How is this even a point of controversy? I'll never know. Makes me sad. After my last thread, I'm becoming super paranoid about my tone. It's hard however to see such things and not feel a little bit dumbfounded, or keep my feels of dismay under a wrap. It's hard to even end such a thread with "yes!" instead of "obviously!". But I'm living in a less than ideal planet, apparently.
I wasn't sure exactly where to put this topic. It's partially to do with a single video game in specific that I'm surprised is well known around these parts. And partially to do with an "off-topic" style discussion. There's also already several topics and articles related to Katawa Shoujo. But this is a hot topic, sadly, about the thing. And that I'm aware, doesn't have much too many of its own specific topic.
I wasn't sure exactly where to put this topic. It's partially to do with a single video game in specific that I'm surprised is well known around these parts. And partially to do with an "off-topic" style discussion. There's also already several topics and articles related to Katawa Shoujo. But this is a hot topic, sadly, about the thing. And that I'm aware, doesn't have much too many of its own specific topic.
So let's get to it here, certainly the game can, while maybe not purely intended, facilitate a fetish for the disable somewhat. A lot of people, seem to take issue with this. Outright fetishization can be indeed a bad thing and I could see where people are coming from in that. When fetishism becomes degrading is a controversial matter. But certainly fetishism can be dehumanizing. And especially fetishes like fat fetishism and disability fetishism. Some fat fetishists fetishize the lack of mobility and ability to resist, this is kinda creepy. And fetishizing someone for having something like a disability, seems off. Not as in odd, but is sounds suspect of fetishizing, say, being unempowered. Inequality and weakness in a partner. That is kinda creepy and disturbing. And one has to wonder why someone would fetishize people with disability, and why it would come about for non-exploitative reasons. And at the very least, if someone has a strong preference for dating the disabled, that's awfully exclusive.
On the other hand, as shown by talk of the subject, many people have a very broad definition of what is a fetish. And seems to include attraction to anything that is not sheer attraction to normal aesthetics and behaviors, and penises or vaginas. None of which should EVER be marginalized with the word "fetish" in a negative sense.
I've noticed this with Katawa Shoujo. Instead of opposing an extreme fetish for the disabled, even so much as a mild interest in them. Whether finding them even slightly more interesting, or outright being interested in them at all. I heard people saying that attraction to the disabled should not be normalized. That's disgusting. Of course it should be normalized! Worse yet, some people called them "freaks". That we "shouldn't normalize attraction to freaks". Absolutely disgusting. People with disabilities or aesthetic abnormalities deserve to be considered as beautiful as anyone. And I oppose the idea that they are any less beautiful, attractive, or worthy of affection.
I've noticed this with Katawa Shoujo. Instead of opposing an extreme fetish for the disabled, even so much as a mild interest in them. Whether finding them even slightly more interesting, or outright being interested in them at all. I heard people saying that attraction to the disabled should not be normalized. That's disgusting. Of course it should be normalized! Worse yet, some people called them "freaks". That we "shouldn't normalize attraction to freaks". Absolutely disgusting. People with disabilities or aesthetic abnormalities deserve to be considered as beautiful as anyone. And I oppose the idea that they are any less beautiful, attractive, or worthy of affection.
Furthermore, I have no suspect of someone who, say, finds someone with burnscars on their face or body, mildly more physically attractive than someone who doesn't. It may be mildly shallow, but it certainly isn't worse than the converse. In an ideal world, having scars or not wouldn't matter at all to anyone, since it has absolutely nothing to do with personality. But certainly, they have the right to be considered as beautiful as anyone. And it is absolutely sad that there are people who think otherwise. I think it's far more shallow and sad to think that the disabled or different should be considered unattractive, than being slightly interested in them.
If people opposed to what they perceive is going on, as the dehumanization by fetishization of the disabled, from my perspective, the majority of you have been going about it horribly.
I do have problems with Katawa Shoujo. The characters are still school kids, a setting far too overdone and sexualized. And certainly the game contains sex. I know that is a reality of school life for teenagers, but you don't need to be so explicit about it. You need little more than to infer that something has happened and leave it at that. But certainly any issues I have with Katawa Shoujo is not the presence of the people being portrayed as love interests, being disabled.
If people opposed to what they perceive is going on, as the dehumanization by fetishization of the disabled, from my perspective, the majority of you have been going about it horribly.
I do have problems with Katawa Shoujo. The characters are still school kids, a setting far too overdone and sexualized. And certainly the game contains sex. I know that is a reality of school life for teenagers, but you don't need to be so explicit about it. You need little more than to infer that something has happened and leave it at that. But certainly any issues I have with Katawa Shoujo is not the presence of the people being portrayed as love interests, being disabled.
Well, let's bring this controversy to a close. If that's even possible on the internet. Or at least get everything out there.
Edit: Paragraph spoiled for less wall of text.
