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Aran'gar does not, and doesn't have to represent, trangender people for your usage to be wrong fionwe1987 Send a noteboard - 13/11/2018 03:21:42 PM

You're perfectly right that if RJ wrote Aran'gar to represent gender dysphoria or transgenderism, there are all sorts of issues that would make this an extremely toxic representation. But there's no evidence this was the case, nor does it have to be.

The only issue that matters is that the character refers to herself as female, as do all her colleagues whose PoVs we have thinking of her. And from those PoVs, we see absolutely nothing indicating that they're doing so in a derogatory fashion, as could be expected from the Forsaken.

The issue is that you took the trouble to convert "she", as used by the books and the author, into "it", which is dehumanizing to any living person whatever the context.

You need have no sympathy for Aran'gar, or think of her as some kind of representation of transgender people, to see the transphobia in calling her "it". The causes and manner of her transition are literally unrealistic, as is her swift adjustment. But that is what the books show happen. Case closed.

The issue would be similarly bad if you used racially charged or sexist language about the Forsaken. Sure, they're evil and no one's idea of representation of racial minorities or women. But if you use such language about them, you'd reveal your disdain and disregard for people different from yourself.

It is a strawman to argue that abusive language directed at terrible people doesn't matter. Your usage wouldn't be any worse, and would be just as angering, if you'd used it for some hypothetical hero who was a male soul born into a female body due to something the Creator does. That valence, of whether the person is good or not, simply doesn't matter in this debate.

This message last edited by fionwe1987 on 13/11/2018 at 03:22:08 PM
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Aran'gar and the trans issue. - 13/11/2018 12:25:48 AM 756 Views
This is exactly why the knee-jerk response was so amusing. - 13/11/2018 01:18:28 AM 481 Views
I think you could argue it's surprisingly apt. - 13/11/2018 01:31:37 AM 499 Views
I don't know what's so hard to understand about this. You don't refer to people by 'it'. - 13/11/2018 08:09:34 AM 459 Views
People are refered to by "it" all the time.... - 13/11/2018 05:26:33 PM 460 Views
But remember, human fetuses aren't people. /s *NM* - 13/11/2018 05:42:00 PM 331 Views
Your second example rather proves my point, don't you think? - 13/11/2018 07:50:39 PM 449 Views
and those of us defending Cannoli maintain - 13/11/2018 07:59:08 PM 424 Views
I'm not really commenting on Cannoli's post.... - 13/11/2018 09:20:13 PM 447 Views
FWIW mine was concerning ambiguity - 13/11/2018 11:01:03 PM 486 Views
Okay, sure. - 13/11/2018 11:26:58 PM 481 Views
Interesting.... - 13/11/2018 11:36:43 PM 464 Views
Because it is just contempt - 13/11/2018 11:45:08 PM 600 Views
I think I mostly covered that above, but I can recap. - 14/11/2018 08:02:51 AM 458 Views
Who's on the phone? - 14/11/2018 01:53:14 AM 468 Views
Sure, I agree. - 14/11/2018 07:45:58 AM 475 Views
Aran'gar does not, and doesn't have to represent, trangender people for your usage to be wrong - 13/11/2018 03:21:42 PM 468 Views
Except that it isn't a person, it is a character in a book - 14/11/2018 02:57:12 PM 454 Views
So? - 14/11/2018 07:18:10 PM 459 Views
Re: So? - 17/11/2018 02:13:37 PM 432 Views
Upon reflection, I have edited the original post - 13/11/2018 08:02:17 PM 455 Views
Thank you. *NM* - 13/11/2018 11:31:41 PM 219 Views

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