*claps* Yesssss, louder for the people in the back. TT0TT
I don't mind the occasional joke about it (even if you view it less as a sexual aspect and just view the terms as who is "taking charge" in the relationship)....but it feels so.... Oh...what's the word?.... Like they have been stripped of every other personality and boiled down to that one joke? ;w; (lol welcome to fandom but still TT0TT) And it's one that doesn't accurately reflect their complex dynamic.
It feels like everyone is so wrapped up with this idea of Kyoshi. Something like a variant Fandom!Kyoshi. The biggest, strongest avatar, the most unyielding one. The one that looks so cool and would be a dommy mommy character...is "easily bossed around by someone a full head shorter than her." Like it's funny (I get it, it's not something you were expecting), but it feels like a lot of people view it as a way to demean her, if you get what I mean? Like they just take that (inaccurate) representation of their relationship and characters and think that's all there is to them. TT0TT And it sometimes plays into people overplaying Kyoshi's more "docile" nature from the beginning of the novels.
It completely erases how Yee worked hard to humanize Kyoshi (how that series of books, especially his four, work to humanize the past Avatars as something beyond otherworldly). It also completely erases Rangi's softer side, Kyoshi's more defiant edges, how Kyoshi will make Rangi melt as much as Rangi melts Kyoshi, both of their abilities to just not fucking listen to the other person (I love them). Like they're both so multifaceted.
If you listen to the fandom, you'd think Kyoshi is just a simp who can't say no to her queen and is loyal and obedient. TT0TT Like no, baby girl has big googly eyes for her girl, but she's taxing. Kyoshi is so stubborn she has been described as "the worst" by her own girlfriend TT0TT Kyoshi has famously gone against Rangi's wishes multiple times in the novels (sometimes serious, sometimes cute), as has Rangi gone against Kyoshi's. Both are stubborn and while they love each other fiercely, they will push back (sometimes they don't listen because they love the other so much TT0TT). Kyoshi takes charge almost as much as Rangi (maybe even more), but it's always over looked??? TT0TT They're their own characters with beliefs and wants, they clash and they also reconcile. There's a give and take, a balance in their relationship and it's *sobbing happy tears*. It's really sweet and I love it! TT0TT
And I wonder why it's usually overlooked and boiled down to one aspect. Is it because we only see Kyoshi's perspective? So while it's obvious how Rangi can make her swoon, people just don't see the reverse happening as much (even tho it's pretty apparent TT0TT). Or maybe it's because their Fire/Earth? It feels like the Water/Air couples (or the Water/Fire couples, or even Water/Water couples) get a more.... of the "balance" focus (or push and pull focus), but it's not the same for the Fire/Earth couples (even tho its apparent that happens with Rangshi too). TT0TT Or maybe it's just because of how people (used to) view Kyoshi/Fandom!Kyoshi? Did that color their perspective (unlike other Avatar couples, outside of maybe Yangvik?)? (like they see a power couple in front of them but obvie one of them has to bottom, right? -rolls eyes-)
Sorry I just love both seeing them being cuties and goobers and *sob* let Rangi be soft damn it! She's such a damn cry baby softie let her be thaaaaat TT0TT