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mtonette · 4 hours

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Pandemonium by Kim Jakobsson.

#meat

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mtonette · 1 day

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The above image is an excerpt of pages 172-173 from Kate Bornstein’s book Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws. New York: Seven Stories, 2006.

I’d describe it as a survival handbook particularly meant for queer teens and other people who don’t fit in and so are fighting for their lives in a hostile, bigoted society. Some of the book’s suggestions for things to do that are better than destroying yourself seem strange or scary. Throughout, though, the book’s one rule is “Don’t be mean.” That’s important context, because that shows this excerpt about being a frightening monster is NOT saying to be cruel or harm others.

I recommend the book to anyone who thinks that sounds useful. Here is the book’s WorldCat listing, which you can use to see if a copy is available at a library near you. Or you can buy it as a print book or eBook directly from the publisher’s site. Or from whatever bookstore you like; bonus points if you can support a small local bookstore that’s worker-owned, feminist, or queer, since those are good community spaces to keep around. I’m not affiliated.

Transcript of the excerpt:

The heading says

“52. BECOME A MORE FRIGHTENING MONSTER THAN THE ONE THEY THINK YOU ARE.”

The icons under the heading indicate that this 52nd alternative to suicide has:

a low-medium difficulty level (as tricky as riding a cow)

a medium safety rating (three hearts, two skulls)

a medium-high effectiveness rating (three umbrellas)

a morality rating of G for General (meaning it’s something you could do in front of your grandma)

“Keywords: mischief, delight, magic”

For decoration, there’s an antique illustration of a costumed dancer wearing a horse tail and mane.

The body text says:

“If people knew the real you, would they run screaming from the room? Well, whatever kind of monster they think you are, it’s probably safe to say, you’re really much more terrifying. Sometimes we like to look freaky. Sometimes we like to blend in. It’s our choice. But shifting from one to another keeps people from figuring out who or what we are.

“The cultural monster here at the turn of the century is the shape-shifter. Being an outsider isn’t what makes us monstrous. We are monsters because we’re so good at either revealing our monstrosity, or keeping it hidden when we want to.

“It’s when we become something the über-culture can’t quite put its finger on that we know we’re being a worse monster than the one they think we are. In this culture, that’s a crime. You have to match your photo ID. So, go ahead. Be a chameleon. Enjoy yourself. Play safe, and try not to scare the little children.

“EXTRA CREDIT: Write an essay, poem, recipe, film or performance piece on this question: if a culture’s monsters reflect its greatest fears, what does it say about über-American culture that its monsters are for the most part shape-shifters and mutants?”

Image description ends.

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mtonette · 2 days

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greetings idv people coming here during the great twitter tumblr migration 👋

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mtonette · 2 days

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Lung in a box - the system is used to keep organs healthy during transport for transplantation.

#meat

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mtonette · 3 days

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Starting this year with a personal poster of SpaceDrew 🚀🌙

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mtonette · 4 days

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#depends #mine yes #someone i care about probably #someone idk sure if its verified clean #if its blood of unknown origin and unknown disease status nuh uh

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mtonette · 4 days

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not dex or commission stuff, but i really really really felt like drawing glimmora real quick. my gen 9 fave... oh the stunts we've pulled together in ranked

tip me?

#I LOVE YOU GLIMMORA I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOUUU

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mtonette · 4 days

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idk i just know they were a nightmare as academy students

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mtonette · 5 days

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#we do nawttt #its just kinda hard to keep one. ive made a bunch before and i know oscars made a couple too #like we have furry characters but as far as sonas go we are baddd at going with more than how we look #its already really like. our selves are the rawest form of us #there are cool animals and sometjmes i like to draw myself as a wasp but not enough to keep a ref sheet #my soul will always be just some girl (NOT A BAD THING. I ROCK) so being a kinda animal jurt isnt appealing #or an animal thats me. whatever the difference is

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mtonette · 5 days

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Sometimes you meet someone, and it’s so clear so immediately that the two of you, on some level, belong together. As lovers, or as friends, or as family, or as something entirely different. You just work, whether you’re in love or creating things together or foxhole buddies or partners in crime. It’s so clear, right off the bat, that this is what you’re supposed to be doing, that this is what you’re for. You meet these people throughout your life, out of nowhere, under the strangest of circumstances, and they help you make a life. I don’t know if that makes me believe in coincidence, or fate, or sheer blind luck, but. It definitely makes me believe in something.

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mtonette · 5 days

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