#tender as hell

I watched the second season of OFMD on an airplane before seeing the first season. I knew from that first dream sequence that it wasn’t like all the other shows. But a moment that really jumped out at me was in the second episode when Zheng says, “how should I put this, your energy is…” and Olu immediately offers “tender?” with Roach jumping in, “we’re tender as hell” (with the eyes of a madman btw). And the joke wasn’t self-deprecating like it would be on almost any other show. In fact, it wasn’t even a joke. Just a fact. And a point of pride! You can see it from Olu’s smile and Stede’s pleased, “hmm!” I didn’t realize how much it would mean to me to see a tv show chisel away at toxic masculinity episode by episode but it’s certainly part of why this show took hold of me.

things roach has given us lately:

This seems silly to talk about in light of all the other stuff that happened in 6 and 7….but Roach talking about his curl pattern made me so happy. Curly/natural haired people already get swept under the rug in media (don’t get me started how almost every curly haired character eventually gets straight hair by the end of the show, or straightens their hair for their glow up moment). Your curls are so personal to you, and often they are so unique. Roach noticing his curl pattern changing as an indicator that he needed more self care? That’s a whole mood.