i pronounce MAOIs like yaoi

writers describing characters as "stocky", "thick", or "soft" has ALWAYS been code for "fat" in writing. a lot of writers (and people in general) are scared of the word "fat" and will avoid it as a descriptor at all costs.

(to be very clear, "fat" is a morally neutral word unless the person saying it intends for it not to be. I am a fat person - this is the simplest and easiest descriptor to explain my body and i will continue to use this word to explain my body in a morally neutral way.)

But, to return to the point, this is an existing issue in the literary world - just like there are many writers that use words like "tanned" or "olive toned" when they're scared to clarify the character isn't white. Both situations are problems in literary spaces that we've had for ages.

Soft language is used as a descriptor whenever a character isn't thin, fit, or white. So, no, we're not stupid for "imagining" Harris as chubby or fat

that being said, i am looking forward to Justice Smith's portrayal of Harris Drover. and NO, him being black is NOT an issue and if that is YOUR issue - we are not the fucking same. "Erasing a character's white identity" is in no fucking way the same as removing the precious little fat representation in romance media we already get.

Especially because media is not created in a vacuum and it IS worth mentioning that we're currently in a heightened state of fatphobia and body harming via fashion drugs like Ozempic - removing the fatness from a main romance lead IS a statement that we all get to feel something about.

I'll even go a step further and say that it will be an incredible addition to Harris' character to be a black man who has lived his life as openly gay while being loved and supported by his family. That in itself is so rare in media and I can't wait to see the Drover family absolutely adore their gay son. (and his new boyfriend!)

UTI baby is home!! vet bill was $368.24 CAD which is $100 more than we thought. If you're able to help, it would be super appreciated!

For the upcoming Truth and Reconciliation Day (Sept 30), I wanted to share some Indigenous films made by various Indigenous directors, starring actors from many Indigenous communities, that speaks of their stories and experiences.

L’inhumain (2021) - directed by Jason Brennan (Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg), Genre: horror/thriller. Viewing: tout.tv platform.

A rare French-language Indigenous genre film, L’inhumain is the directorial debut of Anishinaabe producer and writer Jason Brennan. It’s a thrilling and evocative parable about the dangers of feeding the monster inside, and faithfully portrays an Anishinaabe Wendigo story. Starring Samian, an Indigenous neurosurgeon by the name of Mathieu who has had to leave his community at a young age because of school. After many years, Matt has somewhat rebuilt his life away from the community. Although he’s got a great family and a successful job, he’s still trying to fill the void left by having left behind his culture, his roots, and his family. In attempts to fill this void, he’s giving in to many different vices and the slippery slope has led him to fall prey to the Wendigo.

Angry Inuk (2016) directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Inuk from Iqaluit, Nunavut). Genre: documentary. Viewing: National Film Board of Canada platform.

In her award-winning documentary, director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril joins a new tech-savvy generation of Inuit as they campaign to challenge long-established perceptions of seal hunting. Armed with social media and their own sense of humour and justice, this group is bringing its own voice into the conversation and presenting themselves to the world as a modern people in dire need of a sustainable economy.

Alethea Arnaquq-Baril is also the co-creator of the drama comedy series North of North, now available on CBC and Netflix in Canada.

Call Me Human (Je m’appelle humain) (2020), directed by Kim O’Bomsawin (Abenaki) Genre:documentary. Viewing:tout.tv platform

Innu writer Joséphine Bacon is part of a generation that has lived through significant changes in Indigenous traditions and colonialist displacement. Born in the Innu community of Pessamit, Bacon was sent to residential school at the age of five and spent fourteen years of her life there. Now, with charm, grace, and quiet tenacity, she is leading a movement to preserve her people’s language and culture.

This endearing film moves with Bacon across Canada — Montreal, Pessamit, and the tundra. In each place she visits, Bacon shares reflections and stories, backdropped by the film’s stunning cinematography. The contrasts between city and wilderness mirror Bacon’s upbringing, creating a poignant sense of the displacement she and her generation experienced. At the same time, the film offers a moving, inspirational meditation on the interconnectedness of language, earth, spirituality, and culture.

Dear Flora (2022) directed by Sonia Bonspille Boileau (Mohawk). Genre: Drama. Viewing: tout.tv platform, APTN Lumi platform, Apple Tv rent/buy

The Dear Flora drama series portrays the inherent resilience of two Anishinaabe siblings who endured their childhood in a Quebec residential school in the 1960s. The film explores their present-day challenges as they grapple with the lingering effects of their past.

Beans (2020) director: Tracey Deer (Mohawk). Genre: drama. Viewing: CBC gem, Apple TV rent/buy.

1.) reservation dogs (2021, drama/comedy) - television show, available on hulu

SYNOPSIS: A half-hour comedy that follows four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma as they steal, rob and save to get to the exotic, mysterious and faraway land of California.

WHY I LOVE IT: i am a fan of devery jacobs, but the entire cast is incredibly charming. it’s easy to watch at your own pace. while funny, it’s also gut-wrenching with its highlights on issues of indigenous communities such as suicide, mental illness, and identity.

2.) blood quantum (2018, horror/action) — film, available on shudder and tubi

SYNOPSIS: The dead are coming back to life and almost all of Earth's population are decimated due to a zombie virus, except for the isolated Mi'kmaq reserve of Red Crow, whose indigenous inhabitants who are strangely immune to the zombie plague.

WHY I LOVE IT: the concept is cool as hell. and while i think it could’ve had a longer runtime and bit more love on the screenplay, i think it’s worth the watch if you’re in the mood for a zombie flick!

3.) spirit: stallion of the cimarron (2002, family/western) - animated film, available on amazon

SYNOPSIS: Follows the adventures of a wild and rambunctious mustang stallion as he journeys through the untamed American frontier. Encountering man for the first time, Spirit defies being broken, even as he develops a remarkable friendship with a young Lakota brave. The courageous young stallion also finds love with a beautiful paint mare named Rain on his way to becoming one of the greatest unsung heroes of the Old West.

WHY I LOVE IT: it was one of my favorite movies as a kid, so i’ll always have a soft spot for it. while the main characters are horses, it’s still a solid commentary on the brutality of manifest destiny and western expansion.

4.) prey (2022, action/sci-fi/horror) - film, available on hulu

SYNOPSIS: A skilled Comanche warrior protects her tribe from a highly evolved alien predator that hunts humans for sport, fighting against wilderness, dangerous colonisers and this mysterious creature to keep her people safe.

WHY I LOVE IT: again, i am a horror fan and i love amber midthunder! the action is great and the story is well-rounded and satisfying. i love every second of it. 1000% recommend it!

5.) rhymes for young ghouls (2013, horror/drama) - film, available on youtube and amazon

SYNOPSIS: In 1976, a Mi'gMaq teenager plots revenge against the sadistic Indian agent who imprisoned her in a residential school where rape and abuse are common.

WHY I LOVE IT: this is the movie that made me a fan of devery jacobs! such a great movie. this movie is horrifying— and not because of jump scares or gore. it’s horrifying because it is a history lesson. but while mournful and gritty, it’s also a very tender film at its core.

please check these movies out if you need something to watch! and if you have suggestions for me, please share them!

my current watchlist for indigenous movies is:

wildhood (2021)

fancy dance (2023)

rez ball (2024)

dark winds (2022)

Here is the link to the article. I put her family's GoFundMe below, they have almost reached their goal.

I don't have much to say here that hasn't been said better before, because this keeps happening.