#stereotypes

We’re all professionals, but sometimes you catch yourself realizing how weird things are looking when handling human remains

Trying to shake out clumped together dirt from someone skull

Brushing someone’s teeth with an actual toothbrush, something they have never done in their lives

Comparing someone’s bones to yours

Judging their dental hygiene

When the earworm of the day is Johnny Cash’ s “Ain’t No Grave”.

Scooping someone’s eye sockets clean with a spoon (or just their whole brain)

When some bones are just … off … you judge hard

It surprised me when, instead of Crystal dropping in and fracturing Charles and Edwin's thirty years of friendship, they went with Crystal sinking into the fold of Charles and Edwin's friendship and becoming an important and unique addition to the group.

It surprised me when, instead of Gay Boy Pining Over Straight Best Friend, they went with Gay Boy Realises Feelings For Straight Best Friend And Confesses Almost Immediately with a bonus of Straight Boy Accepts Confession With Surprising Grace And Nothing Changes, Not Really.

It surprised me when, instead of making the female characters repetitive and semi-rational and ultimately less powerful, they went with characters who are smart and selfish and kind and cruel and strong and flawed and oh, they happen to be female too.

It surprised me when Charles liking Crystal did not affect one bit of how much he loved Edwin.

It surprised me when Jenny talked about spinsters with cats and Niko did not bat an eye.

It surprised me with Edwin and Niko. It surprised me with, we have forever to figure the rest out. It surprised me with Crystal's kindness, Jenny's empathy, the casual and absolute, the good you do will come back around.

That always kind of gets my hackles up a little because. Why does it Just Feel Right. If you can’t articulate why it just feels right it makes me wonder what stereotypes make it just feel right.

Using queer headcanons as an example because I see them a lot:

“I headcanon this character as trans because he wears many layers and puffy vests, is unpopular and bullied at school for no evident reason, is conflicted and insecure about his masculinity, and his themes of hiding his true self from his parents because he’s afraid they won’t accept him resonate strongly with the trans experience” I’m totally there with you. “I headcanon this character as aromantic because she never has a love interest over the course of the series” makes sense and I support this! “I headcanon this character as asexual because he’s my favorite and I want him to be asexual” hell yeah. “I headcanon this character as nonbinary because I relate strongly to them in other ways and I am nonbinary” nice. “I headcanon this character as bisexual because he has a canon female love interest, but I want to ship him with his male friend instead” classic. All of these are common and normal reasons for such a headcanon.

“I headcanon him as asexual because it just feels right” hm. interesting. why. what about him Just Feels Right. Is it because he is quiet and introverted? Because he puts his work above any attempt to seek out a love interest? Because he’s disabled? Because he has a purple color scheme? Because he’s evil and you can’t imagine shipping him with anyone?

“I headcanon this character as trans! It just feels right!” Why? Because he’s smaller and skinnier than the other men in the cast? Because he’a sweet and friendly? Because he has a complicated relationship with masculinity in the story? Because he’s enthusiastically masculine in the story? Do you ship him as the bottom in a M/M ship? Is he paler and more emotional than the other man you ship him with?