1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

"Assigned Male" comic

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Minnie, Dec 5, 2015.

  1. Minnie

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2013
    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Scotland, UK
    Has anyone else read this online comic? What do you think of it? I get a vibe that the author is portraying anyone who doesn't understand transgenderism as a bit dumb, and that it can be a bit condescending at times. There are some heart-warming moments in it, though, that I enjoy. What do you all think?
     
  2. thepandaboss

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2015
    Messages:
    2,436
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Oregon
    Yeah, I've read it. I mean, it's okay. Cute at times but I'm not always a huge fan. One thing that gets under my skin? The main character, Steph.Think she's supposed to be like, what, ten? Twelve? I know plenty of brilliant ten and twelve year olds. My 12 year old sister is, for one, very snarky and insightful. But Steph never came across as a brilliant child. She comes across as a jaded 35 year old in a child's body with the weird juxtaposition of having interests that would be immature for a 10-12 year old such as picture books and coloring books.
     
    #2 thepandaboss, Dec 5, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2015
  3. Pret Allez

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    Messages:
    6,785
    Likes Received:
    67
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I am not really sympathetic to concerns about it being condescending.
     
  4. WhereWeWere

    WhereWeWere Guest

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2015
    Messages:
    144
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    America
    Gender:
    Male (trans*)
    assigned male? ha, i wish
     
  5. tgOlivia

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2015
    Messages:
    96
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    CO, USA
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Sexual Orientation:
    Questioning
    Out Status:
    Family only
    Wow, okay. I'd never heard about this before but I thought it sounded great so I decided to look it up. I webcomic about a transgirl!? Sounds awesome.

    Not awesome. Like wow, this is astoundingly bad. Going through the beginning it certainly makes some good points and I totally feel for a lot of its concerns, but wow...

    Every single character, "good" and "bad" is a 100% flat caricature with no real depth, fluidity, or even interesting characteristics. Every single character is obviously designed to make a point (which isn't even made well) and have no value other than making that point.

    It seems to treat 99% of cis people as automatically transphobic, and every little thing that harms trans people as some sort of oppression. It also gives cis people (especially cis males) more privileges than exist in the real world, which isn't even necessary. The real world is sexist and transphobic enough, you don't need to create new problems too to make it look even worse.

    Also, who is this written for? When the main character or another character goes on rants about transphobia they are using words no one who isn't in their late teens at the earliest, and is involved in the LGBTQ and/or social justice movement would know. But the rest of the comic seems to be written for children, and over simplifies everything. (Because, ya know, children cant think complexly)

    Seriously. This comic is really bad, I love the concept, but the execution is absolutely abysmal. Just wow.
     
  6. MissMook

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2014
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    US
    *read page one*

    Wait...how old is she?

    *page 2*

    Ooooh dear...I was afraid of this...

    *page five*

    ...This is gonna be the whole comic, isn't it?

    *page nine*

    Yup.



    Okay, stuff like this is why cis people don't take us seriously enough. :dry:
     
  7. Pret Allez

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2012
    Messages:
    6,785
    Likes Received:
    67
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I think it's an overstatement to say that a web comic is why cis people don't take trans people seriously.

    Cis people don't take trans people seriously because of sexism, homophobia, how the two interact, and completely insane, psychopathic things that they think about sexual predators.

    I doubt most cis people are even aware of the comic.
     
    #7 Pret Allez, Dec 5, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2015
  8. thepandaboss

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2015
    Messages:
    2,436
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Oregon
    Oh, it's not as bad as "Maniac Pixie Dream Girls". Which is just as heavy handed as "Assigned Male" but with a really weird art style that makes everyone look like baby dolls with chipmunk teeth.
     
  9. MissMook

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2014
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    US
    Oh yes! I agree.

    Yeah, sorry, what I said was pretty vague. I meant more in how it's another example on the web of the trans community being portrayed as militant SJWs, misrepresented, and condescending.
     
  10. thepandaboss

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2015
    Messages:
    2,436
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Oregon
    Whoops, I mean Manic Pixie Nightmare Girls. Manic Pixie Nightmare Girls
     
  11. Moonflower

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2015
    Messages:
    229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Gender:
    Female
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Just looked at it...
    It does seem to have one dimensional characters, like when "topics other than gender" came up the girl related all of them to gender. It might be a good starting point to discuss transgender issues, however, and that I think is the creator's point, in which case it accomplishes that goal.
     
  12. imnotreallysure

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2013
    Messages:
    2,937
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Leeds, UK
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Wow, that's the worst thing ever. I think if you showed that to most people they'd laugh. Not really the objective in mind I'm sure.

    What the creators of these comics don't realise is that they're doing more harm than good to the cause they profess to care so much about. It's just too confrontational, condescending and a little rude in the way the message comes across. Even as a person who is far from ignorant regarding trans issues, I felt slightly annoyed reading it. Half of the stuff is pointless shit that doesn't even matter.

    One for the dustbin, I think.
     
    #12 imnotreallysure, Dec 5, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2015
  13. Dark Hearts

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    May 5, 2015
    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Northwest US
    Gender:
    Female (trans*)
    Sexual Orientation:
    Questioning
    Out Status:
    A few people
    I don't like the comic. I know I'm not really the target audience so my opinion doesn't mean a whole lot, but I don't really like it. It's just...not entertaining and the characters just feel super flat. Not fond of the artwork either.
     
  14. thepandaboss

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2015
    Messages:
    2,436
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Oregon
    Like this comic. I'm not a fan of content/trigger warnings myself to be honest. I have past trauma and sometimes don't mind a heads up about difficult stuff but the point is, you're supposed to get to the point where you can engage with 'triggers' throughout your daily life without a meltdown. I get why some people might appreciate them though.

    This, however, completely simplifies the issue. Both characters are just bland, one-dimensional mouth pieces. The guy's voice is automatically considered wrong and baseless, while the woman is presented as being 100% right with no gray areas to consider:

    [​IMG]
     
    #14 thepandaboss, Dec 5, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2015