That said, I have not done anywhere near the research you have, and it's not a HUGE issue to me. Just something that niggled until I could figure out what was bugging me.

I wish it was more possible to do that and respect that you're doing your part!

Yeah, an essay I mostly agree with with some minor quibbles is 100% a step up from 99% of the discussions I encounter /o\ And like... that's the only way forward, to have conversations with a respectful back and forth of perspectives rather than thought terminating cliches and accusations.

...the implication that it's *all* the result of manipulation by a specific outside group makes it harder to address the underlying problems effectively.

Yeah, I get that a single essay can only cover so much, and historical overviews require a certain amount of simplification. But I guess I feel like... as someone who has seen how nasty things have *always* been, if not in the same way as now...

Also this isn't really a criticism of the essay just a Thought, but I do sympathise in principle with queer people who get frustrated by feeling alienated by so much of the media about us. I just wish that frustration didn't so often get expressed in unfortunate ways.

...it still happened, and I think you can't properly analyse modern day attitudes without looking at what they're built on a bit more.

This was before TERFs were as organised, because being transphobic and grossed out by gay content was just the norm. And these circles barely acknowledged Japanese media existed. The form taken by criticisms that certain m/m content was all made by fetishising straight women was *different* but...

On further thought I think my problem is it simplifying down the reasons behind anti-BL rhetoric, specifically the idea that it's "fetishising". I remember seeing that sentiment expressed frequently in discussions of slash fandoms for US TV shows in the mid 2000s.

And my own games are so far fluffy and low on sexual content! But once people start talking about how huge swathes of queer art is degenerate and fetishising and only perverted straight cis ~uncivilised people could like it, I feel nervous, even if they're not talking about my art. Yet.

Mine worked normally except for taking a bit longer than usual to be reviewed. But it all went through fine in the end.

Hopefully it won't be another half decade until the new version comes out haha /o\ But it is motivating to think there'll be people still playing when it's finally done :)

Also shout out to the fine lace brush artists of the Clip Studio asset store :) I still draw my own lines to keep everything consistent but it helps immeasurably with the shapes.

Oh, nice, that works really well!

hee excellent glad to hear they're getting used :)