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itraceswhenyoulie · 2 years

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I've seen a few people saying that Cal seems undeveloped in comparison to Juliette. But hear me out.

I know it seems that way at times because we do learn a lot about Juliette, but also I think that was intentional?

Like as a general rule, Cal is supposed to come off cold and aloof because initially, she is trying to suss out a monster.

But as time goes on, she's actually rather vibrant and earnest.

It also makes sense she's had a hard time establishing an identity because she has monster hunting and that's it. She reads books on school grounds and separates from everyone because she knows she will have to leave soon. She pretty much never finishes out a semester. But she collects the yearbooks from every school she's in and knows that most of them put on Romeo and Juliet. She is observant. Driven by desire to do what her family does, but also, a bit curious if all monsters are truly dangerous. She's clever and nerdy in a very Cal way and she has a tendency to take things very literally.

Honestly, they actually had such a short time to characterize these characters and managed to give us a surprising amount of depth into pretty much all of them.

Juliette also had a lot of people who knew her well that we could learn from. Like Sebastian, Margot, Elinor and of course Ben. Even Oliver gave us some insight into Jules and she into him.

Whereas Cal had her family who knew she cared about them, full stop. And also knew her favorite ice cream. But besides that, the Burns family and Cal, live and die by the Guild code and their love for each other. The only time we learn anything more about Cal is when she is telling Juliette about herself. So her character isn't so much underdeveloped as less openly shared than Juliette's.

I'm desperate for a second season announcement so we can learn more about Calliope Antigone Burns, a character that I'm so glad exists because she is complex and genuine and strong and messy and human and it is so damn good to see a black teenage girl get to be all of these things at once.

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repbeyondthedefaults · 2 years

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Calliope already knows her name! Says they have English together. And then Juliette all nervous and smiley lists the other two classes they have together.

Apparently this is a reference to a similar conversation from The Vampire Diaries. One of the meet-cutes is a similar exchange but with the guy kind of sultry and mysteriously lists the classes. I love that Juliette is just face to face with her crush and her behavior is fully just a nervous ball of energy. No seductive manipulative energy to be found.

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writingwithcolor · 1 year

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Representing African-American Woman, Biracial, “fierce and strong” and hair questions

Anonymous asked:

I’m changing a character in a novel I’m editing to be a fierce, strong African American woman living with an anthropologist father and lawyer mother (I picture the mom like Jessica in suites). I also feel like being bi-racial in the south makes her a little conflicted. She sometimes wants to just “be white” to make things easier, but is so very proud to be African-American and bi-racial. She is also lesbian and a future love interest of the other main character However, I am white- so I have questions!! Here are 3 scenes I need help with:

1. Leigh is putting conditioner in her hair and hears the doorbell. She puts her hair in a silk hairwrap (is that ok to call it that?) after the other characters leave, she works on the computer and falls asleep. When she wakes up its 2:30. I was going to have her undo her hairwrap and run her fingers through her hair… but I know African American hair can’t be brushed, would running her fingers through it (even damp) ruin her hair?

2. her and the other lesbian “anne” are getting ready at a hotel for an important event and Leigh comes out of the bathroom in a beautiful dress and an “afro blow out” (I have the photo of hair names saved from this group- just not looking at it as I type and will use the correct hair name in novel). When she comes out of the bathroom Anne sees her and is taken completely aback by her beauty. Her reaction makes Leigh uncomfortable and she asks if she should {straighten/presss} her hair. Which action is the correct word there? …to which Anne tells her no, she loves her natural hair because it’s who she is.

3. Later in the book, they are going to be heading to an archeological dig in the desert and I thought about giving Leigh “braids” with “coloured extensions/weave” .. is “tightly woven braids with (haven’t chosen colour yet)” appropriate? What should I say instead? This will also prompt a convo between the two main characters where Anne asks Leigh why she changes her hair so much. Leighs response will be “{As an African American} my hair is a large expression of who I am. Much like the clothes we wear for different moods or events, I change my hair to reflect what I am feeling or just as an outward expression of who I am” .. should I put the African American part in? I feel that hair is an expression to most people, but I know it is a huge part of African American culture and I want to get it right

Thanks in advance for advice!! This is a book I have always wanted to write, but it also became a book about “underdogs”. I really wanted to make a book with queer representation. I also realized I wanted to have an African American as there isn’t much representation for them either. I really want to show her as a fierce, smart woman (who of course struggles with the brevity of being “mixed race”) that isn’t a gangster, rapper, or the typical things we see in the media. I really want queer and/or African American young women to read my novel (eventually) and feel like it describes them well. Not in a stereotypical way they usually are portrayed. Anyways.. Sorry for the ramble, but thanks in advance for all the help!!

First of all, I want to address your use of “Strong.” It is not the compliment you may think it is and Black women do not always accept it well, particularly from non-Black people. Being forced to be strong, aka the Strong Black Woman, is not an ideal condition. So portraying Black women as such without nuance is not welcome representation.

“I also feel like being bi-racial in the south makes her a little conflicted. She sometimes wants to just 'be white' to make things easier, but is so very proud to be African-American and bi-racial.”

Be aware that not every mixed race person has an identity struggle. But in a world where she faces racism, it could be realistic, a desire to "just be white.” As a visibly Black woman, though, she’ll always be seen as Black, and never just white, even if she’s mixed race or even lighter-complexioned. It’s part of the whole “one drop” perspective.

Now, to your specific questions.

Black hair questions - are these the right terms?

Leigh is putting conditioner in her hair and hears the doorbell. She puts her hair in a silk hairwrap (is that ok to call it that?)

1.)

It’s hard to answer if this sounds realistic without knowing what products Leigh is using in this situation.

Is Leigh using a leave in conditioner or a conditioner hair masque? The former is what you’d use to style and add moisture to hair. It’s fine to leave that in and go about your day. The latter is something you would wash out after use.

Also, I wonder if you’re referring to a silk hair bonnet or scarf in your description of a silk wrap? She likely wouldn’t put on a bonnet or silk scarf if she had a mask in that she was going to wash out. If she did, she’d need to clean it to get the product off of it.

For comparison, imagine you put a hat onto your head when you still had shampoo in it. Wouldn’t that be strange and messy?

Now, there are hair wraps and shower caps used for conditioning hair. The material is made for being washed out or disposed of after use.

“I was going to have her undo her hairwrap and run her fingers through her hair… but I know African American hair can’t be brushed, would running her fingers through it (even damp) ruin her hair?”

Yikes. Who said our hair cannot be brushed? One has to be more careful and curly/coily hair may not use the same brushes as straight-haired folks, but we can and still do brush and comb our hair. Popular brushes are boar brushes (although I find these too “rough” on my fine coils) and detangling brushes.

And there is no one shared “African American hair type.” Please look into the range of hair styles belonging to Black women, mixed or no. From thick and course, fine and soft, straight and/or straightened.

And, again I’m not sure what kind of conditioner was left in her hair. If this was a wash-out hair conditioner, and her hair was fully covered, it’ll likely still be damp. Some leave those on for hours, although the directions usually say 20-30 minutes is enough.

Long story short, her hair isn’t going to just be destroyed from running her hands through them, even if it’s really curly or coily. Hands don’t ease through certain curls in the same way it does straight, but you can roll over or around curls to avoid tangling and snagging, particularly if you carefully follow the flow of the curl itself. I am idly finger-combing a coil of my hair as I write this!

See also Black Hair Couple Interactions: Boyfriend Playing with his Black Girlfriend’s Hair

2.)

“Leigh comes out of the bathroom in a beautiful dress and an ‘afro blow out’" …her reaction makes Leigh uncomfortable and she asks if she should {straighten/presss} her hair. Which action is the correct word there?”

You seem to be using the right terms. Blow out (you wouldn’t need to add "Afro”) and straightened are fine to use. I wouldn’t imagine her saying “should I press it?” To a white woman, though.

I don’t have your photo references, but Google should’ve produced the correct results. Blow outs add volume to afro hair. Depending on how its done, heat level, etc. it can make hair look like a bigger fro, or make it straighter and stretched out. The more heat and time devoted to styling, generally the straighter you can get the hair.

“Is 'tightly woven braids with (haven’t chosen colour yet)' appropriate? … ;{As an African American} my hair is a large expression of who I am.; should I put the African American part in?”

While I’d leave out referring to the hair as extensions or weave, saying "tightly woven braids” is a fine description!

And honestly, I'd suggest leaving out the As an African American portion. Coming from a non-Black voice, it may be taken as speaking for Black people. Also, not all Black people may agree with that statement. Hair has important cultural aspects for many, absolutely! So i’m not saying it’s wrong, but its best to Keep her statement individual, her own perspective, not a statement about the whole race. Again, coming from a non-Black voice, especially.

Characterization

“I really want to show her as a fierce, smart woman (who of course struggles with the brevity of being ”“mixed race”“) that isn’t a gangster, rapper, or the typical things we see in the media. I really want queer and/or African American young women to read my novel (eventually) and feel like it describes them well. Not in a stereotypical way they usually are portrayed. Anyways.. Sorry for the ramble, but thanks in advance for all the help!!”

I do think you need to do a lot more research on Black women, stereotypes, hair, and being a mixed race Black woman before writing this story. Our blog is a general resource, though just the start.

I appreciate your efforts to tell a story that isn’t built on stereotypes or the typical portrayals of Black people. Now, mind that some people may fit “stereotypes” but they are not stereotypes - they’re people.

Another thing - her being mixed race. While it’s fine to portray a mixed race character, and your intentions seem good, some writers choose this route because it’s “easier” and anchoring the Black character to whiteness (or even anyone other than Black) makes them more palatable. I only ask, if you had the intentions of representing Black women, why not write a non-Mixed race Black woman?

After evaluating your characters and the language used, you would benefit from a beta-reader, Black + queer or otherwise, reading your story before publication. They’ll be able to help you “get it right” and note any areas that cause pause or need correction.

I hope this was helpful!

~Mod Colette

#Asks #Black women #mixed race #Black hair #Afro hair #representation #description #Black stereotypes #Black women stereotypes

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youranemicvampire · 1 year

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Week 6: Favorite WLW movies / shows

15-week Sapphic challenge

PS: I didn’t include shows or movies that have sapphics as side characters or side storylines with little screentime

Shows

Orange Is The New Black (2013-2019)

Torrent :)

Not only the best WLW show, but it’s one of the best shows of all genre and all time. I mean, they are the reason that Netflix became successful (Ungrateful MFs). If you haven’t watched it yet, you’re missing a lot, i swear. I’m not exaggerating when i say this show changed me and made me grow as a person.

A League Of Their Own (2022-)

Prime Video

It’s character complexities, queer majority, diversity, intersectional stories, heart and sense of humor reminds me a lot of Orange is the new black so if you like the latter, watch this and vise versa. + Women in sports, duh!

The Sex Lives Of College Girls (2021-)

HBO Max

Mean (but not really a bad person u know) lesbian lead, let’s go! This show is f*cking hilarious like you won’t just love the show for the lesbian representation, but all of the leads! It’s more than its title!

Dickinson (2019-2021)

Apple TV

Haven’t finished it yet, but it’s already on my top 5. Not every show can pull off a modern interpretation of period pieces. And thank you, Apple TV for letting the show wrap up in the middle of lesbian cancellations. Thank you for the bare minimum.

Gentlemen Jack (2019-2022)

HBO

Haven’t watched the show yet, but I KNOW, i know it would be one of my favorites. I love badass lesbian historical figures especially when they are gender-nonconforming

Movies

But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)

Hulu

Classic. Historical. I think this is the 1st lesbian movie i’ve watched after i came out? It also helped me became more aware of my compulsory heterosexuality.

Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita / Anita’s Last Cha-Cha (2013)

Juanflix (DM me if you’re outside Philippines)

Unfortunately, only few people know about this movie, but it’s really one of the best WLW movies in the Philippines AND in the world. And just so you know, the older woman and the girl didn’t have any weird romantic or sexual relationship, this is just all about the lesbian girl’s first childhood crush. A very wholesome story!

Rafiki (2019)

Hulu

This is not hyped enough and we all know the reason why. :) Very beautiful film with amazing cinematography, chemistry and soundtrack. It’s banned in Kenya so make sure to support this movie.

TRIGGER WARNING: Blatant and violent Homophobia scene near the end

NECESSARY SPOILER: It has a good ending so don’t worry

Saving Face (2004)

Prime Video or Apple TV

Cutest WLW movie ever! It felt very warm the whole time i’m watching it. Another Sapphic classic and Lesbian 101 for baby gays.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Hulu

A masterpiece and a great take on Female gaze. Art and Lesbianism really are partners.

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leskami · 7 months

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Growing up as a black, masculine lesbian meant that I never really saw what I wanted to see on TV or in books. I never got to see the girl getting the girl. It was always boys winning the hearts of girls. I never got to see lesbians or gay people being complex people with dreams and goals and ambitions and humanity. Stories about us were about us being gay. That's not necessarily bad, but being gay takes a backseat to everything else going on in my life 💀 What if I wanna kill a dragon? What if I want to save the world? What if I want to not die at the end? What if I want a happily ever after? What if I want a story that doesn't revolve around depression and heartbreak and death?

"Write it yourself" is what I always heard growing up. It used to make me mad. But now I realize that they're right. Nobody is going to write the story that I want to see. Nobody is going to write the specific story arc or character interactions or romance or ending. After getting my heart broken countless times by shitty lesbian representation, I've decided to write what I've wanted to see for so long. I've decided to create the women I would've killed to see growing up. This is a story that nobody is going to cancel. This is a story that doesn't end with all of us dying. This is a story with complex women and characters who just happen to be gay.

If you're finding yourself relating to what I'm saying thus far, I'd like to introduce to you to my original audiobook

Thalassophobia

Thalassophobia is set in a world where demons roam the earth along side humans. The two species are far from a harmonious cohabitation, and nowhere is this more true than in the town of Reveldad. Due to a prophecy woven many years ago, Reveldad underwent an oppressive rule governed by the wolf demon known as Ma'Relle. Her rule ended the day that the human woman known as Krona cast her into the ocean. Ma'Relle escaped her imprisonment after a year, but has since opted to live a life far removed from what anyone would consider a reign. As such, demon-kind was forced to suffer a terrible retreat and their hope and faith in Ma'Relle as their hero wanes by the day while humanities faith that Krona is the 'one true victor' foretold by the prophecy grows ever stronger. Still, demons remain a presence in Reveldad, making it so visitors are rare, and often leave as quickly they come. New residents, however, are nearly unheard of. So when Vitala Ston, a woman free from any experience with demons or prophecies, decides to make herself at home in the town of Reveldad, she will earn experiences far beyond what she imagined when she set out with her horse and cairn terrier. Her curiosity and thirst for knowledge will earn her friends, enemies, and most unexpected of all: a love that may be the catalyst for a prophecy that has long waited to be fulfilled.

If that sounds interesting to you then I have two episodes out now on my YouTube channel for your viewing pleasure! I hope you enjoy and don't be afraid to tell me what you think! Always looking for feedback. Fair warning that updates will be slow due to me being in school but my ask box is open if you ever wanna talk about the story!

#Lesbian story #Lesbian representation #Gay representation #Gay characters #Lesbian characters #LGBT characters #LGBT stories #Lesbian #Gay

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fudgetunblr · 2 years

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Stranger Things 4 volume 1: a Character Analysis

(for the second to last time besties, let's go)

Jane/Eleven: deserves a nap. should be compensated for all the shit she does for others. Victor Frankenstein, is that you ???

Will: gay™ & an artist™. "turn arooouund,, looook at what you seeee" - still has the worst haircut in the show (they've done you dirty my man). I'm not saying Alex Standall,, buuuut....

Mike: has the worst wardrobe in the show (affectionate), asshole (affectionate), bad friend (derogatory).

Dustin: apparently the smartest person in this show apparently. has a tone problem. still funny :)

Lucas: has the best hair on the show :) jock™. Trying to do other things than just play D&D, good for him. Shot the final shot, v proud of him <3

Max: trauma™ - also deserves a nap fr. she was a skater girl™, we love her ok ??? she's great

Steve: babysitter (derogatory)™. Still trying to find a girlfriend ??? (take a break king). hairy™.

Nancy: gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss™

Robin: disaster lesbian™ (love the representation)

Eddie: looks like he's 30, why are you in high school my good sir???

Jonathan: in his Zach Dempsey era <3 pothead™

Joyce: couldn't even be gone for like two hours before everything went to shit. deserves a break !!! has now been to Russia

Murray: rat (affectionate)

Hopper: so in season 1 they played on 80s archetypes and turned them upside-down blah blah, but my dude is in is 80s hero era, they've completely lost the thread of what they did in the beginning.

Erica: amERICA ! ! ! still playing into that sassy black girl stereotype I see. loved when she played D&D with the gang though <3 "it's a club for nerds" she's not wrong

Henry/One: *it was Agatha all-along*

Victor: :(

Doc B (not me shortening his name): no comment.

Argyle: Netflix owns Eduardo Franco at this point, so it was only a matter of time before he joined Stranger Things. Good to have you here king. Pothead™

Mr. Wheeler: you may hate him, but he speaks the truth. "A club for people who won't graduate high school" cut to a bunch of people who've continuously repeated their senior year.

Mrs. Wheeler: you flirted with an underage boy last season, I have not forgotten mam.

Barb: still haunting this show I see.

Enzo: he's a cool dude, I'm glad you're not dead king

Suzie: tech™, mormon™, like lowkey the coolest person on this show

Other characters: *exists*

BONUS!

Ships:

Mileven: you know when you date someone when you're like twelve and it's cute and then suddenly you're older and it's not that cute anymore? yeah. Girlboss + Stick vibes :))) (sorry Mike, not my words)

Byler: currently a one sided affair, let's be real, the writers never intended for this, but it's cool that they're doing something now, and if Will does end up not being queer, at this point it will be queer baiting.

Jancy: "We're fine" cut to them not being fine

Stancy (this can not be their ship name): god, this again ??? we can't just switch every season it's exhausting

Mucas: they still care about each other and that is all that matters

Joyce x Hopper: that hug sustained me for another year

Suzie x Dustin: couple goals™ (fr though, they're like the healthiest relationship on this show)

Squads:

LA Crew: yells in unison. buries dead bodies ?? is perhaps the saddest crew I've ever seen, like I know they're going to El, but God they haven't been plot relevant for a few episodes. They're fun though so I'll accept it. Vibes > Plot.

Hawkins Gang: making a bunch of progress. plot relevant™ - off saving lives and shit. Dustin has no one told you to respect your elders?

The Adults™: off on a trip to Russia, just casual things you know. Still keeping the Soviet storyline alive even though that should've died last season.

The guys™: lmao they haven't been a friend group since like the beginning of season 2 :'(

The Hellfire Club: I'm ngl, if I was Lucas I would also bounce

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farfromhome999 · 5 months

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Some SIlly Rambly Notes on Foxy Brown

[WARNING: Mentions of SA]

The sexualization of Grier in this film is insane compared to today’s standards around revealing skin in film. The first time the audience sees her, she's in a see through fluffy orange night dress that she raises up to see her tiddies. I was shooketh. In this same scene though, we see her stash a gun in her bra, linking her sexuality to danger.

I AM. IN. LOOOOOOVE with Grier’s outfits in this movie. HOLY FUUUU-

Link, Foxy’s brother, was selling dope to try to answer the call of “all this ambition” that’s in him from seeing people in fancy homes with fancy lives. He’s upset because he doesn’t fit into any of the roles that may help him get there— he’s not smart enough to go into government, he’s not attractive enough to marry rich, etc. So he turns to drugs. This was such a hopeless moment. I almost felt bad for him. But then he decided to be an idiot.

When Link learns that Foxy’s boyfriend is still alive— a man the gang that’s after him has been looking for— he betrays his sister by giving the man up to save his own hide. Later in the film, when the gang members find Link, he tells them what Foxy is up to. One of the (white) men, upon hearing of Link’s actions up to that point, says, “That doesn’t make sense.” Another (white) man replies that “maybe those people don’t believe in family loyalty, Eddie.” This makes me think of the Moynihan report which discusses the ‘broken’ family structure of black families. It made me fume after having read Spillers’ response to it.

Foxy isn’t the only woman to use their sexuality to get what they want. The same goes for the leader of the gang, Ms. Carrie, and several of the smaller side characters who are similarly highly sexualized.

The film employs a lesbian to keep one of Foxy’s friends and accomplice at a bar. Foxy fights against a gaggle of women who are all readable as butch lesbians to get her accomplice away from them. This was the first time I’d seen such a depiction of people in the LGBTQ+ community. I’m really glad that we have better representation nowadays in the media.

Foxy telling a table full of men to “take care of the justice and. [she’ll] handle the revenge [herself]” because she’s the only one that wants to change things. This was a very starkly contrasted scene because it felt like Foxy was standing alone at the one end of the table with little back up.

Foxy as the Jezebel who lures the pilot of the plane to Mexico—where the gang is doing their next drug deal—in with her looks simply by sitting alone and twiddling her hair.

The final scene… just watch it: Foxy Brown (1974) End Of The Movie

#this is so all over the place #i'm really word vomiting #don't mind me #black cinema #pam grier #black tumblr #farfromhome999 #blaxploitation

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historyhermann · 1 year

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What the World Thinks of "Wednesday"

A compilation of some headlines about Wednesday from various publications since the series debuted in November 2022, showing different views of the series.

Since it's debut on Netflix on November 23, 2022, Wednesday, a live-action supernatural coming-of-age comedy horror series, has been all the rage online. Thanks to its unprecedented popularity, those on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok, and Tumblr, in thinkpieces, and elsewhere, have reviewed the series, providing their own views and perspectives. This reception often focuses on potential queerbaiting, anti-Black undertones, or something else entirely.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the nineteenth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on January 9, 2023.

A major point of contention for reviewers has been the lack of LGBTQ representation, especially when it comes to the protagonist, Wednesday Addams (played by Jenna Ortega). For example, Petrana Rudolvic of Polygon argued that "Wednesday doesn’t need a love triangle, she needs a werewolf girlfriend", referring to Wednesday's roommate, Enid Sinclair. Their romantic ship, popular in the show's fandom and in fanfictions, has been dubbed "Wenclair" by fans which embrace it. This ship has been embraced by Ortega herself, something which some LGBTQ newsletters have pointed out.

Others, like Abby Monteil of Them magazine, have declared "Let Wednesday Addams Be Gay". Monteil added that Wednesday is a "queer icon" due to her close friendship with Enid. These views are reinforced by those fans who believe that the series is queerbaiting because their Wenclair headcanon did not happen.

However, such claims are tricky. This is because, as David Opie of Digital Spy admitted, the show "never really promised anything queer outright", at least not the way that Wenclair fans had hoped for. Additional fans pointed to chemistry between Wednesday and Bianca during the scenes where they act side-by-side.

There is undoubtedly chemistry between Enid and Wednesday, and nice scenes of them together, including when they hug each other, or when Enid saves Wednesday from the monster. However, it is clear that both characters were intended to only be friends in this story, and nothing more. Furthermore, Enid and Wednesday have romances with men. Enid has a short-lived relationship with Lucas and off-and-on relationship with Ajax Petropolus (played by Georgie Farmer). Wednesday has a relationship with Tyler Galpin (played by Hunter Doohan), who is the the son of Sheriff Galpin. The latter falls apart when Wednesday learns that Tyler is the monster, the hyde, who has been haunting the school and killing people.

On the other hand, some fans believed that there were clear asexual, or even aromantic, vibes from Wednesday, citing that she detested friendship and connecting with people. Wednesday prefers solitude, even though her burgeoning friendships with Enid, Eugene, and Xavier indicate that invisible walls she erected around herself are coming down. It is possible that Wednesday will have a LGBTQ storyline in a second season, exploring her possible asexual, lesbian, or bisexual identity.

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The series has also been hit with accusations it is racist, and with anti-Black undertones, on Twitter and elsewhere. The latter is reinforced, in the minds of some, by previous comments from Tim Burton defending his casting choices in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which had a cast with little diversity. Some went further, claiming that his previous films featured token characters of color, downplayed Jewish cultural elements, or had stereotypes of overweight people.

Various social media users have criticized portrayal of Black characters as "villains and bullies" of Wednesday. This includes a focus on Bianca as a mean girl and Lucas Walker (portrayed by Iman Marson) as a bully. The latter is the son of a corrupt mayor of Jericho, Noble Walker (portrayed by Tommie Earl Jenkins) who owns Pilgrim Land. As a result, the strong Latine representation in the series is offset by the Black characters painted as a villain.

While the criticisms of racism in Wednesday is well-intentioned, they distort the reality. For one, Bianca and Lucas are redeemed by the end of the series, which is only eight episodes long. Both help Wednesday fight off Joseph Crackstone and capture the suspected hyde. Crackstone is many times worse than Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas, a film by Burton, a character which some have described as a colonizer.

Also, the deputy of Sheriff Galpin, Ritchie Santiago (portrayed by Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo), is a Black woman. Bianca has more depth in her character Callie, a mean girl in Cleopatra in Space. For one, viewers learn about how Bianca fell out her mother, changed her name to distance herself from the Morning Song cult which her mother is a part of, and joined the Nightshades. She is integral to the story because she is Xavier's ex-girlfriend. Lucas assists Wednesday by providing information which helps her recognize who the monster really is, and he connects with Bianca.

Mayor Walker, a Black man, stands out as a negative character. He is easily manipulated and propped up by Principal Weems, who keeps him in power to hide the reality of Nevermore Academy. Near the end of the series, he is killed by the hyde because he was about to meet with Sheriff Galpin. An interview with his actor, Jenkins, could shed more light on his character.

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Beyond possible anti-Black undertones and lack of queer representation in Wednesday criticized by reviewers and fans, some have said the series was two-dimensional, similar to CW dramas, and noted its appeal to Generation Z. There is a case to be made that Wednesday uses elements employed in the Harry Potter films, based on the Harry Potter books by transphobic author J.K. Rowling.

Such criticisms were reflected on Rotten Tomatoes, New York Times, The Wrap, The Independent, and elsewhere. In contrast, some reviewers described the series in generally favorable terms, calling it as a "rococo romp" that is delightful, visually appealing, and praised the deadpan humor of Ortega. This is in line with those who argue that Wednesday's eyes convey emotional truth as she is never shown blinking, not even once, in the series.

However, Wednesday's appearance is not unique. Characters such as Kaisa in Hilda and Amity Blight in The Owl House are likely shown in black-colored clothes with for the same reasons. Furthermore, Wednesday's demeanor has caused her to become an icon, especially to those in the LGBTQ community. The franchise itself has been popular enough to influence series such as Dead End: Paranormal Park, and designs of characters in The Flintsones and The Simpsons.

The series, listed as one of the best TV shows of 2022, garnered various award nominations, and certain scenes became a viral sensation. This included Wednesday's dance scene, shared on TikTok by celebrities, and as a song on Spotify.

Songs used in Wednesday, like the 1981 song "Goo Goo Muck" by the Cramps, surged in popularity. The Guardian argued that the viral dance trend, which mainly spread on Tik Tok, "may have single-handedly revived Gothic subculture for Gen Z", causing the show to become a "pop culture phenomenon".

On the whole, despite the fact that Wednesday has achieved immense popularity, its reception is varied. It is hard to know how if this popularity will last or whether it will become passing fad like The Queen's Gambit and Mrs. America in 2020 or Maid in 2021. With a second season now ordered by Netflix, we shall see if it’s popularity can endure.

#wednesday netflix #wednesday #wednesday 2022 #lgbtq #asexuality #bisexuality #lesbian #cleopatra in space #tim burton #colonialism #queer representation #Youtube

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queerbookdirectory · 3 months

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NEW BOOK SUBMISSION

THE FALL THAT SAVED US || TAMARA JERÉE

The QBD gave me The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée today!!

This book is one of my highly anticipated reads of 2024! It follows Cassiel as she leaves the family tradition of demon-hunting, escaped abuse, and learns to live with it while falling in love with the very thing that her family hunted.

It's a beautiful sapphic fantasy jam packed with POC characters and I am just so excited to read it!

SUMMARY

Cassiel has given up the family tradition of demon hunting, leaving behind her sacred angelic duty and fated sword. What she can’t leave behind are the scars. To cope, she spends her days immersed in work, pouring all her attention into New Haven Books, her small bookstore and anchor in the new world she’s carved for herself.

But the past hasn’t let go of Cassiel yet. When a succubus named Avitue arrives to claim her angel-touched soul, Cassiel’s old hunter instincts flare, forcing her to choose between old knowledge and her truth. What should be a fatal seduction becomes a bargain neither woman expects. As they grow closer, Avitue is surprised to find her own pain reflected in Cassiel, a nephilim deemed fallen by her own family’s standards.

By choosing trust, they reveal the lies that bind them. Falling for each other begins a path towards healing. But exorcising the effects of trauma is harder than naming it, and to explore the unfettered possibility Avitue represents, Cassiel must find a way to reclaim and redefine her angelic heritage.

CONTENT WARNINGS

themes of trauma and shame. Scars and brief ideation of self harm, eating disorder, family abuse/trauma.

REPRESENTATION

black lesbian MC

GOODREADS LINK LINK TO PURCHASE THE BOOK

#queer book directory #qbd #the fall that saved us #tamara Jerée #Jerée #book submission #indie books #queer books #book recommendations

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repbeyondthedefaults · 2 years

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I'm so damn tired and gay, can we just get a renewal announcement from Netflix already? I want to watch my wonderful sapphic cheesy vampire show in peace. But instead my joy at having this representation and well-written and acted at that, is colored by massive anxiety that Netflix will not renew it. This show has cut all the corners, it is costing Netflix basically nothing. It's such a damn good show.

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jessilynallendilla · 4 months

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Well I just read Superman: The Harvests of Youth and...meh

It's OK, not great, but given DC's past history with YA graphic novels it's leagues better than Girlboss Gotham High, Fight the Patriarchy Harley Quinn Breaking Glass, Black Lives Matter Nubia Real One and Tamaki's Self Insert I'm Not Starfire

Clark's life in Smallville for what, a semester?

The opening a student kills himself in the school and Clark wonders if he could have done or said anything to have saved him

But instead of going that route he becomes the boyfriend to the kid's art student sister as they try to uncover why and discover Smallville is being infiltrated by incels...yes really

It goes from possible Superman origin to modern teen drama

Other Notes

Lana is also adopted and has lesbian moms that never show up. With the few throwaway lines they exist in you could cut it out and lose nothing. So much for representation

Jonathan Kent...he just seems off to me like a show miscast a main character they also didn't quite know how to write for

The Luthors

Lionel, in his two appearances you don't get the same vibes you get from the show Smallville. He just moved his robotics company to Smallville, bought up land and doesn't hire local, while demeaning his son in public and not helping with the Smallville beautification project. He'll donate money just not his company's or put the name on it. You just don't get this is the bastard that shaped Lex into what he is, just that he's a corporate douchebag.

Lex, you don't get any foreshadowing of him becoming an egomaniac bastard. He just has the air of the early seasons of Smallville Lex, where he tries to do good his own way but is still an insufferable genius rich prick. Then at the end Clark is a dick to him because he's not a part of Smallville.

Those two just feel like they were put in because they're a part of Clark's past in Smallville and the robots could be replaced by some other plot device

If they were supposed to be a part of the "don't exclude outsiders" message it failed because the dead kid's family just moved to Smallville a year ago and Clark considers them a part of the community but still excludes Lex at the end

If it's supposed to be that Clark didn't fully learn and that's why Lex later turns into his arch enemy you don't get any hints of that because that's pretty much where the story ends

Also Mister Mxyzptlk isn't a Fifth Dimensional mischievous imp

He's regular human man that runs incel internet hate forums

#superman #superman the harvests of youth #what I'm reading #clark kent

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honneythatsgay · 3 years

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Representation matters

"Why are there so many gay characters in movies nowadays. It's not like we need them."

Maybe you, a straight cis white person don't need them, but many people do. And you may think you don't need them, but if you say it, the truth is, you do. You need to see them to realise, that other people might need seeing them to accept their own selves.

Growing up catholic, with no positive gay representation in media, I was homophobic. As a child, you don't think for yourself, espetially if the things that need to be filtered, are said by church, and as a catholic kid believes, by God. I didn't understand what I hated, I just knew it was bad. There were the bad gays, the gender ideology, the freaks.

I was a homophobic kid. When I liked someone, some band or celebrity, and then heared that they were at least rumoured to be gay, I stopped liking them, just because.

When at age 10, maybe 11, I realised I enjoyed looking at female actresses much more than at male actors, I told myself on and on, that I just wanted to look like them. I didn't like them, like other girls liked male actors, I just wanted to look like them. "Just look at her face. Don't let your eyes leave her eyes." I had to tell that to myself, when my eyes started wandering on their bodies. Liking girls is bad. Lesbian is a bad word. I'm not a lesbian. I can't like girls.

Now as a young gay woman, seeing all the representation, I find comfort in those characters. I look back at my childhood, and think that I'll never raise my children in that hypocritical church. I'll never let that happen to them. I'm still afraid of the Polish word "lesbijka". I don't think I'll ever use it. I don't even know if I identify with it. Because of growing up in the heteronormative world, I don't even know if I'm attracted to men, or if it's my internalised homophobia. The belief, that if I'm still attracted to men, that there's still hope for me to be normal. To fit in. For the homophobic part of my family, to not hate me.

"Why do gay people need to act so gay? Why do you need to make it your personality?"

For our whole lives, we keep building walls around ourselves. We create masks, to hide who we really are, in order to protect ourselves. We're never truly who we are on the inside. We grow up, creating false personalities, acting like we're not affected by everything that goes on around us. Until we fully come out, we have to live, like full time actors. Even when we come out to some people, there are still many we fear for to find out. For our whole lives, we have to smile, when people say hateful things about us, not even knowing they concern us. We have to nod and agree with them, because we're trying to protect ourselves.

We live in constant fear. Someone we don't even know, may be a threat, just because of who we are. People die, just because of who they are. Because of things they didn't choose.

So when we finally come out, when we're comfortable around someone, we act overly gay, because we can express ourselves, be who we are and not fear.

"Why do you care about those real life people so much. I understand if they were fictional characters, but why female football players? Why do you care about them?"

Fictional characters show existence of gay people. This representation matters. But there is no more important representation, than real life people. They show that no matter who you are, you can be happy. I care so much about their gay relationships, because they give me hope. Looking at them, I know that there is a chance. That you can find love. Looking at them, I feel more at ease. Like they were here to save me.

"Why do you spend so much time on social media?"

Because that's where my community is. No matter where I am, and where they are. When I see them, when I read their posts and talk to them, I know I have people beside me. I know I'm understood. There are people who go through similar things. People from whom I can seek advice. People who can be there for me, when noone else is. People whom I, can help if they need it.

When I'm on social media, I'm with my people. With people who don't judge me, and if they do, I don't care, cause I don't really know them. I can be judged and hated all over on the social media, and it'll never hurt as much as knowing that my own family hates who I am, even without knowing it.

"Why do you care so much about trans rights? Why do you care so much about black lives matter? Why do you care so much about matters, that don't concern you?"

They may not concern me, but I understand people they do concern. I, at least partially, understand the hurt they're going through. I know, that seeing other people care, helps. I understand how it is, when people who know nothing about you, decide your fate. I understand the fear of rejection and having your rights taken away.

So I want to help them. I want to make them feel better. I care about all people, I care that they're happy and feel as safe as possible.

Everyone should care.

Representation matters, because it makes you not feel so alone.

Representation matters, because it makes you realise you're not a freak.

Representation matters, because it gives you community.

Representation matters, because it shows people whom it doesn't concern, the hurt other people go through.

Representation matters, because it makes other people help.

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therealrainbowmadness · 3 years

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From the dark ages of queer representation to its renaissance

There is a quote credited to Sir Francis Bacon that says, "In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present". I don't know if this quote is actually his, but what I know is that this phrase proved to be true in the hardest year for queer representation in media. Of course, I am talking about 2016. In that year, it became clear how some tropes in media were used to "bury your gays". According to The Hollywood Reporter, until that year 146 lesbian or bisexual characters were killed off in their respective shows, while only 18 couples experienced a happy ending. This discussion gained momentum when Lexa (Alycia Debnam-Carey) was killed from CW's The 100, after sharing a love scene with Clarke (Eliza Taylor), which was quite traumatic for the queer community after losing many other beloved characters that year. By that point, people already knew Debnam-Carey would have to leave the CW sci-fi drama to star on The Walking Dead spin-off, Fear The Walking Dead with a much bigger role. But the way that the writers decided to deal with her departure left all of us with a bitter taste, reinforcing the idea already so ingrained in our minds that we don't deserve a happy ending. Killing her after an intimate scene just made things that much worse, and the bad repercussion led to Lexa coming back for the season finale (and ultimately in the series finale that aired in 2020).

But as I started saying, our light shines brighter in the dark. And in this hour of darkness, the queer community came together in a movement that significantly changed representation in media in the years to come. And it not only resulted in projects to support LGBTQIA+ youth, such as The Trevor Project, but also in a queer fan event that would bring together writers, producers, actors, and fans, called ClexaCon. Such an event by itself marks a huge change in the way that the industry sees the queer community, recognizing it as a huge market with great potential if they are able to listen to its demands. And a steppingstone for that change was Wynonna Earp, which first aired in 2016. Emily Andras, the showrunner who was already loved for her work in the Canadian show Lost Girl, was also behind this western dramedy. And when she stepped into the stage of her first ClexaCon, she decided to make a commitment that they wouldn't kill off queer characters (a commitment that she made for that season, but that remained true for the whole series running).

It is understandable why the fans made such a massive effort to save the show from an early demise after season 3. With billboards even in Times Square, they showed their support to the show and specifically to WayHaught, the couple formed by Waverly Earp (Dominique Provost-Chalkley) and Nicole Haught (Kat Barrel). And thank the goddess they did, because season 4 was filled with the best kind of WayHaught content, including one of the sexiest and most intimate love scenes that I've ever seen anywhere, and the most beautiful wedding. The WayHaught wedding is a reflex of what I called the queer renaissance, which is a phenomenon related to the rising number of queer characters and queer weddings recently, especially between 2020 and 2021. To mention some of the ladies who tightened the knot, besides Waverly and Nicole, we also had Mazikeen and Eve from Lucifer, Grace and Thunder from Black Lightning, Sara and Ava from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Carina and Maya from Station 19.

But a cloud of worry is coming with the end of many of these beloved shows. Lucifer aired its sixth and final season in 2021, and so did Wynonna Earp, with its fourth season. Other shows that either ended or are coming to their last season are Black Lightning (Grace and Thunder), The Bold Type (Kat and Adena), Supergirl (Alex and Kelly), Brooklyn99 (Rosa), Atypical (Casey and Izzie), Genera+ion (Riley and Greta), Dickinson (Emily and Sue), Motherland Fort Salem (Raelle and Scylla) and Killing Eve (Eve and Villanelle). The future of others, such as The L Word: Generation Q, hangs on the balance as the network hasn't renewed the show for another season just yet. The same goes for Legends of Tomorrow, which is airing its seventh season. It feels like, after a light breeze of advance, we are still bound to be left in a vacuum of representation.

But the future is brighter than the past, indeed. While shows like Grey's Anatomy, and its spin-off Station 19, still are beacons for representation after 18 seasons, new shows are claiming their space. Gentleman Jack and Vigil, both starring Surrane Jones, are good examples of that. Sex Education 4th season is already confirmed, and we will continue to expect great things from newcomers, such as the adaptation for TV of the acclaimed game The Last of Us, starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal. In the game, Bella's character Ellie is queer. Although it appears that the adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo will no longer be produced by FreeForm, it is still said that the adaptation will happen somewhere else. And we can always expect new shows to appear and knock our socks off. This means that the progress that we all made in the past few years was just the beginning. And while we will miss some of these characters dearly, I don't believe that we will be left alone to deal with their absence. This change of mentality in media started from a small but vocal group, and it created a revolution. A revolution that showed the power of seeing yourself on a screen, how that creates acceptance for all to live all kinds of love.

#lgbt #lgbt community #queer #representation #lexa #clexa #marina #villaneve #emisue #cazzie

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47crayons · 3 years

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THE WICKED WITHIN—A COMIC SANS WIP REINTRO

!!!!! it's here :D the wip that started to consume me and has been continuing to do so since, now with a much better sense of what exactly is Happening

current tww taglist let me know to be +/- !! @a-completely-normal-writer @writing-is-a-martial-art @wannabeauthorzofija @magic-is-something-we-create @croctears @writeblrfantasy @opes-magnas @author-a-holmes @zoya-writes@fuyugomori @ink-fireplace-coffee

transcript is under the cut!!!

[transcript: a powerpoint presentation of black text on white background, written entirely in comic sans.

start slide one the top left corner reads in red, "warnings (most relevant) war, death, drugs (& addiction), poison". in the center, "the wicked within", and underneath it in smaller font, "a comic sans reintro by @47crayons". the comments around the entire slide read "a family that is so found!!!", "gang rivalry :D and gang content in general", "crime found family basically", "childhood friends to STILL FRIENDS", "all queer cast :p", "eat the rich (not quite, but it’s the right sentiment aldskjfls)", "kickass women, yeah bay bee", "nuanced relationships between different groups :D", "morally grey characters!!!", "so many different governments!!!", "a (mostly alsjflksdj) stable relationship!!!" end slide one

start slide two in the beginning of time… there were four gods: eltenjer, he/him, earth; skari, he/him, fire; aenged, they/them, air; thilda, she/her, water. i didn’t /mean/ for them to have genders, but a quiet breeze whispered “psst. i use they/them.” in the beginning? so you mean… they’re not there anymore? kind of! the gods need followers to survive, and after several unfortunate events, they lost the majority of their followers. the aforementioned unfortunate events: the great ruination, in which natural disasters caused several years of famine and other hardship. the restoration era, in which renovation led people to believe they can live without the gods. if the gods are dead, what’s the point? the gods aren’t /really/ dead, closer to dormant. they can’t actively interact with the mortal realm, but IF they had followers, they would come back to life. oh. did i mention that they control the magic. end slide two

start slide three the dormant gods who can't do... anything control the magic??? hey, no one said magic always has to work. foreshadowing alert huge foreshadowing alert. let’s talk about how magic works, shall we :D people use the Spirit to do magic. people have a Vessel (representation of stamina or how much Sprit can be used at once, can be trained!). people also have a Strength (a type of magic that works well with the user, these have varying frequencies which also depends on location). there’s too much i could say here, but the important thing is the main characters’ Strengths. the right depicts an image of a flowchart showing that gods need followers and produce sprit. people need spirit to do magic. end slide three

start slide four okay but where are we??? where could the magic be so fucked? well, here, of course! the left side shows a line art map, split into five parts going clockwise: portingdale, worchester, the hooks, elderwood, unlabeled. the legend shows that there are mountains in portingdale, forests in elderwood, and rivers that run from portingdale to everywhere else. the place where the four labeled regions meet is called the Inner City. the text on the right reads. welcome to Kjer! there are 3 districts. but wait! there are five? sections? and one isn’t even labelled. worchester used to be a district,,, but it left after the war began. the unlabeled section is the disputed region (re: war). let’s talk more about this war. elderwood wanted easier access to water (see: the rivers in the Wetlands) elderwood & portingdale have been fighting there on and off for over half a century. the hooks has three wards: west (hella rich), south (lower income), north (somewhere in between). end slide four

start slide five whomst. skip to the next slide if you want the actual characters. character basics: the unnecessarily-winded-and-cram-a-lot-of-lore-in version. in the North Ward of The Hooks, there are three main gangs. Kaer Styen, meaning “wicked ones”, Ghetfaer Skarnen, meaning “trickster lords”, Ad Knesten, meaning “the grumbles”. that was so many capital letters i don’t like capital letters alskjdflksjd. they have rivalries and conflicts from time to time, but it’s pretty rare. the tww cast is kaer styen !!! their main means of profit is a drug called jezdin. relieves physical and mental pain. lethal in high. quantities/ when tampered with. can also be addictive. they operate out of a dingy tavern-like building, and they live upstairs!!! okay so this is purely for vibes. how did u know. end slide five

start slide six the Gang. literally :3 Kaer Styen, my beloved. the first thing in each of their bios is their Strength (re: the magic slide). artbreeders!!! i fixed quite a few of them, but my artbreeder skills are questionable at best. this slide is split into three columns. the first column shows a white person with short, brown, curly hair and a firm, but not angry, facial expression. len, he/him, pan. Shifter (can manipulate physical properties). cynical, very cynical (because he has killer instincts). “oh people are dying? am i dying? are you dying? why should i care?” in a relationship with cal. the second column shows a person who appears east asian with long, black, wavy hair and fair skin. chloe, she/her, aroace. Chemist (chemistry but magical). literal archery god. also she’s so quiet it’s SCARY. seems welcoming, emphasis on /seems/ she’ll destroy your ass. knows what you’re feeling. she just. knows. the third column shows a white person with dirty blonde hair. they are smiling. cal, they/them, bi. Whisperer (can persuade others through speech/music). so casually funny all your burdens disappear for a hot minute. gets very attached very deeply. grew up in Portingdale which becomes Important later. end slide six

start slide seven cont. also they have piercings!!!! maybe i will make some picrews later (listen, i KNOW i’ve said this before but. maybe i’m for realsies this time, okay?) this slide is also split into three columns. the first a smiling white female with light blonde hair. eden, she/her?, demi lesbian. Healer (healing magic <3). seen hell and doesn’t want others to suffer. still believes in the gods’ existence. we Don’t talk about her awful parents. raised by a lovely woman in the South Ward, known as Nana. this eye (left) is almost PURPLE which i didn’t do on purpose but is honestly such a cool idea. the second column shows a partially smiling black man with short curly hair. jereth, he/him, gay. powerful life magic thing (will be spoilers if i talk any more). joins them at the beginning. honestly kind of scared of them (who wouldn’t be), but wants to live up to expectations. throws himself into stuff to avoid Thoughts. the third column shows a woman with brown skin, black wavy hair, and a small smile. she is NOT a member of Kaer Styen, but i’m talking about her here all the same. adalaide, she/her, bi (i didn’t like the e in adelaide alskdfjlsj). Melder (metals and the like). heir to the Portingdale throne (assuming her dad doesn’t disown her). Cal’s ex from a few~ years ago she’s still a lil’ hung up on them. technically an antagonist but i love her. so all my characters are queer sue me </3 end slide seven

start slide eight some semblance of plot? coming right up!! the four (jereth isn’t there yet!) are attacked in the Inner City. turns out it’s portingdale soldiers. and then they discover that portingdale has been poisoning the southern rivers (affects worchester and the south ward) because worchester doesn’t really contribute to Kjer as a whole. word gets out, and elderwood, naturally, is even angrier at portingdale (remember, they've been at war). so, they try to stop portingdale from being power hungry enough to poison the entirety of a country while learning about why worchester is so isolated while ALSO trying not to get killed by everyone who hates them. end slide eight

start slide nine memes :> the first is the meme of spongebob reading a sheet of paper and burning it. the paper reads, "going into worchester by yourself is going to get you KILLED", and spongebob is labelled "chloe". the second is the levels of brain template labelled "jereth". from the weakest to most powerful: "trying to figure out his magic", "doing it by accident", "saving everyone's lives". the third is the sleeping person and brain meme. brain: "you're going to portingdale". cal: yeah, i know. brain: you'll see adalaide. cal's eyes are wide open in fear. the fourth says "corporate needs you to find the difference between this image and this image". the first image says, "family", and the second one says, "len, chloe, cal, jereth." eden says, "they're the same picture". the fifth is the spiderman copycat meme where jereth is copying len. end slide nine

/end transcript]

#rbs very much appreciated!!#the wicked within #tww reintro #writeblr #writing #wip #rose writes

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manifestoonmoralmanlove · 3 years

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What will be in my bag? Pre-ordered Manga. Straight and Lez edition.

Here’s a list of English-released manga I’ve currently got on pre-order, and manga series I ordered before but won’t be continuing with the series.

As a note: Some of these titles have been released but I have not received them yet due to a issues with covid backlog effected how things are released. I personally find that if you pre-order it tends to get you manga quicker. It seems there is more pressure to keep up with the new release schedule than chip away at the backlog.

I’m starting with the stuff I’ve already read some of and confirmed enjoyment, then stuff I’m shooting in the dark for, and finally series I have tried recently and have discontinued.

Heteros

My Androgynous Boyfriend

Story & Art by: Tamekou Publisher: Seven Seas

It is rare for straight shit to end up in my library but My Androgynous boyfriend is an exception that will surprise no-one since it’s pretty queer adjacent. This story is mostly a couple being lovey-dovey between jokes about sexuality and gender but (so far) isn’t problematic at all. The female lead is quite enjoyable as she’s well-balanced and has agency throughout. There’s even ace representation! It’s very low-stakes, wholesome, and sweet so far. (Volume 3 is set to release in November.)

My Excitement Level: The gentle about to sink into a bubble bath variety

Yuri/Lesbian

Even Though We’re Adults

Story & Art by: Takako Shimura Publisher: Seven Seas

Takako is also the creator of Sweet Blue Flowers and Wandering son. I have dipped by toe in to both those series. I overall find their writing kinda meandering and tepid (might just be me) but technically pretty solid. I am hopeful for this series since it features adults....if the title didn’t make it obvious. I was intrigued by the one character being married but the man finding out about the affair quickly and reacting more realistically and interestingly than the average male love interest in a Yuri. I also found myself relating at bit to Akari’s angst about being unlucky with relationships with women. I also do enjoy the artwork! This one is the most likely of my followed series to be dropped at some point. (Volume 2 of this manga was set to release in June this year.)

My Excitement Level: Cautious Optimism

For more click the jump!

Kase-san and Yamada

Story & Art by: Hiromi Takashima Publisher: Seven Seas

This is a series I keep going back to. While it is the very typical low-stakes bubbly, cutesy School age Yuri...it is a very good version of that. Just warm bubble bath vibes. (Volume 7 is set to release in February of next year. I think it was originally supposed to be released this May but was bumped back.)

My Excitement Level: The gentle about to sink into a bubble bath variety

NOW ONTO THE SERIES I HAVEN’T READ BUT I’M TAKING A CHANCE ON!

Adachi and Shimaura

Art: Moke Yuzuhara Story: Hitoma Iruma Publisher: Yen Press

This, as I understand it, is a slow-burn romance about two delinquent girls. I have heard good things about the novel and the anime series! However I prefer manga to novels and don’t have a funimation account so I went to snag it in manga form. (Volume 1 was set to release in February this year and 2 in September)

My Excitement Level: Cautious Optimism

The Girl I want is so handsome!

Story & Art by:Yuama Publisher: Seven Seas

The premise is a young lady has a crush on a handsome older girl who’s oblivious to her advances. When she tries to confess she instead gets roped into being the club manager of the basketball team that her crush is a part of. So it feels like it may end up cycling through 2 jokes and be so deep in the stereotypical manga bullshit you can easily-predict its beats volumes in advance. HOWEVER that is also a premise that is similar to Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun which is legitimately a hilarious series. Also I fucking love butch/stud/masc-presenting women/AFAB people. So I’m willing to risk “The same Anime bullshit” for good jokes and a cute lezzy romance with a beautiful butch. (Volume 1 is set to release of December of this year.)

My Excitement Level: Pretty nervous actually. I hope it works out!

Monologue Woven for You

Story & Art by: Syu Yasaka Publisher: Seven Seas

A woman gives up on a career in theater gets tangled in a relationship with a woman passionately pursuing theater. Since it is set between college age women, and appears to be about more personal and mature themes I am interested. (Volume 1 I BELIEVE is supposed to be released in February of next year.)

My Excitement Level: Cautious Optimism

Mizuno and Chayama (No page yet so far as I can tell.)

Story & Art by: Yuhta Nishio Publisher: Yen Press

Two daughters of feuding families meet in secret. This is by the same author of After Hours. I read a bit of After Hours and found it fine but boring since it seemed without conflict. Conflict doesn’t seem to be in short supply with a story like this! While I enjoy the sugary-sweet high school lesbian romances...those are not in short-supply. So I am always hungry for something darker, meatier, more mature. (Volume 1 is set to release next February)

My Excitement Level: Cautious Optimism

5 Seconds Before The Witch Falls In Love

Story & Art by: Zeniko Sumiya Publisher: Seven Seas

It appears to be a playful fantasy about a Witch and Witch-hunter who’s antagonism turns romantic. This may end up one note and stupid...but I’m always hear for queer romances set in high-fantasy and I haven’t read a Yuri where rivals turns to lovers. (Volume 1 is set to release next February)

My Excitement Level: Low-key

Catch These Hands! (No page yet so far as I can tell.)

Story & Art by: Murata Publisher: Yen Press

A former delinquent runs into her high school rival. After losing a fight to her she agrees to her terms...her terms being to go out on a date with her. I mean the title alone makes me want to pick it up! It may run afoul of bad anime humor, but I’m hoping with the fact that it’s full of gay adult delinquents that it’ll be a little different. (Volume 1 is set to release next February)

My Excitement Level: Medium-key

Series I have discontinued:

I’m in love with the Villainess

Art by: Aonoshimo Story by: Inori Publisher: Seven Seas

A woman gets reborn into her favorite Otome game but she wants to romance the villiain! I had heard a ton of great things about the novel but I picked up the manga version. (If the novel is totally different I can’t speak to it.) For me, the writing is ham-handed, the jokes flop 90% of the time, and the fact the lead’s only personality trait seems to be ~obsessed with a bully~ really dampens this title. Her advances are so aggressive and unwanted I honestly started feeling bad for a spoiled rich bully. I will say it’s saving grace is the fact that the lead is masochistically into the villainess’ tsundere abusiveness. For me I hate tsundere romances if framed like, “I like you DESPITE your insults.” It is only tolerable if it’s instead, “I like you cause you tell it like it is. I’m a dirty little pig. Please step on this bad little piggy!”

Our Teachers are Dating

Story & Art by: Pikachi Ohi Publisher: Seven Seas

Well one reason I stopped the series is that cover you see up there. The sex in this series is fade to black but FOR SOME REASON the 3rd cover has them both butt naked. But on a less superficial note, the story is about two teachers who start dating. And while cute at points, I was just underwhelmed. I think a part of it, is the fact that this behaves like a stereotypical high school romance...and while set in a high school...these are grown ass women not 15 year olds. So I have less patience with the, “Gosh when will I get to kiss my girlfriend?” bullshit. I mean, I would hesitate to call it bad...but it’s just not a good version of it’s brand of bullshit.

Breath of Flowers

Story & Art by: Caly Publisher: Tokyopop

Absolute train-wreck, this is hands down the worst Yuri I have ever bought. The story is nonsensical and all over the place. There is a love rival who’s trying to break the two of them up so she can get with Gwyn...but then switches mid-gear to put in a lot of effort to bring them together intentionally...but she also still wants to hook up with Gwyn...it’s very ???????????? The main conflict of Gwyn is hiding their gender so they can play basketball on the boy’s team (not well explained) is built up hugely and resolved with a hand flick. There is a melodramatic moment where a school nurse says more or less, “GIVE IT UP YOU’LL NEVER BE A BOY!” And it’s like “OH SHIT! The fact that Gwyn is on the basketball team is cause he’s a transboy trying to live life as a boy! Oh gosh it makes so much more sense now!” But the author seems to not even know that trans people exist cause the story bumbles along as if that scene never happened. The closest we get is at the end Gwyn is like, “Look I’m learning to do make-up on myself to make you happy lawl!” Which is I GUESS supposed to be, “NO NO DON’T WORRY ALL OF GWYN’S GENDER STUFF WAS JUST THERE TO MAKE THE MAIN CHARACTER SEXUALLY CONFUSED WHEN SHE DISCOVERS GWYN’S TRUE GENDER! HER TRUE GENDER IS 100% CIS WOMAN CAUSE SHE DID MAKE-UP ONCE! IT’S FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!” Like whaaaaaaaaat? And it ends on a very random scene which doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the story. Ugh just very bad do not interact!

A White Rose in Bloom

Story & Art by: Asumiko Nakamura Publisher: Seven Seas

At an all girls catholic school a young woman falls for a mysterious foreign student. I grabbed this cause it’s gay and I overall like Asumiko Nakamura’s work (she also does Doukyusei, double mints, and others.) However I was just not grabbed with this title. I just felt like I wasn’t getting what was making the MC pants on head obsessed with Steph. Also the lead’s mother tells her that she’s getting divorced and therefore will no longer have money to pay for the university and she’s framed like a super bad person for this. Like I get why the MC (a teenager) would think that something like that is THE END OF THE WORLD! But I remember them really framing the mom like a selfish bitch for this...when like...it’s well established that her mom and dad’s relationship has been toxic for YEARS and that they TRIED SO HARD to fix it. OH WELL! This might be good but it just didn’t grab me in the 1st volume.

I’ll make a post on the BL titles later! Take care and Stay Rotten!

#preorder #my androgynous boyfriend #kase-san and yamada #even though we're adults #Adachi and Shimaura #the girl I want is so handsome #white rose in bloom #our teachers are dating #breath of flowers #catch these hands #I'm in love with the villainess #Mizuno and Chayama #monologue woven for you #5 seconds before the witch falls in love

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magicalgirlagency · 3 years

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Let's try and be positive this time: How would the PPG reboot be like if YOU were in charge?

Well, first things first: The entire Utonium family is black. Because representation matters and we're sick and tired of being treated like gross stereotypes.

Secondly, the entire trio is gay. Blossom is a lesbian, Bubbles is pansexual, and Buttercup is asexual. Why make only one character gay, when you could make them all gay? And all of them are treated respectfully, of course.

And thirdly, Ms. Sara Bellum is the new mayor of Townsville. I feel that she deserves to be treated with more respect, specially after being unfairly written out in the 2k16 reboot.

Though it's supposed to be a reboot, the new series would be more like a continuation of the girls' adventures as superheroines.

After spending their youth fighting against evil, the girls decide to go on an indefinite break to focus on individual careers. They don't resent their past of superheroism, let alone are treated like profitable objects; they're properly given agency and independence, and are occasionally seen patrolling the city during their free time.

Blossom does voluntary work as teaching assistant at a school, and regularly does community work. Bubbles works at an animal shelter, and does some fashion design. Buttercup works as a gym instructor, and likes to play some tunes on her guitar.

They've moved out from their old home, but they still keep in touch with the Professor, and regularly visit their father figure for some bonding moments and/or for some helpful advice.

Eventually, new villains and threats appear (kinda like what they've tried to do in the 2k16 reboot), and this causes the girls to get back together again and save and protect their beloved city from anything or anyone that may cause harm.

As they get back in business, the girls go through individual character arcs...

Blossom learns how to go easy on herself, trying to let go of any pressure of perfectionism. Bubbles aims to show others that you shouldn't give up on what makes you happy once you reach adulthood. Buttercup goes on telling about her experiences with anger management, only using brute force when it's truly necessary.

The new series would have the same cheerful and action-packed tone of the original one, being episodic in nature (I feel like serialization wouldn't go well with PPG, unless if it's a movie or a special).

Oh, and everything would be animated, instead of live action. No one wants live action. It's about time that we treated animations with proper respect.

...and that's all I could think of at the moment. It ain't perfect, but it sounds better than anything else that The CW will ever come up with.

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