reading some of the aro/ace disc horse around Project Hail Mary (which, by the way, I think it's a way more interesting story without a romance plotline), and it's occurring to me that some of the same vibes were what made me so frustrated that people thought The Half Of It "wasn't queer enough". Like, they were just mad that the two women didn't get together but that wasn't the point of the story. Literally from the beginning of the movie, they tell you explicitly that it will not be a love story, which, like, not in the traditional sense it's not. but it is so so so filled with love between Ellie and Paul. It is a critical plot point when he tries to kiss her and it leads him to realize that love doesn't have to mean romance. And what a beautiful, inherently queer story! Cis straight boy realizes the power of love in friendship!! Fuck compulsory heteronormativity AND compulsory amatanormativity!
(and like, there's a whole essay to be written about why viewers just complained it "wasn't queer enough" without appreciating the beauty of it being an immigrant/first gen story and a specifically Chinese-American story, but tbh that's not one I'm qualified to write more than this footnote)
