'“You have three sisters today,” said Klaus with a mouthful of dry cereal, a box of Cheerios in hand.
“Okay,” said Five, before going back to whatever he was doing.
“..That’s it? No signature snarky response from ol’ Número Cinco?"'
One of the many reasons I love my Queer Umbrella Academy Queen, Klaus Hargreeves, is that the TV version of his character in particular gives Queer folks the perfect space to explore ourselves.
Klaus wears skirts and feather boas.
He loves make-up and unicorns and high heels and the colour pink and women and men.
In the show itself, Klaus doesn't really have defined identity labels.
But with him, and feel free to disagree dearest Queer nerdlets, it doesn't feel like an avoidance of labels, so much as a natural state of being.
It doesn't come up, but if it did you get the feeling that he'd have no problems telling you what, if any, labels he uses.
There are, however, a few canon points when it comes to Klaus' identity:
- He doesn't conform to traditional gender roles or stereotypes
- He uses 'he' throughout the series
- He infers that he has attraction to women
- He refers to a previous sexual relationship with a man, and has on-screen romance with another man
(Fangirling notes - canon is the stuff that happens in the course of the TV show, book series, whatever, and is therefore official.)
That glorious undefined Queerness, though, gives the audience the opportunity to use Klaus to explore specific Queer identities.
In the case of this week's fic, the author has written an #OwnVoices exploration of Klaus as a Gender-Fluid character.
...And it's beautiful. Especially when you read the author's note at the end.
Of course, it's perfectly possible for Klaus Hargreeves to be a cisgender man who loves pink and unicorns.
...And that's ok!
But the opportunity for people to explore different gender identities through Klaus is awesome - and something I'm sure creator Gerard Way, who has previously discussed questioning his gender and challenging gender norms, would appreciate.
What I love most about this fic, probably unsurprisingly, is the fluidity.
For those who don't know, I'm cisgender, but Sexually Fluid - my sexuality changes, sometimes day to day, sometimes over a longer period of time.
There's a line in this fic where Klaus' brother, Ben, says: “Girl kinda day, huh?”
And I am feeling that!
There are days when I think, 'Today is a Lesbian day,' or 'I feel kinda Bi today.'
I know a lot of people won't get it, but... we are that identity at the time we say it.
And it can be really difficult to explain that to others - something this fic also deals with beautifully.
And it can be really difficult to explain that to others - something this fic also deals with beautifully.
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| Via Giphy |
Oh, and a warning - the last section of this fic will get you in the feels, even if the rest of it doesn't, m'k? M'k.
(Fangirling notes: 'The feels' are indescribable emotions that are enormously intense and sometimes make you make embarrassing fangirling-style noises.)
This week's fic then, my dearest darling nerdlets, is:
you have three sisters today by knightofcauldrons
Do you know of any canon Gender-Fluid on-screen characters?
Is it important for people to be able to explore identities through fictional characters?
Talk to me! 👍💬
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Last updated: 2nd December 2020
This sounds like an awesome fic! This is why different media should include non-cis characters in shows and books. I’ve of my favourite characters in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina identifies as non-binary, and the actor is as well! This allows them to be exploratory throughout the show, not conforming to one stereotype. And it’s awesome!
ReplyDeleteIt totally is an awesome fic! XD And that's awesome abt Sabrina - I hadn't heard that! :) One of my favourite Supergirl characters, Nia Nal, is transgender, and played by a trans actress - she rocks! :)
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