I just watched the win or lose episode where it’s from Kai’s perspective. And holy shit that ep never fails to break me into tears. I was js holding back a sob the entire time. Even though Disney didnt allow her to be explicitly queer, the implications were still obviously there. The switch from baseball to softball. And her dad’s “you know I’ll always love you right? I love you” is one of the main things from that episode that makes me sob. (I’m actually in tears writing this so yay).
And even though her dad put a lot of pressure on her in her sport and to strive to be the best because if she isnt then society is gonna judge her bc of what she is and not who she is. (At least that’s how I interpreted it) he was still very accepting and trying to learn and understand about her identity which makes me sob (take a shot every time I say sob), bc I know that as someone who isnt cisgender I’ll never be accepted by my parents. And I’m so freaked out and like scared knowing that they never will. (If they ever find out they can find out by word of mouth when I’m free from their clutches lol) it’s so nice to see media where the flaw of the parent isnt them not accepting their queer child and js their flaw is not fully understanding their child and js wanting better for them.
also I resonate with her bc of the pressure she has from her father/coach to be the best at her sport. While I very much suck at mine and I’m more of a Laurie in this sitch, I think, I can really understand her struggles and that sinking feeling when something goes wrong in her life. Or she’s not perfect. Or she thought she did good but actually no she did smth wrong.
I can also VERY much understand the feeling of floating and being confident when everything goes right. And also how quickly “wow I love life! I look and feel so good!!!!” To “fuck everything I wanna hide away, hit smth and die” is literally me. If I needed any way to explain my mood switch ups it’s literally shown through Kai.
she is such good queer/trans representation I literally love her so much.