changingmorphologies:
duskenpath:
In all seriousness I took a death and dying course in college for fun and that’s when I fell in love with, and began to seriously study, spontaneous or “street shrines”. These are the organic, unplanned placements of items when someone is killed, generally, and the community almost descends on a spot. I am fascinated by that interfaith, inter-spirit moment of connection fostered. What drives someone to leave the first item? Who guides them there? What do we, as humans, seek from the leaving of a memorial on a place that now hallowed? And we know it is, to some extent, even if we’re not spirit-workers. We have this human need to bear witness, no matter who we are, and over and over again it manifests as this need to build some space, some monument that says “they were here, and now they aren’t here, and we, collectively, of all faiths and walks of life, strangers to each other, will remember them”
We take comfort in, and protect to some measure, that space we create with tea-light candles and stuffed bears and flowers and it just feels like the Right Thing to Do. We rebuild these spaces when they are torn down by authority and we keep building them up and that’s beautiful
Street shrines are TRULY universal, too. They are largely non-verbal but it’s like we just KNOW what to do, like something moves inside all of us and it doesn’t fucking matter if we can’t understand anyone else standing at the site, it’s just a Knowing. It’s phenomenal
One of my professors specializes in this, she wrote a book called Roadside Crosses in Contemporary Memorial Culture about her fieldwork in Texas.
angiethewitch:
it’s easy to say what happened to George Floyd and the consequences of it as just “oh another disaster for 2020”. it’s easy to brush it off as 2020 rearing its head again.
but this isn’t just 2020. this is last year. and the year before. it’s the last century. and next year. next month. don’t become complacent and brush it off. don’t let this become just another horrible thing that happened in 2020. it shouldn’t be forgotten. because this is every day for black people. every year.
let this radicalize you. let this be the final year this kind of thing happens. don’t let it become another 2020 disaster. don’t let things go back to how it was. we must stop treating this as another thing that happened in 2020. do not let this become the forgotten year and don’t allow George Floyd and his voice and countless black voices behind this to be forgotten - just another terrible thing. this isn’t just 2020. this is something that happens all the time. don’t let this go away.
maryshelleyy:
mary shelley was the daughter of one of the first feminists as we know it, she met & ran away with percy shelley when she was 18, she wrote BOTH the first sci fi AND post apocalyptic novels, she was at the forefront of romanticism AND gothicism, two of the most influential literary and artistic movements in present day, she suffered from depression and only one out of her four children lived, her husband, who had several affairs, died when they were in their twenties, a majority of her friends and romantic poets also all died in their twenties, and yet she still continued writing poetry and novels and creating art throughout the rest of her life and lived til she was nearly 60. mary shelley is incredibly underappreciated she went through so much and has contributed & influenced so much to the english lit. canon as we know it she is one of the most remarkable writers & women of this era & i love her
alloverthegaf:
THE FACT THAT HARRY AND HERMIONE WERE ALWAYS SO CLOSE AND WENT THROUGH SO MUCH TOGETHER AND WERE OPEN ABOUT CARING FOR EACH OTHER AND COMFORTING EACH OTHER AND NEVER HAD TO BRING ROMANCE INTO THE MIX FOR IT TO BE SUCH A SPECIAL BOND I JUST LOVE IT BROTP MAN
anintellectualblonde:
Please read
I know I don’t have that large of a platform on here, but please spread if you can.
My friends and I are starting the twitter hashtag #studentsforregulation starting friday. What it will be is basically if you’re a student in the united states, post a video of you talking about your fears and views on the lack of gun control. We’re posting them all friday so there can be a huge wave of scared voices yelling for change. We’re gonna make them hear us.
Just a short, personal video of your fears, views, and concerns under the hashtag #studentsforregulation on friday. We can have a voice if we’re all shouting. No more selling our lives for votes. It ends with us
enoughtohold:
if you’re a woman who’s attracted to women but you can’t see yourself marrying one, know that that feeling is so common and very often temporary. this is not to say that i know you better than you know yourself; maybe you just don’t want to get married and that’s ok. but very few women have grown up with the idea that they could marry another woman, and it’s hard to picture something for yourself that you’ve so rarely seen!
i couldn’t see myself marrying a woman for a long time, but i did and it’s the best thing i’ve ever done and the many messages i get telling me my blog has helped people picture themselves marrying other women tell me i’m not alone. know that whatever you end up wanting is okay, but don’t stress if there’s some aspect of loving women that doesn’t come to you with perfect ease. in a way we’re forging new cultural territory here. it’s only natural to feel a little lost without a map.
lyjerria:
I pray that every woman finds someone that makes you feel like relationships really don’t have to be so hard. They don’t have to take such a big toll on you emotionally. You’re supposed to be indescribably happy
therevisioneer:
To everyone learning a language, who is getting frustrated and impatient and maybe even thinking of quitting: remember how far you have come (not how far you have to go), remember why you started and remember how fantastic the end product will be. Learning a language is difficult and the journey can be long but it is rewarding and it opens so many doors. You are capable of doing this, you can do this… don’t quit now
gluten-free-pussy:
Drag me if you want but I feel like a major problem with liberal/Western gender ideology is that it’s so focused on aesthetics. Like “Look at me, I’m defying gender norms by wearing a dress/suit/makeup/whatever.” Like okay but what about defying gender norms via the breakdown of behaviour? What about acknowledging things like male entitlement, aggression, perceived weakness and submissiveness, the expectation of women to perform emotional labour etc. If we don’t actively work to break down oppressive and dangerous gender stereotypes, what is the point? Defying gender norms and identities can’t just be limited to clothing, hair, and makeup
raisingg-the-bar:
Things To Remember This Coming Year:
- 1. Organization and discipline are two totally different things. Being organized, in whatever aspect of your life, takes discipline and drive. Organization is a daily routine, and developing the discipline to keep yourself in that routine and thrive in it will carry you well in the coming year. Get a journal/notebook/calendar. Decorate it as you wish or not at all–it IS for you after all, so do what you think works best. Set a reminder in your phone or something within view that reminds you to check your planner if need be, and set aside 5+ minutes to do so. This will help you get in the swing of things :)
- 2. Eat as healthy as you possibly can, but let’s be real, chocolate, candy, chips, etc. gets the best of ANYONE. I say this because I feel it’s best to stress, especially in the coming year, that we’re not perfect. Feed your brain fruit, healthy grains, vegetables, calcium and iron-rich foods, etc., but it’s more than okay to go for that chocolate bar every now and then.
- 3. Sleep. Netflix will save where you last left off on Stranger Things. Hulu will remember where you were at on your movie. Sleep will not. You will NEVER be able to make up for lost sleep, no matter how hard you try. So set yourself a set bedtime that will get you the best amount of sleep that you’ll need to function optimally the next day. Shoot for 7+ hours. Your body needs rest. Put the laptop and phone away, meditate, count sheep, or whatever it is that will help you sleep…and do so. I can’t stress how much sleep affects mental and physical health, and overall function. Don’t take it for granted.
- 4. There’s a difference between challenging yourself and overwhelming yourself. I am throwing this phrase at you guys in the form of glitter and positive energy as we speak. This is SOOOOOO!!!! IMPORTANT!!!! Challenging yourself is great, but it has its limits. If you want to take an AP class, by all means do so. If you’re planning on taking 4 at one time, check yourself and ask yourself, “Combined with my other commitments, will this overwhelm me?” It’s a simple question, but it’s a very important one. In college, keep in mind the classes you need to take and how many credit hours you think you can feasibly take on. Your mental health is so important, please don’t wear your pretty selves down ✨🌸
- 5. Give yourself something to look forward to everyday. It can be big, or small. But I’ve found that finding something to look forward to the next day, whether it’d be cracking open a new book, watching a new video your favorite youtuber put out, making a nice breakfast, etc. can really go a long way. We all need a little motivation to get through the day. It’s in the little things, trust me.
- 6. Find a hobby. Hobbies are so important. They’re great coping mechanisms and ease the stress of work, school, etc. Take some time to find what you’re interested in and start small. Try scrapbooking, or maybe join a fun club on campus. If you’re into cooking, look up some recipes you wouldn’t normally try and try it! Get funky! Take a dance class or go to they gym. Find what suits you. It will help you in the long run.
- 7. Love yourself. This is easier said and done, obviously, but promoting a positive mental image of yourself is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Cut yourself some slack. It sounds so cheesy, but go look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself one thing you love about yourself. Do it every morning. Or, write it down in a journal or something. Say it to yourself on the bus. Hang with people that make you feel good about yourself and add value to your life. Do things that make you happy. Listen to new music, reward yourself with a new outfit. You guys are all gorgeous ass human beings and I want nothing but the greatest of self-love for you guys ❤️❤️
- 8. ...and love others, too. Remember your family, and your friends. They can be your greatest support system. Spend as much time with them as possible. Check in with your friends, hang out with them, be there for them. Be attentive at the dinner table with your family, engage in discussion. Take time to check in on your siblings. If you find yourself liking someone and it turns into a budding relationship, assess if the person will add to your happiness and that it is healthy. Also determine if you’ll be able to provide the time, energy, and care that goes into a relationship among the other commitments in your life. If check, check, and check, by all means go ahead. Have a blast 😎😇
Add more ideas below and keep it going!!! I love you all xoxo
transpeter:
most of us know how important representation is, but i feel like we don’t always realize how vital it is for white cishet people to see representation as well. like my white cishet 65 year old mom’s favorite show is brooklyn nine nine, and when she first began watching it she was so perplexed by ray holt. she had never really seen black gay characters in television before, and the very few times she has they were stereotypes, so she was just so interested by him bc “gay people can be like this?”
like obviously it would be great if she already knew lgbt+ people aren’t the tired stereotypes that society tries to portray us as, and it would be great if she was more educated that Yes black gay men exist and are common. but she didn’t know that, because she’s never really seen it. but just watching brooklyn nine nine has educated her so much!! she’s seeing a black gay man run a police squad, she’s seeing a large black man be one of the most gentle people ever, she’s seeing women of color empowering each other and totally kicking ass, she’s seeing a jewish man repeatedly talking about issues such as transphobia, homophobia, anti-semitism, racism, and she’s also seeing all these characters understand when it ISNT their place to talk about certain issues
so my mom sees stuff like this and thinks “oh i was so wrong about these groups” and then she recommends these types of shows to her other ignorant friends, and she also corrects people when they say bigoted things that enforce the toxic stereotypes she is now educated on. all from some proper representation on a half-hour tv show!! like representation doesn’t just help minorities, it helps the privelage people who have ingrained bigotry in them to see what minorities are really like and what they can be and it’s so important!! and then these privelage people can move forward and use their privelage to try and help minorities. representation of minorities helps the privileged too, and helps society to evolve!! so can bigots stop saying that it only benefits minorities. even if it did only help minorities that wouldn’t be a bad thing, but that isn’t the case so?? stop??
gaymilesedgeworth:
if you’re a Youth and you’re reading this i just wanna discourage you from like….imitating the culture on this site too completely and building your whole worldview through the lens you’re finding here. just. be cautious be careful be critical
lukegarrowayisamaincharacter:
let’s leave behind “poc characters” “poc cast members” “poc ships” “poc people” and anything that uses poc as an adjective in 2016 and bring “characters of color” “cast members of color” “ships of color” into 2017…please let poc remain a noun
high-quality-not:
hey tumblr,,, i know it’s not as big of a deal to you because it’s not america,,, but canada is having a net neutrality battle too
I think we’d all really appreciate if you signal boost content that explains all of this. We need help! There are more people in California than in all of Canada, but we still need to fight off big corporations like Bell, Shaw, Rogers, Telus and Cineplex, who are trying to steal our net neutrality. The likelihood that this goes through has nothing to do with it, we need to show our government that THIS ISN’T OKAY. THAT WE CARE ABOUT OUR NET NEUTRALITY! C'MON!
