#the most non-binary person to ever enby it up

[tequiilasunriise]

tlt more like t4t

[siryouarebeingmocked]

Found an Self-Insert Cyberpunk fanfic.

Except it's not the usual type. It's the type where it's told entirely from the perspective of people other than the SI, which makes it more interesting.

Problem 1: Current events.

Almost all the references people make are ones you'd expect from someone today, like Batman or other pieces of pop culture.

Cyberpunk 2077 often references fictional in-universe media. Like the dead rock star stuck in V's head. In a world where everything and everyone is disposable and temporary, why would people usually reference 80 year old media?

At one point, a character explicitly compares another character's clothing to Danny DeVito in Matilda.

Okay, the CP timeline divergences mainly started in the 90s. So it's possible that the movie was still made, but it's still odd. Especially when the same characters don't recognize that the story's lead is heavily based on Walter White. Shaved head and everything.

Except he's using his chemistry potential for good, not evil.

And it's not just media. It's also Current Year memes, like V describing certain people as a "corpo bros who watched too much American Psycho", or himself as a "disaster bisexual".

Oh look, a segue.

Problem 2: Rainbow connection.

The story puts a lot of emphasis on LGBT characters.

There's Judy Alvarez, obviously. But also, V's in with Meredith Stout is Stout's explicitly non-binary ex who, you guessed it, is they/them.

Adds nothing to the story. The SI provides that info, and Meredith tries to trip V up, but he sees through it.

Since Meredith is a Militech Corpo, and V is an Arasaka ex-Corpo (who still isn't over it), why doesn't V…just use that connection, somehow? Militech and Arasaka are rivals. There could be some friction there. Or V could sympathize with how Stout would do anything to keep her job.

Why are non-binary characters always just they/them? Why not he/she/they? He/She? Xi/xir? or Lunagender? Or using regular He or She interchangably while IDing as enby? Why is it always the basic, simple, "normal" version? Got a Rochester's Wife situation going on?*

Also, in fanfics, things like this often suggest even more awkward left-wing political insertions, down the line.

Problem 3: even more awkward left-wing political insertions.

Well, just one.

Panam Palmer just didn't fit. This wasn't rare in Night City. Lots of people who didn't fit in, were awkward, had no social groups, didn't choose to be loners. She expected to be alone in the city and no one cared. But it was personal hate. Her skin color, nomad markings, speech, just being a woman. The list went on and every day there was some new jerk who needed to find out, because they messed around.

Panam is canonically native American, according to the devs, but she looks like a random white biker lady wth a tan. Wouldn't be the first white-passing Native woman I've seen.

Also, she lives and works around Night City. Which is extremely diverse.

Judy Alvarez and Jackie (both Hispanic) were both POV characters, and race wasn't really mentioned. You'd think ex-Arasaka V or someone would mention Arasaka's racism, but nope. River Ward was a viewpoint character, and he's much more visibly non-white, down to his necklace and dreamcatcher (if romanced).

He only brings it up in the fic when Misty asks him if he ever had his fortune told. Apparently his granny did a "spirit walk" when him and his sister were born.**

I've seen playthroughs of the game, and I don't remember sexism really being a thing. Why would skin color matter much when anyone can change that and other ethnic features at will?

Why did race only come up as a significant thing now?

I'd expect Panam to get the most stick for being a Nomad, not brown, or a woman. Especially in a city where any woman could sprout mantis blades and go Cyberpsycho at the drop of a hat.

This feels…reductive. Like the writer wanted to give Panam challeges to overcome so she could be a Tough Woman™, and just…piled too much on, like a Chicago hot dog.

I would've gone with something more subtle. "Her back itches without her Nomad tribe behind her, and she's uncomfortable in a city instead of a desert, or a road. Even the echoes sound wrong."

So, yeah, this was the last straw.

Also, I checked the writer's profile, and, very stereotypically, she's from Portland.

*Also, you might recall that there was a nontroversy over an soda ad in the game featuring a lady with, ahem, a rather substantial bulge. Based on an actual trans woman. Somehow, portraying a (possible) trans woman in the same sexually objectified way as ads featuring non-trans people is transphobic.

I never worked out that logic.

My best guess is that some people were uncomfy with it, and it's about a trans person, so it's must be *phobic somehow.

Wouldn't it be ironic if the ad was just Photoshop in universe? Or the in-universe model was a non-trans woman who strapped on the junk just for the ad?

(Though depending on who you ask, that still counts as being a trans woman, somehow.)

**Come to think, that kind of feels like it's stereotyping. I can't find evidence Pomo Native Americans do spirit walks, but maybe my Google-fu is just weak.

[thomasschabot]

saw you in a dream

quinn hughes x non-binary!oc (she/they pronouns)

they were simply a figment of quinn’s imagination, until she wasn’t

word count: 3.3k

warnings: vivid dreams, cursing, not soulmates!au but kinda soulmates!au without being weird

a/n: hi @puckmaidens!!! it’s me, your fic exchange partner. really hope you enjoy this little ditty 🤍 original idea didn’t go as planned but i’m crossing my fingers this will suffice. a very large thanks goes out to @wyattjohnston​ for creating and managing yet another super successful fic exchange AND for letting me borrow daisy for a fun little moment!!! hats off to you dem. @matthewtkachuk​ gets a big shout out for proofing this love u babe (also as a reminder non-binary people don’t owe anyone androgyny! or anything for that matter. all my little enby babies you’re perfect as is 🥰)

⭑⭒⭑

They were laughing the first time Quinn saw them. 

It was the head tilted back, mouth agape kind of laugh, and it was the most beautiful thing the man had ever seen. Quinn couldn’t tell if any sound was coming from the prettily parted lips, but he also didn’t care. Just watching them was good enough, and if given the opportunity he’d do it for the rest of his life. Fate isn’t that kind, however, so Quinn resigns himself to the idea that this perfect person will have to reside in his memory. There was a split moment where kind eyes met his own guarded ones, and Quinn felt the world stop spinning for a millisecond. Every single feeling, look, thought, was heightened when they smiled and raised their glass in a silent toast, prompting him to follow the lead with a tentative look on his face. A split second later they were gone, pulled onto the dancefloor with friends to enjoy the long night ahead. Once sure they weren’t coming back, and didn't want to actually say hello in the way he so desperately wanted, Quinn closed out his tab with a sigh of defeat and exited the club, kicking himself the entire way home for not having any courage.

⭑⭒⭑

An alarm startles Quinn awake. It’s Sunday, supposedly a rare day of rest for the team, but he needs to put some time into the gym and bulk up ten pounds as fast as possible. The Canucks have been playing well enough, but the team is still below five hundred and has a tough second half of the season ahead. Quinn could stand to be more of a physical force to be reckoned with. He’s so focussed on the goals to complete during the day that it takes several moments to realize there had been no mysterious yet beautiful person at a nightclub last night. In fact, there hadn’t been a club at all — just his cold sheets and the same sadness that’s permeated Quinn’s house for years. 

The realization knocks all the air from his lungs. Quinn could swear up and down that he had seen them with his own two eyes, and tasted the whisky they’d sipped while maintaining eye contact. It was all such a vivid image that he has a hard time reconciling the knowledge it was all fake with how he woke up feeling. It was real to him. Brock would undoubtedly shake his head and rattle off a few statistics about the probability of meeting those found in one’s dreams, ever the pessimist about love and fate, but luckily he isn’t there as Quinn moves sluggishly about, trying desperately to remember everything about the person with kind eyes and the brightest smile he’s ever encountered. 

Quinn doesn’t even get both feet onto the turfed outer surface of the gym before a trainer finds him. “Hughes,” he says, syllables tense and over-punctuated in a way they appear only when ownership gets antsy about poor results. “I need you working today until it feels like you’re about to drop dead.”

“You got it,” Quinn sighs, feeling guilty for contributing to the man’s stress simply because he can’t maintain his weight. Being a franchise player at such a young age, Quinn feels pressure to make things as easy on the staff as possible.

Teammates are scattered about the levels of the facility, each working on their own weaknesses — it’s becoming more apparent to Quinn that no one in the Canucks organization understands the term rest day. Nils is hunched over on the floor doing an intricate warm up stretch routine, clearly in the same boat as him, and it makes Quinn feel a bit better. He doesn’t look up, just raises a hand in silent greeting, and the other man chuckles before pushing back the slight waves he hadn’t bothered to tame in the bathroom mirror and getting to work. 

Time flies by at a record pace, and an hour and half later Quinn has put in one of the most intense workouts of his professional career. It seems stupid to leave when so many of his teammates are still working, so he finishes a cool down and wordlessly stands behind Nils to spot. Neither of them acknowledge the favour Quinn is doing him, but it doesn’t matter. Just knowing he’s done something to make someone’s life easier is enough. Despite the intentions of making the work easier, Quinn lags behind, taking a few too many breaks to think about the person from his dream and how much he’d like to kiss them, to cherish them.

Always a fast dresser, he waits until his friend is heading down the stairs from the change room to tug the long discarded backpack over his shoulders and lowers the baseball cap onto his head. Quinn holds the door and emits quiet laughter as Nils recounts a recent failed attempt at romance. 

“You were a little spacey today, everything okay?”

It’s not so much a question as it is a prompt to spill his thoughts, and Quinn knows it. Nils Höglander may be a lot of things, including a dear friend, but subtle is not one of them. A breath filters through his nose and fills Quinn’s lungs with air that both calms and accelerates his heart rate. “It’s nothing. Just a dream I’m having a hard time shaking.”

“Was she cute?” This time it’s a leading question, one Nils has a sinking suspicion his friend will answer despite not really wanting to.

“Focus on your own love life first,” Quinn grumbles, picking at a thread on the hem of his sweater. A pause, then, “They were extremely cute.”

Nils quirks his eyebrow. Blushing slightly, Quinn continues. “I don’t know their pronouns, so I don’t want to assume anything. Plus, it’s not like they’re even real.”

“Always the gentleman, Quinner.”

The pair of men separate in the parking lot, walking to their respective vehicles with chants of genuine happiness at seeing each other in less than twenty-four hours. Nils swears up and down he won’t tell anyone else about the fascination with the dream person, but Quinn knows it’s bullshit. His friend has never been good at keeping his mouth shut, and the Canucks are like a tight knit family. Everyone will always know each other’s business.

⭒⭑⭒

They shouldn’t be there. 

The last time Quinn saw them, they had been in a dive in Vancouver, but now they’re  standing in line at a farmer’s market thirty-five miles outside Pittsburgh. Logically, Quinn understands that it was a dream, that the two of them could be transported anywhere occupying space in his brain, but this place specifically is sacred. It’s his safe space, discovered once on a solo road trip home from Michigan, has never appeared in dreams before, and Quinn wasn’t sure what to do about the intrusion. Their presence wasn’t necessarily unwelcome, just foreign. In fact Quinn was quite sure he’d like the person to be in every dreamscape if it meant he got to experience them over and over again.

A dainty red ribbon held their hair into its makeshift ponytail, but the locks threatened to spill out at any moment. They looked absolutely ethereal, denim overshirt blowing in the wind and legs encased by a pair of practical hiking sandals. Everything about them was easy and carefree — Quinn knew he had to experience the sunshine they cast at least once. A tote bag dangled from their forearm, encasing a plethora of apples that was undoubtedly too many for one person to eat alone. There was no one in line behind them, so without thinking Quinn grabbed the nearest item of produce and made sure to stand at a respectable but still close distance. Their hair smelled faintly of lemon and basil, and it took a godly amount of strength for Quinn to pull away once he caught a whiff. At the very last second the magical human with the red ribbon turned their head and caught the hockey player in the act. 

If they had been put off by Quinn’s interest in learning intimately what shampoo combination made the smell, they never mentioned it. “Aren't those the best this time of year?” they asked with a whimsical lilt. Damnit, even their voice felt like it wasn’t made for this world, but a mythical plane above it.

“Uh —” Quinn sputtered, unsure of what he was holding. A glance down proves he’d chosen to buy strawberries, the only fruit he was allergic to. “I wouldn’t know. Just stopping by on the way back home. I was out this way on business.”

“Well then, you picked the right time to visit. Late summer brings the best yield of strawberries, in my unprofessional opinion.” Their smile could have rivaled the sun at high noon, it was that bright and blinding, and Quinn was absolutely enamored. Before he could respond, however, the line lurched forward and the market attendant called the other person forward. “Enjoy them,” they said sincerely, and Quinn offered a thumbs up in response. 

With their back to the brunette and preoccupied with a conversation about the weather, Quinn knew he wouldn’t have gotten caught for leaving without the strawberries. Carefully he put them back on the table and walked in the opposite direction. At least this time he had been able to start a conversation. 

⭑⭒⭑

The hissing of air brakes jostles Quinn awake, and he opens his eyes to see the back entrance of the arena. Bus rides from hotels to rinks are incredibly short, but somehow the man managed to get a few moments of unconsciousness. Just enough to dream about the mystery person and wake with more questions that will forever go unanswered. Who are they? Why do they keep appearing in his dreams? Does repetition in dreams really mean anything? Quinn will have to remember to send a text to Jack’s girlfriend Daisy, since she knows about those sorts of things. 

Teammates shuffle off the bus in front of him, and Quinn quickly follows them, hoping not to seem too out of sorts even though his mind is swimming. Andi, one of the team’s photographers, is standing between the bus and the entrance to the rink, snapping away and making silly faces to make some other guys laugh, knowing that those sorts of candids bring more engagement for the team. 

“A-dog,” Quinn chirps, trying to seem chipper. “No pics of me today, please? After work beers on me if you say yes.”

Andi tilts her head in confusion but doesn’t probe. “You got it, boss. I want the best Guiness your expensive contract can buy.”

“Anything for you. I owe you big time. Thanks!”

Quinn quickly embraces the photographer and darts inside the building, knowing that not everyone will be as understanding as Andi. Normally he’s game to play the role of the Canucks’s social media darling, but tonight Quinn has enough to worry about without being followed around and scrutinized. 

Each professional hockey player has a different pre-game warmup routine, despite the game being a team sport. He’s always been one to do his own thing, only rarely joining in the games of two-touch, so no one blinks an eye at Quinn heading in the opposite direction of most of the guys. Nils gives him a quizzical look, mischievous glint in his eye, but before he can ask any questions Quinn turns the corner and takes the first flight of stairs he sees. 

Before he can think too much about the teasing that will inevitably come from the New Jersey contingent of the Hughes family, Quinn pulls out his phone and sends the text to Daisy. 

Not even going to bother to tell you to keep this a secret because you suck! I’ve had an unknown person appear in some dreams lately, and since you’re into all that manifestation shit I thought I’d ask if it means anything. Also, tell Jack and Luke I hope they lose tonight. 

The device slips into the pocket of his shorts and settles into a position that hopefully won’t allow it to fall out during his jog around the depths of the arena. Quinn doesn’t like to run with headphones, instead choosing to focus on his breathing. It’s an odd quirk, he knows, but relentless teasing from teammates has never stopped him before. He likes the ritual and knows it will probably continue long after he retires from playing professionally. 

Quinn rounds the corner, braces himself for a high sprint, and runs directly into someone instead of meeting a clear hallway. He isn’t the speediest on the team by far, but Quinn is fit enough that even his entry into a sprint could knock over an unsuspecting person, whom this clearly was. They fall to the ground, the momentum of an adult’s body weight and shock making it a hard one. In order to prevent more injury by landing on top of them, Quinn propels himself forward and turns mid-air in a quasi-front flip that he’s sure looked just as stupid as it felt.

“What the fuck, man?”

The voice, even in anger and resentment, is warm and welcoming. Quinn thinks the person has never been cold-hearted, not like him, and it befuddles him until he looks to see who his unsuspecting victim was. 

It’s them.

From the dreams. 

Standing right in front of him, looking for an explanation as to why they were knocked onto the ground with the ferocity of a barely-legal bodycheck. “Uh, sorry, didn’t see you there,” Quinn sputters, utterly failing to suppress his astonishment. 

A dry laugh, verging between a chuckle and a cackle, spills from their lips. “No shit. Help me up?”

Quinn wastes no time extending an arm and hauling them off the floor. He notices a lanyard sporting an official arena badge. ‘Logan Haynes (she/they), Public Relations’ is written in neat serif script, along with a picture of her wearing a bright smile. Trying to not be obvious, he gives her a once over, telling himself it’s just to make sure he isn’t hallucinating but really it’s because Quinn wants to get a better look. He isn’t as sly as he hoped because her voice once again comes into focus. 

“Do you have a habit of injuring arena staff and then checking them out, Hughes?” Logan asks, cocking their head just enough to let Quinn know the comment is mostly in jest. 

He isn’t surprised they know his name, especially if they work in sports. Still, he stammers an answer nervously. “Actually, no. This is my first time.”

“So you were checking me out?”

“I plead the fifth.”

This time a real laugh tumbles out, a hearty one with warmth of a sun-kissed afternoon and Quinn decides in that moment he will do whatever he can to hear that sound for the rest of his life. Neither of them make a move to go their separate ways, nor do they speak. Time stands still, but not in the awkward way that Quinn is accustomed to. It’s all-consuming, how sanguine the moment feels, how things almost audibly clicked into place when he saw Logan. Never one to believe in fairy-tales or the mushy feelings Jack and Daisy describe, Quinn finally gets it. 

“Uh, this is really weird, and I swear I don’t normally do this,” he begins, “But can I get your number?”

Logan smiles, almost devilishly, and Quinn is scared for a moment. “So I can send you the bill for my physical therapy? I think I might have seriously pulled a muscle.”

“Whatever you want.” The grin on Quinn’s cheeks makes them ache but he doesn’t care. He extends his open phone and they enter a sequence of digits Quinn decides to commit to memory. With nothing else to do the pair return to their original paths, and Quinn can only hope they want to see him again.

⭒⭑⭒

The game and subsequent activities pass by in a blur. Quinn was attentive, always on the puck and converting turnovers into scoring opportunities, but Logan was the only thing on his mind. The chances of her being real, of being in the same vicinity as him and getting the chance to meet is too serendipitous even for him. He gets knocked around more than usual due to his wandering mind, leading to some questioning looks from teammates and staff members. As soon as he can, Quinn is looking through the arena to find Logan, let them know he wants more than to pay for potential recovery from the injury that he caused, but he can’t find her. 

Dejected, he goes back to the bus. Quinn is a quick undresser and prefers to unwind at home or the hotel, so despite his detour he isn’t the last one on the bus. The win doesn’t matter much to him, too in his own head about Logan to care, so Quinn chooses to decline any and all invitations to celebrate with his teammates. He just wants to have a second shower and debate whether or not to text her. 

A gentle buzz comes from the inside of Quinn’s suit jacket, and he pulls out his phone with suspicious speed. The guys around him pay no attention, engrossed in their own phones or suspecting Quinn of hitting up someone on his roster like so many others were doing. He hopes it’s Logan, but then realizes that would be impossible seeing as the exchange was strictly one sided. It’s Daisy, finally answering his message from hours earlier. 

Nice to hear from you, Quinny! So glad you only reach out when you want my extra-special opinion on ur love life. Could mean nothing, or could mean you’re bound to meet the mystery person soon. Devs won 6-2, suck it. See you next week!!

Quinn thinks that if Daisy knew the events that transpired tonight she’d call it fate, especially given her text, so in order to keep his brothers from finding out and using the situation as teasing material he doesn’t respond. Instead, he opens the contacts app and scrolls until he finds the number he’s looking for. 

Still at the back of the bus, his fingers shake as Quinn types out a message.

Hi. It’s Quinn. Hughes. Ready to pay for all of your up front and continuing medical costs.

He hits send, then continues typing. 

I’m extremely sorry for earlier tonight, and just realized I never actually apologized. That wasn’t cool of me. I hope you’re okay. 

Before he can overthink it even more, Quinn keeps going. 

This is going to sound absolutely ridiculous and insane, but I swear I’ve seen you in a bunch of my dreams lately. Crazy, isn’t it?

Not wanting to sit and wait around for his potential embarrassment at his own hands, Quinn closes his eyes. However, he’s hyper aware of the rectangle in his pocket that feels more like a brick than anything. Sleep does not overcome him, just anxious thoughts, and he thinks he might explode if Logan doesn’t respond. No one will ever know except him, but the crushing weight of rejection and dismissal will sting for a long time. Quinn has never been one to put himself out in public this way, and if it blows up in his face on the first try he isn’t sure he’ll have the confidence to try again. 

One single vibration hits right below his breastbone. It takes Quinn a moment to realize it isn’t his rapidly beating heart, but instead his dreaded cell phone. A message appears on the lockscreen under the heading he’s been yearning for. When he opens it, Quinn sees four words that might just change his life forever. 

I’ve seen you too. 

⭑⭒⭑

enjoy this fic? give it a reblog :) <3

[cagandante-communistoide]

hi i was the tma intersex ask and i also happen to be non-binary! and i feel the same way about being placed under binary people and it's honestly so incredibly isolating because tma people's genders are held to such strict standards that not many of us even feel comfy publicly labelling ourselves as enby (ESPECIALLY gender neutral.. and god forbid we're agender or genderfluid or use neopronouns!!)

the thing is i do still label myself as that regardless, at least online and around other trans people.. and the more you get to know transfems the more you'll realise how many of them are actually secretly non-binary but are too afraid to say it and publicly present themselves as completely binary women because even that isn't taken seriously but it's at least a step above being a gender that the majority of the world doesn't even believe exists in the *first* place

and tbh sometimes i wonder what is the point of defending our right to use tme/tma when we end up just saying *trans women" and "anyone who isn't a trans woman" *anyway*, like the reason why i prefer those terms is because it's completely ungendered (but still acknowledges how society genders us) like tme enbies are out here feeling misgendered or attacked by the word tme while completely ignoring the fact that tma enbies exist and that tma is the only way of talking about our own oppression without misgendering ourselves.. tbh they probably don't think tma people can be non-binary anyway

and honestly just like my last ask.. even though my gender is completely outside of the bounds of male/female, i *am* still placed in a binary whether i like it or not.. i am either a tme enby or a tma enby based on many factors including how i medically transition and how i express my gender

and i 100% believe that society treats trans women as women (as much as they like to call them men) simply because i am also treated like a trans woman despite being tma.. just for being someone who was assigned male and transitioning in a similar way to many transfems (despite never being asked to be treated like a woman ever)

i still end up experiencing the struggles of most women but even worse because i'm tma.. and notice how it's very similar to how no-med enbies who were assigned female are treated (minus the transmisogyny), we're both treated as women, we both get shit for not performing womanhood enough, we both get harassed for being gnc, we both get harassed for wanting surgeries to remove/change our "female" parts (if you're a transfem who has ever considered top surgery to remove breasts after going on estrogen you'll know EXACTLY what i'm talking about)

and the only difference is that it's worse for us because we experience transmisogynistic exorsexism not just the general misogynistic exorsexism they deal with

like if anything there should be solidarity between us but instead they want to pretend we don't exist and maybe pretend to feel bad for a trans woman once in a while, what about the tma people in your *own* community? is it harder for you to acknowledge that someone with the exact same gender as you can be tma and you're not? do you even know any tma people with a similar gender to yours?

it sucks tbh being ostracised from the transfem community for being enby and even *more* ostracised from the enby community for being tma..

^

can't get over that one time i heard someone say "binary privilege isn't real." You just know that person's idea of a nonbinary person is a """made up xenogender""" or boygirldyke AFAB person identifying as trans "for fun". Or worse: "basically men" and "basically women". We don't register as a real group of people with real genders and real material consequences for it even to the most gender liberated people because to regender or degender under the gender binary is to unperson yourself if you can't be shoved back into your AGAB, esp if you are TMA. When it happens to a binary gendered person, they notice. When it happens to us, we're just not real humans who live in the real world and experience real things. I wonder if they would say the same if they had to look an enben in the face after they got done talking about how on top of having to strictly conform to gender roles to be referred for healthcare, the transmedicalist healthcare system for trans healthcare defines the vast majority of nonbinary people out of existence and you have to prove to your GP your gender even EXISTS, just so you can get misgendered anyway everywhere you go because NB people can never ever pass before saying "actually there's no difference between the way I am treated as someone who everyone agrees my gender even exists and you, someone who will never ever be included under 'men and women' no matter how trans inclusive we make the gender binary." sounds a lot to me like binary privilege and exorsexism are real.

[starberrywander]

New Pronoun Drop??? 🤯🤩❤️

*Infomercial voice* Are you tired of arguing about the singularity of "they"? Do you want to do away with unnecessarily gendered language and do whatever you want with your pronouns? Do you like linguistic chaos!? If so, I have the perrrfect product for you:

Pronouns 2.0!!!

--------

Ok clickbait titles and memes aside, as a Non-binary person who has been thinking about linguistics I have some suggestions for a new pronoun system in English. Idk if anyone else will even care about this idea but I like it so I'm gonna talk about it.

So this came to me while watching a tiktok about the singular “they”, so I think that’s a good place to start. The topic of the tiktok was how because of the increased use of the singular they as a personal pronoun, some sentences can be a little confusing and that to make up for that English will likely develop a new version of the plural “they”. A few of the comments were suggesting that we should use “tha’ll” but I personally think that “theys” sounds more natural. So that’s my first suggestion; lets replace the plural “They” with “theys.” Or if you’re in “tha’ll” camp use that and we can see which one will catch on first. It doesn’t really matter, I plan to be using “theys”, at least online.

The next part is a personal preference that I have loved since the second I first heard about it, which is the concept of clusivity. If you haven’t heard of it, clusivity is when a language has to separate words for us (including you) and us (not including you). I like this a lot. I dunno why. But while we’re revolutionizing pronouns I say let’s add clusivity to English because fuck it. We/us can continue to be the inclusive (including you) version, but let’s make the exclusive (not including you) version be wees/uz because why not. For example, currently if you said the sentence “we’re going out to eat, I reserved a table for us” you would have to use context clues to determine whether the speaker was including the person they were talking to in that dinner or, like, telling their roommate about a date they had planned with their partner. But with clusivity you could specify within that sentence that it is the second option by saying, “Wees are going out to eat, I reserved a table for uz.” It looks silly but I like it and also it gives some much needed love to Z. 

And finally, I suggest that we accept all the neopronouns. All of ‘em. Like, I know a lot of us (especially enbies) have already but I mean like officially. This is more like a language culture thing, but I think we should default to they/them until someone tells us their pronouns and then respect the hell out of whatever pronouns they choose/create for themselves. Additionally, I propose adding pronouns like a kind of honorifics system. Y’know like how you’d say “mr” or the wide variety of “mrs” types? Yeah what if we replace that with a person’s pronouns instead. Like instead of Mr Jones and Mrs Jones it could be like He Jones and She Jones. Or if they used neopronouns it could be something like Xe Jones. Plus if someone had the last name Mann and used he/him pronouns he would get to officially be He Mann, and I think that is peak pronoun. 

But also, like, you could use it for first names too. It would be a way to introduce yourself and your pronouns all in one sweep like “Hi I’m She Amber and this is my friend They Hannah” and boom, you’ve just communicated names and pronouns in the most efficient way in English ever. Plus, you’ve also solved the problem of gender neutral honorifics and the sucky patriarchal concept of denoting a woman’s marital status with honorifics.

Anyway, that was my proposal for updated English pronouns. I hope y’all liked it. I will now think of myself as Ze Starberry online because vibes.

[soaplantro]

(i was gonna comment this on your exorsexism post but the comment got too long lol)

i think the word itself hasn't caught on much yet but i do genuinely believe that it's a real form of oppression separate from transmisogyny, like there's a very clear difference between how you're treated if you're a trans woman vs a transfem non-binary person (and same goes for trans man vs transmasc non-binary person)

and like, there's also a very clear difference between how you're treated if you're a cis woman vs a non-transmasc non-binary person who was afab (idk the best way to word this, but hopefully you get what i mean)

on top of that, there's definitely a difference between how you're treated if you're a non-transmasc non-binary person who was afab vs a transfem non-binary person, that's the difference between being tme and tma

so when you experience both transmisogyny and exorsexism it may be hard to separate them both, but society does place transfem enbies (at least slightly) below trans women, like how society places non-transmasc enbies afab below cis women (while not putting them in the same category as trans men)

think about how like, many transfems have to hide the "non-binary" parts of themselves just to be taken seriously by society, many enbies have to basically misgender themselves in places like healthcare just to get stuff like hrt and surgeries, and there have been so many cases of medical professionals denying (openly) non-binary people care because they basically admit that they straight up just don't treat non-binary trans people (while still accepting and treating binary trans people)

and many binary trans people do actually weaponise the little privilege they have against non-binary trans people, like with the whole "i'm a normal trans, not like those they/thems" thing that certain trans people love to pull, and even cis people admit this "i accept trans people as long as they fit into my image of what a perfect trans person is like" which almost never includes non-binary people ever

and there's just the fact that "non-binary" just doesn't even exist in most people's heads, people only ever use "they" when they want to degender you, but the moment your pronounds are actually they/them they'll either always misgender you as he/him or she/her, and if you're transfem and you don't use she/her at all, people will just use that as an excuse to call you he/him instead (when they're perfectly fine not using he/him for binary trans women, this is something i've seen happen myself) or just use she/her and make you feel guilty for being uncomfortable with it (this is something all enbies who are misgendered as she/her experience, but if you're tma it's definitely worse)

in fact, even if you align more with womanhood while still being non-binary (and using she/they or they/she for example) you can experience this.. i knew a transfem who used she/they pronounds but only ever said her pronounds are she/her to certain people because (in their exact words):

"i relate more to demigirls than cis women but tell that to cis people when talking about being transgender they just load the ammo you give them"

and also:

"im she/they and have been a demigirl forever, but a lot of times my cis girl friends will make uncomfortable overly binary comments about my body" "and I don't say anything because they're seeing me as a girl but it's uncomfortable"

i think that's a perfect example of what it's like to experience both transmisogyny and exorsexism at the same time.. society places such strict standards of femininity on tma people that even showing a hint of being non-binary is frowned upon, this is something non-binary people who were afab experience too, but being tma makes it worse!

that isn't to say that binary trans people aren't hurt by this at all, these strict standards of femininity also hurt trans women, but the way it targets and isolates transfem enbies specifically (and forces them into the closet in places where trans women can be open about their gender) makes it exorsexist too, at least imo it does

Interesting! Thanks for your input.

[multigenderswag]

people are only trans/nonbinary allies when it suits THEIR identity and it sickens me.

it’s so widespread I can’t even do anything about it except seethe in silence because I don’t want to get hunted down and embarrassed again.

if people could look outside of what accepting trans/nb people would mean for THEIR sexuality for one fucking second i guarantee you there would be less discourse in this dumpster fire of community

yes, this is about man lesbians/woman gays.

I saw someone call a demiboy lesbian “straight” and then have the audacity to say “nonbinary lesbians are valid!1!”. PICK A FUCKING SIDE.

hi yes last anon i forgot my last point so-called “trans allies” also like to ignore the idea of male and female not being mutually exclusive. I pray they get their asses handed to them one day by some fellow multigender folk because at this point direct confrontation is the only that that’ll get them to see the cold light of day and stop being part of the problem. they don’t like to accept us because they can’t handle the thought of being attracted to the opposite gender, even if it’s in the most slim way- so much so that they can’t see that *we’re not forcing them to DATE us, we’re asking them to ACCEPT and INCLUDE us.* if there’s someone in a community they don’t want to date it’s fine until that person happens to be genderqueer/trans/enby. and that’s very telling about how accepting they really are.

Trans liberation, and honestly any kind of activism for any marginalized group, would not be possible if people only ever stood up for their own identity. We need to support each other in order to have any strength.

Some people really will only expand their view of sexuality and gender until they find something that fits, and then stop there, and don't bother learning about or advocating for anyone else. And that's not how activism works! If aroallo people like me never made any effort to understand and accept and stand up for asexual folks, the aspec community as a whole wouldn't get very far. And like you said, if trans/nonbinary people only cared about their own gender identity, and never made an effort to learn about and stand up for the variety of trans/nonbinary identities that exist in the community, the trans community wouldn't get very far!

It's disgusting to insist that someone's sexuality is something they say it isn't. Did that demiboy identify as straight? If the answer to that is no, don't call them straight. It's very simple, really.

Did they not hear the contradiction? Do they listen to themselves speak? At this point, I'm convinced some of the "lesbian means NON MEN loving NON MEN" crowd includes nonbinary lesbians because they see nonbinary people as women. Nonbinary can mean woman with short hair or woman who uses they/them pronouns or maybe even woman who got top surgery, but god forbid nonbinary lesbians call themselves men or go on T or get bottom surgery or be someone who was assigned male at birth and doesn't want to medically transition. Basically, they only support nonbinary people if they can conveniently view them as "basically a woman."

There's no way to be a trans ally if you view "male" and "female" as mutually exclusive or as polar opposites. That shit is Gender Binary 101, and deconstructing it should be one of the first steps of being a trans ally. It shouldn't be something that other trans and nonbinary people believe so commonly. Not only does this mindset exclude multigender people who are both men and women, but it hurts binary trans people who are connected to or feel like they used to be their assigned gender.

"We can't accept men who identify as lesbians, because then they will invade lesbian spaces and force lesbians to date them." Does this sound like TERF talking about lesbian trans women, or a so-called trans ally talking about multigender lesbians? Trick question, it sounds like both, because they're practically indistinguishable from each other. So many trans allies, even trans/nonbinary people themselves, will make the exact same arguments as TERFs and not see a single thing wrong with it, and it's awful.

You're not helping the trans community if you only accept identities that are convenient for you.

[mdhwrites]

what are your thoughts on luz insisting on calling philip 'belos'? as a trans person it felt like a weird decision cause he specifically asked to be called philip. what makes it worse is he is depicted as an evil monster/irredeemable for being so "two-faced" which is not great when he says something that most definitely does not sound cis

i'm inclined to believe this wasn't intentional malice on the part of the show writers cause honestly they probably forgot he said that or just didn't put too much thought into the dialogue when they were writing it. regardless it still came off as slightly irritating to me. i like ur takes so im curious what u think

So first I just want to throw out that despite the fact that I'm pushing myself more and more to be inclusive, transgender identity and characters is one of those things I'm not comfortable doing myself. I still argue with myself about a joke with Daina in Rich Witch that has spoiler explanations/justifications. It's not because I'm anti-trans either. Trans rights are human rights. Period. But like… There's a reason Juro Rigged Pets, literally started the day I chose to stop watching TOH or close to that, is a converted fic because I want to use the community as a soundboard for not fucking up with my first enby character because Luz is non-binary in that one.

And if you're going "Wait, why are you okay with writing sapphics then?" Well, my personal reasoning is that I see love as love and that that emotion is fairly universal, even if the expression is going to change due to gender. There is still an emotional in for me to write them, I've been exposed to a LOT more sapphic emotions and talking than I have anything about trans identity and in general I just like writing and hanging out with girls more. Not even from a "Hurr hurr, I'm a straight white dude" perspective but more from a "I like that these people seem to be capable of being more mature, emotional and honest than a lot of the guys my age seem to be." I literally spent lunch most of the time in High School with only girls around me. I just don't know if I have a comfortable, emotional in when it comes to gender identity. While identity is universal, questioning one's gender and how people treat you about it is not. It's just not the same from my perception as a feeling like love. Is that maybe small minded me? Maybe. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like the best I can do in a situation is admit my own ignorance and hope I learn to do better in the future. My ears are always open though to try and learn and understand better.

I say all of this because… Well I don't think I have a lot to say about your ask. I mostly agree. It's not meant to have any active malice to it even if it's a dick move by Luz. If we're charitable, it's meant to be reinforcing the point Luz makes in that scene about Belos wanting to be called a human name when he has clearly thrown away his humanity for his goals.

Which… I don't like in general. Yes, he is monstrous and has magic but it's really the only time they make the case and Belos still identifies as human more than he identifies as magical. If they were willing to interrogate it more, it'd be a cool recognition of the use of religion and the like to say you have noble goals while being the literal worst person ever but it's much more about Belos being a literal monster than his inner monstrosity in that moment. Like so much with Belos, it's an interesting idea obviously on the writer's mind but not done anything with because they won't dedicate the effort to it.

If we take it less charitably and look at Luz's character as a whole… Why should Luz care about other people's identities? Her claims of caring about other weirdos and the like never come out to anything. I've talked about before how Yesterday's Lie plus the pilot kind of implies that Luz actively chose never to make friends with nerds because they weren't special enough. That Willow and Gus only meet her requirements because they have magic.

Luz doesn't see Belos as meeting those requirements so why would she care about basic rights such as being given the name you desire? I think this is too mean of a take. I don't know if I personally agree with it but it is the unintentional effect that one can take from it just like how you feel awkward about the dead name being used at all when a preference is shown.

It's like if someone calls me Mikey. I don't like it. Someone pointed out to me that it's like a dog's name when I was a kid and ever since I've HATED being called that. Mike is fine but don't call me Mikey. If someone does, I know they don't give a shit about me and so I shouldn't give a shit about them and we better split our separate ways. Same goes for the assholes who have befriended my brother and called me shit like Chris 2 or Chris' Brother. Alright asshole, I see how little I matter so I'm just going to go now.

Hell, I gained a little bit of an identity issue with my brother when we were both in JROTC because a lot of people go by last names in that program. You have a twin, you end up getting called the same thing. Equated to each other. Etc. like that. Fun times.

But like Luz disrespecting Belos, I didn't take it as disrespectful until people started thinking I could be my brother's wrangler or that I should be matching my brother's athletic accomplishments. And that's what I feel about with Luz denying Belos the courtesy. It's kept at just the functional level of "You're the villain and this is the name you used to rise to power so I will not let you forget that," then seeming to be active malice about a person's identity and how they wish to be called.

Could it have been cut to be more comfortable to those who care deeply about dead names, identity, etc. like that? Yes. Could I imagine people with those same issues also overlooking it because at worst it's a microaggression as presented and the show is at least mostly respectful to people's identities? Also yes. So I don't really know which way to lean on it.

I wish I did. I wish I felt more comfortable with the subject. Frankly I'm paranoid about my personal stories here to give context to my perspective on these matters still being tasteless. I try not to let stuff like this stop me from giving my thoughts but…

Well, I want to be respectful. Maybe even more respectful than Luz is to others, depending on how you want to turn the globe of her character. Edit: I do want to mention that I actually have a fanfic where Luz is non-binary. I'm actually proud of how much that story will theoretically touch on identity and change frankly. At the time I also thought I had a Discord who would help me make sure to do it right/convinced me to give it a shot and didn't realize that enby people are considered on the trans spectrum. It's called Joro Rigged Pets. Like Crises Girlfriends, I plan to convert it someday after I finish it first as fanfiction. I'd love all of yours thoughts and feelings on how I'm doing it because like I said: I do try to be respectful. ========

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead, If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

[call-me-double-trouble]

I keep seeing bad takes and negativity about DT, and I have no desire to start beef with people or draw attention to individuals*, but seeing criticisms that are just so awful and lacking in nuance irritates me, so instead, I’m going to start combating it with DT positivity! Keep in mind, I’m not talking about criticisms that are valid, I’m talking about the silly stuff that’s clearly just someone trying to take the moral high ground just because they happen to dislike a character and you’re not allowed to just dislike things anymore, apparently. *(No, I will not be naming names, please don’t seek out or bully anyone. Let’s just celebrate why we love this character and ignore those who can’t enjoy them for one reason or another).

This will be a long post (an essay, it’s a freaking essay) because I want to go in-depth and explain my viewpoints. I’m not going to chastise someone for lack of nuance without practicing it myself.

Today, I will discuss why I think DT is good non-binary representation (not PERFECT, no rep is without flaw—things are allowed to be complicated). Keep in mind also that I am not non-binary myself, but I’m no stranger to the identity, and although I can’t speak on behalf of the community, I’ve seen some of the arguments for and against DT by enbies, and I think I can still add to this conversation.

I see two main arguments pop up most often. One is that since DT is a morally gray criminal that worked for the antagonists, they’re making enbies look like villains. In my opinion, this argument is pretty weak because it hinges on the idea that because one enby character wasn’t a perfect angel, this means all enbies are evil and bad. It stereotypes heavily and is a bad way of thinking—you should never judge a community based on how one person or character acts. I know that some works of fiction, especially in the past, have done this to uphold the discriminatory values of the time, but SPOP was made by queer people, for queer people. Clearly they weren’t trying to stereotype enbies as bad. DT is just an enby who happens to do bad things. Characters should have flaws, and that goes for queer and trans characters, too. It’s okay if you’d prefer an enby character to be firmly on the side of good—everyone has preferences! But DT not fitting yours doesn’t make them inherently bad rep.

The other argument is that since DT is inhuman, it portrays enbies as “other” or insinuates that DT is an enby BECAUSE they’re inhuman and/or a shapeshifter. This argument is stronger than the first, and I totally understand the need for human enby characters (we just need more enbies in fiction, period—more variation means more people sees themselves and less get mad over a character not fitting their exact experience). However, DT is far from the ONLY inhuman character in SPOP (they’re not even the only reptile), and the other inhuman characters of prominence aren’t non-binary, so there’s no link between gender and being inhuman in this world. There’s also no way of telling why DT identifies as non-binary. We have no idea if their shapeshifting played any part in that, either to them or those in charge of designing the character. I don’t think it’s ever implied that it did, especially because their choice to play characters who are men or women doesn’t impact their gender identity, but this point is more up to speculation.

I’d also like to add that plenty of enbies DO identify with inhuman characters. Some people (self included) would rather be an inhuman creature than a boring old human, and DT’s design is SO fun—especially the sideways blink and those adorable ears! (Side tangent, DT was made reptilian to resemble a chameleon because, y’know, shapeshifter. You can also see the influence from their original design. The original DT wore all green and had a long ponytail that, in some depictions, went down to their feet much like current DT’s actual tail).

With those arguments aside, let’s get into what makes DT so great (in my opinion)!

For starters, I’ve seen so many people say that seeing DT made them realize that they themselves were non-binary or validated their gender identity, and I think that’s a beautiful thing! DT may piss off some enbies, but they’re very important to others, and that shouldn’t be taken away just because they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. Obviously not everyone is going to relate to them, but once again, that’s why we just need more rep in general.

Secondly, DT helped people practice using they/them pronouns. I can attest to this myself! At the time, I didn’t have any friends who were non-binary, so I didn’t have a habit of using they/them pronouns except when someone’s gender was unknown. Of course, I supported enbies and their preferred pronouns, but slip-ups happen before you get used to thinking of someone as they/them, even if you’re supportive and accepting. DT, being fictional, is a great way to practice using them to get better at adjusting when you eventually do meet an enby. Not only does it sound completely natural to say, but you also get used to correcting mistakes when you make them. It gave me an immediate, “Wait, no, that’s the wrong pronoun, it’s they,” which came in handy when one of my friends wanted to explore their gender and experiment with they/them pronouns. I know some enbies may be rolling their eyes at this, but for allies, it’s important to build these habits to avoid misgendering someone, especially when you knew them by different pronouns previously. DT also gave me and others practice on correcting someone who made a mistake without making it sound like we were accusing them of doing it on purpose. DT, and other fictional enbies for that matter, are just great in general for getting people and kids used to enbies and the use of they/them pronouns.

Third, DT’s AGAB is a mystery! You can make arguments one way or another (voice points one way, original character and pronouns on storyboard point another), but we can never say for sure because they’re a shapeshifter! Is that their real voice? Who knows! Is that their exact appearance? Who’s to say! What’s in their pants? Anything they want, they’re a shapeshifter! They’re so wonderfully androgynous, too—A+ design. And on that note, I’ve also seen people happy that DT is an enby with LONG hair, since most enby characters have short hair, and it added some much needed variety. Honestly, DT is the epitome of “Everyone finds me hot and that makes everyone gay.” Gay men like them, lesbians like them—hell, even ACES like them! (Side note, my praise of their androgyny is not to put other enbies down, as enbies can look however they want, and that’s very cool and sexy of them. Real enbies don’t have to be androgynous, and not all fictitious enbies need to be, either. But I’ve read that when portraying trans and genderqueer people, especially as an ally, that it’s best not to describe or identify features that may point to an AGAB—even if it is known—as that can be considered disrespectful to their identity and may make real trans and non-binary people feel self-conscious about those traits. It’s a complicated issue, and there are right and wrong ways to go about it when portraying trans characters.)

Fourth, DT is never misgendered by any of the characters—not even by Shadow Weaver! Everyone is shown to treat being non-binary like it’s normal (because it is) and worthy of respect, just like any other gender. I also saw someone say that it shows kids that even if someone is your enemy or you don’t like them, you should still use their preferred pronouns, because you don’t have the right to misgender someone to hurt them.

Fifth, DT is a complex character. They’re not one-note, they’re a person who has their own motivations and drive, their own passions, interesting interactions with other characters that bring out more from the others, good humor, and a complicated relationship with good and bad and the ability to do both (sometimes even simultaneously). DT isn’t a good person, but they’re not entirely a bad one, either. They’re complicated. Their motivation isn’t to do bad things, it’s just to survive, get paid, and cause chaos while doing that. I can go more in-depth in another post, but the point is, they’re interesting, they have depth, and they’re well-written.

Sixth, they’re extremely plot-relevant. They’re very important and impactful to the story. Hardly anything in the fourth season would have been accomplished without them! They kept tension high and raised the stakes, making the story that much more compelling to the audience. Before I got my friends to watch SPOP, I wanted to tell them all about my favorite character, Double Trouble, but couldn’t find a single spoiler-free clip to show them! Seriously, try to find one. I’ll wait. Maybe their introduction, but even then, you’d be taking away the grand reveal that the suave-Scorpia wasn’t Scorpia at all, and it’s more fun to let that be a surprise. They had such a prominent role and have garnered so many fans, and that’s especially wonderful for a non-binary character. They weren’t a background character offhandedly mentioned to be non-binary, they were an important character that stole the show every time they were on screen.

Basically, Double Trouble is just a wonderful, complex character who had a positive impact on lots of enbies and allies. Not everyone likes them, and not everyone has to, but there’s nothing wrong with liking or identifying with them, and they shouldn’t be labeled as inherently bad rep when their existence did so much good for so many viewers. They don’t have to represent everyone to be good rep, and they certainly don’t, but those they DO represent shouldn’t be made to feel as if they’re betraying the non-binary community.

[thorne1435]

If you'd listened to your English classes properly you'd learn that there are two genders, male and female and if you don't classify as either of them, you're an 'it' because at least EVEN ANIMALS have genders. Which makes you worse than them honestly. You freaks are the reason insecure pathetic men in lipstick and frocks compete in sports and other activities for women and ONLY ACTUAL WOMEN. How many times do I say this, you freaks don't count as women. Just stop already with your fucking bullshit, you're the reason people invented fucking condoms. If I ever have kids, I'm letting them NOWHERE near you groomers and disgusting pedos, the safety of children is more important than your irrelevant feelings 😒

This person sent me three asks. This is the third.

I'm so proud of you! When you sent me the rough drafts, I admit, I was a bit reluctant to accept the efficacy of your essay here, but I see you took my advice to heart. You even took out the bit about Lia Thomas or Thompson or w/e (because no one actually gives a shit about her or whoever the other one was) You did such a good job, honey! This is a good revision. I'm sure it'll at least be worth a C. Maybe higher!

Nice enby-flavored transphobia, by the way! I hadn't gotten that yet, because I tend to just say I'm a woman. Acknowledging that I'm nonbinary is a "diversity win," as the kids say. I'm glad we can set aside our differences like that, and I know it's hard, all these new ideas about gender and sexuality. I mean, it's confusing for me sometimes too. But I'm glad you've already come to the same conclusion that I have: "Just go with it, it'll make sense later."

So anyway, more seriously, (it/its) pronouns don't bother me, because when I was younger and more conservative I thought that referring to everyone as "it" would be the better option. The reason why I stopped believing this is the same reason why your "English class" thing is wrong. Linguistics is actually my special interest, so let me tell you how many genders English has: Masculine (he), Feminine (she), Neuter (they/it), Animate (he/she/they), and Inanimate (it/they). So, like 4 or 5, depending on how you count the "In/Animate" binary.

The Masc-Neut-Fem axis is a parallel gendering relative to the Animate-Inanimate binary. Though, Animacy in English is...complicated. For example, most animals, particularly pets, are referred to with (it/they) pronouns, or when the sex of the animal is known, (it/he) or (it/she). But we still do refer to them as inanimate sometimes, and this might have something to do with how we look at sentience/sapience in regards to animacy? Like, it doesn't matter as much if it's a moving or living thing, like "animacy" would imply: if it can't communicate with us, we're inclined to label it an object. It's sort of a human-centric linguistic trait but then again, how would language not be human-centric, y'know? It's something for animal rights activists to get upset about, and I don't think they're overreacting necessarily.

But uh, yeah, that was what I wanted to say about your gender comment. You don't understand grammatical gender. Why don't you read up on it before embarassing yourself in front of someone who doesn't really enjoy demonstrating how complicated it is?

Also, it should be noted that grammatical gender (the gender that animals..."have") and social gender (the gender that animals do not have, by any stretch of the term) are not the same thing. Like, you can't really "Identify as inanimate" can you? How would you affirm someone who identifies as "non-living"?

(Which, for the record, isn't to say that someone can't identify as 'inanimate' in the same way that we would assign, say, a dog or a cat the 'inanimate gender,' because that's functionally different. They're still saying they're alive, and they have to be because otherwise that sort of falls outside the scope of social gender and...like...IDK, that's just kinda wack. They're just playing with grammatical gender and that's an interesting concept but I'm not entirely sure how to approach that other than, like I said before, "Just go with it, it'll make sense later." I'm just saying this because I know it's new to you. I digress.)

There are plenty of similar, non-social grammatical genders in other languages, and the idea of someone "identifying" as one of those is kind of funny, because...well, for some of those genders you actually probably would take on those genders as part of a linguistic system within the language's conventions, and for some of those, they're impossible for humans to be, because they weren't meant to refer to humans, though I imagine that's relatively rare? It's certainly pointlessly complex, but that doesn't mean languages don't or couldn't do it, if it just happened to shake out that way. That's how language works, there are no hard-and-fast rules, it's all just happenstance shit that sticks and develops over time, a lot like Darwinism I guess.

[sunflowersteves]

this is very self indulgent but i wonder how the fruity four would treat and love on a nonbinary they/them using s/o? i know that wasn’t really a Thing in the 80s but an enby can dream

of course, babe! it’s ok we can imagine the 80s being better :) join fruity four saturday :)

tw: mention of enbyphobia

Eddie would immediately accept you. like he is the last person to ever judge anyone or anything. he’d definitely ask details because he has no idea what being non binary means. but when you tell him, he seems to understand. he knows some metal heads that are non-binary.

you’re practically shaking from your confession, but he’s pulling you into his lap and showering you with kisses. “I love you, baby, never forget that.”

oh and if anyone tries to make fun of you or bully you in anyway for your pronouns or gender identity, he’s pouncing on them in a second. “you’re gonna call them by the right pronouns or I’m gonna bury you alive, carver!” he’s a little bit protective :)

Robin would be the most accepting and knows everything there is to know. tbh I think Robin would already suspect that you’re non-binary before you even do. and since it’s the 80s, robin would verbally assault anyone and anything that tried to enbyphobic.

and if that doesn’t work and they’re still at it then Steve will step in and beat them up. will he win? who knows but Robin is still gonna say “sick ‘em, Steve!” and he’s like “what am I a dog?” but he’s still going over there to beat them up.

also at any given moment from the money she earns from family video, she’s buying a bunch of items with the non-binary flag on it. and if she can’t find a flag? she’s buying a white one and making her own. and you know how she doodles on her shoes? she’s doodling on your hand, jeans, etc. and giggles as she’s drawing a non-binary flag. “I love you, sweetheart.” “I love you too, robie.”

Steve also has no idea what non-binary even is, but he’s so willing to learn. he looks like a little lost puppy as he’s staring at you. It takes him a bit to understand as you’re explaining it because he’s dingus, but he still will always accept you.

tbh I think Steve would get super short tempered with anyone who doesn’t use your pronouns correctly or call you “girl” or something. like one day dustin accidentally calls you Steve’s girlfriend and he almost crashed the car trying to tell Dustin off.

also this man is definitely buying you anything black, white, purple, and yellow. it would never be all the colors together, though, but you didn’t mind one bit. he’d find a little purple jelly bean plushy and he’s running up to you, “look!! it’s you!!” or there’s a yellow frog glass trinket and Steve is just like “it’s you but as a frog!” and he’s giving its nose a little kiss

Nancy would take the longest to get used to it, I think. but don’t get her wrong, she accepts you and understands what you’re telling her immediately. I think it’s just her own internalized issues (aka being raised by Ted wheeler) that has her mind a little jumbled.

she’s been told her entire life how she’s supposed to act, breathe, speak, etc. and here you are telling her there’s something else. tbh what makes her crack that exterior shell is when she comes to you sobbing her eyes out.

she’s telling you all about how she doesn’t really feel like a girl all the time but she also does at others. you immediately pull her into a hug and press kisses onto her cheeks to stop the crying.

you tell her all about gender fluidity and what it’s like in your own experiences as being non-binary. she’s just holding onto you so tight that you’ll disappear if she lets you go. “nance, it’s okay if you don’t know right now. It’s okay.” and nancy’s just whispering thank you’s over and over again and telling you how much she loves you.

[centuriantalevevo]

Scaramouche heavily defending Nonbinary! Reader

TW: Misgendering, transphobia, self doubt, slurs. Read with caution

ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION @strawbxrrytiger because you wanted to me tagged in a post i ever made WELL I GOT SCARA X ENBY READER DONE LMAOOO

Note: this will be using MY definition of nonbinary which may not be the same as everyone else's. Do not try correcting me as I'm using my own definition and my own experience and feelings of being nonbinary to make this, if you don't like it you can read something else or bear with it. I don't mean to sound harsh.

Scaramouche meets (y/n) and miraculously gets close to them.

At one point they trust him enough and finally come out to him about being nonbinary, he doesn't fully understand it at first so they explain it

"Basically, I'm neither a man nor a woman. I basically have no gender- you could call it null I guess. Non being not and binary being made of the things- these two things being man and woman. So; not made of two things, man and woman."

"Oh... So... you don't feel as though you're a girl exactly, but not a boy either. So does that mean you don't know? Or you genuinely just don't feel as though you're either gender?" "In a way. I do know, I know for a fact I'm not a boy or a girl. Whenever I'm referred to as a boy or a girl, it just feels very weird.. it's uncomfy. I dunno how to explain- like.. your skin crawling? Maybe a numb type of feeling?"

"So... you don't want to be called he or she?" "No, I want to be called by they, because that's what I am." "So... are you changing your name then?" "I already did. When I met you, I introduced myself with the name I go by now, and not my deadname."

"What's a deadname?" "A deadname is a name that a trans person went by in the past, your birth name after you change it to something else. It's generally really rude to deadname someone or expose someone's deadname and can even be dangerous. Deadnaming someone and it just being a GENUINE accident, and you instantly correct yourself; that's fine! That's acceptable because we all forget and we have to get used to change, same thing with pronouns. So if you accidentally call me the wrong pronouns the first few times, that's okay. Just correct yourself and move on, it's not too big of a deal until you deliberately do it on purpose." They explained and the harbinger nodded, "What if I hear someone call you the wrong pronouns?" "Correct them. If they ignore that and continue on doing it with absolutely no regard to what you said, do whatever you want. If they correct themself and apologize, all is good."

Scara was always a relatively fast learner so he picked it up pretty quickly and when he DID accidentally misgender them, he corrected himself faster than the speed of light.

He was the most supportive of everyone- surprisingly enough.

The issue was Dottore and the Tsaritsa. The tsaritsa just didn't give a shit and Dottore was Dottore.

Dottore found it stupid and refused to listen, but no one take him seriously when he says its not possible because remember he's a psycho doctor. Literally does unethical shit. So... yeah.

When Dottore first misgendered them, Scaramouche corrected him. But he rolled his eyes and didn't listen, and when he continued doing the same thing, Scaramouche almost beat his ass- he had to be held back.

He never really respected the Tsaritsa, but the moment she and her minions dismissed it and disrespected them over it, any form or respect he ever had for them was GONE. And he was this close to taking down a god.

He was always wary after that and WAS ready to throw hands with anyone who disrespected (Y/N) because of it. He's attacked multiple people for it.

He always makes sure to validate them and reassure them if he feels they are at any point feeling self doubt.

He actually got them a flag. They told him about the flag and stuff a long while back but thought he'd forget all about it.

He didn't.

He surprised them with one during Pride month.

They cried out of happiness.

He also got them the trans flag for Christmas!

He got them a "they/them" pin in case they wanted it

Scaramouche ACTUALLY went as far as to kill some of his subordinates because they dared to fuck with (Y/N)'s identity. Some subordinates misgendered them and he just fucking clapped them- the majority if the subordinates didn't dare to test them after that. The newer and cockier ones will try but they're shut down instantly. Be it by death or not.

He helps them get hormones if they want them, he helps them with everything he possibly can.

Considering his position of power and his money, he's able to buy them anything they need.

They want a binder? He can get that.

They want to get on hormones? He can get that

If the certain place (Y/N) lives at isn't accepting, he'll move them somewhere else, somewhere safe and accepting.

Put Scara in our world and he will have.... a ball to say the least.

Considering he's willing to kill, he'd probably annihilate half of the population if he finds who is transphobic and shit and who isn't.

Let him see the US government- I can promise the government will no longer exist after he's done-

America: exists, Scaramouche: Not today bitch

Suddenly America is the most accepting place in the world and has laws protecting the LGBT

I wonder who did that- did they have a change of heart? (Spoiler alert: no, Scaramouche just killed anyone who opposed him, making even the government afraid of him)

He borderline killed Dottore once for misgendering them and stuff.

As you can see, Scaramouche is incredibly protective and said trans rights at all costs

He's willing to commit war crimes for LGBT rights bro-

He'd love Scandinavia /srs

"Hey, Scara? Can I.. uhm... tell you something?" "Hm? What is it?" The harbinger looked up from some sheets of paper he was going over. "It's... really important... and I'm telling you because I really trust you..." They said and Scaramouche nodded, signaling to continue. "I'm trans, nonbinary specifically." They said and Scaramouche tilted his head. "I know what trans is, but what's nonbinary?" He asks as (Y/N) sits down in front of him.

"Nonbinary is... basically the lack of gender. Literally being not made of two things, man and woman. Non, not; binary, made of two this, these two things being man and woman." They explained, "So basically I have no gender, in layman's terms." They added and he nodded slowly, "So... that means you use... He? She?" He asked, and (Y/N) shook their head, "I use they/them. Gender neutral pronouns." "Isn't that... Isn't that plural though?? I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused." He said with a look of confusion and (Y/N) laughed a little.

"It's alright! Yes, they/them is plural but it can be singular... Say, you see someone drop their weapon, and you don't know the gender of the person... What woud you say? Saying 'he or she dropped his or her weapon' takes too long, and there's simpler ways to say it." They explained and Scaramouche thought for a minute, "They dropped their weapon?" He responded and they nodded, "Yep. 'Hey, THEY dropped THEIR weapon' 'My friend is pretty cool, I think you'd like THEM', there are a ton of examples for when someone uses they/them in a singular context. But a comment joke that nonbinaries make with people saying that it's plural is something like 'I'm actually 300 rats in a trenchcoat', or literally just any thing with a big number and a trenchcoat." They explained with a small smile.

"So, do you go by another name then?" "The name I told you when I first met you is the name I go by now. My deadname doesn't matter anymore." They told him and he blinked some, "deadname?" He asked, "A name that I no longer go by. The name your born with is considered your deadname when you change it. It's really rude to deadname people or reveal someone's deadname, hell it can be dangerous." They said, "Why would anyone even do that? What's the point? What do you gain from that?" He asked and (Y/N) shrugged, "Some people just wanna be horrible... There are transphobic people, there are people who hate us for simply existing." "If I find put anyone does anything like that to you, does anything transphobic, I WILL kill them. Very brutally, actually." Scaramouche said, his voice went threatening for a moment.

"There is also a completely separate thing called enbyphobia. Transphobia is just prejudice and shit against trans people as a whole but then we have enbyphobia." "Why?" "I'm about to tell you. Basically, some trans people don't even think nonbinaries exist. Some say they aren't actually trans, and are looking for attention or trying to be special. They call nonbianaries tenders. Trans tenders are an entirely different conversation for a different day." They explained Scaramouche nodded, "wait wait... People actually are prejudice against their OWN demographic?!" "Unfortunately... It's... it's a crack house sometimes, Unfortunately. Sometimes the LGBT community is... a shit show, to say the least. But that's just the loud ones. As they say, the bad ones are always the loudest." They answered and Scaramouche sighed, "of course.. no community is perfect."

The day passed but eventually Scaramouche asked another question that had been on his mind. "(Y/N)," "Ya?" "So... you're nonbianary and only want gender neutral word usage right?" He asked and they simply nodded. "So what honorific would you use? Instead of Miss, Misses, and Mister..." He asked and (Y/N) nodded, "Good question! I prefer Mix, that's abbreviated like M and X. But pronounced as Mix." They explained, "Alright... What about.. for example, I'm dating you. What would I call you?" He asked, trying to hide the small tint of red on his cheeks. "Um... I personally prefer enbyfriend. There IS joyfriend but I really hate that word, it just sounds really weird. You can also use partner, lover, significant other, stuff like that." They responded with a small smile. "And for family like they'd use... Sibling, or child? Or grandchild? Wait what about replacing aunt, uncle, mom, dad, niece, and nephew?" He asked, "Oh! Yeah, child and sibling. I also like demon spawn for comedic purposes. For replace mom or dad, I like nomi. I originally thought nobi but that might be hard for little kids to say. There's also ren, parent, I really like parental unit- once again for comedic purposes." They said with a little laugh and Scaramouche chuckled a bit.

"For aunt, uncle, niece, and nephew... I don't know, truthfully. One day I'll figure that out. Oh, for instead of God or Goddess, I like Goddex!" They added with a grin.

----

That's all I can think of rn forgive me- however Scaramouche x Nonbinary! Reader SUPREMACY!!!

[theprettynosferatu]

Dear Cis People

Cw: transphobia, assault

This is a text for cis people written by a cis person. If you're trans, non binary or have ever felt in any way not 100% aligned with your assigned birth gender, stop reading now.

Ok are they gone? I think they're gone. We're safe, fellow cisfolk. Let's take a moment to breathe and rest before moving on. Life is hard on us these hard, dystopian days.

I want to check in with my cis brothers and sisters in these turbulent times. Why, the epidemic of trans people assaulting us in bathrooms is out of control! I myself can't go into a changing room without being assaulted *at least* three times, and I now have to factor the assaults into my schedule lest I be late to the Cis Twister Parties! How are you all holding up?

See, this is just like what happened when gay marriage was being debated. Brave souls warned us it would lead to a free for all, and last week the AC repairman married one of my cats! It's very inconvenient. What do you even get a cat bride for her wedding?

Good thing I don't have to think about it because hey it didn't fucking happen.

So if you are a transphobe, let me ask you a question: what have the trans ever done to you? I mean it. Why are so many societies putting so much energy into hurting a group that wants to... be? To just exist? What kind of insane psychosexual bullshit is bubbling under the surface that drives you to do actual harm to people you've never met, pose no risk to you or anyone else? Couldn't you be using that zeal to, I don't know, try and change stuff that actually affects you? The wealth gap? Minimum wage? Healthcare costs? Fuck it, take up Magic the Gathering and go broke buying cardboard Crack like a normal person!

Where is this fear coming from? Because you do know that's all this is, right? You pretend to be defenders of children or women, but it's obvious you're fucking terrified. Of what? That you might be attracted to a trans person? Are you that fucking insecure? Do you need the world to be neat black and white binaries so much that an enby sends your entire worldview spinning? Is the idea of a female cock or a male pussy so hard to grasp?

Or is it shamefully enticing?

I mean it. I don't get it. I just... don't. How does using the right pronouns make your life worse? Are you scared you'll fuck it up? You know, you can just ask! Most people will tell you how to refer to them, and that's it. Is that so big a burden that your brain will explode from the effort? Do your eyes melt if they see a person and can't instantly put them in one of two boxes?

It's the girldick, isn't it? You're scared you'll be attracted to a trans woman and you'll be called gay by your awful friends. Let me assure you, being attracted to a trans woman doesn't make you gay, if that's your fear, cis male asshat.

Your fear would be funny if it wasn’t harmful, but it is. Even ignoring the many, many instances of individual violence against trans people and non binary people, they are facing literal systematic violence. They are denied Healthcare. They are denied rights. They are denied the ability to choose their path. No, you're statistically not a legislator; but your casual transphobia enables the cultural landscape that empower the bigots on top.

So cis people: fight. Fight for trans rights and enby rights. Fight because they're human fucking beings, just like you. Fight because it's right. And fight that fear that fuels your rage. You can be better.

And if you can't...

Well, fuck you.

[sotheywrotestories]

The They Them Agenda

Request;

you know it :) maybe an enby reader x bucky? He's really confused by their pronouns and some fluffy explanation? ooooo or their first time sleeping in the same bed and maybe mentions of a binder and explaining what that is?

- @mad-malory

(Sorry this was so late)

Pairings; Bucky x Nonbinary Reader

Warnings; None, although there are mentions of a chest binder :)

***

Bucky grew up in a different time. Not that he necessarily had a hard time adjusting to modern times, but he wasn’t caught up with all the dynamics of the world.

Which is why he always thought (Y/N) was a group of people the Avengers out before Steve introduced them to Bucky.

“Buck, this is (Y/N), they’re from our downtown office,” Steve presented (Y/N) to Bucky, who, in fact, was only one person.

“Hi…nice to meet you,” Bucky grimaced. Not because (Y/N) had given him any reason to, but because he was so awkward.

“Hi, Bucky!” (Y/N) reached their hand out to Bucky. “It’s so nice to finally meet you! Steve talks about you all the time.”


Bucky tried to let his genuine smile come through this time.

“Likewise…I was under the impression that you were a group..but you know how Steve is,” Bucky huffed a bit.

(Y/N) gave Bucky a rather strange look. One of those “no-I-don’t-really-get-what-you-mean” looks.

“Right…well, I’m gonna go move in.” (Y/N) turned to Steve. “Thanks for letting me stay here while we rebuild, Stevie.”

(Y/N) gave one last smile to Bucky, then went on their way.

“Buck, ask (Y/N) about their pronouns when you have the chance,” Steve placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “It took some getting used to, don’t worry.”

Bucky was even more confused. Not only was (Y/N) not a group of people, but now Bucky had to have them give him a grammar lesson? He knew he was old but it’s not like he forgot everything he learned way back when.

It must’ve read on his face.

“Trust me, Buck. Things are different now, people are different now. I don’t want you to accidentally hurt anyone just because you don’t know what’s going on.”

***

Bucky heard everyone in the tower refer to (Y/N) as if they were more than one person. Bucky wondered if there was some joke that he just wasn’t let in on.

“Hey, (Y/N),” Bucky smiled at (Y/N).

It wasn’t often that Bucky and (Y/N) really got to interact, they were both very busy.

(Y/N) spent most of their time studying and working from their room. Bucky liked to spend most of his time not being around people for as long as he could. So to see (Y/N) in the kitchen made him very excited.

“Morning, Buck! How have you been doing?”

“I’ve been good. Really good. I’ve been going to therapy.”

Why in the world would he share that with someone he’s interacted with once?

“I’m so good to hear that, Buck! I’m really proud of you.”

It sounded so earnest Bucky almost didn’t know what to do with himself. It wasn’t often people actually cared about what Bucky had to say. Nonetheless, someone he barely knew.

“I um..thank you.”

The pair shared a smile and (Y/N) went back to their tablet.

“Oh,” Bucky started. “Steve told me I needed to ask you about your…nouns.”

(Y/N) laughed a bit but still smiled at Bucky anyway.

“My pronouns,” (Y/N) gestured for Bucky to take a seat. “My pronouns are different than something you might be used to.”

“What do you mean.” Bucky took a seat.

“Well,” (Y/N) took a big sigh. “You know there’s she and he.”

(Y/N) paused and Bucky assumed he was meant to nod. He did.

“I’m not him or her. Gender is much more flexible now than it was when you were growing up. I use ‘they/them ‘ pronouns because I’m non-binary. Not all non-binary people use ‘they/them’, some use other pronouns and some people use Neo-pronouns.”

Bucky was trying to understand. He truly was. He was always much more accepting than anyone he ever knew back in the ’40s. It wasn’t that he thought there was something wrong with it, it was just that he didn’t understand. How couldn’t you be a boy or a girl?

“I…don’t get it,” he said with a small smile. “Were you born that way?”


(Y/N) gave Bucky a thoughtful look.

Great. He’s done something wrong.

“Gender-wise? Yes, I was born this way. I’ve been non-binary as long as I’ve been alive. Not everyone is like that. Some people discover that they’re non-binary later in their life.”

That didn’t clarify anything.

“I should preface that your gender and your biological sex are two different things.”

Oh.

Oh oh oh.

So they weren’t talking about- oh.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” (Y/N) laughed. “My gender identity is different than the sex I was assigned at birth. But- even today, you CAN change your sex to fit who you really are.”

Bucky knew a little bit about someone being transgender, it was in the crash course Steve gave him when he really started adjusting to new life in modern times.

“Right. But your gender and sex aren’t the same things.”

“Well…,” (Y/N) heaved a sigh. “Sometimes it is, some people do let their gender and sex define each other. It really depends. That’s why it’s always best to ask someone what their pronouns are before perceiving them in any way.”

It made a little bit of sense.

“So you’re not a she or a he, you’re they,” Bucky said.

“Yes. So you know…gender-neutral. I just don’t feel comfortable being perceived as a man or as a woman, I’d rather be perceived as neither.”

“Got it. So that’s why everyone refers to you as they,” Bucky nodded.

It wasn’t a hard concept to grasp that “they” could be used in a singular term.

“Thank you for telling me,” Bucky smiled. “Sorry if I slip up and call you something else, I’ll do my best.”

“Well, thank you for listening,” (Y/N) smiled. “I look forward to working with you.”

***

Working with (Y/N) turned into hanging out with (Y/N) every minute of every day. They were so easy to be around. Hanging out with (Y/N) turned into sleepovers with (Y/N), which quickly turned into a very confusing ordeal.

They had shared a bed with Bucky before, but never when the weather had been so ungodly hot. 

Tony messed up something in the wiring and now the ac wasn’t working.

“Bucky,” (Y/N) whined, drawing out the y. “Let me use your arm it’s too hot.”

“(N/N), you’ve been hugging on my arm all day, it’s not cold anymore,” Bucky laughed. “Give it some time cool off.”

(Y/N) huffed and flopped down onto the bed.

“You’ve forced my hand, Barnes, I have to remove my clothes.”

Bucky felt his face heat up. A lot.

“You’ve caught me in m master plan,” Bucky threw his hand over his face. “I really just want to see you naked.”

“Psh- men.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Do you mind if I take off my clothes?”


Bucky gulped. “Do you? Mind? Not mine. Yours. Do you mind. Like- if I see. Would you mind? I don’t mind. I really don’t. But I don’t want to make you uncomfortable if you do mind-“

“Bucky. I don’t mind,” (Y/N) smiled. “I’ll just take off my shirt.”

Taking off their shirt, (Y/N) exposed a nude-colored strap wrapped around their body.

“Are you hurt?” Bucky exclaimed.

The piece of clothing looked very similar to the skin-color wrappings Helen would give the team when they were hurt. It’s the only time Bucky had seen anything else like it.

“No…?” (Y/N) gave Bucky a weird look. “Oh, oh no. This is my binder.”

“Binder?”

“It’s…part of being the whole non-binary thing. I’m…I really hate the way my chest looks, but I don’t really want to get surgery on it, so I wear something super tight to make my chest seem flatter than it is.”

Bucky was starting to understand that it was anything related to gender that (Y/N) didn’t like. He never thought about its physical attributes.

“Oh, okay. That makes sense. Sorry if I drew attention to it.”

“It’s fine, Buck,” (Y/N) smiled. “I should’ve warned you, I can see what it looks like to you.”


Bucky was grateful (Y/N) was so patient with him while he was learning more about people being non-binary. He truly wanted to understand everything about them before he made a move on them. Though, every time he thought he knew everything, (Y/N) has to teach him something new.

“Hey, Buck? Everything okay?” (Y/N) moved closer to Bucky. “I lost you there.”

“I just…feel so bad that you have to teach me so much,” Bucky plopped down on the bed. “It’s not your responsibility to have to teach me everything.”

(Y/N) gave him a soft smile and brushed his hair out of his face.

“I wouldn’t teach you if I thought you didn’t care. I can tell you care, that’s why I teach you so much.”

They can tell that he cares?

“You can tell?”

(Y/N) gave him the softest look he’s ever seen. “Buck, you’re easier to read than you think. I’ve been waiting on you.”

“I wanted to know everything before I made a move-“

“Why would you put that pressure on yourself, Buck?” (Y/N) sighed. “You’re never going to know everything about everything there is to know, neither will I!”

“But it’s your thing! It’s your identity!”

“And it’s always changing and there are always new things to learn. I appreciate the thought, Buck, it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. But you can’t put that weight on your shoulders.”

As if (Y/N) couldn’t get any more perfect.

“So…,” Bucky trailed off.

“So…make a move you goofus,” (Y/N) smiled.

And maybe he did.

[mlm-mod-taka]

Hey mod taka! I really like your blog and I saw your other coming out posts so if it's ok,may I ask for Hajime and Leon with a s/o coming out as non-binary? Thanks :]

Also can i be 🍯 anon?

COMING OUT • leon, hajime x nb reader

of course, 🍯 anon. thank you, and welcome to the class! i got my first leon request- im not the best with writing him, so do forgive me if its a little out of character. i hope you like these!

tws/cws: mentions of misgendering & deadnaming.

|| -> mod taka <3

"woah, really? thats great, man! oh- my bad- uh... thats great, homie! ive heard of this non binary stuff before, and it sounds really cool. i 100% support you!"

if you two dated before you came out as enby, he'll start calling you his significant other, rather than the gendered terms, to make you more comfortable.

once he learns what your pronouns are, and why people put them in their bios, he'll edit all his socials to have his pronouns in them. definitely also tries his best to correct himself when he calls you the wrong pronouns. he'll get used to it after a week or two, just bear with him for a little while he learns.

you want to be called a new name? you bet. this is the same with your pronouns, it'll take him a small while to get used to it, but once he does, he never calls you your previous names/pronouns again.

if you want a new name but don't know what to call yourself, he'll brainstorm names with you. suggests names like "bee, cotton, lou, skylar, aspen, maya, etc. etc..." tries his best to come up with gender neutral names for you.

while he's not the best with style, he will also offer his help if you want to go shopping for some more androgynous clothing. leon knows quite a bit about certain shops, so he would gladly help you out with your new closet!

helps you collect and edit documents for you to legally have your pronouns, name, and gender changed. he'll have a small notepad of things that you should update after you change your name. on this list is credit cards, drivers license, bank account, passport, so on and so forth.

if anyone uses the wrong pronouns or uses the wrong name, he'll gets very defensive and annoyed quickly. most of the time, its just a misunderstanding and the person is supportive as well, but in the rare cases where its a jerk, you'll practically have to tie him up and drag him away before he beats them up beyond recognition.

in conclusion, he's very very supportive, so can and will fight anyone who isn't. doesn't disrespect your pronouns, identity, or your new name. he loves you no matter what you are, and it really does show.

doesn't really have much of a reaction other than a smile. he doesn't think about you differently, and he sort of got the feeling that you are something like that, so its not a surprise to him.

says thank you for trusting him, and telling him about that, then he continues eating his lunch, looking over at his phone every once in awhile.

you were a little sad that he reacted like that, hoping that he wouldn't just ignore what you said and actually acknowledged your pronouns, and he does.

in a slight surprise, he instantly started using they/them for you, and never accidentally used your past ones again. he didn't have much trouble changing, in all honesty.

he doesn't know much about non binary folk other than the basic, common knowledge. he watches some youtubw documentaries and interviews with other nb people, to try and see what you're feeling.

granted, he knows that not every enby person is the same, but he just wants to feel more connected and understanding with you, you are his lover, after all.

is one of those people that show you whenever he finds a non binary person on a tv show, video game, movie or anime. he just looks so happy to show you that you're starting to have representation, that you get happy too.

will help you research for any doctors/hospitals if you ever want any surgeries. also looks up some prices for it, willing to give you a hand with the money needed.

whenever pride month comes along, he'll give you a present at the beginning of the month. its almost always a wearable accesory with your flags on it, but every once in awhile he'll give you a full flag/subtly themed shirt with your identities.

if anyone disrespects you, he'll fight for a small while, before deciding that its a waste of time, and carries both of you away. he'll simply report them to the schools principle and carry on with your guys' lives.

doesn't treat you any differently. it truly doesn't matter to him, as long as you are being you, and you're generally happy, then he couldn't ask for more.

[cephalopodinspace]

ok real talk, the penumbra podcast has the most meaningful nonbinary representation I have ever experienced in any piece of media.

so first of all i think that most cis people think an enby is an utterly androgynous person with they/them pronouns, and that's what nonbinary rep tends to end up looking like. sure, a lot of enbies kinda want to be that (myself included)--but it's not true to many enbies' experience of gender and kind of slots into a binary worldview that still erases a lot of nonbinary experiences. so the penumbra podcast using he/him pronouns and words like "lady" for the same person? amazing. iconic. already ahead of the game.

but it doesn't stop there. the really great thing is that in penumbra, it's not just one enby using non-normative language or having a non-normative gender. most nonbinary rep is one enby in a sea of binary cis characters--and I appreciate that, but it still sets us up to be outliers, abnormal and isolated by of our genders. but with penumbra, there is no normal gender expression and no expectation of heterosexuality. the worlds of the penumbra podcast are culturally queer, and the characters show that with no shame or fear. there are trans mobsters, nonbinary mayors, and overtly queer main characters, and it feels right. I have never seen any piece of media with such consistent devotion to breaking gender norms on a societal level, and. i just. its really important to me. like, humanity may always suck, but that doesn't mean there's no future for trans people. and the penumbra podcast reminds me that there's a place in one possible future, at least, for people like me