Just To Be Clear, Kamala Conceded With Grace And Dignity But It Is Still Well Within Everyone’s Right

Also btw trump recognizing only "the two biological sexes" harms intersex people too. I am a researcher of sex and it's affects on disease, and sex is far more complicated than "two sexes" and it always will be. Sex is multifaceted and there are far more than two binary sexes. Keep that in mind too. Don't fall into bioessentialism as you fight for trans people and intersex people.

You can call me crazy but I firmly believe that podcasts have played a significant role in the downfall of this country

So many dumbass men with microphones spewing their dangerous, misogynistic rhetoric are more easily accessible to younger dumbass men than ever and they eat that shit up and become emboldened by it

Okay. But like… would people be interested in some Bobby Nash x reader fics? Should I give in & just start writing them? Lol cause like… this MAN

OMG I’m very deprived… Are there anymore Usopp/OPLA usopp smut stories? 😓😓 I like… NEED THEM

There's a lot of conversations to be had around the current influx of Americans to Xiaohongshu (RedNote/Little Red Book) ahead of the TikTok ban, many of which are better articulated by more knowledgeable people than me. And for all the fun various parties of both nationalities seem to having with memes and wholesome interactions, it's undoubtedly true that there's also some American entitlement and exoticization going on, which sucks. But a sentiment I've seen repeatedly online is that, if it's taken actually speaking to Chinese people and viewing Chinese content for Americans to understand that they've been propagandized to about China and its people, then that just proves how racist they are, and I want to push back on that, because it strikes me as being a singularly reductive and unhelpful framing of something far more complex.

Firstly: while there's frequently overlap between racism and xenophobia, the distinction between them matters in this instance, because the primary point of American propaganda about China is that Communism Is Fundamentally Evil And Unamerican And Never Ever Works, and thinking a country's government sucks is not the same as thinking the population is racially inferior. The way most Republicans in particular talk about China, you'd think it was functionally indistinguishable from North Korea, which it really isn't. Does this mean there's no critique to be made of either communism in general or the CCP? Absolutely not! But if you've been told your whole life that communist countries are impoverished, corrupt and dangerous because Communism Never Works, and you've only really encountered members of the Chinese diaspora - i.e., people whose families left China, often under traumatic circumstances, because they thought America would be better or safer - rather than Chinese nationals, then no: it's not automatically racist to be surprised that their daily lives and standard of living don't match up with what you'd assumed. Secondly: TikTok's userbase skews young. While there's certainly Americans in their 30s and older investigating Xiaohongshu, it seems very reasonable to assume that the vast majority are in their teens or twenties - young enough that, barring a gateway interest in something like C-dramas, danmei or other Chinese cultural products, and assuming they're not of Chinese descent themselves, there's no reason why they'd know anything about China beyond what they've heard in the news, or from politicians, or from their parents, which is likely not much, and very little firsthand. But even with an interest in China, there's a difference between reading about or watching movies from a place, and engaging firsthand, in real time, with people from that place, not just through text exchanges, but in a visual medium that lets you see what their houses, markets, shopping centers, public transport, schools, businesses, infrastructure and landmarks look like. Does this mean that what's being observed isn't a curated perspective on China as determined both by Xiaohongshu's TOU and the demographic skewing of its userbase? Of course not! But that doesn't mean it isn't still a representative glimpse of a part of China, which is certainly more than most young Americans have ever had before.

Thirdly: I really need people to stop framing propaganda as something that only stupid bigots fall for, as though it's possible to natively resist all the implicit cultural biases you're raised with and exist as a perfect moral being without ever having to actively challenge yourself. To cite the sacred texts:

Like. Would the world be a better place if everyone could just Tell when they're being lied to and act accordingly? Obviously! But that is extremely not how anything actually works, and as much as it clearly discomforts some to witness, the most common way of realizing you've been propagandized to about a particular group of people is to interact with them. Can this be cringe and awkward and embarrassing at times? Yes! Will some people inevitably say something shitty or rude during this process? Also yes! But the reality is that cultural exchange is pretty much always bumpy to some extent; the difficulties are a feature, not a bug, because the process is inherently one of learning and conversation, and as individual people both learn at different rates and have different opinions on that learning, there's really no way to iron all that out such that nobody ever feels weird or annoyed or offput. Even interactions between career diplomats aren't guaranteed smooth sailing, and you're mad that random teenagers interacting through a language barrier in their first flush of enthusiasm for something new aren't doing it perfectly? Come on now.

Fourthly: Back before AO3 was banned in China, there was a period where the site was hit with an influx of Chinese users who, IIRC, were hopping over when one of their own fansites got shut down, which sparked a similar conversation around differences in site etiquette and how to engage respectfully. Which is also one of the many things that makes the current moment so deeply ironic: the US has historically criticized China for exactly the sort of censorship and redaction of free speech that led to AO3 being banned, and yet is now doing the very same thing with TikTok. Which is why what's happening on Xiaohongshu is, IMO, such an incredible cultural moment: because while there are, as mentioned, absolutely relevant things to be said about (say) Chinese censorship, US-centrism, orientalism and so on, what's ultimately happening is that, despite - or in some sense because of - the recent surge in anti-Chinese rhetoric from US politicians, a significant number of Americans who might otherwise never have done so are interacting directly with Chinese citizens in a way that, whatever else can be said of it, is actively undermining government propaganda, and that matters.

What it all most puts me in mind of, in fact, is a quote from French-Iranian novelist and cartoonist Marjane Satrapi, namely:

“The difference between you and your government is much bigger than the difference between you and me. And the difference between me and my government is much bigger than the difference between me and you. And our governments are very much the same.”

And at this particular moment in history, this strikes me as being a singularly powerful realization for Americans in particular to have.

Can you one where we are his wife and also a wrestler for valentine's day

Sorry I didn’t reply sooner but yeah sure I don’t mind.

REBLOG IF YOU HAVE STRETCHMARKS

This way people can see they’re not alone. I have them and this would help me see that.

now more than ever, it is imperative that you spend time with people you love and doing things that you love. be prepared but please please please don't dwell on things that have yet to happen. you have to have hope for a better future in order to build one. it's gonna be okay. we're gonna make it. i love you.

Montreal Screwup Job

Request by anonymous

Backstage at the Montreal Screwjob, Y/n stood with their children, anxiously watching the unfolding events of the match. As Bret Hart's wife, she knew how important this night was for him. Little did she know the shocking betrayal that awaited them.

The tension in the air was thick as Y/n witnessed the merciless plot unfold on the monitor. Her heart sank as Shawn Michaels locked Bret into the sharpshooter, and then, the sound of the bell rang through the arena. It was over. Bret had been robbed of his championship title right before their eyes.

A surge of anger coursed through Y/n's veins as she hastily made her way through the chaos backstage. The emotions within her were too powerful to be contained. She sought out Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels, the architects of this despicable act, determined to vent her fury.

When Y/n finally found them, there was fire in her eyes and venom in her words. She unleashed a torrent of curses and accusations, expressing her disbelief and disgust at their deceitful actions. Her voice echoed through the halls, causing heads to turn and ears to listen.

Through it all, Bret watched, his face a mix of pain and frustration. He felt the weight of the betrayal crushing him, but seeing Y/n standing up for him so fiercely, he knew he wasn't alone in this battle.

As the adrenaline subsided, Y/n's anger gave way to worry and sadness. She approached Bret, their children close by her side, their expressions mirroring concern and love. Y/n gently reached out, her hand finding its place on Bret's arm, grounding him in their unwavering support.

In a moment of vulnerability, Bret slumped against a nearby wall, emotionally drained. Y/n moved closer, enveloping him in her embrace, offering solace in their shared pain. Together, they held back tears, finding strength in each other's presence.

Their children, sensing the heaviness in the room, stepped forward. With teary eyes, they spoke words of comfort and admiration for their father. They expressed their appreciation for his unwavering dedication, his unmatched talent, and the love he had shown them throughout their lives.

In that moment, Y/n and their children became Bret's pillars of strength. Their words of love and gratitude broke through the darkness, reminding him of the impact he had made as a husband and father. The pain of the betrayal still lingered, but with Y/n and their children by his side, Bret knew he would rise above it all.

Together, they would navigate the aftermath of the Montreal Screwjob, supporting each other unconditionally and ensuring that the bond of their family remained unbreakable.