Sperg Ahead:
You know, this really bugs me. I was watching the first Silent Hill movie and commented to my GF that the story was mostly from the first SH game, with bits of SH 2 thrown in, but that the character's gender had been switched. I mentioned that it didn'y really bother me, because I can identify with a protagonist regardless of gender, and also the main character physically reminded me of Heather from SH 3.
I thought to myself, "This is exactly the reason why I'll never understand this idea that we need protagonists to be our OWN gender, or sexual orientation, or whatever. The more I think about it, the less I understand:
These people, like Brianna and Anita, etc, are the ones telling us that the "gender binary" is bullshit, that there exist MORE than just 2 opposing genders, right?
I find behavior such as this, and in many ways, the very concept of being transgender to be at odds with this idea of a spectrum.
If these people "see past" this "primitive" concept of gender as a diptych, then why are they so eager to change their
own gender to the other of the two? Think about it; if you don't believe only two genders exist, then why can't you just be an effeminate guy? Or a manly girl? Or a manly guy who has stereotypically "girly" interests?
It's as if this idea of seeing beyond the gender binary is total bullshit, and people like Wu just feel as though
life will be easier if they're on the other team.
A bad example: If only 2 hair colors existed, black and blonde, and you told everyone you were beyond the "follicle binary", would you really dye your hair the
other color? No, you would either: deal with your hair color, understanding that,
hey, it's just a color...it doesn't identify you as a whole....or maybe you would shave your head. What you wouldn't do is just dye your hair the color you weren't born with, and then preach about the oppressiveness of the follicle binary.
A more concrete explanation: If Wu really thinks life is so much worse for women, and we know he chose to "become" this half-assed frankensteinization of a woman, why would he do this? Why would anyone join what they saw as the
losing team? I think it's quite the opposite; Wu sees women as the
winning team, and certainly the more
accepted and
accepting one....that's the REAL reason he lopped off lil' Wu.
He doesn't see beyond gender, he's just unhappy with the hand he was dealt. In fact, he's so obsessed with gender that he only intakes and identifies with media and entertainment that comes tailored to his team. Think just how close-minded this is...
I've read books and watched films with female protagonists, and protagonists of many races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, etc.
There is a shared experience of the common humanity of man which transcends these petty divisions.
Calvin & Hobbes was my favorite comic strip as a kid; the beauty and truth of these simple drawings and conversations goes far beyond the idea of the strip's protagonist being a boy.
Wu: you're a vulgar cretin; you have nothing of art in your soul, and you hate yourself. Every word out of your mouth divides the human race into further narrow subdivisions. But you know what?
We're not like you: we can read and enjoy and understand and laugh and cry and wonder about characters in books, films, comics, and games....regardless of their gender or race.
The very fact that you require media to reflect your "gender of choice" shows just how much a narcissistic sociopath you are.
THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN WHAT IS OR IS NOT BETWEEN YOUR LEGS.