It really feels like the most ardent Yang stans don't actually like Yang as a character? Putting aside how much of it is tangled up in demonizing Tai for having mental health issues and a job to do, what do you mean Yang was a mother to Ruby? Where? Nothing about her behavior is motherly, nor does Ruby and Yang's behavior with Tai make sense if that's true. "Whoo, butch icon!" Um, no? She wears pants now, punches people, and frowns, but beyond that she has always been so very fem
mmhhm. yeah. it's the same with "yang isn't a party girl" (literally how she's described in the official blurb and nothing in the show contradicts it), or "yang doesn't make jokes / puns" (she literally does), or "yang doesn't have anger issues" (she does, and the villains literally used it against her during the tournament)—i don't know if it's projection or what, but it's like you can't talk about yang as she is in the show without being branded a hater or something. exactly why i don't really interact with much fan content for yang because it's so deeply rooted in fanon, canon is faaaaaaar behind in second place.
i can't blame anyone for thinking yang is "motherly", though, since that's how crwby keeps describing her outside the show, but. . . you're right, the behaviour simply isn't there in the show. i have two older sisters and they've been more motherly towards me in settings where our parents simply cannot be present (e.g. at school lol), so maybe my standards are too high, but yeah. no.
i'd maybe get it if at the time when yang actually gave parental advice to ruby, ruby would have replied with something like "ugh, i know, you keep telling me that" rather than "ugh, you sound just like dad", implying that this isn't the norm for yang.
i'd maybe get it if yang hadn't reacted flippantly to leaving zwei alone in the dorms while they're gone and showed some level of responsibility, but she sees the absurd amount of food and the can opener tai packed and goes "welp, that's settles it! [...] zwei will be here when we get back!" (who needs water anyway? /s) it's weiss who raises concern first, and it's ultimately ruby who brings zwei with them rather than leaving him alone in the dorms.
i'd even get it if they'd addressed this supposed "yang had to mature faster beyond her age" when they had a whole story line of her wanting to be considered an adult because she thinks she's "been through enough" to do so. . . but all it amounts to is her loss of arm and tai's unwillingness to talk about raven with her.
like. i don't know how much faith people have on the writers or how good they think the writing is to begin with, but yang's arc in V4 was the perfect time to address the alleged "yang had to be a mother to ruby" part of their past, and. . . it didn't happen. which would be a baffling decision, if that were the case. horrible writing, really, so i can't see why anyone would wish for it at that point, unless they don't care about the quality of the writing and only care about their headcanons becoming true.
point being: they could have never said anything about yang being "motherly" and literally nothing would change. yang and ruby's relationship is pretty much two siblings who care about each other, but can still make mistakes and unintentionally hurt each other. they're not constantly on the same wavelength, and that's fine.
their relationship works just fine as such, but it breaks apart if yang is supposed to have raised ruby or acted as a mother to her, for their behaviour towards each other—as well as tai and qrow—simply doesn't support it.
and honestly, any attempts at trying to define yang into a neat box goes completely against her trailer quote: "scathing eyes ask that we be symmetrical, one sided and easily processed. yet every misshapen spark's unseen beauty is greater than its would be judgement." from the beginning, yang has exhibited traits that have traditionally been considered "feminine" and "masculine"—it's never been "one or another" with her, it's both. not to mention, yang as a butch is like. where?? i'm sorry, did the definition of "butch" change at some point???
actually. . . i feel like a lot of fanon for yang has completely ignored the quote. yang can't be flawed or messy (even though people claim they love flawed characters), she's perfect in every single way, perfect sister, perfect fighter, and if you dare criticize any aspect of her, then a) you're wrong (even if the show acknowledges it, too), or b) if that flaw exists, then clearly it's some other character's fault.
i posted yesterday how it's exhausting being a strq fan, but it's also exhausting being a yang fan. can't have shit in this fandom lmao
