#queer afab non-binary writer

[depressedtheatrekiddo]

"I'VE SEEN IT, IN THE POEMS, IN THE SAND"

and

"I TRY TO REWRITE IT BUT I CAN'T"

will forever be a part of my soul.

[artigas]

I’m really happy that Black Sails is experiencing a bit of a renaissance, but (predictably) some of the takes I’m seeing online are so busted. It’s wild to me that anyone would complain about the fact that Anne Bonny kisses Jack after she’s developed this life-changing relationship with Max. It’s absolutely wild to see anyone roll their eyes or feel uncomfortable about the fact that Flint has sex with Miranda when he returns to her in season one or that Max is most likely a lesbian but actively has sex with men for pay and knows how to make that pleasurable. It’s crazy to me that some of the very audiences who claim to want queer representation feel so discomforted when they actually see the mess and seeming inconsistencies of queerness that they asked for.

The reality is that there are lesbians who have had (and will have!) meaningful, mutually-gratifying, and deeply sexual relationships with men. There are gay men who’ve enjoyed having sex with women, who are gay as the day is long and nevertheless feel sexually attracted to a woman or two and are nevertheless gay men, full stop. There are gay cis men who are happily married to trans women. There are femme dom tops and butch bottoms and there are mascs afab people who like femme boys. There are non-binary people and trans men who actively identify as lesbians. There are ace and aro people who enjoy thinking about and engaging with sex — sometimes in fiction and sometimes in real life. Queerness, in fiction and in reality, defies neat categorization. That is the beauty, power, and (perceived) unorthodoxy of queerness.

Now, I’ll say this — do I think the straight men behind Black Sails were actively thinking deeply and insightfully about the paradoxes and fuckery of queer identity when they wrote Black Sails? No! By their own admission, Steinberg and Levine have owned up to the fact that some of the writing of the show was really hinged on their own blind spots as people who are not (to my knowledge) members of the queer community. If I want to be generous, I think that the beautiful mess of Black Sails is that, in not feeling like experts enough to designate specific identity labels to any of their characters, the writers stumbled their way into more authentic representation of lived queer experience, which is to say that the notion that James Flint was actively thinking of himself as a gay man was anachronistic. As many lesbian archivists and theories have noted, the notion of a queer identity — as in, queerness is who you are, not what you do — was patently unthinkable for most cultures in the past. In other words, the idea that Anne Bonny operates in the eighteenth century as a lesbian and thus would not willingly engage in relationships with men is not only untrue of the series, but untrue of most recorded lesbian experiences in the real world. The notion that a lesbian would operate her entire life without engaging sexually or romantically with men, for instance, is a very new privilege that some of us are very lucky to enjoy, but it is not true for the vast majority of human history — hell, it’s not even true of our present world.

This is all to say that think that there’s something really funny about how we want queer characters to fit into neatly organized boxes. This isn’t a new problem, either. When the show was still airing, the BS fandom would get itself into tizzies about wether or not Flint is gay or bisexual, wether or not Anne Bonny is a lesbian, wether or not Silver is queer when his only canonical relationship is with Madi, etc etc. We’ve been having these discourses for years and I don’t know. I get that much of it is fueled by how badly some people want to see themselves represented in media, but . . . well. The siloing of queer characters and queer narratives into neat little boxes has never felt very authentic to me and nine times out of ten, it’s also just so damn boring.

[sp00kymulderr]

feeling that way

Joel Miller x transmasc!reader

Lover boy series masterlist

Warnings/Tags/Notes: 18+. for sexual implications. reader is afab/has female genitals, no pronouns used (written with the idea of a non-binary or transmasc reader), reader wears a packer, references made to both readers cock (packer) and pussy, pet names for reader (baby, honey), Joel is really horny for reader and their cock :), Joel sucks the strap (mention), bulge worship big time, love love love, beautiful queer love actually, writer got emotional and made this too personal and not at all about Joel oops. Unedited and unbeta'd. (divider credit to cafekitsune)

Words: 1.3k~

Summary: Joel enjoys a new part of you. He loves it, in fact.

Something is different about you.

Joel feels it the moment he opens the door. He's good at that, at noticing.

You're sitting on the couch watching something on the tv, nothing unusual there. But the way you hold yourself today, even the way you sit. There's an air of confidence to you that's different than usual. A hint of something new.

It excites him. You always find new ways to excite him.

“Hey” He mutters, coming round behind the couch and leaning down to kiss the top of your head. The usual greeting, intimate and caring.

“Hey” you say back with a smile, your head falling back so you can look up at him. There’s a glint in your eyes that belies your cool air. 

You’re excited too.

“What’re you up to?” Joel mutters, a gruff chuckle leaving his mouth as he rounds the furniture and comes to sit beside you. It doesn’t take much from there to see what exactly has you acting the way you are. His eyebrow quirks, eyes looking up to meet yours then back down.

“Nothing at all” You grin back, and he understands the joy in your features now.

“Fuck, baby. It came?” He says, watching the subtle lift of your hips.

You’d been waiting for the packer for a while, Joel had insisted you go for something quality, something that would feel real for you and even though it meant a longer wait now you were glad he had done that. He’d insisted on paying for it too, ‘let me spoil you, honey’ he’d whispered in your ear when you’d confessed your desperate yearning to wear one.

It felt good to put on. So fucking good to wear. You had floated around the house in elation, a weight almost lifted off your chest at the new addition to you. Your eyes caught in every mirror, traveling down to your crotch at any opportunity. You didn’t feel like a different person, but you certainly felt like a different you.

Joel has a warm hand on you now, his eyes darkening in lust as he takes in the sight of it. Your cock is sitting just so, making a bulge in your tight jeans that he can’t possibly ignore. It makes his own twitch in need.

“Jesus Christ, baby” Joel groans, his hand rubbing lower towards the front of your jeans. Down, down, down… “How does it feel? How do you feel?”

You’re watching as his big hand skims the button of your jeans, stopping just shy of the swell of you. You barely register his words, mouth hanging slightly open, breath coming a little heavier. This is the feeling you’ve been chasing for longer than you realise, longer than you can even say.

“Feels..right” You finally whisper, something about the admittance making you shy away from his gaze momentarily. It feels like a big deal. It is a big deal to you.

Joel pinches your chin between fingers, tilting your head to look at him. Jesus, he looks desperate for it. For you. He leans in and kisses you, more tender than the kiss you expected. A kiss that says ‘I know’, ‘I’m happy for you’, ‘I’m here for you’. You have to fight back the sudden urge to cry. He’s always been supportive, always. You never expected less.

When he lets you go your head falls back against the couch as finally he makes eager contact with the bulge in your jeans. This new part of you. 

And it is a part of you. You feel it when that big hand squeezes gently. You moan for him, breath shaking.

“Looks so fucking good. Feels good too, doesn’t it?” He whispers reverently, and all you can do is nod dumbly and fucking whimper at the sight of him getting down on to his knees, his eyes bright with the wish to worship you for everything you are.

He loves everything you are.

Joel gets between your legs, already spread wider than usual and it’s making his heart hammer in his chest. He looks up at you as he pops the button of your jeans, gives you a look that's so full of desire and absolute need. He looks wrecked and he hasn’t even gotten past the layers of your clothes

“Y-yeah. So good” you murmur as he slowly pulls down the zipper, his eyes flicker from yours and back down to the peek of underwear beneath your jeans. The sound he makes then makes your cunt ache in devastating desperation. 

“You’re gonna be the death of me, honey” Joel grunts out, noticing at once that you’re wearing a pair of his boxers - your favourite ones, black with a simple red design, snug against his dick and now against yours too. Your eyes meet again, yours surely glistening with a lust matching his, and the look he gives you makes you clench around nothing. Without a thought your hips cant up to connect the bulge of your cock with his palm again.

“I know, I know” Joel mutters sympathetically, keeping eye contact with you as he very intentionally lowers his head, only breaking away from your eyes when he presses his lips against the firm yet soft barely exposed front of your- his - underwear.

And fuck if your legs don’t start to shake, if your core doesn’t tighten breathtakingly as he plants open mouthed, sloppy kisses there.

“Can feel your cock. That’s your fuckin’ cock, ain’t it?” He murmurs, not moving away but turning his head, his cheek pressed against there and you want to cry again at his words, at the affirmation, at the acceptance of your needs and the love he shows for you even in this filthy moment.

“Yeah, Joel. Yeah…” You stumble out, practically dumbfounded as you watch your handsome, gruff, hardened man worship the bulge of your fake dick like it’s his favourite thing in the whole damn world.

“Say it baby” He orders, voice all grunts and groans as he deftly rubs his nose against you now.

“My cock…it’s my…fuck…”

“Yeah it is” Joel smiles up at you, such a beautiful sight, all pride and joy just for you. God, you love him you think as he moves away for a moment tapping your hip lightly to lift your ass so he can pull your jeans all the way down. He’s all but salivating at the proper sight of you filling out his underwear, both your hearts beating a matching rhythm in your chests

“Gonna let me suck it too, huh? Fill my mouth up all good?” He says, voice gravelly with wild desire that makes every part of you feel on fire - a fire you never want to put out. Let it burn forever, let it burn everything but the two of you. 

You watch rapt as he kisses up your thigh whilst his big hand experiments with squeezing your impressive package, facial hair tickling your inner thigh before he moves up again. As Joel practically worships at the altar of you his own member strains against his pants, you can tell from the way he thrusts against nothing - still on his knees, which he’ll regret a little later, hips subtly shifting every time he enthusiastically rubs his face on your crotch.

“I love it, Joel. I feel- feel like me” You finally admit out loud. 

“I know” He says back.

‘Thank you’ you whisper, though perhaps the words never make it out of your mouth before he’s drawing away, standing with a groan and knees clicking. Taking your hand in his with a squeeze and all but dragging you to the bedroom.

He takes one moment, just one, to stop in your tracks and look in your eyes. A gentle, loving, caring look that makes you feel so special. Just like he does every day.

“You’re here, baby. You’re here”

And he’s right, finally you are.

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

https://www.tumblr.com/gardensofivy/760120697566707712/where-is-the-fluff-i-am-sick-of-the-smut-what

i feel like i remember you talking about posts like this before.

it kinda irritates me that everyone on that post are so harsh about how they REALLY WANT FLUFF and are SICK OF SMUT

all my dash has been lately is fluff and i’m not complaining, i like every genre. maybe it’s their dash.

fanfic writers are writing what they want and i’m sorry that you don’t like it, but again, it’s out there, you just have to look. maybe they should look harder. do they know that there are tagging systems on this app + ao3 where they can search for fluff specifically?

i know first hand that it’s hard to write fanfic but can’t they at least try it out for themselves if they are really wanting fluff instead of complaining about it and how writers won’t give them exactly what they crave?

sorry for bringing this to you i just have no one to talk about this with 😭

don't apologize for bringing stuff like this to me. my inbox is always open as a rant space

I went to look up the post and it said that it was deleted (I was very curious to see the comments, but rip lmao) - but even just from that blurb of the url, I can definitely get a sense of the aggression against smut in the post

as far as the 'I hate smut, I want fluff' crowd - it feels like people who don't know how to navigate fandom spaces, but also people who are sexually repressed.

BECAUSE

from all my experience, especially recent experiences - smut fics will always be more popular. if people actually wanted fluff fics, or fics without smut, then my non-smut fics would be more popular. every single time one of my fics has smut, it will always be more popular.

a lot of the time, I regret not putting a smut scene a fic (especially toward the end) because I know that people will read through the actually interesting well-thought out hard work 'plot' part of a fic that I wrote in order to get to a pointless smut scene that I never intended to have there in the first place (as of right now, one of my biggest regrets is not putting a smut scene in Heaven's Gate to get more eyes on it)

it is my opinion that people are lying when they say they don't want smut fics. just straight up fucking lying. (or very few people are telling the truth when they say it, and then they don't seek out the fics they truly want)

Heaven's Gate - which is clearly tagged as having fluff got 11 notes in its first 24 hours

Need - which is tagged as smut/pwp got over 100 notes in its first 24 hours of being posted

yes, there are other factors to take into account, like the length, the gender of the reader character (which, don't even get me started on the 'GN afab' reader character thing - which is so fucking transphobic and misogynistic and rigid to the fucking gender binary it makes me wanna die), and the fact that Heaven's Gate is also marked as Hurt/Comfort and a lot of people in fandom these days seem to hate basic conflict in stories??? - but they are for the same love interest and they are posted for the same fandom

so to me, this is solid, concrete proof that smut will always attract a larger audience. every single one of my smut fics that exists in the same genre as a fic without smut has a larger audience

(unless it's a wlw fic, but again - that's a whole different story. cause don't get me started on the whole 'we need more sapphic stories' crowd who never fucking read wlw fics when they are posted)

I feel like this is really a two pronged problem

one: the recent Catholic sexual repression in fandoms (and in queer spaces/the internet in general)

two: people who love to complain but make zero effort to change the things that they complain about in fandoms (hecklers, in a sense)

the first one is something me and @nctzenkane have talked about at large. it's the "sex scenes are so unnecessary in movies" thing and people directly relating the things you ship to your morals - the idea that the kind of fanfiction you write and read is directly in line with your moral fiber as a person. these are known as thought crimes. which is a highly Catholic sensation

in Catholicism, it's the idea that God can see all and knows all, and therefore, thinking bad things is on the same level of sin as performing a bad act - so thinking about sex too frequently or thinking about harming someone is on the same level as physically committing a murder, and both of these things equally make you a bad person. (and so you need to keep your mind 'pure' for God.)

in modern times, it's the idea that associating with certain topics of fanfiction makes you 'sus' and an untrustworthy person, and that you are more likely to follow through with the bad acts that you read about - like rape, pedophilia, unhealthy age gape relationships, violent crimes, ect. - if you read about those things frequently. (which is untrue, for the fucking record.)

and for the hecklers... god.

someone talked about the sensation of how the pandemic caused this huge shift in fandom, and yeah - I felt it happen in real time.

people who formerly were never in fandom or saw it as a 'nerdy' hobby (people whose hobbies were based around socialization - like drinking and going to bars, etc. or younger people who were allowed unsupervised internet access for the first time) all flooded fandom spaces with 0 sense of fandom etiquette. those are the 'writing fanfiction is too hard so I'm going to harass experienced fanfiction writers' people.

they love to complain about things they don't like in fandom without doing anything to change those things - even if it's something as simple as blocking and following the right people to curate their feed or curating their AO3 tags. the other day I saw dozens of people on tiktok saying that they don't know what the 4 symbols in the corner of the fics on AO3 mean. A lot of people assumed that they were there FOR NO REASON. it made me want to start chewing on glass, no lie

anyway. the landscape of fandom right now is so... (sigh.)

[askanonbinary]

Hi!!

I'm a writer and I'm trying to write my first book. One of my main chracters will be non binary and even tho I have made reserch on how to write enby characters, I feel like asking a nb person would also be great for learning.

So what I would like to know is pretty much if there's something that authors in general are misrepresenting about the community, some traits that nb people would love to see more in the media and other that you hate, because they are harmful or just plain and boring... that kind of stuff. I want to make a character for enby people to feel seen and represented, and I don't want to perpetrate any stereotypes.

Also, I'm a big fan of your blog, I really admire what you do!! thank you very much in advance :))

; hey !! Thanks for sending this in, props to you for actually asking questions to the people you're writing about, that's definitely the first step to writing a good and properly represented character.

; I think the most important thing is being non-binary is definitely a hugely personal thing, so don't just stop here ! Ask others, look around, maybe make posts asking for peoples experiences and their opinions too. ( any non-binary people reading this, feel free to add to this in the reblogs or comments ! ) But some main things that I, personally, think are important are:

They're ALWAYS androgynous

; and by androgynous I mean they have short hair, were AFAB and wear masculine clothing. Which, nothing wrong with doing / being so ! But it can be disheartening to only see non-binary people represented as such. So my biggest recommendation would be to really experiment with their identity, it doesn't necessarily have to be " complex " but ask yourself why one thing is complex, and why one thing is " normal " !! Non-binary people don't have a single normal look, and not all of us are even the most common idea of androgynous. Even then, everyone experiences androgyny a little if not a lot differently. Some enbies have beards, wear dresses, don't bind, don't " look non-binary " etc and still consider themselves androgynous !! We're people, we're different, don't be afraid to really branch out with your character.

they're known as The Nonbinary Character and only that

; just like any character you're creating, it's important not to get stuck on a single trait and make that their only noticeable trait. Especially with something like this, it's crucial to really give them personality and purpose to the story, don't make them simply The Enby. It's seen a lot with things like The Gay Bestfriend and all, their queer identity is their only defining trait and they end up, purposefully or not, simply being there for diversity points and truly being a terribly harmfully stereotypical and boring character. And even if it's not their only trait, it ends up being a really important part of them. Which is good and can be great representation .. But if them being nonbinary really doesn't effect the story or their character arc, there is no reason to force it into being that way. Their identity doesn't have to be a huge deal and certainly doesn't have to greatly negatively effect the story. ( See: people adding transphobia into fantasy worlds for seemingly no reason but just to have transphobia )

give them euphoria !!

; obviously I don't know your story, but something I see a lot in honestly any book with nonbinary characters ( especially ones centered around said identity ) is it's always doom and gloom, there's never really much positivity around the persons identity. Which can be good for story building, but being non-binary doesn't have to be a purely negative experience. It really never commonly is ! It's in most cases freeing and positive and opens doors to many more great experiences. Whether you make it a huge deal or not, don't be shy on adding some positive things relating to their identity !! Make them happy and proud to be nonbinary !! If they come out in the story, make it good and really describe the joy that comes from it. Small things like being happy when people use their pronouns, feeling euphoric from getting a new clothing item, being obviously comfortable with certain people and showing it through things like jokes about their identity, etc.

stereotypical people are still people

; obviously it's important to push away from harmful stereotypes, or excluding ones, but !! They can be positive, or could be inside jokes among communities that'll really make the character that little more relatable. And as much as stereotypes are bad in cases when pushed from negative and tainted views by " outsiders ", there can be ones based in general ( grain of salt ) truth. Or are sometimes from the community. So the best way to go about it while not playing into stereotypes fully is to, in my opinion, mix stereotypes and experiences. Find experiences from people who have had similar(ish) things happen to them, to your characters plot and see how they go through life with their identity, include common and include " obscure " traits !!

; again as I said before, make them a complicated character with multiple traits and sides and history, etc. It'll make them 10 times more relatable than just picking one common stereotype and pasting it into your world. ( things like hand gestures, how we sit, our mannerisms in speaking, etc. Not necessarily harmful but still technically stereotypical. Personally I find them funny and relatable, others may not !! And that's okay !! You could even find character specific stereotypes, look for positively represented nonbinary characters who share things with your character and maybe consider incorporating those things ! )

; and that's just four relatively vague points, coming from just one single person who has not in fact written a book + does not speak for every enby ever, so I really do encourage you to get opinions from others and really remember we're all very different and unique people, so your character can be different and unique too. Good luck on making your character and your book !!

- Mod Xela

[dreamtydraw]

Hi!

Where do you get ideas for your vn and characters?

What is your favorite and least favorite part of working on a vn?

Well that a complex questions simply because I don't have one specific example. Clem used to be an old mc for the game black tarot who got canceled ( same for Aurore that I used both as a black tarot AND roadkill mc ). It's just that Sometimes I like my mc so much I develop them a lot and they end up having enough contents to have their own focused story.

Why did Clem and Aurore got a game out of all the other characters is due to the fact that currently all my games revolve around one main story ( the paranormal club ) and Clem was a liked side character.

This is a bit similar to Achik who is a main character of the Paranormal club story. It just happens that I saw that there would be a queer vampire jam soon and I was like "Hey queer vampire, I could use that as an excuse to give Achik a little focus".

Before being visual novel characters they are my oc but that not the case with the apple bag trio or Alioth ( who's game is coming out soon ).

Tulipe and 21 questions are an adaptation of an oc story in the form of a visual novel. Sleeping under spells and apple bags are Visual novels from the start, I created this stories for visual novels and everything is created with the optic of the stories being made for a public. The characters are made for you the player, not me the creator.

Now on how I create those characters, I start with design and general ideas of what I want to happens to them + their personality. The first character I created in Apple bag was Aissata and her design + story is a result of hearing from fem black player / creators of romance about the lack of romanceable black girls in general but also the fact that dark skinned poc are facing an issue of always being seen as more masculine just because of their skin color.

Second created was Rowan and I had to rework small design choices on her that meant a lot for the narrative ( without spoiling why, the designs change was about her eyes and hair ). Character wise I wanted her to be the opposite of Aissata to offer two very diferent options of love interest since the two of them are the more involved in the mystery part of the storie + are fem presenting.

Leila ? Their design is currently being reworked simply because they lack of character in my opinion, their character design is a bit too bland and I'm changing that. First intention was to offer an afab non binary love interest since I have seen very little of those on all the majority of games I played and by doing so decided to offer a portrayal of non binary that leads in being comfortable in neutrality.

Alioth ? Literally doodled him one night and went "hey I like his design It would be cool to make a game about him" and then boom decided to make a game about him.... That it.

NOW-

This asks is getting long sorry about that but about my favorite and least favorite part of making visual novels :

-Designing and drawing the characters. If you open the files of my games you'll see that for one outfit change the character usualy have like... 60 expressions ? That because I really like having a lot of nuanced expressions and since i'm the artist suffering for it I can allow it to happens.

-Adding cats in my code... If it's a game of mine you'll find cats in the code.

Writting... You would say that kind of unfortunate since that one of the main point of a visual NOVEL- Thing is, I'm not a good writer and I struggle heavily in putting words in what I want to express which I find extremely infuriating. You guys needs to give more credit to the editors as they are the ones who are the reason the text don't sound like dog shit. I have ( not confirmed medically but heavily suggested by professionals ) dyslexia which also results in a LOT of typos in my text and i'll admit I try my best when I write text but I always feel very shameful when typos are found, even worse when I repeat them a lot.

coding Ui.... or coding anything complex. I have a very basic understanding of Renpy and anytime I have to work on something complex I usually end up struggling for a long time and crying on discord to more competent devs ( aka my amazing friends Naarel and Miyuly )

Thank you for the ask and for reading all of that, Hope you'll have a good day.

[queermuslimarchives]

Buraq (الْبُرَاق)

Buraq/Boraq/الْبُرَاق is islamic mythological creature that served as the mount of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (s.) during his Isra and Mi'raj journey. The buraq is also said to have transported certain prophets, such as Prophet Ibrahim (a.)

Gender of Buraq

In hadith literature, Buraq's gender is not clear. At earlier, many viewed buraq as a typically masculine figure. Ibn Sa'd described al-buraq as a feminine creature with long ears and buraq was often rendered by painters and sculptors with a woman's head in later eras. Writer and translator Yasmine Seale argued that Buraq was AFAB, some artists became uncomfortable depicting the prophet mounted on female mythical creature. In contemporary, queer discourses, buraq is presented as a genderfluid, androgynous, non-binary being.

al-Buraq in Medieval Islamic Arts

The earliest picture of al-Buraq appeared in the 14th-century history of Rashid al-Din. The image stands out among representations of the magic steed, as here it is shown to have a human torso and arms in which it is holding the Qur’an. In the image buraq's unusual tail is tipped with a warrior angel.

From 14th century, the burāq myth, visualized on the basis of ancient depictions of griffins, sphinxes, and centaurs, became a favourite subject of Persian miniature painting.Buraq also appeared in the Ottoman manuscripts.The Ottoman representation of Buraq is different from Persian representation.

Later representations shows buraq in the form of a steed with a female head and dappled body. It is often featured in the illustrations to Nizami Ganjavi’s Five Poems.

In Near East & Persian art almost always portrays buraq as feminine or gender fluid - a portrayal that found its way into Indian, Deccan art. This may have originated from an interpretation of the creature being described with a "beautiful face" as the face being human instead of bestial.

[avocado-writing]

Asking as an enby writer who made their previously female reader insert character non-binary right after figuring out they were non-binary themself, was that your experience with Nightingale?

hmm, that’s a really good question.

I’ve been out for about seven, eight years now? so when I first wrote TLTDATSIB I was living as nonbinary, but I wrote nightingale as Afab because that’s what life experience I had and what I felt confident with at the time. As I got older and became more masc-aligned, I made the effort to write more gender neutral fics, both for my own comfort and for the accessibility of my readers: I like people of any gender to feel they’re represented in my writing.

If I went back and rewrote TLTDATSIB now, I’d make the reader a lot more explicitly nonbinary, but that’s more because I believe an immortal human would experiment with their gender presentation. Plus with Aziraphale and Crowley basically being agender beings I like to write stories about queer/gnc people being in love and having a happy sex life.

At the moment I’m choosing to write “nightingale”/the reader in that story as gender neutral basically because I never thought I’d come back to writing for good omens but after s2 I got the urge and wanted to continue the TLTDATSIB universe (I felt there was more story there!), and because I write GN inserts they became GN.

hope that all makes sense! Sorry for the essay!

[sir-crocodile-slut]

Unpopular queer opinions but idc cause I’m frustrated

Men cannot be lesbians

If you are attracted to men you aren’t a lesbian

Detransitioners do not get a say over trans opinions

Purposefully using contradicting labels is idiotic

Labels exist for a reason and labels are not inherently inclusionary, hence why they’re labels.

Split attraction model is for aro and/or ace people, not to make a single-attention sexuality into a multispec sexuality (omni gay, bi lesbian, etc)

Non-binary people fit in every sexuality, including heterosexuality. not every straight dude who dates an afab nb person is suddenly gay

Just because you came out early on in your teens or something doesn’t mean you know more than older closeted or late coming out people

Not everyone knows every single microlabel, don’t be mad about it, educate or explain and move on

If your label falls under a type of umbrella, just accept that you are also that umbrella (I.e. pan/omni under the bi umbrella, nb and gender-fluid under the trans umbrella, etc)

If you are in a cis hetero passing relationship, sorry to say but yes you have privilege over those who do not

Queer history books don’t count as actual if they’re fictional stories. They can be important to reference a queer writer in our history but not as much about story itself as a historic reference/rule (ex. Stone butch blues)

Politicians and homophones/transphobes will use queer chronically online takes (whether they’re satire or not) to fuel the hate fire and make laws against us, so just keep it in mind.

[slythering-tear]

Introduction

Welcome to my blog! | She/her | New writer <3

REQUESTS CLOSED

I write Y/n multiple-chapter series, or one-shots, with the goal of letting my readers escape reality and dive into new adventures with different and unique settings, allowing them to interact with their favorite fictional characters! It is all up to your imagination, so why don't you come along for the ride?

I have no idea how this app works.

Just a heads up, English is my second language and I am still struggling with it to some extent. Blame my online punctuation checker for any mistakes made!

Quick format of how I am comfortable with writing Y/n:

Y/n L/n (Your name, last name)

Gender: Non-man (Woman, Non-binary)

Sex: AFAB / Intersex / AMAB

Appearance: Masculine/Androgynous

H/c (hair coulor)

E/c (eye colour)

S/c (skin colour)

Since I am tempted to be self-indulgent, I will write Y/n with the following images in mind (unless specified/requested otherwise):

Tall

Short hair [above shoulder level]

Most likely AMAB, though Y/n's chest area I will leave to the reader's own preference and imagination [wearing a bra or not]

Non-man, Sapphic, Masculine-presenting reader ONLY!

I will write practically anything unless stated otherwise! I will NOT write:

Male reader (I do not hate men by any means, but this is a blog dedicated towards WLW and queerness)

Insest/Stepsest

Anything to do with minors unless it is SFW

Rape/Non-con

I will add more to the list as I go, I guess? Nothing else comes to mind rn but you get the point - don't be gross!

My favourite tropes to write:

Enemies to lovers (quite literally want to kill each other until something changes)

Rivals to lovers (a more light-hearted version of 'enemies to lovers')

Friends to lovers

Unexpected plot twists

ANGST (Both with or without comfort. I am sorry but I am both a masochist and a sadist when it comes to some heavy angst - it hurts so good! Makes me feel alive..) character death, traumatic experiences, abuse, manipulation, dark themes, addictions, sad ending, violence, toxic relationships, etc.

Slow burn (I just love it when the story isn't rushed and the tension between the characters is thick!)

General-Fiction, Fanfiction

Paranormal, Magical, Supernatural

Fandoms I am interested in writing for:

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Avatar: The Legend Of Korra

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Descendants (Disney Movies)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (TV Series 2018–2020)

The 100 (TV Series 2014-2020)

Honkai: Star Rail

Genshin Impact

Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK)

Please read my RULES below before interacting, thank you!

I have stated what I am comfortable with writing so please be mindful of that whenever you request something, and if you do, make sure I am accepting requests at the moment!

Consume my content at your own risk. I trust that after you are already on this app you are at least mature enough (not necessarily in age)!

I am a minor (17), so if you are uncomfortable with that fact, you are free not to read my work.

Keep civil when interacting with my blog, that'd be greatly appreciated. Any constructive criticism or comment on my work will be welcomed! I am more than happy to chat.

!!My blog is a safe space for queer people of any color, race, gender, etc. IF YOU ARE A HATER YOU CAN FUCK OFF!!

[leoninekelter]

we should always be extremely adamant about fetishizaton, way more than a lot of people are, but I also feel like the take of "gay shipping becoming mainstream is a good thing " will get absolutely destroyed. Like actually, straight people normalizing gay relationships in their writing isn't always fetishizing. Sometimes it's teenage girls who are shipping two guys. Sometimes it's 30 yr olds who are shipping two guys. it's also important that the demographic writing fanfiction has changed from teenage straight girls to mostly queer kids. Most of the fanfic writers I meet are trans men or non binary. Even if they're AFAB a lot of the time, and that should still be fixed, most people shipping queer ships are queer, qnd often found out because of it. I know I did.

Fetishization is a teal thing and we need to be aware of it and stop it, but I think it's also true that gay fanfiction normalizes queer people in a lot of people's lives and I don't think that should be ignored

[i-will-eat-dynamite]

It would be nice if people accepted that the parameters of things are flexible.

I had this thought a few months ago when I sat behind an old man on the bus and I found myself staring at his ears and the back of his head. The man’s neck was red, and his ears had little wiry white whiskers, and his hair was thinning on top, and I stared at this man’s head and I noticed all of these things, and I noticed that I had noticed them because my brain picked them up as flaws/defects/mistakes/things to be fixed and if not fixed then mourned over. And then I felt sad because why are we like this (why am I like this) that the normal wear and tear of existence is something shameful. And I had this thought again the other day when I noticed a woman’s dark fuzz on her cheeks - the same dark fuzz that I have on my cheeks - and I remembered how horrified and upset I would have been when younger to recognise that feature in myself. And the confines of my AFAB presentation felt very suffocating and miserable because I never learned to accept that femininity could look a million different ways and nothing about learning that is easy because capitalism thrives on strict boundaries and it dies when we accept ourselves.

[flightlessangelwings]

I know there’s other posts out there but I wanted to make a comprehensive post about being completely inclusive when writing reader inserts. Everyone has their own perspective and ideas so I wanted to share my thoughts and tips that I use myself when I’m writing. Of course I most likely forgot things as well so feel free to add on if you think of something I missed and I’ll add it to the list here!

Quicke note before we get to it: if you spot something on this list that you’ve done before, don’t beat yourself up about it. We all slip up and make mistakes. Just learn from it and keep it in mind for the future! As readers, we understand that it’s near impossible to include every single individual that could possibly read your work, but the point is to be as inclusive as possible with your writing.

Under a cut for length and to make sure you always see the most updated list when you click on it! Reblogs are very much appreciated too, especially if you’re a writer so we can all learn and grow and be better!

~

Labeling your reader (a guide to terminology)

Gender neutral (gn)- no pronouns, no gendered nicknames, no mentions of genitals

Assigned female at birth (afab)- no pronouns, no gendered nicknames, reader usually has a vagina

Assigned male at birth (amab)- no pronouns, no gendered nicknames, reader usually has a penis

Female/fem/f- she/her pronouns, traditionally femme nicknames, reader usually has a vagina

Male/m- he/him pronouns, traditionally masc nicknames, reader usually has a penis

Non-binary (nb)- usually they/them pronouns, reader can have either a vagina or a penis

Quick note: terminology changes often and as far as I know this is the most up to date on being inclusive with labeling readers. If it changes or if anyone has suggestions I’ll update this.

If you do want to assign your reader character some type of label, please tag it appropriately. Lots of poc writers like to write black, Latine, Asian, etc readers for example. Or other examples are plus size reader, short reader, tall reader, nerdy reader, shy reader, sporty reader, etc.

Don’t be afraid to write a trans character too! Trans characters can have either the opposite genitalia from their birth assignment or the same, everyone is different! There’s a big lack in trans reader representation!

Please note too that just because reader is labeled one way does not necessarily mean they are cisgender. People can be non-binary and use she/her or he/him pronouns. There’s no need to label your reader as cis at all

And please don’t label your readers' sexuality as straight. Bi/pan/demi/queer people can be attracted to a male character but that does not mean they are exclusively into men. It alienates queer readers.

~

Inclusive with skin tones

Please do not use “blush” or “flush” or anything like that! I know that’s one of the top issues when being inclusive with skin tones. But those words have the connotation that the skin turns red or pink, and while everyone is capable of their skin warming, it doesn’t always show the same especially on darker skin. Instead, try something like “you felt your skin heat up” or “your palms felt sweaty” or “you felt flustered.” Focus more on the emotions and what reader is feeling or thinking or physically reacting rather than saying reader blushed.

Be careful when describing bruises or injuries. Not all bruises get bright red for example. Instead, try mentioning blood stain, swelling, or just use “discolored” or “beat up” or something like that.

Not everyone’s skin turns red when slapped so just avoid “your skin reddened” altogether.

Not everyone has pink nipples, just skip describing the color altogether

Or pink lips. Again just skip the color description

While all skin is able to get burned, not everyone’s skin turns red/pink from being in the sun. Instead use more feeling descriptors like “your skin felt hot from the sun” or even describing peeling would be ok.

Don’t say that reader looks like an established character.

“Knuckles turned white” doesn’t happen with everyone so just leave it out. Focus more on muscles straining or something instead.

Avoid the phrase “you look white as a ghost” when referring to reader.

If you want to mention makeup, just leave it general and don’t specify colors or shades or anything like that. Not all shades show up the same on all skin tones.

Overall, it’s best to just avoid skin tone indicators and anything describing color on the skin. That simple thing makes a world of difference in inclusivity. The more you do it, the easier and more natural it’ll feel until it’s second nature! Your readers will be extremely appreciative of it!

~

Inclusive with hair

Not everyone can run their fingers through their hair. Textured/curly hair gets caught or someone may not have hair long enough (or any hair) to run their fingers through.

Instead, try something like “fiddled with your fingers/ear/clothes”

Not everyone has hair long enough to tie up/back so it’s best to just not mention it at all. Your reader can just imagine how they want their hair for the scene.

If you want a more formal look, just “you styled yourself nicely” something like that is enough.

Some people enjoy hair pulling in sex, some don’t. Hair touching can be very upsetting for some people, especially people of color. If you want to include it, just make sure to add it in the tags/warnings so readers are aware before they get into it

~

Inclusive with language

Please don’t assume your reader doesn’t speak Spanish! (This is aimed mostly at those who write Latino characters because I see this a lot)

If a character is speaking Spanish, you can either use italics to indicate the language change or provide a translation right there. Avoid adding “you didn’t understand” with that.

Instead you can use something like “you didn’t hear” so your reader can interpret for themselves if it’s because they don’t understand or they simply didn’t hear.

Or use phrases like “he said X in Spanish” for either praises, curses, etc. it leaves it more open for all readers.

I know it’s tempting but please don’t use google translate to write in another language. It’s fine or a word or a phrase but when it goes into full sentences then it gets a little funky. Try consulting with a native speaker if you can!

When writing in Spanish, please note that n and ñ are not interchangeable!

~

Inclusive with body shape and size

Don’t assume your reader is thin or short and the character can easily pick them up or toss them around. If you want to specify a short reader, please tag it.

Also the opposite: done assume reader is taller than a character too!

If you want character to pick up reader, please include it in your warnings.

Limbs generally don’t weigh as much so something like “he hiked you leg over his shoulder” while laying down is more inclusive (I’m short and can pick up limbs from my clients at my day job so trust me your leg itself doesn’t weigh a lot)

Avoid “you got up on your tiptoes to kiss him” because not everyone is short. Instead just say “leaned over/in to kiss” or “angled yourself to kiss” something more generalized

Usually describing a hug/holding reader/cuddling is fine but don’t get overly specific on how much a character is able to wrap their arms around the reader and fit their arms fully around reader. Writing a tight embrace or an engulfing hug should still be fine since it can be a show of emotions.

Wearing a characters clothes. Not everyone can fit their fav’s size and not everyone will “drown in his shirt.”

Again the opposite is true too: not everyone has curves or thick thighs or big breasts or a big ass. Plus size and curvy readers are important to write too since representation is lacking, but just be sure to tag it properly!

~

Inclusive with background in general

For this section, the goal is more to be aware of certain things and to be sure to include proper tags and warnings more than avoiding things completely. Readers understand that there is the element of fantasy in reading fanfiction but sometimes a certain aspect can be triggering or upsetting or can knock the immersion out so it just important to be aware and have tags and warnings before your fic!

Be careful when describing readers family because that can be hard for some readers. Not everyone has a good relationship with their family. Yes sometimes a backstory is needed for plot and people can pretend for the sake of the story. Just be sure to include in your warnings for the story, especially if it’s either a really good or really bad relationship.

If you’re making up family members for reader, be it siblings or kids, try to be aware of what their names are. Typically white names won’t fit every background so just be aware of that. Or try just using nicknames instead!

Religion. Just don’t mention it at all unless it’s properly tagged and warned for.

Around the holidays especially, Christmas fics are very popular but please be aware that not everyone celebrates the same holidays! Be sure to tag and warn for any holidays that they could be celebrating. And please don’t write Jewish characters celebrating Christmas.

Don’t make your reader biologically related to a white character. If you absolutely want to, there’s options like step family, adopted, childhood friends that are closer than family, etc.

Reader’s job is usually something you have more leeway with in order to fit your story but just be sure to tag it appropriately. Disabled readers for example can’t always imagine themselves in certain jobs so it’s just something to keep in mind.

When creating a backstory for reader, try to think outside your own experience and make sure it’s not something that poc readers can’t relate to or wouldn’t have had the same experience from. If you’re unsure just put it in the tags/notes beforehand.

This one is more aimed at Americans but please remember that not everyone reading lives in the US. Sometimes yes, a setting is necessary, but please be open to the fact that people from all over the world read fics. If it’s set in the US, especially when the canon setting is elsewhere, please note it beforehand.

There’s really no need to give your reader an age as it can alienate a lot of readers. Sometimes it can be inferred through context but I find that outright giving reader a specific age is very excluding. There are plenty of people in fandom who are not in their 20s so please don’t assume everyone reading is. And it sends a message to anyone in their 30s or older that they don’t belong when every other fic is a very young reader character. Obviously don’t write smut about minors too but that should go without saying.

If you’re at the point where your reader has a name, it’s no longer a reader insert but an original character. Nicknames or code names are totally fine, but please don’t give reader a name.

And if you are writing an oc, please keep it out of the reader tag. Use the oc tags.

~

Inclusive with art and moodboards

Please include poc when making moodboards for your fics!! I know from personal experience it can be hard to find the right pic you want, but I promise with some digging it’s possible.

Follow models of color pages here on tumblr, there’s unsplash, Pinterest (I know it’s not the best site but I have found a lot of poc pics there) and other sites too. Curate pictures to save for later when you can!

When it comes to art for reader insert fics, please don’t default to a white woman all the time. It’s disheartening to see white women used for “reader” in 90% of art or more. It makes poc feel like they aren’t welcome and that it isn’t meant for us. My personal opinion is that reader should be just a shadowy figure or outline or something vague like that. Or use a few different body types and skin tones.

~

General inclusive tips

These aren't specific to skin tone or anything but rather little things that can help your reader feel more immersed in your story in general. I know some writers have a specific image in mind when writing but these are little things I’ve noticed that can knock the fantasy out for me so I wanted to share some thoughts and pointers. These are lower pressure points and not as big a deal but I did want to include them anyway.

Instead of specifying food or drink, write something like “your favorite (whatever)” or don’t even mention what they make or eat. Just say they made something or they ate something, your readers can fill in for themselves that’s on the plate

If a character buys reader flowers or something, don’t specify the flower. Either leave it vague or use “your favorite flowers”

Instead of a specific outfit, leave it vague or don’t mention at all. Sometimes a certain kind of outfit is required for situations (like a formal event or ball or something), but even then you can use something like “a gown in your favorite color” or “a formal outfit that flattered you well.”

Adding on with the clothing point: please tag if you’re describing clothing in a fantasy type setting. While clothing itself has no gender, sometimes trans and nb people can get hit with dysphoria if you’ve got reader wearing a skirt or something like it with no warning. Either just leave it out, leave it vague, or warn for it!

In the case of an AU or a fantasy setting you have more wiggle room with clothing but still try to leave it more vague if possible.

Same with shoes. Not everyone likes/can wear heels so keep that in mind

~

To wrap up, please be aware when writing your reader inserts. It’ll get easier with practice the more you consciously do it! And please listen to poc writers/readers when we ask for inclusivity! And support writers of color too! Thank you for reading and taking it all in because I know this was a lot!

[gonzo-rella]

Question: Writing About A Character Who Is Canonically/Heavily Implied To Be Homosexual

Hi! I’d like to ask this to any fellow writers and/or readers, especially those who are homosexual or homoromantic. If I say anything questionable in this post, please let me know (politely, preferably), but just bear in mind that this is all to do with fictional characters and relationships.

Full disclosure: I’m asexual pan/biromantic, so I’m not exclusively attracted to one gender. I’m also non-binary.

I prefer to write for gender neutral readers, so much so that I’ve banned requests for gendered readers, unless the character being requested is canonically homosexual (I use that term because gay, nowadays, is used more broadly). That being said, I accept requests for a gender neutral reader with a canonically homosexual character to accommodate my fellow gender diverse people.

I have several gay male and lesbian characters that I’d be interested in writing for romantically using a gender neutral or non-binary reader, but I feel iffy about it. I’m not homosexual/homoromantic myself, so I don’t know what it’s like to experience attraction to just the same gender.

I know that, in real life, plenty of homosexual/romantic people are either gender diverse themselves and/or are open to dating gender diverse people. I obviously don’t have a problem with that, but writing about it, especially as someone who isn’t homosexual/romanitc, makes me uncomfortable for a couple of reasons (which you absolutely shouldn’t take for my opinions on IRL relationships and identities):

For one, it could be said to invalidate the gender identity of the gender diverse individual if, for example, a lesbian character is attracted to an AFAB non-binary!reader.

Two, it could be said to invalidate the sexual/romantic orientation of the character.

Honestly, I could really do with the opinions of homosexual/romantic people on this. I know that it’s complicated because gender, sexuality, love and attraction are complex things, but I’d really appreciate some input. Of course, only respond if you want to; I don’t want to force anyone to feel like a spokesperson for their part of the community.

My main question is: is it invalidating to a homosexual character’s identity to write them paired with a non-binary!reader? I know that a lot of people might say ‘don’t worry, it’s just fiction’, but, as a queer writer, it’s really important to me to not invalidate anyone’s queer identity in any way. 

Again, feel free to ignore this if you think this is stupid. Or, feel free to tell me this is stupid.

[dreamtydraw]

what IS wrong with a headcanon of Asra being afab and autistic?

Well hi there ✨

Let me explain why this is wrong.

Understand that no hate comes from my words and I am simply trying to explain. If afterward you disagree with my statement feel free to ( nicely ) explain your point of view. I will not go in a debate but I would be interested in reading it to understand.

I have neither read the routes nor the synopsis of the routes so I can't judge based on what is actually in it, it can be good as it can be bad but I am not focusing on that I am focusing on what is used for promotion.

For starters, there is nothing wrong with having personal headcanons that aren't hurtful so, in the case I saw someone saying they hc Asra as autistic because of an observation they did then there would be no problem but the afab one is hurtful. For a reminder to people who are unaware Afab stands for Assigned female at birth and Asra is canonly Amab ( assigned male at birth ) BUT nonbinary. His identity is a representation of the nonbinary community and a good one as it's casual and goes against the stereotypes that "you need to be androgynous or not pass as your assigned gender to be nonbinary." "having any feminine trait or action makes you a woman."

The term trans and nonbinary can be used differently from person to person but what I telling here is that Asra has a specific gender identity that matters to many. A lot of people misgender him because there either are not aware of his identity or because they are against it, changing it is erasing it.

"but if he's nonbinary he can be afab then"

Making Asra afab is erasing his already queer identity, it put the stereotype that nb people who show signs of feminity or androgyny are immediately considered girls. Taking away an already existing représentation to put another one instead is hurtful.

"him being non binary is also a headcanon"

Nope it is canon and comfirmed :

There is no subtext or signs that Asra may be afab and if you want you can compare him to Rainier ( from monster manor, fictif games, written by one of the Arcana writers ) Rainier is canon Afab trans, it's here in subtext and it got confirmed by the creator when people started to make the hc.

Do you want to hc Asra as afab because you like the character and want him to be closer to you? Sure, that's your business but this does not apply here and let me switch to the main reason :

This headcanon is promoted as the same level of canon on the main Instagram account to attract a specific type of people with the marketing that queerness and neurodivergence are trends.

I would have not had this réaction if it was someone going on their days and having those headcanons. I would have still tought about what I said about erasing Amab's nonbinary identity but it would not have mattered because in that context it's a personal creation and I have no right to dictate how people have to feel about their personal creative space.

This is not the case, Dorian is promoting it on the main account that has 117k of followers. This is not simply doing headcanons, it's having your headcanon put in the spotlight with the idea of it attracting people through information that is not confirmed.

I have a big dislike for the Dorian marketing tactic of using the fan content of a well-known ID to milk them more audience but they are a company and this tactic works for them and for people using it to get big promotions and that a fact.

By doing so there is a mix of what is canon and what is not, blurring the line between personal interpretations that can hurt some community and real content that has been the fondation to create a community.

"If you don't like don't interact with it"

Yeah that's what I do, I do not engage with Dorian's content but you can't force me to turn a blind eye on the immense game that is the arcana.

The arcana is and has been notorious for being queer-friendly as a well-known free Otome. The fanbase is HUGE and you can't deny how it impacted a lot of Otome players (like myself). This was one of the most important queer spaces for otome players and still is. It helped people figure out their queer identity ( like me figuring out I was nonbinary after learning that Asra was and doing research afterward ) and have representation trough an enjoyable fiction. As someone still in the otome community and in fandoms that is close to the arcana ( last legacy on Fictif and Touch Starved by red spring studio ), it would be impossible for me to never look at what it become. The og game had its problem that I acknowledge but one thing it got right was its queer representation.

Now going back on the main topic.

Dorian is not Nyx Hydra. Nyx Hydra had its wrong with the promotion of some queerbaiting stuff but at its core, promoting queer games in an environment where there was almost none was a good thing. Dorian does not promote queer content because they want it to be seen and help the queer community, they are promoting queer content as a marketing strategy with the idea that queerness is marketable ( view this tactic as the same as a company selling pride stuff because it gives them a good image ). This applies also to neurodivergence.

Neurodivergence has never been a focus in the Arcana but is a perfectly good topic to explore in fan space. Why? Because it does not have to be focused on, it does not have to be put in your face. The story has never been about autism in any way and the only reason they would put it on focus is because they apply the same tactic as with promoting queerness: it's marketable. Making Asra autistic is not a problem it would be delightful to have a canon autistic LI in a big game ( like cove holden yes I am doing the olba propaganda here ) but it is not canon and trying to squeeze it as a main topic 7 years after it's release feels like an add on rather than a real representation.

Because queerness and neurodivergence are more talked about nowadays media companies are jumping on it to promote themselves. People against it are gonna drag the game and in that way make a promotion out of it and people in this community will check it out because they want to be represented. Again I am not talking about the routes themselves, I don't know the writers, and I don't know their content I am talking about Dorian.

Those promoted headcanons harm the queer community. We already have an existing queer story, changing it with new things on an almost canon level ( because it's promoted by the owner of canon content ) is erasing what we already had and making the new queer labels look bad. Think for a second, some people are gonna see the afab tag and get angry about it because "hey it was supposed to be a man nb" and start to hate on the creators, people who like the hc and possibly afab arcana creator with stigmatization. I am not even exaggerating, this can create hate within the community and even if it comes from a good heart this is not the way it should be added in the fandom.

I think I came across all the points I wanted to try to explain and I tried to really make it understandable to someone for who English isn't their first language.

All my opinions and views on that matter are not to be taken as an exact voice, I am only one player along with thousands of other people but if someone like me feels it should be addressed it's 100% sure that at least a couple of other people feels the same way or agree on some statement.

If you read this far this is a reminder that this is not an open door to start harassing or spreading hate to anyone and I hope my post helped understand what I tried to communicate. Always have critics on what you like and understand it's wrong and good.

[heymacy]

Is it bad to enjoy smut between two gay characters? I’m a bisexual woman and people on twitter always talk badly about people who aren’t mlm reading it. I’ve always read smut with any characters I’ve shipped so it doesn’t feel like fetishizing, but people seem to think it is

okay yes let’s talk about this because i have thoughts

*cracks knuckles*

i know there’s a fuck ton of discourse surrounding fandom, slash writers, and the fetishization of queer characters. people’s concerns about this are completely valid and i never want to invalidate anyone’s opinion.

i’m a queer woman. i identify as a lesbian, and my pronouns are she/her. i’m married to an AFAB non-binary person who uses she/they pronouns. i’ve been in relationships with men in the past, before accepting my sexuality and coming out, but i don’t personally find men sexually attractive/want to have sex with men, though i have in the past (comp het is a bitch okay?). however, i enjoy reading and writing smut, even if it does involve men, because it’s fiction. but, i can only speak to my own experience here.

do i want a penis near me in real life? absolutely not. keep that shit as far away from me as humanly possible. like, put-that-thing-back-where-it-came-from-or-so-help-me vibes, okay? but does the concept of penis-adjacent sex make me ill? no. because sex is sex, whether it’s between two men, two women, a man and a woman, or any combination therein. sex is beautiful and exciting, especially when it takes place within the confines of love and passion (i don’t personally enjoy reading about graphic, emotionless sex unless i know it’s a slow burn or like, a fwb to lovers situation). idk, i’m a slut for those late-night whispered confessions of “god, i love you” while the characters are fucking under the covers, like inject that shit into my veins please and thank you 😇💕

twitter is uhhhhhhhhhhhhh something. definitely something. i’ve only ever engaged with fandom on tumblr or instagram, never twitter, because of how fucking insane it can get. my mental health is too fragile for that, which is why i don’t have a twitter account anymore 😬 i understand criticisms of people that aren’t mlm writing and reading mlm smut, just like i understand criticisms of people that aren’t wlw writing and reading wlw smut. the fetishization and commodification of queer sex for consumption by the masses is a huge issue, one i’ve felt the impact of in my own life (i get invasive questions about my sex life from straight and gay people, regularly, when they find out i’m a lesbian - how do two women have sex anyway? do you use sex toys? are you a top or a bottom? on and on, like uhhhhh babe it’s none of your business?)

however. i must reiterate. we’re talking about fiction here. sexy shit is sexy shit, regardless of the pairing. i’ve written and read wlw smut, mlm smut, and straight smut in the past. for me, sex is this universally applied concept that’s entirely genderless. yes, the functions are different depending on the parts and the pairing, but sex is sex is sex is sex, and reading about someone fucking someone else into the mattress, preferably someone they love, is hot regardless of who/what/why.

i don’t think there’s anything wrong with reading and enjoying smut that doesn’t align with you as an individual - that is to say that i don’t think it’s wrong for women to read mlm smut or men to read wlw smut. as long as you’re not actively dehumanizing or infantilizing the characters for your own sexual needs, like reducing them to nothing but the sex acts they engage in and refusing to see them as a whole person, i don’t personally think there’s anything wrong with consuming smut of any kind, regardless of your personal gender expression and sexuality.

also, bad smut is pretty easy to sniff out. like, it’s pretty easy to tell if someone is writing from a fetish-based viewpoint rather than a character-driven one. like when men write lesbian sex scenes and it’s like 90% aggressive fingering. like, excuse me? my good sir, that’s...not how that works. idk what to tell you. you don’t just jam your fingers up there and hope for the best, okay? like, it’s easy to tell if someone’s knowledge about wlw or mlm sex acts comes solely from overproduced, performative p0rn or if it comes from a long history of reading and writing smut or talking about sex with wlw and mlm themselves (i enjoy talking about sex with my wlw and mlm friends and a lot of my knowledge of mlm sex obviously isn’t first-hand since i’m a queer woman, but is largely shaped by my mlm friends themselves and the stories we’ve shared with each other - i’d trust them to write wlw smut as gay men because of the open, honest, and respectful conversations we’ve had and what i’ve shared with them about how wlw sex works)

all in all, i don’t think it’s fetishization to read mlm smut as a queer, bisexual, or straight woman. i don’t think it’s inherently bad, or shameful, or dirty. like, are asexual people not allowed to read smut if they enjoy it? they may not want to jump on a dick themselves, but if they enjoy reading about their favorite character jumping on a dick, they should be allowed to do that. fiction is fiction, stories are stories, and the great part about existing as an autonomous being is the ability to pick and choose the content you consume and create based on your own personal preferences, and extend the same right to everyone else. 💛