#nonbinary representation

[cefisherart]

Your Honor, I love them! This new hawkeye redesign fuckin rocks dude gimme gimme gimme!

[rexanesolo]

Adventures in Clairune is out!

If you want to:

Bully a dragon lord

Flirt with an elf

Trust an assassin

And most importantly romance them!! With perks such as:

he/she/they option for players

6 endings (good and bad for each love interest)

A 1 hour playtime (roughly)

Pretty art style & good music

FREEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So go play my first vn! (I was inspired by the arcana and y'all might like this too :3)

[hyenabeanz]

I'm not crying about hockey again, you are.

I think this is the first thing I've seen straight up saying CJ is nonbinary. ❤️

Boston Globe article is paywalled but here's a workaround link

I really hope we get to see them in net eventually.

[paperjamdipper]

No. Just no. I mean my brain can’t process this - HOLY SHIT I LOVE VICO ORTIZ SO MUCH

[whereserpentswalk]

Don't trust anyone who complains about seeing too many nonbinary people who "look like girls" or seeing too many trans men who "aren't masc enough". They do not have good intentions, are using truscum rhetoric, and have outed themselves as inherently seeing bodies they see as feminine as lesser.

[laurasimonsdaughter]

By the shore there once lived a fisherwoman and her wife. Together they had three children, each as beloved as the other. They were a sweet sight to behold. The eldest had hair the colour of chestnut, that flowed like waves. The middle one had hair the colour of mahogany, that fell down in ringlets. And the youngest had hair like ebony, that curled straight upwards.

All their days their mothers had kept careful watch over them, but one evening, when the fisherwoman had not yet returned from the open sea, her wife received an urgent message calling for her assistance. There was nothing to depend on if not the help of kind neighbours, so the woman called her children inside, drew all the curtains, and told them to stay within for as long as she was gone.

“For it will be a dark night, but a clear one,” she warned. “And you will surely end up elf-shot or pixie-led if you go out in the gloaming.”

All three of them promised faithfully not to set a foot out of doors and their mother quickly set off to be of help to her neighbour.

For a while the three children were content within, but the further the sun sank below the horizon, the more restless they became. At last the eldest could take it no longer.

“I shall only draw back one of the curtains,” he said, and all three of them crowded around the window to look.

Outside the sky had slowly turned to dark velvet and since no moon rose to light it, far before true darkness had come the shimmering pinpricks of stars appeared. The whole world seemed to glisten in soft grey and it was not long before the second of them grew twice as restless as before.

“I will only open the window,” they said, and all three of them leaned against the windowsill to breathe in the night air.

But never had the gentle wind smelled so sweet and it was not long before the youngest could no longer contain herself.

“I will only go and sit on the windowsill,” she said, but no sooner had she let her legs dangle over the side or her siblings came to join her. And once they were all there, staring up at the sky with the wind in their hair and the distant rush of the sea in their ears, it did not take long until they slid off the windowsill and jumped to the ground.

“We shall not go up to the cliffs,” they told each other. “Nor inland towards the moors. We shall only go to see the sea and then straight back again.”

After all, they would be back before their mother ever knew they were gone, and they would have done so without ever setting a foot out the door.

Gaily they ran down to the shore, where the stars hung lower above the waves than they had ever seen. White mist danced above the water, and the sea foam danced as if rising to meet it. Amidst all this splendour, they suddenly heard the soft sound of hooves and from across the starlit beach, a beautiful pony pranced towards them.

The children gasped and cried in delight. They had never seen any animal half as beautiful. Its coat was as dark as the dusk and its eyes were like shimmering pools. And it came towards them quite as if to befriend them.

“I want to ride it!” the middle child exclaimed in raptures and they eagerly rushed forward.

“No, I get to ride it!” the eldest insisted.

“No I want to!” the youngest cried.

“Then you ride behind me,” the middle one said boldly and they caught the pony, as gentle and willing as a steed could possibly be, by its long black manes.

“There will not be room for all of us on its back!” the eldest protested.

But as soon as his sibling had scrambled up the pony’s back, it was clear there was plenty of room for him left. And once he was seated astride behind them, even though it had not seemed like a large animal at all, there was precisely enough room for their little sister to join them.

So laughing and hooting they all climbed onto the pony’s back. “Giddy-up! Giddy-up!” they cried. “Ride on!”

But the pony did not trot down the beach from whence it came. It turned and tossed its manes and galloped straight for the sea.

The children screamed, but no matter how they struggled, they were incapable of dismounting. The animal’s slick coat suddenly stuck like tar and the louder they screamed, the faster it ran. There was no glee in the children now, but all the more in the creature, for kelpies delight in their cruel games. Neighing and whinnying it rushed towards the waves, but with only seven strides away from the foaming tide the youngest of the children cried:

“Your pocket knife! Take your pocket knife!”

And quick as a fox she grabbed her own little knife from her skirt pocket and cut through the cloth so that it ripped and tore and she was free. Her brother and sibling followed suit and one after the other they tumbled off the speeding creature’s back, with only the fabric of their clothes left behind as the kelpie plunged screaming into the waves.

The mist whirled and the sea broiled and then there was nothing left to be seen, but the children did not stand to look. They ran, breathless and wide-eyed, hearts pounding and feet flying, all the way back to their home.

There they found their mother, pale with worry. And so glad was she to see them all safe and sound that she did not even scold them for going out into such a dangerous night, nor for tearing all their pretty clothes.

For the rest of their lives, those three children watched the waves for a sign of the kelpie, but not a trace of it could be found. Not a hoof print in the sand, not a strand of midnight mane, not even a whisper on the cold sea breeze.

[alexyquest]

i tried that ya book trend, how’d i do?

[immax-maybe]

To any lgbtq+ TOH fan kid reading this

I needed Luz and Amity, maybe I wouldn't feel like my feelings were a bad thing, maybe this feelings could even be beautiful

I needed Raine and Eda, maybe I would feel that not only I'm not a freak, but I'm also deserving of love

I didn't have them back then

But I am so glad you do

You deserve the world, and I hope this show gave you as much comfort as it gave me

[shabolt]

Zooble and Allegory:

In the latest episode of *The Amazing Digital Circus*, Zooble discusses hating their body, hating that despite having a litany of replaceable parts to constantly alter themself with. None of it feels “good”. There’s obviously the surface level aspect of how Zooble has a more patchwork avatar in the circus and the irony of the character with the most choice over their body having the least satisfaction.

But there’s also something much more sincere and deeper to it. Zooble has been in and out of the show categorised as non-binary. Be it by Gooseworx’s own statements or by the fact they have not been referred to in any way besides they/them pronouns within the show itself.

(Well now to overuse my writing degree)

With this perspective of the character held in mind, one can interpret Zooble’s bodily dissatisfaction as more than just the same avatar quirks and frustrations the other circus-goers have (as we see from the breath-holding opener how each character has their little quirks functions seperate from the main concept of each of their designs).

Zooble’s body and parts bucket address the idea of their problem without solving it. No matter what parts they use, they’ll always still be trapped in the core conceit of having a model stuck within that theme, there is no way for Zooble to escape the core theme of their design. You could argue then with this concept in mind, that zooble’s body and parts are an allegory for gender and the many presentations one gender can take,if not the concept of binary gender.

Overall I really liked this representation, and the allegory found within their moments in the episode. Especially because it kind of subverts that whole “non-binary shapeshifter” trope found in a lot of media, where in this case the character with the most control over their own appearance is still the least satisfied with it, and despite all their changes still hasn’t found what form of their self makes them feel right, we can only hope the character eventually does find it!

[roshambo05]

Clove's release has apparently caused a bunch of transphobic people to leave Valorant and I could not be happier. The lobbies have been so much nicer today. I love Clove so much they're amazing.

[jetwhenitsmidnight]

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

Release date: 3 September 2024

Genre: young adult contemporary horror/thriller

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

A gut-wrenching story following a trans autistic teen who survives an attempted murder, only to be drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them.

On the night Miles Abernathy—sixteen-year-old socialist and proud West Virginian—comes out as trans to his parents, he sneaks off to a party, carrying evidence that may finally turn the tide of the blood feud plaguing Twist Creek: Photos that prove the county’s Sheriff Davies was responsible for the so-called “accident” that injured his dad, killed others, and crushed their grassroots efforts to unseat him.

The feud began a hundred years ago when Miles’s great-great-grandfather, Saint Abernathy, incited a miners’ rebellion that ended with a public execution at the hands of law enforcement. Now, Miles becomes the feud’s latest victim as the sheriff’s son and his friends sniff out the evidence, follow him through the woods, and beat him nearly to death.

In the hospital, the ghost of a soot-covered man hovers over Miles’s bedside while Sheriff Davies threatens Miles into silence. But when Miles accidently kills one of the boys who hurt him, he learns of other folks in Twist Creek who want out from under the sheriff’s heel. To free their families from this cycle of cruelty, they’re willing to put everything on the line—is Miles?

Content warnings

Transphobia, misgendering, deadnaming

Death, murder, violence, blood, gore, body horror, injury, fire injury

Gun violence

Hospitalisation

Car crash

Mentioned animal death/abuse

Implied sexual assault

Toxic friendship

Drug abuse/drug addiction

Ableism

Classism

(I did my best to get all the content warnings, but I might have missed some things so do be warned)

Review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!!!

I have heard nothing but good things about the author's other works, so I went into this book excited, but trying to temper my expectations in case I got let down.

Y'all. This book is pure FIRE.

This book is horrifying and visceral, but at the same time, it's moving and sincere. While this book tackles heavy topics like transphobia and classism, it's also very much about the importance of family and community.

Not to mention that the story/plot is absolutely gripping. I was tempted to finish this in one sitting, but I made myself pace it out so that I could enjoy it longer. Every chapter ended on a cliffhanger that made me want to keep reading. The author does a great job of interspersing the really dark moments with hopeful ones, so the book never gets too bogged down in despair.

One thing I have to mention is that I was very much NOT prepared for how dark this book got. I think I underestimated it because it's categorised as young adult, but this book gets really heavy.

If I had to critique something, it would be the formatting. The first page of each chapter is all black with white text, and all the other pages are the regular white with black text. The changes in page and text colour threw me out of the story a little, but TBH this is like a really minor nitpick, and also the only negative thing I have to say about this book.

[rawrsatthetree]

Non-binary representation in anime is so cursed yet so diverse and spot on

[reasonsforhope]

Here’s to some real-life New Directions! In one of the earliest awards handed out in the 76th Tony Awards telecast on CBS and Paramount+, history was made as Alex Newell became the first-ever openly non-binary actor to win a Tony award, in the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical category, for their showstopping role as cornpone character Lulu in the musical comedy “Shucked.”

Then, in the show’s final hour, that record was upheld by nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee, who won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in the Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman tuner “Some Like it Hot”, based on Billy Wilder’s classic 1950s comedy. Ghee, late of musicals such as “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”, was a favorite for their bold reimagining of the Jerry/Daphne role made famous by Jack Lemmon in the original film."

-via The Wrap, June 11, 2023

[thestarlightforge]

“I believe in you,” a Rhaenicent/Rhaesaria AO3 fic

NB: ~2500 words, probably a one-shot, featuring 14-y/o Alicent/Rhaenyra & present-day Rhaenyra/Mysaria

Hi, gamers!

So, I don’t often publish my fics. But in the midst of my summer musical (“Alice by Heart,” which I’ve been intimacy choreographer and assistant director on since May) getting its first weekend of shows shut down due to COVID, this Rhaenyra fic just sort of flowed out of me. Guess the intimacy director brain needed somewhere to go ¯\_ (ツ) _/¯ 😂

As I say in the author’s note, I did my best to follow Emma & Olivia & Sonoya & Emily & Milly & Sara Hess’s leads: I use they/them pronouns for Rhaenyra, elaborate on Olivia’s headcanon about Alicent’s mom shutting down Rhaenyra & Alicent’s youthful romance, and while Rhaenyra doesn’t have labels for their queerness, it’s existed for a long time and they’re exploring it now. It’s fairly canon-compliant, picking right up on 2x07.

Hopefully, this is a one-shot—if these awesome actors/writers/directors get their way, HOTD won’t have tons of queerbaity holes to fill like Game of Thrones did and their counterparts on TV often do. But I am always open to possibilities.

Enjoy! :))

And pls appreciate this tag (& the couple of small formatting errors I left in for luck), which I was especially proud of XD

[gobbogoo]

So! Finished watching the new Fallout show. Twice. I heartily recommend it regardless of if you've played the games.

Thematically speaking, they absolutely NAILED it. Fallout's charm has always come from a specific blend of absurd comedy and grim tragedy. One moment you're being forced to execute an innocent person for your own survival, the next you're having a funny conversation about Shakespeare with a big green man. The show knows when to take itself seriously and when to be silly, and that's very important to get right! The violence especially is handled well. It has a careful balance between campy and gruesome similar to what you'd find in Evil Dead. Just like the wasteland, Fallout's violence is equal parts brutal and absurd.

But what I REALLY appreciate is how the show explores aspects of the world that the games CAN'T! Its occasional flashbacks to prewar America are arguably where the show is at its strongest, because while the Fallout games have always critiqued unregulated capitalism and government/corporate propaganda, they could only ever really do so in the past-tense. The show meanwhile takes full advantage of its ability to jump between present and past, and in doing so manages to use its cold-war setting to make some EXTREMELY relevant critiques of modern America.

Lastly, I feel I should mention it was a delightful surprise to see some not-insignificant nonbinary representation! Not that Disney blink-and-you'll-miss-it crap, either. I REALLY didn't expect that because I know Fallout is one of those older game series that has capital-G "Gamers" as a not-insignificant portion of its fanbase. The sort of people for whom there are only two sexes: "Male" and "Political."

But in retrospect the Fallout series ALSO has games where being gay is a literal unlockable ability that provides unique benefits in both conversation and combat with same-sex NPCs. This really wasn't a big jump from that.

So... yeah! If you for some reason read all this without having seen the show, go see it! It's a fun time!

[whereserpentswalk]

It feels like it's impossible to find anyone talking about romantic relationships with nonbinary people. We're so commonly talked about in terms of sex, but there's so little content involving anything loving twords an enby. I guess all our ideas are so gendered around romance it's very hard for people to imagine romance with someone who isn't gendered like that. I want to hear about people falling in love with enbies, about people kissing enbies, about staring into nonbinary eyes, about cuddling nonbinary bodies, if it's fiction I want to hear about the darker stuff too. I realize this might be why I always hated romance, because it involves performing roles I never want to perform. Even queer romance seems so deliberately designed to make sure same sex couples are as traditionally gendered and both gender conforming as possible. I know not everyone is attracted to us, it's ok if you're not. I just really want to see something.