ofstarlightandbows:

takaraphoenix:

I think the straightest thing about straights writing LGBT characters is the lack of labeling. The utter and full lack of labeling.

I mean, sure, there are people who don’t like labels. But… most gays like to use the word gay. To describe themselves, a situation or just everything, really. I’m an ace lesbian, I have no problem saying that I’m an ace lesbian when asked for my sexuality. I’ve known a bunch of bisexuals at this point and they all very distinctively use the word bisexual and not “I don’t limit myself” or “what’s the point of labels?”.

It pisses me off so much because I think that it can be traced back to the fact that straights never actually have to use their label. They are default. So they are not used to putting words to their sexuality. And thus, I don’t know, it makes them uncomfortable that others would? Like, I really don’t know, that’s just my best guess. Either way, it’s insanely annoying.

Like, watching the new season of Chicago Fire and absolutely being smitten with Emily Foster and from the disastrous introduction on I went “Oh my gosh, after they killed off the lesbian character seasons ago, are they finally bringing in a new lesbian character? Yes, please!” and then she’s shown having a date with a woman, but when her work partner asks her “I thought you talked about boyfriends before”, I thought “Okay, fine. Not a lesbian then. As long as I finally get some wlw in all this straightness” but instead of having Emily just say “Yes, I’m bisexual”, she has to go “Why limit yourself?”. Who talks like that?!

LGBT representation is great. It’s important. I’m always glad to see it. But a huge part of prepresentation are the labels too. They’re a very important part of our identity for many of us. Yes, there are people who don’t like labels at all, but if you look at American TV shows, you’d think every gay ever absolutely denies labels.

Most representation is just through visuals. Through us concluding.

I love Shadowhunters. But the lack of labels on that show is making me insane. I spent months assuming Magnus doesn’t define himself with labels, which is a logical conclusion considering he’s 800 years old so why would he answer to such newly coined terms. With Underhill and Alec it’s vagueing at their gayness but neither saying it aloud. Aline was alluded to being a lesbian, but we don’t use the term. And whatever the fuck that scene with Raphael and Isabelle was, it was so obscure I had to google and look up the book-wiki to understand that Raphael was talking about his asexuality without calling it asexuality.

I did not connect with Brooklyn Nine-Nine as a comedy show at all, but fuck did I love how openly the term “gay” was used, how Rosa actually had a full coming out storyline, repeatedly referring to herself as “bisexual”. It resonated as so real and proper, not like those straight-written awkward gays that act like they’re afraid of naming their own sexuality.

Just call the sexualities by their names. It ain’t that hard. Real-life gays do it all the time. Stop having your LGBT characters vague at their sexuality like it’s fucking Voldemort.

Thank you, thank you, for saying this. As a bi woman I feel this so much.