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Outrunner wrote:I'm not sure if it counts as it doesn't come up very often so not sure it can be counted as a trope but asexual erasure/the broken asexual. I get it's not the most recognised orientation (or lack thereof depending on your point of view) but asexuality isn't a disease that needs fixing, it's not someone being confused until they 'fixed'. People who have don't feel sexual attraction and/or have no interest in sex aren't weird, we exist and are just as valid as any other orientation.

Outrunner wrote:
And honestly, I'd like more representation, you'd be surprised how much it helps. My own example: I'm asexual, if there had been asexual characters on screen (acknowledged asexuals, not just hinted at or assumed) it may have helped me by (1) letting me know asexuality is a thing and (2) that its normal and healthy. Instead, for years I just felt wrong and broken and it 100% affected my last relationship. Now since the end of that relationship I discovered the term asexual, I feel a lot happier in myself. But when it comes to representation asexuals are painted as ill (a tumour in 'House'), a cautionary tale (don't date asexuals, you'll never have a fulfilling relationship) or out right erased (the character Jughead in 'Riverdale').

Victor Mildew wrote:

BonalityMatrix wrote:

Skarjo wrote:"I've designed an algorithm that...."

Immediately describes something that has nothing to do with algorithms.

Computer UIs that have lots of unnecessary bleeping and animation, usually followed by the digital "enhancement" of an image that has pixels the size of postage stamps into one of crystal clarity (usually done in multiple sweeping phases, again with lots of superfluous noises).

Lots of gooseberry fool going on across multiple monitors, but the content being worked on is in a tiny window, and they're only using the keyboard.

shy guy 64 wrote:is there a good place to learn more about this for if say some one was want to write a story with an asexual character?

Ironhide wrote:

Outrunner wrote:I'm not sure if it counts as it doesn't come up very often so not sure it can be counted as a trope but asexual erasure/the broken asexual. I get it's not the most recognised orientation (or lack thereof depending on your point of view) but asexuality isn't a disease that needs fixing, it's not someone being confused until they 'fixed'. People who have don't feel sexual attraction and/or have no interest in sex aren't weird, we exist and are just as valid as any other orientation.

Bojack Horseman (of all things) handled that really well imo, the writers did a good job of explaining to the audience that having no interest in sex isn't weird and that asexual people can have 'normal' albeit non sexual relationships.

Karl_ wrote:

shy guy 64 wrote:is there a good place to learn more about this for if say some one was want to write a story with an asexual character?

You can try AVEN - https://www.asexuality.org/

Lotus wrote:

Outrunner wrote:Not a trope as such but the trend of writers/directors/actors stating "oh yeah, this character is gay/bi/pan/ace." That's great, I'm all for representation but throwing out a token "this character is gay" when there was literally nothing to point to that isn't really representation. It's trying to appear inclusive without actually being brave enough to follow through on it.

I'm not sure if it counts as it doesn't come up very often so not sure it can be counted as a trope but asexual erasure/the broken asexual. I get it's not the most recognised orientation (or lack thereof depending on your point of view) but asexuality isn't a disease that needs fixing, it's not someone being confused until they 'fixed'. People who have don't feel sexual attraction and/or have no interest in sex aren't weird, we exist and are just as valid as any other orientation.

It's just more box-ticking exercises. Every advert, TV series, panel show, film, etc has to have a mix of races, one or more non-heterosexual characters, someone with a disability, etc. It's laughable how contrived it all is, and how unnecessary it is. You can bet someone will complain though if any 'group' isn't represented.

Outrunner wrote:Not a trope as such but the trend of writers/directors/actors stating "oh yeah, this character is gay/bi/pan/ace." That's great, I'm all for representation but throwing out a token "this character is gay" when there was literally nothing to point to that isn't really representation. It's trying to appear inclusive without actually being brave enough to follow through on it.
.

shy guy 64 wrote:

Karl_ wrote:

shy guy 64 wrote:is there a good place to learn more about this for if say some one was want to write a story with an asexual character?

You can try AVEN - https://www.asexuality.org/

Thanks

And apologies outrunner if that was in appropriate question

Tomous wrote:

Outrunner wrote:Not a trope as such but the trend of writers/directors/actors stating "oh yeah, this character is gay/bi/pan/ace." That's great, I'm all for representation but throwing out a token "this character is gay" when there was literally nothing to point to that isn't really representation. It's trying to appear inclusive without actually being brave enough to follow through on it.
.

My ex housemate, who was gay, had a slightly different perspective on this. He use to get fed up how often in films if a gay character was introduced, their whole identity and character would be about them being gay. He wanted more mainstream films to include characters that happened to be gay but that wasn't what their story was about necessarily. I suppose it is about balance a lot of the time. I understand what you're saying about token representation though.

Outrunner wrote:

shy guy 64 wrote:

Karl_ wrote:

shy guy 64 wrote:is there a good place to learn more about this for if say some one was want to write a story with an asexual character?

You can try AVEN - https://www.asexuality.org/

Thanks

And apologies outrunner if that was in appropriate question

Absolutely no need to apologise, I mean, I bought it up after all . If anything I'm a bit worried I turned this into a "look at me, I'm asexual!" thread, but then I worry about most things so we'll add it to the list.

Anyway, AVEN is a great place to start if you want to listen or join in with any discussions around the subject. At one point I also bookmarked some sites about asexuality in media (including books), I'll see if I can track some down if you're interested.

Outrunner wrote:

Tomous wrote:

Outrunner wrote:Not a trope as such but the trend of writers/directors/actors stating "oh yeah, this character is gay/bi/pan/ace." That's great, I'm all for representation but throwing out a token "this character is gay" when there was literally nothing to point to that isn't really representation. It's trying to appear inclusive without actually being brave enough to follow through on it.
.

My ex housemate, who was gay, had a slightly different perspective on this. He use to get fed up how often in films if a gay character was introduced, their whole identity and character would be about them being gay. He wanted more mainstream films to include characters that happened to be gay but that wasn't what their story was about necessarily. I suppose it is about balance a lot of the time. I understand what you're saying about token representation though.

I get that and I don't know if I'm explaining my thoughts particularly well. I'm definitely in the same camp of wanting asexual characters but the characters not being defined by their asexuality. Like, rounded characters who happen to be asexual but aren't treated strangely because of it. I feel like I'm saying the same things but not being any clearer.

Outrunner wrote:

shy guy 64 wrote:

Karl_ wrote:

shy guy 64 wrote:is there a good place to learn more about this for if say some one was want to write a story with an asexual character?

You can try AVEN - https://www.asexuality.org/

Thanks

And apologies outrunner if that was in appropriate question

Absolutely no need to apologise, I mean, I bought it up after all . If anything I'm a bit worried I turned this into a "look at me, I'm asexual!" thread, but then I worry about most things so we'll add it to the list.

Anyway, AVEN is a great place to start if you want to listen or join in with any discussions around the subject. At one point I also bookmarked some sites about asexuality in media (including books), I'll see if I can track some down if you're interested.