Kit-N-Kadoodle
Christian, LGBT, Pan-Sexual. I am happily married. My blog showcases my drawings, and other tumblrings I find interesting. Huzzah.
WIP detail of page four of my comic, “Assigned.” I am oddly proud of Eli’s hand here. XD (Maybe I shouldn’t be?) But hands are damn hard!
I’ve been contemplating for several days something, and I’ve been trying to distill it into meaning, and put nice little bullet points on how this relates to things that have been bugging me about some common Discourses I’ve been seeing, but at the end, I only really have a story. So here, have a story.
About ten years ago, sometime in the eventful 2006-2007 George W. Bush-ruled hellscape of my identity development, I was just starting to figure out how I felt about my conservative upbringing (not great) and whether I was some brand of queer (probably, but too scared to think about what brand for too long). I was working as a server at a popular Italian-inspired sit-down restaurant that was the closest thing my tiny South Carolinian town had to “fancy” at the time but isn’t really fancy at all.
The host brought a party of four men to one of my tables. It was hard to tell their ages, but my guess is they were teenagers or in their early 20s in the 1980s. Mid-40s, at the time. It was standard to ask if anyone at the table was celebrating anything, so I did. They said they were business partners celebrating a great business deal and would like a bottle of wine.
It was a fairly busy night so I didn’t have a LOT of time to spend at their table, but they were nice guys. They were polite and friendly to me, they didn’t hit on me (as most men were prone to do – sometimes even in front of their girlfriends, a story I’ll tell later if anyone wants me to), and they were racking up a hell of a tab that was going to make my managers happy, so I checked on them as often as I could.
Toward the end of their second bottle of wine, as they were finishing their entrees, I stopped at the table and asked if they wanted any more drinks or dessert or coffee. They were well and truly tipsy by now, giggling, leaning back in their chairs – but so, so careful not to touch each other when anyone was near the table.
They’re all on the fence about dessert, so being a good server, I offered to bring out the dessert menu so they could glance it over and make a decision, “Since you’re celebrating.”
“She’s right!” one of the men said, far too emphatically for a conversation on dessert. “It’s your anniversary! You should get dessert!”
It was like a movie. The whole table went absolutely silent. The clank of silverware at the next table sounded supernaturally loud. Dean Martin warbled “That’s Amore” in some distorted alternate universe where the rest of the restaurant went on acting like this one tipsy man hadn’t just shattered their carefully crafted cover story and blurted out in the middle of a tiny, South Carolina town, surrounded by conservatives and rednecks, that they were gay men celebrating a relationship milestone.
And I didn’t know what I was yet, but I knew I wasn’t an asshole, and I knew these men were family, and I felt their panic like a monster breathing down all our necks. It’s impossible to emphasize how palpably terrified they were, and how justified their terror was, and how much I wanted them to be happy.
So I did the only thing I knew to do. I said, “Congratulations! How many years?”
The man who’d spoken up burst into tears. His partner stood up and wrapped me in the tightest, warmest hug I’ve ever had – and I’ve never liked being touched by strangers, but this was different, and I hugged him back.
“Thank you,” he whispered, halfway to crying himself. “Thank you so much.”
When he finally let go of me and sat back down, they finally got around to telling me they were, in fact, two couples on a double date, and both celebrating anniversaries. Fifteen years for one of them, I think, and a few years off for the other. It’s hard to remember. It was a jumble of tears and laughter and trembling relief for all of us. They got more relaxed. They started holding hands – under the table, out of sight of anyone but me, but happy.
They did get dessert, and I spent more time at their table, letting them tell me stories about how they met and how they started dating and their lives together, and feeling this odd sense of belonging, like I’d just discovered a missing branch of my family.
When they finally left, all four of them took turns standing up and hugging me, and all four of them reached into their wallets to tip me. I tried to wave them off but they insisted, and the first man who’d hugged me handed me forty dollars and said, “Please. You are an angel. Please take this.”
After they left I hid in the bathroom and cried because I couldn’t process all my thoughts and feelings.
Fast forward to three days ago, when my own partner and I showed up to a dinner reservation at a fancy-casual restaurant to celebrate our fifth anniversary. The whole time I was getting ready to leave, there was a worry in the back of my mind. The internet web form had asked if the reservation was celebrating anything in particular, and I’d selected “Anniversary.” I stood in the bathroom blow-drying my hair, wondering what I would do if we showed up, two women, and the host or the server took one look at us and the “Anniversary” designation on our reservation and refused to serve us. It’s not as ubiquitous anymore, but we’re still in the south, and these things still happen. Eight years of progressive leadership is over, and we’ve got another conservative despot in office who’s emboldening assholes everywhere.
It was on my mind the whole fifteen minutes it took to drive there. I didn’t mention it to my partner because I didn’t want to cast a shadow over the occasion. More than that, I didn’t want to jinx us, superstitious bastard that I am.
We walked into the restaurant. I told the hostess we had a reservation, gave her my last name.
She looked at her screen, then looked back at us. She smiled, broadly and genuinely, and said, “Happy anniversary! Your table is right this way.”
Our server greeted us, said, “I heard you were celebrating!”
“It’s our anniversary,” Kellie said, and our server gasped, beaming.
“That’s great! Congratulations! How many years?”
And I finally breathed a sigh of relief, and I thought about those men at that restaurant ten years ago. I hope they’re still safe and happy, and I hope we all get the satisfaction of helping the world keep blooming into something that’s not so unrelentingly terrible all the time.
Wow.
(via caffeinatedcorvid)
I totally identify with the gender I was assigned at birth. But there are so many people in my life who are transgender and if any of them would volunteer to serve in our military I would support them 100 percent.
So because of that, I hope it’s okay that I created these two pieces to support all of you who mean so much to me.
#transrightsarehumanrights
I’ve been talking about this “comic” that I’ve been working on for the past two weeks. I just finished sketching the last page of this one shot, and I thought I should introduce the characters to you guys!
This is Eli and Dani! (These sketches of them are actually over a year old X3)
I’ll be honest, I first came up with, and thumbnailed all 20 pages of this comic last year. I have been a bit intimidated by the story. But I feel that it’s an important one to tell, and I hope that you all will like it when I finish.
The 13th Doctor has been announced and I’m so HYPE. I have been hoping for a female Doctor for years. Can you imagine how many little girls will be so inspired to grow up and be smart and amazing just like the Doctor?
This is awesome! :)
I can’t remember the exact time Marriage Equality became the law of the Land here in USA. But I remember it was the one of the happiest most uplifting moments of my life. I will never forget watching the live blog-feed that my coworker showed me. I will never forget the happy tears I shed over this historical decision.
Two weeks later, I was able to celebrate marrying the love of my life.
These past two years have been filled with excitement, rejoicing and for some, a huge sigh of relief.
But the battle for equality doesn’t end at the altar. It doesn’t stop simply because, we can marry whomever we want now. Painful crimes are still being committed, families are still being torn apart by prejudice and fear. Transgender individuals still face so much scrutiny and hardship and many have even lost their lives.
Earlier this month I painted a rainbow Pitbull for my spouse… Because, I have come to realize like this dog breed, the LGBTQIA community is so often misunderstood and harmed because of this irrational fear.
That one painting made me realize that I could continue to draw some of the major LGBQIA labels: Gay/Lesbian Pride, Bisexual Pride, Pansexual Pride, Transgender Pride, Genderqueer Pride, and Asexual Pride(Ace).
Our community deserves to be loved and cherished. If you don’t know an LGBTQIA person, get to know one of us. We are actually really amazing. Reach out. Let us show you we are just as normal as you are.
I would love to do more illustrations like these. If you want to see more sexualities and identities illustrated please message me. I’ll also try to have these illustrations for sale on merchandise somewhere if there is enough interest. So please share this as much as you can!
But today, I share these with you in celebration. Two years ago Love Won. And even thought times seem really scary right now, Love will Always Win!
Happy Love Day, everyone.
*Spoilers for Ep 13 Below!!*
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.No one deserved emotional mayhem on this level but I also thoroughly enjoyed it.
-Why the fuck did they have to put the cutest opening scenes in just before they fucking ripped my heart out fuck.
-The flowers =my everything?? JUST FINISH ME OFF WHY DON’T YOU
-Kanna and Saikawa are so sweet throughout this entire thing omg ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡
-Kobayshi’s just chilling enjoying a day off finally and feeling peaceful and then they had to twist that fucking knife fuck
-I tried and failed to hold it together when Kobayashi hears that Tohru left. Just the way she pauses and doesn’t know what to do and her lil sad face and you can just *tell* this has absolutely GUTTED her that shit took three years off my lifespan.
-My big gay baby ass cried p much the entire montage when Tohru isn’t there that’s one of the most devastating scenes I’ve witnessed in any medium in a long damn while and is like real-life familiar to me a bit and just. Holy. Shit.
-But like props yo Kobayashi’s single mom-ing it up she’s gonna get shit done whatever way she has to
-But it still killed me because holy shit she has takeout because she works late af and doesn’t have time to cook for them
-THE MUG SHE DROPS that hurt me why would they do this to me she’s rushing so much to get ready and get Kanna up-Taught Kanna to use the rice cooker because she won’t be home
-Kanna has to stay at Saikawa’s because mom’s working OUCH
-And Kanna misses her dragon mom I’m crying
- The way the house is so messy oh no Kobayashi you poor depressed lesbian I feel u bb been there, done that, bought that t-shirt
-Takiya is the real MVP lookin out for his fellow queer bestie, noticin’ something’s wrong, u go A+ bestie
-The way she runs when Tohru comes back omfg
-LOOK AT MY BABIES FIGHTING BIG PAPA DRAGON TO BE TOGETHER
-Like damn Kobayashi woke the fuck up and told off Tohru’s big bad dragon dad U GO BB
-Also what the fuck did he do to her face or whatever??
-Tohru’s face when he does that shit to Kobayashi. Is. PRIME. I literally screamed OH SHIIIIIIIIT IT’S. ABOUT. TO. GO. DOWN.
-Tiny dragon daughter flying her mom to the other dimension to go get back her dragon mom my heart ❤❤❤
-Kanna’s the other real MVP she’s taking care of her mom, giving her the down low on dragon politics, telling her where Tohru is, flying her around.
-Kanna is the prettiest dragon look at those lil feathery angel wings angel dragon daughter ☆~☆~☆~☆
-And then Kobayashi’s measured conflict resolution is life and the way she talks about difference was cool af and just quintessentially her. Diplomatic as fuck.
-The way Tohru like tackles her added the three years back onto my life plus one and gave me clear skin and watered my crops and paid off my student loans and bestowed upon me the most voluminous hair yo.
-IT MIRRORS THE OPENING WEH
-Also she’s TAKING HER AND KANNA TO SEE HER PARENTS YES SWEET JESUS I’M GONNA CRY ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚
-SO. CANON. MARRIED
-Has she like called them? Warned them at all? I hope not I hope she just turns the fuck up and goes “Sup motherfuckers, haven’t seen you in a year. You have a daughter in law and a granddaughter now you will love them as I do. Don’t ask about the tail. Or do. Depends on whether it’ll give you an aneurism or not.”
-I both want to fic it and see it in-ep animated I’ve heard second season is a thing or is that wrong?
-I’ll watch this episode over and over for the next 20 years.
-And fic it
-And cosplay it
-And protect it
Another wip of a scene I animated
The Sorting Hat Meets The Legend of Korra
hey if u can’t drive/are a slow learner due to a disability or mental illness, just picture historical figures like pirates or the founding fathers trying to operate a car.
it’s only “easy” bc we’ve normalized it.
it would be great for neurotypicals to reblog this
I didn’t get my license until I was 26 because of my mental health struggles. Just sayin’.
I still can’t drive in the interstate. My anxiety shows me all that can go wrong and it sort of paralyzes me…:(
(via frostedpuffs)
possibly-an-intellectual-being:
A family can be a dragon and her lesbian wife and their tiny lesbian dragon daughter