#fandom representation

[moonlit-typewriter]

Percy’s face when Sally mentioned Grover playing a role in getting him kicked out of school…

The way his face scrunches up really tight before relaxing? That’s anger.

But not the kind of anger we see in him in the last episode.

This is the kind of anger that makes you cry. The kind that’s underpinned by embarrassment and hurt and feeling like you’ve been treated unfairly.

Percy knows he didn’t push Nancy into the fountain and he thought that, if anyone would have his back, it was going to be Grover. And then he didn’t. And it’s unfair to Percy. It’s Wrong. Because no one believes him, apparently not even his best friend.

And the way he closes his eyes and takes a really deep breath? That’s a tactic that’s literally recommended to stop yourself from crying when you’re angry. It allows your body to “catch up” with your mind.

What do you wanna bet that Percy learned that from a school counselor?

[orionsangel86]

There is something about proudly proclaiming a show "tumblrista catnip" that makes me emotional.

Something about how for years tumblrinas were ridiculed by show creators.

Something about Supernatural having a meta episode set at a convention with all the weirdo fans that made the main characters uncomfortable. Something something about Becky and the message that fangirls are gross and obsessive.

Something about Sherlock and the way fans were portrayed as crazy obsessive nutjobs for trying to figure out how he faked his death.

Something about creators mocking fandoms, dismissing them as freaks. Something about queer people not being welcome to engage in their creations because "why do you have to make everything gay?"

Something about the malicious culture of queerbaiting throughout the 2000s/2010s, followed by Bury Your Gays tropes across the media landscape because hell, you should be grateful we even gave you queer characters to begin with - and everyone dies in our show! You ain't special!

Something about Destiel questions being banned from conventions...

And then...

Something instead about Good Omens, and letting the story adapt naturally, embracing the fanbase and leaning into the fanservice.

Something about Our Flag Means Death, and the genuine outpouring of love and affection between cast, crew, and fandom that culminated in an explosion of fanworks that were never once mocked or deemed gross or wrong.

Something about Sandman, and staunchly digging in their heels on the queerness of it all, refusing to give in to the homophobes and instead avidly mocking THEM on social media rather than us.

Something about the writers hearing about fandoms favourite ships and excitedly stating that YES! We DID lean into that because it happened naturally and made sense.

Something about a firefighter coming out as bisexual after 7 seasons...

So yeah, something about a new high quality show made FOR US. By creators that love US. Respect US, and WANT our love.

Something about US FINALLY being a target audience for the best shows being made on TV now.

Tumblrista catnip. Creators saying "we made this for you. You are important. Your voices have been heard."

It just... all got a bit overwhelming for a moment there.

[cy-cyborg]

Just a reminder that unless your amputee character lost their limb less than a month ago, their stumps don't need to be bandaged.

[anneapocalypse]

Hey you know what's super funny about the idea of "good bi rep"?

For a character to be canonically bi you have to make sure and establish that they're attracted to multiple genders. Not all mediums allow you to get inside every character's head or show what they're thinking. Flirting can be read ambiguously, and god forbid they flirt with a character who's not into them and be read as pushy or predatory. So it can be super handy to just mention an ex or two! But you better not mention too many exes because that would make them a slutty bisexual which is (checks notes) bad, and you definitely better be careful about making them poly, because that might make them, uh... greedy. Oh, and those exes? They better be perfectly amiable breakups with no conflict or drama, because it's bad to represent queer people in toxic or abusive relationships (especially queer women! very bad), and you definitely can't have them have lost a partner if the partner was queer because that's "bury your gays..." You should probably also eliminate all trauma from their backstory, just to be safe. You should probably also make sure they're not involved in crime, deception, or anything of the sort, because that would make them "deviant" and a stereotype.

But don't worry! Once you've carefully crafted your nice, monogamous, experienced-but-not-too-experienced Lawful Good bi character, you will be rewarded with your audience deeming them "boring" and quickly passing them over for other characters. :)

[extraaa-30]

the adhd kids missing the deadline but saving the day anyway is so personal to me actually

[immortalmuses]

Watch Echo. Please. Please.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to see this kind of representation, this kind of investment from a company like Marvel, in telling indigenous peoples' stories. They consulted with the Choctaw nation, they DUBBED THE ENTIRE SERIES IN CHOCTAW. Choctaw is an endangered language! Fewer than 500 people remain that speak it fluently! And here it is, preserved in a Marvel Show about a Native Super Hero!!!!

I know you have MCU fatigue, I get it. I understand that some of the disney+ Marvel shows have been underwhelming. But I am BEGGING YOU. Just watch Echo. Just give it a chance, give Her a chance. The world is a better place with stories like this in it, and the only way we will get more of them is if we show companies like Marvel that their investment isn't a waste.

[hainethehero]

It is almost heartbreaking the way the toxic buddie stans are completely disregarding how 911 is trying to engage with discourse surrounding homophobia & LGBTQIA+ hate in workplaces in the show, and are crucifying one of the queer characters who is explicitly gay, just because their faves aren't a couple.

Like, this 👆 scene was devastating as much as it was badass because of Chimney. Tommy didn't fight back, and instead shifted his stance a little. He looks visibly uncomfortable and hurt but doesn't respond, alluding to the fact that he doesn't want to cause a scene, and/or doesn't feel empowered enough to stand up for himself and his boyfriend.

The scene could've been such a catalyst for deeper discussions about queer representation in service jobs like firefighting. It could've even led to discourse about intersectionality and how Hen faced her own struggles in the LAFD because in addition to being queer, she is black and a woman.

But no.

Instead, y'all are raving on and on about how Tommy is ugly, Lou is d*sgusting, how the cast and Oliver hate him and his character & how Buck and Eddie should be together and anything other than buddie = queerbaiting.

If you only want Buck to be bisexual with Eddie, then you NEVER cared about bisexual/queer representation in the first place.

[cepheusgalaxy]

Wish more people understood the difference between "shipping this aro character because i want to explore their aromanticism and where they stand in the spectrum" and "shipping this aro character because i don't care about their orientation".

[youryurigoddess]

Homophobes: But did the plot really need a gay relationship?

Me, a gay who’s watched seasons of unnecessary heterosexual drama stretched out:

[the-great-kraken]

if you see a male character kiss a male character, you assume they are gay.

if you see a female character kiss a female character, you assume they are a lesbian.

if you hear a character say they don't feel like their gender, you assume they are trans.

so why do a-spec characters have to jump through so many loops?

a character saying they've never had a crush or don't want a relationship or that they don't understand romantic love is so often ignored or used as fodder for other queer or autistic headcanons (reinforcing stereotypes that aroace people are secretly gay or always autistic)

why is it that our stories are always "up to interpretation"? why do we have to wait for the words aromantic or asexual to be said to be taken seriously? why is it that even when characters say they don't want relationships, fans will scream and cry about sex/romance favourable aspecs and qprs?

when it comes to gay and trans characters, even the likes of bisexual lighting is often treated as though it canonises their sexuality. for aroace characters, even the most explicit coding possible is swept under the rug in favour of other "interpretations"

i'm so tired of fighting for representation just to have it ignored and minimised by fans. let characters be aroace. please.

[mariathechosen1]

Do you read fanfiction? Are you queer? Well then I’ve got the perfect survey for you!

Hi! I’m a student writing a research paper on the prevalence of queer couples and lgbtq+ representation in fanfiction and need participants for my survey. This project will be entered in a national (Very prestigious) research competition and will be judged by an academic jury. The more answers I get on this survey, the more accurate my research will be, so I'd really appreciate it if you would take the time to answer! 

https://forms.gle/8sae8vzQRERAzYiX8

Update: The survey is currently being redone! You can find the reasoning behind this (and other FAQ) here [https://at.tumblr.com/mariathechosen1/queer-participation-and-representation-in/i689fhq3b2vn] and the new survey here: https://forms.gle/Tcoafs9dU627PNcn8

Here are some reasons to partcicipate: 

Science and stuff

Force a highly prestigious academic jury to read more than 20 pages about gay fanfiction 

Better my chances of winning real-life money by writing more than 20 pages about gay fanfiction

Help expand a largely ignored academic field (fandom studies)

It’ll only take like 8 minutes (5 minutes if you’re quick)

Uhhmmm…

Please?

The only requirement is that you have some sort of experience with fanfiction or fan works (Whether that be writing or reading). You do not have to be queer to participate and all answers are completely anonymous

Reblogs are appreciated!

[moonlit-typewriter]

There’s an underlying bitterness in Percy’s tone in this scene, despite the fact that he’s making a “joke,” that couples with the way he doesn’t look at his mom while he says it but kind of just stares distantly. And also the way his eyebrows go up and down in a quick, wry — and almost judgmental, even — way.

This one singular line hit me so hard as a neurodivergent person because it’s all you need to see the way that Percy feels about his own inability to do “basic” things, like pay attention. He’s making a joke that’s also a dig at himself for “screwing up” in some way and it felt so relatable.

And the fact that it’s basically setting up him the next scene when he tells his mom that he thinks there’s something “broken” in his brain?

It hurt in all the best ways that seeing an accurate representation of yourself in a series that’s been your comfort series since the moment you picked it up 🥲

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

No, love. Not every single character has to have a romantic partner to be interesting. It is okay for characters to end up alone. Or not have romantic experiences at all. No matter their sexuality. Aromantic and Asexual characters can exist and be a good representation of the queer community. Not only gay couples represent queer struggle.

That's all. Thanks.

[macdenlover]

i really can not stand the “fandom is so fun we’re all just projecting and making shit up” thing. because no i actually deeply admire the canon of my favorite media and all the intention and care and craft put into it. we are not the same.

[mavernick2]

happy pride month to val kilmer, the leader of icemav nation since 86’

[denjoust]