#i shouldnt post things this late - cest la vie my guys

[variousqueerthings]

Lbr it's probably why these men love Johnny cause he'd be more "relatable" for not being there for his son.

there certainly are corners of the interwebs that love Johnny for all the traits that make him toxic towards himself and others (and not in the "that's an interesting character" kind of way, more as a "I wish to model myself on this/am like this" kind of way), and I wouldn't be surprised to add this to the list.

at some point I'll get to write my opinion about toxic masculinity in fiction and its limitations (or, the unintentional cyclical glorification of toxic masculinity in text that's ostensibly trying to do the opposite - what was that post about people completely missing the point of fight club?) but in the interim, it is fascinating that - while there are problems in the way that Johnny is written in terms of... shall we say nuance? (but look, it's a karate soap, it's not idk, raging bull, it's not attempting to muse, it's attempting to drama) - I do believe there is a sincere wish to move him away from that kind of behaviour. that is - we assume - his arc.

I suppose the question is: if there is a wish to appeal to that kind of an audience, how much will that affect the writing of the show?

Johnny cannot be written as someone who turns his life around and becomes a better man, while still embodying the kind of reductive traits that certain audiences glorify as "booze, babes, and fast cars" (even though the last two of those aren't even??? what's written??? and the first is alcoholism)

I think two examples of this disconnect are:

a. his relationship with Carmen not expecting him to change some very fundamentally unhealthy parts of himself - he just "has a girlfriend" which isn't really a character trait in and of itself. He gets to have a girlfriend as a reward for being good to Miguel, because "having a girlfriend" is meant to signify that he's doing better.

b. the flip-flopping on relating to kids. the use of modern intersectional feminist language, only to turn around and denigrate it, this especially evidenced in ways he's talked to girls who use this kind of language (Aisha and Devon - also Moon and Piper but not to their faces)

None of these are indicative of the fact that he won't commit in future. I'm cautiously excited for what Devon Lee might bring to the table. I also think his crying in front of Miguel while incredibly drunk and having wet himself was the most pathetic we've seen him on this show. As for his relationship to Carmen... *sigh* ok, that one I really don't know

that's what fanfiction is for right?

What I guess I'm saying much too late at night is: at some point you've gotta commit to a point of view. your outdated sexist, racist uncle isn't really the same as teenagers (several of whom are girls, queer, and people of colour) who are trying to find a world that can accept them as they are. I'm not saying "Johnny learns all the Language" (although he clearly can - ADHD vibesss), I'm just saying there's a tightrope happening here and it's not always successful, but I appreciate the attempt - and I appreciate the limitations (artistically, but I imagine also with ratings and producers and and...)

I wonder if those same men sneered at someone like Devon being introduced with extreme disdain for the death penalty and giving her pronouns?