The Sapphics' Guide to Punk Radicalism

The God of War Laufey gameplay trailer came out just yesterday- and I was genuinely so hyped. Not only was the combat and visuals an absolute masterpiece, but the lore potential was insane. The mask Faye looked at was the mask Odin was trying to look through- meaning Odin was trying to study the 'Everywhen'/Afterlife of the gods. There's crossovers between different mythologies- and not only that, but we get to see HER memories of Kratos from HER perspective. We get to see her life- her legacy- from HER perspective. Not just her best traits- but also her flaws, her deeper thinking, her fears, and perhaps even a further look into her life before she met Kratos. But the MINUTE I hop on YT or social media? Every video and their mother is yelling "WAAAAAHHHH THIS ISN'T REAL GOD OF WAR BECAUSE THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A WOMAN, THIS IS FORCED DIVERSITY" The mere existence of a woman protagonist to you is 'forced diversity?'

I'm genuinely sick of people doing this. Y'all did this with Ghost of Yotei. Y'all did this with Supergirl. Y'all did this with MJ in Spiderman 1 and 2's Insomniac games because she was an important character. Y'all did this with almost ANY character who was a minority in literally ANY way, shape or form- and it's genuinely exhausting to see. If y'all don't like the upcoming God of War game because you prefer the source material? Okay- fine. Just as people are allowed to like things, people are also allowed to dislike things.

But if you don't like it JUST because Faye's a woman? Feel free to block and unfollow me- I don't give a damn. Because that's not an 'opinion,' that's just straight up sexism. If you call the existence of a realistically written woman main character in a game 'forced diversity,' it'd be easier for you to say that you consider women accessories or novelties and not actual fucking people.

What makes the villain the villain (inasmuch as it's useful to examine TLT characters through that kind of simplistic lens) is that when the chips are down and he has to choose, his priority is punishing the wicked, not saving the people left behind.

I would invite anyone whose engagement with their cause consists of finding the 'correct' group of people to hate, to consider whether 'evil emperor' is the next career move you see yourself taking, and if it isn't, to gently suggest disembarking from the hate train.

I’m sure I’m late to the party, but holy shit, Sucker Punch created an all-time yuri dynamic in Ghost of Yotei.

Atsu, a young woman on the road to revenge, sworn to kill the six blades that took away her family.

Oyuki, the orphan shinobi who got in too deep with the wrong people, and wasn’t brave enough to fight back until pushed to kill a young girl.

The shinobi was complicit in the murder of the young woman’s mother, but also risked her own life to give the young woman a chance to live.

The shinobi is punished for her defiance, but begins to plot in secret against her corrupt lord. Before she can succeed, she is betrayed by her student, stripped of her mask, and exiled from her own organization, forced to scrape by as a traveling musician.

But then the young woman resurfaces, having honed her rage and pointed it at those who made her suffer. She kills at least one of the six, before heading north.

When they meet again, neither knows it. They are simply the shamisen player and the onryō. They make common cause in bringing down the men who made them suffer, targeting first the new Kitsune.

But then Oyuki learns Atsu’s name. And she realizes who she is. But even knowing Atsu has pledged to kill her, she remains. The common cause persists, and Atsu has grown powerful. But is that all this is? Oyuki dates to envision a path other than death at the end of a blade, not just for herself, but for Atsu too. It’s something Atsu hasn’t envisioned for herself, but Oyuki dangles it in front of her: a life as traveling musicians, with only each other to rely upon.

But the common cause remains. And in its pursuit, the truth comes to light. Atsu pursues Oyuki with murderous intent, but Oyuki refuses to run. She waits, unwilling to flee even to save herself. She even offers to let Atsu kill her, but argues that this only serves the interest of their common foe. And Atsu relents, even her rage unable to stay stoked in the face of the beguiling shamisen player.

And it doesn’t even end there. But goddamn, what a setup. It’s got everything: age gaps that are just big enough to be extra sexy, enemies to lovers, shared trauma, gratuitous violence.

what's more,

there is a gaping

hole in my

stomach through

which strangers

can see where

my womb

isn't

they do not

say I'm sorry

for your loss.

they stick their

hands inside and

they look stern

when they tell me

it's a disgusting

-having a job

-not having a job

-applying for jobs

-the job market

[...] Harrow looked back at Gideon, and Gideon's eyes, as they always did, startled her: their deep, chromatic amber, the startling hot gold of freshly-brewed tea.  She winked.