This isn’t an attack on Glitch or Gooseworx. Mistakes and miscommunication happens and we can do something about it.
To start: people aren’t upset about the ending because they are transphobic, they are upset because the ending is transphobic.
And blatantly misogynistic.
Tadc, a show about a woman who gets trapped inside of a video game, ends with a movie about an abuser trans woman who commits suicide.
When you are writing a story with multiple characters, you always scrap whoever is unnecessary to the plot.
Each character has their own story that serves the plot and teaches a lesson.
With Tadc, the only characters that truly matter are Caine, Kinger, and Jax. Caine is the leader of the circus. Kinger has worked on the game. Jax is the character most affected by the game.
Why is Zooble’s main theme their body dysmorphia/dysphoria if it never gets expanded upon until it’s to torture them?
Why Ragatha and Gangle? Why Pomni and Queenie? Why Kaufmo and Ribbit?
“Isn’t she lovely?” No. No she is not.
Being a creator means taking responsibility for any harmful messages that your work sends.
And I feel like the fans that enjoy Jax being trans solely enjoy it for the sake of having trans rep in the show they like. But we shouldn’t have to settle for representation like this. I mean, seriously. You were given a chance to write a trans woman and chose this?
Don’t get me wrong. It’s okay to project and exaggerate your own traits and experiences into the characters you write. That’s how it works.
However, I don’t see why the character you put all of your negative traits into also had to be the main trans character. It could have been literally any other character *cough* *cough* Zooble. Heck even Queenie, Kinger, Pomni, Gangle, or Ragatha would’ve been better choices.
These are the actual lessons this show teaches instead of “finding meaning in a stagnant life”
Caine - The people who you tormented are actually going to be your best friends!
Zooble - Your identity troubles are personal and should be resolved in private without any outside assistance.
Gangle - You’re going to be afraid of your abuser at first, but then you’re going to cry for them! Why? It’s expected of you!
Jax - It’s okay to push people to the ground if they say something you don’t like. It’s also okay if they might be dead.
- It’s okay to isolate your friends if you REALLY feel like it.
- It’s okay to drive your friends to suicide. It’s not your fault. They made you angry.
- Almost all the people you repeatedly belittle and physically attack will be women. For no reason.
- It’s okay to choke someone and then expect them to comfort you.
- It’s okay to fantasize about romancing the woman you abused the most.
- If you are mean to other people you should always expect them to reach out to you multiple times first. They are responsible for you if they don’t.
- You’re going to become emotionally unstable, and your only option will be suicide.
- Also you’re a trans woman which coincidentally makes all of your actions and outcome a harmful stereotype.
Ragatha - You should’ve done more for the mean fella even if you got hurt every time you tried!
Ribbit - If the person you had one nice conversation with suddenly shuns and isolates you, DO beg for their forgiveness! You were very bad!
Jax having to be paid attention to by every woman in the show just feels so strange. Would’ve made more sense to come full circle with Jax finally talking to Kinger. Didn’t Jax have father issues he could’ve tackled? Or even just talked with someone more grounded in themselves like Zooble?
Instead it feels like this show is so insistent on Jax getting a female friend will-they-won’t-they rather than getting actual help?
I thought this show was going to steer away from ships but it seems like it’s completely dependent on them.
It also feels heavily dependent on stereotypes. Bow=girl, pink=girl, Ragatha apparently assuming a nonbinary person is a woman. Nonbinary person being a laid back side character. As if people can’t handle anything more complex. They probably couldn’t, the fandom is mostly kids. They call Zooble a lesbian. I mean, I saw the pilot when I was a kid, too.
Honestly if you really wanted Jax to be trans, you could’ve just switched his and Zooble’s roles and made Zooble the main gender-nonconforming character.
And now I’m seeing more and more people defend Jax’s actions because of his sad past. Not only that, but I’m also seeing people defend his actions because he is trans, too! Kids love to find justifications for their actions in the medias they consume!
Also seeing people claim that Jax actually cared about Gangle? Since when? And you’re telling me Gangle was somewhat attached to Jax? Why? When? There was never a reason for Gangle to even care about Jax. Why are abused women expected to like their abusers?!
No hard feelings though! @gooseworx
