leni‘s swagger

Being unlabelled has never affected me in my life. It isn’t discussed or brought up in conversations; I haven’t had to defend my sexual preferences or prove my sexuality when my dating choices didn’t match with society’s expectations. I’ve fallen for men, I’ve dated girls, and I don’t necessarily see it as something I need to define or explain. It’s unlabelled; no need to discuss. So why did my last friendship turn this all around?   Even though I have queer friends, I’ve never been so aware of my sexuality as around this particular individual.  You might raise your brows and reduce this to a simple crush; it isn’t, and it never was, but I understand this way of thinking. Being friends with someone so painfully aware and open about their sexuality makes you want to spread yourself open, too. It made me question myself and my ceaseless attempts of keeping my sexuality private and something no one would feel the need to uncover. Was this a different way of being ashamed? I don’...

It has never been sexy if you're the victim of the patriarchal system that set such a thing up, yet I often find young prey of online grooming and manipulation to be the strongest supporters of pedophilic media.  There's been an ongoing discussion of the right-wing mindset that has slowly been overtaking the internet and ruling over fashion, makeup, and aesthetics. Americana and coquette  are two of the most popular styles de vie for thousands of young girls, but what exactly do they promote?  How does Americana  ("a celebration of American culture, history, and values. Rooted in nostalgia and a deep appreciation for the past, this aesthetic captures the essence of what it means to be American.") melt together with the idealisation of being a flirtatious nymphette as described in Lolita ? Give that to the American femme fatale, Lana Del Rey.  Lana has been known for playing around with characters. She sings about being in boarding school (which happened) an...

  Taste of Cherry—Kiarostami I’m a know-it-all . I’ve spent my entire life fact-checking people, researching things I don’t agree with, and correcting people like an oath. I love having the answers and understanding the nature of events. The word I’ve found myself using the most in my gauche youth is “ why ?”. Yet, as a know-it-all, I’ve been carrying a deep-rooted secret inside of me, hidden behind memories, and my fragile heart is the deep shame that I don’t know most things about myself. I’ve been so focused on uncovering everyone else’s being that I was unable to see how, with every secret dug out, I would cover myself up more and more. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to overshare, and I tell my friends about the newest hot gossip in my life, but if someone were to ask me why , I don’t think I’d know the answer. Abbas Kiarostami’s film Taste of Cherry plays with exactly that. You’re faced with a stranger. A stranger on a journey. A journey to end his life. ( Why? ) It’s...

The best thing we have is our opinion.  We possess one even if we don’t express it. Even if we try to hide it in passive-aggressiveness and witty innuendos, our body language, facial expressions, or choice of words will always fail us. We are who we are, and we feel whatever the world punches into our faces. Thus, as a highly expressive teen with a strong moral code , I have many opinions to share.  So , let me introduce to you all the things that I love and all the other things that enrage me.   I love  ⁃ Aristocats!  Honestly, one of Disney’s best. The film offers it all:  cute cats, sibling dynamics, a sappy love story, and so much music!! Everybody wants to be a cat ?  Hell YEAH I do! It’s Paris in all its artistic glory, j’adore!   ⁃ Nerdiness!!!  I love conversing with people who are passionate about things they love. Being smart is totally sexy. I think in the modern times of dumbasses with a podcast microphone spreading “fake news”...

  I'm afraid I can no longer gatekeep... It is time for me to reveal  my ultimate cookie recipe to the world!  As someone who loves baking more than anything , perfecting my cookie recipe has been my pride and joy. It's a super easy recipe that doesn't take long to try out, and will definitely not disappoint! Honestly, this has secured me so many dates. Everyone suddenly is a "cookie tester," and once a hot guy tells you that, you might as well go trad.. (I'M JOKING.) Anyway, the dates were fun, and the praise was even better, so try it!! Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 13-15 minutes For about 26 cookies!! Ingredients:  250g unsalted butter  220g brown sugar 130g white sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 370g flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp salt  200g milk chocolate 200g dark chocolate  All should go well if you do the -cookie- by the book! STEP 1 Preheat the oven at 180°C STEP 2 Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put it a...