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ProfessorTomoe

Story: Wednesday, November 10, 2021

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“Perhaps you just did.”

Well said.

 

Hmmm, if Tedd’s awareness of being nonbinary predates when Tedd learned about the TF gun or any other means of actually transforming, then it might explain a lot about Tedd’s emotional state years back—totally retreated into an emotional turtle shell and all before meeting Elliot.

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Sure, Tedd is so terrified and so hurt by the way their father has treated them that they are all but crying brokenly in the middle of a critical job interview, but let's by all means talk about how Edward's transphobia isn't so bad and center the conversation some more on him.

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We all have many aspects to our lives

How we want to present ourselves and how we wish to be perceived varies by situation

Tedd started in a position where he was overwhelmed by wildly differing appearance desires

Through opportunity, talent and work Ted found ways to meet some of those desires

Now Tedd has more options than most

Using those options disappoints, offends, confuses or scares Edward

This reaction hurts Tedd

When Tedd hurts, he tends to return to the withdrawn state that characterized much of his childhood after his mother left

Because Edward is so used to seeing Tedd in the withdrawn state, could he be unaware that it is his own attitude driving Tedd back into the shell?

It simultaneously seems unlikely and plausible that Edward missed the transition in Tedd from "generally withdrawn" to "withdrawn in response to his father's attitude"

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11 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Sure, Tedd is so terrified and so hurt by the way their father has treated them that they are all but crying brokenly in the middle of a critical job interview, but let's by all means talk about how Edward's transphobia isn't so bad and center the conversation some more on him.

Tedd is in considerable emotional and mental pain. The source of said pain is Edward's transphobia. From Arthur's perspective, Edward is a reasonable and very accepting individual. To him, if Edward is causing pain to his son, then it is likely due to a misunderstanding. So clearing up the misunderstanding should get Edward to stop acting in a hurtful manner, at least in Arthur's opinion. It won't make the pain magically go away, but it should prevent the pain from getting worse without completely breaking whatever love Tedd still has for his father.

Is that the best course of action? I don't know. At that moment it probably isn't, but in the long term, removing the cause of the hurt is generally better, when feasible, than just soothing the symptoms.

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11 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Sure, Tedd is so terrified and so hurt by the way their father has treated them that they are all but crying brokenly in the middle of a critical job interview, but let's by all means talk about how Edward's transphobia isn't so bad and center the conversation some more on him.

I am only about 75% convinced that Edward is transphobic.

And what is being discussed in the comic is Tedd's perception of Edward's transphobia.

Which was an entirely reasonable perception when it was formed, but Tedd now has (although possibly hasn't recognized) evidence which could point toward a different possibility: that Edward is still in love with a woman that Female!Tedd strongly resembles.

If Arthur can persuade Tedd to (a) consider possibilities other than transphobia, (b) give his father a chance, and (c) talk to him about it (while in any form other than Female!Tedd or Nanase - Ellen-form, Susan-form, Jeremy-form would all be fine), good things could happen.

... or maybe they won't.

(And it would be good for the organization, too, if two of the top people in their respective specialties aren't tense around each other and hiding things from each other.)

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And I am 75% convinced that Edward is mostly oblivious to how and why he is causing Tedd pain, which is why I think that the only way that he is going to stop is by hitting him over the head with it using blunt statements such as what Tedd just described to Arthur.

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On 11/10/2021 at 8:05 PM, Don Edwards said:

I am only about 75% convinced that Edward is transphobic.

Speaking as a trans person, there is no appreciable difference to a trans person whether the people they interact with are transphobic or merely behave so. The end result is the same.

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2 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Speaking as a trans person, there is no appreciable difference to a trans person whether the people they interact with are transphobic or merely behave so. The end result is the same.

But, wouldn't the solution to the problem be different? Surely, if Edward is not transphobic, but merely ignorant of what he is doing,  communication could go a long way towards healing Tedd's pain.

This is in no way intended to minimize said pain.

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4 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Speaking as a trans person, there is no appreciable difference to a trans person whether the people they interact with are transphobic or merely behave so. The end result is the same.

If Edward changes his behavior after Tedd has their talk with him, it would go a long way towards fixing Tedd's issues with Edward.  I just hope that Tedd talks to Edward soon and "on stage".

 

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9 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Speaking as a trans person, there is no appreciable difference to a trans person whether the people they interact with are transphobic or merely behave so. The end result is the same.

 

On 11/10/2021 at 0:05 PM, Don Edwards said:

And what is being discussed in the comic is Tedd's perception of Edward's transphobia.

Which was an entirely reasonable perception when it was formed,

 

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14 hours ago, mlooney said:

I just hope that Tedd talks to Edward soon and "on stage".

*sigh*

That puts all the weight of the confrontation on Tedd. I would prefer it that Arthur (or someone) gave Edward a kick in the butt and told him to go have a talk with Tedd. That way Tedd wouldn't have to fight the burden of all that fear and accumulated distrust before they talk.

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2 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

*sigh*

That puts all the weight of the confrontation on Tedd. I would prefer it that Arthur (or someone) gave Edward a kick in the butt and told him to go have a talk with Tedd. That way Tedd wouldn't have to fight the burden of all that fear and accumulated distrust before they talk.

That makes good sense. I expect Edward would be on board with that plan, if he were fully aware (which would preclude the need). Current circumstances are preventing it, and as Tedd is in Arthur's office, it makes sense for Arthur to be giving Tedd advice at the moment.

We don't know an awful lot about Arthur and Edward's relationship, but I get an impression that Edward has some personal issues with taking advice; he's apparently been burned by Adrian Raven, his mentor, and has expressed some negative opinions about Arthur. He was considered overqualified when he joined and was not primarily trained by the organization he's a part of, i.e. maybe not fully in tune with their philosophy. Maybe there's something going on like Liz, seen bad side of things and no longer has basic trust. If that's the case, I'm not sure who would be in a position to reach out to Edward and talk to him. Literally kicking his butt is not likely to work, which I'm sure you know.

We haven't seen him being emotionally close to any other adult. It seems like he built up many walls after Noriko left. He does seem protective of his former agents, but I don't see them as being in a position to give him this sort of advice.

I do get the impression that having figured this out, Arthur would at least mention it when it is convenient to do so. Arthur seems to have a more than adequate concern for Tedd.

 

 

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12 hours ago, Darth Fluffy said:

I do get the impression that having figured this out, Arthur would at least mention it when it is convenient to do so. Arthur seems to have a more than adequate concern for Tedd.

I do hope this happens soon.  This is the better option than Tedd starting the conversation, but the Tedd and Edward conversation needs to happen soon.  Ideally this week in comic time.

 

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