"Human"

[shy_magpie]

Just put my finger on why SFF&H stories that put an emphasis on “being human” and fear of being turned into something different. What level of privilege is the writer on that they've never had their humanity doubted?
Not White? Not Christian? Not straight? not neurotypical? not able bodied? Then even if people haven't called you inhuman to your face you have read people talking about those like you like they aren't people. History is littered with examples of how many don't consider you human if you don't fit a very narrow definition and the violence that ensues.

Its little wonder so many of us latch on to tales about widening our definition of person and embracing the idea of living as a person without being human.

Comments

[shipperslist]

I... I never realized that.

I feel called out even though I’m quite sure I haven’t written that. But I need to think about this more.

[shy_magpie]

I was mostly vagueing a video game where the guy was conflicted about letting someone live as a fire elemental instead of dying painfully but restoring his humanity, and I have no memory of seeing it in anything you wrote. Keep in mind his partner is half human/half Jinn. It's just if you can be a decent person without being human, then how does being a person not trump being human every time? I can't tell if its worse when someone is born another species and is clearly a good person; or when a human changes but remains the same person.

[shipperslist]

Oh. Okay.

Yeah. Hum. That sounds...awkward.

[shy_magpie]

Yeah. So I got a bit grumpy about it, especially as it ties in with some thoughts I have been percolating Re: people not identifying with their physical self (ie void gender), SFF&H providing a place to explore love of the un human (ie monster fuckers) as self love, and a sort of embracing of the possibilities if you feel rejected by narrow definitions (screw it then if I am inhuman then let it be as strange and beautiful as a jelly fish). I am sure I could join up these 3 pieces into a more profound whole but its still working itself out in my head.

If I was writing a proper article or something I would have a section on the good stories to be told on fear of losing your humanity/basic self and how embracing humanity/wider community is also important; but my mental stamina is shot so anything I write lately has to be short enough to finish before I run out of energy and consign it to the depths of "forever drafts".

So yeah sorry to monologue but this thing struck a weird note at exactly the wrong time.

[shipperslist]

Ah, no need to apologize because first off, this is your journal. Second, this IS interesting, so monologue away.