#righteous rant

I present to you urban version of Goddess Anoia - patron saint of women who don’t want to talk to you on public transit:

by PruneyWitch

7k

Summary: a Quirkless hero appeared on the streets (no, it’s not Izuku) and Aizawa decides to make him the topic of his class on human rights. Debates ensue.

Frankie’s comment: when I read this I thought “oooh finally, finally a stage for Izuku to say his piece on this topic.” It’s honestly something that is sorely missing in canon, like, oh yeah the protagonist is quirkless but he can be a hero because we’re gonna pass this super powerful quirk onto him, and Melissa Shield is also quirkless but that’s ok cuz she’s rich as fuck and her father is a famous inventor owner of an island, the rest of the quirkless can keep being discriminated and suicide baited in the background but we won’t talk about that! I think MHA is an extremely well-thought out universe, but the reason I love fanfiction so much is they pick up on nuances that even canon didn’t and develop them, often better than canon. So yeah, I needed this fic in my archive even though it has no ships nor a proper story just because it’s my headcanon that Izuku would and should fight more for the quirkless and against discrimination.

I see you and I love you.

So, even though everyone's given their two cents on the strawman comics floating around either denouncing hateful feminists or denouncing people who denounce other people using passive aggressive comics or any combination of the above, I thought I'd give my two cents as well.  Because the whole entire thing makes me sad and depressed and here's why:

It's all devolved into "teams" again.  It always does.  It's always "us vs. them" or "me against people with different opinions" or "ideology vs. ideology" - it's all just teams!  Why can't everyone understand that this sort of division into "a vs. b" is the most harmful thing we can do to the discourse?  When you categorize someone into a "team" you dismiss them, which is why we do it so naturally.  You literally go "oh, well they're part of that side, so they are exactly the same as everyone else on that side, and I can make assumptions about them because I've categorized them."  Hello!  That's exactly what we're trying not to do, ever.  We're not supposed to say "Oh, all feminists are like this" or "all bronies are like this," "all asexuals are like this," "all _____ are like this."  But that's what mentally making "teams" does.  And we need to stop it.  

We need to stop making teams to excuse ourselves from thinking and treating each person we meet as a unique and special individual who we should get to know and understand.  And that's why both the original comic and the responses to it just make me want to cry: both "teams" make generalizations that don't foster getting to know people on the other "team."  Ah - you see, even I'm doing it!  Even I am trapped in this "team" mentality and just made generalizations about both sides!  We need to escape this!  We need to escape this divisive way of mental categorization!

So, the bottom line is: treat every person like an individual.  A rational, thinking individual.  When you challenge them on something they've done, make sure that you are challenging a specific action that person did, and not simply attacking an opinion.  Because actions can make you an asshole; an opinion on it's own can not.  Does he treat you like shit because you declined his romantic offer for a date?  Congratulations, he's an asshole and you can avoid interacting with him.  Does she treat you like shit because you're a man even though you've just met?  Congratulations, she's an asshole and you can avoid interacting with her.  Does she think that abortion is wrong?  Welp, she's not an asshole and you should talk to her to find out why she believes what she does, then tell her your beliefs and why you hold them, and then you'll both understand each other a little better.  Does she then go and picket an abortion clinic, yelling at women that they are shit until she's red in the face?  Congratulations, now she's an asshole and you can attack her specifically for something she's done.

the amount of e____e i have for how the media is regulating klaine after "original song" is unfathomable. there were so many moments that were obviously filmed but never put into the final cut because even after all glee has done to open the eyes of the public, so many people are still and will always be homophobic. really grinds my gears because ive grown used to being in a semi-tolerant environment where everyone either blatantly ignores the fact im not straight, pretends its just a phase or is also part of the lgbtq community and wow i forgot how angry i can get when homophobes think they can do what they want and push their ideals around lol