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hellomynameisbisexual · 1 year

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“I’m not even sure bisexuality exists. I think it’s just a layover on the way to Gaytown,” Carrie Bradshaw famously said in the offensive, misinformed 1998 episode of Sex and the City in which she dates a bisexual man. These words are still painfully seared into my brain. How could a sex columnist, a character written predominantly by gay men, have such a limited view of queer identity? Nearly ten years later, a 2016 episode of HBO dramedy Insecure sees Molly (Yvonne Orji) finding out that the man she’s seeing, Jared, nonchalantly had a sexual encounter with another man. After exposing her biphobia to her friends, another character declares Jared to be gay. Ultimately, Molly and Carrie both decide, despite the chemistry and their attraction, that they could not get past their own compulsory monosexuality to continue dating a bisexual man. Why does television, a medium primed for long-form character development and storytelling, continuously fail at representing bisexual men?

Twenty-five years after that infamous Sex and the City scene, bisexuality (for the purposes of this piece, I am using bisexuality as a term that encompasses all people with the capacity to be attracted to more than one gender, including those who identify as bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and more) on television has made significant strides—from young-adult programming like Euphoria, Riverdale, and Gossip Girl, to adult dramas like Game of Thrones, The Magicians, and obviously, The Bisexual. Bisexuality is no longer relegated to a very-special episode, and is slowly leaving the realm of bad, misinformed jokes. According to GLAAD’s 2021-2022 Where We Are on TV report, queer representation on television is at an all-time high. After two consecutive years of decreases, bisexual representation increased by one percent over last year: nine non-binary characters, 124 women, and sadly, only 50 men. Fifty may seem like a solid number at the outset, but consider the quality of these representations. Aside from a few stand-out examples, like Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) on Netflix’s much-loved Heartstopper, many are relegated to supporting and recurring characters, at best, and stuck in tropes, at worst.

Maria San Filippo is an associate professor at Emerson College whose research focuses on screen media’s intersections with gender and sexuality. In 2013, she published The B Word: Bisexuality in Contemporary Film and Television, a pathbreaking monograph on the state of bisexual representation in both mediums. “Bisexuality was only beginning to be central and recurring, rather than peripheral and episodically one-off or short-lived,” she said over email. “Bisexuality’s representational legibility has been expanded; it’s less easily deniable as ‘just a phase’ when bisexuality becomes an ongoing character trait.”

Broadly speaking, on-screen storytelling has struggled to construct bisexuality in ways that reach beyond the word landing at the butt of jokes or framed through the lens of disgust and abjection. Nowhere does it fail bisexuals more than television, a site of endless discursive possibilities. Television’s long-form narrative offers unique opportunities to watch sexuality unfold over time, but rather than exploring and showcasing every permutation of bisexuality, bi men on television are far and few between.

“Bi+ male representation has always been the biggest challenge,” San Filippo said. “Bisexuality threatens heteropatriarchy and phallic authority, and so must be hidden or, if acknowledged, desexualized and disparaged through mockery or else hypersexualized as in porn (and even then bisexuality is rebranded as ‘gay for pay’).” She said it’s not unlike the uncommon sight of male frontal nudity on screen, which she explores in her 2021 book, Provocauteurs and Provocations. “Dan Levy’s character David on Schitt’s Creek is one high-profile example of recurring, more nuanced male bi+ representation,” she said. “We need more.”

The phallic authority, as San Filippo calls it, is not as threatened when it comes to the representation of bisexual women characters, who were more than double as numerous in the 2021-2022 television season. Nate Shu, a bisexual comedian based in Boston who spoke with me over Zoom, suggests that feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey’s work on patriarchal ideologies in film still applies here. Mulvey’s seminal 1975 essay, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” uses a psychoanalytic lens to look at the way women have been depicted in film primarily for the pleasure of the male viewer. She coined this theory the male gaze.

“Lesbian and bisexual characters are more attainable when they’re female because there’s something for male viewers to hold on to,” he said. “A bisexual woman is still an attainable woman to a straight man, whereas a bisexual man is both a threat and an anomaly.”

These conventions are sewn into the fabric of on-screen storytelling, a part of the canon of cinema that queer storytellers are working hard to reform. But despite this hard work, bisexual stories are still too-often made palatable to viewers through a handful of storytelling tropes: the coming out story, reasserting the status quo of a relationship or identity, or hinting at a character’s dishonesty or shiftiness (it pains me to bring it up, but Frank Underwood on House of Cards is a great example here).

The CW’s 2015 musical-dramedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend showcased one of the more fleshed-out bisexual men on television, Darryl Whitefeather, played by Peter Gardner. His unapologetic musical sequence on how he’s “Gettin’ Bi” was an audacious and refreshing moment for a middle-aged character embracing his sexuality—despite his entire storyline being framed around coming out. We tend to see these coming out narratives again and again, to the point where it begins to feel like viewer manipulation. The coming out scene will only lead to the catharsis of Heartbreaker-level tears if it feels earned through a character’s arc of self-suppression and pain. However, the gay blueprint has already been established, and thus the coming out story is relatable and palatable, rather than depicting a character already living their truth.

Shu, who identifies as bisexual and biracial for the sake of alliteration in his comedy (as opposed to pansexual, a term to which he more closely relates), asked me poignant questions: “What is queer representation? Having a character make an off-hand comment and it’s never acknowledged—that is a queer character, but it’s not a queer story.” His ideal bisexual representation allows characters to be authentic people living outside of constructed narratives that are more viewer-friendly like the coming out story. He could only name one example of an Asian bisexual character on television that he felt somewhat seen through—Magnus Bane, played by Harry Shum Jr. on the Freeform supernatural drama Shadowhunters. “It’s tough to get out of the boxes of what culture, film, and TV have defined for decades,” Shu said.

Marvel has been a site of critique around its inability to flesh out queer characters in an authentic way, awkwardly suggesting that all superheroes are heterosexual. The 2021 Disney+ series Loki made headlines for a 20-second scene where the titular character confirms his bisexuality after admitting he has been with princesses and princes in his past. This kind of casual bisexuality has become more commonplace in the streaming era, to the point of forgettability: Bill Pargrave on Killing Eve, playing Eve’s MI5 boss until he was eventually stabbed by murderess Villanelle, also identified as bisexual in a passing conversation. Other examples include Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) on Halt and Catch Fire and the titular character (Tom Ellis) on Lucifer. Does the off-hand knowledge of a character’s sexual fluidity, without an in-depth exploration of his sexuality, qualify as queer representation? Perhaps a better question would be, does it make bisexual viewers feel seen and understood, and add to monosexual viewers’ understanding and empathy of bisexuality?

At the end of October 2022, Kit Connor came out as bisexual in a bitter tweet after months of being hounded and online bullied by Netflix Heartstopper fans, some of whom accused Connor of queerbaiting for playing a bisexual character. The fall-out made me wonder why any actor, let alone a bisexual actor who may still be processing or figuring out his sexuality, would want to play a bisexual character in the social media age. “I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye,” his tweet read.

Not to center myself in the discourse, but I can’t help but wonder how a more thorough cultural understanding of bisexuality would impact my own dating life as a gay man, what the dating pool might look like if there was a more rigorous acceptance and visibility of bisexuality and fewer “discreet” men refusing to send you photos of their faces on dating apps with fear of being outed in their real life. The latest 2021 Census data coming out of the United Kingdom suggests there are currently nearly as many bisexual-identifying individuals as gay and lesbian survey respondents combined. These numbers feel hopeful, to me. Previous generations grew up dissatisfied by the range of representation on television, leading to iconic shows like Pose that shifted the course of television at the intersections of queerness and race. I can only imagine what the landscape will look like in 10, 20 years as the bisexual-identifying Gen Zs—the queerest generation yet—make their way into creative fields. We’ll have to watch and find out.

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umniamusic · 2 months

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Films that you could spend Christmas watching

7 from this year, 7 from years past

2023 Films you may have missed, which is a crime!

7. Theater Camp

The lightest fare on this list, and still manages to punch in the gut. This one’s for the annoying musical theatre kids to have some healing and representation, which I’m all for because I am one. Star-making turn by Noah Galvin.

6. Poor Things

Well written, gorgeously performed, an art piece of complete wonder. Massive trigger warnings for Sex — the way it’s explored in this film is prolific. There isn’t, to my recollection, anything non-consensual, but it does feel very old-school feminism — liberation by way of sex. I will grant it one honor, it doesn’t feel very male-gaze-y (until it tries to do Lesbianism), which is a massive feat for a male director to accomplish.

5. Strange Way of Life

I have publicly and privately said enough about this masterpiece, it’s everywhere now, go watch it.

4. Passages

If you’ve ever seen or read the play C*ck, it’s basically that, but even more intensely frustrating, and ultimately, the two lovers both get their justice against the terrible, bad bisexual man who simply “cannot choose”. The play is one of my favorites, this film has immense patience and fantastic writing — but I am looking forward to the movie about very boring bisexuals who are happy in their relationship… or the more common archetype, not often explored — the bisexual cringe-fail loser who gets absolutely 0 play. I shall keep waiting.

3. The Sweet East

Bonkers. If you can find a screening (New York, looking at u!), run, and I mean truly run. Although trigger warnings for graphic Violence of every kind, because it’s a critique of America. No spoilers, get got.

2. Bottoms

A turning point in modern cinema toward the future I’ve been excited to witness. Deeply hilarious, deeply serious, and gorgeous to look at.

1. Past Lives

There is nothing I can say about this masterpiece that hasn’t already been said. You will cry if you allow yourself to, but more than anything, you will be romanced.

Old Films I discovered this year, which you may also like,

in no particular order

7. 8 1/2 (1963)

What no one tells you about the validity of the claims around this being one of the best films ever made, aside from that it is blatantly a vanity project for Fellini, and that directors like to big up projects they feel they would want to make about themselves — is that Marcello Mastroianni is incredibly beautiful to look at, and beautiful people will smooth over any incongruence. It’s also heartbreakingly honest, in a way that few storytellers ever are. I don’t often give men a pass for bad behavior just because they know they’re behaving badly — but Guido is the exception. Also, I maybe want to be him a little bit but we stay silly.

6. Cabaret (1972)

I don’t need to say anything about this masterpiece other than it’s more timely to watch now than ever. FOSSEEEEEE!!!!!

5. Shiva Baby (2020)

The way Emma Seligman makes films will be studied. She has, in only two features, shown an incredible mastery of suspense and stakes, the kind that doesn’t make me want to leave the cinema or switch the TV off. The language, both visual and verbal, that she uses — I’m a superfan and I’m not leaving until they turn on the lights. This film is absolutely stacked with ideas, tension, heart, authenticity and humor.

4. Atomic Blonde (2017)

Even my one gripe with the film was resolved by the very end. I stumbled upon it recently and lost my mind, and had that moment where I felt I was witnessing one of my favorite things ever, that I’d be referencing for a long, long time. It gives kick-ass, it gives beauty and cinematography, of course it gives John Wick and Violence, but I actually adore most of David Leitch’s filmography so far — the kind of action films I respond to most.

3. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)

This one is for the girls who really don’t want to watch a film where things go terribly wrong — where even the bad things go well? That’s this film, and it’s the most gorgeous, heartwarming cotton candy. Also, John Leguizamo Marry Me challenge.

2. Bound (1996)

So i’m in the middle of a bit of a Wachowski’s era, and it started with this film, which unfolds with a terrifying pace once it gets going, and has a very 90’s understated but still arthouse visual language. Also, Lesbians! Which is always a welcome achievement.

1. Frances Ha (2012)

Feral Girls, rise — many films saw me and understood who I wanted to be, but very few of them knew me as I am. This one? Greta knows me.

💕Merry Chrystler💕

Stay safe, keep ya mask on, Free Palestine,

UMNIA

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thistle-and-thorn · 10 months

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okay so I’m attempting to watch and just like that s2 because I clearly am a masochist and like.

I just hate hate hate what they’ve done with MY BABY GIRL Miranda so much. WHERE IS HER HUMOR? WHERE ARE HER SPIKES? HER JUDGINESS? HER CYNICISM? HER INDEPENDENCE? She and Samantha were the two with the most casual and open and confident relationships to sex!!! So I just hate it with a burning passion. Not only does her storyline completely shunt my angel child Steve who was the ONLY blue collar person presented as sexually desirable on the original show and the only one given any sort of arc (like, I love her but, ultimately, Magda was a prop), but it does so in a way that reeks of biphobia for me.

Like, I’m glad that there is a bisexual character, I love that there’s a non-binary character, I love that there’s poly representation, etc but the whole storyline of Miranda cheating on Steve, abandoning her family, Che pressuring Miranda into a threesome, Che not disclosing that they were still married?!?! Ummmm I just. It just screams every biphobic thing I’ve heard about us being hypersexual sluts, homewreckers, the myth that every sexual awakening means the breaking apart of a relationship, that bi people are selfish and will hurt their partners, that polyamory means constant breaking of trust and lack of communication, etc. Sex and the City has always had a conservative core to it…ultimately heterosexual and monogamous sex is the goal and like…fine whatever. But for them to tout that SATC is Queer Now feels like a lie, and more insidious than the actively and obviously biphobic storyline about Carrie’s bisexual boyfriend.

AND it makes Miranda’s alcoholism completely irrelevant. Like, it would have so much more interesting to see the show actually mine that storyline and give it the space and respect it deserves. To see how Steve and Miranda and Brady handle that!!! It would have been so much more interesting to see the queer awakening in the two more conservative characters of the original four: Carrie or Charlotte “Comp Het” York. Like Carrie, in a post-Big era, liberated from her own narrow views of sex and romance? Renewing her quest to become a sex anthropologist in middle age? It just goes along with the loss of POV in general. Like, the original’s framing device gave it a perspective and a question to answer about how sex and relationships intersect with all these other areas and experiences in life. All the Issues™️ they are trying to unpack now feel scattershot and fake and like a checklist because they have nothing interesting to say that feels unique to the main thrust of the show. MPK SEE MY VISION

Also, Miranda, you IDIOT when you’re trying to have sex next to someone without waking them up maybe try not to immediately moan so loudly that the neighbors could hear you. The sex scenes have been so bad with them 😭😭😭

#yes I’m at work #but I can’t stop thinking about it #thistle simulations #anti Che Diaz #is that a tag?#and just like that #sex and the city #cw biphobia #cw mentions of alcoholism

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ireadyabooks · 1 year

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Read with Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

Representation across the queer spectrum is crucial, as all readers should see themselves reflected in the stories they love! 🏳️‍🌈 We’ve pulled together a list of books to read that feature gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, and sapphic relationships, characters, and stories.

Here are some of our favorite books encompassing the LGBTQIA+ community! ✨

Heartstopper Volume 1

Now streaming on Netflix! Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. A sweet and charming coming-of-age story that explores friendship, love, and coming out. This edition features beautiful two color artwork.

Nick and Charlie

From the mega-bestselling creator of Heartstopper, a must-have novella in which Heartstopper's lead characters, Nick and Charlie, face one of their biggest challenges yet. Nick will soon be leaving for university, and Charlie, a year younger, will be left behind. Everyone knows that first loves rarely last forever. What will it take for Nick and Charlie to defy the odds?

Loveless

From Alice Oseman, author of Heartstopper, comes an honest and relatable novel about realizing that it’s okay to not have sexual or romantic feelings for anyone — because there are plenty of other ways to find love and connection.

I Was Born For This

A funny, wise, and heartbreakingly true coming of age novel. I Was Born for This is a stunning reflection of modern teenage life, and the power of believing in something — especially yourself.

The Honeys

A twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

The Feeling of Falling in Love

A new kind of love story about the bad decisions we sometimes make... and the people who help get us back on the right path. Perfect for fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and What if It’s Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli.

This is Our Place

Three teens — in three different decades — navigate life, love, and family. This is our Place is a novel about queer teens dealing with sudden life changes, family conflict, and first loves, proving that while generations change, we will always be connected to each other.

Destination Unknown

From Stonewall Award winner Bill Konigsberg, a remarkable, funny, sexy, heartbreaking story of two teen boys finding each other in New York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic.

Gay Club

Barney’s a shoo-in for his school’s LGBTQ+ Society President at the club’s next election — until the vote is opened to the entire student body. Can the club members put politics aside and stand united? Gay Club is a landmark comedic novel about a group of queer teens at their worst — and ultimately their best.

The Library of Broken Worlds

A girl matches wits with a war god in this kaleidoscopic, thought-provoking tale of oppression and the cost of peace, where stories hide within other stories, and narrative has the power to heal — or to burn everything in its path.

Love Letters for Joy

Joy is asexual, but that’s no reason she can’t experience first love. She writes to Caldwell Cupid and falls for the mysterious voice behind the letters - until the letter-writer turns out to be the last person she would ever expect.

Magical Boy

A hilarious and heartfelt riff on the magical girl genre made popular by teen manga series, Magical Boy is a one-of-a-kind fantasy series that comic readers of all ages will love.

#readwithpride #pridebooks #lgbtqbooks #yabooks #pride

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enbyleighlines · 1 year

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Reasons why the Fire Emblem franchise peaked at Tellius:

main characters have an actual personality, backstory, individual goals/desires, established flaws, and a character arc

no dating sim elements

the sheer amount of queer coded characters (Kyza, Heather, Ike & Soren, Tibarn & Reyson, etc)

Seriously, Kyza is a silver-haired cat-person with they/them pronouns. They are almost literally the "has blue silver hair and pronouns" meme

the running gag of Ike having absolutely zero interest in dating women

the laguz, which are a race of people who can transform into cats, lions, tigers, wolves, hawks, ravens, herons, and dragons

an anti-prejudice message which, while not perfect, does explore, among other things: being willing to have uncomfortable conversations, classism, the ramifications of war on the underprivileged, and how religious doctrine can be twisted to justify prejudice

Soren and Micaiah being the best narrative foils (sharing nearly identical backstories and strikingly similar stoic love interests, yet having opposite personalities)

a plot that's driven by character actions and motivations and not just something that happens to the characters

the ultimate ally Ike Fire Emblem who doesn't always understand what he's talking about but damn does he have the spirit and the willingness to learn

the greil mercenaries literally inventing the found family trope

not allowing the player to vicariously date whichever scantily-clad anime waifu strikes their fancy

Ike betraying everybody's expectations by, instead of growing up into a heart-throb bishonen pretty boy, evolving into a bara muscle man

Ike also betraying everybody's expectations by rejecting any fame, noble titles, or other fancy gifts others try to bestow upon him, preferring to live the simple life of the everyman, because that's where the true heart of humanity lies

Ike's absolute brutal honesty and snarky one-liners

did i mention that there are characters that can turn into cats and wolves?

Ranulf especially has the most early 2000's high school OC aesthetic possible with his blue hair, ears, and tail, his cheshire cat energy, and his heterochromia. Arguably Ranulf is Claude's spiritual predecessor, with his playful personality hiding a sharp intellect, except Ranulf actually has a paired ending with the male protagonist

I'm not saying PoR and RD don't have their flaws (they're borderline unplayable at times with the difficulty spikes, the lack of support conversations in RD leaves the new units with much to be desired in terms of characterization, the offensive stereotypes of Heather the man-hating lesbian and Kyza the flamboyant femboy, the lack of racial diversity, how much grinding the Dawn Brigade needs in order to become decent units, the English localization team screwing up the translation in several key conversations or outright adding extra content to push their Ike/Elincia agenda, etc)

But in comparison to the newer games, with their blank-slate protagonists, dating sim elements, and lack of attention on creating a cohesive plot that isn't segmented into three or more routes that all only contain a fraction of the entire story...

Well, the Tellius games are just superior.

Like sure, Heather being a stereotypical man-hating lesbian is not great. But I'd rather have that than have a small number of bisexual options that exist solely for the representation points, while also ensuring that they don't have to be bisexual, if the player so chooses, to avoid hurting the feelings of the cishets

So far I have played PoR, RD, Shadows of Valencia, two of the three Fates games, and the golden deer route of Three Houses

Shadows of Valencia was also very good, if too short. And I will forever hold my golden deer students close to my heart. But I really hope that future FE titles start putting more focus on developing good characters and stories, and less focus on things like character customization and player choice. I'm not saying those things are bad, but they're not what I play Fire Emblem for. I came to Fire Emblem for the high fantasy world politics, the world-building, and the compelling narratives. I don't need 10+ romanceable waifus and the ability to change the main character's outfit in my war strategy game.

#maybe i should play some older fe games #but they won't have laguz so what's the point?#what's the point of a fantasy world without fantasy races?#this is a long post #fire emblem #tellius

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torturedpoetemotions · 2 years

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Was talking with a friend about some recent discourse around certain queer characters and I’ve come to the conclusion that I really dislike the entire concept of queercatching.

Like. I know why the concept exists. There needed to be a word for those instances where creators technically had actual queer representation so couldn’t be accused of queerbaiting, but still did it in a way that kept queerness sidelined in the story and ultimately still felt disingenuous and like a blatant attempt to court queer viewers without committing to representing us.

But it’s starting to feel like via queercatching the definition for “good queer rep” has narrowed so much that only a very small segment of our community and experiences is allowed. That is, if the representation isn’t a visibly and obviously MLM or WLW, monogamous, endgame romantic relationship met with unflagging positivity, it doesn’t count and is not just neutral but actively detrimental to our entire community. Like our queerness only exists in the context of a relationship. Like only certain types of queer or certain experiences are valuable and acceptable.

And I gotta tell you, as a non-monogamous, bisexual, aromantic non-binary queer person who grew up in an almost universally homophobic world and for whom a long-term relationship is currently at the very bottom of my priorities and interests list, that doesn’t feel great. It doesn’t feel great to really feel seen by a piece of media only to get online and see other fans tearing it apart as bad representation because it doesn’t meet criteria that would never speak to my experiences.

I don’t know what the solution for this is, or that there even is one. I’m just thinking about how we view and process our community and stories about us and how maybe it would do us all some good to think critically about that.

#queer representation #queercatching #lizawords

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lesbianmarrow · 2 years

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you’re literally so right. aside from the fact that it was the worst thing the network had ever produced and it’s the first thing i bring up when i tell people i like bad tv, it kind of unfortunately nailed that bit in the crossover. the ultimate downfall of gay characters on sg was the fact that they had to be so normal. you had to want a future together and kids and all that shit. you as a gay person were not allowed to just simply have fun. forgive me it’s been a very long time since i watched that show but like. my issue with their rep was just that it had to be as normal as possible. nuclear family and all that. and if you wanted to settle down it had to be through strict guidelines or else you weren’t Normal. i’m certainly not calling legends good or anything but the hell ikea episode really sticks out to me all the time because ava wants so badly to be normal and the show itself has always had the air of do whatever with your love life. doesn’t have to be one set path. and in that episode it’s the show going yeah sure you can have this. i fucking guess. as opposed to get married have a kid etc etc. like they do do that but that’s not even remotely my point. my point is that it was far from perfect rep but it didn’t try and go “we’re just like you!” and honestly i loved it

like yeah it probably boils down to the show just being Like That. it’s been weird pretty much the whole time it was on the air. time is swirly green shit. we can do whatever the fuck we want. but if you read into it a little the we can do whatever the fuck we want attitude spills into the characterization too. because they didn’t constantly do the whole standards thing. that wasn’t important. they weren’t really ever focused on telling a single story the whole time and that gave the show a lot more freedom and the characters a lot more personal agency where they weren’t constantly bound to being normal all the time

the way you started off this anon message is SO SO funny and i just need to take a moment to appreciate that. but yes i think a big part of it is supergirl's awareness of itself as both a Family Show and an Important Progressive Show. it's very concerned with Sending The Right Message and Providing Good Role Models and that entails including lgbt characters, yes, but making them as normative as possible, showing cishet viewers "they're just like you and me!" and showing lgbt viewers "it's possible for you to fit in after all!" i think supergirl has good intentions and some of what it does with lgbt representation is very important, after all i can't think of any other superhero shows with a trans woman superhero, but it is nevertheless very frustrating how hard it argues for lgbt assimilation.

unlike supergirl, legends of tomorrow doesn't put that pressure on itself to be an Important Progressive Show. that's due in part to the sort of awkward cobbled-together nature of legends of tomorrow as a spin-off, and also the show's much more irreverent tone, but i think it's also a marketing thing. supergirl advertises itself as a Feminist Show, grounded in important contemporary issues. legends is a lot less overtly political. it's much more about time travel and fantasy and less about today's issues (though because it is sci-fi it can't help but comment on today's issues anyway). it strives for diversity and good representation, but it doesn't care about respectability the way supergirl does. sara can be a bisexual chad and gary can be a bisexual loser and constantine can be a bisexual nasty piece of work and it's fine. because legends did not advertise itself as an Important Progressive Show, it doesn't have that self-imposed pressure to have Perfect Representation the way supergirl does, and ends up having much more true and satisfying representation as a result. it's not perfect, and it does still have a lot of that berlanti/cw "gay people are normal!" vibe, but it is a lot better, and much more satisfying to watch as a gay person.

#thanks for this message :)#anon #cw's supergirl #legends of tomorrow

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historyhermann · 1 year

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Wednesday Review (Spoiler Filled) [Part 3]

Continued from part 2

youtube

Apart from non-existent LGBTQ representation in Wednesday, despite some arguable same-sex romantic vibes and promotion, and undertones negative toward Black people, there are are other grounds to criticize the series, including the use of oft-known tropes, caricatures, and archetypes. At times, the series falls into formulaic mystery and teenage romance. An improved show would have expanded representation, perhaps even with Wednesday as asexual, bisexual, or lesbian, or another protagonist.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the fourteenth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on December 7, 2022, and will be published on my History Hermann WordPress blog on Feb. 21, 2023.

Despite this, Ortega's performance gives the show its charm, especially with her deadpan humor. She makes the show you want to watch until the end, following her from abandoned houses to hidden libraries as she tries to figure out who the monster is, and why it is targeting specific people. Ultimately, without Ortega at the helm, the show would fall apart.

More specifically, while the other actors in the series are talented and skilled, their performances pale in comparison to Ortega. None of them measure up to her, not even Thing. As such, the other performers are underused, or even worse, miscast. This could have been remedied of the series had busted apart genres, rather than complying to them. Perhaps it could have been set in a college environment, rather than a boarding school which almost seems akin to Hogwarts in more ways than one.

The next season of the series has been hinted, but has not been confirmed. Apart from any possible LGBTQ storylines, it would be good to see more world-building outside the town of Jericho and into the wider world. Otherwise the show would feel like High Guardian Spice or Little Witch Academia, in that it would be set in a magical school. While neither series is bad, if Wednesday followed the same path, the show could become too stale and uninteresting.

Furthermore, the series would be weakened if it continues to emphasize heterosexual teenage romance, especially involving Wednesday, or Enid. Such as focus could result in the show becoming like Twilight, and become an unfortunate detriment to the series as a whole.

Despite my criticisms, I tentatively recommend the series, mainly due to Ortega's acting performance, the role of Thing, and the macabre and horror vibes from the show. I hope the show improves in the future.

Wednesday can be watched on Netflix.

#wednesday #wednesday netflix #netflix wednesday #wednesday series #wednesday 2022 #wednesday spoilers #wednesday addams #pop culture #reviews #pop culture maniacs #lgbtq #antiblackness #jenna ortega #netflix #high guardian spice #little witch academia #Youtube

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lgbtqmedia-anth262 · 1 year

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Bisexual Representation: Common Tropes We Can't Escape

When it comes to bisexual characters and their stereotypes, we see a lot of these tropes invalidating the identity itself or painting it as a label used solely for sexual purposes. These stereotypes can lead to dangerous assumptions and skewed perceptions about the identity and can cause bisexual people- specifically bisexual women- to be targeted, fetishized, and isolated. Some tropes that we often see are:

The Stepping Stone

Bisexuality is described as a "phase" until a character "makes up their mind" by the end of the film/show.

This trope makes us wrongly believe that a character will change their sexual orientation and "choose" to be either heterosexual or homosexual once their story ends rather than allowing the simple explanation that sometimes people are bi.

The Risqué Bisexual

Bisexuals are often portrayed as having a higher libido and as if they are sex-crazed maniacs that can hardly control their desires.

These characters are typically involved in threesomes and orgies and sometimes it seems that they have no other interests in life than the satisfaction of their physical needs. They are often seen as non-monogamous and as if they can't have just one partner for too long.

The Cheating Bisexual:

Bisexual characters are portrayed as more likely to cheat on their partner or they are used to break up a relationship- often go hand in hand with the stepping stone or the risqué tropes previously mentioned.

Stems from the idea that bisexual individuals "can't make up their minds" and that they are attracted to anybody and everybody. The over-sexualization of the identity in general makes it easy to assume that all bisexuals are just waiting for their moment to get into someone's pants, regardless of if they have a partner already or not.

The Manipulative Bisexual

Bisexuals are portrayed as cold-hearted, as if they lack a sense of morality, and often are seen using sex as a means of manipulation and a way to get what they want.

This combination of greed and moral ambiguity that seemingly surrounds the identity makes for a very compelling villain, so we often see bi representation in the form of the antagonist in the story.

It almost seems as if all tropes mentioned here ultimately coincide with one another- and so we need to start asking the question, why are bisexuals always the bad guy? Why is a characters bisexuality seen as a flaw?

Sources:

“8 Bisexual Stereotypes in the Media.” Taimi, 15 May 2022.

Smith, Holly. “7 Myths about Bisexuality You Need to Stop Believing.” Insider, 29 May 2019.

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hellomynameisbisexual · 1 year

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“back for a minute. i’m bi. congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself. i think some of you missed the point of the show. bye,” the British actor wrote.

His declaration came following months of relentless speculation, discussion and obsession from fans around the actor’s sexuality.

Heartstopper premiered on Netflix earlier this year as a streaming adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel of the same name. The series follows two boys in high school, Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Connor) as they fall in love and navigate friendships, coming out and questions of identity. The series was praised for its sweet and warm depictions of young love— particularly the exploration of Nick’s bisexuality—and for its diverse cast of queer and trans youth.

But until now, unlike many of his castmates, Connor hadn’t publicly identified his sexuality. And many fans seemed to take issue with that absent label, particularly when images of Connor holding hands with actress Maia Reficco circulated in September with suggestions that the actor was straight playing gay—despite bisexual people who date other genders definitely being real! Connor temporarily left Twitter due to the public scrutiny and accusations that he was “queerbaiting.”

Ultimately, this entire situation shows a fundamental flaw in our cultural expectation of what makes for “good” queer representation onscreen and off, and how we still have some work to do in its understanding of identity and representation.

What does queerbaiting mean?

The notion of queerbaiting is pretty nebulous these days, with fans quick to use it in reference to everything from Harry Styles’s magazine covers to Madonna’s TikTok.

But in its origin, queerbaiting was meant to describe a marketing technique, often for a piece of media, that hinted at queer content, but didn’t actually follow through. For fellow members of my very specific generation on Tumblr, the prime example is Supernatural, a show that teased a central gay relationship between Dean and Castial, but didn’t pay off until the series’ end. Or the BBC Sherlock series that features its fair share of longing glances between Watson and Holmes, but no actual acknowledgement of anything queer going on.

But it’s a lot more complicated when we start talking about real people. Were Queer Eye stars Jonathan Van Ness and Antoni Porowski queerbaiting when they teased a new brand partnership with language and social media posts that hinted they were dating last month? Is a straight—or at least apparently straight—actor queerbaiting when they play a queer character?

To put it simply: no! A straight or straight-passing actor playing an openly queer character is not queerbaiting! It’s a whole different thing, and the fact that that term has continually been tossed around shows fans’ fundamental misunderstanding of what’s going on here. The entire situation with Connor highlights a reductive sense of identity politics when it comes to queer (or not) actors and the portrayal of queer characters. In 2022, it’s not as simple as queer actor playing queer = good, straight actor playing queer = bad.

When straight playing gay is okay

Yeah, there have been some pretty egregious examples of straight/cis (or apparently straight/cis) actors playing queer or trans characters (hi, Eddie Redmayne), but there are a slew of actors who are celebrated for playing queer despite all indications that they’re straight. Fans cheered when director Rian Johnson described Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc from the Knives Out films as being queer. And Cate Blanchett (who my partner described as being married to the most boring-looking man in the world) is garnering rave reviews and Oscars buzz for her climactic turn as a lesbian in Tár—just as she did a decade ago in Carol.

Those two know what they’re doing, have stated who they are and have also demonstrated a fondness and allyship to queer folks again and again (just look to Blanchett’s many interviews on the subject and Craig’s noted adoration of gay bars alongside wife and fellow frequent player of gay, Rachel Weisz).

“I will fight to the death for the right to suspend disbelief and play roles beyond my experience. I think reality television and all that that entails had an extraordinary impact, a profound impact on the way we view the creation of character,” Blanchett told the Hollywood Reporter in 2018.

Blanchett’s comments speak to the ideal world I and many others aspire to when it comes to representation in film: queer actors can play straight just as a bisexual actor can play gay or a straight actor can play bi, so long as they’re doing it right. I like to optimistically think we’ve moved past an era of queer people only getting cast (and paid) for queer roles.

But one key thing separating Criag and Blanchett from Connor is age. He’s 18. I don’t know about you, but when I was 18 I thought I was a very different person and used very different labels to describe myself than I do 10 years later. At that time in my life I leaned toward avoiding labels altogether, because I didn’t know which one quite fit.

One of the great things about the progress we’ve made as a culture in LGBTQ2S+ representation is how we don’t have to put people into neat boxes any more. Genders change. Sexualities change. The words we use to describe them and ourselves are constantly in flux. It’s an exciting time to be a young person, because ostensibly you don’t have to have all of the answers right away. You don’t have to “come out” as straight or gay or anything until you’re ready. It’s part of the reason young people are increasingly identifying as non-binary: why stick to one gender and box yourself in?

It’s the sort of utopia so many of our queer and trans ancestors who came before us have fought for. Or so it seems: what happened to Connor shows that fans haven’t moved as far forward as maybe we’ve hoped.

I ran a fandom Tumblr account for years, so I understand how important and meaningful it can feel for the person who made your favourite piece of media that reflects your identity to also reflect your identity themselves. But it’s more complicated than that, and we’ve got to remember that performers are real people—and in this case a young person just coming into adulthood with this huge spotlight on him. Give them time, give them grace and celebrate the fact that they get to figure this out on their own.

When they’re ready, they’ll tell us.

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valkyrieandstrangeridingaragorn · 2 years

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Reading the TVTropes ymmv page on Loki some people consider the retconing out of Loki's torture and brainwashing as an "Author's Saving throw"

Oh by the Gods... I looked it up and this is unbelievable. How can these people be so wrong about it all? Thank you for bringing it to my attention, anon. This is the ymmv Loki page.

In short, an Author's Saving Throw is when "an author will often look at elements that fans complained about and try to address these in an attempt at appeasing their anger. This is what we call an Author's Saving Throw: a change meant to correct a mistake the author made."

So according to these idiots there are 4 instances in which the creators of the Loki series "improved" previous canon:

Claiming this canon needed to be changed in order to improve the narrative is a damn joke.

Mobius didn't "discuss" anything, he outright blamed Loki for everything, claimed he had enjoyed it, never mentioned Thanos (they didn't show the sceptre either, I suppose that's harder to explain. If Thanos isn't on the picture how did Loki get the sceptre?) and used the footage to tear him down both emotionally and psychologically. And of course Loki was never allowed to express himself.

It's impossible then to claim "character development" because the context of that invasion is completely ignored. You don't get people to grow by blaming them for everything and making them hate themselves.

They mentioned exactly what's wrong with this so-called representation in that last line: his bisexuality is only brought up once (in a line that doesn't even say the word bisexual), he's only seen flirting with women and ends up with one, and this revelation of his sexuality ultimately changes absolutely nothing about his story or his arc and doesn't matter at all in the end. You take that line away what changes? Nothing.

Visibility and representation are not the same thing and one ambiguous line is not enough. We keep seeing men and women kissing each other and in the case of Eternals having sex but when it comes to queer folks we have to be thankful for one line? One damn line. This isn't an improvement on previous canon, if anything it's an insult that we're expected to be happy with something like this when straights get literally everything else.

And don't get me started on the genderfluid rep when we have the "have you ever seen a woman variant of us" in ep5.

This... this is a joke, right? The plot of the series is so convoluted that not even the director and writers agree on main plot points. The narrative is confusing and they scheduled everything horribly to the point of the audience not being introduced to the main villain until the last episode which is why he had to monologue for 30 minutes.

We still don't know how most of the time shenanigans work and the worst part is they didn't even attempt at explaining the whole thing in the series either. Everything is confusing and still to this day fans are discussing how everything works.

Endgame was bad with time travel but the Loki series managed to be even worse. I'll give them that. It's takes talent to be worse than Endgame.

This is insane. I'm at a loss. How is this better? How does that make Loki any better? It doesn't! It turns him into someone else. Someone who's easy to read: he's just bad, he has done bad things in the past, he has to pay for them. Is that what some fans ask for in their media nowadays? Something simple because a character that doesn't fit in any box is too confusing and they don't want to think too much? Seriously? When we have Bruce in IW tell Stark that Thanos had sent Loki to NYC... did Marvel really need to retcon that?

If the author wanted to address the fans' complaints how about these:

- We've been asking for Loki's past, his upbringing and his mistreatment at the hands of his family to be brought up

- We've been asking for Marvel to acknowledge that Loki wasn't adopted: He was taken and raised to hate his own kind

- We've been asking for Odin to be shown for what he is and for his actions to not be swept under the rug. He committed genocide several times, he took part in the indoctrination of Asgardians against other realms and actively encouraged a culture that glorified war and interventionism

- We've been asking for some form of acknowledgement of Asgard's racism and discrimination against other beings and cultures

- We've been asking for the story to show Thor's warmongering ways in the past and during TDW, and for him to be held responsible for the war with Jotunheim because he was the one who started it

And yet none of these are addressed? What, this would be considered pandering too? Oh so they only change the things that would make him more sympathetic, I see. The NYC invasion was his doing and whenever he's hating himself he's learning. Got it.

Go to hell.

#Loki critical #now I'm mad #but not to anon #thank you for the heads up dear

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chemicalpink · 3 years

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Lonely Hearts Club ♡ BTS OT7

Pairing: female reader x OT7

Warning: smut. polyamory. kinda voyeurism (? like- how else are you supposed to make an 8 people intercourse work.

A/N: this has a very poor representation of polyamory ok. It actually contains everything that is not how polyamory works, but it’s in favour of the theme. This is my last work for the Electra Heart Series

Summary: January to December, do you wanna be a member? In this Lonely Hearts Club, do you want to be with somebody like us?

Genre: smut

Word Count: 4.5k

“Where are you going Kookie?” Taehyung called from his spot cuddled on Jimin’s side without really tearing his eyes from the screen as they both watched some movie on the couch, a usual Friday night.

Jungkook paused for half a second as he made sure he had everything in his pocket before heading to the door “Out”

“Out where?” Jungkook groaned loudly at the questioning, as if it were nothing common within their relationship, determined to extend the silence in the room long enough to be comfortably dismissed from the conversation.

“Out with that girl he has yet to come clean to” Yoongi mentioned as he made his way to the living room, bag of chips in hand and stuffing a few inside his mouth as he did “which by the way, I’ve told him a thousand times before, it’s not decent to keep on leading her on”

“I’m not” the youngest murmured under his breath, which earned him a pointed look from Yoongi, followed by the TV pausing and both of the other men to turn their attention to him “I’m not leading her on”

A hand was placed on his right shoulder from behind, making him startle, wide doe eyes in full display as Seokjin voiced his input in the situation “You’re going out with a girl that we all know likes you while being a relationship, Jungkookie” Seokjin made the most overdramatic pout “I’d say that’s leading her on, plus, placing us second”

Jungkook let out a heavy sigh, already knowing he was about to be very late to the date “You guys all said you were okay with me dating out of the circle”

“You know we’re messing with you, come on, you’ll be late for your date” he’d have to thank Namjoon for always coming to the rescue when Seokjin was being a little bit too much.

If someone was to tell him he would end up in a polyamorous relationship he would have laughed in their face. If someone was to tell him that he would end up in a polyamorous relationship with the six older men he was forced to share his college unit with, he would have crumbled apart right there and then, it was no secret whatsoever that he had the biggest crush on the six of them the moment he first saw them, call it gay panicking or whatever.

And you see, things were going smooth, at least as smooth as they could be when 7 people are dating each other, minus the stares when they went out in public, the questioning of their not so close friends and the constant battle royale when it came down to sleeping arrangements, it was smooth. Until you came along. Sure, after eight months of him joining the polycule, and people unable to think outside their monogamous mindset, a fair number of guys and girls had approached him, which was always meant to go in either of two possible ways:

First, and best, case scenario, they were only interested in a fling, a one night stand that ultimately turns into a somewhat friendly distanced greeting when on campus, it was a thing between the seven men after all, being able to casually date outside the circle and understanding that the strongest emotional bond was with their boyfriends at home, although… Jungkook was the one doing it most often, Jimin following him casually in indulging in the pleasure of casual sex from time to time.

Second, and the hardest scenario due to him having the softest heart (if having Hoseok cutting ties with his potential partners in more than one occasion is anything to go by) is when after the first scenario, people keep trying to get in touch with him, not that there’s anything wrong with it but he wasn’t interested, plus, when he went as far as explaining the whole polyamory situation, people would dismiss it as an non-existent relationship or worse yet, there was a guy that went as far as telling him that all he needed was to be ‘dicked down good enough’ for him to stop being polyamorous; Yoongi had gone and had a friendly talk with the dude when Jungkook went home that night crying (he might have sent the guy to ER but there’s really no way to know)

So really, third case scenario was way out of control for him, said scenario being you. Never asking anything too invasive, hooked up a few times and even made him breakfast one of them which ended up with Jungkook bolting right out of your apartment, thinking that was it and he’d never see you again but boy was he wrong, you had texted him after to make sure he was okay, had the most amazing round of make up sex (could it even be called that when you two didn’t even fight? and it was all just him being a moron?).

So here’s the thing, maybe his heart started picking up when he saw you, maybe he started feeling butterflies when you two made out on your couch, maybe the blurred line between being a casual hook up and falling for you had become no line at all, and soon enough his hyungs started pestering him that he shouldn’t play with your feelings. God how much easier would it be if you were a student at his campus, with the amount of talk about the ‘7 best looking guys being in a polyamorous relationship’ really would have done the trick, so that he could stop the inner fear of losing you that came with owning it up and telling you he was indeed not just bisexual, but in an eight month relationship with 6 guys.

So far, Namjoon had had the most serious talk with him ever since he was invited to join the relationship, then came Yoongi constantly bickering with him as a passive agressive way to get him to come clean, Hoseok aggressively cuddling him while whispering borderline nasty and teasing things to him while Seokjin, Taehyung and Jimin had made it their job to try and gatekeep him from you before any date with the theatrics of non existent jealousy. Deep down he knew it was wrong, so wrong of him to keep such a vital piece of information from you, then again, he couldn’t bear the feeling of seeing you being disgusted for his love choices, polyamory was one hell of a misunderstood topic, often overseen as being greedy and unable to choose. Which was a blatant lie. He had made a choice eight months ago, and it pained him to even think that if the time came, he would have to stand by it. He would choose the six of them all over again. No doubts in his mind he would choose them over you if it came to be like that.

What if he had spent a week bawling his eyes out at night after a date with you and quality time at home, people should mind their own business. And the men he loved the most in the world were proving to be deserving of his love yet again. He had cried one last time after thinking just how much they were meaning to go out of their way to keep Jungkook happy. They had kept him in their best interests when they decided that maybe, prior further consideration and a serious talk involving you and Jungkook, maybe an eight addition wouldn’t be so bad.

“God I can’t believe we are not only condoning this behaviour but now we are endorsing it” Seokjin mentioned in one of his many overdramatic tones as he and Namjoon placed some delicious looking dishes out in their small backyard where they had all dressed up the place when little Jungkookie announced he was bringing you over.

Namjoon was quick to attempt to calm his boyfriend down while placing a small kiss on his lips “You’re overthinking”

“Oh, I’m overthinking? How about Mr Jeon Jungkook who apparently can neither keep it in his pants nor grow a pair and tell someone that they are polyamorous, huh?” Namjoon really had to try his hardest not to burst out laughing at the way Seokjin’s words seemed to blend in together as they came out of his mouth in a flow that resembled a rap song “Don’t you try and gaslight me, Namjoon, I’ll have you know, psychology was my major before it was yours”

“Doctor Kim has a beautiful ring to it”

Seokjin did not stop a whole minute to stop placing everything out on the table as he kept on bickering with the younger “Don’t try to woo me Kim Namjoon, I know you only like the ring of it because we share the last name”

Jimin walked out the exact moment they were blasting fiery heart eyes at each other, nothing out of the ordinary in their dynamic, “Seokjin-hyung, Namjoon-hyung, I think she’s here” the youngest of the three lend a hand for the whole table to be set in record time, already hearing an additional female voice that didn’t use to be there before coming from inside “I don’t think Taehyung’s on board with all...this”

“What do you mean he’s not on board, we talked about it before!” if there was the slightest bit of panic in Namjoon’s eyes, he was one hell of an actor to have it covered up as soon as he sensed Seokjin stiff on his side and the whole room began to feel stuffy even when being outside.

“Tae says he’s not coming down for dinner” Hoseok announced as he popped his head outside “Y/N is talking in the living room with Kookie and Yoongi, she seems nice” before disappearing inside the house.

“I fucking told you all of this would come to bite us in the ass Joonie, eight people is one person too many” may Seokjin’s inability to read eye expressions be damned when Namjoon and Jimin tried to get him to keep his voice down before any more damage was caused.

A mop of black hair popped up from inside just the way Hoseok had done before, startling the three men outside when Jungkook spoke “Hey, is everything alright?”

“Yeah, totally” Jimin tried to fake a smile which ended up being the fakest smile he had ever put on his face, making the youngest squint his eyes at the three of them in a questioning manner, a few seconds away from dismissing it, Seokjin broke

“Taehyung is not taking part”

“What do you mean Taehyung is not taking part?” Jungkook’s eyes widened almost comically but anyone could see the anxiety and panic rising in them, Namjoon ever the peacemaker in the relationship intervening

“Tae says he’s backing down, but I’ll have a talk with him and-”

“I’ll do it” Jungkook shook his head as he took off back inside to the opposite side from which he came from; even with the whole uncertainty of the situation, it was sure not to head the right way it should have.

“That sounds lovely, I can just imagine” you said as Namjoon, who had just introduced himself, finished a random story about all seven of them “So.. you all live here together then?”

“Oh yeah, inseparable bond and what not” Seokjin, the oldest of the seven smiled somewhat uncomfortably at you, avoiding any type of direct contact. At first it really seemed to have taken the right turn, chatting with Yoongi and Hoseok after Jungkook left to see if anything else was needed before dinner, but then things started to shift, an unknown but uncomfortable silence filling the room every now and then, the way Jimin couldn’t stop fidgeting in his seat and Seokjin made little to no effort to not show just how uncomfortable he was. Jungkook had mentioned earlier that his housemates could be somewhat weird, without mentioning exactly how, but from the looks of it, it had something to do with dating within themselves.

“Hey, do you mind if I use your restroom?”

“Ah sure, upstairs, first door to the left” Yoongi answered with a tight lip smile on his face, everyone’s eyes discreetly following you in silence until your figure couldn’t be seen, probably out of earshot as murmurs took over the living room.

Not that you really needed to use the toilet but it would be nice to splash some cold water in your face if you wanted to even try and survive the rest of the night, but as you reached the end of the stairs, a room across what seemed to be the bathroom caught your attention, snuffling noises coming from the inside, and you really should stick to your own business, but how much weirder could the night go? apparently, exponentially weirder.

You reached the door that was conveniently slightly open, allowing you to take a peek inside, a guy sitting beside Jungkook on the bed as he rubbed circles in the small of his back at the same time as he whispered things to his ear and you felt a pang in your chest, not really believing the whole sexual tension inside the room, perhaps your mind playing with you; up until the guy clearly nibbled Jungkook’s ear, a breathy moan escaping from his lips, your brain shortcircuiting between not understanding what was going on and finding it extremely hot.

“Tae no, you know I’m going out with Y/N” Jungkook said as the other guy moved around, seemingly placing a hand to his crotch in a playful manner, as far as the smirk in his face but obstruction of bodies allowed you to see from the door.

The guy’s eyes quickly turned to Jungkook in the biggest puppy stare you had ever seen, low voice above a whisper “Having someone around never stopped you before”

“Please”

A heavier moan escaped from Jungkook’s mouth, hands immediately locking the guy around him as he straddled his hips on the bed “Do you not love us anymore?”

Whether it was whatever that was going on inside between the two of them, or the mention of love, that made you forget your compromising position, getting the feeling that you should stop watching and panicky closed the door, making your presence known, the world may never know, but there were thousands of thoughts running in your mind. Sure, Jungkook had never put a label on your relationship, and from time to time you had believed that perhaps there was something beautiful there, now coming to think of it, maybe his heart had always been occupied, as all those friends of yours that knew him from somewhere had once said to you, how it was the weirdest thing out there watching 7 great looking guys hanging out as if they were on a date, the unusual way they carried around each other. Not that it was bad, but i crushed your heart to know that you would never fit in, as much as you kicked it off with Jungkook and the sex was amazing, the dynamic between them seemed to put you as just a plaything for the youngest of them all.

“Y/N? Jungkookie wants to have a talk with you” you didn’t even noticed the shift of your surrounding, knowing Jungkook, how he most probably bolted right out of the room when they heard the door close forcefully, too absorbed in your thoughts, still too absorbed in your thoughts as Hoseok led you back down, sitting you down a few feet away from where Jungkook was seated, the TV playing a random programme in the back “You two do your stuff, we’ll be outside, feel free to join, okay?”

The TV Show echoed in the dark, it seemed like it had been hours since you joined Jungkook in his living room, wanting nothing more than cross the door and never see him again, but he was a great kid, you knew just how much he would blame himself over what were your insecurities and inability to speak up on the matter, on never questioning what game you two were playing, sleeping around, going on dates but not getting involved. Until he was the first one to speak up.

“I am in a polyamorous relationship, Y/N” he heaved a sigh, as if the world was lifting from his shoulders “Have been for the last eight months”

Your heart sped up, the words unable to leave your lips, all tangled up on your brain “You should have told me before” you turned your face to where he was at the same time as he did the same “I would have understood”

“I don’t want to leave you”

“I know” which, you did know, time and time again he had made it clear that there was so much more to your relationship, although Jungkook wouldn’t express it out loud “I would love to have you… if there’s a way”

Jungkook’s doe eyes seemed to shine brighter at your words, although you could see tears forming in them “I don’t understand why would you want to be with someone like me”

“Jeon Jungkook” you scooted yourself to be closer to him, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder “Some people are so full of love they can give a way to a lot of people, I understand that” his eyes lighted up at your words, the tiniest bit of hope in them

A hand was placed on your shoulder, softly grabbing the exposed skin, making you turn your head to see Hoseok, shadows playing on his face as he smirked down at you “Plus, love will never be forever, might as well have seven plans ahead, right Y/N?”

You could feel a lump in your throat at that, images of what you had witnessed inside the bedroom with Jungkook and his friend still fresh in your mind, clearing your throat you hesitated “Uhm.. I really don’t know how to feel about all this Hoseok” but as soon as the words left your mouth you could see the rest of the boys joining the living room, as if you were some kind of prey you were after, the only source of light coming from the fairy lights in the backyard, illuminating them as they approached, hiding their true intentions in their eyes at the same time as their faces became darker, heart thumping inside your ribcage

“Oh come on, Y/N I saw you looking at Jungkookie and I outside our bedroom” Taehyung mentioned, which made you flush, fortunately going unnoticed by the lack of light, although he chuckled as he once again straddled Jungkook inches beside you, an all-too familiar image of the both of them as he grinded hard down on Jungkook’s crotch, earning him a groan from the youngest “Seemed to me you were enjoying it a bit too much”

A firm hand underneath your chin turned you to face upwards by the slightest, a face that took you seconds to recognise as Yoongi’s too close to yours, grazing his lips with yours before he tutted and added a “Good girls are meant to share their toys Y/N” for good measure.

“Jungkookie here practically gave you up before asking you to join us” Jimin added as he took a sit beside you, body clinging to Yoongi who was still too close to you

“I just-” you turned your face to Jungkook, who was currently busy with his mouth all over Taehyung and Hoseok, both on each side of him as they seemed to get an equal amount of attention from the youngest, your lower abdomen firing up at the image and the prospect of you taking part in the dynamic “I guess it doesn’t really sound so bad”

“Even Seokjin is willing to give you a taste” spoke Namjoon as he walked into the area with Seokjin just inches behind him, nodding his head when you locked eyes with the eldest “But I bet you’ll be Yoongi-hyung’s favourite”

“It’s your turn to call the shots, Y/N”

Instead of a response, you pull on Jimin’s shirt until he leans onto you, capturing you lips in his in a kiss that seems to last just seconds before he is placing you on top of him, allowing Yoongi to take you previous spot, caressing you side so when you lean back to catch a breath, his mouth is on yours stealing your breath away; out of the corner of your eye you watch as Hoseok has his hand inside Jungkook’s pants “Sharing is caring, Yoongi” you remind him as he tries to have a second go, Jimin’s laughter underneath you hitting the right places as he frictions his front side up to you, earning a soft moan from your lips, which only turns to a second one when you feel two wet mouths on each side of your jaw, gently nibbling on the skin before they stopped to kiss right in front of you, tongues catching, groans escaping from each of Seokjin and Namjoon throat before they turned to look at you and retrieved to their original spot to entertain themselves.

“As much as I’d love to take her, I think it’s best if we let Jungkook welcome her into our dynamic” a soft laugh falls from Jimin’s lips as you quietly gasp when he places you on the couch, an awaiting Jungkook on your side, the blond man taking his turn with Yoongi a few inches away.

Jungkook’s eyes seem dazed, and he quickly finds your mouth, just the way he did all those times before, except that now it was somewhat different from them, in a room full of people, his boyfriends, yours soon to be; as he absentmindedly tongues your bottom lip to deepen the kiss, a single hand slides underneath the fabric of your shirt as the other grips around your thigh, slowly working its way to where you could already feel your panties dampening. Fingers dancing familiarly over your nipples, “God I don’t know what I’d have done if you said no to this”, you barely register his words so you just nod in agreement, desperately wanting him to touch you where you needed the most. Warm fingers find your folds, stroking them slowly, squelching sounds that somehow don't seem to phase the way the rest of the group keeps on having their tongues deep down on someone elses throat, changing partners everytime you look up. The tips of his fingers find your entrance, slowly working a pace in and out, pairing it with wet kissed to your exposed neck as you try and hold on to his shirt for dear life “You’re so wet already”

His fingers pick up speed, barely curling into that soft spot inside you. Hips lifting slightly as your head lulls back against his shoulder, peaking both Jimin and Yoongi’s interest from beside you, a clear interest in the action if the way their pants seem to grow tighter by the second “Hey baby, is Jungkookie making you feel good?” voice raspy, dark, but soft lips on your own as the youngest kept his pace with his fingers, stretching you open on the couch.

“She sounds so sweet I can’t wait to taste her” Yoongi adds as his hand reaches out inside Jimin’s pants, starting to stroke his member to life. And that’s when you see it. Namjoon and Seokjin, ever so reserved, in their own little world, sitting across from all the action, hands on each other’s bulge, not daring to look away from you. And it somehow stirs you in all the right places, mind set already on giving them the best show ever.

Hands cup your breasts from behind you, softly massaging them, feather like kisses on the back of your neck as your shirt is lifted, bra forgotten and your tits are free for everyone in the room to watch and enjoy, a voice behind you, owner of the hands pinching your nipples whispering in your ear “I’m willing to forgive you interrupting quality time with Kookie”

You feel a pinching in your clit joining Jungkook’s fingers pistoning into you, making you reach your orgasm in record time in a broken mess of calling out Jungkook’s name. Hoseok’s instantly reaching for the waistband of your panties to pull them down “Well I’d say, dinner’s served,Yoongi-hyung” before said man is leaning forward, Yoongi’s hands exchanging Jimin’s cock for your knees – holding your legs open. Yoongi’s tongue takes a bold lick over your slit before he’s diving in, lips attaching to your clit as the tip of his tongue flicks against it. Hoseok’s chin is rested on your shoulder,ocassionaly opening up your outer lips to allow the elder a deeper access to your cunt, watching Yoongi’s tongue fuck into you. You could feel Taehyung’s thick length pressed into your lower back, the slow lift of his hips dragging it against you. Soft groans from the friction falling from his lips, mixing with the husky moans that echo from around the room as everyone watched Yoongi intently. Your eyes find Seokjin and Namjoon across the room, both of whom have since pulled their cocks from behind their pants, glistening tips on full display as their large hands stroke over the base of each other, their hips moving to match the movement of their hands.

The tongue between your legs moves swiftly, pushing past your folds and slipping into your entrance, lapping up the juices from your past orgasm as Hoseok leans down to share a wet kiss with him, then Jungkook, the three of them tasting you on their tongues. As Yoongi returns to his spot between your legs, he moans against your core like the taste of you is the most delicious thing to ever hit his tongue, the sound sending vibrations through your body that has your cunt tingling, not far from your next release. “Aah- Yoongi” you gasp, reaching down to tangle your fingers in his hair, pushing his face further between your legs.

“You gonna cum all over my tongue, huh?” his movements intensify, nose pressed against your clit, rubbing it precisely as it makes you fall apart in a rush of desperate pleas before he removes himself from his position, chin covered in your juices to which you can’t help but moan at the sight of as he licks his lips in delight. His lips capture yours once he’s on your eye level, hand set on the back of your head to keep you still, mouth instantly flooded with your taste, pulling away with fiery eyes and a smirk. “Joon was right, you’re gonna be my favourite”

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deadmandairyland · 3 years

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Hi! I’m here to bring you yet another Danganronpa tier list: the sexuality tier list, which you can find here.

Now I’m going to be honest here: I don’t really have any LGBT headcanons. It’s just not really something I focus on much when it comes to fandoms. Instead I usually just focus on ships, and as a result from that I tend to present a lot of characters as LGBT in fanfictions and posts I’ve made or reblogged. In other words, a massive chunk of my “headcanons” here are a direct result of shipping (as well as information I’ve picked up from the games themselves). That being said, it was interesting to actually think about this for once, so I’m kinda glad I did the tier list. And it gave me an excuse to bring back the rainbow color scheme I usually put in my tier lists for aesthetic reasons.

The original tier list had Straight at the top, but I moved it to the bottom for two reasons. One, this is Tumblr and that’s not what you’re here for. Two, I gave it a neutral color, and having a gray section next to a white section (i.e. the title of the list) like that looked bad to me. I definitely prefer this setup just on aesthetic alone.

Because this is largely based on ships, I feel it needs to be said that representation does not factor into this chart in any way. I know it probably looks bad that the only character in the Lesbian category is one of my least favorite (though NOT hated or even disliked, I should point out) characters in the main series. That has nothing to do with the fact that she’s a lesbian. She’s just a jerk, and usually not in a way that’s at least entertaining enough for me to like her.

Also keep in mind that this is just the main cast of the main series games. If you were to include characters from the DR3 anime, UDG, or the spin-offs, the Gay, Lesbian, and Ace categories would get more rep, certainly. Think Juzo, Yui, Takemichi, that gay guy with the trumpet, etc.

With that said, let’s go through the list:

Gay

Not gonna lie, one of the reasons why Rantaro is here (and not in Ace) is because of ships. Though I do sometimes ship him with girls, canon suggests he’s not interested in dating girls, and most fans seem to headcanon him as either gay or ace because of this, so I respected that. That being said, I also acknowledge he’s a very popular character in mlm ships, and at the time I was putting this together I hadn’t gotten to Taka yet so the Gay tier was still empty, and Byakuya was already sitting in Ace, so all of that swayed me to putting Rantaro here instead of Ace.

Taka was much easier to place here. He strikes me as a closeted gay man who probably doesn’t even realize he is gay. “Hey, let’s all hang out in the bath, guys! Getting naked is essential to form bonds with your fellow man! No need to be ashamed, it’s tradition!"

Lesbian

Again, ships. I only ship Hiyoko with one other character, and as soon as I say that you already know who she is.

Bisexual (Male Preference)

Akane is mostly here to account for any wlw ships I may have of her (e.g. Hina, Sonia maybe). Obviously she has a thing with Nekomaru, so Male Preference.

Chiaki is here for the same reason as Akane. I’ve shipped her with characters like Sonia and Ibuki before, but she really digs Hajime.

Chihiro honestly could have been anywhere in the Bi and Pan sections, but I ultimately went with Male Preference because of ships, specifically the fact that outside of the more... R18 circles of the Interwebs Chihiro tends to be shipped with guys more often than girls. Also doesn’t hurt that my OTP is Naehiro. I mean, have you seen how often Chihiro blushes around Makoto? (There’s more to it than that, as I’ve covered in the past. I’m just trying to add more fuel to the fire.)

Himiko is probably one of the few characters that isn’t here mainly because of ships. I do think she has some attachment towards Tenko, but I also get “I’m uncomfortable around her” vibes from her, and there are moments where she seems to crush on Kokichi (of all people) so that’s why she’s here. Still very much bi, though.

Hina has a crush on Makoto and has a complex around wishing she was more feminine so she can attract boys. So why isn’t she in the Straight section? ...Because Sakura, duh. And Kyoko too. And any other wlw ship you can think of that might work with Hina.

Honestly if it wasn’t for Miu I probably would have considered putting Kokichi in Gay. Again, while shipping plays a big part of my choices here, much like with Rantaro I have no qualms with putting a character in a tier that contradicts any ships I might have with that character, if those ships aren’t something I’m super invested in. This is a very important distinction, because it’s why I let ships sway my hand for so many of these even if I am also okay with going “Just because I ship this doesn’t mean I headcanon it” as I did with Rantaro. And honestly Kokichi’s ship teasing with Himiko does come off as more trollish than a sign that he’s into her, but he really gets into his back-and-forth with Miu, in my personal opinion, and he gets into it far more often with her for that matter. It’s why it’s one of my favorite ships for both of them tbh, and it’s because I like the ship so much that I just can’t ignore it for this sexuality headcanon tier list.

Maki... is here because of ships (e.g. Kaede).

Sakura... is here because of ships (e.g. Hina). ...What, you were expecting me to put a guy in the example? Remember, she has a boyfriend in canon.

Sayaka... is here because of... NOT ships, but DRAT. Yes, really. (”We really got down and dirty, Naegi-kun.”)

Sonia... strikes me as someone who swings both ways. I can’t describe exactly why I feel that way, but yes.

Bisexual (No Preference)

Celeste wants a harem of vampire boys but shipping her with Kyoko is also very popular and honestly i feel like it would fit her character. She’s got a look that says “I could get any ass I want and I know it.”

Ibuki is decked out in blues and pinks, and also I ship her fairly evenly among both boys and girls. She just screams bi icon to me, more so than any other character in the series.

Junko is either bi with no preferences or pan. She is an equal opportunity heart-and-soul-breaker and lust-for-despair machine.

There is no Mukuro in this list, but honestly I would probably put her where I put Junko anyway.

Kaede... is here because of ships (e.g. Miu, Maki)

Honestly I had no idea where to put Kirumi, so I just randomly chose one that I wouldn’t regret later if I ever put more thought into who I shipped her with.

I’m pretty sure Nagito being bisexual has some degree of canon attached to it??? I think??? I’m not entirely sure tbh, but fuck it. I’m doing this for fun anyway, so this doesn’t really matter.

Shuichi, like all Danganronpa protags, is bi as fuck. I also find him to be more shippable with guys than the other two protags, so IMO he has no preference.

Toko might have a thing or two for pretty boys, but... Komaru, I mean, this isn’t exactly shocking, I don’t think. Probably was closeted before she met Komaru. I mean she did focus on Hina’s boobs a lot in DR1, let’s not forget.

Tsumugi, much like Kirumi, is here because I haven’t put much thought into her ships.

Bisexual (Female Preference)

Gundham has a thing with Sonia in canon, but I can see him being bi. So... yeah, ships again.

Hajime, like all Danganronpa protags, is bi as fuck. It’s just that his Chiaki and Mikan game is just too strong.

Hifumi might claim to only like 2D, but his interest in Chihiro both in human form and computer program form (and the fact that this didn’t go away after the gender reveal) places him here.

Kaito strikes me as a closeted bisexual. The kind that could start any given conversation with “I’m not gay, but...”

Kazuichi also strikes me as a closeted bisexual, only his “I’m not gay, but...” is rooted more in dumbass than it is in systematic homophobia.

Korekiyo... is here because of ships (e.g. Rantaro).

Kyoko is bi as fuck, and I can see her having a preference towards girls in particular. She gets shipped with girls a lot (e.g. Celeste, Hina, Yui, and even Junko and Mukuro), and when she is shipped with boys it’s usually just pretty boys (e.g. Makoto, Byakuya, Ryota, Shuichi, and, depending on your interpretation, Chihiro). Also note that aside from Makoto and maybe Byakuya, Kyoko’s girl ships are far more popular than her boy ships. Just something I’ve noticed over the years.

Leon... is here because of ships (e.g. Chihiro).

Mahiru is here because I’m pretty sure she has a thing for Hajime in her FTEs, but obviously she tends to get shipped with girls more often (especially Hiyoko), and I agree.

Makoto, like all Danganronpa protags, is bi as fuck. It’s just that his Kyoko, Hina, Sayaka, and Mukuro game is just too strong.

Mikan may be interested in Hajime somewhat, but her obsession with Junko cannot be ignored, no matter how much some of you may want to.

Mondo is another character that strikes me as a closeted bisexual. He is said to strike out all the time with girls, so I do think he’s attracted to women. And I do get some vibes that he’s attracted to Chihiro pre-reveal. And if circumstances had been different, I imagine he probably still would have been post-reveal. But obviously it’s his bond with Taka that I feel cements his sexuality in, at the very least, an mlm category.

Tenko... is here NOT because of ships, but because I’m pretty sure she’s at least sort of interested in Shuichi because of some canon thing... and also I don’t want to put her in Lesbian just because it feels like I’d be stereotyping the Lesbian category if I do that. If we were to compare her to the character that I did put in Lesbian, Hiyoko doesn’t treat people like shit because they’re men, she’s an equal-opportunity asshole. Still not the best representation for lesbians by a long shot, but at least Hiyoko doesn’t follow the stereotype of a man-hating lesbian. She’s just like that, and that’s okay. But putting Tenko there, especially if she’s shown some degree of interest in a male character at some point in the game, just rubs me the wrong way personally, because it would feel like I’m ignoring canon just to stereotype her. But that’s just a personal hang up of mine. No disrespect intended toward anyone who genuinely feels that Tenko is a lesbian. Maybe you see something there that I don’t, and that’s perfectly fine.

Pansexual

I don’t remember exactly how her FTEs went, so I’m not going to get into that, but Angie just comes off as pan to me, like gender doesn’t fit into the equation at all for her.

Gonta I can see as either pan or ace. I feel like he wouldn’t care about gender, and honestly the only reason I decided to put him in Pan rather than Ace is because of that scene with Miu.

Imposter is not only pan, they are currently OT3ing it up with Ibuki and Ryota as we speak, and that’s a fact.

Keebo... is mostly here because of ships. A lot of ships, actually. Mostly male ships (Kokichi, Shuichi, Kazuichi, and, depending on your interpretation, Chihiro) but there’s also Miu to consider. And the Miu game is SO strong that I put him in Pan instead of, say, Male Preference.

Just gonna lump them together because I have the same thing to say about both of them: Miu and Teruteru would **** anything that walks. What did I censor? Well, I’m doing the Nier: Automata thing, so you can put whatever you want in there and trust me, it would probably fit, for better or for worse.

Ace

I know this is an unpopular opinion, because Naegami, but I just don’t think Byakuya is interested in anyone, at least not in that way. He might be fascinated with how common people live, because it’s so foreign to him, but that’s about it.

Straight

Even though I do ship Fuyuhiko with some of the boys, his Peko game is so strong that honestly I can’t see him actually dating anyone aside from Peko outside of some very niche fanfiction.

Honestly, Hiro was another one that I was just like “I have no idea what to do with you.” I think maybe his team up with Kanon made me eventually choose to put him in Straight? I don’t remember. I clearly didn’t put much thought into Hiro.

I really only ship Nekomaru with Akane, so that’s why he’s here. I’m sure if I dive deep enough into my psyche I can pull an mlm ship with Nekomaru in it out of my ass, but like Rantaro that wouldn’t be significant enough to change anything.

Peko is in the same boat as Fuyuhiko. I have shipped her with girls before, but her Fuyuhiko game is just too strong.

Ryoma had a girlfriend once, and as far as I can remember he didn’t really seem interested in anybody in the game, so that’s all I have to go off of for him.

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So there you have it. Explanations for literally all of them! Explanations that were definitely not pulled out of my ass as I was typing them, nope, certainly not. Definitely won’t be tagging all of them, but I may tag the ones with the longest entries. And like all the tier lists I’ve done, this was just for fun and honestly any opinion I have for any of these characters could change at a moment’s notice because my brain is fickle like that. Tried my best to make sure that every tier had at least one character in it, but I did so without trying to force characters in places that I personally did not believe they should go. I hope you all enjoyed my dive into this area of fandom that I rarely dive into (the LGBT headcanons, not the ships, obviously). It was a lot of fun, and hopefully it will stay fun and not result in angry anons blasting me for my opinions. I am grateful that this never seems to happen to me, but I’ve seen it happen to others and I know what Tumblr is capable of at its worst. These are just headcanons and a matter of personal opinion, and if you disagree with them, that’s perfectly okay. Your feelings and opinions are also valid.

#dangan ronpa #tier list #rantarou amami #kiyotaka ishimaru #hiyoko saionji #chihiro fujisaki #himiko yumeno #aoi asahina #kokichi ouma #kyouko kirigiri #mondo oowada #tenko chabashira #kiibo #miu iruma #teruteru hanamura #ended up tagging anyone who (at least in the editor) has four or more lines of text in their entry #or in hiyoko's case because i mention her a lot outside of her entry

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