I am curious, what inspired you to write about homelessness specifically?
It's a sadly often ignored or even erased part of humanity, and it is nice seeing it represented in a non demonizing way.
I worked at a homeless shelter for 3 years on the night shift. Learned so much about homelessness and the many struggles that come with it. So I am excited to see how you write, and how you represent those struggles!
Also, as a fellow sapphic, I am also excited to have another sapphic focused fic! :D
YASSSS, NONNIE!!! I love this type of question so much(and was waiting for it)!! Time ta get into da: DEEP SHIT
This will be a long/personal answer, so read on under le cut~
So, homelessness -- and this entire concept/project -- is so important to me because I've been homeless - multiple times. I've been on the streets; been in shelters; dealt with jaded caseworkers; waded through an overtly convoluted(read: broken)aid system -- and worked my way from the absolute bottom to the (figurative)top.
Basically: I'm MC.
(But: I know I'm not the only one who's MC -- I'm not the only version. And that's where the other characters come in.) I'm the person who did everything 'right' by society's standards: Got the college degree (got the DEBT) tried to live within my chosen field, but consistently had a hard time getting hired within in. Even with experience. Even with resume that hit all the desired points. Talented, intelligent, young and able -- yet still not chosen. And you end up in a situation like this.
Many don't want to admit they're one paycheck away from being on the streets. That homelessness can happen to anyone. Anyone.
And I think a lot of the stigma comes from that fear; from being so much closer to it than one's comfortable. It's made into this foreign concept; homelessness happens to - 'those people' -- not you.
But what's interesting - - what's powerful - - is that: It's not just *Me*. It's so many others who've found themselves in this Exact situation, via myriad ways, but never had the space to talk about it. The world makes it loathsome; makes it something shameful. So - you're in it; you're (hopefully) out of it -- then you never speak of it again.
So -- how do we learn? How do we understand?
How do we breach this topic -- this: lived Experience, that's so common - but no one's talking about it?
One way is like this.
But also - just wanting to write against the many, many misconceptions of what 'homelessness' actually IS really fuels me. That, and the: perception; what it can look like. The immediate image is of the scraggly, older person on a sidewalk, haggard, begging with a cardboard sign and a cup. And that's a single case -- but not the only case. There's: 'homelessness in plain sight'. The people sitting next to you on the bus or in the library. People who can't immediately be clocked and exist in this - awful subset of humanity from everyone else. It is sad; it is ignored.
All that 'said': Thank you for your 3 years of shelter work! I would love to hear/see if you identify with Cleo - or even Fahn. The 'staff' side in homelessness services is just as interesting(do I have stories XD). And: hell yeah - fellow sapphic. Can't wait to weave these two topics together(that have quite a few similarities when you think about it! ;))
............ I just thought of something scary but since it's already no secret that MC was from a (SPOILERS) fighting ring, I have no doubt a place like that would have sponsors or something. And I just realized what if one of them saw the MC in the weaver competition thing and realized it was them bc of their fighting style, maybe even mother................
I can't say much without spoiling, but yes, MC has left quite a reputation back at the cage... (✌︎'ω')✌︎
Guys, do any of you have a problem tumblr downgrading your picture quality? I've tried uploading my thing according to tumblr's dimension requirement, but it's still blurry
I loved that prompt!! Thank you so much! But now I am kinda curious which kind of monkey can purr and for what this info will be used for in the future ;)
You’re welcome, I’m glad you liked it!
Specifically the Caqueta Titi (or red/bushy bearded titi) monkey is what I was referencing. They are, however, found in Columbia and not China. They would not work to explain, say, Wukong or Macaque purring at all as Macaque is definitely a macaque and Wukong could be another macaque or any other type of monkey normally found living to China.
BUT apparently other animals that also aren’t cats (like ring tail lemurs, other monkeys, and guinea pigs) have been known to make sounds that are similar enough to a purr to be considered what I call psuedo-purrs. Just rumbly enough to remind you of one, but not sounding the same or serving the same function.
I have also been chilling for years in fandoms where anyone who likes even vaguely non-human entities decide to have them purr anyway because “why not” (I used to be way into Transformers and I have read fics where the robots rumble their engines in a pseudo-purr, that’s how bad people want this), and even enjoyed shows that do this in canon... so...
Because while I love my angst, deep down I am SOFT so I went “fuck it, most demons can make pseudo-purr sounds too because I said so”. I need this for REASONS. Reasons related to hurt-comfort and demons.
