#i love casual queer rep

[castrotophic]

this is such a hot take and i know that bc everybody is literally obsessed with it but i think nimona is actually one of the worst movies ive ever seen (if not the actual worst). this is maybe because i have been a fan since it was just a webcomic, then turned into a graphic novel, and so i was so ridiculously excited when they announced the movie only for it to be an embarrassing stupid 100% basic movie when that is LITERALLY THE OPPOSITE of what the book was. the book was revolutionary, the movie is 'inclusive'. listen. i love inclusivity. i love diversity especially in childrens movies. but PLEASE. just MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIE. nimona is in absolutely no world a childrens book so why defile its majesty with this idiocy

[shitposting-fox]

Fox coming in with another potentially controversial take!

(as a trans person) I understand that people love trans characters and having trans aus/head cannons but Okarun is not the character for that imo

I can get behind transmasc/gender fluid with early surgery or something, but all of "forcefem" and trying to say he's a trans woman waiting to crack undermines his entire story.

He likely experiences severe body dysmorphia!! Something is wrong with his body, he knows his body is wrong, but there's only so much he can do. While we don't see much of his internal struggle, we can assume it is still very much there with how he never gives up his goal.

It's like taking a disabled character and removing their disability. Make an amputee fully able and it takes away the body dysmorphia, mental distress of the loss/permanent injury, and removes a crucial character point. While not as obvious as a missing arm or leg, he did lose a crucial part of his body.

I understand wanting to see a trans woman in Dandadan but there are so many others that you can use, not the guy whose whole plot is about losing his genitalia and desperately working to get it back. Going back to the amputee comparison, it's like if someone was working to get a prosthetic or somehow manage to retrieve their missing limb again.

If you really dive into some of this he likely experienced severe body dysmorphia which could be explored in a trans-adjacent way, but it's crucial to his story.

Why make him go through all that effort just to realize he didn't want it at all? Why fundamentally change his story so the main plot and subsequent character growth he experiences doesn't occur? Hell, if you really want angst why not use the dysmorphia instead of dysphoria?

Idk I think the insistence of having every single character be trans no matter what can actually take away from some characters people project it on. Some characters being cisgender is crucial to their character and how they grow through a series, taking that away completely ruins the growth they could've had.

Maybe I'll make another post going more in depth on Okarun's likely body dysmorphia we'll see

[werewolfsonpage211]

godslayers spoilers!

okay i feel like im screaming into the void but theo vanguard?? canon trans??? can anyone confirm? i just need to know i wasnt the only one who read "both Nova and Theo are down to their bras, sunbathing on the small stretch of deck" in that scene on the speeder when Eris and Sona are coming back from the train with the kimchi in chapter 32. i love the casual representation in these books<3

[formerprincewille]

Can y’all believe that young royals has not one, not two, not three, but SEVEN queer characters? Wille, Simon, Rosh, Nils, Stella, Frederika (yes she counts bc pls stedrika is happening 100%), and Marcus. Possibly even eight if Alexander the character is transgender like the actor (and if that is never discussed one way or another it’s okay too, either way it doesn’t take away from the role). They really did that.

[authenticaussie]

AHHH??? AHHHH?????????

LIKE. 1997? BRO? BRO???!??? Like I was Thinking but also NINETEEN-NINTY-SEVEN, I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS---

[roaringheat]

God I so badly wish gay characters and relationships were just as normal in videogames as straight characters are. I just wanna see myself in a game and have it not be like a single NPC you may or may not run into

[moki-dokie]

been seeing some stuff on blue eye samurai and big yikes to nearly everyone pushing extremely western ideals onto these characters.

this is early edo period. 1600s. the japan you know now did not exist yet.

yall. please. there was NO concept of sexuality in pre-modern japan. that came with both the influx of christianity and western influence very very late in history. like, mid-1800s. (yes, there was christianity pre-1800s but it was not a widespread idea yet and wouldn't be until about the 1800s since, y'know, missionaries were routinely murdered before then)

"so and so is either bi and hasn't figured it out yet or..." no. that isn't how it worked then. nobody gave a shit what was between your legs. anyone could be attracted to anyone else. it was a little more common for male homosexual relationships to be between an adult and younger male - like many other places around the world - but two adult men could bang and love each other just as easily. relationships between women were quite common - especially since so many men were often away at war. there's tons of pornographic prints from the time depicting all manner of fun queer relationships. sex itself had absolutely no moral assignment to it. good sex was good health. it didn't matter who with. (well, social class/caste mattered more than anything else tbh but that didn't stop upper and lower class from fucking.) that isn't to say people didn't have preferences. of course they did. that is human nature. preferences arose more from physical appearance, caste, and circumstances with gender being about the last thing one would look for in a partner - romantic, casual, or otherwise. the only role in sex where gender actually mattered was for procreation.

there would be no queer awakening moment, no sudden switch flipped, no stigma to have internal conflicts about because it simply did not exist as a concept whatsoever. you were either attracted to a person or you weren't, it was that simple. gender played no role when it came to sex and sexual attraction. the japanese were lightyears ahead of western cultures in this particular area - like most cultures were before christianity came in and ruined everything with its backwards morals and strict good/evil dichotomy.

yall have got to realize queer rep will not and should not always adhere by modern western standards. there was no straight, gay, bi, or anything else of the sort. the closest they ever got was referring to roles during sex - as in who is giving and who is receiving.

i know this is mostly a made up story but it is still set within a very specific time period and culture, which should be honored and respected by not making it fit into our box. tons of research went into making this show historically accurate (albeit with some discrepancies but tbh they aren't really that huge) right down to the calligraphy writing. please please please don't whitewash the culture from these characters.

i say this mainly because without this knowledge, so many of you are going to build these characters up on a foundation they aren't meant to be on and then you'll rage about queerbaiting and bad queer rep if it isn't somehow super explicitly stated, if it doesn't match your very modern, very western ideal of what queer looks like. don't try to force this plot and narrative and characters into something they canonically and historically aren't. headcanons are a thing, AUs are a thing, fanfiction is a thing - leave your western thinking for those and let these characters simply exist as they should otherwise. this is one of those times where the queerness really does not need to be examined at all beyond what we get.

i know it can be hard to wrap your head around - sexuality is such a huge part of our identity in the western world and has slowly started to spread amongst other parts of the world in importance. but just keep in mind with these particular characters, that concept would be so very alien to them.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

I love how the men of color on the Revenge support each other and lift each other up. Everyone on the ship does, they're an amazing community, but I'm so starved for rep of Black and brown queer men being so tender and openly affectionate with each other and I eat it up.

Frenchie and Ed bonding immediately and Frenchie knowing to check in with Ed when the racist asshats on the party boat are dicks to him about spoons.

The way they compliment each other - like Roach casually and genuinely referring to Frenchie's "beautiful body."

The way they help take care of each other. Roach treating Fang to a spa day and sharing how he takes care of his skin and curl pattern is just a perfect amazing scene.

It's so amazing to turn on this show and know I'm going to see a cast full of Black and brown men, who take care of each other, take pride in being "tender as hell," and openly love each other. This is one of the first times I've been able to turn on the TV and see people who look and act like me and the other men in my family. They support each other, they're affectionate with each other, they want to help each other. They're always depicted as clean, smart, and kind - no token angry Black men in this show. It's so refreshing.

[absolutebl]

Best & Worst BLs of 2023

My Top 15 BLs of 2023 are (in order)

1 Our Dating Sim

Korea Viki

Nerds in love, deadlines, gaming, teasing, pining tiny idiots, casual affection, linguistic oops, ADORABLE. If you haven't watched this, it's a must. A perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy.

I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent.

Also recieves my 2023 award for best giggle.

2 I Cannot Reach You

AKA I Can't Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Japan Netflix

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen.

Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way.

This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen.

Also wins the best thirst award.

These were the 2 BLs that got 10/10 from me in 2023. The rest of these got 9/10 from me.

3 My School President

Thailand YouTube

GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? My favourite GMMTV BL offering to date. And yes, I've watched them ALL.

Received the Namgoong award for best wingman 2023.

4 I Feel You Linger in the Air

Thailand grey

IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework. Steeped in history and family drama this is an elegant and classy BL. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. It's a marker of how great it was that it's so high on my list despite the ending which was very much not what I wanted.

Additional accolade, sexiest moment of 2023 - (the oil scene).

You could try to fight me, but you'll have no grip.

5 Kiseki: Dear to Me

Taiwan Gaga & Viki

The plot is totally ridiculous and slightly unhinged. There’s a gum-ball machine of cameos, elder gay rep, great chemistry from all pairs (everyone is queer), and a KILLER side couple. It involves all the tropes under a very offhand framework of gay mafia gangs + food = love. As a result Kiseki is a poster child for Taiwanese BL, and I happen to love Taiwanese BL. Bonus? They also managed to END IT WELL, which we cannot expect from Taiwan.

Best side couple 2023!

(thank goodness Taiwan made this list!)

6 Jun and Jun

Korea Viki

A delightful office romance about an ex-idol who joins cubical life only to find his new boss is his first love. With a snappy (sometimes even raunchy) script, enjoyable sides, a pretty as peaches cast, and descent chemistry this show made up for in style what it lacked in substance. I like fluff. I loved this. I smiled every moment I was watching.

Best flirting 2023.

AKA "the tongue knows" award

7 The Eighth Sense

Korea Viki

This one is a bit chewy and sticky and less perfect than most KBLs. It’s got a bit of an age gap, country boy/city boy, stellar acting, complex characters, and leads with great chemistry and tension. This isn’t in the KBL bubble, there’s sharp edges and lots of triggers. For a BL the darkness of the content left me feeling unsettled (which is the only reason it didn't get a perfect score) but it has a glorious ending and that counts for a lot.

2023's most likely to appeal to non-BL watchers.

8 Unintentional Love Story

Korea iQIYI

The lead, Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT, who carried this show. He was luminous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, which he used to carry a killer plot and challenging role. Forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the eyes EMOTING at us in PAIN. Driven by external conflict, social tension and pressure this story seems simple but it's actually refined and quite complex. I loved this show.

Best story structure 2023.

9 My Personal Weatherman

AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan Gaga

This is classic yaoi of the kind that really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's high heat is well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" which is exacerbated by the fact that they're already fucking. Sure is sexy tho.

Best use of props 2023 for the shower of sheets.

10 Our Dining Table

AKA Bokura no Shokutaku

Japan Gaga

Lonely salaryman and talented cook gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. It's lovely & sweet with the romance beats used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy. Special.

First prize for domesticity.

11 Laws of Attraction

Thailand iQIYI

This is a great gay suspense thriller with several solid couples, fun plot, killer characters, queer rep, and a happy ending. It’s tons of fun and I had an absolute blast watching it.

Charn wins my favorite character of 2023.

12 La Pluie

Thailand Viki

This BL takes to task the fated mates trope and what it means to have love chained intimately to predestination. It’s about how faith in destiny before choice diminishes the authenticity of emotion, relationships, and connection. This is a high concept to examine through the lens of a BL. With good chemistry and decent acting all around, plus some excellent high heat and representation of consent and a few other rare tropes, this one has to (like it’s sibling show My Ride) earn high marks.

Most interesting concept 2023.

13 The New Employee

Korea Viki

So good, SO QUEER, so soft, a near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also found family and a lesbian bestie. This is what I wanted from this new crop of office set KBLs ALL ALONG. Rainbow rice cakes forever!

Best overall queer rep from Korea.

14 Step By Step

Thailand Gaga & YouTube & Viki

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one. This was an office romance between stern boss and sweet subordinate that felt more authentic to an office environment than previous Thai BLs of this ilk which added tension to the narrative and character development.

Chot wins best queer character 2023.

15 Love Tractor

Korea iQIYI

Most of this country-set BL had me feral for the beautiful broken city boy and his hot young farmer. Hyung romance, puppy/cat pairing, open frankness meets jaded reserve, language play, water hose frolicking, only one bed = all my favorite silly tropes.

Biggest "he so pretty" gasp of the year award.

10 Worst BLs of 2023 (that I watched)

My Blessing

My Universe: Casanova Begins

Boyband the series

Cafe In Love

Chains of Heart

Hit Bite Love

Only Friends

Senior Love Me

The Luminous Solution

The Promise

Yes, you read that right. I know I'm against the flow but I really did not like Only Friends. Everyone's taste is different.

However I DNFed faster and more BL's this year than ever before, so that means my 10 worst probably aren't quite reflective...

10 Probably Actually Worst BLs (I dropped 'em)

My Story

The Day I Loved You

Beyond the Star

Crazy Handsome Rich

Dinosaur Love

House of Stars

Mr Cinderella 2

Love Bill

Stormy Honeymoon

The Star Always Follow You

Codicils in General

I only carefully track/watch Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Other countries are not fully represented.

My Numbers

So my spreadsheet chronicled 138 BLs that finish airing in 2023.

101 = watched & reviewed

2 = still in the docket (WDYEY2 & Love Syndrome III)

15 = CNF (could not find)

20 = DNF (which also accounts for how few very low scores I handed out in 2023 as opposed to previous years, I just stopped watching). Speaking of which...

Ratings spread

(# of stars. #of BLs given that rating)

0 (see the DNFs instead)

2 - IT'S DEPRESSING they killed the gay, save yourself

7 - I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM WATCHING AND NEITHER DOES IT

7 - FATALLY FLAWED but still basically BL, however… do we want to support this kind of behavior?

9 - WATCH IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO but don’t expect much, it’s a total hot mess

17 - WORTH WATCHING BUT FLAWED probably around the ending or in narrative structure/cohesion or censorship

14 - RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS i.e. isn’t quite BL, convoluted, not strictly HEA, too short/long, or chemistry issues

30 - RECOMMENDED some concerns around tropes (like dub con) or story structure but still satisfies as BL

13 - ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED probably a few pacing issues or one flaw

2 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED faithful to tropes, happy ending, good chemistry, few flaws, high rewatch potential

(source)

[wickjump]

thank you undertale for having lowk the best rep out there for they/them characters (monster kid, nabstablook, frisk, chara, etc). like can we acknowledge that. nobody does it like undertale. toby fox you are a legend amongst men.

and just rep in general. dress wearing lion (either gnc or transfem im unsure). mad mew mew being the transfem icon ever. mettaton. undyne being the best lesbian (says me her no.1 lesbian fan). alphys being a bisexual mess. guard 01 and 02 being gay and going on a nice cream date.

undertale does this all so casually and without bringing attention to it or spoonfeeding it to the audience or giving a single shit. and that’s fucking amazing. undertale did queer rep right. toby fox i love you thank you for including queer themes executed perfectly in your stories

[cybertron-after-dark]

I was gonna ask a question but i honestly forgot it 😅 so just tell me something you want to rant about

If you do happen to remember what you were gonna ask feel free to do so, do not worry about spamming my inbox bc I live for that shit.

As for the rant

Transformers Rescue Bots had some of the best, kindest, and most respectful representation of neurodivergence I have ever seen in media and I'm tired of pretending it didn't.

While there are obvious complaints to be made about neurodivergent traits (especially autistic traits) usually being portrayed in media by inhuman characters like aliens or robots, this being a case of both, I feel like thats a pretty negligible sin given just how human the show makes the robots feel. (Also it was like 2011 and we were STRUGGLING for any scraps of rep anyway)

But like. The behaviors all these robots exhibit are all shit that I do that was always deemed unacceptable when I was a kid and seeing it portrayed with the level of kindness and gentleness they do in that show has me fuckin crying a little man. I wish I had actually watched it when I was younger and it was first airing because maybe if I did I would've had an easier time explaining what the hell was going on with my brain a LOT sooner.

Blades being anxious, overly sensitive, and WHOLEHEARTEDLY queer (which they had the absolute unparalleled balls to just casually confirm by having him swoon over "hunky vampires" in one episode and NOBODY commented on it. Fucking iconic) and getting so so deeply invested in the shows and movies he loves that he acts out the roles with enough passion to steel his nerves and completely flourish.

Boulder getting really confused at concepts that are basic and intuitive for most people, but still being so fucking intelligent, and never being made to feel stupid for the mix-ups, as well as just being so wholely, unabashedly in love with the planet he's found himself on, even if he doesn't understand all of it (Also apologizing to inanimate objects when he knocks them over 😭)

Chase being obsessed with rules and law because he NEEDS the structure to not fall apart at the seams, even feeling the need to fabricate a minor crime to justify using the emergency line to get a hold of the firehouse when he can't find the other bots. As well as just fully not understanding comedy (BUT TRYING HIS DAMNEDEST), taking things super literally, and having a lot of trouble with tone and expressions (even though you know just how deeply he feels All The Time).

Heatwave being desperate for attention and recognition, but completely allergic to asking for it. And honestly allergic to showing any genuine emotional responses other than aggression. The constant sarcasm and sass and defensiveness that he POORLY maintains because everyone knows that underneath that tough guy front is the loneliest robot on earth that wants to be loved SO bad but would rather jump into unicron's mouth than voice it because if he lets his guard down who knows what will happen to him or the people he cares about.

Just. All of it man. Seeing them exhibiting all these behaviors and quirks that all too often get met with poor reactions from people who don't want to deal with what they don't really get, but here they're met with patience and understanding?? It's got me fucked up. They get to be functional adults that struggle with what they have going on but still push through. They get to have unconditionally loving relationships with people that treat them with respect. And that's the kind of shit that gives me a lot of hope for folks like me because maybe some neurotypical kids that watched it picked up on what's helpful when their friend who acts like one of the bots is going through it. And maybe some neurodivergent kids watched it too and for the first time they just felt SEEN.

Okay rant over, I'm gonna go cry over some plastic robots 👍

[griancraft]

Hi guys, this is sort of my official "please, for the love of god, listen to Skyjacks with me” post because I’m losing my mind and all the content I can find is from the latest stuff right now, and I don’t want to spoil myself. I want to be able to talk about this with people!!!! I will make a watch (listen) party discord if there is enough interest. Just give it a chance; you won’t regret it. Also, some information may be wrong or outdated. I’m on episode 11 out of over 200.

Skyjacks is a ttrpg podcast about sky pirates in a world where there was a catastrophe about 200 years ago that left the sea unsafe to sail and maybe even damaged the entire world to the point where civilization is scattered and in small groups. There is very casual queer rep, and it’s casual to the point where it really just fits into the world perfectly.

A brief summary of the premise of the first episode will hopefully get you hooked. I’m really bad at summaries, but I promise it’s a billion times better than how I talked about it here:

Captain Orimar Vale is dead, and a mutiny will be on Gable, Jonnit, Travis, and Dref’s hands if they are unable to keep up the ruse of him being alive. To do this, necromancy (deeply forbidden magic) is performed by the Dref, the ship's doctor, to turn him into a semi-functional zombie. Captain Orimar is famous for his abilities as a captain; to replicate this will take great skill.

As they run out of supplies, they make a desperate decision: port on the land of one of Orimar’s scorned lovers or deal with the growing uneasiness of the rest of the crew. They haven’t seen their captain healthy in months, and whispers about his health are starting. However, greater danger will await them when they take to the skies again, lurking just beyond the clouds…

And more propaganda as to why I think you guys will like it:

There are unique and interesting gameplay mechanics they use to tell a really cool story, and if you like Hermitcraft or any other sorta storytelling-based SMP, I promise you’ll like it. Like. If you liked Boatem from Hermitcraft 8, you’ll love the characters in Skyjacks. The players are exceptionally good at playing their characters, their humour is unmatched by anything similar I’ve had the pleasure of seeing, and the story is prioritized, which I think is an amazing choice.

Best part? It’s still ongoing after, like, 5 years. Some people have left, but a good chunk of the OG cast has stayed. Not that leaving is bad, because holy crap, 5 years is a long time, and stories have to end at some point! It’s a good way of getting into something and knowing there is still a shit ton of content to be explored.

The music is good. The story is good. The characters and humour are amazing. The lore of the world is sprinkled throughout, and as you learn more about the world, the more excited you get. It’s incredible so far, and if you decide to listen to it, I will actually love you forever and ever. My boyfriend is on episode 190, and he finds it so funny every time I go. Oh my god, this is so cool.

Link to the podcast, but in a playlist (up to 180). So it’s in order and easy to find, since it’s a part of something else from the oneshot network:

[bougiebutchbinch]

This is your daily reminder that anyone can criticise your favourite show. And disabled people, queer people, mentally ill people, and people from any other minority group are always allowed to criticise representation within your favourite show.

Obviously, a few people from the same minority group will disagree with this criticism. Everyone's gonna have a different opinion - that's great.

But that does not in any way invalidate the original criticism, especially when it's coming from so many people with visible mobility disabilities, survivors of suicide and abuse, and queer people.

That doesn't mean critics think the show is evil and should be destroyed forever. It doesn't mean they think that the show isn't good representation for you, with your specific intersection of representation needs, or that you can't enjoy it - or that you are a bad person for enjoying it.

Critics are allowed to stop supporting the show for future seasons because they dislike the representation, or the writing, or for any other reason. If you are sending anons over something so minimal as someone no longer wanting another season of your favourite show, then, frankly, I suspect you are a literal child. But also, you have a weird cultish relationship with this fandom and should probably step back.

Hell, I'm gonna try and step back, for the sake of my own mental health. I always wind up getting at least one weird anon per fandom, as I am Loud And AnnoyingTM - to the point where I see it as a bit of a badge of pride. Means I'm part of the fandom now, if I'm in deep enough - and noisy enough - to get nonsense. That doesn't particularly bother me.

But I cannot deal with the constant frustration of seeing fellow fans not understanding the very basic concept of 'a stranger on the internet can love this show, but still be disappointed in it and criticise it, and that is not an attack on me, personally'.

I encourage you to love the show! I love that you love it! I still somewhat love it, and I certainly love to criticise it! Criticism is just another form of interaction with a piece of media, and one that is integral to any fandom! It's not a threat to you or your appreciation of the show!

What becomes problematic is when you mock criticism, especially when it's coming from a whole bunch of marginalised voices.

Why are you being so aggressive about decrying everyone who complains as 'overemotional' and 'hysterical'? Why are you trying so hard to minimise and misinterpret the opinions of visibly physically disabled people who have struggled a lot with their disability, when invisible disability rep and casual positive disability rep are no less important but entirely different sorts of representation?

If you disagree, maybe just have some empathy and let marginalised people speak? Why are you so determined to die on the hill of defending a TV show from any and all criticism?

Which is all to say:

Your fandom is not exempt from criticism. Yes, you are still allowed to love your blorbos and your show. This is pretty fucking basic Fandom 101.

[dyketennant]

actually no i’m not done cecil posting for tonight. wtnv had one of the first complex and caring queer relationships i encountered when in high school. two gay men—one jewish and one latino, age not explicitly stated but presumably middle-aged-ish—fall in love over the course of 100 episodes, and it isn’t always perfect. they’re long distance for a time while carlos is in the desert otherworld and cecil has to learn to balance his love for his hometown with his love for his partner. we see them struggle with their varying communication styles, cecil frustrated but more than anything worried. and of course some casual near-death experiences thrown in there. but throughout it all they comfort each other and figure it out and even when things aren’t perfect cecil still calls carlos his “beautiful, perfectly imperfect carlos.” and they make it work and they get married and they adopt a son and they go to cecil’s niece’s basketball games together and they LOVE each other more than anything and are each other’s happiest places on earth.

and all this starts when in episode 1 (ONE!) cecil admits to being in love with a man, and then we get to see their relationship develop in full, happy ending and all. do you know how fucking revolutionary that was, and still is? i joined the bandwagon way late—in 2019 i first listened to it—and even at a time where queer rep was presumably “better” than in 2012 it still blew high school me away. i am so thankful for this show and everything it did for me.

(edit: i said “100 eps” initially bc i consider eps 1-100 to be the arc of them falling for each other between meeting in ep 1 and getting married in ep 100. of course a lot happens after that but i was just specifically pointing out the narrative of those first 100 eps. :])

[https-hunter]

Mean girls (2024) thoughts

(obviously spoilers for the movie!)

- personally, I loved it. As someone who’s been totally (not) normal about the og mean girls movie since 2015 and saw the musical on broadway, the target audience was me

- Reneé Rapp Regina my beloved. She was the Regina I saw on broadway so this was extra special to me

- MS NORBURY AND PRINCIPAL DUVALL ARE A COUPLE?? “Can you run this?” “Fine but you walk the dogs the rest of the week” “I love you” “I love you too”. I’m so glad she found a good guy after her divorce <3

- Janis was such a vibe. Idk she just reminds me of myself in high school but with my current fashion sense. Weird art kid rep !!

- I cried twice. Once when they showed cady in kenya bc I always cry at musical opening numbers and again when Mrs. Heron said September 9th. THATS MY BIRTHDAY THEY SAID MY BIRTHDAY IN THE MOVIE

- When Damien performed the icarly theme song in french like it was a film from the 1930s. That was so real of him

- I think it’s actually really important for gen z to have their own version of this story. The explicit queerness of Janis was great. Waaay less of the casual fatphobia that was rampant in the 2000s. As someone who grew up loving mean girls, but also relatively recently graduated from high school, I can relate to this one more and it felt so nice

- in a similar vein, I liked the use of social media throughout the movie. It felt real, like how teens actually use it. This movie just didn’t feel like it was making fun of teens, like a lot of teen media does nowadays

- It’s so funny to me that they’re just not revealing what Glen Coco looks like. Not even some random extra. It’s just everyone reacting to Glen Coco getting the candy cane grams, but no shots of Glen

- WHY is Megan Thee Stallion giving input to drama at some high school in Illinois?? I love how she’s getting into acting now

- Also. The fact that they get real tiktokers sent me. Why did I see chris olsen in this movie

- The beanie baby 😭 so real for girls who grew up in the 2000s

- Lindsey Lohan being at the mathlete competition was everything to me. It was my version of Tobey McGuire & Andrew Garfield in no way home

- I thought the detail that Karen’s necklace with her name on it was backwards several times. She’s so stupid and I love her <3

- Speaking of Karen, her expressions were so funny. Just like this for 90% of the movie 👁️ 👁️

- Principal Duvall’s still got carpal tunnel after all this time, huh

- When Karen was trying on different Halloween costumes, I noticed that she had one of the tank top with the holes cut in it like Regina had in the first movie. We love to see callbacks like that

- Lastly, it was a good movie! People who say it’s bad don’t know what they’re talking about. They probably just didn’t know it was a musical or anything about the musical. But as someone who adores every adaptation of mean girls (except for the “sequel”), it was great!! Ppl who hate it just don’t like fun ig

[velnna]

Maf I just needed to stay that I arrived from Steave art (lovely boy) and finally got around to reading stray souls... When you mentioned you had an ongoing webtoon. And like. Holy shit?? I have NOT been able to put it down!! It's so good I chewed through the whole thing in like 3 days I love these kids. I love the adults trying their best with the mistakes they made. I love the casual queer rep, the lore the angst and the pretty art I just!! Assfhhjjhsjs.

It's so good!! I'm rattling and chewing at the cage for the next episode and I wanted to say thank you for it.

Thank you so much!! Happy you like it 💜