#comphet

[hopelesssheaven]

I need other wlws help because I’ve gotten to a point where I’m fairly sure I don’t have any real romantic attraction to men, I don’t want to date them, and the idea of spending the rest of my life with a guy doesn’t appeal to me the way spending the rest of my life with another woman does.

I’ve always been sure that I’ve liked women but it’s whether or not I like men that I’ve struggled with, I don’t think I’ve ever genuinely had feelings for a guy before and as I said the idea of being with one doesn’t appeal to me. But then I think of how there’s male characters / celebs who I find attractive n stuff and that’s always been the main cause of my indecisiveness.

I’m hoping I could get some other queer women’s perspective on this as I’ve considered the possibility of comphet but I don’t know 😭

[creature-wizard]

aren't asexuals just folks who don't like to have sex? how not liking sex makes you opressed or gay? jk rowling is right and the vast majority of human population agress with her, only tumblr don't. :)

Well you see, this little thing called compulsory heterosexuality, which impacts all same-sex attracted people, also impacts asexual people! Hope this helps! Here's a free link to Wikipedia page so you can go learn more. :)

[griotsaidwhat]

I'm sad I have to even say this but comp het is bad for many reasons but especially because white supremacists use it to justify the extermination of queer people

[reunionatdawn]

Why I think you should be able to romance Yosuke in the P4 Remake

Canonically speaking, Yosuke is pretty much Junpei 2.0. The straight bro best friend to the MC who is obsessed with getting a girlfriend. However, there was a romance route for him that was cut from the game, probably late into development. This would have no doubt recontextualized his entire character arc.

"Comphet," short for compulsory heterosexuality, is a term used to describe the societal assumption that everyone is naturally heterosexual. This concept suggests that people may feel pressured to form heterosexual relationships due to cultural norms and societal pressures, rather than genuine attraction. My opinion is that Yosuke's original character arc was supposed to be an exploration of this idea, due to how much support there was for it in the narrative. And here’s why I think they should add this idea back in for the remake, which looks to be on the horizon.

In P4, everyone's shadow was connected to their sexuality or gender role. Chie was a tomboy who was jealous of Yukiko's femininity. Yukiko was a "Yamato Nadeshiko" who was sick of being fetishized as the ideal girl, which in Japanese culture, is often overly meek. Kanji was bullied because of his feminine hobbies and adopted a hypermasculine thuggish persona. Rise felt disillusioned with her oversexualized idol persona and the performative aspects of show business. And Naoto dealt with internalized misogyny which manifested in her adopting a male persona.

Yosuke: And what's this about checking out this world for Saki-senpai's sake? Hah! I know the real reason you came snooping... You just came because you thought it sounded like a good time! What else is there to do in this shithole? A world inside the TV—now that's exciting! You didn't have a single other reason for coming here, did you!?

Yosuke was the odd one out, as his shadow mainly involved his repressed resentment at living out in the countryside and being very lonely. His shadow also had the least humiliating baggage to expose. He had feelings for Saki. But his shadow self's "dark secret" was that he was more excited about exploring the TV world than genuinely investigating her death. Shadow Yosuke accuses Yosuke of not being as sweet on Saki as he appeared to be. However, this idea didn't really go anywhere.

When the Magician card is reversed in a Tarot reading, it can suggest manipulation. In a relationship context, it means that someone may be presenting a false image or facade in order to manipulate the perceptions of others. And that idea certainly fit Yosuke. He pretended to be carefree. But what if he was also pretending to be heterosexual? What if the "horny straight bro" was just a mask? Is there any evidence of this? Actually, I think there was.

Shadow Yukiko: Tonight, Princess Yukiko has a big surprise—I'm gonna go score myself a hot stud! Welcome to "Not a Dream, Not a Hoax"—Princess Yukiko's hunt for her Prince Charming! And I came prepared: I've got my lacy unmentionables on, stacked from top to bottom! I'm out to catch a whole harem, and the best of the lot is gonna be all mine!

The Shadows in P4 are partly comprised of the suppressed thoughts and emotions of the actual person. There was a part of Yukiko's subconscious that felt like she needed a "Prince Charming" to save her. But the shadows who showed up on the Midnight Channel were also formed from the desires of what the general public wanted to see. Yukiko herself didn't really want to score with a harem of hot studs. It was the male students at Yasogami High who truly wanted to see that happen.

Yosuke was very nonchalant about failing the "Amagi Challenge". He took it in stride, almost as a badge of honor. And I found it very interesting how he showed absolutely NO reaction whatsoever to what Shadow Yukiko said. Nothing. If it were any other boy at school, I'm sure he would have had something to say about the most popular girl talking about how badly she wanted to lose her virginity to a bunch of hot studs. But Yosuke acted like he couldn't have cared less. He just said that the stuff she was saying sounded weird and that was it.

Yosuke: I haven't changed addresses since before we moved to Inaba. I mean, I might get a text from someone…It's hard to call, y'know? If I called people just to tell them my number changed, they'd get annoyed. And some of them never planned to text me anyway… Oh but hey, don't look at me like I don't have any friends!

According to Saki, "Hana-chan" didn't hang out with the other guys much. But in Rank 3 of his Social Link, it seemed like he desperately wanted to have closer relationships with male friends. And that may have been the true reason he happily took on the Amagi Challenge when he was a new transfer student. He probably just wanted to fit in with the other boys.

Yosuke: Haha…I never thought I'd be talking about serious stuff like this. Before I moved here, it was all small talk…Stupid, trivial things. I thought that was fine. It's only with you guys that I talk seriously like this. I dunno why, but I feel like I don't have to lie… Especially with you. You've already seen the worst of me and all. But well…thinking about it now, if someone had to see that, I'm glad it was you. It's a bit late now, but… Thanks for going in with me that time. Yosuke is smiling sheepishly…

By Rank 4, Yosuke acts very different around Yu than he does around the rest of the Investigation Team. He never acts this serious or sincere around anyone else. The other members of the group also open up emotionally to Yu. But Yosuke especially acts like a totally different character. He takes off his mask around Yu and only Yu. He's probably the first friend—especially a male friend—that he ever had where he could just be himself instead of adopting a false persona to fit in.

Yosuke: I can't get my mind off certain things whenever I have a spare moment… (option 1) Yu: Certain things? Yosuke: Uh, you know…stuff. I mean, well… Argh! Let's not get into it! Why do I get the feeling this is going to turn into a depressing conversation!?

During an evening conversation that occurs around Golden Week, Yosuke hints at some unresolved baggage related to his Shadow.

(option 2) Yu: Like Saki-senpai? Yosuke: Oh, come on... Of all the things you could bring up, you pick that one? I mean, that's part of it, but... I dunno, how do I put it? Argh! Let's not get into it! I don't wanna have this conversation!

Saki was part of it, but not the only thing. And he was blushing, too. The implication was probably that he was developing feelings for someone other than her and he might have been feeling a bit guilty for that. Or at least, that was my own personal interpretation.

Yosuke: Y'know, Chie and Yukiko seem different lately. They're a lot closer. Oh yeah, I was just curious, but are you...Ehh, never mind. If we keep chatting, we're gonna be late.

But there is evidence for that interpretation. After Golden Week is over and the group is headed back to school, Yosuke attempts to ask Yu if he is interested in Chie or Yukiko. The fact that he was so hesitant about asking made it stand out a bit to me. He probably had feelings for someone within their friend group.

Yosuke: Oh, I almost forgot. It's kinda off-subject, but as long as you're on the line, mind if I ask something? It's something I've been meaning to ask for a while. So…what do you think about Yukiko and Chie? I mean, let's not mince words: Which one's your type?

Before the stakeout for Kanji, he finally asks Yu which girl is his type.

Yosuke: Huh? Seriously? So that's the kinda girl you go for, huh...? She is a great girl, though. Plenty of fun to be around, too.

If Yu answers that he's interested in Chie, Yosuke acts a bit surprised. Not in an insulting way. He just assumed it would be Yukiko because all the guys in school were crazy about her.

Yosuke: Ohhh, I had a feeling you'd say that. She's actually pretty interesting. I never knew she was like that. My image of her has changed completely, but I like her way better now. Hey, but don't worry. This is just between you and me. Okay, see you tomorrow.

If Yu says that he is interested in Yukiko, Yosuke says he suspected as much. He doesn't say anything about her looks or anything. Interestingly, he just says that his image of her has changed, but he likes Yukiko more now after seeing her true self. Almost as if he didn’t have a very great impression of her before.

Yosuke: That being said…Yukiko, can I have your cell number? Chie: Hey…Was this your plan all along? Yosuke: Uh, no? I got everybody's phone number except for hers. And the Y section of my address book needs some filling out.

During the stakeout, he asked Yukiko for her phone number. So, the player would probably assume that Yosuke wanted to go out with Yukiko. That is what Chie assumed, after all. But I think that was a red herring.

Chie: Hey, how do you think the others are doing? Yosuke: Beats me. For all we know, he's hitting on Yukiko as we speak. Chie: Yeaaaah, no. He's not like you. Yukiko doesn't seem to be interested in that stuff anyway. Wait—are you saying he's interested in her? Yosuke: Huh!? Uh…I…wouldn't know…We don't really talk about that kinda stuff…Hahahaha. Chie: Now I'm even more suspicious! You know something, don't you? Yosuke: I-I seriously don't know! It's not like we've been hanging out that long, haha…

But Yosuke actually seemed less interested in Yukiko herself and more interested in the possibility that Yu might be interested in her. Even if Yu tells him that he's not interested, Yosuke probably didn't believe him. So, it’s possible that he wanted to become closer friends with Yukiko so that he could know right away if she and Yu started dating.

Shadow Kanji: I think that you three…would make wonderful boyfriends. Yosuke: S-Stop it! Y-You got it all wrong!

Kanji's arc introduces the idea of homosexuality into the story. And Yosuke got worked up over Kanji's shadow FAR more than he did with Yukiko's. When he called Yu after Kanji's Midnight Channel program aired, he was "too flustered to get his point across". And Yosuke felt the need to deny Kanji's Shadow almost as much as Kanji himself did.

Shadow Kanji: Accept me for who I am! Yosuke: Wh-Whoa! I really don't swing that way!

It gave me the impression that themes of Kanji's dungeon were just as relevant to Yosuke's character arc as they were to Kanji's. Perhaps even more so in some ways.

Kanji: I, uh…I don't really get it myself. Girls are so loud and obnoxious, so, y'know…I really don't like dealing with 'em. Guys are a lot more laid-back. S-So, uh, I started thinking…What if I'm the type who never gets interested in girls…? And I couldn't accept that, so I kept spinning around and around in my head… Yosuke: Well, I can understand the part about feeling more relaxed around dudes.

Homosexuality is a societal taboo. It is often something that people suppress and do not accept within themselves. It is actually the perfect subject to explore for a game about the shadow self. I don't think Kanji was gay. But I do think that Yosuke was originally supposed to be. And a lot of what Shadow Kanji said hit a little too close to home for him.

Chie: Well, the night's kinda fun. We cook our own meals with mess kits and sleep in tents. Yukiko: The four of us are in the same group. Yosuke: The same group, huh…? Does that mean we sleep together at night, too!? Chie: You wish! Guys and girls sleep in different tents! I'm warning ya…If you leave your tent at night, you'll be expelled on the spot.

When Yosuke found out that they were all in the same group, he actually stood up out of his chair. You're meant to think he reacted this way because he was thinking about sharing a tent with girls. Typical straight teenage boy. But I'm sure he knew they weren't sleeping with the girls on a school trip. His reaction probably had nothing to do with the girls. He probably got worked up about sleeping in the same tent as someone he had been developing feelings for.

Yosuke: This is as good a time as any, so…I-I want you to be honest with us. Kanji: Uh…okay? Yosuke: A-Are you really…you know…? Kanji: Am I really what…? Yosuke: What I mean is, uh…Are we gonna be safe with you? Kanji: Wha—!? Wh-Wh-What the hell's that supposed to mean? I-I already told you guys I'm not like that!

According to Jung, psychological projection is a major aspect of the shadow. When individuals project, they unconsciously attribute qualities that belong to their own shadow onto others. This allows them to avoid confronting these aspects within themselves. If they had stuck with that original idea, I don’t this scene would have been so controversial and offensive to people. By taking Yosuke's same-sex attraction out of the narrative, the game felt a lot more juvenile as a result. Yosuke's homophobia could have been used to explore his shadow self. But instead, it was just used to take cheap shots at Kanji for no reason other than comedy.

Yosuke: W-Well then why are you all hot and bothered about it!? That's just more suspicious!

The irony of this line certainly wasn't lost on me. And I don't think the writers were so lacking in self-awareness that they didn't realize how Yosuke was the one getting all hot and bothered by anything related to homosexuality after Kanji's dungeon. I think it was supposed to raise some suspicions in the player about Yosuke's sexual orientation.

Yosuke: And c'mon, you guys gotta admit I chose some good suits. Those girls might be childish on the inside, but I bet they're gonna turn into some fine-looking women before too long! Don't you think so, Yu?

If Yosuke was always intended to be written as a straight guy or even a bisexual guy, this part would come across as misogynistic and kinda creepy. Even Stupei wouldn't buy swimsuits for his female friends. But if Yosuke was actually meant to be a gay boy, this is more of a sad attempt at imitating a straight boy to appear "normal". And if that were the case, his behavior with girls is a lot more forgivable.

Yosuke: So…? You keep the goods under the futon? (option 1) Yu: Huh? Yosuke: C'mon…No need to play dumb. Don't worry. I'll still be your friend even if you're into the freaky stuff. Yosuke looks like he's having fun.

Yosuke wasn't truly interested in Yu's dirty magazines. He was only interested to learn more about what kind of girls he was into. I know they added a scene in Golden where Teddie finds Yosuke's porn stash and he shows it to his parents. It's played straight as pure comic relief. "Haha, Yosuke never stops thinking about girls". But in his Rank 5 SL, this felt like it was meant to be a more serious topic.

(option 2) Yu: Of course. Yosuke: Hahaha! Why are you acting so dignified about it? Alright, I'll check 'em out when you go take a piss or something. I'll expose your embarrassing tastes!! Yosuke looks like he's having fun.

The "embarrassing tastes" comment was interesting.

(option 3) Yu: What, don't you? Yosuke: Haha! Like I'd hide mine in such an obvious spot! One time, my mom found it and read the title out loud to the whole family… Yosuke is reflecting on his past…

It actually sounds like Yosuke was the one with "embarrassing tastes". If his mom felt the need to shame him in front of the family like that, it leads you to wonder what he was looking at exactly. Sure, it could have been some typical straight boy stuff. But what if it was a men’s magazine or something? Depending on how traditional his family was, he could have received disapproval for that.

Yosuke: So, you ever invited a girl in here? (option 1) Yu: I haven't. Yosuke: Haha, maybe you're more of a man's man than I thought. Yosuke seems happy…

Yosuke seems happy if Yu is not planning to bring a girl over.

(option 2) Yu: I will soon. Yosuke: Seriously!? That mean you're working on someone!? Yosuke is keyed up…

And he gets keyed up if he is.

(option 3) Yu: I have. Yosuke: Seriously!? Who'd you… I'll stop there. I think it's better I don't know. Yosuke is smiling wryly…

He probably assumed it was Yukiko and he didn't wanna know any more details than that. Again, due to comphet, most people would probably assume that he was just jealous because he wanted to date her himself.

Yosuke: Because she likes him…? M-Man, kids sure are mature these days…Well, my first love was in first grade, too! I've always been ahead of my time. But, well…I don't really need that in my life right now. It's just not the time…I have something I need to do before that can happen…

But he actually didn't. His true feelings are quite different than his public persona where he's obsessed with getting a girlfriend. Especially in Golden, like with the motorcycle scene. Yosuke said he was ahead of his time. And I think he was. His character arc seemed to be about being closeted and coming to terms with it. But that was a trickier subject during the time period which the game first came out.

Rise: And the bustline… Yosuke: Huh? Rise: Mine aren't that big. Yosuke: Oh yeah, I see what you mean now… I-I mean…What am I saying!? U-Um, I'm sorry…!

Similar to Yukiko's Shadow, Yosuke had no real interest in the sexual aspects of Rise's Shadow. The Midnight Channel zoomed in to emphasize her chest and waist area, which was due to the general public's interest in her sex appeal. Yosuke told Yu he could tell it was Rise by the hairstyle. However, in front of the others, he said he knew it was her because of her figure. It's a minor detail, but it suggests that his reaction was completely performative. He didn't even recognize her figure in person that well anyways.

Chie: Let's hurry and rescue her! Yosuke! You better not slack off, hoping she'll "bare it all" if we take our sweet time! Yosuke: I-I wouldn't pull a stunt like that! Yukiko: …… Yosuke: Wh-What's with the silent treatment!? I won't do that, I swear! Believe me, I know! We'll rescue Rise before the fog sets in!

The female members of the team assume that Yosuke would want to take as long as possible to save Rise so he could see her strip.

Shadow Rise: Eee, how embarrassing! Is this too hot for TV!? Well, if a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing all the way! I'm gonna bare it all for you! Heehee! Stay tuned! Yosuke: I-Is she serious about baring it all!? Is it me, or are these shows getting crazier and crazier!? Yosuke sounds excited. Yu: We're in no rush. Yosuke: Huh? But if we don't recue her, isn't Risette gonna...s-strip...? *gulp* Dude, we can't let her go through with that!

However, if Yu actually suggests that they take their time, Yosuke doesn't even get why. He doesn't want to see her strip and never even jokes about it, like Junpei no doubt would have.

Snooty student: So it's Kazumi now that Saki's dead!? Don't even bother, she has a boyfriend. Didn't you get it!? Saki didn't like you! We heard so from her! She may have acted that way, but… They started to badmouth Saki-senpai… Yu: Shut up! Yosuke: Yu… Snooty student: Wha—Who are you!? You shut up! Yosuke: You're the ones who should shut up!! What do you know about Saki-senpai!? She didn't do things half-assed like you! She looked lazy, but she worked hard! She talked bad, but she was good inside! So she hated me? I knew that! She's not here anymore! I'm left behind! …Just leave me alone.

In Rank 6, Yosuke didn't become angry when he listened to the girls gossiping about Saki. He only lost his temper when they insulted Yu.

Yu: You were just upset. Yosuke: N-No, I was just… Yosuke is smiling pathetically… Yosuke: Damn…Another pathetic display from Yosuke, huh? Thanks, though. Hearing you say that stuff to them…It made me happy.

Saying "You were just upset" in Rank 7 is a flag that unlocks the option to hug Yosuke in Rank 8. And the Rank 8 hug was probably a potential romance flag, just like when Rise was crying, and the game warns you that this is an important moment and there's no going back. The fact that these flags were still left in the game suggests the romance route was taken out relatively late in development.

Yukiko: The people at the inn keep asking me questions every day, like "What kind of guy is he?" and "Is he handsome?" *chuckle* I'm sorry I got you involved. Yosuke: …… Oh, uh, I'm going to go take a little walk. Yukiko: Huh? No, it’s not what you think!

When Yukiko is at Rank 6, this is the dungeon dialogue between them. There was definitely a love triangle going on between Yu, Yukiko, and Yosuke. Yosuke was clearly jealous.

Kanji and Teddie were conveniently removed from the equation. But Yosuke was a King's Game option. Kanji wanted Naoto to enter the beauty pageant to prove to himself that he was into girls. And Yosuke signed up all the girls. Was he also trying to prove himself straight?

Yu: What kind of girl do you like? Yosuke: W-well, for me, um... I guess a girl that's kind and sorta fragile, you know? Someone I'd want to protect...

Yosuke actually had a hard time with this question. He gets one on those blank scribbly symbols over his head. He was actually describing a Yamato Nadeshiko, which is the idealized woman in Japanese culture. A very safe and generic answer for someone who is "totes into girls" but has no specific type. Kanji's answer to this question was more detailed because he had a specific girl he liked in mind.

Male class rep: Okay…your turn. Who would you want to date? Yu: Yosuke. Yosuke: Okay, we get it! You're good at role-playing! Now quit it! You're creeping me out… Kanji: There are many forms of love…Didn't you tell me something like that? Yosuke: No! Not at all! Well, I admit, I'm pretty dependable…and decent lookin', right?

If Yu sits on girl side, Kanji is also an option. However, Yosuke is the one who gets hot and bothered by homosexuality. At least in public. Privately, he apparently told Kanji off-screen that he had nothing against other forms of love.

Yosuke: Your turn. What type of girls do you like? Yu: A kind girl. Yosuke: Ooh, me too! You get this urge to care for and protect them...

If Yu sits on the boy side, Yosuke is the one who will be forced to sit on the girl side. And he will single out Yu with his question, to learn what type of girl he likes. He can respond that he likes a girl like Chie, a girl like Yukiko, or a kind girl. Yosuke is very happy if Yu says he likes someone he has the urge to care for and protect.

Yu: Any of us you like, Yosuke? Yosuke: Well, you guys are all wonderful... But I think you'd be the most reliable. I-I mean—You idiot! Don't make me play along!

Yosuke would choose Yu to date because he's "reliable". It begs the question. Did he want a kind girl to care for and protect? Or did he truly want to be the kind fragile girl being cared for and protected by a reliable guy?

Yosuke: …I found this. It's a Print Club sticker I took with Saki-senpai… When I first got here, she insisted on taking it… Back then…somewhere inside me, I thought I was above this place… A lot of people saw me as the enemy because Junes was going to ruin the shopping district. But…when I met her, she told me, "Parents are parents. You're you…" Even if she didn't really mean it…it made me happy. Because of her…I started to think maybe this town wasn't all that bad. But then… Yu: She dumped you? Yosuke: No… that didn't matter. As long as she was still alive…

Yosuke was still mourning Saki's loss in Rank 8. But his relationship with her was not particularly close. They were coworkers for less than a year and he knew she didn't even like him. However, she accepted him. That's why he latched onto her. He probably thought he liked her romantically. Maybe he even wanted to like her, since he was so lonely. But I think as he spent time with Yu, he slowly realized that he never really did. But he did have those feelings for Yu.

Yosuke: Yu…I get it now. I wanted to forget about Saki-senpai. How she's not here anymore. I wanted to forget that…I was living a boring life in the middle of nowhere. When the murders started, I got excited…I thought there was finally a point to me being in Inaba…I thought I could forget Senpai was gone…and the fact that I was such a loser…I jumped at the murders and never once thought about what I was doing… I… didn't even take the first step…

I believe Yosuke liked Saki as a person, but he wasn't in love with her or anything. She was a crutch to help him forget his loneliness. And when she died, he latched onto the excitement and mystery of TV world as a distraction. And he felt very guilty over that.

Yosuke: But I think I'm awake now… I need to get over the fact that Saki-senpai isn't coming back… That when this case ends… I'll have nowhere to run… And I won't have changed… …… …You made me realize that. It seems you were able to act as Yosuke's crutch… You feel a bond between you and Yosuke.

The reason Yosuke was crying was probably not because of his deep grief over losing Saki. It was likely because he had found a new emotional crutch. And he was a lot closer to Yu than he was to Saki and even more afraid of losing him. He was afraid of what would happen when the case was over, Yu went back home, and he was all alone again.

(option 1) Yu hugs him Yosuke: You dumbass…That's for girls…

Yukiko's character arc was about moving away from stereotypical femininity and the whole ideal of Yamato Nadeshiko. She became more independent and assertive. But I think Yosuke's character arc was probably meant to mirror hers in many ways. He wanted to be the "girl" in a relationship, but he learned to view that desire as something shameful and he was unable to acknowledge it within himself.

(option 2) Yu pats his head Yosuke: Haha... Quit treating me like a kid...

Amusingly, the kanji for nadeshiko (撫子) also literally means "child being petted".

Yu: Be a man. Stand up straight. Yosuke: Haha… You're right. I wonder what'd be going through my mind if I was man's man like you. Yosuke is smiling weakly…

Yosuke was not a man's man like Yu. He had an obnoxious dudebro persona he adopted in a social setting, but it was not his true self.

Yosuke: This town I hated so much? Now, I love it. There's still nothing here, but I have family and friends...and you. The important things are never far off...They're all around you. Yosuke seems a bit embarrassed... Yosuke: I always wanted to be "special." I thought my life'd finally have meaning if I was "special" to someone. That's why I was really excited when I got my Persona. But I really didn't need it…It's not what you have or what you can do…Just being born, living your life…Before you know it, you're already special to someone. Yu: You're right. Yosuke: Yeah…Like you…You're special to me, you know?

Comphet can cause people to pursue romantic relationships even when they are not sexually attracted to the person. They often don't feel like someone of the same sex is even an option. I don't think Saki was truly "special" to Yosuke. But he wanted to be special to someone else so badly, and he thought that a girl was his only option. So, he latched onto the first girl to show him a tiny bit of acceptance.

Yosuke: There's something I wanted to tell you. Somewhere deep down… I didn't trust you. No, it's more like…I was jealous of you. I thought you were like me. Coming from the city to the countryside, I thought you'd be bored out of your mind here. But as soon as you got here, you called your Persona…Became our leader, gathered people…You're a hero. I like you for that, and I'm proud of you…But I guess I was jealous at the same time. Yu: I didn't know. Yosuke: I didn't know it either…When I called you "special," I thought some more about it. I think out of everyone, I wanted to be acknowledged by you the most…

Yosuke had an unused confession where he would tell Yu that he liked him. And based on the Japanese wording, there's almost no chance it was meant in a platonic way. It's how people express romantic liking. He was jealous of how Yu was special. But I don't think it's because Yosuke wanted to be the hero, the way Junpei did. Yosuke wanted to be special to Yu. But he didn't feel like he was good enough because Yu was more objectively cool and special. He wanted to be an equal partner.

Yosuke: So… I want you to hit me! Give me a good one. Knock out all this crap inside me. I want to be equal to you. I want us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. So c'mon… Will hitting Yosuke make you and him equal…?

In Rank 10, the game asks whether fighting will make them equal. I couldn't help but laugh. No, I didn’t think it would. It made no sense to me whatsoever.

Yosuke: Phew…The sky's so high up. Is Saki-senpai watching us…? Is she smiling at us? Senpai…I'm going to live. Without lying to myself, without deceiving myself… Days like today, days like before when I did nothing… They're all important days… They're all days you didn't live to see… I'm going to live them here.

As the culmination of his character arc, Yosuke said he would not deceive himself anymore. I was left wondering... When did that happen exactly? I could understand if this dialogue happened after Yosuke confessed his feelings for Yu and finally came out of the closet. Whether Yu reciprocated or not, it would have been an amazing conclusion to his arc and made him a much more interesting character. But sadly, it never happened.

I have no idea why they needed to have a fistfight for Yosuke's Persona to evolve. I think that when the romance confession part of the SL was taken out, the "dude brawl" scene was probably added in its place. They needed some emotionally cathartic moment, but didn’t really know what. I know this wasn’t the intention, but it almost felt like the game was telling me I had to beat the gay out of Yosuke. I didn’t like that.

The question now is: will Atlus change this Social Link in the inevitable remake? I think there’s a good chance they will. The P3 remake removed the transphobic scene. In Catherine, they added a route where Vincent embraced his bisexuality. And Yosuke’s over-the-top homophobia just wouldn’t fly nowadays without some kind of character development.

[bylertruth3r]

"We fell in love in October, that's why I love fall"

I KNEW SHE LIKED GIRLS (Imogen is a lesbian with comphet)

"Everything would be so much easier if I was into girls" she manifested her lesbian awakening

And Sahar wrote a song about Imogen <33

this kiss was so sweet :(

[yourehotcupcakke]

my sexuality pipeline be like

straight (?) > 100% bisexual > lesbian!? > lesbian... > LESBIAN > ... bisexual? > lesbian > bisexual?¿ > lesbian

[artbylittlebug]

[goldstar-rage]

for the idiots out there

[coffeeluv3r]

Caught Between the Lines ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆.˚

✩Pairing: 𝖢𝖺𝗂𝗍𝗅𝗂𝗇 𝖢𝗅𝖺𝗋𝗄 𝗑 𝖬𝖾𝖽 𝖠𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍! 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

✩Word count: 2.1k

✩Summary: 𝖢𝖺𝗂𝗍𝗅𝗂𝗇, 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝖾𝖻 𝗈𝖿 𝖾𝗆𝗈𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌. 𝖲𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝖻𝗈𝗒𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽, 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗋, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒, 𝗌𝗁𝖾'𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋. 𝖢𝖺𝗂𝗍𝗅𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗇 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗅𝗈𝗒𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗍𝗍��𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗌 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗆𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍.

✩Warning/s: 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗋 𝗅𝗆𝖺𝗈, 𝖺 𝖻𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗉𝖺𝖼𝖾𝖽???

✩Author's corner: 𝗁𝖾𝗒𝗒, 𝗂 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗎 𝗀𝗎𝗒𝗌 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖺𝗌 𝗂 𝗐𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌!!—𝗂'𝗆 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗂𝗈𝗐𝖺. 𝗉𝗅𝗌 𝗂 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗒𝖾𝗍 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗈𝖿𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌

CAITLIN CLARK HAD ALWAYS known exactly who she was.

From the moment she first picked up a basketball, the rhythm of the game had been her heartbeat. It was her first love, her greatest passion, the one thing in life she could always count on. Every shot, every pass, every buzzer-beater was a piece of her story, written in the language of the sport she adored. And then there was Connor—her steady, unwavering boyfriend, the person who had always been by her side. Through every victory and every defeat, he was there, a familiar presence, a safe place.

She never questioned it. Not once.

Until you.

It wasn’t supposed to be complicated. You were just the new assistant for the athletic department, someone she saw in passing, a friendly face on the sidelines. The kind of person anyone would gravitate toward—kind, funny, easy to talk to. It started out simple. A few harmless conversations, a joke exchanged between drills, the kind of thing she’d never given a second thought to before.

But then she started noticing things.

The way her pulse quickened when she heard your voice. The way her eyes searched for you in the crowd before every game. The way she caught herself smiling at her phone when your name popped up on the screen.

It didn’t make sense. She was happy with Connor. She loved him. Didn’t she?

One evening, after a grueling practice, Caitlin walked outside the gym and found you waiting, leaning casually against the brick wall, arms crossed, that familiar smile playing at your lips. The golden glow of the setting sun framed you in a way that made her stomach twist—an unfamiliar, exhilarating feeling she couldn’t quite name.

"Hey, superstar," you teased, bumping her arm. "Killer game today."

She laughed, but it came out breathier than she intended. "Thanks. I try."

For a moment, the world seemed to slow. There was something unspoken in the air between you, something she wasn’t ready to acknowledge but couldn’t bring herself to ignore. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her gym bag as she struggled to push the feelings away.

"You, okay?" you asked, voice soft with concern, noticing Caitlin's uneasy posture.

She hesitated. She could brush it off, pretend like nothing had changed. Or she could be honest—with herself, with you.

"I don’t know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think—"

But she didn’t finish. Couldn’t finish. Because if she said it out loud, if she admitted what was happening, then it would be real. And that terrified her.

You didn’t push. You just nodded, offering a quiet reassurance. "Whatever it is, I’m here."

Caitlin exhaled slowly, a mix of relief and frustration washing over her. She didn’t have the answers, didn’t know how to navigate these feelings. All she knew was that, for the first time in her life, she felt like she was standing at the free-throw line with the game on the line—and she wasn’t sure if she was going to make the shot.

As she stepped into the locker room, her teammates were in mid-conversation.

"Clark, you good?" Gabbie asked, tossing a towel over her shoulder.

"You’ve been spacing out a lot lately."

"Yeah, you better not be losing focus on us," Kate teased, elbowing Caitlin lightly. "We need our star locked in."

Caitlin forced a laugh, shook her head, sat on one of the benches, and began untying her shoes. "I’m fine. Just tired."

Monika gave her a knowing look but didn’t press. "Well, whatever it is, make sure you don’t forget we’ve got Purdue this weekend. We need you sharp."

Caitlin nodded, but even as the conversation moved on, she couldn’t shake the unease creeping in. She was used to having all the answers, knowing exactly what she wanted. But now? Now, she wasn’t so sure.

That night, as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Caitlin tried to rationalize it all. Maybe it was just admiration. Maybe she simply looked up to you in a way she hadn’t with anyone else. But then why did her stomach flutter every time you sent her a text? Why did she replay your conversations in her head, wondering what you meant by certain glances, certain words?

Connor noticed something was off. He had always been good at reading her.

"You’ve been quiet lately," he said one afternoon as they walked along campus. "Everything okay?"

Caitlin forced a smile, nodding too quickly. "Yeah, just tired. Long practices."

He accepted her answer, but she knew it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t fair to him. It wasn’t fair to herself.

Days passed, and the weight in her chest grew heavier. It was after a particularly grueling practice that everything came to a head. She found herself lingering in the locker room longer than usual, dreading the moment she had to step out and face reality.

"Clark, you’re showering in slow motion today," Hannah teased as she finished getting dressed. "You trying to avoid something?"

"Or someone?" Sydney teased with a grin.

Caitlin sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You all are too nosy."

"We’re just looking out for you," Gabbie said, her tone more sincere now. "If something’s up, you know we got you, right?"

Caitlin said nothing in reply to Gabbie, she leaned her back against one of the lockers, running her fingers in her and softly tugged on it.

"I don't know why you're avoiding Y/N, and I don't want to meddle in on what's happening between the two of you, but I hope you two will fix this, whatever's been going on." Gabbie said in a worried voice.

Caitlin swallowed hard, nodding. "Yeah, I know. I'll talk to her soon." What Caitlin didn't know was that ‘soon’, may come a bit earlier than she would have liked.

You walked inside the locker room, your eyes looking for something or someone, your expression shifting the moment you saw her. The girls, all except Caitlin, turn to look at your arrival.

"Caitlin?"

She snapped her eyes open and stood straight as soon she heard your voice and turned to face you. "Y/N..." she said in a shocked voice.

"Hey, Cait, can we talk for a moment?" You said meekly, Caitlin merely blinked her eyes at you, unsure what to say. "Um." she mumbled, darting her head towards the girls in the room, signaling with her eyes that she wanted a moment with you.

Gabbie and the others shared a look of understanding and slowly piled out the room to give the two the privacy they needed.

You slowly approached her and took your place beside her. The two of you standing side by side with both your hands lying limply just inches away from each other, both in your mind wanting to hold each other's hands but too afraid to make a move. Neither of the two was looking at each other. Caitlin's staring blankly at the ceiling, while yours were at the ground, your right foot twiddling the floor. After a few minutes of tension-filled silence, you can't handle any more of the awkwardness dancing between the two of you and decide it was time to speak up.

"Why are you avoiding me, Cait?"

Caitlin did not reply to you, still staring at the ceiling, her eyes slowly blinking, quickly licking her lips.

"Had I done something wrong?" You said forlornly, furrowing your brows. At that, Caitlin snapped her head at you, and she immediately shook her head in disagreement.

"No, no... It's not you, God it was never you, Y/N," Caitlin quickly replied while grabbing your hand at your side, while her other hand held your jaw, her thumb rubbing your cheeks softy.

She looked at you nervously, her heart hammering. "I don’t know what’s happening to me," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don’t know why I feel this way."

You didn’t look surprised. If anything, you looked… understanding.

"You don’t have to figure it all out right now," you said in a whisper, while slowly caressing her inner wrist with your forefinger.

"Feelings are messy. They don’t always make sense. You can talk to me, Cait. You are not alone, don’t bottle this up."

Caitlin inhaled sharply, her hands trembling. She wanted to believe you. She wanted to let go of the guilt, the confusion, the fear.

“I don’t know why I feel this way for you… It’s not fair. I— I don’t know what to do.” Caitlin choked, pressing her forehead to your neck. “I wish I could answer that, Cait.” You bit the inside of your mouth; the only comfort you gave to the teary-eyed girl was a soft squeeze of her wrist with a light kiss on the top of her hair.

Caitlin wanted to believe in you but most of all, she wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss your lips and not question why she wanted to.

Four months had passed, and Caitlin continued to wrestle with her emotions. Avoiding Connor was no longer an option. She needed to confront the truth—even if it scared her.

One afternoon, after practice, she found him waiting outside the gym. He looked at her with hurt but quiet understanding, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Do you love me, Caitlin?"

It was quiet for a moment, Caitlin hesitated, and in that pause, the answer became painfully clear. "I care about you, Connor. I do. But… something’s changed. I’ve changed."

His jaw tensed, but he nodded. "I knew this was coming. I just didn’t want to admit it."

"I’m sorry, I really am, but I don’t want to hide any longer. If I dragged this much longer, I would continue to hurt you more, it's not fair to you." she whispered in an apologetic voice.

"I just want you to be happy," he said softly. "Even if it’s not with me. Your happiness is more important."

“I’m proud of you, cait. I really am.” Connor added with a wobbly smile.

Tears pricked at Caitlin’s eyes as he walked away, but alongside the sadness was something else—a strange sense of relief. The weight she had been carrying was slowly lifting.

Later that night, she found herself outside your apartment door, heart pounding. When you opened it, surprise flickered across your face before softening into a smile, leaning against the door, crossing your arms, and leaning against the door frame.

"Yes, Caitlin?"

She exhaled, steadying herself. "I don’t have everything figured out yet… but I want to. With you.... If you'll let me."

You shook your head and stepped forward, pulling her into a big hug. "You don’t have to have all the answers or worry about what the future might hold. The answers will come when they’re meant to. Just know that what you're feeling is real. And it’s okay. You're okay."

Caitlin’s breath hitched, but this time, it wasn’t out of fear. It was out of relief. Acceptance. She let herself lean into the warmth of your touch, leaning on your right shoulder, pressing her nose at the side of your neck, finally allowing herself to believe it.

For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid of who she was. And that, more than anything, felt like victory.

[wickedwlw]

Galinda Upland! An expert on compartmentalization !

GIF creds: @monikanarnia

[oswinix]

HEARTSTOPPER (2022)

[guttednight]

I NEED to talk about lesbianism in revolutionary girl utena with other lesbians. So many thoughts. So many thoughts about Utena specifically and how, to me at least, her perceived attraction to men is symbolic of her being a victim of both grooming and the patriarchy overall. She’s fighting mega comphet demons on multiple fronts, and she’s only 14. God knows I remember the comphet demons when I was 14, and I’m sure many other lesbians see themselves in her that way too.

I think one of the most important things for me distinguishing Utena as a lesbian rather than bisexual is the revelation that her rose crest ring was never leading her back to ‘the prince.’ It was leading her back to Anthy. The ring that drives her since the beginning, and drives her ‘attraction’ to men (both Touga and Akio - although of course there is a grooming element on their parts to be taken into account here as well), she is revealed to be mistaken about. I take it as she is mistaken about her attraction to men as well, but that’s just my own understanding of course. To me, it was always Anthy :)

It’s important to me that when Utena and Anthy break free of Ohtori, they do so as lesbians. To grow past their victimisation by men and patriarchy and realise, no, it’s been women all along, it’s always been her - is soooo powerful to me. To be groomed both literally (Akio) and figuratively (the patriarchy as a whole) and turn around in defiance of that to claim a lesbian identity and revolutionise themselves as a result - it’s just wonderful. I appreciate the show allows for the interpretation of lesbianism as a revolution of the self - because it certainly was for me.

Disclaimer! This isn’t me invalidating any other interpretations! It is a very interpretative show! This is just an insight into the lens through which I viewed it as a lesbian myself!

[malewife-cas]

monthly mental debate: lesbian or bisexual, which one am i?

[bloodmoonlich]

Good luck, babe!

Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan / Not A Love Song by Pale Waves / Lead Me On by FLETCHER / Secret by Peach PRC / It Wasn't Love by Blondshell / Cosmic Superstar Girl by Maude Latour / Curious by Hayley Kiyoko / Not A Love Song by Pale Waves / One That Got Away by MUNA / Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan

[eye-am-gender]

I’m currently rewatching Nana (I read and watched it last when I was around 14), and it is sooo much gayer than I remembered!

To be fair, I also thought I was a straight girl at that time, so it actually makes a lot of sense. But if someone just taught Nana and Hatchi about comphet, they could realise they are actually totally in love, and get their deserved happy ending!

[riotgrrrlnat]

Personally Nana is a manga i feel you need an understanding of sapphic women's struggles to be able to read through the context and intention of the characters and their issues. Primarily the two Nana's.

Nana Osaki has a discomfort around the idea of traditional feminine roles and what's 'expected' from her as a woman. The main reason she feels her relationship with Ren doesn't and won't work long term is he's fixated on wanting to have children with her.

However for Nana this'd get in the way of her desired career as a singer and also her future. She deems becoming a housewife and having to provide only for a man as 'the worst fate imaginable'. This is the main reason for conflict with her relationship with Ren.

While Ren isn't abusive in the same way as Takumi he does force Nana into doing things she doesn't feel comfortable with nor want to do. It's because of this that her relationship with Ren is so toxic for the both of them.

On Hachi's side, most of her issues seem to revolve around a clear case of comphet and struggling with her feelings for the women in her life. Hachi desires what Nana least desires (becoming married, having kids etc.) however romance with men is painful and isolating for her.

Hachi's first relationship being with Asano, where she was groomed while she was still a minor ruined her perception of how relationships should be. She only started dating Shouji after he guilt trips her into a relationship (and sex).

Hachi constantly states wanting a friendship with Shouji and how much it means to her however she starts dating because everyone around her acts like she's leading him on. So she dates him, then Shouji gets mad she doesn't act how HE wants her to act.

Shouji literally cheats on Hachi with Sachiko because she wouldn't just sleep with him all the time whenever he wanted. Hachi wasn't 'submissive' enough, Sachiko was.

Then on Hachi's part her 'liking' of Takumi was only in a way of how girls idolise a celebrity. There's no genuineness behind this because there's a fictional distance between you and them. Once Hachi actually meets Takumi she notices there's something wrong.

Hachi only got with Takumi because she was feeling abandoned and left behind by Nana who started focusing more on her career. Her entire relationship with Takumi is a cycle of abuse on making her think she needs him while he's aware she doesn't actually love him.

Takumi doesn't love Hachi, he only loves the amount of control he has over her. He literally treats her like his dog and both Nana and Hachi are aware of this. However it's not easy to break out of an abusive relationship just because you're aware.

Especially since with Takumi Hachi is able to have a child, which is something she's wanted since she was young. Obviously she doesn't love Takumi but on her mind, someone who never had a clear idea or desire for the future. It's the only thing she can do.

Especially since from her pov 'Nana doesn't need me anymore'. I'm not saying everyone needs to read the characters in a sapphic pov but none of the relationships they end up in are healthy for either of them, they both have men forcing their desires onto them.

Nana and Hachi's love for one another is the focus of the series and if it ever continued they'd definitely develop their relationship further. There's a sense of freedom in their love for one another that they can't get with men.

To conclude, Hachi has clear symptoms of comphet and she is likely a lesbian but struggles with seeing her feelings as valid. Where on Nana's side she can't achieve what she wants to achieve in life if she's dating a man because they'll always have different life desires.