Importance of Representation - An Anecdote

Circa 2004, born in a mid-sized city in southern Oklahoma, parents have a worrying gap between ages and a spotty military past- one me was born. Though they try their hardest, over the my siblings' and I's early years the parents separate and eventually divorce. My sense of self-worth ruptures and I believe myself to be a "bad-luck curse". My brother believes he has to be perfect or he isn't worth anything. My sister is 2. Luckily. 

Over the years, I develop the idea that the only thing separating me from sucking is that I'm smart. I was told I was smart, expected to do well in school- not pressured necessarily, just expected. So as the years continue I use my supposed intelligence as a mask to hide feelings of inadequacy and depression, familiar enough no? As a result, I don't really explore my identity, I'm smart- thats all I need. Thats all I am. 

Enter: Covid pandemic, Entirely too hot summer roommates,  and Text roleplay (superhero to be specific)- and I discover more and more about myself. Develop a sense of self worth independent of my "intelligence", find a support network, develop my own identity. It takes years, incredible work, and a entirely too many break downs and stints of depression and sucidation.

But then...this year, less than a month ago- enter: The Owl House, a show from Disney Channel and created by Dana Terrace in early 2020 (woo) - about a girl that accidentally stumbles into a simultaneously horrifying and gorgeous magical world and chooses to stay. A show that, had I seen earlier, would have helped me dramatically. The show has themes of choice, self-expression, and familiar bonds (both blood and found) - and it has some of the best depictions of romantic relationships I've seen on TV. 

One character, Raine Whispers,  casually used they/them pronouns- no explanations- no forced trauma in regards to it, just- casually. This character is important to the plot, this character is a character-developed and nuanced. Them using these pronouns really isn't of much relevance- and that is quite a new phenomena. It also demonstrates some of the best representation we've had for us nonbinary folks in...forever! Just a character who happens to be x. A show which shows grief over one's own choices, how to rely on those you care about- how to provide support to them as well. A show that shows how one can overcome great obstacles by relying on others, how seemingly innocuous decisions can result in huge changes later on. 

Really, its hard to explain how great it is- definitely would recommend- but what do I mean it would help so much? Well, as a fresh enby, having an example of causal enbies woulda helped me find comfort in the concept without all the long searches in my psyche. See, as I noted I have an issue with self-worth- and what i didn't say (explicitly) is my imposter syndrome. Even though I am clearly not straight, I've had looong hours of suffering in my mind-thinking "am i not-straight enough?? i haven't had as bad a life as others, do i deserve to call myself  x, y, or z?" Obviously suffering isn't what makes someone somethin- but anxiety and imposter syndrome aren't exactly using syllogisms. 

Getting to my point, representation is useful for establishing a concept or group of people who are underrepresented in popular media as a "norm" in some way or another. One of the most common ways people who were previously biggoted come to accept queer folk is by having family or friends who come out as queer. As it turns out, people tend to form parasocial relationships with characters on tv shows and in books they consume! So, when such things are more and more established in common media it creates more and more characters for people to care for and then shed their bigotry. Its not just that though! See, now I'm gonna have to discuss privilege- but hey you got this far so just stay with me for a sec'. Privilege, broadly, is what someone gets when they are treated as the norm. You see people like you everywhere, as every sort of role-model, in tv-shows as heroes and villains. Society expects you to succeed, because thats just what you do. Society helps you even.

By establishing more norms, you begin to break down that privilege into something that is more shared. By no means does it solve all the systemic issues within a lotta' institutions or even completely on a more personal level- but it certainly helps and establishes a foothold that can be used to fight from.

While that is a fair argument to create certain norms,

It's also a fair argument to discourage certain norms.

I 'am glad that you've found parts of life that help you express yourself further,

Found shows that you like.

. . .

Hm,

Let me go with examples that you would find bad,

People who are racist,

People who use drugs,

People who are sexist,

These have and are norms in 'parts society as well,

Yet many people would consider them 'bad as norms.

I'm not saying that being homosexual or transexual is good or bad,

But the people who consider it bad,

Then they have no reason to encourage shows about it that normalize it,

Normalization is a neutral action, is what I mean.

To normalize,

One would first need to,

Establish what normal is.

And then establish it.

I would suggest that:

Everything that occurs within a Universe,

At any given moment,

Is normal at that given moment.

never implied it was a inherently positive action. 

you have a weird ass thing of trying to come off as "neutral", but you aren't. you are clearly biased- cool, everyone is, stop trying to pretend your neutral. like, the fact you say "transexual" proves it. using that word isn't "neutral" its as bad as using "transgenderism" in most contexts. usually bigots use it, not saying you are one-just that you happen to share vocabulary with them.

i don't give a shit if they don't want it to be a norm, im gonna fight like hell till it is, and you can either accept it and be a good person or be an asshat.

When I was a kid, I prefered fighting cartoons but also prefered emotional cartoons. Like, I could feel the emotions of characters. I could feel what they feel. I had no problem watching cartoons that had almost no fighting. I could relate to the problems of characters, even those problems that I never had myself.

But thank God that "they/theirs" didnt exist in cartoons at the time, otherwise I would probably turn gay at some point.

You only need representation if you were brainwashed to believe you are somehow different from other races or types of people because of leftist propaganda. 

If you are black and you see a white person succeeding with investing on the TV. You don't need representation in investing. You need to learn that guys investment strategies and stop listening to leftists who tell you that you are different and the strategies of people different than you, won't work for you.

Seriously, it's absolutely ridiculous that I see books like "investing for black" or "investing for women"

Soon I will see books titled "investing for trannies" or "investing for fat asses". 

It's the same advice for everyone. Adjustments can be made based on some demographic information, like women have a longer life expectancy so perhaps they should make sure their money is projected to last an extra 5 years in retirement, but it's the same advice for everyone and representation is stupid. I am sorry to hear that leftists brainwashed you to think you were inferior to those around you, so you needed representation to know "even I can do this". I am going to tell you, you aren't inferior. You are equal. 

Untrue. Most of the trannies I knew in the 90s referres to themselves as transexual. 

When cisgender people adopted the terminology also, some transexuals thought the term was not cool anymore so referred to themselves as transgender and now people forgot how the terms originated and because somebody told you the word transexual was offensive, you decided to also be offended because people told you to

@zedvictor4

I suppose,

But I prefer 'my normal.

@Theweakeredge

'Must be a large character flaw of mine,

If it comes out even in the written word,

My two brother's, as well tell me, I have an irritating way of speaking in arguments.

I forget how they described it though.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For my brother's,

I think it's I get into some calming unintentionally condescending tone,

Which I think I get into because I'm angry, and I'm trying not to be angry,

So I try hard to be pleasant,

Ah, that was it,

People often hate it when another tries to be pleasant during an argument,

Comes off as condescending, smirking, sneering,

Though such isn't my intention with my brothers, times we've argued.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

People online though,

Aye, I'm biased,

'Usually,

I suppose I 'try to sound neutral,

As I don't want to insult the person,

I want to let them know I hear their argument,

That their reasons are not 'ignored be me,

Even if I disagree, or point out other views.

I don't want the person to feel bad that I don't like their choices, beliefs, or what they be.

Partly out of empathy,

Partly because I'm curious of their views,

I think.

Still,

Sounds that it might not be a very effective method,

The way I do it.

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Hm, no doubt if I was born X many years ago,

I'd-

Well, never mind that.

People and their words though,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wouldn't it be 'worse if I was more honest or blunt about my opinions?

But perhaps I have difficulty telling the difference between being honest in my opinions,

And just blatantly insulting people. . .

Course one doesn't need to state what they're thinking negatively about people. .

Can speak of the positive and the neutral,

Hm,

Well, maybe I just won't include that disclaimer of mine where I state that I don't this or that.

I think I'm honest with people,

I think I'm fairly evenhanded, neutral, 'even if I have opinions, I don't have to come at people full tilting my views.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

In regards to norms though,

I intend to continue being an "asshat".

Sure, the people who want to be normalized appreciate being normalized,

Still,

I maintain my view that there's no inherent need to normalize 'everything,

Let alone views one disagree with.

@Best.Korea

As is often the case,

I can't tell if you're joking.

Maybe you would have,

It's 'basic propaganda,

And I shall continue to be myself, and state I mean propaganda in a neutral vein.

People are influenced by what they experience,

It's why some people became Nazi's,

Why Americans support this or that war,

Why we buy X whatever cereal.

@PREZ-HILTON

'Many words are going through my head,

Of which the meaning has changed over time,

Not quite 'repeatable,

I'm just musing on my dislike of how much people shift about.

Hm, or maybe I come off as disconnected to the arguments,

With my brothers, I mean.

What the fuck does "shift about" mean? 

Change words frequently,

Their definitions, meanings,

Over the period of years sure,

But eh, people get offended at this or that word,

Perfectly serviceable words,

Then they get offended at the new word,

Then they get offended at the new word,

Then-

Yeah, okay I call it the euphemism wheel.

This quote, right here, is the whole key to fixing the gay community.  With good parents, there would be almost no gay stuff going on. 

For sure.

You have your normal.

And I have mine.

And 8 billion others have theirs.

And consequence relative to mass will dictate that some normality will be common.

That other's have 'their normal.

Does not mean I will not encourage they follow 'my normal.

Hmmmmm.

Do you see yourself as a dictator of normality?

No,

But we are all active actors, participants, choice makers, 'some word or other that I forget.

. . . . . . .

I'm a nihilist, recall?

Both of morality and knowledge,

But,

Human, so must act, believe, it seems.

. .

'Encourage be hardly 'dictatorship anyhow.

Though I admit there are some 'normals,

I would go beyond encourage,

And move to enforce.

. .

Generally speaking, unlawful violence for example,

I prefer my normal where other's don't do it,

If I encountered it in life, I might act against it,

Certainly I support a number of 'laws against it.

Do you not think that violence is,

Normal?

Just an aggressive response to a,

Stimulus.

Hormonally inspired.

Predominately male.

But not exclusively so.

Perhaps non-aggression is not,

Normal,

And therefore,

Impossible.

I think that we all have aggressive thoughts, but I also think that if we are conditioned appropriately we can in the main inspire non-violence.

Though we are not all conditioned with the same values by the same conditioners.

Pockets of society, still very much teach violence as a positive outlet for aggression.

MMA for example.

I specifically said unlawful violence,

As you're right, it's much in our genetics,

Much in the nature of existence.

Murder for example, is unlawful violence.

Unfortunately though, law doesn't alter innate human behaviour.

Nor does law directly inspire alternative conditioning.

I would suggest that law and punishment most often inspires resentment.

Funny though.

Unlawful violence.

Is that the opposite of lawful violence?

And  this thought also occurred to me.

If I casually popped a few drops of a lethal toxin into your coffee.

Would that be a violent act?

I view people as nature and nurture,

Though nurture usually has it's limits, I suppose.

People a bit like water,

Their nature often matches up a bit in 'some manner, good or ill with their environment.

Maybe people resent being punished if they steal or murder,

Ah well,

I 'still prefer 'my version of normal,

Roughly speaking.

As you said,

MMA, consensual violence between two people,

I lean heavily on Freedom, Consent,

Though I'm doubtful they can be 'obtained,

Well,

It's enough to lean in the 'direction of my 'idea of Freedom, Consent.

. . . .

Though even in my leaning,

I 'might prefer to live in a society without dueling to the death, (Not that I do or Don't)

Though it goes against my idea of Freedom, Consent,

I'm not bothered by this,

So long as the individuals have the right to move someplace else, where they can duel if they wish.

I think violence usually implies intent to harm and force,

Sure everything 'might be force,

But there's an 'implied level I think.

I still dont know if Pluto is a they/their or if Bert from Sesame street is trans.    I never saw the script background

The future of Humanity depends on people like you. And yes, I am an observer working for the Universe Simulation Creators.

Couldn't agree more.