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Dragon of Xadia

@micaathogwarts

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Why media has always to "fix" asexual/aromantic characters?

(this is a little rant. I don't wanna seem rude or trying to ignore certain identities so please read till the end. maybe I am just overanalysing things but...)

When a character shows little to no interest in love matters there is always a common pattern in their evolution. First they are ridiculed or treated like a child. Then their arch and growth is shown through "fixing" them: they start to catch feelings, get in relationship and so on and that becomes a methaphor of their maturity, healing or "regaing humanity".

I am thinking of BBC Sherlock that after stating many times that he doesn't want nor like those kind of relationship he kinda "regains humanity" by actually engaging with Irene. Watson litterally tells him to go out whit her, like if without romantic/sexual love his existance would be wasted.

I am thinking of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. His friends always make fun of him for his approach to relationship. Then magically he has sex with Amy as a way of showing he is matured and had a "fundamental human experience".

I am thinking of Will Byers that in a season doesn't understand why all his friends are falling in love. And in the following season the show makes clear that he is not heartless but actually he is in love with his friend. (I know he is supposed to be really young, is still a good representation and his asexuality/aromanticism was just a not-so-wide-spread headcanon....but the way all of that is portait still fit this annoyng narrative)

I am thinking of people saying Loveless or even Heartstopper by Alice Oseman are childish and immature or irrealistic.

And I know that asexual people can have sex, aromantic people can be in relationship, demisexuals and demiromantics exist and all of this is valid but I am tired of seeing that a "full no" is never a really valid option in media. A person who doesn't want no kind of relationship is always shown as a flawed starting point in need of fixing. And then, eventually, they will grow, make up their mind, fall in love, realising they where just holding back, scared or in need to explore themselves.

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