29th Nov 2020, 12:00 AM
in Special
Author Notes:
Jocelyn
29th Nov 2020, 12:00 AM
Ten years ago today (November 29th), at exactly midnight (EST), the very first story page of Rain went up. As of this writing, the comic is still going too. There are currently 41 chapters. And 1,228 pages. Over the course of TEN years! I've never done anything for ten years! :O
If you'd asked me back in 2010 how I thought Rain would be going in the next decade, I probably wouldn't have had a confident answer. I've talked about this in the past, but it was just supposed to be a story I wanted to tell for myself. Rain is the story of a trans girl and her friends who just want to live her lives the way that feels right to them, and the struggles they face - internally and externally - to achieve that. There's legit hardship and many of the characters have faced serious trauma, but the story always maintains a certain positivity and hope. It was the story I needed growing up, but didn't have. And at the time, I honestly didn't know if it'd resonate with anyone else. I honestly didn't think anyone but me was gonna care.
I'm grateful to say I was wrong. :)
Seeing how much Rain has meant to people, has been everything to me. Readers have shared so many stories with me, and it never ceases to fill my heart with joy to know I was able to help in some way. How it's helped people accept themselves or feel validated. How it's helped people come out or start transition. How it's helped people understand gender identities and orientations they don't relate to. How there are some people who've told me they're still here today because they found Rain. And even on the lower stakes side, that there are just so many invested in seeing what comes next in the story. All of that keeps me going.
I can't stress enough that as much as I've loved pretty much every story idea I've ever had, I've never been so committed to anything until this one came along. And the big difference, I think, was that this mattered so much to me. And I guess that helped, because it ended up mattering to other people. And I'm eternally grateful for that.
So, thank you. I'm still by no means a confident person, but all of you who've followed Rain up to this point (whether you were here ten years ago, or you just found the comic yesterday), you're the reason I've been able to keep at this, and follow my dreams. I'd never have made it this far without all of you being in my corner. ^_^
***
If you wanna have some fun and share some stories, tell us how long you've been reading, about your favorite characters or pages/scenes/chapters, and/or if you really wanna get deep, what Rain has meant to you. I'd love to hear. ^_^
And as always: stay safe and stay healthy. I love you all. Have a wonderful day! <3
If you'd asked me back in 2010 how I thought Rain would be going in the next decade, I probably wouldn't have had a confident answer. I've talked about this in the past, but it was just supposed to be a story I wanted to tell for myself. Rain is the story of a trans girl and her friends who just want to live her lives the way that feels right to them, and the struggles they face - internally and externally - to achieve that. There's legit hardship and many of the characters have faced serious trauma, but the story always maintains a certain positivity and hope. It was the story I needed growing up, but didn't have. And at the time, I honestly didn't know if it'd resonate with anyone else. I honestly didn't think anyone but me was gonna care.
I'm grateful to say I was wrong. :)
Seeing how much Rain has meant to people, has been everything to me. Readers have shared so many stories with me, and it never ceases to fill my heart with joy to know I was able to help in some way. How it's helped people accept themselves or feel validated. How it's helped people come out or start transition. How it's helped people understand gender identities and orientations they don't relate to. How there are some people who've told me they're still here today because they found Rain. And even on the lower stakes side, that there are just so many invested in seeing what comes next in the story. All of that keeps me going.
I can't stress enough that as much as I've loved pretty much every story idea I've ever had, I've never been so committed to anything until this one came along. And the big difference, I think, was that this mattered so much to me. And I guess that helped, because it ended up mattering to other people. And I'm eternally grateful for that.
So, thank you. I'm still by no means a confident person, but all of you who've followed Rain up to this point (whether you were here ten years ago, or you just found the comic yesterday), you're the reason I've been able to keep at this, and follow my dreams. I'd never have made it this far without all of you being in my corner. ^_^
***
If you wanna have some fun and share some stories, tell us how long you've been reading, about your favorite characters or pages/scenes/chapters, and/or if you really wanna get deep, what Rain has meant to you. I'd love to hear. ^_^
And as always: stay safe and stay healthy. I love you all. Have a wonderful day! <3
User comments:
Very good.
Also congrats on 10 Years. I hope you’re staying safe.
As a straight guy, Rain taught me a ton about gender and sexuality - although the lessons weren't always easy to read, especially when it came to challenging some of my own beliefs.
I guess what I'm saying is thank you Jocelyn for a wonderful journey so far and I look forward to seeing how the story continues.
PS: Huge fan of Puddle and his adorable nibbling mischief!
And i successfully, intentionally, timed it to within an hour of the decade release! *pats myself on back*
its great to finally be here, in the present. i look forward to seeing where the remainder of this comic goes.
I love that you show how Rain looked every year since the start, she has gotten cuter as the years go by (and yet she doesn't age lol )
Good luck with the following years and stay safe ^^
Long may Rain continue. It's one of my favourite webcomics I always look forward to. Thank you Jocelyn.
Rain is one of the 3 comics in total that I follow and whenever a new page is published, I read it right away (even if its right at work)
Rain is one of my favourite webcomics. It's just so nice to have a cast full to the brim of queer, trans and intersex characters who are all managing to rock the world in so many ways. All of them have grown in their own ways and it's just brilliant that they all get to have some positives even though there are negatives as well. Aiken calling Rain baby sis melts my heart every time I reread. I hope one day I am able to inspire fellow LGBTQ+ folks as you have done, and I hope you continue to write stories like this for a very very long time. <3
Congratulations on 10 years of Rain and thank you for sharing her with the world!
I'd already known I was trans for a while, but I was still partially in the closet, particularly with work and my extended family. When I came across Rain, I was really touched by the support she got from everyone around her. It gave me the courage I needed to tell my family and work, so thank you very much for that :)
Ever since i've been happy to tell anyone and everyone to read the comic! I've even had one of your doodles as my phone lock screen for the longest time. Thanks for everything you do and I can't wait to see what comes next!
I'm found the comic as I went through a difficult time two years ago. It had nothing to do with my gender, but it gave me somthing else to think about. And I learned so much from you, so thank you so much!!!
Your doing somthing wonderfull I wish someday I can do a comic as well as you with a story that goes directly to the heart. I love it!
I can relate to Fara the most. I work in the schoolsystem and hope I can be helpfull to all my students who struggle with themself or with the people around them.
I don't have a cool story about how it helped me, maybe queer characters are a bit more common in my short stories now, but I am just here because it is a great story.
Jesus up in heaven, I hope it goes on for another ten more.
A few months later, I realized I was a trans girl. So many things clicked into place. When I started college, I was out and used a new name I had chosen for myself. In a way, I got to achieve my dream of going to a new school as my true self like Rain did.
Eventually I came out to my parents, started HRT, and met my gf at a trans support group. Things are far from perfect, but I'm so much happier now than I ever could have imagined before I realized who I was. I can't thank you enough for Rain.
You asked, so: I'm concerned over how much I see trans people in webcomics and how little (far as I know) in real life.
As a reader, I'm privy to the thoughts and history of characters like Zoë Carter and Rain Flaherty. I can know their hearts in a way that's impossible to know about a human being. Not to mention the their place in the narrative. All these tell me transition is the right thing for them to do, the only way they can live with themselves & be happy.
When I meet transfolk in real life - say, if a friend or relative comes out - will I remember that real people can't possibly live up to the same standard? Or will I bother me that they don't? Could it lead me to think it's a phase, or they just need self-confidence?
(It doesn't help that both characters I mentioned are prodigies at passing, Rain's voice notwithstanding.)
Well, it's probably not worth worrying over. I just fret. I also have Asperger's, and with it, the social graces of an enraged parakeet, so I'm not dreading this would be an issue for others.
> When I meet transfolk in real life - will I remember that real people can't possibly live up to the same standard? Or will I bother me that they don't?
I'm not entirely sure I follow. What standard can't real people live up to?
> It doesn't help that both characters I mentioned are prodigies at passing
I can't speak to Zoë, as she's not my character and I'm not responsible for her. But for what it's worth, Rain has been clocked a fair bit (I'd hardly call her a passing prodigy). To my memory, at least by Rudy, Brother Arthur, Heather, Debbie, Todd, and Ana. She wasn't outed to the school or anything, if that's what you mean, but that doesn't discount that all those other instances. It's still a big deal for her every time.
Rain's efforts to present as a girl and transition are just and morally righteous. They should be celebrated, cherished, and defended. Other people should allow her to be who she is. Just like trans people in real life.
The difference is that since Rain's a character in a story, readers are privy to a number of things (e.g. inner monologue, backstory, your remarks about the story you're telling) that really hammer home the point that she legitimately is the gender she identifies as, and should be acknowledged & respected as such. I know intellectually that the same goes for transfolk in real life, but what I fret about is, what about emotionally? If I get my ideas of what trans people are like from stories, am I going to feel that real trans people, who don't have the benefit of such a hammering, seem lacking in comparison? Inauthentic? Phony?
To be clear, I'm not trying to talk about any kind of standard or obligation that transgendered people should try to meet. Neither am I criticizing your work. This is entirely about the inside of my own dang head. I worry about my emotions in advance - kinda like Rain's friends way back in chapter 11 - as I want to do right by people, but have a knack for tripping myself up.
> She wasn't outed to the school or anything, if that's what you mean, but that doesn't discount that all those other instances. It's still a big deal for her every time.
I agree with every part of that. I don't want to start splitting hairs about the definition of prodigy, so I'll defer to your expertise and retract the prodigy comment.
Ten years of Rain! Nice! Congratulations. I enjoy your comic a whole lot, and if I deserve to be called an ally, trans representation in fiction has a lot to do with it.
But you asked about personal meaning, and for me it's actually concern. If I read about trans people but don't meet them irl, will I get the wrong impression? Yes, of course. What impression? Well, most trans protagonists I know have long since figured out they were trans. Many basically always knew. They're armed with an ironclad certainty of who they are.
What's more, the story they're in backs them up. Do I have it right when I think you'd much rather draw water running uphill than have Rain turn out to be a guy? That's what I mean about a standard that's outright impossible for real people to meet.
There are exceptions, like Riley's story in Magical: Before the Magic.
So if a friend or relative turns out to be questioning, just figuring things out, an egg starting to crack, will I be a good ally? Or will I be dismissive over a dumb notion that trans people are supposed to know all along?
Fretting about how I'll react feels kind of silly, but not like that stopped half of your comic's cast.
None of this is your fault. There's no single trans experience that'd fit in a comic, and anyway the care and effort you've put into diversity is obvious. Thank you for the comic. Congrats for sticking so long to something you love.
I think the important thing to remember is that I never claimed to be writing every trans experience. It's just one of many. Even between Rain, Jess, Ana, Vincent, Ryan, the main cast of Magical, and any other future trans characters I write (of which there will be many) - there's technically a lot of trans narratives represented here, and yet I still wouldn't say I've even begun to scratch the surface. No matter how much I write, I'll never be able to cover even a fraction of the possible narratives.
So, if a friend or relative turns out to be questioning, you can be a good ally by not worrying too much about a fictional character from a dramatized story. Pay to attention to the real person and hear what they have to say. If they want to share their story, listen to them. If they request to be called by a certain name or set of pronouns, use what they ask. If you mess up and say the wrong name or pronouns, just apologize, correct yourself, and move on. That's how you be a good trans ally. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.
And if they change their mind down the road and realize it wasn't the path for them (mind, I don't think that's going to happen often, but if it does), all you really need to do on your end is ask what name and pronouns they want now, and use that new suggestion from then on. If you just listen to what they say, they will probably tell you how you can help them. :)
Right now, for me, Rain is a role model, someone I almost idolize. Someone I'm so, so jealous of.
The story has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. I started reading it on a whim: "Hey, I've seen this title a few times before. Fuck it, I'm reading this now." And then I got hooked (though I do this with everything I like), and just kept reading. Unfortunately for me, I started feeling like Emily on her last date with Rain as I read Rain; stop reading for ten seconds and my mind went back to... jealousy. Envy.
I realized as I was watering the flowers today that reading Rain had let me part of her journey and that her successes were mine in a way... and that this was probably some kind of euphoria that I'd never experienced before.
I'm eighteen right now, and I say I'm questioning, but I really think I'm just in denial that I'm a trans girl.
For now, I'll leave you with a tentative thank you for taking me on Rain's journey, but I'm sure I'll feel overwhelmingly thankful to you in a few years.
I love Rain, the story for boys, girls, and everyone in between.
Rain helped me a lot, it gave me confidence and hope, I also learned a ton.
Few fictional stories have had me get this emotional