#genderbent eloise bridgerton

[sea-owl]

Ok but can you imagine Felicity with a shotgun trying to scare off Eloise because she’s got the spirit but the wrong idea and while Felicity is trying to scare away Eloise off from romancing Penelope, Colin sneaks in behind Felicity to charm Penelope and Eloise is oblivious like sure Felicity I’ll come look at your watercolors away from Penelope (sends Penelope a confused look)

Omg what if this falls into the Elliot Bridgerton au?

Felicity wakes up in a cold sweat one night because she just had a dream and a realization that a Bridgerton is out to ruin her beloved sister. Her immediate thought that it's Elliot. That bastard is always hanging off her or dragging her off somewhere whenever he's home on break from University and constantly complains how much easier it would be if Penelope lived closer yet he won't marry her?!

Felicity often hears rumors that Elliot is just sowing his wild oats and then he'll properly court Penelope. Felicity huffs and calls bullshit. I mean hell! That family friendly tea party Lady Danbury threw the other day Felicity could feel Bridgerton's eyes on her family.

She would challenge him to a duel, but Penelope forbade it. Apparently, it's illegal, and both Felicity and Elliot are too good of shots. So she does the next best thing. Be a constant pain in the ass and pull Elliot off to somewhere else. He's so competitive like Hyacinth. It's wasy to pull him into games. Maybe Penelope will finally get a proper suitor.

Unknown to Felicity she had the right idea but the wrong Bridgerton. The whole time she's trying to drag Elliot away Colin has more freedom to approach Penelope uninterrupted. This has led to some interesting interactions. One that had Felicity breaking a tea cup when Colin walked in on their family meeting dragging Penelope behind him, requesting permission to marry her from their mother.

When Portia excused Felicity to get her watercolors she really ran to go get sunshine.

[thekatebridgerton]

Edward Sharma 🤝 Elliot Bridgerton 🤝 Felix Featherington: Protecting their sisters/friends from idiots aka Bridgertons men.

As they should. Anthony and Colin are weirdos who can't keep their horny thoughts in their pants. Elliot knows this! he's part of the family. Felix and Eddie share his pain and they hang out together at the boxing club to plot at how to mess up Anthony and Colin's next visit to the Sharmas and the Featheringtons.

[thebubblesoutlet]

The Bridgerton BOOK fandom is a-ok with a genderbent Sophie because they enjoy fetishizing white mlm ships. It makes no sense for Sophie to be genderbent considering that her main internal struggle has to do with her intersecting gender and class identities.

They're ok with making Eloise a lesbian because according to them all angry feminists must secretly be gay. They're also ok with it because they hate her (borderline emotionally abusive) storyline and have a hard time projecting onto her.

The push back against Fran and Michaela has been interesting to say the least. They're trying to justify their homophobia because of "Fran's fertility issues" as if its something exclusive to heterosexual relationships.

Just very eye opening. Anyways, I'm officially excited for Fran and Michaela, my 2 pretty ladies. I hope Netflix at least tries to protect the actresses, and Masali especially.

P.S i totally get being queer and feeling like eloise is a lesbian. I personally shipped Creloise and I'm still hoping that that relationship will come to fruition. I am in no way referring to the accepting, inclusive show fans. I'm instead SPECIFICALLY referring to a section of white straight women on Instagram and Twitter who don't like outspoken eloise as much as their sweet docile little Fran. Its layers of homophobia and internalised misogyny all wrapped up together tbh. The instances I've discussed in this post are all things I've observed/ seen people who are overly invested in those ridiculously mediocre books discuss these last few days. The only straight bridgerton IMO is daphne😭😭😭😭

[artsandcraps]

I didn't enjoy Bridgerton season 3 part 2 as much as I would have liked to. I hate how they just shoved Cressida to the side, gave her a horrible ending, and totally invalidated her friendship with Eloise (side note, I loved their pairing and how Jessica Madsen was a Creloise shipper; Claudia Jessie and Madsen adored each other and it really came out on screen). I adore Creloise.

I would have been okay with Eloise and Penelope continuing to not be friends because that's just life sometimes, you know? In the CBS show Mom, Christie's daughter Violet says that the damage to their relationship is irreparable and she does not want to have a relationship with her. As someone who is no-contact with my family of origin, I really appreciated that representation.

(As an aside, I know that Lady Whistledown wasn't as big of a player in the books, and I think that change really complicated a lot of elements in the series. I wouldn't have been able to forgive Penelope if I were Eloise, and if I had written it, I would have reworked that conflict to have not been as enormous. Eloise had some necessary growth and I think it would have been satisfying to explore that, particularly the Emma motif.)

The Lady Whistledown arc was batshit. I feel sad that the Polin wedding was overshadowed by the fact that Colin and Penelope were still in conflict. If they hadn't had Colin absolutely wreck Penelope's reputation (interrupting Lord Deblin's proposal and then fingering her in her carriage, as well as totally bonking her later that night), then maybe they could have had a more traditional "third-act breakup" (they realize they love each other, begin courting, and then he realizes she's Lady Whistledown and breaks it off) that culminates in the "happily ever after" at the wedding. And then you get the beautiful "perfect breasts" mirror scene.

I hate how they have Francesca immediately lovestruck by Michaela. It really cheapened and invalidated the sweet and "quiet" love that she and John had, which I loved. John should have been the genderbent casting. Then you have the infertility storyline all baked in, and then the Michael storyline continues as planned.

I would like to have seen Kate in traditional Indian garb. I know they had to have her in Bridgerton blue, but Kate had said "I want my child to know that they're a Sharma." It would be a good way for her to show that she's brought her own identity to the Bridgerton family and the viscountess role. They could have Bridgerton-type accessories and motifs in her outfits, but I think she would really shine in bright, saturated colors like orange or gold.

I don't think the Penelope makeover was dramatic enough. I'd liked to have seen her in more luxurious clothing and maybe jewelry. Nicola Coughlan looks amazing in anything, and "red hair with green outfits" is a classic combination (as well as marrying Bridgerton blue with Featherington yellow), but it feels very "florals for spring? Groundbreaking." I know the point is that her clothing was very overwrought before, but I think there could be a balance between understated/quiet luxury and a more obvious "oh, she's evolved/gotten more prosperous" kind of way.

[hamliet]

Genderbending Sophie

tldr hamliet watches Bridgerton for the vibes and the fandom dissolves into shambles and now I'm mad at the horrible things people are saying with their full chest (on both sides, but definitely one more than the other) so I'm going to write about it.

I actually have some criticisms of the Michael/Michaela change. And not all criticism of this is homophobic in nature. My main one is that Michael's personality is going to be extremely hard to make work as Michaela in the established world of Bridgerton, what with its misogyny as kinda a major plot point in every single female character’s storyline so far. Michael’s “merry rake” personality makes him the character I personally saw as least fitting for a gender switch.

That said, I am interested to see what they do with this switch—maybe Michaela will be a “fallen woman” or something of the sort. And while I am sad about losing the infertility plotline, I do think there are other ways to incorporate it. Yet it is a new story, so fans who are disappointed are allowed to express that.

But I’ve long been a proponent of genderbending Sophie, or at least having gender-nonconforming Sophie, both of which seem entirely possible. Benedict’s story works so well with queer subtext—the fact that to be with Sophie, he has to literally choose to leave society in other to be with her and retreats to the country so they can live happily because society will never accept them, and he chooses not to need that acceptance—all of this works really well with a gay love interest. And a gay Cinderella story would be a fun twist.

Yes, in the novel Sophie's role as an illegitimate child and servant girl does play a significant role, but I don't think it plays a role we don't already see in the series. The main issue of Sophie's societal rejection is class, not her gender (though that exacerbates it). Being queer would also potentially exacerbate this, albeit in a different way.

It's also worth noting that lesbian relationships were never explicitly illegal in England. Male homosexuality, however, was very much illegal. Sorry, but I can definitely see this being an interesting aspect to explore. A lot of plot points for Sophie's story easily adapt to this storyline with subtext that works even in today's world (being attacked by strong men who see a weak opponent? being arrested for grasping at happiness when you can find it?), forcing the world of Bridgerton to confront this head on in a way that echoes through the misogyny text of literally every other Bridgerton story.

And that said, I do think it's valid for people to want female!Sophie and to be disappointed if she is genderbent without being homophobic. Because it would be a different story. (I for one really don't want them to give Eloise a female love interest.) But...

The sheer vitriol, the silencing of any opinion that disagrees, the TERF talking points about how ciswomen's perspectives are being erased? Girl, get outta here with that. There are literally SO many ciswomen characters on this show whose struggles with how their genders are perceived have been explored and will be.

Daphne, whose gender-induced ignorance about sex leads to her committing assault (not that the show handled this remotely well). Mary Sharma, who had to flee society after marrying a poor man. Edwina, who is only accepted by her grandparents if she marries well. Kate, who pursues happiness for her sister at the expense of herself, because she is already a class outsider. Violet, who begs Antony to tell the doctor to listen to her when he's told to choose mother or child to save in childbirth. Penelope, who struggles with balancing her passion with her prospects for the future. Prudence and Philippa, whose wellbeings reside in their abilities to bear sons. Portia, who schemes to scam the ton in order to save her daughters and herself. Cressida, whose own internalized misogyny and helplessness leads to her inflicting it on others. Eloise, who is resentful of having no options. Francesca and Michaela's stories will certainly address this. Marina, who had to marry someone she doesn't love. If we get them, Lucy, Hermione, and Hyacinth's stories will also tie into this.

So don't you dare say that ciswomen and their struggles are being erased.

And that's really something that's bothering me--that people who have genuine questions or disappointments about any gender swapping are lumped in with the loud, screaming mobs that are thinly veiling their homophobia (and in this case racism). Many of them are being respectful and don't deserve to be accused of something so serious.

Yet the reason for others being extremely kneejerk defensive is a because most of the talking points I've seen are TERF-related or homophobic, as in they only want to see suffering for gay people and can't fathom them having a happy ending in Regency England. When while there are challenges, they absolutely can, especially in a world as haphazard and vibey and escapist as Bridgerton's. Like if you're watching for deep plot and themes I don't know what to tell you.

Also, the books will always exist. If you love Michael or Sophie (if they change her story), the book is still there for you to love. They're not erasing it and saying you can never prefer it or read it again. And you can be disappointed and express that in a way that isn't God-awful.

Lastly, the way people talk about the queer showrunner (who is a ciswoman herself) is kind of horrifying. She's writing "self insert fanfic," she should "know her place," she's ruining everything--y'all sound like The Fandom Menace. Maybe consider not insulting a queer woman in a way that implies she's overstepping, and keep it to the plot changes and workability thereof? And again, you can have criticisms of how she ran the show--I have writing issues with season 3 (and 1 actually)--but why do you need to make it a personal attack on her as a human being?

Anyway, popular franchise has toxic fanbase, and water is wet.

[i-am-mldy]

‼️BRIDGERTON SEASON 3 PART 2 SPOILERS‼️

With Benedict's bisexuality confirmed and Bridgerton changing Michael to Michaela, Hopefully this points to Benedict's season being a mlm one? With a genderbent Sophie perhaps???

My predictions for S4 are that it will be Benedict's season. He would most likely spend the entire year before the season exploring his sexuality. Eloise in her book marries quite later on compared to her siblings so I'm guessing S5 will be Francesca's. Maybe Eloise starts writing to Phillip around season 4 or 5. And then perhaps Francesca's side plot in S4 will be her and Michaela's growing bond and undeniable mutual attraction, but everything comes crashing down when John dies (at the end of S4 maybe?).

But they might have different ideas how to arrange the plot lines but either way I would be 100% disappointed if Benedict is not next. Let the man settle down already!

[mermaidsirennikita]

genderbent michael confirmed and benedict as the lead next season basically confirmed (??) it could still maybe be eloise we'll have to wait for the official announcement

Look, I am beyond uninvested in that show beyond watching the fandom drama and eating popcorn, I would just advise everyone having feelings about this to remember that real queer people read the comments about this.

And I would also advise that Adriana Herrera wrote a fabulous book about Latina lesbians (one of whom is Afro-Latina) falling in love in nineteenth century Paris, where queer people lived fairly openly (in comparison to almost anywhere else). Just like I think it's important to prioritize books that actually feature canonical people of color, I also want to prioritize books that feature canonical queer people. Doesn't mean adaptations don't matter, but I do tend to wonder if Bridgerton is going to get recommend as a series featuring queer rep the way it's been recommended as a series featuring rep for people of color. Also, you're supporting an Afro-Latina writer, so like. Do that.

And I would also also advise that queer people have always existed and had happy lives together and what is thought by many to be the first lesbian wedding in England occurred in 1834 and the couple lived together, fairly openly by the standards of the day, until one of them died.

And I would also advise people acting like England was burning lesbians at the stake in the Regency to educate themselves about what reality was like for queer people before 2015, because like.... Especially for upper class people, it was a DRAMATICALLY different reality than what I'm seeing people discuss online.

Never mind that in many cases, the laws used to attack queer people in the nineteenth century centered around sodomy, not "generalized gay shit". At that time, this was used in particular to pursue legal action against cis queer MEN. Which isn't to say that queer women didn't suffer from the legal and social conditions of the day, but that these were not equivalent positions with equivalent risks.

[ao3feed-kathony]

Gregory Bridgerton's Wedding

read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/61011307 by yeppiyeppi Gregory Bridgerton often makes strange decisions in the name of love, ones that his family often judge and make fun of him for, but this time him and Lucy may have overstepped a line. After getting married on a spontateous whim one afternoon, Gregory and Lucy have tried their best to hide it from the Bridgertons for as long as they could before one of them found out. Unfortunately, when Gregory finally tells his sister, Hyacinth, she is not too happy he kept such a huge secret from her and once one Bridgerton knows, all will eventually find out. When their secret does come out, Daphne personally makes it her mission to throw Lucy and her little brother a traditional, Bridgerton style wedding. Words: 2133, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 2 of The Bridgertons Fandoms: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/F, F/M Characters: Lucy Abernathy (Bridgerton), Gregory Bridgerton, Hyacinth Bridgerton, Gareth St. Clair, Anthony Bridgerton, Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Sophie Beckett | Sophie Baek, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Simon Basset, Daphne Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton, Francesca Bridgerton, Michaela Stirling, Phillipa Crane, Violet Bridgerton, Mentioned Bridgerton Children Relationships: Lucy Abernathy/Gregory Bridgerton, Hyacinth Bridgerton/Gareth St. Clair, Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Sophie Beckett | Sophie Baek/Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Simon Basset/Daphne Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton/Phillipa Crane, Francesca Bridgerton/Michaela Stirling Additional Tags: Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Marriage, Wedding Planning, Bridgertons Being Bridgertons, Bridgerton Family Feels, Pregnancy, Angst, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Lesbian Eloise Bridgerton, Genderbent Phillip Crane, Eventual Sex, Non-Explicit, Kinda, Business Woman Lucy, Teacher Gregory, no beta.. read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/61011307

[writingwhilecaffeinated]

Title: sometimes life (slips in through a backdoor)

Rating: Mature

Fandom: Bridgerton (TV)

Relationships: Benedict Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton & Penelope Featherington

Characters: Benedict Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton, Anthony Bridgerton, Violet Bridgerton, Daphne Bridgerton, Simon Basset, Hyacinth Bridgerton, Gregory Bridgerton, Francesca Bridgerton, Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern Era, Penelope Featherington Needs a Hug, Penelope Featherington Glow Up, Confident Penelope Featherington, Protective Benedict Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington Happy Ending, Supportive Benedict Bridgerton, Jealous Colin Bridgerton, Bridgertons Being Bridgertons, Bridgertons Share One Brain Cell, Sex, Art Turns Them On, Nude Modeling, Genderbent Theo Sharpe, Bisexual Eloise Bridgerton, Bisexual Benedict Bridgerton, Protective Eloise Bridgerton

Summary:

“Oh my days,” he breathed, his lips skimming over the ink painted across her skin. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”

“No,” she replied, her hands trembling as they carded through his hair. “But I think you’re showing me.”

OR

Penelope is fighting her way to become a prominent journalist, but to get a better job she decides to get an MA in Journalism, and take on a second job modeling for the art students at the university's art college.

She is shocked to find Benedict Bridgerton, older brother of her best friend and prominent tattoo artist, as a student in the same class.

[atlafan]

I say your post about Michaela and to be honest, I really felt like they shouldn't any of the character's gender. For you, Sophie was the one that makes the most sense but many people who like Sophie - including me - didn't really want that to change. A man being illegitimate is different than a woman. Benedict being bi but ending up with Sophie was my fav ending. I don't mind changing Sir Philip into a woman, but I know many fans who really enjoyed Sir Philip and Eloise that would be disappointed in that. At this point, the Bridgerton fandom are all going to have favorites so it is going to be hard for any changes to be done without fans being upset. I wish they would just stop. Michael is a character I love. Sophie is a character I love. There needs to be acceptance that not every show is meant to be a checkbox for every kind of diversity.

Yeah no I didn’t necessarily mean would should be swapped for the other, I was more so thinking in their process to almost be woke?

If I had it my way, no one on that show would be genderbent. I know it’s hard when we want the representation. There can still be queer main characters, but part of what makes the books so magical are the characters themselves, so changing their entire identities is just so upsetting. It messes with the formula. Like what if there were a regency era book about two women being together. If that was adapted into a show and one or both of the women were changed into men, I’d be equally as pissed off.

I’m trying to be really careful with how I word things. I love Sophie too. I love Michael. I’m gonna cry now lmao

[sarcasticsweetlara]

Cressida is a bully who rejoices in other women's suffering, she tried to ruin the reputation of Daphne and always targeted Pen, of course Elliot would never court her

Cressida would try to pursue Elliot until he roasted her and she never looked at him again.

😂😂 I think Cressida got the humiliation of her life when she tried her femenine wiles on Elliot Bridgerton and he acted like she'd straight up insulted him

There was definitely a roasting involved something along the lines of " You're too skinny, too mean, too self absorbed, your perfume makes me gag, the beautiful dress is ruined by the vapid coyote wearing it, your manners leave something to be desired, your niceness is as fake as the Flowers in this ball...wait don't walk away I wasn't finished listing the reasons why I dislike you"

You have to understand Elliot Bridgerton created a reputation for himself as the man who would willingly insult a lady to her face just to make it clear to the ton that he wasn't looking for a bride.

Sure he'd never do an innocent girl the discourtesy of roasting her in public, he'd just take them within view but out of earshot of their Mamas and say his piece.

Cressida was a special case because she wouldn't take the hint

[dancingdorito]

if they do eloise's season before benedict's, i might drop the show. because the man has waited long enough and deserves to lead after season 3. putting his season off another would just be cruel.

[bridgertonbabe]

What do you think of people wanting a gender-bent Sophie??

So for those who want a gender-bent Sophie on the show; it's a no from me. Sophie being a woman and a bastard play heavily into her story and conflict with Benedict. There wouldn't be that same weight if the character was a man. Sure there would be similar themes of Benedict being true to himself and following his heart despite what society thinks but this is a matter that is explored through their class differences and not their sexuality. Besides, as much as the show is embellishing from the original books, they're still going to stick with the pairings, regardless of what some people might be calling for.

That being said, I'm all for people writing fanfiction with a genderbent!Sophie or exploring Benedict's sexuality (and Eloise's for that matter). As a bisexual woman I'm all for the exploration of any character's sexuality - but as a fan of the series and of Benophie, I want to see Sophie Beckett on the show and see Benedict fall madly in love with her.

(Though on the topic of sexuality, I know a lot of people want to see bisexual!Benedict on the show - but I wouldn't mind seeing bisexual!Sophie. One of her biggest hang-ups is not wanting to repeat history by sleeping with a man and bearing a bastard like her mother - but this wouldn't be a concern if she slept with another woman.

A lowkey idea I have is that Araminta and her daughters go to stay with a family friend for a few nights but it's the one time she doesn't make Sophie come with them, as the family friend knew Sophie as the Earl's ward and Araminta doesn't want her blatant exploitation of her stepdaughter to come to light, so Sophie stays in Mayfair with the rest of the staff. Araminta has given her a lot of chores to perform while they're away, but Mrs Gibbons takes over these duties and allows Sophie some respite.

Still wanting to be useful, Sophie heads over to the modiste to pick up some dresses that Araminta has ordered. Madame Delacroix, aware of how poorly Sophie is treated by her stepmother, encourages Sophie to stay for a drink as they get to know each other. Gen asks Sophie if she's interested in any of the male members of staff at Penwood House but Sophie tells her such a thing wouldn't be possible, not least while Araminta is about but also because she doesn't want to risk a pregnancy. Her new friend asks if she's ever been with anyone because of the latter reason before pointing out that this needn't be a worry if she was with a woman. An innocent Sophie tells her she wouldn't know who would want her in that way before Gen offers to show her.

For the next few days while Araminta is away, Sophie has the most fun she's had in years as Gen awakens her to new sexual possibilities and pleasure. The fun ends upon Araminta's return and while Sophie isn't able to meet with Gen again, the fun she experienced gets her through.

Shortly after she steals away into the masquerade ball, meets Benedict, and falls in love and the story we know and love takes place. When Sophie is working for the Bridgertons and Benedict is pursuing her, he opens up about the women he's slept with, wanting to be honest with her and let her know what he feels for her isn't like anything he's ever felt before. When he mentions his relationship with Gen, Sophie has her back to him and freezes up - but she decides against telling him that she's known Gen as well. It's not until they're married that she admits to this previous conquest, leaving Benedict a little hot under the collar at the thought of two of his lovers together. When the pair pass by the modiste one day, Gen watches out over them, smirking to herself knowing she taught them both a lot with her expertise in the bedroom.)

[medusatarian]

(E7-E8)

- "I'm starting to think I'm clever" "you are my love", "No-"

- I really hate Eloise. Like, a lot

- "I tried to make her tell you!" Babe you're too blame too? Not noticing he has feelings for your friend (because YOU are too self-absorbed to care about anyone else) is not a valid excuse

- Benedict "Queer men keep coming on to me" Bridgerton saying "I have never been tempted...before"

- Tillie has majorly grown on me

- the way people hover over couples is so funny to me, they're so awkward

- Violet awkwardly blurting out Franscesca's engagement? Hilarious

- Cressida saying she shouldn't have discarded Eloise? GIRL! SHE LEFT YOU! CRUELLY!

- I love Benedict. "Throw...rocks? Throw rocks!"

- Benedict giving Colin a head kiss was so cute

- I think Genevive and Penelope's friendship is so cute

- "ColIN I LOVE YOU"

- This was the most short-lived romantic tension in Bridgerton and I am thankful for it

- Kate and Anthony waiting up for Colin!!

- She really does know everything

- "One whole bottle is a cry for help" Call him out Viscountess Kathani Bridgerton

- "Our marriage is not hard work" Anthony is whipped

- Traumatised siblings bonding? Adorable

- "Do not come for my cane" Disabled icon

- "I love weddings" "Ours was perfect" THEN WHY DIDNT WE SEE IT

- the wedding cake being fucking yellow and lime green is so funny, her hated colours

- Prudence being kind! Love to see it.

- Eloise angry eating a cookie is, however, very funny

- Benedict giving a talk on love not being finite when he's been proposed a threesome and unconventional relations with a man is very sweet, we love how quickly he is healing

- I don't know what Cressida is doing rn but I adore her

- Anthony 'honeymoon part 3' also supporting his Indian wife and her heritage and making sure their child knows it

- "This wedding couldn't plan itself, I haven't had time to meddle" hilarious, iconic, I'm such a Portia stan this season

- the Queen ruining the wedding, wtf

- Franscesca thinking its about her is really funny, and not needing a blessing is also very cute

- "Because you are not a woman" GO OFF PEN

- Colin ruining the wedding night too like bruh. I do get it but. I just wanted Penelope to be happy so badly, instead shes spending their wedding night alone?

- Cressida blackmailing Penelope is lowkey really funny. I love you Pen, but Cressida is kind of baller for that

- Portia is right to be angry. This woman has tried so hard for her daughters, and to get out of the mess Pen caused.

- "And we can have bugs!" I love Phillipa, she's so autistic coded

- "I will not stand for anyone blackmailing my wife" Go off Colin

- Colin 'My wife' Bridgerton

- I still really like Cressida, idgaf. She's doing what she needs to in order to protect herself

- Agatha 'Sorry I fucked your dad' Danbury

- But really, Violet and Agatha's friendship is so cute.

- Benedict, Tillie and Paul laying in bed like that, all cuddled up post sex? This is my new ot3

- Portia and Penelope accepting they both fucked over the Ton in different ways and suffered from sexism

- I assume they keep the Featherington title when she comes forward as whistledown and says the money came from her

- Portia and Penelope bonding was incredibly important to me

- Franscesca's wedding dress is so, so beautiful and feels very, very like her

- I'm going to miss her so much though, she's become one of my favourite this season

- Rip TillPaulDict, gone too soon

- I love Eloise and Benedicts swing chats

- Penelope paying for the ball! Portia saying she's proud of her kids!

- I knew it was coming but Genderbent!Micheala was so fun

Bridgerton s3 p2 thoughts (E4-E6) :

- The sex scene may have just healed like, 50% of my body dysmorphia? Penelope is SO beautiful and her little tummy is doing things to me. No wonder Nicola considers herself part of the perfect breasts community too

- Eloise is a bad friend. Poor Cressida is being forced into a marriage and she won't even listen to her

- Portia is really stepping it up and being a good mom to Pen

- I do not like the threesome thing with Benedict. That new guys eyes are too weirdly intense and it makes me uncomfortable.

- Kate is pregnant, called it!

- Kate wearing a Sari was EVERYTHING, and she looked so damn good doing it.

- Gregory and Hyacinth are pure cuties

- Cressida turning up like the devil in all red? Iconic. I love her

- Penelope standing on his foot then saying "I loved you writing steamy shit, it was my favourite part"

- Cressida is SO BADASS for that stunt with the letters? Absolutely incredible, iconic, I'm in love

- Eloise actually holding herself accountable for being a shitty friend? About time

- "Writing was the only way I found to give myself a voice" poor girli

- "Let me use it now to do some good" I love Penelope

- Penelope as a writer who is not allowed to write just. Hits me hard.

- Nicola using her Irish accent again! Love it!

- COLIN NO

[pensbridgrton]

ok, i gotta ask why do you think romance genre is the antithesis of fandom?? not hating, just intrigued!!

i feel like there are some core parts of fandom that directly conflict with core tenants of the romance genre, and that's why there's so much drama in the bridgerton fandom, specifically.

there are only a handful of "rules" to the romance genre: a happily ever after, no sex scenes with OW/OM, and single-shipping the endgame romance (aka no multishipping).

fandom, meanwhile, is about taking a sandbox created by the source material and playing in it. that could mean writing fic without happy endings. that could mean pairing characters with people they've never interacted with. that could queer-ifying them, genderbending, racebending, etc. etc. so even though there are obvious book endgame ships, the "casual fandom" (yes yes i know that makes no sense) either a) doesn't care bc they don't wanna read the books anyway and therefore show canon is the only canon or b) wants to mess around and explore and play around with other possibilities.

so that's why there's genderbent!sophie and genderbent!phillip fics. that's why people want to talk about their queer readings of benedict and eloise. that's why people write penelope/eloise and penelope/benedict and penelope/anthony fic. (which, interestingly is another whole topic - how it's "okay" for the women to be shipped with everyone and everything, but not the men.) that's why there are benedict/oc and anthony/oc and penelope/oc fics.

basically, it feels like there's a clash here between what the romance genre is about - HEAs and one endgame couple - and what fandom is about - exploring possibilities and messing up those endgames - and while that would be totally fine, it's lead to some passive aggressive posts and drama. just... enjoy your shit and leave everyone else alone.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Oh I didn't say they saw all the episodes, I'm assuming they've seen the first six just based on the way they were talking about the season. I don't think they're lying or doing so for attention, they don't seem involved in the Bridgerton fandom, they were just answering some of the questions people asked them (which they've since stopped doing because Polin fans are annoying). I didn't know the part about this information coming from somebody close to the show or the casting call this is news to me. Look who knows maybe Sophie or Phillip will show up in the last 2 episodes and we'll get our set up for season four. But based on hearing Francesca gets a lot of focus this seasons and apparently little is done with Eloise and Benedict tells me they are probably setting up Francesca as the new lead. And considering I find it very unlikely this show would do a sapphic romance as the main storyline makes me think Michael isn't getting genderbent. But this was my thinking I could be totally wrong, maybe it's just sloppy writing on their part. It wouldn't be the first time. And to clarify I don't have a problem with any of this, although I won't lie I do question the ability of this show to do a queer romance well.

Yeah, I get you. To me, it would truly be surprising if she had the main love story for s4 if it is a sapphic romance, but who knows, a lot could happen in whatever the reviewers haven't seen (yet).

I personally would love to see a wlw romance in a show like this.... just maybe not this show, because I don't particularly trust them either. And I mean, I think WHWW is easily the strongest book in that series, right? It gives them good stuff to work from. But if you genderbend Michael, you do basically lose all of the conflict in that story. I don't even really know what would keep them apart in the show if you have Michaela versus Michael, lol. Because a lot of Francesca and Michael's guilt about moving on is rooted in Michael not only getting Francesca, but EVERYTHING John had, which a woman wouldn't.

The main real obstacle then is... homophobia? I guess? And I'm sorry, a season of gayngst as your queer rep is NOT the look.

So they'll basically be making up their own thing, again, which I don't trust them to do. It's hard to get excited about it. If this was a stronger show, I'd be very "YES! A WLW ROMANCE!" but..... eh.

I mean, either way, I probably will have to sit and watch it because I do love WHWW and I've gotta see how it plays out whether you get a Michael or a Michaela. But either way, I expect THE WORST. Though, if Masali Baduza is playing Michaela (or Michelle, or Molly, or whatever) she's STUNNING.