elidoo:

The discussion of bi-mods of straight characters in Dragon Age came up on my dash again several days ago, and after chewing on it for a bit, I still come away confused and puzzled. The fact that some people feel a strong need to preserve and respect the heterosexuality of the love interests – because we’d do the same for the gay ones! – seems to me like a noble but misguided attempt at equality. Because we are not equal in the real world. The idea that we must protect the straightness of pixelated people is absurd when in real life LGBT people are being bullied, discriminated against, and in some countries imprisoned and tortured. I’m not sure if it’s the story arc of Dorian being subjected to a blood magic ritual that triggered a knee-jerk reaction to reject all sexuality mods – but whatever Gaider’s intention for that was, it definitely wasn’t to promote the sanctity of straightness. Because we are not equal in the real world. Which brings me to the crux of my puzzlement: are the same people upset about the mods that change the LI’s heterosexuality as unhappy about gay fanfics that feature straight characters? Alistair being lovingly deflowered by Cullen, Blackwall giving Solas a sneaky blowjob, Cassandra in a hot and heavy make-out session with Morrigan – do these stories bother you? Does the knowledge that LGBT writers are deliberately ignoring the ‘free will’ of fictional people and their heterosexuality trouble you? Since there have been fandoms, there have been people writing gay fanfics. Because it is often the only way we could see our stories told: love, hate, laughter, tears – and what are we if not creatures who wish to see our humanity reflected in our stories? Is it not obvious that we are making do with the little that we have, to find what little positive representation that doesn’t end with death and tragedy, while we survive in the real world fighting daily, in big ways and small, for true equality?

I usually don’t do fandom-specific posts, but I think I’ll make an acception because this is more about the principle behind it if anything.



“The fact that some people feel a strong need to preserve and respect the heterosexuality of the love interests – because we’d do the same for the gay ones! – seems to me like a noble but misguided attempt at equality. Because we are not equal in the real world.”



Ah yes, because if a scale is tipped drastically one way, tipping it drastically the other way is totally the answer. The answer for inequality isn’t more inequality. It doesn’t suddenly make it okay when you do it. If you want true equality then you need to do for others what you want done for you, this is like preschool shit.

“ The idea that we must protect the straightness of pixelated people is absurd when in real life LGBT people are being bullied, discriminated against, and in some countries imprisoned and tortured. “



No it’s not. Respecting the canon sexuality of any character is not an absurd concept. Also, I could flip this around and just as easily say that worrying over the fantastical gayness of “pixelated people is absurd when in real life LGBT people are being bullied, discriminated against, and in some countries imprisoned and tortured. “

“ Does the knowledge that LGBT writers are deliberately ignoring the ‘free will’ of fictional people and their heterosexuality trouble you? “



No. But the idea of some people not accepting your yaoi ships and that in the end of the day they aren’t (and most likely never will be) canon seems to trouble you.



“ Since there have been fandoms, there have been people writing gay fanfics. Because it is often the only way we could see our stories told: “



No it’s not. I love how the very option that you could create your own original characters with as much yaoi as you want seems to not even occur to you. Crack yaoi ships aren’t made because it’s “~The only way your stories can be told.~” , you’re just making these characters fuck because you think it’s hot, lets be honest.



“ Is it not obvious that we are making do with the little that we have, to find what little positive representation that doesn’t end with death and tragedy, while we survive in the real world fighting daily, in big ways and small, for true equality? “



Once again for the people in the back. You. Can. Make. Your. Own. Stories. Messing with pre-established characters is not your only option, and to insist that it is is doing nothing but making you feel trapped. Your chains are imaginary, absolutely nothing is stopping you from telling your own story with your own narrative.

All you are doing right now is demonizing people who choose to respect the canon sexuality of characters. you are no different than the 2007 yaoi fangirl that screams at people because they were told their ships aren’t canon, the only difference is that you’re using guilt trips and appeal-to-emotion fallacy. It’s transparent as hell, and I see right through you.



Your yaoi ships aren’t activism, it’s self-indulgence. And while there is nothing wrong with that, stop pretending it’s more noble than it actually is.