>> Apparently, most people can't see the things I do. I don't know why, the pattern repeats with every new trait. But they don't see it, so I spelled it out for anyone who needs a guide. <<
Gonna need to save that guide.
It's really strange. I know friends who've had people rear up and start snapping after they pointed out the bad points in modern trends to tear down heroes and follow the theme of "you can't have anything nice and I, the writer, am going to destroy all of it, because that's the way the world is". When you criticize something people like they will fight with you, even if the criticism is legitimate. It's like you can't have a civil conversation about it, with the other party pointing out things they disagree with or like instead of immediately going on the defensive, which helps... absolutely nothing.
>> That show creeps me out. I do not like its power dynamics at all. <<
It's ugly. It's like the writers decided that "queer" means orgies and angst, then amped it up to 11. Full of racist tropes, non-consensual mind-wiping, on-screen SI, on-screen rape, murder, sexual abuse, etc... It's... Ugh. The magickal schools genre has *so much* potential for beauty and they just wiped their asses with it.
>> I think that's the one justifiable example I've heard. No teen wants to hear about their principal's sex life. Uckies uckies uckies! It would be totally inappropriate to include that. <<
Fair point. :/ Having it mentioned would be completely out of place, and it's good of her to correct a storyline... But I still think it's cheap of Rowling to get credit for including a queer character with no indication that he's actually queer in the canon.
>> The old SCABS series has some of the best <<
SCABS as in... webcomic, weblit? I have never heard of it. o-o
>> like Calliope melting down over the realization that primal soups get treated pretty much like transfolk do. <<
Meanwhile there are more than enough people who will start throwing bricks if you even try to compare types of discrimination with real parallels... To the extent that even trait-having people will insist they're not oppressed because they aren't specifically targeted and saying they are takes attention away from other marginalized groups. :|
>> I think the author meant that it shouldn't count if the character is said to be transgender but spends a lot of time presenting as their assigned-at-birth gender. <<
I can count three genderqueer friends who do that off the top of my head. Those three are also non-binary, so it's already impractical for them to try to have the same conversations and fights with everyone they come out to. :/ People get binary trans more than they do enbies. Enbies are unicorns; most people are convinced they don't exist.
>> No wonder Vagary worries about this, but at least he understands that it's not his decision and he doesn't have a right to nag Cal about it. <<
\o/ Yay Vagary! That's one boundary he is good at!
>> Come to that, I think that Cal might be able to make some peace with the Calvin side, but I'm not sure this is the way to go about it. <<
Can I ask what problems there are with it, for Cal?
>> ... actually, that's how I cope with being morphlocked in a body that doesn't suit most of my preferences. I am not my body. It's just something I'm wearing for a while. Having it on doesn't make me any less myself, even though it doesn't fit all that well. I have been many things; I can deal with this. <<
Sounds like it works well for you. Kind of like non-attachment, applied to the body instead of other physical things?
I think that's how some people come with being here. It's mixed, since most aren't practiced with that and don't have... you know, experience. Or at least any they remember having. It sounds better than freaking out about things not being perfect. Me, I just try to stay in the present and not stress myself out thinking about it.
>> Well, if they want to be wrong, it's their choice. I'm not going to pick up the pieces if they break their reality tunnel when they see me jump up and hit things. <<
[[snrk]] Borrowing that. It sounds like you're speaking from experience.
>> I can incorporate the very real experiences of other people, who aren't all writers, and thus expand the range of representation. <<
\o/ When someone's too short to hop the fence, give them a boost! :D
>> I don't think it's an accident that I attract a lot of trans, genderqueer, and other QUILTBAG folks. <<
No accident. :) People will come running when they find somebody producing stuff they actually like. And writers who not only do it well but take requests and listen are rare... As I'm sure you know. ;)
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dancing_serpent
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2018-01-12 05:58 am (UTC)Gonna need to save that guide.
It's really strange. I know friends who've had people rear up and start snapping after they pointed out the bad points in modern trends to tear down heroes and follow the theme of "you can't have anything nice and I, the writer, am going to destroy all of it, because that's the way the world is". When you criticize something people like they will fight with you, even if the criticism is legitimate. It's like you can't have a civil conversation about it, with the other party pointing out things they disagree with or like instead of immediately going on the defensive, which helps... absolutely nothing.
>> That show creeps me out. I do not like its power dynamics at all. <<
It's ugly. It's like the writers decided that "queer" means orgies and angst, then amped it up to 11. Full of racist tropes, non-consensual mind-wiping, on-screen SI, on-screen rape, murder, sexual abuse, etc... It's... Ugh. The magickal schools genre has *so much* potential for beauty and they just wiped their asses with it.
>> I think that's the one justifiable example I've heard. No teen wants to hear about their principal's sex life. Uckies uckies uckies! It would be totally inappropriate to include that. <<
Fair point. :/ Having it mentioned would be completely out of place, and it's good of her to correct a storyline... But I still think it's cheap of Rowling to get credit for including a queer character with no indication that he's actually queer in the canon.
>> The old SCABS series has some of the best <<
SCABS as in... webcomic, weblit? I have never heard of it. o-o
>> like Calliope melting down over the realization that primal soups get treated pretty much like transfolk do. <<
Meanwhile there are more than enough people who will start throwing bricks if you even try to compare types of discrimination with real parallels... To the extent that even trait-having people will insist they're not oppressed because they aren't specifically targeted and saying they are takes attention away from other marginalized groups. :|
>> I think the author meant that it shouldn't count if the character is said to be transgender but spends a lot of time presenting as their assigned-at-birth gender. <<
I can count three genderqueer friends who do that off the top of my head. Those three are also non-binary, so it's already impractical for them to try to have the same conversations and fights with everyone they come out to. :/ People get binary trans more than they do enbies. Enbies are unicorns; most people are convinced they don't exist.
>> No wonder Vagary worries about this, but at least he understands that it's not his decision and he doesn't have a right to nag Cal about it. <<
\o/ Yay Vagary! That's one boundary he is good at!
>> Come to that, I think that Cal might be able to make some peace with the Calvin side, but I'm not sure this is the way to go about it. <<
Can I ask what problems there are with it, for Cal?
>> ... actually, that's how I cope with being morphlocked in a body that doesn't suit most of my preferences. I am not my body. It's just something I'm wearing for a while. Having it on doesn't make me any less myself, even though it doesn't fit all that well. I have been many things; I can deal with this. <<
Sounds like it works well for you. Kind of like non-attachment, applied to the body instead of other physical things?
I think that's how some people come with being here. It's mixed, since most aren't practiced with that and don't have... you know, experience. Or at least any they remember having. It sounds better than freaking out about things not being perfect. Me, I just try to stay in the present and not stress myself out thinking about it.
>> Well, if they want to be wrong, it's their choice. I'm not going to pick up the pieces if they break their reality tunnel when they see me jump up and hit things. <<
[[snrk]] Borrowing that. It sounds like you're speaking from experience.
>> I can incorporate the very real experiences of other people, who aren't all writers, and thus expand the range of representation. <<
\o/ When someone's too short to hop the fence, give them a boost! :D
>> I don't think it's an accident that I attract a lot of trans, genderqueer, and other QUILTBAG folks. <<
No accident. :) People will come running when they find somebody producing stuff they actually like. And writers who not only do it well but take requests and listen are rare... As I'm sure you know. ;)
- Gray