Hi everyone. I wasn’t expecting a lot of things to happen so abruptly, that would leave me MIA for quite some time on everything, including Tumblr. I was initially not even going to give any notice about what was going on, until I decided to open my email app on a whim and saw a notification from Tumblr from a torrent of asks in my inbox as to my welbeing.
Firstly, I want to apologise for ever leaving and choosing not to update anyone about it because I felt so weak and helpless at the time. I wasn’t going to share this initially but I thought maybe sharing my story would shed some light as to why this blog became so important to me.
I have always struggled with the spectrum of identity and gender, and while I identify as being gender non-binary, I was born what is biologically referred to as female. The concept of it was subtle enough for my realisation to go unnoticed, and I never really “came out” about so to speak of. That is until I realised that I looked more at girls than I did boys, and not just because we shared changing rooms and whatnot.
Out of pure bad luck, my father discovered my preferences when my brother let it slip one time in the middle of a pronounced family argument. Since then, he watched me like a hawk, because to him, having a “lesbo daughter” was a shame that needed correction. While never so aggressive that I would fear for my life, his mental abuse was terrible and he wasn’t above a slap or two if I ever mispoke.
I started this blog, not only out of inspiration from other rankers online, but also because watching all the beautiful women on this franchise objectively, it almost made me realise how I should not have to keep the fact that I was attracted to women like a dirty little secret. This community of not just rankers but Top Model fans built each other up, agreeing to respectfully disagree whenever conflicts occurred, and hyping all the strong, incredible bad-arse women (and some terrific men of course) that made this modelling clusterfuck a guilty pleasure for us all. Unfortunately, my father recently discovered this blog too, and it provoked one of the most painful and cruel arguments I have ever had.
I’m currently staying at a close friend’s house, and have been slowly trying to heal and just process everything. I can’t go back, but I don’t know what to do moving forward. I’m hurt and saddened, and most of the time i just want to hide in the guest room I’ve been so kindly given and never come out again to the world.
I know it sounds bleak and dramatic, and I honestly know that I have to grow stronger and move past this terrible ordeal, which is why after reading through all the asks, I decided to post this.
I’m coming back, guys. Just not right now. I hope you can understand I just need some time away from everything to work on me and being happy being just me. Abandoning this ranking blog and all my other endeavours would hurt more than continuing them, so rest assured this is not the last of me. I’ll come back stronger, happier, and with all my commentaries intact and ready for all of you.
This is probably such a rambled mess, but what I’m trying to say is that despite being disowned and ostracised from my relatives, I know that there is much better out there for me and a lot of good in store. And I am no longer willing to bow down to prejudices and hate. I hope maybe my story encourages a lot of you to start your own ranking blogs because it can become almost therapeutic sharing your opinions, even on a silly reality show.
Some of you may choose to unfollow, since I can’t pinpoint an official return, and i respect that, and bid you farewell with all the gratefulness of a young person who has received so much support and love from this amazing ANTM community. Thank you so much everyone. Special thanks to @antmrankingskd who has always been an inspiration, and whose recent ask really gave me an incredible boost after weeks of wallowing in self-pity (and whose blog I urge you to binge if you need some content), and @amateursmizer who has been constantly in my DMs hoping to reach out because they were deeply concerned for my absence when i expressed my love and passion for this blog and community.
Sorry if this has been too jumbled and incomprehensible, I’m probably rambling so much- I just hope you get i appreciate all the support, and hope you are willing to wait for me just a little while longer for my health.
JJ will be back, my lovelies. Soon. I love you all dearly, be kind to one another and be brave enough to be bold. I’ll see you soon, hopefully bigger and better.