Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT 2887-2891 (2-6 February 2015)
ReindeerFlotilla:
As an author of a trans character, I can say that there's no political statement involved. I can't imagine Jeph was trying to make a political statement with Claire.
It's not that I'm unaware of the implicit political statement, just like I don't doubt that Jeph is fully aware of most of the implications of things he's done with Claire. But I'm sure--based on what Jeph's said--the he and are on the same page as far as this. The politics are not why we made the character.
Writers are the superior form of the artist with a sketch book drawing strangers. Superior in terms of being less creepy. If some state of real humanity catches our interest, we'll start doing sketches in our heads. Creating a mental state that fills in the blanks about the why and how of the behavior we witnessed. At some point, for some reason, we find that the information we have isn't enough to do the job, so we dig for information from science and the experience of others. Which turns into a feedback loop. I can't tell you how many times I've read an experimental design and thought "what made them think of doing that?" Down the rabbit hole of mental modeling.
Maybe it is the concept that fascinates. Maybe it's the person we've invented that drives us. But, for the most part, a well written trans character doesn't exist for the statement. They exist because we like them. Just like any other character. And some part of us wants you to like them. Not because of what they are. Because of who.
Fig:
--- Quote from: explicit on 06 Feb 2015, 13:16 ---The only surgery I care about her getting is lasik, because she's cuter without glasses. I guess contacts work, but apparently they're scary. (I can't find the page, it's in there somewhere)
--- End quote ---
I absolutely refuse to get contact lenses. Sure, glasses are a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes but the thought of poking something that you normally don't poke day after day is just unnerving. Also the thought of someone carving out my corneas with a laser is enough to send me into full heebie jeebie mode. I like Claire better with her glasses, but I just happen to find people more attractive with glasses more so than not.
akujin:
From a trans perspective, technetium's heart is in the right place with their concerns, and for that reason it may be beneficial to include a *little* more reference to the unique difficulties of being trans. But sugarsparkle is also right - we aren't fully represented by the drama, which is usually all that's depicted. And only showing the dark side of being trans can breed severe pessimism and insecurity, especially among young people coming to terms with a trans identity. Sometimes the best thing we can do is provide positive role models.
I do agree with swapna that this scene feels a little artificial, because what Claire is doing is scary to ANYone the first time, and in Claire's case, completely terrifying. Just coming out to my best friend as trans (post transition - she never knew me any other way) gave me tremors from the emotional minefield that it was. Would she see me differently? Would it affect how she feels about me? Would it change our dynamic?? In the real world you would have to wonder, too, if Marten's reaction is derived from being put on the spot by Claire's vulnerability, or if it is sincere. Those are certainly the kind of thoughts that would go through my mind.
But it bears repeating sugarsparkle's point that we CAN lead boring, banal lives like everyone else. I think I lost a job once for being trans (after my old name came up with my social) but I can't be positive. My dad threatened to slit his wrists when I told him, but it was just talk. Sure I have stories, but so does everyone, and they aren't the main theme of my life. My dad eventually accepted me, along with his christian-conservative family. My one outlying uncle came around after he divorced and remarried. My brother and I are actually closer than ever, and my relationships with all of the family are more authentic. I've also been accepted by my friends, new and old, including white girls from liberal california and staight black dudes from the south. As we say in the trans community, I have "original plumbing" - the only residual giveaway to my former life. But I've had sexual relations with both straight women and gay men (I am a bisexual male) with partners who were genuinely unconcerned with my genitals. I've also been rejected on that basis, but rejection is part of everyone's life and the point is that genitalia aren't the holy grail of sexual attraction that media make it out to be - standards of attraction vary greatly.
Being trans is about being different, and being different challenges people unaccustomed to or not expecting differences. More than anything, being different illustrates the best and the worst of humanity. It shows how horrible we can be, and how wonderful. The horrors are usually irreversible and thus intensely horrific. But the wonderful people are actually the majority. They just fly under the radar by treating people *normally*.
cesium133:
--- Quote from: Fig on 06 Feb 2015, 13:42 ---
--- Quote from: explicit on 06 Feb 2015, 13:16 ---The only surgery I care about her getting is lasik, because she's cuter without glasses. I guess contacts work, but apparently they're scary. (I can't find the page, it's in there somewhere)
--- End quote ---
I absolutely refuse to get contact lenses. Sure, glasses are a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes but the thought of poking something that you normally don't poke day after day is just unnerving. Also the thought of someone carving out my corneas with a laser is enough to send me into full heebie jeebie mode. I like Claire better with her glasses, but I just happen to find people more attractive with glasses more so than not.
--- End quote ---
I work with lasers on a daily basis, and I wear glasses. I have no plans to get lasik surgery...
Somnus Eternus:
--- Quote from: Smallest on 06 Feb 2015, 13:28 ---
--- Quote from: explicit on 06 Feb 2015, 13:16 ---The only surgery I care about her getting is lasik, because she's cuter without glasses. I guess contacts work, but apparently they're scary. (I can't find the page, it's in there somewhere)
--- End quote ---
Laser eyes would put her at an advantage above Pintsize, since his was dismantled.
--- End quote ---
What.
Wait, THAT'S Lasik? And I've been turning it down? I've been so blind...
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