I don't understand the hate towards the tmasc Dave Strider hc, and I feel like most of the people who don't like it just don't really understand his character.
First off, a lot of people think that because he feels trapped by masculinity, the only true interpretation of his character is a transfem interpretation. I think this is... Kind of weird? It's not like transmascs can't struggle with masculinity. Hell, I think looking at Dave from a transmasculine pov actually makes a lot of sense. He was raised by a brother who taught him that there was only one way to be masculine, and if we're viewing this through the lens of transmasculinity, it feels very reminiscent of what a lot of transmascs and other masc trans people go through. Having this impossible standard of masculinity held above our heads, being told that if we can't reach it we'll never be who we say we are. Which I believe works really well with Dave's arc of deconstructing the toxic masculinity that was forced onto him by Bro, and shaping his own version of masculinity.
Anyway, tmasc Dave is fucking awesome. It's not transmisogynistic to think of him this way. Tmasc and tfem Dave are best friends actually so fuck y'all who hate on either one of them.
Karkat Vantas, a popular YouTube creator by the name of Carcino Geneticist, who rates romances in tv and books, among other things, starts his camera. Today he's ranting about how shitty Twilight is. As usual, His boyfriend Dave is in the background, playing video games with a bottle of apple juice and a bag of doritos. None of Karkat's ten thousand subscribers know who Dave is or what his relationship with Karkat is. There have been speculations and fanwars. Dave loves going on Twitter to fight about how "Mystery guy is definitely Karkat's boyfriend!" under the name of 'carcinogay'. Sometime in Karkat's ranting, Dave gets bored and pauses his game. He wanders over to Karkat, hand in his red hoodie. Eventually, he walks the rest of the way and kisses Karkat's cheek as a way to say 'Give me attention!' Dave hated talking on camera because his voice sounds feminine. A smile quickly replaces Karkat's angry face, "Dave I'm filming!" Dave shrugs and waves to the camera before kissing him on the lips and going back to his game.
"Sorry people my boyfriend is too cute."
Karkat finishes his video and turns off the camera, stretching. "I'll edit that after this level, you should take a walk." Karkat hums at Dave's words and kisses his forehead, slipping in shoes. He should really stop sitting down for all his videos, it hurts his hips. He grabs water from the fridge and walks out of the door, putting his headphones over his ears and playing Heathers. After a short walk around the block, Karkat comes back home. Dave is still on the couch, but the tv is playing a podcast and a laptop is on his lap, which probably has his video in it being edited. "Welcome back." Karkat takes off his shoes and finishes his water, throwing the bottle in a recycle bin in the kitchen. He walks back out to the living room and cuddles up to Dave. He sees the editing Dave is doing and smiles. It looks amazing, if only Karkat knew how the fuck he did that. He kisses Dave's cheek and tunes into the podcast, pulling out his phone to play a game.
After a few hours of editing and listening to the podcast, Karkat had fallen asleep on Dave's shoulder. He saves the video and puts his laptop on the end table, then carries Karkat to the bedroom bridal style. He makes dinner as best he can and by the time it's done, Karkat is sleepily walking in. "Babe you should have woken me up." Dave shooshes him and hands him a plate of food. They go sit on the couch and put on a movie. After dinner, they go to bed. Karkat is the first to wake up in the morning and cuddles up to Dave, angry the sun is streaming through the window. He stays in bed until Dave wakes up, and they walk to the kitchen together and make breakfast. After eating, Karkat uploads his video. The comments and likes flood in, as well as a few dislikes. He goes through the comments.
'6:20-6:30 uM WHAT'
'6:20-6:30 TOLD YALL THEY WERE BOYFRIENDS'
'So his name is Dave!'
Karkat furrows his brow and clicks the time stamp. The video goes to the moment Dave walks up and kisses his cheek. Karkat's face goes red, "Dave you left that in!? Dave laughs from the living room, "Yeah. I thought the fans needed answers." Karkat rolls his eyes and continues scrolling through comments.
'Why doesnt dave talk?'
'Maybe hes mute'
'Aww karkat and dave are so cute!'
'I need more davekat content!'
That last one was from Karkat's friend Nepeta, who already knew about him and Dave. He likes her comment as a devious plan pops into his head. He goes into the living room. "Well Dave, the fans have spoken, also Nepeta. They want 'DaveKat' content." Dave chuckles, "So what are you proposing KitKat?" "We should do a QnA! You don't have to talk if you don't want to, I can answer the questions, I just want you to be there." Dave thinks it over and nods. "I'll answer my own questions too." Karkat smiles as he tweets out a cry for questions for him and his boyfriend. "Thanks, Dave."
All those selfies Dave had in his room were taken on days he was feeling confident about himself. They were there to remind him of how masculine he looked when he was feeling dsyphoric.
PLAYLIST FOR A STRESSED DYSPHORIC FTM DAVE STRIDER
Body - Mother Mother
Take my face / And desecrate / My arms and legs / They get in the way
Girl or Boy - Dani Shay
But we’ll forget it / ‘Cause they always said / “Don’t be a pussy” / To the boys who cried / And they said to the girls who fought / “That’s not very ladylike / Well who decides it?
Little Game - Benny
Don’t you think it’s funny how they tell us how to live? / Don’t you think it’s funny how we’re all delinquent kids?
We Don’t Believe What’s On TV - twenty one pilots
I need to know that when I fail / You’ll still be here
Time To Dance - Panic! At The Disco
Boys will be boys / Hiding in estrogen / And wearing Aubergine dreams
