“I want this journey to be just for us. I’m not announcing it and there’ll be no confirmation until I can’t hide the bump any longer.”

“Fuck, how am I going to tell my bosses I’m pregnant? I’m gonna get fired.”

“Nobody would hire me while I was pregnant.”

“You mention wanting a home birth on a talk show once and suddenly there’s a million articles about it.”

“I don’t recall inviting the paps to our prenatal appointments or my yoga classes.”

“There are a million pictures of me online just going about my day with a giant baby bump.”

“Why do the paps act like a pregnant actress is the eighth wonder of the world?”

“Look at this headline: ‘[Name] flaunts giant baby bump while on vacation with partner [partner’s name].’ What the fuck? I’m not even that far along yet.”

“When I was pregnant, I was lucky to get one or two guest spots on a couple random tv shows. Always had to hide my bump.”

“I already feel like a whale. I don’t need every entertainment magazine mentioning how huge my belly is.”

“An actress gets pregnant and all of a sudden every fucking pap vulture comes out of the woodwork. It’s like free publicity.”

“I’m starting to think the paps have some weird pregnancy fetish. They’ve never photographed me this much before.”

“I told my boss I was pregnant and s/he offered to write it into the show this upcoming season.”

“Problem with a tv schedule is it moves so damn fast. I’m having to wear a fake baby bump over my real one because the character is about to pop.”

“The lead actress on my show is pregnant.”

“Three of our crew members are due around the same time as me. It’s nice to not be going through this all alone.”

“I’ve decided to have a baby by myself. The press is going to have a field day with that.”

“Does the paparazzi expect to be in the delivery room with me while I push this baby out, too?!”

“I’m just waddling around being pregnant as fuck. The paps seem to think that’s an invitation.”

“I’m doing an episode of this podcast to discuss my pregnancy experience, and then I’m coming back later to discuss the birth.”

“You know what they say: people love pregnant ladies.”

“I was pregnant all through the press for my movie. By the end, I was waddling up and down the carpets. No, really, there are pictures. I was huge!”

“I had to lug around a fake belly over my real belly because the character was having twins.”

“They had to scrap a birth scene because I was actually pregnant at the time we shot it.”

Perceptions & Connections:

“Learn to give a shit about something that has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

“You are a colossal narcissist.”

“I guess it’s true what they say: all actors are huge pricks.”

“Wow, can you be any more ‘look at me, I’m such a good person’?”

“You’re the best actress I’ve ever seen.”

“You’re the worst performer in a long list of terrible performances in this show/movie.”

“You are a walking ego.”

“You’re so humble. I’m proud of you for being a genuinely good person.”

“I don’t care if people like or dislike me. I just want to be a storyteller.”

“If I am being honest, everything about him/her seems fake as fuck.”

“You are the best actor/actress I have ever worked with.”

“They wrote this part just for me.”

“That’s really what you think of me?”

“I have an in with this director because I worked with him/her before.”

“This is all a balancing act. That’s what being a public figure is.”

#roleplay meme #rp meme

[madalice31]

Mmmm now I’m triggered lol.

Halle Bailey did not gaslight anyone. It’s not gaslighting when one, you don’t have any relationship with this person, platonic or otherwise, not even a conversation. So exactly how did she gaslight you? What she did was not acknowledge the fact that she was pregnant…to the public. It’s not like she was lying to the people closest to her about being pregnant. And not once did she deny being pregnant! She may have jugged on or ignored a lot of yall’s questions, but she had every right to do that if she didn’t want to share the experience with the public. Let’s not start this narrative that she was “gaslighting” cause yall don’t know how to not project your own shit on other people. Even Chloe never denied it, she just said yall stop gossiping about my sister! As she should have. Period. Halle was never the problem.

It was obvious. She knew it was obvious. People caught on, and she even straight up got caught with those hoodie pics. But you know what, she continued to keep that shit to herself because she ain’t want to talk about it with yall! And guess what, she wasn’t obligated nor required to talk to yall or acknowledge anything.

I’m getting irritated at the comments. “She so weird, why talk about it now? Oh she just didn’t want to be looked at as a baby mama. Oh she was tryna to maintain her Disney image.” Blah, blah, blah. Y’all will never know what her reasons were unless she decides to share that. Speculate all you want. But a woman has the right to be like, hey I don’t want to share my actual pregnancy experience with you guys. I don’t want to be asked questions in interviews. I don’t want yall judgement cause I’m not married or I’m too young in your eyes. I don’t want to deal with yall being all in my business. So no, you don’t get to see me pregnant. No, I’m not gonna answer questions about it. Yes I will sit in this poofy ass dress with my legs crossed, knowing you can tell, but talking to you about everything else BUT. You think this press tour, people didn’t know? All these interviews, people didn’t know? Her team kept that shit on lock and made sure everyone kept their mouths shut! Kudos to them!

A woman also has the right to say, now that my child is here, I’m willing to share more. I’m going to acknowledge my child. And y’all still ain’t gonna get every bit of info, but y’all can stop talking now. Like y’all done done now?

Nothing wrong with that. Nothing weird about that. Hence why in her caption she says the world was “desperate” to meet him. Cause folks was hella pressed.

Now do I have some opinions on who with and why now, yes I do. Do I have some opinions about the black community and baby mama/baby daddy culture, yes I do.

But that’s neither here nor there. The point is she didn’t owe us shit! So let’s stop throwing around words like “gaslighting” when it comes to people that haven’t even had a conversation with us, and most likely NEVER WILL.

If you asked her in person if she was pregnant and she told you no, that’s still not gaslighting lol. Cause if you come back and say oh so you were pregnant, you lied. The response? Yes, I did lie. Because I didn’t feel like sharing that with you at the time. But now, yeah, obviously I was pregnant. Last I checked, a lot of your mothers, daughters, aunties, and cousins have done the same. For whatever their reasons, they have done the same. You’ve kept secrets for them. So how is this any different? Just cause she a celebrity yall feel so entitled and it’s ridiculous.

I blame it on the celebrities who do that shit tho. Who think they need to share everything, like that’s normal. Even to the point of announcing divorces and break ups. Like celebrity divorce announcements have always been the dumbest shit to me. Like I give a fuck about your shit relationship ending. Why is that shit on CNN? We talk more these days about their personal lives than their actual projects and creative endeavors. These days, the people are more so the commodity, versus what they actually sell, create, or provide and it’s sad. Anyway, I digress.

Can I just say this before I leave? If we gonna give Rihanna praise for changing the maternity game, and showing us how to style a pregnant belly on full display. Let’s give Halle credit for showing us how to style a pregnant belly you don’t want to showcase or flaunt, but still look stylish and sexy. Cause every outfit and dress she wore throughout her whole pregnancy was spot fucking on! Her stylist understood the assignment!

#women’s choice #women’s bodies #pregnancy #halle bailey #leave Halle alone

[keyh0use]

Don’t you think the maturity difference between Rafe and Barry is a little weird? I mean Barry lives alone and sells drugs while Rafe is so dependent on his dad. And isn’t the age difference also a little strange?

I don’t mean this as hate just genuinely asking.

Canonically? Not even a little bit. Almost everything about Barry is speculation. How old is he? We don't actually know because the show never confirms it, if he celebrates his 24th birthday in season 4 we can't argue he's actually 27 just because fandom says he is. He refers to the trailer(s) as his, but does he own them? Were they passed down when his parents died or were they foreclosures or is he renting or did he scrounge up enough cash to buy the property? Again, we don't know. In the first episode, Rafe and Barry clearly know each other but they aren't chummy. When Rafe gets himself into trouble he runs to Barry both to get high and to get help from someone who's just as loose with their morals as he is, and in turn Barry gets money. I won't say what formed between them is platonic because that would be a lie but I also don't think it was intentional, especially on Barry's part.

Is there a power imbalance? I don't really think so. Does Barry appear to have way more life experience? Yeah!

I think that's something Rafe would be attracted to (no matter how he views Barry; as a partner or a friend or a brother, etc.) because he thrives on guidance. And yes, Rafe is mentally ill and struggling with addiction while his father neglects and physically abuses him. He wants affection and reassurance and help which he has outright asked for only to be told very coldly to "man up." (and I want to take a second to point out so it's not glossed over that RAFE IS AN ADDICT. Rafe needs to get high often, drugs require money, Ward gives it to him. In what world would Rafe have the capacity to turn away offerings that carry little to no expectations from him? Houses, cars, money, etc., it's provided for him so what's the point of going to school or working hard like Barry has to?) At such an uncertain time in his young life it makes sense, at least to me, Rafe would be trying his hardest for approval. Especially with Sarah pulling away from the family and potentially making room for him to weasel his way into Ward's unfeeling heart. So I don't think Rafe's relationship with his father should be used as an example of why he's unfit for a relationship with someone more stable. If anything, I feel Barry and Rafe's lives would be better together, mainly because I feel Rafe would be pushed to get help and have the support to do it.

okay, but In fanfiction? Where they're dating or fucking? Sure, the age difference is a little off. As someone in their mid-twenties I sure as shit wouldn't date someone with 'teen' in their age. BUT I think it's fair to assume Barry The Drug Dealer didn't have the greatest moral compass to begin with, worsening after time with Rafe. Would he take advantage of Rafe's vulnerability? depends on what I'm writing, but probably, yeah, at least in the beginning. Would he use Rafe for status or money? same thing, probably in the right circumstances. There's probably more I could say but I feel like I'm rambling and I'm not sure I'm doing a good job at answering this anyway. But thank you for asking (:

#was this the answer you wanted? #lmk #cause i feel like way better people could've gotten this ask and given you a satisfying answer #i originally just answered with “rafe and barry are evil so it doesn't matter!! <3” but that felt dismissive #tbh if y'all don't agree with something #tell me because i barely remember whats canon and what i just made up in my noggin #rafebarry

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Twister

Debut: Super Mario Maker 2

No, we’re not talking about the popular party game! I was going to call it a board game but I realized that doesn’t really apply. What is it, a mat game? That doesn’t matter. We’re not talking about it! We’re talking about Twister, from Mario Maker! There it is, in the picture! I had to crop Boom Boom out of this picture, because we’re not talking about him either. 

We’ve established what we are not talking about today, so now let’s talk about this! Twister is something I can only describe as a little guy- not quite an enemy, not quite a character, but it’s definitely alive! Is it weird? I guess a Mario Maker original entity is always weird to see, much less one added in the second game! 

What is even weirder then, is that they weren’t always the Twister we all love today- Twisters were there in Mario Maker 2′s very first reveal trailer, but with a very different design! They look wispy and cloud-like... don’t they remind you of someone?

See, there they are again, and it’s more obvious this time- that’s a Foo! There’s no Foo-ling me! Or is it? They’ve got a wispy bit of hair that looks more like a Ty-Foo... I think that it’s something entirely new! And it wasn’t quite me and it wasn’t quite Foo... er, anyway! A new member of the Foo Family! We should celebrate! 

Well, Nintendo must’ve called the Foo Fighters or something, because when the game released, Twister looked nothing like that! I guess there could still be a connection, but it’s a lot less apparent- this is just a white orb! Not that I have anything against white orbs, I think this design is very cute! It definitely is practicality over style, because the previous one looked a bit too much like an enemy... and as previously stated, Twister is not an enemy! According to the game, they’re a gizmo! 

It’s tough to say exactly why they added Twister, but my personal theory is that they’re the most like those sand tornadoes from Super Mario Bros. 3! Remember those? They were in the same level as the Angry Sun, and since SMM2 added the Angry Sun, they might’ve been inspired? Twisters move back and forth, creating a little tornado that will push up Mario or any enemies caught in them. They’re a fun addition, and they even added them to the 3D World theme! They never add anything to the 3D World theme! 

The Wiki has this quote from the game’s story mode and it like, gets me thinking. A Twister spell? What does that entail? Are Twisters magical entities? Or does a Twister spell just summon Twisters? Maybe it is like slathering honey on a tree, and it attracts Twisters. Yeah?

And the story of Twister coulda easily ended there... except it didn’t! They were in Mario Kart! Wowza! 

Well... it was Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which isn’t exactly a proper Mario Kart, but we take those! It’s so rare to see something from Mario Maker appearing in another title! Remember when Odyssey had the SMB1 Airship theme in its intro? That was also cool! They show up here in the Tornado Tundra theme, making them sort of snow enemies, maybe? 

Now allow me to engage in a bit of speculation, cause it’s time for Mod F Boy’s Yokai Corner! This is the Kesaran Pasaran, and it’s... Well, I’m not clear on what it is exactly, and neither is anyone else! Some say it’s an animal, some say it’s a plant, or it might just be an unidentified sort of thing, but these white fluffballs have been present in Japanese folklore since at least the Edo period!

Now they’re really just nondescript balls of hair said to bring people luck, and they’ve got nothing to do with wind or tornadoes... but their appearance just reminds me of Twisters! Of course, it could be a total coincidence, but it wouldn’t be the first time Mario referenced these things: the Li’l Sparky and Hothead enemies from Super Mario World are called “Kesaran” and “Pasaran” respectively, in Japanese! You can’t disprove it! Hee hee!

Ok fine. Here is the full artwork with Boom Boom in it. Are you happy?

And here is a Twister playing Twister. Thank you

#mario #mario entities #mario gizmos #super mario maker 2 #twister #mod f boy #TWISTER? I BARELY KN

[9w1ft]

the "gatekeep" anon here!

i fully agree with your response, please never apologise for going on tangents because i'm always intrigued to hear more of your perspective & insight!

i recall the influx of kaylors specifically during the midnights era — the memes were hilarious, but you can tell that things can go wrong and disrupt the flow of the river when people start going about kaylorism the wrong way: expecting taylor and/or karlie to come out, spamming karlie's instagram with taylor references, etc. — such actions that put the two in an uncomfortable spot.

being a gaylor or kaylor is not at all easy to say the least. while it's up to people how they want to approach this community with what sort of goals, i personally spectate the chaos unfold like a scholar or an archaeologist examining traces of history left by our ancestors to get a glimpse into their life rather than a tv show viewer rooting for the couple to end up together or a detective wanting to catch the culprit; for me, as a kaylor & gaylor, it's much easier for me and on my mental health & day-to-day life to engage with this community through the lens of what the past has to tell us rather than speculating what will happen in the future. spares you a lotta heartbreak, i learned the hard way.

there's no "right" or "wrong" way to be a gaylor as long as you're respectful to everybody involved. regardless of how the folklore deepens in the mainstream media, i will always appreciate us 22 kaylors on tumblr having something special to cherish :)

aww thanks anon! i do love to answer asks like this so thank you to you and everyone for sending them ☺️

i think there are many people who have taken a similar approach to you in terms of how to interact with or engage with kaylor and i think can be a really effective approach. i think that, maybe there was a time or era for taylor where she might have been specifically angling towards some sort of big goal, and while maybe she still is in some capacity, she is simply in a different season of life now and i have been trying to give her evolving approach to celebrity more grace and acknowledgment.

😆 i’ve definitely learned the hard way too, but, i think it gives some of us unique insight.. informs our perspective. i hope to grow with taylor and karlie.

you know, i remember at the beginning of her surprise song speech on glendale night one, before mirrorball, taylor talked about how she craves our (the audience’s) love and i thought about mastermind and the line “no one wanted to play with me as a little kid so i’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since to make them love me and make it seem effortless” and i remember thinking, i think part of easter egging and getting us to look and laugh at her is notably important to her, but how that must be getting increasingly harder as the world has become more and more volatile at the same time as she has taken on more and more personal and weighty and complex goals..

during anti-hero, when she walked right in front of where pro and i were standing, my schemes of making my eye sign wink at her melted and my cellphone dropped and all i wanted to do was reach out to her in that moment and tell her, i love you unconditionally. and i wanted to tell her that i don’t ever want her to think that she needs to give us consistency or clarity in order for us to want to stick around. of course, it was only a few precious seconds so… all that happened is we both got to sing “i’m the problem it’s me” to one another but… in some weird way it felt like the epitome of it. of all this. to be able to smile and laugh and say, hey, we’re not perfect but we both know it. why not make a lark of it?

i know the symbolism of the taylor on the big screen screaming to be noticed and how it represents this idea of taylor the presenter being focused on while taylor the gay person couldn’t been bigger yet gets ignored time and time again, and i get that and i agree with that, i think that’s very much her intention. but there was something about being present for the physically real taylor in that moment, trying to be every version of herself at once, that i’ve tried to keep in my mind when thinking about how i want to kaylor going forward.

[carduelis-carduelis]

May I ask you a question? I have read your Fandom PSA post and I really liked it since it said a lot of things I already do. However I would like to know your opinion about shipping IRL People. I generally don't care what other people ship etc. And I would never harrass them even if I don't agree with them. Regardless, shipping IRL people always leaves a bitter taste, because those are not some fictional characters, but real breathing people with relationships that we don't know of, who could be impacted by the story's fans write about them, especially if they are NSFW nature. What do you think about it?

Thank you for this ask. It’s a good question, and I know there has been a lot of heated discussion around the topic of Real Person Fiction (RPF). I understand why people have strong opinions about it, and I won’t blame anyone for being weirded out by it. ”Don’t like, don’t read” applies to RPF too, so anyone who is squicked by it should just avoid it. 

I’d assume most of the real people who have inspired someone to write some smutty fiction of them would NOT want to read those stories. Some of them would probably be opposed to reading smutty fanfiction of their characters too, or seeing smutty fan art of their characters. Therefore, they should not seek it out.

There is nothing wrong with the concept of RPF, just like there is nothing wrong with the concept of fanfiction, fan art or other forms of transformative fiction. The problems start when someone disrespects the personal boundaries of either the celebrities or the fan creators. There have been many instances when fanfiction or fan art has been dragged to spotlight in late night talk shows etc., where the host has read / shown it to the actors to get a reaction out of them and gain some cheap laughs.

Very few fan creators actually want their smutty fics and art to be perceived by the celebrities that inspired them. Those works are not for them. They are for the fandom. When it comes to RPF, the writers most definitely do NOT want the real people to read those stories. Most RPF I’ve read has been published in a way that makes it pretty much impossible for anyone to read it by accident. I know this is probably not the case with all the RPF in the world, but personally I have’t seen anyone promote their RPF fics on social media in a way that would allow the real people in question to stumble upon them.

Then there’s the case of ”shipping IRL people,” which isn’t necessarily the same thing as RPF. I think it’s important to differentiate between the two.

There is a difference between a) writing fictional stories of something that inspired you and b) obsessing over celebrities’ actual relationships and actually thinking they are ”more than friends” or wishing they are or would be a couple.

We don’t actually ”know” celebrities as complete human beings. We are only shown a version of them that consists of the things they let us see or know. It’s sort of a facade, a role they play in public. It is THAT ”person” that gets shipped when people write RPF. Not the actual human being. It is possible to get an inspiration for RPF and still understand that the real people in the real world are just friends. Writing or reading RPF doesn’t mean you believe it to be true. It’s not Real Person Documentary.

Serious speculation about the nature of the relationship between celebrities, trying to snoop around to find ”proof”, asking them about it, harassing their actual spouses… These things cross boundaries. This is obsessing over what is happening in REALITY and trying to pry some private information. Speculations can turn into rumours if they get circulated for long enough. This sort of behaviour should not be tolerated. (Isn’t it funny that this is actually what tabloid magazines do all the time?)

There is also RPF happening all around us that we don’t even pay attention to, because it’s done commercially and not as a hobby. Saturday Night Live makes RPF. Our Flag Means Death is RPF, as is The Crown. South Park had a whole ”All characters and events in this show—even those based on real people—are entirely fictional. All celebrity voices are impersonated…..poorly” disclaimer. Real people feature in works of fiction over and over again, they do fictional things and they even get put into fictional sexy situations, and nobody bats an eye as long as it’s something that’s in a wide circulation where millions of people can see it.

TL;DR: RPF is just a genre of fiction, and it can’t affect anyone’s life or relationships just by existing. Respecting the personal boundaries of celebrities is important and (smutty) fanworks should not be deliberately shoved in their faces. Obsessing over celebrities’ relationships on a public platform, spreading speculations of them and sharing information of their private lives is shitty behaviour and should not be done.

#rpf #real person fiction #fandom #fanfic #fanfiction #respecting boundaries #ask tikli