#gender nonconforming sans

[leafwateraddict]

Sanses in dresses that i drew after @htsan’s stream

[justdavina]

Mia Nowlan – Beautiful Transgender Youtuber

Sooooooo Cute! I Love her so much!! Just a wonderful transgender girl!

[bluu3berry]

It's officially pride month y'all!! 🖐️🎉

So I made some art for me and my girlfriends! so proud of how far I've come with my identify and what not!! Yipeee

Don't repost my art without creds or perm!!

Identities + definitions under cut

nonbinary/envy - Somebody out of the binary spectrum! (Not female nor male)

My experience - I'm inbetween both female and male!

Panromantic - Someone who feels romantic attraction to people due to their personality

My experience - same thing!!

Orchidsexual - Someone who experiences sexual attraction but doesn't want to do "it."

My experience - I have sexual attraction for fictional and online characters, but I do not want to do it ever IRL. (Usually ruins a relationship for me)

@anon-coke , @skellavelva , @the-second-reason , @scramble-eg , @superbfirnacho , @thelunarsystemwrites

[girl4music]

Ooo Kat’s energy there when Dom was talking about how there were some people on set that didn’t understand using their correct pronouns and were constantly misgendering them. Not a happy chappy.

I hope no one ever misgenders Dom around Kat. 👊❤️

Shout out to @shamelessliberty popping up there.

[themonsterthing]

SF Fancypants: V is For Valiant

[lordbeebrain]

I turned 30 in April and I got to spend it across the country in San Diego, with some of the people that mean the absolute best to me.

Couldn’t have asked for a better birthday week 🥲❤️

[zuzuelectricbugaloo]

Epic Sans Character Interpretation Masterlist

Some of this is canon, but for the most part this is my interpretation of the character. I might expand on or add on to this later if I forget anything or want to add on. I hope this helps!

Since Yugo is Filipino, I like to Hc that Epic is too and speaks Tagalog

And has other cultural mannerisms like not wear shoes in indoor living spaces and the only footwear would be house slippers

Epic and his Papyrus were created from test tubes

To make them, EpicGaster cut out holes in his palms.

Epic was created first years before Papyrus—it was never said when, but I believe Epic is at least 16 years or so older than EpicPapyrus and raised him given that Epic was old enough to work in a lab with EpicGaster but was clearly still younger than the other adult assistants

EpicGaster caused both the holes in Epic’s hands

And it’s why Epic hates them

Just like his Eye. It’s why he wears fingerless gloves and keeps his left eye closed most of the time

Epic’s magic, unlike all other monsters (I guess the exception could be snow types like Snowdrake but even then I think he’d be colder) is cold because of the Eye

An explanation for this

If Epic is killed/dies, the Eye will regenerate him to his previously unaffected state

However, if Epic is nonlethally injured, the injury will remain and heal at a faster rate than normal monsters, but the damage is not immediately undone like it would be if he died. Epic hates dying, so he’d take getting injured over dying even if it means he’ll scar/need to rely on his regenerative healing factor.

Epic is a genius given he was one of the Royal Scientists and worked with EpicGaster in his studies at a very young age

He has multiple PhDs (in what I assume are physics and such) and I believe has knowledge of and can vaguely see/understand a universe’s Code.

Epic loves manga and anime and makes it his job to enlighten his friends

It is his sacred duty to “make them men of culture” as well

Epic is a weeb and has tons of silly merch and collectibles

it also makes me think he’d do a lot of casual cosplay, like maybe wear Vash Stampede’s trenchcoat, but purple, and stuff like that

Epic’s style is primarily masculine, but he does enjoy gender nonconforming and feminine fashion as well

Some go to outfit HCs

Ofc, he also enjoys clothes that reference or allude to memes and pop culture. Some examples of his favorites are Cookie Monster, Shrek, Dragonball Z, and Trigun Stampede

Epic studied his Code in the past to stop dying in his dreams from the Eye.

When EpicGaster fell into the Void, he was no longer able to see through the Eye in Epic’s body. It’s a little comfort to Epic, though, and he hates and fears his Eye more than anything else

Epic is extremely depressed and often exhausted due to dying in his sleep and developing a high LV because of it. He hides behind an overly cheerful façade not as a lie but basically to “fake it ‘til he makes it”

And he is a goofy guy! I think most of it is genuine if not exaggerated

It’s easy for Epic to get emotionally blunted or numb bc of the sleep deprivation and LV, and he tries to hide this by keeping up his goofy memelord personality.

He’s used to running on little to no sleep after forcing himself to get used to it to avoid the nightmares. He’s constantly snacking on sweets and caffeinated drinks as a result

A bunch of silly headcanons that @vantriloquist came up with along with a few additions of my own that I think scream Epic

Cw: suggestive for this HC and the art but it’s all SFW:

Epic’s always carrying around condoms to use for a bit/joke that he accidentally develops the habit of nibbling on a condom wrapper whenever he’s stressed

He makes sure no one sees him do it but he kicks himself for making a bit become an addiction xD Now he’s got an oral fixation and a biting k*nk and it’s no one else’s fault but his.

Or he’s joked about them for sexy times so much that now he’s Pavloved himself to get horny whenever he or someone else holds a packet

Epic loves kids: the best “Bruhncle” ever

He loves playing with them and every child he was shown interacting with had a good time with him, like TK, Goth, baby Epic!Asriel and Palette Roller

I think Epic wants kids of his own with a loving partner but has accepted it as more of an out of reach fantasy. If he does have kids of his own he strikes me as a total wonderful girl dad who’d love the tea parties and Barbie dressups they’d do together

I think bc of this he’d be very protective of kids in general

Epic’s friends mean the world to him. Look at how much he adores Cross and would do anything for his best friend

Epic got body pillows, like his condoms and rubber chickens, as a bit

However, there is only one he’s serious about: his Hatsune Miku body pillow of grandma Miku from the AMV by Deco27 in the song called Blue Planet and is very proud of his GILF

He got a Cross body pillow as a joke and would send screenshots to Cross about taking his new best friend out to hang. Cross got jealous and stole the pillow and burned it later

Epic has goofy rizz

Earnest and sweet, he’s an absolute goofball. Think corny and so wholesome you don’t even feel the cringe anymore. I’m talking he takes you out on a date for a beautiful picnic with goodies he made and bought and when the sun sets he’d pose with a rose in his mouth and lay on his side with an arm at his waist and wiggle his boney brows when he asks “ya like jazz?”

He’d tell Cross “yo, I didn’t know my place was an art gallery since you’re drawin’ straight up masterpieces here bruh!”

Epic would tell Killer that he loved the outfit the fashionista made for him and that he loved it so much he wanted to “lovingly bite his fingers off/pos”

His flirts and compliments are memes and an unholy amalgamation of modern day and outdated lingo; nothing to make anyone uncomfortable however, consent and boundaries are important to Epic, especially after most of his were violated for the better part of his formative years by EpicGaster (shit parenting and because EG could see through the Eye, so Epic had little to no privacy or autonomy)

Like the rest of the Chromatic Crew, Epic has some meta abilities and occasionally breaks the fourth wall

For example, he can see Color’s flavor text and jokes that Color is the doge meme, much to Color’s befuddlement (my links aren’t working here so try checking out @toffeebrew they did such cute art about this)

Epic flirts but give him a genuine flirt or compliment? Bashful and shy he’s a blushy mess

Call him the cutest and sweetest man you’ve ever met and he forgets his own name in the melted puddle he becomes

Over twenty years of nonstop fighting in his sleep and gaining LV from killing the creatures of the Eye has made Epic a magic powerhouse

His mana is off the charts and it’s why he can keep up with Cross, a monster whose Soul was half of a Determined humans and now possessed DT even after his split from XChara

He doesn’t work out extensively like Cross but they do spar, as do him and Delta and occasionally Killer to socialize and not because he wants to keep his body in shape/muscled like Cross or Delta or even toned like Killer but bc he wants to stay agile and sharp against the Eye

He and Cross play fight and rough house a lot too. It may look scary to an outside observer, them snarling and growling and biting at each other like feral animals, but they’re having a blast and laugh right after and gently headbonk when it’s all done and cuddle after cooling down and play video games or smth

Epic is an astrophile

Some of his favorite dates are the stargazing ones or ones in Outertale

He has space themed clothes and outfits

When he and Papyrus were younger, Epic got stencils and threw buckets of ultraviolet paint on their bedroom walls to make glow in the dark galaxies and constellations

[problematic-yuri-poll]

Problematic Yuri Tournament Season 2 - Loser's Round 1

Joshikousei to Ouji-chan vs. JS-san to OL-chan

Joshikousei to Ouji-chan (manga by Kuune Rin)

romance, comedy

Sexual Content: LOW; Gore: NONE; Violence: NONE

Mod submission.

Mod-submitted problematic elements:

age gap

Mod-submitted content warnings:

age gap, transphobia (a character could be interpreted as transfem; backstory involves bullying over gender nonconformity, and there's a scene where this character is pushed into using the boys' changing room. plus the scanlator uses some.. choice terminology in credits pages)

Mod-submitted propaganda:

a cute short manga about a perverted little girl who loves an older girl she's friends with very much!

JS-san to OL-chan (manga by Yurikago)

romance, comedy

Sexual Content: NONE; Gore: NONE; Violence: NONE

Mod submission.

Mod-submitted problematic elements:

Large age gap.

Mod-submitted content warnings:

Large age gap and alcoholism.

Mod-submitted propaganda:

Just a cute lighthearted manga about an office lady who wants to be useless at home, and the little girl she loves who comforts and takes care of her.

[gatheringbones]

[“Alex tells me he had long been aware of the existence of transsexuals, and he had even contemplated transitioning earlier in his life. He had known a couple of people over the years who had transitioned, but he had no idea of how to go about doing so, and he lacked the money and the wherewithal.

In the early 1990s, “the conversation changed,” he says, making it possible for him to contemplate transitioning. He heard about support groups for transgender men. FTM groups were forming in San Francisco and Seattle. A burgeoning “queer” movement was challenging the dominance of radical feminist ideas and was offering female-assigned individuals who wished to embrace their inner maleness a way to do so affirmatively, with a sense of pride. Writers and activists like Sandy Stone and Kate Bornstein were talking about a different, more expansive understanding of the radical potential of gender switching, rejecting medicalized notions of trans people as having the “wrong body,” or as being mentally deficient. The term “transgender” was established as a way to move beyond the medical model of “transsexualism” and to include a broad array of gender-variant persons who wished to challenge the binary. It enabled Alex to call himself transgender.

“I did not want to have to say I was ‘crazy.’ I don’t even like saying I’m dysphoric, though I fit the narrative,” says Alex. “I didn’t start T until I found a very good doctor who didn’t demand a letter from a therapist. I wouldn’t confess dysphoria in order to get access to top surgery. I won’t do it. Why would I want to make myself even more marginal?” However, once there was a “weakening of pathology, of judgment,” he decided to move forward.

Meanwhile, Kristin, Alex’s closest friend, settled in Seattle after graduation, where she found an accepting culture and a lively butch presence in the lesbian community. She worked for a state representative, and when she visited the state capitol to lobby on his behalf, people sometimes perceived her “as a boy.” But mainly she felt okay about looking different, and she fell in love with a woman, Jennie, who affirmed her right to be who she was. Kristin is pretty flat chested and small hipped, and “looks like she wants to,” more or less. She presented as a masculine female. It helped that her family tended to be supportive. “Even though I don’t really operate as a woman, I operate in the sphere of women, and there were a lot of really strong women in my big Polish family!” Also her dad, now deceased, was queer, and her brother (who appears in this book) is a transgender man.

Because Kristin, unlike Alex, received a lot of support for her gender nonconformity, she said it never became a major source of distress for her—which isn’t to say that it hasn’t been a challenge at times. She contemplated transitioning for a while but eventually made peace with her body. Being in therapy helped. “I thought that my anxiety was special and everyone else was normal,” she tells me. But as she found ways to ease her generalized sense of anxiety, she became more comfortable with her body and her gender nonconformity. “I thought, ‘Why do I care so much about what other people think about my gender?’ I have a right. I have a fucking right to be who I am,” she tells me, her voice cracking.

And as she became more comfortable with herself, she found ways to deal with bathroom confrontations. “Now when people come up to me and tell me I’m in the wrong bathroom, sometimes I look my body up and down and look at them quizzically and say, ‘Oh, really?’ Thanks!” She makes light of it. “The more comfortable I am, the more likely they are to think I’m in the right place and leave me alone. Now it’s even funny at times.” But airports, she says, are still particularly challenging. Heightened security seems to extend to the policing of gendered bodies in bathrooms. The other day, a blond woman in her fifties came over to her as she entered a bathroom stall and started yelling, “You’re in the wrong place—the men’s room is over there.” Kristin just smiled and said, “Thank you,” and the woman left in a hurry.

“I get why some people transition,” says Kristin, “to be normal, and not have people gawking at you all day. It takes a whole lot of energy.” Still, she came to the conclusion that transitioning would not solve her problems, and that it might open up new, unknown challenges.

Alex, on the other hand, made the decision to modify his body and present as a male, and it has made his life much easier. He no longer gets harassed walking down the street, and he’s no longer as angry. “I still look young,” he tells me, “but at least the beard and receding hairline prove I’m through puberty!” He is much happier now, he says. “I honestly don’t feel I’ve changed that much. That is, ‘transitioning’ didn’t change me so much as it forced others to see me as I saw myself. Yes, the bodily transformations were welcome and comforting. I felt that I was finally ‘home.’ But how do you separate that feeling from the sense that you’re finally recognized by others for how you see yourself?”]

arlene stein, from unbound: transgender men and the remaking of identity, 2018

[eraofevermore]

[Black] LGBT Resources

National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC): The NBJC is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering and advocating for the rights of Black LGBTQ+ individuals. They provide resources, support, and engage in policy advocacy to address the unique challenges faced by this community. Website: https://www.nbjc.org/

Black AIDS Institute: The Black AIDS Institute focuses on addressing HIV/AIDS-related health disparities within the Black community, including the LGBTQ+ population. They offer resources, education, and advocacy to promote HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Website: https://www.blackaids.org

The Audre Lorde Project: The Audre Lorde Project is a community organizing center for LGBTQ+ people of color. They work towards social and economic justice, offering programs, support groups, and resources to uplift and empower Black queer and trans individuals. Website: https://www.alp.org

The Marsha P. Johnson Institute: Named after the influential LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson, this organization advocates for the rights and wellbeing of Black transgender people. They provide resources, educational initiatives, and support programs to address the unique challenges faced by this community. Website: https://www.marshap.org

National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN): NQTTCN is a network of mental health practitioners dedicated to providing culturally responsive and affirming therapy to LGBTQ+ people of color, including Black individuals. They offer a directory of therapists and resources for finding supportive mental health services. Website: https://www.nqttcn.com

Black Transmen Inc.: Black Transmen Inc. is an organization focused on empowering and supporting transgender men of color. They provide resources, mentorship, and programming to address the specific needs and challenges faced by Black trans men. Website: https://www.blacktransmen.org

Black Transwomen Inc.: Black Transwomen Inc. is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering Black transgender women. They offer resources, support groups, and advocacy initiatives to address the unique struggles faced by this community. Website: https://www.blacktranswomen.org

The Transgender District: Located in San Francisco, the Transgender District is the first legally recognized district in the world dedicated to celebrating and supporting transgender and gender nonconforming communities. They offer resources, community programming, and support for Black transgender individuals. Website: https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com

The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF): TLDEF is a nonprofit organization that advocates for transgender rights through impact litigation, public policy work, and education. While their focus is on transgender rights in general, they work to ensure that the unique needs and challenges faced by Black transgender individuals are addressed. Website: https://www.transgenderlegal.org

The Black Lesbian Archives: The Black Lesbian Archives is an online platform that documents and preserves the history and experiences of Black lesbian communities. They aim to celebrate and uplift Black lesbian voices and provide a space for sharing stories, resources, and cultural contributions. Website: https://www.blacklesbianarchives.com

The Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC): BTAC is a national organization dedicated to empowering and uplifting Black transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. They provide resources, education, and support programs to address the social, economic, and health disparities faced by Black trans communities. Website: https://www.blacktrans.org

[babyarty]

An incomplete list of Trans and gender nonconforming people murdered for existing in the 2020s

Here is the complete list of Trans people murdered in 2023, compiled by Transrespect versus Transphobia Worldwide (TvT).

2020 – Özge Bilir, aged 25, was a Dutch trans woman of Turkish descent living in Leidsche Rijn, Utrecht. She was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend.

2020 – Alexa Luciano Ruiz was fatally shot in Puerto Rico on 24 February, after an incident in a local restroom. Ms. Luciano was killed while the assailant men laughed.

2020 – Michelle Michellyn Ramos Vargas, a 33-year-old trans woman, was found dead on an isolated road after being shot multiple times on 30 September in San Germán, Puerto Rico. She worked as a bartender and was studying to become a nurse.

2020 – Selena Reyes-Hernandez, 37, was fatally shot in Chicago, Illinois, on 31 May by a man she went home with, after telling him that she was transgender.

2020 – Brayla Stone, 17, was murdered in Arkansas in June 2020 by a man seeking to conceal his sexual relationship with her. The killer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

2020 – Valera, a 46-year-old man, a janitor, was raped and killed on 10 February in Chelyabinsk, Russia, by his dorm roommates after they learned he was a transgender man.

2021 – Ebeng Mayor, a trans man from Batasan Hills, Philippines, was found raped, mutilated, and killed on 20 May 2021, after being missing for three days.

2022 – Briza Garces Florez, a 40-year-old Colombian trans sex worker from the Netherlands, was stabbed to death by her 32-year-old boyfriend.

2022 – Doski Azad, a 23-year-old Kurdish transgender woman, was murdered by her brother for being transgender.

2022 – Ariyanna Mitchell, a 17-year-old Black trans girl from Virginia, was shot and killed by 19-year-old Jimmy LeShawn Williams with an assault rifle, after he asked her if she was transgender, and she replied, "yes".

2022 - Cherry Bush, a homeless 48-year-old trans woman, was shot to death in Los Angeles.

2023 - Brianna Ghey was stabbed to death in Culcheth Linear Park on 11 February 2023.

2024 - Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary American student died one day after being assaulted in the girls' restroom.

(This is Nex)

Their friends and mother say that they experienced bullying for more than a year, because of their gender identity, before the assault. The bullying got progressively worse after a bill was passed in Oklahoma to prohibit the use of non-binary gender markers on birth certificates. Public school students are legally required to use restrooms only according to the gender on their birth certificate.

Nex was assaulted in the restroom by three girls and beaten unconscious. Sue Benedict, Nex's mother, was called to school and she found Nex with bruises on their face and scratches on the back of their head. She was informed that they had been suspended for two weeks. Sue took them to a nearby hospital and called the Oklahoma police department.

Nex told the officer how they had heard the girls making comments about their group and how they had poured water on the girls which then led to the altercation. They then said that had been attacked and had blacked out on the floor. The officer told Sue that this could be considered "mutual" and if they were to press charges, Nex would be open to those same charges. She declined at the time. Nex were later discharged and reportedly went to bed with a sore head.

(Nex with their cat)

The following day, on February 8, as they were preparing to travel with their mother for an appointment, Nex collapsed in the family's living room. Sue Benedict called 911, saying that Nex’s eyes had rolled back and they were struggling to breathe. Nex had stopped breathing by the time EMTs arrived. Nex was declared dead at the hospital that evening.

This is, by no means, a complete list. It does not even include a fraction of the murders of gender queer people in the 2020s, let alone the suicides, rapes, assaults, attempted murders, etc. It does not include the crimes against the rest of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Thank you for reading the whole thing.

[justdavina]

Justdavina is a positive space for trans women and transfeminine people. If you feel pretty, take a picture and share it with us!.

Share you fashion ideas here!

[ohimtherebabey]

i noticed @foxinahole left this tag on a pic of gerard from the nashville show

as a trans person in the south, i know intimately the state of current legislation against gender nonconformity. tennessee passed its anti-drag law last week, which broadly defines drag as any outward appearance contradicting the assigned gender at birth. texas is currently working to pass a similar bill.

gerard will never face the reality that trans people in the south face because they live in california, but even such temporary visits to the south like nashville and san antonio, where he wore dresses are now illegal or will be soon. and the trans people and drag artists who live in these states dont get to pack up and go back to california after a single performance. we have to endure this dehumanization daily. even so, it still hurts to think about someone who i have looked up to for so long and someone who is now more than ever experimenting with gender nonconformity have very recent performances fall into the newly-banned drag category.

i don't want to make this too much about gerard (like i said, they will never actually face consequences that trans people in the south face), but i do think its important to remember that the first time we saw gerard in a dress was in tennessee and now, six months later, that same performance would be in violation of the law.

[guriyuri]

School Zone/「スクールゾーン」

🌸9/10🌸 (HIATUS)

A quirky yuri comedy about the chaotic daily life of high school girls! Yokoe and Sugiura have been together forever, and they've mastered the art of making trouble when life's a bore. High school might be a drag, but these girls in love know just how to inject a little chaos and comedy into their sloppy school life.

(Seven Seas Entertainment)

*occasionally listed as ‘School Zone Girls’

I fuckin LOVED school zone, man. There isn't a single character in it that isn't eeping out of their minds at all times. It throws almost all normal shonen/male-targeted troupes off of their kilter and is incredibly refreshing to read. One of its best qualities is its ability to maintain its identity outside of being a queer story- providing commentary on a wide range of topics relevant to high school, youth, etc. I can't really describe the effect of finally being able to read girls just being fucking stupid- other than saying its like running your brain under cold tap water, if your brain was a lesbian yuri enthusiast with a perpetual craving for full-cream milk. As silly as it may be, I actually genuinely enjoy its approach to w/w and adolescent relationship. 2 out of the 3 arguable 'main' three couples have one partner that is gender nonconforming/visibly queer, a rarity for contemporary yuri as a lot of works- to no fault of their own- fall into pitfalls of exclusively drawing hyper-feminine women to try present itself more believably or because it has no other way of proving to you that the characters are girls. The negative of this being that ostracises an entire group of people within the real-life lesbian community and disregards the instrumental role of butch lesbians in queer history by refusing them representation in a genre for them. Despite how I phrase this, though, I'm not exactly trying to present School Zone as a Magnum Opus or the pinnacle of political-correctness and singlehandedly defeating lesbophobia worldwide (which it did); I just cannot stress how badly we need diverse gender representation in yuri.

The main two girls are both fucking hilarious and strangely adorable in their own way (aside from being every gay couple to ever™). Their dynamic mostly consists of Yokoe being a combination of stupid, evil, and helplessly down bad and Kei being a single thread away from pulling a glock on her. If that can’t convince you to give szg a shot you’re a lost cause + I’m unplugging your life support. Anyways, they’re only one of the 3(ish) main pairings in the manga; but that’s where we get to the difficult part to talk about. Touched on some-what briefly, but too often to be able to ignore (iirc they have a handful of dedicated chapters), is Tsubaki’s incestuous crush on her sister Hiiragi. It’s kind of unfortunate this is in here and it sucks for me to have to mention but In this specific case I do think it’s worth overlooking for *so* many reasons. At its’ core their relationship is mostly focused on teenage adolescence and navigating complex familial relationships whilst still trying to grow up and find yourself. In isolation both Tsubaki and Hiiragi are very well written characters; on par with the rest of the cast and really are both very likeable. It’s when their relationship with eachother gets played up for fanservice is when they start to shit on your salad. Still, though, the author pretty clearly has no intention of actually writing them ending up together/Hiiragi reciprocating. So it’s highly likely Tsubaki’s character arc will lead her to move on, especially considering how she’s developed thus far. Last Couple worth discussing seriously is Fuji and Kishiya-san. While I was reading I was under the impression that Fuji + rest were high-school aged and Kishiya was in her first year at uni, but the only source I can find that lists their age says that Kishiya is a first-year high school student; which must make everybody else be in secondary school. Either way though, the age gap between them remains roughly the same and doesn’t really change my hot take on these two. Out of the entire cast Fuji is definitely the truest depiction of the experience of growing up sapphic, unknowingly. She is also my favourite :-). It was also refreshing to read about a girl who hasn’t figured it all out and is just kind of weird and off putting instead of elegant and tragic like the atmosphere of traditional yuri + made me feel weirdly heard? Call me biased, or a victim of grooming ALL you want but looking up to someone maturer, more in control, someone who feels above it all is someone you tend to gravitate towards when you’ve felt helpless and inept at understanding yourself your entire life. Much like Tsubaki and Hiiragi, Kishiya-san has yet to show any indication of reciprocating or even knowing of Fuji’s feelings and is what I think a genuinely positive influence on her. I can also imagine Kishiya-san fighting on the mental FRONTLINES to stay as patient and kind to Fuji as she is, aswell as taking the time to talk to her and treating her like a friend. Everyone please take a moment to acknowledge her service in the troubled youth industry.

There’s also Yatsude and Kaname but they’re pretty interesting so I’ll let you develop your thoughts independently on those two. They also have ZERO buisness being the most beautiful fucking women alive. The things I’d let Kaname do to me are to be repented for.

[themonsterthing]

Fancypants: V is For Valentine.

I adore these humans so much. <3

[enigmasong]

And, again, we have to consider what kind of pressure Oda might be under when it comes to being able to present gender non-conforming.

Shueisha, by all means, seems a fairly conservative company. They clearly don't let female characters in the Shonen Jump publishing to act out of certain perimeters, like being in heavy combat against male characters (and how many of their girl lead stories are action pieces, hmm?). And they also clearly want that sweet, suspiciously sticky incel otaku yen, so any character with big naturals have to be sexualized and feminized to sell those pillow cases.

Just look at how Oda's fem characters went from fairly balanced figures in the early series to cartoonishly boobish with waist lines he can't be bothered to keep consistent. (He broke his drawing pattern for them into a two-step system - does that really sound he cares about drawing them that way?)

This would go doubly for trans characters. TransFems get mocking depictions and TransMasc get their gender nonconformity erased because transphobia is just as much part of the conservative makeup of Japan as it is over here in the west.

It's highly possible (and I'd say downright likely) that Oda had to depict the kama the way he did because that's the only way he was allowed to put trans rep in at all.

The give and take is actually pretty visible: the New Kama of Impel Down are actually a pretty Utopian vision of gender presentation where people were able to fully present wherever on the scale they wanted without judgement while the Old Kama of Peach Island were presented as borderline monsters.

And that gets further contrasted in the anime where the Old Kama, while still having to chase down an unwilling Sanji to follow manga plot, got to be shown as more fleshed out people who feared transphobic backlash, jumped to conclusions, and were able to see through Sanji's masc performative bullshit.

Likewise, Oda shows TransMasc Yamato in the male bath and TransFem OKiku in the female bath, then later, Yamato gets shown in a traditionally female outfit and context and in a cover with other 'girls' that Kiku is notably absent from.

Not to necessarily say Oda didn't want to make those that way (forced intent from others doesn't mean no intent on a single person's part [but it doesn't also mean that person shares the viewpoint on it that the others do]), but that Oiran Yamato practically screams anime figure merch design and the merch licenses would definitely far prefer to present the boob haver as 'woman' because, again, suspiciously sticker incel otaku yen.

Similar for today's chapter cover: Nami has to wear bikini tops a lot because boobs sells (again, not saying that Oda doesn't necessarily want to put her in them - I mean I low key think it, but I'm not actually saying it). Yamato has boobs, Yamato must be used to move issues - Kiku doesn't have boobs, Kiku cannot be shown in public like that.

(I've got a strong feeling that the only reason Oda was able to get away with Kiku so easily was because of the way traditional Japanese women clothing views slimness as its beauty standard and, as such, she's able to pass as a 'natural' woman and sell fetishized figures still.)

And it's also noticeable that, in today's cover, all the characters are wearing t-shirts and tank tops and not bikinis. The thing nearly all the other summer time covers have the female characters in.

Again, we can't say definitively how much of a willing or unwilling agent Oda-san is in this and we probably won't get to know until that distant day when he's no longer under contract with and say whatever shit about Shueisha he wants, but reading between the lines in the story he's written, I'm willing to bet on the answer being 'not as willing as he pretends to be'.

Oda-san is one of the more head-strong mangakas, but even he's beholden to the bureaucratic publishing system and he still has to sacrifice some things he wants to do to insure others that will be pushed back against can still make it to print.