I actually agree with you on this. The trans community has a tendency to create and cling to certain narratives for dear life. (it doesn't help the world often demands they account for their own existence thus necessitating cohesive narratives)
The problem is that often the narrative can leave a LOT of people out in the cold or unrepresented. Including otokonoko and general enbies.
A major narrative I've always disliked is the whole... "egg awaiting to hatch" concept, where the existence of their ideal gender identity is pre-destined. That can be true for a lot of people but it's not a x=1 y'know? It wasn't true of me, anyway.
I'll definitely concede that it's textually more interesting for this gender bender manga to have one gender bender character (Mahiro) and one otokonoko (Minato). That said if people enjoy the idea of Minato as a nascent trans girl, I can definitely see it and hope they're not too disappointed when the canon isn't likely to go that way. Not because I don't think an otokonoko can't be a great way to explore that liminal gender identity space (hello Bridget) but because Onimai just isn't the kind of work that dives deep into identity.
I mean, I agree with this. That the discussion always escalates to this and rapidly is problematic in some regards. Not just for people who are "into" femboys and otokonoko, but nonbinary and genderfluid-identifying people. The latter of whom who might feel like they're being ignored (or even borderline erased) and might feel intimidated to rain on parades.People are basing and starting this discussion solely on these parameters. It tells me people cannot leave crossdressing male and femboys be as they are, that their identity is up for debate just for existing.
The appropriate time to start this conversation should be when the character themselves starts seriously doubting their identity as a man. Not because he started to dress up like a girl.
Sometimes that's a good thing. Bridget from Guilty Gear did go further with it. And I'll be there with open arms if Minato does.
Thess discussions is always unnecessarily inserted where it's inappropriate. Instead of theorizing if Minato is trans how about we just enjoy how cute he is instead? Not everything revolves around trans...
And who's the one to decide they are inappropriate?
It may end being wrong, of course, and show that in the end he isn't Trans.
But does that matter?
People see an interesting character, and they want to talk about that character.
The character's identity is just another subject that can be discussed about, another of the multiple facets of the character to talk with other people, and talking about a character you like is always fun.
The points and thoughts given as to why Minato could be Trans are fun and interesting to read.
The points and thoughts given as to why Minato could be an Otokonoko are also fun and interesting to read.
Why determine that one side should shut up and stop the conversation, when we can talk about our thoughts of the different facets of a character we like with other people that also like that character?
And why should it be inappropriate?Let's say a trans character was introduced and every time there's a discussion if they might be a femboy
That's really inappropriate isn't it? So why is theorizing a femboy is trans, not?
For people who respect gender identity you sure don't when a crossdressing boy is involved.
It's like they're blank canvas to you.
Honestly, when you put it that way? I think any direction is natural. It's natural character development for a femboy to become a demon. Or an angel. Or a furry. Reassessing their gender identity is just one possible route. Which yes, I consider Bridget as having done.It's just "natural character development" for a femboy to go trans. That's what you may think right? Regardless I see many others say this, oblivious or not, to how they are reinforcing gender stereotypes.
And why should it be inappropriate?
If they have their reasons to believe that may be the case, and explains their thought process that led them to that conclussion, then it would be something interesting to read and discuss with that person.
We may not end agreeing with each other, but seeing the thought process and rationality of a person that led them to reach a different answer than me is interesting.
It's not like I have to defend with cape and sword the Trans identity of that character, it's all fiction in the end, and discussing about the facets of a character is fun, even if I don't agree with the perspective of the other person.
Those types of discussions could lead to interesting and fun new thoughts that one may not have had before. For example, I came to this Comment section thinking that Mahiro is Trans, and some comments made me think "Ah, maybe Mahiro is Agender".
Honestly, when you put it that way? I think any direction is natural. It's natural character development for a femboy to become a demon. Or an angel. Or a furry. Reassessing their gender identity is just one possible route. Which yes, I consider Bridget as having done.
Is it so weird I can see Bridget as being otokonoko/femboy and having developed a cross-gender identity? Like, both at the same time? I personally don't see them as being mutually exclusive. And to keep on topic, I can see that happening with Minato too if he canonically gets wind of Mihari's wonder drug.
As an aside, I wish you'd take what I'm saying in good faith. I don't how much more amicable I can be than having already said "I completely agree with you" twice. I want us both to have nice things. I apologize if I'm assuming hostility that isn't there, but I wanted to clear the air.
It is inappropriate, as I mentioned before in this thread, people see a crossdressing boy, and automatically think he wants to/may transition. Invalidating boys who simply like being feminine. I'm sure trans people experience that right? So why is it different for femboys who just want to exist and be respected in their own regards of personal identity?
It's not rocket science to see how wrong and backwards that thinking is too. It's rude to break down crossdressing men as just a blank slate. These are boys, not "non binaries", "transfems", "trans girls", or whatever.
Plus, Japan doesn't have these terms. It's needlessly injecting western ideals on a foreign nation with an entire different view on gender itself.
I can answer that.By asking why it was inappropirate, I meant why it would be to talk about the possibility of a transgirl being instead a femboy, not of a femboy being a transgirl.
I can answer that.
While I wouldn't say it's "inappropriate" per se to discuss whether a trans girl could instead be interpreted as a femboy in certain situations when the story calls for those discussions in most cases it is because it falls into the territory of transphobia.
It presumes cis as default and doesn't want to take the trans character's word when talking about their identity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CisnormativityHere's where the problem lies.
cis is default.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisnormativity
At least try to google the words I used
(edit, I just realised I totally forgot to mention the term cisnormativity in the explanation. But yeah, that is what I meant when I said "cis as default")
Cisnormativity is widespread in society. It manifests in speech as a separation of cisgender and transgender people where cisgender individuals are considered "normal" and transgender people, an exception.
Meanwhile, unless the story is set up in some sort of reverse reality where trans is presumed as default, you can't ever really point to a trans character and say that they haven't questioned themself and found their identity. So from the get go the talk about how this transgirl could actually read as a femboy is completely different.
Interesting.
In an ideal world, we would be able to simply discuss the facets of a character without it being a problem, without people coming and shouting about how people should stop talking about Trans characters or characters possibly being Trans, and the opposite too.
Unfortunately, people do cause problems with that, and a lot of the people will simply use "Arguments" like "It's not normal", "It's not the default, so the character isn't", "It's wrong", "The character never said anything about that", etc.
I love discussions with good and thoughtful arguments, and those things tend to crumble the second one makes a bit of research, since they aren't based on logic and thought, they are based on belief. Belief in a hateful system.
If you don't want to accept that research, that is a different subject.The research any time I look it up is usually a bunch of gobbledygook made by pseudo intellectuals who have personal, beneficial gain. Or maybe they're just stupid. Honestly, I'd call transgender a belief system.
But anyways,
What's really Interesting is you don't hear these trans discourse among japanese audiences. It's only you people who care so much about this.
Characters you like to call trans in the west, like Hideri, Felix, and now Bridget? Nope they're otokonoko in Japan. Which tells me this a western problem. That GNC isn't really as respected here.