We shift our focus to Heather at last, and finally see where she's been. It's a nice warm Spring evening (in Rainverse, at least) so it makes sense she'd sit outside. And who else do we really know her to be tight with besides Jessica? But with Jess holed up at work, of course Heather lost track of time on account of talking to her.
Two points I want to make. The first and simpler one: don't worry about Heather's other friend who canceled on her. I imagine it's just a classmate and casual friend. He's not named or seen. He's not going to be a major player or anything. He was basically just a catalyst to get Heather and Kylie here. So try not to overthink it too much. XD
The second point refers to Jessica's history with the drag scene. A lot of it echoes my earlier pre-transition days from over a decade ago. I never performed myself, but I used to go to shows regularly. It was - at that time - one of the few outlets where I felt comfortable and safe dressing and presenting as myself in a semi-public setting. And that was very empowering for me, and a really fun time too. I also got to know several queens who were among some of the most wonderful, supportive people I've ever known. A few even offered valuable advice I still carry to this day.
I wanted to bring this up because as I said through Jess: "I have a soft spot for the whole thing." It was an extremely valuable experience for me to be involved in this scene at the time that I was; something near and dear to me, and I wanted to be able to share this positivity. But I know it's not for everyone. And I'm also well aware that there's a lot of very bad, very problematic drag out there. I find that big media representation of drag is usually the offensive stuff. But at least in my personal experience, the smaller scale stuff like this - events at local colleges and venues like that (especially for charitable causes) - is usually a much more positive scene.
I'm not going to suggest everyone check it out because I don't expect everyone to like it or agree with me. But I do want to stress that at it's best, the drag scene DOES have the potential to be very valuable to questioning, scared, or otherwise pre-transition trans folks. It was for me. I might never have accepted myself without it; I probably wouldn't even be writing Rain without it.
It’s honestly really hard to read the comics relating to drag for me. I was only exposed to bad drag growing up and it made me scared of being trans, and was partly responsible for me staying in the closet for so long.
Yeah, this's kinda what I mean about there being good and bad kinds. What I saw was clearly a more positive version, and actually helped me come out. But you're not wrong either; the bad stuff is really toxic, and I can absolutely see how that would be damaging. It makes it hard when something was so positive and valuable for me that I want to share it, but I know it can be an upsetting or triggering topic for some to even acknowledge.
So I'm trying to play it as safe as I can with this. If it's any consolation, I don't plan on making it a big thing we're gonna see in the comic. Mostly, it's just going to be talked about in the way we're currently seeing.
I am happy that drag is such a positive influence on others' lives though. My girlfriend is also trans and drag was good for her. I'm happy that you two had access to it :)
Oh man, is Jessica back on speaking terms with Aiken or something? I get the impression her default states are sleepiness and mischievous sarcasm, and he's one of the few people who we've ever seen make her express anything otherwise.
I'm in kind of an opposite situation- gender fluid characters in El Goonish Shive got lead toward me realizing I'm trans, and if anything drag turned me away from the possibility. Having realized I'm trans now, I find drag kind of...offensive. It feels like a bit of a mockery of trans women, to me, as one. I'm not sure why I feel that way, but drag has always bothered me and that's where I've come to stand on it.
I got invited to a drag show, but the already out and on T men were dressed as men.
I get that the expression before validation is important. As at least one guy there wanted to be the trans-guy doing "full drag" with make-up and dresses; but the outlet didn't allow that. Detransitioning, fear, something. It saddened me.
Then there is the whole "drag is culturally appropriated from black ball culture" can of worms.
i always presumed that presenting female was impossible for me. having my ex kinda force me to watch Ru Paul (idk why she was interested, tbh) opened my eyes... seeing the 'pretty queens' (as opposed to the comedy queens), made me realize a lot of things that I thought were unfixable just plain weren't.
if i hadn't been so exposed? idk if i'd have even tried... and idk how sad i'd have turned without being able to transition when i did...
Yeah, this's kinda what I mean about there being good and bad kinds. What I saw was clearly a more positive version, and actually helped me come out. But you're not wrong either; the bad stuff is really toxic, and I can absolutely see how that would be damaging. It makes it hard when something was so positive and valuable for me that I want to share it, but I know it can be an upsetting or triggering topic for some to even acknowledge.
So I'm trying to play it as safe as I can with this. If it's any consolation, I don't plan on making it a big thing we're gonna see in the comic. Mostly, it's just going to be talked about in the way we're currently seeing.
I am happy that drag is such a positive influence on others' lives though. My girlfriend is also trans and drag was good for her. I'm happy that you two had access to it :)
I get that the expression before validation is important. As at least one guy there wanted to be the trans-guy doing "full drag" with make-up and dresses; but the outlet didn't allow that. Detransitioning, fear, something. It saddened me.
Then there is the whole "drag is culturally appropriated from black ball culture" can of worms.
if i hadn't been so exposed? idk if i'd have even tried... and idk how sad i'd have turned without being able to transition when i did...