Lit Ignorance is Bias: The Diversity Manifesto

I mean aren't we all?

That's what I always thought

 

Speaking as an ally, I'm 100% sure that the A should never be used for us. It is for asexual/aromantic.

 

Sometimes the Q stands for questioning.
I believe in being as welcoming as possible but adding more letters to LGBT just gets too unwieldy and impractical for everyday use. I do often use queer because it embraces pretty much everyone who isn't basic out of the box cis heterosexual.
I'm really pleased that CB has some queer diversity, I'm doing my best to listen to both ACPoV and CB before I make it to the new movie.

 

Some transgender people and gay/lesbian/bisexual people also want to "split" it and no longer be grouped together, since one is Gender Identity and one is Sexual Orientation and some no longer see it beneficial to lump them together.

And then there's even more...



My opinion:

Asexual can go under Sexual Orientation. Same with Demisexual. (Though I'm unaware about what their issues are, or discriminated? I'm just ignorant here)

Transsexual is the same as Transgender, transgender is the more commonly-accepted word now.

Pansexual is just bisexual plus being attracted to all the nonbinary transgender and intersex options, so I guess that can be part of Sexual Orientation.

Genderqueer and Queer are the same thing. Redundant. And they by themselves are umbrella terms used to include both sexual orientation and gender identity.

Allies is not an identity group, don't include them in this alphabet soup. You can say "LGB + Allies welcome to this meeting."

Intersex is its own thing (if rare).

Polyamorous could be its own thing, could go under sexual orientation.

TwoSpirit is believed to just be way Native Americans and Polynesians referred to gay people, or bisexual people, or transgender people.

Questioning is its own thing, and it could apply to either sexual orientation or gender identity or nearly any of the above, it doesn't need its own grouping, just treat them the same as allies. "Allies and those questioning are also welcome to join."


In short, just have a group for Sexual Orientation (possibly including polyamory), a separate group for Gender Identity, a separate group for those born Intersex, and when posting meetings for either just say "allies and those questioning welcome to join too" (NOT part of an alphabet soup of identities)... and in the rare cases where Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex (already umbrella categories) want to be described under one umbrella then use the term "Queer."

 

The LGBT community is small enough of a minority on it's own. While there are important differences between trans people and gay people, I feel like we're stronger together.
So many of those identities mentioned above, many of them are minor variations of the same thing and some of them aren't really "queer enough" for me to see them as even being necessarily allied with the LGTB community.
Demisexuals for example are people who don't feel sexual attraction until they have an emotional connection to the person. It's entirely possible to be demisexual and be homophobic, for example. Polyamorous people can be LGBT as well, but they don't even have to be allies. I'm glad to have their support and would include them as they'd want to be included, but I think it's still important to recognize that there's a lot of differences in those groups.
I suspect that seventeen letter alphabet soup posted above was just someone's idea of a joke to mock LGBT people and diversity in general.

 

Oh I've seen longer versions in serious training workshops for work. It's too much, in my opinion, and I'm a gay man.

1. Sexual Orientations minorities
2. Gender Identity minorities
3. born Intersex (if rare, it's different enough from #2)
(maybe one for Polyamory)

And say allies and those questioning are welcome to meetings (but not part of the identity), and use Queer as the even bigger umbrella term for those categories. That should be good enough. Lumping together and being redundant doesn't inform people who might actually want to be better informed.

 

I thought the "Q" stood for John de Lancie.

 

Desmond Llewelyn, actually.

 

I personally like "queer" as an all-encompassing term that doesn't turn into alphabet soup (and it tends to be the word of choice among people I know IRL so I'm just plain used to it) but I am aware that not everyone is past its existence as a slur.

Of course, as a "basic out of the box cis heterosexual", my official position is that it's none of my business. Language is a marketplace of ideas and lord only knows what the thinking will be in another five years, let alone another generation.

 

Lepi Gand Besalisk Talz Quarren

 

Maybe of interest: https://geekandsundry.com/how-and-why-miniature-wargame-companies-are-choosing-to-embrace-diversity/

 

I'm still buzzing from excitement at seeing TLJ a few hours ago. I overall really enjoyed it. I had an issue with Luke's story, as I imagine many people do, but there was a lot to love. Really strong interesting female characters.
I am conflicted about the possibilities of where they're taking Poe and Finn. I kind of feel like I'm being queerbaited with teases that "maybe" they'll be a couple in episode 9. I really think that seems unlikely at this point. Maybe I'm just trying to lower my expectations so I won't be crushed if it doesn't happen. I've bargained with myself to be ok if Finn isn't into Poe as long as Poe is gay. So far there' s absolutely nothing in even the novels and comics to suggest Poe isn't gay (or that he is gay, but that he stars in his own ongoing solo comic without so far expressing even ambiguous interest in women is promising.
After all my angst over this they could always just casually drop some gays in the Han Solo film unexpectedly.
And I try to console myself with how much better the books and comics are doing.
Hopefully keeping this vague enough, I don't want to spoil anything for anybody. I'm not sure when we're good to talk spoilers.

 

I think it would be amazing if Finn was bi, but that's because I sort of ship Finn with Rey and also ship him with Poe.

Seeing Kelly Marie Tran in the film definitely warmed the cockles of my cold cold sarcastic heart.

 

I'm not opposed to Finn being bi, but I don't know if there's time to really deal with that what with him probably having one more film left in him. To really do that justice they'd have to explore him having feelings for two people when he's not definitively established as being attracted to anyone yet. I suppose a book could go into more detail with that.
I feel like I'm kind of a bad person that I'm now shipping Kylo and Rey and willing to accept Finn and Rose if I can't have Poe and Finn as long as Poe can still be gay and have a different boyfriend. I'm at the bargaining stage apparently.

 

"From Leia's quashing of Poe's ill-advised mutiny to Rose's quashing of Finn's suicidal run for glory, The Last Jedi is filled with women trying to explain to men that their actions have consequences outside of their own hero's journey, that glory and pride and victory are never the most important thing—at least not for the larger cause."
Considering that Finn was sacrificing himself under the circumstances that the entirety of the Resistance was confined to a single bunker which was going to get carved open by the First Order's laser, the idea of him doing it for pride or glory is wrong and pretty much misrepresents his character entirely. Frankly, glorifying Rose's act of dooming all of her allies (especially since she had no real knowledge of an escape plan or rescue) is moronic. I don't get how this film helped show competent female leadership when Holdo basically caused the mutiny by keeping her contingency plans away from the rest of the crew and Rose knowingly ensured a First Order victory.

Also, the message in Poe's actions would be far better if the character wasn't so unbelievably ridiculous from the very beginning. "Yeah, guys. Watch me take out all of these point defense cannons by myself which are basically made to take out fighters by design. This makes total sense.".

 

As fun as stormpilot is, my personal sense has always been waaayyy more tilted toward Poe being gay than Finn being bi. And honestly, I think there's a fairly decent chance they'll pull the trigger on that in IX--TLJ was written before TFA fandom had cohered but with IX they've had a good long time to consider it.

This isn't really the thread for this but I have to note that that's what his fancy engine modification is for--to get him in past the point defenses.

 

I feel the same way about Poe being more likely to be gay. I know I grasp at every little clue.
I do think that Finn could go any direction with any orientation or partner at this point.
I just don't know that I have enough faith that they'll take the chance at backlash over such a prominent couple as Finn and Poe. Finn/Rose and Reylo being the prominent couples while Poe gets a fleeting scene with his ambiguous male partner (the Sulu move) seems more likely, but maybe my expectations are too low.
I'm still really happy with TLJ (I have an issue with how Luke was portrayed, but not enough to ruin the movie for me. My faith in the novels is a bit stronger and I think there's a fair chance some novels can improve the back story). I do think it's great to see so many strong women in the movie, from Leia, Holdo, Rey, Rose and all the many women and people of color we see in the Resistance - we've come a long way since the OT and PT basically had one important female character each, no female X-wing pilots seen, etc.

 

At this point I kind of ship everyone with everyone, TBH. Though with the caveat that I don't really get shipping in general.

 

Is shipping that hard to get?
I mean, aren't there two characters that when they share screen time you get a little bit of a thrill. characters that you want to see more of together? That's basically shipping at its' purest.

 

(First, I should note that making fun of shipping is to some extent more a running gag with me than anything).

That said, since it's come up... honestly, no?? There are generally characters who I do not want to see more of together, and characters who I'd be fine with, but I've never really been emotionally invested in it. Especially in a situation like this where I'm really fond of the characters in general.

 

Personally I find it a bit irritating that two people can't occupy the same space without people declaring that they should be lovers. Have the concept of just friends disappeared? And don't get me started on those who ship enemies or family members.

 

Just because someone ships one couple (or two or three) doesn't mean they can't also enjoy friendships. There may just be something about that couple's chemistry that appeals to you. If people don't like shipping, I don't see why it has to bother them. There's lots of topics I don't care about, I just don't discuss them. I'm not bothered if other people want to talk about something I'm not interested in.
When it comes to a same sex couple, people will grasp at straws, jump to conclusions that may not be intended - because that's almost always all we get (although the novels and comics are coming through now, but so far not with the movies, the main characters of the franchise. As much as I love Sinjir from Aftermath, will I ever see him again?)