elnotwoods’

tell me why this budgetless gay youtube series made for fun by a group of friends has the best editing and writing of anything i’ve watched in a year.

This post below brought to you by "you care too much about others opinions Shane", "Shane doesn't understand the dark side of hockey" and Shane being called a cheat and reputation trashed by think pieces and hockey society, but that not being applied to Ilya.

Also, in the author's framing of Shane as selfish in his worries about his own struggles and not paying attention to his sad boyfriend enough to have them come out. The framing implies that Ilya's depression is worsened and therefore the more injured party for not being able to publically disclose their relationship, when Shane is actually the more injured party from the fallout, and Ilya's depression is not helped by it.

Ilya is an EXPAT, not an IMMIGRANT, and that distinction is important in the way those words are viewed in a white supremacist, capitalistic way in today's world.

Shane is the actual grandchild of immigrants, as they would be viewed in Canada and North American hockey culture. In the culture, Ilya (one of many Slavic players in the NHL over generations) 'belongs' more than Shane.

There are three times as many white Slavic players in NHL history as there are any players of colour. Ilya is definitely EXPECTED and at home in the sport. Shane is an ANOMALY and treated/pressured as such.

The expat label is one that's seen to ADD, and the immigrant label is one that TAKES AWAY in Western societal construction, especially since 2015 onwards. So, in The Long Game timeline, the pressure is up on Shane.

Homophobia is one they contend with together, but there's one thing that Shane deals with alone.

The immigrant/expat view confirmed by Yuna in one of her first lines of the show: being a hockey fan, made her feel more Canadian as a kid. You can see she's now proud that her kid is being accepted as 'more Canadian' because he will ordinarily be viewed as an other, even though he is a natural born citizen with a Canadian passport.

Misan Harriman on expats:

The expat term: Europeans use it in Africa, Asia and Australia and Brits use in in mainland Europe. And so do Americans. It's a white supremacist term assigned to white temporary migrants even when they become permanent. It's worldwide and often, though a temporary visa officially, many expats apply to become immigrants and settle in the new country, they are still perceived as expats or never demanded that they return to their own country.

It's a term never specifically applied to Ilya in the text or show, but its connotations are the way he would be perceived compared to Shane's grandparents, for example. The expat label differentiates Ilya from other migrants who are discriminated against because of their skin colour or lack of funds. Ilya is subject to immigrant discrimination for xenophobia against Russians in the US & because of his queerness when he comes out, but the perceived distinction is important. Immigrant Filipino nurses, for example, obviously ADD, but they're not perceived that way. They're seen as TAKING AWAY.

Could I interest you in some pocket sized Hollanov? 👀

HUDSON WILLIAMS APPRECIATION WEEK | Day 4: Favorite Photoshoot