Representation... "It is a tiny reassurance that maybe, you are not a monster." That should be quite an eye-opener for anyone who thinks it's no big deal. It's huge, and frankly a bit heartbreaking.
The issue is. Most would reply with "Well of course your not a monster, thats ridiculous" meaning well. But its not the same. Yes some people may actually see people who are gay, trans, etc as being perfectly normal. Its that they don't see themselves as normal yet. They still feel like an outsider, like they aren't part of the group. Labels are defined by their very nature to be something as not one thing or another.
Almighty Kue Why is it the responsibility of every single creator of art (music, video games, paintings, tv shows, movies, marketing....) to be representative to minority groups? Not that I don’t think they should be, but why is it their responsibility? It could just as equally be argued that the creator has the right to do with their work however they please
Coming from a straight guy , this was a great video . I was always someone who did get frustrated when people were so focused on representation instead of other things , but this was a really great video which put things into perspective when it comes to representation . I applaud you for allowing me to have a stronger understanding of the topic
Yesterday was Asperger's Awareness Day, for which I always write a message on my Facebook about growing up on the Autism spectrum. I remember when my mom told me about my diagnosis, the first thing she told me was to be very discreet about it because it's not so well known (this was in the early aughts, before there was a boom in awareness on the autism spectrum), but as soon as she told me, I started noticing all the things that made me look weird in front of everyone (I already knew there was something different about me and I had seen Rain Man the year before I found out, so I already had my suspicions) and I could see people react to the way I behaved and I realized that the reason everyone reacted to me in a weird way is because everyone expected me to be "normal", not because they expected everyone to be normal, but because no one had any idea that there was something that made me different. Once I started telling people and explaining what happens to me, I was much more accepted by my peers with all my quirks and such and I've made it a point of telling people, because that's the best way to be included in society as a whole. Nowadays, I can use characters like Rain Man, or Sheldon, or Max from Parenthood, or Abed from Community or any number of characters that have been represented on the autism spectrum as shorthand to let people know what they can expect (and even then, every person is different). That's another reason why I consider mainstream representation important. It gives the mainstream audience a frame of reference as to the different kinds of people there are in the world and how all of them can be included, which is why I applaud you for making these videos and for continuing to push for more representation.
I was a boy with long hair and i remember how i happy i was seeing a man with long hair in a movie. Even though it wasnt a core part of my identitiy i can see why representation is important. I would not have thought about this without people like you, thank you.
Interesting, its likely part of the reason i liked the fantasy genre and lord of the rings or me for me. It was not often mentioned that men can be manly and have longer hair till fantasy became mainstream. Or movies in the 80s with hippies. I can relate that it wasnt mainstream for a time.
The first time I read lesbian romance (I was 12 and in love with a girl), I got so excited because all my life I thought that wasn't possible. The first time I saw a genderfluid character on a book, when I was 16, it made me so happy that I didn't shut up about it for 2 weeks. The first time my best friend saw a gay character come out on TV, he decided to come out to his parents. I've seen people's lives change because of a simple representation on a TV show or movie. That's why representation matters. It has the power to convince us ours lives are worth living.
For me, as I'm gay and autistic, I can't relate myself with strait neurotypical characters as well as gay neurotypical characters. Similarly I find it hard to relate myself with neurotypical characters as a whole. To me LGBT and autistic representation on TV and in film is a way of making me feel like I'm part of a community and not alone like I was for most of my life.
Because if there isn’t, LGBTQ+ kids might think of themselves as weird. When I first realized I was bisexual, I remember telling myself, “don’t tell anyone about this. Hide it.” So, i did. I preoccupied myself with topics, activities, books so I wouldn’t think about it. When I did have time to think about it, i honestly hoped to god that I was genuinely confused because I know my family wouldn’t accept it, especially my abuela. We’re Hispanic/Latino so my family tends to not understand these sort of things. I told my dad who was surprisingly okay with it but I know I can’t tell my grandparents because they’re literally have heart attack. As I’m watching/writing Fantasy/Adventure LGBTQ+ content, I’m slowly coming to terms with it. One of the reasons as to why I made one of my main male characters (even though I’m female) bisexual is for that specific purpose of helping me. I was watching dragon prince with my twin sister the other day and there are these lesbians characters. I was so happy to see them that I kept on saying “go lesbians! Go!” My sister got annoyed because I’m not that outspoken about things. I’m quite soft spoken. I’m out to her but sometimes I don’t think she understands or sees it as a problem that should be kept on the downlow. My dad has the same sort of mentality about it, being that don’t bring it up unless it is necessary to the conversation. Sometimes that sort of mentality hurts my feelings but I understand it - don’t become annoying and talk in circles about the same thing (which I tend to do because i also happen to have Aspergers - a form of autism)
Sorry, also the queens dont disturb the story in the slightest, so it shouldnt be a problem for anyone that they are there. I thought it was weird at first but they never give special attention to the fact, so yes that is good representation that should be only a, the queens are a couple, so what reaction, the best representation. Fanboying about it is another thing , that can probably be annoying but the characters are grounded in the story and nor annoying at all.
Haha, I tend to do this in RUclips comments. I miss being able to post things in forums, and I don't currently have a website back online, because my budget is iffy to awful. But I like the humor in the comment, plus I agree, I'd like to see the essay.
I'm a trans guy, and I'm a fan of the manga Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. In the sixth part, known as Stone Ocean, there's a very quick scene where the protagonist, Jolyne, is going through the process of entering a women's prison. She asks the guards why there's a man in the line, and they tell her "she took hormones to make herself look like that, she's not really a man" to which Jolyne remarks "he certainly looks like a man to me". It's not important to the plot, we don't ever see this character again, but when I first read that scene I was overjoyed - it's a scene that speaks to the problems of being trans in prison, and the hero of the story doesn't join in with the misgendering of the guards. It's a very nice scene that shows a cis woman thinking of a trans man not only as a man, but also as a potential sexual partner since the line is meant in a flirty way. It's something you almost never see and JoJo is one of the most popular mangas in the world, so knowing a lot of people saw it fills me with joy every time I think about it.
Ok, that escalated quickly and in the interest of decorum (as well as not being clear why something sparked out of nowhere on a month old comment), I'm clearing out the reply thread. This is not a punishment, this is me politely requesting everybody to take a breath and step away.
@@CouncilofGeeks Yes, you are right. We both needed to take a breath and step back. HOWEVER, the best way for people to learn and understand from conflicts like this is NOT to censor and remove it. You don't want there to be constructive rational ways to solve issues like these - you just want to silence anything potentially offensive. This is why you didn't want to continue having email discussions with me any longer. You just want to stay in your precious echo chamber. You can't handle disagreement like mine.
Thanks for covering these topics. I'm LGBTQ and people never seem to understand why I think representation in media matters so much. Now I have a video I can send them.
I remember growing up, I didn't even know what gay was. It was so weird because I knew I liked those with the same gender as me but I didn't even have a word to describe it. On top of that I was bullied relentlessly for being gay, I didn't know what it meant but from the way people were saying it, it sounded like it was something terrible, and I was a nice person so of course I denied it. I'm not sure when exactly I realised being gay and being attracted to men were the same thing, but I kinda just forgot about my sexuality until high school. I'm not sure how seeing representation of gay people on tv wouldve affected me but I know for sure school wouldve been a lot easier. Because, when as soon as I came out in high school nobody even mentioned it, everyone accepted it as a normal thing and if I had been able to say "Yes, I am. And what of it?" When I was younger it would've helped. So I guess what I'm getting at is that representation is also important to help young LGBTQ+ people learn about themselves.
It's fun binge watching your LGBTQ+ videos as a new viewer and seeing how your various videos are connected. Like, I just came from a year old video "think about the children" where people in the comments were suggesting you talk about the importance of representation for LGBTQ+ children as well as why representation in children's media is a good thing.
This got me thinking about transgender characters in mainstream media, and while there have been more and more in recent years, thinking back over the years, there had been very few and most of those were jokes or villains. However, a Google search lead me to someone very interesting...Princess Ozma. She is the main character in the 2nd "Land Of Oz" book. She was stolen away as a child by a wicked witch who turned her into a boy so she could never take the throne. After being raised as a boy for year, she escapes, learns of who she really is and is transformed back into her true self. This was in a book written in 1904. While it's not a perfect depiction of a transgender character, that is still pretty incredible for back then. The character was played on TV by Shirley Temple, but most other TV and film adaptations have abandoned this element of the story. In 1985's "Return To Oz', she was just a girl in the hospital with Dorothy who turned out to be the rightful heir to the throne. Perhaps it is time that the book is remade into a film and with the transgender aspect in tact. The Shirley Temple version has some great actors in it, but it's not even a made for TV movie. It's an episode of her TV show and presented in a very pantomime way. Having a transgender character in such a major franchise, that's huge.
You should totally read the webcomic Namesake. It's about people travelling to fairy tale worlds, and Oz is a huge one, and Ozma is a hugely important character. And it's absolutely full of LGBTQ+ representation.
Oh yeah. For most of my life I thought I just didn't care about romance in movies. But then I saw the relationship between Magnus and Alex in Shadowhunters TV series and it made me feel things I never felt before. It even changed the way I saw myself in the end. Representation matters.
This video is so necessary. Yes, for LGBTQ+ people but for other minorities as well. For someone like me who is a minority among minorities I have to struggle to find representation at all, especially good representation, which can be depressing. Everyday I feel like I have to defend and justify who I am and I wish for the day where I can see someone who shares my experience on a screen where people who aren't like me will see it and learn to accept me and not just as a sidekick or novelty that has no growth as a person.
That allegory about hiding in a hole and sometimes net getting out made my jaw drop and nearly brought me to tears. I loved this video because of the brutal honesty that's here and how you didn't skip around anything; you just said it, and some people need to hear that. As someone who's bi, it was so nice to see Rosa come out on Brooklyn 99 only for me to realize how little representation of bi people there are, at least where it isn't demonized. But seeing Rosa say it and to not be demonized for it just made me feel...nice. It's the ability to relate, something that humans instinctively need, that makes representation so important. We want to relate to these characters on different things. Sometimes it's our shared job, or maybe a favorite color, but other times it's much bigger then that with gender/sexuality representation, and it's that ability to relate that makes it so important. To quote another one of your videos, "Inclusion helps people not feel like abominations." and it's that there that makes it so important.
Meg Toon I didn't finish watching all of it (season 3) and I honestly do plan to rewatch and catch up eventually is The 100 and the main character who is awesome is bisexual. Also, one of my favourite TV shows of all time Shadowhunters depicts a super powerful and amazing warlock who is bi.
This almost made me cry god dammit. Represantion is so important and I'm so tired having to reason why a character that is like me for example is in a game or a movie if it doesn't add to the story. As if being straight affects the story more. I hate that a lot of the represantion in mainstream media is invisible or cut out entirely. "Oh yes this character is gay but we just didn't talk about it." I'm pansexual but even just getting wonder woman on the big screen had me in tears. We keep seeing straight white guys as heroes all the time, they have been getting their movies for years. Most women in those movies are love interests or left to the sidelines and finally we're getting more stuff that isn't half assed. Everyone deserves to see themselves in the mainstream media.
When Ellen---who I already had a celebrity crush on for years before--came out in the famous Puppy Episode, it was a huge crying deal for me. Granted, it took me a zillion years to say why. Conversely, everytime the common joke, "I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body," would be said somewhere, it was a moment of cringe, as my real identity is pawned off for laughs, pushing me further back in the closet. Yet here I am, all these years later, and in my own preferred media, as I'm struggling through the months of social transition before I finally start the medical process, I find a person in Supergirl (the TV series) who I can relate to, whose existence matters organically to the season. And yeah, I've cried a lot when it was the specific focus of an ep, and I cringed when even her loving sister said the thing she was going to say--being careful not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't caught up--but it was real to experience. And I wish it had been around when I was younger so I didn't have to stay in the closet So. Damn. Long.
The bit about “I didn’t know I could feel this way.” Really hit home. On the CW’s Supergirl they introduced a trans female superhero played by a trans female actress. They don’t go out of their way to draw attention to it. It’s mentioned in her second episode and it comes up once or twice here and there but they don’t make it her defining characteristic. It’s part of her identity but only part. I had no idea how it felt to see someone like me portrayed just as a person, their own wants, hopes and fears; not held back by or defined by being trans. Knowing that the actress is also trans, that this isn’t just Hollywood’s idea of a trans person gives me hope. If she can make it that far maybe so can I.
This is why I am happy that Rooster Teeth's new animated show gen:LOCK features a genderfluid main character (and it is not implied but explicity stated)
kibert135 When I got to that part, I was so happy. I’m not genderfluid myself, but I felt so glad that such an unrepresented good was finally getting no-nonsense representation that obviously had a lot of respect going into it.
I do gymnastics, and any time a film comes out where gymnastics is a major part of the plot, it's a huge deal in the gymnastics community. The few of those films or TV shows where they actually get it right, even more so. Being part of the LGBT community, it's a very similar feeling when you see someone like yourself on screen. As a transgender person, there are a lot of cases where we are the butt of the joke and I'm sure there are a lot of people out there form whom that is their only knowledge of what a transgender person even is, a cutaway gag in an episode of Family Guy or the plot twist in Ace Ventura where all the men vomit because they kissed a woman who used to be a man. That is why representation is important and why they need to do some research in order to get things right.
As an autistic person I can relate to feeling under-represented, but I think in both our cases we have to admit things are getting slowly better. As a side note that you may want to skip, I smiled at how dramatic it was at points, but I'm not LGBTQ+ so for all I know it's actually toned down.
Snaketooth 09 That is true. When I hear that there are some autistic celebrities I was shocked of those I did not know were like Daryl Hannah. I did not know she was autistic. She is a great actress. I think Andy Kaufman was autistic. It would explain his style of comedy and what he was like.
This is one of those things that has always made me feel very disconnected from the rest of the LGBTQ demographics. Of course I like seeing these characters when they crop up, but personally it's never felt like a huge deal when they do just "Oh hey that's cool, this is nice". It might be because my being LGBTQ has never been a big deal to me (maybe partially because I know I am but to this day am still unsure of what exactly my actual deal is). My big issues were always from the standpoint of someone who wants to create and always seeing attempts getting shot down as not good enough for x y z reasons, as you mentioned towards the end there. I've never begrudged representation, once I knew it was a thing. I grew up in a very small rural island community in the 90s/00s. And I'll be honest here, I didn't really know that people who weren't white actually existed. They were mythical beings who resided on tv and in the local takeaway restaurants. It wasn't until I was nearly in high school that I first met one. So on that level I got where people were coming from. The part that made things really click for me was when you mentioned about places. Detroit, Fargo etc. Because that's part of what makes me connect to Brave the way I do despite so many people hating on it. Scotland means more to me than my own personal identity, and seeing Brave was finally the moment on film where I went "Yes, this is what I've been missing". So I get it, and I'll keep hoping for more. That doesn't mean parts of me still won't die inside when I see genuine attempts get blasted, but that's just me. Keep doing what you're doing buddo PS: Why am I incapable of keeping things concise when I actually comment?? (head-desk)
I mean, just because they had a genuine attempt, doesn't mean they couldn't have failed horribly at it (see: any product that uses the Bury Your Gays trope).
@@ravenfrancis1476 I see what you're saying, and I know that it really bothers a lot of people. This isn't me trying to disregard that frustration, only that the sheer rage I've seen directed at creators for things like the bury your gays trope (a good example as I saw it very recently) makes me sad because I think it can discourage them from continuing to try and improve. I, for example, gave up on writing for years out of fear for that kind of thing. Not because i was thinking of using any particularly maligned tropes or anything but because of the crippling dread that no matter what i might do or how well i tried to portray something it would never be good enough. All I was trying to convey, though maybe poorly, is that I wish more people would be willing to let creators know where they feel they've mis-stepped without resorting to vitriol so that more steps forward can be made rather than steps back
@@ScottishDragonNinja You're sounding more and more like those "THEY'LL NEVER BE SATISFIED SO WHY EVEN BOTHER?!" assholes that try to paint us being reasonably angry at a shitty portrayal of us as some kind of negative. Bury Your Gays ALWAYS deserves the vitriol and anger it receives, or at least it does 98% of the time. Because more often than not the creators get really defensive, even when we're as nice as we fucking can be (Again, see Bury Your Gays).
Joe Francis Oh man, I'm really sorry, that's not how I'm trying to come across at all. I'm absolutely not meaning it's all on the side of the fans or the audience. I'm well aware that creators do not do themselves any favours either. Of course people get angry and frustrated, I absolutely get that. I also understand getting defensive because of all the time and work gone into making something, even though it's definitely not the right response to be had. It's the conflict itself I think I have a problem with. I can't stand conflict, and I just can't see how anything good can come out of it for anyone. Maybe it's just because I'm a coward and a wimp, I own up to that because I've always been this way. I might be entirely wrong and it's the only way for anything to get done, but this is just how I feel. So I apologise for the way I came across, I never meant to undermine anyone.
@@ScottishDragonNinja Oh, grow up. How sheltered ARE you? Your heart is in the right place but there are certain problems that can ONLY be fixed with outrage and protests. You think we beat the Nazis by sitting and making flower crowns with each other? You think LGBT+ people got their rights by just sitting patiently and not raising a fuss? Fuck off. You're right about you being a coward and a wimp. I can't stand people like you. If you make a genuine attempt at representation of a community and you fuck up, you deserve EVERY SINGLE BIT of outrage from that And if that hurts the creators feelings, so what? If they can't handle criticism they shouldn't be a writer in the first place, and if being told the way they're representing us is harmful and lowkey homophobic causes them to start whining about how we're overreacting, that immediately negates any "well meaning intentions" they might have had and I don't want them representing our community at all after that.
At least there has been a noticeable amount of representation that's been coming out in recent years; with kid shows like Steven Universe, The Loud House; Adventure Time, OK KO etc.
@@CouncilofGeeks True; but with more representation they're is still going to be people questioning it regardless. At least we are starting to see more of it with the help of more open minded people. Even if it's a slow process. It's more than what we've ever seen.
Representation helps normalize things and make them appear less mysterious or strange. People who say the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t need representation, has obviously never felt unrepresented in any form of media; because if they had, they would understand why it’s so important to us.
I've been physically disabled all my life, so that's where I'm most aware of shoddy representation. And for most of my life, the most common representations of physically disability in mainstream culture were the annual MDA telethon hosted by Jerry Lewis {spits on his grave}, and Tiny Tim in _The Christmas Carol_ . And the thing about mainstream media is that it shapes the expectations of *everyone* you meet in real life. Including the attitudes of teachers, and doctors and politicians, and neighbors. And that's why minority representation matters even for people in the majority. What you said at the end, about LGBTQ people being minorities in their own families -- that's also true for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, too -- and families are also more likely to be hostile to whoever is different. And I realized that's where I had a point of solidarity with the LGBTQ community *decades* before I realized I was actually a member, myself (though I did notice, early on, that most of the people whose company I "just happened" most enjoy *were* LGBTQ, and if I'd been paying attention, that might have been a clue). {{Hugs, if you'll have them}}
I'm 25 years old and only realized recently that missing limbs and complete paralysis aren't the only reason a person might need a wheelchair. Paralysis from the waist down was the only thing I had seen in mainstream media. It took a youtube video to realize that there are so many other possible reasons.
@@sunriselg Right! That's great that you finally learned that. 'Cause you know what? About *80%* of wheelchair users can walk and/or stand some, but they might have pain, or fatigue, or poor balance, or can only walk a few feet at a time. And Powers Forbid if such a person, i don't know, stands up from their chair for one second, to reach something on a grocery store shelf, they'll often get called a "Faker" and a "Scrounge," and in today's political climate of cutting back on social services, that can be dangerous. You know, whenever I'm flipping through channels, looking for something to watch, and I come across a street scene in a city, with a crowd in the background, I can instantly tell whether it's news/documentary or fiction. Because if it's news, there *always* will be someone, somewhere, with a disability in the background. But in a movie or TV show, you never see disabled people in the crowd.... unless they turn out to be a surprise plot point in the final act.
As someone with CP, thankfully a minor case at birth, I completely agree. I couldn't sit up on my own till I was three, or walk until I was five. I hear stories from my early childhood and I am deeply upset by them. When we would go to my grandparents, they would lay be on the floor in front of the tv. And because my dad is 1 of 10 kids, we have a lot of people visiting. So they would walk over me, stepping over me like you would a roll in the carpet. Of course, the kids would trip on me or whatever now and then. But for the most part the way its described to me it was like I wasn't there. Some of my early memories are of dealing with my disability. Thankfully I can walk, though as I get older I am in near constant weak pain, with more severe pain a reoccuring issue. Its shaped my perception of disabilities in media. I remember watching Glee and seeing the kid playing in it in the wheelchair and recalled all the people I knew in actual wheelchairs in HS. I wish they had gotten an actor who needed a wheelchair for the role but I get it.
@@almightykue3914 The thing that angered me most about the character in Glee was that he was there mostly to be the butt of a joke, and for the able-bodied jock character to show how compassionate he is. Disabled people in mass media hardly ever get to have stories of their own: they're always there to teach the able-bodied some "Valuable lesson" about the meaning of life, or to have a miraculous cure, for the drama, or to wind up dead (and be in a better place now). When we do have our own storylines, it's when we go on murderous rampages, because we're so angry about being disabled. Feh! Did you ever see the Web/RUclips Series "My Gimpy Life"? It ran for two "Seasons" of about 16 minisodes each, and it was an autobiographical comedy about a wheelchair-using actress trying to get work. Here's the trailer for season one: ruclips.net/video/R9dvvwOiIWo/видео.html.
The first time I saw some bisexual on screen as a hero I just felt invincible. It made me feel like I was capable of being just as awesome myself, and that my sexuality wasn’t something that would hold me back. I can’t fully put into words how encouraging all your LGBTQ+ videos have been for me. You keep proving yourself as a voice of reason and sense. I’m glad we have you as one of our champions.
when you talked about how LGBTQ+ people seem "picky" with representation, I remembered trying to watch the new Netflix show Sex Education, which has a gay man as one of its main characters, and being annoyed at said gay character because of how superficial and dumb he was. All he could talk about were ways to get popular or get his crush to like him. I thought to myself "wow, if this were a straight cis girl, the show would have been panned by now". In the two episodes I watched, I rarely found myself enjoying the plot or the other characters because he was always butting in and always going back to the same subjects and jokes. I have no idea if this character had any change because I just felt turned off by the show and didn't watch further than episode 2 but I just felt irritated at how a character who has his sexuality as a big part of his character could be so shallow and stereotypical. Thinking about that has made me realize how much it's not just about having LGBTQ+ characters in media but it's about giving them as much depth as everyone else because we're as varied and unique as everyone else. Being "picky" ends up being important too, so producers and other spectators know what we really look and sound like, not just stereotypes.
I love these videos! I can always listen, even when I disagree on some things, because you explain things rationally and logically, and you make so much sense. More people need to watch this.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! As my profile name and pic indicate, I'm massively into the Harry Potter fandom. Ever since the Crimes of Grindelwald film started to become relevant (i.e. probably since its production), the fandom has been discussing LGBTQ+ representation a LOT, mainly because of the Dumbledore/Grindelwald thing. And I was shocked to find that so, so many HP fans simply don't understand and don't WANT to understand why representation is important to (most) LGBTQ+ individuals. Alas, I even see tons of homophobic/queerphobic comments in every single comment section of posts on HP pages that directly or indirectly discuss LGBTQ+, even if it's a simple fanart of Dean & Seamus as a couple. So thank you for addressing the naysayers' "arguments" and retaliating with calm and well-spoken words, which can hopefully change somebody's mind about this issue.
It find it helpful to remind myself that if I'm actually trying to educate (rather than just rant out my anger, which I do have to do sometimes), that nobody ever had their mind changed by being yelled at. And yeah... there are some unpleasant elements in some HP fandom spaces. Also Dean and Seamus are the freaking cutest.
Even though I identify as gay and Jewish the example of where I felt most 'seen' was a heterosexual Romcom about a Greek woman, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It's amusing to see the reactions to this movie. The majority of professional movie reviewers are from 'mainstream' backgrounds. They uniformly thought the movie was a crass and vulgar exaggeration of Ethnic stereotypes - since nobody is REALLY like that. While people from backgrounds with large extended families + histories of oppression + distinctly difference language, culture and religion had a uniform reaction of "this is my home". It didn't matter if you were Jewish, Korean, Afro-American, or Greek the family dynamics were things that we had experienced but had never seen in movies. The dialogue "Why do I have to spend my weekend studying X language? (Answer) How are you going to be able to talk with your mother-in-law when you get married?" hit home. I now turn the question around when someone who is WASP-str8-cis asks "Why have representation?" to "Why can't you deal with someone in a movie/tv show who isn't exactly like you?"
I did an Indian cookery class with a bunch of women who were ethic Indians and one with a Lebanese background who was marrying an Indian guy. They related to a lot of stuff in My Big Fat Greek wedding.
Also: representation done right helps you to understand people with whom you might have little in common. I am Russian and I happen to visit Finland at least once a year for the last 15 or so years, because it is a nice calm place to spend a holiday. And as long as I can remember I saw pictures of half naked men there made by Tom of Finland. i was accepting, but a little nervous around them. No need to show it around, as they say. Last year i watched a movie at the LGBTQ+ film festival, based on Tom's life, what his life was like. In that cinema I completely understood how his art came to be. He had every reason to do what he did
So many more people NEED to watch this than I fear ever will. Too often, pieces like this can descend into what will be perceived as rants that those in opposition will hold up as examples of how "unreasonable" the LGBTQ+ community is - but never, NEVER, on this channel. I remain in awe of your ability to be so calm and measured, despite how close to home the barbs might strike. Again, thank you for sharing.
Representation is important not just for the people from that Community but also for people outside the community to have a positive role model to see. I grew up in the south straight African American I didn't even really know what the concept of alternative lifestyles was. When I watch the movie Philadelphia with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington it was like a watershed moment for me it broadened my horizons. Not everybody conforms to this narrow View from the community I was raised in. But without that representation in that movie I may have continued to be oblivious two different lifestyles. I'm proud to say but for many years I've had friends from all different lifestyles and it's a beautiful thing to me.
I feel like this is the first time you've referred to yourself as 'genderfluid' specifically, as opposed to having a 'fluid sense of gender'. I don't really have anything to say about it, but as someone who identifies with labels and uses genderfluid as one of those, I always get a little tingle of Yay thats like me! whenever someone uses that label. However, the first video I saw of you where you talked about your fluid sense of gender, I did a happy OMG cat/pikachu face like a little overexcited puppy who just found discovered their own reflection. So I guess in a way, you are providing me with representation by just being yourself, so thank you :) Ramble ramble sorry
I have a complicated relationship with labels (long story short: I don't like using them but recognize their value as a shorthand), and as a result I'm more likely to use a short descriptive phrase than the label most use for it.
I love those nails. Great video. As much as I love the normal videos these always get my full attention. Representation is something that can help you feel also like your not alone which we all need regardless of Race , sexuality, gender, sex or ability. Think I need to show these to people always asking me variations on these questions.
I stand in a weird place, I don’t identify with any gender at all, and when I tell that to people they sometimes say something along the lines of, “then why do you dress like a guy?” And that bothers me, because for me clothes have no gender and I use whatever fits comfortably and I feel I look good in. So people don’t actually know what gender even is, they believe gender expression and gender identity are the same thing, and I love when I see gender neutral people dressed as their “biological” gender, because I don’t feel alone. I don’t feel weird. And I think that is why representation matters, because even though I know I’m not alone, not seeing people like me makes me feel alone. Also I met this person when I was in my exchange semester in the US and he at the time was gender neutral, and I was introduced to the concept for the first time, all my life I went to a male only private school here in chile and I always had that feeling that I didn’t fit in, I had friends and everything I led a pretty normal life I liked people from the oposite gender so I’m really privileged in that sense but I always had that weird feeling inside of me that told me I wasn’t like them. I thought it was because I was a “geek” but it wasn’t until I met this person that I managed to put a name to it, and I understood I wasn’t alone. And it still conflicted me because I thought “I like girls tho”. So naive, then I managed to understand the difference between all of this and that was because I was exposed to the lgbtq+ community, my friends, they were all like that, and I met people like me, and I finally felt normal, like it wasn’t a big deal. So I can imagine someone that’s lgbtq+ and don’t know it yet, and most of the community is usually more different than I am from my “assigned characteristics” (I don’t know how to call them) that must feel hundreds or thousands of times more alone and alienated than I ever could. And seeing someone in a sitcom or something can bring a sense of belonging, and that they’re not alone.
"...people they sometimes say something along the lines of, “then why do you dress like a guy?” And that bothers me..." - Seriously, people tend to live in a world of stereotypes. It annoys me constantly that people have some mental image of what certain groups should look like, and rarely examine how/why they do that.
+Danny0 The way you describe it, it sounds like you're agender-- someone who doesn't identity with any gender. Some people will say that that's what being nonbinary is, but I fall into the group of folx that treat "nonbinary" as an umbrella term to describe anyone whose gender identity does not conform to the gender binary of masculine/feminine (or male/female) that society imposes on us. Furthermore, "nonbinary" is considered to fall under the umbrella of trans+ (which encapsulates not just binary trans folx, but nonbinary trans folx-- Riley J. Dennis IDs as a nonbinary trans woman, intersex individuals, bigender, polygender, nonbinary folx and the identities under nonbinary such as genderqueer, genderfluid, genderflux, agender, demiboy, demigirl, demiflux/demi-nonbinary, those who ID as Third Gender, Native Americans who are Two-Spirit, and many others), meaning you or anyone who IDs as agender, are just as much a part of the LGBTQ+ community as any binary queer person! If you "dress like a guy", or tend to be drawn to "men's clothes" (rather clothes that society has labelled as being for men), then you might be masc or masc-presenting. It doesn't necessarily mean that you ID as "male", or that you're AMAB (Assigned Male At Birth), or that you use he/him pronouns... it's just how you choose to dress/present yourself. From a bisexual AFAB demigirl bisexual femme, which is easier to say) to you, however you identify, you are 100% valid!
@@cannibalisticrequiem Good to know! Thanks for everything you worte. It's hard to get informaation where I come from, part of it is because book taxes are the worst here. And yeah I agree, the clothes named "men clothes", are just a label society decided to give to them. Many people don't usually know or care about this.
Humanity tells itself stories. It's how we, as communities and societies, explain our world, tell ourselves what is or isn't, and largely our worldviews come from these stories. Stories are everywhere in human culture, from children's fairy tales, to gossiping at work with co-workers, to complex historical reconstructions done by historians. Stories are how we build our worlds, real and fictional Mainstream media, and pop culture specifically are some of the biggest and widest consumed stories we tell. For LGBTIAQ people to be conspicuously absent from these stories constructs a worldview that LGBTIAQ people don't exist. And thus our actual existence immediately becomes an aberration. We instantly become Othered. It's one thing for LGBTIAQ to tell their own stories to say "yes we exist", that ends up become a bit circular in end. Definitely not without merit or value, don't get me wrong. But without the wider community acknowledging our existence in their stories we may never gain full mainstream acceptance. This creates an inherent sense of societal rejection. How can it not? Society won't meaningfully acknowledge our existence in the stories it tells about itself, and often when it has we've either been demonised as villainous characters with poor morals, or as victims. Being rejected by society, or just perceiving such a rejection often leads to chronic loneliness, Kurzgesagt has a great video on the negative health effects of that. This would also hold true for all minorities poorly represented in the stories we tell. I'm trans, gender queer, Autistic, with a diverse sexuality. I have not seen many representations, let alone good ones, of various the intersections I fall into. I haven't experienced what May experienced. Not yet at least
Thank you SO MUCH for doing this video. My school has this thing called senior project where you research a topic and make a product from it. This topic is what I want to do it on (next year). Last year I read Of Mice and Men for the first time and saw a character who was mentally handicapped in some sort of way. Granted this character was often read as the villain of the book. I just saw him as someone like me who has struggled because they have different needs than people are willing to understand. I grew up with a condition that no one (in my experience) has ever heard of. Or if they have heard of it, they just lump it in with autism (which I am not diagnosed with). But when I saw the aforementioned character I grew attached to him despite the bad things he did. Then when he was killed off at the end of the book, I was sobbing in a class of people who laughed at his death. Granted I was sensitive at the time to anything of a similar subject matter due to the anniversary of something unrelated. But that character is the closest I've come to seeing someone like me that I haven't gone searching for.
What kind of hell school did you go to? Lenny is categorically not the villain of the book, anyone who says so is an idiot. And you're not supposed to laugh at him or his death.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I'm actually doing a presentation on the importance of diverse representation of minorities (ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, mental and physical disabilities,ect...) and the way you expressed your thoughts really resonated with me. As a daughter of African immigrants I never realized how much I need to see my culture but only represented but also shown respect and dignity in mainstream media before seeing Black Panther. Again thank u so much :)
Made me think. I'm from Liverpool and when I see films set in my city, celebrating my culture, I do get very excited for that because those sorts of films are almost non-existent. It may be difficult for people from London to understand that. Really made me think about representation in another way so thanks for that :)
I am a white cisgender woman with two moms and I was in my twenties before I ever saw mainstream media about LGBTQ+ parents in any positive light. (Side note, I think representation and perception is a reason why my parents didn't even come out to me until I was 13. I know that sounds odd, very long story) This is important and I am so glad you are vocal about it. Please continue.
6:41 My dad is also a nurse, and I don't think I ever saw an episode of House with him where there wasn't something unrealistic that he took issue with. So yeah, I completely relate to that. My mom is a nurse as well, but I don't think it ever bothered her as much.
All I can say is thank you. Thank you for this. The only real representation i have had that connected with me was in a book it explained dysphoria in a way which resonated with me and it was that which helped me to accept myself as a trans guy. The book is called The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson. I’m a new member of the council and I found you through your Doctor Who videos and have seen some of the LGBTQ+ content and your Rent video (I love Rent so much) I love that you’re an LGBTQ+ geek seeing that on this platform matters so much. Thank you so so much for being true to who you are. You are incredible.
You took on a daunting subject, my friend, and handled it well, with grace and honesty; granted, you're preaching to the choir here, but you rendered the issue of representation salient enough that most reasonably empathic humans of whatever identities might think about the first time -- if ever -- they might have, out of nowhere, suddenly recognized themselves where they'd never seen anyone like themselves before, suddenly found themselves feeling truly welcomed.
Thanks so much for this video. You did a fantastic job going over a really difficult to explain topic. When you brought up that point from another youtuber and pointed out they said “I didn’t know I could feel like that.” I realized I’d had a similar feeling with Voltron before it’s S7 release with Shiro being gay. I felt like this was a moment, this hero was like me, which is what made it sting all the more when the character they rolled out was offensive, not queer apparent, and played into bury your gays. I felt crushed, like I’d never be understood. That people like me, as LGBTQ+, were never going to be treated as equals. All I can say is that when you’re denied representation, when you’re attacked by others or your concerns are dismissed in often a very callous fashion for asking to be treated equally, it not only erodes your sense of self, but your faith in society and people as a whole. And nobody want to lose faith or hope. That’s something everyone should understand.
Before I was the mother of a transgender son , I'm a 54 disabled plus size woman. So exactly the same argument as the LGBTQ + . Even after I lost over 100lbs I'm still plus sized and still when I post a video or comment on another video there is always people instead of commenting on my idea attack my size or age. Not on your channel but other's. BTW tomorrow is my birthday.
This really is the greatest video you've ever made, and the best I've ever seen this subject communicated to people. Also kudos for including a clip from Nyx Fears. I love her channel.
I had to share your video, it's so true. I honestly never understood what feeling represented was like until a year ago when I read a YA novel of all things.
You know, I think I just experienced this feeling of being represented a few weeks ago, when Val/entina in Gen:LOCK explained their genderfluidity. All week when I thought about it I felt like it was gonna cry. It’s so powerful and I’m still glowing.
As with many of your other videos, the content was excellent, however I want to specifically commend you on the improvement of your delivery! With every video you're become more and more of an engaging orator!
To give another example of representation, In Nova Scotia (Canada, it’s an entire province, there’s only 12, & I’m expected to know all 52 states, despite not being a citizen) Barret’s Privater's is pretty much sung at every NS festival in some form. Everyone was static about Hobo-with-a-Shotgun, because it was set in Nova Scotia, and the last one is more serious, but many people sang “Farewell to Nova Scotia” (a well known campfire song) to mourn and commemorate those who died in the deadliest mass shooting in Canada’s history. Res presentation helps to comfort people, as well as give them aspirational figures. B) Hey Scottish and Irish folk? How do you like being represented at being drunk idiots? -Cause my entire family hates it.
I feel like I've commented on a video like this before... Unless it got Curated!!!! >:Oc Oh wait... I found it. And for the most part, it still applies. (apparently it was on a Harry Potter video XD) *Snipped the part talking about HP* "I will say though, I did get great insight into you, the way you think, how you feel, and probably the way a lot of other people feel about this topic, that definitely helps me empathize with you and others who feel the same way you do. Because me personally, I've never really felt the need to have representation in media, story telling or anything like that. And never really understood why people where so insistent on "forcing" it in, or pushing for more. And a lot of people (not saying you, I watched the whole video Xp) demanding it be included. And I guess the big disconnect between me and a lot of other gay people, is that I never really saw my being gay as a very significant part of my identity. I mean, it's a part of it sure, but it's not at the forefront, it's simply who I am, and I don't really put much thought into it, I just live my life the way I always have. The vast majority of people I interact with on a daily basis are straight, and so I expect the vast majority of what I see in media to represent that, and It really doesn't bother me at all. There could never be a single gay character in media again, and to be honest, I really wouldn't care. Because I don't need media to represent me, I represent myself, to the people that matter to me. And that's all I care about. But after hearing what you had to say in the back half of the video {the whole video in this case}, It really helped me to see why this is so important to other lgbt people, that feeling of being alone, isolated, or having no one to connect with, or really feel like you have someone who represents your struggles in any meaningful way, that I can empathize with. You were sincere, you were open, you were real in that moment, and I can really appreciate that."
Thank you for saying this. You have in my opinion, captured exactly how many of us feel. Thank you so much for saying this. This makes me feel better just knowing someone said it. It is hard to articulate this towards straight people without just wanting to burst into tears. I wish I could give you a big hug for this video.
Thank you for helping people understand one of the many things which frustrate me about being LGBTQI+. I wish I could see more of us seriously represented and not a comedic afterthought.
Thank you so much for making this vid as a woman with high functioning autism and aspergers who's a lesbian i really needed to hear this and i hope others watch this too
I don't have a lot to add since I agree with everything your saying, I just want to say your hair is beautiful Also, when you going to review Big Finish's Scherzo?
I've been cautioned that there's a number of prerequisite audios you need to listen to first otherwise it doesn't make sense, so I'm still sorting that out.
You just put words to the way I felt when I, a grown-ass adult lesbian woman, was watching Steven Universe and saw sapphic love represented for the first time in an animated childrens' cartoon. If only I'd had a show like SU when I was growing up. Then maybe it wouldn't have taken me so long to realize...
I feel like some creators are worried about the backlash they'd get from misrepresentation, I definitely am! I mean I never just write a character who's Bi or pan or gender fluid just so I have one I normally need a plot reason for them to be that way, but even when I do that I'm worried people will get annoyed at me for handling it in that way.
Well, yeah.. Because that's annoying as fuck and a horrible way to go at it. You don't need a plot-specific reason for your characters to be a minority.They can just BE that minority. That's how most people are. There are no "reasons".
this was so wonderful, you really seemed relaxed and happy in this video, you seem a lot more comfortable with sharing your genderfluidity on this account and its amazing!
This is why I get so mad whenever people accuse lgbt media of ‘forcing it on us’ as if there isn’t an insane shortage of lgbt characters in media in general. That narrow mindset is the reason it makes headlines when anything lgbt related is in mainstream media
I'd like to say that RoosterTeeth's Gen:Lock recently revealed a major character to be Gender fluid, and it's the first time I've ever seen a gender fluid 100% human character in any fiction.
And for ourself, the larger opolous which is not LGTB* or suffer for a mental dissorder or anything else that is underrepresented that is an essential aprt of our indentity (I identify myself as a White, male, cis heterosexual and I am neurotypic and middle class, I could not be more repressented) is still important because it creates acceptance. I remember when the Spanish TV introduced one of their first non flat gay characters in a TV show (Aquí no hay quién viva, a very funny show by the way) people started being more aceptable towards gay people. The actor who played it (gay himself) remembers an anecdote a boy who told him that when he came out, his mother said, but you are a good gay like Mauri (the carácter I am talking about) or a bad gay like the ones from the news. Which is still not ideal, but means that the only contact his mother had before that TV show with homosexuals was through the news reports, specially the ones she remembered from Franco´s time (which were pretty awful in that and almost all other aspect) and having jsut one positive character in media actually helped her to accept her child as he was. Also I can really comprehend the initial analogy, my town recently got represented in a fairly popular TV series (Fariña in the original, in Netflix, Cocaine Coast, in the English translation). One that it's far from a positive representation (it's a series about the drug trafficking problems that happened in the 80´s) but it was still pretty true to most of the events and to the spirit of the time and all the people in my hometown were thrilled they saw part of their own lifes and experiences in film (the tobacco and the drug trafficking were big and everyone at least knew someone who was affected, either as a participant, a victim, or both).
I really appreciate this video. As a white hetero cis guy who follows a lot of Left-leaning people on social media, I was also taken aback by those omnipresent understood assumption of "representation matters" while never explaining why. I think I understand a lot more now.
Well, that was a very poignant and relatable explanation of the feelings that LGBTQ+ people go through. Though hard for me to connect with that sentiment fully due to my personal baggage, I do realise the importance of what you're talking about. Mistreating people should never be allowed and nobody should ever feel the way that you described.
Hi, I've wondered what your take is on inclusion that treats the included character as stock motivation for overall plot. Tara on BtVS comes to mind. That was the first time I realized how much W/T relationship meant to the LGBT community, and how much the conclusion to that storyline angered a lot of them. Anyway, as a cis guy who loved Joss Whedon's writing and quips, that Willow/Tara reaction by LGBTQ fans - mourning wouldn't be overstated - made me aware of stuff I wasn't before. Peace.
This is so accurate! I remember crying when I felt represented for the first time. It was like I was so thirsty and never realized I was dying of thirst. Like, before I (as a bisexual person) experienced representation, I didn't get the importance of it at all! I don't know how to adequately convey this importance, because it's really something that you just don't understand except through experience.
Before I watch the video, I really want to just, talk for a bit. GOOD LGBTQ+ Representation matters. Not just ANY representation. Because It's not enough to just shove a gay character into the story, call them gay and be done with it. It's not enough to mention offhandedly - oh right, this dude's trans, don't worry about it. The additions like - Dumbledore is gay and anything of the sorts are not GOOD representation. There are very few LGBTQ+ characters who actually represent this community in a good way. Characters must be characters in the first place. As humans are just that - humans. A well written LGBTQ+ character can become a role model for others, make sure that children or adults who are becoming aware of their part in the community know - they also matter. A bad written LGBTQ+ character will become a laughing stock, which will, in turn, discourage many of the same people around the world. It will just show them that nobody takes them seriously, nobody really cares about them enough. At least, that is what I am thinking, being a writer myself...to a degree. If you are going to Do an LGBTQ+ character, do it right. Or don't do it at all. That's what I think, at least... ON TO THE VIDEO.
When I left Love, Simon I was so bubbly and giddy, I felt very confident; buzzing about the film with my friend. A film has never made me feel that way and I honestly don't think it could be replicated. The other time I can think of is when I rewatched Shadowhunters (TV show) as I paid more attention to the details. Magnus and Alec had just shared a kiss and I realised I felt lighter and after I analysed this, I came to realise I felt better; better about myself and the types of relationships I would go on to have.
This is a great video, and seeing this is poignant especially right now with what's going on with the manbabies' reactions to Captain Marvel. We're still dealing with representation of _women_ in central roles. What a shame of a situation. White Cis Male Aggrievement Syndrome is destructive and can be deadly.
Concerned Citizen try to see why people aren’t happy about Captain Marvel but not thru your own personal hate lens. A lot of it has to do specifically with Brie Larson’s politics and insulting behavior across the board. It’s not some weird kind of sexism. Your mindset doesn’t help anyone. It’s exactly the same as what you rally against.... you’re just on the other side. Think about it.
@@hardfugoo1 Except I've seen people saying the movie looks like garbage, even though it doesn't. I was agreeing with them in the first trailer, but the subsequent trailers have all been great. And yet people are still saying "oh this movie looks like shit" and, more tellingly "this character is so emotionless." And they're fucking lying. The trailer this was commented on showed Captain Marvel being playful and smiling, and they still said she was emotionless. They're threatened by this movie, no two ways about it. They're letting their hatred for the character in the comics and the actress cloud their view of what's in front of their eyes. They're morons in denial.
@@hardfugoo1 Thanks for that example of False Equivalence! It's always hilariously ironic when you pedants try to shame minorities by comparing their justified anger at routinely being shat upon to their aggressors hurt feelings over not being placated, because it's NOWHERE NEAR being "the same", AT ALL! And your reductive reasoning is just your way of trying to silence marginalized voices. 💁♀️
I think another aspect of LGBTQ+ representation in media is that it can help one discover or come to terms with their own identity. A lot of the shows I watched growing up always generally had that one gay character in the mix, but besides that there really wasn't much else in terms of LGBTQ+ rep (and ofc besides that, how gay characters were represented in the early 2000s is another topic in and of itself). This left me very confused; it painted a very either you're gay or you're straight picture in my head. Looking back, I repressed my attraction to girls because I thought that simply being attracted to the same gender meant that I was gay, and at the time that terrified the hell out of me. I didn't start seeing bi rep on TV (good bi rep, mind you) until around 2015 with The 100. At that point I knew I was bi, but I wasn't really "out," but there's something about seeing one of your favorite characters represent your sexuality extremely re-affirming. We can talk about how representation on screen can help those outside of the LGBTQ+ spectrum become more understanding and informed, which definitely helped my mom come to terms with my sexuality, but I think it's equally important that sometimes someone can discover themselves and their identity through media; when they can see someone with the same feelings as theirs and go "ah, wait minute, that's me!" Sorry, this is a bit of a mess! Thank you for the video.
Oh, sweetie, you looked like you were about to cry a few times there and I just wanted to reach into the screen and give a big hug! Eesh, sorry if that sounds patronising - i don't mean it like that, I swear. You are absolutely right about representation and why it matters, I just think sometimes bad and/or negative representation is more a problem than no representation. How would it have felt to be LGBTQ+ through the early years of flim-making and having any LGBTQ+ character either die or be the villain? I mean, that was it. Victim, or victimiser. Hollywood still has a huge problem with promoting LGBTQ+ movies in which the relationship between the characters ends because one of them leaves or one of them dies - and those are the films that get all the awards! And that's if the LGBTQ+ character isn't the only one in the film as token representation. Yeesh. Hollywood needs to start making movies about every kind of person, and every kind of relationship. If someone wants to watch a straight, white, cisgender man get his straight, cisgender woman, there are literally thousands of movies that show that. They've got enough choice. Time to change it up.
The main part of why I put off transition for so many years was the impression I was given by popular media, an impression other folks barely even seem to have noticed since it wasn't a thing they really thought about, but I noticed. And in my young impressionable mind, I was imagining that I would be killed for it. I saw how people used to be killed for other random things. And I saw this random thing being talked down in the same way right now (back then). And I drew a link. And that's why it took me until the point where I was going to kill myself regardless for it to be worth the risk I thought I was taking. Even sadder thing is that even though for me personally that risk was grossly overexaggerated, a skin colour and location different and that risk would've been accurate. Was not aware of what intersectionality was at the time. I was a bit developmentally stunted and my mind couldn't grasp very subtle stuff very easily, aside from if it particularly spoke to me. And everything that particularly spoke to me was morbidly negative. So anyway, yeah. Years of my life wasted and for the significant amount of time that such things mattered to me, a significant part of my appearance rendered permanently male-coded during those lost years (and it's still a thing that matters to the public sometimes and renders me moderately unsafe). If positive representation would have been ordinary when I was growing up, I would have told someone the very moment I knew it was a thing that could happen, went through the correct puberty, and never even known the misery that was to come. That's gone now, but... well it was still a big chunk of life. And wasn't a choice, but rather a threat. This is why representation is important to me. I know first hand the effect it can have.
Representation... "It is a tiny reassurance that maybe, you are not a monster."
That should be quite an eye-opener for anyone who thinks it's no big deal. It's huge, and frankly a bit heartbreaking.
The issue is. Most would reply with "Well of course your not a monster, thats ridiculous" meaning well. But its not the same. Yes some people may actually see people who are gay, trans, etc as being perfectly normal. Its that they don't see themselves as normal yet. They still feel like an outsider, like they aren't part of the group.
Labels are defined by their very nature to be something as not one thing or another.
Almighty Kue Why is it the responsibility of every single creator of art (music, video games, paintings, tv shows, movies, marketing....) to be representative to minority groups? Not that I don’t think they should be, but why is it their responsibility? It could just as equally be argued that the creator has the right to do with their work however they please
Coming from a straight guy , this was a great video . I was always someone who did get frustrated when people were so focused on representation instead of other things , but this was a really great video which put things into perspective when it comes to representation . I applaud you for allowing me to have a stronger understanding of the topic
Yesterday was Asperger's Awareness Day, for which I always write a message on my Facebook about growing up on the Autism spectrum. I remember when my mom told me about my diagnosis, the first thing she told me was to be very discreet about it because it's not so well known (this was in the early aughts, before there was a boom in awareness on the autism spectrum), but as soon as she told me, I started noticing all the things that made me look weird in front of everyone (I already knew there was something different about me and I had seen Rain Man the year before I found out, so I already had my suspicions) and I could see people react to the way I behaved and I realized that the reason everyone reacted to me in a weird way is because everyone expected me to be "normal", not because they expected everyone to be normal, but because no one had any idea that there was something that made me different. Once I started telling people and explaining what happens to me, I was much more accepted by my peers with all my quirks and such and I've made it a point of telling people, because that's the best way to be included in society as a whole. Nowadays, I can use characters like Rain Man, or Sheldon, or Max from Parenthood, or Abed from Community or any number of characters that have been represented on the autism spectrum as shorthand to let people know what they can expect (and even then, every person is different). That's another reason why I consider mainstream representation important. It gives the mainstream audience a frame of reference as to the different kinds of people there are in the world and how all of them can be included, which is why I applaud you for making these videos and for continuing to push for more representation.
I was a boy with long hair and i remember how i happy i was seeing a man with long hair in a movie. Even though it wasnt a core part of my identitiy i can see why representation is important. I would not have thought about this without people like you, thank you.
Interesting, its likely part of the reason i liked the fantasy genre and lord of the rings or me for me. It was not often mentioned that men can be manly and have longer hair till fantasy became mainstream. Or movies in the 80s with hippies. I can relate that it wasnt mainstream for a time.
The first time I read lesbian romance (I was 12 and in love with a girl), I got so excited because all my life I thought that wasn't possible. The first time I saw a genderfluid character on a book, when I was 16, it made me so happy that I didn't shut up about it for 2 weeks. The first time my best friend saw a gay character come out on TV, he decided to come out to his parents.
I've seen people's lives change because of a simple representation on a TV show or movie. That's why representation matters. It has the power to convince us ours lives are worth living.
For me, as I'm gay and autistic, I can't relate myself with strait neurotypical characters as well as gay neurotypical characters. Similarly I find it hard to relate myself with neurotypical characters as a whole. To me LGBT and autistic representation on TV and in film is a way of making me feel like I'm part of a community and not alone like I was for most of my life.
Because if there isn’t, LGBTQ+ kids might think of themselves as weird. When I first realized I was bisexual, I remember telling myself, “don’t tell anyone about this. Hide it.” So, i did. I preoccupied myself with topics, activities, books so I wouldn’t think about it. When I did have time to think about it, i honestly hoped to god that I was genuinely confused because I know my family wouldn’t accept it, especially my abuela. We’re Hispanic/Latino so my family tends to not understand these sort of things. I told my dad who was surprisingly okay with it but I know I can’t tell my grandparents because they’re literally have heart attack.
As I’m watching/writing Fantasy/Adventure LGBTQ+ content, I’m slowly coming to terms with it. One of the reasons as to why I made one of my main male characters (even though I’m female) bisexual is for that specific purpose of helping me.
I was watching dragon prince with my twin sister the other day and there are these lesbians characters. I was so happy to see them that I kept on saying “go lesbians! Go!” My sister got annoyed because I’m not that outspoken about things. I’m quite soft spoken. I’m out to her but sometimes I don’t think she understands or sees it as a problem that should be kept on the downlow. My dad has the same sort of mentality about it, being that don’t bring it up unless it is necessary to the conversation. Sometimes that sort of mentality hurts my feelings but I understand it - don’t become annoying and talk in circles about the same thing (which I tend to do because i also happen to have Aspergers - a form of autism)
Sorry, also the queens dont disturb the story in the slightest, so it shouldnt be a problem for anyone that they are there. I thought it was weird at first but they never give special attention to the fact, so yes that is good representation that should be only a, the queens are a couple, so what reaction, the best representation. Fanboying about it is another thing , that can probably be annoying but the characters are grounded in the story and nor annoying at all.
Person of interest gets an organic but badass and emotional lesbian couple too, or sort of couple but they become canon.
Legends of tomorrow too, season one isnt the best but season 2 onwards is fun, and a kickass bi female in charge, and she inds a badass funny partner.
Before I watch the video...
I’m going to write a massive essay on my opinions on the subject first because my opinion and viewpoint is vital.
Good luck with that
Please share the link to the essay in of the comment sections of Council of Geeks so we can enjoy it, if you feel comfortable doing so
Haha, I tend to do this in RUclips comments. I miss being able to post things in forums, and I don't currently have a website back online, because my budget is iffy to awful. But I like the humor in the comment, plus I agree, I'd like to see the essay.
I'm a trans guy, and I'm a fan of the manga Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. In the sixth part, known as Stone Ocean, there's a very quick scene where the protagonist, Jolyne, is going through the process of entering a women's prison. She asks the guards why there's a man in the line, and they tell her "she took hormones to make herself look like that, she's not really a man" to which Jolyne remarks "he certainly looks like a man to me". It's not important to the plot, we don't ever see this character again, but when I first read that scene I was overjoyed - it's a scene that speaks to the problems of being trans in prison, and the hero of the story doesn't join in with the misgendering of the guards. It's a very nice scene that shows a cis woman thinking of a trans man not only as a man, but also as a potential sexual partner since the line is meant in a flirty way. It's something you almost never see and JoJo is one of the most popular mangas in the world, so knowing a lot of people saw it fills me with joy every time I think about it.
Ok, that escalated quickly and in the interest of decorum (as well as not being clear why something sparked out of nowhere on a month old comment), I'm clearing out the reply thread. This is not a punishment, this is me politely requesting everybody to take a breath and step away.
@@CouncilofGeeks Yes, you are right. We both needed to take a breath and step back. HOWEVER, the best way for people to learn and understand from conflicts like this is NOT to censor and remove it. You don't want there to be constructive rational ways to solve issues like these - you just want to silence anything potentially offensive.
This is why you didn't want to continue having email discussions with me any longer. You just want to stay in your precious echo chamber. You can't handle disagreement like mine.
They need to represent asexuals/aromantics etc more
Yeah Im asexial and theres hardly any asexual characters in media
You should watch BoJack horseman, one of the central characters (Todd) is asexual
@@otterhero6229
Thanks :) will give it ago
Jughead from the Jughead comics is a great representation of an ace and aro character and I would highly recommend reading them.
@@jenblack98
Thanks for the suggestion
Is anyone else crying? Am I the only one crying? I feel like I'm the only one crying!
Thanks for covering these topics. I'm LGBTQ and people never seem to understand why I think representation in media matters so much. Now I have a video I can send them.
*as a child, if i had seen any trans men in media who werent portrayed as "confused freaks", my childhood would have gone way better*
I remember growing up, I didn't even know what gay was. It was so weird because I knew I liked those with the same gender as me but I didn't even have a word to describe it. On top of that I was bullied relentlessly for being gay, I didn't know what it meant but from the way people were saying it, it sounded like it was something terrible, and I was a nice person so of course I denied it. I'm not sure when exactly I realised being gay and being attracted to men were the same thing, but I kinda just forgot about my sexuality until high school. I'm not sure how seeing representation of gay people on tv wouldve affected me but I know for sure school wouldve been a lot easier. Because, when as soon as I came out in high school nobody even mentioned it, everyone accepted it as a normal thing and if I had been able to say "Yes, I am. And what of it?" When I was younger it would've helped. So I guess what I'm getting at is that representation is also important to help young LGBTQ+ people learn about themselves.
It's fun binge watching your LGBTQ+ videos as a new viewer and seeing how your various videos are connected. Like, I just came from a year old video "think about the children" where people in the comments were suggesting you talk about the importance of representation for LGBTQ+ children as well as why representation in children's media is a good thing.
One of the best things about moderating my comments is seeing suggestions or conversations that spur on a new video idea.
This got me thinking about transgender characters in mainstream media, and while there have been more and more in recent years, thinking back over the years, there had been very few and most of those were jokes or villains. However, a Google search lead me to someone very interesting...Princess Ozma. She is the main character in the 2nd "Land Of Oz" book. She was stolen away as a child by a wicked witch who turned her into a boy so she could never take the throne. After being raised as a boy for year, she escapes, learns of who she really is and is transformed back into her true self. This was in a book written in 1904. While it's not a perfect depiction of a transgender character, that is still pretty incredible for back then. The character was played on TV by Shirley Temple, but most other TV and film adaptations have abandoned this element of the story. In 1985's "Return To Oz', she was just a girl in the hospital with Dorothy who turned out to be the rightful heir to the throne. Perhaps it is time that the book is remade into a film and with the transgender aspect in tact. The Shirley Temple version has some great actors in it, but it's not even a made for TV movie. It's an episode of her TV show and presented in a very pantomime way. Having a transgender character in such a major franchise, that's huge.
The chances of changing my name to Ozma were > 0.
You should totally read the webcomic Namesake. It's about people travelling to fairy tale worlds, and Oz is a huge one, and Ozma is a hugely important character. And it's absolutely full of LGBTQ+ representation.
Oh yeah. For most of my life I thought I just didn't care about romance in movies. But then I saw the relationship between Magnus and Alex in Shadowhunters TV series and it made me feel things I never felt before. It even changed the way I saw myself in the end. Representation matters.
Thank you for those words at the end there. I didn’t know i needed to hear them, but they made my eyes water.
This video is so necessary. Yes, for LGBTQ+ people but for other minorities as well. For someone like me who is a minority among minorities I have to struggle to find representation at all, especially good representation, which can be depressing. Everyday I feel like I have to defend and justify who I am and I wish for the day where I can see someone who shares my experience on a screen where people who aren't like me will see it and learn to accept me and not just as a sidekick or novelty that has no growth as a person.
That allegory about hiding in a hole and sometimes net getting out made my jaw drop and nearly brought me to tears. I loved this video because of the brutal honesty that's here and how you didn't skip around anything; you just said it, and some people need to hear that. As someone who's bi, it was so nice to see Rosa come out on Brooklyn 99 only for me to realize how little representation of bi people there are, at least where it isn't demonized. But seeing Rosa say it and to not be demonized for it just made me feel...nice. It's the ability to relate, something that humans instinctively need, that makes representation so important. We want to relate to these characters on different things. Sometimes it's our shared job, or maybe a favorite color, but other times it's much bigger then that with gender/sexuality representation, and it's that ability to relate that makes it so important. To quote another one of your videos, "Inclusion helps people not feel like abominations." and it's that there that makes it so important.
Meg Toon I didn't finish watching all of it (season 3) and I honestly do plan to rewatch and catch up eventually is The 100 and the main character who is awesome is bisexual. Also, one of my favourite TV shows of all time Shadowhunters depicts a super powerful and amazing warlock who is bi.
This almost made me cry god dammit. Represantion is so important and I'm so tired having to reason why a character that is like me for example is in a game or a movie if it doesn't add to the story. As if being straight affects the story more. I hate that a lot of the represantion in mainstream media is invisible or cut out entirely. "Oh yes this character is gay but we just didn't talk about it." I'm pansexual but even just getting wonder woman on the big screen had me in tears. We keep seeing straight white guys as heroes all the time, they have been getting their movies for years. Most women in those movies are love interests or left to the sidelines and finally we're getting more stuff that isn't half assed. Everyone deserves to see themselves in the mainstream media.
film "Victim" (1961) literally changed society's mind on gay people in Great Britain. Representation matters a whole lot.
When Ellen---who I already had a celebrity crush on for years before--came out in the famous Puppy Episode, it was a huge crying deal for me. Granted, it took me a zillion years to say why. Conversely, everytime the common joke, "I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body," would be said somewhere, it was a moment of cringe, as my real identity is pawned off for laughs, pushing me further back in the closet. Yet here I am, all these years later, and in my own preferred media, as I'm struggling through the months of social transition before I finally start the medical process, I find a person in Supergirl (the TV series) who I can relate to, whose existence matters organically to the season. And yeah, I've cried a lot when it was the specific focus of an ep, and I cringed when even her loving sister said the thing she was going to say--being careful not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't caught up--but it was real to experience. And I wish it had been around when I was younger so I didn't have to stay in the closet So. Damn. Long.
The bit about “I didn’t know I could feel this way.” Really hit home. On the CW’s Supergirl they introduced a trans female superhero played by a trans female actress. They don’t go out of their way to draw attention to it. It’s mentioned in her second episode and it comes up once or twice here and there but they don’t make it her defining characteristic. It’s part of her identity but only part. I had no idea how it felt to see someone like me portrayed just as a person, their own wants, hopes and fears; not held back by or defined by being trans. Knowing that the actress is also trans, that this isn’t just Hollywood’s idea of a trans person gives me hope. If she can make it that far maybe so can I.
This is why I am happy that Rooster Teeth's new animated show gen:LOCK features a genderfluid main character (and it is not implied but explicity stated)
kibert135 When I got to that part, I was so happy. I’m not genderfluid myself, but I felt so glad that such an unrepresented good was finally getting no-nonsense representation that obviously had a lot of respect going into it.
@@redrosella Yeah, and they are voiced by a non-binory voice actor.
I do gymnastics, and any time a film comes out where gymnastics is a major part of the plot, it's a huge deal in the gymnastics community. The few of those films or TV shows where they actually get it right, even more so. Being part of the LGBT community, it's a very similar feeling when you see someone like yourself on screen. As a transgender person, there are a lot of cases where we are the butt of the joke and I'm sure there are a lot of people out there form whom that is their only knowledge of what a transgender person even is, a cutaway gag in an episode of Family Guy or the plot twist in Ace Ventura where all the men vomit because they kissed a woman who used to be a man. That is why representation is important and why they need to do some research in order to get things right.
As an autistic person I can relate to feeling under-represented, but I think in both our cases we have to admit things are getting slowly better.
As a side note that you may want to skip, I smiled at how dramatic it was at points, but I'm not LGBTQ+ so for all I know it's actually toned down.
Snaketooth 09 That is true. When I hear that there are some autistic celebrities I was shocked of those I did not know were like Daryl Hannah. I did not know she was autistic. She is a great actress. I think Andy Kaufman was autistic. It would explain his style of comedy and what he was like.
This is one of those things that has always made me feel very disconnected from the rest of the LGBTQ demographics. Of course I like seeing these characters when they crop up, but personally it's never felt like a huge deal when they do just "Oh hey that's cool, this is nice". It might be because my being LGBTQ has never been a big deal to me (maybe partially because I know I am but to this day am still unsure of what exactly my actual deal is). My big issues were always from the standpoint of someone who wants to create and always seeing attempts getting shot down as not good enough for x y z reasons, as you mentioned towards the end there. I've never begrudged representation, once I knew it was a thing.
I grew up in a very small rural island community in the 90s/00s. And I'll be honest here, I didn't really know that people who weren't white actually existed. They were mythical beings who resided on tv and in the local takeaway restaurants. It wasn't until I was nearly in high school that I first met one. So on that level I got where people were coming from.
The part that made things really click for me was when you mentioned about places. Detroit, Fargo etc. Because that's part of what makes me connect to Brave the way I do despite so many people hating on it. Scotland means more to me than my own personal identity, and seeing Brave was finally the moment on film where I went "Yes, this is what I've been missing". So I get it, and I'll keep hoping for more. That doesn't mean parts of me still won't die inside when I see genuine attempts get blasted, but that's just me.
Keep doing what you're doing buddo
PS: Why am I incapable of keeping things concise when I actually comment?? (head-desk)
I mean, just because they had a genuine attempt, doesn't mean they couldn't have failed horribly at it (see: any product that uses the Bury Your Gays trope).
@@ravenfrancis1476 I see what you're saying, and I know that it really bothers a lot of people. This isn't me trying to disregard that frustration, only that the sheer rage I've seen directed at creators for things like the bury your gays trope (a good example as I saw it very recently) makes me sad because I think it can discourage them from continuing to try and improve.
I, for example, gave up on writing for years out of fear for that kind of thing. Not because i was thinking of using any particularly maligned tropes or anything but because of the crippling dread that no matter what i might do or how well i tried to portray something it would never be good enough.
All I was trying to convey, though maybe poorly, is that I wish more people would be willing to let creators know where they feel they've mis-stepped without resorting to vitriol so that more steps forward can be made rather than steps back
@@ScottishDragonNinja You're sounding more and more like those "THEY'LL NEVER BE SATISFIED SO WHY EVEN BOTHER?!" assholes that try to paint us being reasonably angry at a shitty portrayal of us as some kind of negative. Bury Your Gays ALWAYS deserves the vitriol and anger it receives, or at least it does 98% of the time. Because more often than not the creators get really defensive, even when we're as nice as we fucking can be (Again, see Bury Your Gays).
Joe Francis Oh man, I'm really sorry, that's not how I'm trying to come across at all. I'm absolutely not meaning it's all on the side of the fans or the audience. I'm well aware that creators do not do themselves any favours either. Of course people get angry and frustrated, I absolutely get that. I also understand getting defensive because of all the time and work gone into making something, even though it's definitely not the right response to be had.
It's the conflict itself I think I have a problem with. I can't stand conflict, and I just can't see how anything good can come out of it for anyone. Maybe it's just because I'm a coward and a wimp, I own up to that because I've always been this way. I might be entirely wrong and it's the only way for anything to get done, but this is just how I feel. So I apologise for the way I came across, I never meant to undermine anyone.
@@ScottishDragonNinja Oh, grow up. How sheltered ARE you? Your heart is in the right place but there are certain problems that can ONLY be fixed with outrage and protests. You think we beat the Nazis by sitting and making flower crowns with each other? You think LGBT+ people got their rights by just sitting patiently and not raising a fuss? Fuck off. You're right about you being a coward and a wimp. I can't stand people like you. If you make a genuine attempt at representation of a community and you fuck up, you deserve EVERY SINGLE BIT of outrage from that And if that hurts the creators feelings, so what? If they can't handle criticism they shouldn't be a writer in the first place, and if being told the way they're representing us is harmful and lowkey homophobic causes them to start whining about how we're overreacting, that immediately negates any "well meaning intentions" they might have had and I don't want them representing our community at all after that.
At least there has been a noticeable amount of representation that's been coming out in recent years; with kid shows like Steven Universe, The Loud House; Adventure Time, OK KO etc.
It is getting better, but that hasn't stopped people from questioning why it's there.
@@CouncilofGeeks True; but with more representation they're is still going to be people questioning it regardless. At least we are starting to see more of it with the help of more open minded people. Even if it's a slow process. It's more than what we've ever seen.
Representation helps normalize things and make them appear less mysterious or strange.
People who say the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t need representation, has obviously never felt unrepresented in any form of media; because if they had, they would understand why it’s so important to us.
I've been physically disabled all my life, so that's where I'm most aware of shoddy representation. And for most of my life, the most common representations of physically disability in mainstream culture were the annual MDA telethon hosted by Jerry Lewis {spits on his grave}, and Tiny Tim in _The Christmas Carol_ . And the thing about mainstream media is that it shapes the expectations of *everyone* you meet in real life. Including the attitudes of teachers, and doctors and politicians, and neighbors. And that's why minority representation matters even for people in the majority.
What you said at the end, about LGBTQ people being minorities in their own families -- that's also true for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, too -- and families are also more likely to be hostile to whoever is different. And I realized that's where I had a point of solidarity with the LGBTQ community *decades* before I realized I was actually a member, myself (though I did notice, early on, that most of the people whose company I "just happened" most enjoy *were* LGBTQ, and if I'd been paying attention, that might have been a clue).
{{Hugs, if you'll have them}}
Absolutely agree. Time's Up for Cripping-Up!
I'm 25 years old and only realized recently that missing limbs and complete paralysis aren't the only reason a person might need a wheelchair. Paralysis from the waist down was the only thing I had seen in mainstream media. It took a youtube video to realize that there are so many other possible reasons.
@@sunriselg Right! That's great that you finally learned that. 'Cause you know what? About *80%* of wheelchair users can walk and/or stand some, but they might have pain, or fatigue, or poor balance, or can only walk a few feet at a time. And Powers Forbid if such a person, i don't know, stands up from their chair for one second, to reach something on a grocery store shelf, they'll often get called a "Faker" and a "Scrounge," and in today's political climate of cutting back on social services, that can be dangerous.
You know, whenever I'm flipping through channels, looking for something to watch, and I come across a street scene in a city, with a crowd in the background, I can instantly tell whether it's news/documentary or fiction. Because if it's news, there *always* will be someone, somewhere, with a disability in the background. But in a movie or TV show, you never see disabled people in the crowd.... unless they turn out to be a surprise plot point in the final act.
As someone with CP, thankfully a minor case at birth, I completely agree. I couldn't sit up on my own till I was three, or walk until I was five. I hear stories from my early childhood and I am deeply upset by them. When we would go to my grandparents, they would lay be on the floor in front of the tv. And because my dad is 1 of 10 kids, we have a lot of people visiting. So they would walk over me, stepping over me like you would a roll in the carpet. Of course, the kids would trip on me or whatever now and then. But for the most part the way its described to me it was like I wasn't there.
Some of my early memories are of dealing with my disability. Thankfully I can walk, though as I get older I am in near constant weak pain, with more severe pain a reoccuring issue. Its shaped my perception of disabilities in media. I remember watching Glee and seeing the kid playing in it in the wheelchair and recalled all the people I knew in actual wheelchairs in HS. I wish they had gotten an actor who needed a wheelchair for the role but I get it.
@@almightykue3914 The thing that angered me most about the character in Glee was that he was there mostly to be the butt of a joke, and for the able-bodied jock character to show how compassionate he is. Disabled people in mass media hardly ever get to have stories of their own: they're always there to teach the able-bodied some "Valuable lesson" about the meaning of life, or to have a miraculous cure, for the drama, or to wind up dead (and be in a better place now). When we do have our own storylines, it's when we go on murderous rampages, because we're so angry about being disabled.
Feh!
Did you ever see the Web/RUclips Series "My Gimpy Life"? It ran for two "Seasons" of about 16 minisodes each, and it was an autobiographical comedy about a wheelchair-using actress trying to get work. Here's the trailer for season one: ruclips.net/video/R9dvvwOiIWo/видео.html.
The first time I saw some bisexual on screen as a hero I just felt invincible. It made me feel like I was capable of being just as awesome myself, and that my sexuality wasn’t something that would hold me back.
I can’t fully put into words how encouraging all your LGBTQ+ videos have been for me. You keep proving yourself as a voice of reason and sense. I’m glad we have you as one of our champions.
when you talked about how LGBTQ+ people seem "picky" with representation, I remembered trying to watch the new Netflix show Sex Education, which has a gay man as one of its main characters, and being annoyed at said gay character because of how superficial and dumb he was. All he could talk about were ways to get popular or get his crush to like him. I thought to myself "wow, if this were a straight cis girl, the show would have been panned by now". In the two episodes I watched, I rarely found myself enjoying the plot or the other characters because he was always butting in and always going back to the same subjects and jokes. I have no idea if this character had any change because I just felt turned off by the show and didn't watch further than episode 2 but I just felt irritated at how a character who has his sexuality as a big part of his character could be so shallow and stereotypical.
Thinking about that has made me realize how much it's not just about having LGBTQ+ characters in media but it's about giving them as much depth as everyone else because we're as varied and unique as everyone else. Being "picky" ends up being important too, so producers and other spectators know what we really look and sound like, not just stereotypes.
I love these videos! I can always listen, even when I disagree on some things, because you explain things rationally and logically, and you make so much sense. More people need to watch this.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
As my profile name and pic indicate, I'm massively into the Harry Potter fandom. Ever since the Crimes of Grindelwald film started to become relevant (i.e. probably since its production), the fandom has been discussing LGBTQ+ representation a LOT, mainly because of the Dumbledore/Grindelwald thing. And I was shocked to find that so, so many HP fans simply don't understand and don't WANT to understand why representation is important to (most) LGBTQ+ individuals. Alas, I even see tons of homophobic/queerphobic comments in every single comment section of posts on HP pages that directly or indirectly discuss LGBTQ+, even if it's a simple fanart of Dean & Seamus as a couple. So thank you for addressing the naysayers' "arguments" and retaliating with calm and well-spoken words, which can hopefully change somebody's mind about this issue.
It find it helpful to remind myself that if I'm actually trying to educate (rather than just rant out my anger, which I do have to do sometimes), that nobody ever had their mind changed by being yelled at.
And yeah... there are some unpleasant elements in some HP fandom spaces. Also Dean and Seamus are the freaking cutest.
Even though I identify as gay and Jewish the example of where I felt most 'seen' was a heterosexual Romcom about a Greek woman, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
It's amusing to see the reactions to this movie. The majority of professional movie reviewers are from 'mainstream' backgrounds. They uniformly thought the movie was a crass and vulgar exaggeration of Ethnic stereotypes - since nobody is REALLY like that.
While people from backgrounds with large extended families + histories of oppression + distinctly difference language, culture and religion had a uniform reaction of "this is my home". It didn't matter if you were Jewish, Korean, Afro-American, or Greek the family dynamics were things that we had experienced but had never seen in movies. The dialogue "Why do I have to spend my weekend studying X language? (Answer) How are you going to be able to talk with your mother-in-law when you get married?" hit home.
I now turn the question around when someone who is WASP-str8-cis asks "Why have representation?" to "Why can't you deal with someone in a movie/tv show who isn't exactly like you?"
I did an Indian cookery class with a bunch of women who were ethic Indians and one with a Lebanese background who was marrying an Indian guy. They related to a lot of stuff in My Big Fat Greek wedding.
Also: representation done right helps you to understand people with whom you might have little in common. I am Russian and I happen to visit Finland at least once a year for the last 15 or so years, because it is a nice calm place to spend a holiday. And as long as I can remember I saw pictures of half naked men there made by Tom of Finland. i was accepting, but a little nervous around them. No need to show it around, as they say. Last year i watched a movie at the LGBTQ+ film festival, based on Tom's life, what his life was like. In that cinema I completely understood how his art came to be. He had every reason to do what he did
@ULGROTHA Tom of Finland (2017), its a biographical drama
So many more people NEED to watch this than I fear ever will. Too often, pieces like this can descend into what will be perceived as rants that those in opposition will hold up as examples of how "unreasonable" the LGBTQ+ community is - but never, NEVER, on this channel. I remain in awe of your ability to be so calm and measured, despite how close to home the barbs might strike. Again, thank you for sharing.
Representation is important not just for the people from that Community but also for people outside the community to have a positive role model to see. I grew up in the south straight African American I didn't even really know what the concept of alternative lifestyles was. When I watch the movie Philadelphia with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington it was like a watershed moment for me it broadened my horizons. Not everybody conforms to this narrow View from the community I was raised in. But without that representation in that movie I may have continued to be oblivious two different lifestyles. I'm proud to say but for many years I've had friends from all different lifestyles and it's a beautiful thing to me.
Rinehardt 68 What about movies like Blue is the Warmest color? That movie is great.
@@Teatime7771 I have not seen it but i will check it out. Thanks.
I love your LGBTQ+ videos so much! Somehow, you manage to say everything that all of us think about and word them so well.
I feel like this is the first time you've referred to yourself as 'genderfluid' specifically, as opposed to having a 'fluid sense of gender'. I don't really have anything to say about it, but as someone who identifies with labels and uses genderfluid as one of those, I always get a little tingle of Yay thats like me! whenever someone uses that label. However, the first video I saw of you where you talked about your fluid sense of gender, I did a happy OMG cat/pikachu face like a little overexcited puppy who just found discovered their own reflection. So I guess in a way, you are providing me with representation by just being yourself, so thank you :)
Ramble ramble sorry
I have a complicated relationship with labels (long story short: I don't like using them but recognize their value as a shorthand), and as a result I'm more likely to use a short descriptive phrase than the label most use for it.
Council of Geeks I think that’s really cool! Please don’t take my comment to mean that you should label or identify yourself verbally in any way :)
I love those nails. Great video. As much as I love the normal videos these always get my full attention. Representation is something that can help you feel also like your not alone which we all need regardless of Race , sexuality, gender, sex or ability. Think I need to show these to people always asking me variations on these questions.
Thank you for making this eloquent, important video.
Thank you for touching on this, it was a very emotional video for me (and probable many others)
I stand in a weird place, I don’t identify with any gender at all, and when I tell that to people they sometimes say something along the lines of, “then why do you dress like a guy?” And that bothers me, because for me clothes have no gender and I use whatever fits comfortably and I feel I look good in. So people don’t actually know what gender even is, they believe gender expression and gender identity are the same thing, and I love when I see gender neutral people dressed as their “biological” gender, because I don’t feel alone. I don’t feel weird. And I think that is why representation matters, because even though I know I’m not alone, not seeing people like me makes me feel alone. Also I met this person when I was in my exchange semester in the US and he at the time was gender neutral, and I was introduced to the concept for the first time, all my life I went to a male only private school here in chile and I always had that feeling that I didn’t fit in, I had friends and everything I led a pretty normal life I liked people from the oposite gender so I’m really privileged in that sense but I always had that weird feeling inside of me that told me I wasn’t like them. I thought it was because I was a “geek” but it wasn’t until I met this person that I managed to put a name to it, and I understood I wasn’t alone. And it still conflicted me because I thought “I like girls tho”. So naive, then I managed to understand the difference between all of this and that was because I was exposed to the lgbtq+ community, my friends, they were all like that, and I met people like me, and I finally felt normal, like it wasn’t a big deal. So I can imagine someone that’s lgbtq+ and don’t know it yet, and most of the community is usually more different than I am from my “assigned characteristics” (I don’t know how to call them) that must feel hundreds or thousands of times more alone and alienated than I ever could. And seeing someone in a sitcom or something can bring a sense of belonging, and that they’re not alone.
"...people they sometimes say something along the lines of, “then why do you dress like a guy?” And that bothers me..." - Seriously, people tend to live in a world of stereotypes. It annoys me constantly that people have some mental image of what certain groups should look like, and rarely examine how/why they do that.
+Danny0 The way you describe it, it sounds like you're agender-- someone who doesn't identity with any gender. Some people will say that that's what being nonbinary is, but I fall into the group of folx that treat "nonbinary" as an umbrella term to describe anyone whose gender identity does not conform to the gender binary of masculine/feminine (or male/female) that society imposes on us. Furthermore, "nonbinary" is considered to fall under the umbrella of trans+ (which encapsulates not just binary trans folx, but nonbinary trans folx-- Riley J. Dennis IDs as a nonbinary trans woman, intersex individuals, bigender, polygender, nonbinary folx and the identities under nonbinary such as genderqueer, genderfluid, genderflux, agender, demiboy, demigirl, demiflux/demi-nonbinary, those who ID as Third Gender, Native Americans who are Two-Spirit, and many others), meaning you or anyone who IDs as agender, are just as much a part of the LGBTQ+ community as any binary queer person! If you "dress like a guy", or tend to be drawn to "men's clothes" (rather clothes that society has labelled as being for men), then you might be masc or masc-presenting. It doesn't necessarily mean that you ID as "male", or that you're AMAB (Assigned Male At Birth), or that you use he/him pronouns... it's just how you choose to dress/present yourself. From a bisexual AFAB demigirl bisexual femme, which is easier to say) to you, however you identify, you are 100% valid!
@@cannibalisticrequiem Good to know! Thanks for everything you worte. It's hard to get informaation where I come from, part of it is because book taxes are the worst here. And yeah I agree, the clothes named "men clothes", are just a label society decided to give to them. Many people don't usually know or care about this.
Humanity tells itself stories. It's how we, as communities and societies, explain our world, tell ourselves what is or isn't, and largely our worldviews come from these stories. Stories are everywhere in human culture, from children's fairy tales, to gossiping at work with co-workers, to complex historical reconstructions done by historians. Stories are how we build our worlds, real and fictional
Mainstream media, and pop culture specifically are some of the biggest and widest consumed stories we tell. For LGBTIAQ people to be conspicuously absent from these stories constructs a worldview that LGBTIAQ people don't exist. And thus our actual existence immediately becomes an aberration. We instantly become Othered.
It's one thing for LGBTIAQ to tell their own stories to say "yes we exist", that ends up become a bit circular in end. Definitely not without merit or value, don't get me wrong. But without the wider community acknowledging our existence in their stories we may never gain full mainstream acceptance. This creates an inherent sense of societal rejection. How can it not? Society won't meaningfully acknowledge our existence in the stories it tells about itself, and often when it has we've either been demonised as villainous characters with poor morals, or as victims.
Being rejected by society, or just perceiving such a rejection often leads to chronic loneliness, Kurzgesagt has a great video on the negative health effects of that.
This would also hold true for all minorities poorly represented in the stories we tell. I'm trans, gender queer, Autistic, with a diverse sexuality. I have not seen many representations, let alone good ones, of various the intersections I fall into. I haven't experienced what May experienced.
Not yet at least
@ULGROTHA Yeah I kinda agree
This video is so important for all to listen to! Happy National Pride Day! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Thank you SO MUCH for doing this video. My school has this thing called senior project where you research a topic and make a product from it. This topic is what I want to do it on (next year). Last year I read Of Mice and Men for the first time and saw a character who was mentally handicapped in some sort of way. Granted this character was often read as the villain of the book. I just saw him as someone like me who has struggled because they have different needs than people are willing to understand. I grew up with a condition that no one (in my experience) has ever heard of. Or if they have heard of it, they just lump it in with autism (which I am not diagnosed with). But when I saw the aforementioned character I grew attached to him despite the bad things he did. Then when he was killed off at the end of the book, I was sobbing in a class of people who laughed at his death. Granted I was sensitive at the time to anything of a similar subject matter due to the anniversary of something unrelated. But that character is the closest I've come to seeing someone like me that I haven't gone searching for.
What kind of hell school did you go to? Lenny is categorically not the villain of the book, anyone who says so is an idiot. And you're not supposed to laugh at him or his death.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I'm actually doing a presentation on the importance of diverse representation of minorities (ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, mental and physical disabilities,ect...) and the way you expressed your thoughts really resonated with me. As a daughter of African immigrants I never realized how much I need to see my culture but only represented but also shown respect and dignity in mainstream media before seeing Black Panther.
Again thank u so much :)
Made me think. I'm from Liverpool and when I see films set in my city, celebrating my culture, I do get very excited for that because those sorts of films are almost non-existent. It may be difficult for people from London to understand that. Really made me think about representation in another way so thanks for that :)
I am a white cisgender woman with two moms and I was in my twenties before I ever saw mainstream media about LGBTQ+ parents in any positive light. (Side note, I think representation and perception is a reason why my parents didn't even come out to me until I was 13. I know that sounds odd, very long story) This is important and I am so glad you are vocal about it. Please continue.
Thanks dear, a very well timed and necessary video.
Also, Happy Mardi Gras from Australia ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Finally! Someone put it into words!
6:41 My dad is also a nurse, and I don't think I ever saw an episode of House with him where there wasn't something unrealistic that he took issue with. So yeah, I completely relate to that. My mom is a nurse as well, but I don't think it ever bothered her as much.
All I can say is thank you. Thank you for this. The only real representation i have had that connected with me was in a book it explained dysphoria in a way which resonated with me and it was that which helped me to accept myself as a trans guy. The book is called The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson. I’m a new member of the council and I found you through your Doctor Who videos and have seen some of the LGBTQ+ content and your Rent video (I love Rent so much) I love that you’re an LGBTQ+ geek seeing that on this platform matters so much. Thank you so so much for being true to who you are. You are incredible.
You took on a daunting subject, my friend, and handled it well, with grace and honesty; granted, you're preaching to the choir here, but you rendered the issue of representation salient enough that most reasonably empathic humans of whatever identities might think about the first time -- if ever -- they might have, out of nowhere, suddenly recognized themselves where they'd never seen anyone like themselves before, suddenly found themselves feeling truly welcomed.
10:25 I'm not crying, you're crying. I seem to have some dust in my eyes.
Thanks so much for this video. You did a fantastic job going over a really difficult to explain topic.
When you brought up that point from another youtuber and pointed out they said “I didn’t know I could feel like that.” I realized I’d had a similar feeling with Voltron before it’s S7 release with Shiro being gay. I felt like this was a moment, this hero was like me, which is what made it sting all the more when the character they rolled out was offensive, not queer apparent, and played into bury your gays.
I felt crushed, like I’d never be understood. That people like me, as LGBTQ+, were never going to be treated as equals.
All I can say is that when you’re denied representation, when you’re attacked by others or your concerns are dismissed in often a very callous fashion for asking to be treated equally, it not only erodes your sense of self, but your faith in society and people as a whole. And nobody want to lose faith or hope. That’s something everyone should understand.
Before I was the mother of a transgender son , I'm a 54 disabled plus size woman. So exactly the same argument as the LGBTQ + . Even after I lost over 100lbs I'm still plus sized and still when I post a video or comment on another video there is always people instead of commenting on my idea attack my size or age. Not on your channel but other's. BTW tomorrow is my birthday.
Happy Birthday!
This really is the greatest video you've ever made, and the best I've ever seen this subject communicated to people. Also kudos for including a clip from Nyx Fears. I love her channel.
I had to share your video, it's so true. I honestly never understood what feeling represented was like until a year ago when I read a YA novel of all things.
You know, I think I just experienced this feeling of being represented a few weeks ago, when Val/entina in Gen:LOCK explained their genderfluidity. All week when I thought about it I felt like it was gonna cry. It’s so powerful and I’m still glowing.
I just watched this video today with my friend and I freaking loved it
not related to the video, but your earring is super cool! I love the way it bounces and shifts whenever your head moves
Thank you.
At the end of the video, I just wanted to give you a hug. For your thoughts; for your words; just because ...
As with many of your other videos, the content was excellent, however I want to specifically commend you on the improvement of your delivery! With every video you're become more and more of an engaging orator!
To give another example of representation, In Nova Scotia (Canada, it’s an entire province, there’s only 12, & I’m expected to know all 52 states, despite not being a citizen) Barret’s Privater's is pretty much sung at every NS festival in some form. Everyone was static about Hobo-with-a-Shotgun, because it was set in Nova Scotia, and the last one is more serious, but many people sang “Farewell to Nova Scotia” (a well known campfire song) to mourn and commemorate those who died in the deadliest mass shooting in Canada’s history. Res presentation helps to comfort people, as well as give them aspirational figures.
B) Hey Scottish and Irish folk? How do you like being represented at being drunk idiots? -Cause my entire family hates it.
Thank you for making these kind of videos and for putting into words what so many of us feel
I have not, but I've had it recommended by more than a few people.
I feel like I've commented on a video like this before... Unless it got Curated!!!! >:Oc
Oh wait... I found it. And for the most part, it still applies. (apparently it was on a Harry Potter video XD)
*Snipped the part talking about HP*
"I will say though, I did get great insight into you, the way you think, how you feel, and probably the way a lot of other people feel about this topic, that definitely helps me empathize with you and others who feel the same way you do. Because me personally, I've never really felt the need to have representation in media, story telling or anything like that. And never really understood why people where so insistent on "forcing" it in, or pushing for more. And a lot of people (not saying you, I watched the whole video Xp) demanding it be included. And I guess the big disconnect between me and a lot of other gay people, is that I never really saw my being gay as a very significant part of my identity. I mean, it's a part of it sure, but it's not at the forefront, it's simply who I am, and I don't really put much thought into it, I just live my life the way I always have. The vast majority of people I interact with on a daily basis are straight, and so I expect the vast majority of what I see in media to represent that, and It really doesn't bother me at all. There could never be a single gay character in media again, and to be honest, I really wouldn't care. Because I don't need media to represent me, I represent myself, to the people that matter to me. And that's all I care about. But after hearing what you had to say in the back half of the video {the whole video in this case}, It really helped me to see why this is so important to other lgbt people, that feeling of being alone, isolated, or having no one to connect with, or really feel like you have someone who represents your struggles in any meaningful way, that I can empathize with. You were sincere, you were open, you were real in that moment, and I can really appreciate that."
Thank you for saying this. You have in my opinion, captured exactly how many of us feel. Thank you so much for saying this. This makes me feel better just knowing someone said it. It is hard to articulate this towards straight people without just wanting to burst into tears. I wish I could give you a big hug for this video.
Ok I’m less than a minute into the video and I absolutely have to mention how much I LOVE the bow in your hair
Thank you for helping people understand one of the many things which frustrate me about being LGBTQI+. I wish I could see more of us seriously represented and not a comedic afterthought.
7:00 Me, in those few cases where an IT person says, "You can't enhance an image - the quality is already too far lost."
This was so wonderfully worded and thought out.
I agree with you 100%. I'm bi and I have dyspraxia and I feel so grateful for characters like Rosa Diaz and Ryan Sinclair.
Thank you so much for making this vid as a woman with high functioning autism and aspergers who's a lesbian i really needed to hear this and i hope others watch this too
I don't have a lot to add since I agree with everything your saying, I just want to say your hair is beautiful
Also, when you going to review Big Finish's Scherzo?
I've been cautioned that there's a number of prerequisite audios you need to listen to first otherwise it doesn't make sense, so I'm still sorting that out.
Alex Fierro in the Magnus Chase books.
They made me feel better about myself and more accepting of myself.
You just put words to the way I felt when I, a grown-ass adult lesbian woman, was watching Steven Universe and saw sapphic love represented for the first time in an animated childrens' cartoon. If only I'd had a show like SU when I was growing up. Then maybe it wouldn't have taken me so long to realize...
Thank you for everything you say and do about the LGBT+ issues. You’re an amazing person and i felt this video hard. Thank you.
I feel like some creators are worried about the backlash they'd get from misrepresentation, I definitely am!
I mean I never just write a character who's Bi or pan or gender fluid just so I have one I normally need a plot reason for them to be that way, but even when I do that I'm worried people will get annoyed at me for handling it in that way.
Well, yeah.. Because that's annoying as fuck and a horrible way to go at it. You don't need a plot-specific reason for your characters to be a minority.They can just BE that minority. That's how most people are. There are no "reasons".
this was so wonderful, you really seemed relaxed and happy in this video, you seem a lot more comfortable with sharing your genderfluidity on this account and its amazing!
Very touching and precious.
OMG, that's why I had this WOW feeling in the second season of Fleabag
This is why I get so mad whenever people accuse lgbt media of ‘forcing it on us’ as if there isn’t an insane shortage of lgbt characters in media in general. That narrow mindset is the reason it makes headlines when anything lgbt related is in mainstream media
I'd like to say that RoosterTeeth's Gen:Lock recently revealed a major character to be Gender fluid, and it's the first time I've ever seen a gender fluid 100% human character in any fiction.
Yeah but Alex is annoying though
And for ourself, the larger opolous which is not LGTB* or suffer for a mental dissorder or anything else that is underrepresented that is an essential aprt of our indentity (I identify myself as a White, male, cis heterosexual and I am neurotypic and middle class, I could not be more repressented) is still important because it creates acceptance. I remember when the Spanish TV introduced one of their first non flat gay characters in a TV show (Aquí no hay quién viva, a very funny show by the way) people started being more aceptable towards gay people. The actor who played it (gay himself) remembers an anecdote a boy who told him that when he came out, his mother said, but you are a good gay like Mauri (the carácter I am talking about) or a bad gay like the ones from the news. Which is still not ideal, but means that the only contact his mother had before that TV show with homosexuals was through the news reports, specially the ones she remembered from Franco´s time (which were pretty awful in that and almost all other aspect) and having jsut one positive character in media actually helped her to accept her child as he was.
Also I can really comprehend the initial analogy, my town recently got represented in a fairly popular TV series (Fariña in the original, in Netflix, Cocaine Coast, in the English translation). One that it's far from a positive representation (it's a series about the drug trafficking problems that happened in the 80´s) but it was still pretty true to most of the events and to the spirit of the time and all the people in my hometown were thrilled they saw part of their own lifes and experiences in film (the tobacco and the drug trafficking were big and everyone at least knew someone who was affected, either as a participant, a victim, or both).
I really appreciate this video. As a white hetero cis guy who follows a lot of Left-leaning people on social media, I was also taken aback by those omnipresent understood assumption of "representation matters" while never explaining why. I think I understand a lot more now.
Well, that was a very poignant and relatable explanation of the feelings that LGBTQ+ people go through. Though hard for me to connect with that sentiment fully due to my personal baggage, I do realise the importance of what you're talking about. Mistreating people should never be allowed and nobody should ever feel the way that you described.
Hi, I've wondered what your take is on inclusion that treats the included character as stock motivation for overall plot. Tara on BtVS comes to mind. That was the first time I realized how much W/T relationship meant to the LGBT community, and how much the conclusion to that storyline angered a lot of them. Anyway, as a cis guy who loved Joss Whedon's writing and quips, that Willow/Tara reaction by LGBTQ fans - mourning wouldn't be overstated - made me aware of stuff I wasn't before. Peace.
This is so accurate! I remember crying when I felt represented for the first time. It was like I was so thirsty and never realized I was dying of thirst. Like, before I (as a bisexual person) experienced representation, I didn't get the importance of it at all! I don't know how to adequately convey this importance, because it's really something that you just don't understand except through experience.
Before I watch the video, I really want to just, talk for a bit.
GOOD LGBTQ+ Representation matters. Not just ANY representation. Because It's not enough to just shove a gay character into the story, call them gay and be done with it. It's not enough to mention offhandedly - oh right, this dude's trans, don't worry about it. The additions like - Dumbledore is gay and anything of the sorts are not GOOD representation.
There are very few LGBTQ+ characters who actually represent this community in a good way. Characters must be characters in the first place. As humans are just that - humans.
A well written LGBTQ+ character can become a role model for others, make sure that children or adults who are becoming aware of their part in the community know - they also matter.
A bad written LGBTQ+ character will become a laughing stock, which will, in turn, discourage many of the same people around the world. It will just show them that nobody takes them seriously, nobody really cares about them enough.
At least, that is what I am thinking, being a writer myself...to a degree.
If you are going to Do an LGBTQ+ character, do it right. Or don't do it at all. That's what I think, at least...
ON TO THE VIDEO.
When I left Love, Simon I was so bubbly and giddy, I felt very confident; buzzing about the film with my friend. A film has never made me feel that way and I honestly don't think it could be replicated. The other time I can think of is when I rewatched Shadowhunters (TV show) as I paid more attention to the details. Magnus and Alec had just shared a kiss and I realised I felt lighter and after I analysed this, I came to realise I felt better; better about myself and the types of relationships I would go on to have.
This is a great video, and seeing this is poignant especially right now with what's going on with the manbabies' reactions to Captain Marvel. We're still dealing with representation of _women_ in central roles. What a shame of a situation. White Cis Male Aggrievement Syndrome is destructive and can be deadly.
Concerned Citizen try to see why people aren’t happy about Captain Marvel but not thru your own personal hate lens. A lot of it has to do specifically with Brie Larson’s politics and insulting behavior across the board. It’s not some weird kind of sexism. Your mindset doesn’t help anyone. It’s exactly the same as what you rally against.... you’re just on the other side. Think about it.
@@hardfugoo1 Except I've seen people saying the movie looks like garbage, even though it doesn't. I was agreeing with them in the first trailer, but the subsequent trailers have all been great. And yet people are still saying "oh this movie looks like shit" and, more tellingly "this character is so emotionless." And they're fucking lying. The trailer this was commented on showed Captain Marvel being playful and smiling, and they still said she was emotionless. They're threatened by this movie, no two ways about it. They're letting their hatred for the character in the comics and the actress cloud their view of what's in front of their eyes. They're morons in denial.
@@hardfugoo1 Thanks for that example of False Equivalence! It's always hilariously ironic when you pedants try to shame minorities by comparing their justified anger at routinely being shat upon to their aggressors hurt feelings over not being placated, because it's NOWHERE NEAR being "the same", AT ALL! And your reductive reasoning is just your way of trying to silence marginalized voices. 💁♀️
OMG those earings and the hair!!!!! Love the earings and how long your hair is getting.
I think another aspect of LGBTQ+ representation in media is that it can help one discover or come to terms with their own identity. A lot of the shows I watched growing up always generally had that one gay character in the mix, but besides that there really wasn't much else in terms of LGBTQ+ rep (and ofc besides that, how gay characters were represented in the early 2000s is another topic in and of itself). This left me very confused; it painted a very either you're gay or you're straight picture in my head. Looking back, I repressed my attraction to girls because I thought that simply being attracted to the same gender meant that I was gay, and at the time that terrified the hell out of me. I didn't start seeing bi rep on TV (good bi rep, mind you) until around 2015 with The 100. At that point I knew I was bi, but I wasn't really "out," but there's something about seeing one of your favorite characters represent your sexuality extremely re-affirming. We can talk about how representation on screen can help those outside of the LGBTQ+ spectrum become more understanding and informed, which definitely helped my mom come to terms with my sexuality, but I think it's equally important that sometimes someone can discover themselves and their identity through media; when they can see someone with the same feelings as theirs and go "ah, wait minute, that's me!" Sorry, this is a bit of a mess! Thank you for the video.
Oh, sweetie, you looked like you were about to cry a few times there and I just wanted to reach into the screen and give a big hug! Eesh, sorry if that sounds patronising - i don't mean it like that, I swear. You are absolutely right about representation and why it matters, I just think sometimes bad and/or negative representation is more a problem than no representation. How would it have felt to be LGBTQ+ through the early years of flim-making and having any LGBTQ+ character either die or be the villain? I mean, that was it. Victim, or victimiser. Hollywood still has a huge problem with promoting LGBTQ+ movies in which the relationship between the characters ends because one of them leaves or one of them dies - and those are the films that get all the awards! And that's if the LGBTQ+ character isn't the only one in the film as token representation. Yeesh. Hollywood needs to start making movies about every kind of person, and every kind of relationship. If someone wants to watch a straight, white, cisgender man get his straight, cisgender woman, there are literally thousands of movies that show that. They've got enough choice. Time to change it up.
Damn it, Nathaniel, stop making me cry!
The main part of why I put off transition for so many years was the impression I was given by popular media, an impression other folks barely even seem to have noticed since it wasn't a thing they really thought about, but I noticed. And in my young impressionable mind, I was imagining that I would be killed for it. I saw how people used to be killed for other random things. And I saw this random thing being talked down in the same way right now (back then). And I drew a link. And that's why it took me until the point where I was going to kill myself regardless for it to be worth the risk I thought I was taking. Even sadder thing is that even though for me personally that risk was grossly overexaggerated, a skin colour and location different and that risk would've been accurate. Was not aware of what intersectionality was at the time. I was a bit developmentally stunted and my mind couldn't grasp very subtle stuff very easily, aside from if it particularly spoke to me. And everything that particularly spoke to me was morbidly negative.
So anyway, yeah. Years of my life wasted and for the significant amount of time that such things mattered to me, a significant part of my appearance rendered permanently male-coded during those lost years (and it's still a thing that matters to the public sometimes and renders me moderately unsafe). If positive representation would have been ordinary when I was growing up, I would have told someone the very moment I knew it was a thing that could happen, went through the correct puberty, and never even known the misery that was to come. That's gone now, but... well it was still a big chunk of life. And wasn't a choice, but rather a threat.
This is why representation is important to me. I know first hand the effect it can have.
Thank you for making this video.