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Relevant with the discussions of Zlibrary

How to access zlibrary after the ban:

just wanted to share a workaround for the zlibrary ban that is currently working for me:

These are the apps I used.

- use this link to get to zlibrary on the tor browser:

http://zlibrary24tuxziyiyfr7zd46ytefdqbqd2axkmxm4o5374ptpc52fad.onion/

- create account on zlibrary website

- get telegram app and search for @firstlibrarybot and start a conversation with it

- go to the menu on the zlibrary website and click on "⚙️ edit profile". scroll down to "link to telegram bot" and copy the link

- paste the link into the telegram chat to link it to your account

- now when you go to zlibrary there's an option to "send to telegram" and it works

Booktubers that you should subscribe to ASAP!

Allisonpaiges - she is funny, her videos are aesthetic af and feel like a warm hug, and I absolutely ADORE her. She's my favorite!

Sunny Kim - is hilarious and recommends books that aren't mainstream but are absolutely amazing and even ones you might never encounter unless it's from her channel!

Destiny Sidwell - she feels like a friend and is so genuine. I know I keep saying this about all the people I list down but I lover her videos

Haley Pham - her videos are beautifully done and through her recommendations, I found my favorite book ever because of her. Fun, quick, and stunning videos

Hailey Hughes - my horror, thriller, and mental health QUEEN! She is hilarious and relatable and I LOVE her vlogs!

throneofpages - manga, anime, Kdrama, and book recommendations AND IS EXTREMELY HILARIOUS?? HELLO??? SUBSCRIBE ASAP!

Katie is Reading - her vlogs and videos are chill and I absolutely adore them

Lauranda Reads - my first booktube channel who have TWO people in them so twice the recommendations and a LOT of book hauls! I love them so much

Noelle Gallagher - My OG booktuber, my QUEEN, Noelle! Her recommendations are absolutely amazing and *STUNNING* and her voice and videos are absolutely wonderful

A Clockwork Reader - anime, books that are absolutely beautiful, and manga?? S U B S C R I B E!!!

* e m m i e * - classics, long reading vlogs, and chill vibes? YES. PLEASE.

Jack Edwards - brainy content and absolutely hilarious!

ellias - my fantasy and thriller and horror KING AND ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS

withcindy - HILARIOUS. ESPECIALLY WHEN HER AND ELLIAS ARE TOGETHER I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!

Today's Janmashtami and I am stanning/fangirling over how beautiful Krishna is. Not just his physical demeanour but how your Chaotic good and human he is!

His life is full of drama which he himself created which is like ultimate God energy. He is playing the games along with humans which he himself has created and who does that! Just his name is enough to bring a smile to your face; not with fear, not with respect, but with just Love.

Who else is worshipped in every form from child, to a teenager, to adulthood and even his supreme personality. Who has been worshipped for being so cunning yet cute. Krishna is so adored (atleast by me) is because he does not feel like this ideal God everyone washes the feet & fears for. He is the most friendliest person I could have known and I haven't even met him! Krishna is human, an ideal one but that is what makes him the supreme God. Everyone relates to every stage of his life. There is like an apt lesson in his life which even we as flawed humans can apply to ourselves which I haven't found with any other God.

When I was a child, he used to be my companion.

When I was a teenager, he used to be my muse.

Now when I am an adult, he is my best friend.

Throughout my life, he has been my guide.

For me he isn't just lord Krishna. He isn't just a supreme personality but he is my comfort, my solace, my friend and ultimately my escape.

You know what I love so much about Lenny and Midge's sex scene in the hotel? It's not just sex. We've seen Midge rebound with Joel, sneak out of a bedroom with Benjamin, even jump into bed with the nameless Milo Ventimiglia character. It was always pre or post sex, always casual or something she'd later brand a mistake.

But look at these two right here.

There is nothing remotely casual or one-night-stand about this situation. This is two people on the verge of crossing a threshold they can't come back from, admitting feelings that have been boiling under the surface for nearly two and a half years. This is serious, REAL, and the way it's done lets us as the audience know that.

The slow, tentative movements in their first kiss, that slight undertone of nervousness mixed with the feeling that this feels so right, so safe and meant to happen. The way Lenny doesn't rush taking off her dress or moving things straight to the bed, that he takes a moment to see the "show corset", see Midge bared in such a vulnerable, intimate way to him for the first time.

I mean, look at them. Look at how they're looking at each other, absolutely smitten and in awe of the other.

They're taking things slow, touching, caressing, exploring. It's just them and the soft shadows of the hotel room, the snow falling gently outside. Their are kisses passionate but not rushed, they're just savouring the moment. Maybe even reminding themselves that this is actually happening, that they've come this far.

This isn't just any old sex scene, guys. This is making love, and I am so here for it. ❤️❤️❤️

Listen, i don't have a knife kink

...

...

...

...

BUT☝🏼

I mean...

FATWS Series Masterlist

PAIRING: BUCKY BARNES X AVENGER!READER

!TAGLIST IS CLOSED FOR THIS SERIES!

!FATWS SPOILERS AHEAD: READ WITH CAUTION!

Series based on the Show - updates every Friday as new episodes come out!

Series Warnings: !SPOILERS!, Lots of Angst, Fluff, Some Idiocy, Cursing, Slow-Burn (I’m sorry, it was an accident!)

*Please don’t repost this anywhere! Especially without my permission! I’ve worked hard on this and these characters are very dear to me so please don’t repost! Thank you to everyone who helped with the scare I just had! I just started posting my work this year so I’m new to that kind of thing! *

1) His Only Contact - Takes place after Episode 1; Angst and Fluff, phone call between Reader and Bucky; Bucky’s Perspective (Also written for HBC’s Lucky in Love, Day 19 Prompt: Odds)

2) Not Your Captain - Takes place right before Episode 2; Lots of Angst and feelings between Reader and Bucky; Reader’s Perspective

3) Inner Conflict - Takes place during Episode 2; a little more action packed and scene-for-scene of the show than the previous two parts; Reader’s Perspective

3.5) Rocks, Shoulders, and Ears - Second Half of Inner Conflict; loads of Angst!; the Couples Therapy Scene; Reader’s Perspective

4) In Need of a Breath - First Part of the Third Episode; Zemo’s Entrance; Reader’s Perspective

4.2) Suits, Dress, and Heels - Second Part of the Third Episode; First Half of Madripoor; Sharon’s Entrance; Reader’s Perspective

4.3) It’s All in the Perspective - Third and Final Part of the Third Episode; Second half of Madripoor; Mainly Reader’s Perspective

5) Right From Left - First Part of the Fourth Episode; First little bit in Latvia before Walker comes in; Reader’s Perspective

5.2) The Shield - Second and Final Part of the Fourth episode; Walker, Karli, Zemo, Everything; Proceed with Caution on This One; Reader’s Perspective

6) It Always Ends in a Fight - Very First Part of the Fifth episode; Warehouse Fighting Scene; Reader’s Perspective 

6.2) Windows Down, Music Up - Second Part of the Fifth Episode; Doesn’t Have Much of the Actual Show in it Besides Zemo Getting Arrested; Reader’s Perspective

6.3) The Conversation - Third and Final Part of the Fifth Episode; Feelings and Fluff; Louisiana Scenes; Mostly Reader’s Perspective

7) Home - The Only Part of Episode Six; The FINALE; Reader’s Perspective

One Shots of Reader’s Backstory - NOT BUCKY X READER 

It’s more Avengers x Reader with a heavy emphasis on Steve x Reader, but it’s platonic! I’m gonna try to do it chronologically.

Read Series Before!

One Shot #1: Back to the Beginning - Reader Meets Captain Steve Rogers; Takes place directly after Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011

One Shot #2: The Beginning of a Family - Reader Meets the Avengers; Takes place during the first half of The Avengers in 2012

One Shot #3: Stars, Stripes, and Bubbles - Reader and Steve have some fun in the kitchen; Takes place right after Steve’s mission in the beginning of Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014

One Shot #4: Best Girls, Good Guys, Hand Art, Joy Rides - Reader Meets Sam Wilson; Takes place during Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014 before/during/after Sam’s VA session

One Shot #5: Reminiscing - Reader Learns about Bucky Barnes; A little out of order; Takes Place before CA: TWS, before Reader and Steve move to D.C., so before One Shot #3 and 4 (2012-2013 ish)

One Shot #6: No One Said Anything About a Metal Arm - Reader Unofficially Meets Bucky Barnes Or, More Accurately, The Winter Soldier; Takes place during the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014

One Shot #7: Revels - Reader Parties with the Avengers; Takes place during the Avengers: Age of Ultron Party Scene in 2015

Sam is kind. He just asks if it's the right thing to do and takes action rather than just "at the heat of the moment". Also he's a realistic optimist who knows everyone gets redemption. That's why he's the Successor of Steve.

I don't know if it's that deep, but I suddenly realized the difference between why Steve became Captain America and why John Walker became Captain America, and how that relates to Sam so well.

Steve never got picked for the serum because he was particularly tall or strong or skilled or smart, he got picked because Erskine saw something good in him, something special he knew would become even greater with the serum.

Erskine specifically didn't pick the obvious choice he was pressured to pick by others, which was Hodge at the time. Like Col. Phillips said, "Hodge passed every test we gave him. He's big, he's fast and he obeys orders. He's a soldier", does that remind you of someone?

John Walkers is big, fast, and he obeys orders. He's a soldier.

Steve never chose Sam because he was big or fast or a good soldier, he chose Sam because of why Erskine had chosen him; his good heart and the determination to do what's right. He saw that in Sam, the goodness of his heart, his determination and the strong will to help others no matter the cost.

That's why Sam is Captain America, even without the shield. The shield is not Cap, the heart is. The shield is a tangible symbol, one you can hold up and claim as yours, but the "not a perfect soldier but a good man" metaphor of Erskine is what's most essential, and that can't be forced by governmental support or flashy public stunts.

John Walker with his missions and skills and orders may be a perfect soldier, but Sam is a good man. A good man who kicks ass

And that's why Sam Wilson is Captain America.

TMMM Fic Masterlist

I’ve been meaning to put all my fic in one place for a while now! Will do my best to keep this up to date.

midgelenny clickbait

a collection of interviews, listicles, tweets, and more, all revolving around all the different universes in which midge maisel and lenny bruce collide.

extra extra read all about it

Rating: T Three interviews, three years, three times Mrs. Maisel talks about Lenny Bruce in public.

20 Reactions to Midge Maisel Revealing THAT in Her New Memoir

Rating: M Midge Maisel’s second memoir drops a bombshell. Buzzfeed is here to round up Twitter’s thoughts.

Midge Maisel and Lenny Bruce Answer the Internet’s Most Asked Questions

Rating: M When Wired’s Autocomplete interviews start going viral in 2016, a couple of comedy legends agree to take a crack at it.

Lenny Bruce and Midge Maisel Read Thirst Tweets

Rating: M What would a clickbait series be without one (or more) thirst tweet features? Featuring two universes: modern-day Midge/Lenny and comedy-elders Midge/Lenny

The Costume Institute Presents: Comedy & Couture

Rating: M The Fall 2000 exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute pays homage to a century of comedy icons.

add his initial to my monogram

How do you move on from Carnegie Hall? A post-S4 universe.

to my heart he carries the key

Rating: E Midge stops planning and starts working, but there’s still someone she needs to see. (It’s Lenny. Obviously).

the melody lingers on

Rating: T While Midge and Lenny aren’t speaking, a chance encounter helps Midge figure out her own feelings.

miscellaneous

Fics that don’t fit into any series (yet…)

you’ve got troubles (i’ve got ‘em too)

Rating: T Being in the spotlight is hard. Sometimes, you just need a pal.

Excerpts from Indian history

“If India pokes its nose in Pakistan, US will not keep its trap shut. India will be taught a lesson”

- Richard Nixon.

“India regards America as a friend. Not a boss. India is capable of writing its own destiny. We know and are aware how to deal with each one according to circumstances” - Indira Gandhi

The year was 1971 and the month November. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi articulated these exact words sitting with the U.S. President Richard Nixon in the White House, while maintaining an eye-to-eye contact.

The said event was narrated by the then Secretary of State and NSA, Henry Kissinger in his autobiography.

That was the day when the Indo-U.S. joint media address was cancelled by Indira Gandhi who walked away from the White House in her own inimitable style.

Kissinger, while ushering Indira Gandhi into her car, had commented, "Madam Prime Minister, don't you feel you could have been a little more patient with the President".

Indira ji replied, "Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your valuable suggestion.

Being a developing country, we have our backbones straight - & enough to fight the atrocities. We shall prove that days are gone to rule any nation far from thousands of miles”

Thereafter.. as soon as the Air India Boeing touched the Palam runway in Delhi, Indira Gandhi summoned the leader of opposition, Atal Behari Vajpayee to her residence immediately.

Post an hour of discussion behind closed doors, Vajpayee was seen hurrying back. It was thereafter known that Atal Ji would be representing India at the United Nations.

Donald Paul of BBC had jumped in with a question to Vajpayee, "Indira ji regards you as a staunch critic. In spite of that, are u sure you'd be at the United Nations shouting your throat (voice) out in favour of the Incumbent Government?”

Vajpayee had a repartee.. "A rose adorns a garden, so does a Lily. Each is beset with the idea that they are individually the most beautiful. When the garden falls in a crisis, it's no secret that the gardener has to safeguard its beauty as one. I have come today to save the garden. This is called Indian Democracy."

The resultant history is all known to us.

America sent 270 paton tanks to Pakistan. They called the world media to demonstrate that these tanks were produced under exclusive technology, and are/were thus indestructible. The intention was very clear. This was a warning signal to the rest of the world that no one should help India.

America did not stop here.

Burma-Shell the only U.S. company supplying oil to India, was told to stop. They were sternly told by U.S. not to deal with India anymore.

India's history thereafter was only about fighting back.

Indira Gandhi's incisive diplomacy ensured oil came in from Ukraine.

A battle that lasted just a day destroyed these 270 paton tanks. The destroyed tanks were brought into India for demonstration. The hot deserts of Rajasthan still stand as a witness where U.S. pride was decimated.

A war that lasted eighteen days thereafter culminated into capturing 1.5 lakhs POWs from Pakistan.

Mujibar Rahman was released from Lahore Jail.

The month was March - Indira Gandhi recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation in the Indian Parliament.

Vajpayee addressed Indira Gandhi as “Maa Durga”

These events had a packet of long lasting manifested fallouts.

—India's own oil company, viz. Indian Oil came into being.

—India expressed itself as a nation of strength in the eyes of the world.

—India led the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) from the front.

Its leadership was unquestioned.

Times and events of such strength did get submerged into the great depths of yore.

Truthful history till date remains as a baton.

India has treaded fifty years hence. There is a sense of tiredness."

This bit quoted from history is a great example of how fighting spirit and pride in country can drive a developing nation and how a strong belief in Democratic ethos can out beat another giant.

The above message shared in appreciation of how the then ruling and opposition political parties worked in tandem to benefit our nation. Lessons worth replication.

Mughal Women

Ok while I was scrolling through tumblr today on women’s history, one thing struck me odd - there wasn’t a single post regarding the women of one of the richest, most powerful empires in the history of the world. So here’s to you ladies - icons, role models and most of all - badass queens.

1. Isaan Daulat (lit. Good fortune) : Grandmother of Zahiruddin Khan or as he is famous, Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, Isaan Daulat regularly advised her son on statecraft and warfare, and carried out most of his diplomatic missions. According to a source, Isaan Daulat’s husband was once killed in a war against the Shah of Persia. The Shah thereafter proceeded to “gift” Isaan Daulat to one of his generals. However, the same night, Isaan Daulat had her retinue murder him in the courtyard, “while she sipped wine reclining in the moonlight courtyard” as a witness claimed. When the Shah arrived, he questioned her about this action, to which she replied, “Islam gives me a right as a widow to marry by my convenience. You just handed me to him like cattle, and therefore his killing is perfectly justified by Islamic Sharia. You should consider yourself lucky.” The Shah of Persia then sent back Isaan Daulat with the wealth and assets he gained from that war, and declared her and her lineage as his sister and nephews. This later helped to back the Mughals’ legitimacy. Sadly, Isaan Daulat could never enjoy the land her descendants called home.

2. Gulbadan (lit. she with a rose like body) : Gulbadan was Babur’s eldest daughter, and was quite adventurous. She had famously chronicled the lives of her father and her brother Humayun, the second Mughal emperor. She looked after administration while her brother fled from place to place. She had also embarked on a seven-year voyage to Mecca and Medina for The Hajj, encountering the malicious Portuguese (she had to bribe them with a fricking town for guarantee of safe passage), pirates, kings, sufis and many more, and was thus also called Hajji Begum. She held a special place in Akbar’s zenana as his aunt.

3. Hamida Banu : Princess of Sindh, she was married off at the age of 15 to a much older Humayun at the age of 15. She had accompanied Humayun in all his wars and also on his journey to Persia, for asking the Safavid Shahs to help them recapture Hindustan. She was Akbar’s mother.

4. Maham Anagah and Jiji Anagah : Akbar’s wet nurses, they had raised up Akbar while his parents tried to win their empire back. Maham Anagah was Akbar’s chief advisor and head of his zenana, before a failed coup by his son, after which he was killed and later on she was relieved of her post, despite still holding Akbar’s favour. Jiji Anagah’s children extensively married into the Mughal family, and her husband Mirza Aziz Koka was Akbar’s head of finance. Her family, wealth and power grew so much, as the Emperor’s favourites, that they were collectively known as the Atka Khail.

5. Ruqaiyya Begum : Akbar’s first cousin, and also his first wife, Ruqaiyya Begum was Akbar’s chief queen and Padshah Begum of the zenana. Though she remained childless, she reigned supreme in the zenana and commanded her husband’s respect in a society where a woman’s existence was through her children. She was the main force behind Noor Jahan and Jahangir’s wedding, and was also the person who raised Shah Jahan.

6. Salima Sultana Begum : Wife of Akbar’s general Bairam Khan, she was later married to Akbar after Bairam Khan’s assassination. Her son Abdur Rahim was later made Khan-i-Khanan or Commander of the Mughal Army. She was the one who had brought up Jahangir, and thus he was also called Salim. An erudite scholar, she managed Akbar’s library along with her own private collection, commissioning new works and translations of others. She later protected Jahangir from Akbar’s wrath after Jahangir had him poisoned in a bid for the throne.

7. Harkha Bai : Bollywood knows her as Jodhaa, while history knows her as Maryam-uz-Zamani, Harkha Bai was the Rajput Princess of Amer and the daughter of Raja Bharmal. She was married to Akbar as part of a political alliance, and later became Jahangir’s mother. She was the richest woman of her time, her wealth being more than Akbar’s, and she also had one of the most valuable lands (jagirs). There are 2 famous anecdotes on her - 

Once, an English merchant had bought her indigo farms at Bayana, Rajasthan. When she got to know of this, she practically destroyed that merchant, bought back that farm, and later had it burnt.

Another time, the Portuguese had captured and set fire to her ship the Rahimi, one of the largest and finest ships in that time, in a last bid to maintain their hold in India and the Arabian Sea against the increasingly powerful English. In retaliation, Jodhaa had all of their ships burnt, snatched their powers and wealth, and basically made paupers out of them. She died as the richest woman in Mughal history, before Noor Jahan.

8. Anarkali : A courtesan, with whom Jahangir (then Prince Salim) fell madly in love, many historians now consider the very real possibility that she never existed and was instead “invented” by the Mughal family as someone to blame for the tension between Akbar and Jahangir. According to the folklore, Akbar didn’t approve of Salim and Anarkali’s relation, and after she and Salim refused to end things, he had her entombed alive in a wall.

9. Maan Bai : Harkha Bai’s niece, she was Jahangir’s first wife. She later committed suicide by an overdose of opium when Jahangir had her son Khusrau blinded and imprisoned in a bitter war of succession. Her brother Man Singh was one of the Nine Gems (navaratna) of Akbar’s court, and had defeated Rana Pratap in the famous Battle of Haldighati.

10. Jagat Gosini : Princess of Jodhpur, she was the Padshah Begum of Jahangir’s zenana before Noor Jahan, and also the mother of Shah Jahan. She was the biggest obstruction in Noor Jahan’s historic rise to power. She was not on good terms with then Dowager Empress Ruqaiyya Begum (see above) and hence, Ruqaiyya Begum demanded that Shah Jahan be handed over to her so that she could raise him up, and also helped Noor Jahan against her. A local folklore also suggests that she had been the one behind the miscarriage of Noor Jahan after she had come into the zenana. She faded after Noor Jahan’s rise, but still held respect and power.

11. Noor Jahan (lit. Light of the World): The most famous and powerful woman in the history of the Mughals, Noor Jahan was born as Mehr-un-Nisa (lit. Sun amongst Women) to Persian immigrant parents. Brought up in Agra alongside Akbar’s court, Noor Jahan was an intelligent woman full of talent and potential. She was married off at 19 to Sher Afghan, a commander in Akbar’s army. The marriage was a failure, and moreover Noor Jahan suffered through 8 miscarriages with him, before the birth of her daughter, Ladli (lit. Darling or Beloved). After her husband was murdered in a coup, Ruqaiyya brought her to the Imperial Palace as part of her retinue, and later helped her and Jahangir get married, with she being Jahangir’s twentieth and final wife. Her rise to power was quick, owing to her own ambition and intellect, and some help from her father Itimad-ad-Daulah (Royal Treasurer of the Mughals), brother Asaf Khan (a prominent minister in Jahangir’s court) and Ruqaiyya Begum. Her seal as the Padshah Begum became second only to that of Jahangir, and later even surpassed his own. She brought great innovations to fashion, cosmetics, administration, architecture and gardening, city planning, and many more. She was the one who had arranged the marriage between her niece Arjumand Banu and Shah Jahan. Her marriage with Jahangir was a success – both of them were tempestuous and cared and loved each other deeply. Later, as Jahangir’s health started failing due to asthma and alcoholism, she took over the reigns and took the Mughal empire to great heights. The first British ambassador, Sir Thomas Roe, arrived in her time. However, she gave the British no rights or privileges till the Rahimi incident, and extracted a great many gifts from him, including a carriage made entirely of silver. She had designed her parents’ tomb near the Yamuna river in Agra (it was later copied by Shah Jahan), and she also designed Jahangir’s tomb in Lahore (modern day Punjab, Pakistan). She had tried to get Shah Jahan to marry her own daughter, but he refused and so she completely withdrew her support from making him the emperor, and instead opposed him. Shah Jahan thus had to flee to Burhanpur, with his eldest children Dara Shukoh, Jahanara, Aurangzeb and Roshanara in Noor Jahan’s custody. Later, he waged war against Noor Jahan with help from her brother Asaf Khan. Noor Jahan was ultimately defeated in Kashmir. She was deprived of her wealth, status and power and exiled to Lahore with her daughter and granddaughter. Her influence still remained, with Shah Jahan keeping her legacy alive by copying the Taj Mahal from the tomb she designed for her parents.

12. Mumtaz Mahal : Born as Arjumand Banu, she was Noor Jahan’s niece and Shah Jahan’s most beloved. She died in childbirth while giving birth to her fourteenth child – a girl called Gauhar.

13. Jahanara : Eldest daughter of Shah Jahan, she was the one who headed the empire after Shah Jahan was left heartbroken following Mumtaz’s death, and became active in the construction of the Taj Mahal. Noor Jahan is often described as being fond of her, taking care of her education personally. She was known as Padshah Mallika, and her flower-shaped seal was the most powerful. She was an accomplished dancer, poet and a patron of the arts. She conducted the most expensive wedding ever, between her brother Dara Shukoh and Nadira Banu Begum, valued at 2 lakh rupees then, approximately 2 billion USD in today’s time.  She supported Dara Shukoh in his bid to become emperor. Later, she was imprisoned by Aurangzeb after he imprisoned Shah Jahan and killed all his remaining brothers.

14. Roshanara : Shah Jahan’s younger daughter, she was also an accomplished poet, but always at loggerheads with Jahanara. She later supported Aurangzeb as emperor.

15. Dilras Banu Begum : Aurangzeb’s first wife and Padshah Begum of his zenana, Dilras Banu belonged to the Safavid dynasty of Persia. She was mother of all of Aurangzeb’s children. However, she died an year before Aurangzeb’s succession. The Bibi ka Maqbara (Tomb of the Lady) in Aurangabad, which bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, was constructed by Aurangzeb in her honour.

16. Zeenat-un-Nisa : Aurangzeb’s eldest daughter, she was the Padshah Mallika after her mother’s death. She survived Aurangzeb by a great many years, and was respected by his successors as a remnant of a magnificent past. She was known for her charity, and was buried in the Zeenat-ul-Masjid built by her in Dlehi.

17. Zeb-un-Nisa : Aurangzeb’s favourite daughter, Zeb-un-Nisa was the most accomplished poet in Mughal history, with her works still surviving and enjoyed. She was an atheist, but later converted to Sufism. She led a secret society, and lead a rebellion against the oppressive and harsh rule of her father. She was subsequently imprisoned by Aurangzeb, where she died. She was buried in the Tees Hazari Bagh (Garden of 30,000 Trees) near the Kashmiri Darwaza (Kashmir Gate) in North Delhi. Her tomb was later shifted at Akbar’s Mausoleum in Sikandra, Agra when Delhi was expanded following Independence.

Well people, this has been an informative post. You’re welcome.

Sources : Daughters of the Sun by Ira Mukhoty, Empress : the Astonishing reign of Noor Jahan by Ruby Lal.

British Colonialism in India: The Untold Story

This is the very first of a series of posts detailing the aftermath of British Colonialism in India. For 300 years, the British have had political influence on India, until 1947, when it gained its independence. Since then, India has been growing tirelessly, and is now on its way to become a global superpower. Despite all of this, there is still British influence behind it all, and the more subtle consequences of British Colonialism in India remain strong to this day, and the horrors inflicted upon Indians by the British are mostly unknown.

Through this series, I’m hoping to raise awareness of the sociopolitical issues and changes that were brought about by this dark era of Indian history. There are many cruelties that India, as well as several other countries that were colonized faced at the hands of the British, and apologies and compensations are yet to be given for the thousands of lives that were taken for the sake of wealth and sovereignty.

These posts will cover a wide range of topics, such as language, culture, religion, education, law, women’s rights, and a few others that will be posted in a cohesive order. Sources and recommended reading will be included wherever applicable. Every post in the series will be tagged under #British Colonialism in India - The Series

[And before anyone attacks the validity of this series, I, the author, am Indian, and have access to sources written by native historians, philosophers, and politicians. My research is thorough, and my perspective is authentic]

People tagged under the cut, please send a message if you’d like to be added to the list

Keep reading

From Goddess to Victim - a history of the Devadasi system in India

Ok guys I’d researched about this last year as a side project, and after seeing how virtually nobody knows about this cruel system, I would like to wake everyone up (bangs cymbal on face).

Known as Devadasi and Krishnadasi in South India, Jogini in Maharashtra and Mukhie in North India, devadasi literally means “God’s servant”. Traditionally, a devadasi was a person (mostly women and trans people, but there are instances of male devadasis too) who were “married” to god. There was a proper procession, wherein the person was then married to the local deity. Such women were also called “Akhandasaubhagyavati” - or She who is eternally fortunate - for they could never be widowed (Indians believed a woman’s happiness is linked to her husband - they still believe this).

While we find the first mention of a devadasi in Buddhist scriptures as Buddha’s disciple Amrapali, there is no mention at all of this system in any Hindu scripture (this practice is followed in Hinduism) at all. Anyways, being a devadasi was a great honour, since you were actually god’s wife, and were treated as such. Nobody could dare even question a devadasi, for their word was above law (although this was on a local basis).

They were extremely skilled dancers, musicians and artists, and routinely danced in temples. They performed all religious duties in the village, and they were the only ones allowed to enter the garbhagriha (the place where the idol was stationed) in temples. Many of them are known to be lesbians and bisexuals, but they were allowed to practice their sexuality without any hindrance since ultimately their true soulmate was believed to be god. There are also instances of devadasis practising polyandry or remarrying! For example, the second wife of Krishnadevaraya (Emperor of Vijayanagar), called Chinnamma, was a devadasi, who later married him.

However, slowly this practice started taking the form of the cruel system it today is. The age for being a devadasi was removed (most women became devadasis at the age of sixteen), and it became common to see little girls performing devadasi duties. The final blow came from the British Empire. The British couldn’t stomach the thought of “married” women being sexually active, and hence termed all devadasis as prostitutes. They even encouraged them to be treated as such!

From the nineteenth century onwards, devadasis began losing their respect and honour, and were increasingly used for prostitution and slavery. The only way for a devadasi to improve their condition became marrying a rich, influential man, or being his mistress. However, the worst was yet to come.

Today, this system is mostly practiced in Karnataka by members of the Yellamma cult. Girls as young as 3 years are forced into the system, which had become a family bondage - from grandmother to mother to daughter - and become part of a brutal sex racketeering system. Devadasis are regularly tortured and raped, and the intergenerational trauma they go through is so severe that it takes years of rehabilitation and therapy just to get them to trust other people again. This practice has been banned by the Indian Supreme Court, but is still prevalent in South India.

There are many people who have helped devadasis, and forwarded their cause. The most popular example is Sudha Murthy, Indian author and co-founder of the India based IT company Infosys. She has been helping the devadasi community for the past 40 years now, rescuing them from the clutches of sex slavery and providing them with employment and education. Another example is Sitavva Joddati, a victim of this system. She joined MASS (Mahila Abhivrutti evam Samrakshana Sanstha - Institution for Empowerment and Security of Women) when she escaped at the age of 17, and has since then rescued over 50,000 devadasis and inculcated them into mainstream society, with over 4000 devadasis joining MASS in its initiative.

People today are split into two factions on devadasis. Many want this system to end for good, with devadasis being inculcated into society and provided with the necessary tools to start life anew; while some want it to be revived - they want devadasis to be skilled in dance and music again, participating in cultural and heritage programs, with the govt. supporting them. (i prefer the former)

I request you to please reblog this, so that other people too can know about this inhuman system, and help the devadasi community in any way they can.

Women in the Indian Epics

This post is in response to @hindumythologyevent (i won’t be able to write tomorrow)

Ramayana and Mahabharata, while being epics centred around Hinduism, are actually integral parts of Indian culture as a whole. Everyone in India has grown up knowing about these epics, but never about the women. I would like to take this moment to make people realize THESE. EPICS. WOULD. BE . NON. EXISTANT. WITHOUT WOMEN. HECK ALL OF US WOULD BE.

1. RAMAYANA: While there’ s no shift in the status of women chronologically, there definitely is a marked changed in the social status of women in the epic geographically.

  North - 

Kaushalya : Princess of Southern Kosala (modern day Bundelkhand in India), she had proposed her marriage to Dasharath, Ram’s father, to stop the war between their kingdoms. In the epics, she is shown as “virtuous” and “sacrificing”, and is Ram’s birth mother.

Kaikeyi : Princess of Kekaya (modern day Pakistan-Afghanistan border region), she had married Dasharatha of her own accord, on her own terms. She was a powerful woman, and a powerful warrior - she had saved Dasharath’s life in a war, and consequently Dasharatha had granted her two boons. She used these boons later to banish Ram to the forest for 14 years and make her son Bharata the heir. A figure of scorn in the epic, Kaikeyi was actually an independent woman, who knew her cards.

Sumitra : She just kind of exists we don’t know much about her, except that she’s the mother of the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Sunaina : Queen of Videha (modern day Nepal), she was actually the one who ran the kingdom while her husband, Janak, looked after the “spiritual” nd “philosophical” aspects. Most people don’t even know about her.

Sita : The female protagonist, she is the Princess of Videha, and thus also called Vaidehi. In fact, there is a language in her honour called Maithili after her. She is actually quite passive in the epics, shown as yet again “virtuous” and blah blah blah. A few versions also say that she was actually Ravan’s daughter, or the reincarnation of a woman who Ravan had molested and so the woman vowed that she would be the cause of his death (mmm not so much I mean the dude was asking for it). FINALLY she does something after Ram banishes her cause people accuse her of Stockholm Syndrome WHILE SHE’S PREGNANT, and then tries to take her back once he gets to know that he’s a dad - twist, Sita has to prove she’s innocent by WALKING THROUGH FIRE AGAIN (she did it once after she escaped). So instead of doing this shitty thing again, she invoked the Earth Goddess (another legend says Sita is her daughter) and went away with her.

Manthara : Kaikeyi’s nanny, she came along with her after she married Dasharatha to take care of her children. Shown as a disfigured old hunchback, she is the one who had “instigated” Kaikeyi to banish Ram and make Bharata emperor. She’s one of the most hated characters in the Ramayana.

South - (FINALLY women don’t call their husbands ‘lord’ or ‘my king’)

Tara : The Monkey Empress, Tara was a powerful individual. After her husband Bali was killed by Rama, she ran the kingdom while her brother-in-law Sugreev whored away. Really wise, and commanded respect.

Mandodari : Daughter of the architect of Asuras Mayasur, Mandodari was another powerful woman. She was Ravan’s first wife, and is often seen speaking her opinions in the epics, reprimanding Ravan and genuinely being a boss-ass bitch, which as the epics state “was unusual”. Legend also states that Shiva had made her out of a frog (manduk in sanskrit), so that Ravan could stop pestering them.

Shurpanakha : Quite literally meaning “as sharp as nails), Shurpanakha was Ravan’s sister. Also known as Meenakshi, some hold her responsible for the annihilation of Ravan as her revenge for Ravan killing her husband. She had actually tried to seduce Ram and Lakshman while they were in the forest, but instead they pranked her, and not in the nice way (people, YOU DO NOT PRANK A DEMON PRINCESS). So when she saw Sita laughing, she thought it wa sher idea and attempted to kill her. Immediately, the “chivalrous” Lakshman ran to defend Sita and cut off “the evil temptress’” nose. So anywho Shurpanakha tells Ravan to avenge her, and later she goes to Ayodhya and spreads rumours about Sita’s affair with Ravan for revenge.

Kaikesi : Ravan’s mother, Kaikesi was the original heir to Lanka before it was given to Kuber, the dwarf lord of wealth. She later married the monk Vishravas, and had almighty children (some say this is the only reason she married him). She was the one who created Mega Ravan after the war to avenge herslef.

Sulochana : The Naga Princess, Sulochana was the daughter of the snake king Vasuki. Not much is known about her, except that she committed suicide after her husband Meghnad (Ravan’s son) was killed.

other characters : Trijata - she was Sita’s bodyguard in Lanka, and also Ravan’s  niece. She was the one who consoled Sita and protected her from the other demons.

Lankini : The guardian of Lanka, she had been defeated by Hanuman.

Urmila : Sita’s younger sister, who was married to Lakshman. Later, she fell into a coma for 14 years, till the time all three of our protagonists returned.

Surasa : The Sea Dragon, she tested Hanuman’s strength on his way to Lanka by attempting to eat him.

Simhika : The Shadow monster, who ate creatures by grabbing their shadows. She was killed by Hanuman.

2. MAHABHARATA : Ok this epic is more recognized, and also the women here are SO much more badass. The Mahabharata represents a chronological change in women’s status in Indian society.

Urvashi : Queen of the nymphs (apsaras), Urvashi had married the mortal king Pururavas on the condition that nobody will hurt her pet lamb, and that nobody except Pururavas will see her naked. So the gods killed her lamb and “opened the doors with mighty winds” and “lit the skies with lightning” when Pururavas and Urvashi were having sex, so everyone could see Urvashi naked. She then left Pururavas, who grew mad. Later, she tried to seduce Arjun (Pururavas’ descendant) and when he refused, she cursed him to become a eunuch.

Ganga : The River Goddess, she married Shantanu only on the condition that he would never question her or her actions. Then, Ganga proceeded to drown all of her and Shantanu’s children. When Shantanu finally stopped her from drowning the eighth one, it was revealed that they were actually gods cursed as humans and Ganga was only doing this so that they could go back to being gods again. Anywho, since Shantanu had technically questioned her actions, she left him and took the child. This child was Bhishma.

Satyavati : She was born when a fish ingested a king’s sperm (LONG story), and the fish gave birth to her. She was known for her beauty that rivalled the gods, and also her fish stank. she had sex with the sage Parashara and gave birth on an island to Vyasa (the Mahabharata’s author). In return, Parashara granted her the boon of irresistible scent. Later, she married Shantanu on one condition - that only her lineage would rule the throne, which forced Bhishma to take his vow of celibacy. A woman of naked ambition, she made sure that it was her blood only that ruled the throne of Hastinapur.

Amba : The princess of Kashi (modern day Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh), she and her two sisters were abducted from their marriage by Bhishma on Satyavati’s order to be married to her son Vichitravirya. Amba escaped Bhishma, but her husband refused to accept as she “was now another man’s property” (BITCH). When she asked Bhishma to marry her, he refused because of his stupid vow. So she sought revenge on him and went to the warrior sage Parashuram. Parashuram was enraged at Amba’s condition, and invited Bhishma to a duel till death. However, he realized that their duel could actually end the world and stopped it. Angry, Amba burnt herself alive and promised to be reborn as Bhishma’s death. She was reborn as the transwoman Shikhandi, Draupadi’s sibling, and ultimately killed Bhishma. (more popular versions state that she actually stood in front of Arjuna, and since Bhishma couldn’t “raise a hand on a transwoman”, Arjuna could safely kill Bhishma from behind her.

Gandhari : Princess of Gandhara (modern day Afghanistan), Gandhari’s kingdom was destroyed by Bhishma and she was married to Dhritarashtra, the blind prince. To aid her husband, she also blinded herself for life by wearing a blindfold at all times. Mother of the hundred Kauravas, she had uttered that fateful curse which caused the destruction of Krishna and his empire.

Kunti : Princess of Mathura, she was adopted by king Kuntihoja. A resourceful and sharp woman, she had received a boon to have kids by any god she wanted. Out of curiosity, she tested the boon and got the son of the Sun god, Karna. Not ready to be a teen mom, she threw the baby in a river (the baby lived). Later she married Pandu, Dhritarashtra’s younger brother, and gave birth to Yudhishthir, Bhima and Arjuna from Yama (god of death and law), Vayu (god of wind) and Indra (indian zeus) respectively. She spent her entire life protecting Pandu’s five children after his death, even burning six people alive during the Varnavat incident.

Madri : Princess of Madradesh (present day Tamil Nadu, India), she was Pandu’s second wife and gave birth to the twins Nakul and Sahadeva from the Ashvini Twins (gods of healing and knowledge, she had used Kunti’s boon). She committed suicide after Pandu’s death.

Draupadi : Princess of Panchal (modern day Uttar Pradesh, India although some people say it could also be Punjab), she was born from fire. She and her brother were created to avenge their foster father Drupad. Married to all five Pandavas, she later became Empress of Indraprastha, and encouraged her husbands to fight for their rights. Molested and disrobed after the Gambling Hall incident, she vowed to destroy the Kuru dynasty - and that she would not wash her hair until they were washed with Dushasana’s blood, the man who had disrobed her. Krishna treated her like his own sister, and today she serves as an inspiration to all women.

There are a LOT more women in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, but i would have to write another separate 500 pager for that, and honestly i have run out of brain juice right now. so i leave you with this - STAY BADASS LADIES.

Bored? I got you

Posts

Essays to read

Book recommendations #1

Reblog and create your reading list

Playlists to try new music

Free movies and shows

Academic show recommendations

Book recommendations #2

Productivity tips

Study tips i can swear by

I don't know how to journal

I don't know how to journal #2

I don't know how to journal #3

YouTube videos/channels

How i journal- flip through emma Claire

How i journal raimi rayes

Pursuit of wonder

Why you should read series by ted ed (my favourite)

Creative writing workshop by ted ed

How things work by ted ed

Ted talks to watch

Podcasts

Mahabharat (again my favourite)

Bhaskar bose (hindi thriller podcast)

Read stuff for friends (poetry)

The exam expert (study tips and stuff)

Growing with the flow (friend to friend talk kinda podcast)

Poems to calm you down

Scary horror stories by dr no sleep

Sylvia Plath reads her poems

Audio books

Audio books #1

Audio books #2

Harry Potter audio books

Audio books #3

Audio books: horror

(if any of the links are not working, dm me)

Phil's the greatest father, husband, SIL, BIL and friend anyone can ever have! Fight me.

i get why this was the internet’s assigned father figure now. i really do

Arjun and Karna are OG Twilight boys aka Edward and Jacob (not respectively). Just get over it!

Bookish K-Dramas

Since K-dramas are my favorite thing to watch at the moment, I thought it would be fun to recommend some that I think Bibliophiles (like myself) will especially enjoy. So here is a list of my favorite book related K-Dramas!

Keep reading

youtubers i’d recommend to (dark) academics

disclaimer: they don’t actually post anything (dark) academia related, but i think many academics would like them! they’re basically some of my favourite youtubers XD

i’m also putting some examples of their content behind their names so you can easily find what you’re interested in :) feel free to add some recommendations in the comments!

studytubers:

Eve Cornwell (life of a lawyer, law school, lifestyle content, coffee)

Jack Edwards (english literature, lifestyle content, uni life, study videos)

Ruby Granger (uni life, study videos, lookbooks, productivity)

Eve Bennett (Spanish and German student at Oxford, productivity, lifestyle content)

booktubers:

monica kim (asian books, travel, reading vlogs)

ariel bissett (unpopular books, essay type videos)

ellias (reading vlogs, book hauls, bookstore vlogs)

lifestyle youtubers:

Tristan Simpson (life of a ballet dancer, american living in germany)

Soony Sun (uni life, medicine, skincare, actually a studytuber)

UnJaded Jade (uni life, study tips, productivity, also a studytuber)

Tori Meadows (fairly new, fashion, nice aesthetic)

random:

bestdressed (lookbooks, outfit ideas, thrifting, lifestyle content)

tiffanyferg (video essays, money)

STRANGE ÆONS (tumblr deep dives, lgbtq+ content)

Harmony Nice (witchcraft, true crime, fashion and makeup, wicca)

Agreed!

idk how to explain this exactly but those booktubers that will frequently buy like 15+ books a month, post their big dramatic book hauls, buy 2nd/3rd/4th copies, buy all the special editions, and are subscribed to all sorts of book boxes are creating a particular Environment in the internet book community that I'm not fond of

They can do whatever they want with their money. Full stop. But the problem is all those jokes like "bookworms can't walk past a bookstore without buying 10 books", "book lovers' paychecks are ALWAYS spent on books", "real bookworms would absolutely DIE to get the special editions", and so on and so forth. The problem is when they make their situation the expected bookworm situation. It creates a very middle-to-upper class view of what a reader is, bc in reality?

most people who like books cannot afford to buy the $50 special edition, subscribe to the $30/month book box, buy multiple copies, or buy $200 of books every time they drive past Indigo. Most people cannot afford to have 2000+ books on their shelves.

I have way more books than anyone else I know--about 350, with 100 or so of those being ebooks I got for like $3-$9. That is still way more than most book lovers have, and yet Booktube seems to create this environment where you're expected to have bookshelves covering your entire wall full of hardbacks, special editions, no *shudder* ebooks, and that's just... not affordable. It's not.

I don't really know how to conclude this except with you do NOT need a giant book collection full of expensive books to be a real reader. peace and love on planet earth or w/e

So, doesn't exactly fit my blog but here's a law student's explanation to Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial, be aware, I am not a lawyer, I study law in Finland where the justice system works a bit differently but I have a general understanding how stuff works in America

1. This is NOT a criminal case about domestic abuse, this is a civil lawsuit about defamation

What this means is that Depp's team's goal is not to prove that Heard is an abuser, their goal is to prove that she lied about being the victim of abuse, because Heard's team has filed a counter lawsuit, they will be trying to prove that Depp is the abuser & Heard didn't lie about it

2. Heard is not going to jail, no matter the result

As said, this is a civil lawsuit, there is no prosecution, Heard cannot be guilty of anything, she can only be held liable and because of the counter suit, Depp can also be held liable, if that happens, it means they would have to pay the other party (Depp has sued for 50 million, Heard countered with 100 million)

3. This is NOT a slam dunk for Depp, even though Heard admitted the abuse, because the case is about defamation and not Heard's abuse towards Depp, also because jury can literally decide whatever the fuck they feel like despite the evidence (I am not a fan of jury system but that's a thing for another day)

4. Reason why Heard's mental health is important for the trial is because she stated in the article that she had PTSD because of Depp, Depp's team has a right to disprove this claim through an expert, that's why she went through the psychological examination where it was determined that she does not have PTSD but the test showed signs of BPD

5. Even though she literally said that she abused Depp, I don't see this case going to criminal court, because of the complexity of it, because the abuse has taken place in Australia, California and Bahamas and all these incidents would have to be prosecuted under the jurisdictions these incidents happened, Australia in Australia etc and etc, Depp hasn't probably pursued this path because this would be mentally exhausting, also at least in USA the statute of limitations is already done meaning Heard's abuse has happened so long time ago the time frame to sue her has already closed

In addition, if you're intrested in following the trial, I reccomend Legal Bytes, she's covering the whole trial, streams have a panel of lawyers of different fields, along with behavioral analysist, nurse etc (the streams are daily and like 11 hours long I have no idea how many more fields are involved) she is also in addition to these doing recaps on the topic, the panel is personally supporting Depp but is generally trying to educate objectively on the topic.

Also fell free to ask any questions, this is a very interesting case (from both the legal and the sociological standpoint) and I would like to talk more about it

Pure!

Genuinely think one of the biggest keys to the success of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. was that they called it F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Obviously that's not the sole reason - they also had a talented cast that got on well with each other, a talented writers room, a great theme song, etc.

But let's talk about the name. Because there were plenty of other sitcoms airing at the same time with very similar premises and styles; Jerry Seinfeld even criticised F.R.I.E.N.D.S. for essentially having the same premise as his own sitcom, Seinfeld - a group of friends hanging out in New York

But here's the thing:

Seinfeld isn't just a show about friends hanging out in New York, nor even, as it's slogan suggests, a 'show about nothing.' It's a show about Seinfeld and his friends. He's the titular character, and while Elaine and George and Kramer certainly get their fare share of screen-time, Jerry is the anchor that the show is founded on quite simply because it's named after him.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. struck gold with the simplicity of it's title; by saying "this is simply a show about a group of friends" it allowed them the flexibility shift certain dynamics and relationships, give characters different jobs from season to season without losing the core of what it's about. In some seasons Rachel and Phoebe are living together. In some seasons Ross works at a museum, in others he's a university lecturer. In theory, the writers could have written out any one of the six titular friends, such as Ross, and the show would still be F.R.I.E.N.D.S. On the other hand, if Jerry Seinfeld had been written out of Seinfeld... well, it wouldn't be Seinfeld anymore would it?

This is the inherent hurdle that almost every sitcoms have to grapple with - they want to tell a story about a group of characters getting into comedic situations - but there has to be something that ties those characters together.

Most often this is a place of work, i.e The Office, Parks And Rec, The IT Crowd, but it could also be a location, a familial connection, some other unifying theme. And this ends up being the anchor that the writers can spin their sitcom stories around, which is a useful tool, but also can too often become a crutch, leading to these shows feeling stale and repetitive.

How I Met Your Mother is a fairly prime example of this. From the moment the conceit of the show was born, it was digging it's own grave, because if Ted's telling his kids the story of how he met their mother, sooner or later he has to meet the mother and the show has to end. Though by god if they didn't stretch out that conceit for all it was worth...

Similarly, in The Office, everything has to come back to and be connected to the titular office - whenever any of the main characters get fired and start working somewhere that isn't The Office - such as the storyline with Jim's startup company - it ends up feeling weird and disjointed.

In Brooklyn-99 the characters are tied to the 99th precinct. In Fawlty Towers the characters are tied to the Fawlty Towers hotel. In Cheers the characters are tied to the bar Cheers. Rules Of Engagement's core conceit is that we're following a married couple, an engaged couple and a single bachelor - change that dynamic and the show loses it's anchor. The characters in The Big Bang Theory can't stop being scientists, at least not for any meaningful length of time, because that's what their show is about.

Now that's not to say that all of these shows ran stale from their core conceit; in fact shows such as Cheers and B-99 have managed to pull it off incredibly well in my opinion. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia gets away with it because a) the only thing the characters are tied to by the name is the city of Philadelphia, where they're all from anyway, b) so much of what Sunny does is meta-humour based around the stale repetitiveness that so many sitcoms run into.

But every sitcom has to be about something and more than often what it's about is also the title of the show, or close enough.

And sure, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. could have been easily been called something like "Central Perk" or "Greenwich Village" or "Runaway Bride" or "New York Minute" or "Five Friends And That One Guy We Kinda Have To Hang Out With Because He's Monica's Brother," I'm just spitballing here. In fact the show very nearly was called "Insomnia Café." Seriously, that was the original title they were going to go with. Can you imagine?

But instead we ended up with "F.R.I.E.N.D.S." No ties to anyones job, location, or relationship status. We are simply following a group of friends and we can shake up the dynamic, have different friends get together, or live together, give them different jobs from time to time, there was all this freedom the writers had to tell basically any story they wanted to, as long as the "friends" were involved.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. essentially has the title every other sitcom wants - simple, concise, effective, tells you exactly what the show is about and yet leaves room to explore so many avenues.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. was a show about friends. And in terms of 'best sitcom names,' it pretty much takes the cake. I'm willing to bet, if it had been called "Insomnia Café" it would have had nowhere near the cultural impact that it did.

Representation for the sake of representation is no better than no representation at all!

this was too long for twitter but honestly i was pleasantly surprised about the publicity for heartstopper because i expected everyone on twitter to be like "wELL if every single actor doesn't immediately come out to everyone then how do we KNOW all the queer characters are actually being played by queer actors hmMM??" bc yknow. the internet is just Like That 🙃

and heartstopper's response (bc they almost certainly anticipated this) was literally just like "we have a queer cast, trust us, and not a single person in the cast owes you any more information than that. not to MENTION we go above and beyond to show you that this tv series was CREATED not only by an openly queer author who was given FULL control to write the entire screen adaptation of their own graphic novels, but also by a openly queer director who specifically made sure to hire as many queer workers as possible for every. other. department of the show. because yes, it's super important that queer actors play queer characters; but it's even MORE important that the representation extends FAR beyond the people you see on screen."

bc THAT IS HOW YOU HAVE GOOD REPRESENTATION. NOT forcing all of your actors to spend every single interview fielding questions about their own personal gender & sexual identities. good representation is making sure that―unlike the majority of films and tv shows, sadly―if you look beyond the main cast, the roles of director/producer/writer/photographer/makeup artist/crew member/etc are ACTUALLY fulfilled by a diverse group of talented people. true representation doesn't stop at the actors, or the portrayal of characters. it goes all the way up the ladder to everyone making the movie/tv show/etc happen in the first place. change can't happen long-term unless "older," well-established people in the industry (like euros lyn) use their position to create opportunities for fresh, new, young, diverse talent.

tldr heartstopper is a brilliant example of how to properly create a series both by and for the lgbtq+ community, and i was SO relieved to see all the publicity revolve around the story and the actors and the importance of representation WITHOUT requiring anybody who wasn't already out to clarify anything about themselves.

(ramble mostly inspired by this and sourced from this, if you haven't watched the video you 100% should !!! also ofc special shoutout to kit for taking absolutely no shit from twitter)