#phan homophobia

[6ofbastards]

i just wanted to say that NOT ONLY did they make that whole "rock, paper, scissors" bit on the documentary, they also tweeted this to make sure we knew they were not sleeping in the same bed.

[topsonlyybar]

hey quick question does this mean dnp have been each other’s strongest and sometimes only support system and safe space for nearly 15 years and built their custom forever home and got matching mugs and have a framed photo of their ff characters in the office and watch every movie together and get cuddles whenever they want and share clothes and speak what is essentially their own made up language and look at each other Like That and built their whole lives around how much they love each other and found a way to do so publicly without destroying themselves?

[amid-fandoms]

something so bittersweet about them fucking off for almost the entirety of pride month and us just now learning that it was due to a big health scare and phil had to rest a bunch and dan probably took care of him a lot too

[kardulis]

kind of loving how people on tiktok are joking that dan and phil got married and the comment sections are just full of discourse of any imaginable kind... they're low-key creating the perfect ecosystem for an actual lard phaunch/marriage announcement cuz nobody will believe them (or us) like this is great. people would think they're doing a bit and boom privacy guaranteed 🙂‍↕️

[emotoangel]

the idea that dan is in love with phil and phil doesn't know that/give a fuck is so funny to me

even the most spineless person in the world would confess after 15 years or, like, leave i suppose if it's one-sided (which is even funnier because you have to be blind to not notice that phil loves dan just as much as dan loves him lmao??)

no exactly u get me!! like you’re telling me 15 years pass, the start of which they were in a relationship, and dan just… what? sticks around? doesn’t say anything? buys a forever home with his buddy chum pal homeslice and locks into a long ass mortgage without confessing he’s in love with him? and Phil just… doesn’t notice??? and does all that gay shit for no reason??? you think these guys are off sleeping with OTHER PEOPLE???? are you insane fr 😭

[amazingay]

why would they bring up showering together i have a phobia about that

[internetforthesociallyinept]

the love and joy radiating from these wonderful losers is bringing me such joy

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

me and the boys (phannies) trying to explain to the kids that bullied dan in school why it’s ok when we’re homophobic towards dan but not when they were: no you see when you called him homophobic slurs you meant it as an insult, but when we call him homophobic slurs, we… well actually we still mean it as an insult, but like in a cute fun whimsical way. it’s different i swear. anyway we’re gonna beat you up now.

[nebulaedaniel]

phil doing all this when i have to get up at 4am tomorrow is a gay on gay crime

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Closeted Character Masterlist

A Kiss in the Dream House (ao3) - Allthephils

Summary: Dan's not worried about the dreams he's been having. He's got them all figured out. It's simple really and it's definitely not anything that he's kept buried for years, nothing that he's afraid to face.

before it gets better (ao3) - lestered (clonetrobed)

Summary: Phil takes a bullet for Dan. Metaphorically.

bigger things (ao3) - graydar

Summary: When Dan moves in with his grandma, he's expected to go to church every Sunday. He doesn't believe in God, but then he meets Phil and finds something better than religion.

colors in the gray (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: In a different world living a different life, Dan works at Starbucks and is about to publish his first novel when Phil (literally) steals his way into Dan's life.

coming home someday (ao3) - lestered (clonetrobed)

Summary: He tries not to let his inner panic betray him, since he knows he’s freaking out for all the wrong reasons. Lying to Dan’s coworkers? Doesn’t bother him that much. Pretending to be Dan’s loving, devoted, long-term boyfriend for an entire night? That’s a different story.

Drips Through (ao3) - artbabe

Summary: Dan goes outside to smoke at a party. Phil joins him.

games you don't want to play (ao3) - lestered (clonetrobed)

Summary: You try not to pay attention to some of the couples starting to cosy up with each other. You want someone to lay with you in your sleeping bag and look at the stars.

You don’t get that. You don’t get to be normal. You’ve never felt the giddiness of young love, or even of a really intense crush. Those things aren’t for you.

You want something you can’t have. You want a boyfriend.

just a boy (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: My self-indulgent Notting Hill AU. Phil works a quiet job at the BBC but his life changes when he meets famous Hollywood actor Dan Howell.

Some Other Light (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: Dan works the night shift because it's easier to exist in the dark

sometime, stranger (ao3) - dieofthatroar

Summary: Karen's thoughts on a little boy she thought she knew

start a reaction that can't be contained (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: He wonders what it would be like to be able to be so casually affectionate. To call Phil 'honey' in public and not care what anyone thinks about it.

(Dan and Phil and AsapSCIENCE, YouTube Creator Summit, Spain 2017.)

The Roles We Play (ao3) - adorkablephil (kimberly_a)

Summary: Dan Howell and Phil Lester work together as voice actors for BBC radio dramas in the late 1930s, but slowly begin to develop “inappropriate” feelings for each other.

they don't know (about us) (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: Dan and Phil in Jamaica, July 2010.

Time's Tide (ao3) - intoapuddle

Summary: All men have secrets, and Phil won't let his own be known. But even in 1984's Manchester there is another person that understands.

too far to walk alone (ao3) - chickenfree

Summary: “The hazelnut stracciatella,” he says, as always. They might or might not have a bet in the shop about whether he’ll ever vary.

[themthistles]

getting yt recommendations from someone who came through a wormhole straight from 2013

[yonpote]

that is also definitely a thing that happens on tumblr too 😭 if anything, talking about your own personal sex life is certainly more justified than talking about the sex lives of two strangers, and either way if you dont want to see that kinda thing, you should just block or mute or unfollow because ultimately it's not something that is putting anyone in danger. if a random person wants to share the details of their own sex life online, they are fully allowed to.

the fact that there’s drama on dnptwt rn about someone i guess writing smut of them and everyone jumping up to disavow that as creepy vs last night everyone on tumblr shamefully shaking their head that there wasn’t enough porn being drawn of them these days to meet mommy daniel‘s expectations

[ingydar-phan]

Ok I do want to chime in on the convo but actually this is gonna be really long because I’ve been planning to make a huge post about this since the tour trailer came out. Like genuinely I messaged some people asking for tips on how to make a big conversation post weeks ago and then just never did it. So here goes I guess.

I am a firm believer they are going to hard launch soon. In some way shape or form. Before tour starts. That is a stance I have held ever since I watched pizza mukbang 2. And I have explanations.

My main points come from the coming out parallel surrounding Dans internalized homophobia and trauma responses and fear of rejection (more on that later), and also my hypothesized “3 stages” of the gaming channel revival.

I believe that when the gaming channel was revived, starting with the Heartthrob video, they entered stage 1: experimenting with audiences desire for a return to content. This was a phase they themselves discussed in Dans Birthday Stream and in Pizza Mukbang 2. The first few months were experimenting with what a new audience would look like and how much they were wanted, in what contexts, and what kind of content. I also think this wraps into the dynamic difference between Dan and Phil as people. Note, I love them both dearly and want nothing but the best for them both. It has been made clear that they did very different things during the hiatus, with Phil initiating the gaming channel comeback. Before Dan came out, he was under an immense feeling of guilt and pressure, even by his own mind. He had the option of leaving the internet forever, and he certainly considered it. Finish off the gaming channel, go on one last tour, and leave. Never having to adress anything again. But he didn’t do that. He came back. He came out. And he was greeted with the kindest, warmest, most accepting response. And he did work! He wrote a book! He went on a solo tour! And to echo both Dan himself and all of the community, he needed this. He needed this time of healing and this era of self discovery. He wouldn’t be who he is today without it, and I’m so proud of him.

But Phil? Oh Phil was just cruising along. That’s not at all to discredit any form of hardship Phil went through, but it certainly wasn’t the same. Phil was making content before Dan was, back in 2006. In uni, Phil was comfortable in his sexuality (or some form of queerness). But he waited. He waited to come out until Dan was ready. Because he’s a wonderful partner. He was happy continuing Amazingphil regardless of hiatus, of Dans needs, because he knew he didn’t have to pressure Dan into anything he didn’t want or wasn’t ready for. And then, presumably when Dan was ready, Phil proposed a gaming channel comeback. Just try it out, just see how it feels, low commitment. And what happened? Once again, they were showered with love and adoration and support and acceptance. Was the fandom different than how it used to be? Absolutely. But it was beautiful and loving. So that’s stage 1. Experimenting with content and viewership and re-entering the branding of Dan and Phil (Games).

Then, I believe after stage 1 came stage 2. Experimenting with audience reaction to Dan and Phil as a couple. I want to stake my claim here that everything they do is meticulously curated. Sure, Phil’s toe popping out of his sock wasn’t purposeful, but it was certainly handled intentionally. They’re extremely seasoned creators, and everything they do is for a reason. (That’s why I love rpf hehe). This, my “stage 2”, is when they were dipping their toes more into phan stuff. The orange heart. The “gay” community tab. Using the “ph-“ prefix THEMSELVES a lot more. Dab and Evan comparisons. This was the middle ground. How would people react? Would they turn away because it’s too much? Would they begin stalking and creeping all over again? Or would they accept these people for what they are. As much as people like to think Dan and Phil are just silly whimsical guys who are perfect no matter what they do (which is accurate as well tbf), they also know what they’re doing. They do these things on purpose to gauge audience reaction, to see how people feel about it. As others have said, what we see publicly is just a tiny sliver of their real life. Yea, even the domestic videos. It’s curated. And it’s wonderful. It’s so endearing they choose to share these things. Even in times of uncertainty. But that uncertainty was met with absolute acceptance.

Which is how we get into stage 3. I think “stage 3” started developing around the time of Dans Birthday Stream, but really actually started when the tour trailer was posted, and then all the videos after that (pizza mukbang, dressing each other, chained together, tiktoks, etc etc). So, very recently. But something shifted. Maybe it’s in the air, maybe it’s just me, maybe we all need to go outside. But something shifted. Dan and Phil, but especially Dan, saw how they were being accepted and took that as an affirmation. An affirmation that everything is going to be okay. They can commit now. They can go full on. Full hard launch.

I think everyone has a different definition of hard launch, and even I think it varies by context. But what I mean here is not necessarily them making some video called “Dan and Phil are romantically together” and staring at the camera with a gun to their head. It doesn’t, and shouldn’t, have to be that.

Straight people get this privilege of being assumed straight without having to “come out”. They get this comfort of having relationships without having to scream it in everyone’s faces.

And I do indeed agree with what people mean when they say they have already hard launched. They’re husbands, soulmates, 4000 year old tortoises, “basically any other gay couple”, more than just romantic, yea. I get it. But people are fucking stupid. Non-queer people don’t understand nuance, and need everything handed to them on a silver platter. Dan and Phil are together. People who try to twist and turn to try and “prove” they’re anything but a committed romantic and sexual relationship are ignorant at best, but mainly using homophobic wishful thinking. However, there’s more to go. There’s a reason we’re all “terrified” for what is to come. Because everything, the past 15 years of all of our lives, of their life, is coming together. It’s genuinely beautiful.

So what do I mean by hard launch then? Well, I mean a lack of censorship (besides what’s reasonable. Though we’d all love to see them fuck on YouTube, I’m not sure that’s happening any time soon). I mean a lack of shame. A lack of hiding. And it’s already begun. That’s what I feel stage 3 to be and have been. In pizza mukbang 2, they say things such as “cheers dear”, which is intentional. The “gay uncles” and the “kneeing” is all intentional. It’s not just throwaway jokes, it’s them looking us in the eyes and saying “we see you”. I have a whole list of stage 3 things. The intentional Incohearant cards. The “my face hurts from smiling” comments. THE HANDS ON THE SHOULDER TO THE HAND ON THE KNEE. Them being so open about their secluded romantic holiday. The relentless Phil bottom jokes. The yaoi day tweet from the outfits video. The “who would jump for you like that dog jumped for that man” “you”. It’s all there. It’s all intentional. And I’m so grateful for it.

One of my mutuals who I talked about this with (not gonna name cuz idk if they want me to) talked about their theory that DNP have given barely any info about tour because it requires some form of hard launch to preface it. And honestly? I didn’t even realize that was a theory. I sort of already accepted that as fact. How open IS the door gonna be?

So yea, I hope this makes sense. Please feel free to respond with or send asks of any nuances or questions or theories you’d like to add. I don’t intend this to be shaming anyone who thinks differently. Even if I may vehemently disagree with someone in my head, I don’t think these people are evil or malicious or objectively bad or deserving of hate. These are just my thoughts. I’ll likely be adding more. Thanks for reading.

[gaygremlingirl]

studies show that the rate of homophobia has skyrocketed after the phan countdown incident

[phanyaoi]

i was thinking a bit about how poeple say phannies outside tumblr are not so enthusiastic of phannies talking about the idea of phard launch, which is honestly weird(?) to me. because when i say "hard launch" i mean them finally being comfortable with who they are, similarly to "basically im gay" dropping. even dan said in that vid that by this time almost everybody knew he wasnt straight. and same here, we know theyre not "just friends" so im not waiting for an announcement, bc they dont owe us anything, i just want them to feel comfortable (like even play couples version of some games or be generally more affectionate?)

but another part of it is that i still see people 100% convinced theres nothing between them. and every time i do and see some people get mad at "phan shippers", i once again think about what dan said in BIG. even skipping over the "companionsthroughlife, actualsoulmates" thing, he literally called them "obviously more than just romantic". how can anybody think that there was absolutely nothing between them ever after that?

and unfortunately, i think it might be caused by some sort of homophobia. because if dan was a cis girl calling a guy her "more than just romantic soulmate" there would probably be absolutely no doubt about their feelings. if someone expects every gay couple to stand up and announce to the world that they are "officially together" (which is fucking stressing to do in front of a huge audience!! and again, dan adressed it in BIG. and also they talked about how confusing and problematic labels can be), instead of just living their lives together, its fucking weird. <3

[pseudophan]

the reason people don't believe phan is not because of homophobia it's because they know dan could do better and it isn't logical for him to not fuck in his league

ohmygod you people are so fucking annoying. idc if it's bait, i assume most of the annoying people in my inbox are baiting, but ohhh my GODDDD shut the fuck up. kill yourself also while you're at it