#countessklair

[stephschoices]

FELLOW SWTOR FAN??? FELLOW LANA FAN???? OMG????

YES I LOVE SWTOR!!!

My jedi knight is one of fav ocs of all time 🤭

[danceundersparklinglights]

the alchemyyy old

okay i haven’t listened to this one as much but i think “these blokes warm the benches” is very funny if you’re coming at the song from a certain angle and i love the picture the bridge paints because it’s almost like in hits different when she goes “you were the one that i loved don't need another metaphor, it's simple enough” because what actually happened irl is the perfect picture in itself idk

[writingwithcolor]

Hello! In a writing project I have, I include a Hindu family from the Rajasthan state in India, but I’m not sure the sources I used to name them are proper or correct, so could you tell me if their names make sense individually/as a group? Their surname is Singh. The mother’s names are Lakshmi and Sati, and they have four children together. Their oldest son is named Rama, their oldest daughter is named Aditi, and they have twin daughters named Pavarti and Priyanka.

Hindu Indian Family and Names, some derived from gods

Singh is typically a Punjabi name. Kapadia is a fairly common Rajasthani name. You could use that. You’re saying the mother’s names are Lakshmi and Sati. As in a lesbian couple? It was only as recently as 2018 that gay sex was decriminalised. Gay marriage is not legal in India. 

As for the use of “Sati” as a name–BIG “NO”. Sati is the (banned) practice of burning a widow on the funeral pyre of her husband. Was more common under the British rule when women were protecting their “modesty.” 

Actually, I’m rethinking this. We Indians are notoriously thin-skinned when it comes to our Gods and Goddesses, of which we have a gazillion. Please go with innocuous names like Sarita or Seema. Lakshmi is the name of a Goddess. Use that name for a lesbian character and you’re liable to have the (mostly male) Indian online army after you with pitchforks. You have been warned. 

Good luck with your writing.

–Mod Rasana

I haven’t heard that Indians are thin-skinned about religion, but we are thin-skinned about a lot of other things and can be a little racist. Many people in my Tamil Nadu family are oblivious to their own prejudices.

Mind I find it interesting that most of the family is named after gods. Parvati is the reincarnation of Sati, and Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth while married to Vishnu. Thus it creates weird associations for me that Sati’s daughter Parvati is also her, and she’s with Vishnu’s wife. My advice is choose one name to be derived from that of a god, to avoid the implications.

– Jaya

[bluearrow126]

Your Social Media AU of the Power Rangers gives me such LIFE

Thanks! I’m posting another one soon!

[needbrakes]

@countessklair​

could the ot3 ship name be Cranscaylor? or BRB for BlackRedBlue?

// HONESTLY YOU GUYS I LIKE BRB.

[ororosmunroe]

This is about your Spiderman: Homecoming post, and I just want to say that I do NOT want to be offensive, I agree with what you said, it's just that shouldn't white people NOT write as/from the view of POCs? Because, and I'm saying this as a white fan-author, isn't it offensive to POC? I'm honestly curious and unsure, I'm sorry if I came off mean/rude/stupid.

I know that you probably didn’t mean to sound like it but white authors not even trying to honestly attempt to write characters of color is very othering, dehumanizing and is a racist act. Why? Let me explain. 

I’m a black fic/writer myself. I’m a fan of comics/movies/etc etc and right now the whole western entertainment landscape is about 90 percent white people. If I was so inclined to write fic about the shows I like that consisted of a majority white cast I wouldn’t have a problem because I could most likely empathize with their situation and connect with them in some type of way. Now, why is that? It’s because I’ve had to do this my entire life because black people (and brown people in general) have not and are still not getting the range of humanizing roles that white people do (and that’s just NOW starting to change). 

To put it bluntly, white people have been spoiled rotten when it comes to entertainment representation. You all were never actively or subconsciously taught to see the humanity of people outside of those that look like yourself (like black/brown people are) and it’s stunted you all severely in real life social situations and in fandom type situations. That’s just facts. 

When I hear that a white writer refuses to write a character of color or feels uncomfortable writing a character of color and I have to wonder what is SO different about us that has you all so scared. The racist bs we face every day aren’t our only stories. No person of color is asking you all to portray our struggles with racism (in fact please don’t, really don’t). 

It’s funny (in an awful sense) that white writers will research anything from dead languages to what a people wore in [insert time period here] but somehow the notion of researching historical stereotypes of races to avoid making a caricature out of black/brown characters is somehow beyond them. I guess it’s because it’s not the “fun” type of research. It’s the “ looking back at a very uncomfortable and horrible past that their ancestors had a hand in/their descendants benefit from still to this day” type of research and white people avoid that like the plague. 

But they shouldn’t because it’s bad writing and more importantly, it’s bad human-ing. 

I guess what I’m trying to say Countess is that the notion that white writers shouldn’t write characters of color for fear of being offensive is kind of a cop out? If you fuck up, then you fuck up. And If you are that sensitive to criticism or that allergic to giving a heartfelt apology when you do mess up and make the conscious effort to do better in the future then you shouldn’t be a writer in the first place.

Good writing is about progression (of your story, your craft and yes even yourself).  

Personally, I get more angry at something when it’s blatantly obvious that the writer/creator doesn’t give a shit than when something is demonstrated exactly right. But if the author actually apologizes and tries to make up for it at least then I know that they care…somewhat.  

Luckily there are ways to somewhat avoid being the stereotypical White Writer™  and not to fuck up (as much, get rid of the idea that you will never fuck up writing characters of color, you will). 

The short list:

Reverse Racism is not a thing. Prejudice.Yes. Black/Brown people being rude? Sure. Black/Brown people being overly cautious of white people due to historical/imperial/colonial precedent? Definitely. But black/brown people can never be racist towards white people because we do not benefit from such a system. Hurt white feelings are not racism. The old dictionary definition was written by white people (specifically white men) who are the LEAST qualified to say what actual racism is.

Do the actual research/leg work. It not only makes you a better more inclusive writer but it also makes you a better and more inclusive person. Win/Win, Google is your friend. 

Take your black/brown friends out for lunch/dinner and have conversations with them (because emotional labor is not free). Not surface talk, but more serious things. Ask them about what they feel about certain things happening in the country. It won’t always be comfortable but you will get more of a sense of who they are and what their community faces and in the process move towards being a better friend and ally. Lord knows we’ll need it in the coming months….years. 

Be aware of your surroundings online and in the real world, be aware that the tropes you probably find boring and cliche (example, damsel in distress) are not common for every group of women. In fact, they are most likely groundbreaking. 

Get rid of any white savior feelings/tropes you might have. If you feel like your white character is over-stepping their bounds, don’t write it. (And If you’re really not sure about it google it). 

Reverse Racism, again, is not a thing. It really isn’t. 

Actively reflect on the impact you have on the people in your life. 

Before you say, “That’s not me! I would never do that!” Stop. Think about it. Honestly, evaluate the situation. If you’re in the clear, then hot dang good for you. If not, work to do better. 

I hope I answered your question. I’m sorry if I rambled on but honestly, all of this is constantly on my mind #blackwriterproblems  

Anyways, thank you for the ask! ◦°˚\(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

[danceundersparklinglights]

oooo is it cinnamon?? cinnamon/nutmeg are pretty common allergens of the 'pumpkin spice' variety

I would think so, but I can eat cinnamon rolls no problem. It’s probably the nutmeg, because now that you mention it, the last time I made french toast I added some nutmeg and the same thing happened!

[missunderstoodxoxo]

Hey! Could you do Scarlee with the Autumn/Halloween prompt: ❝ did you cut yourself carving the pumpkin? let me see it. ❞ ?

Look which prompt still sitting in my inbox I feel finished yesterday!

“Hello?” Scott called out, walking through the front door of the Deckers’ home. (Marlee had texted that she would leave it unlocked, much to his worry. Their town wasn’t exactly the safest.)

“Hey! I’m in the kitchen.”

Placing his dirt bike helmet in the coat closet off of the foyer, he made his way to the kitchen, to see a familiar sight.

Marlee had been on a pumpkin-carving spree lately. This was already her third pumpkin (bought with her own money, acquired from her new job at the library) and it would surely be rotten by Halloween. Scott guessed that she would just buy more before then and work her magic again. The ones currently sitting on her porch were a classic-looking Jack O'Lantern and Emily from The Corpse Bride. This one was being decorated with different swirls and curves.

He watched in confusion as she momentarily pressed the side of her index finger to her mouth before removing it and getting back to work. It only took him a few seconds to come to the right conclusion.

“Did you cut yourself carving the pumpkin? Let me see it.”

Scott reached out, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“No!” The blonde objected, swatting her boyfriend’s hand away. “It’s fine.”

“Marlee, you might need to get stitches.”

“And if I do, it can wait until after I finish this damn Jack O'Lantern.” She responded, bringing her attention back to the pumpkin in front of her.

“Just let me see it.”

The werewolf knelt down next to her chair, causing the young woman to look over at him. The pair locked eyes, mutually adored brown and blue.

“Please,” Scott softly requested.

Marlee glanced away before silently holding out her hand, letting him inspect her injury.

While it wouldn’t need stitches, the cut running up his girlfriend’s finger would be visible for a while.

“So, what’s the verdict, Doc?”

Bringing his focus to the person attached to the appendage, he saw that Marlee was grinning at him, loving to watch him in his caring element. Scott couldn’t help but smile back.

“I think you’ll live.”

He swiftly stood up and moved to the drawer where he knew the Decker women kept some things in case of kitchen accidents. (These supplies had begun to be stored there due Chris Argent’s insistence, after Virginia had nicked her thumb while chopping some garlic.) Pulling out a bandage, he peeled back the extra papers before moving back to the table.

Scott carefully wrapped the bandaid around Marlee’s finger, placing a small kiss on the covered mark after he was done; the other teenager blushed, to her embarrassment.

The next pumpkin to join the three on the porch- a classic-looking Jack O'Lantern, Emily from The Corpse Bride, and one with different swirls and curves- had a simplistic but beautiful carving, a young couple leaning in to kiss.