ACCOMPLISHMENT
Some ppl I know complained about the pacing, and I totes get that, but when you read it in big chunks it’s fine. And good that it’s a fast read. So that was helpful.
There are a lot of characters but i like most of them so. EVERYONE IS BABIES AND ADORABLE.
okay the end I feel so accomplished. Now I can follow along as the journey continues. slowly. it will be hard.
A GOOD MOM
WHAT A GOOD MOM
I really like how it’s being acknowledged that because Shu is young and already has what society sees as feminine features it’s easier for her to pass and slightly more acceptable when she’s “outed”. But they’re introducing someone in this manga who can’t pass easily, who doesn’t have “cute” features, and is really exploring their identity much later in life than Shu. That is so interesting!
I am also interested in how they’re showing that there are a lot of different possible combinations of sexuality and gender identity. Mako wants to dress as/be accepted as a girl, but feels somewhat disbarred from it by being less conventionally cute than Shu, and is attracted to boys. Shu feels good dressed as a girl, but perhaps doesn’t entirely identify as one (seems ambivalent to me sometimes), and has a girlfriend (who despite initially being mean about the whole cross-dressing thing has come to accept it and help with it, which was so nice to see). And so on. They’re all going through adolescence and working out exactly what combination applies to them, and you can’t really predict what they may want to do as adults - make a complete transition to live as their preferred gender? Just cross-dress sometimes? How much will be expressing their true feelings and how much will be a pragmatic decision to get along in an often transphobic and homophobic world?
Ahhh, I guess it is kinda presumptuous, but I always assumed Shu at least is definitely trans, because Shu’s been the most adamant about wanting to present as a girl and also has stated several times “I want to BE a girl” even in response to “do you want to be one or just dress like one” and even asked Maho what she’d think if Shu eventually got surgery. I assumed that since Shu liked Takatsuki (and said “I think of you as a boy”) and also likes Anna, that Shu’s both trans and bi, and I do love that this manga acknowledges trans people can be gay. The other kids seem more up in the air to me, but since we spend the most time with Shu I felt surer- but I guess that is pretty presumptuous regardless.
It’s all very interesting, and I do think the manga handles the complexities of gender identity well so far.
UGH. This girl has been like forcing herself on Shu so she can research her for her “writing” and finally Shu tells her to back the fuck off (U GO) and of course she gets mad.
Writers should never do this. Yes, it’s important to get to know the experiences of real people if you’re writing about such a sensitive issue. But first, find all the written accounts you can, and that will usually help. Then, maybe post an ad or something on the internet, that way someone who’s interested and comfortable with it can answer. You should only interview people you know are comfortable with sharing their stories and make sure that they really are-and make sure they know everything about the process. Definitely, absolutely, you don’t get mad at them if they back out. You should make it clear that they can back out and veto you using anything!
I’m glad this manga is showing how gross the sort of entitlement “reasearchers” like this have can be and I hope it made some people realize that this sort of behavior isn’t acceptable. Good manga.
I really like how it’s being acknowledged that because Shu is young and already has what society sees as feminine features it’s easier for her to pass and slightly more acceptable when she’s “outed”. But they’re introducing someone in this manga who can’t pass easily, who doesn’t have “cute” features, and is really exploring their identity much later in life than Shu. That is so interesting!
Well, yep, that did turn out to be plot relevant.
haha a little girl is watching a magical girl show in hourou musoko! It’s very accurate too. So of course I have to post these pages. I wonder if the mangaka just randomly felt like drawing magical girls or if it will have anything to do with anything
Speaking of, I’m close to completely catching up! I’ve passed Chapter 90 at least.
I’m so proud of Shu. She’s come so far and grown so much! She really is so brave it’s like <3.
I like comics, literature, writing, feminism and awesome female characters. I tend to blog for social justice. I love to write. This blog will spam your dash with whatever I'm interested in atm. Spoilers will be tagged the week after and under cut if text most of the time, but other than that, well. That's my blog.
