#but the solution to that is NOT disrespecting the cultures in question??? like holy shit

[divinepriestesskokomi]

How many times do people have to explain the cultural significance of Tighnari's design before people stop calling it ugly and disrespecting Kabyle fashion.

Anyways, here is a link to a very informative guide on the cultural influences from Tighnari's design.

[shenanigumi]

ToT for Souji! When Kondou reaches his goals, and is living a happy life, would you then consider settling down with a girl? What if Kondou asked you to? What would you do after?

Note: Answered out of order due to intensity of feeling.

Okita narrows his eyes in a ferocious glare. “Do you even hear the shit coming out of your mouth?” he demands. “You must be deaf if you didn’t get that I literally just fucking told you I don’t want a wife. Even after Kondou-san reaches his goals, there will always be people who want to tear him down again, and somebody has to protect the peace he’ll make.” Okita rests his hand on the hilt of his sword. “Besides, Kondou-san already asked me to consider settling down back in Edo, and guess what? I said no. I’ll do a lot of things for Kondou-san, up to and including dying, but my private life isn’t any more his business than it is yours. Now, in case you didn’t get the memo before…” He slides his blade out of his sheath. “Step. Off.”

Note: Holy shit. Is it THAT hard to grasp that Okita isn’t looking for a relationship and, in every route except his own, never intends to do so? Is it THAT hard to think that maybe some people genuinely don’t care about finding romance and are in fact perfectly happy on their own? Is it THAT hard to accept that some people really do prioritize their work and aren’t just using it as an excuse? Is it THAT hard to imagine that Chizuru is the exception to an otherwise absolute rule on his route only, and that Okita likes her much more for who she is rather than because he might someday think of her as ‘a wife’? Is it THAT hard for you to understand that OKITA IS DEMIROMANTIC?

…And before you get all up in arms about how that’s all subjective and I can’t know any of that for sure, you should know that I’m talking about my Okita, not canon Okita. However much canon behavior factors into my characterization, I have never claimed to speak for his canon iteration. It has always been my versions of these characters that have answered these questions, so if you cannot accept that sometimes the way I characterize these people may not comply with your own views of or wishes for them, then you have no business participating in Truth or Truth in the first place.

[Explanation of aphobia under the cut.]

In case you don’t understand why I’m so offended, let me break this down for you. This question coming after the one linked in Okita’s dialogue is the equivalent of asking someone out despite already knowing they’d rather focus on their job, getting turned down because they don’t feel the same way about you, and instead of just accepting it and moving on, asking “What about after you don’t have your current job anymore? Would you consider dating me then? What if your dad says you should?” Like. No?? No. No means no. Focusing on their job was only a part of why they said no; more importantly, they turned you down because they don’t feel the same way and never will. What about that is difficult to understand? Did you not believe them, or did you just not respect them? Either way, you leave a lot to be desired in a listener.

I know you probably didn’t mean any insult, but this brand of persistence hits just a little too close to home. Those of us on the ace/aro spectrum(s) are often asked invasive questions about why we’re not interested in people [romantically and/or sexually] and/or under what conditions we would be interested in people (and in what ways), long after we’ve attempted to explain that we’re Just Not Fucking Interested and can we please just change the subject. When asked about my type, I’ve tried to tell people that I don’t have one because, like Okita, I’ve never specifically looked for love… but nobody ever seems to believe me. It gets exhausting constantly having to justify a lack of desire in a strongly allonormative culture—having to put yourself on the defensive all the time because people interrogate you about your boundaries—and honestly, I’m done.

The easiest solution I can think of is to ban questions about route-neutral Okita’s romantic preferences altogether. As a passionately a-spec person, I find this line of questioning disrespectful and borderline aphobic, because it ignores both Okita’s and my previously established preferences (or rather, lack thereof) and promotes the erasure of a-spec characterization. Thus, please do not ask Okita any further questions on this matter, and please do not send me any hate, either for who I am or for how I portray my characters. I am valid, and so is my choice of characterization. Thank you for your understanding.