the problem with making chihiro trans (outside of it being a vehicle for vehement sjw-types to cry transphobia on those that disagree) is that is erases the main issue that was the whole point of chihiro's character: sexism and gender roles in japan. weak = female strong = male and how it was easier for chihiro, as a weak male, to pass himself as female so that he didn't get picked on.
because it ties into gender roles, it's easy to see how people can grasp and say that he's trans, but the text does a pretty solid job of trying to make the real issue clear - he plans on telling everyone he's male, he's realized that "strength" and "weakness" are more relative than concrete, etc. By making it a trans issue, essentially they are ignoring the underlying japanese social issue and pushing a set of western values on a non-western situation. it's not so much transphobic or shying away from the issue of being trans that chihiro is cis, but rather addressing a completely different issue that gets ignored when people insist he is.
This. I wouldn't mind so much if Chihiro's situation was left more open to interpretation, but in canon it's pretty clearly spelled out that his arc is meant to deal with societal pressures about gender roles. I guess it's not surprising that Western fans will see things differently, but people need to keep in mind that Japanese works will look at things in a different way than we do over here.
this. i thought they did a great job at handling that issue too and it's such a problem in japan that it's refreshing to see how this series handles it (not just in that case but in general). it's easy to see why people grasp at the idea that chihiro's trans but i don't think anyone should use that to erase the actual issue and then keep crying transphobia.
doesn't the fanbook even say that he's a guy and was going to come out about that? even if someone thinks the game was ambiguous about him being cis, that isn't.
yes. multiple sources (actually also including in-game text that talks about his telling everyone and having accepted the fact that he doesn't have to hide anymore) refer to him as male and as identifying as male, and any time he comes up in discussion in sdr2, he is referred to very clearly as male (and there are a number of factors that indicate that these are his decisions/wishes and not characters' opinions).
I actually agree with this, I'm just saying I don't care if people still want him to be on the trans spectrum since I can see where it can comfort someone to see themselves in a character like this, since I am on the spectrum too and know a few who are. I'm well aware of all the dynamics it'd fuck over, which is why I said I'm glad in the end they didn't decide to make him canon trans, but people seeing and wishing for more tells me a lot about the state of media and trans awareness and how we treat them that I just am okay letting this one be for now. It's not worth it.
tbh this whole thing probably does say something about how there really aren't a lot of trans characters in fiction who are portrayed positively or even accurately. it's pretty unfortunate.
it's not transphobic to see chihiro as cis but getting buttmad about it and attempting to prove it like a control freak ends up being transphobic, just like vehement slash/femslash haters who go out of their way to prove characters are straight end up using homophobic arguments. just get over it.
IMHO people are free to think of chihiro as trans as long as they acknowledge he's not canonically trans. every person i've seen who assumed that has been the kind to viciously attack or slander people for sticking to his canon gender.
otoh people shouldn't attack others just for headcanoning chihiro as trans either. just having that headcanon isn't a problem and shouldn't be a reason to attack anyone.
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(Anonymous) 2013-04-12 01:29 pm (UTC)(link)because it ties into gender roles, it's easy to see how people can grasp and say that he's trans, but the text does a pretty solid job of trying to make the real issue clear - he plans on telling everyone he's male, he's realized that "strength" and "weakness" are more relative than concrete, etc. By making it a trans issue, essentially they are ignoring the underlying japanese social issue and pushing a set of western values on a non-western situation. it's not so much transphobic or shying away from the issue of being trans that chihiro is cis, but rather addressing a completely different issue that gets ignored when people insist he is.
+1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-12 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)+1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-12 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)doesn't the fanbook even say that he's a guy and was going to come out about that? even if someone thinks the game was ambiguous about him being cis, that isn't.
ayrt (also tiny sdr2 spoilers)
(Anonymous) 2013-04-12 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)+1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-12 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)ayrt
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 12:40 am (UTC)(link)DA
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 01:35 am (UTC)(link)+1
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 03:24 am (UTC)(link)Re: ayrt
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 04:31 am (UTC)(link)Re: ayrt
(Anonymous) 2013-04-13 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)otoh people shouldn't attack others just for headcanoning chihiro as trans either. just having that headcanon isn't a problem and shouldn't be a reason to attack anyone.