Honestly my first draft of this post said “my neighbor’s son” and then I was like wait a second that’s functionally the same as saying “my cousin’s sister.” That’s still my cousin and that’s still my neighbor.
The nine-year-old was literally driving the vehicle after knocking the gear shift into Drive apparently by accident. Seven- and five-year-olds in the backseat. Nine-year-old knows in movies people stomp down on the thing on the floor and the car stops. He stomps. It is the gas.
Angel and devil on your shoulder except it’s Terry Pratchett saying writer’s block is fake and Douglas Adams being locked in a hotel room by his publisher so he’d actually work on his manuscript.
Organizers of the DCBlackout boycott have announced the boycott’s end, citing discourse overshadowing the goal of the campaign, and acknowledging that some calls to action were limiting support of black, lgbt+, and female creatives.
While no longer calling for a boycott, they are still encouraging others to boost comics and media made by black creatives and about black characters to bring awareness to the lack of representation and to let publishers know that these stories are sought out and wanted.
from @jpenumbra on tiktok
here is a link to the campaign’s petition: change.org/dcsowhitecampaign
image text under cut:
“First and foremost, we want to thank everyone who has supported the DCSoWhite campaign. Since the beginning of this year, thousands of comic readers, retailers, creators, and fans have joined us in advocating for greater investment in Black characters and opportunities for Black creators within the comic book industry.
Today, we are announcing the end of the DCBlackout boycott.
This decision comes after a lot of reflection and conversations with members of the comic book community. While the boycott was launched to draw attention to an issue we believe remains important, it became clear that the conversation surrounding the boycott was often overshadowing the larger goal of the campaign.
The fact remains that it has been more than 1200 days since a Black character has headlined a solo title in DC Comics' mainline continuity. We continue to believe this is an issue worth discussing and addressing. However, we also recognize that many fans and creators we care about felt the boycott unintentionally minimized books, characters, and creators whose work provides meaningful representation for women, LGBTQIA+ readers, people of color, and other marginalized communities. That was never our intention, and we apologize for that impact. We heard those concerns, and they played a major role in our decision to reevaluate the boycott.
Our goal has never been to take representation away from anyone else in oursuit
of our own. We believe that Black characters deserve greater support, and inat the creators and books currently providing representation across the industry deserve to be celebrated and supported
As a result, DCSoWhite will continue as an awareness and advocacy campaign rather than a boycott effort.
One of the most effective ways readers can support creators and influence publisher decision-making is through preorders before a book's Final Order Cutoff (FOC) date. Pre-orders are one of the clearest indicators of reader interest and help publishers and retailers determine future investments in characters, titles, and creative teams. We encourage fans to support the books and creators they want to see succeed, particularly those from underrepresented communities. If you are unsure of a title's FOC date, contact your local comic shop or consult publicly available retailer resources.
DCBlackout grew into something much larger than we originally anticipated
While we appreciate the conversations it sparked, we recognize that the focus often shifted away from the concerns that inspired the campaign in the first place. Moving forward, we want the conversation to center on solutions, support, and meaningful opportunities for Black characters and creators.
The DCSoWhite campaign is not ending. The petition remains active. We will continue to highlight Black creators, promote Black independent comics, document industry trends, and advocate for greater investment in Black characters across mainstream comics.
We don't know what the future holds for DC in the coming weeks, months, or years. What we do know is that Black characters deserve the same opportunities, promotion, and great stories as everyone else. That's what this campaign has always been about, and that's what we will continue fighting for. And when DC finally announces a Black ongoing in the mainline continuity, we will be there for phase 3 of this campaign like we originally intended.”
Amatonormativity, Aromanticism, and What Defines a Relationship - Rilee Granger
Amatonormativity in the Law: An Introduction - Silver Flight
"Allonormativity and Compulsory Sexuality" (chapter 6 of Encyclopedia of Queer Studies in Education) - Stephanie Anne Shelton
'I Dont Want To be a Playa No More': An Exploration of the Denigrating effects of 'Player' as a Stereotype Against African American Polyamorous Men - Justin L. Clardy
On Relationship Anarchy
The short instructional manifesto for relationship anarchy - Andie Nordgren
The Relationship Anarchy website
Thinking Relationship Anarchy from a Queer Feminist Approach - Roma De las Heras Gómez
Beyond romantic love – an analysis of how the dilemma of closeness vs. autonomy is handled in relationship anarchy discourse - Ricardo Guillén
The Ethics of Relationship Anarchy - Ole Martin Moen
On community
Examining aromantic and asexual inclusion in queer-serving organizations - based on Lauren Lichty's work
Exploring Aromanticism Through an Online Qualitative Investigation With the Aromantic Community: “Freeing, Alienating, and Utterly Fantastic” - James Fowler et al.
Community Listening Sessions with Aromantic People: Summary and Recommendations Report
Aurea Aro Census
Sexuality, romantic orientation, and masculinity: Men as underrepresented in asexual and aromantic communities - Hannah Tessler
On QueerPlatonic Relationships
Queerplatonic Zucchinis: A Short Primer - Omnes and Nihil (unsure)
Queering the Nuclear Family - Katie Linder
Queer(ing) consensual nonmonogamies, queering therapy: queer intimacy, kinship, and experiences of CNM in LGBTQIA+ lives - Christian Klesse et al.
On intersectionality
Intimacy and Desire Through the Lens of an Aro-Ace Woman of Color
Being Aroflux & Black - Kimberley Butler
Transitioning into Aromanticism as a Trans Student - Amethyst
Existing and Defying Stereotypes as an A-spec Disabled Person - Sapphire Crimson Claw
A Reflection on the March Carnival of Aros (several testimonies by aros of color and non-cis/non-het aros are linked in this article)
Other aro-related interesting reads
New Dimensions, New Directions: Asexualities and Aromanticism in the 21st Century - Megan Carroll et al.
Enriching the Story: Asexuality and Aromanticism in Literature - Adrienne Whisman
The Importance of Representation for Lesser-Known Sexual Identities on the Example of Asexuality and Aromanticism - Jasmin Kiechle
Experiences of Italian Asexual and Aromantic Individuals in Healthcare Settings: from Explicitly Aggressive to Affirming Interactions
Other lists of aro-related ressources (not all sources listed in these are free though)
by Aurea
The Asexuality and Aromanticism Bibliography
If you know of any other free ressource about aromanticism please consider adding to this list
happy pride month to Trans people, Neurodivergent people, Furries, Kinksters, Polycules, People of Color, and anyone else who falls between the cracks of standardized experiences. i love you Queer people.
dededos
turnnoffyourmind
origamiaround
snowghoul
discoholicmusic
jbbartram-illu
yousharknotpass
areudirty
