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So what does one even say about a tragedy like Pulse, especially when so much has already been said? (Or when so much that still needs to be said keeps being shouted down by those who favor an unfair status quo...) This was supposed to be done a lot sooner, but artist's block and lab stuff kept getting in the way. At the very least, I wanted to have it finished by the end of Pride Month...but it ended up being done about half an hour after midnight on July 1. Oops.

It makes me sad on so many levels to see something like this happen. These people were just going about their lives and being themselves and didn't do anything to deserve this-really, what gives anyone the right to say who someone else can and can't move, much less the right to decide who lives or dies? I am glad to see that the city of Orlando responded so quickly and that the LGBT community has managed to stay strong despite threats like these. i don't think I've ever found a more accepting group-at first I was hesitant to reach out because I'd heard stories about people saying thinks like "oh, asexuals don't have real problems, you're just looking for attention", but when I went to my hometown's Pridefest they were all totally OK with it. No one's going to hate on straight people, either, because everyone knows just how awful it feels to be hated for something you just are.

So, the characters, all of which come more from anime/comics/etc I'm interested in rather than being chosen for iconic status:
*Chizuru (Bleach): Perhaps not the best example because she feeds into the fear of the "LGBT rapist" and because she's, in the author's own words, "full of beans 24/7", but she's probably one of the more visible lesbians in anime and is completely OK with herself.
*Miku and Luka (sitting, Vocaloid): No canon for Vocaloid but the song "Magnet" is specifically about a love that society looks down on. Considering that it was originally sung by two female voicebanks and considering the art, the composer intended for it to be about a lesbian couple, although fans have covered the song with every combination of characters imaginable since then.
*Dirk (Homestuck): A gay guy who doesn't fit either the "girly boy/crossdresser" or "super-macho muscle man" stereotype. Also completely OK with himself rather than having the self-loathing of many closet cases around the world (come on y'all, it's perfectly OK, don't listen to what they say). Also prominent for being the resident badass and for not being a comic relief character (not counting the fact that he gets to have fun at his friends' expense every now and then).
*Korra (Avatar): Confirmed to be bi by her creator. Prominent for being an LGBT protagonist in mainstream media and in a show where her sexuality isn't the main focus. Also a prominent protagonist representation-wise for being a strong woman and for having dark skin.
*V Flower ver. V4 (also Vocaloid): Again, no canon for Vocaloid, but the fact that she went from an unambiguously female design in her initial boxart to a flat-chested "shota" design in her second version led many fans to believe that she has a non-cis gender identity despite an official statement from the company. Side note: I am one of those fans-it gives me more to write about.
*Miyuki (Yu Yu Hakusho): a minor antagonist who makes a brief appearance before getting killed. Probably not the best example again because of this brief mention and because the story takes away her dignity ad tries to return her to heteronormativity before she dies, but since it's a lot less common to see trans characters in media than any other LGBT category she's a start.
*Hulkling and Wiccan (Young Avengers): AKA Teddy and Billy. Arguably Marvel's cutest couple-note that they haven't been plagued by the cheating problem that most Marvel couples have. Two visible gay guys in semi-mainstream media (the debate over whether superhero comics are mainstream or the realm of nerds alone is a debate for another day).

As a side note, I finally figured out what the "colorless blender" pencil is for and I love it. I still couldn't really save the way I drew Korra or Miyuki, but maybe next time. And HOW DO I EVEN DRAW MUSCLES.

I do not own any of the above characters.

Description
So what does one even say about a tragedy like Pulse, especially when so much has already been said? (Or when so much that still needs to be said keeps being shouted down by those who favor an unfair status quo...) This was supposed to be done a lot sooner, but artist's block and lab stuff kept getting in the way. At the very least, I wanted to have it finished by the end of Pride Month...but it ended up being done about half an hour after midnight on July 1. Oops.

It makes me sad on so many levels to see something like this happen. These people were just going about their lives and being themselves and didn't do anything to deserve this-really, what gives anyone the right to say who someone else can and can't move, much less the right to decide who lives or dies? I am glad to see that the city of Orlando responded so quickly and that the LGBT community has managed to stay strong despite threats like these. i don't think I've ever found a more accepting group-at first I was hesitant to reach out because I'd heard stories about people saying thinks like "oh, asexuals don't have real problems, you're just looking for attention", but when I went to my hometown's Pridefest they were all totally OK with it. No one's going to hate on straight people, either, because everyone knows just how awful it feels to be hated for something you just are.

So, the characters, all of which come more from anime/comics/etc I'm interested in rather than being chosen for iconic status:
*Chizuru (Bleach): Perhaps not the best example because she feeds into the fear of the "LGBT rapist" and because she's, in the author's own words, "full of beans 24/7", but she's probably one of the more visible lesbians in anime and is completely OK with herself.
*Miku and Luka (sitting, Vocaloid): No canon for Vocaloid but the song "Magnet" is specifically about a love that society looks down on. Considering that it was originally sung by two female voicebanks and considering the art, the composer intended for it to be about a lesbian couple, although fans have covered the song with every combination of characters imaginable since then.
*Dirk (Homestuck): A gay guy who doesn't fit either the "girly boy/crossdresser" or "super-macho muscle man" stereotype. Also completely OK with himself rather than having the self-loathing of many closet cases around the world (come on y'all, it's perfectly OK, don't listen to what they say). Also prominent for being the resident badass and for not being a comic relief character (not counting the fact that he gets to have fun at his friends' expense every now and then).
*Korra (Avatar): Confirmed to be bi by her creator. Prominent for being an LGBT protagonist in mainstream media and in a show where her sexuality isn't the main focus. Also a prominent protagonist representation-wise for being a strong woman and for having dark skin.
*V Flower ver. V4 (also Vocaloid): Again, no canon for Vocaloid, but the fact that she went from an unambiguously female design in her initial boxart to a flat-chested "shota" design in her second version led many fans to believe that she has a non-cis gender identity despite an official statement from the company. Side note: I am one of those fans-it gives me more to write about.
*Miyuki (Yu Yu Hakusho): a minor antagonist who makes a brief appearance before getting killed. Probably not the best example again because of this brief mention and because the story takes away her dignity ad tries to return her to heteronormativity before she dies, but since it's a lot less common to see trans characters in media than any other LGBT category she's a start.
*Hulkling and Wiccan (Young Avengers): AKA Teddy and Billy. Arguably Marvel's cutest couple-note that they haven't been plagued by the cheating problem that most Marvel couples have. Two visible gay guys in semi-mainstream media (the debate over whether superhero comics are mainstream or the realm of nerds alone is a debate for another day).

As a side note, I finally figured out what the "colorless blender" pencil is for and I love it. I still couldn't really save the way I drew Korra or Miyuki, but maybe next time. And HOW DO I EVEN DRAW MUSCLES.

I do not own any of the above characters.