Holdwine

It’s cover reveal time. Coming on August 3, 2022: Chemistry by Rachael Sommers. An opposites-attract, ice queen lesbian romance about finding the softest of hearts behind the highest walls.

[Check it out here]

Newly minted high school teacher Lily Cross is young, bubbly, and can’t wait to put her fresh ideas into practice in the classroom. Her excitement is derailed after a disastrous run-in with a colleague. Lily didn’t realize she’d have to win over her fellow teachers as well as her students, but that’s okay. Lily’s up to the challenge.

Disillusioned Eva Thomas never imagined she’d wind up as a teacher in her hometown, or worse, suffer the boundless, puppy dog enthusiasm of a new colleague. Eva has no interest in making friends—or making nice. She just wants to survive her day and be left alone. That’s easier said than done when Lily Cross has you in her sights.

COSTUME EMPHASIZING BREADTH OF SHOULDERS

THEM THIGHS

WHATEVER THE FUCK THIS IS ABOUT HOLY SHIT

JAWLINE

EVERYTHING. ALL OF IT. I DON’T KNOW I’M JUST FEELING EXCEPTIONALLY WARM RIGHT NOW.

Lucy and I met on a five minute bus ride in San Diego in 2017. She had no idea who I was, but we liked each other, and I met and liked her husband Rob. Lucy and I started following each other on Twitter. In March 2020 when my family got caught in New Zealand lockdown in NZ she reached out and offered us a place to live if we needed one. We didn’t, but when Amanda would go to Auckland to record, she would stay with Lucy and her husband Rob.

When I came out of quarantine after returning to New Zealand in January 2021, Lucy picked me up, took me back to their place and she and Rob put me up for 24 hours while I adjusted to being around actual human talking people for the first time since April 2020 . The next morning she got me to the ferry, and sent me off to see my wife and son for the first time in 9 months.

Loveliest.

"butch is athleticism"

"butch is being handy"

"butch is aggressive"

Transcript:

(Speaker is facing a door at the back of the room. They turn around to face the camera in a wheelchair. Speaking begins)

Speaker: “So my neighbour saw me in my wheelchair for the first time today and asked what was wrong and if I was okay so welcome to my new segment-”

(Speaker slowly stands up out of wheelchair)

(A very quick transition and a black cane appears in their right hand. The wheelchair is no longer on screen)

(The title ‘Cane and Ableism’ flashes up on screen in bigger yellow font)

Speaker: “So shocking bit of info up top, I’m disabled. But whether I’m using this”

(Speaker gestures to cane. There’s a very quick transition where the cane disappears and is replaced by two red forearm crutches)

Speaker: “Or this. Or wheelchair.”

(Another transition. The forearm crutches disappear. The wheelchair is back on screen and the speaker slowly sits back down)

Speaker: “It shouldn’t be treated any differently. However whether it is consciously or subconsciously, society has created a hierarchy, a evolutionary chart of disability mobility aids, where wheelchairs, power chairs are at the bottom.”

(A short pause. Speaker stands up. Wheelchair disappears after a transition and the red forearm crutches return)

Speaker: “Crutches, walkers etc. In the middle”

(Right forearm crutch is held up higher and then another transition. The Crutches are replaced again with the black cane in the right hand)

Speaker: “The cane is just above that, and, of course, the alpha….”

(cane disappears, there are no mobility aids in shot)

Speaker: “To nothing at all. Now this is where it can get tricky, and this line of thinking can lead to ableism and internalised ableism, because the people who need mobility aids are doing everything they can to fight against it so they can stay right here.”

(speaker gestures to self, standing without the aid of a mobility aid)

Speaker: “So is here better? Well for me personally, here’s where I have the most pain. Now if I were to go to this”

(Quick transition. Cane pops back into frame in speaker’s right hand)

Speaker: “This (the cane) has less pain.”

(Transition between cane and red forearm crutches. The cane is gone. The crutches are on either arm.)

Speaker: “This (the forearm crutches) is less pain”

(Transition. Forearm crutches have disappeared. The wheelchair is back on screen. The speaker lowers themself to sit in it.)

Speaker: “And this (the wheelchair) barely any pain at all. So when we say what’s better, what we’re really saying is what’s better for society, when we should be saying what’s better for you.”

(Speaker points quickly to the camera)

Speaker: “And you’re the one that matters the most.”