so somehow i didn’t realize there was a post-AtLA comic until, maybe, 30 minutes ago.

….

which is ridiculous, because i’ve been wondering where the fandom got some of the ideas they’ve been discussing, or drawing into AtLA fanarts.

….

i’m an idiot, sure, a busy one. but i didn’t post this to admit that. i posted this because
KATAANG FEELINGS. OH GOD TOPH. STRAIGHT THROUGH MY HEART. I CAN’T STOp this river pouring out of my eyeeees

sifu-kisu:

korralations:

masterarrowhead:

benditlikekorra:

meggannn:

the more I think about it, maybe Korra’s mocking disdain for Asami’s ~girly~ things is actually to make a strong point about them?

I know this is a big thing in the fandom right now, how a lot of people aren’t happy with Korra for saying what she did and Bryke for including it, and it struck me the wrong way too — not just because, well, it’s not fair of her to treat Asami like that (or think that way in general) but also because Bryke has proven in A:tlA that that’s the wrong way of thinking five years ago:

• Ty Lee was “girly” but she was still a fantastic fighter and kicked ass
• Suki specifically said “I am a warrior, but I’m a girl, too,” to prove that those things aren’t mutually exclusive
• Toph and Katara had an entire makeover session in “The Tales of Ba Sing Se” where Toph discovered ‘well hey, maybe I don’t really like this stuff all the time, but it’s not really so bad, to each their own and all that’
• hell, Sokka even likes shopping!
• and Aang likes making jewelry!

so having already written those characters and made those comments in the original show, I was kind of alarmed that Bryke would go down the Taylor Swift/”she’s miss hoity-toity rich girl” route, until I thought that maybe they’re trying to… prove a point?

given Korra’s upraising, I’m not all that surprised she’d think of Asami’s “girlishness” as a weakness; she was raised to think that strength and power and fighting is what’s going to matter the most in the world, and it isn’t after she sees Asami’s skills on the racetrack that she thinks there may be more to her than meets the eye. and then, of course, Asami explains that she also knows how to fight pretty damn well, which gains her even more respect in Korra’s eyes.

so I think Korra’s comments are supposed to do a few things aside from piss off the gender-sensitive members of the audience? I think they’re meant to 

• prove how much Korra needs to learn about the world
• have her realize that what works for others to be “female” doesn’t necessarily have to work for her
• understand that there’s no right or wrong way to be a woman* as long as you’re comfortable with yourself and happy being who you are (and if you don’t like it, you’re always allowed to change)

I think all this was also kind of addressed when Korra went to the bathroom at the Sato mansion and there was that little scene when she tried using the powder next to the sink. she actually, like, gives it a shot, which to me says that even if it’s a small step, now she’s a little more willing to try being “feminine” now that she understands it’s NOT a bad thing — but, of course, when that ends in utter disaster and powder is absolutely everywhere, it’s clear she’s decided “oh shit, not for me, not for me,” and that’s okay too. so it’s fine, honestly, if Korra isn’t the type of person who wants to wear makeup; what makes me feel a bit better is that she actually gave it a shot after seeing how awesome and confident and cool Asami is despite/with it. not to say that Korra’s feeling insecure, but I like that she tries it out to see for herself instead of judging Asami strictly based on her appearance and attitude now. now even if Korra doesn’t like that “girly” stuff, at least she’ll be a little less quick to condemn it?

also, for a lot of the kids in the audience, looking at Asami at a first glance, they’ll probably judge her just like Korra: all that makeup and girliness is something they’ll automatically see, and tbh they’ll most likely view her the same way Korra did at first. so there’s Korra, the protagonist, who agrees with them and looks down on Asami’s makeup/clothing/attire… but then Episode 7 happens, in which Asami turns everything around and makes a point that just because you’re traditionally feminine doesn’t mean you’re useless or thoughtless. this is Korra’s story, and we’re supposed to follow her thoughts and her journey as her experiences change how she thinks about the world and the people around her; Asami’s just something she doesn’t (yet) understand, but I think as they’ll become friends we’ll see more of Asami being her wonderful self to further change that ‘feminine = bad’ mindset. and hopefully the audience, through Korra, will see more of a gradual shift in Korra’s views, and start to view Asami in a more positive light as well, not despite her femininity, but also because it’s a part of who she is and she likes it.

so in short — I’m irked about those anti-femininity comments too, don’t get me wrong, but I think they’re there for a reason? I think they’re purposefully being set up to be revoked and dismantled later. if that makes sense…

Completely agree~

Thank you.

I feel like a lot of people, even girls to a point, believe that to be strong and powerful, you can’t be feminine, wear dresses, wear make up. You can, though.

Being a girl isn’t about what you wear or how you act. Your gender can only be defined by you, and if that’s how Asami chooses to dress, that’s how she chooses to dress. Hell, she could dress like a giraffe and she’s still a kick-ass person, and that’s what it comes down to.

I like Asami a lot, because she challenges such gender “norms” that society puts in place - either to be feminine and docile, or to be powerful and less “feminine.” I put feminine in quotes because society shouldn’t be able to tell us what is and isn’t feminine. Asami shows you that she can wear “girly” things and still be powerful.

This isn’t making sense, and I’m making an ass of myself by trying to explain what I’m thinking. Disregard this. I’m horrific at phrasing things.

YES! i think the biggest thing the fandom is overlooking is how NEW Korra is to EVERYTHING. having friends, being out of the South Pole, meeting different kinds of people. she’s still learning a lot, socially. she’s ignorant in a lot of ways, because she’s been training hardcore for 17 years in the same place. i mean, Naga is her best friend and she was so cooped up she had to go run around to get away. what better way to teach children to not judge, or to give people a chance, or to work to redeem their ignorance by placing the main character in a similar mindset?

i think it’s a little stupid to get too worked up about the mistakes characters have made… we all make mistakes. it’s more important to learn from them, than to pretend they never happen. besides, the fandom would just complain about something else. “she’s too perfect! I NEED FLAWS.”