Rabid LGBT+ fans.
You honestly. Need. To. Chill.
Honestly. It’s starting to get not just terrifying. It’s starting to get disgusting.
Yes. I get it. Completely. I want to see more trans characters. I want to see more lesbian characters.
Many people have complained, repeatedly, about the erasure of various characters sexualities(notably Jughead Jones, Riverdale), and these are perfectly understandable complaints to have.
What starts getting concerning, however, is when we, as an LGBT+ community within a fandom, start doing exactly what we accuse others of doing to us.
I cannot begin to count the number of times I’ve been told, just by old friends, who no longer talk to me, that being Trans isn’t okay. I cannot begin to count the number of times I’ve heard a friend complain that their sexuality or gender identity are constantly attacked by family members who insist they must be cis, and straight.
Why, then, I must ask, do our fellow members of the fandom think it is okay to press their sexuality on characters who ~are not~ LGBT+?
I’m not talking about writing what you want to write. I’m not talking about fanfic, RP, image editing, or whatever.
I’m talking about harassing members of the show for disagreeing with a sexuality that members of the fandom are pressing on to them, without their consent.
Oh, sure, there are Katie McGraws, and Lana Parillas who love these ships. Who encourage them, and appreciate the fact that people enjoy thinking of them in such relationships.
THIS DOES NOT GIVE US THE RIGHT TO INVALIDATE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CAST.
For every Katie, and Lana, there is a Jennifer, or a Melissa who are explicitly not comfortable being sexualized in that manner.
And we need to learn to respect their boundaries. All of us.
People are so quick to complain that there are real people whose feelings are being hurt, and we somehow think this gives us the right to attack the real person portraying the character.
The real person, whose body we are sexualizing, without their consent.
Oh. That sounds a little harsh. Maybe even a little creepy, doesn’t it?
That’s because ~it is.~
People are so quick to get defensive, and offended, understandably, when their identities are attacked, and yet, when our idols finally have enough of being lynched at conventions, and overly harassed on social media, and begin hitting back against the EXACT SAME THING, fandoms completely lose their shit at them.
And frankly. It’s disgusting.
Worse.
We’re becoming exactly the things we claim to hate so much.
So. Seriously. The next time there’s a Swanqueen snub. Or a Supercorp snub. Or the next non-canon ship gets snubbed, because one of the actors, or actresses is uncomfortable with it.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Grow up.
And. Get. The. Fuck. Over. It.
You don’t have the right to choose their gender identities, or sexuality for them, any more than they do, for you.
