Hearing about how people are apparently using realism as a means to put down your comic really reminds me of how WC fans use realism as an argument as to why characters like Briarlight get the treatment they get and I've just always viewed it as a covert argument to spout gross views on minorities and exclude representation for them from media. Having certain fantasy elements is more than acceptable but the moment you want disability or gay rep? "Nope, not allowed because that's not realistic!"
Yep, exactly. It's funny - as in frustrating - how many times people will bring up real cat biology as an argument as to why Briarlight should not have existed for as long as she did. Yet, we're talking about a universe where there's cat spectres attacking and killing some characters and the cats have an encyclopedic knowledge of herbs and their properties.
These are major indicators that the Erins don't care about realism and yet people try and force the narrative anyway because hey, being outwardly bigoted isn't 'cool' nowadays so we have to try and slip under the radar. Like we don't hear the exact same arguments from conservative, right-wing dipshits to explain censorship in the wider media.
And there's individuals who don't realise how reductive they sound while trying to slap a certain allegation on us. Like how we apparently hate men because 'all of our bad guys are men' (never mind we have female villains too lol) and whatever 'good' male characters we have don't count for various, discriminatory reasons. We'll be called the misandrists in the situation and then the take that Fade 'doesn't count' as a good guy because he's 'weak and pathetic' will be uttered in the exact same breath.
I mean, idk about y'all but saying that a guy - especially a child who is still growing and developing - doesn't count as solid male representation unless he's buff and competent sounds a lot like misandry to me.
Same argument goes for Obsidian and Opal, who also don't count because... they're old.
Storm and Diamond are also protagonists and present as masculine but they are also discounted due to being gnc and trans respectively.
Huh. Bit of a pattern here.
I know I'm sort of veering away from anon's original point but the bottom line is: trying to disguise your narrow-mindedness as concerns and valid talking points isn't fooling anybody. Especially when you slip up in the same sentence. It's a practice as old as time. A lot of us are wise to it. lol - RJ
