LISTEN TF UP !!

I see some... reaches about how Tio Rick is racist and lesbophobic.

Most of this is based on how Piper and Hazel are portrayed in HoO, along with Jo and Emmie’s relationship in ToA.

NOW. FIRSTLY. Piper wears feathers in her hair, yes. But if I’m +

recalling correctly, she killed a harpy and then claimed the feather as a notion to ACCEPT herself for who she is as half-Cherokee. What an empowering way to do so. I know Cherokees who have no problem with this portrayal so why would ANYONE ELSE’S opinions besides the ones of +

the involved group matter?

As for the way Hazel was portrayed. What’s wrong with the way her skin color was described? I, as a half-Black person, have NO issue with it. I’m fuckin’ happy we even got representation, because I hardly ever see it in a way that’s as empowering as +

Hazel’s story.

And these two things aren’t the main focus of Piper and Hazel’s characters ANYWAY. Tio Rick made these young women POWERFUL by owning up to who they are. Racist where???

My second thing, lesbophobia? Let’s talk about Clarisse and Silena’s relationship. +

I’m not sure where the idea of shipping Clarisse and Silena came from, but I will say that Silena always had Charlie. Charlie was always there, and while Clarisse and Silena’s relationship was always the reader’s to make theirs— TIO RICK HAD CHARLIE THERE FOR A REASON. They +

were not canonically lesbians, but Tio Rick gave us the thumbs up to make them so in our imagination.

I also see a lot of things involving Jo and Emmie’s relationship in ToA. Spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t read it ... you might wanna skip this part BUT.

I see people +

saying that the lesbophobia is there in the fact that Artemis “kicked them out of the Hunters.”
This ISN’T. TRUE. As a matter of fact, Jo and Emmie left to love each other and raise a child away from the life of Hunters, and they remained on good terms with Artemis as seen in +

the fact that Artemis literally allowed them to stay in the Waystation— a hideout for the Hunters.

To touch back on the not making Reyna a canon lesbian— Tio Rick literally said he doesn’t want to make her a lesbian because he thought that would put her into the stereotype +

that lesbians ARE lesbians because they “can’t find the right man.” BUT. He said that we have total freedom to think of her and headcanon her that way.

Rick Riordan has an entire publication dedicated to giving diverse authors a chance to broadcast their characters of all +

races, cultures, disabilities, sexualities, body types, mental illnesses, genders, EVERYTHING.

So I’m saying: Tio Rick isn’t the bad person y’all make him out to be. If you really wanted a problematic, racist, HOMOPHOBIC author to drag, drag JKR.

And do NOT +

tell people who they should/shouldn’t stan without getting your facts together.

Thank you,
your Hazel x