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And with that, I am done. 

Take care everyone, if you know me, you know how to find me. 

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On Sera

I wasn’t planning on doing this, but I checked my dash today and something cropped up that gently nudged me over the edge, so instead of ending on a whimper, my second-last post on this blog is going to be this one.

I want to start by saying that there are some valid criticisms of Sera’s character, and they’ve been covered in depth by other people. Criticism is healthy. I’m not going to retread that ground, because it’s not entirely relevant. What is relevant is this:

A lot of people really hate Sera. 

I keep seeing positivity posts for other characters that can’t describe interactions with Sera without first saying how annoying she is. She’s written as if her only drives are sex and violence. I see people quite happily proclaiming how much they hate her, at the first available opportunity. 

Sera is the first lesbian companion and romantic interest we’ve had. She’s also all of 19, neurodivergent, and written by a straight man who hated her. Honestly hated her, based on how the plot treats her, how easily she is abandoned as a romantic interest, and how other characters interact with her. 

Cole, by contrast, is also neurodivergent and left of center. Other characters, even the ones who are not his friends, are shown to care about him and his wellbeing. Fans don’t view him with the same vitriol. 

So, I can’t help but wonder why people don’t see that misogyny, or ableism, (and quite possibly lesbophobia) could be playing into their dislike of her. And if you’re ready with your counter-essay of reasons you hate her, I’d like to point out that the elements of her that people object to are present in a whole bunch of favourites. I’m not going to list them, because I imagine anyone who’s already annoyed is thinking of those reasons themselves and why they don’t count. Even Bull says some messed up shit to various people, but we ignore it because we like him, and because he’s an amiable guy. 

My point is, Sera’s a very popular target for light abuse. Given what she represents, got to say, doesn’t feel great. She certainly doesn’t get it the worst, but it’s enduring, and it is unpleasant. 

If you’ve read this think this is specifically calling you out, I dunno, maybe? Maybe it is. But I didn’t write it in response to a single person, I wrote it in response to an enduring trend, and if you are a drop of water in that wave, perhaps something needs to change. I can’t tell you, you’ll have to examine your feelings and your analysis on your own. 

Honestly, this post isn’t as comprehensive as it could be, and I don’t know if I’ve covered the ‘valid criticism’ angle as well as I should’ve... but I am tired. I’m tired seeing the easy targets for fandom hate be exactly the ones I think they’ll be. I’m not going to step out of my lane to go beyond the point I’m making here, but this is an enduring problem, and it’s not one I want to engage with anymore. I am not saying anything new. 

Alright, that’s the gist of it. 

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I... don’t check my email all the time.

I did not realize that I had a hate follower. 

Why do people do that?

[thenearsightedmonkey]

By Lynda Barry  May 2016

[kateordie]

Every time I see this I love it more

[coelasquid]

I’ve been binge watching the trainwreck that is Millionaire Matchmaker to tide me through the end of the Summer TV Wasteland, and it’’s making me imagine what would happen if someone asked Commander to describe “his type”.

(The answer is probably “the first person to make prolonged eye contact with him when he’s newly single and feeling sad”)

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I’m going to spend the next day communicating my feelings through the medium of gifs.

[wrenhavenriverarchive]

*playing video games while slouched sloppily on couch*

*dies in a bullshit way*

*irritably sits up and pays attention for next attempt* 

[saturnineaqua]

i coined the term “soft defense” based on people who always swoop in to defend someone terrible.

they dont want to seem like they are defending that persons actions, so they defend something meaningless, like their looks, or even finances.

its also another form of tone policing.

when an physically demonic looking white person does something reprehensible, seemingly “nice” white people will swoop in with their calls of “ now now everyone,dont call them ugly or you’re stooping to their level!”

or in the case of this white man who didnt want to seem racist,but felt the need to defend Darren Wilson any meager way he can , “corrected” me when i called the murderers wedding “lavish”. in the name of “being fair” he said.

this is a way for them to defend people the inwardly respect and even admire,while trying to come off “fair” and “good”.

dont fall for it.

snap on them too.

[saturnineaqua]

this is necessary for today because Erica Garner truthfully called out NYC mayor deblasio and said he “ likes black pussy , but not black lives” which is true of many white people in interracial relationships ( only THEIR black may live, all others not so much, theirs is special and better”)

and white people are using the soft defense of “well now yung lady, just because he’s being mean and not pursuing  justice for your father, doesnt mean you get to be a big meanie about it!”

and thats soft defense in a nut shell

[theveryworstthing]

its International Vulture Awareness Day so what better time to post drawings of Foxglove’s funeral directing vulture moms.

On the left is Ms. Fifteen-Stab-Wounds Hubris, funeral director, caterer, and grief counselor. she’s a black vulture who grew up on the island and prides herself in her knowledge of obscure burial practices. she’s very outgoing and positive, which is sometimes mistaken for naivete. a mistake she is all too willing to exploit when she wants to mess with someone. she likes rabbit bars and has a few fidgety rabbit mannerisms.

On the right is Ms. Irresponsible-Botany Hubris, grave slab constructor, medical examiner, and cleansing insect handler. she’s a leucistic turkey vulture who was born on the mainland but immigrated to the island with her parents when she was young. she’s an artist who’s a little better with animals than people. she’s soft spoken, loves watching fights, and makes all of Foxglove’s jewelry.

they’re both priestesses who met during their training in the holy city and bonded over their strange upbringings on the island. they decided to return home shortly after they finished their training when they heard a few funeral attendant positions had opened up.

these positions just happened to be the worst. low pay, no time off, terrible conditions, upset customers, just generally terrible management. they took every hit without complaint (at least not to their bosses faces) and went about their lives in saintly servitude to the dead as they learned the trade.

then they opened their own funeral home nearby and mercilessly ran them out of business.

they were married in the empty shell of their former workplace, now known as their bug kennel/craft room.

quick facts:

for vultures, first names are always causes of death. the parents usually pick these from a meal they had while gravid.

family names are a little more existential but pretty much the same thing. Irresponsible took Fifteen’s last name since she never really like Folly.

they have two other children besides Foxglove, twin boys named Bee-Stings and Baking-Accident. they are very proud of all three of them, even though Baking accident set fire to that one guy.

they are good moms.

[coelasquid]

Oh no they’re adorable.

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I am so here for queer vulture wives.