I've completely lost track of this.

(Tilt head) Seriously? What's so hard to understand? Hime's trying to figure out who she is, and he's play-dating her to help her figure it out. None of this is complicated.

If you just aren't bothering to read it, then fine, you don't have to read it, you don't have to like it, but then go away?

I'll be honest, I stopped reading after a couple chapters. But I just decided to revisit it, since it's gone on longer and I thought that maybe it had matured with time and space for a more nuanced exploration of the themes introduced. I've got trans and gender non-conforming friends IRL, I fostered a trans* kid for a couple years. I think that very few comics do trans* well (some feature perfect trans* characters who always pass, others treat it as not seriously or something that needs to be fixed).

I don't really see this as a trans* comic, as it seems to focus on the cis friend more than the trans* character, by an order of magnitude. I think it's aimed at a younger audience, as it has a couple characters (the one teacher, and the wavy-haired guy) who are always right (and to a lesser extend the blonde lesbian). These characters seem to never have personal agendas that interfere with them giving insightful advice to the characters (mostly to the cis-girl, who honestly is a piece of work at the start and a good example of how not to be an ally).

That being said, I don't find the plot particularly moving, it can be summed up as "childhood friends in high school have a lot of feelings and bad boundaries" which is in part understandable as high schoolers aren't adults. Adding in gender identity issues doesn't add that much to the plot (it'd be interesting if it explored what steps Akira would have to take, and the medical treatment options for transgender youth in Japan, it does cover some issues, but mostly in terms of the parents' reaction).

This has gotten so messyyyy. Like, I can be cool with some stiltedness if the moral stand feels meaningful but it feels like the author is stumbling from one life lesson to another without any direction.

And frankly a lot of what’s being said is not-a-little fucked up. We don’t really need to focus in on cis folks telling other people that they need to be comfortable with a certain self-presentation in a manga theoretically centering queer identity, even if it has gotten way away from discussing transness.

[...]
it'd be interesting if it explored what steps Akira would have to take, and the medical treatment options for transgender youth in Japan, it does cover some issues, but mostly in terms of the parents' reaction.

Yeah, that would make for a much more compelling read.

It must be Sunday cos more PREACH

(Tilt head) Seriously? What's so hard to understand? Hime's trying to figure out who she is, and he's play-dating her to help her figure it out. None of this is complicated.

If you just aren't bothering to read it, then fine, you don't have to read it, you don't have to like it, but then go away?

There's no need for the belittling tone is there? I don't see the reason why you'd get mad at my one line of thought in particular. Plenty of people have shared their problems with this series already.

I'm just checking in when a new chapter drops because I'm curious about its progression. I don't mean to intrude on your peace.

I think I'm done with this manga now, I might check back after a while but until then I'm out.

Holy sh@t, go Akira-chan! If this school has a female football club we just found them the perfect goalkeeper, she just appeared out of nowhere and blocked that ball like a boss.

lol...

well , i didnt like it.

Hime-chan is a gigachad with the male uniform tho

I'm enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. Also for those who were wanting to see a transitioning character in the manga, you realize these are still kids, so the most they'd be doing in transitioning is taking medication The appropriate age in US is 12-14, but idk about Japan. But uh seeing as Akira has only just started sharing about identifying as a girl, and that her father does not approve (Parents concent for meds), that is not likely.

I'm enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. Also for those who were wanting to see a transitioning character in the manga, you realize these are still kids, so the most they'd be doing in transitioning is taking medication The appropriate age in US is 12-14, but idk about Japan. But uh seeing as Akira has only just started sharing about identifying as a girl, and that her father does not approve (Parents concent for meds), that is not likely.

I've been kind of waiting for someone who is actually trans to talk about this, but since there are a lot of people who don't know how it actually is back there right now:

First of all, in order to legally transition and change your gender in your identification like driver's lisense, you have to:

1) Get a psychiatric diagnosis on having a mental illness regarding your gender.
2) Get castrated by having your testicles or ovaries removed with surgery.
3) You have to be adult, which means 20 years old there.
4) You can't have children at the time. It's only allowed before you have children, or after your children have become adults themselves.

Also, since age to enter work life is around 22-24, and companies don't generally hire people who are in midst of all of this, you are very much going to have to complete the transition after you hit 20, but before you start looking for work.

last edited at Jan 9, 2020 7:45PM

Characters doing things that have consequences and talking to people with no guarantee they'll be kindly received? That's more interesting than usual. Still a long way to go, but hey, baby steps.

I'm really glad to have another chapter that focuses on Akira. This manga seems to have an ever increasing cast, with each new character having their own personal struggles and story to go with it. Don't get me wrong, that can be great, but I really did miss Akira's story for a bit there.

Awww

I read it even though I told myself I was done with this manga, sigh, anyway chapters that focus on Akira are generally better than the ones focusing on Hime. Hime's character arc is WAY too all over the place and I really can't figure out what the mangaka is trying to do with her, not to mention how passive she is, you would think it would be the opposite but Hime is so much more passive a character than Akira, yeah, Hime gets more focus, but that focus is entirely just her sitting down and letting ppl preach at her.

Ok so right off the bat the whole physically stronger thing yeah.... Cringe for the most part trans people are not stronger than cis

She was being rationalizing to herself why she's stronger than average girl and she came up with "because I'm strong girl". Not much if you don't specifically work out, but probably you'd be still little stronger than cis girl on average, because of biology. Or they're just going off the stereotypes.

ayyy, that was a pretty good chapter actually

Also, while it's not true for everyone (depending on ie. time of transition), I don't see any controversy in stating most trans girls are, on average, stronger than cis girls. I've never been particularly strong (quite the opposite) yet I'm stronger than most girls just by default, even if it's not necessarily by a lot. Akira just acknowledges her build and the fact that she is stronger than most girls, which I could only view as positive. She's finally starting to accept herself and that she isn't less of a girl just because her body is different than most girls'.

last edited at Jan 10, 2020 12:38PM

Yeah, it sounded like rationalization.

Either you accept your current body, or you don't. In the middle, there's only endless suffering.

She was being rationalizing to herself why she's stronger than average girl and she came up with "because I'm strong girl". Not much if you don't specifically work out, but probably you'd be still little stronger than cis girl on average, because of biology. Or they're just going off the stereotypes.

This is a huge issue but plenty of "allies" say they dont want trans people competing in their gender's league

TransHomura posted:

She was being rationalizing to herself why she's stronger than average girl and she came up with "because I'm strong girl". Not much if you don't specifically work out, but probably you'd be still little stronger than cis girl on average, because of biology. Or they're just going off the stereotypes.

This is a huge issue but plenty of "allies" say they dont want trans people competing in their gender's league

Oh I actually heard about that and while it's true that it's being blown out of the proportions, the facts are that not all advantages are completely gone, so it's a bit more nuanced and complicated topic than people give it credit for. But of course given the nature of it, having a civil discussion about it is nearly impossible.

They were implying that? I thought it was only Akira saying she was a strong girl, but I must have misunderstood, implying that trans are stronger just for that is cringy.

I think this is the best chapter in ages!
Akira was being 'used' by the other girls to carry heavy stuff, and that bothered her because she thought they just viewed her as a boy (they might? that's not the problem though).

However, Akira figured out that she's... just plain strong! For a girl that is. And that's OK because there's all kinds of girls, they aren't all identical. So for her to be 'outside the normal' as a girl isn't actually an issue (for herself) any longer.

Now, what will the next chapter bring after that massive cliff-hanger ending? We have to wait and see...

Keep in mind Akira is not on hormones or anything, being a minor with parents that oppose their choice. She's already quite tall, so we're talking a teenager who has already gone through a lot of growth. It's not a surprise she has an advantage.

My friend who is transitioning now, in her mid thirties, has noted how just being on hormone therapy made doing hard physical labor a level harder. I don't know if that's true for everyone, but it doesn't seem a stretch that Akira would be where she is now.

Also, I see this as less "coping about the body" than "coping about other people's expectations" and a way to show she can deal with it. Remember that Akira is not the tough type.

That said, as a guy, and I am sure I am not alone, having all the physical tasks pushed on you is not cool. I can handle it but if you're supposed to do it and you can, you're just pushing your work onto me. I have plenty of hard things I have to do too. Well, in Japan, if you are new in a club you do whatever the sempai say for the most part. Akira is coping pretty well for what it's worth, I think. I do hope the other managers don't let her keep doing all the hard work though.