I said this in the comments of someone else’s post, but I’m going to say this here. Taash identifying as non-binary is good actually, and in fact better than the dev’s making up some new term for them. Let’s get into it.
So for a bit of background, I’m non-binary and Thai. If you don’t know, Thai has specific terms for different gender-sexual identities, they’re quite old, they date back a few hundred years. However, the thing about culturally specific terms is just that, they’re culturally specific. The reason you use them is because you are tied to the culture in such a way that you gender-sexual identity cannot be disassociated from it. Because, to be clear, these terms are never just about your gender or sexual identity. They encompass a role you play within society itself.
For instance, in Thai culture we have tom/tomboys. These are AFAB folks who occupy a masculine societal role and date women. If you’re AMAB you cannot be tom. If you’re transmasc and feminine? You cannot be tom. If you’re transmasc and not attracted to women? You cannot be tom. If you’re transmasc and mostly date men? You cannot be tom. If you’re transmasc but don’t particularly feel like taking care of the girl you date, taking her out, being the ‘man’ in the relationship? You can’t really be tom.
Because the thing about culturally specific genders is that they come with a lot of rules. Being tom isn’t being non-binary. There are cis women who are tom, and there are non-binary people who are toms. You do not get eschew gender roles in these cases. You are quite literally taking one on. You have a role and place in society that has been made for you, and you are expected to carry it out.
Because of this, none of these terms are a one-to-one for other identities, and nor should they be. Being kathoey or hijra is not the same as being a trans woman or non-binary, and visa versa. You can be kathoey and not be trans. You can be trans and not be kathoey. Being aqun-athlok or any other specific term shouldn’t be either. The idea that it is, is more ahistorical and inaccurate than the word non-binary itself. Giving Taash some new, culturally specific term, would inherently tie them to a culture, and one perhaps that they didn’t feel apart of. Especially since Taash’s entire story is about struggling to figure out where they belong. Arguably the biggest issue with their story is that you have to make them decide, and fundamentally tying them to a term would’ve compounded that problem.
The reason I identify as non-binary and not a tom, is because I am not occupying some specific role in Thai culture. Despite living in LA, I rarely interact with other Thai people who aren’t my family. I do not live in a cultural context that would allow me to identify as a tom.
The thing about terms like non-binary, or trans, or agender, is that they’re meant to be acultural terms encapsulating the concept of truth to oneself and ones identity. Whereas culturally specific terms aren’t, they’re about the role you hold in society and where you fit in. It’s about your identity within a status quo. Taash is a character who is eschewing societal roles, and breaking the status quo, giving them those terms just wouldn’t work.
And finally? Using non-binary itself allows the writers to very specifically say where they stand. There is no space given to transphobes. You either accept that DA is queer-friendly or bust. And that’s a very important stance to make in an era where trans and non-binary folks are being actively targeted. There’s no ‘well Taash isn’t actually trans or non-binary they’re [insert term here]!’ Because people would’ve done that, we know they would’ve. This means people can’t do that. They have to just say that they have an issue with the term, and thus we can call them for what they are. Transphobes. Plain and simple.
So yeah, Taash’s identity does have nuance, it has a lot of it. And to be honest with you, I wouldn’t be surprised if Trick Weekes, a non-binary person whose wife is First Nations and thus from a group with culturally specific gender identities, knows about the difference between something like two-spirit and trans. And to be honest with you, using something like non-binary has nuance I doubt was actually afforded to Krem, considering they cast a cis woman to play Krem.
I WON A SIGNED GLOOM DIVISION VINYL AND TWO MORE TICKETS TO SEE DALLON.
Happy gloom division day!!!!
I went to a gloom division listening party yesterday with a friend. I finally bought The Queen is Dead on vinyl and some pins from the record store of course, but I was originally there to buy the creamsicle gloom division vinyl so I could brag and shit 'cause why the hell not, I had some extra money.
I was unfortunately late so I only got to hear the first half of the record, and I was really pissed, but I got stickers (one of which are already on my bass) and that made up for it, so I just went around and started looking around for something I could empty out my bank account for, and as I was passing by the counter I saw the (list of) prizes, one person would get a signed gloom division vinyl and a pair of tickets to see Dallon at my local venue, and another person would win the display sign. (The terms were they had to keep it in the window for a month after the record release and then the winner could come pick it up)
Long story short, after the picture with everyone who had attended I was walking back to my friend who was looking through records (he was looking for a gift for his girlfriend,) and the workers at the record store are on the speakers talking about how their about to call the winners for the raffle, and I'm about 4 feet away from my friend and I hear my name, and I swore I was dreaming, (I was stoned. ) my jaw fucking dropped. I immediately turned around, walked up to the counter, and did my best not to fucking explode right then and there.
I decided to not buy a gloom division vinyl yet, as I'm getting A FUCKING SIGNED ONE.
I am so fucking shocked, and thankful, and can't wait to recieve my signed gloom division vinyl. THANK YOU DALLON.
