CylieDanny
The real magic has always been here
My friend is Indigenous, this would make her really happy ^^ It makes me happy too ♡
Celebrating Diversity: New Horizons Character Designing Event
- Thread starter Jeremy
- Start date
- Status
Cosmic-chan
✩ ˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ My Melody.
Oh man.. My post got 25 likes. Thank you guys! I just hope mine ends up on the front page!
Shellzilla_515
F1 fan who loves onions
Not gonna lie, I feel a little nervous posting this, but I'm stepping up!
I feel like three sentences isn’t enough to describe who I am. I spent quite some time writing this to make sure I’m expressing my thoughts clearly and hopefully not ruffle anyone’s feathers. I’ll put it in a spoiler since it looks like I wrote an essay.
This has been said many times on this thread, but it's really awesome getting to know other people better, especially since I've seen some familiar names who also participated in the TBTWC event!
I feel like three sentences isn’t enough to describe who I am. I spent quite some time writing this to make sure I’m expressing my thoughts clearly and hopefully not ruffle anyone’s feathers. I’ll put it in a spoiler since it looks like I wrote an essay.
My background is Filipino which is why my character is holding a flag of The Philippines. But since I spent most of my life growing up and living in Canada, I don’t know a whole lot about my own culture aside from a few things. There is one thing that I’m confident in explaining, however.
With no actual furniture to represent The Philippines, I had to get creative here. The two tin buckets seen right beside me represents that every early morning in The Philippines, vendors would be walking around the neighborhood yelling “Taho!”, which is a simple snack they sell for around 50 pesos. If converted to bell currency, it would only cost 114 bells! If you couldn’t tell already, it’s one of my favourite Filipino snacks to eat. Anyway, Taho contains silken tofu, tapioca pearls (but we typically call them sago), and brown sugar syrup. One bucket contains the silken tofu while the second bucket contains both the tapioca pearls and the brown sugar syrup. Ideally, the vendors would sell them hot and have it all finished before noon. This is why you see my character doing the encouraging emote and that it was taken around 6 in the morning in front of Stitches’s house. Usually, the vendors would give you a small plastic cup to put in the taho, but if you brought your own cup, they’d put it in there instead! The DAL mug represents how you can do just that. Back when I was four or five years old when me and my family went to The Philippines to meet my relatives, I remember one time that I cried because I wasn’t able to get taho in time. Thankfully, the vendor came back eventually and I was a happy boy with my grandma giving me company. On a side note, Stitches should start waking up earlier or else there won’t be any taho left for him!
Focusing on my character, I’m wearing a chef hat. It means that I cook for my family when my parents aren’t able to. I don’t want to be lazy and try to help them out when I can. The shirt that I wore here is a custom design I made for myself. It is a Formula 1 McLaren team T-shirt to show that I am a fan of the team, sport, and racing in general. The rainbow stripes show that I support the LGBT+ community to help them feel comfortable and get a better understanding from them, even though I’m a straight male. You could also interpret it as a subtle way to support the community. This is because my family sadly doesn’t really view them in a positive way so I try to keep quiet when I can or else they’ll think I’ve been “indoctrinated”. To me, I believe that listening to one another with an open mind regardless of who we are makes a more positive environment. After all, there’s more to the person than just their sexual orientation and identity!
The next thing I want to point out on the shirt is the green ribbon. For those who don’t know, June also happens to be scoliosis awareness month. I personally don’t have scoliosis, but my mother does. She’s had it for a very long time even before I was born. Because of her back pain coming up every now and then, especially after doing some tasks, I’ve had to give her a massage to alleviate the pain. Despite my mom experiencing pain many times, she does her best to take care of me and my sister. Thanks mom!
The rest of my clothing is just aiming for a summer aesthetic. Nothing else to it.
The red car on the right side of the photo shows how much I really like cars, ever since when I was young. The Gran Turismo series played a huge role in my passion for cars and I remember playing with my dad in split screen mode when I was younger (I got left behind sometimes, but now it's the other way around!). I even discovered some great music to listen to. Long story short, it helped me to drive better, have an appreciation of cars, learn a small bit of their history, and identify numerous cars on the road while going on a car stroll with my dad without having to take a closer look at their names. Eventually, I started seeking more content in this area to broaden my interest and knowledge. I’d love to talk more about this subject, but I don’t want to go off track. That pun is totally intentional in case you’re asking.
Back to the part where I lived most of my life in Canada, I noticed how I have a very different lifestyle compared to those living in The Philippines. Sure, I know how to speak Tagalog (and even then I mess up sometimes), cook and eat some dishes from the Filipino cuisine. However, I speak mostly English aside from talking to my parents and sound more like a person with a Canadian accent. I also barely wear clothing from my own culture which is why my character doesn’t wear traditional clothing and don’t feel qualified to do so. Basketball has a lot of following in The Philippines. The country even has its own basketball league called the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Yeah, I watch basketball sometimes, but it’s a small drop in the lake compared to my enthusiasm for cars. Moreover, I rarely see people with the same nationality as me who also have an interest in cars and racing (especially when actually taking part in motorsport). When I do, it makes me happy that I’m not the only one. My point is, I don't see my own differences as a burden. In fact, I'm pretty happy of who I am since I can easily tell it's me with that description!
In conclusion, I interpret diversity as listening to others with an open mind, accepting others, and enjoying many things that life has to offer, no matter who you are!
With no actual furniture to represent The Philippines, I had to get creative here. The two tin buckets seen right beside me represents that every early morning in The Philippines, vendors would be walking around the neighborhood yelling “Taho!”, which is a simple snack they sell for around 50 pesos. If converted to bell currency, it would only cost 114 bells! If you couldn’t tell already, it’s one of my favourite Filipino snacks to eat. Anyway, Taho contains silken tofu, tapioca pearls (but we typically call them sago), and brown sugar syrup. One bucket contains the silken tofu while the second bucket contains both the tapioca pearls and the brown sugar syrup. Ideally, the vendors would sell them hot and have it all finished before noon. This is why you see my character doing the encouraging emote and that it was taken around 6 in the morning in front of Stitches’s house. Usually, the vendors would give you a small plastic cup to put in the taho, but if you brought your own cup, they’d put it in there instead! The DAL mug represents how you can do just that. Back when I was four or five years old when me and my family went to The Philippines to meet my relatives, I remember one time that I cried because I wasn’t able to get taho in time. Thankfully, the vendor came back eventually and I was a happy boy with my grandma giving me company. On a side note, Stitches should start waking up earlier or else there won’t be any taho left for him!
Focusing on my character, I’m wearing a chef hat. It means that I cook for my family when my parents aren’t able to. I don’t want to be lazy and try to help them out when I can. The shirt that I wore here is a custom design I made for myself. It is a Formula 1 McLaren team T-shirt to show that I am a fan of the team, sport, and racing in general. The rainbow stripes show that I support the LGBT+ community to help them feel comfortable and get a better understanding from them, even though I’m a straight male. You could also interpret it as a subtle way to support the community. This is because my family sadly doesn’t really view them in a positive way so I try to keep quiet when I can or else they’ll think I’ve been “indoctrinated”. To me, I believe that listening to one another with an open mind regardless of who we are makes a more positive environment. After all, there’s more to the person than just their sexual orientation and identity!
The next thing I want to point out on the shirt is the green ribbon. For those who don’t know, June also happens to be scoliosis awareness month. I personally don’t have scoliosis, but my mother does. She’s had it for a very long time even before I was born. Because of her back pain coming up every now and then, especially after doing some tasks, I’ve had to give her a massage to alleviate the pain. Despite my mom experiencing pain many times, she does her best to take care of me and my sister. Thanks mom!
The rest of my clothing is just aiming for a summer aesthetic. Nothing else to it.
The red car on the right side of the photo shows how much I really like cars, ever since when I was young. The Gran Turismo series played a huge role in my passion for cars and I remember playing with my dad in split screen mode when I was younger (I got left behind sometimes, but now it's the other way around!). I even discovered some great music to listen to. Long story short, it helped me to drive better, have an appreciation of cars, learn a small bit of their history, and identify numerous cars on the road while going on a car stroll with my dad without having to take a closer look at their names. Eventually, I started seeking more content in this area to broaden my interest and knowledge. I’d love to talk more about this subject, but I don’t want to go off track. That pun is totally intentional in case you’re asking.
Back to the part where I lived most of my life in Canada, I noticed how I have a very different lifestyle compared to those living in The Philippines. Sure, I know how to speak Tagalog (and even then I mess up sometimes), cook and eat some dishes from the Filipino cuisine. However, I speak mostly English aside from talking to my parents and sound more like a person with a Canadian accent. I also barely wear clothing from my own culture which is why my character doesn’t wear traditional clothing and don’t feel qualified to do so. Basketball has a lot of following in The Philippines. The country even has its own basketball league called the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Yeah, I watch basketball sometimes, but it’s a small drop in the lake compared to my enthusiasm for cars. Moreover, I rarely see people with the same nationality as me who also have an interest in cars and racing (especially when actually taking part in motorsport). When I do, it makes me happy that I’m not the only one. My point is, I don't see my own differences as a burden. In fact, I'm pretty happy of who I am since I can easily tell it's me with that description!
In conclusion, I interpret diversity as listening to others with an open mind, accepting others, and enjoying many things that life has to offer, no matter who you are!
Giddy
An interesting fellow
Here's mine~! I'm sorry it's not the best pic, I dunno how to do it properly. Let me know if I need to redo it. (just realised the flag can't be seen all that well.)
I've never really seen myself as disabled, but my right foot, ever since I've been born was 'webbed'. Not only webbed, as you can see on my t shirt - well the best I could design it- my bones in my foot haven't been lined up perfectly either. (my left foot is completely fine other than some webbed inbetween some of the toes.)
I never really had much problem with my foot, other than it would be hard to walk on them over a few hours, and not having the chance to pick out shoes at the shops.
Due to my foot, for most of my life, I visit the hospital, where they check how I'm doing walking, and get custom shoes, as my right foot is way too wide for shoes I could pick out at the shops. Some fun news though, picking out my custom shoes is so exciting, you get to choose the design and colour, and as a child I would always choose the most colourful choices!
It's always been a sort of hidden disability, because you could hardly tell by my shoes that they were different. But it never really stopped me, being me, or even going places! As long as I can get a rest somewhere, I can continue my journey.
My flag also represents something different entirely, and since it's not the best image, what I was going for was a smiling question mark with all different colours and sparkles.
And in a way this kinda represents people who haven't found the sexuality that represents them yet and that's perfectly alright~! It's the same with me, I myself haven't felt comfortable in focusing my time to figure out who I am sexuality and know I will do so in the future. There is never any rush to this, and the fact there has been more freedom to express a sexuality that had to stay hidden for so long, is so magical and accepting.
There's always been a rush in finding out your sexuality, but if you don't take the time to find it and not understand yourself in it, it may not feel totally real to you. I hope that makes sense?
I've never really seen myself as disabled, but my right foot, ever since I've been born was 'webbed'. Not only webbed, as you can see on my t shirt - well the best I could design it- my bones in my foot haven't been lined up perfectly either. (my left foot is completely fine other than some webbed inbetween some of the toes.)
I never really had much problem with my foot, other than it would be hard to walk on them over a few hours, and not having the chance to pick out shoes at the shops.
Due to my foot, for most of my life, I visit the hospital, where they check how I'm doing walking, and get custom shoes, as my right foot is way too wide for shoes I could pick out at the shops. Some fun news though, picking out my custom shoes is so exciting, you get to choose the design and colour, and as a child I would always choose the most colourful choices!
It's always been a sort of hidden disability, because you could hardly tell by my shoes that they were different. But it never really stopped me, being me, or even going places! As long as I can get a rest somewhere, I can continue my journey.
My flag also represents something different entirely, and since it's not the best image, what I was going for was a smiling question mark with all different colours and sparkles.
And in a way this kinda represents people who haven't found the sexuality that represents them yet and that's perfectly alright~! It's the same with me, I myself haven't felt comfortable in focusing my time to figure out who I am sexuality and know I will do so in the future. There is never any rush to this, and the fact there has been more freedom to express a sexuality that had to stay hidden for so long, is so magical and accepting.
There's always been a rush in finding out your sexuality, but if you don't take the time to find it and not understand yourself in it, it may not feel totally real to you. I hope that makes sense?
I didn't even know that this was going on. I've went through most of the thread and read everyone's posts and submissions. All of your posts were interesting and great. I honestly don't think I have anything about myself worth sharing that would fit within this event. I threw some of what I typed in spoilers, so as to hide the lengthy post I made. You don't have to read them.
But after some thinking, I thought of what I could represent well enough. I read the rules for the entries. I really don't know if any of this is going to be accepted, but at least I tried.
I'm here to represent essential workers. They are people of all origins, races, and identities who came together to help the country in its trying time and quite frankly carried it when the government did not do as much as it should had.
This isn't me. It is my cousin, who is a health care worker who was on the front line throughout it all. While I also worked throughout all of this trying time, it was not to the level of this. And I thought it would be more fitting if they were the one to represent it and not me who just happened to be a blue collar worker deemed essential.
They were health care workers, truck drivers, warehouse personnel, retail workers, and so on. When the world stopped, they realized how much they really needed them.
Even those that did not or could not work, because of health related reasons or other, came together to help in any way that they could. One such example is with a few elderly folk who began to make sewn masks for workers on the front line. Yes, they were not grade issued, but people panic hoarded them and left the rest without any.
I wasn't a health care provider of any sort, but I was deemed essential nonetheless. I work in a warehouse that deals primarily with food (dry and perishable) among other things. Last year was very difficult. I remember working double shifts almost daily and then having to help deliver the loads to the stores. We were understaffed, trying to meet deadlines during such an unexpected time, and often in places deemed 'hotspots'. Despite this, we did our best and tried to find humor (even if in poor taste at times) during these hard times.
Through all the years I worked at the warehouse, I never once saw the entire place become bare to the walls. We had a heck of a time keeping up with demand, but through a lot of diligence and teamwork, we managed to supply many places, including hospitals, in as of a timely matter as we could manage.
It certainly isn't a positive thing, but it brought together many in this time of adversity. And I think that is something worth representing.
Sorry if this isn't good enough or not right. At the very least, I tried.
I did try to think of some things that I could represent about myself, because I feel like that is how I could best shed light on those themes. Such as about how my ancestors had came from Europe when the famine was happening. They boarded a boat and hoped for the best, during a time when the future looked uncertain and the Great Depression was looming over the horizon.
One of my ancestors joined the military about five or so years before the outbreak of the Civil War. Did you know that the average pay for a soldier during that time was $13 for a month? That's roughly $400 a month by today's standards. It was called the poor man's war for a reason. You could only get out of it for a year, if you paid $300. (I actually started reenacting because I thought it might be a way I could better understand their hardships and the way they lived. Plus the hobby is just fun, so that is a plus)
But I wouldn't really know how well to best represent that. I also thought of my learning disabilities and speech impediment. I did struggle with them, but have adapted and with enough perseverance was able to graduate with honors. I honestly wouldn't really know how well to capture that essence in a villager photo either lol.
One of my ancestors joined the military about five or so years before the outbreak of the Civil War. Did you know that the average pay for a soldier during that time was $13 for a month? That's roughly $400 a month by today's standards. It was called the poor man's war for a reason. You could only get out of it for a year, if you paid $300. (I actually started reenacting because I thought it might be a way I could better understand their hardships and the way they lived. Plus the hobby is just fun, so that is a plus)
But I wouldn't really know how well to best represent that. I also thought of my learning disabilities and speech impediment. I did struggle with them, but have adapted and with enough perseverance was able to graduate with honors. I honestly wouldn't really know how well to capture that essence in a villager photo either lol.
But after some thinking, I thought of what I could represent well enough. I read the rules for the entries. I really don't know if any of this is going to be accepted, but at least I tried.
I'm here to represent essential workers. They are people of all origins, races, and identities who came together to help the country in its trying time and quite frankly carried it when the government did not do as much as it should had.
This isn't me. It is my cousin, who is a health care worker who was on the front line throughout it all. While I also worked throughout all of this trying time, it was not to the level of this. And I thought it would be more fitting if they were the one to represent it and not me who just happened to be a blue collar worker deemed essential.
They were health care workers, truck drivers, warehouse personnel, retail workers, and so on. When the world stopped, they realized how much they really needed them.
Even those that did not or could not work, because of health related reasons or other, came together to help in any way that they could. One such example is with a few elderly folk who began to make sewn masks for workers on the front line. Yes, they were not grade issued, but people panic hoarded them and left the rest without any.
I wasn't a health care provider of any sort, but I was deemed essential nonetheless. I work in a warehouse that deals primarily with food (dry and perishable) among other things. Last year was very difficult. I remember working double shifts almost daily and then having to help deliver the loads to the stores. We were understaffed, trying to meet deadlines during such an unexpected time, and often in places deemed 'hotspots'. Despite this, we did our best and tried to find humor (even if in poor taste at times) during these hard times.
Through all the years I worked at the warehouse, I never once saw the entire place become bare to the walls. We had a heck of a time keeping up with demand, but through a lot of diligence and teamwork, we managed to supply many places, including hospitals, in as of a timely matter as we could manage.
It certainly isn't a positive thing, but it brought together many in this time of adversity. And I think that is something worth representing.
I'm not comfortable sharing my name, so I crossed it out, but this is me. I see some members doing this. I'm not sure if it's needed or not, but I just did so to follow possible rules.
Sorry if this isn't good enough or not right. At the very least, I tried.
Bekaa
Bliss
This event continues to warm my 
There have been so many terrific, creative entries, and I know there’s more to come! We all win when we look for our common ground while respecting our differences. Thanks to all that have participated.
There have been so many terrific, creative entries, and I know there’s more to come! We all win when we look for our common ground while respecting our differences. Thanks to all that have participated.
oceanchild8
aka karnitas
I'm tired of hearing people say "go back to your country", that just because we are or look Asian that we are the cause of the pandemic, that we all eat dogs and bats (and that we even support that), hearing accents mocked, tired of being punching bags and being robbed, tired of all the stereotypes that hurt us etc.
I was scared of the pandemic, but also scared of being me. Thankfully, there's been support and awareness raised by public figures and groups via social media while all the hate and violence have been downplayed by mainstream media. They've made me feel more comfortable in my own skin. I've never been so proud to be Asian, to be a Chinese American. Although, there's still a lot of work to be done especially with systematic racism. I hope to see change in my lifetime.
My island rep is dressed in a qipao (aka cheongsam), originating in the Qing Dynasty. She's doing tai chi, which she picked up from her paternal grandfather, in the garden in front of Buddha. While she enjoys and respects tradition, she's independent and a fighter. She's everything I hope to be.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who have opened up about themselves, sharing your stories etc. This was the first time I felt vulnerable and opened up, and not just hiding behind my island rep. There's so much respect and care around this forum, which keeps me coming back.
Here is my entry! Or more like, the outfit I wore when I graduated from university.
I am a bisexual Filipino and no matter the comments, I will stand by myself and everyone being discriminated against for whatever reason. I became the vice chairperson of an LGBTQIA+ organization because I wanted to help shed light on many topics I stand for (LGBTQIA+ rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, women empowerment) and I’m studying to become a doctor to one way or another be able to help my fellow Filipinos in the country.
When I graduated college, I graduated on the day of the Metro Manila Pride March and was saddened I couldn’t join, but my best friend came to watch me and gave me her bisexual flag, and we had a fun day of going around my alma mater picturing myself in a Filipiniana parading with a bisexual flag. I am proud to be both, and I will continue to be proud.
(Sorry for the long post! Happy pride to everyone who is proud of themselves and of other people! I’m very happy a lot of people came to celebrate various groups! ❤)
I wanted to celebrate being a bisexual Filipino because I’m tired of the current way we are portrayed, both as the nationality and being part of the LGBTQIA+. As a Filipino, I’m tired of being discriminated against in many aspects: my friend was told she was not “black enough” to be oppressed, we were told we were not “smart” because of our “third-world-country education”, and I have also been discriminated personally by fellow Asians because of various reasons. Spat on, even. Our country is already struggling and the additional racism incurred by other countries makes it harder to be a Filipino.
As a bisexual, I’m also tired of being discriminated against in many aspects: as a very religious country, many Filipinos, especially of older generations, shun those of the LGBTQIA+. I cannot stress how difficult it is to not be part of “the religious norm” in the PH. I personally struggle with opening up to my family knowing some of my family members are religious. I was afraid of what they would think, and I can’t imagine how much worse it is in other Filipino families with stricter members. I know some acquaintances who were kicked out of their households for it earlier in their lives, and it’s much worse when you realize Filipinos are very, very family-oriented (normally we don’t move out until we’re in our 20s, and even then many chose to stay with their families). My heart goes out to everyone.
As a bisexual, I’m also tired of being discriminated against in many aspects: as a very religious country, many Filipinos, especially of older generations, shun those of the LGBTQIA+. I cannot stress how difficult it is to not be part of “the religious norm” in the PH. I personally struggle with opening up to my family knowing some of my family members are religious. I was afraid of what they would think, and I can’t imagine how much worse it is in other Filipino families with stricter members. I know some acquaintances who were kicked out of their households for it earlier in their lives, and it’s much worse when you realize Filipinos are very, very family-oriented (normally we don’t move out until we’re in our 20s, and even then many chose to stay with their families). My heart goes out to everyone.
I am a bisexual Filipino and no matter the comments, I will stand by myself and everyone being discriminated against for whatever reason. I became the vice chairperson of an LGBTQIA+ organization because I wanted to help shed light on many topics I stand for (LGBTQIA+ rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, women empowerment) and I’m studying to become a doctor to one way or another be able to help my fellow Filipinos in the country.
When I graduated college, I graduated on the day of the Metro Manila Pride March and was saddened I couldn’t join, but my best friend came to watch me and gave me her bisexual flag, and we had a fun day of going around my alma mater picturing myself in a Filipiniana parading with a bisexual flag. I am proud to be both, and I will continue to be proud.
(Sorry for the long post! Happy pride to everyone who is proud of themselves and of other people! I’m very happy a lot of people came to celebrate various groups! ❤)
The dress is not my exact dress during graduation, but it was the closest I could find! I was wearing a while modern Filipiniana. 
i was hoping i'd have time to make a custom design, but i do not! but i wanted to post anyways, especially since i love how everyone's sharing their own stories, so i wanted to share mine!
it is i! wearing tangzhuang (aka tang suit/jacket), colour coordinated to match the aromantic flag!
the sweating is to represent the fact that i am nervous/anxious/stressed like 80% of the time. i am here to also rep people with anxiety issues.
i am canadian-born chinese! i grew up in a place where the population was predominantly western -- i think my school was barely 2% PoC (so like, 2 out of 100 students). i was always a bit of an airhead so i didn't really realize it until i was older, but i absolutely clung to any asian representation i saw. one of the reasons i regularly draw hanfu/cheongsam/chinese fashions was because it was something i rarely saw, but i would feel inexplicably happy when i did see it! (and i like the aesthetic of it)
as for the aro colours: i'm aro/ace! i didn't actually know about the aro label for a long time, but when i learned about it i felt like everything fell into place! i found solace in knowing that there was a term that reflected what i felt, and that there were others that shared my experience!
i also didnt know people actually felt attraction to others based off appearance and stuff. i thought that was just a thing for romance stories -- i read a lot of shoujo manga and i thought literally the whole experience was just..... yknow.. fiction. i've had some funny conversations as a result of this.
and for the sweating bit: as i said earlier, i have a lot of anxiety/stress/etc, especially in relation to social interactions! the fact that i have a lot of social anxiety apparently comes as a surprise to people, but i try to talk about it openly. it seems to bring solace to others, knowing that they're not alone in the anxiety they experience.
it is i! wearing tangzhuang (aka tang suit/jacket), colour coordinated to match the aromantic flag!
the sweating is to represent the fact that i am nervous/anxious/stressed like 80% of the time. i am here to also rep people with anxiety issues.
i am canadian-born chinese! i grew up in a place where the population was predominantly western -- i think my school was barely 2% PoC (so like, 2 out of 100 students). i was always a bit of an airhead so i didn't really realize it until i was older, but i absolutely clung to any asian representation i saw. one of the reasons i regularly draw hanfu/cheongsam/chinese fashions was because it was something i rarely saw, but i would feel inexplicably happy when i did see it! (and i like the aesthetic of it)
as for the aro colours: i'm aro/ace! i didn't actually know about the aro label for a long time, but when i learned about it i felt like everything fell into place! i found solace in knowing that there was a term that reflected what i felt, and that there were others that shared my experience!
i also didnt know people actually felt attraction to others based off appearance and stuff. i thought that was just a thing for romance stories -- i read a lot of shoujo manga and i thought literally the whole experience was just..... yknow.. fiction. i've had some funny conversations as a result of this.
and for the sweating bit: as i said earlier, i have a lot of anxiety/stress/etc, especially in relation to social interactions! the fact that i have a lot of social anxiety apparently comes as a surprise to people, but i try to talk about it openly. it seems to bring solace to others, knowing that they're not alone in the anxiety they experience.
tiffanistarr
🌈🐚🌊🐚🌈
i was hoping i'd have time to make a custom design, but i do not! but i wanted to post anyways, especially since i love how everyone's sharing their own stories, so i wanted to share mine!
it is i! wearing tangzhuang (aka tang suit/jacket), colour coordinated to match the aromantic flag!
the sweating is to represent the fact that i am nervous/anxious/stressed like 80% of the time. i am here to also rep people with anxiety issues.
i am canadian-born chinese! i grew up in a place where the population was predominantly western -- i think my school was barely 2% PoC (so like, 2 out of 100 students). i was always a bit of an airhead so i didn't really realize it until i was older, but i absolutely clung to any asian representation i saw. one of the reasons i regularly draw hanfu/cheongsam/chinese fashions was because it was something i rarely saw, but i would feel inexplicably happy when i did see it! (and i like the aesthetic of it)
as for the aro colours: i'm aro/ace! i didn't actually know about the aro label for a long time, but when i learned about it i felt like everything fell into place! i found solace in knowing that there was a term that reflected what i felt, and that there were others that shared my experience!
i also didnt know people actually felt attraction to others based off appearance and stuff. i thought that was just a thing for romance stories -- i read a lot of shoujo manga and i thought literally the whole experience was just..... yknow.. fiction. i've had some funny conversations as a result of this.
and for the sweating bit: as i said earlier, i have a lot of anxiety/stress/etc, especially in relation to social interactions! the fact that i have a lot of social anxiety apparently comes as a surprise to people, but i try to talk about it openly. it seems to bring solace to others, knowing that they're not alone in the anxiety they experience.
I love and appreciate that you focused some of this on anxiety. As someone who suffers with anxiety it's always comforting to know that there are so many other people who can relate to the struggle. Thank you so much for including that.
Ahh!!!Not gonna lie, I feel a little nervous posting this, but I'm stepping up!
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I feel like three sentences isn’t enough to describe who I am. I spent quite some time writing this to make sure I’m expressing my thoughts clearly and hopefully not ruffle anyone’s feathers. I’ll put it in a spoiler since it looks like I wrote an essay.
This has been said many times on this thread, but it's really awesome getting to know other people better, especially since I've seen some familiar names who also participated in the TBTWC event!My background is Filipino which is why my character is holding a flag of The Philippines. But since I spent most of my life growing up and living in Canada, I don’t know a whole lot about my own culture aside from a few things. There is one thing that I’m confident in explaining, however.
With no actual furniture to represent The Philippines, I had to get creative here. The two tin buckets seen right beside me represents that every early morning in The Philippines, vendors would be walking around the neighborhood yelling “Taho!”, which is a simple snack they sell for around 50 pesos. If converted to bell currency, it would only cost 114 bells! If you couldn’t tell already, it’s one of my favourite Filipino snacks to eat. Anyway, Taho contains silken tofu, tapioca pearls (but we typically call them sago), and brown sugar syrup. One bucket contains the silken tofu while the second bucket contains both the tapioca pearls and the brown sugar syrup. Ideally, the vendors would sell them hot and have it all finished before noon. This is why you see my character doing the encouraging emote and that it was taken around 6 in the morning in front of Stitches’s house. Usually, the vendors would give you a small plastic cup to put in the taho, but if you brought your own cup, they’d put it in there instead! The DAL mug represents how you can do just that. Back when I was four or five years old when me and my family went to The Philippines to meet my relatives, I remember one time that I cried because I wasn’t able to get taho in time. Thankfully, the vendor came back eventually and I was a happy boy with my grandma giving me company. On a side note, Stitches should start waking up earlier or else there won’t be any taho left for him!
Focusing on my character, I’m wearing a chef hat. It means that I cook for my family when my parents aren’t able to. I don’t want to be lazy and try to help them out when I can. The shirt that I wore here is a custom design I made for myself. It is a Formula 1 McLaren team T-shirt to show that I am a fan of the team, sport, and racing in general. The rainbow stripes show that I support the LGBT+ community to help them feel comfortable and get a better understanding from them, even though I’m a straight male. You could also interpret it as a subtle way to support the community. This is because my family sadly doesn’t really view them in a positive way so I try to keep quiet when I can or else they’ll think I’ve been “indoctrinated”. To me, I believe that listening to one another with an open mind regardless of who we are makes a more positive environment. After all, there’s more to the person than just their sexual orientation and identity!
The next thing I want to point out on the shirt is the green ribbon. For those who don’t know, June also happens to be scoliosis awareness month. I personally don’t have scoliosis, but my mother does. She’s had it for a very long time even before I was born. Because of her back pain coming up every now and then, especially after doing some tasks, I’ve had to give her a massage to alleviate the pain. Despite my mom experiencing pain many times, she does her best to take care of me and my sister. Thanks mom!
The rest of my clothing is just aiming for a summer aesthetic. Nothing else to it.
The red car on the right side of the photo shows how much I really like cars, ever since when I was young. The Gran Turismo series played a huge role in my passion for cars and I remember playing with my dad in split screen mode when I was younger (I got left behind sometimes, but now it's the other way around!). I even discovered some great music to listen to. Long story short, it helped me to drive better, have an appreciation of cars, learn a small bit of their history, and identify numerous cars on the road while going on a car stroll with my dad without having to take a closer look at their names. Eventually, I started seeking more content in this area to broaden my interest and knowledge. I’d love to talk more about this subject, but I don’t want to go off track. That pun is totally intentional in case you’re asking.
Back to the part where I lived most of my life in Canada, I noticed how I have a very different lifestyle compared to those living in The Philippines. Sure, I know how to speak Tagalog (and even then I mess up sometimes), cook and eat some dishes from the Filipino cuisine. However, I speak mostly English aside from talking to my parents and sound more like a person with a Canadian accent. I also barely wear clothing from my own culture which is why my character doesn’t wear traditional clothing and don’t feel qualified to do so. Basketball has a lot of following in The Philippines. The country even has its own basketball league called the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Yeah, I watch basketball sometimes, but it’s a small drop in the lake compared to my enthusiasm for cars. Moreover, I rarely see people with the same nationality as me who also have an interest in cars and racing (especially when actually taking part in motorsport). When I do, it makes me happy that I’m not the only one. My point is, I don't see my own differences as a burden. In fact, I'm pretty happy of who I am since I can easily tell it's me with that description!
In conclusion, I interpret diversity as listening to others with an open mind, accepting others, and enjoying many things that life has to offer, no matter who you are!
I'm also Filipino (part), and you brought me some fond memories of when I visited the Philippines. I loved waking up and hearing the vendors calling out, mostly for fresh buko juice and saging! 
(It's better in the Philippines than what's available here). Thank you for posting your story!
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JellyLu
✨️🎄🎅🎄✨️
For my entry I chose to represent those battling cancer in honor of my mom. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and unfortunately it metastasized to all of the bones in her body making it stage 4. Almost everybody I know has been influenced by cancer in some way. Cancer has always been a horrible disease in my mind, but having it impact my MOTHER has been especially tough. I've seen her get countless surgeries. I've seen her sick to her stomach. I wish that I could take some of the pain for her as she doesn't deserve any of this. Thankfully, my mom is still alive and she continues to fight this monster. She is the strongest woman I have ever seen and I am proud to have her as my mom and I will continue to support her through this journey. I personally believe that one day she will be cured. It may sound silly to some, but I have faith in both my God and in medicine.
As a cancer fighter, my mom doesn't want to be treated any differently than "normal" people. She doesn't want to be treated as though she is dying. She may be weak, but she can still have fun like the rest of us! No matter what cancer one has, all survivors and fighters deserve to live in a world where they can be loved and supported. They are not "contagious" or "walking time bombs."
My outfit consists of a pink sweater that has the breast cancer ribbon on it. It is NOT my design and I found it on the kiosk. I unfortunately do not remember the creator's ID, though I remember I did find it using the keyword "cancer" a while ago if anyone is interested. I'm not an artist, but I tried my best to create my own ribbon design and it's the one that I'm using on my flag. Like the sweater, it also contains the breast cancer ribbon. It also has three hearts (they represent my dad, my boyfriend, and myself... aka our household). My shoes and hair accessory are pink ribbons as well. The bandages represent the hardships that cancer patients and their caregivers endure. My character is doing the confident reaction as I am staying positive through this journey and am confident that a cure will come soon. I chose to stand in one of my bamboo fields with my mama pandas for obvious reasons. I happened to take this picture while it was raining which I kind of like. To me, having my character be confident in the rain shows the importance of having hope during a storm.
I sort of rambled, sorry! I am moved by all of the entries Diversity is truly a beautiful thing~
As a cancer fighter, my mom doesn't want to be treated any differently than "normal" people. She doesn't want to be treated as though she is dying. She may be weak, but she can still have fun like the rest of us! No matter what cancer one has, all survivors and fighters deserve to live in a world where they can be loved and supported. They are not "contagious" or "walking time bombs."
My outfit consists of a pink sweater that has the breast cancer ribbon on it. It is NOT my design and I found it on the kiosk. I unfortunately do not remember the creator's ID, though I remember I did find it using the keyword "cancer" a while ago if anyone is interested. I'm not an artist, but I tried my best to create my own ribbon design and it's the one that I'm using on my flag. Like the sweater, it also contains the breast cancer ribbon. It also has three hearts (they represent my dad, my boyfriend, and myself... aka our household). My shoes and hair accessory are pink ribbons as well. The bandages represent the hardships that cancer patients and their caregivers endure. My character is doing the confident reaction as I am staying positive through this journey and am confident that a cure will come soon. I chose to stand in one of my bamboo fields with my mama pandas for obvious reasons. I happened to take this picture while it was raining which I kind of like. To me, having my character be confident in the rain shows the importance of having hope during a storm.
I sort of rambled, sorry! I am moved by all of the entries
Diversity is truly a beautiful thing~
WaileaNoRei
Once and forever
Chibi.Hoshi
*˖✧ ✨🌟✨ ✧˖*
Here's my entry. I decided to go for a slice of "home" away from home, my Filipino heritage. My player is wearing a traditional Filipino gown called a Filipiniana dress, this is also known as a Maria Clara, a well known feminine Filipino figure of the same name. I was born half Filipino and half New Zealander and grew up in both countries. With "current globe events", I and others haven't been back to their country for quite some time, and for my family, it has been a struggle. Many people of many races around the world are struggling with the same pain, missing their loved ones they can't physically reach. And to know, things will be ok.
OswinOswald
Senior Member
I wanted to support females in STEM roles. Maybe it's becoming less of a rarity, but I still think it needs to be normalized in people's minds as I still experience sexism fairly regularly. As a surgeon, during my training I've had many individuals tell me things like "Oh, you're too nice to be a surgeon!", or patients assume I was in a different role, or speak over me to the male students in the room thinking they were in charge. Despite great strides to promote feminism, people still make assumptions and judgements about all of us. We should all be and do whatever we like to do, and be celebrated for our achievements and life choices!
tiffanistarr
🌈🐚🌊🐚🌈
omg yes!! I too work in a "male dominated" career field and women are often overlooked when it comes to executive positions and are generally underpaid when compared to their male counterparts. I'm so proud of you for staying strong and not giving in to those challenges. I've learned through my women's focus group that when women feel sexism in the workplace directly or indirectly a lot of women will shy away from trying to "move up" the company ladder or they just feel stifled about taking chances or meeting goals. It's so inspirational to see women keep holding on.
trans pride snow bunny, for a southern hemi island. I surely hope I don't need to explain how any trans peoples support fits into promoting diversity. like that honestly feels like explaining why water is wet: it just is. the outfit itself is based off the trans pride flag colors put into a wintery/bunny style
also, bless the dancing reactions giving us a hopping animation
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So, I’m from Mexico, and I haven’t seen anyone posting something about this beautiful country. I like to see all the different country diversity in this forum. There are different time zones which is not really nice some times cause I miss some good threads when they are posted in like 6 am or 1 am, but I like to see different behaviors from all the countries that I can find here. I really like this forum and I wanted to post something from my country, and the wrestler outfit seems really nice for this occasion. So thanks for the chance Bell Tree Forum y que viva México!! Ajua!
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