Yes They’re Trump Supporters But Call Them What They Are: Terrorists

A quick summary of what’s happening in DC: Congress was supposed to certify the US Presidential Election today, but a pro-Trump mob protesting the results have forced their way into the Capitol building, and are attempting a coup. This is following weeks of Trump telling his supporters to not accept election results.

I’ve been following the PBS News Hour livefeed here, and NYTimes’ live chat analysis.

oh so when pro trump protestors/proud boys CLIMB THE STEPS OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING AND SEND THE CAPITOL INTO LOCKDOWN AND THERE IS NO LAW ENFORCEMENT NO NATIONAL GAURD NO MILITARY NO RUBBER BULLETS NO NOTHING. BLACL LIVES MATTER GETS RUBBER BULLETS, UNIDENTIFIED MILITARY PERSONNEL, TEARGAS, MASS ARRESTS, POLICE BRUTALITY AND THEY DONT GET ANYTHING??? PEOPLE ARE SCLAING THE SIDES OF THE CAPITOL BUILDIND AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING

Josey was found 3 hours after they rented the boat, alone, asleep and wearing a life jacket, and he told the police that Naya jumped into the water and never resurfaced, and it's sickening that people are making jokes about it now when a four year old might have lost his mother and that will be something that will haunt him for the rest of his life!!!! Do not make light of this situation!!!! You don't have to like her, just don't say anything then, if I see one more post being like, "I don't like Naya Rivera and she is a bad person who did this and that, BUT..." JUST SHUT UP!! I hope that she is found.

If you’re queer and a Disney fan, you’ve no doubt watched the new Pixar movie Luca and have picked up on the HEAVY queer-coding between Luca and Alberto. 

Here’s my take on why I don’t think it’s ‘coded’ but rather blatantly queer.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

So, yes the director has stated he didn’t ‘plan’ for it to ‘come across like a gay romance’ but keep in mind that most people who work at Disney can end up under very strict rules in regards to discussing LGBTQ+ topics publicly. Disney parks actors are reportedly not even allowed to say ‘gay rights’ or ‘happy pride’ so it’s understandable that the people involved in creating Luca refuse to openly say it’s a gay story.

But the fact of the matter is IT IS. And here is my argument as to why.

First of all it’s obvious right off the bat when you begin the movie that it is serving strong Little Mermaid vibes. Alberto collecting human objects, Luca dreaming of going to the surface and his parents saying no and forbidding it. All things from the classic Little Mermaid. But how is The Little Mermaid queer you ask? I’ll tell you.

The Little Mermaid, the Disney film is obviously based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale and Hans Christian Anderson was a bisexual man who put blatant coming out metaphors into his original tale. Then when Howard Ashman came along to write the Disney adaptation he also put heavy queer elements into it. Ashman was an openly gay man suffering from AIDS during the AIDS epidemic and those themes definitely showed up not just in The Little Mermaid but in all his Disney Renaissance films. And of course, Ursula was modeled after a drag queen. 

How else was Luca a queer masterpiece? The entire narrative parallels the coming out experience. When Luca’s parents learn he’s been going to the surface to spend time with a boy there they decide to send him away to ‘The Deep’ a horrible dark and desolate part of the ocean to help him ‘straighten out’ this is an OBVIOUS nod to conversion therapy, a tragedy that befalls many queer kids/teens when they try and come out to their parents. We also see parental rejection in Alberto when we learn that his father abandoned him. 

When Luca runs away with Alberto they then of course have to hide who they are from everyone around them because sea monsters have been vilified by the town. Again, this is an obvious metaphor for homophobia. Showing that Luca and Alberto can only be their true selves when they’re in private.

Also, speaking of their true selves, their sea monster colors combined make up the colors of the men loving men (mlm) pride flag. 

Alberto also soon shows tell tale signs of jealousy over the fact that Luca begins to spend time with Giulia alone. It is clear it is not the kind of jealousy one holds for someone they only view as a friend.

Later in the film when Alberto shows Giulia that he is a sea monster he hopes that Luca will join him in this (again OBVIOUS) metaphor for coming out. But Luca is terrified and treats Alberto like a monster, going along with the societal expectation to condemn sea monsters.

Later, when Luca lets the rain fall on him, exposing his true sea monster self in order to save Alberto this is the ultimate expression of true love. Then when the two stop to help Giulia after she’s hurt, we see that while many people in the town still hate and distrust sea monsters, many people, including Giullia’s dad who up until this moment had also shown hatred towards sea monsters, realizes the mistake in his long held prejudice and having grown to know Luca and Alberto he openly accepts them for who they are.

And in one of the most beautiful and heartwarming shots of the entire film, we see a couple of elderly women that had been in a few scenes as background characters, let their umbrellas down so the rain can fall on them and reveal that they too are sea monsters. And clearly, sapphic women.

In the second to last scene we see Luca, Alberto and Luca’s family celebrating with Giulia’s family. A beautiful found family scene that so many of us queer kids either had growing up, or desperately wish we had. We learn that Luca’s mother fears (and has always feared) that Luca will essentially be a victim of a hate crime because she knows how awful the world can be towards sea monsters. The same way that even today so many people are so hateful to queer people. But Luca’s grandmother assures her:

“Some people, they’ll never accept him, but some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones.”

This is such a beautiful encapsulation of what it is like to exist in the world as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Not everyone will see you as a whole person and accept you for who you are. Some will be downright hateful. But some will be loving and wonderfully supportive. The film Luca shows what it is like to finally find those individuals who stand by you no matter what.

Lastly, the ending is one of the most obviously romantic scenes ever. With Alberto and Luca sharing a tearful goodbye as Luca tells Alberto he can’t go without him and Alberto assures him he’ll be okay. Then Alberto holds Luca’s hand, chasing after him for as long as he can.

People have argued this isn’t a gay movie because they’re kids and to insist that they’re gay is inappropriate because it’s a children’s film. This is an incredibly ignorant and homophobic argument. Many people have childhood loves. And to insinuate that putting gay characters in a children’s story is somehow inherently bad and not suitable for children to see only continues to invalidate LGBTQ+ youths, and children who have queer parents, friends, family members. Luca and Alberto are at an age the director described as ‘pre-romance’ they are finding themselves, discovering who they are and what it means to form a true and intimate bond with someone. They are at an age where it is normal to question your feelings and sexuality. It is perfectly normal and okay and BEAUTIFUL for these two boys to be gay and feeling childhood versions of love and the early stages of what could one day become a budding romance toward one another. 

No one would ever argue that Peter Pan and Wendy weren’t in love even though they were kids. So ask yourself, if Luca’s character was a girl would these homophobic viewers still argue there was no budding childhood romance written into the story? No, they wouldn’t.

Also, they released this movie during Pride Month. I mean, COME ON.

So that’s my take on why Luca is a blatantly gay movie. I am so happy that kids will now have this movie to watch while growing up. I wish there had been a movie like this for me when I was a kid. A beautiful film that normalizes and celebrates queer kids and queer love. 

Happy Pride Month everyone.

This was drawn a while back but felt fitting to post now. Sometimes we feel something is so obvious we forget we need to explain it. Hope this helps informing!

y’all saying Black Lives Matter for one situation just don’t sit right with me, it goes beyond police brutality!!!

it’s Black women dying at a higher rate during childbirth. it’s Black people being exposed to COVID-19 at a higher rate. it's about Black people like Henrietta Lacks being taken advantage of in thee medical field, but are still being denied healthcare. it's Black people being denied job opportunities due to the name on their applications. it's Black people being denied into higher institutions despite having the same qualifications as their non-Black counterparts. it's Black people having their creations and ideas stolen without being given credit simply because a good percentage of society still believes in 2021, mind you, that Black people are not creative enough or smart enough or skilled enough. it's the decrease of federal funding for schools in predominantly Black neighborhoods due to gerrymandering and redlining. it's Black people being denied housing due to laws in NUMEROUS STATES that inform realtors to refrain from selling black people those homes. it's the kidnapping and murders of Black people that don't make it on the news. it's Black trans women having a life expectancy of 23 YEARS OLD. it's Black people, especially Black trans people, being incarcerated at disproportionately high rates. it's Black people with criminal records who can't find jobs to turn their lives around because they're stuck in one spot after being released from the incarceration system. it's every single Black life that has been lost to racially motivated killings, whether it be the police or by citizens. It's about being the foundation for electing a new President of the United States.

It's about knowing that even though there is still a lot of work to do as a nation, electing someone who values the lives of people over the lives of bank accounts is a step in the right direction.

Black Lives Matter is not just about protesting against police brutality. this is deeper than that.

All Black Lives Matter. Not just the ones you specifically are a fan of. Not just in death, but in life as well.

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

24/7, 365. Not just during February.

BLACK LIVES MATTER.

PSA to my white friends and followers: In the wake of a phenomenally important guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial, I’d like to remind you all that the fallout of this case will likely mean more police violence against our Black friends and neighbors, not less. Looking at the statistics in the weeks leading up to this verdict shows that this is already the case. Police in this country are angry that society is beginning to hold them accountable for their abusive actions, and they are looking for revenge. So if you see a cop interacting with a BIPOC, DO NOT walk away. Video record if you can (and as long as it doesn’t further jeopardize the safety of the BIPOC involved), but absolutely do not walk away. It is critical that we do our part and look out for people, and make cops think twice about abusing their powers of authority and near-immunity to murder citizens people.

hey, so if you haven’t heard, político published a document leaked from the united states supreme court tonight.

that document, while not yet set into law, shows that the supreme court voted to overturn all federal laws protecting the right to abortion in the united states of america.

these prior rulings, roe and casey were decided on the basis that the surveillance of abortion as a medical procedure violated the fourth amendment of the united states constitution, which protects our right to privacy.

this decision will impact more than just abortion.

it will impact gender-affirming care, the drugs you’re prescribed, the surgeries and procedures you undergo.

if you’re marginalized, i’m so sorry, we basically just lost hipaa protections for us.

if this doesn’t directly impact you, donate to planned parenthood, to the trans lifeline, to your local abortion funds and mutual aid funds. protect our privacy.

nytimes.com

Leaked Supreme Court Draft Would Overturn Roe v. Wade

A majority of the court privately voted to strike down the landmark abortion rights decision, according to the document, obtained by Politic