Today's Document
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
Origami Around
blake kathryn
AnasAbdin
Sade Olutola
noise dept.
Mike Driver
Kaledo Art
Love Begins
if i look back, i am lost
todays bird
Acquired Stardust
❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
dirt enthusiast
Discoholic 🪩
art blog(derogatory)
shark vs the universe
★
tumblr dot com
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Malaysia
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from South Korea
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Israel
seen from United States
seen from India
seen from Netherlands
seen from Malaysia
seen from Chile
seen from Iraq
seen from United States
@half-explored
If 2/2/22 falls on a Tuesday it could also be known as “2’s Day”
CLUB GOIN UP
ON A
̶̴̲̜͚̲͍̺̰̠͓̰̳̖̞̙̥̻̪͟２̶̛͍̖͙̥̹͍̰͕̘͖̤̮̙͔̝̣̠͡͠＇̧̨͉̭͙͔̗̻̹̣͙̱̜̝͍̹͙͙Ｓ̶̷̲̠̥̘̱̼̮̞̥̥̭̕͢͠ ̡̖͎̹͙͍͙͈̞̲͠͝ͅ ̛͏͞҉̤̪͔͙̥̪̬̭ͅͅＤ̡͍̥̝̻͍͕̭̠̳̺̯͖͢͞Ａ̵̡̧̯͔̭̹͍̰̫͍̘̝̺Ｙ̢̙͙̥̣̬̗̱͓̠̹̝̟̤͟͡͠
reblogging this because i think it is creative and funny, not because i dont get laid. this is a good joke, and i have a lot of sex with women
was that really necessary to add
really
huh? just sharing my love of getting laid. didn’t mean to offend you friend. i just have a lot of sex. with women. i get laid a lot and thats why i added this.
https://mamot.fr/@setthemfree/106014810050613790
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/google-testing-its-controversial-new-ad-targeting-tech-millions-browsers-heres
For alternatives.
Firefox remains best in show in the category of “browsers that won’t do this bullshit.” It’s got a long, long history of trust, a sizable userbase, and a decent amount of privacy built in, with more extensions and customization options than you’ll ever need. However, note that it can sometimes perform slowly, especially with a lot of tabs open.
Opera is a slightly lesser-known browser, and my personal main browser for day-to-day use. It has a built-in VPN (though this can be slow at times), adblocker, and anti-tracking tools, with more available via extensions. Opera’s userbase is slightly smaller, so overall less extensions are available than Firefox, and (in my experience) it generally needs a few settings to be tweaked on first startup to make it comfortable to use (notably, the keyboard shortcuts are different from chrome/firefox).
DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that also has (at least) a mobile browser (for Android devices). I’m not honestly sure if they have a desktop or Apple version, but the mobile browser provides many similar safety features to Opera. I find Opera more convenient for casual browsing, but if you’re very conscious of online security, DuckDuckGo might be the way to go.
Microsoft Edge exists. Don’t use it.
Please do yourself a favor and stop using Chrome!
Ecosia isn’t Chrome based, right? that’s what ive been using, for the trees, and it says it doesn’t save your history but i wanted to check
I’m afraid so. And based on many other Chrome based browser scandals, I don’t trust it.
dammit. ill download firefox then :/ thanks for letting me know
edit: how do you actually download it
edit edit: wHY does it send me to GOOGLE, IMMEDIATELY upon downloading it????? like i have the app and it says “firefox browser” and it’s talking all about how secure it is etc but the little rainbow G icon is right next to the actual browser and theres a link right to Google on the firefox homepage how do i stop that
So from my understanding Firefox uses Google but it blocks all the trackers
that makes sense! ty!! i ended up changing the default browser to duckduckgo anyway (and deleted google and amazon off of the browser options anyway) but i appreciate it!!! (im afraid this all becomes null and void with me using only gmail as all of my email accs but there’s not much i can really do anything about that. hopefully firefox will block gmail from seeing my searches through the gmail account i used to sign in :///)
I’d recommend Protonmail, as a substitute for gmail. It’s a Swiss based end-to-end encrypted email service that is expanding to Proton-calander and Proton-drive with their paid version. Their ProtonVPN also has a free version with limited locations. They also have apps for both android and apple.
To boost Firefox, I’d add-on-
Facebook Container- isolates your Facebook activity from the rest of your web activity in order to prevent Facebook from tracking you outside of the Facebook website via third party cookies.
HTTPS Everywhere- Many sites on the web offer some limited support for encryption over HTTPS, but make it difficult to use. For instance, they may default to unencrypted HTTP, or fill encrypted pages with links that go back to the unencrypted site.
Privacy Badger automatically learns to block invisible trackers. Instead of keeping lists of what to block, Privacy Badger automatically discovers trackers based on their behavior.
Privacy Possum monkey wrenches common commercial tracking methods by reducing and falsifying the data gathered by tracking companies.
uBlock Origin is not an “ad blocker”, it’s a wide-spectrum content blocker with CPU and memory efficiency as a primary feature.
Firefox Multi-Account Containers lets you carve out a separate box for each of your online lives – no more opening a different browser just to check your work email! Here is a quick video showing you how it works. Under the hood, it separates website storage into tab-specific Containers. Cookies downloaded by one Container are not available to other Containers. With the Firefox Multi-Account Containers extension, you can…
Sign in to two different accounts on the same site. For example, you could sign in to work email and home email in two different Container tabs.
Keep different kinds of browsing far away from each other (for example, you might use one Container tab for managing your Checking Account and a different Container tab for searching for new songs by your favorite band)
Avoid leaving social-network footprints all over the web (for example, you could use a Container tab for signing in to a social network, and use a different tab for visiting online news sites, keeping your social identity separate from tracking scripts on news sites)
Enhancer for YouTube™- Built to get the most out of YouTube, this extension comes packed with all sorts of features that allow you, among other things, to manage ads as you wish, control the playback speed and the volume level with the mouse wheel, automate repetitive tasks such as selecting the appropriate playback quality, configure dozens of keyboard shortcuts to control YouTube like a pro, and much more.
Decentraleyes- Protects you against tracking through “free”, centralized, content delivery.
Protects privacy by evading large delivery networks that claim to offer free services.
Complements regular blockers such as uBlock Origin (recommended), Adblock Plus, et al.
Works directly out of the box; absolutely no prior configuration required.
Bitwarden- A secure and free password manager for all of your devices. Bitwarden is the easiest and safest way to store all of your logins and passwords while conveniently keeping them synced between all of your devices.
Several of these also have companion versions in Firefox mobile.
If you are interested in other trustworthy add-ons, this icon shows that the add-on is an editorially curated extension that meet the highest standards of security, functionality, and user experience. Firefox staff, along with community participation, selects each extension and manually reviews them for security and policy compliance before they receive Recommended status.
Good luck! @ or message me if you need anything else.
Edit: I’d make a firefox account so you can log in and sync tabs/bookmarks across devices.
holy shit this is insane thank you so much!!!
Long post but very useful addons. Press j to skip
I was looking through my old pics, and I found this. I do not even remember putting this on my computer.
Grow with the grass, bath in the sun🌿🌾 ☀️
IG: @dani.theflowerthief
Possible Traits of Autism in Females
This by no means a comprehensive list, it is simply a reference point, not a diagnostic tool. If you identify with a majority of this list and wish to receive a diagnosis, consult a medical professional, preferably a specialist in autism spectrum disorders who has had experience diagnosing women.
Tends to analyze everything constantly
Often straightforward and practical in nature.
Often gets lost in own thoughts and zones out (may display a blank stare)
May appear naive or innocent (despite not being so)
Prone to honesty, has difficulty lying
May struggle to understand manipulation, disloyalty, vindictive behavior and retaliation.
May be gullible and easily taken advantage of, misled, or conned.
May have feelings of confusion and isolation in relation to others
Escapism frequently used to relax or avoid overwhelming situations.
Often holds fixations, obsessions, and extreme interest in specific topics.
Finds comfort in escaping through imagination, fantasy, and daydreaming.
Often has slower reaction times due to need for mental processing.
May have had imaginary friends as a child.
Frequently imitates (takes social cues from) people on television or in movies.
May obsessively collect, organize, count, categorize, or rearrange objects.
Often highly adapted to social imitation.
May find math and numbers easier to deal with due to logic and lack of objective answers.
May struggle to relax or rest due to many racing thoughts.
Often has comorbid conditions, such as OCD, anxiety, ADD or ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, etc.
Often has sensory processing disorder (sight, sound, texture, smells, taste)
May have dyspraxia (Poor muscle tone, lack of coordination and depth perception)
May have dyslexia
May have an eating disorder or food obsessions
May have been misdiagnosed or diagnosed with other mental illness or possibly labeled a hypochondriac.
Tends to drop small objects
May frequently engage in “stimming” (self-stimulation) i.e., flicks fingernails, flaps hands, drums fingers, rubs hands/fingers, tucks hands under or between legs, clenches fists, twirls hair, taps foot/shakes leg, sways side to side, spins in circles, bouncing up and down, rocking, etc.
May use various noises to express herself rather than using words.
May have a tendency to over-share with friends and sometimes strangers
May have little impulse control when speaking
May accidently dominate conversation at times.
Often relates discussion back to self (sharing as a means of reaching out)
May be incorrectly seen as narcissistic
Often sounds eager or over-zealous at times.
May feels as if she is attempting to communicate “correctly.”
Often struggles with and is confused by the unwritten social rules of accurate eye contact, tone of voice, proximity of body, stance, and posture in conversation.
Eye contact often takes extreme focus, which may lead an individual’s eye contact to be darting and insufficient, or over-the-top staring/glaring.
May have difficulty regulating voice volume to different situations. Is frequently observed as being either too loud or too quiet.
Conversation, specifically small talk, can be exhausting.
May have trouble focusing on/engaging in conversation that is not centered on one’s primary interests.
May observe and question the actions and behaviors of self and others continually.
May have difficulty with back-and-forth conversation
Trained self in social interactions through readings and studying of other people.
Visualizes and practices how she will act around others and before entering various social situations.
Difficulty filtering out background noise when talking to others.
Has a continuous dialogue in mind that tells her what to say and how to act when in a social situations.
Sense of humor sometimes seems quirky, odd, or different from others.
As a child, it may have been hard to know when it was her turn to talk, may still be true as an adult.
Often finds the norms of conversation confusing.
Tend to say what they mean. Are often brutally honest, coming off as rude when they do not mean to be.
May feel misunderstood and tend to over-explain/ramble in an attempt to compensate for possible miscommunication.
Feels extreme relief when she doesn’t have to go anywhere, talk to anyone, answer calls, or leave the house.
Feelings of dread about upcoming events and appointments on the calendar.
Knowing she has to leave the house causes anxiety from the moment she wakes up.
The steps involved in leaving the house are overwhelming and exhausting to think about.
Must prepare herself mentally for outings, excursions, meetings, and appointments.
Question next steps and movements continually.
Often needs a large amount of down time or alone time.
May feel extremely self-conscious and uncomfortable in public locker rooms, bathrooms, or dressing rooms.
Tends to dislike being in crowded areas.
Difficulty sleeping due to sensitivity to environment
May be highly intuitive to others’ feelings, although may not appear to react to them ‘correctly’ in social situations
May take criticism and judgement very personally
May frequently adapt her viewpoints or actions based on others’ opinions
Dislikes words and events that hurt animals and people.
May have had a desire to collect or rescue animals, usually in childhood.
Often holds great compassion for suffering.
May try to help, offer unsolicited advice, or formalize plans of action.
Imitates others without realizing.
May exhibit codependent behaviors.
May frequently reject or question social norms.
Chameleon-like in social situations. Often switches preferences and behaviours based on environment and other people.
May outwardly appear to have little investment in hygiene, clothes, or appearance, often prefers fast and easy methods of style.
Clothing style is likely more focused on comfort and practicality, especially in the case of sensory issues.
May possess a youthful appearance and/or voice.
May have trouble recognizing what she looks like and/or has slight prosopagnosia (difficulty recognizing or remembering faces).
The emotions of oneself and others may seem confusing, illogical, and unpredictable.
Expects that by acting a certain way certain results can be achieved, but realizes in dealing with emotions, those results don’t always manifest.
Often speaks frankly and literally.
Certain kinds of humor, such as sarcasm and metaphors, may be difficult to understand.
Can be confused when others ostracize, shun, belittle, trick, and betray.
Often has trouble identifying feelings in others unless they are extreme.
Trouble with the emotions of hate and dislike.
May have feelings of pity for someone who has persecuted/hurt her.
Situations and conversations sometimes perceived as black or white.
The middle spectrum of outcomes, events, and emotions is sometimes overlooked or misunderstood. (All or nothing mentality).
May notices patterns frequently.
May be fascinated by words or song lyrics.
Tends to best remember/learn things in visual pictures (visual thinkers).
May have a remarkable memory for certain details, i.e., may find it surprisingly easy to remembers exact details about someone’s life.
Executive function is often a challenge
Learning to ride a bike or drive a car may be rather difficult.
Anything that requires a reasonable amount of steps, dexterity, or know-how can rouse a sense of panic.
The thought of repairing, fixing, or locating something can cause anxiety.
May have a hard time finding certain objects in the house, but remembers with exact clarity where other objects are.
May frequently second-guess oneself and ask a lot of questions before engaging a task or situation
This list was compiled from various personal accounts and symptom lists. It is subjective and does not include every identifiable trait. Nor is it entirely medically accurate. Please do your own research into ASD before self-diagnosing.
When reblogging, feel free to add additional traits you believe to be common in ASD females that will be useful for others to know.
How can I return to writing after a long hiatus?
This post is based on a conversation we had in the Duck Prints Press LLC Discord, and all contributors comments have been used/paraphrased/integrated into this post with permission. The people who contributed ideas to this post are: @nottesilhouette, @ramblingandpie, @arialerendeair, @tryslora, @deansmultitudes, @theleakypen, Owlish Intergalactic, myself (I’m @unforth), and one who preferred to remain anonymous.
Few things are harder than coming back to writing after a long period of not writing. Being creative takes a lot of energy, and starting after not doing so for a period of time takes even more energy. The writers on our Discord had a really productive discussion, where we talked about strategies we’ve each personally used to help us get our writing mojo back. None of these methods work for everyone, but if you haven’t written in a while, maybe one of these will work for you!
How to Revive that Creative Writing Spark:
doing sprints with a friend - knowing you’re all in it together can really help!
talking with writing buddies about what you’re each working on - the shared enthusiasm can be really helpful,
journaling, about daily life, or about dreams you’ve had - turning the dream into something coherent can be a great strategy (or, don’t bother, and just write it however crazily it took place!)
pick a random story you wrote in the past and read a chapter, paragraph, or 500 word segment - and look at it as a reader, say things you liked about it, praise it, emphasize the good things about your own writing.
transcribe a song with lyrics you find inspiring, or crack open a favorite book and transcribe a few paragraphs. You can even do it with something you’ve written yourself!
set a low-pressure, low-word count deadline - make it public, if you’re the kind of person that helps, or keep it to yourself.
sign up for a zero-consequence challenge, such as a bingo, or the Duck Prints Press #drabbledaysaturday prompts on Twitter - something where no one will mind if you don’t succeed, but you might find some inspiration.
create a small goal, either daily, weekly, or monthly - it can be a time frame (I’ll write for 5 minutes a day!) or a word count (I’ll write 1,000 words a month!) or even something tiny (I’ll write one sentence a day!) or a public sharing goal (post a ficlet a day!) and then do your best to stick to it, and reward yourself when you succeed.
open your ask box or otherwise solicit short prompts - for example, do a “three sentence” meme (”send me a pairing and a trope and I’ll write a three sentence fill”) or a story title meme (”send me a story title and I’ll write a little about the story I’d create with that title”) or an emoji prompt (”send me three emojis and I’ll write a ficlet”) or make your own fun one that will bring you joy (one of our writers created a “name two characters and I’ll make them kiss in six sentences or less” meme that helped them a lot)
participate in a prompt month, something with no consequences for failure but with prompts that can inspire daily ficlet.
write without editing, and just throw what you create out into the world - anything to get the words flowing.
challenge yourself to write a drabble day, no more and no less.
try changing how or when you write - get a nice journal and write by hand, or if that’s your normal, try writing in a word document instead.
write at different times of day, and see if it’s easier for you over breakfast, or after lights out, or during your lunch break, or by stealing a few minutes while you’re “on the clock” at work.
make an attempt at different formats of writing - if you usually write prose, try a poem; if you usually write really long things, try a drabble.
look out your window, or find a place you like, and just describe what you see.
do some free association exercises - for example, use a random word generator (I use this one sometimes) and then write literally whatever word comes into your head next - keep going until you fill the page, or until it starts to turn into a story, or just until you don’t feel like it any longer.
pick a random sentence (the person who suggested this often uses “Just write anything”) to be the start of a story, and “pants” your way through whatever comes next, without worrying about grammar, continuity, logic, or much of anything.
plan ahead - schedule your writing time and don’t let yourself put it off (rewards for success are always good!) and/or visualize exactly what you want to write ahead so you’re ready when you sit down.
if you get hit by inspiration, don’t put it off - even if all you do is scrawl a sentence in your phone or on scratch paper between other tasks, get it out of your head. Even a single sentence is a creation!
get out of the spaces where your usual things are - go to a park, or on a hike, or in your backyard, or even a different room in your own home, and bring a journal or phone or laptop, and see what strikes you.
pick That Thing You Haven’t Been Letting Yourself Write and ignore all the things you Think You Should Be Writing and just…write what brings you joy
fanfiction can be very helpful, especially in canon using canon-compliant ships/characterizations - there’s no need to do the heavy lifting. Even if you just write the characters going to a grocery store, or talking about what movie they want to watch, or arguing over take out - something short and sweet that’s just for fun, with no expectations for yourself or anyone else.
alternatively, if you’re the type who writes better for others and you’re feeling down - knock out anything, even something short, and post it, and take joy even in a single like or kudos. Knowing even one person out there loved what you wrote can really help.
Any or all of these may help you, but there’s one final one that I, at least, think is the most important of all - and that’s helped me most.
FORGIVE YOURSELF. You have work in progress up. It’s okay to leave them. You told someone you’d write something for them. It’s okay not to. You have a deadline looming. It’s okay to ask for more time, or to withdraw, or - in the end - it’s even okay to ghost. You think what you’ve made is bad. It’s okay if it’s bad. You’ll never be able to create when you’re raking yourself over the coals. Everyone in fandom has “been there” - has missed deadlines, has left challenges, has abandoned works in progress, have reneged on a promise to a friend to write something. Until you forgive yourself, you’ll never be able to create anything, and isn’t even a single sentence that isn’t on that Big Important Thing better than no sentences on anything?
Forgive yourself, and find that spark, inspiration, muse, whatever you want to call it - and write things that bring you joy.
We believe in you!
YOU CAN DO IT!
Malika El Maslouhi by Juliette Abitbol for Jacquemus La Riviera 2019 Campaign
Oh my gosh. I just found this website that walks you though creating a believable society. It breaks each facet down into individual questions and makes it so simple! It seems really helpful for worldbuilding!
Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)
and go to hell
super straights can go to super hell :)
ive been seeing these things on my dash i am so confused what are super straights i am so incredibly out of the loop
it's an excuse for transphobia, essentially "superstraights" only date cis people :p
it's used mainly by terfs and as a dogwhistle term for uhh wwii bad guys
oh jeez
yeah... i went on a blocking spree last night going through the super straights tags lol
Superstraight was coined by neonazis to infiltrate the LGBTQ community. Evidence below cut.
Please spread the word - these people are NOT legitimate. They are neonazis trying to divide the LGBTQ+ community.
Don't give them attention, even the time of day.
It's what they want you to do.
Share the screenshots. Spread the truth. If we give them attention, they win.
TRIGGER WARNING - below the cut: n word, f slur, r slur, trans slurs, nazis, probably more.
expressions and how others see them
In writing, the expressions and body languages of our characters are very important; there are a few nifty tricks to convey meaning through facial expressions. Here’s a cheat sheet!
1) Discomfort
Rocking back on their heels because they want to escape the conversation, adjusting their weight on the seat because they’re uncomfortable, folding their arms tight across their chest; everyone expresses their disinterest or interest in different ways. Usually, out bodies pick up on the ‘this is wrong’ feeling, and try to settle so we feel comfortable. They chew on their bottom lip, their eyes flicking away before they’re forced to make eye-contact. They’re perched on the edge of their seat, ready to flee at a moments notice.
2) Sadness
Sadness is an emotion we tend to try and hide. It can lead to subsections of feelings, like embarrassment or guilt over whatever is causing us sadness. Your character’s eyes burn with the effort to hold back tears, and people see them visibly on edge; they’re shaking, they’re chewing on their lip in an effort to force the negative feelings away. Their brow is furrowed and they turn their body away from people like they’re trying to hide. When it gets too bad, their shoulders shake with the force of their tears, the heels of their palms pressing against their eyes in an attempt to push the tears back in. Their nose is runny and their face is splotchy, their eyes red-rimmed and the bags that lurk under concealer are exposed.
3) Anger
We all know anger. It’s where your cheeks flush and you feel hot and dizzy, all logical thought replaced with a burning need to get rid of whatever caused to feel this way in the first place. People see your character, their back straight and their shoulder square, barely keeping the adrenaline restrained to their body. Their eyes are narrowed, their fists are clenched, and the air around them seems to spark with electricity. They can’t keep still, or they’re too still; pacing or ramrod straight in their chair, their cheek twitching with a previously unnoticed tick.
4) Happiness
It’s a bit harder to pinpoint this when you feel it. Your character is floating on air, the air around them thrumming with glee at whatever has happened. Others see the smile that tugs their lips upward, the way the corners of their eyes crease and crinkle in a hidden grin. Their hands clasp together, and they press their fingers into the fat of their cheeks, bashful in how utterly content they feel. Their shoulders are relaxed as they dance around the kitchen, and the serene expression that coats their face is beautiful.
5) Guilt
The child that has their hands caught in the cookie jar, the accidental killer; guilt varies and expresses itself in different ways. Their eyes flick to the ceiling and their lips pull together tightly to avoid spilling the truth. They look down at their clasped hands, resting their head on the inside of their wrist so their hand covers their eyes. They’re self-conscious about what people can tell about them from their appearance, and they tug at their hair, pulling their shoulders tight together in a protective barrier.
6) Disgust
Disgust; at someone or something, a situation or place. Your character turns their nose up, and scrunches it at the putrid smells that hangs in the air. Their chin juts out arrogantly, the feelings of pride evident over this thing that is so clearly lesser. Their shoulders tense, and they step carefully to avoid anything they don’t want to touch. Their lips are a thin line, a barrage of insults dancing on the tip of their tongue. They squeeze their eyes closed for a quick moment, trying to regain their composure. They roll their eyes and cock their hip, ready to prove why exactly this thing is so horrible and disgusting.
7) Jealousy
Jealousy, over a person or thing. Material wealth or power. The tips of their ears burn red and their fists clench by their side, their lips pulling upward in the mockery of a snarl. Redness creeps down their neck, and they turn their nose up at whoever—or whatever—they are jealous of. They stare at a person, a shadow looming over their face as they furrow their brow and purse their lips to avoid ripping into them about why exactly their thing belongs to them.
8) Lust
They convey it with the intent to follow through, and they throw their all into letting the subject of their affection know. Their chest puffs out, their back straightens to show off height or how slender they are, and they stare at the subject from under heavy lashes. A light blushes dances over their cheeks and the bridge of their nose but they carry on, pointing their knees toward the subject and leaning into their personal space. They bite their lip, and they move to brush a lock of hair behind their ear, like they’re brushing away any nerves to do with the situation. Their lips part so they can breathe easier, and they set their brow in a firm line, the picture of confidence as they place their hand on the subject’s arms.
And that’s it for now! All these emotions have subsections where they can intersect or branch off, so plan your emotions wisely and see where you can align these actions to match multiple emotions!
idk call me radical or crazy or whatever but people shouldn’t need a reason to care about human lives
all these posts like “if you listen to kpop / if you like anime / if you watch cdramas you should care about what’s happening right now” are SO tone deaf and weird. people, especially elders, are being attacked and murdered because of their race. that is why you should care. because human lives are being taken and it is wrong. an entire continent and its people should not be reduced to the commodities and entertainment they give to you for you to care about our lives. you should care about us because we’re human beings
ON TOP OF THAT that rhetoric is turning everyone’s attention to only east asians. yes, east asians are facing increased hatecrimes and racism. but so are south asians. so are north asians. so are west asians. so are pacific islanders. it’s so weird to focus your “activism” on the one group that you deem entertaining or whatever
go here to donate to atlanta’s chapter of asian americans advancing justice / here’s a twitter thread of donation links
before i had gotten close with ex-catholics i was under the assumption that "catholic guilt" was mostly about sex, or serious topics.
but i was naïve. it's apparently about every positive experience. enjoying a meal? you're so lucky, children are starving. spending your day off cosy in bed? wow, so selfish, homeless people are freezing to death.
every former or present catholic i've met has a very obvious anxiety disorder and it's so painfully not a coincidence.
Naming a South Asian Character
“I need a name for a South Asian character”
We’re going to need a little more information than that…
Please see the following maps of South Asia:
Image description: Two maps of South Asia. The top map depicts the South Asian region, including Afghanistan with color-coding of different regions by 8 color-coded language groups. The bottom depicts the official state/ province/ languages and scripts for countries in the South Asian region, excluding Afghanistan. See end of post for detailed image description under the cut.
(Links: Top Map, Bottom Map)
That’s a lot of languages, right?
Names in South Asian cultures are primarily dictated by religion and language. While there’s some overlap between cultures, we can make an educated guess of someone’s ethnicity & religion based on their name. For example:
Simran Dhillon … is a Punjabi Sikh.
Priyanka Ghosh … is a Bengali Hindu
Maya Srinivasan … is a Tamilian Hindu.
Harsh Patel … is a Gujarati Hindu.
Amin Usmani … is a Muslim from a traditionally Urdu speaking community.
Teresa Fernandes … is a Goan Christian.
Behind the Name is a good place to start looking as they state the specific language the name is from. As for religion, there are more factors to consider.
Sikhs
Sikh first names are gender neutral. The 10th Sikh guru designated Singh (meaning lion, for men) and Kaur (meaning heir to the throne, for women) as Sikh surnames. These surnames were designed to be equalizers within Sikh communities. However, many Sikhs keep their Punjabi surnames (many of these surnames are now primarily associated with Sikhs) and use Singh and Kaur as a middle name (eg. Ranjit Kaur Shergill, Amrit Singh Cheema). More devout Sikhs use only Singh and Kaur or use the same format legally but do not share their surnames.
Sikh first names are derived from gurbani (Sikh holy texts), so they are often uniform across cultures. Most Sikhs who aren’t Punjabi use Singh & Kaur or cultural surnames in the same format. The latter is usually seen among Afghan & Delhiite Sikh communities. While most changed their surnames to Singh & Kaur, some families still kept the surnames they had before they converted from Islam and Hinduism (eg. Harpreet Singh Laghmani, Jasleen Kaur Kapoor).
If you’re stuck on a surname for a Sikh character, Singh for men and Kaur for women is the safest way to go regardless of ethnicity.
Good resources for Sikh names can be found here:
https://www.sikhs.org/names.htm
http://www.sikhwomen.com/SikhNames/
Christians
South Asian Christians naming conventions depend largely on who brought Christianity to the region and when. For example, Christianity was largely brought to Goa by Portuguese Catholics so you’ll see Portuguese surnames, while many Christians in the Seven Sister States didn’t change their names. South Asian Christians will also often have Christian first names, either in Portuguese or in English.
Hindus, Jains, castes and gotras
Hinduism is the majority religion in India and the South Asian region overall. A key thing that many newcomers overlook when writing about Hindus is that rather like feudal Europe, a person’s last name can also tell you what their family used to do because of the caste system. Both Hindus and Jains employ gotras (or lineage systems) designed to keep people from the same patrilineal line from marrying each other. Thus, if your Hindu character is a Vaishya (tradesman/ merchant class), but you have chosen a last name for them related to farming, or if your Kshatriya (warrior) character has a last name that means bureaucrat, you’ve made a mistake. Most Hindus and Jains will have last names derived from Sanskrit, or a language with Sanskrit roots.
A note on middle names: in South India, Hindus will often use the father’s first name for the child’s middle name.
For what it is worth, South Asia is hardly the only region to have these particular features. Japanese society until the end of the Edo era was heavily segregated by caste, and to this day, many families with samurai last names occupy relative positions of privilege compared to other castes, even though the Japanese caste system ended with the Meiji Restoration.
A note of caution: Baby name websites tend to be inaccurate for Hindu names, often confusing Farsi and Arabic-derived Urdu names with the more traditional Sanskrit-derived names. Behind the Name is by far the most accurate website, but it doesn’t hurt to check multiple sources. For Hindu and Jain surnames associated with different castes, regions and gotras, Wikipedia is surprisingly thorough.
Muslims
Islam is the majority religion in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as the second largest religion in India, but the differing ethnicities and arrival periods of Muslims in South Asia over the course of history can have a significant impact on a character’s name. For example, think of when your character’s family will have arrived in South Asia or converted to Islam:
During the Delhi Sultanate, when Hindustani would have been spoken?
Under the Mughals when Persian was more common?
Are they from Bangladesh and thus speak Bengali?
Do they have ancestors from Afghanistan or Swat Valley, and thus have Pashto last names?
Does the family speak Urdu?
All of these will impact what their name might reasonably be. As a general rule, Muslims will have last names that are in Farsi/ Persian, Urdu, Arabic and Bengali. Bangladeshi Muslims may have Hindu names (both first and last) as well.
Buddhists
When discussing Buddhists in South Asia, we are primarily talking about Nepal and Sri Lanka. The majority languages in these countries are Nepali and Sinhala, respectively. Both languages are part of the Indo-Aryan language family, and like many Indo-Aryan languages, show heavy Sanskrit influence.
Others
Don’t forget that India also has a large number of lesser known minority religions, including Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Tibetan Buddhism and a host of indigenous religions.
Judaism: There are a number of historical Jewish enclaves in India, as the result of specific waves of migration. Like South Asian Muslim names, Jewish last names will vary depending on the ethnicity and arrival period for each particular wave of Jewish diaspora.
Zoroastrianism: People who practice Zoroastrianism are likely to have Farsi last names.
Tibetan Buddhism: Tibetan Buddhists will obviously have Tibetan names and are often a part of the Tibetan diaspora who entered India as refugees during the Chinese government’s invasion of Tibet.
In Conclusion
An in-depth coverage of name etymology in South Asia would probably be the size of an encyclopaedia. The above is hardly exhaustive; we haven’t scratched the surface of the ethnic and linguistic variations in any of the South Asian countries displayed on the maps above. We hope, however, that it motivates you to research carefully and appreciate the cultural diversity South Asia has to offer. Just like in any setting where issues of lineage are plainly displayed by a person’s name, names in South Asia tell stories about where a person is from, what language they speak, and what their ancestors might have done, even if this has little bearing on the character themselves. It may seem a little elaborate to try and imagine the ancestors of your character before you even decide who your character is, but the reality is that most South Asians know these things instinctively, and whether or not you do your due diligence will be part of how we judge your work.
Name a thing to fight over, and South Asians have probably fought over it at one point or another, whether it be religion, ethnicity, language, or caste. However, one thing many South Asians have in common is pride in our individual origins. Respecting this love of identity will be invaluable as you plan your story.
At the end of the day, there is no substitute for actually talking to people who share your character’s background. We will always recommend having someone from the community you’re writing about check your naming.
– Mods SK and Marika
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Not sure how to ask this, but ... What do you do in each draft? I know the first is to just write it out and not think much, but how do I go about the second one? I’m not sure if I shoul focus on scenes, or the plot, or grammar and structure on the second draft. Hope this makes sense
Guide: What to Do in Each Draft
Most stories, especially longer fiction, are written in drafts, starting with the first draft or “rough draft” and ending with the super polished final draft. Like most things related to writing, there are no rules about drafting. The number of drafts you do and what you do in each draft are entirely up to you.
How to Draft - Write your story from beginning to end, and you have a first draft. Read through it and make notes about things you want to change. Changes can be adding things, removing things, fixing things, fleshing things out, or moving things around. You might even choose to get the opinion of an alpha reader--someone close to you who enjoys reading your writing--to see if they have any light/general feedback. When you revise your draft and implement those notes, you have a second draft. And so on...
You might not think of pre-writing as part of the drafting process, but I do. This is where you do all your planning, plotting, and figuring out your character and your world. You might do an outline--a beginning to end summary of your story--a scene list, timeline, or anything else to help you get your ideas organized. Some writers are “pantsers” meaning that they do very little pre-writing and sometimes none at all.
Your first draft, or “rough draft,” is the first time you actually write your story from beginning to end. It’s called the “rough draft” because it’s extremely unpolished and probably a mere glimmer of what the final draft will be. I like to think of this as an exploratory draft, where I’m getting the bones of my story all laid out, but also trying to get to know my characters and their world.
The second draft is where you take the rough lump of clay that is your first draft and try to refine the shape. In this draft, it’s a good idea to focus on structure, making sure you’re hitting all the right notes, that you have all the scenes you need, and that those scenes are in the right order.
Some writers may only need two or three drafts total, but others need more. If you used the second draft to get your story’s structure into shape, the third draft is where you’ll want to make sure your character arcs and subplots are sound, as well as paying attention to things like pacing and flow.
Whichever draft ends up being your final one, this is the draft where you focus on polishing. Eliminating filter words, tightening up sentences, making sure dialogue flows well and you’re not overusing dialogue tags; also, making sure there are no errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you’re formatting your draft for querying or publication, you’ll want to do that here. Your final draft is the one you’re going to actually post, publish, or hand to a publisher.
One Last Thing - As you go on, you’ll start to find your own rhythm in your drafting process. You might have very specific things you cover in each draft, or you might just try to make each draft better than the last one. If you need help on the different kinds of things to focus on in each draft, the following posts might help, and you can also find great lists online, such as “filter words to cut when editing.”
Guide: The Different Types of Editing
Ten Ways to Cut Your Word Count
Avoiding Repetition with Dialogue Tags
Basic Story Structure
How to Move a Story Forward
Scene Lists
Story Arc vs Subplot
Creating a Detailed Story Outline
Character Arc Tips
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