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#PLEASE STOP ARGUING WITH US
pikp0kcas3 · 2 months
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The Hazbin Hotel fandom’s issue with accepting aromanticism and asexuality
Now that it is officially Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, I want to talk about this!
I find that, as an aroace myself, I am constantly grasping at good representation and coming up empty— it usually ends up in one of two ways.
One: the character is portrayed as emotionless, cold, and robotic in nature. It’s the question aromantic and/or asexual people are often asked: “Are you heartless?” The answer is no, of course, but general media makes it out to be the opposite.
Or two: Their lack of attraction is seen as something to “fix” because they “haven’t found the right one yet”, and they end up with a partner as a “happy ending”.
It frustrates me greatly because of how little people actually see aromanticism or asexuality as a true part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
So when I watched Hazbin Hotel, and I found out about Alastor being aroace, I was over the moon. I was on cloud nine. I also saw how his voice actor has looked up the term as an attempt to learn about aroaces, which makes me OVERJOYED?? Amir is truly a blessing, and I love that he’s proud to embody a character that’s part of our community. It’s so beautiful to finally have a proper character, a fan favorite at that, who just so happens to be aroace— and that’s another thing I love about this.
It’s never explicitly stated in the show (though it is stated in interviews), but it’s rather clear when you’re watching, isn’t it? Alastor’s aversion to any sort of sexual advancement, coupled with Rosie’s blatant “I know you’re an ace in the hole” comment sort of spell out his asexuality pretty clearly, as well as what side of the spectrum he falls upon. In addition, his Valentine’s day card was strictly platonic, which caters to his aromantic side. It feels so validating to finally be represented, to finally have a character in media who shares the same lack of interest in romance and sex as I do.
When I entered the fandom to look for more content, I kind of expected to see the same respect for Alastor’s orientation there too. But that… wasn’t the case? I am fully aware that aromanticism and asexuality are both spectrums— of course, aromantic and/or asexual people can enter those kinds of relationships. I’m not denying that and they belong in the community as much as anyone else on the spectrum.
But, the more I see the same line again and again and again, the more it feels like an excuse to just ship what you want.
Usually I don’t mind shipping? I’m often a firm believer in people shipping what they like as long as it’s harmless and they don’t go crazy over it. I also know for a fact that Viv doesn’t have a problem with people shipping her characters. They are fictional, after all.
But in this case, people are ignoring the very thing that makes Alastor a part of the aroace community! People are ignoring his lack of romantic or sexual attraction!
Is this not the same as changing a gay character’s orientation to suit a straight ship? If not, how so? I’m told that we are a part of this community, so why aren’t we being treated like it? Why is it so hard to accept the people on the end of the spectrum who aren’t interested?
Something I’ve been noticing throughout my life is that society has not exactly progressed very much on the idea of accepting asexual or aromantic identities. Maybe we have, a little, since the old days— but hell, people in “the old days”, which in truth wasn’t very long ago, believed that asexuality was a medical condition to be “fixed” by taking the right medication or having sex. That’s a pretty low bar to clear. And on the romance side, you’re seen as a “late bloomer” or “boring” if you don’t express interest. These days, being friends with someone is treated like a gateway to them possibly becoming a lover. Not getting married, not going on dates, not wanting a partner— it’s all treated like a crime when it’s not.
Maybe I’m selfish, or sensitive, or I’m butthurt over nothing, or I’m making it all about me. Maybe I’m gatekeeping or whatever the term is. But please, please, please, I just want an aroace character like me who simply is not interested in sex or romance.
And I want fandom to respect that. I admire the creations that fans make— the art, the animatics, the writing and the character analysis. And I want people to keep creating because creation is indeed a beautiful thing.
But I really would like people to treat aroace identities like they’re important. Like it’s more than just a spectrum to get wiggle room to wrangle in another ship.
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violetdisasterzone · 1 year
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Luo Binghe & Selflessness
There's a great post by @/jayktoralldaylong talking about how all the love interests in MXTX's novels prioritize the safety and well-being of the MCs rather than prioritizing - or even expecting - their love being returned. And image my surprise when the first reply I see is "Except Binghe. That bitch will sleep with your corpse," with others agreeing and calling him the "worst MXTX character" in the tags. I am yet again asking, did we read the same book? Luo Binghe is just as single-mindedly devoted to Shen Qingqiu as any of the others. Evidence of this is found at every turn during the main plot of Scum Villain: the plot during which he was actively possessed by a sentient evil sword. A sword which in a different timeline - a timeline without Shen Yuan - almost single-handedly turned Luo Bingge into a tyrant. He is under this influence for a majority of volumes 2 and 3 (of the Eng. transl.), which is also when he is accused of being "crazy" or "pushy" in regards to Shen Qingqiu.
Since the reply that inspired this post discussed the 5 years in which Shen Qingqiu was dead, that's what I'll address first. When Shen Qingqiu self-destructs, Luo Binghe is caught extremely off guard. It's easy, I think, to forget or disregard just how awful and confusing the entire novel's events have been for Binghe so far. Accepted to Qing Jing and subsequently horrifically abused for 4 years; a sudden, drastic, unexplained change in Shen Qingqiu and a blissful 3 years of peace; pushed into hell and utterly betrayed in an act of what appears to be very out of character hypocrisy. And when he returns (now in possession of the aforementioned sentient evil sword), he stays away from Cang Qiong and becomes a respectable cultivator in his own right, so that maybe, maybe Shen Qingqiu would accept him once again. And then he runs into Shen Qingqiu enjoying the company of someone who looks exactly like him; yet Shen Qingqiu runs from him, acting as though Binghe is the one who is dangerous, who is going to hurt him. Of course, Shen Qingqiu is justified in his fear, based on his own perceptions of the situation. But Luo Binghe does not know this.
Immediately following Shen Qingqiu's destruction is one of the only times we get a firsthand glimpse into Luo Binghe's perspective. This line is from the moments after he catches Shen Qingqiu's body: "Didn't Shizun hate his blood more than anything? Wasn't he unwilling to even be near him, to associate with him at all?" In the following pages is when he learns, for the first time that "Shizun too was...utterly heartbroken" during his time in the Abyss. When the chapter ends, Luo Binghe is still in utter shock, wiping the blood from Shen Qingqiu's face and trying, uselessly, to explain that he was just angry, that he just wanted to make him happy. We don't see the part of the scene where Luo Binghe leaves with the body, but it is not hard to infer that, in his complete state of denial and shock, his mind recently saved from an agonizing deviation, he was unwilling to part from his Shizun.
During the five years of Shen Qingqiu's absence, Luo Binghe kept his body in as perfect a state as possible. As we see in the Deep Dream extra, Luo Binghe brings Mu Qingfang (who he seems to respect, however minimally) to Huan Hua Pavilion some time after the events of Hua Yue City (which we know because Mu Qingfang expects Shen Qingqiu's body to "have long since festered and decayed"). We, as Shen Qingqiu, then get a glimpse into what Luo Binghe does with the body: he cooks countless meals that will go uneaten, and he transfers qi to prevent that decay. Skin to skin contact is the most direct way to transfer qi, as supported in many other scenes, including the flashback scene in this same extra. This type of qi transfer can also be carried out while sleeping, as evidenced in the Bing-mei vs. Bing-ge extra, providing a regulated stream of spiritual energy for an entire night. As Mu Qingfang said earlier, this uses up "an enormous amount of spiritual power" and is only enough to keep his body protected "for a single day" without reversing everything. Luo Binghe is immensely powerful, but even protagonists are not built to drain themselves every night for 5 years, while also fighting off Xin Mo, running Huan Hua, controlling the demon realm, and NOT giving up on everything. When Shen Qingqiu is thought to be dead in the minutes after Maigu Ridge, Luo Binge "almost tried to follow" him. And yet, when he believed there was even a chance he might return, he held on "for almost two thousand more of these days and nights."
The only other time we see Luo Binghe's interactions with the corpse is when Shen Qingqiu, undiscovered in the plant body, witnesses Liu Qingge's infiltration. In this, it is said that "Luo Binghe was unwilling to harm the corpse, so he could only release it." It's worth mentioning that, if Liu Qingge had managed to take the body back to Cang Qiong - or, what sequence is initiated when he does - it will be given burial rights, it will decay, and Shen Qingqiu will never again have a possibility of inhabiting it. Luo Binghe cannot let this happen; it's not merely about possession or attachment. And yet, he would sooner allow this possibility that allowing even the potential of harm to come to him.
When all is said and done, after Luo Binghe has been broken out of Xin Mo's control and Shen Qingqiu does not die - the first thing he does is return him to Cang Qiong Mountain. When Shen Qingqiu suggests that they leave, together, Luo Binghe is "dumbfounded." He fully expected to be left, for Shen Qingqiu to be unwilling. He would have done anything for Shen Qingqiu and expected nothing in return.
At his core, even under influence and in emotional turmoil, Luo Binghe's love is unfalteringly selfless. There are so many examples of this, both in the main plot and in the post-canon extras, but I think this post is long enough already. Suffice it to say that nothing is more important that Shen Qingqiu to Luo Binghe - least of all himself.
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trans-estinien · 25 days
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people really love to conveniently forget trans men exist when they talk about feminism. or if they dont they make us out as also part of the problem as if we somehow are able to have the same amount of privilege as cis men. absolutely wild
#“not all men” is a valid statement because its fucking true#like guys. seriously. not every single man is evil#feminism isnt about putting men down its about raising women up to be equal and getting rid of gender inequality#sorry im seeing a massive uptick in people hating on trans men for being men lately and its fucking stupid#like yall are doing a great job at making me feel ashamed to be a man who likes men. awesome thanks guys#i dont normally make posts like this but its been rattling around in my mind for a few days now#its always put out like. all men (trans or not) are Inherently Evil and all women (trans or not) are Inherently Victims#which is absolutely the stupidest shit ive ever seen#and they also leave out anyone who doesnt fit into the man/woman dichotomy. and if they dont its always seen as woman lite#which is also stupid as fuck#not every nb/agender/other person is feminine asshole#anways. case in point. can we stop demonizing masculinity while also discussing the effects of misogyny and the patriarchy please.#because both of those things are very real and very much do hurt people#but im sick of people lashing out at trans men as if the problem magically doesn't affect us anymore because we are men#because guess what! newsflash! it affects trans AND cis men too!!#i shouldnt have to explain it should be obvious but like. im tired man#sorry ill forever be annoyed at women who just hate every single man who dares breathe in their direction because they COULD be an asshole#if you hate someone because of their gender no matter what gender it is i Do Not Trust You#anyways thanks for coming to my ted talk. replies are off cause i dont want to argue with people i just want to express my opinion
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fiapple · 3 months
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when will dc let etta & diana experience the joyous gay love they've been destined to since the early 20th century
etta has been there for di since practically day one, they're both canonically sapphic characters, there's mutual understanding, there's accounting for each others' weak points, the foundation of friendship, they're both hot & kinda bitchy. etta is the high femme pillow princess diana would short circuit over. steve may have led di into man's world, but etta is the one who gave her the security to wholly find her place in it.
let them be happy pretty please & thank you that is all.
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hel1anthus-annuus · 5 months
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you know what really bothers me about the whole 'you can't call mizu trans, white transmascs this isn't about you' thing? the absolute disgusting audacity to forget that mixed race trans men fucking exist.
Who the fuck is saying that lol? I’ve especially never seen the latter part. Who’s talking to the white transmascs like that. Help. That’s ridiculous
I find this especially funny, because this is true— it is not about white transmascs, or transmascs in general, or enbies, or transfemmes, because Mizu is Canonically A Woman and we’re all HAVING FUN WITH HEADCANONS HERE. For every post that someone makes saying Mizu is definitively one trans identity, the cutest kitten in the world blows up like legos
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sleep-nurse · 20 days
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I want to cry
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petrichoraline · 8 months
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yall gotta start tagging me in meta and stuff cause I'm always late -I honestly feel better this way than having to rush to watch an episode live like I used to do with nlmg, msp and others but by the time I catch up, I have missed out on some great posts from both mutuals and strangers alike :( and going through the tag of these popular series is not as easy as for more niche shows
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mymarifae · 1 year
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this is literally so fucking funny. someone PLEASE save nene
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healingheartdogs · 1 year
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What is it about Banana that makes random people ask us if he's a basenji and then look like they don't believe us when we say he's not? Yes, ma'am, we've heard of basenjis before. No, ma'am, he is not one. He's mostly pit and chow, I promise you he is not a basenji and he does not look like a basenji.
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izacore · 1 year
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crossdressingdeath · 2 years
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Time for Positive Things About DAI: I do like that the game lets you interject in some of the party banters. One of my biggest complaints about the party banters in the other games was that it never really felt like my character was... part of it, you know? It's nice to hear your companions actually talking to each other and interacting without you, don't get me wrong, but it always feels like soldiers in the back ranks chit-chatting as they follow their commander more than a group of friends hanging out (with you included in the group). Little things like the opportunity to teasingly defuse one of Blackwall and Dorian's arguments or the chance to respond with embarrassment (or glee) when other companions start grilling your LI about your relationship just gives more of a sense that you're a group of friends rather than a commanding officer and their subordinates when you're walking around the world. Being able to respond like a person would to some of the conversations that your companions are having, especially the ones involving you or involving tension in the group, and especially being able to choose how you respond like it's any other conversation with a companion, is just a really nice addition to the party banter system! More of that in DA4, please!
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septimus-heap · 1 year
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It's not just marcia and septimus either it's also alther and marcia. I need a 200k word fic of marcias apprenticeship from the moment she first met alther up until the day he died
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lemxioz · 1 year
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my D&D group frustrates me
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keagan-ashleigh · 2 years
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Hey I've just read a tweet saying "blackbonnet" as a ship name is making black people uncomfortable - so I am going to change the tags on my previous posts (using the mass edit tool it's going to take seconds but I can't do that on my phone so I'll get to it later today), and I'll tag gentlebeard from now on.
I am saying it to encourage y'all to do the same, let's not making anyone feel unwelcome in this beautiful fandom ok 😊 (especially when this show is so prominently about racism so please let's not be stupid here)
(also I saw another tweet explaining the term "blackie" should not be used in fics as it's a slur, I thought I'd spread this message too while I'm at it ^^ )
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sing-me-under · 1 year
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I like to think about c!Tommy’s guiding figures in his life a lot. It’s kind of hard to put into coherent paragraphs all the thoughts I have on them, but I think about it a lot.
Right now, I’m thinking about c!Quackity and c!Sapnap attempting to provide shelter and support to c!Tommy after c!Wilbur’s revival and the prison breakout respectively. They could have made such an impact if they had more time together.
Anyway, this is just me mourning the loss of their potential in the finale. I do like the real finale fine as it is and I think it receives far more hate than it deserves, but like… It definitely could have been better. There was so much lost potential if they could have just brought in other characters. I cry myself to sleep thinking about it.
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running-in-the-dark · 2 years
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so since I've been spending a lot of time with/near my mother lately, I've noticed that I have to repress all negative emotions when I'm around her (for lots of different reasons), and it's.. exhausting. I don't know how I ever lived like that.
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