Icon from a picrew by grgikau. Call me Tir or Julian. 37. He/They. Queer. Twitter: @tirlaeyn. ao3: tirlaeyn. 18+ Only. Star Trek. The X-Files. Sandman. IwtV. OMFD. Definitionless in this Strict Atmosphere.
Hot take: “I’m sure this work of fiction has artistic merit, but it does something that I’m sick to death of seeing, and I don’t want to consume it” is an entirely reasonable, valid position to have, and people don’t have to justify it beyond that.
masc bi women don’t get enough love. masc bi women you’re amazing and hot and smart and capable and your combat boots look great. do you want me to call you loverboy. do you want me to make you some soup
Imma tell you guises something. Commenting on great fanfics feels great. Making people feel good about their work feels great.
My favorite comment I’ve made was on a fic that I’ve read and reread some times without commenting because “it’s been some months since its completion, the writer won’t care.” Then I noticed that the only comment on their last chapter was an out of date link to a Discord. I felt so bad for them that it gave me the motivation to tell them how much I love and appreciate the fic… I got the most precious response I could’ve hoped for. It feels so good to be told that your comment “will keep them going for another year”.
You’ve started reading a fic? Encourage the writer to continue! Tell them you enjoy reading their work. I never did this until some time ago and some amazing people on this website let me know how important it is to show your appreciation.
Because I can’t trust most people here to be able to read, here’s my stance resummarized with short sentences:
1) Most Americans cannot locate Ukraine on a map, much less describe any cultural distinctions between Ukraine and Russia
2) Most Americans will in fact see any Slavic culture and conflate it with Russia
3) As Russophobia ramps up, the ensuing bigotry will harm not only Russians but also other Slavic people because of points 1 and 2
4) There are innumerable instances in history of Americans developing a bigoted fixation on one ethnic/religious group and then conflating them with anyone who even looks like what they think members of that group looks like (See: Muslims & Sikhs)
Hot take but I don’t think “Hetero” couples in fiction are boring actually I just think they’re boring because we see the same m/f couples every single time.
Allow me to elaborate:
Usually every m/f couple we see in media consists of two conventionally attractive, young, skinny, allosexual, cishet, gender conforming, often white people. And you can always see the relationship coming a mile away.
Imagine how much better it would feel if you saw more of THESE kinds of m/f couples in media:
Fat characters involved in the relationship, and not made into a joke
Disabled characters involved in the relationship, and not made into a joke
A man happily in love with a gnc or masculine woman
A woman happily in love with a gnc or feminine man
Bisexual or pansexual men and women in love with the opposite sex (and bi for bi, Pan for Pan couples)
A man happily in love with a trans woman
A woman happily in love with a trans man
Trans for trans m/f couples
Asexual and gray-sexual people in romantic relationships and being respected in those relationships
Two middle aged people entering a new relationship, with the same attention and slow burn and tension as any young pairing (because middle aged and elder people have love lives too, and can fall in love again even if they’ve been married before!! See Kane/Abby in the 100.)
More POC x POC relationships!
A man who stays at home and takes care of kids x a working woman who isn’t criticized for not being home enough
Supportive parents to queer kids
Punk/alternative/goth m/f couples and parents (bc I just think that’s cool)
Couples who get together and then realize they’re better as friends, and have a healthy breakup while staying super close (and not creating secret drama)
Neurodivergent people involved in the relationship (adhd/autistic men and women infodumping to their supportive partner… happy stimming after a cute interaction with their crush.. it’s just so good) and not made into a joke or infantilized!
BUFF STRONK WOMAN x LIDDOL MAN VERY IN LOVE WITH HIS WIFE
People who aren’t conventionally attractive in a loving relationship, and there isn’t any drama or weird side plot about “learning to love someone for what’s on the inside!!”
and so many more I could think of!!!
Just something to think on. (And remember, not all m/f couples are “hetero”. If you’re still saying “ew heteros!!” every time you see a straight couple, now is the time to stop.)
where’s that post that points out how julian and miles’ friendship has an ironic dynamic where julian is bi but not at all interested in miles romantically and miles is straight but has a little crush on julian anyway. because it’s very true and i want to reblog it again.
