#worlds most transgender protagonist

[apollos-boyfriend]

artists who give hajime hinata boobs are stronger than any us marine

[favcharacterpoll]

QUARTERFINALS MATCH TWO: CECIL VS. DR. DOOFENSHMIRTZ

Cecil Propaganda:

"Cecil is not only the Tumblr sexyman, he is the first gay protagonist of a podcast that most of us have ever heard. From the very first episode he was unashamedly queer and no one has ever called him out or given him shit for being gay. He is a gay Jewish fashion disaster who is the mouthpiece for an incredibly bizarre town and plays the whole “this horrifying thing is completely normal”thing so well. If Cecil wasn’t there, I think a lot of people wouldn’t have felt so accepted for just being who they were. Cecil is an inspiration and the queer podcast rep we all deserved as we were growing."

"he’s gay. he’s a dilf. he’s ageless. he has been since there’s was nothing and he’s still here after the world ended. he can summon music. his mother is a oracle his father is a tree. his cat is a man who got cursed and also has wings a stinger and poison??? he thinks a tutu and crocs is formal wear and has talked to god and she said ‘I love you. I’m sorry’. he’s definitely guilty of manslaughter from negligence"

"this is the website Night Vale built!"

☠Matt Damon, Eda Clawthorne, LL!ZombieCleo, Aelita Schaeffer, Razputin Aquato, c!Wilbur Soot☠

Dr. Doofenshmirtz Propaganda:

"i wanna rotate him so badly. i want to hold him up like he is my own child. i love this man"

"dr doofenshmirtz is transgender source: trust me"

☠Red, Callie, Percy Jackson, Waymond Wang, Miles Morales☠

[web-novel-polls]

WN Women Bonus Polls #5: Other Danmei

[Propaganda below] - Major Spoilers Warning!

Baili Qingmiao from Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Submission: Her character arc is so good and im so proud of her 🥹 

Additional Propaganda: Baili Qingmiao's story is about breaking out of cycles that trap us in toxic situations. She is the last primordial goddess going through her tribulation, but some asshole thought he'd interfere making him her tribulation. She just wants to help people, but she can't escape her attachment until a bunch of demonic cultivators form a community around her and help her conquer the part of her is sabotaging her and the rest of the world.

DVAWTK Carrd Link 

Bai Rong from Thousand Autumns

Submission: She's funny, pretty, and goes through a great character arc. 

Chu Yue from Global Examination / GUEE / QQGK

Submission: She is the best friend anyone could ever have, and she is compassionate and kind despite the horrible things she's had to endure. She's a vital part in taking down The System (TM). 

Hua Xiangyi from Qiang Jin Jiu

Submission: Surprisingly skillful player in a complicated political arena. Her love interest is her stepdaughter (same age as her). 

Murong Mengze from Yuwu / Remnants of Filth

Submission: 

Okay, this is a tricky one. Major spoilers ahead. Murong Mengze was born biologically male but raised as a woman for her protection by her mother, who used medicine to make Mengze appear female. For most of the novel, Murong Mengze has a female identity and is referred to with female pronouns. At the end of the novel, it seems she is set to reveal herself as a man after taking control of Chonghua, and the narration refers to her with male pronouns at the very end. We don't actually see her unveil herself as a man, though. I'd say that she counts as a transgender woman, but it's okay to disqualify her. Anyway, the real propaganda is that she is an excellent puppeteer, pulling the strings behind the scenes without anyone realizing for a very long time. She controls the kingdom of Chonghua at the end of the novel. 

Wiki Link

Qiu Congxue from Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Submission 1: I haven't finished reading this book yet but Qiu Congxue is just the funniest character to me. her immediate suggestion to any problem is horrific, traumatizing violence and is confused by how this might be inappropriate or undesirable for some people. ultimate problem causer without realizing she might be causing problems. a genius to herself and no one else. she let her body be eaten by hungry ghosts for her cultivation. head intact, body skeletal and she likes it that way. when asked what she should do to interfere with the enemy while undercover in their territory, her sect leader and our protagonist Wenren E replied that her mere presence is enough interference in itself. my stupid queen <3

Submission 2: Skeleton lady full of ghosts (literally). 

DVAWTK Carrd Link

Qi Zhuyin from Qiang Jin Jiu

Submission: Female general in love with her stepmother. Known as the Wind Guiding the Scorching Plains.

Wiki Link

Shu Yanyan from Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Submission: Aroallo queen <3 

DVAWTK Carrd 

Song Qiutong from The Husky and His White Cat Shizun / 2ha

Submission: I just think it would be funny to have her here.

Ye Wangxi from The Husky and His White Cat Shizun / 2ha

“Among the 72 glorious cities of Rufeng Sect, there is not even one man.” - Ye Wangxi, The Husky and His White Cat Shizun, Chapter 215 (Wiki)

Submission: Righteous, dignified, loyal, brave, etc.

Mod Propaganda: The “last gentleman” in Rufeng Sect, according to Taxian-jun, who she fought to the end in the first timeline when the Rufeng Sect leaders had already bailed 

[couldtransitionsaveher]

NEO from THE MATRIX

JUSTIFICATIONS:

"The entire premise of the matrix is an emphatic 'yes' to this question. How are you going to be the protagonist of one of the most famous transgender allegories and NOT be transgender" - Anonymous

"Kinda shocked this hasn’t been submitted yet.

The whole story is a trans allegory. She’s trapped in her life as a white collar worker in a world that has always felt slightly wrong. She moonlights as a hacker, taking on the name “Neo” in place of her given male name. She’s contacted by other people who feel the way she does, and know the way out. They help her escape the Matrix, which turns out to be a false digital world that everyone else is trapped in. The creators and enforcers of that society hunt down and attempt to get rid of people who challenge the status quo (easy parallels to how trans people are oppressed based on how we challenge the cisheteropatriarchy and, by existing, reveal it for what it is: false.) Neo and the other people who’ve escaped from that world try to survive together and rescue other people from the Matrix, in hopes of eventually toppling the whole system.

Also, the Matrix is famously made by trans women, which makes a trans reading more plausible.

AND FINALLY, when i was looking up photos of her to use, I found an article saying that Sandra Bullock was considered for the role. The following quote is from the producer: “‘We went to Sandy Bullock and said ‘We’ll change Neo to a girl,'" Di Bonaventura told the outlet.”

Neo could have easily been a woman!! The only reason why she’s not is that a cis man was cast in the role!" - @thesavagesnakeplant

Reminder: Submissions are always open! Submit here!

Did you make your daily click today?

[bogkeep]

once again bravely attempting to continue my readthrough of Robot Book.

when it's not doing backstory exposition, it's actually not so bad. there's a very fun dynamic between the protagonist and another robot who tried to poach her for parts, and who are now forced to work together. like that's genuinely compelling and i want to see where it goes.

Unfortunately the backstory exposition chapters make me wanna scream into a pillow. the book tries to be smart and clever but is deeply unaware of like... people and dynamics that exist in the real world. it could have done many interesting things with the world building, but it can't, because it wants robots that act and speak like cowboys and talk of god and heaven and hell. that could have worked if it had just handwaved the past away and didn't go into the backstory of how we got here. maybe this whole thing is like an alternative history thing a la fallout where the robot revolution happened in the early 1900ds or something, because at this point it's the only thing that could make sense.

weird backstory thing #1:

so the protag, pre apocalypse, belonged to an old man who dies in his sixties. he had a wife twenty years his junior who he had married twenty years prior, which most people in our world acknowledge as Kinda Creepy and Mayhaps A Red Flag. but okay. then we find out that this wife, while admiring how her husband chose to age, used anti-aging technology on herself so that she looked like a twenty-something year old for the duration of the marriage. it is described as "a gift she gave to her husband" which is such a chillingly creepy sentence it literally gives me goosebumps. it's says her husband never asked for it and also that she was not a type to care about what others think. i think this book is trying to portray this as romantic, that she loved her husband deeply and thought of him often and fondly after her death and never remarried. THIS IS KINDA WEIRD RIGHT. like the way it is presented without zero awareness of real life dynamics is weirding me out. will this be brought up later with sinister implications or are we just accepting this????? time will tell.

weird backstory thing #2

i already complained about the robots choosing to have genders despite the robots also not caring about "human values" anymore. this book is from 2017, so i get that it isn't like, particularly aware of transgender philosophies, but it also Could have been. anyway, there was another passage about Robot Gender. with warning for transphobia:

head in hands. didn't even try.

there's so much interesting commentary ripe for the picking but this book just Doesn't. just will not

[maddiem4]

I think one of the great things about the word "transhumanism" is that it leads you to make interesting connections through the metaphor of the transgender experience. And yet, not enough people take that invitation and run with it!

Like, okay, take the Cyberpunk universe, in the Capital C, CD Projekt Red sense. Kind of a fraught approach to its genre, but we can see that in more detail through the trans lens. People are empowered to customize their bodies in ways that feel better to themselves... but access to these customizations is gatekept by major corporations rather than available through socialized medicine. An underground DIY community exists, which mostly works for people but carries risks. These customizations can carry a cost of lifetime medication dependency, which is easily worth it for a lot of people, but can be a practical problem for (again) access reasons. And there's a lot of people who get upgrades they don't necessarily want because they feel that it's necessary on a practical level to get and keep jobs, which - that's not like the real life trans experience, but you know what it means? This is a forcefem world fantasy, except for a thing that isn't a gender. No wonder it has an "strangely enticing yet profoundly problematic" aura, we've seen that before!

There's a lot to be said here about the changing sense of self, and the sense of self incorporating changes. But I think what I want to talk about is arguably the biggest fumble of the world building - cyber psychosis. The idea that if you replace enough pieces of yourself, you lose your humanity and go insane. This obviously doesn't hold up to questions like "does my psychosis meter go up when I put on glasses or take my vitamins?" It doesn't have to, it's about feelings. There's something very queer respectability politics about the fact that most protagonist characters in this universe are modified, but look down on the people who went "too far." The literal dehumanization of modified people is an ugly thing to canonize as a mechanic of your universe. It's internalized transphobia for the characters and the authors - just, for a thing that isn't a gender.

I think if you really set out to write a transhumanist story about the economic pressure to transition in ways that increase your dysphoria rather than decrease it, you could easily write a better Cyberpunk. That's the power and clarity you get from engaging intentionally with the transgender metaphor. It's not the only connection that makes sense to explore - transhumanism intersects with a lot of topics and that's the intellectual joy of it - but I think you leave a lot of potential on the table if you're not checking in with the transgender allegory at some point in your writing process.

[psychette]

RATING AIB (S1) CHARACTERS (part 1)

HIKARI KUINA : 11/10 - i watched alice in borderland JUST for kuina. transgender characters always give me comfort as a trans person. watched for her, ended both seasons with her STILL as my favorite character. i loved every scene she was in and even watch kuina-specific scenepacks during class or just anywhere i am. also i’m excited for s3 because i’m hoping to see her. a majority of my crashouts were from the idea that she would die.

SHUNTARO CHISHIYA : 9/10 - great character, i love when characters have a cheshire cat personality… or something like that. something about chishiya’s energy feels so unreal. he’s pretty much the most favorited character in the fandom but a majority still mischaracterizes him. i love his dynamic with EVERY character. can you tell i’m in love with platonic kuina x chishiya? they’re literally wlw mlm solidarity!!

RYOHEI ARISU : 8.8/10 - he’s absolutely so adorable ???? his strategic thinking and creative intelligence never fails to captivate me. he looked cute both in the manga and in the series ngl.. his constant motivation to save people, not just himself. crazy how he worked so hard just for a joker card. arisu’s a really great character, i just gave him a 8.8 bc im not VERY interested in protagonists in terms of favoriting characters. he has a high score because of how well written he is, and i live for that!

YUZUHA USAGI : 10/10 - she deserves the WORLD oh my god. i love me a strong climber girl wtf. the second i saw her in the tag game i was crashing out and was so excited when i found out she was going to be a big character for the series. my roman empire was when she was injured but still saved arisu when he was getting manipulated by mira into thinking he was actually a mental hospital patient. yes she has 10/10 cz she’s a woman and im gay. sawry.

DAIKICHI KARUBE : 9.8/10 - yeah sorry he’s my token boyfriend in aib, as a lesbian.. HELP. he was literally so charming i miss him so much come back husband… i know he’s a 9.8 which is shocking as i call him my token bf of aib, i just dont find myself THAT captivated over men most of the time. also bc he only had screentime for the first few episodes + arisu’s flashbacks + the end of s2. still love him over every man in the series.

CHOTA SEGAWA : 7/10 - i see a lot of ppl who like him but don’t even see him as a favorite. he didn’t strike me as much as other characters did but smth about his friendliness and playfulness with his friends really made me think about my own friend group. he was a good friend to arisu and karube, and i would KILL to have a friendship like theirs. he was too sweet for the borderlands. he just wanted to be with his friends

SAORI SHIBUKI : 0/10 - ppl actually miss her ?? i lowkey moved on from her fast lol. she didn’t mean so much to me. also not a big fan of chota x shibuki. chota was literally injured, mentally vulnerable, was still processing what was going on, and was in extreme mental distress because of that. she took advantage of that. i don’t really care if it was consented. her death wasn’t that sad for me. yes, she died with karube and chota but she wasn’t really that special to me lol

SUGURU NIRAGI : 7.5/10 - “his rating shouldn’t be this high!” he got a -3.5 for trying to do hanky panky with usagi twice and yes, it made me uncomfortable. he just has a 7.5 because his character IS well written. the way his brain reacted, how he behaved, how he responded. his quote, “i don’t know if they hated me because i was twisted or i became twisted because they hated me.” really said a lot about him. his hanky panky stuff only shows more depth of his character. and no i don’t excuse it, as i said, it made me uncomfortable to the point i had to take a short break from watching. yet it doesn’t change his archetype, he’s well written, admit it.

LAST BOSS : 4/10 - i love his appearance and dramatic katana sword shit but this man tried killing my girl. fuck u tryna do. 4 is all u is getting. no other words

ANN : 7.5/10 - im sorry guys dont shoot me, i like her and shes super pretty but i literally have nothing else to say except that

TAKERU “HATTER” DANMA : 6/10 - idk man he’s really good i love his whole story stuff with aguni and how his character developed but he also made me uncomfortable at times. plz tell me why the scene where he’s grabbing ass shows up right when im next to my mom. lord save me. still haven’t analyzed him so much but i’ll get into that i swear

AGUNI : 6/10 - same thoughts as hatter. he’s pretty cool ngl. i lowkey thought of him as an asshole bc of that one scene in tag where he doesn’t save his buddy that he just uses for bait unfortunately. also ik this happens in s2 but the thing he had with akane made me so uncomfortable

KODAI TATTA : 3.5/10 - specifically in s1 i really wasn’t interested in him that much, he’s pretty okay. i don’t really care.

[fizzyjesterdemon]

Title: Pride in the Ring: A Punch-Out!! Pride Month Story

Plot Outline:

Introduction:

Little Mac and Doc Louis organize a Pride Month event in the WVBA (World Video Boxing Association) gym, encouraging the boxers to openly express their sexual orientations and gender identities. What starts as a casual idea becomes a deeply personal journey for each boxer, bringing them closer and helping them better understand themselves and each other.

Little Mac (Demisexual):

As the protagonist, Little Mac begins by supporting his fellow boxers in their journeys while quietly reflecting on his own identity. Throughout the story, Mac reveals that he's demisexual—someone who only feels romantic or sexual attraction to people he forms a deep emotional bond with. This resonates with his disciplined, loyal, and focused nature. His journey is about realizing that emotional connections matter more to him than anything else.

Glass Joe (Pansexual):

Glass Joe’s open and fun-loving personality makes him proud to reveal that he is pansexual—attracted to people regardless of gender. He initially worries that no one will take him seriously, but as the story progresses, Joe gains confidence and celebrates his identity with flair, proving that strength isn’t just physical. He shares heartwarming moments with Mac and others as they express their pride together.

Von Kaiser (Transgender, He/Him):

Von Kaiser’s journey is more personal, as he comes out as transgender and reflects on how his strict, disciplined upbringing affected his self-expression. He confides in Doc Louis and Little Mac, who support him wholeheartedly. His story involves moments of vulnerability, but by the end, he stands tall, feeling more aligned with who he truly is.

Disco Kid (Gay):

Disco Kid, with his flamboyant and fun-loving energy, is openly gay and uses Pride Month as a chance to throw the most extravagant parties for the boxers. His story is about self-expression, finding joy in his identity, and helping the more reserved boxers open up. Disco Kid adds humor and sparkle to the group, showing that Pride is about celebrating love and individuality.

King Hippo (Aromantic):

King Hippo's revelation is that he’s aromantic, meaning he doesn’t experience romantic attraction but still deeply values his friendships and bonds with the other boxers. His story is about explaining that there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to relationships, and that platonic love is just as powerful. The boxers are supportive, realizing that friendship is at the heart of their camaraderie.

Bear Hugger (Bisexual):

Bear Hugger shares that he’s bisexual, revealing that he’s been quietly navigating this part of his identity for years. His plotline explores his gentle nature and love for everyone, regardless of gender, reflecting his deep connection to nature and people. Bear Hugger’s acceptance by the others helps solidify the theme of openness and respect for all types of love.

Aran Ryan (Nonbinary, They/Them):

Aran Ryan’s journey is about discovering and embracing their nonbinary identity, going by they/them pronouns. Known for their chaotic energy, they initially joke about it, but eventually reveal the depth behind their identity. The others realize that behind Aran’s wild personality is someone who’s been searching for acceptance. Their story involves moments of vulnerability, as they bond with the other boxers while staying true to themselves.

Soda Popinski (Questioning):

Soda Popinski has always kept his feelings close to his chest, but during Pride Month, he admits that he’s questioning his sexuality. His story is about exploration and understanding that it’s okay to not have all the answers. With support from the group, he opens up to new experiences and perspectives, eventually realizing that self-discovery is a lifelong journey.

Super Macho Man (Queer):

Super Macho Man comes out as queer, embracing his flamboyant, over-the-top persona. His storyline delves into the duality of being a public figure who’s proud of his identity while also dealing with societal expectations of masculinity. Super Macho Man teaches the others that pride is about owning who you are, no matter what others think.

Don Flamenco (Gay, Feminine-Identifying):

Don Flamenco, already known for his flair and grace, reveals that he’s a gay man who loves expressing his femininity. His story is one of acceptance, not just from others, but from himself. He navigates stereotypes about masculinity and femininity, showing that one can be both graceful and strong. His blossoming relationship with another boxer, perhaps someone unexpected like Disco Kid, adds a romantic subplot to the story.

Mr. Sandman (Ally):

As a powerful figure in the WVBA, Mr. Sandman uses Pride Month to express his unwavering support as an ally. His journey involves learning more about the boxers' identities and educating himself on LGBTQ+ issues. Though he doesn't identify as part of the community, he becomes a fierce advocate for everyone’s right to live authentically.

Climax: The WVBA Pride Parade

As the boxers bond over their experiences, they decide to host a Pride parade in the streets of New York, celebrating not just with each other, but with the wider community. Each boxer dresses in a way that reflects their identity, and they participate in a grand float, symbolizing unity in diversity. Mac leads the parade, proudly carrying the Pride flag, and the event is a huge success, with the boxers supporting and celebrating one another.

Resolution:

The story wraps up with the boxers reflecting on how much they’ve learned about themselves and each other. They continue their training and boxing matches with a renewed sense of purpose and acceptance, knowing that they’re all part of a larger, loving community. Pride Month ends, but their bonds are stronger than ever, proving that in and out of the ring, they’re champions of love, acceptance, and unity.

Themes:

Identity & Self-Acceptance: Each boxer’s journey highlights their individual struggle with and acceptance of their gender or sexual identity.

Camaraderie & Support: The story emphasizes the importance of friendship and community in embracing and supporting one another’s identities

Celebration of Diversity: The boxers show that diversity makes their community stronger, reflecting the true spirit of Pride Month.

This plot allows each character to shine in their own way, offering heartfelt moments of self-discovery while still maintaining the fun and energetic tone of Punch-Out!!.

[huntermanor]

'Barbie' is a transgender masterpiece

I'm going to go away from my usual clown related content for this post, but i've watched Barbie twice now, and aside from the movie painting a beautiful portrait about men's rol in feminism as well as reivindicating being a mother is ok, the movie has proven to be a transgender masterpiece in many ways, just like Barbie as a figure! Buckle up because this is going to be a long, long post.

For startes, fashion dolls, and specifically Barbie as the most important of them, has been a queer icon more than a feminist icon. Feminism has distanced itself from Barbie as a figure because her representation of womanhood was faulty (something i disagree on, since Barbie was a powerful successful woman who didn't let that make her not be interested in fashion and other feminine hobbies and interests!!), but the queer community has, i feel, a different appreciation for Barbie as a character and doll. Gay men, drag queens and transfemme folks mostly share memories of playing with Barbie and dreaming, via the doll, about the lifes we could have as adults. Barbie was a very important role for many drag queens who loved the glamour and fashion, it helped gay men relate to female friends who where more friendly and safe (usually although not always) than other boys, and it helped us trans women and femme enby folks to distance ourselves from the masculinity society tried to force on us. Barbie has also proven to be an icon for lesbians since, i mean, nobody ever bought a Ken doll, and even for some trans men who used Barbie dolls transitioned into boy dolls to enact heteroromantic fantasies! The union between Barbie and feminism is a faulty one, and i can't blame the feminist movement for it, but the relationship between Barbie and the queer community is very real and strong. It's no surprise that many trans women and drag queens use the term 'doll' to refer to themselves, or that Ken has always been a sort of feminine and, let's be honest, queer man.

So how is the new Greta Gerwig Barbie movie transgender ? Well, Barbie herself, as a protagonist, is such a real transfemme experience! Barbie moves from Barbieland to the real world, learning what it really is to be a woman in the real life world of California, much like many trans women have to look at the world around them to learn and internalize their new lifes at the beginning of their transitions. Barbie also says, explicitly, that she doesn't have a vagina, or genitals, and by the end of the movie she decides to turn into a human, and goes to her gynecologist, which implies she went from not having a vagina to having one. Isn't this the most trans thing ever ?? Of course there are some problematic implications in this reading of the movie, because Barbie turns into 'a real woman' and gets a vagina, which is not what being a real woman is, but i also think this is a very powerful messaging. Consider also some minor details like the fact the color palette used for Barbie is one with blue and white added to her always bright Barbie Pink, which isn't odd since Barbie has used this combo before, but it cannot be a coincidence. Barbie going from a hyperfeminine woman to a more laidback woman is also very parallel to a lot of trans women's experiences, since many of us behave and are hyperfeminine from an early stage in our transitions because of dysphoria but then we become more comfortable in ourselves and realize that we don't own anyone hyperfemininity (even though i am, still, a hyperfeminine woman, but it's more in my own terms of femininity!!) Of course, we also have Hari Neff, a trans actress, as a Barbie in Barbieland, which is amazing, and in one scene we see that, in the Mattel headquarters, there's a small transgender sign in the wall, which is subtle, but still there.

This movie has so many queer undertones and experiences, showing Ken dolls that were queer coded in the market like Magic Ring Ken and also proving how patriarchal relationships between men are very homoerotic in a way, which is shown in how Ken interacts with other Kens and viceversa. Weird Barbie is also a very much queer character, being played by a lesbian actress, and i feel like the movie is so campy and has such an aesthetic that reminds us of queer movies like But I'm a Cheerleader. We also have to aknowledge the references to big queer favourite and queer films like Matrix and Wizard of Oz. I think this reading of the movie is definetly plausible and i hope to hear some of your thoughts!

[corpsentry]

there’s something so epic about hetero chinese period dramas and i think one part of it is that there is absolutely nowhere in the narrative i could exist.

lately i’ve been on a western media detox— i’ve cleaned english language music out of my playlists and have never been able to stomach western dramas anyway, so that part is easy— which might seem funny, because if i’m in singapore and i hate it and i won’t touch american music then what’s left? the answer is the false binarism of chinese period dramas, at least for me. the badly written ones are misogynistic and stupid and the better ones are less of those things, but regardless the world that emerges is clean-cut and easy to parse. there’s someone to root for and someone to hate. there’s a girl and a boy. there’s the comedy and the drama, the sheer thick drama, the music that signals to you precisely how to feel before the scene even starts going

try to jam a fifth culture transnational transgender they/them with 2 mental illness and 1 autoimmune disease into this world and it simply doesn’t work. and that’s kinda epic lolzers! it’s like watching high fantasy, or super hardcore sci-if. it both represents a simulacrum of the real world and is so far from the reality you know that you understand it as a hypothetical universe, one that disincludes you on principle. i exclude myself from the story and in doing so fangfei from moyuyunjian’s steely gaze becomes all the more important. i give so many shits and laugh and yell and spectate. but i am safe from the eyes of its inhabitants. if i entered the story it would break. so i sit outside of it, clapping by myself

in other news, we gave up on mysterious lotus casebook 16 episodes in. there are many character archetypes in these shows that i can no longer stand; the salacious sexy seductive supervillain lady is not necessarily one of them but the way they did miss ‘this man didn’t even Look at me when all men fall at my knees so i hated him’ ‘no one is allowed to steal buttchin from me’ jiao was way up there. surely a woman can have multiple personality traits and yet you would think from this drama that that is not at all true. and the strange harem that grew around li lianhua despite his absolute loser attitude— like i get it, he’s the gintoki of this show, that’s hot, but the way the women who were into him were written made me want to Eat Horse. it bothered me that di feisheng and lianhua’s homo as fuck dynamic was so intriguing and them + fang duobing was a winning trio but all the women in the show were written like complete fucking ass, and one of the big antagonists being a woman, the stakes throughout were not only lost to me but also Pissed Me Off. also, that case about the corpse flowers dragged on forever and all my pocky wilted

I Just Think, women deserve better in these damn stories. make them slutty as hell, sure, but make them other things too and i mean this in the most generous sense. slutty and proud. slutty and weird. slutty and oblivious. literally anything at all so they don’t come out cardboard flat from all angles. this is why i have a personal vendetta against the ditzy clueless female protagonist as well because if everything stems from the fact that she doesn’t know shit it’s like please someone Please tell her shit i’m on my hands and knees begging. give her more to chew on she’s dying of boredom over there

this is why i liked the so called antagonist of blossoms in adversity best (spoilers ahead). he was cruel as hell to huazhi and gu yanxi’s only parental figure. he was paranoid and selfish and lonely and craved a son’s love from the one person he couldn’t hold onto. in the end he is pushed further and further by huazhi, who won’t give in, to isolate yanxi from the people he loves and to lash out at those people as a way of punishing yanxi. and when he dies it’s because of his own distrust, his own negligent parenting, his absent cruelty from decades of insomnia and lack of faith in his people. but he cries for yanxi, and there’s something so human about that. to think of evil not as a first principle but rather an adjective for a verb that is set in motion by other events. to be honest, i haven’t seen such thoughtful writing in any chinese period drama before or after that and i strongly suspect i will never see such writing again in this genre but man, it was so fucking good (spoilers end).

in the meantime, i’ve dragged my mother to moyuyunjian/the double for the return casting of liu xiening and wang xingyue who are Eating so hard. they’ve got wang xingyue done up with the sluttiest makeup and liu xiening is breaking my heart with her pout and her Sassy Mean constitution and this is a revenge story, yes, but it’s a double revenge story. it’s a grief story. and fangfei is carrying more on her shoulders than lingbuyi imo, and doing so with much more grace too. her step mom’s a dick but she’s a smart, 5d chess playing dick who wears hot shades of green so i’m personally interested enough to keep watching (something lotus casebook DID NOT accomplish with their epic female antagonist…. mein gotte). and the princess too. unhinged as hell but god, so charismatic. and beautiful, with scary big eyes and the sweetest head tilt. fun fun fun! that’s fun character writing right there. the comedy might be too straightforward for my tastes but everything else is kind of hot and sexy And after the coming of age ceremony when jiangli appeared amidst the flowers i felt my throat close up even though we saw her for all of one (1) episode). i was like yes. they got me alright. i Care now

really that’s all that matters isn’t it. we want stories about people we care for. we want to give a shit. why else would we listen to the stories of other people. we are looking for us and the people we love in them

oh also moyuyunjian soundtrack goes hard as hell i love a little three step waltz. here’s a pic from the ‘gym’ for ur time. guten night

[brandyschillace]

Book Birthday!

The Framed Women of Ardemore House

Today’s the day! This has been a long journey; I’m a historian who writes about social justice most of the time (with an upcoming book on interwar transgender history). I’m also non-binary and autistic, so representation means SO MUCH. I think many of us here have been following GoodOmens (congrats on the big win!) and OFMD, stories that give us sensitive and celebrated diversity. GO, in particular, made me feel ‘seen’ at a critical time in my life. This is my first fiction, book one of a series, and I wanted to show some of what it’s like to navigate the world as neurospicy—but without the cliche or stigma. If mystery fiction is your jive, I hope you will think about reading!

Autistic protagonist determined to be herself

Strong women characters, LGBTQ characters, disability representation

Murder in the manor

Dual POV

Double mysteries

Gothic elements and literary Easter eggs

A sharp, savvy mystery about an autistic editor who inherits a crumbling English estate, only to find herself at the center of a murder investigation when a family portrait vanishes and a dead body turns up.

[favcharacterpoll]

ROUND 5 MATCH 5: RAZ VS. CECIL

Razputin Aquato from Psychonauts 2 faces Cecil Palmer from Welcome to Night Vale. Who do you like more?

Raz Propaganda:

"autism"

"I'm literally trans and stole this man's name that's enough propaganda in my opinion"

"vote raz NOW he's my special little son who's suffered more than jesus he is literally autistic and transgender."

"RAZ MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE PSYCHIC ACROBAT CHILD WITH A DEEP KINDNESS SASS AND MILD PYROMANIA HOW I ADORE THEE"

"RAZ NEEDS LOVE HE'S OUT THERE IN THE FIELDS THERAPYING YOUR DADDY ISSUES WITH EMPATHY AND KINDNESS"

"RAZ FIGHTS GENERATIONAL TRAUMA INCARNATE DESPITE BEING NEURODIVERGENT A MINOR AND TRANS"

Cecil Propaganda:

"Cecil is not only the Tumblr sexyman, he is the first gay protagonist of a podcast that most of us have ever heard. From the very first episode he was unashamedly queer and no one has ever called him out or given him shit for being gay. He is a gay Jewish fashion disaster who is the mouthpiece for an incredibly bizarre town and plays the whole “this horrifying thing is completely normal”thing so well. If Cecil wasn’t there, I think a lot of people wouldn’t have felt so accepted for just being who they were. Cecil is an inspiration and the queer podcast rep we all deserved as we were growing."

"he’s gay. he’s a dilf. he’s ageless. he has been since there’s was nothing and he’s still here after the world ended. he can summon music. his mother is a oracle his father is a tree. his cat is a man who got cursed and also has wings a stinger and poison??? he thinks a tutu and crocs is formal wear and has talked to god and she said ‘I love you. I’m sorry’. he’s definitely guilty of manslaughter from negligence"

[bloomdigital]

🧐 GLAAD's first annual gaming report confirms what we already know, it's time to level up LGBTQ gaming experiences.

According to GLAAD's new gaming report, despite 17% of gamers identifying as LGBTQ, only 2% of games on the market contain LGBTQ content. *slams laptop shut*

Here's some additional findings:

LGBTQ players, especially those under 35, are drawn to games for self-expression, experimentation, and escape.

The survey indicates that 72% of LGBTQ players feel better about themselves when characters of their gender identity or sexual orientation are portrayed well.

More than 40% of LGBTQ players use video games to cope with a lack of acceptance in the real world.

Transgender content faces the most resistance among respondents, with 63% more likely to buy a game with a bisexual, gay, or lesbian protagonist compared to 46% for a transgender main character.

At Bloom, we believe that the stories we share say a lot about who we are; as individuals, and as a society. As we’ve seen all around the world, the stories we tell are a battleground for freedom, whether that’s freedom to figure out your identity, learn about the lives of others, or to create a kinder and more loving world.

We made it this far on our own, but now we are reaching out to our community to get us to the finish line. 

Back us on Kicksarter and help us complete a new season of LongStory, a carefully crafted LGBTQIA dating sim.

[couldtransitionsaveher]

EMIYA SHIROU from FATE STAY/NIGHT

JUSTIFICATIONS:

"There's a couple of moments through various mediums that Shirou shows she's an egg. On many occasions, the female characters around her make her apart of their outings, for one reason or another. She's one of the girls and she deserves to be happy. She's even through so much." - Anonymous

"She's the most trans coded protagonist in the history of the world. In the first of the three routes of Fate Stay/Night, she falls in love with another trans woman who is explicitly stated not to be into men. In the others, she once again ends up in a relationship with women for whom she is the "one exception" to not being into men. She has fucked up ideas about gender roles given to her by her dad that are deconstructed before her eyes throughout the entire VN. The way she's so naturally at home surrounded by her girl best friends while every conversation with a man is a contest or combat. The fact that her future self is a miserable man who explicitly tells her to let go of the things her father taught her about herself so she can be happy. Like, how much more blatant can it get. She's the most pre-realization transgender autism lesbian of all time." - Anonymous

Reminder: Submissions are always open!

[justinssportscorner]

Marca:

An enormous controversy has been unleashed on social networks after in the middle of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games a group of 'drag queens' made a parody of the iconic image of 'The Last Supper' and comments of all kinds were made. They were met by very important people in France and the world. Two men joining their lips, 'drag queens' recreating a Last Supper, a transgender model, that was what it was at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, that included references to the LGBTQ+ community, which upset part of the French extreme right. During the inauguration of the 2024 Olympic Games there were several moments in which people from the LGBEQ+ community were protagonists with the organization's intention to show diversity and inclusion in the most important sporting event on the planet.

[...]

The controversy that emerged continued

However, in a final image, a group of people 'recreated' 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci and this generated a lot of annoyance on the part of thousands of people around the world as it was one of the most iconic moments of Jesus Christ. The most striking moment was an artistic painting titled "Festivity" that began with the image of a group sitting at a table, in which were several famous 'drag queens' (Nicky Doll, Paloma or Piche, the latter recognizable by its blonde beard). The staging made one think of the last supper of Jesus Christ with his apostles.

A group of drag queen performers made a parody of The Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and that has right-wing entitled Karens and Kens clutching their pearls to spew out anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-drag venom.

Their faux outrage over the performance is just another chapter of the right's anti-drag and anti-LGBTQ+ moral crusades.

[dragon-appreciator-fray]

Story Review - Sun Spoken Turn

I'm actually kind of an emotional mess right now from reading some of the latest chapters to this story.

Put this on the top of your reading list or just read it now.

This is the most beautiful story I have ever read and I can't believe I'm dating the writer.

I have just finished looping a few story threads from the very beginning. Chapter 89 is about as good a place as I can think of to sit down and write a review for any newcomers.

Sun Spoken Turn has delivered on everything that I have ever wanted in a sprawling fantasy story. I have always hoped a story with a transgender protagonist would come around to step into a well realized setting and find reasons to navigate the world's many traumas beyond their own. Despite everything, this story's protagonist decides to take on the burden of trying to make things a little better for everyone in a way that extends their own perspective to even the most insufferable and cruel. There are people in this setting who have used their power and sway to keep the world in the state it is in, who would rather burn people as more efficient fuel than wood to maintain the status quo.

And now that we're past that confrontation point, a little into Arc 3, this story is showing promise that it is only going to get better from here by looping itself and its themes in such wonderful ways.

Dear Prospective Readers,

I want to invite you into following the path that this story offers up. There is so much that I can show you, and so much more meaning that you will find and embrace than what has reduced me to a bumbling mess of tears wanting better for the characters who have sunk to the same depths as I.

But if were to be brief, the most glowing recommendation I can give you is this: A lot of what I adore about this narrative can be found in how this author handles heavy content that can eat characters and readers alive... without wasting anyone.

This story heavily features characters who need to figure themselves out. So when our protagonist starts out as an understandably fumbling little thing. I ask only that you understand that this is someone who has had their entire life planned out for them.

Our protagonist gets a little magical change as a shard of something old, bitter, and unpleasant gets the opportunity to read their life like a book before burrowing its way into their dreams. Within moments, this city has lost one more of its precious few breeding males.

Taken in by a chance meeting with a kind cast of some of the most endearing strangers to walk the paths between settlements, our protagonist has a lot to adapt to. And I really encourage you to be patient with her. Beyond her own traumas, there are histories, injustices, and misunderstandings of this world to uncover that stretch back an uncomfortable amount of time that will be peeled back in layers and constantly revisited with fresh perspectives.

But how we solve the problems we face now really matter.

They are going to snowball into how we treat others who we think will carry the same wounds but constantly surprise us with what this world has done to them. (For both good and ill. Gosh, there are as many heartwarming surprises as there are heartbreaking ones.)

So much of this story is learning out to take care of ourselves and each other despite encountering the unexpected. To give fairly spoiler free examples - surprise encounters with someone's family and the past constantly catching up to us. Sometimes it is the same past on multiple occasions. At some point you have to turn around and deal with it.

At other times it is important to get away, to have uncomfortable conversations with people you trust. But all of this serves to build a strong support structure for when you must confront people you can't trust and sometimes words just aren't enough. And then there are the rare moments. Moments where you can prove everyone wrong and say the right words to heal wounds that have festered for countless years.

There are also cute birds, crabs, and monsters that constantly remind me how much I adore how well this author uses every actor in its setting to deepen your appreciation for what it is like to live in this world. 

But I've gone on long enough.

You've your own path to walk from this point onward.

While I can't dictate where that path will take you, I can assure you that this is your life to live.

But if I could make one recommendation, I encourage you to allow this story's many lovely girls to sweep you off your feet.

Anyway here's an alternative link to another site. (If this review isn't gay enough for you, you can read the back and forth comments the author and I left each other on Royal Road deep into the night. At some point I took those comments to patreon, and a few months after that I just started whispering my feedback directly into the author's ear. When you get to Weight of Broken Promises, my comments moved to scribblehub... but that was such a cathartic moment for me to have inspired this author to push the themes of this story as hard and raw as they get.)