Well that blew up.

Which, fair. It’s twitter. I wish we all knew how to be a little kinder to each other, but, these are the weeds we’re wading through.

Talking about internalized misogyny evokes a lot of pain for ppl. So does talking about gender. That’s real. I’m feeling the heaviness of it. My dm’s are open. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="💜" title="Violettes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Violettes Herz">

I’m gonna respond to some of the critiques, because I’m imagining the more aggressive responses to my post were upsetting to ppl who resonated with my thoughts, and I don’t want you to feel alone.

I’m not responding to all the critiques because I haven’t read them all, and I’m not gonna put myself through that.

First: You are not inherently fetishizing if you notice things about https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🦁" title="Löwengesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Löwengesicht"> and https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐰" title="Hasengesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Hasengesicht">’s gender expressions. You are not inherently heteronormative if you read https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🦁" title="Löwengesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Löwengesicht"> and https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🐰" title="Hasengesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Hasengesicht">’s gender in similar ways to how I described.

I would argue that ignoring https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🦁" title="Löwengesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Löwengesicht">’s clear, consistent words about himself, including how he relates to gender-coded stylings, because his statements don’t match how you previously perceived him, or enjoy perceiving him, is in fact, disrespectful and fetishizing.

And it does not make the world safer for gender non-conforming people.

Second: I did not mention t/b on this thread because it genuinely was not about t/b. Gender and sexual preference can be related in many many many diverse ways, but they are separate aspects of identity.

Some critical responses to my thread insisted on linking these aspects of identity, saying that I think https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🦁" title="Löwengesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Löwengesicht"> is masculine because I think he’s a top. This is a projection, and is putting words into my mouth that I would not say nor stand by.