Strange racists and homophobes on the internet seem to have access to an alternate way cooler version of TV than me. "every white character on TV is in an interracial relationship" "every show has a gay couple in it" "main characters keep having to secretly be bisexual and nonbinary" "every show has gratuitous full frontal nudity" like damn promise?? What channel???
for real though, those DO NOT WATCH OR YOU'LL CORRUPT YOUR CHILDREN lists put out by conservative christian family groups is where I find all the stellar tv shows. Like, shit I didn't know half of those existed, thanks for finding them for me, gonna go watch 30 hours of gay tv now!
For personal context, before I went to the '98 Burning Man festival, one of the things I'd read from a couple different journalists was that "everybody" runs around naked. Which, fine by me, I'd already spent a lot of time in clothing-optional spaces, I'm not fanatic about it but it's nice.
So I got there early and set up a public shade structure on one of Black Rock City's main roads and spent most of each afternoon just watching the crowds go by. I don't remember seeing more than one actually naked person the whole week. I think a topless woman passed by my intersection maybe every half an hour, sometimes once an hour. So why in the hell were people, normally pretty smart and observant writers, coming away with the impression that everybody was naked?
Then I remembered an unrelated passage from Joel Garreau's great book about the history of the outer-ring suburbs, Edge City. Mall developers told him flat-out that they tried to keep the crowds in their malls less than 5% black. Not because they themselves were racist, but because they had determined, experimentally, that if more than 5% of the people in the mall are black, the median white shopper will wrongly describe the mall as at least half black, as mostly black. And not a few of them would describe it, at 6% black, as a mall where "only black people go." Why?
Because, emotionally, they were still upset over the last one when the next one came into view.
Same as the journalists describing Black Rock City as all naked. Same as the right-wing religious culture warriors describing television as entirely mixed-race and gender non-conforming. Not because it's even vaguely true, we know that, but because they haven't gotten over their discomfort over the last one by the time the next one comes along. The anger, not the stimulus, is the part that's continuous, so their mind lies to them that it's "all" the thing they can't get over.
Similar effect for the presence/proportion of women in things, by the way: https://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/perception/how-17-equals-496-the-amazing-multiplying-women.htm
somebody apparently tried to get the Wikipedia page for discrimination against trans men deleted entirely because of the use of the word "transandrophobia". y'all are part of a fucking extremist hate group at this point. it's pride month and the government is killing us and you're actively trying to destroy documentation about trans people's discrimination? really? how fucking evil do you have to be to do this shit?
can we finally admit that these anti-transmasc people are part of a hate group? can we finally address this fucking problem and acknowledge it exists?
this behavior deserves to have this user's privileges fully revoked and banned from editing. or at least suspended. this is fucking ghoulish behavior.
it's one thing to make a bigoted remark, it's another thing entirely to suggest deletion of the fucking page. nowhere is that necessary, even if you were critiquing the word used itself.
This Pride, make sure every trans woman that you follow, are mutuals with, goon over, or consume their work in general, has a roof over their head, their bills paid, and food in their kitchens.
You wanna call yourselves allies? This is the work. Do it.
primarily saving up for much-needed dental work being partly funded by my low retail paycheck, on top of keeping up with food costs, my phone bill, my dog's food/health, and my car's upkeep (my lifeline for work that's a 2006 model; i.e. very old and well over 100k miles, and also likes to make sudden noises)
Kwe! It's officially ✨Pride Month!✨ Happy Pride to all my friends and enemies alike <3
Just as a reminder (or announcement to those unaware) I am a Two-Spirit Saulteaux-Mi'kmaq person!
My pronouns are she/he/they. You'll usually see me refer to myself as a woman, but this is simply because it's my assigned gender at birth and not because I exclusively identify as a woman (so please don't be worried about using the wrong pronouns on me, I am, as they call me, Miss Gender /j)
But I figured in addition to this ceremonial outing, I wanted to provide some fun facts on the Two-Spirit identity, as there are still many people out there who don't understand the term beyond just being a queer label (it's a lot more complex than just being an Indigenous word for 'trans'!) and oftentimes, the 2S (for Two-Spirit) is noticeably missing from the LGBTQIA+ line-up (though this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'll explain more about why below!)
Text version:
Two Spirit (Anishinaabe definition: niizh manidoowag)
To put it simply: a term used to describe Indigenous peoples with both masculine and feminine spirits.
Coined in 1990 by Myra Laramee (Cree Nation), the term was designed as a unifying term for Indigenous peoples to reclaim roles, identities, and teachings that were disrupted by colonization.
Contrary to non-Native belief, Two-Spirit is not simply an Indigenous word for "trans" or "non-binary". Rather, it's often used as an umbrella term for many gender and sexual identities. Most importantly, what distinguishes Two-Spirit as its own unique term is how it uniquely describes the Indigenous experience as it pertains to queerness, separate from that of non-Native peoples.
To inherit the label of Two-Spirit is not just to identify one's own queerness, but also to inherit the roles and responsibilities passed down through individual tribal traditions. It is a term of reclamation and resistance.
Whether an Indigenous person chooses to use Two-Spirit exclusively or in addition to colonial terms within the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella is their choice. There are even Indigenous peoples who identify solely with colonial labels such as non-binary, trans, and gender fluid, but do not identify as Two-Spirit.
Regardless of how an Indigenous person chooses to use Two-Spirit, it was a word made for Indigenous peoples, by Indigenous peoples - the term is and always will be theirs to choose.
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Of course, there's a lot more to the Two-Spirit identity than I can summarize in a single image, and what the Two-Spirit identity means will vary to different people and tribes. Some people do purely use the term to describe their trans identity or their sexuality; others use it to uphold the traditions of their tribe, especially as they pertain to the roles and responsibilities of members of the tribe, and how gender often influenced those roles and governed those responsibilities.
As an example, in many tribes (see: not all) women were often considered the healers and caretakers of their tribe, while men were considered the protectors and hunters. Within that particular framework, someone who is Two-Spirit would often be embraced as an asset to their communities, as they could fulfill the duties and roles of both men and women, being both caretakers and creators and also protectors and fighters.
But not all Indigenous peoples or tribes define Two-Spirit in that way. Many exclusively use it as a sexuality / gender label, the same way one would use "gay" "bisexual" or "non-binary"; some even doing so as resistance of their own against established gender norms, even as they existed within their own tribes.
What's important is to acknowledge, identify, and respect the term as an Indigenous word. It is not for non-Natives to use for themselves. It is our word, one that we cherish as a sacred thread connecting all Indigenous peoples who've lived through the shared experience of being raised and oppressed under colonialism. While all queer people regardless of race are constantly under threat, it's absolutely vital to recognize and understand how cultural context plays a contributing role in queer oppression, and how the suffering of Indigenous queer people naturally varies from your own.
And so this is why, as I mentioned above, it's not necessarily a bad thing when 2S is excluded from the LGBTQIA+ umbrella - because Two-Spirit encompasses all of that umbrella, but exclusively for that of Indigenous peoples. Same, but different.
At least, that's how I try to rationalize it for myself, but in reality, it's hard to deny that seeing 2S excluded from the umbrella can feel exclusionary, ignorant, and neglectful - but that's all the more reason why I personally choose to take power in its exclusion, because in my view, its exclusion from colonial terminology gives it strength and importance. As for the road to inclusion, we've made some progress - such as having our own flag and symbols - but we've still got a long ways to go.
With all that said, please respect this post as education, not as an invitation. Non-Natives have their words to describe their relationship to sexuality and gender; Two-Spirit is ours, and ours alone.
I hope this was informative for you all, Native and non-Native alike ! Kesalul <3
Reblogging to graciously accept your sentiment / raging grumbling as an Indigenous pal! Because yes, it's a that more people need to be aware of (not to start off Pride month with a stern lecture or anything buuuut) that for white queers, white privilege is still bunking in the same room as queer oppression. That's not something to feel guilty for or shamed for, and I'm certainly not saying that white queers don't experience queer oppression - but the oppression that white queers experience is naturally going to be different from the oppression that BIPOC queers experience. That is just the unfortunate reality of our world and the systems that govern it.
But ALSO public service announcement / reminder / education time: Indigenous identity is not intrinsically exclusive to skin color! There are many Indigenous people who are mixed or are otherwise 'white passing' even if they have other uniquely Indigenous traits and physical features outside of their skin color; there are also many non-Indigenous people who simply have darker skin tones that could be confused for Indigenous identity if not properly confirmed.
To speak from my own experience with this, I'm the only kid out of my many siblings who "looks Native" in the way that people think of when they hear the word "Native". Especially when it comes to my darker skin tone and curly hair that I inherited from my Indigenous dad (though it's uh, not so curly these days, obviously LOL).
But many of my siblings are on the lighter side more similarly to that of their non-Native mothers, and don't immediately "look Native" unless you know what to look for outside of skin color. We are all still Native, though, regardless of that difference in skin tone.
But obviously my experiences growing up have varied from my siblings' because unfortunately, we do still live in a world where people immediately judge and make assumptions based on skin color. While I was treated differently for being an obviously brown kid in an all-white school (an experience that's unique for me as compared to my siblings) many white-passing Indigenous peoples (i.e. my siblings!) aren't taken seriously, either by non-Natives or even Native people from their own community who judge or distrust them for not looking "Native enough", thus invalidating their heritage and cultural identity simply because they don't meet the criteria of onlookers trying to "clock them".
I imagine many mixed race peoples have gone through this themselves; and in the greater context of queer discussion, it's similar to what trans people often experience, where they're made to feel that they have to 'look a certain way' to 'qualify' as who they are, either for the benefit of cis people, or other trans people. All the while, they never really get to just be.
Regardless, my point is, please be wary of strictly viewing Indigenous representation through skin color! This is why you'll notice, throughout my original post, I specifically use the term non-Native and not 'white', because 'white' is too broad a scope for this kind of discussion, especially when there are Natives who are white-passing and are often oppressed in an entirely unique way because of it. Even if some people are knowledgeable enough on this subject to understand that the casual use of the word 'white' is to mean 'non-Native', it remains to be said anyways for those who aren't knowledgeable on this subject and could accidentally misread or misuse the word 'white' in other contexts or discussions surrounding Indigenous representation.
Skin color definitely plays a role in the discussion of Indigenous reconciliation and reclamation, but like our definition of Two Spirit, it's a lot more complicated than that! But that's also what makes it such a rich and beautiful culture. It deserves to be respected, and to be able to practice and protect their own traditions separate from that of the colonial world.
doubly funny that I saw a compilation of all the corporate accounts like "aw thanks elmo, we're doing well" meanwhile all the flesh and blood real human people are extremely not okay
Here's some of the notes, starting with the things multiple people brought up:
SHRIMP COCKTAIL:
banahbanah: #flashback to that one fic where Peter Parker frets about drinking shrimp cocktail because of the alcohol
generaldeliciousness: adding: what a prawn/shrimp cocktail is
#why is your character turning it down because they're under 21 #do you think prawn cocktail is a cocktail #this lives in my brain rent-free constantly #the rest of the fic was so normal #and good enough that i'll still re-read it #but bro
And then many, MANY, people wondering if this was actually authour mistake, since Peter really would do this!
POMEGRANATES:
zhajhassa: #haha where's that post that was like someone describing someone eating a pomegranate but they ate it like an apple
thornhands: #once someone wrote persephone biting into a whole Pomegranate #had to stop and stare at a wall for a minute
sungsingsanguine: I once saw someone very confidently write about a character eating slices of pomegranate.
FRUIT TREES:
zagreuses-toast: #given a very endearing glimpse into a writers blindspots by seeing them describe someone sitting under a ''pineapple tree''
salatrash: I remember something about picking watermelons... OF A FUCKING TREE
baander: #cranberry trees
DOUGH/BATTER:
maycelium: #I'm a chef so I'm really used to people not accurately describing how to cook food #But I was surprisingly flabbergasted when someone was writing making a cake and was kneading it. Which uh #Not necessary for cake. It was interesting for sure but just bizarre
livebloggingmydescentintomadness: #the one that drove me nuts was when a character set aside a batch of PASTA DOUGH 'to rise' #pasta doesn't have yeast!! #it does need to REST but it will never RISE #you do not want an airy crumb on your noodles
lovesodeepandwideandwell: #THE ONE WHERE THEY MADE COOKIES BY LADLING BATTER INTO A TRAY
Some other topics:
ANIMALS:
catenarwhal: #mandatory 'how cows produce milk' mention#i'll never recover from that one I fear
piromantic: #one time i saw someone fake their way through describing how spiders behave
pluto-lichen: horses
misskittypotter: #stardew valley faking its way through what fresh fish smell like
pa-pa-plasma: #saw someone faking their way through knowing what a seal is once #i still am fucked up over that one to this day. they just straight up did not know #& they were NOT good at guessing it either like it was clear they had never googled that animal ever #& was only just now realizing via answering questions from anons that seals are not!! what they assumed. initially
SEX:
dykevandyke: #what a prostate is #and where it is located #as in. external.
dreamyeyedrose: #I remember back in the ff.net days reading an Ichigo/Renji fic where the writer assumed the penises go inside each other #and I was like “I mean I don't know how it works for sure I don't have one but idk if that's how it works”
SOME OTHER FOOD STUFF:
thetrekkiehasthephonebox: #add another one to the list bloggers#this character is cooking a salad
shosta: #still baffled about the published work that didn't know food could freeze
sun-dari: #once i read a fic where the author didn't understand cinnamon
alto-tenure: #read something recently where the author was just. blatantly wrong about spices
dramatic-dolphin: #i saw someone try to fake their way through what ramen is once. like 14 years ago.#but i remember.#i was very confused about ramen for a few months. they were writing it so authoritatively.
the-celery-stalks-at-midnight: #i will never ever forget someone putting leftover fries in the microwave to reheat them and setting the timer for five minutes
typeghost: #this sparked a memory of a hannibal fic where the author had to fake their way through writing about gravy
draculin: #the one fanfic where the author knows about coffee only as a concept wrote a character as a coffee drinker#was very interesting#I don't remember the fandom or the plot but I was mesmerized by the coffee actions and choices
11235811235811: #there's a lot of faking their way thru congee in the svsss fandom i'll also note
fishali3n: #read one where the person clearly didnt know what tofu is
emmy-everafter: #in the aftermath of shadow and bone s2 i saw a lot of people pretending to know what stroopwafels are #babes they are more like cookies than breakfast waffles #like yes there is a waffle pattern but you're not gonna cut into a stack of them with syrup and sugar#🤣🤣🤣
NON-FOOD STUFF:
red-umbrella-811: Shoutout to Dame Agatha Christie for faking her way through what a wrench is in a very popular published work.
bluebeetle: #once saw someone have a character put an entire phone book in their pocket
nonametis: #- sex talk in languages other than english #<- or just the petnames in a different language other than English
sadisticpony: #the fanfiction i saw this week where op DIDNT KNOW HOW AUTOMATIC DOORS WORKED #and that they arent in peoples homes!!! of course. also opening the automatic door for someone is unironically very funny but its not #its not like. grabbing the door handle to let someone in. helpppp
danmeichael: #reminds me of the fic with the figure drawing class where the character started with the feet. #i love you feet first figure drawing author
meowmix1100blr: #me watching this one fic absolutely obliterate what the board of directors does
vexedhexes: #one time i read an architect character making a doorway bigger by building a bigger door #what a beautiful world. #OH. also gravity falls fic where they go 'oh piedmont is in california so its warm all year round'
leveragehunters: #characters going to a beer garden #And it's literally a garden outside the pub#It was a very cute mistake
fitofpique: #yes! #grown men do not get blind drunk off two beers #but i am possibly guilty of the hypothermia one #assuming it does not make you very horny?
dadvans-likes: #always thinking abt the soup kitchen fic #the entire setting of the fic was 'soup kitchen' #and i very quickly realized #the author did not know what a soup kitchen was #and they thought that soup kitchens only served soup #fic
msmargaretmurry: #i love fanfiction #once read a fic where the characters played 20 questions #but the author seemed to not know how to play 20 questions and was just kind of winging it........ #immaculate
shakespeareaddict: #Look I know not all of us are hockey experts #But it takes about ten seconds of research or any attention paid to the show to realize #That the Stanley cup playoffs are not in fucking September
baejax-the-great: #the funniest one i saw #was someone faking what church is like #like 1. they really didn't have to write an entire church experience for their fic #and 2. they had clearly never even watched a show where people went to church #it was bonkers weird
twosunson: #things ive seen authors faking #knowing how to unclog a drain #knowing. literally any history #knowing what ketamine looks like (apparently- oregano) #(you know who you are)
waterhorseyblues-ao3: #beltane being celebrated in winter #wales being portrayed as a completely separated land from england (i wish) #characters getting up after weeks of bedrest like that dosnt completely fuck you up
violetfairydust: #i once read a fic where the flight time from london to seattle was 3 hours
purekesseltrash: One time, in a fic set specifically in Des Moines, IA, two of the characters casually drove 20 minutes to the ocean. The memory continues to delight me. I want to know where that author thought that Iowa was.
people saying “don’t use your full government name for your ao3”, “create different emails for work and personal use” but personally I think it’s both sad and dystopian how capitalism/companies/even schools think they have the rights to cross your personal boundaries and insert themselves into your personal life. like, I get it, safety wise, why checking digital footprints can be important sometimes. but a gay fanfiction is not a fucking threat that could ever cause anybody harm. it’s funny (not really, it’s still sad and dystopian) how they now think they can control your personal life and prevent you from having hobbies
