By rehearsing the view that ‘men are the worst’ while continuing to pursue romantic and sexual attachments with them, we perform an othering gesture that shores up the purity or innocence of our own identities. We may love men, we declare, but we barely enjoy it, okay?; we are embarrassed; we are not contaminated by them; we are not they. In other words, we get to continue to be ‘women’. Perhaps, semi-unconsciously, we had worried that the very category of ‘women’ had become untenable. If we can only continue to reproduce the category ‘men’ loudly enough, then, we wager, the category ‘women’ might stay safe. (Note, while a majority of heterofatalist misandrists online today seem to think they are trans-affirming, their position not only requires erasing trans men altogether, but also all trace of trans women’s lived experiences as men, regardless of those women’s own self-understanding. Indeed, misandry, as I see it, can never reliably be prevented from collapsing into transphobia.)
(via Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of college students | Ars Technica)
Canada-based University of Waterloo is racing to remove M&M-branded smart vending machines from campus after outraged students discovered the machines were covertly collecting facial-recognition data without their consent.
The scandal started when a student using the alias SquidKid47 posted an image on Reddit showing a campus vending machine error message, "Invenda.Vending.FacialRecognitionApp.exe," displayed after the machine failed to launch a facial recognition application that nobody expected to be part of the process of using a vending machine.
"Hey, so why do the stupid M&M machines have facial recognition?" SquidKid47 pondered.
The Reddit post sparked an investigation from a fourth-year student named River Stanley, who was writing for a university publication called MathNEWS.
Stanley sounded alarm after consulting Invenda sales brochures that promised "the machines are capable of sending estimated ages and genders" of every person who used the machines without ever requesting consent.
This frustrated Stanley, who discovered that Canada's privacy commissioner had years ago investigated a shopping mall operator called Cadillac Fairview after discovering some of the malls' informational kiosks were secretly "using facial recognition software on unsuspecting patrons."
Only because of that official investigation did Canadians learn that "over 5 million nonconsenting Canadians" were scanned into Cadillac Fairview's database, Stanley reported. Where Cadillac Fairview was ultimately forced to delete the entire database, Stanley wrote that consequences for collecting similarly sensitive facial recognition data without consent for Invenda clients like Mars remain unclear.
Stanley's report ended with a call for students to demand that the university "bar facial recognition vending machines from campus."
Oh noooo this round sees Wyll vs Astarion! Both of these characters are romance options in Baldur's Gate 3, one a vampire, the other a monster hunter --- I think... they should kiss... (i do write a lot of wyllstarion fanfics on my ao3 *cough*).
Two of my absolute favorites and if you know them, you know they would vote for each others.
once again i was fueled with coffee (did not sleep the whole night) but this time i doodled college au to cope bc ofc i did (also did not feel like sleeping wooo)
Yeah Mr L is cool and all but Imagine a Mr L AND a Mr M being partners in crime, like Mario accidentally gets brainwashed along with Luigi, what would be even funnier is the two trying hard to rizz up Peach and Bowser in they’re brainwashed state, it could be pre-established relationships and it would basically go down like this:
Mr M: Hey there blondey, happy to see that pretty face roll back around here, what finally got the courage to ask for my number?~
Mr L: Do you guys come here just to fight again or did you just wanted to see us?~ I mean we couldn’t blame you, we are sights to behold~
Mr M: Hey maybe if you two decide to play nice and finally join us we could give you the pleasure of taking you out~
Peach/Bowser: FOR THE LAST TIME WE’VE BEEN DATING FOR THE PAST YEAR-
IN WHICH you spend xmas morning with your beloved or in ron’s words accidentally traumatizing him forever
how odd. the common room felt unusually cold despite the warmth flickering from the fireplace. it made you feel alone, a sentiment you've always felt during the holidays. but something about this year felt different.
maybe it's because of the comfort that tightly clung onto you.
"georgie.. baby.." you murmured.
a small hum escaped the giant redhead. despite that, he remained still. with no intention of letting you go. if possible, it seemed that he snuggled even closer to you.
you giggle at his clingy antics. "baby you have to let me go."
"mhmph no," george dismissed.
you knew you have to find a way to make him let you go before the students start rushing down.
"georgie we can't be found like this."
"and why is that love? you ashamed of me?" he frowned.
godric did he look absolutely adorable with his tiny pout. you gently ran your fingers through his bright red locks. noticing how george unconsciously leans into your touch.
"it's not that baby. you know that i love you, but do you really want to be teased this early? on christmas day?"
his brows furrowed as if he's contemplating his options. "i don’t mind if–"
aaaack!
a shriek from behind pulled your attention away from your lover. you couldn't help but laugh at ron’s disgusted face. "seriously?! this early in the morning?!" he groaned, shielding his eyes as if he walked in on an inappropriate scene.
"my apologies ron," you utter.
you eventually see harry and hermione come down the stairs and stand behind ron. hermione asks why ron is standing there looking like an idiot, something which he grumbles about. they were quick to check the tree and go through their presents.
"yn! look mom got you something!" ron cheered.
"and nothing for you george," he taunted, sticking his tongue out at him.
much to george's dismay, you untangle your limbs and walk towards his younger brother. "how sweet of mrs. weasley!" happily receiving the gift. it's been a while since you've received a gift given out of love. you carefully unwrap the gift, anticipating what lies beneath all the wrapping.
you soften spotting a matching set of pajamas. it's the perfect size for you and george. tears well up in your eyes as you gaze at the pjs in your hands. george, who has been watching you with pure adoration, notices how silent you've become.
"love?" he calls out.
slowly, you stood up and made your way towards george. burying your face at the crook of his neck, feeling safe enough to let out quiet sobs. george instinctively wraps his arms around you. he holds you close, muttering 'i love you's and assurance.
after a few minutes of simply basking in his embrace, you pull back to admire his features. you bring your hand up to brush along his freckled dusted cheeks. leaning in for a quick kiss that left him chasing after your lips.
"let's change into these, stay in, and cuddle all day. how's that sound?" you offer.
a lopsided grin made its way onto his face. he pulls you up and catches you off guard when he carries you bridal style. you were both a giggling fit as you made your way up to his dorm.
one thing was for certain, this year was definitely the best holidays you've had so far.
bonus:
harry speaks up once you've left, "it's like they're in their own little world."
"it's disgusting really," ron gagged.
hermione was quick to hit him. "they're adorable! you just won’t know a thing about romance. i bet you can’t even woo a girl."
ron frowns and quickly defends himself, saying how he did manage to go on a date once! which hermione ignores, her attention on the wonderful quill mrs. weasley gifted her.
— nsfw. intentional lowercase. no foreplay mentioned but did. gn!reader (no specific genitalia mentioned). creampie (reader receiving). pet names; love (wanderer), windblume (venti). riding.
— pairings; scara/wanderer and venti x reader (seperate)
- wanderer.
being the wanderer's partner and everything has always been a huge advantage to you. the second you come back doing your commissions, he's already clinging onto you like a lost cat.
just like now, except you're in bed with him snuggling up. "love..." he calls out, placing a hand behind your head as he slowly thrusts inside of your needy hole. you moaned, gripping the sheets as you're placed right on top of him. "wanderer..." you said back, your eyes are puffy because of the pleasure. you slowly adjust yourself closer to the indigo-hair boy, kissing him while he pistons his cock inside you.
you felt the coil in your stomach snap, releasing all the built up pleasure onto his hard girth as he came inside you too. his blue eyes traced over your now weakened figure, pulling out as he huffed and pulled you even closer. you're now in his embrace.
"I'm so glad I met you."
— venti
the anemo archon of mondstadt folds in your grasp as you slowly lowered yourself onto his thick manhood. "windblume!" he groaned as you gave yourself some time adjusting to his size. he held your hips still as you started to bounce on his cock.
beads of sweat already intertwining when you and venti's bodies connect, touching the sweetest part of you. you squirmed, "shh, it's okay..." the boy hushes you, reassuring your safety as you kept riding him. "just... go faster, please." you begged, he switched positions so he could be the one in charge. "my one, my windblume..." he whispered, starting to thrust inside you.
that was the time you came with him in unison, gripping the back of his head for a small little kiss. he giggled when you told him you're so full of his cum now.