*Sigh* Oh, Rusty. Why do you have to make me feel such conflicting stuff? On one hand, I’m annoyed at Poppy (I think it’s funny she does kinda look like a genie) for wanting to be “inclusive” of people who don’t belong but she’s also so realistic. The fact she feels like relenting and letting men have leeway will put an end to their violence is a common view point. Why not just let them in? Why not just be nice? Surely if we’re nicer they won’t hurt us, right? Right?…?
Also her feeling like her being on the side of women will jeopardize her chance for success is so fucking real and unfortunately not a paranoid view at all. And oh my fucking God. Donnie being like “where you go I go” hits close. She’s so in love with Poppy that she’s willing to stick by her side no matter what. However, considering Poppy is considering a bad life path, I don’t think this is a good thing in this scenario lmaooo. Idk, I was willing to move heaven and earth for my ex but I realized that it was detrimental to me for various reasons and I’m seeing that in Donnie. Yeesh.
This page, man. So much to unpack. I feel like I just scratched the surface and if I was less tired, I could go IN, but alas. Take this for now lmao. I’m really loving how this story moves forward.
Girl the way I literally did not even question it on my first read through. “Genie? Must be some fashion style I don’t know, I’m not in the loop after all.” 🤣🤣🤣
Oh the satisfaction of knowing I’ve conflicted readers. Highest praise tbh, thank you!!
Love your assessment of both Poppy and Sardonica too. Hit the nail right on the head for both of them. 👌👌
I wasn’t going for a gendie look for Poppy, but it is kinda funny that you and other readers see her that way.
I was actually aiming for emo/goth/alt x soft girl pastel for them, just because I always find highly contrasted pairings fun. It’s also what influenced the rest of their designs, curvy vs not, soft round hair vs wild and spiky, bright eyed smiley vs down turned gloomy eyes. I’m such a sucker for opposites 😅
Another thing that influences Poppy’s whole punk/alt/whatever look was the fence-sitting kinda stance I chose for her. So often hairdye and piercings and wearing chairs or w/e are seen as more of a mark of rebellion than actual action. So another conflicting contrast!
They’re not going to be huuuge characters but a I do hope you enjoy where I take them in the story.
Uuuurgh. Of course I’m not wild about Poppy’s stance but I absolutely can see where it comes from – for years I thought that ‘TERFs’ were too extreme and that transwomen were just mentally ill men who’d be fine if they were humored and left alone.
At least she didn’t blame Jaden or imply that what she went through ‘wasn’t that bad’ or something like that, but her first response (That we saw, at least) to a woman being beaten by transwomen was “How might this effect my social standing?” So of course I’m pretty concerned about what this could mean for the choices she makes in the future…
But at the same time, I can’t hate her given just how vicious the TRA crowd is – even neutrality and silence can make them cancel people and try to ruin their careers and lives. Poppy has a point… if you’re not prepared to suffer the consequences, bowing to trans demands IS the easier (though not better) option.
Aughhh Poppy feeling like she has to put behind her strong feelings for helping women to get ahead in this world (and basically to SURVIVE) is so real in a world ran by men :,(
Poppy honey I understand- but it will never stop at one night. Once men are let into a space they will bang on the doors constantly. And these male bodied people see themselves as women, so why wouldn’t they go to the woman’s club. A group whose events I frequent irl does this, where its lesbian women, bi women, and then ‘anyone who feels they’d fit’ so we always get a handful of men in wigs at the event. I ignore them, but then you got women who push for their boyfriends to be allowed to come, or women who want nights with their gay male friends coming (liiikkke go to a regular gay bar then its full of men). And gotta always be pushing back on that- before it all just ends up a straight play pretend.
I understand how conflicted Poppy feels. That sucks for her, but it’s nice to know she isn’t alone.
I submitted some fanart a while ago and wasn’t sure if it was received, I hope the fanworks email still works. ❤️
Also it definitely did come through, I somehow totally missed it it my inbox! Thanks so much for sending it – I will absolutely be adding it to the site when I’m next at my computer 🥰
🙁 Poppy…I both understand and hate that she’s driven out of fear for herself and for her fellow women. It shouldn’t have to be this way, but here we are 😔 Her and Donnie are so sweet though, I wish them a long lasting relationship and peaceful moid free existence 🤞❤️
AGAIN! So much to discuss!
Mm girl Hannah pulled through!!! I must know how many members of Yonique she has slept on. Is it everyone? Is it almost a right of passage to be slept on by the Han? Has Jaden gotten the Hannah Hello yet?
*puts on my freshly made Poppy’s #1 Apologizer t-shirt*
Poppy is so like Understandable. She’s younger she doesn’t have as much life experience and I think she genuine thinks a Dude Night would make things better. It’s clear it’s not JUST her own career and friendship circle she’s concerned about. She’s concerned about Jaden and the rest of Yonique. Probably concerned about the gendie women she knows.
Probably has sympathy for the trans identified dudes as well! She is conflicted!!! She has a lot of emotions and contradictions to deal with!!! Like every goth!!! And career driven!! And clearly loves her friends and her girlfriend!!! She just needs maybe a very light prodding towards a reality check. Poppy I Will Never Hate You.
Lastly: Sardonica how does it feel to have eyes the color and brightness of diamonds in sparkling champagne? I look so forward to learning more about her next week!!!!
Asking the real questions about Hannah, love it! XD
Adore the concept of the Hannah Hello also! She definitely has her favourite shoulders/boobs to rest in. Not sure Jaden would have had enough team meetings to be snoozed on just yet. Definitely a future possibility tho. >:3
Living for your avid defence of Poppy already and your enthusiasm for all the new girlies in general 🤣🤣 hope you continue to enjoy what I’ve got in store for them!
Girl this is the timeliest possible page; I am in a very gendie seaside town in the UK (Brighton) for a work trip and it coincides with Brighton Pride, which apart from London is the biggest in the country (for reference, before the gender craze Brighton was the GAY capital of the UK).
and there’s an event run by a company called Butch Please that puts on (supposedly) lesbian club nights, so I figured I’d make an appearance- only to read on the event description page its for ‘lesbian and bisexual women, trans and nonbinary people and allies’. so- everyone. its not even gay, let alone female-specific. then like, why have this at pride?? needless to say im spending the evening with a book and some fish tacos instead.
Seeing the other commenters sympathize with Poppy instead of calling her any number of miogynistic names for wanting to let TIMs into the club is why I love this comment section (and need to use other sites a lot less). Yes, she’s wrong, but it’s better to explain why with kindness rather than alienate her further with unnecessary cruelty… Save the cruelty for the males.
oof, blaming the women setting boundaries for the violence men inflict.
Saying “if she just let him have his way she wouldn’t have been hurt” isn’t the compassionate take Poppy seems to think it is 🙄
Oh Poppy, they would absolutely not be satisfied with being allowed in for one night. If anything, it’d open the floodgates more and get them even angrier about not being let in any other night.
poppy feels very real to me. going to speak from a US-standpoint, please correct me if the situation is different in australia, but it feels like most teenagers are very very supportive of trans ideology. so many people are trans, trying out new identities, wanting to fit in. maybe poppy don’t completely *get it* but she has trans friends and she wants to support them, she doesn’t feel threatened by them, why is ruth so uptight?
Like I don’t think this is the right mindset to have but nonetheless many really young lesbians and bisexual women do think this way. especially those who don’t have experience with male violence.
And I’m pretty happy that the yonique staff has a character like poppy. Not that the other characters are any less interesting! i guess i had come to an expectation that yonique represents an idealized space where all the staff are radfem, ladies are on board with ruth’s ideals, basically the club of my dreams haha. but i’m also very excited to learn how poppy interacts with the others and hopefully grows as a person.
poor hannah so tired all the time 🙁 CS can be a very demanding subject and i feel for her. i like her and murphy’s designs a lot! i like that they are both bi but dress in a unisex/masc-leaning way. in contrast, poppy and donnie are dressed in styles that are closer to the “gendie” looks. i like them too!
Thank you for sharing your perspective! Things are incredibly gender-saturated here as well, particularly among teenagers 💀💀
Re Poppy: you’re reading her exactly as intended! It just felt right to have a spectrum of beliefs within yonique as well. Looking forward to developing her and other characters’ interactions further. I’ve got some little mini comic ideas for her and the other new cast members bouncing around in my head. Perhaps for the end of the chapter?
Poppy and Sardonica weren’t meant to look like gendies at all 🤣🤣 I was very much trying to lean into my penchant for opposite/contrast in pairings. It’s even how I chose their names. Poppy – flower, bright, happy, given to the gloomy eyed Goth. Sardonica – as in sardonic: scornful, mocking, derisive, bitter, given to the bright eyed, bubbly young woman.
I guess because I was leaning into more deliberate ‘aesthetic’ looks they appear closer to gendies than everyone else who dress GNC but unassumingly so. Very understated, everyday clothing.
It’s interesting!
Poppy’s position is a very common, very understandable one. But then where do you draw the line? Male people can come in on one night? A lot of the women who go there specifically because it’s women-only will self-exclude on that night. The men will start asking why only that night, why not also denim night, what if they really like denim – and the males who don’t identify as men will bristle at being relegated to the category of male and not given the full run of the club.
And then, with a foot in the door from where they’ll keep pushing – because they will, we’ve all seen it before, they don’t want to be just guests in women’s spaces, and besides they’re already here one night and look nothing has gone horribly wrong so why not all nights? – where draw the line then? And how? And will that prevent violence, or will they claim they were “led on” the way they do when they murder women who smiled and then said no?
Let males in one night, what then if they get mad over rejection? Sexually harass someone? Does men being given ground reduce their violence, or does it just tell them they’re entitled to that much and makes them demand more? Besides, from experience, a women-only space is only that when it is women-only. A single man in the room changes the atmosphere in a way hard to put into words but impossible not to notice, even if he’s not doing anything. You’ll get moments where you forget, where you can talk freely and laugh loudly again, but then his voice is heard from across the room and you and everyone around you shrinks back into herself, or straightens and remembers to keep her walls up.
I wonder whether this could be solved by Poppy talking with Ruth. Not trying to convince her, not making demands, but actually talking and actually listening. I’m sure Ruth has experienced that pattern from men over and over. She knows what she’s doing, and why she’s doing it that way.
Poppy’s friends are no doubt lovely people, or at least I hope so because I wish her good friends. But when you open a room to men, especially a public room like a bar or club, you can’t just let in “the nice ones”. You don’t even know beforehand who “the nice ones” are. And men are already everywhere else, this is the one place to catch a break from them.
But then again, chances are Poppy already knows deep-down and is just trapped in the cognitive dissonance of patriarchal expectations (and the expectations of her clients/friends) against the knowledge of why spaces like Yonique are needed in the first place. “Be nice. Be nicer. If you’d been nicer, he wouldn’t have had to hurt you. Why didn’t you just give him a chance?”
I do HC now that Poppy might have or not had that talk with Ruth and Ruth would answer like she did in Chapter 4, page 20. That’s why Poppy is scared to talk with Ruth about “but how about we let them join us once?” not only for the obvious answer but also because she’s quite aware about the TRA world and not being a good “ally”.
And Poppy, sweetie, I would love to see you rocking a women-only hair salon.
Exactly what I was going for! Poppy hasn’t spoken to Ruth about it directly, but Ruth is not one to hold back on her reasoning, so Poppy absolutely knows her stance, but it makes her uncomfortable in ways she isn’t able to untangle at the moment.
oh poppy… i thought similarly to her when i was 19, so i can’t judge too much. her baby gay relationship w sardonica is v sweet also <3 and yay for the hannah bio!! she definitely is my favorite side character introduced this chapter thus far <333
Ah to be 19~
It really is crazy how grown up you feel, and then your brain actually finishes in the microwave and it’s like woah. Who is she?? Looking back at yourself.
For starters I think the artsyle is wonderful. It’s like a classic cartoon but refined for still images. The colors are always lovely and portray very nicely what each character is feeling using the background as an aid.
Alot of the story too. I’ve read lots of comments so I can confidently say it makes people on both sides of the argument deeply sad through its story telling. This is undeniably a good thing. The story, so far, IS sad. No matter which lense you veiw it through. That’s because the creator is capable of telling a good story with many different lines to follow. This is tricky but it’s all well balanced. You don’t get confused and everything is easy to follow and tie together with the central themes
I enjoy it, even as someone to disagrees with some of the central ideas. The art and story are good. I think it says alot about art itself. It’s meant to be used like this. It’s supposed to show your ideas and feelings through a means almost beyond yourself. Beyond spoken word. Something anyone can see, understand and think about later on.
I veiw this as a way to get to know the people who so vehemently disagree with some of my own points of veiw. Why you think the way you do and some of the things you all think about certain topics. I’m more familiar with the argument than I have ever been and it’s on my mind alot
I am able to think about why I feel the way I do. I get to compare it to real thoughts and arguments from the other side, not just what people I know say the ideas are. It’s amazing food for thought
Sorry this isn’t about the page and more the comic as a whole so far and my own personal feelings
I’m unsure how to reply to comments but, huge same page as MushroomFrog, the artist stands on her own merit even with other disagreements I personally hold.
Plus, more than anything, I’ve found this comic to be like a “safe haven” that completely and unabashedly confronts misogynistic and sexist elements that exists because, sadly, there’s this mindset where if it’s bad optics you’re not allowed to say anything, I have unironically heard trans people tell other trans people they aren’t allowed to speak on things like intra-community S/A, people treating anyone observed male as untouchable dieties unless and until they also call out another trans woman.
Unironically seeing trans women reply to other trans women with things like “Are you saying trans women are able to systemically oppress anyone?” As in if white racist trans people don’t exist, if a cis woman can be sexist, racist, misogynistic, then how are trans women, suddenly immune? It’s a double standard that if you even begun to point out, you get treated like a gay person in a conservative church, lol.
I’ve also ironically dealt with hatred from other trans people for being in a same-sex relationship, so you know, just another flavor of homophobic.
Yet, I haven’t been able to ever talk about it without being gaslit, treated like I’m shitty for trying to be open about S/A I’ve experienced, sexual harassment I’ve experienced, trying to call out someone trying to force me to be with someone I’m incompatible with etc even though I still used completely inclusive and non-derisive language, once even had a trans man tell me to kys, as in screaming it at me, when I expressed discomfort over a trans woman constantly misgendering me, interesting eh?
Even Kat Blaque has dealt with this, where she was with a person who S/A’d multiple people, cis women and trans women, in often violent and disgusting ways, said rapist comes out as a trans woman, and suddenly everyone seems to tell Kat that the slate is wiped clean, and she, herself a black trans woman, would be accused of being bigoted for talking about her rapist.
So, in terms of people not disregarding these experiences, I often have more to talk about with people I don’t otherwise completely agree with than I ever do in a community that is dominated by bullies who still prioritize observed male people above all else, even other trans women if they happen to be victimized by them.
Wow, first I just wanna say thank you so much for sharing all of this. I was actually very afraid to post that comment.
I am [homophobic slur for same-sex attraction] and love [homophobic slur for same-sex attraction] media, but I am also trans (I wont say what my pronouns or assigned sex are as it holds no relevance currently, but if anyone wants to know I do not mind sharing) and as a trans individual I know this particular space isn’t for me. And that’s ok, I just want to enjoy a cute and heartfelt story about a [homophobic slur for same-sex attraction] couple.
As an artist and comic creator myself the art is the first thing I notice always. I’m so happy others are taking note of it too! I really hope the creator of this story sees all of these people recognizing the skills I know must have taken a long time to develop
Onto the bigger part of the discussion, I am so sorry people have hurt you and others. You being made to feel unsafe is unacceptable in any community. What happened to you was horrible. Sadly in any community there is filth. Cis or trans, gay or straight, religious or not. You can find hate anywhere
This comic tackles misogyny in a very bunt and open way. Its refreshing. I am so glad you are able to view it as a safe place. I hope you have other spaces where you can feel secure.
And I also hope one day you can share you experience without people gaslighting you or trying to change the narrative. You and those like you deserve justice and silencing victims is not ok, no matter your ideology or identity
Im glad my comment was able to in some way resonate with you. I’m also super glad it opened this dialog.
Speaking of, for the future I have notice if you are on a phone you cant reply to comments. I only can from my computer. The website seems to be designed with computers in mind so phones have some minor kinks. I hope that helps! And heres hoping this comic continues to bring you some form of joy!
P.S. This is in no way meant to minimize your experience. If it did in any way I am sorry. I have trouble with communication sometimes. I just got really excited my comment was met with a response that was so open
43 thoughts on “CH13P3”
Antiyourwokehomophobia2
*Sigh* Oh, Rusty. Why do you have to make me feel such conflicting stuff? On one hand, I’m annoyed at Poppy (I think it’s funny she does kinda look like a genie) for wanting to be “inclusive” of people who don’t belong but she’s also so realistic. The fact she feels like relenting and letting men have leeway will put an end to their violence is a common view point. Why not just let them in? Why not just be nice? Surely if we’re nicer they won’t hurt us, right? Right?…?
Also her feeling like her being on the side of women will jeopardize her chance for success is so fucking real and unfortunately not a paranoid view at all. And oh my fucking God. Donnie being like “where you go I go” hits close. She’s so in love with Poppy that she’s willing to stick by her side no matter what. However, considering Poppy is considering a bad life path, I don’t think this is a good thing in this scenario lmaooo. Idk, I was willing to move heaven and earth for my ex but I realized that it was detrimental to me for various reasons and I’m seeing that in Donnie. Yeesh.
This page, man. So much to unpack. I feel like I just scratched the surface and if I was less tired, I could go IN, but alas. Take this for now lmao. I’m really loving how this story moves forward.
Antiyourwokehomophobia2
I meant gendie, not genie 😭
rustyhearts
Girl the way I literally did not even question it on my first read through. “Genie? Must be some fashion style I don’t know, I’m not in the loop after all.” 🤣🤣🤣
rustyhearts
Oh the satisfaction of knowing I’ve conflicted readers. Highest praise tbh, thank you!!
Love your assessment of both Poppy and Sardonica too. Hit the nail right on the head for both of them. 👌👌
I wasn’t going for a gendie look for Poppy, but it is kinda funny that you and other readers see her that way.
I was actually aiming for emo/goth/alt x soft girl pastel for them, just because I always find highly contrasted pairings fun. It’s also what influenced the rest of their designs, curvy vs not, soft round hair vs wild and spiky, bright eyed smiley vs down turned gloomy eyes. I’m such a sucker for opposites 😅
Another thing that influences Poppy’s whole punk/alt/whatever look was the fence-sitting kinda stance I chose for her. So often hairdye and piercings and wearing chairs or w/e are seen as more of a mark of rebellion than actual action. So another conflicting contrast!
They’re not going to be huuuge characters but a I do hope you enjoy where I take them in the story.
Normal person
Uuuurgh. Of course I’m not wild about Poppy’s stance but I absolutely can see where it comes from – for years I thought that ‘TERFs’ were too extreme and that transwomen were just mentally ill men who’d be fine if they were humored and left alone.
At least she didn’t blame Jaden or imply that what she went through ‘wasn’t that bad’ or something like that, but her first response (That we saw, at least) to a woman being beaten by transwomen was “How might this effect my social standing?” So of course I’m pretty concerned about what this could mean for the choices she makes in the future…
But at the same time, I can’t hate her given just how vicious the TRA crowd is – even neutrality and silence can make them cancel people and try to ruin their careers and lives. Poppy has a point… if you’re not prepared to suffer the consequences, bowing to trans demands IS the easier (though not better) option.
rustyhearts
Yes, yes, yes!
So beautifully put. Love everything you’ve laid out here. No notes 🙏
Parniya’s biggest fan
Aughhh Poppy feeling like she has to put behind her strong feelings for helping women to get ahead in this world (and basically to SURVIVE) is so real in a world ran by men :,(
rustyhearts
😔😔
AV
Poppy honey I understand- but it will never stop at one night. Once men are let into a space they will bang on the doors constantly. And these male bodied people see themselves as women, so why wouldn’t they go to the woman’s club. A group whose events I frequent irl does this, where its lesbian women, bi women, and then ‘anyone who feels they’d fit’ so we always get a handful of men in wigs at the event. I ignore them, but then you got women who push for their boyfriends to be allowed to come, or women who want nights with their gay male friends coming (liiikkke go to a regular gay bar then its full of men). And gotta always be pushing back on that- before it all just ends up a straight play pretend.
rustyhearts
God that sounds infuriating. And I hate that it’s not isolated. It’s a recognisable pattern with anything women carve out for themselves.
Give em an inch (that they don’t deserve) and they’ll demand a mile ://
Green
Oh, Poppy… If someone reacts violently to being denied entry, letting them in will not make you safer.
:[
rustyhearts
Really does come down to this, doesn’t it? 😔😔😬😬
L
I understand how conflicted Poppy feels. That sucks for her, but it’s nice to know she isn’t alone.
I submitted some fanart a while ago and wasn’t sure if it was received, I hope the fanworks email still works. ❤️
rustyhearts
Big time 😔💔
Also it definitely did come through, I somehow totally missed it it my inbox! Thanks so much for sending it – I will absolutely be adding it to the site when I’m next at my computer 🥰
Shez Appreciator
🙁 Poppy…I both understand and hate that she’s driven out of fear for herself and for her fellow women. It shouldn’t have to be this way, but here we are 😔 Her and Donnie are so sweet though, I wish them a long lasting relationship and peaceful moid free existence 🤞❤️
rustyhearts
It really should not be this way 😔💔
Crypty
AGAIN! So much to discuss!
Mm girl Hannah pulled through!!! I must know how many members of Yonique she has slept on. Is it everyone? Is it almost a right of passage to be slept on by the Han? Has Jaden gotten the Hannah Hello yet?
*puts on my freshly made Poppy’s #1 Apologizer t-shirt*
Poppy is so like Understandable. She’s younger she doesn’t have as much life experience and I think she genuine thinks a Dude Night would make things better. It’s clear it’s not JUST her own career and friendship circle she’s concerned about. She’s concerned about Jaden and the rest of Yonique. Probably concerned about the gendie women she knows.
Probably has sympathy for the trans identified dudes as well! She is conflicted!!! She has a lot of emotions and contradictions to deal with!!! Like every goth!!! And career driven!! And clearly loves her friends and her girlfriend!!! She just needs maybe a very light prodding towards a reality check. Poppy I Will Never Hate You.
Lastly: Sardonica how does it feel to have eyes the color and brightness of diamonds in sparkling champagne? I look so forward to learning more about her next week!!!!
rustyhearts
Asking the real questions about Hannah, love it! XD
Adore the concept of the Hannah Hello also! She definitely has her favourite shoulders/boobs to rest in. Not sure Jaden would have had enough team meetings to be snoozed on just yet. Definitely a future possibility tho. >:3
Living for your avid defence of Poppy already and your enthusiasm for all the new girlies in general 🤣🤣 hope you continue to enjoy what I’ve got in store for them!
Pusheen
Girl this is the timeliest possible page; I am in a very gendie seaside town in the UK (Brighton) for a work trip and it coincides with Brighton Pride, which apart from London is the biggest in the country (for reference, before the gender craze Brighton was the GAY capital of the UK).
and there’s an event run by a company called Butch Please that puts on (supposedly) lesbian club nights, so I figured I’d make an appearance- only to read on the event description page its for ‘lesbian and bisexual women, trans and nonbinary people and allies’. so- everyone. its not even gay, let alone female-specific. then like, why have this at pride?? needless to say im spending the evening with a book and some fish tacos instead.
rustyhearts
God with an inclusive caveat like that I don’t blame you for staying in. 😵😵
✂️🍆
Seeing the other commenters sympathize with Poppy instead of calling her any number of miogynistic names for wanting to let TIMs into the club is why I love this comment section (and need to use other sites a lot less). Yes, she’s wrong, but it’s better to explain why with kindness rather than alienate her further with unnecessary cruelty… Save the cruelty for the males.
rustyhearts
Can disagree, even firmly, derisively so, with women without resorting to misogyny 👍
I’m not a kindness solves everything kind of person, but absolutely agree no woman deserved misogyny.
Curious&Furious
oof, blaming the women setting boundaries for the violence men inflict.
Saying “if she just let him have his way she wouldn’t have been hurt” isn’t the compassionate take Poppy seems to think it is 🙄
rustyhearts
Indeed 😔
Norm L. Esbian
Poppy girl…. they would never vouch for you the same way you’re vouching for them 😬
rustyhearts
Never, ever, ever. They wouldn’t even consider what Poppy’s doing as vouching. No amount of grovelling will ever be enough.
dog walker
Oh Poppy, they would absolutely not be satisfied with being allowed in for one night. If anything, it’d open the floodgates more and get them even angrier about not being let in any other night.
rustyhearts
My thinking exactly!
andy
poppy feels very real to me. going to speak from a US-standpoint, please correct me if the situation is different in australia, but it feels like most teenagers are very very supportive of trans ideology. so many people are trans, trying out new identities, wanting to fit in. maybe poppy don’t completely *get it* but she has trans friends and she wants to support them, she doesn’t feel threatened by them, why is ruth so uptight?
Like I don’t think this is the right mindset to have but nonetheless many really young lesbians and bisexual women do think this way. especially those who don’t have experience with male violence.
And I’m pretty happy that the yonique staff has a character like poppy. Not that the other characters are any less interesting! i guess i had come to an expectation that yonique represents an idealized space where all the staff are radfem, ladies are on board with ruth’s ideals, basically the club of my dreams haha. but i’m also very excited to learn how poppy interacts with the others and hopefully grows as a person.
poor hannah so tired all the time 🙁 CS can be a very demanding subject and i feel for her. i like her and murphy’s designs a lot! i like that they are both bi but dress in a unisex/masc-leaning way. in contrast, poppy and donnie are dressed in styles that are closer to the “gendie” looks. i like them too!
rustyhearts
Thank you for sharing your perspective! Things are incredibly gender-saturated here as well, particularly among teenagers 💀💀
Re Poppy: you’re reading her exactly as intended! It just felt right to have a spectrum of beliefs within yonique as well. Looking forward to developing her and other characters’ interactions further. I’ve got some little mini comic ideas for her and the other new cast members bouncing around in my head. Perhaps for the end of the chapter?
Poppy and Sardonica weren’t meant to look like gendies at all 🤣🤣 I was very much trying to lean into my penchant for opposite/contrast in pairings. It’s even how I chose their names. Poppy – flower, bright, happy, given to the gloomy eyed Goth. Sardonica – as in sardonic: scornful, mocking, derisive, bitter, given to the bright eyed, bubbly young woman.
I guess because I was leaning into more deliberate ‘aesthetic’ looks they appear closer to gendies than everyone else who dress GNC but unassumingly so. Very understated, everyday clothing.
It’s interesting!
Thanks for such a thoughtful comment 🥰
K
Poppy’s position is a very common, very understandable one. But then where do you draw the line? Male people can come in on one night? A lot of the women who go there specifically because it’s women-only will self-exclude on that night. The men will start asking why only that night, why not also denim night, what if they really like denim – and the males who don’t identify as men will bristle at being relegated to the category of male and not given the full run of the club.
And then, with a foot in the door from where they’ll keep pushing – because they will, we’ve all seen it before, they don’t want to be just guests in women’s spaces, and besides they’re already here one night and look nothing has gone horribly wrong so why not all nights? – where draw the line then? And how? And will that prevent violence, or will they claim they were “led on” the way they do when they murder women who smiled and then said no?
Let males in one night, what then if they get mad over rejection? Sexually harass someone? Does men being given ground reduce their violence, or does it just tell them they’re entitled to that much and makes them demand more? Besides, from experience, a women-only space is only that when it is women-only. A single man in the room changes the atmosphere in a way hard to put into words but impossible not to notice, even if he’s not doing anything. You’ll get moments where you forget, where you can talk freely and laugh loudly again, but then his voice is heard from across the room and you and everyone around you shrinks back into herself, or straightens and remembers to keep her walls up.
I wonder whether this could be solved by Poppy talking with Ruth. Not trying to convince her, not making demands, but actually talking and actually listening. I’m sure Ruth has experienced that pattern from men over and over. She knows what she’s doing, and why she’s doing it that way.
Poppy’s friends are no doubt lovely people, or at least I hope so because I wish her good friends. But when you open a room to men, especially a public room like a bar or club, you can’t just let in “the nice ones”. You don’t even know beforehand who “the nice ones” are. And men are already everywhere else, this is the one place to catch a break from them.
But then again, chances are Poppy already knows deep-down and is just trapped in the cognitive dissonance of patriarchal expectations (and the expectations of her clients/friends) against the knowledge of why spaces like Yonique are needed in the first place. “Be nice. Be nicer. If you’d been nicer, he wouldn’t have had to hurt you. Why didn’t you just give him a chance?”
Nonnie
I do HC now that Poppy might have or not had that talk with Ruth and Ruth would answer like she did in Chapter 4, page 20. That’s why Poppy is scared to talk with Ruth about “but how about we let them join us once?” not only for the obvious answer but also because she’s quite aware about the TRA world and not being a good “ally”.
And Poppy, sweetie, I would love to see you rocking a women-only hair salon.
rustyhearts
Exactly what I was going for! Poppy hasn’t spoken to Ruth about it directly, but Ruth is not one to hold back on her reasoning, so Poppy absolutely knows her stance, but it makes her uncomfortable in ways she isn’t able to untangle at the moment.
werewol
oh poppy… i thought similarly to her when i was 19, so i can’t judge too much. her baby gay relationship w sardonica is v sweet also <3 and yay for the hannah bio!! she definitely is my favorite side character introduced this chapter thus far <333
rustyhearts
Ah to be 19~
It really is crazy how grown up you feel, and then your brain actually finishes in the microwave and it’s like woah. Who is she?? Looking back at yourself.
Glad to see another Hannah fan 🥰🥰
MushroomFrog
I do really love some parts of this comic
For starters I think the artsyle is wonderful. It’s like a classic cartoon but refined for still images. The colors are always lovely and portray very nicely what each character is feeling using the background as an aid.
Alot of the story too. I’ve read lots of comments so I can confidently say it makes people on both sides of the argument deeply sad through its story telling. This is undeniably a good thing. The story, so far, IS sad. No matter which lense you veiw it through. That’s because the creator is capable of telling a good story with many different lines to follow. This is tricky but it’s all well balanced. You don’t get confused and everything is easy to follow and tie together with the central themes
I enjoy it, even as someone to disagrees with some of the central ideas. The art and story are good. I think it says alot about art itself. It’s meant to be used like this. It’s supposed to show your ideas and feelings through a means almost beyond yourself. Beyond spoken word. Something anyone can see, understand and think about later on.
I veiw this as a way to get to know the people who so vehemently disagree with some of my own points of veiw. Why you think the way you do and some of the things you all think about certain topics. I’m more familiar with the argument than I have ever been and it’s on my mind alot
I am able to think about why I feel the way I do. I get to compare it to real thoughts and arguments from the other side, not just what people I know say the ideas are. It’s amazing food for thought
Sorry this isn’t about the page and more the comic as a whole so far and my own personal feelings
rustyhearts
No need to apologise, thanks so much for reading my work and taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment.
I really appreciate all your compliments about my art and storytelling, it makes me very happy to give my readers food for thought.
I hope you continue to enjoy reading Lease Bound and look forward to any further comments you wish to share about it. 🥰
jan Sen
Amazing work as always, I’ve recently read all of Leasebound and I am pleased to see the improvement in storytelling and artistic ability! :3
rustyhearts
Thank you very much! Hope you continue to enjoy reading.
rand0
I’m unsure how to reply to comments but, huge same page as MushroomFrog, the artist stands on her own merit even with other disagreements I personally hold.
Plus, more than anything, I’ve found this comic to be like a “safe haven” that completely and unabashedly confronts misogynistic and sexist elements that exists because, sadly, there’s this mindset where if it’s bad optics you’re not allowed to say anything, I have unironically heard trans people tell other trans people they aren’t allowed to speak on things like intra-community S/A, people treating anyone observed male as untouchable dieties unless and until they also call out another trans woman.
Unironically seeing trans women reply to other trans women with things like “Are you saying trans women are able to systemically oppress anyone?” As in if white racist trans people don’t exist, if a cis woman can be sexist, racist, misogynistic, then how are trans women, suddenly immune? It’s a double standard that if you even begun to point out, you get treated like a gay person in a conservative church, lol.
I’ve also ironically dealt with hatred from other trans people for being in a same-sex relationship, so you know, just another flavor of homophobic.
Yet, I haven’t been able to ever talk about it without being gaslit, treated like I’m shitty for trying to be open about S/A I’ve experienced, sexual harassment I’ve experienced, trying to call out someone trying to force me to be with someone I’m incompatible with etc even though I still used completely inclusive and non-derisive language, once even had a trans man tell me to kys, as in screaming it at me, when I expressed discomfort over a trans woman constantly misgendering me, interesting eh?
Even Kat Blaque has dealt with this, where she was with a person who S/A’d multiple people, cis women and trans women, in often violent and disgusting ways, said rapist comes out as a trans woman, and suddenly everyone seems to tell Kat that the slate is wiped clean, and she, herself a black trans woman, would be accused of being bigoted for talking about her rapist.
So, in terms of people not disregarding these experiences, I often have more to talk about with people I don’t otherwise completely agree with than I ever do in a community that is dominated by bullies who still prioritize observed male people above all else, even other trans women if they happen to be victimized by them.
MushroomFrog
Wow, first I just wanna say thank you so much for sharing all of this. I was actually very afraid to post that comment.
I am [homophobic slur for same-sex attraction] and love [homophobic slur for same-sex attraction] media, but I am also trans (I wont say what my pronouns or assigned sex are as it holds no relevance currently, but if anyone wants to know I do not mind sharing) and as a trans individual I know this particular space isn’t for me. And that’s ok, I just want to enjoy a cute and heartfelt story about a [homophobic slur for same-sex attraction] couple.
As an artist and comic creator myself the art is the first thing I notice always. I’m so happy others are taking note of it too! I really hope the creator of this story sees all of these people recognizing the skills I know must have taken a long time to develop
Onto the bigger part of the discussion, I am so sorry people have hurt you and others. You being made to feel unsafe is unacceptable in any community. What happened to you was horrible. Sadly in any community there is filth. Cis or trans, gay or straight, religious or not. You can find hate anywhere
This comic tackles misogyny in a very bunt and open way. Its refreshing. I am so glad you are able to view it as a safe place. I hope you have other spaces where you can feel secure.
And I also hope one day you can share you experience without people gaslighting you or trying to change the narrative. You and those like you deserve justice and silencing victims is not ok, no matter your ideology or identity
Im glad my comment was able to in some way resonate with you. I’m also super glad it opened this dialog.
Speaking of, for the future I have notice if you are on a phone you cant reply to comments. I only can from my computer. The website seems to be designed with computers in mind so phones have some minor kinks. I hope that helps! And heres hoping this comic continues to bring you some form of joy!
P.S. This is in no way meant to minimize your experience. If it did in any way I am sorry. I have trouble with communication sometimes. I just got really excited my comment was met with a response that was so open
alt girl appreciator
shes just like me for real…
Ms. Clicker
Ladies in the comments not able to stop their innate instincts of being CHADS.
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