I'm just going to say it - body hair (and beauty standards in general) is truly one of the final frontiers of women's issues in the West. Too many women just love their gilded cage too much. It shocks me how virulently women will defend it. I barely open my mouth and the "well I like how it feels. it just makes me feel cleaner. sensory issues. I do it for me. feminism is about choosing (to conform)." brigade come rushing in by the dozens.
Well I don't like how it feels. I don't feel cleaner without body hair. I don't prefer not having body hair. But who will advocate for women like me, but me? For women who do like hair removal, they are advocated for every time they step out of the house and see 99% of the female population also conforming to that standard, or when they watch a movie and see all the shaved actresses, or view an advertisment, or open a magazine, or watch a music video, or scroll through social media, or walk down the streets without receiving insults and glares for having a completely normal bodily feature.
You genuinely can't even point out that hairlessness is a man-made standard without women losing their shit and acting like they are totally immune to propaganda they've been exposed to from birth. I'm so tired.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Maria Hill is hunting down a criminal. Natasha Romanoff isn’t happy about it.
So… I wrote a lil something… Idk what I’m doing but it’s there if u wanna take a look… As the tags say, if u like Sherlock Holmes and lesbians, I encourage u to read it :)
thinking about CATWS for the 38475th time today and:
Natasha must have gotten so close to Clint so quickly for all the hydra agents in SHIELD not to have taken their chance to bring her onto their side. The greyest of grey characters was left out of the nefarious plot. She wasn't trusted with the dark secrets. She wasn't asked to do what they knew she had done so well for the Red Room. They saw her and this bizarre connection with Clint Barton, the circus archer, and were like, no, this agent with a history of operating nefariously under mind control will not be able to serve us well.
YES THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT WHEN I SAID NOTO DOESN’T SEXUALIZE HER LIKE SHE’S A PIECE OF MEAT OR SMTH, even the panels (i can’t add images bc im on mobile) but Noto doesn’t give Natasha an unrealistically clinched waist or huge breasts the figure he draws on natasha is perfect toned, muscular waist with an adequately proportional bust, also thighs that are not too thin or thick but TONED. That FITS as a body type because she works out and it FITS bc its nor hyper sexualized in any way and for that alone mr. noto has my vote.
you know what I couldn’t stay away i’m adding pics.
#1: He’s noto’s natasha underwater:
there’s no overdefined bust, her hips, her thighs everything is realistic. he hasn’t added a glaze or smth over her suit to make it look extra-leathery or smth the suit is realistic as are as arms look how toned they are, how strong because she’s muscular and she needs that muscle.
#2: now there’s this whole panel:
look at those realistic action moves, nothing’s over sexualized about the way she falls or how her butt looks or smth. it isn’t overtly SEXU it’s realistic. She falls and scrambles and her chest isn’t popping out of her suit. ALSO I FORGOT TO MENTION BUT NOTICE HOW HER SUIT IS FULLY ZIPPED UP. NOT ENDING AT HER CLEAVAGE BUT UP TO THE FUCKING COLLAR.
#3: also, look at how he draws/colours her backside too:
there’s nothing hypersexualized about her butt. it’s normal. her thighs her legs, everything is in motion, in action and he draws her like she’s a CHARACTER not an object of the male gaze.
#4: ok here’s more action moves and LOOK:
look at how when she’s jumping, her hands are out to brace herself, how HER HAIR IS TIED BACK IN A PONYTAIL. How she’s kicking and loving and none of it is used to emphasize her butt or smth. its just realistic body movement. Look at the angles, the way she walks. She is on a mission and her face has EXPRESSIONS that show that she’s here ON BUSINESS and not to look pretty like most BW comics do. (refer to #2 for expressive faces as well)
#5: you might say, hey eldritch-beau thats just because he uses the colour black on her like that. to which i raise you:
he’s just as good at drawing Natasha in white and its the white fucking SUIT fellas, that suit FUCKS and its realistic too and just as GOOD so its not just his style of Natasha’s suit, it’s how he draws HER. He doesn’t draw her to fit the suit, he draws the suit to fit HER.
#6: now look at how he draws her in civilian clothes. I don’t even need to tell you the difference.
see how her clothes are not unnecessarily skin-tight? see how her pants/leggings are in civies are good in the sense that they let her move, breathe and not be restricted to just her being slender and looking sexy. Her coat flaps about, her shirt doesn’t stick to her skin, her pants are loose enough and SHE IS WEARING FLATS. She’s efficient and Noto draws her with that efficiency because she is a PERSON and the drawing is consistent, her figure is consistent and she isn’t very tall but that did not make Noto make her tiny. He made her muscular and you can SEE it in the calves, in how she moves and how she runs.
#7: here’s a pic of natasha coming home after a long day and you know what?
noto is the only valid make artist allowed to draw women lounging look at how there’s literally nothing sexualized about how she just flops onto the bed, how her waist isn’t five sizes smaller than her chest when she comes into her room. And when she’s just lying down. tired, she’s exhausted and you can see that. and it’s OK. she doesn’t have to fit the male gaze and it’s FINE.
tldr: noto’s art is amazing and besides the fact that I love the way he colours, I also REALLY love the way he draws Natasha and yall need to go read his comic run asap bc its really good and heartfelt and i can’t gush enough about his art and this post will get too long if I pull up every panel so I’ll leave this post here, go check out Natasha’s 2014 run. That was Noto’s and I can assure you, you wont regret it.
Fandom: Marvel (MCU)
Pairing: Blackhill (Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov)
Words: 593
For @flashfictionfridayofficial's weekly prompt #357: It's So Obvious
[Now on AO3]
Lately, her friends have been growing closer with each passing day, but when confronted, their denial is swift. Firm. Short in a way that removes all room for doubt.
The two of them are usually better at hiding their intentions.
For Laura, it's as clear as day.
A tender smile secreted away from view. The soft graze of a hand that lingers. A tangible pull as they fall into each other’s orbit, entirely helpless in the face of gravity.
Watching these two dance around the topic is entertaining enough, but a slight push in the right direction could be just what they need.
Laura languidly sips at her tea. "The county fair is this weekend."
Maria hums a mildly interested note in the next chair over. She sheds her barriers here on the farm. Relaxed shoulders. Casual clothes. Her hair is freed of its usual bun and tossed carelessly over one shoulder.
A half-eaten piece of toast lies within reach, yet the day's newspaper holds her captive.
"You should invite Natasha."
At the name, Maria finally glances up with a flicker of blue eyes, all too transparent.
Laura's growing smile nearly gives her away, subtly hidden behind a porcelain rim.
The paper is set on the table, perfectly folded. "Never took her for someone who'd enjoy that sort of thing."
"She would," says Laura. "If you were the one to invite her."
"Laura." Her chastising tone is in jest, but wariness spoils the intent.
"Maria."
An exasperated huff. "You're trouble, you know that?"
"Have you ever expected anything less?"
Upstairs, a door crashes open, quickly followed by a pattering of tiny feet. Scuffling, yelling, laughter. All signs of life that indicate Laura's day has officially begun.
As she heads up to get the kids ready for school, she accepts the stalemate for what it is. A sticky note in her calendar. A pot simmering on the back burner.
Preserved for another time but not forgotten.
The kids decide to be cooperative for once—by some grace of God or perhaps multiple deities, knowing her luck—leaving Laura without a headache and more than enough time to kill before the drive to school.
As she reaches the bottom step of the stairwell, a voice halts her in her tracks.
"So," Maria starts, all too casually. From this angle, Laura watches her fidget with the newspaper's edge below the table. "County fair this weekend."
Natasha is busying herself on the other side of the counter, tiptoeing for a mug on the top shelf. "Yeah?"
"According to Laura."
An interested hum fills the silence. A shuffling of clothing as Natasha shifts her weight from side to side, contemplating her choices.
"Wanna go?" Maria asks.
Natasha snags one by the handle before turning on her heel with a dancer's grace. Her movements are always efficient, not a single one wasted, but this one is noticeably lighter.
She shoots Laura a knowing look over Maria’s shoulder.
"Could be fun," is her simple answer paired with a one-shouldered shrug, even as a smile plays on her lips.
"Right." Maria clears her throat. "Good. Then it's settled."
"Saturday?"
"At five."
"Works for me."
Laura doesn't mind taking credit for things that involve the people she loves. She likes making them happy, and she makes sure that they know it.
But when the two of them sit closer than usual that night, pressed together on the couch during a spy thriller the kids picked out, chuckling at an inside joke meant only for their ears, she's perfectly fine watching from afar.
