Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT 2887-2891 (2-6 February 2015)
ReindeerFlotilla:
--- Quote from: Dalillama on 08 Feb 2015, 21:11 ---He bloody well has. He's a dude, he's into ladies, he's not into dudes. There's a word for dudes like that. That word is heterosexual (or, to use the modern* slang, 'straight').
--- End quote ---
That's your word for Marten's whatever. Marten might choose "taco." What are you gonna do about it? Send a strongly worded letter?
You make my point for me. What label you choose and what label Marten might choose aren't necessarily the same thing. In the end, it doesn't matter. Unless you want to make something of it.
Seriously. Marten could label his sexuality God-Emperor and it wouldn't actually change anything beyond a bunch of people who are hell bent on being able to define straight being left with nothing to hate on or applaud. My point being that if people weren't so hung up on labels, there'd be a lot less conflict over who is fucking whom. Which is one of the dumbest thing in the world for life-ending conflicts.
--- Quote from: Silverzippo on 08 Feb 2015, 20:53 ---It bears the assumption that certain people deserve unmitigated respect regardless of their character and only based on certain aspects of them (gender, sexuality, race, political orientation or what have you), to the point where it can discourage something as simple as asking a question.
It breeds ignorance, which is the biggest problem we have when it comes to discrimination. It discourages personal responsibility and it promotes treating people like victims, which is ultimately detrimental to people with low self esteem.
--- End quote ---
I don't see the link between "don't ask questions about private stuff unless the subject opens the door" and breeding ignorance. There's plenty of information out there for people who bother to look. There are people here willing to address the roots of some questions. Indeed, there's a whole internet. Most of the questions that crop up in the WCDT could have been answered by google, with a lot less typing and far less waiting. Those that can't actually have a place.
But there are some questions that are indistinguishable from troll bait. Sure you could be honestly curious. Or you could be visiting from 4chan. Who's to know?
I fail to see anything personally responsible about an attitude that says "my curiosity is more important than anyone else's feelings." In fact, it strikes me as exactly the opposite of personal responsibility. Nobody has been banned, shamed, or attacked for asking questions here. Just told whether the question was appropriate given the "mission" of this section of the forums and the rules for acceptable topics. I doubt it's going to happen. Most folks will either guide to answers, or explain the issues behind the question. Those that won't generally say nothing. But the fundamental reason Claire's bits are not an acceptable topic is to protect people's feelings based on gender. If you can't get behind that, you're in the wrong forum.
Even barring flamebait, there's nothing responsible about demanding answers when people don't want to give them. That's just entitlement. Rather than going somewhere the question is welcome, what justifies making some kind of stand or something to try to force people to give you what you want? This is the first time I've seen anyone ever make that out to be for the greater good.
Sure, the world would be a better place if all the activists of any stripe were open to educating every n00b who wandered along with a question they've heard 10,000 times--assuming the n00bs actually listened to and absorbed the answers. But the activists aren't always willing. And you can't force them to be. But you can't put that unwillingness down as the root of discrimination. The root of discrimination is people feeling entitled to be assholes. Pure and simple. If people didn't feel the need to make others suffer in order to boost their own self esteem, there'd be few--if any--problems.
Edit: typos
Rghfrgl:
--- Quote from: AprilArcus on 08 Feb 2015, 21:23 ---Why would he have made a move on her if he had any lingering doubts about whether he'd be okay with her body? He knew she was trans. He had months to consider whether it would be an issue before they got undressed, and they only got there after he (1) invited her home, (2) made a move, (3) asked her to date him, (4) explicitly told her he was okay with her being trans after she gave him a chance to bail out, (5) invited her over again, (6) threw himself at her, and (7) took her into his bedroom?
I don't see how you could actually read the strip and still have the slightest degree of suspense over whether he would chicken out at the last minute, unless you are coming from the position that trans bodies are so weird and alienating that they would scare off any self-declared straight boy, even after he had made every possible indication over thousands of strips that he did not give the tiniest fuck.
--- End quote ---
Marten is clearly the kind of guy who's not going to freak out over it. And we're after the fact now and it's obviously worked out between them fine. But I don't know if you can answer the question of compatibility beforehand. Like, if it were me. Can I find a transgirl attractive? Yes, absolutely. Would things work in the bedroom? I have no idea. None. And I wouldn't be able to figure it out with introspection. I'd hope so, especially if it was someone I cared about. But the only way for me to know with certainty is to try and see.
Is it cold in here?:
--- Quote from: Silverzippo ---I will afford people common courtesy, but I will not grant them the luxury of special privilege based on potentially hurt feelings.
--- End quote ---
OK, but then you have to figure out what constitutes common courtesy in uncommon situations. Usually it includes not knowingly hurting people's feelings.
ReindeerFlotilla:
--- Quote from: Rghfrgl on 08 Feb 2015, 22:52 ---
--- Quote from: AprilArcus on 08 Feb 2015, 21:23 ---Why would he have made a move on her if he had any lingering doubts about whether he'd be okay with her body? He knew she was trans. He had months to consider whether it would be an issue before they got undressed, and they only got there after he (1) invited her home, (2) made a move, (3) asked her to date him, (4) explicitly told her he was okay with her being trans after she gave him a chance to bail out, (5) invited her over again, (6) threw himself at her, and (7) took her into his bedroom?
I don't see how you could actually read the strip and still have the slightest degree of suspense over whether he would chicken out at the last minute, unless you are coming from the position that trans bodies are so weird and alienating that they would scare off any self-declared straight boy, even after he had made every possible indication over thousands of strips that he did not give the tiniest fuck.
--- End quote ---
Marten is clearly the kind of guy who's not going to freak out over it. And we're after the fact now and it's obviously worked out between them fine. But I don't know if you can answer the question of compatibility beforehand. Like, if it were me. Can I find a transgirl attractive? Yes, absolutely. Would things work in the bedroom? I have no idea. None. And I wouldn't be able to figure it out with introspection. I'd hope so, especially if it was someone I cared about. But the only way for me to know with certainty is to try and see.
--- End quote ---
Somebody once said the most profound thing I've ever encountered about sexuality. Basically, this guy said he didn't know if he was bi. He'd never met a man he wanted to have sex with, but he couldn't rule the possibility out just because it hadn't happened yet. It was profound, to me, because it has to be true of everyone who is A) capable of engaging in sex, B) not experienced in certain combinations, and C) not dead (which is really just a special case of A).
I'm not saying everyone should abandon their labels. I'm not ever sure I agree with the logic. But the conclusion is fascinating. It raises the issue of how much of attraction is representation. I've heard the odd story from women who experimented and found that they couldn't manage to go all the way. This strikes me as the inverse of the profound statement. By their own words the attraction was there, the idea was exciting, but the act wasn't in their power or didn't live up to their imagination.
On the filpside, it all worked out for our heroes.
Is it cold in here?:
--- Quote from: Silverzippo ---to the point where it can discourage something as simple as asking a question.
--- End quote ---
Not all questions are created equal. "How do trans people know whether reassignment surgery is right for them?" is an intelligent question. Some other questions I can imagine would be prurient or even harassment.
There is a wealth of answers here and also links to far more. If you remember that you're talking to and in front of real people who experience real pain, everything should work out OK.
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