#shipping or not shipping does not indicate how progressive you are or how aro you are! shipping is not activism!

[recurringwriter]

i need to speak up with this because it's getting grating as a bi arospec.

Please. Think before you say that someone writing a character as demi-, grey-, or elsewhere on the aromantic spectrum is only doing so to 'appeal to the alloros'. When you say that, you sound exactly like the people who call bisexuals 'fakers' or 'basically straight' for wanting to see or think about m/f pairings. I do not want to see the community that should be supporting me, a greyro, pulling the same gatekeeping shit that still hurts me and my bi friends.

I do not mind if you hc this character as repulsed. More power to you, enjoy your headcanons. But you will not tell someone that they are doing it wrong for exploring the idea of romance with that same character. 'It's only when the allos do it--' can you tell? Do you have a magical scrying orb that tells you who is aro enough to write a headcanoned-as-aro character in a romantic relationship? Do you remember how bisexuals get called 'straight' for enjoying a m/f pair? Do you see how others within the arospec community might think that you're calling them allo when they hear you saying that? That this makes them feel unseen and unheard?

I'm sure it's very alienating if you want to be a part of popular fandom, and I could never understand that. But think about how you alienate your allies and siblings when you say these things. Our existence isn't to please anyone else, the same as yours. So stop talking as if it is.

[shaladins-are-alive]

Mod Shiro’s Salt

This is my absolute opinion regarding Shaladins who thoroughly throw out any and all Pidge ships. 

I’m not going to beat around the bush, I do not like you. I do take it rather personally. I read plenty of differing fics and follow plenty of blogs. But I notice a pattern: not shipping Allura or Pidge. I’m going to call this what it is: misogyny and gay culture fetishization. It’s hurtful. It’s hurtful to women. It’s hurtful to the LGBT community. You’re welcome to not like ships, but it doesn’t give you the right to dismiss anyone who does support Pidge or Allura ships. 

I’m sure not all of you are intending to make that statement regarding your ships. Not all of you are gay fetishizing. But if your tactic is to use acearo Pidge to sideline her, then yes you are doing that. Same goes for Allura. Ace/Aro HCs are fine. Ace/Aro/Demi need more representation and thought, but never use it as an excuse to sideline a character and then defend yourself by saying it’s “progress.”

As a woman-presenting individual in IT, this is especially bothersome. I understand Pidge/Katie Holt isn’t me, but I identify with her heavily. I’m someone who can look either gender. I got plenty of computer and technology experience. And, I have been disregarded in all aspects of life for being a geek/nerd. I love science. I love math. Women in western society are held to a standard regarding educational prospects, appearances and more. (And I am sure there are in Eastern societies as well.) There’s a reason why there are initiatives for women and girls in STEM fields. Geeky and Nerdy women are told all the time they’re not attractive or sexy. They’re desexualized in general. And this kind of thinking lowers self-esteem. Sure, your self esteem shouldn’t be weighted based on your looks, but to have your entire sexuality stripped from you for liking math or computers is extremely upsetting. 

Another thing that greatly bothers me, Shaladin shippers who say the NYCC video isn’t canon and then in the next breath (or post) say Pidge is 14, therefore Shidge is gross. I am not sure if you see how you are contradicting yourself. Don’t do this. Just don’t. You’re welcome to headcanon her as a minor (or anyone else for that matter), but stop enforcing it. Please. If you are welcome to disregard the video, then so are other Pidge shippers. 

Yeah, she looks like a kid in the series. But that’s because she’s disguised herself as one. At least to me, when she was in that cute purple dress with longer hair, she looked older. 16 at the lowest. That doesn’t mean the others absolutely see her as a little boy. She doesn’t see herself that way. 

As a culture as a whole? Stop infantilizing women and girls. Iverson’s comment about “a little girl no less” isn’t an indication of Pidge’s actual age. This is a very common tactic, mostly by men, to disregard women and girls who offend them. Pidge fricken aimed to kill Haxus. She took off Sendak’s arm. Her hacking ability has been the ace to winning several fights. Season 2 alone she was saving everyone’s backsides. She said it herself. “I’m not a kid, I’m a Paladin.”