Girlyominouspresence - Axon, Dendrite, Help Me

Okay, here's my criticism of this post I keep seeing -- and no, it's not what you think. I know, my longtime followers who know the kinds of things I post about a lot are probably thinking, "Oh, I know what their objection is going to be. It's going to be that 18-19 year olds are adults who can date older partners if they choose to." But no, that's not it this time! Yes, I do believe it's fine for young adults to date older adults if they choose to (and am accordingly rolling my eyes at all the "This should go up to 25!" comments in the notes), but. That's not my issue here. In fact, precisely because I believe that young adults dating older adults is morally neutral, I'm not at all concerned about the efficacy of the messaging against it. My concern is that underage minors being in sexual/romantic relationships with adults is actually harmful and dangerous, and therefore young people actually should be warned against it, and this is not an effective warning.

Fellow old people, do y'all remember being 14? At all? Would you have found this warning effective and compelling at that age?

I for sure would not! I did not! Quite the opposite!

Put yourself in the young person's position here. You have no rights. You're treated as someone with no agency. Your parents, teachers, government, and society as a whole treats you as some combination of "nuisance," "ticking time bomb," and "unthinking blob." Developmentally, you're at a phase of life when you should be transitioning to a more adult role, but everyone around you demonizes you for that desire. All your thoughts, feelings, and opinions are dismissed as the inconsequential ravings of Just A Dumb Kid Who Doesn't Know Any Better. You meet someone who treats you with basic human politeness, tells you that he likes you and that you're mature, actually treats you like you have two brain cells to rub together. Of course you're going to be drawn to him. And then when other adults warn you that obviously of course he doesn't really like you, that's impossible, of course you're not really mature, no one could possibly see you that way; actually you're naive and incapable of making your own decisions, and the way your parents/teachers/society treat you is completely justified. Are you going to heed those warnings?

Why are adults absolutely constitutionally incapable of giving good, necessary advice to teenagers without fucking insulting them in the process? Of course teenagers don't listen to it! Why would anyone??

"Oh, well, of course teenagers don't listen, because they're stubborn, and immature, and biologically determined to make bad decisions, which is all the more reason they need to be controlled," say adults, completely oblivious to the actual problem.

When I was a teenager, the big moral panic at the time was teen pregnancy, and we were all inundated with the least effective cautionary tales in the world: "If you get pregnant as a teen, you'll have to leave your parents' care and function as an adult!" Which left every girl who'd intentionally gotten pregnant for the explicit purpose of escaping her abusive parents saying "Yeah, that was the goal." And every girl who was looking for a way of escaping her abusive parents to think "What a great idea!" Today the big moral panic is older partners, but if the appeal of an older partner is that he treats you like someone capable of making your own decisions, why would you be persuaded by a counterargument of "Don't listen to him, of course you're not capable of making your own decisions!"?

Again. I'm saying this because I agree that adults dating minors is a bad thing and that minors should be warned against it. EFFECTIVELY.

That said, this is my advice to any 17-or-younger person being pursued by an 18+-year-old partner: Listen. You deserve so much better than the way society treats you. You deserve to be taken seriously. You deserve to make your own decisions in life. You have a mind of your own, and people should recognize that instead of treating your pesky "free will" as a personal affront or an inconvenient glitch. You can and should think for yourself. You deserve, and I hope you have, relationships with older people who validate those truths about you. However. You are still legally and materially powerless. I don't have to tell you that. You live it every day. Someone older than you -- and therefore, inherently, legally, more powerful than you -- should not be trying to extract things from you. Money, sex, unpaid labor, anything of value. Someone more powerful than you who truly values you, values your friendship, values you as a person, will be mindful of your status and not try to extract anything from you. Cross-age friendships are good. Older people can and should genuinely like and appreciate you, and you can and should genuinely like and appreciate them. But if they try to extract anything from you, run away.

Fan art by Ami Thompson

you see, one of the main reasons the x files works is because it is fully dedicated to simply torturing that man

R.I.P Fox Mulder you would’ve loved the Minecraft Movie.

omg is the same image aoughhfhsh

just got to the s7 "don't smoke" episode of the x files... hope there is a "don't vape" episode in the reboot.

scully is a very special character because she's just. wrong all the time and she doesn't really care. she just cares about getting to the truth, getting answers. getting justice.

thinking about when she tells mulder she doesn't want to tell him he was wrong / there's no proof (however she says it). she may not believe in the same things he does, but it doesn't matter what she believes. they are always completely on the same side when it comes to the conspiracy. she wants mulder to get his proof and she'll be right there with him when he does.

Just get it on Mulder!

My head canon, wanting someone to point it out to Mulder AND Scully so badly!

My opinion about MSR: sometimes they are like annoying little kids who choose to go with the flow —where things take them. It was pretty clear how they felt about each other by the end of season 6. But still, on screen, it felt like they haven't acknowledged that in action. It was just yearning and lots of flirtations which of course, I enjoy very much.

A short fluff (3 minute read). Related to the Goldberg variation  S7E6.

Sitting in airport lounge, 0230, Chicago 

Scully looked almost curled up on the uncomfortable airport lounge chair. Her arms were crossed, her head tilted, resting on Mulder's shoulder. Mulder's eyes were shut, his head nodding slightly with each breath as he drifted deeper into sleep—until he jerked himself awake.

He glanced over to check on Scully. She was still asleep, her head firmly resting on his shoulder.

Mulder’s gaze met that of an elderly man seated across the lounge. 

They exchanged a knowing smile.

“How many years have you two been together?” the old man asked.

“Huh?”

“Oh... almost seven,” Mulder replied.

“What are you guys waiting for?” the old man asked.

Mulder looked puzzled.

“I’ve seen the way you look at each other,” the old man said with a gentle smile.

“I don’t—(gaze at....)” Mulder started, his eyes drifting toward Scully. He mouthed the rest of the words silently, still looking confused. Then he looked back at the old man.

“Life is short, young man. Just take the shot.”

“If you’re wondering whether she feels the same way about you—it’s obvious to me,” the old man added.

Mulder pondered this and gave the old man a soft smile.

“It’s really not that complicated, son. Follow your heart,” said the old man.

“Where are you heading?” Mulder asked, catching a glimpse of the wedding ring on the man’s finger.

“To D.C., to commemorate our wedding anniversary. I proposed to her at the Bishop’s Garden,” the old man said with a distant look.

“I’ve done this every year since her passing,” he added quietly.

“I’m sorry to hear that, sir,” Mulder said.

“Don’t be silly, son. Your partner reminds me of my late wife—feisty, but full of love. She’s a beautiful young woman.”

“I’ll let her know when she wakes up,” Mulder replied with a smile, looking down at Scully.

“Be brave,” the old man said gently.

Mulder acknowledged him with a polite smile.

The old man picked up his book and resumed reading.

Mulder crossed his arms and shut his eyes.

Scully, still lying still, peeked briefly. She saw only the book the old man was holding, not his face. She readjusted herself on Mulder’s shoulder and continued her nap.

THE END

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