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For those of you who don’t know, Becky Albertalli is the author of the book Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which was turned into the sweet teen romcom Love, Simon. She also wrote the spin-off book Leah on the Offbeat, about Simon’s friend Leah, who is bisexual. Albertalli has been the target of a lot of criticism: people (queer people) saying that she was writing for straight people, that her stories are invalid because she identified as straight, saying that she was fetishising mlm and playing for diversity points. In the article linked above, she addresses these accusations by coming out as bisexual.

This is not bravery, and I’m not going to congratulate her, because this is horrifying. She was cornered into this situation, essentially forced to out herself as self defence against accusations that must have been hurtful to deal with, and (as she explains) hindered her progress in understanding her own identity. She has been made to come out as a justification for the stories she has written (uplifting, kind stories), and she is honestly owed an apology.

The Own Voices movement is really important. There is value and significance in stories about marginalised people being told by marginalised people. I’ve said before that queer readers deserve queer stories written by queer authors - but that isn’t mutually exclusive with the idea that closeted and questioning authors shouldn’t be forced into coming out to validate their stories.

Aren’t queer, questioning and closeted people allowed to use writing to explore their identities? Don’t they get the chance to learn about themselves through their writing? Apparently you need to be 100% sure of your own identity before you put pen to paper.

Of course, the fetishisation of mlm in fiction is a very real issue. But that is the realm of erotica, not of a YA book about a gay kid coming out and finding first love. Not all representation is fetishisation: even if Becky Albertalli were a straight woman (she’s not), her book still wouldn’t be fetishisation. If a story is told with respect and care, it shouldn’t matter what the identity of the author is.

None of this even addresses the supremacy of mlm narratives in media, and how they are often the first way that wlw are able to engage with queerness in a way they find safe and easy. Many wlw deal with internalised homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality which leads to them feeling disconnected from representations of their own relationships and bodies - many wlw use mlm characters and narratives to help themselves work through those complex and shame-filled emotions.

I’m really angry about what was done to Becky Albertalli, and I have a lot of thoughts and emotions that I can’t make coherent right now, but basically what I’m getting at is that queer people need to stop policing identities - especially identities of creators who are just trying to make something sweet and kind and uplifting.

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great news! benjamin just announced this on twitter

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favorite movies: 1/? 

“He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to.” - love simon

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I’m in a desperate situation. I’ve been stranded by myself in Tucson while my family tries to finish packing our stuff in Phoenix with very little money. It’s now looking like they won’t be here for another few hours AT LEAST. I’m sick and I’m going to need a hotel room for the night. If you can help my venmo is musicallyren. Thank you.

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Jacques, I did it. I told her. I didn’t tell you this before, Jacques, but you should really know that you’re the reason I was able to do this. I wasn’t sure I’d ever find the courage. It’s really kind of incredible. I feel like there’s a wall coming down, and I don’t know why, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just know you’re the reason for it.  — Blue + bonus: …All of this about the walls coming down? I think you’re giving me way too much credit. You’re the hero tonight, Blue. You brought your own wall down. Maybe mine, too. — Jacques

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You are still you, Simon. You are still the same son who I love to tease and who your father depends on for just about everything. And you’re the same brother who always complements his sister on her food, even when it sucks. You get to exhale now, Simon. You get to be more you than you have been in… in a very long time.

Love, Simon (2018) dir. Greg Berlanti

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Y’all I’m happy

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As soon as you came out, you said, “Mom, I’m still me”. I need you to hear this: You are still you, Simon. And you are still the same son who I love to tease, and who your father depends on for just about everything. And you’re the same brother who always compliments his sister on her food, even when it sucks.

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“Leah.” Mom shakes her head. “You’ve got to stop doing this.” “Doing what?” “Burning everything to the ground whenever something goes wrong.”

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Here’s a fun idea: just stop comparing every piece of lgbt media. Love, Simon was never going to live up to Moonlight. Carol isn’t supposed to be as thrilling as The Handmaiden. Gay people deserve a variety of content lmao this whole “lets compare every gay movie to Brokeback Mountain” is boring as hell. Straight people dont compare She’s All That to Shawshank Redemption. Not every gay movie has to be worth a fucking oscar

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wardrobe appreciation  »  Simon Spier (Love, Simon)

requested by @simonspiervsthehomosapiensagenda

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what she says: i’m fine

what she means: i still can’t believe simon’s fucking “friends” abandoned him after he was traumatically outed to the entire school, over something as petty as high school relationships. they didn’t even take an “i love you but i’m mad at you” approach, they forced him to face returning to school alone, even sit alone at lunch in total isolation. The hate incident happens in the cafeteria and they don’t do ANYTHING. they don’t stand up and say anything, they don’t support simon, they don’t even try to stop it. they just sit silently and watch as simon, and simon ALONE, confronts his attackers in front of everybody. yet somehow the narrative portrays them as The Good Guys, the heroes of the story who have nothing to apologize for.

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“Simons acting weird” Bram says “it’s like there’s something he’s not telling me.”

“Maybe he’s gay,” Garret whispers.

- Leah on the Offbeat

how can you not fucking love Garrett?

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I went to see Love, Simon today and at the end when I was leaving the theatre there was a big group of LGBTQ kids posing for a photo with the movie poster, and right next to them was a group of Black girls doing the same with Black Panther, and everyone was grinning so big and just looked absolutely invigorated. I don’t think I’m ever going to forget that scene. For so long I have not let myself get my hopes up that I will see representations of myself and my friends and communities on screen. But I’m letting myself hope now, because it’s happening. It’s really happening.