An unusually non-chatty page today. Such is the nature of having just one character do their own thing by themselves, I suppose. But that isn't to say there's nothing going on here. Though little is actually said, Ruby interacts with quite a few people here directly and indirectly.
Wait... why Ruby though? I know a lot of readers will be like "Who cares? I love Ruby!" But surely, there wouldn't be any need to get all dolled up just to buy manga (I mean, I say that, but I've totally been there). XD
Solo debut, huh? My solo debut was awful. So whatever your reasons, Ruby, I'm rooting for you.
And btw, even though Ruth is my screen name here on CF, My chosen name is actually Ruby... ( Ruth is my new middle name) just because my birth middle name is also Rudy, and yep I stole it!
Thanks Jocelyn! I hope you don't mind, but yeah you named me! And the name fits me so well too.
I'm honored to have helped (even if it was unwitting on my part).
I do know a few readers who've chosen Rain or Ky as their names because of the comic, but you're the first Ruby I'm aware of. Kudos! I'm glad it's working out for you. ^_^
@Jocelyn you've actually helped me in much bigger ways than just unwittingly supplying a new chosen name. Last summer, I was still on the fence about whether or not to attempt transitioning at all since I was 54 years old and thinking it was way too late for me. Then I discovered Rain from a link on a discussion forum and binge-read all episodes in one weekend. I completely fell in love with the story and it brought back memories of my own childhood. I then knew what I had to do. The wheels were put in motion and in early September I took my first hormones. I'm now on the biggest adventure of my life and I give you my deepest heartfelt thanks because Rain was the motivation that got me to change my life!
I enjoy this, first because I love seeing people comfortable with their gender expression (which can be very different from gender identity) and second because I think Ruby seems happier than Rudy and not dragged down by bitterness, which is good to see.
On a personal note, I have my appointment to get on testosterone on July 31st 😃.
I do wonder what Rudy is thinking. Of course, it may be that he hasn't figured it all out himself yet. I guess we'll have to see how things go in the future. BTW, is he not worried about running into someone he knows?
He did go to the Centreville Mall after all, which, from previous comics, is a common place to run into people you know (it's happened a few times already).
To be honest, I really dislike the term "egg" because I feel like it creates an environment where transness is defined by specific behavior before transition, which can lead people to feeling they aren't "really" trans if they don't fit that mold. It's also a problem because this behavior, which usually is assigned either the meaning of man or woman, ignores gender fluidity, non binary identities, cross dressing, gender non conformity, etc. Being feminine or wearing feminine clothing doesn't make you a trans woman anymore than being masculine and wearing masculine clothing makes you a trans man. Gender expression doesn't always equal gender identity, as I'm sure many femme people and butch people can tell you. So perhaps let's wait until Jocelyn states in cannon that there is more to this than cross dressing before assigning a label to someone that may not fit.
Fox, yes, some trans conditions are inborn. But some like genderfluidity, seem to be made.
I can trace my genderfluid nature back to something that happened when I was about 6 years old.
In terms of being nonbinary, this is perfectly fine. I know several people that seem to have a "crossdressing backstory" in contrast to the "I was born in the wrong body" that I hear quoted by the trans community.
Which is why I contend that some LGBT conditions are not inborn but nurture behavior. In fact, it is not always universal that bisexual people know right off the bat that they like both genders. Some of these things are awakened by experience.
Samantha, I disagree on the idea of it being based solely on nurture in some cases. I think, based on extensive research, that experiences (nurture) can trigger inborn tendencies(nature), but experience cannot make you something you weren't predisposed to being in the first place. Experience can change behavior, but it cannot change who you are at your core. Experience can't create same sex interest if you're not predisposed to it, just like it can't create mental illness you're not predisposed to. That's why some people develop PTSD and other people don't even when going through the same experience. Nature and nurture work together, they are not mutually exclusive.
The people I've known who found out from experience that they were bisexual were raised in an environment that was very hostile to LGBTQQIP. I don't see experience trumping brainwashing to be an argument that it wasn't in the person's fundamental nature.
To be fair, the people I've known are not the people that you've known. So my observations don't necessarily have anything to do with yours. I'm just positing them as food for thought.
Some Ed, I agree 100%. You don't become bi, gay, trans, etc. You figure out that you are as experience either internal or external makes you aware of it. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not a choice.
Ok, I totally agree with the whole, you can't make someone gay/trans, and experience can activate nature but not create it argument, but can somebody tell me what an egg is? I tried looking it up and I can not find it.
I have been reading this comic for a while and I feel like I have to say thank you. I feel like this comic has given me courage and I've made strides that I could never do before I started reading this...this year, I went to my school prom as who I want to be, not who I was born as, and I've even come out to my family and friends...
SO again, thank you, I'm finally able to be who I want because you gave me the courage to do so.
What if Ruby runs into Gavin and Ana at the mall? What's Ana gonna think? I don't recall if she's ever met Ruby before, yet no doubt she'll recognize who they are...
Well Ana kind of already reacted to finding out Rudy likes to wear dresses, ( http://rain.thecomicseries.com/comics/902 ) so she may be a little more prepared for actually meeting Ruby in person than she would have been otherwise. :-)
By nurture I mean things ones is taught by experience, trauma is an experience but it isn't who you are and I say this from personal experience as well as talking in many support groups. What is it exactly you disagree with?
Almost exactly what happened in this comic. I went in, talked to the doctor for a bit, signed an informed consent form and then they gave me my prescription. I was there for nearly 2 hours, but the actual process was no longer than 40 minutes. The extra time was mostly waiting and general paperwork.
Yes, as in the "nature versus nurture" issues. I thought that was your reference. Including but not limited to psychiatric influence. Albeit, psychiatric practice has employed physical devices such as ECT and some very hostile chemistry in history. There has been extreme influence, some deliberate and some accidental. Not that such notation is valid excuse to skew the issue but that it should be noted.
Not quite so much that I disagree (so much) but that your description is too simplistic. Not that your talk has been simple. But that what's under discussion is necessarily too large in breadth and depth to be covered well within this limited venue. That's to say, over simplicity is unavoidable. And everybody's experience is different. Individual.
Sex or gender is not strictly a binary. Yes, it is a rainbow. Yet, within the rainbow there is a line which stretches from extreme femme to extreme masculine with an infinity of points in between of varying degrees. This is not to ignore the offshoots and colors which fall nowhere on that particular line. But for some of us our experience happens somewhere on that line.
In my experience everybody I knew lied to me saying I was male. Yet kept from the info that would've let me dispute the lie. I was given the definition which the misogynist or/and femmephobic Patriarchy has dictated to society for millenia. Looking at the plumbing gave me nothing to dispute the male definition. I didn't really identify with the plumbing and wasn't in love with it. (Guys must think it's made of gold or some shit.)
Well as you pointed out, this isn't a suitable forum for an in depth discussion and that's why my answer was simplified. Also, I wanted to avoid a lot of technical jargon so I didn't confuse anyone who is not familiar with it. I'm quite confused about what your point here is?
Basically, I'm talking about the impact of nature vs nurture under typical circumstances, as that is what is being discussed here. Can typical nurture alone, under typical circumstances, change your identity or orientation? To which, I say no because under typical circumstances you cannot become something you're not predisposed to being. Now genetic manipulation, chemical manipulation, and direct physical manipulation of the brain can cause drastic change, but I figured there wasn't a point to bringing that up because it's not relevant to or within the scope of, the conversation that Samantha and I were having.
Gwah, I hope people don't start calling me "sweetie" or "sweetheart" or "honey" or other garbage after being on HRT for a while, that shit is annoying. I'd prefer words like that only be used by my partner.
Gwah, I hope people don't start calling me "sweetie" or "sweetheart" or "honey" or other garbage after being on HRT for a while, that shit is annoying. I'd prefer words like that only be used by my partner.
I imagine his experience will be different once he's further along with puberty. Most likely at least. Admittedly, some people in his position have better luck than others. Overall, I'd say he'd better enjoy it while it lasts.
I just read the whole comic up til this most recent one in the past 2 days. I've been having a lot of questions lately about pent up thoughts for the last 2 decades, and I found this comic because I always knew if I was a girl I'd be named Rain or Rainia so I made a innocent search for that name on reddit among other things. You've answered a lot of questions I've been having, and even though I never went through most of the stuff in this story, I find myself relating so much to the other Rain. I still have much soul searching to do, and questions that I need to answer myself, but I just want to say thank you for putting a lot of stuff into perspective for me. And all because I decided to search my possible name.
I'm actually extremely envious that Rain got to figure all this out when she was so young.
I LOVE this page and everything about it. I realize that Rudy says he is not trans or bi, but he just likes to cross from time to time. but some of my favorite pages are when Ruby in on the scene...
I can only hope that when i finally decide to go out solo en-femme that it goes this well and smooth... three cheers for Ruby.
And btw, even though Ruth is my screen name here on CF, My chosen name is actually Ruby... ( Ruth is my new middle name) just because my birth middle name is also Rudy, and yep I stole it!
Thanks Jocelyn! I hope you don't mind, but yeah you named me! And the name fits me so well too.
I'm honored to have helped (even if it was unwitting on my part).
I do know a few readers who've chosen Rain or Ky as their names because of the comic, but you're the first Ruby I'm aware of. Kudos! I'm glad it's working out for you. ^_^
On a personal note, I have my appointment to get on testosterone on July 31st 😃.
I can trace my genderfluid nature back to something that happened when I was about 6 years old.
In terms of being nonbinary, this is perfectly fine. I know several people that seem to have a "crossdressing backstory" in contrast to the "I was born in the wrong body" that I hear quoted by the trans community.
Which is why I contend that some LGBT conditions are not inborn but nurture behavior. In fact, it is not always universal that bisexual people know right off the bat that they like both genders. Some of these things are awakened by experience.
To be fair, the people I've known are not the people that you've known. So my observations don't necessarily have anything to do with yours. I'm just positing them as food for thought.
SO again, thank you, I'm finally able to be who I want because you gave me the courage to do so.
I'm just not sure ... ruby has been appearing a lot lately. is rudy maybe in doubt of his own identity?
What if Ruby runs into Gavin and Ana at the mall? What's Ana gonna think? I don't recall if she's ever met Ruby before, yet no doubt she'll recognize who they are...
You are both right, both so very wrong and then right again.
"Nurture" can be taken too far in some instances. Some recoverable. Others not. Some which amount to murder.
One thing I have noticed is that Ruby doesn't think in italics, like Rain does. That does make me doubt that they are mtf transgender.
Ruby HAS to be having feelings that keeps them coming back for more...
Yes, as in the "nature versus nurture" issues. I thought that was your reference. Including but not limited to psychiatric influence. Albeit, psychiatric practice has employed physical devices such as ECT and some very hostile chemistry in history. There has been extreme influence, some deliberate and some accidental. Not that such notation is valid excuse to skew the issue but that it should be noted.
Not quite so much that I disagree (so much) but that your description is too simplistic. Not that your talk has been simple. But that what's under discussion is necessarily too large in breadth and depth to be covered well within this limited venue. That's to say, over simplicity is unavoidable. And everybody's experience is different. Individual.
Sex or gender is not strictly a binary. Yes, it is a rainbow. Yet, within the rainbow there is a line which stretches from extreme femme to extreme masculine with an infinity of points in between of varying degrees. This is not to ignore the offshoots and colors which fall nowhere on that particular line. But for some of us our experience happens somewhere on that line.
In my experience everybody I knew lied to me saying I was male. Yet kept from the info that would've let me dispute the lie. I was given the definition which the misogynist or/and femmephobic Patriarchy has dictated to society for millenia. Looking at the plumbing gave me nothing to dispute the male definition. I didn't really identify with the plumbing and wasn't in love with it. (Guys must think it's made of gold or some shit.)
WTF!!!
Gwah, I hope people don't start calling me "sweetie" or "sweetheart" or "honey" or other garbage after being on HRT for a while, that shit is annoying. I'd prefer words like that only be used by my partner.
Gwah, I hope people don't start calling me "sweetie" or "sweetheart" or "honey" or other garbage after being on HRT for a while, that shit is annoying. I'd prefer words like that only be used by my partner.
I'm actually extremely envious that Rain got to figure all this out when she was so young.
I can only hope that when i finally decide to go out solo en-femme that it goes this well and smooth... three cheers for Ruby.