6 notes &
Jeph, why is Hannelore going “yesssss”? Is she going to look at these pictures and stick her fingers in her gooey vagina? Doesn’t she have “severe OCD”, which manifests itself as being a neat freak all about cleanliness?
Now, granted, Hannelore said her “severe OCD” included “counting things repeatedly, washing my hands all the time all the time, the standard stuff”, and she has never been portrayed as being “compelled” to clean things (she’s wanted things to be really clean, not the same), and the counting things repeatedly was never mentioned again, nor her therapy. So, maybe this is just the further step in the process of having a character with some kind of disability or special trait and never mentioning it again.
Because you, Jeph Jacques, have a bit of an issue with being a total fucking scam artist like that. What about the dude with a robot hand? Might as well be wearing a glove, for all it fucking matters. Claire being trans? No relevance. Didn’t Faye have some kind of childhood trauma over her dad killing herself? Guess she got over it.
Compare, say, Michael J Fox in Scrubs. His OCD doesn’t define him. He’s not a Very Special Character. His primary character trait is that he’s got great advice and he’s really friendly. And then we got a scene this scene, in which he wants to go home but needs to wash his hands fifty times first.
Or what about Tumblr’s favorite superhero, Oracle? She’s in a wheelchair. It doesn’t come up often. People don’t mention it very much, and she has a team leader role. But every now and then a bad guy locks her up and takes away her chair, and it’s presented as a struggle. Or, less superheroy, there was a scene where the elevator was broke in her apartment and it was a big issue because she lived on the second floor. It never occurred to me that could be a problem until I read that issue.
Or Tumblr’s favorite/least favorite webcomic, Homestuck? Dirk being gay isn’t the big thing of his character either. He’s not “The Gay One”, but his sexuality creates issues up and down the romantic comedy plot that Homestuck devolved into.And, for instance, you could totally have a character be gay and then never pursue any romantic interests for the whole story and it only being an offhand line. Lots of gay people are single and not actively seeking a partner for short periods of time in which a story might take place. But you don’t then pat yourself on the back for your inclusiveness.
And you certainly don’t ignore those character traits when it’s convenient. Hannelore has never, EVER indicated that her “severe OCD” is causing her any kinds of real stress or problems except that the offhanded remark about therapy. And I’m getting a little irritated that Jeph is getting all this tumblr love for fake diversity
