#they also both present as highly feminine. they can’t be reduced to masculine caregiver and feminine care reciever

[nellasbookplanet]

That post I reblogged about Imogen '8 strentgh' Temult being fanonized as burly is mostly lighthearted, but it also reminded me how the fanon depiction of Imogen has shifted. Earlier in the campaign, when Laudna was perceived as the stronger of the two, the one who took care of poor little innocent, anxious, migraine afflicted Imogen, fanon-Imogen was this short, round, soft looking person. Now, as canon has made it very clear that Imogen is the (mentally) stronger of the two, the one who's trying to stop Laudna from spiraling, her fanon self has shifted into something more traditionally masculine, leaning into the farmgirl aesthetic of pants and cowboy hats and muscles, even as her canon design has only gotten more feminine with sheer dresses and skirts.

And I'm not one to pass up on fun fanon designs; I've certainly reblogged my fair share of muscly Imogen because I'm only human and Imogen with muscles hot. I don’t think these designs are done with any larger motive than 'she looks good like this'. But I also kind of think we need to have a conversation about how fandom keeps trying to slot these two characters in a non-heteronormative relationship into heteronormative roles of (feminine) soft, weak, innocent person to be cared for/saved and (masculine) strong, heroic, saviour taking care of them, however unconsciously it’s done.