LizParkerWrites

[grimm-fairy]

What do you call the male version of a “Mary Sue”?

The protagonist. 

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

Okay this is a very half-formed thought and I’m not sure where I’m going with it yet, but the fact that the teen girls we’re meant to root for in so many Teen Girl Stories are the ones who are bad at or uncomfortable with performing femininity probably isn’t a coincidence. And it’s mostly not because the people who create media about teen girls want to shatter gender roles; it’s more likely because even though femininity is the prescribed way for female-identified people to behave it’s also seen as something largely unpleasant.

Um. I’m going somewhere with this, maybe after I finish my homework. But I want to hang onto this thought.

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

ex: the proof of Regina George’s redemption is giving up her hyper-femininity in favor of aggressive, masculine-coded sports

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

ex 2: in High School Musical Gabriella and Taylor have a bonding moment over their nail beds being “history”, contrasting themselves with the more conventionally feminine cheerleaders. Gabriella is hardly butch but her femininity is portrayed in a more soft, natural way to contrast with Sharpay’s louder, more eye-catching and implicitly unpleasant outfits. Sharpay is not the bad guy because she’s girly, but she’s maybe more girly because she’s the bad guy.

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

Because caring about your appearance is BAD, that’s a character trait that we associate with Bad Characters, and most especially Bad Women Characters. Sharpay and Regina care so much about their looks because they’re shallow, and that means they’ve unpleasant.

All teenage girls are told, one way or another, that they should care about their looks and put effort into being attractive. But in the stories about teen girls, the only ones visibly caring about their looks are the bitches.

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

If a Nice Girl ™ wants to make an effort to look good she better have an excuse, like prom or a date or finding out she’s a princess.

Princess Diaries makes such a good point about this, actually. Mia is supposed to be attractive, because she’s the protagonist, but she also can’t do it herself, because that will make her look like just another Vapid Teen Girl. So she gets a makeover handed to her. Pretty is something that Just Happens to nice girls, because if you work at it you’re a bitch.

(Not to mention pretty isn’t compatible with frizzy hair or glasses.)

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

God, fucking Harry Potter isn’t exempt from this. Hermione gets contrasted with Lavender and it’s so obvious that Lavender is Wrong, because she’s goofy and sentimental and clingy and girly girly girly, in sharp contrast with Hermione “I only do my hair for the Yule Ball, I’ve got shit to do” Granger over here. And that’s not shitting on Hermione! It’s just clear that there’s a very particular sort of teenage girl we’re supposed to like in HP and she doesn’t care about Girl Things.

[batmanisagatewaydrug-deactivate]

Even Sky High, the greatest teen movie of all time, falls into this. The women on the good guys’ side are Layla - soft femme, a little tomboyish, has strong opinions - and Magenta - vaguely punkish, v snarky - neither of whom do feminity “right”.

On the bad side there’s Penny, who’s a LITERAL evil cheerleader hivemind, and Gwen, who’s both the most popular girl in school and the actual super villain behind everything. These things are not coincidences.

[englishproblems]

At times like this, I thank the universe for Legally Blonde. Elle is a hyper feminine and hella smart lady who is bashed throughout the entire movie for being Too Girly.

Does she change who she is to fit in? No. She works just as hard as everyone else, harder even as she isn’t invited to any study groups because she is Too Girly, and she does it all while wearing pink, sparkles, and this season’s Prada shoes, thank you very much.

[lizparkerwrites]

This is nothing new. Have you guys read LAST OF THE MOHICANS?  Cora--independent, fierce, dark hair painted as the bad sister. Sweet, obedient, blonde Alice, the true heroine. 

[chestervelt]

when patronus test gives you the animal you dislike

[writingbox]

Editing fiction is like using your fingers to untangle the hair of someone you love.

Stephanie Roberts (via writingbox)

[pr1nceshawn]

Tips That Can Save Your Kid’s Life.

[hiddlesherethereeverywhere]

THIS IS IMPORTANT 

When I was a child, from the time I was about four and could understand things, my mom told me and my brother that we should have a secret word. That way, if we were ever in trouble or felt unsafe and we didn’t want the people around us to know we needed her to come get us, we could let her know. So she let us pick the word and my brother and I chose the phrase “peanut butter cups.” (I’m happy to share the phrase now since both my brother and I are adults now). 

I used the phrase twice in my life. Once, I was at a friends house when I eight years old. Her dad got really drunk and was throwing things against the wall. I was really scared and I didn’t want to draw attention to myself on the phone when I called my mom to come get me because I didn’t know if he would get more violent if I asked her to come get me. So I called her and was calm and after a couple minutes I asked “Hey mommy, did you get me those peanut butter cups from the store?” And she said “I’ll be right there.” And she came and got me within minutes. 

Second, I was a teenager spending the night at a friends house. Her brother and dad were drinking and they started talking about things that made me uncomfortable - ie: what they liked to do to women. My friend didn’t seem perturbed and said that was normal for them and that I shouldn’t worry. But I was worried because they were really drunk and I was 15 and the only ‘woman’ around that wasn’t related to them. I went in my friends room, told her I needed to call my mom and say goodnight. Before I hung up with her I asked “Next time we go to the store, can we get some peanut butters cups? I’ve been craving them.” And she came and got me, just like that. 

Two incidents, one as a young child, one years later as a teen. Don’t discredit this stuff, it fucking works. My brother used it a few times too. Let your child pick the word and no never, ever, ever, ever get mad at them for using it no matter what it is. 

[the-reading-nook]

[oatmalk]

Remember this lady?

[frecklehunter]

Oh my god

[ponyponyhorse-deactivated201505]

I’ve reblogged this before and I’ll reblog is again.

[buzzfeed]

[lunalove-blr]

When Christopher Columbus comments ‘first’ on a youtube video that you already watched, like, 500 years ago - Leif Erikson, probably.

[bimbocracy]

every single negative stereotype about women was dreamt up by men who were projecting. fight me about it.

[bimbocracy]

“women can’t drive”

It is so well known that women are better and safer drivers than men that OUR CAR INSURANCE RATES ARE LOWER. Women get into fewer accidents, get fewer DUIs, and receive fewer speeding tickets than men.

“women never shut up”

Several scientific studies have shown that not only do men talk more than women, they also think that women have been talking for much longer than they actually have. Men interrupt and talk over women, dominate conversations, and still think women talk too much.

“women are shallow”

Lol next

“my wife is my ball and chain lmao”

Multiple studies have shown that marriage between men and women: Increases male lifespan, decreases female lifespan Decreases male depression rates, increases female depression rates Decreases male stress levels, increases female stress levels Increases male health and happiness, decreases female health and happiness Increases a man’s chance of getting a raise or promotion, decreases a woman’s chances of getting a raise or promotion

“women are too emotional”

Men love to say this about women after hurting them, in order to shift the blame and dismiss their feelings in one go. In reality, women are taught to hold our tongues and control ourselves quite literally from birth. We’re taught to put men’s needs and wants ahead of our own emotions regardless of the personal cost. Men are taught to do more or less whatever the fuck they want to women. Men take their emotions out on women while women are expected to shove theirs down.

I could go on and on but I don’t really think I need to.

[buzzfeedtasty]

Blooming Baked Potato by Tasty

Move over, onion. It’s potato’s turn.

Full recipe here!

[buzzfeedau]

holy fuck

[buzzfeed]

[whoisshe777]

guys please spread this and be careful.

[canelitaclara]

Especially the New York area they said human sex trafficking has been going on and so many young girls have already gone missing

[clayaire-deactivated20210206]

they will also send things in the mail offering a high paying job to students, it’ll have no return address. a few of my friends have gotten them and i’m in chicago, please be careful!!

[refinery29]

This judge had exactly the right reaction to the shameful way nonviolent prisoners are treated in US jails

A woman was denied pants or tampons after being arrested for not completing a diversion course that was part of her sentencing from a shoplifting charge. But see how the judge reacts when she finds out that the prisoner’s humiliating treatment is apparently routine.

Gifs: Raw Leak

WATCH THE VIDEO

[runwithskizzers]

This judge is amazing.

[jointhegirlgang]

Judge Amber Wolf is NOT HAVING THIS SHIT. 

[erikaschnellert]

Stranger Things is an amazing show. I can’t recommend it enough.

This comic isn’t very spoilery but it won’t make a lot of sense until you’ve watched the show. The entire first season is on Netflix. Go check it out!

[saathi1013]

okay but like THERE IS AN ACTUAL CONNECTION:

“When Millie auditioned, she had long brown hair down past her shoulders. But Eleven was written as having hair “buzzed almost to the scalp.” Millie and her parents were understandably hesitant to chop it all off. Would it look ugly? Would it cost her other roles? Fortunately, Mad Max: Fury Road was about to come out, so we pulled out a magazine photograph of Charlize Theron as Furiosa and showed it to Millie. “Charlize looks totally badass, right?” Millie agreed; Charlize looked badass. And that was it: She agreed to buzz it all off.

“When the day of the haircut finally arrived, Millie’s mom brought out a camcorder, while her dad ran away with tears in his eyes, unable to watch. It was a pretty dramatic scene. But also very quick. Within 10 minutes we had shaved it all off and slapped a fake “11” tattoo on Millie’s wrist. Millie looked at herself in the mirror, gave her best Furiosa scream — and Eleven was born.”

(source: ew.com)

I just.  LITTLE GIRLS BEING INSPIRED BY FURIOSA WHILE GROWN MEN CRY.

[hockeysaurus]

IM SCREAMING THIS IS SO IMPORTANT (also: go watch stranger things it is so good!!!)

[uncleclustersthirdbrain]

@kristaferanka

[kristaferanka]

my favourites.

[ekjohnston]

@kierstenwhite

[kierstenwhite-deactivated201703]

Yes.

Very much so yes.

[refinery29]

Seth Meyers has a serious warning for the Bernie or Bust people still holding out

At the DNC, Bernie asked Democrats to “take a moment to think about the Supreme Court justices that Donald Trump would nominate and what that would mean to civil liberties, equal rights, and the future of our country.”

Gifs: Late Night with Seth Meyers

WATCH THE VIDEO

[smute]

reblogging twice just in case

[therkalexander]

I’m not sure whether I should laugh or cry.

Is OP aware that oh so many books exist on this subject?

And that almost universally the ones authored by people with doctorates in classicism and mythology disagree with OP?

Including the… epic hymn that first told this story? You know what’s in that original source material… right?

Abducted, yes. Demeter mourned? Definitely. Rape, no.

So here’s some info on Ancient Greek wedding traditions which (oh my stars and garters!!) included abducting the bride. With the father’s permission, which Hades got before he took her away.

Here’s a whole book on the subject of Ancient Greek wedding custom and its conflation with funeral rites. (Which sounds a bit like Hades and Persephone to anyone who’s ever dabbled in things like explication and context)

Here’s a link to another book that talks about Persephone’s rise to power as a result of her willingly eating the pomegranate seeds.

Oh shit!!

Here’s a whole bunch of myths and hymns that talk about her Queen of the Underworld badassery!!

Holy pug tacos Batman!!

Here’s another book about the myth focusing on the seasonal religious and liminal rites. WHICH TAKE PLACE IN THE DRY SUMMER (not the fucking winter), which you know if you read a book.Way to go, OP!

All these fucking books!  What could anyone possibly do with them all?!?!?!?! Do you eat books to absorb their powers instead of read them?

A better guess would be that you got into a moral panic over the name of a certain Renaissance statue and maybe after reading three pages of Edith Hamilton or the first paragraph of a Wikipedia article. And then used that to castigate and demean not only the people who actually take their limited time to create gorgeous art but also to denigrate modern day worshippers of Persephone and Hades?

Maybe next time, you stringy piece of over-boiled okra, you might want to take your own advice and pick up a book, instead of reducing the feared and respected Queen of the Underworld who held power equal to or in many interpretations GREATER than her husband into a meaningless pastiche of female disenfranchisement that you seemingly plucked from your own ass.

[sonneillonv-deactivated20220218]

JESUS CHRIST THANK YOU

[oftaggrivated-deactivated201910]

I don’t often reblog posts of people getting owned, but when I do…

[luxlustravi-blog]

man the ancient greeks didn’t dare to speak persephone’s name she was that powerful and venerated (they called her Kore, “the maiden”), hades didn’t get that honour

[bunjanecrocker]

Rebagel for those book links, I find the Persephone and Hades stuff on here fascinating and I want to research it more

[wordsandshadows]

reblogging for both the excellent smackdown and the phrase “stringy piece of over-boiled okra”, which I sense I will be using a lot in future.

[mediamattersforamerica]

“Does Brock’s father or this Judge understand there was a woman assaulted in this?”

[chaoticneutralbastard]

They look like they’re singing a high pitched duet.

[skydrynn]

[delts]

laugh your ass off here