inherently-weird

she/her and aroace ~ call me Lou if you must ~ basically my diary atp. ~ pfp by @pride-stars and @kontentmeikerskiy0kretinism

[inherently-weird]

Pride Month: media review 1

Okay so before I begin, I should offer a small explanation for this series. Obviously, it's Pride Month 🌈, and I would like to celebrate by consuming queer media and yapping about them (^_^). I hope you enjoy, Tumblr.

Side note: this will not be a consistent series. I also have exams. I'll update when I feel like it :)

Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White (a novel)

"If they want me to be a monster one step closer to God, that's fine.

In what world was their God ever a benevolent one?"

This book is an explosion of bottled-up rage, like a monster that is inside of you and clawing at your ribcage. That's what it feels like to be queer. Rage and loneliness. But this doesn't make you a monster. Even if you have six wings and a beak full of fangs that reaches up to your ears, you are still not a monster. And you are not alone: there is a community who loves you and who fully accepts you for who you are, from your sharpest claws up to the tips of your feathers. The REAL monsters are the people who don't accept you, who seek to cause hurt, who do horrific things in the name of holyness. This book is interesting not just because of the sizzling rage that radiates off of it, but also because of the way it plays with religion: christians who worship demonic monsters and wish to destroy the world with it, and the monster that wishes to save it. Horror often plays with religion, but not in the way Andrew Joseph White does it here. His horrorbook, that sometimes reminds of Fallen Thorns of the same genre, grabs you by the throat and keeps your attention until the bitter end. This type of horrorbooks are definitely an underrated genre.

So, this book has a lot of strong points: it's fun, dynamic, has interesting characters and themes, uses nice motifs, and is very thrilling. It isn't 'literary', but not every book has to be. The only negative feedback I have is about the cover image (gorgeous and one of the reasons I read this, but the boy on it looks nothing like Benji) and the predictability of some of the plot twists. Overall, it's definitely a book I recommend!

- Lou

[ruler-of-nothing-important]

Hey guys check out this quiz i did its great i promise

@what-is-going-on-im-confused @blacklicoriceisgood @potted-plant-official @guardian-of-thespirit @frooglet @its-oliver-bitches @stargazin-on-mars @purple-dinosaur27 @chaoticharmony15 @m1niethasilly @duality-the-chaos-god @dizzycloudzzz @snowheartart @meetmeataliminalspace+ open tagsss

[frooglet]

twin when were you gonna tell me that a poet made this quiz and shit was already getting way too real upon first question?!??!?

OMG 😭

I'm fucking crying chat why is this SO well written oh my days

@vynthefish @its-oliver-bitches @zmioniks @14-opossums-in-a-trenchcoat @duckwithdeviousintent @purple-dinosaur27 @classical-necromancer @morallyambiguousfrog @mrecury42 @ineffablelyqueerwolfstarshipper @inherently-weird @toadally-gay @the-king-of-kaumidy (tagging ppl i think will enjoy this maybe ╮😗╭)

+ OPEN TAGS

+ NO PRESSURESSSS

[inherently-weird]

Very nice :)

So basically my soul is a tpobaw edit with Sidelines by Phoebe Bridgers as background music... cool

@yawnwhatyadoing @tripleatechie @aroace-not-arokay

Also poetry is cool

[inherently-weird]

Yeah dude I'd love to be friends! Give me like 7 months and maybe I'll trust you enough to make conversation.

[insomnialya]

Actually, it should be the same for everyone. You don't owe anyone sex. You can say no for any reason or even without a reason. Even if you're in a relationship. Even if you're married. Even if they're sad about it. Even if you've been saying no for a week or a month. Whenever you want, it's your body.

You don't owe anyone sex.

[cannibal-flowerbomb]

It's international women's Day. Celebrate trans women. Disabled women. Women of colour. Women who are multiple of these.

Oh and misogynists line up at the wall.

[corvophobia]

humbled

[inherently-weird]

Aro week: day 4

Like I said, I had plans today so I didn't have much time. I did manage to finish this ace of spades pendant though! Although it did turn out to be a bit brittle.

The ace of spades as a symbol actually stems from the ace community. It uses wordplay on the term "ace" and uses cards to point to their orientation.

♠️ = aromantic asexual (me!)

♥️ = alloromantic asexual

♦️ = demi's

♣️ = grey's

So unfortunately this is only really a symbol for aroaces such as myself or people on the grey spectrum :( but this was just for me anyway and it fits me so...

[ariel-s-awesome]

Good news: The spade has always been asexual without any regard for romantic orientation.

You or whoever told you that must have misinterpreted it because when it was coined the split attraction model hasn’t become so universal.

So there were a lot of asexual aromantics who just went by asexual and if they weren’t aromantic they'd just say they're a gay ace or something.

[inherently-weird]

Aww so I really just made an exclusively asexual symbol for aromantic week 🫠 my bad...

Also I assumed this symbolism was made after the SAM - I've seen a few posts describing the symbolism as mentioned, but I don't actually know the origin or history behind it. The spade was also on the Aro Wiki. Do you have any sources where you got your info from?

[ariel-s-awesome]

Unfortunately no, I could probably dig them up but I have some schoolwork I need to work on. Just lived history from being ace in the early 10s.

Here's an early thread from around when the distinction was made though showing how there wasn’t a wide consensus.

I, of course, am on the side against narrowing the definition because it's exclusionary and the asexual community is too small as it is to create more divisions. Plus the other symbols aren't immediately recognizable as a-spec.

(Man I hope some standardized aromantic symbols took off. I'm not too up to date since all the anti-aromantic assholes coming into aromantic spaces disconnected me from the community.)

So I've been thinking. There is a lot of talk about weather the Ace should be a Spades or Heart. (Obviously each has their opinion including

And the split attraction model existed but it was nowhere near universial.

[inherently-weird]

Ahhh thanks

Nice to learn some history seeing as we don't seem to have much :) It's also complicated because "asexual" included alloaces as well as aroaces as far as I'm aware, which is also the reason characters like Yelena Belova are said to "have only been confirmed as asexual, her romantic orientation could be different!" when it's so obvious the author meant aroace but just didn't know the correct terminology.

And I do agree with your notion that we are one community and shouldn't divide, but it's also complicated because there is such a wide range of different experiences - the greys, alloaros, alloaces and aroaces all seem to have a different one. Although that could go for any community really.

(Also nope there are very few aro symbols, let alone recognizable ones)

[ariel-s-awesome]

There's a difference between making symbols for specific identities and making general symbols exclusive to specific identities, y'know?

Like I've seen some people try to say that asexual is a term for only aro/aces around that time while claiming that alloromantic aces & grey identities were watering asexuality down. (Y'know, same line of logic about bisexual lesbians from lesbian separatists.) Fortunately, that was shut down hard.

And ugh, they did that with Jughead too... Even though he has explicitly talked about not feeling romance in the comic itself.

(It's hard to address specifically not feeling sexual attraction in something like Archie Comics anyways.)

[inherently-weird]

Yes I get what you mean :) thanks for your input

[inherently-weird]

Aro week: day 4

Like I said, I had plans today so I didn't have much time. I did manage to finish this ace of spades pendant though! Although it did turn out to be a bit brittle.

The ace of spades as a symbol actually stems from the ace community. It uses wordplay on the term "ace" and uses cards to point to their orientation.

♠️ = aromantic asexual (me!)

♥️ = alloromantic asexual

♦️ = demi's

♣️ = grey's

So unfortunately this is only really a symbol for aroaces such as myself or people on the grey spectrum :( but this was just for me anyway and it fits me so...

[ariel-s-awesome]

Good news: The spade has always been asexual without any regard for romantic orientation.

You or whoever told you that must have misinterpreted it because when it was coined the split attraction model hasn’t become so universal.

So there were a lot of asexual aromantics who just went by asexual and if they weren’t aromantic they'd just say they're a gay ace or something.

[inherently-weird]

Aww so I really just made an exclusively asexual symbol for aromantic week 🫠 my bad...

Also I assumed this symbolism was made after the SAM - I've seen a few posts describing the symbolism as mentioned, but I don't actually know the origin or history behind it. The spade was also on the Aro Wiki. Do you have any sources where you got your info from?

[ariel-s-awesome]

Unfortunately no, I could probably dig them up but I have some schoolwork I need to work on. Just lived history from being ace in the early 10s.

Here's an early thread from around when the distinction was made though showing how there wasn’t a wide consensus.

I, of course, am on the side against narrowing the definition because it's exclusionary and the asexual community is too small as it is to create more divisions. Plus the other symbols aren't immediately recognizable as a-spec.

(Man I hope some standardized aromantic symbols took off. I'm not too up to date since all the anti-aromantic assholes coming into aromantic spaces disconnected me from the community.)

So I've been thinking. There is a lot of talk about weather the Ace should be a Spades or Heart. (Obviously each has their opinion including

And the split attraction model existed but it was nowhere near universial.

[inherently-weird]

Ahhh thanks

Nice to learn some history seeing as we don't seem to have much :) It's also complicated because "asexual" included alloaces as well as aroaces as far as I'm aware, which is also the reason characters like Yelena Belova are said to "have only been confirmed as asexual, her romantic orientation could be different!" when it's so obvious the author meant aroace but just didn't know the correct terminology.

And I do agree with your notion that we are one community and shouldn't divide, but it's also complicated because there is such a wide range of different experiences - the greys, alloaros, alloaces and aroaces all seem to have a different one. Although that could go for any community really.

(Also nope there are very few aro symbols, let alone recognizable ones)

[lutzbei-art]

Happy asaw to Sakuko and Takahashi💚🖤

(ID by @aro-absol under the cut)

[ID: A digital drawing of Satoru Takahashi and Sakuko Kodama from the j-drama "Koisenu Futari". They're standing next to each other with the show's title in the middle, similar to the show's actual title screen. The title is written in dark green and the background is different gren colours. Takahashi is a Japanese man with chin-length wavy black hair. He's wearing a dark green button-down shirt with a small ace of spades symbol on the chest. He's also wearing blue trousers. Sakuko is a Japanese woman with neck-length black hair. She's wearing a pink bomber jacket with flowers in the aroace colour scheme on it, and a green skirt with dark green and yellow stripes. Both Takahashi and Sakuko look content. The words "Happy Aromantic Awareness Week" are written around the edges of the picture like a frame. / End ID]

[inherently-weird]

Aro week: day 4

Like I said, I had plans today so I didn't have much time. I did manage to finish this ace of spades pendant though! Although it did turn out to be a bit brittle.

The ace of spades as a symbol actually stems from the ace community. It uses wordplay on the term "ace" and uses cards to point to their orientation.

♠️ = aromantic asexual (me!)

♥️ = alloromantic asexual

♦️ = demi's

♣️ = grey's

So unfortunately this is only really a symbol for aroaces such as myself or people on the grey spectrum :( but this was just for me anyway and it fits me so...

[ariel-s-awesome]

Good news: The spade has always been asexual without any regard for romantic orientation.

You or whoever told you that must have misinterpreted it because when it was coined the split attraction model hasn’t become so universal.

So there were a lot of asexual aromantics who just went by asexual and if they weren’t aromantic they'd just say they're a gay ace or something.

[inherently-weird]

Aww so I really just made an exclusively asexual symbol for aromantic week 🫠 my bad...

Also I assumed this symbolism was made after the SAM - I've seen a few posts describing the symbolism as mentioned, but I don't actually know the origin or history behind it. The spade was also on the Aro Wiki. Do you have any sources where you got your info from?

[inherently-weird]

Finished reading The Colour Purple - happy Black History Month!

Just found out my country's BHM takes place in March tho lol. Anybody have any non-America centred recs for next year?

[yawnwhatyadoingart]

i don't really like these but still gonna post em

[friend2-allbugs]

I love being aro

[inherently-weird]

Bloom Into You: a review

This was actually kind of my second watch, because I gave up the first time after a few episodes. Not because of the material, I might've just been busy.

It's actually a very simple series, it doesn't really dive into anything deeper imo. But at the same time, it's also very well executed.

First off, the romance and aro rep. This is some very good aromantic rep, and it surprises me that no one else seems to bring it up, boiling it down to "gl" and "lesbians". The fact that it's more than just that makes it actually a more compelling story and show. Because this is not your traditional romance. Yuu is aromantic, but still desires romance. She wants to feel it. And maybe she will, I have yet to read the manga, but I think with the way we get to know her, she is to be seen as aromantic regardless - it's a spectrum, and not all experiences are the same. This, the series also makes clear, by adding another aroace character: Maiki. He does not desire romance, but rather likes to watch it unfold from the sidelines. I do have to mention I didn't really strongly feel anything for either of these characters. Don't get me wrong, they seem like good aroace rep, but I just couldn't really relate to either of them. Maiki was too much of a background character to be fully fleshed out. Yuu was quite good, but I don't find myself desiring romance, at all, unless I'm really spiralling. This unability of Yuu's to feel romance, but still desiring it, is actually what drives the relationship in this show. And it's a really interesting dynamic. Maybe not entirely healthy, as some people have pointed out, but you can tell that they do care for one another. Yuu repeats that she does not care for Nanami (her love interest), and that she cares for her as she would for anyone else (which does seem like there's some denial of feelings in there but hey, who am I to judge). She is also understandably concerned, since Nanami is a bit mentally troubled. These troubles are actually also the reason she likes Yuu: she wants someone who won't love her back, because she hates herself.

The characters are all so complex, which is what makes this simplistic story work. Nanami, the perfect girl, who's only putting on her sister's mask and hates who she is behind it. Yuu, the sweetest girl, who wants to love but can't or won't let herseld. But also Saeki, who's in love with Nanami, but is scared of her lesbian identity (that café talk was so cute!!), Maiki, the aroace matchmaker (again, the bonding with Yuu was so cute and necessary. I love love love the queer bonding scenes we need more of those). Even the side characters such as the bi teacher, the lesbian café owner, the other people in the student council, Yuu's friends, the play director... were quite interesting.

There wasn't really a story of itself. The characters and the romance were the story. The plot of the student council was just the background. Also, they didn't even show the play. So disappointing. The ending was noticably sudden and the story was cut short.

The animation and symbolism was so beautiful though. The backgrounds of nature... their rooms...the way they paint the light just right... it was really so beautiful. And I adored the water & light & flowers as symbols of aromanticism and romance. Plus the fact that the show then ends with an aquarium date? Peak cinema.

Overall, cute, simple, nicely written, but just a little underdeveloped.

If anyone's reading this you get this cute picture of Yuu hope you enjoyes my rambles.

[inherently-weird]

Aro week: day 6 + 7

So yesterday I finished this pendant. I made it using thick wire, beads, jewelry glue and thin wire. I painted one of my beads black bc I didn't have any black ones to use. If I want to wear it, I'll put jump ring through the arrowhead and one of the loops at the tail.

The design is an arrow which is a symbol/wordplay on "aro". The colours are the aromantic flag.

Then today I painted my nails with the nail polish I mentioned i bought. They are all simple green except for my middle fingers, where I drew stars on them.

They look a bit like this, but mine are shorter, real, darker and with a bit more glitter. And my stars are way messier.

And this post concludes my aro week! Happy pride for the weeks to come. 🪲🍀🧂🎞♠️

[inherently-weird]

Aro week: day 5

Sooo I didn't make anything today... I played video games with my family. But mainly, I went shopping :)

And while shopping I bought some nice stuff. First I bought nail polish : dark green ("deep woods spell"), white ("vanilla fade") and a top coat. And then I found this absolutely GORGEOUS green sweater at the thrift I adore it and will be wearing it so much the coming days & after. Oh also I got a haircut. Happy aro week :) love the colours.

If it's relevant, I went shopping alone? Just goes to show you CAN have a good time by yourself <2

[inherently-weird]

Aro week: day 4

Like I said, I had plans today so I didn't have much time. I did manage to finish this ace of spades pendant though! Although it did turn out to be a bit brittle.

The ace of spades as a symbol actually stems from the ace community. It uses wordplay on the term "ace" and uses cards to point to their orientation.

♠️ = aromantic asexual (me!)

♥️ = alloromantic asexual

♦️ = demi's

♣️ = grey's

So unfortunately this is only really a symbol for aroaces such as myself or people on the grey spectrum :( but this was just for me anyway and it fits me so...

Edit: historically, the spades is a symbol for all asexuals, not just the aro ones