Retracts My Posting Tendril Into My Body Swiftly

having been talking and thinking about Actual Play podcasts for a few days, I think it's worth noting that the idea of the always-prepared always-witty DM who comes up with these things on the fly is as much a performance as the dragon he's voicing; these are professional products, generally with a team of people to help write scenarios, a lot of off-screen discussion with the players, and also EDITING so when something flops or they play through a scene and it doesn't work out, they can fix it.

Black Aromantic Texts Masterpost

It can be hard finding aromantic texts especially outside of the context of asexuality. Because of this, Black and mixed perspectives of aromanticism can be left out. That's why I'm sharing all the works I found for this Aro Week in a masterpost. Please share this around and support the OG Black aro writers and creators too! Tagging @blkaroculture as that's the new official Black aro culture account.

Michaela Coel On London and Love in Netflix Musical 'Been So Long' by Ann Lee on The Culture Trip (2018)

'“I googled aromanticism and I very much felt like, ‘Oh, that’s me.’ Which means if you tell me to dress up nicely because we’re going to go to a dinner with candles, it’s not going to mean a lot to me. It’s a waste of money and I have ingredients at home. Things like weddings and the expense of these things – I would rather settle for the rest of my life with a person. I am OK being by myself.'

Being Aroflux and Black by Kimberly Butler (@/TheAsexualGoddess) for AUREA (2021)

'I think black women could feel more assertive in themselves if they realized that they can be Aromantic and not pushed into this box where they have to play a role they don’t want to play. Black women deserve to explore romantic orientations as well as sexual ones and have a deep dive into how they feel. And that should be respected.'

My Personal Experiences in the Aro community by Jason W. for AUREA (@/DerelictSpectre) (2021)

'I am unaware of any exclusive space for Black aros, however I believe the creation of one would be best for the safety and wellbeing of these members of our community.'

hello! from a Black Aromantic by Mazarae, idkjustwordsyameen.wordpress (2021)

'..but because of my undesirability, because of my Blackness and Black womanhood, and because of my aromantic identity, I feel very much cut off from having the types of relationships that I would like to have.'

"I'll never fall in love and that's OK"know what it means to be aromantic by Yasmin Benoit for Stylist (2022)

''We are taught that you can have everything – great friends, a loving home, a beautiful family, a successful career, comfort within yourself – but if you’re single, you’re incomplete. You haven’t succeeded in life unless someone romantically loves you and you romantically love someone else. Some assume being aromantic must be a terrible thing – like you’re missing something essential. But romantic relationships aren’t the ultimate relationship, and I appreciate all of the others.''

Videos:

Being Aromantic (While Not Asexual) By Nick Hampshire (2017)

From time-to-time, I hear non-binary positivity breach the topics of going on HRT, as well as top surgery (usually for transmascs, but I will get into this separately)...

But almost never bottom surgery.

So I am here to say this:

If you presently have a penis and to ANY degree would be happier without it, this doesn't automatically mean you must be a woman. You don't have to be a binary woman to be valid in wanting to have a vagina. Vaginoplasty and/or orchiectomy aren't just for binary women.

If you presently have a vagina and to ANY degree would be happier without it, this doesn't automatically mean you must be a man. You don't have to be a binary man to be valid in wanting to have a penis. Metoidioplasty AND phalloplasty aren't just for binary men.

Being non-binary doesn't mean you have to "make peace" with your natal parts, you are allowed to transition your body in whichever way validates you the most.