Alright I’m gonna throw my own two cents in about the whole separate bodies thing so buckle in.
First off, lemme make it clear that I do not believe in censoring or gatekeeping, I’m not going to tell you to take down your fics, you’re free to write whatever you want.
But here’s the thing. When writing it as a singlet, there’s a lot of issues that arise.
First off, I think you guys should understand that yeah, while some systems want the physical intimacy of being separate, there is so much emotional intimacy in being a system that outerworld people DON’T have. Knowing their thoughts, feeling their feelings, it’s something that can be so comforting and even sensual between insys relationships. Writing them as separate outerworld people takes away this aspect. And I get it, y’all aren’t gonna understand this part of plurality because you don’t experience it. But challenge yourselves.
Which leads into my next point. Writing separate bodies often feels like a cop out, trying to make it “easier” to write so you can avoid writing a plural character. DON’T DO THIS. If you cannot take the time to study and understand systems and how to write them, then hey. DON’T WRITE THEM. It’s the like for example, drawing POC and disabled people. LEARN how to draw them, don’t just darken their skin or slap them on a hospital wheelchair.
Most of the separate bodies thing is for nsfw reasons which. Again let me go back to my first point. The emotional intimacy is something that you can use for that! Systems can be sexy and fuck, don’t take away their plurality to do it.
Being plural is an integral part of Moon Knight’s identity, heck, it’s an integral part of any system’s identity. For most plurals it runs deeper, it’s more important that most other aspects. It’s more important to us than our queer identity, than our disabled identity, even sometimes cultural. We can go a minute forgetting we’re queer, we can go a minute forgetting we’re disabled, we cannot go a minute forgetting we’re plural. It is the the BIGGEST part of our identity. Taking that away from us feels worse to us than straightwashing, because it is SO interwoven in our every day life. I’m going to admit this section is much more personal opinion and others will disagree, but that is the biggest part that makes us :/ at separate bodies.
Marc and Steven end in Moon Knight as happy and healthily plural. They care for each other and support each other in ways that outerworld people CANT, so why take that away?
I’m asking you that to people writing those fics. Why can’t they be happily plural? Why are you taking that away? I want you guys to ask yourselves that, truly, and understand that maybe some subconscious bias is leaking through.
