This!

(scared to post this because of the sensitive nature. Please don't bully) I know it's already been said but I would like to second (or third, or whatever) the tape binding thing. I know a transgender individual that's been trying to get his top surgery done for a while and has found out he's got all of these health issues from before he knew binding with tape was dangerous. (any way to make a statement about that? Or include a plot or something?) Also, as someone who isn't transgender but has had to face mastectomy, as well as other scars several times in the past I can tell you at least for people I know with surgery scars,(maybe it's different for the transgender community though) a more realistic and less idealistic representation of who we are or what we look like is much more appreciated than pretending we do or should look different.

I always saw that as just an art change. Jim's update isn't the same as Euclid's transformation from Wyllop to human. There was background to that, and it's still referenced in places (like on the Zapper page). It's part of Subeta lore.

Jim's time as a Charlie doesn't have that kind of history, does it? I don't think it would have an impact on him as a trans character. Seems like most people have either forgotten about it, or are too new to remember the old art.

I'd like to see him confirmed as trans. More diversity and representation of this sort on Subeta would be wonderful. <3

I agree about the tape; don't do it and use the proper binder. I'm not trans, but I am genderfluid and tend to use one too.

I don't mind seeing Jim being used to achieve such goal, or to create another one. I think that the "feminine" jawline shouldn't be applied if let's say he used hormones (they do miracle, I agree with ).

Be blunt with the pronoun. Would he/they prefer something? I've seen too much drama with Quentin because people often forget that Quentin is a they and not he or she.

I don't really have much to add here, but I agree with this and I like 's idea for a brand new character too.

I don't think it would be a huge stretch for his background to be changed because he finally feels comfortable enough to reveal the truth when before maybe he thought he had to make up his past. This is something that others could relate to as well and hopefully it could be revealed tastefully if this character change does happen. But I really don't think anything has to happen to his appearance to show that his past was different from what we originally thought.

Eh, it's not like trans people are strangers to rampant transphobia, lol. At least when there's drama it's easy to flush out who to avoid, because they take the opportunity to say horrible things instead of just thinking them. Stopping progress because some people are going to complain is exactly what those people want, and we shouldn't be giving it to them.

I'd probably prefer if the trans character was someone who already exists, because it A) reinforces the idea that "hey, sometimes people are just trans, including people you know and care about", which is true, and B) avoids it seeming like a token attempt at diversity. I'm a little worried if we create a character specifically to be trans that they'll show up once or twice to teach players about being transgender and then never show up again, and...that's not really helping? Our lives are not 100% about being trans, and representation is not just being like "THIS IS JANE SHE'S TRANS" and then having her stop existing when the site doesn't specifically need A Trans Person. (But I definitely agree on multiple trans characters. Multiple anything characters, really.)

I totally agree with this. It would seem more relatable/personal if it was an NPC we already knew about and had interacted in the past with rather than hi, this is a new NPC, they're trans, bye.

But either way, yay for this. :3

I agree to that to some extent - I DO think that if we get a new transgender NPC, that their transgenderness SHOULD NOT be the most defining quality of that character. They should flesh out the character 100%, because being transgender is just one trait of many when it comes to real people, who are each complex individuals to their own right. Otherwise it really is just a "token" representation and it means nothing, as you've stated, and would just feel kind of flat / hollow / pointless. :/

Yes to transgender representation. No to it being Jim. To me it honestly feels like 'Ehh we want to add this but not with the effort it deserves'. There is literally a brand new land and the perfect opportunity to bring in new NPCs right here, right now.

Also I'd really appreciate some kind of official statement / part of the 'pedia on what pronouns Quentin would prefer to prevent misgendering or at least make it a little less rampant! Thanks!

I second this. I would personally really like this, as it would clear up so much confusion / make it a lot easier for everyone involved.

I think what I'd most like to see is an NPC we already know as one gender transition to another. I think it would be an interesting challenge for the artists (provided they consulted with trans people to make sure the changes were respectful) and it would be a great way to breathe life into a character that's maybe been forgotten about. It would also be the most natural way to include their transness in their backstory without it feeling shoehorned in.

This makes a lot of sense. At the same time, to me, taking an existing character with existing lore and backstory and suddenly saying he has actually been transgendered all this time is a 'token attempt at diversity' as you put it.

I suppose I am less on the 'Make a new NPC for this' boat and more on the 'Don't make Jim the trans NPC' boat. There are plenty of NPCs without Subetapedia articles that could have their entire lore written in a manner that makes a lot more sense. Currently, the article on Jim says:

That is not vague enough to backtrack now and say that Jim was actually "born in a female body" as put it.

Blake Steel, who also has an existing article, but it's vague enough that it could easily be added to:

It would be a wonderful idea!

I would be so happy if we could see the process of the change, to experience it with the NPC.. with a few sentences about how the NPC feels, like a short diary.

It will teach people about the change, about the life of transgender before and after and it's something that a lot of people needs to learn and to accept.

I won't lie, since it was brought up I've thought of Jim as a trans man myself, ahahaha I seriously love you for this and thanks even more for posting for feedback. I can't add much in helping to form a story or anything as I am cis myself. But I can mirror that no, no you don't have to add anything "feminine" to a trans*man. Look at Aydian Dowling's jawline. Ain't nothing femme about that. Buck Angel (warning, porn star) doesn't have an ounce of femininity either. Balian Buschbaum, Katastrophe, Shane Ortega... The list goes on.

I really hope Subeta fallows through with this, even with the small amount of "but it's not needed, look at this reason" because they themselves don't need representation. "We don't need more representation" ... Says the cis gendered, heterosexual, white man. Sit down. If the users issue is people being called out on using incorrect pronouns and not people deliberately using incorrect pronouns, then that is their problem and shows everyone else how they personally think. Which is a good thing for people that don't want to associate with that way of thinking. Quentin is not a good example here as some users don't know they are non-binary, others are willfully ignorant and choose to misgender them. Again, thanks for showing us who to avoid. Users know Jim as male, as he is no matter what. If he came out as a trans* man nothing would change, however if people chose to then misgender him, that is their problem and users have a right to call them out on it. Again, if someone being called out on their ignorance is the issue and not the douchebag misgendering them, you're part of the problem and need to reevaluate the way you think.

Short of removing those two lines completely (which would be poor form, you shouldn't re-write the very limited lore Subeta has), it will be difficult to create a backstory where Jim was born female...

Fun fact: You still refer to trans men as he and him from storied before their transition. Jim's backstory would still be in line with a trans man's back story.

I REALLY like this idea a lot, actually showing a character's transition.

Well, I'm ftm, and please; -Draw them as passing. If they aren't, you do risk triggering dysphoria among those who don't. -Treat them like any other member of their gender. If they are ftm, treat them as a man. If they are a mtf, treat them as a woman, because that's what they are. -Don't show their binder, if they have one. Too much art of transgender characters already shows off their binders, and it's a very cheap way to go 'hurdur, dis guy isn't completely a guy'. Treat the binder like underwear. If you wouldn't want to see a guy with pants sagging down his ass far enough to show off his underpants, don't show a guy waltzing around with his binder showing. -Don't make their transness the be all end all of what they are. Give them things to do outside of being trans. -I'd be really iffy about making an existent npc trans or transitioning one, though if you do, please don't go for the girly guy or the manly chick. Go for someone like the guy that forges our weapons (for ftm), or Esther (for mtf).

Krem and Maevaris from the dragon age series are examples of trans characters done right, imho. While Mae was outed against her will (by the villain), Krem outed himself. He lives as a man, he does the regular dude things, but that isn't the be all end all of his character. Same with Mae. She likes parties and espionage and is a badass mage who still loves her long-dead husband. They both have lives outside of being trans, and that's what makes them better than forced, one-dimensional representation.