#asexual!jennette

[myearts-uwu]

Idk how me not wanting to ship Jennette with anyone from the wmmap cast cause I feel like literally no one is ‘romantically compatible’ with her (But really I just think they won’t be able to give her the love and treatment she deserves) somehow ends up with me creating my asexual!Jen headcanon so I don’t have to deal with imagining Jen ending up with anyone.

Do I regret this choice? Ha! Absolutely not. My Jen is literally just vibing in the corner and I love that for her. Love her for only caring for her family members but having no wish and desire to have children (she’d just give people the silent stare if anyone brings the topic of having kids to her).

[athanasia-simp]

I feel like Jennette is genderfluid or uses they/them pronouns. Like- Idk, It's just something. Also Lucas as well.

Actually fuck it. Jennette is nonbinary while Lucas is genderfluid. Yes that!

Athanasia and Aksar are both still demisexual.

Athy is demisexual and asexual. She/her pronouns.

Aksar is demisexual as well. He/Him pronouns.

Jennette is asexual and aromantic. Nonbinary.

Luca is asexual and gay. Genderfluid

Ijekiel is omnisexual. Transmale.

Claude is straight. He/him. (I feel like he's homophobic and transphobic)

Anastacius straight ally. He/him.

Duke Roger straight. He/him. (He used to be homophobic but after Ijekiel came out to him as transgender, he tried to supportive.)

Lilian, our lesbian queen. She/her.

Diana pansexual. She/her but she doesn't really care what pronouns you use on her.

Felix is straight ally and he/him. (He's questioning his sexuality..after seeing that one hot knight *cough* definitely not my oc that I'm bringing up in the future)

[wahlpaper]

Radio Silence Review

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

CW: Suicidal Thoughts, Abusive Parent, Animal Death, Underage Drinking, School Stress, Depression, Arson, Death Theeats, Toxic Internet Culture, Stalking, Unhealthy Weight Loss, Positive References to Harry Potter and Scott Pilgrim, Anxiety, Racism, Queerphobia, Classism, Fire Injury

5/5

I've wanted to read Alice Oseman's Radio Silence for quite a while, but it was the most recent season of Heartstopper that motivated me to read it now. If you're familiar with Oseman, you might know that all of their stories are set in the same universe. You may also know that they don't always connect to each other. I had assumed that Aled (a character in the Heartstopper comic and Radio Silence) was renamed Issac for the show. When I realized his story was very different, I looked into why. Aled was left out in hopes that Radio Silence will get an adaptation. So, if you were wondering, you do not need to be familiar with Heartstopper to understand and enjoy Radio Silence. The story takes place after and is very much its own thing!

In Radio Silence, Frances Janvier is head girl of her school and achieving top grades. She's on track to go to Cambridge, but she's been missing out on a fulfilling social life because of it. The only two things she does in her free time are art and listen to a podcast called "Universe City". When she accidentally finds out that she knows the anonymous creator of the podcast, she starts to help with the show and get close to him. This is Aled Last, a depressed boy with an abusive mother and a missing twin sister. Time spent with Frances allowed both of them to embrace their true selves. Unfortunately, the problems in Aled's life may be too much for their friendship.

Being used to Heartstopper and Loveless, both by Oseman, I was unprepared for how dark Radio Silence was. While no main characters die, there are feelings of hopelessness and fear that can affect a reader. It's the first book I've needed a reading break from since Jennette McCurdy's memoir. In addition to the topics I've already mentioned, this book covers racism, single parent-hood, mental illness, flaws in the education system, suicidal thoughts, toxic internet culture, and stalking. The topics are all handled quite well, I just wish I had read a content warning going into it. For me, it helps to prepare for what I'm about to read instead of going in blind. All reading needs are valid!

The thing that drew me to Oseman in the first place was their inclusion of asexuality. While you do not need to be ace yourself to write ace characters, I do see it as a nice bonus. Being ace, Oseman tends to include that rep in most of their books. Over the course of Radio Silence, Aled discovers that he is on the asexual spectrum. It's something he's afraid to share as he doesn't know how others will react. I've had this same fear every time I've started being interested in someone new. Seeing realistic representation of my identity will always feel rewarding.

Oseman is great at writing varied and authentic queer identities. Aled is also into guys and potentially gender fluid. The podcast he creates often pulls from his own life and the main character of it is gender fluid. Frances knows she's bisexual before the book starts. She doesn't get a romance arc in this book, so it's not a big part of the plot, it's just a part of who she is. There's also a gay character and a lesbian character. Queer people flock together and it's clear that Oseman knows this.

I think that Radio Silence is mostly written very well! The pacing allowed the book to take up many months and feel like it. Every mysterious part of the story was revealed at the right time. The characters were all complex and interesting. The messages all got across. What I struggled with was how Frances was telling the story. Though it's all from her point of view at some time in the future, this feels uncertain and inconsistent. It's as if sometimes she was just describing it in the moment. She was also annoyingly repetitive at times. I think it would have worked better if she was either an unreliable narrator or if it was all in the present. It wouldn't need to be present tense, but lines like "I would always" or "I never saw [person] again" could be left out. There's always going to be something a book struggles with and that's okay.

Radio Silence is not just a must-read for Alice Oseman fans, but a great book for anyone upset with the school system, wanting a friendship love story, or looking for a serious read that turns out okay. If you decide to read it you'll be treated to bits of the fictional podcast, fashion ideas from the characters, and lots of queer rep! If this sounds like a book for you, trust your gut and pick it up!

[neowitcher]

5 Favourite Books and Films | Summer 2022 Releases

1. Refusing Compulsory Sexuality by Sherronda J. Brown ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

In this exploration of what it means to be Black and asexual in America today, Sherronda J. Brown offers new perspectives on asexuality. She takes an incisive look at how anti-Blackness, white supremacy, patriarchy, heteronormativity, and capitalism enact harm against asexual people, contextualizing acephobia within a racial framework in the first book of its kind. (Storygraph)

Non-fiction books are a real struggle for me, and finishing one takes me quite some time and effort. Refusing Compulsory Sexuality did something that most non-fiction fails to do: it completely changed the way I look at the world (for better). It was an incredible and vital read that will stick with me for the longest time. Full review can be found here.

2. Nope (2022) dir Jordan Peele ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny, chilling discovery. (Letterboxd)

Another work that stuck with me for too long (possibly because I had the soundtrack on repeat) is Peele’s latest gift to the world. Calling it a gift isn’t too much praise; I finished watching thinking it was great and after letting it sit with me for another hour, I realised just how incredible it was. By far one of my favourite watches of the year of which my full review can be found here.

3. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life. (Storygraph)

Recently finished the audiobook and it is worth every five star review. It was a really raw memoir that had my mouth fall open multiple times throughout listening. McCurdy narrating her own story definitely added to the overall life story and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed some tears.

4. Decision to Leave (2022) dir. Park Chan-wook ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Hae-Joon, a seasoned detective, investigates the suspicious death of a man on a mountaintop. Soon, he begins to suspect Seo-rae, the deceased’s wife, while being unsettled by his attraction to her. (Letterboxd)

Decision to Leave was the type of film that made me doubt the high praise around it until I got to the very end. The director and cast are all very talented and it was an interesting watch that I hope to see pop up during awards season. Full review can be found here.

5. Not Okay (2022) dir. Quinn Shephard ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

An ambitious young woman, desperate for followers and fame, fakes a trip to Paris to up her social media presence. When a terrifying incident takes place in the real world and becomes part of her imaginary trip, her white lie becomes a moral quandary that offers her all the attention she’s wanted. (Letterboxd)

Talking about solid endings, Not Okay was the final film I watched over the summer and its ending was truly a make it or break it situation. Thankfully, it was the former and it pleasantly surprised me overall. There’s no shying away from an unlikeable protagonist and creating an ending that some people deem “not finished” but that I found a breath of fresh air in a world of very cliché film endings. It certainly caught my attention.

[doomed-prophetess]

wmmap! characters’ sexualities (headcanons)

Athy: straight but bicurious, would flirt with the maids just to get another piece of chocolate cake

Ijekiel: sapiosexual/ straight but drinks his respect women juice

Lucas: cupiosexual

He’s definitely somewhere on the ace-spectrum. Lucas is like thousands of years old and never had a lover before Athy. This is probably to underline how amazing Athy is but honestly? Not realistic unless he’s demi-/aromantic or demi-/asexual. I headcanon him as cupiosexual, he’s asexual but still has the desire to engage in a sexual relationship with Athy.

Jennette: closeted lesbian

I know, I know she had the biggest childhood crush on Ijekiel and dreamed of marrying him, but when he actually rejected her she seemed super chill. I headcanon that Jennette “falls” for him  because like many lesbians she only feels comfortable with a man if it’s a platonic family-like love and not sexual. She probably convinced herself this was a fated romance like in a fairy tale. And I secretly suspect her crush on Ijekiel arose from her fear that her family would abandon her as soon as she left for the palace. Marrying Ijekiel after becoming the crown princess was a way too keep both families (her foster and her real family) by her side.

Penelope: distinguished bisexual or at least bicurious

I also headcanon her as having a high sex drive (hence why she tried to seduce both Obelia brothers) and very open to try out new things.

Roger: metrosexual

If he wasn’t too busy usurping the throne with Ana and being a shining solo who yearns for his dead wife, I’d headcanon him as a functional bisexual.

Anastacius: bisexual disaster

Felix: pansexual

Lily: biromantic demisexual

According to fanon she had a crush on Diana. and is now in love with Felix. In Lovely Princess she and Felix never married which seemed to throw readers off. Well it’s not uncommon for asexuels & demisexuels not to take their relationship to the “next level” if they are already comfortable with what they have now.

Diana: ???

Claude: the token straight that’s on thin ice

Aeternitas: Lucassexual

[myearts-uwu]

AU!Jettie with her bestie

Last time I drew him was in November 2021... God that feels so long ago.

Before anyone say anything, I know her bestie looks a lot like Felix. I made him look like that on purpose. Except this guy can be a lot more unhinged when he’s doing his job with Jennette.

In the beginning, I only wanted to give him red hair and try giving him a different hairstyle from Felix’s curly-ish hair but then I was like “... you know what? Screw it. Make him Felix’s doppelganger.”

If both redheads meet, people would’ve assume that they’re either siblings or father and son.

Actually, he’s supposed to be Chinese and I don’t really have a good name chosen for him yet. So... feel free to think of a name for him.

Bonus (TW: Blood): Not sure if it needs a trigger warning but I do know people are suckers for TWs these days so...

[myearts-uwu]

WMMAP modern AU where Athy and Jennette are street musicians who always perform duets with each other since their first meeting.

With Athy on the keyboard and Jen on the guitar.

Though they can barely get by with their earnings from street performances and gigs at restaurants, they’re still happy and know they’ll make it big someday.

[myearts-uwu]

AU!Jennette would not even budge if there’s an attractive lady or gentleman trying to woo her because she’s a loyal gf.

She’d just stare at them blankly before politely telling them that they should learn about the concept called personal space before leaving to go to Ha-eun.

[myearts-uwu]

Asexual Jennette.

[myearts-uwu]

Even though I headcanon Jennette as asexual and she has a loving girlfriend in one of my AUs, if I do wanna pair her up with a guy, it would have to be the kind of guy who just exudes the biggest Artem Wing energy.

A guy who drinks his respect women juice every day, a generally kind guy who can depend on to be there in your darkest times, a malewife. Someone who’s calm and collected around everyone else but bashful when he’s with Jennette.

Screw the opposites attract and sunshine x absolute psycho trope (looking at you Jennette x Jeremy). I just want Jennette to be in a healthy relationship with a her boyfriend/girlfriend because that’s what she deserves.

[myearts-uwu]

Jennette being good with kids but her asexual ass doesn’t want any of her own is the one headcanon that will always follow me around in any WMMAP AU I’m making.

[myearts-uwu]

I will never understand why people are suddenly shipping Jennette with Jeremy from The Way to Protect the Female Lead’s Older Brother because... it doesn’t make sense?

I know it’s normal to have crossover ships.

But Jennette? With Jeremy? I dropped the manhwa he’s from and I know he’s a cool dude and a lot of people love him but I’m not sure if Jennette would love to be around someone like him.

I’m staying away from any content involving this pairing because I’m part of the Jennette is asexual agenda who has a loving girlfriend.