there is nothing more attractive than a man who reads.
[ Link to survey ]
The 11th annual international gender census, collecting information about the language we use to refer to ourselves and each other, is now open until 13th June 2024.
It’s short and easy, about 5 minutes probably.
After the survey is closed I’ll process the results and publish a spreadsheet of the data and a report summarising the main findings. Then anyone can use them for academic or business purposes, self-advocacy, tracking the popularity of language over time, and just feeling like we’re part of a huge and diverse community.
If you think you might have friends and followers who’d be interested, please do reblog this blog post, and share the survey URL by email or at AFK social groups or on other social networks. Every share is extremely helpful - it’s what helped us get 40,000 responses last year.
Survey URL: https://survey.gendercensus.com
The survey is open to anyone anywhere who speaks English and feels that the gender binary doesn’t fully describe their experience of themselves and their gender(s) or lack thereof.
For the curious, you can also spy on some graphs and demographic data for the incoming responses here.
Thank you so much!
[ Link to survey ]
Image credit: Malachite and rhodochrosite.
Thinking about batboys doing average father-son activities with Bruce.
Dick and Bruce go shopping. Alfred did, does and, probably, will do it until the end of time, but since Dick lives in Blüdhaven he prefers to do it by himself. Sometimes Bruce offers help, sometimes Dick accepts it. At such moments, Dick lets Bruce pay and completely enjoys his nepo baby life. Bruce still doesn't know the value of money and can't estimate the cost of groceries, Dick still likes being wheeled around on a cart. He barely fits in there and the rest of the customers look at them weirdly, but Bruce has been used to close attention and has never been able to turn Dick down. They recklessly rush through the departments while new articles about the eccentric Brucie appear in the newspapers, then both get scolded by Alfred for buying all sorts of useless junk.
Jason and Bruce read together. Wayne's library is one of a few places in the mansion where Jason appears regularly and willingly. They don't even talk, just sit in one room, mostly in silence, punctuated by snorting or brief comments. Bruce has a lot of books he planned to read but always put off, so he uses this time to good advantage. Jason acknowledges his existence with a slight nod and on good days sits closer, almost enough to be in Bruce's space. Jason often rereads books, writes notes on transparent stickers that Alfred gave him and chews a pencil, thinking. Sometimes Bruce finds books on the table in his cabinet, the same transparent sticker invariably says "You would like it" with a postscript in smaller letters at the bottom "or not, I don't care". Bruce always smiles softly, adding it to the top of his list.
Tim and Bruce go to the skate park. They both wear sunglasses and casual clothes, but those few parents who come with children still whisper to each other. For the first few times it's kind of awkward, Bruce is unsure what to do and Tim isn't used to attention from his parents, but they cope. Bruce ruffles Tim's hair, enjoying the way his eyes light up, and tries his best not to jump up every time Tim falls. He wears a protective gear set, Bruce insisted, and they both know that Red Robin has been through the worst, but Bruce has little control over the mother hen regime. In the evening, coming home, they buy ice cream and coffee for the night extracurricular activities, and if Tim pretends to be asleep while Bruce carries him out of the car, no one mentions it.
Damian and Bruce go to the cinema. Damian isn't used to pop-culture, and Dick is convinced that this tragedy should be solved. Damian says it's a senseless waste of time and he has more significant stuff to do, but always looks forward to these days. It's mostly cartoons, ideally with animals in the main roles. Damian loves cartoons, and he is less ashamed of admitting it when Bruce says he loves them too. They eat something that Alfred would disapprove of, stay for a short time after the credits and constantly walk home by foot. Damian doesn't ask for uppies, he would never, Bruce picks him up and puts him on his shoulders anyway. Damian likes to be on high, for Bruce it's not even a workout, just a warm-up weight and he tries not to think bitterly that he isn't able to do this with his other children anymore. Sometimes they talk quietly, sometimes just enjoy each other's company. Sometimes Damian falls asleep, knowing perfectly well his father won't let him fall, and Bruce holds him tightly to not let him down.
It's weirdly cozy for their life, almost normal. It's not better, they would choose vigilante life anyway, they already did, but it's nice to feel from time to time. They appreciate it, even if they don't say it out loud.
I'm still not over the fact that Riz can't afford to go to college.
They were all rich last season & they had to give the money away because of that stupid fucking curse & now Riz can't afford to go to college even though he really fucking wants to.
And yeah, scholarships are still an option but I have a feeling something is going to fuck that up too & I am just so angry at this fictional world for being shitty to my boy who has done nothing but give & help & work himself to the bone because he literally doesn't know how to do anything else...
I'm thinking so hard about a non-superhero Biker AU because the angst in DC is once again getting to me. I mean there's still so much angst but yk... Anyway, listen up:
Bruce Wayne, famous bike racer, son of a famous bike racer. Alfred, his godfather and a pit mechanic, took him in. The Graysons were some of his biggest supports in the sport once Bruce's parents died. We jump ahead a bit, Bruce is sixteen and a baby Dick Grayson is born. He grows up to be inquisitive as hell, skilled in many sports including dance and gymnastics, and of course a fascination with bikes.
When Dick is ten, his parents die in an accident. He's tossed into the foster system for a bit, and Bruce figures that he has to take the kid in. It takes a bit to get the papers approved for him to be a foster parent, but eventually he's cleared and volunteers to take the kid on. Dick takes a while to adjust and process, but Bruce has an extensive garage and Dick is thrilled.
Said garage is where we meet a 12 year oldJason Todd six years later, as he tries to steal the tires off the bat bike. He then gets spotted by Bruce who just wanted to go grocery shopping, but instead gets hit with a tire iron and called a boob. (Gotta give the occasional nod to cannon) Two weeks later, Bruce gets a call about an emergency placement in his area, and when the kid shows up, the fury in his eyes and the ratty old red backpack are unmistakable.
Those two ideas are pretty solid, and I'll keep updating as I come up with ideas and things. Feel free to reblog/reply/ask with any thoughts of your own!
reading dc comics has turned me into a hater in ways that no other comics made me a hater.
and to clarify, i do not hate the characters. they are good, Nice even. they are very Complex.
on the other hand, the storyline of some of these comic runs has made me feel like i have lost braincells and when i shoved it back to my head, it was no longer a cell made for brains.
CONT the delivery of essential items into Gaza.
You hate eachother & You love yourself
You know that feeling that you're living in a nightmare?