Sakura-chan to Amane-kun - Ch. 9

[MangaDex]

 

[Kaarme]

They make a cute couple in an innocent school kid dating sense. Meeting Sakura was practically a lottery win for Amane, as Sakura is so far the only person in whose company Amane can be himself. However, they're also a tragic couple. It's tragic because in the end Sakura is still a man. On the other hand, although I'm no professional with very limited interest in it in general, but I also don't think it would be healthy for Sakura if he starts to feel pressured by Amane to become transgender. He should be allowed to form his own identity by himself, and the default is always the biological one. I might not say this otherwise, but Amane is quite pushy and I've got a feeling Amane might seek to reinforce his own situation/desire/decision by forcing Sakura to go through the same thing, even if Sakura wasn't ready for it or maybe not even willing.

 

[Hexxy]

Sakura tbh is probably transgender too, but is just an egg. (For those not in the know, an egg being someone who hasn't realised or keeps denying that they're trans when they are, in fact, trans). While it's good to respect someone's identity - including eggs who may not be ready to come out yet or ready to accept that they're trans - I feel like this story won't go down a tragic route, I hope. If anything, Amane might just help Sakura realise that they're trans and that it's okay because there's someone there to support them.

Trans women have a far more difficult time finding acceptance from most of society than trans men, so while Amane can feel more okay being out since, for people who don't think of him as a guy he'd just be a "princely/masculine girl", Sakura is in a more difficult situation where they can face humiliation in droves and people will just refuse to accept them outright if they did realise or come out as being trans. Not that trans men don't have hurdles to go over, too, but often the victims of violence and discrimination trend statistically far more on trans women.

 

[Deoxyribo9]

We'll have to see tbh, cause I feel like drama is gonna come from outside sources. Though for all I know Sakura just likes wearing dresses and generally girly things.

 

[Kaarme]

@Deoxyribo9 I'd actually prefer it if Amane slowly progressed with his real identity, but Sakura remained a hetero guy who just happens to be kind of feminine and likes things and styles that are statistically more loved by girls. It should ultimately lead them to not be a couple, but it's not like every series would need to end that way anyway. Unless they have a major fight, Sakura would remain a very important person for Amane, as a friend and ally, nonetheless. Maybe the third person, with whom Amane is quite close (and who might be lesbian/bi) will also play some role in all of it. I feel like the setting would be too perfect in a plastic manner if they both were smoothly transgender.

Edit: Actually, I wouldn't mind if they still became a couple, even if it required quite a compromise from both of them. I don't know how long it could realistically continue, but it's not like the series would follow them up to their old age anyway.

 

[theHist]

Yea, Sakura seems to be in the discovery phase of being trans, not really wanting to accept it but kind of knowing inside. Happens to a lot of us.
But Sakura dreamt of being affirmed as a girl, which shows that even if they're not ready yet, it probably will make them feel better than being called a boy. I personally think like @Hexxy too, I think she's trans but in denial.
Probably thinks that if she were to transition, she'd have to change who she is as a person (misconception), thus not wanting to transition. She said something like "I just want to be me", but transitioning sometimes is the only way to really be ourselves, sadly. Suppressing those feelings doesn't seem like a very good way of being oneself, I think

 

[bacudo10]

Everyone having a deep conversation and here i am just enjoying the trap and reverse trap love story hahaha
I hope they continue from where the author left about the kiss thing soon.

 

[Hexxy]

It's not trap and reverse trap, it's a trans guy and (possible) trans girl.

 

[theHist]

As a rule of thumb, don't call someone a trap if they don't call themselves trap first and show they're OK with the word, it's still a slur - - - I understand it's a fictional story but it's easy to just do the same with real people (who'll probably hate you saying that)

 

[arkserion]

Trap huh.

Before reading the comments of another lgbt+ focused manga(forgot which one), trap was a "normal" word for me to describe a char who dresses like/identifies as the opposite gender.

In hindsight I should've known trap has a neg. connotation to it.

I wonder if there are more words I think are harmless but actually arent

 

[knight_evangel]

"Everyone having a deep conversation and here i am just enjoying the trap and reverse trap love story hahaha"

same

 

[Thrembs]

@arkserion
Thank you for reflecting.
Everyone can improve how they relate to other people different to themselves.

What matters is sincerely trying to do it. 😄

 

[Thrembs]

@Kaarme
I don't mind either way, but the fujoshi in me was really hoping for boymance.

Maybe Amane realised he's bi or something... Then he and Sakura date like 🚹🚹🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈... That's a scenario I'd be fine with...

But I get my trans boy bl fix from Magical Boy. It's on Tapas. It's very good.
The gayness is only a part of it. It's got layers and gets Real af.

 

[Kaarme]

@Thrembs As a hetero man, the only possible BL story I could imagine myself enjoying for the romance would be a guy with a transgender girl->guy in the transition phase. A very complicated and doomed relationship, unless both were gay/bi, depending on their ability of accommodation. I mainly read these kind of stories for the psychology and societal reasons, and of course for any comedy.

 

[Thrembs]

@Kaarme
I mean, everyone has their "nah, I can't" thing (mine is "I want to meet my Prince! Protect me!" shoujou. Stand on your own two feet, girl). That said, you don't have to be gay to read about gay people.
There are a number of BL that are as much about social issues gay men face as the romance angle. (I've been translating one for a while. Left the group I was in for a couple weeks because they turned out to be A: underage B: absolute perverts. Not in a cheeky sense. Gross. As such I don't know who will be typesetting etc...)
I can chase some down if that sounds interesting.
I'm a lesbian, to be clear. I have no interest in men. I think I just want boys to be nice to each other and away from women a bit more. (Don't hit on strangers btw. Ever. Shit is awkward at best)

Also, as convoluted, sad, and sometimes problematic as it is, (the ending in particular of) Hourou Musuko is of note.
God that shit's sad. It's all Real and Angst and just stuff happening. No plot. Just people living lives.

 

[Thrembs]

Oops

 

[Thrembs]

@theHist
This. I left twitter last year but when I was there I noticed that anyone who identified as a "trap" was usually just an awful person. Man or woman, they all seemed to be jackholes.
They wanna use it that way? Cool. I got no say in what someone calls themselves. That's fine. There was just a very strong.correlation.
I think most were channers

 

[spidersonbikes]

I hope the author comes back to this bc I need more serious LGBTQ manga in my life, I've already read a lot of the big ones that discuss social issues

 

[UnLunDun]

This is so good I need it back ):

 

[elefantine97]

@Thrembs oof yeah, like that Monroe guy, bringing all attention to themselves as the pioneer trap who defies gender expectations while hatin on ppl from lgbtq+ community left and right
he's the definition of "not like other girls"
but in general, yeah, a lot of the people who self-identify with that word don't seem to give a f about other people or how that word affects others
i'm personally not affected, but damn, show a lil respect