https://www.tumblr.com/squaloropera/749207242108256256/hey-ask-me-about-the-inherent-heteronormativity-of?source=share
Okay explain because I'm interested
Oh thank god. You will regret this.
Now, the first thing to do here is to explain exactly what I mean by ‘top/bottom’ discourse. What I’m referring to, specifically, is people arguing over fictional characters (usually) and their preferred positions in penetrative sex. These characters being gay, almost exclusively. Pretty fucked up, but now that we have that point of reference, I can explain better.
Now, there is no inherent heteronormativity in thinking a character prefers to bottom or top, but the discourse here is usually where the problem lies. First of all, roles of ‘top’ and ‘bottom’ aren’t exclusive. A top can bottom, a bottom can top, there is no set rule. Thinking anything otherwise dangerously borders on ‘____ is the girl of the relationship cause he only ever takes’ territory. This is the heart of this heteronormativity claim.
In general, this discourse will be in the comments of any fanart or fanfiction of a gay fictional pairing that happens to be sexual. Usually, you’ll find at least a few comments of ‘Nooooooooo, ____ totally tops!’ and with the expectation that said character should always be the more sexually dominant one, even if there’s no penetrative sex being displayed and the word ‘top’ is being used to refer to sexual dominance.
The core of this discourse is never actually about the actual meaning of ‘top’ and ‘bottom’, but in fact the words are being used in place of ‘the girl’ and ‘the guy’. If you replace ‘____ is the bottom!’ with ‘____ Is the girl in the relationship!’ it suddenly makes the comment make sense, and also reveals the sinister nature of top/bottom discourse.
I hope this was coherent, lol.
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The Boys episode 2x3, minutes 54-56 are my butchie roman empire.
Why, you might ask? I have no time to take screencaps.
1. Butcher puts away the piece of paper that can lead him to Becca.
This isn't him giving up on her, no. But it's an acknowledgement that Butcher both is powerless to reach her right now, and that he has other responsibilities in his life—responsibilities he's been neglecting for her sake.
2. He moves over to the couch, sitting right next to Hughie. It's a big couch. Why you sitting so close, homie? ✨gay✨ He does sit down, and then lean just a little bit closer into Hughie's space.
3. number 2 was mostly a shitpost. The look they share immediately afterwards is not. This is 15 seconds of looking between the two of them, with prolonged eye contact in the middle.
Butcher is looking at Hughie like he matters, like he's someone worth comforting and saving. Like he's also a priority in Butcher's life—one worthy of competing with Becca (as implied by him symbolically putting her away).
Meanwhile, Hughie is looking up at Butcher, and for the first time all season, seeing legitimate care and camaraderie staring back at him.
Let's not mince words: The Boys is a very straight-leaning show.
The queer representation skews Sapphic (thus palatable to the more conservative fans), and the Achillean representation is almost entirely villains. Frenchie is a bisexual man, and that's valid—but the narrative only places importance on his romantic relationships with women. There was even the perfect opportunity for a MMF polycule, which they subverted with labeling the other man Frenchie's best friend.
So, when it comes to queer Achillian ships on The Boys, there's going to be a lack of narrative intent (at least there has been thus far). But hey, that simply allows us to analyze these more sparse scenes and enjoy what we can get out of them.
Do I want more Achillean rep? Yeah. But I'm not expecting apples from a lemon tree, here. If it happens, I'll be pleasantly surprised.
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Hi, sorry if it's late, but can I ask for your persoal top favorite queer books and (maybe) your top fav fanfiction (from any fandom but your all time fav)? Thanks so much.....
Also why do you think mlm or wlw romance is more interesting than mlw (het) romance?
Feel free if you want to ignore the last ask, thanks for your blog....
Why do I personally enjoy gay romances to het ones? Preference and taste probably. I also tend to enjoy the angst, longing, tropes, passion, etc in the way its written more than I do in the ways those things are written between a straight couple. And that's not to say I don't enjoy straight romances either! I have plently of het ships I love too, and a few good romances that aren't gay 😂 I just have a preference, and that's okay! As for recommendations!! I have a LOTS! If you want to tell me about what YOU like to read, I can give even better recs. But for in general, some of my favorites...
I have posts about QUITE A FEW here already that you can check out (please do)!:
^ you'll find queer characters in most of the lists of recs honestly at least somewhere. BUT I do have posts specific for Sapphic, Achillian and Ace recs there. So start there!
I'll also throw in that I'm recently quite obsessed with fantasy Sapphics with swords in my books lately! So books like "The Jasmine Throne." "This is How You Lose The Time War." "Priory of the Orange Tree." "Gideon the Ninth." "Girls of Paper and Fire" and "Legends and Lattes."
Come back for me if you want more!
And some of my favorite fics (of various fandoms! Exciting!) In no particular order, I'll link a few for you!
That Isn't Nothing by Taekookschanbaek
(I KNOW OKAY, in my defense I didn't realize the authors name until AFTER I read and loved the fic lmfao but it IS SO good, I promise lol)
Fandom: All For The Game
Ship: Andrew x Neil
Summary: "A look into the lives of pro exy players Andrew Minyard and Neil Josten. The world says they hate each other, but when Andrew gets transferred to Neil's team, their teammates begin seeing something else between them."
In Which Neil is a PR Nightmare by CoverYourEyes
Fandom: All For The Game
Ship: Andrew x Neil
Summary: "Eve was not the best person in the world. Sometimes she didn’t hold the elevator open when she saw people rushing to catch it from the other side of the lobby. Cutting the line at Starbucks was a semi-regular action. But Eve did not deserve to be Neil fucking Josten's publicist.
**********
Or, the one where Neil does what he wants, picks fights with reporters, discovers Twitter, breaks the internet, and really shouldn't be allowed out of his house. Andrew does nothing to discourage him."
The Men In Apartment 22B by jjmash
Fandom: All For The Game
Ship: Andrew x Neil
Summary: "Andrew and Neil's new neighbors are extremely confused about the two mysterious men in 22B. Are they dating? Are they in the mafia? Are they rival assassins who've fallen in love? As always, the truth is stranger than fiction."
Blame It On My Youth by youreyestheyglow
(Locked fic, you need an account. This fic is THICK but it's by far one of the best Andriel fics I've ever read or just in general. SO GOOD and so emotional and so sweet and so cute)
Fandom: All For The Game
Ship: Andrew x Neil
Summary: "10 years after the end of The King's Men, Andrew and Neil have decided to foster a kid. They have low expectations for themselves--they're not exactly ideal parenting material--but at the very least, the kid will be safe with them. But neither Andrew nor Neil do temporary very well.
Full disclosure: highly character-driven, minimally plot-driven."
(Wangxian and MDZS IS my newest hyperfixation and I love the juniors dynamics fics so much lol)
The One-Body Problem by metisket
Fandom: MDZS
Ship: Wei Ying x Lan Zhan
Summary: "The good news is that Lan Jingyi has found a mentor, friend, and constant companion through the difficulties in life.
The bad news is that that’s because he’s been accidentally possessed by the Yiling Patriarch."
Operation Old Men by Chiharu
Fandom: MDZS
Ship: Wei Ying x Lan Zhan
Summary: "An ill-fated parent teacher conference reunites Jin Ling's wayward uncle with Sizhui's father. AKA: A matchmaking disaster as told by Jin Ling, Sizhui, and Jingyi."
And Time Is But A Paper Moon by Sami
Fandom: MDZS
Ship: Wei Ying x Lan Zhan
Summary: ""Zewu-Jun. You once told me about a house surrounded by gentians, where you visited once a month, and how Lan Zhan still waited there, even when the door no longer opened."
Xichen feels light-headed. He feels shocked, and angry. He has never told anyone such a thing, but Lan Zhan is giving Xichen a look of utter betrayal.
"You told him?" Lan Zhan whispers. "When?"
Wei Wuxian takes Lan Zhan's hand. "About twenty years from now."
*******
Wei Wuxian starts again from the beginning."
(the first time) he kissed a boy by buzzcut__season
Fandom: Sk8 The Infinity
Ship: Langa x Reki
Summary: "Reki is insecure about his lack of kissing experience. Langa just wants to help him feel like he's good enough, even if teaching Reki to kiss means breaking his own heart."
The Gambler by MooeyDooey
Fandom: Sk8 The Infinity
Ship: Joe x Cherry
Summary: "Joe and Cherry run into a problem. Conspiracy theories have started to surface in some fan forums of "S" that the two of them are secretly dating one another.
Both of them agree that the idea is absurd, but can't agree on which one of them would be the better boyfriend if they actually were dating. So they decide to have a competition, to see who can be the better romantic partner when pitted up against one another."
The One Where Nico Has 30 Boyfriends by a_million_stars
Fandom: PJO
Ship: Will x Nico
Summary: "“Seriously? Me and Lester?” Nico looked ready to kill him. “If you keep speaking to me I think I’m going to throw up.”
Or, a new friend from college desperately tries to figure out who Nico's secret boyfriend is. He messes up. A lot. If only Nico didn't have so many weirdly close friends from high school."
Burgundy (not Maroon) by Eggplant_Crusader
Fandom: Wednesday
Ship: Wednesday x Enid
Summary: "They're driving each other insane. It can't last. One of these days, one of them will surely kill the other. Enid wants to avoid that. Wednesday can't wait."
Like Everything Glows by Annie_Vi
(One of the only people I'll read RPS fics from. Everything this woman writes is gold, this is my favorite though, and the first i read of hers)
Fandom: BTS
Ship: Jimin x Jungkook
Summary: "Jeon Jeongguk watches the sun rise and set on the water every day without wondering what may lie far beneath the surface. One nighttime walk along the beach upheaves his entire life, sending his human morals into a tailspin as he questions what his beliefs really are."
(I need more shows with good wlw ships that have good fics too!! If anyone has any good recs, send them my way!! Also there are so many good fics I've read that i realized i never bookmarked and now i cant remember what they are. Lesson learned. Bookmark everything! Thanks for the ask!!)
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HII <33
You asked me one so I'll return the favour!
For the ask game, Octavius if you don't mind :D
HI KIT!! octy my beloved oogh
Sexuality Headcanon: achillian
Gender Headcanon: agender (he always forgets what the labels are called tho)
A ship I have with said character: jedtavius (duh)
A BROTP I have with said character: octy & lance (i think their dynamic would be funny. lance is like cocky and oblivious and oct is like "mmmmennn........")
A NOTP I have with said character: lance x oct, its funny but also i hate it a lot
A random headcanon: if he was a regular sized person he would really like those big jawbreaker orb things
General Opinion over said character: i am putting him in my pocket and running away
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