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Moirallegiance in #Homestuck is an interesting concept to look at as a aromantic/asexual person: A 10-part thread
(tl;dr: queerplatonic relationships exist and aren't just "being friends", and reading moirallegiance as BFFs feels kinda shitty as an aro-ace person)
(1/10)
(tl;dr: queerplatonic relationships exist and aren't just "being friends", and reading moirallegiance as BFFs feels kinda shitty as an aro-ace person)
(1/10)
So one of the most interesting quadrants for me, as an aro-ace person, was the concept of moirallegiance.
Because it is described in such a way that seemingly bridges the gap between a relationship that is more intimate than a friendship, but not romantic. (2/10)
Because it is described in such a way that seemingly bridges the gap between a relationship that is more intimate than a friendship, but not romantic. (2/10)
Mind, this is not to say "less intimate than romance" because saying that tends to undermine how aromantic folks experience relationships.
Because we literally don't experience romantic attraction - but that doesn't mean we don't want intimacy. (3/10)
Because we literally don't experience romantic attraction - but that doesn't mean we don't want intimacy. (3/10)
I don't like the reading of moirallegiance being like "BFFs" or a sibling-type relationship because those are often used as go-to ways to devalue the existence of queerplatonic partnerships/relationships.
"What the fuck is that?" some of you may ask - let me explain! (4/10)
"What the fuck is that?" some of you may ask - let me explain! (4/10)
A queerplatonic relationship/partnership (QPR/QPP) is a term for a relationship that is notably more intimate than a friendship, but is NOT based in romantic or sexual feelings.
It's a term used primarily by the aromantic and asexual communities. (5/10)
It's a term used primarily by the aromantic and asexual communities. (5/10)
It gives us a way to explain a deeply intimate relationship with someone while also not having romantic or sexual attraction. As an aro-ace, I literally don't experience those things.
You can do physically and emotionally intimate things in a QPP - that's kinda the deal. (6/10)
You can do physically and emotionally intimate things in a QPP - that's kinda the deal. (6/10)
Back to Homestuck! So moirallegiance read to me as a decent mapping to the idea of a QPR - you're in a deeply intimate relationship that isn't based on romantic attraction.
It might involve elements that folks code as romantic, but it isn't romantic in and of itself.
(7/10)
It might involve elements that folks code as romantic, but it isn't romantic in and of itself.
(7/10)
Textual rep for QPRs is real thin on the ground, so this reading is nice to me because it both seems to fit the text and gives us aro-ace folks some crumbs of representation where our identity as queer often gets erased, or we're infantilized.
(8/10)
(8/10)
Of course, as with many things Homestuck, exploring this as a concept requires fan content because the actual text is vague and you're out of your damn mind if you think Andrew Hussie knew the term "queerplatonic partnership" in 2009-2012.
(9/10)
(9/10)
But yeah - another way to view things. Deeply intimate relationships don't require romantic attraction, and those of us who don't experience it can still have deep, meaningful relationships!
Moirallegiance kinda, sorta gives us some visibility for that fact.
(10/10)
Moirallegiance kinda, sorta gives us some visibility for that fact.
(10/10)
