Alyus The Amazing

  The Body Knows It’s strange, isn’t it—how we can tell when a single strand of hair, not our own, clings to our skin. It’s weightless, nearly imperceptible, yet our nerves tingle with its foreignness. Our brain maps us so thoroughly, so intimately, that even the smallest inconsistency sounds an alarm. Like the brush of a spider leg on bare skin, we react before we can think. Instinct kicks in. We swat it away, we shiver, we know it doesn’t belong. It’s not logic—it’s survival. That’s embodiment. Not something mystical—something primal. Animal. We know where we end and the world begins. We know when something is on us, and when something is not us. We know our bodies—not because we looked in a mirror, but because we live inside them. So when I say something is missing between my legs, I don’t mean it metaphorically. I mean it the way you’d know if a finger went numb, or a tooth fell out, or your voice came out of someone else’s mouth. And when I say my breasts felt foreign,...

Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Murray Close/Warner Bros.   Why I Wrote This Letter to John Lithgow When I heard rumors that John Lithgow might be cast as Albus Dumbledore in a future Harry Potter project, I felt heartbreak instead of joy. As a trans man who has admired Lithgow’s work my entire life, the idea of him aligning with a franchise whose creator has caused so much harm to the trans community felt personal. This letter is not a take-down. It’s a respectful, heartfelt plea - from one artist to another. I wrote it because I believe in accountability, but also in compassion. Because I know how much good Lithgow has done through his roles, and how important it is that we continue to tell the truth, even when it’s hard. Below is my open letter. I hope it reaches the heart it was written for.  

 Benevolent Misogyny in Pop Culture: How "Nice Guy" Syndrome Reinforces Sexism Men who claim to love and respect women but are actually misogynistic often fall into the category of benevolent misogyny —a subtler, more insidious form of sexism masked as admiration or protection. Basically, the rom-com version of a red flag. It’s the sweet-talking, door-holding, woman-"respecting" guy who somehow always ends up making the decisions, hogging the spotlight, or flipping the script the second a woman steps out of line. It’s not always loud or aggressive. In fact, that’s the point. This brand of sexism wears a polite smile, quotes a Rupi Kaur poem, and still manages to treat women like supporting characters in its personal growth narrative. These men may outwardly express support for women while still upholding patriarchal values that limit women’s autonomy, reinforce traditional gender roles, or subtly devalue women’s voices. This subtle form of sexism has been a stap...

A Feminist Book Review of Slewfoot: Witches, Patriarchy, and a Sexy Goat Demon? Before We Begin: A Warning for the Faint of Heart (and Those Who Like to Be Emotionally Prepared) This review contains major spoilers for Slewfoot by Brom. If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor—close this tab, go buy the book , and let it consume your soul before coming back. Trust me, you’ll thank me later. (And no, I don't get paid for the links on my blog.) That said, Slewfoot is not a gentle book. It’s dark, brutal, and drenched in blood—so before we dive into feminist rage, horned demons, and Puritan nightmares, here’s your content warning buffet: Trigger Warnings for Slewfoot Misogyny & Gender-Based Oppression – Welcome to Puritan New England, where women aren’t exactly thriving. Religious Abuse & Fanaticism – The church is less about salvation and more about controlling women and outlawing joy. Witch Hunts & Violence Against Women – It’s as bad as you’d expect...

  Before We Begin: A Word of Warning  Alright, listen up, dear reader—I’m about to gush hard about To Shape a Dragon’s Breath , but before we dive in, I have to give you a spoiler warning . Yes, that’s right, this review will contain major spoilers , deep analysis, and possibly some yelling (the excited kind). So if you haven’t read the book yet and you prefer to go in blind, stop right here and do yourself a favor: go grab a copy, devour it, and then come back so we can scream about it together. Need a link? I got you: Buy To Shape a Dragon’s Breath here!  and no I don't make money on this link. If you’ve already read it (or if you’re a chaos gremlin who loves spoilers), then buckle up, because we’re about to break down why this book is an absolute 10 out of 10 masterpiece of feminist, queer, and anti-colonial storytelling. Let’s get into it. The Burden of Being “The First” You know that classic story where a scrappy protagonist stumbles into a prestigious scho...

Men Don’t Actually Like Women  (And It’s Not Just a Vibe, It’s a Systemic Issue) Let’s get one thing straight: obviously, not all men. If you still need that disclaimer, you’re probably one of the men I’m talking about... Anyway.  As a system? As a society? Men are socialized to reject, resent, and ultimately dehumanize women, and then they have the audacity to ask why no one wants to sleep with them. Masculinity Is Just an Elaborate “No Homo” Ritual The way we teach boys to "be men" is actually just an endless tutorial on how to not be women . Masculinity, as our fine patriarchal overlords have constructed it, is basically one long, aggressive game of Opposite Day. Want to be a man? Great! Just spend your entire life making sure you are never associated with anything even remotely feminine. You know, things like: Crying (unless it’s about sports). Being emotionally available (unless you count trauma-dumping on women and calling it “deep conversations”). Enjoying art that i...