#use of the word queer to describe LGBTQ people

[uncanny-tranny]

Hi 💛 I wanted to ask you something, it's been bothering me lately: I've always known that I'm attracted to people regardless of gender. At 15 I called it bisexual. At 17 I started using the label pansexual. Came out as a trans man at 23. I'm now 26 and I'm not sure if bi or pan work for me anymore. I know that I'm still attracted to people regardless of gender, but my experiences as a man in society have made the label gay resonate a lot more with me. Is that okay? What does this mean? Confused

It means whatever you want it to mean. People all across the queer community have used "gay" as shorthand for decades now (maybe including queer people you love). If you just don't vibe with bi/pan on their own, then you don't have to have them on their own. There's nothing wrong with being bi or pan, but there's also nothing wrong with feeling like that doesn't quite encapsulate your relationship with your queerness.

Basically:

[kezcore]

i think if we as a community just understood that some people take pride in being called "queer" and feel very seen by the word, while some other people have very negative associations with the word and don't feel comfortable with it, and if we just didn't argue about who's right and who's wrong, then we would all be much happier

[ilovedthestars]

A thought I’ve been having: While it's important to recognize the long history of many current queer identities (and the even longer history of people who lived outside of the straight, cis, allo “norm”) I think it's also important to remember that a label or identity doesn't have to be old to be, for lack of a better word, real.

This post that i reblogged a little while ago about asexuality and its history in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and before is really good and really important. As i've thought about it more, though, it makes me wonder why we need to prove that our labels have "always existed." In the case of asexuality, that post is pushing back against exclusionists who say that asexuality was “made up on the internet” and is therefore invalid. The post proves that untrue, which is important, because it takes away a tool for exclusionists.

But aromanticism, a label & community with a lot of overlap & solidarity with asexuality, was not a label that existed during Stonewall and the subsequent movement. It was coined a couple decades ago, on internet forums. While the phrasing is dismissive, it would be technically accurate to say that it was “made up on the internet.” To be very clear, I’m not agreeing with the exclusionists here—I’m aromantic myself. What I’m asking is, why does being a relatively recently coined label make it any less real or valid for people to identify with?

I think this emphasis on historical precedent is what leads to some of the attempts to label historical figures with modern terminology. If we can say someone who lived 100 or 1000 years ago was gay, or nonbinary, or asexual, or whatever, then that grants the identity legitimacy. but that's not the terminology they would have used then, and we have no way of knowing how, or if, any historical person's experiences would fit into modern terminology.

There's an element of "the map is not the territory" here, you know? Like this really good post says, labels are social technologies. There's a tendency in the modern Western queer community to act like in the last few decades the "truth" about how genders and orientations work has become more widespread and accepted. But that leaves out all the cultures, both historical and modern, that use a model of gender and sexuality that doesn't map neatly to LGBTQ+ identities but is nonetheless far more nuanced than "there are two genders, man and woman, and everyone is allo and straight." Those systems aren’t any more or less “true” than the system of gay/bi/pan/etc and straight, cis and trans, aro/ace and allo.

I guess what I’m saying is, and please bear with me here, “gay” people have not always existed. “Nonbinary” people have not always existed. “Asexual” people have not always existed. But people who fell in love with and had sex with others of the same gender have always existed. People who would not have identified themselves as either men or women have always existed. People who didn’t prioritize sex (and/or romance) as important parts of their lives have always existed. In the grand scheme of human existence, all our labels are new, and that’s okay. In another hundred or thousand years we’ll have completely different ways of thinking about gender and sexuality, and that’ll be okay too. Our labels can still be meaningful to us and our experiences right now, and that makes them real and important no matter how new they are.

We have a history, and we should not let it be erased. But we don’t need a history for our experiences and ways of describing ourselves to be real, right now.

[imhidingonceagain]

Can we talk about the amazing representation inside the QSMP?

These days I've seen a few people (haters for sure) saying that the QSMP has few to none diversity and that makes me mad so let me list the diversity of this two month old server:

Inside of lore

We have diversity in family dynamics:

-Homoparental families

-"Nuclear" families

- A Platonic partner family (I don't know what's the proper word to describe Jaiden, Roier and Bobby's situation pls tell me if you know/ EDIT: I've been informed the proper term would be "Queer platonic relationship").

- Single parents

We have LBTQ+ representation:

-Gay characters

Roier

-Bisexual characters

Vegetta, Rubius

-Aroace characters

Jaiden, Maximus (he's actually acespec)

-Lesbian characters

Baghera (EDIT: Idk about her anymore, sorry)

-Trans characters -including gender fluid and non binary

Juanaflippa, Tilín, Leonarda, Maximus, Trump

-Characters with disabilities

Richarlyson (the Brazilians noticed he has a shorter leg and that's why fanartists draw him with a prosthetic leg + we have collectively decided he's black).

-MLM characters -I'm making it a separate cathegory just because the characters haven't specified a label. But if you know their label lmk so I can edit it-

Quackity

Mariana

Slimecicle

Foolish

Forever

Cellbit

EDIT: (I JUST REMEMBERED!)

We also have neurodivergent representation:

Wilbur and Dapper (Both autistic)

Outside of lore (Real life)

From the moment Quackity included Latin Americans that already made the server diverse since us Latinos are one of the most diverse demographic groups in the world.

But still, let me elaborate:

Diversity of nationalities/ ethnic backgrounds

Mexican, English, Argentinian, American, Spanish, Norwegian (Rubius is half Spanish half Norwegian), Cuban (Maximus is half Spanish half Cuban), German and Japanese (Jaiden), Brazilian, Swiss and French (Baghera), Algeria and Turkish (Ètoiles) (for now).

We have people of color (some of them are clearly mestizos, meaning they have both native and white genes)

Quackity, Jaiden, Missa, Mariana, Roier, Forever, Maximus, Felps, Pac, Mike, Ètoiles, Spreen (please lmk if I'm missing someone I don't want to erase anyone especially because I'm talking about the actual CC)

We have diversity of languages:

Spanish, French, Portuguese and English (for now).

Now... The point that I've seen people the most confused about:

We also have LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION IN REAL LIFE:

Jaiden (Aroace)

Rubius (Bisexual)

Vegetta (Bisexual)

Mike (Bisexual)

Tilín and Leonarda's admins (Non binary and gender fluid respectively)

Plus, the content creators that for now are classified as "Unlabeled" (Roier and Mariana)

There might be more that aren't out yet. Please stop assuming everyone's straight.

So yeah... The QSMP DOES have diversity.

(My only criticism is that we definitely need more female Content creators but hopefully we'll have them in the future. I'm looking at you Quackity, don't disappoint me. If I'm missing something let me know so I can edit it).

[hussyknee]

Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani’s Kitab al-Aghani records the lives of a number of individuals including one named Tuways who lived during the last years of Muhammad and the reigns of the early Muslim dynasties. Tuways was mukhannathun: those who were born as men, but who presented as female. They are described by al-Isfahani as wearing bangles, decorating their hands with henna, and wearing feminine clothing. One mukhannathun, Hit, was even in the household of the Prophet Muhammad. Tuways earned a reputation as a musician, performing for clients and even for Muslim rulers. When Yahya ibn al-Hakam was appointed as governor, Tuways joined in the celebration wearing ostentatious garb and cosmetics. When asked by the governor if he were Muslim Tuways affirmed his belief, proclaiming the declaration of faith and saying that he observes the fast of Ramadan and the five daily prayers. In other words, al-Isfahani, who recorded the life of a number of mukhannathun like Tuways, saw no contradiction between his gender expression and his Muslimness. From al-Isfahani we read of al-Dalal, ibn Surayj, and al-Gharid—all mukhannathun—who lived rich lives in early Muslim societies. Notably absent from al-Isfahani’s records is any state-sanctioned persecution. Instead, the mukhannathun are an accepted part of society.

...

Far from isolated cases, across Islamic history—from North Africa to South Asia—we see widespread acceptance of gender nonconforming and queer individuals. - Later in the Ottoman Empire, there were the köçek who were men who wore women’s clothing and performed at festivals. Formally trained in dance and percussion instruments, the köçek were an important part of social functions. A similar practice was found in Egypt. The khawal were male dancers who presented as female, wearing dresses, make up, and henna. Like their Ottoman counterparts, they performed at social events.

- In South Asia, the hijra were and are third-sex individuals. The term is used for intersex people as well as transgender women. Hijra are attested to among the earliest Muslim societies of South Asia where, according to Nalini Iyer, they were often guardians of the household and even held office as advisors.

- In Iraq, the mustarjil are born female, but present as men. In Wilfred Thesiger’s The Marsh Arabs the guide, Amara explains, “A mustarjil is born a woman. She cannot help that; but she has the heart of a man, so she lives like a man.” When asked if the mustarjil are accepted, Amara replies “Certainly. We eat with her and she may sit in the mudhif.” Amara goes on to describe how mustarjil have sex with women.

...

Historian Indira Gesink analyzed 41 medical and juristic sources between the 8th and 18th centuries and discovered that the discourse of a “binary sex” was an anachronistic projection backwards. Gesink points out in one of the earliest lexicography by the 8th century al-Khalil ibn Ahmad that he suggests addressing a male-presenting intersex person as ya khunathu and a female-presenting intersex person as ya khanathi while addressing an effeminate man as ya khunathatu. This suggests a clear recognition of a spectrum of sex and gender expression and a desire to address someone respectfully based on how they presented.

Tolerance of gender ambiguity and non-conformity in Islamic cultures went hand-in-hand with broader acceptance of homoeroticism. Texts like Ali ibn Nasir al-Katib’s Jawami al-Ladhdha, Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani’s Kitab al-Aghani, and the Tunisian, Ahmad al-Tifashi’s Nuz’ha al-‘Albab attest to the widespread acceptance of same-sex desire as natural. Homoeroticism is a common element in much of Persian and Arabic poetry where youthful males are often the object of desire. From Abu Nuwas to Rumi, from ibn Ammar to Amir Khusraw, some of the Islamic world’s greatest poets were composing verses for their male lovers. Queer love was openly vaunted by poets. One, Ibn Nasr, immortalizes the love between two Arab lesbians Hind al Nu’man and al-Zarqa by writing:

“Oh Hind, you are truer to your word than men. Oh, the differences between your loyalty and theirs.”

...

Acceptance of same-sex desire and gender non-conformity was the hallmark of Islamic societies to such a degree that European travelers consistently remarked derisively on it. In the 19th century, Edward Lane wrote of the khawal: “They are Muslims and natives of Egypt. As they personate women, their dances are exactly of the same description as those of the ghawazee; and are, in like manner, accompanied by the sound of castanets.”

A similarly scandalized CS Sonnini writes of Muslim homoerotic culture:

“The inconceivable appetite which dishonored the Greeks and the Persians of antiquity, constitute the delight, or to use a juster term, the infamy of the Egyptians. It is not for women that their ditties are composed: it is not on them that tender caresses are lavished; far different objects inflame them.”

In his travels in the 19th century, James Silk Buckingham encounters an Afghan dervish shedding tears for parting with his male lover. The dervish, Ismael, is astonished to find how rare same-sex love was in Europe. Buckingham reports the deep love between Ismael and his lover quoting, “though they were still two bodies, they became one soul.”

...

Today, vocal Muslim critics of LGBTQ+ rights often accuse gay and queer people of imposing a “Western” concept or forcing Islam to adjust to “Western values” failing to grasp the irony of the claim: the shift in the 19th and 20th century was precisely an alignment with colonial values over older Islamic ones, all of which led to legal criminalization. In fact, the common feature among nations with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation isn’t Islam, but rather colonial law.

Don't talk to me I'm weeping. I'm not Muslim, but the grief of colonization runs in the blood of every Global South person. Dicovering these is like finding our lost treasures among plundered ruins.

Queer folk have always, always been here; we have always been inextricable, shining golden threads in the tapestry of human history. To erase and condemn us is to continue using the scalpel of colonizers in the mutilation and betrayal of our own heritage.

[star-anise]

So I've been watching this series of videos where a research-focused psychologist goes through Jordan Peterson's work to see which of his ideas and arguments are based on solid empirical evidence. I love it, even though she does mistakenly say his background is in counselling psychology (my field) when he's actually a clinical psychologist.

Anyway, that's got me thinking about Jordan Peterson, and how his response to criticism is, "People have been after me for a long time because I’ve been speaking to disaffected young men — what a terrible thing to do, that is. [...] I thought the marginalized were supposed to have a voice.”

So, here's my theory: Young men of the 21st century have grown up in a culture that is specifically hostile and punitive towards them. However, I think that while girls and women can participate in this culture, it is as much or more the work of boys and men. And I think that the problem with Peterson is that he's not particularly good at helping his audience escape the maze they are trapped in--and he's absolutely opposed to any attempt to dismantle a maze that is actually of fairly recent manufacture.

Case in point: The metrosexual.

The word "metrosexual" was coined in 1994 by Mark Simpson, a gay writer whose settings seem to be perpetually fixed at "critique the shit out of it".

"Metrosexual" describes heterosexual men who might be mistaken as gay, because they are interested in things very common among gay men, including: Caring about whether they're attractive; caring about how their hair is cut and what products they use in it; caring about what clothes they wear; working out to make their bodies look better; frequenting nightclubs. To be "metrosexual" was, in some people's opinions, to be a "man-boy" searching for his "inner girl".

To be metrosexual was, in some ways, to be called someone who looked gay.

The term didn't really catch on until the early 2000s, when media became briefly obsessed with talking about which celebrities were "metrosexual" or not. In that era of hotly divided opinions over the acceptability of homosexuality and queerness, it was implicitly asking, "Who looks gay? Is he gay? Tell me, fellow broadcaster: How gay does this guy look to you?"

(They got to have their cake and eat it too. A liberal audience, desperate to gather as many LGBTQ+ people and allies as possible in their race for 50% acceptance of gay marriage, cherished any signs that people with social clout might be on their side. And a conservative one, watching the same discussion, would heartily enjoy seeing a rogues' gallery of degenerate Hollywood types paraded before them, their every effeminacy pointed out in loving detail.)

Which of course got us: The Retrosexual!

When everybody's helpfully compiling lists of all the things a man can do that look gay or unmanly, dudes who don't want to get the shit kicked out of them by homophobes know all the things not to do!

Therefore, being "manly" became strictly defined by what was off-limits. To be a Real Man meant you shouldn't care about whether you're attractive, or what soap you use, or how your hair is styled. You shouldn't enjoy dancing or get too enthusiastic about music. A Real Man cares about sports and beer and being on top! Dominant!! A WINNER!!!

And, so like, here's a secret: In Anglophone culture, we are very affected by the Puritan legacy that says pleasure is inherently sinful. Vanity and pride--caring about how you look and whether you're attractive--are literal gateways to the Devil. Gluttony, and therefore seeking pleasure at all, is another such. And in Puritan religious theology, women are inherently more sinful. Yes, it goes back to Adam and Eve, and how Eve was tempted into sin first. Long story short, things associated with women became associated with sinfulness, and sinfulness became associated with effeminacy. And for centuries, you haven't even needed to be religious to drink these attitudes from the groundwater.

Okay, that's not the secret, this is the secret: Pleasure is not inherently sinful.

And liking how you look and feeling attractive and paying attention to your sensuality and your emotional life and connecting with art in a real and vulnerable way can feel really good, if you're able to handle it well.

Being raised to be a Real Man in a world where masculinity is perceived to be actively under threat is so uniquely painful, I believe, because every attempt to define yourself as "not gay" means denying yourself one of life's pleasures, and telling yourself you never even wanted it in the first place.

And then those desperate to be Real Men found a way to take some of those things back in what is surely the most painful context possible: They are allowed strictly as tools of your heterosexuality and masculine need for dominance. You are allowed to care about grooming and dancing, etc, purely as a strategy in playing a game called "Getting Girls", where you either score or you don't, where not scoring means you're worthless and unlovable, and scoring is often... strangely unfulfilling and certainly not enough to fill the aching void inside of you.

The mistake both Peterson and his fanbase make is that they get to this point, and then think: The reason I feel so empty inside is... I just haven't gotten enough girls!

Maybe some guys get out of the maze by finding a woman who is allowed to care about things like affection and love and dancing and looking nice, and their connection with her lets them express all the other parts of their souls that didn't fit in the Real Man box, but can come out in roles like Boyfriend or Father.

But humans aren't telepathic, so relationships can only "fix" you so much as you're willing to do the work of nurturing your own soul in a safe environment, so for a lot of men the maze never ends, and sometimes they don't even get the fleeting joys of relationships or sex, since they're so fucked up about them!

At this point, I as a queer woman am like, "Solution's obvious! Dismantle the maze."

And Peterson, who has worked his whole life to achieve the status of Best Maze-Runner in All of Christendom, is clinging to it like, "NO! DOWN, YOU DARK CHAOTIC MOTHER! THIS MAZE GIVES MY LIFE MEANING! THIS MAZE CONNECTS ME TO MY FOREFATHERS! I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THIS MAZE!"

At which point, like... what can you do but just leave him there?

At least he's not in my area of specialization. The world would be too unkind if I had to deal with him in any professional capacity. I wish Clinical Psychology all their continued joy of him.

[actualmermaid]

Today is All Saints Day, and I'm observing it in a somewhat unconventional manner: cyberbullying the Anglican Church in North America

The ACNA, if you're not familiar, is a group that splintered off from the Episcopal Church in 2009. The reason for the schism was that they believed TEC had "gone astray" by ordaining women priests and affirming LGBTQ people, so a bunch of conservative Episcopalians and clergy split off into their own group: the ACNA. They claim to be "continuing" Anglicans, representing the "real" Anglican tradition in the US and Canada.

The reason I'm cyberbullying them on All Saints Day is because they are conspicuously missing a lovely, pious, respectable, and orthodox Anglican saint: Saint Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167 CE)

St. Aelred was a monk, abbot, historian, and spiritual writer from Northumbria. During his lifetime, the abbey boasted hundreds of monks and lay brothers, because Aelred was known for his friendly and gentle demeanor, wise leadership, and healthy community. He had the ear of kings and bishops all over northern Europe. He preached charity, humility, chastity, and all kinds of other Christian virtues. In short, he was the very model of a respectable medieval churchman.

He was also Very Much In Love With Men, and he wrote a treatise called "Spiritual Friendship," which might be nicknamed "How To Be In Love With Men In A God-Honoring Way." I've read it. It's wonderful and timeless and also very, very gay. He was in love with men. In a gay way.

Fast forward to the year 1980. Up until this point, St. Aelred had been a somewhat obscure local English saint. And then a groundbreaking new book was published which challenged all conventional narratives surrounding the Church and queer people in the Middle Ages: Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality by John Boswell. Boswell wrote at some length about Aelred and his love for men, drawing on his other work besides "Spiritual Friendship" and situating him into what was actually something of a "golden age" of gay culture in western Europe. Yes, really.

Fast forward again to the year 1985. At the Episcopal Church's general convention that year, members of Integrity USA (the original LGBTQ advocacy org in TEC) campaigned to have St. Aelred added to the calendar of saints. The House of Bishops agreed, and they added him to the church calendar with full knowledge that Aelred was gay.

Aelred was also physically disabled, and he wrote about his Spiritual Friend becoming "my hand, my eye, the staff of my old age": in other words, his Spiritual Friend was his caretaker as his health declined near the end of his life (which was still quite short even for a medieval person). He also describes the pain of his Spiritual Friend's early death in a way that remains tender 800 years later. I will leave you to imagine why that might be spiritually relevant to a bunch of nice church gays in 1985.

Fast forward again to 2009. The conservative wing of the Church has had enough of TEC's bleeding-heart liberal reforms, so they secede from the union leave and establish their own church without any icky queers or women priests. St. Aelred had been an official Episcopal saint for 25 years at that point, and the newly-formed ACNA had to consciously, deliberately choose to remove him from their calendar of saints.

Fast forward again to earlier this summer. I start doing research into queer Christian history and queer saints. I realize that Aelred is conspicuously missing from the ACNA's calendar, so I look into the background and decide to get obnoxious about it on Instagram. Because this is VERY embarrassing for a church that claims to be the "real" Anglican Church in North America.

A selection of memes for your enjoyment:

[cursed-man-prayers]

Before folklore came out, I would tell people that liking Taylor Swift was the straightest thing about me. Then folklore, evermore, and Red TV came out. As I saw the queer themes in those albums, I began seeing them in reputation, 1989, Speak Now, Fearless, and debut. The themes have always been there, fluctuating in subtlety but steadily increasing since 1989. So why did I think of Taylor Swift as so quintessentially straight? You guessed it: Compulsory heterosexuality and heteronormativity.

Taylor was supposed to be universally relatable. When she explained her songs, she refrained from using gender-specific language. Us. We. That person. Someone. And people that as “Me. I. A man. That guy I told everyone I was dating.” We were told she dated men, and a woman dating a man = heterosexual. No other options.

Even now, Genius will remove lyric annotations that imply her lyrics might not be about a man. Even with Hits Different, Question…? and Maroon. Taylor says reputation is about Joe and swifties believe her bc “Taylor wouldn’t lie to us!!!” even though there’s so many inconsistencies with the narrative that Rep is about Joe.

To say outright or even imply that Taylor might write songs about women because she likes women is met with scores of comments about how we “shouldn’t speculate on her sexuality!!! she said she’s straight!!! stop being disrespectful!!!!” But Taylor, as she has never said the words “I’m gay” has never said the words “I’m straight.” What she has done is align herself with. LGBTQ artists (YNTCD music video, Phoebe feat., posting support for queer musicians on social media, and, of course, the Pride parade that is her list of openers for the Eras Tour).

If Taylor didn’t people thinking she’s queer, she would’ve thrown in “as a straight woman…” in her speech before performing Delicate at multiple Pride events, when being interviewed about her advocacy during the Lover era, or at literally any point in her adult life.

Writing about women from the male perspective is queer. Her dressing in drag for the Man music video and showing herself in bed with a woman is inherently queer. The way she writes songs about her love interests’ girlfriends is queer. People bend over backwards to justify the gay shit she does, the same thing people have done for centuries with Sappho, Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, and so many sapphic artists throughout history. Taylor Swift is THE songwriter of our generation. She IS the music industry. But swifties, and hetlors all the more, would rather believe she is stupid and ignorant rather than intentionally using phrases like “hairpin drop,” “lavender haze,” “all the bricks they threw at me,” “you’re the West Village.” When she describes her muses as having scarlet lips, having hair that falls into place like dominos and braids in a pattern, gorgeous, it’s just because she thinks men are really pretty I guess (insert MetGala 2016 Joe photo). When she describes men as toys, playthings, “dudes who give nothing,” she’s being satirical. When she says “weird rumors,” that can’t possibly refer to rumors about marriage, pregnancy, or her having had multiple children during the pandemic. It’s *weird* to say that Taylor is queer. It’s weird and bad and gross. Why? Because people saying this believe being queer is weird, bad, and gross.

But it’s not weird. Being queer is beautiful, a gift. And that gift comes with a world that hates who we are. Of course Taylor is too soft for all it. And I admire her softness, that she continues to write vulnerable music. Midnights (esp 3am Edition and Hits Different) holds her loudest lyrics. She’s never beating the rumors and she doesn’t want to. Even if she never says the words “I’m gay/bi/pan/a lesbian,” the eardrum-shattering volume of her lyrics is more than enough for me.

[caelan-withadashofstress]

Hey, to anyone else in the LGBTQIA+ community:

I'm making an info-sheet for my therapist explaining different gender identities, sexual orientations, and romantic orientations, because she wants to be prepared whenever she has LGBT+ clients. (Also including some common slang terms, words and language not to use, info on polyamorous relationships/people, and some specific types of challenges that different orientations and gender identities face.)

If you're part of the community, can you please reblog or reply to this with info you think should be included? Even if I've already got whatever you mention written, it's still helpful to know! If you're not in the community or have nothing to say, please reblog anyway.

I also may make a separate sheet going over LGBTQ+ history and LGBTQ+ people in cultures throughout time and space, as well as mythology and folklore with queer elements. So I'd also like any of that that you can think of!

Oh, and I have a few specific questions (if any of these are offensive in any way, it is absolutely unintentional; please explain why it's offensive and ask me to correct it. I am autistic and do not always recognize when what I say is offensive):

1: To any omnisexuals, how would you describe the difference between omnisexual and bisexual? I have heard omnisexuals explain that the difference between omni and pan is that a partner's gender is still a factor for an omni person, even though they're attracted to all genders. If this is true, then how do you differentiate between bi and omni? Personally, why did you decide to identify as omnisexual vs bisexual or pansexual?

2: To the polysexual people out there, if it's not rude to ask, which genders / gender presentations are you NOT attracted to? I know that polysexual/polyromantic describes being attracted to multiple, but not all, genders. You don't have to explain why you're not attracted to that gender or genders - I know that there's usually no specific reason why people are or aren't attracted to certain genders. (As a quick aside, I'm also writing a novel with a polysexual main character, so this info would be helpful for multiple things I'm working on!)

3: For anyone else who experiences a third gender (or fourth, fifth, etc) which isn't necessarily "man" or "woman", what does that gender feel like for you? What pronouns do you prefer? Do you have a specific name for that gender? (As a genderfluid person, I experience a third gender, but I'm not great at describing it. So... y'know.)

4: For other genderfluid people: how do you know which gender you are from day to day? I'm not great at describing this for myself, despite being genderfluid. I mean, I just kinda know. Does anyone out there have a better way of describing it?

5: Heteroflexible and homoflexible peeps, what are the specific situations in which you feel attraction for the gender you aren't normally attracted to (assuming you feel comfortable answering)? Also, would you consider yourself to be under the monosexual or multisexual umbrella? Or do you consider yourself to be under neither? (I am generally grouping orientations by whether they fit into the asexual, monosexual, or multisexual umbrellas.)

6: Abrosexual people: do you consider yourself to be under the monosexual or multisexual umbrella, or do you think that you fit into a grey area in-between?

[outfitqueer]

Queer vs. Trans - What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

@outfitqueer

I’ve noticed a lot of people don’t really know what terms like “queer” and “trans” mean, or how they’re different. So, I’ll try to explain it in a simple way.

The meanings of “queer” and “trans” have changed a lot over time. What these words meant in the past isn’t always what they mean today.

"Queer" is an umbrella term that can describe anyone who doesn’t fit into the traditional labels of straight or cisgender. It’s a broad, inclusive word that covers different sexual orientations and gender identities. Think of it as a way to say, “I’m not limited by the usual definitions.”

"Trans" refers specifically to people whose gender identity doesn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth. For example, if you were born with a body that people call “female” but you know in your heart and mind that you’re a man, then you’re a trans man. Or if you were born with a body that people call “male” but you know in your heart and mind that you’re a woman, then you’re a trans woman. Trans is all about gender identity, not sexual orientation.

Some people are both queer and trans, and these identities can intersect and influence each other in unique ways. It’s about understanding how different parts of who you are can overlap and shape your experience.

It’s important to respect each person’s choice in how they identify because language is personal, and how we use it can evolve as we grow.

It’s crucial to support and include all identities within the LGBTQ+ community. No matter how someone identifies, everyone deserves to feel welcome, respected, and valued. We’re stronger together when we embrace and uplift each other.

In short: Queer is about being different from the norm in your sexuality or gender, while trans is about your gender identity being different from what was assigned to you at birth. And for some, being both queer and trans means navigating the world with a mix of these identities that’s all their own. Plus, as language evolves, so do the ways we express who we are. To embrace inclusivity, means we ensure that everyone in our community feels seen and respected.

If you enjoy what you see, hit that follow button and show some love with a reblog and a like! 💖

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

[fiddlepickdouglas]

Where do you watch your Thai BL dramas and do you recommend any to start with?

WOW how did I miss seeing this????

Oh boy this is gonna take a while for me to properly answer because you managed to ask, in so few words, a question that has a long answer! (Which I am all too delighted to give, HEHE)

This ended up being such a long post omg, here's a read more.

So starting with where: There's quite a few places. Streaming services with a prescription, YouTube, and even a few free sites where fans will typically upload content (depending on availability and access, these update latest if a show can be found at all).

Streaming platforms (featuring Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai content):

iQiyi - Chinese owned, has a free option with ads and a subscription option. Also features bonus content on certain shows that subbed users can access if you're into that. Has a good balance of stuff that isn't LGBTQ+, lots of great Chinese wuxia - I'm honestly amazed they have as much queer shows as they do but I am not complaining because there's a lot of good ones there.

GagaOolala - Taiwanese owned, has a free option with ads and a subscription option. Stout LGBTQ+ collection. There's certainly other programming but it's thing is being more out and proud, so it's a win for me.

Viki - American owned, allows users to add/edit subtitles. I haven't used this one much, but I haven't needed to get a subscription so far with the shows I have sought to watch and haven't been bothered with ads either? Not sure how that works but I haven't needed to bother looking into it lol

Other sources I've used to watch other BLs are YouTube (there's so many, and they're for FREE), DramaCool, kisskh, and Bilbili.

In this next bit, I'll be summarizing different studios that produce Thai shows, including Thai BL specifically. I'll summarize the studio and then list recommendations for shows.

First up:

GMMTV - (most content on YouTube, some has been put on iQiyi and Gaga though) This is a popular one for Thai shows, and Thai BL especially. It's nicknamed the Disney of BL for a reason (pumps out a lot of new shows each year, huge roster of actors signed to them, very focused on branding and promotion, etc.). A lot of people's first Thai BLs are among their shows, since it was the company that produced the show that launched Thailand's BL industry onto the map. They can be hit or miss with the level of satisfaction, but overall there's plenty to choose from and much to recommend.

Shows I recommend from this company:

Bad Buddy

This is the first one I watched and it changed my fucking life. Pat and Pran are the perfect mix of next door neighbors who were raised to be rivals, but they can't help becoming friends, and eventually fall for each other. It does great subversion of a number of tropes and has a kissing scene that so memorable I bought a t-shirt that's worn in it. The acting is superb and it's both funny and devasting in a lot of good ways. There's a sapphic side couple who are incredibly cute as well!

Be My Favorite

Pisaeng and Kawi, two guys who can't seem to accept their feelings, each live out multiple time lines where they can't help but be drawn together when Kawi is given a time traveling device. This show ponders the affects of one's actions and how living your truth can make or break the happiness you seek in life. This show was unprecedented in how good it was, especially since the leads were an unusual pairing. I love them I love them I love them.

SOTUS

This is the one that kick-started everything back in 2016 for Thai BL. It follows a group of college freshman who are subject to ritual hazing by their seniors, and one student worms his way into the heart of the senior leader. This show set out to censor fags (cigarettes) and not fags (gays). There's so much cultural significance that it's difficult to describe. It sets the tone for a number of BLs to follow.

Not Me

Do you like gays? Do you like social activism? Do you like batshit plots that put you on your fuckin knees for the whole ride? Have we got a show for you. I don't know how to summarize this one without immediately feeling insane, I love this show with all my goddamn heart. Twins Black and White get separated because they have a connection where they can feel the same things when they're close, and it has proven dangerous. Black gets put in a coma and White takes on his identity and joins an anarchist gang to find who hurt his brother. Not everything is what he thinks, though. Also this show inspired my first tattoo because Yok is my favorite boy forever and ever amen.

The Warp Effect

Alright, it's not a BL, technically, but my GOD is it queer. Don't believe me? Here's a list that I made of not even all the reasons why this show is so queer. It addresses so much about sex ed, relationships, consent, kink, body shaming, and even features a non-binary character. A boy, who made a promise to his late mother to save his virginity until marriage, breaks the promise and wakes up in the future. He has to help old friends and acquaintances resolve things that happened on that fated night if he hopes to return to his youth.

3 Will Be Free

Also technically not a BL, but it is poly!! A sex worker, a club host, and the son of a mafia boss end up on the run together after being involved with the wrong people and being in the wrong place...and killing a guy. By the same director of The Warp Effect, so you're guaranteed a similar flavor of thorough queerness.

More shows by the company that I recommend: A Tale of 1000 Stars, Moonlight Chicken, Enchanté, Vice Versa, The Eclipse, My School President, Wandee Goodday, Only Friends, Midnight Musem, The Gifted (those last two aren't BLs but the vibes are there).

Next up!

Idol Factory - (YouTube channel for watching) Founded by actor Saint Suppapong with the purpose of creating a studio that harbors a safer and more positive experience for people in the industry. Well known for producing one of the first and most popular GLs or girls love shows.

Shows I recommend from this company:

GAP The Series

Sam has been Mon's idol since she was little and now she's secured a job working at her company! She's so excited! Until she realizes that Sam is...kind of heartless. Her unwillingness to let her boss walk all over her does more than win over a good professional relationship. It's got all the drama of class divide and arranged marriage along with it, so it's a fun ride and makes for an iconic entry for lesbian cinema.

The Sign

Phaya and Tharn aren't just reincarnated lovers, they weren't even human before! The story follows a curse that's followed them since they first met as naga and garuda, both powerful legendary creatures who have fought each other for ages. In the present, they train as police officers and end up working together in a case related to Tharn's tragic past.

The Loyal Pin

This one actually hasn't started airing yet (August 4th!!!!) but it's about a lady and a princess who grew up together. From the looks of things, it's gonna have drama and angst up the wazoo so I'm looking forward to it.

More shows by the company that I recommend: Secret Crush On You (I haven't personally seen this one but it's been on my list and highly recommended)

Next up!

Domundi - (uncensored versions on iQiyi, cut versions on YouTube) It's more of a "content creator" company, so it includes musicians as well as actors, so there's not many shows under their wing. But they are good with high heat (more explicit) BL stories. One currently airing, Battle of the Writers, includes Chinese wuxia elements which is incredibly interesting and kinda ballsy (there's suspected attempts to lower viewership for censorship reasons). I highly recommend watching it just for the sake of elevating it, there's a cut version on YouTube.

Shows I recommend from this company:

Bed Friend

Poor Uea is traumatized to hell and back; it's like the world is out to get him. He and his coworker King decide after a one night stand to be exclusive fuck buddies, and ngl it's HOT. We get catboy kinks in this one! Their connection deepens and they have to figure out what they both want from each other. Also all the shitheads get owned, it's really nice to watch. It inspired a Jennette McCurdy meme from me.

Middleman's Love

This is the story of Uea's best friend Jade, who sees how happy his friend is in his new relationship, and takes his turn being Emma Woodhouse. Well....it doesn't go to plan. He keeps pushing Mai toward someone else and doesn't realize that Mai likes him. This one starts incredibly goofy (I put that as a warning), and then gets steamy later on.

Battle of the Writers

This one just started airing! Ob-un is accused of plagiarizing fellow author Chan, and after things have been cleared they end up on a writing team together. The wuxia characters here are characters from their novel. It seems their relationship will parallel certain aspects of the story.

Next company!

Wabi Sabi - (YouTube channel for shows) They've recently lost a whole bunch of actors (several to GMMTV no less) due to terminating artist management, so I'm not sure what the future looks like, but they've released several shows that are considered BL staples.

Recommended:

Until We Meet Again

Dean and Pharm are reincarnated lovers who previously had a tragic end. This one is heavy on the emotions, the first 10 minutes took my fucking knees out. Has lot of themes of intergenerational trauma and how important having supportive parents can be. Pharm is so cute, I need to squish him!

Between Us

It starts around the same time as Until We Meet Again, but from the perspective of Team and Win. They have their own angst issues and family traumas that make them messy, and there's a lot more development of the side characters that were featured in the first series as well. I especially enjoy the sideplot for gamers Waan andTul, lol, I wish they could get their own series too! I do recommend watching UMWA first if you don't want to be confused about a few scenes in this one.

Final company, let's go!

Change 2421 - The company that made the omegaverse alpha-alpha car racing BL. That one. Need I say more?

Recommended:

Pit Babe

Mx. omegaverse alpha-alpha car racing BL themself. Babe is a star racecar driver with special abilities. He's charmed when he meets Charlie, but things begin to change for him faster than he can recognize. The home he ran away from tries to force him back as he attempts to reveal its worst secrets.

This Love Has No Long Beans

This is currently airing! Oab is your chef from Kitchen Nightmares that judges harshly with a tough exterior but genuinely has a good heart. Having lost his passion for cooking, he decides to set up a contest to find a successor to take over his restaurant. Plawan chooses to enter this contest despite having no skills and already having gotten on Oab's bad side. Things get heated when Plawan's determination to make it through the competition ignites the passion for cooking again.

There's plenty more companies, but these are the ones I am most familiar with. But there's still more!

Shows I recommend that aren't from the companies listed above:

Kinnporsche

The mafia BL that took over. I have so much brain rot about this one that it's hard to summarize without going crazy. Porsche and his brother have been struggling to keep their beloved family home, so he takes an offer he can't refuse - working as a mafia bodyguard. Kinn, the current mafia head, is undeniably attracted to him and it ends up making them inseparable in more ways than one. I especially enjoy the side couples, VegasPete and KimChay (there is ENDLESS insanity from all possible pairings tbh).

Love in the Air

It's kinda split into two stories, Payu (or Phayu, honestly the spelling gets switched a lot and even I don't stick to one thing) and Rain, and Prapai and Sky. PayuRain are the most couple ever, that's just the best way I can put it. The actors have incredible chemistry and set a fucking standard for making out. Sky and Prapai will make you cry. They handle some pretty intense material and do an incredible job with it. Also bisexuals with motorcycles and light mafia action.

I Told Sunset About You/I Promised You The Moon

Not only an iconic BL series that strives for telling an incredibly realistic story (no goofy sound effects or gags here), but the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Also the messiest bisexual awakening known to man. Oh my god. So much crying. Sooooo much angst. It's okay if you throw shit over this one, it's worth it, I promise. Tee and Oh go through pretty much everything that could make weaker couples hate the other person and that's what makes them top tier.

Ingredients

This whole series is a grocery store commercial? Ignore that, these roommates have the most adorable development. I binged this and was crying at 2am. Tops is an aspiring chef and Win is his himbo roommate who is trying to make it as a musician. As they each work toward their dreams, they become important aspects of each other's lives. Also, if you don't come out of this obsessed with Jeff Satur (or anything else he does), I will question your taste. Pun intended.

Old Fashion Cupcake

Japanese BL? Older queers? Office romance? Age gap? A confession scene that meets Jane Austen level standards of desperation? Togawa and Nozue are something else man. They make it a game to pretend to do what young women do as an "anti-aging" technique, but really it's Togawa's scheme to hopefully catch the eye of his boss. Incredible, no notes except maybe I'd like to have a Thai remake? Please?

And last but absolutely not least...

Semantic Error

A fantastic Korean BL. Rivals to lovers and 10000% ADHD4autism. Jang Jaeyoung is prevented from graduating by Chu Sangwoo and makes it his personal mission to get under his skin. And well....it works lol. They're both the most characters, I adore them and their chaotic stumbles into romance. Bonus Choi Yoona bisexual goddess side character, we love her.

Kiseki: Dear To Me

Taiwanese BL that's also split somewhat split between two stories. Zong Yi takes in a wounded Zhe Rui. The student realizes he's keeping a gangster in his dorm and tries to ignore his charms but ends up being drawn into his world. Meanwhile, Ai Di and Chen Yi, other members of the gang, deal with the consequences of Zhe Rui's disappearance.

Well. That was a whole lot. I hope this isn't too overwhelming for you! I've only been in the BL fandom for a couple years so this is barely scratching the surface as far as what's out there.

[alexandraisyes]

Hey guys, here's a reminder that if queer people are allowed to reclaim slurs against them and POC people are allowed to reclaim slurs about them then so are people with ASPD.

We are allowed to reclaim the terms sociopath and psychopath because we are the people those terms are targeted against. If you don't have ASPD? You don't get to have an opinion.

Everyone I've met and conversed with who also had ASPD are comfortable with the terms sociopath and psychopath being used to describe clinical ASPD.

Saying that we are not allowed to reclaim the term because you personally don't agree with it? Good for you, but you're not the one being stigmatized against. You don't get to have an opinion about this because you are not the one being affected by it. Stop being offended for other people who are trying to make the world a kinder place for themselves.

Empowerment and Ownership: Reclaiming a term can be a way for individuals to take control of a label that has been used to stigmatize or dehumanize them. By owning the term, they can redefine it on their own terms, reducing its power to harm.

Challenging Stigma: The terms "sociopath" and "psychopath" are often used in a derogatory manner and can contribute to the stigma around mental health disorders. Reclaiming these words can be a way to challenge and change the narrative, promoting a more accurate and compassionate understanding of ASPD.

Creating Community: Reclaiming a term can foster a sense of solidarity and community among those who share similar experiences. It can help individuals with ASPD connect with each other and advocate for their needs and rights.

Promoting Awareness and Understanding: By reclaiming and redefining these terms, people with ASPD can raise awareness about the disorder and its complexities. This can lead to greater empathy and understanding from the public and professionals.

Rejecting Misuse: Reclaiming terms can be a way to reject the misuse of these words in ways that are harmful or incorrect. It can help ensure that the terms are used in a manner that is respectful and informed.

Affirming Identity: For some, reclaiming these terms may be a way to affirm their identity and experiences. It can be a way to express pride in who they are, despite societal prejudices.

If POC and LGBTQ+ people get to reclaim terms used to stigmatize them then so do we. Denying us of that because you don't personally agree with it is rude, and calloused, and I'm going to fucking say it, borderline ableist. These words are not for you, they are for us.

And I choose to have pride in who I am instead of letting people ridicule and demonize me for it. I'm a clinical sociopath, I have ASPD, and people who don't have ASPD are going to have to fucking accept that because they are not me and they do not get a say in this.

[cleolinda]

NBC News asked a variety of LGBTQ academics, chefs and foodies across the country what queer food means to them. Though the definition of the term can vary widely, they all agreed that queer food in any form requires one nonnegotiable ingredient: community.

Some nice profiles in here, including mentions of James Baldwin, “Brownie Mary” Rathbun, and Queer Soup Night.

A note on the word “queer”: As you can see, people have been reclaiming it for decades, particularly in academic and community contexts (and the famous “We’re here, we’re queer” protest chant). I do understand that it makes some people uncomfortable and/or it evokes trauma for them. If someone told me they don’t want the word used to describe them personally, I would not use it for them. However, I use it for myself, and I think this article demonstrates that it has been used widely as an inclusive community term; I hope people can read this (or skip it!) in that spirit.

[multigenderswag]

How should I describe what “lesbian” means? Bc wlw isn’t right since it excludes some people and non-men loving non-men ALSO excludes some people, I’m very aware of this. But then I run into the problem of when I’m talking to people who aren’t very familiar with the queer community (i.e. grew up in a queerphobic place or js a place that didn’t teach about lgbtq+) asking the genuine question “what does lesbian mean?”

And then I don’t know how to describe it?? Cuz like I said the only 2 definitions that I know of don’t work…

This also applies to “gay” or other mono labels-

Idk I’m js asking you since you talk about this stuff

I think it's unrealistic (and kind of boring) to search for a perfect definition of "lesbian" that includes all lesbians and excludes all non-lesbians. "Lesbian" probably means something different to every lesbian, since everyone has a very unique relationship with their own sexuality.

I think it's good to use words like "typically" or "often" when defining a label like this. It conveys the general idea of what the label means to most people, but it's not rigid or exclusive.

The way I might describe lesbian to someone unfamiliar with the concept might be something like "lesbian usually means women who are attracted to women, but trans and genderqueer people are included in lesbianism if they identify that way."

This message has been approved by my lesbian friends on discord

[ultimate-word-tournament]

Ultimate Word Tournament!

transgender (English) /tɹænzˈd͡ʒɛn.dɚ/ Having a gender identity which is different from one's assigned sex. An umbrella term that includes nonbinary, genderfluid and agender people as well!

queer (English) /kwɪɹ/ 1. (dated outside Scotland and Ireland) weird; odd; different. 2. Pertaining to sexual or romantic orientations or gender identities that do not conform to conventional heterosexual and cisgender norms; broadly LGBTQ+

Note that this word has been used in a derogatory manner in the past, which makes some wary to use it to describe themselves. However, there's been a large effort since the 60's or 70's to reclaim the word, and it's now used often by the LGBTQ+ community more broadly and by many LGBTQ+ individuals!

Transgender Propaganda 1 (ft. Haikubot) Transgender Propaganda 2 (cute trans trinkets)

[awakefor48hours]

Do you have any LGBTQ+ black clover headcanons? Talk about them!

I sure do have LGBT+ headcanons for Black Clover characters so let's go over them.

Black Bulls

Vanessa - Bisexual

I headcanon Vanessa as bi (leans more towards women) because her backstory feels very similar to a queer allegory.

Vanessa is has pink hair and pronouns, grew up with a strict maternal figure (who does have Catholic imagery), who forbade her from having relationships with people of a certain gender. Then as soon as she leaves and finally joins the outside world, she starts to dress in more revealing clothes and drinks a lot.

All of that together, it just feels very similar to the way that people who have grown up with overly religious and strict parents behave when they leave to go to college.

Also this haircut

The certified bisexual haircut.

Finral - Bisexual

I headcanon Finral as bi (leans more to women) for pretty similar reasons to Vanessa. They're parallels to each other after all, older siblings to abusive parents that didn't treat them right only to leave to help themselves while also choosing to be the older sibling that the Black Bulls deserve.

He also reminds me of my bi friends, he does finger guns a lot, and is very comfortable when it comes to complimenting men.

Magna - Bisexual

I ship magluck so my opinion is definitely going to be skewed but I fully think he's bi (no gender preference). The way he talks about being a man and masculinity, it just feels like a bit more than just appreciation, to me at least.

Luck - Pansexual

Like with Magna, my opinion on this is skewed because I ship magluck but I headcanon Luck as pan (no gender preference). His design is nearly the pan flag (just missing the pink) and he hasn't shown any real preference to anyone when it comes to forming a romantic and/or sexual relationship. When it comes to Luck's relationship with dating, it's a bit muddy because he's never been shown to be explicitly in love with anyone but from what we've seen he's not against dating women and the only person he's blushed around was Magna. Also when the Black Bulls share the type of people they like, Luck doesn't specify gender his preferred partner by gender (source: chapter 103).

As you can see, save for Gordon, everyone else uses gendered terms (or just say the person's name) to describe their preferred partner, expect for Luck.

I will say, I do know that when the captains answer, they use more gendered neutral terms (source: chapter 167)

but here's the fun thing about fanon, I can pick and chose when I want to stick my fingers in ears and go "lalalalalalalala! I can't hear you!"

Noelle - Biromantic/Asexual

This is a headcanon that's a bit skewed because Noelle reminds me a lot of Marinette from ML so I share a lot of headcanons between them. Putting that aside Noelle is bi (leans more to men)/ace (sex neutral).

First of all, I'd like to look at her upbringing. Even though it doesn't seem like homophobia exists in the BC universe (basing this off of the devil worshiper arc) I wouldn't put it past the royals to be queerphobic or have amanormative/heteronormative views.

With that in mind, it wouldn't be too strange to believe that Noelle would pick up some comphet beliefs. She definitely like Asta but I also feel like her relationship with Kahono is also a bit romantic.

Let's also not forget that Noelle has a hard time with her emotions, Kahono even notes this herself. (Source: chapter 103)

With that, I think that she struggles to understand her romantic feelings so it makes sense to me that she wouldn't realize that she does like girls.

I headcanon her as asexual because when it comes to being physical, Noelle seems a bit finicky, in a word. We see that does like intimacy but when it comes to Asta, her love interest, grabbing her or any time of physical contact, suddenly she's very uncomfortable and it just feels pretty asexual.

Grey - Genderfluid

When it comes to shape shifters, I pretty much always headcanon them as genderfluid or trans and Grey is no exception.

Throughout most of her time in the Black Bulls, everyone saw her as a man. She chose to present herself as a man an never corrected anyone when they used he/him pronouns for her, it was also the form she was more comfortable with. She also doesn't seem too uncomfortable when she's presenting as anyone, male or female.

Also, it's no secret that Grey's backstory is based on Cinderella and I once saw a tumblr thread talk about how Cinderella being trans ties the story together (points such as, the slipper only fitting on her foot, the reason why the prince charming didn't even know she existed, it's also why her step mother hated her a lot, etc) and since that stuck with me, I ended up seeing Grey in a similar way.

Nero - Aromantic/Heterosexual

When it comes to Nero's relationships with other people she is a bit closed off, especially since she was a royal that lost her status early on in life. Then you look at her relationship with Lumiere and their relationship never really felt romantic. It was emotional, they were together, but it wasn't romantic at all, to me at least. Then you have the times when she was a bird. I don't ship Asta and Nero but it does seem like she prefers physical relationships than emotional relationships seeing as how she liked Asta the most and was always found on his head.

Nacht - Aro/Ace

Can't get into this too much without dipping into the manga so I'm just gonna say ✨vibes✨

Golden Dawn

Yuno - Aro/Ace

I headcanon Yuno as romance-neutral aromantic/sex repulsed asexual. I feel that Tabata wrote Yuno to be aromantic-spec and/or asexual-spec because Yuno absolutely does not vibe with sexual or romantic relationships in the slightest.

He's called handsome by everyone around him, the male and female characters, and has tons of girls flaunting over him. In fact, in universe, he is literally the hottest guy (source: chapter 105)

Despite everything playing in Yuno's favor to have a romantic partner, he doesn't bat an eye to anyone ever nor does he have a single major character as a love interest.

(I know that Charmy technically has a crush on him but I personally refuse to acknowledge it because as someone who's been both 15 and 19, it makes me very uncomfortable that Charmy was 19 when she fell in love with a whole ass 15 year old.)

Additionally, he just seems so uninterested in any type of physical/sexual relationship and I think the biggest example of this comes from the hot springs arc. even though Yami got all the men hyped up to peep at the women, Yuno could not be more unbothered by the idea. Just look at him. (Source: Chapter 111)

This kid would not care about peeping if his life depended on it. He says that he's "not this kind of character" (which feels like a way of explaining asexuality without knowing the exact wording for it) and Asta even adds onto this by saying that Yuno has been this way since birth. With all of that I just really cannot help but think of Yuno as an asexual or ace-spec.

When you combine his complete disinterest in romance and in anything sexual, it really feels like he's supposed to be somewhere on the aro or ace spectrum. If he's not, he is in my mind.

Mimosa - Lesbian

I know I'm like one of three people to headcanon Mimosa as a lesbian but hear me out. Yes in canon she has a crush on Asta but in my fanon, she's comphet.

This is my headcanon for a few reasons. First of all, like Noelle, Mimosa grew up basically in the household with the same expectations put on them. So as mentioned with Noelle, I wouldn't put it past the royals to have queerphobic beliefs.

Also, Mimosa is an airhead. When it comes to other people's emotions, she cannot understand them to save her life. This is the main reason why Noelle had a hard time seeing her when Mimosa in the dungeon arc. If she's this bad with emotions, it's not hard to believe she would struggle to navigate her own emotions.

Then that takes us to her crush on Asta and I'm still holding onto the comphet lesbian headcanon. Mimosa is trying to go through life her own way, this is why she's in Golden Dawn and not the Crimson Lions, meaning I wouldn't put it past her that this is the first time ever she's really interacted with people outside of her family.

At the end of the dungeon arc, Asta happily smiled and thanked Mimosa for what she did. That was the moment Mimosa fell for him but due to my headcanons/warped perception of the show, I don't see it that way. Even if she was straight, it just feels very comphet to fall for the first boy outside of your family that was nice to you more than once (it's important to remember that Klaus kinda sucked at this time and that Yuno struggles to show affection). In fact, I've personally experienced this and have siblings who've also been there.

Also here's the difference between how Mimosa looked at Asta, after falling for him, and Lolopechka dressed as a queen.

She is just taken aback completely by Lolopechka's beauty but when it comes to Asta, she's just timid. All the moments when Mimosa is blushing around Asta, to my heavily biased POV, it feels more performative than actual attraction.

To even bring Yuno into this, Mimosa hasn't developed feelings for him at all. Throughout the whole series, girls are constantly throwing themselves at Yuno's feet to get his attention and is, once again, he is the most attractive male character in Black Clover. Despite this, Mimosa, the girl who is constantly near him, gets to see him when he's vulnerable, just doesn't develop even a twinge of romantic feelings towards him. She sees him as only a friend.

Lastly, I feel like Mimosa being a lesbian works well with her crush on Asta because it's pretty obvious it's not gonna work out in the end. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Astelle is going to be canon and when that happens, I think Mimosa taking time to separate her feelings from Asta and move on is something I think is bound to happen, if that happens, I think it'd be really cool if while she's sorting through feelings, she comes to a lesbian realization and pursues relationships with other people, (if I had to be honest, I'd say Rebecca because then you'd have two girls who were heartbroken by the same guy, bonding over that, getting together in the end, and Rebecca finally gets to live a life where she doesn't have to worry about money.)

Alecdora - Gay

This man is madly in love with William with bad coping mechanisms for it, and I refuse to hear anything about it. Fellas, is it gay to devote your entire life to a man to the point that when his attention is diverted to someone else, just a little bit, it gives you so much anxiety that you lose weight because it?

Crimson Lions

Fuegoleon - Bigender

This literally has nothing to do with anything Fuegoleon has done in canon, the reason why I headcanon him as bigender comes from this thread and I wasn't able to stop myself from seeing him as bigender. I think about it so much that I genuinely forget at times that's he's not bigender in canon.

Mereoleona - Lesbian

Originally, this did just start from ✨vibes✨and the fact that she does fall kinda fall into the cliche of lesbians that live alone and scare off the men in their lives. Then Sword of the Wizard King came out and that solidified the lesbian Mereoleona headcanon to me.

I know that Mereoleona said her preferred partner was a "man" but once again, this is fanon so my fingers are in my ears. When it comes to Mereoleona's romantic/sexual life, the one and only character I can see her working with is Princia, Mereoleona did mention she wanted a partner that wouldn't die in mortal combat and Princia didn't. In fact, they were evenly matched, and they're sun and moon coded (methinks soulmates).

I also started shipping them because I'm me but can you really blame me this time? Mereoleona and Princia had a fight in which they very physical with each other, had their clothes get constantly torn off, and kept asking to keep going at it for another round. I feel like I'm describing a fanfiction but I'm just describing what happened on screen.

She's never really had this relationship with anyone else. Everyone, even Yami, is scared of her. So to have a partner that's able to not only handle her energy but able to dish it back to her just feels fitting.

Grey/Aqua Deers

Rill - Asexual

Part of this comes from the fact that I've never met a single cishet artist in my life. Every artist I've ever known has been queer in one way or another.

But to actually look at his character, Rill just seems completely uninterested in any sexual relationships. His one and only romance blossomed when Charmy kicked his ass and it feels a lot like he's admiring her beauty and strength but not in a sexual way.

Blue Rose Knights

Sol - Lesbian

She pretty much fits the lesbian stereotype to a T

Princia - Lesbian

Along with a lot of the reasons that I headcanon Mereoleona as a lesbian and she did become the captain of an all girl squad so I'm already doubting any straight behavior.

Coral Peacocks

Kirsch - Queer

When it comes to Kirsch, I feel like no other description is better than he's himself. I don't think he'd use any label for himself (I can, however, see him picking his favorite pride flag and saying that it's his).

Other characters

Kahono - Lesbian

Kahono definitely likes Noelle, I just interpret it as romantic. They were able to bond so much over their short time and the first thing that Kahono does after getting her voice back is hug Noelle, this is to saw she barely acknowledges Asta's existence. Then after going on the double date, Kahono just immediately suggests that she and Noelle go on date (Source: chapter 103).

We don't get to see what happens next but Kahono did start these dates to get Noelle to realize her feelings and seeing as how Noelle just sent Asta flying, my headcanon is that Kahono saw this as a way to shoot her shot to get Noelle to notice her.

You also have the fact that Kahono grew up in the Seabed Temple, meaning that her experiences with being queer are probably going to be different than the other characters and she's probably more open to it.

Sister Lily - AroAce

I headcanon Lily as a romance and sex repulsed aroace for two reasons. The first reason is how she views Asta's crush on her. Sure, Asta is annoying about his crush on her I also think that part of her disinterest comes from being aroace.

The other reason comes from the fact that she became a nun pretty early in her life. If I remember correctly, Lily became a nun when she was 16, that's a pretty young age to swear yourself to celibacy and I know people do it but there's a part of me that can't help but think it's because she's aroace and saw an out to any potential relationships.

Vanica - Lesbian

Vanica has men constantly falling over themselves to be with her, yet she doesn't really care too much about them. When it comes to the women, however, she's pretty open when talking about their beauty. Also, once again, because I'm me (and because of my moots), I do ship her with Noelle.

I know I have more but that's all I got at the moment

+ As a bonus

The characters who I think would be over the top with their allyship: Asta, Leopold, Klaus, Lumiere.