:V

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so in a july 2013 interview with entertainment weekly, andrew garfield said that he’d been discussing the possibility of a bi peter parker with marc webb, the films’ director, and matt tolmach, one of the producers. this was just a little over a year before the amazing spiderman 2 was released. choice quote:

Recently, he says, he had a philosophical discussion with producer Matt Tolmach about Mary Jane or “MJ” to fans. “I was kind of joking, but kind of not joking about MJ,” he tells EW. “And I was like, ‘What if MJ is a dude?’ Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality?  It’s hardly even groundbreaking!…So why can’t he be gay? Why can’t he be into boys?”

Garfield even has an actor in mind: “I’ve been obsessed with Michael B. Jordan since The Wire. He’s so charismatic and talented. It’d be even better—we’d have interracial bisexuality!” The star has clearly suggested a sexually flexible Spidey to his director, Marc Webb, as well. When EW later mentions the idea to Webb, the director says, “Michael B. Jordan, I know.” Oh, so he’s heard this too? “Uh, are you kidding?”

so, in andrew’s own words, he was “not joking” about this, and michael b. jordan was not just a random suggestion andrew threw out during an interview - he’d actually discussed the possibility with the director. 

for what it’s worth, michael b. jordan was open to it. in a july 2013 interview with vh1, michael said: 

Spider-Man‘s Andrew Garfield recently said that the superhero’s sexuality is open to interpretation, and he named you as someone he’d want to play his gay lover in the film, should Marc Webb choose to go that route. No thoughts on that, but I am a fan of Andrew. He’s a talented actor, I admire his work, and I’d definitely love to work with him in the future. He’s a funny guy–he’s got a sense of humor and I love people that won’t take themselves too seriously all the time, so it’s cool for him to come out and say how he felt or joke around or whatever. It was fun, I laughed at it.

it’s worth noting that one month prior, in june 2013, it was announced in the hollywood reporter that shailene woodley, originally cast as mary jane, would have all of her scenes cut from spiderman 2. note this excerpt from the article:

“I made a creative decision to streamline the story and focus on Peter and Gwen and their relationship,” said Webb. “Shailene is an incredibly talented actress, and while we only shot a few scenes with Mary Jane, we all love working with her.”

The plan now is for Watson, one of Peter Parker/Spider-Man’s iconic love interests, to be introduced in the third movie.

It is likely that Woodley will not return and that the part will be recast.

“Of course I’m bummed,” Woodley told Entertainment Weekly, which first reported the news. “But I’m a firm believer in everything happening for a specific reason. … Based on the proposed plot, I completely understand holding off on introducing [Mary Jane] until the next film.”

okay, so - couple things:

“watson, one of peter parker/spider-man’s iconic love interests” - not “mary jane,” but the gender neutral “watson”

the director complimented shailene’s talent and work ethic, indicating that nothing in her performance was a problem; nonetheless, “woodley will not return and the part will be recast”

and woodley says, “based on the proposed plot, i completely understand holding off on introducing [mary jane] until the next film”

and the brackets around [mary jane] indicated that she… didn’t say mary jane. she said something else. maybe “watson.” maybe “MJ.”

and, of course, one month later, andrew garfield and marc webb were publicly running around comic-con calling for a bisexual spiderman and michael b. jordan as MJ. 

hmm.

now, when later asked about the entertainment weekly interview, andrew claims that he was “joking” and that “it wouldn’t make sense for peter parker to suddenly discover he’s into boys” but then… he delivers a three-minute monologue about lgbt teen suicide and the importance of representation and almost starts crying. so make of that what you will.

then, shortly after comic-con, in august of 2013, stan lee was asked a couple of times about andrew garfield’s call for a bisexual spiderman. his thoughts:

This past weekend, Comicbook.com covered Fandomfest in Louisville, Kentucky, where we reported on Stan Lee’s reaction to a question about Andrew Garfield’s idea to make Spider-Man bisexual. Stan Lee said, “He’s becoming bisexual? Really? Who have you been talking to? I don’t know…seriously I don’t know anything about that. And if it’s true, I’m going to make a couple of phone calls. I figure one sex is enough for anybody.”

In an interview yesterday with WGN radio, Stan Lee was once again asked about Andrew Garfield’s comments. The radio host asked, “There’s one thing that happened recently, and I think this is one thing that makes you a little bit mad. Andrew Garfield suggested that maybe MJ could be a man. Was that out of left field?”

Stan Lee replied, “Boy, that was so out of left field! I don’t understand why he said that, and one of the quotes I gave, he wanted to talk about I think Spider-Man being bisexual, and my only comment was I thought one sex at a time ought to be enough for anybody.”

When asked where he thought Andrew Garfield’s comments came from or if he was just trying to include another audience, Stan Lee said, “Or maybe sometimes you say something just to be noticed or to create a controversy, who knows? But he’s a great guy and he’s a fine actor, and I hope this doesn’t hurt him in any way.”

so like… stan lee was not on fucking board. stan lee was talking about “making a couple of phone calls,” and suggesting andrew “said something just to be noticed or to create a controversy,” and intimated, “i hope this doesn’t hurt him in any way.”

and then, of course, andrew was let go from his contract, and sony struck a deal with marvel to reboot spiderman according to a legal licensing agreement - in place prior to the andrew garfield movies, actually - requiring peter parker to be heterosexual and white.

now, earlier this year, andrew garfield took part in a roundtable discussion with several other actors, including dev patel.

at one point, around the 36-minute mark, dev mentions that he regrets participating in avatar: the last airbender, saying:

I saw a stranger on the screen, like, i didn’t really relate to. And I was just like, this is a terrible extension of me. This is not what I want to represent in any way.

andrew then replies:

I love what you just said, that it felt like you were looking at a stranger, and feeling like you were perpetuating something that’s toxic. And something that’s shallow. And something that has no depth. No matter how much depth was attempted to be bought into it and sold. And then you go – millions and million, for me it was, you know, Spiderman stuff… There’s millions and millions of young people watching who are hungry for a hand here. Someone to say, “You’re okay. Everything’s okay. You’re seen. You’re seen very deeply.” And we have opportunities to do that with those kind of behemoth films. And more often than not, the opportunity is not taken. And it’s absolutely devastating and heartbreaking because there’s so much medicine that could be delivered through those films.”

then the interview asks, “but why is it not taken?” and andrew replies, “why do you think? why do you think?”

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the adventure zone ; the director

I had this conversation with a friend and I’m still a bit irked abt it so..

I see sometimes in media designs of adult transguy characters who are, essentially, male bodies with binders drawn on top. Everything BUT the chest is the “ideal male” body. If they hadn’t mentioned the fact that they bind, you’d never know!

And this kinda bothers me

Particularly the fact that people seem to use binders as an accessory or a easy go-to visual to show that a character is a trans dude, but don’t go through the effort to show anything else. I get it, it’s easy. But…also dangerous. And WEIRD. Why would a man who went through all the effort to be indistinguishable as trans any other way, still be using a binder??

Because u bet your ass if the person “passes” (which I hate as a concept but that’s a whole nother bag of horses) it’s not effortless.

People don’t just slap on a binder and suddenly turn into a cis looking dude (boy I wish). They spend months and years working on their bodies and presentation, figuring out how to dress, how to talk, pouring time and sweat and thousands of dollars into shaping who they are, and for a lot of transmen one of the biggest milestones is getting top surgery. And there is a very important reason for this.

IF you have the money for it, and you’re the kind of guy who has top dysphoria and requires a binder, getting top surgery would be one of your TOP (heh) PRIORITIES in transitioning.

This isn’t just for “passing”!! Binding is painful, uncomfortable, and sweaty. Most importantly though, if you wear a binder regularly, no matter how “safely” you bind IT WILL WARP YOUR SPINE AND WEAKEN YOUR LUNGS!!! If you bind consistently for over a year, you WILL do permanent damage to your body, no matter what. Surgery isn’t just for looks, it saves transmen from having to destroy their health on a regular basis

Which is why it’s generally the first surgery transmen go through for their transition.

We don’t bind casually. It’s a huge health risk, one that a lot of trans folks are willing to take for the sake of mental health but….please understand it’s not fashion. Or aesthetic or whatever. There’s so much more to being a transman then just “cute boi in a binder”

Don’t be lazy and just slap a binder on a character and say THERE HES TRANS!!

This post is a mess but basically bottom line is, If you’re going to show us in media please talk to a trans person!! Heck talk to multiple trans people!!! Trans men and ladies!! Agender and non-binary folks!! THE MORE THE BETTER!!!! Absorb and learn about their experiences and THEN figure out how your character identifies and presents themselves!!

they’re in an au now and kirk is an angry ensign with a drug problem

“being the top felt weird and wrong”

SOMETHING STIRRED INSIDE HIM

no matter the universe kirk can’t keep his shirt intact

THIS IS WHERE SHIT GETS REAL Y’ALL I CAN’T

THE MIND MELD IS BARELY EVEN A METAPHOR

KIRK WAS ASKING FOR IT

aaaaaaaaaaah