Thank you, HS^2, WhatPumpkin
When 4/13 came a few years back, and we were told there would be an Epilogue, I was excited. Then, on 4/20, it dropped, and I ravenously consumed every single page in a span of hours. I didn't check my Social Media, I barely checked my Discord, I did nothing more than Read. And it was great! It really was. I genuinely enjoyed what I read. It WAS heart-wrenching, it was SO different from what I expected, such a massive departure, but even so, I was intrigued by this new direction, and it ended in a Cliffhanger- Two, in fact, that seemed to imply a Sequel was coming.
Sometimes I feel I was the only one that enjoyed this Project. And I know that is not the case, because of projects like this, because of the people I have talked to, who enjoy it. But with the amount of hatred the comic has gotten, it was sometimes difficult to even look into the Fandom Tags for new content- New Fanart, new Theories- In fear that I'd be assaulted by more and more mindless negativity.
In the end, I guess the haters 'won'. They managed to bully the writers into hiding. And that is not okay. It will never be okay, no matter how they try to twist Hussie's words, no matter how they try to escape their own accountability. I will always be grateful to Hussie, to Aysha- Lalo, Pip, Kate, Haven, everyone and anyone involved with this project for the past little bit over a year.
There's this concept in the Hatedom of HS^2, that it is Bad. Not simply that it is bad- That it is inherently, Objectively bad. That literally No One likes it, and that if anyone likes it, they're some kind of Contrarian, or have been Brainwashed into liking it, or they're Problematic in some way. Of course, it is flawed. But in moments like this? I don't care. I will say it once, and I've been saying it since the beginning.
HS^2 is good. Post-Canon is Good. It is mature, darker, different, but it is enjoyable. I was excited to see more. And I still am. No matter how much they keep bashing or insulting it, at least I hope the Team won't have to deal with as much bullshit from now on.
I will continue producing content. I will continue singing praises. And I will continue waiting. Because unlike what many believe, I enjoyed this content since the beginning, and I will keep enjoying it.
To everyone who worked and will work on HS^2? I am so, so sorry the current state of the Fandom, and the Internet, is like this. I am so sorry you have had to deal with this bullshit, and while in a lesser measure, will likely have to keep dealing with it. The work you put into this story is fantastic, and you've genuinely provided me with some of my favorite moments of Homestuck, even more than the Original.
I am a transgender, polyamorous, pansexual woman. I've seen accusations from other trans people, gay people, queer people in general, towards the team, that I simply couldn't agree with. That were assuming the worst faith from a group that was their equal, that was also queer, and pushing their experiences, views, out there for people like them to see.
This was an act of Cannibalism. Cannibalization of the Queer Community, on itself, simply because people pushed the idea there's only some ways to be Trans, or to depict Gay Characters, and simply ignored there were real people with similar experiences behind the characters, for the sake of some misguided sense of moral purity.
I apologize to the HS^2 team, but I don't do it for their sake. I trust that they're doing well, and hope that they take care in their future endeavors. I apologize for my sake, because I feel seething anger to know I share a Fandom with people who would stoop so low and harm people like me, that'd put this fictional story above the safety and agency of queer creators.
So as I mentioned? I will keep creating. And I hope you all keep creating to. Thanks to the team, apologies to them. But considering how all of this has gotten, mere apologies or thanks feel shallow. I will keep being around. I will keep supporting them when they pop up. And when HS^2 is done, no matter how long it takes, I will enjoy it as I had been until now.