Is ScribbleHub cool with LGBT+ users?

[SailusGebel]

I didn't want to hijack the conversation on the thread regarding that actress, but reading over it I saw some misguided or outright uninformed statements from other users. I try to be chill about ignorance and stuff because I've got limited amouts of energy, but I do try to avoid spaces that are outright hostile (gotta pick and choose my battles) in favor of places that are open to learning.
I get that with weeb spaces there's a lot of leftover terminology from older days that hasn't yet been updated and that bleeds over into creative spaces like here. I see it a lot in the visual novel community, for example.
So is it just some of the ScribbleHub userbase that thinks trans people are mentally ill/[insert outdated helicopter joke here] or do I need to bail? Are LGBT folks just fetish tropes for stories or are we welcome to be considered as people here?

I apologise if my questions or presence cause issue.

As a part of this site, I don't have any problems with the LGBT community. But please, do remember that there are people who don't live in the USA or one of the better countries in Europe. For example, there is a guy like me, who lives in a country that is a part of a Commonwealth of Independent States, or you can say, a post-soviet union country. And the English language, that they are teaching us in those countries, isn't as good as we all want it to be. And I do think that such a problem exists in a lot more countries.
So do understand, that there are people who don't understand your terminology, who don't understand if the word has a negative connotation or if it's a slang curse-word. And do understand that intonations aren't transmitted through text, so you can think that the person is sarcastic but he can be merely an oblivious fellow. Personally, I don't know what is a leftover terminology, what is new, and so on. I even struggle with remembering some of the harder terminologies in my own, native language. And I doubt people would spend their time to learn what is an appropriate terminology just because they don't want to hurt someone. Because they don't have time. I live in a post-soviet union country and it isn't much of a life, more of survival here. And when I surf the internet, I want to spend my time relaxing from all the shit that happened in my life, rather than learning how to not hurt somebody, somewhere.
If you fix me without getting angry, sure, I would apologize and try to remember the appropriate terminology. But I as well won't spend my time specifically on learning how to not offend everyone.

 

[OvidLemma]

That's exactly the problem. They could just use an originally male/female charakter and the story would still work if you delete a couple "how do I pee?" jokes. It just undermines the serious psychologicals problems that come from feeling completely wrong in your own body.

I write mostly gender bender stories and have remarked upon the genre elsewhere in these forums in more depth. But, in brief:
1) There's an element of fantasy / wish fulfillment to it. It's similar to why isekai fiction is so popular here, too. You might observe that people would flip out about finding themselves in a strange new world and that, aside from a few "hey, this world is different" jokes, you might as well write a regular fantasy story. That's missing the whole point of the genre.
2) I think that, beyond folks who are cis or trans, there are a lot of genderfluid people out there, too, for whom gender bending in fiction, with or without trans elements, is appealing. I know this is certainly the case for myself.
3) I'm more generally interested in physical and psychological transformations with or without a gender element to them. I think lots of people are - just look at how many "reincarnated as X" stories are wildly popular here. If those stories don't float your boat, then they're not for you.

I think it's a genre that can and has been done well. But, as with many idiosyncratic genres, when done poorly it comes across as silly and crass. Personally, I like to think I pull the genre off well and try to write my characters as fully-realized individuals rather than gimmicks for a cheap trope.

 

[sordahon]

I don't get gender benders, why are they so liked? The thing I don't like about most gender benders are the fact that, somehow, the MC's mind, all of a sudden, turn girly with little to no transition at all.

Taboo or forbidden is hot for some. Also 'Traps are delicious' trope exists. Mostly for fetishism and being bored with vanilla relationships.

 

[Jemini]

I can only speak from personal experience.

In real life, I am absolutely Cys. Not part of the LGBT community at all. However, I was a child of the 90s and got heavily into the internet during the age before Facebook and Twitter started encouraging kids into the outrageously dangerous online behavior of sharing everything about themselves. I grew up in the age where you kept everything about yourself anonymous online, and I have preserved those habits to the extent that a part of my mind has even started identifying as my online identity any time I'm communicating over a screen (my online identity being Jemini who is non-gendered.)

(I believe some Tumbler types tried to dub this "Net gender" at one point, but I personally think that's insulting to the real LGBT community. I just consider it proper due diligence for anyone in the online space. You make an issue about not even revealing your gender, you won't slip up and reveal something more important either. Rather, I prefer Anonymous' take on it. "There are no girls on the internet." A phrase that, as deliberately provocative as it is, actually means "there is no gender on the internet" because the inverse that "there are no boys on the internet either" is a part that is never said but usually understood by those who use this phrase.)

So, I don't quite qualify as being in the community at all, but I have noticed people seem very understanding here of my refusal to reveal my gender online. (Although, part of that might actually be that if someone addresses me with masculine or feminine pronouns I usually don't even comment and am fine with having my gender assumed, even if it is incorrect. Can't say for certain.)

 

[Dagangsate]

Cool we are cool. Although I'm not LGBT, I love reading BL and GL. Moreover, I'm a new member here as well

 

[Zones]

I've never really seen anything to make me think one way or the other, but I just figured the LGBT community was fairly well accepted here with the amount of LGBT content that is uploaded. I've not seen any widespread harassment efforts people might receive in other locations.

 

[Maple-Leaf]

I think as long as you don't try to force your ideals onto others (or state it openly to begin a discussion), nobody really minds, cares, or bothers to do anything.

 

[MorgueAnna]

Thanks all for the reassurance, being new to SH I was suddenly unsure when I saw folks in that thread describe being transgender as a mental illness, when that's not been the case in modern science/medical thinking for a while.

I personally promise to not force anyone to do anything they don't want to because outside of fiction I am a firm believer in consent. I ask that people be respectful to everyone but I can't and make anyone do anything.

 

[Suikeina]

With how many LGBTQ stories authors and readers there are on this site (especially popular ones), I'd certainly hope we were cool. I've personally been surrounded by a massive group of gay men, women, and trans people since I was around 7 years old. Honestly, no different than everyone else. Even the people with dysphoria. Everyone's got their problems. Some are worse off than others, but nobody is excluded. Everyone has issues. It's what makes us human and it's how we deal with them that shapes who we grow to be.

I do wonder why we have so many LGBTQ stories on this site sometimes. I know that some authors are popularity... whoring? (I'm sure I know another word I could use, but it eludes me at the moment) but it could just be that we have a larger community here than I think.

LURKER MODE REENGAGING

 

[Sabruness]

I think as long as you don't try to force your ideals onto others (or state it openly to begin a discussion), nobody really minds, cares, or bothers to do anything.

generally this, i think.
There are, of course, the usual few assholes just like there are in any internet community but overall the SH community is very open and accepting, especially compared to RR which has a lot of trolls which led to many LGBT authors relocating here like QuietValerie.
IMHO, some of the best novels on here have LGBT themes and are very well written (zhe GL is wunderbar).

As long as there's no radical proselytizing, most people are chill.

 

[pynkbites]

I'm lesbiab

 

[K5Rakitan]

You'll find bigots on every platform, but hopefully we'll change our entire culture little by little by releasing more LGBTQ+ literature

 

[Sacred_Night]

Readers like to read smut. Unfortunately, enjoying sexy times does not equal acceptance or respect. Personally, I love incorporating LGBTQ and BiPoC characters in my works because you know, they're people too, not some imaginary fantasy slash new modern trend, and there's a lack of positive representation in media.

To my readers: take it or leave it. I ain't going anywhere.

P.S: someone asking you to use their preferred pronouns is really the bare minimum of human decency and if you've got issues with that you can swallow a tide pod.

Yea I wasn't going to say it, but saying "As long as they don't force me to say things I don't like." Is so fucking cringe given the context lol.

Imagine your name is Johnathan, but you want to be called John or Joe. Then some random dipshit comes up with zero respect, pulls out your birth certificate. "Um no! I will refer to you however I want! They said your name was Johnathan. Right here it says Johnathan, so that's what I'll say! Don't force me to say things!"

What it shows is a lack of growth and mostly respect. It's fine if you don't understand. I'd argue most people, including myself, don't understand. But if you can't have the common courtesy to call someone by something as simple as their chosen pronoun, then you should reevaluate yourself. Because it doesn't make you look "cool", but instead pathetic. Like you're still operating with a high school mindset.

The same goes with the free speech warriors. So cringe, trying to live up to unnecessary ideals, that they can't understand why a SOCIAL media company would want to ban "hate speech" and other types of personal attacks. And again you don't have to agree with it, but it shows you have no common decency and respect for other people if you have an issue with something so little. Like you said, the bare minimum.

I disavow the last part tho lol. Those are your views not mine XD

 

[Sarang]

I don't get gender benders, why are they so liked? The thing I don't like about most gender benders are the fact that, somehow, the MC's mind, all of a sudden, turn girly with little to no transition at all.

Well for me it beckons the true question...what defines self? Some of the most prized qualities don't generally fall to one gender idea...courageous, wise, kind, etc. When you strip the Protagonist away from their birth gender and "identity"(see the prized qualities right before) if they're not Trans what becomes of them? How will they shine?

I enjoy Gender Bender's because of this, because for society so much Gender is considered the core of the individual.

 

[Sabruness]

Imagine your name is Johnathan, but you want to be called John or Joe. Then some random dipshit comes up with zero respect, pulls out your birth certificate. "Um no! I will refer to you however I want! They said your name was Johnathan. Right here it says Johnathan, so that's what I'll say! Don't force me to say things!"

I think that's actually a pretty smart way to explain it.

 

[Suikeina]

Well for me it beckons the true question...what defines self? Some of the most prized qualities don't generally fall to one gender idea...courageous, wise, kind, etc. When you strip the Protagonist away from their birth gender and "identity"(see the prized qualities right before) if they're not Trans what becomes of them? How will they shine?

I enjoy Gender Bender's because of this, because for society so much Gender is considered the core of the individual.

I enjoy GBs for much the same reason. Its easily one of the best catalysts for character growth.

A good author can break their character down and force them relearn and grow all over again in a way that is completely foreign to them. The shifts in perspective are unique. It's fascinating to read when done well. Emphasis on done well.

 

[Sarang]

Have I read one of your stories on FM before Suikeina? Your name is similar to a character in a story there, Sukina I think her name becomes.

 

[Shiver]

I didn't want to hijack the conversation on the thread regarding that actress, but reading over it I saw some misguided or outright uninformed statements from other users. I try to be chill about ignorance and stuff because I've got limited amouts of energy, but I do try to avoid spaces that are outright hostile (gotta pick and choose my battles) in favor of places that are open to learning.
I get that with weeb spaces there's a lot of leftover terminology from older days that hasn't yet been updated and that bleeds over into creative spaces like here. I see it a lot in the visual novel community, for example.
So is it just some of the ScribbleHub userbase that thinks trans people are mentally ill/[insert outdated helicopter joke here] or do I need to bail? Are LGBT folks just fetish tropes for stories or are we welcome to be considered as people here?

I apologise if my questions or presence cause issue.

I'll weigh in on this if it'll help. While I haven't been here long, I think the answer to your question is 'about as cool as they are with any person.'
And yes, there will be people that think other people are mentally deficient. And yes, there will be novels with people who are just used as fetish tropes. And yes, there will be the complete opposite of those things as well.
It'll be as good or as bad as you take it. Which, i've found, is true for most things in life.

On the gender identity and pronoun use things; identify however you want, most people won't actually care. Everybody has their own lives and their own things that are way more important to them than some random somebody on the internet. And that's fine and how it should be. Forcing your own vallues and oppinions down another's throats never resulted into anything good and that's not even taking the faceless nature of the interweb into account.

In my case, the default pronoun for unknowns in most languages is the male one. He for English.
I'm not saying it's right, correct, not a part of the patriarchy, etc. etc. but it's there, so I'll use it.
So if I don't know you, or, if I'm honest, I don't talk to you enough to actually know your prefence, I'll use the male pronoun to address you.
It's not disrespect, or a deliberate stepping on your 'rights' of self-expression, it's simply me choosing to not go looking to make an issue of something.
I know and use the preferred pronoun for the people that are important to me and that's enough.
If I don't use your preferred pronoun, then you're just not important enough to me to remember.
And in that case, why would my use of the wrong pronoun upset you? If you're not important to me, I'm damned sure I'll not be important to you and neither will my opinion.

 

[Suikeina]

Have I read one of your stories on FM before Suikeina? Your name is similar to a character in a story there, Sukina I think her name becomes.

Nope. Completely unrelated. I've never released any of the crappy short oneshots I've written. Hilariously, only one person I've ever heard say my username out loud said it right the first time. Everyone says it as Sukina.

 

[Moonpearl]

In my case, the default pronoun for unknowns in most languages is the male one. He for English.

Actually, the default pronoun for a person of unknown or unspecified gender in modern English is "they". It's super weird to default to using "he" for everyone...

The only time I've ever heard someone use "he" as default was some stuck-up guy in my literature class who thought he was making a point or something (rather than, in reality, making a tit of himself in front of an audience).