The Fun Has Just Begun! feat. Yuuya Sakaki and Yuugo
Haha! I love their friendship! Even Shark’s blushing! 😊
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#ygo #YGO ARCV #gif #yuya sakaki #yuugoMore you might like
Sharkeesha after listening to a bunch of Billie Eilish, early 2000s Avril Lavigne and Linkin Park: The Moodboard
Bonus:
Maybe he’s angry because he’s having indigestion from all the cards he ate?? Stop polluting the ocean guys it hurts the sharks
Anti Culture Infecting Published + Fan Works
Content warning: This essay discusses rape and rape culture both in and out of fiction. Spoilers for Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight”; Carrie Vaughn’s “Kitty and the Midnight Hour”; Patricia Brigg’s “Iron Kissed”; and Charlaine Harris’s “Club Dead.”
Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy, typically taking place in a modern-day setting, sharing roots with paranormal romance, but keeping the focus on things outside of intimate relationships. (If the plot can exist independently of romance, it’s urban fantasy. If it cannot, it’s paranormal romance.)
The Elephant in the Room
Most urban fantasy (with the notable and author-guarenteed exception of October Daye) deals in some capacity with sexual assault, harassment, or rape. Kitty Norville was repeatedly abused by her werewolf pack’s alpha. Mercedes Thompson was raped by a magician. Bella Swan was stalked by a gang (and later forcibly kissed by her “friend”). Sookie Stackhouse was raped by her vampire boyfriend, Bill, in the trunk of a car. The list goes on. It is so prevalent in the genre that it’s almost cliché.
Why is it so prevalent? Is it a case of follow-the-leader? In some cases, maybe, but like the fairy tales of old, I think this is sometimes a case of “write what you know.” It’s a sad truth that one in four American women will be sexually assaulted or harassed before they turn eighteen. And that is only the percentage of reported cases. Sexual assault happens. Is it any wonder that it’s discussed in a platform mostly run and consumed by women and gender-nonconforming people?
“Well, that’s all well and good for stories about fighting or recovering from assault, but what about gross books that romanticize it?”
1. I speak from experience when I say that the human brain protects itself in remarkable ways. Finding pleasure in frightening or painful concepts is a VERY human response to abuse and the threat of abuse. It’s not universal– don’t assume that every survivor will find these things attractive, or that every person intrigued by the darker side of things is a survivor– but it is prevalent enough to make a reappearance in every culture. Horror and eros walk hand in hand on a very thin line– a line I’ve been studying for years, both in and out of the classroom.
2. Concepts explored in fiction do not mean they are condoned in reality by creator OR audience, and claiming otherwise puts you on the same playing field as those who ban video games for being “too violent” or Harry Potter books for fear of spawning devil worshippers. You do not get to point at a human being and say, “You cannot find these abstract concepts sexy.” You just… You can’t. And you shouldn’t try.
3. If you demand creators relive the details of their abuse so that YOU might peruse and decree them worthy of creation… You might just be a piece of garbage; sorry to say. It is distressingly common in circles of fanworks to hear people say, “I GUESS it’s okay for you to write X as a way to cope with Y.” Oh, is it? I’m sure they’re just so grateful for your permission, o stranger on the internet./sarcasm
Censorship is a sledgehammer, not a chisel. If you start policing some concepts, you police them all. You’ve appointed yourself the moral voice to dictate which side of the line everything falls on; good or evil, black or white, without impunity– not just for yourself, but for everyone else, too. Spoiler alert: you do not get to decide what is best for other people.
Gettin’ a lil more personal:
My therapist and I have talked about my tendency to cover dark themes in my own writing. We think this is a healthy outlet for me; a way to cope with my PTSD. By writing abusive relationships, I examine my own bad experiences through a safety filter. Because I am the author, I am now the one in the driver’s seat. It helps me to emotionally process what I’ve been through without risk of harm. Did I need to disclose this? Absolutely not! But for those that are curious, this is just one of many reasons why some people write about things such as rape, incest, sexual harassment, abuse, or violence. However, “I wrote it because I wanted to,” or “Because I think it’s sexy,” are equally valid reasons. Justification is not required. Receipts should not be expected. Nobody owes you their life story just because you chose to consume their work.
Although I personally, dislike most published romance (I just don’t find it at all relatable to my own experiences, and rarely understand the point), I will defend to the death everyone’s right to create and consume it. Do I think Fifty Shades of Grey, for example, is a poorly written dumpster-fire about a sociopathic abuser and his victim, written by an author who clearly doesn’t know how to practice safe, sane, and consensual BDSM? Absolutely! Does that mean I think E. L. James shouldn’t have written and published her Twilight fanfiction? No. Do I judge the people who enjoy it? Also, no. Like what you like without guilt! (The term “guilty pleasure” is so bizarre to me. Why be apologetic for what you enjoy? Let go of your guilt. You owe the world nothing.)
Fiction is not reality. E. L. James was under no obligation to educate the public on correct BDSM practices, nor to write realistic or healthy romances. That is not her responsibility. Authors of fiction are under no obligation to be accurate, informed, credible… They create art and we, the public, choose whether or not to consume it. That’s it. Morality has nothing to do with it.
If E. L. James had instead published her book in the nonfiction genre and titled it “Healthy BDSM Relationships: A Guide,” then the public outrage would be warranted. She would be spreading dangerous misinformation that could get real people hurt. But that isn’t what happened. You are not protecting victims of sexual abuse by bashing an easy target. Instead, you are participating in purity culture that brings nothing to the table aside from polishing your own ego.
The way the rape scene in Club Dead was written was triggering to me personally, and left me feeling sick and shaken all day. I left a negative review for the book, and chose not to read the rest of the series. And yet if my best friend came to me right now and told me about how much they love the series and how attractive they found Bill, I would be happy for them– and I certainly don’t believe that Charlaine Harris is responsible for the way I felt. I consumed her creation of my own volition, after all. Sure, it would have been nice to have some sort of warning beforehand– I strongly wish that books came with ratings and trigger warnings the way that movies and fanfiction do– but I’ll never say that nobody else is allowed to like it, just because it’s not for me.
I don’t say this to shut down discussion. Just because a book is fictional does not mean that it is above criticism. On the contrary! I think critical reading is invaluable. In some ways, I think books like this are an excellent way to open doors for conversation.
So Edward Cullen’s behavior towards Bella Swan is controlling and abusive. Let’s talk about that! Let’s talk about domestic abuse in teen relationships. Better yet, let’s talk about these things with teenagers. Let’s talk about consent, teen pregnancy, and misogyny. Let’s talk about what teens should do if they feel trapped in relationships like this. Let’s talk about why society sometimes views such relationships as the ideal… And then let’s talk about why there was such an immediate and intense backlash against something so popular among teen girls. (Because, invariably, everything teen girls like is looked down upon. Ugg boots, leggings, pumpkin spice lattes, boy bands, teen slang… It’s all mocked so viciously.) Let’s ask these questions.
However, I also think it’s perfectly fine for someone to say, “I don’t want to discuss that. I just want to enjoy my media.” That’s fine. That’s valid. Don’t force it. If someone likes Twilight? LET THEM. Life is too damn short. Make a blog post about your feelings and leave individuals be.
My stance on the position is not to shut down discussion, but rather to shut down purity culture– that of putting down a piece of media because it conflicts with our own values. Let people enjoy things as they will. Do not harass people for what they like, or for what they make. Fiction is first and foremost an escape from reality. Don’t yuck their yum. To borrow a phrase from fandom culture: Don’t like? Don’t read.
Purity Culture (and how to end it)
I love professor Severus Snape. I’ve loved him since I was seven years old, doodling hearts around his name every time it appeared in my copy of Sorcerer’s Stone. He is easily my favorite Harry Potter character. I slept with his picture underneath my pillow every night for years. When I was bullied in school or neglected at home, I fantasized about going to him for protection and attention. I will always have a soft spot for him in my heart.
Yet when I say this to a gaggle of Potterheads, I almost always receive horrified stares. “But he bullied children!” I know. “He called Lily a slur!” I know. “He outed an AIDS-allegory character and got him fired!” I know. “He only cared about saving Lily; not James or Harry!” I know. And I love him anyway. Opinions are funny like that, aren’t they?
When I talk about why I love Snape, I see eyes glaze over– when I say that I empathize with him as a survivor of bullying, domestic abuse, and child-on-child sexual assault (COCSA); that I relate to his dry/dark sense of humor as a coping mechanism. When I admire his genius and survival of the extreme poverty Britain faced in the 1970s, when I appreciate his loyalty to and undying love for Lily Evans… Nobody cares. Because he is not entirely “pure,” the current culture of the internet sees fit to shame him utterly without even considering his many nuances.
This is not my claiming that everyone needs to appreciate Snape. Rather, this is an example of purity culture. Performative morality. That many people on the internet seem to get off on keeping a lofty, holier-than-thou attitude– “you can’t ship that BECAUSE…” “You can’t like that character BECAUSE…” “You can’t read that book BECAUSE…” It’s herding conformity at its most nefarious. If you disagree with the crowd, you risk being doxxed as an “abuse apologist,” or perhaps even a predator yourself.
I can’t be the only one who sees this as a thinly-veiled method of policing women and girl’s sexuality, can I? In the 1890s, women were shamed from riding bicycles. Now, they’re shamed from writing. Do I think this is a feminist issue? Unquestionably.
I write about abuse often in my stories. I provide warnings beforehand, so that nobody reads my work uninformed, and yet still I get comments criticizing this, as though people believe me to be unaware of my own creation. I have had people demand to know the specifics of my own abuse (information that nobody is entitled to; information that I share willingly as a way to reach out to survivors; NOT to be classified as worthy or otherwise by purists) so that they could act as judge, jury, and executioner over my “right” to create. I even once received a horribly offensive comment demanding to know whether I’d “liked being raped”– because otherwise, why would I write about it?
People who demand receipts are not doing so out of genuine interest. No creator of fanwork or published work is under any obligation to disclose our histories for the perusal and judgment of strangers, as though we have to earn the right to write through our personal pain.
Authors/creators are often highly accessible to the public in this day and age. Internet stalking is frighteningly easy. The lower down on the totem pole a creator happens to be, the easier it is to attack and threaten them– it’s much easier to frighten a fanfiction author from sharing their work online than it is to harass a best-selling author. Author accessibility is a wonderful thing– I know I personally LOVE being able to contact my favorite authors and artists on Tumblr and Twitter; to get to know and sometimes befriend them, or at least send them my appreciation for their work– but it’s a double-edged sword. In making themselves accessible, they also make themselves vulnerable. Taking advantage of that is how we get good things taken away, people.
Creators, write freely and without guilt. Create, create, create, and snuff this condescending plague of faux-concern out like a candle under sand. I may or may not like your art, but by God I will defend to my dying breath your right to make it.
Video essays to supplement research on these topics:
- “Dear Stephenie Meyer” by Lindsay Ellis
- “History of Fanfiction” by Jill Bearup
- “Falling in Love with Monsters” by La'Ron Readus
- “Kitty and the Midnight Hour” by Elisa Hansen
- “Is BDSM Feminist?” by Natalie Wynn
crime show: well we don’t know what time she was taken but as you can see in this convenience store security footage she’s mouthing something and our lip reading technology tells us she’s saying ‘those three wise men they’ve got a semi by the sea’ which are lyrics to James Blunt’s song ‘Wisemen’ which was playing on that store’s favoured radio station at approximately 3:18PM and she disappears from view exactly five minutes later so therefore
crime show: now see usually we’d manage to get a timestamp from the security footage but unfortunately in this case the cameras only record a live feed and while you would think this means we shouldn’t be able to see the footage at all, luckily a famous Twutch streamer happened to be using it as their background footage while recording yesterday so
yes, but can you blow it up and enhance it?
unfortunately this particular footage is extremely low quality and very grainy but as I zoom in on this super blurry pixelated image you can see the details become much clearer and easier to identify
But what about the extremely specific pollen found on the camera lens?
good eye! originally I didn’t even notice it was there but while combing through the footage I noticed three different people sneezed while in view of the camera. I did some research and found that the particles represent the pollen of this obscure plant life that is native to this particular state, which really doesn’t help us, except that it only ever blooms in the opposite season! So I did some digging and found four nurseries within a 50 mile radius, only one of which sell that plant all year round, which of course means
Hold on just one moment! If the twitch streamer was using the cameras live feed as background, then we should know the time of the crime! The twitch archive should mark how long the streamer had been on by the time of the perpetrators presence onscreen, and if we know when they went live, we will know the time the perpetrator was in the building!
DAMNIT JONES THIS ISN’T YOUR CASE
WELL IT’S MY CASE NOW! The Captain thinks your kidnapping is related to my investigation into that cult up state. So, apparently, we’re supposed to work together. I’m not any happier than you are.
but I hate sharing!
TOUGH SHIT MCNAMARA! Your kidnapping case is somehow connected with that cult that’s been sacrificing its members to in the belief that it will appease the elder god Cthulhu. Now, I don’t like it any more than you do, and I’m worse at sharing than a toddler with a new favorite toy, but lives may well be on the line here! Are you willing to put aside our differences, and do what needs to be done?!
Alright, but when we catch the perp he’s mine. I don’t care if he’s sacrificed a hundred victims to goddamn Mickey Mouse! That man may know who killed my father, and I won’t let anyone get in my way - not even someone with your develish smile.
Do you think you’re the only one who wants to find Eric’s murderer?! He was my partner! He was my friend! I know we haven’t worked together before, but this case will have us working together for a while, until we eventually find your fathers killer. And I can see this case taking us a long time, and defining both of our lives for the foreseeable future. But don’t worry McNamara, my years of experience on the force, put together with your grit, tenacity, and loose understanding of the rules will make for a great partnership, with plenty of laughs and sexual tension to go around. Until some being from on high decides the precinct isn’t ready for a same sex couple, and I rekindle my relationship with my previously unmentioned ex-wife. But we, and some unknown watchers of our adventures, will always know we were meant to be together, weirdly large age gap be damned!
Yeah, and while Eric was off playing cops and robbers with you, I grew up without a dad! Do you know how many times I stared at my baseball glove, wishing he was there to throw it to me? You may have lost Eric, but I never even got to have him!
But you’re right. This case will definitely take at least a full year, especially with the fact that we will be constantly interrupted with other, smaller cases, one of which will be halloween themed. We’re working together for the forseeable future, and my playful countenance and morbid wit will very quickly mesh with your hardened attitude and tendency to keep secrets.
And while you go back to your unhappy, stiff relationship with your ex wife, I will be shown having constant meaningless sex with a multitude of beautiful women so that the writers can really get across how Not Gay I am.
It’s gonna be a wild ride, Jones. And there had better be stakeouts.
executive producer dick wolf
This is the best demonstration of the principle of “yes, and” that I have ever seen. They should put this in textbooks.
This is honestly better than most crime shows I have seen :D
Is anyone else shipping Jones and McNamara already?
my dad just exploded into laughter out of nowhere and told me ‘imagine the lion king but with sea lions’
he has been chuckling about it for 5 straight minutes now
apparently it doesn’t matter that i’ve told him 10 times it’s the monkey who raises the newborn and not the lion himself, this is the scene he has been imagining
“he can’t raise his kid over his head”
I want it
okay but have you considered
quality content
Extreme quality
@squorkal can it be my job to find you seal posts? Because I want that job
5D’S NAME CHANGE CHART FOR ANON god I overwork
I included PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE IMPORTANT prior to ep064, both for spoilers and the fact I’m overheating as it is
millenniumtinnyrod