#moe lore snippet that could have been an email

[moe-broey]

Somehow, I think gender plays a role in how Moe socializes with people. Despite being nonbinary itself, I think the family/background it came from had such specific ideas of gender roles that like... that, in combination with the family dynamics in general, does color how Moe interacts w others based on what it can glean from them.

Examples?

> Incomprehensible Feminist Agenda:

Flavored by a lifetime of looking up to, loving and respecting its older sisters -- and scary version, whatever is going on w its mother. Also results in respect (and fear.) Plus, previous experience adhering to those gender norms/role... It has insane shrimp color baggage from that. Mani portrays a lot of it. Ultimately, generally speaking -- Moe tends to be respectful, amicable, if a bit standoffish. Also loves doing the "God Forbid Women do ANYTHING" bit, and the like.

> Men???:

Complicated. But there are good men, and it never has any guilt about being associated w masculinity. I think the baggage (aside from any reductive ideas it was raised with), comes entirely from specific ass complexes. Some Cain and Abel shit. Can find itself switching the way it talks to match (tone, cadence, ect). I'm just like you, see? Asshole. Actually I'm better than you but that's neither here nor there. Bastard. Absolutely gets extremely frustrated and oscillates between "i've got nuthin' ta prove, go get a greater understanding of gender nonconformity and identity as a whole, Idiot" to feeling VERY MUCH like it has Something To Prove. There's also an element of envy, more broadly speaking! Sometimes evil, sometimes just pure respect and awe! (My trans Bruno hc goes crazy here bc Moe really is just dazzled by him LMFAOO) Also something something, "do i love you, or do i wanna Be You?"

Funnily enough, if someone exists in the Other category for any reason (trans and/or nonbinary identity, general nonconformity, ect), I think all social scripts have to be built in real time specific to that person, themselves. Which ironically leads to Moe having a chance at breaking down any walls that would otherwise be up, do to social convention.

Now, what does this look like in action? Say, there is a mysterious hooded figure of indeterminate gender, even up close. Well! I think it depends on three factors: How this person reads, how they identify, and what they specifically want to portray to Moe.

Like.... Misc examples.

Rosado is very Do Whatever You Want Forever, could be the sole other neopronouns user in the Order (I really like a fae/faer hc there!), and very easily reads as transfemme (... so much so she's just transfemme. To me. I switch between the neopronouns and she/her and legitimately forget fae canonically uses he/him 😭). What Moe does with this? Probably slots Rosado into more feminine coded social scripts (which fits well for Rosado, if you look at how she interacts w Hortensia and Goldmary!)

Forrest? Heavily defined by being amab and having a very complicated relationship w that. Moe reads a potential transfemme interpretation. Moe, attempting to be an ally/show solidarity... immediately fumbles the interaction. "what are your pronouns" "???? He??" "Are You Sure about that?" "...... excuse me? 😟😥"

Libra? Easy. He makes himself very clear as soon as you talk to him. Masculine social scripts.

Then you have very specific cases! Bramimond. Limstella. Kyza! All use they/them (Kyza esp in Heroes, very cool way to implement their ambiguity in Radiant Dawn across translations). I think all of them get factory settings until Moe figures out how to talk to each. Sometimes the completely neutal factory settings remains. Sometimes you figure out how someone wants to be seen/regarded as you speak to them (I think Kyza falls here -- masculine social scripts as a boundary on their part. If you aren't Ranulf or Lyre, you don't know me like that. Ect)

Sully? An interesting one to include here, actually. Often seen as butch. I've seen some fascinating transmasc reads/hcs for her. I think Moe entirely just lets Sully take the lead. Is she overcompensating for something, much like Moe used to just in an extremely opposite way...? That's none of its damn business. It could be a plethora of factors, really, all of which Moe itself has familiarity with and is sympathetic to. None of which, again, are any of its DAMN business. I think Moe has a lot of fun mimicking and matching her energy regardless LMFAOO (and again, lets Sully take the lead on how she wants to be regarded! Which, in this example... we're sticking to canon, a strong woman who takes no shit! Results in a fun mixture of feminine and masculine social scripts, from Moe!)

A little bonus, is how I've personally been using gender neutral pronouns for each summoner regardless of presentation. The purple haired Summoner? Very easily reads as a woman (either cis or passing as such). But in my head/the angle I was taking, is like... that's the first impression, yes. But then they mention a complexity to their identity. And IMMEDIATELY Moe does the gender perception factory reset in its mind. And starts building from there! Figuring out how they want to be thought of/how they're regarded!

Adjacently: Mani absolutely falls under this category of character. With Mani, there's a very clear starting point, sex assignment wise. Very much matches/falls into general expectations that come with that. Has "all the features", for lack of a better way to put it. With only a few oddities here and there -- all easily dismissed as not that unusual, actually. For example -- the short hair, no makeup. Not that unusual, generally speaking. Maybe odd combined w its highly feminine way of dress. But ultimately, there are plenty of instances of that! You don't think twice. But as you get to know Mani, you realize pretty immediately Oh! That is. That is Something Else entirely. DIVERSITY WIN?????