#I dont wanna pretend I'm a competent dissector of queer discourse lmfao just my experiences being queer

[mosesdumpin]

hey btw I have two big questions about XG that prolly don't have an explicit answer but I don't really hear the fandom discussing: 1) like... how aware is the team/the members of what, to me and prolly most culturally western queers, comes off as queer dogwhistling? Are they intentionally courting that crowd or is some of it cultural ignorance? Is there enough of a distinction in korean/japanese culture from western culture to distinguish between queerbaiting and queer dogwhistling (the first being cowardly dodging committing to queer support, the second being intentionally dogwhistling to maintain a mainstream voice while supporting queerness when the mainstream otherwise wouldn't) (I know thats more than one question, but its just clarifications on what would otherwise be a quick yes or no) and 2) is this not talked about because its just a kpop thing I don't understand or are some of these symbols/actions just common in the kpop culture to the point where its cultural meaning is lost/different?

Like the TGIF MV has the very gender non-conforming but misguided bathroom sign that became a minor meme a while ago (m, f bathroom signs then a symbol mixing both, then an alien with related text) which fits the theme of "aliens" that they are going for but also feels like an escalation from their general vibe of "be free to be what you are, and be stronger for it" This just seems the most obvious to point out. One thing that initially worried me with the group is their constant reassertion of "womanhood" (Mascara, GRL GVNG, lit every song) which sorta yells TERF energy alongside Mascara's specifically heteronormativity. To me, because of my lack of previous kpop/jpop/c-pop exposure, I forgave this is different steps of queer cultural acceptance and tried to set more lax expectations. Except as time went on, I noticed that beyond a few "gendered" references to their attractiveness (I look so lavish, dont be fooled by pretty faces, etc, all only arguably gendered in english) they don't specifically work to define womanhood in the way I would expect. GRL GVNG is an easy to explain example. Despite the song constantly reaffirming that these are women, their crew are women, and "female empire" there isn't really some affirmation of what that is besides... just what they are calling themselves. To hammer in the point, exchange each gendered word for the male alternative and the song doesn't make any less sense. To me, this could still be an example of TERF energy, but it comes off as specifically intending to compare themselves to what is often viewed as a distinct genre - boy groups, and undermine the expectations of what a girl group is supposed to be. It FEELS less like "women can be strong too" and more like "we are strong, sucks you would assume differently" and I wonder how intentional that distinction is? Not to mention they've hosted clearly queer fans on their publicly released content, but this one I am less confident in pointing out since this could simply be the differences of cultural gender expressions making XG more ignorant and/or kpop at large doing the same thing without it being meaningful. Maybe I am imagining it as well, but the most tenuous evidence is that they sometimes put a LOT of distinct emphasis on phrases like "Be your truest self" and "celebrate diversity" among other (perhaps dated) queer catchphrases with some really coy interactions between the girls that sit in the blurred line of platonic social behavior. Ofc I WANT the performers I am invested in to be surprisingly queer friendly, and I am aware of confirmation bias. Worst case scenario is my instinct about TERF energy is correct but the middle ground would be that all of this is mostly accidental but not antithesis to what they want to convey. I know young kpop groups are very intentionally private about their personal lives, especially regarding sex and dating (for kinda gross reasons, but tbh everyone is better off despite what I say next) but I am dying to find out if Jurin or Harvey are queer or not because it seems to me like the other girls are being coy about those two in some way (either together or individually) and I just want to confirm its that or not that god damnit.