Y'know, putting aside the potential a-/acephobic reasons, and the “not relying on overused romance tropes/shortcuts” reasons, I think one of the big reasons (that I haven’t really seen talked about?) that Good Omens gets accused of queerbaiting is that it’s basically the story of an existing relationship. It’s not the story of how Aziraphale and Crowley fall in love, or admit that they’re in love, or whatever that people tend to expect out of romance stories these days, at least, not in the traditional sense. Yes, technically we get to see their relationship develop and we do get to see them realizing and admitting to themselves that they are in love and that the other loves them back, but that’s not really the main focus the way it is in a lot of stories where romance is involved. There’s no “will they/won’t they” drama, there’s no big confession or relationship-affirming kiss or anything, because they’ve been in a developing relationship for nearly all of 6000 years. That’s like, literally what the Arrangement is. It’s their relationship, their “basically married”, their “involved”, their “together but we can’t say it outright bc people are watching and also we don’t wanna screw it up”. And people aren’t used to seeing that in stories about relationships (seriously, find me one example of a story where the main, endgame couple is together at the beginning and the plot doesn’t revolve entirely around them having issues that they need to work out. Hollywood/the publishing industry is allergic to writing about healthy relationships that stay healthy and in tact and exist after they get together). So when they see Neil Gaiman say “it’s a love story” they expect the story of Azi and Crowley falling in love and finally admitting it to themselves and each other and having a big climactic kiss to seal the deal. And when they get a couple who is basically married in everything but name, who have been together for 6000 years but have had to be so so careful and dance around their feelings bc ~bureaucracy~, who don’t need a big kiss at the end, just a loving, tender look because they can finally relax and be in love together… it doesn’t feel like enough to them. They were so busy looking for the “getting together” plot that isn’t really there that they missed the love story that was there. Which is a shame honestly, because it really is an excellent love story. There’s enemies to lovers and mutual pining and almost a sort of courtly love situation going on and it’s excellent. And people don’t see it because it’s not what they were looking for.
Tattoos on teachers. It is a touchy subject. Some schools allow it, others do not allow it. So, the only time anyone brings up my tattoos is when they are exposed at work, whether it be students, teachers, or administration. My teacher rule: do not show unless you are ready to tell.
You see, the other day our school’s secretary decided to ask me what most potential (tattooed) teachers want to know: Do I show my Tattoos at school?
Frankly, if one has to ask that question then I say “No” because if you do not already know the answer, chances are that you are not ready to show and tell your ink to students, parents, teachers, admin, and staff. This is probably the best thing to do if you want to be respected in your profession.
“But I want to show my students that you can still be different, artsy, and still be professional…” Truuuuue, BUT do you want them to remember you as Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. Tattooed Teacher or Mr. Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. Teacher who had tattoos. Do you see the difference There?
“I want them to see me as their teacher.” As they should. So, if a question about whether your tattooed should be exposed is a concern, I say cover up, let them see who you are as a teacher, before exposing the badass ink that makes them go, “Whoa.” Because I hate when I point to the board and then ask the students whether they have questions and it gets interrupted with: “How long did it take to get your tattooes?”
My reality: As a Substitute Teacher I kept my ink covered, my classroom management skills strong, my professionalism on peak, and their students accountable. I built my reputation as Ms. ClassroomChaos. I did the same when a school decided to hire me. It was not until the California sun decided to heat up the coast that I decided to expose my tattoos and by that time I knew how to answer questions, redirect students distracted by my tattoos, and spoke honestly and sincerely of the stereotypes, discrimination, and challenges because of them.
See, everyone has ink stories. How we tell it, depending on our audience, makes all the difference.
I think a lot about how we as a culture have turned “forever” into the only acceptable definition of success.
Like… if you open a coffee shop and run it for a while and it makes you happy but then stuff gets too expensive and stressful and you want to do something else so you close it, it’s a “failed” business. If you write a book or two, then decide that you don’t actually want to keep doing that, you’re a “failed” writer. If you marry someone, and that marriage is good for a while, and then stops working and you get divorced, it’s a “failed” marriage.
The only acceptable “win condition” is “you keep doing that thing forever”. A friendship that lasts for a few years but then its time is done and you move on is considered less valuable or not a “real” friendship. A hobby that you do for a while and then are done with is a “phase” - or, alternatively, a “pity” that you don’t do that thing any more. A fandom is “dying” because people have had a lot of fun with it but are now moving on to other things.
I just think that something can be good, and also end, and that thing was still good. And it’s okay to be sad that it ended, too. But the idea that anything that ends is automatically less than this hypothetical eternal state of success… I don’t think that’s doing us any good at all.
The kind of people who insist their kinks are not kinks and are instead just non-sexual coping mechanisms have 1) no idea what kink is and 2) are so scared of being perverts that they’ll throw other people doing the exact same things as them under the bus in the hopes that it will save them.
Like sweetie I get that lying with your blanket in a dog cage & wearing a collar and leash makes you feel safe and comfy and cared for in a way that is transcendental and magical and not sexual in the way that most people would understand it. You’re still doing pet play. It’s still kink. Just because it helps you feel less depressed doesn’t make it playing a cutesy game of pretend for u but a perverted sex act for that other guy because those same feelings happen to give him a boner and he’s not afraid to say it.
“All things must kill to survive”, says the edgy guy, conveniently forgetting the existence of eggs, nuts, fruit, the vegetables that are technically fruit, milk, mushrooms, honey, and all other forms of organic matter that are routinely cast off from their source organisms.
When it comes to sweet fruits especially, they are brightly-colored and sweet because the plant is literally trying to get you to take them. There’s no “nature red in tooth and claw” here. There’s just food that a bird will take if you don’t.
Likewise when it comes to milk, the farmer has to get up at the crack of dawn to milk the cows because if you forget then the cows will yell at you. There is no “nature red in tooth and claw” here either. There is only more food than a single calf can take, and by golly if you don’t take the rest then the cow will let you know you’ve made a mistake.
And then of course there is honey, which, much like milk, is something the producers desperately need you to take off their hands when they’re done making it. A hive that is not thus properly maintained by its human keeper is a swarm of bees that will leave.
there was a guy in my drama school who was a former Olympic gymnast and he was insanely ripped and could do shit like backflip and the splits no problem, and one day he was walking around on his hands and i was like, “damn i wish i could do that!” and he said,
“No you don’t. Not really. You don’t wish that you had done all the shit I had done to be able to do this. You’d like to be able to do it without the practice.” Anyway he explained how he had done gymnastics even from when he was a tiny kid; always missing out on stuff and doing it after school; being away all the time, being a bit of an outcast; been injured several times; won a few competitions but also had many crushing losses - and just generally all the things he had to do beforehe could do that. And it made me a lot happier about where I chose to put my time, and I appreciated more the things I could do that he wished he could. And whenever I see someone and I’m like, “FUCK I wish I could sing like her, or look like that, or have those talents!” I remember my buff gay gymnastics Gandalf
Simon is the big spoon, Jess is the little spoon, her teddy bear is the littlest spoon.
Jess really likes the way Simon’s beard tickles her when they kiss.
They like to take care of each other in the shower, bathing each other. It’s therapeutic for both of them, being able to let go and be taken care of by someone else.
Baking becomes a weekly date night activity.
They like to watch cheesy 1950s science fiction movies while cuddling on the couch.
Jessica is the only Green Lantern allowed to come to Wayne Manor, but Bruce will grant an exception for Simon, so long as he’s with Jess.
Simon is surprisingly good at styling hair, and does Jessica’s fairly often. Fishtail braids, braided buns, etc.
At the Justice League’s annual Halloween party, they go wearing matching Guy Gardner costumes.
Sara once dug up photos from Jessica’s Quinceañera and showed them to Simon and Sira. Sira then dug up photos of Simon from highschool. Jess and Simon now have an entirely new reservoir for banter.
Rami the Guardian was the officiant at their wedding.
Jessica managed to get Simon into Pokemon, and she’s slowly learning more about cars.
Jessica likes to trace her fingers along Simon’s tattoo, and after learning Arabic from his family, whispering it to herself as she does so. She finds it incredibly relaxing.
