I might go a bit silent for some time after this post because I've been neglecting my real life lately in a way that's seriously about to bite my arse, but. I'm here to say something that I fervently wish the 9-1-1 fandom, and the queer audiences, or fans of queer fiction in general... will hear and embrace. It's this:
This is the time to let your freak flag fly!!!!
Don't you DARE hold yourself back!!!
Let that freak flag fly!!!
I say that because we need that enthusiasm for our survival. We need that enthusiasm NOW.
Who is this we? It's us!! Fans of the show. Fans of queer fiction. Queers! Allies! People who believe in love! Queer representation in media!!
Because do you even realize what this show just did when it gave us a canonized bisexual Buck, kissing a man on screen, for the first time, in season 7 of the show?
No, it wasn't fan service. It wasn't the show folding to an obsessive queer audience.
No, this was planned, from the very beginning. Anyone who pays any attention and watches the show with open eyes can see it was.
They wanted to create a closeted bisexual character who would stay in the closet for a good while. And they did.
Yes, I am being 100% serious, yes, I absolutely believe this to be true.
These characters we follow, these storylines we watch... Do you really think these characters are just the result of random keysmashing, the writers just going
"Hmm I don't really have a plan here, let's just call this guy "Buck" and release him into the world! ... What do you mean, who is he?
I don't fucking know, he's Buck, let's just decide what to do with him later! I'm going to lunch now, who's coming with me?"
No. These characters are designed. They are planned. They are crafted out by teams of writers, who brainstorm and discuss, and pitch plans, and figure them out:
Which quirk makes them interesting, what secret are they hiding, what are their flaws, what's their backstory, why do they behave like they do...
What to do with them, what kind of story to build with them, whom to match them with for future romances... And so on.
The end result is thought out, because they want the characters to be complex, and human... yet consistent...
And to serve a purpose: to help the storytellers create meaningful stories, and illuminate important issues.
And this character design process nowadays? It definitely includes figuring out what the character's sexuality is - way before you release them into the world!!!
Because the writers know they need to know, and understand the character, to operate them in a way that makes sense, and sexuality is an important part of the "design".
Because that's how you ensure consistent behavior, how you establish a personality!!! I'm being serious, this is just basic characterization, and worldbuilding, and these writers are professionals.
Sexuality is a trait that real people are fairly consistent about, and good fiction imitates real life. For example... If my dad just out of the blue got busy with another man, I would be quite stunned because I've spotted no signs that he might be closeted. Ever.
So if you want to create a closeted bisexual character, and not have people go "there were literally zero signs of this"... You plan. From the start.
And not just to avoid pissing off the straight audience!!! We queers don't appreciate half-assed queer characters any more than they do!!! That's ignorant and lazy, a casual middle finger to the queer audience.
But Buck's closeted bisexuality... It WAS definitely planned. It was CLEARLY planned. In a way that would make justice to the real bisexuals watching.
"Oooh but you're delusional, he's a womanizer, he's been a womanizer!!!"
Exactly. Because guess what? That isn't unrealistic at all. That is real life illustrated into fiction.
This is actually fairly common behavior for bisexuals, this era of almost hypersexual interest in the "opposite sex".
It is both genuine interest, and a front. It is genuine because it's not a lie. These closeted bisexual "womanizers" (or if it's a woman, "man-eaters")... Of course they are truly into these people they so eagerly court, why wouldn't they be. Buck sought out women, because he is into women.
And as said, it is also a front. Because it is often triggered by underlying insecurity. You think you're straight, or desperately want to be straight... But something just feels off. Maybe you notice someone who you "shouldn't" be drawn to, maybe you find that your eyes linger on odd things. Maybe you get turned on by something you "shouldn't".
And that freaks you out. So you try to drown these strange feelings by clinging into what you know. You know you like the "opposite" sex. This means you are straight!! You definitely are. Look at me, doing straight things, like a regular straight person!
It's kinda... A state of desperation, and denial is the engine. You became almost this parody of a straight person. A womanizer. A man-eater. 100% straight, look at me woo! It's about self-deception, and it's about bi erasure (not really even believing that bisexuality is a valid sexuality), and it's about fear of someone figuring you out.
And sometimes it's really just... About being oblivious, and lacking self-awareness. I mean... I am bi, just like Buck. Guess what clued me in? The unplanned flirting. Brainless, outrageous, oblivious flirting.
I am a woman and I did that with women. I had no idea I was flirting. I thought I was joking. Teasing. Bantering. Being friendly. Bonding. Being funny.
I am fairly outspoken and impulsive (now diagnosed with ADHD btw) so often I just leap before I think. So I just... interacted. And then one day, in the middle of a conversation with a female friend... I just got this really, really weird feeling. Like slowly waking up from sleep walking. Where am I, what am I doing? Why am I standing so close to her? Why does this feel so intense? And I just took in the moment, rewinded it, analyzed it, took notice of how oddly jittery I was. And went...
What the fuck. I am FLIRTING. I am totally flirting. I have been flirting! For a good while now! This is me, trying to provoke a very specific reaction! This is me, being excited because she's noticing me, and flirting back! (She was bi too btw, and out, so even though this never went anywhere, I am fairly sure that I wasn't wrong. We were both flirting.)
Anyway, this ramble was about Buck being a womanizer, and an oblivious flirt with men, and closeted, and not even realising the closet...
And it all making perfect sense!!! This happens! It happened to me! Some people don't realise their bisexuality until it practically smacks them in the face.
This is perfectly realistic story-telling. This is a valid portrayal of a closeted adult bisexual.
And Buck does flirt with men, on screen, since season fucking one!!! That emergency, in season one, the guy with the tape worm? That's him, being an oblivious outrageous flirt, starting to hit on a male patient mid emergency!!
Bobby actually has to cut it off because Buck is being super unprofessional there.
That was written, acted, filmed, aired. And as said, these characters are designed.
And that's not all. There are so many other instances of Buck flirting with a man, crushing on a man, being unable to shut up about men.
Go see Eddie's and Buck's meeting - the ridiculously homoerotic first introduction of Eddie. The way Buck absolutely must impress Eddie. The way he jumps to the idea that Eddie won the spot on the "hot firefighter calendar", the way he gets super flustered when Eddie compliments him and tells Buck he can have Eddie's back anyway.
The way he assumes Maddie is surely talking about Eddie instead of Chimney when she says "he's so cute". The way he is seen prattling about Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, and Maddie then asks about this "boy crush".
Go watch the entire storyline with Veronica/Albert/Buck/Taylor. It tells us very clearly that Buck sees Albert in a towel, and then can't stop rambling about him. This chronic inability to shut up about Albert is shown on several occasions.
Buck's date, Taylor, even walks out mid their double date due to that. Taylor takes in the clusterfuck she's been invited to, makes it very clear that she's heard A LOT about Albert as Buck keeps talking about ALBERT, and leaves.
Anyway - my point here is. The writing team wanted to write a closeted adult bisexual character, and figured... How do we make them realise that Buck really was bi all along?
Well, by showing him, being bi. Showing him in genuine relationships with women, and also showing him flirt with men. So that when he finally comes out, people have material to examine, and realise...
It was always there. He was always bi.
And they did because they wanted to bring awareness, to write a story of an adult closeted bisexual. The closeted part is important, btw. Because making him come out on screen is like simulating someone coming out to you in real life. They're making you ask;
Did you see the signs?
Or did you see signs... And dismiss them?
These stories are important because bisexual erasure is real. Many people don't even believe, or know that we exist!! And there is so much ignorance about what bisexuality is, what it can look like. "Oh, surely not a womanizer like Buck! Can't be. Ridiculous!"
But guess what? It isn't ridiculous. It isn't bad, or half-assed writing. You just don't understand the realities here.
Let me tell you some facts about bisexuality. I challenge you to verify them yourself, look up studies, and see that I'm not writing fiction now.
We bisexuals cling to our closets, desperately. Often well into adulthood. Btw, I'm closeted too actually, to my family. And yeah, I may sound like I'm 14. I am not.
And no, we aren't fine in our closets. We don't have it easy. We aren't doing well. We bisexuals are actually... Alarmingly, clearly, unwell.
And not just compared to straight people. No. We are pretty much, fairly clearly, either the top or near the top.. highest ranking mental cases among the queer community!! ... So. Yay?
Don't believe me? Look up studies about bisexuals. Though... There aren't that many, actually. Turns out, if you try looking up scientific research about bisexuals? Well, there isn't much. Compared to other groups of people, we are basically unstudied. Because hey, we're a bit meh. Why fund that research? Unimportant, those bisexuals! They're doing fine!
So... This is why I love this storyline, and Buck coming out. Because it's a high profile main character. And because they worked to get this right, to establish Buck's interest in women, as well as men.
You know, because that's what usually happens when a closeted character, or a real bisexual person comes out.
"Oh. He's gay now?"
Yeah. Bisexual erasure, it never stops winning. đ
Anyway, my post turned essay about letting the freak flag fly....?
That's how you support shows like these, writers like these, storylines like these.
By being an enthusiastic fan, and letting everyone know about it.
This is free PROMO for the show, our rambling, our freaking out.
Even if you personally have no legal means to watch the show, you can still support it by loving it. Talking about it. Letting your imagination fly. Indulging in your CRAZIEST fan theories!!!
And tagging it, reblogging it.
Please do that.
Don't listen to anyone trying to make you shut up,
Trying to get you to be rational,
Trying to organize a freaking "moment of silence" from shipping,
Trying to shame you and get you to "respect Buck's coming out arc" by focusing on it instead shipping characters....
Don't listen to anyone trying to make you hate a "problematic character".
"Problematic" characters are good writing!!!! Real people have flaws!
Guess what - trying to create and write perfect characters... If you do that? You end up looking at Teletubbies. Do you like Teletubbies? Do you?!!
Don't even listen to me if I try to argue for something because I "spot a problem' and want to whine about it.
No, ignore it, be confident, be a freak, let your freak flag fly!!
Because this is an important time in the history of the show, of queer media.
People are looking at how the show does after a queer twist like this one.
And they look at numbers.
At viewership. How many people the show lost.
How many it gained.
These numbers do not tell them which viewer ships whom.
Shipping is fucking irrelevant.
Shipping wars don't matter here!!
Because even if you ship Athena and a table lamp,
but post about it, it is still promo and viewership!!!!
How "sensitive" you are, and how overwhelmed the story arc made you...
does not matter here.
How disappointed you are that you did not get Buddie, yet, doesn't matter.
You being offended that people focus on some characters over others.... Does not matter.
It doesn't translate to the most important number, which is viewership.
And the best way to get decent viewership, and reward this incredible story arc, and love this show...
Is to let your freak flag fly!!!!!!!!!!
It's not to sit in silence because people are shaming you about continuing to freak out about your particular focus on the show.
That shame and "respect" just creates silence. That erases our voice. That mutes the fandom, the free promo, and tanks viewership.
Silence? That could kill this show, and OTHER shows that may consider doing something like this.
Going on mute now will only hinder incredible writers like these, wanting to create future shows and storylines like these.
You know... Because this scene about "let 'em fire us" underneath??
It is hilarious, yes. But it is also heart-breaking.
Because this is very likely META writing.
The writers, the show... scared, yet brave, wondering how the audience will react to Buck's coming out.
If this pays off. If they still have a job in the industry after this leap.
So see what a gift these writers are.
Reward it by making noise.
By being absolutely unhinged about it.
Really, fuck this moment of silence to "Buck's bi growth".... Ship whoever, NOW, - Ravi and Buck and Athena together, if it tickles your brain!!!
Be problematic. Be a freak. Let it show.
Let your freak flag fly. That's how you love the show.
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Regarding Tommy (AKA Stop hating him for the âBeginsâ episodes)
So Iâve been seeing a TON of hate for Tommy specifically because of his behaviour in the âBeginsâ episodes and how he âshouldnât be forgivenâ so Iâm getting fed up and decided to to a TIMELINE of Tommy & why we donât need to be spoon fed his âredemptionâ because we saw it across 10-ish years of flashbacks in the Begins episodes and can learn to understand that some stuff can just be implied with storytelling rather than treating the audience like babies and spelling it out for them. I will be starting with his first chronological appearance NOT his first on-screen appearance.
Starting Approx. 2005-2006 2x12 âChimney Beginsâ now Iâm not sure exactly what dates the episode here but google tells me itâs set around here, If Iâm wrong let me know.
This was the big episode of Tommy being an asshole, I will not deny he was an asshole. He was one of the primary assholes of this episode along with the old captain. Letâs look at this episode with what we know about Tommy now, not what we knew then.
Tommy was a closeted gay man in a male-led, white-led field (presumably gay, we havenât had his label yet) working under a captain we know is Homophobic, Sexist, and Racist. He also was a white man in a white male field back in 2005, prejudice was still a huge thing in 2005 (and still is but weâre not here to talk about that) and this episode shows this well, because it had to fit with the âtimesâ. Tommy was an aggressor to begin with Im not going to deny this, but do you know who was also there, standing by and watching the rest of the 118 treat Chimney like shit for MONTHS? Eli! Yes lovey Eli who eventually helped get Chim into the field and let him stay with him in Boston. Yes he ended up being a good guy, but that doesnât excuse the months he spent staying quiet watching the 118 mistreat Chim. Youâll see this theme pop up again later, funnily enough. Eventually we see Tommy and Chim become civil, after Chimney saves his life. He goes on to befriend Chimney, telling him his favourite movie is Love Actually (thatâs fruity) amongst other things.
Fast forward to somewhere between 2009-2010 2x09 âHen Beginsâ aka the next time we see Tommy chronologically and the first time we meet him in the show. We know a rough timeline as Sal says his girlfriend took him to see the new Twilight movie, and they reference the Edward vs Jacob, which means itâs most likely New Moon or Eclipse as that was more heavily a marketing thing for those two than the first one. This is also the first time Tommy is implied to be gay (He doesnât deny the accusation and instead jokes about kissing Sal/Chimney) Now at this point in time I know this probably was not planned, but is something to look back at.
Tommy is this episode steps back from being an aggressor, he is still working under Gerrard and still closeted. He is still a part of the problem, but other than being present in the episode and in the scenes where Sal and Gerrard acted as aggressors, he didnât actually contribute verbally to the mistreatment of Hen. The primary aggressor for Hen was Gerrard and remained to be Gerrard throughout the episode even when her co-workers saw her doing good things. And going back to Eli in Chimneys episode, guess who was also a bystander to Hens mistreatment, filling a similar role to Hen that Eli filled? CHIMNEY. He stood back for also presumably months, didnât defend Hen against their co-workers, and just let what happened to him happen to her. Then, at the end of the episode itâs revealed multiple members of her team submitted complaints against their captain for the mistreatment of Hen, Iâm willing to bet that he was one of those people, him, Chim, and even potentially Sal as he was less of an ass by the end. By the end of her episode we know they are now friendly at work and he thinks sheâs a good firefighter.
Skip forward to 2014-ish, 2x16 âBobby Begins Again.â We immediately see the team meshing, Chim, Hen, Tommy, and even Sal. 9 Years have passed since he met Chimney, and 4-ish since Hen and itâs implied theyâre a friendly unit, Tommy is still closeted, and has been working under a rotating number of captains (six to be exact), but has clearly become a better, and more accepting person, the world is changing and he isnât being held back with the times. He goes out for drinks with Hen & Chimney, laughs with them, has an overall good time being their friend and seeming enjoying working under Bobby for another 4 years, we even see them smash his face into a cake at a surprise leaving party theyâve thrown him. We know Buck took his place at the 118 which was not long before S1 began, so weâre assuming he left the 118 2017/2018.
This is the last time we see Tommy until 7x03, presumably set in 2023/2024 âCapsizedâ, a whole canonical 16-18 years after we first meet him, and 6 years since he left the 118. In those 6 years we know he:
A) is still friendly with Chimney, we know from 2x14 when he phones him to drop the fire retardant on the house. He is also mentioned to still be in contact in 3x16
B) Has come out/discovered his sexuality.
C) Is obviously not bigoted, or at least as much as he was back in 2005-ish.
In terms of Hen we can assume they havenât really stayed âfriendsâ since Tommy left, as she states in Capsized that she forgot he worked there. She worked with him for 8-ish years, Iâve worked with people for that length of time and donât talk to them now, doesnât mean I hate them, we just donât really have reason to talk anymore. I just think their friendship was more a âweâre work friendsâ kind of relationship rather than a âweâre in each otherâs livesâ one, which is a completely normal and valid relationship. Whereas with Chim we know theyâve remained at least acquaintances to chat, and friends enough that Tommy would risk both his life and job to save Bobby.
At this point in the timeline itâs been approximately CANONICALLY 16-18 years since we met Tommy, and the fandom is still asking for his character to be held accountable for things he said all those years ago, when clearly in the canon of the show has been forgiven. At this point in the show I really donât think we need to be spoonfed this narrative, it would feel clunky and weird to see an apology on screen for something thatâs clearly been addressed off screen. It would frankly be a waste of the limited airtime we have this season.
I also think itâs super important to remember that Tommy wasnât planned that far in advance, we know he was bought back by Minear because he wanted the person who was part of Bucks coming out to be someone the audience had already met before & Lou was both available and willing to do it. If they had been planning this exact storyline since season 2, maybe Tommy would have been portrayed differently, who knows.
I get we love Buddie and we want Buddie so much, I am not and never will jump ship from Buddie, I love that Tommy is Bucks first boyfriend, I just hope Eddie gets to be his last.
Iâm also super glad weâre getting Bucks coming out separately from Eddies potential future coming out, I am on the (seemingly) small majority that thinks that would have been way too much to happen all at once, and also the characters deserve to have their own coming out stories not to be lumped together.
so yeah. TLDR; Tommy has evolved over 16-18 years, 10 years of which we saw across the Begins episodes, and if we want to be spoonfed his accountability for his behaviour in the begins episode, we should also be asking the same from Eli and Chim.
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