#bolthy

I’m flattered to hear I got something right. =)

One thought that occurred to me is the question of where the line is between representation and tokenism. It takes on a very different tone in writing vs. visual media. In visual media, you have actors that can be clearly representative. In writing there are sometimes complaints that a character is an unbelievable portrayal of a marginalized individual.

So, to use an example: How do I write a book about a transgender character without it being in some way about the transgender experience? If I were to write a book with a female protagonist, and the only indicator she’s trans is one off hand mention that she’s trans, would that qualify as representation? I’m inclined to think not. But at the other end of the spectrum, I also shouldn’t make the entire book about her experience as a trans woman because I can’t speak to that.  

Which is partly why I haven’t written a book with a trans protagonist. Because I don’t know how to make the representation meaningful without appropriating transgender experience. With a lot of other representation, I can weave it into the plot without trying to act as an expert on that group of people. A lesbian character has a girlfriend. A deaf person will not react to sounds.

So I’d be open to input on this: As a transgender woman, what do you want or not want a cisgender man to include when writing about a transgender character?

I’m putting this here because the other thread is getting pretty long in the tooth. There’s no easy way to answer this question, but here’s my easy answer. And I can’t give you any sort of guarantee that this is a good answer either, this is just the one that makes sense to me. And obviously, I'm talking mostly about trans people because I am one, but I'd hope that this idea works for any representation.

Just make it clear to your readers that not all of your characters are cis. Make it a think that you acknowledge that some people are cis or trans. Maybe that means demonstrating transphobic or transmisogyny. Maybe that means a trans woman talking about when everyone thought she was a boy and how miserable that made her feel. And yeah, sometimes you'll feel like you're touching on a topic you don't quite understand, but that's okay too. I mean, there's a big difference between you having a kickass main character in your story that's trans and writing a story that's all about that character being trans.

I guess, imagine something you’ve grappled with yourself. Imagine someone telling your story in a way that was shitty. I suffer from depression, so someone who hasn’t dealt with depression (you know, beyond the garden variety, everyone has a shitty week once in a while depression) writing a story in which a depressed person basically gets told that they just need to cheer up, that wouldn’t be a true story. But a character who’s depressed in a story who needs to get cheered up by a friend? A character that gets acknowledged as not neurotypical because of their illness? I could really live with that. If you can understand that feeling then you've got your baseline on what you're trying to avoid. Basically, I just think it's about not hurting people with what you've created.

bolthy replied to your post: “on the one hand I want to drop out of dcbb because there’s no way I...”:

I think you should just set shit on fire.

bolthy replied to your post:a surefire way I can make myself feel better if...

What you need is underwear with Misha’s smiling face printed on them.

I want to believe that this is a thing that does not and will never exist in this world

but I've met this fandom and it probably already does

Write 10 random facts about yourself, then tag 10 of your followers.

1. I live in the USA and the only other country I've ever been to is Spain. I regret that I didn't visit Morocco when I had the chance. 

2. The last movie I saw in the theater was Dracula Untold. 

3. My shoe size is women's 6 1/2. That's pretty small. 

4. I used to live within walking distance of a bar called Madison Oyster Bar. My husband & I used to go there and eat oysters Rockefeller and drink Red Stripe in the evenings. 

5. My dad's family emigrated from Londonderry, Northern Ireland before the American Civil War, and my mom's family came from Warsaw, Poland around 1900. 

6. I have a BA in psychology. I minored in Women's Studies. 

7. I'm currently reading both Jane Slayre and Wuthering Bites. 

8. I let my membership in Romance Writers of America expire, even though I'm still writing romances. 

9. I was born in 1977, as were Shakira, Ludacris, and Orlando Bloom. 

10. I have a fascination with conspiracy theories, which I like to study as an amateur urban folklorist. 

aww girl I know that feeling :( Stay strong!! <3

Thank you lovely lady. xx you are such a sweetheart. Wishing you a day as wonderful as you are!!

bolthy replied to your post:Gah I hate that stupid pit stomach feeling you get...

Thankfully I only do that all the time.