How Japan did representation and what I learned from anime

I think the good and bad face is the optimal situation for representation. It's a grounded and realistic approach to being gay. When Miss Hana interacts with Gin in spite of the remarks about being a homo and they show real care for each other, that reflects the real world. Western representation is all about a flowery neat world where you have friends who support you in everything and anyone who doesn't is evil, or in a lot of cases nonexistent. That's no way for humanity to be. Gay people don't need to be sheltered from others. We are as resilient as anyone. Sure maybe the straight person might not get hit with something referring to their sexuality but they aren't safe in all other aspects by default. We all get bullied. You think it matters to the kid having another guy jump on his back and being dragged by his hood on the locker room floor whether or not it was because he was gay or fat or just looked weak enough to pick on. It doesn't.

When you consume any entertainment media you're supposed to identify with the person you are observing, see a part of yourself in everyone. A character by the name of Briareos is one of my aspirational figures. You never hear it said but white kids get disheartened when they don't share the skin of their favorite characters too. Briareos is a black man but because he was a cyborg I didn't know at first. When I found out, it felt like I had to discard the identity. He doesn't look like me. How could I ever be like him. That's the wrong way to live. You have heroes because of who they are to you. Don't let race be something that stops you from seeing yourself and who you want to be.