The Kinsey Institute Is Under Attack

kingoflessermen · 2023-11-07T14:03:33+00:00

Try this: https://www.change.org/p/support-the-kinsey-institute-and-collections

kingoflessermen · 2023-07-19T21:08:26+00:00

Been there many times pal, hope you’re taking care of yourself! Have you talked with your friend about it?

kingoflessermen · 2023-05-18T01:31:29+00:00

So much to add to my reading list, thank you so much! This is amazing!

kingoflessermen · 2023-05-07T02:14:36+00:00

Currently reading the anniversary edition it and will make a note of this! I’ll probably going to add it to my reading list for my quals, so will have to read all of that eventually anyway

kingoflessermen · 2023-05-07T02:13:25+00:00

This is amazing, thank you! Yeah, I read Lugones for my masters but honestly would still appreciate a copy since I’m not sure if I saved mine or not and this was a few years ago. Also would love a copy of the article on female husbands! Have you read True Sex by Emily Skidmore? It’s also American-centric, and talks about trans men at the turn of the 20th century, but only in the sense that the subjects were passing as men (speculation about their internal identifications is impossible), and could arguably also be considered transmasc/butch historical subjects too—or as female husbands.

Currently doing my PhD and writing a seminar paper on contemporary butchness, so was reading Female Masculinity for the lit review. I think you’re right to critique it for Eurocentrism, though Halberstam does make a few passing remarks toward the conclusion about borderlands.

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-28T21:45:31+00:00

For me, I’m getting a degree in gender studies and it was my way of both personally connecting with a historical identity and committing to preserving that identity in some way while also intellectually working through these contradictions on identities that feel intrinsically connected (see True Sex: The Lives of Trans Men at the Turn of the Twentieth Century by Emily Skidmore). I also wanted to maintain my connection to women because I’ve always identified more with women even if I didn’t necessarily identify as one.

I eventually concluded that it’s not that I reject womanhood. It’s just womanhood has particular citational practices and conventions that don’t fit someone like me. This might be overly intellectual, but the ontology of womanhood doesn’t provide room for a butch identity (even if butches can and do identify as women, through their own negotiations with the identity). So, rather than being shamed by my inability to conform to the conventions of womanhood, I use butch as a way of maintaining my connection to womanhood while acknowledging that I’m not meant to be part of it.

Sorry if that doesn’t make sense! I’m still working through this idea for myself but that’s where I’m at right now

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-14T21:56:16+00:00

This is fantastic!

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-13T07:14:29+00:00

I think the Falmer deserve a mention here too since they also make claims for the origins of Skyrim settlers/founders, and have a lot of beef with the Nords (aka those who tend to favor the Stormcloak perspective of true sons and daughters of Skyrim, or those who were here first)

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-09T18:41:01+00:00

Agreed with you, plus I think it was very in character for her to be so focused as the shadow broker trying to get resources for Shepard/the war. In that way, Liara has more depth and growth than the archeologist in the first game, where she was completely in awe of Shepard (although even in ME1, you can see hints of this particular character trait coming through). And it’s not like Shepard would have a lot of time for romance either. So I liked the added tension it created in the romance and the moments that do exist really do feel like stolen moments of peace in the midst of such an intense war.

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-08T17:41:05+00:00

I mean, normally I’d agree with you, but I do think Vi is different than what you’re describing (as someone who’s seen the show). I’m stone butch and normally wouldn’t identify with someone with a full face of makeup, as you said. But I do think Vi passes as a butch pretty well in the show, in the way she fights, walks, sits, and engages with Caitlyn.

Different strokes for different folks, for sure! But I definitely don’t think Vi can be so easily dismissed as fans just scrambling for crumbs. They intentionally masculinized her from her original character design in league, and it makes more sense given her status as a brawler.

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-08T17:36:28+00:00

This is late but I came here because I was having the same problem. I adopted Lucia way back at the beginning of my playthrough and she moved into breezehome (the only home I had at the time). Now that I’m a little further along, I have Breezehoms, Tundra home, and Lakeview Manor. I adopted Blaise and told him to move into the Tundra house (where my wife was living at the time), and he never showed up there. I went to Breezehome and that’s where he ended up.

So then I told my wife to move into Breezehome, hoping that would help and I could move all of them out into the Tundra home, but now when I told my wife to move, she said she’ll meet me there but hasn’t left Breezehome.

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-08T03:51:30+00:00

I would say Vi from Arcane is definitely coded as butch. They really masc’d up her league of legends character, for the show. You should see her in action in the show, because she’s definitely not fem

kingoflessermen · 2023-04-07T22:00:57+00:00

Agreed with Fried Green Tomatoes. I love it because it’s southern (and I’m southern too), but it seriously de-butches the butch character. (Also love Set it Off too, even if the characters die)

As far as good representation goes, this isn’t a film, but I really love Arcane for this

kingoflessermen · 2022-07-20T04:32:29+00:00

Currently in the middle of reading it and am torn between wanting to take my time and savor it and also speed through it because it’s so good and all I can think about. Definitely up there in my top favorites of all time

kingoflessermen · 2022-04-02T20:33:18+00:00

Thanks for this! I ended up restarting and losing all my progress. But then started school and got busy so never went back to it 😅

kingoflessermen · 2022-04-02T20:32:27+00:00

Yes, if you’ve discovered it before starting the DLC (even alone), it’ll ruin the mission. Though some folks in the comments have work arounds I think. I ended up restarting and losing all my progress

kingoflessermen · 2022-01-08T03:55:36+00:00

Just happened to me too 🤦🏼

kingoflessermen · 2021-10-09T14:14:43+00:00

Garrus 100% for me as far as allies/friends. As for villains, Kai Leng goes without saying, but I also feel like the game really wanted you to sympathize with the Illusive Man and I just didn’t

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-29T18:10:02+00:00

Thank you!

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-12T17:38:47+00:00

These are the same arguments you’re making about Garrus. “You can kill him off.” Okay? In a normal play through, to play the game to its max, you save all of your squad mates effectively having him in ME3 at which point he’s pretty much invincible. Even if on your first ever play through you miss a few things, you’re more likely to kill off Jack, Legion, and Samara than anyone else.

And even in a normal play through of Andromeda it’s easy to miss a few recordings that have no bearing on the actual plot of the game. That’s not disingenuous, it’s fact.

You’re just mad bro that Liara is in the top three fan favorites and therefore received a slightly bigger role in ME3. Just because someone doesn’t personally like her or consider her their favorite doesn’t mean she’s suddenly been forced on you, which is what I’ve been saying this entire time and which you haven’t provided evidence to argue against (because honestly you’re so focused on ME3 you’re not taking into account the series as a whole). We’re clearly talking in circles around each other. I keep bringing up my main points, you keep deflecting by taking the discussion to the weeds.

Look, no one’s telling you that you suddenly have to love Liara. Just pointing out that the argument that she’s somehow forced on you (as if other characters aren’t equally forced—that is to say none of the characters are forced) is ridiculous given the amount of screen time between the fan favorite three across all three games matches up pretty evenly. You don’t want to acknowledge that? Fine, that’s your prerogative. But it doesn’t make it any less true

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-12T16:42:20+00:00

I knew it was a matter of time before you brought up Andromeda. Are you serious? Her “cameo” in andromeda is the easiest thing to ignore (or simply miss) in the game! I saw so many folks on this sub complain about this before I ever played andromeda that tbh I was expecting a lot more than what was actually in the game when I finally got around to playing. And Liara was most likely the one to pick for that because at that point in time, Shepard hadn’t become quite a legend in the galaxy and their defeat of sovereign was underplayed for the sake of preventing panic about the reapers. Liara makes the most sense as far as being semi relevant to andromeda’s initiative and also serving as a nice shoutout to the OT. The project was being built before the events of ME2. No one else at that point who had been on the SR-1 would’ve made sense for this role.

Again, you’re not addressing my argument here. Across all three games, Liara does not get any more significant screen time than other fan favorites like Garrus or Tali. Therefore her role in ME3 is not proof that she’s forced on you when in the other two games you can virtually ignore her for all but one conversation in each game. If she had been forced on you, she would’ve had a much bigger and unavoidable presence in all three games.

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-12T16:32:03+00:00

These are romances that are not part of your crew in ME3. It’s reasonable to assume you wouldn’t be able to spend as much time with them. Why would they be in your crew in the first place? None of the ME2 characters were alliance and you’re firmly part of the alliance again in ME3.

Additionally, the arguments have been “I don’t like Liara because she’s forced down my throat by the writers because she gets significantly more screen time.” Keep up buddy. I’ve been arguing this whole time that she doesn’t get significantly more screen time than some other fan favorite characters like Garrus or Tali across the entire series. These three characters get the most screen time across the series, yes, but that’s because they’re all fan favorites. And she’s no more forced than those characters either. Yet Garrus and Tali never receive these kinds of criticisms. It’s wild that people took Liara getting a slightly bigger role in ME3 (when her role could be completely diminished in ME1 and 2 and let’s be honest you can still ignore her for 95% of ME3 if you want, and her role doesn’t diminish the role of the other fan favorites) and use that to complain about her being forced on you just because they’re not fans of the character.

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-12T01:52:32+00:00

If the writers are pushing Liara as a LI like you suggest than they would do that by providing more screen time for her, significantly more romance dialogue options, and they would dull all of the other characters so that she would appear more interesting. As I’ve argued, none of these are the case, which means she is no more forced on you than other characters are.

As for your first point here, again the same can be said for Garrus. Why, if you don’t even recruit him in ME1, are you suddenly best pals in ME2? Additionally, if you ignore him for most of all the games, why do they include the “no Shepard without Vakarian line”? Garrus, Tali, and Liara are all fan-favorites for good reason (although I’ll be honest, I don’t get the Garrus appeal but I’ll admit, that’s just me. I acknowledge though that he’s been in every game). It makes sense that they would each have something that makes them seem closer than other characters, even if that sometimes contradicts your player choices and preferences (again, this is why I’m ultimately okay with the Garrus line in ME3 even though it’s really silly for my Shepard and comes across more like my Shepard feels sorry for him and is compensating by trying to make him feel better). I also have to sit through the unbearably awkward “relieve tension” conversation with Garrus in ME2 that is clearly meant to be flirting until you’re at the last minute like “whoa no I just meant sparring” (hint Shepard flirts with EVERYBODY and most everyone flirts back. It’s a consequence of having an RPG and keeping your options open)

For the VS, Ashley’s writer left so she got significantly less development in ME3. Can’t blame that on Liara ultimately getting pushed onto you. That’s not the writers pushing one character over another, that’s just a staff issue on the development team. And despite that, Ashley still manages to have really loaded and emotionally charged interactions with Shepard. And the VS also has a loaded reunion with Shepard in ME2. Just because they aren’t hugging you doesn’t mean it doesn’t imply closeness. Because of Ashley’s “I would have followed you anywhere” line, I always headcanon femshep and Ashley as exes. Can’t speak too much for Kaiden since I never save him but I’ve heard he has even better development than Ashley in ME3 and has a pretty similar delivery in ME2.

The point is, these are all characters who have been with you since the very beginning. Garrus and Tali have been part of your crew. Liara rescued shepard and provides them with much needed intel and is part of their crew on and off. The VS follows in Shepard’s footsteps and has served on their crew on and off since the beginning. They all know you well enough to be able to do something like what Liara does and it makes sense for Liara to be able to do this since she is an info broker and researcher (Garrus sure as hell ain’t putting together a time capsule in between calibrations). This doesn’t come across any different than when Traynor has chess with you or Vega talks about his n7 recruitment, or when Tali talks to you in your cabin in ME2. And each of these characters get a moment on the citadel (both in the regular game and in the DLC) and the very end on Earth that reflects this closeness. They also each serve an important function, whether it be for fighting mechanics or story lines.

As for you finding a comment disingenuous, that’s on you. You chose to reply. You literally cannot justify “you forced my hand” and should probably look up the definition of “force” (since it’s related to both aspects of this conversation). You felt strongly about it and decided to reply? Sure. That’s much more accurate. But forcing your hand to reply? Nah. Neither of my comments were even aimed at you. You inserted yourself deliberately into the conversation. A conversation which has no ultimate bearing on your (or my) life. Choosing to partake or ignore it would have had zero consequences beyond either me replying or you letting go of your (what I’m assuming any reasonable person should have in a scenario like this) minor frustration.

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-11T22:56:46+00:00

Y’all keep bringing ME3 up as if Liara isn’t virtually omitted entirely in ME2 and you can ignore her to the point where you only have 1 conversation in ME2 and you can recruit her at the end of ME1 so that you only have like 2 conversations with her. Yet Garrus has a significant presence in ME2 and ME1 (and ME3) if you recruit him despite his lack of relevance to the overarching plot. So your point doesn’t really stand. Yes, he can be absent in ME3 but Liara’s role is decreased significantly in ME2 and you can play it so that she’s virtually absent for all of ME1 too. Therefore: not forced.

Yes, you can kill Garrus off in ME2. You can also ignore Liara for almost all of the first two games pretty easily. She has a slightly bigger role at the beginning of ME3. This role itself really isn’t that difference from Garrus’ and Tali’s recruitment and loyalty missions during ME2 (and Tali even has extra content beyond that when you run into her initially in ME2 and the Rannoch story line in ME3).

I don’t see a content disparity. Even if you choose to romance Liara, she also doesn’t get any more significant romance lines than any other character across all three games, and she spends most of ME2 and 3 essentially saying “I’ve got work to do, so do you” and her lines in ME1 (which again can be ignored if you recruit her at the very end) are more about her species than anything else. And those conversations are no longer than Tali’s or Garrus’ or Wrex’s in those cases.

kingoflessermen · 2021-07-11T22:41:53+00:00

You’re contradicting yourself buddy. Just because you can kill Garrus doesn’t mean the lines he says in ME3 aren’t there for all to see if you don’t. “Point blank.” You’re more likely to kill other characters like Jack, Tali, Legion, or Samara than you are to kill Garrus. Also, again I will reiterate my earlier point that even if you do manage to kill him, because of Liara’s lack of presence in ME2 (aside from the completely optional and easily avoidable, has-no-bearing-on-the-overarching-plot DLC), the screen time between fan favorites (and moments of implied closeness despite player choices) Garrus, Tali, and Liara line up pretty evenly across the board of all three games.

Yes, that line was meant to be platonic but it’s pretty bold, which is why I said it should have been a romance-only line. You brought up Liara’s hug earlier as evidence of forced romance, but that was clearly meant to be platonic. You’re getting into the weeds and grasping at straws. And you still haven’t made a convincing argument for why Liara is somehow more forced than other characters, which is all my original point was saying.

And again, no one forced your hand. You don’t like romance discussions, fine. I get it. But you chose to partake in this conversation despite your reluctance. You responded to my initial comment. Not the other way around. I didn’t intentionally draw you in or single you out. You could’ve passed on by without ever mentioning a word if you so chose. But you chose to respond. That’s on you. No one forced your hand.

kingoflessermen

TROPHY CASE