Home » The Crystal Hall » Poe Cottage » Poe's Secret (Discuss here the questions involved in keeping the secret.)
| Poe's Secret [message #56174] |
Sat, 31 March 2012 23:11  |
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 Sir Lee
Messages: 3062
Registered: May 2005
Location: São Paulo, Brazil |
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Bringing this over from another forum:
| nekoali wrote on Sat, 31 March 2012 23:20 | The
problem isn't that they have a separate cottage for the LGBT kids. It is that they tell them and expect them to keep it a secret. Nobody tells the Whitman girls they have to hide being female.. yet violence against women is even more common than LGBT people. And the cottage is set up in a way that it self polices itself. Anybody who blows the cover for the cottage is going to be in deep trouble. Though a number of people have come out or been highly suspected...
And there are plenty of examples of LGBT kids in other cottages... some came out/transformed mid term, others hid it from the school so the faculty didn't know to put them in Poe, like Saladin, Diamondback and Razor...
A cottage for LGBT kids is a good idea. The bad idea is telling them that being LGBT is shameful, dangerous and should be hidden, which is what the secrecy around the cottage strongly enforces.
I agree though, we should take this conversation to a new thread and stop derailing this one...
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OK, let's start by the beginning. The students are NOT being told that being LGBTI* is shameful. In fact, they are EXPLICITLY told in the initial introduction that they are free to come out if they so wish. And in fact, Chou came out as bisexual and faced no repercussions from the cottage or school. I have no doubts that Hippolyta is publicly lesbian and, again, both the people at the cottage and the school are fine with her being out.
However, people are told they are not to reveal that *everybody* at the cottage has gender issues. Why? Because doing that would effectively "out" the entire cottage. Which is NOT OK in my book. It would take out freedom of choice from every Poe resident. Everybody should be free to decide if and when to come out. And, for many people, high school is simply too early.
I mean, consider the alternatives.
1. Whateley practices "don't ask, don't tell" -- doesn't even ask for gender-related questions in the admission form. Possibly what was happening pre-Poe. The most likely reason for Carson to establish Poe was that, frankly, it wasn't working.
2. Whateley asks the gender questions but does nothing beyond offering counselor help. Kids have to go into general population and do on their own. TG kids, in particular, in most cases have to deal with "bathroom issues" similar to the ones Ayla did (should one use the boys' or the girls' room? Which one is least likely to get one bashed?). Closeted gay kids have very little chance of dating -- unlike, say, regular public-school kids, they have little opportunity to look for gay-friendly places to meet similar-minded people. So, not big help for anybody.
3. Whateley does ask their gender questions, puts then in Poe and effectively tacks a big "Gay Cottage" sign over the door. Nice move, Carson (not)! The kids thought they were going to be HELPED, not being outed against their will.
4. Whateley asks gender questions, puts then in Poe, and impresses on them how outing the other inhabitants is a dick move. Now they can actually *relax* and *date* somewhere, and consider if and when to come out.
Don't call me Shirley. You will surely make me surly.
--
Sent from my Bugs Industries® bPhone™
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56188 is a reply to message #56174 ] |
Sun, 01 April 2012 04:47  |
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mittfh
Messages: 764
Registered: May 2011
Location: Kenilworth, UK |
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Just in case anyone hasn't seen the discussion in the Loose Cannons thread, here's a copy of my thoughts on why Poe was established as the LGBT* cottage.
Note also that the impetus to create it was a specific incident on campus which resulted in a student's death (can anyone find the relevant reference?)
| Me, over on the Story Feedback / Loose Cannons thread | As with anywhere that contains an approximate cross-section of society, there are going to be people with prejudices - and the number of people prejudiced against LGBT* is fairly significant (especially in the US where a significant portion of the population are very conservative).
Now imagine a High School for superpowered individuals, and the potential they could have for causing serious injury to someone they didn't like...
Add onto that the fact that many LGBT* are that way as a result of their manifestation rather than being born that way, so may not be familiar with LGBT* issues etc.
They're also teenagers, so are (a) likely to behave less than rationally and (b) not be entirely discreet about their relationships.
So having a separate dorm for LGBT* is a mechanism to afford some protection for the students; allows them a safe environment to discuss issues / pursue relationships without outsiders looking in; and offers them a mutual support network.
Note, however, that there are also other conditions for entry to Poe: the LGBT* is the primary topic of concern (as opposed to GSD, for example); and they are relatively passable as a 'normal' human (because Poe wasn't initially connected to the tunnel network, which affords cross-campus travel on non green flag days - although since it now has a connection this requirement could probably be waived).
Further protection is offered by Poe's cover story - providing a convenient excuse for any odd behaviour by the residents.
The conditions also apply to those who change whilst at Whateley - to date those we've seen have coped fairly well with switching sides (with the exception of Jobe, but then he brought his own fate upon himself - both with the serum and who he was foolish enough to turn to for help...). No doubt if someone was having issues with their mid-term transformation, it would be obvious to the campus as a whole; so as long as they were judged to be in no significant danger of revealing the secret, they could potentially be transferred to Poe.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56219 is a reply to message #56174 ] |
Sun, 01 April 2012 12:35 |
Fansibubbles
Messages: 90
Registered: June 2011 |
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| Sir Lee wrote on Sun, 01 April 2012 04:11 |
OK, let's start by the beginning. The students are NOT being told that being LGBTI* is shameful. In fact, they are EXPLICITLY told in the initial introduction that they are free to come out if they so wish. And in fact, Chou came out as bisexual and faced no repercussions from the cottage or school. I have no doubts that Hippolyta is publicly lesbian and, again, both the people at the cottage and the school are fine with her being out.
However, people are told they are not to reveal that *everybody* at the cottage has gender issues. Why? Because doing that would effectively "out" the entire cottage. Which is NOT OK in my book. It would take out freedom of choice from every Poe resident. Everybody should be free to decide if and when to come out. And, for many people, high school is simply too early.
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This dodges around my sticking point with it though. The reason for Poe to exist in secrecy is it's supposedly too dangerous for LGBT to come out due to deep seated prejudices and that's why it has to be a big secret. But lots of people have come out, or had no way to hide their changes over the course of the stories. None of them have been in any more danger than your average student.
So the whole reason for it is bunkum. If it was then changed to "Well people should be allowed to reveal their sexuality as they like" this still runs into a few problems.
1. People are going to lie on their application form about their sexuality. The high number of people in Poe shows a rather odd number of people who were openly honest on the form.
2. That fourteen year olds have actually decided on their sexuality. I didn't until I was in University, many people not until way later than that. I've known people from high school who experimented there, but it was brief and not for them. Fourteen year olds simply aren't old enough to be 'locked in' to a decision like this.
3. That the School Admin is trying to set kids up with dates. Which is just a little bit creepy.
4. Making it a secret gives the implication that it's bad thing, especially when they're told it's because it's too dangerous to tell people about it. "You can speak up but you may be bullied or killed and your friends won't necessarily stand by you to preserve the secret" is not really much of a choice.
5. There's loads of them! This isn't like being outted and having no one else around who's in the same situation (Not fun). This is around one sixth of the entire school who are in the same situation.
[Updated on: Sun, 01 April 2012 12:37]
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56229 is a reply to message #56219 ] |
Sun, 01 April 2012 15:22 |
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mittfh
Messages: 764
Registered: May 2011
Location: Kenilworth, UK |
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One thing you're overlooking is that for many students in Poe, their gender presentation and/or sexuality were imposed on them by their mutation, rather than them being that way previously.
Ok, perhaps the argument for LGB is a little weak, but it makes more sense in the context of T. Usually, the transformation process takes several months, and many start Whateley part way through. For these students it would be positively dangerous for them to share the same shower facilities as the rest because people will see with their own eyes anatomical features which don't match with the person's outward appearance.
So for that reason alone it makes sense for the gender flippers ("changelings") to be segregated from the majority of the student body. Putting those who are sure they have an alternative sexuality in the same dorm also makes sense, as (a) they may be getting used to it, (b) they're less likely to 'out' each other and/or the changelings, (c) they can offer help / support / advice to the changelings on adapting to their new gender, (d) many changelings still prefer the type of partner they preferred before the change, so effectively 'turning' them from heterosexual to homosexual / bisexual. The dedicated cottage also sends a clear message that it's OK - they don't have to pretend to be attracted to the apparent opposite gender to 'blend in'.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56263 is a reply to message #56174 ] |
Mon, 02 April 2012 03:44 |
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mittfh
Messages: 764
Registered: May 2011
Location: Kenilworth, UK |
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In reality, the cover story for Poe doesn't result in much discrimination, and I think it's generally accepted that it's for those with mild mental issues. We've seen glimpses of students other than TK interacting with the rest of the student body without ill effect.
As I've said before, there are plenty of LGBT* outside Poe - it's designed for those for whom the LGBT* aspect is the overriding concern; if they have other issues (e.g. GSD) or their being LGBT* isn't a major issue for them, they're likely to get housed elsewhere.
Jobe was already living in the other co-ed cottage at the time of his accident, and apart from appearance and initial desire to cover up the changes, it hasn't really affected him that much.
Reach doesn't appear to have many issues with his gender flipping - other than perhaps the inconvenience of changing rooms whenever he does. Because of the instability, he was moved to Melville.
Due to various reasons, Folder had the most unusual move of the lot - declared dead then readmitted as a new student.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56264 is a reply to message #56263 ] |
Mon, 02 April 2012 04:10 |
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dpragan
Messages: 3166
Registered: December 2008
Location: Texas |
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| mittfh wrote on Mon, 02 April 2012 02:44 | In reality, the cover story for Poe doesn't result in much discrimination, and I think it's generally accepted that it's for those with mild mental issues. We've seen glimpses of students other than TK interacting with the rest of the student body without ill effect.
As I've said before, there are plenty of LGBT* outside Poe - it's designed for those for whom the LGBT* aspect is the overriding concern; if they have other issues (e.g. GSD) or their being LGBT* isn't a major issue for them, they're likely to get housed elsewhere.
Jobe was already living in the other co-ed cottage at the time of his accident, and apart from appearance and initial desire to cover up the changes, it hasn't really affected him that much.
Reach doesn't appear to have many issues with his gender flipping - other than perhaps the inconvenience of changing rooms whenever he does. Because of the instability, he was moved to Melville.
Due to various reasons, Folder had the most unusual move of the lot - declared dead then readmitted as a new student.
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I think there are family reasons behind Folder's predicament. BTW Did we ever find out what her new codename is?
[Updated on: Mon, 02 April 2012 04:10]
~Despite what they say, reality is in the eyes of the beholder, and therefore up for grabs!
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56265 is a reply to message #56174 ] |
Mon, 02 April 2012 04:10 |
khade
Messages: 1579
Registered: May 2011
Location: Rockies |
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Actually Jobe was moved to Melville.
Actually Poe is known as having crazy people along with a large amount of stable students to help support them, it isn't actually stated and people have guesses about who is what, but they don't know, and the guessing keeps them from figuring out the real reason, for the most part. No one even knows what preportions are rumored to be what.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56314 is a reply to message #56188 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 10:46 |
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Nicky82
Messages: 1403
Registered: May 2011 |
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| mittfh wrote on Sun, 01 April 2012 10:47 | Note also that the impetus to create it was a specific incident on campus which resulted in a student's death (can anyone find the relevant reference?)
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I think you might be refering to this:
| Jade 6 DREAMS and AWAKENINGS | Jinn stood looking after them, with more than a touch of bemusement. In truth, her mind was a wild whirl of thoughts. Out of the blue, she'd found a boy who could make her a woman. She might have a completely artificial body, but Skinner had just shown her that he could make it feel real. And although it would have no chance of getting her pregnant, the experience would undoubtedly change her in a permanent way.
But... she was too young. Even if the BIT slicer changed her real body, she didn't see herself going all the way until... when? Not for a few years, at least. Of course, if she were a real girl, who knew how she might be tempted? Skinner's kiss had been very... interesting. But she wanted a chance to treasure her virginity, before she finally gave it to someone. And when she did give it up, it wasn't going to be to some boy that was just a good kisser. It was going to be to her True Love. The person who would cherish her, curl with her in bed, hold her when she was scared and help hold her high when she was inspired. The person who would put her children into her, and become a parent with her. And she sure wasn't ready for that yet! No matter how good a kisser he was.
"Are you sure you're only fourteen, Jade? That thought is rather mature for such a young girl."
Startled, she looked to the side to see an incongruously normal man, standing there in linen slacks, a smoking jacket, and wearing an ascot at his neck. There was something else odd about him. It took her a moment before she realized that he was in color, while everything else, aside from auras, was black and white.
"Pardon me. I forgot about your vision." Immediately his image changed to match the rest of the world a black and white image, with a colored aura appearing a moment later.
"How--?"
"Telepathic projection," the man explained. "None of the others is noticing us right now, and even if they did I'm projecting my words directly into your brain. Well, your spirit, I suppose, in your case."
"You're a telepath?" And behind that question was the immediate fear, Does he know my secret?
"Yes, and yes. The whole 'Jared' thing in the past? You shouldn't worry about that too much. I'm no precog, but this is Whateley. I'm sure you'll find a solution that works for you."
Emotions in her spirit-form didn't have quite the toxic spike that they sometimes held when she was in her physical body. Even so, hearing someone casually taking in public about "the whole 'Jared' thing" was enough to brown out her vision in anxiety.
The man continued on as if she wasn't in a total emotion meltdown. "But I really wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, and to give you a pat on the back for your little discovery and performance back there. Up until a few minutes ago, Skinner was a perpetual blight on the emotional landscape. Glance over at him and I think you'll see how he's lightening up."
Jinn looked without turning her head, glancing at the complex aura of the boy. There were strands of many different elements wonder, anxiety, happiness. It was difficult to pay full attention, in the throes of her anxiety.
"If what I see in the surface thoughts of you and the other girls is true, our depressed loner is about to become the most popular stud on campus. Or at least, the most popular man in the Faction Three crowd. I think we're witnessing a classic Frog Prince moment. You even triggered it with a kiss."
"I thought telepaths kept themselves from reading other people's minds." She tried to keep the resentment out of her voice.
The man beside her nodded. "True, true. And I do my best. It's just that my powers are several orders of magnitude above any other human, and even when I hold myself back it's impossible not to hear the surface thoughts of nearly everyone around me. Or around my projection."
He looked at her again. "You can calm down, you know. I told you, no one can eavesdrop on what I'm saying to you, although they might hear your replies. And although I may know your darkest secret, I'm not going to reveal it to anyone. Besides, compared to the secrets that some people here are hiding, yours is innocent enough to be quite endearing."
Jinn began to walk toward one of the more deserted corners, away from the crowd around Skinner, and steering clear of the small clusters of people. "Look, I don't even know your name! Who are you, and what do you plan to do with this knowledge?"
He gave her a disarming smile. "I'm sorry, I never really introduced myself. They call me Fubar. A rather rude acronym, and a bit too accurate. 'Gross structural deformity' doesn't begin to cover my case. I couldn't survive outside the sealed environment tank that's installed in the Hawthorne sub-basement. I haven't physically moved from the site for nearly two decades."
Jinn suddenly remembered. "Oh, yeah! Toni Sensei told me about you. Twenty years, and you're still a student?"
He gave a tolerant smile. "Hardly. I'm the senior instructor in telepathy and kinetics. I also consult with several police and international intelligence agencies, although for anything other than a phone call, they need to travel up here. I have a small office set up a bit outside of Berlin, just at the edge of my range. But I didn't come to talk about me."
Jinn said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
Fubar sighed. "The only reason I revealed my knowledge about your secret was so that you could relax and talk to me."
"I'm perfectly happy playing the role I've chosen," she informed him tightly. "Bringing up a person's greatest fear isn't the best way to relax them."
"Sometimes it is," he said. "For many of the Faction Three crowd, what they want is to be accepted despite their differences. And let me add that the role that you're comfortable in, Jinn, isn't the role you're playing now, is it Lazuli?"
She exhaled in resignation. "What's the use? So many people know my secret now, I wonder if it's even worth trying to keep it a secret? Maybe you're right. Maybe I'd be better off just revealing the truth."
Fubar suddenly took on an extremely concerned look. "No, I wouldn't go that far. If I might show you a memory...?" He held his hand out in offering.
Not sure what was going on, Jinn reached out her clawed gargoyle hand in acceptance. The moment she touched his hand, reality vanished, and she was in the memory.
...
It was as if she was an insubstantial observer, and the scene was happening now, right in front of her.
Two heroic figures fought against a demonic monster. They were in the center of campus, but some notable buildings were missing. She realized that she must be seeing a memory from decades in the past.
The boy looked like a blond exemplar, wearing a skintight white costume with a black seven-pointed star on his chest. The girl's costume was stunning a strapless silver leotard with matching silver choker, a black mini-vest that teased more than concealed, black elbow-length gloves and thigh-high boots, and twin black belts that draped her hips in an X pattern.
Jinn suddenly knew exactly what she was seeing. It was Jan Stilton, and the date was 1987. It was an episode they'd discussed at length yesterday at the Day of Remembrance, and she didn't want to see it in person.
"Greg Force-bolt we have to put this monster down now, before it reaches the gas truck!" the girl shouted.
Jinn looked up to see a toppled tanker truck, a few hundred feet away. She knew from Stan and Morrie that even nowadays, fuel deliveries were major security events.
"I'm trying, Paragon!" Shoving both hands forward, the boy shot out a crimson beam. It hit the monster like a pile driver, but that only pushed the creature closer to the tanker.
"Greg, no! I've got no choice, I have to use my frenzy attack!"
"Don't do it, Jan! You'll be helpless afterward!"
But the girl didn't listen to him. She paused for a second, as if summoning all her power. A blue glow seemed to coalesce around her, then she suddenly shot forward like a bullet.
Whatever power she had summoned, she now attacked like a speedster, striking with fists that hit like sledgehammers. She moved so fast that it was almost as if there were a dozen of her, striking and kicking at the demon-thing, attacking it from every direction at once. The monster was overwhelmed and toppled onto the ground, face first, unconscious.
The girl didn't last much longer. She collapsed onto the on top of the monster, only barely clinging to consciousness. The blue field around her winked out, then another affect came over her. Her skin rippled and moved, like a sack filled with fighting cats. A moment later, the transformation finished, leaving an androgynous boy awkwardly dressed in a girl's silver leotard. He looked nervously up at the other fighter.
"Uh... Greg? I meant to tell you. The transformation isn't quite permanent yet, but in a year, two at most--"
"You're a GUY?"
"Not much, these days. Soon even that will be gone. Which was why I was so depressed when we first met..."
The blond exemplar still stared at him in shock. "You're a boy, and I kissed you?"
The exhausted boy in the silver leotard could barely move. "I wanted to tell you, Greg..."
"You LIED to me! How could you do this to me?"
"Greg, no, you have to listen to me--"
"Noooo!"
And with a look of hatred and disgust, the blond boy shoved both his hands forward, shooting out a crimson beam. The other boy, exhausted and helpless, didn't even try to resist, as a hole a foot in diameter was blown through the center of his chest.
...
Jinn blinked slowly, returning from the telepathically shared memory.
After a brief pause, Fubar said, "The lesson I took from that was to be as honest as possible in my relations with other people. I try to be clear that the 'me' people are meeting is not the real me, it's only a projection. If I'm upfront about it, I hope that I cut down on later misunderstandings."
Jinn shook her head. "But you were just telling me not to reveal--"
Clasping his hands behind his back, Fubar began to pace around her, pensively. "Yes, but there are secrets, and then there are secrets. Everyone at Poe has a secret to conceal. The system here has been designed to give you a community, Poe Cottage, that knows that secret and still supports you. At the same time, most Poe residents choose, perhaps correctly, to keep the details of their sexuality a secret from the campus at large. I'm not a big fan of life in the closet living in a literal closet myself but I recognize that sometimes accommodations must be made for an imperfect world."
Jinn rubbed her temple in irritation. "So... I don't get it. What are you trying to tell me?"
"Well, there are secrets, and then there are secrets, as I said. You, in particular, seem to be burying yourself under a pile of secrets that grows ever deeper. Your sexuality. The fact that Jinn, Jann, et cetera, are all really you. The fact that you're not a devisor at all, and that you're lying about your real powers. The fact that Lazuli is not whom she appears to be, and is someone that much of Faction Three is already dimly aware of. The fact that you're not here as a real member of Faction Three, but as a paid escort, with a specific role to fill."
That last line angered her, but it was hard to deny. "Look, I owe--" she almost said Thuban's name out loud, before remembering that her half of the conversation might be overheard "--I owe someone. And I pay off my debts!"
Fubar nodded to that. He turned to leave, but gave one last piece of advice first. "I'm not saying that all secrets are bad. Some are well accepted, particularly things like the 'secret identity' and exact details about your powers. But try not to bury yourself too deep, alright? Don't lose track of who and what you really are. That's all I'm saying."
With that, he turned and headed back toward the main crowd.
Jinn was left to consider the disturbing incident, and his odd advice.
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[Updated on: Tue, 03 April 2012 10:47]
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56315 is a reply to message #56314 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 11:27 |
nekoali
Messages: 206
Registered: June 2011 |
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The thing is... That event is exactly the sort of reason why keeping secrets about being transgender is bad... Believe me, I understand the risks of a hostile environment. But in this case, as a lot of cases, it is the sudden reveal in an emotionally charged situation that puts the trans person at the greatest risk. Some people do not react well to finding out the person they are dating or close to was born of another sex/gender.
Unfortunately that fear of being rejected or attacked for being honest about your gender identity is one of the things that is most dangerous to trans people, and most damaging internally. For a very long time, continuing well into today not only do a lot of outsiders see us as freaks and weirdos, but so do we think of ourselves. A lot of trans people are desperate to bury their old selves, go stealth and pretend they were never anything other than what they are now. But lies have a way of being found out. Especially if you are not finished with the transitioning process yet.
In that example, if Jan has been honest with Greg before they started to fool around, would he have reacted so badly, instead of finding out right after a major battle on an adrenaline high? Maybe. But if Jan had told him in a quiet setting, before things got serious and when she was in a public place or place of safety and not powered down the chances are that even if Greg had turned hostile she wouldn't have died or suffered badly.
It may not always be possible, but in general honesty is the better policy.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56317 is a reply to message #56315 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 13:00 |
Fansibubbles
Messages: 90
Registered: June 2011 |
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And it only compounds the problem the longer it's kept silent if this is the rational behind hiding it. In effect once your past is a secret it has to remain a secret FOREVER, especially if revealing it means potential death at that hands of your lover.
There's just no reason for it. Have people set up a LGBT group in the school just like University. No one will be required to come forward and join it if they don't want to but it also means it's no longer the schools 'dirty' secret.
Times have changed and while you'll get some shit for being open and honest about anything that isn't status quo, it's not the end of the world especially when everyone around you is simply too young to have formed deeply entrenched opinions. That's what they should be getting taught (And a lot of RL kids these days are taught thankfully.) not just for the LGBT issues but being in mutant in general.
The original idea of mutant prejudice was because real prejudice couldn't be portrayed in comics so it's no surprise they dovetail together. GSD students shouldn't be conditioned to be social pariahs and Civil Rights should be part of the all the kids education to help them survive the 'Real World' considering how badly mutants have it out there.
Of course I realise this does kind of leave the story flagging if everyone was sensible. It's just I don't get the schools logic that LGBT who are open will cause a school wide riot when there's several people who are open and haven't caused a school wide riot. It's just a bizarre Cognitive Dissonance I can't get past.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56318 is a reply to message #56174 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 13:05 |
silento
Messages: 70
Registered: May 2011
Location: Massachusetts |
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I dunno, it makes sense to me. People in real life are killed for being LGBT, and with superpowers things escalate much more quickly. If you made an open support group, you're denying support to anyone who wants to be free of bigots. If Fey was openly tg, there's no way she could be on track to be the next head of the modelling group. Look at what happened to Ayla for being tg, and imagine what would happen to an unprepared Nikki.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56319 is a reply to message #56318 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 13:20 |
nekoali
Messages: 206
Registered: June 2011 |
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Yes, openly LGBT people are still attacked/killed for being different. But if there was an open support group it would engender more support and understand from those in the middle. The ones not bigots or LGBT (or both, it's not an either/or proposition...)
By having Poe a closed support group and encouraging people to keep their orientation a secret that only adds to the problem that is a lack of openness, honesty and understanding. Many schools have Gay Straight Alliances, which show you don't have to be LGBT yourself to have someone's back.
When the open kids have been attacked in school, non-LGBT kids have come to their aid and backed them up. Either because they were friends or it was the right thing to do.
Some kids may not want to come out. Problems outside the school (Saladin comes to mind for that...), or they are going through changes that will leave then completely of the other gender, like many of the changelings. I can see them not wanting to be open about it and understand it. Nobody should ever be outed against their will.
The trouble is there is no real openness to being LGBT in school. There is no club, no organizations and the official school line is 'if you want to reveal yourself, you are on your own, it's better to keep quiet'.
And the thing of it is, being LGBT is only ONE of many reason why kids bully. How many other reasons have students harassed or bullied each other that had nothing to do with gay bashing? Being LGBT doesn't make you a target, just being alive does that.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56324 is a reply to message #56318 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 15:35 |
Fansibubbles
Messages: 90
Registered: June 2011 |
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| silento wrote on Tue, 03 April 2012 18:05 | I dunno, it makes sense to me. People in real life are killed for being LGBT, and with superpowers things escalate much more quickly.
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Yeah except as I keep saying there's several students currently in Whateley who are LGBT, known to be LGBT and completely fine. In fact they're receiving a lot of support from the student body, which is nice.
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| Re: Poe's Secret [message #56325 is a reply to message #56174 ] |
Tue, 03 April 2012 15:56 |
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Sojiro
Messages: 1652
Registered: November 2011 |
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And we have students like Ayla who have been viciously attacked multiple times for being TG.
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