#Trans List is next!

[autisticgoten]

More thoughts on aroace Goku/the autistic Son family (+ headcanons and postcanon ideas)

Because I couldn't justify putting them all in the art I just posted lmao

[Image ID: An aroace flag colour picked from Super Saiyan Goku, with Goku in front of it. End ID.]

I have always read Goku as somewhere on the aroace spectrum, especially during the early series.

(Thoughts/Goku-based thesis under cut)

In early Dragon Ball, Goku often has to have social concepts such as sex, gender, romance, etc., explained to him. This, of course, is related to the running joke that he's sheltered and has no comprehension of things which are second nature to most people.

[Image ID: A panel of Roshi saying "I am appalled by your inability to judge women!" Goku responds, "Really...?" End ID.]

(From Chapter 25, where Roshi is horrified that Goku does not objectify women. The surrounding panels are worse, typical early series jokes.)

He's 12 here, around the age where media often portrays young people as developing feelings of attraction. Though his lack of interest may be portrayed as due to his isolation, that really wouldn't have that much bearing on experiencing romantic interest when he explores the rest of the world. Toriyama consistently choosing to write Goku like this seems to say something more about him than just this running joke.

Then, of course, there's the (somewhat infamous) scene where Chi-Chi confronts Goku when they are both 18 or so and insists that he promised to marry her.

[Image ID: Two panels. In the first, Goku thinks, "Wow... And all this time, I thought she meant something to eat! Well, I guess that's it... I did promise!" In the second, he faces Chi-Chi and says, "Okay! We'd better get married!" and she says, "Yay!" End ID.]

(From Chapter 171. Searching for this exposed me to too many people's opinions on Chi-Chi.)

Goku is remarkably casual about agreeing to marry someone, especially as he didn't really know what it meant a few minutes ago. I really don't think this is intended to be taken too seriously -- it's largely a joke about how nonchalantly Goku treats things that are super important to most people, because he has other priorities than most people.

I don't think this is a reckless/stupid moment for Goku (or a predatory moment from Chi-Chi as I've unfortunately seen people say). He's young and doesn't understand social expectations very well and you know, he made a promise. It's perfectly reasonable to him.

Goku is now 18 and still exhibits the same cluelessness when it comes to romance, even though he has been around the world and met many people, including people his age.

This moment also makes me think a lot about my headcanons of both Goku and Chi-Chi (and the whole Son family) being autistic. Goku is so so autistic to me -- he largely exists outside of social expectations and is confused when they are imposed onto him, he is focused on one thing (mastering martial arts) to the point where other things seem unimportant to him, etc. On the other hand, Chi-Chi is also autistic but in the way of attempting to adhere strictly to social expectations because she wants to Fit In (#girlautism). Women get married because they were promised to someone when they were young and that's that.

This diverts from manga canon/Toriyama's writing, but in the anime filler about Goku and Chi-Chi's wedding there's a whole dumb bit where a character called Grandma Hakkake 'teaches' her how to be a good wife by making her clean her house.

[Image ID: A screenshot from the Dragon Ball anime where Chi-Chi is intently cleaning up a pile of dishes. End ID.]

(Episode 151)

It's so absurd that it makes me think about Chi-Chi rather desperately adhering to the social role of a Good Wife. When you consider this, it contextualises a lot of her characterisation. She is frustrated with Goku because he doesn't fulfill some socially-expected aspects of a Good Husband, such as earning the household's income, keeping Gohan in school, etc. She is frustrated because she has done her very very best to be a Good Wife and yet he doesn't seem to be trying at all.

This is NOT an attack on Goku in any capacity, I don't think he's a bad husband or father at all. There is a difference, however, between Goku's personality and the social construction of a Good Husband.

I'm thinking about this post by @gokustits where @dbfandom breaks down this rather infamous panel from the original Japanese (I highly encourage reading and interacting with the post because it's excellent).

[Image ID: A panel where Chi-Chi is yelling "Oh, come off it, Goku-sa! You never do any work, and you never look after Gohan-chan--!! Have you ever made a single penny since we got married--!?" End ID.]

@dbfandom: The first bubble is her scolding Goku for being an absentee father, but it's through the societal lense. She's saying he's a bad father (by societal norms: aka a "provider"), but not a bad "dad", and she's angry about the year and a half in which Goku was absent but could have not been (due to the wish to Porunga to be brought back that Goku refused!)

The difficulties in their marriage largely come from this miscommunication, where Chi-Chi assumes that Goku knows these societal norms because they're societal norms, but of course he doesn't. This isn't really either of their faults, especially as they got married at 18 (!!!). It's more tragic than anything to me.

Their early relationship feels kind of like 'playing house' to me. Chi-Chi has a very specific idea of marriage and Goku goes along with it. I do think they're happy, especially before the Saiyan Saga starts, but it feels less related to the social expectations and more in spite of them. They develop a relationship and enjoy spending time together, fall in love in some capacity for sure, but when Goku is pulled in other directions that relationship is strained.

This is going more into the realm of reading between the lines/headcanon, but my interpretation of Goku's feelings for Chi-Chi are really just that he enjoys spending time with her and doesn't mind what form it takes. I view him as a sex-neutral ace (he doesn't care much either way).

I don't think there's any doubt that Goku loves Chi-Chi as their relationship ends up.

While Chi-Chi's initial feelings for Goku definitely seem like she convinces herself that she has them because she's betrothed to him, I also think she develops very real feelings for him. I read her as a little aroace-spec too, though I think she specifically enjoys romance as compared to other ways of being with someone more than Goku.

Anyway! Onto the kids!

[Image ID: A coloured DBZ chapter cover in Japanese, with Videl, Goten, and Gohan. End ID.]

(Chapter 428/DBZ 234)

Gohan is actually the only one of the Son family I read as totally allo, lmao. Well, there's really not much evidence either way, but his romance with Videl feels fairly natural to me. If anything, they have more obstacles to their relationship than pressures.

(Except that one weird moment where Chi-Chi is excited that the girl Gohan likes is rich, but I personally don't think that influences him too much.)

I do really think Gohan and Videl is just one of these rarer cases where people fall in love in high school and get married young but end up with a pretty healthy relationship.

(It happens. I started dating my partner of 8 years in early high school lmfao, though we do certainly have some aroace-spec shenanigans going on)

Not to say they're completely untouched by social expectations and all. Being in a heterosexual marriage certainly comes with plenty of that. Gohan getting married young like his parents does also play on my mind. Even if he wasn't pressured into it, society certainly doesn't object to anything he does.

As for Videl, she is also very allo to me with her initial crush on Gohan. I like a lot of their early relationship which is built on training together.

(This only makes Super even more frustrating with how they completely strip Videl of her personality and what made this relationship interesting.)

[Image ID: A trading card of high school Videl and Gohan back-to-back, looking at each other over their shoulders and smiling. End ID.]

I also read Gohan as autistic, though he's better at masking than Goku. He also sometimes struggles socially (though this may also be part to his isolated upbringing) and has special interests (entomology in Super, of course, but also martial arts just like Goku -- I'm sure he has complex feelings about this considering his trauma but also his earnest love for it in less high-stakes situations i.e. Saiyaman).

Okay! Finally nearing the end, onto Goten (and a bunch of my headcanons)!

[Image ID: Three panels. In the first, Trunks says, "Y'know what, Goten?!" and Goten responds, "What?" In the second, Trunks says, "If I tried... I bet I could only beat you with one arm!" In the third, Goten says, "What?! One arm?! You can not!" End ID.]

(Chapter 433/DBZ 239)

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, I love Goten. I love the energy that he and Trunks bring the Buu Saga and their fun, childish outlooks.

I read Goten as autistic too ("no way, tumblr user autisticgoten"). Alongside some of his characterisation which feels very inspired by young Goku's, his friendship with Trunks also makes me think of this.

Often, Trunks is the instigator, proposing schemes for Goten to join in on. This may be explained by Trunks being the older and more confident kid, but I also like reading this as Goten being Autistic in the way that he really wants to fill the role of Trunks' friend well.

[Image ID: A full-body illustration of young Goten in his gi, smiling. End ID.]

(my art! full post here as I remain proud of it)

As for queer stuff, well...

We only have brief appearance of teen Goten as written by Toriyama, in the DBZ epilogue.

It's fairly brief and the most insightful thing, really, is that he mentions he's going on a date, which means he's interested in romance in some capacity.

[Image ID: A panel where Goten says "And I had a date tomorrow, too". End ID.]

Honestly, any conclusions drawn from that alone would be pretty narrow (I'm not analysing GT or Super in this particular post).

So... now for headcanons and my personal ideas!! Everything from here is from my own writing of post-canon DB, so fair warning if you're only interested in the analysis.

I really, really like teen Goten being bisexual and aroace-spec.

[Image ID: A digital sketch of teen Goten in a gi holding up a peace sign and saying "i love bisexuality", with a bisexual flag in the background, and another tiny doodle of him in the corner. End ID.]

(little scribble from 2023 I didn't post)

Goten is the first one in his family to actually identify as queer. This brings up a whole BUNCH of feelings when he comes out. Goku wouldn't care at all, of course. Chi-Chi definitely isn't intolerant but has some traditional ideas. Her entire marriage is built on heterosexual gender roles. She has a lot of talks with her son which lead her to consider a lot of things differently.

Goku never identifies as aroace because that doesn't matter to him but the idea helps him understand that the way he sees romance may not be the same for everyone. He and Chi-Chi talk a bit and while I think their relationship is definitely better after the Buu Saga in general due to their age and a lack of stressors, this really helps them come to terms with the unexamined issues in their relationship and how they've always had different expectations.

(Young queer people helping their older relatives understand things about themselves is so, so important to me and I just want to see it more. On a personal level, my sister and me coming out helped my mum realise she's bisexual.)

Anyway, my interpretation of teen Goten does flirt around a lot but he rarely has serious relationships and the people he dates always just end up as friends. This is because he's aroace-spec, and also because he can't conceive of anyone in his life being more important than Trunks.

In the end, as an adult he has a semi-romantic bestfriendship-based queerplatonic-y thing with Trunks. No particular labels. They just live together and are in multiple kinds of love!

(I hc Trunks as a trans man and gay but I will not go into that today because I will never shut up)

I think Gohan is definitely the first person Goten comes out to, though. After Gohan moves out, Goten has a habit of just appearing on his roof to talk with him, and this happens during one such talk.

[Image ID: A digital sketch of Goten and Gohan sitting on a roof under a night sky. End ID.]

(an unfinished sketch also from 2023)

And, to circle back to the Autism! During one of these talks, Gohan also tells Goten that he's been doing a lot of introspection/research and thinks he's autistic (and their dad is likely autistic...). And so the family are able to put a name on that certain thing that seems to set them apart from others.

(Last personal anecdote: I got my autism diagnosis right around the time my dad started to realise he is autistic too, as runs in his side of the family.)

Anyway! I could go on and on but this headcanons segment is already too long so I'll save it for other posts.

If you made it through this monster of a post, thank you!!! I hope you found something that rings true for you.

AROACE AUTISTIC GOKU FOREVER!!!!! <3

[detroit-become-moomin]

Hey there! Completely forgot to post about this here, but - charity project for trans kids!!

POINTY THINGS, a folk horror collection written by me, illustrated by @ehlihr, and edited by @nimagine is now available for purchase online through Pride 2024. All revenue raised during the upcoming year will go to LGBT+ mutual aid orgs defending trans youth! In this collection you'll find:

55 pages & 22k+ words of story

unsettling megafauna

a trans take on red riding hood

fun facts about 16th-century beheading practices!

deeply unsexy vampirism

haunting-as-dysphoria

3/5 stories brought to life in spooky, atmospheric detail by elisar's illustrations!

The charities we'll be donating proceeds to include Equality Texas and the Transgender Education Network, but I'm also keeping an eye out for other mutual aid orgs defending the rights of trans youth in the American Southwest.

🩸PURCHASE HERE (GUMROAD) 🩸

🩸 OR HERE (KO-FI)🩸

[henry-the-queer-artist]

I think peak gender euphoria for me would be to look like morten harket because I mean. LOOK AT HIM. WHEN IS IT MY TURN.

i look like this in my heart

[wallpaper-inside-my-heart]

💚 Smoshblr December Wrapped #2 💚

Who are smoshblr's favourite crew members?

Our winner by direct votes is Gen Z rep Erin Dougal 🥳

With musical talent Josh Fleury coming in second! 🙏

And queen Kiana & Garret both tying for third place 🧡💙

Since Spencer and Tommy are sorta grey area between smosh & crew, a lot of ppl named their as their faves, while also picking a top 3 amongst the crew members who spent less time on camera. So that is why these two still ended up on top for this question. 🫶🩵

So here are the top 11 most voted crew members:

Since there are so many ppl working hard behind the scenes at smosh, there was a wide selection to choose from, by the lovely ppl participating in the smoshblr dec challenge 🫶

So to make sure, everyone gets their due appreciation 💕

Here are the top 12-22 crew members:

Also honorable mentions to Erica, Greg, Lizzie, Sarah Whittle and Mallory for each receiving one vote as well💚

[funkle420]

I'm considering opening some mini commisions for proof of donation to an org that supports ppl in Palestine, or maybe picking a specific vetted fund, or joining an artists for palestine group (tho i tried looking for one and all the ones i found are closed). Maybe I'll pick a few funds/orgs and put them in a list of options.

Not now, cause I need to focus on my classes and then I need a break so I don't explode, but at some point! Maybe I'll just keep them limited to a few at a time?

If you know of an Artists for Palestine-type group that's still in operation, please lmk!

[cheadarchesse]

To do list because I can't quite order my thoughts

- take out trash

- take out recycle

- go on walk, hopefully with icarus

- finish Beela chapter (I'm pretty close)

- empty dryer

- run washer

List of things it would be nice to do, but are less pressing

- put away dishes

- clean off counter

- pick out this week's dinners

- finish mom's sweater (yes, this was her Christmas gift)

- call heater repair

- schedule clothes donation

[martianbugsbunny]

me personally I think William T Riker has the most Trans energy in the whole TNG main cast so idk let's throw it to the people

[mustangs-flames]

*sigh* Batman got hit by the trans beam. Sorry he's a trans man now. I will not be taking criticism at this time.

[nessvn]

i just need to make it to shabbat i just need to make it to shabbat i just need

[ianmelchizadek]

They have now clearly stated they want to ban trans health care for everyone, at every age. Their stated plan is to go after it incrementally, so people won't be as likely to resist. We have to stop them - vote these people out of office. We have to vote against Republicans/conservatives like our lives depend on it - because they do. They're coming for us, all of us. They've said it out loud and publicly.

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

Another day of getting paid to eat fries and read my little gay books

[cm2tfemotd]

Todays Canon Male to Transfem Headcanon is Boruto Uzumaki from Boruto! he is a transfemmasc agenderfluid aroace bi that uses she/he! also in a qpr with mitsuki!

[raiii-bee]

Kinda funny that my top surgery was basically a quick time event irl

[ohnoitsjesster]

I did the tier list thingy for Hatchetfieldians. It is ordered within the tiers but not super exact. I'm happy to answer any questions about the order! Also, feel free to change my mind, I'm very impressionable.

here's the link to make ur own

[chuck-fag]

Watched “A Mighty Wind” (2003) and all I have to say is stan The Folksmen <3

[pigeonflavouredcake]

I gave myself permission to get some new books for new year's day but that's it that's all I'm giving myself. I was really bad my book ban last year so I'm trying again this year.

My book buying ban starts now on the 1st of January 2024.

My TBR is 49 books long here's the list:

Adrian Tchaikovsky - The Doors of Eden

Aiden Thomas - Cemetery Boys

Alexandria Bellefleur - The Fiancée Farce

Alice Feeney - Sometimes I Lie

Alison Rumfitt - Tell Me I'm Worthless

Alo Johnston - Am I Trans Enough

Bram Stoker - Dracula

Cordelia Fine - Delusions of Gender

Cordelia Fine - Testosterone Rex

David Attenborough - Living Planet (audio book)

Euripedes - The Bacchae and Other Plays

George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty Four

Hannah Kaner - The Fallen Gods Trilogy #1: Godkiller

Isaac Fellman - Dead Collections

J.B. MacKinnon - The Day The World Stops Shopping

Jaimie Raines - The T in LGBT

Jeanette Purkis - The Guide To Good Mental Health on the Autism Spectrum

Jen Beagin - Big Swiss

Jennie Kermode - Growing Older as a Trans and/or nonbinary person

Jon Krauker - Under the Banner of Heaven

Julia Lynn Rubin - Primal Animals

Juno Dawson - Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

K. Patrick - Mrs. S

Kalynn Bayron - You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight

Lily Lindon - My Own Worst Enemy

Liz Gloyn - Tracking Classical Monsters on Popular Culture

Malinda Lo - A Line in The Dark

Mark Lawrence - The Library Trilogy #1: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn

Marie Cardno - How to Get a Girlfriend (When You’re a Terrifying Monster)

Mary Shelley - Frankenstein

Maude Ventura - My Husband

Max Adams - The Wisdom of Trees

Megan Abbot - Give Me Your Hand

Mona Awad - Bunny

Naoya Matsumoto - Kaiju No. 8 Vol 8

Ottessa Moshfegh - My Year of Rest and Relaxation

Paul Tremblay - The Cabin an The End of the World

Peter Corbin - Three Jacobean Witchcraft Plays

R.W. Wallace - Beyond The Grave

Reni Eddo-Lodge - Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Robin Wall Kimmerer - Braiding Sweetgrass

Sarah Waters - Fingersmith

Sayaka Murata - Earthlings

Sven Holm - Termush

Talia Jager - Without Hesitation

Tamsyn Muir - The Locked Tomb #3: Nona the Ninth

Veronique Altglas - From Yoga to Kabbalah

Walter Stephens - Demon Lovers

William Peter Blatty - The Exorcist