Hallow Afterthoughts

The amazing(ly typical) reckonings of a girl with wayward opinions.

[adventuringasnotagrownup-deacti]

[untamedcomets]

This is important

[memory-machine]

IMPORTANT. BOOST.

[untouchmyhair]

Can’t even do the fake number anymore smh

[betterthanabortion]

“My body, my choice” only makes sense when someone else’s life isn’t at stake.

[fandomsandfeminism]

Fun fact: If my younger sister was in a car accident and desperately needed a blood transfusion to live, and I was the only person on Earth who could donate blood to save her, and even though donating blood is a relatively easy, safe, and quick procedure no one can force me to give blood. Yes, even to save the life of a fully grown person, it would be ILLEGAL to FORCE me to donate blood if I didn’t want to.

See, we have this concept called “bodily autonomy.” It’s this….cultural notion that a person’s control over their own body is above all important and must not be infringed upon. 

Like, we can’t even take LIFE SAVING organs from CORPSES unless the person whose corpse it is gave consent before their death. Even corpses get bodily autonomy. 

To tell people that they MUST sacrifice their bodily autonomy for 9 months against their will in an incredibly expensive, invasive, difficult process to save what YOU view as another human life (a debatable claim in the early stages of pregnancy when the VAST majority of abortions are performed) is desperately unethical. You can’t even ask people to sacrifice bodily autonomy to give up organs they aren’t using anymore after they have died. 

You’re asking people who can become pregnant to accept less bodily autonomy than we grant to dead bodies. 

[albinwonderland]

reblogging for commentary 

[generalmaluga]

But, assuming the mother wasn’t raped, the choice to HAVE a baby and risk sacrificing their “bodily autonomy” is a choice that the mother made. YOu don’t have to have sex with someone. Cases of rape aside, it isn’t ethical to say abortion is justified. The unborn baby has rights, too. 

[fandomsandfeminism]

First point: Bodily autonomy can be preserved, even if another life is dependent on it. See again the example about the blood donation. 

And here’s another point: When you say that “rape is the exception” you betray something FUNDAMENTALLY BROKEN about your own argument.

Because a fetus produced from sexual assault is biologically NO DIFFERENT than a fetus produced from consensual sex. No difference at all.

If one is alive, so is the other. If one is a person, so is the other. If one has a soul, then so does the other. If one is a little blessing that happened for a reason and must be protected, then so is the other. 

When you say that “Rape is the exception” what you betray is this: It isn’t about a life. This isn’t about the little soul sitting inside some person’s womb, because if it was you wouldn’t care about HOW it got there, only that it is a little life that needs protecting.

When you say “rape is the exception” what you say is this: You are treating pregnancy as a punishment. You are PUNISHING people who have had CONSENSUAL SEX but don’t want to go through a pregnancy. People who DARED to have consensual sex without the goal of procreation in mind, and this is their “consequence.” 

And that is gross. 

[themajastina-deactivated2016040]

This has been added to since I last saw it, so reblogging again.

[blackwoolncrown]

Busted wide open.

[neveraccidental]

Mic dropped.

[fuckyeahfeminists]

Also, let’s talk consent 101: consenting to one thing does not mean I am automatically consenting to something else.

If I consent to kiss someone, I am not automatically consenting to having sex with them. Hell, if I consented to have sex with someone one way, it doesn’t mean I am automatically consenting to doing it in a different. If I consent to having intercourse, I am not by default consenting to getting pregnant and giving birth.

[baawri]

[rodbunnyslay-deactivated2017040]

Oh wow didn’t expect the end.

[fairlyqueer-blog-blog]

While I agree with the message, we should also be teaching boys that it’s okay to cry.

[insomniacolympics]

Boys can cry and I will hug them bc it’s okay to be sad and cry

[the-new-flesh]

The point of this ad (to the second commenter) is that, in telling boys they can’t cry because they will be perceived as weak, you create emotionally-stunted men whose only method of expressing themselves is through violence and aggression. In saying “man” is interchangeable exclusively with “strong”, they grow up to believe that anyone who ISN’T a man (women, queer people) IS weak, and thus they have warrant to harm them.

These things are linked.

In ending toxic masculinity, you end misogyny and queerphobia. That’s why the ad says “Start with the boys”, because at such a young age, males are susceptible to all sorts of harmful ideals. I myself was, and it’s taken me almost 20 years to wash them off, and you know what? There’s still more to do.

In creating emotionally-healthy young boys, you create an environment where men respect others who are different to them. In ending traditional masculinity, you end patriarchy.

[passivemanipulations]

[saxifraga-x-urbium]

A list of female chiefs of government of Independent States and Self-ruling Territories from the 20th century

A list of female Nobel Prize laureates

A list of women CEOS of the Fortune 500

A list of Olympic Medalists (women)

[fuckyeatransartwork]

[badgerbuddha-deactivated2017031]

<3

[loathsomerainbow]

So sweet

[exgynocraticgrrl-archive-deacti]

Breaking The Male Code: After Steubenville, A Call To Action

Sports Editor at The Nation, Dave Zirin

[aishadoo]

(Week 12, Writing Tools #10) common BUT unique!

Here's my take on "Tool 38: Prefer archetypes to stereotypes" using Option 4.

I found this blog, in which the author explains the appeal of archetypes using popular series and characters. 

Ever think that Glinda the Good Witch and Albus Dumbledore are the same?

No? 

Well, they're formed from the same archetype!

Both characters may have ended up boring and stereotypical if the authors didn't add their own twists to the Mentor archetype.

The skillful use of an archetype involves taking a well-known model and making it your own. Glinda and Dumbledore may both be magical mentors that shadow a youth in need, but they have different personalities, backgrounds, styles… everything!

Using an archetype will appeal to your reader's need for familiarity, but you have to add your own flavor to keep the reader's interest.

[aishadoo]

(Week 11, Writing Tools #9) over and over and over and out

I really liked "Tool 33: Repeat, repeat, and repeat" this week.

I think repetition is a great way to build suspense in a story or even to let the reader get inside the character's head a bit more. It puts the focus on something that you can't ignore.

Anyway, I found this little blurb here.

The author of this blog is arguing against repetition, saying that it makes the writer look boring and maybe a bit empty-minded. I think she's referring to the repetition of thoughts, but the image she used to support this… Well, I think it's brilliant.

The writing in this picture makes you want to spin your head around while you read. It catches you in a wheel of words.

I like it. What do you think?

[troyesghost]

Benny - Little Game

[incredible-demon]

i still cant fathom the fact that a 15 yr old kid came up with a video as powerful as #LittleGame

[aishadoo]

If gender roles also evolved into a dystopia.

[aishadoo]

life's no fun without a good scare

So.

Halloween.

To say that I friggin' love Halloween would be the biggest understatement.

But since I was very young, I've noticed how messed up girls' costumes are. All short skirts and cleavage. 

Boys' costumes actually reflect the subject… but girls just have to deal with being overly sexualized… It sucks.

Now, I'm not going to pretend that I've never bought one of these costumes. I have. Three times, at least. And I think they're awesome.

There's just a disparity between the costumes available to the different genders.

Anyway, since I was at the C4C most of the night, I noticed that most of the costumes aligned with the above ideas.

I saw some men dressed either as women or as something typically "girly" like My Little Pony, but I didn't see any women looking scary… or particularly warm. Poor things.

My costume was limited this year due to work, so I mostly stuck with face paint.

Here's my Joker.

Besides the stylized eye makeup, I think it's pretty gender rebel. 

I'd also like to point out (mainly because I just thought of it) that I've yet to cosplay a character that doesn't have gender rebel qualities.

Look:

Jack from Mass Effect 3, psychotic badass.

Little Sister from Bioshock 2, girly and childish but violent and unsympathetic.

I guess costumes are more interesting when they don't line up with your expectations.

Oh well, time for Christmas and fat Santa + sexy elves.

(All images from Hallow Vision Cosplay)

[aishadoo]

no, no. I'm always right.

Don't be like Eddy, guys.

Understanding Rhetoric

Issue 4: Argument Beyond Pro and Con

I liked this chapter because it provides a simple outline for a formal argument. If you want your reader or opposition to pay attention to your issue, you have to say what happened, how it happened, who it affected, and why it's a problem.

Covers all of your bases. If you don't know the answers to these questions, you probably don't know enough about the topic to argue for or against it. 

Lay out all of the supportable evidence you have, but keep an open mind and look for the similarities between your argument and the other side's argument.

These concepts were illustrated in the Queer Theory chapter of Gender and Sexuality for Beginners when Garbacik explains the animosity between queer theorists and other orientation proponents. However, no solid evidence was provided during either argument. The claims were all theoretical.

Issue 5: Research - More Than Detective Work

The best piece of advice in this chapter is to stay organized.

Organize your thoughts. Organize your evidence. Organize your presentation!

I purposefully involve myself in tough psychology classes so that I can gain the skills I need to put together a competitive application for graduate school -- AKA I constantly torture myself with research papers. 

When I have time to organize my papers and thoroughly prepare for them, the whole process is stress free and the end product is strong.

But this semester, I've been short on time, and I feel like my work is sloppy. Organization makes a world of difference!

(Time to go write another one of those papers now, bye.)

[aishadoo]

(Week 10, Writing Tools #8) aaaaaand i'm hooked

For this week's activity, I found a nice visual that explains the three different types of cliffhangers. This aligns with "Tool 30: To generate suspense, use internal cliffhangers."

Clickety click to see!

This post does not mention internal cliffhangers explicitly, but notice the bumps during to progression of the plots. I'd say those are peaks of suspense during or at the end of chapters.

They are the plot points that you just have to finish… only to be thrust into a new action.

However, I have to say that authors who use a bunch of internal cliffhangers then end with a huge cliffhanger are probably evil.

AHEM, AHEM, I'M LOOKING AT YOU, SHERLOCK.

Uh. Anyway.

Just as an aside for this assignment, I also found a really unique graphic about the whole plot of Pulp Fiction. I thought it related to "Tool 29: Foreshadow dramatic events and powerful conclusions."

Like any Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction is nuts. It starts near the end of the story, moves back in time, and visits different sets of characters constantly. There's quite a bit of foreshadowing, but you probably have to watch the movie 3 times to understand most of it.

Here's the link if you feel like looking at something nice and complicated.

[tequilakisses-and-bigfootcuddles]

[heartyglobe-deactivated20160503]

nobody says it but we all know what this is about

[smolderingtroyler]

This picture is weirdly genius

[aishadoo]

(french accent) ze end!

Gender and Sexuality for Beginners

Looking Forward

I'm not even sure what to write right now because I agree with Garbacik's closing thoughts and it's after 1 am.

I suppose, overall, the LGBTQIA movement has improved many lives. Slowly but surely, we're getting there.

Anyone who doesn't fall into heteronormality or the all-too-strict gender archetypes will still face opposition today, but these issues are being exposed. I'd really like to think that after gay marriage is 100% legalized, we'll be able to start destroying the systematic discrimination that these circles face.

It all requires open hearts and minds, so education is key!

But really, now I'm curious… Are heterosexuals really the majority?

Doubt it.

[aishadoo]

transform and rollout! … oh wait...

Gender and Sexuality for Beginners

Chapter 8: Transgender Contexts and Concerns

Garbacik outlines the history and evolving ideas about transgender and transexual people in this chapter. The trans population has been typically accepted in western civilization due to its DSM-3 classification called Gender Identity Disorder, and sexual/gender reassignment surgeries have been around since the 1920s. Although it is inappropriate to think of trans people as mentally ill, the idea did aid them early on. Despite everything, transphobia still exists, and trans people face discrimination in education, the work force, and in health care.

I thought it was interesting that trans activists were kind of condemned by feminists because they were seen as supporting the gender binary. It is pretty lame that trans people were more likely to get the surgery they wanted if the conformed to one gender role.. hmm.

I also really liked the box in this chapter about how trans people are treated in different cultures. They're not only accepted, but revered and looked up to. What a thought! (Come on, America, I'm looking at you..) Also, the pictures in this section actually added to the content! Huzzah!

Okay, okay. As a psych major, I also want to defend the DSM here. Just a little. So no, I don't think trans people have a mental illness or disorder. But! In the DSM-5, a disorder is defined as "Behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that are unexpected in their cultural context and associated with present distress and impairment in functioning, or increased risk of suffering, death, pain, or impairment."

Basically, it's something that's causing you stress and emotional pain to the point were you can't function in daily life. If someone feels that they aren't in the right body and they're being stigmatized for it, I can see where that may apply. 

So, once again, no, these people aren't sick or wrong, but they are being affected by something they can't control.

-shrug-

[aishadoo]

i am a leaf on the wind

Gender and Sexuality for Beginners

Chapter 7: Queer Theory

In this chapter, Garbacik discusses the ideas involved in the queer identity. To be queer, she says, is to reject the heteronormative gender archetypes. It is to oppose the idea of a "normal" sexuality or identity, and it introduces a more fluid identity without limits. 

Basically, this chapter theorizes how some people are trying to get away from the problems that the gender binary causes. It's a bit confusing, because you can still identify as an archetype sex or gender and call yourself queer. But I do like the idea that queer can be a political affiliation.

I thought it was interesting that queer theories basically shoot down the "born this way" argument. If you're born a certain way, you'll probably always stay that way. That doesn't align with fluid queer identities though! You can be born one way and change tons of times and maybe never stop changing. Hmmm.

Questions: Why IS sexuality so important to our identity anyway??

[aishadoo]

(Week 9, Writing Tools #7) oh god we're only halfway done

Really, there are fifty writing tools.

Anyway. This week, I'm using "Tool 25: Learn the difference between reports and stories" to elaborate on Commander Shepard's basic profile. (Found here.)

Original:

"Shepard was born on April 11, 2154, is a graduate of the Systems Alliance N7 special forces program (service no. 5923-AC-2826), and is initially assigned to the SSV Normandy as Executive Officer. Shepard later becomes the first human to join the Spectres, an elite special task force for the Citadel Council."

Revised:

"Shepard was born on Earth on April 11, 2154. He spent 16 years with his family before the First Contact War began. Everyone he knew was slain by invaders, leaving him as his city's sole survivor.

Without a home or friend to call on, Shepard illegally joined the Alliance and was quickly accepted into the N7 special forces program due to his ruthless behavior. Even at 16, he was the best shot, the quickest thinker, and the bravest tactician.

By age 29, he became the Executive Officer of the SSV Normandy. In the same year, he eliminated the enemy Geth threat, exposed a traitorous Spectre, and coordinated galactic peace.

His accomplishments allowed him to become the first human Spectre, putting humanity in the spotlight as a noteworthy race among aliens."

Wow, Mass Effect.

I don't know if I utilized this tool to it's fullest, but I tried to explain the events behind Shepard's titles. It's still pretty report-y, but I wanted to at least touch on everything the original passage said.

The game took me 30 hours to complete RUSHED so I think I did pretty okay.

I'm sure if I focused on one thing, I could probably boil it down to 5 pages get more detailed and probably make you cry maybe more emotional.

And really, does the original text bring that picture to mind? It's a resume. It can't tell you what he's been through.