#even if we don't all recognize them

[respectthepetty]

Color analysis is your big thing around here. Have you always been into colors in shows and movies, or was this new for BL? What are some of your favorite examples of color use from some of your formative works?

@bengiyo, I would like to believe hysteria is my "big thing" but I can see how the colors label would come up every now and then regarding me. I've been seeing you and the smart people squad asking origin questions, so I appreciate the inquiry! However, you already know this is gonna be long, so . . .

Have you always been into colors in shows and movies, or was this new for BL?

When you read the following statements, you can't read them like a tragedy. You have to read them with an air of whimsy because this shit is funny.

My mom thought I was crazy when I was little. Like, thought I needed medication because I kept rambling about seeing patterns in colors. But this wasn't like Care Bears or Strawberry Shortcake kind of colors where each color aligns with a character and emotion. No, this was like I wouldn't eat foods of a certain color or foods served on plates of a certain color because there were good colors (blue, yellow, white), and bad colors (red, green, black), and I got this idea from movies and church. For example, the devil is bad. The devil is red. Therefore, red is bad. Death is bad. Death is black. Therefore, black is bad. Angels are good. They are white. Therefore, white is good.

As a less creepy religious example - If Heather Duke was green because she was envious of the devil aka red Heather Chandler

When Heather Chandler died and Heather Duke took her place as the new queen bee, Heather Duke would naturally start wearing red because she was the new devil, right? Made sense to me!

But my poor mother was stressed. She brought in all of the professionals, and although none of them truly understood what I was saying, they assured my mom I'd grow out of it.

LIES!

I kept seeing patterns, so I was tested when I started school and was promptly placed into the gifted program, where I was shown that green and red weren't necessarily bad. Like when Amélie wore green because her father forced her to live a calm and peaceful life since she was such a rambunctious child.

Only to start wearing more red as she rediscovered her passion for life.

So I remember that pattern of safety and peace versus passion and courage as I'm watching I Feel You Linger in the Air.

What are some of your favorite examples of color use from some of your formative works?

Since I've always noticed colors, nothing really stands out to me as my favorite since it all seems normal to me, so I'm going to flip your question - What was my least favorite example of color use:

The gay(er) one is red.

Remember that I associated red with negativity as a child, so it would really bother me to see the character who knew he was gay and couldn't hide it be colored as red as if he was the mischievous one.

As if the red character was a temptress leading the loyal blue character to hell.

However, using the (coping) mechanisms I learned in school and life, I now see why the characters who can't hide their queerness would have to be more bold, not just in personality, but in color as well.

Their queerness doesn't allow them to hide, and their color depicts this.

How you write about liking characters who "know," I like that the colors reinforce the "knowing."

So "the gay(er) one is red" doesn't bother me at all anymore. I now openly advocate on behalf of these Red Rascals and named them such because much like me telling countless counselors and doctors that the way I see the world comes naturally to me, I understand their refusal to fit into the norm to make others comfortable.

It isn't bad to stand out, mostly because we cannot hide who we are. How we are feels normal.

And the colors helped me see that.

#the colors mean things #and it means I'm normal #and so are all of us #colors are universal #so the fact that everybody color codes is a magical humanistic connection #even if we don't all recognize them #they still exist #and this is about being queer too

[uncanny-tranny]

I think it would really benefit people to internalize that mental illnesses are often chronic and not acute. Some of us will never be able to jump the hurdle of managing illness, much less sustaining a sense of normalcy. Many of us will never "recover," will never manage symptoms, will never even come close to appearing normal - and this is for any condition, even the ones labeled as "simple" disorders or "easy-to-manage" disorders.

It isn't a failure if you cannot manage your symptoms. It isn't a moral failure, and you aren't an awful person. You are human. There's only so much you can do before recognizing that you cannot lift the world. Give yourself the space to be ill because, functionally, you are.

#mental health #mental health advocacy #like... anxiety and depression are often concieved of as simple and easy to manage... #...but that isn't the case for so many of us. anxiety and depression just have a lot more research invested into them... #...and while i wish this were the case for literally every other condition it does alter people's perception of you to some extent... #...so while this is NOT solely about anxiety or depression it includes us... #...my anxiety and depression and PTSD have *destroyed* my life. this is chronic and will probably be life-long... #...and that isn't my fault. i've done the fucking work but guess what? that doesn't account for the fact that I Am Just ILL #the least we can do for each other is to be compassionate #be compassionate to those who cannot heal. be compassionate to the people who can't manage their lives. this world is scary enough #recognize that management of symptoms is something not all of us can do - even IF their condition is labeled as 'easy to manage' #i allowed myself to feel angry that i can't heal 'normally' and that was unfair as fuck toward myself #and i NEED people to internalize this so that MAYBE this could help somebody else who is where i was #i NEED them to understand that it's okay that they are where they are - sometimes shit just doesn't turn out how you expect or want #don't beat yourself over you being a person. you are struggling enough. you deserve to rest. just rest please #and just... give yourself space

[egophiliac]

so have you heard about the ride kamens app game? seems like it's gonna be a twisted wonderland like game with all the riders being hot anime guys now, and it's also gonna be written by yuya takahashi and produced by naomi takebe (apparently it was in development before geats), with designs by the person who did sk8 the infinity, so take that for what you will

have you ever gotten the feeling that a piece of media came into existence just to appeal to you specifically, or

(brb preregistering immediately)

(as far as I can tell you play as an agent who maintains a secret superhero base for riders in the basement of the rider-themed cafe that you run with your butler, and there's some other plot stuff going on but honestly I'm way past sold at this point, this sounds amazing)

#ride kamens #joseimuke games are serious business #show us the henshin forms!!!! #time to overanalyze those silhouettes in the teaser and embarrass myself by not being able to figure out who anyone is #there is 100% a gaim at least #there's one i've convinced myself is w based on almost nothing #and this is assuming they're all main riders too which is probably not true #god i SHOULD recognize more but my mind is blanking super hard and i keep second-guessing myself #(i-is that kiva maybe? den-o? I CAN'T TELL) #i don't think there's a fourze though. the cowardice. #man this is officially a Thing™ now huh #like how in the 2010s monster high kicked off a trend of 'characters' high-school age kids wearing fabulous shoes' #now we have 'ensemble cast of glossy-haired anime boys loosely based on your favorite characters' #this is absolutely not a complaint. i want more and i want them to get even SILLIER. #(i enjoy the sanrio one as well although it seems to be more of a music video thing? i am. a little unclear on it) #god i'm just so pleased that this exists

[apollo-zero-one]

Everybody talking about how lucky PC players are to get to play 1.6 but I've seen no one mention that aaaallll the mods don't work now and it's the first time some of us have played unmodded in years, I forgot how hard the beginning of a new save is 💀

Also hey if you can and want to, I bet your favorite mod creators would love some donations as they work on updating compatibility! I know that's what I'm doing today!

#stardew valley #stardew 1.6 #Sorry to the fishing aid users and the texture users lmao #I opened up my 100% file to see how much more progress there is to be made and some of my mods left residual glitches. i have 4 children lol #That farm is also set up for Automate so most of the machines are inaccessible djdjdj #I also had the bathroom mod so all my furniture is floating in yhe void lmao #Even starting a new file my lazy ass has had Auto-Water Crops on forever and having to water my crops on PC is exhaaaausting #as in literally it drains my character's energy waaaahhh #I do also play on switch so it's not like I don't recognize/remember how to play w/out mods I jjust I Miss Them already #I only play on PC when I specifically want to play with mods on lol #omg what about people with SDV Expanded omg y'all may have lost your regular spouse even- im so sorry 😔 We must wait longer #Anyway PSA if your favorite mod creator has like a patreon or anything go donate to them #actually im putting that up in the main text #sdv mods

[cold-neon-ocean]

Posting this by itself because :) I just feel like he should have gotten to wear the mech pilot suit at least once..

(my AU black version and the og green)

#Legend of Korra #Baatar Jr. #LoK #WIP #[ since this is from something silly I wanted to post this bit because he is serving very cunty #even if you know he's talking about accidentally ingesting caustic chemicals lol #this was def self indulgent but also why couldn't he have worn the suit at least once sobs #we had one chance #I don't actually think he uses the mech suit hardly ever even though he has his own personal one #but on rare occasions he does and gets in this outfit and Kuvira are you okay? Are you good? Has anyone checked on her? #I feel like this outfit is what causes her to take a serious sanity hit LOL #she just drags him away by the hood and no one sees them again for like 4 hours #or she's just like “You know what I think he could use my help :)” and proceeds to be everything but helpful #idk how anything in this regime gets done I swear #the most Baatar ever used the mech suits was when they were first being built #idk dude I love a man in a working uniform sobs #I knew someone would recognize the mech pilot suit hehe that made me smile because yeah :))) #it felt good to draw Baatar again sobs I love him so much I've missed him #I do kinda wish this sketch was cleaner but I wanted to at least post it now in case I never did lol #I should to a proper illust of him in the pilot suit one day just for the pure self indulgence of it all #give myself a lill treat you know? ] #Neon Ocean Art

[niishi]

when it comes to mental illness, you can never please anyone. you're either mentally ill and do your best to not be a victim and to cope and grow, and then ppl act like you're not mentally ill and dismiss your genuine issues, or you make a big deal of it and harm ppl and yourself with it and then you're too much to handle. like what's gonna make ppl happy? what will make them validate your position in life? literally nothing.

#ive been medicated since i was 14 #and have heen suicidal since i was 14 #i put in so much effort to combat my mental illness so i can just live a happy life #where i dont want to die 24/7 #and where i can relax and appreciate my life etc #and bc i put so much effort in to coping and healing and growing #ppl just dismiss that im genuinely mentally ill #what do u want from me? #do u want me to have breakdowns and abuse people? #do you want me to make life hard for others and myself? #when will i ever get recognized for fighting so fucking hard for myself? #ppl only care when youre negatively effecting them and then #they use it as an excuse to dismiss your reality and hard work #idk man #im not saying i have mental illness and disability to be cute and quirky #im saying that bc ive been in and out of the doctors since i was 14 and have been diagnosed by #several different doctors all with the same diagnosis' #i have incurable mental disorders from taking medication that #kept me from killing myself but gave me massive dissociation #its not a joke and its not for attention #i don't even rlly talk about it unless i have to remind ppl that im not normal like they are #and stop writing off ppl who are good representations of strength and growth within their mental illnesses #we exist and we should be given more recognition so other ppl in our situations can see an example of someone #coexisting with their issues in a more healthy manner

[rotisseries]

if I had a dollar for every time I saw this used as justification for why actually! it's totally cool that the trio have already known the gimmick of every single obstacle they run into, in a way that conveniently allows them to avoid every point of real conflict or stakes or potential action in this action adventure series!! i would have enough money to pay the cgi department to animate riptide's transformation

#annabeth is not a fucking idiot either and she knows the myths in the books and she still gets trapped by things!! #cause first and foremost going into every conflict of every episode wanting to see your protags slowly realize the danger #only for them to just be like. yeah so we know this is a trap right. yeah don't get caught right. that's fucking boring sorry #they did not do that in the books because it's fucking boring to watch #also they're 12. “they read the myths and they're not idiots!!” I also read the myths and was not an idiot #and I would still get caught by these damn traps omfg😭😭😭 they're TWELVE!! WITH ADHD #MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE 12 YEAR OLDS WITH POOR IMPULSE CONTROL PLEASE. SO MANY OF THE TRAPS REQUIRE IMPULSE CONTROL TO BEAT #I would've been like oh my god waterbeds!!! oh my god a free casino with video games!! AND THEY DO THAT IN THE BOOKS. THEY ALL DO THAT. #NOT JUST PERCY. ALL OF THEM #not even addressing that this is post is probably also about him recognizing that it's kronos let's not talk about that I'm not doing that #also. percy is smart but it's not in the way they're doing it in the show alright but like. topic for another day #pjo #pjo tv show #pjo disney+

[ct-hardcase]

because twitter's seen it already, I feel the need to share that keeve made a habit of resting her hand on terec's shoulder when either needed support

(IDs in alt)

#tagging #terekeeve #because I kind of want to get this ship tag rolling #also I want to disclaim that the art team does draw casual touch a lot but keeve does this specific mannerism a few times #and usually the touch is in distress or danger. in the first two keeve leaves her hand on their shoulder even after it's not immediate #there's other stuff like keeve and terec partnering up on later missions and them being the first of the twins she recognizes correctly #(and if I'm interpreting it right she could've joked that she learned to recognize them from behind but it could also be their voice/manner #(unclear due to Keeve getting cut off) #'we're enough. we were always enough' #anyway I don't think Cavan is making them canon but I definitely think he's setting up a close companionship between the two. #as good jedi and all #damn shame orla died though bc I would've paid to see keeve drop some innuendo about terec to her as revenge for the sskeer moment #star dorks #r: terekeeve

[dennisboobs]

ok at the point now where looking at an image of dennis makes me want to smash my head through a wall

#ada speaks #idk how ppl exist in this fandom who don't feel bad for him tbh #which is the last thing den wants bc being perceived as weak and pitiable is devastating to him but #chasing this mfer down to give him a hug #he is so. fucked up. he has been fucked up by every adult in his life. #i think the fandom perceives him as this spoiled rich kid who had it better than most of the gang but the reality is #he was failed just like the rest of them and it's almost worse because he doesn't – and almost CAN'T – recognize this #letting the protective ego-boosting and boasting drop leads to him having to confront SO much baggage and i don't think he is mentally able #i think he DOES know deep down that everything is a lie and he has been hurt because we see that self awareness in ptsdee and tends bar #but his relationship with everyone in the gang is so strained that i don't think he would be able to have a moment like charlie did in s15 #even in tends bar there's a moment where they all recognize something is going on with him but immediately place him at the center #because he's the problem with him. anything done to him is his fault. it's not only something he reinforces. the gang does too #this must be because *dennis* has no feelings and he hates valentines day because everyone else is unlike him which makes *him* mad #the entire gang has an issue placing blame on themselves but to not even be able to conceive of dennis being hurt by them is. telling #because he's inhuman to them. it's how he's propped himself up and yet simultaneously hopes that they will see through that act #the way he reworks things in his mind so that everything is a consequence of his grand plan #means that he is always at fault regardless of whether he brushes the blame off #so he is not a *victim* of anyone else. because this was all under his control. he wasn't raped because he was initiating it. #klinsky was His Conquest. he was fourteen and she was in her fifties but he forced himself on her so that makes it His Fault. #it was a two way road. he's fourteen. and he 'entered' her. he's fourteen. but she was uncomfortable with his advances. but he was fourteen #cw csa mention

[heftbyjapanesebreakfast]

god my coworker is cool but they like constantly try to one up everything i say. i forget what exactly we were talking about but i mentioned how my family is irish and mexican and there's lots of alcoholism/ addiction. and they were like "yeah my dad's addiction is scary. he loves smoking and adds mint essential oil bc they don't sell menthols" or whatever and like um. well my dad's addiction killed him so

#i didn't tell them about my dad but i should. just to ruin the mood #but knowing them they would have made it about themself somehow🙄 #i'm sorry but i wanted to laugh in their face #like you're talking about cigarettes..... and then they said their mom is addicted to shopping #like you've got to be fucking kidding me.... #m #also today i jokingly was like being a bi woman is so hard i'm only into gay guys #and they were like well dating a nonbinary person is even harder i don't even know who is into me #like okay well i was fucking joking first of all and they way they phrased it was so weird and combative #and completely just ignoring how actually scary and dangerous it can saying a woman esp a fat woman & we have more things in common than no #i want to make it clear and i recognize what they're saying and its true. i'm just saying we experience very similar things #whatever i was just so annoyed

[respectthepetty]

I've been wondering for a while- how did you start getting into all the colour stuff?? I would love an origin story <3 what got you into your passion for deciphering colors and how did you figure out what they mean??

sorry ik it's a lot but ever since I started following you I see colors everywhere and I'm curious of where you started noticing them ((: it's so fun and intriguing to me! I'm usually more of a "foaming at the mouth for the lighting" girlie but it's been a heap of fun figuring out colors with the lights ^^

thanks for everything you do to show us your eye for color btw ♡♡ your blog is so fascinating and I love reading all your theories and notes

@overrgrown, never apologize for asking questions, but I've actually been asked this before by bengiyo. You can find my write up HERE, but the short version of that post is I've always seen colors; therefore, I've always attached meaning to them, even if the meaning was not valid.

TLWR: Appreciate the artists who work on these shows, not me.

In bengiyo's ask, I stated that when I was younger, I thought the colors were showing me what was good and what was bad. That's it. In my defense, I was a kid, so everything really was good or bad in my book with no in-between.

Even though I've always seen colors, and it comes very naturally to me, the meaning I attached to them when I was younger was very much based on who I was rather than what was being shown to me. Five-year old me thought if someone was dressed all in red that they were the devil. Adult me now knows that isn't always the case. Adult me also knows that red in American (United States) culture means something different than other cultures.

Not a flex, just a fact, but I have several degrees in languages, linguistics, and rhetoric. What they are in is not super important, but, in general, a formal education has greatly helped me infer meaning from what I'm visually seeing in the media I consume. My degrees are not in film or communications, yet I've taken undergrad and grad-level courses like Visual Media, Multimedia and Visual Communication, Language of Film, Digital Narratives, Cinematography and Lighting, Film Theory & Criticism, Queer Cinema History, Spanish Film & Feminism, and many more all because under this great big academic umbrella of rhetoric and composition lies storytelling.

And that's what this is really about - How do we tell a story? Regardless if that story is a simple flyer for a school bake sale, a 30-second commercial advertising cleaning wipes, or a 12-episode BL series, how do we get the message across? We can't just rely on ONE thing! We have to use as many things as possible! So when I'm watching a BL series, I'm just not paying attention to the words being spoken or the acting alone. No, I'm paying to the background noise. What do the clothes tell me about the character? What does his apartment tell me about him? And what do the colors mean?! All of it is important!

I've mentioned this before but I serve on a screening committee for a queer film festival. I actually got involved with the film festival as an undergrad because of one of the film courses. This has allowed me the opportunity to speak to several filmmakers about their process, and all of them have confirmed that the colors were intentional. People who deal with props and costume design have spoken to me about trying to find very specific items that reinforce the story being told. Oh, and theater is a whole different level. Because of the nature of the stage versus film, if it is on the stage, it must have a reason for being there.

Basically, people who work in visual media work really fucking hard, which you probably know since you love lighting. Most times, 12-hour days are the average, if not longer. This video does a good job of briefly covering the work that goes into costume design, and I timestamped it to begin at the part that covers colors.

I love seeing colors. I love deciphering them. I love the story they tell.

But they wouldn't be there if the hardworking people behind them didn't do their job, and those are the people who I appreciate.

So, as always, I'm thankful that you let me know I'm helping you see the beauty is in the details, but I'm really just here to admire the beauty with you.

#the colors mean things #colors are universal #so the fact that everybody color codes is a magical humanistic connection #even if we don't all recognize them #they still exist #and people work hard for us to see them #I'm just here to admire them with you

[gaytranszoro]

sorry okay im rewatching whole cake w a friend and got obsessed with the vinsmokes this time around okay. sorry. however i am a liker of themes and motifs and doomed characters. sorrey.

#i just looovvee the ways the different families this arc are portrayed. big moms as an empire to be expanded. #beges as a loyal bond and structured organization #and ofcourse the vinsmokes as an army bound only by blood and not by love. and a commodity to be used/force to be strengthened #like sure they're all related but like. they do not act like a family even in the slightest. they don't even seem to really like each other #LOL just even w the charlottes you get the feeling they care about each other to an extent (ie katakuri and brulee or chiffon and lola) #but we rarely see any of the vinsmokes hold a conversation with each other let alone act like siblings. #(unless you count them like. abusing sanji as sibling bonding) #which i why i OBSESSSS over when reiju gets hurt you see one of them call out in concern. #n the (admittedly anime only) scene of yonji like helping a little. bear guy get a fruit off a tree. that shit cute as hell. #you get these like. moments of humanity with them that seep through the cracks of the carefully-constructed image of the Evil Germa Army yk #the way all the siblings turned out and the ways they compliment and contrast each other makes me think ab what could have been you know. #iirc reiju wound up how she is because her mother encourgaged her emptions and instilled a sense of humanity in her. proving they are all #capable of having that sense of morality the others just...didnt get it 1) bc sora died when they were so young and #2) bc judge had a VICE GRIP on them. #so they were doomed from the start. #their father wanted a perfect unfeeling obedient army of soldiers and he was going to get it by any means necessary #even if said soldiers are supposed to be his children #i do think the vinsmokes are deeply unforgivable but i also recognize tht like...they were victims of circumstance. #smthn smthn nature vs nurture #in another life i think they would have kicked ass together #idk im fuuucked upp off the green tea rn yk how it goes..... #.txt #idk how to be coherent abt them they just make me feel like pacing around my room with my head in my hands #its been said better by ppl with better grasps on character analysis than me but. abuse victims who suck. and are also assholes. #you mean everything to meeee

[theinfinitedivides]

also since i've basically been live blogging watching this i'm going to offer up an unpopular opinion. so pls if you are my mutual and have seen this do not hate me if you haven't avoid this post but uh. Ballerina could have been better than it ended up being and i don't know how to feel about that

#film: ballerina #ballerina #ballerina 2023 #ballerina netflix #netflix ballerina #jeon jong seo #park yu rim #kim ji hoon #like we had a perfect 8-10 ep long setup for a series here ok. i get the point was female rage and f*cking over the scum of society #(which they did and i am grateful for) but it felt empty somehow????? too short. not always realistic ik her taking everyone #out like that isn't supposed to be but you're telling me you're running a f*cking gang whose drug making headquarters is underneath #a racetrack/stable (convinced that's the set of the GSoul Blessed MV btw. i recognized it from the ceiling) and none of you have #a f*cking gun. none of you. not even a rifle. just knifes. are we all Chief Seo at this point just without the skills #ffs we didn't even really get to connect to the best friend dynamic and that sucks bc there was so much material to go over #idk. i'm feeling meh about this. the 'i don't regret watching but i wouldn't do it again' type meh and i hate when that happens #frankly the only good thing about this film was Jong Seo kicking ass with the high school student and the two of them burning #Choi alive on the beach with the flamethrower. ty flamethrower halmeoni we appreciate the gift

[journeyman-tier-fibercraft]

Finishing my WIPs was just an excuse to cast on all over lace project. Day one always has the most impressive progress.

#knitting #lace rot #knitblr #lace knitting #wip #this wasn't even the all over lace project i wanted to cast on. my brain has been having a Mental Illness Moment recently #i have three other projects lined up and it just went actually what if we knit a hannukah gift in less than a month so ig we're trying that #at least it's pretty. this purple is so intense. hopefully this yarn blocks well (acrylic/nylon blend) so the actual pattern shows. #i don't mind how it looks just kinda textured while scrunkly but the actual pattern is WAYYY nicer #godwilling i'll get more work done on this today. had my covid booster yesterday and it's kicking my ass along with seasonal depression #also if anyone recognizes this pattern i added two additional garter stitches to either end so that's why it's a little funky #also i am actually using stitch markers this time!! only two because i still hate them but #it was nice to know the difference between the edge stitches and the main pattern repeat

[triflesandparsnips]

*whispers quietly into the void*

It's okay to like problematic characters.

It's okay to like absolute shithead characters.

It's okay to guess at how those characters can change.

It's okay to think they don't have to.

It's okay to focus on one part of a character to the exclusion of every other part because you find it interesting because it speaks to you for whatever fucking reason you want.

Characters are narrative devices that propel a story.

The point of stories is to make you feel things and, maybe, think things.

It's okay if the tools used to make you feel things have successfully Made You Feel.

And it's okay if someone Feels Differently.

No one promised you the feeling would be Nice.

Or that it would be a socially-agreed-upon Gross.

A successful story -- a successful piece of art -- is one that makes you feel something.

It's okay to feel something. Whatever that is.

And it's okay for all of us.

#I'm having a lot of feelings about a lot of things in #fandom #characters aren't real #but how we feel about them #and how we feel about the stories they become a part of #are real #and it's okay #if you hate them #if you love them #if you don't care one way or the other about them #but for fucks' sake #for half a hot second recognize that three-quarters of stories are essentially written inside the audience's heads #we are all bringing different context and baggage to this shit #it's okay if someone's head wrote a different story THAT'S A FEATURE NOT A FLAW #it's *important* that that happens #(and yes technically even the infighting about characters and their True Nature is part of that whole beautiful folk process) #(but god I'm tired)

[gloriousmonsters]

it's fascinating to see people running the exact same scripts as trensmeds/exclusionists but for mental illness.

I just crossed paths with a post that was a screenshot of a tiktok where someone was clearly frustrated because 'I thought I might have autism but when I tried to bring it up with my therapist she said she literally wouldn't discuss it with me because 'everyone thinks they have it because of tiktok', and the original poster/about 90% of the notes were... celebrating this. Either variations on 'lol based psych' and 'she was right' or people explicitly saying shit like:

'Well, I was trans diagnosed with autism/adhd before it was cool and trendy! I can't believe that the diagnostic criteria is getting made stricter, it's the fault of those transtrenders tiktok kids who pretend to have mental illnesses. I get to gatekeep because I really suffered!'

(Shoutout to the confusing outlier who sagely was like 'and usually they just have bpd' in the tags. just???? just, my fair sir? also source???)

And like. It makes sense and is also so incredibly frustrating for the same reasons as transmed/exclus stuff. When you're a hurt person stuck interacting with a system that makes a lot of decisions about your personal autonomy/function, it messes with your head. It taps into that particular reaction to trauma that there was that one great post about--the mindset you get in when you see people get help when you didn't, and get furious and often default to 'it shouldn't be so easy' or 'why should they get help when I didn't?' And if you're struggling with a system that is, lbr, way more about luck in what specific people you got to talk to than any kind of well-built system, which is historically very flawed and still very flawed... well, a lot of people don't want to admit the system is a crapshoot and the people in it can be wrong so, so often, because then what about my diagnosis? my confirmation that I am what I am? fuck kids with stargenders and self-dxed teenagers with autism, I suffered for this, you can't take it away from me.

Which they aren't. If diagonistic criteria for anything is being made stricter, that's not on tiktok teens, it's on the people who write the criteria and decided that this was how they were going to handle an uptick in people thinking they are/might be autistic. If people are passing anti-trans legislation, that's because they're transphobes, not because of demigirls and non-op trans people. And are all of these kids queer, or mentally ill/ND, in the way they think they are? Probably not. Being a teenager is fucking confusing and often traumatic, and it's also a time when most of them are investigating and trying to build their identities. But I'm willing to bet that almost all are genuinely struggling with something/deviate from 'the norm'; if you want to stop kids from 'believing they're something wrongly' maybe focus your energy on putting the message out that it's ok to be wrong about things, that self-discovery is a process-- in this specifically, how to interact with mental health diagnoses and manage your symptoms, no matter where they stem from, in helpful ways, etc etc.

But please do the bare minimum and don't let personal pain turn you into a bitter, smug asshole who celebrates when they see kids experiencing gatekeeping that could really, really fuck them over, OK? Like physical disability and queer identity, the few 'fakers' you'll 'catch' by being cruel and suspicious will in no way be worth the people dead because only people who REALLY need help should be able to get it.

#long post #sorry lol I just #I can get the emotional/mental place this attitude comes from but as always i feel like i'm the padme meme #'and then we realize those feelings are unreasonable and don't act on them right?' #'....' #'and then we realize those feelings are unreasonable.... and don't act on them #right???' #also just *pulls out another smaller soapbox for a moment* #'kids these days think all their problems and quirks are due to mental illness!' #kids Back In The Day died. or struggled all their lives. because the understanding of mental illness was even more fucked than it is now #do NOT be a fucking 'EVERYONE THINKS THEY HAVE DEPRESSION YOU'RE JUST A WEAK BABY' conservative guys #'oooooh everyone thinks they have adhd and autism' #everyone started 'thinking' they were trans or queer or whatever after learning that it was a possibility #and learning how to recognize whether that was the case with themselves.... fucking crazy right? #I LITERALLY SAW SOMEONE SAYING #'oh they're seeing how symptoms of autism are socially contagious due to tiktok' #do not make this another ROGD! do not make this another ROGD! #mental illness #pro self diagnosis #AND FINALLY. 'lol based psych' PSYCHIATRISTS ARE EXACTLY AS RELIABLE AS ANY OTHER KIND OF DOCTOR. #SLIGHTLY. #THEY CAN BE AND ARE WRONG A LOT #i say this as someone who's benefited a lot from therapy (although i've had to educate my psych on some things) #and who is on medication. doctors and psychs can be lifesaving but they can also #really truly fuck you over because they are human and sometimes idiots or jerks and we should not be trusting them solely #with our mental and physical well-being #ok ok my arms are hurting i shouldn't have typed this much