Normally I Don’t Like Bringing This Up, But: Tumblr Is Making It Increasingly Difficult For Writers

• go pet the small hissing animal

human instincts

ghost detection

no one here knows you but they all hate you

go pet that large predatory animal 

“Queer people exist. Choosing not to accept them is not an option. To anyone watching this that isn’t out, it’s okay. You’re okay. You were born this way, it’s right, and anyone that has a problem with it is wrong. Based on your circumstance, you might not feel ready to tell people yet or, that it’s safe, and that’s fine too, just know that living your truth with pride is the way to be happy. You are valid, it gets so much better, and the future is clear. It’s pretty queer.”

— Daniel Howell, “Basically I’m Gay”

Wait half a year, it will go away 

I'm actually excited to get home and switch jobs and all that, it honestly feels like my life is somehow starting "for real"

like, for once I'm finally 100% in control. and im gonna make the most of it.

I dont even need to add something because all important stuff has been said already.

Men are held to such low standards in relationships and it’s infuriating; just today I heard from my co-workers that ones husband never drove to come see her when they were doing long distance, and the other’s hasn’t mowed once in their 30+ years of marriage.

Like we like fun at lesbians moving fast in relationships, but that’s because women are socialized much differently than men, and those traits lead to healthier relationships. Though gender roles are fucking wack in general, you can’t deny that women are raise to be more understanding, expressive, and caring in general. My girlfriend drives 2 hours to come see me every weekend, and my friends boyfriend can barely make the 40 minute trip to come see her.

When women are in relationships with each other, they are more likely to talk about feelings, and go farther for their partners. Women do this in hetero relationships too, but it’s rarely reciprocated if they’re with a cis male.

I read an incredible essay about how gay marriage is incredibly beneficial to straight partners, because straight relationships always have a basis in inequality, due to societal gender divisions. Gay relationships show what it’s like to have a relationship without a gender based power imbalance.

Ladies, if you wouldn’t put up with it from a best friend, don’t let a boyfriend get away with it. Cultivate a society where men in relationships have to at least have basic decency; not only through your partners, but also through how you raise your sons.

fat femme lesbian culture is wearing basketball shorts under skirts

Gonna Reblog this every time I see it, don’t hate, love!

Since joining Tumblr, I’ve met a lot of young queer people. Look, I’m a bisexual man in a gay relationship, and I’m approaching 30. I was still a kid when Matthew Shepard’s story was being covered on the news. I remember thinking, “I better keep my mouth shut about these feelings I’m having.”

And then I met Dominic when I was 12, and people could see how in love we were. And we got the shit beat out of us. The year I met him, some kids in the grade above me held me down against the bleachers in our gym and stomped on my hand until my fingers broke. Instead of sending me to the nurse, the teacher sent me to the assistant principal to explain the situation. She asked why the kids had beat me up. I said, “They were calling me gay.”

Her response was, “Well, are you?”

My, “I don’t know,” earned a call to my parents, and I was outed. Efforts were made to keep me from seeing Dom. Throughout high school, Dom’s stepmother intensified these efforts. He slept in the basement of the house. Although he was an incredibly talented student, he was prohibited from participating in any extracurriculars. He suffered a lot of physical abuse during those years.

The day he turned 18, he packed up everything he had and walked to my house, and we’ve lived together ever since. Things are better, but they’re not perfect. I’ve had trucks pull up next to me at stoplights and, seeing the pride sticker on my car, through old drinks and garbage into my window. I no longer speak to my dad’s side of the family. I haven’t been to see them for Christmas or Thanksgiving in years. One of my uncles had cornered me at Thanksgiving when I was 17 and said, “I’m not going to judge you, but I’d be happy to break your neck so God can do the judging a little sooner.”

I joined a support group for trans and intersex people. When I joined, 40 people attended regularly. Within the year, the group was half the size it had been. Some couldn’t make it anymore, because they were staying at the shelter, where their stay hinged on them agreeing to instead to attend homophobic sermons. Some were put in correctional therapy. Five of them died. Three of those, I didn’t know, but I knew Alex, the 19 year old who was fag-dragged in Kentucky and died a day later in the hospital, and I knew Stephanie, who went home to Alabama to care for her mom in hospice and was beaten to death with a baseball bat by her mom’s boyfriend.

Tumblr is not reality. The dynamic here does not reflect the dynamic out there. Here’s the part where I finally make a point, and it might be extremely unpopular - but guys, value your allies. Value each other. We are met with enough hate in our daily lives to enter an online safe-space and meet more hate from our own, over petty things. Don’t go after one another over every little thing you find problematic.

Learn to see nuance. Maybe the word “queer” bothers you, and you see a gay man using it as an umbrella term. Maybe someone called a trans man a trans woman because they’re confused about terminology, but the post where they did it was voicing support for the trans community. Maybe someone is just asking a question, wanting to learn more. Stop. Attacking. These. People.

Allies are being driven away. Members of our own community are being ostracized. Others are feeling nervous and estranged, and it’s largely because of places like Tumblr, where the social justice movement is quickly becoming violent and radical. I am begging you, stop nitpicking “problematic” things and start directing your efforts to create real change. When it comes to comes to your allies, forget the “social justice warrior” mentality and put down your torch. Educate calmly. Be respectful. Be understanding. Be forgiving. And I’m certainly not saying that your anger doesn’t have a good place - when you are met with bigots on the street, congress members who want to pass hateful laws, violent protesters, abusive parents, prejudiced teachers, that is when you need to be a warrior. That’s when it counts. In the real world. When you have the opportunity to protect people from real harm. Attacking your would-be allies via anonymous asks is just going to lose us ground in the long run. And we don’t have time for that, not when trans women of color are being murdered every day, not when states are still fighting against marriage equality, not when there are politicians in office who believe that trans people are possessed by demons, not when we’ve just lost 50 brothers and sisters to one gunman, not when the media won’t even admit that the attack was homophobic.

Please step back. Look at the big picture. Look at where we are, globally. Don’t just log on to your safe space and attack your allies over small missteps. That’s like washing the dishes in a house that’s on fire, kids. Let’s fight on the battlefield, and when we come home to each other, let’s just focus on bandaging up our wounds so we can go out and win the war.

Gryffindor: HAPPY 2020, GUYSS!!

Hufflepuff: Wow, new year! New hopes, new resolutions!

Slytherin: I just want this shit to end already.

Ravenclaw: There are two kinds of people.

The legend, the rumor

“…you want me to what?” Vree asked, tail twitching despite himself.

“We have two humans coming aboard,” Commander Ryyt repeated himself colt. “As our senior xenobiologist, I am putting them in your charge.”

“I specialize in PLANTS,” Vree said helplessly. He had heard the stories about humans just like everyone else, and believed almost none of it. “What am I supposed to do with humans?”

“Learn about their culture,” the commander shrugged. “And their biology. Everything you can. The Pride Council needs to know how much truth there is in the rumors.”

Probably none, Vree thought grimly. Rumors were always exaggerated, usually beyond understanding.

“Why me?” He asked, hoping for a way out of this mess before it got started. “I never deal with sentient creatures. You remember the tak-ra incident, sir.”

“I do,” Ryyt sighed. “But you’re still the tanking xenobiologist on the ship, and your impressive military record suggest that, should any of the stories be true, you will be able to defend yourself.”

Well that was promising. Vree glared, But to no avail. One of Ryyt’s striped ears twitched. He knew Vree too well. He could never resist a mystery, and humans were the biggest mystery there were.

“When do they arrive?”

“In one solar hour, give or take.”

Damn him. No time to prepare or anything.

“Can they do anything useful, or are they soldiers?”

“Human-Nerea is an environmental specialist. Human-Amir is a xenotechnology specialist. They both have some combat training, but they are scientists before soldiers.”

Ryyt handed Vree the file on his desk and sat back as Vree flipped through it quickly. There was more information than he could read before the humans arrived, but he could study it while they settled in.

“I take it you accept?” Ryyt asked when Vree laid his ears back and glared at his commanding officer. “I can find someone else but you’re the best fit.”

“No, I’ll do it,” Vree muttered, and closed his fingers around the file. “I want hazard pay any time I have to go to shore with them, and any time there MIGHT be hostiles in the area. Double if the ship is breached or there may be fighting of any kind.”

“Pessimistic, aren’t you?”

“Only if the stories aren’t true. If they are, you’ll be glad I only asked for this.”

That made Ryyt snarl a laugh and he waved a dismissal. “Fine, Fine. I’ll arrange it. And Vree, I doubt the stories are true.”

“So do I,” Vree shrugged. “But you never know. Where will they be?”

“Dock five. And Vree?”

Vree turned and cocked an ear to show he was listening. Ryyt gave him a fangy grin.

“Yes sir?” Vree said cautiously, sensing the commander’s wicked sense of humor.

“Try not to let them eat you. Dismissed.”

The door closed in his face before Vree could do more than hiss his displeasure.

Try not to get eaten indeed!

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HGE - Smoke before Fire

The Legend, The Rumor

Deep Water and Scales

Black Scales and Open Spaces

Screams in the Dark

Warning Lights

Into the Wild

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dogs are so pure