dukeaubergine

[dukeaubergine]

I got a bee in my bonnet and spent last night crunching these numbers to confirm a long-held suspicion of mine, and now I'm going to do something with them even if it's only interesting to me. So.

I went through and tallied up all of the fics AO3 currently (as of 3/27/24) has under the tags "Trans Tim Drake," "Nonbinary Tim Drake," "Genderfluid Tim Drake" and "Genderqueer Tim Drake," since I figured that cast a wide enough net without committing myself to reading every fic vaguely tagged Trans Character to figure out which character they were talking about.

I then did the same for Dick, Jason, Damian and Bruce and, after comparing those numbers against each other and against the total number of fics each character has under their general tag, followed up with Duke, Babs, Cass, Steph and Kate, and then Kon, Cassie, and Bart for good measure.

The results confirm the suspicions I was going into check and are really interesting, to me at least:

Despite having far fewer stories overall than Jason, Bruce or Dick, Tim has by far the most stories tagging him under the trans umbrella (653 out of 58,395) and is the only member of the Bats for whom at least one full percent of his stories fall under that category (1.12% to be exact.) He actually has more total trans stories than Jason and Damian combined (308 out of 71,120 and 255 out of 42,607, equaling 0.43% and 0.59%, respectively) and outstretches the 2nd place ranker, Dick, by over a hundred (who clocks in at 438 out of 79,057 -- 0.55%). Bruce amusingly has by far the most stories overall (90,305) but the fewest trans stories (185) for the lowest percentage among the boys (0.2%).

The only one who comes anywhere close to matching Tim percentage-wise is Bart, who has far fewer stories to his name but a ratio of 62 out of 5,717 for 1.08%. I was thinking maybe Young Justice might have a higher percentage than the Bats due to their strong queer fandom but that only really proved true for Bart, with both Cassie and Kon coming in at only 0.2% and 0.28% trans umbrella percentage respectively (actual count 6 out of 2,874 and 39 out of 13,746).

Cassie's numbers correspond with the fact that women just, do not get a lot of these stories, at all, even compared to the general lack of attention they're paid by fanfiction spheres in general. Steph and Kate both clocked in at falling 0.17% under the trans umbrella (29 out of 16,638 for Steph, 5 out of 2,897 for Kate); Cass got 0.13% (21 out of 15,769) and Babs only 0.07%, the lowest percentage out of anyone I calculated for (11 out of 15,785). Duke's showing was a respectable 0.55% (34 out of 6,166) which puts him about even with the rest of the boys.

All of which I just went through to confirm a gut instinct I've had for a while: even in light of the noticeable trend in fandom towards increased visibility for trans and other queer-gendered people over the last decade and a half or so, it's a notable Thing for the DC comics fandom to explore with Tim Drake in specific.

And that doesn't even take into account things like the over 200 "Tim Drake is Catlad | Stray" fics, which almost always have some element of queered gender or at least femme'd sexuality to them, far outstripping any of the other Robin boys' spins in that AU (those counts stand at, respectively: Damian - 11, Dick - 33, Jason - 79, Tim - 242). Or the 11 fics logged under the "Tim Drake is Batgirl" tag, a category that doesn't even exist for any of the other male Robins.

(What makes that last one extra hilarious to me that most people don't know one canonical version of Tim has been a member of the Batgirls.) Part of me wants to use that parenthetic detail as a segway to ramble about the various canon snippets I think probably contributed to this, from Tim being presented as "the pretty one" who most often gets the "looks like his mother" comments to the fact that he is the only male Robin who's ever cross-dressed for an undercover mission and even though it only happened once the Internet will never forget Caroline Hill.

But this post is long enough as it is and I don't really have a point beyond I think this is interesting and cool so I'm going to leave off here for now and put my numbers under a cut so people have the raw data to look at if they'd like to.

TL;DR - Based on the numbers, the internet believes Tim Drake is more likely to be trans than any other member of the Bat-family or Young Justice, and I think that has interesting implications about his character and fandom. It's neat.

Data Taken: 3/27/24

Tim Drake: 58,395 Trans Tim Drake: 513 Nonbinary Tim Drake: 46 Genderfluid Tim Drake: 89 Genderqueer Tim Drake: 5

Dick Grayson: 79,057 Trans Dick Grayson: 399 Nonbinary Dick Grayson: 15 Genderfluid Dick Grayson: 23 Genderqueer Dick Grayson: 1

Jason Todd: 71,120 Trans Jason Todd: 286 Nonbinary Jason Todd: 17 Genderqueer/Genderfluid Jason Todd: 5 (4 have both tags and are the only ones tagged Genderqueer Jason Todd)

Damian Wayne: 42,607 Trans Damian Wayne: 215  Nonbinary Damian Wayne: 37 Genderfluid Damian Wayne: 3 Genderqueer Damian Wayne: 0

Bruce Wayne: 90,305 Trans Bruce Wayne: 180 Nonbinary Bruce Wayne: 5 (2 also tagged Trans Bruce Wayne) Genderfluid Bruce Wayne: 1 Genderqueer Bruce Wayne: 1

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Total Trans Umbrella Tim Drake: 653 Total Trans Umbrella Dick Grayson: 438 Total Trans Umbrella Jason Todd: 308 (313 if you count the GQ tag separately) Total Trans Umbrella Damian Wayne: 255 Total Trans Umbrella Bruce Wayne: 185 (187)

Percentage Trans Umbrella Tim Drake: 1.12% (1.11825) Percentage Trans Umbrella Dick Grayson: 0.55% (0.55403) Percentage Trans Umbrella Jason Todd: 0.43% (0.43307 or 0.44010) Percentage Trans Umbrella Damian Wayne: 0.59% (0.59849) Percentage Trans Umbrella Bruce Wayne: 0.2% (0.20466)

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Duke Thomas: 6,166 Trans Duke Thomas: 20 Nonbinary Duke Thomas: 14 Genderfluid Duke Thomas: 0 Genderqueer Duke Thomas: 0

Barbara Gordon: 15,785 Trans Barbara Gordon: 11 Nonbinary Barbara Gordon: 0 Genderfluid Barbara Gordon: 0 Genderqueer Barbara Gordon: 0

Cassandra Cain: 15,769 Trans Cassandra Cain: 15 Nonbinary Cassandra Cain: 6 Genderfluid Cassandra Cain: 0 Genderqueer Cassandra Cain: 0

Stephanie Brown: 16,638 Trans Stephanie Brown: 27 Nonbinary Stephanie Brown: 2 Genderfluid Stephanie Brown: 0 Genderqueer Stephanie Brown: 0

Kate Kane (DCU): 2,897 Trans Kate Kane: 4 Nonbinary Kate Kane: 0 Genderfluid Kate Kane: 1 Genderqueer Kate Kane: 0

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Total Trans Umbrella Duke Thomas: 34 Total Trans Umbrella Barbara Gordon: 11 Total Trans Umbrella Cassandra Cain: 21 Total Trans Umbrella Stephanie Brown: 29 Total Trans Umbrella Kate Kane: 5

Percentage Trans Umbrella Duke Thomas: 0.55% (0.55141) Percentage Trans Umbrella Barbara Gordon: 0.07% (0.06968) Percentage Trans Umbrella Cassandra Cain: 0.13% (0.13317) Percentage Trans Umbrella Stephanie Brown: 0.17% (0.17429) Percentage Trans Umbrella Kate Kane: 0.17% (0.17259)

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Kon-El | Conner Kent: 13,746 Trans Kon-El | Conner Kent: 19 Nonbinary Kon-El | Conner Kent: 19 Genderfluid Kon-El | Conner Kent: 1 Genderqueer Kon-El | Conner Kent: 0

Bart Allen: 5,717 Trans Bart Allen: 40 Nonbinary Bart Allen: 20 Genderfluid Bart Allen: 1 Genderqueer Bart Allen: 1

Cassie Sandsmark: 2,874 Trans Cassie Sandsmark: 4 Nonbinary Cassie Sandsmark: 2 Genderfluid Cassie Sandsmark: 0 Genderqueer Cassie Sandsmark: 0

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Total Trans Umbrella Kon-El: 39 Total Trans Umbrella Bart Allen: 62 Total Trans Umbrella Cassie Sandsmark: 6

Percentage Trans Umbrella Kon-El: 0.28% (0.28371)  Percentage Trans Umbrella Bart Allen: 1.08% (1.08448) Percentage Trans Umbrella Cassie Sandsmark: 0.2% (0.20876)

#DC comics #fandom tag #interesting #making a note to try some cis swap searches too #I think the older ones had less consistent tagging #as someone who writes a lot of FemTim I'm curious how the other characters stack up in that #and if it's related #everyone playing in the gender sandbox #I did know about canon AU Batgirl Tim! #I haven't read DCBombshells but I did know about that Tim

[dukeaubergine]

Batgirl!Tim Drake

Based on the fic “I Come Home in the Morning” by dukeaubergine on Ao3. In this verse Tim takes on the role as Batgirl (he’s still a boy, he’s just crossdressing). I loved this fic and the idea of Tim as Batgirl is so fun! This is how I imagined Tim’s batgirl suit to look. I was inspired by an artist I saw on Twitter and tried to replicate their art style a bit. Unfortunately I drew this ages ago and I can’t remember the artist’s username!!! Sorry!!

Some close ups under the cut ;p

08 March 2024

#DC comics #Timmy!!! #eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[dukeaubergine]

Reblog and put your rare pair in the tags/comments! I want to see the depths people will go to create, for the most random two characters in the most obscure media.

#RegRookwood #has two fics one of them mine #EzraBridgerSavageOpress #only one fic and that's meeeeeeeee #it's also one of the few fics on Ao3 to use the uncanonized 'faux incest' tag #Fandom Tag

[dukeaubergine]

"I don't like being back here. I never thought I'd be stuck in this house again."

#oh fuck me sideways #OUCH #harry potter series #this is THE vibe for everything to do with Grimmauld Place

[dukeaubergine]

It's been a hot minute since I posted any Kanezra, huh?

Here, enjoy an AU one-shot: lothcat smile.

#Ezra Bridger #Kanan Jarrus #Kanezra #star wars series #star wars rebels #Aubergine Fic

[dukeaubergine]

i thought i lost you

#DC comics

[dukeaubergine]

Famous big spoon Tim Drake? 🥹❤️

#dc comics

[dukeaubergine]

Short Quiz asking about BatClan specific ship preferences (+ Slade) The more extensive Quiz is still in the works

Anyway this is just for fun and for my small little excel cheat sheet so I don't have to always remember myself which ship my friends/mutuals like and dislike.

There's no restriction as to who can take it.

Here's the Quiz

If something doesn't work just tell me (it works better if you answer it via the pc, otherwise you'll have to scroll sideways at the Top/Bottom Dom/Sub questions or just skip them)

Have fun?

#dc comics

[dukeaubergine]

He was WORRIED !!

#dc comics

[dukeaubergine]

Hair

#dc comics

[dukeaubergine]

#DC comics #cute!

[dukeaubergine]

tumblr user hussyknee, sideblog spite-and-waffles, Ao3 PinkLetterDay, has said previously that all racism stems from colorism (and dismisses other people's lived experiences), that light-skinned Jews with any European heritage don't get to talk about racial/ethnic discrimination, and that Israel is "not a legitimate state" (what does that even mean, and do you think it applies to literally any other country on the planet).

I usually just block and move on with stuff like this, but since she's been an ass to me & others over Bat fandom content and harasses people over political issues, I figured this time I would do a brief heads up, to lower the chances of someone stumbling over her posts, comments, reblogs, etc, through fandom content, and being fucking smacked in the g*d damned face with the real world crap.

Please don't harass her (please don't harass anyone).

#I have the two blogs blocked I do not want to engage with her #I reblogged the time she vagueblogged about my fic to keep that on record #I would have screencaps as proof of the rest but I didn't think to at the time sorry #and I don't want to subject myself to slogging through all the BS right now to find the specifics #you don't have to take my word! I am not asking anyone to take actions! this is just a heads up #Aubergine Posts

[dukeaubergine]

spite-and-waffle's original tags: if you can rationalize Jason's bad writing but not Steph or Damian's Imma find you sus anyone who accepts Fab Nic's butchering of Steph during Batman RIP can go fuck themselves also lol @ anyone who still hates Damian I know pretty much everyone hated him in the beginning but it's been 14 years let it go JayTim bat fic anti bruce wayne stephanie brown fan wankery spite waffle

Image: two A03 comments from June 21 & 22, 2022

PinkLetterDay: Please put Steph bashing in the tags. dukeaubergine: There is a comment requesting "Please put Steph bashing in the tags." There is no reply button, so my response to the request is going here as a new comment: This fic does not bash Stephanie Brown, therefore that tag would be inaccurate. /end ID.

Real nice of them to put it in the ship tag, increasing the chance I'd see it, isn't it?

More Misadventures In Batfic

OMG the Rule 43 JayTim fic of my dreams!

OMG Rule 43 JayTim knocked-up fic of my dreams!!

In the Bad Parent Bruce tag!!!

...that bashes Damian and Stephanie...

Damn it.

*blocks*

#fandom wank #I ignored this at the time but you know what let's save those receipts #we must have wildly different definitions of bashing #Dami and Steph's dialogue and actions either came from canon weremodified from canon or designed to fit with it #guess what when someone is writing in the Preboot canon they're not obliged to use N52 or Rebirth characterization! #other fans aren't designed to write the Perfect Version That Lives In Your Head #woulda been nice if you'd just blocked and muted without commenting first #instead of leaving a comment on my fic I literally can't reply to #wanker

[dukeaubergine]

Potential headcanon or AU fic idea: Dana Winters was actually a League of Assassins agent sent to keep an eye on Batman’s newest protege, after said protege tried to run over Ra’s with a giant penny.

#DC comics #oooooooooh

[dukeaubergine]

oops

#fandom posts

[dukeaubergine]

That scene in particular with them practically chaining him to a chair to fix his arm was so off. Like he was climbing on the counters and being an asshole. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and have them explain it somehow, but they never did

Ahhhh… okay fine -continues ranting about Devin Grayson’s writing because you baited me-

I mentioned it a couple posts ago, but there are a lot of scenes Devin writes that are cute at first glance… but if you really think about them, they start to look like bad characterizations. Since you brought it up, here’s Dick flipping over the counter

Sigh. Honestly? I think this panel’s adorable. The art is cute, Dick’s smile is cute, the acrobatic pose is cute, Dick remembering a past encounter with the Joker is cute– up until you piece it in with the rest of the scene and realize how insensitive he’s being. Like you said, he was being an ass hole.

1) Dick keeps talking over Babs. This was a huge pet peeve of mine throughout Devin Grayson’s run, and I touch on it a bit here from this [post I wrote seven months ago]. Dick keeps having one-sided conversations with Barbara because he’s “constantly on the move” and his “mouth moves faster than his brain,” hence him being utterly ignorant of her own emotions. Besides the examples I list in that last post, there’s this

which has small blurry font since I pulled it off Google. Devin Grayson writes Dick as a bit of a manchild. I’m really not sure why he feels the need to stand on Barbara’s counters like that, but I get that Devin’s doing this to remind us that Dick’s an acrobat. 

Beyond that, you can see how frustrated Barbara is getting because Dick is continually being ignorant to her needs and insensitive.

In this comic alone, Dick:

1) Rewires Barbara’s computer! :) Yup, Dick rewires the computer of DC’s resident master hacker without her permission. When Barbara complains that she had it set up that way for a reason and tells him not to touch her tech, he says something like “you can always change it back, but you’ll like it better this way, I promise” Why the hell would Dick touch Oracle’s tech and assume he knows better than her when it comes to computers? No clue. It’s ooc

2) He’s ignorant of her life as a paraplegic. Dick jumps to grab a spice from an upper cabinet, only for Babs to point out that she keeps spices near her “where she can reach them.” This comment seems to go right over his head, resulting in the above scene where the spice ends up all over the kitchen in a giant mess. Yaaay. (Compare this to Birds of Prey #8 where Dick was cognizant of and respectful of Barbara’s disability)

3) He’s ignorant of her emotions. We see Barbara frustrated in that last panel, and Dick ends up flipping over the counter to suddenly tell a story about the Joker!!! :) Right after Barbara makes a passing comment about her disability!!! :))) Know what happens after that?

Barbara starts crying and Dick has to suddenly console her, saying, “Babs, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I said that. I’m just a moron sometimes, my mouth moves faster than my brain.” Can’t say Dick is wrong. When Devin Grayson’s writing him, he is being a moron half the time. 

Sigh, yeah, sorry. Dick being reckless to his injuries is one thing, but there are so many things within this run that are annoyingly ooc. It’s no wonder the DickBabs relationship was ruined with how scatterbrained and insensitively Dick kept treating Barbara. There’s also the whole thing where Chemo was dropped on the city, and Dick kept running around despite radioactive poisoning because he’s just so sacrificial. I don’t mind him saving lives in the city by any means but… how about a biohazard suit maybe? There’s also other heroes that are not impacted by radioactive poisoning… and Dick has contact with them. Why not call in for back up that can actually handle it? (Have fun with that cancer, Dick.) I realize the emotional strain he was under at the time due to Devin’s arc, but with or without that emotional strain, he’s acting in the same hazardous way, continually throwing his life away when better options not only exist but would be easy to implement (like a simple comic book biohazard suit). 

“By the third time you’ve opened your stitches…”

etc etc. So yeaaah. These scenes are “cute” and I fully understand why they get reblogged in the fandom so much since they’re posted without context 99% of the time. With context, though, Dick looks more like an insensitive scatterbrained ass hole who ruined his own relationship and draws out his own injuries, so yeah, I feel you. I have no idea how the plot could have explained his behavior tbh

#DC comics #oh this explains a LOT of fanon characterization #yeah this Dick is very different from the one who came to Tim's YJ parent teacher conference #it's technically canon... just not the same canon #a very dramatic blip #got it

[dukeaubergine]

I've said this before but Why do people position "themes and analysis" and "shipping" as mutually exclusive opposites. maybe I find two characters thematically interesting and want them to analytically fuck about it.

#fandom posts