#nobody here did this but i keep thinking about how people (esp neurodivergent people) are shamed for their attachment to fictional character

[reigenhusband]

Heeeey just because someone finds a lot of comfort in characters doesn't mean they ""need professional help"" or that their way of coping is unhealthy.

Interest in media and fiction is ever expanding and we all have varying levels of how we enjoy things and that'll always be true for any interest. Everyone is going to deal with things differently and sometimes it won't be a conventional way! So reminder:

It's okay to cry when a character you adore dies or something bad happens to them.

It's okay to be uncomfortable with the way others in fandom treat your favorite character.

It's okay to collect merch of a favorite or own things that reminds you of them. Comfort items aren't invalidated just because it's media related.

It's okay to make your own little bubble where you tailor your experience. You don't have to enjoy something the same way others do if you makes you uncomfortable (ex. Interact with fandom of your fav franchise)

It's okay if a fictional character has helped you feel better about something or even make it through another day.

It's okay to have strong feelings about media!

Sometimes characters have impacted us so they become special to us! Folks shouldnt be shamed for having feelings about media and characters when they were literally created to evoke interest and emotions in those consuming it.

[silverislander]

i'm asking: 4, 10, 13!

4. how many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? care to share one of them?

ooh ok,, so i have a notes app list of extremely loose ideas/hcs, here are a few

ellie and jesse talking abt girls over a few beers bc i mentioned that in mine and honestly their friendship lives in my mind rent fucking free.  probably pre-canon, could be canon divergent ("jesse lives" au, alternatively called "tommy dies" au- not bc i hate tommy lol, just bc i want to think abt what would happen if their places switched)

something something dina comes out to the gang and it’s cute and happy, something something baby team jackson dumbassery and shenanigans

pre-canon role-swap au?? ellie is this confident decently popular (openly gay) kid who's been happily living in jackson for a few years now with her adopted dad, and dina just arrived alongside her sister, always wears long sleeves and acts like talking about her past would kill her on the spot. this is barely a real idea yet, it only occurred to me yesterday, but i really like the concept so far!! i'd probably do a one-shot/series of one-shots bc i'm me and i just don't have the drive for a big fic, but i especially think it would be cute to have ellie just shamelessly trying to flirt with dina and it's just Not clicking for her kfgsksgqsdfk

i know it’s probably not smth a load of people will be interested in, but i really would like to write smth involving adhd!ellie at some point bc it’s a hc that means a lot to me,, i mean, come on, she has some textbook symptoms esp in the first game, even right down to hyperfixations and emotional dysregulation!!  this girl is neurodivergent, you can’t change my mind.  probably gonna make a hc post abt this at some point first to get it all down in one place, because boy oh boy do i have Thoughts and they are (mostly) supported by canon!!

10. which fic has been the easiest to write?

already answered!

13. what's the best writing advice you've ever come across?

already answered, but i’ll try it again: write what you want to see.  most of my ideas come from reading through the tag and going “why is nobody doing this yet?” and “neat, but what if we did it this way instead?”  that’s where most of my dina-centric fics have come from- i wanna explore her side of the story, and if nobody else is gonna do it, then why not me?  it’s also the basis of “ain’t together”- the original plan was for them to make out while high and then for the fic be canon compliant, so they’d never mention it again but they both remember it.  that... didn’t happen, because i’m practically incapable of writing a sad ending lol.  tbh it’s worked out p well so far for me- people seem to like it!

not to mention, if what you write sucks?  nobody’s forcing you to post it.  you can keep it just for you forever if that’s what you’re feeling.  i did that for years!  (i’d recommend trying to post at least once in your life tho, there will always be minimum one person who is looking for Exactly That Fic and you will make their day and it feels super cool!!)  the goal is just to write for your own wish fulfillment, because you’re your first reader :)

[apokine]

Anna told me to do the whole thing so here we are I guess

How did you choose your name? IDK I just wanted to still have a name that wasn’t like ~weird~ but still unique 

What gives you the most dysphoria? (Acknowledging that not all trans people experience dysphoria) even tho I got my tiddies removed i still feel kinda weird abt my chest if i’m not wearing a top lol…also a weird one but lipstick

Do you have more physical dysphoria or more social dysphoria? social maybe? it’s just sort of there all the time so

What do you do to perform self-care when you’re feeling dysphoric? what i always do when im feelin down - EAT LOTS OF FOOD

What was the first time you suspected you were transgender? uhhh i think the first time i suspected it as a like TANGIBLE THOUGHT was this one time when i was out w/ friends and had to go to the bathroom and i absolutely had an epiphany in the bathroom that i wasn’t a girl hahahahaha

When did you realize you were transgender? idk how this is different from the last one and i dont rly remember when it was that i like officially stopped thinking of myself as a girl

What is your favorite part of being transgender? other trans ppl probably. stay awesome, trans peeps

How would you explain your gender identity to others? mostly genderless, but i fluctuate around

How did you come out? If you didn’t come out, why do you stay in the closet? Or what happened when you were outed? im out w/ family/friends, who all found out in diff ways i guess? some ppl i just told, i also wrote stuff on tumblr & fb about it

What have your experiences with packing or wearing breast forms been? no experience with either lol 

What are your experiences with binding or tucking? binding sucked haha i defo wore my binder way more than i should have and got that Big Back Pain so i eventually mostly stopped and then got my bops chopped off

Do you pass? nahhh (is it even possible to pass as nonbinary??? question for another day)

What (if any) steps do you want to take to medically transition? got top surgery, idk abt hormones cuz i dont see myself as transmasc and am not interested in looking Very Masculine but i would like to look Less Feminine

How long have you been out? uhhhhhhh year a half maybe???????

What labels have you used before you’ve settled on your current set? none, tho i wouldnt say i’m particularly ‘settled’ haha

Have you ever experienced transphobia? sure have

What do you do when you have to go to the bathroom in public? usually the women’s restroom, sometimes mens if it is more convenient

How does your family feel about your trans identity? mixed reviews lol, some of my family is super supportive, some of them are like “why are you doing this” etc

Would you ever go stealth, and if you are stealth, why do you choose to be stealth? i mean i guess i’m stealth at work bc i worry abt my job

What do you wish you could have shared with your younger self about being trans? i wish that younger me just knew there were options i suppose

Why do you use the pronouns you use? I use they/them bc she/he felt too gendered for me and neopronouns just sound too strange to me personally. I respect and admire anybody that uses neopronouns bc those ppl are paving the way for future generations to have more options that are normalized tho. I just can’t do it myself cuz I have a big fear of standing out which is totally at odds with like everything I wanna be lol

Do your neurodivergencies affect your gender? i dont think so but who fuckin knows

What’s your biggest trans-related fear? NOBODY’S EVER GONNA LOVE ME

What medical, social, or personal steps have you already taken to start your transition? i feel like this has already been covered by previous questions

What do you wish cis people understood? that my gender isnt anybody’s business!! who cares!! 

What impact has being trans affected your life? idk honestly. dont know where to even begin trying to measure that

What do you do to validate yourself? well sometimes i like to argue with strangers on the internet 

How do you feel about trans representation in media? i love the increasing representation in the media and it makes me very happy to see being trans normalized and validated, but obviously there still just isnt enough good representation

Who is your favorite trans celebrity? angel haze maybe

Who is the transgender person who has influenced you the most? hmmm well i think that trans people i know irl are the ones who have given me the most courage. when i see other people come out or change their name or use they/them pronouns or WHATEVER i’m like “wow if they can do it i can too”.

How are you involved with the trans community, IRL or online? i wouldnt say im really involved w the community in any way aside from just being present here on tungle dot com

How do you see yourself identifying and presenting in 5 years? pretty much the same

What trans issue are you most passionate about? affordable & accessible healthcare!!! 

What advice would you give to other trans people, or what message would you like to share with them? hey buddy i did it (am doing it?) and so can you

How do you feel your gender interacts with your race, disability, class, weight, etc. from the perspective of intersectionality? i feel like skinny white androgynous ppl are the ‘default’ nonbinary ppl which sucks. i esp feel the weight thing bc i feel like it really prevents me from being seen the way i want to be seen. on the class front, i feel fortunate that can afford surgery and whatever else i need

What, if any, is the difference between your gender identity and your gender expression? i feel like my gender expression is super feminine to other people. but to me i feel like my expression is pretty much aligned w/ my identity  

Do you feel more masculine, feminine, or neither? neither

What is your sexual and romantic orientation, and what are your thoughts on it? sexual - idk i think i need somebody to figure it out and tell me. don’t really feel like labeling it right now, but sex is just not big for me. romantic - panromantic cuz i just like everybody. somehow much easier to figure out than my sexual orientation

Is your ideal partner also trans, or do you not have a preference? no preference tho if theyre cis they better not be a douchebag about it

How did/do you manage waiting to transition? honestly i’m a huge procrastinator LOLLL. as long as i keep telling myself ‘haha yeah it’ll happen eventually’ i’m just like ‘cool so i dont have to do it NOW…’ as long as i have the knowledge that it WILL happen im like..i can wait. If I think abt the possibility that it might not happen I freak the fuck out…for a bit I thought it might not be possible for me to get top surgery (due to medical issues) and I was in panic mode.

What is the place (blog, website, forum, IRL space) you get most of your info on being trans or on trans related things? idk i guess i learned a lot on tumbles

Do you interact with other trans people IRL? not super often, i mostly know trans ppl that are just like acquaintances or casual friends. our interaction is limited to liking each others instagram or facebook posts lol

Are you involved in any trans-related activism? nah tho i think it’d be cool

Free space! Answer any question you want, or make up your own question to answer. i refuse to make up my own question