Skip to main content

A great example of how to handle a trans character:

1. Deadname is left as jibberish to prevent its use by assholes

2. Deadname does not hold power over the character

in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Toby Inkster :verified:
Toby Inkster :verified:
• •
One thing I notice is that the scribble isn't just a random scribble each time; it's the exact same scribble.
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

🌳 The Dandelion Grove 🌳
🌳 The Dandelion Grove 🌳
• •

wait yay actually been wanting to write a manga/doujin with a character where I can communicate my struggles with my family before up and yeeting, and def a big part of that was thinking this would be an interesting way to handle deadnaming/pronouns/other bits of misgendering as my brain kinda shuts down when I hear it…

Super glad it’s also already a thing; def extra ready to approach that project :3

in reply to 🌳 The Dandelion Grove 🌳

🌳 The Dandelion Grove 🌳
🌳 The Dandelion Grove 🌳
• •
(and omg also feck yeah with same wavelength with those panels and what I understand as Chineseness with that whole interaction plus nonbinary stuffs… literally a “they just like me, they just like me fr” moment omg)
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Party Animal
Party Animal
• •
my favorite way to handle a character's deadname is still Spitfire, where it's only even alluded to in a flashback, and only the bare minimum context necessary for the reader to realize that a character tricked a Fey into stealing their deadname and giving them a new one.
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Cloudmom Colette
Cloudmom Colette
• •

also this is what I've tried to do to my deadname in my mind. Make it giberish, don't even complete the sounds.

There are so many little details here that hit just right. The look of frozen intentional "I'm not responding to that name"

Also the having of superpowers. Too real

in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Beatrix
Beatrix
• •
somehow that ugly scribble also expresses how it feels to hear your deadname…
Unknown parent

💜 Dr. Blight ❤️
💜 Dr. Blight ❤️
• •
@leto issue 2
@Leto
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)
GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)
• •
Image description:
Table with Asian food, 5 people.
Father: YOUR MOTHER'S RIGHT, unreadable scribble, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, OUR PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED.
WE FINALLY HAVE OUR LITTLE GIRL BACK.
Main character stares.
Uncle (?): XANTHE…
Sibling: WHO'S XANTHE?
Uncle: THAT'S THEM RIGHT THERE
Sibling: THEN WHY DO MA AND BA KEEP CALLING THEM same unreadable scribble?
Main character gets up, notices magic, says: НАН. BINDING TALISMANS. I REMEMBER THESE. I SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED YOU'D PULL
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

John Shirley
John Shirley
• •
works for me. but why does John Constantine look like he's about 16, despite some beard.
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Elliot
Elliot
• •
very good. Deadname also clear, like a token, but doesn’t need to be known by anyone. It’s clear what’s going on to everyone. I think this is very clever.
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

lj·rk
lj·rk
• •

That's awesome! I'm currently brain storming about a trans coming out story in a fantasy setting myself. I'm not sure how to handle that yet since part of the story is about a period where 1 is out and the other person ain't, and I initially drafted it to be some twist. OTOH, I feel conflicted about using "being trans" as a twist while normalizing deadnaming for the story's sake obviously.

Not sure how to approach that, but maybe I'll try to re-work it into a flash back, spoiling that part and instead go with the gibberish thing here as well.

in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Katherine 🌱
Katherine 🌱
• •
The Queer as Folk remake did this great too. Anytime Ruthie was "referred to" as her dead name, it was censored.
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

Bryy Miller
Bryy Miller
• •
that's so cool, and such a great way to narratively show abusive parents.
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

SallyStrange
SallyStrange
• •
Images: they are pages from a comic book.
1. Shows a young person sitting down to a dinner table with John Constantine and their parents and sibling. The father deadnames them, Constantine says "Xanthe..." warningly, confusing the sib.
2. Magical energy encircles a standing Constantine & Xanthe, who says, "Hah. Binding talismans... should have known you'd try this, Ma. But this was written for [deadname scribble], that's not me," as they slash thru the bindings with a knife. #Alt4You
#ALT4you
This entry was edited (7 months ago)
in reply to 💜 Dr. Blight ❤️

FinalOverdrive
FinalOverdrive
• •
It is fine to have the deadname there, as that can add dramatic tension, but given the current environment...necessary.

Lo, thar be cookies on this site to keep track of your login. By clicking 'okay', you are CONSENTING to this.

⇧