Pterocarpus Angolensis is a tree native to South Africa. It’s also commonly known as the bloodwood tree due to the fact that when it’s chopped or damaged, a deep red sap which looks eerily similar to blood, seeps from the tree. In fact, the purpose of the sap is to coagulate and seal the wound to promote healing, much like blood.
deadpool is honestly more wholesome than any of the mcu movies
Explain
ok so
Doesn’t straightwash queer characters! this was a big one. (marvel movies have a huge problem with straightwashing*)
Deadpool is canonically pansexual, and the movies reflect this! Reynolds doesn’t shy away at all from Deadpool’s sexual interest in men.
(head injuries bring out deadpool’s romantic sexy feelings it seems. in the first movie, knife to the head = romantic montage with vanessa. in the sequel, fencepost to the head = deadpool sensually trying to go down on Colossus.)
(semi-related, both movies have some cute references to deadpool enjoying being on the receiving end in the bedroom.)
(yeah, it’s canon, Deadpool enjoys being pegged)
Oh hey, a healthy romantic relationship based on mutual respect and love! and with a fully developed female character with personal agency! A love interest who doesn’t just function as a plot device.
POLAR OPPOSITE OF TOXIC MASCULINITY. This really shines through in their marketing
(yes that pillows says “FEMINIST”)
(yes that is deadpool in heels dancing to celine dion)
Diverse casting! Characters who are poc just because poc exist!
Hey look, a cute lesbian couple treated with respect and one of them’s asian!
Holy crap i don’t say this enough but i loveDomino. What a badass. Sexy-but-not-sexualized black female action hero who is probably the coolest person in the movie.
Deadpool 2 took a run-of-the-mill white character design and made her interesting!
Her trademark eye patch is now vitiligo! She has awesome natural hair. And look, body hair exists! On a person who is a woman! Which shouldn’t be unusual, but here we are. Also, she’s fun
Portrayed by the talented Zazie Beetz. Did I mention how much i love this character?
Oh look, another much improved character design!
We’ve got your humdrum blondie cleft-chin stereotype replaced with a heavyset maori teen actor (Julian Dennison, who incidentally was in Taika Waititi’s indie movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople).
Overall themes: The movies have a lot of dirty humor and innuendo. But the overall takeaway is actually pretty sentimental. The Deadpool 2 themes in particular gets to me:
Not repeating the mistakes of the previous generation. “Kids give us a chance of being better than we used to be.”
The loss and recovery of family. Accepting friendship in the midst of tragedy. See also: Cable’s story arc.
Letting go of loss and bitterness to try to save a child who’s been abandoned by the world.
I’m honestly so excited about the choices the director & producers have been making for this franchise. They’re setting the narrative standard for modern superhero films. Can’t wait to see what the next movie has in store.
Deadpool 2 is also pretty explicitly no-holds-barred criticism of foster care abuse, child abuse in churches, homophobia, and the way sexual assault is ignored. Deadpool 2 gave all of the fucks and was not afraid to let everyone know.
After 38 Years in Prison, Frederick Clay to Vote for the First Time Ever
Frederick Clay, represented by the CPCS Innocence Program, was exonerated in 2017 after spending 38 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Clay, who is now 55 years old and living in Lowell, Massachusetts, has the chance to vote for the first time ever in his life. Below are highlights from our conversation with him:
I was deprived of the right to vote for most of my life. It’s strange to finally be able to vote. Now that I have the opportunity to vote, I feel like I’m doing my part in society. I guess you could say I feel special; a lot of black people fought and gave up their lives for the right to vote. In that sense, I feel special because maybe I’m voting for them.
Voting should be a basic human right. But I guess they say when you get convicted of a felony there are certain rights you should lose, and voting is one of them. Again, I’m not quite sure why that is. I guess politicians figure that if prisoners had the right to vote, certain people may be voted out of office. There are a lot of people locked up across the country. That’s a lot of votes.
They say one voice can make a difference, and maybe my voice will make a difference through voting. I feel happy about that. I’m going to vote for all the people who never had the chance to vote and gave their life for it. I’m ready to do my part.
wupacing 