Fun fact! Water actually turns “blood red” when it is contaminated by sulfur creating sulfuric acid. And scientists have discovered that around the time of the plagues a volcano went off that disturbed Egypt’s environment. So the plagues are scientifically proven. The other parts of the plagues are explained by the sulfuric acid river making the animals leave the river and escaping into the human population.

WHY DIDNT ANYONE TELL ME THE PLAGUES WERE PROVEN

if anyone wants a full list heres how they happened:

basically they all stem from a massive eruption of a volcano on the island of santorini off the coast of greece. the ash then floated over to egypt which kickstarted the plagues

1) blood: the ash carried the mineral cinnabar, which has the capability of turning water red

2) frogs: the ash also had many toxic and acidic substances so naturally, all the frogs are gonna flee the river

3) lice: given what was going on insects would have burrowed into dead animals/peoples skin and laid eggs, which then hatched

4) beasts: everything is getting poisoned from the ash and toxins, causing animals to freak the fuck out/die

5) pestilence: toxins again

6) boils: the ash would have caused storms that carried acid rain which when it fell, would irritate peoples skin causing boils

7) hail: the storm again

8) locusts: again with the insects and the amount of dead bodies and such which attract more insects. a lotta insects basically.

9) darkness: the ash covered the sky, blocking out the sun

10) slaying of the first born: given that children’s bodies were found in higher numbers than others, some archeologists think they may have been sacrificed to stop all the destruction, but they aren’t 100% sure about that. this is just me but I would say another possibility is that babies/kids are a lot more susceptible to toxins and shit, so while an adult may have been fine or gotten a bit sick, it might have been very dangerous/deadly for kids or babies

the volcano would also attest for the parting of the sea weirdly enough. the red sea was in fact the ‘reed’ sea, and was very shallow, probably waist deep or so. given the amount of shit dumped into the ocean from the volcano, this wouldve caused a tsunami to head towards egypt. the water would get sucked out from the reed sea right before the tsunami hit, letting people pass it easily, then the actual tsunami would hit, fuckin up anyone who tried to follow.

another theory is that the red water was caused by algae, which would cause the frogs and stuff to jump out as well. the algae also carried substances toxic to animals so if they ingested any they’d get sick and die, so more insects. in this theory there was a sand storm coincidentally that caused the rest

some sources: X X

The volcano wasn’t ON Santorini - it WAS Santorini, then called Thera. It completely blew away the Minoan settlements on the island and was one of the largest eruptions in human history. 

this is blowing my fucking mind

I love that if you really boil all this information down, what you get is something approximating “the sinking of Atlantis caused the 10 Biblical plagues of Egypt” which is, like, one of the greatest mythological mash-ups I have ever heard of.

Gotta love the Minoan Eruption and Plato running with it as a reference point for people reading/listening to his stories.

Showcased and explained delightfully by OSP

DO IT NOW: Guide to Proper Bra Fit and Measuring because Victoria Secret and La Senza and whatever are full of shit and you are definitely wearing the wrong size ok? ok

Hi guys I’m obsessed with this shit lately because I don’t want anyone to have unhappy, unsupported boobs like I did. Even if you think your boobs and bras are fine, try it. It will make a big difference in comfort, support, and shape, even if you have small boobs or big boobs. A proper fitting bra can fix back, shoulder, and neck pain, along with breast soreness - and it can help you look 10lbs lighter, and your breasts a hell of a lot perkier. This guide also works for proper-sized bikinis and bathing suits (many online stores linked to below sell both- sometimes for as low as 10$!)

Don’t just like this, REBLOG IT. EVERYBODY WITH BOOBS DESERVES A PROPER FIT. Even if you don’t wear bras yourself, spread it around to tumblr or with your friends or family.

Grab a soft tape measurer (use inches) and get nekkid - don’t wear a bra or shirt please, you don’t wear a bra or shirt underneath your bra, do you? This part is fast and easy, and will help you find your ‘Starting Point’ bra size - you may not end up in this exact size, but it will get you in the right ballpark.

How to Measure:

How to Use These Measurements to find your ‘Starting Size’:

Trying it on: What a proper fit is like

Size Tweaks/Troubleshooting (make sure you scoop and swoop first):

 What Not to Do:

 "But where do I get these Bras? I’ve never even seen these sizes!“

Luckily, the internet makes this shit really easy. Buying bras online is nearly always way cheaper, even with shipping, and even if coming from somewhere in Europe! But of course, its best to try on stuff first, to avoid the hassle of return shipping (even though its still not that expensive - just annoying). So what I advise is to find a store near you, try stuff on there, note down the Brand, Model, and Size, and then buy it online for up to a quarter of of the in-store price.

If you can’t find a store near you, online ordering is still extremely cheap, even with return shipping. Instead of getting a whole bunch of bras in only 1 size each, pick out a few models and order a few sizes of each. Ex: one with a bigger or smaller band if your measurements are close to needing a bigger or smaller band size, and then some up or down a couple cup sizes so you can compare the fit. When you have the perfect fit in one bra, it will be easier to go on Bratabase or r/ABraThatFits and have them suggest bras that give similar shape or suggest a different size to you as a model you’re interested in may run large or small.

So, Where to Find:

WARNING: There are many chain stores (Nordstrom, Lane Bryant, Mark and Spencer, Change etc) that do bra fittings and have a good reputation. However, each store is different - some measure correctly, and some use the stupid VS method. Every store has a different team of employees and knowledge. DO NOT GO IN WITHOUT HAVING MEASURED YOURSELF FIRST, JUST IN CASE THEY ARE ONE OF THE BAD STORES. DO NOT TRUST ALL BRA FITTERS, EVEN IF SOMEONE RECOMMENDED THEM TO YOU. If your fitter gives you a measurement different from this one, be mentally prepared to have a difficult time getting them to help you find the right bra.

I had the fitter at Change help me, and when I mentioned that the gore did not tack, she said “Oh, the gore never touches the chest with these bras”. I was like HAHA NOPE BRING ME A LARGER CUP WOMAN. And lo and behold, 2 extra cup sizes later, the gore tacked (and my boobs stopped spilling out). She was very nice otherwise but if I hadn’t known better that could have been bad.

Resources:

Reblogging to pass this information on.

I have seen many patients with back pain that could have been helped with properly fitting bras.

I just planned another book with my patented method:

The Easiest, Hardest Outline You'll Ever Try.

Works every time.

The best piece of advice I can give you for planning your novel is this:

Don't stress out about having all the answers.

You have time to figure things out. Writing a book takes a long time. Ideas will come to you. Honestly, I get my best ideas while I'm washing dishes~

bonus:

© stefyloret on Instagram

The first Lost Boy

oh shiiiiit you right

OOOOOOHHHHHHH I LOVE THIS

huh I wonder what this art is for oH FUCK

HOW COME THERE’S NO STORY ABOUT THIS YET

Bruh, this is canon? In the original, Peter was the only one who never aged. He murdered the lost boys when they got too close to adulthood. Hook’s whole crew is likely escaped lost boys. That’s why they hate Peter.

see, now, this is a villain disney movie that could possibly be done right.

no other social media platform has lore quite like tumblr’s

the gods that haunt this place are unlike any others

I just saw a tiktok comment saying that tumblr right now is like a place recovered from being irradiated

Sign outside Tumblr: “This place is not a place of honor. No highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. Nothing valued is here. …”

id: screenshot of tags reading “the wildlife carries on in the ruins like nothing ever happened”

Sometimes you can hear voices from the trees...

T̪̜̰͈̞͎̳̻̙̥̹͓͔̪͕͊ͨ͗̑̋̓͑̿̏̈́̿ͯ̃̓ͭh҉a̼͖̱̻̠̙͖͙̮̮̰̖͓͗͌ͫ̑͗͊ͥ͗̐́ͣͦͥn̈̓̑͊ķ̐ͪ͜s̸̉̋̇ͫͣ̃,̡̡͜ ̸I͏̮̘̲͠ ̷̡̟͈̬̘̯̘͇̟͓͚͉̰͆̔͒̄̔̆̋̐̑͂ͧ̚s̢̈́͋̓t̛́ö̞̰̱̳̭̳͇̰̲̹̬̮͈͚͔́̓͗̃̅̐ͮͨ̆ͤ̂̂͂̌͑l̺̰͔̬̥̪̅ͯ̀͋̿ͭe̴̸̡ͩͩͧ̌̅̆͐̑̊ͫ͗͑̋́̚ ̤̮̝͕̥͙̻͍̱̘͉͓͛̍͛̿ͯͧͦͮ̅̏͂ͬt̵̜̖͙̔ͯͭͯ́͞ͅh͕̫̼̱̟̩͎̬̰̬̞͎̜ͅe̡͢ḿ̢ ̩͓̟͍̠̯͈̣̫ͪ̄̊ͧ͂̆͋̾ͫf̨͏̸r͈̮̜̳̒̄̿̐oͦ͑̀͑ͮ͛͐̉̕mͩ̒̒ͬ̔ͯ ͖͖̘͇͎͍͎̯̞̑ͮ̔͆̃ͦ̃ͧ͌ͩͅt̸̙̖̥̝̙̬͇̼͖͚ͪ͐̃͆̊̈́̆͗̐̋́́̚ͅḫͪ͘͢͠ę̬̮͎̯̮̱ͤ͋̓̄̏̀́ ͔̗ͦ̅P͙͍̭̬̤̗͕̭̞̭ͅr̴̯̭̮̊ͩ͐ẻ̡̖̝͎̣̩̫̎͋ͫͬ̍si̧͛̒̓̃͛ͦ̓͆ͯ̚d̶̴̮͉̰̬͚̋̽ͦͤͦ̚ͅȅ̆̾ͪͫ̄͘ņ̸ͭ̀͠t̸͙̱̹̫̜͚.̜̙͚͚͎̖̗͔̘̮̓̔ͫ̿̐̌̍͐͊͒

I agree with the message but?! this is tone deaf coming from one of the elitist, most prestigious fashion events in the world. you are rich to even be invited, an event where the ticket is literally $30,000…. I’m gonna eat YOU

None of you people understand the actual reality of how much the ultra-rich hoard. Aoc is not even a blip on the radar of rich. Aoc grew up poor in the bronx and continued to work as a bartender while she was on the campaing trail.

Is she wealthier than the average person? Yeah. No shit sherlock. But does she qualify…as RICH?? My fam…my guy….my bud…..the answer is simply No.

Aoc wants to tax the 1%. The people who can afford to buy space programs, influence elections and send countries to war.

She is not referring to…like….lil nas x here. Shes referring to jeff fucking bezos.

Please learn the difference between BEING WEALTHY (aoc) and being RICH (bezos, gates, etc)

Also this is just a classic case of the left trying to eat itself.

Some of you really need to ask why you’re trying to drag one of the most progressive American politicians for this. I mean for one, if any of us could afford to go we would, let’s not pretend lol. But secondly, damned if she does damned if she doesn’t right? If AOC attended and didn’t have a political statement, she’d be dragged. If she attended and did, she’d be dragged. If it came out that she had the opportunity to use her platform to make a statement at the event and she refused, she’d be dragged.

Some of you really think you’re achieving something by helping the right dunk on progressive figures for literally nothing, when AOC is the one who bothered to run for her position and put in the work and is sticking her neck out. Tumblr and Twitters love of dragging progressives who actually do the work is embarrassing. You all know rightists don’t care if you cancel them so you spend your time picking at the actions of the most progressive voices doing the work, from behind your screen.

AOC actually thought she was going to die when the Capital was stormed because she’s the figurehead of progressive politics, and you think you’re better than her because she went out and did something fun for once?

Politicians are often invited to the Met Gala. As AOC herself said, “BEFORE anybody starts wilding out - NYC elected officials are regularly invited to and attend the Met due to our responsibilities in overseeing our city’s cultural institutions that serve the public. I was one of several in attendance.” Anna Wintour will often invite people to the Met Gala who she thinks will make it look good, and who don’t have to pay for their ticket. AOC also made sure her hair, makeup, and dress were all done by BIPOC/women/LGBT folks. Y’all are so quick to hate on anyone, you don’t even stop to check your facts, or how many of the sources criticizing AOC are legit blogs. This is how y’all get swayed by trollbots without even knowing it. And you def don’t check yourselves and how eager you are to tear down a WOC in a position of power.

Not to mention my old Representative for the million years I lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the lovely Carolyn Maloney in her suffragette outfit and the hilarious Cara Delevingne in her “Per The Patriarchy” vest.

Very American to use this moment to make bold statements.

I think an extremely important part of mental health awareness and intervention is acknowledging that no, help isn’t actually always available. Or the “help” that is, isn’t actually helpful.

When I was 22 I hit a wall. I called the suicide hotline from my car so my roommates wouldn’t hear me crying. I explained that I could barely shower, feed, or dress myself. I needed immediate intervention.

They asked me if they could send an ambulance for me. They wanted to hospitalize me. I explained that I was a week away from finals. And graduation. If I were hospitalized, I couldn’t graduate. The inpatient program also didn’t allow phones or visitors, and I knew how disastrous it would be for me to lose contact with my family support system.

I didn’t need to be hospitalized. I needed daily solutions. Simple ones, even. I needed a few precooked meals in my fridge so I could use my menial energy to keep my body going. I needed a doctor to contact my school and ask if I could have some extensions on my class assignments. I neededna few excused absences so I could catch up on my lost sleep.

They told me there was an intensive program that allowed residents to live in an inpatient care facility and get daily help with tasks like eating, therapy, medication, and showering, while still leaving for work and school, but it cost $30,000. I told them half the reason I was calling them was because of my financial pressures and fear.

In about 10 minutes of back-and-forth, it became clear that they had no true solution for me. I could go into the hospital and an inpatient program which would interrupt my entire life, and which I knew did not create very good results and had traumatized some of my own friends, or, well, I couldn’t even go into debt for the other program. They didn’t accept any new patients without half of the cost upfront. So it wasn’t even an option.

No therapist or psychiatrists or social workers could fit me in for 3-8 weeks.

So I said thank you and hung up, emotionally spent. I felt utterly empty.

Sitting in my car I realized I had a choice, to live or to stop. Nobody was going to save me. Nobody was going to help.

So I went inside, and I cried myself to sleep, and when I woke up I still hadn’t made a choice. So then I did. I chose to live no matter how terrible, just in case things turned around down the road.

It was unspeakably difficult. I didn’t shower. I barely ate. I either slept too much or not enough.

But I did survive, and a year later I got with a therapist who started to make things a little lighter for me.

I still struggle now, but things are usually much better, and I’m glad I’m still here.

I just think it’s important to acknowledge that for many people, especially in rural areas, and for people without money, which is most people, that the “help is always available” line feels hollow. Because often times it isn’t, actually.

But that doesn’t mean there will never be.

Overall, we need to build an entirely new system for mental health support in this world.

But for now, ask yourself or your friend in crisis what might make things a little more bearable until help actually is available.

A meal? Emailing a professor? Clean laundry? What might make things a little lighter?

I know that on the very brink, things like this may seem totally pointlessnor trivial. But if you can’t stop yourself or someone from falling, sometimes the only way to save someone is with a softer landing.

Sometimes the best stop-gaps or solutions, are the things that you’ve been taught to disapprove of. 

Getting a week’s worth of frozen meals, to get nutrients into your body, because you know meal prep (even the basics) will be too much.

Eating off of paper plates for a year, because it’s distressing to keep walking by all of your unfinished dishes, but you aren’t managing to get them done. 

Putting a bunch of cheap laundry baskets (or cardboard boxes) in different rooms, so dirty laundry is less obstructive to your space when it piles up, because you always have somewhere to toss it. 

Throwing out the container full of moldy food in the fridge, even though the container could be washed and salvaged, because you don’t have the spoons. 

Offering to do something you can manage for a partner, roommate, or sibling, in exchange for them taking care of a chore that is unmanageable for you.

Saying “I just can’t do  ____ right now” to the other people in your space who it will impact, to start a conversation about how else it can be dealt with. 

Getting extensions, even if you theoretically Can do the work without them, if it will mean less panic.

Cancelling plans and asking for space, rather than burning yourself out further or lashing out at friends.

Turning in an assignment “embarrassingly” late.

Throwing your laundry in the washer in a messy heap, then washing it on cold to avoid color bleeding, instead of sorting it. 

Starting, then not finishing, tasks. Picking up 2 pieces of trash in the living room without cleaning the rest, instead of saving it for a theoretical future time you can “do it all.” 

Saying “no” to things that sap you of energy, dignity, or autonomy, and not having a detailed explanation for why. 

Saying “yes” to things that are relaxing and pleasurable, and not having a moral-focused or self-conscious explanation for why.

Doing things for recreation that are healing. Discarding the idea that medicine cannot be fun, and fun cannot be medicine: Eating food because it tastes good, or taking a substance (as safely and mindfully- whatever those things look like personally- as you can manage) because it feels good, can meet needs and be therapeutic. 

Throwing away your planner, because you have unhelpful shame over forgetting to use it. Instead hanging a large piece of paper or corkboard or whiteboard next to your bed, to scribble disorganized reminders and doodles on. Or sticking post-it-notes to your mirror. 

Forgiving yourself for reactive behaviors and “bad habits,” because a) it’s more helpful to understand what needs your system is trying to meet than to feel guilty, and b) and and because one behavior- which may not be your ideal or ultimate goal- may help in avoiding a more harmful one.

Sleeping “too much” in order to avoid more acute forms of self-injuring. 

Self-injuring in a less harmful way than your first impulse, then caring for the wound. 

Smoking more weed than you hoped to, in order to avoid restricting food. 

Some of these things involve reaching out and self-advocating, and it can feel painful or even impossible to do that. Not everyone has access to people around them who can help. But if you do, it’s so, so worth it. 

And if you have friends who are struggling (or aren’t sure), making it clear to those around you that you’re willing to do these things: go buy a basic supply for them, email someone for them, make a phone call for them, help them clean something up… It can make a world of difference, and set up a culture where those same things will be reciprocated when you need them. 

These strategies are so important, especially when trying to survive within a toxic, overwhelming, or under-resourecd environment. 

So much self-work / self-help is a completely uphill battle without a foundation of environmental change.

If you’re struggling to change something about your reactions, mood, or behavior, while none of the realities around you have changed, and you have no more resources or access to safety than you did before: you are the norm, not a disordered exception. You are reacting normally. 

Reaching out to multiple people to brainstorm ways of establishing baseline comfort/safety/stability, to address unmet resource needs, build a better environment, or work together to survive or change a toxic environment, is more helpful than 1,000 different moralistic self-work tips you’ll read, or hear from therapists focused on an individualistic/pathology-focused model of mental health. 

Self-work and self-effective change are built organically off of those deeper, roots-level changes in access to resources, safety, and connection. 

This means working in compassion + collaboration with “non-professionals”: friends, family, classmates, coworkers, community members. The sterile professionalization of mental healthcare has taken so much from us re: our ability to work together, and hold each other up. 

I saw the one about smoking more weed than you’d like to avoid restricting food and now I’m crying a little. Thank you. I hope this helps other people too

Gratitude - Tidying Up With Marie Kondo (2019)

I know people make a lot of fun of Marie Kondo, but I felt like her book was the first organizational guide I’ve ever read that acknowledged people having an emotional attachment to possessions as natural and healthy, instead of telling you you’re an awful person for feeling sad over objects.

I don’t think it’s healthy, this adult obsession with asking young kids what they want to be when they grow up

like, these kids are already being raised in a capitalist freakshow of a society wherein a person’s worth as a human being is heavily determined by income and profession. can we at least give them a childhood without constant reminders that that shitty standard will apply to them too?

a child’s personality is not defined by what career they may or may not pursue 20 years from now, so stop using “What do you want to be when you grow up?” as a defining question.

the ‘When You Grow Up’ Question, as I like to call it, might seem like an innocent way to get kids talking about their interests, but it has several major drawbacks:

“How else am I supposed to talk to children?” ASK THEM about their INTERESTS!!! Kids have like a MILLION hobbies and interests, they are so gash darn INTERESTED in the world! Ask them about those!!! Ask them:

Most kids love to talk about their interests—if they think you might genuinely be interested. But too many children are used to having their interests dismissed or shut down by adults, and have learned to distrust the ‘When You Grow Up’ Question for precisely that reason. So ask different, more thoughtful questions—and be careful to respond positively. Kids (of all ages) deserve positivity: they deserve to be excited about the world, and to have their excitement reflected back at them. Do Not Drain Their Joy!!!

You know what I love? Calling it "Christian Mythology." Referring to their god as "The Christian God." Refusing to conform to the idea that their religion is any more valid than anyone else's.

Oh, it makes them spicy. Gets them all twitchy. They wanna fistfight me in a Denny's parking lot, but they know they can't 'cause I'm right.

the looney tunes live in a bald male nudist society

A good example of how society paints male as the ‘default’ and female as a deviation from the norm that needs extra signifiers ^^^

Whoa

Once you see it you’ll see it in all anthropomorphic cartoon characters. Males might have a tuft of hair somewhat adapted from the animal they’re based on whereas female characters will have full heads of hair (as seen above) and given breasts and hips like humans.. (as seen on the duck woman) and usually of course lipstick and eyelashes.

Sonic. Naked but gloves and shoes. Amys gotta wear a dress tho. And have eye lashes.

Bat boobs?? Why does she have human breasts. Do the female characters have to cover up because they have genitalia… But the males don’t??

Or are the creators just sick men who see a naked female animal and feel… arousal? So they had to put clothes on them.

Why is this mouse so busty. If you’re gonna give her boobs she should have 6 or 8 or whatever. SHES A RODENT. How did she get that hair also.

How did the dog in the green dress get that hair. Why is the dog in the pink dress posed like that. Why are the male dogs allowed to be pantless.

Why do the girl chipmonks have hair like that? Their noses and mouths are all small th A their male counterparts, they’re lighter in colour and they have more human looking teeth.

The 80s versions are even worse. (This movie had panty shots of the underage girls too, who essentially look like little girls with animal noses).

I hate it all.

Donkey knows this is a girl dragon because she has eye lashes and lipstick. a fucking DRAGON.

These two are SIBLINGS. Coco- fully clothed, human female figure. Impossible hair for a fucking BANDICOOT.

Crash: not even a fucking neck (yes I know him being neckless was for the limitations in the first game but idgaf).

This is his fucking girlfriend. Why does she practically look like a human woman. What the fuck marsupial is she supposed to be????

How did she and Coco put LIPSTICK and eyeshadow on their furry faces.

Had a dream where this became the new meme for a bit

Did I do it right?

You did it perfectly.

@lipid

I’ve been skimming lately through the Japanese Grammar Guide by Tae Kim and it’s a really good learning resource, I recommend it if you’re interested on learning Japanese. It’s available legally and free in the link above, I’m sharing it in case it’s useful to anyone else.

The introduction got me thinking a lot about language learning and teaching tbh, I just find it really good

I would like it on record that the ONLY good successor to Daniel Craig’s James Bond would be Q, still played by Ben Whishaw. Just the most reluctant 007, who simply wants to be at home with some digestives and a blanket. A skinny little Victorian gay Bond.

Q ends up with some female villain trying to pull the Skyfall shit on him and he just gives her the most unimpressed look ever.

“I’m not AFRAID of you. I just don’t LIKE you.”

When he loses his gun on his first ever assignment, he just 3D prints himself a new one, which also acts as a WiFi hotspot.

The villains discover that sending a Bond Girl after him is useless.

One of them sends a Bond Boy.

This doesn’t work either, but for entirely different reasons. Namely, he’s like “so you’re very cute and all but you clearly know who I am and I have to tell you MI6 offers a much better pension than your boss does” and the Bond Boy ends up absconding from the villain to tag along with Q.

… who, by the third movie, has like six Bond Boys and has built his own team out of them.

One of them is his boyfriend, probably.

Nobody knows which one.

Finally, after a solid 8 months of hearing on the grapevine about how handsome and talented his successor is, James Bond corners Q in some random London alleyway and he’s like “I’ve had enough of this. Your kill rate is next to nothing, your gun is 3D printed and you mostly use it to browse for vintage cardigans on eBay, and you haven’t absconded with even one saucy minx! Tell me the truth, are you really a 00 agent, or is this just some ploy by M to make me jealous enough to come back?”

And Q is like “well, for a start, it’s really not that hard to avoid absconding with saucy minxes, because it’s not 1973 any more and most of them are on Tinder. Also, all the 00s are unionised now. We play paintball every Tuesday, and we’ve already got the teams sorted, so.”

XD XD XD

It’s always fun to be reminded how recent European national identities are. Peasants in 1860’s Sicily had never heard the term “Italy” before, the majority of people in France didn’t speak French at the time of the French Revolution, etc.

wait… so what language(s) did the French speak back then?

There are about 28 regional languages in France, all with their different dialect that can vary between cities within the same region. And we know there probably used to be more that died.

French became the language of the law and the administration in 1539 with the ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts (oldest piece of legislation still used in france!). But it was only spoken by the educated, a tiny minority.

The movement to make French a language every person could speak came around the French Revolution (which took place in 1789-1799 for those who don’t know). But it only became a reality with the 1882 Ferry law which made school mandatory, free and secular (French now being taught to every children) + the rural exodus (French becoming a comon language to communicate with people outside of your community).

But the generalization of French wasn’t all smooth and linear : it was often forced and brutal. Children were forbidden to speak other languages at school and faced severe punishments if they did. You can easily find stories of Bretons etc being beaten by teachers for this very reason. Overall, the parisian government did everything in its power to eradicate local languages and cultures as its will was to create a nation state that was united. (& let’s not forget French was also mandatory at school in the colonies)

Things have changed today. In some regions you will find street names in both French and the local language, since 1951 you can learn them at school etc. But it is, unfortunately, too late. Local languages are spoken (and i don’t mean just a few words) by a minority, often in the rural countryside, often elders who did not pass it on to their children because of trauma or because they didn’t see the point.

everything @gay-impressionist said is correct and very important, but I can add my experience as someone from Alsace because our history means we experienced all of those events a bit differently 

we were part of Germany when the Ferry law passed, the population spoke German + the local dialect, Alsatian, and we experienced after 1918 the “forced and brutal” transition to French - there were a lot of administrative problems because a lot of public servants didn’t speak French, and it was rough for children at school 

then we were German again after 1940, and French was banned, so kids were taught German at school and spoke Alsatian with their family.

And then we were French again and Alsatian and German were forbidden. Kids would get told off and get detention and be encouraged to snitch on other students speaking Alsatian

And when the Loi Deixonne came in 1951, Alsatian was considered to be a German dialect, not a French one, and so it wasn’t included.

Now I’ve only heard of Alsatian being taught through immersive classes in kindergarden. In my time, we had a lot of opportunities to learn German - we had bilingual classes in kindergarden and primary school, and I was in an advanced programme in collège, and a lot of my friends did their Abitur and Baccalauréat at the same time in high school - but nothing with Alsatian and so barely anyone speaks it now. 

Learning this was an intentional genocide changed me.

I know most of those following me know this, but just to make it super clear. An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger/the Great Famine) was a deliberate genocide of the Irish people. There was enough food grown in Ireland to make sure everyone was alive and healthy and survived. Instead it was exported, sent to England and elsewhere for profit while men, women, and children starved in the streets. While the English landlords fucked off and evicted starving families who couldn’t afford rent. While babies were too weak to cry and died at the side of the road.

They tried to kill us, but they did not succeed. And we owe so much thanks to the other oppressed peoples, in particular the Choctaw Nation and the Masai, who sent money and grain to us.

Let me repeat that. The Choctaw Nation who had just gone through the Trail of Tears sent us money to try save Irish lives. It’s led to an understanding between Irish people and Native American tribes, most recently when we donated to the Navajo and Hopi fundraisers for COVID-19 relief, because while it may be a different tribe, Irish people will never forget those who helped us and we’ll help back.

The entire population of the island is less than seven million people. We’re still a million less on this island than pre famine. And it’s not that long ago. My grandmother’s grandparents lived through it. We’ve told the stories, it literally changed the DNA of the country. We have a national fear of renting, because so many people were evicted. People joke about Irish people always offering loads of food, but it’s because there’s that cultural memory of not being able to.

They tried to kill us, but they did not succeed. We will not let them take our lives, we will not let them take our language. We lost so much, but we will not lose it all.

I haven’t seen this much on tumblr (maybe I need to seek out blogs that do) but LeVar Burton Reads is an amazing podcast.

It is so good.

Not only is he such a good reader, particularly if you grew up on Reading Rainbow, but the works he chooses are amazing.

He reads works by and for adult readers.

Because he personally like speculative fiction a lot of the short stories he reads are in that vein.

Most stories are also by authors of color. It’s a great way to discover the diverse voices writing in sci-fi fantasy or magical realism, if you haven’t already.

It’s free.

So anyway.

Listen to this Podcast.

https://www.levarburtonpodcast.com