This.

This entire chapter is actually one of my favorites. The plot, to be brief for those who don't know, is Jughead and Archie getting lost in the woods--it's supposed to be a chance for the two of them to hang out, but Archie's using it as a chance to pick up girls at camp, which is what leads to their argument. What I like about this chapter is that Jughead's disappointment and frustration with Archie, his best friend who barely spends any time with him that isn't somehow related to his crushes, is treated seriously--it's Archie who's in the wrong here, and I think so many aros relate to this situation.

Photography by Xuebing Du

Bust commission for @/undeadclxvi on twitter!!

[cyndaquil line redesigns] did u know fireworks in japanese is literally fire flower (花火)

Imagine you’re aro and watching TV. There some kind of SciFi show on and they are debating the personhood of an AI.

The AI shows curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. They have desires. They have strengths and weaknesses. None of this convinces the doubters.

The AI makes friends. They take up hobbies. They talk about their hopes and dreams for the future. Surely this is enough to relate to them as a person? It’s not.

The AI is shown to fall in love. This is framed as the ultimate proof, the one thing that must humanize them even to the staunchest denier of their personhood or else that person is irredeemable.

You change the channel.

There’s a children’s cartoon on. “What is this?!” the villain cries, pointing at a couple. Their inability to understand the romantic love between those two is framed as stemming from the fact that somebody so deeply evil simply cannot understand something as pure and good as romantic love.

You change the channel.

There’s a sitcom on. Two characters are discussing a third character. “He’s really not that weird,” says one character. “He hasn’t been in a relationship for [x] years!” the other refutes. Cue the laugh track. The implication is clear: If he’s not in a relationship, it must be because he’s too weird.

You change the channel.

There’s a Christmas movie on. The main character is a successful businesswoman. She’s shown talking to her friends and family regularly. “You need a man,” her mother says as they bake together. The daughter denies this. The rest of the movie is all about proving the mother right, as suddenly her career, her friends and her family are framed as not being enough for her to lead a fulfilling life.

You change the channel.

It’s some show aimed at young teens and tweens. “Ew,” one character comments as the idea of them having a significant other one day is brought up. This is treated as a sign of their immaturity.

You turn off the TV.

Your experiences aren’t enough to humanize a non-human character. You’re the villain. You’re a weirdo. Your life is incomplete. You’re immature.

You’re tired.

“I don’t feel that way about anyone” is met with “Oh, you just haven’t found the right person!”

“I don’t want one” is met with “You’ll change your mind once you find the right person!”

“I don’t want to find ‘the right person’!” is straight up ignored. Of course you do. Everybody does. You must be mistaken.

You just don’t know what you really want. Aren’t you lucky to have people in your life who do?

“I’m focussing on my education,” you finally say. This is acceptable. This carries the implication that once you’ve graduated, you will start looking for someone.

People tagging this post as “asexual” bc they’re aroace but use ace as an umbrella term for themselves, bc they relate to this as an asexual with the way sexual attraction is framed as a universal experience in the media or similar reasons? Valid, good, completely fine, keep going.