#Jeeves is queer platonic!

[ur-fav-is-aspec]

Some folk in the fandom generally agree with the first one and the second one is my own projection.

Wooster from PG Woodhoused book series Jeeves and Wooster is often assumed to be asexual. A gay/bi men who is ace and likes his valet Jeeves.

But I also like to imagine them both being aromantic/demiromantic and asexual in a queer platonic relationship.

Ok so this one was kinda hard for me to do due to knowing less than nothing about this, and the internet not being very helpful, so I would really appreciate it if someone could let me know if I’ve made any mistakes. I couldn’t find any book photos, so I hope the series ones are ok.

That’s a lot ok right image ID’s

(Image ID 1: the asexual flag with Wooster in the middle. End image ID.)

(Image ID 2: the asexual flag with Wooster in the middle, and a gay male love male flag shaped like a heart to the left of him. End image ID.)

(Image ID 3: the asexual flag with Wooster in the middle, and a bi flag shaped like a heart to the left of him. End image ID.)

(Image ID 4: the asexual flag with Jeeves in the middle. End image ID.)

(Image ID 5: the demiromantic flag with Wooster in the middle. End image ID.)

(Image ID 6: the demiromantic flag with Jeeves in the middle. End image ID.)

(Image ID 7: the aromantic flag with the Wooster in the middle. End image ID.)

(Image ID 8: the aromantic flag with Jeeves in the middle. End image ID.)

(Image ID 9: the queer platonic flag with Wooster and Jeeves on it in the middle. End image ID.)

[queeringclassiclit]

Reginald Jeeves & Bertie Wooster

from the Jeeves and Wooster series by P. G. Wodehouse

[gean-grey-blog]

I feel like it's worth pointing out that Hugh Laurie has been an ally for like 50+ years.

The man is platonic life partners with Stephen Fry and was through all of the AIDS crisis. They were on screen in very shippable ways before I was talking. Like, go google Jeeves and Wooster and come back and tell me House and Wilson is the first time Hugh Laurie has experianced being shipped with a man 😂😂😂

(this isn't to be negative to OP. It's just in a shit world it's nice to be able to be like "yes, this man is definitely here for the queer")

do you think hugh laurie knows about the hilson community

[v-thinks-on]

I identify as ace, and so for pride month I’m sharing my favorite ace-spectrum headcanons, which motivate how I write my OTPs.

Jeeves and Wooster: asexual aromantic (in a queer-platonic relationship)

They’re in love, just not quite in a romantic sense.

Jeeves thinks of their relationship in more romantic terms and is more inclined toward pseudo-romantic gestures - he particularly likes reciting poetry, and will occasionally kiss Wooster to make a point. He also has a jealous streak.

Wooster thinks of their relationship in more friendship-related terms, though realizes it’s a bit more than that. He’s more inclined toward casual contact, especially when they’ve been apart for a while. He’ll often invite Jeeves to join him at the table if he’s having dinner at the flat, or to read together on the sofa.

Neither of them is particularly inclined toward romantic or sexual physicality. They enjoy each other’s company, but are largely comfortable with their respective roles, sleeping in separate beds and keeping their own separate, but intimately intertwined routines.

[ripplesofaqua]

Yuletide 2021 Letter

Dear Author,

Thank you so much for writing something for me! I cannot wait to see what you come up with! Here are a few of my likes and dislikes, and some (optional!) prompt ideas in case they help to get you started

DNWs: major character death, underage, incest, non/dub-con, depictions of abuse/homophobia/racism/transphobia/etc (the exception being depictions of mild-moderate homophobia if it's part of the canon's historical context - ie for Poirot or Jeeves - but please nothing too dark or dire with lasting negative consequences on the main characters - let them be happy in spite of it!), extreme gore/violence (relative to the source material - it's fine if there's a murder mentioned for Poirot or even Jeeves, for example, just please don't make it too graphic), serious illness (the flu and similar is fine!), A/B/O, hardcore bdsm/kink, infidelity, angst without at least a hopeful ending

General Likes: mutual pining, slow burn (rivals to) friends to lovers, found family, friends/platonic life partners, characters supporting and listening to each other's interests even if it's not their own interest too, first meetings and long-awaited reunions, loneliness, hurt/comfort, strong ladies and admiration between them, queer characters/relationships/found family, fluff, angst with a hopeful ending, humor and banter, stoic/grumpy person who is soft on the inside falls for the ray of sunshine with hidden depths, non-sexual intimacy and tenderness (ie. holding/kissing hands), praise kink, sex with lots of affection, secret admirer, dancing together, letter (or book) writing, serenading with music or poetry, snazzy dressing, clear communication and respect in relationships, flipping things so that the character who usually always gets rescued is the one doing the rescuing,

1. Agatha Christie's Poirot: Hercule Poirot, Arthur Hastings, Felicity Lemon (feel free to pick which characters to write or include other side characters)

I adore the relationship between Poirot and Hastings, whether shippy or platonic, and the tv show gives them some lovely moments of affection and banter! They're opposites in so many ways but complement each other! I like that Hastings has a quiet sass that helps keep Poirot's ego in check, but also an optimism, good-heartedness, and kind of 'innocence' that Poirot values. Plus, he does have a way with cars and anything athletic, and does have a knack for unknowingly stumbling across important clues... even if he follows them in the completely wrong direction XD. And then Poirot is so confident in himself and unafraid to be true to who he is. Plus, I appreciate how much he cares about everyone around him, and that ever-present twinkle in his eye. Some possible ideas: cooking dinner/theater/driving/oh-no-there's-been-a-murder dates, first meetings at Styles or earlier in Belgium, reunions after the war, later in life realizations, Poirot bringing Hastings on all his shopping/errands, straightening ties and brushing dirt off clothing, domesticity, one character injured or in peril and the other coming to their rescue, Hastings solving the mystery for once, everything in The Third Floor Flat ep

I'm also a big fan of the found family unit at Whitehaven Mansions. They tease and banter but care about each other so much, and each has their own special skills when solving cases. I love how Miss Lemon holds her own, with a quiet humor and sass beneath her strict discipline and complex filing system. I also appreciate her love of cats, interest in ghosts and Raffles, and her fashion sense! If you go this route, I'd be happy with anything from quiet domesticity to mystery solving adventure to an individual character study of any of them!

2. Jeeves: Reginald Jeeves, Bertie Wooster (feel free to include other side characters too)

"There is a tie that binds, sir." I just really love the idea that these two just belong together, whether it's romantically or as platonic life partners/found family. They just get each other so well - and there's so much mutual respect and admiration beneath the friendly sass and disagreements over clothing. I like to think of Bertie as a little clueless and oblivious, but with more competence and intelligence than he lets on to the reader - and of course his sunny disposish. And Jeeves as being intelligent and reserved, but not too overly mean to Bertie, and perhaps a secret romantic, or at least with lots of emotions underneath - are those Rosie M Banks novels really his aunt's? Some possible ideas: friendly banter, serenading with music and poetry, playing piano together, clothing, subtle displays of affection, relationship negotiations, characters trying to write, having Bertie save the day for Jeeves, Bertie doing small things for Jeeves like pouring him a glass of wine, or exploring what happens after the end of the Tie that Binds (they're stuck with each other for life - now what! or perhaps, whether any other Ganymede members notice the missing pages) or during Ring for Jeeves (perhaps how they cope with the separation, or their reunion after). I also like to imagine Seppings, Charlie Silversmith, or maybe someone else acting as a mentor/friend to Jeeves, or even as a surrogate parent to Bertie. I'm also a fan of both book and TV versions (plus the soundtrack!), so feel free to borrow from either. And here are some references in case they'd be helpful: [x] [x] [x]

If you're feeling extra ambitious and are familiar with both, I'd be totally down for a Poirot/Jeeves crossover! Perhaps Poirot and Jeeves have to work together to solve a mystery or problem? Or Hastings is a member of the drones club and becomes an instant friend/mentor to Bertie?

3. Crown Duel: Vidanric Renselaeus, Meliara Astiar (feel free to write about both/either characters and any side characters if you want)

This was one of my absolute fav books as a kid, and I'm so excited to see it on the Yuletide list. It's been awhile since I've read it, so I'm a little hazy on the details, but if you choose to write for this, I'm sure whatever you come up with will feel like returning home after a long time away! Feel free to write for either/both characters and make it as shippy or pre-relationship/gen however you'd like. Some things I love about the book: the not-actually-enemies to friends to lovers progression of their relationship, and how they actually make a really good team when they're not fighting. Also, the whole rescue scene and then when Meliara throws... a cup? candlestick? at him XD and becoming unknowing friends through letters!! How badass and unafraid Meliara is to be herself, even in front of the judgmental court. It would be great to see more of her acting as a leader, whether managing things at home or at court. Vidanric putting on a foppish persona to hide his competence from the king, and then later outwardly becoming the skilled leader he is. He's so hard to read, it could be interesting to see things from his point of view, or perhaps you could explore events pre- or post-canon. also, bonus if it includes something with hand fan language.

4. Dinotopia: Worldbuilding

These books! Are just so gorgeous, and really captured my imagination so thoroughly as a kid. They're one of the main reasons I got into both fantasy and architecture. Feel free to write about whatever interests you the most! I'm open to all sorts of things with this! You could explore events in Dinotopia's ancient past, or perhaps how they'd deal in the future. I'd be happy with anything from scenes from everyday life with dinosaurs and humans working and living together to adventure and legends to something descriptive about their technology, and everything in between. As an architecture nerd, one of my favorite things about the series is the varied-yet-surprisingly-realistic architecture that is fantasy but also borrows from real life. some of my favorite locations are Treetown, Canyon City with all the skybax riders, Waterfall City, and Bonabba. I've also seen both tv versions, so feel free to take inspiration from those, too (those sunstones and jungle ruins are so cool!)

These are all just suggestions, but I hope it helps to spark something! Thank you again for writing something for me, I cannot wait to read what you come up with! =)

[sol1056]

the consequences of unexplored implications

One of the hardest things to do in writing (above and beyond all the regular hard things) is recognizing the unexplored implications. Some of these can be more obvious with some simple stats: how many characters are male vs female? how many white characters get speaking parts or are named, vs how many non-white? 

Others take a bit more thought, like realizing the only female characters are unnamed prostitutes, or the only Hispanic characters are janitors. Sometimes it means untangling a well-meaning attempt to subvert a racist trope (ie uncivilized/inferior primitives) that actually ended up unwittingly in a completely different but equally racist trope (ie the noble savage). 

And then there’s a really tricky one to realize, that at least in my experience needs a big-picture view of the entire story. Only then can you see how seemingly independent parts, when overlapped, result in unfortunate implications. 

It���s this last one that I’m starting to twig on, in VLD. And it comes from a combination of a particularly pernicious trope in American media, the canonical relationship between Keith and Shiro, and the purpose of repetition in stories.

the bury your gays trope

Basically, this trope shows up when a story establishes a happy queer relationship, and immediately decides one of the two must die. 

Often, especially in older works (to the extent that they are found in older works, of course), gay characters just aren't allowed happy endings. Even if they do end up having some kind of relationship, at least one half of the couple, often the one who was more aggressive in pursuing a relationship, thus "perverting" the other one, has to die at the end. ... Nowadays, when opinions on sexuality have shifted somewhat, this justification will often be attempted via Too Good for This Sinful Earth. Sometimes it's because the Magical Queer has died in a Heroic Sacrifice so that the straights may live. 

(Also, for some reason, it’s a particular favorite to have one-half of a lesbian couple killed by a stray bullet. Google it.)

Honestly, this trope is so pervasive, it’s damn hard watching popular media. You end up constantly braced for the inevitable death (sometimes followed by the surviving partner going totally evil, a la Willow in BtVS). Well, unless the relationship is toxic or controlling, and then the implication is that het relationships are the only healthy ones, but that’s a slightly different trope. 

In short: if you’re queer, happy endings are not for you. And if you do manage to get a happy ending (ie Bill in Dr Who), you had to suffer ten times as much as anyone else to get there. Compared to het relationships in the same story, it’s always the queer couples that suffer the most. One way or another.

canonical and word-of-god Shiro/Keith

Assumption: Keith and Shiro have an emotional bond much deeper than any couple we’ve seen on-screen. The very least one could say is that they have a deep relationship, albeit presumably platonic. (I should also note that I do consider ‘platonic’ love to be an equal to ‘romantic’ love; it’s just a different type of consummation.) 

Apart from that, there’s word-of-god: the EPs’ comments (ie “beloved mentor”), VA interviews, and various directors/artists posting sheith images with romantic vibes. Yes, that’s all non-canonical, but the message is: if you read this platonic as simply pre-romantic, well, the series’ creators are there with you. 

I will note, I don’t consider this as representation. In canon or it doesn’t count! (Looking at you, Rowling.) Still, word-of-god is clearly impacting the fandom’s interpretations of the relationship.  

using repetition in stories

The try/fail cycle and repetition have a core element in common: an event repeats until the character learns what they need to achieve victory/resolution. The difference is that in try/fail, the character should move up each time. In repetition, the character must re-experience a lesson they failed the first time.

To compare: 

try/fail: the antagonist has a black belt! get white belt, challenge antagonist, fail. okay, green belt! challenge antagonist, fail. next belt!

repetition: the antagonist has a black belt! test for white belt, fail. test for white belt again, fail. test for white belt again... 

When the overall plot’s try/fail is too similar, readers will see the protagonist as too stupid to quit (or change tactics). Repetition works best as a recurring motif: event A, parallel event B, character learns and changes, we have development, and this happens in support of, or alongside, the plot’s try/fail cycle.

Example: if Lance were to flirt with ten different girls and they all shot him down, that’s try/fail. His development is via repetition: it’s a repeating pattern with Allura, until he learns to take a different approach.

Here’s the important thing: like try/fail, repetition is a lesson to be learned. Most readers assume repetition means the previous instances were failures. If the character does the exact same thing and this time it goes beautifully, expect some side-eying from your more astute readers. 

But at the same time, if the character had no control over the outcome in previous instances, expect frustration instead. Readers will intuit the story is indulging in a kind of victim-blaming: the character had no power to ‘do it right’ before, yet the repetition implies that failure was their fault.

And that brings us to how these three parts, combined, make me see some seriously unfortunate implications in VLD.

all three together

So we have sort of this gray-area kinetic-platonic, potential-romantic, relationship. And twice now, one-half of that relationship has been, well, not killed, but sort of killed. Gone, vanished. The other half is left behind, grieving. It’s implied Keith fell apart the first time, and then we got to see it on-screen, the second time. 

It doesn’t actually matter whether S3/S4 Shiro is the ‘real’ one. If he’s not, then we have a third loss. If he is -- but compromised as a tool of the empire -- then it’s still a loss, if a psychological one. He’s there, it’s just not... him, anymore.

In other words, three times that a potential-queer relationship has been put through a Kill Your Gays maneuver that ended up being just a ploy. 

Done once, it could’ve been a subversion of the trope. Aha, the writers could say, we didn’t kill anyone, instead, we brought him back! Yes, one-half of the couple (and later, we find out, both halves) suffered during the separation, but since that’s mostly backstory, it’s all good, they’re happy now. Carry on, Jeeves.

Done twice, the writers not only re-triggered a possible KYG interpretation, they also tripped over the issue of repetition. Remember, the repetition is a lesson -- something must be learned, to prevent its recurrence. 

The problem is removing Shiro leaves Keith to experience the aftermath. By default, he takes the protagonist’s role, and according to the literary convention, he has to learn something to prevent a repeat. But in neither instance -- the Kerberos mission, or Shiro’s disappearance from Black -- does the story give any indication that Keith had a direct impact on the outcome. He did nothing to cause either, therefore there’s nothing he could feasibly do to fix either. 

That makes it especially infuriating that the third time around, one could conceivably say: gee, Keith kept looking, until he found this not-Shiro. If not-Shiro does any damage, that can be traced back to Keith. 

On its own, that could be an interesting dilemma. Taken in light of repetition, not so good. The unfortunate implication is he should’ve learned from the previous two times, and his failure to do so is the reason he ended up here.   

what’s the lesson, then?

Is it: stop caring for this person? Is it: loving someone that much means you have to suffer? Is it: you can’t just be happy? Is it: if you want to try for happiness, you have to earn the right to it? 

How is it that Lance can just flirt, make peace, and develop a deep friendship with Allura -- and neither are forced to undergo repeated trauma in the process? Or that Pidge has just one scene of implied loss, and it’s over and resolved in the same episode? Yet meanwhile Keith -- the only one with a same-sex relationship of significant depth -- has to lose, and lose, and lose? 

Maybe the writers figured: well, it’s not really death, it doesn’t count, let’s go ahead and yank that chain a second and third time. The story is blind to how their plot-twists aren’t all that better. It's still the same old bullshit: if you’re queer, you don’t get the happy ending. And if you do, it can’t be the simple meet-like-love of a het relationship. You’ve got to suffer for it.  

But the story they’ve written, and the choices they’ve made, tell me: these implications are not on their radar. Worse, I end up feeling like they don’t care enough to even put it on their radar.

That’s why it really bothers me when the EPs say they’re pushing for queer representation. Because if the writers can’t even see the implications of doing this to a deeply caring platonic relationship between two people of the same gender, like hell if I want to see what they’d do to an actual, onscreen, queer relationship. 

If you are rising up right now to insist ‘this is what the story demanded!’, I strongly recommend you go read this post: this is a jar full of major characters. Yes, that post is talking about black characters vs white, but it goes for any marginalized group, including lgbtqia.

Bottom line: no story demands anything. You’re the goddamn writer; you control the story. If you write shit, you’re a shitty writer. 

Think harder. Dig deeper. Do better.