#choosing to tell an uplifting story in a difficult environment isn't a weakness but a strength

[parvuls]

so like... #KupDay is a fun update? and I don't wanna bring it down with meta and sadness? but also? don't come into my house and tell me omgcp is sugar-coated because zimbits didn't have to pay a price for coming out in the NHL.

don't come into my house and ignore the fact that bitty having to give up social media - a place that became his home long before the haus did, that helped him find acceptance, that helped him find his voice - is a HUGE price to pay. don't make me rant about how bitty may get chirped for his twitter and his vlog but those are an actual income source, even if you disregard the impact on his mental well-being. don't make me remind you that bitty spends the whole summer away from his family, unsure about the future of their relationship, so having an income source is crucial. don't make me dig out my chirpbook and tell you it takes bitty forever to take his accounts off private, and even when he does it's never the same again, because he opens a new professional account and most of his thoughts and feelings stay behind. maybe it was necessary; maybe there was no other way; maybe if bitty was going pro it was always bound to happen; but don't tell me he didn't pay a price for coming out.

don't make me screenshot the homophobic comments from hockey fans that ngozi hid in this update. don't make me spell out the literary purpose of leaving the homophobia and the hate looming in the margins of this story. it's obviously there, it's obvious that jack is going to pay a huge professional and especially mental price for this. it's obvious that he's going to be targeted more, both physically and in the press; that whatever respite from criticism he earned by winning the cup he immediately lost by being queer. don't make me focus on how jack won his first cup in his rookie year, and scored the game winner, and was voted mvp, and still knows full well that most people will remember that night as the coming out of the first out queer nhl player.

listen. both jack and bitty had to come SO FAR to get here. bitty had to have a strong enough support system and be secure enough in his identity and learn to rely on his friends so he could face his greatest fear and be able to handle giving up the one support system he's had for years. jack had to learn to cope with his anxiety under the scrutiny of the media and be secure enough in his abilities and celebrate his wins even if no one else does so he could walk away from this with his head high. this was not easy. but they chose to pay these prices because the reward was worth it for them, so that's what ngozi chose to focus on. the payoff. the fact that they win, even if they suffer major losses.

#omgcp #omgcheckplease #oops I got meta and sadness all over this anyway #choosing to tell an uplifting story in a difficult environment isn't a weakness but a strength #emphasizing each step of the way that bitty WILL win and there WILL be a happy ending isn't a weakness but a strength #telling a sad story about hatred and bigotry is often much easier because we are surrounded by it - #but choosing to focus on acceptance and friendship even when the sadness is still VERY much there is harder. #I'M SORRY I'M SORRY LET'S GO BACK TO THE FUN STORY #text #meta