I read the second volume a few times, and there’s too much to unpack in a single review post. I will probably do a longer review via youtube video or perhaps submit a blog.
I don’t have page numbers to reference what I am talking about, so I will focus on what I thought was the most profound page. Subversive not just in gender roles of human beings, but of the nature of our sexual attraction. I stillI think sexual attraction is biologically ingrained. I know Alison is a bisexual and gender queer, as are many of the honey badgers. The bisexuality may help the author be more fluid and think of insights into gender and sexual attraction.
The scene has a flashback to 5 years ago, where Anne (human woman), Red (male alien), and Richard (human male) are sitting around and Anne is drinking and looking badass.
Richard, a programmed soldier for the Centrist, (an Orewellian type human government) is asexual. He seems he doesn’t like to be touched by Anne, but he doesn’t mind being touched by Red. I thought that was amusing commentary on women in the 21st century. Women such as myself also have an “in group” bias and a unfounded fear of male aggression, even though studies show that its lesbians who are more prone to rape and sexual crimes than your average man (2010 findings CDC)
Richard show some sexual uptightness, much as a woman in 21st might also indignantly show shame or be sensitive to slut shaming by indignantly declaring that she is asexual. That’s not to say Asexuals don’t exist, but its interesting how Richard and many 21st century western women are so indignant to remain pure.
Red, the alien, seems very confused by the term “asexual”, and declares that even after learning human language, he still doesn’t understand.
This is clear jab at the modern gender social justice warrior, who are known for making up unscientific and arbitrary terminology to describe any random feeling.
Hilariously, Anne confirms his confusion, even though she is human, by calling it “centrist bullshit”
There is a hint at bisexuality, when Red asks if there is a distinction between having sex with men and women, and it seems the Prac looks for something besides gender in a sexual partner. It seems the Prac don’t look for gentials, but a “shared purpose”. This was really interesting and it seems to reflect on human bisexuality.
I don’t think human sexuality is that fluid (per individual). Some humans prefer sex with a specific gender, and that is what they are attracted to. Human Sexual attraction is not a social construction, as it is with the Prac. This may be a commentary on humans who are bisexual though, and since bisexuals may not have a sexual preference per gender, they might select a sexual partner by a “shared purpose”.
Red also comments on human gender roles that in human culture and stigma, it is the stigma is strongest for “two men”, “men despoil women” and “men are always strangers”
These comments were the most fascinating at all. In this dialog, the character correctly points out that these particular stigmas are indeed a social construction, and are not necessarily biological.
This is all in context of Red’s alien culture, the Prac. In Prac culture, women are dominant in many unexpected ways. For example, in the Prac, women are leads in the army, but lives are counted in terms of male deaths. This a severe critique of human culture in general, where although more men die in battle and suffer from violence, womens’ deaths are counted as more valuable and get more resources and grief at death. These leads to Red’s confusion of human gender.
Rated 5 out of 5
Monique S Dietvorst –
I’m disappointed that there are no more comics to read. I wanted to find out what happens next.
Monique S Dietvorst –
I read the second volume a few times, and there’s too much to unpack in a single review post. I will probably do a longer review via youtube video or perhaps submit a blog.
I don’t have page numbers to reference what I am talking about, so I will focus on what I thought was the most profound page. Subversive not just in gender roles of human beings, but of the nature of our sexual attraction. I stillI think sexual attraction is biologically ingrained. I know Alison is a bisexual and gender queer, as are many of the honey badgers. The bisexuality may help the author be more fluid and think of insights into gender and sexual attraction.
The scene has a flashback to 5 years ago, where Anne (human woman), Red (male alien), and Richard (human male) are sitting around and Anne is drinking and looking badass.
Richard, a programmed soldier for the Centrist, (an Orewellian type human government) is asexual. He seems he doesn’t like to be touched by Anne, but he doesn’t mind being touched by Red. I thought that was amusing commentary on women in the 21st century. Women such as myself also have an “in group” bias and a unfounded fear of male aggression, even though studies show that its lesbians who are more prone to rape and sexual crimes than your average man (2010 findings CDC)
Richard show some sexual uptightness, much as a woman in 21st might also indignantly show shame or be sensitive to slut shaming by indignantly declaring that she is asexual. That’s not to say Asexuals don’t exist, but its interesting how Richard and many 21st century western women are so indignant to remain pure.
Red, the alien, seems very confused by the term “asexual”, and declares that even after learning human language, he still doesn’t understand.
This is clear jab at the modern gender social justice warrior, who are known for making up unscientific and arbitrary terminology to describe any random feeling.
Hilariously, Anne confirms his confusion, even though she is human, by calling it “centrist bullshit”
There is a hint at bisexuality, when Red asks if there is a distinction between having sex with men and women, and it seems the Prac looks for something besides gender in a sexual partner. It seems the Prac don’t look for gentials, but a “shared purpose”. This was really interesting and it seems to reflect on human bisexuality.
I don’t think human sexuality is that fluid (per individual). Some humans prefer sex with a specific gender, and that is what they are attracted to. Human Sexual attraction is not a social construction, as it is with the Prac. This may be a commentary on humans who are bisexual though, and since bisexuals may not have a sexual preference per gender, they might select a sexual partner by a “shared purpose”.
Red also comments on human gender roles that in human culture and stigma, it is the stigma is strongest for “two men”, “men despoil women” and “men are always strangers”
These comments were the most fascinating at all. In this dialog, the character correctly points out that these particular stigmas are indeed a social construction, and are not necessarily biological.
This is all in context of Red’s alien culture, the Prac. In Prac culture, women are dominant in many unexpected ways. For example, in the Prac, women are leads in the army, but lives are counted in terms of male deaths. This a severe critique of human culture in general, where although more men die in battle and suffer from violence, womens’ deaths are counted as more valuable and get more resources and grief at death. These leads to Red’s confusion of human gender.
Monique S Dietvorst –
I’m disappointed that there are no more comics to read. I wanted to find out what happens next.