So after making the trans Grace post yesterday, I of course started thinking about how Graceโs respective partners would react to Grace coming out to them. Iโm focusing on trans masc Grace, cause thatโs the experience I relate to more
(This post will focus on GraceRockyAdrian cause including Simon made it way to long. So BloodyMary will have its own post.)
Rocky has No existing bases for humans at all, so while he can literally Hear Graceโs internal organs, he does not recognize the meaning of the placement of Graces reproductive organs. If anything, Grace having internal organs with two lil sacks that hold millions of microscopic eggs that release at intervals is actually pretty close to Rockyโs own internal equipment.
Which means, that when they Do discuss human anatomy, Rocky would very likely have some constructive criticism regarding the placement of external reproductive organs. First of all, EXTERNAL??? WHY?? That is a terrible design for such soft shelled creatures!! Does it at least have any kind of protective layer??
Grace does explain the need for temperature regulation for better chance of fertility, but then visibly cringes at that last question. Becauseโฆ sort of, yeah, they do kinda come with a protective layer originally, but in some cultures, parents chose to have that part removed early.
Rocky is horrified. So much so that it takes a few seconds for the discrepancies between what Grace is explaining and his own existing anatomy to register.
When Rocky asks, Grace stays in teacher mode to then explain the wider less common variety of sexes and genders that exist amongst humans. Before finally coming back to himself and explaining to Rocky clearly that heโs a trans man. Space alien or not, coming out like this is something Graces has never done in his current recalled memory so he can only hide so much of his nervousness behind his teacher voice.
Rocky however, is nodding his carapace. It makes total sense to him after all. For a species to have so many genders and such squishy changeable bodies to transition to better fitting form when needed, and- OH! Oh no!! Grace leaking!! Why Grace leaking???
Suddenly Grace is hugging Rockyโs ball again, so happy and relieved for Rocky to take this so well. Itโs a Much stronger emotional reaction than he even expected from himself, and he has a feeling heโs better off not remembering why that is.
Later, Adrian gets a similar lessen from Grace when they and Rocky are helping him recover from the journey to Erid. Adrian accepts it just as easily as Rocky, and then even ask Rocky if their mate wishes to be referred to as โheโ from now on as well. Rocky enthusiastically agrees, he wants to match with Grace! Adrian ask if they should go by โheโ too, but Grace assures them that only they can choose their own pronouns, and there are many more options to pick from. They can even change them up again if what they pick doesnโt fit later. Adrian is so fascinated by the complex concept and does in fact pick โthey/themโ when the options are explained to them.
Grace manages to Not cry this time, but Adrian does get their first hug from him, which Rocky immediately joins it on.
