A lot of the hate Gooseworx, TADC, and I'll say it, the character Jax gets, is blatantly transmisogynistic. Just the worst faith readings of the text and then blaming Goose for those reasons.
Was TADC a perfect show by any means? No. Was the finale flawless? Not at all. Should the other characters have been fleshed out more? In my opinion, yes, 1000%. In fact, I think all the characters besides Caine and Jax are way too passive and agreeable to be entertaining.
But that isn't the type of criticism I see when I go look in the "tadc critical" tag (as someone who loves being critical of stuff) No, instead I see people interpreting some moral lesson from the show and spouting hatred towards Goose based on *there* moral interpretation of the show.
For one, a lot of the criticisms of misogyny in the show completely ignore Jax's trans identity. Do I think the other women and Zooble should have had more to do? Perhaps, but by far the most interesting character is Jax, a woman. And the characters with the most screen time are two women, Jax and Pomni. I think you can critique the writing of women in the show. (but really, show me a popular piece of media where you can't. The outrage seems very overblown and targeted for a show with a mostly female cast and an important non-binary character, but I digress) However, if you're doing so by erasing Jax's identity and not acknowledging she's a woman, your critique is immediately suspect. I mean, I just don't get it. The only reasoning I can see behind it is a lot of queer people must not think trans women are women before they come out/transition, but that's just false ??? I came out as gay as a teenager, but I was a lesbian my whole life. The same is true of trans people.
The second critique I see is the moral of TADC is to "forgive and be nice to your abusers." Just a ridiculous and juvenile take. Are Ragatha and Jax's human selves found living with their abusive mothers? Did the narrative ever make it seem like Gangle owed Jax anything? Actually, I'll double that, did the narrative ever make it seen like *anyone* owed Jax anything at all? I don't think so. Yes, Pomni never gives up on her, she gets chance after chance, but that's to highlight the tragedy of her character. The "it didn't have to be this way" is the crux of the whole story. And Pomni's willingness to go off the deep end for someone who's given no indication they deserve it is some of the strongest characterization she has.
So yes, the claims TADC is abuse apologia is patently ridiculous. The show goes out of its way to not give any excuses to Jax's behavior. And she doesn't get redeemed ! She fucking dies ! Yet it's still not enough for people, why ? I think a lot of you are just uncomfortable with the idea of humanizing a character who is also a bully and abuser, and your making your discomfort Goose's problem. It's clear from the way a lot of people talk about Jax that they wanted their revenge power fantasy against their childhood bully to play out with her, and it's like, oh well. Grow up.
Lastly, let me talk about the accusations of TADC "misusing" Isn't She Lovely. As a Black person myself, I find this completely absurd. For one, there's no misusing a song: that's the beauty of art. For two, it's used extremely well in my opinion. For three, that particular song has been used so much, at white weddings all across the U.S., but we draw the line at using it in a transfeminine context? Uh huh. And no.4: I think it's hilarious and ironic this discourse of people supposedly so protective of Black culture and art can only refer to STEVIE WONDER !! as a "Black man."
I've had these thoughts for a while, but with Goose leaving Tumblr, I thought it was important I share. I don't blame her. As someone who loves critique and wants to engage in it, the tadc critical community sucks. You guys are at best, tone deaf and insensitive when it comes to trans women and their art, or at worst, purposefully transmisogynistic and hateful.
EDIT: Turns out Goose didn't leave, she was banned. I'm willing to bet it has something to do with the hate campaign against her ked by you guys, thanks y'all.
