RTC.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Friday, 31 July 2026
Graphic Novel Review - 'A Smile Like Yours' by Emily Thomas
Rhys Moore is a gay Welsh boy with prosopagnosia who is just starting university in London. 'A Smile Like Yours' is his coming-of-age journey, where the shy, anxious boy navigates the difficulties in his social life and in his academic studies (medical microbiology, in honour of his world-explorer scientist mum) in his first year at uni.
Mostly it is about his relationship with Malcolm Green, one of his flatmates, who is studying the fine arts (embroidery - how absolutely lovely!), and who has a long-distance girlfriend, Lottie. Slight spoiler, but Malcolm is a biromantic asexual.
Things definitely get complicated between Rhys and Malcolm (Rhys's face blindness is the least of it), as feelings stir and blossom, out of control.
Both lovely boys are at different stages of dealing with anxiety, as well.
Other players in Rhys's uni-story are: Oli Patton, who is his fellow biology and medical student, and new best friend (they are also nonbinary); his other flatmates Aanya, Holly and Fabian; and the seniors Fen (student rep) and Orla, who are girlfriends. Rhys's teasy but loving and supportive older sister Cari is also a laugh.
I knew basically nothing about prosopagnosia before I read 'A Smile Like Yours'. I had heard of face blindness, but not the scientific term for it. So it was great to read any piece of media, let alone a graphic novel, with a protagonist who has prosopagnosia - 'A Smile Like Yours' is told from Rhys's point of view, and we follow him and explore the world and life as he sees it; as he interacts with the people around him.
Which brings me to the artwork. It's cute and charming and I really like it. It's mostly white, with different shades of purple and lilac, but whenever Rhys searches for a person's unique indicators or "identifiers" that don't have anything specifically to do with their face, in order to recognise them, that person is in colour. They literally light up for him. This is a fantastic and accessible way for the reader to understand Rhys's perspective, through his prosopagnosia, and how he navigates life with it. How he processes people, even his family who he has known since birth, and how he makes new friends at university, by relying on identifiers, and context clues (the scene where he explains all this to Malcolm is bloody brilliant). He even has trouble registering his own face in mirrors and in photos, and what he looks like.
Colours are huge indicators in art, in establishing character and feeling.
And 'A Smile Like Yours' is certainly a feelings-type book.
The art also reminds me of the works of Nick Sharratt. How nostalgic!
Onto the negative critiques now:
The issue of how Rhys and Malcolm get together (not a spoiler, I'd say it's obvious) while Malcolm is in a monogamous relationship is, thankfully and appreciatively, handled better than I expected. It's still slightly iffy. It turns out I have as low a tolerance for cheating as apparently everybody else does, but this cheating storyline at least treats Malcolm's girlfriend, Lottie, as a character deserving of respect...except when she is once referred to by Oli as "The Girlfriend" with a capital T and G. Ugh! But Lottie is as lovely and likeable as nearly everyone else...then she conveniently disappears near the end of the book, after an off-panel official breakup. What a shame.
The only character I don't like is Fabian, or Fab, as he's called. He's the stereotypical laddish frat boy of Rhys's friend group: meaning, he's a sexist, horny douchebag, who goes through girls in his bed as quickly as he does his boxers. Or tissues. One of Fab's moments of bare-minimum decency is when he backs off flirting with a girl he just met when he realises she's a lesbian and already spoken for - no means no no matter what, you one-dimensional, one-track-minded, one-organ-functioning sleaze! What's worse is the obnoxious git is never called out for his comments and behaviour; at best his friends treat him like he's an idiot, which he is, but I wouldn't call him a harmless idiot.
It's 2026 - 2000s unchecked perverted frat boy Neanderthal-ism and so-called "locker-room talk" should not be tolerated anymore. Why are we still writing male characters like this? We know by now that, in both real life and fiction, they are not funny or charming; they are scum, misogynistic scum, even when they are not, higher powers forbid, rapey.
At least Fab isn't in this graphic novel much. Though it seems like the author had planned to do something more with his character at some point in development. For example, he is the first to discover Rhys and Malcolm's affair when Malcolm is still with Lottie, and he deals with the infidelity in an immature way and seems to have a bitter chip on his shoulder about it. But this is abandoned later on. Fab never says or does anything that furthers any progression in the story. He is inconsequential.
In one of the more touching interactions between Rhys and Malcolm, Rhys confesses that his biggest fear is not recognising his mum, as her STEM job takes her abroad most of the time. Whenever she does see him, she might have changed enough that the physical attributes that Rhys uses to identify her won't be there anymore, and he won't be able to recognise his own mother. It is a startling, heartbreaking and beautiful moment. And yet, at the end where his mother is home and he sees her, it is treated as nothing. There is no buildup, no anticipation, no special moment, no scene, period; Rhys's mum is suddenly just present and that's that, as if she'd always been there, along with his dad and sister. Did the author forget about the abovementioned scene? About that aspect of Rhys's character? About the mum being away for the rest of the year?
Rhys's love affair with Malcolm, and his studies, really take precedence over everything else in his life, don't they?
Rhys could have talked more about his prosopagnosia; as in, mention it at all to his friends, other than Malcolm, and Oli, Fen and Orla. From the beginning it seems as if he will eventually open up about it more to people, especially during the scene where he is talking about his day to his mum on the phone, about how he is struggling and becoming depressed and lonely. But then it is never brought up again. It's never made clear if the rest of his flatmates know about his face blindness. In fact, Aanya, Holly and Fab are kind of gradually phased out of the story near the end, sadlyminus Fab. Like Lottie, they barely get a chance to develop as fully-fledged and fleshed-out characters in their own right.
In the scene where Rhys attends a tabletop gaming club/society with Oli for the first time, he says he has face blindness (this is after he told Malcolm), which Orla thoughtlessly dismisses, not believing it to be a real thing. Their conversation is interrupted before he can fully explain his condition - and hopefully educate her - and then it is never followed up on. It's gone from the book just like that.
Another character issue left unresolved.
And as nice as the artwork is, there are a few inconsistencies to it. For example, the Dean's Talk at the Fresher's Fair: the Dean's glasses disappear and then reappear in each panel she is in, as she talks on stage in the lecture hall.
There are other little moments that bother me, but only marginally.
'A Smile Like Yours' - Malcolm's smile is one of his identifiers, and it's the only facial feature that Rhys registers - its niggling, bumpy, wobbly flaws can't ruin its cakey whole, and it is a strongly recommended YA graphic novel from me. It's so sweet and charmingminus Fab! A lovely, starry, Christmassy comfort blanket of a comic.
It is like 'Heartstopper', and Becky Albertalli's novels. It is one of the better LBGTQA+ YA graphic novels out there. Its diversity and inclusivity points are off the charts. Wide spectrum queer rep, race rep, disability rep, mental health rep, body positivity rep, it is all hereagain minus Fab.
I haven't even talked about how much it reminds me of my own time at university in the UK - over ten years ago!
How things change and yet stay the same.
I am old. But 'A Smile Like Yours' made me feel young again.
It is guaranteed to warm your heart, and make you smile.
"It's often easier to let others recognize me first and go from there."
"It's surprisingly easy to blame yourself for the way you were born."
"It actually feels really good to say this out loud."
"I'm sure people would want to help make things easier if they could."
"I've never met a smile like yours before."
Final Score: 3.5/5
Mostly it is about his relationship with Malcolm Green, one of his flatmates, who is studying the fine arts (embroidery - how absolutely lovely!), and who has a long-distance girlfriend, Lottie. Slight spoiler, but Malcolm is a biromantic asexual.
Things definitely get complicated between Rhys and Malcolm (Rhys's face blindness is the least of it), as feelings stir and blossom, out of control.
Both lovely boys are at different stages of dealing with anxiety, as well.
Other players in Rhys's uni-story are: Oli Patton, who is his fellow biology and medical student, and new best friend (they are also nonbinary); his other flatmates Aanya, Holly and Fabian; and the seniors Fen (student rep) and Orla, who are girlfriends. Rhys's teasy but loving and supportive older sister Cari is also a laugh.
I knew basically nothing about prosopagnosia before I read 'A Smile Like Yours'. I had heard of face blindness, but not the scientific term for it. So it was great to read any piece of media, let alone a graphic novel, with a protagonist who has prosopagnosia - 'A Smile Like Yours' is told from Rhys's point of view, and we follow him and explore the world and life as he sees it; as he interacts with the people around him.
Which brings me to the artwork. It's cute and charming and I really like it. It's mostly white, with different shades of purple and lilac, but whenever Rhys searches for a person's unique indicators or "identifiers" that don't have anything specifically to do with their face, in order to recognise them, that person is in colour. They literally light up for him. This is a fantastic and accessible way for the reader to understand Rhys's perspective, through his prosopagnosia, and how he navigates life with it. How he processes people, even his family who he has known since birth, and how he makes new friends at university, by relying on identifiers, and context clues (the scene where he explains all this to Malcolm is bloody brilliant). He even has trouble registering his own face in mirrors and in photos, and what he looks like.
Colours are huge indicators in art, in establishing character and feeling.
And 'A Smile Like Yours' is certainly a feelings-type book.
The art also reminds me of the works of Nick Sharratt. How nostalgic!
Onto the negative critiques now:
The issue of how Rhys and Malcolm get together (not a spoiler, I'd say it's obvious) while Malcolm is in a monogamous relationship is, thankfully and appreciatively, handled better than I expected. It's still slightly iffy. It turns out I have as low a tolerance for cheating as apparently everybody else does, but this cheating storyline at least treats Malcolm's girlfriend, Lottie, as a character deserving of respect...except when she is once referred to by Oli as "The Girlfriend" with a capital T and G. Ugh! But Lottie is as lovely and likeable as nearly everyone else...then she conveniently disappears near the end of the book, after an off-panel official breakup. What a shame.
The only character I don't like is Fabian, or Fab, as he's called. He's the stereotypical laddish frat boy of Rhys's friend group: meaning, he's a sexist, horny douchebag, who goes through girls in his bed as quickly as he does his boxers. Or tissues. One of Fab's moments of bare-minimum decency is when he backs off flirting with a girl he just met when he realises she's a lesbian and already spoken for - no means no no matter what, you one-dimensional, one-track-minded, one-organ-functioning sleaze! What's worse is the obnoxious git is never called out for his comments and behaviour; at best his friends treat him like he's an idiot, which he is, but I wouldn't call him a harmless idiot.
It's 2026 - 2000s unchecked perverted frat boy Neanderthal-ism and so-called "locker-room talk" should not be tolerated anymore. Why are we still writing male characters like this? We know by now that, in both real life and fiction, they are not funny or charming; they are scum, misogynistic scum, even when they are not, higher powers forbid, rapey.
At least Fab isn't in this graphic novel much. Though it seems like the author had planned to do something more with his character at some point in development. For example, he is the first to discover Rhys and Malcolm's affair when Malcolm is still with Lottie, and he deals with the infidelity in an immature way and seems to have a bitter chip on his shoulder about it. But this is abandoned later on. Fab never says or does anything that furthers any progression in the story. He is inconsequential.
In one of the more touching interactions between Rhys and Malcolm, Rhys confesses that his biggest fear is not recognising his mum, as her STEM job takes her abroad most of the time. Whenever she does see him, she might have changed enough that the physical attributes that Rhys uses to identify her won't be there anymore, and he won't be able to recognise his own mother. It is a startling, heartbreaking and beautiful moment. And yet, at the end where his mother is home and he sees her, it is treated as nothing. There is no buildup, no anticipation, no special moment, no scene, period; Rhys's mum is suddenly just present and that's that, as if she'd always been there, along with his dad and sister. Did the author forget about the abovementioned scene? About that aspect of Rhys's character? About the mum being away for the rest of the year?
Rhys's love affair with Malcolm, and his studies, really take precedence over everything else in his life, don't they?
Rhys could have talked more about his prosopagnosia; as in, mention it at all to his friends, other than Malcolm, and Oli, Fen and Orla. From the beginning it seems as if he will eventually open up about it more to people, especially during the scene where he is talking about his day to his mum on the phone, about how he is struggling and becoming depressed and lonely. But then it is never brought up again. It's never made clear if the rest of his flatmates know about his face blindness. In fact, Aanya, Holly and Fab are kind of gradually phased out of the story near the end, sadly
In the scene where Rhys attends a tabletop gaming club/society with Oli for the first time, he says he has face blindness (this is after he told Malcolm), which Orla thoughtlessly dismisses, not believing it to be a real thing. Their conversation is interrupted before he can fully explain his condition - and hopefully educate her - and then it is never followed up on. It's gone from the book just like that.
Another character issue left unresolved.
And as nice as the artwork is, there are a few inconsistencies to it. For example, the Dean's Talk at the Fresher's Fair: the Dean's glasses disappear and then reappear in each panel she is in, as she talks on stage in the lecture hall.
There are other little moments that bother me, but only marginally.
'A Smile Like Yours' - Malcolm's smile is one of his identifiers, and it's the only facial feature that Rhys registers - its niggling, bumpy, wobbly flaws can't ruin its cakey whole, and it is a strongly recommended YA graphic novel from me. It's so sweet and charming
It is like 'Heartstopper', and Becky Albertalli's novels. It is one of the better LBGTQA+ YA graphic novels out there. Its diversity and inclusivity points are off the charts. Wide spectrum queer rep, race rep, disability rep, mental health rep, body positivity rep, it is all here
I haven't even talked about how much it reminds me of my own time at university in the UK - over ten years ago!
How things change and yet stay the same.
I am old. But 'A Smile Like Yours' made me feel young again.
It is guaranteed to warm your heart, and make you smile.
"It's often easier to let others recognize me first and go from there."
"It's surprisingly easy to blame yourself for the way you were born."
"It actually feels really good to say this out loud."
"I'm sure people would want to help make things easier if they could."
"I've never met a smile like yours before."
Final Score: 3.5/5
Top 50 Favourite 'The Simpsons' Episodes
In celebration of me finally unsubscribing to Disney+, I have decided to list my favourite episodes of the show that never ends, The Simpsons.
I managed to watch all 37 seasons (current time) in three months (I don't have much of a life at the moment), and I have to say, with 800+ episodes, there are only, like, twelve that I hate with every fibre of my existence, so that's got to be a good sign for such a long-running show!
The Simpsons is a huge part of my whole life. It pretty much shaped the best parts of who I am as a person. I watched it religiously when I was little, up to after my university years. I gradually stopped watching at season 26. But now, after seeing all of it (current time) on Disney+ (and yes I know about that banned and removed episode from season 3, and all I'll say is it definitely shouldn't be banned), I can countdown my favourite episodes.
I've narrowed them down to 50 - it certainly wasn't easy! A lot of The Simpsons - especially in the earlier, classic seasons of the 90s, I admit - are nonstop comedy magic gold - yes, gold that is also magical - and I can't get enough of them. They are the keys to happiness and laughter.
Yeah, this animated comedy series remains one of my favourite TV shows, despite its many problems, frustrations, and seasonal rots (and rises, let's be fair). That's just what inevitably happens when a once beloved and critically acclaimed show (especially a comedy, and an animated comedy) (and even when said animated comedy isn't good, but it wheezes on anyway like a corpse that desperately wants to die but the powers that be won't let it) goes on for too long; far longer, inexplicably, than it needs to. But in the case of The Simpsons, there are more hits than misses, in my opinion.
And in the interest of fairness, on my favourites list I've included at least one episode per season. I do have one favourite or two in the later, more modern seasons, even if I don't care for the rest.
Oh, and no 'Treehouse of Horror' eps will be on here. There are too many! And they are noncanonical, anyway. Besides, everybody knows that 'The Shinning' is the best 'Treehouse of Horror' ever.
You might clock on to my personal tastes and interests based on my inclusions and the order I've put them in (from my absolute favourite of all time (1) to my not-so-least favourite (50)).
Without further ado, here are my Top 50 Favourite The Simpsons Episodes:
2. Cape Feare (Season 5, episode 2)
3. The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show (Season 8, episode 14)
4. Marge vs. the Monorail (Season 4, episode 12)
5. Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Season 6, episode 25 (Part One), and season 7, episode 1 (Part Two))
6. Lisa's Wedding (Season 6, episode 19)
7. The Day the Violence Died (Season 7, episode 18)
8. Mother Simpson (Season 7, episode 8)
9. Lisa's First Word (Season 4, episode 10)
10. Bart's Friend Falls in Love (Season 3, episode 23)
11. 22 Short Films About Springfield (Season 7, episode 21)
12. Last Exit to Springfield (Season 4, episode 17)
13. Two Dozen and One Greyhounds (Season 6, episode 20)
14. Homer the Great (Season 6, episode 12)
15. Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy (Season 5, episode 14)
16. Burns' Heir (Season 5, episode 18)
17. The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Season 5, episode 20)
18. I Am Furious (Yellow) (Season 13, episode 18)
19. Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore (Season 15, episode 12)
20. A Mid-Childhood Night's Dream (Season 35, episode 2)
21. Once Upon a Time in Springfield (Season 21, episode 10)
22. Moaning Lisa (Season 1, episode 6)
23. Homer the Whopper (Season 21, episode 1)
24. Lisa the Vegetarian (Season 7, episode 5)
25. Springfield Splendor (Season 29, episode 2)
26. Adventures in Baby-Getting (Season 24, episode 3)
27. Four Great Women and a Manicure (Season 20, episode 20)
28. Gone Maggie Gone (Season 20, episode 13)
29. Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair) (Season 18, episode 7)
30. Lard of the Dance (Season 10, episode 1)
31. Halloween of Horror (Season 27, episode 4)
32. The Dad Who Knew Too Little (Season 14, episode 8)
33. Lost Our Lisa (Season 9, episode 24)
34. Last Tap Dance in Springfield (Season 11, episode 20)
35. Mad About the Toy (Season 30, episode 11)
36. Lisa the Tree Hugger (Season 12, episode 4)
37. Bart's New Friend (Season 26, episode 11)
38. The Kid Is All Right (Season 25, episode 6)
39. The Last of the Red Hat Mamas (Season 17, episode 7)
40. Midnight Towboy (Season 19, episode 3)
41. Replaceable You (Season 23, episode 4)
42. Lisa's Belly (Season 33, episode 5)
43. Thrifty Ways to Thieve Your Mother (Season 37, episode 1)
44. Uncut Femmes (Season 32, episode 17)
45. There Will Be Buds (Season 28, episode 6)
46. Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life (Season 22, episode 5)
47. A Star Is Torn (Season 16, episode 18)
48. The Hateful Eight-Year-Olds (Season 31, episode 21)
49. The King of Nice (Season 34, episode 4)
50. Women in Shorts (Season 36, episode 6)
I was going to end on writing some negative points about The Simpsons, or at least some observations I have made that are mostly negative. But you know what? There is already so much negativity and hate in the world, and it is destroying so many things we love and take for granted. Let us stop the hate and divisiveness, the pointless, meaningless conflicts and wars, the fearmongering and profiteering, the ignorance and self-indulgence, the consumerism and capitalism, the greed and malice, and focus more on the positives in life.
So I will try not to be angry anymore. I will not express it caustically, callously, and irresponsibly, without fully processing my feelings and thoughts, and I will not dwell on hate. Hate and rage are ugly, oppressive, stressful, and self-destructive, and they help no one. I will not swear anymore, either.
I will love, and keep on loving. Keep on loving everyone.
Relax. Keep calm. Express yourself calmly, rationally and reasonably. Move on with your life. Keep on living.
I will end this post about The Simpsons by saying: Lisa Simpson is great and she was right about everything all along (can you tell how much I love her by how many Lisa episodes are my faves?). And Maggie Simpson is an unsung, silent, overlooked hero.
I will end this post about celebrating ending Disney+'s thrall over me by saying: good riddance, and the other TV shows I watched after The Simpsons - Hamster & Gretel, The Little Mermaid, Sofia the First: Royal Magic, Iwájú, and a re-re-re-rewatch of The Owl House (of course), among other things, plus the Tinker Bell movies - most of them are okay.
One last fun Disney+ fact: After all these years, I finally learned to love Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989). Part of the world reason is a better appreciation, after watching the terrible Splash (1984).
No one is a minority. No one is inferior. No one is "lesser". No one deserves to be treated as less than. No one deserves to be mistreated and abused. Everybody deserves to be treated with respect as human beings. Everybody has autonomy and rights. Everybody deserves to be treated as equals.
Remember the timeless, healthy, beautiful power of love, and kindness, compassion, caring and sharing.
I love you all.
Artemis Crescent, signing - splashing, swishing, sparkling, twinkling, waving, dancing - out.
Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Manga Review - 'Anne of Green Gables (Manga Classics)' by Crystal S. Chan (Story Adaptor), Kuma Chan (Artist), Daria Rhodes (Letterer), Stacy King (Contributor), L.M. Montgomery (Original Author)
First 'Jane Eyre' in 'Manga Classics', and now I talk about the 'Anne of Green Gables' 'Manga Classic'.
The manga adaptation is lovely and stunning, almost as much as the original, enchanting children's classic. Like the 'Jane Eyre' manga, it is very much faithful, and leaves nearly nothing out when telling its heroine's coming-of-age story, in passionate, caring, respectful detail.
A few lines of dialogue and inner thoughts make no sense (I think there may have been translation issues?), and dear Diana's role is diminished near the end in favour of Anne's relationship with Gilbert - in fact, Diana doesn't appear at all after Matthew's funeral. Anne has many blossoming, blooming relationships with the women and girls in her life, so why does her story have to end with a boy?!
But the manga artwork goes all out in detail, shades, shadows, and expressiveness. And humour. Anne and all the principal characters are wonderful, memorable, and three-dimensional as always.
Anne Shirley is an amazing, adorable and charismatic young heroine, and her growth and development at Green Gables and Avonlea, alongside Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, her neighbours, her schoolfriends, her favourite (female) teacher, and just about every elderly woman she meets, are just as beautifully realised (and raised!) as in the 1908 novel.
The only two parts I think this 'Manga Classic' doesn't adapt on any level: Matthew's fear of women (besides his sister), to the point where he is unable to buy Anne a new, puffed-sleeved dress because it would mean talking to a female clerk (the manga just cuts to him giving Anne the dress as a Christmas present); and Anne's accident from falling off a roof on a dare. I wonder what creative choices brought those to be omitted completely over everything else from the book?
Jerry Buote is even less of a presence than in OG 'Anne of Green Gables', if that's possible. I don't think he ever actually appears. He's forgotten about as soon as Matthew first mentions his name.
In whatever media it is adapted, 'Anne of Green Gables' is a story - and character! - that remains; that endures; that will always live on in people's hearts - touching, warming, moving, and inspiring generation after generation.
A sweet, sunshiny, heartfelt, endearing, timeless girls' coming-of-age classic.
My review of 'Anne of Green Gables'
My review of 'Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel' (by Mariah Marsden and Brenna Thummler)
My review of 'Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of)'
Final Score (for 'Anne of Green Gables (Manga Classics)'): 4/5
Manga Review - 'Jane Eyre (Manga Classics)' by Crystal S. Chan (Story Adaptor), Stacy King (English Script Adaptor), SunNeko Lee (Artist), Charlotte Brontë (Original Author)
A manga adaptation of one of my favourite books. Of course I had to check it out.
And wow is the story of 'Jane Eyre' more pious than I remember LOL, and this 'Manga Classic' is not really much "updated" in terms of modern feminism and ethics and and equal human rights.
I especially have to wonder about the line at the end in regard to little Adèle: 'As she grew, a sound English education corrected in great measure her French defects; she became pleasing, good-tempered, and well-principled.' I hope this is meant as a reflection of 19th century English snobbishness and elitism; more than outright racism and xenophobia. I hope. And since when has Adèle not been 'pleasing, good-tempered, and well-principled'?
But overall, what a great, passionate, raw, mysterious, dark, daring, and touching gothic love story - a classic for a reason - with a strong-and-brave-at-heart-and-in-mind protagonist, Jane Eyre. She is feminist, in that she is self-respecting and noncompromising in living her life how she wants, where she does what she loves, and loves whoever, above all!
My review of the original 'Jane Eyre' novel can be read here.
Final Score: 4/5
Thursday, 16 July 2026
Friday, 10 July 2026
Scribble #157
Billionaires (and richer) don't have friends. They have accomplices. And sycophants and brownnosers.
Accomplices, sycophants and brownnosers of avaricious frauds, conmen and criminals, aka billionaires (and richer).
Everybody is equal. Every human being is equal. No one is lesser, for whatever arbitrary, societal, cultural and manmade reason; if you think less of anyone based on money, class, gender, gender identity (or lack thereof), race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, (dis)order, condition, background, religion and faith (or lack thereof) - anything to do with intersectionality - you are wrong, you are bigoted, you are a blind, enabling, arse-kissing tool of a rigid, limited, suffocating, suffering, cruel, corrupt, fascist capitalist and bureaucratic system, and you are denying and rejecting humanity and sentience - other people's, and your own, by not acknowledging your own humanity and sentience in others, who are therefore as deserving of rights, respect and autonomy as you are.
Accept and embrace difference, diversity and divergence. It's human nature. It's natural. It's normal. It's a given. It's the bare minimum. Get over yourself. Stop being so selfish and self-hating.
Let's trust and love each other again.
Let's openly promote kindness, compassion, caring, and empathy as essential, vital human values again.
It's not hard to be empathetic. It really isn't.
The first big step to healing a sick, corrupt system - and destroying the patriarchy in all its self-serving, self-profiting fascism and incompetence once and for all - is to hold men accountable. That's it. It's really that simple. Make sure that men are made responsible for their actions, and stick to it, no matter how rich and powerful and capitalist they are. Stop rewarding them for evil actions. Stop rewarding them for bad behaviour. And for narcissism and sociopathy (for if you reward terrible people for doing terrible things, they are going to keep doing terrible things). Stop celebrating them. Stop going easy on them and their inflated, thin-skinned, fragile and selfish egos. Stop giving them the benefit of the doubt. Stop openly admiring them.
Stop admiring, idolising and rewarding men for what, if they were women, they would instead be despised, ostracised and blacklisted.
On that note, when it comes to women, especially when it comes to women, "blacklisted" is usually code for "they know too much."
"Cancel culture" is just pointing out wrongdoings, that are happening right in front of us, in reality, and making sure that people behave like adults and are held accountable for their own actions. Like, when they harm other people; intentionally or not, there is no excuse. "Sorry" and sincere apologies are also a given; basic politeness, in acknowledging mistakes (for everybody makes those), and trying to rectify and do good.
Misogyny and the cishet-normative white supremacist patriarchy are the insidious poison that is destroying our society - by deliberately dividing us, instead of uniting us, and it's all in the service of filling the pockets and vaults of the privileged, spoiled, entitled and deluded 1%, for all eternity, for them - and we need to recognise and dismantle this toxic, abusive, evil system once and for all for us to survive.
If only cismen had menstrual cycles it would not be a taboo subject and would not be made shameful and something to hide - men would take and claim it as a sign of pride and strength and "true manhood" and superiority and they would never shut the fuck up about it and would shove it publicly, obnoxiously in our faces all the fucking time and would proudly associate it with violence and aggression and therefore superiority and would use it to excuse literally anything. By that same talking point, if only cismen could get pregnant, their bodily autonomy would be respected, no question. They would universally be allowed to get abortions. The "abortion issue" would not exist. It would not be an issue. There would be no "pro-life" bullshit, since men's lives are automatically seen as more important. There would never be any laws or legislations against it. Abortion would be a given. No question. Men's bodies and reproductive rights would not be fucking controlled and policed. In the patriarchy, men are undeniably respected and listened to, and can get away with whatever they want, after all. They are not seen as "domestic" (aka "homemakers") and 100% "family orientated", after all. They are not marginalised, taken for granted, unappreciated, and seen as second-class citizens and inferior.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)