oniko_inuki

( New Chapter )

I shouldn't post at two in the morning, my Author's notes sound a little whiney. Generally, I don't like putting in excuses and apologies for a late post. It gets posted when it gets posted and writers shouldn't need to flail about explaining personal lives or writer's block.

Original AN:

Thank you everyone for your comments and support. I'm so sorry that you all had to wait so long for so little. This story of a transgender Sakura (Sakumo) has been (and probably will continue to be) a struggle for me as a cis-woman to put myself in this place and feel I am able to do justice to the very real struggle that transgender people face. That said this is a story that has been with me for some time and I want to write it. I will continue working on this, and for those of you who continue to want to read it: thank you so much for your patience.

Thinking more on this, the trouble I have writing this story is less so much with the transgender issue (though that certainly is an aspect.) Its Sakura. Her canon personality (which is terrible, thank you Kishimoto, you suck at writing women) is very hard for me to connect with.

This is in part why I spend a fair amount of time with Kakashi. Not only to give some insight into what the people around Sakumo are thingking, but to give myself time with someone easier to write. I love writing Kakashi's scenes, but what is going through Sakumo's head is too much an intregal part of the story to be written from anyone else's viewpoint entirely.

I spent an unhealthy amount of time concerned with why I was so concerned with not misrepresenting trans- issues (Thank you right-wing republican assholes who have instilled a knee-jerk reaction that sensitivity is a bad thing). And while sensitivity is a major part of it. The part that really goads me into not going forward and steamrolling everyone with my preconceived ideas is my perfectionist tendencies. I don't have an emotional or personal connection to the issue, and I don't want to spend all this time working on this and be wrong about something central to the story and characterization. I don't know, maybe this just makes me an asshole, too.

Now on to the ranty bits, here's the review:

Cis is just a term people made up so they'd have a slur. The fact that they want to pretend it's not doesn't make it so. It's just as poisonous to healthy dialogue as the phrase check your privilege.

Yeah, no. Even if cis has been used in an insult--which for the record I have not seen, only "helpful" people informing everyone else how it's a slur--in gender discussions this is a word that needs to exist to describe the same physical-mental gender match. Because if this word doesn't exist it would need to be created otherwise discussion get bogged down in weird awkward long phrases.

Not that you, reviewer really care about that. I'd hate to put words in your mouth, but without any means of contact I'm going to have to make a few assumptions to carry on with my side of the conversation. I'm going to assume that you think just 'woman' or 'man' or 'male' or 'female' should be good enough to describe the same gender match. But really it is imprecise, fuzzy thinking that lets you paint individuals with a broad brush.

And also "check your privilege." Yes, this is an aggressive phrase. Sometimes, people in a minority need to be aggressive, passivity doesn't get anyone, anywhere. No, no one like to hear to hear it directed at them, and sure it can be mis- or overused. However, if someone tells you to check your privilege, you just may need to check your fucking privilege.

Edit for cuts