I am going to say something that might piss people on this site off, and that is that the stabbing at a Taylor Swift themed event in Southport does not exist in a vacuum.
It exists in a world where a joke about bringing a nail gun to the Eras tour to shoot fans gets 400k likes on TikTok, or where a reel about crashing a plane full of Swifties gets 200k likes on Instagram. It exists in a world where, on this very website, the one that promotes itself as rational and reasonable, someone says that "Taylor Swift and her fans should all die violent horrible deaths" and people applauded it. It exists in a world where, during TTPD release week men were in Swifties' comment sections declaring they would beat their daughters and girlfriends if they ever so much as listened to one of her albums. And it exists in a world where this week, fans of a TV show (which I will not name because that is not the point) sent death threats to a girl on Twitter for daring to be a fan of both their beloved show and Taylor Swift.
I don't give a fuck what your opinion of Taylor Swift is. I don't care if you think her music is grating, I don't care if you think she is the worst thing to happen to humanity since Eve ate the god damn apple. This is the dark side of stan culture that no-one talks about; where dislike of an artist becomes so obsessive that it becomes normal, even funny, to joke about killing their fans, because "it's just online, it's just a joke". It isn't. It is rarely ever "just online".
And yes I am going to be That Person and say that you can complain about Swift's brand of feminism and debate her position as a feminist icon all day long, at the end of the day, her name is still synonymous with girls. It doesn't take a genius to work out who this event was geared at.
I am not going to sit and claim that by simply not liking Taylor Swift you directly caused this. I would encourage you to step back, look at the bigger picture of stan culture, including obsessive dislike of an artist, and ask yourself how much this culture has enabled this. If making jokes on tiktok about killing someone over a pop star is normalised, how much of a leap is it to attacking kids with a knife at a fan event?
and of course there is the fact that the british media didn't even wait until those kids were buried before using this event to spread their racist, anti-immigrant agenda despite the race of the attacker not being known. all I can say to that is I am sickened and disappointed but not shocked.
shit is bad in the UK but obviously it is immensly confusing and I know some people wouldn't want to search up the news given how volatile it is, so here is a timeline of events. warnings for talk of violence, child death, racism, police ect
Monday 29/07: mass stabbing occured in Southport at a kids dance class, three girls died on scene, several others were hospitalised. An at time unnamed 17 y old boy was arrested on suspicion, and a knife was seized. later
Tuesday 30/07: having read false news suggesting that the attacker was a muslim immigrant who had arrived on a small boat, far-right groups with links to the EDL their leader Tommy Robinson took to the internet to imply the attacker was Muslim attacked a mosque in Southport, and after being declared a public disturbance, the police showed up and started trying to disperse them. This very quickly spiralled into a riot in which 39 police were hospitalised. Also on this day, Nigel fucking Farage, leader of far-right party Reform UK tweeted a video in which asked if the police were lying that the attack was not "terror related", furthering belief that the attacker was Muslim
Wednesday 31/07: violent anti immigrant protest continued, and there were mass riots in London. The PM spoke out denouncing the far right rioters as "violent thugs who would feel the full force of the law"
Thursday 01/08 : to try and curb the spread of misinformation, the police released the identity of their suspect - Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents in hope that the confirmation that he is not a Muslim immigrant would stop the rioting. It has not. PM Starmer released a statement saying that these were "coordinated attacks by the far right. " and that "this is not a protest that got out of hand these are individuals bent on violence"
Friday Night 02/08: Riots started in Sunderland late at night with reports of "serious violence". Starmer announced he had a plan to tackle far right violence.
Saturday 03/08: New far right mob action started in Manchester, Bristol, Hull, Belfast, Stoke, and Nottingham. Nottingham saw the first counterprotest, and as I write this, clashes between antifacist protestors and the far right is on going. The racists are setting fire to migrant housing buildings and attacking both police and counterprotestors countrywide. Dispersal orders have been issued for every city centre and major town centre across the UK.
Sunday 04/08: a "nick em quick" approach is to be used against the rioters in a hope to remove the far right mob from the street as soon as possible. There have been over 100 arrests. There are no plans to bring in the army, say ministers. There is a current attack on a migrant housing building in Rotherham.
I will keep posting updates as this unfolds so watch this space. This is obviously terrifying, so I want you to focus on actionable points.
stop the spread of misinformation. i can cite all my sources on a different post if you would like, but know that i visited ten different news sites, and also watched all the live news coverage to make this post. if you see any new information, fact check it. if you see someone spreading misinformation anywhere, DO SOMETHING. call them out and correct them and if they don't fix it, report them.
take care of any of your friends who aren't white, or if you aren't white, consider not going anywhere alone. racists don't discriminate in their discrimination. they are violent, deranged, and several are armed.
unless you are attending a counterprotest, stay the fuck out of town and city centres!!!!
Summary: You'd always wanted to go to Southport North Carolina so JJ takes you there as an early birthday present, just you and him
Warnings: Implied sex
Word Count: 1,500
A/N: I'm going to visit my family there in a few days and I'm so excited
Also fun fact: Outerbanks filmed scenes on the Southport/Fort Fisher ferry hehe
Kiara was sprawled across your bed, eating Cheez-Its. Sarah sat crosslegged on the floor by your suitcase, chin in her hand, watching you pack like it was the best entertainment she’d had all week.
You held up a sundress.
“Cute or too much?”
“Cute,” Kiara said without hesitation. “He’s gonna actually die, he loves that dress.”
Sarah smirked. “He’s already dead. We’re just attending the funeral.”
You rolled your eyes, cheeks heating. “We’re just going on a one night trip. Friends do that.”
“Sure,” Kiara said, exchanging a look with Sarah. A verrry knowing look.
You huffed and threw the sundress in your suitcase. “You guys know where he’s taking me. Just tell me. I know it’s beachy.”
“Nope,” Sarah grinned.
“Absolutely not,” Kiara chimed in.
“It’s cruel not to! I've been racking my brain all week,” you groaned.
“It’s romantic,” Sarah said. “And we’re not ruining his big surprise. He’s been saving up for weeks, babe. He’s so excited. He won't stop talking about when you’re not around. It’s adorable.”
Your stomach fluttered. You reached into your dresser and pulled out some underwear and that’s when Kiara practically cackled.
“IS THAT A MATCHING SET?”
You froze, bra and panties in hand. “It’s— I’m— I just— it’s comfortable?”
“Liar!” Kiara accused, pointing. “She packed the pretty ones.”
Sarah leaned closer, voice all sing songy. “So something is gonna happen.”
“Nothing is going to happen,” you insisted, cheeks burning so badly you felt radioactive. Then mumbled with a smirk, “Probably.”
They stared at you, mouths wide.
You swallowed. “Okay, I mean… maybe I sorta hope it does? A tiny bit?”
Sarah smacked Kiara’s leg. “Knew it. Y/N, you dirty girl!”
“You literally realize he’s taking you ALONE,” Kiara said. “He didn’t invite any of us. He booked you a hotel. Like, what does he have to do, put up a neon sign?!”
You hid your face in your hands. “I can’t just say something. We've been friends our whole lives!"
“Why not?” Sarah giggled. “He’d freak out... in a good way.”
“Definitely wear the matching set.”
You closed your suitcase, heart pounding with excitement and nerves. Your birthday was in a few days and this was his early present.
Just the idea of sharing a room with him made your stomach spin.
“And SAY. SOMETHING.”
“Ready?”
The next morning you hopped in JJ’s truck. It smelled like sunscreen and boy and a little bit of weed.
He glanced over, giving you that little grin that always did too much to your heart.
“Ready.” You buckled in, smiling wide. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he said smugly, hand drumming the steering wheel.
Hours later, you passed a sign.
SOUTHPORT — 8 miles
You gasped so loudly JJ flinched. “No. No way. JJ!”
He laughed, the happiest sound. “You been wanting to go, right?”
“Yeah, forever!” You squealed a little.
At the next stoplight, without even thinking, you slid across the bench seat and wrapped your arms around him.
“JJ, this is— you’re the best.”
“Oh my god— that building was in Safe Haven! And— and that church was in I Know What You Did Last Summer! And that dock was in Waterfront! ...JJ, this is insane.”
“I know,” he joked, but his smile softened completely.
You kissed his cheek, and he practically short circuited, color rushing up his neck. You slid back to your side, staring out the window in awe.
Fishy Fishy Café was colorful, perched on the Cape Fear River. He held the door open for you, brushing your back lightly as you walked in as you tried not to melt.
He drove slower just to watch you beam at everything.
Nothing had ever made him happier.
“HEY— give it back,” he laughed, chasing you down the sidewalk as you sprinted away, holding the cone hostage.
You got shrimp n grits. He got a cheeseburger. Then you crossed the street to Flava’s Ice Cream and quickly decided on a strawberry cheesecake icecream cone but your eyes widened after stealing a bite of his banana pudding one.
“No. Nope. This is mine now. We're trading.”
"JJ! You're gonna make me drop it!"
"Just give it back then!"
"Hell no!"
People stared. You two didn’t care.
When he caught you, he grabbed you around the waist from behind, both of you laughing breathlessly.
You walked the rest of the way like that — smiling at the pastel buildings and cute houses.
You leaned over the railing of the riverwalk marsh bridge, pointing.
“Oh my god, look! There’s a ton of crabs.”
JJ began making up backstories for each and every one of them and you laughed so hard your ice cream almost fell.
“I’ll get one of you,” he offered, using his own phone so that he could keep it for himself. The sun was glowing behind you, your hair blowing, smile wide.
You snapped a photo of him as his pointed at a crab with a particularly big claw. “Cute.”
One crab suddenly slipped down a muddy slope, tumbling all the way into the water with a ploop.
Both of you gasped.
“Oh my god—” you covered your mouth. "That one's you."
Your room at the River Hotel was bright and clean. Two beds. A little fridge. A balcony.
You collapsed face first onto one bed.
“This is so cute.”
JJ put beers in the fridge and turned to you.
“So… what do you think about taking the ferry to Fort Fisher in like half an hour? Maybe going to the Aquarium? I know how much you like aquariums.”
Your jaw dropped. “ARE YOU SERIOUS?”
He grinned. “Is that a yes?”
“Hell yeah!”
You both leaned over the edge of the ferrie, thoroughly entertained by all the birds following the boat then entire time.
Inside the aquarium, two steps in, you gasped. “JJ, look.”
A pile of otters was cuddled on a log, sleeping in a fuzzy heap.
“Us,” JJ said instantly. "Like the seven of us."
You nudged him. “You wish you were that cute.”
“You called me cute like two hours ago,” he smirked.
You snorted, "I did didn't I."
Next was an albino alligator named Luna who… did not move. At all. Didn't even blink.
You and JJ stood there silently for a full minute.
“…Is she alive?” JJ whispered.
“I don’t know.”
You both stare at it for nother minute.
“Okay... I blinked first,” he muttered.
You burst into laughter and he grinned wide and proud.
“It’s Rafe,” JJ decided.
Then the huge shark tank.
You spent forever there, mostly because of a weird, fat bottom dwelling fish that stared unblinkingly at you.
You almost dropped your phone laughing. “STOP. Leave that poor fish ALONE.”
You took silly photos, exaggerated faces, pretending to talk to jellyfish, both of you doubled over at how ridiculous the other looked.
At one point, JJ watched you smiling at a glowing tank of moon jellies.
The blue light dusted across your face and he didn’t even try to hide how in love he looked.
Back on the ferry, seagulls circled as JJ threw them chips, acting like it was a sport. You joined, laughing when one snatched one straight out of his hand.
Then you sat on the upper deck, the sky turning molten orange, your hair whipping around.
You held your phone up to snap a picture of him looking all content but he quickly whipped his head at your making a ridiculous face and you both busted out laughing. Both your jaws hurt from how much you'd laughed and smiled through out the day.
“JJ,” you whispered after your giggles died down, feeling everything all at once as you watched him stare back out at the water, “thank you for bringing me here.”
He shrugged softly. “'Course. Happy early birthday.”
“No, I mean it. This— all of this — it means the world to me. You’re like… you’re my favorite person. Ever.”
JJ’s heart nearly burst out of his chest. He swallowed. “You’re mine too. Always have been.”
When you both pulled back, just barely all the two of you could do was let out breathy laughs, unable to believe it had really finally happened.
You watched as his eyes drifted to your lips. You did the same.
Then you kissed him —or maybe he kissed you— soft at first, then deeper. All the years of wanting finally slipping through.
His hand cupped your jaw, the wind swirling around you as the horizon glowed gold.
You barely made it through the door of your hotel room before you kissed again, Cook Out bags forgotten on the counter.
And then you kissed again.
And again.
Then the two of you went half and half for a second night at the hotel.
The laughter faded into breathless touches and only one of the two beds was used that night.
He loved the matching set, but not enough to leave it on you.
Exclusive: Dame Sara Khan, who advised May, Johnson and Sunak, says recent administrations failed the country
I’m glad someone has finally addressed the elephant in the room here. A big part of the reason the far-right feel so emboldened is because of the Tories fanning the flames of the culture war over the last few years.
Turns out the things ministers say and do have real life consequences. You see Nazis are like cats. If they like you, it’s probably because you’re feeding them.
