Diversity Win: Is "Crazy Rich" POC Representation Necessarily Empowering?

sodapopsculptor asked:

I’m writing a story with two sets of protagonists: A trio with a Black girl, a Latino, and a Vietnamese-American boy who all come from middle-upper class to ridiculously rich families, and a pair of white working-middle class sisters. They’re all heroes of this story. I’ve seen way too many rich white people and poor poc people in fiction, and I’m kinda getting sick of it, but I’m worried that by having the poc kids be rich and the white girls not so much, I’ll be reinforcing the idea that poc somehow rule the world. The only time the rich kids use their status as leverage is when the Asian threatens to sic his cop dad on a bully (race unstated but I imagined him as white) picking on a freshman, and during the Black girl’s birthday party, when she pays the biggest jock there fifty bucks (And later says offhandedly that it was just what she had in her pocket) to chase off a creep hitting on her.

OP, have you ever seen the “diversity win!” meme before?

I understand that your motivation for these narrative choices is to give POC a chance, if you will, to be the rich characters. But it is evident from this ask that you have not asked yourself what this entails. I want to ask you to critically examine the race and class intersections you’re creating here, as well as these kids’ roles in oppressive systems.

You explain that these rich POC are heroes and only have righteous reasons for leveraging their power.

But is your Black girl character aware of the potential disciplinary and/or legal consequences her jock accomplice might face while she has the resources to keep her hands clean? Are you?

Is your Asian character aware of how much of an abuse of power it is to “sic” a cop on someone, and the sheer amount of harm a criminal record or incarceration does to a juvenile with behavior issues? Are you?

So you want to put POC in positions of power for #representation.

Does it resonate with the group you’re representing?

Do you research and portray the unique ways race, ethnicity, class, and majority vs. minority status come together?

Or are you putting these characters in oppressive hegemonic roles for the sake of a power fantasy, on behalf of a group you're not even in?

To your question, you're not reinforcing the idea that "POC rule the world" because such a generalized belief does not exist. Instead, you're reinforcing:

The idea that society has “winners” and “losers.”

The idea that the problem with disproportionately powerful people is the lack of “equal opportunity” as opposed to the power imbalance to begin with.

The idea that those in oppressive positions of power need only have the right intentions to justify their use of it.

To be clear: that is not to say that you can't have jerk aristocrat billionaire millionaire crazy rich POC. Evil or mean rich characters are fun! I have some myself! You can even have rich characters who are gentle-hearted and well-intentioned, but you have to know the ways in which they’re privileged and decide how aware of that your characters are. That’s no problem.

But if you think that wealthy and powerful POC would have the same values and priorities as their poorer counterparts, you’re deluding yourself. There’s a reason why the quote “power corrupts” exists. There’s a reason why no matter where you look on the globe, there are historical dictators and tyrants.

If you want bratty rich POC who lack regard for the consequences of their actions, because you want bratty rich characters, great! If you want them because it would be uplifting or empowering representation? You’re doing it for the wrong reason.

~ Rina

I fully agree with Rina, and truly want to emphasize the last paragraph.

If you want bratty rich POC who lack regard for the consequences of their actions, because you want bratty rich characters, great! If you want them because it would be uplifting or empowering representation? You’re doing it for the wrong reason.

I don't think you need to aim to subvert or purposely make all the BIPOC rich and powerful and the white people poor and suffering. Add diversity and include upper class rich and class privileged BIPOC, sure thing! And you can avoid your fears of intentional subversion message by including rich and powerful white characters as well, even if they're not the focus of your story. Just their existence helps. You could also include middle-class characters of Color as well.

More reading: Black in upper-class society

~Mod Colette

can I pls request a socmed au with an f1 driver and a character inspired by crazy rich asians character astrid leong? kinda curious how a driver dating an elusive, mysterious heiress would translate to the f1 media and the fans

tysm 🫶🏼💗✨

Charles Leclerc x crazy rich!Reader - Social Media AU

voguesingapore

Liked by singaporebeat, charles_leclerc, and 382,549 others

voguesingapore Y/N Y/L/N x Vogue Singapore ✨

View all 1,276 comments

singaporebeat y/n always serves and never misses

stylesingapore gorgeous! iconic! a goddess!

tifositalking what is charles doing in the likes?

formulanone probably just looking for fashion tips

charles_leclerc

Liked by pierregasly, f1wagupdates, and 1,683,925 others

charles_leclerc 15 months ❤️

View all 2,741 comments

leclercnews does anyone know who she is?

f1wagupdates y/n y/l/n

leclercnews i can’t find her on here

f1wagupdates she’s not on social media. search her up online

leclercnews i just did and … bwoah

pierregasly liked by pierre gasly

charles_leclerc at least you’re becoming self aware

pierregasly seriously though, i’m very happy for the two of you

feralferrari great 🙄 another gold digger

charles_leclerc lol

charles16.jpg

Liked by lando.jpg, daniel3.jpg, and 403,872 others

charles16.jpg taking over as y/n.jpg for the day

View all 1,392 comments

lando.jpg a new protégé

daniel3.jpg they grow up so fast 🥲

f1wagupdates this is as close as we’ll ever get to y/n being on social media so i’m thoroughly enjoying it

lawfullyleclerc the added charles content is a good bonus too

charles_leclerc

Liked by scuderiaferrari, carlossainz55, and 2,174,583 others

charles_leclerc another chapter forward in our fairytale together 💍 i never want to stop making memories with you

View all 3,218 comments

scuderiaferrari congratulations to you both ❤️

carlossainz55 and you only made me listen while you rehearsed the proposal 50 times

pierregasly only 50? you got off light

landonorris ask y/n if we can borrow her private island for your bachelor party

charles_leclerc y/n says she already called dibs on it for her bachelorette but we can use the yacht of our choice

old money | carlos sainz

Description: He falls in love with a crazy rich asian.

Pairing: carlos sainz/heiress!reader

taglist form

Carlos Sainz never felt nervous when he attended press conferences. He never felt nervous before a race - but he felt nervous meeting your family. He grew up in Spain, he's raised in a European way - and you always told him that the Asian way was different.

"Carlito, they'll love you." you comforted him while taking a casual sip of your champagne. He was surprised to enter the airport and find out that his first class seats were upgraded to business class. Courtesy of who your family was. "I don't know how to act around them." he buried his face in the plane provided pillow.

"Hey, we practiced this a thousand times." you added with a playful smile. Your family was going to love him. Yes, he was an outsider but he played a sport that they could actually boast - unlike your sister's boyfriend that was always on reserve. "I'm so nervous," he chuckled.

Carlossainz55: MAD🇪🇸 to SIN🇸🇬 ✈️

1283 comments 238,233 likes

ketchupmustard67: Ariana what r u doing here 😭

kelseyjaja: OMG YOUR IN SINGAPORE???? AAAAAAA

Carlos couldn't believe that you were this rich. He always assumed that money wasn't a problem with you - but he didn't realize that money will never be a problem to you. He tried to buy an apartment in Singapore a few years ago - but he turned it down after realizing how much it costed. After stepping inside your family's penthouse. He couldn't believe how much it costed.

"You're early," your mother smiled - wrapping you in a warm embrace. "Yes, I was under the impression that there's going to be a flight delay - but thank god that there wasn't one." you mumbled, breaking free from her vice-like grip. You leaned into Carlos' body. Placing a hand around his back while you pushed him closer to your mother.

"This is my boyfriend, Carlos." you greeted and he was quick to mumble strings of appreciation. He complimented the house - then your mother's outfit. He was getting all the brownie points.

He let out a sigh of relief when your mother welcomed him inside. He removed his shoes, thanking the maid when she handed him a clean pair of plastic slippers. "We bought this house shortly after Y/N went to college. She's the last one to leave the nest. I was happy because we could finally buy nice things." your mother took a jab at you.

"Feel at home, dinner will start soon." she smiled, leaving the both of you while she walked inside the kitchen.

Carlos was awe-struck.

He adored your mansion in Turks and Caicos. He adored your endless rants about how Bruce Willis used to own the island, but now he couldn't help but adore you. He couldn't help but believe that he was making the right choice - you were humble. He liked that.

"The entire apartment is wow," he whispered in your ears.

"Yep, mama got some help. My grandmother's sister-in-law is an interior designer - but I kinda wished that she asked for my help." you giggled, leaning deeper into his touch.

mysecretaccount55: he met mama's crusty musty dog.

9 comments 192 likes

frederic.arnault: his name is oreo ! - mysecretaccount55: wow i didn't know that 🤣

cheskaarnault: Will be there soon. Please tell mama to wait for us. Sun is still out, dinner is at seven. - mysecretaccount55: nah y u starving me.

notcarlossainz55: Oreo bites 😂 - mysecretaccount55: he has no teeth

Your family was the black sheep of the old money community. You were the only family that seemed to be private and public at the same time. It all started when your older sister, Cheska, married that Arnault guy - it was all anyone could talk about. From Brunei to Palau - all they could talk about was how Frederic's family was the opposite of humble.

'The boy has money, but they're too showy with their wealth.'

'Money can't buy name.'

Your parents assumed that the last hurrah would come from your younger sister, who is currently engaged to a mid-tier basketball player. But they were wrong - because Carlos Sainz was about to enter the frame.

"You play for Ferrari, right?" Frederic inquired while the music faded in the background. "Yes, you were there last time right?" your boyfriend inquired, memorizing Max's complaints about some stuck-up rich dude. "Ahh, oui. It was fun." the man nodded.

"He's not even that kind of french." your younger sister whispers.

You couldn't help but giggle.

Oh, this was going to be eventful.

"That went well," you hummed - walking out of your parent's apartment with newfound joy. "Tiring but surprisingly well," he placed your hand in his pocket.

"I had fun." he smiled.

A fic rec of One Direction fics in which one or both of the main characters meeting the family plays an important role in the fic as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis/Harry -

🍍 Darling, so it goes by @disgruntledkittenface

(E, 195k, Grace Kelly au) Harry Styles is a world-famous actor at the height of his career but a personal low point when he meets His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Monaco by chance. He doesn’t think they’ll ever see each other again, but after striking up a correspondence, it turns out they have more in common than he thought. 

🍍 Like a Bullet in the Dark by @vurdoc

(E, 99k, Will and Kate au) Prince Harold Edward Styles Lancaster is second in line to the throne of Great Britain. He is also your average Uni student- or he tries to be, anyway.

🍍 Let Our Hearts Collide by @crinkle-eyed-boo

(M, 76k, While You Were Sleeping au) When Harry, a lonely transit worker, saves the life of the handsome commuter he's been secretly pining for, an innocent mistake results in Liam Payne's family believing that Harry is engaged to their son. In the Paynes, Harry finds the big family he's always longed for...and a love he never saw coming.

🍍 Them Butterflies by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry

(E, 68k, falling in love) This is the extraordinarily ordinary AU where Harry falls in love for the first time and Louis learns how to fall in love all over again.

🍍 Brasswood Boys by Tomlinsontoes / @pianolouis

(M, 59k, royal) the one where Harry doesn't realize his boyfriend is a prince until he takes a "royal soulmate" quiz online and has to decide if he wants to pack up his life and try to fit in with royals.

🍍 take my hand (my whole life too) by beckywritesthings / @beckydoesthings

(E, 43k, royal) a Crazy Rich Asians AU with a royal twist where Harry is a prince, Louis is most definitely not, and there’s a royal wedding to attend.

🍍 The Happiest Season by @sadaveniren

(E, 37k, movie au) “You’re going to spend Christmas - and your birthday - with his homophobic WASP parents? That’s gonna be hell.”

🍍 If I Stay by Rearviewdreamer / @all-these-larrythings

(M, 37k, A Walk in the Clouds au) Harry and Louis agree to a temporary arrangement that Harry can't seem to walk away from no matter how many times he tries.

🍍 I Keep Looking For Magic by @lululawrence

(NR, 36k, Christmas) Harry cannot go home alone when he had promised to bring a significant other again. This leaves him with little choice but to find someone to pretend they are his fiance.

🍍 Find You Home by @kingsofeverything

(E, 35k, fake relationship) When Louis lies to his family and says he’ll bring his new boyfriend home for Christmas, his best friend and roommate Harry agrees to play the part. It’s that, or be left alone over the holidays.

🍍 I Just Want You to Stay by @sadaveniren

(E, 34k, omegaverse) Louis and Harry have been roommates for four years, comfortable in their routine and their relationship. But all of that is about to change.

🍍 From the Start by @allwaswell16

(E, 32k, fake relationship) Louis has no idea that one act of kindness will cause his life to spiral out of control. But that's what happens when his new friend fake proposes to him and a video of it goes viral.

🍍 my kingdom for a kiss (tonight you're on my mind) by @leighbot

(E, 30k, royal) the one where Zayn and Louis make a friendly wager and it goes too far, Harry's a baker with a heart of gold and really great hair, Liam is an overworked PA who just wants to enjoy his holiday and Niall is completely at ease, as always. An accidentally married AU mixed with a splash of modern royalty.

🍍 Turn and face the strange by orphan_account

(E, 26k, royal) the one where Harry is going to be King, Louis can't handle it like he thinks, Zayn is finally happy, Liam's a massive geek and Niall's marrying a princess.

🍍 What Side Of Love Are You On? by @fallinglikethis

(T, 25k, movie au) Ever since Harry finally made the decision to come out to his mother as bisexual, she’s been foisting women on him left and right, determined it’s just a phase. But when she puts out a personal ad to find the perfect partner for her son, things really get complicated. 

🍍 bring out feelings in me i never show by orphan_account

(M, 24k, fake relationship) Louis accidentally hires a felon to be his fake boyfriend for Thanksgiving. Or, the fake boyfriends au no one asked for

- Rare Pairs -

🍍 It's simple and it goes like this by yourlionheartx / @djtommotomlinson

(G, 3k, Zayn/Liam) Liam and Zayn have been fake dating for almost a year to get their parents off their backs. Liam’s a closeted lesbian and Zayn’s a trans woman who is also not out to her parents. It seems like the perfect plan to give them both some peace, until feelings get involved.

🍍 Fine Line by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(G, 1k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) Telling his family was always going to be a big deal, but doing it alone was a sacrifice he could make. He never thought they’d fall about laughing.

"like a wild animal gnawing off a leg to escape the jaws of a trap, i force myself to find new places to call home. inescapable choices to deal with inescapable tragedies. i just worry that i only have so many legs to stand on, and one day i'll fall and hit the basement of loneliness."

what is the nature of sacrifice?

fake out - fall out boy // atonement (2007) // the year in ugliness by arabelle sicardi // 14 lines from love letters or suicide notes by doc luben // crazy rich asians (2018) // the perks of being a wallflower (2012) // symphony no. 2 in c minor, or the resurrection symphony - gustav mahler // myself

9 QTPoC books for your 2023 Pride Month TBR

Happy Pride Month! Every year, I do a little round-up of YA books starring LGBTQ and BIPOC characters that have come out so far this year. This year was particularly exciting -- there were so many books that I loved or have at the very top of my TBR! So, without further ado, here's 9 of them for your TBR!

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa El Diablo is in the details in this Latinx pirate fantasy starring a transmasculine nonbinary teen with a mission of revenge, redemption, and revolution.

On Mar León-de la Rosa's 16th birthday, el Diablo comes calling. Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn't enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar's father and the entire crew of their ship. When Mar is miraculously rescued by the sole remaining pirate crew in the Caribbean, el Diablo returns to give them a choice: give up your soul to save your father by the Harvest Moon or never see him again. The task is impossible--Mar refuses to make a bargain and there's no way their magic is any match for el Diablo. Then, Mar finds the most unlikely allies: Bas, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome pirate -- and the captain's son; and Dami, a genderfluid demonio whose motives are never quite clear. For the first time in their life, Mar may have the courage to use their magic. It could be their only redemption -- or it could mean certain death.

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons. In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend... but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa Aristotle and Dante meets The Hate U Give meets The Sun Is Also A Star: A stunning YA contemporary love story about a Mexican-American teen who falls in love with an undocumented Mexican boy.

Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong. The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family's taquería. It's the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it's all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?

To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family "fires" them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi's eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi's first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home. Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran A house with a terrifying appetite haunts a broken family in this atmospheric horror, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic.

When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She’s always lied to fit in, so if she’s straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised. But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound, while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don’t belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can’t ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves her cryptic warnings: Don’t eat.

Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house—the home her family has always wanted—will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house’s rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.

Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore, Elliott McLemore Keep your enemy closer.

Cade McKenna is a transgender prince who’s doubling for his brother. Valencia Palafox is a young dama attending the future queen of Eliana. Gael Palma is the infamous boy assassin Cade has vowed to protect. Patrick McKenna is the reluctant heir to a kingdom, and the prince Gael has vowed to destroy. Cade doesn’t know that Gael and Valencia are the same person. Valencia doesn’t know that every time she thinks she’s fighting Patrick, she’s fighting Cade. And when Cade and Valencia blame each other for a devastating enchantment that takes both their families, neither of them realizes that they have far more dangerous enemies.

Cowritten by married writing team Anna-Marie and Elliott McLemore, this is a lush and powerful YA novel about owning your power and becoming who you really are - no matter the cost.

You Don't Have a Shot by Racquel Marie A queer YA romance about rival soccer players from author Racquel Marie, perfect for fans of She Drives Me Crazy .

Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear.

Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance―and any hope of playing college soccer―will slip through Vale’s fingers. When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer. . . and maybe each other.

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar A pun-filled YA contemporary romance, The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar finds a teenage girl competing in a televised baking competition, with contestants including her ex-girlfriend and a potential new crush - perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off and She Drives Me Crazy!

“Welcome to the first ever Junior Irish Baking Show!”

Shireen Malik is still reeling from the breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, when she receives news that she’s been accepted as a contestant on a new televised baking competition show. This is Shireen’s dream come true! Because winning will not only mean prize money, but it will also bring some much-needed attention to You Drive Me Glazy, her parents’ beloved donut shop.

Things get complicated, though, because Chris is also a contestant on the show. Then there’s the very outgoing Niamh, a fellow contestant who is becoming fast friends with Shireen. Things are heating up between them, and not just in the kitchen. As the competition intensifies, Shireen will have to ignore all these factors and more― including potential sabotage―if she wants a sweet victory!

My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron In this gothic YA remix of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, a teen boy tries to discover the reason behind his best friend's disappearance—and the arrival of a mysterious and magnetic stranger—in misty Victorian London.

London, 1885. Gabriel Utterson, a 17-year-old law clerk, has returned to London for the first time since his life— and that of his dearest friend, Henry Jekyll—was derailed by a scandal that led to his and Henry's expuslion from the London Medical School. Whispers about the true nature of Gabriel and Henry's relationship have followed the boys for two years, and now Gabriel has a chance to start again. But Gabriel doesn't want to move on, not without Henry. His friend has become distant and cold since the disastrous events of the prior spring, and now his letters have stopped altogether. Desperate to discover what's become of him, Gabriel takes to watching the Jekyll house.

In doing so, Gabriel meets Hyde, a a strangely familiar young man with white hair and a magnetic charisma. He claims to be friends with Henry, and Gabriel can't help but begin to grow jealous at their apparent closeness, especially as Henry continues to act like Gabriel means nothing to him. But the secret behind Henry's apathy is only the first part of a deeper mystery that has begun to coalesce. Monsters of all kinds prowl within the London fog—and not all of them are out for blood...

As You Walk On By by Julian Winters The Breakfast Club meets Can't Hardly Wait with an unforgettable ensemble cast in another swoony YA contemporary from award-winning author Julian Winters!

Seventeen-year-old Theo Wright has it all figured out. His plan (well, more like his dad's plan) is a foolproof strategy that involves exceling at his magnet school, getting scouted by college recruiters, and going to Duke on athletic scholarship. But for now, all Theo wants is a perfect prom night. After his best friend Jay dares Theo to prompose to his crush at Chloe Campbell's party, Theo's ready to throw caution to the wind and take his chances.

But when the promposal goes epically wrong, Theo seeks refuge in an empty bedroom while the party rages on downstairs. Having an existential crisis about who he really is with and without his so-called best friend wasn't on tonight's agenda. Though, as the night goes on, Theo finds he's not as alone as he thinks when, one by one, new classmates join him to avoid who they're supposed be outside the bedroom door. Among them, a familiar acquaintance, a quiet outsider, an old friend, and a new flame . . .

Films That will help you On Your Feminine Level-up Journey!

1. The Devil Wears Prada: Growth

Originally adapted from a novel, this iconic film follows ‘Andy Sachs’ a less than fashionable but attractive female that finds herself in the clutches of Miranda Priestly, a fashion maven that begrudgingly hires her as an assistant at a New York magazine. The importance of this film is two fold.

As one would come to expect, it is a coming of age story for Andy, learning about fashion, traversing Miranda’s low expectations (and everybody else for that matter) as well as confronting the ramifications of her new found confidence and how it stacks up against the ever present ‘male gaze’.

2. Malena: Allure

Starring Monica Bellucci, Malena centers around a gorgeous woman in the 1940’s, grappling with the effects of the male gaze. Due to the ‘death’ of her husband in world war II, men of the town including a young boy gawk at her, flock to her and make advances to her, to which she must decide how to navigate, knowing full well the power and the danger of her beauty in her small Sicilian town.

This movie is an important one because it examines the effects of unmistakable beauty, the fear that it stokes in the hearts of other women and the uncontrollable hold it has on men, so uncontrollable in fact, that it can just as easily put a woman in a position of power as well.

3. Crazy Rich Asians: Integrity

There is a lot to learn from this movie, first and foremost is fashion (obviously) the importance of acceptance, the power of thwarting said need for acceptance, the idea that pedigree still very much matters to people of means and manners (it never goes out of style). Although this is your classic, rich boy meets regular girl and he sweeps her into a world of deep pockets and first class flights, the main character exercises dignity.

As a woman in the modern world, we are going to encounter a lot of situations that make us question how firmly we stand in our dignity if a shiny carrot is dangled in our faces. At times, split second cost benefit analyses must be made and perhaps even sacrifices must be made in favor for or against our dignity. Whatever choice we make, it has to be a decision that benefits us and we can live with. In the end, that’s all that matters.

We Just created a mailling list & Newsletter! Get notified about exclusive content + Free level up PDF checklist!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW!✨

Oh oh so you’re gonna have the Dimileth fic kinda go like Meghan and Henry with the media and tabloids being obnoxiously racist? I’d love to see that!

I don't want to give to many spoilers but so I'll just say kindaaaa.

This story was inspired a bit by Crazy Rich Asian, a bit by Spencer, a bit by Red White and Royal Blue, a bit by the Crown, a bit by my love of gossip and video essay on youtube.

Specially with Red White & Royal Blue, this video I watched joked about how the book felt like it's from the Obama/Hamilton™ era as it is clearly optimistic about government (and by extension, the British monarchy.) We had a black president, gay marriage was legal, Thomas Jefferson had a miku binder, racism was literally over.

I did not want to do that. I know why RW&RB did what it did, queer & poc people deserve our cheesy fictional romcom where we can overlook the horrors of the monarchy/government for the sake of wish fulfillment. If the Straights can have a million hallmark prince charming movies, we should too. But, what I thought was odd was that RWRB did mention how horrible, outdated, and oppressive the monarchy is, and yet Prince Henry still stays in the family? The monarchy just becomes progressive overnight? Storytelling wise, I thought that was an odd choice. Why even mention the horrors™ if you're not going to address them critically? I honestly think that why Yuri on Ice did it better. By just having an alternate world where homophobia(and racism) doesn't exist, you can just have your cute queer/poc romcom.

I have been (trying) to set up that the monarchy is bad, both to its members and because of its ties to British colonialism. Like I strongly believe that you can't just slap a rainbow flag on the monarchy and call it a day. Dimitri's mom was pushed to an extreme and was not given any of the mental health support she needed. Rodrigue tried to comfort Felix by saying that at least Glenn died in service of the Crown (while they were literally doing colonizer things in the Middle East). Rhea's mom was a random civilian killed by loyalists (*cough cough colonizers*) Sitri was forced to go to a residential school to be Christianized and stripped of her culture. Both events are rooted in British colonialism and by extension, the monarchy and its legacy.

I just think it would be irresponsible of me to have Byleth, a half-indigenous half-Irish girl, and not address it. Like irl the tabloids and the monarchy couldn't be normal about Meghan Markle, what would they say about our favorite working class autistic brown rural girl?

Anyway, it will come up soon! (Next chapter will conclude Rhea's story, then some hospital stuff, and then Rufus is introduced? So next three chapters? I don't know how the chapters will break but it's coming)

Thank you for the ask and interest in the story, I love talking about it! :D

nick and y/n basically repeating history right before their eyes is crazy. the story between y/n's parents and nick's parents are so interesting? oliver being the observant person that is probably made that connection way before nana told them verbally. although nick and y/n are truly just besties, it makes oliver realize that at the end of the day, he could lose y/n that easily. so in a way, there is a relief in just staying in the uk with y/n.

also, felix reading their myspace is so funny to me. like he's so obsessed and can't hide it that they find it endearing. but when he sees that y/n and oliver is hanging with the youngs (especially nick) it makes him fume. because that could easily be him under you two's adoring eyes.

oh man the Crazy Rich Asians AU goes so hard in my mind, i love this movie so fucking much and I love intertwining their worlds because TBH i do just think they make sense!!

the thing with the reader's mother and Nick's father (also Sir James, like Felix's dad lol. if Y/N had a nickel, etc...) was born from a thing i wrote about how the reader's grandfather had established a professional relationship with the Youngs, as well as the fact that in CRA Nick's mother mentions to Rachel that she wasn't the family's first choice to marry her husband. i do think the friendship Nick's dad and the reader's mother was and still is entirely platonic, when they're around each other they seem to revert back to younger versions of themselves where they're still best friends.

Eleanor Young is just bothered by the constant reminder that most of her husband's family wanted your mother to marry her husband, and the two of them still get along so so well. it's also the exact same reason the reader's father is so insecure whenever he goes to singapore, but he has to go for business reasons and because he's insecure, no matter how much your mother insists she has never felt romantically about Nick's dad.

it takes a while for the reader to realise just how much the way they talk about nick and singapore bothers Oliver, to the point where he kind of hates talking about it and going for the first few years. he definitely gets giddy at the end of the trips and clings to the reader during the entire flight home and probably for the week after before it returns to a less intense level of interaction again. honestly i think it might be the only fight they have as children, and that's when the reader finally understands, and makes sure to prioritise oliver and know he's their priority, even when they're in singapore. i think it might also be the thing that really solidifies them as a package deal, really cements their co-dependency. that being said, ultimately oliver comes to love and cherish nick just as much as the reader, and the feeling is absolutely mutual. you, oliver, nick, and astrid becoming an absolute elite powerhouse across the world's elite social scene is one of my favourite images.

also ngl im always tickled by how we all seem to agree that Felix has probably one-sided beef with Nick Young when they're at Oxford in every AU simply because Nick is also pretty and charming and rich, and Felix is petty even if he tries to act like he's not.

we as a society don't talk about the fact that Saltburn is set in the MySpace era enough.

now that we're on a sappy heart eyes trip, give me a few sappy rom-coms to watch, i need to cry! 🫠😭

of course, best genre

notting hill, pretty woman, runaway bride, the holy julia roberts trinity

the notebook, it's a classic and i recently found out britney spears would have almost played the main role, like rachel mcaddms was the perfect choice but there is no denying britney would have ATE the portrayal of a rich southern heiress

you can barely go wrong with a richard curtis romcom, love actually is my personal favorite

saving face and the half of it, alice wu is literally my god, i need more movies from her i am BEGGING

crazy rich asians, is this really a romcom? it's a little more family drama, isn't it, oh well, it's still so so so good

palm springs, such an underrated one, andy samberg is so dilf and his chemistry with cristin milioti is 10/10

bend it like beckham, it's a lesbian romcom, don't try to change my mind

always be my maybe, it's fun it's cute it got lots of food, what's not to love

Which are your favourite proposals in historical, modern romance and movies?

Omg, fun!

For movies, I immediately have to call out Crazy Rich Asians. The moment when the ring was revealed, I remember this audible gasp in my theater (including me and my mom). Such a great way to close a loop in a movie, while being super romantic and swoony.

Obviously, Pride and Prejudice 2005. I prefer the way Joe Wright did it not only to the 90s miniseries, but the book as well. The rain adds to the atmosphere and passion, the anger and tension is palpable, the way the mood changes when McFadyen goes "Mr. WickHAM", the almost kiss. So good.

For all that there is some content that hasn't aged the best, Colin Firth's proposal in Love Actually was primo. The language barrier was used perfectly, and of course the reveal that she'd been learning English while he was learning Portuguese.... adorable.

This is technically in a miniseries, but it's piggybacking off two movies, so I'll mention it... When Q tracks Shelby down in The Best Man: The Final Chapters and does a grovelprosal??? So good. Like, you watched these two, objectively the most caustic and like... edgy? People in the series, dance around each other with random hookups (and a secret baby lol) for years, and he finally has to completely debase himself in front of a bunch of watching women who are like, filming this shit, begging her not to leave... So fucking satisfying.

For books, I would have to say....

The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe and The Duke Gets Even both have really good proposals, and neither one goes well for the men in question for very different reasons. Preston's in Bride is honestly a bad proposal because he's a broken human being who doesn't know how to accept that he loves Katherine and needs to be with her, and she's like "I deserve better than 'we should get married because we make sense and the sex is bomb'" and just sweeps out and leaves him like a broken man. Whereas Lockwood in Duke is completely in love with Nellie (him being like "I fucking worship you and am completely incapable of getting anything done when you're not here because it's like my arm's been ripped off or some shit" is.... amazing) and completely capable of expressing that love, but she cannot accept it. And he knows this. But he has to try anyway because he's SO in love with her.

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall has a great one where Valentine proposes to Bonny when he's like, hiding in a tree or something. And he's basically like "listen it's Victorian England and we're both men so it can't be legal but I want you to be whatever a husband is for me and this is VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO EXPRESS". It's adorable.

Enzo like... grovelprosing to Gia in Mafia Madman by Mila Finelli is so deranged. It's like, a quick kidnap (that's their love language), a "I can't breathe without you FORGIVE ME", a negotiation of what she needs out of the relationship (a huge ring, a long engagement, maybe a vasectomy from him because she's not sure if she wants kids, and freedom to have her career) and him being like "YES FINE WHATEVER" because he's realized he needs her like air, lol. My beloved garbage people.

The thing in A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught where it's really less a proposal and more Royce taking Jennifer to the priest and being like "marry us, neither of you have a choice and I don't wanna be here either". And then he calls her a bitch. I loved that.

There are like... three? Proposals in Sierra Simone's New Camelot trilogy (one of which is accepted) and then sort of like an on the spot private spiritual wedding ceremony with what I guess is a proposal right before? And I loved all of it. There's so much angst and so much intense longing in those books. So many times for my boy Embry to get proposed to and go "I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TBH".

OOOh I loooove the proposal in The Long Game by Rachel Reid. There's such a great buildup to it, and it's so romantic, and I also love that Ilya and Shane go from this big emotional sappy proposal to fucking on the floor immediately after. Good for Them.

BAKUGOU X READER HEADCANNON FOR MY LOVELY WRITERS

im too delusional for using a tollywood movie to give me a bakugou x reader headcannon but hear me out. Okay so in a past fantasy au life where deku bakugou and the rest of them either own a realm within asian or work for their king/queen. bakugou is prince of the dragon rhealm (obvs) with kiri being his personal dragon. And then there’s you gonna make the reader indian cus why not do it for my south asians but your the princess of a much smaller realm. I’d like to think how the two of u meet is cus suki is travelling around asia as a punishment by his mum for idk fucking something up ( maybe beating up someone from the todoroki family lol ) and so when he’s visiting india he’s near ur realm. And whilst we’re outside your kingdom there’s a few bandits being menaces to a nearby village tryna rob families of their gold and hurt the women. And suki thinks of interrupting but kiri stops him for a moment saying this could cause a fallout with the realms cus apparently this intefers w other peoples business ( crazy ik ) so whilst suki is like arguing w kiri he hadn’t noticed your carriage door open. Only when a shawl sort of waves up and down attracting many of the bandits does he start to focus on you. He sees how the rich silk dresses your skin,the gold jewellery shining under the sun. But damn that shawl he cant see your face. Until a sword pierces through the shawl stabbing three of the bandits. From the cut on ur shawl he sees ur eyes first ( if you guys havent clocked this is devasenas entrance from baahubali i usggest yall watch it ) and from then on he sees your whole face as you fight against the bandits successfully winning.Long story short yall fall in love u find out hes this big prince. sick. except suki gets a message back from his mum telling him to bring you back for dabi so that you can be his wife before he is to return shortly. Ofc u get pissed suki knows his mum however does not have a choice if she is to maintain the peace amongst all realms of else it can cause a huge war. he says he will only bring u as a guest back to his home to which u agree. again long story short baahubali 2 story i suggest yall watch it. but yeh no so basically u go to sukis as a guest not as a potential wife, yell at dabi for his misogynistic view of love, find yourself being the catalyst for a major war w basicaally all the league of villains againt mha main cast. Someway along the line ur kidnapped by dabi raped horribly, tortured blah blah blah. when everyone meets at the battle, youre thrown to the floor for all to see your state. bakugou swears to kill dabi which u both do together, ur given basic soldier clothing after suki coaxed u to take rest instead u reply with “ i fight” but as your both walkign to each other near the end of the battle shiggy crushes bakugous heart. suki falls on top of u, u cry like how wanda did over her brother falling to ur knees before being shot by arrows and dying too. PAST LIFE DONE. so now in the current mha world u and suki r both well known heroes but ur like also top 2 in india but ur now moving to japan for a long term mission at a hero conference ur hand brushes against suki which reminds him a bit about his past life tho he cant see ur face from his memory. when he turns to see who brushed his hand he finds himself in a crowd with so many possibilities. u guys can take it from there

hellmouth diner & fraud squad? :)

OKAY SO.

The Hellmouth Diner idea is loosely based off reading Gil's All Fright Diner and thinking about so many of the vibes I loved (and the things I disliked) and how much better it would have been with lesbians. Then it morphed!

Nutshell synopsis: Butch werewolf rolls into a 24-hour Chinese take-out/diner that's unfortunately situated over a hellmouth. The manager's a manic vampire who was turned sometime in the 1800s and been helping her family run the restaurant ever since.

A group of cultists and/or monster-hunters (not sure which) try attacking the diner, and events unfold!

Here are a few choice lines:

On how the werewolf became a lycanthrope:

“I accidentally drank from a dude’s water bottle at the gym and he freaked. Turns out that lycanthropy’s like herpes. Instead of cold sores, I caught being a werewolf. He tried inviting me into his pack, but they were all ‘bros, bros, bros!’ and I just couldn’t deal.”

And on why the diner is such a weirdness magnet:

Realities layered like paper, the hellmouth both a staple and a puncture. It pierced the boundaries, but also held them tight.

As for The Fraud Squad... I fully admit this was absolute brain candy for me and that there's room for more nuanced criticism, but I had fun and sometimes I just want the candy! :P

The actual book: The Fraud Squad is Crazy Rich Asians x The Devil Wears Prada, set in Singapore. Working-class Samantha Song wants to write for a prestigious style magazine, and with the help of her wealthy socialite friends Anya Chen and Timothy Kingston, she infiltrates the high-level parties and starts using her new social connections to get closer to her goal.

The actual fanfic: this is a hatemance between Anya (who had all of one breezy line saying she couldn't stand heterosexual drama) and one of Sam's college friends, a lawyer named Raina. They don't actually interact at all in the book, but I just latched on to them because...sometimes the heart wants what it wants! And sometimes I just want to write F/F!

There's a PR push to celebrate the new romance between Chelsea Handler and Filipino American comedian Jo Koy. But Handler has a history of being racist and using her dating life with men of color as a shield from facing repercussions—and Koy seems happy to let her do it again.

Handler used this tactic in the Black community. Her response to backlash was to create content that talks around her racism without truly addressing it—and still profit from it. Ironically her "acknowledgement" of anti-Black racism is how I got exposed to her anti-Asian racism.

In 2016's Chelsea Does Racism, Handler claims to be "egalitarian" with her jokes about race. But it’s clear she’s made choices on which groups to appear empathetic to and which groups she feels safe to dismiss with a laugh—such as Asian men. And she's unapologetic about it.

Fast forward to Handler and Koy’s media tour touting themselves as a power couple. This matters because Jo Koy is currently being celebrated as major Fil-Am rep with his soon-to-be released studio film, Easter Sunday. Proudly pairing with an anti-Asian racist sends a message.

Jo Koy was not only the most frequent guest on her past show over the years (meaning he knows who she is), but invited her to play a role in Easter Sunday. This serves to rehabilitate her image, bring her into Fil-Am/AsAm spaces and let her profit from it. Handler's recent IG video says it all: She wants a Kardashian empire, where Filipinos are swapped in for Black people as accessories to her whiteness. She's talking like a textbook sexpat yet repeatedly describes Filipinos and Black people as infiltrators.

Jo Koy's decision to partner with Handler makes more sense knowing he's guilty of peddling anti-Asian stereotypes too. In one special, Koy publicly body shames his son—ignoring his pleas not to. This is the same special that got Steven Spielberg to greenlight Easter Sunday.

You can guess the elevator pitch for Easter Sunday: "Think Crazy Rich Asians, but take out the rich so they're just crazy." White-mixed Asians like Jo Koy are granted more humanity than monoracial Fil-Ams due to the legacy of colonization, and Koy seems to be leaning into that.

Jo Koy is hardly the only example of an Asian with media power choosing whiteness over the AsAm community. Far more often, the pattern consists of white men partnered with Asian women (a legacy of racist U.S. policies like the Mixed Marriage Policy) For ex, AsAm Chloe Bennet—who's half-white like Jo Koy—proudly defended Logan Paul after he mocked and exploited a dead Japanese man. Yet Bennet is centered in campaigns about anti-Asian hate. Asians who hurt their community aren't punished by white Hollywood—they're rewarded.

The legacy of the MMP is so strong that white men feel entitled to speak on Asian issues in AsAm spaces⁠—and Asians with media power let them. This causes severe harm, as seen by the erasure of AAPI men from hate crime data and narratives.  Back to the film Easter Sunday, there are no Fil-Ams credited on the creative team. I'm all for pan-Asian progress, but not at the expense of specific ethnic groups. It's the first studio film to center on a Filipino American family. This pattern of erasing Fil-Ams in AsAm spaces needs to stop too.

Overall, Easter Sunday is supposed to be a "first," but with so much racism embedded in its creation, I don't feel like celebrating. The idea of seeing either Jo Koy or Chelsea Handler on a red carpet for a major Fil-Am milestone is awful. It's a win for them—not us. If you enjoy my work, please pledge to my Patreon or donate to my Paypal. I lost my publisher for trying to publish these kinds of essays, so your support keeps me going until I can find a new publisher/lit agenthttps://twitter.com/Joshua_Luna/status/1134522555744866304https://patreon.com/joshualunahttps://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/JoshuaLunaComics