Idishido

Durham pride happened today. the Reform UK led council cut the funding, with the deputy leader, a gay man himself, citing "gender ideology, kids on puberty blockers, and men in women's spaces" as the reason he disapproved of pride. it went ahead thanks to group such as Durham Miner's Association fundraising (solidarity forever!) but the fact still stands that this attack on trans people hurt the entire queer community.

this new guidance hurts queer people in many ways (another example: gay and lesbian couples where one person is trans will no longer be protected as same sex couples under the Equalities Act) and of course, hurts our trans siblings the most (feeling unsure or unsafe about using public bathrooms will lead to trans people going out less. trans men are expected to either break the law or simply not go. trans people will be excluded from pools, gyms and spas that don't have mixed sex changing rooms.)

i wrote about all that, but you may have your own thoughts or relevant experiences about how this guidance has or will impact you or your loved ones. so write it. call on your MP to do the following:

Demand full parliamentary scrutiny, debate and a free vote on this Code.

Support any motion tabled in Parliament objecting to it.

Write to the Minister for Women and Equalities and the Prime Minister.

or, if you don't have it in you to write ten paragraphs (which is very understandable), you should still fill out this email template with your own personal touches and sign this petition, if you're british. and if you're not british, you should reblog this so your british followers can see it.

Had a nightmare where Caine talked like ChatGPT. It was so terrifying that I woke up crying and panicking and started stabbing random people on the street.

A couple discord buddies were talking about whether Caine passes the “Harkness test,” and I drew this comic inspired by the conversation [featuring: Jax’s internalized freak-phobia, but I'll save my essay on the way Jax & Caine inflict their insecurities onto other people for the tags]. I do like how Caine's response to Zooble asking for sex in episode 6 is to immediately make "Adventure Where Zooble Could Get Shot with Gun."

I'll say it once I'll say it again, Fishlegs is just as self-important as Snotlout. It's just that the Fishlegs is scrawny and short-sighted. If Fishlegs had been born in Snotlout's position, with the same physique and stature, I reckon they'd be very very similar. minus the bullying.

One of the aspects i really like about 'How to Ride a Dragon's Storm' is that no one is initially sympathetic to the Wanderers. Including Hiccup.

They're uncomfortable with slavery but they fully buy into the demonisation and dehumanisation of the Other. Hiccup wasn't thinking about their plight untill he's forced too and the Slavemark is forced on him. It's only by interacting with them as people and just generally being forced to carry the mark himself does he start feeling a greater duty to everyone.

I really appreciate that. Hiccup isn't born immune to his society's propaganda or some clear eyed free thinker. He learns because he's born vulnerable into a place of power, and said place means he's frequently faced between choosing power or choosing the people he's come to know through his vulnerability. Something something Love.

For contrasting reasons, I'll also say in Fishlegs's corner, that his tendency to keep his head lower and greater need to prove himself probably comes from being rock bottom of the Vikings in their hierarchy. Like his house is built apart from every one else's. In Steal A Sword there's an undercurrent to Stoick insisting that Hiccup stay away from him because everyone knows what Fishlegs is and he can't have people drawing connections to Hiccup.

If Hiccup or Camicazi go off on a quest to what they think need to be done and get into trouble, they'll get a whole fleet out looking for him. Hiccup has to sneak out to save Fishlegs. By Heartbreak Hiccup is savey enough to know he shouldn't bother asking. There's a reason the moment Hiccup thinks Fishlegs is dead dead that Hiccup decides he is going to become the King Of The Wilderwest for 'Fishlegs and everyone like him.'