#about toph

[seismicsight]

Reminder that Toph doesn’t like to think in moral absolutes. She absolutely makes space for moral greyness and makes judgements based on practical outcomes. She thinks “what if’s” and slippery slopes are stupid.

[seismicsight]

wouldnt toph being bisexual and promiscuous as an adult be a harmful trope? (for those who dont know, bisexual women being promiscuous is considered a negative trope)

Great question, nonnie! If you’re reductionist about it, then I suppose, but I disagree with the notion that my Toph is a harmful stereotype. MY conception of Toph as having several casual or short-lived adult relationships (with 1-2 long term partnerships sprinkled in) came long before I ever conceived of her as bisexual. I drew it from my interpretation of many facets of her personality and experiences…not the notion that bisexual = promiscuous or the other way ’round.

The thing is, the only way these tropes can be addressed well in characters for whom there lies some truth between the generalization and their lived experiences is to flesh them out beyond those shallow labels. My adult Toph is not JUST a bisexual with a varied romantic and sexual past. Hell, most of my roleplay and meta about Toph analyzes her familial and platonic relationships, her traumatic childhood, the ways in which her disability colors her lived experiences, and her everyday quirks, moods, and way of seeing the world.

For one, I see her bisexuality as an extension of the developmental framework of her character. She gave off strong baby gay vibes to my projecting ass when I watched the show as a closeted kid, but canonically crushes on male characters in the franchise and had to have had relations with at least two men in adulthood (assuming they were consensual encounters). Most importantly, I’m gay. Is it so crazy to headcanon my blorbo as gay too?

As for her “promiscuity” as an adult…another extension of many traits: an avoidant attachment style stemming from her childhood neglect (despite desiring romantic relationships), her fame and popularity granting easy access to potential partners, an aversion to loneliness, a tendency for thrill-seeking and exploration, her strong sense of personal autonomy, her self-image as an evolved thinker on sexual politics, etc. Also, she canonically had two children from two different men who were not long-term partners or even co-parents. Not that this means she MUST have had a body count, but the alternatives (SA, two separate doomed love stories, alternative insemination/planned pregnancy, etc.) don’t jive for me as a writer or my concept of her character. Personally.

Let’s face it. Centuries of problematic social attitudes and literary retellings, adaptations, and more, have yielded negative tropes for just about anything…

Like regardless of sexuality, if she’s promiscuous then she can be seen as inhabiting the Hypersexual Disabled Person trope. If she’s a lesbian, then the All Gays are Promiscuous trope applies. If she’s straight, she still can’t escape the All Woman are Lustful trope. But if she were aromantic/asexual, then she falls into the Desexualized Disabled Person trope. Regardless of any of this, you can say she embodies the Mythical Blind Person who Sees More than Other People Do trope.

Do you see where I’m going with this? Reduce anything down to parts and you can find the potential for harm everywhere. If you step back and take in the whole picture, then you can differentiate between writing that strives for nuanced depictions of complex, interesting characters and the shallow, under-developed work that perpetuates harm.

[seismicsight]

8, 10, 13 and 18 for the ask meme

Character Building Questions Meme || accepting

8. How loose is their use of the phrase ‘I love you’?

Not very loose. In her close friendships and with her daughters, she expresses her love frequently (though more physically demonstrative than verbally).

In her romantic entanglements, Toph is very reserved about taking that step. She's been burned by peoples' love before. I can see her fighting with a paramour at some point using the words "I meant I love you like...like I love chocolate cake, or my favorite radio broadcast! Not like, 'let's fucking run away together and get married'!"

10. What fact do they excitedly tell everyone about at every opportunity?

She will ABSOLUTELY work in the fact that she pioneered metalbending at every opportunity.

In modern verses, she will happily school people on rocks and geological processes. Her favorite rock fact is about the convoluted and insanely improbable set of circumstances that lead to emeralds.

13. When do they fake a smile? How often?

When it allows her to get what she wants. Toph loves some good mischief and is happy to put on an act when there's something in it for her.

Also, when she's with her girls. She doesn't lie to them about the bad stuff in the world, but she doesn't like to dump adult problems on their small shoulders either.

18. Who do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)?

Her girls. 100%. Despite their differences, she loves them no matter what.

I think she also a deep and abiding unconditional love for Aang, Sokka, Zuko and Katara. They are her family. Periodt.

Her parents are a complicated story because her love for them hurts her in many ways. They caused her a lot of pain, to be sure, but I don't thinks she ever truly shuts the door on them for good. She can see that they're not malicious, just deeply misguided people.

[seismicsight]

How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

Character Building Questions Meme || accepting

2. How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

Somewhat strictly. Don’t get it twisted, Toph was a very lonely child and craves connection but she’s also discerning in who she explicitly labels as friends. She’s plenty friendly and outgoing, mind you, so she has many acquaintances and casual connections. You can usually hear her say she "knows a guy" for obscure things. But friends? People gotta earn that spot.

Fun fact: She gives everyone nicknames. This is not special. Someone ain’t a friend until she punches their arm affectionately.

[seismicsight]

52 (ask meme)

Character Building Questions Meme || accepting

52. Do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting?

While her most memorable character moments seem like impulsive actions done on a whim - blowing out the side of a house in Ba Sing Se, for example - this does not encompass her whole self.

Like anyone, yes, Toph can act rashly. When she’s emotionally dysregulated, she often lashes out, acting out of a deep disdain for being pitied / demeaned. And because she has big emotions, there are times when the moment can take her… and property damage ensues.

However, when the chips are down, she’s not making a move that she isn’t sure about.

I use this example all the time but it says a lot about her. Think on when she extended an olive branch to Zuko in The Western Air Temple. Here was a guy with whom everyone in her group had bad blood, who was likely the center of many angry rants in the weeks following Aang’s fatal wound from The Crossroads of Destiny. And yet, in her pragmatism and open-mindedness, she separated herself from the immediate emotional turmoil caused by Zuko’s sudden appearance and offer to teach Aang firebending, recognizing that regardless of what they wanted, he was currently their best and only accessible option for a firebending teacher.

And she acted on it! And still defended her choices after it backfired! Because she’s decisive and RIGHT.

[seismicsight]

Toph loves earth in all its forms. With all her senses.

She is fascinated by the feeling of loose dirt and sand falling from between her fingers and packing underneath her feet. But there’s also nothing like bending hard, rocky soil because it's crunchy and noisy and makes satisfying hisses and pops and cracks as she manipulates it. In quiet moments, she enjoys running her finger pads over the contours of smooth stone and jagged minerals alike. Soft metals have a pleasant give, while hard metals sing in her grip. In the everyday, she reveals in the gentle clicking of rocks and crystals in her pockets, and the whisper of dust and silica that coats her skin. There’s as much beauty in the warmth that radiates from sun-soaked clay as the mossy, damp smell of fresh mud after a heavy rain.

[hisoknen]

thank you for drawing me and my sweet tsum @fittsythesnail <3 this is giving me so much serotonin he's so lovely i love him and it's THATS ME ITS ME AND MY STARLIGHT TOGETHER fittsy this is so wonderful i’m grinning like a fool

[seismicsight]

Toph really said “fuck your ableist assumptions about me! I could kick your ass seven ways to Sunday” and “ok my assistive tech (bending) doesn’t work here, and it’s difficult for me to accept help even from my friends because of my abusive caretaker experiences but I trust you, so pls help.”